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      1  2022    2  290,9  ,   18%     2021    36,6%       .
BISMARCK, N.D.  A federal court battle over whether the developer of the Dakota Access oil pipeline can finish the $3.8 billion project will linger at least into the first couple months of the new year.

Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners last month asked U.S. District Judge James Boasberg to declare it can legally lay pipe under a Missouri River reservoir in North Dakota  the last remaining large chunk of construction on the 1,200-mile, four-state pipeline to move North Dakota oil to a shipping point in Illinois.

The Army has declined to give permission due to opposition by the Standing Rock Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux, who fear any leaks would contaminate drinking water. The Army cites a need for more study of the Lake Oahe crossing and consideration of alternative routes.

ETP believes it already has the necessary permission and has asked Boasberg to concur. Company lawyers earlier proposed a schedule that included an early January hearing. Boasberg on Friday gave the government until Jan. 6 to file its opposition to ETP's request for permission. Boasberg won't hear arguments until at least February.

The two tribes filed documents Wednesday saying they are willing to put their claims on hold while the Army Corps of Engineers does more study. The tribes earlier this year challenged the government's decision to grant permits at more than 200 water crossings.

"Plaintiff tribes applaud the decision by the Corps and intend to work in good faith with the Corps through the (study) process in hopes that a resolution of its concerns can be achieved without the need for further proceedings in this court," attorneys wrote.

The tribes also intend to oppose ETP's request to the judge for permission to drill under the lake. Boasberg also gave them until Jan. 6 to do so.

Tribal members and supporters have been protesting the pipeline for months, based at a camp near the pipeline route in southern North Dakota. Harsh wintry weather is beginning to drive some people out of the camp.

The Morton County Sheriff's Office estimated Friday that between 1,800 and 2,200 people remain in the camp on federal land, spokesman Rob Keller said. That's down from estimates of 3,000 to 5,000 people before heavy snow and bitter cold settled in.

Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault this week called for the camp to disband, though Native American rights activist Chase Iron Eyes implored protesters to stay.

A coalition of grassroots groups opposing the pipeline issued a statement Friday saying they support a transition to protesting against project investors in communities. However, they said they also support pipeline opponents who choose to stay in camp overwinter.

The groups included the Indigenous Environmental Network, Honor the Earth, Sacred Stone Camp and the International Indigenous Youth Council.
Crow rapper Supaman describes the contagious light that had him returning four times to Cannon Ball, N.D., to perform at the site of the Standing Rock pipeline protest.

He and other Crow tribal members, including Jared Stewart and Desja Eagle Tail, found a connection to other indigenous people and to their own Native heritage through their performances at Standing Rock.

After participating in two Billings fundraisers to help the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in their protest against the Dakota Access pipeline, Stewart and his wife Niki traveled to Standing Rock with their children in September. It was just a day after representatives from the Crow Tribe met with Sioux leaders there, ending a conflict dating back to the 1800s.

Stewart said his visit reaffirmed his belief that good things happen through prayer.

They broke down that barrier to show solidarity. I thought I need to experience this, Stewart said. This is our mecca.

As he and Niki pulled into camp that September day, Stewart, 45, said the hair on his arms raised up, the moment was so moving.

That night around the campfire at the Sacred Stone camp, Stewart performed Bob Marleys Redemption Song during his one-hour set. Their children still talk about the experience and Stewart reminds them how historic their visit was.

'You could feel that medicine'

There was no animosity toward anybody. If a person was there, they werent there for a dance contest and they were not there to spy. The flow of energy there was so powerful, Stewart said.

Thats why Stewart believes the area should be turned into a national historic landmark to commemorate the gathering of more than 300 indigenous groups from around the world.

I believe in the spiritual side of where we come from. You could feel that medicine there, Stewart said.

After playing guitar professionally since age 18, Stewart recently announced he is retiring from music. He was diagnosed with a hyper-thyroid condition, making it hard for him to play guitar, especially at the high level he's been performing at. Highlights of his long career include performing at the first Magic City Blues Festival and again, at the 2016 festival. His retirement made his performance at Standing Rock even more significant for him.

Rapper Christian Parrish Takes His Gun, who performs as Supaman, has performed all over the U.S., but has never experienced the outpouring of love he felt at Standing Rock.

"People of all walks of life, all cultures, all colors  they all had the same vision and heart. There were those who are "f" the police. Every emotion has its place in time. The ones who are about the cause were filled with love and they stood in the face of evil and let their light shine."

Supaman was performing in California in November and through a friend of a friend, he was approached by Taboo of The Black Eyed Peas to create some beats for a new project. That eventually led to an invitation for Supaman to perform in a video that Taboo put together for the song, Stand Up/ Stand N Rock, which was released Dec. 6. The video also features actress Shailene Woodley and Crow fashion designer Bethany Yellow Tail.

Supaman was encouraged to rap in his Crow language and he had a friend help him turn these lyrics into Crow: Today we have life because of water/Respect my Mother Earth/Keep in mind our children and their children/Stand up together with your words and defend her.

Supaman also performed in the first night of a two-day concert, Mni Wiconi Benefit Concert on Nov. 25, when he sang another new song about Standing Rock.

Ready to die like a martyr tonight/With our fist in the sky/Water is life.

Honor song

Desja Eagle Tail, who recently graduated cum laude from Montana State University Billings with a music business degree, performed on the second night of the Mni Wiconi Benefit Concert at Prairie Knights Casino in Fort Yates, opening for Taboo along with 30 other Native American performers. A live stream of the concert was viewed by people in more than 30 countries.

Like Stewart and Supaman, Eagle Tail, 25, felt strength and unity at Standing Rock, but she was also conflicted.

As we got close, all of my apprehension, worrying about how dangerous it was or what anybody would think, just went away. It was so powerful, you could feel the power of the Native Americans praying. This is how we fought for generations, by assembling and praying."

She had carefully prepared a special song to perform that day and when Eagle Tail got to the front lines where a barbed wire barricade was set up separating activists from police, she decided it was time to sing.

I sang my family honor song. It was given to my mother. It is her honor song, Eagle Tail said.

Her mother, Marjean Eagle Tail, grew up on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. She was the smart one, the good student who got to attend regular classes, but many of the other Native students were put in special education classes. And that bothered Marjean. So when they asked her to be a Native American student representative on the school board, Marjean found her voice.

She was smart and she obeyed the rules at school and they assumed she would say everything was great. But she spoke up and said the other Native Americans shouldnt be put in special ed just for being Native. Now, it was on record, and they had to do something about it.

For that brave move, the late Junior Shakespeare wrote Marjean's honor song in the Arapaho language and gave her the name Eagle Plume Woman, Eagle Tail said.

Although she is not fluent in the Crow language, Eagle Tail learned Crow songs from her mother and grandmother and she sang them at Fort Yates. It felt powerful to sing them and Eagle Tail began to embrace her Native heritage in a way she never had before.

"I just tried to avoid conflict and be quiet. When I was there, it felt so empowering to say, 'Yes, I am Native American. This runs through my blood, through generations before me.'"

Eagle Tail brought that message back to Billings last week when she again performed her familys honor song at MSU Billings on Nov. 29 on her way home to Spokane, Wash., where she now lives.

"It was so healing," Eagle Tail said.
I have been thinking and reading a lot lately about the protest at Standing Rock.

I understand the frustration of Native Americans who have lived for decades under the Doctrine of Discovery, and I wholeheartedly support the repudiation of this doctrine. Native Americans are entitled to be treated with dignity and share the same freedoms as all Americans.

Yet while I truly admire and respect those who abide by the law and protest in peace  Native and white alike  I abhor those who throw feces, threaten law enforcement officers and disrespect the property of others in the name of justice. What disturbs me as much are those who journey to Standing Rock to stand with the protesters for a day or two, and then return to their own comfortable lives and claim the moral high ground.

What keeps echoing in my ears is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in the Gospel of Luke 18:10-14:

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income. But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner! I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.

To identify with either the Pharisee or the tax collector misses the point; we are not either/or; we are both. We who claim Christ are the Pharisee  people who trust that their religious practices are God-pleasing enough, and, we are the tax collector  people who acknowledge their own sinfulness and plead for Gods mercy.

Likewise, to identify with the Standing Rock protesters over any of the other players (law enforcement, contractors, and the state of North Dakota, to name a few) also misses the point. Again: we are not either; we are both.

It turns out that Jesus parable isnt about Pharisees or tax collectors at all. Its about judgment  whos in and whos out  and the dangers of placing ourselves in the role of judge.

The bad news is that any time we draw a line between whos in and whos out, we are bound to find God on the other side. The good news is that the corners to which we flee are made holy by the one who always seems to find us there  Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord!
Lily Moore and Rick Stiles arent trying to push members of United Methodist churches out of the mainline Protestant denomination.

Both are unhappy with the recent actions of the Western Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church, which elected its first openly gay bishop in July. The Rev. Dr. Karen Oliveto, who is based in Denver, oversees the Mountain Sky Area of the UMC, which includes Montana.

Their goal instead is offer support to other Montanans who share their dismay, and to share alternatives for financial giving.

What were attempting to do is provide a common group for people to help support their individual churches through the issues that are going on, Stiles said in an interview.

Coming together

The two are lifelong members of the UMC, active in their own congregations. Stiles belongs to Evangelical United Methodist Church and Moore is a member of First United Methodist Church.

They joined together to form Montana Wesleyan Methodist after the July election of Oliveto. That action violates the Book of Discipline, the denominations book of law, Stiles and Moore say.

Although the Book of Discipline considers all people of sacred worth, it calls the practice of homosexuality incompatible with Christian teaching. It also says that self-avowed homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers or appointed to serve in the United Methodist Church.

Those who elected Oliveto say she was the best person for the job. And though they realize her election was a pivotal moment for the denomination, they maintain that wasnt why they elected her.

But Moore said the issue goes even deeper. At the 2016 General Conference in Portland in May, the legislative body of the denomination that meets every four years, a tense discussion over the issue of homosexuality led talks to be postponed.

Instead, the Council of Bishops created the Commission on a Way Forward, representing all sides of the denomination. Its goal is to scrutinize and possibly recommend revisions to the Book of Discipline related to human sexuality.

The 32-member commission hopes to finish its work by early 2019, when a special General Conference meeting will be called to vote on its recommendations. But two months after the 2016 General Conference, before the commission could make any recommendations, the Western Jurisdictional Conference elected Oliveto.

People are very upset that the Western Jurisdiction did not give the commission a chance to finish their work, Moore said. And for them to break the rules and expect the members to go along and agree and to give money to them, that is when people are saying 'uh-uh.'

Soon after Olivetos election, complaints were filed with the Judicial Council, the denominations highest judicial body, for a declaratory decision concerning same-sex church leaders. A decision isnt expected to be rendered until spring.

Since Olivetos installation as bishop on Sept. 1, the bishop has taken seven road trips with district superintendents to visit churches and meet people. Some were glad she came, said David Burt, assistant to the bishop, and others were upset with her election, and they let her know.

But she was still there willing to hear them, he said. Thats the thing, that shes willing to be in dialogue with people, as I think a lot of us are.

Growing group

Montana Wesleyan Methodist began with a handful of Billings-area people who shared Stiles and Moores concerns, and a leadership team was formed. As they sent out emails and received phone calls, the group grew.

We are adding people weekly as more people hear about this, Stiles said. Ive been surprised at the reach that this seems to be getting from around the state.

Some pastors who disagreed with the election contacted them, Stiles said, but requested their names not be added to the membership roles for fear of retaliation.

The Montana group held its first gathering on Nov. 12, with guest speaker the Rev. Walter Fenton of Texas-based Good News, an unofficial evangelical United Methodist organization that holds to the traditional understanding of Scripture.

Moore said they expected 20 to 25 people. Instead, 57 showed up at the meeting. They came from as far away as Livingston, Townsend, Miles City, Glendive and Powell, Wyo.

Among the crowd were a few pastors and many lay people. The meeting included an introduction to Montana Wesleyan Methodist, prayer, singing and Communion.

At the meeting, one person commented that though they had been part of UMC for 30 years, they had never felt so alone, Stiles said. They said the meeting convinced them to continue attending their church.

Thats important, Stiles said, because hes heard from others who have left their congregations or have withheld their financial contributions in protest. There are ways to give money but designate it for the local churchs use only, he said  information his group is glad to share.

Two unexpected people also came to the meeting, Burt, whose office is in Billings, and Kama Hamilton Morton, district superintendent for the Yellowstone Conference of the UMC, who lives in Great Falls but happened to be in the Billings area.

Burt offered greetings from Bishop Oliveto to people at the gathering. Morton answered questions raised by attendees.

In an interview Tuesday, Burt said he appreciated the cordial welcome, but only found out about the gathering secondhand. In a difficult discussion like this, he said, its crucial for all voices to be heard.

We want to engage in dialogue, he said. Without it, a lot of misinformation can go on, on both sides.

Voicing concerns

Burt said he understands people are upset and want to voice their anger and concern. There are many ways to do that.

Those range from writing letters to denomination officials to sending petitions to the general and jurisdictional conferences, Burt said. Or they can seek to become voting delegates who attend those conferences.

He confirmed that some members have left churches in the Big Sky Area and others are withholding their offerings or designating them for local use only.

In one of the smaller churches, one family gave about one-third of the annual budget and they left the church, Burt said. So that puts in jeopardy a pastors ability to stay.

A special fund may be developed to help financially struggling churches. Other congregations, he said, have boosted their giving.

Of every $1,000 a church gives to support the mission of the UMC, Burt pointed out, less than $1 goes to support the bishop. With a drop in giving, other ministries within the denomination are impacted as well, he said.

Moore believes that is a natural consequence of moving forward with controversial actions that go against church law. Both she and Stiles are waiting for a decision rendered by the Judicial Council and eventually the Commission on the Way Forward.

In the meantime, they will continue to meet with others concerned with the direction the denomination is going, Stiles said. The next meeting will likely be on the third Saturday in January.

"First and foremost we're trying to keep the local churches intact," he said. Were focused on how to keep the United Methodist Church intact using the Book of Discipline we have now.
Seven recent Montana Law Enforcement academy graduates, including one nominated by his peers as "most outstanding officer," will join the Billings Police Department, according to a press release issued Friday.

After graduating from the academy in Helena on Friday, the following officers will be joining BPD on Monday: Kathy Brown, Hunter Cook, Brett Hilde, Kevin Rockwell, Jayden Romero, Dustin Stroble and Seth Weston III.

BPD Chief Rich St. John said that with the addition of these hires and an additional six more officers to be hired next week, his department could soon be at its full roster of 148 officers for the first time in more than two years.

The class of seven was part of a group of nine officers hired in September. Two of those officers had already earned the required Peace Officers Standards and Training certification and immediately began field training. The recent graduates will begin their field training on Monday, St. John said.

St. John said his department has been understaffed primarily through a combination of retirements and budgetary hiring restrictions, which forced some staff from specialty units to assist with service calls that might have otherwise fallen outside their normal responsibilities. St. John said service calls could exceed 90,000 for the year of 2016.

"Historically, we generally go up anywhere from one-and-a-half percent to three percent a year in calls for service almost every year" St. John said, adding that the steady increase in calls is "certainly indicative of a growing community."

The influx of new officers will allow the department to do more of the "proactive" police work specialty units are typically involved in, St. John said, including traffic policing, which he said is the subject his department receives the most complaints about.

"Now were in a better position to answer calls for service and have a proactive role that the community wants to see," St. John said.

One of the new officers, Brett Hilde, was awarded the Jack Wiseman award, described in the press release as being awarded to "the officer in each class who is selected by his peers as the most outstanding officer."

According to the press release, in voting for the Jack Wiseman award academy students are asked to consider two questions, the first being, "If you were a law enforcement agency administrator, who would you most want to hire?" and the second being, "If it were 2 a.m. and things were going bad quickly, who would you want to know was coming to help you?"

"That is a pretty significant recognition," St. John said of the award. "I think it epitomizes the type of individual that we are looking for and the type of employee that is coming here to work for Billings."

The award is named in honor of a former academy training officer and commander of 22 years, according to the press release.

Joining Hilde in the Billings Police Department will be Dustin Stroble, who receieved the Josh Rutherford award given "to the officer in each class who achieves the highest scores in defensive tactics," according to the press release.

The award is named after Blaine County Deputy Sheriff Josh Rutherford, an academy defensive tactics instructor who died in the line of duty in 2003, according to the press release.
When Arianna Cole joins her family aboard a Disney cruise ship Monday, one thought will be foremost in her mind.

I just dont want to be tumor girl, the 16-year-old survivor of a brain tumor said Friday night during a send-off party put on by her family and many friends. I plan to relax, have some fun, and not think about my tumor all the time.

A West High School junior whos endured three operations at Seattle Childrens Hospital, Cole was awarded the cruise, valued at about $10,000, by Make-A-Wish Montana. The nonprofit organization, with offices in Billings and Missoula, has granted wishes to more than 550 children in the past 30 years and has a waiting list of about 35 children with life-threatening conditions.

Make-A-Wish Montana is financed exclusively through private cash and in-kind donations.

This cruise is the light at the end of our tunnel, said her father, Dan. Shes still got quite a road to recovery, but the MRIs look good, and were now dealing with the symptoms."

Dans mother, Cindy Hill, quit her job at the Open Bible Christian Center to be able to accompany her granddaughter to between four and eight appointments every week.

I wouldnt wish this on anybody, of course. Its been very hard, she said. But Im grateful for the love and support weve been shown from people we dont even know. I cant imagine doing anything else.

We all get down sometimes, she added, but she is absolutely amazing and very easy to take care of.

Arianna learned of her brain tumor on June 15, 2015. The surgeries and chemotherapy have robbed her of some of her schooling, but shes earned many of the credits shell need to graduate by completing online courses.

With all the social workers who have been coming in and out of my life, she said she may pursue that line of work once her college education is complete.

Ive always liked helping people with their problems, even in elementary school, she said. I know I want to do something that will help kids, and Id like to help families that have a sickness. Thats hard on a kid, but it is also hard on parents.

Ariannas mother, Trina Rodell, a Veterans Administration nurse, said her daughter amazes me every day with her courage and her strong faith.

She has gone through periods where she doesnt know what the future holds, or if it holds anything at all, she said. It has all been so sad and depressing for her, so were grateful for the chance for her to take a cruise and see there is hope.

Its the chance for her to get away and feel like she doesnt have a chronic illness for a week, she said. You relax and enjoy yourself and dont think about going to an appointment or what you have to do next. Im going to try to do that, too, because I have a hard time doing that.

Her father notes Arianna has been a pioneering patient in more ways than one. Shes one of only a handful of children to be given tumor paint, a drug that lights up the tumor to help guide the surgical team. And, as part of a clinical trial, shes taking an experimental drug that takes the place of chemotherapy.

Her body has been put through a heavy toll, he said, but she has a lot of inner strength.
TOKYO  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won parliamentary approval Friday for ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trumps plan to withdraw from the 12-nation trade pact.

Upper house lawmakers approved the TPP on Friday, heeding Abes calls to push ahead with it despite Trumps rejection of the free-trade initiative championed by President Barack Obama.

Abes ruling Liberal Democratic Party has an ample majority in both houses of parliament. Ratification of needed regulatory revisions by the Cabinet is expected soon.

The market opening measures required by the trade pact are seen as a way for Abe to push through difficult reforms of the agricultural and health sectors. So far, Abe has made scant progress on a slew of changes he has proposed to help improve Japans lagging productivity and competitiveness.

Trump has vowed to take steps to exit the pact right after he takes office.

A U.S. withdrawal would kill the trade pact unless its terms are revised. The agreement between the dozen members requires both the U.S. and Japan to join to attain the required 85 percent of the groups total GDP since the U.S. economy accounts for 60 percent of that total, and Japan less than 20 percent.

After expending political capital to fight vested interests fearful of market opening and reforms likely to be required by the trade pact, Abe and other leaders in Asia have bemoaned the impending loss of the U.S. as TPP flag bearer.

We want to carry this out and expect others will follow suit, Abe recently told a parliamentary committee.

An opposition lawmaker, Eri Tokunaga, derided Abes insistence on going ahead with ratification as egocentric.

There is basically zero chance of this coming into effect since the next president, Trump, plans to leave it, Tokunaga told fellow lawmakers Friday.

Leaders in New Zealand and several other countries have said they still hope to find a way to rescue the initiative.

The outgoing Obama administration welcomed Japans parliamentary approval of TPP.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said that TPP was important for establishing trade rules in the Asia-Pacific and it was in everyones interest who has signed on to it to see it come into effect. He said that regardless of what happens in the U.S., the rest of the world is moving forward.

The TPP was meant to help give the U.S. a leading role in setting trade rules reaching beyond tariffs and other conventional trade barriers. Its possible demise could spur faster progress on another, much less discussed trade agreement called the RCEP, or Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. That trade grouping includes no countries from the Americas but all the big hitters in Asia: China, India, Japan, South Korea as well as Australia, New Zealand and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
OAKLAND  The deadliest building fire in the U.S. in more than a decade ripped through a warehouse in Oakland, California during a dance party on the night of Dec. 2, killing 36 people. The warehouse had been turned into artists studios and illegal living spaces. Heres what is known about the blaze, the victims, the warehouse and the investigation.

The fire: Victims trapped

Up to 100 people were at the electronic music party at the warehouse  known as the Ghost Ship  when the fire started on the first floor. It quickly raged, with smoke billowing into the second level and trapping victims whose only escape route was through the flames.

The victims were overcome by smoke before they could get out of the building.

Former residents said the warehouse was a death trap with few exits, piles of driftwood and a labyrinth of electrical cords. Photos of the interior showed a hodgepodge Bohemian scene of Tibetan prayer flags, Christmas lights and scores of wooden statues of Buddha, the virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, elephants and dragons that sat atop pianos and turntables. The ground floor had RVs and other nooks used as living spaces that were rented out to tenants, while the upstairs had space for concerts.

If you didnt know youre way around, you could easily get lost in the maze, former residents said.

Sheriffs officials said rescue crews found victims in unexpected spots  some holding and protecting each other. Some people managed to text loved ones goodbye and I love you before they died.

The investigation: A refrigerator, electronic appliances and other possible causes

The cause of the fire is not known. Officials have ruled out a refrigerator and said they found no evidence of arson, but are looking at the possibility that an electrical system was to blame.

Investigators have declined to say whether they believe the founder of the artists colony that used the warehouse, 46-year-old Derick Ion Almena, or the buildings owner, Chor Ng, bear any responsibility in the deaths. Acquaintances and local authorities described repeatedly confronting Almena about what they saw as unsafe and unsanitary conditions at the warehouse.

Ngs daughter, Eva Ng, said the warehouse was not being used as a dwelling. Almena said he felt himself to be a father figure to all the young artists who had lived in the warehouse with his family, and he was sorry.

Prosecutors dispatched a team to the warehouse site to look for possible evidence of a crime. Though there has been no final determination about whether a crime occurred, the district attorney has said potential charges could range from involuntary manslaughter to murder.

The warehouse: An illegal place to live in an expensive city

The warehouse was home to musicians, painters, woodworkers, dancers and other artists who came together to make art and hold dance performances and parties. They were lured at least in part by reasonable rents in a region beset with a housing shortage and exorbitant leases driven by a technology boom.

But former residents have said it was far from an ideal place to live. There was frequently no electricity or running water.

City and state officials fielded years of complaints about dangerous conditions, drugs, neglected children, trash, thefts and squabbles at the illegally converted warehouse. But they never shut it down.

Building officials said a code enforcement officer had not been inside the warehouse for at least 30 years. A firefighter with knowledge of the situation said the warehouse did not appear in a database inspectors use to schedule inspections and may never have been checked for fire hazards. The firefighter spoke only on condition of anonymity, fearing retribution for disclosing the information.

Most recently, Oakland city inspectors received complaints on Nov. 13 about the warehouse being remodeled into residences and on Nov. 14 about an illegal interior building structure.

A building inspector who went to the warehouse left after being unable to get inside and later sent a request to the owner to gain entry.

The city plans to strengthen regulations for smoke alarms and exits and clarify city employees responsibilities to monitor unsafe structures.

The victims

A DJ described as a philosopher of electronic music. A poet with a degree in literature. A visual projection artist whose light and video shows enhanced the performances of musicians.

The three were among the victims in the fire. Most of the victims were from the San Francisco Bay Area and in their 20s or 30s, and many were artists.

Oakland has long been hospitable to an underground art scene that flourished in its abandoned industrial warehouses. But its art and music underground is panicking and bracing for a crackdown in the wake of the fire.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has vowed to include artists in any conversation about improving city regulations and ensure they still have affordable places to live and work.
Napa County reports winning Department of Justice praise for its outreach to Spanish-only speaking voters in the Nov. 8 election, even as another federal branch dropped the county from the list of communities that must make such efforts.

The Bureau of the Census this week published a list of all communities that under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 must make special efforts to reach out to non-English language voters. Napa County first appeared on the list in 2011 for Spanish and doesnt appear on the updated list.

Apparently, the combination of English language proficiency and educational data that the Bureau uses in a formula to make such designations has changed for Napa County.

I am surprised as anybody else, county Registrar of Voters John Tuteur said.

Napa County after the 2011 listing began providing election materials in both English and Spanish. But the Department of Justice wasnt satisfied and last spring told the county to make further changes.

That resulted in the county and Department of Justice reaching a settlement last spring. Among other things, the county agreed to provide bilingual voting material and ballots, rather than separate versions in English and Spanish. It agreed to provide bilingual volunteer workers at all voter assistance centers.

The Department of Justice had six monitors in Napa for the Nov. 8 election. Tuteur said a conference call with department officials on Wednesday to discuss the results went well and described the conversation.

Among other things, Department of Justice officials told Tuteur they had talked to several long-time Spanish language voters who said they felt more included in and received more information about the Nov. 8 election than previous elections.

That was a nice confirmation, Tuteur said.

Now comes the news that Napa County is off the Census Bureau list that triggers the bilingual requirement. That makes it unclear what will happen to the settlement agreement between the Department of Justice and county.

Tuteur said he will go to the Board of Supervisors early next year with choices of how to proceed with bilingual outreach in the 2018 elections. He cautioned that Napa County might end up back on the Census Bureau list requiring such outreach when the next one is released in 2021.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Alfredo Pedroza helped work on the settlement agreement between the county and Department of Justice. He stressed that the county wants to maintain the working relationship it has built with the federal agency.

This is about making sure our community doesnt have any barriers to participating in the election, Pedroza said. Its the right thing to do, whether its mandated or not.

But why did Napa County fall off the latest Census Bureau list? Tuteur wasnt certain on Thursday. Federal officials didnt notify the county of the decision, but rather published a nationwide list in the Federal Register.

The trigger to being included on the list is to have 5 percent of voting age citizens or 10,000 voting age citizens who belong to a single minority language group, have depressed literacy rates and dont speak English very well, according to the Department of Justice.

Presumably, Napa County had enough Spanish-speaking citizens who met these criteria in 2011 and no longer does.

Census data for 2010 shows 33,074 people in Napa County spoke Spanish at home, of whom 55.5 percent spoke English less than well. The number of Spanish-at-home speakers rose to 37,730 in 2015, but the percentage speaking English less than well dropped to 49.6 percent.

In other election news, Napa County had 82.3 percent of its registered voters cast ballots in the Nov. 8 election, compared to the statewide turnout of 75 percent. Tuteur attributed the high turnout partly to the large number of voters using vote-by-mail ballots  94 percent.

But he sees another reason as well.

To some extent, I think the increased participation in the election has something to do with our Spanish language outreach, the bilingual ballots, the effort made in the community and support weve had in the Spanish language community, Tuteur said.
In September, China Rose and AJ Zamora left Napa driving a F-250 pickup truck and towing all their worldly possessions behind it in a 22-foot-long tiny house.

The couple moved out of their Napa rental home and sold much of what they owned to embark on a cross-country adventure in tiny living they named the Journey to Wellness Tour.

Seven states, four months and more than 8,000 miles later, the Zamoras are back in Napa for the winter.

Theyre happy to report that tiny living was a big success.

The trip was a whirlwind of beauty, said AJ Zamora.

Our vision was to create a lifestyle that was more sustainable, both for our health and the health of the planet, said China Rose Zamora. She said living in their tiny home has definitely simplified our lives.

Tiny home living allowed us the freedom to travel, offer our services and a helping hand to other communities in need, and continue to support our clients. Its proving to be exactly what we were looking for, she said.

The Zamoras settled into their new tiny home while trekking through the western United States, meeting new people, sharing empowering health information along the way, via their holistic health business called China Rose Wellness.

The Zamoras said they decided to go tiny to simplify their lives, reduce their environmental impact and manage their stress.

Built by Tiny Idahomes in Idaho, their tiny house is Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) certified, just like any other trailer on wheels.

The trailer weighs about 9,000 pounds and is 22 feet long and 8 feet wide. The ceilings are 12 feet high, which helps make the interior seem quite roomy. In fact, the trailer has only 175 square feet.

Ashland, Oregon was the first stop on the tour. From there, they traveled to Seattle, before traveling eastward.

Along the way, the couple continued their consulting work with their clients via computer and phone, hosted workshops and also sold the infrared saunas they represent.

The Zamoras also attended festivals along the way, such as practicing yoga with 2,000 people at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in central Colorado and attended a Tiny House Jamboree in Colorado Springs.

A stop at Vedauwoo National Park in Wyoming included time for reflection, grounding and a little rock climbing, wrote Zamora. Next they traveled to Mount Hood and Mount Shasta.

In all they visited seven states: California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming.

They parked their home on wheels at parks, campsites, mobile home parks and friends houses.

Luckily, the two tiny home enthusiasts avoided any accidents or breakdowns.

The most stressful part of the trip was a detour through Aspen, Colorado, which included hairpin turns, steep drop offs and narrow roads.

Most of the driving was limited to 4 to 6 hour stretches, with breaks in between.

Meeting other tiny house owners at the Tiny House Jamboree was a high point.

That was our initiation to the tiny house community, said China Rose Zamora. We got connected, and met many other tiny home owners.

Their custom-made tiny home, built in the Romanian Vardo style, got a lot of wows, said AJ Zamora. It was quite different from the other tiny houses that were there.

After months of living full time in their house on wheels, there isnt much theyd change, said the couple.

A need for more task lighting was easily remedied with portable lights. China Rose said even with a pared down wardrobe, she didnt wear all the clothes she packed.

They used the kitchen and other workspaces just like they planned. We had more than enough storage space, said China Rose.

A compact washer/dryer unit was a welcome appliance, even if they didnt use it too often. The composting toilet and full-size bathtub was also a success.

Some might wonder if living in such close quarters the couple might bicker or get tired of each other.

We dont, said China Rose. Living in their tiny house hasnt created any tension. In fact, tiny living is even better, because the two get to spend so much time together.

The house cost $80,000 and the Zamoras were able to earn enough income with their business to sustain themselves on the first leg of their journey, they said.

Today, the couple and their home are staying at a farm in Petaluma where they will remain during the winter. Their business office remains in downtown Napa.

The Zamoras are already making plans for their next circuit across the U.S. That could include heading towards New Orleans or possibly north across the U.S. and down the East Coast.

China Rose said one of her original worries was that shed feel cramped or claustrophobic in a tiny home. But that wasnt the case.

I feel totally comfortable, she said. It proved to me that I dont need a lot of space to be happy.
Though wineries throughout the U.S. regularly source wine grapes grown in Napa Valley, the right for winemakers to call their finished product Napa Valley wine may soon extend only to the California state line.

A proposed rule amending the current federal regulation is poised to limit the use of American Viticultural Area (AVA) names, such as Napa Valley, in the labeling of wine produced in a state other than the one containing the AVA from which the grapes are sourced.

Using what some have called a loophole in the regulation, wineries countrywide can currently apply for an exemption that allows them to source grapes from out of state vineyards and use the name of the grapes AVA, so long as the finished wine is sold only in the state where it is produced.

The potential rule has been divisive, with supporters positing that the loopholes closure protects consumers and upholds the integrity of the decades-old AVA system, while critics argue that it disadvantages customers by striking relevant information from labels on bottles of wine produced in states other than those where the grapes were grown.

This loophole allows unscrupulous companies to deceive consumers, wrote Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, in an Aug. 19 letter to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, the agency currently weighing the rules adoption. Signed by 47 additional members of Congress, the letter urged TTB to finalize the rule following the first deadline for public comment on Aug. 22.

At the request of the California Association of Winegrape Growers and Wine Institute, the association representing more than 1,000 wineries and affiliated businesses in California, the agency granted a 90-day extension of the comment period in September. The second period ended Wednesday, and the agency said a review of comments is currently underway, though it declined to give a time frame for the review process.

In a joint letter to TTB on Dec. 6, Wine Institute and the Napa Valley Vintners urged the bureau to adopt the proposed rule in its entirety.

Efforts to adopt the rule began when NVV recognized the loophole after learning of a winery in a Southern state that was producing a Napa Valley-labeled wine. We decided to try and tackle the problem, said Rex Stults, NVVs government relations director. The group brought the issue to the attention of Rep. Thompson and he agreed it was asinine, Stults said.

Rep. Thompson, along with California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer initially proposed the rule to TTB in September 2015. This is about there should be one set of rules for producers, Stults said.

This regulation is really to protect Napa wineries producing Napa wine and not to protect the customer, said David Lecomte, chief winemaker at City Winery, a company that sources wine grapes from myriad out of state AVAs, producing 95 percent of its wine at various locations in major cities including New York City and Chicago. For a time, City Winery also had a Napa location.

At its New York location the company offers various wines on tap, labeled by vineyard, vintage and AVA. Among these are a 2015 chardonnay from Sonoma, a 2014 pinot noir from Mendocino and a 2013 NYC Cab from Napa Valley. Through its wholesale business, the company sells a 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Reserve that was made with grapes sourced from two Napa vineyards and one Sonoma vineyard, according to Lecomte, that were shipped to its New York City location where they were fermented, barreled and aged before being bottled and labeled with the Napa Valley AVA.

If the rule is adopted, City Winerys wholesale business would be shut down, Lecomte said. Selling an American wine  without the capacity to name where its coming from. Its not going to work. People want to know the vintage, the AVA and the vineyard.

Jeffrey Maltzman owns boutique wineries in the city of Napa and Amador County, as well as a vineyard in Amador County. He also recently opened a winery in Colorado with the hope of selling California wines there. I see this from all three sides, Maltzman said.

I completely understand the desire of Napa Valley to preserve the name of Napa and eliminate wineries that are not supposed to be using (the AVA), he said. But the fundamental flaw is that (the rule) actually reduces the amount of information put in front of a customer instead of increasing it.

As a winemaker in Napa using 100 percent Napa grapes, Maltzman said, I have never perceived the purported problem as being a major issue or competitive challenge.

As the owner of a winery in Colorado, he said, I dont see why I shouldnt be able to accurately and factually inform my customers.

And as a vineyard owner selling wine grapes out of state, Maltzman speculated that the rule would reduce the price California grapegrowers will receive for their crops, due to a depressed demand.

The Agricultural Commissioners Office reported interstate shipments of fresh Napa County wine grapes to out of state wineries and hobby winemakers has risen steadily in the last three years. Shipments in 2015 came to a total of 105.5 tons. Data for 2016 was not available.

According to its website, City Winery sourced more than 20 tons of grapes from California vineyards in 2015, including six tons of grapes from Bettinelli Vineyard in Yountville. Lecomte said that if City Winery ceased purchasing wine grapes from Bettinelli, hes going to have another buyer within 24 hours. He doesnt need us.

Lecomte said that while grapegrowers in lesser known AVAs may suffer from a lack of demand, for the high-end vineyards of Napa, I dont think its going to be changing.

Andy Beckstoffer, proprietor of Beckstoffer Vineyards and owner of more than 1,000 acres of Napa Valley vineyards, said that he was not concerned about the possible lack of demand for wine grapes from out of state wineries if the rule is adopted.

While his vineyards have sold grapes to out of state buyers, Beckstoffer said, Its not at all an important part of our business.

Weve got more wineries in Napa and in California than we know what to do with.

Echoing the NVVs sentiment on the rule, Beckstoffer said, Im very concerned about the quality of wine that goes to the consumer with Napa Valley on it and the ability to control that when its made in a winery out of state is majorly decreased. He added, Theres a culture here in Napa of quality and Im not sure that extends to Des Moines, Iowa.

In their Dec. 6 letter urging TTB to adopt the rule as originally proposed, Wine Institute and NVV also put forward a joint proposal detailing how wines produced with grapes from out of state AVAs may still include information about the grapes vineyards through a Grape Source Information label. The label could hypothetically list the name of the city, county or state where the grapes were grown, but could not use the name of an AVA.

Considering alternatives to the rule as proposed, Lecomte said, I would be OK to lose the AVA if I can still name the vintage and the vineyard.

Maltzman said, I am fully in favor of complete and accurate disclosure of what is in wine, where the wine is made and how the wine is made, if thats what the law is.
Christmas vacation isnt so jolly for families who struggle to stretch grocery money to feed their children.

Most of the 96 kids  preschoolers through middle-schoolers  enrolled in Friendship House of Christian Service programs are in financially struggling families. Friendship House is a safe haven for children, tucked into the south Billings neighborhood.

All-day preschool and after-school programs are available to any family. But the majority of families served need help paying for care. Some pay on a sliding-fee scale based on income. Others have Best Beginnings scholarships administered by HRDC for the state of Montana.

We dont turn families away, said Jessi Heppner, student services coordinator.

Friendship House works to meet various needs of the children in its care. The private, nonprofit organization provides student transportation from Orchard, Newman, Ponderosa, McKinley and Washington elementary schools as well as Riverside Middle School.

Physical activity and nutrition are big parts of the programs. Theres an outdoor playground and a gym for supervised play. Students are served healthy snacks upon arrival after school. Preschoolers get breakfast, lunch and a good afternoon snack.

Friendship House will host a Christmas party on Dec. 22 for all of its kids. The plan is to send each child home after the party with groceries the family needs through Jan. 3, when public schools and the house preschool program reopen. Friendship House also partners with local churches to provide clothing for kids.

The Christmas food drive is a longstanding tradition. Donations of nonperishable foods are needed. Items that will make good meals for children are especially welcome, such as soup, juice, peanut butter and macaroni and cheese. Food gifts may be dropped off weekdays till Dec. 22 between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at 3123 Eighth Ave. S.

Gazette readers who are looking for an opportunity to share the Christmas spirit wont find a more direct way to help nourish kids right here in Billings. Donations brought to Friendship House will be given to childrens families right before Christmas, staving off hunger throughout the 11 days of vacation.
Amy Grant recently released her first Christmas album, Tennessee Christmas, in roughly twenty years. Included on the offering is To Be Together, a song that captures the true spirit of the holiday season  being with those you love. Along with the release of the track, Grant debuted a music video; one which was inspired by personal life events.

Grant shared with People Country:

Chris Eaton and I had just finished writing that song when my daughter Sarah and her boyfriend were in an awful automobile accident. During those tough hours in the emergency room and the days that followed in the hospital, that chorus cycled through my brain on repeat.

On this tenth day of NashvilleGabs Countdown to Christmas, we share Amy Grants brand new, touching song and music video that will remind you just how important your family and friends are and how being together is the best holiday gift of all.

https://cpff.ca/wp-content/languages/new/desyrel.html

https://cpff.ca/wp-content/languages/new/effexor.html

https://cpff.ca/wp-content/languages/new/elavil.html
East Tennessee native, Kenny Chesney, has spoken out about his desire to help his hometown and the families affected by the devastating wildfires. Now, Chesney and CMA have announced a plan to come together to help victims recoveries.

Chesney and CMA are each contributing $250,000 to the cause ($500,000 total), a portion of which will go to Dolly Partons My People Fund. Parton already announced that she will be spearheading a telethon to raise additional funds for the families on Tuesday, December 13, with performances by Alison Krauss, Amy Grant, Big & Rich, Chris Janson, Chris Stapleton, Chris Young, Kenny Rogers, LOCASH, Michael W. Smith, Montgomery Gentry, Reba McEntire, and more.

The star-studded telethon will air on Great American Country and stream on USAToday.com.

https://cpff.ca/wp-content/languages/new/lexapro.html

https://cpff.ca/wp-content/languages/new/paxil.html

https://cpff.ca/wp-content/languages/new/priligy.html
(As delivered)

President Kaljulaid, please be welcome to NATO headquarters, its a great honor to have you here and it was a great pleasure to meet with you.

And we have just finished a very constructive and good meeting where we addressed many different issues. But I would like to start by thanking Estonia for being such a steadfast Ally for many years and we are very grateful for the many different contributions you give to the Alliance. We have Estonian troops deployed in Afghanistan, you contribute also with all the expertise and excellence you have in the cyber area where we have the NATO Cyber centre of excellence in Estonia and this is really an important tool in enhancing the capabilities and the knowledge for the whole Alliance when it comes to cyber defence.

We also very much appreciate and commend you for being one of the Allies that is spending 2% of GDP on defence. This is really important, especially in times where we see new threats and new challenges and you lead by example by spending 2% of GDP on defence so we are grateful for that, and your investments in defence also contribute to a fair burden sharing and thereby also strengthening the transatlantic bond.

NATO can count on Estonia and Estonia can count on NATO. Allied jets keep your skies safe. And Allied ships patrol the Baltic Sea and we are stepping up our presence on land as well. At the Warsaw Summit, we decided to enhance our forward presence in the three Baltic countries and Poland. And we are on track when it comes to the deployment of the battalion, a multinational battalion to Estonia, and the battalion is going to be led by the UK but also forces from other NATO Allied countries will be part of this multinational battalion. So we think that the fact that we are delivering on the promises to strengthen our collective defence is very important for the whole Alliance but of course especially important for Estonia and other Baltic countries and Poland because you see that we are following up on what we said we should do. Then I would also like to thank you for your strong personal commitment to the Alliance and Im looking forward to working with you and I hope that this is just the beginning of many meetings here in the NATO headquarters, in Estonia, but also in other places so that we can further develop our excellent cooperation, so once again, welcome to NATO.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much well start with Eastern Kavalich (sic) please.

Q: Hi, Johann Estralla (sic) from Estonian Public Broadcasting. Two questions to Mr. Stoltenberg, this week a lot about EU and NATO cooperation has been said in this house; I would like you to point out a few practical things what NATO and the EU can do together in the Baltic region that would really make sense and be useful for both NATO and the EU, and the Baltic States. And second, tackling Russian propaganda is, I believe, one of the things that has been talked about a lot. Right now, there are about 20 people who are dealing with it under the framework of the EU; should we put more emphasis on this and more resources? Thank you.

JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): First youre right that NATO-EU cooperation has been top of the agenda this week because it was the main issue at our Foreign Ministerial meeting which ended yesterday and there, we endorsed a package of more than 40 concrete measures on how to strengthen NATO-EU cooperation, addressing many different areas. I think all of these measures will be, in different ways, relevant for the Baltic region but let me just mention some, few examples. We are, we have agreed to strengthen our cooperation when it comes to cyber defenses because we see an increased cyber threat against all NATO allies and we have agreed to exchange best practices, we have agreed to do more when it comes to research, and then of course, the Centre of Excellence in Estonia is a key tool to achieve exactly that, to strengthen cooperation with NATO-EU on, on cyber. We have decided to increase our cooperation when it comes to hybrid threats. This combination of military and non-military threats and means of aggression and, we have agreed then to have playbooks describing whos going to do what, so we can coordinate efforts if needed, between the European Union and NATO. If a nation is under any kind of hybrid attack or hybrid threat, then we can work together on infrastructure, on resilience, on continuation of government, on many other areas where we need coordinated efforts by the European Union and NATO in a hybrid or during a hybrid threat or attack. We have also agreed to do more exercises and thats also (inaudible) for the Baltic Sea region and we have agreed on many many other issues, maritime cooperation. So, I think that all the whole list is actually in different ways relevant for the Baltic States. Then countering propaganda is also actually one part of the NATO-EU cooperation. We will exchange information, we will work together, but both for the European Union and for NATO, we have to understand that the first responder is the member state because they are closest to the challenge, they know the language, they know the social context where this propaganda or this information is taking place. What NATO can do, and EU can do, is to, can, is to coordinate efforts; its to provide facts and figures. We will do that but I think that the first responder is the nations and we very much believe that when we see, for instance propaganda, our response is not propaganda. But, we believe in open free societies so, facts, the truth will prevail over propaganda, so open debate where we all participate with the facts and the truth, is the best way also to fight this information and the propaganda.

MODERATOR: Thank you, gentleman here please.

Q: Karl (inaudible) from (inaudible). Mr. Secretary General it is currently very easy for Russia to cut off, in the worst case scenario, the re-enforcements for the Baltic region. What can NATO do about it? And on a related topic you have mentioned many times that NATOs answer to Russias military buildup must be proportionate. Russia has huge numbers of troops and very serious military equipment on our borders. How exactly is four battalions proportionate answer?

JENS STOLTENBERG: First of all in our military planning we are taking into account the Russian military buildup also in the Baltic Sea region and thats also one of the reasons why we have decided to increase our presence, four presence in the three Baltic countries and in Poland. And you have to remember that both the presence of multi-national brigades, sorry multi-national battalions in the three Baltic countries and Poland but also the establishment of the NATO four situation units to small headquarters in the three Baltic States and Poland. They are, theyre also to establish better cooperation, coordination with the home defense forces the Estonian forces, the Lithuanian forces, the Latvian forces and the Polish forces and they are there also to help, prepare, plan for re-enforcements if needed. So the idea is not that that four battalions alone shall be the only tool, the only component, in delivering deterrence on behalf of NATO, but they are key because they are forward, they are in the Baltic region, they are linked up to the home defense forces and, they are linked up to the NATO Force Integration Unit and thereby also enabling and making it easier to have re-enforcements, if needed. And re-enforcements can of course come, before we see a conflict. The whole idea with re-enforcements is to prevent the conflict; its to send a clear message of deterrence. So if needed we will deploy, based on early warnings, based on intelligence, based on information, to send a clear signal that NATO is there to protect all allies against any threat and we have to also understand that the fact is that, that these battalions are multi-national, sends the message we want to send, that an attack on one ally will trigger the response from the whole Alliance. So, for instance, when you are going to have a UK-led battalion in Estonia, with also participation from other nations, that will send a very clear signal about our willingness to to re-enforce if, if needed. This is backed by, for instance, the new Spearhead Force, its a high joint readiness, also theyre a Spearhead Force, theyre a new brigade we have which can be deployed very rapidly if needed. And behind that again we have the NATO Response Force and behind that we have the following forces. So, so we have forces that can be deployed, that can provide the necessary deterrence if, if needed. The last thing was that when I say proportionate, it is proportionate to the scale of the challenge we face. We dont see any imminent threat against any NATO ally, we will not anyway, match soldier by soldier or plane by plane; thats not a way we respond in a proportionate way, but we respond in a proportionate way making sure that we respond to the scale of the challenge. We see, in a way that makes sure, that NATO continues to deliver credible defense and tripling size of the NATO Response Force, the new High Readiness Joint Task Force and the battalions and the NATO Force Integration Units. All that provides the necessary deterrence and defense and the protection of all the Baltic countries.

MODERATOR: Thats all we have time for. Thank you very much.
Yellowstone National Park annually announces the need to kill hundreds of buffalo to placate ranchers unfounded fears and prejudices. Assisted by the media, they manipulate facts and language in an attempt to persuade the public to believe their lies. For example, see the recent Associated Press article, Yellowstone Park Looks at Large Bison Cull to Trim Herds. This damaging propaganda is loaded with false premises supporting their buffalo-killing agenda.

Montanans are tired of the political games being played with the countrys treasured buffalo. Current management schemes threaten the evolutionary potential of wild bison, violate treaties with and autonomy of Indigenous sovereign nations, and undermine the will of Montanas citizen majority. Contact your legislators and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and urge them to defend Americas national mammal. Urge them to repeal or amend MCA 81-2-120 to remove Department of Livestock authority over wild bison, and to support a new plan that respects wild buffalo like wild elk in Montana.
After the well received 'Talvar', Meghna Gulzar hopes to get into action by mid-next year with her directorial based on another book by Harinder Sikka called 'Calling Sehmat'. It revolves around a Kashmiri woman married to an army officer across the border who provides the Indian Intelligence with invaluable information during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and almost single handedly torpedoes Pakistan's war plans with courage, wit and determination, saving the lives of scores of Indian soldiers. The story behind the film is as fascinating as the story of the book. Priti Shahani, President of Junglee Pictures, had been trying to acquire the rights two years ago and last year when 'Talvar' was coming up for release she had sounded Meghna out, asking her if she'd like to direct the film. Fascinated, Meghna gave her nod, only to be told a couple of months later that talks had fallen through. "It was a tad serendipitous and I happily took it on but again things didn't close with that production house. By that time I had developed a personal rapport with the author because of frequent interactions and I suggested we go back to Junglee Pictures," Meghna shared and added, "I'm glad we're back together because there's no better way to complete the circle 'Talvar' opened." "What makes it all the more surreal is that when the book came out, the author had come to my father, Gulzar, asking him to direct it. It's like I have a karmic connection with the story," says the 42-year-old. Even though the protagonist is a woman, the story Meghna points out is so large in its implications that gender becomes inconsequential. The film is set against the backdrop of the 1971 war but it won't have action scenes like 'Border' because the story leads up to the intended war rather than the actual conflict. When spoken about whether her father will be a part of this project, she said, "Well, he did say during 'Talvar' that he had taught me everything except writing songs. He's my guiding spirit and once I complete the script I'll go to him for feedback and then for the songs." (ANI)
West Bengal police in a major crackdown on piracyin the Sundarbans waters have arrested 7 pirates, including a foreignnational, andseized six guns, 42 rounds of bullets and other deadly weapons from them inSouth 24 Parganas.The arrest was made following an informant that the pirates, armed with weaponsassembled in a hideout hours before committing the crime at Kultoliarea last night,senior police officials briefed this account to the reporters.Among the arrested pirates, one of them is from Bangladesh, and therest are the residentsof S 24 Paraganas bordering the Bangladesh.Police said the criminals have been accused of demanding ransoms fromtheir abductedcaptives and loot tourists and fishermen in the waters of Bay ofBengal with the helpof speed boats.All the accused have been taken to the local court at Baruipur forproduction today asthe police would seek further remand to get more information of theirmode of operationson Indo-Bangla borders.UNI XC-PC KK -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1059284.Xml
Train service between Srinagar and Banihal in Jammu region resumed after remaining suspended for security reasons for two days following clashes between demonstrators and security forces in south Kashmir district of Anantnag where an encounter ensued on December 7 evening. However, train service between Badgam in central Kashmir to Baramulla in north Kashmir was resumed yesterday after three days following improvement in the situation and repair of track. The separatist organisations have also announced three-day relaxation in the strike from today. Train service from Badgam-Srinagar to Banihal in Jammu region, via Pulwama, Anantnag and Qazigund in south Kashmir was resumed today after remaining suspended for two days, a Railway official told UNI. For security reasons train service on Badgam-Srinagar-Anantnag-Qazigund in south Kashmir and Banihal in Jammu region was suspended on December 8 following massive protests in south Kashmir after an encounter ensued between militants and security forces on December 7 evening at Hassanpora Arwani in Anantnag. It ended yesterday. However, train service between Badgam to Baramulla resumed yesterday morning after remaining suspended for three days. Train service on the track was suspended on December 5 after track hooks were found damaged at Palhallan Pattan, where clashes took place between security forces and demonstrators, who were protesting against night raids and arrest of some persons on December 4. Train service was restored next day after the damaged portion of the track was restored by the railways. However, service was again suspended in the afternoon same day following massive clashes between demonstrators and security forces at Tantrapora Pattan. Security forces had to fire in air and burst teargas shells to disperse the demonstrators who had blocked the track and tried to damage it. Later service was resumed from Srinagar to Pattan station only on the track. Rail service between Baramulla in north to Badgam and Srinagar in central Kashmir and Anantnag and Qazigund in south Kashmir to Banihal in Jammu region remained suspended for more than four months due to unrest in the Kashmir valley during which rail track and other property was damaged. However, the rail run was resumed last week after conducting repair work. UNI BAS SB 1031 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-1059165.Xml
Bahriach district, near the Indo-Nepal border has always been lucky for BJP prime ministers and once again Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a Parivartan rally at Nanpara area tomorrow. This would be the fifth Parivartan rally of the PM after Ghazipur, Agra, Kushinagar and Moradabad, where Mr Modi will speak on the aftermath of demonetisation move by focusing on the BJP's involvement with Dalit politics in UP. The last of the six Parivartran rallies of PM would be held in Kanpur on December 19 while will address a workers meeting in Lucknow on January 2, 2017. Mr Modi, along with other senior BJP leaders, will address the rally in Nanpara, about 3 kilometers away from the Bahriach city in the afternoon for which security has been tightened. The PM will reach Lucknow by special flight and thereafter will fly to Bahriach by a chopper. Bahriach had always been lucky for Mr Modi. In September, 2001, when he was addressing party workers in Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat, as a party's general secretary, the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the day asked him to proceed to Gujarat to take over as the Chief Minister. Similarly, Modi launched his 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign Vijay Sankhnad rally from Bahriach on November 8, 2013 and later the party won 73 of the 80 seats and making him one of the strongest PM of the country. It was also reported that Mr Vajpayee also became the PM after holding a rally in Bahriach. Bahriach is also known for the place of Dalit Raja Suhaldev, who in the 11th century had defeated and killed Muslim invador Mahmud Ghaznavi's general Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud. Suhaldev was a semi-legendary Indian king from Shravasti and various nationalist groups have characterised him as a Dalit Hindu king who defeated a Muslim invader. During his speech, the PM could also rake up Raja Suhaldev to woo the Dalits for the BJP with targeting the BSP.UNI MB SB 1143 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-1059221.Xml
Patna police formed Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire into the brutal murder of the guard of a bank ATM here in the wee hours today while the officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station was suspended after he was found guilty of dereliction of duty. Unidentified criminals killed the ATM guard of Central Bank of India in the Maurya Lok market complex here, just a stone throw away from Kotwali police station by stabbing him to death. Patna Police Superintendent (Rural) Lalan Mohan Prasad under whose leadership the SIT had been formed told UNI that outlaws were not able to loot money from the ATM as they did not know the PIN code to unlock the ATM and were also not carrying instruments to break the ATM to loot the cash. He said that intensive raid were being conducted to nab the culprits. Meanwhile, the Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali police station Avinash Kumar had been put under immediate suspension after he was found guilty of dereliction of duty. The deceased ATM guard has been identified as Kundan, a resident of Lodipur locality under Buddha Colony station area in the state capital. UNI DH KK -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1059385.Xml
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president and state Cabinet minister Atul Bora has distanced the party from the demonstration staged by its founder-president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta in New Delhi today against the foreigners (amendment) bill, 2016, which seeks to give citizenship to persecuted religious minorities from neighbouring countries. "The party has nothing to do with Prafulla Kumar Mahanta's dharna at New Delhi," Mr Bora told reporters here, on the sidelines of a central function of mark Swahid Divas (martyrs' day), commemorating the 855 martyrs of Assam Agitation against illegal migration from Bangladesh. On the AGP's stand on the Assam Accord and its implementation, Mr Bora said the AGP was firm on its stand for implementing all clauses of the Accord in letter and spirit. A two-time former chief minister, Prafulla Mahanta, had used the occasion of Swahid Divas to sit in a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, along with members of Asom Sangrami Manch, demanding scrapping of the proposed amendments to the foreigners' act, by which the BJP-led central government seeks to give citizenship status to persecuted religious minorities from neighboring countries. Mr Mahanta has maintained that this will lead to additional burden of foreigners on Assam and is in conflict with a provision of Assam Accord, which specifies March 21, 1971, as the cut-off date for detection of foreigners in Assam. The Assam Accord was signed on August 15, 1985, as a culmination of a six-year-long Assam Agitation against illegal migrants from Bangladesh. The AGP was formed as an offshoot of the agitation and had won two terms at Dispur since 1986. It is currently an ally of the BJP-led coalition in the state. UNI SG AKM 1519 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0213-1059580.Xml
Newly appointed Vice-chancellor of Lucknow University (LU) Professor SP Singh has a positive approach to make university first choice of the students for higher studies. About his preparation to make LU on the top list again, Professor Singh, talking to UNI here today, said: "Some years back, Lucknow University was a leading institution for the students of higher education but at present, due to existence of a central university and some other universities, LU is lagging behind in rankings." Professor Singh said, "I have prepared a strategy to improve the academics as well as atmosphere of the University. For that I have started direct interactions with the students, all faculty members, teaching staff, principals and managers, alumni and parents." About professional courses running by the University, he said: "We must consider what we are providing to the students after their studies. Our placement cell should be strong enough to conduct placement drives and provide internships to eligible students. This will help students to get practical knowledge of the subject." "I am looking at macro to micro level of the problems of the students. Their classes should be on time they should get internship" he added. In a reply to a question about students politics, Mr Singh said: "My prime focus is on the students. Their studies should not be suffered due to any reasons. Students politics has its role. About 10 percent of the students are involved in student's politics. For 10 percent student, 90 percent of them must not suffer." "My priority will be peaceful atmosphere for education here and any type of criminal activity will not be tolerated in the campus" he said. About falling numbers of students for lectures, Mr Singh said that about 70 percent students wanted to attend the classes regularly but due to many reasons attendance in the classes was falling gradually. "My focus will be to eliminate those reasons and make classes regular," he added.UNI JDM MB PY SNU -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-1059510.Xml
Admitting that banks had not cooperated with the Centre's effort to normalise the situation in the post-demonetisation in the country, Union MSME Minister Kalraj Mishra today claimed that the situation would ease out in next 20 days and then people would have nothing to complain. "The decision was a hard one and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought 50 days time. I think the situation will normalise in next 20 days and from new year people will have nothing to complain," Mr Mishra claimed. The Union minister, however, admitted that the corruption detected by the banks and recovery of huge new currencies have given enough indications that banks have not cooperated with the government to normalise the situation. Some banks officials have been arrested and several others are under the probe radar, he said. Blaming the opposition for obstructing functioning of the Parliament, the Deoria BJP MP said opposition is not ready for discussion as they know they cannot face the country on black money. He also termed the statement of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi that he will create an earthquake if he speaks in the Parliament as childish. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Mishra also denied that the black money deposited in the banks have turned white. "The people who have deposited the black money in their bank accounts will have to reply to the government about their source of income and other details," he said. Appealing to the people to bear around another fortnight to normalise the situation, the BJP leader also expressed his deep condolence on the death of people who died due to currency shortage. He however refused to comment on a report that an ex-defence personal shot himself outside an ATM in Agra when he could not get cash today. When asked about the impact in the MSMEs due to demonetisation move, he said a meeting held recently had raised several issues before him. "Their problems have been taken note of and it would be addressed very soon though claiming that minimal impact had been witnessed in the production sector," he maintained. Meanwhile, talking about the ongoing parivartan yatras in UP, Mr Mishra said people of UP have already decided to replace this non-performing government and have made up their minds to give BJP a chance to give a corruption free, development oriented government in the state. "The president SP government us only running through advertisements and was inaugurating incomplete projects", he said. He also said chance of BSP to get majority in the elections is also bleak as people know their corruption during 2007-12 regime. He said the four parivartan yatras underway in the state have covered 19,840 kms covering 265 assembly segments in 52 district and interacting with over 1.22 crore people. The four yatras have completed 35 days and would end in Lucknow on December 24, the birthday eve of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.UNI MB PY SHK 1541 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-1059534.Xml
President of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Gopal Jiwarajka has suggested to incentivise RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement) and NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer) under the ambit of digital transfers so that more and more people adopt the available facility and are less dependent on cash transactions. While appreciating the government for accepting PHD Chamber's suggestions on the removal of costs for digital transactions, Mr Jiwarajka said provisions of digital transactions in central government petroleum PSUs, primary cooperative societies/milk societies/agricultural input dealers, railways and public sector insurance companies are encouraging. Removal of service tax charged while making payments through credit card, debit card, charge card or any other payment card up to Rs 2,000 in a single transaction is a good start for the transformation from cash transactions to the digital transfers, however, the limit needs to be revised to Rs 10,000, he said. A threshold limit of Rs 2,00,000 for transactions under the RTGS and Rs 50,000 for transfers under NEFT should be exempted from the service tax, said Mr Jiwarajka. Daily cash withdrawal limit from ATMs should also be increased to Rs 10,000 so that people are not coming in queue again and again, he said. ''We suggest facility for withdrawal of new currency denominations through mobile ATM's in the government, public sector and private corporate sector offices having more than 25 employees in their establishments,'' he added. He said, ''Cash driven sectors such as construction sector and Small and Micro Units (SMEs) should be facilitated by expanded cash limits to withdraw from the banking sector for the payment of salaries of their daily wage and contractual workers.''UNI ADP AE SHK 1530 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-1059557.Xml
"In a federal structure, the Prime Minister should not behave likethis. He should treat all the States equally and listen to theproblems. He is Prime Minister of the country and not belonging toany one particular party or State," Mr Siddaramaiah told newsmenhere.

The Chief Minister had led an all party delegation to Delhi andhad sought an appointment with the Prime Minister to discussMahadayi drinking water sharing issue and appeal for early releaseof funds for drought relief works. He had held discussion with MPsfrom Karnataka and was to meet Mr Modi along with Opposition leadersin both the Houses.

Since the Mahadayi Tribunal, after the Supreme Court rejected theKarnataka Government's plea for diversion of 7.2 tmc of water tosupply of drinking water to three parched districts of NorthKarnataka, had suggested all the three States involved including Goaand Maharashtra besides Karnataka to get the issue solved through dialogue.

Maharashtra Government had fixed a date for the meeting but GoaChief Minister had expressed his inability to attend and thus thedialogue did not take place and the issue remained unsolved.

Mr Siddaramaiah had expressed his willingness to host the meetingbut Chief Ministers of other two States have not given any date norreplied to the letter written.

Karnataka which has estimated about Rs 12,500 crore loss due tofailure of rain, has sought about Rs 4,700 crore relief from theCentre. Two study teams visited the affected villages and submittedthe report to the Union Government.

The State, which is reeling under severe drought condition for175 taluks as drought hit.UNI MSP CS 1323

-- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-1059364.Xml
In some ways, 2016 will go down as a landmark year for grizzly bear management.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced its proposal to delist grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Area after a federal court rejected a 2007 delisting rule. The grizzly population in the Greater Yellowstone Area reached its recovery goals prior to 2007 and the population continues to exceed all recovery benchmarks, as outlined by the Endangered Species Act and the FWS.

Recovery of grizzlies in the GYA is one of the greatest conservation success stories in the nation. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks along with many partners helped bring an iconic species back from the brink of extinction. Now a healthy population of grizzlies inhabits its native range in southwest Montana and beyond. Similar efforts in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem have also led to that grizzly population exceeding their recovery goals  another success story.

As these two grizzly bear populations recovered, bears expanded into areas they havent been for decades. The Rocky Mountain Front is an area where bears continue to move further out into prairie environments. This activity has resulted in conflict between livestock producers, landowners, community members and bears. Increased conflicts caused confusion about grizzly bear management, including who makes management decisions, what level of protection do bears have and what flexibility does FWP have in dealing with problem bears.

Grizzly bears were listed as threatened in the lower 48 under the Endangered Species Act in 1975. The grizzly bear recovery plan identified six recovery areas, four of which are in Montana: the GYA, the Bitterroot-Selway, the Cabinet-Yaak and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem.

The ESA allows for the bears to be recovered/delisted by distinct population segment, or one area at a time. Thats why the GYA population was proposed for delisting separate from the other recovery areas. If FWS delists bears in the GYA, FWP will take over grizzly management. In the rest of the state, including the NCDE, grizzlies will remain listed as threatened and be managed by the FWS. A delisting proposal for the NCDE is not currently on the table, even though that population exceeds established recovery goals.

Conservative estimates indicate about 750 grizzlies live in the GYA, about 1,000 live in the NCDE and nearly 50 live in the Cabinet-Yaak. We have no official counts of grizzlies in the Bitteroot-Selway, but this summer FWP confirmed sightings of at least one grizzly in the Big Hole Valley, on the southern edge of this recovery area.

FWP is permitted to handle and harass bears according to an annual permit issued by the FWS. That permit stipulates what FWP can and cannot do. If FWP wants to remove a problem bear, we must first get authorization from the FWS. This is confusing to many Montanans because while FWP is usually the agency responding to a conflict, the ultimate decision on any action is at the discretion of the FWS.

Other management actions that must get prior approval include trapping and moving problem bears, preemptively moving bears away from areas where they may come into conflict and euthanizing problem bears.

Another player in grizzly management is the U.S. Department of Agricultures Wildlife Services. This agency responds to livestock depredations for the agriculture community. They may investigate a depredation event, identify the likely culprit as a grizzly and inform the FWS, who then coordinates with Wildlife Services and FWP on a solution.

FWP is dedicated to effective and sound grizzly bear management. We work with landowners on solutions to keep bears away from livestock or attractants. We closely monitor bear numbers around the state so we understand the population of bears in Montana and their distribution. We communicate with the public about bear activity and promote wise and safe behavior for people working and recreating in grizzly bear country.

The process of dealing with grizzly bear conflicts can be cumbersome, but it is the situation we face as long as the bears continue to be listed under the ESA. The goal of the ESA is to recover species and in the case of grizzly bears in these two ecosystems, this effort has been a resounding success.

We continue to advocate for grizzly delisting in these areas. We are committed to management plans that will keep the populations healthy while allowing us much flexibility in bear management and addressing concerns from communities, livestock and agriculture producers living in bear country.
A self-immolator protester who set himself on fire in Machu country of Tibet's Amdo province succumbed to injuries, Tibet Administration press release said here today. Tashi Rabten, 33, known to his friends and family as Tarab, is a former monk from Teushel village in Machu County, Kanlho, eastern Tibet. He succumbed to his injuries. Tashi Rabten's wife and two children have been taken into custody. A number of his other relatives have also been detained after approaching the authorities to ask for his body for cremation. Images and video footage in circulation showed Tashi Rabten walking down a street. He set himself on fire on Thursday. Another video showed security personnel lifting and removing his body. Further information revealed that Tashi Rabten was the cousin of Tsering Kyi, a 20-year old student who died after carrying out a self-immolation protest in Machu in 2012. UNI ML KS PY SNU 1431 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0292-1059417.Xml
: A Delhi Court today ordered four-day CBI custody to the former Indian Air Force Chief SP Tyagi and others in the Rs 3,767-crore Agusta Westland chopper scam case. It is alleged that the former Air Force Chief SP Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev alias Julie Tyagi and a Delhi-based lawyer, Gautam Khaitan, were involved in irregularities in the procurement of 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters from Britain-based Agusta Westland. Counsel for CBI requested for ten-day remand of all the accused for detailed questioning. CBI told the court that they were investigating the scam and needed more time. Counsel for CBI submitted that Agusta was engaging middlemen regularly, bribes were paid and investigation was going on. "We have received LRs from Mauritius and Italy. They have given us information. So we need to interrogate these accused persons," said the counsel for CBI. Counsel for SP Tyagi said, "We are unable to understand why CBI is seeking police remand. After FIR was registered these alleged accused are being questioned several times. There is no need of custodial interrogation." He submitted that the CBI already have all the evidences against the alleged offence. "I can give evidence that the money, as alleged, was earned from agricultural land so there was no need of arrest," he said. He further said that procurement of chopper deal was a collective decision. CBI argued that a larger conspiracy was done in this chopper scam, and that needed to be investigated. CBI said, "In 2004, new Central Government was formed and the Air Force was denying to compromise on flying height of copters. When SP Tyagi assumed the charge on January 1, 2005, Augusta was perused for consideration again and again on the basis of different attributes of choppers. " The CBI argued that in 2002, there were 11 global parties to appear in the bid. Finally, only four parties fulfilled the criteria. Later Augusta was found not for requirement due to flying height of copters. CBI said the proposal was initiated by Air Force to buy new VVIP Chopper. All the three accused persons have been arrested under Section 120B, Section 420 IPC and the provisions Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The CBI said its probe revealed that undue favours were shown to Augusta Westland Ltd, which accepted illegal vendors through middlemen including Sanjeev Tyagi, who is a relative of SP Tyagi. Metropolitan Magistrate Sujit Saurabh today after hearing arguments on behalf of the prosecution and Defence Cousel allowed four days CBI custody to quiz SP Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie Tyagi and Delhi-based lawyer, Gautam Khaitan till December 14.UNI XC SNU 1941 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-1060029.Xml
All India Mahila Congress President Shobha Ojha today alleged that the people in Delhi were disillusioned with the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Government. Speaking to UNI, she said, ''Situation in Delhi is really bad. Mr Kejriwal made a lot of tall promises to the people of Delhi and it is so unfortunate that his half cabinet is tainted with corruption charges and even there are rape cases against his ministers. Few are behind bars and few are on the run, they are not delivering promises they had made." ''Mr Kejriwal himself is most of the time out of Delhi campaigning either in Goa or in Punjab. Even when there was outbreak of chikungunya and dengue, the Health Minister and Chief Minister were missing. So the people of Delhi are really disillusioned with the AAP Government because they gave full support to AAP but they are now totally demoralised of the tainted image of the MLAs and ministers. They do not know how to run the Government,'' she said. Ms Ojha further said, ''It seems that Mr Kejriwal is also busy with other issues of his interest while running Government in Delhi. The other day there was so much pollution and smoke that environmentalists literally cautioned the people of Delhi that it was poisonous and people might die due to it. But in spite of this, the DelhiGovernment has not taken any initiative yet which is really unfortunate. Even during break out of chikungunya and dengue, the Government did not act and the Supreme Court had to interfere and rebuke it to act. In Delhi there is no Government, everyone is missing.'' UNI AKM SS PY SNU 1812 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-1059760.Xml
Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani todayannounced that the Centre would soon come out with the policy forpowerloom industry in the country. Addressing a meeting of the powerloom industrialists andworkers' representatives in the powerloom town of Bhiwandi of thedistrict, she said that through this policy the government aims toaddress the problems faced by the industry and the workers and giverelief to the poorest of the poor workers in the powerloom industry. The powerloom industry was being given loans under thePradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), she informed and said inaddition to this, the government was making all out efforts for thedevelopment of looms. With a view to bring in Acche Din for the powerloom workers,the Minister said that it has been planned to procure 900 millionmetres of cloth over the next three years from the powerlooms in India. It has also been planned to make the cloth producedindigenously cheaper than the ones imported from China, Ms Irani said. A meeting would also be held of the powerloom industries inthe state and each of the powerloom industry centers/cities/townswould be given fixed quota for supply of fabrics, the Minister said. The Minister directed the SDO Dr Santosh Thithe to ensurethat each and every powerloom worker in the town opens a bankaccount and they be trained in cashless transactions and in additionto this hold camps for issuance of Aadhar cards. The powerloom industry in Maharashtra has been facinghardship and is in red since last few years. Hence to address theirissues, the visit of the Minister was organized at Bhiwandi today. Also present for the meeting was the Bhiwandi MP (BJP) KapilPatil, who had arranged the visit of the minister.UNI XR SS NP1945 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-1060138.Xml
All India Mahila Congress President Shobha Ojha today appealed to the people of Goa to be cautious of BJP and AAP and vote for a party which made them secure for the next five years. Speaking to UNI, she said, ''In Goa I would appeal to the women to be cautious of Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) because both have been exposed in Delhi. The people of Delhi had elected AAP hands down and despite that if they are not delivering that shows their style of working and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is an 'absconder' who does not try to deliver and just tries to run away from his responsibilities.'' ''As far as BJP is concerned, we know the type of mindset they have for women, with all the sexist comments coming from the Chief Minister and other ministers in Goa, which is really unfortunate and the crimes against women have increased in the state. Every other day we read in the newspapers that rapes are happening here with the tourists. This really shows that the government is insensitive to protection of women,'' she alleged. Ms Ojha further alleged that the Goa government was thoroughly corrupt. ''This is the time to change. The people should wake up and ensure that they vote for a party so that their next five years are secured,'' she added.UNI AKM SS PY RAI2108 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-1059906.Xml
Chief of the Air Staff Arup Raha today conducted a whirlwind tour of the state today before departing for Delhi. On his way back from Shillong, the Air Chief arrived by helicopter from Panagarh in Sainik School Purulia, on the invite of the Principal, Col Rahul Sharma. He studied at this school from 1965-70, before joining the National Defence Academy. During the visit, he met with Rajya Sabha MP Pradip Bhattacharya. MLA Nepal Mahto and a host of dignitaries from Purulia. Mr Raha also connected with his old time classmate, HH Shri Shankaracharya Ji. In the honour of his arrival to the school, the Air Chief was presented a Guard of Honour by the cadets of the school. The Air chief presented a cheque of Rs one lakh to the school and later addressed the cadets. His motivational talk to the young cadets left everyone enthralled. Later he left for Panagarh by helicopter to proceed to Kolkata furtheron. He visited the Gun and Shell Factory at Cossipore Kolkata. He was received by the General Manager of GSF, Rajib Chakraborty and shown the facilities and production units in the establishment. Mr Raha was appreciative of the diversified products being prepared by the factory. He backed the Centre's move to demonetise, saying the armed forces have accepted the decision. "The armed forces are okay with the decision that has been taken," said the Air Chief in a press conference held at a guns factory in Kashipur. He also highlighted their role in assisting the government in its proper implementation. The armed forces has also extended its role by helping the government to produce new currency. "Indian Air Force has also deployed some people to help the government in maintaining 2487 production capacity of one of the mints," Mr Raha added. Prior to his departure from Kolkata, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha dedicated a MiG-27 fighter aircraft to the people of Kolkata by inaugurating the newly installed aircraft in front of the airport. On arrival at the venue, the Air Chief was received by Wg Cdr S Bose of Air Force Station Barrackpore. Other military dignitaries present at the venue were Air Commodore Banerjee of Advance HQ EAC, Group Captain B Roy of the Air Force Movement Liaison Unit and Lt Col BJ Hazarika, the Movement Control Officer at Dum Dum.UNI XC-BM -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0214-1060310.Xml
Confident of returning to power, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said that he was eagerly waiting for the Assembly polls. "Everyone is waiting for the poll dates and if there is anyone who is waiting the most for elections, it is me. I am ready for elections, ever since I flagged off the Lucknow metro (trial run)," he said, while addressing the senior police officials meet during the ongoing Police Week here at Lok Bhawan auditorium, here. Mr Yadav claimed that his government has made development in a record pace and created a big milestone by introducing the UP-100 service, which turned out to be a game changer in maintaining the law and order situation. "Though people say that governments are never repeated in Uttar Pradesh, ever since I have started working, I have been making history in all spheres and I'm confident that it will be made this time and I will be sitting along with you all once again, formulating future strategies," Mr Yadav said. The Chief Minister also took the opportunity to attack demonetisation move of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Those who have put the people to hardships could be running away from elections and I am forced to act against police officials, who had to bear the brunt for the wrongs of others", he said. Mr Yadav had suspended the concerned SP and SHO after a video clip, showing a policeman baton charging people standing in a queue outside a bank in Fatehpur district, went viral on the social media. Talking about the incident, he said "I had told the DGP to prepare the force, so that they do not have to resort to lathi charge on people standing in the queues as the anger aimed at others, could be redirected towards us". Stressing that he wants the upcoming elections to be free and fair as he is himself "fair", Mr Yadav said he will, however, see how fair others are. "It has to be seen whether the DGP stays or is removed, as it is often seen that the first attack is on the seniormost police official (appointed by the government in office)...", he said. "Political parties will resort to every trick..it is a mela of democracy and people will have to decide ..there are many boundaries of castes and religion, but they can all be broken through development," the Chief Minister said. Mr Yadav said that SP has adopted the path of development and the metro service in Lucknow has been started for the benefit of people. He claimed that people are now talking about digital India, but in the real sense, he had encouraged digital technology and perhaps that is why they were often been criticised. "All departments have done good work and I want that the works of police department are also seen. Police has the maximum responsibility, when all political parties fail on all fronts, they say law and order is bad, I feel that they are not commenting on me, but on the police," he added. On the occasion, Mr Yadav, who made a unique move to boost the morale of the non-gazetted rank police official had rewarded CM's Medal for Bravery and CM's appreciation letter. Those who received the reward today included constable Narendra Singh, who died in Bulundshahr and constable Naveen Chowdhary, who died in Moradabad. Both received CM's Bravery medal posthumously. The others six cops who received CM's Medal for Bravery include Udham Singh, Malkhan Singh, Kuldeep Dhama, Amit Kumar, Rajendra Prasad Dwivedi, and Sunita Tewari.The CM's Appreciation Letter was given to Anil Kumar Pandey, Radhey Shyam Rai, Ghanshyam Singh, Dinesh Rai, Sachin Kumar, Awadh Narain Chowdhary, Rajendra Singh, Shyam Sunder, Rakesh Kumar, Manish Kumar Upadhaya, Rajveer Singh, Vinod Kumar, Gajendra Pal Singh, Alok Kumar Singh, Pankaj Katariya, Upendra Kumar Yadav, Rasheed Ali, Arun Kumar, Chotak Singh Yadav, Diwakar Prasad Dwivedi, Patanjali Kumar Pandey and Hareram Yadav. Mr Yadav presented an appreciation letter, along with a cash reward of Rs 25,000, while those honoured with CM's bravery medal will be given Rs 1000 extra allowance per month all through their remaining service period. UNI MB RJ 2142 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0431-1060242.Xml
While, the minimum temperature of 8.4 degree Celsius was recorded in Nashik city.

The cold wave sweeping across the district since last fourdays has brought about a noticeable dip in both day and nighttemperatures, forcing the citizens to take out their woollens and huddle near the bonfire to keep them warm.

Earlier, on December 15, 2013, the mercury had dropped to 6.5degrees Celsius in Nashik and at 5.2 degrees Celsius in Niphadtaluka of the district.

The local Meterological department has forecast that mercuryis likely to dip further in next couple of days.

The cold wave has left the grape cultivators worried as thecold climate is not suitable for the grapes.

The farmers in the district claimed that the low temperaturewill prove detrimental to the Rabi crops.UNI RDS SS RJ 2238

-- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-1060196.Xml
All India Mahila Congress president Shobha Ojhatoday said the party is ready to contest the forthcomingAssembly elections in five states in a big way. Speaking to reporters here, she said, ''As far as electionsin five states are concerned, the Congress is ready to go in a bigway. Out of the five states, we have government in Manipur andUttarakhand. ''In Uttarakhand we have brought in so many schemes for thepoor and marginalised. The government is doing really well.Performance would be an issue with which we would contest theelections. In Manipur also we are doing very well. Though BJP istrying to coup there as they did in Uttarakhand but has failed. Wehave full confidence in our elected representatives and the peoplewho would stand by us. I am hopeful that we will come back to powerin Manipur,'' she said. Talking about Punjab, she said that it was in a bad state. ''Everyone knows that Punjab is in the control of drug mafiawho are directly or indirectly supported by the government. Futureof the youth is totally ruined. Crime has increased manifold andthere are no jobs,'' she claimed. On allegation that Congress was accepting those rejected byShiromani Akali Dal (SAD) or Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Ms Ojhasaid, ''People who do not agree with the policies of SAD or the BJP,they see here is a party called Congress which will fight for therights of the people, fight against drug menace, poverty, corruptionand unemployment, they join.'' ''There is a basic difference between the Congress and BJP.Congress does not stage any coup. Moreover, individuals can come andjoin the party. Whether they will get a ticket or not is a differentissue,'' she added. Terming AAP a 'fake party', she said people of Goa or Punjabwould judge it on the basis of its delivery in Delhi. She said in Goa Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be themain rival in the assembly elections and not AAP. Ms Ojha said, ''In Uttar Pradesh we have worked very hard. Infact, Rahulji (All India Congress Committee vice president RahulGandhi) took up 'yatras'. I admit that organisationwise we are notvery strong. We have been out of power for 27 long years duringwhich UP has lost a lot. When Congress was in power there wasindustrialisation, canals coming up for farming in UP. It was agrowing state then. But in the last 27 years political parties haveused UP in the name of caste and creed and played different sort of politics.'' She refused to comment on the issue of pre-poll alliance in thestate, saying she would not be able to comment on the issue. However, she added that party workers were working very hardon the ground level with Mr Gandhi, putting much energy into them. Five states -- Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand,Manipur and Goa -- will go for polls, early next year.UNI AKM SS RJ 2232 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-1060223.Xml
HELENA  Gov. Steve Bullock announced six of his first-term cabinet members would be leaving and named some of their replacements during a Friday press conference at the Capitol.

Since I took office four years ago, I've been blessed with a team of talented people, Bullock said, highlighting the achievements of each agency leader as he named them. Every large organization goes through change and state government is no different.

The retirement of Department of Corrections Director Mike Batista, who has worked decades in law enforcement and state government, was the first announced departure. Bullock commended Batistas vision to create a clinical services division that standardized and improved care across facilities. He thanked Batista for his leadership of a state re-entry task force that has spent the past four years finding ways to reduce recidivism.

Mikes efforts have been groundbreaking at so many levels, Bullock said.

Deputy Director Loraine Wodnick will step in as interim director while a national search is conducted for Batistas replacement over the next few months.

Department of Public Health and Human Services Director Richard Opper also is leaving after four years at the helm of the states largest agency. He previously led the Department of Environmental Quality for eight years under former Gov. Brian Schweitzer.

Opper said he will retire and plans to travel with his wife. He pointed to the expansion of Medicaid in the state, also known as the HELP Act, in 2015 as one of his department's top accomplishments under his leadership.

We exceeded expectations in terms of how successful the expansion was, he said. By Nov. 15 this year, 61,233 had enrolled under the program.

When he first was appointed to the health agency, some had criticized the move, noting his expertise better fit the DEQ.

Its going to be overwhelming for anyone that comes in, Opper said at the time. The choice of who led the department could have been made on subject matter experience or management experience, he said, and Bullock chose management experience. Ill leave it to other people to judge the outcome, he said.

Sheila Hogan, former director of the Department of Administration, will take over at the Department of Public Health and Human Services.

John Lewis, a former aide to former U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, was appointed to lead the Department of Administration. Lewis lost a bid for Congress in 2014 against U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke.

Also leaving are Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Jeff Hagener, who Bullock had persuaded to return from retirement; Economic Development Director John Rogers, who led the creation of the Montana Business Navigator; Commerce Director Meg O'Leary, who championed Main Street Montana Program; and Department of Agriculture Director Ron de Yong, who Bullock said put Montana chickpeas on the map by partnering with farmers to expand pulse crop growth and processing capability. Pulse crops are legumes that are harvested for the dry seed, like chickpeas and lentils.

Bullock Spokesman Tim Crowe said the governor is reviewing his options for those openings and hopes to fill them by the end of the month.

Bullock had been in conversations with all of his appointed directors since last month about whether they want to serve another four years. High-level staffing changes are not unusual when officials are re-elected.

When Schweitzer, a Democrat, took office in 2004, he kept two cabinet officials who had been appointed by his Republican predecessor, Judy Martz. At the start of his second term, only two cabinet heads were replaced: Anna Whiting-Sorrell took over for Joan Miles at the Department of Public Health and Human Services and Joe Maurier replaced Hagener at Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The Associated Press also contributed to this report.
The Local Crime Branch (LCB) of city police today arrested two employees for allegedly duping the owner of a private company of Rs 23.24 crore here. While, two other accused went absconding. The four employees of a Mohite Motors Private Ltd Company at Vathar near Vadgaon of this district allegedly sold other company's machines to customers, instead of their own company's machines and thus, they cheated company owner Shivaji Ramchandra Mohite of Rs 23.24 crore. After coming to know about the incident, Mr Mohite registered a complaint of cheating with the local police against four employees, police said. Acting on the complaint, an LCB team swung into action and arrested two of the four employees -- Rupesh Jayant Pradhan (Sales Manager) and Sumit Padmakar Purandare (Sales Area Manager) from Navi Mumbai this evening. The duo were produced before a local court, which remanded them to police custody till December 14. While, two others -- Dilprit Singh (Regional Manager) and Mohammad Irfan -- were absconding. Further investigation into the incident was underway, sources added.UNI SSS SS RJ 2235 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-1060334.Xml
The suspect was arrested during a special military operation conducted in Khogyani district late on Thursday night, reports the Khaama Press.

According to the MoI, the suspect is originally a resident of Pakistan.

So far, no comments have been made by the anti-Government armed militant groups. (ANI)
A US judge in Wisconsin rejected a request by President-elect Donald Trump supporters to stop a recount of election votes while the Michigan Supreme Court denied an appeal by Green Party candidate Jill Stein to restart the state's recount.The results of the November 8 election have been challenged in three states by Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who finished fourth in the presidential poll. In Pennsylvania, the third state, a judge said he would rule on Monday on whether to allow a recount to go forward.Even if the recounts were carried out, they would be extremely unlikely to change the outcome of Trump's win over Democrat Hillary Clinton.In Wisconsin, the Great America political action committee and Stop Hillary PAC had called on the court to halt the recount, which is more than 88 percent complete, according to the state elections commission. A commission spokesman said in an email that the recount was expected to be completed on Monday."The recount is an inherent part of what ensures the integrity of elections," US District Judge James Peterson said, according to court transcripts.Also on Friday, the Michigan Supreme Court, in a 3-2 ruling, denied Stein's request to restart a recount, affirming a lower court ruling that she did not have grounds to mount the challenge.Although Clinton won the national popular vote, by 2.6 million according to the latest count, she lost to Trump in the Electoral College, the 538-person body chosen state-by-state that actually selects the president.Trump, who won a projected 306 electoral votes to Clinton's 232, takes office on January 20. Neither Stein nor Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson won any Electoral College votes.The three "Rust Belt" states narrowly supported Trump. The New York businessman and former reality TV star who has never previously held public office won by more than 68,000 votes in Pennsylvania and about 11,600 votes in Michigan, according to state figures.US District Judge Paul Diamond in Philadelphia said at a hearing that he would return a ruling "first thing Monday morning" on whether he would grant a request for a partial recount of paper ballots and a forensic examination of voting computer systems before the national December 13 certification deadline.Lawyers for the Green Party, the Trump campaign and the state argued the matter for three hours, with Stein's supporters saying the state's election process was so disorganized that state officials had not known the recount petition filing deadlines for some counties.REUTERS JW PM1126 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1059191.Xml
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he understood Saudi Arabia's concerns about upheaval in neighbouring Yemen but he had "profound concern" about the suffering of Yemeni people after 20 months of war.Johnson was speaking at a conference in Bahrain yesterday a day after footage was published of him accusing Saudi Arabia, an important ally for Britain, of stoking proxy wars across the Middle East.He said he understood Saudi Arabia's security was of "paramount importance"."But I must share my profound concern about the present suffering of the people of Yemen," Johnson said in a speech at the Manama Dialogue on Middle East security.A Saudi-led coalition began a military campaign in March last year to prevent the Iran-allied Houthi movement from taking complete control of Yemen after it seized much of the north.The conflict has killed more than 10,000 people, half of them civilians, and unleashed a humanitarian crisis in the poorest country in the Middle East.Johnson said that "force alone" would not bring about a stable Yemen and emphasised the need for a negotiated political solution.He added that the "hand of Iran is clearly visible in Yemen."REUTERS VS 0543 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0440-1059081.Xml
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman, Nisar Muhammad, and Commissioner State Administration of Taxation (SAT) China signed the protocol on behalf of their respective countries, reports local media.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by the special advisor to the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Revenue Haroon Akhtar Khan.

Sharing his experiences in China, Akhtar praised Beijing for developing its economy in such a short span of time.

He hoped that mutual cooperation in the area of taxation would be continued by the two tax authorities.

Earlier, the FBR chairman, welcoming the Chinese delegation highlighted the importance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (c) for the people of both sides.

He stressed upon for cooperation in various international commitments like multilateral conventions on mutual administrative assistance in tax matters, base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) framework and other international initiatives by the tax administrations of both the countries.

Various aspects of Pakistan-China friendship State Administration of Taxation were highlighted by State Administration of Taxation (SAT) Commissioner Wang Jun Commissioner Wang Jun.

He also appreciated the efforts of the FBR and SAT to arrive at an agreement on the third protocol to the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement. (ANI)
Gambian authorities have refused entry to the chair of regional body ECOWAS, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, Senegal's foreign minister said today, dampening hopes for a political solution after President Yahya Jammeh rejected the results of elections that he lost on December 1.Jammeh yesterday called for another election in the tiny West African country after narrowly losing to opposition leader Adama Barrow. He had already conceded defeat publicly last week.The announcement on state television threw Gambia's future into doubt after the unexpected election result ended Jammeh's 22-year rule and was widely seen as a moment of democratic hope.The streets of Banjul were calm today, although some residents said they were staying at home for fear of violence.Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) chair Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had hoped to put back on track Gambia's first democratic transition of power in over 50 years, but those plans appeared thwarted today when her plane was denied landing access at Banjul."Johnson Sirleaf was supposed to fly in today, but Jammeh said 'not at the moment,'" Senegal foreign minister Mankeur Ndiaye told Reuters. It was not clear if the plane had already taken off.Sirleaf's camp was not immediately available for comment. A spokesman for Jammeh's government could not be reached.As Gambians brace for a tense standoff, international criticism of Jammeh's claim came in fast. Following the United States and Senegal, the African Union today weighed in, calling Jammeh's statement "null and void"."The Chairperson of the Commission strongly urges President Yahya Jammeh to facilitate a peaceful and orderly transition and transfer of power," said Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who also called on Gambia's security forces to remain neutral.Meanwhile, the shellshocked camp of President-elect Barrow was holding an emergency meeting under heavy security in Banjul today morning, two people present told Reuters. It was planning to make a statement sometime in the morning, they said."We are preparing ourselves," said member of the Barrow camp, Isatou Touray. "We condemn the statement from Jammeh." REUTERS AKC AN1703 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-1059746.Xml
A source told Tolo News that the civilians were residents of Dara Saidan village in Siagard district of Parwan and the Taliban shot them Thursday night.

Dara Saidan village is in one of the remote areas of Parwan where the Taliban is active.

Meanwhile a number of Dara Saidan village residents claimed that the Taliban captured a number of youths and their whereabouts are still unknown.

Taliban have not commented on the incident.

Last week, the Taliban insurgents hanged a Kabul Polytechnic University engineering student in Maidan Wardak province on charges of for spying for the government. (ANI)
India today asserted that migration must not be confused with the refugees and both should be dealt with separately. "Migration must not be confused with refugees; bracketing them is disservice to both. If the problem is different, the solution cannot be the same. We need separate sets of policies, frameworks and procedures," Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar said, addressing a conference of Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) here.He also said the commitment to work on migration issues should be linked to Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development goals."We need to synergise this with Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development, by which we have committed to cooperate for facilitating orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people," Mr Akbar said.Thanking Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for presiding the conference, he also spoke about her illustrious father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and described him as "a presiding spirit". In obvious reference to Bangladesh's war of liberation, he said, "Forty-five years ago, this land (Bangladesh) saw countless millions fleeing tyranny and taking shelter in my country (India). That year was one of deep pain and hope, as tyranny was defeated by the people. Our fathers' generation saw its share of suffering. We have seen it too. Why are we gathered here? For one reason. To ensure that the next generation does not suffer".Suggesting a nine-point protocol to deal with migration and refugee-related issues, the Minister said migrants should be placed at the "core of the agenda' and programmes, tools and methodology should be developed to enhance the interests of migrants and families, while "maintaining policy space for governments of destination, transit and origin"."Studies indicate that economic migrants contribute positively to new business formation, innovation and job creation," Mr Akbar said, adding that these also act as catalysts of growth for destination countries in particular, and for the global economy in general.The Minister pointed out that an estimated 35 per cent of economic migration force "are highly skilled" and provide crucial support to growth of the global economy, particularly in the knowledge and innovation sectors."Economic migration is a natural outcome of an inter-connected world, driven by the global demand and supply in the labour market," he maintained.Mr Akbar, however, said, "There is too much of focus on the problems associated with migration, but too few solutions have been offered or agreed upon".Referring to the popular proverb - Charity begins at home, he said for its part, India believes in "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" - the World is a family, "a Vedic Shloka that captures the essence of our philosophy"."We believe in humanitarian values as the highest expression of individual and collective behaviour. Fortune and misfortune are the collateral aspects of cycles of human history. There are times when economic compulsions force people to leave the zones of kinship, culture and comfort to seek a better life elsewhere," he said.UNI DEVN RJ 2052 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0445-1060188.Xml
Iran summoned the British ambassador today to protest against remarks by Prime Minister Theresa May who accused Tehran of "aggressive regional actions" in a speech to a Gulf Arab summit.Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said the move was prompted by May's "irresponsible, provocative and divisive remarks" at the summit in Bahrain on Wednesday, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported.May told the Gulf Arab leaders that "we must also work together to push back against Iran's aggressive regional actions, whether in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Syria or in the Gulf itself".Iran and most Gulf states are on opposite sides in Middle East conflicts, with the Iran an ally of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war and of the armed Houthi movement fighting a Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen.Britain and Iran exchanged ambassadors in September, more than a year after Britain reopened its Tehran embassy, which was closed for nearly four years after it was stormed by protesters. REUTERS SDR BL2320 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-1060357.Xml
SOFIA, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian member of the European Parliament (EP) Mariya Gabriel said here on Friday that the negotiations on Britain's exit from the European Union (EU) should be transparent.

"Something that is important for us is while Brexit negotiations are underway to have no parallel negotiations related to the way the UK will participate in the common market or bilateral negotiations with member states," Gabriel said during a roundtable discussion.

Gabriel, who is also a vice-chair of the Group of the European People's Party in the EP, said the EU should have a very clear strategy regarding this.

"Very clearly, before the start of the negotiations, we should set our fundamental principles that will allow us to go as an equal partner in these negotiations," she said.

She sincerely hoped that maximum clarity would be achieved.

The transparency of negotiations would also allow EU citizens to know what is happening, she said.
Montanas largest ranching group sees big post-election changes on the horizon as the Donald Trump presidency begins and state lawmakers start new terms in 2017.

Gene Curry, the outgoing president of Montana Stockgrowers Association, told The Gazette ranchers are hopeful President-elect Trump will bring changes to federal water and endangered species policy, while finding a beef-friendly path forward on trade matters.

I think the Trump administration will be a little different, Curry said. Hes a businessman, and hopefully he's going to look at whats best for all businesses.

Trump campaigned against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a massive trade deal ranchers hoped would improve export markets for U.S. beef in the Asia-Pacific region. The president-elect also disparaged the North American Free Trade Agreement, which removed barriers on U.S. beef exports to Canada and Mexico.

Curry said what politicians say publicly doesnt always match whats done behind the scenes, which is where he expects trade to progress.

Errol Rice, Stockgrowers executive vice president, said exports add about $300 to the value of every calf Montana ranchers sell. Canada and Mexico are two of the biggest buyers of U.S. beef.

Curry said he expects the Trump administration to respect states' rights on matters like river and stream quality, which has been a battleground with the administration of President Barack Obama.

The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers have been working for several years to expand federal powers under the Clean Water Act. From the beginning, Montana farm groups, homebuilders and local governments have worried the rule would apply to ponds and seasonal waters that deadened and therefore didnt pollute free-flowing waterways.

Montana is part of a multistate lawsuit against the federal water policy, known as the Waters of the United States rule, or WOTUS.

I think were encouraged by these things, but were not against clean water, Rice said. We think WOTUS is too far-reaching. Were committed to clean water and think the state can do a good job.

The Stockgrowers have been working with the state of Montana to address the states unique challenges with the sage grouse, which have been proposed for endangered species listing. In Montana, roughly 60 percent of sage grouse habitat is on private land, Rice said, and the state has proposed its own plan to manage the habitat and keep Montana sage grouse from being declared endangered and federally regulated.

Curry said he would like to see Montanas work on sage grouse recognized by the federal government so the species can be managed without being declared endangered.

In Montana, the Stockgrowers will be focused on protecting the Department of Livestock as the Montana Legislature begins assembling a tight two-year budget.

The livestock department, mostly funded by rancher fees, keeps the states $2 billion-a-year livestock industry viable through health and market regulations. Less than two years ago, livestock department jobs were being cut and employees furloughed to cover a large budget shortage. A state audit revealed the department was spending treasury money to cover its shortfall without recording its transactions.

Those times are behind the department, Curry said, partly because of increased general fund spending and also because ranchers are now paying higher fees, which had previously been frozen by the state.

Montana is one of the few states with a stand-alone Department of Livestock, whose creation stems from a demand more than a century old by ranchers for theft control and animal health. The department is governed by a board composed of people from the livestock industry who are appointed by the governor.

There have been rumblings about folding the Department of Livestock into the state Department of Agriculture, Curry said. The Stockgrowers adamantly oppose such a move.
TEHRAN, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) signed a deal with South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to buy 10 container ships from the Korean shipbuilding company, Tasnim news agency reported on Friday.

The deal was inked between representatives of the IRISL and the HHI here on Friday.

The contract is valued at 650 million U.S. dollars and will be financed by South Korean banks. The ships will be delivered to Iran in 2018, the report said.

The contract with HHI was part of the IRISL's plan to renovate its fleet through a total investment of 2.5 billion dollars.

The Iranian company operates about 115 oceangoing vessels, but many of the ships are aged and cannot be insured.
NEW DELHI, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Rescue teams have pulled out bodies of five people from debris of a seven-storyed building in southern Indian city of Hyderabad, officials said Friday.

Over a dozen workers and their families are reportedly trapped under the debris.

The building collapsed on Thursday night in Nanakramguda suburb.

"Today morning a woman and a six-year old boy were rescued alive from the site and sent to a local private hospital for treatment," an official said. "Until this evening five bodies were retrieved."

The teams of National Disaster Response Force, state police, fire services and officials from local administration, besides locals are making efforts to rescue the trapped workers.

Rescue teams have pressed in earth movers, gas cutters and other equipment to trace the trapped ones.

Reports said the victims (workers and their families) residing inside the under-construction building were hailing from Indian state of Chhattisgarh and neighboring Andhra Pradesh.

Officials said violation of rules have been noticed in the construction of the building.

Police officials have registered a complaint of negligence against the building owner.

Deadly accidents due to failing infrastructure (either new or old) is common in India. Construction experts blame the lax administration and corruption in India for flouting building rules that often results in using poor quality materials, inadequate supervision, poor safety standards for workers.
TEHRAN, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli settlement expansion bill is a blatant violation of international law, Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi strongly condemned a recent Israeli settlement expansion bill, calling it a "mass and blatant violation" of international law and human rights, Press TV reported.

"The settlements are a serious obstacle to the materialization of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination," Qasemi said, adding that those who are behind such moves "must be prosecuted."

The spokesperson urged government and international institutions to make use of all possible means at their disposal "to oblige the Zionist regime (of Israel) to abide by international rules and principles."

The world should make an "immediate and practical" move to "stop the continuation of inhuman and illegal activities of this regime and prevent (the construction of) new settlements in Palestine," Qasemi was quoted as saying.

Israeli lawmakers reportedly approved a bill on Wednesday legalizing some 4,000 settler units built on a private Palestinian land in the West Bank.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said last week that over 30,000 civilians had fled eastern Aleppo toward the government-controlled areas. (Reuters photo)

DAMASCUS, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Air strikes continued slamming the few remaining rebel-held neighborhoods in the eastern part of Aleppo on Friday amid talks of reduced air raids.

At least eight air strikes were heard by Xinhua reporters visiting the Aghiar neighborhood, which was recaptured by the Syrian army on Thursday in rebel-controlled part of eastern Aleppo.

Other air strikes and shelling were also heard pounding the strategic Sheikh Saed neighborhood in southeastern Aleppo later in the day.

Dark smoke filled the skyline over eastern Aleppo, as thousands of civilians continued to flee Sheikh Saed in droves on Friday toward government-controlled areas.

The government forces wrested control over Sheikh Saed on Nov. 30, but later lost to the rebels after a counter offensive.

Now, the Syrian army and allied fighters are fighting again to dislodge the rebels from that neighborhood.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday that Syria's army has suspended its combat operations in eastern Aleppo to allow civilians in the war zone to be evacuated.

The military operations against eastern Aleppo were reduced, but not stopped, said a Syrian military soldier.

This comes as the Syrian government forces have been on a crushing offensive against the rebels in eastern Aleppo, capturing over 85 percent of neighborhoods that had been stormed by the rebels in 2012.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said last week that over 30,000 civilians fled eastern Aleppo toward the government-controlled areas.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also said that the decision for taking all of Aleppo has been taken, adding that the army recapture of rebel-held areas in Aleppo will change the course of the battles in Syria.
A video featuring Chinese Yangtze River (Top) is broadcast on Times Square in New York, the United States, on Dec. 9, 2016. A series of promotional videos about the beauty and wonders of the Yangtze River in China started running since Friday on one of the top billboards in New York's Times Square. (Xinhua/Li Changxiang)

NEW YORK, Dec.9 (Xinhua) -- A series of promotional videos about the beauty and wonders of the Yangtze River in China started running since Friday on one of the top billboards in New York's Times Square.

Showcasing the scenery, people and history around the third-longest river in the world, the series consists of seven episodes, including " Pristine Origins," "Diverse Cultures," "Heritage & Growth," "Natural Beauty," "Eco-Cities," "Wildlife" and "Green Economy."

The series will be broadcast until December 31, with a frequency of 14 times each episode per day.

The series' playing period coincides with traditional U.S. holiday season, where a substantial tourist influx was often seen in New York City.

The period will also cover the New Year's Eve of 2016, when up to a million people are expected to converge at Times Square to celebrate the "ball drop" ceremony and usher in the New Year.

"The Yangtze River looks amazing in the video," said Adam Monahan from Texas.

Monahan had been to China but not yet to the Yangtze River region.

"I'll definitely go next time," Monahan said.
CAPE TOWN, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- South Africans on Friday marked the International Anti-Corruption Day, with a vision for 2030 when there will be zero tolerance for corruption in the country.

Commemorating events took place in parts of the country in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

This year's commemoration saw another milestone reached through the initiation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), which is consistent with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).

This is the first time South Africa is attempting the formulation of a national strategy encompassing all sectors of society, the Public Service Commission (PSC) said in a presentation of the initiation.

"In so doing we have to acknowledge that corruption is a problem which affects all of us," PSC Acting Chairperson Ben Mthembu said at an event taking place at the University of South Africa outside Pretoria.

With this strategy, South Africa has a resilient anti-corruption system in which anti-corruption agencies have the resources, credibility and powers to investigate corruption and their investigations are acted upon, Mthembu said.

As such, South Africans must learn to listen and engage with each other to be able to find a common purpose: that of dealing with the problem of corruption collectively and effectively, Mthembu said.

This can only be achieved with honest engagement and with good purpose, he said.

"Our vision for 2030 is a South Africa which has zero tolerance for corruption, in which an empowered citizenry have the confidence and knowledge to hold public and private officials to account and in which leaders hold themselves to high ethical standards and act with integrity," said Mthembu.

To mark the International Anti-Corruption Day, the South African cabinet issued a statement, outlining the achievements in fighting corruption.

Since 2014, South Africa has ensured the conviction of a total of 90 persons and legal entities for corruption and corruption related matters. Of the 90 persons convicted, 32 were in respect of cases where the total amount involved is five million rand (about 370,000 U.S. dollars) per case, according to the statement.

The total amount involved in the 30 cases was about 3.8 billion rand (about 279 million U.S. dollars). In the instance of the remaining 58 persons convicted where the amount involved was less than five million rand per case, the total amount involved was in the order of 188 million rand (about 13.8 million U.S. dollars), said the statement.

In addition to securing convictions, a mechanism that is employed by the corruption fighting agencies is the freezing or confiscation of assets of those suspected of involvement in corruption while their prosecution is pending or their cases finalised through criminal or civil procedures respectively.

Since 2014 to date, South Africa has been able to obtain 871 freezing orders totalling 7.65 billion rand (about 562 million dollars) as well as 1,089 forfeiture/confiscation orders to the value of 2.86 billion rand (about 210 million dollars), official figures show.

"Despite the progress we have made, it is indubitable that corruption continues to be a menace. This requires of us to escalate and deepen the measures we have put in place to counter corruption," Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe said in a keynote address at the commemoration event at the University of South Africa.

Overcoming the twin challenges of corruption and lack of accountability in society requires a resilient system consisting of political will, sound institutions, a sound legal system, an active citizenry that is empowered to hold public officials accountable, he said.

The theme of this year's International Anti-Corruption Day is "united against corruption for development, peace and security".

Every year 1 trillion U.S. dollars are paid in bribes while an estimated 2.6 trillion U.S. dollars are stolen annually through corruption -- a sum equivalent to more than five per cent of the global GDP.

In developing countries, funds lost to corruption are estimated at 10 times the amount of official development assistance, according to the United Nations Development Program.
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Friday warned that an escalating confrontation between the armed forces of the Republic of Congo and suspected former rebels called the Ninjas has forcibly displaced thousands of people in southeastern Pool province and has disrupted farming in the country's most fertile region, a UN spokesman said here.

"UNHCR is concerned that some 13,000 displaced people soon may not have enough to eat as a result," Farhan Haq, deputy UN spokesman, said at a daily news briefing here.

Residents of Pool province are also having trouble getting health care and education because many state-employed medics and teachers have fled the area, he said.

In addition to these internal struggles, the Republic of Congo is home to some 55,000 refugees, most of them from the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Angola, Haq added.

The government blames the violence on former members of the Ninjas, who signed agreements with the government to stop fighting in 2003, after wars and insurgencies dating back to the 1990s.

In recent weeks, the violence is reported to have increased, including an attack on a military vehicle in the Mindouli district in the southeast of the country last weekend that left two people dead. The Ninjas were also blamed for an attack in early October on the important railway link from the capital Brazzaville to the coast that left 14 people dead.

As a result of the latest clash, UN missions were suspended this week, but a UNHCR team was able to visit Pool late last month as part of a government-led mission. It found people's living conditions had deteriorated since the last visit in June.
This file photo taken on August 5, 2010 shows apregnant woman walking outside the State Department in Washington, DC. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Women infected with the Zika virus early in their pregnancies are at the highest risk of giving birth to infants with abnormally small heads, a condition known as microcephaly, a report released Friday said.

The report, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, said that Colombia reported 476 cases of microcephaly from January 31 through mid-November, more than a four-fold increase from the same period in 2015.

Of these cases, 432 were live-born infants and 44 were pregnancy losses.

The peak month for reported cases of microcephaly occurred in July, which came about six months after the peak of the Zika outbreak in the South American country, it said.

For that month, there were 94 reported microcephaly cases, about nine times the number in the same month in 2015.

The finding "suggests that the greatest risk for microcephaly is associated with Zika virus infection during the first trimester and early in the second trimester of pregnancy," the report wrote.

The U.S. CDC, however, recommended that women take steps to protect themselves during the entire pregnancy.

File photo taken on March 9, 2016, of Luiz Philipe, who was born with microcephaly, sleeping in his house in Marica, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. (Xinhua/Estefan Radovicz/Agencia o Dia/AGENCIA ESTADO)

Overall, Colombia reported about 105,000 cases of Zika virus disease, including nearly 20,000 cases in pregnant women, from August 9, 2015, through November 26, 2016.

"This preliminary report on Zika virus disease and microcephaly in Colombia demonstrates that an increase in microcephaly is not specific to Brazil," the U.S. CDC said in a statement.

"This finding confirms that countries with Zika virus outbreaks are likely to experience large increases in microcephaly and other Zika-related birth defects."
LUSAKA, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Parliament's decision to allocate funds to the office of Zambia's first lady received a sharp reaction from an opposition political party on Friday, saying it was fraudulent.

On Tuesday, parliament approved the allocation of 1.5 million Zambian Kwacha (150,000 U.S. dollars) to the Office of the First Lady, with ruling party lawmakers describing her as a hardworking mother whose altruistic works were helping to uplift the welfare of vulnerable people and that the office needs concerted support.

But the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) has described the move as "fraudulent and institutionalized theft of public resources" as the office was not provided for in the constitution.

"The so-called "Office of the First Lady" is an imaginary office which does not legally exist and it is theft of the highest order to allocate public funds to an office which is not only illegal but actually does not exist," Antonio Mwanza, the party's spokesperson said in a statement.

He cited Article 265 of the country's constitution which stipulates that only public offices, state organs and state institutions are entitled to state funding, adding that any other entities not included in the category are not entitled to state funds.

"And clearly the 'Office of the First Lady' does not fall under any category of the aforementioned categories. In short, the Office of the First Lady is illegal and does not deserve to be funded by taxpayers," he added.

The opposition leader further questioned how the money allocated to the first lady will be accounted for when there were no financial regulations guiding how the money was going to be spent, adding that it was bound to be misappropriated.

Parliament, he said, has a solemn duty to ensure prudence, transparency and accountability in the manner public resources are allocated and managed.
ROME, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Italian police on Friday found the body of a Chinese art student who was missing on Monday after being robbed in Rome, director of consular section of the Chinese Embassy in Rome Li Fan confirmed.

Li said the student's parents arrived Rome early Friday morning and recognized the body with the local police. The Chinese diplomat said the embassy informed the parent of sad news after they learned the student's missing.

The cause of the student's death is still being investigated at this moment, Li told Xinhua.

According to local media reports, the body of 20-year-old Chinese art student Zhang Yao was found on early Friday morning in Rome's outlying Tor Sapienza district, where she went missing on Monday after going to the Immigration Office.

Zhang was sitting on a bench at the bus stop in front of the Immigration Office and talking to a friend on the phone when somebody snatched her 1,000-euro designer bag, the reports said.

She found three robbers and chased them onto an access road to the nearby railway and then on to the rail-bed, where she was missing.

The police believe the robbers may have targeted Zhang while she was in line at the Immigration Office, because they intended to rob the designer bag.

Zhang's flatmate, who declined to give her name, told investigators that Zhang called her soon after leaving the Immigration Office Monday morning, saying she was in pursuit of three men, one of them had snatched her bag.

The flatmate of Zhang also told investigators that she tried to dissuade Zhang from chasing the robbers, since they made off with her bag but not her documents.

Later Zhang reportedly said: "I'm lost, I don't know where I am."

Then a noise with an impact was heard, she said.

Security cameras in the area reportedly show Zhang was chasing after three shadowy figures.

After seeing news reports on the missing art student, staff from an industrial warehouse near the Immigration Office and the railway said they recalled hearing screams and people running on the railway embankment on Monday, and decided to review their CCTV footage.

They alerted police after it showed the young lady on the railway embankment. Police helicopters and canine units had searched the area previously, but came up with nothing.

Zhang's body was subsequently found in the thorny bushes near railway tracks and police said the body showed injuries consistent with a violent impact.

The Chinese student came from Inner Mongolia in North China and moved to Rome in March 2016 to study at the Fine Arts Academy in the Italian capital's historic central district.

Police are still hunting the three attackers. Ednitem
BISMARCK, N.D.  Several critical access hospitals and organizations that assist the developmentally disabled will receive millions in dollars mandated by lawmakers early next year.

The North Dakota Board of University and School Lands recently approved $5 million for oil patch critical access hospitals and $1 million for groups assisting the developmentally disabled, The Bismarck Tribune reported.

State Land Commissioner Lance Gaebe said a total of 16 critical access hospitals in western North Dakota were eligible for the Oil and Gas Impact Grant Fund dollars

"It was eight that actually applied for grants," Gaebe said. "A total of $7 million requested for $5 million available."

All eight requests go to help offset debt acquired from uncompensated care.

The largest requests approved are $2.04 million for CHI St. Alexius Health Dickinson and $1.72 million for McKenzie Healthcare Systems in Watford City.

The remaining money will be split between facilities in Bottineau, Bowman, Crosby, Rugby, Stanley and Tioga.

The $1 million approved by the board will be divided among 11 groups.

From the 11 groups, Kalix received the largest grant at $307,345 and Pride Inc. in Bismarck received the smallest at $516.

"The distribution will be made in January 2017," Gaebe said.
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations relief wing has reported that it allocated 58 million U.S. dollars through the Humanitarian Pooled Fund to bolster life-saving activities across the crisis-gripped Middle East country, UN officials said here Friday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) made the allocation amid soaring malnutrition and collapsing basic services in Yemen, a staggering 18.8 million people need humanitarian assistance, the officials said.

According to the UN agency, among the millions of people in need, some 10.3 million require urgent assistance. Moreover, three million people are displaced.

In addition, malnutrition has soared more than 60 percent since 2015, affecting more than three million people, including 460,000 severely malnourished children under the age of five, OCHA reported.

The Humanitarian Pooled Fund is preparing to finance 31 projects in the sectors of food, nutrition, water, sanitation, and health, in order to address the crisis and assist at least three million people in 15 priority governorates and under-served governorates, such as Shabwah, Dhamar, Al-Jawf and Marib.

Nine national non-governmental organizations (NGOs) (7 million U.S. dollars), 15 international NGOs (28 million U.S. dollars) and six UN agencies (23 million U.S. dollars) will implement the projects. In addition, nine local responders receive support via direct funding with a total of 3.8 million U.S. dollars granted to 28 national NGO's, which includes training and capacity building.

CHA also expressed gratitude for generous donations from Canada, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. However, it stressed that scale of the conflict in Yemen will require more resources and urgent aid, as the 2016 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan is currently only 58 percent funded.
BEIRUT, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stressed Friday that the region "entered a new phase."

In a televised speech Nasrallah said "there are important events taking place in the region like the battle in Syria's Aleppo and the next victory in Aleppo will apply on all the other fronts in the region."

Referring to the domestic issues, Nasrallah said that no political party in Lebanon is trying to block the formation of the new government.

"Claims that Speaker Berri, Hezbollah or Marada Movement Chief MP Suleiman Franjieh are obstructing the formation of the cabinet are baseless, false and unjust," Hezbollah's chief said.

He emphasized that Hezbollah's relation with Aoun and the Free Patriotic Movement is "excellent and built on mutual respect and deep trust."

Moreover, Nasrallah denied that Hezbollah is "dismayed" by the president's foreign relations or the latest visit to Lebanon by a senior Saudi delegation.

Aoun was elected president on Oct. 31, ending more than two years of presidential vacuum started with the end of the 6-year tenure of former President Michel Suleiman.
ALEPPO, Syria, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- "We were living in hell, and nothing could be worse than our lives back under the rebel control," a fleeing resident of rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo city said Friday, after arriving in government-controlled areas.

Omar Qulleh, a father of four, had lived under the rebel control for four years. He said his life had gotten worse in the last six months, when the rebel-held areas were put under a siege by the Syrian army.

He said the situation before the siege was bad, and it got worse.

"We have endured unimaginable injustice and starvation but we were patients," he told Xinhua, after arriving at a temporary displacement center in the town of Jibreen, south of Aleppo.

Qulleh is one of thousands of people who have fled eastern Aleppo over the past two weeks, when the army mounted a major offensive to drive out the rebels from the city.

The army forces backed by Shiite fighters and Russian airstrikes have become in control of over 85 percent of eastern Aleppo, after placing a months-old siege on that part of the city.

The military offensive came after the rebels refused several calls to leave the city peacefully.

HUNGER FOR BREAD

Qulleh spoke of the tough situation in eastern Aleppo ahead of his departure.

Before the siege, every thing was so expensive in eastern Aleppo, as the rebels would bring in the goods from the Castello road in the northern countryside of Aleppo, mainly from Turkey.

But following the Syrian army's capture of Castello, eastern Aleppo has gone under siege.

The 50-year-old man said the rebels started depriving people from basic food items, like bread, while keeping it for themselves.

"The rebels would give us a few loafs of bread every two days. My little son used to wake up everyday crying of hunger. He would tell me 'I want bread, I am hungry.'"

His wife, Amira, was sitting next to him on a thin mat just outside a dorm-like venue where hundreds of families sleep during the night.

Pale and sick, the women stuttered while remembering how their lives were just two days ago.

Being a mother of four, two of whom are sick, Amira bitterly recalled the helplessness and the agony she had lived for months while her children were crying of hunger and paling into sickness due to the lack of food and medicine.

"Only God knows how we managed to survive with all the sickness, and weariness as well as lack of everything. The rebels used to torture us. They would refuse to give us bread, even though they have had it in their storages."

FEAR TACTICS

When the rebels took over eastern Aleppo in 2012, few had left to government-controlled areas, mainly those who have had enough money to live in dignity, but for poor people like Qulleh, it wasn't the case, as him staying at his home was the only dignified option.

But as the situation got worse and the siege tightened on their areas, he said he wanted to leave but the rebels wouldn't let them, particularly after the government made several appeals for allowing the civilians out of eastern Aleppo.

"They would scare us from fleeing to the government side, they would tell us that the Syrian soldiers would slaughter us and we were actually scared of that because we have been living under the rebel control for four years and we have had no idea how the government would deal with us."

His wife also spoke of the scaring tactics the rebels would follow to keep the civilians from leaving eastern Aleppo.

"When we tell them we wanted to leave, they would accuse us of wanting to go and living under the rule of a tyrant... they said the army will kill you."

But she and her husband said such fears have faded away when the rebels retreated from their neighborhood of Salihin, that's when they decided to leave, at least for the time being.

LIFE IN SHELTERS

All of those who have fled eastern Aleppo were brought to temporary shelters in the countryside of Aleppo.

The one in Jibreen, which was previously a large government facility for storing cotton, is the main one.

Several civil society charities set up booths inside the camp to help those who are in need for medical help.

The Russians also established a field hospital in that camp, offering treatment for the evacuees.

In the middle of a big yard inside the camp, there is a military tank playing music hailing President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian army.

All of the civilians who fled eastern Aleppo have been brought into the camp by government busses from crossings between western and eastern Aleppo.

The authorities at the camp gave them Syrian flag-colored hats, as the rebels uses another flag.

The situation in the camp is miserable, but for those coming from the "other world," it was like heaven.

"Here, we have been received properly and given food and mattress, and we are so happy now. It turns out the rebels were lying and the army forces didn't slaughter us after all," Amira said.

Officials in the camp said the civilians will return to their homes after the areas that had been under the rebel control are completely clean of explosives and after the infrastructure is slightly repaired.

Alaa Addien Qasab, an official with the Aleppo Relief Committee, told Xinhua at the Jibreen shelter that nearly 5,000 civilians arrived to the shelter in batches on Friday.

He said that nearly 15,000 people have arrived in the shelter since last week, adding that the civilians who are arriving are being later transported into more adequate shelters or to their relative in the government-controlled areas in the western part of Aleppo.

Qasab said that the Syrian government treats all of the Aleppo people equally whether they are from western or eastern Aleppo, adding that government is working to secure the needs of the civilians.
ROME, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The 155th session of the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) Council concluded Friday after greenlighting the creation of a new department focused on climate change and approving a fine-tuned strategic framework that fully aligns the Organization's work with the 2030 Global Agenda.

Starting from next year, a newly-created Department of Climate, Biodiversity, Land and Water will lead FAO's efforts to support countries in adapting food systems to climate change and fulfilling their commitments made under the Paris Climate Treaty.

It will also oversee all FAO work related to the sustainable management of land and water resources which underpin global food production.

The FAO Reviewed Strategic Framework represents a light recalibration to the Organization's work plans to reflect recent global developments -- particularly the new 2030 Sustainable Development Goals that are now driving the international development agenda.

It incorporates Sustainable Development Goals metrics, indicators and targets indicators directly into FAO's own progress monitoring framework.

The Council is the executive arm of FAO's top-level governing body, the Conference of members. Made of up 49 member nations, the Council convenes between sessions of the main Conference to provide advice and oversight related to programmatic and budgetary matters.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Friday former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, once a favorite to be the next U.S. secretary of state, would not serve in the upcoming Trump administration.

Giuliani told Trump his decision to remove himself from consideration for any position in the Trump administration during a meeting on Nov. 29, according to a statement by the Trump transition team.

"He (Giuliani) is and continues to be a close personal friend, and as appropriate, I will call upon him for advice and can see an important place for him in the administration at a later date," said Trump in the statement.

U.S. TV network CNN early Friday cited an unnamed source as saying that Giuliani, a loyal Trump supporter recently dogged by U.S. media's scrutiny of his overseas business dealings, had been told that he was no longer in competition for the position of U.S. secretary of state.

The announcement came as Trump expanded his search for the top U.S. diplomat.

Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway confirmed to Fox News on Friday that Trump was considering former CEO of Ford Motor Company Alan Mulally for the position of next U.S. secretary of state.

Mulally retired from Ford Motor Company in 2014 after successfully guiding Ford through the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent recession, making Ford the only U.S. major automaker to avoid a bailout fund by the government.

Other major candidates for the position of U.S. secretary of state include 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, former CIA Director David Petraeus, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Bob Corker.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Commerce Department on Friday set final dumping rates on imports of large residential washing machines from China, signaling that it may impose punitive duties on the products.

The department said that such products from China had been sold in the United States at dumping margins of 32.12 percent to 52.51 percent

As a result of the final affirmative determinations, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to require cash deposits at the final rates.

The Commerce launched AD investigations against imports of such products from China in January 2016, in response to a request from Whirlpool Corporation based in the state of Michigan.

Punitive duties would be imposed after both the Commerce Department and the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) make affirmative final rulings. The USITC is scheduled to make its final determination in January 2017.

Imports of these products from China were estimated at about 1.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2015, according to U.S. official data.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has kept urging Washington to abide by its commitment against protectionism and help maintain a free, open and just international trade environment.
DUBLIN, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ireland's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4 percent year on year in the third quarter of this year, according to official figures released on Friday.

The figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed that compared with a year ago, Ireland's GDP was 6.9 percent higher.

This week, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said the Irish economy is expected to grow at about 4 percent this year, well ahead of EU partners.

The CSO said Ireland's gross national product (GNP) increased by 3.2 percent in the third quarter, adding that compared with a year ago, GNP was 10.2 percent higher than in the third quarter of 2015.

The CSO figures also showed that net exports were 20.1 percent higher in the third quarter of 2016 compared with the corresponding quarter of 2015.

Commenting on the CSO figures, Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan said these figures are the first estimate of growth in the Irish economy since the Brexit referendum.

"They show that the immediate impact from Brexit has been more benign than initially anticipated. However, we cannot be complacent," he said.
HAMBURG, Germany, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said Friday that partnership between the UN body and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is "essential" for addressing today's challenges including violent conflicts and extremism.

The UN chief spoke highly of the OSCE in a written message read out at the 23rd Ministerial Council of the OSCE, which ended in Hamburg on Friday.

"In challenging times in Europe and Euro-Asia, the OSCE's conflict-resolution and confidence-building mechanism has provided much needed tools to promoting long-term stability and sustainable development," Ban said.

"The danger of renewed conflicts in the South Caucasus and other areas emphasizes the need to maintain focus on finding lasting peaceful solutions that are acceptable to all parties," he added.

He said that the UN stands ready to further deepen its cooperation with the OSCE and its participating states to this end.

In Ukraine, he said, the OSCE and its mission remain vital to preserve peace and security in the country.

"To fulfill the promises of the Helsinki Final Act, the OSCE depends on the political will of its memberships to find compromises," Ban said, referring to the documents adopted in Helsinki in 1975 which led to the creation of the OSCE.

"The 57 leaders assembled in this forum hold the key to the stability and peace in Europe," he stressed.

The OSCE comprises 57 participating states from Europe, Central Asia and North America, making it the biggest security-oriented regional organization in the world.
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy to the United Nations Friday called on the international community and the UN to maintain the overarching direction of seeking a political solution to the question of Syria.

Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, made the appeal at a UN General Assembly meeting on Syria at which a resolution demanding unhindered and unconditional humanitarian access throughout Syria was adopted.

"China is deeply concerned about the continuous escalation of conflict in Syria and worsening humanitarian situation in the relevant areas," said Wu.

"All efforts made should aim at facilitating the work of four tracks, namely a resumption of ceasefire, political negotiations, joint fight against terrorism and humanitarian assistance," he said, adding that the efforts should be Syrian-owned and Syrian-led.

Noting countries like Russia and the United States are actively engaging diplomatic efforts to ease the tension on the ground, Wu said "any measure taken by any party must respect the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria," and "aim at solving problems rather than complicating issues."

"Any unilateral attempt to exert pressure or to politicize humanitarian issue will only cause further turbulence in the situation rather than bringing the situation around," he added.

"On the question of Syria, China maintains the principles and purposes of the UN charter, uphold basic norms governing international relations and has played a constructive role in seeking a political settlement," said Wu.

"China is ready to join hands with the international community in a common search for a political settlement at an early date," he said.
by Xu Haijing

CANBERRA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Bernard Wright has a farm of 810 hectares 140 km north of Canberra. It was when he talked with great enthusiasm about how the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) helped him sell more of his Merino wool to China that you realize the foundation of bilateral relations is solid and the future bright.

The ChAFTA went into effect on Dec. 20, 2015, immediately bringing down tariff for Australian beef, wine, fruits and other products to enter the Chinese market more easily.

For Wright, he has 2,200 sheep for wool at this farm. Of the 10,000 to 12,000 kg of wool produced every year, 75 percent will go to China. For the 200 beef cattle at the farm, he got better price as a result of ChAFTA.

In an interview with Xinhua earlier this week, he said ChAFTA eliminated the quota for Australian wool to be exported to China. The volume of wool production in his farm increased more than 50 percent compared to that of a year ago.

Wright has used the increased revenue from more wool and beef sales to build new yard and shed, and give better health treatment to the cattle. With new machinery and more fertiliser, he is ambitious to have an even better year ahead.

His son is more ambitious to begin planting grape vines in the farm, aiming to export wine in a few years to the Chinese market.

However, stories such as Wright's failed to get attention from the Australian media. China-Australia relationship was a different story if you just follow the Australian media report. As former foreign affairs minister Bob Carr put it, Australia went through an "anti-China panic" and anti-China "hysteria" in 2016.

In September, Labor Senator Sam Dastyari, publicly at odds with the Australian government's policy on the South China Sea, was reported to ask a company run by a Chinese Australian to pay his travel expense. He was forced to resign his frontbench position.

Then there were groundless speculations and allegations that all Chinese-language newspapers in Australia are connected to the Chinese government. Some papers went even beyond absurdity to accuse Chinese visitors to Australia, with the total number of which exceeding 1.1 million in 2016, of espionaging.

Chinese investments have encountered more hostilities in Australia as Treasurer Scott Morrison twice vetoed Chinese bids to buy Australian assets on national security grounds. The first case was China's State Grid's bid for Ausgrid, New South Wales' main power distributor. The other one was the offer by Chinese company Pengxin to buy S. Kidman & Co, Australia's largest pastoral land holding.

In an article published earlier this year on the Australian newspaper, Carr warned his countrymen not to see China "through U.S. eyes."

"Our interests aren't always the same as a great power's," Carr quoted former Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Secretary, now Department of Defense Secretary Dennis Richardson as saying.

If Carr was a maverick in the middle of 2016 in Australia's foreign policy, more people sharing his views came out to speak their minds by the end of the year thanks to the election of Donald Trump in the United States.

After Trump broke a nearly 40-year norm of U.S. diplomacy by speaking directly with Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen, more Australian diplomats and strategists called for more independent foreign policy by Australia at a time of uncertainty which will certainly become a reality as Trump formally takes office in January 2017.

While some analysts complained that Trump failed to consult any of the regional allies, Australia being one of them, before taking the call from Tsai, some bluntly pointed out the reality that a Trump presidency means the United States has returned to great power politics.

"Now we have to make a real decision about how we manage our foreign and security policies. Are we still going to be locked at the hop with the U.S.?" asked Geoff Raby, former Australian ambassador to China, in an article published on the Australian Financial Review.

It is a fact beyond doubt that how the United States chooses to deal with China has hugh implications for Australia.

The festive season is about to come in Australia and a month later in China. It is almost certain that more Chinese tourists would visit Australia during the Spring Festival season at the end of January and more Tasmanian cherries would be sold to China.

These would serve as a good reminder for Australian policy makers of where the foundation of China-Australia relationship is and to which direction it should be heading toward.
HELENA  About half of Montanans reported accessing news on the internet in the last week with more than 82 percent of internet users tapping Montana-based websites for local news, according to a new study.

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana released the results of its Montanans Internet News Sources and Use Survey in Helena Friday. Researchers telephone-polled 567 Montana adults from Sep. 6 to Sep. 29, asking questions about internet news habits and beliefs.

The study has two main goals, said Bill Whitsitt, chair of the Greater Montana Foundation, funder of the project. The first is to help the foundation in its grant programs, which frequently focus on state media projects. The second is to help media and others better understand the changing dynamics in the ways Montanans receive information.

The use of the internet is pervasive in Montana and it is growing in Montana, he said. But Montana media outlets, whether print, broadcast or others are adapting and evolving to keep pace with this new technology Montanans are increasingly using.

The study has an error rate of 4.1 percent for the 567 respondents and 4.4 percent for the 492 respondents that use the internet.

The majority of respondents at 53 percent said they get news from TV, followed by 49 percent on the internet, 29 percent from print and 25 percent on the radio. Respondents may have used more than one news source.

Of internet users, about three-quarters use a smartphone for all or part of their internet news, the study says.

When online, 58.4 percent of respondents said they intentionally sought news while in another question, 74.1 percent said they have been online for non-news reasons, saw an interesting news item and followed the link.

For local news websites, 14.5 percent of the 392 respondents said they most frequently visited the Billings Gazette, followed by the Missoulian at 10.3 percent and KPAX at 6.6 percent.

Numbers of respondents dipped to 130 when asked about the most credible local news sites. The Missoulian topped at 11.2 percent, the Gazette at 9.6 percent and KTVQ/Q2 at 5.4 percent.

For state news, 16.6 percent of the 335 respondents said they visited the Gazette website, 8.2 percent visited the Missoulian and 7.2 percent visited KPAX. Only 85 responded to the credibility question, with 8.7 percent rating the Gazette the highest, followed by the Great Falls Tribune at 7.4 percent and KRTV at 6.6 percent.

When accessing Montana news websites, the majority of respondents at 56.1 percent accessed a newspaper website. That dipped to 27.9 percent for TV websites and 19.3 percent for radio websites.

When rating credibility, newspaper websites rated the highest at 40.3 percent, TV at 13.7 percent, radio at 7.3 percent with 28 percent saying they did not know and 10.7 percent refusing to answer.

Montanans heavily favored out-of-state websites for national and international news with FOX and CNN No. 1 and No. 2 for most frequent and most credible national source. Most frequent and most credible international news sources were BBC, CNN and FOX.

Montanans were somewhat split on whether they accessed news via social media. A little more than half said they accessed news through social media at least once a week, with twice a day the most common at 22.4 percent. About 46 percent said they have shared a news article in an email or on social media compared to about 44 percent that said they have not.

Of those reading online news, about 13 percent said they comment in message forums compared to more than 77 percent who say they never comment.

So those comments that you see are coming from a relatively small part of the adult population, said John Baldrige, director of survey research at the bureau.

The study spends significant time on so called information echo chambers, or essentially accessing news sources most closely aligned with personal beliefs.

About 20 percent of respondents said they shared news to influence others compared to about 26 percent who did not try to influence. When sharing items respondents said 23.4 percent went to people with similar beliefs compared to 1 percent to dissimilar beliefs, and about 22 percent unsure. Nearly 54 percent responding to the questions said they did not share news.

When asked if news shared by those of similar beliefs influenced perception of credibility, more than half rated somewhat to completely credible compared to about 21 percent replying slightly or not credible.

This is sort of natural -- theyre exchanging news items with like-minded people and often friends and relatives, Baldrige said.

College graduates at 50 percent were the mostly likely to exchange news with like-minded people, followed by some college at about 35 percent and high school or less at 32.6 percent.

Republicans were the most likely to share news with like-minded people at 49.4 percent, followed by Democrats at 40 percent and independent, Libertarians or others at 36.8 percent.

The survey raises important questions about Montanans news habitats and beliefs, Baldrige said.

All this survey does is hint that information echo chamber effect might really be going on among some adults in Montana, but we dont know that for sure, he said. This gives us some hints that it does and raises maybe more questions than answers, and the Greater Montana Foundation needs to get credit for this, gives us more information than we had before.
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Friday congratulated Nana Akufo-Addo on his election as president of Ghana.

In a statement issued here by his spokesman, Ban also thanked outgoing President John Dramani Mahama for his role in defusing tensions and preserving peace during the election period.

"The secretary-general congratulates the Ghanaian people, who turned out in large numbers to participate in the presidential and parliamentary elections on 7 December," the statement said. "He also commends the Electoral Commission for the successful organization of the elections."

The secretary-general reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to continue assisting the government of Ghana in consolidating democratic and development achievements, according to the statement.

Akufo-Addo, the candidate of the largest opposition New Patriotic Party Nana, has won Ghana's closely contested presidential elections, official results on Friday by the electoral commission showed.

He garnered 5,716,026 votes, or 53.85 percent of the total valid votes cast, while his closest challenger Mahama from the ruling National Democratic Congress obtained 4,713,277 votes, or 44.40 percent.
SINGAPORE, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The National Museum of Singapore's Glass Rotunda reopened on Saturday after two years of renovation to showcase two new permanent installations, which offers visitors a journey to Southeast Asia's tropical rainforests and local old trees.

Upon entering the Glass Rotunda, visitors will be greeted by a larger-than-life interactive digital installation called "Story of the Forest". Inspired by the museum's prized collection -- The William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings, art collective teamLab utilizes cutting-edge technology to transform 69 drawings from the collection into animated illustrations.

Toshiyuki Inoko, founder of teamLab, said this installation is by far the most challenging digital artwork created by teamLab due to the massive size and scale of the Glass Rotunda. With a ceiling measuring 15-meter high and a 170-meter passage stretching down to the base, the installation is divided into three segments.

A constellation of flora that cascade endlessly from the top of the dome structure will embrace the visitors at the upper rotunda. As visitors start their journey down the passage, they will encounter various fauna such as an animated Malayan Tapir or a mouse deer. The installation concludes at the lower part, where visitors can witness flora which are native to the region, such as palmyra palm, lotus flower, durian, mangosteen and rambutan.

At the bottom of the Glass Rotunda, visitors will be able to tour the exhibition "Singapore, Very Old Tree" by renowned local photographer and artist Robert Zhao. Inspired by one of the oldest postcards found in the National Archives of Singapore depicting an unspecified tree dating back to 1904, the set of 30 images from the project have been acquired by National Museum of Singapore and are the newest additions to the National Collection.

The exhibition showcases 17 images out of the 30 that have been acquired, highlighting intimate stories of each and giving visitors an alternative perspective of Singapore's history and the personal connections that Singaporeans have with local trees.

Director of National Museum of Singapore Angelita Teo said the two new installations at the revamped Glass Rotunda are inspired by the region's rich ecological heritage, and remind people of the museum's early beginnings almost 130 years ago.

"They also reflect how the National Museum is evolving and progressing, working with artists and partners to adopt innovative methods to offer visitors new ways of looking at Singapore's social history and culture," said Teo.

According to the museum, visitors can enjoy free admission to the revamped Glass Rotunda and permanent galleries on Saturday and Sunday. A line-up of family friendly activities will also be presented for the opening weekend. Enditem
PHNOM PENH, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- About 653,144 Chinese holidaymakers had visited Cambodia in the first ten months of 2016, up 14 percent over the same period last year, the latest data of Tourism Ministry showed Saturday.

The number of Chinese visitors to Cambodia accounted for 16.7 percent of total foreigners to the kingdom during the January-October period, the data said.

China ranked the second largest source of tourists to the Southeast Asian country after Vietnam, whose 768,660 people traveled to Cambodia during the period, down 2 percent year-on-year.

Speaking during a Cambodia-China business forum last week, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen predicted that the kingdom could receive a total of 800,000 Chinese tourists in the year of 2016, an increase of 14.29 percent year-on-year.

He said, to date, direct flights between China and Cambodia reached to 94 per week, with 51 flights to Phnom Penh capital, 31 flights to Siem Reap cultural province and 12 flights to the coastal province of Preah Sihanouk.

Cambodia is famous for two cultural sites on the UNESCO's World Heritage List. One is the 12th century Angkor archaeological park and the other is the 11th century Preah Vihear Temple.

In addition, it has many interesting eco-tourism sites, including a 450-km pristine coastline stretching across four provinces in the country's southwestern part.
South Korean parliament kicks off vote on presidential impeachment in Seoul Dec. 9, 2016. (Xinhua/Kim Ho Min)

SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Different sides in South Korea have called for efforts to end the political chaos and minimize the vacuum of state affairs, after the National Assembly on Friday overwhelmingly passed a motion to impeach scandal-scarred President Park Geun-hye.

"For the past months, the state affairs have been virtually paralyzed. Since the impeachment motion has been passed, the confusion must end," National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun said, adding he hoped the passage will eradicate uncertainties.

The final tally was 234 votes in favor of impeachment, with 56 against, which far exceeded the two-thirds threshold needed to oust the president in the 300-member parliament.

The impeachment motion claims that Park gravely violated laws and the Constitution during her nearly four years in office.

It says Park's breach of the Constitution was grave enough to justify her removal from office.

The constitutional violations, according to the impeachment bill, include collusion with a longtime friend to extort money from companies and to give that confidante extraordinary sway over government decisions.

Park, 64, South Korea's first female leader, became the second president impeached by the National Assembly in the country's constitutional history.

"It is regrettable, and an unfortunate incident for our history. The confusion in state affairs must end here," said Chung Jin-suk, the floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party.

"I'm gravely accepting parliamentary and public voices, and wish the current turmoil comes to a stable end," Park told a meeting with cabinet members in the presidential office after the assembly passed the impeachment.

Park's legal authority was stopped at about 7 p.m. local time Friday (1000 GMT) after formally receiving a copied result on the vote. Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn assumed the role of acting president.

"I accept the responsibilities as the acting president, which are stipulated in the Constitution, with a heavy heart, and will make all-out efforts to stably manage state affairs no matter how difficult the situation we are facing is," Hwang said during his address to the nation.

"I believe that under this grave situation, our state affairs must not be left adrift even for a moment," he added.

Hwang also called for the consolidation of the South Korea-U.S. alliance to safeguard national interests.

Whether Park will be impeached will depend on a final decision by the Constitutional Court, which has as long as 180 days to elaborate and rule on it.

If the nine-member court rules that the reasons are sufficient to impeach Park, the president will step down and a presidential election will be held within two months after the ruling. If the court overturns the motion, Park will take office again.

Late President Roh Moo-hyun was impeached by parliament on charges of illegal electioneering in 2004, but the motion was overturned by the Constitutional Court.

Choo Mi-ae, head of the main opposition Democratic Party, said the passage marks a victory for the people, urging the Constitutional Court to promptly deliver a conclusion on its review.

The court hastened its review of Park's impeachment on Friday, demanding she make her case by Dec. 16.

"We have reached an agreement that this impeachment is an extremely significant case that requires prompt progress," Bae Bo-yoon, spokesman for the Constitutional Court, told a press briefing at the court in central Seoul.

South Korean law experts predicted that the court is widely expected to back lawmakers' decision though it is unclear how it will rule.

"Constitutional justices will judge based on common sense and legal ground, but they are now in a situation to consider the people's rage and shock," a former constitutional justice on condition of anonymity was quoted by Yonhap as saying.

But former constitutional justice Lee She-yoon told Yonhap that the judges should not be influenced by public anger, calling for a prudent review of the case based on political neutrality.

Park's scandal prompted millions of demonstrators to hold candlelight vigils for six straight Saturdays, demanding Park's immediate resignation and impeachment.

Hundreds of thousands of people were expected to take to the streets of Seoul on Saturday for a scheduled protest turned celebration.

A Gallop Korea survey released Thursday showed that Park's approval rating was 5 percent and 81 percent of the interviewees supported her impeachment.

Related:

S.Korean lawmakers overwhelmingly pass presidential impeachment bill

SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- South Korean parliament overwhelmingly passed a historic bill Friday to impeach scandal-scarred President Park Geun-hye as it gained the two-thirds majority vote. Full story

Backgrounder: Impeachment of S. Korean President Park Geun-hye

BEIJING, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- South Korean parliament overwhelmingly passed a historic bill Friday to impeach scandal-scarred President Park Geun-hye as it gained the two-thirds majority vote. Full story

Impeached S.Korean president to gravely accept parliamentary decision
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on late Friday passed a legislation to fund the federal government through April 28, avoiding a government shutdown.

The document was passed 63-36, and will be sent to President Barack Obama to sign into law. The House of Representatives passed the legislation on Thursday.

The passage reflected the desire of both parties in the Congress to keep the government open past Saturday when the current funding was set to expire.

Before the passage of the legislation, both parties in the Congress fought on health and retirement benefits for coal miners. Blue-collar voters, including miners, supported Republican candidate Donald Trump in the November presidential election.

The government funding bill would keep federal agencies afloat until April 28. It also included funds for repairing the lead-tainted water system in Flint, Michigan, and for flood-affected regions such as in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Moreover, it contained a provision which would make it easier for President-elect Trump to win the confirmation of General James Mattis as defense secretary early next year.

Early next year, the U.S. Congress will have to confirm various executive branch nominations, work on tax and regulation reforms with the new administration, and reach an agreement on public expenditures for the rest of the fiscal year 2017, which starts from Oct. 1, 2016 and ends on Sept. 30, 2017.
NEW YORK, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Scientists have for the first time detected radiation from Japan's 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster on the west coast of the United States, local media reported.

The radioactive matter, in the form of an isotope known as cesium-134, was collected in seawater samples from Tillamook Bay and Gold Beach in the U.S. northwest state of Oregon, according to a report released by New York Post Friday.

The levels are very low and cannot harm people eating fish from the West Coast or swimming in the ocean, Ken Buesseler, a senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, was quoted as saying by USA Today.

"To put it in context, if you were to swim everyday for six hours a day in those waters for a year, that additional radiation from the addressed cesium from Japan is 1,000 times smaller than one dental x-ray," said Buesseler.

On March 11, 2011, a massive 9 magnitude earthquake, the strongest quake ever recorded in Japan, created three tsunamis that knocked out the Fukushima-Daiichi plant, causing the worst nuclear crisis since the Chernobyl disaster three decades ago.

Massive amounts of contaminated water were released from the crippled nuclear plant, more radiation was released to the air, and then fell to the sea.

"We don't expect to see health concerns from swimming or fish consumption, but we would like to continue monitoring until (the radiation level) goes back down again," said Buesseler.
Pedestrians cross the street behind a billboard showing a picture of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Danilovgrad, Montenegro, November 16. 2016. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's transition team Friday night rejected a reported CIA assessment claiming that the Russian government had interfered in the U.S. election to help him win the White House.

"These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," the Trump team said in a statement.

"The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history," said the statement, adding "It's now time to move on."

The statement was issued shortly after the Washington Post newspaper, citing officials briefed, reported that the CIA had determined in a secret assessment that the Russian government had interfered in the 2016 U.S. election in a special bid to help Trump.

Lisa Monaco, White House counterterrorism and homeland security adviser, told local media Friday morning that President Barack Obama had ordered intelligence agencies to produce a "full review" on cyber attacks during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

However, the findings might not be made public, she said, noting this would be decided by intelligence officials.

In October the Obama administration claimed that Moscow was behind the hackers infiltrating the Democratic National Committee and then Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign in a bid to disrupt the U.S. election. Russia immediately denied these allegations.

On the campaign trail, Trump, then Republican presidential nominee, repeatedly argued that there were political motives behind such allegations.

Related:

Obama orders "full review" of U.S. presidential election cyberattacks
BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Since entering the World Trade Organization (WTO) 15 years ago, China has witnessed robust economic growth, and an increasingly prosperous China has created significant opportunities for countries around the world.

China joined the WTO as its 143rd member on Dec. 11, 2001. Since then, the country has grown into the world's second-largest economy and largest trading country, while millions of Chinese have been lifted out of poverty.

Changes for the Chinese include buying cheaper cars, enjoying international products and traveling more.

"China's WTO entry has brought benefits not only to the country's people, but also for the rest of the world," said Lei Da, economics professor at Renmin University of China.

China has long been vital in helping shore up world economic growth, especially in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Despite slower growth in recent years, China's economy still contributes 25 percent of the world's growth.

As the vast Chinese market has grown, countries as diverse as Zambia, Australia, Brazil and the United States have seen their exports to China soar.

It is clear that China's strong demand for imports has been a major stabilizing factor amid a sluggish world economy.

China's imports have surged from 243.55 billion U.S. dollars to 1.68 trillion dollars in 15 years, an average annual growth of 10.3 percent.

For many developing countries, no matter in Asia, Africa or Latin America, the Chinese market has been vital in ensuring growth and development stay on track.

China has also been ready to help poorer partners develop. As the world's second biggest investor, the country's outbound direct investment rose for a 13th straight year in 2015, reaching a record high of 145.67 billion dollars.

Dubbed the factory of the world, China manufactures everything from toys and shoes to bullet trains and industrial robots.

From 2001 to 2016, thanks to imported goods from China, consumers around the world saved billions of dollars. Quality yet inexpensive Chinese products contributed to an increase in consumer purchasing power and helped reduce worldwide poverty.

Companies that opened operations in China have profited. Foreign-invested industrial enterprises reported combined profits of about15 trillion yuan (around 2.2 trillion U.S. dollars) over the past 15 years.

Despite a tepid global recovery, the continuous growth of foreign investment in China shows that investors are upbeat about the country's business climate.

Looking ahead, China will remain a center of trade and other global activity, playing a leading role in global governance.

As China plans to be more proactive in opening up to the outside world, its stable growth will produce more benefits for the world.
BOGOTA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) visited Colombia on Friday and met leaders of three Colombian political parties.

Guo Weimin, vice minister of the State Council Information Office, briefed heads of the Colombian Liberal Party, the Colombian Conservative Party and the Democratic Center on the outcome of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee held in October 2016.

Strengthening self-restraint and self-purification is a common challenge faced by all political parties in the world and the CPC's resolve to strengthen party building is admirable, said heads of the three parties. The CPC's practice is good reference for other political parties in the world, they said.

Guo also visited the NTN24 television to exchange views on enhancing cooperation between Chinese and Colombian media organizations.
ACCRA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of thousands of jubilant supporters of the Ghana's largest opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) poured onto streets Friday evening after the Electoral Commission (EC) declared Nana Akufo-Addo winner of the presidential election.

The supporters draped in party paraphernalia across the country sang and danced to express their joy.

A member of the NPP Strategic Committee, Simon Osei Mensah, said the victory of the party was independence for the people.

The celebration was more widespread in the Ashanti Region, the party's stronghold, while scores of NPP supporters at the stronghold of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta Region also took to the streets to celebrate the victory.

Akufo-Addo, a lawyer by profession, polled 5,716,026 votes or 53.85 percent of the votes cast in the declared constituencies, while his rival and incumbent President John Dramani Mahama of the NDC obtained 4,713,277 votes or 44.40 percent in Wednesday's presidential poll.
Spreading false information on the internet is harmful for the country, Gov. Matt Mead said in an interview this week.

For people to act ... without being skeptical and discerning and saying, Why does this person say this? How can I change the facts? I think thats hurtful for all of us, Mead told Star-Tribune reporters. The viral spread of false information -- we have to guard against it.

Concern over false news grew during the presidential campaign between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.

Trump, who won the Nov. 8 election, relayed false information repeatedly during his campaign and since the election, including his assertion on Twitter that millions of people voted illegally.

What qualifies as a true statement is often an open question in political campaigns, but some critics have suggested that Trumps election demonstrates the triumph of appeals to emotion over a reliance on facts to make policy arguments.

Hundreds of websites have sprouted up over the last few years that publish articles claiming to provide evidence for many emotion-driven appeals generated in the political arena. Social media has also enabled the spread of unverified or intentionally false information across the political spectrum and in non-partisan areas such as breaking news events.

Following the election, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg initially dismissed the problem but has since said that the company will seek to address misinformation and make it more difficult for websites intentionally publishing lies to profit from advertising revenue.

Mead said that traditional media, including newspapers, have more credibility because they dont publish content anonymously and subjects who feel wronged by articles can respond with letters to the editor and requests for corrections.

The Republican governor contrasted that with many websites where anonymous users launch attacks and spread lies.

If you read, you know, whatever story it is and then you start reading the comments, its about the third comment were calling each other names, and then it devolves into some wild conspiracy, Mead said.

The internet is a wonderful thing and provides us so many tools, but I do worry about how we become more discerning readers of things on the internet.
LAGOS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 56 people lost their lives and 177 others were injured in Friday's twin blasts that hit a crowded market in northeast Nigeria, a local official said Saturday.

Yusuf Muhammed, chairman of the local government of Madagali, a district in the northeastern Nigerian state of Adamawa, told reporters in the state capital of Yola that 57 of the injured were in critical conditions.

He appealed to the federal and state governments, relevant donors, and humanitarian agencies to come to the aid of the injured.

Madagali is located 276 km from Yola. In August 2014, the district was one of several towns seized by terror group Boko Haram, but it was recaptured by the military in March 2015.

Boko Haram has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and the displacement of more than 2.6 million people since 2009.

After the twin blasts Friday, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari urged Nigerians to be more vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest security and law enforcement agency.

"The battle against terrorism is a joint effort involving all citizens......Nigerians can and will defeat the evil that is Boko Haram," he said in a message of condolence.
The photo taken on April 5, 2004 shows a colorful glass wall with some skulls painted at the Kigali Memorial Center. The center was built by the Rwandan government in the village of Gisozi near the capital city of Kigali to commemorate victims in the genocide. (Xinhua Photo/Sun Yongming)

KIGALI, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda under their Umbrella association 'Ibuka' have called on the Malawian government to immediately deport genocide fugitive Vincent Murekezi to Rwanda to answer charges.

Murekezi was arrested on Thursday in the southern African country by the Malawian authority following weeks of controversy surrounding his recent arrest and release under unclear circumstances.

It was reported last month that Murekezi had managed to acquire a Malawian citizenship despite an outstanding indictment containing details of his role in the genocide, which killed close to 1 million Rwandans.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Jean-Pierre Dusingizemungu, president of Ibuka, called on the Malawian government to respect the genocide victims and survivors and deport Murekezi to Rwanda to face trial.

"We have seen countries like Canada, Netherlands and the United States of America deporting genocide suspects and their cases have been fairly heard," he emphasized.

Dusingizemungu stated that survivors are urging the international community to compel countries harboring genocide fugitives to send them to Rwanda to face trial, or at least try them in their countries of residence.

According to Rwanda's prosecution authority, Malawi has no extradition treaty with Rwanda but based on the gravity of the genocide charges in Rwanda and the use of fake documents presented while processing the citizenship, Murekezi stands a high chance of being deported to his country of origin.

Some countries have taken this approach on other genocide fugitives, including Canada, the United States and Norway.

Rwanda prosecution says about seven genocide fugitives who have been indicted are currently in hiding in Malawi.

Murekezi, a naturalized citizen of Malawi, will also be charged with using forged documents including a fake Rwandan passport to acquire Malawian papers.

Currently, 12 people accused of committing genocide have been extradited or deported from Uganda, DR Congo, Canada, United States, the Netherlands and ICTR to stand trial in Rwanda.

Rwanda's prosecution says Zimbabwe and DR Congo are among the countries still reluctant to surrender suspected genocide fugitives.
ATHENS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Panhellenic Seamen's Federation (PNO) announced on Saturday the suspension of the week-long anti-austerity strike which has disrupted supplies to the islands.

Seafarers across Greece have walked off the job since Dec. 2 calling for rolling strikes in protest of pension and labor reforms and tax increases.

The government has pledged to examine their requests and continue talks.

The PNO's strike action triggered tensions with farmers on the islands which have been cut off from the mainland.

Farmers on Crete island who could not send their produce to the mainland for several days held a protest on Herakleion port on Friday evening, which later became violent.

Protesting farmers threw flares at strikers on a ship docked at the port and set fire to a kiosk, while seamen used fire hoses against the crowd.

The harbormaster was slightly injured during the incident, local authorities said.

The seafarer's strike was held amid a new wave of protests by various professional groups and pensioners in recent weeks against the new round of austerity measures by the government in exchange for further aid by Greece's creditors.

PNO unionists have said that once the initial plan to alter the special taxation status of seamen is carried out, they would lose at least 55 percent of their monthly income to taxes and contributions to social security funds.

"Greek seamen would go extinct and a pillar of the Greek national economy would collapse," PNO warned.
Photo taken on Dec. 6, 2016 shows the ward of Naivasha sub-county hospital in Naivasha, Kenya. Kenya's health sector was engulfed in crises as doctors and nurses launched a nationwide strike over failure by the government to implement a 300-percent pay hike.(Xinhua/Robert Manyara)

NAIROBI, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Kenyan government on Friday deployed the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) doctors to attend to emergency cases at the country's largest referral hospital in Nairobi amid crisis in the health sector due to the ongoing strike.

KDF spokesman Lt. Col. Paul Njuguna said the military doctors will offer services at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) after 290 specialists joined the ongoing medics' strike which entered its fifth day.

He said the deployment of doctors is part of KDF duties of alleviating sufferings, adding that the military has already sent enough personnel at KNH. Njuguna said the doctors would remain at the hospital until the strike is over.

"Our doctors have gone to KNH to assist the patients suffering from the strike by doctors. They will remain until the ongoing strike is over. That is part of our mandate and we have stepped in to help the needy cases there. We have specialists to attend to them," Njuguna said.

The deployment came hours after President Uhuru Kenyatta urged doctors to return to work and not to make innocent patients suffer.

Kenyatta said the government was keen on ensuring that issues that staged the strike are resolved and a permanent solution found.

The deployment of doctors was prompted by the move by 200 consultants attached to the largest referral hospital joined their striking colleagues to push for the implementation of the 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that awarded them a 300 percent pay increment and agreed to employ more doctors and nurses to reduce their workload and doctor to patient ratio from the current 1:16,000.

The strike by the health workers has dealt a major blow to thousands of patients since the country's largest population depends on public health facilities.

Gory pictures of agony, misery and pain are all written on the faces of the patients who are in most cases turned away or left unattended.

Meanwhile, the health ministry said the government has offered to increase pay perk for striking doctors of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union effective January 1, 2017.

However, the proposal which was fronted by the National and County governments on Wednesday after extensive meetings has been rejected by the doctors.

The two arms of the government have also committed not to victimizing or taking disciplinary action against members of the union for participating in the ongoing industrial action.

The ministry said efforts to permanently, amicably and sustainably resolve the underlying issues are ongoing.
by Yoo Seungki

SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- President Park Geun-hye of South Korea has been impeached by lawmakers, but people took to the streets again in the cold winter on Saturday, saying impeachment is not everything they want.

The bill to impeach Park was passed through the National Assembly on Friday by 234 ballots to 56 with seven invalid votes and two abstentions. It beat expectations as public pressure surged on the unicameral assembly, especially Park's own party, to force her from office.

Voters sent thousands of text messages, called "text bomb," a day to lawmakers hesitating to vote for the impeachment, paralyzing some smartphones. Demonstrations continued to screw yes votes out of the ruling Saenuri Party.

Nearly half of 128 ruling party legislators voted in favor of the impeachment on Friday.

"Impeachment is not an end. It's just a start," said a 73-year-old man who declined to be identified. The man said in a square in central Seoul that he had attended all weekend rallies since the presidential scandal surfaced in October.

The seventh Saturday candlelight vigil was held in the Gwanghwamun Square, just over a kilometer away from the presidential Blue House where Park's office and residence are located.

Park maintains the title as president, but she is stripped of all executive powers that are handed to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn. Her permanent removal requires the two-thirds approval from the nine-judge constitutional court that has up to 180 days to deliberate on it.

"It's just a start. The court's ruling remains. Citizens must continue to go to the streets," said Kim Su-bin, a 22-year-old college student.

She worried about uncertainties left until a final conclusion is reached to permanently remove the president from office, saying it is high time to manifest people power.

What people on the streets want is clear: the coming of "Seoul spring" in which the spring implies a new era.

In modern history, South Koreans have seen their hopes for a new era stolen by military dictators.

In 1960, former President Rhee Syngman, the country's first president, stepped down on public uprisings against his corruption and autocratic rule, raising hope for a new era.

The hope was destroyed about a year later as former President Park Chung-hee took power in a military coup. The father of impeached President Park Geun-hye was assassinated in 1979, ending the 18-year dictatorship and triggering mass rallies to usher in a new era.

The second hope was dashed again as the rallies ended with a massacre in the southwestern city of Gwangju orchestrated by former President Chun Doo-hwan who usurped power in a 1979 military coup.

"The vicious cycle of history must be cut off," said the 73-year-old man. He said the proven adultness of civic awareness will deter any attempt to repeat the vicious cycle.

The 22-year-old college student said she felt a strong solidarity in recent candlelight vigils, adding that trusting each other is the only way to gain momentum on the streets.
SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans flooded the square in central Seoul again on Saturday night even after the bill to impeach President Park Geun-hye was overwhelmingly passed through the National Assembly the previous day.

Instead of being satisfied with the impeachment, protesters demanded Park immediately step down as president to minimize vacuum of state affairs and transfer power to next president.

Park was stripped of all executive powers, which were handed to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, but her permanent removal from office requires the two-thirds endorsement from the nine-judge constitutional court that can have up to 180 days to rule on it.

Protesters were still wary of the court's ruling as many of the conservative-leaning judges are appointed by President Park and her predecessor, and also close to Park's ruling Saenuri Party.

On a cold winter night below zero temperature, people gathered around the Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, just over a kilometer away from the presidential Blue House where Park's office and residence are located.

Before an official function kicked off at 6:00 p.m. local time, a crocodile of some 200,000 demonstrators marched to the presidential office, surrounding it in three sides for about two hours and shouting "Imprison Park Geun-hye," "Park Geun-hye, resign" and "Cabinet, resign en bloc."

The so-called "human chain" forming was followed by a lights-out event for a minute at 7:00 p.m. local time. It is aimed to encourage people watching the rallies on TV to indirectly join the outside protest by turning off lights in offices and apartments.

Demonstrators are set to carry out their second march to the Blue House, before allowing people to make free speeches on a state at the square.
BANJUL, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, who had previously conceded his defeat in last week's presidential election, announced on state television Friday night he has decided not to accept the results.

Jammeh insisted that there were discrepancies in the Dec. 1 vote count, in which opposition coalition candidate Adama Barrow was declared winner.

In his statement, he said the electoral commission had made mistakes and investigations showed a large number of voters were unaccounted for. He also questioned alleged irregularities in voter registration.

The president called for a new election, which immediately met condemnation from right activists.

"It's time that Yahya Jammeh acts in accordance with the rule of law and steps down from power, peacefully and with dignity," said Jeffrey Smith, executive director of Vanguard Africa.

Jammeh had previously won praise for conceding defeat on Dec. 2, when he also congratulated Barrow, whose victory appeared to end a 22-year rule by Jammeh.

Alieu Momarr Njai, head of Gambia's electoral commission, announced on Dec. 2 that Barrow won the election with 45.5 percent of the votes. Njai noted last week that it was a rare moment in Gambian politics, in which Jammeh accepted defeat.

Last week, over 40 political prisoners in the Gambia were released from the prison and were welcomed by thousands of Gambians in the streets.
by Naim-Ul-Karim

DHAKA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The 9th Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) summit began Saturday in Bangladesh capital Dhaka, with focus on adoption of two compacts for migrants and refugees.

Some 500 delegates including 300 government officials from about 125 countries and over 30 UN agencies, international organizations, global civil society and business are participating in the three-day GFMD summit.

The summit will begin intergovernmental negotiations leading to the adoption of two compacts for migrants and refugees, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque had said earlier.

"The negotiations on the global compacts for migrants and refugees will be continued in the next two years," said Haque, also GFMD 2016 chair-in-office, at a press briefing recently.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday opened the summit in Dhaka's Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC), also known as Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Center, which China has recently renovated for the summit.

In her inaugural speech, Hasina urged world leaders to uphold the dignity and rights of migrants as GFMD moves to the global consultative process in the coming years.

She said world leaders must pledge and act to save the migrants from misery and agony.

Hasina expressed her satisfaction as the world accepted Bangladesh ideas for a comprehensive Global Compact for Migration Governance at the UN summit on Migrants and Refugee in September.

"We're working with states and civil society to push for a comprehensive Global Compact of Migrants and Refugees that should get adopted in 2018 at the UN," she said.

"I'm glad as the GFMD will focus on some of the challenging issues, like migrants in situations of crisis and conflicts, migration governance, diversity and harmony," she added.

In line with the September 2006 report from the UN-GA High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development (HLD) and the GFMD Operating Modalities endorsed in Brussels in 2007, the GFMD is a voluntary, informal, non-binding and government-led process open to all states members and observers of the United Nations, to advance understanding and cooperation on the mutually reinforcing relationship between migration and development and to foster practical and action-oriented outcomes.

At the end of the 9th GFMD summit, Bangladesh would hand over chairmanship of the forum to Germany, Haque said.
DAMASCUS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The international intervention in Syria was until last year under the hood, with what analysts called a proxy war.

The proxy war is still ongoing, but in 2016 the super powers have become more personally involved in Syria's nearly six-year-old conflict.

MILITARY INVOLVEMENT OF TURKEY

Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, Ankara has sided with the opposition, and later played a significant role in supporting the rebels with the aim of toppling the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

All that time, Ankara was supporting the rebels from a distance, by allowing the flow of arms and foreign fighters through its territories and by also establishing training camps for the rebels on its territory.

But his year, the situation got different, as Ankara sent in troops to Syria to support some rebel groups it has for long backed.

There are many reasons behind sending special forces and tanks into Syria.

The ostensible reason was to support the rebels' Free Syrian Army (FSA) in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group under a campaign called the Euphrates Shield.

The second reason, which is the main one, is to allow the FSA to fill in the void in areas stripped from IS to cut the road before the Kurdish fighters could take over, as Ankara's red line is a growing Kurdish influence in northern Syria near its borders.

Those were the first most declared goals behind the Turkish campaign until President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has recently said that the Turkish Army entered Syria to end the rule of President Bashar Assad, whom he accused of terrorism and causing the deaths of thousands.

"We entered (Syria) to end the rule of the tyrant al-Assad who terrorizes with state terror. We didn't enter for any other reason," the Turkish president was quoted by Huyrriyet newspaper last month.

Osama Danura, a political analyst, told Xinhua that the international intervention in Syria has become more significant and clearer than the previous years.

"Such countries have started to deal directly after its subordinates failed to achieve its scheme in bringing down the regime and the Syrian state," he said, warning that such intervention will increase the risk of terrorism in the region.

"It's without a doubt that the intervention of Turkey is more obvious this year," Danura said, adding that the Turkish intervention has become more flagrant than any other time, particularly after the entry of Turkish tanks and forces inside the Syrian territories.

Meanwhile, Danura, who holds a PhD in political science and is one of the government negotiators to the inter-Syrian talks in Geneva, didn't shun aside the possibility of a direct confrontation at some point between the Syrian army and the Turkish forces.

He, however, said that such confrontation could still be far ahead.

U.S. INTERVENTION

The United States has also repeatedly called for the ouster of Assad, and during the years of war in Syria, it seemed like Washington was searching for a strong ally on ground to count on.

Upon reviewing its conduct in Syria, the U.S. has trained several rebel groups and even showed double standards in dealing with them, as it's now supporting rival rebel groups, the Turkey-backed FSA and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Still, Washington presence in Syria, which started in late 2014, when its airstrikes began targeting IS positions, has also become clearer this year.

In September, the U.S. flag was flown at a Syrian Kurdish base in northern Syria close to the Turkish border.

In Tal Abyad, in the northern countryside of the northern city of Raqqa, the stars and stripes flag was flown by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

In the same month, the Kurdish Kurdistan24 news agency said military units allegedly belonging to the U.S. Marines established several control points in Tal Abyad and raised several U.S. flags nearby.

The flag issue came four months after reports said 150 U.S. special forces entered the Kurdish-controlled city of Rmailan in the northeastern city of Hasakah.

At the time, the Syrian Foreign Ministry responded with a statement, saying: "We have received reports about the entry of 150 U.S. soldiers into the Syrian territories in the Rmailan area."

It added that the move was "illegal, illegitimate and carried out without the consent of the Syrian government."

U.S. President Barack Obama announced in April that an additional 250 special operations forces would be sent to Syria soon, in an effort to stem the influence and spread of the IS.

However, the intention of the United States has always been questionable, as the Syrian government expressed skepticism over the real goal behind the U.S. campaign against IS.

In September, a U.S.-led airstrike killed 90 Syrian soldiers in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, in what was later explained as a "human error" leading to striking the Syrian army, as it was the first time the U.S.-led coalition strikes Syrian army positions.

The Syrian government while condemning the attack, said the strike was intentional and aimed to inflict losses on the Syrian army in Deir al-Zour.

RUSSIAN INTERVENTION

True that the Syrian government deems the U.S. intervention as malignant, and the Russian one as benign, but truth remains truth that the Russians have also been more involved recently in the battles against the Western-backed rebels.

Since entering Syria to aid the Syrian government forces, Russia has increasingly brought in more military gears and is now considering the establishment of a long-lasting base in Syria.

This year, Moscow deployed its powerful S300 and S400 air defense systems in an airbase it use in Humaimam in the coastal city of Latakia to defend the Syrian and Russian forces.

Russia's Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defence and Security Viktor Ozerov said on Wednesday that Moscow will sign an agreement with the Syrian government to establish a permanent naval base in the coastal city of Tartus.

He said that talks are in the "final stages," stopping short of giving an exact date as the agreement will be submitted to the Russian parliament for endorsement.

In October, President Vladimir Putin agreed to deploy the Russian air force in Syria "indefinitely."

According to the agreement, Moscow will be using Humaimam base without charge, and the agreement also allows Russia to transport any weapons, ammunition or equipment to Syria free of taxes or fees.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Despite the involvement of many powers in the Syrian crisis, analysts believe that talks about a "World War III" over Syria is not logical.

They said that every major country has larger interests than involving in a direct war with one another in Syria.

Maher Ihsan, a political analyst, said the current advance of the Syrian army on many fronts, mainly the northern city of Aleppo, is what matters now.

He noted that the progress of the Syrian army in Aleppo and its around-the-corner win in the battles means the government control over the country's major cities, which will support the Syrian stance in any dialogue on the solution.

He added that the super powers will eventually reach a consensus to resolve the Syrian war after securing their interests without reaching to a direct confrontation.
by Robert Manyara

NAKURU, Kenya, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- For Jane Wairimu, the increasing adoption of energy-saving cookers among rural Kenyan households not only saves money, it earns an income.

Wairimu, a member of Nakuru-based Rocket Stove Builder group, grows maize, potatoes and beans but she has skills that most women in rural Kenya lack: constructing energy-saving stoves and boilers known as rocket stoves/boilers.

Generally, that kind of work would be considered to be a man's task in Kenya's rural communities. But Wairimu, one of the five-women the group is proud of her skills. She travels to various parts of the country to install the stoves and boilers in rural homes adopting fuel-saving cooking techs.

"I enjoy my work. I can go anywhere even Mombasa as long as the order has been made," she told Xinhua. "Constructing the stoves also earns me an extra income."

Wairimu and her peers use bricks, fireproof cement and lime to make the stoves, which boasts up to 90-percent combustion of wood fuel, thus raising efficiency and reducing emission of smoke. For every stove, they make a minimum profit of 20 U.S. dollars.

She said since the ministry of agriculture trained them on constructing the stoves and boilers in 2008, they have been capitalizing on their knowledge, creating an alternative revenue stream for themselves.

So far, more than 1,500 women have been trained on constructing such stoves in Nakuru County, said Jackline Wanjala, Ministry of Agriculture's officer in charge of Home Economics and Energy in Nakuru County.

"We undertake the training in all the sub-counties and this happens every month," Wanjala said.

"We focus on women because from statistics women are the main consumers of the wood fuel and it really affects them. They are the ones you will find in the kitchen cooking using the wood fuel and when they become beneficiaries of the information and skills, they are able to share it with others and change their lives too," she said.

But the impact Wairimu is making goes beyond business. She and others in the group are training other women from her village, weaning them off the primitive yet environmentally-unfriendly burning of wood and charcoal.

"We were trained to train others, to tell them the necessity of using the energy-saving stoves because we are causing climate change when we destroy forests to get firewood," she said.

"It's also good for our health; the heavy smoke from open fire affects our eyes. It affects our breathing," Wairimu added.

Overall 68.3 percent of Kenyan population use firewood and charcoal and in the countryside, the percentage is higher, according to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).

High use of transitional fuels is attributed to continued destruction of forests while resulting in an increase of carbon dioxide release, the main gas causing global warming.

BENEFITS SPEAK LOUD

Wairimu was eloquent when it came to the benefits of the device. She said it has saved her the numerous trips of walking long distances to buy firewood.

"You are sure of using only two pieces of firewood to cook three meals a day. That is not possible with open fire," Wairimu explained.

Such stoves are also praised for their low emission of smokes, a major cause of indoor pollution, now considered as a silent killer by the World Health Organization.

"The open fire emits a stingy smoke which leaves your eyes itchy. It's very uncomfortable. It feels good cooking on the stove; there is little smoke" she says.

Wairimu and her colleague's efforts are fitting into the government's development agenda of establishing a sustainable environment.

Promoting use of clean and low-emission energy is among the strategies the Kenyan government pins on to achieve its 2015 Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted to United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change ahead of the Paris Climate Change Conference.

The country aims to reduce its carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030.

Last week, the National Assembly approved ratification of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, paving way for implementation of actions and strategies for mitigation and adaptation to climatic changes in the country.

Parties to the agreement have committed to maintain emissions well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a target calling for greater levels of community participation.

This year, the Treasury cut the import tax on energy-saving cooking stoves from 25 percent to 10 percent with aim of reducing their prices and thereby encourages more families to use them.
Unitarian services set for Dec.

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship & Church offers services at 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 818 E. Divide Ave. in Bismarck.

Elicia Faul and JP Holmes offers a presentation this Sunday on "This I Believe; This I Do." In this popular service format, Elicia and JP will share their spiritual journeys and how they live within the seven principles held at the church.

On Dec. 18, the UU Youth will offer "Where Did All This Stuff Come From, Anyway." This brief play provides information on the source of some of the traditions associated with Christmas.

On Dec. 25, a Christmas Yuletide service will take place around the fireplace. Seasonal songs and readings will be shared. The church will provide hot cider, decaffeinated coffee, tea, hot chocolate and the warmth of fellowship. Bring friends and family.

Cross on state land challenged

RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  The constitutionality of a Maryland war memorial in the shape of a cross is being challenged in federal court.

The Washington Post reports the issue of whether the 40-foot-tall cross violates the First Amendment was debated Wednesday in the Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The monument honoring 49 men who died in World War I stands in a state-owned highway median in Bladensburg, Maryland, just outside Washington.

A federal judge ruled last year that the so-called Bladensburg Cross doesn't violate the U.S. Constitution after an atheist group claimed in a 2014 lawsuit that it amounts to unconstitutional government sponsorship of religion.

Two judges suggested Wednesday that changing who owns the land, moving the site of the cross or even stripping its arms could resolve the issue.

Positive graffiti at Islamic center

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (AP)  At a time when reports of anti-Muslim sentiment are rising, an Islamic Center in Missouri has received a different message.

Kamel Ghozzi, imam at the Islamic Center of Warrensburg, says "Welcome" and "Thank you for choosing our community" were written in chalk on the center's sidewalk during the weekend.

The Warrensburg Daily-Star Journal reports vandals have broken windows at the center in recent years.

Ghozzi says the "beautiful" messages prove Warrensburg is a good community.

Resident Karen Williamson says she and three others wrote the graffiti to demonstrate respect and acceptance for the Muslim community, saying they want Muslims to not be afraid to worship in Warrensburg, 60 miles southeast of Kansas City, Missouri.

Last month, a Dallas man held a sign reading "You Belong" near the Islamic Center of Irving, saying he was prompted by hatred directed at Muslims during the presidential election.

Donated toys stolen from church

WATERTOWN, Conn. (AP)  Police in Connecticut are investigating the theft of dozens of toys collected for underprivileged children from a Watertown church.

Police told The Republican-American of Waterbury that someone entered the locked First Congregational Church between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday and took about 36 wrapped gifts.

The gifts included toys, clothes and diapers.

Investigators say there were no signs of forced entry at the church, and last weekend was the deadline for gift collection, so the thief likely knew the items were there.
BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- A Beijing mother's article describing how her 10-year-old son was bullied at school went viral, bringing back memories for Chinese people who were bullied and triggering widespread discussion on parenting.

Zhongguancun Second Primary School, a renowned primary school in Haidian District, on Saturday morning issued a statement saying it has been communicating with parents on both sides, and called for the public to let the school handle the situation.

"The school has been actively talking with the relevant parents to solve the dispute objectively and fairly. Further effort will be made to achieve an outcome that is recognized by all parties," it said.

After having a toilet waste-paper basket thrown on his head and being mocked by other classmates, the fourth-grade boy was diagnosed with acute stress disorder, a mental illness characterized by severe anxiety, according to the article published online Thursday.

It said the school described the case as a "joke that went too far," and that the parents of the boy who threw the basket believed their son was "just being naughty."

The mother wrote that her son had been bullied for almost a year by his classmate.

The father, surnamed Wang, told Xinhua that his son is still emotionally unstable and not currently going to school.

"We are accompanying him to adjust, and he will not return to school until the case is closed," he said.

The parents of the bully have not yet answered their phone calls.

Although the article has not been verified by the other party or the authorities, it has been shared over 100,000 times on WeChat, and read over 6 million times on Weibo, a Twitter-like service.

People expressed their outrage over the matter, and recalled their past experiences of being bullied.

One web user, an apparent left-behind child who grew up with her grandmother, said she had been dragged by her hair and spat on during kindergarten and up to fourth grade in primary school.

"When I reported it to my teacher, he threw a question back in my face, 'why were you the only one being bullied?'" she recalled in her post, adding that the bullying did not stop until she was transferred to another school.

Another web user said she was sent to hospital for a week.

"The violent guys had good academic scores, and I was ugly and slow in school. The teacher just turned a blind eye," she said.

"My sense of inferiority has haunted me since then," she said, adding that the bullying she suffered at school has influenced her life.

The case has sparked discussion online on how to educate children to prevent them from being bullied.

An online survey on Weibo, which has drawn 100,000 participants, showed nearly two-thirds of parents would advise their children to take "a tooth for a tooth" response to bullying.

"I will tell my kid not to initiate a violent fight, but if he is bullied he has to fight back," one web user wrote.

Bullying and violence at schools and colleges have been widely reported in recent years. In late April, a video that showed a schoolgirl being repeatedly slapped by a group of older girls went viral.

In June 2014, another online video showed several teenagers in eastern Zhejiang Province burning a first-grade boy with cigarettes.

Last year, a junior-high student jumped from the fourth floor of a school building as he "just could not tolerate being bullied every day any longer."

Last month education guidelines, including advice on how to deal with bullying, were released as the country moves to address violence among students.

The guidelines, jointly released by nine organs including the Ministry of Education, the Supreme People's Court, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, ordered schools to be aware of the consequences of bullying and violence, and that officials should be held accountable for serious incidents of bullying or violence in areas under their jurisdiction.

Students with severe behavioral problems should be transferred to special schools suitable to their needs, or in more serious cases should receive administrative or criminal penalties, the guidelines said.

An official with the Beijing Municipal Education Commission told Xinhua that it had ordered the district commission of education and the school to properly deal with the case.

Haidian District Commission of Education has not answered phone calls from Xinhua.
WARSAW, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,500 suspects arrested under the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) in the EU were transported to Poland in the first 11 months of 2016, the Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported Saturday.

In the first 11 months, 947 suspects arrested under the EAW in EU countries were transported to Poland by plane, and 650 were returned to Poland by means of road transport, PAP has been told by spokesperson of Poland's police chief Mariusz Ciarka.

Burglary, robbery and murder were among the most common offences to trigger an EAW for those wanted in Poland.

According to Ciarka, convoys of suspects by military planes make it possible to transport more people at a time and reduce transport costs.
LAGOS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian security forces in central state of Niger have placed its officers on red alert to prevent terrorist attack and ensure a violence-free Christmas.

Moshood Jimoh, Commander of 31 Artillery Brigade, disclosed this to reporters in Minna, the state capital, on Saturday after a security meeting.

He said effective security operational order had been issued to security agencies to ensure peaceful coexistence before, during and after Christmas festivities in Niger.

According to him, adequate security personnel had been deployed to identified areas of crime to pave the way for arrests and prosecutions.

Christmas celebrations of 2010 and 2011 witnessed deadly bomb attacks on Christian worship centers in Jos, the Plateau state capital and other places.

The Niger State had witnessed a spate of bombings in the past years, including the Christmas Day bombing at St. Theresa's Catholic Church, Madalla, which killed at least 37 people in 2011. The attack was masterminded by a self-confessed member of the Boko Haram group.

The Boko Haram has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and the displacement of more than 2.6 million people since its emergence in 2009 in northeast Nigeria.
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cesium-134, the so-called fingerprint of Fukushima, was measured in seawater samples from the west coast of the United States and a salmon sampled from Canada, researchers said.

Releases from the Fukushima reactors have included dozens of radioactive elements, but with regard to materials released into the ocean, most of the attention has been on three radioactive isotopes released in large amounts: iodine-131, cesium-137, and cesium-134, according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).

Iodine-131 from Fukushima decaying quickly is no longer detectable in the environment. Cesium-137 has a relatively long half-life (30 years), but it is also present in the ocean as a result of nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s and the 1960s. Because of its short half-life, cesium-134 can only have come from Fukushima.

Cesium-134 was measured, for the first time, in seawater samples from Tillamook Bay and Gold Beach in the U.S. northwest state of Oregon, the Statesman Journal newspaper reported, citing the WHOI.

Cesium-134 has also been detected in a Canadian salmon for the first time, the Fukushima InFORM project, led by University of Victoria chemical oceanographer Jay Cullen, reported in November.

Samples, in both cases, indicate that radiation from the nuclear disaster at extremely low levels is not harmful to humans or the environment.

Each of the seawater samples taken in January and February of 2016 and later analyzed measured 0.3 becquerels per cubic meter of cesium-134. And the level in a single sockeye salmon, sampled from the Okanagan Lake in the summer of 2015, was more than 1,000 times lower than the action level set by Health Canada.

Radiation contamination at Fukushima was "unprecedented" for the oceans, Ken Buesseler, a senior scientist at the WHOI told Xinhua earlier this year.

"While in total Chernobyl was a bigger source of human-made radioactivity, most of the Fukushima releases entered the ocean, more than 80 percent, so for the oceans this was a bigger source," Buesseler said.

Buesseler, who called for more efforts to make environmental and health assessments of the Fukushima accident, said even when radiation levels become lower than any safety standards, people can still learn something about the fate and transport of radioactive compounds in this way.

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude-9.0 earthquake -- one of the largest ever recorded -- struck the eastern coast of Japan. The tsunamis caused by the quake badly damaged the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, eventually causing four of the six reactors there to release radiation into the atmosphere and ocean.

Emergency crews used seawater to cool the damaged reactors at the power plant. Because of the plant's location along the coast, much of the water was washed into the Pacific, resulting in the largest accidental release of radiation to the ocean in history.
KIGALI, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Improved and sustainable information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Africa holds the key to effective mitigation of disastrous effects of climate change across the continent, experts have said.

Andrew Rugege, regional director for Africa at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN specialized agency for telecom, told reporters Saturday that both natural and man-made disasters can be effectively controlled by the power of ICTs.

He was in Rwanda to attend Regional Development ICT Forum for Africa, ahead of the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2017 (WTDC-17) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"Information and communication technologies, such as satellites, mobile phones or the Internet, play a key role in addressing the major challenges related with climate change," he said.

Rugege called on African economies to embrace ICTs to be able to monitor climate change, mitigate and adapt to its effects and assisting in the transition towards a green economy.

According to ITU, ICTs including remote sensing and geographic information systems have expanded the possibilities for risk assessment of multiple hazards and enabled the development of various scenarios and contingency plans.

Sub-Saharan Africa is at risk of the disastrous effects of climate change due to desertification and increased pressure on sources of fresh water by human settlement.

Technology analysts say that adequate telecommunication networks are essential in ensuring that communications reach people and the appropriate relief organizations.

Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Rwanda's minister of youth and ICT, said that there was a need for a 'Call to Action' for African leaders to recognize the role of ICTs in tackling climate change and to enhance their ability to do so.

"The challenge today in Africa is to move forward and look to ICTs as a key enabler of a new model of social and economic development," he said.

Countries in Africa need to take advantage of ICT to drive social and economic transformation, according to an 2015 report by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The report said several countries in Africa including economic giants like Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt are lagging behind in terms of implementing and taking advantage of ICT.

According to experts, most African countries face a significant challenge in developing infrastructure, institutions and skills needed to fully enjoy the benefits of ICT, despite the continent having a very high penetration of mobile phones.
TEHRAN, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran's representative to the United Nations criticized a recent resolution on Syria as a "unilateral" and without dealing with "the reality on the ground," Tasnim news agency reported Saturday.

"The draft resolution on the Syrian Arab Republic, placed before us today was a one-sided document and divorced from the reality on the ground in Syria," Iran's deputy ambassador to the UN Gholam Hossein Dehqanion said.

On Friday, the United Nations General Assembly approved the Canada-drafted resolution which demanded an end to the attacks on the Syrian civilians, particularly entrapped in the war-stricken city of Aleppo.

Dehqanion said that the draft is totally silent on the root cause of crisis in Syria.

"It is an established fact that terrorism and violent extremism are the root causes of the disaster, and it is the very issue that should be first and foremost addressed by the international community," he said.
RAMALLAH, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat said on Saturday that he will lead a delegation to Washington to hold talks with U.S. President Barack Obama.

Erekat told official Voice of Palestine radio that the delegation will start meetings with U.S. officials on Monday.

"The visit aims at opening a strategic Palestinian-U.S. dialogue for the first time since 1994," Erekat said, expressing hope that the meetings will result in "forming bilateral committees in all fields of joint action."

The top PLO official added that the U.S. side set the dates of the meetings, which will include a meeting with U.S. State Secretary John Kerry and National Security Advisor Suzan Rice.

He mentioned that there is a possibility to hold meetings with the team of the incoming administration.
GAZA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian official said that Egypt opened the Rafah Border Crossing with the Gaza Strip in both directions on Saturday.

Two buses have been allowed to leave Gaza, with the first carrying Egyptian nationals living in the coastal enclave and the second for humanitarian cases, Hishan Edwan, an Palestinian border crossing official, told Xinhua.

He said that people stranded at the borders are starting to return to Gaza through the Rafah crossing point, the only land crossing connecting Gaza with Egypt and the rest of the world.

Edwan revealed that the crossing will be open for three days and in addition to humanitarian cases, only students studying abroad and holders of residency status outside of Gaza are allowed to cross.

The Palestinian official hoped that Egypt would extend the deadline given the dire need to travel in Gaza.

In the early morning hours Saturday, hundreds of Palestinians already gathered at the departure hall in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip, waiting for buses to transport them to the crossing.

According to the Gaza-based Birders and Crossings Commission, about 25,000 people are registered on its travel list for humanitarian reasons.

The last time Egypt opened the crossing was on Nov. 14, a move that lasted six days and even allowed a media delegation through to attend a symposium in Cairo on Nov. 22.

The Gaza Strip, with a population of nearly 2 million, has been under a tight Israeli blockade since 2007, when the Islamic Hamas movement seized control of the enclave and Egypt closed the Rafah crossing on its borders.

The relationship between Hamas and Egypt is tense as Hamas supports the ousted Egyptian Islamic president Mohamed Morsi and Egypt accuses the Islamic movement of interfering with its internal affairs.
A Palestinian boy looks out through a bus window as he waits with his family to cross into Egypt through the Rafah border crossing after it was opened by Egyptian authorities for humanitarian cases, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip December 10, 2016. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

GAZA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian official said that Egypt opened the Rafah Border Crossing with the Gaza Strip in both directions on Saturday.

Two buses have been allowed to leave Gaza, with the first carrying Egyptian nationals living in the coastal enclave and the second for humanitarian cases, Hishan Edwan, an Palestinian border crossing official, told Xinhua.

He said that people stranded at the borders are starting to return to Gaza through the Rafah crossing point, the only land crossing connecting Gaza with Egypt and the rest of the world.

Edwan revealed that the crossing will be open for three days and in addition to humanitarian cases, only students studying abroad and holders of residency status outside of Gaza are allowed to cross.

The Palestinian official hoped that Egypt would extend the deadline given the dire need to travel in Gaza.

In the early morning hours Saturday, hundreds of Palestinians already gathered at the departure hall in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip, waiting for buses to transport them to the crossing.

According to the Gaza-based Birders and Crossings Commission, about 25,000 people are registered on its travel list for humanitarian reasons.

The last time Egypt opened the crossing was on Nov. 14, a move that lasted six days and even allowed a media delegation through to attend a symposium in Cairo on Nov. 22.

The Gaza Strip, with a population of nearly 2 million, has been under a tight Israeli blockade since 2007, when the Islamic Hamas movement seized control of the enclave and Egypt closed the Rafah crossing on its borders.

The relationship between Hamas and Egypt is tense as Hamas supports the ousted Egyptian Islamic president Mohamed Morsi and Egypt accuses the Islamic movement of interfering with its internal affairs.
Family members of victims in Nanjing Massacre watch newly added names on the wall at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 10, 2016. A total of 110 new names have been added to the wall remembering the victims in the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, raising the total number to 10,615 on the wall. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

NANJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 110 names have been newly inscribed on a memorial wall in commemoration of Chinese killed in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese troops in 1937, bringing the total number of names on the wall to 10,615

These names have been confirmed since 2014 after relatives filed at the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, where the wall was erected, deputy curator Wang Weimin said Saturday.

Li Ning said his great-grandfather Li Jinbo and grandfather Li Cunren were killed by the bayonets and guns of Japanese troops in the massacre when they refused to be a guide for the troops.

"I did not know they were massacre victims until three years ago when my father asked me to file their records as solicited by the memorial hall," he said. "May they rest in peace."

Designed by architect Qi Kang from Southeast University, the memorial wall, also known as the wailing wall, was set up in 1995 with 3,000 names representing the 300,000 victims of the massacre.

More names were added in 2007, 2011, 2013 and 2014, after the identities of more victims were confirmed, Wang said.

He said the names were confirmed by the city's committees on wartime loss and Nanjing Massacre investigations, survivors' dictated or published documents and information from victims' relatives.

"The new names will be inscribed on the wall every year before National Memorial Day, but the confirmation work is difficult," he said.

Japanese troops occupied eastern China's Nanjing on Dec. 13, 1937, and began a six-week massacre. Chinese records show more than 300,000 people -- not only disarmed soldiers but also civilians -- were brutally murdered and thousands of women raped.
Accusing people of opposing law enforcement because they disagree with management of the pipeline protest is like accusing them of opposing the military when a general uses the wrong battle tactics.

In this case, the tactics of law enforcement have been wrong. Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier says the law must be enforced, yet every day the police prioritize resources. For example, people frequently run red lights in Bismarck  I assume because Bismarck law enforcement legitimately has higher priorities for enforcement. So, what makes protecting the profits of oil and pipeline companies the highest law enforcement priority in North Dakota? We are told that protesters are violent, but what if there was nobody there to fight? Opposition provokes opposition.

Let's review what has been accomplished: 1. People have been seriously injured (regardless of fault, the injuries persist); 2. What would have been a minor event with little media coverage has been turned into an international symbol of both the rights of indigenous people and the environmental movement; 3. Millions of dollars have been spent with no resolution; 4. North Dakota has been vilified by many national and international media sources; 5. The contrast between the Bundy "not guilty" verdict in Oregon for armed white ranchers and the treatment of American Indians in North Dakota reinforces the belief that only white people can protest in this country; and, 6. Damage done to government-native relations will take decades to repair.

This was completely unnecessary. Let the federal courts deal with this dispute. That's why courts exist  to settle disputes nonviolently. That is what would have happened if North Dakota government had not been so eager to protect oil company profits. It's not too late to mitigate some of the damage by changing tactics.

Stephen Pickard, Bismarck
PARIS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- French anti-terrorist judge on Saturday charged a man with alleged involvement in a foiled attack planned for Dec. 1 in the French capital, local media reported.

The 31-year-old suspect was arrested earlier this weak and placed under formal investigation on charges of "association with terrorist and criminal organization," and "acquiring, holding, transporting and offering ...weapons, in connection with a terrorist group," the news channel BFMTV reported, citing a source close to the inquiry.

Investigators suspected him of having providing arms to a group of men who planned to attack police and public sites in and around Paris earlier this month.

Last month, four French men and one of Moroccan origin, were arrested in a foiled assault. They were directed by an Islamic State commander, according to Paris prosecutor Francois Molins.

Aged between 35 and 41, they targeted at high-profile police sites, amusement park, Parisian shops in the Champs-Elysee avenue in addition to a metro station and religious sites.

France has sought to extend a state of emergency, imposed after Paris deadly attack in 2015, for more seven months to cover the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.
LAGOS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Several people are feared dead and others injured after a church building collapsed in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State in southern Nigeria, local authority said Saturday.

A police source told Xinhua that rescue workers are battling to evacuate victims in a church building which collapsed while service was in session.

Some senior government officials are suspected to be among the victims.

State governor Udom Emmanuel, who was attending the service at the Reighers Bible Church narrowly escaped death, a close aide said.

The casualty figure has yet to be known.
ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 33 pro-government soldiers were killed and more than 40 others injured when a suicide bomber targeted a military base near Aden's airport on Saturday, a security official told Xinhua.

"A suicide attacker targeted dozens of pro-government soldiers who gathered to receive their delayed salaries inside the Sulban military base near Aden's airport," the local security source said on condition of anonymity.

Initial reports indicate that at least 33 newly-trained soldiers were killed and more than 40 others injured in the suicide bombing that struck Saudi-backed Yemeni soldiers in Aden, the security source said.

Witnesses confirmed to Xinhua that "a huge explosion struck the military base while hundreds of soldiers were standing in long queues to meet a military committee in the area."

An intelligence source said that "a suicide bomber apparently disguised with military uniform blew himself up among scores of soldiers who lined up around the base without any protection."

Many ambulances were dispatched to the scene after the suicide blast, and heavy armored vehicles arrived in the scene.

The southern port city of Aden is the headquarters of Yemen's internationally-backed President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his government.

Aden witnessed several well-planned assassinations and armed attacks after Saudi-backed forces drove the Shiite Houthi rebels out from the strategic city in July 2015.

However, the newly-trained anti-terrorism troops supported by the UAE armored vehicles made substantial achievements in recent weeks, disabling several explosive material factories used by terrorists to manufacture car bombs in Aden.

In addition, several commanders of the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch were captured in successful raids conducted by the UAE-backed Yemeni forces in Aden and neighboring provinces.

Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active regional al-Qaida insurgencies in the Middle East.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), also known locally as "Ansar al-Sharia," emerged in January 2009, claiming responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks against Yemen's army and governmental institutions.

The AQAP and the IS-linked terrorists took advantage of the security vacuum and ongoing civil war to expand their influence and seize more territories in southern Yemen.

Security in Yemen has deteriorated since March 2015, when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and government forces backed by the Saudi-led Arab coalition.

Over 10,000 people have been killed in ground battles and airstrikes since then, many of them civilians.
CAIRO, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian top court confirmed on Saturday as a final verdict the death sentence against Islamist extremist Adel Habbara over a 2013 deadly anti-security attack in Sinai, official MENA news agency reported.

The Court of Cassation rejected Habbara's appeal against his death penalty and handed 15 other fellow convicts various jail terms in the case known by the Egyptian media as "Rafah second massacre."

The case dates back to Aug. 19, 2013, when militants gunned down 25 military conscripts after they stopped their two vehicles in Rafah city of restive North Sinai province bordering Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip.

The court convicted the defendants of deliberate murder, terrorism, espionage, vandalism, resistance of the authorities and possession of weapons , ammunition and explosives.

North Sinai has been the springboard of anti-government armed attacks since the military removed former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 following mass protests against his one-year controversial rule and his now-blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood group.

Later security crackdown on Morsi's followers left about 1,000 of them killed and thousands more arrested, while terrorist attacks killed several hundreds of police and military men.

"Sinai State," a Sinai-based militant group loyal to the Islamic State (IS) regional terrorist group, claimed responsibility for most of the anti-government attacks.

A security campaign in Sinai killed over 1,200 militants and arrested a similar number of suspects over the past couple of years as part of the country's "anti-terror war," declared by former military chief and current President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi following Morsi's ouster.

On Friday, a bomb attack on a checkpoint in Cairo killed six policemen and wounded three others. A newly-emerged militant group calling itself "Hasm Movement" claimed responsibility for this attack via an online post as it claimed several others in recent months.
ANKARA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish constitutional amendment package introducing a shift to a presidential system was submitted to Turkey's parliament on Saturday, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Mustafa Elitas, the ruling Justice and Development Party deputy parliamentary group chair, submitted the draft to Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman with 316 signatures.

The planned constitutional amendment package envisages the expansion of the president's powers as the sole head of the executive.

The president will have two vice presidents and will appoint ministers. The new system will abolish the position of the prime minister.

The system will be put into force by 2019. Until that time, current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be given some additional powers through provisional articles.

The president will also be able to retain links to his or her political party and will be able to continue as its chairman while serving as head of state.
A picture taken through a Turkish flag shows people visiting the mausoleum of of founder of the Republic of Turkey Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in Ankara during a ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of his death on November 10, 2016. (AFP/Xinhua)

ANKARA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish constitutional amendment package introducing a shift to a presidential system was submitted to Turkey's parliament on Saturday, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Mustafa Elitas, the ruling Justice and Development Party deputy parliamentary group chair, submitted the draft to Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman with 316 signatures.

The planned constitutional amendment package envisages the expansion of the president's powers as the sole head of the executive.

The president will have two vice presidents and will appoint ministers. The new system will abolish the position of the prime minister.

The system will be put into force by 2019. Until that time, current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be given some additional powers through provisional articles.

The president will also be able to retain links to his or her political party and will be able to continue as its chairman while serving as head of state.
SANYA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) - On China's southernmost island province of Hainan, the tropical beach resort city of Sanya would be the perfect choice for those wanting to escape the harsh winter in the north were it not for the tourist scams that plague the island.

Restaurants charge exorbitant prices after meals are ordered. Taxi drivers make inconvenient detours for high fares. And local guides make forced stops to earn commission.

But all that is now changing.

In October the city established the country's first tourist police, to win back the hearts of tourists.

Disguised as a tourist Qin Kaishou together with his fellow policemen went to a seafood restaurant on Youyi Road.

Qin, 26, stared at the waiter who was recording plate numbers of taxis that dropped customers to dine.

"The industry and commerce sectors have reported the restaurant offering kickbacks to taxi drivers for bringing customers. The money can reach up to 40 percent of the bill," he said.

A taxi driver can get up to 20,000 yuan (2,900 U.S. dollars) commission every day during peak season, that is a monthly income for a middle manager in many companies, he said.

After three hours, Qin finally saw the restaurant owner giving cash to a taxi driver.

A total of 15 people, including two restaurant owners, eight waiters and two taxi drivers, were caught by Qin's team and over 20,000 yuan in kickbacks was seized.

The case is among over 200 cases that have been closed by the tourist police since they started. More than 250 people have been detained, leading to a 50 percent reduction in complaints from tourists, the city public security bureau said

"In major tourism resorts such as Tianyahaijiao, or the End of the Earth, tourist police will be there in 15 minutes if needed," said Chen Xiaokun, head of the bureau.

They have also opened a hot line -- 12301, which tourists can call for help.

Tourist police were not invented by China. There are tourist police in countries such as Greece, Thailand, Russia and Egypt where tourism is a major industry. They are responsible for information inquiries, lost and found, fraud complaints and other tourist issues.

"What we are trying to do is let tourists feel at ease here," Qin said.

The special squad, composed of over 40 members, has also made those working in the tourism industry more careful in their work.

Guide Zhuo Cai (a pseudonym), said he and his colleagues now act cautiously in Sanya for fear of complaints.

"My colleagues often tell clients to communicate with them regarding any unpleasant experience instead of calling the police," he said.

According to the China National Tourism Administration, as of October, tourists police teams have been established in 34 Chinese cities and counties, including Lijiang, Xiamen and Qinhuangdao cities.

Li Jinzao, head of the administration, said tourist police are an enforcement innovation.

"With tourist police coordinating with different related departments and organizing joint enforcement, tourists' rights are better protected," he said.
by Robert Manyara

NAKURU, Kenya, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Wildlife is still one of the core economic pillars to Kenya's economy.

But impacts of climate change threat existence of this resource exposing the East African nation to economic vulnerabilities, experts say.

Aden Duale, Leader of Majority in the National Assembly, in his submission to Parliament on Dec. 1, to drum support for approval of ratification of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, said Kenya is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as it is exhibited by the country's high dependency on climate sensitive sectors like wildlife, tourism, agriculture, energy, water and health.

The lawmakers did approve it, giving way to implementation of actions and strategies for mitigation and adaptation to climatic changes in the country.

Julius Kamau, executive director of the East African Wild Life Society (EAWLS) said there is already clear evidence that wildlife and habitats across Kenya are already feeling the impacts of climate change.

"For instance there have been massive deaths of flamingos in Lake Nakuru (National Park)," Kamau told Xinhua on Saturday. Lake Nakuru National Park is one of the two premium parks in Kenya and it's the sanctuary for rhino.

Kamau says climate change has caused changes to the wildlife habitats in different parts of the country, causing a disruption to their normal living.

"For most species, the habitat becomes less suitable with the uneven precipitation, higher temperatures, drying in wetland and the rising of the sea level," said the EAWLS executive director.

Health and survival of wildlife populations is intricately linked to the state of ecosystems and habitats that sustain them, he said. And therefore, any slight alteration of habitats and ecosystem directly affect their behavior and survival.

Kamau emphasizes that threats of climate change are very dangerous to survival of wildlife since they cause a reduction of their population through diverse ways.

Climate change results to increased incidents of human-wildlife conflicts, endangering lives of animals, he said.

"For example, according to Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), drought has pushed lions closer to waterholes bordering human settlement increasing the probability of conflicts," Kamau said.

"There is increased competition between humans and wildlife over diminishing resources that is water and food. Carnivores have been witnessed to kill livestock and feed on the intestinal matter not only for food but also for water. As a result humans also kill wildlife for food and as a retaliatory mission," he added.

Equally prolonged droughts causes direct wildlife deaths resulting from reduced water volumes and forage to feed on such has been a cause of deaths to flamingos at Lake Nakuru National Park, he says.

Also, changes to temperatures have contributed to increased spread and reemergence of wildlife diseases, he said.

"For example in 2007, drought-induced anthrax impacted Grevy's zebra in the Samburu National Park," said Kamau.

He said experts predict that one fourth of wildlife in Kenya will be driven to extinction by 2050 if the warming trends continues at the current rate.

"For example, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service, there are less than 2,000 African lions in Kenya and it is predicted that lion may be extinct in the next 20 years if no urgent action is taken to address the threats," he said.

To promote wildlife resilience, Kamau noted the importance of building knowledge among communities on how to adapt to climate change in order to relieve pressure on wildlife dependent ecosystem.

According to Kamau, the EAWLS has helped communities in Kajiado, in Rift Valley region and Kwale in coastal region to shift to alternative sources of livelihoods to curb destruction of forests and water catchments, directly linked to survival of wildlife.

He said most impacts of climate change on wildlife are human-induced and therefore should be mitigated indirectly through implementation of community-based initiatives.

He said communities can be assisted to embrace poultry farming and bee keeping as sources of livelihood instead of depending on forests for charcoal.

On solving human-wildlife conflict, he said communities can be assisted to adopt good agricultural practices and clean energy to improve their livelihoods.

This will provide communities inhabiting the hotspots of human-wildlife conflicts with various deterrents of carnivore predation on their livestock, thereby bringing forth harmonious coexistence.

Among the commitments Kenya has made in 2015 Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) is to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030. Realization of the target would be beneficial to all sectors of economy, wildlife phenomenally crucial.
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- A senior anti-terrorism department police officer was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar Saturday evening, local police said.

The gunmen, riding a motorbike, fired at Riaz ul Islam, deputy superintendent of police, when he was heading home with his son after offering prayers, police sources said and added that he was shifted to the city's main hospital where doctors confirmed his death.

Islam's son was injured in the firing on the busy Charsadda Road of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in northwest Pakistan.

The gunmen fled after the incident. The outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed the attack. The government here blamed the attacks on the security forces.

The slain police officer was posted in the counter-terrorism department, which is mainly dealing with the terrorists, police sources said.

Thousands of security personnel have been killed during the anti-terrorism operations in Pakistan since 2004 when security forces launched major operations against armed groups in the country's tribal regions.

Officials say there is a substantial decrease in terrorist incidents across Pakistan but the remnants of the Taliban groups carry out target attacks.
by Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) requested the adoption of a supplementary set of measures worth 4.5 billion euros (4.75 billion U.S. dollars) for 2019 in order to join the Greek bailout program, Greek Deputy Finance Minister Yorgos Chouliarakis said during a debate on the 2017 budget which would end on Saturday evening with a roll call vote.

"The IMF depends its participation in the Greek program with the in advance ratification this December of extra measures accounting to 2.5 percent of the GDP, meaning 4.5 billion euros, for 2019," Chouliarakis told the assembly.

The Greek official explained that according to the Fund's projections, Greece will not achieve a primary budget surplus of 3.5 percent of its output in 2018 and beyond, as forecast under the current bailout.

However, IMF's projections regarding the progress of the Greek economy in 2015 or 2016 were not confirmed, Chouliarakis noted, expressing confidence that Greece is on the path of economic recovery.

"Our priority now is to support the return to growth and the key in this process is the immediate conclusion of the second review of the bailout," he stressed during his speech which was broadcast on the parliament's channel.
JAKARTA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The 16th negotiation round of the countries joined in Regional Comprehensive Economy Partnership (RCEP) has ended in Indonesia Saturday with a settlement on Small, Medium Enterprises (SMEs) chapter reached.

The approved chapter on SMEs marked the second one settled by delegations of 16 signatory economies after the economic and technical cooperation chapter that was approved in the previous round of negotiation in Tianjin, China.

The settlement on SMEs negotiations was based on the fact that it would give significant contribution to the economic growth, employment and innovation in RCEP Participating Countries (RPCs), according to RCEP negotiation document obtained by Xinhua from sources involved in the meetings that commenced on Dec. 6 here.

"The chapter seeks to promote information sharing and cooperation in increasing SMEs ability to utilize and benefit from the opportunities created by the RCEP agreement," the document said.

Other chapters that need to be further negotiated among others are goods, services, investments and movement of labor, are still in stiff negotiation process.

Delegations attending the meetings also emphasized the need to address different levels of development among RPCs while delivering the goal of a modern, comprehensive, high quality and mutually beneficial agreements, the document said.

RCEPs was found in 2012, joined by 16 economies consisted of 10 ASEAN nations plus six of the regional bloc's trade partners: China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Should the RCEP take into effect, the free-trade deal pact may benefit over 3 billion people that accounts for 45 percent of world's population, vibrate around 30 percent of global trade.

The next round of negotiation was scheduled to be held in Japan in February next year.
NEW DELHI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Indian premier investigating agency Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested former air force chief S.P. Tyagi and two others in AgustaWestland helicopter deal over allegations of bribery, officials said Saturday.

The trio was Saturday produced in a local court in New Delhi, which formally granted their custody to the investigating agency for four days.

The other two include Tyagi's cousin Sanjiv Tyagi and a Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan.

Investigators say they have enough evidence that the men had received kickbacks for the deal and extended undue favors to Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland.

The deal is related to purchase of 12 luxury helicopters from the company in 2010 during Congress party rule.

The luxury helicopters were intended to carry Indian president, prime minister and other top leaders.

In March 2013, Indian authorities filed a criminal case against the firm and its parent company Finmeccanica.

The 71-year-old Tyagi, who retired in 2007, was called for questioning by CBI at their office along with the other two on Friday. Reports said the questioning went on for over four hours after which they were arrested.

Tyagi is the first Indian air force chief, acting or retired to be arrested in a bribery case. The former air force chief has previously denied charges against him.

India's defence ministry cancelled the 750-million-U.S. dollar helicopter deal in 2014 after allegations that the company has paid kickbacks to Indian officials and politicians. The ministry announced it would carry out its own investigation into the deal.

Reports said Tyagi has been accused by investigators in Italy and India of abusing his official position to push the contract in favor of Finnmeccanica.

India received three of the helicopters before the deal was cancelled and delivery of the remaining nine was stopped.
An Iraqi soldier stands atop an armoured vehicle in the town of Tal Abtah, south of Tal Afar, on December 10, 2016, after they retook the area during a broad offencive to retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State (IS) jihadists. (AFP/Xinhua)

MOSUL, Iraq, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces took control of four more districts in the city of Mosul on Saturday, as part of their slow and fierce fighting to drive out Islamic State (IS) militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq, the Iraqi army said.

The commandos of the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) freed four districts of al-Qadsiyah al-Uola, al-Murour, al-Shekhakyah and al-Mishraq and raised the Iraqi flag on its buildings, a statement by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) said.

The elite CTS started their push into the four districts early on Friday, bringing the total number of districts liberated from IS militants in eastern Mosul to 31, the JOC statement said.

The troops are facing grueling fighting inside Mosul from the extremist militants, who are carrying out brutal counter attacks in small groups moving quickly throughout the districts, and using suicide car bombs, as well as mortars and snipers, in addition to using the population of the city as human shields.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a recent report that the military operations in Mosul have pushed some 82,000 civilians to flee their homes in the city and its adjacent districts and the number went up every day.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Oct. 17 announced 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.

Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under the 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.
A Syrian refugee plays with his doves at Syrian Zattari refugee camp near the city of Mafraq, Jordan, July 14, 2016. The Czech Government funded a project to provide new electric power network at Syrian Zattari refugee camp. (Xinhua/Mohammad Abu Ghosh)



PRAGUE, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The number of illegally staying migrants uncovered by Czech police rose by almost 80 percent in 2015, local media reported on Saturday, quoting an annual report compiled by Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec.

According to the report, the foreigners illegally staying in the Czech Republic were mostly from Syria, Ukraine and Kuwait.

In 2015, 8,563 persons were found as illegal migrants. Compared with 2014, there was a growth by 3,741 persons, or 77.6 percent.

Among them, 240 persons were found when trying to illegally across the Schengen border and 8,323 during their illegal stay in the country.

The report said that 582 people were repeatedly found illegally staying in the Czech Republic. They were mostly from Ukraine, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Some of them were detained while they carried several travelling documents.

In 2015, Czech police conducted more than 250,000 checks on illegal stay.

Although the developments in the past years have shown that for many, the Czech Republic has become the country of their destination, it is still widely used by illegal migrants to other European countries, said the report.
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Saturday "strongly condemned" the outgoing Gambian president, Yahya Jammeh, for rejecting official election results, and called on him to "respect the choice of the sovereign people" of the West African country.

In a press statement, the 15-nation UN council also called on the outgoing president to "transfer, without condition and undue delay, power to the president-elect, Mr. Adama Barrow."

"The members of the Security Council urged the outgoing president to carry out a peaceful and orderly transition process and they requested that the security of the president-elect, Adama Barrow, and that of all Gambian citizen be fully ensured," the statement said.

Jammeh on Friday rejected the results of the Dec. 1 election and called for his country to vote again -- a week after initially accepting his defeat.

The outgoing president, who has ruled Gambia since a 1994 military coup, suffered a shocking loss after running for his fifth term.

Jammeh, in his Dec. 2 address on Gambian state television, accepted his defeat and congratulated opponent Barrow on his victory.

The members of the Security Council called on Jammeh to respect the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol on democracy and good governance and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, notably the rejection of unconstitutional changes of government, the statement said.

"The members of the Security Council urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, refrain from violence and remain calm," said the statement.

The council members called on the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWAS) and international partners, especially ECOWAS, to preserve stability in Gambia and work toward the installation of a democratically elected government in the country.

The council members further expressed their commitment to continue to follow closely the evolution of the situation in Gambia, the statement added.
LAGOS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Rescue workers Saturday said over 60 casualties had been removed from the debris of the collapsed church building in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State in southern Nigeria.

Some of the officials who spoke to Xinhua on condition of anonymity, said rescue team members are trying their best to rescue all the victims trapped under the collapsed building.

He said the rescue team at scene is made up of workers of Julius Berger Construction Company, the police, army, Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Nigerian Medical Association and the Federal Road Safety Corps.

However, the state police spokesperson Cordelia Nwawe said she could not confirm the casualty figure since rescue operations were ongoing.

She said security operatives had been drafted to maintain law and order at the scene to prevent hoodlums from cashing in on the situation.

"We cannot tell you the exact number of casualties now as the rescue operations are on," she said.

Meanwhile, the state governor Udom Emmanuel escaped unhurt as the Reigners Bible Church International building in Uyo collapsed during a worship session.

The governor was the special guest of honor at the consecration service of the Founder of the church, Apostle Akan Weeks, as a bishop.

The Reigners Bible Church International building, was still under construction when it collapsed.

Its iron rafters caved in as the service was ongoing.

The state government, in a statement made available to Xinhua, said a high powered panel of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the immediate and remote factors leading to the collapse of the church building.

In 2014, some 70 persons lost their lives after a building collapse at a church in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos.

The incident occurred at the headquarters of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) Guest House in Ikotun downtown area of Lagos, which serves as a Mecca of sort to local people and foreigners from different parts of the world.

Building collapses are not rare in Nigeria, often because of poor construction practices. More than 50 people were killed in building collapses across Nigeria since 2014.
Gambian President Yahya J.J. Jammeh attends the 12th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, Feb. 2, 2009. (Xinhua/Xu Suhui)

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Saturday "strongly condemned" the outgoing Gambian president, Yahya Jammeh, for rejecting official election results, and called on him to "respect the choice of the sovereign people" of the West African country.

In a press statement, the 15-nation UN council also called on the outgoing president to "transfer, without condition and undue delay, power to the president-elect, Mr. Adama Barrow."

"The members of the Security Council urged the outgoing president to carry out a peaceful and orderly transition process and they requested that the security of the president-elect, Adama Barrow, and that of all Gambian citizen be fully ensured," the statement said.

Jammeh on Friday rejected the results of the Dec. 1 election and called for his country to vote again -- a week after initially accepting his defeat.

The outgoing president, who has ruled Gambia since a 1994 military coup, suffered a shocking loss after running for his fifth term.

Jammeh, in his Dec. 2 address on Gambian state television, accepted his defeat and congratulated opponent Barrow on his victory.

The members of the Security Council called on Jammeh to respect the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol on democracy and good governance and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, notably the rejection of unconstitutional changes of government, the statement said.

"The members of the Security Council urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, refrain from violence and remain calm," said the statement.

The council members called on the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWAS) and international partners, especially ECOWAS, to preserve stability in Gambia and work toward the installation of a democratically elected government in the country.

The council members further expressed their commitment to continue to follow closely the evolution of the situation in Gambia, the statement added.
A man walks past a graffiti depicting U.S. Republican presidential Donald Trump (R) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Vilnius, Lithuania, June 1, 2016. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

By Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump does not believe Russia interfered in U.S. elections in a bid to get the brash billionaire elected, but that will not stop U.S. Congress from launching a probe into whether the Kremlin tried to influence the 2016 race for the White House, experts said.

Trump shocked the world last month when he proved wrong the vast majority of experts and polls that predicted he would lose to rival Hillary Clinton of the Democratic Party.

The election season was marked by a number of releases of information by the website Wikileaks, including private emails from the Clinton campaign. Those emails brought some of Clinton's embarrassing secrets to light.

The Clinton campaign and others have accused Russia of being behind the Wikileaks, in an effort to help get Trump elected, as the New York mogul has said he would cut a deal for better relations with Russia if elected.

On Friday, a Washington Post report seemed to support those allegations, saying the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency concluded that Russia was trying to help Trump win the election, although Trump dismissed the allegations, saying the hacks could have come from anywhere.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange also said Russia was not the source of the leaks.

"Members of Congress are concerned about Russian meddling in U.S. elections, so they are going to launch an investigation to determine what the facts are," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

"Even if Trump disagrees with this, he cannot stop the probe. Legislators on both sides of the aisle feel Russia has violated international norms," he said.

Indeed, lawmakers from both parties are calling for a probe into alleged Russian meddling into the 2016 U.S. race for the White House. That includes looking into alleged hacking into the private email accounts of Clinton campaign staff, which were leaked by WikiLeaks.

There are many questions that U.S. Congress says it wants answered, such as how and why Clinton campaign emails were hacked, as well as why they were released in the final days before the Nov. 8 election.

Two Democratic lawmakers earlier this month unveiled plans to set up a probe. Much like the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States, the investigation will call on independent computer experts and have the authority to issue subpoenas, U.S. media reported.

Trump has said he wants to cut a deal with Russia in a bid to thaw relations between the two nations, but experts said the president-elect's ability to give Moscow what it wants may be severely limited by Congress.

Russia undoubtedly wants to see an end to U.S.-led sanctions that were implemented after Russia sent its forces to Ukraine more than two years ago, but that might not happen.

"The deal that Russia wants is an end to American sanctions. But Congress is not likely to support that, so Trump may be limited to less sweeping agreements," West said.

Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua it is important to review the nature of alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election and what the intelligence community knows about alleged Russian efforts to disrupt or delegitimize democratic processes in the United States.

"It is important to build a picture of the Russian cyber playbook, even as Trump may try to revamp relations with Russia, because knowing the extent of (alleged) Russian interference ... will likely be a key element of any future negotiations with Russia," he said.

"Just as in traditional negotiations regarding physical capabilities, you want to know the extent of the other side's capabilities before you begin to negotiate," Mahaffee said.

Trump's most extensive idea of a deal with Russia may be a larger U.S. acceptance of what is a Russian sphere of influence, or attempting to reduce Russian concerns about NATO, Ukraine, and Georgia through reduced American support for those institutions and countries, as well as a negotiation towards relaxing some of the sanctions on Russia, Mahaffee said.

Acknowledging Russia's viewpoint on Syria and the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may also be part of that, he said, referring to the civil war that has been raging in Syria in recent years, as well as Russia's support for Assad.

That said, little of that deal works in favor of U.S. interests and many of Trump's advisers will be skeptical of an agreement that weakens NATO or the U.S. position in the Middle East, he said.
by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The recent Israeli initial approval of a couple of pro-settlement bills are expected to obstruct the already-strangled peacemaking efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and revive the Middle East peace process, said Egyptian political experts.

The Knesset, Israel's parliament, passed last week the first reading of two controversial legislations that are meant to retroactively legalize about 4,000 settlement homes as well as unauthorized Israeli outposts and to allow expropriation of more Palestinian lands in the West Bank.

The approvals have been condemned by the Arab League and several Arab states while the international community blames Israel for the deadlock of the Middle East peace process due to its settlement expansion policy that is rejected even by its closest ally, the United States.

RIGHT WING TENDENCY

"The Israeli bills are ill-reputed; they have been the center of debate between Israeli and Arab Israeli lawmakers at the Knesset and their passage is related to a larger settlement expansion plan that undermines the whole peace process," said Tarek Fahmy, a political science professor and expert at the National Center for Middle East Studies.

The expert argued that there are no barriers for the approval of the controversial pro-settlement bills due to the right wing's sweeping influence on the political scene in Israel.

"An Israeli settlement council that is responsible for settlement expansion plans has prepared these draft laws for 14 months and I do not see any obstacles for the Knesset to pass them," Fahmy told Xinhua.

He described Israel's so-called "Master Plan 2020" and similar projects of expanding Jewish residency in Jerusalem, both the western and eastern parts, as "more dangerous" than the approval of the said pro-settlement bills.

For Mohamed Gomaa, expert of Israeli-Palestinian affairs and researcher at Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, the approval of the debatable bills was also "no surprise."

"It's normal and it reflects the general political tendency of Israeli's extremist right-wing ruling coalition," Gomaa told Xinhua, noting the right wing in Israel was not this powerful before the 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin by an Israeli fanatic, after which it started to gradually rise until it dominated the Israeli political scene.

TRUMP INFLUENCE

Supported by the United States, Russia, China, the European Union and many other states, a UN-sponsored two-state solution seeks to put an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict via the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.

Following the recent announcement of Donald Trump as next U.S. president, Israeli's Education Minister Naftali Bennett said it marked the demise of the two-state solution and meant that "the Palestinian people will never have a state of their own."

Similarly, Michael Oren, a Knesset member, deputy minister for diplomacy at Benjamin Netanyahu's office and Israel's former ambassador to the United States, said that the forthcoming Trump administration "spells the end of the two-state solution."

Professor Fahmy said the timing of the pro-settlement bills' approval has to do with Trump's win, given the recurrent reassurance of the U.S. president-elect regarding Israel's security as a top priority of his coming administration.

"The timing is scheduled to seize the opportunity of Trump's victory, which is why the initial approval of the bills has been done so quickly," the professor told Xinhua.

However, Gomaa of Al-Ahram Center believes that the bills would be approved anyway regardless of the winner of the U.S. presidential elections. "It is difficult to link the bills' approval with Trump's win, as the approval is just practical embodiment of the Israeli society's general tendency towards the right wing."

PARIS BID UNCERTAIN

France has been preparing for an international peace conference to be held in Paris before year end in attempt to revive the stagnant Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, yet the bid has officially been rejected by Netanyahu in a recent phone call with French President Francois Hollande.

"I do not see much hope in Paris conference as the two parties of conflict have reached an impasse," said Fahmy, regretting the unclear and uncertain destiny of the Middle East peace process under the current Israeli practices that limit chances for peace and settlement.

For his part, Gomaa said that the initial ideas of Paris conference are meant to form an international monitoring commission to supervise the Israeli-Palestinian peace progress, which might marginalize the exclusive U.S. mediation role.

"However, Israel's rejection of the conference in the first place and the U.S. pressure on France to amend its wording practically hinder any qualitative progress in the Mideast peace process," the researcher told Xinhua.

He argued that the French initiative is already not expected to bring much progress in favor of the Middle East peace process to be obstructed by the recent approval of pro-settlement bills.

"The picture was already dim and such bills only make it dimmer," Gomaa concluded.
by Justice Lee Adoboe

ACCRA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The perception of corruption in the country is one of the major factors leading to the victory of Nana Akufo-Addo, presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), in the just ended presidential election in Ghana, an expert said Saturday.

James Kwabena Bonfeh Jnr, Director of Elections and Campaign Strategist for the Convention People's Party (CPP), told Xinhua here via telephone that he was not surprised about the direction Ghanaians voted, since he is one of those who had been calling for change in the system.

"What surprises me though is the wide margin of votes between the winning candidate and the rest of the candidates, "considering the resources we all committed to this year's campaign," Bomfeh Jnr pointed out.

While the 72 year old lawyer polled 5,716,026 votes or 53.85 percent of the total valid votes cast, to win the presidential race at his third attempt, incumbent president came second with almost a one million vote margin at 4,713,277 votes or 44.40 percent in Wednesday's presidential poll. All the other five candidates received together less than two percents of the total valid votes cast in the election.

Bomfeh Jnr is of the view that the perception of corruption with government appointees flaunting their newly acquired wealth around may have been the cause of such a great defeat for a ruling government.

He commended the Electoral Commission for a great job done by delivering results of the election within 48 hours after the close of polls, "which is unprecedented under the history of Ghana's fourth Republican constitution."

"Your victory is a manifestation of the people's desire for new a leadership and comes with enormous responsibilities including a commitment to pursue an anti-corruption drive across-the-board," former president Jerry John Rawlings, founder of ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) stated in a congratulatory message to the president-elect.

According to him, Ghana faces huge challenges, many of which Akufo-Addo had promised during his campaign to solve, adding that the electorate reposed their trust in Akufo-Addo because they believe he is capable of dealing with the challenges and lead the country with fearlessness, humility and honesty.

Rawlings urged Akufo-Addo to pursue a leadership that unifies the people so members of the losing side have no reason to feel insecure.
Police say a Grand Forks woman shot by her adult son before he took his own life has died of her injuries. Authorities say 53-year-old Jennifer Harrison died at Altru Hospital days after she was found in her home with multiple gunshot wounds to her torso and head. According to officials, 21-year-old Tyler Harrison shot his mother Wednesday at the home they shared in Grand Forks. Police say he turned the gun on himself and was found dead in their driveway. Officials say the shooting was domestic-related, but that their investigation is continuing.
ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson speaks during the IHS CERAWeek 2015 energy conference in Houston, Texas April 21, 2015. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Trump is expected to nominate Exxon Mobil Chief Executive Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state, NBC News reported on Saturday, quoting two sources close to the transition process.

However, NBC reported that the unnamed sources cautioned that nothing is final till Trump officially announces the pick probably next week.

Tillerson, 64, is the Texas-based oil company's CEO since 2006 and had moved ahead of other candidates for the position of the country's top diplomat after former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, once a favorite to be the next U.S. secretary of state, dropped out of the competition on Friday.

Meanwhile, NBC quoted one source as saying that former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton would be deputy secretary of state "for day-to-day management of the department."

Like Trump, Tillerson has no government experience and so far little is known of Tillerson's views about foreign affairs.

The Wall Street Journal quoted sources as saying that Tillerson's initial emergence as a candidate for the country's top diplomat surprised senior Exxon officials, including Tillerson himself.

But in Tillerson, a seasoned business executive, some Trump advisers saw a "mold-breaking pick who would bring an executive's experience to the diplomatic role," the Journal reported.

As Exxon's CEO, Tillerson, set to retire from the company in 2017, oversees business operations in over 50 countries and has known Russian President Vladimir Putin since 1990s when they first met.

Tillerson was awarded Russia's Order of Friendship in 2013, a state decoration to reward foreign nationals whose work is aimed at the betterment of relations with Russia.

Tillerson joined Exxon Exxon in 1975 and has spent his entire career at the company.
Officials in protective gear check for signs of radiation on children who are from the evacuation area near the Fukushima Daini nuclear plant in Koriyama, March 13, 2011.(Xinhua/Reuters)

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cesium-134, the so-called fingerprint of Fukushima, was measured in seawater samples from the west coast of the United States and a salmon sampled from Canada, researchers said.

Releases from the Fukushima reactors have included dozens of radioactive elements, but with regard to materials released into the ocean, most of the attention has been on three radioactive isotopes released in large amounts: iodine-131, cesium-137, and cesium-134, according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).

Iodine-131 from Fukushima decaying quickly is no longer detectable in the environment. Cesium-137 has a relatively long half-life (30 years), but it is also present in the ocean as a result of nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s and the 1960s. Because of its short half-life, cesium-134 can only have come from Fukushima.

Cesium-134 was measured, for the first time, in seawater samples from Tillamook Bay and Gold Beach in the U.S. northwest state of Oregon, the Statesman Journal newspaper reported, citing the WHOI.

Cesium-134 has also been detected in a Canadian salmon for the first time, the Fukushima InFORM project, led by University of Victoria chemical oceanographer Jay Cullen, reported in November.

Samples, in both cases, indicate that radiation from the nuclear disaster at extremely low levels is not harmful to humans or the environment.

Each of the seawater samples taken in January and February of 2016 and later analyzed measured 0.3 becquerels per cubic meter of cesium-134. And the level in a single sockeye salmon, sampled from the Okanagan Lake in the summer of 2015, was more than 1,000 times lower than the action level set by Health Canada.

Radiation contamination at Fukushima was "unprecedented" for the oceans, Ken Buesseler, a senior scientist at the WHOI told Xinhua earlier this year.

"While in total Chernobyl was a bigger source of human-made radioactivity, most of the Fukushima releases entered the ocean, more than 80 percent, so for the oceans this was a bigger source," Buesseler said.

Buesseler, who called for more efforts to make environmental and health assessments of the Fukushima accident, said even when radiation levels become lower than any safety standards, people can still learn something about the fate and transport of radioactive compounds in this way.

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude-9.0 earthquake -- one of the largest ever recorded -- struck the eastern coast of Japan.

The tsunamis caused by the quake badly damaged the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, eventually causing four of the six reactors there to release radiation into the atmosphere and ocean.

Emergency crews used seawater to cool the damaged reactors at the power plant. Because of the plant's location along the coast, much of the water was washed into the Pacific, resulting in the largest accidental release of radiation to the ocean in history.
OSLO, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's ambassador to Norway Shukria Barakzai has asked the Nordic country to stop mass deportations of Afghan refugees, newspaper Aftenposten reported Saturday.

Barakzai's remarks came after Norwegian Minister of Migration and Integration Sylvi Listhaug talked of deportations of Afghan asylum seekers from Norway on social media, the newspaper said.

Barakzai warned about the disaster in her home country. "This is the worst possible time to send asylum seekers back," she told Aftenposten.

"We are flooded with refugees from Pakistan and Iran currently. All the countries that have Afghan refugees need to understand and realize the challenges we have now," Barakzai said.

From January until October this year, there have been 2,323 rejected asylum seekers from Afghanistan. In the last 10 months, 743 Afghans have been sent out of Norway.

Afghanistan has had almost 800,000 returned refugees this year. The country has also around 1.3 million internally displaced people.

Barakzai calls for better dialogue with the police's department of immigration and the immigration authorities regarding the deportation.

Vidar Brein Karlsen, Listhaug's secretary, responded by saying that he was not informed about any inquiries from the Afghanistan ambassador.

"In the case of return, Norway relates to the tripartite agreement signed between Norway, Afghanistan and UNHCR in 2005. The agreement was renegotiated in 2011 and is still applicable," Karlsen told Aftenposten.
RABAT, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Morocco condemned on Saturday the terrorist attack on Friday against a security checkpoint in Egypt's Cairo that killed six policemen and injured others.

Morocco also pledged its support for Egypt in countering terrorism, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The North African kingdom stressed the importance of regional and international cooperation to fight terrorism.

Morocco offered its condolences to the families of the victims, wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the attack, the statement added.

A minor Islamist military faction claimed responsibility for the bomb attack that killed six Egyptian policemen in the country's Giza governorate.
DAMASCUS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State (IS) group has retreated from points it reached in the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria as a result of intense airstrikes by Russia and Syria on Saturday, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported.

The airstrikes targeted several areas near Palmyra in a bid to push back IS, which attempted to attack the city and has reportedly re-entered it after losing it to the Syrian government forces in nine months ago.

Meanwhile, a military source told Xinhua that the Syrian forces have thwarted an infiltration attempt by IS to enter the eastern part of Palmyra.

Earlier, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the IS entered that oasis city on Saturday.

"The IS is in the city of Palmyra for the first time after losing it to the Syrian army, whose forces are collapsing in the city," said the Observatory.

The UK-based watchdog group said the IS group succeeded to advance and reach the vicinity of the Palmyra hospital in the northwestern outskirts of the city, after capturing the Amiriyeh suburb in the northern part.

The IS militants also captured the Tar mountain, close to the Palmyra Citadel, west of the city, in tandem with shelling the citadel with mortar shells and heavy artillery.

The Observatory said intense battles were still raging between the IS militants and the Syrian government forces in the city.

The IS started its offensive on Palmyra on Thursday, after bringing in hundreds of fighters for taking the city, according to the Observatory.

The Syrian army are fighting to restore the positions it had lost in Palmyra as a result of the IS attack, the Observatory said.

The Syrian army captured Palmyra on March 27, 2016, a year after losing the city to the IS.

Palmyra contains the monumental ruins of a great city that was one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world.

The city has an importance to IS as it connects areas under the terror group's control in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour with areas under its control in the eastern countryside of the central province of Homs.

The recapture of Palmyra is also important as the group's fighters in Iraq have started entering Syria recently after suffering great losses in battles against the Iraqi army and the U.S.-anti-terror coalition.
PARIS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kicking off his campaign for France's presidential election, former economy minister Emmanuel Macron, portrayed himself as "a candidate for jobs", proposing "progressive" platform which "will pull France into the 21st century."

"Our project is ...to make our country win, to make it succeed in a world that is transforming. Our commitment is clear and will not be neglected," Macron said.

"The economic and social battle is the first battle and that one, we will win it," he added, pledging "to liberate people through access to employment."

Neither in the left nor in the right, ex- investment banker promised to further reduce France's high employment charges and increase workers' minimum wages by 500 euros (528.07 U.S. dollars) per year by cutting taxes on wages.

Instead, he wants to raise taxes on consumption and wealthy pensioners.

"Because I want to be a candidate of fairness, I'm candidate for jobs," he told 15,000 supporters gathered in the Porte de Versailles exhibition center, south Paris.

The pro-business youngest contender joined the Socialist government in August 2014 to replace ousted economy minister Arnaud Montebourg.

He has never had an elected post. He disclosed his political ambition after creating his own political movement "En Marche" (On the Move) in April.

Last month, the 38-year-old announced his bid to run for presidential election as an independent candidate. He has refused calls to take part in Left-wing parties primary for the upcoming presidential election.

Analysts said Macron's pro-European and centrist rhetoric is likely to further split the ruling Socialist camp and pulverize hopes of the broader Left to build momentum to challenge candidates form opposition parties.

Opinion polls placed him third in first-round voting intention with 14 percent, ahead of former prime minister Manuel Valls who is expected to win the party ticket for the race to the Elysee Palace.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella (C) gives a speech after the consultations at the Quirinale Palace in Rome, capital of Italy, on Dec. 10, 2016. Italian President Sergio Mattarella said Saturday he would make a decision "in the coming hours" to solve ongoing government crisis, and give the country a new full-functioning cabinet. (Xinhua/Jin Yu)

by Alessandra Cardone

ROME, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Italian President Sergio Mattarella said Saturday he would make a decision "in the coming hours" to solve ongoing government crisis, and give the country a new full-functioning cabinet.

Mattarella released a short statement at the end of the third day of talks with political party leaders. Italy needs a new prime minister to form a transition government, after outgoing Prime Minister Matteo Renzi resigned.

Renzi's resignation was linked to the sounding defeat of a cabinet-backed constitutional reform in a referendum held on Dec. 4.

"The country needs a full-functioning government in a short space of time: there are deadlines and commitments at domestic, European, and international level ahead of us, which have to be dealt with and respected," Mattarella said.

His decision would be expected as early as on Monday, local media reported.

Outgoing Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni was believed to emerge as the likeliest candidate to take the prime minister post, according to Ansa news agency.

Other plausible names included Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan, a respected economist whose figure might be reassuring for the market, and President of the senate and former anti-mafia prosecutor Pietro Grasso.

Mattarella started consultations on Thursday, involving all the political forces in the parliament.

Renzi's outgoing cabinet has remained in charge as caretaker until a new cabinet is formed.

Italy needs a swift way out of the political crisis to address pressing issues -- financially troubled Monte dei Paschi di Siena bank (Italy's third largest), the electoral system, the reconstruction in earthquake-hit central regions, and some relevant international commitments in 2017.

Renzi's center-left Democratic Party and some minor allies said they were ready for snap elections, but also for taking part in a "national unity government" involving all major parties.

Yet, the option was rejected by the oppositions, which were all calling for an early election.

Mattarella on Saturday restated that a change in the current electoral system was a necessary precondition to early elections.

"From these meetings has emerged, as a priority, a general need to harmonize the two laws ruling over the election of the lower house and of the senate, an indispensable condition to proceed with elections," he said.

Any decision concerning the electoral law will have to take into consideration an upcoming ruling by Italy's Constitutional Court on its legitimacy, which is set to take place on Jan. 24.

Angelino Alfano (C), leader of Italy's New Center Right (NCD) party, speaks after his consultations with Italian President Sergio Mattarella (not seen in the picture) at the Quirinale Palace in Rome, capital of Italy, on Dec. 10, 2016. Italian President Sergio Mattarella has met with major party leaders in bid to choose a new prime minister for setting up a transition government after the resignation of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Jin Yu)
Photo taken on Dec. 9, 2016 shows a view of the closing session of the 23rd ministerial meeting of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Hamburg, northern Germany. The 23rd ministerial meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the world's largest regional security organization, closed Friday with some consensuses being reached among its member states. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)
GRAND FORKS  A sprint for North Dakotas lone U.S. House seat or one of its Senate seats could start any day now.

It all depends on President-elect Donald Trump. If he names either Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., or Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., to his administration, it will signal the beginning of a flurry of political jockeying to become North Dakotas voice in Washington.

Cramer, who is under advanced consideration for energy secretary, discussed the matter directly with Trump in New York on Monday. Heitkamp has dismissed talk of a Cabinet position as purely speculative, and insisted that an administration job did not come up in her own conversation with Trump last week -- but that hasnt stopped observers from suggesting she might be picked for energy or interior secretary.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky met with Cramer this week to discuss a potential open Senate seat, The Hill newspaper reported.

There is no guarantee that either will wind up with a Cabinet post. Several other names have been floated for energy secretary within the past two weeks, including Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.

Heitkamps departure from North Dakota politics could pose a blow to state Democrats, who would lose their most senior-ranking elected official. State party Chairwoman Kylie Oversen said last week that the possibility adds some anxiety to the party's political calculations.

But if either accepts a job within the Trump administration, it would mean a special election to fill the position. And thats where things would get interesting.

Election process

Its not clear exactly when a special election would happen. Jim Silrum, North Dakotas deputy secretary of state, said state law says a special election will happen within 95 days of the governor calling for it -- not within 95 days of the vacancy being created.

Our advice to the governor would be, call the election to happen 95 days from the date that you call it, Silrum said.

The actual date of the election could be influenced by several factors, including the preparations necessary for an election and the date politicians leave office.

Silrum added that ballots for either position would likely include one candidate each for Democrats, Republicans and Libertarians, as well as any independently nominated candidates who reach the ballot via petition.

Its not clear how many would line up for either post, but multiple leaders have signaled interest. Sen. Tom Campbell, R-Grafton, said he would run for either seat if it opened up.

Im all ready to go on the sidelines, he said.

Rep. Rick Becker, R-Bismarck, a former candidate for governor, did not say for certain whether he would run for either seat, but said hes open to that possibility.

My actual answer is I dont know. Im not ruling any of them out, Becker said. Ive taken over six, maybe closer to eight months thinking about 2018, thinking about whether I should make a move to try and run for a U.S. office, and now theres a potential for me to have to make a very quick decision.

Some high-profile politicians seem easier to count out. Though Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley said in October that hes still trying to decide what hes going to do once his time at the Capitol ends, his spokesman Jeff Zent said Wednesday that Wrigley is joining the private sector and does not want to speculate on what could happen to Cramer's or Heitkamps seat.

North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem -- who was re-elected AG in 2014 with 74 percent of the vote and lost a bid for governor in the Republican primary this year -- has appeared to rule out Washington jobs. Asked in October about a potential run for Heitkamps seat, he cited his wifes career in North Dakota and a difficult political culture in the nations capital.

"I don't want to live in Washington," Stenehjem said. "I go to Washington two or three times a year, and you know what? I'm never as happy as I am when I leave."

A path to Washington is less clear for Democrats, whose most successful statewide candidate, state treasurer hopeful Tim Mathern, earned 29 percent of the vote on Election Day. State House Minority Leader Corey Mock, D-Grand Forks, said he hasnt given it any thought, given his brand-new leadership role; but he said Mac Schneider, a Grand Forks Democrat who lost his Senate re-election bid in November, would be an excellent candidate.

He is someone who is being missed by members of both political parties, Mock said.

Schneider said thats a bridge hell cross when -- and if -- he comes to it.

Obviously, its very flattering to be mentioned, he said. "But at the same time, thats a hypothetical built on a hypothetical. I think the most appropriate thing to do would be to respond if and when that occurs."

Tyler Axness, a Fargo Democrat who lost his Senate seat in November, offered a similar statement.

You never rule anything out, but this is the first Ive heard my name brought up on it, he said.
ST. PAUL, Minn.  The rhetoric on immigration during the presidential campaign season has struck fear into the hearts of many foreign-born families, and a new network of Minnesota churches is mobilizing to respond.

The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer on St. Pauls Dale Street already maintains 22 shelter beds for the homeless in its basement, where families with no other place to go often spend the night on a temporary basis. The Rev. James Erlandson said those beds may soon serve a different purpose: offering sanctuary to those facing deportation.

Thats a moral stand that weve taken, Erlandson said. We want to say: Dont increase deportations. Lets fix our immigration system, and offer a path to citizenship so our neighbors dont live in fear.

On Tuesday, clergy and religious leaders from 30 congregations gathered at the Church of the Redeemer to announce that 13 churches across Minnesota have agreed to open their doors to immigrants, whatever their circumstances -- even those sought by law enforcement.

For the 13 sanctuary churches, that means being prepared to house those who might face deportation, and shuttling them from church to church as the need arises.

In practical terms, how long any given church will be able to house a family remains unclear.

Thats unknown, said the Rev. Mark Vinge of the House of Hope Lutheran Church in New Hope. But we know that the Lord will guide us.

Church officials on Tuesday made reference to the Underground Railroad, which helped hide and guide Southern slaves to freedom.

Rather than house those living in the U.S. illegally, some sanctuary support congregations have agreed to assist the faith-based network with donations of food, money, clothing and toiletries, or with prayer vigils, news conferences and legal assistance.

Meanwhile, 20 other churches are still discussing details with their congregations or church councils as they contemplate whether to join the new sanctuary or sanctuary support network, and in what capacity.

The churches are all affiliated with ISAIAH, a faith-based coalition of racial and social justice advocates based on University Avenue in St. Paul.

Were also seeking legal counsel to understand (our rights), said the Rev. Grant Stevenson, an ISAIAH staff member. What we know for sure is that, standing on our faith, we cannot allow families to be torn apart because someone ran for president on a platform of hate.

The pastors acknowledged that the details of President-elect Donald Trumps immigration plans remain unknown, but they said his tough rhetoric has stoked an atmosphere of unease that has been building for years.

Returns (voluntary departures, and sending border crossers back across the U.S.-Mexican border on buses) exceeded 8 million under President George W. Bush, and removals (formal, documented deportations) hit a historic high of more than 2 million under President Barack Obama.

If there is an event of mass deportation, well be ready, said ISAIAH spokeswoman Janae Bates.

An ISAIAH guide sheet notes that guidelines are at the discretion of individual churches and their congregants, but the goal is to have individuals or families reside in your place of worship for an undetermined amount of time while the community of Sanctuary works on the Stay of Removal orders for each person.

Vinge said his 13-member church council met a week ago to discuss whether to name House of Hope a sanctuary church. His house of worship is active in helping the homeless and worked with Southeast Asian refugees in the 1970s, following the Vietnam War. Still, he said the prospect of housing a family 24 hours a day, 7 days a week gave some members pause.

Others wondered if maybe we should just be a supporting congregation, helping others do this, Vinge said. But in the end we want to be part of this.

During a joint presentation to reporters Tuesday, Vinge took the microphone to quote Leviticus 19:33-34: When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
FG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images(LOS ANGELES) -- Southwest Airlines has canceled 10 scheduled daily flights to and from Mexico because of paperwork issues with Mexican authorities.

The flights, originally scheduled to travel between Los Angeles International Airport and Cancun, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta, are canceled through Tuesday, but Southwest says they are unsure of how long it will take to get through the red tape.

The airline operated the flights successfully for a few days this week before the paperwork snafu required them to stop.



The new flights were announced in August after a bilateral treaty between the United States and Mexico allowed more flights to cross the border. Southwest published its flight schedule and sold seats for the new routes, which are now grounded while waiting for the paperwork issues to be resolved. Previously established Southwest routes are not impacted.



Southwest told ABC News it is fully compliant with the terms of the accord between the two countries, and submitted all the paperwork required to operate the flights more than three months ago.



The airline said that it is now faced with unplanned challenges and forced to make proactive flight cancellations," and the U.S. Department of Transportation is working to resolve the situation.

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Minister to furniture sector: Maximise capacity

With this in mind, I am certain that we will continue to see new and exciting developments arising from our local furniture sector in the coming years, includ ing more local products on offer throughout the Courts chain, Gopee- Scoon said. She made the remarks while delivering the feature address at the opening ceremony of Courts at Calcutta Settlement, Road #1 in Freeport, off the Solomon Hochoy Highway.

The Minister noted that this country has had many years of enviable economic growth.

However, it does not safeguard citizens from the challenges posed by volatile energy prices and global competition.

Gopee-Scoon added, As we set our sights on the goal of wider diversification and sustainable economic development, the Government encourages private sector players to follow Unicomers example in fortifying their respective brands and embracing innovation. Unicomer is an international retail group which represents more than 30 retail brands across the region, among them Courts, Courts Optical and Servitech, to name a few.

The Minister explained that direct investments, such as the opening of Courts newest branch, have expansive, positive, direct and indirect spillover effects on society. She noted that the efficient functioning of our local markets depends on an adequate level of competition among producers.

By increasing consumer choice, Gopee-Scoon said, this investment will increase the level of competition in the domestic furniture market and thus increase the economic welfare of consumers. Commending the Unicomer Group for serving this country by being a driver of social and economic development, the Minister charged that the investment created 250 jobs during construction.

That figure is expected to generate some 500 permanent jobs when the full project is completed.

Among those in attendance at yesterdays ceremony were: Ambassador Extraordinary and plenipotentiary of El Salvador to CARICOM, Raymundo Rodriguez Diaz; vice-president and managing director of Unicomer Caribbean and USA, Mario Guerrero; Managing Director, Unicomer (Trinidad Limited), Clive Fletcher; and General Manager at Courts Freeport, Debra Thomas.

Gopee-Scoon noted that Trinidad and Tobago is a signatory to 12 free trade or preferential trading agreements that together offer a potential market size of approximately one billion.

It is part of the Governments plan, she said, to continue engaging countries in such bilateral discussions to encourage the expansion of local industry and investment, both foreign and local.

In his welcome address, Guerrero noted that with the opening of the store yesterday, it marked Courts 21st and Courts Opticals 13th store in Trinidad.

The vice-president added that the Unicomer Group is the proud sponsor of the Courts Speak Out Programme and the Courts Cocoa in the Community Project.

Both initiatives allow the Group to widen the impact of efforts across several communities, Guerrero said. As we continue our expansion throughout the Caribbean, we invest with confidence in the future, creating new employment opportunities for many as we increase our retail footprint adding new stores and new chains to better serve the people of the 15 Caribbean countries we serve, he added.

Fletcher, in his welcoming remarks, told the gathering that the new store features a 25,000 square-foot showroom filled with the very latest in a variety of items.

These include home appliances, televisions, electronics, digit products, a wide range of stylish furniture, as well as a Courts Sleep Centre and a full service Courts Optical.
A kiss before dying

He just gave me a kiss and then left. Little did I know, that would be the last time I saw my son alive, cried the mother of three.

An hour later, I got a call that he was dead and my other son is in the hospital, Terri-Ann Goodridge said. Wiping away tears, the woman added that her sons Omari and Tekima, went to her home on George Street in Port-of- Spain on Thursday, to spend the day with her. Just before 8 pm, she said, her two sons left to go to their respective homes. A short while later, she received news no parent ever wants to hear. Son Omari was dead.

According to reports Omari, 25, and Tekima, 24, were liming with a group of friends under a shed near their home in Dan Kelly, Laventille. At about 9.30 pm gunshots rang out. When the smoke cleared, the two Goodridge brothers and a 16-year-old girl identified by police as Deyshaun Campbell, were all lying on the ground, shot several times.

All three were rushed to the Port-of-Spain General hospital but Omari succumbed to his wounds while en route. Newsday understands that Omari was shot multiple times in the chest while Tekima was shot in both legs.

Tekima, a father of one, remains warded at hospital in a stable condition. The murder toll has reached over 430 for this year. No motive has been established and investigations are continuing.
Murdered mom to be buried next Wednesday

Cooper, 54, was shot several times to her head and chest, while her husband Carl Edmund,63, shot to the left shoulder at their Harmony Hall, Marabella home.

The mother of five died on the spot, while her husband survived the attack. He was rushed to San Fernando General Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

He remains listed in a serious condition.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, a close family member said that the murder of Cooper has the left the family devastated.

She did not deserve to die like this, her death is hard for all of us to come to terms with, but we are just praying that her husband recovers to attend her funeral service, the relative said.

According to police reports at about 7 am on Thursday, Cooper who worked in the Community- based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) was seated in her husbands car in the yard of their home at the time of the incident.

Reports said that as the couple was about to drive out of the yard in their vehicle, a man, clad in white, approached the left side of the car, pointed a gun at Cooper and fired repeatedly.
Cradling a community

His example has been a guiding block to Dr Oti, who is a general practitioner in a number of community clinics in Portof- Spain and a surgical officer at the Advanced Cardiovascular Institute, Surgical Therapies, Anna St, Woodbrook.

Esimaje, like his father, shares the view that it takes a village to raise a child and through the Esimaje Foundation jointly founded with Dr David Toby, has been doing work to build and develop TT s human capital and the country itself.

The foundation recently launched its Cradle to Career pipeline initiative aimed at, preparing children for a successful future where education is a priority from early childhood until well after secondary school. This is a central part of the East Port-of-Spain initiative which also includes Resident Leadership Academy, the East Port-of-Spain Teachers Education, Cradle to Pipeline, Parental Educational Programmes for Fathers, First Teacher, the East Port-of-Spain Community Initiative Roundtable and Health First. The pipeline, an information package read, was designed to, (build) a strong support system around the traditional education pipeline, ensuring no child slips through the cracks, guiding them from cradle to career. The pipeline identifies schools in high needs communities, with specific interest being paid to the East Port-of- Spain community.

Building entrepreneurs Esimaje always helped those who came into the hospital but decided to institutionalise his help, particularly after his father died in 2004. Seeing many young men enter the hospital with gunshot wounds and assisting them as well was a driving factor in starting the foundation.

In 2006, the Esimaje Foundation was born.

Since its inception, the foundation has been steadily and quietly working toward building a better TT . Esimaje barely smiled during the interview but when he said he does this because he thinks about the future and about crafting a future where everyone has value, a wide smile lit his face.

Over the years, the foundation has done work in areas such as building entrepreneurship in high-risk areas through a programme called The E In Me (The Entrepreneur in Me) which is an entrepreneurial awareness and potential discovery workshop designed to help people discover their business/ entrepreneurial abilities.

The programme peers its participants with mentors in the same line of business and also areas where their businesses need strengthening. There is also Daddy please Dont Go which is a parenting skills workshop for fathers which includes family programmes, sports, father and child bonding activities, motivational speeches, health and wellness management and career counselling.

The foundation partners with groups and ministries such as The Ministry of National Security (Citizen Security Programme) and the then Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development in the execution of the programmes.

The East Port-of-Spain thrive initiative is a Cradle to Career pipeline. What it hopes to do is create a community of opportunity that is centred around strong schools, strong families and strong neighbourhoods. It is modelled after the Harlems Children Zone and promised neighbourhoods. A geographic area is identified amongst high risk or high needs communities and a blanket of services
Businessman files injunction against Somar Steel

Somar Steel TT Limited of Venezuela, which once operated in Point Lisas, Couva, is on the verge of leaving the country due to the fall internationally in the price of steel.

Tonnes of plant and equipment have been packed into containers and was due to be shipped back to Venezuela until yesterday when a Marshall from the High Court, San Fernando and a bailiff, accompanied businessman Chris Hosein to the port and served the injunction and a writ of execution on the Harbour Master.

Hosein, a businessman of Longdenville, Chaguanas, filed a Freezing injunction on November 22, seeking a judges order to seize the plant and equipment contained in nine containers of Somar Steel TT Ltd, at the port of Point Lisas.

A further Order was sought according to documents filed in the High Court, San Fernando, to prevent Somar from removing its assets from the jurisdiction including equipment and steel in seven 40-foot and two 20-foot cargo containers, which are stored on the port.

Hosein also sought an Order against Somar restraining the company from loading any vessel on the port, with those containers.

And, an Order directing the Harbour Master from allowing any vessel to set sail with the goods which is bound for Venezuela.

Hosein is contending that in October 2015, he entered into a lease agreement with Somar, to rent a vehicle to the company at the rate of $10,500 per month.

He obtained a judgment against Somar for $127,930 which is accumulated costs of rental.

The court registrar sent a copy of the judgment to Somar, but the company is yet to pay the monies.

Hosein resorted to filing an injunction which came up last week Thursday before Justice Andre des Vignes in the San Fernando High Court.

Attorney Stephen Boodram instructed attorney Jeevan Andrew Rampersad for Hosein, who made submissions before the judge.

Justice Des Vignes, however, found that the levy was quite excessive and requested certain evidence be filed as regards the exact amount of equipment that needed to be seized to reflect the quantum of damages Hosein has suffered.

On three occasions the matter came up before the judge and he expressed the view that he could find no reason why the registrar could not effect the levy on the goods, but only as it relates to the value of the monies owed.

Yesterday, Hosein, bailliff Dexter Brown and a deputy Marshall of the court went to the port and served a writ of execution and the Harbour Master, in an attempt to seize the containers.

However, following legal advice, they were advised by the port officials that a certain document had to be prepared and served on the Comptroller of Customs and Excise, before the levy could take place.

Yesterday, the attorneys prepared the document and it is expected that on Monday, the levy would be carried out. Hosein is seeking to seize equipment that would also cover storage of the container, expenses and payment of his legal fees.
QRC expresses concern

However, Kenrick Harrinauth, president of the QRC OBA stated they were recently informed via written communication that the property will be assigned to the Police Guard and Emergency Branch.

Harrinauth said: We are very concerned that once again QRC is being neglected and stymied in its educational development of our nations young men. He added: The college is short of over 50,000 square feet of space according to the Ministry of Education (MoE) established requirements, yet there seems to be no concern. At the schools recent Annual Dinner, Harrinauth, addressed the issue in relation to the property to the West of the College, bounded by Alexandra and Hayes Streets and by St Clair Avenue that belonged to QRC prior to the expansion of the education system back in the 1960s.

He said the parcel of land was under the administration of QRC, and is currently in contention with the Ministry of Education (MoE) over it. Following a meeting of Old Boys Ossie Nurse, Bertie Farrell, Robert Blache-Fraser, William Carter and Justice Rolston Nelson with consultation from Reginald Dumas, the OBA despatched letters to the Ministers of Education and of Public Administration regarding the return of the property to QRC, Harrinauth insisting that two previous Ministers of Education had informally agreed to such return.

An application, that included the Principals plans for such use, and in harmony with the governments policy on education was also submitted for the effective educational use of the property. In 2008, in consideration of the Ministrys request for an assessment of the possible adaptive reuse of the Ministry buildings, a site visit was proposed and initially agreed. This was subsequently rescinded with a note advising of discussions to be held between the Principal and the Ministry before works could proceed. This meant that design work on the west Block, well advanced, could not be continued until the entire MoE requirements were satisfied, which requirements could not be achieved on the existing campus without encroaching on the playing field.
Kamla: Crime more critical than FATCA

Persad-Bissessar held a news briefing with her fellow Opposition MPs, after their earlier mass exit from the Lower House in protest at Speaker Bridgid Annisette- Georges denial of her call for an urgent debate on crime. Persad- Bissessar said Banfields death placed crime as the top issue for Parliament to debate, ahead of the foreign tax-evasion treaty known as FATCA which she wanted curtailed at 6 pm.

She lamented the stark, brutal, brutish reality that the Government has collapsed by failing in its core duty to ensure the safety of citizens such as Banfield. I can see no issue but dealing with crime, Persad-Bissessar said. We are receiving reports of others being brutally slaughtered. Im not speaking of engaged in criminal activity but people carrying out their ordinary business as citizens, she related.

Lloyd Best would have phrased it to say the Government has pre-collapsed in office having failed in its very core duty. Crime and the fight against crime is the paramount issue facing our nation today. Persad-Bissessar justified her motion by mulling the role of an MP, who is also a mother, father, grandparent or sibling. You see a twenty-year-old murdered, a young woman in the prime of her life...and its not important for discussion?! Persad-Bissessar asked if the Speaker knew that the viral effect of Banfields death on social media? She said the Governments forecast of doom and gloom over any delays in the FATCA Bill had not happened, but that many people are dying violently. Persad-Bissessar said in its 15 month term, the Government had offered the House no legislation to help the small man.

Urging a serious Government intervention on crime, Persad- Bissessar said, We gave them numerous suggestions but not one has been dealt with. Scoffing at Government claims that Opposition MPs dislike FATCA because they have monies to hide, she declared that TTs MPs declare earnings to the Integrity Commission and not the United States tax office, she said, I have no money to hide anywhere. Persad-Bissessar vowed to not let the matter rest but to raise it again on Monday in Parliament.
TT deemed non-compliant

Al-Rawi made the statement in the House of Representatives after Opposition MPs walked out of the continuation of the debate on the Tax Information Exchange Agreement Bill 2016, which is essential to this country being Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) compliant with the United States.

Al-Rawi said he was ashamed to report to Parliament that on November 4, the Global Forum has publicly identified TT as one of three countries which are non-compliant with it. He said the other two countries are Guatemala and the Federated States of Micronesia.

The AG said Cabinet notes from 2011 and 2013 clearly show the former government was aware that,the consequence of non compliance with the FATCA version of for global forum was that TT would suffer negative consequences by way of delisting, debanking and derisking, the loss of our banking services with Europe, if we did not act with urgency. Al-Rawi declared, I am ashamed to say that not only do we face the jeopardy of the position of FATCA today but the UNC (United National Congress) government has specifically when they were in charge, left us with a deeper, darker more dangerous hole on the Global Forum outcomes. He further stated this shows the UNC, has engaged in a complete and total dereliction of duty to the people of TT as they have walked out on the Parliament now, twice without explanation. Declaring this was the fifth opportunity the Government has given the Opposition to debate their concerns about FATCA, Al-Rawi said the Government was prepared to stay here, blankets and all, until the debate was concluded.

Reiterating that all but one clause in the bill remains to be addressed, Al-Rawi said the UNC was displaying a morbid fear about TT being FATCA compliant.

Saying he was genuinely upset by yesterdays walkout, Al-Rawi asked, Why is the UNC hiding from this debate? Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Stuart Young said the UNC found time before last Septembers elections to sign other questionable agreements but failed to sign the inter-government agreement (IGA) on FATCA, despite giving a commitment to do so.

Young agreed with Al-Rawi that the bill spoke to Governments efforts to bring civil asset forfeiture legislation to Parliament.

Noting the legislation concerned TT nationals who have US citizenship, he wondered if the UNC was worried that persons it knew had not paid taxes in accordance with UNC.

Young also wondered whether the Opposition was concerned Government was seeking to enter into similar FATCA agreements with other jurisdictions. He said the Opposition cannot claim they were muzzled or ambushed on the FATCA legislation when they have been given every opportunity to voice their concerns
Imbert to Opposition: Stop gallerying

Please submit them to the Parliament so that we can look at them and we will try to accommodate them as best as we can, he said yesterday in the House of Representatives.

Imberts call was made while in the process of wrapping up the debate on the bill but did not complete the debate.

Government Leader of Business Camille Robinson-Regis interrupted to adjourn the session to Monday at 1.30 pm as Imbert reminded her, I am not finished yea and she acknowledged.

Newsday understands Robinson- Regis took the stance to adjourn the session to give the Opposition a chance to make their contribution at Mondays sitting.

If TT does not become FATCA compliant, sanctions will include the loss of foreign correspondent banking. In his presentation, Imbert said, We hope the Opposition would stop grandstanding, stop gallerying, and stop playing the fools with a very serious matter. He expressed the hope that before the bill goes to the committee stage, Government will get something out of them.

It is ridiculous for something as serious as this where we are going to lose all our correspondent banking and our financial relationships with the rest of the world that the opposition is just carrying on and they wont give us written amendments. It is highly unfortunate, he said, that they walked out of the Parliament, describing it as a stage-managed walk out. Government wanted to hear what the Opposition proposed amendments were, he said.

We have tried our best based on the newspaper advertisement and the vague utterance they have made in the newspapers to fashion amendments that capture their complaints, but we dont know. All we hear is that they coming with amendments, he said.

Since September 9 or 10, Government has been trying in the Parliament, he said, to squeeze out of them their required amendments, but was only getting old talk.

The Opposition while in the last government made a commitment since May 2013 to enact legislation to become FATCA compliant and were now procrastinating, Imbert said.

He sought an extension to the deadline and has given a commitment to ensure that the legislation is passed by February 2017, and that the systems and processes to ensure reporting were in place by September 2017.

If TT fails to meet the deadlines, he said, I daresay, we would not get another extension.
Trump transition: Tweet tempests in teacups! (Washington Diary)

United States,Politics, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Washington, Dec 10 (IANS) Time magazine grudgingly named Donald Trump "Person of the Year", overlooking readers' choice of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

But the man who would be the President of the US in forty days demonstrated once more, how he can seize the moment time and again, creating turbulence with a tweet.

The Manhattan mogul, who was peeved at being passed over last year, called the magazine's choice "a great honour," but still took issue with the cover naming him as the "President of the Divided States of America."

Taking a victory lap in states that delivered him the White House - "Oh boy, how you delivered!" - he called it "snarky" as he made a stabbing motion with his right hand at a rally of supporters in Iowa donning red "Make America Great Again" hats.

Earlier, the reality TV star sent the talking heads from Washington to New Delhi into a tizzy, as he called Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a "terrific guy" in Islamabad, and that how he was "willing to play any role" to find solutions for "amazing" Pakistan's problems.

Then he set the chatterati aflutter as he needled China by taking a congratulatory call from the Taiwanese President in the first high level contact, since the US switched diplomatic recognition from the island nation to Beijing in 1979.

"Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don't think so!" Trump shot back at critics of his "shoot-from-the-hip diplomatic style."

Meanwhile, Boeing cruising through clear skies amid talks to build fighter aircraft plants in India, ran into turbulence with a Trump tweet out of the blue.

"Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion!" Trump tweeted. "Cancel order!"

Then hours after accusing Boeing of "doing a little bit of a number", Trump won an assurance from the Boeing chief executive -- "a good man" and "a terrific guy" -- that the company would work to keep costs down. That sent liberal media having a beef with his Cabinet picks from fat cat billionaires to "mad dog" generals to critics of Barack Obama's policies from health to labour to environment scrambling in another direction.

Trump also had a dustup with Carrier air conditioning's union chief, who accused him of doing a "dog and pony show" by exaggerating the number of company jobs he had saved from moving to Mexico.

The mogul hit back with a swift tweet saying the long standing union chief "has done a terrible job representing workers. No wonder companies flee country!"

Set to announce on December 15, how he will separate himself "in total" from his worldwide business holdings, Trump courted another controversy insisting he would not be giving up his title as executive producer on "The Celebrity Apprentice." Nor was he ready to take his thumbs off from Twitter.

"If the press would cover me accurately & honourably, I would have far less reason to 'tweet'. Sadly, I don't know if that will ever happen!" he tweeted.

But in the midst of all the controversies, he often turned to his new phone friend Barack Obama, who he once said, "would go down as the worst president in history!"

"I really like him - I can say for myself, I can't speak for him - but we have a really good chemistry together," he declared claiming the outgoing president had even approved of one of his Cabinet picks.

Meanwhile, left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore, one of the few to predict a Trump win back in June, advocated using the Electoral College as a "stopgap" meant to keep a "madman who wants to be king" from becoming president.

A New York Times columnist too suggested that "Time magazine ever in search of buzz" had chosen a "man of the year (who) is, by words and deeds, more of a madman of the year."

But a Wall Street Journal columnist saw "Trump as Lady Gaga" calling him a "political performance artist" somewhat in the mould of "Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan - who challenged and overturned status quos."

Call him madman, performance artist or person of the times, but the magician of Manhattan knows how to keep the media pot boiling and stay in the limelight.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)

--IANS

ak/soni/ahm/vm
Two-day 'Indo-Asia Connectivity conference' in Kolkata to boost economy, investment

West Bengal,National,Business/Economy, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Kolkata, Dec 10 (IANS) A two-day 'Indo-Asia Connectivity' conference would be held in Kolkata on December 14-15 to boost regional economic connectivity between India and the countries of South and Southeast Asia and to explore investment opportunities.

The US Consulate General here, in association with Washington-based East West Center, the Indian Chamber of Commerce and CUTS (Consumer Unity and Trust Society) International, is organising the "Indo-Asia Connectivity for Shared Prosperity" conference.US Ambassador to India Richard R. Verma, his Bangladeshi counterpart Marcia Bernicat and US Ambassador to Nepal Alaina Teplitz would also speak in the conference.

Verma last week visited five of the eight northeastern states - Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura, and met Chief Ministers and other stakeholders discussed various economic and bilateral issues.

"During my visit to the northeastern states, I have discussed with the governments of the region about connectivities, trade, economy and commerce, energy related issues," Verma said in Agartala."The conference would focus on three key policy areas. These include maritime and waterways connectivity in the Bay of Bengal region, energy cooperation between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal and cross-border trade and investment," Bipul Chatterjee, Executive Director of Jaipur-based NGO CUTS International, said.

He said that the key policy makers, business leaders, government officials, media representatives, academics and civil society experts from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan and the US would attend the conference.

--IANS

sc/vm
'Dhruva': Ram Charan fails to impress (Review)

Delhi,Cinema/Showbiz,Southern Cinema, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Film: "Dhruva"; Director: Surinder Reddy; Cast: Ram Charan, Arvind Swamy and Rakul Preet Singh; Rating: **

Dhruva suffers from a very esoteric cinematic disease. It's known as the sickness of slickness. So hell-bent is it to out-slick the original Tamil film "Thani Oruvan", that director Surinder Reddy orders his entire team to workout in the gym of their minds.

Ram Charan, of course, takes the gyming to the literal level. He tones his policeman character's physique to an unbelievably chiselled level of sinewiness. And just to prove how serious he is about being monstrously macho with his gun and muscles, he even takes off his shirt at one point to display his abundant talent.

Policemen in real life are often unfit and potbellied. Not this one. Not this time.

Ram Charan's performance is so physically fit that it screams for attention. Ditto the film.

"Dhruva" is a wannabe Mukul Anand film. In the 1980s, Mukul Anand redefined slick thrills in Bollywood with his Amitabh Bachchan actioners. Surinder Shetty could be the late Mukul Anand's new avatar. I see the same fidgety restlessness in his narrative stratosphere. The same impatience to get on with the story and not allow it to be bogged down by comic and romantic relief. Rakul Preet Singh is the wallflower that Telugu cinema relegates its leading ladies to being. Think "Kabali". Think Radhika Apte.

This is a welcome change in Telugu cinema where the main plot is weighed down by demoniacal diversions. "Dhruva" sticks to the straight and not-so-narrow path. It's a classic cat-and-mouse chase saga about a devious scientist(Arvind Swamy) whose evil ambitions to destroy the world are thwarted by a police officer who gives nothing away from his expressions. This abundance of secrecy may seem terribly clever when dealing with a villain who is smart enough to outwit even the smartest of heroes.

But then the strong and silent hero could be the way he is because he has no other option. Throughout the pulsating proceedings, punctuated by bouts of gripping action and relentless chase, Ram Charan remains expressionless to the point of seeming like a rock that has not moved from its place for centuries. Luckily, this rock moves with the speed of lightning. Ram Charan is an action hero. He should remain that way.

To see some acting chops, we have Arvind Swamy encoring his villainous act from the original Tamil film with remarkable relish. Swamy is suave and riveting. Every time he shares a frame with Ram Charan, Swamy chews up the frames with a monster's appetite. I almost felt sorry for Ram Charan for having chosen such a formidable adversary.

"Dhruva", though meant to be a vehicle for Ram Charan's comeback (his career has not seen a success for quite some time), ends up being a made-to-order vehicle for Arvind Swamy. Of course, Ram Charan will benefit from this film's success. He has played the expressionless policeman in "Toofan" ("Zanjeer" in Hindi). He makes the khaki uniform look positively pale.

--IANS

skj/rb/bg
Nobody prevented PM from speaking in Parliament: Congress

Delhi,National,Politics, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) The Congress on Saturday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accusing the opposition parties of not letting him speak in Parliament on the demonetisation issue, saying "nobody has prevented him".

"He (Modi) changes his own assurances virtually on a daily basis. Even the policy with regard to demonetisation, there have been abrupt U-turns both by the Reserve Bank of India and by the Finance Ministry.

"Nobody has prevented the Prime Minister from speaking (in Parliament). He should not mislead the people. Only thing what Opposition has asked is that he should listen to us, participate and answer our questions because it is he who made this announcement," senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told reporters here.

His remarks came after Modi said to a large gathering in north Gujarat that "though the government has agreed, the Opposition is not letting me speak in Parliament over the issue (demonetisation)".

The Congress leader also said that the Prime Minister was in the habit of "peddling untruths" and he did not believe in making honest, sincere and truthful statements.

--IANS

rak/vd/bg
US to send 200 more troops to Syria

Bahrain,Politics,Religion,Defence/Security,Terrorism, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Manama, Dec 10 (IANS) United States Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter announced on Saturday that the military would deploy approximately 200 additional troops in Syria to help retake al-Raqqa from the Islamic State terror group.

Speaking at the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, Carter explained that the troops would assist the Kurdish-Arab militias in regaining control over the IS stronghold of al-Raqqa, reports Efe.

He said the personnel would involve members of special operations forces, trainers and advisers.

The Pentagon chief said the troops would be joining 300 special forces soldiers already in Syria to continue organising, training and equipping local combatants in the fight against the IS.

Carter said the US fight against the IS is aimed mainly to destroy the "cancer's parent tumour" in Iraq and Syria, as well as in Afghanistan and Libya.

On November 6, the Kurdish-Arab armed alliance of the Syrian Democratic Forces launched the first phase of a ground offensive against the IS, with the support of the United States-led international coalition, to free the Syrian city of al-Raqqa.

--IANS

vgu/bg
Colombian president receives 2016 Nobel Peace Prize

Norway,Politics, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Oslo, Dec 10 (IANS) Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos received the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway, for his efforts to bring his country's five decade-long civil war to an end.

At the ceremony held at the Oslo City Hall, Santos received a medal, a personal diploma and prize money of $870,000, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The award has been made to President Santos alone. But it is also intended as a tribute to the Colombian people," said Berit Reiss-Andersen, deputy chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Santos initiated the negotiations that culminated in a peace accord between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's largest rebel group.

"Many groups and individuals have contributed to the peace process and deserve our thanks and tribute, including tireless negotiators, facilitators, diplomats, politicians and of course, leaders from the government and the FARC guerrillas," Reiss-Andersen said.

On October 7, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that Santos won the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for his resolute efforts to bring Colombia's civil war to an end, just four days after a peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC was narrowly rejected in a referendum.

However, Santos and FARC leader Rodrigo Londono signed a revised peace agreement in November, which was ratified by both houses of the Colombian Congress.

The country's half-century old conflict has left 220,000 people dead and millions of people homeless.

--IANS

vgu/bg
Iran slams UN resolution on Syria, calls it 'unilateral'

Turkey,Politics,Religion,Terrorism,Diplomacy, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Tehran, Dec 10 (IANS) Iran's representative to the UN criticised a recent resolution on Syria as "unilateral" and not dealing with "the reality on the ground", media reports said on Saturday.

"The draft resolution on the Syrian Arab Republic, placed before us today was a one-sided document and divorced from the reality on the ground in Syria," Xinhua news agency quoted Iran's deputy ambassador to the UN Gholam Hossein Dehqanion as saying.

On Friday, the UN General Assembly approved the Canada-drafted resolution which demanded an end to the attacks on Syrian civilians, particularly those entrapped in the war-stricken city of Aleppo.

Dehqanion said that the draft is totally silent on the root cause of the crisis in Syria.

"It is an established fact that terrorism and violent extremism are the root causes of the disaster, and it is the very issue that should be first and foremost addressed by the international community," he said.

--IANS

vgu/bg
Class 10 student stabbed to death by classmate in Delhi

Delhi,National,Crime/Disaster/Accident, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) A 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death on Friday evening by his classmate following an argument, police said.

According to police, the incident occurred near a railway track in east Delhi's Shakarpur area.

"The children had a fight in the school and while returning, the accused minor who had arranged a kitchen knife asked two other classmates to hold the victim and then stabbed him several times," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Omvir Singh told IANS.

"The boy was declared brought dead in hospital. Two other students suffered minor injuries," the officer said.

The officer said that the accused minor was sent to the juvenile correction centre.

--IANS

aks/lok/bg
Italian president in talks to form transition government

Italy,Politics, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Rome, Dec 10 (IANS) Italian President Sergio Mattarella was on Saturday in talks with party leaders in order to form a new transition government.

Italy's political crisis started after the resignation of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on Wednesday, following an overwhelming defeat in a referendum on the cabinet-backed constitutional reforms on December 4.

Mattarella has to consult all parties represented in parliament before naming a new Prime Minister, Xinhua news agency reported.

After hearing from leaders of 17 small parliamentary groups on Friday, the Italian president met with the six main parties on Saturday.

These included Renzi's center-left Democratic Party (PD) and euro-sceptic Five Star Movement (M5S), the first and second largest force in parliament respectively; anti-immigration Northern League, leftist SEL party, the New Center Right (NCD) party, and Forza Italia (FI) party of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The president's decision is expected as soon as Monday (December 12).

--IANS

vgu/bg
Minister asks scientists to develop techniques for marginal farmers

Delhi,National,Politics, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh made an appeal to agriculture scientists on Saturday to develop techniques adaptable to the needs of the huge number of marginal farmers in the country.

Singh made this appeal on the occasion of the completion of the centenary year of the Institutional Research and Academic Resources (IRAR) - Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) situated at Kasargod in Kerala, where he also inaugurated a 'Kisan Mela' and participated in an international seminar on research and development of coconut and plantation crops.

As per a release here, Singh said: "Agricultural holdings in Kerala are 0.22 hectare against the national average of 1.15 hectare. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt unified agriculture system as well as low volume - high value crops so as to make agriculture a profit making sector."

The Minister said that by adopting multi-dimensional crops cycle system, with the inclusion of coconut along with black pepper, banana, pineapple, ginger, turmeric, jaifal and jimicand, the farmers of the state will be benefited.

--IANS

spk/vgu/bg
Sushma successfully undergoes kidney transplant

Delhi,National,Politics,Health/Medicine, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday successfully underwent a scheduled kidney transplant at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here and will need at least a week to properly recover, hospital's Director M.C. Misra said on Saturday.

During the surgery, Swaraj was transplanted a kidney of an unrelated donor which was found almost a week after her daughter was turned down as a potential donor by the doctors as she too was diabetic and suffering from obesity.

"The surgery was successful and both, the donor and the recipient, have recovered from the general anaesthesia now. Both of them have been shifted to ICU to be monitored as part of the post-operative procedure," Misra told IANS.

Misra said the procedure began at 9 a.m. and lasted till 2.30 p.m. The surgery of both, the donor and the recipient, went on for 90 minutes each.

A dedicated team of 50 medical staff was required for the entire procedure. Several senior doctors were involved such as M. Minz, V.K Bansal and Preet Mohinder Singh among others under the leadership of Director M.C Misra.

The three-hour surgery was performed at the Cardio Thoracic and Neuro Sciences Centre of the hospital.

The 64-year-old, who has been in and out of AIIMS for the last few months, was admitted to the hospital on November 7.

Swaraj on November 16 said in a tweet that she was admitted to AIIMS because of a kidney failure.

According to Misra, Swaraj will take at least 7-10 days to get discharged.

"On behalf of the AIIMS family we wish Sushma Swaraj ji a very speedy recovery," said Misra.

--IANS

rup/lok/bg
Use free Wi-Fi to download books, not films: Nitish Kumar

Bihar,National,Politics,Technology, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Patna, Dec 10 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday advised youths, particularly students, to use free Wi-Fi facility to download books instead of films.

"My government has decided to provide free Wi-Fi facility at college and university campuses in the state soon. Youths, particularly students, should use this facility to download books instead of films," Nitish Kumar said at a public meeting during his ongoing Nischay Yatra in Katihar district.

Nitish Kumar said free Wi-Fi facility at college and university campuses is part of the seven resolves of the Grand Alliance government in Bihar to promote governance.

"The objective is to provide free Wi-Fi facility to help youths to move ahead in life and to become digital smart," he said.

The Chief Minister said that it was noticed that youths in Patna have not been using free Wi-Fi facility for reading and enriching knowledge.

"I was informed by concerned officials that one person had downloaded 300 films in the stretch of a 22 km free Wi-Fi facility in Patna. It is an example of misuse of an opportunity," he said.

--IANS

ik/vgu/bg
Post-demonetisation queues for larger good, time for e-money: PM (Roundup)

Gujarat,National,Politics,Business/Economy, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Deesa (Gujarat), Dec 10 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said people queuing up at banks and ATMs after demonetisation were doing so for the larger good of the country in keeping with its tradition of selflessness but also stressed that they should adopt e-banking.

"In times of scarcity, the old people in our country leave something for the young and near and dear ones even if they have to undergo difficulties. This is our culture of selflessness," Modi said while addressing a large gathering here in north Gujarat.

He was here to inaugurate the Banaskantha District Cooperative Dairy's Rs 350 crore cheese and whey powder plant.

The Prime Minister also launched A-2 Kankrej breed cow conservation project.

He acknowledged the hardship the people were facing after the government scrapped old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes but pointed out they were willing to do so in the larger fight against black money and terrorism.

Assuring the people that the situation would begin to normalise after 50 days and eventually be good for them, Modi said: "Everyone would start noticing and experiencing the difference."

Meanwhile, scores of Congress workers led by three legislators from north Gujarat, who organised a chakkajam at three locations on the Deesa-Patan highway, were rounded up by police. Legislators Govabhai Desai, Mahendrasinh Baraiya and Joitabhai Patel asserted that Modi had gone back on his promises as the Chief Minister for 13 years and Prime Minister for over two years and now had pushed the people into a major crisis.

Modi referred to the logjam in Parliament over demonetisation and said the Opposition had brought the situation to such a pass that President Pranab Mukherjee virtually pleaded with them to let the houses function.

"Though the government has agreed the Opposition is not letting me speak in Parliament over the issue. So I have to adopt this route (of addressing public gatherings)," he said.

"No opposition party whatsoever has asked me even once to roll back the decision of demonetisation. They have a problem only with the way it has been implemented."

"Criticise me as much as you want, in whatever ways you want, but prepare people for electronic banking, teach them how to use it. It is the need of the hour," the Prime Minister said. He exhorted the people to shift to e-wallets and debit and credit cards instead of spending time in standing in queues.

Later, in a surprise detour from his scheduled programme, the Prime Minister went to meet his mother Hiraba at her residence in Raisan on the outskirts of Gandhinagar.

He spent nearly 25 minutes with his mother, who lives with his brother at Raisan near Gandhinagar, before reaching BJP state headquarters, Sri Kamalam, which is close by.

This was Modi's first visit to Sri Kamalam after taking over as Prime Minister. He met parliamentarians, legislators and other party leaders in person. It is believed that he discussed party affairs in Gujarat in view of the assembly elections next year.

--IANS

desai/vd/bg
Man arrested for foiled terror attack in Paris

France,Politics,Religion,Terrorism, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Paris, Dec 10 (IANS) A French anti-terrorist judge on Saturday charged a man with alleged involvement in a foiled terror attack planned for December 1 in the French capital, local media reports said.

The 31-year-old suspect was arrested earlier this weak and placed under formal investigation on charges of "association with terrorist and criminal organisations" and "acquiring, holding, transporting and offering weapons, in connection with a terrorist group", Xinhua news agency reported.

Investigators suspected him of having provided arms to a group of men who planned to attack police and public sites in and around Paris earlier in December.

In November, four French men and one of Moroccan origin, were arrested in a foiled assault. According to Paris prosecutor Francois Molins, they were directed by an Islamic State commander.

France has sought to extend a state of emergency, imposed after the Paris attack in 2015, for seven more months to cover the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.

--IANS

vgu/bg
Two Bodo militants killed in Assam

Assam,National,Defence/Security,Terrorism, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Guwahati, Dec 10 (IANS) Two cadres of the anti-talk faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) were killed during an operation in Assam's Kokrajhar district early on Saturday. a defence spokesman said.

Lt.Col. Suneet Newton said an AK-56 rifle, a pistol, several rounds of ammunition and large quantity of rations and medicines were also recovered from near the slain cadres.

"Based on tip off, a joint team of Assam Police and Army launched an operation in a jungle area of the district on Friday night. During operation the security forces noticed movement of suspected persons. On being challenged, they opened indiscriminate fire on the security force.A The ensuing gun battle led to killing of two militants," he said.

Newton said that the two slain cadres were moving with food and medicines to be delivered to top wanted NDFB commander B. Bidai, who is currently hiding in jungles.

"One of the slain militant is identified to be a Myanmar trained cadre of NDFB faction while the other is a locally trained cadre," he said adding that the two slain cadres were also responsible for providing tip offs and warning to Bidai and his accomplices regarding movement of security forces, provision of logistics and coordination with linkmen and over ground workers.

--IANS

ah/vd
Kolkata pledges to stand up for others on Human Rights Day

West Bengal,National,Immigration/Law/Rights, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Kolkata, Dec 10 (IANS) People from various walks of life joined hands to celebrate the 68th anniversary of International Human Rights Day here on Saturday through seminars, discussions and cultural programmes.

A number of organisations, both public and private, came up with several events across the city to celebrate the iconic day that talks about 'standing up for someone's rights'.

The state board of International Human Rights Council organised a colourful evening with young dancers at the Science City Auditorium in Kolkata.

"Give to every human being every right that you claim to be yourself," said Sujata Bhattacharjee, one of the organisers.

Another city organisation, Citizens for Justice organised a seminar, presided over by former army chief, Gen. Shankar Roychoudhury, with former Calcutta High Court Justice Pratap Roy among the participants.

Various city schools and colleges conducted programmes and discussions to spread the awareness of human right' among the citizens of tomorrow.

"Everybody has the right to bloom under the sun!" said the principal of Kolkata based St. Paul's Cathedral college while describing the fundamental rights of citizen.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to Facebook urging people to show humanity in every action on occasion of the Human Rights day.

"Let us pledge to stand up for the rights of each one of our brothers and sisters across the world.

"We must show humanity in each and every one of our actions," Banerjee said.

NGO MASUM organised a Human Rights Fair on an open stage outside the Academy of Fine Arts where a number of civil society organisations and forums displayed their publications and visuals. Performers from Kolkata and the districts presented cultural programmes. Folk dance and songs were part of the colourful programme.

--IANS

mgr/ssp/vd
Congress condemns Vijayan being stopped from attending Bhopal programme

Kerala,National,Politics, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 10 (IANS) Congress' Kerala unit chief V.M. Sudheeran on Saturday night condemned the Madhya Pradesh Police from preventing Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from attending a function in Bhopal earlier in the day.

According to the Communist Party of India-Marxist party organ Deshabhimani, Vijayan had reached Bhopal to attend a function organised by Kerala-based organisations but he could not reach the venue following protest by activists of the RSS and Bajrang Dal.

Meanwhile, it added that Vijayan's counterpart Shivraj Singh Chouhan rang up Vijayan and expressed regret over the incident, while the police chief personally came and met Vijayan and apologised for what happened.

--IANS

sg/vd
Will Modi's popularity save him when the votes are counted?

Delhi,National,Politics,Opinion/Commentary, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

A month into the demonetisation drive, there cannot but be a sense of worry in government circles about the unchanging ground realities with no sign of the long queues before banks and ATMs shortening any time soon.

A more effective opposition would have had a field day in pillorying Narendra Modi. But, first, it is divided with two important Chief Ministers, Nitish Kumar and Naveen Patnaik, backing the Prime Minister.

Secondly, the opposition appears more interested in stalling parliament than in a reasoned debate probably because there is no unanimity in its ranks about the course of action.

While Mamata Banerjee wants a complete roll-back, others favour a Joint Parliamentary Committee to examine the matter.

Even if there is no certainty about how long the hardship of the ordinary people will continue, or whether their patience is inexhaustible, the nomination of Modi as Time magazine's Person of the Year in an online poll will be a morale-booster for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

It shows, if anything, that there are a large number of people who have retained their faith in him and expect him to ride out the present storm.

True, the online poll does not carry the prestige of the choice made by the magazine's editors. Evidently, the views of the denizens of ivory towers have greater value than of the unwashed hoi polloi.

Nevertheless, it is worth noting that this is the second time that Modi has come out on top in the online exercise for whatever it is worth. He won it for the first time in 2014 when he received 16 per cent of the five million votes which were cast.

This time he received 18 per cent, well ahead of Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Julian Assange, all of whom got seven per cent although Trump finally ended up the winner.

On the online poll, the magazine said that the Indian Prime Minister's handling of his country's economy was the "most positive story" of the "emerging markets".

Evidently, the present contretemps over demonetisation had no effect on the popular assessment.

What Modi's selection shows, however, is how far India -- and Modi personally -- have come from the days when the country was seen as a basket case and Modi was persona non grata in the US in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots.

In 1930, Time chose "saint" Gandhi as the Person of the Year as the "British Empire was still wondering fearfully" about 30,000 of his followers who had been jailed along with the "little half-naked brown man whose 1930 mark on world history will undoubtedly loom largest of all".

Nearly nine decades later, it is a completely different world which has seen India's, and Modi's, rise. The central point of this transformation is the economic development which is Modi's trump card.

Although there is not much to write home at present about the growth trajectory -- Manmohan Singh's government did better in the early years of his tenure -- what makes Modi stand out is his commitment to the cause.

While his predecessor faltered in the last few years of his stint because of the shift in the government's priority from growth to populism at Congress President Sonia Gandhi's behest, what is noteworthy about Modi is his focus on the market-oriented capitalist path.

Although demonetisation has caused concern about a fall in the growth rate -- the latest figure is 7.1, down from 7.6 -- few expect Modi to slow down.

The reason is that he seems to know what he is doing, unlike earlier governments which were unwilling either to follow the capitalist path lest they be labelled anti-poor, or to crack down on black money because of the banking secrecy regulations and the fear of causing a flutter in the dovecotes of tainted politicians and bureaucrats.

Modi, in contrast, has confronted the scourge of a parallel economy head-on notwithstanding the "monumental mismanagement" of the economy of which he has been accused by Manmohan Singh.

Or of being despotic, as Amartya Sen has said.

However, both the distinguished economists have failed to note that, by and large, the ordinary people have been willing to undergo the severe inconvenience of standing in long queues because they believe that instead of mere promises as in the past, a firm step against black money is at last being taken.

Nor is there an acceptance of the charge about the futility of the step considering that only six per cent of the black money is kept in cash. The reason is the belief that the latest measure will tell the hoarders of hidden wealth that Modi is serious about bringing them to book.

It is this largely uncomplaining acceptance of the travails of demonetisation which made the Left Front chairman of West Bengal, Biman Bose, concede that the bandh called by the communists failed in the state because the people believe in the efficacy of Modi's initiative.

Modi, therefore, can said to be in the process of passing the most arduous test of all by expecting the people to ignore their present difficulties because of their faith in him.

There is little doubt that demonetisation has been a risky gamble for Modi where he has taken on a section of the opposition in the hope that his popularity will save him when the votes are counted.

The unexpected support which he has received from the Time's readers is a sign that his intention to industrialise India and turn it into a regional super power is widely appreciated.

If he can pull it off, he may well be the choice of the magazine's editors for the Person of the Year in 2017.

(Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com)

--IANS

amulya/vm/ky/sac
DNA diversity helps some fish tolerate toxic levels of pollution

United Kingdom,Science/Tech,Environment/Wildlife, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

London, Dec 10 (IANS) Some groups killifish are up to 8,000 times more resistant than others to highly toxic industrial pollutants such as dioxins, heavy metals and hydrocarbons, thanks to their high levels of genetic variation, a study says.

"The Atlantic killifish seem particularly well-positioned to evolve the necessary adaptations to survive in radically altered habitats, because of their large population sizes and the relatively high level of DNA diversity seen in their populations," said one of the researchers John Colbourne, Professor at University of Birmingham in Britain.

The researchers wanted to explore the genetic mechanism responsible for evolutionary adaptation to toxic pollution observed in wild Atlantic killifish populations.

The Atlantic killifish is renowned for its ability to tolerate large fluctuations in temperature, salinity and oxygen levels.

However, its rapid adaptation to the normally lethal levels of toxic pollution found in some urban estuaries in the US is unusual, even for such a hardy species.

The team analysed the genomes of four wild populations of pollution-tolerant killifish compared with four non-tolerant populations, to identify the mechanism behind this adaptation.

"This report highlights the complexity of the processes involved in the adaptation of wild fish to lethal levels of environmental pollution," Colbourne said.

"It also demonstrates how the DNA of populations that differ in their susceptibility to pollutants can reveal 'signatures' of the adverse effects of chemicals in the environment," Colbourne noted.

The researchers warned that these findings -- published today in the journal Science -- should not be used to justify the harm caused by human pollution of the natural environment.

"Unfortunately, most species we care about preserving probably can't adapt to these rapid changes because they don't have the high levels of genetic variation that allow them to evolve quickly," lead author Andrew Whitehead, Associate Professor at University of California, Davis in the US.

--IANS

gb/vm
BJP Minority Morcha organizes Mobile App Banking Camp outside the Mosques

Delhi, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 NI Wire

Under the leadership of Minority Morcha, the President Atif Rasheed, Delhi BJP Minority Morcha workers organised Camps outside 23 prominent mosques of Delhi after the Friday prayers today to apprise the people about the benefits of Mobile App Banking.

The President of Minority Morcha Atif Rasheed said, The Muslims should come forward to participate in the Digital revolution because it will ensure the benefits of government schemes and education to the children of Muslims just like the children of other communities.

Along with Atif Rasheed, Khalid Akhtar Qureshi and other workers organised camp outside the historical Fatehpuri Masjid.

In addition to it, the Minority Morcha workers organised camps outside 23 Mosques including Morcha General Secretary Mohd. Haroon at Masjid Mir Vihar, Mohd. Firoz at Basti Nizamuddin, Abrar Chaudhary and Kunwar Rafique at Jama Masjid Jamia Nagar, Kamaal Khan Babar at Jama Masjid Pul Prahladpur, George Thomas at Shahi Masjid Timarpur.

Addressing the Muslim brothers during the camp outside at the Fatehpuri Masjid Atif Rasheed called upon them to open Bank accounts, adopt Mobile App Banking so that their money remain secure and the goods they purchase get guarantee.

On this occasion, Atif Rasheed said that the way in which the people from all the religious communities contributed in the green revolution in the field of agriculture, white revolution in the field of dairy products and in the industrial development.

After that, he added today the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading towards digital revolution and trading through the banks is an important part of it.

He also said that we the Muslims should come forward to participate in the digital revolution because it will ensure the benefits of Government schemes and education to the children of Muslims just like the children of other communities.

These camps were organised only to aware the people especially Muslims to educate and get connected to the digital revolution. These were also organised to enhance Mobile banking in the Muslim society and to ensure them that their money will be secure in banks.
MOSS POINT, Miss. -- Former Moss Point Mayor Aneice Liddell says Mayor Billy Broomfield and his current administration is trying to scapegoat her over utility issue and says there was "absolutely" no evidence of fraud in her time as mayor of the River City.

On Tuesday, Broomfield confirmed to the Mississippi Press that the city's Utilities Department is in the hole $3.4 million because service failed to be interrupted for customers with delinquent bills.

After a closer look was taken into the finances of the city, misappropriation of funds and fraud was suspected and confirmed. Broomfield contacted the State Auditor's Office to investigate, and also contacted the District Attorney with the hopes of the prosecution of those who pilfered funds from the city.

According to Broomfield, $2.4 million of the debt occurred under Liddell's administration, while a little over $1 million has occurred under his administration. Liddell contacted the Mississippi Press on Friday to rebut Broomfield's claims.

The Mississippi Press previously tried to reach the former Mayor via her Facebook page, but according to Liddell, she stated she wasn't aware of the message.

"I'm not sure how the media (Mississippi Press) tried to contact me. My contact information has not changed. Anyone that knows me knows that I am do not avoid controversy, especially when it comes to defending my reputation, integrity, and the work that I've done for the city I love," Liddell said.

Here is Aneice Liddell's statement in its entirety:

"As the former Mayor of City of Moss Point, and the fact that my name Aneice Liddell appeared in the December 7, 2016 article in the Mississippi Press, I felt that I must respond and clarify some inferences in the article.

Though my administration was the only administration mentioned, the fact of the matter is that past due and outstanding arrearages are common for utility companies, municipalities, banks, health care providers, etc., and, yes, they are passed along to the next administration. Arrearages were passed along to me and more than likely all my predecessors.

The outstanding arrearages can occur for a variety reasons; to name a few: closed accounts, unpaid bills, deaths, switching accounts to other family member's names, and unauthorized or illegal hookups. Consumer assistance on bill payment is a very small part of the outstanding arrearages.

The issue before the current administration is the investigation into the misappropriation and/or misuse of funds in both the utility and police departments. It is my opinion that this administration is trying to escape responsible for the misappropriation and/or misuse of funds by casting blame and making unfounded accusations against my administration. If the internal controls implemented by the current administration were so strong, why did it take 3 1/2 years to detect fraud committed by the prior administration? What better way to dodge responsibility on this and other problems, than to switch the issue from misappropriation/fraud/embezzlement to outstanding arrearages from the prior administration? There was no evidence of fraud, embezzlement, or misappropriation of funds during my admission. Absolutely none!

As leaders, we must take responsibility for what occurs during our tenue in public office. I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish after going through the worst natural disaster in history. We worked through many challenges that plagued us and took responsibility for it. I would hope that this administration would do the same."

A request for comment from Broomfield is pending.
ATM guard killed and cash looted in Bihar

Patna, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 NI Wire

In the capital of Bihar, a security guard of an ATM booth was killed and cash looted by unidentified people. It was said by the police that in Patna some unidentified people looted ATM and killed guard.

According to the police, the security guard Deepak Kumar of a Central Bank ATM booth in Maurya Lok here and the cash was looted.

The area, Maurya Lok is a posh shopping center and patrolling police have been deployed round the clock that is why it known as the safest zone for visitors.

Against the incident the agitated residents and the relatives of the guard blocked the roads and burnt tyres showing their protest.

All the protestors demanded the arrest of those behind the crime, and compensation to the family of the victim.

According to the police, prime facie it appears that when the guard resisted the attempt of the people who looted the cash then the armed men killed the guard and looted the ATM machine.

The Patna Senior Superintendent of Police, Manu Maharaj said that the police have began the investigation into the incident.

He said, the police will arrest those involved in the crime.

He further added, we have collected CCTV footage and other evidences from the site.

After demonetisation, cash crunch is in the whole country and people do withdrawal by standing in long queues outside the banks and ATMs but here some people killed an innocent guard of ATM and looted cash.

--with agency inputs
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Agility, capacity, functionality, and security  these four important aspects of networking were also important aspects in our coverage this week in Next Generation Communications.

On the agility front, contributing writer Michael Guta talked about the Nokia CloudBand Application Manager. This is what the vendor calls the first templating system virtual network function lifecycle management to support multi-vendor networks.





One of the goals of NFV has been to foster an open ecosystem of VNF suppliers to give service providers maximum choice in the capabilities they integrate, and to offer subscribers the best available services, noted Ron Haberman, who heads up Nokias (News - Alert) CloudBand product unit. By creating an open system that improves the management of VNFs, we aim to make it easier for service providers to quickly add new value-added services to differentiate their offerings, generate new revenue opportunities, and deliver better user experiences.

On the capacity front, web editor Alicia Young reported about Sparks use of Nokias PSS1830 Optical Transport Network solution. This, she explained, is New Zealands first 200G per wavelength fiber link brought into production. And that link will underpin Sparks fiber, and cellular (3G, 4G, 5G) and other wireless (Wi-Fi and wireless broadband) networks.

Contributing writer Steve Anderson this week, meanwhile, wrote about Nokias position that we should focus on the user experience as opposed to specs.

We have the opportunity to distance from the competition, we can take a human aspect on technology, said Florian Seiche, president of HMD, which develops Nokia devices. We have the brand equity, and we want to leverage that to the fullest. Every product, marketing, will be true to the Nokia brand and the foundation of it. Stability, quality, reliability, and then we're bringing in innovation where it matters the most for [the] consumer, and removing the clutter.

Speaking of Nokia, the company also recently discussed its 5G roadmap and expanded its IoT partnership with HPE.

Young this week also wrote about security. Specifically, she offered details on Gemaltos latest LinqUs Device Management solution, which provides real-time identification and over-the-air configuration of 4G subscribers devices.
The U.S. Department of Defense approved the sale of TOW 2A missiles to Morocco for a total cost of $108 million.

The deal was cleared by the departments Defense Security Cooperation Agency to sell Morocco the TOW anti-tank missiles as part of the Kingdoms modernization of its ground forces with the acquisition of cutting-edge armament.

The pending sale includes 1,200 TOW 2A RF missiles and 14 TOW 2A fly-to-buy acceptance missiles. It also includes engineering, technical, and logistics support services.

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency says, if approved by Congress, the sale will advance U.S. security interests abroad by arming a major non-NATO ally and promoting political and economic stability in North Africa.

Designed by the Raytheon, the TOW (Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided) missile systems are instrumental in engaging armored targets on the battlefield. All variants of the weapon can be fired from all TOW system launchers, including Stryker anti-tank guided missile vehicles.

Including the Moroccan deal, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency approved $7.9 billion worth of sales to Middle Eastern allies. The sales include over $3.5 billion for CH-47F Chinook Cargo Helicopters to Saudi Arabia, and an additional $3.5 billion for Apache AH-64E Helicopters to the UAE.
POTUS. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Its been less than five months since Donald Trump became commander-in-chief. But for the presidents detractors, its felt like centuries  long medieval centuries chock-full of plague, illiteracy, and barbarians running roughshod through the ruins of the old republic. But we arent actually living in the dark ages (yet). So we might as well shed some light on what the barbarians have been up to.

Trump has given progressives so many causes for fear and outrage, it can be difficult  both practically and psychologically  to keep on top of them all as they happen.

To help you stay informed despite this challenge, Daily Intelligencer will provide regular inventories of Trumps assaults on civic norms, common decency, and/or liberal democracy. Here is a rundown of everything the president has done on that front in the period between April 28 (the date of our last edition of Terrifying Things) and June 9, arranged in rough order of each affronts apparent significance and severity. Prior editions can be found below.



Fired the director of the FBI for failing to demonstrate personal loyalty to him.

The president has the authority to fire the director of the FBI. But before last month, that authority had only been exercised once  and in that case, Bill Clinton only fired William S. Sessions after a Justice Department investigation found him guilty of flagrant ethical violations.

Historically, presidents have avoided firing the head of the FBI out of respect for federal law enforcements independence. After all, FBI directors serve ten-year terms precisely to ensure a measure of distance from the Oval Offices occupant.

Respect for the rule of law has also, typically, prevented presidents from demanding the FBI directors personal loyalty; suggesting that he demonstrate that loyalty by dropping investigations into White House allies; and then firing the head of federal law enforcement for failing to honor such requests.

But Donald Trump is not a typical president. And so, he did precisely that.

The president did not give James Comey the opportunity to resign. Instead, the FBI director learned of his unemployment when his gaze drifted to a television monitor, in the middle of speech to bureau employees in Los Angeles. Comey laughed, and complimented the officers on a fairly funny prank. Then someone asked him to step into a nearby office.

Meanwhile, the White House had the chutzpah to claim it had fired Comey because he had been unfair to (Crooked) Hillary Clinton during the investigation of her email server. Last October, Jeff Sessions had applauded Comeys handling of that investigation. But then, the attorney general had also recused himself from the Russia investiation  and this did not stop him from advising the president to fire the man leading that inquiry.

But the bizarre nature of Comeys ouster was far less significant than the reasons behind it. By all accounts  including, to some extent, his own  Trump seemed to view the FBI director as his private detective and/or PR representative. When the president accused Barack Obama of wiretapping his phone  an allegation made on the basis of news articles that he had misread  Trump was reportedly furious that Comey wouldnt publicly vouch for his baseless felony accusation.

According to accounts from Comey and his associates, Trump asked the FBI director to drop an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn; redirect the bureaus resources toward combating leaks to the press; and consider imprisoning journalists who report on classified information.

According to the president himself, Comeys firing was the direct result of the FBI directors handling of the investigation into his campaign.

When I decided to just do it, I said to myself, You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story, Trump told NBC Newss Lester Holt, contradicting the White Houses narrative  and, arguably, confessing to obstruction of justice.

Tried to intimidate his former FBI director into silence by threatening to release secret recordings of their conversations.

After Comeys associates told the New York Times that Trump had demanded a loyalty pledge, the president sought to prove that he wasnt an amateur authoritarian, by tweeting this:

James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017

Encouraged Americas intelligence chiefs to undermine the FBIs Russia probe.

Trump also, reportedly, asked Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats and CIA Director Mike Pompeo to kill the FBIs investigation into Comey for him. As the Washington Post reported:

On March 22, less than a week after being confirmed by the Senate, Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats attended a briefing at the White House together with officials from several government agencies. As the briefing was wrapping up, Trump asked everyone to leave the room except for Coats and CIA Director Mike Pompeo.



The president then started complaining about the FBI investigation and Comeys handling of it, said officials familiar with the account Coats gave to associates. Two days earlier, Comey had confirmed in a congressional hearing that the bureau was probing whether Trumps campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 race.

At a Senate Intelligence Hearing this week, Coats was asked whether the president had ever requested that he encourage Comey to back off the FBIs investigation of Flynn.

I dont believe its appropriate for me to address that in a public session, Coats said.

Undermined international cooperation on climate change  and Americas credibility on the world stage  out of mindless spite.

The Trump administration was always going to sabotage the Paris climate accord. You cant put a climate-change denier in charge of the EPA without jeopardizing the international communitys collective commitment to curbing emissions.

Still, there were more and less destructive ways for the president to go about expediting the onset of ecological catastrophe. Since the Paris agreement is non-binding, and allows its signatories to set their own emissions targets, Trump could have rolled back Obamas Clean Power Plan, slashed funding for renewable energy, and, heck, established a tax credit to incentive rolling coal  all without forcing the United States to join Syria and Nicaragua at the climate-pariahs table.

In fact, by remaining in the agreement, Trump may have been better able to advance the interests of the American energy industry, which must compete in foreign markets, and, thus, comply with international regulations. Big Oil implored Trump to remain in the agreement for precisely this reason.

But keeping the U.S. in the agreement would have made it harder for Trump to damage our nations credibility as a diplomatic player; cede moral authority to Beijing; make Steve Bannon smile; and, most critically, perform his independence from globalists in a jingoistic Rose Garden speech, full of demagogic lies about how our European allies had used climate change as an excuse to steal our nations wealth.

In the end, giving a middle finger to Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel  and validation to his partys most reactionary billionaires and troglodytic info-warriors  proved more important to the president than anything else.

Mendaciously accused Londons first Muslim mayor of being indifferent to terrorism, hours after a terrorist attack in London.

When news first broke of the attack at London Bridge last Saturday, the president of the United States retweeted an unsubstantiated report from Matt Drudge; reiterated his call for banning immigration from several Muslim countries; and suggested that a low-casualty attack committed by men with knives somehow validated his opposition to gun control.

He also, briefly, expressed solidarity with the people of London.

Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the U. K., we will be there - WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2017

The morning after the attack, London mayor Sadiq Khan told his constituents that they shouldnt be alarmed if they see an increased police presence in the city, as the mobilization of law enforcement was strictly precautionary.

Shortly thereafter, Trump ostensibly decided that the best way for him to help out would be to take Khans words out of context, and suggest that Londons first Muslim mayor views terrorist attacks with blithe indifference.

At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is "no reason to be alarmed!"  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2017

When reporters and politicians on both sides of the Atlantic dared to note the context of Khans remarks, Trump doubled down on his attack.

Pathetic excuse by London Mayor Sadiq Khan who had to think fast on his "no reason to be alarmed" statement. MSM is working hard to sell it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2017

Trump has said things so patently dishonest, they undermine the very concept of objective reality. He has made dog-whistle appeals to anti-Muslim animus that validate the worldviews of white supremacists and ISIS militants alike. And he has crassly exploited public tragedies to stoke fears of vulnerable minority groups.

In his tweet about Khan, Trump managed to do all three.

Shared highly classified Israeli intelligence with a core ally of Israels top geopolitical foe.

The president does not like homework. In deference to this fact, national security officials have tried to condense Trumps briefings to single-page lists of bullet points. But even these test his patience.

And so, Trump tends to wing his high-level diplomatic meetings, deciding what is or is not wise to say to his counterparts on a whim. On the morning after firing James Comey, Trump deemed it prudent to tell Russias ambassador and foreign minister that his former FBI director was a nut job whose departure would take great pressure off of him.

Then, he decided to let the Kremlin in on the hot new ISIS gossip. Specifically, Trump shared highly classified intelligence that Israel had provided to the United States, on the condition that it not be shared without Israeli permission. Trumps disclosure was so detailed, Putins regime could plausibly deduce the sources and methods that Israel had used to produce it.

This was alarming to Israel, since Russia is a top ally of its enemies in Tehran. And it was also alarming to U.S. intelligence officials, since Trumps violation of Israels trust threatens to jeopardize intelligence-sharing agreements on which the American spy state depends.

Then, accidentally, publicly confirmed that he had done so.

Still, when Trump arrived in Jerusalem, no one in the U.S. or Israeli government had publicly confirmed that he had spilled Israels beans. Best to retain official ambiguity, the two governments ostensibly reasoned, even if extensive reporting made Trumps unauthorized disclosure difficult to deny.

But then some Israeli journalists shouted questions about the matter at the end of a Trump-Netanyahu photo op  and the president decided to defend himself by accidentally, implicitly confirming that hed let Russia in on the Jewish states secrets.

Just so you understand, Trump said,just so you understand  I never mentioned the word or the name Israel in conversation. Never mentioned it.

His comments just confirmed it was Israel something no U.S official had admitted!! https://t.co/duwH9S6sEI  Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) May 22, 2017

Abandoned an alliance with a longtime Middle East ally over Twitter.

Donald Trump went to Saudi Arabia last month with the goals of securing a lucrative arms sale for Americas weapons manufacturers, and winning a commitment from the leaders of the Arab World to cease abetting Islamic extremism.

Or, more precisely: Trump went to Riyadh with the goal of appearing to do those things. The presidents disinterest in actually cracking down state sponsors of terrorism was reflected in his silence about the Saudis role in financing the spread of Wahhabism. And his contentment to project the appearance of a diplomatic breakthrough over an actual one was confirmed by the ersatz nature of his $110 billion arms deal.

Shortly after Trump left, the Saudis decided to exploit the presidents indifference to reality. Riyadh organized a blockade against Qatar, on the grounds that Doha was uniquely guilty of aiding terrorist groups in the Middle East. In truth, the Saudis actions are rooted in a long-standing regional rivalry with Qatar, and resentment of Dohas occasional openness to engaging with Iran.

But Trump proved powerless to resist an opportunity to declare his own success.

So good to see the Saudi Arabia visit with the King and 50 countries already paying off. They said they would take a hard line on funding...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017

...extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar. Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017

These were problematic tweets.

Qatar is an ally of the United States  one that is allowing the U.S. to run its air operations over Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Afghanistan from a giant military base outside Doha.

Trump, who has claimed to know more about ISIS than the generals, seems to have been ignorant of this fact when he disavowed Qatar over Twitter.

MSNBC reporting White House sources says Trump "may not have known" the US has troops based in Qatar.  Simon Marks (@SimonMarksFSN) June 8, 2017

Praised a foreign leader for his policy of sanctioning the extrajudicial killings of thousands of suspected drug dealers and users.

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is a self-avowed murderer, whose regime has encouraged police and vigilante gangs to exterminate whomever they deem to be drug dealers.

Trump had already displayed a malign indifference to this policy, praising Dutertes leadership and inviting him to visit the White House (over the outraged objections of human rights groups and U.S. senators). But last month, we learned that in a late-April phone call with Duterte, Trump praised his counterpart specifically for treating a public-health problem with mass murder.

I just wanted to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem, Trump told Duterte, according to a transcript obtained by the Intercept. Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that.

Released a budget with a $2 trillion math error.

The White Houses official budget dramatically increases military spending; maintains Medicare and Social Security retirement benefits at their current levels; radically reduces taxes on the rich; and, according to the Trump administration, balances the federal budget within ten years.

If that last point strikes you as mathematically incompatible with the previous ones, then you may be too numerate to work in the Trump administration.

The White House budget director Mick Mulvaney did his best to resolve Trumpisms fiscal contradictions. The Trump budget proposes cuts to to federal agencies and anti-poverty programs so draconian, multiple Republicans declared them dead on arrival.

Unfortunately for Mulvaney (and Americas poor), the United States spends very little money on feeding, clothing, and housing its least fortunate. And so, the White House was forced to repeal the laws of arithmetic.

The Trump budget (baselessly) assumes that his enormous supply-side tax cut will pay for itself, by generating $2 trillion in growth-induced revenue gains. It also assumes that the estate tax will generate $328 billion in revenue over the next decade, even though the White Houses official tax plan abolishes that revenue stream. But even with the supply-side voodoo and Schrodingers death tax, the Trump budget still comes $2 trillion shy of balancing.

And so, it just counts the $2 trillion thats supposed to pay for its tax cuts a second time.

Mulvaney later justified this apparent error by saying, I wouldnt take whats in the budget as indicative of what our proposals are.

Shoved the prime minister of Montenegro out of his way, so that he could stand at the front of a group of NATO leaders.

Disputed the Office of Government Ethicss legal authority to oversee government ethics.

In one of his first official acts as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order prohibiting all lobbyists and industry lawyers hired as political appointees from working on issues that involve their former clients.

Trump proceeded to appoint dozens of lobbyists and industry lawyers to positions throughout the government, granting many of them special waivers allowing them to work on issues that involve their former clients.

By itself, this sequence of moves was not wholly unusual. The Obama administration did allow some ex-lobbyists to flout its own, very similar ethics rule. But any time the Democratic administration provided such a waiver, it automatically published a detailed explanation as to why an exception was being made. These justifications typically cited the unique skill set of the individual in question, and/or the fact that the individuals new responsibilities would only bring her into peripheral contact with her former employers interests.

Trump, by contrast, has not only failed to offer a public justification for his waivers, but also neglected to disclose which members of his staff have received waivers, and which have not.

Without such information, its impossible for the Office of Government Ethics to know who is and is not flouting the administrations own ethics rule.

So, the OGE asked all federal agencies (including the White House) to provide a copy of every ethics waiver theyve issued by June 1. The office has clear legal authority to request such information. In fact, data requests are OGEs primary tool for providing ethical oversight.

However, the office does not have the power to take enforcement actions against agencies that refuse to honor its requests. Which is to say: The OGEs capacity to police federal ethics has always depended on norms of cooperation, not legal powers.

And the Trump administration has little use for norms.

This data call appears to raise legal questions regarding the scope of O.G.E.s authorities, Trumps director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney wrote in a letter to the ethics office. I therefore request that you stay the data call until these questions are resolved.

Allowed the Justice Department to prosecute a woman for laughing at Jeff Sessions.

At the attorney generals confirmation hearing in January, Alabama senator Richard Shelby claimed that Jeff Sessionss history of treating all Americans equally under the law is clear and well-documented.

Shelbys claim made Code Pink activist Desiree Fairooz laugh. This was a wholly appropriate response: Jeff Sessionss history of treating African-Americans unequally is clear and well-documented.

Federal prosecutors decided that Fairoozs laugh amounted to willful disorderly and disruptive conduct intended to impede, disrupt, and disturb the orderly conduct of congressional proceedings.

She was prosecuted and convicted, and may soon find herself in jail.

Knowingly hired a paid agent of the Turkish government as his national security adviser.

Last month, we learned that Michael Flynn informed the Trump administration that he was under investigation for secretly lobbying on behalf of Turkish interests  and the president decided to appoint him to one of the most powerful national security posts in the government, anyway.

Flynn then used his short time in office to veto a plan for retaking the Islamic States de facto capital, despite the plans strong support from the Pentagon and Obama administration. The operation would have involved partnership with Syrian Kurdish forces  a prospect vehemently opposed by Turkeys government, for domestic political reasons.

Signed Yad Vashems Book of Remembrance as though it were a middle-school yearbook.

The Trump administration is awkward about the Holocaust. On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the White House released a statement that didnt mention Jews. Its press secretary once argued that Adolf Hitlers use of chemical weapons was less outrageous than Bashar al-Assads, because at least the former never used poison gas on his own people (Hitler only used that stuff at his Holocaust centers, Sean Spicer explained).

So, it wasnt terribly surprising that Trump refused to allot more than 15 minutes for his trip to Yad Vashem, Israels Holocaust museum. Nor was it unexpected that his inscription in the museums book of remembrance would be less than moving. But it was still a bit odd that he signed said document as though it were the guest book at a bar mitzvah.

This is @realDonaldTrump's message in Yad Vashem's Book of Remembrance. "So amazing + will NEVER FORGET!"

(He forgot: "See you next summer") pic.twitter.com/XcGbR88PXV  Raoul Wootliff (@RaoulWootliff) May 23, 2017

As Times of Israel reporter Raoul Wootliff notes, Barack Obama struck a slightly different note during his trip to Yad Vashem.

For context - this is Obama's message during his presidential visit in 2013 pic.twitter.com/cpYOXgX5w8  Raoul Wootliff (@RaoulWootliff) May 23, 2017



























PREVIOUS ENTRIES:



(March 28 through April 28)





Baselessly accused President Obamas national security adviser of committing a crime  after his White House conspired with the head of the House Intelligence Committee to foment a false scandal.

On Monday, March 20, James Comey revealed that the FBI was investigating ties between Donald Trumps campaign and the Russian government. A little over 24 hours later, the Republican tasked with leading the Houses investigation into Russian hacking, Devin Nunes, was invited onto the White House grounds. There, administration officials provided him with access to classified intelligence reports. And what Nunes saw shook him to the core.

The contents of those reports were so alarming, the House Intelligence Committee chair brought them to publics attention the next day, even before sharing them with his fellow committee members. Nunes proceeded to personally brief the president  an ostensible subject of his own investigation into Russian interference  on what he had learned. These actions jeopardized the integrity of the Houses investigation. And they may also have constituted an unlawful disclosure of classified information. That latter issue, eventually, forced Nunes to step aside from his committees Russia inquiry.

But all this was a small price to pay for bringing the terrible truth to the American public: Some members of the Trump transition team were incidentally surveilled when they contacted foreign agents who had already caught the eye of the American spy state. Granted, thats perfectly legal. But when private citizens have their communications incidentally collected, their identities are supposed to be masked in intelligence reports, unless there is intelligence value in unmasking them. And these reports revealed the names of Trump team members  and did so unnecessarily, at least in Nuness opinion.

Later, Bloomberg revealed that former national security adviser Susan Rice  an official who has the legal authority to unmask names in intelligence reports  ordered the unmasking of the names of Trump officials in some intelligence reports.

Conservative media outlets heralded this news as a vindication of Trumps claim that Barack Obama had wiretapped his phones during the 2016 election, even though Nuness darkest insinuations did not vindicate a single detail of that claim. The White House declared itself shocked and awed: Nunes hadnt merely uncovered a scandal far greater than alleged collusion between a presidential campaign and a hostile foreign government  but one bigger than that which took down Nixon.

Watergate was a little spat in the sandbox in the kindergarten compared to what Susan Rice had done, White House aide Sebastian Gorka told Fox News. The president suggested that Rice had committed a crime, insisting that he would share supporting evidence for that allegation at the right time.

And then, House members not named Devin Nunes were finally given access to the incriminating documents:

After a review of the same intelligence reports brought to light by House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers and aides have so far found no evidence that Obama administration officials did anything unusual or illegal, multiple sources in both parties tell CNN  One congressional intelligence source described the requests made by Rice as normal and appropriate for officials who serve in that role to the president.

Anonymous intelligence sources told the New Yorkers Ryan Lizza a more detailed version of the same story:

What the intercepts all had in common is that the people being spied on made references to Donald Trump or to Trump officials. That wasnt even clear, though, from reading the transcriptsThe Trump names remain masked in the documents, and Rice would not have been able to know in all cases that she was asking the N.S.A. to unmask the names of Trump officials.



The intelligence source told me that he knows, from talking to people in the intelligence community, that the White House said, We are going to mobilize to find something to justify the Presidents tweet that he was being surveilled. They put out an all-points bulletina call to sift through intelligence reportsand said, We need to find something that justifies the Presidents crazy tweet about surveillance at Trump Tower. And Im telling you there is no way you get that from those transcripts, which are about as plain vanilla as can be.

If Lizzas reporting is true  and, as of this writing, no outlet has published anything to contradict it  then the White House leaked and misrepresented classified intelligence material so as to validate a presidential tweet, and disrupt the Houses investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Then, on the basis of those misrepresentations, the president publicly suggested that the previous administrations national security adviser was a criminal.

But the most shocking aspect of the whole faux surveillance-scandal saga may be this: The Trump White House produces novel outrages at such a frenetic clip, an apparent conspiracy between the Executive branch and a high-ranking member Congress to mislead the public and defame the previous administration dropped out of news cycle days after it was reported.

On the 96th day of his presidency, unveiled a tax-reform plan that was less detailed than the blueprint he had campaigned on.

After three months in office, most presidents have at least introduced  if not passed  multiple pieces of major legislation. Trump failed to secure so much as a House vote for Paul Ryans health-care plan. And the administration has yet to even translate its second priority  the one that the White House planned to take the lead on and that nobody knows more than Donald Trump about  into a proposal more substantial than the presidents detail-less campaign plan.

This week, the administration tried to pretend otherwise. Anxious to demonstrate progress ahead of his 100th day, Trump blindsided his advisers by promising that his tax package would be unveiled on Wednesday of this week. The presidents budget director, Mick Mulvaney, had said that it might be June before the administration released a detailed plan, and that even broad principles would likely be weeks away.

But in a reality stars White House, optics trump policy. And so the administration scrambled to put together a broad outline of its vision to radically reform the worlds largest national economy.

The result was as audaciously regressive as expected. Trumps proposal amounted to a blueprint for a raid on the federal treasury  one that would deliver the lions share of its spoils to the wealthiest individuals and businesses in the United States, while tossing a few bucks in hush money to the witnesses in the middle class. And almost no one would stand to benefit more from this heist than the president himself: By abolishing the Alternative Minimum Tax, repealing the Estate Tax, and slashing the top rate on pass-through businesses to 15 percent, Trump stands to gain tens of millions of dollars from his reform  while his children are poised to gain multiple billion.

Less ethically dubious, but decidedly more surprising, was how bereft of substance the plan was. At the proposals unveiling, National Economic Council director Gary Cohn and Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said, over and over, how much time and effort the administration had put into tax reform. And then, they handed out a less substantive version of the plan Trump campaigned on last fall.

The administrations proposal included virtually no ideas for how to offset the multitrillion dollar hole its regressive tax cuts would generate. It did not explain how the administration plans to prevent high-income individuals from abusing the new pass-through rate by reframing their salaries as business income. Instead, the plan merely stipulates that a subsequent version will definitely solve that problem. Most stunningly, the plan calls for consolidating Americas seven income-tax brackets into three, but doesnt propose any specific income bands for those brackets.

In one sense, this incompetence may be comforting. Trumps ambitions for tax reform are repugnant to all but the small minority of Americans who believe that income and wealth are distributed too equally in this country. If the White House is incapable of actually developing their plan into a coherent, politically tenable piece of legislation, perhaps thats all for the best.

But at some point in the next four years, Americans of all ideological stripes are going to be invested in the competence of their countrys Executive branch. In the wake of a natural disaster or economic crisis, blue America will not benefit from the White Houses ineptitude. And this weeks tax-reform presentation suggests that this administration is more inept than many of its harshest critics ever realized.

Threatened to sabotage Americas insurance markets as a means of coercing Democrats into voting for his plan to finance a large tax cut for the rich by throwing millions off of Medicaid.

Earlier this month, Trump announced that he planned to use the powers of his office to jeopardize health-care access for millions of low-income people, while destabilizing Americas insurance markets  because he believed that voters would blame the ensuing chaos on the Democratic Party, leaving Chuck Schumer desperate to negotiate with the White House over Obamacare repeal. As the Wall Street Journal reported:

In an interview in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump said the White House may lack authority to make the payments established under his predecessor to reduce copayments and deductibles for some of the poorest customers who buy insurance under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Cutting off the payments could trigger turmoil in insurance markets.



I dont want people to get hurt, Mr. Trump said. What I think should happenand will happenis the Democrats will start calling me and negotiating.

There were a couple obvious problems with Trumps gambit:

(1) The presidents hostage and his ransom were the same thing: He threatened to cut off health-insurance subsidies for poor people if Democrats didnt vote for his health-care plan, which significantly reduces health-insurance subsidies for poor people.

(2) It would be hard to convince the public to blame Democrats for Obamacares destruction, after you publicly declared your intention to destroy Obamacare so that people would blame the Democrats for what you did. And, in fact, polls suggest that large majorities of Americans would blame Trump for anything bad that happens to the American health-care system under his watch.

As of this writing, the president appears to have discerned these facts, and promised to continue the Obamacare payments, at least for now. But the fact that the president mulled deliberately hurting his constituents for (wholly imaginary) partisan gain is unnerving.

Said he was absolutely considering breaking up the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

On Wednesday, a federal district court judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing its (essentially toothless) executive order denying federal funds to so-called sanctuary cities.

Weeks earlier, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals had struck down Trumps travel ban. And so, when the president heard that another one of his executive orders had been repudiated by the Judicial branch, he didnt waste time reading an actual news report on the details of the ruling  he already knew which court was responsible.

First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2017

Out of our very big country, with many choices, does everyone notice that both the "ban" case and now the "sanctuary" case is brought in ...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2017

...the Ninth Circuit, which has a terrible record of being overturned (close to 80%). They used to call this "judge shopping!" Messy system.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2017

Of course, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals did not, in fact, rule on the sanctuary cities order (courts of appeals tend to prefer to rule on, well, appeals).

But that didnt stop Trump from telling the Washington Examiner that he had absolutely looked into breaking up the 9th Circuit Court, noting, There are many people that want to break up the 9th Circuit. Its outrageous.

Typically, respect for the separation of powers prevents presidents from threatening to disband courts that rule against them (while respect for objective reality prevents presidents from criticizing courts for rulings that they never actually made).

But Donald Trump is not a typical president.

Decided to upend the North American economy to win a desired headline  then changed his mind when he was informed that people who voted for him would be among those most adversely impacted by such a measure.

Earlier this week, Trump was readying plans to announce Americas withdrawal from the North American Free Trade Agreement. This decision was inspired by the presidents desire to be able to announce he was making good on a major campaign promise during a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night, his 100th day in office, White House advisers told the New York Times.

You know I was really ready and psyched to terminate NAFTA, Trump told Reuters. I was all set to terminate  I looked forward to terminating. I was going to do it.

But just before the president ripped up the foundation governing $1.3 trillion in annual trade flows, his advisers suggested that he first consider the economic consequences of such an action.

[Agriculture Secretary Sonny] Perdue even brought along a prop to the Oval Office: A map of the United States that illustrated the areas that would be hardest hit, particularly from agriculture and manufacturing losses, and highlighting that many of those states and counties were Trump country communities that had voted for the president in November.



It shows that I do have a very big farmer base, which is good, Trump recalled. They like Trump, but I like them, and Im going to help them.

And, thus, NAFTA was saved.

That Trump considered radically disrupting economic and diplomatic relations on the North American continent without giving much thought to either is discomfiting. But his rationale for scrapping that idea is, too.

On the night of his election, Trump promised every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans. Now, he has publicly suggested that he makes policy decisions not on the basis of what would be best for the United States, but rather, what would benefit that portion of the country that likes him.

Refused to turn over documents on his first national security advisers financial relationships with foreign governments, despite requests from the House Oversight Committee.

Michael Flynns tenure as national security adviser was cut short by revelations that he had misled Vice-President Pence about the nature of his conversations with the Russian ambassador. Weeks after his departure, Flynn acknowledged that he had been on the payroll of the Turkish government while serving as a top surrogate and adviser to Trumps campaign  even as the GOP standard-bearer accused his rival of making pay-to-play arrangements with foreign governments.

Weeks after that, news broke that Flynn had neglected to list three Russia-linked sources of income  including $45,000 in speaking fees from the Kremlin-backed RT news network  in his legally required White House ethics forms.

Both of those actions appear to have contravened federal law, House Oversight Committee chair Jason Chaffetz told reporters this week. As a former general, Flynn was required to seek the governments permission before accepting payments from a foreign government. Then, after accepting the foreign payments, Flynn had a legal obligation to disclose them fully before taking a job with the Trump administration.

To further its investigation into Flynns apparent misconduct, the Oversight Committee asked the White House for access to Flynns security clearance paperwork, receipts from payments he received from foreign governments, and other documents related to the hiring and firing of the former national security adviser.

The Trump administration has refused to honor a single one of those requests, informing the committee that it was unable to provide the desired documents, as some of the papers were not in its custody or control while others were likely to contain classified information.

The White House has refused to provide this committee with a single piece of paper, the committees ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings said Tuesday. And that is simply unacceptable.

Allowed the State Departments website to advertise his Florida resort.

Donald Trumps Florida resort has amply monetized its owners newfound public power. The clubs annual membership fee has doubled since Election Day, while the president has used virtually every major meeting with a foreign dignitary as an occasion to showcase his for-profit business. And for a brief period this month, the State Department even advertised Trumps resort on one of its official, government webpages.

The page offered a triumphalist version of the propertys history  one in which the resorts former owner, cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, had always dreamed that her home would be used as a vacation spot for American presidents. Posts dream of a winter White House came true with Trumps election in 2016, the government website explained.

The page was quickly removed following public complaints.

When measured against Trumps other outrages, this incident may appear unremarkable. But if one measures it against precedent instead  and imagines how the public would have reacted to Barack Obama plugging Dreams From My Father as recommended summer reading on the Education Departments official website  the absurd impropriety of the thing becomes stark.

Had his daughter meet with the Chinese president the same day that her company won trademarks from the Chinese government.

On April 6, White House adviser Ivanka Trumps company won three trademarks from the Chinese government. That night, she dined with the Chinese president at her fathers resort. Shortly thereafter, president Trump announced that China was not actually a currency manipulator, and was really, probably, doing all it could to pressure North Korea over the latters nuclear program  dizzying reversals from the administrations previous positions.

There was a time when the mere appearance of corruption was considered an intolerable affront to our democracy.

Referred to several different North Korean leaders as this gentleman.

In the early 1990s, Bill Clinton negotiated a deal to curb North Koreas nuclear program with the nations dictator Kim Il-Sung. That deal was signed in October 1994, after Il-Sungs death had brought his son, Kim Jong-il to power. In 2011, Jong-il died, and his son, Kim Jong-un became North Koreas leader.

Our president is, apparently, unaware of this basic history: Recently, Trump gave an interview to Fox News in which he suggested that North Korea has had the same leader for more than two decades:

I hope things work out well. I hope theres going to be peace, but you know, theyve been talking with this gentleman for a long time. You read Clintons book, he said, Oh we made such a great peace deal, and it was a joke. You look at different things over the years with President Obama. Everybodys been outplayed, theyve all been outplayed by this gentleman and well see what happens. But I just dont telegraph my moves.

To be fair to Trump, its possible that he believes the soul of the Supreme Leader is indivisible and eternal  passing from father-to-son at the moment of the formers death, such that the gentleman in power remains forever the same.

But whether Trump lapsed into momentary ignorance of basic North Korean history  or believes that Kim Jong-un is a kind of deity  the mogul probably isnt the ideal commander-in-chief for America to have, as Pyongyang creeps closer to possessing a nuclear missile capable of reaching the coast of California.

Praised a cable-news anchor who was fired for serial sexual harassment, days after declaring April National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.

One day after Trump made his declaration, the New York Times reported that Bill OReilly and Fox News had, together, paid out $13 million settling sexual-harassment claims against the host. Four days after that, the president expressed his disappointment in OReilly  for giving those lying, gold-diggers a single cent.

I think hes a person I know well  he is a good person, Trump told the New York Times. I think he shouldnt have settled; personally I think he shouldnt have settled  Because you should have taken it all the way. I dont think Bill did anything wrong.

Granted, Trumps remarks probably did raise awareness of how and why certain perpetrators of sexual crimes can escape comeuppance for so long.







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(February 28 through March 28)







Baselessly accused his predecessor of illegally wiretapping his phones.

















(February 28 through March 28)

Baselessly accused his predecessor of illegally wiretapping his phones.

















(February 28 through March 28)

Baselessly accused his predecessor of illegally wiretapping his phones.

On the first Saturday of this month, President Trump announced that Barack Obama had personally wiretapped his phones during the final month of the 2016 campaign.

Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017

The president later revealed that this extraordinary allegation was based entirely on publicly available news reports  none of which actually supported the substance of his claim. Asked by Tucker Carlson how he came to discover that his predecessor had spied on him, Trump cited a New York Times article that did have the words wiretapped data in its headline. But the story was about intelligence agencies monitoring Russian officials  and how, through that regular surveillance, they may have discovered contacts between those officials and Trump associates.

The article says nothing about Trump Tower being surveilled, let alone about Obama wiretapping Donald Trump himself.

Despite Trumps tacit admission that his claim was baseless, he continued to insist on its accuracy  even after his allegation was rebuked by the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, Bill OReilly, The Wall Street Journal editorial page, and the FBI.



It is unprecedented in modern times for a president to publicly accuse his predecessor of seeking to illegally undermine the democratic process  let alone to do so on the basis of nothing but a paranoid hunch.



Allowed his White House to defame the intelligence agency of a core U.S. ally for the sake of defending the infallibility of his tweets.

Eventually, the presidents inability to admit he was wrong on the internet sparked a diplomatic spat with the United Kingdom. The crisis seems to have been generated by a glaring contradiction facing Trumps defenders: On the one hand, the president claimed that his wiretap allegation shouldnt be taken literally, and that news reports about the Obama administration legally investigating his campaigns Russia ties should be taken as proof that he was right. On the other hand, the White House had previously denied the existence of such an investigation  and suggested that reports to the contrary were fake news.



In other words: The Trump administration didnt want to admit that the president made a bad tweet. But it also didnt want to admit that American intelligence agencies had found cause to investigate ties between the president and Russia.

And then, a Fox News hosts conspiracy theory provided Sean Spicer with a way to square the circle.

Three intelligence sources have informed Fox News that President Obama went outside the chain of command, the White House press secretary told reporters, quoting, verbatim, from the commentary of Judge Andrew Napolitano, a conservative pundit who has claimed that the government concealed what really happened on 9/11. He didnt use the NSA, he didnt use the CIA, he didnt use the FBI, and he didnt use the Department of Justice. He used GCHQ. What is that? Its the initials for the British intelligence-finding agency.

Obama deputized the redcoats!

Apparently, Spicer was so taken by how elegantly this reconciled the presidents contradictory claims, it didnt occur to him that accusing a core allys intelligence service of participating in the illegal surveillance of an American presidential candidate might not sit well with said ally.

Recent allegations made by media commentator Judge Andrew Napolitano about GCHQ being asked to conduct wiretapping against the then president-elect are nonsense, GCHQ said in a rare public statement. They are utterly ridiculous and should be ignored.

The White House then promised the British government that it would not accuse GCHQ of wiretapping Donald Trump ever again, according to U.K. prime minister Theresa Mays official spokesman.

Later, Trump defended the propriety of his press secretarys slander of our ally.

We said nothing. All we did was quote a certain very talented legal mind who was the one responsible for saying that on television, the president told reporters. That was a statement made by a very talented lawyer on Fox, so you shouldnt be talking to me, you should be talking to Fox.

To be clear: The president of the United States argued that its perfectly appropriate for the White House to spread conspiracy theories that implicate close allies  so long as a 9/11 truther on Fox News spread them first.

Suggested that being wiretapped by Barack Obama was the one thing he and the prime minister of Germany had in common.

At a press conference with Angela Merkel, a German reporter asked Trump whether it was a mistake to blame British intelligence for wiretapping him. Instead of conceding this point, the president decided to remind the world of a recent diplomatic crisis between the United States and Germany.

As far as wiretapping, I guess, by this past administration, at least we have something in common, perhaps, Trump said, gesturing to Merkel.

Wow. Trump to Merkel about alleged wiretapping by Obama: At least we have something in common, perhaps. She appears to be very confused. pic.twitter.com/la4p9ZJGvo  Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) March 17, 2017

Documents released by WikiLeaks in 2015 suggested that Americas National Security Agency (NSA) had tapped phone calls by the German chancellor and her closest advisers for years.

Gave his daughter an office in the White House and a security clearance  while keeping her immune from conflict-of-interest laws.

Last month, the president used his bully pulpit to upbraid a private company for dropping his daughters fashion line. Now, hes giving that daughter an office at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue  and access to classified national-security information.



Ivanka Trump will, effectively, be a full-time White House staffer. However, she will not receive a salary or formal title, and, thus, wont be bound by federal conflict-of-interest laws.

Ivanka claims that she will honor those rules anyway. But as Obamas former ethics czar Norm Eisen told Politico, If she can voluntarily subject herself to the rules, she can voluntarily un-subject herself to the rules.

Allowed his budget director to argue that cutting funding to Meals on Wheels is probably one of the most compassionate things we can do.

President Trumps proposed budget would increase defense spending by $54 billion  while slashing funding for medical research, climate science, public housing, education, aid to the indigent, development grants for poor and rural areas, infrastructure, and many, many other things.

Shortly after the proposal went public, the White Houses budget director, Mick Mulvaney, explained that these changes were inspired by one simple question: Can we ask the taxpayer to pay for this? Mulvaney then explained that, while he could ask a coal miner in West Virginia or a single mother in Detroit to pay for an increase in defense spending, he couldnt justify taking their money to finance public broadcasting.



At a White House press briefing hours later, CNNs Jim Acosta asked Mulvaney to address some of the tensions in this rationale.

Just to follow up on that, you were talking about the steelworker in Ohio, coal worker in Pennsylvania, but they may have an elderly mother who depends on the Meals on Wheels program or who may have kids in Head Start, Acosta said. Yesterday, or the day before, you described this as a hard-power budget. Is it also a hardhearted budget?

No, I dont think so, Mulvaney replied. I think its probably one of the most compassionate things we can do.

To cut programs that help the elderly and kids? Acosta asked, incredulously.

Youre only focusing on half of the equation, right? Youre focusing on the recipients of the money. Were trying to focus on both the recipients of the money and the folks who give us the money in the first place, Mulvaney explained. And I think its fairly compassionate to go to them and say, Look, were not gonna ask you for your hard-earned money, anymore, single mother of two in Detroit  unless we can guarantee to you that that money is actually being used in a proper function.

Mulvaney went on to explain that the key distinction between the Defense Department and the anti-poverty programs that Trump wishes to cut is that the latter have failed to show results.

But for many a single mother in Detroit, funding for rental assistance, home energy aid, and food assistance deliver such results as keeping her family out of homelessness, her home warm in the winter, and her child well nourished. For many a resident of coal country, the Appalachian Regional Commission has provided desperately needed job training.



Here is how Trump described the return on investment that the Pentagon has provided the American people, back when he was running for president.

Weve spent $4 trillion trying to topple various people that, frankly, if they were there and if we could have spent that $4 trillion in the United States to fix our roads, our bridges, and all of the other problems  our airports and all the other problems we have  we would have been a lot better off, I can tell you that right now.



 I wish we had the 4 trillion dollars or 5 trillion dollars. I wish it were spent right here in the United States on schools, hospitals, roads, airports, and everything else that are all falling apart!

Demanded the passage of a health-care bill that he, himself, admitted would hurt his own supporters.

While campaigning for the presidency, Donald Trump promised to pass a new health-care law that would cover everyone; leave Medicaids funding untouched; and provide relief to the forgotten men and women of middle America.

Shortly after taking the oath of office, Trump threw his support behind a bill that would have thrown 24 million Americans off their health insurance; cut funding for Medicaid by $880 billion; and drastically increased the cost of health care for older, low-income people in deep-red rural counties.

Fox News host Tucker Carlson confronted Trump with that last finding.

A Bloomberg analysis showed that counties that voted for you  middle-class and working-class counties  would do far less well under this bill than the counties that voted for Hillary, the more affluent counties, Carlson said.

Oh, I know, Trump replied. But this is going to be negotiated.

But in negotiations with House Republicans, Trump did not push for any changes that would have significantly ameliorated the negative effects he acknowledged. Instead, the president offered to make the bill even more draconian, so as to appease the tea-party hard-liners in the House Freedom Caucus.

Whats more, Trump expressed utter indifference about the substance of the bill in those negotiations, arguing that what really mattered was that passing something would improve his chances for reelection, according to Politico:

Forget about the little shit, Trump said, according to multiple sources in the room. Lets focus on the big picture here.



The group of roughly 30 House conservatives, gathered around a mammoth, oval-shaped conference table in the Cabinet Room of the White House, exchanged disapproving looks. Trump wanted to emphasize the political ramifications of the bills defeat; specifically, he said, it would derail his first-term agenda and imperil his prospects for reelection in 2020. The lawmakers nodded and said they understood. And yet they were disturbed by his dismissiveness. For many of the members, the little shit meant the policy details that could make or break their support for the billand have far-reaching implications for their constituents and the country.

Surely, Trump isnt the first president to ever champion a substantively flawed proposal for purely political reasons. But the scale of his nihilism is breathtaking. By all accounts, the president knew virtually nothing about the substance of his health-care law  beyond the fact that it would violate some of his core campaign promises, while hurting millions of people  and he demanded that lawmakers pass it, as an act of personal loyalty to him, anyway.

Failed to staff nearly 2,000 vacant Executive branch positions.

Trump is governing the worlds most powerful country with a skeleton crew. The presidents dysfunctional transition left him without a pool of nominees-in-waiting when he took the oath of office. Since then, Trumps incompetence  combined with his aversion to hiring any Establishment Republican who opposed his campaign  has allowed nearly 2,000 Executive branch positions to collect dust.

As of mid-March, Trump had not nominated anyone for more than 500 top-tier administrative posts, making his transition the slowest in decades, according to the New York Times.

Back in February, Trump tried to sell this dereliction of duty as an innovative act of cost cutting.

A lot of those jobs, I dont want to appoint, because theyre unnecessary to have, Trump told Fox News. I say, What do all these people do? You dont need all those jobs.

But the president has drafted no formal plan for cutting the vacant senior positions, and White House spokesperson Lindsay E. Walters told the Times earlier this month that Trump intended to fill them, eventually.

For now, the executive offices at the State Department remain virtually empty. And the high-ranking civil servants who are in place have been largely ignored. As Julia Ioffe reported for The Atlantic:

[M]any State staffers are surprised to find themselves on the outside. They really want to blow this place up, said the mid-level State Department officer. I dont think this administration thinks the State Department needs to exist. They think Jared [Kushner, Trumps son-in-law] can do everything. Its reminiscent of the developing countries where Ive served. The family rules everything, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs knows nothing.

The White House lent credence to this claim on Monday, when it announced that  in addition to being the administrations point man on trade deals, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and broader Middle East policy  the presidents son-in-law will lead a new government office with sweeping authority to overhaul the federal bureaucracy and fulfill key campaign promises  such as reforming care for veterans and fighting opioid addiction.

Signed an Energy Independence Executive Order that will not make America more energy independent  but will likely prevent America from honoring its international commitments to reduce carbon emissions.



On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order that began the process of reversing the Obama administrations Clean Power Plan, which would have required states to reduce their carbon emissions by decreasing their reliance on dirty energy sources, like coal. Trumps order also rescinds a temporary ban on new coal leases on federal land.

The official goal of the law is to decrease Americas dependence on foreign energy, while reviving the long-suffering coal industry.

But there is no rational basis for believing the measure will do either of those things. The United States does not import coal. Reducing regulations on carbon emissions will not allow America to replace foreign energy sources with domestic ones, but rather to prioritize dirty domestic energy sources over clean ones.

This shift would do nothing to bolster Americans employment prospects. At present, solar companies employ twice as many Americans as the coal industry does. Whats more, Trumps executive order wont even have a significant impact on the economic fortunes of coal miners themselves.

While the new order will keep older coal plants open for a few years longer, the mines that are staying open are using more mechanization  theyre not hiring people, energy economist Robert W. Godby told the New York Times.

So even if we saw an increase in coal production, we could see a decrease in coal jobs, Godby told the paper.

Thus, the cost-benefit analysis on Trumps executive order is effectively this: On the plus side, coal magnates will enjoy a few more years of profits before natural gas, wind, and solar make their industry obsolescent. On the downside, it may very well accelerate the onset of an ecological catastrophe that threatens to drown major American cities in the next century.

























(February 11 through February 28)

Declared the mainstream media the enemy of the American people.

Trump and his administration have been waging a war on objective reality  and those tasked with describing it  from the moment he was sworn in. In his first appearance as White House press secretary, Sean Spicer demanded that reporters believe the presidents estimate of the size of his inaugural crowd over their own lying eyes.

Trumps tumultuous (and not terribly productive) first month only widened the chasm between the presidents grandiose self-conception and what he sees reflected back at him in the mirror of the mainstream press. And this gap has produced evermore extreme attempts to nullify the Fourth Estate.

In late January, chief White House strategist Steve Bannon branded the mainstream media the opposition party, and suggested that it keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while.

Bannons remarks were widely described seen as outrageous; at a subsequent White House press briefing, Spicer distanced the administration from Bannons sentiments, saying, The press plays a very healthy role in democracy, no question about it.

But last week, the president decried the media in terms far more inflammatory than even the former Breitbart mastermind had mustered.

Trump did not have second thoughts about describing several of Americas leading journalistic institutions as enemies of its people. Nor did he subsequently evince concern for whether his rhetoric would inspire some Second Amendment people to defend the American people against its enemies through extralegal means.

Instead, he reiterated his charge one week later, at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

A few days ago I called the fake news the enemy of the people. And they are. They are the enemy of the people, Trump said. Because they have no sources, they just make em up when there are none  Im against the people that make up stories and make up sources.

Previously, the president had criticized the press for printing illegal leaks from anonymous government officials and suggested that those officials have often shared false information. But hed never before claimed that major newspapers were fabricating sources out of whole cloth and presenting works of fictions as reportage.

Still, Trump insisted that he had no problem with the real media.

Im not against the media. Im not against the press, Trump said. I am only against the fake-news media or press.

He then lambasted the fake news media for failing to appreciate this nuance. Fake, the president said. Fake. They have to leave that word.

On Friday afternoon, the White House appeared to put the presidents distinction into practice: When reporters from the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Politico, CNN, and other major mainstream outlets showed up for a scheduled, off-camera briefing from Sean Spicer, they were denied entry to the White House press secretarys office.

Breitbart News, the Washington Times, and One America News Network were waved in. Spicer also welcomed some mainstream outlets, including erstwhile enemies of the people ABC and CBS. Reporters from Time magazine and the Associated Press were allowed in, but chose to boycott the briefing in protest of the other outlets exclusion.

Nothing like this has ever happened at the White House in our long history of covering multiple administrations of different parties, Dean Baquet, the executive editor of the New York Times, said in a statement. We strongly protest the exclusion of The New York Times and the other news organizations. Free media access to a transparent government is obviously of crucial national interest.

Held a nuclear strategy session in the public dining room of his Florida resort.

Instead of hosting the Japanese prime minister at the White House, Trump opted to fly Shinzo Abe down to the private resort he owns in Palm Beach, Florida. This choice of venue cost American taxpayers millions in additional travel-and-security expenses. But it also allowed the president to directly profit off the diplomatic meeting, while increasing the perks of being a member of his club. Now, Mar-a-Lago members dont merely have access to golf, a private beach, and a network of fellow plutocrats  they also get seats in the presidents open-air Situation Room. Per CNN:



The iceberg wedge salads, dripping with blue cheese dressing, had just been served on the terrace of Mar-a-Lago Saturday when the call to President Donald Trump came in: North Korea had launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile, its first challenge to international rules since Trump was sworn in three weeks agoAs Mar-a-Lagos wealthy members looked on from their tables, and with a keyboard player crooning in the background, Trump and Abes evening meal quickly morphed into a strategy session, the decision-making on full view to fellow diners, who described it in detail to CNN.

The White House later claimed that Trump and Abe did not engage in detailed security discussions in Mar-a-Lagos dining room. But Trump indisputably took a break from discussing the nuclear crisis to reward one of his longtime members with a wedding-night visit from himself and the leader of Japan.

Trump also allowed one of his guests to post a picture to Facebook of the man tasked with carrying Americas nuclear football.

Mar-a-Lago member who pays Trump hundreds of thousands of dollars posts pics of - and identifies - US official carrying nuclear football. pic.twitter.com/oyAfY0E9Fj  Samuel Oakford (@samueloakford) February 13, 2017

Trumps weekend visits to Mar-a-Lago cost American taxpayers more than $10 million in his first month in office, according to the Washington Post.

Allowed one of his senior advisers to complain about CNNs political coverage to the networks parent company  which has a proposed merger pending before the government.

The fact that the American president has displayed a fondness for authoritarianism  and an indifference to ethical norms  is concerning for a whole host of reasons. One is that these qualities raise the possibility that Trump might use the powers of his office to coerce private industry into doing his administrations bidding. Shortly after the moguls victory, Voxs Matt Yglesias treated this subject at length in an essay titled, We have 100 days to stop Donald Trump from systemically corrupting our institutions.

In that piece, Yglesias argues that America has long been prey to venal corruption, which consists of rich people buying favors through campaign contributions. The U.S. is not, however, a systematically corrupt nation  one in which political favor becomes the primary driver of economic success.

To explain how Trump might begin systemically corrupting American institutions, Yglesias writes the following:

Trump is not going to crush the free media in one fell swoop. But big corporate media does face enough regulatory matters that even a single exemplary case would suffice to induce large-scale self-censorship. AT&T, for example, is currently seeking permission from antitrust authorities to buy Time Warner  permission that Time Warner executives might plausible fear is contingent on Trump believing that CNN has covered him fairly.

Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that senior White House adviser (and Trump son-in-law) Jared Kushner complained to Gary Ginsberg, executive vice president of corporate marketing and communications at CNNs parent Time Warner, about what Mr. Kushner feels is unfair coverage slanted against the president.

Allowed his administration to ask the FBI to leak favorable information, in violation of rules protecting the Justice Departments independence.

Earlier this month, anonymous U.S. officials told the New York Times that Trump campaign aides contacted Russian intelligence operatives, multiple times, during the 2016 race.

The day after the Times reported on the Trump campaigns Russia contacts, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus had a conversation. Which one of these men brought up the Times story is unclear  according to the White House, McCabe told Priebus that the papers report was overblown. However the subject came up, Priebus eventually asked McCabe to tell the press that the Times story was baloney  or, at least, have that information leaked, anonymously.

Even if the White Houses story is true  and the Times story is false  this request was problematic for at least two reasons. For one, Justice Department rules forbid the White House from discussing the details of ongoing investigations with the FBI  let alone investigations into the president himself  unless those details are vital to the presidents duties. For another, the FBI is not supposed to publicly comment on ongoing investigations.

Hours after his administration admitted that it had asked the FBI to leak classified information, the president condemned the FBI for leaking information.

The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security "leakers" that have permeated our government for a long time. They can't even......  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2017

Declined to publicly condemn the shooting of two India-born engineers by a man who (allegedly) said get out of my country, as he fired.

Declared himself the least racist person  then asked a black reporter to set up a meeting for him with her friends in the Congressional Black Caucus.

Minutes after declaring himself the least racist person in existence, Trump took a question from American Urban Radio Networks D.C. bureau chief, April Ryan.

Ryan asked if Trump planned to seek the advice of the CBC when crafting his urban agenda. The president was confused. Ryan explained that she was referring to the Congressional Black Caucus.

Do you want to set up the meeting? Are they friends of yours? Trump asked the African-American journalist.

No, Im just a reporter, Ryan said.

Set up a meeting, the president interrupted. I would love to meet with the Congressional Black Caucus.

Reporter: Will you meet with the Congressional Black Caucus?

Trump: "I would. You want to set up the meeting? Are they friends of yours?" pic.twitter.com/8Pp18KBUJd  BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) February 16, 2017

Trump also informed a Jewish reporter that he was the least anti-Semitic person youve ever seen in your entire life, before explaining that a lot of supposed acts of anti-Jewish intimidation are really just false-flag attacks designed to make Donald Trump look bad.





*An earlier version of this list included the presidents failure to condemn the shooting of two India-born engineers in Kansas by a man who (reportedly) shouted, get out of my country, as he fired. But, after more than a week of silence, the White House did release a formal statement condemning the shooting on Tuesday.





Week 8 (February 4 through February 10)



Declared the court system a threat to national security.

Donald Trump spent much of his presidential campaign promising to use executive power to discriminate against Muslims. Upon election, he promptly banned immigration from several Muslim-majority nations, via an executive order that was Breitbart-tested but not cabinet-agency-approved.

This led to chaos at airports, on-the-fly revisions to the governments interpretation of its own order, and a bevy of legal rebukes.

Last week, judges in New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, and California stayed the order  or aspects of it  on a variety of legal grounds. Then, on Friday night, U.S. District Judge James Robart delivered the body blow.

Unlike other plaintiffs, the state of Washington did not challenge discrete provisions of the executive order, or merely the process by which it was implemented. Rather, the state argued that the order was in fundamental tensions with both federal law and the Constitution. Robart ruled that Washingtons argument was likely to succeed on the merits  and ordered a halt to nationwide enforcement of the travel ban.

The president responded by suggesting that Robart might not actually be a judge.

The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2017

Then, he framed the existence of judicial review as a sign of national decline.

What is our country coming to when a judge can halt a Homeland Security travel ban and anyone, even with bad intentions, can come into U.S.?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2017

Still, superficially, Trumps complaint was with an individual judge, not the Judicial branch, itself. But then the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the White Houses request for an emergency stay of Robarts decision  and the president made his contempt for the rule of law explicit.

Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2017

This was not merely an intemperate tweet. It was the president instructing the American people to view the next terrorist attack on U.S. soil as an indictment of the judiciary. And it isnt just Trump himself whos pushing this line. In its legal challenge to Robarts ruling, the White House argued that the federal judge was in no position to rule on the propriety of the executive order, because he lacks access to classified intelligence.

This is an argument for allowing our fear of terrorism to overwhelm our commitment to the rule of law  a line of reasoning that poses a far greater threat to the American form of government and way of life than any closeted-jihadist refugee ever could.

Insisted that his Supreme Court pick had no problem with attacks on the judiciary, in the face of blatant evidence to the contrary.

Trumps Supreme Court nominee had little choice but to condemn the presidents attacks on his branch of government. In private meetings with senators ahead of his confirmation hearings, Neil Gorsuch described Trumps remarks demoralizing and disheartening.

But the president found it hard to believe that his Supreme Court pick would object to attacks on the court system. And so  even though White House adviser Ron Bonjean had confirmed that Gorsuch had criticized Trumps comments in his meeting with Richard Blumenthal  the president accused the Democratic senator of lying.

Sen.Richard Blumenthal, who never fought in Vietnam when he said for years he had (major lie),now misrepresents what Judge Gorsuch told him?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017

The presidents case here was airtight: Richard Blumenthal once apologized for saying that he had served in Vietnam, when, in fact, the senator had merely served as a Marine Corps Reserve during the Vietnam War, but was never sent overseas. (By contrast, the president spent his Vietnam fearlessly weathering round after round of unprotected sex.) Therefore, both Blumenthal and Bonjean are lying.

Trump proceeded to chastise CNNs Chris Cuomo for refusing to ask Blumenthal about his Vietnam record during a Thursday-morning interview  even though Cuomo asked Blumenthal about his (utterly irrelevant) Vietnam record during that Thursday-morning interview.

Chris Cuomo, in his interview with Sen. Blumenthal, never asked him about his long-term lie about his brave "service" in Vietnam. FAKE NEWS!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017

There seems to be no lie too obvious  nor attack too hypocritical  for the president to deploy as a means of evading responsibility for his mistakes.

Trashed New START during a call with Putin  after putting the phone aside to ask his advisers what that (nuclear-arms treaty) was.

I was a good student. I understand things, President Trump assured America on Wednesday. I comprehend very well, okay? Better than, I think, almost anybody.

But many within the White House beg to differ. In leak after leak, anonymous administration officials paint the president as less teachers pet than class clown  one who refuses to do his homework, demands the Cliffs Notes for every reading assignment, and struggles to comprehend the most basic aspects of the curriculum.

The latest SOS from the West Wing was intercepted by Reuters:

In his first call as president with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump denounced a treaty that caps U.S. and Russian deployment of nuclear warheads as a bad deal for the United States, according to two U.S. officials and one former U.S. official with knowledge of the call.



When Putin raised the possibility of extending the 2010 treaty, known as New START, Trump paused to ask his aides in an aside what the treaty was, these sources said.



Trump then told Putin the treaty was one of several bad deals negotiated by the Obama administration, saying that New START favored Russia. Trump also talked about his own popularity, the sources said.

New START is pretty fundamental to U.S.-Russian relations. At his confirmation hearing, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expressed his support for the agreement. Trump, himself, was aware of the treatys significance  if not of its proper name  last year, when he complained that Russia outsmarted Obama on START Up.

To avoid such lapses in memory, presidents typically request an in-depth briefing from the National Security Council before dialing up world leaders. But, according to Reuters sources, Trump received no such briefing before hopping on the horn with Putin. (Considering that Trump has often bragged about being too smart to read long things, it seems safe to take Reuters word on this one.)

The source of Trumps antipathy for New START is unclear. On the one hand, the president has expressed enthusiasm for a new arms race. On the other, he has called nuclear weapons the single greatest threat we face  and has a habit of disparaging any deal that he did not, himself, negotiate.

Which is to say: The best-case scenario here is that our president would like there to be fewer nuclear arms in the world  but is willing to jeopardize that objective if it means honoring an agreement Obama negotiated.

Publicly condemned a private company for dropping his daughters (increasingly unpopular) fashion line.

Trump long ago concluded that it would be unreasonable for the American people to expect him to divest from his business interests, just because they elected him president. To forfeit the empire he spent his whole life building was simply too great a sacrifice. While he would cease managing the Trump Organization, he would, nonetheless, retain majority ownership of its assets.

Most Americans sympathized with this position.

Then, Trump decided that having someone outside his family run the organization in his stead  so as to put meaningful distance between himself and its management  was also too great a burden for him to bear.

Trump proceeded to reason that he couldnt fairly be expected to not invite the children running his business to policy meetings with tech entrepreneurs; or to not meet with his business partners while president-elect; or to ensure that his D.C. hotel did not court the patronage of foreign diplomats (in arguable defiance of the Constitution).

And, then, on Thursday, the president decided that we also cant expect him not to attack private companies that refuse to maintain a relationship with his daughters poorly performing brand.

My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017

Suggested that publicly criticizing his military decisions is tantamount to aiding the enemy.

Last week, President Trump sent a team of Navy SEALs to raid a compound in Yemen  with the aim of capturing or killing the head of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Qassim al-Rimi.

When the raid was over, al-Rimi was still alive, and on the lam  while one SEAL, 14 (alleged) Al Qaeda fighters, an 8-year-old American citizen, and an unconfirmed number of other civilians lay dead.

The SEALs did manage to collect some phones and computers, though the value of the information contained therein is not publicly known. Meanwhile, in light of the raids many civilian casualties, the Yemeni government is starting to rethink its support for U.S. ground operations on its soil.

Surveying these results, Arizona senator and prominent war enthusiast John McCain dubbed the mission a failure.

On Thursday, Trump suggested that McCains comment was harmful to national security  and also the kind of thing that a loser would say.

Sen. McCain should not be talking about the success or failure of a mission to the media. Only emboldens the enemy! He's been losing so....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017

...long he doesn't know how to win anymore, just look at the mess our country is in - bogged down in conflict all over the place. Our hero..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017

..Ryan died on a winning mission ( according to General Mattis), not a "failure." Time for the U.S. to get smart and start winning again!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017

Got angry at his press secretary for being impersonated by a woman.

Per Politico:

[T]he devastating Saturday Night Live caricature of Spicer that aired over the weekend  in which a belligerent Spicer was spoofed by a gum-chomping, super soaker-wielding Melissa McCarthy in drag  did not go over well internally at a White House in which looks matter. More than being lampooned as a press secretary who makes up facts, it was Spicers portrayal by a woman that was most problematic in the presidents eyes, according to sources close to him. And the unflattering send-up by a female comedian was not considered helpful for Spicers longevity in the grueling, high-profile job[.]

















Week 7 (January 27 through February 3)

Used the Executive branchs immense authority over border control to inflict arbitrary cruelty on thousands of Muslim immigrants, create chaos at airports all across America, and sour diplomatic relations with the rest of the world.

Many of the actions catalogued in this post serve as testaments to our new presidents incompetence; others, to his mindless bigotry. Late last Friday, Trump signed his name to a document that affirmed both of his signature qualities  and upended the lives of tens of thousands of innocent people.

That executive order  as of Friday evening temporarily blocked by a Seattle judge  suspended the admission of all refugees to the United States for 120 days; suspended the admission of Syrian refugees indefinitely; prioritized the refugee claims of non-Muslims in the Middle East; and banned citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S.

These measures were advertised as means of protecting national security. But there is little evidence that they will do any such thing. America already has one of the worlds most rigorous systems for vetting refugees, and the deadliest terror attacks on U.S. soil in recent years were executed by our own disaffected citizens.

Even if one believes that protecting homeland security requires barring travelers from the Muslim world, there is no coherent argument for why visitors from Saudi Arabia should be allowed, while those from Iran should not. In fact, no foreign national from any of the seven blacklisted countries has committed a fatal terrorist attack in the United States since 1975.

As an effort to prevent terrorism, Trumps executive order is incoherent, and likely counterproductive. The orders broad, overt denigration of the Muslim world aids every jihadist who wishes to tie his heinous cause to a broader war between Islam and the West. But jihadists arent the only ones who long for such a clash of civilizations  some of the most powerful people in the Trump White House believe Judeo-Christian civilization really is at war with Islam.

Many of those same people see Muslim immigrants as threats to national security, whether theyre terrorists or not. The two main authors of last weeks order  Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller  have explicitly argued that such immigrants are a threat simply because their religion will prevent them from assimilating into our society. Once you stipulate this view, the order becomes more coherent: The goal is not to stop terrorism but to halt the dilution of the white Christian population in the United States. Its about protecting ethno-national security.

Nearly 60,000 immigrants had their visas revoked to satisfy Bannons Islamophobic paranoia. Countless refugees were stranded. But the costs of Trumps order dont merely fall on nonU.S. citizens. America relies on many of the countries Trump blacklisted to provide doctors for our understaffed hospitals. Now, some medical groups are preparing for a shortage of physicians in our nations underserved rural areas. The order has also disrupted the smooth functioning of American universities and tech companies that rely on immigrant labor.

Finally, even if one shares Bannons worldview  and believes all this is a small price to pay for saving America from the Muslim hordes  the implementation of the order revealed the new administrations profound incompetence. The White House sought little input from legal counsel, Congress, and relevant cabinet agencies. It provided Customs and Border Protection with little notice of its plans. This led to chaos in airports all around the United States as visa-holders arrived to find their legal status had been terminated while they were midair. And the vagueness of the orders wording produced confusion about who was and was not impacted by the rules. At the beginning of the weekend, the order applied to legal permanent residents and dual citizens of the blacklisted countries; by Monday it did not.

Violated court orders against his travel ban.

The sloppiness of the order did have its own silver lining: It exposed many of the Trump administrations directives to effective legal challenge. Days after the order went into effect, judges in Massachusetts and California had issued injunctions, restraining the orders enforcement.

But the rule of law does not seem to matter very much to the law and order president. As Slates Jeremy Stahl wrote Thursday:

Its been more than four full days since the Boston order and more than one full day since the Los Angeles order. Nothing has changed. Travelers cleared by the two court orders to come to America have instead been blocked. They remain in legal limbo, often trapped in places that are not their homes  Trump has violated the spirit of the court rulingsand, in the opinion of experts, the letterthrough a mix of legal chicanery and subterfuge, enabled by a Kafkaesque bureaucracy doing the presidents will rather than the will of the courts.

Heres what Stahl means by Kafkaesque and legal chicanery: The judges in Boston ordered the government to cease detaining or removing individuals with valid immigrant and non-immigrant visas. But the Trump administration claims that it had already revoked the visas of all nationals from the blacklisted countries, prior to the order  a fact that was not publicly confirmed until Friday.

And so, Customs and Border Protection agents have carried on following their orders.

Created a diplomatic crisis with Australia  and threatened to invade Mexico.

Australia is the kind of friend that takes your side even when youre wrong. In geopolitical terms, this means that when the United States asked for some help with our quagmire in Afghanistan, Australia sacrificed 42 of its young people to our cause.

So, when Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull reminded President Trump of Americas commitment to take in 1,250 refugees currently residing in an Australian detention center, he had little reason to believe that hed be met with a torrent of verbal abuse.

But he was.

This is the worst deal ever, the president said during the Saturday call, according to the Washington Post. Trump proceeded to inform our dear ally that he had spoken with four other world leaders that day  including Russian President Vladimir Putin  and that this was the worst call by far.

When Turnbull tried to direct the conversation to less contentious subjects, Trump abruptly ended the call  35 minutes before it was scheduled to expire.

Later in the week, Trump tried to patch things up with Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto  and kind of, sort of, threatened to invade our southern neighbor.

You have a bunch of bad hombres down there, Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt obtained by the Associated Press. You arent doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isnt, so I just might send them down to take care of it.

Mexican officials later characterized this as a friendly offer, rather than a military threat.

Nonetheless, neither of these phone calls increases ones confidence in the diplomatic chops of our commander-in-chief.

Allowed his press secretary to falsely claim that Iran had committed an act of war against the United States.

The Trump administration spent much of the past week rattling sabers at Iran. Not all of this belligerence was unprovoked  Iran did test an intercontinental ballistic missile Sunday, in (arguably) a violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution.

But one thing Iran definitely did not do was take action against an American Navy vessel. But that didnt stop White House press secretary Sean Spicer from saying that it had.

I think General Flynn was really clear yesterday that Iran has violated the Joint Resolution, that Irans additional hostile actions that it took against our Navy vessel are ones that we are very clear [we] are not going to sit by and take, Spicer said Thursday, intimating that Iran had committed an act of war against the United States.

In truth, a Saudi Arabian warship was attacked by fighters that the Pentagon suspects were Houthi rebels  a Shia militant group in Yemen that the Saudis have been slaughtering for over a year. Iran does back the Houthis, but the latter isnt really the puppet of the former  the Houthis are less concerned with expanding Tehrans sphere of influence than winning their nations civil war.

And yet, the White House eagerly painted a (suspected) Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia as a (confirmed) Iranian attack on America. Which makes you wonder whether or not the Trump administration will do everything in its power to avoid launching another Middle Eastern war.

Retained the author of a reactionary screed that likened the 2016 election to Flight 93 as a national-security staffer.

Michael Anton is a former Bush administration speechwriter and current national-security official in the Trump administration. This week, we learned that he is also the author of an essay titled The Flight 93 Election. In it, Anton argued that the 2016 election put conservatives in a position akin to passengers of Flight 93 on 9/11: They could either charge the cockpit or die.

If you dont try, death is certain, Anton wrote. To compound the metaphor: a Hillary Clinton presidency is Russian Roulette with a semi-auto.

Antons reasoning was simple: The ceaseless importation of Third World foreigners with no tradition of, taste for, or experience in liberty means that the electorate grows more left, more Democratic, less Republican, less republican, and less traditionally American with every cycle.

Thus, absent an immediate restriction of Third World immigration, America, as conservatives knew it, would end.

This is not merely an argument against Hillary Clinton, but an argument for authoritarianism. If a Democratic victory in 2016 could have brought national ruination, surely the same would be true in 2020. Which is to say: One of the presidents senior national-security staffers is an opponent of American democracy.

Suggested that Frederick Douglass is still alive in speech on Black History Month.

At his speech honoring African-Americans historical contributions to our republic, the president said this about Martin Luther King Jr.

Last month, we celebrated the life of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., whose incredible example is unique in American history. You read all about Dr. Martin Luther King a week ago when somebody said I took the statue out of my office. It turned out that that was fake news. Fake news. The statue is cherished, its one of the favorite things in the  and we have some good ones. We have Lincoln, and we have Jefferson, and we have Dr. Martin Luther King. But they said the statue, the bust of Martin Luther King, was taken out of the office. And it was never even touched. So I think it was a disgrace, but thats the way the press is. Very unfortunate.

And this about Frederick Douglass:

Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody whos done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I noticed.

Sean Spicer was later asked what Trump had meant by this.

I think he wants to highlight the contributions that he has made, Spicer said. And I think through a lot of the actions and statements that hes going to make, I think the contributions of Frederick Douglass will become more and more.



*clears throat*



"osama bin laden is dead and frederick douglass is alive!"  Jamelle Bouie (@jbouie) February 1, 2017













Week 6 (January 7 through 27)

Told a demonstrable lie about the size of the crowd at his inauguration  and predicted that the media would pay a big price for refusing to repeat it.

Donald Trumps inauguration attracted a much smaller crowd to the National Mall than Barack Obamas did in 2008. This was not a surprise: Washington, D.C., is a majority African-American city, and the first black president won its vote overwhelmingly. Trump, by contrast, received a mere 4 percent of the districts ballots. Further, Obama entered office with an approval rating of 80 percent; Trump was sworn in with one around 40.

But while Trumps (comparatively) sparse inaugural crowd comported with demographic and polling realities, it was wildly inconsistent with the presidents expectations. And so, as he often does when reality disappoints his fondest wishes, Trump discovered a set of alternative facts.

I get up this morning and I turn on one of the networks and they show an empty field, Trump said. I said wait a minute, I made a speech, I looked out, the field was, it looked like a million, a million and a half people  it went all the way back to the Washington Monument.

"Even the media said the crowd was massive," President Trump said tonight, claiming crowd stretched "to the Washington Monument." Fact check pic.twitter.com/dbmkBujjMJ  Mark Berman (@markberman) January 21, 2017

So, we caught the media, Trump said, and we caught them in beauty. And I think theyre going to pay a big price.

That big price turned out to be a scolding from the new White House press secretary. Armed with visual aids, an ill-fitting suit, and secondhand indignation, Spicer condemned the presss shameful attempts to minimize the enormous support that had gathered on the National Mall.

Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, Spicer baselessly declared, before vowing, Were going to hold the press accountable.

Spicer then informed the White House press corps that the CIA had given Trump a five-minute standing ovation at the end of his speech (the audience stood throughout the speech, having never received permission to sit. Trump would later claim that this had been the biggest standing ovation since Peyton Manning had won the Super Bowl).



Thats what you guys should be writing and covering, Spicer said, then left without taking a single question.

Told congressional leaders at a private meeting that he only lost the popular vote because undocumented immigrants cast millions of ballots against him.

In November, Trump tweeted that he had actually won the popular vote, if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally. That was disturbing for several reasons, all detailed in an earlier installment of this list.

But Trumps repetition of the claim  in a private meeting with congressional leaders, whom he has no hope of conning on this subject  raises the alarming possibility that the president genuinely believes in his own conspiracy theory. Which is to say, the president believes that 3 to 5 million undocumented immigrants risked deportation to illegally vote against him.

Even though there is literally no evidence for that claim. And no losing down-ballot Republican candidate has demanded an investigation into the matter. And he, himself, loudly opposed all attempts to audit the elections results  until reporters alerted him to this apparent contradiction. Then, the president announced an investigation into such acts of voter fraud as being registered to vote in two states (which is a crime committed by several of his advisers and family members, if it were actually illegal).

I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017

even, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time). Depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017

On Tuesday, Sean Spicer affirmed that this is, in fact, the presidents genuine understanding of how Hillary Clinton won more votes than he did.

The president does believe that, he has stated that before, Spicer told reporters at a White House press briefing. I think hes stated his concerns of voter fraud and people voting illegally during the campaign and he continues to maintain that belief based on studies and evidence people have presented to him.



If true, then Trumps claim about illegal votes is not just a dangerous challenge to popular perceptions of democratic legitimacy and a pretext for voter suppression  though it is both these things.

It is also a sign that the president may have developed his talent for conning the insecure by practicing on himself.

Suggested America might once again have the opportunity to confiscate Iraqs oil.

Trump has long maintained that one of the biggest mistakes the United States made in Iraq was that it did not expropriate the nations most valuable natural resource. The president is fairly certain that, had the U.S. stolen Iraqs oil, the region would be far more stable than it is today.

Trump reiterated this view in his speech at the CIA on his first weekend in office  and then suggested that his administration might have a chance to rectify Americas great error.

Now I said it for economic reasons, Trump said while introducing Representative Mike Pompeo, his pick to lead the intelligence agency. But if you think about it, Mike, if we kept the oil, you probably wouldnt have ISIS because thats where they made their money in the first place, so we should have kept the oil
Two things, along with Putin and free trade, that Tillerson knows really well. Photo: BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly set to nominate ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be his secretary of State, according to Trump sources who spoke to NBC News, the New York Times, and others on Saturday. Those sources, per NBC, cautioned that nothing is final until the president-elect officially announces it, likely next week, but Tillerson did meet with Trump on Tuesday and again on Saturday. NBC additionally reports they were told that former U.N. ambassador John Bolton  one of the architects of President George W. Bushs foreign policy and the Iraq War  would be made the deputy secretary of State to handle the departments day-to-day management. The Times reports that Bolton is only one of the two finalists for the deputy job, as is Richard N. Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations. Trump himself wouldnt confirm the Tillerson pick on Sunday morning, though he praised the CEO both in a Fox News interview and on Twitter:

Whether I choose him or not for "State"- Rex Tillerson, the Chairman & CEO of ExxonMobil, is a world class player and dealmaker. Stay tuned!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2016

Should Trump select Tillerson to head the State Department, it will apparently be on account of Trump and his advisors preferring the executives extensive experience negotiating international business agreements (per the Times, Trumps closest advisors, Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner, both pushed for the pick). Adds the Washington Post, Trump decided on Tillerson because he projects gravitas, is regarded as a skillful manager and personally knows many foreign leaders through his dealings on behalf of [ExxonMobil.] Tillerson is yet another wealthy business leader with little or no government experience, characteristics that appear to be assets if one wants to be in Trumps cabinet.

Tillersons business experience, however, is also sure to complicate, if not necessarily prevent, his confirmation. Of particular concern is the CEOs close ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin and how he has long worked to strengthen U.S.-Russia relations. As The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, according to Tillersons friends and associates, [F]ew U.S. citizens are closer to Mr. Putin than Mr. Tillerson, who has known Mr. Putin since he represented Exxons interests in Russia during the regime of Boris Yeltsin. Indeed, Putin awarded Tillerson with Russias Order of Friendship  one of the countrys highest honors  in 2013. In 2011, the CEO negotiated a $500 billion Arctic oil contract between ExxonMobil, the Kremlin, and the state-owned Rosneft oil company, but the deal was suspended once Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, and was subsequently punished with U.S. economic sanctions by the Obama administration, a policy which has reportedly cost ExxonMobil more than $1 billion.

Condoleezza Rice and Robert Gates, both ExxonMobil consultants, recommended Tillerson. pic.twitter.com/PxlHoWV6oF  Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) December 10, 2016

Tillerson has, unsurprisingly, spoken out against U.S. sanctions on Russia, remarking at a company meeting in 2014 that we always encourage the people who are making those decisions to consider the very broad collateral damage of who are they really harming, while also explaining that ExxonMobil doesnt support sanctions because we dont find them to be effective unless they are very well-implemented comprehensively  and thats a very hard thing to do.

Tillerson to Putin in Sept '12, per Reuters at the time from economic summit jointly attended by Tillerson & Putin. https://t.co/VFyX7O0oMA pic.twitter.com/ijQQxIPKtz  Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) December 10, 2016

Any Trump cabinet pick with ties to Russia, including Tillerson and national-security-advisor nominee Michael T. Flynn, is also now likely to face even more scrutiny following reports that Russia intervened in the U.S. election in order to help Trump win.

Tillerson and Putin at the signing of the $500 billion Rosneft-ExxonMobil strategic-partnership agreement in 2011. Photo: Alexey Druzhinin/AFP/Getty Images

Tillerson, a 64-year-old Texas native with a net worth of more than $150 million, has no government or public-sector experience, which would be a first for any U.S. secretary of State. He also has few known foreign-policy views beyond those expressed in the interests of his company. Tillerson is a strong supporter of free trade, but Trump repeatedly railed against trade deals during his presidential campaign, so its not clear if Tillerson would continue to support them once hes running Trumps State Department. Regarding climate change, Tillerson told ExxonMobil shareholders in May that we believe that addressing the risk of climate change is a global issue, which requires the co-operation of governments and businesses (though, that is a decidedly recent conclusion for the company). Trump has called climate change a China-perpetrated hoax and this week nominated a climate-change denier to run the Environmental Protection Agency.

The potential for conflicts of interest for Tillerson as Americas top diplomat dont end with Russia either. Tillerson has worked for ExxonMobil for 41 years and has been its chair and CEO since 2006. The corporation is the worlds eighth-largest company by revenue, has operations in more than 50 countries, and explores for oil and gas on six continents. As the Journal also notes, although Tillerson was planning to retire next year, he still has retirement funds worth tens of millions of dollars that could be impacted by U.S. foreign-policy decisions.

Rex Tillerson currently owns exactly $233,078,184 worth of Exxon Mobil stock, which (if he becomes Sec of State) he can divest tax-free.  Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) December 10, 2016

Obviously, Tillersons nomination would be controversial, even for the norm-demolishing Trump team, and not just among Democrats. Some Republicans have already reportedly warned the Trump camp against working with Russia, and on Friday, after the president-elects preference for Tillerson was first reported, there were at least some indications the pick could face resistance within the party, like this tweet from one of Senator John McCains closest confidants:

Tillerson would sell out NATO for Sakhalin oil and his pal, Vlad. Should be a rough confirmation hearing, and a no vote on the Senate floor. https://t.co/cZmA3swddK  Mark Salter (@MarkSalter55) December 9, 2016

McCain echoed Salters comment on Saturday, telling CNN he had major concerns about Tillersons relationship with Putin, who McCain called a thug and a murderer, and if those concerns arent resolved, he will vote against Tillersons confirmation. Also on Saturday, Republican senator Lindsey Graham spoke out against Russia more generally, responding to Fridays news about Russias hacker-interference in the election:

[You dont] have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out what Russia is up to  theyre trying to undermine democracies all over the world. Russia is trying to break the backs of democracies  and democratic movements  all over the world. Im not challenging the outcome of the election, but very concerned about Russian interference/actions at home and throughout the world.

Senator Marco Rubio sounded skeptical on Sunday as well:

Being a "friend of Vladimir" is not an attribute I am hoping for from a #SecretaryOfState - MR  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 11, 2016

Meanwhile, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, who has seen the ExxonMobil/Russia relationship up close, insisted that if Tillerson is selected, Congress will need to establish an independent, bipartisan commission on Russian meddling in the U.S. government. McFaul has already been very vocal in his opposition to Tillersons nomination as well:

Tillerson also very close to Igor Sechin, head of Rosneft and close Putin confidant for decades. Sechin currently on sanctions list.  Michael McFaul (@McFaul) December 10, 2016

I once heard Putin call the ExxonMobile-Rosneft joint venture one of the greatest achievements in US-Russia relations in decades.  Michael McFaul (@McFaul) December 10, 2016

When I was Ambo to Russia, I knew well and admired ExxonMobil officials in Russia. But their business is one-dimensional. State Dept is not  Michael McFaul (@McFaul) December 10, 2016

But Suzanne Maloney, a respected foreign-policy analyst at the Brookings Institute who once worked for ExxonMobil, pushed back on the blanket criticism against Tillerson on Saturday (via a tweetstorm, but expanded below), insisting that business leaders can become effective policymakers:

A lot of the negative/shocked reactions to Rex Tillerson as SecState seem to come from people w/limited understanding of private sector.  The presumption that Tillerson must be a pro-Putin ideologue because he and ExxonMobil did business successfully in Putins Russia is simplistic and patronizing. Oil folks know stuff: anyone who manages multi-billion dollar, multi-decade projects needs deep, nuanced understanding of political context. In this sense, Tillersons business experience gives him a very different lens than other executives in Trumps cabinet, and [one thats] very relevant for diplomacy. Inside-the-Beltway types dont have a monopoly on wisdom about international affairs: My ExxonMobil colleagues had a sharp grasp of regional dynamics. In [the] run-up to [the] Iraq invasion, I heard far more skeptical questions and realistic scenarios from energy executives than from most DC pundits, Republican or Democrat. Tillerson rose to top of a company that prizes technical excellence, rock-solid financials, hard work, and integrity. The State Department could do a lot worse.

Then again, as some responded to Maloney, energy-business savvy doesnt necessarily translate when it comes to nuclear weapons, NATO, human rights, or climate change, and making deals for mutual profit is actually nothing like making deals to secure alliances or prevent bloodshed. In addition, the State Department is no businesslike hierarchy, though considering another dimension of the pick, ExxonMobil is no ordinary business either. The journalist Steve Coll wrote a book called Private Empire about the company in 2012. Here is part of Adam Hochchilds take on it for the Sunday Book Review, in which he illustrates how ExxonMobil is so large and so powerful that it effectively acts as its own government:

Exxon Mobils foreign policy, orchestrated by a political division including National Security Council and State Department alumni, sometimes coincides with that of the United States, and sometimes diverges. For example, the corporation had no enthusiasm for invading Iraq. Yes, Iraq has all that oil, but with most remaining reserves ever harder to get at, oil executives knew that whoever ran Iraq would ultimately depend on the technology and capital of the Exxon Mobils of the world. And yes, it might have been nice to own Iraqi oil wells outright, but long-term stability and security mattered more. []



Just like the British South Africa Company, which pioneered the use of Hiram Maxims machine gun during the Matabele War, Exxon Mobil has its own armies  and, in these days of outsourcing, also hires those of others. In Chad, its 2,500 security men patrolled the countryside in white radio-equipped S.U.V.s, watching for guerrillas as the company set up an intelligence operation bigger and better than the local C.I.A. station. In the war-racked Niger Delta, it gave boats to the Nigerian Navy, deployed its own vessels at sea to scout for pirates and recruited, paid, supplied and managed sections of the Nigerian military and police. On their uniforms, the Nigerian police sported Mobils familiar red flying horse. In Aceh, Indonesia, Mobil paid the salaries of Indonesian counterinsurgency forces who tortured and murdered prisoners on company property. Payments kept flowing even after the American government cut off aid to the Indonesian military because of such abuses.



Coll also points out that while ExxonMobil executives are good at figuring out the technical, logistical, and financial components of the companys international entanglements, they arent as good at taking advice about the human factor of their deals. In that sense, as Coll put it to the Times on Saturday, the company keeps the windows closed. He later elaborated on his views of ExxonMobil and Tillerson in The New Yorker on Sunday:

The goal of ExxonMobils independent foreign policy has been to promote a world that is good for oil and gas production. Because oil projects require huge amounts of capital and only pay off fully over decades, Tillerson has favored doing business in countries that offer political stability, even if this stability was achieved through authoritarian rule. As he once put it, Were really thinking about, well, what is it going to be fifteen, twenty years from now, and so what are the conditions in some of these countries likely to be? The corporation maintains a political-intelligence and analysis department at its headquarters in Irving, Texas, staffed by former government officials, which tries to predict the stability of countries many years into the future by analyzing demographics, employment, political control, and other fundamentals. Although ExxonMobil has a stated policy of promoting human rights, and has incorporated the advice of human-rights activists in its corporate-security policies, it nonetheless works as a partner to dictators under a version of the Prime Directive on Star Trek: It does not interfere in the politics of host countries. The right kinds of dictators can be more predictable and profitable than democracies.

Overall, Coll is skeptical about Tillersons chances for success as secretary of State, noting the particularly strong division between public and private-sector ways of thinking, especially when its somebody from ExxonMobil:

Although ExxonMobil hires former State Department, Pentagon, and C.I.A. officials from time to time in order to bolster its political analysis and negotiations, some of the Exxon executives I interviewed spoke about Washington with disdain, if not contempt. They regarded the State Department as generally unhelpful, a bureaucracy of liberal career diplomats who were biased against oil and incompetent when it came to sensitive and complex oil-deal negotiations. They managed Congress defensively, and as just one capital among many in the world, a place more likely to produce trouble for Exxon than benefits. In nominating Tillerson, Trump is handing the State Department to a man who has worked his whole life running a parallel quasi-state, for the benefit of shareholders, fashioning relationships with foreign leaders that may or may not conform to the interests of the United States government. In his career at ExxonMobil, Tillerson has no doubt honed many of the day-to-day skills that a Secretary of State must exercise: absorbing complex political analysis, evaluating foreign leaders, attending ceremonial events, and negotiating with friends and adversaries. Tillerson is a devotee of Abraham Lincoln, so perhaps he has privately harbored the ambition to transform himself into a true statesman, on behalf of all Americans. Yet it is hard to imagine, after four decades at ExxonMobil and a decade leading the corporation, how Tillerson will suddenly develop respect and affection for the American diplomatic service he will now lead, or embrace a vision of Americas place in the world that promotes ideals for their own sake, emphatically privileging national interests over private ones.

(Be sure to read Colls expansive 2012 New Yorker investigation of ExxonMobils U.S. political influence, as well.)

Buzzfeed News looked at Tillersons roundabout credentials earlier this week, too, highlighting how international oil-exploration deals can require negotiating with unstable nations whose shifting policies need a lot of convincing. David Victor, a professor of international relations at the University of California, San Diego, notes: [Tillerson] spent a huge amount of time trying to figure out whether governments are serious about reforms that theyre announcing. That skillset around being able to assess the credibility of government is an extremely important one.

Victor also said he believes someone like Tillerson, if leading Americas diplomacy, would be much less likely to recommend the use of sanctions against a country on principle because he is so familiar with the short-term business consequences those sanctions often result in. If true, that mindset wouldnt bode well for the recent, U.S.-led, Western attempts to curb Russias growing influence and aggression in Europe, the Baltic states, and in Syria. And because President Obama imposed the 2014 sanctions on Russia by executive order, Trump can undo them just as easily once hes the executive doing the ordering. Then again, Trump choosing a secretary of State with a general aversion to sanctions would also have an unknown impact on the Obama administrations nuclear deal with Iran  a deal that was largely achieved as a result of pressure from U.S. sanctions on the Iranian regime and which Trump and his advisors have promised to cancel and renegotiate.

Russian state TV excited about Rex Tillerson rumors, say he could improve relations between Moscow and DC. https://t.co/Qk9n29i82t  Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) December 10, 2016

Regardless, if Tillerson gets the nod, Democrats are already promising to make his confirmation a painful and informative process. Politico reported earlier this week that while Senate Democrats wont have the ability to block his nomination, they are still looking forward to grilling Tillerson under oath on issues like climate change  particularly what the Trump administration plans to do (if anything) about the problem, and whether or not ExxonMobil has deliberately downplayed the threat of global warming and its links to the burning of fossil fuels, as some investigations have claimed. Put another way:

There are plenty of other candidates for secretary of State who dont bring that kind of baggage to the table and would not engender that kind of firestorm at confirmation hearings, said Peter Frumhoff, director of science and policy at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Of the candidates Ive seen, none would fare worse than Rex Tillerson.



Politico also points out that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which has to approve the nomination, only has a ten-to-nine, Republican-to-Democrat split, meaning a single opposing Republican on the committee could ally themselves with Democrats to block the pick. Thats probably still unlikely, but regardless of what happens during the confirmation process, Trump and his team clearly dont care, at least for now, about accusations of pro-Putin sympathies. How that plays out with regards to future U.S. foreign policy is becoming easier to guess.

Then again, as longtime Russia watcher Julia Ioffe explains at Politico, if Tillerson is as smart as Trump thinks, then maybe he can explain to the president-elect what friendship with Putin is really like:

The lesson of Putins 16-year tenure is a lesson that all businesspeople, foreign and domestic, have learned: to do business in Russia, you have to be on good, personal terms with Putin and [Rosneft-head Igor] Sechin. And you have to understand that those two gatekeepers to Russias riches are fickle and sadistic, and, as former KGB operatives, know little of real friendship. To do business in Russiaboth for Exxon Mobil and for Tillersons own massive retirement fund whose fortunes would rise significantly if a Trump White House lifted sanctionsyou have to dance to Putins tune, and take whatever favors and humiliations he sends your way. Putin may act a friend and pin state medals on your breast, but he is, ultimately, a cynic. And to play ball with him, you have to be a cynic, too. Forget your honor, your rule of law, your independent judiciary, your human rights, your international law, and focus on the gold coins he throws to your feet. And forget looking dignified as you gather them up.

This post has been updated throughout to reflect additional context and analysis.
The high-speed ThyssenKrupp Express Walkway at the Toronto airport is considered the fastest-moving sidewalk in the world, with an expanding pallet design that accelerates after picking up passengers. Photo: Frank Elschner/Courtesy of thyssenKrupp

Perhaps youve been stuck behind the wheel on a city street, cursing your fellow drivers and feeling tempted to abandon your ride and hoof it the rest of the way. As you pound the horn and pump out toxins, you dream of a carless future, when cities have banned all private vehicles and turned the open pavement over to walkers, bikers, and streetcars that hover silently above the ground. But maybe you suspect theres something missing from this scene: some open-air form of transportation that will speed you from home to office, without the need to check a schedule or wait at a stop. You dont hold out much hope for jet packs.

Now, a team of traffic engineers at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (one of Switzerlands two MITs), has fleshed out that fantasy by augmenting the street of the future with an old, prosaic technology: the moving walkway. One day, these scientists suggest, well be striding through Times Square on the same kind of people-moving conveyor belts that now help you (maybe) make a tight connection at OHare. What they propose is not a new technology, but a fresh use for an old one.

An early moving walkway at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle, which was visited by nearly 50 million people. Photo: Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection

Automated walkways rolled into the popular imagination at the Paris Exposition Universelle worlds fair in 1900, along with diesel engines and talking pictures. The latest models  at the Toronto airport, for instance can pick up passengers at a mellow trudge, speed them up to nearly 10 mph (plus whatever pace youre walking) and slow to a smooth landing at the other end. In a paper that will eventually appear in the European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research, the three researchers  Riccardo Scarinci, Iliya Markov, and Michel Bierlaire  calculate that while these accelerating moving walkways are expensive to install, they quickly become an efficient street-level way of transporting hordes briskly enough to beat a taxi at rush hour. Using todays technology, a moving sidewalk can carry up to 7,500 pedestrians per hour each way on a lane no more than three feet wide. Buses have lower start-up costs, but they need much wider lanes and can pack in fewer passengers, and nobody really likes a crosstown bus ride.

With New York well on the way to a population of 9 million people and pedestrians already spilling out into midtown streets, the idea of equipping the densest blocks with treadmills has a certain futuristic appeal. The Swiss study envisions extra-long express walkways that would somehow vault over intersections and whoosh three or four blocks at a time  an imagined network of automated High Lines. Scarinci insists that people-movers would blend naturally into the familiar streetscape, stealing turf only from soon-to-be-obsolete passenger cars. The sidewalk remains the sidewalk; the bicycle path remains the bike path, he says. But we can use the parking lane to install moving walkways in both directions, and leave the remaining lanes for trucks that deliver goods. (Theres something touchingly old-fashioned about that last bit: Doesnt he know that stores will soon be getting their inventory delivered by drone?)

A vision for futuristic urban transportation, including automated High Linestyle walkways, 1958. Photo: GraphicaArtis/Getty Images

Still, if engineers can figure out how to make them work in the rain and keep from breaking down, urban people-movers would change the pedestrian experience. Imagine catching the smell of bread as you waft helplessly past the bakery, or wishing you could stop to chat with the colleague who just whizzed by in the opposite direction. Missed connections are an urban fact of life, but the Lausanne vision would cause them to multiply.
Regal AF. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/WireImage

Queen Silvia of Sweden quite literally outshined nearly everyone at the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony Saturday in a sweeping, silver-sequined gown with matching sapphire-studded jewelry and tiara. The queen, husband King Carl XVI Gustaf, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip, and Crown Princess Victoria were the guests of honor at the ceremony, which took place in Stockholm.

Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/WireImage

Queen Silvia is having the best time. Shes probably the most fun to sit with at dinner parties, too.
I have the leaked script for the anti-Trump scene from Rogue One. It's disgusting. Boycott Star Wars! pic.twitter.com/qMC44UbVme  Pixelated Boat (@pixelatedboat) December 9, 2016



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omg ded @ the obligatory casper mattress plug lol

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To be followed by a Blue Apron ad

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when did darth vader become jon faverau

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yeah dude... the scriptwriters looked into the future and wrote an anti-trump movie before trumpelthinskin was even elected







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honestly this just proves how fucking stupid trump supporters are

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Sis. There are so much proof I can even keep up

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your icon!

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idk what the fuck these cry baby white fanboys have in their minds. don't they have an ounce of critical thinking? most sci fi/fantasy/super heroes stories have very obvious anti-fascist parallels. they're so fucking weak ugh i genuinely hate them



Edited at 2016-12-10 04:19 am (UTC)

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MTE, this is completely ridiculous

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mte what are they going to boycott next, Harry Potter?

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mte

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OT but your icon <3

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perfect icon for this comment <3

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Because these dipshit boycotts have worked out so well before rme.



Anyway I need someone to spoil me for this movie. I need to know who dies before I support this with my cash.

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[ Link to spoiler ] it's rumored that the movie ends ten minutes before A New Hope begins? So maybe they're with Leia when she gets captured and they, you know, are killed? Yeah, someone on another site was saying

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So far since they won, the "we don't need safe spaces" party has boycotted a play, a cereal brand and a movie for being mean. #DumpStarWars  Andrew idell (@AndrewIdell) December 9, 2016





Also lol @ these so-called Star Wars experts who suddenly didn't know it's about fascism. It only took them about 40 years. And don't forget Starbucks!Also lol @ these so-called Star Wars experts who suddenly didn't know it's about fascism. It only took them about 40 years.

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lmao weak

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Lets boycott starbucks by giving it business!!! Fuckers.

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Boycott Starbucks? Lmao yeah fucking right. That's their crack.



What's next? Taco Bell?

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If you're as upset about Star Wars as I am, join me in protesting by buying a ticket & feeding the ticket to a dog or shooting it with a gun  Pixelated Boat (@pixelatedboat) December 9, 2016





These people are fucking morons. These people are fucking morons.

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I hope he doesn't mean shoot the dog :/





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Click on the pic in the tweet.

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Stay boycotting

Wouldn't want to share a theater with this dumbasses anywayStay boycotting

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sippin' simcoe is so handy

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what's this gif from?

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It's from the show TURN (AMC).

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Turn: Washington's Spies

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Hmm...I wonder why they see an anti-Trump message in a movie where the villains are thinly-veiled fascists??

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It's a mystery wrapped in fog.

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It's so puzzling.

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ot but can someone hook me up w a Rogue One icon please?



I'm surprised Dump supporters were even planning to go see this at all tbh.



I mean, the cast is led by a woman, has a Mexican dude in a prominent role, a Muslim dude too, and the only white guys in there are the bad guys....



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You have a gif? I can try and make you one?

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I don't have a gif, I'm on my phone :( but YES PLEASE, thank you so much 

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a woman, mexican, and muslim all in one movie? BLASPHEMY.

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Don't even be forgetting those two job and industry stealers from Gina.

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lmao right?! This is their worst nightmare.

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He needs scruff. I don't find him to be too attractive when he's clean shaven but I feel this way with a lot of desi men tbh.

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THIS IS SO TRUE THO. So many desi men I see online having scruff then when they shave it off.... hotness drops.

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How is the first shot more 'real life' than the second? afaik everyone I know of who's seen him irl has said he's gorgeous.

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He def looks just as good in real life, I can attest to that lol hence my obsession

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u sure???

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I hate Star Wars but I might go see this just to bask in his giant doe eyes

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So the Empire is the bad guys?



I've never seen Star Wars so am 1000% clueless about this.



Edit: Also didn't one just come out? How is there another one?



Edited at 2016-12-10 04:25 am (UTC)

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Thanks! I sadly know nothing about them (other than the am your father part) They've been on my to be watched list for like 18yrs lol :(





I think our brains and souls collectively powered down last month to protect us from the literal hell that will be the next 4yrs :(

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The Empire is the bad guy in the original trilogy



The prequels show the Emperor's rise to power



The First Order is the bad guy in the new trilogy and they are basically just trying to carry on what the Empire started.



This particular film is a prequel to a New Hope (the very first Star wars movie). In ANH they have the plans of the Death Star and know how to destroy it. Rogue One is about the rebels that steal the plans.

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And I'd like to add, when they came out the way the opposing actions were portrayed were pretty new. In animation school we talked abt this, for the longest time sci-fi utopias were all clean and neat and sleek, and then SW comes along and the bad guys are all that, while the good guys are a rag-tag band of scruffy nerfherders, including a black guy and women in positions of powers. (Ofc the representation could have been better/more, but the point remains.)



So yeah, the Empire has ALWAYS been about uniformness and homogenity while the rebels drew their strength from diversity.

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Trump fans are so fucking dumb! Anyways, love Riz <3 Who ever thought a muslim man would be in a Star Wars movie and not playing a terrorist? Pave the way bb.

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I squealed when during one the clips he comes up with the name "Rogue One".

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I wince at this now, as a friend of mine quoted this a lot during Dubya's administration

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This actually came to my mind when the election results were announced.

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I said this out loud the first time it was officially called on Election Night. I'd thought about it months beforehand, sometime in the Spring; never thought I'd actually get to use the line.

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I tweeted these gifs right after the election and pissed off so many Drumpf supporters.

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Bless your light

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The fact that it's so freaking appropriate here (I'm in the Philippines) makes me weep. My husband and I also posted this when our own election results were announced and the whole shitstorm started.

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Every time Forest Whitaker goes "SAVE THE REBELLION! SAVE THE DREAM!" I just get all up in my Anti-Drumpf feels. bless. Oh a load of white supremacist Nazis aren't going to be heading to the cinema with us? What a pity.Every time Forest Whitaker goesI just get all up in my Anti-Drumpf feels. bless.

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Rogue One releasing this year with the results of the election is fitting to say the least.

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Almost like those clever clairvoyant writers KNEW and planned this all out just like the Nazis are saying they did! Shame they didn't warn us tbh.



It's funny because a bunch of my friends who have ZERO interest in SW, despite me spending months posting trailers and talking about it and going to Celebration and talking non-stop about that... they were totally oblivious about Rogue One and paid zero attention.



UNTIL the election result.



Now they're all going to see it because they feel like it's an Anti-Drumpf message and they want to get in on the rebellion against him.

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i think the synchronicity has more to do with the fact that one of the central themes of star wars is the deconstruction of large systems of power. george lucas used his struggles as an independent filmmaker against the hollywood machine for inspiration for the episode iv.



i'll admit, as a south asian immigrant in the U.S., this movie hits hard for me. i know i'm going to start crying during the epic inspirational speeches.

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ngl I used to think that was a wee bit cheesy (ok a lot cheesy) and only saved by the delivery but after 9 November that line has been making me tear up. And I'm not even American.



Not that a lot of us won't be sympathetic to the story of a plucky but gutted resistance plotting to destroy a fascist government from the inside.

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Bih you scare me. I thought my babe said he's not anti-Trump and I wanted to die immediately tbh.man the moment I felt such back stabbing betrayal etc. woo lol.



Aww boo!! <3 don't fuck with me xoxo. You and your beautiful hairy dick r welcome to stay inside me. I'm yours 24/7.

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SAME TBH I was so scared he'd turned into an appeaser too!





(which, why even, he's British. Actually neither Felicity nor Diego are American either)

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God what a magnificent babe, bless him

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I'm sorry! I was trying to make it less confusing lol. He's like Trump's worst nightmare since he talks about islamphobia and xenophobia in his music all the time :P

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This doe-eyed prince would never! He's dragged him by name in his music, bless. <3

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lol he would never. he actually got into a conversation/argument? with a radio host that had him and heems on before the election. one of the two hosts was trying to use the "I like his honesty" and "we need something different" arguments and Riz was respectfully but fucking firmly nhft.



Edited at 2016-12-10 07:56 am (UTC)

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I've always wanted to try being a dominaxtrix, I think I'd really enjoy it

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You want to be a prostitute?

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false equivalency much???

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gosh I'm in love with Berlin, one of my favorite cities, loved it so much when I visited I need to go back.



We went to a club, there was definitely a lot of kinky stuff going on. there was a huge line and a lot of people were not let in, idk why. but later I heard it's pretty common, I can't remember the name of the place now

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ahh yes, that was it! i had a blast

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the door policy is whether or not sven likes your face. no other reason lol

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Out of all the white male late night hosts, Conan has to be one of the worst when it comes to featuring non eye candy and or sexualized women. Geena Davis's foundation needs to do an expose tbh.

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I think Conan's funny, but I'm quickly tiring of his creepy act(?). I'll be watching the hilarious remote with Kevin Hart at the gym and then he has to go and act skeevy with Kevin's trainer or I'll watch a Clueless gamer and he has to repeatedly ask if a female character will have sex with his character. It's gross and boring.

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if it was any other late night host, i would probably agree with you.

but i think conan is savvy enough of a comedian to play up his character in those scenes

his whole persona in those clips are so performative, i don't think he is being genuinely sexist

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Conan visits the American Girl doll store

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I love kinky stuff. It's fun as hell.

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I miss bored to death :(

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ugh i loved bored to death sm, i miss it

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bored to death is soooo good

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I miss this show so much! That episode was really hilarious too.

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Lmao i need to rewatch

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i hate him

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I was subjected to a vid on Tumblr in which a girl superglued both sets of lips... (on mobile its hard for me took it up).

I was then attacked by the Tumblr bdsm comm for suggesting that the OP blog, which featured women covered in blood and other borderline snuff shit, should be reported.

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Unfortunately, the person in question is not a dom male, but a lesbian. The title of their blog was "the Lesbian Domme".



The post was still vile and it made me sad to see people brushing it off as silly white people stuff.

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I love German accents, idk what it is lol. When Craig Ferguson used to do his fake German accent, I was always like "yaaaaas!".

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i hate my german accent, i think its one of the worst accents in the world

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I love when he does the accent!

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What happened to the guy you were talking to ?

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o rly? i might check that out. house of yes is fun.

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But why in Berlin?



I used to live in the street where the Folsom Europe is every year and while I was getting high on the balcony and watching things down below I spotted on of my professors decked out in full master gear with two guys on leashes in front of him. I'd rather not known that.

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lmao omg

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Lol of course they highlight the sex industry here. Smh.

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conan also goes to a nude beach, eats at a restaurant, goes to a flea market.....i didn't post all of them. i posted this because a friend shared it with me.



shrug.gif

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A friend of mine just moved to Berlin two weeks ago, so I'm on google maps at her address just scrolling around to see what's nearby and I see this gay night club (that's the description on gMaps). So I'm like, sweet, we should totally go when I come to visit.



Then I went to check the website and it's actually a gay sex dungeon, and they have days dedicated to different kinks, like Piss Monday, Fisting Saturday, Rubber Wednesday...



Berlin fetish scene does NOT mess around.

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I'm such a disgusting prude pile of shit.







I made faces.



also they do not mess around.

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Everyone should make faces at fisting - like, that's just not healthy.

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well, you could say they DO mess around a bit. lol

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Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ

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I'm not actually remotely kinky, but I did it along the banks of the Seine and in the Bois des Vincennes in the summer of 2013.



Edited at 2016-12-10 05:31 pm (UTC)

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I know, bitch, I was watching

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also



NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD ELECTORS TO COME TO THE AID OF THEIR COUNTRY - #FOCUS #WeThePeople #RESIST https://t.co/VJfQlNuaop  Rosie (@Rosie) December 10, 2016



What's the over/under on how quickly Cheeto Hitler tweets something outrageous and horrible to distract press and grab the news cycle?  Wil Wheaton (@wilw) December 10, 2016





Edited at 2016-12-10 06:24 pm (UTC) me since nov 9th:also

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Wil being such good people as an adult has made me retroactively like Wesley.

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He already did. Gave a speech saying Person of the Year should go back to Man of the Year.

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good guy with a gun and good elector walk into a bar - what happens next?

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lol so many grinch reaction gifs are appropriate in these posts (also perf for this time of the year)

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I love that we are talking about this on a Russian website. The irony?

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So what can be done about it?

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Nothing will be done about it

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come through faithless electors

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...and they ain't gonna do shit, ugh.

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What can they do now? Hillary Conceded.

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There is no precedent for this but there are so many things that can be done to try to fix this. But ultimately, nothing is going to happen and it's a fucking shame to the highest degree because it means we have truly lost control of our own country.

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I don't get the replies saying nothing will happen. He cheated in a presidential election with the help of a not-so-friendly foreign nation. That at the very least sounds illegal. ontd are acting like the US is some (openly) corrupt country that casually rigs its elections, like nbd. Am I missing something?



Edited at 2016-12-10 08:53 pm (UTC)

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Midterm elections baby! his supporters have two years to realize how much he sucks.

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A horrible time?

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i thought we'd be living thru 1st woman prez history, but this works too i guess. nothing like watching an empire fall 

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mte, my first thought was "well, it's not like the US has ever interfered with foreign elections"

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I'm glad someone said it

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lol yeah his tweet speaks the truth

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It was the best of times it was the blurst of times

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Lmao ikr, where's the lie

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Lol, mte

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"may you live in interesting times"

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mte, that's some irony

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Trump made a speech about how gross it is that Time's Man of the Year was changed to Person of the Year because "come on"

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Women clearly aren't worthy of anything other than being groped and shutting up about it.

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He's just trying distract people. I have empty hopes that the media won't take the bait but lol

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Non-American here, what does this mean for the US?

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Probably not a damn thing for the present except how to prevent it in the future.

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Nothing. GOP controls every aspect of the government. There will be no investigation.

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Wrong. Obama investigation will wrap up by 1/20 as ordered. McCain and Lindsay Graham (republicans) are pursuing one in the Senate.



Edited at 2016-12-10 06:28 pm (UTC)

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it means those electors better get their shit together and reject Il Douche.

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they ain't doing shit

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We'll get that back to you ASAP

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Its Canada's time to rise!





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harrys_headband



Edited at 2016-12-10 06:25 pm (UTC) paging

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they're in every post don't worry they'll see it

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2016 took Florence Henderson but kept Mitch McConnell. Got it.



And, as always, fuck you Kellyanne Conway

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And we in KY have to deal with not only him but batshit crazy Bevin and anti-vax Paul.

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My home state is constantly breaking my heart with its poor decision-making. I reached a point where I couldn't deal with that shit anymore (including the bs in my family) and relocated to WA state, but I still see so much news out of KY.

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This is also another wtf moment.



So just remember that Comey knew McConnell didn't want to reveal Russian effort to help Trump ... but still sent letter on Clinton's emails  Michael Cohen (@speechboy71) December 10, 2016

McConnell should be forced out and his wife should be investigated.This is also another wtf moment.

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Didnt this already come out like a month ago?

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main stream media is now paying attention, they're a fucking joke

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Ried came out and told NYT this on an interview. His assistant says NYT decided to scrap publishing it.

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We've basically known since this summer. I think this is just confirmation from the CIA and from what I can tell, the real story here is that congressional Republicans knew for sure before the election but chose to keep it quiet. Also I guess we learned that the RNC was also hacked so they probably have dirt the Republicans don't want out there too.



Edited at 2016-12-10 07:01 pm (UTC)

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It was known before the election, honestly. Nobody cared and it was barely reported on at the time.

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We have know for a while, people just ignored it

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I feel like they've been saying this even before the election, but it seemed to be largely ignored?

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I guess they were more ~rumours & of course the cia took their sweet time to confirm it

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CIA provided this assessment back in September. McConnell refused to announce it because it would interfere with the elections. And then Comey fiasco followed in October over something nonexistent.

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I think because POTUS has ordered a review of it that it's not blowing up. Personally, I'm sick of him playing Mr Nice Guy with Trump. No way should that man get to become POTUS.

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i think it's more about all the GOPers, like McConnell, that denied it even though there was 17 intelligence agencies that confirmed it.

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Just the way they want it.

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It wasn't just ignored, but fairly heavily mocked as tinfoil hatting, including by those on the left.

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Someone at the CIA leaked this. The intelligence community is disgusted with Trump.

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Exxon Mobil CEO is going to be our SoS. Putin have him the special "order of friendship" honor in 2012. LMAO

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I says DAPL is going through as soon as Trump is president.

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Russia can try with oil but prices are not going up in the foreseeable future. Too much inventory, not enough demand. And when our economy collapses when ACA is repealed, demand won't be going up for a long while

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i never him of him, is he a bad guy?



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he's the head of exxon mobile. Exxon Mobile and Putin/Russia Oil have a partnership to drill a billion gallon oil pit (?) near the Arctic, but because of US sanctions, they can't drill and the venture is on hold. Him becoming Sec. of State, he can undo those sanctions.

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Is it any worse than an agency manned by the WWE?

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what a fucking nightmare

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Ok, everyone. Time to pool our resourced and build a time machine to undo this.

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what does russia have against the cliton's and dnc? so russia was in along?



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Putin's Russia is very right-wing.

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that's one way to put it

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Once KGB always KGB

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They just have an issue with America in general. They saw Trump as an opportunity to have a puppet on the inside. All they had to do was stroke his ego and they were in. Trump is a simple bae.

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Russia is interested in destabilizing the US and its allies. This whole Trump mess is just a tool to achieve that.

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Hillary would have (likely?) kept the sanctions against Russia in place, and some other things I'm not 100% educated on like him invading the Ukraine, the Baltics, and his intervention in Syria.

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They're opportunists and they saw an opportunity in a dingbat like Trump

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Trump is much easier to control. Putin knows that. It's in Russia's best interest to have Trump as POTUS.

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Hillary Clinton has been vocally critical of Vladimir Putin for literally the entirety of her political career.

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Russia has been actively working to destabilize democracies around the world. They want the dissolution of alliances such as the EU, NATO, etc.



And Trump is a useful idiot (to use an old Cold War term). He admires Putin as a "strong leader," has been receiving money from Russia for ages, and is already causing real world chaos by ignoring intelligence briefings and decades-old U.S. policies (China/Taiwan).



Clinton would've been much harder on Russia, too (she already pissed them off when she was Secretary of State). Why not root for the easy target?



It's not just Trump. The Kremlin also supports Marine Le Pen, the ultra right-wing, neo-fascist candidate in France (her party flat-out admitted they received a $10 million loan from Russia for her election campaign). Of course, Le Pen hails Putin as a "natural ally" and hopes to work closely with him and Trump in the future! =_=



Edited at 2016-12-10 09:05 pm (UTC)

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Back in the USSR*~

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When will any of these news stories actually have measurable consequences?

Then again I've been saying something similar for the entire election and look where the fuck we are now

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If the left gets off their ass and mobilizes: November 7, 2018, when we retake the fucking legislature.

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This on-going pattern of horrible shit in the news and no action taken for the better just makes me ... exhausted. The bad thing is I don't even know how we as the people would change things. Maybe if we use our dollars and muscle corporations into doing something? I don't even know.



I guess all we can do is make calls to our congresspeople/senators?

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At this point, never, since the republicans are screaming "FAKE NEWS" at everything that isn't emerging from Trump's thumbs

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And not a fucking thing will change because of it. So we're still fucked!



He was telling the truth about one thing...the election was rigged.



Edited at 2016-12-10 06:28 pm (UTC)

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Ok so will this get him impeached?? Or the hotel thing? I know things aren't looking good since it's always party first for these ppl but the professor whose presidential predictions have been right for a while also said he'll get impeached next year... (fingers crossed)



& the Patton Oswalt tweet is so true, ugh

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He won't be impeached. Not with this congress.

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you're right. repub congress are selfish cowards and legitimate scum.

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Yep. The Dems need to work their asses off for the 2018 midterms!

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Trump will probably be impeached by the end of his first term, yes.



Then the GOP plan will come to full fruition and Pence will be president. Republicans could give two shits about Trump. They just used him to win the White House.

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The chances of him being impeached are pretty high, and then we'll be stuck with literal antichrist Pence

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Doubt it will, he's still producing his shitty show. He's fucking untouchable.

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I think the only way that would happen is if Trump starts vetoing all of GOPer bills, things like Ryan's wetdream of privatizing Medicare and SS. They know his conflicts of interest, and if he can't be controlled, they'll go for Pence who is one of the good ol' boys. Maybe, but unlikely. It will be interesting to see the power play though.

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Has anybody seen Toni Erdmann?

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I saw it back in July or so. It deserves all the praise and then some. But a lot off odd German humor.

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I lived in Austria until I was 11 and grew up watching Austrian and German tv, so that won't be an issue for me. :)

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Yes, I loved it

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Why do you ask?







jk

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Yaaaay! I am so excited for Toni Erdmann the raves have been off the charts. This is also apparently the first time a woman has won EFA Best Picture and Director. Congrats to Maren Ade! Fuck you Cannes jury!

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That Jury was a mess. Where is the Mads Mikkelsen gif when you need it?

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Remember Mads saying that everyone would be happy with the results at the same time as twitter was exploding because Ade hadn't shown up on the red carpet?



Fun times.

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Edited at 2016-12-10 11:05 pm (UTC)

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Have you been able to see it? I just saw that a cinema in my city is screening it tomorrow.

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that jury truly was trash. i have a feeling they didn't really get along and the two older dudes made that decision bc mads and the women looked over it

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George Miller lost that goodwill so quick.

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All the awards!



Still side-eyeing George Miller and his flop Cannes taste. I actually liked I Daniel Blake but Toni was so much more refreshing and oddly heartwarming.

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"I want to thank all my team, from the bottom of my heart." Maren Ade, European Director 2016 for @ToniErdmannFilm. #efa2016 pic.twitter.com/z8WnYqIbv5  European Film Awards (@EuroFilmAwards) December 10, 2016

Ade is so cute, I hope she wins the Oscar for Germany.

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<3 this is so great for her

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ugh i wanna see it



and lmao WHAT at pierce brosnan

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The blonde actress in this movie reminds me so much of a less glam January Jones

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"Ilya Demutskiy for The Student (Muchenik)"



It's Uchenik and i watched that movie. I wasn't expecting the full frontal and some other stuff. I gave it 3/5 stars in audience contest.

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Thanks. I found different variations of the title but I'll change it to Uchenik.

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No problem! It's the literal translation of the russian word 

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I really want to see this film.

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I cringed when I saw the trailer last time I was @ the cinema but good for them/her.

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when i saw i post i knew it was you paulina that posted it!

the ceremony was too long and i was too drunk to watch it but yeah for woman director winning!

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I watched it but TVN included commercials, so they were behind and I just turned it off after the second one. A lot of cringe-worthy moments too. lol

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i saw first 15min and that already was too much

i was excited i saw my queen Maja that is all

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Go Maren!!

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I just watched it earlier this week and I loved it. I didn't expect to love it as much as I did but it was just really good.



Nice to see A Man Called Ove and 11 Minutes getting some love too.

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I haven't watched a movie from my country in forever, but all this hype makes me want to check it out. Maybe when I'm back in Germany for Christmas.

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Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ

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 WTI has traded in a narrow range this week ($52.42/$49.61) heading into tomorrows meeting between Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman and Mexico which could help determine whether or not OPEC receives non-member assistance in its effort to remove barrels from the market. The group will discuss cutting production by up to 600k bpd lead by Russias potential cut of 300k bpd. While we do not have a view on what the outcome of the meeting will be, we continue to see a medium-term range for WTI of $47-$55 regardless of the result and believe that any severe market reaction will likely be worth fading. The options market is taking a similarly unconcerned view of the meeting as evidenced by a continued breakdown in implied volatility and option premiums.

 U.S. data has taken a bearish turn over the last two weeks, which has disappointed us as believers in the idea that slowly improving fundamentals will keep a firm floor under the market in the high $40s. This weeks EIA report revealed a 3.8m bbl build in Cushing, bringing stocks in the hub to 65.3m bbl- their highest in four months. On the demand side U.S. refiner inputs at 16.4m bpd have also been disappointing and are now lower by 100k bpd y/y over the last four weeks. RBOB and Heating Oil inventories have also performed poorly on a seasonally adjusted basis with help from bearish turns in demand for both products. Overseas, OPEC added to concerns about the rebalance effort this week by pumping 34.16m bpd (Bloomberg estimate) in November for a 200k bpd m/m increase. As for money flows, the USO also suffered its largest weekly outflow since 2009 for the week ended December 2nd with $386m removed from the fund in a sign that real money may believe that the steep part of the oil rally may have already been realized.

 On a more positive note, we are still seeing signs of market performance in refined products abroad particularly in ARA Gasoil stocks which are now lower y/y by 28 percent. U.S. crude inventories are still 24m bbls lower than their May 16 peak in contrast to 2015 when end of year inventories easily exceeded the spring peak. U.S. implied gasoline demand has also registered a respectable 3 percent y/y jump so far in 2016 (+280k bpd) with most sell side economists expecting similar growth in 2017. Lastly, elevated U.S. exports from Houston should also help ease inventory builds this winter as weve seen trading groups busily bidding up Midland-WTI to a 14-month high at +90 while adding to floating storage in the USGC.

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WTI M17/Z17- The Icarus of the WTI curve

WTI spreads came under considerable pressure this week, particularly in the front of the curve as Cushing stocks jumped over 65m bbls for the first time since July. There was some relief on the Cushing >Houston network, however, as trading groups moved as many as 7.6m bbls into USGC floating storage which helped lead to a 6.9m bbl draw in PADD III.

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The low print in the WTI m1-m2 spread this week was -1.19, which occurred on Wednesday following Cushings massive build. Further back in the curve WTI M17/Z17 corrected sharply lower after flying too close to the sun and printing 0.00 in the hours following OPECs bullish deal last week. While it seems highly likely that WTI spreads will flip into backwardation in 2017, the flat print for WTI M17/Z17 on December 1st was clearly premature opposite generally weak supply data in PADD II, PADD III and Cushing. The spread reached a weekly low of -0.65 on Thursday morning before rebounding to -0.45 later in the day.

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Diff markets maintained recent trends this week beginning with weak WTI-Brent arbs. The M17 contract sank to a two-month low at -1.68 Thursday morning, but we still expect 1h17 arbs to find support in the -2.00 area due to export activity. To that point, Midland-WTI jumped to +90 on Thursday for a 14-month high driven by trade group buyers looking to send U.S. barrels to Asia. Further north the Bakken-WTI was steady near -2.40/bbl.

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U.S. producer data didnt deviate from recent bearish trends. The rig count was +3 w/w to 477 while production was essentially unchanged at 8.697m bpd. Lower 48 production has been above 8.16m bpd for four straight weeks. WTI Cal 17 and Cal 18 swaps both moved slightly lower on the week towards $53.50 and $54.20, respectively. Last weeks WTI Cal 17s short lived print brought increased hedging into the market as evidenced by NYMEX COT data which showed an increase in the producer/merchant gross short of 26k contracts.

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Brent spreads followed a somewhat similar pattern this week with help from a 200k bpd m/m increase in OPEC production to 34.16m bpd (Bloomberg estimate) which obviously added to skepticism that the group will cut output to their 32.5m bpd target. Brent m1-m2 dropped to -0.82 on Thursday for a 2-week low while Brent M17/Z17 moved from its Dec 1st high of -0.31 back towards -0.54.

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Option premiums keep tumbling

Crude oil implied volatility continued to sink this week with the CBOE/NYMEX WTI vol index moving below 36 percent for the first time since October. As of Thursday WTI H17 50 delta vol moved down to 33.4 percent while 25 delta puts traded at 36.8 percent and 25 delta calls traded at 30.5 percent. 10 Delta wingy calls continued to trade at a substantial discount to ATM options despite a generous amount of speculative call buying including a surge in OI in the WTI F17 $60 Call to over 100k contracts. Instead, the options skew was driven by producer hedging and the related flow from dealers who were extremely busy buying $45 and $50 puts this week while selling $55 and $60 calls through Cal 17. Realized volatility (20-day basis) still measure +50 percent, but our rangebound view of flat price means that we do not view implied vols in the mid-30 percent area as cheap. Related: BP CEO Dudley: Well Double Our North Sea Oil Production By 2020

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USO sees biggest week of selling since 2009

Managed money COT data for last week was unremarkable, with slight upticks in net length in both NYMEX WTI and ICE Brent. Funds were net buys of NYMEX WTI for 1k contracts bring net length higher by 19 percent over the last four weeks. ICE Brent net length increased by 17k last week bringing the long position to 310k for a 7 percent increase over the last four weeks. On the short side, speculators cut bearish positions in WTI and Brent by 10 percent 15 percent w/w, respectively.

Speculator positioning was slightly more bullish in refined products last week with funds increasing their net length in RBOB to 22k contracts while also being net buyers of Heating Oil to the tune of 6k contracts bringing net length to 9k. In ETFs, the USO experienced net outflows of $386m for the week ended December 2nd which was its largest weekly liquidation since 2009.

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EIA dissapoints for second straight week

 Wednesdays EIA report was lowlighted by a 2.5m bbl build in Cushing, bringing the hubs inventory to 65.3m bbls- its highest level in three months

 The increase in refiner demand to 16.4m bpd was smaller than expected and lower y/y by 300k bpd

 Gasoline stocks also added 3.4m bbls and are now higher y/y by 5.5 percent. Distillate stocks added 2.5m bbls and are higher y/y by 4.9 percent

 Demand for gasoline and distillates was also dissapointing

U.S. crude oil stocks drew 2.4m bbls w/w and are now higher y/y by 7 percent. Unfortunately, the overall draw failed to produce a bid in the market as its driver- PADD IIIs 6.9m bbl draw- was driven by a move into USGC floating storage and didnt represent any sort of fundamental improvement in the region. PADD II crude stocks added 2.5m bbls (+5 percent y/y) while PADD IIIs draw put the regions supplies +11 percent y/y. Imports increased w/w to 8.3m bpd (+6 percent y/y) due to increased barrels into the east coast and PADD II.

The demand side of this weeks stats was also disappointing with overall U.S. refiner inputs climbing 134k bpd to 16.4m bpd. Unfortunately, overall demand is now lower y/y by 1 percent and a full 400k bpd shy of last years December peak in demand. Refining margins were mostly flat this week with the WTI 321 crack near $15/bbl, while LLS 321 crack traded $9/bbl. Overseas, the gasoil/brent crack traded near $10.50/bbl. Related: Did Big Oil Layoff Too Many Workers Too Quickly?

Gasoline stats were also bearish for a second straight week lead by a 1.5m bbl inventory build in PADD IB bringing stocks in the region higher by 14 percent. Overall stocks added 3.4m bbls and are higher y/y by 5.5 percent with help from a 826k bbl build in PADD II (-1.5 percent y/y) and a 1m bbl build in PADD V (+3.4 percent y/y.) Demand took a very disappointing w/w decline of about 200k bpd after domestic demand fell by 323k bpd to 8.76m bpd (-7 percent y/y) while domestic demand jumped 113k bpd to 992k bpd (+61 percent y/y.)

(Click to enlarge)

RBOB touched a weekly high of $1.58/gl on Monday before losing 8 cents and printing $1.50/gl by Thursday. Spread markets also suffered from profit taking following Wednesdays poor EIA report with M17/Z17 moving from a peak of +24 cpg to +22 cpg.

(Click to enlarge)

U.S. distillate stocks did their part in the bearish stats report by adding 2.5m bbls w/w putting inventories higher y/y by 4.9 percent. PADD IB inventories were basically flat y/y (+7 percent y/y) while PADD II stocks and PADD III stocks both added about 750k bbls. Distillate demand also continued to trend bearishly with domestic demand falling 137k bpd 3.7m bpd. Exports at 1.1m are lower y/y by 14 percent.

Heating oil futures rode the OPEC momentum to new 14-month highs this week touching a high of $1.68/gl on Monday before Wednesdays abysmal stat report forced a correction towards $1.62/gl. Spread markets acted similarly with substantial profit taking from recent long positions. HO M17/Z17 traded down to -5.40 on Thursday for a 1 cpg loss on the month.

(Click to enlarge)

Overseas product data this week included more bullish flows in ARA gasoil stocks which declined by 6 percent w/w and are lower by 28 percent y/y. In a strong sign, ARA gasoil stocks are now matching their lowest point in 2015. ARA fuel oil stocks jumped 17 percent w/w but are still lower by about 25 percent y/y. Further east, Singapores distillate inventories fell by 2.2m bbls w/w and are now lower y/y by 4 percent.





(Click to enlarge)

By SCS Commodities

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Duluth, Minnesota (OpEdNews) December 9, 2016: Like most practicing Catholics, the practicing Catholics at Commonweal Magazine tend to be tainted by their church's anti-abortion zealotry against legalized abortion in the first trimester. But the Commonweal Catholics also tend not to be single-issue voters who vote against candidates who favor legalized abortion in the first trimester, as former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic Party's 2016 presidential candidate does.

In contrast to her, Donald J. Trump, the Republican Party's 2016 presidential candidate spoke strongly against abortion. Reportedly 60% of white Catholics who voted, voted for Trump. His decisive electoral victory has inspired a ripple of articles about it at Commonweal.

In his Commonweal article "Humility Would Have Helped: Why the Media Missed on Trump," Paul Moses, a former full-time journalist who is now a professor of journalism at Brooklyn college/CUNY, reflect thoughtfully on why journalists missed on Trump.

https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/humility-would-have-helped

For the record, in more than one OEN piece before the election, I wrote that it was not unthinkable that Trump could be elected. Years ago, when I was in graduate school, I took a series of graduate courses on statistics and research design. As a result, I am well aware that polls come equipped with margins of errors.

As Moses' title leads us to expect, Moses mentions something St. Thomas Aquinas says about humility. Perhaps Commonweal contributor Lisa Fullam's book The Virtue of Humility: A Thomistic Apologetic (2009) should be required reading for journalists. But humility is not a widespread virtue among Americans.

Arguably St. Thomas Aquinas is the most notable medieval Catholic Aristotelian philosopher and theologian. However, despite Aquinas' enormous respect for Aristotle, Aquinas did not, as far as I know, compose a commentary on Aristotle's famous treatise on civic rhetoric.

In it, Aristotle discusses three kinds of civic rhetoric: (1) deliberative rhetoric (involved in pro-and-con debates in legislative assemblies), (2) forensic rhetoric (involved in pro-and-con debate in courts of law), and (3) epideictic rhetoric (involved in espousing public and perhaps also personal values and dis-values).

In our American experiment in representative democracy, our presidential campaigns involve espousing values and dis-values. Abortion is a hot-button issue because it involves values. The charges "racist" and "sexist" and "homophobe" and "xenophobe" also call attention to certain value issues. But these various charges are not likely to win the hearts and minds of the people who are accused of these flaws.

Aristotle also discusses three kinds of appeals that civic orators use: (1) logos, (2) pathos, and (3) ethos.

The American Jesuit classicist William M. A. Grimaldi of Fordham University discusses Aristotle's understanding of ethos in the essay "The Auditors' Role in Aristotelian Rhetoric" in the book Oral and Written Communication: Historical Approaches, edited by the classicist Richard Leo Enos (Sage Publications, 1990, pages 65-81).

Moses says that "Trump the celebrity entrepreneur knew his audience better than anyone [in the news media], and he ran his show accordingly."

No doubt there is a performance dimension involved in civic rhetoric -- a show, so to speak.

No doubt civic rhetoric involves appealing to the audience through logos-appeals, pathos-appeals, and ethos-appeals.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
From Gush Shalom



From economist.com/news/21631966-bad-news-international-co-operation-nationalism-back: Nationalism is back | The Economist

(Image by Unknown Owner) Details DMCA



A DARK wave is submerging democracies all over the Western world.

It started in Britain, a land we always saw as the mother of democracy, the homeland of a particularly sensible people. It voted in a plebiscite to leave the European Union, that landmark of human progress which arose out of the terrible ruins of World War II.

Why? No particular reason. Just for the heck of it.

Then came the US elections. The incredible happened: A nobody came from nowhere and was elected. A person devoid of any political experience, a bully, a habitual liar, an entertainer. Now he is the most powerful statesman on the planet, the "Leader of the free World."

And now it is happening all over Europe. The far-far-right is making gains almost everywhere and threatens to get voted into power. Moderate Presidents and Prime Ministers resign or get kicked out. With the notable exception of Germany and Austria, which seem to have learned their lesson, fascism and populism are gaining ground all around.

Why, for God's sake?

COUNTRIES ARE different from each other. Every local political scene is unique. So it is easy to find local reasons for the results of every local election and plebiscite.

But when the same thing is happening all over the place, in many countries and almost simultaneously, one is compelled to look for a common denominator, a reason that applies to all these diverse phenomena.

It is nationalism.

What we are witnessing now is a rebellion of nationalism against the trend towards a post-nationalist, regionalist and globalist world.

This trend has practical reasons. In most fields of human endeavor, larger and larger units are required.

Industries and financial institutions demand large units. The larger the unit, the more rational the economy. A country with a market of ten million cannot compete with a market of a billion people. Centuries ago, this trend compelled little regions like Bavaria or Catalonia to join national states like Germany and Spain.

Nowadays, the economic lives of billions is determined by anonymous, trans-national corporations, which reside nowhere and everywhere, far beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

At the same time, the information revolution has created ever-larger communities of knowledge. Five hundred years ago, it was rare for a peasant in Europe to move beyond the next village. Travel was expensive, only aristocrats had horses, a carriage ride to the large town was out of reach for most people. For the same reason, it was impossible to move goods over long distances. People ate what could be grown locally. News traveled slowly, if at all.

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3

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Musical tribute to 'Skeets' at Liedy's this weekend

From left:, Joe Cardone, Skeets Williams, Danny Muccino, Bobby Borik and Pat Gambardella, in Liedy's tavern, New Brighton, 2009. For Zones / North. Photo courtesy of Fran DePaulo

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Musical Tribute Fundraiser to honor the memory of

Robert "Skeets" Williams is slated for Saturday, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. at Liedy's Shore Inn, New Brighton.

The event will feature the Jimmy Mack band and "other blasts from Skeets' past."

The charitable event will celebrate Williams' life and career, and raise funds needed to have his family's grave marker inscribed with his name.

FYI: As the Advance previously reported, Williams, the youngest of five children, began singing rock n' roll as a young adult and gathered with friends in the mid-1950s in front of a mailbox at the corner of Grandview Avenue and Brabant Street in Mariners Harbor. They called themselves "The Jovial Five."

His group would later became "The Fabulous Epics," a team of performers who packed clubs for years.

After the original drummer and bass guitar player left the band, the group included Danny Muccino on drums, Chuck Pranski on guitar, Bobby Borik on electric guitar and Williams, who would go on to perform at other Staten Island venues, including Ron's in Port Richmond, Ye Old Dutchman's on Clarke Avenue, and the Knickerbocker Hotel in Great Kills.

The Fabulous Epics eventually went their separate ways in the mid-1960s and formed two separate bands: "The Bo Gentries" and the "Fun and Games Commission."

Borik and Williams reunited in 1969. They merged their respective bands, calling the new group - logically - the 69 Merger. It featured Joe Cardone on keyboards, Leo Lugo on bass guitar, Pranski on rhythm guitar, Muccino, Borik, and Williams.

The group renamed itself the New York Exchange in 1976, with Williams as the lead vocalist. They added a three-piece horn section and changed the name to "New York," with Williams calling it the best band he ever played with.

Members of the New York Exchange band in the early 1970s. (Photo courtesy of Skeets Williams)

He booked bands to perform on Friday nights at Liedy's, produced shows for nonprofit organizations, and promoted bands.

In an earlier report, Williams was quoted as saying:

"My father Alvin was nicknamed Skeets. He was an ice skater, and Skates, his original nickname, got changed to Skeets. I looked just like my dad, and that's where Skeets came from.

I want to thank Bobby Borik for starting me; Joe Cardone, Danny Muccino, and Leo Lugo for being my brothers all these years, and all my fans who kept me in this business."

Williams passed in July of this year.

Liedy's Shore Inn is located at 748 Richmond Terrace.

For further information contact Larry Liedy at (718) 447-9240.
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...
This artist's rendering shows NASA's Juno spacecraft making one of its close passes over Jupiter. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

On Sunday, December 11, at 9:04 a.m. PST (12:04 p.m. EST, 17:04 UTC) NASA's Juno spacecraft will make its third science flyby of Jupiter.

At the time of closest approach (called perijove), Juno will be about 2,580 miles (4,150 kilometers) above the gas giant's roiling cloud tops and traveling at a speed of about 129,000 mph (57.8 kilometers per second) relative to the planet. Seven of Juno's eight science instruments will be energized and collecting data during the flyby.

"This will be the first time we are planning to operate the full Juno capability to investigate Jupiter's interior structure via its gravity field," said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. "We are looking forward to what Jupiter's gravity may reveal about the gas giant's past and its future."

Mission managers have decided not to collect data with the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument during the December flyby, to allow the team to complete an update to the spacecraft software that processes JIRAM's science data. A software patch allowing JIRAM's operation is expected to be available prior to the next perijove pass (PJ4) on Feb. 2, 2017.

The spacecraft team continues to weigh its options regarding modifications of Juno's orbital periodhow long it takes for the spacecraft to complete one orbit around Jupiter. At present, Juno's orbital period is 53.4 days. There had been plans to perform a period adjustment maneuver with the spacecraft's main engine on Oct. 19 to reduce the orbital period to 14 days. The team made the decision to forgo the maneuver in order to further study the performance of a set of valves that are part of the spacecraft's fuel pressurization system. The period reduction maneuver was the final scheduled burn of Juno's main engine.

"We have a healthy spacecraft that is performing its mission admirably," said Rick Nybakken, project manager for Juno from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "What we do not want to do is add any unnecessary risk, so we are moving forward carefully."

In collaboration with NASA and the Juno team, Apple will release an interactive guide to the mission (an iBook) on Dec. 11.

The Juno spacecraft launched on Aug. 5, 2011, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and arrived at Jupiter on July 4, 2016. During its mission of exploration, Juno soars low over the planet's cloud topsas close as about 2,600 miles (4,100 kilometers). During these flybys, Juno will probe beneath the obscuring cloud cover of Jupiter and study its auroras to learn more about the planet's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.

Juno's name comes from Roman mythology. The mythical god Jupiter drew a veil of clouds around himself to hide his mischief, and his wifethe goddess Junowas able to peer through the clouds and reveal Jupiter's true nature.

Provided by NASA
Google and the Cuban government have struck a deal giving Cubans faster access to the internet giant's content, two people familiar with the deal say.

Eric Schmidt, chairman of Google's parent company, will formally sign the deal Monday morning in Havana, the two people said.

The deal allows Cubans access to a network of servers called Google Global Cache that stores content from Google-run sites like Gmail and YouTube in locations around the world. Cuba suffers from some of the world's slowest internet speeds due to a range of problems including the convoluted paths data must travel between Cuban users and servers that are often in the U.S.

It wasn't immediately clear if the Cuba server or servers would be on the island itself, or just closer than current ones.

 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Are Police Cracking Down on Prostitution?

Perhaps it's the salacious nature of the crime that gets arrests on the news. Or perhaps police are more conscious of illegal sex trafficking of women and children, and are trying to put an end to it. Either way, reports of large-scale prostitution busts have been sweeping headlines from Texas to Virginia.

Two recent sting operations in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina netted a total of 21 arrests. Here's a look at police crackdowns nationwide.

Newsworthy Arrests

A quick Google search shows no shortage of prostitution busts from coast to coast in the past few months:

Most major busts are made through undercover sex stings, which can be dicey for law enforcement officers. Cops must be careful not to "entrap" otherwise law-abiding citizens, and some illegal activity must have taken place to validate an arrest.

State Prostitution Laws

Prostitution statutes can vary from state to state. Most only require that a person agree to exchange sex for money, but many of the laws can be overly vague when it comes to defining criminal activity. In most states, some action beyond simple flirtation must occur, but exactly what can depend on where you live.

It doesn't appear that police have showed any signs of relaxing their recent crackdowns on prostitution, so expect to see more arrests making the news. And if you've been arrested for a prostitution-related offense, talk to an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately.

Related Resources:
5 Crime Prevention Tips for the Workplace

Crime can happen anywhere, anytime. If you own or run a business, preventing crime at your business should not be a trivial concern. Criminals can not only steal from your business, but they can harm your customers and employees. Also, criminals aren't always unknown third parties, frequently criminals are upset customers, or former or current employees.

While crime may be an unpredictable threat, the following five tips can help your business prevent crime before it even happens.

1. Get Video Surveillance Cameras

Regardless of the type of business you run, installing video surveillance cameras is one of the easiest ways to prevent crime. However, be mindful that some states require employers provide their employees and customers with notice of the surveillance. Additionally, for retail establishments, allowing some cameras to be clearly seen can prevent a criminal from acting if they notice the camera first.

2. Trust No One!

Especially in retail and cash businesses, trusting employees can be a costly mistake. Having employees that you trust will feel great up until the day comes that a trusted employee turns out to be a crook. Most thefts from businesses are crimes of opportunity. No one has more opportunity to steal than a business's employees. Establishing procedures that will provide accountability for missing inventory, or cash/receipts/revenue, can be critical when it comes to preventing employee thefts.

3. Background Check, Background Check, Background Check

Regardless of the type of workplace, before hiring an employee, running a criminal background check can help you identify and screen out individuals with questionable pasts. If your state doesn't do criminal background checks for gun purchases, you really should consider doing one for employment.

4. Hire Security

Rent-a-cops and private security companies may not inspire fear in the hearts of criminals, but they may be just enough to convince a criminal to find a different target. Especially during those times of the year when a business may have more customers than usual, just having a security person standing at the exit can be enough to scare off a would-be criminal.

5. Lock Doors and Windows

After the business closes for the night, making sure all doors and windows are locked is critical. As explained above, most theft occurs because the opportunity exists. If a customer walks in after close and finds an empty store, the employees might just come in the next day to find a different kind of empty store.

Related Resources:
One of my favorite Woody Allen lines is, "I'm not afraid of death. I just don't want to be there when it happens." Death ...
This blog will focus on political images I have found all around the Internet, though I will intersperse some commentary and quotes that I find interesting.
The Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife put out an interesting news release yesterday about a prosecution of a southern Vermont man who had been feeding wild black bears for years. It's a sad story, with numerous bears dead because of the man's ill-advised efforts to help them. Feeding wildlife (other than birds) is illegal in New York as well. Wilmington, Vt., is a beautiful small town in the mountains just east of Bennington, with great hiking, fishing and snow sport opportunities.

-- Don Lehman

Here's the full story:

WILMINGTON, Vt  A Wilmington man was convicted in November for intentionally feeding bears. James Burke, 60, pled no contest to two criminal counts of illegally feeding bears.

On September 29, 2016, Vermont Game Wardens Richard Watkin and Lt. Greg Eckhardt, with assistance from the Wilmington Police Department, executed a search warrant at Burkes Wilmington residence. Wardens had previously witnessed Burke placing out plates of food in his yard that bears were actively feeding on.

While on the property, several bears remained on the scene and were indifferent to the presence of the wardens. They continued to feed on the plates of food and walked among the wardens and their vehicles.

A bear that has been fed no longer behaves like a wild bear, said Forrest Hammond, bear biologist for the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. These bears often go from house to house foraging for food and they gradually lose their fear of people. They can present a danger not just to the person feeding the bear, but also to their neighbors for many miles around.

Burke had been issued a violation notice in 2006 ordering him to stop feeding bears. After feeding bears became illegal in Vermont in 2013, wardens and biologists visited Burke to notify him of the change and to work with him on a plan to wean the bears off artificial food sources.

Wildlife officials believe that Burke continued to feed bears after 2013. Hammond has placed radiocollar tracking devices on more than a dozen bears in that region of the state to follow the bears movements as part of an ongoing study on bear movements near a proposed wind energy development. According to Hammond, bears frequented Burkes yard and would spend extended periods of time there, which would be extremely unusual for a wild bear that is not being fed.

Warden Watkin also observed that multiple bears have been hit by vehicles along the stretch of road near Burkes residence.

Too often, these instances end tragically for the bears, said Hammond. The bear spends time in neighborhoods and gets hit by a car, or it becomes a problem or even aggressive and needs to be put down. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and our many conservation and sporting partners work hard to ensure that Vermonts black bear population remains healthy and wild.

Burke was fined $868.00 and lost his right to hunt, fish or trap in Vermont for three years.
QUEENSBURY -- A mother and daughter were hospitalized Friday afternoon when their sport utility vehicle was hit head-on by another vehicle, police said.

The crash happened on Aviation Road near Carlton Drive just after 2:20 p.m., closing the road, snarling traffic around the Queensbury school campus and forcing school buses to re-route.

The Warren County Sheriff's Office said Victoria Della Bella, 43, and her 15-year-old daughter were taken to Glens Falls Hospital for injuries that weren't considered life-threatening after the Cadillac Escalade they were in was hit by a Honda sedan.

Police said the driver of the Honda, Peter M. Thompson, 46, of Queensbury, crossed into the wrong lane and caused the crash. He had no explanation as to what caused him to drive into the other lane, and was ticketed for failure to keep right, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The Sheriff's Office was assisted by West Glens Falls and Bay Ridge rescue squads and Queensbury Central firefighters. Officers William St. John and John DeCristofaro investigated the crash.
FORT EDWARD  Addressing maintenance items and improving safety are the major components of Fort Edwards proposed $4.72 million project that will be decided by voters on Tuesday.

Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. in the Fort Edward Elementary School lobby.

The project would address items identified in the districts building conditions survey, including fixing sections of roofs, replacing broken and outdated windows, upgrading restrooms and improving the fire alarm systems. There would also be new carpeting, lighting, flooring and doors in certain areas.

It has been about 10 years since Fort Edwards last major project, according to Superintendent of Schools Daniel Ward. He said the district would only replace items that are deficient in this project.

Its been cautiously planned. Its not extravagant, he said.

The main entrance would be reconfigured with a secure vestibule. Ward said there would be a new window, where people will sign in and then be buzzed into the main part of the school.

There would be extensive upgrades to several elementary classrooms, according to Ward.

Almost every elementary room will have new floor coverings, new windows, new ceilings, new lighting and new window treatments, he said.

The current wooden windows are designed for residences and swing out, according to Ward.

The district wont replace items in certain elementary rooms if they were upgraded in a previous project. Ward said a couple classrooms have new tile floor, which all classrooms would have instead of carpet, if the project is approved.

Restrooms would also get overhauled to replace fixtures, install new tile and improve handicapped accessibility, according to Ward. Some of the bathrooms have not had any substantial upgrades since 1970.

Door handles would be replaced with handicapped-compliant levers.

Sections of ceiling tiles where there is water damage would be replaced. Also, sections of the leaking roof over the two stairwells in the junior-senior high school would be replaced.

The district also plans to tie together its fire alarm systems in different sections of the building in a more effective way, according to Ward. Some of the older ones need to be upgraded.

Its becoming less reliable and harder to maintain and harder to get parts for, he said.

Fluorescent lighting in certain locations would be replaced with more energy-efficient LED lighting, according to Ward. Also, motion sensors would be installed in classrooms that shut off lights when there is no one there.

Old carpeting would be replaced and cracking sections of the floor by the doorway would be replaced.

Doors in older sections of the building would also be replaced, according to Ward. He said new door locks would allow teachers to lock the rooms from the inside in case of an intruder. Right now, the teachers have to go outside to put the key in the lock and then close the door to lock it from the inside.

There would also be new exterior lighting, Ward said. The district would replace an air handling unit currently located in the crawl space with a rooftop unit. Ward said it will be easier to maintain and provide better ventilation for the bathrooms.

State aid is picking up 84 percent of the cost. The district is using $200,000 in state Excel aid and also tapping $200,000 from fund balance.

School officials said there would be no increase in the tax levy from this project because the district has debt coming off the books.

Ward acknowledged that the state money is also taxpayer money, but it will be invested in the community.

It brings those tax dollars that New York state collected from everywhere back to us, he said.

If approved, the project would be designed in the spring of 2017 and submitted to the state for approval. Bidding would take place in the spring of 2018 and construction would be completed by 2019.
SOUTH GLENS FALLS  Tanglewood Elementary School kindergarten teacher Tina Hayes was presiding over the wedding of the year.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we are gathered here today in Alphabet Land to join Miss U and Mr. Q in word matrimony, she told the class Friday at the South Glens Falls school. Is there anyone in a quandary about these two being joined? Please speak up quickly.

No, shouted the class, which had girls in pretty dresses and the boys in shirts and ties. They were eager to see the joining of the two letters because the letter U always follows Q in words.

We want them to get married, dont we? Hayes said, continuing on with the ceremony.

Mr. Q, will you stand by Miss Q in words like quarter and quack? Hayes asked.

I will, said Max French, who was representing the letter Q.

Miss U, will you stand by Mr. Q in words like question and quilt? Hayes asked.

I will, replied Eve Barker, who was the U.

Will you stand by each other in queasy and quarrelsome times, in all words big and small? What do you say, the two of you? Hayes asked.

We will, they responded.

By the power invested in me, Mrs. Hayes, we of Alphabet Land, I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Qu, Hayes said, saying out loud the sound the two letters make together.

Can we all say the Q-U sound? she asked.

Quah, responded the class.

Beautiful, she said. You may high-five and hug quickly.

The rest of the class blew bubbles to celebrate the new couple as the bride and groom walked down the aisle. The students then danced and enjoyed some celebratory cupcakes.

When she walked down the aisle, she was beautiful, said kindergartner Jadelynn Lord.

Eve Barker was selected to be the bride because she owned a nice white gown.

Im overjoyed, quipped her mother, Nannette Barker, about her daughters marriage.

She said it was a brilliant way to teach the word concept of q always being paired with a u.

My daughters been excited all week, she said.

Max French was eager to be the groom.

His father, John French, said one of his other sons classmates heard about this lesson and Max wanted to participate.

Hes been very nervous, but he did a great job, French said.

After eating the cupcakes, the students worked at various stations, practicing words that begin with Q or tracing out words.

Hayes said she has been doing the Q and U wedding ceremony for about 10 years.

It just keeps getting a little bigger each time, Hayes said. Its a fun way to get them excited.

This is the culmination of lessons on the alphabet, according to Hayes.

Its a big deal when we finish the alphabet. It makes me sad, she said.
FORT EDWARD  Two Washington County employees are now slated to lose part of their raises, and many others may also be affected.

The Board of Supervisors approved several raises to lift certain employees above the new threshold for overtime pay. But because that new rule has been put on hold by a court, supervisors plan to vote on changes to employees pay for 2017.

They will vote at 10 a.m. Friday at their monthly meeting.

At issue is the Department of Labors new rule, which stated that all employees making less than $47,476 were eligible for overtime.

Since some supervisors and managers at the county made less than that, supervisors decided the cost of overtime could be far more than the cost of simply giving them a raise.

Elsewhere, states sued to block the rule from going into effect, and in late November they won a key victory. The U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Texas granted a nationwide preliminary injunction, putting a hold on the new rule. It was to go into effect Dec. 1.

At a committee meeting last week, supervisors argued over whether to pull back raises that had already been promised and approved in the 2017 budget.

Now youre taking it away from someone. Thats a tough pill to swallow, said Budget Officer and Hebron Supervisor Brian Campbell. I hate to take it away, (but) this was done just to meet the threshold.

He mused later, This may be a morale killer.

But other supervisors wrestled with whether they should spend more if they dont have to do so.

If itd been my employees, theyd be pissed, said Cambridge Supervisor Cassie Fedler, before adding, I understand its the taxpayers money.

The supervisors focused on raises for the two election commissioners, who were to receive $4,200 each to bring their salaries above the overtime threshold.

They have long deserved that money, said Greenwich Supervisor Sara Idleman.

They came in asking for raises several years in a row. They were always told no, she said. Were not over-paying our heads of departments.

She warned that the supervisors were heading into difficulty if they changed the commissioners salary, because many other salaries were also changed to meet the new rule.

Were really opening a Pandoras Box, she said.

But Granville Supervisor Matt Hicks said the employees shouldnt get a raise if the rule is abolished.

The only reason we gave those was because of the rule, he said.

Idleman objected.

I didnt change it because of the law. I changed it because the people deserve it, she said.

Supervisors reluctantly agreed to a compromise: giving the commissioners part of their raise, and giving part of it to their deputies.

They had considered a proposal to raise the salaries of the deputy election commissioners during the budget process, but decided not to spend the money. Now, they said, they could spend the money correctly.

They agreed in committee to raise each deputys salary by $2,000, leaving $2,200 for each of the two commissioners. The commissioners also get $2,600 in step and longevity pay, so they would see an increase in pay regardless. Their pay in the approved 2017 budget was to be $47,476. If the changes pass, they will receive $43,262.

In committee, three supervisors voted against changing the commissioners salary. Voting no were Idleman, Fort Edward Supervisor Mitch Suprenant and White Creek Supervisor Bob Shay.
Dep Records Arcade Fire member Tim Kingsbury has announced the debut album for his new project, Sam Patch. The album is called Yeah You, and I, and it will be released February 17. You can download the first single, titled "St. Sebastian," now on iTunes.

Kingsbury plays the majority of the instruments Yeah You, and I, and he wrote and sings on every one of the album's songs. His Arcade Fire band mate Jeremy Gara provides drums on six of the songs.

Sam Patch will hit the road next year in support of Yeah You, and I on a North American tour, which kicks off in March. Visit SamPatchMusic.com for ticket info.

Meanwhile, Arcade Fire is currently working on their fifth studio album, their first since 2013's Reflektor.

Here are the Sam Patch tour dates:

3/2 -- Montreal, QC, Bar Le Ritz PDB

3/3 -- Ottawa, ON, Zaphod Beeblebrox

3/4 -- Quebec City, QC, Anti

3/9 -- Allston, MA, Great Scott

3/10 -- New York, NY, Mercury Lounge

3/11 -- Philadelphia, PA, Boot & Saddle

3/12 -- Washington, DC, Black Cat

3/16 -- Toronto, ON, The Drake

3/17 -- Detroit, MI, El Club

3/18 -- Chicago, IL, Empty Bottle

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Authorities say in recent weeks there has been an unprecedented wave of hate crimes targeting library buildings, books, and the people who read them. The officials told the New York Times they'd rarely seen such before. These crimes are intended to terrorize, and they follow a recent report by the F.B.I. which says hate crimes against Muslim people in America shot up over the past year.

Snip:

A librarian at the public library in Evanston, Ill., was recently preparing for a program titled "The Quran: Is It a 'Good Book'?" She gathered books to display for attendees and discovered that inside the cover of one, "The Koran for Dummies," someone had written "lies cover to cover," drawn a swastika and made a disparaging remark about the Prophet Muhammad. She discovered six more books about Islam and the Quran that had been similarly defaced with racist language and imagery, officials said. The vandalism was a first for the library, Karen Danczak Lyons, its director, said in an interview.



An excerpt of the vandalism done inside the book.

In addition to the books defaced in Evanston, the American Library Association highlighted a number of terrifying cases, some of which are detailed in this New York Times story.

You can make contributions to the Evanston Public Library, where the crime detailed above took place.

From the Evanston Public Library, right after the defacements happened.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:

Home Regional News East
READ MORE:Mahama to commission eight Community Day SHS

Among those expected to attend the meeting are staff and management of the school, parents, representatives of the Ghana Education Service and traditional authorities. Members of the Board of Governors of the school last Monday held an emergency meeting to agree on the Saturdays stakeholders convocation.

Background

On November 25 and November 26, 2016 respectively, irate students of KOSS embarked on two demonstrations to protest against the transfer of 10 teachers for their alleged involvement in the planning of an earlier demonstration.

The students allegedly threatened to burn down the school if the transfer of the 10 teachers were not reversed. Subsequently, the board shut down the school for fear of destruction of property and possibly loss of lives.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
READ MORE

I congratulate our new president-elect wholeheartedly, and I also commend President Mahama for graciously conceding defeat said Mr Annan.

Mr. Akufo-Addo will be taking over at a time of economic difficulties but he has the skills and experience to help the country face up to this challenge.

He also praised the people and authorities of Ghana for ensuring a peaceful campaign and for their calm while awaiting the announcement of the results by the Electoral Commission.

The people of Ghana have proved worthy of our democratic tradition he stated.

The Electoral Commission announced late on Friday that Mr Nana Akufo-Addo had secured 53.85% of votes, against his chief rival, the incumbent President John Mahama, who received 44.4%.

National and international observers called the elections free and fair.
In a congratulatory statement, the former AG said his victory is as a result of the public trust in his ability to retrieve monies wrongly paid to individuals.

READ MORE: Mahama delivers painful concession speech

He said: "I have no doubt that the President-elect is aware that the people of Ghana expect that his new Government will take up the urgent responsibility of getting back our over GHC51.2million back with the accruing interest looted by the outgoing Government for its lootee, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, alongside the Waterville Holing (BVI) Ltd loot of over 47million also with all the accruing interest both ordered to be refunded to the Republic of Ghana by the Supreme Court on 14th June 2013 and 29th July 2014 respectively.

"Your victory is partly the result of the mandate and confidence entrusted to you by the people of Ghana to get our monies back to the Republic of Ghana in the shortest possible time."

Martin Amidu, who has been relentless in his quest to retrieve the money wrongly paid to Alfred Woyome, said it is his hope that Akufo-Addo will "reciprocate the trust and confidence reposed you at these elections by getting our Woyome and Waterville looted monies back in the shortest possible time."

He also touted the president-elect's commitment toward the nation's democratic processes since constitutional governance in 1993.

He said: "The track record of President-elect Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his unassailable commitment to democratic processes since Constitutional governance in Ghana in 1993 gives hope that under his leadership Ghana will once more instill the values of good, and accountable governance not only in Ghana but will also be an advocate for those values and norms in the West African sub-region and the continent at large."
He also commended the police and rival political parties for their role in ensuring a successful election.

In addition, he also expressed reservation of some conduct of some security personnel to police the ballot.

He cited a Fire Officer in the Gomoa constituency who was drunk, saying it is unacceptable and give a bad name to the security institution.

Akufo-Addo cruised to victory in Wednesday's vote by defeating incumbent president John Mahama by close to a million vote.

The Electoral Commission said Akufo-Addo won by 5, 716, 026 (53.85%) while John Dramani Mahama secured 4, 713, 277 (44.40%).

President Mahama in a painful concession speech promised to ensure a smooth transition of power.

I wish to congratulate the President Elect. I will like to assure the people of Ghana of my commitment to the sustenance of our countrys democracy and we will work to ensure a smooth transition of our incoming administration. I remain committed to the unity and stability of our great nation. he said.

READ MORE:Mahama delivers concession speech
READ MORE: Mahama delivers concession speech

It said: "The United States congratulates the people of Ghana on the successful conclusion of the December 7 general election. We also congratulate President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo. The peaceful and inclusive nature of the election is a testament to Ghanas citizens and its vibrant democracy."We commend President Mahama for respecting the results announced by the Electoral Commission, calling on his supporters to do the same, and demonstrating the leadership and commitment to democracy for which Ghana is known throughout the world.

"We commend Ghanas Electoral Commission for administering a credible election process. We also recognize the many civil society organizations that contributed to a peaceful, transparent, and fair election."As the Secretary said in his calls with the candidates, the United States and Ghana have a close and enduring friendship rooted in our mutual commitment to freedom and democratic values. We look forward to working with President-elect Akufo-Addo and his administration on economic growth, health, governance, and security in Ghana and throughout West Africa."

Meanwhile president Mahama in a painful concession speech promised to ensure a smooth transition of power.
The Electoral Commission (EC) said Akufo-Addo won by 5, 716, 026 (53.85%) while president Mahama secured 4, 713, 277 (44.40%).

If you retreat from a battle it does not mean defeat, we will return in 2020, Nketia aka General Mosquito said.

He added: That is the verdict of the masses so if it is the verdict, nobody can challenge it and Ghana is bigger than any personal interest or institution so the country must move on."

He made the comments when the chair of the EC was set to declare Akufo-Addo as the president-elect.

He noted that the party went into the election hoping to secure a second term for the president but the electorate thought otherwise.
---This is the first time in history that an opposition leader has won a Ghanaian election after just one round. In the 2000 Elections, the John Agyekum Kufuor of the NPP needed a run-off to defeat John Atta Mills, the then flagbearer of the incumbent National Democratic Congress. In 2008, John Attah Mills also needed a second round to beat the Presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Akufo Addo.

---This is the third time in Ghana's history that an incumbent government has lost an election and handed over to the opposition. Others were in 2000 (NDC to NPP) and 2008 (NPP to NDC). This is a rare achievement in Africa.

--- NanaAkufo-Addo becomes 13th man to occupy Ghana's office of Head of State since independence. (*counting all leaders: civilian, military, acting).

--- Nana Akufo-Addo become Ghana's 7th DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED President since independence.

---At 72 years, Nana Akufo-Addo becomes Ghana's oldest ever Head of State. The youngest was Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, who was 31 when he took over government via a coup in June 1979. The youngest DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED Head of State, however, is Hilla Limann, who was 44 when he was elected President of Ghana after the 1979 elections. The second oldest Head of State was John Evans Attah Mills, who was 64 at the time of his inauguration in 2009.

---JohnMahama becomes the first Ghanaian incumbent President to lose an election.

---NanaAkufo-Addo's victory means it is the first time in Ghana's history that a father and his son have ruled the land as President. In August 1970, an electoral college elected his father, Justice Edward Akufo-Addo as President of the second Republic of Ghana. However, because of the fact that the Second Republican constitution instituted a Parliamentary system of governance, Edward Addo was only a ceremonial executive. True administrative power lay with the Prime Minister, Dr KA Busia, who assume office when his Progress Party (PP) won the 1969 elections to usher in the Second Republic.

---NanaAkufo-Addo is so far the only President in the Fourth Republic of Ghana (1992-Present) not to be named John". There have been Jerry John Rawlings (1993-2001), John Agyekum Kufuor (2001-2009), John Evans Atta Mills (2008-2012) and John Mahama (2012-2016).

--- The NPP have now scored three electoral victories, making them the third most successful political party in the country's electoral history. The first is the Convention People's Party (CPP) with five (1951, 1954, 1956, 1960 and 1965), followed by the NDC (1992, 1996, 2008, 2012).

---Nana Akufo-Addo becomes the second Presidential candidate in Ghana's history to win an election on his third attempt after two previous failed attempts (2008, 2012, 2016). The first was John Evans Attah Mills (2000, 2004, 2008).

---Nana Akufo-Addo (Kyebi) becomes the second Ghanaian Head of State to hail from the Eastern Region of Ghana. The first was Frederick William Kwasi Akuffo, Head of State (military) from 1978 to 1979, who was from Akropong in the Eastern Region.

---Nana Akufo-Addo's running mate, Mahamudu Bawumia, becomes Ghana's 7th Vice President since independence.

---Mahamudu Bawumia becomes the joint-second youngest Ghanaian Vice President at an age of 53. John Evans Attah Mills was also 53 years when he became Ghana Vice President in 1997. The oldest Ghana Vice President was Kow Nkensen Arkaah, who was 66 when he became Vice President to Jerry John Rawlings in 1993, while the youngest was Joseph de Graf-Johnson, who was 46 when he became Vice President to Hilla Limann in 1979.
I congratulate Nana Akufo-Addo on his election as President-elect of Ghana. I also pay tribute to John Dramani Mahama and the other presidential candidates for their statesmanship in accepting the result and respecting the will of the Ghanaian people, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said in a statement.

The Electoral Commission said Akufo-Addo won by 5, 716, 026 (53.85%) while John Dramani Mahama secured 4, 713, 277 (44.40%).

READ MORE:In victory speech, Akufo-Addo promises to be president for allThrough their peaceful conduct during the election, the people of Ghana have written the next chapter in Ghanas democracy, a democracy that continues to inspire people across the region and the continent, Mr Johnson said.
The death toll could go up as 20 persons who are seriously injured and are in critical condition were immediately rushed to the Suhum Government Hospital for medical treatment.

There is no immediate word for the cause of the accident.

Elsewhere in the Ashanti Region, reports said two persons were also knocked down by a car while jubilating in the capital of Kumasi.
Martin Amidu before the elections called on Ghanaians to vote for change. He said, the judgment debt can only be recouped if there is a change of government.

According to him, the governing NDC is only deceiving Ghanaians in its quest to retrieve the money from Mr. Woyome.

Read more: Supreme Court adjourns Amidu vs Woyome case sine die

In a statement, Amidu who is battling Woyome to retrieve the judgment debt said, "I am particularly grateful and will always remain eternally indebted to you, fellow citizens, who voted for this change of a new president..."

He said, "the vote for change will keep the integrity of the public purse safe from the likes of an incumbent president who has not hesitated to facilitate and conceal a range of unconstitutional actions that in the end always left the people of Ghana poorer".

Meanwhile, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Ivor Greenstreet, Edward Mahama and Jacob Osei Yeboah have already congratulated Nana Akufo-Addo on his victory.

Pulse.com.gh projections put Nana Akufo-Addo fairly in the lead with over 52 percent of the total votes.Below is his full statement:

THANKS AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PEOPLE OF GHANA FOR VOTING A NEW GOVERNMENT: BY MARTIN A. B. K. AMIDU

I am lost for words with which to thank and congratulate the people of Ghana for the display of peaceful and mature representative democracy during the 7th December 2016 Presidential and General Elections that have just come and gone. I can only say that more is thy due than more than all can pay."

We, the qualified citizens of Ghana in exercise of our fundamental and undoubted constitutional and democratic right to choose for ourselves a President and Members of Parliament to govern our affairs for the next four years have rightfully and properly elected a new President and an accompanying parliament to facilitate good governance, democracy and the rule of law.

The decision that we, the majority of fellow citizens have, made at this years elections portends hope, expectations and anticipation in each of us who put Ghana First at the ballot for good governance, the rule of law, probity, accountability and transparency in the coming four years of the administration of the President Elect, his Government and the Parliament Elect. Ghanaians have by this ballot rightly served warning to our Government that we can no longer be taken for granted by a political establishment and elite of patronage, cronyism, lootism, and above all unbridled corruption of the winning political party.

I am particularly grateful and would always remain eternally indebted to you, fellow citizens, who voted for this change of a new President and Government for heeding my written, audio and video pleas for all patriotic citizens to join in the election of a new Government to guarantee that we can get back our GHC51.2million with all the accruing interest looted by the outgoing Government for its lootee, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, and have it refunded to the Republic of Ghana as ordered by the Supreme Court on 29th July 2014.

I also wish to use this opportunity to thank all fellow citizens who heeded the call that should we vote for this looter President on 7th December 2016 we would not have been able to get our money back because Mahama would have continued to protect Woyome as he has done since assuming office. Alongside the Woyome loot is the Waterville Holding (BVI) Ltd loot of over 47million with all the accruing interest ordered to be refunded to the Republic of Ghana by the Supreme Court on 14th June 2013, which this same outgoing President and Government facilitated to be looted and purposefully and selfishly failed or refused to retrieve it as ordered.

I had assured you, fellow citizens, that should you vote this President out on 7th December 2016 we do not need any further examination orally on oath of Woyome by me in person for you to get your money back. The new Government will have the duty of getting your money back in the shortest possible time because of the confidence you have reposed in it. It is my prayer that the in-coming President, his Government, and Parliament will reciprocate the trust and confidence reposed in them at these elections by getting our Woyome and Waterville looted monies back in the shortest possible time. I will return to the Court on 13th December 2016 to face the outgoing looter Government and lootee Woyome but I am confident as your former Attorney General, now a public interest Plaintiff, that I can hold the fort against the looter Government and lootee, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, until the new President takes office on 7th January 2017. The President Elect, an eminent and distinguished lawyer, knows I can!

This ballot has been for keeping the integrity of the public purse safe from the likes of an incumbent President who has not hesitated to facilitate and conceal a range of unconstitutional actions that in the end always left the people of Ghana poorer. Join me fellow citizens in praying that our President Elect, his Government, and Parliament Elect live up to our hopes, aspirations, expectations and anticipation in this matter.

I congratulate and thank you all, once more, fellow citizens for your Gargantuan efforts in heeding the advocacy of the various civil society and activist organizations in enhancing constitutionalism and democracy at this years elections in changing this Government. God bless you all, God bless the Republic of Ghana and may God let us always Put Ghana First.
"I thank Almighty God for granting victory to the NPP and myself in this election...And I thank you the good people of Ghana for this massive show of support and the confidence you gave reposed in me and my party.

"I make this solemn pledge to you tonight, I will not let you down."

Nana Addo polled over 5, 716,026 million votes to beat the incumbent president John Dramani Mahama who had over 4, 713,277 million votes.

"On the basis of the foregoing figures to and the power vested as the chairperson of the electoral commission and the returning officer of the presidential elections It is my duty and privilege to declare Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo as the president elect of the Republic of Ghana", Charlotte Osei told the country on Friday evening at 8:45 pm.

Hundreds of Ghanaians have thronged to the streets of Accra to celebrate the victory of Nana Akufo-Addo. They thronged to the streets as it was announced that President John Mahama has called Nana Akufo-Addo to concede defeat.

With their car horns all blazing, music on full blast and deep-hearted screaming, supporters of the opposition New Patriotic Party danced in the streets to the National Democratic Congress campaign songs clad in party colours.
This declaration was made by the EC chairperson after John Mahama placed a call to congratulate Akufo Addo

Nana Addo polled 5, 716,026 million votes representing 53.85 % beat the incumbent president John Dramani Mahama who had 4, 713,277 million votes representing 44.40 %

"On the basis of the foregoing figures to and the power vested as the chairperson of the electoral commission and the returning officer of the presidential elections It is my duty and privilege to declare Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo as the president elect of the republic of Ghana." Charlotte Osei told the country.

This is Nana Addo's third and successful attempt at the presidency.

The 72 year old astute lawyer's message of running a corruption free government, providing jobs for the youth through his "One District One factory" promise among others stuck with voters who generally wanted change.

The resounding victory is an indication that Nana Addo has the support of majority of Ghanaians.

It's been a hectic two days for journalists and indeed the whole country. The situation became more tensed afterthe NPP announced hours after voting ended that they had won the election per their calculation of the results on the pink sheets.

This was followed with another press conference by the party's youth organiser Sammy Awuku to put pressure on the EC to go ahead and declare the results.

The NDC's Ofosu Ampofo also held a press conference to assure the NDC supporters that they are in a comfortable lead.

The EC then came out to say they are investigating claims of over voting.
How did this happen is probably the big question some people are asking particularly NDC supporters. Let's look at these reasons in Pulse.com.gh estimation accounted for this win for the NPP.

General feel for change

What is happening now per the provisional results is a clear and loud scream by Ghanaians that they are tired of the NDC government. Mind you the NPP campaigned on the message of change in 2012 but Ghanaians did not adhere to that call.

After eight years in power, even though the NDC tried very hard to make it seem it's only been 4 years of President Mahama, Ghanaians apart from the complaints of unemployment and economic hardship could not turn a blind eye to the almost 4 year rule of late President Evans Atta Mills. So after 8 years the NDC has been voted out just as NPP was in 2008 after 8 years in power. This was Nana Addo's thier attempt at the presidency and some voters thought he should be given the chance.

Highlighting of Corruption

The role corruption has played in this election cannot be underestimated. In 2012 the NPP was blamed by its supporters for not hammering on the various corruption scandal enough for it to stick. So they did not spare the ruling party this year. From the Ford Escape saga in which a 4x4 vehicle was given to president Mahama as a gift after awarding a contract to a Burkinabe, to the infamous Woyome judgement debt scandal which has been rekindled a few weeks to elections.

There is also the bus branding saga and a host of others. President Mahama failed clearly failed to decisively and independently investigate these scandals and appropriate punishment given. His response to these corruption scandals have been that the culprits are being prosecuted. The NPP on every platform made corruption a key ingredient. This was evident in Samira Bawumia's popular chants "We are saying to the NDC that we see you alright...you want us to see you, we see you but we see incompetence, we see you but we see corruption, we see you but we see bad management"

The Bawumia factor

The NPP knows that their party is very attractive to the elite, educated or intellectuals. So they did not lose sight of the huge and positive effect the renowned economist and former deputy governor of the bank of Ghana Dr. Mahamoudu Bawumia could add to the campaign and he (Bawumia) delivered.

He became the definition of economics in Ghana. He challenged the ruling NDC on their economic policies which will eventually hurt the country. The NPP were so strategic that Bawumia's take on the economy became the only truth. He is also credited with the NPP's 10 seats in the norther region in 2012.

He is a true man from the north who was energetic enough to campaign and to explain issues to his fellow tribes men in their language. In the 2016 election the NPP has added about about four seat to the 10 they already have in the North. The party for the first time got five seats in the Upper West region. This can only be as a result of the Bawumia factor .

Intense Grassroot Campaign

Contrary to popular the notion that the NDC is good at campaigning in rural areas while the NPP is only loud in urban areas and social media the NPP did something different. They took their change message to villages and hinterlands.

The message for the folks in villages was not about corruption and dumsor, it was about the collapse of the cocoa mass spraying exercise, prices of cocoa, withdrawal of both teachers and nurses allowance, unemployment, high school fees.

Targeted Millennials through Social Media

By now we know we are all convinced about the role Social Media has played in this elections. There are so many millennials on social media who needed to be reached by the political parties and so the NPP took advantage of it. Unlike the NDC which had so many pages set up to support John Mahama the NPP's own was centralised and had focused.

Nana Akufo Addo's facebook page following had a very rapid increase surpassing John Mahama's. The NPP used fb live broadcast a lot since facebook added that feature. Hash tag campaigns were all over the place. #voteforchange, #doitforkb, #hopechallenge are a few of the hash tag campaigns and these were executed by a dedicated social media team.

The NPP had a real message
Punch reports that Agha, a fuel supplier based in Lagos State, only traveled home renovate his house ahead of the Christmas season pending when his family members in Lagos would come home for the celebration.

It was gathered that Agha was seeing off an electrician when the attackers stormed the compound and abducted him.

Speaking on the abduction of his father, one of his sons, Ikenna, said the kidnappers later contacted the family members and demanded N50 million as ransom, adding that they eventually paid them a total sum of N2.6 million when efforts by the police to rescue his father proved abortive.

He was kidnapped on Friday, October 28, 2016, inside his compound around 1pm. The kidnappers told him that they were from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department and ordered him to follow them into a waiting vehicle.

I told my brother who broke the news to me on the phone that we didnt have any issue with anybody. On Sunday, they called me and demanded N50 million ransom.

My relatives reported at the Orlu Police Station and I also submitted a petition at the Federal SARS in Adeniji Adele.

Five policemen from the Federal SARS followed me to Orlu. But for the six days that we spent in Owerri, the kidnappers did not call me again. On November 9, we came back to Lagos and they called again.

I negotiated with them and we agreed on N2.5 million. They asked me to drop the money somewhere in Onitsha and promised to release him the following day.

After dropping the money, we waited throughout the day, but he was not released. Two days after, they asked for another N2 million. We negotiated and they reduced it to N500,000.

I said I could only afford N100,000 and they agreed. They called me with my fathers number. On November 14, I told my brother in Owerri to take the money to where we dropped the N2.5 million.

Since they collected the N100,000, I have not received any call from them. I have gone back to the Federal SARS. They said they were communicating with the DPO, Orlu division.

ALSO READ: Pastor arrested with 12 abducted kids
The suspects identified as, Mohammed Rabiu and Alhaji Abdullahi Sule were arrested Thursday, December 8, at Kunbuli and Gubeil villages of the State, Punch reports.

ALSO READ: Kidnappers arrested in Kaduna while on their way to collect ransom

While confirming the arrests, the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman told newsmen that the suspects were arrested following a tip-off from members of the public.

Usman revealed that the suspects were trailed from Mararraban Liman Katagum Motor Park while they kept up communications with one Mallam Bapashi Namutunji, demanding for the sum of N1 m as ransom.

They also threatened to destroy their victims entire family members if he fails to comply.

A bunch local charms and talisman, the sum of One Hundred and Sixty Naira (N160.00k), Gionee mobile telephone handset and an Itel phone were recovered from the suspects, Usman said.

ALSO READ: Indian businessman kidnappers arrested in Benue
ALSO READ: Actress in tears as beneficiary turns viral sensation

A Facebook user identified as Inibehe Effiong, shared photos of the neatly dressed man selling doughnuts in Akwa Ibom and wrote:

"I don't know this man from Adam and I do not care the part of the country that he comes from.I am using this platform to celebrate his devotion to his trade and admirable sense of cleanliness.

"He sells doughnut around the Uyo metropolis in Akwa Ibom State. Please patronize him anywhere you see him.

"At a time that many Nigerians are seeking white collar jobs, the entrepreneurial spirit of this man deserves commendation. He has by his action given credence to the aphorism that there is dignity in labour.

"Instead of resorting to crime, he has proudly engaged in this business to cater for himself and his family. Anyone that sees this man should kindly connect him with me. I want to support his business with my widow's mite.

"If you wish to join me in contributing financially to his business please indicate the amount (no matter how small) in Your comment. Thank you. PLEASE SHARE UNTIL IT GETS TO SOMEONE THAT KNOWS THIS MAN."

ALSO READ: Actress launches empowerment foundation

As fate would have it, Annie Idibia, happened to know the man she has identified as Mr White.

The Nollywood actress took to her Instagram page to reveal that he had been a student at her Cake and Pastries class during the Annie Idibia Care Foundation training in Awka Ibom.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bi-annual weeklong event will commence from Dec. 12 to Dec. 16 across the 33 local government areas of the state.

Adeduntan said that the state government would support women and children with free health services to enhance their wellbeing.

MNCHW targets children and maternal survival using high impact interventions approved by the National Council on Health in the year 2009.

Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week is a bi-annual week-long event of accelerated actions to promote and substantially contributes to improving maternal and child health indicators in Nigeria, he said.

Adeduntan said that maternal mortality was on the high side, saying record indicated that 576 per 100,000 birth of women die at child birth.

The commissioner said that the state recorded 75 per 1,000 death which is the worst.

Our effort is targeted at these vulnerable groups. MNCHW is a strategy aimed at delivering child survival and maternal services in an integrated manner, he said.

Adeduntan pledged that the state government would provide children and women with interventions such as Vitamin A supplement to children between age bracket of zero and 59 months.

The commissioner also listed immunisation to children under one year with vaccine preventable childhood diseases as part of the things to be provided.

He said that the proposed MNCHW sought to give all the aforementioned interventions to eligible children in the 702 public health facilities across the 33 local governments.

All the interventions are free and safe in all the designated health facilities for women and children in the state.

During this period, mothers and caregivers are implored to take their children from zero age to 59 months to any of the health facilities to access these interventions.
President Buhari also felicitated with the Government and people of Ghana, the National Electoral Commission, and candidates of political parties, for the decorum, maturity and peaceful conduct of the election.

The president made the congratulation in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on Saturday in Abuja.

Buhari noted that the Dec. 7 presidential election produced a winner from an opposition party, who was contesting for the third time.

According to Buhari, president-elect Akufo-Addo is widely experienced and skilled in leadership; a development he said would him to build on the legacies of President John Dramani Mahama.

The Nigerian leader also extolled the statesmanship and great leadership qualities of Mahama.

He noted that Mahama came to power at a trying period for Ghana with the death of former President John Atta-Mills and kept pushing for a better life for all Ghanaians.

President Buhari also lauded Mahama for strengthening diplomatic relations with countries in the sub-region, especially Nigeria.

ALSO READ: Buhari says Boko Haram's final burial is in progress

He particularly commended the incumbent President for the great courage to call his opponent and concede defeat.

Buhari stressed that leaders must always honour their pre-election pledge to accept the results of polls as the will of the people.

He expressed optimism that the future of African development rested on building strong political, democratic institutions, ensuring free, fair and credible elections, and respect for the sanctity of the ballot.

Buhari urged the President-elect and other winners of the parliamentary elections in Ghana to be magnanimous in victory and called on those that lost in the election to explore peaceful and legal mechanisms to challenge the outcome of the polls, where necessary.

He said that the greater interest of the country and stability of the sub-region should be uppermost in the minds of all stakeholders.
The President was quoted as saying this in a statement issued by the Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, on Friday, December 9.

He described the latest attack carried out by the terrorists in Madagali, Adamawa state, as a desperate act.

Buhari said: "This latest attack is obviously an act of desperation, but the Nigerian military will neither be distracted nor relent.

"Putting an end to this senseless loss of innocent lives remains a top priority of this administration.

"Over the past few weeks, the Nigerian military have made significant advancements in an offensive aimed at slamming the final nail in the coffin of Boko Haram.

"The battle against terrorism is a joint effort involving all citizens, both government and governed. Together, Nigerians can and will defeat the evil that is Boko Haram."

ALSO READ: Boko Haram kills 30 in twin suicide attacks in Adamawa
The group condemned the use of force by the military to harass and intimidate voters and opposition politicians, particularly members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a statement issued on Friday, December 9, by its convener, Idris Usman, it said called on President Muhammadu Buhari to warn members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state against attempting to truncate democracy.

"The Civil Society Alliance for Sustainable Democracy (CSASD) wishes to call the attention of the Nigerian public and members of the International community to the present atmosphere of tension that has enveloped Rivers State, ahead of tomorrows legislative rerun elections in the State," the statement reads in part.

"We are alarmed by the level of deployment of members of the Nigerian armed forces, particularly the military and the ongoing use of same, to harass and intimidate opposition politicians and the innocent citizens of Rivers State.

"The last few hours have witnessed some arrest of members of the opposition PDP and vocal non-partisan citizens or what the security agents have described as order from above

"It is sad to witness the desperate dimension that politicians belonging to the ruling federal government have taken this election into, which has now practically frozen the freedom of the people of the State, only a day after the national leadership of the APC, came to openly instigate violence at the partys campaign in Port Harcourt.

"We are therefore calling on President Buhari to immediately call members of his party, many of who have no legitimate business, but have relocated to Rivers, to order. We also want to remind everyone involved in the ongoing attempt to truncate democracy and cause arm on the innocent people, that the world is watching and we shall ensure that justice is served to everyone through legitimate means at the appropriate time."

ALSO READ: Group claims INEC sent fake materials to units
The supporters of some political parties in Ahoada-west council area of rivers who accused the electoral body of bias in the conduct of the poll.

They alleged that the election materials sent to polling units were fake.

The supporters said INEC is not capable of conducting a free, fair and credible election in the area.

Their protest caused many voters to leave the polling units for fear of molestation, NAN reports.

INEC deputy director of voter education and publicity, Nick Dazang, denied the allegations, explaining that the result sheets were snatched and had been replaced.

He said: "How can INEC deploy fake election materials of which we are the custodian of our materials? What happened in Ahoada-West is that some result sheets were snatched and from available report, the result sheets have been replaced.

"INEC cannot deploy fake result sheets. It is like saying Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is producing fake currency. Is this possible? he asked."

ALSO READ: Group claims INEC sent fake materials to units

Meanwhile, it was gathered that sounds of gunshots rented the air in Gokana, Eleme and Tai Local Government Areas of the state.
Aniedi made the remark while monitoring the election at Rumuigbo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

He said reported cases of rumours on skirmishes would be investigated.

Also speaking, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations (DIG), Habila Joshak, also scored the conduct of the election high.

He said contrary to some reports of violence, the exercise was generally peaceful.

Joshak also hailed the people of the state for conducting themselves orderly.

He urged the media to verify information before going to press.

At Rumuomasi, Obio/Akpor Local Government, the party agents also commended INEC on the conduct of the election, saying it was generally peaceful unlike how it used to be in recent times.

The agents, Mr Ikechi Okpobiri (PDP) and that of the APC who simply introduced herself as Miss Tina, spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

They said that the peace and the orderliness should be maintained.
The statement was signed by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright; United States Ambassador to Nigeria, W. Stuart Symington; French Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Guaer, and the EU Head of Delegation to Nigeria, Michel Arrion.

The envoys said they are concerned about the heat brewing ahead of the lection slated to hold on Saturday, December 10, 2016.

They also called on all political parties contesting in the Rivers rerun election to give peace a chance.

According to Premium Times, the statement said We note with concern the rising tension in Rivers State ahead of elections on 10 December. We call on the leadership of all political parties and their supporters in Rivers state to allow elections to go ahead peacefully.

We encourage INEC and the security forces to perform their duties responsibly and impartially. We urge all parties to respect the electoral process and raise any grievances peacefully and through official channels.

We stress that the leaders of all parties are accountable for the actions of their members and we encourage them to urge their supporters not to use or incite violence.
The allegation -- formally denied by Temer in a statement from the president's office -- was reportedly made by Claudio Melo Filho, a jailed former senior Odebrecht executive, as part of a plea deal for a lighter sentence.

The allegation threatens to destabilize Temer's presidency just six months after he took office seeking to rescue Latin America's biggest economy from crisis.

"President Michel Temer vehemently rejects the false accusations of Melo Filho," the statement read. "The donations made by the Odebrecht group to the PMDB (Temer's center-right party) were all made through bank transfers" declared to the election authorities.

Melo Filho is one of the 77 construction giant's current and former executives that have signed plea deals and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in return for lighter sentences, a source close to Odebrecht told AFP earlier.

Details of the plea deals have been emerging in information leaked to the press.

The 77 include the firm's jailed boss Marcelo Odebrecht, who was reported earlier this year to have named Temer in testimony to investigators. Odebrecht received a 19-year jail sentence in 2015 for corruption and money-laundering.

Melo Filho said the money his company gave Temer was partly used to finance the campaign of Paulo Skaf, a PMDB candidate for governor of the state of Sao Pablo in 2014.

The plea deals could lead to some 130 more suspects -- including many elected officials -- being dragged into the sprawling probe of the Petrobras state-owned oil company, dubbed Operation Car Wash by investigators, Brazilian media said.

Prosecutors believe Petrobras was systematically plundered by a network of executives, politicians and contractors such as Odebrecht.
Around 20 homes were smashed and many of the residents of the village of some 800 people were evacuated, Nikolay Nikolov, the head of fire safety and civil defence at the police said.

Nikolov said firemen were looking for survivors.

The train was carrying 20 tankers of propylene gas and four tankers of propane butane. It derailed at the Hitrino railway station and the train's two last tankers hit a power line, local police spokeswoman Assia Yordannova said.
Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg
12/10 NEW JAPAN WORLD TAG LEAGUE FINALS REPORT

By Matthew Macklin on 2016-12-10 16:22:00

World Tag League Final, December 10th:

David Finlay & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask IV

This was a good opener. Finlay was positioned as the underdog as he was worked over by the veterans. Taguchi made the hot tag. Tiger took out Taguchi with a Tiger Driver leaving Liger & Finlay as the legal men. Finlay was able to catch Liger with a surprise roll up and score a major win. After the match all three other guys raised the hand of Finlay. NJPW have done an excellent job of slowly graduating Finlay from young lion.

Yujiro Takahashi & Bad Luck Fale defeated Henare & Manabu Nakanishi

Nakanishi & Henare have had a great father/son bond going on throughout the Tag League. Henare has certainly started to gain confidence in the ring. This was a basic match. Henare got to kick out of a Fishermans Buster, but he was pinned after a DDT.

Billy Gunn & Yoshitatsu defeated BONE SOLDIER & Chase Owens

Billy Gunn has surprised people and worked extremely hard on this tour. This wasn't much of a match, but there were some good exchanges between Gunn & Owens. The Dinis saw Gunn pin SOLDIER after a Fameasser. Gunn was definitely a fun addition to the Tag League.

Raymond Rowe & Hanson defeated Brian Breaker & Leland Race

This was an outstanding performance from War Machine. They looked like beasts here with one big move after another. Breaker looked okay at times, but Race was out of his depth. He isn't ready for this spot yet. Hanson hit a crazy dive off the top to the floor and then finished Race after Fallout. If War Machine aren't regulars after this I'll be amazed.

EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI defeated Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata & Hiroyoshi Tenzan

This was a very fun match. There was lots of good, fast paced, hard hitting action. Kojima looked great here, while Nagata & EVIL showed good chemistry. The finish came when EVIL pinned Kojima after he ate a face full of mist and an STO. This could be leading to LIJ challenging Kojima, Ricochet & Finlay for the NEVER Six Man titles at Wrestle Kingdom.

Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Katsuyori Shibata & Juice Robinson

The story here was Goto vs Shibata. These two have incredible history together, both as opponents and as a team. They locked up here and it was a friendly exchange. Robinson took the heat for his team went back and forth with YOSHI until Shibata & Goto were turned loose on each other and went to war. They went at it, full steam ahead. Shibata went for a PK, but YOSHI cut him off with a lariat. This led to Goto hitting the Ushigoroshi and GTR on Shibata and pinning the NEVER champion. So it looks like we're getting Shibata vs Goto at Wrestle Kingdom for the NEVER title. They've met before at WK and it has always been a war.

Rush & Tetsuya Naito defeated KUSHIDA & Hiroshi Tanahashi

This was a really good tag match. Naito & Tanahashi had a hell of a fiery forearm exchange ahead of their meeting for the IC title at Wrestle Kingdom. KUSHIDA looked excellent. He hit a big dive out of the ring and looked very good against Rush. Rush can be awkward in the ring at times and tends to be overrated. Hiromu Takahashi hit the ring, and after a ref distraction, he dropped KUSHIDA. This allowed Rush to hit a double underhook Piledriver and pin KUSHIDA. After the match Naito handed Hiromu a Los Ingobernables de Japan hat and he accepted it. So, the former Kamaitachi is now a member of LIJ. He's a perfect fit for the group.

Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii defeated Hangman Page & Kenny Omega

This was great. Some of the stuff here between Omega & Okada was mesmerising. Their meeting at Wrestle Kingdom is going to be one for the ages. Page stepped up big time here and proved that he can hang with three of the best in New Japan. This was a breakout performance for him. He looked like he broke Ishii's neck when he dropped him on the apron with a neckbreaker. The finish saw Okada pin Page after a Rainmaker. After the bell Omega caught Okada with the One Winged Angel as he was celebrating, then did the same to Gedo. This was a great angle to build towards their WK main event.

World Tag League Final: Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma defeated Tanga Loa & Tama Tonga

This was an absolutely incredible main event and by far the best match The Guerrillas of Destiny have ever had in NJPW. This tournament has seen them breakout in a big way. This match saw a classic Honma performance, the sort of thing we really haven't seen from him properly for the most of the year. He was taken out early and laid out on the ramp. Makabe was worked over for a time. Then Honma was worked over for a long time until Makabe came in and started swinging hands. We saw one of the scariest bumps of the year when Honma was powerbombed off the apron through a table by Loa while Tonga caught him with a neckbreaker. The coolest spot of the match came when Tonga intercepted a King Kong Knee rop with a Gun Stun. GOD worked like a fluid unit and hit several double team moves, including a Magic Killer, all of which got big near falls. The gritty Honma scrapped and clawed his way back into the match to save Makabe. They hit a Doomsday Kokeshi on Loa. Honma hit a Kokeshi on Tonga on the apron. Honma then hit a diving Kokeshi on Loa, followed by a King Kong Knee Drop from Makabe to score the win.

This saw Honma & Makabe win the World Tag League for the second year in a row and secure a title match with GOD at Wrestle Kingdom. No one saw this coming, as many expected Goto & Ishii to take the tournament. This is a must-see main event. The Tag League is one of the more uninteresting tournaments of the year, but don't skip this show. It is available now at NJPWWorld.com.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
sponsored by Confused about health insurance? Wellmark has you covered every step of the way. Find out how I can help find you find confidence in your coverage and a plan that works for you. Call me today. An Authorized Independent Agent for John N. Beckey CLU, ChFC, CASL Chartered Financial Consultant Chartered Advisor for Senior Living 102 West 2nd Street, Suite 4 (563) 263-9700 Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. 2015 Wellmark, Inc. W-5018020 08/15 If you have any information about this photo, please contact Jaime Limoges by Wednesday @ 5pm 563-262-0552 or Jaime.Limoges@muscatinejournal.com Area recruits are pictured in 1967. Those identified by callers include: Jack Dillon, Gary Weikert, Stuart Burkamper, Bob Harbaugh and Larry Kinzey. (The Muscatine Journal apologizes for any misspellings of names & identities) ?
702 Park Avenue Muscatine, Iowa 563-263-5971 www.remax.com Watch RE/MAX Channel 5 TV All RE/MAX Listings 24/7 3010 Park Ave. W $113,000 IcE D Pr DucE E r 2614 Dover Downs $299,900 3212 Anastasia $269,900 W NE TING LIS Geri Stuart Nice country setting right on the edge of town. 1.3 Acre lot, 2 bedroom/2 bath plus newer 3 car garage. New septic in 2015. Available immediately!! This attractive home is in excellent condition and move-in ready. Main floor features a huge formal living room w/ vaulted ceiling and fireplace, formal dining room, large kitchen with center-island & walkin pantry, master suite plus a flex-room for den/office or 2nd bedroom. The walk-out lower level has family room with 2nd fireplace and 3rd bedroom & bath. New construction single family townhome with beautiful upgraded open concept floor plan. Large kitchen island with granite countertops and gorgeous hardwood flooring in living room, kitchen & dining room in addition to no step entries, wide doors, painted trim, low curb shower, large laundry/mudroom + 2 stall garage. This home is available immediately. Excellent choice for down-sizing/retirement. 2020 Mulberry Ave $109,900 3 BR/3 bath, natural woodwork, spacious rooms & large .95 acre yard. 2 car garage, circle driveway, updated windows & furnace. Large & bright formal dining room, enclosed porch, & basement office area. Call me today to schedule your private showing The armsTrong Team ice d PR uce d Re W Ne tiNg Lis 563-299-0784 geristuart@machlink.com 2446 Prairie Rose Ridge $354,900 This 3 BR/3Bath ranch-style home offers warmth with artful details. Great views from sunroom/family area. Deck overlooks the private backyard. 227 Western Ave Columbus Junction  $129,900 Bright & open 3BR/3 bath home. Open floor plan, large kitchen, MFL and master bath. Lower level offers a huge family room and 3/4 bath. Steve Armstrong Dave Armstrong 299-8596 stevearmstrong@remax.net 299-1928 davearmstrong@remax.net Cherie Baker  263-5971 cherieb@remax.net honesty  integrity dependability NEW LISTING 2690 Northwood dr $184,900 This unique property is located in a desirable location, with 1.46 acres in the country just off HWY 38. This property has a big variety of fruit trees and a big beautiful 563-260-5310 barn. Move in ready michelleroosrealtor@gmail.com & a must see!! Michelle Roos Farm LaNd With POtENtiaL BuiLdiNg SightS OPEN Saturday 11:00-12:00 200th St. JuSt OutSide City LimitS 1214 Grand ave. w ne ting Lis 4 parcels with a total of 61.75 Acres; 47 tillable. Zoned R-1. Proceeds of sale will go to Muscatine Community YMCA expansion project. $450,000 This home is priced to sell and offers a fenced in yard, newer roof, furnace and siding. The oversized 2 car garage is insulated and makes a great workshop. The 2nd bedroom has no closet and is currently being used as main floor laundry. $69,900 110 Middle Rd $154,900 4 Bedroom/2 Bath Updated Kitchen with Granite Quiet Neighborhood near Grant School 410 PaRHaM $149,900 4 Bedroom/3 Bath Large Open Kitchen Finished Attic with Bedroom & Bath OPEN Saturday 12:30-1:30 2583 Canterbury rd. ice Pr u ced red Entertain in this beautiful 2 story! Features include both formal and casual spaces, eat-in kitchen with granite counter tops, main floor family room with gas fireplace, and a four season room. Lower level includes an additional FR with gas fireplace. Enter the bright foyer with grand staircase leading to four large bedrooms on the upper level. The spacious garage has room for family toys or the man cave The LofgrenTeam mglofgren@hotmail.com 563-260-4602 youve been wanting! $299,900 1824 HaMMann St. $149,900 3 BR + 1 N.C. Bedroom Large Fenced Yard Seller will help with Closing Costs!! Andy Minder 563.260.5249 andyminder@remax.net Realtor
The iconic Bettendorf mansion that overlooks the city with its name will add a boarding school component in 2017.

On Saturday, Rivermont Collegiate also will host an open house event in the former home of Joseph W. Bettendorf, head of the former Bettendorf Company.

Max Roach, selected as headmaster at the school after a nationwide search, will be at the open house and will be available to discuss the next stage of the school's evolution as a boarding school, he said.

Of the open house, Roach said it has reached new levels of holiday decorating. The mansion is located at 1821 Sunset Drive, Bettendorf.

As far as the boarding school component, that will be discussed in detail in a session set for Tuesday. Rivermont originally was organized St. Katharine's, a boarding and day school for girls.

These days, Roach sees the transition as a win for all involved; the plan has been welcomed by the school community. The boarding would be for students in grades 9-12, and those grades would benefit from a few dozen more students.

"For example, with a Vietnamese student sitting next to a student from Moline, along with a student from China, think of how they can discuss the Gulf of Tonkin incident," he wrote in a letter to the school community.

Further, boarding fees will help to support the entire private school. The program also will allow the language program, which now includes Mandarin Chinese, to include Arabic, as well as other instructional benefits.

Officials also plan for a new building on the property to include classroom space and a new student center for the teens.

Rivermont Collegiate offers a college preparatory school for male and female students in preschool through 12th grades.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa  Iowa economic development director Debi Durham said Friday she has no interest in serving as lieutenant governor if offered the position by Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, her roommate in Des Moines.

"That's not an option for me," said Durham.

Reynolds, who has been at Gov. Terry Branstad's side since he won a fifth term in 2010, will automatically ascend to governor after he resigns to becomes U.S. ambassador to China early next year.

Speculation has abounded over whom Reynolds will pick as lieutenant governor. Durham's name has come up as a possible pick primarily because of her close relationship with Reynolds, and Durham having served as Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Gross' running mate in 2002, when voters re-elected Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack.

In an interview with the Sioux City Journal, Durham took herself out of the running for the soon-to-be open lieutenant governor post.

"I can guarantee you she will have many great resumes to choose from for that position, but I will not be among them," Durham said. "That political career, for me, is not what I would look for as an opportunity."

Durham has maintained her home in Sioux City with her husband, Joe, commuting to Des Moines on a weekly basis. In the state capital city, she has shared an apartment with Reynolds, who hails from southwest Iowa.

"It appears like I might have to find a new roommate. That may be my biggest challenge," Durham said with a laugh.

Since Branstad accepted President-elect Donald Trump's offer to serve as ambassador to China on Tuesday, Durham said she has not spoken with Reynolds about whether she will continue to lead the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Durham did not commit to staying on in that role.

"I would be willing to have a conversation about it," she said.

Durham spoke in a phone call from New York City, where she got a flavor of the hullabaloo surrounding multiple reports that Branstad would step down after 22 years as governor, a record tenure for any U.S. governor. She was with Branstad on Tuesday and Wednesday working business prospects in New York.

Branstad, 70, met with Trump on Tuesday at Trump Tower in New York. Durham said she and Branstad were too busy to talk about the possible ambassadorship until Wednesday, when he shared details with her over breakfast.

"I have seen it kind of first-hand, the unfolding of this," Durham said.

It's not clear what date Reynolds, 57, will become governor. Trump will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, and Branstad's appointment to ambassador of China must still be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Durham said it's bittersweet to see Branstad, who tapped her to lead the Iowa Economic Development Authority in 2011, end his long tenure as governor. But she is ecstatic over the new leadership opportunity for her close friend Reynolds.

"There's never has been anyone more ready to be governor from day one and take off ... I have the highest respect for her," Durham said.

Durham said it's notable that Iowa, which was granted statehouse in 1846, will finally have its first female governor.

"It is not only historic, but about time. That's a great day," Durham said.

Branstad first met Chinese President Xi Jinping in 1985, who was a governmental official at the time, during a visit to Iowa when Branstad was in his first term as governor. China is Iowa's largest export market.

Durham said she has traveled to China as part of business development roughly a half dozen times, and Branstad was along on all but one of those trips. She said Branstad is poised to do well, given his knowledge of the nation, which she has observed first-hand.

"Governor Branstad is a very skilled diplomat," Durham said.

"Because of his relationship with President Xi, he is highly regarded in China," she added. "When you look at the number of trade missions he has led to China, an individual said, 'When you are friends with President Xi, you are friends with all of China' ... I don't think there is actually anyone who could do it better than Governor Branstad."
A month after everybody else in the Quad-Cities has moved past the 2016 election season, a slice of Scott County still has some work to do before wrapping it up.

Voters in Iowa's 45th Senate District, which is mostly made up of west Davenport and Buffalo, still must choose a state senator to represent them in the Iowa Legislature. And over the past month, there's been an under-the-radar campaign to find and make contact with what may end up being fewer than 5,000 voters who choose a successor to the late Sen. Joe Seng.

Seng, a Democrat, died in September, and Gov. Terry Branstad set a special election for Dec. 27.

State Rep. Jim Lykam, D-Davenport, is facing off against Republican Mike Gonzales, a LeClaire police sergeant who lives in west Davenport, and Severin Gilbert, a Libertarian candidate from Davenport who works as an administrator for the Defense Department at the Army Reserve center on Division Street in Davenport.

Coming just two days after Christmas, the election isn't likely to draw a lot of people to the polls. Lykam and Gonzales say absentee ballots will likely make up the bulk of the vote.

So far, Democrats appear to have gotten off to a lead. The Scott County Auditor's office said Friday that about 2,000 requests for ballots had been made, with 1,467 coming from Democrats and 270 from Republicans.

The rest were from people who were not affiliated with either major party.

Lykam, who represents half the Senate district in the Iowa House, said he's a pragmatic Democrat who will fight for working people  whether it is in considering whether to cut taxes or improving the economy or helping community colleges. And he emphasized his ties to Seng, whom he worked with in the Legislature.

"You're never going to replace Joe Seng," Lykam said. "I'm just going to try to carry on his legacy."

Seng, a veterinarian, never really had significant competition in the district, which has a 2-1 Democratic registration edge.

Lykam, too, has largely been re-elected fairly easily since representing his part of Davenport since 2003. In 2006, Republicans made a run at him, when Roby Smith, who is now a state senator from east Davenport, challenged him. But Lykam won with 54 percent of the vote. And in the past two election cycles, he went unopposed.

In some respects, the Democrats see this as a first step back after a disastrous 2016 election cycle.

"We have to pick ourselves off the mat and stop bleeding," Lykam said.

Republicans, who won control of the state Senate last month, are hoping to deliver a further blow on the 27th. Gonzales, who grew up in west Davenport, said he's not a politician, noting he has been a police officer for 17 years and is a union member.

He also accentuates his ability to get along.

"I'm going to do what I can to work with everybody for solutions," he said.

Gonzales said, as a cop, he sees the impact of mental health issues and wants to explore funding solutions. He also said he wants to improve funding for Iowa's classrooms, shrinking government and helping small businesses.

Gilbert, the Libertarian candidate, said his party represents people who aren't satisfied with either the Republicans or Democrats. He said he and his party are interested in playing a role in the medical marijuana debate. The state's limited law in this area is scheduled to expire next year, and the Legislature could move to rewrite it this session.

"We'd really like to be part of that discussion to try to fix it," he said.

Gilbert said medicinal marijuana should be legalized, and although he doesn't use it himself, recreational marijuana could provide the state with an infusion of revenue. If that were to happen, he said, he wants it to go to a vote of the people.

Most of the state's spending goes to K-12 education, and Lykam has sided with legislative Democrats in urging higher levels of basic state aid than the GOP has been willing to approve. Last year, negotiators agreed to a 2.25 percent increase after Republicans in the House approved a 2 percent increase and Senate Democrats passed a 4 percent hike.

Gonzales said that he could not give a precise figure on what he might support but that it was his belief not enough money is getting to the classroom. He questions whether the leak, as he put it, is in Des Moines or in local districts.

Gilbert said he would have to study the issue more and consult constituents before setting on a figure, but he would like to see more resources diverted to education.

With Republican control of the Senate, there are signs there will be moves to change the state's collective bargaining law in the upcoming legislative session. Last month, the state removed references to health insurance from a contract proposal it presented to state unionized workers.

Lykam and Gonzales both said they would oppose removing health care as an item subject to collective bargaining. Severin said he thinks the law is fine as it is.

All three candidates also recognized the state has water-quality issues. Some groups are pushing a 3/8th-cent sales tax increase to fund programs to pay for water-quality initiatives. Lykam and Gonzales said they had not decided yet how they might vote on that. Gilbert said he would not support an increase.

The last time there was a special election to fill a vacant state Senate seat was in 2014 to fill Sen. Joni Ernst's seat in southwest Iowa. Then, turnout was about 11 percent of registered voters. That election, too, happened just a few days after Christmas. If turnout were to be similar in this race, about 4,200 people will end up voting.

Branstad had proposed filling Seng's seat on the Nov. 8 ballot, but Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz objected, saying it would raise logistical issues, such as with overseas and absentee ballots. The governor's office said his aim was to try to save money and ensure a larger turnout.

If the election had been on Nov. 8, however, neither Lykam nor Rep. Cindy Winckler, who had considered a bid for the Senate seat, would have been able to run.

Democrats think Dec. 27 was picked to try to limit turnout. The governor's office said the date was chosen to allow for the maximum amount of time to prepare and distribute ballots.

The auditor's office said it planned to send absentee ballots out sometime next week.

In addition to large chunks of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th wards in Davenport, the district includes small parts of the 5th, 7th and 8th wards, as well as the town of Buffalo.
As the person at the top, Joy Boruff is in charge of much of the heavy lifting.

President and CEO of The Moline Foundation, Boruff spends a great deal of time researching and collecting information.

She and the 11 members of the board of directors emphasize the need to perform their due diligence to make sure their donations go to the right organizations and can have an impact.

Research is an important component to The Moline Foundation's understanding of its effectiveness  just as it is for approximately 90 percent of foundations in the U.S. that seek out pre-giving data.

But there is more to it than scanning list, and data isn't everything.

Its not black and white, Boruff said. You just dont look and go, Check, check, check.

The Moline Foundation uses a combination of data and philosophy.

Boruff checks out Charity Navigator, the world's largest charity evaluator, and looks over financial records, such as IRS Form 990. But those resources paint an incomplete picture of potential grant recipients.

Were asking for information, but were kind of unusual in that we dont have an application, Boruff said. For the majority of our grants, we ask them to come in for a 10-minute interview, so the board can ask direct questions. We want them to tell us a story.

The charity-donor interaction helps establish a relationship.

The Moline Foundation has been using the approach for 63 years, because it delivers information, such as intent and purpose, that cant be explained in the data.

Many times, I have read a grant, and two weeks later, I do a complete 180, because I heard something really compelling, Boruff said.

While most foundations invest in the research needed to determine the potential impact of their donations, the same cannot be said for individual donors.

Good intentions, but ...

Death, taxes and 2 percent of gross domestic product contribute to charities.

Since 1971, charitable donations have consistently hovered within a few tenths of 2 percent GDP.

Yet, the vast majority of individuals dont seek out information to help them get the most bang for their donated buck.

The Money for Good studies by San Francisco-based Hope Consulting in 2010 and 2011 showed that individual donors researched charities about one-third of the time.

But even less was the percentage of donors who researched and compared the performance of alternative charities.

Dr. Paul Niehaus is an associate professor in the economics department at the University of California-San Diego and co-founder of the well-regarded charity, GiveDirectly. In his paper, "Theory of Good Intentions," he looked into the reasons why only 3 percent of donors compare causes before giving.

"Altruists do not want to achieve a better outcome, Niehaus wrote. Instead, they want to believe they have done so."

Their money, however, could be put to better use than giving it away haphazardly.

According to the Hope Consulting studies, 85 percent of donors said performance is important.

Knowing what the evidence says, however, could deprive them of the warm glow they receive from donating, which is why they produce results short of their intentions.

The Camber Collective, which formed after the merger of Hope Consulting and Seattle-based SwitchPoint Consulting, continued the Money for Good study last year and attributed donation stagnation to inefficiencies of nonprofits.

"Many do not trust social-sector actors and are skeptical of how their money is used by nonprofits and their beneficiaries," the study concluded.

Tug at heart opens wallet

Although the following first names may be fictional, the scenario is not. It occurred in 2009.

Iowa resident "Linda" received two phone solicitations from the Cancer Fund of America. The callers intended to tug at her heartstrings, but only to loosen her purse strings.

"Lisa," one of the callers, thanked Linda for her previous generosity, saying her donations went a long way toward directly helping cancer patients. She asked Linda if they could continue to count on her support.

This year, weve been inundated with cancer patients, and were a little short because of the economy, Lisa said. Were just trying to keep the doors open.

As with the conversation with Lisa, Linda asked the second caller, "Dawn," how much of her donation goes to charity.

One hundred percent of your donation goes directly to the charity, Dawn assured her. Im not doing a fundraiser, and Im not calling with a telemarketing firm. Im calling directly from the charity.

But heres the kicker: Not one thing Lisa or Dawn said to Linda was true.

They were telemarketers, part of Dearborn, Michigan-based Associated Community Services, which was soliciting on behalf of Cancer Fund of America.

Lisa and Dawn didn't know, however, that Linda wasnt upfront about herself, either.

Hand in the cookie jar

The telemarketers unknowingly called one of the phone lines that had been forwarded into the control of the Iowa Attorney General's Office.

Because telemarketers sell information and repeatedly target certain individuals, the attorney general maintains these lines. That way, there is no dispute over what is said, and law enforcement can confront firms and individuals soliciting donations for illegitimate causes.

By assuming the role of the person being targeted, a Consumer Protection Division employee recorded the conversation, and the evidence she collected led to a Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, complaint against four charities. It resulted in the largest enforcement action to date.

In May 2015, all 50 states and the FTC filed a federal complaint against the sham charities, which included Cancer Fund of America, Cancer Support Services, Childrens Cancer Fund of America and The Breast Cancer Society Inc., claiming they bilked donors of nearly $187 million over a four-year period.

In two separate settlements, all four charities would be dissolved.

On March 31, the FTC reached a settlement with the Cancer Fund of America and Cancer Support Services that included a judgment of $75.8 million and banned its president, James Reynolds Sr., from any future charity fundraising or nonprofit work.

The 100 percent of donations they claimed would go directly to patients in reality was actually closer to 3 percent, which was used for greeting cards, sample-sized soap and snack cakes, according to the FTC.

Telemarketers took in more than 80 percent of the donations while the sham charities pocketed the majority of the remaining funds for salaries and lavish gifts, such as cars, cruises and trips to Disney World.

This is the worst of the worst, in terms of people who personally profit by invoking others diseases and suffering  in this case cancer  through emotional and blatantly deceptive fundraising appeals, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said. This complex scheme took advantage of donors across the country who wanted to help people with cancer, and it raised money at the expense of legitimate charities and cancer patients themselves.

Word of the day: No

Hunt Harris, one the Quad-Cities most generous philanthropists, said theres nothing wrong with a little skepticism and saying, "No."

That is why he and his wife, Diane, prefer more focused giving, donating in areas where their passions lie.

They can't be all things to all people, Harris said, adding he recommends avoiding phone-solicitation giving.

Although it may sound like common sense to some, people across the country fall prey every year to charitable solicitations that turn out to be less than sincere.

The Iowa attorney general investigates specific solicitations, but the IRS is responsible for looking into the actual charities. Attorney general spokesman Geoff Greenwood said his office has taken 51 complaints on charitable solicitations this year alone.

He said many of them are targeted at the elderly, because they have a higher propensity to respond.

One case stood out for Greenwood: An elderly woman with Alzheimers disease in central Iowa was a consistent target of telemarketers. It wasnt until family members helped her move that they discovered something was wrong with her finances.

Because of her condition, telemarketers could say that she had donated in the past, and she wouldnt know any different.

Research shows someone making a donation to an organization in the past is likely to repeat the same behavior, and reminders of prior giving is a common ploy used by telemarketers.

Shed forget that they called, so it was almost like a fresh conversation every time, Greenwood said of the elderly target.

And once they are on a call list, its a cruel and costly open season.

They know these lists are target-rich environments, Greenwood said.

Good intentions, better evidence

Caroline Fiennes is one of the world's foremost experts and wrote the book on evidence-based giving: "It Ain't What You Give, It's the Way That You Give It: Making Charitable Donations That Get Results."

Fiennes is the director of the UK-based organization Giving Evidence and also serves on several boards, including Charity Navigator's.

She and her organization help both donors and organizations with improving the evidence system. Sometimes, the evidence doesn't exist, or the data is unreliable, or it's difficult to find.

Some programs work better than others, Fiennes said. There are some that sound great, and they achieve nothing. There are some that, in fact, are harmful.

As an example, Fiennes often is asked about overhead and administrative costs, which she refers to as a myth the public follows in its decision-making process.

As a donor, the only information you can find is financial information, and that tells you precisely nothing, she said.

For example, human services or medical nonprofits will have high administrative costs, because staff is a critical component of the services offered.

The four-star rated Scott County Family YMCA, for instance, spends more than $6 million on salaries and benefits annually. This number, by itself, says little to nothing about the organization's effectiveness.

The more important number is children receiving services and how their lives are affected.

The Hope Consulting studies also revealed, of the donors performing research, 74 percent looked for financial information.

Giving Evidence released the first data study to examine overhead costs and effectiveness, using GiveWell, a U.S. nonprofit that offers charity recommendations, using evidence-based practices. One finding was that lower administrative costs do not translate into effectiveness of a charity.

For organizations that were recommended because they were found to be higher performing, administrative costs were almost a percentage point higher than charities not recommended.

Breaking down those numbers further, organizations receiving the highest ratings had an average administrative cost that was higher than those three levels below them in ratings.

Earlier this year, Fiennes was part of the advisory team that contributed to Charity Navigator's release of CN 2.1, which includes rating-system changes and evaluations of financial health.

The new ratings include calculation of the liabilities-to-debt ratio, which would flag potentially excessive debt. Changes also include recalculation of programs, administrative costs, fundraising and overhead, taking into account the types of nonprofit groups being evaluated.

"Weve said that overhead isnt the only thing that donors should look at," said Sandra Miniutti, vice president of marketing for Charity Navigator. "However, we believe it is one of several metrics that donors should review when selecting charities to support.

"We also compare museums to museums and not museums to food banks. That way, we are making allowances for the differences in overhead spending that happen because of the type of work that a charity does."

Miniutti said Charity Navigator is not a one-stop shop, because donors still have to do their own research to measure impact, which is beyond the scope of its rating system.

That's an area where charities and organizations need to step up and provide evidence that donations truly are effective and having an impact.

While there is no independent assessment to measure behavioral change in donors, Fiennes sees encouraging signs in her everyday work.

"I see it myself, because more and more people approach me, asking about evidence and what they should be looking for," she said.

Cutting-edge approach

Professor Niehaus, Michael Faye, Rohit Wanchoo and Jeremy Shapiro are all smart, innovative and well-meaning.

They all were studying economic development at Harvard or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology when they combined their brainpower in 2008 to build what has become one of the most efficient charities in the world.

They did so, because they wanted to know the most effective way to give their own money to reduce extreme poverty.

Enter mobile cash transfers and the formation of GiveDirectly, an organization operating in Kenya and Uganda that provides unconditional mobile cash transfers to the most impoverished people.

Mobile cash transfers have proven to be one of the most efficient ways to donate, because they are easy to track and audit. The role of GiveDirectly is, in part, to show donors where their money goes.

Until GiveDirectly was founded, there wasn't a way for people to donate cash to the extreme poor, even though doing so is one of the most well-researched ways to fight poverty, Chief Operating Officer Ian Bassin said. Part of the impetus for founding GiveDirectly was not just the evidence, though. The advent of mobile-money technology makes it incredibly easy and cheap to deliver money to the poorest people in the world.

"We can get 90 cents on the donated dollar into the hands of the poor.

GiveDirectly began its unconditional cash transfers in Kenya, based upon the country's strong mobile-payment system. Eligibility is based on housing, assets, vulnerable-recipient status and other criteria.

In expanding to Uganda, the organization assists the homeless and families in homes that have thatched roofs, because evidence shows they are substantially poorer than their neighbors.

GiveDirectly is heavily invested in proving the effectiveness of its model and does not shy away from independent evidence of its work.

Donors can see exactly how and where their money goes and what effect it is having on people's lives.

The organization launched GDLive, which acts as a live news feed that discloses specifics of transactions, including who received what, how much and what the money is being used for.

To further improve efficiency, founders of GiveDirectly also created Segovia, a software company that tracks all data from the cash transfers.

Bassin said the data not only helps donors detect and avoid leakage or fraud, which they've had very little of, but it also provides GiveDirectly a tremendous amount of information to help constantly improve operations.

We can see, for example, if enrolling new recipients is going slower in one region over another and can quickly diagnose and address the issue, Bassin said. We want philanthropic work for the poor to be as cutting-edge and well-run as the best companies out there.

Putting evidence into action

While some have questioned the effectiveness of cash transfers, based on concerns that donations may be spent on alcohol or tobacco, a paper published in this months University of Chicago Economic Development and Cultural Change journal shows the opposite.

Dr. David Evans, senior economist in the Chief Economist's Office for the Africa Region of the World Bank, along with Stanford Universitys Anna Popova, analyzed data from studies in Latin America, Asia and Africa and found the concerns to be unfounded.

The last line of their paper states: We do have estimates from Peru that beneficiaries are more likely to purchase a roasted chicken at a restaurant or some chocolates soon after receiving their transfer, but hopefully even the most puritanical policymaker would not begrudge the poor a piece of chocolate.

Another paper released in September, "Debunking the Stereotype of the Lazy Welfare Recipient: Evidence from Cash Transfer Programs," refutes the debate that cash transfers would encourage lazy behavior.

MIT's Abhijit Banerjee, Gabriel Kreindler and Benjamin Olken and Harvard University's Rema Hanna analyzed seven trials in six countries.

"Aggregating evidence from randomized evaluations of seven government cash transfer programs, we find no systematic evidence of an impact of transfers on work behavior, either for men or women," the paper states.

In fact, cash transfers have shown the ability to make a profound impact in some of the most impoverished parts of the world.

Other studies show increases in both weight for height and height for age in South Africa, a reduction of HIV infections in Malawi and a reduction in low birth weights in Uruguay.

Impoverished families that have received aid also have shown an increase in schooling and a decrease in the use of child labor.

While individual donors in general have eschewed evidence-based giving in the past, GiveDirectlys model and effectiveness have not gone unnoticed.

Of the few charities GiveWell recommends on an annual basis, GiveDirectly has been on the list for the past few years.

Good Ventures, the private foundation of Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz and his wife, Cari Tuna, has donated more than $47 million to GiveDirectly since 2011.

We've seen a tremendous response by donors to the evidence we've generated that giving cash to the extreme poor works really well, Bassin said. Over the past few years, donors have given more than $130 million through GiveDirectly to the poor based on rigorous research that shows it to be one of the most effective and well-studied tools for fighting poverty. That suggests evidence can launch a movement and make donors feel their giving is effective.

It's not how much, but how

While the level and quality of evidence improves, donors also have to think about how they give on the local level  sometimes with little or no available data.

Fiennes said donors often feel overwhelmed and are not inclined to invest in research.

Most people don't have time to think about charitable giving, she said. Most people only want to think fast about your decisions.

Data from the Money for Good studies show that 74 percent of donors spend less than two hours, and nearly half of them spend less than an hour. About 14 percent of donors spend less than 15 minutes making giving decisions.

"Think slowly," Fiennes urged.

She was referring to Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman's two systems of thought: Fast thinking is automatic, instinctual and requires little effort, whereas slow thinking relies on concentration, experience and is more purposeful.

Establishing relationships as Boruff described at The Moline Foundation also is a powerful tool and frequently is followed by other local donors.

The data might not be there, but some visual evidence is available.

Were much more likely to give to organizations that we are personally involved in, because we know how they are run and how they operate, Harris said.

Although donors cannot always rely on that first-hand experience, there typically is someone somewhere who has some answers.

"The best thing is to invest like Warren Buffett," Fiennes said. "Copy someone else's research. The trick is to find somebody you trust."
Given the turf wars and interagency rivalries that have long surrounded U.S. special operations forces, President Obama probably didn't do the commandoes any favor when he delivered his last big military speech at the base in Tampa where they're headquartered.

Obama's visit Tuesday to MacDill Air Force Base, home of U.S. Special Operations Command, or SOCOM, was in many ways an endorsement of its mission to combat terrorism. For all Obama's wariness about using conventional military power, he has embraced the role of "covert commander in chief," most notably in the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

Obama's Tampa trip came as the Pentagon and CIA were buzzing about what critics claimed was a power grab by the Joint Special Operations Command, the super-secret group that manages most military counterterrorism strikes. The flap centered on a Nov. 25 Washington Post story that said JSOC had received "expanded power to track, plan and potentially launch attacks on terrorist cells around the globe."

Military officials deny that there's any formal expansion of authority for JSOC or its parent organization, SOCOM. But the clandestine military unit has indeed become Obama's preferred instrument for killing terrorists, filling a role once played mainly by the CIA's Counterterrorism Center. The Trump administration will doubtless make its own judgments about the respective missions.

JSOC's role is rarely discussed publicly. But Defense Secretary Ashton Carter opened a window when he said in an Oct. 25 press conference in Paris: "We have put our Joint Special Operations Command in the lead of countering [the Islamic State's] external operations. And we have already achieved very significant results both in reducing the flow of foreign fighters and removing [Islamic State] leaders from the battlefield."

The U.S. assaults cited by Carter have been far more deadly than is generally recognized. Military sources say that drone strikes have killed between 20,000 and 25,000 Islamic State operatives in Iraq and Syria. U.S. conventional attacks have killed about 30,000 more, for a total "body count" of over 50,000.

The interagency flap about SOCOM's "expanded" role is said to have begun after a National Security Council "deputies committee" meeting, where a White House official asked which agency was targeting "external operations" by Islamic State operatives. A senior military official answered that it was JSOC. This apparently triggered protests that the CIA should have such coordinating responsibility.

The CIA's concern was apparently roused partly by a JSOC intelligence fusion operation, known as "Gallant Phoenix," in an Arab country bordering Syria. That effort, begun about two years ago, now has more than a dozen member countries. It has fed information about foreign fighters to counterterrorism officials in Spain, Germany, France, Portugal and other countries, military sources said.

The CIA and JSOC both conduct roughly the same number of drone flights every day. But the sources said the military's drones conducted more than 20,000 strikes over the last year, in Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria, while the CIA is said to have struck less than a dozen targets over that same period.

Ever since the bin Laden raid, special operations forces may have become too visible for their own good. The celebrity of Seal Team 6 and other special units spawned jealousy from conventional military units that felt their role was being ignored. This sort of intra-military rivalry toward commando units has existed ever since Gen. Maxwell Taylor created the "green berets" as a counterinsurgency force during the early 1960s.

The CIA oversaw much of America's drone warfare during the first half of Obama's presidency, when it was targeting al-Qaeda operatives in Pakistan. But the agency's focus on such counterterrorism "direct action" appears to have diminished over the past several years.

Obama's Tampa speech highlighted his preference for special operations forces and their "small-footprint" tactics, as opposed to big conventional assaults. He said that the U.S. had attacked Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria "not with American battalions but with local forces backed by our equipment and our advisers and, importantly, our Special Forces."

Obama took credit, too, for the drone attacks that have proven so deadly against extremist targets. "In a dangerous world, terrorists seek out places where it's often impossible to capture them ... and that means the best option for us to get those terrorists becomes a targeted strike."

One unlikely legacy of Obama's presidency is that he made the secret, once-impermissible tactic of targeted killing the preferred tool of American counterterrorism policy.
Thumbs up to U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst for pledging to not be a rubber stamp when would-be Environmental Protection Agency czar Scott Pruitt seeks Senate confirmation.

Ernst and Pruitt, Oklahoma's attorney general, are both EPA critics. But Pruitt's links to oil and gas could threaten Iowa's renewable fuel industry.

Ernst said her support hinges on certain assurances from Pruitt.

All senators should be ready to ask hard questions of each Cabinet nominee.

Thumbs down to Moline Mayor Scott Raes, who is hoping to deprive voters a choice thanks to a technicality.

Raes wants challengers Bob Vogelbaugh and Alderwoman Stephanie Acri off the April ballot. He has challenged both candidates' petitions because they lacked page numbers.

Look, election law is nitpicky and should be. But Raes is teaching a master class in quibbling instead of seeking re-election on his record.

Thumbs up to and good luck to Gov. Terry Branstad. He might need it.

President-elect Donald Trump rewarded Branstad's loyalty throughout the campaign with an appointment to the ambassadorship to China.

Ambassadorships have long been ways presidents show appreciation. But this isn't some cushy post on some politically innocuous Caribbean island.

Trump's Twitter account alone is almost sure to give Beijing fits. His rhetoric on trade throughout the campaign was nothing short of aggressive toward China.

Branstad is almost sure to spend a lot of time tamping down fires.
NATION

Senate honors John Glenn

Tributes to the late hero-astronaut John Glenn continued on Saturday, as U.S. senators passed a resolution honoring their former colleague for leading an exemplary life.

Glenn, who grew up in New Concord, Ohio, died Thursday at age 95. He was the first American to orbit Earth, in 1962, and was the oldest man in space, at age 77 in 1998. A U.S. Marine and combat pilot, he also served as a Democratic U.S. senator, representing Ohio, for more than two decades.

Ohio's two senators, Republican Rob Portman and Democrat Sherrod Brown, introduced the measure this week and announced its passage Saturday.

Woman accused of trying to calm baby with methadone

A Virginia woman has been charged with child abuse after authorities say she tried to calm a 3-month-old baby by administering the opiate methadone.

The Manassas City Police Department said Friday that the baby was admitted to a local hospital on Dec. 3 in respiratory distress. Tests showed the infant was under the influence of methadone, which is used for controlling opioid addiction.

Police spokeswoman Adrienne Helms tells the Washington Post an investigation revealed 31-year-old Jessica F. Nicholson orally administered the drug in an attempt to calm the baby.

Police didn't say if Nicholson and the child, who is expected to recover, were related.

WORLD

45 die in suicide bombing

A suicide bomber on Saturday blew himself up inside an army base in the southern city of Aden, killing 45 soldiers and wounding another 50, security officials said.

They said the bomber detonated a belt of explosives he was wearing amid hundreds of soldiers lining up to collect their salaries in the city's Solban army base.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

Waleed Rashed, a soldier in the base, arrived at the scene shortly after the attack to find the area littered with bodies and blood.

"I could hear the wounded soldiers screaming for help," he said.

Private cars were used to ferry the wounded to hospitals before ambulances arrived, he added.

Non-OPEC member to cut output by 558K barrels a day

OPEC has persuaded 11 non-members to cut oil production, a move aimed at draining a worldwide oil glut and boosting low prices that have squeezed government finances in Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Officials said Saturday that non-members agreed to cut 558,000 barrels per day for six months starting Jan. 1, and that the deal was renewable for another six months after that. The figure was less than the 600,000 barrels a day that OPEC had hoped for.

Those non-member cuts come on top of an OPEC decision Nov. 30 to reduce member output by 1.2 million barrels a day.

Saudi oil minister Khalid Al-Falih called Saturday's deal "historic" and said it would stabilize the market through next year and encourage industry investment. The announcement came after OPEC member states met with Russia and other non-OPEC countries in Vienna for talks.

Al-Falih said the deal "is meant to accelerate the natural process of rebalancing" the oil market.

The 11 non-OPEC countries taking part in the agreement are: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, Sudan and South Sudan.

OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo said much of the production cuts were expected to come from Russia, which co-chaired Saturday's meeting.

Major oil producers such as non-member Russia and cartel leader Saudi Arabia have seen a worldwide oversupply send prices lower and reduce revenues to government budgets.

It remains to be seen whether the cutbacks will do much to raise prices, given OPEC members' track record of exceeding agreed-upon production quotas, and due to weak uptake from a sluggish global economy.

Some non-OPEC countries such as Mexico were already seeing production wane due to weak demand. Al-Falih said "the intent by all those who participated is to contribute to drawing down oil inventories that are excessive."

"And whether the reduction in that over-supply comes from deliberate intervention  like it is the case in Saudi Arabia  or by simply managing the decline in a way that makes them meet this agreement is left to the countries themselves," he said.
NATION

Chicago set to pay $5.3M for shootings

Chicago is poised to pay more than $5.3 million to the families of two black residents who were fatally shot by police, including one case where a city attorney was accused of hiding evidence.

The city's law department has recommended $3 million for the family of 17-year-old Cedrick Chatman, who was shot in 2013 while running from police following a suspected carjacking. No gun was found on him.

Video of Chatman's shooting was released in January. The same month, a federal judge accused a city lawyer of hiding evidence in the 2011 police shooting of 27-year-old Darius Pinex and ordered a new trial for involved officers.

A $2.4 million settlement is recommended for Pinex's family.

AG to visit mosque

Attorney General Loretta Lynch is visiting a mosque in Virginia next week amid a sharp increase in hate crimes targeting Muslims.

Lynch is scheduled to visit the All Dulles Area Muslim Society Center in Sterling on Monday morning.

She will travel to New York City the following day for a discussion with gay, lesbian and transgender youth at Harvey Milk High School and to visit the Stonewall Inn and Stonewall National Monument.

It will be her first visit to a mosque in her role as attorney general.

FBI statistics released last month show reported hate crimes against Muslims rose by 67 percent in 2015 to their highest number since the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. There were 257 reported incidents of anti-Muslim bias in 2015, compared to 154 the year before.

WORLD

Bodies of 3 fed detectives found in Mexico

The charred remains of three federal detectives were found Friday in the bed of a burning pickup truck in the southern Mexico resort of Zihuatanejo.

A fourth person's remains were found nearby along with a hand-lettered sign containing an apparent reference to a drug gang.

The sign suggested the killings were in retaliation against people who protected a gang purportedly linked to the Jalisco New Generation cartel.

The security spokesman for the southern state of Guerrero, Roberto Alvarez, said the detectives' bodies had been covered with logs and set afire. Their weapons were also burned.

S. Korean president is impeached

South Korean lawmakers on Friday impeached President Park Geun-hye, a stunning and swift fall for the country's first female leader amid protests that drew millions into the streets in united fury.

After the vote, parliamentary officials hand-delivered formal documents to the presidential Blue House that stripped Park of her power and allowed the country's No. 2 official, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, to assume leadership until the Constitutional Court rules on whether Park must permanently step down. The court has up to six months to decide.

"I'd like to say that I'm deeply sorry to the people because the nation has to experience this turmoil because of my negligence and lack of virtue at a time when our security and economy both face difficulties," Park said after the vote, before a closed-door meeting with her Cabinet where she and other aides reportedly broke down in tears.

Hwang separately said that he wanted "the ruling and opposition political parties and the parliament to gather strength and wisdom so that we can return stability to the country and people as soon as possible."

Once called the "Queen of Elections" for her ability to pull off wins for her party, Park has been surrounded in the Blue House in recent weeks by millions of South Koreans who have taken to the streets in protest. They are furious over what prosecutors say was collusion by Park with a longtime friend to extort money from companies and to give that confidante extraordinary sway over government decisions.

Organizers said about 10,000 people gathered in front of the National Assembly to demand that lawmakers pass the impeachment motion. Some had spent the night on the streets after traveling from other cities. Scuffles broke out between angry anti-Park farmers, some of whom had driven tractors to the assembly from their farms, and police. When impeachment happened, many of those gathered raised their hands in the air and leapt about, cheering and laughing.

"Can you hear the roar of the people in front of the National Assembly?" Kim Kwan-young, an opposition lawmaker said ahead of the vote, referring to South Korea's formal name. "Our great people have already opened the way. Let's make it so we can stand honorably in front of history and our descendants."
The leadership of the Oglala Sioux tribal government changed hands with the passing of a ceremonial canupa pipe on Friday afternoon in the gymnasium of the Porcupine Day School.

Much of the days remarks during the inauguration of president Troy Scott Weston focused on unifying the citizens of Pine Ridge to combat the dysfunctional health care system, the lack of education and rampant violence on the reservation.

Exiting his seventh term, tribal president John Yellow Bird Steele handed the canupa pipe back and forth to his successor in accordance with the tradition of the office. Each handoff represented one of the four laws of the sacred pipe.

You never lie on the sacred pipe, said a Lakota elder presiding over the ceremony. You never turn your back on the sacred pipe. You always do what is asked of you by the people. And the fourth law is to always put the people first.

Weston promised to usher in change during his two-year term as president, with his priorities being to bolster economic development and represent the tribes interests in Washington.

Weston called the Oglala Lakota a warrior people.

We are the most powerful people in the world, he said. My father always said we do not know how powerful we really are, and to never be afraid to take on those obstacles that are set in front of you. And as you do this, always remember to pray, then take a step further, forward into battle.

Mary Ann Condon Black Feather, 74, was watching from the bleachers with her daughter. When asked what she would most like to see accomplished during Westons administration, Black Feather paused, then said shed like a paved road from U.S. 18 to the Wolf Creek housing development in the Wakpamni district, where she lives.

That road is really bad, she said.

Her daughter, Hope Condon, 50, said shed like the new president to oversee the construction of several community centers throughout the reservation.

The kids dont have anything to do, so they end up in gangs, Condon said.

Chyler Weston, 24, is the new tribal presidents niece. She agreed with Condon that the reservation needs more constructive activities and programs to keep the youth busy, but she said shed like to see her uncle do one more thing.

Keep us safe from Trump, she said.

The reservation faces many challenges, the most severe being a rash of suicides that has reached emergency levels in recent years, and a spate of recent killings rumored to have sprung from the drug trade.

Weston said he intends to address these issues head on.

We cant ever say lets do it tomorrow, Weston said. Because the problem is here today. Our problems are not going to go away until we decide to fix them together.
Dear Annie: I recently graduated from college with a degree in journalism. I interviewed with several media companies in New York and landed my dream job at a major online magazine. I was thrilled.

Everything went smoothly the first month. It was the second month when things fell apart. We had a companywide meeting, and I was supposed to give a presentation about a project I was working on to drive more traffic to the site. Well, I got the days totally mixed up. I thought the meeting was Wednesday, when in fact it was Tuesday. My boss came to my cube first thing Tuesday morning and said, We cant wait to hear your presentation. Thats about when my heart stopped. I froze in my tracks. I was planning on finishing the bulk of the presentation that evening, and now I had only a half-hour to throw stuff together.

I walked into the boardroom completely unprepared. I started off trying to wing it, but after about 30 seconds, I clammed up completely. My face was burning hot. I mumbled, I got the days wrong, and then I awkwardly took my seat. And as I sat down, I spilled coffee all over myself. I left the meeting feeling embarrassed and like a failure. My supervisor talked to me about it afterward and was pretty understanding but said not to let it happen again. Now Im afraid every day there is going to be my last.

 Disappointment

Dear Disappointment: Theres no use crying over spilled coffee. All people with an office job can name a time when they wanted to shrink to the size of a paper clip and hide in the desk drawer. But mistakes are proof that you are trying, and you cant learn without making a few (or a hundred). Your colleagues dont expect perfection, especially because youre just out of college. What they do expect is consistent hard work and a positive attitude. So get back at it and show them that. Use your mortification as motivation. And I think this goes without saying, but never wait until the night before a presentation to prepare.

***

Dear Annie: Ive always been curious as to why you and most other advice columnists always take the position that family is sacred just because its family  that people should bend over backward to maintain family relationships, no matter how dysfunctional.

My husband and I are retired, and at 70, we are still blessed with good health and are financially secure enough to truly savor our golden years. We do this by always collaborating over big decisions and eliminating toxic influences from our happy life  including relatives.

We do not bail out children who get in trouble because they didnt follow our advice. We love to share our coastal Florida home with friends and family who truly cherish us, but we politely decline requests from freeloaders who obviously care about nothing but our pool and its proximity to the beach. And as for those who go on social media to attack our political views? We ask them to please not contact us anymore.

You would be amazed how freeing and uplifting this is. Life is just too short  especially at this age  to be governed by guilt or a false sense of duty.

 Living Free

***

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. To find out more about Annie Lane and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2016 CREATORS.COM
BUTTE  A snow goose found and treated Tuesday after spending up to a week floating on the Berkeley Pits toxic water is waiting at the local animal shelter while federal officials decide when to set it free.

Thousands of birds landed on the Berkeley Pit during a snow storm the night of Nov. 28. Thousands left due to extensive hazing by mine employees over the course of a week, say mine officials. But 3,000 or more are estimated dead, according to Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive Matt Vincent.

Nine dead or captured geese were found in Southwest Montana since Nov. 30 by residents. One was captured alive near Dillon, said wildlife biologist Craig Fager, but it died shortly thereafter. The eight other geese were found in Butte, and all died but one.

The immediate future of that remaining goose  now at the shelter  is uncertain.

The bird is reported as healthy. Its eating, drinking and is incredibly active, said Butte-Silver Bow community enrichment director Ed Randall.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson Ryan Moehring called its release finding the light in the darkness. Federal officials wouldnt release the bird unless theyre very confident this bird is fine, he said.

We wouldnt release it if we thought there was a chance it would die later, Moehring said.

Fish and Wildlife want to place a band on the bird so whenever it dies, if its carcass is found, it would be turned into agency officials.

But Moehring, in a telephone interview from his Denver office, said the agency cannot find a leg band within a reasonable distance from Butte that fits the goose. And remaining in captivity puts increased stress on the bird, said Moehring.

As of Wednesday, the bird was sitting in a cage near kenneled cats and dogs.

So, to save the goose from waiting too long, it will be released without a band. Moehring said the agency hopes to set the bird free Friday.

The problems dont end there. Once it is released, it may face a difficult flight.

Janet Ellis, senior director of policy for the Montana Audubon Society, said migrating snow geese have already flown south for the winter. She said the last flock she has seen in Helena, where she is based, flew over last Saturday.

The biggest challenge is to find geese somewhere that are headed south, Ellis said. If they (wildlife officials) cant find a flock (for this particular bird), that may be problematic. They (the snow geese) do move together.

Moehring said the Fish and Wildlife agency is aware of that challenge. The agency is also concerned about setting the goose free only to have it shot by a hunter. (Goose hunting season continues into January in Montana.) The agency is trying to find a spot where it cant be hunted.

The weather could also play a factor. Snow geese fly either ahead of a storm or behind one and try to stay ahead of wetland areas freezing, said Ellis. While migrating, snow geese look for open bodies of water to land to rest.

The National Weather Service in Missoula reports Southwest Montana will see temperatures dropping close to zero with 1 to 3 inches of snow falling Thursday night. Another storm system is expected to arrive Friday evening, with as much as 5 inches accumulating in higher terrain with temperatures ranging from 25 degrees for Fridays high and 12 degrees for Fridays low. Next week temperatures are expected to drop below zero.
Corvallis High School chemistry teacher Brock Hammills class built and coded air monitors during the hour of code week, Dec. 5-9.

Not just any air monitor  these ones are Wifi enabled that allow homeowners to monitor the amount of particulate matter in the air.

Hammill said his interest in air quality comes from the fact that he lives in the Bitterroot Valley.

As a very rural community and we feel like we have very good air quality because of the lack of factories and cars but we have very bad air quality many times of the year, Hammill said. Our two main sources are wood stoves and forest fires.

Hammill said sensors allow people to know the true air quality in their homes and do something about it - like open a window or change a filter.

For years, Hammill has had his classes participate in the Air Quality Symposium hosted each spring by the University of Montana. He has borrowed the universitys air sensors that cost $2,000 to $5,000 to conduct the research.

He decided build a cheaper sensor for his students to use and build.

Mine cost $50 dollars and can connect to the internet to report the air quality Hammill said. It is pretty accurate compared to the expensive models.

Hammill designed and built the monitor then made a website to share it with the world.

I want people to use it and so far I have had visitors from 80 countries, he said. People from around the world have built this sensor and sent me a picture or email. Air quality has become a huge problem worldwide.

For his students, he used the schools 3-D printer and built the cases for the air monitors, ordered the specialized sensors from China, then recorded himself giving the instructions. Students, and anyone from around the world, can log into his website, follow the instructions and build a monitor.

Hammills website: airquality406.wordpress.com/ shows how to creating a low cost internet enabled sensor that detects particulate matter, inexpensively.

Hammill teaches many classes and the video recordings allow each group in each class to watch instructions at their own pace and complete the tasks. Once they get it operational, there are additional challenges for them to do.

The hope is that they will learn how it works and then try and make it better, he said. The students will also be using them to run experiments on air quality.

Hammill said he made the sensors to be classroom friendly.

As a teacher I want to teach my students about the MAKER movement and citizen science, he said. This sensor project will be simple enough to get all students to build their own sensor. After they build it they will have the opportunity to hack it into something better.

On his website, he encourages everyone to use his project and develop it further.

Take this project and make it your own, he said. Improve the sensitivity, make a better housing, use the sensor to test the air quality in your community. Data leads to improved decisions so start collecting data.

On Friday, students divided into groups, got out the Chrome books and their phones. Next, they watched videos learning how to work with the code to make the sensors talk to the WiFi, worked to get their sensors operational and began conducting air quality tests.

Hammill received the start up money from an engineering grant from Montana State University.

On Friday, he found out he is one of five Montana finalist for the Solve for Tomorrow STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) contest sponsored by Samsung, and he will receive a Samsung Galaxy Tab for his classroom.

Hammill said the air quality monitoring sensor project is for his students but also for a challenge to himself.

I started it to see if it could happen, He said. The expensive air monitors are too accurate for the low-level stuff that we need to do. Its like needing a ruler to build a cardboard box and someone gives you a $5,000 laser thing. A meter stick would have been just fine. So this is the meter stick of air quality but it is definitely good enough to tell you when the air is clean or not clean.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - For such a big house on Heritage Hill, the 125-year-old Hazeltine Mansion has been hidden in plain sight during much of the historic neighborhood's revival.

Tucked away on a side street near Lafayette Avenue NE, the brown shake-style home with massive river rock foundations was familiar only to local musicians after it served as a repair shop specializing in string instruments for the past 25 years.

Originally built for Dr. Charles M. Hazeltine in 1891, the 3-story home has served several functions in its long history.

Hazeltine, a successful business owner and banker, made the house overlooking downtown Grand Rapids a center of social activity. As U.S. Consul to Milan in the 1890s, he hosted dances in the third floor ball room. He threw a lavish fairy tale wedding on the lawn when his daughter, Fannie, married a German count in 1908.

In the 1920s, it became the Elmcrest Home for Working Women, a project sponsored by Federation of Women's Adult Bible Classes. For 44 years, up to 31 young women lived in the home, created as an alternative housing solution for low-paid working women, according to local history records.

In the 1970s, the house served as a shelter for runaway teenagers. In 1980, the property was sold to Steven Reiley, who lived in the house, operated his instrument repair business, Guarnari House, in the basement and rented several apartments.

Now come David and Rae Green, who operate Sanford House, a residential outpatient drug and alcohol treatment center for women in a 126-year-old mansion they have restored on Cherry Street SE.

The couple was looking for a place in which to offer similar services to men when they came across the Hazeltine Mansion at 221 John Street NE. With its rich woodwork still mostly intact, Rae Green said they fell in love with the house because of its masculine character.

After buying the house for $433,500 and winning approval from the city to operate a treatment center for up to 20 men, the Greens have begun converting the house back to its original splendor.

That includes rebuilding all of the home's 88 windows, restoring the interior woodwork, installing new restrooms, replacing the roof and restoring the shake sidings on the exterior. The project also will include new landscaping.

Despite the institutional uses the home has seen over the years, much of the original millwork and flooring in the home is intact and restorable, according to Alec Green, the project's operations manager. When completed, the home will have nine bedrooms and 71/2 bathrooms.

Visitors who enter the wide oak door from the stone front porch walk into a grand entrance hall with carved oak beams, leaded glass accent windows, a broad fireplace - one of seven in the house - and a grand staircase that leads to the second level.

A small flowered wall-paper panel next to the dining room entrance features a view of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Alec Green said they believe the wall paper is original to the house and will be preserved.

The formal parlors adjacent to the entrance hall feature curved plaster ceilings, walnut and mahogany millwork and fireplaces with glazed and mosaic tiles that are headed for restoration. David Green said the parlors will be used as group meeting rooms for residents while the library will be converted into an office for the home's manager.

The original subway tile and brick hearth will be restored in the kitchen while the rest of the equipment will be replaced to modern standards. The Greens also will install an accessible bathroom in the area that once served as a butler's pantry.

On the second level, the Greens are installing five bedrooms and treatment room with a triple-locked room for medications.

On the third level, which originally housed the servants' quarters and a ball room, the Greens are installing four bedrooms. The ball room, which has paneled pine bead board, will serve as a lounge for residents.

The basement, which most recently housed repair shops for musical instruments, will be converted into offices for the homes caseworkers and a workout room for clients.

This is one of several articles we have published about historic homes in West Michigan. Here are similar articles we have published recently:

 130-year-old Victorian farmhouse stays up-to-date in upscale suburb

 Vacant for 22 years after fatal fire, Heritage Hill home finally brought back to life

 101-year-old farmhouse is restored, avoids date with wrecking ball



 For $2M, 102-year-old Leonard House has 10 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms



 $2M Heritage Hill mansion filled with history and opportunity



 This beauty on Heritage Hill Tour of Homes retains its Queen Anne grace

 For $1.275M, historic Kindel mansion still has original nooks and crannies
America must return to conservative principles of less government,reduced taxes, less spending and a balanced budget! Cut,cap and balance!
BEIJING - China on Friday urged Japan to abandon the surrogate country approach it uses to calculate anti-dumping measures against Chinese exports, as a related clause in China's World Trade Organization (WTO) deal is set to expire on December 11.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang made the remarks at a routine press conference.

According to Article 15 of the protocol on China's accession to the WTO, to which Japan is a signatory, China will automatically switch to market economy status by December 11, 2016, when the legal foundation for treating China as a non-market economy - or a surrogate country - ends.

However, the Japanese government said Friday that it will not recognize China as a market economy under the WTO without changes to the country's policies.

By doing so, Japan can continue to use a third country's prices to determine whether China is selling goods below market value, making it relatively easy for Japan to level anti-dumping claims against China.

Lu said Japan should face up to its international commitment instead of beating around the bush.

With regard to China's market economy status issue, Lu said that after nearly 40 years reform and opening-up, China's GDP has climbed to the world's number two, and China has become the biggest trade partner of many countries in the world.

China's economic growth has become the main engine of global economic growth, contributing to about one quarter of world economic growth, he said.

Whether Japan recognizes China as a market economy or not, China's close relationship with the world economy and its mutually beneficial relations with the world speak for itself, Lu said.
Guwahati, December 10 : Two hardcore bodo militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Assam's Kokrajhar district on Saturday morning, police said.

According to the reports, based on intelligence input police and army had launched joint operation at the Kasugaon reserve forest, 3 km from Soraibeel in the BTAD district where a militant group of NDFB(S) was hiding.

"When troops reached the remote area the militants fired at the security personnel resulting in heavy exchange of fire between both sides. In which two militants killed on spot," a top police official said.

Security forces had recovered an AK-47 rifle, 21 rounds of live ammunition, one pistol and other war like stores from the area.

The security personnel also busted a camp used by the militants.

The slain NDFB(S) militants are yet to be identified.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
KATHMANDU, Dec 10: House Speaker Onsari Gharti today appealed to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to take positive step to end the ongoing deadlock.

The Speaker called on PM Dahal at his official residence in Baluwatar and told him that it was not appropriate for the Parliament to remain obstructed for long. She stressed on need for dialogue to end the House obstruction.

Speaker Gharti drew the attention towards the need to resume the parliamentary proceedings through negotiations and also apprised the PM of her meetings with the Nepali Congress President and CPN (UML) Chairman.

The House Speaker appealed to the PM to use the time she would be abroad, Gharti's Press Advisor, Babin Sharma said. Gharti is leaving for Abu Dhabi of UAE with a five-member delegation to take part in the World Conference of Women Speakers.

She said that the impeachment motion against the suspended chief of Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and election related, and constitution amendment bill process could not move ahead due to obstruction in the Parliament.

The PM, in response, said the parties were holding official and unofficial meetings to end the deadlock. "Formal and informal meetings are being held," PM Dahal told Gharti adding further, "I hope, there will be some sort of agreement in one or two days.

The government is making effort in this regard."

The House Speaker had held separate meetings with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and main opposition  CPN (UML) Chairman KP Sharma Oli  to end the deadlock. The next parliamentary session has been called for December 15. RSS
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J. L. BELL is a Massachusetts writer who specializes in (among other things) the start of the American Revolution in and around Boston. He is particularly interested in the experiences of children in 1765-75. He has published scholarly papers and popular articles for both children and adults. He was consultant for an episode of History Detectives, and contributed to a display at Minute Man National Historic Park.
Canadian director Bob Clark (A Christmas Story, Murder By Decree) tragically left this mortal realm in a car crash in 2007, but his legacy of work lives on. He worked in several genres, but in horror, his 1970s masterpiece Black Christmas is revered by both fans and filmmakers.

It's easy to see why when you watch the movie. Its fantastic cast John Saxon, Olivia Hussey, Art Hindle, Keir Dullea, and Margo Kidder stars in a film that's both scary and pushes hot topic buttons (abortion) that are sadly still relevent today.

A 2006 remake had a chilly reception, and the original remains unsurpassed. After all, Black Christmas is said to have influenced John Carpenter's Halloween. The dread that Clark created was palpable and still quite effective; in fact, the entire film holds up very well despite over 40 years in passing since its release.

I myself tend to watch it every December as one of my Christmas traditions, and I'm thrilled that Scream Factory has released a new Blu-ray just in time for my annual viewing! I'm not partial to slasher films because they tend to be dumbed down and seem to exist solely for creating massive body counts. But Black Christmas is in a category of its own, among the ranks of Peeping Tom and Psycho, at least in my own humble opinion.

Black Christmas from Scream Factory is a good release. It's not amazing, but it's good. I can't say I was particularly impressed with the picture. There is a note at the beginning of the film that the negative scan produced a result that looks as good as when the film was released in theaters.

With noticeable flickering and dark areas that bleed into one another, I'd have to say it's probably the best this film has looked on Blu-ray, but not too much noticeably different from the last release. However, it's still a worthy buy for Black Christmas completists. You'll see a few new interviews, new cover art, and plenty of archival interviews from the last version -- as well as the entire film from the 2006 Critical Mass release on disc 2 for your comparison.

Check out the bonus features and trailer below. You can read more on Scream Factory's Black Christmas release here.

Bonus Features

DISC ONE:

NEW 2016 2K Scan Of The Negative (1.85:1)  DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, DTS-HD Master Audio Mono

Audio Commentary With Director Bob Clark

Audio Commentary With Actors John Saxon And Keir Dullea

Audio Commentary With Billy (Actor Nick Mancuso)

Audio Interview With Director Bob Clark

DISC TWO:
An impressively devout expression of religious faith that seeks to answer some of mankind's most pressing questions, Silence demands respect and inspires debate, all while displaying the absolute command of master filmmaker Martin Scorsese.

Now 74, Scorsese has reportedly desired to adapt Endo Shusaku's novel for some 25 years (or, soon after The Last Temptation of Christ). The novel, first published in 1966, reflected Endo's views on Christianity from a personal perspective; he became a practicing Catholic at a young age in the 1930s. Shinoda Masahiro made the first film version, Chinmoku, in 1971.

The movie follows two Jesuit priests from Portugal who travel to Japan in 1630 on a mission to locate a missing priest. Before they leave, they are released from their assignment by Father Valignano (Ciaran Hinds), who informs them that Father Ferreira (Liam Neeson) has committed apostasy and publicly rejected the faith. Still, Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Garrpe (Adam Driver) insist on going; Ferreira was their beloved mentor, and even if he has committed apostasy, they feel obligated to save him.

So off the priests go. Officially, Japan has outlawed Christianity, but as soon as they land in country, thanks to drunken former Christian Kichijiro (Kubozuka Yosuke), Rodrigues and Garrpe come into contact with a group of "hidden Christians" who are grateful for their presence. The local Christians persist in their beliefs, despite the knowledge that government officials constantly search for them, intent on persecuting them until they recant by stepping on a fumie, a small stone with an image of Christ carved into it.

Initially pleased with the opportunity to provide for the villagers' spiritual needs, Rodrigues and Garrpe are tested by the need to remain in hiding during the daylight, and their consequent inability to search for their mentor Ferreira. This slowly sets up one of the essential dilemmas of the film, as the priests eventually learn that the government has decided to persecute the priests, not by torturing them, but by torturing others until the priests recant.

Silence is less a story and more of a meditation, largely constructed around long, grueling sequences that become challenging to endure, especially after Rodrigues and Garrpe are separated. Rodrigues is imprisoned alone in an open-air cell, where he can watch the horrors visited upon fellow believers. He is regularly questioned, not for the purpose of learning about his religious beliefs, but to prompt him to question his faith; all he has to do is take one step, the officials taunt, just one step on the face of Christ (on the fumie) and all the torture and suffering will cease.

Perhaps what makes the film even more grueling than might be expected is the knowledge that Scorsese is at the helm. He exercises great restraint, avoiding his usual visual grace notes -- save for an occasional "God's eye" view from above and one or two gracefully swooping, extended 'follow' shots -- and instead makes the suffering as palpable as possible. The locations are well-chosen (Taiwan standing in for Japan) and Scorsese and company, including cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, film editor Thelma Schoonmaker, and production designer Dante Ferretti, make good use of them in recreating 17th century Japan.

The performances by Garfield and Driver are soul-wrenching. Film director Tsukamoto Shinya portrays a hidden Christian named Mokichi in an affecting manner, while Asano Tadanobu gives his role as a government interpreter a villainous gleam.

Silence is a film to be admired and respected, more than it is to be enjoyed. The long stretches of inaction are a test of patience to watch, which is likely what Scorsese intended. After all, if we find it difficult to watch fictionalized depictions of torture and suffering, what must God think when he looks down upon Earth and sees the real thing?



The film opens in theaters in the U.S. and Canada on Friday, December 23. It will open in many other parts of the world in January and February.


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About Censored News Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell. Since 2006, Censored News has received more than 20 million pageviews. As a collective of writers, photographers and broadcasters, we publish news of Indigenous Peoples and human rights. Contact publisher Brenda Norrell: brendanorrell@gmail.com

From the publisher Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell, a journalist in Indian country for 40 years. Norrell created Censored News after she was censored and terminated as a staff reporter at Indian Country Today in 2006. She began as a reporter at Navajo Times during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. She was a stringer for AP and USA Today and later traveled with the Zapatistas through Mexico. She has been blacklisted by all the mainstream media for 14 years. Contact brendanorrell@gmail.com

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News / Local

by Mary Charamba

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Aspiring president, Joycehas claimed that severalPF legislators are tirelessly working with her political outfit- the Zimbabwe People First to unseat President Robert Mugabe.She disclosed thatPF members butchered countless opposition-T supporters."As I am speaking today, with what is happening, there arePF people who are actually working with us,"said in a television interview with a South African media house., who was kicked ofPF in 2014 has previously made such claims.She also said she is a peace loving person who detest any form of violence."The violence of 2008, that should have shown the world that I voiced against what happened and the worst of suchhappened in my province and I grouped people and denounced violence and my question was who gave that order to kill people in a province that Mugabe had won resoundingly, that was my question."I don't know who made the orders but I know that it wasPF killingsupporters,"added."When you ask who gave those orders and you get no answers, you are labelled a liberal and there are all sorts of allegations made, that made them think that I was not part of them,".
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Traditional Leaders in Chimanimani have been accused of campaigning for the ruling Zanu PF ahead of the just ended by elections in the area.Heal Zimbabwe Trust said the involvement of traditional leaders in campaigning and intimidating people on the polling day was also observed in two occasions."Firstly, at Nyanyadzi High in Ward 8, Village Head Kuda Makotamo ordered people to meet at Jecha Ward Centre on the Polling Day in order to receive early orders on how they would be assisted to vote," the trust said."Observing that people did not converge for instructions on the polling day, traditional leader Makotamo resorted to writing down people's names as they come to vote at Nyanyadzi High School Polling Station. Also Village Head, Raymond Saurombe in Ward 17 was spotted at a polling Station writing down people's names and asking them to vote for Zanu PF. These traditional leaders' actions were illegal (unconstitutional) and intimidating voters."The trust said the constitution prohibits traditional leaders from campaigning or aligning to any political party or grouping for the purposes of maintaining neutrality and objectivity in their work."Section 281 (2a-b) states that traditional leaders must not "be members of any political party or in any way participate in partisan politics" and "act in a partisan manner." Assisted Voters  there were 459 cases observed for assisted voters in 30 polling stations visited. Reasons for assistance, according to the Elections Presiding Officers were a result of partial blindness, old age and illiteracy. Heal Zimbabwe observed that most of the assisted voters had claimed literacy issues," said the organisation."For example; in Ward 17 at Biriiri Primary School, at 09:45hours, of the 112 people who had voted, 17 people had been assisted because of illiteracy, according to the Presiding Officer Mr Donald Kudeza. At Mhakwe Primary School (Ward 18) at 10:00 hours 22 of 182 voters had been assisted purportedly because of old age and illiteracy. At another polling station in ward 18 again (Mhakwe Dam Business Centre Polling Station), among 121 voters, 24 of them had been assisted (5 males and 19 females) around mid-day. In Ward 9 at Mukowangedai Tent Polling Station, 22 people had been assisted among 73 people who had voted."Heal Zimbabwe said this scenario of assisted voters is worrying because on two occasions, Heal Zimbabwe noted that some Zanu PF leaders had gathered people a day before the polls to rehearse on how some voters will be assisted."For example, in Ward 6, Constance Manyika (Zanu PF Ward Political Commissar), Beauty Sakadzai (Zanu PF Chairwoman) and Moses had forced people to assemble at Shinja Secondary School's grounds to allocate perceived opposition members individuals who will assist them in casting their ballots. At Shinja Primary School Polling Station, Anna Nyamutamba reportedly assisted one voter, who is literate, as part of executing what had been planned in the previous day. Sadly, this scenario is not new," said the trust."During the 2008 elections, people were forced to claim illiteracy so that they are helped to cast their ballots8; hence intimidating voters from their preferred candidate in favour of Zanu PF. It is in this context that Heal Zimbabwe fears, the recorded assisted voters could have been a result of such engineered intimidation rather than true old age, illiteracy and partial or real blindness."
News / National

by Staff reporter

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's warring ruling party rolls into Masvingo next week for the former liberation movement's annual and routine jamboree.Zanu-PF, in power for the past 36 years, has been rocked by growing divisions as senior leaders look beyond the 92-year-old ruler, who has clung to power despite obvious signs that age is taking its toll on him.Mugabe has already been anointed Zanu-PF's candidate for presidential elections expected in 2018 amid internal calls that the former guerrilla leader "must rule forever".While the Zanu-PF leader has taken every opportunity to preach unity among his lieutenants, this has not stopped the internecine struggles for power that are likely to dominate the latest edition of his party's annual gathering meant to review policies but is normally turned into a psychopathic, apple-polishing jamboree in praise of the "dear leader".Zanu-PF last hosted a big event at the Great Zimbabwe Monuments during Mugabe's 92nd birthday in February.Political analyst Eldred Masunungure said Zanu-PF's factional struggles would overshadow substantive issues at the conference set for December 13 to 17."It would be foolish to expect anything substantive to come out of the conference. Zanu-PF gatherings have continuously disappointed people's expectations. So we do not expect anything to come out of Masvingo. It will be the war of factions," he said.Zanu-PF's Mashonaland Central province has set the tone for what could turn out to be a chaotic and gruelling six-day gathering in Zimbabwe's oldest city.The province's chairman Dickson Mafios  seen as a proxy of the so-called G40 Zanu-PF faction  torched a storm last week when he announced that Mashonaland Central had proposed that Zanu-PF abolish its one centre of power principle because it is undemocratic.The announcement was met with scorn and ridicule by those rooting for Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over from Mugabe.Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo  a vocal opponent of Mnangagwa  supported the province's audacious resolution, quoting an old clause in the Zanu-PF constitution stipulating that one of the vice-presidents must be a woman.The clause was removed as part of the wider plot used to remove then vice-president Joice Mujuru, now opposition Zimbabwe People First leader.The backlash that followed forced Mafios, believed to be related to Saviour Kasukuwere (Zanu-PF political commissar) and a Moyo confidante, into a sudden summersault, arguing the recommendation was meant to be implemented at the 2019 congress.Indications are that the conference in Masvingo could see political bloodletting with factions plotting to outdo each other. Masunungure said the withdrawal of the Mashonaland Central resolution showed that G40 was afraid of a backlash in Masvingo."The rescinding of the resolution shows they are sensing danger. The resolution's funders have realised that they could be heading into a mortal combat," he said."Factionalism will not be on the agenda but it will provide the fervour and flavour at the conference as well as envelop the real issues visibly and invisibly."Insiders said the G40 group would try to sneak the resolution to remove the one centre of power clause that allows Mugabe to choose his own deputies instead of them being elected by the provinces, as was the case before the Mujuru clause.However, Mnangagwa's supporters are also not taking it lying down and he seems to have support in a number of provinces.Matabeleland North chairman Richard Moyo said his province would "never accept a resolution to strip" Mugabe of his powers."We agreed at the 2014 congress that we will have a one centre of power. We do not know where the problem is.President Mugabe will be our candidate for the 2018 elections and as Matabeleland North, we have agreed that he must be allowed to choose his deputies," he said."That is not going to change and we will never entertain anything else. We have heard Mashonaland Central has raised the issue but to us it's a non-event."Moyo added that Matabeleland North would also push for the conference to adopt a resolution against corruption."We want zero tolerance on corruption, be it officials in the party or ministers. Those who are charged must face the law. We have never as a province benefitted from the proceeds of corruption and those chiefs who are said to have benefitted in Tsholotsho must answer for themselves," he said.Manicaland vice-chairperson Joe Mujati argued Zanu-PF should adopt a zero tolerance to corruption."The resolution to give the president all power, including appointment of vice-presidents, still stands. It is not going to be changed and nobody will accept that. We agreed in 2014 to the one centre of power principle and those against it should just accept the reality of the situation," he said."We also want the conference to adopt a resolution on corruption. The party must not be seen to be defending anyone implicated in corruption."Those fingered in any way should face the music. If we are going to make any changes to our constitution, it will have to be at the 2019 congress," Mujati added in what seemed to be a well-choreographed response across provinces canvassed by The Standard.In Mashonaland East, acting provincial chairman Bernard Makokove refused to comment."We have already forwarded the resolutions to the secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo. You can inquire from him. I no longer have power to tell you the contents," said Makokove.Masvingo provincial leader Amasa Nenjana argued that the idea of elected vice-presidents was a democratic one and part of the Zanu-PF constitutional fabric."As the host province, we will push for the adoption of a resolution to stop the imposition of candidates during elections. It can cost us a lot as a party," he said."We will also tell the conference that internal elections especially for the top leadership are divisive even though our constitution allows for such a process. The president must still appoint, it is the position at the moment," said Nenjana."But we must also understand that those calling for elections for the vice-presidential positions are within their rights."It is the democracy we want and our constitution should guide us. However, the conference is a wrong platform to talk about electoral processes or a change of leadership."In the end, it is Mugabe who is likely to emerge out of Masvingo more entrenched than ever. The wrangling will continue unabated and the "willy old fox" will continue in his quest for a life presidency.
Opinion / Columnist

The election of opposition candidates in countries like Gambia and Seychelles has re-energized people like Mugwiji who think we in Zimbabwe can do the same EVEN with not even one democratic reform implemented; all we need to do is unite the opposition. It is this simplistic naivety that has landed us in this hell-on-earth and, unless we snap out of it, will keep us there.Zimbabwe cannot afford another five years of this hell because we made yet another miscalculation by participating in elections without taking the precaution of implementing the reforms and thus make sure they are free, fair and credible. SADC leaders warned us against taking part in the elections without implementing the reforms in 2013, we must not make the same mistake again.If President Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies refuse to have any reforms implemented, which they are, then no opposition party worth its salt must contest the 2018 elections. "It is not that simple!" those who want the opposition to contest have argued. The truth is, it is that simple!People like my brother Mugwiji have made up their minds that the solution to the country's deepening economic and political crisis is for the opposition participating in elections no matter what! The trouble with adopting such hardwired mind set is that one is not receptive to reason and will ignore the facts, regardless of how important they are, in search of anything supportive of the set objective.Initially, these people refused to accept that Zanu PF rigged elections in the past and, unless stopped by implementing reforms, will rig the next election. They did not want to have to acknowledge the need to implement reforms and so the quickest and easiest way out was to say there was no such thing as vote rigging."What we know is that Zanu PF is most unlikely to institute further reforms. Common sense tells us, they will not reform themselves out of power," admitted Mugwiji."We therefore, must expect a flawed electoral playing field going into 2018. Never the less, an election boycott is still unacceptable, a no brainer at least in my humble opinion."Congratulate my brother, you do acknowledge that without reforms Zanu PF will rig the next elections; that is a quantum leap many others in your camp will never make. The mental effort must have left you panting like a hen that has just laid an exceptional large egg in midday African heat! Sad that the leap was still not good enough because you still want to contest the elections."If we are to participate in the next general elections, then we must draw lessons from the opposition in Seychelles and Gambia who recently won elections against authoritarian regimes in their respective countries," you argue.Are you sure you are comparing like for like and not chalk and cheese! As far as I know neither the authoritarian regimes in Gambia and Seychelles had the depth, variety and sadistic barbarism of Zanu PF's vote rigging genre. Has the Gambia dictator ever taken six weeks to recount a 73% opposition victory and come up with a 47%? Has he ever used such barbaric violence to force the people to vote for him that even SADC and AU elections observers, unknown for seeing no wrong, were forced in 2008 to tell Mugabe the elections were not free and fair!When it comes to rigging elections; Gambia's outgoing dictator, Yahya Jammeh, was an amateur compared to Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, the grant master. Mugabe has taken vote rigging to new levels the world is not likely to see for generations.Mugwiji is down playing the importance of Mugabe's vote rigging skill because he has concluded that there is nothing anyone can do to stop the tyrant's vote rigging juggernaut and so dismiss it as unimportant."I hope no one thinks that the opposition is capable of forcing these reforms through Zanu PF's throat. Remember, all it took to stop the NERA demonstrations was a single police order issued by a little known Chief Superintend Newbert Saunyama who commands the Harare district," he wrote.Whitlaw Mugwiji is just one of the many, many Zimbabweans who have never understood what the GNU was about, even now with the benefit of hindsight. Whilst many have followed the events of what happened what they found impossible to swallow was the consequence of the story. What these people have done is to airbrush airbrush the GNU years out of Zimbabwe's history.The GNU years are an integral part of Zimbabwe's history, a very important one in our search for whether an opposition was/is capable of implementing the democratic reforms.The 2008 GPA was about Zanu PF, the two MDC factions and SADC, as the regional guarantor to the agreement, implementing a raft of democratic reforms and drafting a new democratic constitution designed to dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship and deliver free, fair and credible elections. It was incumbent on the two MDC factions led by he whose name must be withheld, for fear doing so may trigger an uncontrolled mental attack in some people, to implement the reforms. Zanu PF could not have done this for the obvious reason stated above.SADC leaders, notably President Ian Khama of Botswana and SA's Lindiwe Zulu, did they best to remind MDC leaders to implement the reforms but their warnings fell on deaf ears. SADC warned MDC of the folly of taking part in the elections with no reforms but, once again, they were ignored.After five years of the GNU MDC leaders failed to get even one democratic reform implemented. No even one! Zanu PF went on to blatantly rig the 2013 elections just as they will do so again in 2018 unless reforms are implemented.There is no other logical explanation why MDC leaders failed to implement even one reform during the GNU other than the obvious one  they are corrupt and incompetent. Of course, MDC leaders sold-out!It is important to acknowledge that MDC had the opportunity to implement the reforms during the GNU because that is a valid historic fact. But also because doing so prepares us to lookout for future chances and make sure we do not waste them too.President Mugabe is making a complete mockery what democratic elections should be. He has rigged elections to further his no-regime-change mantra and as soon as he has the election victory safely in the bag he has embarked on a charm offensive to portray the elections as having been free and fair and so get his international acceptance and legitimacy. Mugabe has learned that as long as he allows the opposition to win a few seats he can rig to get his lion's share the opposition parties will never boycott elections. So, he will have his no-regime-change and still keep all the outward appearance of a contested election and thus the legitimacy.Zimbabwe's opposition parties are so desperate to get back into power they will do anything. They have accepted they will never for the next government and so they are risking life and limp for the scraps. They also know that by taking part in the elections they are also betraying the common people who are being denied a meaningful vote, but they do not care.If anyone is serious about restoring the people's right to free and fair elections; break the mould! If we cannot force Zanu PF to implement the reforms force the opposition to boycott the elections or force the people themselves to elect quality leaders.Yes, Comrade Whitlaw Tanyanyiwa Mugwiji, you and many others have set your minds on contesting the coming elections regardless of the fact the elections will be rigged and worse still there will be wanton violence. Frankly the outcome of the elections is irrelevant given the nation will be ruled by corrupt and incompetent individuals whatever happens.There IS shame in admitting one's mistakes, especially ones such disastrous consequences as the failed GNU or 36 years of corruption and tyranny, but it is sheer folly let the sense of shame stop us learning from out past mistakes. Zimbabwe is in this hell-hole because we, the people, elected corrupt and incompetent leaders in the past it would be unforgivable to recycle the same failed individuals likes Morgan Tsvangirai, Joice Mujuru, etc. be it with new repackaging as opposition or coalition.
A program announced today whose aim is to curb the number of families experiencing homelessness will benefit from a private-public partnership that includes donations from number of tech companies and luminaries, from Zendesk CEO Mikkel Svane to Asana cofounder Dustin Moskovitz and his wife Cari Tuna to Marc Benioff of Salesforce and his wife Lynne, Venturebeat reports.

The project is called the Heading Home campaign, and in the effort, Salesforce has provided $2 million, with Benioff himself chipping in a cool $10 million. The city says that $5 additional million has been raised by private funding, excluding a funding match from the Benioffs, but Venturebeat writes that "Its unclear how much Google.org, Svane, and Moskovitz are contributing." The Chronicle also wrote of the effort and say that Ron Conway, the Hellman Foundation, the Giants, and more have donated to it.

In our city where so many have done so well, its unacceptable that 1,800 students attending San Franciscos public schools are homeless, Benioff remarked at a press conference today alongside Mayor Lee, his homeless director Jeff Kositsky, and SFUSD officials. I hope that other companies and individuals will join us as we take these initial steps in helping all the homeless children in our city find permanent housing.

Although the city already spends $35 million a year on the problem, amid budget cuts across the board as the city faces a somewhat surprise deficit according to the latest projections (here in the Chronicle), the injection of private capital will be more than welcome.

The way the campaign is said to work is that a portion of a family's rent will be paid to their landlords through the city for up to 18 months while they work with a team to find a more permanent living solution. Families won't have to prove that they're seeking or have employment or income, and in fact, there are no preconditions, meaning no sobriety or drug checks or the like.

According to the Chronicle, the number of homeless families in San Francisco has been in decline, and stands at about 1,100. That's a 20 percent drop since 2015, but officials expect at least 800 families are going to need somewhere to live next year.

Related: There Are Close To 1,500 Homeless Youth Living On San Francisco Streets
A Union flag flies in the wind in front of the Big Ben clock face and the Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament in central London on November 3, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Looking back over 70 years of post-war history, most Western Europeans would conclude that political instability is something that happens somewhere else. Now, however, following the Brexit vote in Britain, a referendum upset in Italy and the prospect of untested populist politicians coming to power elsewhere in Europe, a mood of uncertainty has gripped the continent.

Europeans look warily across the Atlantic to assess the possible consequences of a Donald Trump presidency and toward Asia, where the rising power of China has surpassed that of the old continent.

We have short memories, of course. The post-war era was not quite the steady ride toward the golden uplands that is now recalled by those who yearn to go back to it. In the early 1970s, the Western world was facing the economic consequences of an oil price shock that quadrupled the cost of energy and stalled a period of rapid growth. In Europe, Spain and Portugal were still run by anachronistic dictatorships, while a junta of incompetent colonels was in power in Greece. Germany and Italy were threatened by domestic terrorism of the left and right, and even in sedate old Britain a group of superannuated officers and spies plotted a military coup against the Labour government of the day.

And, for a further decade and a half, Europe was to remain divided between East and West, living under the threat that a false step or a miscalculation could lead to a nuclear war.

At the end of the Cold War, the now much-criticized European project led to a period of cooperation and integration between the previously divided halves of the continent. The current received wisdom is that Europe is now facing a widespread revolt by those left behind in this period of rapid change. A populist, nativist sentiment is said to be replacing the liberal internationalism of those who have governed the continent for a generation.

It is a theory, of course, that is only as good as the latest election result. Brexit and the failure of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who resigned on Thursday, to gain backing this month for his constitutional reforms appear to affirm the strength of a Europe-wide populist backlash.
SFist is continuing to offer brief remembrances and obituaries as they're being collected from various news sources and friends. Here was the first group of eight, the second group of six, another seven, and six more. These are the last nine, all positively identified.





Jennifer Morris, 21, Foster City

Jennifer Morris was a UC Berkeley student and a volunteer at campus radio station KALX-FM helping to process music sent to the radio station. She was majoring in media studies and school officials tell the Chronicle that she saw her work as "combatting stereotypes and correcting some of the negativity found in media representations."

The LA Times reports that Morris had transferred to Cal from UC Santa Cruz. Morris was a pianist and multi-insrumentalist who also played guitar and ukelele. Her close friend from high school onward Chloe Studebaker said that she had the "voice of an angel" and "her smile just brightens up anywhere you go."



via Facebook

Vanessa Plotkin, 21, Lakewood

Vanessa Plotkin, a UC Berkeley student and another KALX-FM volunteer, was the roommate of Jennifer Morris. A junior, she was a sociology major, the LA Times reports on a statement from the university. According to the East Bay Times, Pltokin was also a student employee at the information desk of the school's libraries.

She reached her mountain at Berkeley, her father told that publication. This is where she belonged.

At a vigil, her twin sister Victoria recalled that Vanessa "was my best friend. She was my light."

As KALX general manager Sandra Wasson told the Chronicle of both students, Plotkin and Morris, "They were both, you know, really excited about working at the station, and obviously by going to the show, they exhibited that they were really into discovering new music, challenging music," Wasson said. "They were both very kind and very valued for their volunteer work."



via Facebook

Jason McCarty, 36, Oakland

McCarty was the most normal weird guy, friends told KRON 4 and the Associated Press: From Fort Madison, Iowa, he moved to the Bay Area a decade ago to start his master's work at the San Francisco Art Institute, the Chronicle writes, and he had been most recently living in Oakland. After McCarty ventured into audio work, a former teacher, Andrew Benson, wrote on Facebook that "by the time he was my student, he was already deep into it, making noise, and all I could do is point him in one direction or another.

McCarty worked for an audio-visual company and with several bands after graduating, and his girlfriend, Grace Lovio, says that he performed music under a variety of stage names. His last song was called "Graces Anti-Gravity Glance." Said Lovio: "He said he wanted to make something that I would like."



via UC MERCED

Jennifer Mendiola, 35, Oakland

Whenever she danced, everyone in the room would stop what they were doing and look at her, because she was the most beautiful thing in the room, Anna Mendiola, the sister of the late Jennifer Mendiola,told the Chronicle. Her studies nearly complete, Jennifer Mendiola was due to receive a doctorate in health psychology from UC Merced next year, becoming Dr. Mendiola. Its just horrifying. She was almost finished. She had all her coursework done, Anna Mendiola said. You cant even imagine how tirelessly she worked.

Splitting her time between her home in Oakland and Merced, Mendiola had hoped to someday become a professor, according to a colleague, Ruben Castenada. She was always happy, smiling, bright, Castaneda said. She was a great academic, always working really hard on getting research done. She had a very clear path and focus on what she wanted to do.

Mendiola was a native of Sacramento and was married to Jean-Thierry Mendiola, though the couple had separated a few months ago and were in marriage counseling. Meanwhile, Mendiola, who held degrees from San Francisco State Univeristy and California State University Sacramento, had been dating Micah Danemayer, who also perished in the fire at Ghost Ship. She's identified in a photo of Danemayer as his girlfriend under the Facebook pseudonym Alana Kane, the East bay Times reports, a privacy measure.



Gregory, left, and Vega, right, via Facebook.

Alex Vega, 22, San Bruno

At Ghost Ship with his girlfriend Michela Gregory, who also passed in the fire, Alex Vega was a tall, skinny introvert with a fun-loving side. There were some folks that were found hugging each other, Michelas father David Gregory told the East Bay Times. I believe my daughter and Alex were hugging each other."

Vega enjoyed working on cars, the Chronicle writes, and though he lived in San Bruno with his family, he held jobs as a valet at UCSF during the day and at night at Duggan's Serra Mortuary in Daly City.

"He was an old soul," Vega's brother, Daniel, told the Chronicle. "He loved older things." Even if the two hadn't been brothers, Daniel, who is 36, said that he and Alex would have been best friends.



Jonathan Bernbaum via Facebook

Jonathan Bernbaum, 34, Oakland

A video and light producer known for his passion for the music scene, Bernbaum, who was at Ghost Ship to show his support, was respected jinternationally, working festivals the world over according to the East Bay Times. Bernbaum toured, for example, with the Australian EDM band Knife Party: If youve seen a Knife Party show in the last three or four years, theres a 99% chance you were watching Jons visuals and know how talented he was, band member Rob Swire tweeted after learning of Bernbaum's death.

A USC film school graduate, Bernbaum was recalled by classmates as "a very inclusive, welcoming person. He attended Berkeley High School, where he was a reporter for the school newspaper, and graduated from Brandeis University in Massachusetts in 2004 according to the Chronicle.

As has been reported multiple places, Bernbaum was close with audio engineer Barrett Clark and musician Joey Casio, and the friends had gone to the show Friday to support and listen to Casio.



Sylvan and Renner via Facebook

Michele (Collette) Sylvan, 37, Oakland

Michele Sylvan was one of a kind, friends tell the East Bay Times. "Her talent and beauty left me awe-struck at times," one wrote to Facebook.

Sylvan was the girlfriend of 61-year-old Wolfgang Renner , who was profiled yesterday. Speaking of the couple, friend Robert Janca said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press that The world is a decidedly less colorful one without them... So long dear souls. Thank you for the treasures you shared. We will see you in Valhalla and in the interim we will celebrate your rich lives as you would undoubtedly have wanted us to.



Pete Wadsworth via Facebook

Peter Wadsworth, 38, Oakland

The only resident of the Ghost Ship warehouse to die in the fire there, Peter Wadsorth was a native of Boston who studied psychology at Harvard University and Reed College according to his Facebook page. He was a walking catalogue of correct factual knowledge, Swan Vega, an artist who also lived at the warehouse, told the Chronicle. He was like our Dumbledore  our wise wizard. He was a genius. He was pure intelligence."

Tammy Tasoff, a friend, recalled to the Associated Press that Wadsworth was "like a brother," buying video games for her to play and watching her do so. "Usually he'd say, 'Let's play video games,' and then he'd say, 'No, I just want to watch you play,'" Tasoff said. "He'd make me food. He took really good care of me."



via Durie Tangri

Nick Walrath, 31, Oakland

A lawyer with a promising future, Nick Walrath, originally of Pittsburgh, had just begun work on his first case, having signed on with a boutique litigation firm to pursue intellectual property law after completing a coveted US Court of Appeals clerkship in US District Court in San Francisco, the Chronicle writes. His bicycle was found outside of the ghost Ship warehouse.

He was a lawyer but he was so much more, his mother recalled He was fiercely curious, charming and graceful. He was the person that his younger sisters and their friends all looked up to. He was the coolest kid in the room who never acted like he was cool.

Originally a science enthusiast, Walrath went to MIT and then began a PhD program in atomic physics at the University of Colorado before switching direction to pursue law at NYU. There, in New York, he met Lexi Abrams-Bourke and together they moved to the Bay Area. His younger sisters, too, relocated to Oakland, and they would often dine together.

On Friday, his last message to Abrams-Bourke was a text: "Fire. I love you, it reportedly said.



Previously: Oakland Fire Victims Included These Six Artists And Creative Forces

Profiles Of Seven More Creative Souls Lost In Oakland's Ghost Ship Fire



Six More Profiles Of Those Lost In Oakland's 'Ghost Ship' Fire

Profiles Of Eight People Who Died In The Oakland Warehouse Fire


When voters passed Proposition W back in November, they were told that revenues generated by the increased real estate transfer tax on residential and commercial properties worth over $5 million would go toward making City College tuition free. It turns out that that may have been wishful thinking. The Chronicle reports that Mayor Ed Lee's proposed budget only puts $3 million annually, not the $14 million annually that free tuition proponents said was needed, toward the free tuition plan. Meaning, it probably won't happen in any form in the near future.

How can he do this? Well, although the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution in July saying that the money from Prop W would be used for City College, the resolution was non-binding. What's more, the revenue Prop W generates goes into San Francisco's General Fund  meaning the money is not restricted. So the money is there, it's just going to be spent elsewhere as the city is facing a major budget deficit.

I took into account all the needs and put forward a plan to deal with all of them in what I feel is a fair and reasonable way, Lee explained in a statement released Thursday. There are always tough decisions that need to be made in a rebalancing budget, but this takes into account what voters and residents have advocated for.

Those who support making City College free, like Supervisor Jane Kim, disagree. We can and must remain committed to our promise to make City College free for all San Francisco residents, Kim told the Chronicle. This promise wasnt contingent on both the real estate transfer tax and the sales tax passing. ... Instead of raiding our fund, lets work on a progressive revenue measure together this year which can pass.

Kim is referring to the voter-defeated Proposition K  a general sales tax that would have put revenue into the General Fund. Supporters argued that it was needed to pay for Proposition J, but, again, the to-be-generated revenue was destined for the General Fund so there was no way to be sure where that money would have been spent had the measure passed. Regardless, the measure didn't pass because people don't like new taxes, and that's a problem for the city's budget which assumed that it would.

Which brings us to the present, where it's not just the idea of free tuition at City College that is likely about to go up in smoke. Lee's budget reneges on several promises made to the San Francisco citizenry prior to the election. From homeless services to transportation funding, money is being shuffled in an attempt to at least partially fund voter-identified priorities. In this sort of compromise, of course, everyone is likely to be left upset.

This reapportioning of funds is set to happen whether or not president-elect Donald Trump follows through on his promise to cut federal funding to Sanctuary Cities like ours, which could result in close to a billion dollars in lost funds to the budget. The aforementioned failure of Prop K, combined with what the Chronicle reports as the city's pension woes, means our budget is dripping in red ink. The dream of free City College for all is just the first promise likely headed for the chopping block.

Related: Twitter Tax Break And Proposed Free City College On Chopping Block Following Trump's Win
LOS ANGELES  Sitting inside his empty travel agency in Los Angeles, Farhad Besharati expressed concern about the decline of his business.

The majority of his customers are older Persians who come to him when they want to purchase airline tickets to Iran. But lately, he said, some are canceling their flights, and fewer people are arranging trips.

Besharati blames recent arrests in his homeland of Iranians who hold dual citizenship, some of whom have received lengthy prison sentences.

Iranian-Americans have increasingly found themselves pawns in a power struggle between the countrys hardliners and the more moderate-leaning President Hassan Rouhani, who has sought better relations with the international community.

Hope inspired last year by the signing of a nuclear accord between Iran and the United States and other world powers now commingles with fear, especially in Los Angeles, home to the largest Persian community outside Iran.

My business is down 50 percent, said Besharati. (My customers) are asking what would happen to them if they go back to Iran. I tell them if they are not active in politics, they are safe.

Many Iranian-Americans were encouraged last January when four Americans, including Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, were freed from jail in exchange for U.S. prosecutors dropping cases against 21 Iranians. The agreement came as economic sanctions against Iran were being lifted as part of the nuclear pact.

Optimism was stoked when Rouhani spoke to a group of Iranian-Americans during the U.N. General Assembly in 2013, encouraging them and others to visit Iran.

It is the natural right of every Iranian to be able to visit his or her homeland, Rouhani told the crowd, according to the Iranian Tasnim News Agency.

But as some dual citizens returned to the nation of their births, they encountered trouble.

Since his election in 2013, Rouhanis administration has faced great opposition from Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps, which seeks to undermine his influence and use dual citizens as leverage against Western countries, experts say.

Last summer, San Diego resident Reza Robin Shahini became one of several U.S. citizens detained in Iran, joining dual nationals from Britain and France who had been arrested earlier this year.

In late October, Iran sentenced Shahini to 18 years in jail for collaborating with a hostile government.

His prison sentence came a week after Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi, who was living in Dubai before his arrest, and his ailing father, Baquer Namazi, were sentenced to 10 years in prison each on similarly vague charges of spying for the United States, according to a report by Mizan, the Iranian judiciarys news service.

Shirin Jamshidi, a recent graduate of Columbia Universitys School of International and Public Affairs, had spent part of last year arranging a trip to Iran with classmates but abruptly canceled it after Namazis arrest. Jamshidi says she was warned through various channels in Iran, both official and unofficial, not to come.

It was very disappointing because as an Iranian, I truly wanted to give an opportunity for my friends from other backgrounds to go and experience (Iran), Jamshidi said.

Omid Memarian, 42, an Iranian-American journalist who fled Iran in 2005 after being imprisoned for his work, initially thought the situation might improve after Rouhanis election.

Now he feels like it has gotten worse, even for those who are not politically involved. The (Revolutionary Guard Corps) intelligence unit has become much stronger and are very paranoid about Iranians who live in the U.S., particularly journalists and academics, he said.

Still, there are dual nationals who say they have visited Iran for more than 30 years without incident, many to see loved ones or take care of business.

Iran experienced a mass exodus after its 1979 Islamic revolution. As many as 500,000 people of Iranian descent live in Southern California  with more than 100,000 alone living around Los Angeles, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

In August, the State Department updated its travel warning, advising that Iranian authorities continue to unjustly detain and imprison U.S. citizens, particularly Iranian-Americans, including students, journalists, business travelers, and academics on charges including espionage and posing a threat to national security.

And because Iran does not recognize dual citizenship, its government treats them as Iranian citizens, making it much more difficult for the United States to provide assistance.

Faramarz Bolandpour, a Westwood businessman who helps Iranian-Americans process their passports, said hes noticed more people expressing concern about traveling to Iran.

I tell them I dont know what their situation is, he said. If something happens to them, I dont want to be responsible.

Barbara Slavin, who directs the Future of Iran Initiative at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, said that if a dual citizen is outspoken about Iranian politics, they need to be especially cautious. Otherwise, Slavin said, the vast majority of dual citizens should be able to travel to Iran without encountering problems with the government.

Smoking shisha, a flavored tobacco, while working on their laptops at an outdoor cafe in Westwood, friends Sasan Mirtorabi, 33, and Shervin Natan, 30, said they encourage young Persians to visit Iran. Mirtorabi, who visited Iran in August and travels there every two years, said that hes never encountered troubles.

Im like zero scared to go, he said. Its not like a widespread arrest of people going there.

Natan, who has never been to Iran, said he is eager to visit and that his family goes back and forth often.

My uncle lives six months out of the year in Iran, he said. I have Jewish friends and family who go all the time and have zero problems.

But for some Iranian-Americans, particularly exiles who fled during the 1979 Islamic revolution, returning to their birth country has never felt safe.

Memarian, whose immediate family lives in Iran, said he lost his mother and father in the past 18 months and felt devastated that he couldnt see them. He keeps in touch with family through Skype, phone and social media on a regular basis.

Bahman Bennett fled Iran 27 years ago and doesnt plan on visiting anytime soon, even though he still has family there.

Instead, Bennett maintains his cultural ties as the owner of a store that sells Iranian books, clothes and decorations in the heart of Tehrangeles, the moniker given to an area in Westwood where many Persians live and own businesses.

I love my culture. This is my little Iran and for my community, he said of his store. Im proud to be Iranian, but as long as the (Iranian) government is there, nothing is going to change. Our life here is established, and I cannot go back and start from zero.
The now retired Spanish and French teacher was talking with students 10 years ago when she caught her foot under her desk, tumbled and fractured her hip.

I could actually hear the hip crack, Fredman, 77, recalled. I knew I needed something more than masking tape and Krazy Glue.

After surgery, Fredman spent the next six weeks in a rehabilitation nursing home, followed by intensive physical therapy and further operations. Her husband installed banisters on their stairways and grab rails and nonskid tiles in their bathroom.

But the Millburn, New Jersey, resident said something else has lingered longer than the pain and medical bills.

Now I have a fear of falling, she admitted. If I go down even two stairs, I absolutely need a banister. I am always afraid of losing my balance. Its something in my head that just wont go away.

Fredman has made adjustments. My husbands or sons arm is always there, and I take a balance class and work on my bone strength. Good balance is an absolute gift.

Fredman is not alone. In spite of growing recognition of the problem, fall rates are rising.

And never before has there been such a concerted effort to prevent those falls.

One-third of seniors over 65 fall each year, causing more than 2.5 million injuries treated in ERs, leading to 734,000 hospitalizations and more than 30,200 deaths, with an annual price tag exceeding $40 billion, which is expected to rise to $60 billion by 2020, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC predicted a quadrupling of annual deaths from falls by 2030, to exceed 100,000 if nothing is done to improve prevention.

This is why unprecedented research into falls and prevention programs is underway.

Kathleen Cameron, senior director of the National Falls Prevention Resource Center for the National Council on Aging, said she is seeing greater resources and attention paid to falls.

Cameron said the U.S. Health Departments Administration for Community Living and the Affordable Care Act are financing fall prevention programs along with state public health agencies.

People are hearing more about it because of new money going to it, she explained, citing last years White House Summit on Fall Prevention and the annual Falls Prevention Day.

She said the CDC is promoting a program to encourage health care providers to initiate fall risk assessments and interventions. Forty states have fall prevention coalitions. Cameron said nearly 80 percent of the costs of falls among seniors are paid by Medicare, shouldered by taxpayers.

Its a huge burden for taxpayers and older adults, with the potential for broken bones and traumatic brain injury, as well as the loss of independence and out-of-pocket costs, she said.

The older adult population is increasing as the baby boomer generation turns 65. And many older adults also have multiple chronic conditions (diabetes, heart disease, chronic heart failure), which put them at greater risk of falls. Many take multiple medications, some of which cause dizziness and can lead to falls. And many older adults tend to be more sedentary, with weak balance and strength.

She said many physicians dont screen their patients for fall risks or ask if theyve fallen recently. She said the most difficult obstacle is the widespread belief that falls are a normal part of aging and cannot be prevented.

We cant stop all falls, Cameron conceded. But we can greatly reduce the rate and severity of falls.

Dr. Thomas Gill, professor at the Yale School of Medicine, is a leader in a clinical trial at 10 sites around the country to test whether interventions can reduce the risk of fall injuries among high-risk older populations. He said the work is based on research by his colleague Dr. Mary Tinetti, a MacArthur Foundation genius fellow and fall-research pioneer who developed effective programs to prevent falls.

Falls are a complex geriatric condition that arises because of a confluence of different factors, ranging from visual impairment and balance disorders to medication use that may impair cognition or lower blood pressure, Gill explained.

He said footwear choice and home environment, such as lighting, floor and bathroom surfaces, also contribute. In the study, a nurse fall care manager identifies home and lifestyle risk factors and prioritizes and addresses them.

This is not a one-size-fits-all approach but is tailored to the specific needs of older persons.
SIOUX CITY | Nearly every day since the Nov. 8 election, Northwest Iowans Don Kass and Kurt Brown have heard criticisms of Donald Trump from people who contend the brash billionaire investor's views are too far out of mainstream that he should be denied the presidency.

Such claims from Trump detractors are playing out on social media and conversations across America and in Iowa. The venting, in many situations, may ultimately go nowhere. But when people contact Kass and Brown they are reaching a select group of people who, at this late stage, can do something about who becomes the 45th president.

Kass, of Remsen, and Brown, of Primghar, are two of the six Iowans who will serve as Electoral College electors to officially select a new president. Both plan to vote for Donald Trump, the Republican who carried the state on Nov. 8.

"I plan on it. (Trump) would almost have to murder somebody or something like that before I wouldn't," Brown said.

Coincidentally, Brown's comment was reminiscent to something Trump said in January 2016 in Sioux Center, Iowa, when he drew a big response for saying, "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters."

The founding fathers set the Electoral College as the process to select the president, as a compromise between election of the president by a vote in Congress or by a popular vote of qualified citizens.

Each state is given a number of electors that matches the number of U.S. House and Senate members, and the political parties pick the electors. The electors will cast ballots in Des Moines and other state capitals in other states on Dec. 19.

There is the potential for uncertainty in Iowa, since, unlike in 23 other states, electors in Iowa arent bound to vote for their partys candidates.

One Republican elector, Christopher Supra of Texas, has said he won't cast his ballot for Trump and he won't be alone. It would take at least 37 "faithless" GOP electors to prevent Trump from taking office, however.

Kass, 51, is a longtime chairman of the Plymouth County Republican Party and a member of the Plymouth County Board. Kass was a Republican elector in 2004.

Kass said the effort to sway his vote this year is much more concerted than 12 years ago, when he received less than 10 letters urging him to vote for Democrat John Kerry rather than Republican President George W. Bush, who also won the popular vote.

The results of the 2016 election are different. Trump won 305 electoral votes, well above the threshold of 270. But Clinton won above two million votes more than Trump nationally, which has prompted many Americans to argue the Electoral College voters should select the clear popular vote winner instead.

Kass said he hasn't answered the more than 1,300 emails, more than 200 mailed letters, dozen phone calls and numerous social media messages he has received since election day.

He doesn't have time to address that onslaught, and added that the outreach doesn't anger him. Kass asserted that the people who argue that Trump shouldn't become president are in some sense blowing off steam.

"They are writing and contacting me as a form of therapy. It gives them something to do in reaction to Mr. Trump's victory. I can kind of understand that. They are not going to change my mind. If it makes them feel better, that is fine. It is their right to reach out to me, being an elector means I am a public official," Kass said.

Kass also figures the tone of the contacts could turn in the final days.

"I suspect that the level of vitriol may increase, to the point that there may be threats. There have been threats (to electors) in other states," Kass said.

Brown has been contacted by more than 7,000 people about his vote. The minority of those contacts wanted Brown to vote for Trump, the majority have asked him to vote for "anybody but Trump." At one busy point in mid-November, emails were coming at abut eight per minute, and he expects another surge before Dec. 19.

"It is over 7,300 emails. As far as letters and postcards, it is over 100-plus. The phone calls, I have lost track," Brown said.

Brown, 65, worked as the O'Brien County Recorder for 32 years until retiring in 2014. He preferred Republican candidate Ben Carson a year ago, but has made his peace with Trump, saying he would appoint conservatives to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"I am ready to reclaim our nation and get it back on the right track after eight years in the wrong direction," Brown said.

"There is no way on earth I would vote for Hillary."

Brown said he is tired of Democrats pushing to abolish the Electoral College.

Brown and Kass said the Electoral College system of picking the president is defensible, since otherwise smaller states such as Iowa would be outweighed by bigger ones if the total popular vote settled the presidential pick.

Kass said Trump, a mega-billionaire entrepreneur, is poised to be a good president.

"The main thing is that he is not a standard politician. You can say, 'Well he's a billionaire, he doesn't live in the real world.' But frankly, his experience in getting big things done in an efficient manner is what I think this county needs to solve the problems we are looking at right now," Kass said.

Brown said it is an honor to serve as an elector, which "was on my bucket list."

"Not that many people get to do that in their lifetime," Brown said.

Kass said serving as an Electoral College elector is like taking part in a large cultural national event, such as the 1969 Woodstock music festival.

"It is a way of taking part in history," Kass said.

Kass is the 4th congressional district elector and Brown is an at-large elector.

The four other electors are James Whitmer, of Waterloo, Alan Braun, a Norwalk physician, Polly Granzow, a former state representative from Eldora, and Dylan Keller, a University of Northern Iowa student from Donnellson.

Brown was also picked to be an elector in 2012, but when Democratic President Barack Obama won re-election, he didn't advance to take part in the electoral college duties.
SIOUX CITY | Iowa economic development director Debi Durham said Friday she has no interest in serving as lieutenant governor if offered the position by Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, her roommate in Des Moines.

"That's not an option for me," said Durham, and a former president of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce.

Reynolds, who has been at Gov. Branstad's side since he won a fifth term in 2010, will automatically ascend to governor after Gov. Terry Branstad resigns to becomes U.S. ambassador to China early next year.

Speculation has abounded over whom Reynolds will pick as lieutenant governor. Durham's name has come up as a possible pick primarily because of her close relationship with Reynolds, and Durham having served as Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Gross' running mate in 2002, when voters re-elected Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack.

In an interview with the Journal, Durham took herself out of the running for the soon-to-be open lieutenant governor post.

"I can guarantee you she will have many great resumes to choose from for that position, but I will not be among them," Durham said. "That political career, for me, is not what I would look for as an opportunity."

Durham, has maintained her home in Sioux City with her husband, Joe, commuting to Des Moines on a weekly basis. In the state capital city, she has shared an apartment with Reynolds, who hails from southwest Iowa.

"It appears like I might have to find a new roommate. That may be my biggest challenge," Durham said with a laugh.

Since Branstad accepted President-elect Donald Trump's offer to serve as ambassador to China on Tuesday, Durham said she has not spoken with Reynolds about whether she will continue to lead the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Durham did not commit to staying on in that role.

"I would be willing to have a conversation about it," she said.

Durham spoke in a phone call from New York City, where she got a flavor of the hullabaloo surrounding multiple reports that Branstad would step down after 22 years as governor, a record tenure for any U.S. governor. She was with Branstad on Tuesday and Wednesday working business prospects in New York.

Branstad, 70, met with President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday in Trump Tower in New York. Durham said she and Branstad were too busy to talk about the possible ambassadorship until Wednesday, when he shared details with her over breakfast.

"I have seen it kind of first-hand, the unfolding of this," Durham said.

It's not clear what date Reynolds, 57, will become governor. Trump will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, and Branstad's appointment to ambassador of China must still be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Durham said it's bittersweet to see Branstad, who tapped her to lead the Iowa Economic Development Authority in 2011, end his long tenure as governor. But she is ecstatic over the new leadership opportunity for her close friend Reynolds.

"There's never has been anyone more ready to be governor from day one and take off...I have the highest respect for her," Durham said.

Durham said it's notable that Iowa, which was granted statehouse in 1846, will finally have its first female governor.

"It is not only historic, but about time. That's a great day," Durham said.

Branstad first met Chinese President Xi Jinping in 1985, who was a governmental official at the time, during a visit to Iowa when Branstad was in his first term as governor. China is Iowa's largest export market.

Durham said she has traveled to China as part of business development roughly a half dozen times, and Branstad was along on all but one of those trips. She said Branstad is poised to do well, given his knowledge of the East Asia nation, which she has observed first-hand.

"Governor Branstad is a very skilled diplomat," Durham said.

"Because of his relationship with President Xi, he is highly regarded in China," she added. "When you look at the number of trade missions he has led to China, an individual said, 'When you are friends with President Xi, you are friends with all of China'...I don't think there is actually anyone who could do it better than Governor Branstad."
WASHINGTON -- Starting next month, the United States will have a minority government.

This assertion flies in the face of just about everything you have read, since the Republicans will control the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives. But the American system of representation, invented 229 years ago for 13 states that hugged the Atlantic shore, is more than ever out of tune with how the country's citizens have distributed themselves, across now 50 states and between metropolitan areas and the countryside.

For the next two and probably four years, a majority of Americans will be governed by politicians largely elected by a minority of us. With the country already sharply divided, this is a problem that can no longer be politely ignored. Worse still, a government put in place by the peculiar workings of an outdated system is threatening to pursue quite radical policies destined to arouse considerable resistance from the disempowered majority.

The first problem is the Electoral College. On only three occasions from the first presidential election in 1788 through 1996 did the loser of the popular vote become president. Two were unusual contests: 1824, when four candidates split the electoral votes; and 1876, when the returns from three Southern states were disputed, a special "Electoral Commission" was formed, and a deal was arranged to make Rutherford B. Hayes president. Benjamin Harrison's election in 1888 was a more standard affair; his popular vote deficit to incumbent Grover Cleveland was modest, 89,293 votes (0.8 percent).

But the pace of anti-democratic outcomes is picking up. Since 2000, the loser of the popular vote has "won" two elections. George W. Bush became president in 2001 after losing the popular vote to Al Gore by 543,895. And this year came what ought to be -- but, alas, won't be -- the result that should concentrate everyone's attention on the dysfunction of our electoral rules. Hillary Clinton leads in the popular vote count by 2.7 million (2 percent), and her advantage is likely to grow. But Donald Trump is becoming our president.

The inherent illogic of our practices, and the fact that they have nothing to do with the Founders' intentions, is underscored by this contradiction: We are supposed to ignore the national popular vote, but deeply respect Trump's narrow 77,000 popular-vote advantage in the three states that will tip the Electoral College his way.

The Constitution itself, of course, makes no mention of popular votes because the framers never expected there to be any. They saw the Electoral College as a deliberative body chosen by state legislatures. So what we are doing now is neither fair nor in keeping with the Founders' vision.

Compounding the minority government problem is the United States Senate, where each state has two members. California, with a population of 39,144,818, has the same representation as Wyoming, with a population of 586,107 -- a ratio of 67-to-1. At the first census in 1790, the population ratio between the smallest and largest state was only 13-to-1.

The underrepresentation of the big states has measurable partisan effect: The 48 members of the Senate Democratic caucus will be representing 55.33 percent of the nation's population. Once again: The rules disadvantage a majority. Only the GOP's House majority is backed by a plurality of popular votes.

The representation problems in both the Senate and the Electoral College will only get worse as more Americans move to large metropolitan areas where economic opportunities are concentrated, widening the small state/large state, rural/metro gap.

Yet there is little prospect of change. Article Five of the Constitution makes it virtually impossible to alter representation in the Senate, since any one state can object to being "deprived of its equal Suffrage." Collectively, small states could also block reforms to the Electoral College. The National Popular Vote initiative to create a compact of states that would throw their electors to the popular-vote winner is an excellent idea but won't take hold anytime soon.

Since the system currently benefits Republicans and hurts Democrats, any talk about its injustices will be dismissed as partisan pleading by those that benefit from it. But their casual indifference to the non-majoritarian sources of their power will only deepen the resentments among Americans already alarmed by Trump's attacks against groups that oppose him. They are well aware that they're being ruled by a minority. These circumstances call for compromise, consensus, statesmanship and outreach to those who have been left out in the cold. I fear that we will be seeing none of this.
The consensus in Israel is that the relationship between the Jewish state and the United States is going to improve in a Trump administration, says former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Zalman Shoval.

On a recent visit to Washington, D.C., Shoval told me that he believes Donald Trump and his cabinet picks so far have a more "realistic" view of the Middle East than President Obama, who from his first days in office, "perhaps before, believed it was his calling to fix once and for all, all matters between the U.S. and the Arab and Muslim worlds, as expressed in his Cairo speech. ... This gives Trump in the hearts and minds of more than a few Israelis a head-start."

Shoval said he believes the issue of a Palestinian state -- the objective of U.S. foreign policy over several administrations -- has become less concerning than the regional and international threat posed by a nuclear Iran. He likes recent statements by secretary of defense-designate Gen. James Mattis about the way forward in dealing with an unstable Iran, believing Mattis recognizes that as important as it is to defeat ISIS, the real threat in the Middle East is Iran.

It's not only the nuclear deal that bothers Shoval, though he believes Iran will eventually have a bomb, unless it is stopped. It is also bothersome that Iran continues with its terrorist activities, subsidizing anti-American and anti-Israel groups around the world because radical mullahs think their god has ordered them to do so. That makes any kind of diplomatic agreement with nations Iran regards as "infidels" impossible.

Even when the battle for Mosul is over and victory has been declared over that ISIS stronghold, Shoval believes, "what it really will mean is that the Iranians and the Shia are going to be the real victors. They will continue their attempts to build a territorial corridor all the way to the Mediterranean along with Hezbollah, which is not only a threat to Israel, but also something the so-called moderate Arab states look at with a great deal of concern."

Shoval says he hopes the incoming Trump administration realizes that Iran cannot be a partner with the United States in the Middle East "even if from time to time it seems like that because of what's happening in Syria. Ultimately, Iran is a great danger."

People like former President Jimmy Carter have a different worldview. In a recent op-ed for The New York Times, Carter called on President Obama to recognize a Palestinian state before he leaves office. Carter also called on the UN to pass a resolution setting the parameters for "resolving the conflict."

I believe in miracles, but for the UN, or anyone else, to resolve a conflict in which one side thinks it has a heavenly mandate to destroy the other is not where most people would see as a good starting point for conflict resolution. Carter continues to trade off his one success -- the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. But getting one thing right with a unique combination of leaders, one of whom -- Anwar Sadat -- was assassinated by Islamic fanatics for making peace with Israel, is like an astrologer wanting credit for one prediction that came true while ignoring hundreds that didn't.

Shoval disagrees with those who think the Israel-Palestinian status quo is not sustainable. He believes it is, otherwise a Palestinian state "would mean Hamas and Hezbollah would be just 20 minutes away" from Jerusalem and in a position to overwhelm Israel.

In his book, "The Field of Fight," Michael Flynn, Trump's pick to head the National Security Council, writes about President Obama: "I find it simply incredible that an American president should believe a strategic alliance with Iran to be more attractive than our traditional embrace of Israel. Our new leaders need to reverse that, pronto. We will need Israel if we're going to defeat the radical Islamists, and above all, the Iranians."

This is the opposite of wishful thinking.
SOUTH SIOUX CITY | A South Sioux City resident displaced by hydrogen sulfide gas tied to Big Ox Energy said he was asked by the city to move back into his home this week, at least one week before lab testing would be available to show whether the gas inside is below a state-mandated level.

Chris Cornell, 3801 Redbird Lane, was displaced from his home on Oct. 28 due to the gas emanating from the sewer line. He had been staying at Candlewood Inn and Suites, a hotel in Sioux City.

Cornell said he received a call from city administrator Lance Hedquist on Wednesday, stating that his house was clean and that Wednesday night would be his last in the hotel.

"I was kind of shocked," he said. "I don't know why I was selected to go home and my neighbors weren't."

Cornell said after talks with the city, he heard that his stay could be extended as far as Friday night. But due to trouble lining up moving help, he moved back in to his home on Thursday afternoon.

Cornell said while there wasn't any more bad smell, he noticed eye irritation and numbness around his lips and was unsure about gas levels inside.

He then contacted Innovative Business Consultants, which has been measuring the hydrogen sulfide levels in the houses.

IBC risk manager Aaron Iacino said he was told by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services not to clear people to move back into their homes until official lab test results showed the hydrogen sulfide content was 7.17 parts per billion. Those official test results, he said, won't be available until late next week.

Iacino said he is sending about 35 samples in for testing. More testing on other homes is being conducted.

It's unclear whether miscommunication led to the call to Cornell. City Administrator Lance Hedquist told the Journal Friday that, according to his understanding, conditions were fine for Cornell to move back.

"The testing had been taken, from my understanding, and the people that have been in-house said that it was O.K.," he said.

Hedquist did not return a call for further clarification on the comment.

South Sioux City Mayor Rod Koch, who had been out of town during the second half of the week, told the Journal Friday afternoon that it could have been miscommunication, and it is not the city's goal to push residents back into their homes before levels are within the state-mandated range.

We dont want them to go back to their homes until they feel safe, Koch said. We want to make sure they feel good about it.

The hydrogen sulfide testing is the second in a four-step protocol for returning the residents to their homes. The other steps include a plumbing inspection, inspection of homes to determine repair needs and quotes and submission of an itemized claim request.

Big Ox Energy is currently paying for the hotel stays. Deanna Beckman, who is now serving as a liaison between Big Ox, South Sioux City, residents and the media, said Thursday that approximately 14 residents remain displaced from their homes. They are staying at either the Marina Inn or Candlewood Suites.

Residents who wish to return to their homes prior to test results are allowed to.

A statement released Thursday by Big Ox Energy spokesman Evan Zeppos said the company is continuing to investigate the cause of the problem at its facility, and that the company is focused on taking the necessary steps to safely returning residents to their homes.

During Thursday's meeting, a representative with McClure Engineering, the firm hired by the city about a month ago, said hydrogen sulfide levels are abating in the sewer lines and are at "normal" range.

City officials also said Thursday that the city is putting a continuous feed of hydrogen peroxide into the sewer line running below the homes at a rate of about 25 gallons per hour, 24 hours a day, with costs running about $10,000 per week.

Since Nov. 9, the city has not seen unusual spikes of hydrogen sulfide in the sewer line. It is unclear, however, what would happen if the peroxide were removed.

Workers performing the plumbing tests said they had found numerous plumbing deficiencies in the homes while conducting smoke tests at the affected residences.
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Imperial Oil Limited engages in exploration, production, and sale of crude oil and natural gas in Canada. The company operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream and Chemical segments. The Upstream segment explores for, and produces crude oil, natural gas, synthetic oil, and bitumen. As of December 31, 2021, this segment had 386 million oil-equivalent barrels of proved undeveloped reserves. The Downstream segment is involved in the transportation and refining of crude oil, blending of refined products and the distribution, and marketing of refined products. It also transports crude oil to refineries by contracted pipelines, common carrier pipelines, and rail; maintains a distribution system to move petroleum products to market by pipeline, tanker, rail, and road transport; and owns and operates fuel terminals, natural gas liquids, and products pipelines in Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario. In addition, this segment markets and supplies petroleum products to motoring public through approximately 2,400 Esso and Mobil-branded sites. Further, it sells petroleum products, including fuel, asphalt, and lubricants for industrial and transportation customers, independent marketers, and resellers, as well as other refiners serving the agriculture, residential heating, and commercial markets through branded fuel and lubricant resellers. The Chemical segment manufactures and markets various petrochemicals, benzene, aromatic and aliphatic solvents, plasticizer intermediates, and polyethylene resin. Imperial Oil Limited has a strategic agreement with E3 Metals Corp. to advance a lithium-extraction pilot in Alberta. The company was incorporated in 1880 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Imperial Oil Limited is a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation.
Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 900 bank branches and 3,300 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. Bank of Montreal was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
General Mills, Inc. manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. The company operates in five segments: North America Retail; Convenience Stores & Foodservice; Europe & Australia; Asia & Latin America; and Pet. It offers ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, soup, meal kits, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, bakery flour, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, snack bars, fruit and salty snacks, ice cream, nutrition bars, wellness beverages, and savory and grain snacks, as well as various organic products, including frozen and shelf-stable vegetables. It also supplies branded and unbranded food products to the North American foodservice and commercial baking industries; and manufactures and markets pet food products, including dog and cat food. The company markets its products under the Annie's, Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Blue Buffalo, Blue Basics, Blue Freedom, Bugles, Cascadian Farm, Cheerios, Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, EPIC, Fiber One, Food Should Taste Good, Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, Fruit Roll-Ups, Gardetto's, Go-Gurt, Gold Medal, Golden Grahams, Haagen-Dazs, Helpers, Jus-Rol, Kitano, Kix, Larabar, Latina, Liberte, Lucky Charms, Muir Glen, Nature Valley, Oatmeal Crisp, Old El Paso, Oui, Pillsbury, Progresso, Raisin Nut Bran, Total, Totino's, Trix, Wanchai Ferry, Wheaties, Wilderness, Yoki, and Yoplait trademarks. It sells its products directly, as well as through broker and distribution arrangements to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, membership stores, natural food chains, e-commerce retailers, commercial and noncommercial foodservice distributors and operators, restaurants, convenience stores, and pet specialty stores, as well as drug, dollar, and discount chains. The company operates 466 leased and 392 franchise ice cream parlors. General Mills, Inc. was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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. Ltd., Caterpillar Renting France S.A.S., Caterpillar Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar SARL, Caterpillar Services Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Servizi Italia Srl, Caterpillar Shrewsbury Limited, Caterpillar Skinningrove Limited, Caterpillar Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., Caterpillar Special Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Switchgear Americas LLC, Caterpillar Switchgear Holding Inc., Caterpillar Tianjin Ltd., Caterpillar Torreon S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Tosno L.L.C., Caterpillar Transmissions France S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Holdings Ltd., Caterpillar Tunnelling Canada Corporation, Caterpillar Tunnelling Europe Limited, Caterpillar UK Employee Trust Limited, Caterpillar UK Engines Company Limited, Caterpillar UK Group Limited, Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Caterpillar Undercarriage (Xuzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Used Equipment Services Inc., Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., Caterpillar Work Tools B.V., Caterpillar Work Tools Inc., Caterpillar World Trading Corporation, Caterpillar Xuzhou, Caterpillar of Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar of Canada Corporation, Caterpillar of Delaware Inc., Centre de Distribution de Wallonie SPRL, CleanAir Systems, Downer Freight Rail, ECM Railway Evolution Romania s.r.l., ECM S.p.A., EDC European Excavator Design Center GmbH, EMC Holding Corp., EMD International Holdings Inc., ERA Information & Entertainment (BVI) Limited, ERA Mining Machinery Limited, Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, Electro-Motive Locomotive Technologies LLC, Electro-Motive Technical Consulting Co. (Beijing) Ltd., Energy Services International Limited, Equipos de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Eurenov S.A.S., F. G. Wilson (Proprietary) Limited, F. Perkins Limited, FG Wilson (Engineering) Limited, GB Holdco (China) Inc., GFCM Comercial Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., GFCM Servicios S.A. de C.V., Gremada Industries - Assets, Hong Kong Siwei Holdings Limited, Inmobiliaria Conek S.A. de C.V., JCS Co., Kemper Valve & Fittings Corp., Leo Inc., Locomotive Demand Power Pty Ltd., Locomotoras Progress Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Lovat, M2M Data Corporation, MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios, MWM, MWM Austria GmbH, MWM Benelux B.V., MWM Energy Australia Pty Ltd, MWM France S.A.S, MWM Real Estate GmbH, MaK Americas Inc., MaK Americas Inc. (Canada), Magnum Power Products LLC, Marble, Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH, Mec-Track S.r.l., Metalmark Financial Services Limited, Motoren Steffens GmbH, Nippon Caterpillar LLC, P. T. Solar Services Indonesia, PT Caterpillar Finance Indonesia, PT. Bucyrus Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia Batam, PT. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Indonesia, Perkins Engines, Perkins Engines (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, Perkins Engines Group Limited, Perkins Engines Inc., Perkins Group Limited, Perkins Holdings Limited LLC, Perkins India Private Limited, Perkins International Inc., Perkins Japan LLC, Perkins Limited, Perkins Machinery (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Perkins Motores do Brasil Ltda., Perkins Power Systems Technology (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines LLC, Perkins Small Engines Limited, Perkins Technology Inc., Progress Metal Reclamation Company, Progress Rail Arabia Limited Company, Progress Rail Australia Pty Ltd, Progress Rail Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios do Brasil Ltda., Progress Rail Equipment Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Holdings Inc., Progress Rail Innovations Private Limited, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems GmbH, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems S.r.l., Progress Rail International Corp., Progress Rail Leasing Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Progress Rail Locomotivas (do Brasil) Ltda., Progress Rail Locomotive Canada Co., Progress Rail Locomotive Chile SpA, Progress Rail Locomotive Inc., Progress Rail Maintenance de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Progress Rail Manufacturing Corporation, Progress Rail Raceland Corporation, Progress Rail Rocklin Corporation, Progress Rail SA Proprietary Limited, Progress Rail Services Corporation, Progress Rail Services Holdings Corp., Progress Rail Services LLC, Progress Rail Services UK Limited, Progress Rail Switching Services LLC, Progress Rail Transcanada Corporation, Progress Rail Welding Corporation, Progress Rail Wildwood LLC, Progress Rail de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pyroban Group, Pyroban Group, Pyrrha Investments B.V., Pyrrha Investments Limited, S&L Railroad LLC, SCM Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., SPL Software Alliance LLC, Sabre Engines, Servicios de Turbinas Solar S. de R.L. de C.V., Shandong SEM Machinery Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines (Beijing) Trading Services Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines (Thailand) Ltd., Solar Turbines CIS Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Canada Ltd./Ltee., Solar Turbines Central Asia Limited Liability Partnership, Solar Turbines EAME s.r.o., Solar Turbines Egypt Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Europe S.A., Solar Turbines India Private Limited, Solar Turbines International Company, Solar Turbines Italy S.R.L., Solar Turbines Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Solar Turbines Middle East Limited, Solar Turbines New Zealand Limited, Solar Turbines Saudi Arabia Limited, Solar Turbines Services Company, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Solar Turbines Services of Argentina S.R.L., Solar Turbines Switzerland Sagl, Solar Turbines Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Solar Turbines West-Africa SARL, Tangshan DBT Machinery Co. Ltd., Tecnologia Modificada S.A. de C.V., Towmotor Corporation, Traction & Mining Motor Repairs Pty Ltd, Turbinas Solar S.A. de C.V., Turbinas Solar de Colombia S.A., Turbinas Solar de Venezuela C.A., Turbo Tecnologia de Reparaciones S.A. de C.V., Turbomach, Turbomach Endustriyel Gaz Turbinleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited, Turbomach France SARL, Turbomach GmbH, Turbomach Netherlands B.V., Turbomach Pakistan (Private) Limited, Turbomach S.A. Unipersonal, Turbomach Sp. Z o.o., Turner Powertrain Systems Limited, UK Hose Assembly Limited, Underground Imaging Technologies Inc, United Industries LLC, VALA Inc., Vasky Energy Ltd., Wealdstone Engineering, Weir - Oil & Gas Division, West Virginia Auto Shredding Inc., Western Gear Machinery LLC, Wetland Sustainability Fund I LLC, Williams Technologies, Yard Club, Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Sales Co. Ltd., and okyo Rental Ltd..

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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.
The following companies are subsidiares of PepsiCo: Alimentos Quaker Oats y Compania Limitada, Alimentos del Istmo S.A., Amavale Agricola Ltda., Anderson Hill Insurance Limited, Asia Bottlers Limited, BAESA Capital Corporation Ltd., BFY Brands, BFY Brands LLC, BFY Brands Limited, BUG de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Balmoral Industries LLC, Bare Foods Co., Barrhead LLC, Be & Cheery, Beaman Bottling Company, Bebidas Sudamerica S.A., Beech Limited, Bell Taco Funding Syndicate, Bendler Investments II Ltd, Bendler Investments S.a r.l, Beverage Services Limited, Beverages Foods & Service Industries Inc., Bishkeksut OJSC, Blaue NC S. de R.L. de C.V., Blue Cloud Distribution Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arizona Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arkansas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Colorado Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Florida Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Georgia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Illinois Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Indiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Iowa Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Kentucky Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Louisiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Minnesota Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Mississippi Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Missouri Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nebraska Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nevada Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of North Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Ohio Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Oklahoma Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Pennsylvania Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of South Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Tennessee Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Texas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Virginia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Wisconsin Inc., Blue Ridge Sales LLC, Bluebird Foods Limited, Bluecan Holdings Unlimited Company, Bokomo Zambia Limited, Bolsherechensky Molkombinat JSC, Boquitas Fiestas LLC, Boquitas Fiestas S.R.L., Bottling Group Financing LLC, Bottling Group Holdings LLC, Bottling Group LLC, Bronte Industries Ltd, C & I Leasing Inc., CB Manufacturing Company Inc., CEME Holdings LLC, CMC Investment Company, Caroni Investments LLC, Centro-Mediterranea de Bebidas Carbonicas PepsiCo S.L., Ceres Fruit Juices Pty Ltd, ChampBev Inc., China Concentrate Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Chipsy International for Food Industries S.A.E., Chipsy for Food Industries S.A.E., Chitos Internacional y Cia Ltda, Cipa Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cipa Nordeste Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cocina Autentica Inc., Comercializadora CMC Investment y Compania Limitada, Comercializadora Nacional SAS Ltda., Comercializadora PepsiCo Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., Compania de Bebidas PepsiCo S.L., Concentrate Holding Uruguay Pte. Ltd., Concentrate Manufacturing Singapore Pte. Ltd., Confiteria Alegro S. de R.L. de C.V., Copella Fruit Juices Limited, Copper Beech International LLC, Corina Snacks Limited, Corporativo Internacional Mexicano S. de R.L. de C.V., CytoSport Holdings Inc., CytoSport Inc., Davlyn Realty Corporation, Defosto Holdings Limited, Desarrollo Inmobiliario Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Dilexis S.A., Donon Holdings Limited, Drinkfinity USA Inc., Drinkstation Inc., Drinkstation Innovation Co. Ltd., Drinkstation Limited, Dutch Snacks Holding S.A. de C.V., Duyvis Production B.V., EPIC Enterprises Inc., Echo Bay Holdings Inc., Elaboradora Argentina de Cereales S.R.L., Enter Logistica LLC, Environ at Inverrary Partnership, Environ of Inverrary Inc., Eridanus Investments S.a r.l, Evercrisp Snack Productos de Chile S.A., FL Transportation Inc., FLI Andean LLC, FLI Colombia LLC, FLI Snacks Andean GP LLC, Fabrica PepsiCo Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Fabrica de Productos Alimenticios Rene y Cia S.C.A., Fairlight International SRL, Far East Bottlers Hong Kong Limited, Food Concepts Pioneer Ltd., Forest Akers Nederland B.V., Forty-Six Peaks Holding Inc., Fovarosi Asvanyviz es Uditoipari Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Freshwater International B.V., Frito Lay Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Frito Lay Poland Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay de Guatemala y Compania Limitada, Frito-Lay Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Frito-Lay Dip Company Inc., Frito-Lay Dominicana S.A., Frito-Lay Global Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Inc., Frito-Lay Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Manufacturing LLC, Frito-Lay Netherlands Holding B.V., Frito-Lay North America Inc., Frito-Lay Sales Inc., Frito-Lay Trading Company Europe GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company Poland GmbH, Frito-Lay Trinidad Unlimited, Fruko Mesrubat Sanayi Limited Sirketi, GB Czech LLC, GB International Inc., GB Russia LLC, GB Slovak LLC, GMP Manufacturing Inc., Gambrinus Investments Limited, Gamesa LLC, Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Gas Natural de Merida S. A. de C. V., Gatorade Puerto Rico Company, General Bottlers of Hungary Inc., Golden Grain Company, Goveh S.R.L., Grayhawk Leasing LLC, Green Hemlock International LLC, Grupo Frito Lay y Compania Limitada, Grupo Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Grupo Mabel, Grupo Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Gulkevichskiy Maslozavod JSC, Hangzhou Baicaowei Corporate Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co, Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Tao Dao Technology Co. Ltd., Health Warrior, Health Warrior Inc., Heathland LP, Helioscope Limited, Hillbrook Inc., Hillgrove Inc., Hillwood Bottling LLC, Hogganfield Limited Partnership, Holding Company "Opolie" JSC, Homefinding Company of Texas, Hudson Valley Insurance Company, IC Equities Inc., IZZE Beverage Co., Inmobiliaria Interamericana S.A. De C.V., Integrated Beverage Services Bangladesh Limited, Integrated Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., International Bottlers Management Co. LLC, International KAS Aktiengesellschaft, Inversiones Borneo S.R.L., Inversiones PFI Chile Limitada, Inviting Foods Holdings Inc., Inviting Foods LLC, KAS Anorthosis S.a r.l, KAS S.L., KFC, Kevita Inc., Kinvara LLC, Kungursky Molkombinat JSC, Larragana S.L., Latin American Holdings Ltd., Latin American Snack Foods ApS, Latin Foods International LLC, Lebedyansky, Lebedyansky Holdings LLC, Lebedyansky LLC, Limited Liability Company "Sandora", Linkbay Limited, Lithuanian Snacks UAB, Mabel, Marbo Product d.o.o. Beograd, Marbo d.o.o. Laktasi, Matudis - Comercio de Produtos Alimentares Limitada, Matutano - Sociedade de Produtos Alimentares Lda., Mid-America Improvement Corporation, Mountainview Insurance Company Inc., Muscle Milk, NCJV LLC, New Bern Transport Corporation, New Century Beverage Company LLC, Noble Leasing LLC, Northeast Hot-Fill Co-op Inc., Office at Solyanka LLC, Onbiso Inversiones S.L., One World Enterprises LLC, One World Investors Inc., P-A Barbados Bottling Company LLC, P-A Bottlers Barbados SRL, P-Americas LLC, PAS Luxembourg S.a r.l, PAS Netherlands B.V., PBG Canada Holdings II LLC, PBG Canada Holdings Inc., PBG Cyprus Holdings Limited, PBG Investment Partnership, PBG Midwest Holdings S.a r.l, PBG Soda Can Holdings S.a r.l, PCBL LLC, PCNA Manufacturing Inc., PR Beverages Cyprus Holding Limited, PR Beverages Cyprus Russia Holding Limited, PRB Luxembourg S.a r.l, PRS Inc., PSAS Inversiones LLC, PSE Logistica S.R.L., PT Quaker Indonesia, Papas Chips S.A., Pei N.V., Pep Trade LLC, Pepsi B.V., Pepsi Beverages Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bottling Group Global Finance LLC, Pepsi Bottling Group GmbH, Pepsi Bottling Group Hoosiers B.V., Pepsi Bottling Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bugshan Investments S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Colombia Ltda, Pepsi Cola Egypt S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Panamericana S.R.L., Pepsi Cola Servis Ve Dagitim Limited Sirketi, Pepsi Cola Trading Ireland, Pepsi Logistics Company Inc., Pepsi Northwest Beverages LLC, Pepsi Overseas Investments Partnership, Pepsi Promotions Inc., Pepsi-Cola Advertising and Marketing Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bermuda Limited, Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Holding C.V., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company Of St. Louis Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Ft. Lauderdale-Palm Beach LLC, Pepsi-Cola Company, Pepsi-Cola Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Pepsi-Cola Far East Trade Development Co. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Finance LLC, Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers Poland Sp. z o.o., Pepsi-Cola Industrial da Amazonia Ltda., Pepsi-Cola International Cork, Pepsi-Cola International LLC, Pepsi-Cola International Limited, Pepsi-Cola International Limited U.S.A., Pepsi-Cola International Private Limited, Pepsi-Cola Korea Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Management and Administrative Services Inc., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Company Of Uruguay S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing International Limited, Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Mediterranean Limited, Pepsi-Cola Marketing Corp. Of P.R. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mediterranean Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Metropolitan Bottling Company Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mexicana Holdings LLC, Pepsi-Cola Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Pepsi-Cola National Marketing LLC, Pepsi-Cola Operating Company Of Chesapeake And Indianapolis, Pepsi-Cola Sales and Distribution Inc., Pepsi-Cola Technical Operations Inc., Pepsi-Cola Thai Trading Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola de Honduras S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola of Corvallis Inc., PepsiAmericas Nemzetkozi Szolgaltato Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, PepsiCo ANZ Holdings Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Alimentos Antioquia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Colombia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Ecuador Cia. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Z.F. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos de Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Amacoco Bebidas Do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCo Asia Research & Development Center Company Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Cyprus Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Limited Partnership, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 1 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 2 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Australia Holdings Pty Limited, PepsiCo Australia International, PepsiCo Austria Services GmbH, PepsiCo Azerbaijan Limited Liability Company, PepsiCo BeLux BV, PepsiCo Beverage Sales LLC, PepsiCo Beverage Singapore Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Beverages Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Beverages International Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Italia Societa' A Responsabilita' Limitata, PepsiCo Canada Finance LLC, PepsiCo Canada Holdings ULC, PepsiCo Canada Investment ULC, PepsiCo Canada ULC, PepsiCo Captive Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Caribbean Inc., PepsiCo China Limited, PepsiCo Consulting Polska Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo De Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Del Paraguay S.R.L., PepsiCo Deutschland GmbH, PepsiCo Eesti AS, PepsiCo Euro Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Euro Finance Antilles B.V., PepsiCo Europe Support Center S.L., PepsiCo Finance Americas Company, PepsiCo Finance Antilles A N.V., PepsiCo Finance Antilles B N.V., PepsiCo Finance South Africa Proprietary Limited, PepsiCo Financial Shared Services Inc., PepsiCo Food & Beverage Holdings Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Foods A.I.E., PepsiCo Foods China Company Limited, PepsiCo Foods Group Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Foods Guangdong Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Nigeria Limited, PepsiCo Foods Private Limited, PepsiCo Foods Sichuan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Taiwan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Vietnam Company, PepsiCo France SAS, PepsiCo Global Business Services India LLP, PepsiCo Global Business Services Poland Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Global Holdings Limited, PepsiCo Global Investments B.V., PepsiCo Global Investments S.a r.l, PepsiCo Global Mobility LLC, PepsiCo Global Real Estate Inc., PepsiCo Global Trading Solutions Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Golden Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Group Finance International B.V., PepsiCo Group Holdings International B.V., PepsiCo Group Spotswood Holdings S.a r.l, PepsiCo Gulf International FZE, PepsiCo Hellas Single Member Industrial and Commercial Societe Anonyme, PepsiCo Holding de Espana S.L., PepsiCo Holdings, PepsiCo Holdings LLC, PepsiCo Holdings Toshkent LLC, PepsiCo Hong Kong LLC, PepsiCo Iberia Servicios Centrales S.L., PepsiCo India Holdings Private Limited, PepsiCo India Sales Private Limited, PepsiCo Internacional Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., PepsiCo International Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo International Limited, PepsiCo International Pte Ltd., PepsiCo Investments Europe I B.V., PepsiCo Investments Ltd., PepsiCo Ireland Food & Beverages Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Japan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Light B.V., PepsiCo Logistyka Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., PepsiCo Management Services SAS, PepsiCo Manufacturing A.I.E., PepsiCo Max B.V., PepsiCo Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo Nederland B.V., PepsiCo Nordic Denmark ApS, PepsiCo Nordic Finland Oy, PepsiCo Nordic Norway AS, PepsiCo Nutrition Trading DMCC, PepsiCo One B.V., PepsiCo Overseas Corporation, PepsiCo Overseas Financing Partnership, PepsiCo Panimex Inc, PepsiCo Products B.V., PepsiCo Products FLLC, PepsiCo Puerto Rico Inc., PepsiCo Sales Inc., PepsiCo Sales LLC, PepsiCo Services Asia Ltd., PepsiCo Services CZ s.r.o., PepsiCo Services LLC, PepsiCo Twist B.V., PepsiCo UK Pension Plan Trustee Limited, PepsiCo Ventures B.V., PepsiCo Wave Holdings LLC, PepsiCo World Trading Company Inc., PepsiCo Y LLC, PepsiCo de Argentina S.R.L., PepsiCo de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo do Brasil Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda., PepsiCo do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCola Interamericana de Guatemala S.A., Pet Iberia S.L., Pete & Johnny Limited, Pine International LLC, Pine International Limited, Pinstripe Leasing LLC, Pioneer Food Group Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Groceries Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Group Ltd., Pioneer Foods Holdings Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods UK Ltd, Pioneer Foods Wellingtons Pty Ltd, Pipers Crisps Limited, PlayCo Inc., Pop corners, PopCorners Holdings Inc., Portfolio Concentrate Solutions Unlimited Company, Premier Nutrition Trading L.L.C., Prestwick LLC, Prev PepsiCo Sociedade Previdenciaria, Productos Alimenticios Rene LLC, Productos S.A.S. C.V., Productos SAS Management B.V., Punch N.V., Punica Getranke GmbH, Q O Puerto Rico Inc., QFL OHQ Sdn. Bhd., QTG Development Inc., QTG Services Inc., Quadrant - Amroq Beverages S.R.L., Quaker Development B.V., Quaker European Beverages LLC, Quaker European Investments B.V., Quaker Foods, Quaker Global Investments B.V., Quaker Holdings UK Limited, Quaker Manufacturing LLC, Quaker Oats Asia Inc., Quaker Oats Australia Pty Ltd, Quaker Oats B.V., Quaker Oats Capital Corporation, Quaker Oats Europe Inc., Quaker Oats Europe LLC, Quaker Oats Limited, Quaker Sales & Distribution Inc, Raptas Finance S.a r.l., Rare Fare Foods LLC, Rare Fare Holdings Inc., Reading Industries Ltd, Real Estate Holdings LLC, Rockstar Energy Drink, Rolling Frito-Lay Sales LP, S & T of Mississippi Inc., SIH International LLC, SVC Logistics Inc., SVC Manufacturing Inc., SVE Russia Holdings GmbH, Sabritas LLC, Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Sabritas Snacks America Latina de Nicaragua y Cia Ltda, Sabritas de Costa Rica S. de R.L., Sabritas y Cia. S en C de C.V., Sakata Rice Snacks Australia Pty Ltd, Sandora Holdings B.V., Saudi Snack Foods Company Limited, Sea Eagle International SRL, Seepoint Holdings Ltd., Senselet Food Processing PLC, Senselet Holding B.V., Servicios GBF Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Servicios GFLG y Compania Limitada, Servicios Gamesa Puerto Rico L.L.C., Servicios SYC S. de R.L. de C.V., Seven-Up Asia Inc., Seven-Up Light B.V., Seven-Up Nederland B.V., Shanghai PepsiCo Snack Company Limited, Shanghai YuHo Agricultural Development Co. Ltd, Shoebill LLC, Simba (Proprietary) Limited, Simba Proprietary Limited, Sitka Spruce, Smartfoods Inc., Smiles and Bites Holdings S.de R.L. de C.V., Smiths Crisps Limited, Snack Food Investments GmbH, Snack Food Investments II GmbH, Snack Food Investments Limited, Snack Food-Beverage Asia Products Limited, Snacks America Latina S.R.L., Snacks Guatemala Ltd., So Spark Ltd., Soda-Club CO2 Atlantic GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 Ltd., Soda-Club Switzerland GmbH, Soda-Club Worldwide B.V., SodaStream, SodaStream Australia Pty Ltd, SodaStream CO2 SA, SodaStream Canada Ltd., SodaStream Enterprises N.V., SodaStream France SAS, SodaStream GmbH, SodaStream Iberia S.L., SodaStream Industries Ltd., SodaStream International B.V., SodaStream International Ltd., SodaStream Israel Ltd., SodaStream K.K., SodaStream New Zealand Ltd., SodaStream Nordics AB, SodaStream Poland Sp. z o.o., SodaStream SA Pty Ltd., SodaStream Switzerland GmbH, SodaStream USA Inc., SodaStream Osterreich GmbH, South Beach Beverage Company Inc., South Properties Inc., Spitz International Inc., Sportmex Internacional S.A. de C.V., Springboig Industries Ltd, Spruce Limited, Stacy's Pita Chip Company Incorporated, Star Foods E.M. S.R.L., Stokely-Van Camp Inc., Stratosphere Communications Pty Ltd, Stratosphere Holdings 2018 Limited, Streamfoods Ltd, TFL Holdings LLC, Tasman Finance S.a r.l, The Gatorade Company, The Good Carb Food Company Ltd., The Pepsi Bottling Group Canada ULC, The Quaker Oats Company, The Smith's Snackfood Company Pty Limited, Thomond Group Holdings Limited, Tobago Snack Holdings LLC, Tropicana Alvalle S.L., Tropicana Beverages Limited, Tropicana Europe N.V., Tropicana United Kingdom Limited, Troya-Ultra LLC, United Foods Companies Restaurantes S.A., V-Water, VentureCo Israel Ltd, Veurne Snack Foods BV, Vitamin Brands Ltd., Walkers Crisps Limited, Walkers Group Limited, Walkers Snack Foods Limited, Walkers Snacks Distribution Limited, Walkers Snacks Limited, Whitman Corporation, Whitman Insurance Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Beverages JSC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Brands Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Central Asia-Almaty LLP, Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods LLC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Georgia Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann JSC, and Wimm-Bill-Dann Ukraine PJSC.

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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.
The essential component of totalitarian propaganda is artifice (het toepassen van kunstgrepen. svh) . The ruling elites, like celebritie...
It's Election season and our editor's mailbox is overflowing. Who do your neighbors support? Read about it here.
SPOKANE  Numbers arent the only focus of the annual Christmas Bird Count.

The event was founded in 1900 in New York to urge a change in what was then a socially accepted practice of killing birds  all kinds of birds  as a way of seeing what species are out there, or were.

The idea of a count brought people together with binoculars instead of guns.

Organized by the National Audubon Society, the 117th CBC will kick off next week across the country and beyond with numerous single-day count outings scheduled by local birders in the Inland Northwest.

About 40 groups in Washington will participate.

All of those eyeballs scouring the landscape through binoculars turn up something new every year on local counts as well as rare sightings, according to reports filed by group leaders.

Local Audubon chapters have scheduled programs this week to help birders understand birding trends and to identify and understand birds that frequent this region in winter.

They also invite newcomers to join groups of birders that survey 15-mile diameter circles on designated days between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5.

A colossal database has been compiled in 116 years of number keeping by compulsive birders as interest in the annual event has spread.

The 2016 Christmas Bird Count set overall records for turnout  76,669 volunteers participating in 2,505 group counts across North America, Latin America, Bermuda and the Pacific Islands.

They tallied a total of 58.9 million birds, down from the record 68.8 million birds counted in 2015. But diversity in the count was up in 2016, with 2,607 species tallied roughly one-quarter of the worlds known avifauna.

The Inland Northwest is rich with bird species, but the CBC helps put the numbers in perspective.

The 78 participants in the 2016 Spokane Christmas Bird Count listed 87 bird species, according to local compiler Alan McCoy.

But a single 2016 Christmas bird count in the important December habitat of Yanayacu, Ecuador, tallied 509 species. That count reinforces the importance of critical habitat in specific locations, experts say.

Group leaders who file data also report details that help researchers monitor trends.

Last years severe, long-term El Nino event wreaked havoc in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with warm ocean temperatures altering the food chain for marine creatures and resulting in huge die-offs of seabirds, especially common murres. Storm after storm pummeled the Pacific Northwest coast, affecting birds and bird counters.

Regardless of the weather, Northwest birders plan to be out in the thick of the action again to help scientists get a snapshot of winter bird distribution.

Scientists tend to be more interested in the trends rather than the numbers and species of a single count, said Gary Blevins, Spokane Audubon member and biology professor at Spokane Falls Community College.

Because the circles that are surveyed arent moved once theyre established, surveys over decades help chart trends in those circles, such as the impacts of urbanization, he said.

For example, birds that need bigger expanses of forest land, such as the white-breasted nuthatch, appear to be declining in the Spokane count, he said.

Meanwhile, the red-breasted and pygmy nuthatches are doing better, indicating that they are better suited to tolerating the urban development thats fragmenting habitat at the outer reaches of the survey area.

While trends intrigue the scientists, the thrill for the counters boils down to being out there counting ducks and robins and knowing that you have a shot at seeing a rare bird that will stand out on a life list.

Most of all, Christmas Bird Count veterans say, the annual census that gives experienced birders a platform to involve newcomers in citizen science.

Its a social event centered around the beauty and conservation of birds, which most counters agree is as important as the numbers.
Editors note: What happened too ... ? is a 10-part series updating significant stories. It will appear daily through Dec. 21.

Eight months after Nimble Trailers announced it would open a new factory that would employ hundreds of workers in in Longview, financing has fizzled out.

The Colorado-based company planned to build a manufacturing plant on 6.7 acres of property owned by the Sari family near the junction of California Way and Industrial Way. The company estimated it would create 500 new jobs within four years  roughly the same number of employees at the liquid packaging board plant formerly owned by Weyerhaeuser Co.

Originally, Nimble Trailers director of manufacturing, Todd Wessels, said in April that the company hoped to break ground in June. Although Nimble had signed a contract with the Saris, the company never put down any earnest money or financing on the project.

Two investors in the project dropped out because Nimble Trailers didnt have a prototype of its trailers ready in time, said Pat Sari, owner of the property and principal dealer of Columbia Ford.

Sari said he hasnt talked Nimble representatives for quite some time.

Joe Phillips, economic development coordinator for the city, said Wessels apparently has been dealing with some personal problems, too, that have hindered the deal.

The companys website and Wessels email address have been suspended. Calls placed to Wessels and the company went unanswered.

While Sari isnt sure what will happen Nimble Trailers, he is optimistic about the property and the town in general. At least once a week he receives a call from a prospective buyer for the property, he said.

Im a conservative optimist. Longview has a lot of good things going for it, Sari said.
This is the closest view of Saturns ring shot by Cassini-Huygens and its incredible

The US space agency NASAs Cassini-Huygens spacecraft that is orbiting Saturn has beamed back stunning images of atmosphere of the most beautiful planet in our Solar System. It is also the first image captured by the spacecraft after entering the penultimate mission. The astonishing image reveals northern hemisphere of the planet and Saturns famous hexagon-shaped jet stream.

Cassinis last mission Ring-Grazing Orbits began on November 30 with firing the thrusters to manoeuvre the spacecraft. The probe came very near to the rings and captured some stunning images on December 2 and 3. Scientists revealed that future passes will reveal more close-up shots of Saturn and its ring.

The next pass by the rings outer edges is planned for Dec. 11. The ring-grazing orbits  20 in all  will continue until April 22, when the last close flyby of Saturns moon Titan will reshape Cassinis flight path. With that encounter, Cassini will leap over the rings, making the first of 22 plunges through the 1,500-mile-wide (2,400-kilometer) gap between Saturn and its innermost ring on April 26.

On Sept. 15, the mission will conclude with a final plunge into Saturns atmosphere. During the plunge, Cassini will transmit data on the atmospheres composition until its signal is lost.

This is it, the beginning of the end of our historic exploration of Saturn. Let these images  and those to come  remind you that weve lived a bold and daring adventure around the solar systems most magnificent planet, said Carolyn Porco, Cassini imaging team lead at Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colorado.

Previously, NASA scientists said that the Cassini will circle high over and under the poles of Saturn, diving every seven day to explore the unexplored region at the outer edge of the main rings. The process will be repeated for twenty times from November 30 and April 22.

Were calling this phase of the mission Cassinis Ring-Grazing Orbits, because well be skimming past the outer edge of the rings, said Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. In addition, we have two instruments that can sample particles and gases as we cross the ringplane, so in a sense Cassini is also grazing on the rings.

Cassinis ring-grazing orbits offer unprecedented opportunities to observe the menagerie of small moons that orbit in or near the edges of the rings, including best-ever looks at the moons Pandora, Atlas, Pan and Daphnis.

Grazing the edges of the rings also will provide some of the closest-ever studies of the outer portions of Saturns main rings (the A, B and F rings). Some of Cassinis views will have a level of detail not seen since the spacecraft glided just above them during its arrival in 2004. The mission will begin imaging the rings in December along their entire width, resolving details smaller than 0.6 mile (1 kilometer) per pixel and building up Cassinis highest-quality complete scan of the rings intricate structure.

The mission will continue investigating small-scale features in the A ring called propellers, which reveal the presence of unseen moonlets. Because of their airplane propeller-like shapes, scientists have given some of the more persistent features informal names inspired by famous aviators, including Earhart. Observing propellers at high resolution will likely reveal new details about their origin and structure.

And in March, while coasting through Saturns shadow, Cassini will observe the rings backlit by the sun, in the hope of catching clouds of dust ejected by meteor impacts

Launched in 1997, Cassini has been touring the Saturn system since arriving in 2004 for an up-close study of the planet, its rings and moons. Cassini has made numerous dramatic discoveries, including a global ocean with indications of hydrothermal activity within the moon Enceladus, and liquid methane seas on another moon, Titan.

The Cassini mission is a cooperative project of NASA, ESA (the European Space Agency) and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASAs Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado.
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In a move to digitally empower millions of Indians in rural areas and educate them about how to do cashless transactions, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Friday launched a TV channel named 'DigiShala'.

"DigiShala" is a free-to-air channel which is broadcast nationally on DD free-DTH service with a potential viewership of two crore across the country.

To achieve the objective of educating, enabling and informing citizens about cashless economy, the government has also initiated 'Digi Dhan Abhiyan'.

"DigiShala will enable and empower every citizen of the country, especially farmers, students, Dalits and women in rural areas to learn the usefulness and benefits of digital payment in our everyday life," Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Electronics and IT, told reporters here while launching the TV channel.

Prasad said that as digital payment increases, the tax base of the nation will also increase. "It will make the whole nation honest as tax will be paid and the country's GDP will go up," Prasad added.

On "DigiShala", citizens will be informed and educated about various digital payment options through step by step demos of digital payments using UPI, USSD, Aadhar-enabled payment systems, e-Wallets and cards.

Linking demonetisation to Digital India, the government intends to boost digital payments through credit and debit cards, internet banking, e-Wallets and mobile apps.

The government is in favour of moving towards an economy where 'cashless transactions' outweigh the 'cash transactions'. In a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently urged people to "embrace e-banking, mobile banking and more such technology".

Whether India was prepared on the cyber security front, Prasad said that the government will take all measures to secure the digital transactions.

The minister said people have already adopted e-commerce to a large extent.

The central government through Nabard will also support 'Rural Regional Banks' and 'Cooperative Banks' to issue "Rupay Kisan Cards" to 4.32 crore 'Kisan Credit Card' holders to enable them to make digital transactions at POS machines, micro ATMs and ATMs.

IANS
Ivory Coast to register 3m undocumented children

AFP, Abidjan :

Ivory Coast's government on Friday announced a programme to provide birth certificates for three million children left undocumented by years of war, poverty and migration.

"The 'One Child, One Birth Certificate' project focusses on children-from newborns to age 17 -- from the poorest and most disadvantaged communities," said Madeleine Yao of the NSIA Foundation which is financing the effort.

Yao said the project was a crucial tool for Ivorian authorities to enforce a law passed last year that requires children to attend school up to the age of 16.

Since the west African nation emerged from a decade of internal conflict in 2011, it has struggled to improve legal protections for children left stateless or forced into full-time work.

During the conflict, which divided the country and forced thousands out of their homes, government offices were pillaged and destroyed. As a result, internally displaced people often did not have access to registry services.

A Unicef study two years ago found 2.8 million minors in the country had no legal record of their birth or citizenship status.

In 2011, Ivory Coast launched an effort to reduce the number of child workers labouring in the cocoa sector, the country's biggest industry, and get them into schools.

Since then, 17,829 classrooms have been built or restored, according to the National Monitoring Committee charged with overseeing the government's anti-child labour efforts.

But as of early 2016, between 300,000 and one million children were still estimated to work on cocoa plantations and elsewhere in the industry, according to a report by the International Cocoa Initiative.
BD seeks Indian financial quote for bandwidth export to Bhutan

Economic Reporter :

Bangladesh has sought financial quotation from India to use its network towards exporting bandwidth to the landlocked Himalayan country Bhutan.

Talking to The New Nation, Monwar Hossain, Managing Director of Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL) which is assigned to manage country's bandwidth, said both the Bangladesh and Bhutan are needed to use Indian network for sharing internet bandwidth.

"We've written to India seeking financial quotation for using its network to connect Bhutan with us," he added.

Referring to recent visit of Bhutanese delegation regarding bandwidth, Monwar said: "We've talked about four routes to established connectivity, but all routes would be gone through India."

In the letter, he said, India has been requested to inform Bangladesh about their fiber optic cable and connectivity points that could link Bangladesh and Bhutan.

"We need Indian consent along with monthly connecting charge for per megabits," said the BSCCL Managing Director.

Replying to another query, he said Bangladesh has quoted monthly $14 to $18 for per megabit internet bandwidth termination to Bhutan using network of state-owned Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL).

"We would send final proposal to Bhutan after getting financial calculation from India," stated Monwar.

On the other hand, India's state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) would establish connectivity in their soil.
ICMAB International Confce held

A Correspondent :

CDA Chairman Abdus Salam, CCCI president Mahbubul Alam, President of ICMAB Arif Khan, Managing Director of CSE M Shaifur Rahman Mazumdar were present among others in an international conference in the port city on Friday. A day long international conference on "Economic Transformation of Bangladesh through Development of Commercial Capital" held at Bangabandhu Conference Hall at World Trade Centre in port city on Friday. The conference was organized by Chittagong Branch Council of Institute of Cost & Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB).

Chittagong Develop-ment Authority (CDA) Chairman Abdus Salam was present as chief guest while President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Vice-President of FBCCI Mahbubul Alam and President of ICMAB Arif Khan were present as special guest. M Shaifur Rahman Mazumdar, Managing Director of Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) presented the theme of the conference. Among others, Md Nurul Huda Siddiquee, Chairman of CBC of ICMAB welcomed the guests and Imtiaz Alam, Chairman of seminar & conference committee delivered speech on the conference.

CDA Chairman Abdus Salam opines that development of Chittagong is a key to the national economic growth which creating and promoting huge employment opportunities, industrialization, foreign investment, export, import etc. The present government has taken different initiatives for the development of Chittagong through CDA, other related agencies and development partner to make Chittagong as an economic hub.

Mahbubul Alam said that there are many infrastructural development is underway in Chittagong like elevated express way, flyovers, outer ring road, underwater tunnel under Karnaphuli river, special economic zones, bay terminal, Multipurpose Terminal, two new jetties near Sitakunda, etc. to accelerate overall development of the country to sustain present GDP growth rate.

President of ICMAB and MD of IDLC Bangladesh Ltd Arif Khan delivered a speech about the undergoing development project of Commercial Capital and opined that after completion of those projects give this Commercial city a new shape that will help to convert this city as a commercial hub of this South Asian Region.
Dr. Rahim wins Ahsanullah Gold Medal



Eminent agriculture scientist Prof Dr. MA Rahim has won 'Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah Gold Medal 2015' for his invaluable contribution to agriculture research as well as development. Dr. Rahim received the award at a ceremony at Dr. MH Khan Auditorium at Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST) in the city on Saturday. The award included a gold medal, a crest, a cheque of Tk.one lakh and others.

Dr. Rahim, is a teacher of Horticulture Department of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), and project director of the country's largest fruit museum.

He has been engaged in research on fruits and forest trees, tree conservation and invention for the last 32 years. The Germplasm Centre of fruit-bearing trees, established by him in 1991, has now become the country's largest and the second largest museum of fruit-bearing trees in the world.

Justice Syed Mohammad Dastagir Hossain of the Supreme Court attended the function as the chief guest. AUST Treasurer Dr. Kazi Shariful Alam gave a brief description about the life history of Dr. Rahim with DAM President Kazi Rafiqul Alam in the chair.
Priyanka Chopra to return to Mumbai

Priyanka Chopra is headed to India on the 21st of December for a 12 day long busy schedule. According to a leading daily, Peecee is returning to shoot for the cover of 7 leading magazines as well as for a solo appearance on Koffee With Karan. After her stint here, the gorgeous workoholic will travel to Europe with the cast and crew of Baywatch to promote the same. Phew! Talk about being a jet setter...
Lyon to host 2018 Europa League final

The 2018 Europa League final will be played in the French city of Lyon, UEFA announced on Friday at the end of their executive committee meeting.

Lyon opened their 59,000-seat Parc OL at the beginning of this year.

The 2017 Europa League final will be played in Stockholm while the Champions League final in 2018 will be played in Kiev.




Medical representatives manipulating public hospital services

FORTY doctors are designated to attend about 5,000 patients at 20 outpatient departments at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital on every working day. The doctors are supposed to come by 8:00 am. During a spot visit on December 6 at DMCH, no doctor was found to enter their chambers until 9:00 am, as per a report of a local daily. Many entered after 10:00 am. The doctors are supposed to leave the outpatient departments at 2:00 pm. No doctor was, however, found after 1:15 pm while many of them left even much earlier. The ticket counter was also closed at 1:00 pm.



About 300 staff of pharmaceutical companies were found nuzzling in and around the outpatient departments at DMCH although they were not officially allowed there, as per the report. They were present at almost every chamber of doctors. The patients alleged that the doctors gave priority to the pharmaceutical company staff instead of attending patients. Allegations have it that medical representatives (MR) often bribe doctors in cash and kind to prescribe their medicines.



Pharmaceutical company people were seen to enter the chambers keeping patients waiting in long queues. Staff at DMCH were also found making money, manipulating the serial of patients.



Anyone can get early entry if a staff can be paid Tk 50-100, said a patient who managed to get the deal at the Medical College Hospital. The medicines at the Medical College outpatient departments are supposed to be given to patients without any charge, officials said. The patients alleged that hardly got all the medicines they were prescribed.



The patients, mostly the poor, get substandard services at the outpatient departments of the two premier tertiary hospitals in the country. Medical Representatives surround the patients, stand while patients talk to the doctors about their sensitive problems which should be confidential and privileged information accessible to the doctors ears alone, don't allow the patients to sit down which is difficult for patients who have locomotion problems, and even prescribe the mostly economically disadvantaged patients to visit private clinics disregarding their lack of economic resources and their need to get healthcare at an affordable cost. Even the guards can be bribed to allow anyone to enter doctors' chambers, as reported by a local daily. Meanwhile the poor get fewer medicines than prescribed as the medicine stores give only a fraction of the medicines needed but record the total amounts, saying that they don't have sufficient stock to give all medicines.



These range of malpractices at the country's top hospitals can't grow unchallenged. The hospital authorities must be more vigilant to curb corruption at all levels. They have the power to check the medical representatives as they purchase vast amounts of medicine everyday. The government subsidises the education of most of the doctors who work in these public hospitals. The common man should have the privilege of getting a fair and comprehensive treatment as it is public funds which have subsidized the education of the doctors. This can't be too much to ask.






Most foot-over bridges in city remain unused

Pedestrians crossing the road overlooking a city foot overbridge. This photo was taken from Banglamotor area on Saturday.

Gulam Rabbani :

Most of the foot-over bridges in the capital city have been lying unused for being under the grips of snatchers, sex workers, beggars and vendors.

Pedestrians also do not want to use the foot-over bridges for fear of untoward incidences, especially snatching. These foot-over bridges were constructed to avert road accidents, pedestrians' safety and smooth running of vehicles. During a visit it was found that a section of advertisement companies, government offices and political parties had set up banners on the both sides of the foot-over bridges that make bridges invisible to the pedestrians as well as a hotbed for anti-socials activities, such as snatching, prostitution and drug abuse.

Consequently, people like to cross roads risking causalities. As a result, it causes traffic jams on roads during the peak hours, making life of city people more difficult.

During the recent visit to foot-over bridges, this reporter found that pedestrians were rarely using bridges which are located near Shishu Park, Ramna Park, National Press Club, Karwan Bazar, Shewrapara, National Museum, Asad Gate and Kazipara areas.

On the other hand, city dwellers are mostly using foot-over bridges at Farmgate, Mirpur-10, Mirpur-1, Kakoli and Banani. But these bridges remain occupied by the vendors. A number of foot-over bridges were seen in abandoned condition. Generally people are not interested to use the foot-over bridges as they have been lying in dilapidated conditions.

The foot-over bridges in front of Ramna Park, Asad Gate, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Paribagh, Notre Dame College were found dirt with human excreta and waste. The street people were also found dwelling on several bridges.

'The miscreants snatch valuables if they find any pedestrian on the foot-over bridge taking the opportunity in absence of security,' said Rezaul Haque Kawshik, a pedestrian and a private job holder, adding that he rarely uses foot-over bridges for the cause.

Mahfuzur Rahman, another resident of Shyamoli area, said he also does not use foot-over bridge as there was not enough security. He alleged that vendors occupied the most part of a foot-over bridge. So it is difficult to use foot-over bridges at busy hours.

Md Monirul Islam, a Traffic Police official of Ramna Zone, has told The New Nation that DMP operated mobile courts for increasing awareness among the people on using foot-over bridges. But manpower is too short to operate regularly. 'People are not properly conscious how to and when to cross. We have a limited workforce. So, we can't continue mobile courts for all the time', he said.

According to the City Corporation officials, both the City Corporations in the capital have nearly 90 foot-over bridges. Among those, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has 56 bridges while Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has 31, most of which are not being used.

Engineer Md Shihab Ullah, Director of Clean Air and Sustainable Environment Project of DSCC, recognized some problems. The Mayor of DSCC directed the concerned Department to remove banners and billboards from the foot-over bridges, he said.

He also said that they had already taken many steps for beautification of the foot-over bridges to make them attractive. Foot-over bridges in the Bailey Road, Shahbagh, Boshundhara and LabAid area had already been beautified by DSCC and problems would be solved gradually, he said.

Engineer Iqbal Habib, Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan (BAPA), said that foot -overbridges in the city were not installed in a planned way. Most of them were not at right places.

He has also said that foot-over bridges should be installed generally in the high ways or in places where more people cross. Dhaka city's foot-over bridges' were installed in places where signalling system was effective. This was humiliating to the pedestrians.
CJ urges to scrap Article 116, 116(A) of the Constitution

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, Supreme Court Bar Association President Yusuf Hossain Humayun, former Chief Justices Syed J. R. Mudassir Husain and MM Ruhul Amin, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, former Adviser to the Caretaker Government Barrister Mai

Staff Reporter :

The Chief Justice, Surendra Kumar Sinha, on Saturday hoped that the parliament would scrap the constitutional provisions that empower the President to control the posting, promotion and discipline of lower court judges.

He said the Articles 116 and 116 (A) of the Constitution, which deal with the promotion, posting and discipline of lower court judges are contradictory to the basic structure of the Constitution.

"Parliament can change the Constitution. Even they can shut the Supreme Court. But they cannot take any steps for changing basic structure of the Constitution," he said.

The chief justice was speaking as the chief guest at a function organised for celebrating the Golden Jubilee -- 50th anniversary of practicing law profession by veteran Supreme Court lawyer Abdul Baset Majumder at the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) premises.

Surendra Kumar Sinha said the Supreme Court (SC) cannot take steps about the lower court judges due to the Articles 116 and 116(A) of the Constitution. "These articles of the Constitution are barring to establish 'Rule of Law.' So we hope Parliament will scrap these articles."

The Chief Justice, on October 31, said in a statement that Article No 116 of the Constitution is one of the main reasons for slowness of the judiciary. The statement has been given on the occasion of the ninth anniversary of the judiciary.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam attended the programme as the special guest.

Agricultural Minister Matia Chowdhury, former Chief Justices Syed J R Mudassir Husain and M M Ruhul Amin, former Advisor to the Caretaker Government Barrister Mainul Hosein, former Presidents of Supreme Court Bar Association Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain and Advocate Zainul Abedin, among others, spoke at the function.

Judges of both the divisions of the Supreme Court and lawyers from all the bars of the country attended the programme.

The speakers at the programme congratulated Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder on the occasion.

Supreme Court Bar Association President Advocate Yosuf Hussain Humayun presided over the program and Advocate Bashir Ahmed conducted the event.

The Chief Justice said, "The executive and legislative branches of the state have been derailed over the last 45 years of the independence of the country but the judiciary particularly the Supreme Court did not. We have protected the Constitution."

Justice Sinha also urged the young lawyers to develop their professional qualities without giving priority to earning money. "It is not possible for the chief justice or the judges alone to establish rule of law, if the lawyers do not pay their due contributions to this effect."

The celebrated lawyer Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder thanked almighty Allah as he could pass 50 years in his profession. He memorized some tough times he passed in his life. He said that he never loosed his patience in any tough situation. He learned from every wrong of his life. He hoped a healthy and independence Judiciary.

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury congratulated Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder on behalf of her government. She hoped that the lawyer would be able to celebrate his Diamond Jubilee.

Advocate Yosuf Hussain Humayun said that Advocate Baset Majumder was the role model for the young lawyers. To establish the rule of law in the country, he (Bast Majumder) had contributed a lot.
Govt plans to amend ICT law

Staff Reporter :

Government plans to amend Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act soon. After amendment, the law will be titled Digital Security Act since the Article 57 of the law has created lots of controversies in the civil society.

"Answer to every question about the ICT Act will be found in the amended law," Law Minister Anisul Haque said it on Saturday. He said it while addressing a discussion meeting marking the Human Rights Day in CIRDAP auditorium in the capital.

The Minister said that the Parliament passed the ICT law in 2006 only for legalizing the electronic signature. The Parliament brought some amendments in 2013 and incorporated Article 57 into it, he added. "Many of the civil society members raised question about the law. They said that the law suppressed freedom of speech, limiting different faculties of life. In this circumstances, the government decided to make a new law on digital security, giving priority to the Article 57," the minister said.

He ensured also that the government was taking cautionary steps to avoid controversies.

Barrister Amir-ul-Islam presented the key note papers. Kazi Riazul Haque, the Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) presided over the programme. Md. Nazrul Islam, the member of NHRC, among others, was present.


23 foreigners involved: CID

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) ofpolice on Saturday claimed that they have found the involvement of 23 foreigners in the $ 101-million cyber heist from Bangladesh Bank's account with the US Federal Reserve Bank. "We've identified 23 foreigners who collected $101 million from the Philippines casino in the name of gambling and handed those over to the mastermind," Additional Deputy Inspector General Shah Alam of CID (Organised Crime) told UNB.

Responding to a question, he said the CID found in its investigation that the 23 people are the citizens of three countries. He, however,did not disclose the names of the countries.

"We've, meanwhile, requested law enforcement and intelligence agencies of the three countries to arrest the 23 culprits and

interrogate them," said Alam.

Hackers swindled $101 million out of Bangladesh Bank from its account with US Federal Reserve Bank in New York.

The incident came to light after foreign media published news items on it on March 7.
Housewives worst-hit

Staff Reporter :

Acute gas crisis is seriously affecting cooking in houses in capital Dhaka as well as Chittagong metropolitan city over last few weeks.

Besides, the crisis is also disrupting operations of CNG (compressed natural gas) filling stations and hampering industrial output, sources said

The crisis in many parts of the capital, its surrounding areas and Chittagong city has become so acute that many people are being forced to buy breakfast and lunch as they fail to cook in gas stoves.

The city's especially housewives are facing serious difficulties to prepare meals for their family members,

as the gas pressure in the pipeline is too low to cook during the usual hours of the morning.

Sharifa Akter, a housewife living in city's Basabo said she cooks three meals in the middle of the night, and stores them all in the fridge.

"Throughout the day, there is no gas pressure in my oven. The pressure in the pipeline comes after evening or even later," she told The New Nation on Saturday.

Besides Sharifa Akter, most of residents of the capital Dhaka are facing the same problem. Large parts of Dhaka city are facing a severe gas crisis.

The affected areas are--Lalbagh, Bongshal, Mirpur areas, Khilgaon, Mohammadpur,Taltola, Shyamoli, East Rajabazar, Banasree, Kafrul, Malibagh Mogbazar, NewEskaton and Jatrabari.

The consumers alleged that the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is mulling to hike gas price again but it has not taken any step to ensure adequate supply of gas.

Talking to this reporter, some consumers said that they went to BERC for complaining the matter but nobody was interested to respond in this regard.

Though the demand of gas has been raised among the existing consumers and a good number of illegal gas connections gave by a group of Titas employees since the government ban the gas connection, resulting the present gas crisis, sources said.

According to Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company officials, the authorities have awarded gas connections in the urban areas in last few years without any significant rise gas production. This is also a cause of gas crisis. Besides, the number of illegal connections crossed two lakh and those provided were using illegal pipeline, mostly in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Narsingdi and Gazipur, they said.

These illegal connections have been said to be consuming 300 million cubic feet of gas a day, causing several hundred crores of taka worth of losses for the government, daily.

"We receive around 1,450 million cubic feet of gas (mmcfd) a day against the demand of nearly 1,850 mmcfd," an official of Titas operation cell said not to be named yesterday.

He said gas pipelines in most of the city areas are very old. "If those are repaired and replaced, gas pressure would increase under the existing supply system," he added. According to Titas officials, Petrobangla, the state-owned oil company, has failed to increase gas supply in line with the ever-growing demand.

The gas shortage similarly hampered industrial production and CNG fueling stations.

Petrobangla was supplied 2672 mmcf gas on December 8 against the demand of 3500 mmcf daily.
No need to deploy army now: CEC

Staff Reporter :

Apparently turning down BNP's demand, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad on Tuesday said the prevailing situation does not demand deployment of army for the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) elections slated for December 22.

"The situation for army deployment is yet to appear. As the prevailing law and order situation is better, there is no need for army deployment. And the situation will improve further," he told journalists after an Election Commission meeting with the high-ups of law enforcement agencies at the NEC auditorium in the city yesterday.

Police, Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh will be on duty during the elections as usual, the CEC said. Seven mayoral candidates, including AL backed Selina Hayat Ivy and BNP blessed Advocate Shakhawat Hossain Khan, are running for the NCC polls.

BNP continued to demand army deployment for what it said 'for the sake of a transparent and credible' election in Narayanganj.

BNP-backed mayoral candidate Shakhawat Hossain Khan also demanded deployment of army during the poll. But the ruling AL-backed candidate, Selina Hayat Ivy, said there is no such need. Replying to a query, the CEC said the members of different law enforcement agencies have been asked to remain on high alert before the voting day to thwart any attempt to capture the polling centre.

"Besides, we have directed the law enforcement agencies to recover illegal arms and arrest criminals in Narayanganj. The drive against illegal arms and criminals is now going on. We have asked them to make their drives more visible ahead of the NCC polls," he added.

Apart from these, the CEC said the law enforcers have also been asked to restrict the entry of the outsiders.

Replying to another question, he said legal action would be taken against those who violate the code of conducts.

Chaired by the CEC, the meeting was attended by top officials from Police, RAB, BGB, Ansar, Coastguard, the Armed Force Division, intelligence agencies and the Home Ministry. The officials put forward suggestions over the security measures for the elections of NCC and 61 District Councils.

Four Election Commissioners, the EC secretary, returning officers of the elections and the Deputy Commissioner concerned also attended the meeting.
Future polls depend on NCC polls: Fakhrul

Staff Reporter :

All eyes are fixed on Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC)-- that will go to polls on December 22 as the results will determine the course of politics of both the ruling Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) camps ahead of the national election due in 2019.

The AL backed mayoral candidate Selina Hayat Ivy is confident of victory as she thinks people will gracefully evaluate 'huge development' activities she carried out in the last five years at Narayanganj City.

The BNP blessed mayoral candidate Shakhawat Hossain Khan, on the other hand, is very much confident of a better show as he thinks people will air out their genuine grievances against the current regime through the ballot.

However, the BNP contender is in serious apprehension of manipulation of the results. The central leaders of both AL and BNP are on the field to assist their candidates of choice. The central leaders are travelling to Narayanganj everyday to carry out mass contact programs.

All the candidates, particularly Ivy and Shakhawat, have started hectic campaigning. They are visiting different places of the port city and seeking blessings with votes of the people. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 20-party leaders on Saturday launched electioneering in favour of their mayoral candidate Shakhawat Hossain Khan in Narayanganj City.

They started their campaign from Mid Town area in the NCC around 11am seeking vote for 20-party candidate Shakhawat. Fakhrul and the alliance leaders also carried out the campaign in Kalibazar, Galachipa and Chashara areas distributing leaflets in favour of 'sheaf of paddy'.

Talking to his party colleagues in front of Narayanganj district BNP office at Mid Town, Fakhrul said the people of Narayanganj who believe in democracy, the rule of law, and voting rights and those who against terrorism have got united to ensure the victory of Shakhawat Hossain.

"The country's people are deprived of their voting rights. The future of the country and next election will depend on the Narayanganj polls. We believe our candidate will win as people have taken position in favour of him," he said.

Later, Fakhrul, on behalf of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, presented Shakhawat with a bunch of sheaf of paddy.

Shakhawat thanked Fakhrul and sought blessings from the voters.

BNP Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) secretary general Mostafa Jamal Haider, Kalyan Party Chief

Syed Mohammad Ibrahim, NPP President Fariduzzaman Farhad, BNP Organising secretary Fazlul Haq Milon, Narayanganj district BNP leaders Taimur Alam Khandaker and Kazi Moiruzzaman Monir, among others, were present.

Meanwhile, Selina Hayat Ivy on Saturday said deployment of any force in the upcoming NCC polls is depending on Election Commission.

"We all candidates want fair election. Election Commission can deploy any force if it is necessary" she said.

Ivy said the journalists while campaigning as a Mayoral Candidate at Chasara area in the city.

Ivy hopes that like October 30 in 2011, the Narayanganj people will cast their votes in favour of her.

Earlier on Friday, the Narayanganj district AL leaders and local lawmaker, Shamim Osman on Friday for the first time came out in support of his archrival and party nominee, Selina Hayat Ivy's Mayoral Candidature in the NCC poll.

Over 4.79 lakh voters are expected to cast their ballots to elect a city mayor, 27 ward councillors and nine women councillors (reserved seats). The first election to the NCC was held on October 30, 2011, when Ivy won, defeating the then ruling AL-backed candidate, Osman.
22,000 Rohingyas take shelter in BD

Many are still crossing border, says British MP Rushnara Ali

Sagar Biswas :

"The news had hit the headlines of global media when three-year-old Syrian Aylan Kurdi came to be washed up dead on a beach in Turkey last year. But strangely nobody talks about the Rohingyas. Is the reason that, Myanmar is a rich country! Bangladesh, however, has given shelter around 2 lakh Rohingyas."



Law Minister Anisul Haq made the abode remarks taking part in a seminar organized by National Human Rights Commission marking the Human Rights Day in the city's CIRDAP auditorium on Saturday.



"We've an arrangement of providing shelter to 30-35 thousand people, but by now already over 2 lakh Rohingyas are living in this country. We're trying hard for their welfare withour limited resources. We're trying to create a 'sensation' so that everybody comes forward to help them," he said.



Meanwhile, the Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations have reported that there has been a recent escalation of violence against thousands of Rohingya Muslims over the last month. All three agencies have also reported on widespread violation of human rights in Myanmar.



Against this backdrop, Bangladesh-born British MP Rushnara Ali, who is also Co-chair of all party parliamentary group for Burma, along with 70 members has urged the UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to intensify his government's pressure on the Myanmar government and allow full humanitarian access to the Rohingya Muslims in the North Rakhine State of Myanmar.



In the letter written on December 8 she said: "There currently exists an urgent need to prevent further violation on the Rohingya's human rights. With the UN estimating that 30, 000 people are already displaced, many of the Rohingyas are crossing the border into Bangladesh to join the thousands of refugees already seeking asylum."



The New York Times in a report on December 9 said: Fourteen governments urged Myanmar on Friday to allow a full resumption of aid to a predominantly Muslim part of Rakhine State, as the United Nations described an apparent escalation of what activists have called a humanitarian crisis there.



The United Nations also reported on Friday that thousands of people in the northern part of the Rakhine State, a conflict-torn border area, have not had access to health services or food assistance for two months and that close to 22,000 Muslims had arrived in neighboring Bangladesh since November 1, the NYT also reported.



Explaining the refugee situation, the Law Minister further said: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already conveyed the concern of Bangladesh about the Rohingya people summoning the envoy of Myanmar. Bangladesh is a land of 16 crore people. We can't do much more, even if we desire."



On December 9, a statement by the diplomatic missions of Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States urged on humanitarian access to northern part of Rakhine State.



"As friends of Myanmar, we are deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in northern part of Rakhine State. We have welcomed the government's agreement to allow a resumption of humanitarian assistance and initial deliveries to some villages, but we are concerned by delays and urge all Myanmar authorities to overcome the obstacles that have so far prevented a full resumption, noting that tens of thousands of people who need humanitarian aid, including children with acute malnutrition, have been without it now for nearly two months," the UN statement said.



Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the refugee wave from Myanmar is a 'political problem' that cannot be solved militarily. "It's a political problem. It cannot be resolved militarily. We cannot just open our doors to people coming in waves," the PM said when Danish Ambassador Mikael Hemnid Winther met her on a courtesy call.



Sheikh Hasina, however, told the National Parliament recently that her government has been taking necessary steps to provide humanitarian assistance to Rakhine people who have already entered the country.


Hasina wants to visit India in first half of Feb

UNB, Dhaka :

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday expressed her desire to visit India in the first half of February next.

She expressed the desire when Indian State Minister for Foreign Affairs MJ Akbar met her at her official residence Ganobhaban. PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

"Officials of the two counties will work out the schedule of the PM's visit to neighbouring India," he said.

There was a programme of PM's visit to India on December 18 to discuss a

wide range of bilateral issues with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, but it was postponed due to some last-minute changes.

At the meeting, MJ Akbar said the government and the people of India are eagerly looking forward to receiving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in India.He said Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina have taken India-Bangladesh bilateral relations to a new height and the horizon of relations have widened. There are vast areas of cooperation

between Bangladesh and India, particularly in the field of hydroelectricity and energy, Akbar added.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's contribution to ensuring stability in the region is

historic. About settling problems, he said any problem could be resolved when there is good will.

Referring to current conflict in the Middle East and in other parts of the world, MJ Akbar said no civilisation could compromise with terrorists. He also raised the issue of the emergency landing of the aircraft carrying Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ashgabad International Airport of Turkmenistan on her way to Hungary and expressed concern over her security. About bilateral issues, Hasina said there may be problems between two neighbouring countries, but these should not affect the friendship and cooperation.

She said her government is maintaining 'zero tolerance policy' against terrorism and militancy and said no one will be allowed to use Bangladesh's soil for terrorist acts against any country.

"We won't tolerate any sorts of terrorism and militancy and won't allow our land to be used for carrying out terrorist acts against any country," she said.

The Prime Minister recalled with gratitude the contribution of Indian armed forces to Bangladesh's War of Liberation in 1971. Hasina also mentioned that Indian allied force returned to their country immediately after Bangladesh's independence. "It has created a history as no allied force in the world did return home immediately after the victory," she said. They also discussed the construction of water reservoirs for ensuring water security of the two countries. Referring to different incidents like Holey Artisan Attack on July 1 this year and vandalising temples in various parts of the country, the Prime Minister said these incidents were carried out to destabilise the country's development and progress. Prime Minister's International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi, Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Nasser Chowdhury and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Bardhan Sringla were present.


BD nat`l shot dead by BSF

UNB, Kurigram :

A Bangladeshi cattle trader was shot and wounded by the members of Indian Security Force (BSF) along Balarhat border area in Phulbari upazila on Saturday night.

The injured was identified as Abu Bakkar, 28, son of Ali Boxs of Gorokmandal village of Naudanga union of the upazila. Lt Cl Md Jakir Hossain, commanding officer of Kurigram BGB-45 battalion, said that a team of BSF Narayanganj camp opened fire on a group of cattle traders along the border in the morning, leaving Bakkar bullet injured. Rescued by the locals, he was taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.


BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with 20-party leaders joined the campaign of NCC Mayoral candidate Shakhawat Hossain on Saturday.
Nat'l Confce on Biochemistry held at DU

DU Correspondent :

A day-long National Conference titled `Biochemistry and Molecular Biology for Life Science' was held in the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban of Dhaka University on Saturday.

The Bangladesh Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BSBMB) organized the function in cooperation with the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of DU.

DU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique inaugurated the conference as the chief guest.

In his speech, the VC stressed the need for conducting biological research on mental function of a human being to enrich the human civilization.

He said, scientific research has been increased in the 21st century, but humane values have not been increased accordingly. Therefore, a man is now killing another in the name of religion across the world, he added.

The miscreants are also trying to destroy the human civilization by misusing the scientific invention and innovations, he mentioned.

Referring to the scientists' role in fighting various diseases including cancer and diabetes through their biological research, the VC hoped that the general people of the country would be able to make their life secured in the days to come.

President of BSBMB Professor Anwar Hossain presided over the inaugural session, while VC of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Professor Aminul Haque Bhuiyan, Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences of DU Professor Imdadul Hoque, Convener of Conference Organizing Committee Firdausi Qadri, Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of DU Professor Sayedul Islam and Secretary of the Organizing Committee Professor AHM Nurun Nabi addressed the function.

It may be mentioned that a total of 400 teachers and researchers from various public and private universities, including Dhaka University, participated in the conference.
Our corrupt ones are not even humble for looting public wealth

In the second half of 2016, the media has been often abuzz with impeachments of two female presidents in two very different parts of the world. First, it was the impeachment of the former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on last August and second to follow her was President Park Geun-hye of South Korea on last Friday.



However, the latter, Park, who was left to rule for another 15 months in office, found herself in the middle of a political influence scandal after her close aide and confidant Choi Soon-sil was arrested for allegedly meddling in government affairs while exerting influence over the President. Mark the nature of offence, the accusation against her was actually to have aided a friend for exploiting the President's influence; otherwise, it is clean favouritism without any direct involvement in any corruption charge. Yet, she apologized while delivering a speech addressing the nation - it wasn't only a sheer sign of a self-effacing gesture but also a sign of political courage.



Regarding the former, Rousseff was charged with criminal responsibility in the execution of her duties, including administrative misconduct and disregarding the federal budget in violation of a couple of clauses of Article 85. Even then, a large number of Brazilian scholars and witnesses had opined during the hearing phase of the impeachment process that her lapses did not amount to criminal responsibility. To cut a long story short, she was reportedly trying to plug deficit holes in popular social programmes to boost her chances of being re-elected for a second term. Needs mentioning, moving funds between governments budgets, though illegal according to Brazilian Law, but reportedly not to have happened for the first time. Furthermore, it wasn't benefitting her in anyway financially straight away. The most fascinating reaction in her impeachment has been, besides a chunk of Brazilians, at least 8 Latin American Countries rejected the outcome of her impeachment verdict. Several other countries supported in her favour. The impeachment charge-sheet even didn't include many of her most contentious decisions.



Now replace their countries, impeachment proceedings and political realities with Bangladesh. Can you imagine witnessing any of the above scenes here?



Has it ever happened that being proved corrupt, a Bangladesh President or Prime Minister had ever apologized in public or before the nation? Most importantly, does the legal scope exists under which you can hold our Head of State directly accountable for a larger misdeed and therefore initiate an impeachment process? Other than assassinations and downfall due to massive civil-unrests, have any of our Head of State ever resigned on a moral and ethical ground?



Answers to the above questions are very easy with a straight 'yes' or 'no' but at the same time gives birth to even more questions. However, talking about the very least, let's stay within the topic of apologizing in public. Concerning a misdeed or corruption charge at any scale, our politicians usually never say, the least - sorry, let alone resigning from power. In recent times, many of them are not only confirmed corrupt but inconceivably arrogant when it comes to justify their crimes while practicing the different forms of corruption.



Many of their resignations were surely recorded, but they were mainly on personal grounds or perhaps falling in the bad books of the PM. Never to be on the basis of a corruption charge as yet. That having said, impeachments of Rousseff or Geyun-Hye carry a series of significant leadership messages on being accountable and transparent while carrying state-responsibilities. Particularly, in the case of the South Korean President, it's about conscience and humility.



None of the two Presidents has not enriched herself with peoples' money. They were careless with public money and the allegations were of criminal negligence.



Our people in power somehow have forgotten that they have any accountability to the people. The consequence is that they have no conscience to feel guilty for the crimes that most of them are committing everyday by way of grabbing public property and looting public money.



Our big corrupt ones should have the sense of feeling at least humble. Instead, they are going boldly and bravely telling everybody no law can touch them.
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The former public works director for the city of Opelousas has been vindicated by the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal, which on Thursday released an opinion ruling that Ronald Turner should be reinstated with back pay following his January 2011 firing.

The case stems from the Jan. 11, 2011 board of aldermen meeting and agenda item No. 7: Discussion regarding Mr. Ron Turners employment status. Turner was at the meeting. Moments before the meeting was gaveled into session, No. 7 was removed from the agenda after Turner informed the city clerk that he hadnt been notified that his employment status would be discussed. However, a later item on the agenda  No. 16: Mayors Appointments for 2011  included an organizational chart listing personnel then-Mayor Don Cravins had chosen as department heads and for other positions. Within those listings was an interim director of public works. The council approved the chart, effectively replacing Turner with an interim director. Turner, however, had left the meeting and was unaware that his employment status with the city had changed. He was informed the next day via a letter from Cravins.

Turner sued to have his employment reinstated. A trial commenced in August of 2012. District Judge Alonzo Harris ruled that the city had not violated the Lawrason Act, which governs how Louisiana municipalities operate. But Harris did rule that the city violated the states open meetings law, ordering the city to retroactively reinstate Turner, declare his termination void and to pay past due wages with legal interest, attorney fees and court costs.

The city appealed, but the three-judge 3rd Circuit panel sided with Judge Harris, saying in its Thursday opinion, The Citys argument is without merit.

Based on Opelousas Board of Aldermen minutes from 2011, it appears the canning of Turner had something to do with friction between Turner and Darryl Wagley, then the citys projects coordinator, over hiring a manager for the citys fleet of vehicles.

Its unclear if the city plans to appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court. Current Opelousas Mayor Reginald Tatum, who was an alderman at the time of Turners dismissal before beating Cravins in the 2014 mayoral election, didnt return a call seeking comment on the case. Turners attorney was unavailable Friday afternoon and the attorney for the city of Opelousas hasnt returned a call seeking comment.
The 70,000-square-foot Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise on Cajundome Boulevard in ULs Research Park is being taken over by UL Lafayette, The Advocate was the first to report Thursday. The university is assuming control of the state-funded facility and its operations.

In 2006 the state Legislature passed a law creating the $27 million, 3-D visualization center and technology incubator, and LITE opened in 2007. It has since been run by a board of commissioners, which will be dissolved pending Legislative approval as part of the cooperative endeavor agreement with the university, a plan approved by the UL System Board of Supervisors Thursday.

The center, which has long struggled to find its footing while also suffering high management turnover, lost its state funding last year. The entity itself was unable to generate enough revenue to sustain its operations while also tackling new expenditures to maintain and upgrade a now decade-old facility, says Doug Menefee, who chairs the board of commissioners. The university has the existing resources to better maintain the physical plant, especially when it comes to preventative maintenance, Menefee says, adding that LITE itself generates enough revenue to not burden the university's limited resources.

This isnt a failing as much as it is an evolution, Menefee tells ABiz, in large part because it will foster more involvement with UL researchers.

With the exception of Chief Operating Officer Erin Marietta, who will leave LITE at the end of the year (she relocated to Texas in July 2015 and has been commuting and working remotely since), the staff will be retained on the universitys payroll, Menefee says.

Marietta cites as LITEs biggest accomplishments its role as a strategic economic development partner in the region, assisting in the recruitment of major technology firms to the Lafayette area  including CGI, Enquero and Perficient. She also points out how well it has worked in partnership with Opportunity Machine and tenants in its building, saying that it has been a leader in virtual reality technologies and product development by working with clients [both big and small] to generate software applications that help businesses work smarter and safer.

Read the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between LITE and UL Lafayette here.

Its accomplishing great things in the community, even though those may not have been what was envisioned in its original mission, Menefee says. What were doing now is taking what did work and making it work better, including showcasing Lafayettes innovation and innovative thinking, delivery of 3-D environments for safety training, and providing an environment for business, economic development and research to collaborate.

Menefee says the seeds for a closer collaboration with the university were planted about a year ago, and in May the board began to gauge the universitys interest in assuming control of the building. Out of those discussions emerged a complete takeover of the LITE operations by the university, with Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Development Ramesh Kolluru, who is also a LITE commissioner, assuming a lead role going forward.

The mission is not changing, Kolluru told The Advocate. The university is committed to economic development, and the university knows how to do economic development.
Reviewed by Geoff Wittig

The Documentary Impulse By Stuart Franklin (Phaidon, 2016, $20.40)

Stuart Franklin is a highly experienced documentary photographer best known for his iconic "Tank Man" photo of a Chinese civilian standing defiantly before a column of tanks at Tiananmen Square in 1989.

He also happens to be an extraordinarily erudite and articulate student of art and photography. This deceptively small volume comprises eight chapter-length essays addressing questions ranging from the link between documentary photography and the origins of representational art in cave paintings, to the role of ambiguity and visual poetry in photographic storytelling, to manipulation and staging as they relate to the future of documentary photography. A handful of intellectual threads tie the various essays together; perhaps the most central is the concept of photographys capacity to "undeceive," to tell new truths to the wider world, or conversely to reinforce existing comfortable deceptions. Chapter 2, Lost Eden: Traces of the Colonial Legacy, for example, illuminates how beautiful landscape photography by Ansel Adams et al. conveyed the notion of the Americas as an empty paradise, conveniently eliding the genocidal removal of the previous inhabitants. Franklins analysis of documentary photography of aboriginal populations is particularly pungent, demonstrating how even the most sympathetic Western photographers from Edward Sheriff Curtis to Sebastiao Salgado tend to reinforce a false "trapped in amber" vision of such cultures, while the work of indigenous photographers receives far less exposure. Franklin also makes a very persuasive argument for the marriage of informative captions and text with images, noting that leaving photographs to speak for themselves without context can greatly limit their potential for story-telling.

One doesnt have to agree with all of Franklins conclusions, but he surely makes the reader think. His comfort with ambiguity and nuance is one of the books great strengths.

Physically the book is beautifully done; the cover playfully emulates a classic Leica, and the typography is brilliant. The paper is high quality matte stock. Despite modest size and dense typesetting, the clean digital neohumanist font (complete with f-ligatures and lining numerals, hallelujah) is extremely readable. The text is nicely illustrated by scattered photographs, many of them recognizable classics. Kudos to Phaidon for obtaining all the necessary rights.

Amazon

Amazon UK (16.56)

The Book Depository

Rouge By Michael Kenna (Prestel, 2016, $45.94)

Michael Kennas elegant black-and-white photographs have presented a vision of subtle beauty for decades. This volume is a revised and expanded edition of a book rst published more than 20 years ago. Included are many images not part of the original book, and others re-interpreted from the existing negatives. Consider it an antidote to the current fad for huge high-resolution color photographs of abandoned and decaying industrial sites. Kenna spent the better part of two years photographing Fords colossal River Rouge factory complex. The resulting images range from his signature brooding nocturnal photographs to dramatic, graphic compositions invoking Charles Sheeler. Not for everyone, but if you like this kind of work, youll love this book.

Amazon

Amazon UK (29.25)

The Book Depository

Essential Elements By Edward Burtynsky (Thames & Hudson, 2016, $51.33)

Edward Burtynsky has been photographing the transformation of the Earth by human activity since the 1980s, typically working on long-form projects culminating in exhibitions of his giant prints and accompanying coee-table books. Initially using large-format film cameras, he has more recently employed medium-format digital cameras, generally from an elevated viewpoint or from aircraft. Most of his books are still in print, and they are consistently beautiful, despite the often toxic and disquieting subject matter. This volume summarizes his oeuvre, with sections addressing each of his major projects, accompanied by a range of brief essays and reviews. Certainly the most illuminating are the comments from Burtynsky himself, spelling out what he was trying to achieve with his photographs. Admirers of his work may want to seek out project-based books like Oil and Water. But if you want the best single volume treatment of his photography, this is the one to get. The photo reproductions are as good as it gets these days.

Amazon

Amazon UK (29.25)

The Book Depository

[Note that there is also a Deluxe Collector's Edition of this book that includes an original print. The cheapest way to get it as of this writing is through The Book Depository, where it costs $377.10, shipped free, versus 325 at Amazon UK and $500 at Amazon.com. Ed.]

Dirt Meridian By Andrew Moore (Damiani, 2015, $36.04)

I will readily confess to being a sucker for the austere beauty of the great plains of North America. Ive made multiple trips to the region, and always find its vast horizons compelling. Andrew Moores unsentimental yet sympathetic documentation of the endless prairie skies, cultivated elds, and weathered farming families just sings for me. Many of the photographs were taken at dusk with a high-resolution medium format rig mounted to the wing strut of a low-ying Cessna and directed from a tablet in the cockpit. The photo reproduction quality is excellent, and the accompanying text includes a brief foreword from Kent Haruf, author of Plainsong, the quintessential contemporary novel of (Anglo) prairie life. Not for everyone, but if you like the subject, youll love this book.

Amazon

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The Book Depository

Geoff

TOP Contributing Editor Geoff Wittig is a rural family physician with interests ranging from health care quality improvement, medical informatics, and integration of health care delivery to photography and landscape painting. Photo books are a particular area of interest; he admits he has far too many for his own good.

2016 by Geoffrey Wittig, all rights reserved

Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)

Featured Comments from:

Joseph Vavak: "Andrew Moore's 'Dirt Meridian' is on display at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha right now. It's a really nice exhibition with immaculate large prints and dozens of photographs. His use of an airplane, especially at very low altitudes, really gives the series a different look than what we generally see photographers (myself included) do. He really captures the isolation of the plains in an effective, beautiful way. The following video is playing alongside the photographs. It shows how he works (ladders, airplanes, etc.)."

Tom: "I look forward to the TOP book recommendations at this time of year and pick out a book I would probably never have otherwise considered. My collection is much the richer for it. This year I've gone for The Documentary Impulse."

Kenneth Tanaka (partial comment): "For the record, while the repro quality of Essential Elements is as good as Geoff notes, I highly urge readers to make an effort to see Burtynsky's prints whenever possible. Unlike so many art photographers who make exhibition prints gratuitously large, most of Burtynsky's images really require scale to make the complete message. Having seen many in both public and private collections all I can say is it's worth the effort."
CARBONDALE  The iconic high-rise residence halls that have been part of the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus landscape for nearly 50 years may be on their way down in the not-so-distant future.

Plans are afoot to build new residence halls on the east end of campus, with at least one building coming online in the next few years. And that 10-year plan to provide for improved campus housing also calls for the phased demolition of Neely, Mae Smith and Schneider residence halls. Schneider Hall is slated to come down first.

The SIU Board on Thursday considered a resolution to move forward with design plans for new construction. Though there was general agreement on the need for new housing, a vote on the matter was tabled until Februarys board meeting to allow more time to consider how the new construction will be financed.

Its a need SIU President Randy Dunn and interim Chancellor Brad Cowell have been discussing for months. They and other university administrators say the towers have become a drag on recruitment.

I think were very much behind the curve in terms of our student housing facilities, Dunn said in a late summer interview. Were going to have to figure out a plan to move forward with providing better student residences, particularly on the east side of campus. It is killing us right now on enrollment, Im convinced.

Jon Shaffer, SIUCs director of University Housing, said he understands that some alumni have fond memories of living in the nearly 50-year-old buildings, but after careful consideration of whether to renovate the towers or build new residence halls, the latter option was selected for a variety of reasons.

Theres mixed emotions on it, Shaffer said. Its the alums and people who were here before who have a soft spot for them, but students arent overly excited about living in them, to be honest with you. Its a mixed bag, but there are certainly people who want nothing to do with those buildings.

The 17-story high rises, common to the era, were built to accommodate exploding enrollment as people returned from the Vietnam War and cashed in on educational benefits afforded them by the G.I. Bill. Schneider and Mae Smith halls opened in 1968, according to Lori Stettler, interim vice chancellor for student affairs.

That was the year Apollo 8 became the first manned aircraft to orbit the moon, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated and student activism and protests  against the war and racial discrimination  were in full swing at SIUC and campuses across the country. Neely Hall opened three years prior, in 1965, and was designated for women.

Shaffer said a big part of the desire to move forward with new construction versus renovation is that best practices in student housing have changed since the 1960s. At the time, high rise construction allowed for a relatively quick way to provide additional capacity. And the buildings, which offer suite-style housing where two rooms are connected by one bathroom, were state-of-the art for the time period, he said.

But the design of the towers with hundreds of people living together is intimidating to some students, he said. Blue Rose Capital Advisors, a consulting firm engaged by University Housing at the suggestion of the SIU board, recommended that the university replace the three high-rise residence halls with four five-story, two-wing and three-wing residence halls through a phased approach to address the universitys needs.

The new buildings would still house hundreds of students, but a wing design that splits a floor in half breaks the building up into sections where about 18 students live together in part of a smaller community. There would be several single bathrooms that are shared by four students each but that are located in the hallway and allow for privacy, similar to the way many homes are set up, he said. Those students also would share a lounge space or living room.

It breaks down the enormity of what it means to go to a school this size into a very comfortable little environment, he said.

Dunn said the concerns of parents also have to be taken into consideration. Youve got to put yourself into the position of a parent of a 17-year-old daughter coming into Carbondale and thinking about going to school here, he said. Having done that myself, I can tell you these things make a difference.

Dunn said hes also heard a factoid that he couldnt guarantee came from a scientific study but that has merit, at least anecdotally, and it is that the No. 1 factor for an 18-year-old woman is the quality of the showers in deciding where to live, which could ultimately sway a decision on which school to pick.

Stettler said the sense of community that would be created with the new buildings goes a long way in aiding recruitment and retention efforts.

The recruitment of students into higher education institutions has become incredibly competitive specifically in the state of Illinois given our budget situation. So a project like this really helps us compete, but the other piece of it thats incredibly important as well is that it helps us retain students at a higher rate, she said.

In the smaller pods, you really cant go unnoticed, she said. So if youre struggling academically or youre not coming out of your room to socialize or to interact with your floor mates, you cant really hide in a smaller community."

The east campus towers are the tallest buildings in the city of Carbondale.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct that Neely Hall opened in 1965, and Schneider and Mae Smith residence halls in 1968. An earlier version listed an incorrect opening date for Neely Hall.
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When the rubber meets the road! Hot Toys first generation muscle bodies are cracking up all over the place. This is the Hot Toys released 1:...
ZonesCorp, a top developer of purpose-built industrial zones in the UAE, will unveil its dedicated new Food & Beverage Zones in the Industrial city of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) and Al Ain during the upcoming food expo Sial ME in Abu Dhabi, UAE.



Interest in the land has been high with nearly a third of the available acreage already earmarked for development, a statement said.



ZonesCorp is currently housing 24 food production facilities that produce a wide range of products in its dedicated Food Zones. The enlarged Food Zone encompasses a total area of 2,287,434 sq m and features a wide range of plot sizes in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain designed to accommodate businesses of all sizes from SMEs upwards.



There are a large number of F&B companies located in the Food Zones that demonstrate how the food sector in Abu Dhabi has diversified and flourished in recent years. The food zone supports a number of large international companies such as Nestle Waters which is building a Dh100 million($27.2million), 43,000 sq m bottling plant and Ittihad International Investment which operates a sizable Feed & Flour Production & Marketing facility.



Saeed Eisa Mohammed Al Khyeli, director General of ZonesCorp said: Our Food Zone accommodates an excellent mix of international household names such as Nestle Waters and quality local companies such as Emirates AquaTech. Both companies highlight how the F&B manufacturing and processing industry is developing in Abu Dhabi through a combination of advanced technology and sustainable production techniques. The further expansion of our current food zones in ICAD and Al Ain is part of a continuing drive to support SMEs and to contribute to the thriving food production and processing sector in the Emirate.



Walid Zamamiri, managing director at Nestle Waters for the Lower Gulf, said: Abu Dhabi is the perfect location to establish a new water plant, as it offers many advantages for the smooth running of the facility, and a strategic location for distribution within the UAE and lower gulf countries,



Amer Kakish, chief executive officer of Ittihad International Investment said: I take this opportunity to thank ZonesCorp for their valuable business partnership with Ittihad. This collaboration has paved the way and facilitated the growth of our subsidiaries. Their contribution to our success is remarkable. With their continued commitment and support, we are certain that our expansion ventures will be equally successful. We at Ittihad, are proud to be associated with ZonesCorp and we hope to continue this esteemed affiliation and look forward for mutual success.



The Food Zone also supports numerous local food producers such as Emirates AquaTech. Although at first glance Abu Dhabi may appear to be an unlikely location for a caviar farm, the company is the largest and most advanced aquaculture farm in the world with the capacity to produce 35 tons of premium caviar and 700 tons of sturgeon per year.  TradeArabia News Service
Business jet makers are forecast to deliver close to 8,600 new planes worth $255 billion between 2016 and 2026, representing a 6 to 7 per cent reduction from the values noted in the 2015 outlook, a new report has unveiled.



According to the 25th annual Global Business Aviation Outlook released today by Honeywell, the business aviation industry continues to face a slow near-term pace of orders due to a slow-growth economic environment across many global markets along with many political uncertainties.



We continue to see relatively slow economic growth projections in many mature business jet markets. While developed economies are generally faring better, commodities demand, foreign exchange and political uncertainties remain as concerns, said Brian Sill, president, Commercial Aviation, Honeywell Aerospace. These factors continue to affect near- term purchases, but the survey responses this year indicate there is improved interest in new aircraft acquisition in the medium term, particularly in the 201819 period. In the meantime, operators we surveyed this year indicated plans to increase usage of current aircraft modestly in the next 12 months, providing some welcome momentum to aftermarket activity, which has been flat recently.



Key global findings in the 2016 Honeywell outlook include:



 Deliveries of approximately 650 to 675 new jets in 2016, a low- to mid-single-digit percentage decline year over year. The pullback in deliveries expected in 2016 comes on the heels of a small increase in 2015 and is largely due to slower order rates for mature models and a stabilization in fractional-usage type of aircraft deliveries.



 2017 deliveries are projected to be slightly lower, reflecting transitions to new models slated for late 2017 and 2018 service entry.



 Operators plan to make new jet purchases equivalent to about 27 per cent of their fleets over the next five years as replacements or additions to their current fleet, an encouraging increase but one that is less than firm in timing.



 Of the total purchase plans for new business jets, 21 per cent are intended to occur by the end of 2017, while 18 per cent are scheduled for 2018 and 2019, respectively.



 Operators continue to focus on larger-cabin aircraft classes, ranging from super mid-size through ultralong-range and business liner, which are expected to account for more than 85 per cent of all expenditures on new business jets in the next five years.



 The longer-range forecast through 2026 projects a 3 to 4 per cent average annual growth rate despite the lower short-term outlook as new models and improved economic performance contribute to industry growth.



 Gains in five-year operator purchase plans are offset in the long-term forecast based on changes in new program timing, slower economic growth projections, and political and currency uncertainties, resulting in a moderately lower overall outlook.



Breakdown by Region



Middle East and Africa  Improved purchase plans were reported, which was unexpected given only moderately improved oil prices and ongoing conflicts in parts of the region.



 The share of projected five-year global demand attributed to the Middle East and Africa recovered to just below its historical range of 4 to 7 per cent this year.



 In the Middle East and Africa, 21 per cent of respondents said they will replace or add to their fleet with a new jet purchase, up from 16 per cent last year but still below the overall world average. Considerable strength was present in the oil-producing nations and South Africa.



 Operators responding to the survey seem to be looking past current regional concerns, with potential buyers in the region scheduling their purchases sooner in the next five-year window compared with last year, with 49 percent of purchases planned before 2019. These improved survey responses appear at odds with the obstinate nature of the issues facing the region.



Brazil, Russia, India, China (BRIC)  Continued improvements in Chinese and Russian purchase plans compared with last year, coupled with slight gains in the larger Brazilian survey outlook, drive improved BRIC results.



 BRIC industry purchase plans rebounded off 2015 lows, reaching just over 32 percent in this years survey. The 32 percent rate returns the BRIC composite to a rate exceeding the world purchase plan rate. These purchase plans would reverse several years of decline.



 Brazil remained a bright spot by recording the strongest new aircraft purchase plans in the survey from a major aircraft market, though overall buying plans rose only slightly year over year.



 The combined BRIC countries near-term demand profile has shifted somewhat later in the forecast period this year, with 38 percent of intended new jet purchases scheduled for the next two years.



Asia Pacific  Despite ongoing regional tensions and government austerity initiatives, operator enthusiasm seems to be improving.



 Operators in Asia Pacific report new jet acquisition plans for 28 percent of their fleet over the next five years, roughly doubling from 2015 levels and reflecting optimism extending beyond the China market.



 Based on the improved level of purchase plans, Asia Pacific could garner up to a 6 percent share of global new jet demand over the next five years.



 Only 33 per cent of Asian respondents plan to schedule their new purchases within the first two years of the five-year horizon.



Latin America  2016 results pulled back in line with the world average, but planned acquisitions remain more front-loaded than the world average.



Slightly higher Brazilian purchase plans partially offset broader declines from other countries.



 Nearly 27 per cent of the Latin America sample fleet is expected to be replaced or added to with new jet purchases  2 to 3 points lower than last years survey. Some of the larger traditional markets in the region reset purchase plans to lower levels this year, particularly those linked strongly to commodities markets. Resilience in the Brazilian operator base helped offset some of the darker mood elsewhere in the region.



 With 47 to 48 per cent of this regions projected purchases planned to occur between 2016 and 2018, this indicates some potential deferral of purchases suggested last year for the 20152017 period, which was equally front-loaded.



 Based on the current purchase plan levels, Latin Americas 12 percent share of total projected demand slipped several points compared with a year ago.



North America  New aircraft acquisition plans in North America are very important given the regions size and the unsettled conditions elsewhere around the world.



 An estimated 65 per cent of projected demand comes from North American operators, up 4 points from the 2015 survey.



 New jet purchase plan levels rose 5 points in North America, the industrys largest market, and helped drive the world average up to 27 per cent.



 Current plan levels are now in alignment with the averages of the 20082012 period. Though buying plan rates are just under the overall world average, the fleet and operator base have expanded, supporting solid demand levels.



Europe  Despite operators still contending with sluggish growth and elevated political tensions, the uncertain effects of the Brexit vote, a refugee and migrant surge, and depreciated currencies, new jet purchase plans actually improved.



 Europes purchase expectations improved this year to 30 per cent, in line with averages seen since 2009.



 Despite the improved new jet purchase plans. Europes share of estimated global five-year demand remained at 14 per cent in the 2016 survey. This outcome is due in large part to the fact that the European fleet has not expanded in recent years. Many aircraft have migrated to other regions, resulting in an active fleet that is slightly lower despite an infusion of new jet deliveries.



 A comparison of the planned timing for European purchases indicates uneven proportions of demand in the next three years of the five-year window, with about 26 percent allocated through 2017 followed by a dip to 15 per cent each in 2018 and 2019, suggesting a cautious approach to timing the replacement of expansion of the fleets with new acquisitions.



Used Jets and Flight Activity



Turning to used jets and flight activity, over the course of the past year, the pace of flight activity has not recovered. On a positive note, operators responding to the 2016 survey report they plan to increase aircraft usage in the next 12 months to a modest extent. With respect to the used jet market:



 Roughly 10 per cent of todays fleet is up for resale, down from a high of nearly 16 percent in 2009 but up from the low point achieved last year. Current levels are still within a reasonable aggregate level in light of the past decades history, but inventory levels are trending up. Meanwhile, asking prices continue to drift lower.



 In 2016, the total number of recent model jets (less than 10 years old) listed for resale rose significantly to about 675 aircraft, excluding personal jets and business liners. In proportion to the level of overall listings, the share of recent model jets for sale has risen noticeably.



 Operator respondents reduced their used jet acquisition plans by about 8 points, equating to 24 per cent of their fleets in the next five years. All regions used jet purchase plans fell. The decline in used jet purchase plans clearly aligns with the expansion of used inventory for sale and continued price pressure on used jets.



 Weaker used aircraft purchase plans may slow the pace of aircraft upgrades. - TradeArabia News Service


Al Dahra Holding and Abu Dhabi Ports have launched the Gulf regions largest and only rice factory of its kind at Khalifa Industrial Zone (Kizad) in the UAE capital.



Owned by Al Dahra Kohinoor, a subsidiary of Al Dahra Holding, the factory spans a total area of 100,106 sq m at Kizad and will be handling the full production cycle of rice that includes milling, storage, packaging as well as distribution within the UAE and exporting to foreign markets via the adjacent Khalifa Port.



The Dh140-million ($38 million) facility will produce up to 120,000 metric tonnes of rice per annum with 40 silos; each boasting a 750-ton capacity. It also features storage facilities with a capacity of 8,000 tonnes, a processing unit, in addition to administrative offices and support facilities. Moreover, the company aims to create a strategic rice reserve in Abu Dhabi of about 30,000 metric tonnes.



Khadim Abdulla Al Darei, vice chairman and managing director of Al Dahra Holding, said: We are proud of launching Al Dahra Kohinoors factory today. Being the largest in the region and the only factory of its kind that utilises full automation of rice production, Al Dahra Kohinoor will benefit greatly from its strategic location at Kizad and proximity to Khalifa Port which will help it sustain the supply of high quality products to customers in affordable prices.



Al Dahra Kohinoor strategically supports the vision of our wise leadership to achieve food security in Abu Dhabi, which reflects our commitment to boosting the industrial sector in order to diversify the economy in line with Abu Dhabis strategic plan for economic development."



The factory will benefit from a vertically integrated supply chain that guarantees the sourcing of the finest quality Basmati and non-Basmati rice from India and Pakistan.  TradeArabia News Service
Palestinian government is set to launch its new five-year plan for the 2017 to 2022 period in accordance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, said a report.



The government has created a national team to steer and co-ordinate efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in wide-scale consultation with civil society and the private sector, stated the Emirati state news agency Wam.



The UN General Assembly, by a draft on "Assistance to the Palestinian people", urged member States, international financial institutions and regional organisations to extend economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people.



It also stressed the role of all funding instruments in directly assisting the Palestinian people and called on international donors to expedite the delivery of pledged assistance in order to help the Palestinian people meet their urgent needs, said the reporr.



During the day-long meeting, speakers shared experiences in giving and receiving assistance and urged donors to continue aid flows to the Palestinian people.



Riyad Mansour, the permanent observer of Palestine, said: "A Palestinian development plan must be established in accordance with the 2030 Agenda."



Calling on Member States to work "alongside us" to adopt a draft supporting those "genuine" development endeavours, he said the Palestinian people were determined to overcome all obstacles and manage a modern state with great efficiency.



Mansour pointed out that the Palestinian economy had suffered from decades of Israeli occupation with a lack of control over their monetary and fiscal policies, the two main components of a healthy economy.



While citing recent progress, he said economic losses continued, with everything that was being paid to the Palestinian people being "just a bill of the occupation". Accessing its resources would allow Palestine to establish a strong economy, making it no longer dependent on international aid, he added.
More than 100 chocolate and cake makers from the region including the UAE and Jordan along with African nations including Ethiopia are taking part in The Chocolate and Coffee Exhibition being held in Bahrain.



The event is being held under the patronage of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) chief executive Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa.



Organised by the Events Starts company, Chocolate and Coffee Exhibition is the first-of-its-kind in Bahrain. It integrates a variety of fun activities including cooking classes and daily cake decorating competitions.



The three-day exhibition concludes today at 9 pm.



We are very pleased to see such a wide number of creative events being held in Bahrain. This shows that the Kingdoms tourism sector is presenting a set of diverse events for the public, remarked Shaikh Khalid at the opening.



One of the star attractions at the exhibition is a large mosaic landscape of Bahrains sea front made out of small colorful chocolate pieces, said the organisers.



Visitors will also get an exclusive opportunity to share the moments of making the art piece according to the instructions of the supervising team, they added.-TradeArabia News Service


Vertis Aviation has welcomed Catherine Buchanan to her new role as chief commercial officer.



Buchanan, who is currently the general manager of the companys Dubai office, will steer commercial development of the business, with a particular focus on the EMEA region.



Her responsibilities will include international sales and business development, budget planning, managing relationships with aircraft owners, and advising on putting aircraft into service. She will report directly to the companys Board at its Zug, Switzerland headquarters.



Buchanan will continue to focus on the companys particular strengths, namely its capabilities managing long-range, large cabin, luxury aircraft charter with a focus on personalised service. She will also draw on Vertis Aviations strengths as a boutique-style business with its clear understanding of a clients individual wants and needs.



Buchanan has worked in the Middle Eastern aviation market for over eight years including three years at Vertis Aviation. She previously worked with leading international business aviation companies. She holds a degree in Aviation Technology and a private pilots licence.



Jeffrey Emmenis, Partner, Vertis Aviation, said: We are very pleased to promote Catherine to the role of CCO. She had been integral in our success in the region and it is a logical next step to maximize her skills internationally. As we look to stimulate growth in the charter of large-cabin, long-range aircraft, particularly in the EMEA, her experience in this area, and her Middle East location position her well for this challenge. We anticipate that she will take Vertis to even greater heights.



Buchanan added: I am very pleased to take up the challenge of the role. Vertis Aviations reputation for detail, combined with its luxury brand is highly regarded, particularly in the EMEA region and I look forward to developing the companys successful business even further.



Vertis Aviation specialises in long-range business aircraft operating out of the Middle East, Europe and South Africa. It currently markets three Airbus A319 ACJs, a Boeing Business Jet BBJ1, Gulfstream G450 and G650, a Bombardier Global 6000, Global XRS and a Challenger 350. - TradeArabia News Service
Kuwait Airways, the official national carrier, has confirmed that the first of the 10 ordered Boeing 777-300ER aircraft has arrived into the country landing at Kuwait International Airport (KWI) at 3pm local time.

Arriving as a non-commercial, non-stop flight from Boeings factory to Kuwait, the 777-300ER will now undergo some regional flight tests, before entering full commercial service within weeks, said a statement from the Kuwait Airways.



Following on from the aircrafts reveal in October, at Boeings factory in Everett, near Seattle; the plane sporting the new livery and branding of Kuwaits official national carrier, was provided a water canon salute and welcomed by a delegation from the airline, headed by Rasha Al Roumi, the chairperson and CEO, and Kamil Al Awadhi, deputy CEO.



Dignitaries also present included Kuwaiti Minister of State for Housing Affairs Yasser Hassan Abul; US Ambassador to Kuwait, Lawrence R. Silverman and DGCA president Sheikh Mubarak Salim Al Sabah along with other senior officials.



The aircrafts maiden commercial flight and route will be to London, although the exact dates will be revealed in a later announcement, said the statement.



Welcoming the new aircraft, Al Roumi said: "Such acquisitions will be instrumental in the airlines future growth plans and todays delivery represents one of the first steps towards achieving our stated aim of having the youngest commercial airline fleet in the world, by 2021."



The delivery of the Boeing 777-300ER, bearing the airlines new look livery, represents another positive step forward for the Gulf-based airline, in support of its previously announced five-year transformation strategy, in September this year, she stated.



"The essence of the plan being: To restore pride in the Gulf regions longest serving, one-state airline, and reassert its pioneering legacy in the regional aviation sector," she remarked.



In the medium to long-term, the transformation strategy also includes the addition of 10 A350 and 15 A320neo aircraft; with a number of the latter already having entered service with the airline, said Al Roumi.



In the short term, the acquisition of the 10 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will play an immediate role in enhancing the inflight experience for passengers. It will also take the airlines operational capacity to new levels, on key routes within the official national carriers current number of 37 international destinations, she added.



Ultimately, the ER or extended range element of these aircraft will allow Kuwait Airways to explore the possibilities of adding more long-haul routes to its network, in the future; further supporting the airlines ambitions to grow the number of destinations it serves.



As part of Kuwait Airways five-year transformation strategy, we are pleased to welcome the arrival of the first of 10 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft into our fleet, remarked Al Roumi.



The transformation taking place across the airline is not limited to just cosmetic or product (aircraft) changes; it is described as a comprehensive approach that seeks to deliver on all areas of operational, commercial and service excellence, she added.-TradeArabia News Service
Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village
Oil prices are riding high at just over $50 a barrel. Natural gas spot prices are approaching $4.

While the news has Wall Street singing, those in snow-packed Wyoming towns have one question: What does it mean here?

The answer is complicated. Wyoming is still recovering from the collateral damage of the last two years of low prices and weak production, which means producers caution it could take time to feel the impacts at home.

Deals

The spike in oil prices is due largely to a deal cut by members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. The cartel promised a 1 percent reduction, and partners like Russia are on board to slow the pace of drilling allowing the supply to even out with demand.

The deal has Wall Street optimistic and cautiously anticipating a bright year ahead as the cuts in global production winnow away two years of surplus.

However, the price of crude isnt the only good news from New York. Some say the worldwide economy shows signs of growth, particularly from China.

Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago, calls it the Trump rally, referring to president-elect Donald Trump.

There are positive trends in the markets and the economy, he said. And a growing economy worldwide means more oil consumption.

It could mean we are going to get a bit of an economic boom, and that could mean strong energy demand, Flynn said. Maybe for the first time in long time, into next year, the world may be consuming more oil on a daily basis than they are producing.

Increased demand

The OPEC news and other positive trends should hold up the price of oil while draining the overstock. But that doesnt translate to immediate good news for Wyoming. Two years of low prices knocked many companies off their feet, and they are still gaining traction.

There are a lot of issues that the domestic industry here in Wyoming is facing that perhaps New York, in their euphoria about OPEC, dont understand, said Peter Wold, whose family company Wold Oil Properties has operated in the state for decades. Its suffered its share of booms and busts and recently ramped up production east of Casper.

What Wold encountered was an oilfield services sector unprepared for an uptick in production.

Drilling activity in the state has increased each month, with the number of operating rigs hitting 17 in early November. Two of those rigs are working for Wold.

However, the oilfield services companies that populate the edges of Casper now have less personnel, fewer parts and are struggling to meet the small increase in business around Wyoming, Wold said.

We are dealing with service companies that are still somewhat struggling  not only with the prices and the lack of business  but theyre struggling because of their inability now, with the small increase in rig count we are seeing in the state, of being able to service in a proper fashion, he said.

Wold has had to look across the country for parts and people to service his drilling operations.

Teeing up

Its not just service companies but producers that are going to lag behind market growth.

A bust can have long-term consequences for operations, said Edie Holmes, operations manager for the McMurry Group in a recent interview.

Companies that would have filed 30 to 40 permits to drill during the boom arent doing that now, she said.

Instead, theyve tightened belts, scaled back on operations and have fewer, if any, irons in the fire for future projects.

Thats what you see in a downturn: companies not getting their projects teed up, Holmes said.

Natural gas and oil is a sunset business; your first day of your well is your best day, she said. If you dont have anything new coming along behind it, you are declining  You dont see it today, youre going to see it in three, four years.

The Energy Information Administration is projecting an almost 1 percent decline in U.S. crude oil production from 2016 to 2017.

Thats not to say that Wall Streets joy doesnt spell good news for producers. It just wont happen right away.

The ramification of having prices so low the last couple of years is a lot of the producers were hurt financially, said Flynn, the Chicago analyst. Weve had a lot of bankruptcies in the energy industry. Capital spending has been cut by a lot of these energy companies  When it comes to next year and the year after, the demand is going to grow faster than production.

Its good for prices and its good for industry down the line, but it will be a slow climb before producers in Wyoming are as happy as the people in New York City.
After bottoming at a 14-year low in October, the hog market has begun smoking higher. Prices have rallied nearly 40 percent, with December lean hogs topping 57 cents per pound Friday.

Some of the rally has been sparked by investors taking advantage of rock-bottom prices, but supply and demand factors are boosting values as well.

Prices are warming up as the temperature sinks; cold weather makes it harder for animals to gain weight, limiting the supply of meat.

Meanwhile, meatpackers have been rushing to buy hogs ahead of the Christmas holiday, taking advantage of still-profitable margins. Demand has been so high that a record 2.54 million hogs were slaughtered last week.

Longer-term, if the packers get caught with high pork inventory and lower demand, this rally could falter, but for now, prices are heading toward hog heaven.

Natural gas boils higher

As thermometers dropped across much of the US, the natural gas market heated up, nearing a two-year high.

Natural gas is the dominant heating fuel in the United States, with electric heat a close second, but much of the nations electricity is generate from natural gas as well. This means that cold temperatures can boost demand for natural gas substantially.

Prices topped out Friday at $3.77 per million British thermal units, more than double the low price of $1.61 hit this March, a sign that this winters heating bills could be much higher than last year for many.

Soybeans disappointed

Soybean futures sank this week after news out of Washington dashed hopes for a bullish soybean market.

On Thursday, President-elect Trump nominated Oklahomas Attorney General, Scott Pruitt, to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Under Pruitt, the EPA may be less likely to support biofuels like corn-based ethanol and soy-based biodiesel.

If the EPA reduces mandates to use these fuels, demand for corn and soy could drop noticeably. This has led to disappointment among some farm-industry groups who expected Trump to create a more farmer-friendly EPA.

Then on Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture jumped its monthly estimate of global soybean production based on larger crops in India and Canada, while leaving unchanged its estimate of this years record-breaking domestic soybean crop.

Altogether, this rough news knocked beans to a two-week low near $10.20 on Friday.
U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a sixth-term Republican from Washington State who is a climate change denier and an ardent opponent of regulations for greenhouse gas emissions, is President-elect Donald Trump top choice for Secretary of Interior.

If McMorris Rodgers is nominated and then confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she would govern the management of more than 500 million acres of federal public lands, including more than 400 national parks.

Perhaps most critically, she would oversee the development of many of Americas fossil fuels and renewables resources, including all of its offshore oil, gas and wind development. Federal land is the source of more than 20 percent of all the oil and gas and 40 percent of the coal produced in the U.S.

McMorris Rodgers would have the power to reverse Obama administration efforts to protect federally managed waters from oil and gas development as well as end the research into how coal mining affects the climate. Earlier this year, the Obama administration placed a three-year moratorium on federal coal leasing, and closed the entire East Coast and parts of the Arctic Ocean to offshore oil drilling.

The land the Interior Department manages stores atmospheric carbon in trees and tree roots; protects biological diversity in wilderness areas, forests and national parks; and provides water for millions of people, mainly in the West.

McMorris Rodgers would also have wide-ranging influence over how the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey communicate to the public about global warming.

Scientific reports are inconclusive at best on human culpability of global warming, McMorris Rodgers falsely told the Spokane, Wash., Spokesman-Review newspaper in 2012. Regardless of which theory proves correct, the goal is the same  to reduce carbon emissions, we need innovation in the private sector; not excessive government regulation to stifle some industries while rewarding others. I oppose cap and trade and other big government schemes because they will destroy jobs while likely having minimal impact on the climate.

McMorris Rodgers signed a 2012 pledge sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, a conservative political advocacy group funded by billionaire David Koch, promising that she would oppose any federal climate-related legislation that would raise revenue for the federal government, including a carbon tax.

Coming from Washington State, which is highly dependent on large hydroelectric dams for its electricity, McMorris Rodgers is a vocal supporter of hydropower and nuclear energy and has sponsored legislation expanding the development of small hydroelectric dams nationwide  a valuable source of renewable energy.

But she is also a major proponent of drilling public lands for fossil fuels.

The League of Conservation Voters gives McMorris Rodgers a 4 percent lifetime score out of a possible 100 in its environmental scorecard because she has voted against bills that would have required the federal government to account for the social cost of carbon in administrative actions and required federally funded projects to be resilient to the impacts of climate change.

McMorris Rodgers has supported legislation that would have opened the Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling, and opposed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions as an air pollutant. She has also voted against tax credits for renewable electricity.

That is not a record that is likely to inspire confidence from the environmental community, said Mark Squillace, a natural resources law professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder. On the other hand, I dont sense that she has been a leading voice on public lands issues and so perhaps she will take a more conciliatory approach if she is confirmed as Interior Secretary.

He said that McMorris Rodgers has mostly voted with other Republicans on environmental and public lands issues.

She also serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, but again I have not seen clear signs of leadership on energy issues, other than a pattern of consistent votes in favor of fossil fuels and against taking action on climate change, Squillace said.

In 2011, McMorris Rodgers co-sponsored a bill that would have required the Interior Secretary to sell off more than 3 million acres of public lands in 10 western states, a bill driven largely by western Republicans who believed the land served no specific purpose. Selling it would have raised more than $1 billion for the federal government, Utah Sen. Mike Lee said at the time.

As Interior secretary, McMorris Rodgers will oversee water management in much of the West. The departments Bureau of Reclamation operates 476 dams and 348 reservoirs across the country, and it is in charge of numerous scientific endeavors and mapping the entire globe through the U.S. Geological Survey.

Robert H. Nelson, a professor of public policy focusing on public lands management at the University of Maryland and a proponent of the federal government transferring federal public lands to the states, said that whats most notable about McMorris Rodgers nomination is that, unlike other Trump cabinet nominees, she does not appear to be a well-known activist.

If he had done that, he would have picked someone from a state like Utah, Nelson said, referring to Trump. Her district, however, along with the rest of Washington State, is heavily affected by hydropower supplied from federal dams. There she has a higher profile. She has publicly supported, for example, keeping the four Snake River dams that many environmentalists would like to tear down.

Other experts and conservationists are grim about the future of public lands under McMorris Rodgers.

Together the pro-fossil fuel team of McMorris at Interior and Scott Pruitt at EPA is a disaster in the making for efforts to reign in CO2 before we hit truly awful tipping points, said Jack Tuholske, director of the Vermont Law School Water and Justice Program. Federal lands have enough coal, oil and gas to push us over any reasonable carbon threshold. President Obama has been fairly successful in limiting access to those resources, especially in his second term. All of those efforts could be undone with Trumps team in place.

Dominick DellaSala, chief scientist of the Geos Institute in Ashland, Oregon, said McMorris Rodgers is no fan of the National Environmental Policy Act, the law that requires environmental review of new development and land management changes on federally owned land.

McMorris Rodgers is bad but could be worse on these issues, DellaSala said. Shes not likely to champion public lands conservation issues.

Gary Wockner, director of Save the Colorado, a group advocating for conservation and preservation of the Colorado River, said McMorris Rodgers has an extreme anti-environment voting record.

The U.S. Senate should do everything in its power to stop her appointment and stop Trumps impending war on the public lands, rivers, and wildlife of the West, Wockner said.
The biggest day yet on the holiday calendar includes events at local museums, holiday fun downtown and a variety of craft fairs. Here is a festive guide, as provided to the Star-Tribune.

Casper Local Hoop Shoot is at Casper College T-Bird Gym. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and competition begins at 10 a.m. It is free to boys and girls who will be between the ages of 8 and 13 on April 1, 2017. Winners advance through district, state, and regional Hoop Shoot contests. This event is free and open to the public.

Operate model railroad trains and learn about a Homespun Christmas at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center annual Holiday on the Homestead from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The celebration is free and open to the public. Visitors are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to benefit Wyoming Food for Thought Project. While supplies last, the day will include old-time family photos (provide your own camera). Cut out your own snowflake, decorate cookies, make ornaments, see dramatic diary readings, visit with Pony Express members, watch living historians, view Christmas trees decorated by many different cultures, enjoy local musicians Anna, Rachel and Friends pioneer music from 12:15 to 1 p.m. in the theater and hang out with BLM mascot Seymour the Antelope.

Enjoy Holidazzle Day at the Science Zone, 111 W. Midwest (below Slumberland) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be extra activities and workshops, including homemade scratch-off holiday cards, light-up ornaments, melting snowmen, sleigh bell engineering challenges, and pictures with Santa. All activities are free with regular admission, except pictures with Santa will be $5.

The Tate Geological Museums Holiday Open House is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day will include face painting, an ornament workshop, and the Shark Tooth Hunt. Kids 5 and older will also be able to make a present to give to someone special at Christmas. Santasaurus and Dee the mammoth will be available for photos. In addition, the trails center, Historic Bishop Home, and the Tate will give away three prizes. Those who visit all three sites on Saturday and receive a stamp will be entered to win.

See an exhibit of dolls, toys and clothes from the 20th century while enjoying the Historic Bishop Home, 818 E. Second St., decorated for the holidays from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Santa will stop by for photo opportunities, and light refreshments will be served. Admission is $2 per person or $5 per family of four.

At Fort Caspar Museum from 1 to 3 p.m., participants in the monthly Fremont Family Funday will make a holiday ornament. No reservations are required and all supplies will be provided. The workshop is open to all ages and is free with museum admission, $1.50 adults, $1 youth 13 to 18 and free for 12 and under. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Casper downtown merchants host Santas Workshop at the old Flower Gallery space, 114 W. Second St. Enjoy crafts and holiday fun and meet Santa. The 10 a.m. to noon slot is reserved for special needs children. The noon to 4 p.m. event is open to anyone.

The First Christian Church and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are hosting an exhibit of nativity displays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 118 E. Second St.

Sunrise Shopping Center Christmas Craft Fair is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with more than 60 vendors.

St. Anthony Tri-Parish School, 1145 W. 20th St., is holding its annual craft fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy dozens of vendors, beautiful decor and breakfast and lunch options.

There are unique gift ideas at the Winter Craft Fair featuring upcycled and other unique items at 1511 S. Melrose St. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

St. Anthony School invites Casper families to experience an introduction to its preschool programs through a free Parents Day Out event. Children ages 3 to 6 are welcome from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a day of learning fun.

Natrona County Republican Women will gather for a Christmas brunch from 10 a.m. to noon at 426 West Yellowstone. Parking is available at the corner of Elm and Ash. There is no charge. Take a covered brunch dish, an ornament for exchange and a food donation for Joshuas Storehouse. Members are encouraged to bring a guest.

Food for Thought Winter Makers Market is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Downtown Grill & Venue, 128 E. Second St. This is a free and family-friendly event.

Casper Community Drum Circle meets from 10 a.m. to noon at 112 S. Beech St. No experience necessary. Families are welcome.

Jenny Hunter and her grandchildren, ages 11 and 4, will be tying neck scarves, hats and other outerwear to trees on the Platte River walkway behind Hose and Rubber, beginning at 11 a.m. Along with the items will be a wristband that says J.R.s Hunt; for life STOP SUICIDE as well as a note that invites people to take the item to help keep warm.

Oil City Harley-Davidson is offering photos with Santa (on his Harley) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All kids and pets are welcome. Photos are free with a donation of an unwrapped new toy for the Toys for Tots program or pet food for the Casper Humane Society.

There will be a Christmas story time at Knowledge Nook (Sunrise Shopping Center) at 11 a.m. Christmas stories and songs will be read by childrens author Casey Rislov. There will be an ornament children can make, cookies, and refreshments.

Felting for the holidays workshop with Jamie Lacore is noon to 4 p.m. at Art 321/Casper Artists Guild. Cost is $40 for members, $30 for students with valid student ID, and $55 for non-members. Supplies fee is $8 due at the beginning of the class. This class is for high school students and older.

A Winter Wonderland is the theme for this years free holiday concert to be presented by the Casper College Music Department at 2:15 p.m. in the Music Building. The concert will feature three groups: The Brass Ensemble, Concert Band and the Flute Ensemble. The CC Brass Ensemble will perform selections at 2:15 on the second floor of the Music Building. At 3 p.m. the CC Flute Ensemble and the CC Concert Band will perform in the Wheeler Concert Hall, also in the Music Building.

The Natrona County Library will offer a Mac OS X Photos class at 3 p.m. Learn how to view, organize, edit and share photos on your Mac with the Photos app.

Parents, take the evening off while your kids enjoy Kids Night Out from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Casper Recreation Center. Kids age 5-12 are welcome. They will swim, play games, create crafts, enjoy pizza and a drink for dinner and have a great time. Pre-registration is required. Cost is $15 for non-members, $13 for Rec Center members.

The Casper Coyotes host the Colorado Junior Eagles at 7:30 p.m. at the Casper Events Center. Its Donate Life Wyoming and you can enter to win an autographed jersey if you show the red heart on your drivers license.

The light show at 3148 Whispering Springs runs from 6 to 11 p.m. Items for Joshuas Storehouse will be collected. Tune your radio to 98.1 FM and enjoy.

A Senior Dance is at the Eagles Hall, 306 N. Durbin St., from 7 to 10 p.m., with music by SwingSounds Band. Admission $5 per person, children under 15 free. Potluck snacks at 8 p.m. and door prize drawings at 9 p.m.
GILLETTE  It was the day after Thanksgiving, and all throughout the Campbell County Courthouse, no one was stirring, save for Don and Hazel Vassar, who were setting up a winter wonderland in the buildings lobby.

Mount Rushmore, old stone bridges crossing an icy river, the Budweiser Clydesdales, snow-covered evergreens, ski lodges. Dozens of animals, including buffalo, moose, deer, bears, foxes, eagles and rabbits roam the display in peace, along with people lying in snow, sitting on benches, walking their dogs.

And the display was only about 25 percent complete.

The Vassars have been setting up a display in the courthouse lobby for about 15 years. They do it twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter, and they do it not for praise or acclaim, but rather to spread Christmas cheer to Campbell County.

The Vassars spent much of a week setting up the display with a winter theme. They took a break on Thanksgiving to spend time with their sons family, but other than that, we were here all Thanksgiving Day, Hazel said.

Hazel, who worked as a deputy county assessor for 39 years before retiring last year, estimated it takes about 72 hours to complete the project. She sets up the scenes, while her husband works on repairs.

Each year, the display is different, thanks to a fluid design process.

I just plan it as I put it in, Hazel said. I dont have a set plan, there is no master plan. It changes by the second.

The Vassars collection, which is 25 years in the making, is constantly growing.

Im a big yard sale person, so I find pieces at yard sales, secondhand stores, antique stores, Hazel said. When we go out of town, Im always looking for new pieces to add to the collection.

Businesses have also donated pieces to the Vassars, and a local artist even sculpted a replica of Devils Tower for their collection.

Hazel said the county has been helpful, from the commissioners to the custodians.

The commissioners have allowed us to have a little storage unit in the basement, she said. And the maintenance crew took old doors and built storage shelves.

Hazel said the county clerk allows the Vassars to use the elections office for temporary storage, and the custodians also are ready to lend a hand.

Last week, they didnt have the cart available, Hazel said, referring to the cart that she and Don use to transport pieces of the collection from the basement to the lobby. They looked for it, they found it in a storage unit, but they had to go find it for us because we couldnt find it anywhere.

The Vassars, who will celebrate their 53rd anniversary this Christmas, show no signs of slowing.

Until we cant crawl around and do this anymore, this will remain a part of our courthouse, she said. After that, I dont know whats going to happen to it, because nobody wants to do this chore. But it certainly has brought me pleasure.

The village also has brought others pleasure, both young and old, and from as far away as Casper.

Its something that every age enjoys, Hazel said. Ive got stories you wouldnt believe of people that have told me how much they really enjoy it.

Hazel recalled one year when she came into work and saw a woman looking at the display for a long time.

I walked around to her and I said, Do you like it? And she looked up at me and she said, Honey, if I dont get another bit of Christmas this year, Ive had mine. Thats it. Thats what this is about. Making people feel like theyve got a little bit of Christmas.

The Vassars arent getting any younger. Hazel is 73, and Don is 76. The hardest part, Hazel said, is all the bending and crawling thats involved with setting up the village. And its just the two of them doing this, with no outside help. Even so, they believe that the rewards far outweigh the labor.

Its well worth the time, oh yes, Hazel said. Seventy-two hours, thats a drop in the bucket for the satisfaction it brings people. Thats what its all about, bringing joy to somebody else.

___

Information from: The Gillette (Wyo.) News Record, http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com
When Gov. Matt Mead delivers the State of the State address to members of the 64th Legislature next month, he will see many new faces  a third of the House and a fifth of the Senate will be freshmen.

The new lawmakers will need to quickly learn and understand the states complex budgeting process, Mead said Wednesday during an interview with the Star-Tribune.

And 2017 will be no ordinary year. Declining revenues from oil, gas and coal have led to cuts in general government operations. When legislators convene Jan. 10 in Cheyenne, they will face a projected education deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars. Lawmakers will have to consider cuts, new taxes or dip into savings to balance the budget.

We have a number of new legislators who will certainly have a new learning curve to get over as they go through this, which will be a tough session, Mead said.

All the Republican leadership in the House will be gone. Speaker Kermit Brown is retiring. Majority Floor Leader Rosie Berger lost in her primary. Speaker Pro Tempore Tim Stubson chose to run for Congress. And House Majority Whip Hans Hunt wasnt elected to a leadership role for next year.

Senate President Phil Nicholas also decided to retire.

Weve really lost some great experience in the Legislature, he said. Theres no way around it. We do have some great leadership that is still there. I think Speaker-elect (Steve) Harshman is a very experienced legislator. Eli Bebout (the Senate president-elect) is a very experienced legislator.

The 90-seat Legislature gained one more Republican in the Nov. 8 election. A number of people ran for the Wyoming Legislature on platforms warning about transgender bathrooms and other socially conservative positions.

Mead, a moderate member of the GOP, avoided talking about ideology or positions of any of the people who recently won seats, saying only: As I from afar look at their political positions, certainly I would be aligned with some and not with others.
BUTTE  The biggest die-off of migrating snow geese in the history of the toxic Berkeley Pit is gaining worldwide attention with the story trending at the top of Facebook as of Wednesday morning.

The social media site showed 3,000 people were talking about this issue, according to Facebook on Wednesday.

Both the United Kingdoms BBC News and Londons The Guardian newspaper posted stories Wednesday. National Public Radio also relayed the story.

The Washington Post in Washington, D.C., smaller media outlets and bird organizations around the country are also reporting the story. The Los Angeles Times is planning its own story, according to a photographer who contacted The Montana Standard on Wednesday morning seeking a photo of the pit.

Montana Resources manager of environmental affairs Mark Thompson said the Butte mining company has been inundated with phone calls from media outlets as far away as Norway starting Tuesday evening. The calls were nonstop Wednesday from radio, magazines and newspaper journalists.

We cant come close to answering everything we got today, Thompson said Wednesday.

MR officials reported this week that thousands of snow geese perished in the pit after landing there Nov. 28 during a snowstorm. The deaths occurred despite hazing efforts by mine workers. The pit is a former open pit copper mine that is filled with water contaminated with sulfuric acid and heavy metals.

Comments have escalated online. One reader wrote on Facebook, Is there any way to fix this so it doesnt happen again?

Another Facebook commenter said, Oh boy, here we go again. Everyone in the world who Googles Butte will essentialize us as the place where beautiful wild creatures die from mine waste pollution.

Local officials, however, have a different take.

Pam Haxby-Cote, head of the Butte Local Development Corp., said that couldnt be further from the truth.

Haxby-Cote said she is not worried the story of the geese die-off will negatively impact Butte. She said she has the ability to live anywhere, but that she lives in Butte because this is a great place to be.

We have beautiful mountains, the cleanest drinking water in the state; fly fishing; miles of local trails. Our thing is, were affordable. We have amazing talent here in Butte, she said.

Maria Pochervina, director of Butte convention and visitors bureau, said she would be surprised to see this tragic event negatively affect tourism this summer.

People are fascinated by the pit, Pochervina said. When we tell the story of the value of minerals extracted, how its made our lives better, people are fascinated by that.

But Dave Palmer, who takes office in January as the newly elected county chief executive and a longtime commissioner, said the die-off is not good news on the economic development front.

It does make national news and that is unfortunate because that is what people look at  bad things, Palmer said. We could be doing a thousand good things in Montana and Butte itself and you never hear about them rise to the national level.

But the geese  that goes national and people say, Oh man, you dont want to go around there, or There is really a problem in Butte-Silver Bow, why would we ever want to relocate a business there? That is something you definitely have to be on top of and you have to try to counter that.

As many as 28 comments have been made on The Standards website in response to reports that several thousands of birds died. The commentary ranges from this is so heart-breaking, to stating that wind turbines kill more migratory birds than the thousands reported dead by MR.

Comments on the website also display anger toward MR and Atlantic Richfield Company  the parties responsible for the pit  as well as calls to put the die-off into perspective. MR and ARCO need to remedy the situation, said one commenter. Another said, Buttes relationship to mining needs to be love-hate, not just hate.

Palmer said hed like to see more attention and research paid to addressing the pit.
A small Wyoming hospital has been honored for providing quality health care.

Torrington Community Hospital was recently named by the Leapfrog Group as one of 21 top rural hospitals in the country. There are 1,855 rural community hospitals in the U.S.

Across the nation, 115 hospitals were honored this year, including the 21 rural hospitals as well as nine childrens hospitals, 29 teaching hospitals and 56 general hospitals.

The Torrington facility, operated by Banner Health, is the first Wyoming facility to be recognized as a top hospital since the group began giving out the awards a decade ago. Leapfrog says its annual awards highlight hospitals that lead the nation in quality and patient safety.

The groups goal is to improve safety, quality and affordability of health care by increasing transparency, which it says will support informed health care decisions and promote high-value care.

Earning this award is a very big deal, said Terry Sterling, board chair of the Wyoming Business Coalition on Health, in a news release. All of Wyoming should be proud of the hospital in Torrington. Leapfrog sets a high bar, and Torrington Community Hospital met their very rigorous standards. It takes leadership and dedication to earn this award.
PHILIP, S.D.  The sale of hundreds of wild horses seized from a troubled sanctuary in north-central South Dakota is being moved after Philip Livestock Auction was allegedly harassed and threatened.

Dewey County Sheriff Les Mayer made the announcement in a social media post and declined to provide details.

The horses are from a Lantry-area ranch operated by the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros. Authorities seized the facility's animals in October after a state veterinarian found they were being neglected and a former ranch employee said they were being starved to death.

Society President Karen Sussman has denied wrongdoing.

Mayer says the sale of the horses is still set for Dec. 20, but he won't disclose the location until a few days before.
Editor:

Pain inflicted on American people by the past election has been most unbearable! Fake news, outright lies, interference by Russia and Putin in scams in Americas election, rules to disparage voting, ( 40 percent of eligible voters did not vote)---fear and hate talk caused doubt , suspicion and division.

Talk about a riggedelection. The Citizens United along with the NRA with their fascist mentality to buy our elections so that our country seems to be about the rich and powerful, hate of any government. Apparently, the fake ideas appeal to the gullible who seem to follow the fake news on social media.

Example of hate perpetrated against Hillary and Democrats in general -- like Gary Wells who in his letter thinks entitlement programs, like Medicare, food stamps, disability help (called "socialistic") also called handouts in the most negative of terms. He seems to be backing anti-government programs. Hillary would have been the best president, most qualified, bringing together our countrymen. Now there seems to be a war against information.

With Trump (as a known liar) as our leader and example, there do not seem to be some good solutions. I hope he will be impeached for the good of country.
A historic Arizona ranch now has new dudes.

Horses and cattle will soon be headed to Rancho de la Osa, near Sasabe, after it was bought at auction last month by self-described passionate dude ranch owners.

The buyers, Robert Bucksbaum, who owns the Majestic Dude Ranch outside Durango, Colorado, Tucsonan Russell True, who grew up at and is now co-owner of the White Stallion Ranch, along with investors Jaye H. Wells and Paul Bear plan to welcome guests Feb. 1.

Wells is an architect and Trues partner on his Southwest dude ranches, and Bear helped revive and renovate Tucsons Rialto Theater and founded KXCI.

The 240-acre property with 10 buildings was auctioned on Oct. 22, and the sale closed Nov. 23.

Records from the Pima County Recorders Office list a sale price of $710,600.

The buyers spared the ranch from fates such as becoming a ghost ranch, a housing site for the Border Patrol or a lavish personal residence.

Rancho de la Osa was owned and operated by Veronica and Richard Schultz, who fully restored and upgraded the ranch that abuts the 117,000-acre Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, along the Arizona-Mexico border.

The couple bought the guest ranch in 1996 and in 2014 put it up for sale, ready to retire and travel the world.

After two years, with no offers, the couple put the ranch up for auction.

True and Bucksbaum were introduced by Veronica Shultz.

True said the Schultzes caretaking of the ranch was a gift for us and called La Osa Arizonas most historic ranch.

Authentic experience with a twist

About a 90-minute drive from Tucson, the ranch has 19 guess rooms, a cantina, two dining rooms and 33 wood-burning fireplaces.

The property dates to the 1700s.

The first building was erected by Jesuit priests as a trading post to exchange goods with local tribes and as a place for traveling missionaries who were carrying on the work of Eusebio Francisco Kino. It is believed to be the oldest continually used building in Arizona.

The ranch was included in the Gadsden Purchase and bought by Col. William Spencer Sturgis in 1889, who established it as La Osa Ranch.

When he first visited the property, Bucksbaum said, I was floored, and I immediately knew it would be part of my life.

Its magical when you first walk in, he said. Knowing that John Wayne and two presidents had been there and the 300-year-old building that is so well preserved  in Colorado, nothing is that old.

Along with traditional trail rides on horseback and cattle drives, the new owners plan to introduce other activities.

Guests will have access to fat-tire and electric mountain bikes, ATVs, hunting excursions, rock climbing and outdoor movies.

At his Colorado ranch, Bucksbaum has had success in bringing in corporate retreats with activities such as human foosball, which he plans to introduce at La Osa.

We are stewards of this one-of-a-kind property, True said. We will keep the authenticity, yet expand the options. Were going to introduce Colorados adventure-style dude ranching to Arizona.

Down the road, the owners want to offer designation venues, such as mission tours in Sonora as part of a guests stay, True said.

The oldest building, which now houses a cantina, will be transformed to an event room.

And, unlike some urban dude ranches that have been hurt by rooftops visible from the trail, Were not fearful of a bunch of neighbors moving in, True said.

Attracting guests, new and old

Wells was one of the last guests at La Osa and helped haul away the horses.

It was so sad and I was wracking my brain on how to save it, he said.

The chance to partner with the other investors was a thrill.

First order of business, Wells said, will be to welcome back guests that loved the place and then go after the younger people who will enjoy the added activities.

The wild West is really cool.

The European visitor will be a large target, especially during the summer months.

To them, the heat is exotic, Wells said.

Recent job announcements in the Tucson area make incoming residents a natural guest to invite as the transplants explore their new home, he said.

The owners plan to stock up on a variety to tequilas and have tastings at the ranch and a Sunday brunch for locals to make a day trip.

Being right on the border with Mexico doesnt concern the owners.

In Arizona its a nonissue, True said. But to people in Chicago and New York, it might be, yet I believe some are going to want to come to see the fence  well ride right along the fence.

True is a co-founder and president of the Arizona Dude Ranch Association and co-owns with partners the 270-acre Tombstone Monument Ranch near Tombstone.

He and Bucksbaum plan to share resources by co-managing the dude ranches  La Osa, White Stallion, Tombstone and the Majestic.

We see the potential for administering and marketing these historic ranch properties through a centralized modern boutique management system, he said, such as a single reservation system and shared marketing with linked websites.

Visitors who enjoy the dude ranch experience can rotate among the different options.
Deadline for Tucsons poet laureate nominations is Feb. 1; selection will be made by March 1. For complete details, and to make nominations: artsfoundtucson.org/tucson-poet-laureate-call-for-nominations

Did you know?

Alberto Alvaro Rios was named Arizona's first Poet Laureate in 2013. Born and raised in Nogales, Arizona, Rios earned his BA and MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona and is a Regents Professor at Arizona State University.

He wrote the following poem in January of this year, marking the anniversary of the 2011 shooting of Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others outside a Tucson supermarket.

Five Years Later

I was, and now I am.

So much goes into the saying of those few words.

Sometimes this change is sweetness,

A kiss, a caress. Sometimes,

Nothing warns us. It cannot be thought by us.

It is done to us. A gun,

An earthquake, a flood  any of the muscular

Horrors of this world.

In those instances, we dont ask for it,

We dont get to take a deep breath,

It is simply the end of the chapter

And Page One of the next. We are thrown

Into the deep water and we are angry,

We are angry, we are angry.

We could not swim, but now we are swimming 

We have to swim.

It is not fair. It is never fair.

We have no chance to be part of the decision

That changes us.

We were, and then we are. Regrettably,

We are not alone. If it is one of us,

It is all of us, so many of us.

We were, and now we are.

Sweetness or cruelty, suddenness, shock,

A rough touch that could be either:

We are changed.

If it has been a kiss, our lives are turned powerfully

Toward lightness.

But when it is not sweetness, not a kiss,

We live the rest of our lives as someone else,

But someone who is still us.

If we had a gun, because we did have a gun,

If things had gone differently, better,

If the rehab had been more effective,

Had God stepped in, had anyone heard:

We would be living in the regular world.

We could look at the rabbits along the highway

And the blue, ragged mountains in the distance

Like anyone.

But, five years after something happens to us

We are not the anyone.

The jackrabbits and the Tucson Mountains 

We love them, not easily but fiercely, fiercely

In the new way we have had to find.

We love them as who we are now.

We love because thats whats left.

Source: azarts.gov/programs/arizona-poet-laureate
Border Patrol agents arrested two teenagers in Naco on Wednesday after an air cannon fired bundles of marijuana over the border fence into the United States.

The teenagers were found with a bundle that weighed 34 pounds and was molded into a cylindrical shape, the Border Patrol said in a news release Friday.

Agents seized the marijuana and referred the teenagers to the Cochise County Attorney for prosecution through Operation Immediate Consequence. They face up to 18 months in prison, the agency said.

In an effort to deter juveniles from getting involved with drug smuggling. Cochise County authorities may prosecute them as adults, the Arizona Republic reported in August.

Smuggling organizations often take advantage of teens, lying to them about their chances of being prosecuted for their roles in smuggling attempts, Patrol Agent in Charge of the Brian A. Terry Border Patrol Station Michael Hyatt said in the news release. In many cases, they do not realize the true consequences of their actions.

In September, authorities found a roughly 10-foot-long air cannon inside a van in Agua Prieta, Mexico, which they believed was used to shoot packages of marijuana into Douglas, Arizona.
The head of surgery at the University of Arizona will step in as interim leader of the universitys two medical schools.

The appointment of Dr. Leigh Neumayer as interim senior vice president for health sciences at the UA will be effective Jan. 1, UA President Ann Weaver Hart said in a news release Friday afternoon.

In addition to overseeing the UA College of Medicine Tucson and the UA College of Medicine Phoenix, the vice president for health sciences oversees the UA College of Pharmacy, the UA College of Nursing, and the UA Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. The total health sciences budget is $595 million per year.

The announcement of Neumayers appointment came one day after Dr. Joe G.N. Skip Garcia announced hes resigning his position as senior vice president of health sciences at the UA to focus on research and teaching. Garcia, who joined the university in 2013, recruited Neumayer to the UA in 2014.

It will be up to the next UA president to choose Garcias successor, Hart said in her statement. Hart also is stepping down, and a search for a new UA president is under way. Members of the Arizona Board of Regents have said they would like to name a president for the university by summer.

Neumayer is the first woman to head the UA College of Medicine Tucsons department of surgery. She became department head on Aug. 18, 2014, and also holds the Margaret E. and Fenton L. Maynard Endowed Chair in Breast Cancer Research.

Neumayers salary for the new position has not been determined, UA spokesman Chris Sigurdson said Friday. She currently earns $725,000 per year. He also did not have any information about whether a new surgery head would be named.

Garcia earns $870,000 per year and will continue to receive that salary for two more years under terms of his contract.

I am excited about Dr. Neumayers leadership in the health sciences, Hart said in her prepared statement. She has a distinguished record as a physician scientist and has demonstrated exceptional leadership as chair of the department of surgery, building an incredible team and restoring critically important transplant programs. She also has established a tremendous working relationship with our Banner Health colleagues.

Neumayer completed her general surgery residency training at the UA in 1990 and served for two years on the faculty.

She earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and her master of science degree in clinical research design and statistical analysis from the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

I am honored to serve in this interim position, Neumayer said in a prepared statement. Dr. Garcia recruited me here and the University of Arizona has benefited greatly from his leadership. He has built a strong foundation for additional growth in the health sciences at the University of Arizona.
A Marana High School teacher accused of having inappropriate contact with teenage girls he met on a dating website was the victim of an online extortion scam, his attorney says.

The Marana School District governing board initially moved in November to terminate 25-year-old Andre Perrault, a Spanish teacher, who has been assigned to home since Sept. 12. But after the teachers attorney requested a statutory dismissal hearing, which involves legal and procedural expenses, the board rescinded the termination and instead voted Thursday to continue paying him for the rest of the school year and not renewing his contract at the end, which it decided was cheaper.

We need to look at being good stewards of our resources and recognizing the extreme financial impact when proceeding with a statutory dismissal hearing, said Tamara Crawley, a district spokeswoman.

Perraults attorney, Michael Garth Moore, argued that the district is using the cost of the hearing to avoid having to prove the accusations, some of which come from anonymous sources. Should there be a hearing, it would be proven that his client is innocent, he said.

A statement of charges prepared by district officials alleges that during most or all of his employment, Perrault has knowingly or reckless engaged in a pattern of conduct with females who are in high school and/or under 18 years or age that included going on dates and sexual or romantic activities. He was hired by Marana schools in September 2015.

The accusations involve three instances concerning underage girls, one of which includes a police report but no charges, telephone extortionists and an anonymous letter.

In July, Suzanne Hopkins, a Marana governing board member, and five staff members received an anonymous letter from someone claiming she was a 17-year-old high school senior when she went on a date and had sexual contact with the Spanish teacher in October 2015. The letter writer said she informed Perrault of her age, but he took her back to his house anyway.

I feel it is my moral obligation to inform you of this, seeing as he is around high school students daily, if he still works for you, the letter, obtained through a public records request, said. The writer also apologized for not having come forward sooner.

Perrault could not be reached for comment. But in interviews with district officials, Perrault reportedly said he believed he knew who wrote the letter; he went on a date with a woman he met on OkCupid, where he had set a filter for women who are 18 to 24 years old, and took her back to his place, but denied having sexual contact.

Mr. Perrault never engaged in anything but appropriate activities with whom he understood to be adults, his attorney said. Moore added that he believes the letter was written by people who have been trying to extort the teacher for months.

Two unknown people, who claimed to be the parents of someone he met on OkCupid and was texting with, accused him of sexting with their underage daughter and demanded money from him. The extortion eventually extended to the Marana High School office, where a woman left a suspicious voicemail on Sept. 9.

The teacher reported that voicemail to the principal, who then informed the school resource officer, according to a Marana Police Department incident report provided to the Star by Moore, Perraults attorney. Perrault told the officer that he was misled about the girls age and that hed given the extortionists about $2,000 in total via an online payment service to make them stop and in fear of his career.

When he confided in the officer, Perrault thought an official extortion investigation was taking place, his attorney said. But the incident report indicates that the case is closed. Perrault subsequently filed a report with the FBI.

In the process of investigating the high school teacher, the Marana School District discovered a Tucson Police Department case report, which resulted from an incident another teen had reported to police on July 20, 2015. It said the teen, a high school student who was 17 at the time, met Perrault in March 2015 through the dating website and had sexual intercourse on more than one occasion.

The nature of the incident is unclear, as the report is heavily redacted to protect the girls identity, but it said that the girl and her mother decided not to pursue charges against Perrault.

The accusations against Perrault were reported to state education department and the Spanish teacher could be subject to a hearing on whether or not he can keep his provisional secondary teaching certificate, which, as of Friday afternoon, was still valid. A full-time substitute has taken Perraults place and will remain at the post for the rest of the school year.

He will not be returning to our school district in any capacity, Crawley, the district spokeswoman said.
Former Attorney General Tom Horne wont face criminal charges in connection with his alleged use of state employees in his unsuccessful 2014 re-election campaign.

A spokeswoman for Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery confirmed Friday that the office has dropped the probe it began more than a year ago.

We determined there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction on felony charges, said Amanda Jacinto. And it was past the statute of limitations for misdemeanor charges.

We are pleased that the county attorney decided to drop these baseless charges, said Dennis Wilenchik, Hornes attorney. They must have concluded this was not a winnable case based on all the evidence that we have seen and are aware of.

The decision marks the second inquiry into Hornes conduct that is now closed. He previously agreed to pay $10,000 out of his own pocket to settle claims by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission that he used more than $300,000 worth of state employee time and rent in the campaign.

But Horne still could face legal problems from a third investigation into the same campaign that remains outstanding.

That is based on the findings by the secretary of states office that workers at Hornes office were not volunteering but instead were being compensation by the state of Arizona while conducting campaign activities for Mr. Horne. That includes the use of state computers to prepare campaign finance materials on state time.

Those allegations were farmed out by the attorney generals office to Daniel Barker, a retired Court of Appeals judge, and Gilbert City Attorney Michael Hamblin, because it was current Attorney General Mark Brnovich who defeated Horne in the 2014 Republican primary and then went on to win the general election.

All three probes revolve around the same allegations by Sarah Beattie, a staffer in Hornes office, that she worked on his re-election bid while on state time and used state resources. Beattie also said she observed others doing similar work.

Horne has repeatedly denied the charges.
The Thursday after the election, 19-year old Colleen Magee-Uhlik came face to face with what seems to be a growing problem across the nation.

As she passed a woman in the aisle of a northwest side pet store and said "excuse me," her polite demeanor was met with an unexpected response.

"Oh my," the woman said. "Are you ready to go back where you belong to Mexico? President Trump is going to make America great again."

Magee-Uhlik, who is actually Asian, was startled for a moment but collected herself and corrected the woman, adding that America is never going to be great as long as there are racists like her.

"I was concerned about the effects of the election, but I didn't think anything would happen so soon," Magee-Uhlik said.

A member of a mixed-race family, Magee-Uhlik lived in Wisconsin for 11 years before moving to Tucson.

"I'm adopted, and my parents and younger sister are White. There was so much ignorance in Wisconsin," she said. "You'd be shocked to hear what people will say to your face."

She said that when her family arrived in Tucson six years ago, it was a breath of fresh air.

"It meant so much to be in a community that was culturally diverse and accepting," she said, adding that while there's always some racism around, it was much less frequent and overt than in the Midwest.

She shared her post-election experience on her Facebook page, and had more than 100 likes, shares and comments.

Magee-Uhlik said that she hopes more people will come forward and speak out against racism.

"It's not what any of us want to talk about, but maybe it's what we need to hear," she said.

Dozens of hate acts reported

In recent weeks, multiple bias-related hateful messages posted around town have been reported to police and community groups.

A photo posted on the Facebook group Tucson Atheists page on Nov. 20 showed a hateful message scrawled into the sidewalk near the bus stop on East 22nd Street, just west of South Kolb Road.

Someone who saw the post reported the incident to the Tucson chapter of Pantsuit Nation, a local group that formed the day after the election and is working to fight hate by promoting kindness.

In addition to reporting the incident to the city, a member of the group went to the site and cleaned up the graffiti.

Three days later, a flyer was found attached to a telephone pole on the corner of North Mountain Avenue and East Linden Street.

"Black lives don't matter while they are committing a felony," the flyer read.

The woman who posted the photo reported it to the police, and other individuals contacted the YWCA of Southern Arizona and Southern Poverty Law Center, a national group dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry.

When Pantsuit Nation found out about the flyer, they took action again.

"We went right to the intersection and wrote messages of welcome and encouragement," said Amanda Gormley, Pantsuit Nation's interim executive committee member.

These aren't the only examples of what's taken place in town.

Last Saturday, a Tucson woman contacted police to report hateful messages written on her property.

Later in the day, a group of her neighbors cleaned up the sidewalk and wrote positive messages in chalk to promote love and kindness.

Local resident received hateful messages written on her property. Neighbors cleaned it & wrote their own welcome messages of kindness. Wow! pic.twitter.com/gUp4gKwVPn  Sergeant Pete Dugan (@SgtDugan) December 3, 2016

Dozens of other messages have been posted on Facebook detailing open acts of harassment people have witnessed or endured over the past several weeks.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there are four statewide hate groups in Arizona.

In Pima County, there are two White nationalist groups, a Neo-Nazi group, a group defined as "racist skinheads" and an anti-immigrant group.

Community groups spring into action

In response to experiences like Magee-Uhlik's and other acts, YWCA, Pantsuit Nation and other local groups have sprung to action by hosting meetings and events around town promoting kindness and talking about ways to combat hate.

In a letter to the editor published in the Arizona Daily Star on Nov. 26, YWCA CEO Kelly Fryer and the group's advocacy committee chairperson, Annette Everlove, said that after hearing about incidents of harassment across the country, they invited Tucsonans to share their stories through Facebook's private messenger.

In the first 48 hours, more than a dozen people responded.

On November 30, the group hosted a kickoff event for the "We Stand Together" network, during which Police Chief Chris Magnus and Mayor Jonathan Rothschild talked about how to work together as a community to directly respond to hate crimes and bullying. The event, which was held at the the group's Frances McClelland Community Center, drew so much interest that it was standing room only.

Between Nov. 11 and Nov. 30, the group received 18 reports of bias-related incidents, but since launching the network, they've only received 4 reports, according to a news release.

As of Friday, more than 475 individuals and businesses have signed up to be a part of the network, by promising to be a safe place for anyone threatened by bias-related harassment or harm.

Next week, on Tuesday, the YWCA and Southern Arizona Hate Crimes Task Force will ask the Pima County Board of Supervisors to make all of Pima County part of the network.

Pantsuit Nation has also held a number of meetings and "chalk mobs," where members have turned out to decorate the streets.

"We've had small groups coming together to get to know each other and start conversations," Gormley said. "Our focus is on mobilizing the Tucson community to support local groups for marginalized individuals."

The group was also created to give people a safe space to talk, she said.

With 4,700 members of their closed Facebook group, the movement seems to be gaining momentum.

"It's great to have so many people coming out in support of people who are in danger or are afraid for the future," Gormley said.

On Saturday, Dec. 18, the group will hit the sidewalks of Fourth Avenue in a "Chalk to Action," adorning the streets with messages about how to fight hate and increase kindness in the community.

The group has also planned a January event with the Jewish History Museum, to start a community discussion about social history and activism in the face of forces of erasure.

Pantsuit Nation believes that Tucson's Muslim community will play an important part in the discussion and has invited them to attend as representatives of the Islamic Center of Tucson.

Despite her concerns about what else could happen as a result of the election, Magee-Uhlik is optimistic.

"It sucks to see these kinds of things happening around Tucson," she said. "I hope we start seeing more messages of kindness."

If groups like Pantsuit Nation and the YWCA have any say in it, that's exactly what will happen.
PHOENIX  The U.S. Supreme Court is using an Arizona couples product liability lawsuit to determine how far federal judges can go when punishing attorneys who hide information.

The justices have scheduled arguments for next month to hear claims by Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. that lower court judges acted improperly in imposing a $2.7 million penalty against their lawyers. That is believed to be the largest ever imposed by a federal court in Arizona.

At the very least, the company wants the high court to send the case back to U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver with directions to review her ruling and reduce the amount.

But that would require a majority of the justices to conclude that both Silver and a majority of a three-judge panel the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals erred in their conclusion that the sanctions were appropriate given the fraudulent actions of the company and its attorneys.

The case involves a Tucson couple driving through New Mexico in 2003 in their motor home.

While on a freeway, one of the tires allegedly failed, causing the vehicle to go over an embankment and flip over, causing serious injury to driver Leroy Haeger, his wife and their daughter-in-law.

In filing suit against Goodyear, attorney David Kurtz alleged the tire was defective and repeatedly demanded all the information the company had on testing of the G159 model of tire.

After Goodyear attorneys provided all of what they said the company had, Kurtz and his clients agreed to an out-of-court settlement  the amount was not disclosed  after the first day of trial. That came in 2010, five years after the lawsuit was filed.

It was only later that Kurtz learned by reading about another lawsuit against Goodyear that the company had some results from an internal heat test it did not provide to him  results that he said backed his argument about why the tire failed. In fact, the plaintiffs in that other case got a $5.6 million verdict against the company.

So Kurtz went back to court and argued that he would not have agreed to the settlement had the information been disclosed.

That failure clearly annoyed Silver.

There is clear and convincing evidence that sanctions are required to be imposed, she wrote, saying the attorneys and Goodyear made repeated, deliberate decisions  to delay production of relevant information, make misleading and false in-court statements, and conceal relevant documents.

Since the underlying case had been settled, that left Silver with only the option of ordering the company and its lawyers to pay the couple the $2.7 million she said they spent in legal fees and expenses in preparing for the trial, money she said they might not have had to spend if Goodyear had disclosed the test results and the case been settled earlier.

Pierre Bergeron, the attorney hired by Goodyear to pursue the Supreme Court appeal, is arguing to the justices that theres no evidence that the case would have settled even if the company had turned over the test information. He noted that other case  the one with the $5.6 million verdict  went to a full-blown trial even after the plaintiffs in that case had seen the evidence.

But Bergerons main contention is that Silver erred because there was no proof that the failure to disclose the tests resulted in that entire $2.7 million in fees and costs.

Put simply, he is arguing that to the extent Goodyear and its attorneys are liable  and hes not making that concession  the judge has to show some direct link between their conduct and the claimed expenses. Instead, Bergeron said, Silver simply decided it was too difficult to figure that out and simply decided to award Kurtz and his clients all of their fees.

The district court simply threw up its hands at the specter of calculating sanctions caused by the misconduct, he wrote. And that, Bergeron argued, makes Silvers order punitive in nature.

The whole issue has gotten the attention of the National Association of Manufacturers whose members could also find themselves facing similar sanctions. The groups Philip Goldberg, told the justices his clients are particularly susceptible to being accused of failing to disclose everything they have when they face product liability lawsuits.

Developing products can generate huge sums of data and make discover a complex undertaking fraught with potential mistake and gamesmanship, he wrote in a legal brief supporting Goodyear.

But Kurtz, in his own legal arguments to the court, said the evidence in this case shows this was not just some honest mistake. He said Silver specifically concluded the company engaged in repeated and deliberate attempts to frustrate the resolution of this case on the merits.


Under U.S. law it is illegal for any American to provide money or assistance to al-Qaeda, ISIS or other terrorist groups. If you or I gave money, weapons or support to al-Qaeda or ISIS, we would be thrown in jail. Yet the U.S. government has been violating this law for years, quietly supporting allies and partners of al-Qaeda, ISIL, Jabhat Fateh al Sham and other terrorist groups with money, weapons, and intelligence support, in their fight to overthrow the Syrian government.[i]

The CIA has also been funneling weapons and money through Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and others who provide direct and indirect support to groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. This support has allowed al-Qaeda and their fellow terrorist organizations to establish strongholds throughout Syria, including in Aleppo.

A recent New York Times article confirmed that rebel groups supported by the U.S. have entered into battlefield alliances with the affiliate of al-Qaeda in Syria, formerly known as al Nusra. This alliance has rendered the phrase moderate rebels meaningless. Reports confirm that every armed anti-Assad organization unit in those provinces [of Idlib and Aleppo] is engaged in a military structure controlled by [al-Qaedas] Nusra militants.

A recent Wall Street Journal article reported that many rebel groups are doubling down on their alliance with al Nusra. Some rebel groups are renewing their alliance, while others, like Nour al-Din al-Zinki, a former CIA-backed group and one of the largest factions in Aleppo are joining for the first time. The Syria Conquest Frontformerly known as the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Frontis deeply intermingled with armed opposition groups of all stripes across Syrias battlefields.

The CIA has long been supporting a group called Fursan al Haqq, providing them with salaries, weapons and support, including surface to air missiles. This group is cooperating with and fighting alongside an al-Qaeda affiliated group trying to overthrow the Syrian government. The Levant Front is another so-called moderate umbrella group of Syrian opposition fighters. Over the past year, the United States has been working with Turkey to give this group intelligence support and other forms of military assistance. This group has joined forces with al-Qaedas offshoot group in Syria." Excerpt from the bill

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/46001.htm

-----------

Tulsi Gabbard - Bless her. For the record SST supports this bill in the House of Representatives. Those who disagree with me on this should feel free to express their opinions here. Will the bill pass the House? That is unlikely considering the bipartisan strength of the Borgist war party in the Congress. pl

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsi_Gabbard
Help India!

By Arun Kumar, IANS

Washington : Two US think tanks have suggested that Washington take the lead in fighting climate change and engage India and China as part of a broader strategy of geo-politically informed climate policy.

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Just as many adaptation policies have clear national security dimensions, so do many possible mitigation initiatives, said Joshua W. Busby, an expert with the Council on Foreign Relations, a US think tank, citing the cases of China and India.

Engagement remains the most important strategy to encourage China to become a status quo power and reduce the risk that Chinas rise leads to confrontation between the great powers. The same is true of India, he said.

While the India-US civil nuclear deal was designed to reduce the threat of nuclear proliferation, from a security-oriented climate perspective, it also has the potential to restrain the countrys greenhouse gas emissions, said Busby, an assistant professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.

The Council on Foreign Relations estimates that if India were to build 20 gigawatts of nuclear power as envisioned in the 2006 agreement, this could save 145 million tonnes per year of carbon dioxide emissions that would otherwise have been belched from coal-generating plants.

As part of this broader strategy of geo-politically informed climate policy, the United States should make sure that enhancing formal participation by China and India in important global institutions is a part of its climate change mitigation strategy, Busby said.

In particular, it should promote closer engagement between China and India and the International Energy Agency (IEA), he said, as it would help advance climate goals while further integrating the two Asian giants into the rules-based global order.

Busby suggested that concentrated impacts of climate change will have important national security implications, both in terms of the direct threat from extreme weather events as well as broader challenges to US interests in strategically important countries.

For instance, devastating floods in Bangladesh could send tens of thousands of refugees across the border to India, potentially leading to tension between the refugees and recipient communities in India.

In the event of such an emergency, the US would likely be called upon, given its relief efforts in the region after the 2004 tsunami and the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan.

Even if the US has limited strategic stakes in Bangladesh, support for adaptation measures would still be the right thing to do and much less costly than disaster response, Busby said.

A new pact on clean energy technology transfer to China and India would bolster support for the rules-based global order that the US has nurtured since World War II, he said, noting that for these policy recommendations to have traction, institutional reform is needed.

Another expert, Carlos Pascual, vice president and director of foreign policy at Brookings, noted that it doesnt matter where the next unit of carbon is emitted.

He said: Whether it comes from Detroit or Beijing, or Delhi or Newcastle it still has the same impact of putting more carbon into the atmosphere.

As a result of that you need every country that is major emitter of carbon to participate in order to have a real impact on the problem.

Pascual added: All of us have a stake in this and all of us have to be part of the solution. It becomes more complicated because countries like China and India will look at the industrialised world and say, You know it was you, the industrialised world, that actually created the concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to begin with, so why should we pay the principal cost?'

And the fact that the United States and China and India have approached this with such hesitation has made it extraordinarily difficult to actually get traction on some form of effective set of negotiations, Pascual said asking the US to play a leadership role.
Help India!

By Pritam Singh Tinna, Twocircles.net

As the Dalit struggle in village Jalloor continues in Sangrur district over land dispute, another such case of a similar struggle is emerging from Phillaur, Jallandhar.

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In Muthada, various Ambedkarite organisations along with the BSP are protesting outside the office of DSP, Phillaur, for speedy trial in a number of cases, including one that dates back to March from the village of Muthada. Despite the fact that the case was registered under the The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, no arrests have yet been made.

Speaking about the Muthada incident, Kanti Bona, the village sarpanch who belongs to the BSP, said, On the night of April 19, 2016, my house was attacked by upper caste Akali Dal goons. They even fired bullets, but thankfully no one was injured.

When asked about the reason of the attack, he said In February this year, after a long protest, we had finally managed to free 4 acres of Panchayat land which had under the occupation of Akali dal members. This angered them, and they attacked my house.

Confirming the attack, the President of Ambedkar Sena said, FIR 73/16 has been registered against 24 upper caste Akali dal members, but there have been no arrests yet.

Avtar Singh Karimpuri, who is the ex president of BSP and the Phillaur candidate for the upcoming elections, said, We have been protesting outside the DSP office Phillaur for the speedy trial of few cases including the one in Muthada, and the protests have now been going on for almost three weeks.

Talking about the other cases, Kanti Bona said, The second case is from the village of Kot vihar, where a false FIR under section 326 of the IPC has been registered against the husband of the sarpanch and his friend. The third case is from Village Raho, where the wife of Punjab IG Ranveer Singh harassed and threatened her creditor who was from the Schedule caste and later committed suicide.
Help India!

By Twocircles.net Staff Reporter

Media must refrain from pronouncing terror accused as guilty till a formal pronouncement is made by the court, and a rights-based approach should be adopted by the State to grant compensation to the victims of wrongful actions of the State, a Jury led by Justice AP Shah, former Chairman of Law Commission of India said at a press conference in Delhi on December 10.

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Justice Shah was speaking at the release of the Jury report based on the Peoples Tribunal on Acquitted Innocents in terrorism cases, which was conducted in October.

Apart from Justice A.P Shah (Ex CJI Delhi High Court, Chairman of the 20th Law Commision of India), other members of the jury included noted filmmaker Saeed Akhtar Mirza, G.S. Bajpai (NLU Delhi Registrar), noted journalist Neena Vyas, Delhi School academic Nandini Sundar, TISS Deputy Director Abdul Shaban, journalist Vinod Sharma and Advocate Monica Sakrani.

The amount of compensation must be decided on a case to case basis taking into account both pecuniary and nonpecuniary losses, the jury said in its report.

On October 2, 2016, Innocence Network India had organised the first Peoples Tribunal on Acquitted Innocents in terrorism cases, which saw 15 innocents from across the country depose in front of the jury.

The depositions (on October 2) explicitly make clear all that is wrong with the criminal justice system when it comes to dealing with cases of terrorism. The Jury, while recognizing the need for the State to provide compensation to the victims for their wrongful conviction, identified different stakeholders involved in the entire process of arrest and acquittal, the report said.

The wrongful prosecution did not result from mere technical errors or genuine human lapses in investigation, but from willful and malicious investigation and prosecution. It does appear that it is routine for police and investigating agencies to round up and arrest Muslim youth in the aftermath of any bomb explosion or aJack. The most striking example of this is the manner in which investigation into the Malegaon blast 2006 was carried out. Members of the Muslim community were rounded up, trumped as SIMI activists and shown as key suspects despite the fact that at least one of them was already in police custody at that time, and another key accused was hundreds of kilometres away leading the shab-e-baraat prayers in Yavatmal on that very day, the report of the Jury says.

The testimonies laid bare the excessive powers granted to the investigating agency under the anti-terror legal regime. The Jury is constrained to note that these laws have a decided lawless character, and have resulted in the false implication of scores of youth on charges of terrorism, it added.

Suggestions

Compensation: A rights based approach should be adopted by the State to grant compensation to the victims of wrongful actions of the State. The amount of compensation must be decided on a case to case basis taking into account both pecuniary and non pecuniary losses.

Accountability: The police officials involved in such cases must be held accountable. A departmental inquiry must be conducted against them. Further, these police officials should be made criminally liable for the malicious acts done by them in their official capacity.

Guidelines for media: The media ought to be cognizant of its power to devastate lives through sensationalism and partisan reporting. The media must refrain from pronouncing the accused as guilty till a formal pronouncement is made by the court. Further, the media must publish an apology, if it had written defamatory material against the acquitted innocent at the time of his arrest.

Legislative reforms: Article 14(6) of the ICCPR must be incorporated into legislative framework. The Prevention of Torture Bill should be passed by the Parliament. Provisions of the anti-terror laws, Indian Evidence Act and Criminal Procedure Code should be amended to hold erring officers accountable and to curb custodial violence.

Institutional And Societal reforms: Human Rights bodies such as NHRC and SHRCs must establish a dedicated cell to look into the cases of acquitted persons. The public must also make an active attempt towards rehabilitation of such acquitted persons.

Failure of Human Rights bodies

The Jury expressed dismay at the failure of the Human Rights bodies such as the National Human Rights Commission and various State Human Rights Commissions to acknowledge the issue and intervene in such cases of wrongful arrests and prosecution.

The report is a first of its kind document in India that points out how providing adequate reparations is a duty of the state and falls explicitly within its justice framework. It, then, lays down the jurisprudence of compensation and issues clear guidelines for a comprehensive legislation for compensation and rehabilitation for those who have been wrongfully prosecuted/convicted. Other speakers at the event included Manisha Sethi of Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association and Wasif Haider, who was falsely accused in a terrorism case by the UP police and was one of the Innocents who had deposed before a panel.

The Jury also took strong note of the torture culture in India, and said, One of the key features of all testimonies was the systematic torture that the suspects were subjected to by the agencies. As many existing reports have shown, torture is endemic to Indias policing culture. In terror investigations, however, it seems to be the very cornerstone.
Famous Kannada actors Yash and Radhika Pandit tied the nuptial knot at a private wedding in Bengaluru on December 8, 2016. The couple took wedding vows in a traditional Hindu wedding which was attended by their families, and close friends. The marriage ceremony was also attended by some leading actors, filmmakers and few influential political leaders from Karnataka.

The wedding was a private, but grand affair and a beautiful temple-like setting was designed for the mandap where the two film stars wedded each other.

Radhika desired a dream wedding

Radhika had wished for a dream wedding, and Yash wanted to give his lifetime sweetheart her wish, so the couple had a week-long grand wedding festivities where they followed all Hindu wedding rituals in front of families and their dear ones.

Check out the photo gallery by clicking the above image.

The couple has been a relationship over the past six years. They first met on the sets of the TV serial Nanadagokul when Yash came in as a replacement for the current lead actor of the series who walked out of the show.

The couple also debuted in the film "Moggini Mannasu" and continued to work in cinemas together.

Six years of dating resulted in what seemed to be a never-ending romance and thus Yaash proposed to Radhika and they got engaged in the month of August this year. Their engagement ceremony was equally grand as the two actors are.

Many celebrities and political personalities attended the star wedding

Actors Ravichandran, Punitth Rajakumar, Sudeep, Shivraj Kumar, Jayanthi, Raghavendra, Anirudh, Bharathi, etc. blessed the couple at the ceremony for the happy wedded life.

According to the reports Karnataka CM and former PM Devegowda were also invited to the wedding, which was however attended by Former CM SM Krishna and legislator Zamir Ahmed.

The couple will hold two wedding receptions in Bengaluru, the first one will be on Saturday for industry friends and relatives and the second one exclusively for their fans.

We wish the newly wedded couple a very happy wedded life.
The CIA has arrived at the conclusion that Russia played a part in Donald Trumps victory in the US Presidential election. They interfered during the campaign in order to increase the Republican candidates support (or decrease that of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton).

Covert Russian ops interfered to ensure Trump won

The secret investigation carried out by the intelligence agency found that covert Russian operatives interfered in the election campaign to make sure that Trump would win. According to The New York Times, CIA officials have high confidence that Russia hacked Democratic Party emails in order to find dirt to leak that would tip the scales in Trumps favour.

Current President (but not for long!) Barack Obama ordered the investigation, tasking the CIA with assessing every cyberattack that occurred during the election campaign, after the growing belief amongst Congress that Russia interfered in the result. Its known that they played some part, but the review that Obama ordered was so they could find out the extent to which that part was.

Moscow ops gave Clinton emails to WikiLeaks

The Washington Post reports that the CIA found that operatives in Moscow hacked Democratic Party emails as well as those of candidate Hillary Clinton and her campaign chief (these were the emails Trump banged on about during every single appearance or debate throughout his somehow-successful campaign) and handed them over to anti-privacy site WikiLeaks so that they could make it public and sabotage Clintons campaign.

These Moscow operatives were apparently one step away from Vladimir Putin and the Russian government, meaning they couldve made the order. This would be in line with Russias proven track record of using middlemen to do their dirty work, as this gives them plausible deniability.

US official: Russias goal here was to favour one candidate over the other

During a briefing to key US senators, a CIA official said that the assessment of the intelligence community is that Russias goal here was to favour one candidate over the other, elaborating that this goal more specifically was to help Trump get elected. He called this opinion the consensus view amongst intelligence officers.

There are some unanswered questions

All seventeen intelligence agencies were not involved in the CIA's investigation, which is required to make the verdict official. There is also no evidence that the so-called middlemen were directed by Russian authorities. Also, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange denies having any connection to Russia.

President-elect Trump rejects the CIAs verdict, with his people saying of the intelligence officials making the claims, These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. They said that all of this looking into the election with Jill Steins recount and now a CIA investigation needs to stop because it ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history, saying that Democratic hopefuls need to move on while they make America great again.

While The New York Times reports that senior US intelligence officials are certain that hackers from Russia also hacked into Republican data in addition to the Democratic emails, it reports that these same people are also certain that Russia chose not to release the Republican information so that voters would not be swayed from voting for Trump as they were with Clinton when the hacked information found on her was released.
Unified Communications Week in Review: Avaya, StarLeaf, Shortel, Pareto

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By Alicia Young

Web Editor By Alicia YoungWeb Editor

Welcome back to the week in review, where we take a look at all the top stories making headlines in Unified Communications this week.

This week held some exciting Avaya (News - Alert)-related news. The company has been chosen by McMaster University in Canada to bring unified communications to campus. The hope is that, by choosing to implement Avayas unified communications technology, McMaster University will be providing more modern, mobile communications and collaboration capabilities to its staff, faculty and students. Rather than making some drastic changes and throwing everyone for a loop, though, Avaya and the university have come up with a plan to slowly introduce the new system. Find out more HERE.





Next up in Avaya news, Frank Griffin reported this week that the companys new IP office is great for improving customer experiences. How so? Well, Karen Hardy, vice president, Avaya Customer Engagement Solutions, is quoted as saying, The new features in Avaya IP Office Contact Center 10 help contact centers quickly define and deploy their customer service strategy to proactively manage the entire customer lifecycle with the simplicity, flexibility and tools needed to improve the quality of customer interactions, You can find all the details HERE.

In other news, StarLeaf and ShoreTel (News - Alert) have announced their partnership, with the purpose being to deliver one click videoconferencing for multiple users with ShoreTels Connect CLOUD. The ShoreTel CLOUD already offers many different capabilities, but now multiple users will be able to instantly join a HD video or audio conference. Find out more about the new features created by this partnership HERE.

Finally, Pareto Securities announced this week that it has chosen Qumu for UC development. According to Casey Houser, Qumu develops software that helps businesses around the globe measure the effectiveness of their videos. Clients that develop marketing campaigns, training portfolios, or materials for shareholders and partners can use Qumu products to show how such video-based content, an important part of unified communications setups, has affected various populations. Pareto hopes that Qumu will be able to help improve its videos that address the finance industry. You can continue reading HERE.

While some exciting news has been highlighted here, thats certainly not all that went on this week. Be sure to head to the Unified Communications site for all the updates, and come back next week for the latest insights. Have a great weekend!
A worker changes fiber spools at a production plant of China Jushi in Tongxiang, Zhejiang province. [Photo by Yan Zhi/For China Daily]

China Jushi, a global manufacturer and promoter of fiberglass products, broke ground for a $300 million, 80,000-metric-ton fiberglass production line in Richland County, South Carolina, the United States, on Thursday.

"Not only is this an important day for Richland County, this is an important one for our state. This $300 million investment, creating 400 jobs in its first phase, is very significant," said Robert M. Hitt III, secretary of the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

The construction of the plant by Jushi USA, which is headquartered in Irwindale, California, represents another strategic milestone by China Jushi after a project in Egypt.

According to Zhang Yuqiang, president of China Jushi and chairman and CEO of Jushi Group, the project will help drive growth in the local economy and create jobs.

The plant will anchor the Pineview Industrial Park, according to scbusinessnews.com. The 900-acre (364 hectares) site is near Interstate 77 and a Norfolk Southern rail line traverses the park.

"We're excited to announce the largest capital investment in Richland County since 1981," Richland County Council Chairman Torrey Rush told scbusinessnews. "It's a big deal for Richland County."

Zhang said the investment will make it possible for Jushi to localize production, research and development, and hire talented people in the US to better serve its customers.

The project is expected to be completed in 2018.

Zhang recalled that it had been five years since he first visited the state to scout the site.
NEW YORK - The Chinese economy boasts a lot of opportunities to move forward despite concerns of a growth slowdown, economists and experts told a forum on Friday.

At the sixth Conference on the Chinese Capital Markets held by the New York University's Centre on US-China Relations, they also saw great growth potential in China following the expansion of the country's middle class.

"We see the tremendous growth in middle class. We have enough sense of optimism that we will continue to invest in this economic engine in the next 10 to 20 years," said Matthew Nimitz, advisory director with the General Atlantic LLC.

He noted that Chinese companies are becoming more competitive as time goes by, adding: "That phenomenon demonstrates their creativity."

Paul Sheard, executive vice president and chief economist of S&P Global, noted that the fact that China has 35-year track record of near double-digit growth rate indicated the country's potential.

However, economists taking part in the forum also pointed out that demographic changes, structural shift and reform of the state-owned-enterprises (SOEs) would pose challenges to China's future economic growth.

Zhang Longmei, an economist in the International Monetary Fund's Asia and Pacific Department, said China faces a downward pressure on productivity as it relocates laborers from the industrial sector to the service sector.

"In the process of reallocating labor from high productivity to low productivity sector, structurally, your aggregated productivity growth is going to slow down," she said.

Zhang said the Chinese government has fewer obstacles in opening up the service sector compared with the industrial sector, because the service sector is expanding so fast that the pie is growing.

"If you open the service sector up to private firms, the SOEs can still gain in a growing market. But in the old sector, it might be a zero sum game between SOEs and private companies because the pie is not going to be larger," she said.
Vietnam is dredging a new channel on a Chinese reef in the South China Sea, putting at risk the recent relaxation of regional tension after the Philippines agreed with China to solve maritime issues peacefully.

The move shows that Hanoi is racing against time to consolidate its position in the South China Sea before an expected accord is reached on the regional code of conduct next year and while Washington's Asia policies under the incoming administration of president-elect Donald Trump remain unclear, Chinese observers said.

A satellite image taken on Nov 30 showed Vietnam had begun dredging on Riji Reef in the sea, and several vessels can be seen in a newly dug channel between the lagoon and open sea, Reuters reported on Friday. The dredging could be preliminary work on more comprehensive construction.

The reef is one of the 29 Chinese reefs in the South China Sea that Vietnam has illegally occupied, and it has conducted construction and reclamation work on more than 20 of them since the 1980s. Since August, Vietnam has stepped up efforts to fortify several reefs with mobile rocket launchers, an improved runway and new hangars, according to media reports.

On Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang reaffirmed China's sovereignty over the South China Sea and urged all parties concerned not to take any action that might complicate the situation.

"We call for them to meet China halfway and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability," Lu said at a regular news conference in Beijing.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei make overlapping claims over parts of the South China Sea.

A major row this year, caused by Philippines' unilateral arbitration case against China, was peacefully resolved after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's visit to China.

According to Jia Duqiang, a senior Southeast Asian studies researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, "Hanoi is trying to maximize its acquired interests before a possible agreement on the code of conduct by claimants in the South China Sea disputes next year."

A framework of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea is expected to be completed before next year's ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in July. Li Guoqiang, deputy head of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies, said Vietnam has never stopped its construction on the reefs beginning with its illegal occupation.

"Now it is just continuing that work by making use of the relaxation of tension in the region, now that the Philippines has agreed to solve disputes with China through direct talks and the United States' policy after Donald Trump takes office is still unclear," he said.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn

Sand can be seen spilling from a newly dredged channel in this view of a Vietnamese-occupied Chinese reef in the South China Sea on Nov 30. Planet Labs / Handout Via Reuters

(China Daily 12/10/2016 page3)
BEIJING -- Smog will hit China's northern regions over the next three days, with visibility reduced sharply, the country's meteorological authority forecast Saturday.

Parts of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Henan and Shaanxi will be covered by heavy smog from Saturday through Monday, the National Meteorological Center said in an online statement, while suggesting residents wear masks when outside.

Affected by an upcoming cold front, the smog is expected to disappear Monday night.

Winter typically brings the worst air pollution in northern China due to cold weather conditions and an increase in coal burning for heating.

Snow is forecast for parts of Xinjiang, Liaoning, and Jilin over the next two days, the center said.
Photographer Peter Lindbergh, Nicole Kidman, Uma Thurman and Helen Mirren and Pirelli CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera (from left) pose during the presentation of the 2017 Pirelli Calendar on Nov 29 in Paris. [Photo/Agencies]

Pirelli unveiled its feminist-friendly 2017 calendar last Tuesday with a galaxy of Hollywood stars daring to show their wrinkles and crow's feet to the camera.

The arty black and white compilation is a world away from the glossy airbrushed images of naked women that traditionally graced garages and men's locker rooms.

Fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh roped in veteran stars Helen Mirren and Charlotte Rampling - aged 71 and 70 - declaring that his calendar was "a cry against the terror of perfection and youth".

Even his shots of Nicole Kidman and glamorous Bond star Lea Seydoux embraced their imperfections.

"Talent is sexy," says the German-born filmmaker, who shot some of the actresses, including Julianne Moore, without makeup.

"We don't do naked any more," he adds as the calender was launched in Paris. "What is much more important than naked body parts is when you really show yourself as you are."

Pirelli stopped using nude shots for its calendar three years ago.

Lindbergh said he wanted to strip away all the airbrushing that has come with the age of celebrity.

"There is no beauty without truth. All this fake making up of a person into something that is not them cannot be beautiful. It is just ridiculous," he says.

Oscar-winner Kate Winslet said she agreed to do the calender because she knew Lindbergh does not touch up his photos.

'Isn't it OK to be 40?'

"I wanted him to photograph my age at 40, as I am," Winslet said in a video filmed after her shoot in London.

"He wants to see women as they are, their lines, their little crow's feet, their veins ... I asked him to photograph the backs of my hands, because they are different from when I was 30.

"People are always making us a softer version of 40 or a more youthful version of 50. But isn't it just OK to be 40 or 50 or 60?" she adds.

The 15 women featured in the calendar range in age from 28 to 71, with most in their 40s including Penelope Cruz and Uma Thurman.

Rather than concentrate on their bodies - as Pirelli calendars did in the past - Lindbergh focused mostly on the faces of his subjects, with a series of tender and revealing portraits.

Kidman said she wasn't afraid of nudity "but if it is exploitative it is not interesting".

She was happier, however, that the photographer had allowed the women to be their age. "The voice of actresses is getting stronger," she says.

Both Mirren and Rampling said they worked on being as emotionally naked as they could be standing before the camera.

"In our business we start out very young hopefully being true to ourselves and then the profession can start to put so many limits that we are no longer the true person you are," Rampling says.

"Peter wants to get to that vulnerable part of yourself."

Agence France-Presse
Lady Gaga performs as Chinese model Sui He presents. [Photo/Agencies]

Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and The Weeknd join sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid to anchor latest show by lingerie label

The laciest, if not raciest, catwalk event of the year - aka, the Victoria's Secret fashion show - took place last Wednesday night in the City of Light. Among the take-aways: performances by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid joining forces, as well as a $3 million Fantasy bra modeled by Jasmine Tookes. Here are the highlights of the Paris show:

Angels in red

Guests shuffled into the huge steel-and-glass atrium of Paris' Grand Palais to the sound of a string orchestra playing softly from a huge Arc de Triomphe decor.

The calm lasted only a few seconds, however, and was broken by the flash of red neon lights and bold rock music blasting out to announce the start of the 40-minute presentation, which infected the cheering guests.
Han Xiaosheng (sixth from left), executive board director and president of Oceanwide Holdings, and Luo Linquan (fifth from left), Chinese consul general in San Francisco, join other guests to shovel dirt at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Oceanwide Center in downtown San Francisco on Thursday. LIA ZHU / CHINA DAILY

Chinese real estate conglomerate Oceanwide Holdings broke ground for a mixed-use project in downtown San Francisco, which contains what is expected to be the second- tallest building in the city upon completion in 2021.

"Oceanwide Center", containing two towers, is the Beijing-based company's first mixed-use development in San Francisco, comprising office, residential, hotel and retail.

The 910-foot, 61-story building facing First Street would be surpassed by the 1,070-foot Salesforce Tower (to open in 2018) and would top the current tallest building, the 853-foot Pyramid.

The residential building will have 109 condos from the 41st to the 61st floor, and 1 million square feet of office space from the seventh to the 40th floor. The condos will be the highest residential units in San Francisco, said the company.

The other tower facing the Mission Street will be 625-foot tall and have 54 stories. It will be home to the Waldorf Astoria San Francisco and 156 high-end residences on the top floors.

Han Xiaosheng, executive board director and president of Oceanwide Holdings, said the project was an "important milestone" while addressing the ground-breaking ceremony in front of the construction site.

"The groundbreaking ceremony is a symbolic step to represent our confidence in San Francisco," he said. "San Francisco has enjoyed great growth in recent years, and has the potential to continue attracting investment from all over the world."

Instead of talking about the skyline, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said he wanted to focus on "how tall the benefits are".

"This project is more than a skyscraper. It is a partnership that reflects a lot of sensitive discussion in the last a year and a half. It reflected almost $130 million of fantastic benefit to our city," said Lee.

Aside from the increase in job opportunities, he said the open space would be increased and used to build houses for the city.

"We'll make tremendous contribution  in fact, a $44 million contribution  in housing to make sure people within a mile benefit from this actual project," said Lee. "People in Chinatown can see more of the open space preserved and enhanced."

According to the company, Oceanwide Center spans eight lots and totals approximately 60,000 square feet, and half the area will be dedicated to public open spaces. There also will be a 68-foot-tall public square, or Urban Plaza, adjacent to First Street.

Han said the company's goal was to create high-quality mixed-use real estate in downtown and establish their brand while seeking long-term partnerships with local communities, such as preserving the architectural heritage of the city.

Oceanwide Center will also include renovation and restoration of two historic buildings at 78 and 88 First Street, both more than 100 years old. Those buildings will provide additional office and retail space.

The project's design team  the London-based Foster + Partners and Heller Manus Architects  acknowledged that it's a "difficult" and "huge responsibility" to "get it right" against the "incredible skyline".

The higher tower at the First Street takes on a crystalline form to articulate the facades on the skyline. It will showcase intriguing metal framework that forms angled planes, similar to the facets of a diamond. The other tower, inspired by the city's architectural vernacular, features vitrines that reinterpret the traditional bay window, contrasting with the tower's classic stone facade.

Oceanwide Center, acquired in 2015, is the Chinese company's third investment in the US. Its first US project was Oceanwide Plaza, also a mixed-use building in downtown Los Angeles, and the second investment was in Sonoma County, California  a 360-acre project with a winery, a hotel and single family homes.

Last August, Oceanwide announced the acquisition of two sites in Manhattan for mixed-use development. It made another investment last December for a large-scale, mixed-use project in Hawaii. Recently it agreed to acquired the US long-term care insurance Genworth Financial Inc for $2.7 billion in cash.

liazhu@chinadailyusa.com
Congress voted to pass legislation on Friday that would fund federal agencies from Oct. 1 through Dec. 15, avoiding a government shutdown. However, the legislation would defund Obamacare, throwing the affordable health care act off track. Democrats had warned the Republicans that they would not pass the legislation if Obamacare was defunded.

In a partisan vote of 230-189, the legislation passed the Republican controlled House and was sent on to Senate, where the Democratic Party holds the majority of seats. It has been said that Senate will attempt to remove the Obamacare provision and send the spending bill back to the House to get a different version of the bill passed before Sept. 30 to avoid any government shutdowns that are set to begin the following day.

President Obama has said he will not agree to any legislation that defunds Obamacare, also known as the affordable health care act. Many Democrats have said the same, so a government shutdown is very possible if the two parties cannot reach a compromise regarding the matter.

During the last few years, Republicans in Congress have voted 42 times to either kill or make significant changes to the presidents health care reforms, which are designed to help provide medical insurance to millions of people across the country. Despite the non-passage in Congress, the measure has passed Senate, with the Senate ignoring the Republicans in the House.

This time, the House has attached the measure to a must-do bill that is designed to fund numerous government agencies in the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1. If the House and Senate do not come to terms by that date, these agencies would have to stop operations until the legislative dispute gets resolved.

The bill is expected to go before the Senate for debate next week, which would keep strict, across-the-board spending cuts that were enacted as part of the 2011 deficit-reduction law. There is a need to quickly reach an agreement on a spending measure as the deadline nears. Congress is also disagreeing over separate legislation that would raise U.S. borrowing authority limit, also known as the debt limit.

During a government shutdown, only the top ranking and most important government employees will continue working. Government offices and parks will be closed. Social Security benefits should be paid as usual, that is if enough employees are retained during the shutdown to distribute the funds. Mail delivery will not be impacted during the shutdown.
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HCM CITY  Vietnamese textile and garment companies should focus more on developing their supply chain to enable them to capitalise on opportunities arising from free trade agreements, a panel discussion heard in HCM City this week.

Many foreign investors have been attracted to Viet Nam, especially after the recent signing of free trade agreements, including the EU-Viet Nam FTA, Pham Xuan Hong, chairman of the HCM City Association of Garment Textile Embroidery and Knitting, said.

The delegates agreed that FTAs bring opportunities but also challenges and risks for Vietnamese companies.

Oliver Massmann, general director of Duane Morris LLC and chairman of legal sector committee of the European Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam, said the so-called fabric-forward rule of origin under the EU-Viet Nam FTA is a challenge for Vietnamese garment and textile companies.

Viet Nam depends on imported raw materials from China, Korea and Taiwan, and the sector does not create much value addition in the supply chain since it merely does low value-added work such as cut-make-trim services to transform fabric into garments to export, he said.

A domestic supply chain must be established.

Yarn production must now go together with weaving and dyeing, but environmental protection must be ensured, he said.

The FTAs would result in more foreign investment in Viet Nam in untapped parts of the value chain, and local companies would benefit from the expertise of foreign experts, he said.

Hong said: Thus far our garment and textile sector has just been doing outsourcing. We were competing through low labour costs, but this is no longer an advantage. We must create new momentum to compete.

Having reliable raw material sources at home and investment in technology would help create value for the sector, he said.

Whether we have the TPP or not, the sector will develop as it has for many years.

The EU, the second largest export market for Vietnamese garments and textiles, offers great opportunities for Vietnamese firms to boost exports, he said.

Enterprises in the sector have mapped out measures hoping to enjoy better growth next year and in the years to come, he said.

Goh Wee Hong, senior vice president of TUV SUD ASEANs product services said the Vietnamese food and garment industries have depended long enough on cheap labour and low costs, and we need to invest in innovation, quality and food safety.

Sathish Kumar Somuraj, general director of TUV SUD Vietnam, said: Viet Nam has increased its business opportunities through FTAs with certain main global markets, especially the EU, US, Japan, Korea, and ASEAN. These agreements will not only bring global market access to Vietnamese businesses, it also means Vietnamese manufacturers are expected to comply with more stringent quality and safety regulations.

TUV SUD and AGTEK have joined hands to help local manufacturers access global markets by offering training and other activities to provide them with an updated and more in-depth understanding of the stringent international quality and safety standards.

The panel discussion, titled How Will Free Trade Agreements Affect Commodity Business Landscape in Viet Nam?, was among events held to celebrate TUV SUDs 150th anniversary.

The company is one of the worlds leading service providers in testing, inspection, audit and certification.

In future it would partner with local companies, especially in the garment textile and food-related industries, to help them gain confidence in their product quality so that they can maximise the potential benefits offered by FTAs, Somuraj said.

Hong said Viet Nams garment and textile exports are expected to increase by only 5.5 per cent this year to US$28.5 billion.  VNS
Shares rose yesterday on the two exchanges as investors returned to purchase large-cap stocks with support information in expectation of a further expansion. Photo thoibao.today

HA NOI  Shares rose yesterday on the two exchanges as investors returned to purchase large-cap stocks with support information in expectation of a further expansion.

The benchmark VN-Index on the HCM Stock Exchange added 0.6 per cent, trimming the weekly loss to 0.3 per cent.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index inched up 0.3 per cent to 79.6 points and narrowed this weeks decline to 2 per cent.

HCM City-listed brewery giant Sabeco (SAB) continued to hit the ceiling price of a 7 per cent rise yesterday, settling at VN161,500 (US$7.11) per share. SAB saw an impressive gain of 46.8 per cent after four trading days since its debut on Tuesday.

Foreign traders yesterday collected nearly 2.9 million shares of Sabeco at the price of VN150,000 each, equivalent to VN433 billion, through negotiated trade.

Other gainers included large-cap companies with support information, such as Vinamilk (VNM), up 0.6 per cent; insurer Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), up 1 per cent; and PV Gas (GAS), up 1.5 per cent.

Thai Fraser&Neave (F&N) announced a tender to buy a 5.4-per-cent stake of Vinamilk at the starting price of VN144,000 a share on the forthcoming December 12 share auction, while PV Gas yesterday approved the plan of paying a 23-per-cent dividend for 2016.

The market was being driven by movements of large-cap stocks and newly listed shares that would make it unpredictable, stock analysts at Vietnam Investment Securities Co wrote in a note.

The VN-Index rose 4.18 points, or 0.63 per cent, yesterday but Sabeco contributed 3.3 points to the markets gain while GAS put in 0.84 points and VNM 0.38 points.

Overall market condition was negative, however, with 247 stocks declining, 175 advancing and 273 closing flat.

The VN-Index is unlikely to rise strongly in the context of the forthcoming December 13-14 meeting of the European Central Bank, analysts at Sai Gon-Ha Noi Securities Co wrote in a note.

Market analysts expect ECB to extend its stimulus campaign that will continue to channel capital to the stock market if it goes through.

Trading volume was almost unchanged with a total of 176 million shares traded on the two markets but the value of trades increased 14.3 per cent over Thursday to reach nearly VN3.2 trillion (nearly $141 million).

Foreign investors lifted their sells yesterday with total net value of over VN375 billion on the two exchanges. Their net sell value touched over VN843 billion for the whole week.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday urged stronger partnerships with Japan in agriculture, labour, culture and tourism sectors.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday urged stronger partnerships with Japan in agriculture, labour, culture and tourism sectors.

Receiving Isao Iijima, Special Advisor to the Japanese Cabinet, in Ha Noi, he also suggested that Japan opens its market wider for products that Viet Nam enjoys advantages in, like agro-fisheries, dragon fruit and litchi.

He stressed the importance of strengthening political trust between the two countries through high-level visits and meetings on the sidelines of international events. This would foster the Viet Nam-Japan extensive strategic partnership, he said.

Phuc also expressed hope for more investment from Japanese firms, including small-and medium-sized ones, and recommended a number of special measures to bolster bilateral trade and investment co-operation.

Affirming that Viet Nam sees Japan as a great friend and an important, long-term partner, he said Viet Nam also wants to expand co-operation between localities of both countries.

Isao Iijima expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Government would continue facilitating Japanese firms operations in Viet Nam.

He pledged to make every effort to contribute to the growth of ties between the two countries.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said yesterday Viet Nam and Malaysia should identify measures to further boost bilateral trade.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said yesterday Viet Nam and Malaysia should identify measures to further boost bilateral trade.

Receiving visiting Minister for International Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamad, in Ha Noi, the PM expressed his hope that the two countries would soon complete and implement the Viet Nam-Malaysia Action Programme for 2017-2019.

He appreciated Malaysias co-operation projects in Viet Nam, saying they not only benefit enterprises of both sides but also contribute to Viet Nams socio-economic development.

The PM assured the visitor that the Vietnamese government would continue with administrative reforms in order to create the best possible conditions for investors, including those from Malaysia.

He said the potential for co-operation between the two countries remains huge.

Minister Mustapa Mohamad agreed that Viet Nam has many opportunities for investment and business, noting that that many joint-ventures between Malaysia and Viet Nam were operating effectively.

He said his delegation has 40 business representatives keen on exploring investment opportunities.

The minister said governmental agencies of both countries should closely monitor bilateral agreements to ensure they are implemented on schedule.  VNS
Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.  Photo vnexpress.net

HA NOI  Boosting the forums profile and making its activities more practical and effective will be Viet Nams focus as it prepares to host APEC Year 2017, Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said yesterday.

Addressing a press conference on the event in Ha Noi, he said APEC Year 2017 will be a major focus of Viet Nams external activities in the context of intensive and extensive international integration.

Hosting the event also affirms Viet Nams wish to make more contributions to building and shaping multilateral co-operation mechanisms, including the APEC, he said.

Son highlighted expectations that Viet Nam has in organising the event, including making APEC co-operation more practical and effective with completion of the Bogor goals in trade and investment liberalisation.

Viet Nam also hopes to enhance the position of APEC as a leading forum, pioneering in the formation of deep and wide regional linkages, fostering peace, stability, co-operation and development, he said.

The country also wishes to strengthen friendship and partnership with leading partners while promoting a Viet Nam that is innovative and dynamic in its pursuit of international integration, he added.

Through APEC Year 2017, Viet Nam will have a chance to boost public awareness of the forum, he said.

Stressing the benefits that hosting the event will bring to localities, enterprises and people, the Deputy FM said that as the host of the event, Viet Nam expects to welcome tens of thousands of delegates to 200 activities across the country, opening up great opportunities for localities to attract visitors and advertise their products to APEC partners and world-leading businesses.

Vietnamese enterprises, especially small and medium-sized ones, will have numerous opportunities to access the huge market that all member economies present, he said.

They can also establish links with potential strategic partners, enjoy favourable investment and businesses environments and take advantage of advanced technology, he said.

Vietnamese people will also have more choices in employment, goods, services, healthcare, education and tourism thanks to programmes that APEC is implementing on people-to-people contact and tourism promotion, Son added.

To tap all the opportunities, he urged localities nationwide to prepare well, especially in infrastructure development and workforce training.

On the outcomes of the recent informal APEC senior officials meeting, the Deputy FM said hundreds of experts, scholars, business representatives and leaders of ministries and localities of Viet Nam were in attendance.

Broad support

He said APEC member economies voiced their support for the orientation, theme and priorities of the APEC Year 2017.

These include strengthening regional economic connectivity, fostering sustainable, creative and inclusive growth, supporting micro, small and medium firms and those led by women, and enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture.

Participants also agreed on a timetable for APEC Year 2017, he said. He noted that the official website of APEC Year 2017 has become operational at apec2017.vn.

Smooth handover

Also yesterday, Peru officially handed over the Chairs mantle for APEC 2017 to Viet Nam at the Informal Senior Official Meeting (ISOM) of APEC members.

Viet Nam presented four priorities it has set for the coming event: Sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth; regional economic connectivity; improving the competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); food security and the development of sustainable farming in response to climate change.

Approving these priorities, participants said building a new growth momentum was key to helping APEC prove its leadership and pioneering role in boosting economic recovery and connectivity across the region in the context of the current global slowdown.

They proposed that APEC promotes sustainable and inclusive growth models that generate equal benefits for everyone.

They also highlighted the necessity of organising more communication campaigns on the benefits that APEC programmes can bring to businesses and people in the region.

Chairing the meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son stated that all proposals made by participating countries were important in setting the direction for APEC activities over the next 12 months.

The comments from all members will be studied and integrated into the official list of priorities for APEC 2017 to be passed at the first Senior Official Meeting (SOM1) slated for March 2017 in the central city of Nha Trang, he said.

Next year, Viet Nam will also organise about 200 APEC events across 10 major cities, with the biggest being the APEC week in a Nang in November, he added.  VNS
NEW DELHI  President of the India-Vietnam Solidarity Committee in West Bengal State Greetesh Sharma has suggested the two countries further promote bilateral friendship and solidarity.

He made the proposal at a meeting with National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in New Delhi today.

Sharma highlighted the faithful relations between Viet Nam and India, which were founded by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and President Ho Chi Minh in the 1950s.

He recommended both nations enhance people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in tourism and heritage preservation.

In turn, NA Chairwoman Ngan highly valued the role and efforts of Greetesh Sharma in supporting Vietnamese people in the cause of national independence and reunification.

Over the past 40 years, he has written and translated a lot of books and newspapers to help Indias public understand better about Viet Nam, President Ho Chi Minh, and the two countries friendship and co-operation.

With his significant contributions, Sharma was honoured with the Friendship Order of the Vietnamese State and the insignia For Peace and Friendship among Nations of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations in 2004.  VNS
NEW DELHI  Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his support for Indian investors to do business in Viet Nam during a meeting with visiting National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in New Delhi yesterday.

He recalled his visit to Viet Nam in September 2016 and said Indias firms are impressed with the investment environment in the Southeast Asian country.

He described the long-standing friendship between Viet Nam and India as a treasure for the future generations to nurture and develop to a new height.

Regarding the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, the PM confirmed that India advocated the settlement of disputes via peaceful means and international law.

For her part, NA Chairwoman Ngan expressed her pleasure at the remarkable strides in the bilateral relations over the past 45 years, especially when the two countries lifted their strategic partnership to comprehensive strategic partnership during the Indian PMs visit to Viet Nam in September.

That move created a new significant framework for deeper cooperation across the fields, she said, adding that the two countries would celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties and 10th anniversary of strategic partnership in 2017.

She urged the two sides to accelerate measures to create a breakthrough in two-way trade, which is expected to hit US$15 billion by 2020.

Ngan told the host that "Viet Nam supports and encourages Indian oil and gas companies to invest in the new oil field discovered in Viet Nams continental shelf".

She proposed Indian partners study cooperation opportunities with the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) while enabling Vietnamese businesses to join potential projects in India and the third country.  VNS
NEW DELHI  Speaker of Indias Lower House Sumitra Mahajan and visiting Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan agreed on the need to enhance parliamentary relations during their talks at the Indian parliaments headquarters in New Delhi late yesterday.

They said the enhancement can be made through increasing exchanges in lawmaking and between parliamentary friendship groups and parliamentary agencies.

Chairwoman Ngan, who is on an official visit to India, congratulated India on immense development achievements, affirming that Viet Nam always considers this country as a traditional and trustworthy friend. She also highly valued recent important strides in the two countries multifaceted cooperation.

She lauded growing ties between their legislative bodies, noting that the Vietnamese NA wants to bolster bilateral connections with its Indian counterpart at regional and international forums.

Appreciating the Indian parliaments support to the time-honoured friendship with Viet Nam over the past years, she welcomed the two legislatures signing of a cooperation agreement which will serve as an important legal framework for bilateral cooperation.

Both sides should step up coordination in supervising and promoting the effective implementation of inked high-level agreements, especially on the pillars of politics, economics, defence-security, trade-investment, science-technology, and culture-education.

They need to foster visits at high levels, and between parliamentary agencies, parliamentary friendship groups, and parliamentarians to deepen mutual trust and understanding while exchanging lawmaking and supervision experience, Ngan said.

She also asked them to continue bringing into play the consultation mechanism and working closely at multilateral forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting.

On this occasion, she invited Speaker of Indias Lower House Sumitra Mahajan to re-visit Viet Nam in the near future.

For her part, Mahajan described Ngans visit as significant while their countries are preparing to celebrate 45 years of diplomatic relations and 10 years of strategic partnership. She also congratulated her guest on her election as the first NA Chairwoman of Viet Nam.

She noted that Viet Nam and India boasted time-tested relations, rejoicing at thriving bilateral ties. The countries shared many common values and cultural similarities and would remain each others partners in the region and at international forums, she said.

She said economic and trade links between their nations could develop more strongly. They could also expand partnerships in many other spheres such as education, culture and archaeology.

At the talks, Mahajan affirmed Indias support for Viet Nams viewpoints on the East Sea (South China Sea) issues, underlining that all countries in the region need to adhere to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and maintain peace and stability in the East Sea.

Speaking highly of the Southeast Asian nations development attainments in a short period of time, she said she would be willing to re-visit Viet Nam  the country of late President Ho Chi Minh, whom the Indian people respect.

Following the talks, Chairwoman Ngan and Speaker Mahajan witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese NA and Indias Lower House, and an agreement on cooperation in peaceful use of atomic energy between the two governments.

A memorandum of understanding between the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute and Indias Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, and another on Vietjet Air and Indian Air opening a Vietnam-India air route were also inked in their presence.

Also yesterday, the top legislator of Viet Nam met with Indian Vice President and Chairman of the Senate Mohammad Hamid Ansari at the latters residence.

She said the close-knit relationship between Viet Nam and India was founded by President Ho Chi Minh and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. It has been nurtured by the countries following leaders and peoples.

Appreciating the Indian Senates support for the countrys traditional amity and strategic partnership, which was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership last September, with Viet Nam, she highlighted the progress in their legislative bodies.

"The Vietnamese NA wants to strengthen bilateral connections and closely cooperate with the Indian parliament at regional and international forums," she said, calling on both sides to beef up cooperation in realising high-level agreements already reached, exchanging delegations, and promoting coordination at multilateral forums.

Meanwhile, Ansari highlighted the longstanding and strong foundation of the Indian-Vietnamese ties, valuing Viet Nams development accomplishments and progress in ensuring human rights.

India always attaches importance to its relations with ASEAN member nations and its Government is pushing forward with the Act East policy, in which Viet Nam is an important pillar, according to the senate leader.

It supports peace to be kept between countries in the region and around the world, along with the settlement of international disputes, including the East Sea issues, by peaceful means on the basis of the UN Charter and international law.

Agreeing on the hosts opinions, the visiting leader said Viet Nam advocated Indias Act East policy and its increasing presence in and connectivity with Southeast Asia and backs India in a bid to win a deserving position in the global arena.

Viet Nam would also support Indias candidacy for a permanent membership in the UN Security Council when this Council admits more permanent members, as well as its participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum when APEC removes the suspension of accepting new members with the APEC member economies consent, Ngan said.  VNS
The central coast citys plan to get rid of 1,100 small vessels (under 20CV) engaged in small-scale and near-shore fishing has sparked anxiety among fishermen whose sole means of livelihood is threatened.  Photo tuoitre.vn

A NANG  The central coast citys plan to get rid of 1,100 small vessels (under 20CV) engaged in small-scale and near-shore fishing has sparked anxiety among fishermen whose sole means of livelihood is threatened.

a Nang authorities say the move aims at protecting sea resources, promoting offshore fishing, and sea tourism, but the fishermen are not convinced.

They say the plan does not offer sufficient compensation for owners of demolished boats, or access to capital for investing in offshore fishing, no support for difficult job transitions and the chances of finding gainful employment are slim.

Huynh Bon, a resident of Thuan Phuoc Ward, said his five-member familys livelihood relies entirely on using a 20CV boat to dive for chip chip (a type of clam).

For many years, clam diving has provided for our family. Its a backbreaking job, but every day I can earn between VN300,000-500,000 (US$13-22), enough to live on, Bon told the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

If the city terminates small boats, I dont know what I would do. We adults are too old now. Learning other trades is impossible for us.

From the same ward, 46-year-old Tran Minh Khan shares similar worries. He doesnt think he has the strength or experience to pursue a new trade.

The authorities have said they will pay a couple of millions to buy back our boats, but that will only be enough to cover living expenses for a few months. Then what are we going to do for a living?

Nguyen Van Ngo, 57, of Tho Quang Ward, will have no part of the citys proposal.

Ngo is illiterate and has poor eyesight, but he still earns over half a million a day from fishing, enough to provide for a seven-member family, and hes determined to stick with my cheap basket boat for the rest of my life.

But most of the affected fishermen are despondent.

Pham Van Tuyen, 45, resident of Man Thai Ward, said if the plan is carried out, he will have no choice but to relocate elsewhere with his small vessel.

Free training, few takers

Tran Van Thanh, an official with the Son Tra District Economy Committee, said that this year, so far, they have received 11 applications to have the boats taken, mostly from old fishermen and households without successors to continue in their trade. A few others want to use the payment to buy fishing nets and co-operate with other fishing vessels, he said.

Thanh conceded that the compensation offered was not sufficient and the free vocational training classes are for jobs that fishermen dont find suitable.

ang Cong Thang, Chairman of the a Nang Farmers Association, said he has received many complaints from fishermen.

They want appropriate policies that will offer employment opportunities that match their qualifications, health, and age.

The citys labour department has been tasked with providing free vocational training courses for fishermen.

Kieu Thi Thanh Trang, head of the departments vocation training division, said free training was being offered for 42 different jobs now, but the fishermen could propose others that better suit their needs. Her office will submit these suggestions to the citys Peoples Committee for review and appropriate follow-up, she said.

Valid reasons?

The a Nang administration feels it has valid reasons for the plan to do away with small boats.

According to Viet Nam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS), near-shore waters are where parent fish come to spawn, and the young fish will also live there until adulthood.

Therefore, the small boats that catch these fish are exacting an expensive environmental toll.

Curbing fishing in shallow waters is the right move to prevent exhaustion of fishereies resources, the society argues.

In addition, most of the 1100 small boats are equipped with outdated machinery and communication systems, and some are just crude basket boats that are unsafe.

The city has announced that registered small boats will be bought back for between VN10 million ($440) and VN30 million ($1,320), depending on the size, build, and capacity; while unregistered small boat owners will be paid significantly lower amounts of between VN5 million ($220) and 10 million ($440).

The authorities are also pledging financial support of VN10 million ($440) per worker to transition to other jobs, but this support will not be available to workers of unregistered boats.

The protests against the move, though loud, are mostly from unregistered boat owners, said Nguyen o Tam, Deputy Director of the a Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

He said authorities had devised the support packages following numerous meetings with fishermen and relevant agencies that were organised after the plan was first conceived in 2014.

Huynh uc Tho, Chairman of the a Nang City Peoples Committee, has directed the city districts to properly use the allocated budget of VN25 billion ($1.1 million) in the next five years.

The plan holds significant meaning for the citys target of sustainable development of seafood exploitation and economic restructuring. Its implementation will follow a carefully laid roadmap with peoples opinions taken into consideration, he said.

However, VINAFIS also said an outright ban without proper consideration for pressing livelihood issues would be unwise.

It said the best way would be to identify and inform the fishermen of which shallow water areas are open to fishing, which areas are off-limits, and at which time of the year, for example, during breeding seasons.

The association has suggested a scheme similar to forest tenure, which will assign parts of the near-shore areas to local people, both to manage and to exploit.

Because their livelihoods depend on the sustainability of the near-shore ecosystem, the fishermen would be more conscious and welcoming of protection efforts; and the role of the government would be to ensure proper oversight and provide fishermen with guidance on best practices.  VNS
The HCM City Peoples Committee has asked permission from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to hire an investor for the elevated road No. 1 project. Photo chinhphu.vn

HCM CITY  The HCM City Peoples Committee has asked permission from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to hire an investor for the elevated road No. 1 project.

The 9.5-km elevated road No. 1, extending from the Lang Cha Ca junction to Phu An Bridge in Binh Thanh District, is expected to ease traffic jams near Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

The road, 17.5 metres wide with four lanes, would cost more than VN15 trillion (US$681 million) and pass through the districts of Tan Binh, Phu Nhuan and Binh Thanh.

Under a Government decision, the city plans to build five elevated roads with a total length of 70km.

The elevated road No.1 would be the key road linking the four other elevated roads.

The network of elevated roads is expected to hasten the pace of traffic from the citys inner areas to outer ring roads and city gateways.

Previously, the city Peoples Committee had appointed South Koreas GS Engineering and Construction Corp. (GS E & C) to research and invest in the elevated road under the Build  Operate  Transfer (BOT) mode. However, GS E & C said in 2009 that it could not conduct the project.

Another investor, Chau Thoi Concrete Corporation No. 620, had also proposed investing in elevated road No.1, but withdrew later.

According to the citys Department of Transport, construction of elevated road No. 5 linking Ha Noi Highway in Thu uc District with the Tan Tao-Cho em junction in Binh Tan District will kick off early next year.  VNS
Multiple rivers in the Mekong Delta had become deeper due to climate change and excessive upstream mining activities, particularly sand mining. Photo tinmoitruong.vn

HCM CITY  The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on Thursday in HCM City met with representatives from the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism to discuss the decline in the volume of sediment in Viet Nams rivers.

Tran Quang Hoai, deputy director of the General Department of Irrigation, said that due to climate change and excessive upstream mining activities, particularly sand mining, multiple rivers in the Mekong Delta had become deeper.

As a result, salinisation and coastal erosion, as well as water shortages, had worsened, he said, adding that the Hong and Thai Binh rivers in northern Viet Nam had also been affected.

Concerned agencies and institutions have been asked to research the impact of exploitation activities and draft plans to reduce further degradation of the rivers.

Dr. Quach uc Tin, director of the Science, Technology and International Cooperation Department, said that to minimise illegal sand mining activities posing a serious threat to the environment, local provinces should ban miners from exploiting areas prone to massive erosion.

The localities should also maintain the riverbeds and waterway banks, and replenish rivers with sand, he said.

Many Japanese experts at the meeting shared insights about river management and ways to reduce the impact of riverbed degradation.

The workshop was the first of several events to be held between Vietnamese and Japanese agencies. VNS
More than 150 local and foreign scholars and researchers met at an international workshop in HCM City on Wednesday to discuss enforcement of intellectual property laws in relation to new trade agreements. Photo giaoducthoidai.vn

HCM CITY  More than 150 local and foreign scholars and researchers met at an international workshop in HCM City on Wednesday to discuss enforcement of intellectual property laws in relation to new trade agreements.

The Intellectual Property and Trade: Law and Practical Experience workshop was organised by HCM Citys University of Economics and Law, Viet Nams Ministry of Science and Technology, and Indiana University in the US. Participants also included representatives from the Ministry of Education and Training and Ministry of Justice.

Prof. Nguyen Tien Dung, rector of the University of Economics and Law, said that professionals who work in the fields of research, teaching, government and business management would have an opportunity to view international legislation and regulations from various perspectives at the meeting.

The conference included four sessions: intellectual property and trade; trademark, patents, biologics, copyright and trade secrets; intellectual property enforcement; and intellectual property implementation for economic growth.

Participants were also exposed to the latest concepts, objectives and obligations of concerned parties in intellectual property provisions contained in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

The workshop attendees discussed the challenges of implementation of intellectual property law in Viet Nam in the context of free trade agreements and the status of protection of intellectual property rights.

US legal experts, representatives from the World Bank and neighbouring countries spoke about their experiences in the field.

The event aimed to seek solutions for the implementation of intellectual property rights based on research in legal policy around the world.

At the opening of the seminar, the University of Economics and Law officially launched the American Law Centre.

The university also signed a cooperation agreement with the Robert H. McKinney School of Law at Indiana University.  VNS
HA NOI  Residential apartments in Ha Noi are still being used as offices despite a ban that took effect last year.

According to Government Decree 99/2015/N-CP, since June, 30, 2015, enterprises are not allowed to use apartments as offices.

However, its easy to see stores or office signs in front of apartments in residential buildings in Ha Noi such as HH Linh am Complex in Hoang Mai District, Golden Land Buiding in Thanh Xuan District, UDIC Complex in Cau Giay District or Blocks 18T1, 34T, 29T2 in Trung Hoa-Nhan Chinh New Urban Area.

At HH3A Block in HH Linh am Complex, there is a massage parlour on the fourth floor and home decoration store on the third. On HH 2A blocks sixth floor, there is a spa, a laundry and a hair salon.

Nguyen at, owner of the massage parlour said that he knew about the ban but did not consider moving his business because the business did not affect others.

Manager of HH3A Block, Bui Cong Su said that businesses were allowed on the first and second floors in accordance with law and the Board of Directors of the company that develops the estate.

Businesses on upper floors were asked to move and any advertisements/office signs must be removed but its been difficult to stop business operations in apartments, he said.

Hoang Thuy, manager of an air travel office in N2D Buiding in Le Van Luong Street said that her companys head office was at another address and that if they had to close this branch, the business would struggle.

Nguyen Thanh Hai who rents an apartment in a building on Lang Ha Street as an office for his company said that renting an apartment was 20-40 per cent cheaper than renting an office.

Residents who share their apartment buildings with companies complained that they were unhappy about the situation.

Pham Ngoc Thanh, a resident of Block B, Golden Land Apartment Building said that she worried about building security when some apartments became offices.

Clients of the offices enter and leave the building noisily. I saw my 5-year-old daughter playing in corridor with a stranger who works for the next-door company, she said.

Another resident, Nguyen Van Minh, said that locals had to share the lift with staff of the offices and their clients, forcing him to wait for the lift.

On average, four people live in an apartment but when an apartment is used as an office, there would be 10 or more people.

Phan uc Hieu, deputy director of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) said that besides Ha Noi, HCM City also saw thousands of businesses renting apartments instead of building head offices.

Moving from the apartment to a new location could increase their operation cost or force them to suspend operations, he said.

Tran Ngoc Hung, chairman of the Viet Nam Construction Association said because of high rents in big cities, enterprises, particularly small-and-medium sized ones or star-ups used residential buildings.

He said that the use of apartments must be controlled to ensure rights and safety of people living in apartment buildings.  VNS
Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien ordered the K Hospitals Management Board on Thursday afternoon to clarify the responsibility of handling complaints from patients.  Photo vnexpress.net

HA NOI  Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien ordered the K Hospitals Management Board on Thursday afternoon to clarify the responsibility of handling complaints from patients.

The order came after Tien paid a surpirse visit to four major hospitals in Ha Noi on Thursday morning. The hospitals were K Hospital, E Hospital, National Hospital of Endocrinology and Viet Nam  Soviet Friendship Hospital.

Patients at the K hospitals branch in Tan Trieu Commune said some doctors and nurses in the pediatrics department failed to show the correct attitude when patients asked for help in stopping fluid transfusions or replacing bedcovers.

The minister also received complaints about patients having to pay doctors to get examined quicker, some people being examined without queuing as they knew doctors or nurses, and up to four patients having to share a bed.

K Hospital was given the lowest rank among the four hospitals based on the satisfaction level of patients, data from a survey by the health ministry said.

Tien said The situation must be brought under control so that it does not affect the quality of examinations and treatment as well as the image of doctors.

She told K Hospital to quickly tackle the bed sharing problem.

Could you bear it if four of you were forced to share a same bed? she asked the hospitals doctors.

On the other hand, in the National Hospital of Endocrinologys branch in Tam Hiep Commune, most patients appreciated the attitude of doctors and nurses, while the toilets were clean and accessible to those with disabilities.

Vu Thi Minh Hanh, deputy head of the ministrys Heath Strategy and Policy Institute said the survey revealed that 91.3 per cent patients were satisfied with the attitude of doctors and nurses in E Hospital.

This hospital gained the highest rank among the four hospitals based on the satisfaction of patients, Hanh said.

Tien said she recognised the efforts of the hospitals to improve their service quality.

She said after each time she visited hospitals, she saw many changes.

This time, the quality of the hospitals was improved compared to the last time she visited and all the toilets were clean, she said.

However, she required the hospitals to continue improving to satisfy patients every day.  VNS
Democratic Senator Harry Reid today said FBI Director James Comey deliberately withheld information about Russian hacking in order to help elect Republican Donald Trump.

Comey had information showing that Russia sought to tip the November presidential election in Trump's favor, said Reid, the outgoing minority leader who is retiring at the end of the month.

"The FBI had this material for a long time," he told MSNBC. "But he, Comey, who's a Republican, refused to divulge this information about Russia interfering with the presidential election."



Comey "should be investigated by the Senate" and "other agencies of the government, including the security agencies because if there were ever a matter of security, it's this," Reid said.

However, he added that he does not believe Attorney General Loretta Lynch should try to fire the FBI chief.

"There's not enough time to do that, that would be a gesture in futility," he said.

Comey "let the country down for partisan purposes," Reid said, calling him "the new J. Edgar Hoover," a reference to the powerful long-time FBI director (1935-1972) who carried out domestic espionage against political dissidents and collected secret files of dirty secrets about political leaders.

Republicans today rejected reports about a secret CIA assessment finding that Russia sought to tip the US election in Trump's favor.

The New York Times reported that US intelligence agencies had "high confidence" that Russian hackers infiltrated the Republican National Committee's computer systems as well as Democratic Party's, but released information taken only from Democratic computers.

President Barack Obama has ordered a review of all cyberattacks that took place during the 2016 election cycle, the White House said yesterday.

Reid's successor as the top Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, also called for a congressional investigation into the matter today.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WATERLOO  The chance to fly back to Iowa with Vice President-elect Mike Pence was an offer U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, R-1st District, couldnt refuse.

The pair were both flying into Des Moines Thursday  Pence for a thank you tour with President-elect Donald Trump and Blum on a regular trip back to the district  and Pence offered Blum a lift.

Those opportunities dont come along often, so I did, Blum said Friday. I had never met him, so that was wonderful.

They discussed plans for the first 100 days after Trumps Jan. 20 inauguration. Blum and Pence found common ground on a long to-do list largely in line with what Republicans discussed in the 2016 campaign.

Items include:

Nominating a U.S. Supreme Court justice who can be approved by the U.S. Senate.

Repealing the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, and beginning to phase in a replacement.

Rolling back regulations.

Growing the economy, in part by reforming the corporate tax code.

Building a wall to secure the southern border.

They fully intend to follow through on that, Blum said of the wall, one of Trumps first campaign promises. So thats good to hear. I think thats important, and Im very supportive of that effort as well.

But Blum, a Dubuque businessman who campaigned on reigniting the economy, said he was especially excited to talk about just that. Blum said he and Pence found common ground.

We need to get the economy going again and demand for peoples labor will drive prices up; that, and making sure jobs arent taken by people who are here illegally, Blum said. If we combine those two things, the average person in this country who is working should get a nice pay increase.

Blum will be sworn in for a second term Jan. 3. Blum said hes ready to get to work.
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The Board of Directors of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) named Robert A.M. Stern, FAIA, as the 2017 AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion recipient-the award honors an individual who has been intensely involved in architecture education for more than a decade and whose teaching has influenced a broad range of students.

Robert A.M. Stern was awarded for his dedication to architectural education alongside his buildings, teachings, and prolific writing throughout his 50-year career. Stern was also praised for his architecture -which is powerful and inspiring since he brought time-honored forms and proportions to bear on a modern world.

''In his role as an educator, most recently the dean of the Yale School of Architecture a position he held for 18 years, Sterns impact on a generation of architects and ideas has been profound,'' mentioned in the press release.

Recalling his time teaching at Yale during Sterns second year as dean, Frank Gehry, FAIA, wrote ''I kept coming back because I loved the environment that Bob was creating, and I loved being with all the people he was bringing togetherboth student and faculty.'' That environment, marked by the inclusiveness Stern fosters, sees emerging architects given equal billing on architectural educations biggest stages.

Image courtesy of Robert A. M. Stern Architects

Sterns commitment to architecture education began in his own days as a student. In 1965, as a masters candidate at Yale, he edited a double issue of the schools architecture journal, Perspecta, which featured excerpts of Robert Venturis seminal Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (ahead of the books publication), as well as essays by Philip Johnson and the architectural historian Vincent Scully. His talents as a writer, editor, and historian have followed the entirety of his 50-year career and Stern has penned a number of books, most notably his series that surveys the last 100 years of New York Citys architectural heritage and was hailed by Publishers Weekly as an unprecedented record.



After opening his own practice in 1969, Stern returned to his alma mater Columbia University as a lecturer and taught at the school consistently for more than 20 years while holding a number of additional posts. When he accepted the position of dean at Yale, Stern stuck to the universitys tradition of open-minded debate and implemented a non-stop schedule of visiting professors, exhibitions, and symposia that attracted many of architectures brightest minds to the school.



Yales program seeks to present students with every opportunity, and Stern has stressed availability of digital applications while still reinforcing the importance of drawing and hand-built models. With his advocacy and fundraising leadership, he led the $126 million restoration and renovation of Paul Rudolphs Art & Architecture Building by commissioning Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects. His legacy at Yale has been documented extensively through the publication of catalogs for all 50 exhibitions hung at the Yale School of Architecture Gallery during his tenure as dean, the schools biannual journal, Constructs, and the 2016 publication of Pedagogy and Place: 100 Years of Architecture Education at Yale.



True to his role as a steward of architectural education, Sterns firm, the 300-person strong Robert A.M. Stern Architects, functions as an extraordinary teaching institution. Intentionally designed to provide a first-rate apprenticeship that is not simply a byproduct of the firms practice, the experience in the office has propelled many of its alumni to excellence.

The jury comprised of Stephen Vogel, FAIA, (Chair), University of Detroit Mercy, Bingham Farms, Michigan, Geraldine Forbes Isais, Assoc. AIA, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, Sharon Johnston, FAIA, Johnston Marklee & Associates, Los Angeles, Chere R. LeClair, AIA, LeClair Architects, Bozeman, Montana, Sarah Wahlgren, AIAS President, Washington, DC.

Last year Peter Eisenman received the Topaz Medallion and previous laureates include Marcel Breuer (1981), Kenneth Frampton (1991), Denise Scott-Brown (1996), Michael Graves (2010).

Top image  Peter Aaron

> via AIA
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Simon Winchester in The New York Times:

It was in an earlier best-selling volume that Weatherford persuasively argued that the 25-year blitzkrieg mounted by Genghis and his cavalries  who, in the most extensive war in world history beginning in 1206, swept mercilessly and unstoppably over the Altai Mountains to their west and the Gobi Desert to their south  brought civilization, fairness, meritocracy and avuncular kindliness to legions of undeserving satrapies across Eurasia. Those who believed Genghis to be a tyrant of monstrous heartlessness have thus lately come to think otherwise: Weatherfords writings present us revisionist history on a grand scale, but one as scrupulously well researched (with ample endnotes) as such an intellectual overhaul needs to be. Now, with Genghis Khan and the Quest for God he has taken his thesis still further, arguing with equal fervor and conviction that the Khan, though godless himself, favored total religious freedom for his subjugated millions. While his empire encompassed Muslims, Buddhists, Taoists, Confucians, Zoroastrians, Manichaeans, Hindus, Jews, Christians and animists of different types (Weatherfords passions for lists can sometimes seem like stylistic overkill), he was eager that all should live together in a cohesive society under one government. No walls to be built, no immigration bans, no spiritual examinations. To be reminded of such secular civility is one thing; but what is most remarkable about this fine and fascinating book is Weatherfords central claim that the Great Khans ecumenism has as its legacy the very same rigid separation of church and state that underpins no less than the American idea itself. The United States Constitutions First Amendment is, at its root, an originally Mongol notion.

Many might think this eccentric in the extreme, until we learn that a runaway 18th-century best seller in the American colonies was in fact a history of Genghizcan the Great, by a Frenchman, Petis de la Croix, and that it was a book devoured by both Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Moreover, the quoted rubric of the Mongol and United States laws is uncannily similar: Among other passages, Mongol law forbids anyone to disturb or molest any person on account of religion, and Jefferson, after reading its strictures, went on to suggest in his Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, a precursor of the First Amendment, that no man shall . . . suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief. The link between Genghis and Jefferson may seem tenuous to the point of absurdity; but Weatherford argues his case very well  and in doing so offers further amplification of the notion that so many of the Wests claimed achievements in fact have their true origins in the East, and that countries like Mongolia, far from being, as those hapless British diplomats once believed, at the utter ends of the earth, are very much more central than most of us nowadays like to imagine. In a sense we are all Mongols; we are all one.

More here.
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Last month the Chhattisgarh police charged Delhi University professor Nandini Sundar and several others with the murder of a villager called Shamnath Baghel in the Maoist insurgency-hit Sukma district. While the Supreme Court has effectively stopped Chhattisgarh from proceeding in the case, it has highlighted again the states controversial counter-insurgency strategy that sees human rights activists as Maoist sympathizers, if not Maoists themselves.

This week on Off Centre, Anuradha SenGupta talks to Sundar who released a book last month on her decades long work in Bastar. She says The Chhattisgarh Government was on the back foot and they filed this fake FIR in order to deflect attention. Saying that her sympathy lies with the Adivasis of Bastar  caught between the state and the Maoists, she suggests peace talks between the government and the Maoists as the only way to find a peaceful solution for the people of the region.

As the year winds down, Sundar describes 2016 as a year of turmoil for citizens with the latest demonitisation policy as the crowning glory.

Catch the full conversation on Off Centre this Saturday at 8 PM and

Sunday at 12:30 PM & 9:30 PM, only on CNN-News18

Click on the link to watch the promo of this episode: https://twitter.com/CNNnews18/status/806869390616498176
At 94, Dilip Kumar is undeniably one of the finest actors of the country and a name that Hindi cinema remains indebted to. Zee Classic, with its brand promise of Woh Zamana Kare Deewana, celebrates this thespian actors 94th birthday with a day-long festival titled Dilip Kumar Birthday Special, on 11th December, Sunday, 9 AM onwards.

Kick-starting the Sunday film festival is Gunga Jumna starring Dilip Kumar with his real life brother Nasir Khan. It is a story of two siblings on the opposite sides of law. Vidhaata starring Sanjay Dutt, Shammi Kapoor and Sanjeev Kumar, is about a man hit by misfortune, goes onto become a smuggler to secure a better future for his grandson. The channel will showcase Karma also starring Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff and Naseeruddin Shah. This one stars Dilip Kumar as a police officer who frees three prisoners under special permission to put together a unit to avenge his familys death.

Then comes Kranti, a pre-Independence drama also featuring Manoj Kumar. When Sanga (Dilip Kumar), a loyalist of King Laxman Singh is falsely charged with killing his master, he escapes and forms an army of rebels to drive the British out of India. Concluding the fest is Aan. A love story between a princess and a villager, this film also highlights Indias transition to a democracy from monarchial rule.

Born to a Pathan family as Muhammad Yusuf Khan, Dilip Kumar came to Mumbai to earn a living oblivious of showbiz. Devika Rani, the then owner of Bombay Talkies offered him his first ever role in 1944. Hindi writer Bhagwati Charan Varma gave him the screen name Dilip Kumar and a legend was born. With 63 films in a career spanning over 6 decades, Dilip Kumar epitomized quality and dedication. For his command on depicting emotions on screen, he is fondly remembered as the King of Tragedy in Bollywood.

Tune-in to Dilip Kumar Birthday Special on Sunday, 11thDecember, 9 AM onwards only on Zee Classic
This morning my husband said something profound: Every day you should slap yourself in the face so you dont forget yesterday. At first, we busted out laughing at his over-the-top phrasing, but afterward he expanded what he was trying to convey -- that we all need to remember the things that happen to us in life. With a near-miss by a potential category 4 hurricane in our rearview mirror, the sentiment was suitable at this time of Thanksgiving for the soon-forgotten, monumental sigh of relief we felt last month.

Early in October, Hurricane Matthew was reaching immortal strength with winds up to 155 mph and was heading straight toward us. Patrick Air Force Base and the Barrier Island here were under a mandatory evacuation. After watching a plate-full of spaghetti models on TV and joking around with friends and coworkers about 'hurrications' and 'evacucations,' within a few days I found myself sitting in a Wing Crisis Action meeting and getting scolded by the 920th Rescue Wing commander. "If youre not ready by now" I was not ready. Gulp.

Many of my longtime fellow wing members landed here after Hurricane Andrew dismantled their Miami area homes as well as Homestead Air Reserve Station in the 90s. However, after a decade living as Florida coastal residents, my familys original fear of hurricane destruction wore off. We went from being the first in our neighborhood to board up all of our windows when hurricanes were mere embryos in the Caribbean, to seasoned pros with go-bags, a generator, shutters and a plan. All was well.

Alas, when the realty hit that the storm might flatten our abodes and flood our yard flamingos, we began dusting off the plan and realizing it had holes -- not just pin holes, but gaping craters. We collected quite a few potted plants through the years that were now considered terra-cotta missiles, there was a mountain of half-finished projects blocking those Teflon storm shutters. Would they really stop a speeding tree trunk? And now we had elderly parents to protect -- another big gulp.

Laissez-faire turned into cra-zay hair on fire; there was little time to spare before zero hour and we still had a boatload of things to do. In between trips to the grocery store for jugs of water and batteries, emails from friends and coworkers flurried in: Come stay with us. We can help you rebuild. EVACUATE NOW! The offers and concern were comforting amidst the race for survival, but when your entire lifes contents float before your bloodshot eyes, adrenaline takes over and your decision-making can get clouded.

After interrogating several seasoned neighbors who all said without a doubt they were staying put like they had for every hurricane since 1950, even category 4s, we made the informed decision to hunker down. My in-laws joined the party and brought their dog and cat to our house, along with a cooler full of frozen food and a ration of cigarettes. My father-in-laws dementia demanded he fire up regularly. Mom even had an e-cig on hand so he could smoke indoors when the storm was bearing down. We thought of it all.

After the pendulum dropped, through texting, we learned that we were the only foolish ones in our neighborhood who didnt evacuate, besides our neighbor who we called The Viking. We were saying, I beg your pardon to a giant churning beast with no brain and one big eye, and lots of prayers hed go away.

In this pre-hurricane, post-no-more-evacuation time, I texted my operations group commander, Col. Kurt Matthews. He seamlessly led the effort to relocate our fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft out of harms way to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.,to stage for rescues after the storms unfriendly visit. I was at a gritting-my-teeth point, but Colonel Mathews reassured me that he would come check on us. From there, I knew if we were buried beneath rubble, Team Rescue would come dig us out. My thoughts went to the poor victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Throughout the years, my fellow rescue warriors told harrowing stories of picking up survivors by chopping through shingles and wood to create homemade skylights.

Even my vice commander, who lived several states away, was heading this way to pilot rescue missions. And not to be outdone, my public affairs team of award-winning chair pilots who live beyond the storms reach, opened up their homes and hearts. My brand new Airman was already chomping at the bit to come help after just joining the unit. All of the great concern became that emergency light illuminated in the psyche when going through a dark time. Our wing chaplain even conducted live prayer broadcasts on Facebook.

Through the night, the wind picked up and the lights flickered. The eyes wanted rest, but the brain was on high alert. Finally, the wind became a freight train with akin speed and sound. We were passengers along for the ride hoping it would not derail.

While it was a long, mostly blind ride through the night waiting in hopeful anticipation, a glimmer of home came from our only window to the world: our cell phone. I received a text with a link to a story that ran on a Mississippi TV station of our aircrews and maintainers waiting in the wings to serve as our rescue saviors should we need them. They conducted media interviews that broadcasted their reassuring words and rescue capabilities. In the hours leading up to, during, and after the hurricane, I shared much useful information on social media in my official public affairs capacity, but that news story was by far the most impactful. It grew legs, and many East Coasters who saw it were rest assured they wouldnt be forgotten.

As the beast crawled northward out of our reach, the next day was like Christmas morning for us. Somehow, some way the storm didnt take the hard left turn predictors said it would. Instead, it veered slightly right, barely grazing our habitats. We lost tree limbs and fences (and partially our minds), but we were celebratory knowing full well what could have been. The conclusion could have been fatal. We made a pact to never stay for a category 4 again, ever.

When it was all said and done, I learned a lot, like putting tape over the key hole allows you to still lock your door despite a sand blasting from sideways winds. I learned the meaning of the word 'hunker': to sit tight in total darkness for hours and hours while resisting draining your phone battery. Mostly though, I learned, check your plan -- really check it. Force yourself to really open your eyes and look around. Really go through the motions. Sit down with the whole family and talk out your plan. Dont try to dodge bullets or even rocket-propelled trees with Tupperware-esque hurricane shutters. Get real with it.

My Thanksgiving blessings go out to so many who gave us that peace of mind during the storm despite our foolish decision to stay, and for their forward-leaning volunteerism. If we are ever in the crosshairs of another relative of Matthew or Andrew, I will slap myself in the face so I dont forget yesterday.
Joint aircraft static display showcases airpower for 75th Commemoration

The U.S. Coast Guard Silent Drill Team performs for visitors during a joint static aircraft display on the flightline at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Dec. 6, 2016. The display, which featured a diverse range of aircraft, was open to all service members, family and veterans interested learning more about modern military aviation during the weeklong series of events commemorating the 75th anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor and Oahu. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Alison Bruce-Maldonado)
President Barack Obama visited service members at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Dec. 7, to thank them on behalf of the American people for their dedication to the nation.



"We have been so reliant on the outstanding work that has been done by [U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Central Command], the extraordinary leadership from the highest general down to the person who's just started, the president said. I have been consistently in awe of your performance and the way that you've carried out your mission.



MacDill AFB is also home to the 927th Air Refueling Wing and the 6th Air Mobility Wing.



Obama paid tribute to the bases 75th anniversary during his troop talk.



For 75 years -- from World War II through Korea, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam, the Gulf War, the Afghan and Iraq wars -- the men and women of this base have always stepped up when we needed them most. So, on behalf of the entire country, I want to wish you a happy 75th anniversary, Obama said. It has been the privilege and honor of a lifetime to be your commander in chief -- the commander in chief of the finest fighting force the world has ever known. You are the best. Because we have the best people.



Praises Troops, Families



The troops and their families have been inspirational, Obama said.



You and your families have inspired us. We've been inspired by your patriotism, for stepping forward, for volunteering, for dedicating yourself to a life of service, he said. We've been inspired by your devotion, your willingness to sacrifice for all of us. We've been inspired by your example.



Americas service members remind the nation that we're all part of one team, the president said.



We take care of each other, he added. And you remind us of what patriotism really means.



The service members will continue on with their mission, the president said, but I will tell you that Michelle and I, having had the experience and the honor of working with you, are going to make it one of our missions as civilians to support you in every way that we can.
James visits F.E. Warren, discusses force improvement efforts

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Lt. Gen. Jack Weinstein, the deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration, visited F.E. Warren Air Force Base to speak directly with Airmen about ongoing improvement efforts throughout the nuclear enterprise, Dec. 7-8.



During the visit, James discussed current challenges and successes related to the intercontinental ballistic missile mission with commanders, missile crews and mission support personnel.



Three years ago, we implemented a number of changes throughout the nuclear enterprise, and I am acutely interested in following up to see how were doing, James said.



Air Force Global Strike Command has introduced a number of aggressive efforts designed to make fundamental changes in ICBM operations and culture. Many of these endeavors began with the implementation of the Force Improvement Program in 2014.



While FIP began as a ground-level initiative designed to highlight and address prominent issues, it has developed into a culture of shared practices and innovation. Since FIPs inception, a number of quality-of-life and operational improvements have positively impacted the Airmen who operate, maintain, defend and support the nuclear mission.



The secretary and the Air Force in general have done an amazing job of investing into the nuclear enterprise, said Lt. Col. Russell Williford, the 320th Missile Squadron commander. FIP was a singular effort to address the culture and climate of the nuclear enterprise, but it was also the start of a new philosophy of continuous improvement. While many FIP aspects were implemented successfully, we need to continue the process.



As the initiatives continue, conversations with Airmen at the tactical level will remain invaluable, said Weinstein, the former 20th Air Force commander.



We need to sustain this weapon system until we get a new one. Conversations like these help us when were in battles defending why we need to make this investment, Weinstein said. What you do every day is foundational to the defense of our nation, so these discussions keep us headed in the right direction.



In addition to participating in round-table discussions, James and Weinstein also paid a visit to the 37th Helicopter Squadron to discuss the UH-1N Huey. Pilots and security forces members from mobile fire teams briefed the senior leaders on their contribution to the ICBM mission.



Both senior leaders left the base encouraged by the progress that has been made across the enterprise, but fully aware there is always more work to be done.



"I have no doubt our nuclear force is moving in the right direction. Its good to know what the problems are, but its also good to know that changes have had a positive impact overall, James said. "The nuclear force is at the forefront of our nation's national defense, and I thank you for bringing all you've got to the fight."
Former Air Force Chief SP Tyagi arrested in connection with Rs. 3,600 cr deals with AgustaWestland to acquire a dozen VVIP choppers, in which kickbacks were allegedly paid to Indian officials.

Tyagi, who headed the Air Force between 2004 and 2007, has been accused by investigators in Italy and India of abusing his official position to swing the contract in favour of Finnmeccanica, the parent company of UK-based helicopter maker AgustaWestland, by tailoring specifications of the tender at the instance of his cousins.

The whole episode raises two important points  the record of the CBI in presenting a strong case in matters relating to defence procurements and the very procedure of procuring defence equipments, including the role of lobbying. Second most important question, is this arrest politically motivated to divert the attention from current issues of demonetization? As we all know, so far to say the least no one remember a single case that the CBI has solved in this regard. Each time the case was sent in cold storage.

Earlier, an alleged middleman who India is desperate to question for the corrupt AgustaWestland deal has confirmed to a News channel that in 2008, he did describe Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in a letter as the driving force of the decision to acquire new helicopters for use by top politicians when her party was last in power. However, Christian Michel James, who is based in Dubai, also said that he does not personally know either Mrs Gandhi or her son, Rahul, who is the Congress vice-president, and stressed that his written suggestion that they be lobbied by diplomats does not mean bribes were paid to them.

A Milan court earlier sentenced the former bosses of Finmeccanica and its AgustaWestland unit to jail terms for corruption in the India deal. Documents it referred to included letters from middlemen that mentioned Mrs Gandhi and other Congress leaders as people to pursue or influence to land the deal. The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, which tackles financial crimes, are trying to piece together who was bribed in India for the helicopter scam. In Parliament, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the Congress misdoings stand exposed. Congress lawmakers walked out in protest, demanding that the Supreme Court monitor the investigation into the helicopter deal, which was signed in 2010 and cancelled in 2014.

But the middle man Michel said that he stands by his earlier claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year met with his Italian counterpart in New York, and offered to release two Italian marines imprisoned in India on murder charges in exchange for information about the Agusta deal that could embarrass or implicate Mrs Gandhi. In denying that its top bosses are linked to the Agusta scam, the Congress had questioned the authenticity of the note Mr Michel verified. Other letters of imprisoned executives from Agusta, an Anglo-Italian firm, also name-check Mrs Gandhi and top Congress leaders; the papers were reviewed by a Milan court which has found Agusta guilty of paying bribes in India. The verdict  delivered a few weeks ago  has given the BJP considerable ammo in resuscitating the Agusta scandal as a national controversy and alleging new proof of the complicity of the Congress top bosses in the helicopter swindle.

The order, worth 3,600 crores, was cancelled in 2014 after the Italian investigation ramped up. Mr Michel has over the last few months repeatedly claimed that when Mr Modi was in New York for a UN summit, he met on the sidelines with the Italian premier to solicit details gleaned from the Italian investigation that could be used against Mrs Gandhi.

BJP had appointed Meenakshi Lekhi to lead the attack against Congress in Lok Sabh. From social network to Rajya Sabha BJP randomly attacking Congress and it president but interestingly, the united Congress including Manmohan Singh came in defence of Gandhis and took aggressive stand against BJP. Meanwhile, his claim that Modi offered to exchange marines against evidence to shame Gandhis, that indicate that Modi is least interested in justice to those dead fishermen, but only interested in shaming the Gandhis?

If the statement about meeting in New York is not to be taken seriously then so does his other statements, but his one statement is not taken serious then its better to ignore other claim. The middle man brought BJP and Congress into great fix, and now Mr Tyagi is caught by CBI, it would be really interesting to see how the politics move on to this.
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Relief for Assyrian Town Liberated From ISIS

On August 6, 2014, the Islamic State overran Iraq's largest Christian city, the city of Qaraqosh. The advance forced thousands of Christians to leave the city after it had been the target of jihadist attacks for weeks. One month before, the Islamic State took over the city of Mosul and many Christian residents from Mosul fled to Qaraqosh after ISIS issued an ultimatum for Christians living there: convert to Islam, pay a fine or face "death by the sword." Qaraqosh, a historic Assyrian town, was once home to 50,000 people. Once year after ISIS captured the city, there were no Christians left living there. The churches in the town were used "as prisons for torture" and any Christians left in the town were "forced to convert to Islam. ISIS have been breaking al the crosses and statues of Mary," according to Abu Aasi, a man who fled Baghdad.

In March of 2015, a 10-year-old girl from the city of Qaraqosh, named Myriam, said she would ask God to forgive those who threatened her family's life. Many Christians and other religious minorities who left Qaraqosh, Mosul and the Nineveh Plain in 2014 fled to neighboring countries including Jordan and Lebanon. Many of these Christians were, and still are, too afraid to go to UN run refugee camps because they fear they will be targeted by Muslim refugees there. They risk death threats, attacks, beatings and women and young children risk being raped. In late October 2016, the Iraqi Army, with help from the Kurdish Army and a Christian Militia known as the Nineveh Plains Protection Unit retook the cities of Qaraqosh, Bartella, and Karamless while on their way to retake the city of Mosul from the control of the Islamic State. On October 30, a handful of Christians, including members of the Nineveh Plain Protection Units, the local Christian militia, came together in a burnt out church in Qaraqosh to celebrate the first mass in the town in over two years. For over a decade, the Religious Freedom Coalition has remained steadfast in supporting aid programs to Christian refugees that were forced to flee their homes in Iraq. The programs we supported included assisting a medical clinic in Amman, Jordan that helped Iraqi Christian refugees. Chairman William J. Murry has done his best to make sure that every dollar donated counted, that there was no waste and that 100% of the aid went to Christians. In 2013, the Religious Freedom Coalition started the Christmas for Refugees program. The mission of the Christmas program was to bring spiritual help, as well as food and medicine, to Christian refugee families who were ignored by Islamic-led charities. Many of the children who attend the Christmas program have fathers and brothers who have been murdered in cold blood by jihadists from al-Nusra and the Islamic State. In some cases, they have been forced to watch the deaths. These children grew up in middle and upper-middle class families, living in nice homes. Their parents had good jobs and many of the children attended private Christian schools. Now these children are living day-to-day in the basements of abandoned buildings. Christmas events including hot meals were served to Christian refugee children in Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon. Christmas for Refugees is much more than one hot meal at Christmas. The hours-long program includes Gospel themed plays and puppet shows along with games and traditional Christmas songs. Each child takes home a gift box for their family, which includes essential items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand soap, tissues, sponges, feminine hygiene items as well as dish and laundry soaps. In 2016, the Christmas for Refugees program will invite as many as 6,000 children between the ages of six and fourteen to come and celebrate the birth of Christ. In 2015, the largest Christmas party for the children in Iraq, alone, was 300 children. This year, the Christmas parties in Iraq are being moved to a conference hall in Erbil, Iraq and over 500 children and 70 volunteers will be bused to the location at each program. Meals are prepared by a catering company because of how large these events are. Programs will also be held in Lebanon and Jordan as they were the year before. The Christmas for Refugees program provides a general outline as to how funds should be used in each country; however, the guidelines are not strict, since national cultures differ. Christmas for Refugees is more than one hot meal at Christmas. For a few hours on Christmas Day, Christian refugee children have a warm, bright place to stay and some relief from the difficult situations they face on a daily basis.
December 9, 2016

US President-elect Donald Trump reportedly has settled on Gen. John F. Kelly as secretary of homeland security, which would make the retired Marine Corps officer the third member of the nations military brass tapped to serve at the highest levels of his administration. Even before the story leaked this week, concerns had been expressed on Capitol Hill that the Trump administration will be top-heavy with officials who cut their teeth in American politics as military commanders.

Im concerned, Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democratic member of the Foreign Relations Committee, told The Washington Post. Each of these individuals may have great merit in their own right, but what weve learned over the past 15 years is that when we view problems in the world through a military lens, we make big mistakes.

If the Pentagon is racking up top spots in Trumps inner circle, it still lags behind Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs. This development is more of a surprise than the reliance on retired military officers. During the 2016 election contest, Trump made a campaign issue of Goldman Sachs outsized clout in Washington. He argued during the primary that the Wall Street firm exercised total control over Republican rival Ted Cruz  and made the same accusation about Goldman Sachs influence over Hillary Clinton. The Trump campaign aired a television ad that included a photograph of Goldman Sachs CEO while warning of a global power structure  presumably including Goldman  that was disenfranchising American workers.

But that was then, and this is now. On Friday, NBC News reported that Goldman executive Gary Cohn had been tasked with heading the National Economic Council, a White House-based group of advisers with deep sway over administration policy. Hes not the first. The Trump transition previously announced that Goldman Sachs veteran Steven Mnuchin is the pick to be secretary of the US Treasury. In addition, two other former Goldman Sachs hands, hedge fund manager Anthony Scaramucci and kitchen Cabinet adviser Steve Bannon, have Trumps ear on policy and personnel decisions.

Trump made two other controversial picks for his Cabinet this week: fast-food executive Andy Puzder for labor secretary and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Both were subject to immediate criticism: Puzder for being against raising the minimum wage and Pruitt for denying a human role in climate change. And each man signifies the deep changes Trump intends to bring to President Barack Obamas legacy.

On climate change, in particular, Trump can make a deep dent in regulations Obama put into effect through executive order. The incoming president has talked about dismantling the EPA, and Pruitt may be the man to do it. In his role as state attorney general, he formed an alliance with other state attorney generals and top energy producers to push back against Obamas moves.

Trumps meeting with former Vice President Al Gore on Dec. 5 gave hope to environmentalists that the 45th president may soften some of his campaign rhetoric, when he vowed to cancel the Paris Agreement and boost the coal industry. But The Donald giveth and The Donald taketh away. Pruitts appointment, in other words, dampened those hopes.

Quite clearly, this is a 180-degree shift from where the administration has been on most things environment-related, David Konisky, an associate professor at Indiana Universitys School of Public and Environmental Affairs, told CBS News about Pruitts nomination.

Similarly, Puzder came under fire for not only his stance on the minimum wage but for his defense of fast-food commercials that showed scantily dressed women eating hamburgers.

Puzder donated to Trump and was a campaign adviser. He has argued against raising the federal minimum wage higher than $9 an hour. Additionally, the Obama administration has proposed expanding overtime eligibility and workplace safety regulations that Puzder, as head of the Labor Department, could limit or not enforce, NPR noted.

The New York Times came out against Trumps pick, noting in an editorial: For Mr. Puzder, being pro-business seems to mean being anti-worker. That makes him the wrong choice for labor secretary.

RealClearPolitics Alexis Simendinger reported on how Trump can use an executive eraser to undo much of what Obama has done. She said, Trump promises to unwind President Obamas governance with the stroke of his presidential pen and the support of a GOP-controlled Congress. He can make good on those promises, but he will need to weather pushback from foes among the legislative branch, the courts, and voters and beneficiaries of Obama-era policies, plus world leaders who are wary of Trumps worldview.

And The Wall Street Journal noted that business leaders are predicting a dramatic unraveling of regulations on everything from overtime pay to power-plant emission rules as Donald Trump seeks to fill his Cabinet with determined adversaries of the agencies they will lead.

Along with Puzder and Pruitt, Rep. Tom Price at the Department of Health and Human Services, businessman Wilbur Ross Jr. at the Commerce Department and Ben Carson at the Department of Housing and Urban Development are all expected to undo massive amounts of regulations at their respective agencies.

These positions require Senate confirmation, but with the Republican Party in the majority, all are expected to be approved. NBC News looked at what can be learned from all of Trumps Cabinet choices thus far. The networks take: While the picks may be outsiders, they have insider connections to Washington and/or special interests; they are business types or generals; and there is a lack of diversity among the top spots.

RCP is tracking Trumps Cabinet selections, including who is being considered for those positions along with senior spots on the White House staff.
The director of the public defender's office that represented Alabama Death Row inmate Ronald Bert Smith, who was executed Thursday night, believes the execution was "botched" and that Smith felt pain as he died.

The Alabama Department of Corrections disagreed and said the execution went according to its protocol.

Either way, the execution is likely to become an issue in lawsuits by death row inmates who claim the first drug in Alabama's lethal injection procedure doesn't ease the pain for the two fatal drugs that follow. The inmates claim the state's lethal injection method is unconstitutional and represents cruel and unusual punishment.

During a 13-minute portion of Thursday night's execution Smith's chest heaved, he appeared to gasp for breath, and at one point his left hand clinched before he stopped moving.

"I think it was botched," said Christine Freeman, executive director of the Federal Public Defender's Office in Montgomery which represented Smith in his appeals. She was one of the execution witnesses on Thursday.

Smith, 45, was executed for his conviction in the Nov. 8, 1994 shooting death of Casey Wilson, a clerk at a Circle C convenience store in Huntsville.

The Alabama Department of Corrections issued a statement Friday that states that throughout the execution, the department followed an established protocol upheld as constitutional. Smith had his eyes closed and did cough but at no time during the execution was there observational evidence that he suffered, according to the statement.

"We followed our protocol," Alabama Prisons Commissioner Jeff Dunn said in a press conference after the execution.

Dunn said there was no discussion among prison officials during the execution about stopping the execution once Smith started coughing and his chest heaved.

He also contradicted witnesses who said Smith reacted to consciousness tests that a corrections officer administered to determine when the first drug, midazolam, had sedated Smith enough for the administration of the two other drugs that would kill him. "From where I was seated, I didn't see any reaction to the consciousness assessment," Dunn said.

The consciousness assessment consists of a corrections officer loudly calling the inmate's name, brushing the inmate's left eyelash and pinching the inmate's upper arm. In past lethal injection executions, the inmate was given one test, but on Thursday night there were two after Smith continued to move and cough after the first one.

And Smith's right hand moved shortly after the second test.

Dunn declined to provide details of the execution protocol the state uses. But the protocol has been approved after examination by the medical community, prison officials and the courts, he said.

Freeman said that "since the protocol is secret I can't make any guesses about whether it was followed."

But Freeman questioned how anyone could consider the execution going as planned. "It indicated that the protocol was not adequate," she said.

"The object of the protocol is to create a painless execution and that is not what we saw last night," Freeman said.

Freeman said that she doesn't have any proof that the state didn't follow its protocol. "But I'm confident that their protocol is not for these things to happen," she said.

Autopsy

The ADOC says an autopsy will determine if there were any "irregularities" with the execution.

The federal public defender's office says an autopsy may show some things. "But no autopsy can measure the extent of Ron Smith's suffering as he died," according to the public defender's statement.

Escambia County Medical Examiner Dr. Dan Raulerson said Friday that the coroner's office transported the executed inmate's body for examination by one of the doctors at the state forensics laboratory in Mobile. "Basically what they look for is any sign of inappropriate trauma ... and that the prisoner died in a humane fashion," he said.

The forensics laboratory can run toxicology tests, Raulerson said. Once completed, the forensics lab sends him a report in about six weeks to three months on the autopsy, he said. That report will be filed in his office where it will become public record, he said.

Raulerson notes that he doesn't attend the executions. "I'm very much opposed to capital punishment. As a doctor it is my job to save lives," he said.

Pending lawsuits

Smith's execution could find its way into the pending lawsuits other death row inmates have filed challenging midazolam and Alabama's three-drug lethal injection protocol, Freeman said.

Alabama changed its drug protocol a few years ago after drug manufacturers began declining to sell their drugs to it and other states for executions.

The drugs were changed, with midazolam being the first one administered.

Inmates in Alabama - including Smith - and around the country have filed lawsuits over the use of midazolam.

Robert Dunham, director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said that midazolam isn't meant to be an anesthesia that can block all pain. "One of midazolam's failures is that a person unconscious can be jolted back into consciousness by the execution drugs," he said.

Dunham said there are several examples of inmates struggling to breathe after midazolam has been administered. One of those was in 2014 in Ohio with the execution of Dennis McGuire, who gasped for air for about 25 minutes while the drugs hydromorphone and midazolam took effect. "Witnesses reported that after the drugs were injected, McGuire was struggling, with his stomach heaving and fist clenched, making 'horrible' snorting and choking sounds," according to the death penalty information website.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 ruled in a case out of Oklahoma that involved midazolam that its use was constitutional in a multi-drug combination.

Dunham believes Smith's execution will serve as one more example for inmates seeking to have a court declare the use of midazolam in the state's lethal injection method will be ruled unconstitutional. "Midazolam should not be used in these type protocols," he said.

Raulerson, however, said he has used midazolam in procedures, such as colonoscopies. "And it works quite well ... It doesn't mean your patient won't move or could not react to pain. But I guarantee you when they wake up they have no memory at all," he said.
Birmingham police have arrested a Michigan man who is allegedly responsible for 13 burglaries in the city.

Michael L. Davis

Michael L. Davis, 34, was arrested in east Birmingham on Nov. 17 for obstructing justice and using a false identity. According to Sgt. Bryan Shelton, Davis burglarized eight locations in south precinct and five in east precinct.

During one burlagry, Davis and two accomplices fled the scene, which started a vehicle pursuit with officers. The chase came to a top when Davis, who was driving, jumped out of the moving car causing it to roll back and hit a police car. The other two suspects were taken into custody and charged with the burglary.

On Nov. 18, officers obtained two warrants for Davis for third-degree burglary and giving false information. These charges stem from an Aug. 14, 2016 incident at Hop City Craft Beer and Wine. Officers said Davis gave them false identification to avoid being arrested.

Shelton said Davis is now in Jefferson County Jail without bail on Friday. After Davis' arrest, it was discovered that he had several outstanding warrants in Jefferson County and Ohio. Additional warrants and charges are possible, Shelton said.

"We are thankful to the public and our officers for the hard work in catching this individual," Shelton said. "People work hard for what they own, and deserve to live in peace. A good weapon against property crimes are watchful and attentive neighbors. Let's look out for each other."
A 17-year-old turned herself in to Athens police on Friday for a robbery and assault that was committed at a fast-food restaurant in Athens last week.

Cheyenne Marie Harris

Cheyenne Marie Harris, of Huntsville, was the third arrest made in a robbery that occurred at the McDonald's on U.S. 72. on Dec. 2. Tyrone Kim Edwards Jr., 21, and Keonete Latraye Clay, 18, both of Huntsville, were arrested earlier this week for their alleged roles in the incident.

Chief Floyd Johnson said the suspects arranged to meet the male victim at the McDonald's through an online yard sale group on Facebook. The victim was expecting to buy an iPhone 6 from the suspects. At 1:15 p.m. on Dec. 2, police accuse the robbers of hitting the victim in the head with a pistol and taking $250 from the man. Johnson said he wasn't sure which of the three suspects actually assaulted the man and stole his money.

Edwards is accused of driving the getaway vehicle after the robbery was committed. Police said Harris and Clay jumped into a four-door silver Hyundai Sonata parked at a nearby Taco Bell and Edwards sped away.

Although she is a teen, police said Harris has been charged as an adult because first-degree robbery is a Class A felony. She is currently being held at the Limestone County Jail on a $20,000 bond.

Jonathan Clay

Edwards was arrested Wednesday after Athens investigators spotted the getaway vehicle at Edwards' Huntsville home. The vehicle left the home and investigators asked for backup from Huntsville police, who stopped the car on Oakwood Drive. Edwards was charged with first-degree robbery and booked into Limestone County jail on a $20,000 bond.

Clay was nabbed by officers on Thursday after he was found at his Huntsville residence. He was also charged with first-degree robbery and booked into Limestone County jail on a $20,000 bond.

No more arrests are expected in this case, Johnson said.
The Gatlinburg fire that killed 14 people was started by two teenagers dropping lit matches onto the ground along Chimney Tops Trail in Great Smoky Mountain National Park, sources close to the investigation told the Knoxville News Sentinel.

The two boys, ages 17 and 15, have been charged in Sevier County Juvenile Court with aggravated arson in connection with the blaze that burned more than 17,000 acres, damaged or destroyed more than 2,500 structures and forced a week-long evacuation of Gatlinburg in the middle of one of its busiest tourist seasons.

Gatlinburg reopened to the public today.

The teens were arrested Wednesday but officials did not release any details other than to say they were juveniles who were residents of Tennessee but did not live in Sevier County.

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, the two boys are friends and live in Anderson County, Tennessee. The boys were hiking along the trail on Nov. 23 and tossing lit matches on the ground despite a no-burn order due to severe drought conditions. A hiker reportedly captured an image of the boys walking away from the trail with smoke in the background and the clothing pictured in the photo was used to help identify the suspects.

The oldest teen is the son of an Anderson County Sheriff's Office employee, the News-Sentinel reported.

A detention hearing set for the two boys for Friday was postponed and both are still being held in the county juvenile detention center.

Both face charges of aggravated arson but prosecutors said they would not rule out other charges or options, including seeking to have the suspects tried as adults. However, under Tennessee law, aggravated arson is not a qualifying offense that would allow a judge to transfer the 15-year-old to adult Criminal Court. The law does allow for the 17-year-old to be tried as an adult if a Juvenile Court judge grants the transfer.

If prosecutors seek felony murder charges against the two, the 15-year-old could be tried as an adult.

Investigators had previously said the fire started around Nov. 23 on Chimney Tops Trail before spreading into Gatlinburg, Sevier County and Pigeon Forge. Authorities considered the fire to be "human-caused."
Elderly Cubans who lived through the revolution share their memories of Fidel Castro.

It has been two weeks since the Cuban president, Raul Castro, announced the death of his brother and predecessor, Fidel Castro.

We went out on to the streets of Cuba, and heard from those who remember the 1959 Cuban Revolution he led.

 Fidel is Fidel

Caridad de Benitez is 83. She was 25 when she learned that Fidel Castros forces had arrived in the city of Santa Clara, where on December 31, 1958, the Battle of Santa Clara, a key moment in the revolution, would take place.

Excited by the news, she went out to cheer on the revolutionary forces before realising that soldiers close to her home were loyal to the president, Fulgencio Batista.

Now, she says: I lived better with Fulgencio. I have done nothing else for all these years than to live in need. But Fidel is Fidel  and in spite of everything, I still love him very much.

I joined the revolution

Ninety-year-old Emilio Castillo is a retired police officer who switched allegiances and joined the revolution.

I was afraid, of course. I thought I could get killed, but I still joined, he says. He gave up his work as a police officer only 10 years ago.

 Fidel and the revolution are everything to me

Sixty-six-year-old Vlas Sile has worked on sugar cane plantations since he was a child. He was a nine-year-old boy when he saw Fidel Castro pass by.

He remembers how, before the revolution, the foremen on the sugar plantations would hit him for eating the raw sugar cane.

My whole family now has a university degree, my children are agronomists, and we all work in sugar cane fields, he says.

Fidel and the revolution are everything to me. Fidel gave us everything  education, security, food. We owe him everything. I will take care of the revolution with my life if need be, and we should all do this.

Fidel was like a father

Carlos Valdes, 66, is a farmer who used to live in Santa Clara. He says he works in the countryside every day, not simply as a way to make a living but because he believes it is his duty to produce food for the revolution.

Fidel was like a father, and his death feels like the death of a father, he says. I lived almost all my life seeing him, and now to know that he will not be here any more, that he died, it is very strange. I do not believe it yet.

T o see him return only in ashes is something I do not want to see

Seventy-three-year-old Julio Alvarez, who runs a shooting range, was 15 when he saw Castros revolutionary forces marching towards Havana.

It was epic, he says. Fidel was standing in a Jeep, greeting the people who came to meet him. Now, to see him return only in ashes is something I do not want to go to see.
Appeal by Barrow followed by unanimous statement by UN Security Council calling for transfer of power with undue delay.

Adama Barrow, president-elect of The Gambia, has called on Yahya Jammeh to accept the outcome of last weeks election after the incumbent overturned the result in a sudden political U-turn.

Jammeh, who has ruled the West African country for 22 years, conceded defeat in a public address last week, but rejected the outcome early on Saturday, citing abnormalities with the electoral process.

Changing his position on the election results, Jammeh said: After a thorough investigation, I have decided to reject the outcome of the recent election. I lament serious and unacceptable abnormalities which have reportedly transpired during the electoral process.





Barrow said that Jammeh had no constitutional right to reject the results and appealed to him to facilitate a smooth transfer of executive power.

I urge him to change his current position and accept the verdict of the people in good faith for the sake of the Gambia our homeland.

Later on Saturday, in a unanimous statement the 15-member UN Security Council demanded Jammeh respect the choice of the sovereign people of The Gambia, and to transfer, without condition and undue delay, power to the President-elect, Mr Adama Barrow.

Jammehs announcement presents an unexpected and severe challenge to the incoming Barrow administration, which was already grappling with how to take the reins of power and deal with the army, which for two decades was loyal to the president.

The latest official figures gave Barrow a narrower win than initially announced  43.29 percent of the votes for Barrow and 39.64 for Jammeh. Voter turnout was 59 percent.

The African Union called Jammehs rejection of the results null and void since he had already conceded defeat.

The Chairperson of the Commission strongly urges President Yahya Jammeh to facilitate a peaceful and orderly transition and transfer of power, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, AU chief, said, also calling on The Gambias security forces to remain neutral.

Widespread unease

Soldiers were seen placing sandbags in strategic locations across the capital, Banjul, on Friday, a development that prompted widespread unease among the population, who had been panic-buying food before the vote, due to fear of unrest.

Witnesses told Reuters news agency that there was particular nervousness about Jammehs statement that he would deal harshly with any troublemakers who took to the streets.

Reacting on social media, Isatou Touray, Opposition spokesperson, criticised what she called a violation of democracy and called on the people to remain calm, lucid, vigilant and not retreat.

READ MORE: Gambians seek justice after a 22-year reign of terror

The US state department said in a statement that Jammehs rejection of the results was an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election and remain illegitimately in power.

Mankeur Ndiaye, Senegals foreign minister, called for an emergency meeting of the Security Council and solemnly warned Jammeh not to harm Senegals interests or its citizens in Gambia.

Senegal, which has Gambias only land border, and entirely surrounds the small riverside country, is a non-permanent member of the Security Council. Its army intervened in Gambia in 1981, during a coup.
US defence secretary says move meant to assist Kurdish and Arab troops fighting to capture ISILs Syrian stronghold.

The United States will send another 200 troops to Syria to help an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters seize the ISIL bastion of Raqqa, US defence secretary Ashton Carter has said.

I can tell you today that the United States will deploy approximately 200 additional US forces in Syria, Carter told Gulf policymakers in the Bahraini capital, Manama, on Saturday.

They will complement 300 American special forces already in Syria to assist US-backed Kurdish-Arab troops who, in recent weeks, began their offensive on Raqqa, the Syrian stronghold of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).

That operation coincides with a US-backed Iraqi effort to retake Mosul.

The two cities are the last major urban centres under ISIL control after the group suffered a string of territorial losses in Iraq and Syria over the past year.

Carter told the Manama Dialogue security forum that the troop reinforcements will include bomb disposal experts and trainers, as well as special forces.

Car bombs and elaborate networks of booby traps and mines have been ISILs favoured weapons, as they have battled to defend what remains of the caliphate they declared across Iraq and Syria in 2012.

Battle for Aleppo

Meanwhile, US secretary of state John Kerry and leading diplomats are trying to find solutions for Syrias desperate opposition, as Syrian government forces squeeze rebel fighters out of Aleppo after a devastating blitz.

With tens of thousands of civilians fleeing, Kerry said he is working to ensure their safety and to prevent Aleppo from being absolutely, completely destroyed.

Kerry is meeting French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, European and Arab diplomats and members of Syrias opposition in Paris on Saturday.

US and Russian military experts and diplomats are also meeting in Geneva to work out details of the rebels exit from eastern Aleppo.
Mongolia says hundreds of trucks stuck at the border after move seen as a response to Dalai Lamas visit to Ulaanbaatar.

Mongolia says China has closed a key border crossing, creating huge congestion, nearly a week after the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, visited the country.

Hundreds of truck drivers for the mining conglomerate Rio Tinto are stuck at the Gants Mod crossing in southeastern Mongolia in freezing temperatures.

In a sense, Mongolia is paying a very heavy economic price for putting religious freedom ahead of economic necessity. by Adrian Brown, Al Jazeera correspondent

Footage shows a long line of trucks on the Mongolian side of the border waiting to cross.

Mongolia says these drivers spend hours, and in some cases days, waiting in the cold, Al Jazeeras Adrian Brown, reporting from Beijing, said on Saturday. Temperatures at night that can drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius.

Rio Tinto, which operates vast copper and gold mines, has now suspended shipment to China of copper concentrate.

The Dalai Lama is cherished as a spiritual leader in predominantly Buddhist Mongolia, but is considered a separatist in China for supporting a long drawn-out campaign for independence for Tibet.

Beijing has been campaigning for a diplomatic boycott of the Dalai Lama since 1959, when he escaped to India and formed a government-in-exile. The Dalai Lama retired from political life in 2011.

Last month, Beijing imposed new tariffs on commodity shipments between China and Mongolia. But Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang did not confirm whether or not the new border fees were connected to the Dalai Lamas visit, saying that he was unaware of the situation.

As for the Dalai Lamas visit to Mongolia, China has expressed its position many times, he said at the ministrys regular press briefing on Thursday, covered by the Reuters news agency.

The diplomatic repercussions could hit Mongolia hard, with the crisis-hit government desperate to boost economic ties with its powerful southern neighbour and to use Chinese investment to kick-start key mining and infrastructure projects.

Al Jazeeras correspondent said Mongolia had been negotiating a loan with China to help ease its acute financial troubles.

Its government is basically broke, but China has cancelled talks to discuss the loan that Mongolia needs so very badly.

So, in a sense, Mongolia, is paying a very heavy economic price for putting religious freedom ahead of economic necessity, Brown added.

In advance of Dalai Lamas visit to the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, China warned in October of damage to bilateral ties between the two countries.
President to be awarded the prize for his efforts to bring the countrys more than 50-year-long civil war to an end.

The Nobel Peace Prize of 2016 is set to be awarded to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who called it a gift from heaven for his countrys peace process with FARC rebels.

The prize ceremony will be held on Saturday evening in the Norwegian capital, Oslo.

Al Jazeera will be talking exclusively to the Colombian president at 17:00GMT. Watch the interview live here.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to award the prize to Santos for his resolute efforts to bring the countrys more than 50-year-long conflict with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to an end.

The war has cost the lives of at least 220,000 Colombians and displaced close to six million people.

Santos was named peace prize laureate on October 7, just four days after the people in Colombia in a referendum narrowly rejected a peace deal his government had reached with the FARC rebels.

Despite the outcome, Santos concluded all wanted peace, he told a news conference at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo.

Four days later the Nobel Prize award was announced, and it came like a gift from heaven because it gave us a tremendous push, he said on Friday.

People in Colombia interpreted it as a mandate from the international community to persevere.

The recipients of the Nobel prizes for medicine, physics, chemistry and economics are also to receive their awards. The ceremonies for these prizes will be held in the Swedish capital of Stockholm.
Jammeh, who had conceded defeat last week, changes his position, demanding new polls due to serious abnormalities.

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has said that he rejects the outcome of last weeks election that he lost to opposition leader Adama Barrow, only days after he conceded defeat to him in a public address.

The fresh announcement he made on state television on Friday throws the future of the West African country into doubt after the unexpected election results ended Jammehs 22-year rule.

Jammeh had conceded defeat on state TV last week, prompting wild celebrations over the ending of a government that human rights groups accused of detaining, torturing and killing opponents.





After a thorough investigation, I have decided to reject the outcome of the recent election. I lament serious and unacceptable abnormalities which have reportedly transpired during the electoral process, Jammeh said, changing his position on the election results.

I recommend fresh and transparent elections which will be officiated by a God-fearing and independent electoral commission, he said.

Jammehs announcement presents an unexpected and severe challenge to the incoming Barrow administration, which was already grappling with how to take the reins of power and deal with the army that, for two decades, was loyal to the president.

The latest official figures gave Barrow a narrower win than initially announced  43.29 percent of the votes for Barrow and 39.64 for Jammeh. Voter turnout was at 59 percent.

The African Union called Jammehs rejection of the results null and void since he had already conceded defeat.

The Chairperson of the Commission strongly urges President Yahya Jammeh to facilitate a peaceful and orderly transition and transfer of power, AU chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said, also calling on Gambias security forces to remain neutral.

Gambians worried

Soldiers were seen placing sandbags in strategic locations across the capital Banjul on Friday, a development that triggered widespread unease among the already-spooked population, who had been panic-buying food before the vote, due to fear of unrest.

Witnesses told the Reuters news agency that there was particular nervousness about the presidents statement that he would deal harshly with any troublemakers who took to the streets.

READ MORE: Gambia President-elect Adama Barrow talks to Al Jazeera

Opposition spokeswoman Isatou Touray, on social media, criticised a violation of democracy and called for people to remain calm, lucid, vigilant and not retreat.

The US state department said in a statement that Jammehs rejection of the results was an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election and remain illegitimately in power.

Senegals foreign minister, Mankeur Ndiaye, called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and solemnly warned Jammeh not to harm Senegals interests or its citizens in Gambia.

Senegal, which has Gambias only land border, and entirely surrounds the small riverside country, is a non-permanent member of the Security Council. Its army intervened in Gambia in 1981, during a coup.
After deadly ambush, Iraqi army units moved from southern positions to citys east where most of the fighting is.

The Iraqi army has sent reinforcements to eastern Mosul after ISIL fighters launched a ferocious counterattack last week, pushing back government forces and further slowing a nearly two-month-old offensive to retake the city.

Major-General Najim al-Jabouri told Associated Press news agency on Saturday that federal police and Iraqi army units had moved from the southern front to Mosuls east, where most of the fighting is concentrated.

The move comes just days after ISIL, or the Islamic Army of Iraq and the Levant group, ambushed the army in the Al Salam hospital in eastern Mosul, killing several soldiers and forcing them to pull back.





Lieutenant-General Qassem al-Maliki, the commander of the 9th Division, said he lost 13 men in the fighting around the hospital.

ISIL and some other security sources gave higher tolls.

Iraqi commanders had hoped to push up from the south to take Mosuls international airport, but those plans appear to be on hold.

Several commanders have said ISIL, also known as ISIS, has offered stiffer resistance than expected in the city, prompting fears that the operation launched on October 17 to retake the groups last major Iraqi bastion could drag on.

Defeating ISIL in Mosul would roll back the self-styled caliphate it declared in Iraq and Syria in 2014 after seizing large parts of both countries.

About 100,000 Iraqi soldiers, security forces, Kurdish Peshmerga forces and mainly Shia paramilitary forces are participating in the Mosul campaign.

IN PICTURES: In our village, ISIL executed hundreds of people

Although the army has made advances inside eastern Mosul, it says it is fighting in the toughest urban warfare imaginable  facing hundreds of suicide car bomb attacks, mortar barrages, sniper fire, and ambushes launched from a network of tunnels.

The city is still home to nearly 1.5 million people, who are at risk being caught up in brutal urban warfare.

An estimated 650,000 people without potable water live in Mosul and the UN has warned of a potential humanitarian crisis and a refugee exodus.
More than 40 dead and 30 wounded in military base on port citys outskirts in bombing claimed by ISILs local branch.

A suicide bomber from a local affiliate of ISIL has killed at least 48 Yemeni soldiers at a military base in the southern port city of Aden, in another major attack claimed by the group.

A security official told Reuters news agency that the suicide bomber detonated his explosives on Saturday as troops were waiting to collect their salaries at the entrance to the Sawlaban base on the outskirts of Aden.

Another 30 people were reportedly wounded in the attack.

ISIL, or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Amaq, a news agency that supports the group also known as ISIS.





However, Aden al-Ghad, a local news website, said the men were not soldiers but young men registering to take part in a government offensive to break the siege of Yemens second largest city, Taiz.

For 18 months, more than 200,000 civilians have been caught up in the fighting in Taiz, where Iran-allied Houthi fighters have restricted food and medical deliveries to the city.

The port city, the temporary base of Yemens government, has seen a wave of bombings and shootings targeting officials and security forces.

Armed groups have gained ground in the south of the country since forces loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi  backed by an Arab coalition assembled by Saudi Arabia  drove the Houthi fighters out of Aden in July last year.

Since then, the government and the Arab coalition have struggled to enforce their control as ISIL and al-Qaeda use the security vacuum to carry out attacks.

At least 10,000 people have been killed in the 20-month conflict, which has prompted a humanitarian crisis in the impoverished country.
Monitoring group says fighters occupy northwest part of city that was recaptured earlier this year by government forces.

ISIL fighters have re-entered Syrias ancient city of Palmyra from where they were driven out nine months ago, activists say.

The Palmyra Coordination network said ISIL, or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group, had entered Palmyras northern and northwestern neighbourhoods on Saturday and nearly encircled the city.

The activist-run group, which maintains contacts inside the city, said ISIL, also known as ISIS, was approaching the citys UNESCO Heritage site as well.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a monitoring group, said ISIL fighters had occupied the citys northwest, with the armed group engaged in fighting with the army in the city centre.

A commander from the Jaish al-Mujahideen group, based in the Aleppo countryside, said earlier on Saturday that the ISIL attack was forcing the Syrian government to divert troops from Aleppo.

Recapturing Palmyra could be a major strategic victory for ISIL and open up territory stretching from the Iraqi border to its strongholds of Deir Az-zor and Raqqa.

ISIL captured Palmyra, also known as Tadmur, in May last year and began a campaign of destroying some ancient sites and using others to stage mass executions.

The group also destroyed the infamous Tadmur prison, where thousands of government opponents were reported to have been tortured.

They were driven out of Palmyra in March by Syrian government forces backed by Russian air strikes.

According to defence analysts at think-tank IHS Jane, ISIL lost about 12 percent of its territory in 2016, and about 14 percent in 2015.
Malaysian PM lauds security forces as the Philippines reports death of Abraham Hamid, accused of kidnapping foreigners.

Malaysian security forces have killed a key member of a Philippine armed group in a shootout in waters off Sabah in Borneo, according to the Philippine military.

Abu Sayyaf commander Abraham Hamid had led the kidnapping of several foreigners from a tourist resort in the southern Philippines last year, two of whom were later beheaded.

The death of Hamid is a big blow to the [Abu Sayyaf] as it neutralised one of the notorious bandits and will degrade their capability for spotting and kidnapping victims in the future, said Major Filemon Tan, regional military spokesperson for the Philippines, on Saturday.

READ MORE: Inside Abu Sayyaf  Blood, drugs and conspiracies

Tan said Hamid had also been involved in the kidnapping of four Indonesian crewmen in April.

Two other fighters were killed alongside Hamid in the shootout with Malaysian police in Lahad Datu in eastern Sabah, he said.

Separately, the Philippine military said that at least three soldiers were killed in the southern Philippine island of Sulu, following a gun battle with Abu Sayyaf fighters.

Seventeen other soldiers were reported injured in the encounter, which lasted for almost two hours, in Patikul town on Saturday.

Kidnapping spree

In recent months, government forces have been carrying out major operations against the Abu Sayyaf, which beheaded two Canadian hostages after demands for millions of dollars were not met.

The armed group released two others, a Norwegian and Filipina, after ransoms were believed to be paid.





There have been a spate of kidnappings of Malaysian and Indonesian sailors at sea in recent months that have been blamed on the Abu Sayyaf.

While Hamid and two fighters were killed, Sabah security forces have arrested two others, Tan said.

Abdul Rashid Harun, Sabah police chief, told AFP news agency the incident was the Malaysian authorities first direct confrontation with suspected kidnappers in the waters off eastern Sabah.

On his blog, Najib Razak, Malaysias prime minister, praised his security forces and said his country would cooperate with the Philippines to fight the recurring kidnappings.

The Abu Sayyaf, a loose network of armed fighters based on remote islands in the southern Philippines, has defied more than a decade of military operations.

The group was formed in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Ladens al-Qaeda network, but has been on a lucrative kidnapping spree in recent years.
Meeting in Paris, Western and Arab diplomats call for renewed talks between Assad government and opposition leaders.

Diplomats, meeting in Paris for talks on the situation in Syria, have called for an immediate end to the violence in Aleppo and renewed talks with opposition leaders, even as air strikes continue to hit civilian areas in the citys east.

John Kerry, the US secretary of state and European foreign ministers, as well as their counterparts from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, also demanded on Saturday that Syrian government and Russian forces stop their onslaught.

For his part, Kerry said the Syrian governments indiscriminate bombing of eastern Aleppo amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Kerry said the indiscriminate bombing by the regime violates rules of law, or in many cases, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.





He urged Russia to show a little grace when US and Russian officials meet in Geneva, Switzerland, later on Saturday and pressed for a deal enabling civilians and fighters to leave besieged east Aleppo.

Russia and Assad have a moment where they are in a dominant position to show a little grace, Kerry said.

Fighters  dont trust that if they agreed to leave to try to save Aleppo, that it will save Aleppo and they will be unharmed and free to move where they are not immediately attacked.

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatars foreign minister, accused the Syrian government of genocide and urged the international community to remain focused on finding a political solution to the conflict.

Military confrontation does not offer a solution; there can only be a political solution, he said.

With preconditions

Speaking after the meeting, Jean-Marc Ayrault, Frances foreign minister, said the Syrian opposition was willing to resume negotiations with Bashar al-Assads government without preconditions.

However, both Syria and Russia have rejected talk of a ceasefire without a withdrawal by fighters from the city, a demand that Syrian opposition groups have refused.

Al Jazeeras Imtiaz Tyab, reporting from Gaziantep on the Turkish side of the Turkey-Syria border, said the meeting offered little reprieve for civilians still trapped in east Aleppo.

READ MORE: What went wrong in east Aleppo?

Air strikes from Russian and Syrian jets have been relentless, as Syrian forces backed by Iranian militias engage in fierce street battles with rebels, he said.

Residents have told Al Jazeera that the situation is a living nightmare and while it is very hard to get a civilian death count, since Friday afternoon at least 56 civilians have been killed and several more injured.

Prospects look increasingly grim for the Western-backed opposition forces after five years of civil war, as forces loyal to Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, have captured about 85 percent of Aleppos east, with fighters and civilians confined to just a few neighbourhoods.





The UN estimates about 100,000 people are now squeezed into opposition-held parts of Aleppo with virtually no access to food, water or medical care.

After days of intense bombing, Samantha Power, US ambassador to the UN, acknowledged this week that diplomacy has not delivered for the people of Aleppo.

We have engaged in that exercise in good faith for many, many months. But all that has happened in that period is that no food has arrived. No medical evacuations have occurred from eastern Aleppo. And the regime backed by Russia has pulverised schools, hospitals, civilian neighbourhoods, she told the Associated Press news agency.

Aleppos loss would be the biggest blow for the opposition fighters in the conflict, which has killed more than 400,000 people and displaced half the countrys population.

Blocked from leaving

Tens of thousands of civilians have fled east Aleppo in recent weeks, though the UN said on Friday it had received reports that the fighters had blocked some residents from leaving.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) says about 2,000 civilians fled east Aleppo on Saturday.

The state news agency, SANA, says they have been taken to a temporary shelter in Jibrin, about 10km east of Aleppo.

OPINION: Who are we to say the Syrian revolution is dead?

The UN said on Friday it had received reports of fighters blocking some from leaving and of reprisals against residents who asked armed groups to leave.

It has also expressed concern about reports that hundreds of men had gone missing after fleeing to government-held territory.

The Syrian civil war started as a largely peaceful uprising against Assad in March 2011, but quickly developed into a full-scale war.
Army sends reinforcements to protect historic city that was partially destroyed and then recaptured earlier this year.

The Syrian army has sent reinforcements to Palmyra, where ISIL fighters have advanced in some of the heaviest battles in the area since the armed group lost the ancient city eight months ago, according to a military statement.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group had launched an offensive in recent days close to the town, which is on UNESCOs world heritage list.

They have since taken over areas to the northwest and southeast of Palmyra, and have reached the edge of the city. Clashes continued on Saturday, the army added in its statement.

A rebel commander from the Jaish al-Mujahideen group based in the Aleppo countryside said the ISIL attack was forcing the Syrian government to divert troops from Aleppo, Reuters news agency reported.

The Syrian army and its allies are currently on the verge of a major victory against rebel groups in Aleppo.

WATCH: Recapturing Palmyra  The story and the spin

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group, fierce fighting is continuing on the ground near Palmyra, while at the same time the Syrian air force has launched air strikes against ISIL fighters.

The noise of fighting can be heard inside the town, said Rami Abdul Rahman, the director of the Observatory, whose organisation relies on civilian and military sources across Syria.

Since Thursday, ISIL fighters had been only four kilometres from the town, according to Abdul Rahman.





The Observatory said at least 49 pro-government force members have been killed by ISIL since Thursday in the offensive in the province of Homs, where Palmyra, known as Tadmur in Arabic, is situated.

ISIL seized control of several towns in the province, including Palmyra, in May last year, and damaged its ancient sites extensively.

The Syrian government controls most of Homs province, but its troops are regularly attacked by ISIL fighters, notably when they are in isolated areas, including in oil fields, which are difficult to protect.
Despite scant media attention to the protests, Native Americans emerge victorious; plus, Netanyahu, Israels media man.

On The Listening Post this week: Despite scant media attention to their six-month long protests, Native Americans and their supporters emerge victorious. Plus, Israels media man, Netanyahu.

Dakota Access Pipeline: Protests, politics and the press

After more than six months of protests, the Native American Standing Rock tribe and their supporters have wrested a victory in the case of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The scant coverage of these protests highlight at least two areas where the American mainstream media consistently underperforms  indigenous and environmental issues.

Talking us through the story are: Tristan Ahtone, freelance journalist; Amy Goodman, host, Democracy Now!; Amy Sisk, journalist, Prairie Public TV & Radio; and Sydney Brownstone, reporter, The Stranger newspaper, Seattle.

On our radar:

The Gulf Kingdom of Bahrain has once again denied access to a journalist from the Al Jazeera Media Network, blocking him from covering the 37th Gulf Cooperation Council.

Liberal media watchdog, Media Matters for America, is shifting the focus of its coverage, from monitoring cable news to spending more time scrutinising alt-right media outlets and fake news.

The government of Azerbaijan is tightening its already firm grip on the media  in the last month, three journalists have been arrested, two prominent news websites blocked and a new online defamation law passed.

Netanyahu: Israels media manipulator

Beset by allegations of corruption, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is blaming the messenger. The only Israeli prime minister in history to serve as communications minister as well, Netanyahu routinely berates journalists, criticises media coverage and paints himself a victim of a media system that he seems determined to reshape.

Talking us through the story are: Igal Sarna, columnist, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper; Dr. Anat Balint, Seventh Eye; Yoaz Hendel, head, Institute for Zionist Strategies; Yariv Levin, Israeli minister of tourism; and Tal Schneider, independent journalist and blogger.
As Iraqi forces fight an all-out battle to reclaim Mosul, taken by ISIL in 2014, we speak to two of Iraqs most distinguished artists about the ongoing bloodshed and destruction in the country, home to what is considered one of the oldest civilisations.

We spoke to Dia al-Azzawi and Mahmoud Obaidi in Doha, Qatar, where their work is currently being exhibited.

Dia al-Azzawi was a key figure the art scene in Iraq in the late 1960s and early 1970s and moved to London in 1976. His exhibition at the Al Riwaq Gallery in Doha showcases a retrospective of more than 500 works that revisit art and narratives that have defined and redefined the Middle East.

You by Dia

is from a generation which is maybe the last generation to be creative. Even with this generation, everyone is now living in different parts of either the United States or Sweden, and to work together again is not something easy for them, to rebuild their friendship, their creativity as a group, this is very difficult.]

The Iraqi-Canadian artist Mahmoud Obaidi, who was born in Baghdad in 1966, left Iraq in 1991.

In his exhibition Fragments, Obaidi explores the destruction of Iraq, a 7,000-year-old civilisation, after the 2003 invasion, through sculptural recreations of Baghdadi artefacts and symbols which have been looted or destroyed.

Both artists give us a tour of their exhibitions in Doha and speak to us about their work.

As an Iraqi, I cannot find an easy way to express my feeling because for me Iraq is not just a land, with a flag and a national anthem, Azzawi says.

This is a country, which my inner soul, which kept me working all these years, sharing the dream with its people to build the country, in a creative way.

This dreams collapse, he says, started with the imposition of sanctions in the early 1990s, and the destruction of the fabric of Iraqi society as sectarianism took hold. He says Iraq hasnt only collapsed but it has no future.

Azzawi says being in London allows him, in many ways, to access more information than people who live in Iraq, and that he feels he has a commitment to document his country through art because of the family and friends who remain there.

Azzawis retrospective opened in Doha the day the offensive to retake Mosul began. In the early 1970s, he lived there for two years, supervising the start of a new archaeological museum in Mosul, which he said contained artefacts from Hatra  the only archaeological site in the country excavated by an all-Iraqi team, without the involvement of any foreigners.

The destruction of these pieces means that unique pieces disappeared. We dont have any of these now, only maybe if they rebuild [them] in a way  which more likely they cannot do, Azzawi says.

The war of Mosul, for me is like just one of the layers of destruction of Iraq, says Obaidi.

Since 2003, its been war after war, he says, and that he has little optimism for where his country is headed. He explains that he always uses rusty materials in his art because thats how I see Iraq now. He says he tries to make art that reflects whats happening in my country.

Obaidi tells us about one work depicting the statue of liberty with a rope extending from the top of the sculptures head and into a wall.

The rope is showing you the relationship between the first year of the invasion, the first moment of the invasion, to the second year, third year and all these 13 years. The rope is the storytelling of the invasion of Iraq, or destruction of Iraq, Obaidi says.

One of the most iconic moments  at least as far as symbolism is concerned  happened five years after the invasion of Iraq when US President George W Bush visited the country and, during a speech, an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at him. Obaidi has paid homage to this event with a sculpture of Bush surrounded by a circle of shoes.

Azzawi believes the tragedy of Iraq began with the war with Iran (1980-88) and with Saddam Hussein, while Obaidi points to 2003 as the point of no return, the beginning of Iraqs cultural destruction.

The tragedy was also created by a politician who [has] no sense of whats going on outside the country, Azzawi says. Any politician has to have a moral responsibility when he takes a decision. You cannot take the whole country just because you want to do something. This is what makes me really upset. That how on earth a party which [had] all the elements to be successful, to create a fantastic country  suddenly everything collapsed.

Azzawi believes Iraqi artists and intellectuals also have a moral responsibility. He likens documenting and responding to what happens in Iraq through art as the only way to defend his country and family.

But then, you cannot be neutral. You cannot just be passing by. This is the main problem, I mean Im trying to see the Iraqi art as a movement from outside, I feel theres a lot of lack of that kind of responsibility. People, they did not feel their country collapsing day by day, he says.

And for example Mahmoud [Obaidi] is from a generation, which is maybe the last generation to be creative. Even with this generation, everyone is now living in different parts of either the US or Sweden and to work together again is not something easy for them, to rebuild their friendship, their creativity as a group, this is very difficult.

Azzawi explains that many young Iraqi artists living abroad have to contend first with getting by in a new country, before they can turn to art.

We ask the artists if they feel their art can make a difference.

I felt maybe I create an atmosphere so negative in a sense for the future, it makes people who are really sincere from inside to express their hopeless case  Two women came to the exhibition, [and] they were talking absolutely the same way: Why you did all this? Why you dont give us hope? I said: What hope can I give you? This is what I can do, not more than that,' Azzawi says.

I feel like its a kind of commitment to document this, Obaidi says. So now its a kind of relief for me to do this. I didnt think of how much effect it would [have] on the society, but for me, its a relief. I have to do it.

Azzawi says: We cannot just stop working. I think if you are faithful to Iraq, you should keep yourself as creative, challenging yourself and creating something make other people jealous. This is the only way.

We would like to thank Qatar Museums and Katara Cultural Village for the use of their facilities.

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Dr Marc Lamont Hill is an award-winning journalist and author and is the Steve Charles Professor of Media, Cities, and Solutions at Temple University. Hill is known for his work addressing the intersections of race, justice, politics and culture. His latest best-selling book is We Still Here: Pandemics, Policing, Protest and Possibility which follows on the success of Nobody: Casualties of Americas War on the Vulnerable from Flint to Ferguson. Hill has received numerous prestigious awards from the US National Association of Black Journalists, GLAAD, and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.










English News Chinas industrial profit growth accelerates to 8.6% in first 10 months

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 10 Decembre 2016



By the end of October, China has cut its steel production capacity by 45 million tons, finishing the full-year target ahead of schedule. China is also estimated to realize its coal capacity reduction target of 250 million tons before the set timetable. These efforts eased the conflict between supply and demand.

By Lu Yanan from Peoples Daily Chinas industrial sector has finally emerged from a sluggish phase as the recent data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the countrys industrial profits rose 8.6 percent in the first 10 months from the same period a year earlier.



The pace of acceleration also hit a record high since August 2014. In the first 10 months, the profits of the coal industry doubled while the steel industry turned the tables, saying a goodbye to those days when steel prices felled down to the level of cabbage price.



Analysts believe that the profitability of coal and steel industries highlighted the efforts made by Chinese industrial firms to optimize development quality and improve efficiency amid downward pressure since the beginning of this year.



The 8.6-percent growth is not easy amid the context of global economic downturn. Chinese industrial businesses presented a welcome change at the start of Chinas 13th Five-Year Plan by realizing a sharp turnaround, Miao Rong, the chief researcher at the research department of the China Enterprise Confederation, said.



Last year, Chinas industrial profits registered a 2.3 percent decline as a result of a slowdown in production, product price drop and cost increase. The first profit drop after years of growth triggered more concerns over the Chinese economy.



But the revenues and profit growth continuously increased since the beginning of this year, and the profit margin increased as a result. In October, the industrial enterprises registered a 6.06 percent growth in their profit margin of core business, increasing by 0.24 percentage point year-on-year.



The profit rise has motivated the enterprises to purchase more. The manufacturing PMI, a gauge of nationwide manufacturing activity, rose to a two-year peak of 51.7 percent this November, signifying the bullish attitudes of enterprises toward the market. Such rise is expected to continue.



The thriving momentum of industrial enterprises since the beginning of this year can be attributed to the robust supply-side structural reform of industrial sector, said NBS statistician He Ping.



Thanks to effective measures in wiping out overcapacity, the industrial products saw a rebound in demands.



By the end of October, China has cut its steel production capacity by 45 million tons, finishing the full-year target ahead of schedule. China is also estimated to realize its coal capacity reduction target of 250 million tons before the set timetable. These efforts eased the conflict between supply and demand.



China's producer price index (PPI), which measures costs of goods at the factory gate, continued its growth in October after ended a 54-month-long decline in September.



The dropping inventories and leverage ratio make it possible to run businesses in a more healthier fashion. The inventories of large industrial companies dropped 0.3 percent, extending a trend that began in April. Their ratio of liabilities to assets stood at 56.1 percent at the end of October, down 0.7 percent and 0.2 percent respectively from October 2015 and the end of this September.



Lower cost means more profit. Last month, the average cost for those companies was 85.73 yuan for each 100 yuan of main business revenue, down 0.13 yuan from October 2015, the NBS data showed.



The downward pressure on the profits remains despite the remarkable achievements in supply-side structural reform, He warned, suggesting the industrial businesses to improve their competence by optimizing development quality and efficiency.



Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's sports industry on fast track of development China makes new progress in research on "artificial sun" Trunk market springs up in Chinese cities Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News Expert urges EU to end surrogate country system as scheduled

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 10 Decembre 2016



Given that the Chinese market is more and more important for European enterprises, the discriminatory practice of the EU will deteriorate the environment of bilateral trade and impede European enterprises' entry into the Chinese market, the lawyer underlined.

By Ren Yan from People's Daily "The WTO should abandon the surrogate country system used in anti-dumping investigations against Chinese exports as scheduled at the time of Chinas entry into the organization 15 years ago," Jean-Francois Bellis, a legal expert on anti-dumping cases from Belgium, said in a recent interview with the People's Daily.



He added that WTO members must fulfill their obligation and commitment to this international treaty.



In a market economy, the price of imported goods and the cost in the exporting country is compared to determine whether it involves dumping. But in non-market economies, the prices from another market economy, namely a surrogate country, will be taken as benchmark to calculate anti-dumping duties.



When China joined the WTO in 2001, it was considered a non-market economy. The Article 15 (a) (ii) of China's WTO Protocol of Accession states that importing countries have the right to choose prices in other markets as benchmark if Chinese producers fail to prove they are under market economy conditions in terms of production and sales.



But Article 15 (d) of the protocol stipulated at the same time that this rule must be terminated after 15 years of China's membership of the WTO, which means that the EU must end its "surrogate country system" by December 11, 2016.



"As it's written in the protocol, the member countries who list China as a non-market economy are not able to use surrogate country system in their anti-dumping investigations starting from December 11, 2016, or they will violate the WTO rules," said Bellis, also managing partner of law firm Van Bael & Bellis.



Not long ago, the European Commission officially presented a proposal to amend its legislation on anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures. But in the proposed new model, the EU uses "market distortion" as a substitute for "non-market economy" though the proposal apparently suggested abolition of the name list.



It also claimed that EU will continue to take third-party prices as reference in anti-dumping investigations against the "economically distorted" WTO members.



It does not mean an end of the surrogate country system, but a kind of extension to what the EU did previously, Bellis rebuked the suggestion, adding that the EUs incomplete implementation of legal obligations flagrantly violates the WTO rules and seriously undermines the spirit of international rule of law.



He called on the EU to fulfill the obligations stipulated in Article 15 of the protocol as scheduled without reservations based on international law and trade rules.



The EU should terminate the surrogate country system in anti-dumping investigations against China from December 11, 2016, he said, explaining that a timely implementation of this article is the obligation for the EU and other WTO members, rather than a favorable policy for China.



Any member must not distort, avoid or delay it by citing their domestic laws or standards as excuses, Bellis stressed.



"With rights come responsibilities," Bellis noted, saying that the EU could enjoy its rights only if it fulfills its WTO obligations. If the EU escapes from its responsibilities under the pretext of its domestic law, it will be finally punished, the lawyer added.



China is sure to win if it files a lawsuit against the EU for not implementing Article 15. Apart from legal punishment, many European enterprises will suffer huge losses, the expert warned.



He pointed out that China is the EU's second-largest trade partner with a daily trade volume of over 1 billion euros.



Given that the Chinese market is more and more important for European enterprises, the discriminatory practice of the EU will deteriorate the environment of bilateral trade and impede European enterprises' entry into the Chinese market, the lawyer underlined.



Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's sports industry on fast track of development China makes new progress in research on "artificial sun" Trunk market springs up in Chinese cities Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Kenyan authorities to release Jerome Starkey, the Africa correspondent for The Times of London, who was detained shortly after arriving in Nairobi last night. Starkey, who has been based in Nairobi since 2012, told CPJ by telephone that he was detained while going through immigration at around 10 p.m. Police offered no explanation for the detention, except to say that a "security block" had been placed on his passport, he said. He subsequently wrote on Twitter that he had been photographed by an officer of Kenya's Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, and, roughly an hour later, that his phones were being confiscated. "Kenya's detention of a journalist, particularly on such unclear grounds, is cause for serious alarm," said CPJ East Africa Representative Murithi Mutiga. "Kenyan authorities should immediately and unconditionally release Jerome Starkey and make clear that the country stands by its commitments to press freedom." The reasons for Starkey's detention were unclear. Kenya Airports Deputy Police Commandant David Bunei told CPJ he had no knowledge of Starkey's detention, and asked for more time to establish the facts. He did not immediately return subsequent calls from CPJ asking for further information. Much of Starkey's recent reporting from Nairobi had focused on the death in Kenya of a British real-estate developer whose demise led to allegations of poisoning and patricide. A CPJ special report published in 2015 found that a combination of legal and physical harassment has made it increasingly difficult for journalists to work in Kenya.
Concerns that not all of the unions will agree to ratify their labor agreements have caused rail shippers and other transportation industry stakeholders to push President Joe Biden to act.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, a number of social scientists had a dim view of direct popular influence on public policies.

These individuals had been alarmed by fascist and/or communist movements in Europe in the early decades of the 20th century which received widespread support from the working- and/or lower-middle-classes. During the 1930s, 1940s, and early 1950s, several movements in the United States, such as Huey Longs Share Our Wealth program, Father Coughlins sizable radio audience, William Lemkes Union Party, and, somewhat later, Joseph R. McCarthys supporters, also unnerved many of those already suspicious of grassroots populism.

Their notions crystallized into a body of thought that came to be known as empirical democratic theory. Although different writers focused on diverse topics, the theory had basically two commonalities: (1) proponents relied heavily on the then-recently developed practice of scientific public opinion polling; and (2) most of the empirically oriented theorists stressed the mass publics political limitations. The empirical democratic theorists argued that public opinion polls from the 1930s to the 1950s overwhelmingly documented ordinary peoples passivity, political ignorance, and anti-civil-libertarian proclivities. Consequently, these theorists touted political elites critical role in maintaining democratic stability.

For a brief period, the empirical democratic theory held sway among some social scientists.

Perhaps its not surprising, then, that the dominant perspective on American populism at that time was the historian Richard Hofstadters The Age of Reform from Bryan to F.D.R. (1955). Influenced by social scientists theorizing, Hofstadter stressed the negative features of the populist movement in America, especially the populists strident nationalism, ethnocentrism, religious -- especially anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic -- bigotry, and anti-civil-libertarianism. Hofstadter had little or no faith in the populist creed.

Researchers have disagreed on how to portray American populism, but most concur that some of its essential features are a profound faith in ordinary peoples political judgment, a distrust of elites, and a desire for greater equality.

As often happens in social science, however, times passage was accompanied by several criticisms of the empirical theory, which, by the late 1960s and early 1970s, had coalesced into the notion of participatory democratic theory. As with the earlier empirical theory, participatory democratic theory varied in its particulars from author to author, but boiled down to two main points: (1) ordinary people were capable of conducting themselves rationally in the political arena, and, for that reason, democracy flourished when there was maximum feasible participation by the mass public; and (2) elites, who were driven by self-interest, should not be trusted with democratic governance.

If it is fair to judge the empirical theory of democracy as leaning rightward, it is also fair to contend that the theory of participatory democracy leaned even more to the Left.

Beginning in the 1970s, the theory of participatory democracy became more and more widely credited by social scientists. For a time, at least, the theory was also well-received among some political activists, especially in the Democrat Party.

Once again, however, times changed, and with changing times, notions that once were popular become less and less so.

In the last few years, for example, weve seen in the U.S., and especially Europe, severe doubts expressed in certain quarters about the possibility that populism and democracy are compatible. Could we be witnessing a refurbishing of the older empirical theory of democracy?

The question is intriguing, and merits exploration.

We certainly seem to be witnessing a wave of criticism of populism. Those criticisms are often akin to facets of the empirical theory of democracy.

At least three developments seem to be generating much of the hostility toward the contention that populism and democracy can coexist. In Europe, especially, opposition to the influx of Muslims has led to the emergence of and/or rise in popularity of various right-wing movements and parties, such as Marine Le Pens Front National in France. Possibly stimulated by anti-immigrant sentiments in Great Britain, the Brexit from the European Union also flummoxed those who distrust populism. In the U.S., the rise of Donald Trump has triggered considerable revulsion against his basket of deplorables. (Depending on which leftist you pay attention to, the proportion of Trumps backers who are deplorable ranges from half to almost all.)

Space limitations require a focus on the American case.

Hostility toward populism in the U.S. does not exist in a vacuum.

In 2010, for example, Angelo Codevilla wrote The Ruling Class: How They Corrupted America and What We Can Do about It. Codevilla contended that America is increasingly divided into two classes of unequal size. He called the smaller one the Ruling Class, which holds the commanding heights of government, from which it disposes in ever greater detail of Americas economic energies, from which it ordains new ways of living as if it had the right to do so, and from which it asserts that right is based on the majority class[s] stupidity, racism, and violent tendencies. A hallmark of the Ruling Class is its unshakeable belief that its members are better informed, wiser, and more competent than are those in the majority class, a.k.a. the Country Class, who are racist, sexist, homophobic, ethnocentric, nativist, jingoistic, etc., and generally incapable of self-government. Members of the Ruling Class believe not only that government and public affairs are both best left to professionals, but that more and more of what ordinary people think of as private decisions should occur within guidelines firmly set by experts like themselves.

Despite its belief in its own superiority, Codevilla contended that the Ruling Classs record is one of increasing incompetence, leaving America more corrupt.

Others apart from Codevilla have drawn attention to the Ruling Classs arrogant smugness, which motivates how its members, Republican establishmentarians as well as left-wing Democrats, react to any popular outbursts, such as the Tea Party and/or the Trump movement.

The Ruling Classs reaction to Trumps presidential candidacy, and especially to his victory in the election of 2016 suggests how its members -- Republicans and Democrats -- feel about popular involvement in public affairs.

Its probably too soon for leftwing academics to vent their antipathy for Trumps voters. Leftist activists, however, have already chimed in.

It serves little purpose to cite the litany of claims that Trumps voters were racists, sexists, homophobes, Islamophobes, etc. If you have the stomach for it, however, read Tess Raffertys rant equating a vote for Trump with racism.

If Raffertys rant is too much to take, read the slightly more sedate article by Zack Beauchamp that appeared on Vox on November 9th. This article attributed Trumps victory, as well as the rise in popularity of several allegedly right-wing movements/parties in Europe, to a combination of xenophobia and racism.

If one believes the other side harbors such sentiments, should they be allowed to influence public policy?

Reaction to the outcome of the 2016 election illustrates, once again, that the American Ruling Class and its mainstream media sycophants do not trust the Country Classs political judgment. Until the swamp created by the elites is drained, America will continue to be badly divided, much like it was in 1860.
Following the election of Republican candidate Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, Iran, its lobbies and its economic partners are weighing in and trying to hedge the windfall earnings of an eight-year-long rapprochement campaign against a possible shake-up of U.S. foreign policy.

And theyve taken to mainstream U.S. media, making their case through lopsided reports and op-eds that misrepresent the nuclear deal signed with Iran or to defame Iran appeasement critics who will likely find their way into president-elect Trumps cabinet.

But the disasters of the nuclear deal and the broader appeasement policy toward Iran are just too harsh to be covered up through dishonest journalism.

A New York Times report that appeared a few days after the elections cited 76 national security experts urging Trump to reverse his hostility toward Iran, claiming the nuclear agreement has reduced the threat of war in the Middle East.

The truth, however, is that post-JCPOA, turmoil and chaos in the Middle East has only escalated, which is in no small amount due to the economic incentives that are allowing Irans Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) to pursue its expansionist agenda in the region.

Testament to the fact is the tragic situation in Syrias Aleppo, increasing sectarian violence in Iraq, and more hostility and clashes in Yemen and the waters off its coast.

A CNN polemic penned by a renowned Iran lobbyist picks up the same argument and suggests that Iran can play a key role in defeating ISIS, and that Trump should build on the Iran nuclear deal to resolve remaining tensions with Iran and help stabilize the Middle East.

Again, the argument falls short of the truth. The Iranian regimes relation with ISIS and its precursor, al-Qaeda Iraq (AQI), has always been one of symbiosis. The entities aid and abet each other through the propagation of fundamentalism and terrorism in the region. In fact, one of the greatest contributing factors to the emergence of ISIS was Tehrans sectarian meddling in Iraq and its violent intervention in Syria -- and incidentally, Obamas nonintervention.

Others warn against the threat of Iran walking away from the deal to the U.S.s detriment and racing toward developing nuclear weapons, pushing the U.S. toward military engagement. But as history has proven, the Iranian regime backs down in the face of firm and decisive policy and leniency only provokes it into becoming aggressive.

And when the proponents of the Iran deal and its parent policy run out of arguments, they resort to unearthing old lies and debunked theories to criticize former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, a secretary of state hopeful and a vocal critic of the Iran deal, for his support of the Iranian opposition group MEK, which happens to be the first party to shed light on Tehrans illicit nuclear program.

While the articles vehemently defend the Iran deal by overstating its achievements and insisting Tehran has kept its side of the bargain, they surprisingly fail to go into the essence of the deal itself and its many inherent flaws, including among others Iran retaining the right to enrich uranium -- which used to be a nonstarter -- and to deny IAEA inspectors access to military sites. In fact, Iran effectively remains a nuclear threshold state for the next ten years, after which it can resume its weapons building activities with renewed fervor.

Neither do they mention that following the signing of the deal, Iran has breached the terms on at least two accounts, fails to uphold the spirit of the deal by continuing to develop ballistic missiles, and contrary to expectations, has grown more hostile toward U.S. nationals and the U.S. military presence in the Gulf region.

Hitler's propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels once said, If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. In this case, I beg to differ.

Regardless what President Trump does with the Iran deal, he had it right when he called it a foreign policy disaster. And that is something that no amount of fake news and propaganda will change.

Amir Basiri is an Iranian human rights activist and political analyst. He tweets at @amir_bas
President-elect Donald Trump, still weeks away from the Oval Office, is already carrying out one of his campaign promises to make America prosperous again. First Ford Motor Company, now most recently Carrier, both agreeing to keep their factories in the US rather than outsourcing to foreign countries.

Carrier is based in Indiana, where VP-elect Mike Pence currently serves as governor. The deal will provide $7 million in incentives to Carrier in exchange for their keeping approximately 1100 jobs in Indiana.

Is this a good deal for America? Or just more of the cronyism which Trump railed against during his campaign?

The Wall Street Journal doesnt like the deal, but they dont like Donald Trump either and were against his candidacy. Neither does Trump ally Sarah Palin who denounced the deal as another case of crony capitalism. Clearly this move is not part of the Beltway playbook, and understandably, media and political elites are not impressed.

But Carrier employees are delighted, calling it a victory for the little people. The working class schlubs in flyover country who voted for Trump despite being called racist, sexist and a bunch of other names by those same media and political elites.

Why should the political class be surprised? Trump has had his own playbook from the day he rode down the escalator inside Trump Tower to announce his run for president.

Is there precedent for a US President cutting a deal with a private corporation? How did those deals work out?

President Obama pushed his green agenda with a $535 million loan to Solyndra, a solar panel manufacturer in California. How did that play out? Two years following the loan, Solyndra closed its doors, leaving taxpayers on the hook for over half a billion in unpaid federal loans. They also laid off 1100 workers.

Compare that to the Carrier deal. Instead of 1100 unemployed Solyndra workers collecting government benefits, not earning, not paying taxes, Carrier will keep the same number of employees working, earning, paying taxes, spending their earnings in local businesses.

The Solyndra loan cost taxpayers $535 million. Not just California taxpayers, but those in Maine and Georgia, places that receive no economic benefit from Solyndra manufacturing. They received a federal loan. Compare this to Carrier, costing Indiana taxpayers $7 million via state tax incentives, about 1 percent of the Solyndra cost, and paid by Indiana taxpayers, those with the most to gain from Carriers success, not taxpayers in California or other states.

What economic benefit does this deal this provide? Carrier employs manufacturing technicians and engineers, with an annual salary ranging from $30,000 to $60,000 per year. For the sake of argument, assume the average annual salary of the 1100 Carrier employees is $50,000. Multiply by 1100 employees and Trumps deal keeps $55 million in wages in Indiana.

Each employee making $50,000 annually will pay roughly $5700 in federal income tax and $1700 in Indiana state tax. For the 1100 employees, the Feds will receive $6.3 million and Indiana $1.9 million in tax revenue. Each year.

The employees and their families will live in homes, paying mortgages or rents. They will buy food, clothes, and cars. They will visit restaurants, go to the movies, and visit the local mall.

If Carrier moved its plant overseas, Indiana would lose all this economic activity. Laid off workers would collect unemployment, costing the government money rather than filling tax coffers through income and sales taxes. Eventually many of these workers and their families would move to greener pastures, perhaps in another state, leaving Indiana economically worse off.

Purists can argue that the free market should guide economic decisions and activity. Fine and good but the free market doesnt dictate corporate income tax rates and the minimum wage. US corporations are taxed at 39 percent, the highest tax rate in the world. Hardly a free market derived tax rate. Same with the minimum wage, slowly creeping upward, raising the cost of labor, the largest expense in a manufacturing business. Again, not determined by the free market.

What is free market determined is the decision of the company to grow or shrink, to hire or fire workers, to stay in the US or move to a country with lower wage and tax costs. Clearly this is already happening. Consider the labor force participation rate, the number of Americans actually working.

One of President Obamas legacies, not discussed on the major news networks, is a steadily declining labor participation rate during his presidency. Currently, over 95 million Americans who could be working, are not.

Donald Trump, not whining or complaining over current economic conditions and pointing the finger of blame is instead practicing his art of the deal. Recognizing the problem of too many Americans not working and too many companies moving factories to economically friendlier shores, he is working to fix the problem. In this case, one company at a time. Ford. Carrier. Next is Rexnord, threatening to move a ball bearing plant in Indianapolis to Mexico.

To be sure, these are band-aids on a much bigger problem of US taxes and regulation stifling American businesses. But its a start. Even before Trump has been sworn in he is setting the tone, announcing to the business world here and abroad that there is a new sheriff in town.

This is reminiscent of Iran releasing 52 American hostages in 1981, the day Ronald Reagan was inaugurated. Not that the Carter administration wasnt trying to secure their release, but more importantly that the Iranians recognized that the new boss wasnt the same as the old boss.

Kudos to Donald Trump for, not just picking cabinet members and overseeing his transition team, but rolling up his sleeves and getting to work even before assuming office. Keeping his promise to "make our country rich again, make our country great again."

Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
After eight years of torment at the hands of President Obama and senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, the electoral shoe is now on the other foot, with Republican President-Elect Donald Trump preparing to take the helm in January.

The real battle to come may be fought on the ground of climate change, the sacred cow of the left. A pair of articles posted at Real Clear Politics on the nomination of Oklahoma attorney general and EPA nemesis Scott Pruitt as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highlight the challenge for Republicans and the distress for Democrats.

The Hill recounts the "Supreme Court's landmark 2007 climate change ruling" and the Obama EPA's subsequent 2009 "Endangerment Finding" that carbon dioxide "threatens both public health and welfare."

The result of the Endangerment Finding was to "pave the way for EPA to finalize the proposed greenhouse gas emission standards for light-duty vehicles," among other actions.

Since Congress has been unwilling to intervene in the EPA's interpretation of the Clean Air Act, the task at hand for the incoming EPA administrator, according to The Hill, is to reverse the Endangerment Finding:

As long as the Endangerment Finding stands, any EPA, including one headed by Pruitt, will be in court defending against any subsidiary attempt to halt or reverse any regulation of carbon dioxide[.] ... So the Endangerment Finding must be reversed.

The Hill predicts "the scientific cat fight of our time":

The academy is going to howl, and Washington's science lobbies ... are going to go berserk. ... In nominating Pruitt, the administration is signaling that it is clearly up to such a fight  and not just over climate change. ... Our friends in the environmental movement should rightly be at Defcon Five. It appears that President-Elect Trump  in many ways just like his predecessor  is going to keep his environmental campaign promises, which means reversing eight years [of] what many feel was an era of green overreach. ... The nomination of Scott Pruitt is further evidence that the president-elect is serious, and circumstantial evidence that the influence of Al Gore's recent visit was of little consequence.

The left-leaning Daily Beast presents the view of the environmental movement:

Every scientist not on the corporate dole is upset about Scott Pruitt, Donald Trump's pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency. ... But he's about to enjoy free rein to gut environmental regulations, without Congress or the courts to stop him. ... Now the shoe is on the other foot. Now it's arch-conservatives who will be controlling the EPA, with exactly the same level of authority as the environmentalists who preceded them. And make no mistake: Pruitt's nomination is historic. No one has ever headed the EPA with his level of anti-science, anti-environmental record, which includes multiple lawsuits against the EPA intended to prevent the EPA from doing its job.

The Daily Beast doomsday EPA scenario includes a list of actions the new administrators "can take on their own, without congressional action, and with virtually no possibility of being stopped by the courts," including "sabotage" the agency through lack of enforcement, "adopt junk science that defies the 100 percent scientific consensus," "allow asbestos to be reintroduced," and "redirect Superfund money away from communities of color and others affected by environmental racism."

Tenacity under pressure, in the face of such rhetoric, will be key for any Trump nominee. The Wall Street Journal ran an article, behind its paywall, describing the vetting process for potential appointees to the Trump cabinet:

The interviews amount to a "little bit of testing," said one person close to the vetting process, with Mr. Trump trying to gauge how people react under pressure, and whether they think quickly and show confidence. He likes candidates who are assertive, this person said.

Scott Pruitt will get all the pressure-testing he can handle at EPA.
John Glenn never got to the moon or took a walk in space. Nevertheless, he was the face of the space program for so many of us who grew up watching spaceships launch in classrooms across the country. Aren't we all grateful for that nice teacher who turned on the TV and let us watch a Gemini or Apollo take off for space?

John Glenn died on Thursday. What else can be said about a man like this? He was unique, a combination of Babe Ruth, the Wright Brothers, Lewis and Clark, and Charles Lindbergh. He flew combat missions in World War II and Korea, and then he circled the Earth in 1962.

After all that, he was also a U.S. senator from Ohio:

One night in December 1962, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy invited the Glenns to dinner at his home in McLean, Va. In the course of the evening, the attorney general suggested that Mr. Glenn run for public office. With the backing of a powerful Kennedy, he might have a good chance at a Senate seat from Ohio in the 1964 election... After Robert Kennedys assassination in 1968, Mr. Glenn headed a bipartisan lobbying group called the Emergency Committee for Gun Control. President Lyndon B. Johnson later signed the Gun Control Act of 1968, placing some restrictions on firearms. In 1970, Mr. Glenn ran again for the Senate, but lost in the Democratic primary to Howard M. Metzenbaum. Mr. Glenn won the primary four years later and breezed to victory in the general election, beginning a 24-year Senate career. Over the years, Mr. Glenn earned the respect of Senate colleagues as an upright, candid and diligent legislator. Senator Bob Graham, Democrat of Florida, described Mr. Glenn as a workhorse who was especially well informed and a forceful voice on defense issues. When he speaks, you know hes speaking on a subject of which he has a command and a reason for speaking, Mr. Graham said shortly before Mr. Glenns return to space. As a senator, Mr. Glenn developed an expertise in weapons systems, nuclear proliferation issues and most legislation related to technology and bureaucratic reform. He generally took moderate positions on most issues, though in his last two terms his voting record became more liberal. He was an enthusiastic supporter of President Bill Clinton. He drew admiring audiences in his run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984, but his wooden speaking style and lack of a cogent campaign message were blamed for his poor showing at the polls. After losses in several states, he dropped out of the race, which former Vice President Walter F. Mondale won before President Ronald Reagan overwhelmed him in the general election.

Frankly, he had bad timing. No one was going to beat President Reagan in 1984. He might have beaten V.P. Bush in 1988, but we will never know.

As I look back at his political career, I see two things desperately missing in today's Democratic Party:

1) A moderate who avoided the excesses of partisanship.

2) A nice guy who did not play the identity politics or pander to this group or that.

Sadly, a man like John Glenn could not win his party's nomination today. He would not fit in in a party so far to the left as today's Democrats.

RIP, John Glenn.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
The global warming con may finally be facing a true reckoning. For many years, the warmists have behaved as if they are hiding something, as the Climategate emails, among many other signs, revealed. But so long as the greedy and power-hungry pols, lusting after taxation and regulation of all human activity via carbon taxes, could be reinforced by cowards afraid to buck the so-called scientific consensus (that doesnt really exist) everything could remain hunky-dory.

While meeting with Al Gore calmed some warmist nerves, the actions of the Trump transition team at the Department of Energy are eliciting hysteria. Darius Dixon of Politico reports:

Donald Trumps transition team wants the Energy Department to provide the names of any employees who have worked on President Barack Obamas climate initiatives  a request that has current and former staffers fearing an oncoming witch hunt. The president-elects team sought the information as part of a 74-point questionnaire that also asked for details about how DOEs statistical arm, the Energy Information Administration, does the math on issues such as the cost-effectiveness of wind and solar power versus fossil fuels. POLITICO obtained the document Friday, after Trumps advisers sent it to the department earlier in the week.

These are perfectly reasonable requests. If your data cannot stand scrutiny, it should not be used. That is one level of threat. But this is what has got the bureaucrats and autocrats worried:

Coupled with calls by congressional Republicans to relax civil-service protections so that its easier to fire federal employees, the transition teams demand that the Energy Department name names has some current and former workers fearing the worst. Sounds like a freaking witch hunt, one former DOE staffer wrote in an email.

Needless to say, Democrats are spreading the hysteria:

Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, denounced the questions as "environmental McCarthyism," calling them "a witch hunt and a loyalty test all rolled into one." The transition team should reconsider these apparent attempts to intimidate Energy Department employees who were simply working to fulfill the climate objectives of the Obama administration, he wrote.

To quote the current POTUS: Elections have consequences.

Those policies are subject to change, by administrative means and by changes to the law.

I can hardly wait to see the results of the questionnaire when they are released. (Please, let them be released! Judicial Watch, take note.) I hope for the appointment of a presidential committee to evaluate the evidence for and against the global wamring hypotheses. In the open. Sunshine is what warms the Earth, and it is what disinfects junk science.
Decriminalization is part of the liberals' credo, along with deindustrialization, denationalization, and what I call deculturalization. When it comes to crime, liberals have long held that "nonviolent" offenses should not be punished with jail time. At first they told us that it was just about drug users, maybe a teenager with a small amount of pot in his pocket. Then it morphed into the release of cocaine and heroin users, because, you know, it's a victimless crime, right? And then "nonviolent" became code for releasing drug dealers and drug traffickers as well.

But they're not done. As Mark Levin often says, the Left is never done. Liberal sentiment is now in favor of minimal jail time for the most violent of offenders, and even releasing them from jail before their sentences are served.

The article goes on to quote a left-wing outfit called the Brennan Center which claims the longer criminals are in prison, the more likely they are to commit crimes when they come out. Under that logic, no one should ever go to prison, or stay for very long. Indeed:

The Brennan Centers analysis of criminal codes, convictions and sentences for 370 different crime categories concluded that of the nations 1.46 million state and federal prisoners, about 576,000  or 39 percent  were incarcerated without a justifiable public safety reason. Those inmates, the report said, could likely be released with little effect on public safety.

Of course. Violent criminals are never in jail for a "justifiable" public safety reason.

In addition, the study said, that about 212,000 of prisoners convicted of more serious crimes, including aggravated assault, serious drug trafficking and murder  who make up about 14 percent of the nations total prison population  may have already served sufficiently long prison terms and could likely be released within the next year with little risk to public safety.

Sure. If you believe that sending criminals to jail will only make them angrier. If you believe that people who commit the most violent of crimes can be released without risk.

These are the same people who fear global warming but not radical Islam, who fear Donald Trump but not the recently released ex-con prowling around the lobby of their apartment building carrying a shiv with their name on it.

Edited and corrected 12/11 16

Ed Straker is the senior writer at NewsMachete.com.
Facing a midnight deadline to fund the government, Senate Democrats backed down on a year's extension of a coal miners' health insurance extension and voted to keep the government going until April.

The thorny insurance issue had been holding up the funding bill for weeks, as Democrats insisted that the bill include the full-year extension rather than funding the insurance benefits for miners through April. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promised that the Senate would return to the issue in April, and that convinced other coal state Democrats to vote for the short-term funding extension.

Politico:

Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sherrod Brown of Ohio led the charge from coal state Democrats, and they declined to say explicitly whether they would use Senate procedure to force a brief shutdown over their demands for a yearlong insurance extension. But several of those Democrats, including Manchin, had agreed earlier on Thursday that they would not shut down the government but would use the shutdown threat to bring attention to the miners plight and continue the fight in January, according to a Democratic aide familiar with the meeting. At a news conference after his colleagues relented, Manchin conceded that the party hadnt had enough votes to defeat the spending bill. I dont think were gonna get to the 41 [votes] as of tonight, but we have support to take this fight on, Manchin said. Given the lack of appetite among Democrats to force a shutdown over the matter, Republicans were unmoved by the oppositions threats. Early Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said the only solution is for coal-state Senate Democrats to take yes for an answer, as a bloc of Democratic senators continued fighting the short-term government funding measure. The issue was serious enough for Manchin that he postponed a planned meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower on Friday. Manchin, who is reportedly in the mix for a Cabinet position for the incoming administration, will now meet with Trump on Monday, a spokesman for the senator said. Before Friday nights resolution, Manchin had insisted that Democrats would settle for nothing less than a yearlong extension of health-care benefits for those miners. But McConnell told POLITICO they will have to settle for what they have now and continue the fight in 2017. The difficulty here is they are having a hard time taking yes for an answer. I represent a lot of coal miners, Im concerned about this issue. I had hoped wed get a year. But weve got until the end of April to get at it again, McConnell said in an interview on Friday  a point he stressed on the Senate floor later that morning.

This was just a skirmish. The war will come in the lead-up to April, when new president Donald Trump starts putting his imprint on the budget. Taxes  personal and business  immigration, and health insurance reform will top the agenda, and you can expect hand-to-hand combat before anything is resolved.

Democats could hardly call the Republicans obstructionists for eight years and then refuse to fund the government. McConnell had all the cards and forced the Democrats to cave on the insurance issue.
The New York Times lead editorial of December 9, 2016, "California Prepares to Resist Mr. Trump," outlined three bills on immigration before the California state legislature, indicating special interest in the bill that "seeks to ensure that California will never be an accomplice to mass deportation."

The editorial's mindset on immigration is suggested in the second paragraph, asserting that "states and cities that value immigration ... are girding for a confrontation" with the Trump administration, and the following paragraph, which states that the United States "cannot enforce its way out of its failure to enforce unjust immigration laws."

The New York Times seems to be convinced that president-elect Trump opposes immigration to the U.S. Conversely, is the Times opposed, per se, to immigration laws?

Today, with our population at more than 325 million and counting, the Times seems to advocate something pretty close to a literal "open border" approach to immigration. (I write "literal" because I am not aware that the Times is urging our consulates to waive the need for immigration applications from all persons who hope to relocate, lawfully, to our shores.)

Perhaps the Trump transition team would be interested in knowing that there was a time when the Times was not concerned about the justness or unjustness of our immigration policy.

On June 14, 1939, when our population was about 130 million, the Times was not particularly hospitable on immigration matters -- certainly not with respect to people seeking refuge from the Nazis. An editorial in the Times on that day, "In Elder Brewster's Steps," concerned the denouement of the "St. Louis Affair"  the "temporary sanctuary," offered by the Netherlands and Belgium, along with France and Great Britain, to the more than 900 Jews of the St. Louis seeking refuge from Hitler's Germany seven months after Kristallnacht, and after the liner had been turned away from its original destination: Cuba. This was the paper's third editorial on the "St. Louis Affair." None of the editorials asked President Roosevelt to give haven to the Jewish refugees on the St. Louis.

This final Times editorial on the "St. Louis Affair" did not refer to the Jews on the ship as "refugees," but called them "unhappy modern pilgrims who are passengers on the liner St. Louis."

The editorial then observed:

For one shipload of people and for the time being this [temporary sanctuary] plan solves a problem which was not even dreamed of a generation ago, when in three successive years more than a million immigrants came into the United States. These days will not return, for mass migrations are no longer the simple solution of economic difficulties.

The Times, when it came to the plight of Jews fleeing the Nazis, opposed "mass migrations." More than seventy-seven years later, the Times seems to have no difficulty with "mass migrations."

And today the Times is quick to apply the tar of anti-Semitism, among other evils, to anyone it finds..."deplorable"?

The bias of the Times on June 14, 1939 was indicated by the editorial's reference to the Jews of the St. Louis as "pilgrims"  not as refugees. That editorial was accurate in one tragic respect  when it referred to the Netherlands and Belgium as places of "temporary sanctuary." After May 1940, the Nazis murdered most of the Jews of the St. Louis admitted to the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.
What aggravates me the most about the Oakland artists colony fire story is how glaringly obvious the problem was to the neighborhood, for years.

Here are some screenshots from Google, taken in 2014.

You can see junk piled up on the sidewalk on 31st Ave., not only blocking neighbors from walking there, but blocking the entrance to the warehouse as well.

In contrast to this total mess and danger, the neighbors on the short block meticulously care for their houses and front yards. Here is the well kept house next door:

And here are the two houses across the street, freshly painted and upgraded:

Whom are these city administrators working for? If the reports in the media are true about the number of complaints coming from the neighbors  including noise, drugs, and people living in a structure not zoned for residency  it makes you wonder if the city would ever take action against anyone, for anything.
Just yesterday, Qualcomm and Microsoft announced that the next generation of Qualcomms ARM-based chips will be capable of running a full version of Windows 10. While the Redmond-based tech giant has previously introduced Continuum, a technology which essentially allows your phone to pretend its a computer when connected to a larger screen, this is something different. With the original iteration of Continuum, Microsoft relied on developers to build universal applications, but with fully fledged ARM support, its possible mobile phones of the future will actually have the ability to turn into PCs regardless of developers. Namely, Microsofts solution entails emulation of x86 desktop apps on mobile devices and provided that the company achieves a performance thats usable, the electronics industry could experience some drastic changes. Android, for one, could see declining user numbers, especially in the enterprise segment.

Its not hard to conceive a future in which companies will stop issuing employees with PCs, tablets, and smartphones and will instead only provide them with the latter. After all, if you can purchase a phablet that your employees can connect to a larger monitor and run the 32-bit version of Photoshop on it, why wouldnt you want to save costs? Furthermore, the latest data suggests that Androids share of the enterprise market is far from untouchable, so the technology Microsoft and Qualcomm are cooking up could certainly challenge the Android ecosystem in that segment.

Of course, one of the biggest issues is whether Android users would be willing to leave their platform of choice in the not-too-distant future, especially if Microsofts new solution has a slow start. So, while the Continuum 2.0 sounds like an appealing idea for developing countries, its yet to be seen whether it manages to challenge Android and other platforms in the United States. Of course, it would also be theoretically possible to emulate Android on a Windows 10 Mobile device in which case there would be fewer compromises to make. After all, Microsofts Android emulation project still isnt dead, just technically put on hold. So overall, Microsoft could potentially make another big push in the enterprise segment with the next generation of Continuum devices. Naturally, it remains to be seen whether this technology will succeed at the expense of Android or not, or whether it will succeed at all. However, the Redmond-based tech giant could prompt some drastic changes in the enterprise market provided it plays its cards right.
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I had been occupying a lot of my free time in wine tasting lately as I am about to embark on a new adventure geared in full swing towards the world of wines. Soon, I am starting the first of three AIS Sommelier Courses.

Fog was covering Rome the morning of 26 November. I arrived at the meeting point in the large parking lot with the red bus quite visible in the gray morning. About twenty of us started arriving one after the other excitedly getting our seats in the bus for the one and half hour drive to Rieti where more than 500 wine labels are waiting to be tasted.

On its fourth year at Ristorante La Forresta in Rieti and enjoying a continued success from the previous editions, this year's Giro d'Italia had a vast participation of more than a hundred big and small producers of wine and food from all regions of Italy.

The tasting tables, filled with products waiting to be tasted, were spread out in the expansive restaurant. There was a huge participation from both the exhibitors and the public.

The event started from eleven in the morning and continued on until ten in the evening. Minutes counted as the right choices had to be made to be able to try as much interesting food and wine during the full-day of walking around in the restaurant. It was virtually impossible to take in everything. What with the exhibited products plus the continuation of food being served by the restaurant, it would have been fitting to say that the whole event loaded me up five kilos more when the day finished. The plethora of wine and culinary delights was overwhelming!

Wine was the protagonist in the event and being in their territory, the wine producers from Lazio had the largest participation followed by the Tuscany, then Abruzzo, Umbria and the rest of the Italian wine regions. A number of very good French and German wines were also up for tasting as well as some of the best brands of Japanese whisky. It was every winelover's dream park.




YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. The European Union is going to expand sanctions against Russia due to the current situation in Syrias Aleppo, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said, reports Armenpress.

From the moment when the Syrian government forces started to carry out attacks in Aleppo with Russias assistance, it led to the intensity of the bombardment in that city, among the civilians, abandonment of a number of districts, which in its turn resulted in the deterioration of the situation, Mogherini said.

The EU demands from all sides of the conflict, in particular, the Syrian government forces, to provide an immediate access in order to bring the sick and wounded out from Aleppos South.

Mogherini urged to immediately cease the fire. She also warned that the EU is going to punish all those who use the blockade and hunger as a tactical method to deploy troops in Aleppo.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Thousands of people of South Korea celebrate President Park Geun-hyes impeachment, reports Sky News.

Thousands of people marched near the presidential palace and gathered at the place of a referendum where they for weeks demanded the Presidents resignation.

South Koreas Parliament on December 9 voted in favor of impeachment of the countrys President Park Geun-hye.

234 MPs voted yes, 56 were against, 2 abstained and 8 votes were considered as invalid. All 300 MPs were present in the Parliament.

The opposition parties submitted a respective bill to the Parliaments discussion. At least 200 votes of MPs were needed for the impeachment to take place.

Park Geun-hye accepted the Parliaments decision. Prime Minister took over as acting President.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. On the night of December 10, the Moscow-Yerevan flight plane made a forced landing in Russias Minvody (Mineralnye Vody) city because one of the passengers didnt feel well, however, the doctors were unable to save the life of 60-year-old man, political scientist Armen Grigoryan writes on Facebook, reports Armenpress.

After the landing the relatives wanted to leave the body in the same flight since they would face financial problems on bringing it to Armenia, but the law didnt allow that, he writes.

Grigoryan writes that the body of a citizen was not allowed to be transported to Yerevan under the law, the relatives as well faced financial problems. The passengers in the plane provided financial assistance to the relatives of the citizens.
The manufacturing sector, which constitutes over 75 per cent of the IIP index, recorded a contraction 2.4 per cent in October.

Factory output grew at a higher rate of 9.9 per cent in October last year mainly driven by better performance of manufacturing sector and increase in output of capital goods by 16.5 per cent.

New Delhi: Industrial output slipped into the negative territory again with a contraction of 1.9 per cent in October mainly due to sharp decline in production of capital goods and poor performance of manufacturing sector.

After showing decline for two consecutive months of July (-2.5 per cent) and August (-0.7 per cent), factory output, as measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), had grown at 0.7 per cent in September.

For the April-October period, industrial output declined by 0.3 per cent as against a growth of 4.8 per cent a year ago, as per the data released by Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Friday

Factory output grew at a higher rate of 9.9 per cent in October last year mainly driven by better performance of manufacturing sector and increase in output of capital goods by 16.5 per cent.

The manufacturing sector, which constitutes over 75 per cent of the IIP index, recorded a contraction 2.4 per cent in October. Similarly the capital goods output also shrank by 25.9 per cent.

In terms of industries, 12 out of 22 groups in the manufacturing sector showed negative growth in October.

The mining sector recorded a contraction of 3.1 per cent in October as against a growth of 3.5 per cent a year ago.

Power generation recorded a growth of 1.1 per cent in October compared to 5.3 per cent growth in the same month a year ago.

Growth in output of consumer durables went up by just 0.2 per cent in October compared to 41.9 per cent growth a year ago. The output of consumer non-durable goods declined by 3 per cent in October as against 4.8 per cent growth a year ago.

Overall, consumer goods production dipped 1.6 per cent in October compared to 18.3 per cent growth a year ago.
Govt expects country's steel-making capacity to rise over a third to around 160 million tonnes by mid-2018.

New Delhi: India's debt-laden steel industry should not take the government's protectionist measures for granted and need to raise their efficiency to compete with foreign companies, the country's steel minister told Reuters in an interview on Friday.

The government has imposed various duties and quality controls on imports over the past two years to stop the inflow of cheap steel from countries such as China, the world's biggest producer burdened with a massive oversupply.

"In my view (protectionist measures) should not be there even for a month, but I have to see the overall position of the industry," minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said in his office.

"I've made it very clear to the industry that on one hand, we are giving this much of protection but on the other hand, I want a roadmap where you can improve upon your efficiency ... (to) narrow down the cost of production and sale price."

Goutam Chakraborty, analyst at Emkay Global Financial Services in Mumbai, said Indian companies typically produce commodity-grade steel with lower returns and are less efficient than foreign companies producing high-end steel.

Bad debts

India's steel sector still accounts for 28 per cent of banks' stressed loans, Singh said, but the government measures have helped local companies including JSW Steel, Jindal Steel and Power, Tata Steel and state-run SAIL to raise prices and improve margins.

Lenders now want the government to help the steel sector with more steps to expedite the recovery of their loans, including by asking state companies such as SAIL to buy some sick private steel assets or manage their operations.

Singh said loss-making SAIL or fellow state steel maker RINL were not in a position to buy any assets of private companies struggling to repay loans, but they could help with "expertise" or people.

"It's very strange. When banks advanced loans to these companies, they never consulted me. (But the) responsibility (of sorting the bad loans) now rests with the steel ministry."

The government expects India's steel-making capacity to rise over a third to around 160 million tonnes by mid-2018, for which SAIL will need to speed up its capacity increase that Singh said had not been satisfactory.

The company recently signed a technical agreement with South Korean steel maker POSCO, which Singh hopes will help raise output.

The minister also said Japan and South Korea were keen to invest in India's steel sector and their officials have already met with him.
Sasikala Natarajan was the closest aide of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

Chennai: Senior functionaries of AIADMK urge Thirumathi Sasikala to lead the party on the path shown by Puratchi Thalaivi Amma, the official handle of AIADMK tweeted on Saturday, confirming that the former aide of Jayalalithaa may soon become the partys supremo.

The tweet came barely hours after newly-appointed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam chaired his first cabinet meet in Chennai. He had called on Sasikala at least thrice since Jayalalithaa's demise, leading to speculations that she was calling the shots in the party already.

Sasikala appears all set to take over the mantle of AIADMK General Secretary with senior party leaders and state ministers asserting that she alone will now be able to lead the party.

A plea urging her to step into the shoes of Jayalalithaa was made by a delegation of leaders including AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudanan and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Thambidurai when they called on Sasikala or 'Chinnamma' as she is referred to by party workers at the Poes Garden residence of the late chief minister.

"After Amma it is only Chinnamma. Chinnamma follows Amma's footsteps," said Thambidurai, whose name was doing the round for the post, adding that he told Sasikala that the party and welfare of the people was in her hands.

"We told her that we are with you," he said. "I urged her to come forward to take up responsibility of being party General Secretary and guide us," he told Jaya Plus Tamil TV channel.

"This is a people's party. It was Puratchi Thalaivi Amma who functioned understanding the people's pulse. Chinnamma follows Amma's footsteps. Hence, leaving no scope for a void, Chinnamma should immediately assume the position of party general secretary," he said, adding he was confident that she would accept the request.

He said the party is of the "unanimous" opinion that it was Sasikala who should lead the party.

Sasikala, 60, has been a close aide of Jayalalithaa for three decades and has always been seen as a power centre in the party.

Thambidurai asserted that there are no two opinions in this regard in the party. All party workers, district secretaries, MPs, MLAs and all other functionaries were one on the issue.

He said like Jayalalithaa who fought for the State's rights and people's welfare, it is "Chinnamma" who had the "strength and ability" to work for welfare of the people, the State and the party.

In what appeared to be an orchestrated campaign, a host of state ministers, including Dindigul C Srinivasan and Electricity Minister P Thangamani expressed similar sentiments in interviews to the channel.

The leaders who called on Sasikala included former Ministers K A Sengottaiyan, B Valarmathi, Gokula Indira, former Chennai Mayor Saidai Duraisamy, party spokesperson C R Saraswathy and senior leader A Tamil Magan Hussain.

They urged Sasikala to lead AIADMK and scotch "rumours" at this critical juncture for the party in view of the demise of Jayalalithaa.
The SBI (Aishbagh branch) and the Allahabad Bank (Hussainganj branch) had earlier refused to accept the amount in coins.

During the hearing, however, the banks agreed that the petitioner could be allowed to deposit coins worth Rs 5,000 once a day between 3 pm and 4 pm but after January 1. (Photo: PTI)

Lucknow: In a bizarre case, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has directed two banks in the state capital to accept Rs 40 lakh in coins in the denomination of `1, 2, 5 and 10 after January 1.

The SBI (Aishbagh branch) and the Allahabad Bank (Hussainganj branch) had earlier refused to accept the amount in coins.

Sandeep Ahuja, co-owner of a bread manufacturing company in Lucknow, wanted to deposit Rs 40 lakh in coins in his accounts but both the banks turned him down.

Mr Ahuja made several unsuccessful attempts to deposit the money. He then lodged a complaint with the currency officer of the RBI but got no response.

The businessman then filed a petition in the high court, where a bench comprising Chief Justice Dilip Baba Saheb Bhosle and Justice Rajan Roy took up the plea.

The counsel for the banks, Sudeep Seth, argued that taking the huge amount in coins was not possible, especially in view of the increased workload following demonetisation.

During the hearing, however, the banks agreed that the petitioner could be allowed to deposit coins worth Rs 5,000 once a day between 3 pm and 4 pm but after January 1.

The court directed that a copy of the order be sent to the income tax department and the RBI to look into the circumstances under which the deposit was to be made.
An estimated 300,000 Sri Lankan tourists visit India annually, with nearly 200,000 of them coming on pilgrimage.

New Delhi: Diplomatic missions have requested the Centre to ease restrictions on cash withdrawal for foreigners, including those on pilgrimage, and allow use of credit cards at monuments. After the demonetisation, we got several distress calls from our nationals stuck in places like Bodh Gaya We wrote to the MEA, which said it was looking into it, a top Sri Lankan High Commission official said.

An estimated 300,000 Sri Lankan tourists visit India annually, with nearly 200,000 of them coming on pilgrimage.

Deploring that a lot of foreigners were facing problems due to demonetisation, Frank Hans Dannenberg Castellanos, dean of diplomatic corps, said he has raised the issue with the ministry and has urged it to ensure there are enough ATMs at and around tourist spots.
The court verdict had led to a huge political uproar with the ruling BJP accusing the former Cong-led UPA govt of indulging in corruption.

New Delhi: In a major breakthrough into the multi-crore AgustaWestland VVIP copters deal case, the CBI on Friday arrested former Indian Air Force chief S.P. Tyagi on charges of alleged corruption. Apart from Tyagi, the investigating agency also arrested his cousin Sanjiv alias Julie Tyagi and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan.

The former IAF chief, Sanjiv Tyagi and Khaitan were called in for questioning at the CBI headquarters on Friday and were arrested when they failed to answer the questions that were put to them satisfactorily, say official sources, adding that they were giving conflicting versions during questioning. The arrested accused will be produced before a designated court on Wednesday. This is the first time a former IAF chief has been arrested by the central probe agency.

CBI had questioned Tyagi, who retired as the Air Force chief in 2007, extensively in the past for the alleged irregularities in the Rs 3,600 crore copter deal over allegations that kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore were paid for finalising the deal. Earlier in January 2014, the government had cancelled the contract with Finmeccanicas British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP copters to the Air Force over allegations of bribery. The CBI alleged that in a bid to facilitate the deal for AgustaWestland, Tyagi allegedly influenced the decision to reduce the minimum operational ceiling from from 6,000 to 4,500 metres.

Allegations into the case had first surfaced in 2011 when Italian prosecutors claimed that bribes were paid for procuring 12 high-end VVIP choppers to be used by President, vice-president, Prime Minister and others. In April this year, a Milan Courts of Appeals had indicted Tyagi for receiving kickbacks. Others charged by the Milan court included former CEO and chairman of Finmeccanica Giuseppe Orsi and former CEO of AgustaWestland Bruno Spagnolini.

The court verdict had led to a huge political uproar with the ruling BJP accusing the former Congress-led UPA government of indulging in corruption. The AgustaWestland copters were to replace the existing VIP copter squadron, which had been purchased from the erstwhile Soviet Union. Former defence minister A.K. Antony had ordered an inquiry into the entire deal following which the case was subsequently transferred to the CBI.

During the course of investigations, the CBI had sent judicial requests to eight countries  Italy, the United Kingdom, British Virgin Island, Tunisia, Switzerland, Singapore, the UAE and Mauritius to get details of money trail of the kickbacks, which landed on the Indian shores allegedly in the form of off-set contracts to IDS Infotech in Chandigarh.

CBI had questioned Tyagi for the alleged irregularities in the Rs 3,600 crore copter deal over allegations that kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore were paid for finalising the deal

CBI said that Tyagi influenced the decision to reduce the minimum operational ceiling from from 6,000 to 4,500 metres which brought AgustaWestland into the running for the deal when its choppers were not even qualified for submission of bids

In April 2016, a Milan Courts of Appeals had indicted Tyagi for receiving kickbacks. Others charged were former CEO and chairman of Finmeccanica Giuseppe Orsi and former CEO of AgustaWestland Bruno Spagnolini.
Lt Governor of the Islands Jagdish Mukhi said there was no untoward incident and no loss of life or property due to the weather conditions.

"We are sending all tourists back home from Port Blair according to their flight timings. We have also made arrangements for their stay here," an official said. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

Port Blair: A fleet of seven ships and six helicopters evacuated all 2,376 tourists, including several foreign nationals, stranded in two islands of the Andamans due to cyclonic weather since December 5, officials said on Friday.

As the weather cleared in the morning, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Union Territory (UT) administration started a joint evacuation drive and brought back all stranded tourists to Port Blair from Havelock and Neil islands of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.

"Altogether 2,376 tourists were evacuated from the two islands and brought to Port Blair. All are safe and are taken care of," an official of the UT disaster department said.

He said three Mi 17V-5 military transport helicopters from the Air Force and three Pawan Hans helicopters of the Union Territory administration, besides seven ships from the Navy and administration have been regularly plying between the islands for the evacuation process.

Located about 40 km from here, Havelock and Neil are the most popular tourist attractions in the Andamans where tourists were stranded since Monday due to torrential rains, choppy seas and heavy winds as neither aircrafts nor ships could operate due to the inclement weather.

The cyclonic storm 'Vardah', which was lying 250 km west- northwest of Port Blair, was very likely to intensify into a severe cyclone, according to the MeT department.

Lt Governor of the Islands Jagdish Mukhi said there was no untoward incident and no loss of life or property due to the weather conditions.

"We are sending all tourists back home from Port Blair according to their flight timings. We have also made arrangements for their stay here," an official said.

Among those rescued included 12 foreigners. They included two Germans, four Spanish and one Israeli.

The IAF in a statement said three MI-17V5 were pressed into service for the rescue operation.

Total 14 sorties carried out, 11 sorties from Havelock carrying 230 passengers and 3 sorties from Neil island carrying 65 passengers, it said.
Sources said the branch has seen deposits worth Rs 450 crore since November 8.

Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad: The income tax department on Friday raided another branch of Axis Bank in connection with its probe into instances of money laundering post the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

In the Fridays raid at the private banks Chandni Chowk branch in the national capital, the officials unearthed 44 fake accounts in which around Rs 100 crore in old currency notes have been deposited since the Centres announcement on November 8. Several bank officials are being questioned in connection with these accounts.

Sources said the branch has seen deposits worth Rs 450 crore since November 8. The department is checking the records of the bank as part of a survey operation. There are some instances under scanner where huge deposits have been made post the currency ban and that is being probed, an I-T official said.

The bank vowed strict action against any employee found deviating from the guidelines. The banks Kashmere Gate branch recently came under the lens of the I-T department for alleged irregularities in deposits post demonetisation. Its two managers were arrested following the probe.

Meanwhile, in the biggest seizure of cash and gold post demonetisation, the department said it has seized unaccounted assets worth over Rs 142 crore, which includes about Rs 10 crore in new notes and gold bars weighing 127 kg, during searches at multiple locations in Chennai to check tax evasion. Also, the crime branch of Mumbai police seized Rs 85 lakh cash in Rs 2,000 notes from a person at Matunga. In Surat, police detained four people on Friday after they failed to explain the source of Rs 76 lakh in cash in denomination of Rs 2,000 recovered from their possession. The cash has been seized, police said.
The ISIS recruit was in contact with his family till last week through cell phone and social media.

Mumbai: A 28-year-old Thane youth, who allegedly joined terror outfit ISIS, has been apprehended by enforcement agencies in Libya, ATS officials said on Saturday.

Tabrez Mohammad Tambe, a resident of Mumbra in neighbouring Thane district was caught early this week from the oil-rich country, where he had joined ISIS with his friend Ali, a senior ATS officer said on the condition of anonymity.

Tabrez had left India earlier this year to go to Egypt for a job and landed in Libya, where he was said to be fighting for ISIS against US-backed forces, the officer said.

The ISIS recruit was in contact with his family till last week through cell phone and social media, he said.

Indian agencies were keeping a close watch on the activities of Tabrez, more so after his younger brother approached ATS and filed a complaint against him.

"Tabrez had been located to Libya and we were keeping an eye on his activities since last few months," the officer said.

Also, ATS is gathering information on whether some more people are in touch with Tabrez, he added.

Tabrez's family members had been asking him to return to India, but he seemed to have taken fancy to the 'cushy' life with the terrorist organisation and even asked them to join him and 'settle' down in the country from where he is operating now.

"Sensing that he was in the wrong place, his (Tabrez's) brother asked him to return to India but he rejected the plea and said you (family members) come here as life is cushy," an ATS official said on Friday.

Tabrez was in contact with his wife, brother and mother and told the family about his activities for the banned Islamic State.

ATS feels Tabrez, who completed his post graduation in cargo management and transportation and got married three years ago, has actively participated in ISIS operations.

He visited some countries in the last five years for jobs, the official had said adding it was Ali who prompted Tabrez to join ISIS.

Both knew each other as they worked together at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia a year ago, he said.

"We are collecting information about Ali. We are not sure whether Ali is Indian or not. As per our information, he has visited India before," Mumbai ATS chief Atulchandra Kulkarni said.

ATS has already registered offences against Tabrez under various sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention UAPA.
President emphasised that pluralism and tolerance have been hallmarks of the Indian civilisation.

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee, while addressing the first foundation course of the All India Service Probationers at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussouri, Uttarakhand, emphasised on Friday that pluralism and tolerance have been hallmarks of the Indian civilisation. He told the probationers, Your responsibility as future policy makers is to strengthen the system, which has been established with the objective that we cant substitute our plural characters, our pluralism by uniformity. Straitjacket uniformity, even if it is imposed, will not succeed as it has been proved on several occasions.

The President asserted that pluralism cant be substituted with uniformity. He also praised the exemplary maturity shown by the Indian electorate in giving a clear verdict to a political party at the Centre after 30 years, shunning opportunistic political coalitions. He also spoke at length on the wisdom of the Indian electorate. He said people have been discharging their responsibility and it was incumbent upon the elected to transform their aspirations into reality.

He added people decided that it was enough to make experiments with capricious, selfish, opportunistic political coalitions just to form a government, so after 30 years they gave a clear political verdict in favour of a political party. He also departed from his prepared speech and spoke about challenges faced by India especially in the context of post partition period.

The President had chided the Opposition on Thursday for disruption in the House. People send representatives to speak and not to sit on dharna and not to create any trouble on the floor, he said.
The poor rate of production and delivery has forced the Army and the defence ministry to rely on import of T-90 tanks from Russia.

New Delhi: In a telling commentary on the state of affairs in Indias defence manufacturing, a defence ministry internal report has pointed out that the production of the Russian origin T-90 tanks, a mainstay of the countrys Armoured Corps, was delayed by six years on account of inability to translate documents from Russian to English.

This is one of the several systemic failings to indigenously manufacture the T-90 tanks listed in a 55-page internal report of the defence ministry prepared in May 2016 and now with the minister.

Shocking and bordering on the absurd is the finding that while India started receiving the documents from Russia in installments 2001 onwards, the translation could be completed only in 2007, a staggering six-year-long delay in absorbing transfer of technology (TOT) by Indias Heavy Vehicle Factory (HVF) in Avadi, Tamil Nadu, and the ordnance factory boards (OFB), commissioned to roll out the tanks.

The report says: The documents were in Russian and OFB efforts to get these documents translated into English failed. These documents were received between September 2001 and January 2003 following which HVF Avadi concluded four contracts between September 2003 and September 2006 for translation of these documents. The documents were completed by July 2007 after the expiry of scheduled delivery period of the first phase of 15 indigenous tanks by 2006-07. Thus translation of TOT documents from Russian to English language took almost six years.

The report also states that though ordered to manufacture 945 T-90 tanks for the Indian Army, HVF/OFBs could churn out only 227 tanks by 2014-15  less than 25 per cent of the target in 13 years. This despite the fact that the OFB failed substantially to indigenise and even now 70 per cent of the material (by value) is being imported. Indigenous production of T-90 tanks was to start in 2003-04.

Due to serious slippages in production and delivery targets, HVF has been able to deliver only 227 tanks as against 945 tanks ordered by the Army and against their own cumulative capacity of 1,300 tanks (from 2003 to 2016) As such HVF has been able to utilise only 25 per cent of their production capacity in the last 13 years, the report says.

The poor rate of production and delivery has forced the Army and the defence ministry to rely on import of T-90 tanks from Russia. While the cost of an imported T-90 tank works out to Rs 14 crore apiece, the average cost of production and supply of a T-90 within India is at least Rs 21 crore, the report adds.

On November 7, the defence ministry had okayed the purchase of 464 T-90 tanks at a cost of Rs 13,448 crore under the Buy Indian basis from the HVF/OFBs. All tanks are produced at HVF, a dedicated departmental undertaking.

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar is understood to have asked state-owned PSUs to put their act together. At an event a few months ago, Mr Parrikar had slammed the work culture at PSUs and had asked them to step out of the cocoon of comfort.

The report also points out that TOT documents in respect of some critical assemblies were not transferred by the original manufacturers even after a lapse of 12 years, that is till July 2013. An important component was the T-90 gun system for which the design was not received till May 2014.

India has a mix of T-72, T-90 and Arjun tanks. After nearly three decades of relying on Russia-made T-72 tanks, 2000 onwards the government decided to gradually substitute T-72 tanks with the next generation T-90 in the Armys tank regiments, as the DRDO-made main battle tank (MBT) Arjun was only reluctantly and partially accepted by the Army. T-90 continues to be the mainstay.

The governments overall objective has been to import a few number of tanks and produce the bulk balance within the country through the dedicated PSUs.
It is very unfortunate that such an episode has taken place, says Arup Raha.

Kolkata: Breaking his silence, outgoing Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on Saturday described the arrest of former IAF chief Air chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as very unfortunate.

According to him, the former IAF chiefs has dented the image of the force.

He said, It is very unfortunate that such an episode has taken place. It does dent our reputation as a professional force but we believe in the rule of law. I am sure every Indian citizen believes in the rule of law. The due process is on. Whatever is the final verdict, we will go by that. The matter is sub judice. Therefore, I would not like to say anything more.

Air Chief Marshal Raha was talking to the media on Saturday evening at the Kolkata Airport where he inaugurated the installation of a MiG-27 fighter aircraft, which has been put on display. He started his one-day whirlwind tour to West Bengal after coming from Shillong where he chaired the commanders conference of the Eastern Air Command. The IAF chief visited Sainik School in Purulia and Gun & Shell factory at Cossipore, Kolkata.

But wherever he went, he made his assertions clear when asked about the former IAF chiefs arrest in the VVIP chopper scam. In Purulia, he observed that the arrest adversely affected the reputation of the IAF while expressing his faith in the judicial system. He said, I can rest assure you, the IAF and the Armed forces will continue to serve the nation to best of its abilities and if anything is wrong, we will correct it quickly.

On the Rafale deal, he said, Its delivery time caters from 36 months to around 66 months. So within next three years, the first few aircrafts will be delivered to us. In the next five years, two full squadrons of Rafale aircrafts will be made operational in the IAF. It is an extremely capable aircraft and will tremendously enhance our operational capabilities.
Im not allowed to address Lok Sabha, so Im speaking in jan sabha, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being gifted a copy of the Bhagwat Geeta at the launch of a cheese plant and Desi A2 Milk plant in Deesa. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: With Parliaments winter session set to end in a complete washout amid charges and counter-charges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Opposition and sought to deflate its allegation that he was running away from a debate on demonetisation in the House.

Since I am not being allowed to speak in Lok Sabha, I have decided to speak in Jan Sabha, the PM said, addressing a farmers rally in Gujarats Banaskantha where he once again defended his move to recall two high-value banknotes as part of his efforts to flush out black money and counterfeit currency from the economy.

The government has always said we are ready to debate, but Parliament is not being allowed to function. What is happening in Parliament has even anguished our President, who has tremendous political experience, Mr Modi said.

His combative stance was being viewed as a move to show that he was ready to speak but the Opposition thwarted his desire to address the House on demonetisation that has led to a crippling cash crunch in the country. With the winter session ending on December 16, it is now unlikely that Mr Modi will speak in Parliament on the issue.

The BJPs strategists had felt the need for a categorical reply to the Opposition charge that the PM was not willing to answer their queries and charges on demonetisation in

Parliament. Party leaders felt that since Mr Modi was the main target he needed to clarify his position among the people of the country.

The Opposition was prompt to hit back. Congress leader Anand Sharma claimed that his party always wanted a debate. He said, We dont want the PM to come and give a speech and leave, we want him to answer our questions. As the PM spoke of the benefits of demonetisation, Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee tweeted: PM can only give bhashan (speech), no solution.

Trying to justify his decision to ban Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes, Mr Modi talked of the empowerment of Rs 100 notes which eventually empowered the poor. The PM known for his Modinomics argued, What was the value of the Rs 100 note before November 8? What was the value of the Rs 50 note? Nobody cared about them. I have taken the step of demonetisation to strengthen the poor of this country.

The Prime Minister then launched into his rhetoric over cashless economy and use of technology. He told the farmers of Gujarat that besides criticising him, the Opposition should also inform the people that they do not need to stand in queues and can use mobile banking.

Seeking support from the people for his demonetisation move, the Prime Minister said that he wanted to assure the people that no one will be spared and that he was standing by the side of honest people who have been instigated against me.

He claimed that for 70 years the honest people of this country have been harassed by the government. Mr Modi assured that games of looting the poor and exploiting the middle classes will now be history. He claimed that his demonetisation move has broken the back of terrorists and naxals.
Her father is a daily wages worker and her mother works as a domestic help.

New Delhi: A 15-year-old girl allegedly committed suicide after her mother did not respond to her request for Rs 500 in southwest Delhi's Palam area, police said on Friday.

The Class IX student killed herself in Mahavir Enclave area of Palam, police said.

"There was a marriage party in her friend circle and she demanded Rs 500 from her mother. Her mother did not respond to her request after which she was little disturbed," a senior police officer said.

No suicide note was found from the spot. Her father is a daily wages worker and her mother works as a domestic help. Further details in the case are awaited.
AIIMS sources said the kidney for Swaraj was donated by a woman who is in her 40s and not related to the External Affairs Minister.

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj "successfully" underwent a kidney transplant at AIIMS in New Delhi on Saturday and her condition is stable.

Swaraj, 64, was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit after the nearly six-hour-long surgery by a team of 50.

AIIMS sources said the kidney for Swaraj was donated by a woman who is in her 40s and not related to the External Affairs Minister. A team of senior doctors has been monitoring the minister's condition round-the-clock.

"The surgery was successful and uneventful. She is admitted in the ICU and her condition is stable. Her condition is being closely monitored by a team of doctors. The donor voluntarily donated her kidney to the Minister," AIIMS Director M C Mishra said when contacted.

As no suitable donor was available in the immediate family, the transplant was done with the kidney from a living unrelated donor, sources said, adding the clearance for it was obtained from the Authorisation Committee of AIIMS.

Mishra said the surgery was carried out at the cardio-thoracic centre by a team of 50 personnel including transplant surgeons, transplant anesthesiologists, nurses, technicians and other supporting staff.

The team comprised Mishra, surgeons V K Bansal and V Seenu, nephrologist Sandeep Mahajan and Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS) chief Dr Balram Airan among others.

"The surgery started at around 9 AM and ended at 2.30 PM following which the minister has been shifted to the ICU. First, the organ was harvested from the donor which took one-and-half hours and then it was transplanted," Mishra said.

Living, unrelated donor could be anyone who is emotionally attached to the recipient, such as a friend, a relative, a neighbour or an in-law.

A large number of people including Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit wished Swaraj speedy recovery.

"We wish MEA Sushma Swaraj Sahiba speedy and full recovery," he tweeted.

Swaraj has been suffering from diabetes for quite sometime and after it was found that she had renal failure, she was put on maintenance dialysis.

On November 16, Swaraj herself had tweeted that she was in AIIMS because of kidney failure. Swaraj, who has been in and out of the hospital for last few months, was admitted to AIIMS on November 7.

After Swaraj made public her health condition on social media, several people offered their kidneys to her.
The finance ministry on Friday said that the move has come in the wake of decline in the receipt of old currency notes.

Daily commuters complained that the move will make their everyday commute harder due to cash crunch in the market and scramble for change will be another hassle.

New Delhi: In not so good news for people saving their old Rs 500 notes for commute on Metro trains or railways, these notes can no longer be used for these services. Daily commuters complained that the move will make their everyday commute harder due to cash crunch in the market and scramble for change will be another hassle.

In the latest communique, the government on Friday advanced by a day the last date for using old Rs 500 notes to purchase tickets for travel by train, government or public sector undertaking-run buses and commuting on suburban and Metro rail services.

According to the latest communication, effective midnight of December 9, old Rs 500 notes can no longer be used for availing these services. This invoked sharp reactions from people across the city who are dependent on the public transport for their daily commuting.

Sandhya Sharma a West Delhi resident, said, Apart from the Delhi Metro, there is no other alternative to pay for the commute on the public transportation. Before the move, the government should have made adequate provisions for the payment apart from cash. The move will unleash trouble. Daily bus passengers complained that due to the shortage of cash, it will be extremely difficult for them to commute to work. I travel around 40 km daily from Najafgarh to Dakshin Puri in south Delhi for work. Now that the buses will not accept the old Rs 500 notes, it will be a big hassle to arrange for cash for daily travel, Manish Gupta, a resident of Najafgarh, said.

The finance ministry on Friday said that the move has come in the wake of decline in the receipt of old currency notes. On November 8, the government declared demonetisation drive across the country and said high denomination Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 will cease to be legal tender.
The UK national sought to quash the FIR lodged against him for cheating a businessman of Rs 50 lalkh.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday sought the city polices response to a petition filed by a UK national seeking to quash the FIR lodged against him for cheating a businessman of Rs 50 lakh after promising him to exchange old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes to new ones post-demonetisation.

A division bench of Justices V.M. Kanade and Nutan Sardessai was hearing a petition filed by the accused, Yasin Salya, who sought quashing of the cheating complaint lodged against him by south Mumbai businessman Abubakar Maniyar, claiming that they had amicably resolved the issue.

According to the police, Maniyar had on November 24 approached the suburban Santa Cruz police claiming he was cheated by Salya, who took Rs 50 lakh from him with the promise that he would exchange and give him new notes or deposit the money in his (Maniyar) account.

Pursuant to the complaint, the police went to J W Marriot Hotel where the accused was staying and arrested him. The police also recovered Rs 50 lakh from his room. Salya was later released on bail by a sessions court. Salya, in his petition, claimed both he and the complainant are friends and there had been some misunderstanding regarding the money and hence the case was lodged.

Salyas advocate Mubin Solkar told the court that the dispute between the parties have been amicably resolved and they have arrived at consent terms also and hence sought for the FIR to be quashed. Additional public prosecutor F.R. Shaikh told the court the police wanted to check the antecedents of the petitioner as he was a UK national.

The bench while directing the police to file its affidavit, said, Check his antecedents...we want to know what the police has to say. Many more such cases may come before us now. The court has posted the petition for hearing on December 22.
Devendra Fadnavis points to loopholes in previous regimes announcement on reservation.

Nagpur: Boasting about the initiatives that his government has taken for Maratha reservation, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday doubted the intentions of the previous Congress-NCP government on the same and questioned many alleged loopholes that the Congress-NCP combine had made while announcing the reservation. The CM's reply has come a few days before a protest that the Maratha community has scheduled in Nagpur on December 14.

While replying to a discussion in the legislative Assembly on Maratha reservation, Mr Fadnavis described the efforts that his government had taken in a two-year period. At the same time, he also pointed out all the loose ends that the previous regime had left behind, due to which the case for reservation has become weak before the court.

"The court always refers to the Mandal, Khatri and Bapat commissions, which are not in favour of Maratha reservation. A few members on the Bapat Commission were in favour of the reservation, but Raosaheb Kasabe was appointed two months before the committee's tenure got over. It was Mr Kasabe who made negative remarks about the reservation. He was not involved in the survey by the commission, but was allowed to vote nonetheless. Finally, the commission decided against Maratha reservation, while its report narrates a need for the reservation. Why was he (Mr Kasabe) brought in at the last minute? One can have doubts about this question," the CM said.

Taking a dig at former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who tried to claim credit for the decision for Maratha reservation in the previous government, Mr Fadnavis said that it was only after the Lok Sabha defeat that the previous regime took up the reservation issue. "It was a very important decision even for the Congress-NCP government, so why then did it not call for a special session of the legislature to make it an Act? It simply issued an ordinance in haste. Even the Rane Committee's research was not brought before the court's record. We have done it now," Mr Fadnavis said. The CM even pointed out that a scientific survey about the social and financial backwardness of the community had not been conducted.
SITs chargesheets claimed that a few witnesses have identified Akolkar and Pawar for their alleged role in the case.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra polices Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is conducting probe in the February 2015 murder of CPI leader Govind Pansare in Kolhapur, has sought assistance from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for details against three accused including Dr Virendra Tawade for further probe in the case.

The SIT wrote to the NIA seeking call detail records from the NIA on Tawade and two absconding co-accused, Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar. SITs chargesheets claimed that a few witnesses have identified Akolkar and Pawar for their alleged role in the case. The chargesheet has accused Tawade of conducting reconnaissance on Pansare with the help of Akolkar and Pansare. Akolkar and Pansare are absconding after their alleged associates came under the scanner of the probe into the Goa bomb blast case of 2009. NIA, which probed the Goa case, had submitted its chargesheet against six persons who were however acquitted by a local special court in December 2014 after which the agency went in appeal in the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court.

The SIT has also sought from the NIA, a copy of its Goa blast case chargesheet and copies of its witnesses statements, for its further probe in the Pansare case. The Asian Age has a copy of SITs Pansare case chargesheet, which mentions its request made to the NIA for help.
Mukerjea plans to finish his auto- biography in eight weeks and handover the laptop to his family.

Mumbai: Former media baron, Peter Mukerjea (61), an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, is a man who dons many hats  from running food-processing units in the United Kingdom to setting up the most successful television channels in Asia.

After spending time behind bars, Mukerjea told a special CBI court on Friday that he has begun penning his autobiography. The entrepreneur-turned-writer requested the court for a laptop or an electronic typewriter, saying he suffers from occasional memory fatigue due to his advanced age.

The court asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its reply and kept the matter for hearing on December 14.

Dressed in a casual green shirt and white trousers, a visibly upset Mukerjea said, I am 61. I suffer from occasional memory fatigue. I have begun writing my autobiography but I find it very difficult to write long sentencesTherefore, I am requesting for a laptop.

Mukerjea, who is married to Indrani, Sheenas mother, and the main accused in the case told the court that he would write for four hours daily and submit the laptop to the jail authorities.

Mukerjea, plans to finish his autobiography in eight weeks and handover the laptop to his family. The CBI has since November 2015 chargesheeted Peter and his second wife Indrani, who is Sheenas mother, Indranis former driver Shyam Rai (who has turned approver in the case) and her second-former husband Sanjeev Khanna in the case for their alleged role in the murder of Sheena.

At the time of the commission of the murder in April 2012, Peter was allegedly abroad, in UK, according to the CBI. Indrani, Khanna and Rai allegedly strangled Sheena inside a moving car after they met her at Bandra (west). Mukerjea is accused of being party to the conspiracy.

CBI lawyer Bharat Badami opposed Mukerjeas application, saying the court should not behave with him leniently. Mukerjea has also filed another application, in which he has sought provisions for a decent shaving kit, dry fruits, and bakery items. Mukerjea told the court that he fasts on Tuesday and Saturday. Hence, he should be allowed to receive fresh fruits, dry fruits, tea, coffee powder and sweets. Mukerjea cited medical reasons for the sweets saying his sugar levels drop. Mukerjea also told the court that he fears the risk of catching an infection, since the barber at Arthur Road Jail caters to over 150 people daily.

Mr Badami said, We cant ignore the incident in Punjab where jail inmates had escaped. We should be careful while permitting laptop and shaving kit to Mukerjea, he said.

Mukerjea also sought permission from the court to attend his nieces wedding in Bangalore on December 18. The court has directed CBI to file its reply on December 14.
The trigger for the crime was allegedly his close involvement in a lecture held there in December 2014, titled Who killed Karkare?

Mumbai: The Maharashtra polices Special Investigation Team (SIT) in its supplementary chargesheet in the case involving the February 2015 murder of CPI leader Govind Pansare in Kolhapur indicated that the trigger for the crime was allegedly his close involvement in a lecture held there in December 2014, titled Who killed Karkare?

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief and senior IPS officer Hemant Karkare was killed, along with two other senior police officers, in the 26/11 attacks of 2008. He was killed in an encounter with suicide attackers Ajmal Kasab and Ismail Khan, two of the 10-man Lashkar e-Taiba (LeT) team that carried them out after arriving from near Karachi via sea. Subsequently, there were speculations alleging that Karkares killing could have been stage-managed by intelligence agencies as the ATS, led by him, had detected the role of a right-wing Hindu outfit in orchestrating the Malegaon September 2008 blasts that killed four persons. A former IPS officer had in his book published in 2009 questioned the official version on Karkares death. The SIT chargesheet submitted a week ago in Kolhapur, however, did not mention about the book.

According to the SIT chargesheet, Pansare allegedly said during the lecture held on December 30, 2014 that he would henceforth organise protests at 150 places in Maharashtra against a right-wing outfit. According to the chargesheet, case accused Dr Virendra Tawade, subsequently arrived in Kolhapur and within one and a half months of the December 30, 2014 lecture, he and his associates allegedly targeted Pansare.

Tawade is named in the chargesheet as an accused for his alleged role in getting reconnaissance conducted on the deceased via two co-accused Vinay Pawar and Sarang Akolkar who are absconding. Tawade was earlier named as an accused in the case involving the murder of Punes rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar in August 2013 by the CBI as well.

According to the chargesheet, Pansares assailants had allegedly seen him as durjan (bad person) due to his forward-looking, progressive outlook and targeted him. Tawade has denied any role in the Pansare and Dabholkar cases.

Indian forensic laboratories had concluded that Pansare, Dabholkar and Kannada scholar M.M .Kalburgi (killed in August 2015) were killed with an identical weapon, a 7.65 mm pistol/s, but they differed on whether one weapon was used in the crime or more. The CBI, which is probing the Dabholkar case, plans to get Scotland Yards expert opinion on the issue by sending to it the ballistic samples and cartridges, used in the three cases. A forensic test conducted in a government-run laboratory in Bengaluru had concluded that two country-made pistols of 7.65 mm calibre were used to target Pansare, of which one each was used in the Dabholkar and Kalburgi cases.

Timeline:

Feb 16, 2015

Two motorcycle-borne men shot at CPI leader Govind Pansare and his wife Uma.

Feb 20, 2015

Pansare succumbed to his injuries in a Mumbai Hospital.

Sept 16, 2015

SIT arrested the first accused in the case, Sameer Gaikwad.

Dec 14, 2015

SIT chargesheeted Gaikwad in the case for his alleged role.

Nov 30, 2016

SIT chargesheeted Dr Virendra Tawade and two absconding co-accused in the case.
John Glenn was first American to orbit Earth, one of the 7 Mercury astronauts.

Columbus: John Glenn, who made history twice as the first American to orbit Earth and the first senior citizen to venture into space, died on Thursday at the age of 95.

Glenn became a symbol of strength and the nations pioneering spirit, drawing admirers from all walks of life over a long career in the military, then the US space agency Nasa, and the US Senate.

He was chosen along with six other military pilots as part of the Original Seven, the very first class of US astronauts in 1959 whose saga was recounted in the classic movie The Right Stuff.

Nasa was among the first to pay tribute to the legendary astronaut who went on to serve as a lawmaker for more than two decades, calling him a true American hero.

Godspeed, John Glenn. Ad astra, Nasa tweeted, echoing the famous words radioed by fellow astronaut Scott Carpenter to Glenn before he circled the Earth in 1962.

Glenn died at the James Cancer Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, according to Hank Wilson, a spokesman for the John Glenn College of Public Affairs. The cause of death was not immediately announced.

With Johns passing, our nation has lost an icon and Michelle and I have lost a friend, said President Barack Obama. John always had the right stuff, inspiring generations of scientists, engineers and astronauts who will take us to Mars and beyond  not just to visit, but to stay, he said.

The former astronaut and veteran of two wars had been in declining health, undergoing heart-valve replacement surgery in 2014 and reportedly suffering a stroke, and was hospitalised in Columbus more than a week before he died. John is one of the best and bravest men Ive ever known, said secretary of state John Kerry as he paid respects to his friend and former colleague in the Senate, calling him an inspiration.

President-elect Donald Trump, who happened to be in Columbus when Glenns death was announced, paid his own tribute, telling a rally later in Iowa: He was a giant among men, and a true American legend.

Former president Bill Clinton also paid tribute to Glenn, in a statement signed with his wife Hillary Clinton. I was honoured to approve sending John back into space in 1998, making him, at age 77, the oldest person to ever make the journey. How lucky we were to have him so long.





TRAILBLAZER:
The key question to be asked is why are the masterminds and the handlers not being taken to task?

Karachi: The turnout at the walk organised last Sunday by Citizens against Weapons (CAW) was heartening. Started in 2014 by some concerned citizens, the campaign is catching on. I had joined them at a rally on an intersection of a busy area in Karachi two years ago. There were then barely 50 protesters. On Sunday, there were 400 or so.

One of them, activist Naeem Sadiq, whose motto is say no to guns, has been working on this goal for a decade. He and his colleagues want to rid the whole country of guns and the message is gaining adherents as a larger number of people  that does not include our rulers  begin to understand the significance of deweaponisation in ending violence.

One of CAWs key demands is, In compliance with Article 256 of the Constitution, all private militias regardless of their patrons must be completely disbanded.

This is a valid demand, in view of the private militias that have mushroomed all over Pakistan. One doesnt know whether they carry licensed weapons or illegally acquire guns which have flooded the country since 1979.

The emergence of private militias is a disturbing development and has ominous implications when we consider sectarian violence in Pakistan. Various lashkars and sipahs was linked to the targeting of Shia doctors in the 1990s and the suicide bombings of Shia congregations. Such groups change their name whenever they are banned but their sectarian bias does not change.

The government might be trying hard to provide protection to this community but how much can it do? Thus Arbayeen (Imam Husains chehlum) passed peacefully on Nov. 21, with no major sectarian incident taking place.

The tight measures adopted by the administration helped though they caused a lot of public inconvenience. There was a price to be paid for security such as switching off mobile and internet services till late in the night, and combing the entire route of the main procession and erecting barriers. All this was accepted as unavoidable because sane-minded citizens, whether Shia, Sunni or non-Muslim, do not want to see more violence.

But this has not changed the overall picture of sectarian violence in Pakistan which continues to be gloomy. How can one be hopeful when steps are not being taken to eliminate violence by addressing its root causes? The masterminds who plot sectarian attacks and guide the killers are allowed to roam freely to plan their next nefarious move. It is the man pulling the trigger who is captured or killed, that is if he hasnt self-destructed in his quest for paradise.

A security researcher gave me horrific figures for sectarian attacks and the number of casualties resulting from them, though he said that it was difficult for him to give accurate data for the number of Shias killed. In a society in which all sects are quite integrated in most neighourhoods with a few exceptions, a bomb attack on a place of worship or a procession kills indiscriminately.

According to the security consultant I spoke to, 995 attacks, that can be termed sectarian, occurred in 2007-16. A total of 2,909 people were killed and 4,888 injured. This also included some attacks on Sunni scholars by a Shia group calling itself Sipah-i-Mohammad.

The key question to be asked is why are the masterminds and the handlers not being taken to task? Individually, the foot soldiers cannot run the war. They need funds and strategic planning and coordination which only high-level leadership can provide.

We know well that the sectarian terrorist outfits did not drop out of the sky.

We also know how the security establishment had created them as strategic assets. Gen. Hamid Gul may be dead but we remember his boasts about his role in the creation and training of the Taliban. The mujahideen in Afghanistan mutated into various lashkars some of which were tasked with fighting Pakistans war in India-held Kashmir.

They may not have been sectarian in their design originally, but did Dr Frankensteins monster not free himself from his creators grip to wreak havoc on his creators loved ones?

The sectarian dimension came in largely by virtue of the Saudi role in funding madressahs that allowed the masterminds to equip the rank and file with guns. Messages are now being circulated that members of the Shia community should have armed guards to protect their majlises. This is inadvisable as it will destabilise the situation further. CAWs mission should become the mission of all vulnerable groups, while the support and understanding of enlightened and tolerant majority is a source of strength for this particular community.

The need is for the powers-that-be to refrain from patronising the masterminds and not use them as so-called strategic assets. Our defence and foreign policies should be handled by the right quarters. The tail should not wag the dog.

By arrangement with Dawn
Seweid, who is a student of Muslim Baruch College, has not been to school since December 2.

Yasmin Seweid, who was harassed allegedly by the supporters of Donald Trump on a subway in New York on December 1. (Photo: Facebook)

New York: An 18-year-old Muslim girl, Yasmin Seweid, who was harassed by three drunken men on the New York subway on December 1, has been reported missing.

According to a report in New York Post, the Nassau County Police Department launched an investigation on Thursday after Seweids father reported that she has been missing.

Seweid, who is a student of Muslim Baruch College, has not been to school since December 2, sources told the daily.

On December 1, Seweid was returning from a fashion show when the three white men allegedly started hurling racial slurs on her and called her a "terrorist". They allegedly told her to "go back to your (her) country", when she took the subway from Manhattan.

Seweid said she heard the men talking about Donald Trump and mentioning the word "terrorist". But the conversation later turned to verbal and physical attack on Seweid.

"Oh look, a (expletive) terrorist," they said, Seweid said in a post on Facebook. "Get the hell out of the country!" they yelled during the train ride. "You don't belong here!"

"Three white racists ripped the straps off my bag and attempted to yank my hijab off my head," she added.

Born in Brooklyn, United States (US), to Egyptian parents, on a Facebook post she said: "Trump's name was repeatedly said and it finally clicked in my head. No matter how cultured or Americanised I am, these people don't see me as an American.

It breaks my heart that so many individuals chose to be bystanders while watching me get harassed verbally and physically by these disgusting pigs.

"Trump America is real and I witnessed it first hand last night. What a traumatising night.
Ladd Reef is completely submerged at high tide but has a lighthouse and an outpost housing a small contingent of Vietnamese soldiers.

Vietnam has begun dredging work on a disputed reef in the South China Sea, satellite imagery shows. (Photo: AP/File)

Hong Kong: Vietnam has begun dredging work on a disputed reef in the South China Sea, satellite imagery shows, the latest move by the Communist state to bolster its claims in the strategic waterway.

Activity visible on Ladd Reef in the Spratly Islands could anger Hanoi's main South China Sea rival, Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the group and most of the resource-rich sea.

Ladd Reef, on the southwestern fringe of the Spratlys, is completely submerged at high tide but has a lighthouse and an outpost housing a small contingent of Vietnamese soldiers. The reef is also claimed by Taiwan.

In an image taken on Nov. 30 and provided by U.S.-based satellite firm Planet Labs, several vessels can be seen in a newly dug channel between the lagoon and open sea.

While the purpose of the activity cannot be determined for certain, analysts say similar dredging work has been the precursor to more extensive construction on other reefs.

"We can see that, in this environment, Vietnam's strategic mistrust is total ... and they are rapidly improving their defences," said Trevor Hollingsbee, a retired naval intelligence analyst with Britain's defence ministry.

"They're doing everything they can to fix any vulnerabilities - and that outpost at Ladd Reef does look a vulnerability."

Reuters reported in August that Vietnam had fortified several islands with mobile rocket artillery launchers capable of striking China's holdings across the vital trade route.

Vietnam's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular press briefing on Friday that China had "indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha islands, including Riji reef", using Beijing's terms for the Spratlys and Ladd Reef.

"We urge the relevant countries to respect China's sovereignty and rights, end their illegal occupation and illegal operations, and not take any actions that may complicate the situation," he said.

DEFENSIVE POSITIONS

The vessels at Ladd Reef cannot be identified in the images, but Vietnam would be extremely unlikely to allow another country to challenge its control of the reef.

Greg Poling, a South China Sea expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said it remained unclear how far the work on Ladd Reef would go. Rather than a reclamation and a base, it could be an attempt to simply boost access for supply ships and fishing boats.

Ladd could also theoretically play a role in helping to defend Vietnam's nearby holding of Spratly Island, where a runway is being improved and new hangars built, he said.

"Vietnam's knows it can't compete with China but it does want to improve its ability to keep an eye on them," Poling said.

Vietnam has long been fearful of renewed Chinese military action to drive it off its 21 holdings in the Spratlys - worries that have escalated amid Beijing's build-up and its anger at the recent Philippines legal action challenging its claims.

China occupied its first Spratlys possessions after a sea battle against Vietnam's then-weak navy in 1988. Vietnam said 64 soldiers were killed as they tried to protect a flag on South Johnson reef - an incident still acutely felt in Hanoi.

BUILDING BURST

The United States has repeatedly called on claimants to avoid actions that increase tensions in the South China Sea, through which some $5 trillion in world trade is shipped every year.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, Anna Richey-Allen, said it was aware of reports of reclamation work by Vietnam and said the United States regularly raised concerns about such activity by claimants.

"We've consistently warned that reclamation and militarization in contested areas of the South China Sea will risk driving a destabilizing and escalatory trend," she said. "We encourage all claimants to take steps to lower tensions and peacefully resolve differences."

Vietnam has emerged as China's main rival in the South China Sea, actively asserting sovereignty over both the Paracel and the Spratly groupings in their entirety and undergoing its own naval modernisation. Taiwan also claims both, but its position is historically aligned with Beijing's.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, run by the CSIS, says Vietnam has added about 120 acres (49 hectares) of land to its South China Sea holdings in recent years.

Regional military attaches say Vietnam's key holdings are well fortified, some with tunnels and bunkers, appearing geared to deterring easy invasion.

Vietnam's reclamation work remains modest by Chinese standards, however.

The United States, which has criticised China for militarising the waterway, estimates Beijing has added more than 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) of land on seven features in the South China Sea over the past three years, building runways, ports, aircraft hangars and communications equipment.

Beijing says it is entitled to "limited and necessary self-defensive facilities" on its territory and has reacted angrily to "freedom of navigation" operations by U.S. warships near Chinese-held islands.

CHINESE RECLAMATION WORK DAMAGED

In another image provided by Planet Labs, reclamation work in the Chinese-held Paracel Island chain appears to have been damaged by recent storms.

China began dredging and land filling earlier this year at North Island, about 12 km (7 miles) north of Woody Island, where it has a large military base and this year stationed surface-to-air missiles.

Satellite images in February and March showed dredging vessels working to build a 700-metre (2,300 ft) sand bridge connecting low-lying North Island with neighbouring Middle Island.

But images taken after two powerful storms spun through the region in October show the narrow sand strip has been largely swept away.

The Paracels have been under Chinese control for more than 40 years after a battle towards the end of the Vietnam War, when Chinese forces removed the then-South Vietnamese navy. Analysts say they play a key part in protecting China's nuclear armed submarine fleet on Hainan Island, to the north.

China has not commented publicly on the work at North Island.
The impeachment leaves South Korea facing political anxiety and policy paralysis.

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn arrive to attend an emergency Cabinet meeting at the presidential Blue House in Seoul. (Photo: AFP)

Seoul: South Korean lawmakers on Friday voted to impeach President Park Geun-Hye stripping away her sweeping executive powers over a corruption scandal.

The National Assembly ballot transferred Ms Parks authority to the Prime Minister, pending a decision by the Constitutional Court on whether to ratify the decision and permanently remove the President.

The impeachment motion accused Ms Park of constitutional and criminal violations, mostly relating to her close friend Choi Soon-sil. Dozens of companies donated a total of $65 million to two foundations Choi controls, investigators say.

The impeachment leaves South Korea facing political anxiety and policy paralysis.

I am so sorry for all South Koreans that I created this national chaos with my carelessness, Ms Park said in a televised statement after the vote. But we should not let our guard down for a single minute, given the grave situation we face at home and abroad from our economy to the national defence.

In this time of uncertainty, the lives of our people should never be disregarded, she said, calling on the government to minimise any fallout from the power vacuum.
Msgr. Hinder speaks of the Holy Year as an occasion for "reconciliation and forgiveness." In an atmosphere of war and violence "forgiveness become increasingly important." A gesture that must also embrace those who "deny rights and inflict suffering." Thousands of faithful attend Advent Masses. Immigration "contaminates" the very life of the Church.

Abu Dhabi (AsiaNews) - The Year of mercy "has brought many people closer to the faith" and was an occasion for "reconciliation and forgiveness" for those who had "lost their way towards Christ". The Jubilee has given "fruits" that are revealed in their full extent "today and in the future, says Msgr. Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia (United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen), in these weeks of Advent that prepare for the Christmas festivities. "As I recall in the last pastoral letter - says the bishop - mercy must continue to bear fruit in the future and this return to faith is perhaps the most fruitful".

"There are people - tells the vicar - that turned away from the faith even for negative experiences, because of abuse or violence, or for social or personal problems like drugs. Here, in mission and emigration, they rediscover the presence of the Church, the invitation to reconciliation, contact with others. " In a regional and global climate of war and violence "forgiveness becomes increasingly important," embracing even "those who deny rights and inflict wounds and suffering".

Then there is a reconciliation that must take place "within the Christian community." "Every day - he continues - I experience people who get angry over trivial things, in the face of a much larger drama. Hence the invitation to reflect and think deeply, experiencing a drawing closer with small gestures in everyday life ".

74 year old Msgr. Paul Hinder, apostolic vicar for South Arabia (UAE, Oman, Yemen), is a Franciscan bishop ordained a priest on July 4, 1967. On December 20, 2003 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Arabia and consecrated on January 30, 2004. On March 21, 2005 he succeeded Msgr. Bernardo Gremoli. He is a member of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and the Conference of Latin Bishops of the Middle East.

The southern region is home to about one million faithful, all foreign nationals. The most important is the Filipino community, followed by Indian Catholics, mainly from Kerala. The rest of the church is made up of Lebanese, Syrians, Iraqis, Egyptians and Jordanians who have arrived in the region on business.

Thanks to the freedom of religion granted by the monarchies of the Persian Gulf, the life of the Church is very active and is organized around seven parishes in the United Arab Emirates, four parishes in Oman with about 18 thousand faithful and a small community in Yemen, victims of violence. The territory has 55 priests working in churches and Catholic schools dedicated to migrants.

In these weeks of Advent, the local church has been promoting meetings, days of prayer and spiritual retreats. The regional conference has programmed a day for Catholic nurses, a day dedicated to young people "there are many activities in preparation for Christmas that animate the Catholic community of the Vicariate".

The Church activities, unite the different traditions, each community has here as immigrants and that ends up contaminating the life of the Church. "Here - says Msgr. Hinder - the Filipino tradition of the Novena of Masses are increasingly gaining ground, which are very popular, and gather many faithful". These days in Dubai the vigil Mass "can see as many as 10 thousand people, 5/6 thousand gather in Abu Dhabi. A tremendous witness".

A similar participation for the rite of confession, "a very important ministry in this land and for our Church." There are "thousands" of people who answer the call of confession or participate in meetings, confirming "a people that journeys and that, with the approach of the festivities, does so with ever greater determination and concentration."

Be a reality of immigration, underlines Msgr. Hinder, "encourages them to return to the roots of the faith, to live in the community to overcome isolation and the sense of abandonment. That is why even the masses, like those of the Filipinos, are attended by all. Our task is to give them a deeper motivation that will strengthen their faith, the desire to live it and share it. "
by Shafique Khokhar

Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Press Club, displaying placards and chanting slogans. Disabled, trans-gender, women, men and children have called for respect of minorities, the guarantee and protection of the fundamental rights of each individual.

Lahore (AsiaNews) - Men, women and children belonging to the most marginalized segments of Pakistani society gathered yesterday in front of the Lahore Press Club for an event to mark World Human Rights Day. Gypsies, workers in brick kilns, trans-gender people, people with disabilities and members of religious minorities have joined chanting slogans against discrimination and against the government's failure in defending human rights.

The event was organized with the collaboration of the Center for Human Rights Education of Pakistan and the Rwadari Tehreek (Movement for tolerance). Participants in the march have asked Islamabad for equal opportunities for work and education, the right to justice, to health, to a clean environment and water.

Samson Salamat, director of the Centre for Human Rights Education, spoke to the crowd saying: "The International Day of Human Rights is a reminder to our government and our institutions to guarantee fundamental rights, which are key to better society. It should be a priority to create a society where all citizens are treated equally and without discrimination. " Instead, said Salamat, "the space for civil society is shrinking, and this is not a healthy sign for Pakistan."

Taking the floor, Rizwan Gill, president of Rwadari Tehreek, said that "the government is linked to its constitutional responsibility to stop all forms of discrimination and to ensure the proper treatment of all, especially of religious minorities." Samuel Pyara, member of the organizing committee of the movement, said the governments attitude towards minorities to date is "rather alarming, and this has a direct impact on citizens' civil liberties."

The demonstrators asked the government to stop of all types of hate speech that instill violence against minorities. As is the case in the province of Sindh, the Provincial Commission on minorities must be established through an act of parliament. The marchers are demanding that 2017 be called "year of Rwadari" (tolerance and religious harmony) to defeat religious extremism, terrorism and the threat to human rights.
by Paul Wang

Signatories include: Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, JM Coetzee. The memory of Liu Xiaobo, sentenced to 11 years in prison; his wife Liu Xia, under house arrest; Academician Ilham Tohti, sentenced to life imprisonment for his criticism of Beijing's policy towards the Uighurs.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - More than 100 authors from around the world have signed a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping asking him to stop violations against the writers of his country on the World Day for Human Rights, which is celebrated today.

Signatories include Salman Rushdie, the Indian writer over whom hangs a fatwa death sentence; Margaret Atwood, Canadian poet and environmentalist; South African Nobel Laureate JM Coetzee.

In the letter they remember their colleague Liu Xiaobo, Nobel Peace Laureate, who was sentenced to 11 years for "subversion", having written some articles on democracy.

The signatories also recall that Liu Xiaobo's wife, Liu Xia, is under house arrest. Another cited personality is the academic Ilham Tohti, sentenced to life imprisonment for "separatism" having dared to question Beijings violent policy towards the Uighur minority in Xinjiang.

The letter denounces that more than a dozen Chinese writers, independent members of the organization Pen Centre, are at present in prison or persecuted. "The enforced silence of these friends and colleagues - the report says - is deafening, and the disappearance of their voices has left a world worse off for this egregious injustice and loss".

Since Xi Jinping took power in 2012, there has been a sharp crack down in China on dissidents, writers, journalists, activists, academics and Human Rights lawyers.
Moscow (AsiaNews) - Between 2013 and 2016 in Krasnodar - Southern Russia - at least 10 people have been convicted of high treason and espionage. It is almost a quarter of all convictions for such offenses in the country.

The situation was denounced by the association of lawyers and journalists Komanda-29, which provides legal assistance to some of these people. "We do not know and probably will not be able to know all the names and the circumstances that led these people to jail. From the basement of the FSB (Russian secret service), where these so-called trials take place, the arrested are taken to unknown destinations if no one is interested in them", the association wrote on Facebook, after the news broke of the sentence to seven years detention for Oksana Sevastidi. Before the lightning war between Russia and Georgia, in 2008, the woman had seen a train in Sochi loaded with military equipment bound for Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia, and had told a Georgian acquaintance about it via text message. Because of this Krasnodar was tried, found guilty of treason and imprisoned for seven years. The ruling was issued in March, but it became known only recently, when the legal Komanda-29 started to demand her release.

Russian law on high treason was amended in October 2012, after the street protests against the return of Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin, the most massive of the last 15 years. According to experts, the FSB  criticized for failing to predict and contain the protests - wanted a more powerful tool for action. The legal definition of treason has been expanded to include "providing financial, technical or other assistance to foreign States or international organizations, aimed at damaging Russia's security." Since then cases of convictions for this offense have mushroomed.

A case similar to that of Sevastidi occurred in November 2014 when Ekaterina Kharebava, a Georgian citizen who lived in Sochi, was sentenced to six years of imprisonment by the Krasnodar court for "espionage." She, too, in 2008, had sent a text message to an acquaintance in Georgia signaling the movements of Russian military means. According Komanda-29, Kharebava shares her cell with a woman condemned for the same reason: Inga Tutisani, also arrested for sending text messages deemed dangerous to state security. (N.A.)
Economy grew by 6.4 per cent last year, exporting minerals to China, clothing to Europe, and energy to Thailand. Tourism is also developing. However, poverty remains widespread.

Vientiane (AsiaNews)  The Lao economy grew last year despite the global financial crisis at a rate of 6.4 per cent, the second highest in East Asia after China, this according to a World Bank report.

The report noted that one of the main reasons for this impressive growth is the Lao economys relative insulation from the global financial system and its low exposure to global trade.

Still, a sustained demand for Lao exports, including copper and gold bought by China, garment products by Europe and electricity by Thailand, combined with its strong tourism industry, which was boosted by higher public expenditures on domestic infrastructure for the 25th South-East Asian Games in Vientiane in December 2009, also helped cushion the countrys economy compared to other nations.

The mining sector alone, in particular copper and gold, contributed about 2.5 percentage points to growth in 2009, while manufacturing, construction and agriculture sectors each contributed 1 point to the growth.

However, not all is rosy. Economists warn the country has a number of challenges to meet to ensure growth is sustainable.

Metals processing industries and hydroelectric power plants led the impressive growth of the Lao economy; however, this is not sustainable in the long-term due to the unavoidable depletion of natural resources.

Experts are urging the government to shift the base of economic growth toward agricultural processing industries and services, including tourism.

Development of human resources and improvements to the investment mechanism to facilitate business operations should top the governments agenda.

In fact Laos is still one of the regions poorest countries with an estimated 27 per cent of the population living with less than $US 1 a day and 74.1% living on less than US$ 2 a day. Illiteracy remains widespread.
by Phillip Za Hawng*

Mgr Philip Za Hawng describes the tragic situation in the northern region of Shan State, where fighting rages between the government army and rebel forces. Civilians have fled to China to escape the fighting. In the meantime, illiteracy and the drug trade grow. The prelate offers a proposal for lasting peace.

Lashio (AsiaNews)  About 29,000 Catholics "live in constant fear of war, whilst illiteracy is increasing as is drug abuse, Mgr Philip Za Hawng, bishop of Lashio, told AsiaNews in a letter.

He is particularly concerned about renewed fighting in Shan state (north-eastern Myanmar) between ethnic rebels and the central government. The region is economically important as 80 per cent of trade with China" goes through it.

On 3 December, an air force plane destroyed the St Francis Xavier Church in Mung Koe (pictured). After this, "They took everything from the rubble, and most of the faithful have fled across the border."

Here is the bishops letter (translated by AsiaNews).

The Diocese of Lashio includes the whole northern section of Shan State, in north-eastern Myanmar. It covers a mostly mountainous area of 61,000 sq km, on the border with the province of Yunnan, in southern China. The diocese is 937 km from Yangon.

The territory is home to 15 different ethnic groups for a total of 2.5 million people. Most are ethnic Shan, Ta'an (Palaung), Kachin and Wa. Given the proximity to China, the number of Chinese is increasing every year and more and more businesses end up in their hands.

About 90 per cent of the ethnic tribes live from agriculture. Most are poor and uneducated. Illiteracy is still high in some groups. The total Catholic community of 29,000 people is 75 per cent ethnic Kachin.

The cultivation of poppies and opium production that began in the 19th century in China eventually spread to Myanmar. The northern part of Shan State is now one of the areas most affected by drug-related abuse. Thanks to the work of Churches and some political groups, poppy cultivation has been cut in some areas.

The eastern highway that connects the Mandalay-Yangon area to Ruili (China) runs through Lashio diocese. Some 80 per cent of trade between China and Myanmar uses this route. Even the pipeline that connects Rakhine state with Kunming (China) goes through Shan State. Hence the route is crucial for trade between the two countries.

The ongoing conflict between the northern alliances  like the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), the Ta'ang National Liberation Force (TNLF), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (Kokang Chinese, MNDAA) and the Arakan Army (AA)  is indirectly tied to this important economic route.

The AA, TNLF, and MNDAA were excluded from the 21st century Panglong Conference organised by the government military in late August. This has infuriated the northern alliance, which has tried to block roads. Since 20 November, they have attacked the eastern highway, as well as several army outposts and police stations.

The Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) evangelised the northern part of Shan State. Lashio became a diocese in 1990 when Card Charles Bo became its bishop. Today there are 19 parishes, including Munggu (Mongkoe), which is the closest to the border with China.

In 1939, Fr Guercilena (PIME) purchased the land where the local church stands from the local Kachin chief. He later became bishop of Kengtung. The land remained unused until 1989, when Fr Joachim Ye Maung, a Salesian priest, built a housing compound and a chapel made of sun-baked bricks. Mongkoe received its first resident priest, Fr Roman Dai Ze, in 2002.

The Mungkoe Mungbaw Democratic Army (MMDA), led by Mungsa La, administered the area. When he fell, Myanmars military built an outpost near the St Francis Xavier church. The place of worship was built in 2006, but was destroyed in an attack by the Myanmar military after rebel groups went on the offensive.

Almost all civilians fled the city after 20 November. A Catholic family took in Fr Savio Dau Khawng, Doi Awng nuns and a volunteer teacher, whilst others found refuge in camps set up by the authorities in Man-hai, China. St Francis Xavier church is just one kilometre from the border.

The brutal fighting between the army and rebels include attacks by land and by air. Combat operations ended in Mongkoe on 4 December, and also, apparently in neighbouring areas. However, the authorities have not yet allowed civilians to return to their homes; instead, government personnel have moved into Mongkoe to get on with their duty of reconstruction.

Yesterday, Fr Savio was able to visit the church compound, but could not see all the rooms or take photographs. He saw that cabinets had been forced open and that all the items (linens, books, archives) had been stolen.

Mongkoes Catholic community and locals have lived for years in fear of fighting, fleeing government troops and their summary arrests of those suspected of cooperating with the rebels.

On the other hand, the revolutionary forces want the cooperation of local and irregularly enlist men. As many young people have been forced to join armed groups, parents have sent them to Church-run schools under the supervision of priests and nuns.

Decades of political turmoil have caused many problems: poverty, internal and external migration, educational decline. . . Growing drug abuse (heroin and methamphetamine) and HIV-AIDS are indirectly related to the war between rebels and Myanmars military.

On the long run, to reach peace, it is necessary:

- to rewrite the countrys constitution drafted and approved by referendum in 2008;

- to place the Defence Ministry under the authority of the president and the government (at present generals and government ministers appear to act independently of one another);

- to get the military to start a dialogue with all the ethnic armed groups fighting for equality, justice and a fair power sharing as well as create the federal states as envisaged in the Panglong Conference by State Councillor Suu Kyi;

- to enforce a cease-fire with all national armed groups, during which the military and rebels cannot build new military outposts with UN observers to monitor the process.

* Bishop of Lashio, Myanmar
The Manchar lake was an immense reserve of fresh water and covers over 250 square kilometers. Its shores were home to the fishing boats of the Mohanna tribe. In the seventies a plan was launched for the spillage of industrial, human and agricultural waste. Out of 200 species of fish, 14 have become extinct; there are few remaining boats; 15 thousand fishermen have emigrated in search of work.

Islamabad (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Thousands of tons of fish lost every year; the lives of fishermen destroyed; families who for generations lived from fish stocks forced to move elsewhere. These are the consequences of 40 years of pollution of the waters of Lake Manchar, the largest in Pakistan.

The great lake, one of the largest fresh water reserves of the country, stretches over 250 square kilometers. Until the seventies its shores were littered with fishing boats, belonging to the Mohanna tribal group. The life cycle of families unwound on the boats: from birth, these families lived on board weddings and funerals were celebrated there, their entire existence with food supplies, clothes and utensils.

In the seventies the government of the province of Sindh initiated a development plan for a sewerage system, known as the Right Bank Outfall Drain (Rbod). The project mandated that the citys waste water, as well as industrial and agricultural waste including fertilizer used in the rice fields, be poured into the lake.

Mohammed Yusuf, an activist defending the fishermen, reports that the result has been the destruction of the land and water of the lake due to a toxic mix of saline, chemical and human waste. Today he can barely procure the necessary food for his family.

Data from the Sindh Fisheries Department reported that the lake water is no longer drinkable. In the seventies  before the spillage - they were fished more than 15 thousand tons of fish a year, while recently the catch fluctuates between 2 thousand and 3,800 tons. A survey of the Sindh Education Foundation claims that 14 species of fish have become extinct, from a total of 200 found in 1930.

Even the tribes of Mohanna has suffered from the poisoning of the only source of livelihood. "When I was little - says Yusuf - there were about 400 boats. Now, if you see no more than twenty. "

The fishermen were forced to migrate in search of work. Most moved to Karachi, others to neighboring Balochistan. Of about 20 thousand fishermen in the eighties, today there are at most 4 thousand. Mustafa Mirani, vice president of the Pakistan Fishermen Forum, says: "The lake is a gift from God. But all her beauty has been destroyed."
Hi all,

I want to bring my mum (58), and brother (28) with special needs, out to Australia to live. They are both living in the UK and are British citizens. My mum has many many years experience and training in medical administration. My Dad (my parents are long divorced) is a citizen in New Zealand, married to a New Zealander and has been living there for over 22 years - I'm not sure whether this is useful to include but just wanted to give a full picture. My husband and I have permanent residency in Australia as do our two children and we have been living here for the past 3 years.

I'm looking for advice and resources to enable me to make their move possible.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
You need to apply to DIBP for work rights. After that you can apply for an ABN IF you will be conducting a business once you have work rights.



Government departments talk ... I would not be applying for an ABN prior to having work rights as it may not end well for you.



As the others have said you have not posted enough information ie. How you ended up on a BVC, what visa you are currently waiting on, your skills etc.



If you are applying for a 457 visa you cannot have your own business.
10 December 2016 11:49 (UTC+04:00)

The first meeting of Azerbaijan-Qatar Joint Economic, Trade and Technical Intergovernmental Commission with participation of members from Azerbaijani side has been held in Baku, Azertac reported.

Azerbaijans Minister of Emergency Situations, Colonel General, co-chair of the Azerbaijan-Qatar Joint Economic, Trade and Technical Intergovernmental Commission Kamaladdin Heydarov said reciprocal visits of the heads of the states created strong base for expanding ties between the two countries. He also said the activity of the commission was aimed at further deepening relations between the two countries.

The members of the Commission suggested proposals over developing economic, trade and technical bonds between the two countries.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
9 December 2016 17:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The OSCE Minsk Group (MG) co-chairing countries should take the necessary measures to ensure Armenias participation in the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesman of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, told Trend Dec. 9.

The latest statement of the OSCE MG co-chairing countries reaffirms that the current situation is unacceptable and dangerous, and can lead to an escalation at any time, said Hajiyev, commenting on the statement made Dec. 8 by the OSCE MG co-chairs.

Earlier, heads of delegations of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries published a statement regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict following the 23rd meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg Dec. 8.

Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, US Secretary of State John Kerry and French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault remain fully committed to a negotiated settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said the statement.

Co-chair countries are prepared to host a meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia when they are ready, the statement said.

Continuous and direct dialogue between the presidents, conducted under the auspices of the co-chairs, remains an essential element in building confidence and moving the peace process forward, according to the statement.

Hajiyev noted that the statement also lists the steps that must be taken for a gradual settlement of the conflict and withdrawal of Armenians from the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, ensuring the return of IDPs to their native lands.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that the presence of Armenian Armed Forces in the occupied Azerbaijani territories is the main cause of tensions in the conflict zone, and it prevents the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict from being settled, Hajiyev said.

Escalation of the situation on the contact line of Armenian and Azerbaijani troops in early April with the instigations and provocations by Armenia once again demonstrated the inadmissibility of preserving the status quo, he noted.

Entire international community, particularly the OSCE MG co-chair countries, has repeatedly stated the inadmissibility and the instability of the status quo, Hajiyev said. Withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories may become the first step in changing the status quo.

Hajiyev went on to add that Azerbaijan appreciates the highest level meetings in Vienna and St. Petersburg as positive steps towards substantive negotiations.

Armenia puts forward conditions, avoids meetings, undermines the agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg, causes escalation on the frontline and openly conducts a policy to undermine the peace process in order to avoid substantive talks, Hajiyev said.

The attempts of Armenia to consolidate its military presence in Azerbaijans occupied territories, to illegally change the demographic and cultural character of these areas demonstrate the true purpose of that country, Hajiyev added.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 December 2016 10:09 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend



The Azerbaijani Presidents Assistant for Public and Political Affairs, Professor Ali Hasanov has said the country is confidently moving forward on the path of coordinating interests in the system of international relations as he was interviewed by Al-Jazeera TV channel.

Mr. Hasanov highlighted Azerbaijans balanced foreign policy line.

On the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he said 20 percent of Azerbaijans territories were occupied as the aggressor country was helped by certain foreign forces.

The occupation still continues due to non-constructive position of Armenia, which refuses to honour the resolutions of international organizations demanding fair settlement of the conflict, and this is a serious threat to the whole region, even to European security, he said.

On political and economic reforms carried out in Azerbaijan, Ali Hasanov said these reforms were aimed at developing democracy as well as optimizing the economic life in the country.

These reforms will open new opportunities for active involvement of youth in political processes.

The Presidential Assistant also highlighted the countrys significant achievements in ensuring the freedom of speech and press, implementing transnational energy, transport and communication projects.

Ali Hasanov provided an insight into Azerbaijans policy to strengthen cooperation with Arab states, especially Gulf countries.

Professor Hasanov said President Ilham Aliyev is one of the heads of the state who promotes humanitarian cooperation and multicultural values and who speaks against Islamophobia the most.

Azerbaijan has recently facilitated a visa regime with members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. This will certainly contribute to the development of our relations, he added.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 December 2016 12:57 (UTC+04:00)

BY Trend

Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Javad Jahangirzadeh met with Azerbaijani Defense Industry Minister Yavar Jamalov, ILNA news agency reported December 9.

During the meeting the parties expressed satisfaction with the development of cooperation in the area of defense and insisted on continuing the trend.

The two sides also discussed the development of cooperation in the field of defense technology and increase of mutual visits of military officials.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 December 2016 10:55 (UTC+04:00)

Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 43 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry Dec. 10.

Armenian army was using mortars and large-caliber machine guns.

The Azerbaijani army positions located on nameless heights of the Gazakh, Tovuz and Gadabay districts of Azerbaijan underwent fire from the Armenian army positions located in the Paravakar village of the Ijevan district, as well as on nameless heights of Berd and Krasnoselsk districts of Armenia.

Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani army positions were shelled from the Armenian positions located near the Armenian-occupied Goyarkh, Chilaburt villages of the Tartar district, Shuraabad, Sarijali, Javahirli villages of the Aghdam district, Kuropatkino village of the Khojavand district, Horadiz village of the Fuzuli district, as well as from the positions located on nameless heights of the Goranboy, Tartar, Khojavand and Fuzuli 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.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 December 2016 16:30 (UTC+04:00)

The 4th GUAM-Japan ministerial meeting took place on the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg on Dec. 8, GUAM Secretariat told Trend Dec. 10.

The GUAM side was represented by Elmar Mammadyarov, foreign minister of Azerbaijan (GUAM Chairmanship), Mikheil Janelidze, foreign minister of Georgia, Andrei Galbur, deputy prime minister, minister of foreign affairs and European integration of Moldova, Pavlo Klimkin, foreign minister of Ukraine and Altai Efendiev, GUAM secretary general.

The Japanese side was represented by Nobuo Kishi, state minister for foreign affairs of Japan.

The sides reiterated that they consider the maintenance of peace, security, stability and cooperation in each region as an important element of collective efforts to create a common space of indivisible security for all states without exceptions or distinctions.

The sides agreed to continue dialogue at the appropriate forums and recalled their obligations to respect the universally recognized norms and principles of international law, including those enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, in particular the principles of respect to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of the states.

The sides emphasized that the GUAM-Japan Cooperation Program signed during the 3rd GUAM-Japan ministerial meeting (Dec. 3, 2015, Belgrade) provides a solid basis for widening and deepening cooperation between GUAM and Japan.

The sides underlined the necessity of elaborating and implementing projects and programs of cooperation on the basis of the GUAM-Japan Cooperation Program in the spheres of trade and investments, energy, emergency situations, tourism, transport, culture, agriculture, medical care and environment.

The GUAM ministers expressed their gratitude to the Japanese side for its commitment to cooperation with GUAM and, in particular, for the excellent organization of the workshop Environment  Waste Management for the experts from GUAM member states (Feb. 21-29, 2016, Japan) and welcomed the initiative to organize the next workshop on Tourism (January, 2017, Japan).

The sides emphasized the added value of enhanced GUAM-Japan interaction, aimed at ensuring peace, security and stability in each region.

The sides reconfirmed the interest and readiness to maintain high-level dialogue, including both on GUAM-Japan cooperation and a wide range of regional and global issues.

The time and venue of the next GUAM-Japan meeting will be agreed through diplomatic channels.

The GUAM format was created by the post-Soviet states in 1997 during the summit of heads of states of the EU in Strasbourg. In 1999, Uzbekistan joined the format and four years later withdrew. In 2006, Ukraine and Azerbaijan announced plans to further increase the GUAM member relations and established its headquarters in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.

Azerbaijan assumed the chairmanship in GUAM on January 1, 2016.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 December 2016 18:30 (UTC+04:00)

The opening ceremony of the 10th high-level meeting co-organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center and Madrid Clud has kicked off in Gabala. The event is organized in partnership with the State Committee for Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan.

In his remarks, chairman of the State Committee for Work with Diaspora Nazim Ibrahimov highlighted the activities of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, Azertac reported.

The Committee chairman thanked the Founding Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandria in Egypt, co-chair of Nizami Ganjavi International Center Ismail Serageldin for his contributions to promoting the heritage of great Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi.

The event then featured the screening of a video on the 875th anniversary of the Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi.

Former Latvian President, co-chair of Nizami Ganjavi International Center Vaira Vike-Freiberga highlighted the issues to be discussed at the panel sessions of the event. She underlined the issues of tolerance among the nations, as well as the ongoing political developments across the world.

Speaking about the consequences of violent extremism, former Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok said that the victims of terrorism are mostly women and children.

In his remarks, Serbia's former President Boris Tadic highlighted the changes in global politics in line with the technological developments and the current state of democracy.

Founding Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandria, co-chair of Nizami Ganjavi International Center Ismail Serageldin noted that the geography of terrorism has expanded across the world.

The two-day event brought together former heads of state and government from 20 countries, as well as nearly 50 acclaimed politicians, public figures, experts and scientists.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 December 2016 13:30 (UTC+04:00)

BY Trend

Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters have edged even closer to Syria's al-Bab with the support of the Turkish Armed Forces, Foreign Minister Mevlut Chavushoglu said on Friday, Daily Sabah reported.

"We have sent a team of our experts and a U.S. troop to Manbij. We will continue all operations until we are sure that the YPG has withdrawn to the east of the Euphrates River," he said.

On Aug. 24 morning, the Turkish Air Force, with the support of the coalition aircraft, launched an operation to liberate the city of Jarabulus from the IS militants in northern Syria, near Aleppo.

The operation was dubbed the Shield of the Euphrates. Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives.

Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The IS, YPG and PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The Associated Press reports:

Kentuckys Republican governor says he will not use the states new GOP majority to push through a bill restricting transgender bathroom use. Matt Bevin held a news conference Friday to discuss his first year in office and look ahead to the 2017 legislative session, where Republicans will hold super majorities in both chambers for the first time. Bevin earlier this year joined a lawsuit challenging the federal governments directive that public schools allow students to use the bathroom of their gender identity. But Friday, Bevin said Kentucky has no need to pass a law restricting transgender bathroom use because it is not an issue here. A North Carolina law has prompted condemnation from business leaders and was one of many factors contributing to Republican Gov. Pat McCrorys narrow re-election loss.

Meanwhile Kentuckys S.B. 180, which creates protected rights and protected activities  in short, nobody has to serve anybody else if it violates their conscience to do so, is being looked at for the 2017 session.

Protected activities specifically refers to actions conducted by professionals who provide customized, artistic, expressive, creative, ministerial, or spiritual goods or services, which is specifically designed to address wedding vendors and others who might be disposed to refuse service because of a customers sexuality. The protected rights means that the government can not in any way impede on those activities if it violates the persons right of conscience or other First Amendment protections.

Sponsor Sen. Albert Robinson (R) claimed the bill was necessary because gay people are trying to force their beliefs down the throats of those who oppose marriage equality. To try to make the case that his legislation wasnt just designed to discriminate against LGBT people, he also claimed it was necessary to protect a Jewish baker from making a cake with a swastika for Nazis. Not only has there never been such a conflict, but being a Nazi is not a protected class under any Kentucky law, so a Jewish baker could already refuse to produce such a hateful symbol.

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Albert Moreno III has be chosen as USF St. Petersburg's Outstanding Graduate. However, Moreno said this is an achievement he has a hard time grasping.

30-year-old student chosen as USF St. Petersburg's Outstanding Graduate

Albert Moreno III graduated college after stuggling with depression and time in prison

Moreno said his troubles helped turn his life around

"I have mixed emotions about being selected," Moreno said.

Moreno's family, however, has no doubt as to why USF St. Pete though the college student stood out.

"My brother's come a long way," said Moreno's brother, Derek.

Moreno, 30, has overcome many struggles to get his cap and gown.

Before attending USF St. Petersburg, Moreno enrolled in the Army. The solider was injured and discharged while training in the infantry.

Moreno never went to war, but the rest of his squad did. They died in a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2007 and it left Moreno feeling incredibly guilty.

I let myself get incredibly low to where I was playing Russian Roulette, I was cutting my throat, Moreno said. I just didnt want to be here. My friends, my roommates, they were dead and I didnt think I should be alive.

Moreno said that guilt led him to even more poor decisions.

He spent four years in prison after pleading guilty to child abuse. The sentence stemmed from a relationship he had with a teenage girl.

Moreno said he regrets that time in his life, but the troubles helped turn his life around.

Honestly, going to prison saved my life, Moreno said. It wasnt fun, but it saved my life. It gave me a new sense of direction and purpose.

Moreno went on to enroll in college and put his head in the books. He was even elected Senator in student government at USF St. Petersburg.

Moreno also works with the Military Veterans Success Center on campus. He is helping them create a mentoring program for student veterans.

If I had something like that, maybe things would have been different, Moreno said.

Although Moreno still battles the demons of his past, he looks forward to his future as a father and an outstanding graduate.

His message to others is, Life is as good as you want it to be.
The Duchess of Cambridge posed with husband, Prince William and royal in-laws at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, Dec. 8, wearing an exceptionally special accessory.

Kate Middleton wore her late mother-in-law's favorite tiara, the Cambridge Lover's Knot. The tiara is now a century old and once belonged to Queen Elizabeth's grandmother, Queen Mary, according to People,
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Aasha and Smuggler are such a cute couple it would seem they've bonded over rescue stories.

The two Bengal tigers met at In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center in Wylie, about 30 miles northwest of Dallas.

Smuggler arrived first in March 2010, discovered by border patrol agents in Laredo who broke up an attempt to sneak him into the country in a dog crate. The crate was so small he couldn't turn around and he already had a permanent mark on his head, probably from trying to escape the crate, according to In-Sync Exotics.

Wildlife: Coyotes playing through on Royal Oaks Country Club golf course

Aasha arrived a year later, a 4-month-old cub covered with ringworm and nearly bald. She had been removed from her owner by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, whose agents told In-Sync "we had the best reputation in helping cats with the biggest problems."

Healing her skin problems took a month of daily baths with medicated shampoo and lots of pampering. Judging by her photos, Aasha has blossomed.

After she was introduced to Smuggler, the two quickly developed a bond and have been mates for four years.

Founded in 1998 by veterinary technician Vicky Keahey, the organization now has dozens of lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, cheetahs, bobcats, lynx, servals, ocelot, as well as two lemurs and a coatamundi.

It offers various educational programs, including an internship, and service projects.
The Transamerica Center for Health Studies found employers are optimistic about providing benefits packages to employees.

Here are 10 key trends from the report:

1. Midsize employers offering health benefits to part-time employees doubled from 13 percent in 2013 to 26 percent in 2016.

2. More than half  57 percent  of employers expect wages to grow next year; 65 percent expect profitability to grow next year.

3. Eight-two percent of employers said their workplace wellness programs positively impact workers' health; another 80 percent said they impact overall performance and productivity.

4. Seventy-two percent of the employers said their workplace wellness programs positively impacted healthcare costs.

5. Eighty percent of employers said their companies are worried about healthcare insurance affordability and 78 percent said they have concerns with healthcare expense. Employees were less concerned, however, with just over half expressing any concern.

6. Eighty-four percent of employers feel health benefits are an important part of attracting and retaining employees; 88 percent said they thought health benefits were an important aspect of overall job satisfaction.

7. Nineteen percent of employers plan to change their health insurance plan options in the next one or two years.

8. Twenty-eight percent of employers implemented a wellness program for employees in the last 12 months.

9. Around 54 percent of small businesses reported awareness of the Small Business Health Options Program and 30 percent know how to access SHOP coverage for their employees.

10. More employers reported viewing the ACA positively  36 percent  than negatively  21 percent. Another 42 percent reported neutral feelings about it.
The following hospital and health system rating and outlook changes and affirmations took place in the last two weeks, starting with the most recent.

1. Fitch affirms Reading Hospital's 'A+' rating

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "A+" rating on Reading (Pa.) Hospital's bonds.

2. Moody's affirms Excela Health's 'A3' rating

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the underlying "A3" rating on Greensburg, Pa.-based Excela Health's $75.9 million of outstanding revenue bonds.

3. Moody's assigns 'A2' rating to University of Maryland Medical System's bonds

Moody's Investors Service assigned an "A2" rating to Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical System's proposed $159.6 million of series 2017B bonds and $122.6 million of series 2017C bonds.

4. Moody's affirms Shands Jacksonville Medical Center's 'Baa3' rating

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the "Baa3" rating on Shands Jacksonville (Fla.) Medical Center's $202 million of outstanding revenue bonds.

5. Moody's affirms Genesis Health System's 'A1' rating

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the "A1" rating on Davenport, Iowa-based Genesis Health System's $174 million of rated revenue bonds.

6. Fitch affirms HonorHealth's 'A' rating

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "A" rating on Scottsdale, Ariz.-based HonorHealth's outstanding debt.

7. Fitch affirms Bon Secours Health System's 'A' rating

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "A" rating on Marriottsville, Md.-based Bon Secours Health System's $713 million of outstanding bonds.

8. Moody's affirms Cullman Regional Medical Center's 'Ba1' rating

Moody's Investors Service affirmed Cullman (Ala.) Regional Medical Center's "Ba1" rating, affecting $61 million of outstanding rated revenue bonds.

9. Fitch affirms Concord Hospital's 'A+' rating

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "A+" rating on Concord (N.H.) Hospital's $45.5 million of series 2013A bonds and $33.7 million of series 2011A bonds.

10. Fitch revises University of Maryland Medical System's outlook to negative

Fitch Ratings revised Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical System's outlook to negative from stable.
The following health IT vendor contracts and go-lives were reported within the past week.

1. The telemedicine platform TouchCare partnered with Carolina Partners in Mental HealthCare, a statewide network of mental health clinics based in Durham, N.C.

2. Health IT vendor athenahealth joined forces with ADP, an HR management company, to offer cloud-based payroll and time and attendance services to small hospitals.

3. The global investment firm KKR and cybersecurity solution provider Optiv Security signed a definitive agreement for KKR to acquire a majority stake in Optiv.

4. Chicago-based Rush Health, a clinically integrated network of physicians and hospitals, implemented Cambridge, Mass.-based InterSystems' HealthShare interoperability platform for enhanced care coordination.

5. The global education services division of GE Healthcare and the telehealth service provider InTouch Health partnered on a remote technical and product training program.

6. Healthcare IT provider M*Modal launched a computer-assisted coding solution that incorporates natural language understanding and can be integrated with the Epic EHR system.

7. Forty companies have begun using the beta version of Watson for Cybersecurity.

8. Health IT vendor Allscripts acquired Core Medical Solutions, an Adelaide, South Australia-based health IT software company.

9. Fitbit plans to acquire smartwatch developer Pebble.

10. Beaufort (S.C.) Memorial Hospital selected CPeople, a Lewisville, Texas-based healthcare IT consulting company, to implement the inpatient and web ambulatory settings for its Meditech 6.15 EHR.
The National Institutes of Health has tapped Major General James K. Gilman, MD, U.S. Army (Retired), to lead the NIH Clinical Center. Dr. Gilman is expected to assume the post in January 2017.

In his role as CEO, Dr. Gilman will oversee the daily operations of the largest hospital dedicated to clinical research in the country. Dr. Gilman spent more than three decades in the U.S. Army, leading several Army hospitals along the way, including the Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam in Houston, Walter Reed Health Care System in Washington and Bassett Army Community Hospital in Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Dr. Gilman will replace John Gallin, MD, who will assume a new role with the NIH as associate director for clinical research and chief scientific officer.

"Dr. Gilman is a cardiologist and highly decorated leader with rich experience in commanding the operations of numerous hospital systems," said Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, the director of the NIH. "His medical expertise and military leadership will serve the NIH Clinical Center well as it continues to strive for world-class patient care and research excellence."

More articles on executive moves:

UMC New Orleans appoints new VP of clinical research: 4 things to know

25 latest hospital, health system executive moves

Colleton Medical Center CEO Brad Griffin to leave: 4 things to know
The Empathy Business ranked the top 170 most empathetic companies in the world using its 2016 Global Empathy Index.

The Empathy Business measured empathy with the company's ethics, leadership, internal culture and brand perception as well as public messaging in social media. They analyzed more than 2 million tweets when forming the list as well as information from S&P Capital IQ and Glassdoor.

The top five most empathetic companies were Facebook, Alphabet, LinkedIn, Netflix and Unilever. There were seven pharmaceutical and biotech companies on the list:

1. Johnson & Johnson (No. 9 overall)

2. Novartis (No. 11 overall)

3. Pfizer (No. 56 overall)

4. GlaxoSmithKline (No. 82 overall)

5. AstraZeneca (No. 87)

6. Merck (No. 127)

7. Sun Pharma (No. 169)

Technology companies listed included IBM and Oracle also ranked on the list, at No. 131 and No. 137.
Heroin overdose deaths narrowly surpassed gun homicides as the more prolific killer last year, according to new CDC data relayed by The Washington Post. Nearly 13,000 people died from heroin overdoses in 2015, marking a 2,000-case increase from the year prior.

The uptick in heroin-related deaths contributed to the growing overall number of opioid-related deaths. For the first time, in 2015, deaths related to opioids surpassed 30,000. In conjunction with a sharp rise in heroin deaths, deaths related to powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl  which is 50 times more potent than morphine  increased by 75 percent from 2014 to 2015.

"The epidemic of deaths involving opioids continues to worsen," said CDC director Tom Frieden, MD, in a statement, according to the Post. "Prescription opioid misuse and use of heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl are intertwined and deeply troubling problems."

In the CDC's opioid overdose data, deaths may involve more than one substance, meaning the number of deaths pertaining to heroin and fentanyl are not mutually exclusive. Recently, fentanyl-laced heroin has contributed to a rash of overdose deaths across the nation.

In an emailed statement, Patrice A. Harris, MD, chair of the American Medical Association's Board of Trustees, responded to the CDC's new findings.

"The AMA agrees that physicians should limit prescriptions for opioid analgesics to the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible duration," said Dr. Harris. "The new data underscores our concern, however, that overly restrictive public policies that focus only on prescription opioid supply may lead some patients to turn to dangerous alternatives or street drugs. The sharp rise in heroin and illicit fentanyl deaths should give policymakers an urgent call to action that this epidemic requires a comprehensive, public health approach based on proven evidence."

Many experts say the criminalization to off-label drug use is hindering the nation's ability to address the growing opioid overdose epidemic, suggesting public policy on the matter may need to be revised.

"Criminalization drives people to the margins and dissuades them from getting help," Grant Smith, deputy director of national affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, told the Post. "It drives a wedge between people who need help and the services they need. Because of criminalization and stigma, people hide their addictions from others."

In September, Chuck Rosenberg, head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, said incarcerating drug addicts would not result in a reduction in opioid-related deaths.

More articles on population health:

Norton Children's names McDonald's replacement

US life expectancy declines for first time since 1993: 5 key takeaways

Big health systems increasingly pursuing community health initiatives
The Chinese government's National Development and Reform Commission fined Medtronic 118.5 million yuan ($17 million) for allegedly setting a minimum price on its medical devices and barring dealers and distributors from discounting them to patients, reports The Wall Street Journal.

This is the first time the NDRC has fined a device maker, according to the report.

The China Economic Herald  the official publication of the NDRC  said Medtronic is just the "tip of the iceberg," claiming the regulatory body is monitoring 100 other drug companies and device makers.

According to WSJ, a Medtronic spokesperson said the company accepted the decision and plans to pay the fine.

More articles on supply chain:

Survey: 48% of U.S. manufacturers list unqualified workers as largest barrier to growth

Opinion: Why supply chain execs must take the lead in stopping climate change

Express Scripts stock tumbles 9% after short-seller's 'take-down' tweet
A new study published in Spine examines how frailty impacts complications and mortality after adult spinal deformity.

The researchers gathered data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for adult spinal deformity surgeries. There were 1,001 patients identified for inclusion in the study. The patients had an average modified Frailty Index score of 0.09.

The researchers found:

1. The higher mFI scores were associated with higher mortality rates. These patients were also more likely to have higher complication and reoperation rates.

2. The researchers found 0.09 and 0.18 mFI were independent predictors of complications and mortality that required:

 Blood transfusion

 Pulmonary embolism/deep vein thrombosis

 Reoperation

3. The mFI was a superior predictor of postoperative complications and reoperation when compared with age, specifically patients older than 60 years.

4. Frailty was an independent predictor of the complications, mortality and reoperation for the adult spinal deformity patients, the researchers found.

5. The researchers concluded, "Preoperative assessment of the mFI in this patient population can be utilized to improve current risk models."
AA Gill was an award-winning journalist and restaurant critic who was fearless in voicing his opinions on anything from the Welsh to TV chef Gordon Ramsay.

His repertoire spread far beyond the reviews of restaurants as he charmed and caused controversy in equal measure.

At various times during his writing career he offended large swathes of the population including the Manx, Clare Balding, historian Mary Beard, animal-lovers, and former politician and talkshow host Robert Kilroy-Silk who, Gill claimed, once punched and gave him a dead leg over comments in his TV column.

He was born Adrian Anthony Gill on June 28 1954 in Edinburgh to English parents, television producer Michael Gill and actress Yvonne Gilan.

Growing up under Winston Churchill's second premiership, Gill later has stated how the war "hung like the smell of damp, grim nostalgia over everything" in his childhood.

After his parents moved back south when he was still a toddler, Gill was educated at the independent St Christopher School in Letchworth, Hertfordshire before moving to London to study at Central Saint Martins.

As he tried his hand as an artist, Gill turned to alcohol and drugs during his 20s. He was warned aged 30 by a doctor that his damaged liver meant he probably would not see another Christmas.

During the tumultuous period, he had married his first wife - author Cressida Connolly - before cutting out the drink and drugs and launching his writing career with "art reviews for little magazines".

After splitting with Connolly, he was married to Amber Rudd - now the Home Secretary - for five years and had the first two of his of four children, Flora and Alasdair.

In 1991 he seized upon the first piece of advice any writer receives - write what you know - with his first big article for lifestyle magazine Tatler.

The piece, on alcoholism, was lauded by then-Tatler editor Jane Procter who called it "brutally honest".

Two years later he moved to the Sunday Times where he emerged as one of their finest talents despite giving his editor some hairy moments.

Gill left Rudd in 1995 for his partner of nearly a quarter of a century - Tatler editor-at-large Nicola Formby.

The pair welcomed twins in 2007 and, announcing his "full English" of cancers in his Sunday column last month, he revealed he had successfully proposed to her.

Since 1998 his younger brother, Nick, a Michelin-starred chef, has been missing. Gill issued repeated pleas for help in finding him and admitted that every time he visits a new city "I search the streets for him."

As a dyslexic, Gill would dictate his copy to Sunday Times editors, who, he said, were constantly advising him to tone things down.

In 2010 the newspaper revealed he had attracted 62 complaints from the Press Complaints Commission in five years and during the 1990s a dossier of his articles was presented to Swansea police by a coalition of citizens after he labelled the Welsh "ugly, pugnacious little trolls".

True to fashion, Gill hit back at his accusers saying "The Welsh don't need me to make them look fools when they have got people like this among their ranks. I shall sleep easy tonight."

He dismissed Gordon Ramsay - who had thrown him out of one of his restaurants - as "a wonderful chef, just a really second-rate human being".

And in 2009 he caused uproar with animal-lovers after recounting in a Sunday Times column, how he shot a baboon from 250 yards while hunting in "a truck full of guns and other blokes" in Tanzania.

Reflecting on turning 60 in 2014, Gill wrote that he was dictating articles to "clever overeducated colleagues who are much, much younger" and who "constantly and consistently don't get references to things that to me seemed to have happened only a couple of months ago."

In the same article he reflected on his fellow "baby-boomers", writing that they were the generation "relentlessly for civil rights, human rights, gay rights, disability rights, equality, fairness.

He added: "We were implacably against racism and censorship. We defended freedom of speech, religion and expression. We will leave the world better fed and better off than when we arrived in it.

"Britain is a far happier, richer and fairer place than it was 60 years ago. And if you think that's wishful self-promotion, you have no idea how grim and threadbare Britain in the Fifties was. You weren't there, you don't remember."

As he reached the end of his 62nd year, Gill revealed his illness to readers. He leaves long-term partner Formby and four children.
Louis Tomlinson will perform on The X Factor, as per his mother's wishes

Finland's Saara Aalto has taken a step closer to becoming the first ever non-UK winner of the X Factor.

Aalto, from Helsinki, performed Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears For Fears tonight, as well as a Queen medley with Adam Lambert, to win her place in the second leg of the final tomorrow night.

She is now the bookies' favourite to win and will be up against Bromley waiter Matt Terry, who sang Jess Glynne's Take Me Home and teamed up with his mentor Nicole Scherzinger for a rendition of Prince hit Purple Rain.

Knocked out of the competition tonight were group 5 After Midnight, who had performed Beyonce's Crazy In Love and were joined on stage by Clean Bandit and last year's X Factor winner Louisa Johnson to sing Tears.

Louis Tomlinson's mum Johannah Deakin has passed away after a brave battle with leukaemia. #RIPJohannah pic.twitter.com/Yn2tW0EJN8  MTV UK (@MTVUK) December 9, 2016

After a video showed huge crowds turning out to watch Aalto perform in her home city earlier in the week, judge Simon Cowell said: "I've never seen anything like that on X Factor before. I want to go to Finland."

The programme took an emotional turn when One Direction star Louis Tomlinson appeared as a solo artist just days after the death of his mother.

Johannah Deakin died on Wednesday at the age of 43, after a battle with leukaemia.

As he came to the end of his performance of Just Hold On featuring DJ Steve Aoki, Tomlinson looked down at the floor with all four judges giving him a standing ovation.

Cowell, who manages One Direction, said: " I have to say something to you, I've known you now for six years.

"What you've just done, the bravery you've shown, I respect you as an artist, I respect you as a person.

"Your mum was so proud of you, she was so looking forward to tonight and she's looking down on you now. Steve you're a great friend to him."

Tomlinson blew a kiss up to the ceiling as he listened to Cowell's comments.

Earlier in the day, Tomlinson, 24, wrote on Twitter: "All the support has been incredible! Let's do this together tonight ."

Previous contestants from this year's series returned to the stage tonight for a group performance at the start of the show and controversial rapper Honey G stayed on after the final three had finished to showcase her upcoming single.

Adding in an excerpt of the track at the end of a medley of rap hits, she said: "My single The Honey G Show is out on December 23 and that was a sneak preview of my upcoming single in that medley.

"Honey G's taking over, it's the Honey G time."

:: The X Factor concludes its live final from Wembley Arena tomorrow at 8pm on ITV.
It is no surprise that some people are objecting already to a possible Papal Visit to Armagh in August 2018. Despite the warm welcome expressed across the denominational and political spectrum, you can always be sure that in Northern Ireland there are those who will totally oppose such a visit .

A good example was a letter to this newspaper from the Reverend John Gray of the Free Presbyterian Church in Enniskillen.

He stated: "The main reason why we don't need Pope Francis in Ulster is because of the claims of the Papacy, which are unscriptural and blasphemous."

He added: "I am not surprised that the main so-called 'Protestant' churches in Ireland have welcomed this proposed visit.

"For years now the Church of Ireland, the Irish Presbyterian Church and the Methodist Church have been courting the Church of Rome, treating her as a Christian Church.

"It is sad that they have forgotten what their forefathers believed and - more importantly - what the Bible teaches."

The Reverend Gray is entitled to his opinion, though I am not sure that he speaks for anyone else in an official capacity.

Neither do I believe that the main Churches here have been "courting the Church of Rome". On the contrary, anyone who studies the Reformed Churches will know that they keep strictly to their teachings.

Some people may ask why the single voice of a Free Presbyterian minister should be given the oxygen of publicity, but I believe that Mr Gray's views represent those of other objectors to the Pope's visit.

The authorities here must be prepared for any possible demonstrations at Armagh, but the majority of people want the Pope's visit to go off peacefully, without the nonsense that characterized so much of the late Reverend Dr Paisley's earlier ministry, and well into his old age.

People forget that Paisley led a demonstration outside Church House in Belfast when the former Moderator the Reverend Dr Ken Newell invited the then Roman Catholic Primate Cardinal Sean Brady as his personal guest at the opening night of the Presbyterian General Assembly.

Ian Paisley also took part in protests against the visit of Pope Benedict to the United Kingdom. This may also be overlooked by those who conveniently wish to forget the dark side of Ian Paisley, as well as his better points.

One would like to think that in today's society such bigotry and division would be fading away, but not so. There continues to be deep divisions over religion in Northern Ireland, and in many other parts of the world.

What fascinates and also saddens me is the way in which people of a particular faith, or faith interpretation, are so intolerant of others. In the Middle East the savage struggles between Shia and Sunni Muslim continues to destabilize the region, and militant Islam is still intent on killing Christians who do not convert, as it has been for centuries.

Nearer to home, groups like the Free Presbyterian Church, and smaller evangelical sects, have been stridently been opposing ecumenism for years.

I believe that the term "Free" Presbyterian Church is a mis-nomer. The so-called "Free" Presbyterians demand strict adherence to their own particular view of Bible teaching. That seems to me to be rather "unfree".

In some ways they are not alone. In my years as Religion Correspondent for this newspaper I have noticed that all the worshipping groups believe, at heart, that they are right - though thankfully many, though not all, are tolerant of others.

In a democratic society, the Free Presbyterians and others have every right to express their opposition to the Pope's visit, provided they do so in a lawful fashion.

However I also believe that if people are secure in their faith, they don't need to protest about the beliefs of others. Accordingly, any protests about the Pope's visit are not a sign of strength, but rather one of weakness and of a theologically closed mind.
Calls are growing for funding to be stopped to east Belfast community group Charter NI after a senior PSNI officer linked some of its members to recent paramilitary activity.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Martin sparked a storm yesterday morning when he said he believes individuals involved with Charter NI were connected with the outlawed UDA and had engaged in recent illegal activity.

Opposition parties have urged First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness to suspend funding to Charter NI, and launch an investigation into the allegations.

UUP Mike Nesbitt said the police analysis "has to be the tipping point".

"The Assistant Chief Constable couldn't be any clearer with his assessment and the penny seems to have finally dropped with the Executive," he said.

SDLP MLA Nichola Mallon added: "The First Minister and deputy First Minister must show responsibility and provide an urgent and comprehensive response to this security assessment".

Charter NI, a charity whose chief executive is convicted armed robber Dee Stitt, is overseeing the delivery of a 1.7m employment scheme in east Belfast as part of the Stormont Executive's 80m Social Investment Fund (SIF).

Mr Stitt, who denies being a UDA chief, has faced down repeated calls for his resignation in the wake of a newspaper interview in which he launched a foul-mouthed tirade against the Government and claimed his flute band, the North Down Defenders, provided "homeland security".

The Executive Office described Mr Martin's remarks as "not insignificant" and said there would be no acceptance of illegal actions.

A spokesman also said they were seeking further clarity from the police.

"Where there is evidence of criminal activity, we expect the police to investigate and bring those responsible before the courts... there can be no acceptance of, or ambivalence towards, illegal activity", a statement said.
'The pair appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court jointly charged with the attempted importation of Class B drugs, possession with intent to supply and conspiracy to supply'

Two men were remanded into custody in Belfast yesterday on charges linked to a bid to import nearly half a million pounds worth of cannabis.

Chinese nationals Xiong Bing He (30), and Xia Shu Cheng (32), were arrested in Portadown and Ballymena as part of the investigation into the seizure of two packages from Portugal last month.

The pair appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court jointly charged with the attempted importation of Class B drugs, possession with intent to supply and conspiracy to supply.

He, of Tandragee Road in Portadown, is further accused of having a fake Portuguese passport.

The alleged offences were committed on dates between November 14 and December 8 this year.

An investigating detective confirmed he could connect both men to the charges.

Neither He nor Cheng, of no fixed address, made applications for bail.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall remanded them both in custody to appear again by video-link on January 6.

The charges against them relate to a probe into a suspected plot to import large amounts of herbal cannabis and cannabis resin.

Police searched houses in Ballymena and Portadown on Thursday in a follow-up to Border Force officers intercepting two parcels from Portugal on November 14.

The PSNI said the investigation has led to the recovery of around 450,000 worth of class B drugs.
Jim Creaney, father of Owen Creaney outside court yesterday after Stephen Hughes and Shaunean Boyle were sentenced for murdering his son and dumping his body in a bin

The father of a disabled man subjected to a "savage and merciless attack" before being dumped in a wheelie bin has told of his family's heartbreak.

Stephen Hughes and Shaunean Boyle were yesterday jailed for a combined 29 years for the murder of Owen Creaney in July 2014.

Mr Creaney, from Lurgan, died two days after being brutally beaten. His father Jim said his son "thought he was with his friends, but these people turned out to be his killers".

He was speaking after Hughes and Boyle were told they will spend 29 years in prison between them before being considered for parole.

They were found guilty by a jury of murdering Mr Creaney following a five-week trial earlier this year.

They were handed life sentences by Mr Justice Treacy.

Yesterday Hughes (30) was told he will serve a minimum of 15 years before being considered eligible for release. Boyle (25) was handed a minimum 14-year term.

Hughes showed no emotion as sentence was passed. Boyle wept.

The judge told them the sentences would not be subject to remission, and they will both serve the full minimum terms before they can apply to the Parole Commission for release.

Branding the attack on Mr Creaney as "savage and merciless", the judge spoke of the devastating impact the murder has had on the victim's family.

The pair were branded "cowardly bullies" by Mr Creaney's mother Teresa, who said her heart had been ripped apart by the loss of "our wee Owen" and the circumstances in which he died.

Later, speaking outside Laganside Court, Jim Creaney said: "The loss of such a wonderful son has left us heartbroken.

"Owen wouldn't hurt anyone. Owen was a kind soul and didn't deserve what happened to him.

"Owen will be sadly missed by his immediate family. He is in our thoughts every day. We miss him very much.

"We would like to thank the police, the Public Prosecution Service and everyone involved in this case for all their help.

"We would also like to thank our relations and friends for all their kind words and prayers. They are all very much appreciated."

Mr Creaney was brutally beaten in the hallway of Hughes's Moyraverty Court home in Craigavon in the early hours of July 3, 2014. Hughes and Boyle then carried their blood and urine-soaked victim upstairs where he was showered, dressed in fresh clothes and placed on a sofa in a bedroom.

He never regained consciousness, but lived for around two days before dying from his injuries. His body was then dumped in a green wheelie bin, with waste items placed on top of his remains.

During yesterday's sentencing Mr Justice Treacy said that due to the nature of his injuries and without medical attention, Mr Creaney "must have been in very considerable pain and suffering" prior to passing away.

He also spoke of the degradation he endured after being attacked while defenceless.

A victim impact statement made by Mrs Creaney said she will never get over her son's murder. She also said that Owen's twin sister Shirley "died of a broken heart" a year after her brother's killing.

She described as "horrendous" the five-week trial, where she heard about "the exact suffering" inflicted on her son. She recalled hearing "what they did to Owen, how they did it, and how he lay for two days without any form of medical attention before being callously thrown in to a wheelie bin, like a piece of rubbish. That was our son, who we loved. Our lives will never be the same again," she added.

Hughes, whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry, and co-accused Boyle, from Edenderry Park in Banbridge, both admitted being present when Mr Creaney was viciously attacked. However, both initially blamed each other for the violence.

Mr Creaney's injuries included 15 fractured ribs and a broken breastbone, as well as bleeding of and tearing to the brain.

The pair were due to be sentenced last week, but in a shock move Hughes's barrister said that despite his client having denied attacking Mr Creaney since July 2014, he was now admitting his guilt.

Barrister Peter Irvine said the last-minute confession should indicate remorse for what Hughes described as a "moment of madness" that resulted in his friend losing his life.

During the trial the jury heard from several witnesses who visited Hughes's home while Mr Creaney lay dying upstairs.

When one neighbour questioned the pair about the man lying in the bedroom, they were told he was a "wee alco" who was sleeping off a hangover. One friend who saw Mr Creaney told Boyle that he needed medical attention. She later informed a relative about what she had seen, who in turn contacted the PSNI.

When police arrived at Hughes's home they noticed all the windows were open. The walls under the stairs had been painted to cover Mr Creaney's spattered blood, while other areas had been bleached and cleaned.

When the pair were arrested it was Boyle who told police to "look in the bin", where Mr Creaney's remains were found.

Yesterday the court heard how the Creaney family was trying to come to terms with the murder.

Mrs Creaney said her son celebrated his 40th birthday just six days before he was killed.

Describing him in her statement as a "victim with no voice", she said "wee Owen... didn't have a bad bone in his body".

She still doesn't know why her son was killed, she said, adding that Hughes and Boyle had no right to act as "judge, jury and executioner".

She said her son was "kind, thoughtful and wouldn't hurt anyone... unlike his killers. Even when he was being attacked, he didn't fight back."

Describing her seven stone, disabled son as "easy prey" for Hughes and Boyle, Mrs Creaney said the lies told by the pair had added to the family's heartache.

She said: "I hope that every day they live with the consequences of their actions."

The Lurgan woman also revealed in her victim impact statement that after coming home every night from the trial, her heart was ripped apart at hearing details of how he died.
The alleged rapist of Louth man Paudie McGahon has been arrested by Spanish police on the back of an international arrest warrant, the Belfast Telegraph has learned.

The IRA figure, who comes from a well-known Belfast republican family known to Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams, was detained by detectives in Spain last Wednesday.

Sources confirmed that the suspected abuser was remanded in custody and has been refused bail.

It is understood the alleged abuser will now be subjected to extradition proceedings to secure his return to the Republic of Ireland.

The decision to arrest the individual, who fled Ireland over two years ago, was taken following a request from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Dublin.

The move represents a major breakthrough in the garda investigation into IRA sex abuse and the operation of its kangaroo courts.

It was also revealed yesterday that a separate individual, who holds an influential position within Sinn Fein, is also facing charges of perverting the course of justice after he allegedly organised a clandestine IRA kangaroo court to investigate the abuse allegations made against the IRA by Mr McGahon and another man.

The revelations have plunged Sinn Fein into its most serious crisis in years and heaped further pressure on party president Gerry Adams.

It is understood the alleged rapist is also suspected of raping a 12-year-old boy in Dublin.

He comes from a well-connected Belfast family, likened by sources to "republican royalty".

The man's brother is a convicted bomber, while another brother is a prominent Sinn Fein activist.

He is one of four people named in an internal and secret Sinn Fein document which suggests that there could be up to 100 IRA abusers - and which lists details about a Sinn Fein 'inquiry' into a litany of cases involving sexual and physical abuse.

Mr McGahon and another man were allegedly raped in his own bedroom in Louth in 1992. Ten years later and at the same location, they were subjected to a kangaroo court style interrogation.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast yesterday, Mr McGahon said his life is "up and down" since he went public, and said he continues to suffer vile abuse at the hands of Sinn Fein figures.

"It's hard. It's not easy. I had some tough times over the last 18 months. I shed enough tears.

"But as I said I grew a bigger backbone than I had," Mr McGahon said.

"I have people that I know are members of Sinn Fein and they're 100% behind me.

"But you have the vile ones who will hurl abuse at you."
Poet John Montague in his garden at home in Ballydehob, Co Cork (Tony Gavin)

John Montague, one of Ireland's much-loved contemporary poets, has died aged 87.

Mr Montague passed away in Nice in the south of France on Saturday morning.

Montague was born in Brooklyn in 1929. He grew up in Tyrone and, in later years, divided his time between Ireland, the US and France.

He was married three times and has two daughters, Oonagh and Sibyl.

His funeral will take place at Garvaghy, County Tyrone.

Just this November, the poet was presented with the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards. He was made Ireland's first Professor of Poetry in 1998.

He taught at University of California, Berkeley, UCD, University College Cork and the Sorbonne and served as distinguished Writer-in-Residence at the New York State Writers Institute.

His poetry included Forms of Exile (1958); Poisoned Lands(1961); A Chosen Light (1967); Tides (1970) and The Rough Field (1972). His novella, The Lost Notebook, won the first Hughes Award in 1987.

He also published three collections of stories: Death of a Chieftain (1964), An Occasion of Sin (1992) and A Love Present (1997).

He won the Marten Toonder Award in 1977, a Guggenheim fellowship in 1980, and the Ireland Funds Literary Award in 1995.

Irish president Michael D Higgins expressed condolences and paid tribute.

He said: "I have heard with sorrow of the passing of John Montague, one of our finest poets, and the first Ireland Professor of Poetry 1998, and just recently honoured at the Irish Book Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to literature.

"The death of John Montague represents another great loss to Irish letters, a further break with a rich body of work that was the gift of poets and dramatists, to Ulster, Ireland and the world.

"All of the themes of the last century are engaged in John Montagues work  separation, exile, memory, conflict, the making and teaching of poems in academic settings far and wide, and the challenge of their delivery, generously undertaken in a myriad of settlings.

"His work which includes magnificent love poems, and which indeed show a love of the world in all its curiosity, was immense.

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"John Montague produced a body of work that was recognised by his peers as of the finest kind  lines hewn out of experience as if granite, nothing avoided or evaded, and this writing went on to the end.

"Familiar with the literature of other languages, he was a careful translator and source of encouragement to others.

"His wry, self-deprecating company, his humour, his openness to opposite opinions, will be missed by all of us who were privileged to be his friends  and so many were.

"To his wife Elizabeth Wassell; his daughters Sibyl and Oonagh, and all those who loved him, Sabina and I send our deepest sympathy."

The Irish Arts Council expressed its regret at his passing.

Sheila Pratschke, chair of the Arts Council said: "A true giant of Irish letters, John Montague possessed a voice and vision which was wholly unique and deeply needed, at once intensely relevant and local, while also embracing and celebrating the cosmopolitan.

"His loss will be felt acutely but his work will continue to inspire both readers and writers for generations to come."

The Irish association of artists Aosdana said in a statement: "It is only now with his death that Ireland can truly appreciate the historic achievements of John Montague, a founder member of Aosdana.

"As a Northern Catholic from the complicated territory of Tyrone he spoke truth and peace to his Protestant neighbours; he was a significant Irish-American, with roots in New York; he was Yeatsian in the glory of his friends, like Samuel Beckett; he played an important part in the renaissance of Irish music, through Claddagh Records, which he established with Garech Browne; he played, along with Thomas Kinsella, a pioneering role in Irish publishing, through the Dolmen Press; he was an inspiring teacher of young writers, particularly in Cork; he was a notable critic, novelist, short story writer, and memoirist.

"But, above all, he was a poet. His poetry has, in the words of Aosdana member Thomas McCarthy, an expansive fluency and national grandeur a splendid, exceptional integrity: it ebbs and flows and shimmers like the tide. This is a tide that cannot go out. Ni bheidh a leitheid aris ann."
The counterfeiting operation, based in the defendant's garage in Templepatrick, saw fake goods produced in China and sold to customers

A Co Antrim businessman who ran an international counterfeiting operation from his garage has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Michael White received a two-year suspended term for breaching trademark laws by selling car products bearing the Ford logo.

The 47-year-old, of Ballymartin Road, Templepatrick, pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court to five charges of selling goods without a registered trademark.

He also admitted one count of converting criminal property totalling 112,500 over a five-year period between January 2012 and January 2016.

The court heard the offences came to light when a consignment of the goods was seized at Belfast Docks in 2012.

The container contents included car mats and mud flaps bearing either the Ford 'ST' or Ford 'RS' logos, manufactured for White by a company in China.

Judge Elizabeth McCafferty was told that after the seizure the Ford company wrote to White telling him to "desist from selling these products". But the former Ballylumford Power Station engineer continued to sell the products without acquiring a licence from Ford.

When interviewed by police, he admitted the offences, saying he "did not consider there was anything wrong" with what he was doing.

The court was told White had declared all his income tax and VAT relating to the sale of the goods in his annual returns to HM Revenue and Customs. The total amount of gross profit before tax was estimated at around 40,000 over the five-year period of offending, with a net profit after tax of around 30,000.

Defence barrister Neil Moore spoke of how "candid" his client was during police interviews. He was a "hard-working man" who had no criminal record.

He added that White, a vintage Ford car enthusiast, saw a "niche in the market" when he realised the car maker did not make car mats or mud flaps with the 'RS' and 'ST' logos. His client took receipt of 112,500 between 2012 and 2016. "This is a significant expenditure but he also had to pay the manufacturers in China and the post and packaging costs," explained Mr Moore.

"He was making a profit of 6,000 per year from this small venture over a number of years.

"This is not a gentleman producing DVDs for Nutts Corner market," added the defence barrister. "He just saw a gap, a niche in the market for other enthusiasts."

Passing sentence yesterday, Judge McCafferty stated: "It is clear there was an element of sophistication involved in this offending."

She continued that such trademark breaches have the potential to "undermine the reputations of companies". However, she said in considering her sentence, she was giving White "maximum credit" for his guilty pleas, previous clear record, that he was a "hard-working man with a stable family life" and the "distress of these proceedings in acquiring a criminal record".

The judge added: "These are exceptional circumstances in which I can suspend the sentence of two years for a period of two years on counts one to five of selling goods without a registered trademark."

White received a concurrent 18-month sentence, suspended for two years, for converting 112,500 of criminal property.

The court granted a destruction order for the seized goods.

Afterwards, PSNI temporary Detective Superintendent Gary Reid said: "The market for car products linked to high value brands is substantial. Those who seek to subvert this market by making and selling counterfeit products are putting jobs at risk and reducing legitimate profits.

"They are also taking money out of the legitimate economy and its tax revenues which pay for public services."

Ford brand protection manager Jess Owens said: "Rigorous research and development is conducted by Ford to ensure that parts and accessories provide consumer satisfaction and safety."
Northern Ireland poet John Montague has died aged 87.

Montague's work included numerous collections of poetry and prose, including The Rough Field, published in 1972.

Ireland's first professor of poetry was born in New York in 1929, but moved to Garvaghey in County Tyrone aged four.

Irish President Michael D Higgins said: "The death of John Montague represents another great loss to Irish letters, a further break with a rich body of work that was the gift of poets and dramatists, to Ulster, Ireland and the world."

Montague died early on Saturday in Nice, France, after undergoing major intestinal surgery, reported the Irish Times.

His widow, American novelist Elizabeth Wassell, told the paper: "On Thursday night we were sitting so closely. We were both lonely when we were apart.

"I suggested to John that it was a second courtship for us. He smiled warmly."

Montague is survived by his wife and daughters Sibyl and Oonagh.
Pressure on Gerry Adams to provide Irish police with the name of an IRA man who may have information on the murder of Brian Stack has intensified.

Irish Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin said he believed Mr Adams was "committing crime" by refusing to hand over the name.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said "murder is murder" and anyone with information had an "obligation" to pass it on to the police

Mr Adams insists he doesn't know who killed prison officer Mr Stack more than 30 years ago.

He facilitated a 2013 meeting between Mr Stack's sons, Austin and Oliver, and an IRA member who looked into the killing.

He arranged to have them driven in a blacked-out van to meet the IRA member and Austin believes this man knows who killed his father.

Despite Mr Stack's demand that Mr Adams pass on his name to Garda, the Sinn Fein president last night reiterated that he had to protect his sources.

He told RTE this was "not to protect individuals involved" but to ensure when a "truth recovery process" was eventually set up, families could get "closure".

"I'm about the business of trying to make peace," he said.

Last night Mr Howlin said it was clear Mr Adams knew the identity of the IRA man who investigated Brian Stack's murder

"In possessing this information and refusing to reveal to police, I believe he is committing crime," he said.

Mr Noonan urged Mr Adams to give police the names of the van driver and IRA man from the 2013 meeting.

"Murder is murder", he said.

"Any person, whether they are a TD, or a councillor, or an ordinary citizen, has an obligation to give information to the Guards."

A Sinn Fein spokesman said Mr Adams had indicated that he would co-operate with Garda, but did not reply when asked if this included passing on the IRA man's name.

The spokesman said it was not an issue "politicians should be attempting to make political capital from".

Separately, a Dail committee is to examine whether Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell abused Dail privilege in naming Sinn Fein TDs Dessie Ellis and Martin Ferris as two of the individuals mentioned in an email sent by Mr Adams to the Garda Commissioner.

Mr Ellis and Mr Ferris both strenuously deny any involvement in Mr Stack's death.

Kerry TD Mr Ferris was the IRA commanding officer in Portlaoise during his time in prison for gunrunning.

In his authorised biography Mr Ferris is scathing about Mr Stack, and outlines the continual clashes between the authorities and IRA prisoners.

The Provisionals wanted their own command structure to control the prison. But the prison governor and his senior officers, led by Mr Stack, battled to maintain control.

"Stack was a particularly vindictive individual.

"He would never forget a previous incident, and if he took a dislike to a certain prisoner, he would wait until a suitable opportunity arose to punish the man in some way or other," Mr Ferris says in the book, which was published in 2005.
Andy McNab (left) was involved in several shootings during the Troubles

Andy McNab has said he believes "it is only a matter of time" before he is dragged into the so-called witch-hunt probe into Northern Ireland killings.

The 56-year-old SAS sergeant-turned-author was involved in the deaths of five IRA men during the 1970s and 1980s.

He said: "I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I get a letter telling me to come to some police interview, or turn up in court at such and such a time. I have zero to hide, because we did the right thing - we will not be victims here."

McNab, then aged 19, shot suspected terrorist Peadar McElvenna during a gunfight in 1979. The details of the other four killings remain classified as they were part of secret SAS operations.

McNab - real name Steven Mitchell - said he now fears the consequences the probe could have on future generations of soldiers. The Bravo Two Zero author told The Sun online: "Will it lead to a generation serving now who will be too frightened to take difficult decisions?

"It was a war. A really grubby and difficult war."

McNab's comments come after an investigation into 302 killings by soldiers was described as "a witch-hunt" by angry MPs and furious military chiefs.

It will mean as many as 850 UK veterans, many now aged in their 70s, being probed as potential murder or manslaughter suspects over actions they took decades ago.

The PSNI confirmed it was to "re-examine all military cases" to make sure the original investigations were properly carried out.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, head of the PSNI's Legacy and Justice Department, said the decision to launch reviews was first made after a report by the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in 2013 that raised concerns about previous military investigations. "There is no new probe into military cases," he said.

"Out of the 1,615 reviews of homicides completed by HET, 398 would be regarded as having military victims and none would be regarded as being attributed to the military," he said.

"Of the 942 HET cases still outstanding, which now sit with Legacy Investigation Branch, 139 would be regarded as having military victims and 238 would be regarded as being attributed to the military."
Nicola Sturgeon has come under fire from a senior cleric over her suggestion that women from Northern Ireland could access NHS abortions in Scotland.

Bishop John Keenan of Paisley described the Scottish First Minister's comments as "very disappointing".

"If the Irish choose to respect life, who are we to say we know better?" he told the Scottish Catholic Observer.

"Apart from anything else, it is surely only right to respect the democratic will of the Northern Irish people and the decision of the Northern Irish Assembly."

In Northern Ireland, unlike the rest of the UK, abortion is allowed only if a woman's life is at risk or there is a permanent or serious risk to her physical or mental health.

The Scottish First Minister weighed into the controversy last month.

During First Minister's Questions at Holyrood, Ms Sturgeon was asked by Green MSP Patrick Harvie: "Does the First Minister agree that the NHS in Scotland should be exploring what can be done to ensure that these women are able to access abortion in Scotland, if that's where they chose to travel to, without facing these kind of unacceptable financial barriers?"

Ms Sturgeon replied: "I am happy to explore that with the NHS. To explore both what the situation would be right now in terms of accessing safe and legal abortion for women from Northern Ireland within NHS Scotland, and whether there's any improvements that are able to be made.

"I believe, like Patrick Harvie, that women should have the right to choose within the limits that we currently set down in law, and I believe that right should be defended."

Her comments sparked a backlash from pro-lifers in Northern Ireland, where abortion is illegal except for cases where the woman's health is at risk.

Bernie Smyth, director of pro-life group Precious Life, described Mrs Sturgeon's comments as "outrageous". "She needs to butt her nose out of Northern Irish politics," she told the Belfast Telegraph at the time.

Following Bishop Keenan's remarks, a spokesman from the Scottish Catholic Church added: "In offering to fund abortions for women coming to Scotland, politicians ignore the reality that abortion damages women and destroys a human life.

"Women and girls in a crisis pregnancy need support. There is always a better solution than abortion. Our legislators should be defending the weakest and most vulnerable in society, not exposing them to death."

Last year more than 830 women travelled to England and Wales for a termination.

Northern Ireland women are not legally entitled to free NHS abortions in England following a High Court ruling in 2014, which is being challenged at the UK Supreme Court.
A high-profile Sinn Fein councillor and adviser to Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard is seriously ill in hospital with meningitis, the Belfast Telegraph has learned.

Naomi Bailie, who served as inaugural chair of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, went into hospital earlier this week after being diagnosed with the disease.

Fellow Sinn Fein councillor Willie Clarke confirmed last night that Ms Bailie had been admitted on Wednesday.

Mr Clarke said the local community had been shocked to learn of the Downpatrick councillor's illness.

"It's a very worrying time for everyone - her friends, colleagues and family circle," he said.

"There's been a huge outpouring of support and concern for her on social media.

"We're all very shocked and concerned for Naomi, and are hoping she will make a full and speedy recovery."

Ms Bailie, who comes from Ballygalget, recently gave birth to a son, Niadh.

Speaking on behalf of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, chair Gillian Fitzpatrick sent a message of support to councillor Bailie and her family.

"We are very sorry to hear about this terrible news of councillor Naomi Bailie's sudden illness," Ms Fitzpatrick said.

"The thoughts of all at the council are with Naomi, her family and friends.

"We sincerely hope she makes a full and speedy recovery."

Ms Bailie (30) graduated from the University of Ulster in politics and government studies, and holds an MA in Irish politics from Queen's University.

A former pupil of St Mary's High School, she is also a member of the Sinn Fein enterprise and investment steering group, and is a regional child protection officer for the party.

According to health charity Meningitis Now, many people still wrongly think that the disease only affects babies and young children.

However, meningitis can strike anyone regardless of health, gender or age.
Do Queen's University students really dress like Kim Kardashian? And does it even matter if they do?

After the Belfast institution sparked outrage for warning female students not to dress like the reality TV star on their graduation day, the Belfast Telegraph spoke to some to find out what they think of the dress code.

Among those attending their graduation ceremony yesterday afternoon, few had opted for the classic elegance of Grace Kelly - though several were wearing the kind of sky-high heels and short dresses favoured by Kardashian.

Most, it has to be said, were in plain but stylish dresses which ended at the knee or just above.

Maeve O'Neill (22), an economics and finance graduate from Newry, didn't think it was the university's place to dictate what students should wear.

"I thought it was a bit degrading to people," she said. "As university students, we should be able to wear whatever we want. Is it going to be about tattoos and piercings next? I think it was completely out of order."

Moreover, added Maeve, the advice to students was insulting to Kardashian.

"I'm not even a Kim Kardashian fan, but I thought it was degrading to her as well," she said.

"She's an incredibly successful woman and it doesn't matter what she wears either."

For Ruth Tweed (25), from Ballymoney, who studied inclusion in special needs education, the university's message had sexist overtones.

"I actually did a dissertation on gender in terms of stereotyping and conditioning, and the fact that we condition girls from a young age to dress a certain way so that it's socially acceptable," said Ruth. "It's interesting that there was no guideline for men - so there's an inequality in that. But there's also an inequality in the fact that we are dictating how women should dress at all."

She added: "I don't care how anybody dresses - it should be whatever you feel comfortable in. I certainly don't dress in a way to please anyone else, and I'm comfortable in what I'm wearing."

Rory Gueld (26), from Belfast, who studied for a Master's in violence, terrorism and security, also disagreed with the university's guidelines. "In fairness, they (students) have paid enough money for the tuition fees. If they want to wear what they want, then let them."

But Sarah Rodgers (23), from Portadown, who studied applied behaviour analysis, disagreed.

"I wouldn't dress like Kim Kardashian anyway," she said. "I've worked hard all year and I just want to look respectful."

Looking at images of Kardashian and Kelly, Amy Gilsenan (23), from Rostrevor, who did a Master's in clinical anatomy, said: "Both of these styles are at either end of the extreme, and I think probably a happy medium would be nice.

"I chose to wear a velvet knee-length dress to my own graduation."

According to Claire Fulton (43), from Portadown, who did a Master's did a social sciences Master's in strategy and leadership, the dress code for students is almost non-existent. "It's not as bad as it used to be," she said. "I graduated here 20 years ago - when you had to wear black and white or navy and white. At least now they're not that restrictive."

Referring to the university's advice, she added: "I think it's fair enough, but I think it's a bit harsh if you arrive for your graduation and you're not allowed in if you're not dressed the way they want you to be."

A male graduate in his 30s, who did not wish to be named, commented: "It's a bit of fun, and it was obviously said in jest."
A high-profile court case involving loyalist supergrass Gary Haggarty has been postponed until the middle of next year, it has been decided.

Haggarty is facing an unprecented 202 charges - including five murders, five attempted murders and 66 firearms offences - linked to UVF terrorism in the 1990s and 2000s.

The 44-year-old former tyre fitter, whose address in court was given as c/o PSNI Knocknagoney, did not appear at Belfast Crown Court yesterday, where his legal team launched an application to postpone his arraignment.

Haggary was due to be arraigned this month on the offences spanning a period of 16 years, including directing the activities of the UVF in south-east Antrim, as well as being a member of the outlawed organisation.

The charges were due to be formally put to Haggarty for the first time in a Crown Court, and his plea was due to be entered.

However, defence barrister Martin O'Rourke QC asked that the arraignment be postponed until after Easter next year, to allow full consideration of the charges and papers involved in the case.

While it emerged that the Crown would not be opposing the application to adjourn the arraignment until after Easter, prosecutor Ciaran Murphy QC said it would be "prudent" to review the case in February.

Mr Justice Treacy listed the arraignment to take place next April, following the review process on February 3, 2017.
Shauna McHugh who survived an attack with an aerosol can outside Gallaghers Hotel in Letterkenny

A tour guide at a former prison has been jailed for two years over a "flamethrower" attack on a 24-year-old mother, which left her scarred for life.

Kevin Quinn (23) pleaded guilty to charges of assault causing harm and adapting an aerosol deodorant into a weapon contrary to the Republic's Firearms Act.

Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court heard how Shauna McHugh, from Donegal Town, had been staying at the Gallagher's Hotel in Letterkenny during the Donegal rally weekend in 2015.

In the early hours of June 22, Sergeant Sean McDaid said Ms McHugh answered a knock on the door of the hotel room where she had gone to chat to a friend.

"There was some commotion in the corridor and she looked to her right. She heard someone to her left say 'hi' and, when she turned, she saw a man light an aerosol can with a lighter and a large flame hit her in the face," said Sgt McDaid.

The garda said Ms McHugh then heard someone say "oh f**k" and heard the footsteps of someone running away.

He said a number of other people in the corridor got her into the room and doused the flames using damp towels and she was later taken to Letterkenny General Hospital.

Expand Close Kevin Quinn (23) from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, pleaded guilty to charges of assault causing harm and adapting an aerosol deodorant into a weapon / Facebook

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Whatsapp Kevin Quinn (23) from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, pleaded guilty to charges of assault causing harm and adapting an aerosol deodorant into a weapon

Sgt McDaid told Judge John O'Hagan that gardai at the scene examined CCTV, which showed Quinn, who works at Crumlin Road jail museum in Belfast, go into his room and leave a short time later wearing a different top.

He said gardai were able to identify Quinn and his vehicle and arrested him as he attempted to drive out of Letterkenny later that day.

In her victim impact statement, which Sgt McDaid read to the court, Ms McHugh described how the incident had changed her life.

She said she suffered stinging burn marks on the left side of her face and forehead, and lost part of her eyelashes and eyebrows. Her face still goes bright red on occasions and she can no longer wear contact lenses.

"I couldn't sleep for about two months, I kept reliving that night over and over again," said Ms McHugh.

She quit her pharmaceutical science degree course because she was afraid of using Bunsen burners during experiments.

Judge O'Hagan examined Ms McHugh's face and commented that a burn mark on her face was "still clearly visible".

The court heard that, in garda interviews, Quinn said he had been "carrying on with the lads" and had been chasing friends down the corridor when the incident happened.

Quinn, of Killycanavan Road, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, told the court that he was "extremely sorry" for his actions and apologised to Ms McHugh.

The judge said Quinn had "realised immediately" what he had done and had been captured on CCTV slipping away from the hotel, with his attempts at evading detection an aggravating factor.

He said, if it hadn't been for the diligence of gardai, Quinn "might have disappeared over the border and would never be seen again". He noted that Quinn had a previous conviction for assault in the North and a probation report had noted a lack of responsibility and a lack of empathy towards his victim.

The judge said Ms McHugh, who now works as an optician's assistant, continued to suffer the psychological effects of the attack.

He said the attack was "such a serious matter" that it had to attract a custodial sentence and he jailed Quinn for two years, suspending the final year.
Michael D Higgins said the death of John Montague represents "another great loss to Irish letters"

Northern Ireland poet John Montague has died aged 87.

Montague's work included numerous collections of poetry and prose, including The Rough Field, published in 1972.

Ireland's first professor of poetry was born in New York in 1929, but moved to Garvaghey in County Tyrone aged four.

President Michael D Higgins said: "The death of John Montague represents another great loss to Irish letters, a further break with a rich body of work that was the gift of poets and dramatists, to Ulster, Ireland and the world."

Montague died early on Saturday in Nice, France, after undergoing major intestinal surgery, reported the Irish Times.

His widow, American novelist Elizabeth Wassell, told the paper: "On Thursday night we were sitting so closely. We were both lonely when we were apart.

"I suggested to John that it was a second courtship for us. He smiled warmly."

Montague is survived by his wife and daughters Sibyl and Oonagh.
Almost all of the deaths happened within 48 hours of release from custody

Alleged "failures" in the care of police suspects and prisoners when they are released from custody is potentially contributing to hundreds of suicides, an investigation has suggested.

Some 400 people arrested by police killed themselves shortly after being released from custody in England and Wales during the last seven years, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report.

The human rights watchdog conducted its review after being told of "gaps" in knowledge between agencies about those who died shortly after leaving prison or police detention.

The report found one-third (32%) of those suicide victims had been held on suspicion of sexual offences, while one-in-five (21%) had been arrested over violence.

David Isaac, EHRC chairman, said: "When the state detains people, it also has a very high level of responsibility to ensure they are safely rehabilitated back into their communities, particularly those who may be vulnerable.

"Our report reveals a fractured state of post-detention care that is potentially leading to hundreds of deaths.

"The Government and justice agencies must take seriously their duty of care to detainees and address some of the very basic mistakes we have identified, to provide proper support to people who have done their time."

The EHRC has now recommended greater training be given to custody officers to identify vulnerable suspects who may be more susceptible to self-harming, while the practice of dealing with the physically disabled or mentally ill is described as "poor" in places.

It has urged the Government to consider transferring responsibility for healthcare in police stations to the NHS, and said issuing those released from custody with the contact numbers for agencies such as the Samaritans would be a "small step forward".

In conclusion, the report stated there were "significant failures in communication in relation to the need for further support from drug support agencies for those leaving prison", as well as communication problems between the police and mental health agencies.

It added: "It is clear that there is a need for better training and support for police, prison and probation staff, equipping them to discern mental health issues and vulnerability whether this be in relation to risk of suicide or in relation to the need for ongoing support post-custody."

The report - based on data provided by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) - showed there were 60 apparent suicides shortly after leaving detention during the year 2015-16. This is down from 69 the previous year, and 68 the 12 months before that.

The Home Office said that while the figures showed a slight fall in the last year, every death in or following police custody "represents a failure and has the potential to dramatically undermine the relationship between the police and the communities they serve".

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We welcome the Equality and Human Rights Commission's report into this important issue.

"Every death in or following police custody represents a failure and has the potential to dramatically undermine the relationship between the police and the communities they serve.

"Over recent years police forces have worked closely with NHS England to improve the quality and provision of custody health services and build better local partnerships.

"While the number of deaths has fallen, we are not complacent - which is why we launched an independent review in 2015 to identify areas for improvement. The review has consulted with the ECHR and we will consider all of the findings in detail when the report is published."
AA Gill, journalist and restaurant critic for The Sunday Times, has died of cancer aged 62.

He died on Saturday morning. Friends and colleagues on the newspaper were informed of his death by editor Martin Ivens, who described the celebrated critic - known to some by his first name Adrian - as "a giant among journalists".

His final column will be featured in tomorrow's edition.

Revealing his illness in an interview last month - diagnosed only recently after family concerns about his rapid weight loss - the writer said it prompted his successful proposal to Nicola Formby, his partner of nearly a quarter of a century.

The columnist had told the newspaper that he had been diagnosed with the "full English" of cancers.

In a message to readers Mr Ivens wrote: "Adrian was stoical about his illness, but the suddenness of his death has shocked us all. Characteristically he has had the last word, writing an outstanding article about coming to terms with his cancer in tomorrows Sunday Times Magazine."

"He was the heart and soul of the paper. His wit was incomparable, his writing was dazzling and fearless, his intelligence was matched by compassion. Adrian was a giant among journalists. He was also our friend. We will miss him."

Tim Shipman, political editor of the Sunday Times, wrote on Twitter: AA Gill, the writer who first made me buy the Sunday Times, the best of us for thirty years has died. Very sombre mood in the office.

If you loved AA Gills writing, he has one final, blisteringly brilliant cover story in tomorrows ST magazine. Be dazzled one last time.

Reacting to the news of Gills death, Joris Minne, a fellow food critic at the Belfast Telegraph, said: "AA Gill was an inspirational writer. Nobody came close to his mastery of the language nor did anyone have quite the same courage.

"I remember him writing a scathing review about his friend's restaurant because it was more important for him to be truthful than loyal."

Journalists and colleagues also paid moving tributes to Gill, with Financial Times editor Lionel Barber hailing him as the "king of irreverent critics".

Jay Rayner, The Observer's restaurant critic, wrote on Twitter: "So sorry to hear about the death of AA Gill. He was a controversialist, sometimes outrageously so, but a kind man and a brilliant writer," while Tim Shipman, political editor of the Sunday Times, said: "AA Gill, the writer who first made me buy the Sunday Times, the best of us for 30 years, has died. Very sombre mood in the office."
Campaigner Peter Tatchell (right) leads a protest over the war in Syria ahead of a speech by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn marking International Human Rights Day at Methodist Central Hall in London. PA

A speech by Jeremy Corbyn to highlight human rights abuses was plunged into chaos when campaigners staged a protest over Labour's response to the Syrian crisis.

Demonstrators led by Peter Tatchell waved banners calling for immediate air drops in the war-torn nation as Mr Corbyn began to address supporters.

The human rights campaigner said he was acting in desperation over the Opposition leader's failure to push for action in the face of widespread civilian slaughter.

He told activists gathered to hear Mr Corbyn speak in the Central Methodist Hall in Westminster : "What is happening in Aleppo is a modern-day Guernica.

Peter Tatchell disrupts Jeremy Corbyn's human rights speech in protest over Labour's response to Syria pic.twitter.com/z15HtYHZOM  Sam Lister (@sam_lister_) December 10, 2016

"We haven't heard the leader of the Labour Party speak out enough to demand UK air drops to besieged civilians who are dying in their thousands."

Mr Corbyn was on stage with Baroness Chakrabarti, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott and shadow diversity minister Dawn Butler when the demonstration happened.

Seemingly forgetting they were still wearing microphones, Baroness Chakrabarti advised the Labour leader "just let them do this". Mr Corbyn then consulted Ms Thornberry, asking: "When did we condemn the bombing?"

Mr Tatchell h as previously criticised the Labour leader for failing to speak out loudly enough against Russia, which is propping up Bashar Assad's brutal dictatorship.

He has also criticised the Stop the War coalition Mr Corbyn previously headed for opposing Western military action while failing to protest against the Syrian regime.

Mr Corbyn insisted that he had condemned Russia's bombing of civilian targets in Syria.

Expand Close Protesters calling for aid drops in Syria and sanctions against Russia interrupt a speech by Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster on December 10, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Protesters calling for aid drops in Syria and sanctions against Russia interrupt a speech by Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster on December 10, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

"I condemn all bombing by all sides against everybody in Syria," he added. "I also want aid drops to go in because there is starvation in Aleppo and other places and I want war crimes investigators to go in to investigate everything that has happened."

He added: "The people that came this morning, that's absolutely fine. This is human rights day, it's the right to speak out, the right to make your voice heard, the right to a protest."

Mr Corbyn has previously faced accusations from Labour former prime minister Tony Blair that he is "standing by" while Syrian civilians suffer. Mr Blair claimed the current party leader was engaging in the ''politics of protest'' while dodging difficult decisions.

Mr Tatchell, who has known Mr Corbyn for many years, said he was frustrated at the party's inaction over the humanitarian crisis in the country.

He told the Press Association: "Today's protest was an act of desperation because we are so frustrated that the leader of the Labour party Jeremy Corbyn seems to have forsaken the principle of international solidarity.

He's made no statements as far as we know in solidarity with civil societies in Syria. He's not listening to their demands, he's not promoting their demands, which are very simple - a UN supervised ceasefire, for the UN to supervise the evacuation of civilians to safe havens, and most importantly right now, the airdrop of aid and medicine to besieged civilian populations.

Peter Tatchell says today's protest at Jeremy Corbyn's speech was an 'act of desperation' pic.twitter.com/9sTfbUGU09  Sam Lister (@sam_lister_) December 10, 2016

"Those are things that Jeremy Corbyn could push for in Parliament right now this week. He hasn't done so, so far. We hope as a result of today, he will."

The Labour event had been arranged to highlight women's rights and other issues as part of International Human Rights Day.

After the five-minute protest died down, Mr Corbyn continued his address, telling supporters: "This Government may be lead by a woman but the rights of women are not in discussion.

"Without a mandate, but with a motive, Theresa May is trying to dilute the rights and protections of people across this country."
A member of staff at a prestigious private school has resigned after being filmed by an undercover reporter apparently discussing donations from a foreign family in return for a place for their child.

David Fletcher, registrar of Stowe School at the time, said that one family helped to secure a place for their child by donating 100,000 towards a project, a claim denied by the 34,000-a-year Buckinghamshire boarding school.

"Everything I say is going to start sounding a bit dodgy," said Mr Fletcher, according to a recorded posted online by the Daily Telegraph.

"But if it was the case that somebody was keen to work with the school, and one was aware of that, then it is always useful to know, as you say, if there are marginal decisions."

During the meeting, the undercover reporter posed as an agent for a Russian oligarch keen to get his son a place at Stowe, whose alumni include Sir Richard Branson and two of Prince Harry's ex-girlfriends, Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy.

Mr Fletcher told her that though all pupils have to be able to pass a test, if her client's son was a borderline case, a donation would be helpful.

He said: "I always say to my headmaster, you know, because he's terrific but in some ways he's a bit naive, in the sense that, I say to him you just don't realise how things operate elsewhere, and also you just don't understand that some of these people are rich beyond Croesus."

He added: "It's a big growth industry, because as private education prices itself out of the market with British families, many schools are having to go down that international route just to say afloat."

Anthony Wallersteiner, headmaster at Stowe, said: "There is absolutely no truth in these allegations. Mr Fletcher was acting independently of the school and now bitterly regrets making these false claims.

"He confirms that he has no evidence, nor is he aware of any situation where a potential parent has made a donation to secure a place for a child at the school. He resigned with immediate effect when the school began its own investigation and is no longer an employee of the school."

He continued: "I would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that Stowe would never allow a donation of any kind or size to have influence over the allocation of a place at the school. We pride ourselves on operating to the highest professional and ethical standards."

The investigation comes in the week that private schools offered to create 10,000 free places for poorer students if the Government helps fund them.

The proposal, by the Independent Schools Council (ISC), suggested the Government pays no more than the cost of a state school place per pupil - thought to be around 5,500 a year - with the private sector paying the rest.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor pictured in Charters in Sunninghill, Berkshire, in 1947

This weekend marks the 80th anniversary of one of the most turbulent times in the history of the British monarchy.

Edward VIII's abdication in 1936 rocked the nation when the King, who had been in the job for less than 11 months, gave up his throne in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

He left his brother, the Duke of York - the Queen's father - to take over as George VI.

Edward VIII signed the Instrument of Abdication on the morning of December 10 1936 in front of his three brothers and his lawyers, and the news was announced to the Commons by the prime minister, Stanley Baldwin.

The next day, December 11, the Act of Abdication came into effect when it was passed by Parliament and given royal assent in Edward's last act as king. He addressed the country in a radio broadcast.

Unsurprisingly, the Royal Family are not expected to mark the anniversary of this difficult period - which not only caused a constitutional crisis, but affected their relationships for years to come.

Princess Elizabeth, who was just 10 at the time, became the heiress presumptive on his abdication. Her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, never forgave Edward and Mrs Simpson for their actions, and the former king and his lover went into exile in France.

The Queen is expected to be staying, as she does most weekends, at Windsor Castle - from where her uncle, the former king, gave his historic address, declaring: "I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love."

If Edward VIII had remained as sovereign and fathered children, it is unlikely Elizabeth II would ever have become monarch.

Had her uncle - who was always known to his family as David - stayed on the throne until his death in 1972 and not had children, then the Queen - whose father died in 1952 - would not have spent the formative years of her children's lives as head of state.

She would only have reigned so far for 44 years and be still some way off her record as the country's longest reigning monarch.

Historian Professor Richard Toye has said Edward VIII would have been a "useless king" had he stayed on the throne and that, rather than giving up the crown for love, he was actually looking for a way out from a role he "fundamentally couldn't stomach".

Prof Toye, of Exeter University, told the Press Association: " He had been, frankly, not very interested in doing the job.

"You have to ask yourself whether this whole episode was really about his most incredible, profound love for Mrs Simpson or whether he was perhaps subconsciously looking for a get-out."

He added: "He liked all the trappings and the luxury but actually being king is reasonably hard work and not very interesting work either and that was fundamentally what he couldn't stomach and couldn't stick to."

The historian said Edward VIII would have proved to be a terrible monarch in the long term, and his brother, the shy, stammering George VI, was much better.

"I think he would have been completely useless," he said.

"George VI fitted the bill very nicely.

"He didn't particularly want to do it...

"George VI lacked the charismatic personality of the kind that Edward undoubtedly did have, but in the circumstance that was really pretty perfect for what was required."

The womanising Prince of Wales, as Edward was styled before he became monarch, met Mrs Simpson when she was still married to her second husband, Ernest, at a house party given by his then mistress, Lady Thelma Furness, in 1931.

He acceded to the throne in January 1936 after George V died and seven months later Mrs Simpson filed for divorce from her husband. Neither the royal court, the government nor the church would accept a twice-divorced American as Queen.

Edward, who was never crowned, pushed for a morganatic marriage where his wife would have no claim on his rights, but the government would not accept this and he decided to abdicate.

He died in Paris in 1972 and is buried at Windsor.
Restaurant critic AA Gill, described as "a giant among journalists", has died after a short battle with cancer. He was 62.

Best known for his work in The Sunday Times, he was both feared and adored by those in the hospitality industry.

He revealed his illness in an interview three weeks ago, saying he had the "full English" of cancers.

The father-of-four died on Saturday morning, with his final column due to appear in the newspaper on Sunday.

Announcing the death in a memo to staff, editor Martin Ivens said: "It is with profound sadness that I must tell you that our much-loved colleague Adrian Gill died this morning.

"Adrian was stoical about his illness, but the suddenness of his death has shocked us all.

"Characteristically he has had the last word, writing an outstanding article about coming to terms with his cancer in tomorrow's Sunday Times Magazine.

"He was the heart and soul of the paper. His wit was incomparable, his writing was dazzling and fearless, his intelligence was matched by compassion.

"Adrian was a giant among journalists. He was also our friend. We will miss him."

During the interview last month, Gill said his diagnosis was prompted by concerns from family members about his rapid weight loss - but resulted in his proposal to long-term partner Nicola Formby, referred to in restaurant columns as "The Blonde".

Journalists and colleagues paid moving tributes to Gill, with Financial Times editor Lionel Barber hailing him as the " king of irreverent critics".

John Witherow, editor of The Sunday Times from 1994-2012, said: "It's a cliche to say writers are extraordinary or unique, but in Adrian's case, that was true. In all the years I was editor of The Sunday Times, he never once produced a boring sentence or a phrase that did not shine."

Jay Rayner, The Observer's restaurant critic, wrote on Twitter: "So sorry to hear about the death of AA Gill. He was a controversialist, sometimes outrageously so, but a kind man and a brilliant writer," while Tim Shipman, political editor of the Sunday Times, said: " AA Gill, the writer who first made me buy The Sunday Times, the best of us for 30 years, has died. Very sombre mood in the office."

Gill was known for dictating his copy over the telephone due to his dyslexia, composing his memoir Pour Me: A Life in the same fashion.

Gill described himself as an alcoholic who had been sober since he was 30, although he would drink wine at the altar when taking communion "once or twice a year".

He leaves nine-year-old twins, Isaac (also known as Beetle) and Edith, with Ms Formby, and two grown-up children - Flora and Alasdair - from his marriage to Amber Rudd, now the Home Secretary. He had also previously been married to the writer Cressida Connolly.
Ash Carter said the extra troops will help local forces in their push to retake Raqqa (AP)

Some 50,000 civilians have fled eastern Aleppo over the past two days in a "constant stream", Russia says, as Syrian government forces close in on the last pocket of opposition control.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said Syrian troops have suspended their offensive to allow the evacuation of civilians.

However, the activist-run Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says heavy clashes are still under way.

Mr Konashenkov said that on Saturday alone more than 20,000 civilians left rebel-controlled Aleppo districts through humanitarian corridors. The military is live streaming images from drones showing the exit.

Backed by Russia and other allies, Syrian president Bashar Assad's forces have driven the rebels from nearly all of eastern Aleppo, which was captured by the opposition in 2012.

The UN human rights office has expressed concern about reports that hundreds of men have vanished after crossing from eastern Aleppo into government-controlled areas.

US secretary of state John Kerry and European and Arab diplomats are meeting members of Syria's opposition in Paris.

Mr Kerry said he is working to ensure their safety and to save Aleppo "from being absolutely, completely destroyed".

US and Russian military experts and diplomats are meeting in Geneva to work out details of the rebels' exit from eastern Aleppo.

It comes after US defence secretary Ash Carter said a s many as 200 more US troops are being sent to Syria to help Kurdish and Arab fighters capture Islamic State's key stronghold of Raqqa,

The extra troops will include special operations forces and are in addition to 300 already authorised for the effort to recruit, organise, train and advise local Syrian forces to combat IS.

Addressing a security conference in Bahrain, Mr Carter said the extra troops will help local forces in their anticipated push to retake Raqqa, the de facto capital of the extremist group's self-styled caliphate, and to deny sanctuary to IS after Raqqa is captured.

AP
The boxers ahead of their El Paso title match in Texas at the Don Haskins Center Picture by Jorge Salgado / Press Eye

Boxer Alejandro Gonzalez Jr is pictured during an open training session in El Paso, Texas before looking to take away Carl Frampton's championship on Saturday evening. Picture by Jorge Salgado / Press Eye

Carl Frampton v Alejandro Gonzalez Jr at the IBF Championship fight in El Paso, Texas Picture by Jorge Selgado / Press Eye

Carl Frampton v Alejandro Gonzalez Jr at the IBF Championship fight in El Paso, Texas Picture by Jorge Salgado / Press Eye

Champion Carl Frampton and Alejandro Gonzalez weigh in for the IBF Championship fight

Carl Frampton squares up to Alejandro Gonzalez Jr in El Paso

Alejandro Gonzalez Jr, who Carl Frampton fought in the United States last year, has been "executed" in Mexico, according to reports.

The 23-year-old was found dead alongside two others in a jeep near his home in Guadalajara on Friday morning, ESPN reported.

Gonzalez Junior fought Frampton in El Paso, Texas in July last year with Belfast's Jackal retaining his IBF Super-Bantamweight title.

That was despite the Mexican knocking down the Tigers Bay man twice.

Frampton was given the bout after 12 rounds in El Paso, with two judges scoring 116-108 in his favour while the third scored it 115-109.

"One of the nicest guys I've shared a ring with," Frampton said in a Friday night tweet.

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After their bout, Frampton described his opponent as a "warrior".

"Gonzalez, though, deserves credit, he was a lot better than I thought," he said.

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Protesters holding signs reading 'arrest Park Geun-hye' shout as they march toward the presidential house in Seoul (AP)

Massive crowds have returned to the streets of Seoul in South Korea, a day after a vote to remove disgraced President Park Geun-hye.

The previous time parliament voted to impeach a president, ruling party politicians bawled and hurled ballot boxes, a man set himself on fire and thousands held candlelight vigils night after night in support.

Twelve years after that furore over liberal President Roh Moo-hyun, the mood could not be more different.

The vote for impeachment left protesters basking in pride, believing that they had repaired a damaged democracy with their weekly demonstrations.

Thousands marched close to the presidential palace where the notoriously aloof Ms Park will remain mostly alone for up to six months until the Constitutional Court rules on whether she must step down permanently.

Carrying signs, flags and yellow balloons, they gleefully shouted for her to quit immediately rather than weather the court process.

The demonstrators waved their arms, beat gongs and drums and followed an effigy of Ms Park dressed in prison clothes and tied with rope into an alley near the presidential offices and residence, known as the Blue House.

"Park Geun-hye, get out of the house! Get out of the house now!" the marchers chanted. "Come down and go to jail."

Seemingly, tens of thousands of demonstrators packed a large nearby boulevard, which was the centre of massive protests in recent weeks.

"We got off to a good first step (on Friday). It was a day when we all realised how strong we can collectively be," said Kim Hye-in, 51

She lives outside Seoul but is spending her sixth consecutive Saturday there protesting against Ms Park.

She added: "But we aren't there just yet. We need to keep gathering strength and protest until the court officially removes her from office."

On Friday, the opposition-controlled parliament passed an impeachment motion against Ms Park, which stripped her of presidential duties.

It pushed Prime Minster Hwang Kyo-ahn into the role of government caretaker until the court rules on Ms Park's fate.

The impeachment came after millions of people demonstrated for weeks demanding her removal.

State prosecutors accuse Ms Park of colluding with a friend to extort money and favours from South Korea's biggest companies and give that confidante extraordinary sway over government decisions.

She has apologised for putting trust into her friend, Choi Soon-sil, but has denied any legal wrongdoing.

In 2004, the Constitutional Court reinstated Mr Roh after two months, saying that minor election law violations and accusations of incompetence were not enough to justify his unseating as president.

The chances of the court restoring Ms Park's powers are considered low because her charges are much graver, although some believe the court will need more than a couple of months to decide as the case is complex.

She will be formally removed from office if at least six of the court's nine justices support her impeachment, and the country would then hold a presidential election within 60 days.

While the historically large protests that helped push lawmakers to vote to impeach Ms Park have been peaceful, the festive atmosphere kicked up a notch on Saturday as demonstrators let out relief that the president they so desperately want removed was finally halfway out the door.

"We accomplished a peaceful revolution," said Park Seong-su, a frequent anti-Park protestor.

"For long, people were told by politicians what to do, but on Friday, it was the will of people that forced politicians what to do."

Others were not as comfortable, saying that protestors should continue to rally every weekend to apply pressure on the court until it decides to formally remove the president.

Kim Hyeong-seok, another protestor, said that the weekly rallies may turn violent if the court decides to reinstate Ms Park. "Then the candles will turn into torches," he said.

There was tension on Saturday hours before the large demonstration when thousands of Ms Park supporters, most of them in their 60s or older, rallied in nearby streets.

They waved the country's flags and shouted for her "demagoguery impeachment" to be nullified. Some of them exchanged bitter diatribes with anti-Park protesters.

Similar scenes played out on Friday when scuffles broke out between angry anti-Park farmers, some of whom had driven tractors to the National Assembly, and police.

When impeachment happened, many of those gathered - some 10,000, according to organisers - raised their hands in the air and leapt about, cheering and laughing.

On Saturday, Mr Hwang, as acting president, held a meeting with cabinet ministers to discuss issues related to national security, foreign relations and financial markets.

The handover of power prompted the prime minister on Friday to order South Korea's defence minister to put the military on a state of heightened readiness to brace for any potential provocation by North Korea.

The impeachment is a remarkable fall for Ms Park, who convincingly beat her liberal opponent in 2012. Her single, five-year term was originally set to end in 2018.

The political turmoil around Ms Park comes after years of frustration over a leadership style that inspired comparisons to her father, slain military dictator Park Chung-hee.

Critics saw an unwillingness to tolerate dissent as her government cracked down on press freedom, pushed to dissolve a leftist party and allowed aggressive police suppression of anti-government protests.

She also was heavily criticised over her government's handling of a 2014 ferry sinking that killed more than 300 people, mostly school students, and was partially blamed on official incompetence and corruption.

AP
Yahya Jammeh shows his inked finger before voting in Banjul on December 1 (AP)

Gambia's president-elect says the outgoing leader who now rejects his defeat has no constitutional authority to invalidate voting results or call for another election.

Adama Barrow is calling on President Yahya Jammeh to facilitate a smooth transition in the interest of the small West African country.

Mr Jammeh made a surprise reversal late on Friday, a week after conceding to Barrow.

The about-face is certain to spark outrage among the tens of thousands who took to the streets shouting "Freedom!" after Mr Barrow was announced the president-elect in the December 1 vote.

The African Union has called for security forces to remain neutral. Soldiers are in the streets of the capital, Banjul, amid the confusion.

Mr Barrow says the Independent Electoral Commission is the only competent authority to declare a winner.

"It was already done so, and I am the president-elect," said Mr Barrow.

"President Jammeh is the outgoing president. He is to hand over executive powers to me when his term is expires in January."

Mr Jammeh, whose 22-year rule has been marked by repeated accusations of human rights abuses, announced that he rejects the results of the presidential election, a week after he jovially conceded to Mr Barrow.

"Allah is telling me my time is up," he said then.

But Mr Jammeh now maintains investigations since the election revealed a number of voting irregularities and said in a speech on state television he rejected the election results "in totality."

On Saturday, Mr Barrow recalled that the president called him on December 2 to concede defeat.

"The outgoing president told me in a simple, clear language that the results were regarded of the people and God," said Barrow after meeting with the coalition government at his home.

Mr Barrow called on Mr Jammeh to join his side for a smooth transition.

"Let him know that leaders come and go. Sooner or later, I must also go," said Mr Barrow.

"I urge him to change his current position and accept the verdict of the people in good faith for the sake of the Gambia, our homeland, whose people deserve peace and freedom and prosperity."

Mr Jammeh's latest comments drew swift criticism from the international community, with African Union chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma saying Mr Jammeh's statement was "null and void."

The United States called Mr Jammeh's rejection of the election results an attempt to remain in power illegitimately.

The government in neighboring Senegal, which envelopes the small country of 1.9 million except for its coastline, strongly condemned Mr Jammeh's move and Senegalese foreign minister Mankeur Ndiaye called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to address the situation.

Mr Jammeh's protest is "an extremely dangerous move that risks leading to instability and possible repression," said Sabrina Mahtani, Amnesty International's West Africa researcher.

Mr Jammeh, who seized power in a bloodless 1994 military coup, has long been accused of overseeing a government that imprisons, tortures and sometimes kill its opponents, according to human rights groups.

Mai Ahmad Fatty of the opposition Gambia Moral Congress, one of eight parties that backed Mr Barrow, said the coalition has the will of the people on its side.

"Remain calm. We are working round the clock to restore sanity. We have the full support of our people. The world is with us," said Mr Fatty.

"Gambia cannot afford instability."

AP
A top French court has refused to hand over a Kazakh banker-turned-dissident to Russia despite accusations that he embezzled millions, saying it considered the extradition request from Moscow to be "politically motivated".

Hours after the ruling, Mukhtar Ablyazov walked free from a French prison, hugging his son, brother and lawyer. It was a surprise twist in a winding legal saga that has lasted years and spanned several countries.

Mr Ablyazov's lawyers had asked France's Council of State to block his extradition, fearing Russia would quickly send him back to Kazakhstan.

The Council of State noted in its decision that the Kazakh and Russian authorities had "repeatedly" held consultations on the case. Requests for the return of criminal suspects can be rejected if they are judged to be politically motivated.

Mr Ablyazov, a former energy minister who founded an opposition party in Kazakhstan, was charged by Kazakh authorities with stealing millions from a bank he founded, BTA.

Russia, a close ally of Kazakhstan, says its citizens were defrauded in the collapse of the bank.

"We are thrilled with the result today," Mr Ablyazov's lawyer Peter Sahlas said. "This is a huge step forward for human rights law in France and Europe."

Last year, France's top appeals court, the Court of Cassation, approved the extradition. The French government signed an extradition decree in September 2015, but he appealed to the Council of State, France's highest administrative body.

He did not speak about the case after being released from Fleury-Merogis prison outside Paris late on Friday night, but h is 24-year-old son Madiyar could not contain his emotions: "Oh wow, we just feel so great. It is so unexpected today. We are so glad to have Dad back finally. It's the best New Year's present."

Mr Ablyazov's lawyers argued he was being pursued because of his activities as an opposition leader in autocratic Kazakhstan, and feared he would not get a fair trial in Russia or Ukraine. They also suspected he could be eventually transferred to Kazakhstan.

The banker fled Kazakhstan amid the nationalisation of BTA Bank, and he was arrested in southern France in 2013 on embezzlement allegations. Both Russia and Ukraine have requested his extradition. France has no extradition agreement with Kazakhstan.

AP
It is hardly surprising that a Catholic bishop should criticise Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for suggesting that Northern Ireland women could access abortions on the National Health Service in Scotland. The Church's teaching is that all life is precious, no matter what the circumstances of its creation, and offering women an incentive to come to Scotland for a termination was bound to attract a sharp retort.

The irony is that Bishop John Keenan's views are much more akin to those of Northern Ireland's First Minister than to the leader of the devolved government in his own country.

There are many in Northern Ireland who will applaud his intervention, especially his comments that the will of people here on this issue - as expressed through a majority of their public representatives - should be respected and that Nicola Sturgeon's offer inferred that she knew better.

Abortion is illegal in Northern Ireland unless the mother's life or her physical and mental wellbeing is at serious risk. There are those who argue that our public representatives - Sinn Fein is the only major party which backs abortion - are out of touch with changing opinion in the province and, in any case, the reality is that hundreds of women travel from our shores to England and Wales for terminations each year where they have to pay for their procedures.

Yet we continue to elect public representatives who hold conservative views.

A further test of the politicians' attitudes will come in the new year when a Private Member's Bill by former Justice Minister, David Ford, allowing abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality, begins its passage through the Assembly.

Whatever the outcome, it is clear that the views of the DUP, the largest party here, and the Catholic Church - as well as the mainstream Protestant churches - coincide on abortion.

Coincidentally, even recent suggestions that the Pope may visit Armagh in 2018 has gained a broadly warm welcome from the reformed churches.

Perhaps they share more than they think.
Philippine policemen escort Indonesian national Muhamad Sofyan (in black T-shirt) from a hospital in Jolo, Sulu province, after he escaped from his Abu Sayyaf captors, Aug. 17, 2016.

An Abu Sayyaf militant leader who was involved in abducting Westerners in 2015 was killed in a shootout with Malaysian police during a cross-border kidnapping attempt in waters off Borneo, Philippine military officials said Saturday.

Abraham Hamid and two other suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) militants were gunned down by members of an elite Malaysian police unit, the Tiger Platoon, during the encounter off Malaysias eastern state of Sabah on Thursday night, according to a statement from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The AFP described Abraham as a key leader of Abu Sayyaf, saying he had led the September 2015 kidnapping of four people  two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Filipina  from a seaside resort on Samal island in the southern Philippines. Abu Sayyaf this year executed the Canadian hostages, John Ridsdel, 68, and Robert Hall, 50, after ransom demands were not met, but later freed the Norwegian, Kjartan Sekkingstad.

Abraham was also involved in the April 2016 kidnapping of four Indonesian sailors from a tugboat sailing near the Tawi Tawi islands, the Philippine chain that lies close to Sabah, a regional spokesman for the AFP in the southern Philippines said in the statement.

The death of Hamid is a big blow to the (Abu Sayyaf) as it neutralized one of the notorious bandits and will degrade their capability for spotting and kidnapping victims in the future, said spokesman Major Filemon Tan. The names of the two other slain suspects were not listed in the statement.

Two suspects captured alive

The three suspects were among seven gunmen in a speedboat who hijacked three fishing vessels in the waters between the coastal towns of Lahud Datu and Semporna and abducted two captains that evening, according to Sabah Police Commissioner Abdul Rashid Harun.

But Malaysian officials had yet to confirm the identities of the slain gunmen and say whether they were affiliated with Abu Sayyaf, an armed group based in the close-by southern Philippines that has pledged allegiance to the extremist group Islamic State.

ASG has abducted at least 31 Malaysian and Indonesian sailors this year alone, as well as kidnapped Westerners and citizens of other Asian countries along the maritime boundaries that separate Borneo from the Philippines.

The process of identifying those killed is still ongoing, a Malaysian official told BenarNews on Saturday.

The authorities, who arrested two of the gunmen and rescued one of the two hostages following Thursdays shootout, were still looking for two other suspects and the second hostage.

The shootout at sea marked the first such encounter between Malaysian security personnel and suspected Filipino gunmen in a cross-border kidnapping incident, officials in Sabah said.

According to a report in Singapores Straits Times, Police Commissioner Abdul Rashid told a news conference Saturday that the gunmen had infiltrated Sabah from international waters.

The firefight erupted after the gunmen mistook the Tiger Platoons patrol boat for a fourth that they planned to hijack, he said.

We are still trying to get more information, the newspaper quoted him as saying. We are still interrogating the suspects.

Abraham commanded a unit that prowled the porous borders between Sabah and the neighboring Philippine province of Sulu, looking for victims that they would then hand over to bigger groups in Abu Sayyafs jungle strongholds in the far southern Philippines, The Star Online reported, citing Filemon Tan.

Out of at least10 Malaysians and 21 Indonesians who were taken in abductions believed to have been carried out by Abu Sayyaf in 2016, none were executed and 21 were released or escaped from their captors. Five Malaysians, Six Indonesians, six Vietnamese, seven Filipinos, a German and a Dutchman are still being held hostage in the southern Philippines.

Desmond Davidson in Kuching, Malaysia contributed to this report.
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For Immediate Release, December 10, 2016 Contact: Kimberly Dawley, #SavetheWayne (740) 919-1349, pathleastchosen@gmail.com

Sarah Burkhart, The Eighth Fire, eraofthe8thfire@gmail.com

Valerie Love, Center for Biological Diversity, (510) 274-9713, vlove@biologicaldiversity.org Dozens Rally at Wayne National Forest to Protest BLM Online Oil and Gas Lease Auction Water Protectors Hold Prayer Circle in Opposition to Fracking Plans for Ohios Only National Forest NELSONVILLE, Ohio Native American water protectors joined dozens of Ohio activists Saturday to protest a Bureau of Land Management plan to auction off oil and gas leases in the Wayne National Forest. Demonstrators gather at the entrance to the Wayne National Forest in Nelsonville, Ohio, on Saturday to protest a BLM auction of oil and gas leases on public land in the forest. Photo courtesy Kimberly Dawley. This photo is available for media use. BLM on Dec. 13 will auction off 1,600 acres of Ohios only national forest to private energy companies for oil and gas fracking and drilling that threaten to fragment wildlife habitat and contaminate groundwater and Ohio River and its tributaries with pollution. Protesters gathered at the entrance to the forest for a peaceful Save the Wayne rally in which they shared information about the destructive effects of fracking and related infrastructure construction. "The Wayne lives and breathes. The water in and around it means life. It is a special place, a national forest, there for the enjoyment of everyone, even creatures. It should not be leased or sold to the highest bidder for virtually what amounts to its destruction, said Kimberly Dawley of #SavetheWayne. We are inspired by everyone we see around the country who are speaking out about these issues, particularly at Standing Rock, and are following in their footsteps." Many of the publicly owned lease parcels are near the Ohio River and its tributaries, which will be at risk of contamination from increased transport of fracking chemicals and wastewater via trucks and pipelines, and runoff pollution from new roads and well pads. Increased injection of fracking wastewaters underground also poses a risk to groundwater in a state with some of the weakest safeguards against toxic wastewater injection. "This awakening we are seeing across the world as people mobilize in collective action to protect our natural resources, our Earth, and our lives has been outlined by the Native American Prophecy of the Eighth Fire, said Sarah Burkhart, founder of The Eighth Fire. We are choosing to be proactive and ensure that this planet is habitable for future generations. Now, the fight is in our own backyard. We come armed in love with faith-filled eyes hungry for change." Regardless of who is in the White House, Americans will not stand by while its precious public lands are destroyed for the enrichment of private corporations, said Valerie Love of the Center for Biological Diversity. Our fight for clean energy, a healthy environment and livable climate will not rest. Background About the Fracking Proposal on the Wayne

BLMs leasing proposal will open up the Wayne National Forest to large-scale, high-volume fracking of the Marcellus and Utica shale for the first time, and industrialize some of the last remaining public forests in Ohio. Only 14 percent of Ohios forests is publicly owned, and the Wayne is Ohios only national forest. New leasing would also threaten imperiled species such as the Indiana bat, Northern long-eared bat and tri-colored bat. These species are already over-stressed by existing habitat fragmentation, white-nose syndrome, and climate change. Habitat destruction, deadly wastewater pits, and water contamination from fracking activities will compound these threats. Adjacent landowners are pressuring the Forest Service to open up public land in the Wayne National Forest for hydraulic fracking as that would make their privately owned minerals commercially valuable for oil and gas exploitation. However, doing so would jeopardize publicly owned resources on the adjacent national forest lands. The Bureau of Land Management manages subsurface federal minerals and has the authority to offer public lands for lease to corporations for extraction. But the Forest Service has the ability to deny the leases due to impacts to the national forest. Community members are urging the National Forest to withdraw their consent to allow these leases to be auctioned. The Environmental Assessment for the lease auction, however, failed to study the increased surface disturbance, habitat fragmentation, and water pollution impacts of opening up these privately owned areas, and thus fails to fully disclose fracking effects on the Wayne. Fossil Fuel Extraction on Americas Public Lands

The American public owns nearly 650 million acres of federal public land and more than 1.7 billion acres of Outer Continental Shelf  and the fossil fuels beneath them. This includes federal public land, which make up about a third of the U.S. land area, and oceans like Alaskas Chukchi Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Eastern Seaboard. These places and fossil fuels beneath them are held in trust for the public by the federal government; federal fossil fuel leasing is administered by the Department of the Interior. Over the past decade, the combustion of federal fossil fuels has resulted in nearly a quarter of all U.S. energy-related emissions. An 2015 report by EcoShift consulting, commissioned by the Center for Biological Diversity and Friends of the Earth, found that remaining federal oil, gas, coal, oil shale and tar sands that have not been leased to industry contain up to 450 billion tons of potential greenhouse gas pollution. As of earlier this year, 67 million acres of federal fossil fuel were already leased to industry, an area more than 55 times larger than Grand Canyon National Park containing up to 43 billion tons of potential greenhouse gas pollution. Last year Sens. Merkley (D-Ore.), Sanders (I-Vt.) and others introduced legislation to end new federal fossil fuel leases and cancel non-producing federal fossil fuel leases. Days later President Obama canceled the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, saying, Because ultimately, if were going to prevent large parts of this Earth from becoming not only inhospitable but uninhabitable in our lifetimes, were going to have to keep some fossil fuels in the ground rather than burn them and release more dangerous pollution into the sky. Download the September Keep It in the Ground letter to President Obama.



Download Grounded: The Presidents Power to Fight Climate Change, Protect Public Lands by Keeping Publicly Owned Fossil Fuels in the Ground (this report details the legal authorities with which a president can halt new federal fossil fuel leases).



Download The Potential Greenhouse Gas Emissions of U.S. Federal Fossil Fuels (this report quantifies the volume and potential greenhouse gas emissions of remaining federal fossil fuels) and The Potential Greenhouse Gas Emissions fact sheet.



Download Public Lands, Private Profits (this report details the corporations profiting from climate-destroying fossil fuel extraction on public lands).



Download the Center for Biological Diversitys formal petition calling on the Obama administration to halt all new offshore fossil fuel leasing. 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.
It can be tough to be a vegetarian. You have to work harder than everyone else to make sure youre getting all the nutrients your body needs. So, when its time to take a
Us Boring Czechs

10. 12. 2016 / Bohumil Kartous

cas cteni 5 minut





Anyone who is in touch with Czech society these days will see that there is a social conflict. There is much talk about democracy, about who violates it, about who is sycophantic to what power, about who steals more and who wants to usurp more power. But if you, by means of digital teleportation, rise above the small space-time continuum in Central Europe, in which this seemingly important political conflict is happening, it all begins to look somewhat different. A handful of dogmatists commands a small group of ideological fellow travellers. These are usually divided into two camps in an odd fight for Czech identity. This struggle is enclosed in a surprisingly hermetic cultural space in which this feud has been going on for centuries. These are boring, countless repetitions of the same, in slightly modified constellations and with a slightly modified cast. To try hard for victory in such a war is as futile as howling at the moon. But for the majority, it is evidently a more fun way of experiencing their own identity than any attempt to be interested in something substantial. Apropos, have you noticed how quickly the Czech society solved the terrible threat of the refugee crisis? A Czech version of this article is in

Czech social discourse resembles those silly soap operas which are still capable of giving vast sections of Czech adults a feeling that "this is about life." Thus, yet another episode of the fight for Czech cultural identity is now taking place before our eyes. On the one hand, we have the hero of the "poor" and "forgotten", President Milos Zeman, and on the other there are the "defenders of the legacy of St. Havel". The universe in Hobbiton revolves around this mythology, around symbols which in their warped, unrealistic form represent a more complex and multi-layered problem within Czech society. This is, sadly, only internal, because Hobbits are known to not like looking into the big world - which however controls their destinies.

It is not necessary to describe again and again what a populist Milos Zeman is. This is useless. Zeman and his entourage show us every day that the limits of manipulation, wretchedness and bad taste can be expanded freely, because here no actual borders exist.

But it is far more interesting what the so-called social elites do most of whom associate with the Zeman counterpart, the myth "about Havel". Experiences of the past few days in this sense are remarkably bizarre. First, the guardians of truth and love, the threatened couple of values to whom they are trying to build a sort of symbolic Noah's Ark, have decided that some outsider from Belgium will not knock down our idols. Subsequently the Dalai Lama and state awards scandal blew up. This represents exactly a type of ignition which stirs people up for action: a vicarious problem, but within an important mythological framework which is perfectly understandable by the crowds. Once again, a small group of people has come together to demonstrate. These are, as always, the people who grow and nurture the myth of St. Havel.



I went to watch a discussion organized in the Vaclav Havel Library, the so called Kromerizska Challenge with the goal of clarifying the topic of the Czech Presidency and democracy. Again I heard the same banalities about President Zeman, again these same mantras which the Prague metropolitan elite wishes to hear were repeated. I heard an inept comparison of Masaryk and Havel. I heard an inept complaint that Zeman puts economic interests above human rights, as though this did not happen in all of the Western democracies. I heard an utterly untrustworthy repetition of Havel's name and the concept of "truth and love" by former Czech Ambassador to the UK Michael Zantovsky, who only a few days previously fled the truth from the auditorium of the Archa Theatre, as if he was afraid of something.



The only person who who refused to be moved by this beautiful status of solidarity was the former diplomat Petr Kolar, who pointed out that if people from the Prague metropolitan elite want to understand something, they must occasionally travel to the regional centres of Usti or Karvina and come to terms with the local reality of everyday life for locals. For some of those present this was evidently an idea they heard for the first time in their lives. Even so, however, Petr Kolar failed to break away from the atmosphere of the mass consecrated to the final victory of good over evil.



It is depressing. On the one hand puppets of the East, on the other puppets of the West in a puppet theatre performing a play about a redneck and the spirit of a dead saint. No independence, no attempt to find ones own way. No attempt to establish a different, important agenda which would necessarily have to change the discourse.

Human society is hurtling with incredible speed towards a complex change to the conception of its own existence. Technology acquires the cognitive abilities of man and in many ways it is beginning to surpass them. It would be good to look where we are actually going and to try at least slightly to influence our direction by our own will and vision.



The economic downturn of the West, a loss of our privileged position in confrontation with dogmatic Asia and the sharply rising populism are serious problems. We could continue listing the many other problems which should be the focus of public debate, but which are not. The boring Czechs prefer to play and watch the endless rehashing of a mythological tale which slips into the form of a really stupid TV series broadcast for the solace of those who do not want to know anything. We are paying for it every day when we are willing to tolerate it. Regrettably, it looks like we do not want to give up this dubious privilege. The thing is that to be a puppet has one incredible advantage: all the decisions are made for you by someone else. Sleep sweetly.

(Translated into English by Blair Biggar)

0
United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. RICHARD JERRY HICKS, Defendant - Appellant. No. 15-4696 Decided: December 09, 2016

Before AGEE and FLOYD, Circuit Judges, and DAVIS, Senior Circuit Judge. Michael A. Bragg, Abingdon, Virginia, for Appellant. John P. Fishwick, Jr., United States Attorney, Kevin L. Jayne, Special Assistant United States Attorney, Abingdon, Virginia, for Appellee.

A jury convicted Richard Jerry Hicks of five counts relating to the manufacture of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C.  841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C), (c)(1)-(2), 858, 860a (2012). The district court sentenced Hicks to 180 months' imprisonment. The sole issue on appeal is whether the district court erred under Fed. R. Evid. 404(b) when it admitted evidence of Hicks' past conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine and the circumstances underlying that conviction.

We review a district court's Rule 404(b) rulings for abuse of discretion and will affirm unless the district court judge acted arbitrarily or irrationally. United States v. Cabrera-Beltran, 660 F.3d 742, 755 (4th Cir. 2011) (internal quotation marks omitted). Rule 404(b)(1) prohibits the admission of [e]vidence of a crime, wrong, or other act  to prove a person's character in order to show that on a particular occasion the person acted in accordance with the character.

Evidence of other crimes or bad acts, however, may be admissible for other purposes, such as proving motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, absence of mistake, or lack of accident. Fed. R. Evid. 404(b)(2). In drug cases, this court generally admits evidence of a defendant's prior, similar drug conduct to prove the defendant's knowledge and intent. Cabrera-Beltran, 660 F.3d at 755. The evidence must also be relevant, necessary to prove an element of the offense, reliable, and admissible under Fed. R. Evid. 403.

Under Rule 404(b), we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it admitted evidence of Hicks' past drug conduct. The evidence satisfies each of the four requirements under Rule 404(b) and shows Hicks' knowledge of the methamphetamine production and intent to participate in the conspiracy. Moreover, we can distinguish the cases Hicks cites.

Accordingly, we affirm the district court's judgment. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

AFFIRMED

3

PER CURIAM:
United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff  Appellee, v. CRISTINO PARRA MEDINA, Defendant - Appellant. No. 15-4787 Decided: December 09, 2016

Before TRAXLER, DIAZ, and HARRIS, Circuit Judges. J. Scott Coalter, COALTER LAW, P.L.L.C., Greensboro, North Carolina, for Appellant. Ripley Rand, United States Attorney, Randall S. Galyon, Assistant United States Attorney, Greensboro, North Carolina, for Appellee.

Cristino Parra Medina pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 120 months in prison. On appeal, Medina contends that the district court improperly denied him application of the safety valve. We vacate Medina's sentence and remand for resentencing.

The safety-valve statute requires sentencing courts to disregard any statutory mandatory minimum sentence for a defendant who establishes that he meets five criteria. See 18 U.S.C.  3553(f); U.S.S.G.  5C1.2. These criteria include that the defendant does not have more than 1 criminal history point, as determined under the sentencing guidelines, 18 U.S.C.  3553(f)(1), and that the defendant was not an organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of others in the offense, as determined under the sentencing guidelines, id.  3553(f)(4). Application of the safety valve is mandatory where the five specific factors are present. United States v. Beltran-Ortiz, 91 F.3d 665, 667 n.1 (4th Cir. 1996).

The probation officer who prepared the presentence report (PSR) in this case determined that Medina had zero criminal history points, that he did not qualify for a role-in-the-offense enhancement, and that the other safety-valve requirements were satisfied. The prepared PSR therefore recommended application of the safety valve and calculated Medina's Guidelines sentence without regard to the otherwise-applicable statutory mandatory minimum sentence. According to the PSR, Medina's advisory sentencing range was 87-108 months. Counsel for Medina and the government agreed with the sentence calculations and recommendations contained in the PSR.

At the sentencing hearing, the district court identified no error in the PSR's factual conclusions or sentence calculations, but the court nonetheless expressed concern about applying the safety-valve statute to Medina. The court noted that, because Medina was an illegal alien, he might have had prior criminal activity outside of the United States. The court also expressed concern about Medina's role in the offense, given his connection to the leader of the conspiracy in Mexico.

In light of these concerns, the district court declined to apply the safety valve. The court, however, did not impose an aggravated role enhancement and did not increase Medina's criminal history category. Instead, the court adopted the PSR as written, with the exception of the safety-valve-related two-level reduction in Medina's total offense level. See J.A. 252 (Statement of Reasons adopting PSR except for [t]he two-level reduction for safety valve[, which] does not apply based on the fact the defendant was residing in the United States illegally and there is no way to determine if he had any criminal history in Mexico. Therefore, the Total Offense Level is 31.).

Medina argues on appeal that the district court erred by refusing to apply the safety valve. We agree.

The district court concluded that, because of his status as an illegal alien, Medina could not prove that he did not have more than 1 criminal history point. The safety-valve statute, however, only requires that Medina prove he does not have more than 1 criminal history point, as determined under the sentencing guidelines. 18 U.S.C.  3553(f)(1) (emphasis added); accord U.S.S.G.  5C1.2(a)(1). It is undisputed that the Guidelines calculation in the PSR and adopted by the district court met this requirement. The district court's conclusion that there was potentially other criminal activity outside of the United States is purely speculative, impossible to disprove, and irrelevant to whether Medina had more than 1 criminal history point, as determined under the Guidelines.

As to Medina's role in the offense, the statute again simply requires proof that the defendant was not an organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of others in the offense, as determined under the sentencing guidelines. Id.  3553(f)(4) (emphasis added); accord U.S.S.G.  5C1.2(a)(4). The district court affirmatively declined to apply a role-in-the-offense enhancement to Medina, see J.A. 101-02, and the PSR as adopted by the district court determined that Medina did not meet the Guidelines' requirements for such an enhancement. Because Medina did not receive a role-in-the-offense enhancement, he satisfied the safety-valve requirements. See U.S.S.G.  5C1.2 cmt. n.5 ( Organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of others in the offense, as determined under the sentencing guidelines, as used in subsection (a)(4), means a defendant who receives an adjustment for an aggravating role under  3B1.1 (Aggravating Role). (emphasis added)).

We therefore conclude that the requirements of the safety-valve statute were satisfied in this case, and that the district court erred by refusing to apply the statute when sentencing Medina. Accordingly, we vacate Medina's sentence and remand for resentencing. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

VACATED AND REMANDED

PER CURIAM:
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/12/2016 (2154 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A public health official testified that despite a health hazard order in place that shut down a Brandon grocery store, the business has continued to operate.

Placards notifying the public of the closure have been repeatedly taken down, the health inspector added.

Manitoba public health inspector April Gravelle testified that the order remains in effect after being put in place in April.

He was open for business last night, Gravelle testified on Friday on the first day of the shop owners trial. Hes been operating ever since. Every time Ive driven by there  hes operating.

Wei Dong Cong has pleaded not guilty to 12 offences under the Public Health Act and under food handling establishment regulations.

Gravelle testified that on April 20 or 21, 2016 she received a complaint from the property manager for the building on the 1100 block of Rosser Avenue.

Another tenant in the building had complained about sanitation and odour. The smell of fish was coming from within the building and from a dumpster outside, Gravelle said.

As a result, she went to the store on the afternoon of Friday, April 22 and met a conservation officer, whod agreed to accompany her, the building owner and the buildings handyman.

Gravelle said the store was closed even though they stopped by during regular business hours, but the smell was so bad that the building owner insisted she enter then and not wait.

She agreed to go in, on the basis that the Residential Tenancies Act allowed her to enter businesses with a building owners permission in cases of a possible health hazard emergency.

Once let in by the handyman, she intended to check if the power was on and the fridges running, but she said that wasnt the problem.

The smell of rotting fish met her as she walked in.

I noticed lots of public health infractions, and there was a very strong fishy stench, Gravelle testified.

She said that Congs health permit didnt allow him to have unpackaged meat in the business, yet she found packages of meat without necessary labels to indicate their origin, which must be from an approved source, and unpackaged meat that included fish.

The business didnt have sanitary means to repackage meat  the only sink was in the washroom, for example.

Other problems seen by Gravelle included food being kept in a utility room with household items that included a bicycle and car battery.

In that room, held at room temperature and not chilled, was the source of the smell, Gravelle said  it appeared packaged dried fish products were soaking in a bucket of water. Soaking dried meat in water is a catalyst for disease, Gravelle said.

There was also a band saw that showed evidence of being used to cut meat. That would be a violation as the store didnt have a permit for meat processing, Gravelle said. Rotting meat was found inside the rusty machine.

Uncovered eggs  some of them broken  were being stored at room-temperature, with feathers and feces still stuck to them. Nor were the eggs graded or labelled, as required.

Unpackaged and uninspected raw meat was being held in a freezer, in contact with potentially disease-carrying whole game birds with their feathers still on.

Whole fish and other food was being stored in garbage bags in freezers that were too frosted up to close properly. Gravelle said garbage bags contain chemicals that make them unsuitable for food storage.

Cong showed up during the impromptu inspection. Gravelle said she showed him some of the problems, but he rushed his unexpected guests out of the building.

On April 25, Gravelle drafted a health hazard order which effectively shut down the store so it could be cleaned up. It could reopen once it met certain conditions of the order. In the meantime, its permit was revoked.

Gravelle said Cong hasnt contacted her office to arrange a followup inspection to confirm whether the conditions have been met. So, the order remains in effect and the permit is still cancelled.

But, Gravelle testified, shes driven by the store and seen it open often.

On April 30, she stopped and took photos of customers coming and then leaving with packages, including one who was smoking just inside the door.

She also said that she and a co-worker had to repeatedly replace placards that notified the public of the closure because they were taken down.

Cong is representing himself at trial, and is assisted by two Mandarin interpreters.

During his cross-examination of Gravelle, Cong suggested that his business didnt smell of fish, and questioned why an adjoining window business wasnt inspected while his store was.

He also suggested that the food soaking in the water was actually vegetables, and a fatty substance in one of the photographs submitted to the court was really ginger.

Gravelle is the only witness to take the stand so far, and the trial has been adjourned to Jan. 20.

 ihitchen@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @IanHitchen
United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. SAUL ANTONIO MENDEZ-AGUIRRE, Defendant-Appellant. Case No. 15-6398 Decided: December 09, 2016

BEFORE: BOGGS, GILMAN, and DONALD, Circuit Judges.

Saul Antonio Mendez-Aguirre pled guilty to a two-count indictment charging illegal reentry into the United States. Mendez-Aguirre now challenges his resulting sentence. Seeing no merit in these challenges, we AFFIRM.

I.

Mendez-Aguirre, a native and citizen of Honduras, first entered the United States when he was twenty years old. In March 2000, an Immigration Judge in Texas issued a warrant of deportation, and ordered that Mendez-Aguirre be removed from the United States. In June 2007, when Mendez-Aguirre was arrested for driving under the influence (third offense), it was determined that Mendez-Aguirre had an outstanding removal order. Pursuant to the 2000 Texas removal order, he was deported to Honduras in December 2007. Thus began a pattern of alcohol-related criminal offenses, deportation, and subsequent unlawful reentries for Mendez-Aguirre.

Prior to his arrest and deportation in 2007, Mendez-Aguirre had been convicted of reckless driving in 2003 after he was observed traveling the wrong way in a travel lane. He was also convicted of driving under the influence (second offense) in 2005. This time, he was found behind the wheel of his vehicle at an intersection, unresponsive and reeking of alcohol. In 2007, following the first of what would be several deportations, Mendez-Aguirre illegally reentered the United States and was again arrested and charged with public intoxication in 2009. Mendez-Aguirre was again removed from the United States in March 2010. Once again, Mendez-Aguirre unlawfully reentered the United States and was arrested for driving under the influence (fourth offense or more) in June 2011. When he was arrested, he was stopped in the lane of travel; was asleep behind the steering wheel of a vehicle with his foot on the brake and the engine running; reeked of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes, and was unsteady on his feet. In December 2011, Mendez-Aguirre was deported for the third time in four years.

For Mendez-Aguirre, the third time was not the charm. Following his December 2011 deportation, Mendez-Aguirre again illegally reentered the United States. In February 2015, he was arrested for driving under the influence (fourth offense or more). Mendez-Aguirre was arrested after a security officer noticed his vehicle proceeding through a section of grass. He was discovered asleep with his foot on the brake, the engine still running, and the vehicle placed in drive. Mendez-Aguirre had open beer cans beside him and had the smell of alcohol.

A federal grand jury indicted Mendez-Aguirre on one count of unlawfully reentering the United States after a previous removal, in violation of 8 U.S.C.  1326(a), and on one count of unlawfully reentering the United States following a removal subsequent to a felony conviction, in violation of 8 U.S.C.  1326(a) and (b)(1). Mendez-Aguirre pled guilty to the indictment and, based on a Guideline offense level of 12 and a criminal history category of IV, the district court sentenced him to a total prison term of twenty-seven months.

II.

Mendez-Aguirre raises two main issues on appeal: (1) whether, under Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963), the district court erred in denying his request for materials concerning fast-track programs; and (2) whether the sentence imposed by the district court was either procedurally or substantively unreasonable.

In advance of sentencing, Mendez-Aguirre filed a sentencing memorandum, in which he argued for a sentence below the Guideline range. (R. 18.) In support of this, he argued that his lack of qualification for a fast-track program in the Middle District of Tennessee caused an unwarranted sentencing disparity, since he would have been eligible for the program in other districts. (Id. at PageID # 3538.) Mendez-Aguirre further argued that if he had been prosecuted in San Diego, he would have had the benefit of a four-level reduction. (Id. at PageID # 36.) Even further, Mendez-Aguirre cited to districts in at least thirty-three states where he would have been eligible for a reduction in his Guideline range under those districts' fast-track programs. (Id. at PageID # 37.) The government's response first noted that the Middle District of Tennessee does have a fast-track program, but that Mendez-Aguirre was not eligible for it because his record establishes that he is both a determined recidivist with respect to the instant offense, that is, illegal entry, and a serial felon with respect to drunken driving. (R. 19, PageID # 4041.) The government also argued that Mendez-Aguirre failed to support his argument that he would be eligible for the fast-track program in other jurisdictions with evidence of the eligibility criteria in the cited jurisdictions. (Id. at PageID # 41.)

Mendez-Aguirre's reply argued that complete and accurate information about each district's fast-track program is solely in the possession of the government. (R. 20.) Accordingly, he requested information concerning all the details, policies, and criteria of the fast-track program in the Middle District of Tennessee; every federal judicial district in which the Attorney General maintains a fast-track program; all charging criteria and eligibility requirements that a defendant must meet to receive a fast-track sentence in each district that has such a program; the methodology used to determine the likely imprisonment range that fast-tracked defendants face in each district with such a program; and any and all other information in the government's possession concerning fast-track programs that might be favorable to Mendez-Aguirre. (Id. at PageID # 4849.) At sentencing, the district court denied Mendez-Aguirre's request for materials concerning fast-track programs, finding that, under Brady, any fast-track policy for the district is not factually exculpatory or factually impeaching. (R. 31, PageID # 86.)

A. Asserted Brady Violation

We review the district court's determination as to the existence of a Brady violation de novo. United States v. Graham, 484 F.3d 413, 41617 (6th Cir. 2007) (citing United States v. Miller, 161 F.3d 977, 987 (6th Cir. 1998)). Under Brady, suppression by the prosecution of evidence favorable to an accused upon request violates due process where the evidence is material either to guilt or to punishment. 373 U.S. at 87. Accordingly, a defendant seeking to establish a Brady violation must show that: (1) the government suppressed evidence; (2) the evidence was favorable to the defense; and (3) the suppressed evidence was material. Graham, 484 F.3d at 417 (citing Carter v. Bell, 218 F.3d 581, 601 (6th Cir. 2000)). We have noted that [e]vidence is material only if there is a reasonable probability that, had the evidence been disclosed to the defense, the result of the proceeding would have been different.  United States v. Fields, 763 F.3d 443, 458 (6th Cir. 2014) (quoting Pennsylvania v. Ritchie, 480 U.S. 39, 57 (1987)).

Mendez-Aguirre correctly notes that Brady applies to evidence that is material to a defendant's sentence, see Montgomery v. Bobby, 654 F.3d 668, 697 (6th Cir. 2011); however, he has not shown that the evidence of fast-track policies would be exculpatory or impeaching in a manner that would make them material under Brady. The government argues that the fast-track policies, which Mendez-Aguirre points to as material under Brady, are merely internal policy documents that bestow no rights of any kind on defendants, but instead set out the criteria that various U.S. Attorney's Offices consider when deciding, as a matter of prosecutorial discretion, how to use their fast-track programs instrumentally to deal with the challenges of immigration-related crime. (Appellee Br., at 17.) We agree. Brady does not extend to this sort of evidence that is neither impeaching nor exculpatory, but is solely made available to a defendant as a matter of prosecutorial discretion. And Mendez-Aguirre does not cite to any authority that would allow this Court to make that leap. Even further, Mendez-Aguirre is required to show, under Brady, that had the government provided him with evidence of its fast-track program, the result of his proceeding would have been different. See Fields, 763 F.3d at 458. He has not sufficiently carried this burden. As is supported by our decision below, the record does not indicate that had Mendez-Aguirre been able to further supplement the fast-track evidence already presented to the district court, it would have been material to his sentencing.

Because the evidence upon which Mendez-Aguirre bases his Brady claim does not satisfy the materiality requirement of Brady, we need not reach the remaining requirements.

B. Procedural and Substantive Unreasonableness

Mendez-Aguirre also challenges his sentence on the grounds that it was procedurally and substantively unreasonable. In particular, he argues that the district court wrongly concluded that it did not have authority to grant a variance based on a fast-track disparity. (Appellant Br., at 24.)

We review the procedural and substantive reasonableness of a sentence for abuse of discretion. United States v. Collins, 828 F.3d 386, 388 (6th Cir. 2016) (citing Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 51 (2007)). A district court abuses its discretion in the sentencing context if it commits a significant procedural error, selects a sentence arbitrarily, bases the sentence on impermissible factors, fails to consider relevant sentencing factors, or gives an unreasonable amount of weight to any pertinent factor.  Id. (quoting United States v. Conatser, 514 F.3d 508, 520 (6th Cir. 2008)) (alteration and internal citations omitted). Additionally, we afford [ ] a rebuttable presumption of reasonableness to a properly calculated, within-Guidelines sentence. United States v. Graham, 622 F.3d 445, 464 (6th Cir. 2010).

During sentencing, the district court, in response to Mendez-Aguirre's request for a downward variance, stated: And the Sixth Circuit case law is clearly that the difference between districts that have fast track and districts that don't have fast track is not an unwarranted sentencing disparity but in fact is contemplated by the guidelines and would, therefore, be warranted as opposed to unwarranted. (R. 31, at PageID # 8687.) Regardless, in its evaluation of the 18 U.S.C.  3553(a) factors, the court acknowledged that the disparity caused by fast-track programs is a consideration for the court in evaluating unwarranted sentencing disparities, (id. at PageID # 110), but that the fact that the Middle District of Tennessee may not liberally exercise its fast track policy does not create an unwarranted sentencing disparity. (Id. at PageID # 111.)

For clarity, we emphasize that our precedent does not prohibit a district court from granting a downward variance based on the disparities caused by districts with fast-track programs and districts without a fast-track program. See United States v. Camacho-Arellano, 614 F.3d 244, 250 (6th Cir. 2010) ([W]e repudiate any prior hint that district judges [cannot] grant variances based on the fast-track disparity.). However, while a sentencing court has the authority to deviate from the Guidelines if it disagrees with the policy underlying the disparity created by the existence of fast-track programs in other districts, it is not required to do so. United States v. Castaneda-Comacho, 421 F. App'x 604, 606 (6th Cir. 2011).

In this case, we must review the reasonableness of the sentence imposed in light of the record as a whole. It does not appear from the record that the district court misunderstood the scope of its sentencing power. Further, nothing in the sentencing record leads this Court to conclude that the district court believed that it was expressly prohibited from granting a variance on this basis. Rather, the opposite is clear. The district court examined the need to avoid unwanted disparities, but stated: And there is the question of respect for the law. The multiple or serial DUIs is a reason why this defendant would be treated differently than other defendants who have had reentry cases. (R. 31, at PageID # 112.) Because we have held that a sentencing court is not required to deviate from the Guidelines based on fast-track policies, Castaneda-Comacho, 421 F. App'x at 606, we decline to conclude that the district judge's decision not to deviate here was an abuse of discretion. Furthermore, the record indicates that the district court properly considered the  3553(a) factors in deciding to impose a sentence within the Guideline range. Mendez-Aguirre has not sufficiently rebutted the presumption of reasonableness that we accord such sentences.

III.

For the aforementioned reasons, we AFFRIM Mendez-Aguirre's sentence.

FOOTNOTES

. Fast-track programs are programs adopted by prosecutors' offices to expedite illegal-reentry cases. We have previously outlined the history and use of such programs. See United States v. Perez-Vasquez, 570 F.3d 692, 69596 (6th Cir. 2009).

. We note that the government contends that we should review this claim for plain error because Mendez-Aguirre did not object when the district court specifically asked for objections under United States v. Bostic, 371 F.3d 865 (6th Cir. 2004). (Appellee Br., at 2627.) However, we have held that the abuse-of-discretion standard is properly applied where, as here, the claim at issue involves an overlap of procedural and substantive reasonableness. See United States v. Jeter, 721 F.3d 746, 756 (6th Cir. 2013).

BERNICE BOUIE DONALD, Circuit Judge.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/12/2016 (2154 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As you drive along 18th Street North, you might have noticed that Windsor Plywood is in the middle of a renovation. I spoke with general manager Jason Kusnick, and he said the store was due for an update.

Weve started with a facelift on the front of the store and were slowly starting on the inside, with the hope of having everything complete by spring, Kusnick said.

The interior renovations will include new shelving, re-merchandising the majority of the store, and a fresh, new look for customers.

Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Brandons Windsor Plywood store will soon have a new look on the exterior as well as inside.

Windsor Plywood has been part of the Brandon business community for 37 years and switched to a corporate-owned store last spring; Kusnick came on board shortly after. They carry everything from doors and flooring to domestic and exotic species of wood including a large variety of natural live edge wood, accessories and decking. They primarily specialize in hard-to-source products.

Kusnick said with the recent change in management, the focus of the store is also changing somewhat.

Our niche is more specialty woodwork, we carry a lot of live edge and a lot of exotic woods. We cater more to the renovation market and not as much on the new home builders. By getting back into speciality products, were going back to our roots, he said.

Natural live edge wood has become a trend in recent years for many building projects, whether its residential or commercial.

Kusnick said they have a great selection of natural live edge wood that is sourced from many different places around the world, including South America, Mexico and Russia.

Live edge wood has been quite popular for a few years now and the trend continues to grow. People are using it for fireplace mantles, bars, shelving and for furniture such as headboards and footboards, dining room and living room tables.

In addition to the retail store, Windsor Plywood also has a wood shop at the back. They work on a variety of woodworking projects including repairs, prepping new doors for installation and small custom projects.

Its business as usual during the renovations, so dont hesitate to stop in.

For more information, visit windsorplywood.com or call 204-728-4243.

MORE SPACE, SERVICES

Its close to two months now since Rejuvenate settled into their new space at 2505 Victoria Ave. Owner Tannis Ortynsky said they moved the short distance, literally across the street, because they needed much more space as theyve recently added new services to their already existing menu of comprehensive treatments.

Rejuvenate is a med spa that provides treatments that promote good health, self-awareness and rejuvenation of the mind, body and soul. Their list of services includes facials and body treatments, laser treatments, teeth whitening, eyelash extensions, DNA and hormone testing, plus much, much more.

In addition, theyve recently expanded to offer new services including: Indian head (an alternative massage for the neck, head and face), cupping and couples massage; microblading, which is the newest and latest technique for enhancing eyebrows, and they are the exclusive provider in Manitoba of Venus Freeze.

These are revolutionary treatments for the entire body. The results are phenomenal and I am really excited about the breakthrough in technology with the Venus Freeze. Its liposuction without the surgery. Our clients are seeing huge results  tightening, toning, cellulite loss and fat loss, Ortynsky said.

For more details on their full range of treatments and services, visit rejuvenatezone.ca or call 204-726-0832.

Meanwhile, the former location for Rejuvenate was snapped up very quickly. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba took over the space at the beginning of October.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/12/2016 (2155 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After the death of Fidel Castro, chief commander of the Cuban Revolution, United States President-Elect Donald Trump said Castro was a brutal dictator.

Only a cynic like Trump could deny the elements of heroism and tragedy in the life of Castro and the struggle of the Cuban people. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided on a more educated statement, saying Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century.

A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr. Castro made significant improvements to the education and health care of his island nation  While a controversial figure, both Mr. Castros supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for el Comandante.

CP Fidel Castro is pictured during a meeting with intellectuals and writers at the 2012 International Book Fair in Havana in a photo released by state media website Cubadebate. Jaime Chinchilla writes that Castro and other Latin American leaders were heroic when they led Cubans to free their country from U.S. tyranny, and by not stepping back when their government was threatened and attacked.

It is your choice if you decide to read reputable historians or you follow the mass media fantastic story about some world leaders who have challenged U.S. foreign policy and aggression. There was a time when Cuba was the U.S. backyard and most of its people suffered the humiliation of being servants on their own land, without basic rights, land or minimal life conditions.

That is how heroic Fidel Castro and other Latin American leaders were when they led thousands of Cubans to free their country from tyranny. Castros actions and subsequent government taught Latin Americans that they are worth a lot more and that their countries can be a lot more than just the victim of a bully. What followed  a government that never stepped back when threatened and attacked in any imaginable way  is also heroic.

After Castro defeated U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, the U.S. used any official and unofficial way one can imagine to oust

Castro and his revolutionary government from power. Castros own political evolution was shaped by U.S. imperialisms decades-long plunder and oppression following the islands transformation.

When Cuba ceased being a colony from Spain, as a result of the 1898 Spanish-American War, it became a semi-colony for the United States. Under the Platt Amendment, the United States guaranteed itself the right to intervene in Cuban affairs as it saw fit, and seized Guantanamo Bay to serve as its military base.

After Castro and his revolutionary mates succeeded in ousting Washingtons man in Havana, the U.S. attempted to regain power by invading through Bahia Cochinos (Bay of Pigs) in 1961. Castro not only defeated the invasion, commanding the army himself, but responded with nationalizations, first of U.S. property, then of Cuban-owned enterprises, and started land reform.

In response to those limited reforms, Washington sought to strangle the Cuban economy, cutting Cubas sugar export quota and denying the island nation oil. As this took place during the Cold War, it was just a matter of time before the Cuban government turned to the Soviet bureaucracy for assistance in 1962. In a very political and opportunistic move, Castro self-proclaimed as a Marxist-Leninist and the Cuban revolution as a Marxist one as well.

His turn to the Soviet Union provided him with enormous economical help, with the USSR and its allies opening alternative markets in return for exploiting Cuba as a bargaining chip in its quest for peaceful coexistence with U.S. imperialism.

When Americas continuous embargo and aggression got to a point of making Cubans suffer, especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Castro and his government changed Cubas political and economic model and adapted to new-world geopolitical conditions. Cuba was thrown into a desperate economic and social crisis, which the Castro government was only able to offset through widening the opening to capitalist investment. But the reforms could have been bigger and quicker.

Castro took the Cuban-controlled and nationalized economy to great success in terms of its social indicators. No other country in the developing world has First World health and education standards. Cuba does despite embargoes and aggression from the U.S.

Castro and his government granted free education and universal health care to Cubans, leading to the country having the lowest poverty index in the continent. Cuba also produced some of the best artists in the world.

The problem is that Castro and his government achieved this while creating a ruling bureaucracy, a government strata that many claim to be unfair. Many of the Cuban peoples revolutionary demands and dreams remained unfulfilled during his government.

Only Cubans that lived under his government know how bad or good it was and why there has never been a massive rebellion against a government that is supposed to be tyrannical, according western mass media. Yet it achieved superb social benefits for all. In a time when so-called democratic elections allow people like Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton to get power, we should all question the validity of such systems as well.

People tend to think voting equals democracy, but real democracy lays on distribution of a countrys wealth.

 Jaime Chinchilla is part of Brandons Latin American community and a member of the popular Son Latino Band. His column appears monthly. jaimech@gmail.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/12/2016 (2154 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Media propaganda

Just a quick response to the two Sound Offs bashing Justin Trudeau and his admiration of Fidel Castro. To clarify, I am neither a socialist nor a Liberal  but I repeat myself. Before the revolution, Cuba was nothing more than a casino and bordello for organized crime, crooked politicians and wealthy socialites, and the average lifespan of a Cuban was 47 years, the same as Haiti today which has had no revolution. Today it is 85 years. The infant mortality rate is now lower than the U.S. and Canada, health services and education are free and exceptional and everyone has access to a doctor. If a cure for cancer is ever found, it could very likely be the result of Cuban research. Castro was, and is, a Third World hero and a messiah to the Cuban people. Despite 600 (mostly CIA) assassination attempts, Fidel lived to the age of 90. One thing I do condemn is the torture of innocent people in Cuba, but that takes place in the America hellhole called Guantanamo, and theyre the good guys. No, I dont want to live in Cuba, Im perfectly happy here in Canada  still waiting for our elusive messiah. I do agree with the writer on one point, though. I (also) wish our schools taught real world history, In a time of universal deceit  telling the truth is a revolutionary act.  George Orwell.

Time to shut down the school boards

As an educator who worked in the school system for 34 years, the issue of a heavy top-down administration and a lack of funding can be solved with one bold move by the government. Simply shut down the school boards. Make principals responsible to the department of education. Teachers, principal administrators, and dedicated parents can now focus on the programs required for their distinct populations. The funding for extra teachers and programs can come from the large pool of money that used to support the personnel and administrative buildings required for the school boards. The schools/teachers win with focused programs supported by adequate funds, principals are removed from the union and acknowledged as managers of the education department who administer directly to their clients, the students. This is a win-win situation that can improve student learning, stop the empire building of local boards, involve parents, and give the department of education a direct link to those that matter the most  the students.

Laws that apply to all are needed

Westman Residents Perturbed With Poaching, Dec. 5. The traditional rights of any and all hunters will have to be balanced with the conservation of our wildlife population, which is not possible without setting laws in place first. Laws that apply to all cultures, race and background are needed. Provinces have a responsibility to protect, maintain and preserve wildlife.The Federal government and provinces have the fundamental right to make and enforce changes for the protection of our wildlife!

Find pipeline protests confusing

All these protests about pipelines and that we should use alternative fuel sources has me a bit confused. Moving oil by pipeline to me would be more environmentally safe than moving it by rail lines and trucks. Also, just remember that it is going to get very costly to set up infrastructure to accommodate these alternative fuel sources like electric charging stations in place of gas stations or hydrogen fuelling stations if we go that way. I dont see solar-powered cars or trucks or rail lines for a long time and do you think the oil companies are going to help build these alternative filling stations? Well, I guess we could go back to horse and wagon.
Hundreds of families have arrived at Aras an Uachtarain this evening for the annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony.

Each year, President and Sabina Higgins welcome families from all over the country to attend the event at the presidential residence in Dublin's Phoenix Park.
Update 9.05pm: Lucy Donovan has been found safe and well this evening.

Gardai have asked for the publics help to find missing woman Lucy Donovan.

The 27-year-old has been missing from Dublin 8 since yesterday.

Lucy was last seen in Kilmainham shortly after 3pm.

She is described as being 5ft6 in height, of medium build with dark brown shoulder-length hair.

When last seen she was wearing a cream knitted jumper, black bomber jacket, black leggings and black runners.

She was carrying a tan-coloured satchel handbag and is believed to wear thick-rimmed, dark prescription glasses.

Gardai are concerned for Lucy and asking anyone who has seen her or who can assist in locating her to contact Kilmainham Garda Station on 01 - 6669700, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
Irish poet John Montague has died at the age of 87.

The President Michael D Higgins is leading tributes to renowned Irish poet John Montague, who has died at the age of 87.

President Higgins described his work as "immense", and said his death was "another great loss to Irish letters".

The renowned poet died in France, but his remains are expected to be brought from Nice to Tyrone where he was brought up.

The Arts Council says his loss will be felt acutely but his work will continue to inspire both readers and writers for generations to come.

Irish Poetry legend John Montague has passed away. .@artscouncil_ie says his work will continue to inspire for generations to come. pic.twitter.com/65DULNVXzy  Aisling O' Rourke (@AislingORourke) December 10, 2016

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1929, he was raised in Co. Tyrone.

He co-founded Claddagh Records and his poetry included Forms of Exile and Poisoned Lands.

President Higgins has expressed his "sorrow" at hearing of his death.

He said: "I have heard with sorrow of the passing of John Montague, one of our finest poets, and the first Ireland Professor of Poetry 1998, and just recently honoured at the Irish Book Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to literature.

"The death of John Montague represents another great loss to Irish letters, a further break with a rich body of work that was the gift of poets and dramatists, to Ulster, Ireland and the world.

"All of the themes of the last century are engaged in John Montagues work  separation, exile, memory, conflict, the making and teaching of poems in academic settings far and wide, and the challenge of their delivery, generously undertaken in a myriad of settlings.

Full text of the statement by President Michael D. Higgins on the death of John Montague: https://t.co/wIg2SA5O3E pic.twitter.com/OGagALKzQL  President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) December 10, 2016

"His work which includes magnificent love poems, and which indeed show a love of the world in all its curiosity, was immense.

"John Montague produced a body of work that was recognised by his peers as of the finest kind  lines hewn out of experience as if granite, nothing avoided or evaded, and this writing went on to the end.

"Familiar with the literature of other languages, he was a careful translator and source of encouragement to others.

"His wry, self-deprecating company, his humour, his openness to opposite opinions, will be missed by all of us who were privileged to be his friends  and so many were.

"To his wife Elizabeth Wassell; his daughters Sibyl and Oonagh, and all those who loved him, Sabina and I send our deepest sympathy."
A man has been arrested in connection with a sexual assault on a teenage boy in England.

The suspect, aged 55, was arrested by West Midlands Police on Saturday after a 16-year-old was attacked in Birmingham city centre on November 30.
A member of staff at a prestigious private school has resigned after being filmed by an undercover reporter apparently discussing donations from a foreign family in return for a place for their child.

David Fletcher, registrar of Stowe School in England at the time, said that one family helped to secure a place for their child by donating 100,000 towards a project, a claim denied by the 34,000-a-year Buckinghamshire boarding school.

"Everything I say is going to start sounding a bit dodgy," said Mr Fletcher, according to a recorded posted online by the Daily Telegraph.

"But if it was the case that somebody was keen to work with the school, and one was aware of that, then it is always useful to know, as you say, if there are marginal decisions."

During the meeting, the undercover reporter posed as an agent for a Russian oligarch keen to get his son a place at Stowe, whose alumni include Richard Branson and two of Prince Harry's ex-girlfriends, Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy.

Mr Fletcher told her that though all pupils have to be able to pass a test, if her client's son was a borderline case, a donation would be helpful.

He said: "I always say to my headmaster, you know, because he's terrific but in some ways he's a bit naive, in the sense that, I say to him you just don't realise how things operate elsewhere, and also you just don't understand that some of these people are rich beyond Croesus."

He added: "It's a big growth industry, because as private education prices itself out of the market with British families, many schools are having to go down that international route just to say afloat."

Anthony Wallersteiner, headmaster at Stowe, said: "There is absolutely no truth in these allegations. Mr Fletcher was acting independently of the school and now bitterly regrets making these false claims.

"He confirms that he has no evidence, nor is he aware of any situation where a potential parent has made a donation to secure a place for a child at the school. He resigned with immediate effect when the school began its own investigation and is no longer an employee of the school."

He continued: "I would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that Stowe would never allow a donation of any kind or size to have influence over the allocation of a place at the school. We pride ourselves on operating to the highest professional and ethical standards."

The investigation comes in the week that private schools in the UK offered to create 10,000 free places for poorer students if the British Government helps fund them.

The proposal, by the Independent Schools Council (ISC), suggested the Government pays no more than the cost of a state school place per pupil - thought to be around 5,500 (6,500) a year - with the private sector paying the rest.
KARACHI: Nearly 75 percent of businesses have been struggling with increased costs over the last decade. This was...
ACT Police have found a man who went missing from Calvary Hospital after receiving medical treatment while under police custody.

Garry Gordon, 27, was found by officers at about 6.30pm near the Tuggeranong town centre.

Garry Gordon was found by police on Saturday night. Credit:ACT Policing

Mr Gordon went missing from the hospital just after 3am on Friday, where he was being treated for minor injuries after an alleged minor theft.
SmartFinancial, Inc., parent company of SmartBank, and Atlantic Capital Bancshares, Inc., parent company of Atlantic Capital Bank, N.A., announced that SmartBank has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Cleveland, Tn., branch office and assets of FSG Bank, a division of Atlantic Capital Bank.

SmartBank has agreed to assume approximately $33,000,000 in customer deposits and purchase approximately $32,000,000 in loans and other assets affiliated with the Cleveland branch.



This acquisition provides an incredible opportunity to expand our presence in Tennessee and introduce our brand and excellent client service to Bradley County, said SmartBank president and CEO, Billy Carroll. Our expansion earlier this year into the Chattanooga market through the merger with Cornerstone Community Bank makes this FSG Bank branch acquisition in Cleveland a great strategic fit.



According to Atlantic Capitals President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Kramer, SmartBank brings a great understanding and knowledge of the East Tennessee community markets to our Cleveland client base. Our clients have come to expect a hands-on, high touch approach, and we are confident that SmartBank will deliver that same level of service to the market.



The sale and acquisition of this branch will steer both Atlantic Capital Bank and SmartBank toward their goals of becoming banking leaders in the Southeast.



This transaction will better position Atlantic Capital to continue to focus on our strategic objective of becoming a premier corporate, business and private bank serving metropolitan areas throughout the Southeast, said Douglas Williams, chief executive officer of Atlantic Capital.



SmartFinancial chairman Miller Welborn said, Seizing smart growth opportunities like this will help get us one step closer to becoming the Southeasts next, great community banking franchise.



The acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2017.
So, it turns out the Australian economy contracted, slightly, during the three months to the end of September this year. Cue the pollies, blaming the other side, and telling us that only their side has the answer to the problem. And, surprise, surprise, the solutions they've come up with just happen to gel perfectly with their already-held ideological positions and party platforms.

It would be funny if it wasn't serious -- after all, the prize for getting it right is national prosperity and jobs -- something I think almost all of us can agree are good things.

A second quarter of negative growth (which, as an oxymoron, is the economic-jargon-based equivalent of backward progress) would meet the generally accepted definition of a recession -- not that the pollies will utter that fateful word for fear of being branded with it.

Now, most economists expect the December quarter to be positive, thus avoiding such a fate. But then, they expected the last quarter to be positive, too so take it with a grain of salt.
Political correctness is  it's now universally accepted in this country, or by anyone with a brain at least  out of control.

It's getting so you can't say anything to anyone, in case you "trigger" them or offend them. Even if what you're saying is true! That's the worst part. It's almost like there are some words and concepts that just drive some people into a blind fit of rage or offence, and render them completely incapable of engaging in a calm and rational discussion.

It's kind of sad, because the conversations that are most richly strewn with potential points of offence are actually usually the most important ones to have. But they're also by definition the most likely to get somebody or other's undies in a bunch, so as soon as they're raised, even when it's in a well-meaning way  SLAM! Suddenly you can't hear yourself for the shrieking.

What happened to freedom of speech in this country? In shutting down genuine inquiry and debate on this matter, or that one, just because its premise (or even, sometimes, merely a sliver of its premise) offends someone, don't we risk missing out, as a population, on the sorts of answers we might more reliably have obtained were we allowed freely to have the conversation?
A national shortage of three first line antibiotics is forcing hospitals to stockpile, ration and use back-up treatments that expose patients battling serious infection to more toxic drugs, and embolden superbugs.

The drugs Vancomycin, Aciclovir and metronidazole are the latest in a long list of antibiotic shortages over the past few years which are the most effective, least expensive, least toxic and least likely to cause resistance, infectious diseases doctors say.

When hospitals are out of stock or have to ration these antibiotics, doctors are driven to use back-up treatments including giving patients broader spectrum antibiotics which can cause potentially catastrophic complications such as bowel inflammation, and potentially put the community at greater risk of superbugs. .

"These are decisions that will lead to the deaths of people if they can't get an effective antibiotic," said Professor of infectious diseases at Australian National University, Peter Collignon.
A jobs creation plan designed to make NSW the "engine room of the nation's economy" blew out by $130 million after the chief commissioner relaxed entry to the scheme.

The Jobs Action Plan has been subjected to repeated fine-tuning since Premier Mike Baird made it one of his signature policies as treasurer in 2011, with large companies taking advantage of the government's largesse even though it was set up to stimulate small business.

A letter obtained by the NSW Opposition under Government Information (Public Access) laws show that Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian advised the Finance Minister in October last year that there had been a spike in applications after the former chief commissioner removed the time limit on businesses applying to the scheme, which had led to a $130 million "overspend" and would need to be tightened up.

A second document showed that among the 5030 employers that accessed the scheme were three companies with more than 100,000 employees, including a foreign multinational with more than 370,000 staff, before the government restricted it to businesses with fewer than 50 employees in June.
A stolen car has led police on a dangerous chase south of Brisbane in the early hours of Saturday morning, allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road with no headlights.

Police said about 12.30am they tried to stop a stolen vehicle on Allgas Street at Slacks Creek, but the driver managed to evade officers.

Police have charged a man with a variety of offences after a dramatic pursuit south of Brisbane on Saturday. Credit:Marina Neil/Fairfax Media

It will be alleged the stolen car then evaded officers again in Woodridge before PolAir was dispatched when the vehicle was spotted driving on the wrong side of Kingston Road with no headlights on.

Police said the fleeing vehicle headed onto the Logan Motorway and travelled through parts of the Logan District as well as Annerley, before officers successfully deployed stingers in south Brisbane.
Two fishermen have had a lucky escape in waters north of Brisbane on Saturday morning after their dinghy took on water and sank.

Police responded to reports a 3.9-metre dinghy was taking on water just off Beachmere Beach in Deception Bay about 4.30am.

Water Police raced to a sunken dinghy off Beachmere Beach in the early hours of Saturday morning and plucked two fishermen from the water. Credit:Queensland Police Service

Water Police, Volunteer Marine Rescue, Coast Guard and an emergency helicopter were dispatched and located the two men in the water about 5.50am.

The men, aged 23 and 25, were found about one nautical mile offshore and were taken to hospital for treatment of jellyfish stings.
Queensland's engine room for the past 45 years was given a fond farewell on Saturday, as it makes way for the Queen's Wharf project.

The Executive Building on George Street has seen nine premiers come and go, experienced a letter bomb explosion and had up to 6000 protesters on its doorstep, but was given a much more peaceful send-off.

The Queensland Executive Building will be demolished in January 2017 as part of the Queen's Wharf project. Credit:Glenn Hunt

Thousands congregated on the red carpet for guided tours, to experience the festivities or just to walk around the historical display in the foyer.

The George Street building will be demolished to make way for the $3 billion Queen's Wharf project, for which construction is due to start in January 2017.
We have lift-off! Early on Saturday morning a small integrated sensor made Australian space history. It became the country's first payload sent to the International Space Station.

A successful launch from Japan's Tanegashima space centre at 12.26am lifted the SAGAN sensor hardware on board the H-IIB unmanned rocket. The SAGAN, which contains 12 sensors to run experiments, takes up just one kilogram in a 5.9 tonne cargo of supplies and scientific equipment to the crew on the Space Station.

The sensor unit will spend a month on board, running the experiments of more than 1000 students from 60 high schools, including West Wallsend High School in the Hunter Valley.

Science teacher Peggy Mangovski said it was an opportunity for 30 of her students "to participate in a real-life space mission".
Health Minister Jill Hennessy holds a photo of her mother who has MS. Credit:Pat Scala But back then, only one Labor MP voted in favour of the bill: Andrews' right-hand man Gavin Jennings. This time more than half the cabinet have already declared support, along with a several Labor backbenchers, a growing number of Liberal MPs, the Greens and the Sex Party. Crucially, in June this year Parliament's legal and social issues committee tabled its landmark report into end-of-life choices, setting out a broad, evidence-based framework on which to base the assisted-dying bill. What's more, under parliamentary rules, cabinet had exactly six months to respond to the report, forcing MPs to turn their attention to the issue whether they wanted to or not. Health Minister Jill Hennessy was the first to seize the opportunity. Hennessy was only three years old when her mother Joan was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Decades later, Joan's decline is irreversible, but she's legally unable to take control of her own death. "She has to literally wither away until an infection takes her, or she chokes, or pneumonia comes by virtue of her body breaking down internally," the minister recently told The Sunday Age. "It's unbearable to think that will be the end of her life."

When the committee tabled its report, Hennessy knew there would only be so long that she could duck the media's questions about euthanasia with a phoney answer about having an "open mind" to reform. In the end it was Andrews who suggested that perhaps she didn't need to, effectively giving her the freedom to publicly declare her position. And on Tuesday, September 13, she did. "Personally  and I believe personal experience plays a strong role in informing people's views on this issue  I support euthanasia," she told Fairfax Media. It's no coincidence that the next day seven of Hennessy's cabinet colleagues followed suit, with Tim Pallas, Jaala Pulford, Martin Pakula, Richard Wynne, Lily D'Ambrosio, Steve Herbert, and Lisa Neville all backing reform. And by that Thursday another three ministers declared their support: Fiona Richardson, Natalie Hutchins and Philip Dalidakis. Suddenly, the momentum was building. Some, like Jennings, had been long-time supporters of voluntary euthanasia  in fact, it was Jennings himself who introduced the motion that set up the end-of-life choices inquiry last year, after several discussions with the Greens and the Sex Party, who were desperate to push the issue along. Others, like Pakula, voted against the 2008 bill because he didn't feel there were enough appropriate safeguards, but as Attorney-General would now have a direct role preparing the legislation. And then are some MPs, like Agriculture Minister Pulford, who know more about death than any parent should. During a teary moment in her office after the government's announcement this week, Pulford informed The Sunday Age that Monday will mark exactly two years to the day that her daughter Sinead died of cancer, aged 13.
Matthew Thomas was 20 when his parents, Maria and Peter, had to move him to the Westmeadows group house. Just four months into his stay, on November 11, 2014, they were told their son had been sexually assaulted by another resident at the facility. The Thomases were informed that a staff member had discovered another resident in bed with their son. Every night I was waking up my husband ... at two o'clock in the morning I said to my husband, 'Pete, we have to go to the facility, we have to check Matthew, I feel something is going on there'. Maria Thomas, mother of Matthew Thomas. "They found Matthew is in bed with [the man] on the top ... according to the manager, fully clothed," Mrs Thomas said.

"I was shocked. How could it happen? I thought Matthew was safe in the facility. I felt sick, I nearly threw up." The Thomases rang the department to complain and ask them and the facility to have the perpetrator removed. But nothing happened. Less than a month later, on December 9, there was another incident in the house. The resident broke away from a carer and rushed at Matthew shouting he was going to "hump" him. He was restrained before he could reach Matthew. Police were called and they issued a caution to the man for assault. Ms Thomas said they again demanded the offender be removed from the facility.

"Peter and myself, we were just really scared, for the life of my son and his safety," she said. "They don't care. They listen, but they don't do anything." Matthew's health and state of mind deteriorated and for the first time he had a seizure. "He didn't want us to go home," Ms Thomas said. "Every time we visited him, he was just grabbing our hand." The family started visiting daily in a desperate attempt to protect their son, making a three-hour round trip to be by Matthew's side.

"I couldn't sleep because I was worried about my son's safety," she said. "Every night I was waking up my husband ... at 2 o'clock in the morning I said to my husband, 'Pete, we have to go to the facility, we have to check Matthew, I feel something is going on there'." Written correspondence seen by Fairfax Media shows the family was told by the department to visit less frequently because their visits were "confusing" their son. The letter, dated January 23, 2015, a few months before Matthew was attacked for the third time, shows the department was aware of the family's fears for their son following the "attacks of a sexual nature by co-resident still living in the facility". The letter also notes the parents wanted the offender removed from the facility, but "would be reassured" if sensor alarms were installed on the doors. However, it says, this safety measure could not be put in place due to lack of funding.

Eventually, the accused was moved to another part of the house, and locks and an alarm was put in Matthew's room. But these failed to stop his attacker. Matthew was assaulted for the third time on April 17, 2015 when the resident rushed at Matthew and ripped his shirt in front of multiple witnesses. The next night, April 18, the resident came out of his room and attacked a carer, who fled and locked himself in an office. Then the youth attacked Matthew again. The man was due to face the County Court on January 30, 2017 but Fairfax Media understands the case was dropped due to fears that the accused's disability was too serious to enable him to comprehend the charges against him.

Soon after the final incident, the resident was removed from the house. Ms Thomas, who lost her husband in September 2015 after he suffered a heart attack while visiting Matthew, is now considering suing the facility and the department. "My husband was eaten by the stress and, to be honest, it cost his life," Ms Thomas said. Stuart Le Grand from Shine Lawyers, representing the family, said the question needed to be asked whether enough was done to protect Matthew. A Department of Human Services spokeswoman said all the allegations were referred to the Disability Services Commissioner and reported to police.

"An independent review of Autism Plus was undertaken in October 2015. The focus of the review was on governance and management, including its obligations to comply with incident reporting obligations," she said. "Recommendations related to processes and systems and all actions were completed by June this year." Autism Plus managing director Sandra Willis said the organisation took the care and safety of its clients very seriously. "Robust policies and operational safeguards are always in place, and our employees are provided with the highest calibre of training that is very specific to our clients on the autism spectrum," Ms Willis said. "Autism Plus have enjoyed a very positive relationship for many years with the Thomas family, and continue to work closely with them." Kevin Stone, from VALID, an organisation for adults with intellectual disabilities, said both the department and the facility were responsible for failing Matthew.
EPB Fiber Optics has been named the winner as the best gaming ISP for quality in the United States by PC Magazine.

Officials said its not so much speed, as it is latency such as connection quality and reliability.

EPB Fiber Optics was rated against Verizon Fios, Google Fiber, Metrocast and others.
The search for a body in Melbourne's outer south-east is believed to be linked to the missing Frankston woman Karen Rae who hasn't been seen since April 15, 2015.

Police and SES search teams were combing an area of a busy highway in Frankston on Friday afternoon looking for buried remains.

They were back on the scene on Saturday, looking under bushes, in drains and digging up dirt by the Frankston Freeway.

Police would not confirm who the search was related to, only saying it was part of an ongoing investigation.
A man was found with a gunshot wound to his leg in Thornbury overnight.

Paramedics were called to Clyde Street, at 7.36pm on Friday, and found the man with gunshot injuries, an Ambulance Victoria spokesman said.

Armed crime squad detectives are investigating. Credit:Facebook/@7NewsMelbourne

He said the man was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

A police spokeswoman said the armed crime squad were investigating the circumstances surrounding how the man sustained the injury.
Michigan: President-elect Donald Trump said on Friday he would name Andrew Liveris, chairman and chief executive of Dow Chemical Co, to head the Manufacturing Council, a private sector group that advises the US secretary of commerce.

Trump made the announcement during a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he introduced Liveris, 62, a dual US-Australian citizen who said he had accepted the appointment.

The panel to promote US manufacturing will be "tasked with finding ways to bring industry back to America," Trump said.

Liveris praised Trump's economic plans: "You're paving the way ... with your policies to make it easier to do business in this country - not a red-tape country but a red-carpet country for American businesses."
Tens of thousands of refugees who fled conflict in Syria and Iraq face a cold, uncertain winter as the Greek government struggles  and often fails  to cope with their needs. Workers from several aid organisations told Fairfax Media that refugees across Greece are at risk of dying this Christmas because of the appalling conditions. Tents can kill through cold or fire. Crowded warehouses pose disease risks. Medical care is insufficient. Violence is an everyday fact. Child exploitation is real. Sanitation is suspect. Lice and infectious diseases are spreading. Food is basic and culturally inappropriate. Children are missing vital years of education. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Save the Children International CEO says simply: "The Greek camps are at breaking point." The refugee camp in Serres, a big town in northern Greece. Credit:Nick Miller

Another member of a large NGO trying to explain why Greece's refugee program is such a mess says: "We honestly don't know why ... We have been raising these issues all year. "I just don't believe they put the resources that were really needed behind it, and they didn't move quickly enough." There is incompetence, a lack of resources and political will. And, this being Greece, there is low-level corruption. One site that demonstrates many of these problems is the Serres camp. Fairfax Media was not granted access, but visited the area and corroborated stories about the conditions through multiple sources  and through photos provided by refugees and other visitors.

A group of young Yazidis met with me, away from the camp. Their English was impressive. Their eyes spoke of horrors. The plight of the Yazidis made international news in August 2014 when IS entered the Sinjar area in northern Iraq. The Yazidis fled to the mountains with barely enough food and water to last them a day or two, while behind them thousands were killed and women sold into slavery. Western military including Australia dropped supplies to the besieged refugees while Kurdish and US forces cleared an evacuation corridor. Around 500 have ended up here in Serres. Mayada, 13, stared into space and picked at her blue nail polish as she told her story.

"ISIS came to my country," she said. "Now we don't have anything." She spent a week with her family in the mountains without food or water. She saw old people die. "ISIS say we will come to mountain and they will kill us, they will take us," she said. "They take many women Yazidi. We were very scared." She fled the mountains with 43 people in one small van, from Iraq to Syria  "no food, no clothes, no house, we don't know where we will go". A year later she went to Turkey, bound for Europe. "I went three times to the sea," she says. They finally found a way to Greece.

"We want to go to any country in Europe," she says. "We lost our future." Yazidi refugees at Serres camp in northern Greece (from left): Mayada, 13, Shirin, 16, Zahra, 18, Manisa, 21, and Hashim, 18. Credit:Nick Miller Hashim, 18, has a similar story. "Before Daesh [Islamic State] entered Sinjar life was simple," he said. "We were happy, very happy  we did not ask anything from anyone." But then "everything turned head over heels", he said. IS entered their village killing men, abducting women and children "and carried out the ugliest crimes". The family spent a week in the mountains  "we did not sleep at all. There were people there without food or water and fear filled their hearts. I saw people drink water not suitable for drinking. Every minute I was seeing someone in a tired, hungry or thirsty state, children dying, women raped, men killed ... I saw everything."

Leaving the mountains, he saw a mother abandon her young daughter who couldn't walk any more. "I carried her with me because I did not have much stuff to carry," he said. Hashim, Mayada and their friends want a future  to go to school, to have the same chance that others have. "One month ago they said 'two weeks we will make a place for you at school and you will go'," says Mayada. "But nothing. Liar." That 'liar' is delivered with a flat, angry tone.

"We come through hell to go to a country to have a life... They need to help us." Shirin, 16, says they are being neglected in Serres. "All children they will die in the tents. They are swimming because many rains come. We can't make a fire. We don't have a light to study English. We can't cook. We don't have a stove. We can't shower. We don't have hot water. It is very bad." And there's the interminable asylum process. Mayada's first interview is scheduled for March. I ask them how they cope.

"Because we are together," says Mayada. Save the Children spokeswoman Sacha Myers said children and families in the Serres camp were living in "very basic tents without floors or electricity  children are sleeping in the cold as the tents are not heated". The camp lacks basic drainage so the tents flood when it rains and there was no way for families to get warm and dry again, she said. The toilet and shower facilities do not have proper drainage, creating a major hygiene risk. Aid workers say conditions in the refugee camp are far from unusual. Credit:Hashim Kheri Kutu "The conditions are unacceptable and Save the Children is extremely concerned about the health and safety of the children."

Kristina Hasler, Director of the Yazidi support group Yazda in Greece, said the way the camp has been run was "unacceptable". Prefabricated cabins delivered to the site months ago sit empty, askew in the muddy field beside the camp. They can't be inhabited until drains, water and electricity are connected  and while contractors have come and gone, little progress has been made. Serres businesswoman Chariclia Savva has been working as a volunteer helping the refugees. She confirmed that conditions at the camp had deteriorated dramatically in the last month.

"Even though most of them were living in tents they were not really complaining until the temperature reached minus five," she said. Now, "their dream and only concern is to leave Greece". Fairfax Media emailed camp administrator Chrysa Tapa asking for access to the camp but did not receive a reply. A week later, after multiple attempts, she referred all our questions to the ministry of the interior. She may have reason to avoid media scrutiny. In August Greek media reported that Dimitris Tapas, deputy coordinator for refugees in the local Syriza government prefectural committee, had won a 750,000 ($1.075 million) contract for catering at the camp.

He is Chrysa's father. Syriza's political opponents had a field day but those inside the party were appalled as well. Syriza MP Afrodite Stabouli is a member of the parliament's standing committee on public administration. She told Fairfax Media that Ms Tapa "certainly has not been chosen by the process provided by law  Is the creation and management of a 500-person hosting camp the appropriate job for a 25-year-old psychologist with no experience?" Ms Tapa's father appears to have an undefined role running the camp, Stabouli said  "[he] keeps staying in the camp giving orders to anybody including the NGO members, the volunteers and the police".

Stabouli said conditions at the camp were "elementary", blaming those running the camp, a lack of government surveillance, delays in EU funding, and a lack of coordination among NGOs and the ministry. A spokesman from the Ministry of Migration Policy said it "does not answer questions involving personal opinions". While this report was being prepared, one week after Fairfax Media started making inquiries to officials about conditions at the camp, the government began moving the Serres Yazidis to hotels 60 kilometres away. The ministry spokesman said they had approved the construction of new infrastructure at the camp, and were transporting refugees to hotels "until the reconstructed camp will meet all the proper conditions". But even this is apparently being badly handled  Fairfax was told it meant cancelling an educational program in city schools for the children, and the refugees arriving at the hotels were left without any food, or means to obtain it.

Child refugees at the camps are missing years of education. Credit:Hashim Kheri Kutu Despite all this, the Yazidis in Serres have done better than some. As a homogenous community, with strong leadership, they are spared the violence and criminality endemic in other camps. There are around 62,000 refugees and migrants in Greece. Sacha Myers, spokeswoman for Save the Children in Greece, said her group was very concerned about every refugee site in the country. "Many of the sites aren't well prepared for winter and we still have thousands of people living in tents," she said. "It's absolutely no condition for children and families to be living in  it's a risk to their health particularly as temperatures continue to drop."

The government's effort to put container housing units on every site was happening too slowly, she said. The islands are particularly crowded and almost exclusively tents  some camps are at three times their capacity. In late November a six-year-old child and a woman died in a fire at the Moria detention centre in Lesbos, which started when people were cooking inside their tent. Myers said tensions were rising in the camps  they live in constant fear of deportation and they are losing hope. There is a huge backlog of applications and appeals. The system is overwhelmed. Many won't even get an interview until Spring 2017. "We have spoken to a lot of families over the last few months and they just look absolutely broken," Myers said. "This fear and uncertainty is creating a really toxic environment in the camps." And while the army's food supplies are adequate, they're not suitable for babies or breastfeeding mothers. The government is starting to install kitchens on all the sites  but, again, it's slow to roll out.

STC says refugees simply need to be moved to hotels or apartments in urban areas  but again it's not happening quickly enough. On the plus side, Myers said, many refugee children were being integrated into schools across Greece, in a government program that has taken off in recent months. Claire Whelan, advocacy advisor for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Greece, confirms they share STC's worries. "There are thousands of refugees and migrants that live in tents and warehouses and army barracks and their conditions don't necessarily meet humanitarian standards," she said. "There's no heating; in a lot of these sites there are very big challenges with electrical systems. "We are all quite concerned. You have newborns, older people, disabled people. Living in these types of conditions will not be good for their health."

Security at the camps, for both refugees and workers is also a problem  "there's not really any rule of law", Whelan said. There is sexual and domestic violence. There is a "massive lack of trust and hope now," she said. "People feel like they're imprisoned in Greece ... You can see they are getting more depressed. People have said to me directly, in front of their children 'I might as well die, there's no point any more'." Asylum seekers are still arriving  almost 2000 just in November. Anita Dullard, emergency communications delegate for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, says their top priority right now is keeping people warm. "[Providing acceptable facilities] just hasn't moved fast enough. There's really no other way I can describe it.

"There's really young children and elderly people in the camps, newborn babies who have not much protecting them from the snow and the cold other than a canvas tent." A child plays in the sodden Serres refugee camp in northern Greece. Credit:Hashim Kheri Kutu Dullard say Greece is still in an "emergency phase"  and needs to acknowledge that it has a long-term situation that requires solutions like cash handouts, community accommodation, or at least communal kitchens where refugees can make nutritious, home-cooked food. Communications consultant Elizabeth Schaeffer Brown has worked with a former International Criminal Court prosecutor researching the Yazidis' plight and has visited Yazidi refugee camps in both Iraq and Greece. "Our visit to the Greek camps in August 2016 was more disturbing," she said. "Yazidis were forced into a diaspora with no homeland to return to and at risk of losing their identity. There is no future for them in Greece.
No, I argued. I had seen it with my own eyes: "Republic of China" in sharp black ink on the letters and packages my grandmother sent. I insisted that she was from China. She tried to explain the difference between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China, but I could not comprehend how a place could be called China but not be China. The interview ended there, at the first question, with my mother frustrated and me in tears.

In third grade, I received a school assignment to interview a family member. I chose my mother, who had immigrated to the United States after marrying my white American father. We began with a simple question.

Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen. Credit:Getty Images

This past week, reading news accounts and analysis of President-elect Donald Trump's controversial phone call with Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, it was my turn to feel frustrated. Taiwan was discussed primarily as an appendage of US-China relations, an irritant in the delicate relationship between two countries. "Bargaining chip" has been a common descriptor of Taiwan's role. A flood of headlines reorients the attention on China: "Trump's Phone Call To Taiwan's Leader Risks China Tensions." "Trump's Taiwan call shows China he's not a pushover." "The Taiwan call was no 'courtesy'-Donald Trump means to wreck US-China relations." A former Asia director at the National Security Council, Evan Medeiros, said of the call, "Trump is setting a foundation of enduring mistrust and strategic competition for US-China relations." Even those who supported the call made it about China. On Twitter, New York Representative Pete King called it a "strong message to China."

Even though Trump's repudiation of diplomatic protocol is troubling, this is a long overdue chance for us to return our attention to Taiwan for Taiwan's sake and reconsider America's outdated position on it.

When I started working on my novel Green Island, set in Taiwan during the second half of the 20th century, I had to wade through the history of words used to describe it. Free China. Chinese Taipei. Republic of China. Taiwan. Reunification. Unification. Province. Country. I have watched the media struggle through this negotiation around language in the past week. In the clamour to parse what China will do, or what this means for America, the perspectives and stories of the people of Taiwan have been ignored.

From 1895 to 1945, under the Treaty of Shimonoseki, Taiwan was a colony of Japan, acquired from the Qing Empire. When Japan gave up its colonies at the end of World War II, the Kuomintang (KMT), also known as the Chinese Nationalist Party, which then ruled China, took control.
World Series no-hitter! Astros combine for Fall Classic's first no-no since 1956

Cristian Javier and three relievers combined to no-hit the Phillies in a 5-0 win, evening the World Series at 2-2.
On this episode of The Exorcist, Chapter Nine: 162, Angela takes charge of the plan to murder the Pope, Tomas receives an offer he cant refuse, Marcus struggles to figure out who his enemies are and how to deal with them and the demon exacts revenge.

Its been a while since the last episode of The Exorcist, so lets do a recap before the recap. Casey is footloose and demon-free since it jumped from her into Angela. Jessicas husband knows about her affair with Tomas and has promised to expose the priests indiscretions. The plot to assassinate the Pope has been uncovered  thanks in large part to Father Bennett. The entire Papal Planning Committee are devil worshipers as is Cardinal Guillot who orchestrated the assassination of Bennett. Casey still faces the consequences of her actions while she was possessed, and Angela snapped Chris neck, killing the only person who knows she has been reunited with her old pal, Captain Howdy.

The Exorcist Recap: Angela Fights for Caseys Soul>>>





Angela Covers Her Tracks

It is safe to say that we can refer to the demon as Pazuzu since that was its name in the original film. And old Paz hasnt wasted any time since Freaky Friday-ing from Casey to Angela. Chris body is wheeled out of the Rance home in front of a throng of onlookers, protesters and press, and Angela is convincing as the grief-stricken daughter. She tells Detective Lawrence that she found her mother at the bottom of the stairs, but its obvious the cop doesnt trust Angelas story. He asks about Angelas relationship with her mother, and Angela replies she loved her which elicits some side eye from both Kat and Henry both of whom dont contradict her.

Detective Lawrence has another dead body on his hands, and the Rance familys only explanation about Casey is that she disappeared, showed up at Mother Bernadettes and now has zero memory of anything that happened since her disappearance. Also on hand to question the Rances is Superintendent Jaffey who has a passenger of his own. He reaches out to Angela and when they touch, he realizes shes got a plus one as well. A brief flashback confirms the demon made the jump when Angela grabbed Casey to prevent her death, she whispered to the demon to take her instead.

Ramsay cuts the interrogation short even though Lawrence is far from finished. Its helpful to have friends in high places.

Marcus Searches for Father Bennett

The Regos and Marcus are trying to track down Father Bennett. Marcus learns he checked out of his hotel and left with Guillot, the Archbishop of Lyon. Lester thinks their best bet is to follow the money  Maria Walters. The Regos have been doing some reconnaissance, and Marcus recognizes a picture of Brother Simon. He was a counselor at that home for wayward/deviant priests. Brother Simon is now the head of fundraising for the planning committee.

Marcus tells the Regos that Bennett knew about Brother Simon and is confident that if Bennett was taken, he was probably tortured for information. This would mean their enemies know about him, the Regos, Mother Bernadette and possibly even Tomas. He orders the Regos to get out of town.

Guess Whos Coming to Dinner?

Casey returns home, and the Rances have Father Tomas over for dinner. While the original plan was for the Rances to move to Canada where Henry has some business connections, Angela reveals they may not leave after all. Henry questions what is next for Father Tomas, and he expresses his renewed commitment to his parish.

The family dynamic is definitely off. Casey doesnt speak a word, and while Kat is open about her grief over Chris death, Angela is ambivalent at best and doesnt do a very good job of hiding it now that the police are gone.

Father Tomas carves out some alone time with Henry who is still struggling with his recovery. Tomas recalls the last family dinner he attended at the Rance home when Henry told him where to find Marcus  at St. Aquinas. Henry has no memory of this, and Tomas is convinced God spoke to him through the brain-damaged Henry.

Henry confides in Tomas that ever since he woke up from his accident, hes had a low frequency sound in his head. He describes it as being in a restaurant with everyone chatting in the background, except on occasion, sometimes it feels like theres a pattern. All at once, everyone starts saying the same thing. Tomas asks if they are talking to Henry right now, and he nods. For the past few days, hes been hearing the number 162 repeating in his head. Henry has no idea what it means, but he cant stop writing it down.

They Call Me Pazuzu

The planning committee meets to discuss Pope Sebastians impending visit. Angela arrives  at Jaffeys request  and Brother Simon immediately recognizes Pazuzu. Simon isnt happy about the guest, saying he thought Pazuzu had disappeared for good after his spat with Father Merrin. Pazuzu is ready to take control, but Simon doesnt want to share the spotlight. Hes been planning this attack on the Pope for six years, and the glory is his alone. But Simon is no match for Pazuzu who forces everyone in the room to their knees except for Jaffey and Maria.

Pazuzu asks Maria if shed like to know why shes never been chosen and reveals that the Firstborn are attracted to power and potential. Maria reeks of desperation and mediocrity, a scent they find unappealing. Angela/Pazuzu informs Maria she will never be one of them.

Bishop Egan Makes Tomas an Offer

Father Tomas meets with Bishop Egan at St. Bridgets, the venue for a big gala thrown by the Friars of Ascension on the eve of the Popes arrival. Bishop Egan offers Tomas a position as head of the parish, a huge step up from his current position. Egan informs Tomas he is planning to close St. Anthonys which has been hemorrhaging money and has very few congregants left.

Father Tomas confesses he has sinned and doesnt deserve a promotion, but Egan already knows all about it. The Bishop has the situation handled and while he expects Tomas to atone, this transfer has been in the works for some time. Egan warns Tomas that he does have to deal with Jessica if he wants St. Bridgets.

Friendly Persuasion

Marcus is snooping around Tomas office when the priest arrives. Tomas tells his friend that the diocese is closing St. Anthonys, and Marcus is sympathetic. He wants to know what they offered Tomas, and when Tomas reveals the offer on the table, Marcus remarks how happy it must make Maria Walters. Tomas admits Maria has been a great friend to his church. Marcus warns Tomas to watch his back  the higher he rises, the more there are to conspire his fall.

Kat tries to engage Casey and learns that her sister is feeling very guilty about her actions while possessed. Kat comforts Casey, reminding her it was the demon and not her, but Casey insists it was still her body and her hands. Pazuzu made her watch.

The Regos fail to take Marcus advice, determined to keep investigating members of the planning committee. Unfortunately, they are spotted by Simon, and Marcus later discovers their dead bodies in their trailer. He searches their tiny home and takes a few items, including a gun.

Angela goes to see Mother Bernadette who immediately feels Pazuzus presence. She doesnt know how they missed it the first time, and Angela chalks it up to them being distracted. Pazuzu isnt going to let Mother Bernadette off the hook, not after all of the suffering she inflicted. Bernadette accuses Pazuzu of being nothing more than a child throwing a tantrum, but the demon insists this is its victory lap. Mother Bernadette meets an unpleasant end, basically choking to death on her own blood before her neck breaks.

Disturbing Behavior

Angela returns home and finds Casey in her old bedroom. Casey wants to know what her mother remembers about being possessed, and Angela says she can recall what if felt like. Angela questions what it was like for Casey, and she replies it was if nothing about herself belonged to her anymore. Angela says that having something inside of her is as intimate as you can get. Casey tries to argue, but Angela tells her daughter that no matter how much she may deny it, at some point, Casey asked for it. Angela accuses Casey of falling in love with the demon, and now she feels all alone. Angela reassures her daughter theyve both been through it and have each other.

Marcus keeps showing up late to the party. He arrives at the nunnery to discover that Angela slaughtered all of the women within.

Angela decides to seduce Henry, but the intimacy soon takes a violent turn as she wraps her hands around his neck and begins to squeeze. Pazuzu is definitely getting off of his discomfort. Henry breaks free, asking what is wrong, but Angela just smirks and walks away.

Later, Casey finds her mother in Kats room caressing Kat in a very un-motherly fashion. Casey enters the room before her mom rounds second base and crawls into bed with her sister, leaving Angela no choice but to leave.

The Exorcist Recap: Father Bennett Investigates Tattersal and Puts Himself in Danger>>>

When Good Priests Go Bad

Believers and non-believers and good and evil all gather together for the gala at St. Bridgets. Marcus lingers in the shadows outside. Hes got his eye on Brother Simon and follows the man back to his hotel room. As soon as Simon opens the door, Marcus beats the crap out of the man and drags him into the bathroom. Marcus fills the tub with holy water and pulls out the gun. He asks Simon if he killed the Regos, the nuns and Bennett. Simon says he didnt kill anyone, Marcus did, like Judas leading the innocents to the slaughter.

Marcus begins to torture Simon. The priest admits to killing the Regos but reveals that it was Angela who killed Mother Bernadette and the nuns. After a few more dunks into the holy water, Simon spills the plan which is basically to murder the Pope in the middle of the parade planned in his honor. It doesnt matter what Marcus does to him, someone will just take his place. Two priests burst in and begin to pummel Marcus, and Simon is spared.

Tomas tells Jessica about his promotion. With tears in his eyes, he tells her he doesnt deserve it. Hes tired of not being the man God wants him to be; tired of being disappointed every time he looks in the mirror. She mourns the life they could have had together, but they both realize whatever they had is over and cut off all contact.

No Rest for the Wicked

Casey wakes up Henry in the middle of the night. She leads him downstairs where Kat is waiting with suitcases. They want to leave, and Casey tells her father that Angela is possessed. Henry agrees to go, but the door slams shut just as they are seconds from a clean getaway. Moms up, and its time for a family meeting.

Henry urges Angela to fight the demon, but its too late for that. Angela invited him in  integration. This is a permanent situation.

Casey wants to know what Pazuzu wants, and the demon tells her what theyve always wanted: that which is rightfully theirs. They were Gods first creation, and they were perfection. But God got bored and created man. He gave them a world of tangible delights, forsaking those who came before. Pazuzu says the world was meant for them, and they are taking it back.

Father Tomas discovers the significance of 162. It is a page from Chris autobiography. Tomas reads a passage where Chris reveals she knew the demon would keep coming for Regan until the end of time.

Angela has a family outing planned  a parade. But first, she has to hurt one of them as punishment for their disobedience. Angela turns her ire on Casey, and as Henry and Kat beg her to stop, Father Tomas bursts through the door.

As for Marcus, Simon offers him the same choice they gave the Pope many, many years before. He can join them or suffer the consequences.

Can Marcus and Tomas save the Pope? Is Angelas death imminent? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

The Exorcist airs Fridays at 9/8c on FOX. Want more news? Visit our Exorcist page on Facebook.





(Image Courtesy of FOX)
The startup ecosystem in the state of Kerala has received a shot in the arm with The Indus Enterpreneurs (TiE) Kerala Chapter launched an angel network in Kochi.



The initiative, spearheaded by a group of industrialists in the State, is expected to provide funding as well as mentoring to the startups, which is scarce in the ecosystem at present, said experts close to the state's startup movement.
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More trouble might be brewing for the Indian information technology (IT) services players, with US President-Elect Donald Trump reiterating to his supporters that he will not allow Americans to be replaced by foreign workers. This time, he was referring to people hired on H1-B visa.
Around 143 companies including 37 start-ups has offered a total of 714 jobs in Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M), in the first week of the first phase of campus placement.
These days, even 3-year-olds wear headphones, and as the holidays approach, retailers are well stocked with brands that claim to be safe for young ears or to deliver 100 per cent safe listening. The devices limit the volume at which sound can be played; parents rely on them to prevent children from blasting, say, Rihanna at hazardous levels that could lead to hearing loss.
After a successful run last year in Mumbai that raked in around Rs 740 crores into realty, the three-day Property Show, has once again opened its doors to Indian investors.

The real-estate expo which started on December 9 at Bandra Kurla Complex (MMRDA Grounds) and will run until December 11, is open from 11 am to 8 pm every day. Organised by Sumansa Exhibitions in association with Government of Dubai's Land Department, the exposition is expected to attract about 5,000 serious property buyers. The exhibition was inaugurated by H.E. Dr Ahmed Al Banna, UAE Ambassador to India, along with Bollywood icon Arbaaz Khan.

The property extravaganza boasts of reputed property developers from Dubai, UAE, under one roof and promises to be a highly informative and valuable experience for Indians who have been the number one property buyers in for past several years. Entry is free on all the three days of the show which also includes free seminars, exciting promotional offers and financing facilities.

"Dubai has become the hub of real estate and a favourite property destination for Indian investors. The economy of this incredibly dynamic city is growing at a good pace. No property tax, strong economic growth, consistent innovation, development, safety, security, proximity to India and lucrative rental yields are some of the key reasons that have been constantly attracting Indians to invest in Dubai. Indians are the number one foreign buyers of real estate in Dubai and we have seen an 110 per cent increase in investment compared to what it was four years back", said Sultan Al Suwaidi of Sumansa Exhibitions, the organisers of the exhibition.

H.E. Majida Ali Rashid, Assistant Director General, Head of Real Estate Investment Management and Promotion Center, the investment arm of Dubai Land Department, Government of Dubai said, "We are delighted to participate in and support the second edition of the Dubai Property Show in Mumbai. This follows resounding success with last year's edition in promoting Dubai's real estate market, and its contribution towards attracting a greater number of Indian investors - who are amongst the most active foreign investors in the city. In the presence of Dubai's largest real estate companies and joining a galaxy of experts at this exhibition, we provide a broader picture of significant sustainable investment opportunities. DLD also presents exclusive offers for investors wishing to enter Dubai's real estate market."

The educative seminars at the exhibitions will be held from 2 pm to 7 pm on all three days and would cover topics such as the benefits of property investment in Dubai for Indian buyers, Dubai Regulatory and Compliance Legal framework in the UAE, Advantages of investing in Dubai, How to maximize capital gains on Dubai Property investment with minimal risk, among others.

The Dubai Property Show will showcase a wide range of properties from lavish apartments to sprawling villas and from sophisticated townhouses to state-of-the-art commercial spaces.

Developers participating in the exhibition include prominent names such as Emaar Properties, Dubai Properties, Binghatti Developers, Nakheel Properties, Damac Properties LLC, Deyaar Developers, Azizi Developers, Tamleek Real Estate (Kempinski Residence), SPF Realty and Tebyan among others.

Dubai will be the first Middle Eastern country to host the Expo 2020 and experts predict that there will be a growth of 35-50 per cent in the region as an effect of the Expo. Additionally, by cutting its dependency on revenues generated from oil which is now only 5 per cent of Dubai's GDP and diversifying into other ventures and new markets, Dubai has flourished and came out as a champion of planning and economic growth in MENA region.

The real estate market in Dubai offers an average yield of 7 percent, about 2-3 per cent above the average yield in International property markets, especially when compared to the modest yields that mature markets like London, Paris or New York offer. The best performing areas of Dubai are generating up to 12 percent rental yield on average. The average rental yield in New York is only 3.91 percent, in London it is 3.21 per cent, in Singapore it is 2.83 per cent and in Hong Kong one will not get more than 2.82 per cent rental income.

Masood Al Awar, Chief Commercial Officer, Dubai Properties, a leading real estate developer from Dubai, said: "Dubai has strong market fundamentals as the premier business hub and leading city of the region. The Dubai government plans $6 to $8 billion of investments for Expo 2020 and DP works in line with the Dubai government to support the long-term plan for socio-economic diversification. As the population is anticipated to grow at 5 to 6 per cent for Dubai over the next two years and expected to reach about 3 million by the time it hosts the World Expo in 2020, DP anticipates increased interest in both residential and commercial real estate to supply this surge. Offering a broad choice to investors across the full spectrum of the market, we enjoy a diversified customer base interested across multiple project categories from affordable to luxury."

Dubai Land Department is the official sponsor of the show, while Dubai Properties, Al Marjan Island and Binghatti Developers are the Platinum, Gold and Silver Sponsors, respectively.
People with acute coronary syndrome caused by poor blood flow to the heart may be at an increased risk of suicide  especially in the six months following their diagnosis, according to a new study from Taiwan.
India was ranked seventh in the list of countries most impacted by in 2015, according to the Global Index (GTI), 2016, released by the Institute for Economics & Peace, a think-tank based in Sydney, Australia.
On the one hand Janata Dal United leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is openly supporting the move initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but on the other hand, several JD(U) supporters and local Bengalurians staged protests against it by performing the last rites of an ATM machine near the Mysore Bank Circle.

Kumar Jahagirdar, a social activist, said, "After one month, there is no point in keeping a dead ATM machine and waiting for it. We removed the artificial respiration and it is dead now. So, we have done its 'antim sanskar' (last rites) in the presence of the public as per tradition. Let the ATM's soul rest in peace."

He further said that the Prasad (sweetmeat) will be sent to our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

"So they know the problems we are facing. We don't have money with us. We are not able to take our own money. None of the ATMs are working. They say no cash flow..no cash..sorry.cooperate with us. When we don't have money to spend for our basic needs..why should we cooperate? This is not fair, this is against human rights and we are fighting for this," he added.

Syed Mehboob, president of the local JD(U) unit, said, "We support demonetisation, but what about the problems being faced by the common man, farmers etc. When will it get solved? You will find 90 per cent of ATMs closed. Somewhere, there is no cash, somewhere the ATMs are not working. Everyday people stand in queues for money. It is going on for 30 days."

He said Prime Minister Modi and his government should do something to improve the situation.

"The decision of is good, but why should the common people suffer. It is our proposal from JD(U) Karnataka." he added.
Besides its unofficial nomenclature, "Mini PMO", the hub of action in Varanasi has yet another link to the real Prime Ministers Office at the South Block in New Delhi. Thats Nripendra  a key mover in both, though not comparable in scale or role. While Nripendra Misra, principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is the topmost official in the PMO, Nripendra P Singh is the go-to man at Jansampark Karyalaya or "Mini PMO" in Varanasi. Also, if was planned and scripted at the PM's office in New Delhi, the "Mini PMO" in Varanasi is hearing out the complaints related to cash crunch in banks and ATMs in the city.
In a response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's accusation that he was not being allowed to speak in the House, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said, "Modiji people are tired of monologues. I urge you to honestly face the Parliament & answer our questions," in a tweet.

Earlier in the day, the PM addressed a massive gathering of around 200,000 people in Gujarat and assured them that the situation due to demonetisation would start improving after the first 50-days. "Parliament is not being allowed to function, happenings in Parliament anguished our President, who has tremendous political experience," he added, referring to the recent remarks by President Pranab Mukherjee.
Last week, the man set to become the next US commerce secretary criticised multilateral trade pacts, saying the country would only focus on bilateral trade ties. While US President-elect Donald Trumps pick for the post, Wilbur Ross, reiterated the new administrations stance against regional trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that India has been apprehensive about, the mood has shifted from optimism to a more guarded stance.
Unlike previous editions, the eighth edition of the biennial Global Summit (VGGS) 2017 has attracted increased interest from China. Since last few months, the Gujarat government has been wooing Chinese investors for investment intentions and a more involved participation from the neighbouring country.
Why didnt the government or the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) consider printing the new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes at foreign printing presses as a means of overcoming the current shortage of new notes? According to senior banking officials, a six-year push towards greater indigenisation, initial misplanning and a handful of past, controversial outsourcing incidents may have put off the RBI.

Ever since the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes was announced on November 8, the printing of new notes and increased circulation of old notes (Rs 100, Rs 50 and Rs 10) has severely lagged behind demand.

At the central banks post-monetary policy review press conference on Wednesday, the RBI gave a handful of official clues as to how it has been handling the remonetisation process. Approximately 19 billion notes have been released back into circulation since November 10, which is when banks reopened after demonetisation was announced.

A rough breakdown of the 19 billion notes released are as follows: eight billion of the notes are of Rs 100 denomination, 1.8 billion of the notes are Rs 50 denomination and the number of Rs 20 and Rs 10 notes released are 3.1 billion and 5.7 billion respectively.

The total value of the notes released is a little under Rs 4 lakh crore. To put that into context, with demonetisation, roughly Rs 14 lakh crore (15 billion Rs 500 notes and 6.7 billion Rs 1000 notes) was taken out of the system.

The RBIs figure of 19 billion notes, however, do not include the new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes that have been printed and released into the system.



How many of the new 500 and 2,000 rupee notes have been printed? Sources with second-hand knowledge of the matter told The Wire that the number of new Rs 2,000 notes that have been printed ranges between 1.5 billion-2.2 billion, and that the number of new Rs 500 notes is minuscule in comparison (between 250-400 million notes). Other media reports put the number of new Rs 500 notes printed at higher quantities. Nevertheless, the number of new Rs 500 notes clearly falls short of the 15 billion 500 rupee notes that used to be legal tender.

A slow pace of printing new notes

Why has printing of the new notes lagged? Multiple calculations put forth over the last three weeks say its simple mathematics: former finance minister P. Chidambaram and economist Saumitra Chaudhuri have similar calculations. Twenty-one billion notes need to be replaced, and the combined capacities of the two major printing press entities (one operated by the RBI, and one under the supervision of the ministry of finance) is around three billion notes per month; this three billion figure is also with an increased number of working shifts. The bottom line  it will take six-to-seven months for remonetisation to be complete.

Multiple banking sources told The Wire that while this broad calculation holds true, it doesnt take into account what the new currency stock composition should look like; the existence of Rs 2,000 notes and the cancellation of Rs 1000 notes changes this dynamic.

One senior private sector banker pointed out that it is difficult to guess whether the new Rs 2,000 notes would mean increased or reduced demand for Rs 500 notes; much of this depends on how small and medium businesses (that held 40 per cent of all Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes before demonetisation) will react. The government consequently will find it difficult to predict whether the demand of Rs 500 notes will go up, down or stay the same  and this doesnt even include the impact that an increased government push for digital payments may or may not have.

Chidambaram and Chaudhuris calculations also dont take into account that the printing of Rs 2,000 notes started two months before demonetisation was announced.

Nevertheless, the slow printing pace of the new Rs 500 notes and the increasingly visible signs of cash crunch at the ground level, show that the printing of new notes was simply misplanned. Sources say that the problem started when Rs 2,000 notes were first prioritised over Rs 500 notes.

In remarks to a TV channel on Thursday, SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya specifically singled out the curiously missing Rs 500 note.

There is a scarcity syndrome and this leads to hoarding. What will change is the entry of Rs 500 notes. Hopefully, in the coming weeks, we will have enough 500 notes to give them out of ATMs. Then I think things will go back to normal pretty quickly.

Choosing India over abroad

Why then were the new Rs 500 notes not sent to foreign printing presses? While The Wire could not confirm with the RBI ( a questionnaire was sent to the central bank), a number of experts within the banking industry point to a handful of factors.

Firstly, the RBI has printed currency notes abroad before  and was severely rapped for it by a parliamentary panel in 2010.

A 2010 report by the Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU) points out that outsourcing of the printing of notes [was done] to three foreign countries in the year 1997-98.

The RBI governor at the time was Bimal Jalan. During 1998, roughly 1,600 million pieces of Rs 500 denomination and 2,000 million pieces of 100 rupee denomination were outsourced to the American Banknote Company (in the US); 1,365 million pieces of Rs 100 denomination were outsourced to UKs Thomas De La Rue; and 1,600 million pieces of 500 rupee denomination was given to Germanys Giesecke Devrient Consortium.

The total amount of notes outsourced, the RBI disclosed, amounted to Rs 1 lakh crore. The reasons the RBI gave for printing Indian currency notes abroad was that a number of existing notes were in bad condition due to the spoilage factor and that the RBI system of assessment with respect to the demands of the bank notes in the country had been off the mark resulting in a gap between demand and supply of note.

The parliamentary committee was not amused at this foreign printing. It slammed the RBI, saying that there was a grave risk of unauthorised printing of excess currency notes, a potential for misusing Indias security parameters and that during that particular fateful period, Indias economic sovereignty was at stake. Senior bankers say that the COPU report could have weighed on the minds of RBI officials.

Secondly, and more importantly, looking towards foreign printing presses may have been unwise in the current Make in India political atmosphere. Over the last six years, even before the Modi administration assumed power, there has been a strong push towards indigenisation of the currency process. In April 2015, during the 80th annual RBI celebrations, Modi singled out Indias currency printing presses and argued that the paper and ink [used] to print currency should be manufactured domestically.

Mahatma Gandhi fought for Swadeshi, said Modi at the time. Does it behove us to print his photograph on imported paper? Does India not have the entrepreneurs to make the paper in India?

A senior economist who advises a public sector bank and who declined to be identified said that it was difficult to understand the Make in India impact on approaching foreign currency printers. On one hand, this is an emergency situation. Parliament could look at printing the new notes abroad favourably if it would ease the situation on the ground. But it could also raise unnecessary anger and upset people at a delicate time, the economist said.

Other factors that could hold the RBI back from printing currency notes abroad include a strained relationship with one of its former printing partners. Shortly after the 2010 panel report, the relationship between the RBI and UKs De La Rue  a printing company that not only printed currency notes for India back in 1998 but also continued to supply a majority of the RBIs banknote paper requirement until 2011  soured.

Sources say that at the time, there were major faults in De La Rues banknote paper quality and possible security concerns. In January 2011, the RBI decided that the UK firm would not receive any new contracts for supplying banknote paper.

The RBI and the government also received a further shock during the release of the Panama Papers earlier this year. The Indian Express reported that in 2002, De La Rue had contracted a New Delhi-based businessman to help it bag tenders in India in return for a 15 per cent commission. In a statement at the time, De La Rue said that the events took place many years ago and that the individuals mentioned have long since left the business.

According to senior bankers, the RBI may not have wanted to risk this incident being brought back into the public attention. Of course, to be clear, there are a number of other European and American companies that could have still supplied the printing concerns.

Another question that inevitably arises that even if the central bank decides to print notes abroad, how quickly would it take the foreign printing presses to accept the order, print the notes and then deliver them to India?

If it would take European or American printers anything more than three months (after November 8, the day demonetisation was announced), it would make little sense to risk a potential controversy by printing currency notes abroad.

Fortunately, there is some data and precedent with regards to how quick banknote printers can react once they are contacted by the RBI. De La Rue apparently organised the complex operation to replace Iraqs old currency in 2003-4 and delivered the notes just ten weeks after the order was placed. That means that if India placed an order on November 9, it isnt inconceivable for it to have received a large shipment of 500 rupee notes in the first half of January. What would help India further is if these foreign printing presses had printing locations close to India  De La Rue, for instance, has an operation in Sri Lanka.

What adds to the foreign printing press issue, are the apparent differences between the two major currency printing entities in India  the Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Ltd (SPMCIL), which operates currency printing presses in Nashik and Dewas and is a central public sector enterprise, and the Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Pvt Ltd (BRBNMPL) which is a RBI subsidiary, was set up in 1995 and operates printing presses at Mysore and Salboni.

While BRBNMPL was given the task to print the new Rs 2,000 notes, the new Rs 500 note was allotted to SPMCILs presses. According to sources, due to the immediate need for more 500 rupee notes, the Mysore and Salboni printing presses have also started pumping out Rs 500 notes.

Cryptic public statements by former RBI deputy governor K.C. Chakrabarty point to a rift between the RBI and SPMCIL; Chakrabarty also noted that the SPMCILs presses were lethargic and in remarks to the media blamed the finance ministry for the delay in printing notes.

Documents presented by the COPU to the parliament and past testimony by SPMCIL officials show some signs of this. For example, the parliamentary panel in 2011 pulled up SPMCIL for not having calculated its installed capacity in various units on a scientific basis, giving due consideration to operating machine speed and actual utilisation of man hour [sic].

When it came to curbing the counterfeit currency, SPMCIL officials also appeared to be somewhat cavalier. As the COPU report notes, when it came to the operational role of SPMCIL in stamping out counterfeit currency, the CMD [Chairman and Managing Director] of SPMCIL washed off his hands during evidence stating counterfeit matter remains with the government. I am basically their vendor.'

Ultimately, the government and RBI may have expected SPMCIL to quickly and efficiently reach its peak production capacity but this has not happened. How much of it is SPMCILs fault and how much of it is the fault of the government for not prioritising Rs 500 notes first is difficult to say. While one cant rule out foreign printing presses, it is unlikely that it will happen now, a senior executive of private sector bank said.

In arrangement with TheWire.in
Agriculture Scientists should develop techniques adaptable to the needs of marginal farmers: Shri Radha Mohan Singh

The Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh has appealed to the agriculture scientists that they should develop techniques adaptable to the needs of huge number of marginal farmers in the country. The Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister stated this on the occasion of completion of centenary year of IRAR- Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) situated at Kasargod in Kerala today. Shri Radha Mohan Singh also inaugurated the Kisan Mela here and participated in an international seminar on research and development of coconut & plantation crops.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Singh said that agricultural holdings in Kerala are 0.22 hectare against the national average of 1.15 hectare. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt unified agriculture system as well as low volume high value crops so as to make agriculture a profit making sector. Agriculture Minister further said that by adopting multi dimensional crops cycle system, with the inclusion of coconut along with black pepper, banana, pineapple, ginger, turmeric, jaifal and jimicand, the farmers of the state will be benefited. The Minister said that CPCRI has given the nation greater development pace by developing innovative technique related to plantation crops during span of 100 years. Shri Radha Mohan Singh added that India is among the world's leading coconut producer nations. Kerela has a significant contribution in this. During 2014-15, 32 percent land area of Kerala in the year 2014-15 and 24 percent of production has been recorded in the country. In the year 2015-16, coconut products worth 1450 cr. rupees have been exported, according to Coconut Development Board figures. Shri Singh said that Kerala has been playing a leading role while formulating bio diversity strategy of the state. Apart from this, the livestock and fisheries sector are getting momentum. Keeping in view the agricultural potentialities, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has established five research institutes (Central Plantation Crops Research Institute- CPCRI, Indian Institute of Spices Research-IISR, Central Tuber Crops Research Institute-CTCRI, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute-CMFRI, Central Institute of Fisheries Technology-CIFT) as well as 14 agriculture science centers. In addition to this, central government has also been supporting state agriculture universities. Shri Singh said that the Ministry of Agriculture has initiated a number of schemes for the welfare of the farmers. Under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchaee Yojana (PMKSY), irrigation schemes have been launched in Karpujha and Mowatupujha in Kerala which are to be completed by March 2018. Under Soil Health Card Scheme a target of 7,05,420 Soil Health Cards had been fixed for distribution in Kerala. However, only 1,32,828 Soil Health Cards have been distributed in Kerala as yet. Under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), 119 cluster as a whole are in place for which a sum of Rs. 382.22 lakh have been released. However, the utilization certificates are awaited from state government in this regard. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Yojana (PMFBY) is a revolutionary insurance scheme for the farmers. But this scheme has not been implemented in Kerala till now. More than 250 Mandis have been linked nationwide with National Agriculture Market (e- NAM) by 6th September, 2016 and a target has been laid down to link 585 mandis by March, 2018. But e NAM Scheme has not been launched in Kerala. The Minister appealed to the state government to implement different central agricultural schemes for the welfare of the farmers. Shri Radha Mohan Singh appreciated the efforts of scientists, officers and employees for conducting various agriculture programmes during the centenary year of the Institute.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chippewa Falls native Rick Frenette was honored last month into the International Association of Fairs and Exposition Hall of Fame. It is the highest honor given by the organization, and it recognizes a persons distinguished achievement or contribution to the fair industry.

The honor was given during the organizations convention in Las Vegas from Nov. 27-30.

Frenettes father, Don, co-owned the Northern Wisconsin State Fair from 1964 to 1988.

Rick Frenette helped manage the fair in Chippewa Falls before becoming the finance director for the Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights in 1986. In 1993, he was named executive director and CEO of the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair in Columbus.

Then in 2004 he became executive director of the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City, and returned to Wisconsin as the executive director of the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis in 2010.

He left that position in May 2016, and has formed a new business, Fair Advantage. The company offers consulting services to fairs and is based in Hugo, Minnesota.

Rick Frenette has a degree in mathematics and computer science, and a masters in business administration.

Frenette is known for his ability to balance finances without compromising the customer experience, as well as his talent for engaging and empowering his staff to accomplish the fairs mission, vision and goals, the association said in a press release.

Frenette received the Wisconsin Association of Fairs Friend of the Fair Award in 2016 and received the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Alumni Presidents Award in 2012.

Frenette and his wife of 23 years, Lynette, have two adult children, Josh and Shannon.
Committee of Chief Ministers on adoption of Digital Payments meets in New Delhi

The Second meeting of the Committee of Chief Ministers on adoption of Digital Payments was held on Friday, 9th December 2016 at NITI Aayog . The meeting followed the deliberations held by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, VC, NITI Aayog, CEO, NITI Aayog, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and DG, Unique Identification Authority of India(UIDAI) with the Governor and senior management of RBI and CMDs of major private and public sector banks on 8.12.1016 in Mumbai.

Maharashtra Government informed that it was introducing an Aadhaar Bill in the legislative assembly to give legal status to the use of Aadhaar number for various purposes. It also informed that it had launched a major campaign to promote digital transactions. Madhya Pradesh Government reported that it had initiated a major program to digitize the transactions in government mundies. Odisha Government pointed out that the state was deficient in financial infrastructure including bank branches, bank correspondent, Internet penetration and mobile phones.

The Committee took cognizance of the slew of measures taken by Ministry of Finance to incentivize use of digital payments and noted that further steps are required to make digital transactions attractive vis-?-vis cash transactions.

While noting that RBI and banks are largely supportive of the measures, the Committee of Chief Minster on adoption of digital payments endorsed the following decisions:

? In order to ease the digital payment operations at the level of merchant, UIDAI would shortly roll out the common Android based Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) application developed in collaboration with TCS that can be downloaded by the merchants. In order to use this Application for carrying out cashless transactions, merchants will need a smartphone and a fingerprint scanner. Transactions on this application can be done without any card or PIN.

The application would be made available to all banks and the banks would encourage merchants in their vicinity to adopt this application.

? RBI should allow authentication through iris scanner and One Time Password (OTP) for AEPS. There should be no charge on AEPS transactions.

? Inter-operability of all pre-paid instruments on the United Payments Interface(UPI) platform alongwith a common QRCode would greatly simplify transactions.

? The Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) regime needs to be streamlined. To popularize digital transactions the Committee proposed a detailed review of the MDR regime, inter-linking of various digital payments platforms such asUnstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) with UPI, self-boarding by small merchants and a common application for UPI, etc.

? Procedure for simplified Know Your Customer (KYC) using Aadhaar needs to be adopted.

? Upgraded version of USSD should be rolled out by 25.12.2016.

The Committee also considered the issues relating to procurement of equipment like Point of Sales (PoS) machines and Micro Automatic teller Machines (ATMs). It was decided that Secretary, MeitY will prepare a status note on the procurement options for these devices.

The Committee took note of the Subsidy Scheme implemented by NITI Aayog to directly disburse funds to District Collectors based on their performance. The Committee decided to recommend to the Government that the first 50 Gram Panchayats that become cashless should be honoured. It was also decided to designate specified villages as Cashless Transactions (CLT) villages on the lines of Open Defecation Free (ODF) Villages. An accreditation system for certifying villages as CLT may be developed.

In order to address security concerns relating to digital payments, it was decided that MeitY would constitute a committee under the chairmanship of Secretary, MEITY and Secretary, Department of Telecommunications (DoT)to examine various security concerns relating to digital payments and recommend measures to address the issues.

In a follow-up meeting of the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and VC, NITI Aayog with the major telecom companies, the need to address issues relating to sufficient bandwidth for financial transactions, last-mile connectivity, affordability and security of digital transactions was discussed and several action points were identified.

The Committee of Chief Ministers has been set up by NITI Aayog to examine and promote the adoption of digital payment systems across the country. Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu is the Convener of the Committee with Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Puducherry and Sikkim along with the Vice Chairman and CEO NITI Aayog with five experts including the former Chairman of UIDAI, Nandan Nilekeni are its members.
US President-elect has reassured Americans of bringing back jobs to the United States and said that his administration will follow two simple rules

"My administration will follow two simple rules: Buy American and hire American."

"The American worker built this country and now it's time for American workers to have a government for the first time in decades answers to them," CNN quoted Trump, as saying at his rally in Des Moines, Iowa.

Officially introducing Terry Branstad as the new US ambassador to China, Trump said that he has chosen a man who knows and likes China.

Asserting that Branstad he has been delivering results for 23 years for the great farmers and people of Iowa, Trump said he knows how to deliver on results.

Trump's transition team had said that Branstad was selected as envoy in Beijing due to his experience in public policy, trade and agriculture as well as his pre-existing relationship with China's leaders.

During his rally, Trump said that improving relations with China would be one of the most important goals of his administration.

"The nation of China is responsible for almost half of America's trade deficit ... they haven't played by the rules and I know it's time they're going to start. We're all in this thing together folks. We have to play by the rules folks," he said.

Trump has accused China of stealing US jobs and has criticised Beijing over currency devaluation and tariffs during his campaign.

Trump had last week angered China by taking a congratulatory call from the president of Taiwan .

The Republican also said that he would suspend immigration from places "where it cannot be processed or vetted."

Trump said he wants people to come legally into the country.

"And to all veterans who wore the uniform before, I say to you now on behalf of a very grateful nation, thank you, thank you thank you ... We'll honour your service, your sacrifice."And that really begins with defending and respecting our American flag. I think you'll like some of the things we'll be putting forward in the not so distant future. You know what I mean?", Trump said.

The Republican also honoured US senator and astronaut from Ohio, John Glenn, who died on Thursday at the age of 95.

Trump said it was John Glenn who immediately enlisted to defend his country when Pearl Harbor was attacked and they will honour his legacy by continuing to push new frontiers in science, technology and space.
Earlier this year, Astro Teller, a ponytailed scientist and science fiction writer, gave a TED Talk. It was a first for Teller, but not for X, or Google X, as the research lab used to be known. The lab has been a fixture on the conference circuit for years. In 2011, Sebastian Thrun, Xs founder, took the TED stage and predicted that driverless cars would put an end to traffic fatalities. In 2013, Sergey Brin, Googles co-founder, showed up wearing Xs wearable computer, Google Glass, and argued that face-mounted devices were a natural successor to the smartphone. ...
announced today it would disable its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in the United States (US) market to force remaining owners to stop using the devices, which were recalled for safety reasons.

The South Korean electronics giant, the world's biggest smartphone vendor, said 93% of Note 7 phones in the US had been returned to the company after its recall earlier this year, which came amid reports of devices exploding or catching fire.

But to get any remaining devices off the market, said it would deliver an over-the-air update that prevents the phones from charging.

"To further increase participation (in the recall), a software update will be released starting on December 19 that will prevent US Galaxy Note 7 devices from charging and will eliminate their ability to work as mobile devices," said in a statement.

The company recalled some 2.5 million Note 7s in 10 markets following complaints that its lithium-ion battery exploded while charging, and then had to expand that as reports emerged of replacement phones also catching fire.

As many as 1.9 million of the phones were sold in the US, where authorities banned the device from use in airplanes and even from being placed in checked luggage.

Samsung said the latest move is "in cooperation with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and in partnership with carriers and retailers."

"Since the affected devices can overheat and pose a safety risk, we are asking consumers with a Galaxy Note 7 to power it down and contact the carrier or retail outlet where they purchased their device," the statement said.

Consumers are able to exchange their phone for another Samsung smartphone, or receive a refund.

US carrier Verizon said, however, that it would not participate in the update to disable the phones "because of the added risk this could pose to Galaxy Note 7 users that do not have another device to switch to."

"We do not want to make it impossible to contact family, first responders or medical professionals in an emergency situation," Verizon said in a statement.
US President-elect Donald Trump's transition team has totally rejected the validity of a report by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that says Russia tried to help Trump win the US presidency.

"These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," The Independent quoted the Trump team, as saying in a statement.

"The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest electoral college victories in history. "It's now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again'," the statement added.

US intelligence officials found that Russia had provided Wikileaks with countless hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and others, including Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta.

Cyber security experts, as well as intelligence officials, had found evidence of the massive leak of thousands of emails of Clinton's campaign linked to Russia.

A senior American intelligence official said that report was to review Russia's aim of favouring one candidate over the other.

In September, a secret briefing was held between officials and congressional leaders on the issue but the legitimacy of the assessment was doubted by House Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

An intelligence official said that agency officials had last week informed the US senate in a briefing that it was clear that Russia wanted Trump as the next president.

However, some officials from all 17 intelligence agencies do have some disagreement over the lack of evidence showing a direct link between Russia and Wikileaks.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange had claimed in an interview with Australian television that Russia was not the source of the leaks.

The President's Obama's counterterrorism and homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco said that a "full review" of election-related hacking has been ordered by the Obama administration and he expects a full report before he leaves office on January 20.

"We may have crossed into a new threshold and it is incumbent upon us to take stock of that, to review, to conduct some after-action, to understand what has happened and to impart some lessons learned," she said.

Russia was accused by the US officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence officially of hacking the DNC and other organisations "to interfere with the US election process".
When admitted a few months ago that thousands of its employees had created as many as two million unauthorized accounts for its customers, alarm bells went off at Prudential, one of the nation's biggest insurance firms.
In a stern message to the violators of agri commodity export guidelines, the government-owned Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority (Apeda) has cancelled the licences of five groundnut exporters over continuous violations of quality norms.
After the well received 'Talvar', Meghna Gulzar hopes to get into action by mid-next year with her directorial based on another book by Harinder Sikka called 'Calling Sehmat'.

It revolves around a Kashmiri woman married to an army officer across the border who provides the Indian Intelligence with invaluable information during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and almost single handedly torpedoes Pakistan's war plans with courage, wit and determination, saving the lives of scores of Indian soldiers.

The story behind the film is as fascinating as the story of the book.

Priti Shahani, President of Junglee Pictures, had been trying to acquire the rights two years ago and last year when 'Talvar' was coming up for release she had sounded Meghna out, asking her if she'd like to direct the film.

Fascinated, Meghna gave her nod, only to be told a couple of months later that talks had fallen through.

"It was a tad serendipitous and I happily took it on but again things didn't close with that production house. By that time I had developed a personal rapport with the author because of frequent interactions and I suggested we go back to Junglee Pictures," Meghna shared and added, "I'm glad we're back together because there's no better way to complete the circle 'Talvar' opened."

"What makes it all the more surreal is that when the book came out, the author had come to my father, Gulzar, asking him to direct it. It's like I have a karmic connection with the story," says the 42-year-old.

Even though the protagonist is a woman, the story Meghna points out is so large in its implications that gender becomes inconsequential.

The film is set against the backdrop of the 1971 war but it won't have action scenes like 'Border' because the story leads up to the intended war rather than the actual conflict.

When spoken about whether her father will be a part of this project, she said, "Well, he did say during 'Talvar' that he had taught me everything except writing songs. He's my guiding spirit and once I complete the script I'll go to him for feedback and then for the songs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Patiala House Court on Saturday sent former Air Force chief S.P. Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev alias Julie Tyagi and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan to four-day judicial custody in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Rs. 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIPs chopper scam.

The judicial remand was awarded on a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) - which had arrested them yesterday - seeking their remand for 10 days.

During the hearing, the CBI lawyer argued that a delegation led by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, along with the AgustaWestland officials, visited Tyagi and Sanjeev, where a private meeting was held.

In the meeting, "middleman" Guido Haschke, who brokered the deal, was also present.

The lawyer argued that AgustaWestland was engaging with middlemen regularly and bribed him.

They argued that various incriminating evidences in relation with the deal were recovered during a search conducted by the police in Switzerland.

The CBI alleged that the kickbacks paid to former Air chief Tyagi for the deal was invested in the purchase of agricultural land by his family.

Defending his stand and refuting the money laundering charge against him, former Air chief Tyagi stated that procurement of chopper deal was a collective decision.

"I can account for my agricultural land purchase. In this nation, if you're arrested, you're arrested. You're on TV channels. I've been handed summons," he said during the hearing.

"I have fully cooperated in the investigation since the beginning. I have always appeared in front of them whenever I was called," he added.

He said in December 2003, the Prime Minister's Office had observed that tenders had led to single vendor situation. The PMO suggested changes of service ceiling to 6000 meters.

"How many times have VVIPs visited Siachen? I can't think of an instance. This file has moved across all departments all these years, are all serving air force staffers accused," he asked.

Meanwhile, the CBI has asked more time to further investigate the land deals done by Tyagi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Changing how the town of Lafayette does preparation work on absentee ballots should end delays in getting the town votes counted during presidential years, town officials said.

But Chippewa County Clerk Sandi Frion said it will take a diligent effort to make sure the preparation work is done correctly.

The county on Thursday completed a recount of the presidential vote in Chippewa County. Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein requested that recount.

Frion said the county during the recount encountered problems with some of the absentee ballots cast in Lafayette.

Voters place the absentee ballots in envelopes and are supposed to sign them. But Frion said some of the envelopes from Lafayette didnt have the proper signatures.

They had 31 certificate envelopes that should have been rejected election night, Frion said. Instead, those votes were counted.

We spent almost four days figuring out Lafayette, Frion said, adding it was hard to reconcile the election poll book with the vote numbering.

The paperwork was the issue that we had for the reconciliation, she said.

Finally, the county followed the advice of the Wisconsin Elections Commission and moved on, counting the votes that should have been rejected.

Frion said she consulted with Lafayette Chief Elections Inspector Doug Matthews about the difficulty recounting the votes from the town.

We used this as a learning tool, Frion said. We need to make the most of it.

Slow count

Both in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections, the vote count in Lafayette was last to be completed in Chippewa County, coming in at about 3 a.m.

It will never happen again, said Tom Larson, a member of the Lafayette Town Board.

In the 2012 vote, the delay was attributed by Town Clerk Sandra Harvey to a piece of tape being in the wrong place. That led to a paper jam on a vote counting machine.

It was a different reason for the delay in the Nov. 8 count.

The hiccup was the early voting and how we handled it, Town Chairman Dave Staber said.

The balloting on election day itself went smoothly, with four lines handling the turnout. Staber said voter turnout in the town was about 90 percent.

What the town didnt anticipate was that there would be 1,400 absentee ballots cast in the run up to the Nov. 8 election, he said. None of those ballots were counted until after 8 p.m. on election day, after the polls closed.

They should have been running (the absentee ballots) through during the day, Staber said.

The reason that didnt happen?

Lafayette did not do preparation work on the absentee ballots the day before the election.

That was the procedure adopted in other towns, including the town of Eagle Point which had 606 absentee ballots. Eagle Point Town Clerk Laurie Hebert said the town, for the first time, did the preparation work the day before the Nov. 8 vote.

The ballots themselves were counted on election day, but the work leading up to that had already been completed.

Prep work

Part of that preparation work is making sure voters who cast absentee ballots were in the poll books and assigning numbers to each envelope with a ballot.

The pre-numbering was something I was nervous about doing, but Im glad we did it, Hebert said.

Its a procedure Lafayette did not do, Larson said, simply because poll workers didnt know they could do it that way.

The whole election process in Wisconsin has gone through a lot of turmoil, Staber said, and it wasnt clear this procedure could be done.

Theres no stipulation (from the state) that we can or can not do that, Hebert said of the pre-numbering.

Staber said the town will adopt the preparation procedure so there will be no long vote counts in the future.

We made some mistakes, he said. Are we going to correct them? Yes, we are.

But Frion said the town needs to be careful doing numbering of absentee ballots before the election. She said the town has to make sure the envelopes assigned numbers are correctly filled out.

She said in Chippewa County, the city of Chippewa Falls had the most absentee ballots to process, with Lafayette second and the village of Lake Hallie third.

She said there were no problems in the recount with absentee ballots cast in Chippewa Falls and Lake Hallie.

In the recount in the county, President-elect Donald J. Trump gained seven votes in the county while Democrat Hillary Clinton gained one.
Senior functionaries of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Saturday asked Sasikala Natarajan, a close associate of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, to lead the party.

Jayalalithaa who passed away on Monday evening after suffering cardiac arrest was the party's general secretary from 1989 to 2016.

Earlier today, AIADMK spokesperson C. Ponnaiyan said the party would have a new general secretary soon and a decision in this regard would be unanimous.

Denying rumours of a rift within the AIADMK over the succession plan, , Ponnaiyan said, "The party remained united under Amma and will follow the same in the coming days. We'll unanimously choose a candidate for the party," he said.

Political circles in Tamil Nadu are, rife with speculation that Sasikala who has not held any government or party position till date, may formally take over the party.

While O Panneerselvam has taken over as the new chief minister of the state, Sasikala's supporters have said she could be the natural choice for party chief. Other contenders for the post include Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai and senior leader K A Sengottaiyan. Ponnaiyan indicated there will be no contest.

Some AIADMK cadre are said to be unhappy with the re-emergence of Sasikala, who has a disproportionate assets case pending against her, and her family members.

Jayalalithaa, who ruled AIADMK with an iron grip, had not allowed a second line of leaders throughout her term as party chief.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O Panneerselvam, who assumed office following the demise of J Jayalalithaa, will hold a Cabinet meeting on Saturday at the state Secretariat.

The meeting will begin at 11.30 am as per the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party sources.

Panneerselvam is expected to adopt a resolution to accord formal sanction for a suitably impressive memorial for Jayalalithaa.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister is yet to formally take his seat in his office at the Secretariat.

Earlier, the Union Cabinet met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and condoled the death of Jayalalithaa who passed away on December 5 at Chennai's Apollo Hospital.

Panneerselvam took oath as the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after Jayalalithaa breathed her last at 11.30 pm last Monday at Apollo Hospital in Chennai. The oath taking ceremony took place at Raj Bhawan.

Panneerselvam served as the Leader of Opposition during the DMK government in 2006. He has previously held the portfolio of Finance in every AIADMK government.
A team from France-based ATR will assist with the probe into the crash of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) PK-661 that killed all the 48 passengers and crew aboard on December 7.

The team with a group of experts affiliated with the aircraft manufacturer is expected to arrive in Pakistan in the next 24 hours, according to the Dawn.

According to sources, the French embassy has also ensured full cooperation in the investigation.

The plane's black box and audio recorder will be sent to France within a couple of days, and the data retrieved from the black box and recording device in France will be handed to Pakistan's Safety and Investigation Board (SIB).

Sources said that data analysis will take another two to three weeks, adding that data decoded from the black box and the voice recorder will determine the direction of the investigation.

Yesterday, the PIA rejected claims circulating in the media that its fleet of aircraft is faulty saying, "It defies common sense that pilots and engineers would fly an aircraft that does not meet safety standards, and risk their own lives."

Some media reports suggest that engine problem was the cause of the crash.

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To mark International Human Rights Day, Baloch political activists across - including the U.K., Canada, Australia, South Korea, Germany and many other European nations - held protests against atrocities committed by the Pakistani establishment on their people back home.

It was on December 10, 1948, when the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In Geneva, Baloch activists from various political parties gathered at Broken Chair, outside the UN office, and shouted slogans against Pakistan and China.

The protest was jointly organised by the Baloch Republican Party (BRP), Baloch National Movement (BNM), Baloch Students Organisations (BSO-Azad) and Baloch Republican Students Organisation (BRSO).

The protesters raised the issue of genocide by the Pakistan Army in Balochistan, and seek international intervention in the region. They also raised anti-China slogans to oppose the multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Abdul Bugti of Baloch Republican Party said, "The objective of the protest demonstration is to highlight the abuses in Balochistan on this occasion. There are massive human rights abuses going on in Balochistan by 'terror-state' Pakistan, its army and intelligence agencies."

"They are engaged in killing and enforced disappearances of Baloch civilians on daily basis. We have been highlighting these issues and we want international community to stop Baloch genocide," he added.

In London, Baloch political and students' organisations jointly held a protest outside the official residence of the British Prime Minister, 10 Downing Street, to expose Pakistan's "war crimes" in "occupied" Balochistan.

In Berlin, Germany, a large number of Baloch protesters gathered and raised slogans at Brandenburg Tor, asking Pakistan to stop human rights violations in Balochistan.

They took out a rally and also distributed pamphlets among locals, making them aware about the gross human rights violations in Balochistan.

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The Shiv Sena on Saturday called on the Centre to abandon all endeavours for international help in dealing with the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) issue and said that the matter should be handled in the way former prime minister Indira Gandhi dealt with the Bangladesh Liberation War- by going to war against Pakistan.

Indira Gandhi had concluded that instead of taking in millions of refugees, it was economical to go to war against Pakistan and charged head on into the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.

Speaking to ANI here, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that India must handle the situation themselves and refrain from dragging the international community in the matter, as the same solution could be used by Separatists over Kashmir.

"We are not going to get any international help on this matter. If we talk about brining help from the global arena, then the separatists sitting in India and the Pakistan High Commisioner in Delhi will do the same for our Kashmir. India should interfere directly in PoK, the way Indira Gandhi did with Bangladesh," Raut said.

Asserting that the responsibility was solely on the Indian government in the matter, the Shiv Sena leader added that the Centre has shown the nation the dream of a unified India and must come through in it.

Under Indira Gandhi's India provided aid to about 10 million people who fled their homes to the neighbouring West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam, to escape the Pakistani army in 1971

India sent its troops to fight against Pakistani and at the end of a nine month-long war, Bangladesh was put on the world map.

Meanwhile, anti-Pakistan protests erupted as Kashmiris complained of human rights violations by Islamabad on the people living along the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Pakistan police and paramilitary forces brutally assaulted leaders and activists of the Peace Committee, a coalition of progressive and nationalist organisations in PoK.

The Peace Committee was protesting against the activities of Jihadi groups in the area and when they refused to stop their sloganeering and March, they were thrashed by the security personnel.

Several people participating were severely injured after they were baton charged and hit by tear gas shells.

The police and the paramilitary personnel also stopped the demonstrators from approaching the Line of Control (LoC).

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Speaker of the Nepal Parliament Onsari Gharti Magar has asked Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to work for ending the House obstruction at the earliest.

The speaker met the Prime Minister at his residence in Baluwatar and asked him to take initiatives to avoid repeated disruption of the House meeting, reports the Kathmandu Post.

Assuring the speaker that the issue would be resolved within a few days, Dahal said, homework is being done by the parties to reach an agreement.

The Parliament is being obstructed by the main opposition party CPN-UML and some other forces repeatedly to show their disapproval to the Constitution amendment bill which was registered at the Parliament on November 29.

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Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh on Saturday said the coalition regime in Jammu and Kashmir is running smoothly and following the development agenda.

"This is just a normal exchange of views and ideas on different issues which normally comes up in any discussion among the various cabinet colleagues and it should be looked in that spirit. There is no need to look too much into it," he said.

"Overall the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir is running smoothly and seriously pursuing the agenda of development which is envisaged in its coalition," he added.

In a first major rift within the ruling alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti walked out of a cabinet meeting yesterday over differences with BJP ministers.

The dispute cropped up over the issue of restructuring of Kashmir Police Services or KPS.

Mufti got furious after BJP ministers, including deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, objected to the proposal of KPS restructuring. As she left the meeting midway, BJP ministers convened a meeting in the office of the deputy chief minister.

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The third protocol to the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement was signed between Pakistan and China on Friday.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman, Nisar Muhammad, and Commissioner State Administration of Taxation (SAT) China signed the protocol on behalf of their respective countries, reports local media.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by the special advisor to the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Revenue Haroon Akhtar Khan.

Sharing his experiences in China, Akhtar praised Beijing for developing its economy in such a short span of time.

He hoped that mutual cooperation in the area of taxation would be continued by the two tax authorities.

Earlier, the FBR chairman, welcoming the Chinese delegation highlighted the importance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (c) for the people of both sides.

He stressed upon for cooperation in various international commitments like multilateral conventions on mutual administrative assistance in tax matters, base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) framework and other international initiatives by the tax administrations of both the countries.

Various aspects of Pakistan-China friendship State Administration of Taxation were highlighted by State Administration of Taxation (SAT) Commissioner Wang Jun Commissioner Wang Jun.

He also appreciated the efforts of the FBR and SAT to arrive at an agreement on the third protocol to the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement.

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Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz will embark on a two day visit to Bahrain, beginning today.

He will attend 'The Manama Dialogue', in which more than 20 counties are participating.

Manama Dialogue is being organized jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain and British think tank, International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS).

The Crown Prince of Bahrain, his Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, will inaugurate the event. Besides Ministerial level participation from several important countries, leading international opinion makers, experts, heads of organizations, and international media will also take part in The Manama Dialogue.

Aziz will be a keynote speaker on December 11th at Manama Dialogue. He will present Pakistan's perspective on prevailing and emerging security challenges facing the region and the at large.

Pakistan's Ambassador to Bahrain Javed Malik would be organizing the Adviser's bilateral meetings with the Foreign Minister of Bahrain, H.E Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, and Ministers of other countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the U.K., and Canada among others.

Aziz will also meet the Secretary General of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

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The Taliban insurgents have shot dead four civilians in Parwan province after accusing them of working with the government.

A source told Tolo News that the civilians were residents of Dara Saidan village in Siagard district of Parwan and the Taliban shot them Thursday night.

Dara Saidan village is in one of the remote areas of Parwan where the Taliban is active.

Meanwhile a number of Dara Saidan village residents claimed that the Taliban captured a number of youths and their whereabouts are still unknown.

Taliban have not commented on the incident.

Last week, the Taliban insurgents hanged a Kabul Polytechnic University engineering student in Maidan Wardak province on charges of for spying for the government.

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Donald J. Trump remained the victor of the 2016 presidential vote in Chippewa County, picking up seven votes in a recount.

The recount in the county began Friday, Dec. 2 and wrapped up at about 3 p.m. Thursday with very minimal changes, County Clerk Sandi Frion said.

The recount was demanded by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, who paid for it.

In the Chippewa County vote, the Republican president-elect went from 17,909 votes to 17,916. Democrat Hillary Clinton picked up one vote, from 11,186 to 11,887. Libertarian Gary Johnson lost a vote, from 1,220 to 1,219. And Stein remained at 264.

Others getting votes included Constitutional Party candidate Darrell L. Castle with 175, write-in Evan McMullin with 70, Monica Moorehead with 16, American Delta Party candidate Rocky Roque De La Fuente (who requested the recount with Stein) 10, Cherunda Fox and Michael A. Maturen each with four and Chris Keniston, a write-in, with 1.

The number of votes counted increased by seven, from 31,561 to 31,568.

Frion said the cost of the recount will be less than the $41,000 she estimated before the count started.
Sales decline 12.07% to Rs 265.66 crore

Net profit of Tara Jewels declined 85.05% to Rs 0.64 crore in the quarter ended September 2016 as against Rs 4.28 crore during the previous quarter ended September 2015. Sales declined 12.07% to Rs 265.66 crore in the quarter ended September 2016 as against Rs 302.11 crore during the previous quarter ended September 2015.265.66302.119.208.846.0911.950.976.900.644.28

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

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All 2,376 tourists, including 12 foreign nationals, who were stranded at Havelock and Neil Islands in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been taken to safety in Port Blair, officials said on Saturday.

The evacuation mission was initiated at the request of the A&N Disaster Management ahead of a "cyclonic storm" that was likely to strike Havelock, an island 36 km from Port Blair.

Six ships of the Indian Navy along with two ships of the Indian Coast Guard and three Mi-17 V5 helicopters of the Indian Air Force carried out the rescue operation.

The six navy ships that took part in the mission are Karmukh, Kumbhir, Bitra, Baratang, LCU 27 and LCU 38.

The three IAF choppers carried out 14 sorties -- 11 from Havelock, and three from Neil island.

--IANS

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Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan features in a #BeMyGuest film by Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), inviting people to be his "guest" at the city of sun, sand and adventure.

The film showcases why Dubai is the actor's home away from home.

He shows the soul, sights and sounds of the metropolis through experiencing different dimensions of Dubai amongst its people and inviting them to "come with me, be my guest".

"Dubai offers endless experiences that stay with you forever. Whatever you want to do - an adrenaline-fuelled adventure like skydiving or a desert safari or a delicious culinary experience of tantalising flavours - and whether you're travelling with family, friends or as a couple, this city truly offers a complete holiday experience," Shah Rukh, who even has a house here, said in a statement.

He said working with Dubai Tourism has helped him "rediscover this inspiring city in a whole new way".

As one of Dubai Tourism's series of upcoming initiatives with Bollywood, it emphasises on nurturing the connection that Dubai has with India.

Commenting on the collaboration, Issam Kazim, CEO, DCTCM, said: "Shah Rukh Khan truly represents the beautiful relationship that Dubai and India share.

"In line with our vision of hosting 20 million visitors per year by 2020, our tourism efforts are increasing every year, with a major emphasis on the Indian market. We are excited to invite Indians from all over the world to experience Shah Rukh Khan's Dubai for themselves."

--IANS

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Priti Patel, Secretary for International Development, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "bold initiative to tame black money and corruption in India."

Patel, the former Indian Diaspora Champion under prime minister David Cameron, told this correspondent that the move was "a right step to tackle the root causes of corruption."

She said "too much black money was circulating in the world which funds terrorism and illegal trade," adding that Prime Minister Modi should be commended for giving "a strong message to the whole world that the era of illegal deals and trade is over."

Patel, the UK's most influential British Indian politician, said she was quite happy with the Brexit outcome despite the rise in racist attacks on British Asian communities. Indian-origin parliamentarians like Lord Karan Bilimoria are campaigning to stem racially aggravated attacks.

"I don't subscribe the allegations of Lord Bilimoria," said Patel "This country is harmonious and tolerant. British people voted for Brexit and we are committed to deliver that."

Patel had campaigned in favour of Brexit.

(Anasudhin Azeez is the editor of London-based Asian Lite daily. He can be contacted at md@asianlite.com)

--IANS

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Call it a demonetisation pain eased by a fine example of hospitality in the God's Own Country. A 40-year-old foreigner ate at a restaurant here and didn't pay because he was cashless. He was caught but let off because the eatery staff realised their guest had no other option.

Khader Kunju, a restaurant owner here since 1989, said the incident occurred on Friday at the eatery near his joint.

Kunju told IANS that the tourist had before ordering food asked if the restaurant accepted credit cards. He was told the facility wasn't available.

But he still "went and had lunch and after washing his hands, he ran away", Kunju said.

"He was caught by the hotel staff, but let off when he said he has money but there was no way he could withdraw it as the ATM's did not have cash."

Kunju said it was not a one-off incident of inconvenience faced by foreigners in Kerala after the central government announced on November 8 that it was spiking the country's 86 per cent -- Rs 500 and 1,000 notes -- of all currency in circulation.

He said he also faced "similar situation as many of my clients are foreign tourists".

The restaurant owner narrated an incident how a group of French tourists -- four men and four women -- walked into his eatery and said they were very hungry and wanted to eat but had no cash.

"They said they have credit cards, but since I don't have swiping machine, I told them they can have food and pay later."

However, the generosity came with a cost.

"Their total bill was Rs 1,600. A few days later the women came and paid their amount, but the men slipped away and have not paid as yet."

Kunju said he had never in his lifetime seen a situation like this.

Koshy John, a tour guide, said he had a group of foreign tourists who landed on the day the demonetisation was announced.

"The announcement proved a nightmare," John said. He said his guests had exchanged their currencies hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement.

And most of the time his guests spend "waiting in queues at banks".

"They left disappointed," said John, adding there has been a drop in the number of foreign tourist arrivals.

--IANS

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A Chinese envoy to the UN has called on the international community and the UN to maintain the overarching direction of seeking a political solution to the question of Syria.

Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, made the appeal at a UN General Assembly meeting on Syria on Friday, at which a resolution demanding unhindered and unconditional humanitarian access throughout Syria was adopted, Xinuha news agency reported.

"China is deeply concerned about the continuous escalation of conflict in Syria and worsening humanitarian situation in the relevant areas," said Wu.

"All efforts made should aim at facilitating the work of four tracks, namely a resumption of ceasefire, political negotiations, joint fight against terrorism and humanitarian assistance," he said, adding that the efforts should be Syrian-owned and Syrian-led.

Noting countries like Russia and the United States are actively engaging diplomatic efforts to ease the tension on the ground, Wu said "any measure taken by any party must respect the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria," and "aim at solving problems rather than complicating issues."

Wu also said that China is ready to join hands with the international community in a common search for a political settlement in Syria at an early date.

--IANS

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A 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death on Friday evening by his classmate following an argument, police said.

According to police, the incident occurred near a railway track in east Delhi's Shakarpur area.

"The children had a fight in the school and while returning, the accused minor who had arranged a kitchen knife asked two other classmates to hold the victim and then stabbed him several times," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Omvir Singh told IANS.

"The boy was declared brought dead in hospital. Two other students suffered minor injuries," the officer said.

The officer said that the accused minor was sent to the juvenile correction centre.

--IANS

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Film: "Dhruva"; Director: Surinder Reddy; Cast: Ram Charan, Arvind Swamy and Rakul Preet Singh; Rating: **

Dhruva suffers from a very esoteric cinematic disease. It's known as the sickness of slickness. So hell-bent is it to out-slick the original Tamil film "Thani Oruvan", that director Surinder Reddy orders his entire team to workout in the gym of their minds.

Ram Charan, of course, takes the gyming to the literal level. He tones his policeman character's physique to an unbelievably chiselled level of sinewiness. And just to prove how serious he is about being monstrously macho with his gun and muscles, he even takes off his shirt at one point to display his abundant talent.

Policemen in real life are often unfit and potbellied. Not this one. Not this time.

Ram Charan's performance is so physically fit that it screams for attention. Ditto the film.

"Dhruva" is a wannabe Mukul Anand film. In the 1980s, Mukul Anand redefined slick thrills in Bollywood with his Amitabh Bachchan actioners. Surinder Shetty could be the late Mukul Anand's new avatar. I see the same fidgety restlessness in his narrative stratosphere. The same impatience to get on with the story and not allow it to be bogged down by comic and romantic relief. Rakul Preet Singh is the wallflower that Telugu cinema relegates its leading ladies to being. Think "Kabali". Think Radhika Apte.

This is a welcome change in Telugu cinema where the main plot is weighed down by demoniacal diversions. "Dhruva" sticks to the straight and not-so-narrow path. It's a classic cat-and-mouse chase saga about a devious scientist(Arvind Swamy) whose evil ambitions to destroy the world are thwarted by a police officer who gives nothing away from his expressions. This abundance of secrecy may seem terribly clever when dealing with a villain who is smart enough to outwit even the smartest of heroes.

But then the strong and silent hero could be the way he is because he has no other option. Throughout the pulsating proceedings, punctuated by bouts of gripping action and relentless chase, Ram Charan remains expressionless to the point of seeming like a rock that has not moved from its place for centuries. Luckily, this rock moves with the speed of lightning. Ram Charan is an action hero. He should remain that way.

To see some acting chops, we have Arvind Swamy encoring his villainous act from the original Tamil film with remarkable relish. Swamy is suave and riveting. Every time he shares a frame with Ram Charan, Swamy chews up the frames with a monster's appetite. I almost felt sorry for Ram Charan for having chosen such a formidable adversary.

"Dhruva", though meant to be a vehicle for Ram Charan's comeback (his career has not seen a success for quite some time), ends up being a made-to-order vehicle for Arvind Swamy. Of course, Ram Charan will benefit from this film's success. He has played the expressionless policeman in "Toofan" ("Zanjeer" in Hindi). He makes the khaki uniform look positively pale.

--IANS

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Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said in an official release on Saturday that a new Doordarshan channel dedicated to the Northeast -- Arun Prabha -- will be launched in January.

"The channel would show the richness, variety and diversity of local culture and would seamlessly integrate Northeast with the entire country," the Minister for Information and Broadcasting said here while delivering the concluding remarks at the 28th State Information Ministers Conference at Vigyan Bhawan.

He said that the government will provide 90 per cent subsidy for the Northeastern states and 75 per cent subsidy for other states in setting up community radio stations.

The community radio station is an extraordinary medium which disseminates information in localized content, he added.

Speaking about the Most Film Friendly State Award, incorporated last year in the National Film Awards, Naidu said: "States should focus on this new initiative as it would not only enhance revenue but also boost tourism in the state."

He also announced a cash component of Rs one crore for the Most Film Friendly State Award.

"Government of India would formulate National Information and Communication Policy in consultation with states for a comprehensive and integrated approach toward communication and information dissemination," the statement said.

Speaking on the occasion earlier, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said that collaboration between the states and Centre was the bedrock of good governance and there was a need for moving forward together as 'Team India' in scripting the development of the nation.

--IANS

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The changed specification of VVIP helicopters, especially the reduced the service ceiling were made under the advice of the Prime Minister Office, former IAF chief S.P. Tyagi on Saturday told a court, which sent him to the custody of the CBI till December 14 in the Rs 3,767-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal case.

"Then PMO advised to keep the minimum mandatory requirement of the service ceiling of the helicopters to 4,500 metres (from the earlier 6,000 metres)," Tyagi's defence counsel N. Hariharan told the court while opposing the Central Bureau of Investigation's plea seeking custodial interrogration of the accused.

However putting aside the submissions, Metropolitan Magistrate Sujit Saurabh allowed the CBI to quiz Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie Tyagi and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan till December 14 even as the agency sought 10 days custody to unearth the bribery charges, saying a huge amount was routed to India through various companies.

"Considering the serious nature of the allegation and gravity of the matter, I am of the considered opinion that police custody of the accused is required for fair investigation," said the magistrate after a two-hour-long argument between counsel of the CBI and the accused.

The agency told the court that crucial information was collected from three countries - Italy, Switzerland and Mauritius - via letters rogatory and the accused are required to be confronted with it to unearth the larger conspiracy in the deal.

Telling the court that regular meetings were taking place between senior officials of AgustaWestland and S.P. Tyagi with the help of Sanjeev Tyagi, the CBI has alleged that a conspiracy was hatched to reduce the service ceiling of the helicopters after which AgustaWestland became eligible to supply a dozen helicopters for VVIP flying duties.

It told the court that the words "at least twin engine" were inserted in the amendment proposal in 2005 for procuring VVIP helicopters to bring AgustaWestland into the eligibility criteria, adding that the changes were made deliberately as AgustaWestland helicopters had three engines and a service ceiling of 4,500 metres.

Claiming innocence in the case, the former IAF chief's defence counsel, Hariharan apprised the court that it was a collective decision to procure VVIP helicopters.

Denying the charges, he opposed the request of custodial interrogation, saying that the probe agency had not given any specific and vital point for seeking remand.

Countering the CBI allegations, Tyagi said that, as IAF chief 2004-2007, he had nothing to do with the deal and the decision was taken collectively in in consultation with then Defence Ministry, the Special Protection Group and the PMO.

The decision came during the tenure of Manmohan Singh but was axed in January 2013 when the corruption allegations surfaced.

The CBI told court that in 1999, the government decided to phase out the old helicopters as they were not fit to reach high-altitude areas, and the Defence Ministry in 2002 issued global tenders for procuring new VVIP helicopters in which 11 companies participated including AgustaWestland.

However, AgustaWestland could not qualify for the shortlisted companies as it could not meet the eligibility criteria.

"Therefore a conspiracy was hatched by the accused person to help AgustaWestland win the chopper contract by making change in the operational requirements," contended the CBI, saying Italian nationals and middlemen Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschke were in constant touch with Tyagi's cousin to influence the bidding, and also accessed crucial information.

The middlemen told Sanjeev Tyagi that they had a good contact with Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini, then CEOs of the Italy-based Finmeccanica and Britain-based AgustaWestland, which is a subsidiary of the former, and could fix the meeting with them, CBI disclosed.

All the accused, companies included, were booked for criminal conspiracy, cheating and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

--IANS

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Lindsey M. Burke: DeVos will be breath of fresh

Teachers unions and the education establishment reacted with predictable scorn when President-elect Donald Trump last month named Betsy DeVos as his nominee for secretary of education.

But parents have one simple reason to be optimistic: DeVos has been a champion for educational choice across the country.

Her support for school choice goes beyond mere lip service. She has worked to advance viable options for students and families, including charter schools, vouchers, tuition tax credit scholarships and education savings accounts.

That support for education choice will be a welcome change of pace, particularly for poor children living in the nations capital.

For the past eight years, the Obama administration has tried, almost annually, to wipe out funding for the wildly successful D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, commonly called OSP.

The administration has done so despite the fact that a random evaluation conducted by the U.S. Department of Education revealed that use of an OSP scholarship increased graduation rates for participants by 21 percent.

Those findings would be notable in and of themselves  increasing graduation rates is a long-held education policy goal  but theyre particularly spectacular given that the voucher provided through the program awards, on a per-pupil basis, just a fraction of what is spent on the District of Columbias public schools.

Annual revenue per pupil in the public district tops $29,400. The Opportunity program, on the other hand, awards scholarships of up to $8,452 to children in kindergarten through eighth grade, while giving students in grades 9-12 up to $12,679.

Even at the upper end of the scholarship amount, the vouchers cost less than half the public districts per-pupil revenue and are spurring graduation rates that outpace the national average and far outpace the average in the district.

Although the federal government is limited in what it can do to advance education choice, supporting the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program and encouraging its expansion is one option.

Secretary-designate DeVos should also consider education savings accounts for military-connected children and should work to create education savings accounts for children attending Bureau of Indian Education schools, which have been identified as the worst-performing schools in the country.

That said, education choice will not be the only education policy issue facing the secretary and the incoming administration.

The federal college student loan albatross also must be tackled, and policies that have enabled the accumulation of $1.3 trillion in outstanding student loan debt  up from $240 billion since just 2003  will no doubt feature prominently in the pending reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.

Long-term defaults stand at around $125 billion. Add to that the Government Accountability Offices recent finding that public sector loan forgiveness will cost taxpayers more than $100 billion, and theres no doubt left that reform is desperately needed.

In order to decrease loan burdens and place pressure on colleges to rein in college costs, the PLUS loan program should be eliminated in order to make way for more flexible private funding alternatives.

The incoming administration has a major opportunity to advance education choice as appropriate, move toward policies that can lower college costs and dramatically downsize the federal Department of Education.

Pursuing a package of reforms that begins the important work of making federal education funding limited, targeted, and  most importantly  student-centered and portable can help restore state and local control of education and will better serve students and taxpayers nationwide.

Barry W. Lynn: DeVos has been hostile to public schools

In the United States, 90 percent of children attend public schools.

These young people and their families rely on this system, which is funded by tax dollars and is answerable to democratically elected school boards. In many communities, the public school system is the glue that holds a diverse population together.

We therefore expect the men and women who set federal education policy to support public education.

Yet President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education in his administration. Thats a problem. DeVos isnt just indifferent to public education; shes hostile to it.

DeVos simply has no credentials to do this important job. Our countrys education secretary should focus on promoting and improving public education. Instead, DeVos wants to dismantle it.

She has spent most of her adult life promoting private school vouchers. A lobbying group she heads, the American Federation for Children, seeks to transfer tax funds from public schools to private ones.

DeVos has poured money into campaigns to create voucher plans in states all over the country. She managed to get the question on the ballot in her home state of Michigan in 2000.

Michigan voters werent fooled, however. They rejected DeVos voucher scheme 68 percent to 32 percent.

Vouchers have been on the ballot in numerous states over the years. Voters have rejected them every time  and often by large margins.

The people are sending a clear message: Americans want an adequately funded, high-functioning public school system that welcomes all children, not a network of taxpayer-funded private schools, many of which are religious.

DeVos and Trump are tone-deaf to this message. They continue to promote voucher plans that Americans dont want.

Indeed, Trump has called for creating a nationwide school voucher program at a staggering price tag of $20 billion. His plan would divert money from existing federal programs to new choice block grants for states, which will, in part, fund private schools.

Americans should be wary. Private school vouchers are poor education policy.

Despite what DeVos and others claim about the virtues of the free market and competition, numerous studies have shown that voucher plans dont boost student performance.

Furthermore, private schools lack accountability to taxpayers and deprive students of rights provided to public school students. They also divert desperately needed resources away from public schools, which serve all children, to fund the education of a few, select voucher students. Fly-by-night schools of questionable quality have also been a problem.

Most private schools are religious, meaning that voucher plans inevitably end up subsidizing sectarian education with tax dollars. This is nothing more than a modern-day church tax, requiring Americans to support someone elses religion.

In addition, voucher plans often lack basic curriculum requirements, which means that religious schools can use taxpayer-funded vouchers to teach creationism rather than evolution.

Private schools that accept vouchers also dont provide the same fundamental civil rights protections that our public schools do, including those prohibiting discrimination based on gender and gender identity, national origin, and disability.

In many programs, voucher schools can refuse to admit students for belonging to the wrong religion or expel them for committing moral offenses, such as being gay or having parents who are gay.

These private institutions have every right to exist. But they should not be funded by tax money, as DeVos advocates. They should be funded by the church members who believe in their religious mission.

The U.S. Department of Educations job is to ensure that our nation has a strong public school system and that all our children have access to meaningful educational opportunities. Because DeVos doesnt support this goal, she is not qualified to be Americas secretary of education.
France will extend by six months the state of emergency that has been in effect since the November 13 attacks in Paris, the country's new Prime Minister said on Saturday.

"The extension of the measure complies with the persistent terror threat as the French electorate heads to the polls for the presidential and legislative elections between April and June," Efe news agency quoted Bernard Cazeneuve as telling the media.

The measure, which still needs to go to a parliamentary vote, would allow sufficient time for the country's next president and parliament to assess the security situation, Cazeneuve said.

The current state of emergency is due to expire in January, but due to the resignation of Prime Minister Manuel Valls -- who announced he will run as a candidate in the upcoming presidential election -- Cazeneuve's new government had to review the measure.

Though the extension of the state of emergency is expected to receive wide legislative backing, the measure has been criticiced by some groups including civilian organisations who consider it inefficient in the fight against terror and a violation of basic rights.

Cazeneuve said that the state of emergency, which has been extended five times since it was put in place, was indispensable for ensuring the highest level of protection for French citizens.

The PM said the terror threat in the country remained high, adding that since the start of the year security forces had thwarted 17 attacks and arrested at least 420 persons linked to terror networks.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ruia Group Chairman and engineering firm Jessop and Co owner Pawan Ruia was arrested from his New Delhi residence on Saturday by the West Bengal CID personnel in connection with a complaint filed by the Railways.

Ruia has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to cheating, dishonestly inducing delivery of property and criminal breach of trust.

He is being brought to Kolkata on transit remand, said CID sources.

The Deputy Director, Railway, Kolkata, had filed the complaint at the Dum Dum police station after a joint inspection by a team of railway and CID personnel on November 4 purportedly found Railway property - equipment and rakes - worth Rs 50 crore missing from the Jessop factory premises.

Ruia is alleged to have violated a court order which had asked him to secure the factory premises.

There were also repeated incidents of fire in the factory premises and the probe was handed over to the CID in October.

The CID had summoned Ruia on four occasions between October 26 and November 5, but he failed to turn up even once.

Reacting to Ruia's arrest, the business group questioned how he could be dragged into the case.

"Pawan K Ruia does not hold any position in Jessop & Co Ltd. He is neither a Director, nor a shareholder of the Company. He is not even an occupier of any of the Jessop premises.

"We fail to understand how can he be dragged into the case. Anyways, we will contest all the charges brought against him in the proper legal forum," said the group.

--IANS

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(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.)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday urged people to show humanity in every action.

"On International Human Rights Day (December 10) let's pledge to stand for the rights of our brothers and sisters across the world. Show humanity in every action," she tweeted.

Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, has been on the warpath with the Narendra Modi-led central government over the issue of demonetisation.

She has demanded a rollback of the move, asserting that over 90 people have died following the November 8 move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tata Sons' ousted chairman Cyrus P Mistry has sought the support of Tata Power Company's shareholders to remain as director on its board, said the company on Saturday.

Mistry's appeal to the investors comes ahead of the company's Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) here on December 26, convened to consider the resolution for his removal at the behest of the promoters (Tata Sons Ltd).

In a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges, the company has made public Mistry's representation to its shareholders, seeking their support against the special resolution to remove him from the board.

Claiming that the company's operating margins improved in the last three fiscal years during his tenure as its Chairman, Mistry said its performance was better than its competitors despite re-rating of the power sector in the country.

"The company faced several challenges in 2012 and the overwhelming threat to its survival was on account of situation at Mudra Ultra Mega Power Project (CGPL), which was set up to double the generation capacity with $2.6-billion capital investment with a plan to use Indonesian coal," he said in his letter.

The letter, identical to similar representation Mistry made to investors of Tata Group's other firms ahead of their EGMs, convened for his removal from their boards as director, also raised issues of corporate governance, his "abrupt" ouster as Tata Sons chairman on October 24, nearly four years in December 2012 after he took over from Ratan Tata, who was re-appointed as an interim chairman.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Deliberating on issues such as child trafficking and child slavery, Nobel laureates and leaders from around the world on Saturday called for the need to build a child-friendly world.

Inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee the first-ever 'Laureates and Leaders for Children Summit' at Rashtrapati Bhavan here brought together the collective leadership of around 25 laureates and leaders, and called for urgent action for the world to allow children to enjoy their childhood years unhindered.

Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day summit, Mukherjee said programmes and actions for children have to take centre stage in national policymaking.

He said the disparities in education, health and poverty indicators will have to be eliminated and that education was the strongest weapon in the fight against inequality.

"We have a shared responsibility to reduce the inequalities that harm the underprivileged children. We have a moral obligation towards our children; towards their development and security, and in giving them equal opportunity. Let us commit ourselves to the noble task," he said.

Mukherjee said that problems of varying degrees afflict children -- from bullying at school to cases of sexual harassment, child marriage and trafficking -- and quoting Unicef he said that 80 per cent of child deaths occur in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi, who conceptualised and organised the summit, harped on the importance of the world to act collectively and urgently.

"The forces that exploit children are stronger and we are lagging behind. We have to reach out to them before the fire of war turns our children into ashes.

"We must leave behind a legacy of compassion. The dreams of our children can only be fulfilled by our collective will and strong resolve," said Satyarthi.

On the occasion, Princess Charlene of Monaco said children have the right to participate in decisions affecting them.

"We should bear in mind that children have a right to be heard and a right to participate in decisions that affect them. We should invest in children, allow them to speak and equip them with the knowledge and understanding of their rights," said the former Olympian swimmer.

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan urged the world to recognise the plight of children in war zones.

"We might ask ourselves why so many refugees, from countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia etc, cannot find a safe haven and are being turned away by some of the wealthiest countries of the world.

"We might ask why the Middle East peace process is in standstill and why teenagers from Britain, France, Australia and Middle East are falling prey to the narratives of terrorist groups," he asked.

Princess Laurentien of The Netherlands, who is also the UN special envoy for literacy and development called for changing the mindset of society towards children.

"So long as we adults don't see children and young as equal human capital and unbridled assets of our society, we will continue to have our priorities wrong," she said.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama called for making the 21st century a century of peace and said today's education was "materialistic".

The world is facing a lot of troubles, a lot of issues most of which are man-made. Basic human nature is of compassion, so there is hope," said the Nobel laureate.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The 23rd ministerial meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) -- the world's largest regional security organisation -- closed on Friday with some consensuses being reached among its member states.

Despite "marked differences" over the past two days, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said ministers attending the meeting shared views on the Ukraine crisis, migration, terrorism, cyber issues and OSCE development, Xinhua reported.

Ministers agreed that all sides of unresolved regional conflicts in the OSCE area should contribute to conflict de-escalation and peaceful settlement and expressed support for the full implementation of the Minsk agreements in terms of Ukraine crisis.

The ministers acknowledged the joints efforts being pursued within the OSCE to face transnational threats and challenges including terrorism, extremism, radicalism, and cyber issues.

They referred to the OSCE's role to address large movements of migrants and refugees. Most of the ministers also underlined the confidence and security building within the organisation.

Most of the ministers also underlined the confidence and security building measures (CSBM) within the organisation.

The so-called incoming Troika, composed of Germany, Austria and Italy, the latter two of which are to chair the OSCE in 2017 and 2018, approved a declaration at the end of meeting.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has told US President-elect Donald Trump that he will not hold a post in the new administration, the transition team said on Friday.

Giuliani, one of Trump's most prominent boosters during the campaign, had been touted as a possible Secretary of State or Director of National Intelligence, EFE news reported.

The former mayor informed Trump on November 29 that he was removing his name from consideration for a job in the new government set to take office on January 20, the transition team said.

Giuliani said he was ready to focus again on work with his law firm and consultancy.

"Rudy would have been an outstanding member of the Cabinet in several roles, but I fully respect and understand his reasons for remaining in the private sector," Trump said.

"He is and continues to be a close personal friend, and as appropriate, I will call upon him for advice and can see an important place for him in the administration at a later date," he said.

Giuliani will continue to serve as Vice Chairman of the Presidential Transition Team.
The commission of inquiry on socio-economic and educational conditions of Muslims in Telangana has recommended to the state government to provide 12 percent or minimum 9 percent reservation to the community in jobs and education.

The government had last year constituted the four-member panel headed by former IAS officer G. Sudhir.

According to the report, submitted in August but now made public, the data gathered by the commission shows that among the criteria (for backwardness) the Indra Sawhney case looks at, Muslims are below the state average in some of them and are socially and educationally backward and severely deprived.

"Therefore, Government may provide reservation to them. Given that more than 82 per cent of the Muslim population is already categorised as backward, there may be an increase in the reservation percentage to 12 percent or a minimum of 9 per cent based on their social and educational backwardness and deprivation," said the report.

The panel observed that a suitable legislation needs to be passed duly obtaining legal opinion as the present provision of four percent reservation is continuing with interim order of the Supreme Court.

This was one of the key recommendations made by the committee for immediate implementation.

Muslims constitute 12.68 percent of Telangana's population.

The commission also recommended that an Equal Opportunity Commission be appointed to oversee recruitment and training and other developmental programmes. This Commission will ensure that all communities in the state have equal opportunities in all fields, both in the private and the public sector.

The commission said the government should develop a diversity index already suggested by Sachar Committee (2006) and Kundu Committee (2014). "The Telangana Government should be the first to set up a committee to suggest how best the diversity index can be implemented. Any institution within the state would be evaluated for its diversity and given a ranking according to the diversity its human resource composition displays," said the report.

It also called for extending Scheduled Castes (SCs) status to some acutely discriminated groups that perform the same occupation as some SC groups do.

The commission recommended that the government put in place a 'Sub-plan' for Muslims to be prepared as part of the state budget to ensure that all departments provide adequate funds for welfare of Muslims and to prevent diversion of funds to departments.

As a large number of Muslims are small entrepreneurs, a small start up fund must be allocated that will rotate its capital, provide collateral free investments, help and mentor small businesses and leverage the start up culture that exists among the very poor, the report said.

It called for providing scholarships to Muslims on demand by making adequate provision in the budget. The commission said Muslim students should get cashless admissions on par with SC and ST students.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Manama, Dec 10 (IANS/WAM) The United Arab Emirates Foreign Affairs Minister met the Singapore Defence Minister in Manama to discuss bilateral ties.

The meeting between Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Affairs Minister of UAE and Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen was held on Friday.

The two ministers discussed ways to boost joint cooperation between the two sides in supporting security and stability as well as enhancing peace in the region.

Among those who also attended the meeting were Abdulridha Abdullah Mahmoud Al Khouri, UAE Ambassador to Bahrain, and Ahmed Abdul Rehman Al Jarman, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Political Affairs.

--IANS/WAM

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's crackdown on Ahmadiyya community under the guise of anti-terrorist action has been denounced by the State Department and the Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

"We're obviously very concerned about the reports that Punjab counter-terrorism police have raided the international headquarters of Ahmadiyya -- Muslim community in Rabwah," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said here on Friday.

According to Toner, the country's laws that restrict peaceful religious expression, particularly by the Ahmadiyya community, "are inconsistent with Pakistan's international obligations".

Pakistani laws do not recognise the Ahmadiyya community as Muslims and forbids them from calling themselves members of that religion. But Toner pointedly emphasised that Ahmadiyya is a "Muslim community".

USCIRF was harsher in its criticism.

"USCIRF condemns the brutal raid on the Ahmadiyya offices, the first such raid since Pakistan amended its constitution 42 years ago declaring that Ahmadis are 'non-Muslims'," said Thomas J. Reese, a Catholic priest of the Jesuit order.

"Pakistan's anti-terrorism laws should not be applied to the peaceful Ahmadiyya community simply because they are Ahmadis," he added.

The USCIRF noted in a statement that Pakistan's Punjab province, where the raid took place, "has a deeply troubling religious freedom record" with two-thirds of all blasphemy cases originating there.

On Monday the Counter-Terrorism Department raided an office of the Ahmadiyya community and arrested several people for publishing religious publications, Tehreek-e-Jadeed and Al-Fazal that the Punjab government had declared as "seditious and treasonable" in 2014.

During this raid "police beat and arrested several Ahmadis who later were charged under provisions in Pakistan's penal code and Anti-Terrorism Act", USCIRF said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Wednesday, Dec. 7:

As the anti-establishment bandwagon rolls across Europe, questions with unnerving implications for the U.S. loom. Will populist movements reduce Europe to a hodgepodge of insular nation-states, each with its own economic and political agenda? And if Europe continues to fracture, what will that mean for the global economy? For U.S.-Euro cooperation against terrorism? For the challenges posed by a volatile Middle East or Russian aggression?

Its too early to sound the air raid sirens, but its worth watching closely. Britain shocked itself and the world in June when it chose to uncouple from the European Union. And on Sunday, Italys prime minister, Matteo Renzi, rolled the dice with a referendum that asked voters to approve constitutional reforms that would streamline Italian politics.

Renzi lost it all, trounced by Beppe Grillo, a mop-haired comedian-turned-politician who tapped an undercurrent of anti-establishment anger much as Donald Trump did in November and pro-Brexit politician Nigel Farage did in June. Renzi will now resign, as he had pledged he would do if he lost. If a caretaker government isnt appointed soon, early elections would be on tap for 2017. Renzis party and Grillos populists would square off again; right now theyre polling neck-and-neck.

Next year could be pivotal for Europe and the EUs future. National elections will take place in the spring in France, where Marine Le Pens National Front party is a strong contender. In the fall, Angela Merkels Christian Democrats face stiff competition from the Alternative for Germany party, which has promised to follow Britains lead and leave the EU if the 28-nation bloc doesnt decentralize and return more power to its member countries. In the Netherlands, the Dutch will go to the polls in March and decide whether to launch into power Geert Wilders, the ultra-nationalist facing trial on hate speech charges. If Wilders party wins, he would become prime minister.

If some or all of these nationalist parties win next year, how world-rattling would that be? Very. Euroskeptic to the core, they hawk views ranging from opposition to immigration and globalization to dropping the euro as currency. Frances National Front and Wilders Freedom Party outright oppose the EU. The EU is already steeling itself for Britains departure. The emergence of populist governments in major economies like France, Italy or Germany could prove too tumultuous for the EU to survive.

For the U.S., then, the stakes are high. The EU may be bloated and unwieldy, but its been a reliable partner on several fronts. EU member nations sent thousands of troops to help U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. EU countries have played a sizable role in battling Islamic extremists in North Africa. And the EU bloc joined the U.S. in slapping sanctions on Russia after the Kremlin invaded Ukraine.

A divided Europe is likely to be more insular, much less cooperative with Washington  and much more vulnerable. How much of a fight can Europe put up against terrorists when an every-country-for-itself mentality takes root, when each country adopts its own approach toward immigrants streaming in from the Middle East and North Africa? The U.S. could find itself alone in taking the fight to terrorists in their strongholds in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

An aggressive Kremlin is best countered when the U.S. and Europe work together to craft sanctions and beef up defenses on Russias western flank. What would fissures in the EU, or even its disintegration, mean for the continuation of those sanctions, and for that matter the effectiveness of NATO  the most potent bulwark against Russian aggression?

A weak, fractured Europe also could spell disaster for the global economy. Getting rid of the euro could throw banks across Europe into chaos. A new recession on the continent could emerge, even as aftereffects of the 2008 financial crisis linger. Protectionism could become standard policy. The EU is, collectively, the worlds second largest economy. When it flags, the rest of the world economy feels it.

As Europe braces for an anxious 2017, it would make sense for the incoming Trump administration to preach a message of solidarity to Americas EU allies. But will Trump feel a stronger kinship with a cohesive EU or with the nationalist movements buoyed by the same anti-establishment anger that helped launch him into the White House? For the sake of U.S. and European interests, we hope President-elect Trump makes the right choice.
A US religious freedom official is to visit India next week on the heels of criticism by Congressional leaders on restrictions on a Christian organisation funding activities in India.

New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai are on the itinerary of David Saperstein, the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, who will discuss religious freedom with government officials, civil society representatives, and leaders of both majority and minority religious communities, the State Department said on Friday.

The announcement of Saperstein's visit came a day after US Congress members asked India to ease restrictions on Compassion International sending funds to India.

At the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Thursday on "government obstacles" to Compassion International, Ed Royce, a Republican Representative, criticised the Indian bureaucracy for restrictions placed on it sending money to related organisations in India.

Royce, who is also the head of the Congressional Caucus on India, said that organisation sends 145,000 Indian children $38 every month.

Royce questioned assertions that the Christian organisation was involved in conversions.

However, Compassion International states on its website that its mission is to enable the children it helps "to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults."

It also says: "A local church partner is always the implementer of our child development work" and adds, "Our decision to partner with local churches is a strategic one."

At the hearing, Stephen Oakley, the organisation's general counsel, claimed that $18 million in taxes levied by the Commissioner of Income Tax on one of its beneficiaries, a charitable public trust, for transferring funds meant for charity to religious organisations was "illegal".

He also questioned the use of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by the Home Ministry to require Compassion International to get prior clearance for giving money to Indian organisations.

Oakley was joined by Irfan Nooruddin, the Hamad bin Khalifa Professor of Indian at the Catholic-run Georgetown University, in criticising the application of the FCRA.

Nooruddin referred to New Delhi's "decision to reconsider its position on Ford Foundation's status" for distributing funds to Indian organisations that he attributed to criticism by Congress, Secretary of State John Kerry and Ambassador Richard Verma.

This showed that India was susceptible to US pressures and it "can be leveraged to demand more transparent applications of FCRA rules and stronger commitments to protecting religious minorities in India even if the government appears reluctant thus far to do the same for Compassion International."

John Sifton, the Asia Policy Director of Human Rights Watch also attacked the regulation of NGOs through the FCRA saying it was "intrusive" and "overbroad and over reaching".

"This harassment of NGOs is taking place in a context in which religious minority groups, in particular Muslim and Christians, are at increased risk," he said.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United States Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter announced on Saturday that the military would deploy approximately 200 additional troops in Syria to help retake al-Raqqa from the Islamic State terror group.

Speaking at the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, Carter explained that the troops would assist the Kurdish-Arab militias in regaining control over the IS stronghold of al-Raqqa, reports Efe.

He said the personnel would involve members of special operations forces, trainers and advisers.

The Pentagon chief said the troops would be joining 300 special forces soldiers already in Syria to continue organising, training and equipping local combatants in the fight against the IS.

Carter said the US fight against the IS is aimed mainly to destroy the "cancer's parent tumour" in Iraq and Syria, as well as in Afghanistan and Libya.

On November 6, the Kurdish-Arab armed alliance of the Syrian Democratic Forces launched the first phase of a ground offensive against the IS, with the support of the United States-led international coalition, to free the Syrian city of al-Raqqa.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday advised youths, particularly students, to use free Wi-Fi facility to download books instead of films.

"My government has decided to provide free Wi-Fi facility at college and university campuses in the state soon. Youths, particularly students, should use this facility to download books instead of films," Nitish Kumar said at a public meeting during his ongoing Nischay Yatra in Katihar district.

Nitish Kumar said free Wi-Fi facility at college and university campuses is part of the seven resolves of the Grand Alliance government in Bihar to promote governance.

"The objective is to provide free Wi-Fi facility to help youths to move ahead in life and to become digital smart," he said.

The Chief Minister said that it was noticed that youths in Patna have not been using free Wi-Fi facility for reading and enriching knowledge.

"I was informed by concerned officials that one person had downloaded 300 films in the stretch of a 22 km free Wi-Fi facility in Patna. It is an example of misuse of an opportunity," he said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dealing wih one of the most controversial diamonds in the world is William Dalrymple's latest book "Kohinoor - The Story of the Worlds Most Infamous Diamond" published by Juggernaut and co-authored by journalist Anita Anand.

In a packed room at Bikaner House on Friday night the authors launched the book and spoke about their writing - from its history to many unknown aspects of the diamond.

The book is an account of a saga of loot, murder, torture, deceit and colonial greed which has been associated with the diamond and according to the authors, their writing is an attempt to separate history from myth. They even presented many photographs, paintings, illustrations from the book while elaborating their writing.

The event was taken ahead with a gripping discussion which was coordinated by senior journalist Swapan Dasgupta along with the authors where they discussed about the diamond and the history attached to it.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amidst continued disruptions in the Lok Sabha and criticism of the Centre's demonetisation move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Gujarat on Saturday to address a farmers rally in Banaskantha district, said that since he was not being allowed to speak in the House, he was now speaking at a Jan Sabha.
Prime Minister on Saturday hit out at the Opposition for disrupting Parliament and not letting him speak on the issue of demonetisation.
Police have arrested 186 people allegedly involved in telecommunication fraud in China's southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Over 2,000 policemen with the help of dogs and drones were part of the action in Binyang County and its neighbouring area in the regional capital of Nanning yesterday.

The operation was part of a special campaign to attack telecommunication fraud, led by the Ministry of Public Security and the public security department of Guangxi lasting from November 26 to December 9.

According to a Nanning police officer, 186 people have been arrested in the campaign, involved in 21 gangs in the city.

Police also seized nearly 200 computers, over 300 mobile phones, 10 pagers, more than 600 bank cards and five guns, state-run Xinhua agency reported today.

In China, civilians are forbidden to possess guns.

Telecommunication fraud has seriously threatened social stability and people's assets, and further efforts will be made to crack down on such fraud, the officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the arrest of two persons, police claimed to have cracked the cases of brutal murder of two women roommates in Munirka of south Delhi and rejected the reports that a 'serial killer' is on the prowl.

The two women were killed allegedly by persons known to them. Of the four accused in the case one is the husband of one of the victims. He is still absconding, police said today.

The Bodies of two women were found in Vasant Vihar and Munirka areas of the national capital on November 18 and 25 respectively.

One of the body, wrapped in a polythene sheet, was found outside a temple in Vasant Vihar on November 18 while a headless body was found in a sewer in Munirka village on November 25.

Besides these two bodies, some more bodies were found with similar injury marks at the same span of time that hinted towards the possibility of a serial killer.

However, R P Upadhyay, Joint Commissioner of Police (Southeast) said, "Barring these two murders, all the other incidents are unconnected and standalone occurrences. I will like to officially deny the serial killer theory. They were unfortunate incidents and we are investigating the other cases."



Police got clues to identify the headless body through a designer tattoo, located at the rear lower portion of the torso and another tattoo of three 'stars' engraved on its right hand wrist, he said.

On November 26, the headless body was identified by the former boyfriend of the victim.

"She was identified as Sushma Rai, a resident of Assam. He told police that Rai's relative were worried about her safety as she wasn't able to reach her phone," he said.

Rai's call detail records were scanned and police were able to zero-in upon a group of persons with whom she had been in contact frequently in the days preceding her death, said Upadhyay.

Rai's ex-boyfriend led the police to her rented accommodation but it emerged that she was not murdered at her home.

Police got to know that Rai was living with another woman who had been missing for over 10 days. A woman was found who identified the victim, whose body was found on November 18, as Nayesha, a native of Nepal, the officer said.

On checking their call details, police came to know that both the victims, who stayed together, were freelance beauticians.

The victims were in touch with a group of persons,



identified as Jeevan, Govind and Arjun, who provided logistical and financial support to the duo and many other similarly-placed people who came here for better economic prospects, said the officer.

"It was learnt that trio had rented several accommodations within south Delhi. The examination of several landlords of these rented buildings revealed that the trio had left Munirka on November 25 evening," he said.

In one of the rented accommodations, blood-stained clothes were found that confirmed police's doubts about the involvement of the trio in the murders.

Yesterday, police received information about Jeevan reaching Anand Vihar ISBT for boarding a Delhi-Sonauli bus which would take him to Indo-Nepal International Border, Upadhyay said, adding a trap was laid and he was apprehended.

"Jeevan told police that Mini Sangma, a resident of Shillong and a spa worker, was in a live-in relationship with Arjun and taking care of his kids, from an earlier marriage. However, Arjun, who used to safekeep Rai's savings, knew the victim had a liking for him.

"A day after Karwa Chauth, he clandestinely married Rai at Kalkaji Mandir and convinced her that from now onwards, their assets and liabilities were common and she shouldn't be asking for her dues which came to around Rs 2.5-3 lakh," the officer said.

Later Rai sent wedding pictures to Mini on Whatsapp to make her jealous and that enraged Mini to the extent that the latter hatched a plan to get Rai killed, he said.

Mini instigated the trio and also put a condition before Arjun asking him to choose between her and Rai.

A plan was hatched in East Delhi and Arjun murdered Sushma on the intervening night of November 16 and 17, beheaded her and dumped one of the parts in a sewer.

They also decided to eliminate Nayesha since she knew about Arjun and Rai's marriage and had also been asking the latter to have a court marriage.

"The trio thought that she might spill the beans and they killed her also. After the murders, it was decided that Arjun and Govind will leave for Nepal while Jeevan would stay back to monitor the situation.

"The trio had plans to shift to a southern city. Since Mini was not present at the spot of the murders, she also stayed back in Delhi and had plans to go to the southern city in a few days' time," said the officer.

Mini was nabbed this morning from a guest house and led police to the khukhri and chopper that were used by the trio in the murders.

Police is working to arrest Arjun and Govind, who are suspected to be in Nepal and also recover the missing head, the officer added.
Unidentified miscreants killed a security guard inside an ATM during an abortive bid to loot cash from Mauryalok shopping complex near Dakbungalow roundabout, in the heart of the state capital late last night.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj said that the guard, who was deputed at Central Bank of India ATM located in Mauryalok shopping complex, has been identified as Kundan Kumar, who is in his mid 40s.

The miscreants, however, were not successful in their attempt to loot cash from the ATM, SSP said.

Police said the guard was killed by a sharp weapon when he tried to resist the miscreants.

The body has been sent for post-mortem, he said, adding that police are investigating the matter from all angles.

In the wake of the incident, SSP has relieved Avinash Kumar from the post of Kotwali police station SHO and shunted him to the police line.

Ramshanker Singh would replace Avinash Kumar as new SHO of Kotwali police station.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Deputy SP (law and order) Shibli Nomani has been constituted to probe the incident, the SSP said.

Forensic team also collected evidence from the spot, police said.

Angry locals protested the incident by burning tyres and also demanded adequate compensation for the deceased's family.

(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.)
Air strikes pummelled the shrinking rebel enclave in Aleppo today as US Secretary of State John Kerry said the Syrian regime's "indiscriminate bombing" amounted to crimes against humanity.

Western powers meeting in Paris called for the resumption of peace talks and for civilians to be allowed to leave Aleppo, where tens of thousands have already fled a fierce regime offensive.

The diplomatic flurry came as a US-backed alliance announced it would launch the second phase of its battle for the Islamic State group's de facto Syrian capital Raqa further east.

The regime's more than three-week-old assault aimed at retaking all of Aleppo has triggered mounting international outrage.

"The indiscriminate bombing by the regime violates rules of law, or in many cases, crimes against humanity, and war crimes," Kerry said after the talks in Paris, urging Russia to do its "utmost to bring it to a close".

US and Russian officials meanwhile were to gather in Geneva for what Kerry described as a bid to stop the city from "being absolutely, completely, destroyed".

Once the beating heart of Syria's industrial and commercial industries, Aleppo has witnessed some of the most brutal violence of the country's nearly six-year war.

In less than a month, forces loyal to President Bashar al- Assad have overrun around 85 per cent of east Aleppo, a rebel stronghold since 2012.

The UN's Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said the world is watching "the last steps" in the Aleppo battle and evacuating civilians must be a priority.

Air strikes and regime rocket fire battered the last remaining rebel districts today, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

An AFP correspondent in west Aleppo could hear the hum of airplanes circling above, coupled with bombardment and machine gunfire on the city's east.

The strikes were so intense that windows in the west rattled and plumes of smoke could be seen rising from several points across the city's skyline.

"The bombing is unreal," said Ibrahim Abu al-Leith, spokesman for the White Helmets rescue force inside Aleppo.

Abu al-Leith spoke to AFP from one of the last rebel- controlled zones in Aleppo's southeast, saying he had been forced to move homes because of the intensity of the raids.

"The streets are full of people under the rubble. They are dying because we can't get them out," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Island played little-known role in Pearl Harbor

The island of Niihau, northwest of Pearl Harbor, and the western-most main Hawaiian island, played a factor during and after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Niihau, the Forbidden Island, has been privately owned since 1864, and had (and has) a mix of Polynesian and Japanese ancestries. The Japanese military incorrectly considered it uninhabited and designated it a place to emergency land, then go to the north coast for a rescue submarine.

A Japanese Zero pilot, after his escort and strafing mission, was returning the carrier Hiryu. His flight was jumped by American P-36A fighters and his Zero was hit in the fuel tank. He went to Niihau, landed hard and was groggy.

NiIhuan residents confiscated his pistol and papers but he was initially treated well. News of the attack on Pearl Harbor and surroundings hadnt yet reached Niihau.

After the news got to Niihau, not all residents favored the pilot. A small number of residents, all with Japanese ancestry, assisted the pilot and captured the passive island. During the next few days, that group lost favor with other residents who subsequently overpowered the pilot and a Niihuan man with him  both had guns.

To avoid local wrath, the Niihaun supporter shot himself and died. The pilot was overpowered and killed by another Nihaun who, in 1945, received the Medal of Merit and the Purple Heart for injuries suffered, since he had been shot three times by the pilot.

In January 1942, this incident was cited as a reason why Japanese residents along the West Coast may be a threat to aid Japan, thus needing internment.

Interestingly, toward the end of World War II and the formation of the United Nations, President Roosevelt instructed Secretary of State Hull to consider the island of Niihau as a location for the United Nations.

Jim Walrath,

Chippewa Falls
Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara has said that the Constitution amendment bill will be revised to forge consensus among political parties and hoped that it would be endorsed.

"The constitution would be amended through consensus after some revision on it. It is obvious that the government's move gets mixed reactions-support and criticism," Mahara said, speaking at a programme in Lamjung yesterday.

He expressed confidence that the main opposition CPN-UML would also support the revised document.

"We should find consensus from there," he added.

He, however, pointed out that the government would not withdraw the amendment proposal just because it has been protested.

The main opposition CPN-UML has been protesting against the government's move to amend the constitution.

The amendment bill is aimed at carving out a new province to meet the demands of agitating Madhesis and other ethnic groups whose protests last year left more than 50 people dead.

The bill proposes to address three other key issues -- citizenship, representation in the Upper House and recognition of languages spoken in various parts of the country.

Madhesis, mostly Indian-origin, launched a six-month-long agitation from September last year to February this year in which more than 50 people were killed.

The agitation had also crippled the landlocked country's economy as supplies from India were blocked.

The bill proposes to list all the mother tongues of Nepal in the schedule of the constitution on the recommendation of the Language Commission. It also states that all languages recommended to be official languages by the Language Commission will be listed in the constitution's schedule.

On citizenship, the bill proposes that foreign women married to Nepali men can obtain naturalised citizenship after initiating the process to renounce their citizenship.

The bill does not say anything about the rights of the naturalised citizens and citizens by birth.

Mahara said the government will announce election date and by the time the constitution will take its concrete shape.

The local body election would be held soon after the amendment of constitution, he said.

"The government has been holding consultations with the political parties as part of the preparations for holding local body election," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An anti-terror police officer was killed and his son injured today in a terrorist attack claimed by Taliban in this northwestern Pakistani city, officials said.

Riazul Islam, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Counter Terrorism Department was going to a mosque along with his son when the militants struck at Charsadda road here, Express Tribune reported.

Islam was killed and his son injured in the indiscriminate firing by the gunmen.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack.

Senior Superintendent of Police Sajjad Khan said Islam was killed in a terrorist attack, the newspaper reported.

Police cordoned off the area and launched a manhunt to nab the accused.

Last month, an Assistant Sub Inspector was killed while two other policemen were injured in a brazen attack on a city patrol unit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu tonight said he had ordered removal of the tainted Chennai-based businessman J Sekhar Reddy as a member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams' Board of Trustees.

This follows alleged seizure of a staggering Rs 131 crore in cash and 127 kg of gold from Reddy's premises in Chennai by the Income Tax Department yesterday.

"Sekhar Reddy was appointed as TTD member on the recommendation of Tamil Nadu government," he said at a press conference here, seeking to deflect the criticism that the businessman was close to the Telugu Desam leadership.

Naidu claimed he reacted promptly and ordered Reddy's removal from the TTD Board following the reports of IT raids.

"It is due to the inadequacies in the system that people like Sekhar Reddy could stash away such money. I have asked Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to ensure such things do not happen," the Chief Minister said.

However, the AP government was yet to issue a formal order removing Sekhar Reddy from the TTD Board by late evening.

Reddy was appointed as TTD member in May 2015.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today reiterated his allegation that ruling SAD and opposition Congress have "joined hands" for the assembly elections slated to be held next year.

"The Badal family and Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh have planned to contest the state polls collectively. But, their alliance will not be able to stop the revolution initiated by the people of Punjab. AAP will form government in the state with huge margin," he claimed here.

"Both the traditional parties are now afraid of public outrage and therefore they are helping each other. Badals are even sponsoring Amarinder Singh's hoardings and banners," Kejriwal, who is currently touring Punjab ahead of the next year's polls, said here.

The Delhi Chief Minister again alleged that the entire family of Amarinder Singh has "stashed huge amount of ill-gotten money" in Swiss bank accounts when the latter was the Chief Minister of Punjab from 2002 to 2007.

Amarinder had recently said the alleged account numbers, the AAP leader says are held by his family members, were the same old numbers which Kejriwal's colleague Ashish Khetan had released in March this year "and it was a sham."



"Amarinder looted the money from Punjab and deposited it in Swiss banks, but (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and (Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh) Badal have taken no action against him," Kejriwal alleged.

Accusing the Prime Minister of "harassing people in the name of fight against black money", Kejriwal asked, "Why has he not taken any action against Amarinder despite having proofs of his Swiss accounts?"



Accusing the ruling Badals of committing atrocities against the Dalit community, he said if voted to power in Punjab, AAP will provide all facilities to the community and a representative from the Dalit community will be made the deputy chief minister of Punjab.

The social welfare schemes being run in the state will be further extended and Dalit families will get 400 units of electricity along with gas connections free of charge, Kejriwal said.

"Like in Delhi, AAP will introduce Mohalla Clinic scheme in Punjab and the poor will get free treatment and medicines in these clinics," Kejriwal said and also promised to provide better education in government schools of the state.

Speaking on the occasion, AAP Punjab Convener, Gurpreet Singh Waraich alleged that SAD, Congress and BJP have been "looting" Punjab for the last 70 years.

"The state's agriculture and youth have been ruined by these traditional parties," he alleged and appealed people to unite "for the cause of a new and better Punjab".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina plans to tour India in February next, the Bangladesh government said today during the visit of Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar here.

Hasina's press secretary Ihsanul Karim said she has plans to visit India adding officials of the two countries would work out the schedule of the tour as Akbar made a courtesy call on the premier.

Hasina told Akbar that "there might be problems between two neighbouring countries, but these should not affect the friendship and cooperation".

The premier, he said, reiterated her government's "zero tolerance policy" against terrorism and militancy and said none would be allowed to use Bangladesh's soil for terrorist acts against any country.

"We won't tolerate any sorts of terrorism and militancy and won't allow our land to be used for carrying out terrorist acts against any country," the official said quoting the premier.

Hasina said the Dhaka cafe attack in July which killed 19 foreigners including an Indian girl and the vandalising of temples in Bangladesh were staged to destabilise the country's development and progress.

The prime minister recalled with gratitude the contribution of Indian armed forces in Bangladesh's War of Liberation in 1971 against Pakistan.

She also mentioned that Indian forces returned to their country immediately after independence of Bangladesh.

"It has created a history as no allied force in the world did return home immediately after the victory," she said.

The premier also discussed with Akbar the issue of constructing water reservoirs on both sides of the border for ensuring water security.

Akbar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hasina took India-Bangladesh bilateral relations to a new height.

"The horizon of bilateral relations has been widened due to pragmatic steps of the two leaders," the official quoted Akbar as saying.

Akbar said there are vast areas of cooperation between Bangladesh and India particularly in the field of hydroelectricity and energy.

Hasina's International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi, Principal Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury and India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla were also present, among others.

Akbar arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a two-day visit to represent India at the 9th annual meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD).

(Reopens FGN 16)



At the Global Forum on Migration and Development meeting Akbar said, "There is a well known proverb in the English language: Charity begins at home. We come to this conference with the hope that all of us can set an example by giving practical shape to shared idealism. India believes in "VasudhevaKutumbakam" - the World is a family, a Vedic Shloka that captures the essence of our philosophy.

He said migration must not be confused with refugees;



"If the problem is different, the solution cannot be the same. We need separate sets of policies, frameworks and procedures," he said.

He said the nations need to synergise migration with Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development by which "we have committed to cooperate for facilitating orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through implementation of planned and well managed migration policies"



For this he suggested a 9-point protocol.

The protocol included keeping the migrants at the core of the agenda and develop programmes, tools and methodology to enhance the interests of migrants, and their families while maintaining policy space for Governments of destination, transit and origin.

It would also focus on the economic dimension of migration and work towards eliminating barriers to economic migration.
Accepting certain irregularities on the part of banks following the recovery of crores of rupees in new currency notes, Union Minister Kalraj Mishra today said that government was aware of the hardships faced by the people and was taking firm action to alleviate them.

"Raids have been carried out and some people arrested... banks have also committed certain irregularities. Some bank officials have been suspended," Mishra told persons here.

"Whenever there is any information (of irregularity), action has been taken," he said.

Many bank officials have been suspended over irregularities committed by them since November 8 when demonetisation was announced by the Prime Minister.

To a question on hardships and people committing suicide due to cash crunch, Mishra said, "Prime Minister Modi has himself urged the people to tolerate hardships for a brief time...Problems occur whenever any big decision is taken but this step will ensure a clean economy in the country."



Mishra, the Union Cabinet Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, said that Prime Minister had earlier appealed to the people to deposit undeclared wealth by September 30 or else he will take big steps and when it did not yield big results, notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 had to be scrapped.

He wondered as to how the political parties which had earlier hailed demonetisation later went on to criticise the move.

The demonetisation move has also stalled the winter session of Parliament and Opposition parties are blaming the government for not having a debate over the issue.

Mishra said that government wanted a debate in Parliament and it was open to good suggestions.

"But the Opposition parties are running away from debate and not allowing smooth functioning of the Parliament," he said.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had yesterday said that if allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha there would be an earthquake.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked party workers to promote digital transactions and bring everyone under cashless economy, which was the only way to curb corruption.

Modi was speaking to party workers at the party's headquarters 'Kamalam' here.

The programme was attended by thousands of workers from across the state including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and BJP MPs and MLAs.

State spokesperson Bharat Pandya briefed media about Modi's message after the meeting.

"Prime Minister asked party workers to explain digital payment system to the public through a demonstration on mobile phone. Like one person will transfer one rupee to another person's bank account using a mobile phone, and the other person will transfer it back, practically showing it to the people how it is done," Pandya told reporters after the programme.

"Prime Minister said that cashless transaction is the only way to curb corruption. Our country's economy was damaged for several years, and to make it strong, we will have to go cashless and will have to work towards bringing everyone under such a system," he said.

Modi also referred to the recent local body elections in Maharashtra and by-elections in Gujarat and Rajasthan that were held post demonetisation and thanked party workers for BJP's success, Pandya said.

"He thanked party workers for success in elections held post demonetisation, and said the elections had a positive effect on the nation," Pandya said.

Modi told party workers that for one year after moving to Delhi, he was like a student taking lessons, which is now over, Pandya said.

Modi also asked party workers not to hesitate in meeting him in Delhi, he said.

"He also asked party workers to take government programmes aimed at the poor down to the last beneficiary effectively. He said that the country is celebrating Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Shatabdi Varsh, and asked party workers to take programmes such as Garib Kalyan Yojana and Ujjawala Yojana to the beneficiaries," said the party spokesperson.

"Modi asked party workers to become a channel to carry gas cylinder distribution to the poor and rural women, who suffer due to smoke-filled kitchen equivalent to the smoking of 400 cigarettes, effectively so that it reaches all beneficiaries," Pandya said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On Saturday, a fresh seizure of Rs 24 crore cash in new notes was made by the department, adding to the biggest haul of cash and gold post demonetisation, in which over Rs 142 crore unaccounted assets have been recovered in tax operations so far here.

Officials said the fresh seizure of new currency, in Rs 2,000 notes, was made by the sleuths from a car in Vellore on the insistence of the accused presently being interrogated in the case.

With this amount, the total seizure in the case has now gone up to Rs 166 crore in a single case.

The department had seized Rs 142 crore undisclosed assets - that includes about Rs 10 crore in new notes and gold bars weighing 127 kg -- during searches at multiple locations in Chennai, for the last two days, to check tax evasion.

This largest seizure of new currency notes in the country, after the old Rs 500/1,000 notes were scrapped on November 8, was seized after raids were launched on Thursday on eight premises of a group engaged in sand mining in Tamil Nadu.

"The group has sand mining licence for the entire state of Tamil Nadu. Eight premises (six residential and two offices) were covered in the search.

"During the search, Rs 96.89 crore cash in old high denomination notes and Rs 9.63 crore in new Rs 2,000 currency notes along with gold weighing 127 kg worth approximately Rs 36.29 crore were found and seized, as unaccounted assets," the Central Board of Direct Taxes, policy-making body for the I-T department, had said in a statement issued in Delhi.

It had added that the searches are "still in progress at four out of the total 8 premises and more specific details including modus operandi would emerge after examination of the documents and other evidence detected during the search."



Officials had said S Reddy, a contractor working with the state government, has claimed the entire money and the gold as his own and is being questioned along with few other people.

A senior department official said this seizure of gold and cash was "an unprecedented amount that the tax department has seized in recent times."



The department, the officials said, carried out the searches based on intelligence inputs about the activities of Reddy and few others for the last few days.

Officials said the agency was investigating how the new notes in such a large quantity were stashed by the individual.

The bundles of the new Rs 2,000, that were seized, had no banking slips and were jumbled up to mislead investigators, they said.

The officials said a number of documents related to financial transactions, entries of gold sale and records of sale/purchase have also been seized by the tax sleuths.

"He (Reddy) is a contractor working with the state government.He is claiming the entire cash and gold to be his own. Further probe is on," they had said.
China announced today that it was suspending coal imports from North Korea for three weeks, in line with the latest UN sanctions against the hermit state.

"After the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2321... China is suspending North Korean coal imports," the government said in a statement.

The three-week suspension starts tomorrow and ends on December 31, according to the statement.

The Security Council passed the resolution on the international sanctions against Pyongyang on November 30 in the wake of the North's September 9 nuclear test.

It limits North Korea's coal exports next year to 7.5 million tonnes or just over USD 400 million, down 62 per cent on 2015.

The cap represents a fraction of the North's current annual exports to China, the isolated country's sole ally and its main provider of trade and aid.

China imported 1.8 million tonnes of coal worth USD 101 million from North Korea in October alone, according to the most recent figures available on the Chinese Customs website. The volume was up nearly 40 per cent year-on-year.

Under previous sanctions, the Security Council authorised the purchase of coal from North Korea provided revenues were not used to finance Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

However, the UN did not specify any assessment criteria, which allowed Beijing to increase its imports considerably while saying it was acting in good faith.

Between March and October, 24.8 million tonnes of coal was imported, three times the annual limit now allowed by the UN.

Although Beijing has traditionally protected Pyongyang diplomatically, believing that Kim Jong-Un's regime is preferable to its collapse, it has grown frustrated by its neighbour's defiance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Delhi court on Saturday sent former Air Force Chief S P Tyagi, arrested in Rs 450 crore Agusta Westland bribery case in the procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters, to police custody for four days after the CBI said he was needed to be quizzed to unearth a "very large conspiracy having international ramifications".

His cousin Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie and advocate Gautam Khaitan, also accused in the procurement of VVIP choppers from the UK-based company during the UPA-2 regime, were also sent to police custody till December 14.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sujit Saurabh sent them to CBI custody saying their custodial interrogation was required for a "fair probe" in the case.

During the proceedings, CBI sought 10 days' custody saying it was a "very large conspiracy having international ramifications".

However, the counsel appearing for the accused opposed CBI's plea saying FIR in the case was registered over three years ago and there was no fresh ground for the arrests now.

Senior advocate N Hariharan, who appeared for the former IAF chief, claimed that the decision to procure 12 VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland was a "collective" one and the Prime Minister Office (PMO) was also a part of it.

"It was a collective decision and not his (Tyagi's) individual one. It was a collective decision of which PMO was also a part," he told the court.
Former Air Force chief S P Tyagi and two others, arrested in the Rs 450 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal bribery case, were today sent to four days' CBI custody after the agency said their interrogation was essential to unearth a "very large conspiracy having international ramifications".

Besides Tyagi, the court remanded his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie and advocate Gautam Khaitan, also arrested in the case related to procurement of 12 VVIP choppers from UK-based firm during the UPA-2 regime.

While the CBI sought 10 days' custody of these accused for quizzing them, the counsel appearing for the former IAF chief claimed in the court that decision to procure VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland was a "collective" one and Prime Minister Office (PMO) was also a part of it.

"It was a collective decision and not his (Tyagi's) individual one. It was a collective decision of which PMO was also a part," senior counsel N Hariharan, appearing for Tyagi, told the court, adding, "The file moved through several levels but I am the only one who has been arrayed as accused."



CBI alleged that Tyagi had "abused his official position" and when he was the Air Chief Marshal, he had made huge investments in land and other properties and have not disclosed the source his income.

At this stage, Tyagi, who was present in the courtroom, told the magistrate, "I can give account of all my land investments if they (CBI) want."



Tyagi's counsel refuted the CBI's claim and said that, "As per CBI allegations, conspiracy and the money transaction was going on since much before I came into picture."



The counsel appearing for the other two arrested accused also opposed the CBI's remand plea saying the FIR was lodged over three years ago and there were no fresh grounds to arrest them at this stage.

CBI, however, alleged that Khaitan was the "brain" behind how the bribe money reached India and several firms through which the money travelled came into existence and Sanjeev was known to alleged European middleman Carlo Gerosa.

After hearing the arguments, the magistrate remanded the three accused to CBI's custody till December 14 saying, "considering the seriousness of allegations and gravity of the matter, I am of the considered opinion that CBI custody of the accused is required for a fair probe".

71-year old Tyagi, who had retired in 2007, his cousin Sanjeev and Khaitan were yesterday arrested by the agency in connection with the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Madhya Pradesh has settled and disbursed claims worth Rs 4,416 crore under the Prime Minister's Crop Insurance Scheme in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the scheme at Sherpur in Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh during the Farmers' Convention held on February 18, 2016.

"Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country where the claims under Prime Minister's Crop Insurance schemes are being disbursed," Chouhan told farmers during the launch of distribution programme where claims worth Rs 341-crore were settled.

Chief Minister Chouhan reiterated the state government's commitment to make agriculture a profitable venture.

"I know the problems being faced by farmers and their hardwork which is all blood and sweat. We have to make farming profitable. I have brought the roadmap to share with you. Continuous power supply is being provided to all parts of the state," he added.

He said that irrigated land in Madhya Pradesh was 7.5 lakh hectares at the time of Independence and the same has now increased to 40 lakh hectares.

Earlier, Minister for Farmers Welfare and Agriculture Development Gourishankar Bisen said that the crop insurance claim distribution is taking place in all the 51 districts of the state. "The farmers who lost Kharif Crop in the year 2015 due to natural calamities are being benefitted under the Crop Insurance Scheme, first time in the country. This would benefit 40-lakh farmers," he added.

He informed that the crop insurance claim amount being distributed included Rs 400 crore at Sehore and Dewas, Rs 300 crore at Ujjain and Vidisha, Rs 200 crore at Rajgarh, Sagar, Hoshangabad, Shajapur, Mandsaur and Rs 100 crore at Raisen, Harda, Agar-Malwa, Narsinghpur, Neemuch, Betul and Indore.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Chief Ministers' panel on digital payments has asked government to roll out from December 25 a more user friendly version of USSD or *99#, which is used on feature mobile phones for making cashless payments as cash crunch due to demonetisation continues.

"Upgraded version of USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) should be rolled out by December 25, 2016," suggested the panel on adoption of digital payments in its recommendation submitted to the Finance Ministry.

According to an official statement today, the panel, whose convener is Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, has suggested that the procedure for simplified Know Your Customer (KYC) using Aadhaar needs to be adopted.

The second meeting of the committee was held on Friday at NITI Aayog.

The meeting followed the deliberations held by Naidu, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Arvind Panagariya with the Governor and senior management of RBI and CMDs of major private and public sector banks on Thursday in Mumbai.

The Maharashtra government informed the meeting that it was introducing an Aadhaar Bill in the legislative assembly to give legal status to the use of Aadhaar number for various purposes.

It also informed that it had launched a major campaign to promote digital transactions.

Madhya Pradesh reported that it had initiated a major programme to digitise the transactions in state-owned mundies.

Odisha pointed out that the state was deficient in financial infrastructure including bank branches, bank correspondent, Internet penetration and mobile phones.

While noting that RBI and banks are largely supportive of the measures to promote digital transactions, the panel suggested steps including easing the digital payment operations at the level of merchant.

It said that UIDAI would shortly roll out the common Android-based Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) application developed in collaboration with TCS that can be downloaded by the merchants.

In order to use this application for carrying out cashless transactions, merchants will need a smartphone and a fingerprint scanner.

Transactions on this application can be done without any card or PIN. The application would be made available to all banks and the banks would encourage merchants in their vicinity to adopt this application, it said.

The panel suggested that RBI should allow authentication through iris scanner and One Time Password (OTP) for AEPS and there should be no charge on AEPS transactions.

(Reopens DEL 12)



According to the report, the inter-operability of all pre-paid instruments on the United Payments Interface (UPI) platform alongwith a common QRCode would greatly simplify transactions.

The Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) regime needs to be streamlined, it said.

To popularise digital transactions, the Committee proposed a detailed review of the MDR regime, inter-linking of various digital payments platforms such as Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) with UPI, self-boarding by small merchants and a common application for UPI, it added.

The Committee also considered issues relating to procurement of equipment like Point of Sales (PoS) machines and Micro Automatic teller Machines (ATMs).

It was decided that Secretary, MeitY will prepare a status note on the procurement options for these devices, it said.

The Committee took note of the Subsidy Scheme implemented by NITI Aayog to directly disburse funds to District Collectors based on their performance.

The Committee decided to recommend to the Government that the first 50 Gram Panchayats that become cashless should be honoured.

It was also decided to designate specified villages as Cashless Transactions (CLT) villages on the lines of Open Defecation Free (ODF) Villages. An accreditation system for certifying villages as CLT may be developed.

In order to address security concerns relating to digital payments, it was decided that MeitY would constitute a committee under the chairmanship of Secretary, MEITY and Secretary, Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to examine various security concerns relating to digital payments and recommend measures to address the issues.

In a follow-up meeting of Naidu and Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog with the major telecom companies, the need to address issues relating to sufficient bandwidth for financial transactions, last-mile connectivity, affordability and security of digital transactions were discussed and several action points identified.

The Committee of Chief Ministers has been set up by NITI Aayog to examine and promote the adoption of digital payment systems across the country.

While Naidu is the Convener of the Committee, its members are Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Puducherry and Sikkim, Vice Chairman and CEO NITI Aayog with five experts including the former Chairman of UIDAI, Nandan Nilekeni.
At least 176 Congress workers and local leaders of Banaskantha district, including Congress MLA Gova Rabari were detained by police for staging protests and blocking roads to stop people from reaching the venue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally here.

These workers were detained from different areas surrounding Deesa for trying to block roads as part of their protest against Modi.

"Police have detained 176 Congress workers, including Deesa MLA Gova Rabari for trying to block roads. They were released after the PM's function ended," said Vaghji Parmar, an official of Banaskantha police control room.

After his release, Rabari said the protests were organised to highlight the issue of hardships being faced by people, especially farmers, due to shortage of cash post demonetisation by the Modi government.

"Our protests were aimed at highlighting the issue of demonetisation and it's negative effects on people, especially farmers, who are badly hit by the PM's decision" Rabari told PTI.

The rally was organised inside the aerodrome where Modi addressed a large gathering after inaugurating a cheese factory set up at Banas Dairy.

According to Banaskantha Superintendent of Police Neeraj Badgujar, protesters were not successful in stopping people from reaching the venue.

"Some persons even tried to block traffic by burning tyres on roads connecting Deesa with adjoining towns. However, we have immediately detained these miscreants and cleared the roads. They were not successful in their intention of stopping people from reaching PM's rally, which saw presence of more than 2 lakh persons," claimed Badgujar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi for his "earthquake" remark, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said that Congress vice president is right as it will totally destroy the grand old party if he is allowed to speak.

'Rahul Gandhi says that an earthquake will occur if he speaks... He is right ...Whatever is left of Congress will be totally finished ....All the partners in this political drama of the Congress will also be damaged beyond repair," Naqvi said in the BJP's Parivartan Yatra here, referring to opposition parties protesting against demonetisation.

Yesterday, Gandhi accused the Centre of not allowing him to speak in Parliament on demonetisation. "If they allow me to speak in Parliament, you will see what an earthquake is going to happen," he said.

Earlier in the day, asserting that black money hoarders are "worried" post demonetisation, Naqvi questioned UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati as to why they are "feeling troubled" and giving "illogical" statements opposing the move.

"Black money hoarded by some people turned into scrap overnight that's why such people are worried. But why Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati are worried after demonetisation?," he said.

"Babua (Akhilesh) and Bua (Mayawati) of Uttar Pradesh are feeling troubled after demonetisation...Their illogical opposition to the move has exposed the SP and BSP completely.

Naqvi's "Babua and Bua" dig at Akhilesh and Mayawati was in reference with the Chief Minister and his predecessor calling each other as so few days ago while exchanging barbs.

Wondering as to why some people like Mayawati, Mamata Bannerji, SP chief Mulayam Singh and Rahul Gandhi were worried over demonetisation, Naqvi said it should have perturbed the corrupt and dishonest the most.

"But the most worried are the ones who have not allowed the Parliament to function," the Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) said.

"All sections of the country are supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi although those having black money are troubled by the fact that they are going bankrupt," Naqvi said adding that a new era has begun where black money hoarders looked panicked and the poor were happy.

Alluding to the recent feud within the Samajwadi Party, particularly between the CM and his uncle Shivpal Yadav, Naqvi stated that people of Uttar Pradesh are "fed up" with the "chacha and bhatija".

"The people want change in the government; they have decided to bring back the BJP in the state with a complete majority. Only the BJP can take the state forward on the path of development," the Union minister said.

Alleging "worst" law and order situation been the norm in



Uttar Pradesh during SP and BSP regimes, Naqvi charged the SP with failing to act against land and mining mafia during its past five-year rule.

Naqvi said the Modi government at Centre has been working for the socio-economic-educational empowerment of farmers, dalits and weaker sections including minorities.

Schemes such as 'Jan Dhan Yojana' and 'Ujjwala Yojana' have proved to be a "guarantee of progress" for the last person of the society. More than one crore free of cost LPG connections have been given to poor families under the 'Ujjwala' scheme, the BJP leader said.

"About 34 lakh gas connections have been given in Uttar Pradesh by the Centre. Also the Modi government has been working on a mission to provide house to all by 2022," he added.
Scientists have identified a defect in the ribosome, the protein factory of the cell in 20 to 40 per cent of the patients with multiple myeloma - a type of leukemia.

These patients have a poorer prognosis than patients with intact ribosomes, the researchers said.

At the same time, they respond better to a drug that already exists, according to the new study by University of Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium.

Multiple myeloma (MM), also known as Kahler's disease, is a blood cancer whereby the plasma cells in the bone marrow start proliferating malignantly.

MM cannot be cured and is most common among older people. Various treatments exist to temporarily suppress the disease, but the challenge is determining to which treatment the patient will respond best.

"In MM patients, one part of the ribosome is produced less in 20 to 40 per cent of the patients, depending on how aggressive the cancer is," said Isabel Hofman, doctoral student at KU Leuven,



"We suspect that their cells are still producing protein, but that the balance is somewhat disrupted. In any case, we found that these people have a poorer prognosis than MM patients with an intact ribosome," said Kim De Keersmaecker, head of the KU Leuven Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer.

One possible treatment for MM is the use of proteasome inhibitors.

"The proteasome is the protein demolition machine in a cell. There's a type of drugs, including Bortezomib, that inhibits its functioning," said De Keersmaecker.

"How the defects in the ribosome influence the proteasome is not quite clear yet. But we discovered that patients with a defective ribosome respond better to Bortezomib," she said.

"In other words, their poorer prognosis can be offset by this treatment," she said.

"On the basis of these findings, we can now develop tests to identify defects in the ribosome and thus determine which therapy will have most effect in a specific patient," said De Keersmaecker.

The notion that cancer is related to ribosome defects is a relatively new concept in science.

"A few years ago, we discovered defects in the ribosome of patients with acute lymphatic leukemia. Now we know that the same applies to MM. In all likelihood, this will also hold true for other types of cancer," said De Keersmaecker.

"Our next research goal is finding out for which cancers this is the case, how the link between ribosome and proteasome works, and what the possibilities are of drugs that target the ribosome itself," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisaion measure which he said had come as a body blow to corruption.

"The BJP government has taken several steps to inject transparency in the system and eliminate corruption, but the demonetisation decision taken by the Prime Minister has proved the saying 'Sau Sonar Ki, Ek Lohar Ki'," he said.

The Chief Minister asked people to adopt cashless payment systems, saying they could use e-wallets, Paytm and applications of other banking institutions.

Speaking at a public meeting organised at Gohana in Sonipat today, Khattar said the expansion of Metro line up to Kundli and construction of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway in Sonipat would immensely benefit the people of the area. Sonipat district would flourish more than Gurugram and Faridabad, he said.

The Chief Minister said that by December 25, 2016, he would complete his visits to all 90 assembly constituencies.

"No former chief minister visited every Assembly segment in two years. They did show up but only during the elections," he claimed.

He also said that the state would be kerosene free by March 2017.

"The Central and the state governments would together provide LPG cylinders to six lakh families at subsidised rates," he said.

To attract investment, the state government has so far signed 550 MoUs worth Rs 7 lakh crore, he added.

"With a view to promoting self-employment, Skill Development Mission has been introduced and a Skill Development University is being opened at Palwal," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Terming demonetisation as the biggest attack on poor, Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan said it is "dangerous than emergency" and will increase the divide between rich and poor.

"I have never seen such a big attack on poor as the one which took place recently in the form of demonetisation. It is being termed as an attack on black money, but it is attack against the poor. It is dangerous than emergency," Kerala CM said at 11th conference of All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA).

Vijayan said people should not suffer this silently. "We have an opportunity to step up our struggle against capitalism," he said.

Taking BJP government in Madhya Pradesh to task on the issue of alleged encounter of eight SIMI activists on the outskirts of Bhopal, Vijayan alleged, "BJP governed states are notorious for staging fake encounters. Recently eight Muslim youth who were in jail and not yet convicted were killed in a cold blooded manner."



"It is surprising to note that against the capacity of 2,650, the jail has 3,400 inmates and none among them noticed eight undertrials escaping. How they scaled 32 feet high wall with the help of sheets and all these questions remained unanswered till date," he said.

"The audio stating game is over, all eight are dead and the Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan's statement that how long they will stay in the jail as undertrials is an indication that it was a planned and well executed fake encounter," Vijayan alleged. He added that it is something common in BJP ruled states like Gujarat where Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) was earlier Chief Minister.

"We have heard of fake encounters of Ishrat Jahan and Sohrabuddin in Gujarat after the riots. It is a violation of human rights and it can't be termed as nationalism," he added.

"Such atrocities under BJP rule will increase, but it will also enhance people's anger against them which they will have to face in the days to come," Vijayan said.

The Kerala Chief Minister criticised MP government for alleged Vyapam scam (mutli-admission cum recruitment scam) and claimed that powerful persons were behind it and both BJP and RSS are making efforts to suppress it totally.

The conference was also addressed by Rohith Vemula's mother Radhika, former MP Subhashini Ali and AIDWA general secretary, Jagmati Sanghwan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh has said he would not recognise the results of December 1 elections and called for fresh polls, a week after he conceded defeat.

"In the same way that I accepted the results faithfully believing that the Independent Electoral Commission was independent and honest and reliable, I hereby reject the results in totality," he said yesterday in a statement broadcast on state television.

"Let me repeat: I will not accept the results based on what has happened," he said, condemning "unacceptable errors" on the part of electoral authorities and calling for a new vote.

Jammeh pointed to an accounting error, identified by the IEC, which awarded victory to his opponent Adama Barrow but with a slimmer margin than initially announced.

Latest official figures gave Barrow 43.29 per cent of the votes in the presidential election, while Jammeh took 39.64 per cent. The turnout was at 59 per cent.

Jammeh claimed "investigations" had revealed that numerous voters had not been able to cast their ballots.

"This is the most dubious election we ever had in the history of this country," he said.

"We will go back to the polls because I want to make sure every Gambian votes under an electoral commission that is impartial, independent, neutral and free from foreign influence," he said, adding that he would not tolerate any street protests over his decision.

The announcement upends the situation in the west African nation, where the population had been hoping for a peaceful democratic transition after Barrow's shock victory this month looked set to end Jammeh's 22 years in power.

On December 2, Jammeh made a magnanimous concession speech on television and promised -- to general shock and surprise -- a peaceful and swift handover of power to President-elect Barrow.

On Thursday, Barrow vowed to set up a South Africa-style truth commission and said that the country's chief of defence staff had called to pledge the military's backing.

But pressure to prosecute Jammeh and top figures in his administration, who have been accused of widespread human rights violations, is one of the key challenges facing the new government.

In an interview with French media December 3, Barrow ruled out a "witch hunt" and said that his predecessor would be able to "live in Gambia like any ordinary citizen".

Dozens of opposition activists who had been detained since April for holding protests were granted bail this week, with the lawyer noting they were members of the United Democratic Party (UDP), of which Barrow was the presidential candidate.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Activists of Hindu Shiv Sena today held a protest against participation of Pakistanis at the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) 2016 here.

A few activists protested in front of Pakistani stalls in the expo while they were exhibiting their products.

Parvez Khanna, one of the organisers of Pakistan stalls here, condemned the protest. He said the deputy commissioner of Amritsar had granted the permission to the Pakistanis to put up stalls at PITEX, adding it was his duty to provide adequate security to the participants.

He alleged that the district administration had failed in providing security to them.

Meanwhile, after the protest, district administration stepped up the police security for the PITEX show.

However, no FIR was registered in connection with this incident as protesters were let off after a warning.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group of women belonging to the Dawoodi Bohra community, who underwent Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), have launched a petition seeking people's support to abolish the practice.

The online petition, aimed at rooting out this ancient practice was launched by an advocacy group known as 'Speak Out on FGM' on Change.Org on Thursday ahead of the International Human Rights Day, being observed today.

It would be submitted to the wing of United Nations that deals with the welfare of women and child, said a senior associate with the group.

This group had earlier launched a similar petition in the month of December last year which has received over 80,000 responses so far and was submitted to Union Women and Child Development minister Maneka Gandhi.

"Our main objective to make at least everyone aware about this age-old practice being observed in our country since last 1400 years which in not only shameful but is unconstitutional and utterly violates human rights," said Masooma Ranalvi, a 50-year-old working woman from Delhi.

"I have no hesitation in admitting that I was subjected to FGM at a very young age, but I have ensured that my daughter, who is now 22, does not undergo this brutality," said Ranalvi, adding even today over 80 per cent of the Bohra girls are subjected to this "hurtful" tradition.

A senior associate of the group from Pune Shabnam Poonawala said, "Though this is practiced in US and Canada too, but their respective governments have brought laws to curb this evil. But unfortunately, no one speaks about this here, forget bringing a law for it."



"We want the government to acknowledge it and stand behind us. Promulgate a law to flush out this regressive ritual from the society," said Poonawala, also president of the University Women's Association (UWA), a non-profit organisation (NGO) working towards empowering women.

In December 2012, the UN General Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution on banning FGM. The World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies FGM as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

The World Health Organization defines FGM - sometimes



called female circumcision - as all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to their genital organs for non-medical reasons.

Recounting her ordeal that she underwent at a tender age, a survivor from Mumbai said, "I as very young, around seven years of age. I was subjected to FGM in Mumbai in an unhygienic condition and in a clandestine manner. The shock, the physical and psychological trauma of that day is still fresh in my mind."



"Its good that thousands of survivors are joining this campaign not only from India, but also from Canada, Australia, South Africa, Britain etc," she added.

Survivors maintained the aim behind FGM was to curb the natural sex drive in women. They claimed FGM has nothing to do with religion and is more of a cultural practice.

According to the World Health Organisation, between 100 million and 140 million females across the world are thought to be living with the consequences of FGM.
Eleven people were killed while two others were rescued after an under-construction building collapsed at Nanakramguda in Cyberabad zone, a Telangana minister said here today.

State Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao, who supervised the rescue operations at the site of the incident, said only two persons - a mother and her child from Chhattisgarh -could be saved.

"We could save two of the 13 people who were trapped in debris in the six-storey building collapse. Unfortunately, the remaining 11 lost their lives. It is a painful incident.We extend our sympathies to the families of the deceased on behalf of state government," he told reporters.

The building, in whose construction violations of rules have allegedly been found, came crashing down around 9 PM on Thursday. Rescue workers, including personnel of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), struggled hard till all the bodies were recovered and the operation is over now.

Most of the the deceased persons were workers hailing from north coastal region of Andhra Pradesh, who lived in the cellar of the under-construction building.

Rama Rao said five ambulances have been arranged to transport the bodies to their native places. An ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh would be given to the next of kin of the deceased by the Telangana government.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Deputy Mayor Baba Fasiuddin said post mortem has been completed on the 11 bodies.

Rama Rao said the builder has been arrested and that tough action would be taken against the guilty in the incident. The state government has already suspended two GHMC officials over the incident.

An inquiry committee has been set up under Municipal Administration Secretary Navin Mittal and the report would be obtained in 15 days, he said.

"Nobody, either builder or GHMC officials, would be spared. We will show this as an example how tough action would be taken for violation of rules," the minister said.

The Andhra Pradesh government has also announced compensation to the victims in the tragedy, an MLA from the state, who visited the site, said.

AP Housing Minister K Mrinalini visited the spot yesterday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India along with 35 other nations abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in and urgent aid deliveries in the war-ravaged country.

The Canada-led resolution, which expressed "outrage" at the escalation of violence in Syria, particularly war-battered Aleppo, was adopted by a vote of 122 in favour, 13 against and 36 abstentions on Friday.

Indian diplomatic sources told PTI that India abstained from voting on the resolution in line with its traditional approach that it does not mix humanitarian issues with political issues.

The sources said the resolution had several elements mixed up  the humanitarian elements mixed with a large amount of political elements, which are "contentious".

"The resolution had elements addressing the humanitarian situation mixed with political viewpoints of the sponsors which made for an uncomfortable cocktail. Consequently, we abstained in line with our approach that is for a delineation of humanitarian issues from the politics of a situation," the sources said.

The 193-member Assembly adopted the resolution demanding an immediate and complete end to all attacks on civilians as well as an end to all sieges in war-ravaged country.

The Assembly also expressed grave concern at the continued deterioration of the devastating humanitarian situation in the country and demanded "rapid, safe, sustained, unhindered and unconditional humanitarian access throughout the country for UN...And all humanitarian actors."

Action in the Assembly comes just days after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a similar resolution demanding a ceasefire in Aleppo, as two of its permanent members, China and Russia, cast their vetoes.

China, Russia, Iran, and voted against the General Assembly resolution, while Bangladesh, Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan and Nepal abstained.

American Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said while the resolution is far from perfect, it is a vote to "stand up to tell Russia and (Syrian President Bashar) Assad to stop the carnage."

"This is a vote to defend the bedrock principles of how states should act, even in war. This is a vote to demand food, medicine, and safety urgently for a population in eastern Aleppo who have none," she said.

Power said Russia and the Assad regime have displaced at least 32,000 people in the last two weeks alone and their campaign of airstrikes have struck every single hospital in eastern Aleppo.

"The people left in eastern Aleppo do not know where to go. Some get shot in the street as they try to flee, stay in their basements hoping Russia and Assad's aircraft refrain from dropping a bomb over their heads this time. Still make it across the front line, only to have Assad's intelligence agencies forcibly disappear them," she said.
Two border 'haats' in Tripura along the Indo-Bangla border are benefiting local people through the business transactions besides becoming a meeting place for relatives who stay across the border, a state minister said here today.

"Two border haats (markets) at Kamalasagar in Sipahijala district and Srinagar in South Tripura district are now popular among local residents," State Industries and Commerce minister Tapan Chakraborty told reporters.

"The markets are selling local products also to the people of neighbouring Bangladesh. Locals are now demanding expansion of the markets," the minister said.

Locals demanded that the markets open twice a week instead of once a week now, besides seeking more items listed for selling, Chakraborty added.

The decision of opening markets and increasing listed items are prerogatives of the central government, he said, adding the state government would soon send a proposal regarding this to the Ministry of Commerce.

Both the border haats were inaugurated last year and the central government spent slightly less than Rs five crore to set them up, besides giving the nod to set up two more such markets at Kamalpur in Dhalai and at Raghna in Dharmanagar but that did not materialise since no money was sanctioned.

The Tripura minister said border haats have also become a meeting place for relatives who stay across the border.

"Due to visa problems people could not meet their relatives earlier but the haats have become a common meeting place for them (as no visa is required to visit the haats)," Chakraborty said.

In Kamalasagar haat, Indian goods worth Rs 2.78 crore were sold to Bangladeshis and Bangladeshi goods worth Rs 4.4 lakh were sold to the Indians in the six months beginning April 1, said Shyamal Dev, General Manager of Tripura Industrial Development Corporation (TIDC).

Indian goods worth Rs 3.265 crore were sold to Bangladeshis while the latter sold goods worth Rs 1.8 crore in the Srinagar haat during the same period, he said.

Business in a haat takes place among the people living within 5-km radius of the border who sell and buy locally produced goods and crops.

No local taxes are imposed on the items sold in the haats and currencies of both the countries prevail.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Joko Widodo today said Indonesia and India must cooperate closely in the key areas defence, security and counter-terrorism as no country is immune to a terror attack and also sought stepping up of bilateral trade ties.

"I am very much looking forward to have discussions Prime Minister Modi," Widodo told PTI in an interview ahead of his state visit to India, beginning Monday.

Widodo said he sees closer cooperation between Indonesia and India in defence, security and anti-terrorism fields.

"This is something that we are currently discussing...Both our countries have large maritime regions, so cooperation in this sphere is welcome," said Widodo, the President of the country that has the world's largest Muslim population.

It is also appropriate that Indonesia and India work together to fight terrorism, he asserted, adding that, "no country is immune from a terrorist attack".

Indonesia will always cooperate with all countries to fight terrorism through the exchange of information as well as intelligence exchanges and cooperation, he said.

"I hope to increase ties in all sectors, especially economic. We have cultural and religious ties going back centuries. Ramayana and Mahabharata are very famous in Indonesia," Widodo said.

He said the discussions with Modi will cover economic, trade and investment collaboration.

Widodo said Indonesia is also willing to consider a bilateral trade pact with India.

"This is something that we are willing to consider. The important thing is that such trade deals must benefit both parties," he said ahead of the two-day trip, the first by the Indonesian President after former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's visit in 2011.

"Strong leadership is important at this time," said Widodo on Prime Minister Modi's tough decisions for accelerating the Indian economy and development.

Widodo said he has had held several discussions with Modi on Indian companies' investment in Indonesia. He stressed that he would like to see Indian investment in the pharmaceutical sector as a priority and also in the infrastructure.

The President listed investment opportunities in his country, saying, "We have huge infrastructure needs, including toll roads, power plants, ports and airports. This is especially the case for the areas outside Java."



"We feel that investments in this (infrastructure) sector will prove just as lucrative," he said.

Responding to a question on Indian companies' participation in the Indonesia's coal mining sector, Widodo said Indonesia-India have a Joint Working Group on Coal to discuss the cooperation regarding coal.

He stated that Indonesia is actively reforming its regulations to make doing business easy for both foreign and local investors.

Widodo said he would welcome an initiative to work jointly to promote indigenous spices, such as cloves and pepper from the two countries, on the global markets.

"I believe it's important for countries like ours to 'market' themselves to the global community. The best way to do this is to develop and highlight indigenous local products, such as spices," he said.

Widodo said he would also like to see more Indian tourists visiting Indonesia.

"We have many tourist destinations including Labuhan Bajo (Komodo islands), Raja Ampat in Papua and Jogjakarta and Solo in Java," he said.

The Indonesian President also highlighted many similarities between India and Indonesia.

"We are also large, diverse countries which are democracies," he said.

Talking about raising the representation of developing countries in international forums like the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations, Widodo said, "Indonesia wishes to be an active and constructive member in international forums."



"We definitely feel that the voices of developing countries should be heard more on the world stage," he said.

Widodo, while responding to Vice President Hamid Ansari's call for Indonesia to work with India to bring more equity into the international order through forums like WTO and the UN, said, "We are willing to work with India to help bring this about."



Asked about further business liberalisation under the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement, the President said," the respective countries must be prepared in order to fully benefit from such agreements."



"Indonesia is seeking to cut red tape and ensure that our local businesses are more competitive," he said.

"There will be greater acceptance and support for such (multi-country trade) agreements if this can be achieved across the board," he said.

Indonesia enjoys trade surplus with India, though the volume has been small and declining, according to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The January-June 2016 bilateral trade was USD 5.9 billion, down 26.37 per cent on the year.

Indonesia exported USD 4.57 billion worth of goods, including coal, palm oil, natural rubber, copper and ores among others.

Imports from India were at USD 1.33 billion, a surplus of USD 3.246 billion in Indonesia's favour.

In 2015, bilateral trade was USD 14.45 billion.
Indonesian police said they safely detonated a bomb in a neighborhood on the outskirts of the capital today after arresting suspected Islamic militants who were planning to attack the presidential palace.

People living within a 300-meter (yard) radius of the boarding house where the pressure cooker bomb was found were evacuated during the police operation.

Two men and a woman were arrested in the neighborhood, said National Police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar. A fourth suspect, a man, was arrested in the central Java city of Solo, said Jakarta Police spokesman Argo Yuwono.

Umar Surya Fana, the police chief of Bekasi, a Jakarta satellite city where the evacuated neighborhood is located, said two men were arrested shortly after leaving the boarding house. The woman was arrested in the boarding house.

Fana said that the militants were monitored by the police counterterrorism squad as they traveled to Jakarta from Solo.

Police believed they were planning to bomb the presidential palace during a guard-changing ceremony that is a tourist attraction in Jakarta, he said.

The woman's will, which was found during the counterterrorism operation, stated her desire to take part in "amaliyah," an Arabic term used by extremist groups for attacks or suicide bombings.

Police said those arrested are suspected to be part of a militant network responsible for a bomb-making lab raided last month in West Java province that was operating under the direction of Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian fighting with the Islamic State group in Syria.

Those arrested in last month's raid planned to bomb targets in Jakarta, including the parliament and the Myanmar Embassy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Israel will Monday receive its first F-35 stealth fighter jets, hailed as technological marvels whose helmets alone cost more than most people's homes but criticised for their price and initial flaws.

Built by US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, the first two planes' arrival in Israel is being welcomed as a major event for the country's military as it seeks to maintain dominance in the turbulent Middle East.

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter is to attend the arrival along with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman at the Nevatim air base in the country's south.

The delivery of the first two of 50 F-35s to be purchased by Israel comes as the years-long development of the most expensive plane in history reaches a critical stage.

While a list of countries have ordered the planes, Israel, which receives more than USD 3 billion a year in US defence aid, will be the first with an operational F-35 squadron outside the United States.

"I think we don't fully understand the big advantage of the F-35," an Israeli air force official said.

"I think it's going to be learned in the next few months, maybe years. I think it's a very super-tech airplane."



Israel has given it the name "Adir" -- which means "mighty" in Hebrew. Its first planes are expected to be operational within a year after delivery.

It will be receiving the F-35A model for standard takeoff and landings. The B and C models are for short takeoffs and aircraft carriers.

Among their main features are advanced stealth capabilities to help pilots evade sophisticated missile systems.

The single-pilot jets can carry an array of weapons and travel at a supersonic speed of Mach 1.6, or around 1,200 miles per hour (around 1,900 kilometres per hour).

It is unclear if Israel's planes will be able to deliver nuclear bombs. Israel is believed to be the Middle East's sole nuclear-armed power, though it has never acknowledged it.

The ultra-high-tech helmet, at a cost of some USD 400,000 each, sounds like something out of a science-fiction film.

It includes its own operating system, with data that appears on the helmet visor and is also shared elsewhere.

Thermal and night vision as well as 360-degree views are possible with cameras mounted on the plane.

Israeli firm Elbit Systems has been involved in the helmet's production.

In Israel, the planes, designed for multiple combat situations, will initially replace a group of ageing F-16s.

They are seen as helping the country maintain its edge in the Middle East, particularly as its main enemy Iran seeks further influence in the region.

"The F-35 has been designed to deal with the most advanced threat systems now being fielded in the Middle East," Lockheed Martin's Steve Over told AFP by email.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
IT and Telecom industry bodies have sought measures in the upcoming Budget to promote ease of doing business, incentives for R&D investments and push for domestic manufacturing.

"Our main focus is on ease of doing business and level playing field. The important backdrop of our suggestion was that the industry does face headwinds globally because of protectionism and anti-globalisation forces in different country," Nasscom President R Chandrashekhar told reporters after a meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

He said Nasscom has sought a reduction in safe harbor margin which is very high at 25-30 per cent, an extension of R&D benefits to IT sector, clarity on the cut in corporate taxes from 30 to 25 per cent and support for SMEs and start-ups.

"Domestic investments are also important and currently resident investors are taxed at twice the rate than non- residents. This is an anomaly which we felt should be removed," said Chandrashekhar.

Nasscom also flagged concerns over the procedural aspects in GST with regard to the place of provision of service, valuation, tax on intra-company supply of software which was never done earlier.

"Place of Effective management is applicable from April 1, 2016, but guidelines have not been issued. We have requested that its implementation should be done prospectively and industry should not be impacted by it," he said.

Mobile industry body Indian Cellular Association proposed differential tax structure for five component categories.

"We have sough direct tax benefit based on value addition. This year in the phased manufacturing program, five more components have been recommended which have to brought out of zero duty. These include mic receiver, mechanics, USB cable, keypads," ICA National President Pankaj Mohindroo said.

Out of 21 sub-components and assemblies, three were addressed in last year's budget and five more have been recommended for this year.

"We have requested for an imposition of duties on all non-ITA items and differential duty on all ITA-1 items," Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association Chairman NK Goyal said.

IT hardware manufacturers body MAIT Vice President Nitin Kunkolienker said that he has demanded extension of duty differential scheme for laptops, notebook, and servers.

"Last year only 3 customer premise equipment were included under the differential duty. Major products were excluded. How can industry go with partial relief? We have demanded that incentive should be given companies for minimum 15 per cent value addition in India," Kunkolienker said.
Days after separatist groups invited tourists to the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today called upon the people of the country to visit the state and enjoy its hospitality, saying that it was the safest place in the world for tourists.

"Jammu and Kashmir is the safest place not only in the country but the whole world for tourists and especially for women. You can move around here without any fear even during nights and nothing untoward will happen to you," Mehbooba said while speaking at a function here.

She said that women face many hardships in other places in the country but her government would not let them face any hardships here.

"We get to know what happens to women in broad daylight in other places, compared to that women can come here either by themselves or in groups. We will take good care of them and would not let them face any hardship," she said.

The chief minister said that her government would offer exciting packages to the tourists and invited them to visit the state along with their families.

"The atmosphere here is also very good, the place is picturesque and then snowfall is in the offing and I would like to invite all the people of the country to visit Kashmir and enjoy our hospitality.

"Kashmir is calling you all. We will offer exciting packages. We will organize a snow festival at Gulmarg in January, so I request the people of the country to visit Kashmir along with their children," she said.

Mehbooba's invite comes days after separatists made an appeal to tourists to visit the Valley, saying tourists and pilgrims from the world, including India, who intend to visit Kashmir were most welcome.

"From centuries, Kashmiris have been safeguarding and providing exemplary hospitality and safety to tourists and Yatris from the world, including India, as we have been taught hospitality, humanity and safeguarding the rights of guests by our great religion.

"Tourists and Yartris from the world, including India, who intend to visit Kashmir are most welcome," the separatists said in a statement on December 6.

Since the agitation broke out in July, tourism-related activities have come to a standstill in Kashmir.

(Reopen DEL82)



Mehbooba said when her father, who held the flag of mainstream politics, spoke about 'self-rule', he was labelled as "anti-national".

Commenting on the nature of the debate that took place on the Motion, the Chief Minister said she was happy to see that everybody talked about the Agenda of Alliance (AoA) between PDP and BJP.

"There are good things in Agenda of Alliance, so people discuss about it. We didn't bring those things from heaven. These are from the Working Groups (set up by the former central government) on which we all had reached a consensus and some of the things which PDP believes in, which we call 'self-rule' including opening of roads. Everybody agreed those working groups," she said.

Turning to the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), she said the Working Group said that as the situation improves, decision should be taken on it.

"Whenever situation improves, we have to make a start from somewhere," she said.

The Rangarajan Committee, she said, had recommended transfer of power projects to the state to make it financially viable. "We also said in 'self-rule' and everybody wants that too," she said.

Mehbooba, who is heading a coalition government of PDP and BJP, admitted that during the last Assembly elections, she had spoken about keeping the saffron party away, fearing that Article 370 was in "danger".

"I accept that I said so because, as I said, we all had apprehensions against each other and rightly or wrongly, BJP feels that abrogation of (Article) 370 can solve Kashmir issue. We have a different stand on this and when the mandate here was like BJP got majority in Jammu and we in Kashmir, to respect that mandate we had to take a decision (of alliance)," she said.

She said her father wanted to respect the mandate and keep the state united which was his conviction to bring Jammu and Kashmir out of this mess.

"We waited for 10 years during UPA government as (then Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh wanted to visit his ancestral house in Pakistan as he was born there and wanted to see his house but because of certain compulsions he could not go," she said.

"After 2014 Parliamentary elections, a big leader (came with a major mandate, we cannot close our eye," Mehbooba said, in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"He had a vision that if we want to bring Jammu and Kashmir out of the mess, we need to shake hands with the leader who is in majority in Jammu and who can take a bold decision for which the alliance was forged," she said.

She went on to add, "We should not forget that it was Narendra Modi who, in the month of December (2015) went to Lahore like somebody goes from one house to another and attended the wedding of the grand daughter of Pakistani Prime Minister (Nawaz Sharif).

"We also feel that we are connected with history and geography and neither one can be changed. Howsoever we fight, at the end we have to learn to live with each other. It is up to us whether we should kill each other or live at peace.
Arvind Kejriwal could not even "differentiate between wheat and paddy" as AAP national convener was not aware of the basics of the agrarian state, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said.

Badal said Kejriwal's repeated utterances that SAD and Congress being hand-in-glove "reflects that he not only has scant knowledge about Punjab's geology and topography but also about state's polity."



"Every Punjabi knows that Congress was sworn enemy of Punjab and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Any compromise (by SAD for the polls) with Congress is unimaginable," Badal told reporters in Raikot here on the sidelines of his Sangat Darshan programme.

The 89-year-old Chief Minister alleged AAP was also suffering from the anti-Punjab syndrome which has been exposed by the policies pursued by the Kejriwal government in Delhi.

"AAP government in Delhi discontinued teaching of Punjabi language in schools, didn't observe a holiday on sacred Baisakhi festival, demolished the 'Piau' outside Gurdwara Sisganjh Sahib and above all have submitted an affidavit against the state in Supreme Court on SYL issue. Disguised in robe of Aam Aadmi (common man), these people were working overtime against the interests of the state." he said.

Badal alleged that Congress was solely responsible for ruining the state by "meddling" in its social, economic, political and even religious affairs and no Punjabi could ever forgive it for these "sins".

"While it is on record that Akali leadership was put behind the bars by successive Congress governments, everyone also knows that Kejriwal became Delhi's Chief Minister first time from Congress' support. He is just trying to mislead the people by making frivolous statements.

"However, wise people of Punjab will not get swayed away by tantrums of Delhi Chief Minister as they know well that Congress and AAP are two sides of the same coin," he said.

Notably, AAP is eyeing to wrest the power from SAD-BJP combine in Punjab in the upcoming Assembly polls early next year.

Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said that the demonetisation move of the BJP-led NDA government was in the larger interest of the country.

He said the decision was aimed at "eliminating parallel economy propelled by the black money."



"Any good step does have initial problems but in the long run country will be immensely benefited by this visionary step taken by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the five-time CM said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat has claimed that the Madhya Pradesh Police advised Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan not to attend a felicitation programme as RSS and other organisations were opposing it and they were not in a position to provide security to him.

"The chief minister was supposed to attend a felicitation programme by Kerala Samaj today. However, when he was about to leave to attend it, Madhya Pradesh Police told him not to go there as RSS and other organisations were protesting against it," Karat told PTI.

"It is outrageous. How can they refuse security to an elected chief minister. It proves that the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh is functioning for RSS and by it only," she alleged.

Following the protest, the programme was cancelled and the Kerala Chief Minister went back.

However, Madhya Pradesh DGP Rishi Kumar Shukla denied the allegations and said, "no question arises of not providing security to the Kerala Chief Minister".

"I don't want to comment on what the CPI(M) leader is alleging. It has not happened".

Leaders of some Hindu outfits were protesting before the BSSS college gate where Vijayan was supposed to be felicitated in the evening.

Police later took nearly 20 protestors into custody from the spot.

Bhopal Malyali Community Association Programme Convenor, O D Joseph said the programme was organised without Vijayan's presence whose scheduled visit to the venue was "cancelled due to security reasons".

Vijayan did not attend the programme.

(REOPENS BES35)



Meanwhile, DIG of Bhopal Raman Singh Sikarwar clarified that in view of the protest by Hindu outfits, police had requested the Kerala Chief Minister to delay his visit to the venue for sometime for security reasons.

"We have never said that we won't provide security to him. We were ready to take him to the venue but in order to avoid unpleasant situation, we had just asked him to delay the visit," he said.

"However, the Chief Minister decided not to visit the venue and therefore it was cancelled," he added.
Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas celebrated his 100th birthday with a party that was attended by family and some of the biggest names in the industry.

Best known for his classic films like "Spartacus", "Lust for Life" and "Paths of Glory", the actor celebrated the milestone age with wife Anne, son Michael Douglas, daughter-in- law Catherine Zeta-Jones and other members of the family at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Friday, reported People magazine.

Michael paid tribute to his father and stepmother.

"He is always asking about what kind of father he was. Dad, you are an amazing, amazing father."



Anne called Kirk her "friend" and "lover".

The party was attended by Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation, attended along with Steven Spielberg, Arthur Cohn and Jeff Kanew - who directed Kirk and Burt Lancaster in the film "Tough Guys".

Spielberg said he watched Kirk's films to get inspired.

"I've worked with the best of them. But, you're the only movie star I've ever met," the director said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A traffic sergeant of Kolkata Police was assaulted by miscreants when he was returning home midnight last night with his wife near a police station in the city and one person was arrested in connection with it.

Police said a search for the man's accomplices, probably five, has been initiated for the crime which took place at around midnight last night in front of Cossipore police station in the city.

The traffic police sergeant was heading home on his bike with his wife from Karaya police station in the city when five to six people made lewd comments and inappropriate gestures at his wife, according to the complaint lodged by him.

When the police sergeant protested, he was allegedly attacked by them and hit on his eyes, an officer of Cossipore police station said.

Policemen from Cossipore police station rushed to the spot hearing his wife screaming for help.

"We caught hold of one person from Chiriamore while others escaped. This youth is claiming to be police volunteer. We are looking for others," he said.

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BOLS Kyndal India, part of the Kyndal group, is eyeing a three per cent market share over the next two to three years in the premium rum segment, a company official said.

"With the launch of the most expensive rum brand, we are expecting to garner a market share of three per cent share in the next two to three years," Brand Director of Kyndal Group Pushpanjali Banerji said.

A JV between Kyndal of India and Lucas BOLS of Amsterdam, the company had been producing the rum brand at its Goa blending-cum-bottling unit after bringing the concentrate from Jamaica, she said.

The company is targeting the market of West Bengal as it was a major rum drinking market in the country, she said, adding that the total volume of premium rum segment was 2.5 million cases annually.

The rum market in India has been growing at a rate of 6.5 per cent per annum and Kyndal is one of the fastest growing in this segment, she claimed.

The group had also been instrumental in bringing premium scotch, single malt whiskies in India through partnerships.

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Sharpening its protest against demonetisation, the RJD today said it would soon hit the streets against hardship caused to the people due to scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes by the Centre.

RJD President Lalu Prasad has called a meeting of the party leaders on December 17 to take feedback about people's woes due to demonetisation on the basis of which the agitation programme would be decided, state party chief Ramchandra Purbe told reporters.

The meeting will be attended by ministers, legislators, MPs, former MPs and all office-bearers of the party, Purbe said.

RJD parliamentarians have been participating in the protest against demonetisation along with non-BJP parties in the two Houses.

The RJD decision to intensify its agitation against demonetisation is significant as JD(U) leader and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has supported the move saying it will help in the fight against black money.

While JD(U) supports demonetisation, its two allies - RJD and Congress - are agitating against it.

Both Congress and RJD had participated in the nationwide bandh against demonetisation on November 28 but JD(U) had kept itself out of the stir.

Similarly, RJD participated in the dharna held by Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee against demonetisation in Patna on November 30.

Though Lalu did not attend Banerjee's dharna, he had sent party vice president Raghubansh Prasad Singh and state chief Purbe to the sit-in, in which Banerjee had called those supporting demonetisation as "gaddars" (traitors) which was construed as directed at Kumar.

With opposition BJP trying to use divergent stand of coalition partners on demonetisation to mount attack on the grand alliance ministry in the state, Kumar had clarified that the alliance is for the state and on subjects concerning it.

He had also said that on issues outside the state, "every party is privy to its own viewpoint... There is no confusion or fissures in coalition".

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Newly-built St Anthony's church at Katchatheevu islet in Sri Lanka will organise a thanksgiving ceremony on December 23, functionaries of a fishing association said today.

P Sesuraja and S Emiret, functionaries of the mechanised fishing boat owners' association in Chennai, said today they received a communication from Jaffna bishop Gnanaprakasam.

The Jaffna bishop, who has invited 20 people, will participate in the function at Katchatheevu, an islet ceded by India to Sri Lanka in the 1970s.

Local fishermen, however, demanded that at least 100 fishermen should be allowed to participate in the function.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has told the Madras High court that the formal consecration ceremony of the church would take place along with an annual festival in March next.

MEA Branch Secretariat head T Angeline Premalatha said Lankan church officials will only hold thanksgiving service for workers who helped build the church adjacent to the existing one and it was not a formal ceremony as even Sri Lankan pilgrims have not been invited.

"The formal ceremony would be held during the annual St Anthony's church festival in March 2017. At that time, both Indian and Sri Lankan pilgrims will be present," she had said.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on December 8 had sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direction to the MEA to facilitate the participation of all fishermen devotees from the state in the consecration ceremony of the church.

The ceremony was originally scheduled for December 7 but Sri Lanka postponed it on account of the demise of J Jayalalithaa.

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Amid increasing pendency of court cases, Supreme Court judge Justice Dipak Misra today said settlements through Lok Adalats should be encouraged and for this all parties concerned should discharge their responsibilities.

Misra said several cases were being disposed off with the help of the government, adding that all parties concerned should ensure that people get speedy justice.

Misra was speaking at the 3rd Lok Adalat organised by Jharkhand High Court Legal Services Committee for educational and non-educational university employees.

Though works of judiciary, executive and legislature are different but everyone discharges its responsibility as per the Constitution, he said.

Supreme Court Judge Justice R Banumati said the state government should make efforts to dispose off pending matters.

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Malaysian security forces have killed a key member of a Philippine Islamist militant group in a shootout in waters off Sabah in Borneo, the Philippine military said today.

Abu Sayyaf leader, Abraham Hamid, had led the kidnapping of several foreigners from a tourist resort in the volatile southern Philippines last year, two of whom were later beheaded.

"The death of Hamid is a big blow to the (Abu Sayyaf) as it neutralised one of the notorious bandits and will degrade their capability for spotting and kidnapping victims in the future," said regional military spokesman Major Filemon Tan.

Two other militants were killed alongside Hamid in the shootout with Malaysian police in Lahad Datu in eastern Sabah, he said.

The Abu Sayyaf beheaded two Canadian hostages after demands for millions of dollars were not met, but released two others, a Norwegian and Filipina, after ransoms were believed to be paid.

Tan said Hamid had also been involved in the kidnapping of four Indonesian crewmen in April.

There have been a spate of kidnappings of Malaysian and Indonesian sailors at sea in recent months that have been blamed on the Abu Sayyaf.

While Hamid and two militants were killed, Sabah security forces have arrested two others, Tan added.

Sabah police chief Abdul Rashid Harun told AFP the incident was the Malaysian authorities' first direct confrontation with suspected kidnappers in the waters off eastern Sabah.

On his blog, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak praised his security forces and said Kuala Lumpur and Manila would cooperate to fight the recurring kidnappings.

The Abu Sayyaf, a loose network of militants based on remote islands in the southern Philippines, has defied more than a decade of military offensives.

The group was formed in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network, but has been on a lucrative kidnapping spree in recent years.

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"Harry Potter" actor Matthew Lewis has got engaged to his girlfriend Angela Jones after a whirlwind 10-month romance.

The actor, who shot to fame as nerdy Neville Longbottom in the "Harry Potter" franchise, proposed to the events planner in November, just four months after her divorce from her first husband was finalised, TMZ reported.

In a picture, Angela is proudly displaying her dazzling diamond engagement ring in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, where Matthew reportedly proposed.

Matthew, 27, first met Angela at a Wizarding World event at Universal Studios in Orlando in January, where she works.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said a memorial will be constructed in memory of those agitators killed in Assam movement.

"In the memory of the martyrs of Assam agitation, a memorial will be constructed. Led by the students of the state, Assam Agitation reflected strong resolve of the people of Assam to the world," Sonowal said.

He also informed that all the 'martyrs' column' located at several places of the state will be preserved.

On this occasion, Sonowal disbursed Rs 5 lakh to each of the 855 bereaved families through ECS mode and distributed mementos.

Earlier, the Chief Minister paid rich floral tributes at the 34 feet Martyrs' Column built at the venue.

The Assam Agitation, which took place from 1979 to 1985, was against infiltration into the state and remained partly non-violent, except the infamous Nellie massacre of 1983 where over 2,100 people were butchered in a single night.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A mock drill was conducted at the domestic airport here to check the preparedness of the personnel from various agencies in case of a terror attack.

The mock drill was carried out yesterday at 10.36 PM and concluded at 11.55 PM, a senior police officer said.

"The exercise involved three 'armed terrorists' who attacked terminal 1A and fired at the Quick Response Team of local police near departure ramp.

"One constable was injured while one terrorist was neutralised by CISF personnel near VIP gate.

"The other two terrorists took two civilians as hostages in a room near CISF control room. The NSG hit team neutralised both terrorists and hostages were safely released," said the officer while giving details of the mock drill.

Various wings of Delhi Police along with Fire Department, CATS ambulances, bomb detection squad, CISF and NSG participated in the mock drill, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 45-year-old tribal man from Madhya Pradesh has embarked on a 15-day cycle tour to Delhi in support of the Centre's demonetisation move.

Rajendra Singh, who started the journey from Kukshi town in Dhar district yesterday, plans to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital to urge him that more such "tough" decisions should be taken in the interest of the country.

"The major aim of this journey is to support Prime Minister, who has taken courageous decisions like surgical strikes (in PoK) and demonetisation," Singh told reporters before setting off on his tour.

"During the course of journey, which will be completed in 15 days, I will tell the nation that people are happy with this decision. After reaching Delhi, I will request the Prime Minister to take more such tough decisions in the interest of the nation," he said.

During the expedition, Singh will pass via Badnawar and Ratlam towns in Madhya Pradesh then enter Rajasthan, where he will pedal his way via Banswada and Jaipur, before reaching Delhi.

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Incoming UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will take the oath of office on Monday, hoping to show he is primed for action despite anxiety over the US role in the world under unpredictable Donald Trump.

During a formal ceremony at the General Assembly, Guterres will be sworn in before outlining in an address to all 193 UN member-states his plans to confront global crises and reform the 71-year-old United Nations.

The first former head of government at the UN helm, Guterres will take over from Ban Ki-moon on January 1, just weeks before President-elect Trump moves into the White House.

The choice of the former refugee chief as the ninth secretary-general energized many diplomats who see Guterres as a skilled politician, able to overcome divisions that have crippled the United Nations, notably over Syria.

The 67-year-old former prime minister of Portugal has put ending the five-year carnage in Syria at the top of his to-do list and is keen to put forward a new plan to achieve a settlement, diplomats say.

Trump's election however is complicating that strategy.

"This is tough for Guterres," said Richard Gowan, a UN expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "He enjoyed a wave of diplomatic goodwill at the UN and looked set for a straightforward transition."



"Now he will find it hard to propose big institutional reforms or float new political initiatives until the Trump team is settled in and made its intentions clear."



Trump's victory has put a question mark over the Paris climate deal championed by Ban during his 10 years at the UN helm and stirred unease over the prospect of a new-style diplomatic dealmaking from the White House that could sideline the United Nations.

Trump has not made any statements about his view of the United Nations or multilateralism since his election, but his choice of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley as US ambassador was seen in some circles as a positive signal.

While Haley has no foreign policy experience, she has been a player in negotiating trade deals for her state and earned respect in foreign circles for taking a stand against racism by pulling the Confederate flag from the state capitol.

The key to getting the new Trump administration on board may lie in Guterres' plans for reforming the world body to "turn it into something the US can support," said a Security Council diplomat.

He will have to show that "he is shaking up the system enough in order to really make it effective, slimming it down in some places, realigning it in others, in a very pro-active way," said the diplomat, who asked not to be named.

The United States is by far the biggest financial contributor, providing 22 percent of the UN's operating budget and funding 28 percent of peacekeeping missions which currently cost USD 8 billion annually.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Barack Obama has ordered intelligence officials to conduct a full review of "malicious cyber activity" during the 2016 US presidential polls, the White House has said, amid growing concerns over Russia's interference in the American election cycle.

"The President, earlier this week, instructed the intelligence community to conduct a full review of the pattern of malicious cyber activity related to our presidential election cycle," White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz told reporters.

Obama has requested this report be completed and submitted to him before the end of his term, he said.

Schultz said in 2008, there were intrusions into both the Obama and McCain campaigns.

There have not been any noted episodes in 2012, but the President asked to go back, with what they know now, to make sure that they are using every tool possible as a means of due diligence, he said.

"And then, of course, in 2016, our intelligence community determined that there was malicious cyber activity intended to interfere with our elections. In the high confidence assessment that was released this past October, the intelligence community made very clear that this was activity directed by the highest levels of the Russian government," Schultz said.

The United States, he said, is committed to ensuring the integrity of the US elections.

"This report will dig into this pattern of malicious cyber activity timed to our elections, take stock of our defensive capabilities, and capture lessons learned to make sure that we brief members of Congress and stakeholders, as appropriate," he said in response to a question.

The review, Schultz said, would be done by the intelligence community.

"We are going to make public as much as we can. Obviously, you can imagine a report like this is going to contain highly sensitive and even classified information, perhaps, so when that report is submitted we're going to take a look," he said.

"We want to make sure we brief Congress and relevant stakeholders, like possibly state administrators who actually operationalise the elections," Schultz said.

Obama's order in this regard comes after the FBI in its investigation into hacking into campaign committees determined that this activity could have only been directed from the highest levels of the Russian government.

"So this is going to put that activity in a greater context. That's going to look at the pattern of this happening from foreign actors, dating all the way back to 2008," Schultz said.

He said the President wanted this done under his watch because he takes it very seriously.

"This is something that the President has been monitoring closely for all eight years now. We placed a huge premium on cybersecurity, and that's actually reflected in how we've done business over the past eight years," Schultz said.

(Reopens FGN 4)



A more concrete data point would be to look at how the government handled this past year.

"In the summer and fall, we noticed an increase in probing and scanning of state election systems. As a result, the President ordered his Department of Homeland Security to respond," Schultz said.

"What we did is we stood up resources at the Department of Homeland Security, which engaged state offices around the country, nearly every state. We deployed experts; we worked with them to bolster their defence systems; we shared best practises," he said.
A Greek police officer was injured Saturday by a gunman who apparently killed himself to evade arrest after a shootout in central Athens, a police source said.

The suspect took out a gun and started firing at officers during a random street check near the capital's busy central market, the source told AFP.

He then tried to flee but was soon discovered dead behind a building.

The officer shot in the exchange was taken to a hospital. His injury is not life-threatening and nobody else was hurt.

The authorities were not treating the incident as terror-related at this stage, the source added.

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The crime branch of Mumbai police today claimed to have solved the murder of a 25 years old woman, whose body had been found on the railway tracks here, with the arrest of one person from Jharkhand.

Her husband, the main accused, is still absconding.

Railway police had found the body of an unknown woman on the tracks between suburban Borivali and Kandivali on November 14. She was found to have been strangulated.

During the investigation she was identified as Priyanka alias Soni Dinesh Verma (25), resident of Bihari Tekdi, Kandivali (East).

Crime branch officers learnt that she had reportedly gone to her village in Jharkhand with the husband Dinesh Verma and their eight years old daughter.

A police team arrested Gautamkumar Baleshwar Gupta (21) from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand yesterday who allegedly confessed that he helped Dinesh kill Priyanka at their Kandivali residence and the body was later dumped on the railway tracks.

According to the police, Dinesh suspected Priyanka to be having an extra-marital affair, so he murdered her.

Dinesh was absconding and his daughter and a woman named Phoolmati, said to be his second wife, were apparently with him, police said. Further probe was on.

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Farmers clashed with police in central Pakistan's Bhakkar district over damage to their crop caused by members of the Qatari royal family hunting houbara bustards.

The incident occurred in Mahni countryside area of Bhakkar district in Punjab, where Qatari royal family members were camping to hunt down rare houbara bustards.

The villagers alleged the hunters were causing severe damage to chickpeas crop and started marching towards the camps of hunters, but the police stopped them, Dawn reported.

The police asked the protesters to disperse peacefully, but they insisted that the hunters should leave instead because they were destroying the only crop produced during the entire season.

The police baton-charged the protesters when they tried to continue their march towards the camps. The demonstrators shouted slogans against the government and the hunters.

Later, local officials held negotiations with the protesters and it was decided that a delegation of protesters would meet the royal hunters to find out whether or not the problem could be solved amicably through compensation etc.

A protester said that chickpea was the only crop suitable for the sandy soil of the area.

He said that hunting of the rare bird by Arab dignitaries had been continuing in the area for over a decade.

"The UAE hunters caused less damage to our crops and compensated the affected farmers handsomely whereas the Qataris pay a nominal compensation to only some of the farmers," he said.

He said that last year the Qatari hunters announced that a hospital and a school would be built in the area when a similar protest had been held against them, but no initiative had been taken so far in this regard.

District Police Officer Khalid Masood claimed the damage inflicted on the crop was not as grave as made out to be.

The local farmers had become used to getting compensation from the royal hunters by holding demonstrations against them.

Pakistan government every year issues special permits to royal Arab families to hunt houbara bustard despite growing anger among the local population.

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Congress leader Shobha Oza today dubbed as "Tughlaq like" some of the orders issued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of demonetisation decision.

"For last one month we have seen several new 'Tughlaq ke farman' from the Prime Minister. First they (government) said you can exchange upto Rs 4,000, which was later changed to Rs 4,500 and then Rs 2,000. At the end of the day it is the common man, farmer, students, housewives who are suffering," All India Mahila Congress President Oza told reporters today.

"It is their hard earned money which has nothing to do with black money. Today to withdraw their own money, people have to stand in queue for hours. More than 100 people have died in the queues. In the entire world nowhere any person has been stopped from withdrawing his own money," she said.

Taking a jibe at the Prime Minister, Oza said "If anyone forgets to read a newspaper for a day, he will not know what new 'farman' (directive) has been issued by the government."



"Nation is facing the side effects of ill-preparedness of the central government as far as demonetisation is concerned," the Congress leader said.

"We all know while addressing the nation, Prime Minister talked about curtailing black money, solving the problem of fake currency and funding to terrorists," she said, adding, "Later government changed their stand and they said that they want to go for cashless economy."



As far as cashless economy is concerned we all know 40 per cent of the population does not even have bank account," Oza added.

She alleged, "During last two-and-half years, Central government has not arrested even two-and-half people who are involved in generation of black money. Those who are involved in black money and named in Panama papers are friends of this government who have helped them during election.

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Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Kirpal Singh Badungar today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not violate Sikh 'rehat maryada' (religious code of conduct) by wearing a cap during his recent visit to Golden Temple.

After the Prime Minister visited the Golden Temple wearing a cap instead of covering his head with a piece of cloth, several people on social media alleged he had violated Sikh 'maryada'.

Modi, accompanied by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, visited the holiest of the Sikh shrines on December 3 during the Heart of Asia conference at Amritsar. Both wore caps to cover their heads during their visit.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had accompanied PM Modi and President Ghani to the shrine.

Badungar said it is observed that Prime Minister being a Hindu has covered his head with cap and he is not Sikh so he did not violate Sikh 'maryada'.

Many Hindus and people from other community pay obeisance at Gurdwaras wearing caps or covering their head with a 'rumala' (piece of cloth) but Sikhs are not allowed to enter the Gurdwaras wearing a cap and if they do so, it is violation of 'maryada', he said.

He said Sikh 'Rahat maryada' is only for Sikhs not for other community people.

He said every community has separate maryada. When Queen Elizabeth visited Golden Temple while wearing hat at that time late Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra was SGPC president and she was accorded a red carpet welcome, SGPC Chief said.

Badungar claimed that PM Modi has full faith in Sikhism.

Badungar today presided over meeting at Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib in which Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, Baba Sewa Singh Khadoor Sahib were also present.

He said after taking over SGPC president this time, during first executive meeting held last month he passed a resolution to save environment and make it green.

He said SGPC will observe March 14 as Sikh Environment Day as Gurpurab of Guru Har Rai falls on that day and Guru Hari Rai was knows as an plant and animal lover.

He said SGPC will encourage organic farming and efforts will be made to serve 'organic' langar .

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President-elect Donald Trump shut down some of his companies in the days after the election, including four that appeared connected to a possible Saudi Arabia business venture, according to corporate registrations in Delaware.

of the move comes days before Trump is expected to describe changes he is making to his businesses to avoid potential conflicts of interest as the US president.

The Trump Organisation's general counsel, Alan Garten, described shutting down the four companies as routine "housecleaning," and said there is no existing Trump business venture in Saudi Arabia.

The four Saudi-related companies were among at least nine companies that Trump filed paperwork to dissolve or cancel since the election.

The recent dissolutions represent a fraction of Trump's global network of companies the breadth of which has raised conflict-of-interest concerns about whether Trump can balance being an international businessman while conducting the nation's business abroad as president.

Trump's holdings include more than 500 private companies, some of which he creates for prospective deals. The complex and changing structure makes it difficult for Americans to track his financial interests and partners. Trump has disclosed the names and some details about companies in public filings.

But a complete picture of Trump's finances is unclear, given that he has broken with decades of presidential precedent by not releasing his tax returns.

Next week, Trump said, he plans to announce how he will separate himself from his business interests as president. Trump operates branded hotels and resorts in a handful of countries around the world, though he and his executives have talked about expanding more globally.

Last year, Ivanka Trump singled out the Middle East and Saudi Arabia as potential locations.

During the campaign, he created eight companies that included Jeddah, a major Saudi city, in their formal names. Four of those companies were shut down months after they were created. The other four were dissolved about one week after the election.

For years, Trump has routinely named corporate entities after the projects to which they were connected. Companies set up as part of licensing or management deals in Indonesia and India bear the names of the cities where those projects are located. The same is true for some of his companies connected to properties and business ventures in the United States.

Garten said yesterday that the dissolution of the companies, which occurred last month, was part of a periodic process to shed corporate entities that were no longer needed or were set up for ventures that did not materialize. Garten said he did not know why the companies were set up last year or whether they involved business ventures in Saudi Arabia that didn't happen.

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To curb the practice of charging excessive fees from students, the Punjab Cabinet today gave its nod to an ordinance for regulation of fees of unaided educational institutes in the state.

A decision to promulgate the Punjab Regulation of Fees of Unaided Education Institutions Ordinance, 2016 was taken in the meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here this evening.

A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said this decision has been taken in view of the proposal mooted by the education department to constitute a regulatory authority, mechanism for the purpose of regulating fees of unaided schools in the state.

To facilitate people paying obeisance at Takhat Sri Patna Sahib in Bihar on 350th Parkash Utsav of Tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, the Cabinet gave approval to run 10 special trains and 200 buses for pilgrimage to the birth place of the Sikh Guru free of cost.

The state government had earlier launched a scheme -- Chief Minister Tirath Darshan Yatra -- to undertake pilgrimage for the people of state at free of cost to Sri Nanded Sahib (Maharashtra), Varanasi, Ajmer Sharif and Chennai.

Besides, the state government had launched another such scheme to run buses free of cost to enable the people visit holy places in Salasar (Rajasthan), Mata Chintpurni (Himachal Pradesh), Mata Vaishno Devi (Katra).

Free buses are also being run from all small towns and villages to enable the people to pay obeisance at Sri Harmandar Sahib (Amritsar) and Takhat Sri Keshgarh Sahib (Sri Anandpur Sahib), said the spokesperson.

The Cabinet also accorded its approval to acquire 40 acre 5 kanal 14 marla of land in village Kandola of tehsil Adampur in Jalandhar district at a cost of Rs 16 crore and transfer the same to the Airports Authority of India for construction of Civil Air Terminal at Indian Air Force Station, Adampur.

Conceding the demand of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), the Cabinet approved granting concessions to the sector thereby allowing payment of dues by a developer in six quarterly installments starting from January 1, 2018 which is after the lapse of moratorium period till December 31, 2017.

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Cabinet reshuffle in Rajasthan is likely to take place today after a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje here.

The ministers have been asked to be present for the meeting here at 11.30 AM. The oath ceremony will take place at 2 PM in Raj Bhawan, official sources said.

The announcement of reshuffle or expansion will be made in the meeting.

Governor Kalyan Singh, who is out of the state capital, will reach the city in the noon, sources added.

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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today described the 'Bhagwad Gita' as the essence of life and said its message could rid the world of the problems, including terrorism, the humanity faced.

India is the only country which could give the message of spirituality to the entire world, he said at an event on the concluding day of International Gita Mahotsav here.

Throwing light on the significance of the Gita, he said, "Our great saints had given the message of vasudev kutumbakam and treated the entire mankind as their family. Every religion in the world has its own Granth that paves the way to God. But Gita is the only Granth by following which spirituality could be achieved while living in this world."



Singh praised Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his cabinet colleagues for organising the event.

"Perhaps this programme is first-of-its kind in the country which was never seen or heard of," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said Gita Jayanti is celebrated every year in Kurukshetra.

"But last year, the state government had announced celebrating it at the state level under which a three-day programme was held at the district level," he said.

"Lord Krishna had delivered the celestial message of Bhagwad Gita on this holy land of Kuruksehtra and to spread this message at the global level, we decided to organise Gita Mahotsav at international level under the guidance of Gita Manishi Swami Gyananand Ji Maharaj," Khattar said.

He said that one person each from 574 districts of the country had reached Kurukshetra with one Shloka scripted on their traditional dresses.

"They have also brought along soil from their respective districts which would be utilised to make a magnificent idol of Lord Krishna at Jyotisar in Kurukshetra to symbolise unity and integrity of the country. Apart from this, 18,473 school students together recited the 18 shlokas from 18 chapters of Gita and created a world record," he said.

Swami Gyananand Maharaj said that Gita provided the art of living which is the need of the hour. "The world has recognised the significance of Gita and accepted it," he said.

Meanwhile, chanting of verses from the Gita was today



held in 25 countries simultaneously from 6 PM to 6:15 PM.

The countries were India, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK and the USA, a Haryana government release said.

Khattar visited Jyotisar Tirath where Lord Krishna had given the celestial message of the Gita to Arjuna. He performed 'aarti' at Jyotisar, along with Swami Gyananand Maharaj.

Later in the evening, BJP MP and renowned actress Hema Malini performed the Draupadi dance. Though the show started after a two-hour delay, it had to be stopped midway for sometime as the open stage got wet due to mist.
Rs 39.8 lakh in cash was seized from two different cities in the state today, of which Rs 24 lakh was in Rs 2,000 currency notes.

Acting on a tip-off, sleuths of Special Operations Group (SOG) in Ahmedabad seized Rs 21,77,650 in cash and detained four persons who were allegedly carrying those to exchange old notes for a commission, SOG police inspector V H Jadeja said.

"The seized cash includes new currency notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 worth over Rs 10 lakh, while remaining notes are of Rs 100, Rs 50, Rs 20 and Rs 10 denominations. Those detained will be handed over to the Income Tax department for further investigation," Jadeja said.

In a related incident, police in Bharuch town in south Gujarat seized Rs 18 lakh cash, some of which was in new currency notes, from a residential apartment and detained three persons for questioning.

Bharuch A division police searched the house of one R L Modi and seized the money from him. The cash included Rs 14 lakh in Rs 2,000 notes, four notes of Rs 500 denomination, as well as notes of Rs 100 and Rs 50 denominations.

Two other persons detained along with him have been identified as Bina Modi and Ankit Modi, police said.

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Tens of thousands celebrated the impeachment of South Korean President Park Geun-Hye at a rally in Seoul today, but amid the euphoria there was lingering anger, and anxiety at the prospect of an extended period of political uncertainty.

For the seventh straight week, protesters gathered en masse in the streets of the capital, but the mood was generally festive, after lawmakers yesterday voted overwhelmingly to impeach the deeply unpopular Park over a corruption scandal.

Although the move stripped Park of her substantial executive powers, activists said they intended to keep up the pressure, with the impeachment still requiring final approval from the Constitutional Court -- a process that could take months.

And many were adamant that the president should resign immediately and face criminal prosecution.

"We are still hungry" the crowd in Seoul's Gwanghwamun chanted, as they also sang along to the revised lyrics of a Christmas song that read: "Only after she is out, will it be a Merry Christmas."



Organisers put the turnout at around 200,000 -- smaller than previous weeks when the crowd's passed the million mark.

Until the court rules, Park's authority is only suspended and she retains the title of president and the immunity from prosecution that goes with it.

And she still has her supporters, many of them elderly voters who remain steadfast admirers of her father, the late military dictator Park Chung-Hee -- credited as the architect of the South's economic transformation but vilified as an authoritarian rights abuser.

A large portrait of a young Park with her father formed the centrepiece of a pro-Park rally in Seoul earlier today that drew around 15,000 people.

Waving national flags, they carried banners that read: "President Park, Don't Cry" and "Nullify impeachment".

Park was impeached on numerous counts of constitutional and criminal violations ranging from a failure to protect people's lives to bribery and abuse of power.

Most of the charges stemmed from an investigation into a scandal involving the president's long-time friend, Choi Soon-Sil, who is currently awaiting trial for fraud and embezzlement.

Prosecutors named Park a suspect in the case, saying she colluded in Choi's efforts to strong arm donations from large companies worth tens of millions of dollars.

The impeachment process was ignited and fuelled by public outrage at Park's behaviour, with the weekly mass demonstrations demanding that politicians take a pro-active role in removing her from the presidential Blue House.

The National Assembly has played its part, but the country now faces a lengthy period of uncertainty at a time of slowing economic growth and elevated military tensions with nuclear-armed North Korea.

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Supreme Court judge Justice A K Sikri today pitched for sending police officers and judges on duty at jails and legal services authorities, respectively, to sensitise them towards the prisoners.

He said this while addressing a gathering of inmates at Tihar jail in a function held on the occasion of World Human Rights Day, organised by the Prison Department and Delhi Legal Services Authority.

"We are sensitive towards your rights and wish that you should get it. I believe every police officer should be put on jail duty and judges should serve at legal services authority to sensitise them towards the prisoners," he said.

Citing the 14 years' vanvaas (exile) of Hindu Lord Rama, he suggested the inmates to utilise their time in captivity without thinking about reasons for being kept in jail.

Justice Sikri also interacted with the inmates and responded to their queries.

In reply to a prisoner's query, he said, "Parole should be decided on the ground of the conduct of the prisoner in jail and not according to the nature of his crime."



A convicted prisoner sought to know from Justice Sikri if a definite bail policy for undertrial cases could be adopted in the country as was in some countries in West.

Justice Sikri said the court has taken suo motu cognizance of the plight of undertrials behind the bars for long time and that a "fixed policy" in this regard could make the process "mechanical", divesting individual judges of the discretion exercised by them.

Speaking on the occasion, DG Prisons Sudhir Yadav said the jail authorities with the help of Delhi Legal Services Authority and NGOs was endeavouring for release of undertrials who have got bail but are not able to furnish surities.

So far 50 such undertrials have been released out of the 615 indentified by the prison officials, he added.

Justice Sikri, accompanied by Justice Indira Banerjee of Delhi High Court, also visited the Vipassana ward, activity centre and Mulahija ward of jail number 4.

They also watched a documentary prepared by jail inmates and a cultural programme including skits 'Sadda Haq' and 'Court Martial' by Tihar inmate "Peepli Live" co-director Mahmood Farooqui.

A letter -- 'Shakti Times" -- brought out by jail inmates was also released on the occasion.

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The South China Sea (SCS) should not become a battlefield between big countries, Indonesian President Joko Widodo today said, as he expressed willingness to facilitate talks between the states involved in the dispute to resolve the issue peacefully.

"We do not want this region to become a battlefield between big countries. Economic costs will be too expensive if there is a conflict (in this region)," Widodo told PTI.

Underlining the importance of peace in the world's busiest shipping routes, he said that "all disputes must be resolved peacefully... There must always be respect for diplomatic and legal processes."



China claims nearly all of the strategically vital SCS -- a vast tract of water through which a huge chunk of global shipping passes. It has bolstered its claim by building artificial islands including airstrips in the area, some of which are suitable for military use.

The Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam have competing claims to parts of the SCS, which is believed to harbour significant oil and gas deposits.

Tension often builds up between these claimant states to Spratlys, a group of 14 islands, islets and reefs in the SCS.

In July, an international tribunal struck down China's claims of "historical rights" in the SCS, prompting Chinese President Xi Jinping to reject its ruling.

President Widodo, who is widely known as Jokowi, said Indonesia is not a claimant state but the SCS issue is complicated.

"I believe the states that are involved in the dispute can solve this problem. Indonesia is ready to facilitate," Widodo said ahead of his visit to India next week.

"Indonesia continues to actively prevent these problems from becoming a source of conflict as peace and stability must prevail (in the region)," he said.

Indonesia, he assured, continues to accelerate the preparation of the Code of Conduct between China and ASEAN.

China is Indonesia's top import source and second biggest export destination for items such as minerals and palm oil.

Except for Brunei, the other five claimants have structures on some of the islands which ranges from hosting of flags to an airstrip by China and fuming over presence of naval ships to fishing boats.

The US, an allied partner with some of the claimant states, has called for peaceful resolutions to the disputed island issues in the SCS.

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Sri Lankan security forces fired warning shots today to disperse striking dock workers who have prevented a Japanese vessel from leaving the port for four days, a navy spokesman said.

Captain Alavi Akram said armed navy sailors used boats to reach a pier occupied by dozens of workers preventing Japan's "K" Line vessel Hyperion Highway leaving for its next destination Oman.

"We were called in because the action of the dock workers amounted to sea piracy," Akram told AFP. "We went in to make sure that the foreign vessel could have free passage."



A spokesman for the local agent for the vessel said its Bulgarian captain and 24 other crew members from the Philippines were safe, but the shipping line was losing money at the rate of USD 100,000 a day because it had been unable to leave on schedule.

Akram said the vessel should now be able to leave by today night.

Temporary port labourers at Hambantota port have been striking since Tuesday demanding that they be taken on as permanent employees of the state-owned Sri Lanka Port Authority, according to local officials.

Opposition legislators told parliament Saturday that eight workers were wounded when the navy stormed the main pier, but the government denied there were casualties.

The government is in talks with a Chinese company to sell an 80 per cent stake in the loss-making USD 1.3 billion Hambantota port.

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The Syrian opposition is willing to resume negotiations with Bashar al-Assad's regime "without pre-conditions", France's foreign minister said after talks between Western powers and opposition representatives in Paris today.

"We need to tie down the conditions for a genuine political transition, and negotiations must resume on a clear basis within the framework of the UN resolution" Jean-Marc Ayrault added, referring to a roadmap for ending the five-year-old Syria war.

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Both Tamil Nadu and Gujarat qualified for the quarterfinals today after gaining three and one point respectively from their drawn Group A match at the Ranji Trophy here.

Kaushik Gandhi's double ton and Vijay Shankar's century helped Tamil Nadu garner three points, owing to their first innings lead, and grab the third position in the points-table of Group A.

Tamil Nadu and Gujarat now are tied at 26 points, four points behind table-topper Mumbai after eight matches. Gujarat are placed second after winning two and drawing five out of the eight matches. Their game against Bengal was abandoned due to smog in Delhi.

In reply to Gujarat's first innings score of 307, Tamil Nadu scored 580 for six declared, with Gandhi and Shankar hogging the limelight by scoring 202 and 102, respectively.

The foundation, earlier, was laid by opener Abhinav Mukund who missed his century by one run after he was dismissed by R B Kalaria on second day of the match. For Gujarat, opener Priyank Panchal was the top-scorer with 113 runs off 180 balls which was laced with 15 hits to the fence.

Gandhi's dogged innings was studded with 25 boundaries which he bludgeoned in his 538-ball knock. Shankar's 102 came off in 233 balls with 13 hits to the fence.

Even Baba Aparajith joined the bonhomie by scoring a resplendent 54 off 156 balls with three boundaries to his credit.

Soon after Tamil Nadu declared their innings, the umpires, after consulting with the captains, called off the match, which ended in a tame draw.

Earlier resuming at 397-4 on day four, Tamil Nadu crossed the 400-mark in the third over of the morning session. Soon after Shankar, who was batting at an overnight score of 35, raced to his half century off 131 balls.

Tamil Nadu piled up 450 runs in 177th over and posted 480 for four at lunch, but not before losing Shankar retired hurt.

In the post-lunch session, Gandhi, who was in supreme form, cracked his double ton of the match, which came off in 533 balls.

However, Gandhi could not stay longer as soon after his double ton, he lost his wicket when the score was 496 in the 195th over. The 26-year-old right-handed batsman was cleaned up by H P Patel.

Tamil Nadu breached the 500-run mark and soon after Aparajith, who had walked in place of a hurt Shankar, raced to his half century in 135 balls.

Tamil Nadu lost their sixth wicket at 522 runs, after Aswin Crist made eight runs, who was caught by substitute Karan Patel off H P Patel.

Shankar, who revisited the crease, completed his century in 226 balls, with R Aushil Srinivas remaining unbeaten on zero.

Brief Score:



Gujarat 1st innings: 307



Tamil Nadu 1st innings: 580/6d in 229 overs (KM Gandhi 202; RB Kalaria 2/47).

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: TheStudents' Biennale (SB), an art



education initiative, will feature the works of around 470 aspiring artists from 55 schools across the country in an exhibition that runs parallel to Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2016.

Minister for Education Prof C Raveendranath will inaugurate SB 2016, the second edition of the Kochi Biennale Foundation's flagship art outreach effort, with an opening ceremony on December 13 at The Biennale Pavilion in Cabral Yard, Fort Kochi.

The SB, second only to the Biennale in terms of scale and reach, will be on till March 29 next year.

It is run in collaboration with the Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art (FICA) and the Foundation for Indian Art and Education (FIAE) and is supported by Tata Trusts.

Driven by 15 emerging curators, the project reaches out to art schools throughout India, to encourage art students to reflect on their practises and showcase their works on an international stage.

Speaking at a press conference here today, KBF President Bose Krishnamachari said with the Students' Biennale running in concurrence with KMB 2016, the exhibiting students and presenting curators have the perfect avenue to showcase their works to an audience of roughly half a million people over its near four month long duration.

"The SB will channel the energies of the Biennale platform into the Indian art education system, challenging students to go beyond the constraints imposed by both curriculum and exhibition," he said.

While the immediate objective is to expose its participants to processes that go into making and presenting a world class art event, SB is also an opportunity to acquire skills to pursue a career in the contemporary art world.

The SB 2016 curators are: Adwait Singh, Aryan, Ajit Kumar, Faiza Hasan, C P Krishnapriya, Harshita Bathwal, Naveen Mahantesh, Noman Amouri, Paribartana Mohanty, Rajyashree Goody, Sarojini Lewis, Shatavisha Mustafi, Shruti Ramlingiah, Sumitra Sunder and Vivek Chockalingam.

They were selected in November 2015 from among hundreds of aspirants by a panel of project mentors that included Krishnamachari, KMB Director of Programmes Riyas Komu, Education Consultant Meena Vari and FICA Director Vidya Shivadas.

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Three children including two siblings have gone missing from Kalyan in the district, police said today.

Parents of this children work as road construction labourers in the area. They could not locate their children after they returned from work yesterday, police said.

The two families searched for the children in the area till late night and later lodged a complaint with Bazarpeth police who registered offence under section 363 (punishment for kidnapping) of the IPC, police said.

Police have given the names of three children as Anand Deepak Rathod, 7, Pooja Deepak Rathod, 5 and Sunil alias Sonu Babu Rathod, 8.

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A man has self-immolated in protest against China's presence in Tibet while calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, a rights group said today, the first Tibetan to set themselves on fire since March.

Horrific video footage online showed the man, aged in his thirties and named by The International Campaign for Tibet as Tashi Rabten, walking down the road in northwest China's Maqu region with his entire body engulfed in flames while a passerby recited prayers.

According to the Tibetan government in exile based in India, Rabten is the 145th Tibetan to self-immolate since 2009.

Local authorities, who collected his charred remains, could not be reached for comment.

Rabten's wife, two of his children and several other family members were placed in detention by local police after they went to claim the body, according to rights group Free Tibet.

"Having lost a father and a husband, Tashi Rabten's family now find themselves in detention. The cruelty of this system knows no bounds," Free Tibet said in a statement.

"The only crime they have committed is to be the family of someone who has embarrassed China by once again reminding the world that their occupation and these human rights abuses cause Tibetans real pain. And sometimes this pain pushes Tibetans to make the ultimate sacrifice," it added.

Beijing says its troops "peacefully liberated" Tibet in 1951, but many Tibetans accuse the central government of religious repression and eroding their culture.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled into exile after a failed uprising in 1959.

Tibetan monks within China have reported a campaign of government intimidation targeting the family and friends of those who set themselves on fire.

According to The International Campaign for Tibet, Tashi Rabten, a former monk, had a cousin who self-immolated in the exact same street in 2012.

In March this year two Tibetans, a monk in China and a teenager in India, set themselves on fire to protest Beijing's control of the Himalayan region.

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Tamil Nadu Cabinet today decided to recommend late AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa for India's highest civilian honour, the 'Bharat Ratna'.

In its first meeting chaired by Chief Minister O Panneerselvam after Jayalalithaa's demise, the Cabinet also decided to recommend to the Centre installation of her life-size bronze statue in Parliament complex.

"A resolution was adopted in the Cabinet to recommend to the Centre to award Bharat Ratna to honourable Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa," an official statement detailing the decision taken in today's meeting said.

Further, the Council of Ministers resolved to urge the Centre to install her bronze statue in the Parliament complex, and proposed to raise a memorial building for the deceased leader at the MG Ramachandran (MGR) Memorial site, where she was laid to rest on Tuesday at an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore.

The Cabinet further resolved to rename the memorial as Dr Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Selvi J Jayalalithaa Memorial, it added.

The Cabinet also proposed to unveil a portrait of the leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Panneerselvam also had a small portrait of his predecessor



on his desk.

The Cabinet adopted a resolution condoling Jayalalithaa's death.

It said the 68 year-old leader had dedicated her life for the betterment of the people of Tamil Nadu, and help the state take giant strides in sectors like social welfare, education and growth.

She was fondly addressed as 'Amma' (Mother), it said.

Tracing her life from her being born to Sandhya-Jayaram in 1948, it said Jayalalithaa grew to be a bright student in school and excelled in arts like music and dance.

It also recalled her successful film career, her skills of speaking several languages and also hailed her as a voracious reader.

She had made her political entry in 1982 under the tutelage of M G Ramachandran and her speech at the Cuddalore public meeting was indicative of her successful political career, it said.

She was even lauded by former prime minister Indira Gandhi for her speeches in Rajya Sabha on issues including internal security, it said.

She was an "unparalleled leader" in the sense that she was AIADMK General Secretary for 28 of her 35 years of public service, a seven-time MLA and leading the party to many victories including the 2011 and 2016 assembly polls and 2014 Lok Sabha elections, it said.

She had overcomed many challenges presented by rivals and had ruled the state with the sole motive of people's welfare, it added.

The Cabinet said Jayalalithaa had donated gold jewelleries she was wearing to then prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri during the 1965 Indo-Pak war.

The Cabinet also hailed her active contribution on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, including batting for a separate Tamil homeland of Eelam and moving a resolution in the Assembly.

It also referred to her various populist measures like free rice and said it had benefited people immensely.

She had also brought the 69 per cent reservation for OBC, it said.

"We promise to work in the path laid down by Amma who is now watching us perform" from Marina where she was buried, the Ministers said, condoling her death.

Earlier, Panneerselvam and other Ministers paid floral tributes to Jayalalithaa's portrait and then held the meeting.
The Tamil Nadu government has informed Madras High Court that it has agreed to sanction 1,344 additional posts for judicial staff as sought by the court.

Home Secretary Apoorva Verma in an affidavit filed yesterday before the first bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sundar, stated that a letter had been issued on December 5 whereby the government has agreed to sanction 1,344 additional posts.

The bench had pulled up the Home Secretary on August 19 last for his reply to the Registrar General of Madras High Court, stating that sanction of additional staff strength will impose a burden of Rs 30.18 crore on the government and that the proposal was not in line with the recommendations of Justice Shetty Commission in the strict sense.

The file on additional posts has been been sent for approval to the competent authority, the fresh affidavit said and also assured that necessary sanction would be obtained within the calendar year.

The court then listed the matter for further hearing on January 6, 2017.

The matter relates to a PIL filed by the Tamil Nadu Judicial Ministerial Officers Association, seeking a direction to the state government to pay compensatory allowance to the staff attending Lok Adalats on holidays.

On another issue in the petition on allotting government houses to judicial staff, the Housing and Urban Development department had also filed a separate affidavit on the matter.

The Additional Advocate General had clarified that the scheme, earmarked only to accommodate government servants, implied that it will also include the judicial staff and thus 15 per cent of the accommodation would be reserved for them.

The affidavit further read that necessary orders shall be passed before the end of the calendar year.

The bench had then directed that priority be given to judicial staff in the matter of allotting government houses.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A top American diplomat will visit India next week to meet representatives of majority and minority religions, civil society and government officials, the State Department has said.

Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom David Saperstein will visit New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai from December 11-22, to discuss religious freedom with government officials, civil society representatives, and a range of leaders representing both majority and minority religious communities, the State Department said on Friday.

He will also travel to Bangladesh during this period, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Pakistani Senate body has decided to invite transgender activists to the Parliament for discussing issues faced by the community and find a way to prevent violations of their rights in the conservative nation.

The matter was forwarded to the Senate Standing Committee on Marginalised Segments after Senator Maulana Hafiz Hamdullah raised the issue during a session in the Parliament on Friday.

The meeting observed that the massive and rampant violations of the rights of transgender Pakistanis began from a young age and continued throughout their lives.

The committee chairman, PML-N Senator Nisar Mohammad, added that while the Constitution does not discriminate based on gender and ensures the rights of all individuals, "society's behaviour towards transgender [people] is appalling", the Dawn reported.

The committee asked the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) to suggest a way forward in light of a 2012 Supreme Court decision, a unanimous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly resolution and the Capital Administration and Development Division's (CADD) draft bill on transgender rights.

The commission has been directed to report its recommendations to the committee at its next meeting.

Four years ago, the SC decreed equal rights and civil liberties for transgender citizens, including the right to inheritance and equal job opportunities.

The KP Assembly passed a resolution seeking voting rights for the province's transgender community.

PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar said:" It will be the first time that transgender [people] will be given the chance to be important segments of society".

However, details of the proposed transgender rights bill were not discussed, and the NCHR was not prepared to brief the committee on the measures taken to mitigate the problems facing transgender individuals.

The committee meeting also discussed computerised identity cards for transgender citizens. Senator Babar likened the situation to the National Database and Registration Authority's (Nadra) initiative to issue CNICs to children with unknown parentage, saying: "If Nadra makes the effort, the matter of issuing CNICs to transgender [people] can also be settled".

Awami National Party Senator Sitara Ayaz requested that representatives from the transgender community be invited to the next Senate session, when all members of parliament and the media are present, to send a message of good will.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Donald Trump today denied he will work on the new series of reality television show 'Celebrity Apprentice' after becoming US president, dismissing a report by a leading American network as "ridiculous" and "fake news".

CNN had reported that Trump "plans on doing double-duty, taking office and remaining an executive producer on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice."



In a series of tweets, Trump pushed back on the report.

"Reports by CNN that I will be working on The Apprentice during my Presidency, even part time, are ridiculous and untrue - FAKE NEWS! (sic)" the president-elect said.

"I have NOTHING to do with The Apprentice except for fact that I conceived it with Mark B & have a big stake in it. Will devote ZERO TIME! (sic)" Trump asserted.

Ever since the primaries for the US election that concluded in November, Trump has been critical of the mainstream US media calling them "the most dishonest people".

He even revoked media credentials of several media outlets during his controversial election campaign.

During the elections, he had called CNN as "Clinton Network".

The Apprentice being run by NBC returns to TV on January 2.

NBC had severed its business ties with Trump in June 2015 over his alleged "derogatory statements" about immigrants.

NBC said Trump is being replaced by the former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Turkey's ruling party is to submit a bill to parliament today expanding the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a move supporters believe will streamline the political system but opponents fear will lead to one-man rule.

The constitutional change, which has been sought by Erdogan since he became president in 2014, would see Turkey switch to an executive presidency along the lines of the United States or France.

But it has become the latest polarising issue surrounding the Turkish strongman, who has been accused by opponents of increasingly authoritarian rule especially after the attempted coup in July.

The drive for the change comes at a critical time for Erdogan, with the relentless crackdown after the coup straining ties with the West and the Turkish lira under severe pressure.

"Our proposal to change the constitution will be submitted to the Turkish parliament tomorrow," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said yesterday.

The announcement followed months of talks between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) led by Yildirim and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

The MHP is the fourth largest party in parliament but the AKP needs its support for the 330 votes required to call a referendum on the issue.

Yildirim said the bill would "save our country" from coups after Erdogan saw off a putsch aimed at ousting him from power on July 15.

Turkey had on three previous occasions since 1960 seen governments directly ousted by the military, which considers itself the guardian of secular Turkey.

"We continue to work on changing the system to ensure instability is removed from Turkey's political history absolutely," Yildirim said.

The AKP has only 316 seats (excluding the speaker of the parliament) and needs at least 14 votes from the MHP to secure a three-fifths majority required to call the referendum.

Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli told broadcaster A Haber that "consensus had been secured" between the MHP and AKP and a referendum could take place in March, April or May.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) vehemently oppose changing the parliamentary system.

HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtas, who made it a political crusade to oppose the new system, is currently under arrest on charges of terror group links along with nine fellow HDP MPs.

CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said the changes risked wrecking the parliamentary system that goes back to reforms in the late Ottoman Empire.

"This is a regime change, not a system change," he told NTV television.

"This country has a 140-year parliamentary system tradition. There are disruptive directions here and they can be corrected.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An army jawan and his friend were killed in a road mishap near Baldevpur turn here, police said today.

Sandip Kumar (25), posted in Uri in Jammu, along with Praduman (18) was returning to Mirzapur after attending a feast last night, when his bike was hit by an unidentified vehicle.

Both the youth died on the spot after falling into a roadside ditch under Mirzapur police station here, they said, adding the deceased jawan had come home on November 28 on leave.

A case has been registered and hunt was on to trace the vehicle which sped away after the accident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
COLUMBUS  Stickers posted outside the music room at Central Community College-Columbus are a message to students on campus.

It is our way to let students know that they are safe here, that they are welcome no matter who they are, said Micah Crochet, a music instructor at the local college.

The stickers, featuring the words Safe Person and Safe Space," went up this year outside some offices on campus as part of a college-wide effort to create and maintain inclusive environments.

Faculty and staff members at all the CCC campuses were invited to go through training to support LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning) individuals. The stickers identify those who completed the training and are open to talking about LGBTQ issues and providing an accepting environment for everyone.

We want to make sure that people of the LGBT+ population know their rights and know that there are safe people to reach out to for information and referrals, said Jessica Sorge, director of prevention education and a crisis counselor at the Hastings campus.

The training was optional and conducted before the school year by certified trainers.

Crochet, who has been at the Columbus campus for three years, said he thinks having safe spaces is important.

In a place like Columbus, there is a very socially conservative population but all students are different. I dont mean to speak for everyone in the building, but I dont think Im out of line when I say I want our environment and classroom to be a nurturing environment, he said.

The Safe Person, Safe Space stickers began to appear in 2014 and Sorge said she is creating a map of all the staff and faculty who have stickers at their offices. That map will be added to the college's website.

The training wasn't offered in response to any incident of discrimination on CCC campuses. As a prevention educator, Sorge said she feels there is a need for safe spaces.

One of my family members identifies as transgender and has shared numerous negative experiences he has had regarding his college experiences in another Nebraska town. I know that we can help these students have a successful and meaningful college experience by showing them that we accept them no matter where they are on the gender spectrum, she said.

CoLynn Paprocki is another Columbus staff member who has gone through the training. She has been at CCC for five years and said there is a diverse population of students on campus, and it's important to her that all of them feel safe.

We certainly want students to feel they have trusted people they can go to and feel comfortable in their environment, said Paprocki, who works with students interested in going into the health care field.

Safe spaces have been popping up on college campuses across the country and generated some controversy from opponents who say such spaces stifle free speech and serve as a haven for like-minded people. Crochet said the spaces arent meant to segregate certain populations of the student body from others. The spaces are created to make everyone feel welcome.

The Safe Person, Safe Space is intended for LGBTQ population. Its not intended as a hangout space or to alienate students who dont identify as LGBTQ. It is a way to say, Hey, you are welcome here, too, he said.

Sorge said she is happy CCC is providing the opportunity for students, staff and faculty to become more aware and culturally competent about diversity and inclusivity.

Safe spaces were initially created specifically for the LGBT+ population, but we strive to have inclusive campuses so all students are welcome to reach out to staff (and) faculty at any time, she said.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik has convened the winter session of the State Legislature from December 21.

As per the proposal of the state Cabinet, passed on December 8, the Governor has convened both the houses of the State Legislature from December 21, a Raj Bhawan release said.

This is the third session of legislature in this calender year, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President-elect Donald Trump has said he would not allow Americans to be replaced by foreign workers, in an apparent reference to cases like that of Disney World and other American companies wherein people hired on H-1B visas, including Indians, displaced US workers.

"We will fight to protect every last American life," Trump told thousands of his supporters in Iowa on Thursday as he referred to the cases of Disney world and other US companies.

"During the campaign, I also spent time with American workers who were laid off and forced to train. The foreign workers brought in to replace them. We won't let this happen anymore," Trump vowed amidst cheers and applause from the audience.

"Can you believe that? You get laid off and then they won't give you your severance pay unless you train the people that are replacing you. I mean, that's actually demeaning maybe more than anything else," he said.

Disney World and two outsourcing companies have been slapped with a federal lawsuit by two of its former technology staff, alleging that they conspired to displace American workers with cheaper foreign labour brought to the US on H-1B visas, mostly from India.

The two employees - Leo Perrero and Dena Moore - were among 250 Disney tech workers laid off from their jobs at Walt Disney World in Orlando in January 2015. They have also dragged two IT companies HCL Inc and Cognizant Technologies into this class action lawsuit.

"You know the name of one of the companies that's doing it. I'm going to be nice because we're trying to get that company back. Don't forget much harder when a company announced a year and a half ago - some of these companies, like Carrier, they announced long before I even knew I was going to be running for president," Trump said.

On immigration, Trump reiterated that he will build the wall along the Mexico border.

"We will put an end to illegal immigration and stop the drugs from pouring into our country, the drugs are pouring into our country, poisoning our youth and plenty of other people," he said.

"We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country. We will stop the drugs from poisoning our great and beautiful and loving youth. OK? We'll do it," he said, adding that the Trump administration will stop the violence that is "spilling across our border.
Authorities today trapped the leopard that was spotted in Yamuna biodiversity Park here in November, setting in motion the process that will lead to it being released in the wild, most likely in Haryana's Kalesar National Park.

The wild cat was trapped and "partially tranquilised" before being caged in the early morning hours. It will now undergo a range of medical tests at the Delhi Zoo, chief wildlife warden of Delhi A K Shukla said.

"It will be medically tested which is a prerequisite before such animals are released in the wild. We will check whether it is fit to be released because it may have injured himself or may have contracted some infection," Shukla told PTI.

The male leopard's presence in the Yamuna biodiversity park had cheered wildlife enthusiasts and was being seen as an achievement considering wild cats had completely disappeared from the region.

But Delhi government decided to trap and relocate it saying it may pose threat to villagers in the vicinity. The of its sighting had come soon after villagers in Haryana's Sohna district had thrashed a leopard to death.

Although authorities were initially considering releasing it in Uttarakhand's Rajaji National Park, that plan has been shelved as there is "zero possibility" that it has come from there.

"It is young and its family might be in Kalesar from where it has come trekking along the Yamuna. But we are in touch with authorities elsewhere also and will translocate it in the most appropriate location possibly in the next two days.

"It was partially tranquilized to prevent injuries. Animals, when caged, try to break free and injure themselves in the process," Shukla said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Income Tax department on Friday identified Delhi's award winning gold trader who sold around 200-250 kg of gold between 8 pm and 12 midnight on November 8, the day demonetisaion was announced.

The Indian Express reported that the I-T officials are investigating a series of "suspicious" sales in cash totalling nearly Rs 100 crore.

"The department found that Kundan Care Products Ltd (KCPL) sold around 200-250 kg of gold from these outlets that night, of which sales worth nearly Rs 75 crore were recorded within those four hours at one outlet in the Kucha Mahajani area of Chandni Chowk," the Indian Express report said.

ALSO READ: Chennai raid: I-T dept found Rs 106 crore cash, 127kg gold. Rs 10 cr in new notes!

KCPL had won the India International Gold Convention's Promising Bullion Refinery of the Year award for 2015-16.

The IT officials also tracked the deposit of Rs 90 crore that KCPL had made since the demonetisation. All the amount was in old currency which was scrapped on November 8.

"I-T sleuths were led to KCPL's deposit while investigating various deposits at Axis Bank post-demonetisation. They said that investigators found that the company had allegedly not recorded its gold stock in account books at the Kucha Mahajani shop on the night of November 8," the report said.

Earlier on Friday, the Income Tax sleuths raided an Axis Bank branch in the national capital and found 44 fake accounts with around Rs 100 crore deposit since the demonetisation.
On Saturday, a fresh seizure of Rs 24 crore cash in new notes was made by the Income Tax department, adding to the biggest haul of cash and gold post demonetisation, in which over Rs 142 crore unaccounted assets have been recovered in tax operations so far here.

Officials said the fresh seizure of new currency, in Rs 2,000 notes, was made by the sleuths from a car in Vellore on the insistence of the accused presently being interrogated in the case.

With this amount, the total seizure in the case has now gone up to Rs 166 crore in a single case.

The department had seized Rs 142 crore undisclosed assets - that includes about Rs 10 crore in new notes and gold bars weighing 127 kg -- during searches at multiple locations in Chennai, for the last two days, to check tax evasion.

This largest seizure of new currency notes in the country, after the old Rs 500/1,000 notes were scrapped on November 8, was seized after raids were launched on Thursday on eight premises of a group engaged in sand mining in Tamil Nadu.

ALSO READ: Delhi-based jeweller sold 200-250 kg of gold in just 4 hours on Nov 8



"The group has sand mining licence for the entire state of Tamil Nadu. Eight premises (six residential and two offices) were covered in the search.

"During the search, Rs 96.89 crore cash in old high denomination notes and Rs 9.63 crore in new Rs 2,000 currency notes along with gold weighing 127 kg worth approximately Rs 36.29 crore were found and seized, as unaccounted assets," the Central Board of Direct Taxes, policy-making body for the I-T department, had said in a statement issued in Delhi.

It had added that the searches are "still in progress at four out of the total 8 premises and more specific details including modus operandi would emerge after examination of the documents and other evidence detected during the search."

Officials had said S Reddy, a contractor working with the state government, has claimed the entire money and the gold as his own and is being questioned along with few other people.

A senior department official said this seizure of gold and cash was "an unprecedented amount that the tax department has seized in recent times."

The department, the officials said, carried out the searches based on intelligence inputs about the activities of Reddy and few others for the last few days.

Officials said the agency was investigating how the new notes in such a large quantity were stashed by the individual.

The bundles of the new Rs 2,000, that were seized, had no banking slips and were jumbled up to mislead investigators, they said.

The officials said a number of documents related to financial transactions, entries of gold sale and records of sale/purchase have also been seized by the tax sleuths.

"He (Reddy) is a contractor working with the state government.He is claiming the entire cash and gold to be his own. Further probe is on," they had said.
President-elect Donald Trump has said he would not allow Americans to be replaced by foreign workers, in an apparent reference to cases like that of Disney World and other American companies wherein people hired on H-1B visas, including Indians, displaced US workers.

"We will fight to protect every last American life," Trump told thousands of his supporters in Iowa on Thursday as he referred to the cases of Disney world and other US companies.

"During the campaign I also spent time with American workers who were laid off and forced to train. The foreign workers brought in to replace them. We won't let this happen anymore," Trump vowed amidst cheers and applause from the audience.

"Can you believe that? You get laid off and then they won't give you your severance pay unless you train the people that are replacing you. I mean, that's actually demeaning maybe more than anything else," he said.

Disney ALSO READ: Trump effect: Indian IT firms like TCS, Infosys rush to hire Americans



World and two outsourcing companies have been slapped with a federal lawsuit by two of its former technology staff, alleging that they conspired to displace American workers with cheaper foreign labour brought to the US on H-1B visas, mostly from India.

The two employees - Leo Perrero and Dena Moore - were among 250 Disney tech workers laid off from their jobs at Walt Disney World in Orlando in January 2015. They have also dragged two IT companies HCL Inc and Cognizent Technologies into this class action lawsuit.

ALSO READ: EB-5 - The best choice for Indian applicants with Trump as President



"You know the name of one of the companies that's doing it. I'm going to be nice because we're trying to get that company back. Don't forget much harder when a company announced a year and a half ago - some of these companies, like Carrier, they announced long before I even knew I was going to be running for president," Trump said.

On immigration, Trump reiterated that he will build the wall along the Mexico border.

"We will put an end to illegal immigration and stop the drugs from pouring into our country, the drugs are pouring into our country, poisoning our youth and plenty of other people," he said.

"We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country. We will stop the drugs from poisoning our great and beautiful and loving youth. OK? We'll do it," he said, adding that the Trump administration will stop the violence that is "spilling across our border."






1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
CVAS will hold its 2016 Christmas Lecture on December 14, at 7:00 p.m. The event takes place at the Logan Library.

The Cache Valley Astronomical Society (CVAS) will hold its 2016 Christmas Lecture on Wednesday, December 14, at the Logan Public Library. The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. and is anticipated to last approximately an hour.

The evenings featured speaker will be Dr. Hollis Johnson, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy at Indiana University. Dr. Johnson, who lives in Brigham City, will address the theme, The Christmas Star: an astrological event? His lecture is free to the public and will be of most interest to elementary school-aged guests and older.

I got my first telescope when I was about 10 years old, and astronomy has been part of me for 60 years, said Tom Westre, former CVAS president and current club member. If we could get more young people involved, it would be a great thing.

Westre describes the CVAS Christmas Lecture as an opportunity to discuss the possibilities of what may have happened in the night skies to signify the birth of Jesus Christ.

Astronomy has something to say about Bethlehem, Westre said. Nobody knows precisely what the star really was, but studying planetarium maps can give us a clue as to what the Magi may have been seeing. Using maps from about 10 B.C. up until the birth of the Savior, we can see how Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and other major planets were passing through major constellations, giving us a clue as to what may have happened.

The Cache Valley Astronomical Society meets year-round, hosting Night Star and Solar gazing parties during the spring and summer months and indoor meetings and activities throughout the fall and winter. Each of the organizations events is open to the public.

Enjoying astronomy as a hobby is an exciting thing, said Westre. Our club is comprised of doctors, pharmacists, engineers. We have members from all walks of life. One of our goals is to educate the public about astronomy and encourage more people to develop a personal interest.

The Logan Library is located at 255 N. Main Street. More information about CVAS is available at <a href=http://www.cvas-utahskies.org/>www.cvas-utahskies.org</a>.
Asked about the banks decision to leave the mortgage broker channel and what was behind that decision, Louis Vachon, President and CEO, said: let me say that the agreement is final for us. Well originate, underwrite and servicebroker channel mortgages on our behalf under the Merix Financial brands. We believe the arrangement with Paradigm Quest provides the best economics for the bank and this is part of our efficiency program. But most importantly and strategically, it allows us to redeploy our resources, mainly our IT spend, in creating e-mortgages capabilities , and thats obviously to satisfy our clients evolving needs. The first iteration of our e-mortgage is expected towards the end of this fiscal year . Were still committed to the brokerage channel and understand that t his transition from broker to digital facilities will take some time . But we wanted to go ahead with this and make sure that were there when clients change their behaviour. Our goal is definitely to originate the same volume as we are today in our current model.
The first stage is expected to be completed by December 23, while the second and third stages will be carried out in the new year.
"People charged with criminal offences are entitled to have accurate material put before the court if the prosecution seeks to rely on that to either constrain their liberty or sentence them for that offence. We have had experiences where it has been difficult to determine whether the information is accurate or not."
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car

I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ...
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.

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You are our people. You Care. We Care2.
Browse through any new car tech specs and, in all but the more budget-oriented ones, youll surely find a list of driver assist systems.



The thing is, the implementation varies from one manufacturer to the other, so while one lane departure warning might, for example, turn the steering wheel automatically for you, another will just issue a warning  and so on and so forth.

Factor in the semi-autonomous technology and things become even more complicated. Not just for customers, but for dealership personnel, too, who are not always up to speed concerning what each feature can or, most importantly, cant do.

Head of advanced engineering at Continental, Ibro Muharemovic, was working on a lane-recognition system for an American manufacturer that he wont name. When the company launched the system, he took his mother to a dealership to show her his work. I asked the dealer what the car could do, and then he kind of scared me, he told Autonews. He told me the car could drive itself. I knew for a fact that it couldnt.

A more serious incident occurred on May 10, 2014, when Donna Lee, who was test driving a Mercedes-Benz GL450, was told by salesman Desmond Domingo to not touch the brake pedal as they were approaching a line of stationary cars in front of them. Domingo was confident the Mercs Distronic system would apply the brakes itself and bring the SUV to a stop, which it didnt, resulting in a collision at 40 mph!

The National Automobile Dealers Association has already announced, since April, that it would launch a My Car Does What campaign to educate consumers about the various features in each car. Yet, this might not be enough as it doesnt tackle the other side of the problem, namely the salesperson.

NADAs own data show that U.S. dealerships had an average turnover rate of 65 percent for salesmen and 88 percent for saleswomen in 2015. Thus, it will be very difficult to hang on to experienced staff, who can educate the prospective buyer as he/she should.

AutoNation CEO Mike Jackson describes the whole situation as a mess and states that it wont be resolved until fully autonomous cars come online. He also suggests that dealerships should seriously consider changing their attitude towards salespersons, who are mostly judged on closing a deal by negotiating on the price.

A lot of people who love talking about technology, the last thing they want to do is talk price, he said. Its an oxymoron. They dont go together.

What he proposes is moving to a non-negotiation model that is based not on commission, but a fixed salary, in order to attract the right kind of people. Somehow, we cant see that happening anytime soon, though
Renault has just updated the Kangoo ZE with a new motor and battery package, increasing its range by 50 percent.



More specifically, the new Renault Kangoo ZE now features a 270km (167 miles) NEDC driving range, up from 170km (105 miles).

Renault says that this means that the new Kangoo ZE can now travel up to 200km (124 miles) in real driving conditions, giving it the longest available driving range in the small van segment.

The French company didnt reveal any technical details about the new powertrain, saying that they will shed more light on January 13, 2017.

Renault celebrated its 100,000th electric vehicle sold back in September, with their best-selling model to be the compact Zoe which is also the best-selling EV in Europe. The Kangoo ZE also bears the title of Europes best-selling electric utility vehicle and the latest update will sure help it stay ahead in the sales charts.

PHOTO GALLERY
Acting legend Kirk Douglas has influenced plenty of animation over the years, from the visual appearance of Charles Muntz in Pixars Up to the emotional performances of characters in The Ren & Stimpy Show, but if we had to choose just one piece of animation to mark his 100th birthday today, theres no question it would have to be The Big Story.

This homage to the actor, in which multiple Douglases do verbal battle with each other, was created by British filmmakers Tim Watts and David Stoten, and would go on to win the 1994 BAFTA for best animated short. Frank Gorshin handled the vocal duties as Douglas.

Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi, who has studied Douglas mannerisms and acting perhaps more than any other animation artist, explained the appeal of a Douglas performance in these terms:
Photo: Colin Payne Photography

An old jam warehouse in the city of Nelson is about to get a 21st Century makeover.

Nelson tech start-up Retreat Guru is turning the historic Jam Factory building in downtown Nelson into a "vibrant, innovative coworking space."

It will become a spot where local tech and knowledge workers can work and swap ideas.

We always had extra desk space available with our previous company, Blue Mandala. And we always had a positive experience working with other people who shared our office space, said Jam Factory co-founder, Cameron Wenaus.

So last year we decided to explore the coworking model. We had space available, so we took the lead and decided to rent more space in our building. From there, it took off.

Cameron is working with his brother Deryk on the project. The brothers are currently working with local architect, Thomas Loh on renovations.

There will also be breakout rooms for private meetings and a yoga/meditation studio.

The building is a timber-framed structure with stone exterior walls originally built in 1911 as a warehouse for the McDonald Jam Factory.

Theres a lot of synthesis and a lot of cross-pollination that happens when you get people who work in similar industries working in one space; collaboration inevitably happens, said Cameron.
Photo: Matt Scaife

Organ transplant recipients said thanks  with popcorn  at hospitals across B.C. this week.

It was the 25th anniversary of Operation Popcorn, an annual tradition in which transplant recipients thank health professionals for the gift of life.

Liver recipient Matt Scaife led a group handing out treats at Kelowna General Hospital.

When I heard health-care professionals that work with organ donors and their families rarely get the opportunity to talk to post-transplant patients, I realized how important it was to participate in Operation Popcorn," he said.

"I love that I have the opportunity to talk to and visit, but more importantly, thank those who put in so much hard work dealing with the tragedies that lead to organ donation. This will be my 15th year participating in Operation Popcorn, and I hope to continue to be able to thank all those involved locally.

Teams visited 31 hospitals in B.C. and one in the Yukon to give festive tins of popcorn in appreciation.

So far this year, there have been 91 deceased donor cases and 92 living donor cases in B.C.  providing the gift of life to 396 recipients.

As many as 150 health-care workers can be involved in the donation and transplant process, and some never learn the outcome of their efforts, much less get an opportunity to meet the people they helped, said Dr. Sean Keenan, medical director at BC Transplant.

A total of 1,044,908 British Columbians are registered organ donors. You can register at any Service BC government agent office.
Photo: Meiklejohn Architects Conceptual drawing

Tourism Kelowna's new information centre proposed for the foot of Queensway comes up for debate at city council Monday.

Before council is an application to rezone the site from parks and open space to major institutional.

The site is currently a parking lot, and, since there will be no parking provided at the proposed site, Tourism Kelowna will be required to make a $180,000 cash-in-lieu of parking payment to the city.

Tourism Kelowna has been looking for a downtown location for its information centre for several years  to replace the one on the highway. A previous proposal to place the centre in a revamped City Park was not received favourably by the public.

If the zoning change is approved by council, Tourism Kelowna would lease the property from the city.

The city would be responsible for water and sanitary service upgrades, while Tourism Kelowna would be responsible for storm service upgrades, shallow utilities and Queensway Avenue frontage improvements.

Construction of the new $2.8 million building could begin next year with an early 2018 completion.
Photo: Castanet File Photo

The provincial government has approved grants totalling more than $55,000 to assist four communities with deer cull programs.

Grand Forks, Elkford, Invermere and Cranbrook were all granted funding under the province's

Urban Deer cost-share program.

Grand Forks will receive $16,000 to cull 80 deer in the community.

Invermere has been approved for $10,200 to cull 51 deer and Elkford's application for $10,000 to cull 50 deer has also been approved.

Cranbrook will receive a $19,900 grant to study the feasibility of relocating problem deer that have taken up residence in urban environments.

Cranbrook's study will build upon research that Elkford started last year, which involved urban deer in Cranbrook, Elkford, Invermere and Kimberley.

The program offers matching funds, and support varies for each region. Interior culls are eligible for $200 deer, while on the Coast, the rate is $300 per deer.

Interior deer are less expensive to cull because winters are cold in the Interior, there is less food available and deer are more willing to come to baits.

Cranbrook was the first city in the province to conduct a deer cull back in 2010.
Photo: gneiss climbing

The first sanctioned rock climbing competition in B.C. to be held outside of Vancouver is coming to Kelowna Saturday, with the goal of preparing athletes for the Olympic level.

Rock climbing will be featured at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games for the first time. This has prompted Sport Climbing British Columbia, the governing body of the sport in the province, to adjust its mandate to develop competition climbing across the province.

With this new mandate in mind, Saturday's Pop + Lock competition at Kelowna's gneiss climbing gym will push competitive climbing outside of the Lower Mainland.

This is definitely the biggest indoor climbing competition (in British Columbia) east of Vancouver to date, said Chris de Vries, owner of gneiss climbing.

The competition will host 134 climbers from across B.C. at varying skill levels and ages.

While climbing in the Olympics will involve three different styles of climbing competitions, including speed climbing, difficulty and bouldering, Saturday's event is a straight bouldering event.

Gneiss climbing opened up last April.

We really didn't expect to get awarded one, de Vries said. That's a big deal for us, we've obviously hit the ground running pretty hard.

The event will run throughout the day Saturday, with younger climbers, including some as young as six-years-old, starting at 7:30 a.m.

The open category, the most competitive division, starts at 2 p.m., with the finals running at 7 p.m.

For those wanting to catch a bit of the action, admission is free. The gym is located at 430 Banks Rd.
Photo: Google Street View

Parents in the North Okanagan Shuswap school district are holding their collective breath, hoping that motions that could have led to the future closure of a number of schools will be rescinded next week.

In a briefing note to District 83's official trustee Mike McKay, who was appointed by the education minister, staff are recommending no school closures at this time.

Over the past year, parents have faced the possibility that Armstrong Elementary and Silver Creek Elementary in Salmon Arm could be shut down. As well, there had been plans to create a K-to-12 at Eagle River Secondary in Sicamous with the closure of the local elementary school.

However, since the firing of the previous board, the district has:

reported an operating surplus of $1.4 million

seen enrollment numbers jump by 147 full-time students

It means the district is now out of funding protection and enrolment appears to be increasing, according to Nicole Bittante, the district's secretary-treasurer.

It's been a year of up, down, up, down, said Jamie Schrauwen with Armstrong Elementary's parents advisory committee.

She admitted parents were exhausted with efforts to save the schools but they would be attending the Dec. 13th board meeting.

Not only are we exhausted but in another way we parents are very proud of what we've accomplished.

It is recommended the official trustee take previous motions off the table:

by ending the school closure consultation period for Armstrong Elementary, with no recommendation to close a school in Armstrong at this time

by ending the school closure consultation period for Silver Creek Elementary, with no recommendation to close the school at this time

The report also calls for further discussions on a K-to-12 education program in the Sicamous area.

Meanwhile, a catchment area review of M.V. Beattie, Grindrod Elementary and Ranchero Elementary in Enderby is expected to be completed in December, 2017.
Photo: Rose Valley Hospital

Santa will be stopping by Rose Valley Vet Hospital to pay a visit to some furry friends.

All pet and pet owners can stop by and snap a picture with Santa himself between between 3 and 5 p.m Saturday.

Not only will pets and their owners be able to sit with Santa, but yummy treats will also be served.

This holiday promises fun for the whole family all while raising money for the local SPCA.

"It's a great holiday event," said Dr. Oz of Rose Valley. "We always get a big turnout. There is a ton of fun to be had all while supporting the SPCA."

For those who can't make the event, The B.C. SPCA, located at 3785 Casorso, would still love the help. You can help make the holidays purr-fect by providing financial aid or donating new or unused pet toys.
Photo: Madison Erhardt

UPDATE: Dec. 10, 9 a.m.

It would appear all the correct paperwork and permits are in place to allow for wine sales at Your Independent Grocers in the Capri Centre Mall.

Originally, city planner Ryan Smith said the store did not have the proper liquor primary zoning, therefore was not allowed to sell wine on its shelves.

However, after digging further Saturday morning, Smith said city maps had not been properly updated since a new CD25 zone was approved as part of the redevelopment plan for the mall.

He said the maps still show the former zoning which did not allow for wines sales, which was introduced by the store Friday afternoon.

The CD25 comprehensive development zone was approved in 2014 to oversee mall redevelopment, which will include a mixed-use site with residential towers, retail spaces, a market square and a community park with an outdoor skating rink.

ORIGINAL: Dec. 9, 7:15 p.m.

Your Independent Grocer in Kelowna brought the media together Friday afternoon to unveil the sale of BC wines within the store.

But, it appears they failed to contact the city.

Castanet has learned the store within the Capri Centre Mall is not properly zoned to be liquor primary, and therefore cannot legally sell wine on the premises.

City planner Ryan Smith confirmed the proper zoning is not in place.

Smith said the city will be in contact with the company, asking them to prepare the proper paperwork.

He said the city would encourage the store to cease selling wine until such time as the zoning application is approved.

Smith stated it could take three to four months to get a rezoning application before city council for approval.

"We are extremely busy right now with applications. It's a first-come-first-served," said Smith.

Nearly a month ago, city council approved rezoning to allow wine to be sold at the Real Canadian Superstore on Baron Road.

Currently, there are two grocery stores in Kelowna able to sell BC wines, two Save-On-Foods locations in Orchard Plaza and in the Mission.

Loblaws officials were surprised by Friday's development.

Officials said they were led to believe all permits were in place.

They said they would be looking into the situation.
Photo: File photo

A chimney fire in Kelowna forced five people from their home late Friday night.

The homeowner called 911 at about 11:15 p.m. to report smoke in the house above the fireplace, said Platoon Cpt. Steve Wallick with the Kelowna Fire Department.

Fire crews arrived at the residence on Springfield Road near Gerstmar Road and found a fire in the attic.

"There was a family of five home at the time and they all got out safely," said Wallick.

"Firefighters had to remove part of the ceiling and wall around the fire place to extinguish the fire. The home suffered moderate damage and the occupants have been displaced.

"A faulty or dirty chimney was the cause of the fire."

There were no injuries.

"The Kelowna Fire Department would like to remind everyone to clean and inspect their chimneys on a regular basis."
Photo: Contributed

Okanagan residents will be paying a little bit more for natural gas next year.

An increase to FortisBC's delivery rate will mean the average residential bill will go up by about $15 a year for many customers in the Interior and Lower Mainland.

The delivery charge is the portion of the bill through which the utility takes its earnings. It also covers maintaining and making improvements to the natural gas system.

The bump was approved by the BC Utilities Commission and takes effect Jan. 1, 2017.

"We recognize that customers expect us to keep rates as low as possible while providing safe, reliable service," said Diane Roy, vice-president of regulatory affairs at FortisBC.

The storage and transport rate on the bill has decreased slightly "due to mitigation measures weve put in place," said Roy.

Meanwhile, customers in Whistler will see their bill drop by about $160 and those on Vancouver Island will see a decrease of $44. Propane customers in Revelstoke will see their bill go up by about $65 a year.

The cost of actual natural gas is unchanged.
Photo: The Canadian Press

British Columbia's south coast is known for its temperate weather and mild winters, but that norm was replaced with lower temperatures Friday as snow blanketed the region for the second time in less than a week.

Monday's flurries marked the first time a significant amount of snow fell on Metro Vancouver in over two years, causing widespread traffic delays and prompting the closure of several schools.

Snowfall amounts for most of Metro Vancouver stood at about five centimetres. East Vancouver Island had the most snow by midday, with accumulations approaching 10 centimetres.

Lower-lying areas in Metro Vancouver and near Victoria were expected to see snow begin mixing with rain, he added.

"Temperatures are right around freezing, which makes it difficult to forecast," said Matt MacDonald, a meteorologist with Environment Canada.

Vancouver Island received the brunt of the snowfall on Friday morning, with 12 centimetres of snow on the Malahat highway and the Cowichan Valley, and coastal communities experiencing between five and 10 centimetres.

The snow caused traffic delays for evening commuters and some crashes in parts of Metro Vancouver, where the morning rush was lighter than usual as many people stayed home to work or took the day off.

Concerns about road conditions meant Simon Fraser University cancelled exams after 3:30 p.m. at its campuses in Vancouver, Surrey and Burnaby and also required staff who were not critical to operations to leave the sites.

A number of buses were rerouted or delayed while the Expo and Millennium SkyTrain lines were running at reduced service.

MacDonald said a weekend of snow and rain would lead to a period of uncharacteristically low temperatures as an Arctic air mass moves into the region, bringing with it temperatures up to 15 degrees lower than the yearly norm.

Deep-freeze conditions will come to an end in mid-January, when the weather is expected to return to the yearly normal, he added.
Photo: CTV

Hundreds of university students were stranded on Burnaby Mountain for hours Friday.

The chaos was caused when Simon Fraser University cancelled final exams and closed the campus just before 3 p.m. because of snowy conditions, giving students only about 30 minutes notice.

That sent students scrambling to the bus loops, but TransLink was crippled by weather delays and detours.

Julia Lewis was left shivering in the cold for hours.

"I'm so unimpressed with Simon Fraser. Anyone can see that it's snowing outside," Lewis told CTV News. "When they cancelled previously on Monday, I got a text at like 7:30 in the morning."

She said the situation was a crowded, disorganized mess.

"People are being misdirected constantly. I was at one bus loop, they told me to go to the other bus loop, now some people are being told to go back to the first bus loop," she said.

The university said about 1,800 students were writing exams when the campus was closed.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: The Canadian Press

A funeral atmosphere has taken hold in government offices in the U.S. capital, where numerous federal employees describe mournful, even tearful, scenes among dejected co-workers commiserating about Donald Trump's impending presidency.

Employees  speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals  shared anecdotes about the sorrowful reaction in multiple departments to Trump's win last month, and their own feelings about what comes next.

One employee said she'd cried on her way to work that morning  and wasn't the only one weeping in her office.

"I have seen so many tears. From the top down," said the woman, who works on international initiatives and fears the incoming president's derisive cracks about foreign nation-building mean the U.S. might scale down its foreign engagement.

"I've seen supervisors addressing staff  crying.... It's their life's work. It's really demoralizing."

Antipathy to the incoming president in the left-leaning national capital is no secret. Trump got just four per cent of the vote in Washington, D.C. Yet that's worse than usual for a Republican  in fact, it's the worst result for any since the district got voting rights in 1964.

There are now internal debates about how to proceed.

The employees who will have to execute the president's orders are having office discussions about staying or leaving government; how to respond to an unethical demand; and whether it's moral or even technically possible to thwart what they consider bad ideas.

Opinions differ.

A man who works in foreign affairs says federal employees are sworn to uphold the Constitution. He said everyone around him is unhappy. But if the democratically elected government asks employees to carry out constitutional orders they have two choices: "You execute. Or you leave."

Lots of career plans are now being second-guessed.

One man said he wasted no time applying for a job outside government. He did it on election night, before going to bed. One woman said she's now a little worried about representing the U.S. abroad, concerned about anti-American hostility.
Photo: @ltmorton

UPDATE: 5:59 p.m.

Drivers are advised that the Alex Fraser Bridge has now been re-opened to traffic.

Ministry staff have determined that there is no longer a safety concern and, therefore, have re-opened the bridge to traffic in both directions.

British Columbia's winter storm has prompted a bridge closure in both directions in Metro Vancouver.

DriveBC says the Alex Fraser Bridge is closed due to falling snow and ice.

The bridge connects Richmond and New Westminster with North Delta.

The B.C. government says crews worked overnight to monitor and clear the Port Mann and Alex Fraser bridges.

It had warned that motorists could see temporary lane closures on the Alex Fraser to allow snow and ice to safely melt from the cables.

Snowfall warnings are in effect for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and parts of Vancouver Island.
The lineup wound around the arena towards Ellis Street at 11 a.m., as people eagerly waited to get inside and get their Christmas shopping started.

This is the fourth year the market has been held and its popularity continues to grow.

More and more people are wanting to meet the people who make their stuff, said Karalyn Lockhart, organizer of the event. There's so much stuff available from China and it's so cheap, but you don't get that same value from it.

Last year we did 8,000 people throughout the weekend, so we're expecting that if not more this year."

While the lineup outside looked intimidating, Lockhart said they had a similar sized one the year previous.

While she said she was a little concerned the weather might keep people away, that clearly wasn't the case.

It's Canada, we're used to it, Lockhart said.

Of the 165 vendors at the event, about half of them are local, while others come from across B.C. and Alberta.

In addition to those selling crafts, food and art, live cooking demonstrations are held throughout the weekend, and there's live music as well.

"If you go to the mall it can kind of be stressful, here you can wander around, enjoy yourself and get into the holiday spirit," Lockhart said. "And the bar opens at 11:30!"

The market closes at 6 p.m. Saturday and runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Photo: Martine Parent Drivers coping with the snow Friday.

The Okanagan has been hit with snow since Friday morning, blanketing the streets with a fresh white layer. And Mother Nature is not quite done yet.

While the skies remain a bit clearer for now, Environment Canada is forecasting more flurries into the evening.

We're forecasting for another two to four (centimetres) for tonight and another two centimetres for Sunday, and most of that flurry activity should end for the afternoon, said Jonathan Bau, meteorologist with Environment Canada.

As of Saturday afternoon, there is a chance of flurries overnight Sunday.

Friday's snowfall varied throughout the region, with 10 centimetres falling in some places in West Kelowna and about five centimetres east of the lake in Kelowna.

City streets quickly became skating rinks, and the poor conditions remain on many roads Saturday.

The Kelowna RCMP has reminded drivers to slow down during the less-than-ideal conditions.
Hope's on the Way is asking parishes to fill buckets like these with cleaning supplies for people whose homes were flooded in North Carolina. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)

Remember Hurricane Matthew? People in the Diocese of Raleigh, N.C., do. Residents of the eastern North Carolina are still cleaning up and recovering from the storm and the devastating flooding that it brought two months ago.

An organization founded by deacons from the Archdiocese of Chicago hasnt forgotten, either. Hopes on the Way, founded to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi and New Orleans, is asking parishes to help them fill Buckets of Hope with cleaning supplies and equipment to be shipped to Catholic Charities in Raleigh.

Parishes that participate will get buckets to fill with a list of items, from disposable gloves to heavyduty trash bags, said Deacon Joseph Winblad, Hopes on the Way chairman. Those who would prefer to donate money can buy the buckets themselves for $5 each, or give monetary donations to cover the cost of cleaning supplies. It takes about $20 to buy the supplies included in each bucket, Winblad said.

Realistically, were hoping to be able to send more than 200 buckets, Winblad said, adding that Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh has assured him that the buckets are still needed.

Once these buckets are shipped to the East Coast at the end of the month, Winblad said, he wants to start putting buckets together so that they will be ready to go without so much lag time when the next disaster hits.

Its clear, he said, that there will be a next disaster. The effort to send buckets of cleaning supplies to North Carolina follows this summers effort to send buckets to people affected by flooding in Louisiana earlier this fall. Those buckets were shipped in October, just as Matthew was hitting North Carolina. The group also was able to donate and ship more than 6,000 cases of bottled water to Flint, Michigan, in the spring of 2016.

Winblad said that the same parishes  usually ones with deacons who volunteer with the group  help over and over again, and hes looking for ways to get others interested.

In addition to the Buckets of Hope, Hopes on the Way organizes volunteers both for mission trips to the areas they have sent supplies to and to help shelters, churches and other organizations in the Archdiocese of Chicago. They recently assembled cabinets and refinished tables for the St. Nicholas Parish special religious education program in Evanston and plan to paint at Southwest Suburban PADS during the week between Christmas and New Years.

For more information or to find out how to get involved, visit www.hopesontheway.org.
Energy market prospects

Published 09 December 2016

Cem Prospects 2016 gathered together cement producers, solid fuel traders, suppliers and freight specialists for a two-day conference exploring the energy markets and outlook for the year ahead. Held at the Hilton Athens, Greece, on 6-8 November, the meeting was organised by Cimeurope sarl, a subsidiary of CEMBUREAU  the European cement association.



The conference provided a forum for cement producers to explore the global energy markets, with a particularly emphasis on primarily fuels, including coal and petcoke.



Chairman of the conference, Patrick Peenaert of AGP Traco (Switzerland) and formerly Lafarge (France), stressed the need to take note of the increasing societal and regulatory pressures for the energy sector in the wake of the COP21 meeting in Paris.



The first morning of presentations saw detailed presentations on the cement industry. Koen Coppenholle, CEO of CEMBUREAU, provided an overview of the cement industry in Europe, which accounts for 5.5 per cent of global cement production (4.6bnt) in 2015.



From a fuel perspective, Europes cement producers have now reached around 41 per cent alternative fuel substitution, replacing the equivalent of 6.5Mta coal, reducing CO 2 emissions by 16Mta. However, the industry will have to respond to the rising pressure of climate change, including reaching increasingly-tight targets through new levels of innovation. This will inevitably impact solid fuel consumption in the long run.



Climate challenges in the transport sector, especially shipping, will also impact on the cost of freight, while the impact of regulation on supply, for example sulphur restrictions on petcoke, also need to be considered, argued Mr Coppenholle.



Dr Vagner Maringolo, Environment & Resource Manager for CEMBUREAU, pointed out the large potential for co-processing waste in cement plants to go well beyond current levels. The availability of combustible waste in the EU is measured at 530Mt. EU cement plants have no technical limitation on their ability to increase alternative fuel substitution from the current level of 36 per cent (consuming 9.8Mt waste) to 60 per cent (18Mt waste), while incurring negligible investment costs. By comparison, to achieve the equivalent with energy-recovery incineration (ie waste-to-energy incinerators) would require an investment of between EUR8.6bn-15.6bn. Yet significant barriers to achieving this target exists from a lack of waste collection and processing infrastructure, as well as political and regulatory barriers. Alternative fuel substitution levels of 95 per cent are technically feasible but would require very significant levels of investment.



Global coal markets rally following cuts to Chinese production

Recent trends in the coal market and the outlook for 2017 were the primary focus for the next session of the day. Frank Brannvoll, manager Energy, Economic Studies & Statistics for CEMBUREAU, provided a comprehensive overview of coal prices and related fuels in the energy markets.



Crude oil prices, which collapsed as a result of Gulf oil producers' failed attempt to flush out shale production in the US, are seen trading in the range of USD42-55, with the outlook nudging up towards a range of USD55-65 for 2017 if OPEC producers follow through on their plans to cut production to tighten supply and strengthen prices. (Indeed, since the event concluded, crude oil rose to 16-month high of US$55 a barrel on 30 November following OPECs deal to cut production.)

Coal prices have experienced a particularly volatile year to date. In the first half of 2016, the long-term support price of US$40/t for steam coal held as prices reached the bottom of the current cycle in March before rising steadily. Since October, however, steam coal prices rallied, rising to in excess of US$100/t, and decoupled from oil in the process. This followed the reduction in supply as China surprised the market by reducing the working days in mines to 276 from 330 and bad weather impacted production in Australia and Indonesia.



According to Frank Brannvoll, API 4 FOB Richards Bay is seen trading at an average of US$95/t in the short term but stabilising at around US$75/t in 2017 as Chinese production returns. For API2 coal, prices are will range between US$60-80/t over 2017, with an average price of US$70/t.



Having set the scene, a panel coal consultants, buyers and traders discussed the outlook for coal prices in greater detail. Guillaume Perret, Perret Associates (UK) warned that coal prices could rise much further due to a combination of historically-low coal stocks (down 50Mt lower since the start of 2016), unprecedented cuts in production (down to 162Mt in the USA  the lowest level since 1978), lack of new coal mines coming on-stream, and a potentially harsh winter intensifying demand as supply drops.







Xavier de Vos, coal trader for Engie (Belgium), commented on his concerns with regards to forecasting prices, arguing that the main indexes are based on a narrow part of the market and are therefore not representative. In his view, it is better to combine any market outlook with a methodology that looks at the fundamentals of supply and demand.



Freight market developments

The second day of the conference commenced with a session on freight market developments led by Simon Cox, a dry bulk specialist at Howe Robinson (UK). Simon provided a masterclass on freight transportation, exploring the fundamentals of vessel utilisation in the various carrier classes that have seen the index climb modestly in 2016 from an all time low at the start of the year. In the near term outlook and over the coming 12-18 months, freight rates are likely to remain broadly in the band they are in now. Looking ahead, fleet decline due to a lack of investment in new capacity will see utilisation rise and prices will strengthen.







Petcoke markets

All petcoke grades have risen higher, observed Frank Brannvoll, driven by the sharp rally in coal. Higher coal prices have incentivised users to switch to petcoke, which has in turn caused prices to rise to US$76.5/t for medium-sulphur (USGC FOB 4.5 per cent and US$63/t for high-sulphur coal (USGC FOB 6.5 per cent). In addition, increased demand was apparent as Indian buyers (notably in the cement sector) were seen entering the market, with imports surging massively for both mid- and high-sulphur grades of the fuel, explained Frank Brannvoll.



Prices also rose due to supply side constraints, including a reduction in USGC mid-high sulphur production and a drastic reduction in Venezuelan exports, creating scarcity in the mid sulphur grades.



Petcoke is traded at a discount to coal, which at the start of the year was in excess of 60 per cent versus FOB prices, and has since reverted to the neutral zone of around 40 per cent.



Looking forward, Mr Brannvoll argued that the market was moving from sellers to buyers market. Prices for high-sulphur product will range between US$60-70/t, stabilising from current higher levels at around US$80. Low-sulphur coal (4.5 per cent USGC) is seen in the US$70-80/t range.



Following Mr Brannvolls detailed overview of recent market trends, an expert panel discussion debated various scenarios for the year ahead. Lars Schernikau of HMS Bergbau (Singapore) warned of further competition for petcoke from the power sector and noted that India may ban high-sulphur petcoke, potentially increasing costs for domestic cement producers.



Gonzalo Solis, representing Repsol, argued that Africa was the region to watch out for going forward and would be the main driver of prices in the longer term.



Another participant pointed out that the world trade in petcoke amounts to around 50Mta, with the US producing and exporting around half of this volume. As petcoke cannot be stored for lengthy periods, it must be sold, meaning stocks are limited. Consequently, one individual consumer can take up all surplus stocks in one go and disproportionately impact the global market. This makes forecasting prices complex, a process that is not made easier by the fact that there is a lack of transparency in the sector and no reliable index to benchmark the market. Something that stakeholders may seek to develop going forward.



Cemprospects offers a unique industry forum for the discussion of all energy- and fuel-related topics and is an essential meeting for all involved in buying fuels for cement facilities.




Rishi Chandra talks about Google Home during a product event in San Francisco in October. Google is opening its personal assistant technology, which powers Home, to developers. (Eric Risberg / AP)

Two months after rolling out its digital assistant, Google is opening its doors to outside developers to help the company chase rivals, particularly Amazon.com, in a critical technology race.

On Thursday, the Alphabet Inc. unit launched a system for developers to build chatbots that work with Google Assistant, its voice-based virtual helper. The tools, called Conversation Actions, will let companies and other third parties interact with Google users by building bots that answer questions and, eventually, sell and book things through voice controls.

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Developers can seek approval for phrases that come after "OK, Google" (the words that summon that assistant) to launch the interactive bots. So, in the future if someone says, "OK, Google, talk to Target," a chatbot for the retailer might appear and help the person buy things through a conversation, for example. They will even be able to choose among four different voices, two male and two female.

Jason Douglas, the Googler overseeing the new developer platform, compared it to applying for a web address in the early days of the internet. "This is the ability to immediately, on the fly -- instead of loading a site -- engage a user in a conversation," he said. "We're trying to make it as seamless and natural for users to go direct to developers."

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Many large technology companies, including Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Facebook, are investing heavily in digital assistants that use artificial intelligence techniques to interact with humans more naturally.

For Google, the investment is more crucial: Its Assistant is the strategic centerpiece of an effort to keep its lucrative web search business relevant in an age of mobile devices and wearable gadgets. Just like its search engine sent people to the right places on the web, the company's assistant should connect users to the most relevant and useful services.

The initiative is still in its infancy. Douglas said the company hasn't worked out how people will discover what phrases to utter to summon the correct chatbots. And a business model is likely years away. At first, the developer function will only work with Google Home, the company's new voice-activated speaker. It will come next to Google's Pixel smartphones and its messaging app Allo, and will soon add support for features like purchases and bookings, Google said, without specifying a date. The company has also said a richer software developer kit is coming for the service early next year.

Douglas stressed that the strategy for integrating services is different than standard operations for mobile apps and the desktop web. "It's a conversational experience," he said. "It's a pretty new ecosystem."

Not entirely new. Amazon has rolled out a similar feature with Alexa, its own virtual assistant, called skills, which links to external apps and services. Alexa works primarily with Amazon's Echo speakers, which compete with Google Home. Thus far, Amazon has created more than 5,000 skills with partners ranging from Domino's Pizza to ride-hailing service Uber.

Douglas said Google's Conversation Actions are different from Amazon's approach. Rather than picking and setting up skills manually, as Echo owners do, Google imagines its users conjuring any use case with a verbal command -- as long as a developer has built it and claimed the relevant phrase.

Alexa skills are "kind of like an installation," Douglas added. "With Google Home, you don't have to do anything prior."

Adding more functions to its Assistant is critical for Google's ability to broaden sales of Google Home, which had a warm reception from reviewers, but is two years behind Amazon's Echo. While Amazon has opened Echo to a range of other services, it has primarily used the device to drive purchases on Amazon.com. Those purchases come without web searches online.
The future of Showtime's long-running series " " is being held up, due to ongoing negotiations with star Emmy Rossum.



Rossum, who's been a lead on "Shameless," which is partially filmed in Chicago, since it debuted in 2011, is in the midst of re-negotiating her contract for a potential eighth season. Sources close to the show tell Variety that months ago, the actress was offered pay parity with her co-star William H. Macy -- but she is asking to be paid more.



An insider says Showtime wants to renew the show for Season 8, but won't proceed until resolving Rossum's salary. The creative forces behind the dramedy have not even considered a plan for the show to continue without her, our source explains, as all parties involved are hopeful to close negotiations with the actress.

MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR



Rossum is demanding equal pay with Macy, after seven seasons of being paid less than him, according to a report published earlier today by the Hollywood Reporter. A source tells Variety she has in fact been offered equal pay. But she is holding out for a bigger salary than Macy to make up for the previous seasons where she was making significantly less than him.



Both Showtime and Warner Bros. TV, the studio behind "Shameless," declined to comment. Reps for Rossum didn't immediately respond to Variety's calls.



A source close to "Shameless" tells Variety that the network and studio take the income disparity very seriously, but insist that the offer for parity has been on the table for a while and is not being accepted by Rossum's team. By offering her the same salary as Macy, this person says the network and studio are "clearly acknowledging her importance to the show" and how her role has evolved into a crucial part over the years. "It hasn't even been contemplated doing the show without her," adds the source.



Rossum's salary dispute comes at a time when equal pay has become a prominent conversation in the industry, led by actresses like Patricia Arquette and Jennifer Lawrence.



At the time "Shameless" premiered, Macy, 66, was arguably more well-known than Rossum, 30. Though the actress was coming off of films like "The Day After Tomorrow" and "Phantom of the Opera" for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe, Macy had already won multiple Emmys, plus had an Oscar nomination, Golden Globe and SAG nominations.



For his work on "Shameless," Macy has been nominated for three Emmys, a Golden Globe, and won a SAG Award. Rossum has been nominated for two Critics Choice Awards, but never an Emmy, SAG Award or Golden Globe. Awards recognition typically helps actors to negotiate a pay raise.



Rossum has renegotiated her salary since "Shameless" debuted. An insider says she got a significant increase from her original deal several seasons ago, as did Macy. Macy recently closed a new deal for the potential eighth season -- the same deal that is now being offered to Rossum.

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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)
China on Friday expressed concern over the European Commission's anti-dumping investigations into Chinese corrosion-resistant steel, the latest in a series of trade measures against Chinese products this year.

"China is paying close attention to and worried about the European Union (EU)'s tendency toward steel protectionism," said Wang Hejun, a senior official of the Ministry of Commerce.

The EU has frequently resorted to restrictive measures since the start of 2016 as it blames Chinese steel for its glutted industry.

"It is baseless and not objective as Europe's steel woes stem from a weak economy," Wang said, urging the EU to be rational and take an objective view instead of adopting protectionist policies that impede competition.

The problem can only be solved through internal restructuring and reform and international economic cooperation, Wang said.

China has always adhered to the ideas of cooperation and mutual development and is willing to push forward dialogues to address trade friction and create a sound environment for global economic recovery, Wang said.

Wang also called on the EU to abandon the surrogate country approach when calculating anti-dumping measures against Chinese exports.

Under the surrogate country approach, members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) use costs of production in a third country to calculate the value of products from countries on its "non-market economy" list, which includes China. The practice allows countries to easily levy high tariffs.

In accordance with Article 15 of the accession protocol signed when China joined the WTO in 2001, the surrogate country approach expires on December 11, 2016.
China will take "necessary measures" to defend its legal rights if World Trade Organization members continue to use a non-market economy clause to assess dumping tariffs against it, a Ministry of Commerce spokesman said on Friday.

As a condition for being admitted to the WTO, China agreed in 2001 that other members could treat it as a "non-market economy" for 15 years, ending on Dec 11, Sunday.

Under this status, trading partners may use a surrogate country whose economic situation is similar to China's as a reference when determining whether China is dumping in their countries.

Shen Danyang, the Ministry of Commerce spokesman, said at a news conference on Friday that China opposes continued use of the system in anti-dumping investigations against China. "Some of the WTO members have not expressed explicitly that they will observe the 15th clause in an attempt to keep using the surrogate country system. We expect them to abide by the rules," Shen said. The 15th clause outlines when the surrogate system is inappropriate.

Analysts said China could takes measures ranging from filing petitions to retaliating in the dispute, according to analysts. Chen Xin, director of the business department of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, said China may appeal to the WTO.

"If the WTO rules that these countries have breached the terms of the agreement, they will have to pay for the losses Chinese companies have suffered in the anti-dumping cases. Meanwhile, China may retaliate by imposing higher taxes on imports from these countries," Chen said.

Chen said the anti-dumping cases against China in the European Union account for 2 percent of the total trading volume between the two sides. It does more harm than good if other trading sectors are hurt because of the anti-dumping cases.

Mei Xinyu, a researcher at the Commerce Ministry's Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that even if some countries label China as a non-market economy, it won't affect China's status as a leading country in trading.

"China has grown into a major exporter to many countries even though it has been treated as a non-market economy for years. Anti-dumping cases won't have much impact on China's overall trading volume. On the other hand, protectionism will only make the local businesses even weaker in competition," he said.

In response to the Japanese position on the issue, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Japan needs to observe its obligation and stop using the surrogate country system in anti-dumping investigations against China as of Monday.

"China has become the largest trading partner of a lot of countries," said Lu Kang, a Foreign Ministry spokesman. "China's market economy status is non-deniable whether Japan recognizes it or not."
Ten people have been detained following a deadly colliery blast that left 32 dead in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region last week.

Those detained include Qiu Zetian, board chairman of Chifeng Baoma Group (CBG), Zhang Xiaodong, CBG General Manager, Liu Haijun, General Manager of CBG subsidiary Baoma Mining Company, and head of the mine Lyu Guoyou, according to the investigation team sent by the State Council. They were detained for alleged illegal mining and dereliction of duty in major accident.

The explosion occurred around midday Saturday at Baoma Mining Company in Chifeng city.

A total of 181 people were working underground at the time of the accident, with 149 workers managing to get above ground to safety.

There were "serious violations of laws and regulations" before the blast, according to the State Administration of Work Safety. The mine was ordered to stop production in March for illegal mining, but operations continued, authorities said.
China's anti-corruption watchdog has revealed that since 2014, 2,442 people have been captured in the countrys campaign to return fugitives who have fled overseas.

According to an article posted yesterday by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on its website, 2,442 people, including 397 government officials and employees, were captured or returned from over 70 countries or regions and more than 8.5 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) of illegal assets have been recovered.

The article said that in the first 11 months this year, the Sky Net campaign alone has accounted for 908 returnees and recovered 2.3 billion yuan in illegal assets.

A total of 19 people named in Chinas top 100 fugitives list have returned this year, bringing the total number of the people on the list who have returned so far to 37.

Last month, Chinas most wanted graft fugitive Yang Xiuzhu, who has been on the run for 13 years, finally returned to China and turned herself in to authorities.

Yesterday was the 13th International Anti-Corruption Day.

Liu Jianchao, CCDI international cooperation bureau director, was quoted in the web post saying that China is making waves in international anti-corruption cooperation.

He went on to say that Chinas ideas, measures and practices in fighting corruption are gradually being understood and accepted by the international community.

The article further mentioned that China has established special offices at central and local levels to assist the search for fugitives.

Also, a database has been established to manage information on corrupt officials who have fled overseas and a system to receive information from the public has been set up.

According to the article, anti-corruption and law enforcement cooperation with other countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand has also yielded positive results.

No matter how far the fugitives have fled, how long they have been on the run or how hard it is, our efforts to chase them down will never stop, Liu said.

The China-US Joint Liaison Group set a good example for international collaboration on anti-corruption efforts.

Established in 1998, the group is a major channel for China-US law enforcement cooperation. It involves the two countries foreign ministries, security departments and justice departments, among others.

During the G20 Hangzhou summit in September, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama applauded achievements in the two countries anti-corruption cooperation, fugitive repatriation and asset recovery.

The two leaders also decided to enhance cooperation between law enforcement authorities.

G20 leaders at the summit endorsed the High Level Principles on Cooperation on Persons Sought for Corruption and Asset Recovery, and the 2017-2018 Anti-corruption Action Plan.

These measures will help overcome political and legal barriers to treaties on extradition and criminal judicial assistance, according to the CCDI. They will also help to establish a cooperation system involving law enforcement officers, prosecutors and diplomats.
The National Postdoctoral Academic Forum kicked off in Hengqin New Area, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, on Dec.10. [Photo by Chen Boyuan/China.org.cn]

The National Postdoctoral Academic Forum kicked off in Hengqin New Area, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, on Dec.10. Nearly 100 postdoctoral researchers, scholars and experts from across the country gathered to share the latest academic achievements while also exploring new applications.

With thetheme of "New Type of Smart City and Global Outlook in the Era of Big Data," this year's forum provides a platform for academic communication as well as strengthened exchanges and cooperation in the fields of big data, internet plus, smart city, smart FTZ and cloud computing. Together, such aspects will facilitate the construction and development of new types of smart cities including Hengqin.

Secretary General Xia Wenfeng of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, Deputy Inspector He Dong of Guangdong Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security, and Liu Jia, member of Standing Committee of Zhuhai Municipal Party Committee and secretary of Party Committee of Hengqin New Area, attended the forum's opening ceremony.

At the forum's opening ceremony, a total of 18 postdoctoral researchers received awards for outstanding dissertations submitted to the organizing committee. During the three following panel discussions, 15 postdoctoral researchers will deliver prepared speeches on three topics: big data, smart cities andnetwork and intelligent recognition.

This forum is jointly organized by the National Postdoctoral Administration Committee Office, the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation and the Guangdong Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security, and jointly hosted by the Leading Group Office of Hengqin New District Postdoctoral Work Station and Zhuhai Da Hengqin Technology Development Co. Ltd. The Zhuhai Hengqin New District Management Committee provides additional support.
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The routes have been enabled, in part, by a recent relaxation of the agreement that governs flights between China and the UK.

As part of a strategic partnership with UK tourism organisation VisitBritain, HNA Group have announced that they will launch five new routes to link Great Britain and China.

HNA has interests in multiple Chinese air carriers, although we understand that these new routes will be served principally by Beijing Capital, Hainan and Tianjin Airlines. The group also has investments in a number of foreign airlines, including Virgin Australia.

At present, Hainan serves Birmingham and Manchester, and Tianjin has routes to London Gatwick, although Beijing Capital does not serve the UK.

It is reported that the new routes announced as part of the VisitBritain partnership will include linking British cities to Chengdu, Changsha, Qingdao, Shenzhen and Xi'an.

In November, as part of VisitBritain week on sino.uk, we revealed that forward bookings between the two countries were already looking very strong.

VisitBritain's research shows that forward bookings from China to the UK have increased by nearly one quarter.

The data, from ForwardKeys, covers flight tickets over the current period compared with last year, and demonstrates a rise of 24 percent.

There are several reasons that might be behind this increase. Firstly, the weakness of the British currency is making visits to the UK much more affordable to overseas visitors.

There is also thought to be growing demand amongst Chinese tourists to explore the UK, and to experience British culture first-hand.

The work that VisitBritain have done to market the country to Chinese people is also understood to have had a positive impact on the number of inbound tourists.
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A protester cheers after the Republic of Korea parliament's vote to impeach President Park Geun-hye on Friday. Crowds gathered outside the National Assembly in Seoul to demand that Park step down. ROK President Park Geun-hye attends an emergency Cabinet meeting on Friday. [China Daily]

The parliament's vote on Friday to impeach Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye may bring more uncertainty to the Korean Peninsula and the already strained China-ROK ties, analysts said.

Park, the country's first female president, was stripped of her power amid the country's worst political scandal in a generation. Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn will assume leadership until the country's Constitutional Court rules on whether Park must permanently step down. The court has six months to decide.

Chung Sye-kyun, the ROK National Assembly speaker, said the bill on Park's impeachment was passed by a vote of 236 in favor and 56 opposed, with 9 invalid votes and abstentions.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news conference on Friday that Beijing upholds the principle of not interfering in other countries' domestic affairs and hopes that the ROK can restore stability as soon as possible.

Lu spoke highly of Park's efforts in pushing forward China-ROK relations after taking office in 2013. However, he stressed that it was during her time in office that the ROK decided to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system, which China firmly opposes since it could harm Beijing's security interests.

Liu Jiangyong, a professor of international relations at Tsinghua University, told China Daily that the chaotic political situation in the ROK could have adverse consequences for China-ROK ties as well as for the Korean Peninsula.

The China-ROK relationship is undergoing fluctuations caused by the deployment of THAAD, Liu said, adding that the situation might be worsened.

Liu said that Japan had taken advantage of the political situation in the ROK to swoop in to sign a military agreement that could harm China's security interests and cause more uncertainties on the peninsula.

Last month, the ROK and Japan signed the General Security of Military Information Agreement in Seoul after four years of negotiations. According to the agreement, the two countries will share military information.

Liu also said the impeachment will delay a meeting of the leaders of China, Japan and the ROK.

They were expected to meet by the end of the year.

Zhang Liangui, an expert on Korean studies at the Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system will continue during the impeachment of Park because "nobody will stand up to say no" during the political chaos.
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Thirty people were killed and 67 injured in the suicide blasts which rocked a crowded market in Madagali district of Nigeria's northeastern state of Adamawa on Friday.

Badare Akintoye, a military spokesman confirmed two female suicide bombers carried out the attacks.

The explosions occurred simultaneously at the opposite ends of the local market in Madagali, causing buyers and sellers to run for safety.

In a statement sent to Xinhua, Sani Datti, spokesman of the country's National Emergency Management Agency said the 67 injured were taken to the state-run Michika General Hospital for treatment.

The market at which the attacks took place is a weekly one that sells grains, vegetable and animals every Friday.

The blasts occurred at the animal and grains sections of the market, according to Yusuf Mohammed, a senior district official.

Adamawa State police spokesman Othman Abubakar said investigation is underway on the attacks.

Madagali is located 276 kilometers from the state capital, Yola.

In August 2014, the district was one of several towns seized by terror group Boko Haram but it was recaptured by the military in March 2015.

Two female suicide bombers who were members of the Boko Haram group killed at least 30 people and 16 injured when they attacked a busy motor park in Madagali on Dec. 28, 2015.

Madagali is a neighboring district to Borno State, where Sambisa, the largest training camp of the ruthless Boko Haram group is situated.

The northeast region of Nigeria has been a stronghold of the extremist group and has been frequently raided in the past six years.

In past months, the Nigerian government has launched several military operations to eliminate the terrorist threat.

Boko Haram, which seeks to impose strict Islamic law in northern Nigeria, has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and displacement of more than 2.6 million people since 2009.
Villagers plant bletilla in Anlong county, Guizhou province. [Photo/zgqxn.com]

China's southwestern Guizhou province plans to invest 524.8 billion yuan ($76.3 billion) in supporting 320 health projects by 2018, a latest endeavor to further boost the healthcare industry, said a local government official.

The output of the healthcare sector in the province is projected to reach 400 billion yuan in 2020, accounting for 10 percent of the province's GDP, according to Zhang Ping, deputy director of the Guizhou Provincial Development and Reform Commission.

Zhang said: "Guizhou is suitable for growing herbs, plants and trees used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. They provide a foundation for health-related businesses."

Some 5.47 million mu (364,666 hectares) in Guizhou are under cultivation that help produce 1.81 million metric tons of herbal medicine annually. This has been attracting the attention of pharmaceutical enterprises, Zhang said.

For instance, Changchun-based Xiuzheng Pharmaceutical Group is planning to invest 1 billion yuan in its Guizhou unit over the next five years, said Xiu Laigui, its president. It aims to build an industry supply chain covering medicine, logistics, food and healthcare products.

"Thanks to good natural environment, the place can grow high-quality herbs. Big data infrastructure here also supports the health industry," Xiu said.

Huang Qianjuan, president of Guizhou Qianlong Biopharmaceutical Co Ltd, a high-tech medical company, said she found the southwestern province offered many opportunities for her startup. "We prefer Guizhou for its good geographical location and good environment for startups... When a new high-speed train is unveiled, it will be easier for us to collect more pathology data for analysis," Huang said.

Dong Xianwu contributed to the story.

Contact the writers at jingshuiyu@chinadaily.com.cn
WASHINGTON - The US Commerce Department on Friday set final dumping rates on imports of large residential washing machines from China, signaling that it may impose punitive duties on the products.

The department said that such products from China had been sold in the United States at dumping margins of 32.12 percent to 52.51 percent

As a result of the final affirmative determinations, Commerce will instruct US Customs and Border Protection to require cash deposits at the final rates.

The Commerce launched AD investigations against imports of such products from China in January 2016, in response to a request from Whirlpool Corporation based in the state of Michigan.

Punitive duties would be imposed after both the Commerce Department and the US International Trade Commission (USITC) make affirmative final rulings. The USITC is scheduled to make its final determination in January 2017.

Imports of these products from China were estimated at about $1.1 billion in 2015, according to US official data.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has kept urging Washington to abide by its commitment against protectionism and help maintain a free, open and just international trade environment.
BEIJING - The Japanese government on Thursday broke its own promise made 15 years ago by refusing to grant China "market economy status (MES)," showing once again to the international community that Tokyo simply cannot keep its word.

According to the Article 15 of the Protocol on China's accession to the WTO, to which Japan is a signatory, China will automatically switch over to market economy status in 15 years by Dec 11, 2016, when the legal foundation for treating China as a non-market economy - or a surrogate country - ends.

By shirking its obligations three days before the deadline, Tokyo not only violates the spirit of the contract, a bedrock of international law and a principle-based system preached by Japan and its Western allies, but also injects negative impetus into its cooperation and relations with China, Tokyo's largest trading partner.

The refusal is nothing short of covert protectionism, which runs against the trend of globalization and poisons the recovery of the global economy.

The penny-wise refusal of granting China the status of a market economy is particularly detrimental to Japan for two reasons. For one, by viewing China as a non-market economy, Tokyo has followed in the footsteps of the United States and the European Union by denying China its deserved status, making itself the "third domino" in unleashing the monster of protectionism, which isn't good news for the global economy.

For another, Japan's narrow-minded decision will trigger a new wave of mistrust in East Asia, dampen the hard-won momentum of development in its ties with China and consequently put regional peace and stability at risk.

Considering Japan's sluggish economy and forecasts of negative growth, the opportunity to boost mutual trust and economic ties with its largest trading partner should have been of vital concern. Unfortunately, it just spurned a golden opportunity.

In addition, considering the number of countries that are deemed by Japan and its Western allies as MES winners, the granting process is merely another double-standard applied by the West against China.

Nevertheless, the refusal won't change anything. It won't write off the achievements of China's 38 years of reforming and opening-up. It cannot water-down China's profound contributions to the global economy either.

Analysts agree that Japan and its allies should end zero-sum mentality and show willingness for mutually beneficial cooperation when dealing with China.
PHNOM PENH - About 653,144 Chinese holidaymakers had visited Cambodia in the first ten months of 2016, up 14 percent over the same period last year, the latest data of Tourism Ministry showed Saturday.

The number of Chinese visitors to Cambodia accounted for 16.7 percent of total foreigners to the kingdom during the January-October period, the data said.

China ranked the second largest source of tourists to the Southeast Asian country after Vietnam, whose 768,660 people traveled to Cambodia during the period, down 2 percent year-on-year.

Speaking during a Cambodia-China business forum last week, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen predicted that the kingdom could receive a total of 800,000 Chinese tourists in the year of 2016, an increase of 14.29 percent year-on-year.

He said, to date, direct flights between China and Cambodia reached to 94 per week, with 51 flights to Phnom Penh capital, 31 flights to Siem Reap cultural province and 12 flights to the coastal province of Preah Sihanouk.

Cambodia is famous for two cultural sites on the UNESCO's World Heritage List. One is the 12th century Angkor archaeological park and the other is the 11th century Preah Vihear Temple.

In addition, it has many interesting eco-tourism sites, including a 450-km pristine coastline stretching across four provinces in the country's southwestern part.
Contestants are pictured at the World Cyber Arena held last year in Yinchuan, capital of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, on December 17, 2015. [Photo/VCG]

The World Cyber Arena, or WCA, one of the premier organizers of global e-sports events, is gearing up to expand its overseas businesses in a bid to build an Olympic Games-equivalent for the global e-sports tournaments.

On Friday, in Yinchuan, capital of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, the WCA signed agreements to implement mutual cooperation with e-sports alliances and associations of 20 countries and regions across the globe including Brazil, Russia and the Netherlands.

"Only by cohesion, especially by maintaining diversity, can we usher in a booming e-sports industry in the future," said Li Yanfei, vice-president of the World Cyber Arena.

Li added that WCA would like to share its brand and experience in e-sports with overseas partners.

In order to carry out the cooperation, the company will give the exclusive rights of WCA tournament brand to its partners, providing both technical and prize support to promote the development of overseas tournaments.

"Starting the e-sports Olympics project will help the WCA to better tap into the gaming market in various countries and regions. By appealing to the spirit of national honor, the tournament will attain more attention, as well as the recognition of the mainstream society," said Teng Hua, president of CNG Games Research Center, a Beijing-based gaming research institution.

With government support and the changing social environment, China is now the biggest e-sports market worldwide by the number of players. At the end of 2015, there were 124 million e-sports users in China and the output value of the gaming sector hit 27 billion yuan ($3.91 billion). The overall market of e-sports in China is set to surpass 50 billion yuan in the future, according to a report released by iResearch, a Chinese consultancy company.

In September, China's Ministry of Education added e-sports and management as a new major for vocational schools which will be launched nationwide from 2017.

Teng noted that while the Chinese e-sports industry is currently at the best stage for development, there still exists challenges for gaming companies going global.
Some countries haven't said whether they'll drop unfair tariff assessments as required on Monday

China will take "necessary measures" to defend its legal rights if World Trade Organization members continue to use a non-market economy clause to assess dumping tariffs against it, a Ministry of Commerce spokesman said on Friday.

As a condition for being admitted to the WTO, China agreed in 2001 that other members could treat it as a "non-market economy" for 15 years, ending on Dec 11, Sunday.

Under this status, trading partners may use a surrogate country whose economic situation is similar to China's as a reference when determining whether China is dumping in their countries.

Shen Danyang, the Ministry of Commerce spokesman, said at a news conference on Friday that China opposes continued use of the system in anti-dumping investigations against China. "Some of the WTO members have not expressed explicitly that they will observe the 15th clause in an attempt to keep using the surrogate country system. We expect them to abide by the rules," Shen said. The 15th clause outlines when the surrogate system is inappropriate.

Analysts said China could takes measures ranging from filing petitions to retaliating in the dispute, according to analysts. Chen Xin, director of the business department of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, said China may appeal to the WTO.

"If the WTO rules that these countries have breached the terms of the agreement, they will have to pay for the losses Chinese companies have suffered in the anti-dumping cases. Meanwhile, China may retaliate by imposing higher taxes on imports from these countries," Chen said.

Chen said the anti-dumping cases against China in the European Union account for 2 percent of the total trading volume between the two sides. It does more harm than good if other trading sectors are hurt because of the anti-dumping cases.

Mei Xinyu, a researcher at the Commerce Ministry's Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that even if some countries label China as a non-market economy, it won't affect China's status as a leading country in trading.

"China has grown into a major exporter to many countries even though it has been treated as a non-market economy for years. Anti-dumping cases won't have much impact on China's overall trading volume. On the other hand, protectionism will only make the local businesses even weaker in competition," he said.

In response to the Japanese position on the issue, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Japan needs to observe its obligation and stop using the surrogate country system in anti-dumping investigations against China as of Monday.

"China has become the largest trading partner of a lot of countries," said Lu Kang, a Foreign Ministry spokesman. "China's market economy status is non-deniable whether Japan recognizes it or not."

Contact the writer at yangziman@chinadaily.com.cn
Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said on Friday that he will not seek re-election next year, due to family reasons.

Leung told reporters that his decision to not seek a second term was understood by the central government.

Leung, who has served as the city's leader since 2012, emphasized that the central government has been very supportive of his work over the years.

He said he must balance his responsibilities to the Hong Kong community with those for his family, adding that he also must prevent his family from facing the pressures that would come with campaigning if he ran for a second term in March.

Leung said he will focus on his work as the chief executive in the next six months, including delivering his last policy address.

He thanked those who have given him support to run for a second term, adding that he will support whoever wins the election as the next chief executive.

In a statement that followed, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council - Beijing's top Hong Kong affairs authority - said it respects Leung's decision.

A spokesman said the office expressed deep regret and recognized Leung's work as the chief executive and his firm implementation of the One Country, Two Systems policy and the Basic Law.

The spokesman also praised Leung's efforts in improving Hong Kong's economy and people's livelihoods, adding that the office hoped Leung will continue his good work during the rest of his term.

In another statement, the central government's Liaison Office in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region said it respects Leung's decision. It recognized his work, especially during the 79-day illegal "Occupy Central" movement, as well as the SAR government's efforts to promote electoral reform and combat "pro-independence" activities in Hong Kong.

Before taking the top job, Leung was secretary-general of the then Hong Kong Basic Law Consultative Committee from 1988 to 1990 and a member of the Executive Council from 1997 to 2011.

luisliu@chinadailyhk.com
Villagers catch the turtle in Guangdong province. [Photo/Sina Weibo]

Six villagers in Qianshan town, South China's Guangdong province, have been handed over to the judiciary for the slaughter and sale of a protected giant sea turtle, after a video and photos of the incident were widely spread online.

The Guangdong Ocean and Fisheries Administration's investigation showed that three fishermen, two surnamed Zhou, and the third surnamed Fu, left to catch fish at 2 am on Dec 6. At about 6 o'clock, they caught a giant sea turtle. At about 9 o'clock, they returned to the wharf and sold the turtle to another three villagers, surnamed Zheng, Lin and Zhou, for the price of 4,000 yuan ($580).

Then the three buyers killed the turtle and sold it for 140 yuan (around $20) per kilo.

The turtle was about 100 kilos. They sold more than 30 kilos and earned about 360 dollars. The rest of the turtle was given to friends and relatives, said the three buyers.

However, they claimed that the turtle had already died when it was caught. Since the Ocean and Fisheries Administration found no evidence of the three killing the turtle, the authority started to re-investigate the issue on Dec 7.

Authorities stressed on Dec 8 that the turtle was a leatherback turtle, a second class national protected animal in China, and the six people had broken criminal law.

The six people have been handed over to judiciary. Education efforts regarding sea wildlife protection is now being carried out in Guangdong to avoid similar issues happening again.
XI'AN - An aviation project worth about 5.3 billion yuan ($768 million) will be built in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, a local company confirmed Tuesday.

The project invested by Shaanxi Aviation Industry Development Group Co Ltd (SAIDC) will be located in the Xi'an National Civil Aerospace Industrial Base.

Under the agreement signed by SAIDC and the base on Friday, the project will involve the construction of an assembly line of Bell 407GXP helicopters, centers for helicopter training, emergency response and rescue, as well as the research and development related to drones.

Wang Yongan, chairman of SAIDC, told Xinhua that SAIDC would work with the US aircraft producer Bell Helicopter in developing the assembly line.
China is seriously concerned and makes "solemn representations" regarding an incident on Saturday where Japanese fighter jets closely harassed and shot decoy projectiles at Chinese air force planesDefense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said in a press release.

The incident occurred when Chinese air force planes were passing through the Miyako Strait to conduct a regular exercise over the West Pacific Ocean, Yang said.

Japan scrambled two F-15 fighter jets to intercept the Chinese planes, endangering the safety of the Chinese planes and its pilots.

Chinese pilots reacted quickly, and continued to carry out the related exercise, Yang said.

The Miyako Strait is a universally acknowledged international flight passage, Yang said. The exercise had been planned within this years air force training routine. It does not target any specific country nor objective and it adheres to international law and practices.

The reactions from the Japanese jets were dangerous and unprofessional. It disturbed the flight freedom granted by international law, Yang added.

Numerous interference by Japanese fleets and planes in recent years could easily lead to misunderstanding and misjudgment, causing friction or even conflict in the air and at sea, Yang said.

We urge Japan to bear maintaining regional security and the big picture of Sino-Japanese relations in mind, Yang said. And to take effective measures to prevent security issues in the air and at sea.
Two left-behind children follow their teacher to school in a mountainous area of Jiangxi province. ZHUO ZHONGWEI/CHINA DAILY

A series of news headlines recently has prompted soul-searching on the care for senior citizens and children.

A new draft law on the protection of minors in Zhejiang province, East China, says parents who have left their children at home to work in places hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometers away should contact their children at least once a month.

A 78-year-old woman in Sichuan province, Southwest China, recently took her four children to court for not visiting her regularly, and asked the court to pass a ruling to ensure the children do so. The court is yet to give its verdict.

And a nursing home for senior citizens in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, in East China, has announced a 200 yuan ($29) award for people who visit their parents at the home more than 30 times in two months. The home claims the number of visits has risen sharply since then.

Such news is heartbreaking. Do parents-children ties have to be sustained by law and monetary incentives?

Although laws and policies are being used to remind people to fulfill their filial duties and parental responsibilities as parents, it is difficult to enforce the law often due to the lack of plaintiff and corresponding punishment, and the effects of monetary awards may not last long.

The Sichuan case is perhaps the first of its kind, for few parents would want to embarrass their children by suing them for failing to fulfill their filial duties. Equally important, even if children can visit their parents in nursing homes everyday, parents would not like to trouble them so much.

There are two thorny issuesleft-behind children and empty-nest senior citizens, who to some extent are the victims of China's rapid urbanization.
The Mentougou district court in western Beijing recently issued a restraining order on a woman to protect her husband, surnamed Zhang, from domestic violence. It is the first such order to be issued in Beijing, and one of the first of its kind nationwide.

The court order, not surprisingly, has sparked a debate on social media. While many netizens have expressed sympathy for the man, some say they do not believe a man can be beaten up by his wife. A few have even made fun of Zhang, saying he is "not man enough" and "a true man should fight back".

There is a common misunderstanding about domestic violence in China. When people talk about domestic violence, they envisage a man beating up his wife. That to a large extent is true, especially because men in general are of better physical build than women. But that does not necessarily mean only men can be bullies.

Last May, in a primary school in Huaiyuan county, East China's Anhui province, a 13-year-old boy unidentified by the media bullied his entire class of seven. He is shorter than the rest of his classmates and does not have any physical advantage, yet he succeeded in bullying his classmates because of aggressive character. That happens in many families, too.

Another common misunderstanding about domestic violence is that it is a family affair in which the judiciary should not intervene. This idea runs so deep in some people's minds that they have even invented precepts to support their view: A good judge does not pass rulings in cases related family affairs; No one can be innocent in a fight; The victim must also have faults.

When incidents of domestic violence happen in some rural areas, relatives and friends of the family often intervene only to persuade the victim to forget the physical pain and humiliation for the sake of "maintaining peace in the family" and some victims even agree to it, which often leads to more severe domestic violence. An All-China Women's Federation survey shows that victims call the police after suffering domestic violence 35 times on average.

Worse, some judiciary officials seem to share that view, too, and thus adopt a laissez-faire attitude toward domestic violence. There have been too many cases in which police have refused to detain the perpetrators of domestic violence, claiming that it is a "family matter". This belief is so widespread that last July researchers at Hunan police academy held the first training course for police officers to teach them how they can help domestic violence victims.

And surprisingly, even during the training course, some officers insisted on not intervening in family matters, because they could not distinguish between normal family matters and domestic violence.

That's why the Mentougou court's restraining order is important. It not only breaks the common impression that only women suffer domestic violence, but also shows the judiciary's firm determination to protect all domestic violence victims. This, in the long run, will help improve the rule of law in China.

It may be not possible to root out domestic violence from Chinese society within a short period, but we hope at least the common misunderstanding about domestic violence can be removed from people's minds.

The author is a writer with China Daily. zhangzhouxiang@chinadaily.com.cn
Editor's note: A private high school in Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, offered a total of eight million yuan (US$1.2 million) to freshmen who did well on exams, triggering heated online discussions. Some Chinese parents use monetary rewards to help their children get better grades. Is giving cash for grades good or bad? Forum readers share their opinions.

mbursian (US)

Another reason for parents to ride their kids 24/7... If there isn't enough pressure to do well in school. I taught at Phoenix Union High School (Arizona, USA), a poor inner-city school, in the early 80's. The school board was considering paying the students minimum wage just to attend school. The school was federally funded because the student body consisted entirely of 'at risk' Black and Hispanic students... the funding was based solely on enrollment figures. The school was hoping to reverse the dropout rate and gain more funding. One of the main reasons students would drop out was that they were forced to work to help support their parent(s) and siblings. Teachers were forbidden to fail any student or give too low of grades... basically all the student had to do was show up to class and occupy a seat.
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A woman preparing the exhibition To Audrey With Love showcasing a retrospective of the work of designer Hubert de Givenchy. [Photo/Agencies]

Couturier Givenchy exhibits 100 outfits he made for actress Audrey Hepburn

One of the fashion world's greatest platonic love stories almost never came to pass, when in the 1950s French couturier Hubert de Givenchy at first refused a request to design for Audrey Hepburn.

"When Audrey came to me and asked me to make her dresses for the film Sabrina, I didn't know who she was. I was expecting Katharine Hepburn," Givenchy says in an emotional news conference for the opening of a new exhibition of his creations in The Netherlands.

"She arrived looking so vulnerable, so graceful, so young and sparkling" dressed like "a young girl today" in cotton trousers, ballerina flats and T-shirt which showed off her bellybutton, carrying a straw gondolier's hat, the designer recalls.

"But I wasn't really in any condition to make a major wardrobe for Sabrina and I told her, 'No, Mademoiselle, I can't dress you.'"

Luckily for fashionistas everywhere, Hepburn was not to be dissuaded and sweetly invited Givenchy to dinner. By the end of that meal in 1953, the aristocratic French designer had fallen under the spell of the petite actress. So began a creative friendship which lasted down the decades until the British film star died of cancer in 1993.

"She persuaded me, how lucky I was to have accepted," Givenchy says.
UNITED NATIONS - A Chinese envoy to the United Nations Friday called on the international community and the UN to maintain the overarching direction of seeking a political solution to the question of Syria.

Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, made the appeal at a UN General Assembly meeting on Syria at which a resolution demanding unhindered and unconditional humanitarian access throughout Syria was adopted.

"China is deeply concerned about the continuous escalation of conflict in Syria and worsening humanitarian situation in the relevant areas," said Wu.

"All efforts made should aim at facilitating the work of four tracks, namely a resumption of ceasefire, political negotiations, joint fight against terrorism and humanitarian assistance," he said, adding that the efforts should be Syrian-owned and Syrian-led.

Noting countries like Russia and the United States are actively engaging diplomatic efforts to ease the tension on the ground, Wu said "any measure taken by any party must respect the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria," and "aim at solving problems rather than complicating issues."

"Any unilateral attempt to exert pressure or to politicize humanitarian issue will only cause further turbulence in the situation rather than bringing the situation around," he added.

"On the question of Syria, China maintains the principles and purposes of the UN charter, uphold basic norms governing international relations and has played a constructive role in seeking a political settlement," said Wu.

"China is ready to join hands with the international community in a common search for a political settlement at an early date," he said.
Ghana President elect Nana Akufo-Addo, of the New Patriotic Party, smiles on being declared the winner of the presidential election in Accra, Ghana, Dec 9, 2016. [Photo/IC]

UNITED NATIONS - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Friday congratulated Nana Akufo-Addo on his election as president of Ghana.

In a statement issued here by his spokesman, Ban also thanked outgoing President John Dramani Mahama for his role in defusing tensions and preserving peace during the election period.

"The secretary-general congratulates the Ghanaian people, who turned out in large numbers to participate in the presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7," the statement said. "He also commends the Electoral Commission for the successful organization of the elections."

The secretary-general reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to continue assisting the government of Ghana in consolidating democratic and development achievements, according to the statement.

Akufo-Addo, the candidate of the largest opposition New Patriotic Party Nana, has won Ghana's closely contested presidential elections, official results on Friday by the electoral commission showed.

He garnered 5,716,026 votes, or 53.85 percent of the total valid votes cast, while his closest challenger Mahama from the ruling National Democratic Congress obtained 4,713,277 votes, or 44.40 percent.
ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson speaks during the IHS CERAWeek 2015 energy conference in Houston, Texas April 21, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON -- US President-elect Trump is expected to nominate Exxon Mobil Chief Executive Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state, NBC News reported on Saturday, quoting two sources close to the transition process.

However, NBC reported that the unnamed sources cautioned that nothing is final till Trump officially announces the pick probably next week.

Tillerson, 64, is the Texas-based oil company's CEO since 2006 and had moved ahead of other candidates for the position of the country's top diplomat after former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, once a favorite to be the next U.S. secretary of state, dropped out of the competition on Friday.

Meanwhile, NBC quoted one source as saying that former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton would be deputy secretary of state "for day-to-day management of the department."

Like Trump, Tillerson has no government experience and so far little is known of Tillerson's views about foreign affairs.

The Wall Street Journal quoted sources as saying that Tillerson's initial emergence as a candidate for the country's top diplomat surprised senior Exxon officials, including Tillerson himself.

But in Tillerson, a seasoned business executive, some Trump advisers saw a "mold-breaking pick who would bring an executive's experience to the diplomatic role," the Journal reported.

As Exxon's CEO, Tillerson, set to retire from the company in 2017, oversees business operations in over 50 countries and has known Russian President Vladimir Putin since 1990s when they first met.

Tillerson was awarded Russia's Order of Friendship in 2013, a state decoration to reward foreign nationals whose work is aimed at the betterment of relations with Russia.

Tillerson joined Exxon in 1975 and has spent his entire career at the company.
(Photo : Getty Images) Australia's Kidman is set to be purchased by Australian billionaire Gina Kidman in partnership with Shanghai CRED.

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After a long fought battle over ownership of S. Kidman and Co. Ltd, Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart and her Chinese business associate on Friday were given a green light by the Australian government to purchase the cattle farm.



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The farm, which is considered to be among the largest cattle estates globally, will now be co-owned by Australia's Outback Beef, which is owned by Gina Rinehart, and Shanghai CRED Real Estate Stock Co. Ltd. Outback Beef will own 67 percent of the comapny, while Shanghai CRED will have the remaining 33 percent.



Bloomberg reported that Scott Morrison, the Australian treasurer, assured that Australia would still remain a key shareholder in the Kidman ranch. He also added that two other farms, which were on sale, would still remain under Australian ownership.



"The agreement meant that the farm would remain majority owned by Australians," Morrison said. "Anna Creek and 'Peake' will be divided and shared by the farming family, the Williams."



Earlier efforts to purchase the cattle farm had been dismissed over fears of foreign companies purchasing Australian land.



Rinehart said that after reviewing what is expected by the Foreign Investment Review Board prior to the purchase of the land, buying it would not be going against the Australian interest.



The Daily Mail reported that Rinehart was willing to pay the price of AU$386.5 million (US$288 million) to purchase the farm, if at all the government were against the partnership with the Chinese business associates.



"The treasurer's approach to the sale of Kidman enabled a local Australian company to pay a market price and retain Kidman in Australian control," Rinehart said in a statement.



Greg Campbell, the managing director of Kidman Co., was overjoyed with the outcome of the ranch's sale.



"Rinehart is well known and her wish to assist the business to go forward is highly appreciated," Campbell noted.



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TagsAustralia, china, S. Kidman Co. Ltd, Shanghai CRED Real Estate Stock Co. Ltd, Ouback Beef, Gina Rinehart
(Photo : Getty Images) The Bureau of statistics has warned officials against the circulation of false data.

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Misappropriation of data presented can lead to jail in China, as false information has led to a great deal of distrust from the Chinese community, according to a Thursday presentation by governmental statistics personnel.



According to Reuters, Ning Jizhe, the Director of China's National Bureau of Statistics, said that cases of falsification of data have slowly been on the rise in the region with local officials going against the Chinese law while at it.



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"Beijing has zero tolerance and they will pay dearly for their actions," Jizhe said. "Authorities have been advised to create an environment where even the thought of breaking the law would not pass their mind."



In his remarks, Jizhe also noted that similar cases has been reported and dealt with by relevant authorities.



The Strait Times noted that false data have created doubt about Chinese data. It added that greed had been a triggering factor as officials reportedly hyped statistical data in a bid to advance in their career.



Data usually presented by various provinces in China often do not add up, thereby raising concerns about the manipulation of data by officials.



In news publication, officials in the customs department took a case sample of an importer who had more than tripled the value of their fake eyelashes back in March at Dalian City in the northeastern province.



In a statement by Premier Li Keqiang, he explained that the worrying trend is something that needed clarification, else it would damage the state's image drastically.



Back in 2007, Li was overheard saying that data that had been presented by the then US ambassador to China were 'cooked up'.



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Tagschina, China's National Bureau of Statistics, False Data presesntation
(Photo : Getty Images) Celebrity hacker Alonzo Knowles received five years jail time for exposing sexually explicit photos of artists and hacking unpublished TV scripts.

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A hacker who stole several sexually explicit photos and videos of celebrities, as well as unpublished TV and film scripts, has been sentenced to five years in prison. The hacker, identified as Alonzo Knowles, was sentenced by a New York City federal court after pleading guilty to the charges of hacking.



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The 24-year-old hacker's sentence is nearly doubled as suggested in the federal guideline since the judge saw him to be "devoid of remorse." Reports claimed that Knowles was apologetic when he pleaded guilty. However, New York Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said that the defendant's behavior while in jail suggested otherwise.



During his hacking spree, Knowles was able to get his hands on a copy of 25 unreleased TV and film scripts, banking details, and explicit videos and images, according to BBC. One of the stolen scripts was for a planned biographical film about Tupac Shakur entitled "All Eyez on Me."



According to The Verge, the Bureau of Prisons monitored some of Knowles emails in which he detailed his plans to write a book in which he will spill all the secrets he was able to get his hands on from the private email accounts he hacked.



In one of his emails, Knowles wrote, "Everyone loves gossip. I cant wait to get out i already know how the cover is gonna look."



Knowles also detailed his plan to hack into Twitter accounts in order to promote the book he is going to write. He also wrote that he plans to sell his book at $35 per copy.



Based on this evidence, Judge Engelmayer said that releasing Knowles will simply allow him to commit the same crime he had committed, which is why the judge quadrupled the 14-month sentence that Knowles' lawyer initially asked for.



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Tagshack, hacker, hackers, Leak, online leak, Celebrity Hack, celebrity leak
(Photo : Getty Images) Participants use laptops on the first day of the 28th Chaos Communication Congress (28C3) - Behind Enemy Lines computer hacker conference on December 27, 2011 in Berlin, Germany.

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A cyberattack group based in Turkey is offering interested hackers to join a dedicated distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) platform and earn points that can then be exchanged for certain hacking tools. The platform is called Surface Defense, and it asks hackers to target political websites using a DDoS tool called Balyoz, which literally translates to Sledgehammer.



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According to ZDNet, participants in this hacking platform are recruited from various hacking forums. Once recruited, hackers are told to download the Surface Defense collaboration software.



The program then runs locally on a computer and will download necessary tools used for the DDoS attack. Once the necessary tools are downloaded and installed, users can launch an attack on the target website. Traffic is through The Onion Router (Tor) in order to disrupt online services.



For every 10 minutes the Sledgehammer tool is working, the user will receive one point. These points can be accumulated and exchanged for including a standalone version of the Sledgehammer tool, which users can use to launch their own DDoS attacks. The tool can also be used to launch bots that can generate revenue using pay-to-click schemes.



The hacking operation was discovered by Forcepoint Security Labs. At the time of the discovery, the security firm said that the hacking group have 24 websites on its target list. The list of targets include some Kurdish media websites, the German Christian Democratic Party websites, and several Israeli domains.



Security researchers investigating the hacking group said that the operator behind Surface Defense use a hidden backdoor, which in turn can be used against some of its participants, according to PC World.



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Tagshack, hacker, hackers, DDoS, botnet, surface defense, ESET, denial of service, distributed denial of service
(Photo : Getty Images) Mission specialist, Astronaut Stephen K. Robinson, is anchored to a foot restraint on the International Space Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm, during his space walk to repair the underside of the space shutttle Discovery August 3, 2005.

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently launched a project that will develop and create a robot spacecraft that will act as sort of space mechanic that can perform repairs on satellites while in orbit.



NASA announced that the contract to build such robot space mechanic was awarded to the California-based Space Systems/Loral, according to Computer World. The contract costs $127 million.



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The planned robot mechanic is called Restore-L. Based on NASA's plans, the robot should be able to grasp, relocate, and refuel satellites in low Earth orbit. The space mechanic can also test prototype technologies that will have applications for future missions.



Space Systems/Loral has three years to build the space mechanic. The project is expected to be launched in 2020.



The amount of fuel space satellites can carry is determined by engineers before they are launched into space. Without the ability to refuel once they are in space, space satellites' lifespan depend mostly on how much fuel they can carry into space. This lifespan can be cut even shorter when satellites encounter mechanical or electrical problems once in orbit.



As hundreds of satellites are nearing their operational lifespan, government agencies are now looking for alternative methods in order to remedy this problem. Engineers have come up with the idea of building a space robot that can perform tune-up and services while in space.



According to Gizmondo, the primary goal of the Restore-L robot is to refuel Landsat 8, an important Earth-monitoring satellite that is operated and monitored by the United States Geological Survey and NASA.



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TagsNASA, NASA, Robot, Space, space robot, space mechanic, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(Photo : Getty Images) China's state-owned tabloid Global Times warned Mongolia on Friday about receiving financial aid from India.

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China's popular state-owned tabloid on Friday warned Mongolia for seeking financial aid from India to cope with economic hardship that the land-locked mountainous country has been facing due to recent trade blockade imposed by Chinese government.



The stern warning by Chinese state media comes barely hours following reports by Indian media confirmed that New Delhi may offer up to $1 billion credit line to the Mongolian government, after the latter approached the Modi government for financial aid.



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The Global Times said that it hopes that Mongolia stays neutral and continues to benefit from its two lone neighbors - China and Russia - and not get involved in any major power competition.



It cautioned the predominately Buddhist country against engaging with 'third neighbor', which is an open reference to India.



"However, it also hopes it could seek a third neighbor, which can enable the country to reap more profits by gaining more bargaining chips. But, Mongolia should be alerted that it cannot afford the risks of such geopolitical games," it said.



It termed Mongolia's understanding about international diplomacy as "naive," adding that it must not accept positive reciprocation from China after trying to harm its regional interest. It asserted that the country must instead try to reap benefits from China's economic growth.



The article said that it was naive of Mongolia to ask help from India, warning that the move will "only complicate the situation and leave a narrower space to sort the issue out. We hope the crisis-hit Mongolia will learn its lessons."



Meanwhile, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, on Thursday had refused to comment on reports that the Indian government may bailout the crisis-hit North East Asian country.



Dalai Lama's Visit to Ulaanbaatar Creates Tension



The latest strain in bilateral relationship between Mongolia and China is a direct result of the Dalai Lama's unexpected four-day visit to Ulaanbaatar last month.



Beijing had warned the Mongolian government against the visit, asserting that it opposed insurgent activities carried out by the Dalai Lama in any foreign country.



Ulaanbaatar, however, downplayed Beijing's warning, stating that the famous Buddhist monk's four-day visit is only a religious affair and the government has nothing to do with it.



China views the Dalai Lama as a "separatist leader," whose sole aim is to break Tibet from Mainland China.



The controversial Buddhist leader fled Tibet in 1959, after leading a 'failed uprising' against the Chinese government. Since then, the globetrotting spiritual leader has been living exile in the Northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.



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Tagschina, China and Mongolia, Mongolia, India, India and Mongolia, Dalai Lama
(Photo : Getty Images) South Korea's President Park Geun-Hye attends the emergency cabinet meeting at the presidential office on December 9, 2016 in Seoul, South Korea.

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South Korean President Park Geun-hye has made history twice after she became the first female president and the first to be removed from her seat after 234 lawmakers voted to impeach her on Friday.



Geun-hye had been a cause of great skeptism after she was alleged to have been involved in a corruption scandal. Crowds had gathered occasionally outside the Blue House to protest against her governing system, arguing that she and her allies had too much fraud and misused their power.



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Out of 300 votes from her Saenuri party, 234 members favored for her impeachment, 56 were against it, and the rest were spoilt votes. For the motion of her impeachment to be granted, at least 200 votes were needed.



After the verdict, Geun-hye issued out a public apology, adding that her failure to observe the law was inexcusable, according to MailOnline.



"The South Korean nation faces this daring times and I am deeply sorry because of my negligence and lack of moral excellence," Geun-hye said.



The Irish Times reported that as stipulated in South Korea's constitution, she will be temporarily relieved of her executive powers as the consitutional court ratify her impeachment within 180 days to make it permanent.



In her absence, her duties will be taken over by South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who, in a statement, said that he was deeply saddened by the turn-out of events.



"As one of the president's subordinates, I feel a deep responsibility about the situation we are currently facing," Kyo-ahn said.



If the verdict on her impeachment is granted by the court, Geun-hye will officially be relieved of her seat and a re-election will be carried out within 60 days.



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TagsSouth Korea, President Park Geun-Hye, Impeachment hearing
(Photo : Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Donald Trump has continued to bash China during his ''thank you rallies saying it's about time Beijing starts to change its unfair trade practices.

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Amid his ongoing anti-China rhetoric, US President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday called for an improvement in Sino-US relations saying it was one of the most important relationships that the United States needs to cultivate with the world's second largest economy.



"One of the most important relationships we must improve, and we have to improve, is our relationship with China," Trump told his supporters in a gratitude rally held in Iowa.



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Trump has been attacking China through Twitter over several issues such as its questionable economic policies, its failure to rein in North Korea, and its increased aggression in the South China Sea.



Trade Practices



The incoming president has repeatedly and openly criticized Beijing, branding it as a currency manipulator and accusing it of not 'playing by the rules' in its trade dealings.



Although Trump pointed out that China 'is not a market economy,' he, however, urged Beijing to start toeing the line in its trade practices.



"You have the massive theft of intellectual property, putting unfair taxes on our companies, not helping with the menace of North Korea like they should, and the at-will and massive devaluation of their currency and product dumping," Trump said of China during the rally.



Trump has been criticizing China since his presidential campaign and has further provoked Beijing following his recent phone call with Taiwan president Tsai Lng-wen last week, breaking decades old protocol wherein the US recognizes only the Beijing government.



Breakaway Province



China considers Taiwan as a breakaway province and has publicly declared that it would not hesitate to use force if the island persists in pushing for independence.



The US Treasury Department as well as the International Monetary Fund denied that China was a currency manipulator. Records from the World Trade Organization showed that Chinese tariffs on imported goods are generally higher than US tariffs.



Trump has repeatedly threatened China that it would slap a 45 percetn tariff on all imported China-made goods as he accused Beijing of robbing jobs from US workers.



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TagsPresident-elect Donald Trump, currency manipulator, North Korea, trade practices, South China Sea, Taiwan president Tsai-Lng-wen, International Monetary Fund, President Xi Jinping, US workers
(Photo : Getty Images) Boko Haram has been known to use women and small girls in their terror attacks.

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Over 50 people have been left dead while an estimated 177 sustained serious injuries after two female bombers who disguised themselves as customers hit a busy market in Magali Town, Nigeria, on Friday.



The incident that transpired in the Northeastern region of Nigeria was not immediately accounted for.



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France 24 reported that Yusuf Muhammad, the head of the region's government, as well as the Emergency Agency (NEMA) affirmed the Friday incident.



"The two women released the explosives at the market where cereals and used items were sold after they had disguised themselves to fit in with the crowd," Muhammad said.



Boko Haram was, however, suspected because of their known trademark of using women and young girls and the fact that the Islamist group has a tendency of attacking crowded regions such as market places.



Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari sent out his condolences to the victims and said that the Friday incident was an act of desperations and that the military would still pursue the group by every means necessary.



"We need to be observant and report anything suspicious thing to the relevant officials," Buhari said.



The Islamic group has so far killed not less than 15,000 civilians with more than two million being forced to evacuate their homes.



VOA noted that this is the second attack in the region this year. The first incident was in June when the Islamic group attacked a funeral gathering and killed at least 18 people.



In December last year, a similar attack was also carried out in the same region where 30 lives were lost after two females detonated a bomb at a bus station close to where the Friday incident occurred.



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TagsNigeria, Boko Haram, terrorism
(Photo : Getty Images) A Tibetan man has set himself on fire while protesting against Chinese rule in Tibet.

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A Tibetan father of three on Thursday evening set himself on fire in China's northwestern region of Gansu, a Buddhist community, in what is considered to be a radical protest for the return of the Dalai Lama from India.



Tashi Rabten, 33, set himself ablaze on the street of Machu County while protesting against Chinese policies on the Tibetan community. He shouted slogans like "long live his holiness the Dalai Lama" and "His holiness the Dalai Lama return to Tibet," according to a publication.



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Chinese authorities then took the charred body on Thursday. The following day, Rabten's family members went to authorities to claim his remain; however, they were detained by police officials instead.



A report by the South China Morning Post stated that early efforts to gather information from the officials had proven to be futile after calls went unanswered.



Meanwhile, an anonymous source told Tibet Post-International however that Rabten's younger cousin also set herself on fire in 2012 with a similar plea against the Chinese rule.



The source stated that although he died in the act, Chinese officials demanded that his family attribute the incident to family issues. This is, however, a short-lived solution since Rabten had earlier written a letter detailing the reason for his radical outcry.



The Hong Kong Free Post noted that the current Dalai Lama is considered a threat to the Chinese society as he has been blamed for similar incidents of Tibetans setting themselves on fire. The current Dalai Lama, however, defended himself and stressed that the actions, although they come from a genuine place, should not be encouraged.



Rabten's "spiritual suicide" has been the 146th of its kind since 2009. Of the total count, 23 are said to have survived.



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Tagschina, Tibet, China Dalai Lama, Tibet Suicide
(Photo : PLAN) Type 055.

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Taiwan media is reporting that construction China's first Type 055 guided missile destroyer -- the largest and most heavily armed destroyer in the world -- is nearing completion.



Spy satellite photos indicate construction of the big 14,000 ton destroyer is in its final stages. This means the first Type 055 might be launched in January 2017. Other sources, however, claim the destroyer will be launched later this month.



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The photos also show two Type 055 destroyers being built at the Jiangnan Changxing Shipyard in Shanghai. One of these warships, probably the lead ship, is now equipped with engines and radar.



Chinatopix in October reported China's first Type 055 guided missile destroyer will enter service with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) before 2020.



Displacing 14,000 tons, the Type 055 will become the heaviest destroyer afloat. It's about 2,000 tons heavier than the new USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) stealth destroyer of the United States Navy that became operational in October.



And with 128 vertical launch system (VLS) cells loaded with a mix of missiles, the Type 055 will have missile firepower greater than the U.S. Navy's Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, but will be at par with the Sejong the Great-class guided missile destroyers of the Republic of Korea Navy. The Zumwalt is armed with 80 VLS cells.



The lead ship of the Type 055-class began construction in 2015. When launched, the Type 055 will be the largest non-capital surface warship built in Asia since World War II.



The only warships heavier than the Type 055 were the heavy cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy that weighed over 10,000 tons.



The Type 055 will have four large AESA radars for defense against aerial and maritime threats. The radars will be linked to the ship's 128 VLS that carry air-to-air and anti-ship missiles.



The warship will be able to deploy future sensors and weapons like towed array sonar, variable depth sonar, towed torpedo decoys and active torpedo defenses. This means the Type 055 will have an organic anti-submarine capability, helping remedy the PLAN's greatest weakness.



Rear Admiral Yin Zhuo described the Type 055 as a "game changer in naval warfare." Adm. Yin is a member of the PLAN's advisory board on cybersecurity and once served as a national political adviser to the communist central government.



The Type 055 will see service as escorts to the CNS Shandong, China's second aircraft carrier currently being built. But it's the second generation of the Type 055 -- the Type 055A -- China claims will be armed with railguns. PLAN expects to begin building the Type 055A starting 2020.



It plans to initially use its railguns, however, to replace its current close in weapons systems (CIWS) providing the last ditch defense of its surface warships. China's CIWS, the Type 730 seven-barreled 30 mm Gatling gun, is effective against slow aircraft and aerial drones. It's ineffective against supersonic cruise missiles and modern anti-ship missiles, however.



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TagsType 055 guided missile destroyer, china, People's Liberation Army Navy, USS Zumwalt, Chinatopix, vertical launch system
(Photo : DARPA) DARPA Director Dr. Arati Prabhakar.

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The head of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) affirms the unstinting support of the Department of Defense (DoD) for DARPA over the past 60 years has sparked revolutions in a range of technologies.



DARPA Director Dr. Arati Prabhakar said DoD support for DARPA's work has "led to stealth, to precision strike, to artificial intelligence, the Internet, and the foundations for modern microelectronics."



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"It happened because of a mission that was the foundation of this organization," she said. "And none of that would have been possible without now six decades of sustained support."



Prabhakar said the roots of DARPA's ability to innovate "lie in a model that says we've constantly focused on the same mission over all these decades, we constantly reinforce our culture."



"But in everything other than mission and culture, we are relentless. We are ruthless about walking away from it and moving on to the next thing ... and that is built into the fact that we are a projects agency."



A project is something that starts and ends, she said. A project's built into the way DARPA brings people in from different parts of the technical community.



These people include technical leaders in their fields; who come with backgrounds in the commercial or defense industry; entrepreneurs or people that have worked in big companies; people from universities; people from every part of the not-for-profit community and from universities.



"They come to DARPA with all of that expertise; all of that drive and brilliance that they bring. But they come for short periods of time -- this idea that you want to be constantly able to refresh and renew," she said.



DARPA puts a critical mass of resources onto projects with big ambitious goals. It works hard to first build into its business processes the ability to take the risks needed to reach for big impact.



Then, they do the work it takes to drive the risk down because ultimately they hand the technologies off to people and companies who take them and make them operational, she noted.



By every measure except DARPA's own mission the world is better, said Prabhakar.



"We've been very successful, but it is now a fact of life that many dimensions of technology ... are being very aggressively driven by the private sector ... and globally and not just in the United States," she added.



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TagsDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, department of defense, Dr. Arati Prabhakar
Out of Egypt I called my son (Hosea 11:1; quoted in Matthew 2:15).

When Charles Spurgeon preached on this verse, he began his sermon this way:

Egypt occupies a very singular position towards Israel. It was often the shelter of the seed of Abraham. Abraham himself went there when there was a famine in the land of his sojourn. To Egypt Joseph was taken that he might escape from the death intended for him by his envious brethren, and become the foster-father of the house of Israel. Into Egypt, as we all well know, went the whole family of Jacob, and there they sojourned in a strange land. There Moses acquired the learning which was so useful to him.

He points out that while God sometimes sent his children to Egypt to protect them, he always delivered them from Egypt later. So Moses and the children of Israel came out of Egypt in the great passage through the Red Sea. They needed Egypt for protection, but they were never meant to stay there forever.

We dont know how long Jesus and his parents stayed in Egypt, or where they stayed, or how old Jesus was at the time. But those details dont matter. God protected Jesus by sending him to Egypt at just the right moment to spare his life. One writer called this the cross-handed providence of God because a desperate flight to escape Herod turns out to be a great mercy from the Lord. But it would only be seen in reverse.

My favorite definition of faith comes from Philip Yancey: Faith means believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse. Many things in this life make no sense to us. We all have deep and personal questions that defy all human answers. We want to know why things happen the way they do and why couldnt things have happened some other way. It would be wrong to say that faith provides all the answers. It doesnt. Perhaps in heaven we will fully understand, or in heaven our desire to know will be transformed by our vision of the Lord. By faith we see things that are invisible to others and by faith we believe in advance those things that right now make no sense but one day will make perfect sense because we will view them in reverse.

Its only as we look back that we say, I can see why it had to happen that way. So it is for all of us. God often sends us to Egypt to protect us and to prepare us for what is to come.

Do not despair if you feel like you are in Egypt today. What seems like a punishment or a detour may turn out to be a great gift from the Lord. When we view our trials through the lens of Gods providence, they turn out to be gifts from heaven. This is true even when our trials seem like a great burden.

God knows what he is doing even when we cant see it.

Father, help us to trust you when the way forward seems unclear. Give us faith to take the next step with you even if it seems to lead to Egypt. Amen.

Musical bonus : Todays song started as a French carol, but became very popular in America after it was translated into English in the late 1800s. Lets listen as David Phelps sings O Holy Night.

You can reach the author at [email protected]. Click here to sign up for the free email sermon.
5 Ways To Be More Christlike This Christmas

Black Friday tells us that Christmas is about buying things  lots of things. Our culture tells us it's about eating food  lots of food. As soon as Halloween is through, shops stock up on copious boxes of cards and goodies. Christmas trees and sparkly lights grace our streets, and we get that warm fuzzy feeling inside. Christmas is on its way.

But Jesus is nowhere to be seen. So I understand why Christians get hung up on putting Christ back into the festivities. It's a noble and righteous desire  it's his birthday after all. But does that really need to mean getting angry with people who wish us a 'merry xmas' or 'happy holidays'? And is hosting a brilliant carol service and inviting all your friends and family along the only way of having a Christ-centred Christmas? Surely not.

As Christians, Christ is in the every day  because he is in us  but there are ways we can use this special season to be more like him.

1. Invite the lonely

The widow, the orphan, the alcoholic, the prisoner, the prostitute, the tax collector. The outsider. That's who Jesus had dinner with. It certainly wasn't always comfortable. It probably would have been easier to go and hang with the Pharisees for a three-course feast. But, praise God, that's not where he chose to be.

In every town, church, workplace and neighbourhood there are people who are dreading Christmas. Because while everyone else appears to be having the best day ever, they're even more aware than ever that they're alone. They're outside. They're excluded.

I think if his birthday had been such a big deal while he was around, Jesus would have invited these people to his party. It would have been like the wedding feast in Matthew 22, where "the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good" (22:10). It would have been mayhem  but also kind of fun.

If you can squeeze one or two more people round the table this Christmas, invite the stranger in. Feed the hungry and give the thirsty something to drink. Be willing to make your Christmas a little less comfortable to be Christ to someone who needs hope.

2. Make peace with someone

Christmas is a celebration of the Prince of Peace coming into the world, yet how easily we hold grudges. This Christmas, why not make peace with someone who you're holding a grudge against? Offer a Christlike hand of forgiveness. Buy them a present  knowing you're definitely not getting one in return. Invite them for mulled wine and minced pies. Live out the perfect peace we're celebrating this season.

3. Shop ethically (and don't buy too much)

Christmas has become synonymous with gift-giving. And in a way, that's nice. It fits in with the Christmas story, with the wise men giving gifts to the greatest gift any of us will ever receive. And we all like to receive a present every now and again. But, if we're honest, it's all got a bit out of hand. And we don't often think about the impact of our consumerism.

So this Christmas, why not commit to shopping ethically? To buying gifts that don't come stitched together with slavery?

Clothing brands like Krochet Kids and People Tree are driven by their ethics not by profits. Gift shops like Heaven's Attic give a chunk of their profits to charity. Online retailers like Global Seesaw provide a way for UK customers to buy items that have been made by women who have escaped prostitution. A quick Google search will open a world of ethical shopping options. If you're buying someone chocolate, choose to buy fairtrade. It takes time, but it is possible to make shopping choices that recognise the value of humanity and of our world.

Another option is to buy your favourite people those goats in Niger or polio drops for 100 children they've always wanted. Charities like Oxfam and UNICEF offer a whole range of gifts that can change the lives of some of the world's poorest people. Well worth considering.

4. Be grateful

For many of us, Christmas isn't restful. It's jam-packed with last-minute shopping, pressing deadlines at work, children demanding gifts that are sold out in every Argos for 50 miles... But strip away the tree, the lights, the gifts, the stress, and we have so much to be thankful for. Even if everything in our lives seems to be going wrong, Christ still came for us.

Most of us will have lots of things to be thankful for this Christmas. Take time to notice them, to enjoy them, and to show your gratitude to the people who make your life what it is. Most of all, be grateful to God, and let that thankfulness flow out into your interactions with others this Christmas. When we take time to realise how much we have we're much more likely to give some of it away.

5. Make a resolution to live out Christ's coming every day this coming year

"Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:11).

Jesus came into the world to save us, to redeem us, to bring us life. What would it look like if we didn't just fight to put Christ back into Christmas, but strived this coming year to put him into our everyday lives? To be the good news he brought into the world this New Year?

What could you do differently? Which friend of yours who does not yet know Jesus would really value your selfless friendship? What money do you have that you could give away to someone else in need? What situations could really use your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self control?

How about using this Christmas as a springboard to intentionally live out Christ every day in 2017?

None of these things are easy. They may well make Christmas shopping more expensive and Christmas day more awkward. They will mean putting ourselves out there and risking rejection and embarrassment. But they might also give us a glimpse into what it's like for God to welcome us at his table  with all our flaws, quirks and failures.
'Jacob Sheep' Return to Israel: 'Precursor' to Third Temple and Second Coming of Christ?

The arrival in Israel this month of an ancient breed of sheep has been called a "prophetic precursor" for the building of the Third Temple in Jerusalem.

In turn, the building of this temple is said to be one of the prophesied events leading to the Second Coming of Christ.

Exactly 119 sheep reportedly descended from Jacob's flock have returned to their biblical homelandthe first time the sheep have stepped on Israeli soil since biblical times, the Times of Israel reported.

The breed received the name "Jacob sheep" based on Genesis Chapter 30, where Jacob talks about leaving his father-in-law Laban's home and taking part of the flock as his payment for years of service. "I will pass through all thy flock today, removing from thence every speckled and spotted one, and every dark one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and of such shall be my hire," he is quoted as saying in Genesis 30:32.

The path taken by the sheep was the same path taken by Jacob who went to Canaan and then Egypt.

When the Jews returned to Israel, the uniquely speckled sheep did not return with them.

As described in a Charisma News report, the sheep are "small, piebald and crowned distinctively with four horns." They are a "heritage" breed, which means mean they retain many of their genetic traits and remain relatively unchanged from their origins.

Gil and Jenna Lewinsky, the Jewish couple who brought the sheep to Israel from Canada, plan to open a Heritage Park in the Golan Heights in northern Israel as a tourist attraction to enable people to see the biblical sheep for themselves, according to Breaking Israel News.

Gil Lewinsky said they have another, much loftier purpose for the proposed park.

"There will be a woolery at the Heritage Park which will turn the raw wool into religious clothing, shirts and prayer shawls. The horns can be crafted into shofars," he said.

The biblical instrument known as a shofar, still in Jewish ritual use today, is commonly made from the horn of a ram (male sheep). In the Book of Joel, the shofar is associated with the arrival of the Messiah.

"Sound a shofar in Zion and sound an alarm in My holy mountain; all the inhabitants of the land shall quake, for the day of the Lord has come, for it is near." (Joel 2:1)

Furthermore, Lewinsky said, "once the Beit Hamikdash (the Jewish name for the Third Temple) is built, the sheep can be sacrificed there, being the original sheep of our ancestors. In fact, the sheep is a central animal for Temple service; without it, it cannot function."

According to Lamb & Lion Ministries, "there is definitely going to be a third temple" and that "the Antichrist will desecrate this temple in the middle of the Tribulation."

The website said, "The Third Temple will be destroyed at the Second Coming of Jesus."

"In Jerusalem it will result in the provision of a very large level area where the Millennial Temple will be constructed. This is the temple from which Jesus will reign over all the earth. It is described in detail in Ezekiel 40-46," the website said.
Muslim Reporter Asks Ken Ham If He's Going to Hell; Check Out His Response

Answers in Genesis founder Ken Ham recently talked to a Muslim reporter for an Asian news network, and their conversation eventually touched on the afterlife.

Curious, the reporter asked Ham if he would be going to hell because of his Islamic faith. Ham, who is also president of Christian attractions such as the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter, did not mince words, telling the reporter that all those who are not born again through Jesus Christ are headed towards the wrong path.

Ham shared this incident in a post for Answers in Genesis. He said the interview with the reporter from Channel NewsAsia was held at the Creation Museum in Kentucky, where he was swamped with "aggressive questioning" concerning social issues such as gay marriage and abortion.

"As a Muslim, the reporter wanted to know if I believed he was going to Hell. I answered by quoting Scripture and Jesus, who said: 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God' (John 3:3)," Ham shared.

"I explained that whether a person was a Baptist, Presbyterian, Hindu, Muslim, or so on, if a person was not born again, then that person will not be with the Lord but separated from Him in a place the Bible calls Hell. I was able to explain the Gospel in detail to him," he said.

As for his stance concerning gay marriage, Ham said the only thing he supports is the traditional definition of marriage. He said marriage should only be between one man and one woman, and those who accept same-sex marriage, despite its legalisation in America, are engaging in sin.

Ham expressed concern that the situation will worsen in the years to come. "The more that generations are taught evolutionary ideas, the more they will doubt and disbelieve the Bible  and the more they will abandon Christian morality/doctrines," he said.

The Creationist said he talked to the reporter for "quite a while," and that their interview will be aired in the network sometime in 2017. "The Lord certainly gives us some interesting opportunities to share the message of God's Word and the Gospel to others," Ham said.
Pope Francis' Christmas Card: Why It Contains 2 Images of Baby Jesus

For the past three years, Pope Francis has personally hand-picked his Christmas card to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. This year, the card he chose is special since it featured two baby Jesuses.

The image he chose is the artwork made by Giotto di Bondone, which is a 14th-century fresco of the nativity in Assisi. For the pope's card, the image is accompanied by a verse from the book of Isaiah.

The card shows typical images found in a nativity scene, such as shepherds, angels, and animals, according to the National Catholic Register. It also shows the Virgin Mary cradling the baby Jesus.

But this particular image stands out because there's a midwife holding another baby Jesus.

Enzo Fortunato, press officer of the Sacred Convent of Assisi, said the two baby Jesuses are meant to exhibit both the human and divine nature of Christ.

"The first is represented by the two midwives who are located next to one of the baby Jesuses, embracing, wrapping and supporting him," he explained. The embrace is symbolic because it means Jesus has been deemed as "a part of the humanity to which we belong."

As for the swaddling clothes, he said these point out "the need to alleviate the suffering of others." The image of breastfeeding signifies alleviation from hunger, while the suffering of the cold shows how Jesus had been "forced to leave His native home."

Fortunato is not surprised the pope selected the image, saying it is relevant in today's society, what with migrants in need of new homes. Through this Christmas card, the pope is expressing his unity to those who have been marginalised.

"It's really here where we are called to perceive, through our gestures, God with us. It's Christmas," wrote Fortunato. "And it's these peripheries through which the pope would like the fresco to help man to become aware of God through the gestures of everyday life."
Philanthropist Eric M. Hilton, the youngest son of the founder of Hilton Hotels, died Saturday morning at his home in Las Vegas. He was 83.

Hilton was born in Dallas on July 1, 1933. He started his career while still in high school by working as an engineer in the El Paso Hilton. He apprenticed as a bellman, doorman, steward, cook, elevator operator, desk clerk and telephone operator.

After graduating from El Paso High School in 1951, he attended Texas Western College and then served in the Army as a radar specialist during the Korean War.

Upon his discharge, he worked his way up at the Hilton. In 1959, he was appointed resident manager of the Deshler Hilton in Columbus, Ohio. He was appointed general manager of the Shamrock Hilton in Houston in 1961, according to his biography on the University of Houston website.

STAYING OUT: Attitude of wealthy Americans should scare chain hotels

Hilton, who retired as vice chairman of Hilton Hotels Corporation in 1997, was instrumental in getting the University of Houston's Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management named after his father in 1969.

His family lived in Hong Kong, Houston and Las Vegas before permanently settling in Las Vegas in 2013. There he founded both the Three Square Food Bank and the non-profit Nevada Medical Center.

Hilton previously served on the seven-member international jury that selects recipients for the annual $1.5 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize. He also spent more than four decades as director of the Little League Foundation of America.

He is survived by his wife, his older brother Barron Hilton, four children, two stepchildren and 11 grandchildren. Services are pending.
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Rumors are starting to circulate about Scott Pelley, a San Antonio native who is both "CBS Evening News" anchor and a member of the network's "60 Minutes" team.

Not just one rumor but two.

According to Page Six.com, Pelley is slated to be replaced as the "Evening News" anchor and has bought a ranch in Texas. Ah yes, the infamous, unspecified "somewhere in Texas." That's a lot of land.

One school of thought, according to pagesix.com, is that he wants to work from home on "60 Minutes" projects. Home on the ranch, that is.

Realtors, of course, don't go around blabbing about well-heeled clients who might be shopping for huge chunks of property.

CASH FLOW: Houston among the leaders in positive home equity

But we checked in with one of the Lone Star State's most veteran ranch brokers, Sam Middleton of Chas S. Middleton and Sons in Lubbock. He was one of the brokers who conferred with potential buyers of the iconic Waggoner ranch for about a year in the first stages of that purchase.

Early this year, Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke bought the Waggoner ranch that had an asking price of $725 million.

Middleton, who has been in the business for 47 years and represents buyers and sellers in five states, said Friday he hadn't heard anything about Pelley buying a Texas ranch. But there could be "50 or 100" other brokers involved, he said.

NON-RANCH MARKET: 35-acre League City island for sale

Asked for some general thoughts on the market, Middleton said it's pretty good right now.

"Our business has been very good," he said. "The demand for ranches is very strong right now, especially since the election."

Middleton said his clients are "surprised and happy" with the election outcome.

"It's given everybody a shot in the arm," he said.

Right now, Middleton's firm has 11 ranches for sale in Texas, a dozen in New Mexico and two in Colorado.

"The deals we've got will be from about $3 million on the small side to a little over $50 million," he said.

Yes, business is good.
Each week, Crime Stoppers officials in Houston and Montgomery County release a new list of what they consider to be their most highly sought fugitives.

In Houston, Crime Stoppers is searching for what the organization calls its 10 "most wanted" fugitives. Anyone with information about these suspects is asked to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 713-222-TIPS (8477).
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The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office has arrested two men in connection with the death of a 19-year-old woman at a Shenandoah hotel Nov. 25.

Ryan Ray Moore, 22, is charged with murder and Brandan Douglas Rains, 22, is charged with tampering with evidence and public intoxication. Both men are lodged at the Montgomery County Jail.
A 20-minute police chase across Houston that exceeded speeds of 100 mph ended early Friday when a police officer deployed a spike strip that deflated the fleeing vehicle's front tires, police said.

The chase started about 2 a.m. in Northside, at the North Freeway and Airline Drive, after an officer saw a light-colored Chevy Silverado pickup speed out of a private driveway without yielding the right of way, HPD Officer C.D. Curry said.
Firefighters are battling a large blaze Saturday morning at an apartment complex in southwest Houston.

The 3-alarm fire broke out about 9 a.m. at the Pier Club apartments at 9950 Club Greek near Green Fork, according to the Houston Fire Department.

Officials said no injuries were reported.

Smoke and flames heavily damaged some of the apartments. Firefighters were battling the blaze to gain control of the flames.

Initially, firefighters called for more personnel and equipment to help battle the blaze but the fire was upgraded to 3-alarm when it was feared a firefighter may have been missing in the blaze. That report was later determined to be unfounded. The firefighter was safe and all personnel has been accounted for. It was unknown what led to the erroneous may-day report.

So far, investigators have yet to determine what sparked the fire.
A 12-year-old boy last seen walking away from a middle school in Frisco is listed as missing and police are trying to find him.

The last known sighting of Elijah Horn-Cruz was Friday, Dec. 9, 2016, at Maus Middle School in Frisco.
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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In the wake of the 2016 presidential election, the visibility of far right-wing outlets like Breitbart has risenbut what about their counterparts on the far left? Columbia Journalism Schools George Delacorte Professor Keith Gessen sat down with Sarah Leonard, a senior editor at The Nation, and Jacobin Founding Editor and Publisher Bhaskar Sunkara on Dec 7 to talk about their publications roles in the age of Trump.

While disappointed by the election results, Leonard and Sunkara said the media isnt to blame for Trumps rise. I think there is this idea that the media is responsible for what people think to a larger degree than is true, and I think thats really presumptuous and often on the part of journalists, really smug, said Leonard. Its not the medias job to set anyones tone. The medias job is to provide information.

Leonard emphasized her left-leaning publications history of educating readers about politics, which she hopes will motivate them to organize. As a nonprofit, Jacobin does not endorse political candidates, but it does offer readers a wide array of political voices on the left. Its the best time to be a socialist in the United States since the 1970s, Sunkara wrote in a recent piece for the Brooklyn-based quarterly founded in 2010.

Jacobin has seen remarkable growth in recent years. In 2013, Sunkara told The New York Times that the magazine had about 2,000 subscribers and 250,000 online visitors per month. It now has over 25,000 subscribers. A print and digital subscription costs $29.95, while digital only is $19.95. Institutions can pay a flat rate of about 60 bucks for either deal.

Print is a key aspect of the publications success, Sunkara told the Delacorte audience, as revenue based solely on website impressions is hard to sustain. Thats where you end up with content mills and you burn out your writers, Sunkara said. You pay them poorly, and its partially because the economics of it is so bad. Its not because these people are all terrible. Jacobin also relies on universities to subsidize some of its content. He explained that the magazine often publishes adapted excerpts from academic dissertations, which saves money and resources.

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I just want to underscore theshockingness of what he just said, Gessen told the audience, which is that in order to survive as a small publication, you need to have a print component you can actually sell.

Leonard did not give specific numbers, but explained that most of The Nations funding comes from subscriptions, its donor base, and fundraising. To encourage additional subscriptions, the magazine uses a meter system with a cap on the number of articles that can be read without paying. She noted that while the magazine does carry ads on its website, they dont generate big profits.

While much of the lecture focused on political activism to counter the results of the election, both magazines are also seeing a post-Trump increase in subscribers and Web traffic. Jacobin had nearly five million pageviews in the last month, Sunkara said. Leonard added that The Nations subscriptions normally jump during Republican presidencies, noting that the magazine saw its highest rise in subscriptions during George W. Bushs presidency.

Whats bad for the nation is good for The Nation, Sunkara joked in response.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Carlett Spike is a freelance writer and former CJR Delacorte Fellow. Follow her on Twitter @CarlettSpike.
Western Reserve Distillers

Western Reserve Distillers plans to renovate the former Fridrich Moving and Storage building on Madison Avenue and begin selling vodka, rum, gin and whiskey by next fall. This rendering shows how the outside of the building would appear.

(Western Reserve Distillers)

This is how the Fridrich Moving and Storage building appears today.

LAKEWOOD, Ohio - A Hudson couple plan to open a craft distillery on Madison Avenue by next fall in the former Fridrich Moving and Storage Building, 14221 Madison Ave.

"It's a good neighborhood, and it has a good population of target consumers," Kevin Thomas said.

Thomas, who plans to open Western Reserve Distillers LLC with his wife, Ann, said he has 35 years of experience in the food and beverage business. The couple had been looking for a site to open a distillery with a tasting room, tour area, gift shop and restaurant and decided on the Lakewood site because of good traffic and sufficient parking, along with business growth taking place along Madison Avenue.

Western Reserves' target audience will be "sustainable receptive millennials and sustainable receptive boomers." The business will be handcrafting organic spirits with grains from regional farms. They will be distilling vodka, gin, rum and whiskey.

These plans show what the rear of the Western Reserve Distillers building would look like after renovations.

Western Reserve will do the mashing, fermentation, distillation and bottling on site, Thomas said.

Their plans include a major remake for the interior and exterior of the four-story former Fridrich building. The couple appeared before the city's Architectural Board of Review Thursday with plans for the changes, which include building a 1,600-square foot addition to the existing brick building that would house a tasting room, gift shop, bottle sales, and possibly a restaurant.

Thomas said they are negotiating with a couple of restaurant groups to operate in the building.

"We're looking to keep it casual dining - something that's approachable and that fits with the brand and fits with the local community," Thomas said. "We're looking to have something that people can come to two to three times a week, not every two months"

Bryce Sylvester, Lakewood planning and development director, said the city welcomed the business addition.

"This marks a transformative investment in Madison Avenue," Sylvester said. "You're going to see a major physical change to the corridor. The design represents that. It's a thoughtful, creative approach to the adaptive reuse of that facility. That building is not easy to reuse."
Screen Shot 2016-12-10 at 11.52.47 AM.png

Traffic camera at Interstate 90 at Ohio 86 in Lake County.

(Ohio Department of Transportation)

LAKE COUNTY, Ohio -- Interstate 90 is closed between Ohio 615 and Ohio 44 eastbound due to weather conditions, the Lake County Sheriff's Office says.

"Conditions on Interstate 90 are not good and we advise when possible to avoid that area due to adverse weather," according to the sheriff's office Facebook page. The office also warned that conditions on all roadways in the area were poor and recommended that drivers wait for a few hours before traveling.

The Ohio Department of Transportation's traffic site OhGo.com says there is ice on the ramp from northbound Ohio 44 to eastbound I-90. The ramp is closed.

There also is an accident at on I-90 eastbound at Ohio 615, mile marker 195. Those driving should find an alternative route.

The National Weather Service Cleveland said there is a lake effect snow warning until 7 p.m. The snow will shift northeast on Interstate 90.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 15-year-old boy is charged with murder in connection with the death of a 16-year-old boy found shot in an abandoned building in the city's Slavic Village.

The 15-year-old was charged Thursday with murder and felonious assault with a gun in Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court in connection with the death of Alex Mullins.

The boy denied the allegations during his arraignment. Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Magistrate Elizabeth Howe ordered the boy held in the juvenile detention center while the case is pending.

A future court date has not been set.

Cleveland.com does not name minors charged with crimes in juvenile court. The teen was arrested on Wednesday, police said.

Mullins was found shot to death Nov. 20 in a building in the 3700 block of 54th Street.

He was last seen by family members on Nov. 9 after his father dropped him off at Washington Park Environmental Studies, a technical school that teaches landscape design and animal and plant science management.

His father, Henry Mullins, reported him missing after he never showed up at his mother's apartment in Parma.

The family began a daily search through vacant homes in the neighborhood. They scoured dumpsters and vacant fields looking for him or his cellphone that last pinged near East 50th Street and Chard Avenue.

Cleveland police asked for the public's help in finding Mullins four days after he went missing.

A woman called police Nov. 20 and said that her son heard rumors that Alexander Mullins was dead inside the building in the 3700 block of East 54th Street, police reports say.

Officers went to through the backdoor of the boarded-up building that sits between two vacant lots. They found him dead with a gunshot wounds to his left chest, according to police.

Police found bullet casings on the ground and a puddle of blood near Mullins, according to police reports.

Henry Mullins previously said his son had typical teenage problems and was expelled from Parma schools for skipping classes and smoking cigarettes with friends. He enrolled his son at the Washington Park because he thought it would be safer.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Thursday's crime and courts comments section.
Akron Digital Academy students.JPG

Students at the Akron Digital Academy online charter school work on lessons at the school this fall. The school is challenging findings that it cannot document the work that its students do online.

(Patrick O'Donnell/The Plain Dealer)

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio's online charter schools received no relief from the state legislature from possibly having to return millions of dollars to the state.

Some of the controversial e-schools had hoped the legislature would give them a break from Ohio Department of Education attendance and funding reviews that found many schools lack sufficient documentation to justify the state funding they received last school year.

But the legislature ended its year early Friday morning without any proposals to help online schools even being introduced for discussion in committee, let alone going to vote.

"I'm very pleased that did not happen," said State Rep. Teresa Fedor, the ranking Democrat on the House Education Committee, who has long complained of last-minute bailouts of charter schools.

State Rep. Andrew Brenner, the Powell Republican who chairs the committee, said the legislature will need to make careful decisions next year about how to fund online schools.

With students working from home on computer and not coming to classrooms, tracking attendance is different from other schools. Students can also do work on their own schedule online, working many hours some days or weeks and few at other times.

ODE and the schools are battling over how much the time students spend logged on to the school's computer system matters, when they may be reading books, doing math problems or writing papers offline.

The state this year started holding e-schools accountable for log-in times for the first time, while other states pay schools based on students making progress in classes, not for just enrollment or how often they log in.

State Auditor Dave Yost called on the legislature to find a better way to pay for these schools.

Brenner said he also wants to avoid any confusion between the state's expectations and online schools' expectations.

"I want it to be so crystal clear that if you've got blended learning (combination of online and in-class work), you've got one model," Brenner said. "If you're entirely online, there's another model. And that it's spelled out in such a way going forward that we'll know exactly what it is, and what schools will be audited over."

The Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT), Ohio's largest charter school, is the hardest hit by the new requirement for log-in times. It could have to return more than $60 million in state funding if it does not win appeals to the state board of education or a continuing court battle.

"ODE has mishandled this process by creating new rules that they are applying retroactively," ECOT spokesman Neil Clark said.

Fedor had considered seeking a law change to exempt a few schools from having to repay money because one charter school in her area, the Polly Fox Academy for pregnant teens and teen mothers, is in danger of losing all of its funding.

Students there mostly take classes at the school, but take some online immediately around childbirth. Because the school could not document that online time to the department's satisfaction, it could have to repay its state funding.

Fedor dropped her proposal for a law change to avoid having an inconsistent law that ECOT and other e-schools could challenge as singling them out. She has also received assurances that Polly Fox will have an opportunity to appeal the findings.
Donald Trump

President-elect Donald Trump throws a hat into the audience while speaking at a rally in a DOW Chemical Hanger at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Appearing jovial and relaxed, Donald Trump plunged back into election politics Friday, a full month after he won the presidency, enthusiastically prodding Louisiana Republicans to turn out for Saturday's Senate runoff election and protect the party's 52-48 margin in Washington.

Addressing a large crowd at an airport hangar, at one point he tossed his trademark "Make America Great Again" hat to a supporter. He noted that he'd been named Time's "Person of the Year" and asked the crowd if the magazine should go back to its former "Man of the Year."

Gauging the boisterous response, he declared the answer was yes.

In private, people close to Trump said he was expected to name yet another Goldman Sachs executive to his White House team. The president-elect's National Economic Council is to be led by Gary Cohn, president and chief operating officer of the Wall Street bank, which Trump repeatedly complained during the election campaign would control Hillary Clinton if she won.

Major decisions remain for Trump, most importantly his choice for secretary of state. The president-elect announced that Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor who was an early favorite, was no longer under consideration.

In a statement, Trump said Giuliani would have been an "outstanding" Cabinet secretary in several roles. He said he respects the former New York City mayor's decision to remain in the private sector.

The deliberations have become a source of tension within his transition team, with chief of staff Reince Priebus said to be backing Mitt Romney while other advisers oppose the idea of selecting the 2012 GOP nominee given his fierce criticism of Trump during the campaign.

On a busy Friday, Trump also spoke by telephone with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who broke with protocol during the campaign to publicly endorse Hillary Clinton and said afterward she would not maintain "a diplomatic silence in the face of attitudes of racism, sexism, misogyny or intolerance of any kind."

Sturgeon's office said she used Friday's call to emphasize the "values Scotland and the United States share." Trump's transition team described the conversation as a "short congratulatory call."

In Louisiana, Trump campaigned for Republican John Kennedy, the first stop on a day that was also taking his post-election victory tour to Grand Rapids in Michigan. Trump won both states on Nov. 8.

While candidate Trump was often at odds with the establishment wing of his party, the incoming president has been broadly supported by GOP leaders since the election. And he is trying to consolidate any lingering factions, most immediately in Louisiana, where a victory by Kennedy would cement the party's four-vote advantage in the new Senate.

"We need John in Washington," Trump said, speaking in front of a lectern that urged voters to "Geaux Vote. Vote GOP." Trump said he needed Kennedy to help him enact his agenda.

Kennedy, the state treasurer, faces off Saturday against Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, a Democrat, for the seat of retiring Republican Sen. David Vitter. Neither won a majority in the November primary, leading to the runoff. Polls have shown Kennedy with a comfortable lead.

Come January, Trump told the crowd, "The American people will be in charge. Your voice, your desires, your hopes, your aspirations will never again fall on deaf ears."

He rattled through some of the major themes of his campaign, vowing to renegotiate faulty trade deals, repair roads and bridges and "build a wall" to guard against unlawful immigration.

"We have people coming into our country by the thousands, thousands and thousands of people and now I don't have to campaign so I don't have to say Hillary's going to increase it by 550 percent," Trump said. "No, I don't have to say it anymore. Isn't it nice?"

Trump's day also included a meeting at his New York City tower with House Speaker Paul Ryan to discuss policy priorities.

"We are really excited about getting to work and hitting the ground running in 2017," Ryan said after the morning meeting.

Before Trump's dark blue private jet touched down in Louisiana, he was taking more steps to fill administration positions. Washington state Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers emerged as a leading candidate to head the Interior Department, according to a person involved in the transition.

Meanwhile, there apparently is a split over the next head of the Republican National Committee. Current chairman Priebus is heading to the White House to be chief of staff.

Priebus is said to support Michigan Republican Party chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel for the post, though other senior officials are backing Nick Ayers, an aide to Vice President-elect Mike Pence. McDaniel was to speak at Trump's rally in Grand Rapids, leading to speculation an announcement could come soon.
nina-turner.jpg

Supporters of Bernie Sanders' failed presidential campaign have launched a group seeking to run ex-lawmaker Nina Turner for Ohio governor in 2018.

(Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer)

COLUMBUS, Ohio--Bernie Sanders' supporters inside and outside Ohio have been working to draft Democratic ex-lawmaker Nina Turner to run for governor, according to a leader of the effort.

The effort, called "Turn Ohio Around," is being run by leaders of Sanders' presidential campaign in Ohio, as well as former members of Sanders' national digital team, according to Jason Edwards, who led Sanders' Ohio delegation to this year's Democratic National Convention.

Turner, a 49-year-old former Democratic state senator from Cleveland, was one of the most prominent supporters of Sanders' presidential campaign earlier this year.

Edwards said activists have talked with Turner about a potential run. "She's very excited and flattered to see what we're going to come up with," he said.

Turner didn't return a phone call Saturday seeking comment.

The next step, Edwards said, is to launch a website and start raising money for a potential gubernatorial campaign.

Asked why they're pushing Turner to run for governor, Edwards said, "We feel like Nina has the best chance to contrast the Republican message here in Ohio."

Edwards continued: "Personally, I feel like Nina could be the next Barack Obama. Barack Obama invigorated a bunch of people to get involved in politics. We feel like Nina could do that as well."

However, Turner wouldn't be Sanders' supporters only pick for governor. Edwards said if Democratic Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O'Neill decides to run, Turn Ohio Around would also back him, even if Turner also enters the race.
statehouse.jpg

Among hastily enacted lame-duck bills at the Ohio Statehouse this week was Senate Bill 329, creating a cumbersome process by which state agencies would have to justify their existence every four years -- something they already do every two years during the state budgeting process, writes Thomas Suddes.

(Shari Lewis, Columbus Dispatch, File, 2008 )

The circus wagons started trundling away from the Statehouse about 3:30 Friday morning, when Ohio's 131st General Assembly broke camp and headed home.

Before that, as usual in Ohio's lame-duck (post-election) legislative sessions, the Senate and House passed bills they wouldn't risk passing before an election. Examples: The GOP-run General Assembly sent Gov. John Kasich two anti-abortion bills. Legislators also passed a bill expanding concealed-carry.

Fewer abortions, often termed the right to life, and broader concealed-carry of firearms

: Irony is something this legislature evidently thinks laundries do with shirts.

But under-noticed by some bystanders was Amended Substitute Senate Bill 329, which could unintentionally gum up state government and undermine Ohio's (generally good) budget procedures.

True, SB 329 has some curb appeal: It would automatically abolish Cabinet departments unless the legislature renewed them every four years. And the bill creates a checklist legislators would have to apply to each Cabinet agency.

But there's no reason legislators couldn't ask the same questions now. And according to the Legislative Service Commission, the bill, if it becomes law, would likely mean "the 25 state departments in the governor's Cabinet [would] incur an administrative cost to prepare a report for the standing [legislative] committee responsible for carrying out the [periodic] review."

Fact is, the General Assembly already has the power of the purse over each state agency. Every two years, a governor proposes a budget. Then, after combing through that proposal, the House and Senate approve, reject or modify it.

It's fair to say that state agencies need at least six months to prepare their budget requests, and an additional six months to explain them to the legislature. Imposing yet another review on agencies could divert staff that might otherwise provide services.

And even after the legislature passes and the governor signs a budget, the state Controlling Board, which amounts to the General Assembly's third house, has something close to continuous budget oversight.

Moreover, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, a suburban Akron Republican and certified public accountant, heads Ohio's Common Sense Initiative, a program that fellow Republican Kasich created to "[independently evaluate] the economic impact of [state] agency rules and regulations on small businesses in Ohio."

And it's not as if the legislature hasn't periodically merged Cabinet departments. The Job and Family Services Department combines what had been the Department of Human Services and the Bureau of Employment Services. Likewise, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services resulted from uniting the former Department of Mental Health with the former Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services.

And, FYI, during Kasich's governorship, total employment in agencies under the control of the governor's office has dropped about 6.7 percent. The employee headcount was 44,046 in October 2011 (Kasich's first year in office); this October, the headcount was 41,076.

All else equal, the way Ohio writes and passes budgets is already about as transparent as state government gets in Columbus. The data are there. So are agency staff - and, oh yes, the Statehouse's teeming lobbies. Committee hearings and floor debates, assuming legislators get off their duffs, are thorough. And the LSC's great staff provides legislators with neutral legal and fiscal analyses.

No doubt, SB 329 is well-intentioned; one of its prime sponsors is Senate President Keith Faber, a Celina Republican, and among its co-sponsors is Senate President-elect Larry Obhof, a Medina Republican. Still, SB 329 seemingly re-invents the wheel: The way Ohio already budgets and reviews state agencies has kept the state's books balanced and maintained Ohio's bond rating - facts Kasich will likely weigh in deciding whether to sign or veto SB 329.

Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens.

To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@gmail.com, 216-999-4689

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Hungary still uses its currency, the forint but now a move to the single currency is no longer of "immediate interest," according to the Hungarian government's international spokesperson, Zoltan Kovacs.

Investors and euro-watchers had expected Hungary to join the single currency not long after it joined the EU a decade ago  but has yet to reach the right economic and fiscal conditions to sign up. The country's high level of government debt -- which peaked at 83 percent to gross domestic product, in 2010, when Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government came to power  makes the move impossible.

After 10 years as a member of the European Union, Hungary is still in no hurry to adopt the euro as it is enjoying the "advantages" of being outside the 18-country group, government and stock exchange officials have told CNBC.

"Not being members of the euro zone at the moment has advantages for the country. Taxation policies really help the economy, we are trying to utilise that for the best in policy making," he told CNBC.

The government's goal is to reduce its debt to GDP ratio to 76 percent in the next year and according to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development estimates, 75 percent is realistic in the next two years. But this figure is still significantly higher than the 60 percent required by the EU to join to euro zone.

"It is not an immediate interest of the country, because the economy, the structures that we are running need to be up to a standard that would make it beneficial for the country to join," Kovacs said, adding that there is currently no fixed target date for the country to join the euro area.

Read MorePrague: Where China and Russia's 1% love to shop

However, the Hungarian government's policies and tough taxation measures, along with the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine are hitting Hungary's markets. Trading volumes in the Budapest stock exchange have fallen between 20 and 25 percent in the last year, according to the chief executive of the group Zsolt Katona.

"For investors in the U.S., they just look at the map, Hungary is bordering Ukraine  there is a war going on, the risk premium is increasing and Hungary has some exposure in Ukraine and Russia to the extent of 6 percent of GDP," Katona said.

But he said joining the euro area would have little effect on outside investment into Hungary, adding that the lack of the single currency is currently not seen as a "burden ".

"I can see only a very tiny amount of investors that do not invest in Hungary because we don't have euros as a trading currency. The Hungarian forint market is a very liquid fast-moving market. You can exchange your euros and dollars into forint very easily, even in big sizes. So I don't see it having a huge impact, if we were to change into euros," he said.
It wasn't long ago that Jim Cramer was convinced that technology stocks were being sold off by money managers to fund stocks that will do well under President-elect Donald Trump  but now he's changed his opinion.

"With all of the money pouring from bonds into stocks, I'm not sure if that source of funds argument is as central as I initially thought," the "Mad Money" host said.

While Trump hasn't said much about the technology industry, Cramer heard several CEOs from the technology sector pushing the message that a Trump presidency could be catastrophic for innovation.

"Silicon Valley is a Democratic Party stronghold, and many tech executives decided to play politics ahead of the election," Cramer said.

Now that Election Day is over, while these executives may not like Trump, they do love his tax cuts and plan to allow them to repatriate overseas earnings.
It's that time again! Jim Cramer rang the lightning round bell, which means he gave his take on caller favorite stocks at rapid speed:



BP PLC : "BP, no. Look, it's not bad. It's just I like growth in the dividend."

Paychex Inc : "Trump stock. Simple enough."

Wendy's Co : "I've been liking Wendy's for a long time and I'm not relenting one bit! I'll throw in McDonald's and let me give you an actionalertsplus.com name Panera. New Labor Department secretary has a different idea about labor than the previous guy."

PayPal Holdings : "Under $40 I like the stock. It has not had an ability to be able to pass $40. People are buying all of the real bank stocks now. They're buying the 'first national bank of Trump' a.ka. Bank of America."

Petroleo Brasileiro : "The Brazilian government changed, the real got stronger and all I can say is you know what, not bad."

TransCanada Corporation : "Trump stock. I mean, really! I like the stock very much."


Because Apple does so much of its annual business over the holidays, lukewarm consumer demand would impact Apple more than other hardware makers, JPMorgan analyst Rod Hall told CNBC's " Power Lunch " on Friday.

Fewer cars have been parked at U.S. retailers over the past month than over the same period last year, according to satellite imagery of parking lots analyzed by Orbital Insight and JPMorgan.

Apple could be the electronics retailer most exposed to a troubling retail trend, according to JPMorgan.

"It's possible that consumer trend will recover and get better as the year wears on here, but if it were to be weak, that would negatively affect Apple," Hall said. "We're not saying this is the only data point you ought to be focused on. We just think this it's very interesting that that activity level is down year over year."



To be sure, fewer drivers doesn't necessarily mean fewer buyers, as shoppers continue to move online. This year, both Black Friday and Cyber Monday saw record-setting revenue, lifted by online sales, according to forecasts by Adobe.



An Apple Watch was sold every 13 seconds and an iPhone 7 was sold every 30 seconds in the U.S. on eBay, for instance. And consumer sentiment seems to be holding up for now: The University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment rose to its highest level since January 2015 so far in December.

"E-commerce is certainly taking away from that traffic," Hall said. "And weather has been really on the eastern part of the country through this time of year, so that tends to keep people away from the shopping centers."

Still, e-commerce sales were only about 8.4 percent of total retail sales in the third quarter, the Census Bureau said last month. And JPMorgan's estimates make sense with data from Adobe Digital Insights, which showed a postelection traffic dip at stores.

The stakes are also high, as Apple recovers from three straight quarters of yearly revenue slides. The company's AirPods have already faced delays as the crucial window is closing for Christmas shoppers.

Apple was not immediately available to comment on the report.

The holiday quarter is huge for Apple, with about 78 million iPhones expected to be sold during the quarter, according to FactSet. That's compared to 46 million in the September quarter, and up from 75 million phones a year ago.

Though most analysts expect iPhone 7 sales to rise, Hall said that JPMorgan expects handset sales overall to fall 11 percent compared to last year. Personal computers are even more at risk, and could also see a disproportionate impact from a shopping slowdown, Hall wrote.

"We had been assuming a better trajectory for higher end vendors like Apple," Hall wrote in a research note. "Should consumer spending finish up somewhat sluggish in the US .... this could drive weaker than expected earnings."
And life expectancy at birth decreased by 0.1 year, according to new statistics released this week by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Life expectancy in the United States fell last year for the first time since 1993, as a record high was seen in deaths from drug overdoses, along with disturbing spikes in car crash fatalities, and gun-related homicides and suicides.

For females, life expectancy fell 0.1 year from 81.3 years in 2014 to 81.2 years in in 2015, according to the agency.

For males, life expectancy dropped from 76.5 years in 2014 to 76.3 years in 2015, the CDC said.

The drop in life expectancy occurred in males as well as females, who as a group tend to live significantly longer.

A child born last year was expected to live an average of 78.8 years, compared to the average of 78.9 in 2014.

Most of the retreat in life expectancy came from increases in deaths from heart disease, chronic lower respiratory diseases, unintentional injuries, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and suicide, according to the CDC. Those causes, along with cancer, influenza and pneumonia, are the leading causes for death in the U.S., responsible for about three out of every four fatalities.

The total number of fatal drug overdoses increased by 11 percent last year to a record of 52,404, fueled by what is an epidemic of opioid use, both of prescription painkillers and heroin.

Fatal ODs's surpassed the number of car crash fatalities, which increased 12 percent to nearly 38,000. Deaths from car crashes, which had been declining for four decades, in 2015 saw the biggest increase in 50 years.

Deaths from gunshot, self-inflicted or otherwise, were close behind car-related deaths, increasing 7 percent to more than 36,000.

The increase in the U.S. death rate is "a big deal," Philip Morgan, a demographer at the University of North Carolina, told NPR. "There's not a better indicator of well-being than life expectancy ... The fact that it's leveling off in the U.S. is a striking finding."

When broken down by racial groups, age-adjusted death rates increased in non-Hispanic white males and females by the highest amounts, by 1 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively, in 2015. And They also increased 0.9 percent fr non-Hispanic black males.

But "rates did not change significantly for non-Hispanic black females, Hispanic males, and Hispanic females from 2014 to 2015," the CDC said.



Last year, after two Princeton economists drew widespread attention with a study featured in The New York Times that found that the death rate among middle-age whites since 1999 was rising in the United States  in contrast to all other racial and ethnic groupings in America, and unlike middle-age whites in other wealthy nations.

That study found that deaths from suicide, as well as from drugs and alcohol, were responsible for the trend since 1999. A follow-up story in the Times said younger white adults also had seen an increase in mortality rates, which was attributed primarily to increased abuse of prescription opioid painkillers.



But research released afterward by the Commonwealth Fund found that the increase in mortality among among middle-age, white Americans has more to do with "a lack of progress" in treating common illnesses than with the issues of substance abuse and suicide.

The Commonwealth Fund study said there had been a stall, and in some cases a reversal, of progress in reducing deaths among middle-age whites from common killers such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory illness.

The study also found that the "worst trends" in mortality rates among white middle-age people are being seen in a group of seven mostly Southern states, including West Virginia, where white people between the ages of 45 and 54 are dying at the highest rates seen since 1980.
CLIFTON PARK >> After eight years of discussions and workshops, a major expansion of the communitys largest Catholic church is well under way and clear for all to see.

St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church, 569 Clifton Park Center Road, Clifton Park, has had numerous renovations through the years. The last one was in 1996. This one, however, will be much more dramatic.

As the communitys population has increased in recent years so has the churchs membership. The number of ministries the church supports and its youth education programs have also increased.

After reviewing data from the Capital District Regional Planning Commission and noting its projections showed continued growth for the area, a master building committee was formed in 2008 to look ahead.

We were outgrowing our space in the religious education wing, said committee co-chairman Chick Cairo. The building was built for 650 students. We now have more 1,200 plus and we have a lot of outreach programs.

Were trying to grow our youth programs, added Cairos co-chair, Sue Martin. We believe if we are to continue, we need to bring youth into the space.

Once the committee was formed it began to look at what was needed, what was desired, and how to pay for it all.

The driver for this project was to address current needs and provide for future growth, Martin said.

To do that, the committee sought out the advice of its church members. There are 2,100 families registered, about 4,000 people. Church administrators estimate 1,300 families attend one of the four weekend services on a regular basis.

We asked them, what is it we need to do to stay relevant, Cairo said. We asked them, what are your ideas? What do we need to do?

The number of responses was substantial, and from them the committee narrowed the ideas down to two alternatives, renovate the building within its footprint or build a new worship space and accommodate the growing youth education needs in the resulting space.

The committee recommended going with building new but the parish community chose it, Cairo said. We presented both plans and the overwhelming consensus of our members was to go with the new plan. Building new was slightly more, $250,000, than renovating.

The project estimate is $6.6 million.

Once the choice of expansion was made, a request for proposals for the project was put out in the summer of 2010. The Virginia-based architecture firm the Kerns Group was selected and the committee began working with architect Sean Reilly in 2011. The firm was familiar to the Albany Catholic Diocese having done work for it in the past. Ground was broken on the project June 12.

One of the more unique points to be factored into the project was the fact that the Albany Catholic Diocese did not want the church to take out a mortgage. According to the church website, donations and pledges are nearing the 93 percent mark.

Walking through the present church worship area Cairo pointed to the changes parishioners will see once the services are moved to the new area.

Theyll be closer to the altar so they can see and hear better, Cairo said. That was a big one. That area over there, the cave, as people call it, will be a thing of the past. They also wanted to make the church visually warm and make the tabernacle visible during services.

Other needs factored into the plan called for a designated place for the church choir, an orchestra area, stained glass windows the church is in the process of preserving, handicap accessibility, a good sound system and better rest room facilities.

The new space is to be designed for audio visual capabilities also with the possibility of live streaming services over the Internet.

And we wanted it kept airy, Martin added.

Reilly said he got a good idea of what the committee and the church members wanted now and for the future after attending several listening sessions and workshops.

The committee told us their most pressing need was a more appropriate space for worship, Reilly said. It was an interactive process between our firm and the parish community to reach a consensus on the plan and how the church would feel, work, and look like, and what it would express.

Reilly added that it was also made clear to him the church wanted to improve its visibility in the community as well as from Clifton Park Center Road. There is no symbol on the building that clearly signifies its a church, he said. They wanted a clear symbol to all.

With the present worship area Reilly said he noted the congregation sits in a radial pattern of approximately 180 degrees. The new design allows worship in a full circle and increased the number of seats from 954 to 1,140.

A circle is one of the most efficient geometric shapes, Reilly said. It decreases the distance from the last pews to the altar and it allowed them to gather the number of people they wanted.

To give the church a symbol that can be seen from distance as well as allow light into the worship space, Reilly has designed an eight-sided cupola with a cross on an orb for the roof. The distance between the floor of the worship space and the top of the cross is 76 feet.

The preserved stained glass windows will be placed in the new worship space when their restoration is complete. Reilly included them in the design because they tell the story of the members faith and are an important ingredient to a spiritual atmosphere.

When they are all installed, all the windows in the worship area will be stained glass at eye level, he said. The cupola and cross serve as a symbol to the community and lets in a generous amount of light.

With the new plan Reilly said he has designed a space that will unify the seating and reinforce a feeling of community, something lacking in the present space.

Another important part of the new design is the retention of the church baptistery. In the new design, Reilly has placed it in the entrance to the new space so parishioners will pass it each time they enter or leave the church.

The project is expected to be completed next spring. Once its finished, Cairo and Martin said the church administration will look at how best to use the resulting space of the former worship area.

We want flexible, Martin said. We want the space to accommodate our programs and not have to make our programs fit the space.

Were all excited, added Cairo. Its been a long journey.
CLIFTON PARK >> The town unanimously approved the appointment of Dahn Bull to the position of Superintendent of Highways recently, filling the vacancy created with the recent retirement of Rick Kukuk.

Bull, 30, has been the towns communications director and its IT administrator for the past three years working in an office adjacent to that of Supervisor Philip Barrett. Prior to coming to work for the town, Bull was a member of state Sen. Jim Tediscos staff when Tedisco was in the Assembly.

Kukuk announced his retirement from the elected positions he has held for 12 years in late October. Bulls appointment allows him to complete Kukuks two-year term which ends Dec. 31, 2017. He said last week he looks forward to running for office.

He will be paid $76,171 a year. His first official day on the job was Nov. 28.

In making the resolution to appoint Bull to the job, Barrett noted Bulls qualifications and his experience with the town hall system. He also noted the void the appointment will create in the close-knit town hall.

It is a very important position in the town of Clifton Park, Barrett said. Dahn has the experience necessary for this job. He has experience in managing people and in constituent services with a background going back years in Assemblyman now, Sen. Tediscos office, and he knows the town of Clifton Park system. This appointment is an example of the next generation of leaders and brings with it new energy and ideas. Bringing in new blood ensures the town does not become static or unimaginative.

Barrett said Bull had undertaken many initiatives while working in town hall, including overhauling the towns IT infrastructure and managing the towns three swimming pools.

And hes gotten everything done on time and under budget, Barrett said. He has many new ideas to implement at the Highway Department and will bring technological improvements to update operations and improve operational efficiencies.

In discussing Bulls work ethic, Barrett noted that he likes employees like Bull who go the extra distance like working nights and weekends to complete the duties of their job.

We want people who view the 40-hour work week as a warm-up, he said.

Noting the position is an elected one, Barrett said campaign experience was viewed as an asset in filling the position.

Because Superintendent of Highways is an elected position campaign experience is very important and not everybody is interested in running for office, but Dahn is, Barrett said. Im very proud of him, Ive seen him grown as an individual over the last few years and Ive seen him learn what it takes to be a professional each and every day. Hes been a tremendous fit in the town system.

Councilman James Whalen added the board members were proud of Bull and looked forward to having him join them as a colleague.

Dan has universally earned the respect of all of us at town hall and those he served in town, he said.

In his remarks on accepting the position, Bull, who had been out with snowplow drivers early that morning, said he had learned much in the five hours he spent with them and couldnt imagine what the next week or month would be like.

Ive never been so ready for something, he said. I felt like the last three years have been preparing me for this. Ive been learning how to manage people, learning how the town budget works, learning how to fix problems I didnt even know existed. I will take all that next door to the Highway Department.

In discussing why he sought the job, Bull said it all came down to constituent services, something he has enjoyed doing for many years.

The Highway Superintendent is exactly what Ive been doing, reaching out to people, communicating with them, and solving their problems, he said. Its something Ive been doing for 12 years. Starting Nov. 28, Ill be part of a team that is talented and effective and well be solving real life problems. I like that.

Once he is situated Bull said he intends to focus on the bigger pictures in the Highway Department, streamlining how things work and moving them into the 21st century.

Were going to make it more efficient, he said.
The Shenendehowa Board of Education Tuesday by a 4-3 vote agreed to sell the 34 acre land parcel between Moe Road and Maxwell Drive in Clifton Park to local construction company BBL. Their bid was $2 million.

The vote to accept the companys offer came deep into a board of education agenda and after several residents once again made a case for keeping all 34 acres in public hands.

Voting to accept the bid were board president Robert Pressly, vice president Todd Gilbert, and board members Gary DiLallo and Mary Blaauboer.

Voting against the resolution to accept the offer were board members Bill Casey, Christina Rajotte, and Deanna Stephenson.

This is the second time the parcel has been put out to bid. A response to the first bid request in the summer of 2015 drew a single bid of $1.71 million from DCG Development. The bid was withdrawn days before the board was expected to accept it.

Prior to going to a second bid this fall, grassroots community support emerged for finding a way to keep the land in public hands. One major supporter was Friends of Clifton Park Open Space.

There were four bidders who returned the second RFP by the Oct. 31 deadline, BBL, DCG, United Group and the Town of Clifton Park.

United Group bid $1.125 million. The company said it would build a senior living facility on the land. The Town of Clifton Park bid $1 million, $460,000 at closing and the balance to be paid within one year. The two bids were eliminated for not complying with the terms and conditions of the RFP.

DCGs bid $1.529 million and said it would comply with the town code and use the land for commercial development.

BBLs bid of $2,050,001 said it would develop between 15 and 17 acres commercially and donate between 17.5 and 19 acres to the Town of Clifton Park.

Early in the session and prior to the vote eight residents spoke on the issue including Friends of Clifton Park Open Space Vice President Susan Burton and local developer Robert Miller, a principal with Windsor Development.

Noting that Clifton Park was willing to work with the district on keeping the land in the public domain, Burton requested a public referendum or public hearing be held prior to any vote. She cited a lack of transparency in the bid process and added that if the board voted to sell the land for development the organization was prepared to take legal action on the lack of transparency and seek signatures for a permissive referendum.

We were disappointed that the board took the RFP path again, she said, but would urge you to gauge the publics opinion rather than risk a backlash against a highly unpopular decision.

Miller, whose company has several mixed-use projects for the Town Center area in the planning pipeline, recommended the board imagine looking back five or 10 years from now.

Youre either going to wind up with a commercial building there or a park, he said. Youll find either that large retail building on Route 146 or youll find a special place where children are playing that connects the community together. Special places dont just happen. They are a lot of work by a lot of people, sound reasoning and a lot of hard decisions by a lot of people weighing all the alternatives that are not just best for us today, but whats best for us in the future.

In casting their votes for the sale, the four board members cited looming space needs, financial help with land for a new school, and how it was a compromise giving revenue to the district and leaving land for a park. Gilbert cited his duty to represent taxpayers in the entire district and not one slice that desires a town park.

I represent tens of thousands of people, he said. I dont represent 1,000 people. The BBL bid is competitive. It offers jobs, taxes to the district and revenue to the district. My responsibility is to this school district. The BBL off is twice the towns offer.

In casting his no vote Bill Casey made an impassioned plea for one of the four to change his or her vote.

Im profoundly disappointed that Im in the minority on the board, he said. Theres no next time with this. This is an irreversible decision. Trees will go down and there will get retail and office space. We dont need more of that there. We dont get a do over. The community has supported this district over and over again and were going to turn on back on them? If we lose this itll be a profound loss. Were tuning our back on people who have asked us for a reasonable vote. Im asking one of you to change your vote.

Stephenson and Rajotte agreed with Casey citing the community voices that had sought ways to keep the parcel in the public domain. Stephenson described the sale as short sighted. Rajotte went further noting the money gained from development didnt compare to what would be lost.

Its $1 million difference between the towns bid and BBLs, she said. Our duty is to build the trust of the community and to make the right decisions for this community.

After the vote, board president Robert Pressly maintained that taking the highest bid had been a win for many reasons.

This is a complicated bid. Each person has to sit down and decide for themself, he said. Id say its a win because were protecting our students. If our enrollment increases and the economy gets tough, we have very tight budgets and it would make things very difficult. The money for land for a new school wont be there. If youre a member of the community who wanted all 34 acres for a park you probably disagree. A lot of them did, but my job is to be here to support the students.

On Wednesday Friends of Clifton Park Open Space said it will move forward with its legal challenge on transparency and a permissive referendum.

Information on the land sale bids can be found on the district website: http:www.shenet.org.

-30-
Mongolia, the nation of Genghis Khan, long ago provided the answer to the modern tiny house trend with the yurt  a portable round tent covered with skins or felt and used by nomads  seen on the back of Mongolias 500-tugrik note.

Theres a trend that I find disturbing  tiny houses.

Thats right, tiny houses. When I see those folks on TV who absolutely swoon over the idea of living in a 400-square-foot house with a wife, five kids, six cats, and two dogs I just scratch my head.

What are they thinking? Its like living in a tool shed. But its portable! they gush. That seems to be a big deal with most of these people; it has to be something they can move from place to place.

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And then I started rummaging through my bank notes looking for answers. You know, of course, that bank notes provide lots of answers to lots of questions.

Well I got all the way to M before the solution jumped up in front of me. No answers in Argentina, Belgium, Congo, Denmark or Estonia. Nothing in France, Ghana, Honduras, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, or Latvia. But then I finally got to the most unlikely source for a solution to this yearning to be free business  Mongolia.

Thats right, Mongolia! Home of Genghis Khan and the 500-tugrik note. Right there on the back of the note was the perfect answer. The ox drawn yurt, of course!

Lets start with the yurt; a yurt is a portable round tent covered with skins or felt and used as a dwelling by nomads on the steppes of Central Asia. Perfect! Cheap, light, and portable. The answer to a Tiny House fanatics prayers!

The note also provided the details for solving that pesky moving problem. No Peterbilt? No commercial drivers license? No problem! The note has all the answers; as can be seen, you just hook up, oh, about 24 oxen (or perhaps even yaks or camels) and you, my friend, are in business.

Imagine the majestic sight of 24 oxen moving the biggest, proudest yurt you can imagine through downtown Piqua, Ohio, or Des Moines, Iowa.

So it just goes to show you that there is really nothing new under the sun. Genghis Khan and his ancestors solved the problem of cheap, transportable, and comfortable accommodations thousands of years ago. It just took a trip through my bank note collection to discover the answers that had eluded me.

Take a stroll through your collection sometime soon; you may be surprised at what solutions to pressing problems are waiting for you!
Dennis Gates and new-look Mizzou basketball ready for introduction

It's been an offseason filled with change for Missouri basketball. Now, Dennis Gates and company are ready to get the games underway
The governor of Michigan today signed into law a series of bills that allows fully autonomous vehicles, including those without drivers and steering wheels, to begin using public roadways.

Flanked by a Ford Model T and a self-driving Ford Fusion, Gov. Rick Snyder signed four bills as part of the autonomous vehicles legislative package that allows the operation of autonomous vehicles on Michigan public roads. Before, only testing of the vehicles by manufacturers was permitted.

"As far as I know, Michigan is the first state to make it official that these types of vehicles can be used on public roads," said Brandon Schoettle, a project manager with the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute.

"California is also planning to enact similar legislation soon. Obviously, the general act of vehicles driving around like this on any public roads is somewhat unprecedented anywhere, given the very recent introduction of such technology," Schoettle said.

Earlier this year, Pittsburgh began allowing real-world tests of a self-driving, Uber-owned Ford Fusion.

Uber An Uber autonomous car prototype in Pittsburgh.

Several states and Washington D.C. have passed autonomous vehicle legislation that allows for testing of the cars and trucks on public roadways. Since 2012, at least 34 states and D.C. have considered legislation related to autonomous vehicles.

In September, the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued guidelines for autonomous vehicles that included a checklist for carmakers developing the technology, as well as guidelines for states on creating a common framework for regulating self-driving cars and trucks.

I believe regulation is now the biggest obstacle to the introduction of autonomous vehicles -- even more than cost or technology. The only other competing factor is societal acceptance, which will relate to the laws in the end," said Andy Schmahl, a partner and consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers.

A news release from Snyder's office said the new laws will ensure "Michigan continues to be the world leader in autonomous, driverless and connected vehicle technology.

"Michigan put the world on wheels and now we are leading the way in transforming the auto industry," Snyder said in the statement. "We are becoming the mobility industry, shaped around technology that makes us more aware and safer as we're driving. By recognizing that and aligning our state's policies as new technology is developed, we will continue as the leader the rest of the world sees as its biggest competition."

At the bill signing, Snyder was joined by a primary bill sponsor, Sen. Mike Kowall, and executives from Ford and GM.

Along with enabling fully-autonomous vehicles to use public roadways, the bills also outlined specific parameters for companies such as Google and Uber, who are developing on-demand autonomous vehicle networks.

NHTSA Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) electronic communications technology is helping to advance autonomous vehicles.

Another bill signed into law exempts mechanics from any damages to vehicles that result from repairs, if the repairs were made in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

All safety requirements that pertain to the testing of autonomous vehicles will apply to autonomous vehicle operation, the governor's office said.

The primary bill, SB 995, also allows automated vehicle platooning, where vehicles travel together at electronically coordinated speeds. Additionally, the legislation creates the Michigan Council on Future Mobility within the state's Department of Transportation. It's designed to make future recommendations on statewide policy "that will keep Michigan ahead of the curve on regulatory issues that could impede new development."

In addition to enabling autonomous fleet delivery tricks and on-demand ride services, one of the main benefits of fully autonomous vehicles will be that owners can summon them when needed so that they don't waste parking spaces, Schoettle said in an email to Computerworld.

"For example, driver A only needs to get to and from work, otherwise the vehicle sits in a parking lot all day. This way, it can return home to driver B for them to use throughout the day before returning to pick up driver A at 5 p.m.," Schoettle said. "As you can imagine, there are quite a variety of ways a vehicle could be shared like this."

Ford, GM and other companies developing autonomous driving technology have been using Michigan's Mcity, a 32-acre, full-scale simulated real-world urban environment where vehicles self-drive in every condition, including snow.

Michigan is also home to the largest deployment of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) electronic communications technology in its Smart Corridor. The corridor is a series of public highways -- more than 120 miles in all -- in Southeast Michigan that have more than 100 Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) transponder units. The DSRC units share traffic information with cars and trucks that have V2I and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications technology and alert drivers to potential problems to prevent accidents.

For example, if a V2V-enabled car makes a sudden stop in heavy fog or its stability control engages on a rain-slicked road, every V2V-enabled car around it will know almost instantly, giving drivers time to react.
CORNWALL, Ontario  Grocery store shoppers were greeted to a kind surprise at the cash on Saturday, December 10, for the semiannual Kinsmens Day of KINdness. Kinsmen volunteers were on hand to bag groceries for people, and also giving away monetary prizes and donations to people in need.

We do this twice a year, and this one is just before christmas, said Darryl Adams, spokesperson and organizer for the Day of KINdness. We have $1100 to give away to pay for peoples groceries. Were also helping bag groceries and were giving away free coffee and cookies.

This is a time of year when people spend a lot of money, especially on food, so we want to help people out.

Most people going through the cash register were happy to see Adams and other volunteers helping out, and giving out free coffee and cookies, but for Adams, one customers pleasure with the support really stood out,

We had one woman who had to put stuff back, but we said well take care of that, recalled Adams. She was so happy.

The hope is to spread the holiday cheer, as Adams explains.

Its all about paying it forward, hopefully people will go do a kind gesture as well,
CORNWALL, Ontario  Mr. Todd Lalonde, Trustee for City of Cornwall and Glengarry County, has been acclaimed to the position of Chair for the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario. It will be the first term as Chair for Mr. Lalonde, who is entering his eleventh year as a Catholic School Trustee. Mr. Lalonde served the Board as Vice-Chair during the last term.

Mr. Lalonde told Trustees, I would like to thank my fellow trustees for the confidence theyve given me to be their Chair for the next year. Being around this table and serving Catholic education is an honour, and I am excited to embark on this journey, supported by the experience and expertise of my fellow trustees. I would also like to congratulate the CDSBEO staff and administration, for the good work they do each day. I also look forward to working with Trustee Reil, who has great experience as an educator and trustee.

Mr. Lalonde succeeds Mr. Brent Laton, Trustee for Grenville County and Elizabethtown-Kitley Township. Mr. Laton had served five consecutive terms as Chair. Mr. Lalonde also offered thanks to Mr. Laton for his years of exceptional service as Board Chair.

The Board of Trustees also elected Robin Reil, Trustee for City of Brockville, Town of Smiths Falls, and Leeds County to the position of Vice-Chair. Mr. Reil has been serving as a Catholic School Trustee since 2003. I do appreciate the support of my fellow Trustees, and I commend Executive Council for the great work they do. I look forward to us working as a team for the good of our students.

Director of Education, Wm. J. Gartland, congratulated Mr. Lalonde and Mr. Reil. The annual meeting is a wonderful celebration of our Catholic faith, and an opportunity to renew our dedication to Catholic education. I know that both Mr. Lalonde and Mr. Reil share that dedication and it will be a pleasure to work with them, and all of the Trustees as they continue to provide leadership and governance to the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.

The Board welcomed Archbishop Brendan OBrien of the Kingston Archdiocese, who presided at Mass to begin the evening. His Grace offered his thanks to Trustees and Senior Administration for the work they do to preserve and protect their Catholic faith and Catholic education. The Archbishop also blessed all CDSBEO Trustees.

The 2014-2018 CDSBEO Board of Trustees are:

Mr. Ron Eamer  Trustee, City of Cornwall and Glengarry County

Mrs. Nancy Kirby  Trustee, Lanark County

Mr. Todd Lalonde  Trustee, City of Cornwall and Glengarry County

Mr. Brent Laton  Trustee, Grenville County and Elizabethtown-Kitley Township

Mr. Robin Reil,  Trustee, City of Brockville, Town of Smiths Falls, and Leeds County

Mrs. Karen McAllister  Trustee, Dundas and Stormont Counties

Mrs. Sue Wilson  Trustee, Prescott and Russell Counties

Ms. Alexa Meeson  Catholic Student Trustee, 2016-2017
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Consultancy Acolyst Scores Contract With White House

Rick Saia

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A technology consultancy has won a contract to find and implement a legal case management system in the highest reaches of the federal government's executive branch.

Baltimore-based Acolyst started the work in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) this week, according to Valeh Nazemoff, the company's executive vice president and co-owner. She told CRN the project would take five years before the system is implemented.

The new system aims to streamline legal cases and efficiently manage workloads at various branches of the EOP that have their own general counsels. Acolyst will offer best practices guidance in these areas within the EOP's unique records management requirements, the company said in a statement. It will work on-site with end users, IT, and security personnel at the executive office buildings adjacent to The White House.

[RELATED: 2016 Women of the Channel  Valeh Nazemoff]

The functions within the EOP include The White House Office; Office of the Vice President; Office of Administration; Office of Management and Budget; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; Office of National Drug Control Policy; Council of Economic Advisors; Council on Environmental Quality; National Security Council; and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, according to Acolyst.

"We're very thrilled to have this opportunity," Nazemoff said. "We're hoping to leave a legacy."

Acolyst will also provide support for the system after it's installed, said Nazemoff, a 2016 CRN Women of the Channel honoree.

Acolyst has been providing technology management consulting services to the federal government for more than 25 years. It delivers data management and business performance consulting services that achieve measurable and sustainable results. The company's techniques touch the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and analytics in their client engagements.

Its federal contracts focus on data and IT governance, business and IT performance, data management and technology solutions, as well as legal and government risk and compliance. Acolyst has done work for the Department of the Treasury, the Social Security Administration and the Army and Navy, among other federal agencies.
Things always seem to be looking up for Scott Sloan. Thats because the Wilton resident works as a rigger, where high points  sometimes very high points  are facts of life when hes on the job.

I make things go up and down, says Sloan, during a recent conversation. Thats basically what it is. Whether youre in a theater environment or at a live event, things have to get up in the air. If its lighting or scenic pieces, or even people, things have to get up in the air. And its my job to get them up there safely and get them back down again.

Sloans been in the rigging business for 30 years, nearly as long as hes been in Wilton. He moved to town in 1969, but living the high life can really rack up those sky miles, he says.

Ive lived in China for over two years doing this kind of work, and I went on a tour with a circus, where we went through Mexico and all across the United States. Ive been through all of Southeast Asia, North and South America and Europe. Im still looking to get to Africa and Australia.

It was working a rigging gig a little closer to home, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, ranked as the worlds largest cathedral, that Sloan added another notch to his work belt. The cathedrals annual Winter Solstice celebrations feature the Paul Winter Consort, a musical ensemble led by the Litchfield-based Grammy-winning saxophonist and composer. Sloan performs on an instrument called the sun gong as a member of the group.

The cathedral is where I started in the rigging business, which is a magnificent space to begin any endeavor, Sloan says. I had done many rigging things at the cathedral, Paul Winters performance being one of them. And then the gong came along.

Sloan isnt really sure how he ended up as part of the ensemble, but it was most likely due to his musical background. Hes a classically trained musician, as well as a rigger. That kismet moment, when he was chosen to play the gong in the show, he calls a fortuitous gathering of circumstances.

The 37th annual Winter Solstice Celebration with the Paul Winter Consort takes place this year Dec. 15-17 at the church on 112th Street. Sloan will be there, sitting in a specially designed chair thats slowly hoisted up into the rafters. All the while, hell be swinging a 35-pound mallet while banging on a one-of-a-kind gong, also known as a tam-tam. Hell be wearing earplugs and remarkably, keeping time with musicians playing 80 feet below him in a concert space so enormous theres a seven-second reverberation delay.

This happens twice during the concert, right before intermission and just prior to the encore. As one who has witnessed the celebrations many times, the effect is breathtaking. Its a defining moment to the solstice performance, which itself is a nonstop music, dance and theater spectacle filled with multicultural and environmental themes. Over the years, the event has become a New York City holiday must-see, arguably in the same league as the lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center and the Rockettes Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Winter, the consorts leader and mastermind behind many of the shows imaginative effects, explained how the idea of the sun gong developed.

As the solstice performance evolved into an annual event through the 80s, we kept exploring new possibilities, Winter says. We placed musicians in various places around the cathedral, and one place I discovered was a balcony in the west wall of the cathedral, above the organs high-state trumpets. I would play from there at the beginning of each concert and be answered by our oboist from the high altar at the far eastern end of the cathedral, 600 feet away.

From up there, I could get a great perspective of the upper reaches of the vast vault of the cathedral, which is about 100-feet-high in the nave, and 150-feet-high in the dome over the crossing. And I began to wonder how we might utilize this vertical dimension of the cathedral. What if we had a gong symbolizing the sun that could rise up at the symbolic moment of solstice?

Winter commissioned a custom-made 7-foot gong from Paise, a Swiss company. One of his first ideas was to have his percussionist use a bow to shoot ball-tipped arrows at the gong to make it sound. But that idea was scratched, because, as he explained, it would be too dependent on how good the percussionists aim was; it might not awaken the full sound of the gong, and in any case, it could perhaps have been dangerous to the audience. So it was decided the gong be played in a more traditional manner, by someone striking it with a mallet. Winter unveiled the sun-gong as a permanent fixture at the 10th Winter Solstice in 1989. At those premiere performances, Sloan became the worlds first sun-gong player, and hes remained at the helm to this day.

In rigging terms Sloan explains how the effect happens. The chair is attached to a piece of truss. The gong is attached to the same piece of truss, and this truss is lifted up by chain motors. So, wherever the gong goes, I go, because were attached to the same thing, says Sloan, whose dry wit filters through the conversation. Chain motors are operated by someone on the ground. So when Im playing, Im not actively doing anything other than banging the gong, as it were. The coordination, and here, he laughs is fly by the seat of your pants.

Surprisingly, Sloan admits to having had a fear of heights when he first started rigging.

That goes away quickly, he says. You cant be in this line of work and afraid to do the work. I learned very quickly on, I dont know how I learned it, but I learned to trust my gear and trust my process.

And, how did he get into the rigging business in the first place?

I think I must have been a very bad boy in a previous life, and Im paying for it now.

Half-jokingly he adds, I have the best seat in the house. I see all of the lighting. I see all of the pageantry. I see the entire length of the cathedral. It is a magnificent ride.

Mike Horyczuns music column, Sound Surfing, appears in the Norwalk Hour every Saturday. news2mh@gmail.com
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NORWALK, Conn.  Norwalk public school officials will yank hundreds of social studies books from fourth grade classrooms across the district in January after a mother raised concerns over the book teaching her fourth grade daughter that slaves in Connecticut were cared for like family members.

The concerns with the book, The Connecticut Adventure, were raised to district officials Nov. 29 and prompted an immediate internal review of its use and how it addressed slavery in the state, district officials said.

Less than a week later, officials announced they would cease use of the book in classrooms by Jan. 3, 2017, calling the content in the textbook about slavery inaccurate, simplistic and offensive to many.

The portion of the textbook minimizes the impact and implications of slavery from the perspective of many constituents in the Norwalk community, said Michael T. Conner, Chief Academic Officer for Norwalk Public Schools, in a letter addressed to parents and guardians of the districts fourth grade students.

The 250-page book was published in 2001 by Gibbs Smith Publishing and written by author John W. Ifkovic.

In a chapter discussing the history of slaves in Connecticut, the book states, Compared to other colonies, Connecticut did not have many slaves. Some people owned one or two slaves. They often cared for and protected them like members of the family. They taught them to be Christian, and sometimes to read and write.

Officials at Gibbs Smith Publishing did not immediately return Hearst Connecticut Medias calls or emails for comment.

Gibbs Smiths publishes textbooks on various subjects used across the country. The Connecticut Adventure has been taken up by districts throughout the state of Connecticut. Similar textbooks have been produced for several states by the publisher.

Brenda Wilcox Williams, school district spokeswoman, said students have used the book in 10 out of 12 of the Norwalk elementary schools, dating back to at least 2007.

Officials werent sure precisely how long the book has been used or who selected it due to turnover in central office staff since that time.

Williams did say the decision to remove the book has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback.

Besides comments directed to the district, dozens of parents and community leaders took to social media to applaud the district for making the decision and for doing so in a timely manner.

When it was brought to our attention it was pretty clear it wasnt consistent with our core beliefs and values, Williams said. We felt it was important to respond quickly as a result of that.

Its also a sign that there has been a lot of change in the district and that we are moving toward a district that is responsive to the community 

Michelle Zacks, on behalf of her role as associate director of the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition at Yale University, which seeks to bridge the divide between scholarship and public knowledge of slavery, expressed support for the school districts actions.

The degree of brutality connected with slavery in Connecticut varied on a case-by-case basis here and throughout the nation. But the basic fact that enslaved people in this state were bought and sold as though they were livestock or inanimate objects was profoundly dehumanizing and placed them in a much different social status than family,  Zacks said. The Norwalk Public Schools decision to withdraw the textbook and re-examine the treatment of slavery in its curriculum is a positive step toward helping Connecticut students and all of us understand the dehumanizing nature of slavery as well as the ways that African Americans resisted this treatment.

The history of Connecticut, including information about the states treatment of slaves, has historically been introduced to students at the fourth-grade level.

As to whether the students who were already exposed to the books content will be retaught, will be up to a committee composed of central office administrators and curriculum directors in the coming weeks.

That committee will also work through the month of December to identify other resources used to teach the social studies curriculum, such as online materials, in lieu of the textbooks come January.

That means the district wont have to come up with the funds to purchase replacement books, at least until officials work to meet their long-term goal of updating the fourth grade social studies curriculum to be aligned to the new College, Career, and Civic Life Social Studies Framework adopted by the state in 2015.

Officials hope to develop an ad hoc committee to make a recommendation for an official program adoption by May 2017. At that time a book that aligns with the new program may be selected.

KSchultz@thehour.com; 203-354-1049; @kevinedschultz
So much chest thumping, so little time. Obviously, its too cold to physically examine that certain strata of proud American citizens for the bruises accumulated during their four-week chest-thumping festival since the election.

So, lets gauge it in the reflexive, misinformed, hate-filled efforts of people who happen to support a group called the American Family Association. Its in a place in Mississippi called Tupelo, situated, as you may know, between scenic Mooreville and bustling Chesterville on Interstate-22. Or is it bustling Mooreville and scenic Chesterville?

Its all in the eye of the beholder.

The AFA, as they call themselves, has a sudden, active interest in the management of Connecticuts state employee payroll-deduction programs. In fact, by Friday afternoon, State Comptroller Kevin Lembo had been the target of 15,800 emails, the vast majority of them critical of his patriotism, with way too many attacking his sexual orientation.

Thats the price Lembos paying for officially wondering whether the AFA adheres to state requirements that charitable organizations obey anti-discrimination policies.

Well, the likelihood of this is a diminishing return, as they say in the financial-analysis business. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which for decades has been shining a bright light into the shadowy, racist subcultures such as the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan, calls the AFA an extremist organization. The AFA website is clearly homophobic and anti-Muslim.

It buys into that canard that civil rights for transsexuals means men dressed as women sneaking into ladies rest rooms. Thats right up there in the realm of falsehoods as systemic voter fraud, the myth that conservatives have used to essentially take away voting rights from hundreds of thousands of mostly minority Americans with voter ID laws, as they broadcast the fake image of Democrats casting extra ballots.

But I digress.

Lembo, a proud, married gay man who is the adoptive father of three, sent the AFA a simple inquiry, asking whether the organization, which receives contributions from state employee charitable payroll deductions, meets Connecticut guidelines.

The AFAs radio station  of course it has a radio station  immediately sent out an alert about this, charging that this dude in far-off Connecticut was threatening their free speech rights. So why did they clog the comptrollers phone lines for a couple days and pile up attack emails like cordwood? Because a cadre of angry homophobes lurk down there in Tupelo, Miss.

Quick, can you Connecticut taxpayers explain even vaguely what the state comptrollers duties are?

Reviewing a few of the over-the-top emails that are piled on my desk, I realize there are very few of the actual messages I can quote directly. Lets say that the American Family Associations adherents liberally to various uses of the word fag. I bet they manufactured this threat as a neat fund-raising tool among their followers.

So, you think you can push your perverted values upon the rest of this nation, one thoroughly misguided AFA supporter wrote.

Have you not heard about the arrest of perverts in (T)arget bathrooms filming women and children in adjacent stalls? said another email from someone whose grip on the truth seems as illusory, but showing where he gets his phony news.

Your demand letter to AFA clearly demonstrates a shocking level of unprofessionalism and hostility to the historic Christian faith, said another man who clearly had not read Lembos actual request.

And why should they? They simply channeled their rage and homophobia at a target, with links to Facebook and Lembos office conveniently provided on the AFAs homepage.

Non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against simply because of your personal distain for their religious beliefs, wrote another Tupeloaf.

There are about 700 eligible charities in the state employee payroll deduction plan. The AFA has made a whopping $26 in direct deductions this year, which works out to 50 cents a week from one employee. A 13-member umbrella group within the charities  including leukemia and glaucoma support groups  in which the AFA currently is a member, split about $4,200.

One of the many good things about America is that people can speak up and announce their ignorance. But why should charities supported by Connecticut employees pay them for it?

Ken Dixons column appears Sundays in the Hearst Connecticut Newspapers. You may reach him in the Capitol at 860-549-4670 or at kdixon@ctpost.com. Find him at twitter.com/KenDixonCT. His Facebook address is kendixonct.hearst. Dixons Connecticut Blog-o-rama is at blog.ctnews.com/dixon/
HARTFORD  A tentative deal to restructure state employee pension payments has been reached between Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition. The agreement is is aimed at preventing the need for $4 billion to $6 billion payments by the early 2030s.

The governor made the announcement at noon on Friday, culminating a yearlong negotiation over a modification to benefits to avoid the eventual fiscal cliff of 2032, and extending payments out 30 years, to 2046. Under the deal, employees will not have to contribute more of their earnings to current their retirement plans.

Malloy said the measure was needed because of decades of underfunding and not funding pension obligations.

The General Assembly needs to review the agreement, which Malloy and union leaders said would let state government fully fund its pension obligations while maintaining support for the states retirement system. The state contribution in 2011 was $826 million and in the current fiscal year it is $1.6 billion.

Extending refinancing

Republican leaders criticized the deal as a well-intentioned half measure. They called for an immediate wage freeze for state employees and higher payroll deductions for pensions.

I have played long-ball every step of the way, Malloy told reporters in a mid-afternoon news conference. This was one of my top goals when I became governor. This is a long-term plan for stability.

The State Employee Retirement System has an unfunded liability of about $15 billion. When approving concessions from SEBAC in 2011, employees agreed to pay more for health benefits and to allow higher payroll deductions into their plans in exchange for a no-layoff guarantee for four years.

The deal announced Friday includes a reduction in the expected rate of return on investments to 6.9 percent from the current 8 percent, reflecting a more realistic rate. The refinancing period extends the projected 2032 shortfall to 2046.

This agreement makes sense for the long-term retirement security of the public sector workers we represent and the taxpayers of Connecticut, said Ron McLellan, president of the 4,000-member Connecticut Employees Union Independent SEIU Local 511.

Republican criticism

We have been raising concerns since 2000 that the current level percent of payroll system insisted upon by then-Governor Rowland was not the best way to assure stable and reliable pension funding, said Stephen Greatorex, business manager of the 3,200-member Connecticut State University branch of the American Association of University Professors. This agreement at last moves us to a funding system that does its job for the people of the state and the employees who serve them.

Real pensions play an important role in Connecticuts economy by supporting jobs and generating purchasing power in our communities, said Sal Luciano, executive director of the 15,000-member Council 4 AFSCME. This agreement is part of a larger policy imperative by our unions to create retirement security for all.

House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, and Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, immediately criticized the agreement.

We appreciate all the work that went into this proposal, but it does not include critical issues such as pension benefits and individual contributions that must be addressed if the state is serious about fixing the retirement system, Klarides said. These plans will grow increasingly unaffordable for future generations. Quite simply, our children and grandchildren will get stuck with the bills.

Republicans have proposed measures of their own: increasing individual contributions from the current 3 percent to 6 percent of salary for pensions; eliminating overtime income in the calculation of pensions; a three-year wage freeze; and the creation of a mandatory defined contribution system for new employees, finally breaking away from defined benefits.

This is an incomplete bailout of a pension system thats completely out of control, Fasano said in a statement. Simply refinancing our debt is not the structural change we need to change the direction of our state. This package will add billions of dollars in new costs onto taxpayers beyond what is reflected in the governors summary. Its not a solution and taxpayers deserve better.

kdixon@ctpost.com
How do students learn about Connecticut? Lets hope its not from a textbook that sugar coats Connecticuts history of slavery (Fourth-grade textbooks take on Connecticut slavery scrutinized, Dec. 6, 2016)

Luckily, a new social studies text for third and fourth grade could be just months away.

In 2015 the Department of Education recommended incorporating Connecticut content into the public school social studies curriculum and created frameworks for doing so.

But that doesnt actually get content into the classroom. The state doesnt create or fund curriculum or resources. To implement the states recommendation, teachers, especially in the lower grades, need affordable and current resources about Connecticutas weve just learned by Norwalks example.

Connecticut Explored, the states nonprofit magazine of Connecticut history, decided to create one. Before last May, this would have been a no-brainer. Connecticut Humanities would have been a natural funder.

Oh, but wait. Governor Malloy zeroed out CT Humanitiess state funding in the 2016-2017 budget, leaving the heritage and humanities community with no competitive grant pool to apply to for projects like this.

On a shoestring of private funding, a team of teachers, curriculum specialists, and historians are developing a social studies textbook and companion website about Connecticut for third and fourth graders. But we still need a $1.50 per student to print and put this in the hands of 40,000 students next fall.

How is it that Humanities, so important in an era of fake news and, apparently, fake history, is inexplicably and unjustifiably reduced to $0 in the state budget? If Connecticut Humanities was properly funded in the state budget this and many other sorely needed education programs for children and adults could happen. Every legislator has a history museum and library (or two or three) in their district engaged with teaching children and adults alike.

I respectfully ask our governor and state legislators to correct this situation in the next budget. Put Connecticut Humanities back in the state budget at a fair level of funding. 40,000 third and fourth graders and the history museums in every town across Connecticut they visit will thank you.

Elizabeth Normen, publisher

Connecticut Explored
09 Aralk 2016 Cuma, 20:50

The Syrians have paid the price. The country is ruined, the people are ruined and the towns are in rubble. Aleppo is in rubble. Everything started with the USAs policy of supporting regime change in Syria. On the pretext that, The regime opened fire on peaceful protesters, radical Islamist groups and arms were dispatched to the country. Sham opposition meetings were held and the Free Syrian Army of doubtful composition was established. Meanwhile, nobody paid any attention or held out a hand to the genuine moderate opposition that favoured unarmed struggle. More than that, they were written off. Those to embark on this task with the greatest enthusiasm were the anti-Iranian, pro-Western regimes in the region, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the other Gulf emirates. And also Turkey  the people in charge of Turkey!

Certainly, when it came to the policy being followed by Turkey, the days passed and the times changed and everybody at home and abroad began to oppose the AK Party governments Syria policy. But, wait a minute! Not so many moons - five and a half years to be precise - ago when everything started, those who now stand in opposition were at that time criticising the government saying, Turkey is not acting decisively and it is late in reacting. As time passed, they grew even more insistent and our liberal, democratic friends were seemingly on the verge of signing up to serve in the Free Syrian Army. Those who said, Stop, what are you doing? were virtually branded as being part of a fifth column. One of those to accompany us to Syria along with the Eastern Conference acted like one of those young girls whose drink has been drugged and said, They have thrown us into Assads lap. It was if everybody had just noticed how despotic the Syrian regime was and was on the verge of signing up as volunteers in the fight. As to our rulers, following some initial hesitation, they speedily embroiled themselves in the affair. All Syrian opposition meetings were held in Turkey and the Free Syrian Army was established in Turkey. The liberal, democratic opposition, noticing a change in US policy, steered in a different direction, but our rulers did not waver over regime change; that was what set them apart.



In Syria, no effort was spared to bring a friendly and allied Muslim Brotherhood regime to power. Then, when the Kurds in North Syria proclaimed autonomy, things flared up even more. With sensitive issues such as the Bayirbucak Turkmen presenting themselves, Turkey strove to become even more deeply embroiled in the Syrian. Even so, the days passed and the times changed, and the Westerners, led by the USA, which had facilitated the organisation of the opposition in Turkey and had dispatched jihadists to Syria through Turkey, started to blame Turkey and call it the jihadists motorway. The Westerners stoked up conflict in Syria to overthrow the regime in Syria, the centre of the anti-Western camp, Saudi Arabia and its allies did so to smash the Iranian axis, and Turkey did so to be the patron of Sunni advancement in the reason, and then over concerns that the Kurds were gaining territory. The country was destroyed and the people ruined. They were the ones to pay the price.



The outcome was that nobody quite got what they were gunning for and all attention turned to the enigma called ISIL, and Russias entry onto the scene came against such a backdrop. With the West subsequently forced to go to war against the armed, radical Islamist groups that they had once tried to pass off as the moderate opposition, nobody raised their voices at the Russians doing precisely this alongside the Syrian regime and, so, the country entered an even more bloody process. Nowadays, Aleppo is being retaken from the moderates. It is once more civilians, the poor Syrian people, who are paying the price.



Apart from a few laments, there has not been a peep from ruling circles in Turkey, who until yesterday appeared to be on the verge of launching an Aleppo campaign. After all, we all know what is going on in the world and Turkey is trying to make amends with Russia these days. The joy over the prospect of trading in roubles and the economy perking up are enough to drown out the laments over Aleppo. It is not for nothing that they say money has no religion or faith, but is one not to feel any disquiet at all about what one said yesterday? Is one to feel no pangs of conscience over the role one played in the destruction of a neighbouring country out of aspirations to be a regional power. Certainly, their Ottoman forefathers, for whom they have no end of praise, found salvation by coming to terms with the Russians at a time when their own governor Mehmed Ali Pashas forces were advancing on Kutahya, and it was the British above all who intervened for fear that the Russians would gain extra weight in the European balance of powers of the time.



No, I am not saying that Turkey should intervene and save Aleppo. I have at no time supported Turkeys intervention in Syria. There is nothing that it can do now, anyway, even if it wanted to. No, but, after all that has passed, what can you say about forgetting Syria and mouthing a few hollow laments in the interests of trading in roubles and to moving close to Russia as a trump card against the West as if nothing had happened. What kind of humans are you?




When is daylight saving time this year?

What is daylight savings time and why do we still spring forward and fall back? Who invented Daylight Saving Time?
Although David Camerons premiership ended in failure, he can lay claim to one momentous achievement. His Government saved the British welfare system.

Mr Cameron oversaw a moral campaign which has transformed the lives of millions of British people, and for this he deserves considerable credit.

When Labour was voted out of office in 2010, it left behind a broken welfare state which trapped countless people in poverty. This was because the system of handouts to the unemployed paid them enough money that there was no incentive to find paid work.

'The great-grandson of Sigmund Freud (the founder of psychoanalysis), Lord Freud (pictured) had abandoned a brilliant City career to dedicate himself to public service. He provided the intellectual firepower, as well as a capacity for hard work and meticulous attention to detail'

The system was also so labyrinthine and complex that many welfare office staff were unable to fathom how it worked.

All this was deeply damaging to the British economy as it stopped people wanting to get jobs; and, equally depressingly, denied them the dignity and independence that comes from work.

Channel Fours brilliant but harrowing series Benefits Street  featuring feckless layabouts such as White Dee  gave a vivid and tragically accurate picture of the social degradation that resulted.

There were numerous housing estates up and down Britain where entire families had lost the very concept of working for a living. Invariably, this led to a culture of dependency for successive generations that all but destroyed the values of self-reliance and aspiration.

Instead, these peoples lives were defined by criminality, drug addiction, alcoholism and prostitution.

Whereas Labour  the pioneers of the Welfare State  failed to address this scandal, the Tories courageously vowed to tackle this national (and human) tragedy when they came to power in 2010.

Mr Cameron asked Iain Duncan Smith to lead the reforms as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions  and no praise can be too high for his achievement.

However, there is another man who played at least as significant a role: his junior minister, Lord (David) Freud.

The great-grandson of Sigmund Freud (the founder of psychoanalysis), Lord Freud had abandoned a brilliant City career to dedicate himself to public service. He provided the intellectual firepower, as well as a capacity for hard work and meticulous attention to detail.

Last week, however, Freud announced he was standing down from his role. He explained to me: My job is done. Every week I am in the department, I am less and less needed. The reforms are now entrenched. Nothing can stop them now.

Predictably, the news of his unexpected resignation was seized by critics on the Left as evidence that Tory welfare reforms have failed.

The centre-Left New Statesman magazine, to give one egregious example, claimed that the reform programme would be abandoned. And the Rowntree Foundation blamed rising levels of poverty on cuts to welfare payments.

These carping voices could not be more wrong. The truth is that Freuds departure is emphatic proof of the success of his welfare reforms.

I have known Freud for 25 years. An exceptionally modest man, hell be embarrassed that Theresa May (for whom he worked, many years ago, when she was Tory social security spokesman) is to host a farewell party for him in Downing Street.

He shouldnt be embarrassed. The magnitude of his achievement cannot be exaggerated. It is important to recall that most politicians and so-called experts were defeatists who believed that wholesale reform of the welfare system had become impossible.

David Freud disagreed. He set about tearing up the system to start again.

At the heart of his revolutionary idea was Universal Credit  a fairer and simpler system of payments, and central to reforms to make work pay. It was a single monthly payment which combined the numerous separate benefits and tax credits which had been paid under the old system.

Of course, such reform was horrendously complicated because it required an integrated computer system capable of dealing with the 20 million people who received some form of state handout, be it child benefit, a state pension or unemployment benefit.

'Mr Cameron oversaw a moral campaign which has transformed the lives of millions of British people, and for this he deserves considerable credit'

Inevitably, there were serious teething problems, and Freud, though the mildest and most diffident of men, had to see off a host of doom-mongers and politically-motivated critics.

Many of these were, all-too- predictably, vested interest groups: Labour MPs, charities, local councils, unions and anti-poverty campaign bodies.

But, most shamefully, he also met resistance from people who should have been his natural supporters. The most formidable and determined was the then Chancellor, George Osborne.

Obsessed with saving money in the short term, Osborne was blind to the moral challenge of making work pay.

Despicably, he set about sabotaging the reforms of Freud and Duncan Smith. Osborne intrigued to get the latter sacked from the Cabinet and mocked him behind his back, saying that he was too stupid to do the job.

Defiantly, Duncan Smith and David Freud battled on.

I witnessed the success of their work when I visited job centres up and down Britain and talked to the staff and benefits claimants.

And the facts, too, speak for themselves.

The unemployment rate has fallen to 4.9 per cent, the lowest it has been for 11 years. Only 11 per cent of children are now growing up in workless households, compared with 19.8 per cent when records began 20 years ago.

The percentage of jobless people living in social housing has also gone down dramatically.

In fact, the Duncan Smith/Freud reforms have been so momentous that they have attracted attention from around the world.

Like Margaret Thatchers revolutionary privatisation programmes of the 1980s, they will soon be copied globally. There is a lesson here for us all.

David Freud is not a household name. He went into politics for reasons which many others in Westminster did not. He never sought fame, money or self-advancement: he simply wanted to change Britain for the better.

Most politicians are forgotten within a few years of leaving office, yet I am convinced that Lord Freud will be remembered in years to come for his welfare reforms.

He achieved what most people considered to be impossible.

Thanks to his work, the British welfare state is returning to the original vision of its wartime founder William Beveridge.

Beveridge intended the welfare system to be a safety net when people found themselves in impoverished circumstances. He would have been appalled to see how it had become an uncontrollable monster, allowing people to see welfare as a way of life.

Last year, its budget was 258 billion  accounting for 35 per cent of Government spending.

On an individual level, Freuds dedication and hard work have lifted countless people out of poverty and lives of hopelessness.
Brace yourselves for a Christmas like no other, as outrageous Royal Family sitcom The Windsors returns to Channel 4 with an hour-long special.

Given that in the first series, shown earlier this year, we saw Camilla try to blow up the Palace, Prince William campaign to abolish the monarchy, an illiterate Prince Harry seduced into proposing to Pippa Middleton, and Kate Middleton contracting ebola on a humanitarian mission, its fair to say reverence will be in short supply.

When I first read the scripts I thought it sounded like The Addams Family meets Made In Chelsea, laughs Hugh Skinner, who plays Prince William.

Brace yourselves for a Christmas like no other, as outrageous Royal Family sitcom The Windsors returns to Channel 4 with an hour-long special

I didnt worry about peoples reactions to it, I just thought it was affectionate. And even when I saw the first series I didnt feel bad.

'Its so ridiculous that its probably less insulting than something more naturalistic. I mean, obviously Prince William doesnt work in Pret A Manger, and Prince Harry can read.

Hugh and the rest of the cast, which includes Haydn Gwynne as Camilla, Harry Enfield as Prince Charles and Louise Ford as Kate Middleton, obviously have a blast bringing the ludicrous ideas of writers George Jeffrie and Bert Tyler-Moore to life.

Whether its Beatrice and Eugenie being radicalised and plotting to travel to Syria, Camilla getting pregnant at 68 or Kate snogging the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Fans will be happy the storylines for the Christmas special, set at Sandringham, are even more bonkers than before.

The cast from the first series of The Windsors, which was a hit for Channel 4

When the family discover someone has taped over the pre-recorded Queens Speech thats due to be broadcast with Strictly Come Dancing  and with the Queen now abroad  its down to Prince Charles to fill in for his mum, live. But with brother Edward directing and Charles going off-script, disaster looms.

Banished from the house, Fergie and her girls are sleeping in the stables but pinning their hopes on getting back into the fold by releasing a single called Daddy Come Home For Christmas. And Kate finds herself at war with Camilla over the Christmas dinner.

Theres also a nod to Dickenss A Christmas Carol, with George III as the ghost of Christmas past  a brilliant cameo from Harry Enfields long-time comedy collaborator Paul Whitehouse. My George III is on medication  arsenic and lead!  so hes just a bit eccentric, says Paul. Hes able to show William a glimpse of his fathers past so he can realise how Charles has become the slightly damaged individual he is in the show.

Vicki Pepperdine is also new to the cast as Princess Anne. Theyve mixed Anne with Mrs Danvers, the housekeeper from Daphne du Mauriers Rebecca, and its all rather austere and, What are you doing in my house? Its great fun, says Vicki. I brought my own false teeth for the part, I see that as Annes thing. But its not an impressions show, its a family comedy. Its not mean, its just funny.

And has being involved in The Windsors changed the actors opinion of the real Royal Family? I think its too far removed to inform it either way, says Tim Wallers, who plays Prince Andrew. But I like the Royals. And I think the familys in good hands with the younger generation.

While we never actually see the Queen or Prince Philip, they do often send foul-mouthed yet strangely affectionate messages to their relatives. I suppose the question everybody asks is, I wonder if they watch it? says Vicki Pepperdine. We dont know. Although I dont think Princess Anne actually has a television. Shes far too busy.
Bruno Tonioli can still recall his thrill at seeing West Side Story on the big screen for the first time as a child in Italy.

From the first dance sequence I thought, I want to be part of this world. Its still some of the best choreography ever.

Yet the musical was, in Brunos words, never meant to happen.

Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer in the film version of the famous West Side Story

This gritty take on Romeo And Juliet set among the gangs of New York was the antithesis of the typical Broadway shows of its era, so dark and modern that not everyone wanted it to happen. A lot of people were against it, he says.

Bruno and broadcaster Suzy Klein are fronting a one-off documentary in the build-up to the 60th anniversary of the stage show opening on Broadway.

Speaking to those involved with the show and the ensuing film, they piece together the dramas before the first curtain call in 1957.

The shows director and choreographer Jerome Robbins first had the idea of using gang-ridden areas of Manhattan as the setting for his take on Shakespeares play in 1947.

Bruno Tonioli fronts a one-off documentary about the famous tale

He teamed up with composer Leonard Bernstein and screenwriter Arthur Laurents, and in their version of the story the Juliet figure was Jewish and Romeo was an Irish Catholic.

By 1949, however, mired in disagreements, the idea had been mothballed. It would take another six years for the trio to regroup  by which time Laurents was pitching Puerto Rican street gang the Sharks against white gang the Jets.

When former Jet Tony falls in love with Maria, whose brother is the leader of the Sharks, the gangs clash with fatal consequences.

Another musical legend would soon join the team: lyricist Stephen Sondheim. His partnership with Bernstein wasnt always easy, he recalls.

Lenny was fond of changing my lyrics. Id write something, hed change it and say, Wouldnt this be better? Then wed argue. I was 25 and he treated me like a kid.

Money was a problem too. At the time Broadway shows were all jazz hands, says Bruno. This story had people in jeans against brick walls and someone dies at the end. No one wanted to back it. Fortunately Sondheim persuaded a friend, talented young producer Hal Prince, to invest at the 11th hour.

Rehearsals were no picnic either, and cast members tell Bruno of broken limbs and endless injuries. Nothing but perfection would satisfy Robbins. He pushed them to the limit, says Bruno.

The show finally opened on Broadway in September 1957, with Carol Lawrence playing Maria and Larry Kert as Tony. Carol describes the first night as nerve-racking.

But 17 curtain calls later she knew it was a hit. It would run for 732 performances and be nominated for a Tony award for Best Musical, while the 1961 film with Natalie Wood as Maria and Richard Beymer as Tony won ten Oscars.

The show is universal, says Bruno, its about not being able to integrate. The music is a work of art too. The song Somewhere is as good as any operatic aria. It makes you cry instantly.
The site also named Gucci as the most-searched for

Last year, Kendall Jenner was the only member of her reality TV family to make Polyvore's list of the most-searched style icons, but in 2016, younger sister Kylie managed to top them all.

The 19-year-old was the most-searched-for style star on the shopping-focused site, beating out the next-highest-searched star  Rihanna  by a whopping 34 per cent.

Kendall, 21, who came in second place behind Ariana Grande last year, finished in a distant third, showing that there's clearly been a major shake-up in the Kardashian-Jenner clan's power rankings this year.

She's number one! Kylie Jenner topped Polyvore's list as the most-searched-for style icon of 2016

It's all in the numbers: The shopping website used their data to break down the biggest trend and trend-makers

Getting a boost: Rihanna came in second place after not making the top five last year

Unseated! Kendall Jenner, who came in second last year, was bumped down to third place

So popular: Gigi Hadid (left) and Selena Gomez (right) rounded out the top five

According to Polyvore's search data, Kylie, Rihanna, Kendall, Gig Hadid, and Selena Gomez were the most influential stars of the year.

And they each inspired some pretty big trends, too. While Kylie had girls shopping for bomber jackets and jumpsuits, RiRi made the ladies lust for Puma sneakers  including those from her own collection  and kimonos.

Kendall got girls loving peach dresses and sheer crop tops in 2016, while Gigi modeled lace tops and Selena inspired a fever for flat loafers and plaid skirts.

Way to go! Harry Styles was the second most influential male style icon for the second year in a row

The boys are here: Justin Bieber and Drake came in second and third, followed by David Bowie and Niall Horan

Fashion fans: The site also figured out the most-searched-for designers and trends

Want it? Gucci was the most popular designer, and their Boston bag was their post popular item

In demand: Chanel came in second, thanks in part to their Boy bag

Love 'em: Valentino was the third-most-searched, with their Rockstud shoes the most in-demand

Favorites: Fendi and Givenchy were also in the top five for the category

The most influential male style icon of 2016, for the second year in a row, was Harry Styles  who was followed by Justin Bieber, Drake, David Bowie, and Niall Horan.

Polyvore also broke down the most in-demand designers and trends of the year, using data collected from around the world.

The most popular brand names were Gucci (its Boston bag, in particular), Chanel, Valentino, Fendi, and Givenchy.

Top to bottom: The biggest trend in bottoms for 2016 was skinny jeans, like the ones worn by Bella Hadid (pictured)

Top top: Off-the-shoulder tops, like the ones shown on Lily Aldridge and Chrissy Teigen, were the biggest trend in tops

Double threat: Jourdan Dunn rocked two of the hottest trends of the year, skinny jeans and cold shoulder tops

Denim overalls, like the ones worn by Elsa Hosk, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Ariana Grande, were also a big item this year

The top accessory? Adidas Superstar sneakers, like those favored by Gigi (pictured)

But even though luxe designers are still beloved, shoppers' favorite trends have definitely skewed more casual this year.

Skinny jeans and denim overalls reigned supreme in searches for bottoms, followed far behind by palazzo pants, bell bottoms, overall shorts, mesh leggings, embroidered jeans, and skinny cargo pants.

For accessories, the top searches weren't heels or statement necklaces, but sneakers: People went crazy for Adidas' striped Superstar sneaks, Nike's Air Max Thea, and platform trainers.

Pussy bow tops were a must-have too, even for stars like Olivia Wilde and Brittany Snow

Though sneakers were the most popular footwear, the most-searched-for heels were clear ones, like these worn by Anna Kendrick

She's the bomb: For outerwear, bomber jackets (like Hailee Steinfeld's) were the top pick

Feelin' faux: Also searched for were faux-fur jackets like Rihanna's fuzzy coat

Clear heels, chokers, and mini backpacks also made it into the top ten, making it clear the '90s style resurgence isn't going away any time soon.

In fact, Polyvore noted a 'crazy spike' in searches for throwbacks like those mini backpacks, chokers, bell bottoms, and Adidas Superstars.

The top-searched tops were a bit dressier, though  and lot more feminine. Shoppers' favorites were off-the-shoulder tops, pussy bow blouses, crop tops, and cold-shoulder numbers, as well as the more dressed-down hoodie.

Beauty buzz: MAC, NARS, Urban Decay, Bath & Body Works, and Clinique were the most popular brands of the year

In particular, fans like MAC's nude lipstick, Clinique's face moisturizer, and Bath & Body Works' Velvet Sugar products

Staple: NARS' Orgasm blush hasn't lost its appeal as a crowd favorite

Urban Decay's neutral make-up palette was their most popular product

When it comes to make-up, however, classics seemed to win out once again, with longtime favorite brands winning the competition.

The most-searched for brand was MAC (their nude lipstick, in particular, was a favorite), followed by NARS (and their Orgasm blush), Urban Decay (and its Naked palette),Bath & Body Works (with it's Velvet Sugar-scented products), and Clinique (especially their face moisturizer).

Nude lipstick was actually the number-one-searched beauty item, with mattle lipstick  thanks in part to Kylie Jenner and her Lip Kits  coming in a close second.

More data: The site also figured out the most popular items by state
He is only a week old, but little Jack Jenkins is already proving to be a rather special baby. He barely wakes during the night, and doesn't cry much either. 'We are so lucky,' says his proud mother, Jessica.

Grandma Julie Bradford concurs. 'He's just perfect isn't he?' she says. 'To us, he's a Christmas miracle.'

It's an over-used phrase, but here it feels absolutely accurate, because Jessica, 21, once feared she would never be able to fulfil her dream of becoming a mum.

Told she had grade 2 cervical cancer when she was only 18  one of the youngest women in the country to be diagnosed  she learned that the aggressive radiotherapy required to treat the disease would also leave her infertile.

Devotion: Julie and Jessica with baby Jack

There was only one hope: Jessica had time  just  to have her eggs harvested and frozen, although she would have to rely on a surrogate mother to carry a baby to term. Step forward her own mum, Julie  who, at 45 and with three grown-up children, had thought her childbearing days were over, but who leapt at the chance to carry her own grandchild.

'Any mother in the same situation would do this for their child,' she says.

Today, the result of her selfless act is snoozing in his wicker crib in Jessica's cosy living room in Rhymney, Wales  a tiny, brown-haired bundle who looks the image of his dad, Rees.

It is no surprise that both Jessica and her 27-year-old husband have to pinch themselves every time they look at their baby son.

'It's hard to put into words,' says Jessica. 'Less than three years ago, I was staring at a grim diagnosis. Now I am having my first Christmas as a mother, and it's only thanks to my own mum that it's possible. I will never really be able to thank her enough.'

She need not worry: Julie has all the thanks she needs in the form of cuddles from her newborn grandson. 'He was always my grandson, from the very start,' she says. 'I was just looking after him for his mum.'

It is an extraordinary turn of events for a family who would be the first to admit that until now they would have considered themselves anything but out of the ordinary.

Married for 24 years, Julie and her husband Calwyn, 47, had raised Jessica and her brothers, Dane, now 23, and 22-year-old Jordan, and were looking forward to an uneventful middle age when their world imploded in 2013.

Jessica, then just 18 and planning to start her own hairdressing business, had visited the doctor complaining of bleeding and pain in her lower belly and was referred to a specialist.

'I remember Jessica ringing me on the way home from the doctor's crying, saying she might have cancer,' Julie recalls. 'I didn't really have a clue what to do  it's not something you expect. She was so young that I thought there had to be a mistake'.

A biopsy a few days later confirmed their worst fears. 'All I felt was pure fear. At that stage, they didn't know how far it had gone or whether it was curable,' says Julie quietly.

Jessica (pictured with her pregnant mother), 21, once feared she would never be able to fulfil her dream of becoming a mum

The initial signs were positive: exploratory surgery appeared to show that the cancer had been contained, meaning it could be treated with chemotherapy.

Within days though, the news had worsened: a scan showed the cancer was grade 2B, meaning it had spread to Jessica's lymph nodes and would require immediate radiotherapy  which would leave her infertile.

Not only that, but Jessica's cancer was so advanced doctors felt they couldn't risk taking the time to harvest her eggs, a process that would normally take four weeks.

For a young woman on the cusp of her adult life, it was a shocking blow. Already engaged to fiance Rees, a machine setter whom she had met aged just 15, she had hoped to start a family soon after they married.

'Learning I could never have children of my own was worse than being told I had cancer,' she says. 'I felt I could cope with that. But to think I was never going to become a mum was just horrible.'

We are so lucky. To us he's a Christmas miracle

Her thoughts, too, were for Rees. 'I told him that if he wanted to have a family, I couldn't give that to him, and I would understand if he wanted to walk away. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to say, but it seemed the right thing to do.'

Rees wouldn't hear of it.

'I loved her for saying it, but there was never any doubt in my mind that I would stand by her,' he says. 'I felt that there were other ways to be a parent. I just wanted Jessica to be ok. All we could do was place our faith in the doctors.'

But incredibly, the pair were thrown a lifeline. Two days after her diagnosis, Jessica received a call from the hospital saying they were going to harvest her eggs as quickly as possible. The deadline was a fortnight  the longest medics felt they could safely delay treatment.

'I was thrilled,' says Jessica. 'It meant I had a chance.'

A course of injections to boost her egg production followed, and ten days later she went to Cardiff's University of Wales Hospital to have her eggs harvested. Only a few hours later, she crossed town to the city's Velindre Cancer Centre to start her first course of radiotherapy.

By then, Julie had already offered to act as her daughter's surrogate. As a family, they are a reserved bunch and Julie says: 'I sat her down and said simply that I would do it for her.'

Jessica Jenkins, 21, was told she had grade 2 cervical cancer aged 18

'It was the obvious thing to do. I've always known that Jess longed to become a mother. I felt so helpless about the cancer, but this was something I could do something about. It's a mother's instinct  you will do anything you can to make your children happy.'

Husband Calwyn was in total agreement. 'Jess is his little girl. He felt exactly the same way,' says Julie.

Not even the fact that Julie had gone through the menopause at the early age of 38 could stand in their way, because she took medication to allow her to carry a child.

Jessica's main focus, meanwhile, was beating cancer and she succumbed to the gruelling treatment  a radiotherapy session every weekday for two months, plus weekly chemotherapy  emboldened by the knowledge that doctors had harvested 21 eggs, ten of which had survived and been turned into embryos.

And as her proud mother testifies, not only did Jessica not complain, but she carried on attending hairdressing college each day after her treatment. 'Her attitude was, 'We've got to get on with it.' '

Any mother in the same situation would do this for their child

Jessica, it turns out, had her eye on the future. 'I wanted to get my career sorted so that I could have my own business ready for starting a family,' she says.

Her treatment ended in July 2014, but she would have to wait a further three months before being told she was in remission at the end of October. 'It was the biggest weight off my shoulders,' Jessica recalls. 'I felt like my life could start again.'

Motherhood, however, had to wait a little longer because Jessica wanted to get married first and also deal with another medical side-effect (the radiotherapy had damaged her bladder and kidneys, and she had to be fitted with a stent in her kidney that she will require for the rest of her life).

'We wanted to get our house and I wanted to make sure my hairdressing business was successful,' says Jessica. 'You want to give your child the best future, like any mum.'

With the help of a cancer charity, Rees and Jessica were married in Florida in October 2015  a year to the day since she had been told she was in remission. When they returned home, they were determined to become parents.

'The offer had always been there and Mum wasn't getting any younger,' says Jessica.

Doctors froze her eggs but she would need surrogate mother

Rees, however found the process more complex. 'Jess and I had talked about the pros and cons of using her mum as opposed to someone we didn't know, but the more I thought about it the more it made sense. We knew we could have complete trust in Julie  and Jess would be able to be involved every day.'

A battery of tests followed to ensure Julie was healthy enough to carry a child, and on Christmas Eve 2015, she started taking a course of hormones which would help to thicken her womb lining in preparation for a pregnancy. She also had to inject herself every day to avoid blood clots  a possible consequence of taking the hormones.

By March 30 she was ready, and Calwyn drove his wife and daughter to hospital for one of Jessica's frozen embryos to be implanted in Julie's womb  a process that took less than ten minutes.

A tense two weeks followed while the whole family waited to see if Julie was pregnant. 'I was frightened,' recalls Julie. 'Jess is a very positive person, but I didn't want her to get her hopes up.'

Two weeks later, on April 9  two years to the day since Jessica had learned she may be left infertile  she took the home pregnancy test that would change her life.

Gathered together with Rees and Jessica at their home, the trio waited with bated breath for the result.

'The blue line saying I was pregnant came up almost instantly,' says Julie. 'We all just hugged and cried. I felt so lucky and relieved that it had worked the first time.'

Mother and daughter, already close, became inseparable, with Jessica accompanying Julie to all her antenatal appointments. 'I wanted to be there every step of the way,' says Jess. 'In some ways, it was exactly the same as if I'd carried him. My only worry was Mum's health. I didn't want to put her at risk.'

She needn't have worried: save for late-onset, pregnancy-related diabetes  a common condition controlled by insulin  Julie remained in good health.

'I felt great,' she says. 'The difference with my previous pregnancies is that when they were my own, I didn't have a care in the world. This time the stakes were so high.'

For his part, Rees admits he initially struggled to get his head round the reality of his route to fatherhood.

'I sort of distanced myself for a little bit,' he confesses. 'It was a bit weird to think my baby was being carried by my mother-in-law. I didn't want to touch her tummy at first, as it didn't seem real.

I will never really be able to thank her enough

'I was also worried it wasn't going to work and the impact that could have on Jess and Julie, as they are so close. Obviously I didn't let Jess know. I just wanted to stay strong for her, but I would talk to my dad about it instead. But then as the pregnancy progressed and Julie started to show, it suddenly clicked that that was my baby in there.'

Rees and Jessica laugh as they recall the first time they felt their son kick at around 22 weeks.

'I had my head on Mum's tummy and he kicked me right in the ear,' Jessica smiles.

Around the same time, a scan showed they were having a son and they finally began to relax enough to decorate the nursery in blue.

On December 1, Julie was admitted to hospital  two weeks ahead of the December 14 due date, so she could be induced to avoid any diabetes complications, with Jessica by her side.

All through the night, Jessica slept fitfully in a hospital chair beside her mother until the next morning, at 5.30, Julie's waters broke. Just over three hours later, with Jessica holding her mum's hand, Jack emerged into the world, a beautiful, perfect little boy weighing 6lb 8oz.

Jack emerged into the world, a beautiful, perfect little boy weighing 6lb 8oz

'It was horrible seeing Mum in pain during labour,' Jessica says. 'I felt so helpless. But then I actually could see Jack's head coming out with his dark hair and I started to cry as for some reason I knew he would have dark hair,' Jessica recalls. 'I cut the cord and he came straight to me. I said to Mum: 'No words can thank you enough for what you've done for us.' Rees was crying his eyes out.'

For Julie, the sight of her daughter holding her baby son was 'just beautiful'.

It's one she hasn't tired of yet  while a week in, Jessica has taken to motherhood like a duck to water. 'I feel like I was destined to be a mum,' she says. 'Everything makes sense.' She and Rees haven't ruled out having more children, although Jessica would not ask her mum to step in again.

'I think she's done enough don't you?' she laughs.

Instead, Jessica, who has to undergo three-monthly checks to ensure her cancer remains at bay, plans to investigate pioneering womb transplant technology.

But that is all in the future. For now, the family are looking forward to the happiest of Christmases. Rees has bought his son a Superman Babygro, while Grandma Julie is also planning to spoil her first grandchild rotten.

'It's wonderful seeing them so happy and knowing I played a part in that,' she says.

Jessica, meanwhile, knows only too well how lucky she's been.
A love struck Coldplay fan outshone his favourite band's frontman Chris Martin on Friday night by taking centre stage to propose to his girlfriend of three years.

Frontman Chris Martin gave up the spotlight halfway through singing 'A Sky Full of Stars' to allow the man to give an emotional speech to the love of his life in front of a full house at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne.

The nervous husband-to-be Lonardo Tanno, 31, gripped onto the microphone as he faced the woman of his dreams, Felicia Lie, 26.

'So for the past three years, thank you for your love,' he said while fighting back tears.

A love struck Coldplay fan outshone his favourite band's front-man Chris Martin on Friday night

The bride-to-be said yes and the loved-up couple shared a kiss on stage in front of 50,000 people

Front-man Chris Martin gave up the spotlight halfway through singing 'A Sky Full of Stars' to allow the man, left, to give an emotional speech to the love of his life, right

In the video the crowd let out a sympathetic 'aww' as happy tears trickled down the bride-to-be's face.

'Thank you for giving me a chance.'

'So in the midst of Coldplay, my new best friend Chris, and all the people here in Melbourne I just want to say I love you. 'Will you marry me?'

As Mr Tanno finished his heart-felt speech a reveler in the crow cried out 'get on your knee'.

The man listened and bent down to offer a ring to his emotional fiance beneath a stream of confetti.

The Coldplay star added a touch of comedy to the emotionally charged proposal by telling the future groom not to take too long as 'people have to catch trains and s**t'.

Chris Martin, the band's front man was happy to share the stage with the couple

The couple shared the stage with the band as they confessed their love for one and other

Felicia Lie, 26, spoke exclusively to Daily Mail Australia just hours after her partner of three years, Lonardo Tanno, got down on one knee in front of 50,000 people at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

'I was surprised - I guess it was a mixture of disbelief and happiness,' she said.

Ms Lie has loved Coldplay since she was a teenager and describes Chris Martin as her hero.

'It was amazing for me to be able to share the stage with him, it was amazing that he went beyond what he was supposed to be doing for us,' she said.

'He is definitely invited to our wedding - although I know he has a very busy schedule.'

The Indonesian couple had travelled seven hours to see the concert just to see the band play.

The couple have known each other since 2008 - when they met in America - but it took a while for their interest in each other developed.

'We realised we have the same interests and our lives and families fit together really well,' Ms Lie said.

The woman gasped as her partner revealed the ring he had bought to give her on stage

The bride-to-be smiled and cried as her partner of three years got down on one knee

A friend of the loved-up couple was ushered off the stage after Martin realised she was not the woman about to be proposed to.

The funny front-man jokingly asked what the woman was doing on stage adding 'thanks for coming anyway' as she took her place in the crowd.

'Does anyone want to get married to this lady?' he asked before the real bride-to-be made her way to the stage to face her nervous partner.

Chris Martin was snapped in a charming photo beaming across at the showstoppers as they became engaged.

Chris Martin initially thought a friend on stage was going to be proposed to but promptly kicked her off when he realised she was the wrong woman
As summer sets in across Australia, women everywhere are heading to the beach and there's one new shape-defining swimsuit they're determined to have.

The 'original sexy rashie' by Une Piece was 'born in Australia and inspired by the south of France', just like its creator Carly Brown.

And more than 500 women signed up to buy the zip-up one piece swimsuit before it even went on sale.

As summer sets in across Australia, women everywhere are heading to the beach and there's one new shape-defining swimsuit they're determined to have

'The seed was planted when I was living in Europe where summer was a really big deal,' the business woman and mum-to-be told Daily Mail Australia.

After growing up by the beaches of the Sunshine Coast with her surfer dad, Carly said she craved the ocean as an adult living overseas.

'I always had a real fascination in how swimsuits make you feel,' she said.

'I love working with woman, looking at how woman perceive themselves and using a brand to build their confidence.'

The idea for Une Piece came to her during Christmas last year when she couldn't find a one piece she liked.

'They didn't quite fit right or look right.'

And so the sexy rashie was born.

The 'original sexy rashie' by Une Piece was 'born in Australia and inspired by the south of France'

Its creator Carly Brown (pictured) was also born in Australia and inspired by the Mediterranean

There are 28 pieces that make up the Une Piece, making it 'incredibly contouring' says Carly

There are 28 pieces that make up the Une Piece, making it 'incredibly contouring' says Carly, much more than other one pieces available on the market.

The already iconic piece suits women of all different shapes and sizes and ranges from a size 6-16.

Carly said she was inspired by conversations she had with all types of women, especially mothers and pregnant women.

'When they had kids and they had to wear rash vests, they didn't feel beautiful anymore and that's a real shame - just because they're mothers.'

It took about twelve months of optimising and testing until the brand came up with an 'amazing fit where you put something on and you just feel good with it'.

The white, red, navy and black swimsuits are made from luxurious Italian materials.

Carly wanted to create a statement one piece that also protects customers from the harsh Australian sun and emphasise the importance of sun safety.

The classic pieces are selling out quickly and the website has only been live for a week.

'It just kept growing and growing, we were just really blown away - I'd spent the time and hadn't rushed the product - I was confident in it. The reactions have been phenomenal.'

Carly plans to launch a blog within the website 'about women feeling great by the water' and will feature a range of body types.

The already iconic piece suits women of all different shapes and sizes and ranges from a size 6-16

Carly said she was inspired by conversations she had with all types of women, especially mothers and pregnant women

It took about twelve months of optimising and testing until the brand came up with an 'amazing fit where you put something on and you just feel good with it'

The white, red, navy and black swimsuits are made from luxurious Italian materials

Carly wanted to create a statement one piece that also protects customers from the harsh Australian sun

Carly and her business partner look over the Une Piece designs in the studio

The classic pieces are selling out quickly and the website has only been live for a week

'It just kept growing and growing, we were just really blown away - I'd spent the time and hadn't rushed the product - I was confident in it. The reactions have been phenomenal,' Carly said

'The seed was planted when I was living in Europe where summer was a really big deal,' the business woman and mum-to-be told Daily Mail Australia

After growing up by the beaches of the Sunshine Coast with her surfer dad, Carly said she craved the ocean as an adult living overseas

The idea for Une Piece came to her during Christmas last year when she couldn't find a one piece she liked

'I always had a real fascination in how swimsuits make you feel,' Carly said

'I love working with woman, looking at how woman perceive themselves and using a brand to build their confidence'

Carly plans to launch a blog within the website 'about women feeling great by the water' and will feature a range of body types




She won MasterChef with her fuss-free family recipes, and here Jane Devonshire dishes up her simple but sensational Christmas lunch

As much as I adore cooking, Christmas Day is one day when I want to make things as easy for myself as possible

As much as I adore cooking, Christmas Day is one day when I want to make things as easy for myself as possible.

I do all my prep on Christmas Eve so I can then really enjoy being with family and friends.

Serves 8-10

6.5kg (14lb) turkey

400g (14oz) unsalted butter, softened

2tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1tbsp fresh sage, chopped (or 1tsp dried)

2tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 2tsp dried)

Zest and juice of half a lemon

1 whole lemon, for the cavity

700g (1lb 8oz) thick-cut smoked bacon slices

Sunflower oil

Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place the turkey in a roasting tin. Combine the butter, salt and pepper, and half of the herbs, lemon zest and juice in a bowl.

Place the remaining zest, juice and herbs into the turkey cavity along with the whole lemon.

Liberally smear the herby butter over the entire bird (except the base), paying particular attention to the legs, wings and breast. Then cover it completely with the bacon.

Wrap the bacon-covered legs and wings in foil so they dont burn. Place a large piece of foil loosely over the top of the bird, giving it room to breathe.

Put a glug of oil in the pan to stop the butter burning when it melts. Roast for 45 minutes, remove the foil, baste the turkey with its juices, re-cover, turn the oven down to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and cook for 1 hours, basting occasionally.

Take the bird out 45 minutes-1 hour before the end of the cooking time, uncover the breast, remove the bacon and put to one side (chop and add to your veg, if liked).
She won MasterChef with her fuss-free family recipes, and here Jane Devonshire dishes up her simple but sensational Christmas lunch

This is my favourite Christmas stuffing recipe  its easy to prepare ahead and simple to just reheat on the big day

This is my favourite Christmas stuffing recipe  its easy to prepare ahead and simple to just reheat on the big day.

Makes around 16 balls

2 medium onions, finely chopped

50g (1oz) unsalted butter

180g (6oz) vacuum-packed cooked and peeled chestnuts (from supermarkets), chopped

500g (1lb 2oz) good-quality sausage meat

2tbsp mixed dried herbs

1 large egg

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. In a pan, gently saute the chopped onions in the butter for 3-4 minutes until cooked, but not coloured. Put to one side to cool.

Place the chestnuts in a bowl along with the sausage meat, herbs, egg and salt and pepper. Add the sauteed onions and mix together  I use my hands to do this. Once combined, take a spoonful of the mixture, around the size of a ping-pong ball. Roll it into a ball and place on your baking tray. Repeat until you have 16 evenly sized balls.

Place in the oven for around 45 minutes or until the stuffing balls are firm, cooked through and have turned a dark golden colour. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Only 55 percent of staff at cannabis dispensaries receive formal training, according to a new report.

The study by Stanford University also found that only 20 percent of employees who did receive training were taught specialized medical or scientific information.

However, 94 percent of staff reported giving dosage advice to patients.

The peer-reviewed study comes at a pivotal time as legalization of cannabis for medical use increases across the U.S.

A new report warns more investigations are needed into the training of dispensary staff as they become more prevalent around the US

Twenty-eight states and Washington, D.C., have laws that permit medical marijuana.

As a result, Dr Nancy Haug of Palo Alto University and Stanford University School of Medicine, says the training of dispensary staff, who may recommend cannabis type and concentration to patients, requires closer examination.

She warned that some of the cannabis recommendations made by dispensary staff have not been shown to be effective and could even cause a patient's condition to worsen.

Her investigation involved colleagues from John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Philadelphia Veteran's Administration Medical Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and VA Palo Alto Healthcare System.

Though it was small - involving 55 cannabis dispensary staff members - the authors said their findings covered a broad range of centers, and indicate a need for further investigation.

The survey was designed to assess the training, knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dispensary staff.

The respondents came from Colorado, California, Arizona, Oregon, DC, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine.

First they were asked personal factors - such as age, race, sexual orientation, and education - as well as how much they earned at the dispensary and how many hours they worked.

They were also asked specifics about the dispensary - where it is, what kind of dispensary it is, and what their job entails.

The majority of respondents (59 percent) worked at medical dispensaries.

One third were based in large cities, one third in small cities, and the rest in rural or suburban areas.

Just over half the staff surveyed said they'd had some formal training for their positions.

Of those that did receive training, very few learned specifics about the medicinal or scientific properties.

Thirty-five percent of trained staff were taught customer service, and 26 percent learned business.

Only 20 percent of trained staff received medical training, while just 20 percent received scientific training.

However, 94 percent said they gave advice - either on particular cannabis strains, suggested administration methods, potential side effects, benefits of cannabis or dosing.

The study, published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, is free to read online.

'These numbers are appalling, but unfortunately not surprising,' says Editor-in-Chief Daniele Piomelli, PhD, University of California-Irvine, School of Medicine.
This Christmas Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury's classic story of five children hunting a bear in the English countryside follows the in tradition of The Snowman as it is brought to life in a new animated film

Were Going On A Bear Hunt, the iconic bedtime story written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury has enchanted generations of small children, sold more than nine million copies worldwide and implanted its memorable chorus: Were going on a bear hunt / Were going to catch a big one / What a beautiful day! / Were not scared into the minds of families across the globe.

This Christmas the classic story of five children hunting a bear in the English countryside follows the in tradition of The Snowman as it is brought to life in a new animated film

This Christmas, the timeless story of five children and a dog embarking on an unlikely adventure in the English countryside follows in a tradition established in 1982 when Raymond Briggs bestseller The Snowman was turned into an animated television special. The Oscar-nominated film has been shown every Christmas since.

It struck a nerve with families young and old, says Olivia Colman, who joins Mark Williams and Pam Ferris in the star-studded voice cast for a 2 million television adaptation.

Williams, who voices Dad opposite Colmans Mum  both characters created especially for the film  has fond memories of reading the book to his children, now in their teens.

THE BEAR HUNT... IN NUMBERS The film contains 35,521 hand-drawn and coloured frames of animation, which equates to 100,364 drawings.

Each of the 30 animators was given a target of five seconds of animation per week. The film took 37 weeks to produce.

Eight background artists produced 288 hand-painted watercolours as backgrounds.

A 53-piece orchestra recorded the soundtrack at Abbey Road.

The budget for the 24-minute film was about 2 million.

Were Going On A Bear Hunt is internationally popular, with over nine million copies sold worldwide (four million in the UK). Advertisement

When youre little, its so unsatisfying when your fantasies dont actually come true. But in this book, the children go on a bear hunt and they find a bear  it doesnt get any better than that.

The storys origins lie in America, where it was sung around bonfires at summer camps for children. Rosen, who first heard it in the late Seventies, subsequently worked it into the routines he performed at primary schools across Britain.

The thing that really caught me about it is the pounding rhythm and repetition, says the man who was Britains Childrens Laureate between 2007 and 2009. If you do it with young children, they learn it as they go along, and thats very infectious.

Joanna Harrison, the co-director of the new film, worked on The Snowman as an animator and went on to co-write and art direct the follow-up, The Snowman And The Snowdog.

She pinpoints the life lessons contained within Rosens sparse text as key: However difficult life is, youve got to keep going. We all have to face obstacles whether we like it or not and often theyre not as bad as you think theyre going to be. To me, thats an essential truth in Were Going On A Bear Hunt, and thats why it works.

The children enter the 'narrow gloomy' cave in search of the bear

Rosen, a poet and prolific childrens author, 70, says he originally imagined the story as a street carnival populated by kings, queens and court jesters. Oxenbury, 78, however, saw it very differently and only agreed to produce the illustrations on the condition she was allowed to work alone, without any direction from the author or the books publishers.

After close to a year working on the project, she presented the results: alternating sets of black-and-white charcoal and pencil drawings and gloriously vivid watercolours that combined to take the story in a new direction; bringing it back to a family, she says  her own.

Rather than the raucous scenes Rosen describes from his live performances, Oxenbury decided the storys protagonists should be a group of five young siblings, out on their own.

Most people think that the oldest boy in the book is the father, she smiles. I had two children and then there was ten years or so before I had our youngest, so the big boy is based on my son. The childrens dog was my dear old Stanley, who was a mixture of collie and labrador.

IT'S A FACT! The book Were Going On A Bear Hunt has spent more than 1,000 consecutive weeks in the global bestseller lists. Advertisement

The landscapes they move through are also personal to Oxenbury. The book opens with the children descending a hill swathed in swishy swashy grass, and is based, she reveals, on a little place we had near Dorset.

Later in the book, the thick oozy mud the children are required to negotiate is an homage to the mud flats of East Anglia where the illustrator spent her childhood.

The big dark forest, meanwhile, is the woods on Hampstead Heath, visible from her house. Finally, the beach where the children find the narrow gloomy cave housing the titular bear is based on a stretch of Welsh coastline where she and her husband, illustrator John Burningham, holidayed with their children.

Rosen was stunned when he first saw the illustrations: It was like she built a huge mountain on what was really a tiny little bit of paper, he says. The countryside, the characters, the dog and the baby  thats all come from Helen!

The filming of the book was a slow, painstaking enterprise. By the time it was finished, more than 35,000 hand-drawn and coloured frames of animation had been pored over at Lupus Films, which also made The Snowman And The Snowdog.

One of the films 30 illustrators at work on a new animated TV version of Were Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

Pam Ferris, who voices Grandma (left). Olivia Colman is Mum (right)

An equally formidable challenge was expanding the scope of Rosens words to sustain a multi-generational audience over 24 minutes.

It needed a back story, so I decided to have parents and a wider family, says Harrison. We needed to take the mother and the father out to rescue Grandma [voiced by Pam Ferris] when her car breaks down on the way to their house.

The idea of leaving children on their own was fascinating because nowadays children so rarely get to go and have adventures in the countryside without their parents.

At various stages of production the film was shown to children to gauge their response. They all loved the cave, says Fielding of the sequence in which Rosie gets separated and meets the bear.

The finished film includes every one of Rosens original 416 words and each of Oxenburys 26 sumptuous illustrations, which have been painstakingly re-created.

By the time it was finished, more than 35,000 hand-drawn and coloured frames of animation had been pored over at Lupus Films, which also made The Snowman And The Snowdog

So what do the people who will be forever associated with one of the great childrens books make of its new incarnation?

Im very moved by it, says Rosen. Oxenburys verdict is almost as succinct: I think theyve done a marvellous job.

And like the Queens Speech, James Bond and, of course, The Snowman, it now looks set to become a fixture on the TV Christmas schedules. e
Once In A Lifetime

Young Vic, London Until Jan 14 2hrs 15mins

Rating:

There have been better shows and films than George S Kaufman and Moss Harts 1930 play about the death of vaudeville and silent movies and the birth of the talkies: The Producers, Gypsy, Singin In The Rain and, most recently, The Artist. But, to its credit, Once In A Lifetime got there first.

And theres still mild fun to be had in this light farcical spoof about dimwit movie moguls and dumber wannabe stars, and the chaos that ensues when an idiot is mistaken for a genius (an idea surely nicked from The Government Inspector), is put in charge of a Los Angeles studio, does everything wrong and, somehow, this being topsy-turvy Hollywood, comes up trumps.

Comedian Harry Enfield is the big name in Richard Joness uneven revival, making his stage debut as the Hollywood kingpin Herman Glogauer.

Comedian Harry Enfield is the big name in Richard Joness uneven revival of Once In A Lifetime, making his stage debut as the Hollywood kingpin Herman Glogauer

But he does little more than shuffle around, huffing a bit and puffing a lot on a super-sized cigar. Hes perfectly competent but I cant see him as the next King Lear.

The skinny story  this is a play crying out to be a musical  centres on three washed-up vaudevillians.

Sharp but sweet cookie May (lovely Claudie Blakley), bland Jerry (Kevin Bishop) and stupendously stupid George (a deliciously clueless John Marquez) go to Hollywood to set up an elocution academy to teach silent-movie stars how to speak.

The pace of this skinny story (it's crying out to be a musical) picks up largely thanks to Amanda Lawrence (above with Otto Farrant) who spins comedy out of nothing as the receptionist

En route they meet celebrity gossip columnist Helen Hobart, a breathily glamorous Lucy Cohu, who steers them in the direction of Glogauer.

Only for them to be ignored, like the poor playwright who has been waiting to see Glogauer for six months.

Joness show is never as good as it looks and seldom sparkles with anything like the dazzle of the costumes from Nicky Gillibrand.

Sharp but sweet May (Claudie Blakley, above left with Amy Griffiths), bland Jerry (Kevin Bishop) and stupid George (John Marquez) are the three vaudevillians at the centre of the story

Hobart has a wig to match every frock, but even the most exquisitely tailored and detailed outfits, and some fine actors, cant plump up the thinly drawn, lamentably underwritten characters.

Fortunately, after a train journey from New York to LA that feels almost as long as it is in reality, the pace picks up, largely thanks to Amanda Lawrence as the studio receptionist fielding multiple calls and spinning comedy out of nothing with just the sentence Miss Leighton at this end  a comic genius elsewhere lacking.

This House

Garrick Theatre, London Until Feb 25 2hrs 45mins

Rating:

James Grahams witty backstage political comedy is set in the 1974-79 whips offices

Once again the ayes have it for James Grahams brilliantly witty backstage political comedy. Its set in the whips offices, the engine rooms of the House of Commons, over the five-year hung Parliament from 1974-79.

An accident-prone Labour Government is protecting a tiny majority and every vote counts: frantic horse-dealing is done in dingy pubs; MPs are dragged from hospital beds, still wearing oxygen masks, and through the lobby; a hastily arranged Lib/Lab pact temporarily saves the day.

The Labour MPs are invariably beer-swilling former miners with thick regional accents, thicker sideburns and terrible bell-bottomed brown suits.

The Tories  such as the Scotch-drinking whip, Humphrey  are cut from a more upmarket cloth generally, and are crashing snobs.

Director Jeremy Herrin whips up some terrific theatre with the help of a live band playing Bowie and the Sex Pistols  the tracks of those years  with the MPs, up and dancing as one to Bowies Five Years, waving their order papers.

How fascinating  and depressing  that Humphreys description of our adamantly adversarial political system remains spot-on: Two sides of the House, two sides of the argument, facing off against each other. We are not built for co-operation.

Buried Child

Trafalgar Studios, London Until Feb 18 2hrs 45mins

Rating:

Grizzled old Dodge (a mesmerising Ed Harris) has sunk so deep into the couch hes almost part of it.

Except when he falls off it, its where he stays throughout Scott Elliotts compelling revival of Sam Shepards 1978 Pulitzer-winning play.

Coughing, smoking, spitting, slugging sneakily from a bottle, you cant forget hes there, even when hes hidden under a rabbit-skin jacket.

Scott Elliotts compelling revival of Sam Shepards 1978 Pulitzer-winning play stars a mesmerising Ed Harris as Dodge and Amy Madigan (Mrs Ed Harris, above) as his wife Halie

His wife Halie (Amy Madigan, Mrs Ed Harris) prattles unseen. Dodge grimaces, sometimes shouts back. Tilden, their silent, slow-witted son, brings a load of freshly dug corn.

Theres talk of him being home after decades in prison, of his dead brother who would be alive today if he hadnt married into the Catholics, and of a third who hacked his leg off with a chainsaw. Damaged creatures.

Halie finally appears, all dressed up for lunch with the local Catholic priest. Really?

The murky, mysterious and menacing tone owes much to Albees Whos Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (the failure of the American dream and relationships sustained by buried truths and mutual delusion) and to Pinters dramatic battles for territory and power.

No one and nothing thrives around these putrified parts. Shelly (an outstanding stage debut from Game Of Thrones Charlotte Hope) arrives like a breath of fresh air, with a lad who claims to be Dodges grandson. Or is he an impostor?
In a move of great strategic significance to both India and the US, China seems poised to deploy its naval ships along with Pakistan navy to safeguard the strategic Gwadar port and trade routes under the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

If this move goes ahead as planned, it will be the logical culmination of a long drawn Chinese involvement in Pakistan, giving the Chinese navy a foothold in the first overseas location - the Indian Ocean and the Arabia Sea.

This should not be surprising given China's growing interest in the region and Pakistan's eagerness to counterbalance India's naval might.

A Pakistan Navy soldier stands guard while a loaded Chinese ship is readied for departure prior to a ceremony at Gwadar port

Strategic

China has always been keen on gaining a strategic toehold in the Arabian Sea and Gwadar has been an attractive option.

Despite its problems, the Sino-Pak military collaboration too has been proceeding apace.

Despite some suggesting that Beijing's role in Gwadar would remain limited because of mounting troubles in Balochistan and its keenness to avoid raising hackles in New Delhi and Washington, China has now taken the plunge into the murky waters of Gwadar.

The Gwadar port, opened in 2007 with an initial $200 million in funding from China, had been a commercial failure because of Pakistan's inability to use it effectively.

A Pakistani Naval personnel stands guard beside a ship carrying containers during the opening of a trade project in Gwadar port

But where in the past Beijing had repeatedly played down the significance of the Chinese role in Gwadar, many in the Pakistani establishment had gone to the extent of explicitly asking China to build a base at Gwadar.

China wants to overcome its 'Malacca Dilemma' as more than 80 per cent of its oil imports travel through the Straits of Hormuz.

Given its reluctance to rely on US naval power for unhindered access to energy, it has moved to build up its naval power at choke points along the sea routes from the Persian Gulf to the South China Sea.

The Gwadar port is central to this aim.

Situated about 400 km away from the Straits of Hormuz at the apex of the Arabian Sea, it is a key asset for China, especially now when Beijing and Islamabad are busy building the nearly 3,000-km-long economic corridor linking the Gwadar port with Xinjiang.

The Chinese-Pakistani relationship has now moved beyond the 'higher than Himalayas and sweeter than honey' phase.

Chinese strategists are openly talking of Pakistan as their nation's only real ally.

China's submarine operations in the Indian Ocean and the Chinese-Pakistani naval cooperation are challenging naval supremacy and have the potential to change the regional naval power balance.

China is considered a reliable ally that has always come to Pakistan's aid

China is also busy redefining the territorial status-quo in the region.

By deciding to construct major civil, energy and military infrastructure projects in the CPEC, which runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the areas of Gilgit and Baltistan, China has accorded de facto 'legitimacy' to Pakistan's illegal occupation of these areas.

Weapons

China - the world's third-largest weapons exporter - has Pakistan as the top recipient of its arms.

By aiding Pakistan in setting up its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, besides supplying conventional arms, Beijing had made sure that the Indian-Pakistani military balance is maintained.

China is considered a reliable ally that has always come to Pakistan's aid - so much so that Beijing has even tacitly supported Islamabad's strategy of using terror as a policy instrument against New Delhi.

With India ascending in the global hierarchy and strengthening its ties with the United States, China's need for Pakistan is likely to grow.

This has been evident in China's policies toward Pakistan on critical issues in South Asia.

A rising India makes Pakistan all the more important in China's strategy for the subcontinent.

It is highly unlikely that China will give up playing the Pakistan card vis-a-vis India anytime soon.

The Chinese-Pakistani partnership serves the interests of both partners by presenting India with a potential two-front theatre in the event of war with either country.

Presence

And for China, Pakistan is increasingly important to fend off a joint Indian-US challenge.

South Asia is emerging as an important new front in the power struggle between the US and China as well as India and China, and the region's importance is only likely to increase in the coming years.

China is taking the plunge in the waters of the Indian Ocean with its potential naval presence in Gwadar.

It will reshape the strategic map of the region in the coming years.

Beijing has often tried to explain the construction of ports and facilities by China in the Indian Ocean, including Gwadar, on purely economic and commercial grounds.

But regional powers like the US, Japan and India inevitably view the sum total of China's diplomatic and military efforts in the Indian Ocean as projecting power vis-a-vis competing rivals.

Moreover, most of Chinese naval facilities in the Indian Ocean are dual use in nature and no serious strategy can discount their future military use.

Welcome to the new maritime order in Asia.
The concept of news is changing. In an era of information overload, the audience is hardly satisfied with straightforward know how.

Look closely at the newsmakers of 2016 from the world of show business, and you notice a pattern.

More than the ones who impressed with their work, the lot that successfully generated controversy has hogged much more space in media, social media as well as public imagination.

Salman Khan topped the list of most controversial newsmaker after his 'raped woman' comment and for chopping Arijit Singh's song from the movie Sultan

Bollywood's year has belonged to Salman Khan- not strictly because his film Sultan is the biggest hit of a year that has hardly seen blockbusters. Salman stayed in news with an irresponsible 'raped woman' comment, which he used to describe his exhaustion during the Sultan shoot, as much as he did for chopping playback star Arijit Singh's song from the film.

The hit-and-run case and the chinkara killing case kept returning to haunt him, too.

Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut realised making news with hate stories is easier than wooing the limelight with love tales nowadays.

And biggest newsmaker in the second half would have to be a man who has not even been in the country lately.

Pakistani actor Fawad Khan hogged limelight after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena threatened to ban Ae Dil Hai Mushkil over his two-scene cameo in the film.

Once upon a time the art of courting controversy was restricted to fringe celebs such as Rakhi Sawant, Dolly Bindra and Kamaal R. Khan.

What's notable now is how big ticket celebs have entered the domain of newsmaking for the wrong reasons.

Salman Khan

Undoubtedly, Bollywood's newsmaker of the year - and that's not because Sultan is 2016's biggest hit.

So, what's age got to do with it, the 50-plus superstar probably thought he was cracking a cocky high school joke when he compared his gruelling schedule for Sultan to the plight of a raped woman.

He also made news chopping Arijit Singh's song from Sultan on a whim. There was storm too when Salman's nomination as Olympics Goodwill Ambassador.

On the odd dull day there always was an update on his never-ending court cases. Being Salman, who needs blockbusters to make news?

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka has been on a spree of global media appearances in the wake of Quantico, but she served a wrong 'un with her cover photo for Conde Nast Traveller's India edition.

Priyanka Chopra remained in news for the photo-shopped armpit controversy and for the 'immigrant' comment

The photo had her posing in a white vest, on which the words 'refugee', 'immigrant' and 'outsider' are struck off, with only the word 'traveller' intact.

No sooner did snapshots go online, millions accused her of insensitivity, claiming her message was that refugees, immigrants and outsiders had no place in the world.

Priyanka had also courted controversy with a Maxim India cover, for photoshopping her armpit in the picture. Looking good ain't always a smooth deal, PC.

Fawad Khan

Pakistani actor Fawad Khan has been Bollywood's newsmaker in absentia

He made more news than most Bollywood actors without even being present in India.

Fawad Khan of course would thank Raj Thackeray and his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for as much, for their very original brainwave linking the Pakistani actor's two-scene presence in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil with lack of patriotism on part of the film's makers.

Fawad's Bollywood career is probably over - so what if his compatriot Imran Abbas' cameo in the same film was completely glossed over by the MNS, or that the recent Dear Zindagi had Ali Zafar.

This year, Fawad has been Bollywood's newsmaker in absentia.

Hrithik Roshan & Kangana Ranaut

If hate is the new cool, Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut would seem B-Town's first movers to cash in on the formula.

The duo came close while filming Kites and Krrish 3 and started dating. Things soured soon after, and came to a boil when Kangana called Hrithik a 'silly ex' in an interview.

If hate is the new cool, Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut would seem B-Town's first movers to cash in on the formula

Hrithik retorted on Twitter, denying any affair and saying that he would rather date the Pope.

Over the months of 2016 much muckraking happened. Kangana demanded Hrithik be arrested. Hrithik has threatened he will reveal sensational truths in time. It all keeps playing out like a longwinded soap.

Kapil Sharma

Comedian Kapil Sharma received flak for taking a dig at PM Modi's 'achche din' mantra

Kapil Sharma's woes only seemed to escalate through the year ever since he tweeted to Narendra Modi criticising the Prime Minister's Acche Din mantra, over alleged corruption in Mumbai municipality.

Soon, Kapil was inflicted with a case registered by Mumbai Police, for allegedly engaging in illegal construction work and dumping debris in mangroves behind his bungalow.

The case was registered against Kapil on the basis of a complaint from the Tehsildar's office under Environment Act.

He also courted controversy for the way he parted with Colors, taking his comedy show to rival channel Sony. Life is not always funny, Kapil.

Shilpa Shetty

If pigs could laugh they would join in on a LOL binge, upon hearing Shilpa Shetty's thoughts on George Orwell's Animal Farm.

'Animal Farm can teach the little ones to love and care for animals,' Shilpa declared to an English daily.

Shilpa Shetty was subjected to twitter trolls after she made ignorant comments of novel Animal Farm

Social media had a field day naturally, creaming the comment. Troll jokes went viral stating how, according to imaginary #ShilpaShettyReviews, Fifty Shades Of Grey was a colouring book for kids and how The Hunger Games is a great series on Karwa Chauth.

Animal Farm, after all, is an allegorical, dystopian satire reflecting events leading to the 1917 Russian Revolution.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Mumbai Police registered an FIR against Nawazuddin Siddiqui not long ago after a woman in his residential society lodged a complaint against the actor under section 354 (assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty).

Mumbai Police registered an FIR against Nawazuddin Siddiqui not long ago after a woman in his residential society lodged a complaint against the actor

The complainant claimed that Nawaz had also attacked her young daughter when she tried clicking his photo as he was parking in unauthorised space.

Nawaz had double trouble this year with the law, actually. His brother Minazuddin's wife alleged that her husband along with all his siblings had harassed her for dowry at their ancestral home in Budhana town, Uttar Pradesh.

Krushna Abhishek

Krushna Abhishek offended several celebrities on his show

Roasting is fun as long as you don't fall into the frying pan, Krushna Abhishek must be realising.

He first courted controversy over what most people felt was a racist joke when he tried taking a dig on Tannishtha Chatterjee's dusky complexion on his Roast show, Comedy Nights Bachao.

Tannishtha walked out of the show. While Krushna stuck to his guns then, he was scampering to apologise, a few weeks later when John Abraham walked out of his show, too.

The actor was apparently not happy with certain jibes Krushna took over a few of his early flops.

Tanmay Bhatt

When Tanmay Bhatt and his AIB buddies burst on the scene, most viewers welcomed their irreverent humour.

They introduced the Roast concept to India, and new-gen viewers lapped it up.

Earlier this year, though, Tanmay slipped on what he must have thought was black comedy.

He posted a mock video on Facebook showing an imaginary chat between Lata Mangeshkar and Sachin Tendulkar, where he enacted both legends.

Arguing whether the Master Blaster is a better player than Virat Kohli, Tanmay's Sachin slams his Lata saying: 'Jon Snow died, you should also die.' The video irked Sachin, Lata and most of India.

AIB's Tanmay Bhatt (left) and Bigg Boss's Swami Om were on the top of popularity chart because of the controversies

Swami Om

Spirituality never earned him the sort of limelight as unholy antics on reality TV have done.

Swami Om, wittily described by evicted Bigg Boss 10 housemate Navin Prakash as the Rakhi Sawant of godmen, clearly knows metaphysics of the fame game.

The buzz around Swami Om started when an old video miraculously surfaced showing him attacking a woman activist on a talk show, even as the self-proclaimed Baba's tall claims were dwarfing his potbellied frame inside Bigg Boss house.
Puppy abuser Pramod, who severed two legs of a puppy with a hacksaw only because 'he was drunk' while the puppy scratched him, is now behind bars.

On Friday morning, Delhi Police reached the residence of Pramod in Sector-8, Dwarka and arrested him.

Dwarka is a prominent residential area in New Delhi, where Pramod made a living by selling tea.

According to the neighbours, Pramod is a habitual offenders who beats his wife and children and often hurts animals

He has been slapped with the charges under Section 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming cattle) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 11 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

PETA India along with Delhi Police has suggested sending Pramod to a mental asylum or for a psychiatric treatment.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police have also taken statements of the locals who were witness to Pramod beating his wife, children and many others animals that he brought home.

The stray puppy allegedly attacked Pramod and scratched him

Some of the tea-vendors, to whom Mail Today had earlier spoken to, also told the police about Pramod trapping and bringing pigeons home to roast and eat.

In another shocking revelation on Friday, it came to light that on December 2, when the puppy was rescued, Pramod had caught another stray dog and was beating him who was later saved by one of the neighbours.

The puppy has been adopted by a dog lover residing in Dwarka

The puppy has been adopted by a dog lover in Dwarka area. The medical examination of the puppy will be conducted on Saturday.

Sources close to investigation said: 'During the medical examination we will also ascertain whether the puppy was assaulted or not.'

Locals call him a 'monster'.

Earlier report by Mail Today how Pramod was spotted sawing off a puppy's legs.

Tea sellers in the area recounted how he caught pigeons in the past and then roasted and ate them.
In the wake of virulent criticism of Ahmadiyya Muslim community and terrorist threat perception for their annual convention to be held in Punjab this month, Union home ministry has ordered a two-kilometre foolproof security perimeter around the Ahmadiyya headquarters in Qadian, Gurdaspur.

Highly-placed intelligence sources said the ministry has passed on instructions to Punjab Police to secure Ahmadiyya Muslim Community headquarters in Qadian for the community's annual convention on December 26.

Instructions have also been passed on to other state police forces to secure the community's missions and branches that are spread all over India.

The home ministry has ordered a tight security perimeter around the Ahmadiyya headquarters (above) in Qadian

The move has been initiated after a request was received from Secretary Anjuman Ahmadiyya.

Sources said there has been criticism of Ahmadiyyas by prominent Muslim organisations, leaders and fundamentalists in different parts of the country.

The Ahmadiyya believe in a Prophet after the Prophet Mohammed concept.

This has exposed them to criticism by fundamentalist Muslim organisations and clerics, who believe in the concept of Khatm-e- Naboowat (finality of Prophethood) with the demise of Prophet Mohammad.

The antagonism of other Muslim groups against Ahmadiyyas has also manifested in declaration of Ahmadiyyas as non-Muslims by several Muslim groups both in India and abroad.

The report prepared by the home ministry says efforts by the 'rabid' groups to harm Ahmadiyya interests cannot be ruled out.

It has also placed on record Mohammed Mojibuillah Ansari, arrested for alleged IM/ex-SIMI terrorist activity in connection with Bodh Gaya blast , 2013 and had revealed that he had planned to target various holy places in India, including Qadiani Centre in Qadian, Punjab.

SIMI operatives had also reportedly undertaken reconnaissance of Qadian as precursor to their plans.

Other than the security perimeter, the Home Ministry has also sent an elaborate 11- point recommendation to Punjab Police to ensure tight security arrangements for the event.

The home ministry has recommended that the police should deploy force in plain clothes and intensify patrolling around the Ahmadiyya Mohalla to detect any suspicious person.

It has also been directed that security volunteers from the community should also be trained.

This year, the community will be holding its 125th 'Jalsa' or annual convention, which will be attended by believers from a number of foreign countries, including Pakistan.

The district administration led by deputy commissioner Pardip Sabharwal has already held a meeting in connection with preparations at Nangal Baghbana for the event.

Ahmadiyya is an Islamic religious movement founded in Punjab near the end of the 19th Century.

It originated with the life and teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in 1889. He claimed to have been divinely appointed as Mujaddid (renewer) of Islam.

The adherents of the Ahmadiyya movement are referred to as Ahmadi Muslims or simply Ahmadis.

They view themselves as leading the revival and peaceful propagation of Islam.
South African billionaire Christo Wiese, who has been busy snapping up a raft of high street groups in Britain, has seen his fortune shrink by 400million due to the slump in the pound.

Wiese stormed on to the retail scene in the UK spending 1.6billion on a series of acquisitions over the last two years including New Look, Poundland and Virgin Active.

But the fall in the value of the pound has put a huge dent in Wieses investments.

The tycoon owns 35 per cent of investment vehicle Brait, which he used for the acquisitions, but its value has plunged as the markets reassessed his UK acquisitions.

Losing out: The weak pound has put a huge dent in Wieses investments.

Shares in Brait  listed on the Johannesburg and Luxembourg stock exchanges  have dived by almost 40 per cent since Britains vote to leave the EU on June 23, wiping 400million off the sterling value of Wieses stake.

Friends of Wiese said the dent in his estimated 4.8billion fortune was largely related to sterlings slump and may prove temporary.

The case for most of those investments is still relatively sound once the currency impact of the Brexit vote feeds through, said one friend.

Its painful on one level, but Im sure it wont spoil his Christmas.
President of Mauritania in hospital after being 'accidentally' shot by his OWN troops

Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz was shot after a military patrol opened fire on the presidential convoy

President reassured the public from his hospital bed that it was an accident and that he is in good health



Rumours Aziz - seen by western nations as a key ally in the fight against al Qaeda - was targeted by Islamists

Leader came to power in Mauritania in 2009 following a coup in 2008

Aziz, 55, has now been flown to France where he is being treated at a hospital in Paris



The president of Mauritania is in hospital after being 'accidentally' shot by his own army.

Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz was 'lightly wounded' after a military patrol mistakenly opened fire on the presidential convoy north of the capital Nouakchott on Saturday, the government said.

The incident triggered speculation that the 55-year-old, who came to power in the north African country following a coup in 2008, was in fact targeted by Islamists.

Friendly fire: President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is seen in hospital in Mauritania after being accidentally shot on Saturday

The leader underwent surgery in Nouakchott and spoke on Mauritanian television from his hospital bed on Sunday to reassure the public he was in good health. He has since been flown to France where he is receiving further treatment at a Paris hospital.

Abdel Aziz said on television that the shooting was an accident that occurred when his convoy approached a military barracks by an unpaved road north of Nouakchott.

Local media reports indicated the military unit had not been told of the president's trip.

Communications Minister Hamdi Ould Mahjoub said on national television after the incident: 'The president was shot on that occasion, but he is lightly wounded and his life is not threatened.'

He said the leader had been shot in the arm.

Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is regarded by western nations as a key ally in the fight against al Qaeda

Abdel Aziz was elected in 2009 after coming to power in a 2008 coup, and he is now seen by Western nations, including France, as a key ally in tackling al Qaeda in the region.



Mauritania launched numerous military operations on Islamist bases in neighbouring Mali before a rebellion in that country split it in two, placing its vast desert in the hands of heavily-armed groups linked to al Qaeda.



Mauritania, which straddles black and Arab Africa on the West coast of the continent, has enjoyed several years of relative political stability. Abdel Aziz has faced some protests over complaints ranging from corruption to his poor handling of a recent food crisis.



The French government said in a statement that the Mauritanian president was admitted to the Percy-Clamart military hospital in Paris.



Mauritania has been destabilized of late by an al Qaeda affiliate, which has launched attacks from neighboring Mali.








Finally free to mourn 17 years on: Mayan Indians come out of hiding to uncover graves of loved ones killed in Guatemala's horrific genocide

Thousands of Ixil Mayans were killed while hiding in the mountains during the Guatemalan civil war

Anthropologists are now exhuming their bodies from makeshift mass graves created in the hills

The Ixil Mayans have come to attention recently after former dictator Efrain Rios Montt was tried for genocide

But the Mayans are still living in poverty many without access to running water and electricity



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Watching while anthropologists painstakingly work to uncover the makeshift graves of their loved ones, this is a stark reminder of the horrific genocide from which they so desperately fled almost two decades on from the country's civil war.

With pain etched all over their faces, this is the first opportunity the Mayan Indians of Guatemala have had to say a proper goodbye to thousands of relatives killed 17 years after the bloodshed stopped.

Forensic experts are now exhuming bodies from the cemeteries that the Ixil Mayan people created to bury loved ones who died of starvation, hypothermia and disease - as well as those directly killed by the war - while they hid from the soldiers in the mountains.

Largely ignored by authorities for centuries, the Ixil have come under the spotlight in recent months after a Guatemalan court found former dictator Efrain Rios Montt guilty of genocide in May for the scorched-earth policies used against the Mayans during his 17 months in power in the 1980s.



Poignant: The remains of an unidentified Ixil Mayan is unearthed from a mass grave by forensic anthropologists during an exhumation of villagers who died during the Guatemala's civil war

Makeshift resting place: Ixil Mayan women gather around a mass grave where the remains of their loved ones have been exhumed

Tragic: Jacinta Cruz sheds a tear as her mother's remains are exhumed from a clandestine grave near Ixtupil, Guatemala

Searching for loved ones: Andres Lopez Sanchez helps forensic anthropologists in the exhumation of a clandestine grave

That conviction was quashed 10 days later following a trial that did nothing to change their lives of the Ixil people.

And now feels like the right time for many of the Ixil to tell their story and to help locate the bodies of their relatives.



Almost 20 years on, the Ixil still live in mud-and-wood houses in the most rugged and isolated parts of northwestern Guatemala. Most of them have no drinking water, paved roads or basic services such as health and education.

Byron Garcia, a social anthropologist who has worked in the area for a decade, said Ixil Mayans live in the same poverty as always.



He said: 'People have been relegated to less productive places, places where you can't grow food, to the mountains made of stone.



'The young people who can, sow plots of land. And when they can't, they migrate.'



Grim: A forensic anthropologist exhumes the remains of nine-year-old Ixil Mayan Diego Juanito Chavez from a mass grave

Giving guidance: Mayan women help a team of anthropologists to find a mass grave in Guatemala

Horrific history: A group of Mayan men, women and even children gather around as an extensive search is carried out for some of the thousands killed during the civil war which ended 17 years ago

Exhumation: The Mayans hid in the mountains from soldiers during the war and buried many of their dead in mass graves. Many of the dead died from starvation, hypothermia or disease

Feliciana Cobo was 8 when soldiers attacked her village. She and her family separated and ran into the mountains, where they hid for several days with nothing to eat.

Cobo said her mother was killed when the army bombed the village and surrounding area, and her grandmother died later after growing sick from the cold and bad living conditions. Her family eventually lost their land and their poverty deepened.



Now a single mother of three children, the 40-year-old Cobo borrows electricity from a neighbor and supports her kids by washing the clothes of neighbors and weaving garments to sell.

'I grew up during the civil war and I don't know how to read or write. I didn't go to school. All I know is to weave.'



Hunt: Anthropologist Edgar Hernandez shows his left hand with the names of surrounding villages written by children, before the start of an exhumation of a clandestine grave near Ixtupil, Guatemala

Forlorn: Ixil Mayans make their way home after watching the exhumation of a clandestine grave

Forgotten culture: Ixil Mayan women perform a traditional dance called 'Sarabanda' in Nebaj, Guatemala

Cobo helped exhume her mother and said that she feels that revisiting the graves proves that they are not 'inventing the dead.'



She said: 'I helped exhume my mother. I don't know if it was the smoke or the impact of the bombs planes were dropping on us but we all left running and when we got back together, my mother had already died.'

She added that she doubts justice will be done, but is glad some fellow Ixil Mayans could travel to Guatemala City to tell their stories at the trial.

Mr Garcia, who now lives in the Guatemalan capital, said that victims feel a need to tell their stories, to be heard, to be indemnified, to find the bodies of their loved ones and be able to bury them.



Way of life: Ixil Mayan women take part in a procession honoring their patron saint, Virgin of the Immaculate Conception in Nebaj

Religious: A woman prays in front of a Jesus of Nazareth guardian statue, dressed as a Ixil Mayan elder, inside a church in Cotzal

Poor: Margarita Sanchez prepares tortillas over a wood burning stove as her husband eats bolbosh, a traditional dish made with wisquil, or pear squash, in their mud house. Many Mayans still live in poverty in Guatemala

Only way to keep warm: An Ixil Mayan boy carrying fire wood poses for a photo in Chajul, Guatemala








'The Russian world is uniting': Model minister of breakaway region urges Putin to make her country his next conquest in wake of Crimea takeover to alarm of Nato



Nina Shtanski said: 'The people's wish for unity cannot be stopped'

She is foreign minister of Russian-speaking region Transdniestria

Shtanski is calling for a similar takeover of her breakaway republic

Inflammatory language: Nina Shtanski, foreign minister of Transdniestria

The glamorous foreign minister of a breakaway region of Moldova is calling on Vladimir Putin to make her country his next conquest in eastern Europe.



Few may have heard of Transdniestria, the unofficial and fictitious-sounding statelet whose head of international relations is 36-year-old Nina Shtanski.



However, senior Western figures are alarmed that following the annexation of Crimea it is step two in a Kremlin masterplan to redraw the frontiers of Europe.



This top diplomat in staunchly pro-Russian Transdniestria, who has a penchant for revealing black dresses, is gushing in her praise of Putin's takeover of the Black Sea peninsula.



She openly invites him to make the same move in her landlocked territory of 509,000 people, wedged between strife-torn Ukraine and Moldova.



'We are pleased to say that the outcome of the Crimean referendum almost fully coincides with the results of the Transdniestrian referendum of 17 September 2006, when over 97 per cent of voters chose independence and the prospect of voluntary unification with Russia,' she said in a statement.



'The obvious match of the will expressed by people in Crimea and Transdniestria demonstrates that the Russian World is uniting and the people's wish for unity cannot be stopped.'



Russian troops are assembling on Ukraines eastern border with Russia. An annexation of Transdniestria would be a significant expansion of Russian territory.



A Russian force of 1,300 troops - currently on high alert - is already on the ground as 'peacekeepers' in the self-declared state - which boasts the hammer and sickle on its mainly red flag.



Last week there were reports of plain-clothed Russian FSB secret services agents flooding into breakaway territory.



Nina Shtanski, whose striking looks have been compared to a fashion model

Russian President Vladimir Putin signs bills making Crimea part of Russia in the Kremlin in Moscow

Under international law, the unofficial country is part of Romanian-speaking Moldova, but after a war as the USSR broke up, Ms Shtanski and the local population have never accepted rule by Moldova.



They are now bent on being formally integrated as a region of the Kremlin, which has long subsidised this outpost.



The fear for Western military planners is that after taking Transdniestria, Putin could then seize an arc from there to Crimea, sealing off the southern Black Sea regions of Ukraine.



In the process, he would grab another old Russian jewel, the port city of Odessa, and cripple Kiev's economy.

The 36-year-old mother of one said: 'The Russian World is uniting and the people's wish for unity cannot be stopped' Nina Shtanski's inflammatory call, combined with more pro-Russian protests in Ukrainian cities, provoked fresh fears that Putin plans to seize more slices of eastern Europe following his annexation of Crimea 'Unity and integration, as shown by today's realities, are not always associated with geography,' explained mother-of-one Ms Shtanski in the district's capital Tiraspol.

'We are a striking confirmation of this fact. We consider ourselves part of the Russian world. We do not separate ourselves from the Russians and Russian civilization.

'We consider ourselves part of Russia, and not without reason. This has legal and historical background.'

Transdniestria was originally seized by Russia in 1792 under Catherine the Great but is today a Soviet timewarp with Lenin statues and military checkpoints.

Like many others, Ms Shtanski cannot use her Transdniestrian passport to travel and instead relies on her Russian citizenship, for example when travelling to Moscow to complete her doctorate in international relations. Nina Shtanski is the foreign minister of Transdniestria, a mainly Russian-speaking region

Leading U.S. voices including former Republican presidential candidate John McCain and ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have warned about the risk to Western interests in a Putin takeover.



'Now that we've had a crash course on Crimea, read ahead about Transdniestria, a likely target for Putin's next move,' warned Strobe Talbott, a former U.S. diplomat who is president of the Brookings Institution.



In Moscow, powerful deputy premier Dmitry Rogozin - hit last week by Western sanctions - has been put in charge of Russia's response on Transdniestria amid complaints from locals that they are being blockaded by both Ukraine and Moldova


This is the escort boss trying to sell for 1.7million the virginity of an 18-year-old girl who went on This Morning to advertise herself.

Jan Zakobielski runs the seedy Cinderella Escorts website from a bedroom in the home he still shares with his mother and father in Dortmund, Germany.

When the 26-year-old was confronted by MailOnline, he pleaded to talk away from his home, saying: 'My parents don't know what I'm doing.'

Despite admitting being behind the 'sale' of Romanian teenager Aleexandra Khefren and three other young women, he insisted he was not exploiting them.

Virginity auction: Jan Zakobielski, 26, pictured runs the seedy Cinderella Escorts website which is selling teenager Aleexandra Khefrens virginity from a bedroom in the home he still shares with his mother and father in Dortmund, Germany

Selling her body: Aleexandra Khefren, 18, from Bucharest, Romania, pictured, will have sex with a stranger for the first time as long as they pay her 850,000 asking price. The teenager said she has already had an offer from a richt businessman of 1.7million

Sordid sale: The German website is advertising four women who are willing to sell their virginity. One of them is Russian Ariana, 20, who said she needed the money to pay for her further education

Tawdry trade: The agency will take a 20 per cent cut from the sale. One of the women advertised is Julia, who lists her interests as singing and drawing, said she is selling her virginity because she was unlucky in love and hadnt found the right man to sleep with

Escort boss: When Zakobielski was confronted by MailOnline at the home he shares with his mother and father in Dortmund, Germany, the young businessman pleaded to talk away from his home, saying: 'My parents don't know what I'm doing'

Aleexandra, from Bucharest, stunned 'This Morning' viewers when she revealed she would have sex for the first time with a stranger for 850,000.

Her policeman father and mother, a pharmacist, have threatened to disown her if she goes ahead with the sale, MailOnline revealed.

Despite the family split, the aspiring bikini model has insisted she will go ahead with her plan, with Zakobielski's agency taking a 20 per cent cut.

The German runs the agency on a laptop computer while his partner, also called Jan, fields calls made to a mobile phone number listed for the company.

Zakobielski said the success of his business showed there was a demand. 'No-one makes these young women do anything they don't want to do. They have their own minds and their own opinions on sexuality,' he told MailOnline.

'I have had no run-ins with feminists or anybody else. I am not do anything wrong.'

Zakobielski said other women had sold their virginity in the past and claimed his agency gave them a layer of protection.

'There are many organisations selling virginities underhand. The girls are totally unprotected in such cases. We, on the other hand, go public and stand as an official and legal agency for the girls. Better than underhand, or what?'

Zakobielski said there was a rigorous vetting process before an encounter was allowed to take place.

'We from Cinderella Escorts reject 80 percent of all applications from young women. More than 30 young women have already applied to us.

Bidding for her body: The escort boss insists that he is not exploiting the women on his site. Ariana, a student, pictured, is asking for 180,000 in return for sex

No deal: Since first appearing on Cinderella Escorts three months ago the price for Arianas virginity has gone up to 180,000

'Before a meeting a girl has to sign that she does not have sex without condoms. We accompany them to the meeting and are in the vicinity if problems arise'.

Zakobielski said the women could cancel their 'meetings' at any point if they felt uncomfortable or the customer was 'unkempt or not a gentleman'.

He went on: 'We also reject girls where we feel that someone else is behind it and they do not want to sell their virginity on their own.

'A girl does not just have to give us a certificate that she is a virgin, she has to pay Cinderella Escorts for a meeting with a psychologist.

'If they do not give us a certificate that the girl has no mental problems and is intellectually fully accountable and adult, then we do not allow any meeting.'

Zakobielski claimed he had been contacted by a British girl who wants to sell her virginity following the appearance of Aleexandra on TV.

Men who want to have sex with the escorts on the site have put down a 40 per cent deposit by transferring the funds to Cinderella's bank account prior to the meeting. The remaining money is paid in cash to the women at the point of sale of sex.

Prostitution is legal in Germany and Zakobielski denies that he is a pimp.

Sex for the first time: Zakobielski said the women on the site like Florentina can cancel their meetings at any point if they feel uncomfortable of the customer is not a gentleman. The site describes Florentina, pictured, as a 'beautiful young lady with big boobs and very long hair'.

Money to start a new life: Florentina says she wants to money to emigrate to Britain as she is worried about the political situation in her country, which is not named

'Everything is legal. We are not doing anything wrong and have registered with the authorities as a business and to pay tax,' he said.

'We are very successful and take calls all the time. People are very interested in paying for the virgins.

'We have had calls from China, India, America. All over the world. It is our job now to sort out the genuine ones.'

Zakobielski is named as the sole owner of Cinderella Escorts having filed paperwork to register the name and trademark with German authorities.

He put his home address in the sleepy town of Kamen, a smart suburb of industrial Ruhr town of Dortmund, as its offices.

Neighbours in the quiet street overlooking a green had no idea the business was being run from a corner house attached to an orthopaedic surgery in an upstairs bedroom by Zakobielski.

One said: 'We know Zak and he is very quiet. He spends a lot of time at home so I don't know what he does.'

The neighbour added they were not aware that he was running an escort agency from his home but was horrified.

'That is disgusting. I don't think his parents would approve,' when told about the sale of virgins.

Equally horrified were the owners of a suite of offices in Dortmund that Zakobielski had listed as another address for Cinderella Escorts.

An administrator for the offices of IBB, which promotes the education of children in Europe, said they had never met or heard of Zakobielski.

They also said he did not have an office within their building and promised to look into the matter. A member of staff looked disgusted when told Cinderella Escorts was selling young girls virginity and claimed to be based at their office. 'This will be investigated,' said a staff member.

'It is not right that he claims to be here. We have never heard of him or his agency'.

Indecent proposal: Julia, pictured on the site, is asking for a minimum of 90,000 for sex. Zakobielski claims the girls are not forced into anything against their will

Dangerous business: Julia poses in lingerie on the website for Cinderella Escort and like Aleexandra who stunned viewers of This Morning with her story is willing to have sex with the highest bidder. The sites prices start at 2,000 an hour

MailOnline later received a series of emails from Zakobielski's partner Jan explaining why he wanted to keep his privacy and not be named. He admitted that he 'hid' behind his partner's name saying the 'business is very dangerous'.

Cinderella Escorts, which hires out prostitutes and claims to have several adult film stars on their books, starts its prices at 2,000 an hour.

Zakobielski boasted that he arranged for one of his celebrity escorts to be paid 36,000 for a night of sex.

A 20-year-old Russian girl called Ariana was one of the first woman to offer her virginity for sale through the site, saying she needed the money to pay for her further education.

The student first appeared on the site three months ago asking for 150,000. The agency has since upped the price to 180,000.

A 24-year-old girl called Julia, who lists her interests as singing and drawing, said she is selling her virginity having failed to find the right man to sleep with.

She is asking for a minimum of 90,000 while the fourth woman for sale calls herself Florentina.

The site describes her as a 'beautiful young lady with big boobs and very long hair'. Aged 19, she says she wants to money to emigrate to Britain as she is worried about the political situation in her country, which is not named.

Aspiring bikini model Aleexandra appeared on 'This Morning' where presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were horrified by her plan.

They urged her to seek help and sickened viewers took to social media to condemn the move. She had secretly flown to London to appear on the show and when her parents Toni and Elena found out they threatened to disown her.

Parents disgusted: Aleexandra, pictured, went on This Morning to tell viewers of her plan to sell her virginity for at least 850,000. She said she was inspired by the film Indecent Proposal and needed the money because her parents were being evicted from their flat

Aspiring model: Photos of Aleexandra, whose real name is Oana Raducu, hadnt told her mother and father, who are said to be furious at her money making scheme. Despite that she is determined to go ahead and claims a rich businessman has bid 1.7million

Naive: This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were shocked when Aleexndra would be meeting the stranger alone and hadnt thought to make him have a test for sexually transmitted diseases and encouraged her to reconsider and talk to a counsellor

MailOnline revealed how the girl's uncle Radu Raducu witnessed a tearful confrontation between policeman Toni and his only daughter.

He begged her not to go ahead with the plan which Aleexandra claimed was to help the family escape poverty in Bucharest and pay for her to study abroad.

The teen told her parents it was her choice what to do with her body and insisted she would go ahead.
In the dock: Peter Morgan, 54, is accused of murdering escort Georgina Symonds, 25, who he says he fell in love with after a midlife crisis

A millionaire property tycoon was having sex with three escorts during his 'mid-life crisis' before he strangled the one he 'loved' in the grounds of his castle, a court heard today.

Married Peter Morgan, 54, paid Georgina Symonds, 25, for sex twice a week before agreeing to give her up to 10,000-a-month to only sleep with him.

Giving evidence at his murder trial, the developer told how he first started seeing escort Georgina and other prostitutes when he 'hit 50' - around three years before he throttled her in the bungalow where she lived next to his 13th century castle.

Morgan, who is worth more than 20million, has described his 'mid life crisis' where he paid for sex with Georgina and two other women, named in court as V1 and V2.

Videos and images found by police showed Miss Symonds and another escort engaging in sexual activity on agricultural machinery - there were also glamour shots next to a tank and a fire engine he bought himself as presents.

When his wife Helen, 50, found out about his prostitute habit - which included threesomes - he told her he 'wouldn't give up seeing George' but agreed to stop having sex with anyone else.

He told his trial at Newport Crown Court that he left his wife after falling in love with Miss Symonds and persuaded her to give up sex work if he paid her between 7,000 and 10,000 and saw him five nights a week.

Peter Morgan, 54, had sordid romps with call girls at his castle before meeting Georgina Symonds (left and right), 25, who moved in to a house in his grounds for 10,000 a month

Another property in his large portfolio is Pencoed Castle, pictured, near Llanmartin, Newport, where his victim lived rent free until she died

Morgan, who denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility, killed her in a bungalow which he owned and where she lived rent free in Llanmartin, Newport, on January 12.

He said: 'It came around my 50th birthday. It just hit me that nothing lasts forever.'

MORGAN'S SEX WITH ESCORTS FOUND ON IPHONE Miss Symonds (pictured), Morgan and another escort were photographed in the marital bed at Beech Hill Farm The jury heard that Miss Symonds iPhone was examined by police following her death and a number of images and videos were found. There were pictures of Miss Symonds and Morgan engaging in sexual activity, with white powder on parts of her body. Miss Symonds, Morgan and another escort were photographed in the marital bed at Beech Hill Farm. A third escort was pictured standing in front of the Army tank at the property. There were images of Miss Symonds naked in the marital bed at Beech Hill Farm. She was also seen stroking a cat there while wearing Morgans wifes dressing gown. In other pictures, Miss Symonds was pictured in underwear with dogs at the property. There were selfies of Miss Symonds and Morgan in bed, selfies of Miss Symonds alone and films of Miss Symonds in sexually explicit poses. Videos and images showed Miss Symonds and another escort engaging in sexual activity on agricultural machinery. Advertisement

He told the jury how he had started using escorts in 2011 after visiting a lap dancing bar in Cheltenham.

'I hadn't really looked at anything like that before,' Morgan said.

'I was shown an escort site called Adult Work and I looked at the website from my own mobile phone.'

Morgan saw it listed around 500/600 escorts in the Cardiff and Newport area close to his home in the Monmouthshire countryside.

Morgan said told how he paid 130-an-hour for sex with an escort in Cardiff Bay - and then booked more once a month.

He said: 'I liked it because it was very unemotional. I remember the first time I shook her hand when I left.'

Newport Crown court heard he paid Georgina 150 during their first sex meeting - and then saw her again two weeks later.

He said: 'I don't know what it was. I just seemed to get on with her. It was the first time I went back to see one.

'I had no intention of seeing with someone more than once until I met her. I liked her and it was nice and local.'

Father-of-two Morgan said he continued to see other escorts but realised Georgina meant more to him than 'just an escort'.

He paid her 1,000 to say overnight in a windmill he owned for sex before meeting twice a week.

The court heard how he also took her Christmas shopping spending more than 1,000 on clothes and shoes.

He also had 'three way' relations with Ms Symonds and other escorts.

'I can't remember if I suggested it or if George suggested it,' Morgan said.

But Morgan said Georgina would become 'annoyed' when she found out he was also 'seeing' other people.

Millionaire Peter Morgan (pictured) claims her death was not murder bevayse he has Asperger's syndrome which clouded his judgement, a court heard

Morgan said: 'I would see her more often than anyone else. There was another girl I was seeing for a couple of months in 2014. I'd see one on the Tuesday and one on the Friday.'

He said he had been faithful to his wife Helen, 50, apart from having sex with a prostitute in Amsterdam on business trip a decade earlier.

Newport Crown Court has heard how Morgan strangled Georgina with a twine ligature after hearing that she planned to leave him.

He killed her at her home in his castle grounds in Llanmartin, Gwent, before wrapping the body in plastic and duct tape and hiding it in farm buildings behind his family home.

But he confessed to police that he killed her when she was reported missing.

Georgina was recorded saying she wanted Morgan to sign over the property to her and then planned to 'fleece him', the court heard

The court earlier heard how he made his fortune by manufacturing steel farm buildings before selling the company.

Millionaire Peter Morgan told how his wife Helen first discovered he was seeing other women in February 2013.

Morgan said he sent flowers to another escort identified as V1 in court who lived in nearby Usk - and his wife found a telephone number written on a notepad.

She confronted Morgan who confessed about his relationship with her and also with Georgina.

Morgan said: 'I confessed to seeing Georgina. She knew nothing about Georgina until that point.'

Morgan said his wife 'wasn't very happy at all' and told him to stop seeing V1.

He said: 'It come as a bit of a surprise about George. I said I'd stop seeing V1, but I wouldn't give up seeing George.'

Morgan told his wife he was in a sexual relationship - but did not reveal she was an escort.

He said: 'My wife accepted this and allowed me to see her on a limited basis - once every three weeks.

'But I saw her more often than that. I would see her about once a week.

'I wasn't giving her money every time, I would just buy her things instead.'

He gave her a Range Rover worth 12,000 in November 2013.

Morgan said he became more aware of his appearance - losing two stone in weight and had his teeth capped after V1 suggested he do this.

He said he started seeing V1 again along with another woman identified as 'V2'.

In August 2014, Morgan said Ms Symonds came to stay with him for a week in his matrimonial home at Beech Hill Farm while his wife and daughters were on holiday.

He said: 'It meant I could still do what was necessary during the day. Just sorting and answering emails and just general bits and pieces.'

Over the next few months, Morgan said Georgina wanted to give working as an escort.

He said: 'She said she wanted to give up and if I give her 7,000 a month that would cover what she needed and she would be able to not work.

'I wase was happy with this arrangement because it made her happy. I think I loved her.'

Peter Morgan (pictured) is accused of strangling the former burlesque dancer at the bungalow where she lived on the grounds of his castle in Llanmartin, South Wales

He bought her a coat in October 2014 for 1,400 from a clothes shop and gave her monthly cash - after she agreed to take all the information about herself off the internet and stop seeing 'clients'.

Morgan told how his relationship with Georgina became more intense and he moved out of his home with his wife in April 2015 - nine months before the killing.

His victim moved into a bungalow in the grounds of Pencoed Castle, his 45-bedroomed manor house, during the summer of 2015.

He said: 'I would see her around five times a week. Then I was giving her 7,000 a month with money from my company.

'I don't think I made any direct payments into her account. I would normally give her a cheque or pay it into her account for her.'

The court heard how she began to take drugs and drink after her father committed suicide in March.

Morgan said: 'She was taking cocaine and drinking vodka all the time. She had around 700 worth of cocaine on the first couple of nights. A little bag was 40, so this must have been around 35 bags.'

He allegedly killed her at her home in his castle grounds in Llanmartin, Wales before wrapping the body in plastic and duct tape and hiding it in farm buildings behind his family home.

Morgan of Llanellen, near Abergavenny, denies murder saying he was suffering from diminished responsibility and had Asperger's syndrome.
An early morning fire at a central Virginia marina destroyed about a dozen boats Friday, sinking some and sending others ablaze down the James River.

No injuries were reported in the blaze at the Richmond Yacht Basin, said Capt. Taylor Goodman of the Henrico Fire Department.

Fire officials estimate 12 to 15 boats were likely destroyed, Goodman said, along with part of a boat storage structure.

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An early morning fire at a central Virginia marina destroyed about a dozen boats Friday, sinking some and sending others ablaze down the James River

Smoke is seen from a burning marina on the James River on Friday. Several boats burned during a fire at the Richmond Boat Basin

No injuries were reported in the blaze at the Richmond Yacht Basin, said Capt. Taylor Goodman of the Henrico Fire Department

'The problem is, so much of the structure over the boats has collapsed down on it, it's hard to tell' the extent of the damage, he said.

The blaze was first reported about 7am by a neighbor who went to the scene and alerted people staying on their boats, Goodman said.

Tony Wolpert lives in a nearby home, saw smoke around 7am, went to the scene and called 911 - and ran on the docks yelling there was a fire, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

Three people exited their boats after he alerted them, Wolpert told the newspaper.

Fire officials estimate 12 to 15 boats were likely destroyed, Goodman said, along with part of a boat storage structure

Firefighters works to put out the fire at Richmond Yacht Basin

Mitch Romig, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was renting a houseboat at the marina for the night, the newspaper said.

'We heard someone running around saying the marina was on fire. So we got up and got off the boat as quickly as we could,' he told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

'It was pretty big already (when we got off the boat). I don't know how many boats on the end were all already ... on fire  pretty big flames.'

The blaze was first reported about 7am by a neighbor who went to the scene and alerted people staying on their boats, Goodman said

Dave Hughes told WTVR he was woken up by 'a popping and banging,' and headed outdoors, only to spot his boat on fire.

He told the station: 'I immediately knocked on my neighbor's door. David Napier, my good friend. I got him out safely yelled, "Fire."'

Hughes said: 'I've lost all of my possessions and that's not even on my mind. What's on my mind is both of us are safe.'

Napier told WTVR he got himself and Hughes to safety in his boat, recalling: 'I went up, started the boat, came down, untied two lines [and] went back up to put the boat in gear.

'At that point, it had started to melt the swim noodles we use and it was burning my back. So, we got out just in time. It was right over top on my head.'

Images from the area show a plume of smoke visible from several miles away.

Some of the vessels were floating downriver on fire late Friday morning. Five or six boats have sunk, marina President Max Walraven said.

Some of the vessels were floating downriver on fire late Friday morning. Five or six boats have sunk, marina President Max Walraven said

A Henrico County fire boat was trapped by the burning dock and sustained 'quite a bit of damage,' Goodman said.

It's not yet clear what started the blaze.

Goodman told WRIC: 'It was a pretty remote area, no fire hydrants so we had to bring water on engines and tanker trucks so there were very long hose lays to bring water in.'

He told the TV station: 'Were going to have to go through we're going to have to look at each boat individually to see if there was anything on them to have contributed to fire spread ignited the fire or anything like that.'

Goodman had said he expected firefighters to be at the scene the rest of the day Friday and possibly into Saturday.

The marina is in southeastern Henrico near the Chesterfield border, about 10 miles from downtown Richmond.
A former Air Force and university chaplain who had just left rehab bought a shotgun, drove to the home of his estranged family in Maine and shot his adult daughter and himself, police said Friday.

Immediately after finishing a 90-day program for alcohol abuse in Portland, Maine, at 10am on Thursday, Daniel Randall, 56, made the 50-mile journey to the small town of Hebron, buying the gun on the way.

He then broke into the home where his wife, son and daughter lived at around 2pm and shot Claire Randall, 27, multiple times before spray-painting messages on the walls of the house and killing himself, police told the Portland Press Herald.

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Chaplain Daniel Randall (pictured) left alcohol rehab in Portland, Maine, at 10am on Thursday and bought a shotgun before driving 50 miles to the home of his wife and kids in Hebron

Claire Randall, 27, was in the home when her father broke in at about 2pm. He shot her in the bathroom multiple times before leaving graffiti on the walls and surfaces

Claire had just moved into the home from Rhode Island to stay with her mom, Anita, and her brother, Gabriel, police said. She was alone in the house when her father broke in.

Randall had broken into the home through the garage because he didn't have any keys, police said. He had been served divorce papers earlier in the week by wife Anita.

Police believe he shot Claire in the bathroom before spray-painting messages - including 'Vow breaker' and 'Anita, it's all your fault' - on five rooms in the house and shooting himself on the porch.

Neighbor Carroll Daggett, 71, discovered the bodies on Thursday after Anita asked him to check on her daughter, who had not been answering her cell phone.

Video courtesy WGME

He had initially thought Daniel's body, lying face down on the porch, was a leftover Halloween decoration and walked past it to enter the home.

Daggett then discovered spray painted messages on the kitchen counter-top, and on the walls of a room. He walked outside and called 911.

The elderly neighbor then called Anita, he told the Portlant Press Herald.

'I said "Claire isn't answering, there doesn't seem to be anyone inside the house... But from what I've seen here I'm not going upstairs,"' he explained.

'And I'm glad I really didn't go upstairs.'

In total, five rooms in the home (pictured behind trees) were spray-painted with messages like 'Vow breaker'. Randall had been served with divorce papers from Anita earlier in the week

The Randalls had moved to Maine from Rhode Island in the summer so that Gabriel could study at nearby Hebron Academy prep school.

They have a second daughter, Molly, although it's not known whether she was living with her brother and mother.

According to Daggett, Daniel Randall was 'very pleasant' and 'a take-charge, family-type person', but also said he showed signs of stress or possibly PTSD.

They included not making eye contact and starting sentences and then stopping himself.

Randall had been a chaplain in the Air Force, and had also been an affiliated chaplain at Roger Williams University from 2009-2012.

Claire (pictured in 2008) had moved to the home, where mom Anita lived, from Rhode Island shortly before

He was also a former pastor at First Congregational Church in Bristol, Rhode Island, where he had served for 12 years.

He resigned in December 2014, and said in a resignation letter that the decision was 'challenging' but 'also is flavored with a hopeful and peaceful feeling'.

'Anita has served in a variety of roles. But, most of all, she has been the steady and strong supporter and vibrant energy for our family during our time here,' he wrote.

'I know how much you all love her. My love for her is endless, as is my gratitude.'

It's not yet known where Randall bought the shotgun.
said that people 'use him as a vehicle for their own self-promotion'

Nigel Farage has revealed how he is having a 'great time' since quitting as Ukip leader because he no longer has to deal with 'low-grade people' every day.

The 52-year-old said that leaving the role means he does not have to associate with people he would never choose to have a drink with or employ.

He also added that he is relieved to not be responsible for what the party's 'branch secretary in Lower Slaughter said half-cut on Twitter last night'.

Mr Farage, in an interview with James Kirkup at the Daily Telegraph, said that people 'use him as a vehicle for their own self-promotion'.

Nigel Farage (pictured) revealed how he is having a 'great time' since quitting as Ukip leader

The MEP also revealed he has ambitions to bring peace to the Middle East through his ties with US president-elect Donald Trump.

The father-of-four said: 'I am having a great time. I am not having to deal with low-grade people every day.

'I am not responsible for what our branch secretary in Lower Slaughter said half-cut on Twitter last night - that isn't my fault any more. I don't have to go to eight-hour party executive meetings.

'I don't have to spend my life dealing with people I would never have a drink with, who I would never employ and who use me as a vehicle for their own self-promotion.

'There are a lot of great people in Ukip. The problem is that Ukip has become a bit like the other parties: people view it as a means to get elected.'

Mr Farage, who worked in the City before being elected to the European Parliament, described himself as 'poor'.

The MEP also revealed he has ambitions to bring peace to the Middle East through his ties with US president-elect Donald Trump (pictured together)

He added: 'I have no regrets about being poor. Yeah, I am. Look, I'm 52, I have no regrets. I'm not poor, but I don't drive smart cars, I don't go on fancy holidays. All my money has gone on my kids' education.'

Mr Farage was one of the few political figures to stand by President-elect Trump as his campaign to take the White House became increasingly divisive but he admitted he was unhappy with some of the rhetoric .

He said he did not like 'several things' that Trump said on his campaign trail, including his stance on protesters and banning Muslims.

Asked about his future ambitions, the former party leader said he planned to continue giving speeches and writing articles but also wanted to 'build something'.
President-elect Donald Trump may be compiling a 'hit-list' of Energy Department employees and scientists based on their opinions, work and pay, sources say.

His transition team handed out a 74-question survey to department employees that asks for a list of colleagues and contractors who have attended international meetings on climate change.

The questions also ask about employees' work in other areas, including the Obama-mandated fields of climate-change, the Iran nuclear deal, and loans to clean-energy companies.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an Energy Department official called the 74 questions a 'hit list' that could damage the agency's scientific independence.

Meanwhile, Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass) has voiced concerns about a possible 'political witch-hunt'.

'Hit list': Insiders fear that Donald Trump's administration will conduct a 'witch-hunt' within the Department of Energy targeting climate change scientists, among others, when he takes over

Information: A questionnaire has circulated asking employees to identify their colleagues' salaries, positions, scientific memberships and work histories to the incoming administration

The questionnaire also asks employees to identify all political appointees and senior executives, and explain who they think 'owns' the the department's clean energy mission and other policy goals.

It also asks if there are any legal barriers to pushing ahead with a nuclear waste dump in Nevada, something opposed by the state's congressional delegation.

Questions about what websites and professional societies lab employees are members of could raise questions about Trump's commitment to scientific independence, the source said.

That independence is a fundamental tenet at the agency.

And questions about the top 20 salaried employees at each lab raised questions about whether workers would be targeted for their wages, the source claimed.

The Energy Department has a $32 billion annual budget, yet the bulk of its workforce - nearly 100,000 employees - are supplied by private contractors. The agency has 14,000 government employees.

Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass), sent a letter to Trump on Friday saying that the new administration would violate the law if any of the information being collected is used to punish department employees who carried out legal policy directives.

'Civil servants should never be punished for having executed policies with which a new administration disagrees,' wrote Markey, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

'That would be tantamount to an illegal modern-day political witch hunt, and would have a profoundly chilling impact on our dedicated federal workforce.'

The document offers a window into how far the incoming Trump administration may go to reverse President Barack Obama's worldview on pressing energy and climate policies.

Opposition: Questions specifically addressed subjects the administration opposes, including the Iran nuclear deal (pictured), climate chance and loans for clean energy companies

During his first term, Obama allotted more than $90 billion in stimulus money to boost the clean energy industry to help shift the country away from foreign oil and to create jobs.

The solar company Solyndra was the first to get a federal loan guarantee under an existing program that Obama expanded under the stimulus, but it failed soon after, costing taxpayers $500 million.

Republicans and other critics have cited Solyndra as an example of wasteful spending under a program they say drove up federal deficits without boosting the economy.

The Trump transition questionnaire asks for a 'full accounting of DOE liabilities associated with any loan or loan guarantee programs.'

The team also wants a status report on the department's recent issue of $4.5 billion in loan guarantees for electric vehicles.

It also asks about the legal feasibility of the creation of a high-level nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain northwest of Las Vegas.

'Witch hunt': Senator Edward Markey (pictured) said if Trump targeted people based on the questionairre it would be 'tantamount to an illegal modern-day political witch hunt'

That's a hot-button issue, with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and Nevada's other lawmakers opposing the dump.

But Reid, a Nevada Democrat and perhaps the project's most influential opponent, retires from Congress next month.

The transition team document asks whether there are any 'statutory restrictions' to restarting the Yucca Mountain project and whether the department has a plan for resuming the proceedings to secure the needed licenses.

The Obama administration cut off federal funding in 2010, effectively mothballing the project.

The questionnaire also asks about the Energy Department's role in the Iran nuclear accord, an international deal negotiated by the US and other world powers that stalls the threat of Tehran developing atomic weapons in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.

Trump railed against the agreement during the campaign, calling it 'stupid', a 'lopsided disgrace' and the 'worst deal ever negotiated'.

Bloomberg News first reported the questionnaire. The Associated Press independently obtained a copy of the document.
Paul Warren travelled to South Africa to retrieve his daughter's body

The father of Elly Warren, 20, who was found dead in a toilet block in Africa has claimed new autopsy results confirm his daughter was murdered.

Mozambique officials found Ms Warren, from Melbourne, did not die a violent death as her family was first told.

Instead a preliminary report has found she died of asphyxiation from sand and had suffered facial injuries, which father Paul Warren says proves she was murdered, the Herald Sun reported.

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The father of Elly Warren, 20, found dead in Mozambique says she was murdered by suffocation

A South African doctor conducting the autopsy found the only drug in her system was alcohol, her bladder was full and she was not raped or sexually assaulted.

Dr Patricia Klepp, with 40 years of medical experience, was not able conduct an accurate blood alcohol reading because her body was embalmed in Mozambique.

But Mr Warren spoke to the Herald Sun and was convinced the evidence pointed to murder - despite local police saying her death was not suspicious.

The autopsy revealed Ms Warren had suffered facial injuries with bruises and abrasions found surrounding her mouth.

The bruises had become more marked with time suggesting her face was forced into the sand resulting in suffocation.

'Dr Klepp told me she was very surprised to see how much sand was still in Elly's mouth, through both bronchi tubes leading to her lungs,' Mr Warren told the Herald Sun.

'Any qualified doctor knows that this was not an accidental death. She was murdered.'

Mrs Warren's death is still being investigated but is not being treated as a murder.

Ms Warren's father also told The Weekend Australian it was obvious what had happened.

Paul Warren travelled to South Africa to bring his daughter's body back to Australia

Her body was found in a toilet block near a market on Tofo Beach on November 9

'We have a very healthy 20-year-old girl. No drugs, [minimal] amount alcohol. What she falls in the sand with face injuries and her mouth is full of sand? You don't need to be Einstein to work out what happened here,' he said.

A third autopsy was undertaken in Melbourne after Mrs Warren's body was flown home and her father expects the results to be released next year.

Ms Warren was on a diving trip in Africa when her body was discovered in the toilet block near a market on Tofo Beach on November 9.

A fisherman found the body of the 20-year-old Australian outside a toilet block on November 9 in Mozambique, with initial reports suggesting Mrs Warren had been raped and killed.

The 20-year-old was on a surfing trip and due to return home the week she was found dead

She was due to fly home from the volunteer marine conservation trip the week she was killed.

Her family was informed she was murdered but Mozambique police told Australian media her body did not show any signs of violence.

Ms Warren's father, Paul, has now issued a statement saying his daughter was murdered.

'I have come to South Africa to bring my beautiful daughter, Elly, home,' Mr Warren said.

'Based on the facts I now know, I am absolutely certain that my daughter has been murdered by suffocation.'

He asked for the media to respect the family's privacy as they bring Ms Warren home.

Friends have since paid tribute to the young Melbourne woman on social media
A key witness in the murder case of Peter Falconio 15 years ago claims the British backpacker's convicted killer is innocent.

Mr Falconio disappeared and was never seen again while travelling through the Australian outback with his girlfriend, Joanne Lees, in 2001.

Bradley John Murdoch was sentenced to a minimum of 28 years in prison over the tourist's murder, but Aileron Roadhouse manager Greg Dick believes another man whom he saw Ms Lees speaking to is the killer.

'I saw her speak to somebody outside my place. I didn't take any notice of them until well and truly after it,' he told NT News.

British backpacker Peter Falconio (right) was travelling through the Australian outback with his girlfriend Joanne Lees (left) in 2001 when he was killed

Aileron Roadhouse manager Greg Dick believes convicted killed Bradley John Murdoch (pictured) is innocent

Mr Dick said he saw Ms Lees jump up and start speaking to the man at the Stuart Highway roadhouse, 100km north of Alice Springs, on July 14, 2001 - the same day the British man was murdered.

'He looked like a person who could live in the bush. Live off the land. A very clean, neat fella,' Mr Dick said.

'He was going to a good place where he could have disposed of the body. I've got a lot on my mind of it, but there you go.'

He recalls specific details including how the man complained over the price of a bottle of Coke and bought a meat pie for his dog.

Mr Dick also believes he saw the couple's distinctive orange Kombi van at Aileron, 100km south of Ti Tree, where they bought fuel and watched the renowned outback sunset.

He says he is certain about one thing - the man he saw Ms Lees speaking to was not Murdoch.

'I still reckon they've jailed the wrong man,' he said.

Mr Dick says he saw Ms Lees (right) jump up and start speaking to a man at the Stuart Highway roadhouse the same day the British man (left) was murdered

Mr Dick says the man he saw was definitely not Bradley John Murdoch, but instead 'looked like a person who could live in the bush'

Mr Dick believes he saw the couple's distinctive orange Kombi van at Aileron, 100km south of Ti Tree - where they bought fuel and watched the renowned outback sunset

Bradley Murdoch in 2003 being arrested by police at Adelaide's Sir Samuel Way court building and taken to the City Watch House

The British man, then 28, and his girlfriend had been directed to pull over on the dark July night in 2001.

When the man spoke to the couple he told them there was a problem with their Kombi.

Mr Falconio went to the back of the car to check it out and was never seen again.

It is believed he was shot dead after Ms Lees said she heard a gun go off.

She was threatened with a gun and restrained with cable-tie handcuffs before escaping and hiding in the bushes for several hours until she was able to flag down help.

A day after the couple was attacked, police found a pool of Mr Falconio's blood covered in dirt beside the highway near Barrow Creek.

The British man, then 28, and his girlfriend had been directed to pull over on the dark July night in 2001. Pictured here is the scrub where Peter Falconio and Joanne Lees were assaulted

Mr Dick was a witness at Murdoch's (pictured) murder trial

The haunting events of 15 years ago hold an eerie resemblance to an attack on a French tourist in recent weeks at a Connors Well rest stop (pictured)

Following years of investigation Murdoch was charged with the murder in November 2003.

He was then found guilty and given a life sentence, with a minimum 28-year non-parole period, during his 2005 Northern Territory Supreme Court trial.

Mr Dick was a witness at Murdochs murder trial.

The bush mechanic won't ever be released unless he reveals the location of the British backpacker's body.

But Mr Dick believes the convicted killer has no idea of the whereabouts of Mr Falconio's remains.

The roadhouse manager believes the tourist's body would be up in the ranges of 'Policeman's Waterhole' in Davenport Range National Park.

He told NT News that the area contains many mineshafts and was reportedly where the mysterious man he saw talking to Ms Lees was going to camp.

The haunting events of 15 years ago hold an eerie resemblance to an attack on a French tourist in recent weeks at a Connors Well rest stop, 30km south of Mr Dick's Aileron roadhouse.

French tourist Phileppe Jegouzohe, 33, was fatally stabbed in the neck in front of his 30-year-old wife, Aurelie Chorier near the isolated rest stop on the Stuart Highway.
A decorated war hero is being investigated for a second time after Army officials said he admitted to killing an unarmed detainee who was not a listed target.

The Army's Criminal Investigation Command has reopened its probe into former Major Mathew L. Golsteyn after he appeared on Fox News in October, saying he killed a suspected bomb maker in 2010 during the battle of Marja in Afghanistan, theWashington Post reported.

The suspect refused to talk to investigators, and Golsteyn was ordered to release him under strict rules of engagement - but the Green Beret said he killed him instead.

Golsteyn argued that letting him go would have created a bigger problem, resulting in the torture or death of Afghans helping the coalition forces.

The first investigation over the same incident was closed in 2014 with agents saying there was not enough evidence to charge Golsteyn with war crimes.

The Army has reopened an investigation into former Major Mathew L. Golsteyn (pictured) after he said he killed a suspected Taliban bomb maker in Afghanistan in 2010

Golsteyn was awarded the Silver Star for his actions during the battle of Marja, and was later entered for the Distinguished Service Cross, the military's second highest honor.

Golsteyn first sparked the probe after he acknowledged killing the man during a 2011 polygraph test during a job interview with the CIA, according to partially redacted documents released to theWashington Post.

Even though agents ultimately concluded that there was not enough evidence to charge Golsteyn with war crimes, he was stripped of his awards and expelled from the Special Forces.

A US defense official confirmed on Friday the probe was reopened as a result of Golsteyn's public statements, according to FOX.

Golsteyn appeared on a Fox News special 'How We Fight', talking about his role when the US Army attacked a Taliban base in Marja in 2010.

Leading a group of Special Forces troops, around 30 marines and hundreds of Afghan fighters, he helped capture the base .

But two men died after an explosive device went off while they were opening a door, while three others were injured.

Under strict rules of engagement, Golsteyn (pictured during his October Fox News appearance) was supposed to release the suspect

During a sweep of nearby buildings after the blast, Golsteyn and his men found a man sheltering in a building filled with equipment used to make bombs.

According to a report by Army investigator Zachary Jackson, Golsteyn later told CIA agents during a polygraph test that he used a local tribal leader to identify the man as a Taliban fighter.

Reluctant to let the fighter go, Golsteyn allegedly told the CIA agents that he and another soldier took the man off the base, shot him, and then buried him in an unmarked grave.

The report goes on to say that Golsteyn confessed to later digging the corpse up, carrying it back to the base, and burning it in a trash pit.

Interviews with Golsteyn's troops revealed their shock that he would have killed an unarmed insurgent, and tests on the camp's fire pits failed to show any traces of a dead body.

Golsteyn argued that letting the detainee go would have created a bigger problem, resulting in the torture or death of Afghans helping the coalition forces

During the Fox News segment in October, Golsteyn confirmed he killed the man, arguing that letting him go would have led to additional problems.

He said: 'You realize quickly that you make things worse.

'It is an inevitable outcome that people who are cooperating with coalition forces, when identified, will suffer some terrible torture or be killed.'

Golsteyn told Fox on Friday that he made 'lawful engagement' with a 'known enemy combatant', arguing that his actions aligned with his first priority - which was to protect civilians.

Duncan Hunter, a Republican Representative in California, is against the Army's decision to reopen the investigation.

He told the Post: 'Matt Golsteyn is an American hero. Matt Golsteyn does for the American people what we ask him to do, and the Army is screwing him again.

'Im embarrassed for the U.S. Army  and they ought to be embarrassed, he said.
A French tourist whose husband was stabbed to death at an outback truck stop in front of her is so traumatised she can barely get through police interviews.

Aurelie Chorier, 30, and Philippe Jegouzo, 33, had been in Australia for just a week when Mr Jegouzo was allegedly murdered by Pande Veleski on November 30.

Ms Chorier tried to stop the alleged attack by hitting the mentally ill assailant with a picnic table, but her husband had already sustained a fatal neck wound.

She struggled to relive the horrifying ordeal in police interviews and detectives had to take her statement over multiple sessions when she broke down in tears.

Pande Veleski, from Melbourne, is charged with murdering tourist Philippe Jegouzo, 33, in the Northern Territory last week

Her translator Maya Cifali said despite her best efforts to support her, Ms Chorier was so inconsolable the statement took 'many' sessions.

'She was trying to talk but she kept breaking down and crying, it was horrible, very horrible,' she told News Corp.

'She couldn't eat, she couldn't sleep... it's very traumatising to see your man die in front of your very eyes while you are helpless to do anything.

'She was in a miserable condition.'

Veleski is accused of stabbing the man in the neck after meeting him and his wife, Aurelie Chorier, at a rest stop

Ms Cifali revealed the French consulate last Sunday flew Ms Chorier's sister to Alice Springs, where she is staying in a safe house, to support her.

Veleski allegedly pulled up behind Mr Jegouzo and his wife at the Connor Well rest stop, 95 kilometres north of Alice Springs, and 'exchanged pleasantries' before stabbing him in the neck unprovoked.

He was found naked 16 hours later after spending a night in the bush following a huge manhunt that locked down the area.

Veleski is schizophrenic and was paranoid police were after him in the weeks leading up to the attack after he was attacked in his own home earlier this year.

Relatives also claimed that the breakdown of his marriage and his loss of contact with his daughter had affected his mental stability.

The French tourist couple were travelling in a 1998 Toyota RAV4 (pictured above)

Veleski was found naked after spending a night in the bush following the alleged murder. Pictured, a police officer stands near the French couple's car

The anonymous family member said two men 'smashed into his flat and basically ransacked' it, as well as attacking him.

Veleski is claimed to have moved out of his home in Melbourne to live with his parents following the attack, which had 'freaked him out'.

However, the relative believes Veleski fled to the Northern Territory over fears the police wanted to arrest him following the home invasion.

Police reportedly asked him if he wanted to testify against the two men who attacked him 'but he misunderstood the message from the police who he thought wanted to arrest him'.

Veleski's brother, Tony, thought he had gone to the Northern Territory 'to flee these attackers and the police' as he thought they were tailing him, the family member said.

Veleski has so far been unable to face court and prosecutors said he had been in hospital during his time in custody after self-harming.

The accused's lawyer, Maker Mayek, said his client was on medication and that he would not be able to attend court for 'at least the next two to three days'.
A crackdown on serial burglars has been branded a flop after it emerged that three out of four escape with soft sentences.

Judges are letting off hundreds of repeat housebreakers with a suspended jail term or other 'slap on the wrist' penalty in what critics are calling 'a horrific affront to natural justice'.

Under supposedly tough laws passed by the last Labour government, burglars with three or more convictions should be given at least three years in jail.

A crackdown on serial burglars has been branded a flop after it emerged that three out of four escape with soft sentences

But judges are giving shorter sentences to crooks who plead guilty  or are simply turning a blind eye to the guidelines.

Freedom of Information requests revealed the three-strikes penalty is handed out in just a quarter of cases, and one in 14 prolific burglars are not jailed.

Critics have warned that judges who ignore the three-strikes rule are putting the public at risk.

Peter Cuthbertson, of the Centre For Crime Prevention, said: 'These figures are a horrific affront to natural justice.. The most important job of the courts is to protect the public from this type of prolific criminal. Every time they give an overly lenient sentence, they are failing in that duty.'

Judges are letting off hundreds of repeat housebreakers with a suspended jail term or other 'slap on the wrist' penalty

In 2015, 762 burglars came up for sentencing with two or more previous convictions for ransacking a property. Only 207 were handed jail terms of three years or more  just 27 per cent. Another 504 (66 per cent) were given shorter jail terms and 51 (7 per cent) were not jailed at all.

Data released by the Ministry of Justice also showed only two-thirds of all convicted burglars are put behind bars  meaning one in three walks free from court. An MOJ spokesman said: 'Crime has fallen since 2010 and offenders committing the most serious offences are more likely to go to prison and for longer.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has rejected advice from his own experts to protect hundreds of babies from devastating birth defects by putting folic acid in flour

Jeremy Hunt has rejected advice from his own experts to protect hundreds of babies by putting folic acid in flour.

The move has been condemned as extraordinary and beyond belief by one of Britains top scientists, who says folic acid can stop devastating birth defects.

The row follows a decision by the Health Secretary to reject advice to require the compulsory fortification of white bread flour with the vital nutrient.

Most women of childbearing age are deficient in folic acid which means that if they fall pregnant, their baby is at risk.

As a result, hundreds of babies are being born disabled every year with so-called Neural Tube Defects (NTD) such as spina bifida, where the spine does not develop properly, and anencephaly, which affects the brain and skull.

At the same time, there are hundreds of abortions by mothers who discover their child has an NTD and fear the impact it will have.

The evidence for the health benefits of adding folic acid to white flour and bread is overwhelming.

Ten years ago, the Governments Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition recommended the fortification of flour and bread. However, ministers repeatedly put off following this advice and have now decided not to go ahead with the important health measure. More than 70 other countries, including the US, have been adding folic acid to flour for many years.

The number of babies developing NTD in the womb in America fell from 10.8 per 10,000 in 1995-96 to 6.5 by 2011. But ministers here are reluctant to go ahead because they fear being accused of supporting mass medication of the nation.

Speaking in a House of Lords debate in the summer, Tory health minister Lord Brampton said: It is not a scientific dispute but more of a philosophical dispute.

The science is to inform policy but not to determine it. For policy, we must look more to philosophers than scientists, more to moral choice than scientific experiment.

Since 1992, women have been advised to take folic acid supplements before pregnancy

The latest recommendation was supported by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the British Medical Association and some of the most eminent academics and child health experts in the country.

They include Professor Sir Colin Blakemore, the chairman of the FSAs General Advisory Committee on Science.

Sir Colin has told colleagues the Governments decision is beyond belief. He said: This is an extraordinary decision. Over the past 15 years, one specialist committee after another has looked at the evidence and recommended fortification of flour with folic acid.

Each time the Department of Health has asked for yet more opinion and evidence. And every time the opinion comes back positive.

Meanwhile, babies are dying in the womb, or are being born with a lifetime of disability ahead of them because of a failure of ministers to accept the overwhelming evidence and the recommendations from scores of expert advisers. Professor Sir Nicholas Wald, former director of the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, led the team which found the link between folic acid and NTDs.

I am greatly concerned and disappointed by the Governments decision not to fortify flour with folic acid, he said.

It is an effective and safe method of preventing two serious birth defects at no cost to the NHS. There is no justification for the departments decision. It is, in my view, a failure in their duty to further public health. A Department of Health spokesman said: We decided that adding folic acid to flour would not be a silver bullet in preventing neural tube defects.
A playground equipment company has recalled 1,300 slides after a defect caused two children to lose fingers.

The Lightning Slide, made by Pennsylvania-based company Playworld Systems Inc, has welds on the side that could crack and separate, leaving a sharp gap.

Both of the injured children's fingers got caught in the space while going down the slide. At least 13 incidents of broken welds were reported to the company.

Playworld Systems Inc has recalled 1,300 stainless steel Lightning Slides after two children lost fingers due to a sharp gap that was created when the welds on the side cracked (pictured)

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning about the stainless steel slide on Wednesday, saying that the weld 'between the slide bedway and sidewall' posed an 'amputation hazard'.

Lightning Slides were sold for use in parks in city parks and school playgrounds between November 2000 and October 2016, according to Lancaster Online.

It was priced between $1,500 and $4,000 through the years and was made with both single and double beds.

Playworld recommends that owners of Lightning Slides press down on the bedway along the entire slide to determine if weld separation had occurred between the bed and wall.

Lightning Slides were sold for use in parks in city parks and school playgrounds between November 2000 and October 2016

The company voluntarily issued the recall and is offering free replacement slides.

It also recommends that defected slides be immediately removed and that the slide opening be barricaded to 'prevent inadvertent falls from the platform'.

Playworld will also send customers a temporary platform barrier until a replacement slide is shipped and installed, the company said on its website.

The company is also contacting customers who purchased the slides directly from Playworld rather than an independent distributor.
Tu Quoc Ho, 43, was charged with attempted second-degree murder with a firearm

A man was arrested and charged with shooting his ex-wife at a karaoke bar in Orlando.

Tu Quoc Ho, 43, was charged with attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, aggravated battery with a firearm, tampering with evidence and domestic violence battery after allegedly shooting his ex-wife inside the bar, according to Click Orlando.

Police said the pair owned the Thanh Thao Karaoke bar at 1212 Woodward St. together and got into a fight about business shortly after midnight on Friday, apparently during a 'private party'.

The woman, whose name hasn't been released, said her ex-husband punched her in the head, then left the premises and returned with a gun.

She was shot four times in the chest but survived and was rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center, reported the outlet.

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The part-owner of Thanh Thao Karaoke bar in Orlando was accused of shooting his ex-wife inside their customers watched

Ho was escorted out of the police station after being charged with attempted murder on Friday

Authorities said some witnesses were uncooperative and would not admit they saw anything

Her condition isn't known at this time but she's expected to survive, reported the Orlando Sentinel. She was also shot in the arm.

Police say Ho denied being responsible for the shooting. Some witnesses said things seemed fine but then a man in a hooded jacket walked in and began firing, according to Click Orlando.

Other witnesses apparently refused to cooperate and claimed they didn't see anything happen.
Dr Waney Squier is back to work at last - but cannot give evidence at court cases for three years

Dr Waney Squier is back to work at last. A world expert on babies brains, she relished her return this week to the hospital where she first thought the unthinkable: that hundreds of British parents over four decades have been wrongly accused of killing their children by shaking them.

After going public with this controversial view, she was considered a thorn in the side of the child protection and medical establishment, and was even accused of being an apologist for real abusers.

Early in 2010, the mild-mannered neuro-pathologist, now 68, was reported to the General Medical Council by police for deliberately misleading judges and juries in Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) cases.

This led to a long-winded disciplinary inquiry and, in March this year, she was struck off the medical register.

It was only after a successful appeal to the High Court last month that she was reinstated as a doctor, although the judge barred her from giving evidence in SBS cases for the next three years.

Today, recovering from her long ordeal, she is battered but unbowed.

Most of all, she is worried that many of the convictions of parents and carers accused of killing babies by shaking them have been wrong. She believes it could be half of the cases or considerably more.

In a quiet yet steely voice as she sits on the sofa at her Oxford home sipping a mug of coffee, she insists: We need a public inquiry into how this syndrome is still being used to condemn people in the family and criminal courts. They are being accused on the basis of it, yet it is only an hypothesis with no scientific evidence to support it.

Dr Squiers opinion has just gained credence from the most important piece of research on SBS to have been published for 40 years.

Top health and ethics investigators in Sweden have concluded there is no science to prove, incontrovertibly, that the syndrome actually exists.

The Swedish research challenges the long-accepted wisdom that a triad of symptoms  swelling of the babys brain, bleeding on the brains surface, and bleeding behind the eyes  are concrete evidence that a baby or young child has been deliberately shaken.

The use of this triad as evidence has led to thousands of parents and carers being sent to prison in this country and across the Western world since the term SBS was first coined by a U.S. paediatric radiologist, Dr John Caffey, during the Seventies.

In Britain, it is estimated that 250 SBS cases go through the criminal and family courts each year.

Dr Squier she is one of only two consultant paediatric neuropathologists in England and has spent 32 years at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford (pictured)

As Rioch Edwards-Brown, a London-based campaigner for parents accused of SBS, says: Families have had their lives destroyed by false accusations that they hurt or killed their babies by violently shaking them.

They have been convicted on what is medical opinion and dogma rather than scientific fact.

Dr Squier is convinced this is the reality, too  even though in the past she thought very differently.

A divorcee and mother of two daughters, she is one of only two consultant paediatric neuropathologists in England and has spent 32 years at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford where she has examined more than 3,000 brains, mainly of young children.

More than a quarter of her 120 research studies have been on SBS and, as more and more people were accused of baby killing by shaking over the years, she became a highly sought-after prosecution expert by police in the criminal courts, and social services in the secretive family courts.

She was asked to write a report for the prosecution when a young woman called Lorraine Harris stood trial in 2000 at Nottingham Crown Court charged with manslaughter.

While described as a careful, caring mother, Harris was accused of shaking her four-month-old son, Patrick, to death.

There were no external injuries to the baby, such as bruising, or evidence that he had been roughly held, but the triad of SBS symptoms were found at his post mortem.

Although she vehemently protested her innocence, Lorraine was convicted and jailed for three years. But going to prison was far from the only punishment she suffered.

Her partner left her because of the charges and her son was buried without her being told.

Another boy she gave birth to as she was starting her sentence was taken away for adoption at one day old and she was never allowed to see him again.

Her life was all but destroyed.

But, significantly, by the time Lorraines appeal was heard in 2005, Dr Squier had had a change of heart. She had come to question whether the triad of symptoms were a definite indication of SBS; indeed, she had become convinced they were not.

She was asked to write a report for the prosecution when a young woman called Lorraine Harris stood trial in 2000 - only to speak in the defendant's favour at her 2005 appeal

She changed her mind because of research by another neuropathologist, Dr Jennian Geddes, of the Royal London Hospital, who had become troubled by the number of SBS cases in which there was no sign of physical damage to the childs fragile body other than the infamous triad of symptoms.

Dr Geddes questioned whether it was actually possible for anyone to shake a small baby so violently as to inflict SBS without there being bruising to the childs upper arms or the rest of the body  after all, the forces involved in creating the three symptoms of SBS are, according to those medics who believe in it, the same as those involved in a 70mph car crash.

But Dr Geddes was perplexed by another mystery. She knew that when a baby was involved in a fatal car crash, it suffered traumatic damage to nerves in the brain, provoked by the effects of whiplash.

Surely a shaken baby, whose head would be moving back and forth with all the force of a violent car crash, would suffer from whiplash too?

To find out, Dr Geddes did something no one had done before. She compared the brains of 53 babies and children whose deaths had been attributed to violent shaking with those of youngsters killed in car crashes.

Her findings revealed that 50 out of the 53 brains of the so-called shaken babies showed no damage to the brain nerves. There was no whiplash effect, which convinced her that the babies could not have been shaken to death.

Dr Geddes concluded that the classic triad of symptoms could be produced by all manner of other traumas, often trivial-seeming ones. She found that a child rolling off a sofa, or banging itself in a baby bouncer, for instance, prompted retinal bleeding.

Even more worryingly, she said injuries associated with the triad could also occur naturally, for instance during childbirth because of the pressure on the childs skull.

After Dr Squier came across Dr Geddess research, her views on SBS were completely transformed.

After Dr Squier came across Dr Geddess research, her views on SBS were completely transformed

A light went on in my head, Dr Squier has said. I became concerned that the whole basis for SBS was poor. It made me feel guilty about my previous unquestioning acceptance of the shaking hypothesis.

She began to conduct her own investigations and concluded that shaking as a cause of death in babies could virtually be excluded unless there was also evidence of body trauma, such as serious damage to the neck.

When a baby is shaken, the head will flop back and forth and the neck becomes the weak point. In other words, if you shake a baby so hard that it dies, it is the neck that is going to show the damage, not the brain, Dr Squier has explained.

She made a complete U-turn and changed sides in the case of Lorraine Harris. Having been a prosecution witness at the original trial, she bravely appeared as an expert witness for the defence at the appeal  and Lorraines conviction was quashed.

During the hearing, the court was told that the baby had stopped breathing after a vaccination.

He also suffered from a blood disorder which was only discovered after his death, and this might have caused the triad of symptoms which convinced experts his death was caused by SBS. Tellingly, he also had a difficult forceps delivery.

Dr Squier has never forgotten Lorraine Harris, although the two women have never met. I felt terrible that I may have contributed to her being wrongly imprisoned. Now we must make sure such a thing never happens again, she tells me intently this week.

She was being criticised behind her back by doctors, lawyers, social workers and police officers who still clung to the orthodoxy of SBS

Mainstream paediatricians are making the diagnosis of SBS because it is in the textbooks and they cling to it. When my views changed, I felt it important that I spoke out rather than keep quiet.

I had an obligation to say publicly that something was going wrong.

Dr Squier soon suffered the consequences of breaking ranks. She was being criticised behind her back by doctors, lawyers, social workers and police officers who still clung to the orthodoxy of SBS.

And worse was to come. She was shocked in 2010 to receive a letter from the Human Tissue Authority, an organisation which regulates the use of human organs and tissue.

It transpired that Scotland Yard had raised concerns about the way she was handling post-mortem tissue and the possibility that unrecorded material was being stored, used and disposed of, without their knowledge. An investigation was launched, every piece of tissue accounted for, and no action was taken.

But the detractors did not give up, and she appears to have been targeted by Scotland Yard for challenging the existence of SBS which the police have relied on for years to get successful convictions.

In September 2010, an important conference on SBS took place in Atlanta, Georgia.

One of the people attending was Detective Inspector Colin Welsh, then a lead investigator at Scotland Yards child abuse investigation command.

At a public session, he talked disparagingly about the way prosecution cases had failed largely due to the evidence of defence witnesses such as Dr Squier.

He suggested such expert witnesses should be eliminated from criminal and possibly family court trials, arguing that their complex scientific evidence confused juries and even judges.

Today, Dr Squier says one of the worst things about her ordeal was being portrayed as a liar

In the audience was an American lawyer called Heather Kirkwood, who was so shocked at DI Welshs stance that she took notes and, later, signed an affidavit saying that the notes were a true record of what he said.

When Dr Squier came under the scrutiny of the GMC, Kirkwood spoke up in her defence.

We have learned much of what we thought we knew about SBS was wrong, and that many of the babies we thought were shaken were instead suffering from birth injuries, childhood stroke, or infectious disease, she said.

Now we know that we got it wrong, we need to get it right. Instead, many prominent advocates of shaken baby theory have resorted to attacking researchers such as Dr Squier, who is one of the worlds leading experts on the infant brain.

Families and children deserve better. We have to have an open, honest, debate.

Today, Dr Squier says one of the worst things about her ordeal was being portrayed as a liar during the disciplinary hearing by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, the independent disciplinary arm of the GMC.

Her ordeal means there are now few paediatricians or pathologists prepared to give expert defence evidence in shaken baby cases. Accused parents have become so desperate for help that they write to Dr Squier begging for advice.

I was getting up to one letter a week before my hearing ended in March. I always try to refer them to a decent lawyer, she says.

Now families are beginning to realise whats going on. They are getting scared of taking their ill children to hospital in case they are accused of shaking them.

Yet there is one bright light at the end of the tunnel for Dr Squier. She is spending the next six months re-writing a key textbook on paediatric neuropathology.
Nicky Morgan criticised Theresa May for wearing these 995 trousers

Nicky Morgan has been dropped from a list of Tory MPs set for a private meeting with the Prime Minister next week after she criticised Theresa May for wearing 995 trousers.

The former Education Secretary had been invited to Downing Street along with others such as Nicholas Soames and Anna Soubry to discuss the Governments strategy for handling the Article 50 negotiations with the other 27 EU-member states.

Mrs Morgan was initially among them; but the invitation was later withdrawn after she gave an interview in which she criticised Mrs May.

She said that the Prime Ministers choice of the designer leather trousers, which she wore for a photo shoot with the Sunday Times Magazine, had sent the wrong message to voters.

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She added the trousers had been 'noticed and discussed' by fellow Tories.

I dont have leather trousers. I dont think Ive ever spent that much on anything apart from my wedding dress, Mrs Morgan said.

One backbencher told The Guardian: Disinviting Nicky because of a comment on the Prime Ministers trousers is frankly playground politics.

Mrs Morgan said that the Prime Ministers choice of the designer leather trousers had sent the wrong message to voters

On a trip to Bahrain, the Prime Minister denied she was out of touch for wearing the expensive garments.

One backbencher told The Guardian: Disinviting Nicky because of a comment on the Prime Ministers trousers is frankly playground politics.
The executive producers of the hit A&E show The Duck Dynasty have been sued by ITV Studios for fraud, self-dealing and breach of contract following an internal investigation.

Scott and Deirdre Gurney, heads of Gurney Productions, were terminated by parent company ITV Studios after being accused of billing fraud related to their shows.

The couple founded the reality TV production company Gurney Productions, which produces Duck Dynasty, and sold a majority stake of it to ITV in 2012 for $40 million.

The lawsuit claims the couple 'secretly formed' a new production company that competed with Gurney Productions in order to 'artificially inflate' ITV's net profits and increase the price they would be paid for their remaining interest in the company.

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Scott and Deirdre Gurney, heads of Gurney Productions, were terminated by parent company ITV Studios after being accused of billing fraud related to their shows and 'unlawfully enriching themselves at the expense of ITV,' among other claims

Ducy Dynasty's Si Robertson, left to right, Willie Robertson and Phil Robertson pictured in June 2013. The Gurneys founded the reality TV production company Gurney Productions, which produces Duck Dynasty

ITV Studios filed the lawsuit in L.A. Supreme Court on Friday, just a day after it was reported the husband and wife duo were temporarily suspended amid an internal fraud investigation, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

When the couple sold a majority stake in Gurney Productions to ITV, they agreed not to compete with the company as long as they were still working for it, the suit states.

However, they breached the deal when they launched Snake River Productions, according to the lawsuit.

In their agreement, ITV has the right to buy out the couple's retained membership interests with the price based in part on the average earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), according to the complaint.

The lawsuit claims the Gurneys formed Snake River Productions as part of an 'unlawful plan to misappropriate the company's opportunities for themselves' and to 'artificially inflate' its EBTIDA.

In a 'self-dealing transaction', the couple sold ITV's international distribution rights for Discovery Channel's Northern Territory to Snake River for $3.6million without knowledge or consent of the three other managers on the board, the complaint said.

The lawsuit claims the couple 'secretly formed' a new production company that competed with Gurney Productions in order to 'artificially inflate' ITV's net profits and increase the price they would be paid for their remaining interest in the company

They also failed to disclose they were the owners of the company, according to the complaint.

'ITV would have prohibited that sale because ITV would not have permitted the Gurneys to engage in competition against ITV and the company and would not have permitted an obviously sham transaction executed by the gurneys for the purpose of artificially inflating EBITDA,' the lawsuit said.

The Gurneys ended up obtaining a distribution on behalf of themselves and their company, Little Win, for approximately $1.4million when ITV bought them out, the complaint states.

This along with misappropriating funds, 'poaching' ITV employees for the competing business, 'unlawfully positioned' the couple to receive a 'substantially enhanced buyout,' the lawsuit states.

The couple is also accused of treating the company 'as a personal ATM,' charging the company for 'purely personal expenses,' including family helicopter rides during vacations.

Duck Dynasty, one of reality TV's biggest hits, starred a successful Louisiana duck call-making family, the Robertsons. Last month, the Duck Dynasty family said its current season would be the last of its series

Other personal expenses include clothing, travel, meals, Manhattan Country Club expenses, pet supplies, home mortgage and insurance, according to the lawsuit.

As of September 9, 2013, the Gurneys had 'improperly caused' the company to pay $542,000 of their personal expenses, the complaint states.

They lied about repaying the expenses to other board members and to this day have not repaid the expenses, which ITV did not become aware of until September of this year, according to the lawsuit.

ITV is seeking punitive damages as well as $850,000 in repayment of expenses and an injunction to recover all ITV assets and works created by employees while illegally working for the couple or Snake River productions.

ITV has set the interim CEO of Gurney Productions as 5x5 Media co-founder Craig Armstrong, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Alongside Armstrong, ITV Chief Operating Officer Chris Valentini will reportedly help oversee Gurney Productions.

Last month, the Duck Dynasty family said its current season would be the last of its series.

Duck Dynasty, one of reality TV's biggest hits, starred a successful Louisiana duck call-making family, the Robertsons.

The Robertson family was notified of the internal fraud investigation on Monday. The family has a financial stake in the series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Embittered Remain campaigners are seeking to get EU judges to rule Brexit can be cancelled in a fresh attempt to defy the will of the people.

Europhile lawyers will today launch new proceedings in Ireland that could pave the way for Britains departure being abandoned after the two-year formal exit process has been started.

The pro-EU campaigners will bypass the British courts as they believe the Irish judiciary will be more likely to refer the case the European Court of Justice  putting key decisions on Britains withdrawal in the hands of judges in Luxembourg.

Jolyon Maugham QC, (pictured) a barrister who is leading the legal bid, said he wanted to give voters the opportunity to change their minds

The action could lead to more drawn out court battles that see the divorce proceedings tangled up in EU courts for longer than a year.

Jolyon Maugham QC, a barrister who is leading the legal bid, said he wanted to give voters the opportunity to change their minds.

He will challenge the governments claim that once Theresa May invokes the mechanism for leaving the EU, the Lisbon Treatys Article 50, that this cannot be stopped.

If EU judges rule the two-year process is reversible, it would mean MPs would have the power to halt the process further down the line.

Mr Maugham believes this will tie Theresa Mays hands in negotiations, as Parliament, which has a majority of Remain-supporting MPs, will have the ability to reject or water down a deal between her and other EU leaders.

He said: If we cannot withdraw our Article 50 notification then Parliament will have to accept those agreements - whatever their content.

The Government will have free reign to do exactly what it wants. There will be no control by Parliament.

But if the notification can be withdrawn Parliament will have a choice: it will be free to reject that deal.

And, because the Government knows this, and because it wishes to deliver the result of the Referendum, it will have to try to do the deal that Parliament wants or it will risk the possibility that Parliament throws the deal out.

Mr Maugham will argue that if at a point in the two year exit process the economy is in trouble and the notification under Article 50 can be revoke, it will be open to them (voters) to choose to change their minds.

The Supreme Court heard the governments case against a High Court ruling that the PM should not be able to invoke Article 50 without Parliaments agreement. The original case was brought by businesswoman Gina Miller (pictured)

The 45-year-old tax barrister is hoping to crowdfund 70,000 in donations to pay for the action that will begin in the Irish courts as soon as the money is raised.

If it is referred to the ECJ it could take longer than a year for a decision. The Luxembourg-based court normally takes about 16 months to give a ruling, although it probably would fast-track the case because of its importance.

The Supreme Court this week heard the governments appeal against a High Court ruling that the Prime Minister should not be able to invoke Article 50 without Parliaments agreement. A decision is expected in the New Year.
The witch-hunt into retired soldiers decades after they battled terrorism in Northern Ireland could go on for many, many, many years, a senior police officer admitted yesterday.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, who is responsible for the re-examination of every British Army killing during the Troubles, said no timetable had been set.

But he added that because he had only 70 detectives working for him  and his unit is under-resourced and under-funded  the investigations could go on for years.

It emerged this week that up to 1,000 retired soldiers in their 60s and 70s face investigation some 40 years after they served in Northern Ireland.

Up to 1,000 retired soldiers in their 60s and 70s face investigation some 40 years after they served in Northern Ireland

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it will re-examine every British Army killing during the Troubles. Its taxpayer-funded Legacy Investigation Branch (LIB) is to look at 238 fatal incidents involving the Army in Ulster, leading to 302 deaths.

Veterans will be investigated as potential murder or manslaughter suspects over actions they took decades ago at the height of the IRAs terrorist campaign.

Mr Hamilton, who heads the LIB, said the Government was moving towards a Bill proposing a new historical inquires unit that would complete its work in five years.

But he added: If there is no political decision, it will take many, many, many years for the Police Service of Northern Ireland with the 70 detectives it has.

We have made it very clear that we are neither resourced nor funded for the scale of the legacy task we are required to carry out.

He denied there was a witch-hunt into British troops, saying he had a statutory responsibility to investigate all 3,200 deaths during the Troubles, including those murdered by terrorists.

Veterans will be investigated as potential murder or manslaughter suspects over actions they took decades ago at the height of the IRAs terrorist campaign

His comments on BBC Radio 5 Live came as it was revealed that ministers issued a strong defence of troops in Northern Ireland just three weeks before the announcement of the investigation.

A Government report, submitted to UN investigators, said the peace process would never have happened without the contribution of the Armed Forces. It added the suggestion that criminality by soldiers was rife or endemic during the Troubles was an unjustified distortion of the facts.

And it argued that an overwhelming majority of those who served in Northern Ireland did so with bravery and distinction, upholding democracy and the rule of the law.

The submission to the UN human rights council three weeks ago said: Without their commitment, the peace process would never have happened.

But yesterday No 10 insisted that soldiers had to be investigated to preserve the peace process.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: It is important that we deal with the legacy issues if we want to really achieve reconciliation in Northern Ireland and move forward. And as part of the Stormont House Agreement there are provisions to establish the historical investigations unit.

She claimed the investigation of Northern Ireland veterans was not the same as the hounding of troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, adding: These are very different issues, different conflicts. This is about reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

Theresa May promised at the Tory party conference that the bravest of the brave would no longer face witch-hunts.

The witch-hunt into retired soldiers decades after they battled terrorism in Northern Ireland could go on for many, many, many years

Last night a former Northern Ireland and defence minister warned of a disproportionate pursuit of Armed Forces members who were easier to target than terrorists.

South West Wiltshire MP Andrew Murrison said: The Good Friday agreement has brought peace but I would be worried if the price was paid by elderly veterans when terrorists go scot-free.

It is plain for everyone to see that the British Armed Forces side of this peace process has had extra burdens placed upon them.

Colonel Bob Stewart, who served in Northern Ireland, condemned the investigations as appalling.

He said: Why havent we still actually brought to justice those people who killed 1,700 of our service personnel?
The CIA found that Russia's interference with the presidential elections went beyond an attempt to undermine American democracy as a whole - and actively favored Donald Trump's chances, it has been claimed.

Those who provided WikiLeaks with emails from hacked Democratic accounts have been identified by intelligence authorities as members of a Russian campaign who worked towards the goal of seeing Trump elected, officials told the Washington Post.

The shocking conclusion, made by a 'consensus' of intelligence agencies, was reported the same day President Barack Obama ordered a review of cyber attacks that targeted Democratic organizations and operatives during the 2016 elections.

But Trump's transition team shot down the findings, issuing a statement that read: 'These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.'

The CIA found that Russia's interference with the presidential elections went beyond an attempt to undermine American democracy as a whole - and actively favored Donald Trump

Confidential emails from the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta, the Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, were steadily leaked on WikiLeaks in the months before the election, damaging her White House effort.

The US has previously tiptoed around Russia's involvement in the elections, saying the goal was to undermine the American electoral system as a whole.

But intelligence agencies found the Russians also hacked the Republican National Committee, one official told the New York Times, even though those emails were never released.

The CIA presented the growing evidence during a secret meeting with a number of senators last week, with agents saying it had become 'quite clear' that the Russians were supporting a Trump victory, the Post reported.

One official who spoke to the Post described it as a 'consensus view', but not all 17 intelligence agencies agreed with the CIA's findings.

While the individuals who handed the hacked emails to Wikileaks are known to the intelligence community, with links to the Russian government, there's no evidence showing the Kremlin orchestrating their efforts, one official told the Post.

But the Russian government has been known to utilize middlemen in the past.

Others point to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's denial that the Russian government provided the emails of key Democratic party members.

Trump has also shot down signs pointing to Russian interference, telling TIME: 'I don't believe they interfered...Anytime I do something, they say "Oh, Russia interfered.''

He continued: 'It could be Russia. And it could be China. And it could be some guy in his home in New Jersey.'

On Friday, his transition team likened the intelligence agencies to those who made flawed claims about Saddam Hussein.

They told Politico: 'The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on and "Make America Great Again."'

Obama is also pushing for a full review, with the goal of publishing the findings before Trump's inauguration

Obama, meanwhile, is pushing for a full review to be completed before Trump's inauguration.

Initiated just this week, the review runs parallel to congressional calls for an inquiry, but wasn't inspired by them, according to the White House.

Lisa Monaco, Obama's homeland security adviser, said at a breakfast hosted by The Christian Science Monitor on Friday that it was vital to 'understand what this means, what has happened and to impart some lessons learned.'

The move comes after Democrats in Congress pressed the White House to reveal details, to Congress or to the public, of Russian hacking and disinformation in the election.

Some Republican lawmakers, including Arizona Senator John McCain and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, also have called for congressional probes of what happened.

'When it comes to all things Russia, I am going to be kind of hard-ass,' Graham told a reporters in the Senate last month, as DailyMail.com reported.

Democratic lawmakers also have pushed for a bipartisan commission to investigate the meddling in U.S. elections from abroad.

Hacked emails revealed that staffers had their own concerns about Clinton's private email server, creating negative headlines in the final days of the campaign

Clinton campaign chair John Podesta's personal account got hacked and his emails were posted on WikiLeaks during the campaign. Embarrassing disclosures followed

Senator Chuck Schumer, set to become Democratic minority leader in January, called for a congressional probe into the matter.

'That any country could be meddling in our elections should shake both political parties to their core,' he said Saturday.

'It's imperative that our intelligence community turns over any relevant information so that Congress can conduct a full investigation.'

The White House said Friday at least some of the information would be made public.

He's requested this report be completed and submitted to him before the end of his term, said White House spokesman Eric Schultz.

Schultz noted that the Obama and McCain campaigns had intrusions in 2008. He said there are no known hacks from 2012 but the review will include that year as a precaution, based on what we know now.

We are committed to ensuring the integrity of our elections, and this report will dig into this pattern of malicious activity timed to our elections, Schultz said. The assessment will specifically look at activity that coincides with U.S. elections, he said.

We're going to make public as much as we can, Schultz said, but considering that the report will contain highly sensitive and maybe even classified information some intelligence will be held back.

Given that the directive to launch this review was just this week we want to make sure that that process unfolds in all due accord, the White House official said.

The DNC hack, on the eve of the Democratic convention, revealed a series of damaging emails, and fueled Clinton rival Senator Bernie Sanders' contention that that the party had been working to assist Clinton.

The Podesta hack had Team Clinton playing defense for the final weeks of the campaign, as emails revealed all manner of deliberations about Clinton's private email server, Clinton Foundation matters, and exposed fissures within Clinton's network of political operatives about how to handle the conflicts.

The US Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in a statement on October 7, one month before the election, stated that 'the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of emails from US persons and institutions, including from US political organizations.'

'These thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the US election process,' they said.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency on Thursday reported a spike in Russian propaganda and disinformation meant to destabilize the German elections, Reuters reported.
New York City officials are blaming a crane collapse that killed a man in lower Manhattan in February on operator error.

The city Department of Buildings said Friday the crane operator, 56-year-old Kevin Reilly of Port Jefferson, failed to secure the 565-foot crane the night before it collapsed in the Tribeca neighborhood on February 5.

The department says the operator also lowered the crane's main boom at an improper angle, causing the crane to become unstable and topple over.

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Firefighters and construction crews work on clearing up after a construction crane collapsed in New York on February 5

The crane was videotaped as it slowly collapsed down the street

The department has suspended the crane operator's license and has moved to revoke it permanently, reported the New York Times.

'The crane operator involved in this incident acted recklessly, with tragic results,' Rick D. Chandler, the citys buildings commissioner, said in a statement. 'The actions were taking should send the message to everyone in the construction industry that safety must come first.'

The city investigators agreed with the conclusions of a separate investigation by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA also found that the collapse was caused by operator error.

Reilly was arrested three times in the 1980s for DUI, though there is no indication he was impaired the day of the crash, reported NewJersey.com. According to the Daily News, he has maintained a clean record ever since and blew a .000 on a breathalyzer test that was administered after the fatal accident.

This is quite a change from when Reilly was first being hailed as a hero by investigators as he was said to steer the enormous red crane away from buildings, where the death toll could have been much higher, and into the street, reported the New York Daily News.

Crane operator Kevin Reilly (above) was first hailed as a hero but now is being blamed for the collapse that killed one man

David Wichs, left, was on his way to work on Wall Street when the crane hit him; right, David and his wife, Rebecca, were married in 2013 - she is suing the city for $600million

At the time, the collapse was being blamed on the high 40-mile-an-hour winds.

Wall Street worker David Wichs was on his way to work at a trading firm when he was killed in the collapse.

His widow, Rebecca Wichs, filed a notice of claim in May with the city Comptroller's Office asking for $550million to cover what her husband, who had a math degree from Harvard, would have made over the course of his career, according to the New York Post.

She is also seeking $25million for the loss of love and companionship, as they got married in 2013 after being engaged for six months.

The February crane collapse in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan is blamed on operator error

A fire crew worked the scene of the collapsed crane which clipped two buildings, destroyed more than half a dozen cars, and killed a 'mathematical genius' who worked at Tower Research Capital

In addition, she's asking for another $25million to cover 'conscious pain and suffering,' since he likely knew that he was going to die before the crane struck him and 'then was alive and in pain before succumbing to his injuries,' the Post reported.

Rebecca Wichs' lawyer filed a petition to keep Bay Crane Service, the owners of the crane that killed the Harvard-educated man, from having open access to the wreckage.

They were concerned that inspectors from the company might tamper with that key evidence.

She was made the administrator of his estate, which at the time of his tragic death was valued at $3million.

'This pain I'm feeling right now is unbearable,' Rebecca Wichs said through tears, according to the New York Daily News.

'When I met David, I felt something I never felt before. We had this instant connection. When I was with him, I felt like the most secure person in the world. He brought so much joy to my life.

'I often thought to myself that I was living a fairy tale. That I was experiencing a storybook romance. He would remind me that he was the lucky one. We were each others' best friends.'

The couple lived together on the Upper West Side, as he worked for computerized financial trading firm, Tower Research Capital.

According to the Post, the comptroller's office said that her $600million 'claim cannot be settled pre-litigation.'

At the man's funeral service in New York at the Kehilath Jeshurun Temple, he was remembered as a 'generous' and 'brilliant' mathematics genius.
The grieving family of a young New Zealand woman killed when a Contiki Tour van plummeted off a cliff have flown to Indonesia to bring home her body.

Danielle Angus, 23, a Contiki staff member from Takapuna, was among seven people, including one Australian, travelling to a beach in South Lombok when the van crashed, Stuff reported.

Ms Angus was pulled from the wreckage by rescue workers but died before arriving at a hospital in Mataram, in the Indonesian province of West Nusa Tenggara.

Angus parents are in Lombok and are arranging to have her body transported back to New Zealand, staff at Bhayankara Police Hospital in Mataram said.

Abbey Moore, 29, was left with a dislocated shoulder, a broken wrist and collarbone and suspected broken ribs following the crash

Images show the wrecked van where the group was trapped for an hour as rescue workers struggled to free them

Director of Contiki NZ Mark Turner confirmed a woman killed in the horrific accident worked for the tour company but had been holidaying at the time, the New Zealand Herald reported.

The woman was among three New Zealanders involved in the tragedy.

'She was also one of our valued colleagues at our Auckland office and naturally we are devastated at losing a friend and colleague,' Mr Turner said.

'Here in New Zealand we are doing everything possible to support families, directly affected clients and our people during this difficult time.'

Mr Turner said they had reached out to the parents of his colleague and the parents of the other two New Zealanders injured in the crash.

Another New Zealand woman Abbey Moore, 29, was left with a dislocated shoulder, a broken wrist and collarbone and suspected broken ribs following the crash, which occurred in the first few days of her first real foreign trip.

Her mother, Rose McConchie, said her daughter, from Christchurch was thankful she was not more seriously injured or killed.

'It seems like she was very lucky to have escaped with the injuries she has,' her mother said.

The 29-year-old is was receiving treatment in a Lombok hospital, before being transferred to a hospital in Bali on Saturday, Stuff.co.nz reported.

Australian man harry Nguyen is also being treated for injuries in Mataram.

A woman has been killed and five others injured after their Contiki van crashed on the way to a Gili Island surf beach on Thursday (stock image)

The van plunged off an Indonesian cliff, rolled several times and crashed into a riverbed
Al Gore's climate change documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, is getting a sequel.

Paramount Pictures said on Friday the follow-up to the Oscar-winning original will premiere at next January's Sundance Film Festival.

In the new documentary, former Vice President Gore examines global warming's escalation and the solutions at hand, Paramount said.

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Al Gore with former Mayor of Tacloban City Alfred Romualdez and Typhoon Haiyan survivor Demi Raya, in the Raya family home; Tacloban City, Philippines in March

In a statement, Gore called for a re-dedication to solving what he called the climate crisis and said there are reasons to be hopeful.

'Now more than ever we must rededicate ourselves to solving the climate crisis,' Gore said.

'But we have reason to be hopeful; the solutions to the crisis are at hand.

'I'm deeply honored and grateful that Paramount Pictures and Participant Media have once again taken on the task of bringing the critical story of the climate crisis to the world.'

The film is directed by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, produced by Richard Berge and Diane Weyermann, and executive produced by Jeff Skoll, Davis Guggenheim, Lawrence Bender, Laurie David, Scott Z. Burns, and Lesley Chilcott.

Gore's climate change documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, is getting a sequel. Paramount Pictures said on Friday the follow-up to the Oscar-winning original will premiere at next January's Sundance Film Festival

The announcement of the sequel comes after news that the Sundance Film Festival has created a new program devoted to environmental change and preservation, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

'My own engagement on climate change began more than 40 years ago, and the urgency I felt then has only grown stronger given its very real and increasingly severe consequences,' Sundance Institute president and founder Robert Redford said.

'If we're going to avoid the worst-case scenario, then we must act boldly and immediately, even in the face of indifference, apathy and opposition.'

This week, Gore met with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss climate change and termed the meeting productive.

This week, Gore met with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss climate change and termed the meeting productive

Trump had said during his presidential election campaign that climate change was a hoax perpetrated by China to damage U.S. manufacturing.

He said he would rip up last year's landmark global climate deal struck in Paris that was signed by Democratic President Barack Obama.

Since winning the November 8 election, however, Trump has confused observers by saying he will keep an 'open mind' about the Paris deal.

Several days after his meeting with Gore, Trump picked Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, a climate-change denier, as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Several days after Trump's meeting with Gore, he picked Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, a climate-change denier, (pictured) as head of the Environmental Protection Agency

In announcing the nomination of Pruitt - who will need Senate approval - Trump complained that 'for too long,' the EPA had spent 'taxpayer dollars on an out-of-control anti-energy agenda that has destroyed millions of jobs.'

Steny Hoyer, the number two Democrat in the House of Representatives, said Pruitt had spent years 'fighting tooth and nail to help polluters erase or circumvent the critical environmental protections our nation has put in place.'
A knife-wielding clown robbed a woman in an underground parking garage and police are asking the public for help identifying the suspect.

The man is seen on surveillance video lying in wait behind a parked van when a woman crosses in front of him to get to her car in an underground garage in Montebello, California on October 29 around 8pm.

He chases after her and grabs her laptop bag. The suspect is wearing a clown mask, a Dodger hat, a black-hooded sweatshirt and jeans.

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The masked thief slips up behind the woman as she strolls through the car park...

As she is about to head through a door he runs up behind her

He grabs her by the arm as she begins backing away through the car park...

Cops said the man put a small pocket knife up to the victim's face and threatened to kill her if she didn't give him everything she had, according to KTLA.

The man took her laptop, but she begged to keep it, said the outlet. The video then shows the suspect turning around and coming back to take her black purse as well and taking off with two bags in his hands.

He takes her laptop bag and when she begs to keep it, he comes back to demand her purse as well

The man in his clown mask can be seen running from the scene with two bags in his hands

Despite the mask, police said the suspect is Hispanic, with dark hair, about 20 years old.

The crime occurred in the 1600 block of Neil Armstrong Street.
A grandfather with multiple sclerosis ended his life despite being told he could live for another decade.

Andrew Barclay, 65, from Folkestone in Kent, died after taking a lethal dose of drugs in an apartment near Zurich, having travelled to Switzerland with his wife.

Mr Barclay had suffered with his debilitating illness since 1992 and visited Dignitas after he could no longer cope with the strain it had on his day-to-day life.

Andrew Barclay took a lethal dose of drugs at Dignitas (pictured) in Switzerland and has now called on UK legislators to allow assisted dying in Britain

He told the Daily Mirror: 'MS makes you want to give up, it takes away all incentive and all impetus. I do have some quality of life but it's hard to make the effort when it's so poor. And there's no hope.

'My condition will only get worse and worse. I am not going to get better. There is no cure  only unhappiness ahead.'

The former civil servant called on UK legislators to allow assisted dying amid concerns his partner Sandra, 67, may face a police investigation on her return to Britain for helping him fulfill his wish.

He said: 'We need a law that makes it a feasible option in Britain.

'It needs to be tightly regulated but why not draw the line where Dignitas has?

'It's not easy to go there, you need medical and psychiatric reports and you need to carry out the final act yourself.'

Mr Barclay said it had cost more than 10,000 and taken 14 months of 'fighting' to die at Dignitas.

After his diagnosis in the 1990s, he had endured the neurological disease though stages of remission and relapse, at times being unable to get out of bed or swallow.

In 2013 he was told his condition had entered a secondary progressive stage that meant his symptoms would not improve.

Using a wheelchair for three years, he was left devastated that he was unable to lift up his two granddaughters, aged two and four.

Meanwhile his continual struggle with immobility, incontinence and partial blindness meant his mood was unpredictable and often depressed.

He said: 'There are still genuine moments of happiness. But they no longer outweigh a life in which every single day is a struggle from start to end. So I have made this decision.'

Mrs Barclay said she had been left heartbroken, but added: 'If you love someone you don't want to see them suffer.'

Under the Suicide Act 1961, anyone helping or encouraging someone to take their own life can be prosecuted and jailed for up to 14 years if found guilty of an offence.

In 2015 MPs including former prime minister David Cameron rejected a Bill to legalise assisted dying, but a second Bill was raised in the House of Lords in June.

Opposition to changing the law has come from faith groups, campaigners who say disabled people may feel pressured to end their lives and campaigners who fear assisted dying would become a business.
A Muslim teenager who went missing after she was reportedly called a 'terrorist' by men who tried to rip her hijab off on a New York City subway has been found, police said.

Yasmin Seweid, 18, was seen leaving her home in New Hyde Park, Long Island, at 8pm on Wednesday and police sources told the New York Post she had not showed up to class at Baruch College since December 2.

But Nassau County Police said in a news release shortly before 2am Saturday she 'has been located', according to Newsday. Cops provided no further information.

Seweid claims she was harassed by three men at the 23rd Street subway station on December 1, and wrote a Facebook post about her 'traumatizing' experience that went viral.

Yasmin Seweid, 18, was reported missing. However, Nassau County Police said Saturday she 'has been located'

Seweid's father reported her missing on Thursday and the Nassau County Police Department opened an investigation, the New York Post reported.

On Friday, Seweid's neighbor Carol Zanzonico said the 18-year-old had been deeply affected by the incident on the train.

She told NBC: 'I felt terrible so I went and bought her a bouquet of flowers and wrote a letter to her... She is a sweetheart.'

Seweid was leaving an event at Baruch College around 10pm on December 1 when she got on the 6 train at 23rd Street.

One man reportedly said, 'Look it's a f***ing terrorist' and told her to 'take that rag off your head'.

She was also told to 'go back to your country' by the men who repeatedly invoked Trump's name, she wrote.

She wrote a Facebook post on December 1 detailing an incident in which she was harassed by men who called her a 'terrorist'

Her Facebook post, which garnered 2,700 reactions, detailed the 'traumatizing' experience of having the straps ripped off her bag before they tried to yank the hijab off her head.

'No matter how "cultured" or "Americanized" I am, these people don't see me as an American,' she wrote.
A 'gender fluid' performer has made Academy Award history by being eligible for both the best actor and best actress award categories.

Kelly Mantle, 40, who was born as a man but identifies as male or female, was submitted by producers in both gender categories, according to The Wrap.

Mantle plays a transgender prostitute named Ginger in the comedy 'Confessions of a Womanizer' starring Andrew Lawrence, C. Thomas Howell, Jillian Rose Reed, and Gary Busey.

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Kelly Mantle, above, is a gender fluid performer who just made Oscar history by being eligible for both male and female acting categories at the Oscars

The film, directed by Miguel Ali, won best narrative feature film and best director at the 2014 Los Angeles Underground Film Festival, and best feature film at the Tupelo Film Festival, Twin Rivers Media Festival and High Desert Film Festival, in 2014.

The movie had its Oscar qualifying run in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The Actors Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed that Mantle was eligible to take home the statue in either the best supporting actor or actress categories.

Mantle has not been nominated in those categories, but could be.

Mantle, 40, appeared on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race and plays a transvestite prostitute in 'Confessions of a Womanizer'

Mantle plays a transgender prostitute named Ginger in the comedy 'Confessions of a Womanizer' (pictured)

Actor Kelly Mantle (right), without wig and makeup, at the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in 2015

'I hope we get Kelly nominated. Regardless, we are bringing spotlight to our androgynous and transgendered community... I firmly believe that our androgynous/transgendered acting community is the most untapped resource in Hollywood. We need to bring them more attention, and by doing so, we will create more empathy for our androgynous/transgendered brothers and sisters,' wrote Ali on Facebook.

Producers realized that Mantle, above, could be submitted for both male and female acting categories

In the past, Mantle would have just been submitted as a performer, however, two years ago, the 'reminder' lists were divided by gender, thus the dilemma.

But producers realized he could be submitted for both. Mantle describes himself as an 'actor' on his Instagram page.

Mantle was also featured on the sixth season of RuPaul's 'Drag Race.'

Jaye Davidson, who was born male, won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1993 for the role of transgender character Dil in 'The Crying Game.'
After being on the run for seven years, Naden was

The father of slain woman Lateesha Nolan has revealed he felt guilty over his daughter's violent death.

Mick Peet, 53, has only recently come to terms with his daughter's death after blaming himself for teaching his 'beautiful little girl' to stand up for herself and others, The Daily Telegraph reported.

He believes it was that advice resulted in his Lateesha's murder at the hands of her cousin Malcolm Naden.

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Mick Peet, the father of murdered woman Lateesha Nolan (pictured), revealed that he felt guilty about his daughter's violent murder. He believes it was his advice about standing up for herself and for others resulted in her death at the hands of her cousin Malcolm Naden

Mr Peet: 'I blamed myself because she was standing up for the 12-year-old girl'

Naden confessed he murdered Lateesha in a handwritten letter. He had an argument with Lateesha about a 12-year-old their family knew and that he sexually assaulted

'I blamed myself because she was standing up for the 12-year-old girl,' Mr Peet said.

'I have come to terms with it, that it was the right thing to teach her, but for a long time I felt it was a bad thing to have done,' he added.

In a handwritten confession Naden said that he became enraged in argument with Lateesha when she talked about a 12-year-old their family knew that he sexually assaulted.

Naden was convicted of murdering Ms Nolan after seven years on the run following the mother-of-four's disappearance in January 2005.

He confessed to strangling her in her car, dismembering her body and burying it beside the Macquarie River, south of Dubbo.

In November, a member of the public came across a femur bone on the banks of the Macquarie River, and after testing, was confirmed to match to Ms Nolan's DNA.

He confessed to strangling his cousin in her car, dismembering her body and burying it beside the Macquarie River, south of Dubbo

In November, a member of the public came found a femur bone on the banks of the Macquarie River, and after testing, it was confirmed to match to Ms Nolan's DNA

Her mother, Joan Nolan and aunt Margaret Walker said they felt 'happy and sad' to receive the confirmation, The Daily Telegraph reported.

'It's a long time coming, but I can now lay my daughter to rest where she deserves to be and the grandkids can go see their mother and have a place for her,' Lateesha's mother said.

Mr Peet, said he 'couldn't sleep' after hearing the news, and the only 'closure' would be for Lateesha to still be alive.

Members of Naden's family pictured leaving the Supreme Court in Sydney, in 2013, after he pleaded guilty to murdering Lateesha Nolan and Kristy Scholes

'I knew they would find her remains some day, it was going to happen one day, but it still came as a really big shock. You are never prepared for it,' he said.

Naden was on the run for seven years, and committed a number of break and enters around in rural bushland, even shooting a police officer before being captured in 2012 in one of the NSW's biggest manhunts.
They risked bankruptcy in order to expose the police brutality

Police went after them after intervening to help a stranger in Fremantle in 2008

for her loss of earnings, distress and back injury

A Western Australian couple has been handed a $1 million payout in an eight-year legal battle after they were wrongfully arrested and tasered by police.

Robert Cunningham and Catherine Atoms were assaulted, unlawfully detained, tasered and vindictively prosecuted by police in 2008 after intervening to help a stranger in Fremantle, The West Australian reported.

Ms Atoms was awarded $1.024 million to make up for loss of earnings and the distress and back injury she suffered. Dr Cunningham received $110,000 in damages.

Catherine Atoms (right) and her husband (left) were awarded $1.024 million in damages after they were assaulted and wrongfully detained by police in Fremantle, Western Australia in 2008

The court heard Ms Atoms was starting a new job as a community engagement consultant when she was charged by police.

She was subsequently placed in 'performance management' and on her way out 18 months later after a magistrate threw out her case.

The pair told reporters outside court that they risked bankruptcy in order to prove the injustice and expose the issue of police brutality.

'We had to sue both the State and the individual who had separate legal counsel, so we would have been subject to two sets of legal costs of an 18-day trial,' Dr Cunningham said.

Judge Felicity Davis made an order for aggravated damages against officer Simon Traynor.

The couple took the matter to court after an internal police investigation found that the officers did no wrong, and the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) agreed.

'We were concerned about the systemic issues and how less privileged people in society may be subject to this type of behaviour by the police on a regular basis and all of the consequences that flow from that,' Dr Cunningham said.

Dr Cunningham wants the CCC to conduct an independent investigation of the case.

The police officers were represented by WA government lawyers and received supported from the Police Union.

They are considering an appeal once Judge Davis' reasoning is published on December 15.
Donald Trump has tapped Australian-born multimillionaire Andrew Liveris to lead efforts to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.

The chief executive of massive conglomerate Dow Chemical will head the American Manufacturing Council, which advises the Commerce Secretary.

Trump said the panel would be 'tasked with finding ways to bring industry back to America' as he introduced the 62-year-old at a rally in Michigan, where Dow is based.

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Donald Trump has tapped Australian-born multimillionaire Andrew Liveris (pictured with wife Paula) to lead efforts to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S

'Andrew Liveris [is] one of the most respected businessman in the world and I'm asking him to come up and head up our American Manufacturing Council - and he's agreed to do it,' the U.S. President-elect said.

Creating blue-collar jobs and bringing manufacturing back from Asia are key goals of Trump's plan and were critical to his election the the back of working class votes.

Mr Liveris was born to Greek immigrants whose family arrived in Darwin in 1915 at stayed there until his father's construction business was destroyed in Cyclone Tracy.

His father died when Mr Liveris was 15 and he moved to Brisbane to finish high school and study chemical engineering at the University of Queensland.

Trump said the panel would be 'tasked with finding ways to bring industry back to America' as he introduced the 62-year-old at a rally in Michigan, where Dow is based

The dual Australian-U.S. citizen told the screaming crowd 'we're going to put you all to work' and 'let's make America great again by building great things in America'

The dual Australian-U.S. citizen told the screaming crowd 'we're going to put you all to work' and 'let's make America great again by building great things in America'.

'I tingle with pride listening to you... Youre paving the way with your policies to make it easier to do business in this country - not a red-tape country but a red-carpet country for American businesses,' Liveris said as he accepted the job.

Mr Liveris said the council of 25 businessmen would include 'America's finest and brightest' before addressing his broad Australian accent.

'As you rightly said, I may have a funny accent - we Aussies love America a lot - I bleed America and I bleed Michigan, that's what I do,' he said.

Mr Liveris did not endorse Trump or Democratic candidate Hilary Clinton, but said Ms Clinton the 'better candidate' and has donated to both parties in the past - US$40,000 to both 2012 presidential campaigns alone.

Mr Liveris, the chief executive of massive conglomerate Dow Chemical, will head the American Manufacturing Council, which advises the Commerce Secretary

He was also forced to repay $US300 ($A399) worth of flowers he bought Ms Clinton on New Years Eve 2012 while she was Secretary of State.

The chemical mogul is a neighbour and friend of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and spent Easter at his house in Point Piper.

He and his wife Paula Liveris own an $8.5 million home in the same suburb.

Mr Liveris earlier this year criticised Australian businesses' 'ability to innovate and develop the things that the United States has'.

'Australia, my wonderful home country, the lucky country, the well-written about happiest country in the world, of course has complacency as its greatest enemy,' he said.

Mr Liveris earlier this year criticised Australian businesses' 'ability to innovate and develop the things that the United States has'

Mr Liveris joined Dow's Melbourne office in 1976 straight out of university and was appointed chief executive in 2004 and chairman in 2006.

He in March laid out a 'simple three-step plan' to boost the Australian economy while speaking at the WestBusiness Leadership Matters in Perth.

He published the 240-page book Make It in America: The Case for Re-Inventing The Economy in 2011, arguing for an overhaul of the school system to focus on science, tax cuts, more free trade agreements, and more uniform regulation.
The leader of the Teachers for Refugees movement has had her activist behaviour questioned twice before.

Melbourne school teacher Lucy Honan who is the co-founder of the group has also been accused of 'brainwashing' students by concerned parents.

The concerns were raised after Ms Horan was reprimanded in 2012 after telling children they didn't have to sit compulsory NAPLAN if their parents had philosophical or religious objections, according to The Herald Sun.

Melbourne school teacher Lucy Honan who is the co-founder of the Teachers for Refugees movement has been disciplined for her activist behaviour twice before

On this occasion Ms Horan was issued with a written warning.

On a separate occasion Ms Horan was 'verbally reprimanded' after she failed to prepare her class correctly for a test.

A parent told the Herald Sun that it was not Ms Horan's job to focus her teachings on political issues but to teach them from the syllabus.

'We send our kids there to learn and prepare them for a job  not to be brainwashed with political views.' the parent said.

Ms Horan was reprimanded in 2012 after telling children they didn't have to sit compulsory NAPLAN if their parents had philosophical or religious objections

On a another occasion Ms Horan was 'verbally reprimanded' after she failed to prepare her class correctly for a test

Ms Horan is to be one of hundreds of teachers at 30 Victorian schools who will wear T-shirts promoting the closure of offshore detention camps as of Monday as part of a pro-refugee movement.

Up to 500 educators with Teachers for Refugees will wear shirts emblazoned with 'Close the Camps, Bring them Here' in order to open up discussions with students about refugees, such as those being held in Nauru Detention Centre.

The group is being backed by the education union, but Opposition state education spokesman Nick Wakeling told the Herald Sun teachers and their schools should be focusing on raising education standards.

Up to 500 teachers from 30 Victorian schools, who are with the group Teachers for Refugees, will wear T-shirts promoting the closure of offshore detention centres as of Monday

The educators will wear shirts emblazoned with 'Close the Camps, Bring them Here' (pictured) in order to open up discussions with students about refugees

'The classroom isn't a soapbox for activist teachers to force their political views on our children,' he said.

The Teachers for Refugees group said they are trying to fight against the 'poisonous racism' from Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.

'Some of us have taught refugees in offshore camps, or here in the community, and we know that they are denied basic human rights,' said Melbourne organiser Lucy Honan.

'We know there are both teachers and students on Nauru and Manus who should be in our schools, not in prison camps.'

Hume Central Secondary College, St Joseph's Flexible Learning Centre, Williamstown High, St Albans Secondary College are just some of the schools involved in the group's movement.
David Cameron was accused of patronising Brexit voters last night after he attributed the referendum result to the 'rise of populism'.

The former prime minister, an old Etonian, was branded an 'old-fashioned aristocrat complaining about the tenants' after he invoked the pejorative term to explain his defeat on June 23.

Tory MPs accused Mr Cameron of rejecting the democratic verdict simply because it did not chime with the views of the metropolitan elite.

They said the 'entitled' politician should not have blamed 'populism', because the term has been used by many to dismiss public discontent with the EU and the Establishment.

David Cameron (pictured) was accused of patronising Brexit voters after he attributed the referendum result to the 'rise of populism'

Mr Cameron (pictured) made his first speech since his resignation at DePauw University, Indiana

It is not known how much Mr Cameron was paid for his speech at DePauw University in the American state of Indiana.

His aides did not respond to questions about his fee last night. However last month he received 120,000 for a speech in New York reported to have lasted little more than an hour.

Paid by Wall Street financiers Blackstone Properties, the fee worked out at 2,000 a minute.

His former number two, George Osborne, has earned more than 500,000 from speeches since leaving the Government.

In his speech, Mr Cameron claimed Brexit was a part of a populist 'movement of unhappiness' that had also led to the election of Donald Trump and the downfall last week of Italian premier Matteo Renzi.

He said: 'I stand here as a great optimist about how we can combat populism. It may seem odd that I'm so optimistic, after all, the rise of populism cost me my job.'

Mr Cameron said he believed it was right to hold the referendum as the issue of Europe was 'beginning to poison British politics'.

He added: 'It was certainly poisoning politics in my own party. People often ask me, 'How are you sleeping?' and I say 'I sleep like a baby  I wake up every hour calling for my mother'.'

The ex-PM said he believed the euro could collapse as a result of the European Union's economic problems. 'I see more trouble ahead. It is not working as it was intended,' he said.

'Some countries have seen decades of lost growth. Those countries have a single currency but they don't have a single fiscal system, a fiscal tax system. It creates bigger differences.

'You in the United States have ways to make sure that if you have a bad year you pay less in taxes and offset federal programmes. There are no such arrangements in Europe.'

In his speech, Mr Cameron claimed Brexit was a part of a populist 'movement of unhappiness'

Mr Cameron also revealed he watched a game of basketball in Texas with former president George W Bush

Mr Cameron said: 'So far, these three events  the Brexit referendum, the election of President Trump and the referendum in Italy  I'm sure people are going to write about this movement of unhappiness and concern about the state of the world. You could see that in the British vote was a mixture of economics and cultural arguments.

'I think your situation was quite similar; I think in Italy it's more connected with the euro.

'Ultimately, how 2016 goes down in history will depend on what political leaders do next. That's why I have tried to make a very clear argument, which is that if they put their heads in the sand and say, 'Well this will pass and we'll just carry on the way we are,' then 2016 will be seen as a real watershed.

'But if, as I believe will happen, our democracies are flexible enough and our leaders are aware enough, they will correct problems they face.

'If we don't address the concerns of those economically left behind, we open up our politics to the parties of the extreme left.

'And if we don't address the concerns of those left culturally behind, we open up to the parties of the extreme right.'

Mr Cameron said he believed it was right to hold the referendum as the issue of Europe was 'beginning to poison British politics'

But Philip Davies, the Tory MP for Shipley, said: 'Mr Cameron lost his job because he nailed his colours too firmly to the Remain mast and misjudged the mood of the public and was out of touch with their views on the EU. That was his fault and certainly not theirs.'

Fellow Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: 'David Cameron talks about the rise of populism  unfortunately it's called democracy.

'It's always a bad sign when former prime ministers start blaming the electorate. It's almost like he's saying to the people: 'I know best'.

'He didn't mind being in favour of populism when he beat Ed Miliband. He's in danger of looking like a sore loser. This is what the London metropolitan liberal elite believe.

'They need to get out into the country to find out what people in the country think.'

Mr Cameron was given short shrift by Twitter users for blaming his downfall on 'populism'

Andrew Rosindell, a third Tory MP, said: 'Our ex-PM misjudged the mood of the nation in June and he's sadly doing it again. The British people are not populists, they are patriots and saw through the EU's political ambitions and sensibly rejected it.'

Sir Simon Jenkins, a political commentator, told the BBC: 'It sounds like an old-fashioned aristocrat complaining about the tenants. Cameron got beat because he screwed up.'
A woman with learning difficulties has given birth to a son after a judge said doctors could perform a caesarean section without her consent.

Mr Justice Baker gave specialists the go-ahead last month at a hearing in London's Court of Protection - where judges consider issues relating to people who might lack the mental capacity to make decisions

The woman, who is in her 20s and lives in the south of England, had a 'phobia of all medical and health professionals' and had been 'non-compliant' with staff providing antenatal care.

She wanted to give birth naturally at home but doctors said a planned caesarean section would be in the best interests of the woman and child.

The judge, who also sits in the Family Division of the High Court (pictured), had approved a treatment plan put forward by specialists

Medics said a planned caesarean section would mean that the birth could be safely managed, and stress and trauma could be reduced.

The judge was told that the woman's parents agreed with doctors.

Lawyers, instructed by staff at the office of the Official Solicitor, who offer help to vulnerable people, also agreed that a caesarean section would be in the woman's best interests.

The judge, who also sits in the Family Division of the High Court, then approved a treatment plan put forward by specialists.

He had concluded a caesarean section would be in the woman's best interests and said medics could use any 'reasonable and proportionate restraint' they thought 'appropriate or necessary'.

News of the child's birth has emerged in the judge's written ruling on the case, which has been published on a legal website.

Mr Justice Baker said 'minimal restraint' had been required and added that the woman could not be identified.

He said: 'I was very pleased to learn that (she) had given birth to a baby boy after a successful planned caesarean section.

'Minimal restraint was required to hold her hand to administer intravenous sedation.'

He said the hospital trust which had asked him to make decisions should also remain anonymous in case publication of its name created an information jigsaw which led to the woman's identity being revealed.

Lawyers for the trust had said the woman was in the latter stages of pregnancy.

A woman with learning difficulties has given birth to a son after a judge said doctors could perform a caesarean section without her consent (stock photograph)

Specialists thought that she lacked the mental capacity to make decisions about care.

Mr Justice Baker was told that the woman came from Africa and might have been subjected to female genital mutilation.

Lawyers said she had scarring on her abdomen allegedly resulting from 'tribal rituals'.

Mr Justice Baker had said he was satisfied that the woman had a mild to moderate learning disability and lacked the mental capacity to make decisions about her care.

He had approved the trust's caesarean section plan, saying the evidence was 'one way'.
'Anti-western' and pro-Russian figures are being given top diplomatic and Nato posts by Turkey, in what will be a major victory for Russian president Vladimir Putin, it is claimed.

Hundreds of Nato officials and diplomats have been purged by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan since a failed coup in July, in a move branded illegal by the Council of Europe.

Concerns have been voiced that they are being replaced by 'ultra-nationalist' and 'anti-Western' officials after experienced staff were removed from their positions.

Around 100,000 state workers have been suspended or dismissed since July's uprising against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (pictured)

It is estimated that 100,000 state personnel have been suspended or dismissed in Turkey, accused of supporting Fethullah Gulen, a cleric the government claims orchestrated the uprising on July 15, which claimed 240 lives.

Last week Nato's top military officer, General Curtis Scaparrotti, said that around 150 Turkish officers had been recalled or retired, putting a huge strain on his staff.

A number of those dismissed have written to General Scaparrotti voicing concerns about their replacements.

Nato's top military officer, General Curtis Scaparrotti, said that around 150 Turkish officers had been recalled or retired, putting a huge strain on his staff

One leaked email, The Times reports, said: 'I and my Turkish colleagues observe a considerable rise of ultra-nationalist, anti-western sentiments within our military and throughout our state departments.

'It is very worrying to witness that some of the newcomers from Turkey to Nato have a radical mindset, some question the values of Nato and even hate western organisations while holding pro-Russia-China-Iran sentiments.'

Among those reportedly replaced are two senior officers in the Turkish defence attache's office in London.

It would be a huge boost to Russian president Putin at a time of heightened tension with Nato, at a time when Russia is beefing up its military presence on Europe's borders.

It would also reduce the effectiveness of Nato, which depends on agreements between its 28 members.

Last month Erdogan described Turkish staff linked to the failed July 15 coup against his regime as 'terrorists'.

Government supporters pictured carrying an effigy of cleric Fethullah Gulen following the failed coup

Thousands of public servants in Turkey have been suspended over alleged support for cleric Fethullah Gulen, who the government accuses of orchestrating the uprising

He called on countries not to grant purged Turkish Nato officers asylum, telling the Milliyet newspaper: 'How can a terrorist, a terrorist soldier, a soldier who has been involved in plotting a coup, be employed in NATO?'

And he said: 'Nato cannot entertain accepting asylum requests of this kind. Those in question are accused of terror.'

Law experts at the Council of Europe yesterday said the purge of state personnel breaks international law and Turkey's constitution.

July's failed coup saw 240 people lose their lives, and sparked a huge purge by President Erdogan

Many of the officials given roles in Nato are pro-Russia, it has been claimed, in what would be a major victory for Vladimir Putin

The group, known as the Venice Commission, ruled: 'Measures taken by the government went beyond what is permitted by the Turkish Constitution and by international law.'

General Scaparrotti has voiced concerns about the treatment of departed officers, but said he had been given assurances that they would be treated well.

He said: 'I had talented, capable people here, and I'm taking a degradation on my staff.'

Around half of the 300 Turkish Nato staff were removed from their posts, the military chief said, with around 75 of them replaced so far.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has revealed that some Turkish officers working at the alliance had applied for asylum in Europe

General Scaparrotti said he had no suspicion that any of the Turkish officers might have been involved in a coup plot.

Turkey has one of Nato's largest armies, and is a strategic bridge to the Middle East and Black Sea region.
I was not raised in a racist home or environment. Living in the South, almost every White person has a small amount of racial awareness, simply beause [sic] of the numbers of negroes in this part of the country.

But it is a superficial awareness. Growing up, in school, the White and black kids would make racial jokes toward each other, but all they were were jokes.

Me and White friends would sometimes would watch things that would make us think that 'blacks were the real racists' and other elementary thoughts like this, but there was no real understanding behind it.

The event that truly awakened me was the Trayvon Martin case. I kept hearing and seeing his name, and eventually I decided to look him up.

I read the Wikipedia article and right away I was unable to understand what the big deal was. It was obvious that Zimmerman was in the right.

But more importantly this prompted me to type in the words 'black on White crime' into Google, and I have never been the same since that day.

The first website I came to was the Council of Conservative Citizens. There were pages upon pages of these brutal black on White murders. I was in disbelief.

At this moment I realized that something was very wrong. How could the news be blowing up the Trayvon Martin case while hundreds of these black on White murders got ignored?

From this point I researched deeper and found out what was happening in Europe. I saw that the same things were happening in England and France, and in all the other Western European countries.

Again I found myself in disbelief. As an American we are taught to accept living in the melting pot, and black and other minorities have just as much right to be here as we do, since we are all immigrants.

But Europe is the homeland of White people, and in many ways the situation is even worse there. From here I found out about the Jewish problem and other issues facing our race, and I can say today that I am completely racially aware.

Blacks

I think it is is fitting to start off with the group I have the most real life experience with, and the group that is the biggest problem for Americans.

N****rs are stupid and violent. At the same time they have the capacity to be very slick. Black people view everything through a racial lense [sic].

Thats [sic] what racial awareness is, its viewing everything that happens through a racial lense [sic].

They are always thinking about the fact that they are black. This is part of the reason they get offended so easily, and think that some thing [sic] are intended to be racist towards them, even when a White person wouldnt [sic] be thinking about race. The other reason is the Jewish agitation of the black race.

Black people are racially aware almost from birth, but White people on average dont [sic] think about race in their daily lives. And this is our problem. We need to and have to.

Say you were to witness a dog being beat by a man. You are almost surely going to feel very sorry for that dog. But then say you were to witness a dog biting a man. You will most likely not feel the same pity you felt for the dog for the man. Why? Because dogs are lower than men.

This same analogy applies to black and White relations. Even today, blacks are subconsciously viewed by White people are [sic] lower beings. They are held to a lower standard in general. This is why they are able to get away with things like obnoxious behavior in public. Because it is expected of them.

Modern history classes instill a subconscious White superiority complex in Whites and an inferiority complex in blacks. This White superiority complex that comes from learning of how we dominated other peoples is also part of the problem I have just mentioned. But of course I dont [sic] deny that we are in fact superior.

I wish with a passion that n****rs were treated terribly throughout history by Whites, that every White person had an ancestor who owned slaves, that segregation was an evil an [sic] oppressive institution, and so on.

Because if it was all it true, it would make it so much easier for me to accept our current situation.

But it isnt true. None of it is. We are told to accept what is happening to us because of ancestors wrong doing [sic], but it is all based on historical lies, exaggerations and myths. I have tried endlessly to think of reasons we deserve this, and I have only came back more irritated because there are no reasons.

Only a fourth to a third of people in the South owned even one slave. Yet every White person is treated as if they had a slave owning ancestor. This applies to in the states where slavery never existed, as well as people whose families immigrated after slavery was abolished.

I have read hundreds of slaves narratives from my state. And almost all of them were positive.

One sticks out in my mind where an old ex-slave recounted how the day his mistress died was one of the saddest days of his life. And in many of these narratives the slaves told of how their masters didnt [sic] even allowing whipping on his plantation.

Segregation was not a bad thing. It was a defensive measure. Segregation did not exist to hold back negroes. It existed to protect us from them. And I mean that in multiple ways.

Not only did it protect us from having to interact with them, and from being physically harmed by them, but it protected us from being brought down to their level. Integration has done nothing but bring Whites down to level of brute animals. The best example of this is obviously our school system.

Now White parents are forced to move to the suburbs to send their children to 'good schools'. But what constitutes a 'good school'? The fact is that how good a school is considered directly corresponds to how White it is.

I hate with a passion the whole idea of the suburbs. To me it represents nothing but scared White people running. Running because they are too weak, scared, and brainwashed to fight.

Why should we have to flee the cities we created for the security of the suburbs? Why are the suburbs secure in the first place? Because they are White.

The pathetic part is that these White people dont [sic] even admit to themselves why they are moving. They tell themselves it is for better schools or simply to live in a nicer neighborhood. But it is honestly just a way to escape n****rs and other minorities.

But what about the White people that are left behind? What about the White children who, because of school zoning laws, are forced to go to a school that is 90 per cent black?

Do we really think that that White kid will be able to go one day without being picked on for being White, or called a 'white boy'? And who is fighting for him? Who is fighting for these White people forced by economic circumstances to live among negroes? No one, but someone has to.

Here I would also like to touch on the idea of a Norhtwest [sic] Front. I think this idea is beyond stupid.

Why should I for example, give up the beauty and history of my state to go to the Norhthwest [sic]? To me the whole idea just parralells [sic] the concept of White people running to the suburbs. The whole idea is pathetic and just another way to run from the problem without facing it.

Some people feel as though the South is beyond saving, that we have too many blacks here. To this I say look at history. The South had a higher ratio of blacks when we were holding them as slaves.

Look at South Africa, and how such a small minority held the black in apartheid for years and years. Speaking of South Africa, if anyone thinks that think will eventually just change for the better, consider how in South Africa they have affirmative action for the black population that makes up 80 per cent of the population.

It is far from being too late for America or Europe. I believe that even if we made up only 30 percent of the population we could take it back completely. But by no means should we wait any longer to take drastic action.

Anyone who thinks that White and black people look as different as we do on the outside, but are somehow magically the same on the inside, is delusional. How could our faces, skin, hair, and body structure all be different, but our brains be exactly the same? This is the nonsense we are led to believe.

Negroes have lower Iqs [sic], lower impulse control, and higher testosterone levels in generals. These three things alone are a recipe for violent behavior.

If a scientist publishes a paper on the differences between the races in Western Europe or Americans, he can expect to lose his job. There are personality traits within human families, and within different breeds of cats or dogs, so why not within the races?

A horse and a donkey can breed and make a mule, but they are still two completely different animals. Just because we can breed with the other races doesnt make us the same.

In a modern history class it is always emphasized that, when talking about 'bad' things Whites have done in history, they were White.

But when we lern [sic] about the numerous, almost countless wonderful things Whites have done, it is never pointed out that these people were White.

Yet when we learn about anything important done by a black person in history, it is always pointed out repeatedly that they were black. For example when we learn about how George Washington carver [sic] was the first n****r smart enough to open a peanut.

On another subject I want to say this. Many White people feel as though they dont [sic] have a unique culture. The reason for this is that White culture is world culture.

I dont [sic] mean that our culture is made up of other cultures, I mean that our culture has been adopted by everyone in the world. This makes us feel as though our culture isnt special or unique.

Say for example that every business man in the world wore a kimono, that every skyscraper was in the shape of a pagoda, that every door was a sliding one, and that everyone ate every meal with chopsticks. This would probably make a Japanese man feel as though he had no unique traditional culture.

I have noticed a great disdain for race mixing White women within the White nationalists community, bordering on insanity it. These women are victims, and they can be saved. Stop.

Jews

Unlike many White naitonalists [sic], I am of the opinion that the majority of American and European Jews are White.

In my opinion the issues with Jews is not their blood, but their identity. I think that if we could somehow destroy the Jewish identity, then they wouldnt [sic] cause much of a problem.

The problem is that Jews look White, and in many cases are White, yet they see themselves as minorities.

Just like n****rs, most Jews [sic] are always thinking about the fact that they are Jewish. The other issue is that they network. If we could somehow turn every Jew blue for 24 hours, I think there would be a mass awakening, because people would be able to see plainly what is going on.

I dont [sic] pretend to understand why Jews do what they do. They are enigma [sic].

Hispanics

Hispanics are obviously a huge problem for Americans. But there are good Hispanics and bad Hispanics.

I remember while watching Hispanic television stations, the shows and even the commercials were more White than our own.

They have respect for White beauty, and a good portion of Hispanics are White. It is a well known fact that White Hispanics make up the elite of most Hispanics [sic] countries. There is good White blood worht [sic] saving in Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and even Brasil [sic].

But they are still our enemies.

East Asians

I have great respent for the East Asian races. Even if we were to go extinct they could carry something on.

They are by nature very racist and could be great allies of the White race. I am not opposed at all to allies with the Northeast Asian races.

Patriotism

I hate the sight of the American flag. Modern American patriotism is an absolute joke. People pretending like they have something to be proud [of] while White people are being murdered daily in the streets.

Many veterans believe we owe them something for 'protecting our way of life' or 'protecting our freedom'. But im [sic] not sure what way of life they are talking about. How about we protect the White race and stop fighting for the Jews.

I will say this though, I myself would have rather lived in 1940's American than Nazi Germany, and no this is not ignorance speaking, it is just my opinion. So I dont [sic] blame the veterans of any wars up until after Vietnam, because at least they had an American [sic] to be proud of and fight for.

An Explanation

To take a saying from a film: 'I see all this stuff going on, and I dont [sic] see anyone doing anything about it. And it pisses me off'. To take a saying from my favorite film: 'Even if my life is worth less than a speck of dirt, I want to use it for the good of society.'

I have no choice. I am not in the position to, alone, go into the ghetto and fight.

I chose Charleston because it is most historic city in my state, and at one time had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country.

We have no skinheads, no real KKK, no one doing anything but talking on the internet. Well someone has to have the bravery to take it to the real world, and I guess that has to be me.

Unfortunately at the time of writing I am in a great hurry and some of my best thoughts, actually many of them have been to be left out and lost forever. But I believe enough great White minds are out there already.
A British Airways crew member had a gun held to his face during a terrifying robbery in Rio as he and his colleagues walked back to their hotel.

The gunman struck as the group returned to their hotel after a barbecue.

The airline is now advising its staff to use taxis when travelling around the Brazilian capital, and has urged them to be 'vigilant' when they are out and about.

Crew member Michael Nicholas revealed Tuesday night's ordeal had happened on his Facebook page

Crew member Michael Nicholas revealed Tuesday night's ordeal had happened on his Facebook page.

He wrote, The Sun reports: 'One of our crew had a gun held to his face while his son and him were robbed.

'Half of us were unaware anything was going on behind us until we heard the commotion. Luckily, the son gave the robber his phone and money and they left.

'We are all safe and well but a little shaken. The local police refused to attend the hotel and BA security are on the case and dealing with this.'

And the 45-year-old called on people travelling to the Brazilian capital to be careful, and always use taxis after dark.

A statement from British Airways, sent to MailOnline, said: 'We are supporting our crew and are thankful that they weren't harmed.

And the 45-year-old called on people travelling to the Brazilian capital to be careful, and always use taxis after dark

'We take the safety of our pilots and cabin crew very seriously and issue them with information and advice for all the destinations to which we fly - specifying any extra precautions that should be taken in particular cities.

'We will be reiterating our advice to crew operating to Rio de Janeiro, including that they should remain vigilant when outside the hotel.
Fed-up passengers that use crisis-hit Southern Rail are considering chartering their own train to get to work after another round of staff strikes were announced.

The audacious bid by the Reigate, Redhill and District Rail Users Association does not come cheap, with the cost of hire coming in at 35,000.

This works out as an eye-watering 50 for a return journey from Surrey to London if the train hold 670 passengers.

Concerns: London's Mayor Sadiq Khan has accused the Government of 'abandoning' Southern passengers, saying the ongoing chaos was a 'total disgrace'

Patients who use Southern services to reach London for vital treatment said they were being severely affected by the industrial action

But the travel experience would be vastly different to overcrowded Southern trains as hire company the Train Chartering Corporation will not sell standing tickets, reports the Telegraph.

Southern staff have planned a three-day walkout next week and another six-day stoppage in January bringing all Southern's services to a halt.

Union members are also banning overtime in an almost year-long row over driver-only trains.

Stephen Trigg, chairman of the Reigate, Redhill and District Rail Users Association, told the Telegraph that there were 'obstacles' in chartering a train, including 'finding a driver'.

He added that he was forced to give up his job in London because of the rail company.

He said: 'I gave up my job in London, totally because of the travel problems. I just did not have a life.

'I spent more than two hours getting to work and two and a half getting back. I just didn't know each day whether I would get home.'

One man was left with a bloody nose and two people were arrested in chaotic scenes at London Victoria which was hit by huge delays yet again on Thursday

A man could be seen holding a tissue to his bleeding nose as fellow travellers tried to help and told him to 'relax' on the station platform at about 11pm on Thursday

Southern has lodged a legal appeal in a bid to prevent further industrial action after parent company Govia Thameslink (GTR) failed in a High Court bid to ban Aslef, the drivers' union, from staging walkouts.

GTR has now lodged an appeal against the High Court decision.

On Thursday two people were arrested in chaotic scenes at Victoria Station after another round of huge train delays stopped people getting home.

London's Mayor Sadiq Khan has accused the Government of abandoning Southern passengers, saying the ongoing chaos was a total disgrace

Furious passengers chanted 'train, train, train' and witnesses reported a brawl breaking out as hundreds of commuters were left stranded at the station.

London's Mayor Sadiq Khan has accused the Government of abandoning Southern passengers, saying the ongoing chaos was a total disgrace.

Lindsay Freeman, mayor of Seaford in East Sussex - a town badly hit by the dispute  said passengers are not able to live their lives because of the rail chaos.
This is the rare moment a dingo chases down and kills a feral pig.

Footage from the Australian Wildlife Conservancy captured the hunt outside the border of Pungalina-Seven Emu sanctuary in a remote area near the Gulf of Carpentaria coast in the Northern Territory.

The determined dingo showcased its ecological role as it refused to give up the hunt.

The footage begins with the dingo chasing at least three wild black pigs until the smallest of the three lags behind.

The dingo focuses on the smaller pig, chasing it in circles through grass fields and catches the pig's tail a couple times but it manages to escape.

After more than a minute of running, the dingo finally latches onto the struggling pig, ripping its flesh out.

It is reportedly the first footage in the world of a dingo hunting a feral pig.

Feral animals, including feral pigs, have had a devastating impact on Australia's native animals and their habitats.

Australian Wildlife Conservancy is the largest non-profit owner of land for conservation in Australia.

It protects endangered wildlife by delivering feral animal control across 3.8 million hectares in iconic locations such as the Gulf region, the Kimberley, Cape York and central Australia.

The footage begins with the dingo chasing at least three wild black pigs until the smallest of the three lags behind

The dingo focuses on the smaller pig, chasing it in circles through grass fields and catches the pig's tail a couple times but it manages to escape
A breastfeeding mother has claimed she was banned from an outdoor Missy Higgins concert because she wanted to bring her newborn baby girl along.

Sarah Reece excited to bring her four-month-old Asha to the concert at the Bird in Hand, west of Adelaide in South Australia, until she was told her baby was not allowed in.

'I really don't appreciate an organisation that big making me feel that small and that unwelcome, ' Ms Reece told 7News.

Sarah Reece and her four-month-old baby Asha were were told by the Bird in Hand winery they would not be allowed entry at the Missy Higgins concert at the winery

The winery said allowing a baby in would be in breach of their liquor licence

'They said it's an 18+ event, of course you can't bring your baby, and we said no usually you can bring them if they're babe in arms, she's breastfed,' she added.

The winery said allowing the baby inside the venue would be a breach of their liquor licence.

Upset at their response, Ms Reece gave up her $55 ticket to stay home with Asha.

She reached out to Liquor Licensing South Australia and the Adelaide Hills Council to find out if she was allowed to bring her baby to the concert.

Ms Reece said that both organisations told her that babes in arms are allowed to attend an over 18s event allowed and that it is not part of their policies for infants to not be permitted.

However, she has since discovered that other mothers with babies were allowed inside the venue.

Ms Reece: 'I really don't appreciate an organisation that big making me feel that small and that unwelcome'

Musician Missy Higgins (left) performed to sold crowds at the Adelaide Hills winery with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra on December 9-10

In a statement Bird In Hand said: 'our understanding from the authorities is that, as our license is restricted for this concert to guests 18 years and over that this excludes young babies.'

'If we have been ill advised or have misunderstood then our sincerest apologies to anyone affected and we will gladly refund or re-admit them.'
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Effigies of South Korea's president have been carried through the streets by huge crowds demanding she steps down, a day after being impeached.

An estimated 200,000 packed into downtown Seoul for a rally against President Park Geun-hye for the seventh straight weekend.

Nine judges will decide Park's fate after parliament voted overwhelmingly to impeach her over allegations she colluded with a friend and former aid to pressure businesses into donating to foundations set up to back her policies.

An effigy of South Korean President Park Geun-hye is seen behind people marching towards the Presidential Blue House

Am estimated 200,000 people took part in the rally in downtown Seoul, the day after Park was impeached by parliament

But the 64-year-old faces calls to step down ahead of the judges' decision, triggering an election - and protestors have called for her to be jailed.

Park's powers were suspended after 234 of parliament's 300 members voted to impeach her, meaning more than 60 members of her own party backed the motion against her.

The impeachment, which has to be reviewed and approved by the Constitutional Court within 180 days to remove Park from office, sets the stage for her to become the country's first elected leader to be ousted in disgrace.

Park has denied wrongdoing but apologised for carelessness in her ties with her friend, Choi Soon-sil.

Calls have been mounted for the president to be jailed, along with other figures caught up in the scandal, which has gripped the nation

Park's powers were suspended after 234 of parliament's 300 members voted to impeach her, meaning more than 60 members of her own party backed the motion against her

A man chants slogans in front of riot policemen who block a road leading to the Presidential Blue House

After the impeachment, she said: 'I'd like to say that I'm deeply sorry to the people because the nation has to experience this turmoil because of my negligence and lack of virtue at a time when our security and economy both face difficulties.'

Jung Kang-ja, one of the protest leaders, said in a speech: 'We demand that the Constitutional Court make a decision of conscience and justice and do not act against the will of the people.'

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who became acting president late on Friday after the impeachment vote, called on authorities to ensure that rallies are peaceful and sought to calm anxiety over national security and to reassure financial markets

Park's approval rating is just five percent, according to a poll released before Friday's impeachment vote

Nuns attend a protest calling for South Korean President Park Geun-hye to step down in central Seoul, the day after she was impeached

Jung Kang-ja, one of the protest leaders, said in a speech: 'We demand that the Constitutional Court make a decision of conscience and justice and do not act against the will of the people'

The impeachment, which has to be reviewed and approved by the Constitutional Court within 180 days to remove Park from office, sets the stage for her to become the country's first elected leader to be ousted in disgrace

'So far, financial and foreign exchange markets have been relatively stable and there are no signs of unusual movements by the North, but all public servants should bear vigilance in mind as they conduct their duties,' Hwang told a meeting.

If Park leaves office early, an election must be held within 60 days. She would also lose presidential immunity from prosecution. Prosecutors have named Park as an accomplice in their investigation.

Park's approval rating is just five percent, according to a poll released before Friday's impeachment vote, but some Koreans turned out to support her at a march earlier on Saturday.

'Nothing has been proven yet,' said Kim Han-gone, a 49-year-old office worker carrying an 'against impeachment' sign.
Jeremy Clarkson made a dig at Chris Evans as he compared his Top Gear failure to a lacklustre BMW on The Grand Tour.

Clarkson couldn't resist a swipe at his much-maligned replacement as his new motoring show headed to Whitby, in Yorkshire, for its fourth episode.

During the programme Jeremy took to the track to test drive a BMW M4 GTS and made his comments while reviewing the motor to a packed studio audience.

Jeremy Clarkson could not resist making a dig at Chris Evans on the latest episode of The Grand Tour as he compared his Top Gear failure to a lacklustre BMW

He remarked: 'I admire BMW for really trying with that car, I really do. But my god, they made a hash of it.

'In fact, I'm trying to think of a metaphor for someone who's really tried their hardest with something and it hasn't worked.'

He then added: 'No, nothing's coming to mind.'

The dig came much to the delight of his adoring audience who laughed and cheered.

Evans took over hosting duties of Top Gear with Friends actor Matt LeBlanc after Clarkson left the show last year.

The popular presenter did not have his contract renewed after a 'fracas' with producer Oisin Tymon.

Richard Hammond and James May joined in on the joke as Clarkson poked fun at his replacement in front a studio audience

Hammond and May followed Clarkson out of the door after he left Top Gear, following a fracas with show producer Oisin Tymon

Hammond, May and producer Andy Wilman followed him out of the door.

Evans left Top Gear after just one season after admitting his efforts were not good enough.

In a statement, he said: 'I have never worked with a more committed and driven team than the team I have worked with over the last 12 months. I feel like my standing aside is the single best thing I can now do to help the cause.

Tweeting to his 2.3 million followers, Evans added: 'Stepping down from Top Gear. Gave it my best shot but sometimes that's not enough.'

Evans took over hosting duties of Top Gear with Friends actor Matt LeBlanc after Clarkson left the BBC show last year

As well as cast and crew complaints over Evans' temperamental personality, the motoring show struggled to attract viewers after he took the wheel.

It launched over a bank holiday weekend with 4.4 million overnight viewers, but then plummeted to 2.8 million for the second episode. The show never went back above that figure.

The Grand Tour's debut was a complete contrast, with Amazon Prime lauding it as one of its biggest ever TV successes.

The streaming service has also claimed Clarkson, Hammond and May's new effort broke viewing records, but it won't reveal how many people have watched each episode.

Amazon Prime said the first episode was the subscription service's biggest premiere, beating previous record holder, 2015's The Man In The High Castle.

Clarkson tears across the British countryside in his sustainable vehicle in the latest episode of The Grand Tour

In this week's episode the trio create cars from sustainable materials before travelling from Whitby, in Yorkshire, to south Wales in what is billed as a 'green motorsport event'.

Their race through the English countryside is rather less glamorous than the previous episodes set in exotic location such as the US and the Middle East.

So far the Grand Tour - which costs 4.5 million an episode - has filmed across the world, including Britain, the US and Europe with plans to host the final show in Dubai.

And it appears they now have their sat nav set on Australia.

This week Mount Rushmore style busts of Clarkson, Hammond and May were snapped making their way through Sydney on the back of a truck.

Mount Rushmore-style busts of Grand Tour Hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have been spotted being transported around Australia as part of a planned publicity stunt by the show

The huge heads - which were spotted in the US last week - have been giving motorists the creeps as they drive behind them in Sydney

The eight-foot sculptures are understood to be part of a publicity stunt planned by the trio in an effort to push the show to audiences down under.

They were also spotted in the US, with drivers in Washington State last week tweeting pictures of the busts as they were transported by road along the US West Coast.
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It's a scene reminiscent of the classic Western film High Noon but set in Turkey.

A cowboy is shrouded in a massive cloud of dust while herding his 50 horses on a dry day.

These breathtaking action shots of the herdsmen gathering their team, who roam freely in Kayseri, Turkey, were captured by professional photographer Dan-Alexandru Mirica.

These breathtaking action shots of the herdsmen gathering their 50 horses, who roam freely in Kayseri, Turkey, were captured by professional photographer Dan-Alexandru Mirica

It's a scene reminiscent of the classic Western film High Noon but set in Turkey

Positioned on rocks a mere 40 to 50 metres away, the 39-year-old snapper from Bucharest, Romania found the perfect vantage point to snap the majestic horses as they were gathered by their owner

Positioned on rocks a mere 40 to 50 metres away, the 39-year-old snapper from Bucharest, Romania found the perfect vantage point to snap the majestic horses as they were gathered by their owner.

Mr Mirica commented that the scene reminded him of classic Western films featuring the likes of cinematic legends John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.

The genre has seen a resurgence of popularity following the success of Quentin Tarantino films Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight along with hybrid sci-fi and western television series Westworld.

Mr Mirica commented that the scene reminded him of classic Western films featuring the likes of cinematic legends John Wayne and Clint Eastwood

The genre has seen a resurgence of popularity following the success of Quentin Tarantino films Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight along with hybrid sci-fi and western television series Westworld

Mr Mirica said: 'The pictures brought me memories from the past, when I was a child and I was looking at Western movies'

Mr Mirica said: 'The pictures brought me memories from the past, when I was a child and I was looking at Western movies.

'The moment was very powerful. The sunset gave a dramatic atmosphere and all together it gave me a combined feeling of peace and power within my self.'

Mr Mirica described how challenging the experience was for him as the clouds of dust meant conditions were constantly changing throughout the two hour photography session, making it tough to get clear shots of the horses.

The photographer said: 'The moment was very powerful. The sunset gave a dramatic atmosphere and all together it gave me a combined feeling of peace and power within my self'

Mr Mirica described how challenging the experience was for him as the clouds of dust meant conditions were constantly changing throughout the two hour photography session, making it tough to get clear shots of the horses

He said: 'It was a little bit difficult to have the right exposure because the dust was changing, with sometimes less and sometimes more dust, so I had to change the settings very quickly'

He said: 'It was a little bit difficult to have the right exposure because the dust was changing, with sometimes less and sometimes more dust, so I had to change the settings very quickly.

'To be sure I could photograph what I wanted and that I could transmit my emotions, I was following just one scene or just one horse, trying to gauge the next moment I wanted to photograph.'

Kayseri, in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, sits at the foot of the extinct volcano Mount Erciyes.

'To be sure I could photograph what I wanted and that I could transmit my emotions, I was following just one scene or just one horse, trying to gauge the next moment I wanted to photograph'
There's something not right about this nativity scene.

Supposed to be one of the holiest scenes in Christianity, sick pranksters have rearranged a nativity setup to make it look like Joseph is getting a Christmas treat from his wife.

The set up's creator was far from impressed after onlookers got to see more than they expected.

Sick pranksters rearranged the nativity setup to make it look like Joseph is getting a Christmas treat from his wife

Figures were rearranged into sexually explicit positions in the Swiss city of Lucerne, which attracts thousands of festive visitors every year.

Mary appears to be neglecting the baby Jesus in order to see to Joseph's less family-friendly needs in the jaw-dropping scene.

Franz Schumacher, who created the initially wholesome nativity spectacle, said the disrespectful vandals had made him angry.

He said it is not funny that his work has been 'desecrated'.

Franz Schumacher, who created the scene, said it was not funny that his work had been 'desecrated'

He said: 'That hurts me very much. They do not know that it offends others. But their brains cannot think that far ahead as they have probably drowned them in alcohol.'

While it provoked some awkward smiles, the majority of viewers did not enjoy the change, labelling it a 'shame'.

One passer-by said: 'They are really stupid people who did this. I mean, even children have had a look at this.'

That's more like it: What the nativity scene should have looked like

The Catholic Church has also spoken out to condemn the 'unacceptable' vandalism.

The local spokesman for the church, Urban Schwegler said: 'It is unacceptable to destroy the property of others. And it is also intolerable that someone violates the religious feelings of others.'
Thirteen crew members on a cross-Channel ferry operated by P&O have been suspended after failing random drugs tests.

The members of the 104 person crew on board the fleet's Pride of Canterbury ship that were tested on two sea crossing on Thursday produced 'non-negative' urine samples.

And now P&O have informed the Port of Dover Police and say any other worker found to have broken the company's zero tolerance on drugs will be sacked.

Thirteen crew members from cross-Channel ferry the Pride of Canterbury operated by P&O have been suspended after failing random drugs tests

An investigation has also been launched regarding the test results and after claims P&O's strict policy on drugs had been contravened on board the Pride of Canterbury.

A spokesman for the company told MailOnline: 'As part of routine drugs testing of our crews, 13 individuals on the Pride of Canterbury recorded non-negative tests, which have now been sent for further analysis.

'P&O Ferries operates a zero tolerance policy towards substance abuse and any employees not complying with it will be dismissed.'

And although no substances were reportedly found, Port of Dover Police have been routinely informed.

A source told The Sun that the workers that were suspended worked in the boat's ferry decking department.

P&O have refused to confirm the roles of the suspended workers other than specifying that they did not work as officers.

It is thought that they can come up to contact with up to 2,000 passengers a day who make the crossings from Dover to Calais.

Although no substances were reportedly found on the Pride of Canterbury, Port of Dover Police have been routinely informed

Under the Transport and Works Act 1992 it is a criminal offence for people in certain transport jobs to be drunk or on drugs while at work.

The Pride of Canterbury was launched in 1991 and in 2003 became one of the vessels operating on P&O's cross Channel route.

In 2014, a fire broke out on the ferry carrying more than 300 passengers as it was arriving in France. Some 337 passengers and 119 crew were on board when the blaze broke out.
Scooter Queens Anna Gibson (left) and Philippa Gogarty (right) are the founders of Micro Scooters Ltd

With six young children in tow between them, the last thing Anna Gibson and Philippa Gogarty really had time for was learning how to run their own multi-million pound business.

But that is precisely what the two enterprising mothers have ended up mastering - not to mention revolutionising the nation's school run and somehow still managing to put their own kids first.

More than one million children aged up to 12 have, or have had in the last ten years, one of the Micro Scooters which the pair have made popular in Britain and which increasing numbers are using to scoot to lessons on.

Amazingly, the route to the success of their import and distribution company, which now has an annual turnover of 15million, all started when Anna's then 18-month-old son Edward took a shine to a little plastic scooter he spotted while they were out for a walk on Clapham Common.

He so enjoyed having a turn riding the three-wheeled toy with a plastic deck and joystick for steering, which belonged to another child out playing that day, that Anna tracked one of the - at the time - rarely seen scooters down for him in a shop.

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The two mothers with their children (l-r) Dom, Tom, Georgia, Edward, Jack and Will. Anna came up with the idea when her son Edward liked a plastic scooter he spotted while they were out for a walk on Clapham Common

Soon, Edward's scooter was drawing admiring glances from other mums and kids, who were all keen to know where to get one. Anna was happy being a full-time mother after giving up her career as lawyer but was willing for another challenge, so she decided to start selling them.

She, and her friend Philippa, contacted the UK distributor and placed her first order  one for Thomas, Philippa's son and three for Anna to sell. They sold quickly and, after ordering more, she put up notices in local cafes offering scooters for sale. In that first year, she sold over seventy scooters to local mums.

Then the UK distributor disappeared, so Anna called the manufacturer, a Swiss company called Micro Mobility Systems and ordered a palette of 48 scooters. When they sold quickly, she and her friend Philippa, whose two boys inevitably had scooters themselves by then, were convinced of the product's potential.

Learning that Micro was looking for a new UK distributor, they flew out to Zurich to bid for the licence. Despite having zero knowledge of how to be distributors, they convinced the company they were right for the job.

Anna, 50, said: 'All we knew, as mums, was that the scooter was brilliant and there was nothing else like it on the market, nothing else a child of that age could get on and be totally independent and have freedom, and help with their balance and co-ordination.

'Philippa and I had met in Clapham, where we then both lived, weighing our second sons in at the local doctors. We became mates and had children the same age with exactly the same interests.

'When we flew out to Switzerland to meet them we said we think these scooters are absolutely fantastic and we think every mother should have one. We knew the benefits of the scooter - and we said to them, By the way you have got to make it in pink so little girls will like it. It was originally all design engineering, all grey, black.'

Philippa and Anna are the founders of a company with an annual turnover of 15m. In the past ten years more than one million children received one of their brightly-coloured scooters

Philippa, 53, who had worked as a fundraiser before becoming a full-time mum, said: 'We knew nothing about being distributors or retailers. All we knew was that our boys loved being on them and that by that point all our friends had them.

'Micro always say to us that everything told them that they shouldn't appoint us as their distributors but we were so passionate about it and so convinced by it that they took a chance.'

Returning to England, the pair thought, Where do we start? 'We had to think about our retail strategy, e-commerce strategy, logistics, pricing, accounts, import and export duties, all those things that we knew nothing about and all while we had six children in tow,' said Anna.

'We would traipse up and down Clapham Common with buggy in one hand, mobile phone in the other, phoning each other saying what are going to do about this, let's go and look for a warehouse.

Philippa, a former fundraiser, and Anna, a former lawyer, teamed up together when they both were living in Clapham. After the UK distributor for the scooters disappeared, Anna and Philippa flew out to Zurich to bid for the licence

'The most obvious person to approach was John Lewis because as mums of children that age we weren't going to go into a bike shop to buy a scooter, we were going to go into a toy shop.

'We had no power point presentation, we had no time for anything like that, so we literally pitched up on John Lewis' doorstep and said, You've got to take this scooter, it is absolutely fantastic. Again, they saw the passion we have for the product.'

Philippa said: 'We convinced John Lewis to take some and we were getting bigger and bigger orders and we had to order a container. It amazes me that we managed it. Our children weren't even all at school from 9am to 3pm then, we were picking them up at 12 and the smallest ones weren't even going to nursery at that point.

'So the whole thing would not have worked unless we were really, really good mates and were able to get our children to play together and share a sense of humour while juggling all these balls thinking we were going to drop one at any moment.

Anna's son Jack, five, rides his Micro Scooter. The mothers' enthusiasm for the scooters won over the manufacturers. Philippa siad: 'We were so passionate about it and so convinced by it that they took a chance'

'Once we forgot a freight forwarder was coming for a meeting to pitch to us one day so we ended up talking to him while giving lunch to five children who were sitting there banging the table demanding things while we offered him a Marmite sandwich. It was that hands on.

'Dealing with those first big orders and cash flow, we had to get our heads around it and understand it. We never dreamt it would be that big. All we've ever done is do the next thing.'

Anna, whose children Edward, Will and Jack are now 16, 14 and 12 respectively, said: 'Our minds were awash with everything we had to learn and do, a great long list of all the stuff we had to try to understand.

'In the meantime as a mum your head is full of all the things you've got to do for your children just to survive or to get them to where they've got to be.

Their company now employs 35 people and has its headquarters in West Mersea, near Colchester, Essex. Philippa said: 'the whole thing would not have worked unless we were really, really good mates and were able to get our children to play together'

'I remember taking my son Will to his nursery school and they had an International Costume Day and feeling really pleased with myself that I had remembered that it was - in my mind - fancy dress. So there he was in his Buzz Lightyear outfit - and all the other kids were in their international costume and all the other mothers looking at me.

'At the centre of our lives were the children and being mums. I think the reason it worked was we shared a sense of humour and both tackled and learned everything together, divvied up all the things we had to understand. As we got busier and busier we kept saying we still want to be mums, our priority is our children.'

A pink Micro Scooter made by Swiss company, Micro Mobility Systems. At first, the scooters were black and grey until the two mothers called for a range of colours

Their company now employs 35 people and has its headquarters in West Mersea, near Colchester, Essex. But the pair say they still put being mothers first.

Philippa, mum to Georgia, 21, Tom, 16, and Dominic, 14, said: 'It's a multi-million pound business now but we still probably frustrate the board slightly by saying, Sorry we can't meet then because that is school holidays.

'We absolutely make the business work around us being mums. It's so sad when you look at our success that more businesses can't accommodate women.'

The Mini Micro's inventor Wim Ouboter wryly describes working with Anna and Philippa, who have driven the business forward by developing scooter accessories which they distribute world-wide, as 'worse than a marriage'.

Philippa said: 'Wim's lovely and he always says, You nag me the whole time  but look what it's produced.

'To us is it was so obvious that parents were really concerned about the safety of their children so they wanted to buy helmets, bells, lights, so we said to Micro look we need to sell these things. They said, Well we're developing and innovating Scooters, so we said, Ok we'll manufacture the accessories.

'That was another part of the huge success and growth of the brand, and today the Micro accessories are nearly as popular as the scooters themselves.'

In addition, more than 50,000 children have attended a 'Scoot Safe' scheme initiated by the pair, which teaches them things like making sure they're considerate to other pavement users and not to career across the road.

A survey of 75,000 children by the transport charity Sustrans found that the proportion of children scooting (on Micros or other makes) or skating to school went up by more than half - from 9.3 per cent in 2013 to 14.3 per cent in 2014.

With Christmas approaching, sales are expected to be brisk. 'When we talk about Christmas there are presents that children get which are fantastic but which they use three or four days or they get bored of them after a couple of months but with a scooter they're on it every single day,' said Anna.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had his speech on human rights interrupted by protesters demanding he take a stronger stance on the Syrian civil war.

As the leader of the opposition began his speech at Westminster this morning, demonstrators marched to the front of the stage in front of him and held up banners calling for immediate air drops in the war-torn nation.

They were led by campaigner Peter Tatchell, who has previously criticised the Labour leader for failing to speak out loudly enough against Russia, who are accused of propping up the brutal regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had his speech on human rights say interrupted by protesters demanding he take a stronger stance on the Syrian civil war

As the leader of the opposition began his speech at Westminster this morning, demonstrators marched to the front of the stage in front of him and held up banners calling for immediate air drops in the war-torn nation

And as the protesters stood silently in front of Mr Corbyn, several of the people in the audience called for them to end their demonstration.

But Mr Corbyn spoke out saying: 'It's all right, it's OK.'

Mr Corbyn was on stage with Baroness Chakrabarti, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott and shadow diversity minister Dawn Butler when the demonstration happened.

Seemingly forgetting they were still wearing microphones, Baroness Chakrabarti advised the Labour leader 'just let them do this'.

The protesters were led by campaigner Peter Tatchell, who has previously criticised the Labour leader for failing to speak out loudly enough against Russia

Mr Corbyn tell tried to tell Mr Tatchell that there would be an opportunity for questions later but the campaigner refused to listen and carried on talking

Mr Corbyn then consulted Ms Thornberry, asking: 'When did we condemn the bombing?'

Then Mr Tatchell said: 'What is happening in Aleppo is a modern day Guernica.

'We haven't heard the leader of the Labour party speak out enough to demand UK air drops to besieged civilians who are dying in their thousands.'

Mr Corbyn tried to tell Mr Tatchell that there would be an opportunity for questions later but the campaigner refused to listen and carried on talking.

And several members of the audience were also heard telling Mr Tatchell to stop, with one being heard saying: 'We are trying to listen to a speech' and another saying 'How dare you'.

Mr Corbyn then left the stage and only returned to the podium when the demonstration was over to give his speech marking International Human Rights Day

Mr Corbyn then left the stage and only returned to the podium when the demonstration was over.

He then addressed the protesters by saying: 'Thank you very much, and thank you for raising the issue.

Afterwards, Mr Tatchell, pictured, said he had staged the demonstration out of desperation over Mr Corbyn's inaction over the humanitarian crisis in the country

'Just to be absolutely clear on the point that Peter made, Emily Thornberry on our behalf during Foreign Office Questions and on many other occasions has made it absolutely clear that we do think there should be aid given to people in Aleppo.

'We do think the bombing should end, we do think there should be a ceasefire, we do think there should be a political solution, we do think the war should end in Syria.'

Afterwards, Mr Tatchell said he had staged the demonstration out of desperation over Mr Corbyn's inaction over the humanitarian crisis in the country.

He told the Press Association: 'Today's protest was an act of desperation because we are so frustrated that the leader of the Labour party Jeremy Corbyn seems to have forsaken the principle of international solidarity.

'He's made no statements as far as we know in solidarity with civil societies in Syria. He's not listening to their demands, he's not promoting their demands, which are very simple - a UN supervised ceasefire, for the UN to supervise the evacuation of civilians to safe havens, and most importantly right now, the airdrop of aid and medicine to besieged civilian populations .

'Those are things that Jeremy Corbyn could push for in Parliament right now this week. He hasn't done so so far. We hope as a result of today, he will.'
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So much for not being able to teach an old dog new tricks.....

At the grand old age of 16, Raggle the terrier showed a couple of keen young whipper snappers the poise it takes to be a canine model when she came out of retirement for a fun festive photo-shoot.

So relaxed was the rescue dog adopted by Peter Thorpe, a commercial photographer with a studio in Bristol, and his wife Julie, that she even slotted in a sneaky snooze on the set while adjustments were made to the scenery.

At the grand old age of 16, Raggle the terrier showed a couple of keen young whipper snappers the poise it takes to be a canine model when she came out of retirement for a fun festive photo-shoot

So relaxed was the rescue dog adopted by Peter Thorpe, a commercial photographer with a studio in Bristol, and his wife Julie, that she even slotted in a sneaky snooze on the set while adjustments were made to the scenery

In 2002, Raggle became the star of Mr Thorpe's Christmas cards, which were featured in the Daily Mail two seasons ago. Peter Thorpe with his son Toby,20, and Raggle

Then it was the turn of the young hopefuls to don the red Christmas bobble hat and recreate her pose of a pooch peeking up through a crack in a frozen pond after an imagined sledging mishap.

Mazey, a two-year-old Jack Russell, nearly didnt measure up - so, as our behind-the-scenes pictures show, her owner Charlotte Randall had to lie down beneath the set and lend a helping hand.

Miss Randall, 32, a beauty therapist, from Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire, who was at the shoot with her fiancee Karl Wakefield, 37, a builder, said: She was a little bit too small, bless her, so I had to get underneath to push her up a bit.

Mazey, a two-year-old Jack Russell, nearly didnt measure up - so, as our behind-the-scenes pictures show, her owner Charlotte Randall had to lie down beneath the set and lend a helping hand

Miss Randall, 32, a beauty therapist, from Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire, said: She was a little bit too small, bless her, so I had to get underneath to push her up a bit'

It took about an hour to do her shot - and there were lots of treats being given out to keep her in place and get her to look in the right direction too.

It was good fun and I think Mazey enjoyed it as she likes being held. She was quite tired at the end of it and slept all the way home. Im really pleased with the end result - she looks brilliant.

She said: It took about an hour to do her shot - and there were lots of treats being given out to keep her in place and get her to look in the right direction too'

She added: It was good fun and I think Mazey enjoyed it as she likes being held. She was quite tired at the end of it and slept all the way home. Im really pleased with the end result - she looks brilliant

Next up was Lenny, an 11-month-old mixture who began life living as a stray on the streets of Cyprus and was found a loving home in England at the age of five months via a rescue centre.

His owner Alix Hayhurst, 28, of Chiswick, west London, who runs a video marketing company with her partner Lucas Nicholson, 27, said: Lenny isnt keen on long journeys, so that was the worst bit for him.

It was great fun working with Peter, but Lennny was a bit like, What is going on? It was his first proper photo shoot, after all.

Next up was Lenny, an 11-month-old mixture who began life living as a stray on the streets of Cyprus and was found a loving home in England at the age of five months via a rescue centre

His owner Alix Hayhurst, 28, of Chiswick, west London, said: Lenny isnt keen on long journeys, so that was the worst bit for him. It was great fun working with Peter, but Lenny was a bit like, What is going on? It was his first proper photo shoot, after all'

Everyone always says Lenny is very photogenic so were hoping he could have a career as canine model or actor one day. He already has his own Instagram page called Im still Lenny from the block where he has 1,500 followers.

Both pets were given the chance to have their photographs taken and turned into Christmas cards for their owners by Mr Thorpe after winning a competition run by the publishers of a new book of his work called Bark! The Herald Angels Sing.

It tells the story of how he began a Christmas tradition of taking amusing pictures of his dogs for greeting cards back in 1990. It started with his previous pet Paddy, who wore antlers and red nose for a card which Mr Thorpe sent to his clients.

He added: Everyone always says Lenny is very photogenic so were hoping he could have a career as canine model or actor one day. He already has his own Instagram page called Im still Lenny from the block where he has 1,500 followers

Both pets were given the chance to have their photographs taken and turned into Christmas cards for their owners by Mr Thorpe after winning a competition run by the publishers of a new book of his work called Bark! The Herald Angels Sing

(Left to right) Christmas dog joint winner Jack Russell 'Mazey' with owner Charlotte Randall from Marlow,Berks, photographer Peter Thorpe with retiring dog model 'Raggle' and Alix Hayhurst from London with her dog 'Lenny'

Peter Thorpe and wife Julie with their retiring dog model Raggle

Paddy went on to be a fairy on top of the Christmas tree and a choirboy. Following his death in 2002 at the age of 17, Raggle became the star of the cards, which were featured in the Daily Mail two Christmases ago.

That year, in what was thought would be her last shoot before retirement due to old age, Raggle became a mouse sitting beside a giant mousetrap gazing at the Christmas pudding bait.

But she made a surprise comeback last year as a Santa being winched to safety after getting stuck in a chimney. This years shots of her, taken to show what the lucky competition winners had to live up to, effortlessly proved yet again her lasting pedigree as a top model.
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Thousands took to the streets dressed as Father Christmas as the annual Santacon parade hit the capital.

A sea of red swept across London after the festive parade kicked off from Hoxton Square this morning.

St Nicks - complete with a Christmas pooch - were seen guzzling booze and singing and laughing as they set off on their annual march.

Those who strayed from the pack, which is easily done after a day of drinking and walking, could even get back on track by checking Santacon's sat nav on its Twitter feed.

And as the day went on they got increasingly rowdy, with some climbing scaffolding, scaling police vans and urinating in groups in public, while others stripped to their stockings.

Santacon is one of many celebrations taking part across the country with this weekend one of the most popular dates for Christmas parties.

Similar Santa events took place across the world with revellers at a notorious pub crawl in Wollongong, Australia letting their hair down.

On the march: The Santas take to the three streets as they stroll through Hoxton in East London

Woopsy daisy: One reveller was helped by her friends as she tried to scale a wall in Camden

One silly Santa tried to climb up some scaffolding but received boos from his comrades who disapproved of his attention seeking

The Santacon parade - accompanied by a festive pooch - hit the streets of London to spread Christmas cheer in the capital

A man takes a large swig from his bottle of amaretto as the Santacon parade meets up in London's Hoxton Square

All are welcome: One of the rules of SantaCon is that anybody is welcome to join in the fun

Ha-pee Christmas: One Santa will surely be put on the naughty list after relieving himself against a tree in Hoxton Square Gardens, before the parade kicked off this morning

Nice stockings! Two girls seemed to be enjoying the event in Camden

A group of revellers scaled a wall as they enjoyed a few beers in Camden

Meanwhile, in Australia... One particularly well dressed woman is seen with a cider can in one hand while enthusiastically posing for the camera with her friend on the annual Santa pub crawl

Revellers dressed in some very cheeky costumes let off steam at notorious Santa pub crawl in Wollongong on Saturday

When the two girls decided to come in for a kiss on the lips it caught the attention of nearby party-goers, all too enthusiastic for the girls' show (Chown Image)

What are you doing up there Santa? One reveller scaled some traffic lights as his female companion urged him on

Causing trouble: Two revellers scaled a white van as it tried to get through the crowd

The Santas assembled at Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square

SantaCon revellers march through around Liverpool Street Station

People in Santa and reindeer costumes have a playful fight on top of each others' shoulders in a park

A sea of red: There were so many Santas that the street could not bee seen as paved the roads of London

Struggling: One Santa filled his belly with too many mince pies and glasses of sherry

Don't look! One girl covered her friend's eyes as another Santa was seen relieving himself

The Santas managed to keep their fancy dress outfits on well into the night as they continued to drink

Revellers dressed in some very cheeky costumes let off steam at notorious Santa pub crawl in Wollongong on Saturday

Wearing a jewel encrusted bra, wings and loosely flowing skirt, one reveller dressed as an angel, alongside her brunette friend in Australia

This blonde Australian party-goer is seen in a tutu, white stockings and extremely high shoes as she does a twirl for the camera

From the over-the-top costumes right down to those who simply wore reindeer antlers on their head, all revellers appear to have made the most of the notorious Australian pub crawl

The pub crawl in Australia brought scores of revellers on to the streets as they painted the town red

Revellers dressed in some very cheeky costumes let off steam at notorious Santa pub crawl in Wollongong on Saturday

Back in London: An angry Santa gesticulates at officers in a police van while drinking beer during the Santacon march in London today

A Santa sings and dances on the top of a bus as a can of cider is hurled through the air during Santacon

Members of the Santacon parade are sure to catch the eye as they march through the streets of London as these three women certainly look the part

Birds' eye view: The Santas took selfies and guzzled bottles of booze on their travells

Climbing high: The Santa waved to the crowd from the scaffolding he had climbed in Bishopsgate, London

One reveller decided to take a different approach to Santacon attire while a woman takes a rest from marching and takes a ride on her friend's shoulder

These men have made sure they stand out from the sea of red with their novelty Christmas turkey hats

Having a blast: One female Santa decided to ride the shoulders of her male companion

Puffing away: Two Santas enjoy a smoke as they have a break from their march on the grass

SantaCon revellers took Bank Station by storm as a sea of revellers made the streets glow red

Game of cones: One reveller used a traffic cone as a hat on as other Santas got the tube to their next destination

Take a break: Four Santas urinated on some railings after breaking away from the main group

A couple make time for a quick Christmas kiss during the parade as the Santas march across London

Santas relieved themselves on the streets

These glamorous Santas have packed a snack for their long march across London, while others guzzle bottles of booze

Two police officers get into the Christmas spirit and don Santa hats as they patrol the parade in Camden, north London

One commuter was furious when a group of Santas got on his bus behaving rowdily

The Santacon parade crosses the road as it takes to the streets of east London on its way to meet more St Nicks

SANTACON RULES: THE DOS AND DONT'S OF THE 'SILLY FUN' EVENT Dress up! A Santa hat alone is not enough. You don't have to dress exactly like Santa but the theme is red. That having been said, unusual interpretations of Santa-ness are often appreciated and Christmas trees, elves, reindeer themes etc. are all good. Have fun. Don't get drunk. Address your fellow santa as 'Santa.' Watch out for elves. Elves work hard for Santa all year and especially hard during the holiday season. Santa loves his elves except when they show up to his red-themed event dressed in green. Traditionally, elves are abused at SantaCon. Not all these guidelines should be taken seriously. Some of these guidelines should be taken very seriously. If you can't work out which ones they are then you are not intelligent enough to take part in SantaCon. Don't get drunk in public. Being drunk &/or disorderly in public will tarnish Santa's reputation. One bad santa can ruin things for an entire location because we're all dressed the same, duh. Also, it's an offense and will get you arrested. Remember that there is no 'bail fund' for incarcerated santas and if you cross the line you'll be on your own. Don't be that Santa. If you do get drunk in public, you should get into a fight with other santas, get arrested as quickly as possible (before anyone gets hurt), be carted away in handcuffs and have the whole thing recorded on video for the evening news and Youtube. Santa does not make children cry. Does this really need to be said? Seriously, if you see kids, don't do anything to freak them out. Give them a nice smile and possibly a gift of some kind... Optionally, bring gifts: Nice things to give children; nice or naughty things for adults. Do not throw your gifts at anyone, especially if those gifts are raw Brussels sprouts. Santa dresses for all occasions. If it's cold outside, wear multiple costume layers. Dress to maximize merriment whether singing carols in the snow, or swinging from a stripper pole in a hot nightclub. Santa doesn't whine! Some SantaCons are supremely well organized and others fall apart within the first 5 minutes. Some involve a lot of walking. Sometimes Santa is turned away. It's all good fun if you choose to have a positive attitude. Santa does not mess with security. This includes the police. Security staff are there to ensure everyone's safety - it's an important & necessary job. Most venues welcome Santa but some security staff will see you as a potentially dangerous mob wearing disguises (which, let's face it, is probably true). If you are turned away, don't argue - just move on to somewhere Santa is more welcome and can have fun. Source: SantaCon.info Advertisement

Santas descend onto the streets of East London as revellers film each other scaling a moving van

Wee wish you a mery Christmas: Even Santa has to go to the loo, as one reveller proved only too obviously

This reveller must win the prize for the best dressed at the parade, while two other Santas stop for a quick drinks break

Police officers keep a watchful eye as a group of St Nicks arrange their outfits in Hoxton Square Park this morning

Kiss me it's Christmas: Santas stopped the party for a moment to enjoy each other's company

A bit muddy there Santa? One reveller was soaked in mud as he walking through the streets with his pals

A pair of Santa's pose for a quick selfie as the festive parade stops along Camden lock in north London, this afternoon

Time out: Some Santas had a rest on ground during their march through the streets of London

Man down! A improptu game of rugby broke out between a few of the Santas on a patch of grass

It seems this scantily-clad Santa and Christmas elf aren't afraid to show off a bit of skin as they brave the chilly temperatures in skimpy outfits for the annual Santacon parade in London

Meanwhile, on the streets of New York...

Revellers take part in Santacon outside The Flatiron Building in New York

A police officer writes a ticket citing revellers for drinking alcohol in public during the annual Santacon

Santas roam the streets of the Midtown in New York City celebrating Santacon

Let's get the party started: Santas gathered for a photo before the celebrations began

Why did Santa cross the road? To get to the party

A Reveller poses with his very funky hat as he takes part in Santacon outside The Flatiron Building in New York
He has been forced to sell milk to Murray Goulburn for below

A fed-up dairy farmer has filmed himself pouring thousands of litres of milk down the drain after he was forced to drop his prices below production cost.

The video shows second-generation farmer George Kantarias releasing the valve on a vat in his milking shed on his northern Victoria farm.

Over the next six-and-a-half minutes Mr Kantarias films 2600 litres of milk spill onto the floor until his vat his completely dry.

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Crying over spilt milk: A fed-up dairy farmer has filmed himself pouring thousands of litres of milk down the drain after he was forced to drop his prices below production cost

Over the next six-and-a-half minutes Mr Kantarias films 2600 litres of milk spill onto the floor until his vat his completely dry

George Kantarias was fed up after he was forced to drop his prices below production cost

The 50-year-old posted the video to Facebook in September with a powerful message to Murray Goulburn- Australia's largest dairy processor.

'To all the Murray Goulburn directors kiss my a***,' he wrote.

Mr Kantarias, like many other Australian dairy farmers, was forced to sell his product to Murray Goulburn for less than production cost.

'It was costing us 38 cents a litre to produce it and we were being paid 30 cents for it,' his wife Sharyn Kantarias told The Herald Sun.

'There were a couple of months when our milk cheque was zero.'

Murray Goulburn announced in June an opening price for the 2016/17 season at $4.31 per kilogram of milk solids, including a $0.14kg repayment of a cash support package provided to farmers to see them through the 2016 financial year.

The low opening price is a double blow to farmers still reeling from a cut to milk prices in April - down from from $5.60 to between $4.75 and $5.00kg.

A Murray Goulburn said the board and management were 'very aware' of the challenge that the new rate presented suppliers.

'As announced yesterday and communicated to our suppliers, we have commenced a targeted efficiency program, which includes a focus on cost reduction across the business,' the spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia in June.

A Murray Goulburn said the board and management were 'very aware' of the challenge that the new rate presented suppliers
A university student charged with allegedly bludgeoning her mother to death with a floorboard was the sole beneficiary of her, a court has heard.

Simona Zafirovska, 20, allegedly killed 56-year-old Radica Zafirovska, hitting her up to twenty times inside their home in The Gap, west of Brisbane, in 2014, The Courier Mail reported.

Details from court documents revealed the 20-year-old Zafirovska was appointed as the executor of her mother's estate after her death by the Queensland Supreme Court.

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Simona Zafirovska, 20, allegedly bludgeoned her 56-year-old mother to death using floorboard to hit her with up to twenty times

Radica's estate is believed to include money, property and cars in Australia and Macedonia

The 56-year-old's will is believed to included their house in The Gap, two cars, a bank account, and an apartment in Macedonia.

If Zafirovska is found guilty, she will not inherit her late mother's assets.

It was also revealed Radica's bother Kjirko Damjanovski has made a request to bury his sister's body back home to Macedonia under Orthodox religious rituals, contrary to his niece's plan of burying her in Brisbane.

In an affidavit, Mr Damjanovski said he believed his sister never wanted to forget her Macedonian family and roots.

'If Radica was to be buried in Australia none of her close relatives would be able to do all of the memorials and visit her gravesite.'

Justice David Boddice granted the request for a funeral in Brisbane, which Zafirovska is unlikely allowed to attend, and burial in Macedonia.

Radica body was found on the top level of their home, while the student had been staying at her friend's home

Justice Boddice also ordered that a new executor be appointed in place of the 20-year-old to take care of Ms Zafirovska's estate.

The blonde was arrested in November following a police interview over the horrific death of her mother Macedonian cleaner Radica Zafirovska, 56.

Radica body was found on the top level of their home, while the student had been staying at her friend's home.
Robert Lapine never got a chance to say goodbye to his 34-year-old son, Edmond, one of 36 people who died in the Oakland warehouse fire last week.

With a camera strapped around his neck, Robert traveled from his native Utah to the Bay Area on Friday in an attempt to get to grips with the tragedy.

'There's a lot of things that I wish I had said to him, but I'll never be able to, and that's what's sad,' Robert told KRON-TV.

He told reporters it was important for him to get a first-hand look at the charred rubble and to take pictures as a way of finding some form of closure.

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Edmond Lapine (above) was one of 36 people who died in the inferno that engulfed the Ghost Ship artist enclave last Friday in Oakland, California

Lapine was an aspiring DJ who moved to the Bay Area and worked in a bakery. He had posted on his Facebook page that he was heading to the Ghost Ship for a concert the day of the fire

Edmond had always kept in touch with his father in the two years since he moved to the Bay Area from Utah.

He worked at a bakery while pursuing his career as a DJ, KRON-TV reported.

Robert said that he was touched to see those who knew Edmond gather in tribute to him after the tragedy.

Edmond graduated from Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, in 2008, according to The Olympian newspaper.

Robert Lapine (above) traveled from his home in Utah to Oakland to see first-hand the charred rubble of the warehouse where his son died

A lover of music, Edmond was in the warehouse with Joseph Matlock, a well-known performer whose songs were released by Olympia-based K Records.

Edmond had once interned for the record label.

'He's memorable because he's a very snappy dresser, and we share a love for old soul 45s,' K Records founder and owner Calvin Johnson said of Edmond.

'He's good friends with Joey.'

Robert said he wanted to take photographs of the warehouse before it is torn down in the hopes that it will provide some closure

Robert said he had been touched by the support and outreach to the families of the victims of the blaze

Here Robert is seen as he is being consoled by well-wishers in Oakland

On the night of the fire, Edmond had posted on Facebook that he was going to the Ghost Ship  the nickname for the artist enclave  to attend a concert.

When news of the fire was reported nationwide, his mother, Sami Long Kopelman, was frantically trying to reach him.

'I have not been able to reach him, nor has he called or texted me,' she told NBC News.

'No one has been able to tell me that they have seen him,' she said.

The Oakland warehouse where 36 people were killed in a massive inferno that broke out last Friday

Pictures of the 36 people who died in the massive warehouse fire in Oakland that broke out last Friday night

Friends remembered him as a man who could 'charm even the most blase' and who possessed 'patience and enthusiasm that can only be described as saintly,' according to the Los Angeles Times.

All the names of the Oakland warehouse fire that killed 36 people at a dance party in the artist enclave have been released.

Federal officials investigating the blaze planned to bring in engineers to examine the building's electrical system, as they tried to pinpoint the fire's cause.

The warehouse housed artist studios and was hosting a dance party last Friday night when the blaze broke out.

The blaze is the deadliest fire Oakland has ever seen.

More tributes and benefits are planned to remember those who perished and also to help the victims' families.

Hundreds of people paid a visit to the Oakland Museum of California, where a chalkboard 'memory wall' was set up to allow mourners to pay their final respects.

The public was also given an opportunity to donate money to the Gray Area Foundation for the Arts, a special fund set up to benefit the victims' families, the Los Angeles Times reported.

'We are gathered here because we love you and we know we're all hurting,' said Evelyn Orantes, curator of public practice at the museum.
Federal officials have 'high confidence' that the American journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared while reporting in Syria in 2012, is still alive in the country.

Tice  a photojournalist and former Marine  disappeared while reporting near Damascus in August 2012.

White House hostage envoy James O'Brien told federal officials he has 'positive, yet cautious news' and there is 'high confidence that Austin is alive in Syria,'CNN reported.

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Austin Tice, a photojournalist and former Marine, disappeared while reporting near Damascus in August 2012

Tice was last pictured five weeks after he disappeared in 2012. He appeared in a 43-second video (pictured) in captivity being held by what his family has called an 'unusual group of apparent jihadists'

'Today's news should remind us that we cannot give up until we bring Austin Tice home,' said Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican of Texas, to CNN.

'I renew once again my call for his immediate release by his captors, and I strongly urge the current and future administration to continue to utilize all possible means to secure his safe return.'

Cornyn, who shared O'Brien's remarks, says he has met with Tice's parents, Marc and Debra.

'While this is certainly positive news, I can't help but think of his parents and what they have had to go through these last four years,' Cornyn told CNN.

Tice (pictured) is a freelance journalist who has filed copy for McClatchy News, the Washington Post, CBS, AFP, BBC and the Associated Press. He's the only American journalist in captivity in Syria

Tice's parents, Marc and Debra (pictured), have complained that the White House has released little to no information about their son's disappearance

Tice is a freelance journalist who has filed copy for McClatchy News, the Washington Post, CBS, AFP, BBC and the Associated Press.

The last time he was pictured was five weeks after he disappeared in 2012.

He appeared in a 43-second video in captivity being held by what his family has called an 'unusual group of apparent jihadists.'

The update on finding Tice were shared by Sen. John Cornyn (center), R-Texas, who added 'we cannot give up until we bring Austin Tice home'

Tice is the only American journalist being held captive in Syria, according to Reporters Without Borders.

His family has complained that the White House has released little to no information about their son's disappearance.
A British widower whose husband died while they were on their honeymoon in Australia has welcomed a change in the law that means their marriage will finally be recognised on his death certificate.

Marco Bulmer-Rizzi had been travelling around the country with his new husband David, 32, who died in Adelaide after falling down a flight of stairs and suffering severe head injuries.

But Mr Bulmer-Rizzi, from Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear, was not allowed to play any part in his husband's funeral after the authorities in South Australia did not recognise their same-sex marriage.

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British widower Marco Bulmer-Rizzi, left, whose husband David, right, died while they were on their honeymoon in Australia has welcomed a change in the law that means their marriage will finally be recognised on his death certificate

Mr Bulmer-Rizzi took to Facebook to praise the South Australian authorities for the new legislation

It even saw airport staff try to confiscate his huband's ashes when he tried to take them back to the UK.

Since then, Mr Bulmer-Rizzi has been campaigning for a change in the Australian law that would see his late husband's death certificate amended to reflect the fact that he was his husband.

And earlier this week, state authorities in South Australia approved new legislation, which will see overseas couples in same-sex marriages be recognised in law.

This means that Mr Bulmer's death certificate will no longer say he was 'never married' despite him tying the knot in Britain in 2015.

The victory for Mr Bulmer-Rizzi comes after he and his late husband had wed in June 2015 in London before setting off for Australia

And celebrating his successful campaign, his widower wrote on Facebook: 'Today is a good day for same sex couples in the state. Today is a good day for me.

'I get to change the last document that was ever issued for you David. And it will be a complete and honest reflection of who you were.'

And in a separate post he wrote: 'I haven't had one yet, but I am going to have a massive cry and a very large glass of champagne. Because somehow I came through it.

'I know for a fact David would be very proud of his social warrior penguin! I am also extraordinarily proud of myself. So if you want to pick up a glass and toast with me feel free!'

The new laws will also see same-sex couples in South Australia also be allowed to adopt a child.

Previously the state along with the Northern Territory were the only Australia jurisdictions where gay couple could not adopt.

The victory for Mr Bulmer-Rizzi comes after he and his late husband had wed in June 2015 in London before setting off for Australia.

David Bulmer, pictured, who died while on his honeymoon in Adelaide following a nasty fall, where he suffered severe head injuries

After several months of travelling around, Mr Bulmer suffered a nasty fall in Adelaide and subsquently died from his injuries.

Then followed a series of traumatic events that eventually saw the widower received an email from Australia's immigration department labelling his partner an overstayer - nearly four months after he died.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection said the agency had later written to Mr Bulmer-Rizzi to apologise for any distress caused by the email.

'The department will examine the circumstances of this case in an effort to identify ways to further improve its processes,' the spokesperson said.
Campaigners have said that Rupert Murdoch (pictured) should face a 'fit and proper person test'

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch should face a 'fit and proper person test' after he placed an 11.2billion bid to buy broadcaster Sky, campaigners have said.

The 85-year-old's 21st Century Fox made the offer to take full control of the company - which they already own 39 per cent of.

His latest takeover attempt comes five years after he was forced to step back as the phone-hacking scandal took hold.

The offer has sparked a major political row after former Labour leader Ed Miliband instantly called on Prime Minister Theresa May to refer the bid to Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

Politicians Vince Cable and Tom Watson have also criticised the move.

And now campaigners Hacked Off - who fight for a free and accountable press - have also said the bid needs to be checked by Ofcom.

Dr Evan Harris, Joint Executive Director, said: 'This bid ought to be checked by Ofcom, not only on competition grounds but on whether Rupert and James Murdoch continue to pass the "fit and proper person" test.

Former Labour leader Ed Miliband instantly called on Prime Minister Theresa May to refer the bid to Ofcom

Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson said the tests should be applied by Ofcom to see if the bid allows media plurality in the UK

'Given recent revelations around email deletions that have emerged in court papers, and the conviction of the Murdoch 'favourite' Mazher Mahmood, it is clear that that question can only be answered by the Leveson Phase 2 Inquiry which was established to get to the truth of precisely these matters.

'It is surely more than a coincidence that the Prime Minister's secret meeting in New York with Rupert Murdoch was followed swiftly by her attempt to cancel the Leveson Phase 2 Inquiry into the News Corp hacking cover-up, and then this takeover bid.'

John Whittingdale, former chair of the culture, media and sport committee, today said that Murdoch's bid - if successful - will see News Corporation 'consolidate' their control.

He told MailOnline: 'I expect Ofcom will advise on whether or not there are any grounds for concern.

'This is an increase from 39 per cent to 100 per cent. In some ways News Corporation already has control and it's really a question of consolidating that control.

'Ofcom needs to provide advice, let's wait and see (if there are any problems). If not, I would not see a problem with it.'

Murdoch, who was chairman of News Corporation from 1979 to 2013, was forced to pull out of a bid to take full control of Sky in 2011.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN MURDOCH'S BID TO TAKE OVER SKY? Once the deal is confirmed, culture secretary Karen Bradley will have 10 working days to decide whether she will issue a public interest intervention notice (PIIN). That will need to detail the concerns she has with the deal - she could raise concerns about whether Rupert Murdoch is a 'fit and proper' person, or highlight issues of competition. If she raises a PIIN, Ofcom will conduct an initial investigation within 20 days. If it has concerns, Ms Bradley will have to ask Fox to address any issues, and decide whether to accept what they suggest. A rejected compromise would send the bid to the Competition and Markets Authority for full review, which could take up to six months. After their scrutiny, Ms Bradley will have 30 days to block, approve or approve the deal with conditions. Many believe Ms Bradley will have to raise a PIIN because to do nothing could lead to accusations of bias. What happened in 2010? An investigation was launched the last time Rupert Murdoch's organisation wanted to take over Sky because News Corp, 21st Century Fox's then parent company, owned the Times and the Sun. Now, the newspaper assets and the film and television studios are two separate companies, meaning technically there are no longer concerns about media ownership in the UK. But, because both companies have the same owner, there may still be concerns raised. Can Europe intervene? In 2014 Sky took full control of Sky services in Germany, Austria and Italy in a 7billion deal, and in 2010, the European Commission gave the plans the go ahead. The pan-European deal is likely to make Fox hopeful that any concerns would be passed by the European Commission. Advertisement

Former Labour leader Ed Miliband was among the first to question whether the Murdoch bid for Sky was in the public interest

He urged the Prime Minister Theresa May to honour her words uttered on the Downing St steps

The decision followed a public outcry over journalistic practices after it was revealed that reporters at News of the World hacked the phone of murdered teenager Milly Dowler.

Liberal Democrat Vince Cable, who was Britain's business secretary at the time of Murdoch's first bid, told BBC radio the media tycoon's new takeover attempt would not be in the public interest.

Cable referred Murdoch's original bid to regulator Ofcom and said his latest offer should face the same scrutiny.

Liberal Democrat Vince Cable, who was Britain's business secretary at the time of Murdoch's first bid, said the new takeover attempt would not be in the public interest

That attempt to buy Sky through his News Corp business provoked uproar among some UK politicians, who said it would give the billionaire owner of The Sun and The Times newspapers too much control over Britain's media.

Cable said the issue was the same in 2016.

He said: 'This is yet again a threat to media plurality, choice, just as it was six years ago when I referred this to the competition authorities and it should be investigated.

'The ownership of the media, whether you're looking at press, radio, television is very highly concentrated and this makes it even more concentrated.'

It will be up to Karen Bradley, the Conservative government's culture, media and sport minister to decide whether the plurality situation has materially changed since 2010.

David Yelland, a former editor of Murdoch's Sun newspaper,said: 'Will the government really say he can't own more than 39 percent of it? I don't think so.
A man in his 30s has been found dead in a suburban Perth driveway.

Major Crime Squad detectives are investigating the death which occurred at Fitzgerald Road in Morley on Saturday.

A neighbour who wished to remain unnamed said he heard two men arguing about a woman before it turned physical.

A man in his 30s was found dead in a suburban Perth driveway on Saturday after an alleged argument with a friend turned physical (stock image)

'He was saying, 'you're my best mate, why are you doing this?',' he told Nine News.

'He said: "you're gonna learn a lesson tonight, you never bash females".'

The neighbour said the girlfriend tried to revive before paramedics arrived.

The man died at the scene.

Police are asking anyone with any information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The search for a missing Georgia girl is continuing as several woman come forward claiming her alleged abductor abused their children.

Calah Noel Waskow, who is 15, was last seen in Evans, Georgia, near Augusta, and is believed to have been kidnapped by Jason Arlis Johnson, the 37-year-old father of her best friend.

Police and family are so worried for the teenager that they have declared her to be in 'extreme danger' because her accused abductor is already wanted on child molestation charges, according to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

And Waskow's older brother, Jayson Wheatley, said three or four women have contacted the family on Facebook stating Johnson had abused their children.

'Different relationships that he's had. He had molested their daughter. One lady in particular she went to the sheriff's office and made a report but unfortunately there wasn't enough evidence for them to have a case,' he told ABC7.

'It's been three or four different ladies come forward on Facebook messaging and everything else stating he had done it to their children as well.'

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Calah Noel Waskow (left), was believed to have been abducted on Sunday by 37-year-old Jason Johnson (right), who is wanted for child molestation

Johnson was last seen in a tan 1998 Ford Crown Victoria with a South Carolina license tag number KVJ-240. It's thought he may have abducted the girl on Sunday.

The amber alert was originally issued in Georgia Thursday. Anyone with information is asked to call the Columbia County Sheriff's Office at 706-541-2800.

The amber alert was expanded to the neighboring state of South Carolina in hope of catching her abductor, but it was then cancelled for unknown reasons.

Columbia County Emergency Services Division director Pam Tucker posted this message

Video courtesy of WLTX:

Calah is described as a 'white female, 5'4' with blonde shoulder length hair'. It said Johnson is 'a 5'8', 175lb, white male'.

Johnson is wanted for aggravated child molestation, child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities had waited to activate an alert because they at first believed Calah was a runaway, according to a report from Fox 13.

So far there have been tips called in but there is still no sign of her or Johnson. But her parents are still continuing the search for their little girl.

'I've been to North Augusta, Downtown Augusta, to the suburbs, Evans,' said her dad, Rick Waskow to WRDW, 'Looking and searching.'

Johnson is wanted for aggravated child molestation, child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor

Her mother Nora Waskow discovered the girl wasn't in her room Monday and contacted the sheriff's office, WRDW reports.

Nora told the TV station: 'My daughter was friends with his daughter. That's how he I guess got introduced to my daughter.'

She has said the window screen was removed, with no signs of forced entry.

Pictured are Calah's parents, Nora and Rick Waskow

Nora discovered the girl wasn't in her room (pictured) Monday and contacted the sheriff's office

Deputies say Calah and her alleged abductor were seeing each other, and that the girl was taken from her Evans residence, the TV station reports.

Calah's father Rick Waskow told WRDW: 'I'm just antsy, I can't sit still, I can't wait. I've got to be active, I've got to do something. I want her home. We want her home.'

'We don't care if he drops her off at a gas station or shopping center. We just want to get this nightmare over with. Bring her home safe, bring her home today safe and sound. Don't hurt our baby.'
A signed letter from Muhammad Ali to Nelson Mandela offering his condolences on the death of an anti-apartheid leader will be sold at auction.

The letter, dated April 13, 1993, is typed and signed by Ali on letter-headed Muhammad Ali in South Africa stationery.

It was typed by the personal assistant to the general manager of the Elangeni Hotel in Durban where Ali was staying at the time.

Ali requested the letter typed to express his condolences to Mandela on the loss of Chris Hani, who was assassinated on April 10, 1993.

It will be sold at Henry Aldridge and Son in Devizes, Wiltshire, next Saturday and is expected to fetch between 6,000 and 8,000.

This is the 23-year-old letter that boxer Muhammad Ali had typed up to send to Nelson Mandela after the death of anti-apartheid leader Chris Hani in 1993

Mandela takes a fake jab at Ali at a dinner held in honour of the South African politician in New York in 2005. The champion boxer sent the letter to convey his condolences to Mandela

A letter signed by the personal assistant who typed it includes: 'Due to my nervous excitement about typing a letter of such historical importance I misspelt the name Muhammad replacing the last "a" with an "e".

'The letter was taken to Muhammad Ali and duly signed before someone noticed the error and returned it to me. I typed it again but kept the incorrect copy for posterity.'

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the letter was from one of the greatest sportsmen to one of the greatest men in history.

The letter contains a misspelling of Ali's first name. The personal secretary who wrote the letter mistakenly wrote it 'Muhammed' due to her 'nervous excitement about typing a letter of such historical importance'

'It is a truly iconic cross collectable and will appeal to collectors of Ali memorabilia as well as those who collect Nelson Mandela material, items relating to apartheid, political history and collectors of iconic memorabilia,' Mr Aldridge added.

'Muhammed Ali was only in South Africa for a short period in April 1993, arriving shortly after the assassination of Chris Hani on April 10.

'Hani was the chief of staff of Umkhonto We Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC). He was a fierce opponent of the apartheid government and was murdered by a far right extremist outside of his home in Boksburg.

Ali said in the letter to Mandela that his prayers go out to the family of Chris Hani (right), the anti-apartheid leader who was assassinated in 1993

'Against that backdrop Ali arrived in South Africa at a time when the country stood on the edge of a precipice with civil war a possibility.

'He attended Hani's farewell at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on April 19th 1993, when he appeared to the crowd, they chanted 'Ali! Ali!'.'

Mr Aldridge said Mandela kept a photograph of himself with Ali on his desk and his favourite book, in his later years, was an autographed copy of Ali's biography.

Ali, himself an activist, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984 and died on June 3, 2016, at the age of 74. He is pictured training in 1966

Mandela with Princess Diana in Cape Town in 1997. He was the key figure in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa

Winnie Mandela (left), wife of Nelson Mandela with anti-apartheid leader Chris Hani (right) in 1991




Hundreds of US troops will be sent to Syria to help liberate the ISIS-controlled city Raqqa, it has been announced.

An additional 200 troops are set to be dispatched to join the 300 US service personnel already involved in the mission.

They will support an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters battling to repel jihadists from the northern Syrian city.

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Fighters from the Kurdish-Arab alliance, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, prepare for an assault on the ISIS bastion of Raqqa today

The Syrian Democratic Forces alliance will be joined by an extra 200 US troops as they fight to liberate Raqqa

Raqqa, which had a pre-war population of 240,000, is the de facto capital of the self-styled caliphate IS declared across Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) officials said US soldiers would be 'on the front lines' of the push for the northern city.

The announcement came after US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter told a security forum in Bahrain that Washington was sending the additional troops to Syria.

Raqqa, which had a pre-war population of 240,000, is the de facto capital of the self-styled caliphate IS declared across Iraq and Syria in 2014

Fighters from the Kurdish-Arab alliance, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, have reclaimed around 270 square miles of territory from ISIS

These will include bomb disposal experts and trainers, as well as special forces personnel.

SDF spokesman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed said forces will 'begin phase two of the campaign, which aims to liberate territory west of Raqa and isolate the city'.

Ahmed said the SDF had captured 270 square miles of territory since it began its advance on the city on November 5.

The alliance has grown in size, with more than 1,500 local fighters joining forces with the SDF

SDF spokesman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed said forces will 'begin phase two of the campaign, which aims to liberate territory west of Raqa and isolate the city'

The alliance had also grown in size, he said, with more than 1,500 local fighters joining forces with the SDF after being 'trained and equipped by the international coalition'.

And he said the SDF's coordination with the US-led coalition will be 'stronger and more effective during the second phase of the campaign'.

SDF spokesman Talal Sello said: 'US forces were on the front lines of the first phase of this offensive, and one member of these forces was killed.

An additional 200 US troops will join SDF fighters on the front line in the battle for Raqqa

Backed by coalition air strikes, the SDF has been pushing south from areas near the Turkish border

'Their participation will be even more effective alongside our forces in the second phase.'

Backed by coalition air strikes, the SDF has been pushing south from areas near the Turkish border, seizing a string of villages and advancing to within 15 miles of the city.

The jihadist group still holds Al-Bab, to the west, and most of the city of Deir Ezzor, to the southeast.
A migrant stopped by Greek police shot and wounded officers before killing himself.

The man was questioned by a motorcycle patrol before opening fire on officers in central Athens, reports say.

He was found dead minutes later, from a head wound that is believed to be self-inflicted.

Pictured: A Greek policeman in plain clothes stands over the body of the man and his gun

Police have refused to say whether he was fatally wounded when officers returned fire.

The incident was sparked when officers asked for the man's papers. It is believed the migrant then drew a gun and fired, wounding an officer in the shoulder.

Just days before the shooting, EU bosses said they wanted Greece to take back asylum-seekers from mid-March.

Brussels hopes this will help restore the bloc's migration policies, which collapsed under a mass influx last year.

Under EU rules, the first country of entry is responsible for handling an asylum claim, but that system broke down last year in Greece, the main gateway to Europe for more than a million refugees and migrants.

Unable to cope, Greece let many of them pass through on their own to Germany and other wealthy EU states in defiance of the bloc's rules. That led countries along the route gradually to close their borders, stranding many in Greece, which struggled to offer them proper shelter.

The bloc's asylum policy and its zone of internal free travel both collapsed last year as an uncontrolled flow of migrants and refugees triggered bitter disputes between EU states on how to handle them.

Pictured: Detectives takes notes as they inspect the scene of the shooting in central Athens

These disputes remain unresolved and more than 62,000 people are still in Greece, even though an EU agreement with Turkey in March reduced the arrivals to a trickle.

The failure is in large part due to reluctance by EU states to take in people from Greece and Italy to help process their asylum requests and ease the burden on the two frontline states.

So far, fewer than 8,200 people have been moved from these two Mediterranean countries to other EU states under a plan that was supposed to cover 160,000 people and which expires next September. The Commission called on EU states to step up.
Eight years ago, Rob Manzanares was shocked to learn that the mother of his daughter gave birth to her prematurely and put her up for adoption without his knowledge or consent.

Now it appears that his long legal struggle is nearing its end.

A judge in Colorado has called for a hearing next month that will offer Manzanares an opportunity to win parental rights to his biological daughter, Kaia, CBS4 in Denver reported.

The judge, D. Brent Woods, signed the order in which he commended Manzanares for his 'epic' struggle to win the right to raise the child, according to Deseret News.

'But for the petitioner's tenacity, his efforts would have failed. That struggle should end now,' Woods' order states.

Rob Manzanares (left) and his daughter Kaia are seen in this undated photo. In 2008, Kaia was given up for adoption by her biological mother without Rob's knowledge or consent

In 2008, Kaia's biological mother gave her up for adoption to the girl's aunt and uncle (the mother's brother and sister-in-law).

The adoption procedures took place in Utah, where state law requires that just one parent needs to give consent for a child to be adopted.

Manzanares said that he was opposed to giving up Kaia for adoption.

To make matters worse, he was not even made aware that Kaia was born six weeks prematurely.

A Colorado judge ruled this month that the adoption was arranged deceitfully by the girl's mother and her brother and sister-in-law, who misled Rob

Manzanares will now have an opportunity to win primary custody of the girl when a Colorado court hears the case next month

'I thought, there is no way this could happen, this is America,' Manzanares said.

After Utah's Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that the adoption was illegal, Manzanares petitioned the courts in Colorado to establish paternity.

The judge agreed with Manzanares, writing in his December 2 decision that the girl's biological father had fallen victim to 'deception' by the mother, her brother, and her sister-in-law, all of whom 'deliberately' and 'intentionally' misled him in order to go through with the adoption.

The judge wrote that the scheme to deceive the father included 'the possibility of inducing labor early' so that he wouldn't know of his daughter's birth.

'I just could not believe that everything is going to go my direction and my daughter's going to come home,' Manzanares said.

'I'm just in shock.'

Manzanares' lawyer, Michael Cheroutes (left), said that his client showed a persistence that is rare by enduring an eight-year legal struggle and the attendant financial cost

'I want my daughter to have stability, to have a stable family and things in place for her to heal, so I want her to come home.'

Manzanares' lawyer, Michael Cheroutes, said that his client showed a persistence that is rare, proving his determination to raise his daughter despite the eight-year legal struggle and the attendant financial cost.

The courts will now hear arguments from both Manzanares and the mother over who will get primary custody, though Manzanares feels confident in his chances.

'I really hope we bring some light to this fight and really do what's right for children never give up,' he said.
Natalie Finn, 16, suffered cardiac arrest in October caused by emaciation due to denial of critical care

A 16-year-old girl from Iowa ended up dying from starvation after her parents allegedly tortured her and deprived of food, clothing and health care.

Natalie Finn from West Des Moines died October 24 from emaciation due to denial of critical care, according to the Polk County medical examiner's office.

Her mother, 42-year-old Nicole Marie Finn of West Des Moines, and father, 45-year-old Joseph Michael Finn II have both been charged with her death.

Both face charges of first-degree kidnapping, child endangerment causing serious injury and neglect of a dependent person. Nicole Finn was charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment causing death.

She is being held in Polk County Jail on a $2.1 million cash bond. Joseph Finn has a $1.5 million cash bond.

Her mother, 42-year-old Nicole Marie Finn of West Des Moines, and father, 45-year-old Joseph Michael Finn II of Urbandale, were charged Thursday in her death

The teenager had repeatedly asked neighbors for food and clothing in the months before her death in her West Des Moines house, pictured here

According to court documents, Nicole Finn killed her daughter 'intentionally, willfully, deliberately, with premeditation and malice aforethought.'

The Finns are accused of secretly confining Natalie and two of her siblings, a 14-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy, inside their small home in West Des Moines.

The pair are also are accused of using 'unreasonable force, torture or cruelty' to cause serious injury to the three children.

The children were deprived of food, clothing, shelter, health care or supervision, which caused 'substantial' physical, mental and emotional harm, according to the complaints. In Natalie's case, those actions caused her death, the complaint states.

Nicole Finnwas charged with one count of first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree kidnapping, one count of child endangerment resulting in death, three counts of child endangerment causing serious injury and three counts of neglect of a dependent person

Joseph Finn, was charged with three counts of first-degree kidnapping, three counts of child endangerment causing serious injury and three counts of neglect of a dependent person

In addition to the three children listed, the Finns also have two other children, the eldest of which is about to turn 23. The couple also have another 15-year-old.

Police only began investigating the family after the emergency services were called when Natalie was suffering cardiac arrest. She later died at a local hospital.

According to WBLZ Natalie was a student at Walnut Creek Campus school but had not been enrolled this year.

Described by neighbors as outgoing and sweet, they said they had little interaction with the Finn's children.

Concerns had been previously been aired about Natalie's well-being to the West Des Moines Police Department five months earlier after a neighbor told how the teenager would wear the same clothes for several days and smell.
Winter already has America in its grasp, but things will soon get even chillier as a series of cold waves wash over the central and eastern US in the next week, dragging temperatures below zero.

Residents from the northern and central plains to the Midwest - some of whom have already endured heavy snowfall - can expect temperatures to be 5F to 20F lower than this week, thanks to a major push of Arctic air.

'The air mass on the way for the middle of December is likely to be substantially colder, when compared to that of this past week and this weekend,' AccuWeather lead long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.

The news came the same day as the I-75 was shut down in Michigan after 40 cars and three semis were involved in a pile-up caused by icy conditions.

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Deep freeze: Blasts of Arctic air will push down across the northern and central plains and Midwest around the middle of next week, pushing temperatures 5-20 degrees lower

Pile-up: Icy conditions led to 40 cars and three semi trucks colliding on the northbound Interstate 75 near Holly Road in Michigan

Injuries: There have been no reports of fatalities, but several injuries have been reported. More incidents like this could occur as the cold blasts descend next week

North central states are likely to reach dangerously low temperatures thanks to windchill in the coming weeks, making the possibility of further crashes a terrfiying possibility.

Those in North Dakota and northern Minnesota - who have already spent the last week dealing with heavy snowfall - can expect highs at or slightly below zero.

And Chicago, which is currently 'enjoying' highs in the low 30s and saw its airport and roads shut down Wednesday, will find its highs dropping to the mid-teens.

What this means for those further south, however, won't be known until the start of next week.

The cold air could crash into the Deep South and I-95 corridor, or it may be held back a little - meaning that temperatures may be around the lowest points reached this weekend.

However, temperatures could still drop in the South later in the week, with Atlanta having highs in the 30s and the possibility of a freeze occurring on the Gulf Coast if clear skies and diminished winds prevail.

Crash: The I-75 crash saw the road shut down by police. Southbound lanes were also affected after rubberneckers caused other crashes, police said

Snow joke: Residents in the north - such as these people at Standing Rock, North Dakota - have already experienced huge amounts of snow, and more cold weather is now expected

And in the third week of December another blast may sweep across the northern plains and down to the South and East Coast states.

This weekend, more than 20 million Americans are under a winter weather warning, watch or advisory, according to CNN.

Those in northwestern states haven't been able to escape the bitter cold, however.

On Friday Seattle found itself under a rare one-to-three inches of snow, which it shared with other parts of Washington state.

That night, Washington state troopers announced that in the preceding 24 hours they had been called out to 113 collisions in King County alone.

A winter storm warning - with sleet, rain and snow expected - was issued for the area covering Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon.

Blizzards: Denver, Colorado (pictured), has already been hit with snow, and will only get colder. It's not known yet if the Arctic blast will make it all the way down to the Deep South, however

And in Portland, freezing rain led to power lines and trees being weighed down by ice and ultimately collapsing.

Portland Fire & Rescue tweeted Friday night that they were working to rescue between 75 and 100 people from a light rail train stopped by a high voltage power line down on the tracks. It was cleared by 10pm.

In total, the fire department was called to 378 emergencies between midnight Friday and 7.30pm, with more than 120 being related to power issues and falls on ice.

Three people died and 11 others were hurt following a pileup on a snow-slickened Interstate 96 near Lansing, Michigan Thursday.

And the Lake County sheriff's office said about 20 people were injured in a chain reaction crash Thursday in Ohio.

However, there may warmer days ahead for Christmas, AccuWeather says, as warmer Pacific air and the polar jet stream cutting across the Canadian border may conspire to keep the Arctic cold away from the whole of the US.

Don't expect crystal-clear blue skies, however - while the temperature might not be as blisteringly cold, there could still be rain, hail and snow.

There were massive pileups involving more than 50 vehicles in Michigan and Ohio which left three people dead and dozens injured on Thursday. Pictured is the I-96 near Lansing, where three died in a 40-car crash
An Upper East Side attorney is suing his socialite neighbor over her Christmas display, which he says plays non-stop holiday music including 700 to 800 renditions of 'Jingle Bells' per day.

Nick Wilder, who is representing himself, is seeking an injunction to force Lisa Maria Falcone to stop her Christmas music. Falcone is married to hedge fund billionaire Philip Falcone and the pair live across the street from Wilder.

The Christmas display, according to Wilder, plays holiday music on a loudspeaker from 7 am to midnight. 'I like a Christmas song on Christmas Day. But I'm tired of hearing "Jingle Bells" like 700 or 800 times a day,' Wilder told the New York Post.

Lawyer Nick Wilder (right) is suing his neighbor Lisa Maria Falcone (left) over her Christmas display, which he says plays holiday music for the better part of the day

The display (pictured) includes a deer and a stag as well as their two babies. The stag can be seen on video moving its mouth as if singing a version of 'Jingle Bells'

Also spotted on the building were these four polar bears, a couple of penguins and Santa Claus, who holds a screen displaying a countdown to Christmas

He accused Falcone of being 'a prima donna who thinks she can do anything she wants without consideration for anybody'.

Wilder, a litigator who once worked at the Manhattan District Attorney's office, believes Falcone would show some Christmas spirit if she complied.

A video published by the New York Post shows a part of the display with an animated stag moving its mouth as if to sing a version of 'Jingle Bells'.

Photos show other animal characters in front of the building, such as four polar bears and a pair of penguins, next to a Santa Claus holding a sign counting down the days until Christmas.

The display, according to Wilder, plays music for the better part of the day. He believes Falcone would show Christmas spirit if she complied with his demands
A university is set to compete in TV's University Challenge next year despite the students' union boycotting the show after accusing host Jeremy Paxman of making 'misogynistic and sexist' comments.

The students' union of the University of Reading said it would boycott the show after the alleged comments were made off air by the presenter. However, Mr Paxman said he was 'baffled' by the complaint which related to filming of the show in 2015.

He added: 'I have wracked my brains to discover what on earth the Reading students' union is on about.

Samantha Buzzard was upset by a supposed lewd innuendo in a comment that Mr Paxman insists was innocuous. The Reading University meteorology PhD student complained after Mr Paxman remarked that the knitted doll looked like him and, she claims, said 'please tell me' that she took it to bed with her

'I think they're 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.

'There was a technical fault which meant we had to interrupt the recording, leaving all of us sitting at our desks in the studio while the problem was sorted out in the control gallery.

'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 chairman's desk from the teams, I asked the whole team whether they took it to bed with them.

Mr Paxman added: 'I have wracked my brains to discover what on earth the Reading students' union is on about'

'Though no complaint was made at the time, this, apparently, is what has upset them.'

The student union voted 120 to 105 in favour of the boycott but university authorities said they would step in to make sure the institution was represented.

A university spokesman said: 'The students' union has asked us to step in and still enter a team - which we are happy to do. University Challenge is a national institution. We want our brightest and best students competing against the top universities in the UK in front of millions of viewers.

'We respect the union's right to step down from entering a team after 120 students voted to boycott the programme and 105 against. There are hundreds more students who want to take part.

'The biggest issue with University Challenge is the outrageous social media abuse and trolling of female contestants. It is not news there is a gender imbalance on University Challenge - Jeremy Paxman himself raised it last year.

The University of Reading is set to compete in TV's University Challenge next year despite the students' union boycotting the show after accusing host Jeremy Paxman of making 'misogynistic and sexist' comments

'The best way of combating prejudice and encouraging women to take part, is fronting up and entering a team, not avoiding the programme.

'The Students' Union has always managed our University Challenge entry to date. It has complained to the producers and it is for the programme to now address any issues raised, given it is more than a year ago.

'It's the first we've heard of any issue. We would have been happy to advise the students concerned, if it was raised with us.

'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.'

On Tuesday students battled it out in a mock version of the show for the right to represent the university in 2017 with five students chosen to play the BBC2 quiz.
The son of a local Tennessee sheriff's office employee and his friend had been playing with matches when they set off the devastating fire in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last week, it has been reported.

The teenagers, ages 15 and 17, were hiking the Chimney Tops trail on November 23 and tossing matches around the trail, sources told the Knoxville News Sentinel.

The fire they allegedly set off killed 14 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Two teenagers, ages 15 and 17, were hiking the Chimney Tops trail in Tennessee on November 23 and tossing matches on the ground, eventually setting off the devastating fire that destroyed thousands of homes in the area (pictured)

The twisted game allegedly set off the devastating fire that killed 14 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses (pictured)

The duo, now charged with aggravated arson, were identified after another hiker snapped a photo of the boys walking away from the area with a trail of smoke behind them

The 17-year-old boy is the son of an employee of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office

The duo, now charged with aggravated arson, were identified after another hiker snapped a photo of the boys walking away from the area  a trail of smoke behind them, the sources said.

The 17-year-old boy is the son of an employee of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, the News Sentinel reported.

Because of his age, prosecutors may argue in Juvenile Court to have the 17-year-old boy tried as an adult.

The 15-year-old boy may be tried as an adult only if he's charged with felony murder in connection with the fire deaths.

Currently, the boys are charged with aggravated arson for the November 23 fire.

Because of his age, prosecutors may argue in Juvenile Court to have the 17-year-old boy tried as an adult. The 15-year-old boy may be tried as an adult only if he's charged with felony murder in connection with the fire deaths

In this aerial photo, smoke is seen rising above Gatlinburg, Tennessee in late November, a day after a wildfire destroyed numerous homes and buildings

Smoke fills the air and surrounds businesses and resorts in the wake of a wildfire in downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Smoke continues to rise from the Alamo Steakhouse in Gatlinburg after it burned during deadly wildfires. Businesses have been in cleanup mode with many reopening Friday

The blaze spread on November 28, when hurricane-force winds hit the area, sending embers to lower elevations in the park.

That fire grew amid drought conditions and ultimately rode winds exceeding 87 miles per hour into the Gatlinburg area early last week.

Authorities have not yet announced a dollar amount on the damaged caused by the wildfire.

The investigation is ongoing and more charges could come.

Utility workers remove a tree that fell across a road while nearby homes smolder after the wildfire

Utility workers remove a tree that fell across a road while nearby homes smolder after the wildfire

Veronica Carney looks at the skyline from the remains of the home she grew up in. Carney flew in from Massachusetts to assist her parents, Richard T. Ramsey and Sue Ramsey who safely evacuated as a wildfire approached

Smoke billows from the remains of a home on the northern outskirts of Gatlinburg

The wildfires that killed 14 people and tore through Gatlinburg also stole an iconic venue from this city at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains, whose nickname is 'the wedding capital of the South.'

All that remains of Cupid's Chapel of Love is a heart-shaped pink sign with its name spelled out in Barbie-doll-style cursive lettering.

The white, log building with a green tin roof and waterfall around back hosted more than 20,000 weddings in more than two decades.

Some were quick, 15-minute 'let's get married this weekend' appointments.

Others were full ceremonies, renewals of vows and weddings built on family traditions that began when parents and grandparents eloped there.

The wildfires that killed 14 people and tore through Gatlinburg also stole an iconic venue from this city, nicknamed 'the wedding capital of the South': the Cupid's Chapel of Love (pictured)

The white, log building (pictured) with a green tin roof and waterfall around back hosted more than 20,000 weddings in more than two decades

Alongside 20 friends and family members, Cheryl Petty Moats and her husband Jim got married there in 2014. The couple from Hurricane, West Virginia, always rent a cabin nearby in Pigeon Forge for their anniversary and take pictures where they were married.

Moats cried when she saw photos of the rubble. It's uncertain whether the chapel will ever be rebuilt.

'You could just feel that it was a special place. There was a lot of love there,' she said.
vote will give Parliament a say on historic decision to leave the EU

Supreme Court judges are set to rule in favour of giving Parliament a say on the country leaving the EU.

Before the start of the four day hearing Brexiteers thought all judges would vote with the Remain side and grant power to Parliament to discuss Article 50.

But sources now think it will be a 7 to 4 split vote against the Government when the decision is announced next month.

Before the start of the four day hearing Brexiteers thought all judges (pictured) would vote with the Remain side and grant power to Parliament to discuss Article 50

Supreme Court judges (pictured) are set to rule in favour of giving Parliament a say on the country leaving the EU

The case is at the Supreme Court after the Government appealed a High Court ruling that meant ministers could not enact Article 50 - the formal process of leaving the EU - without Parliament's consent.

One source told the Telegraph: 'It is difficult to predict how the case is going to go but the thinking of those in the room is that there might be a sizeable minority who are with the Government.

'The understanding is that it is unlikely to be a slam dunk either way; even if a majority agree with Gina Miller there will be a sizeable minority who don't.'

Even if Article 50 is debated by MPs and peers in the House of Lords it is still expected to go through after Labour announced it would not block it.

And a slight win against the Government's wishes to push forward Article 50 without Parliament could put pro-European MPs and peers under pressure to allow the timetable to Brexit to continue.

Remain campaigner Gina Miller, a partner in an investment management firm, is leading the fight to give Parliament a say.

Earlier today Europhile lawyers launched new proceedings in Ireland that could pave the way for Britains departure being abandoned after the two-year formal exit process has been started.

Remain campaigner Gina Miller (pictured), a partner in an investment management firm, is leading the fight to give Parliament a say

The pro-EU campaigners will bypass the British courts as they believe the Irish judiciary will be more likely to refer the case to the European Court of Justice  putting key decisions on Britains withdrawal in the hands of judges in Luxembourg

The action could lead to more drawn out court battles that see the divorce proceedings tangled up in EU courts for longer than a year.

Jolyon Maugham QC, a barrister who is leading the legal bid, said he wanted to give voters the opportunity to change their minds.

He will challenge the governments claim that once Theresa May invokes the mechanism for leaving the EU, the Lisbon Treatys Article 50, that this cannot be stopped.

If EU judges rule the two-year process is reversible, it would mean MPs would have the power to halt the process further down the line.
Four people collapsed at Birmingham's famous German Christmas Market after using formerly legal high Black Mamba.

Paramedics rushed to the huge city centre market on Friday night after the group became unwell.

Paramedic Mike Duggan, who organises the Birmingham city centre treatment unit, tweeted: 'Non-stop already. Multiple collapses at the German Market due to people taking Black Mamba, a 'new psychoactive substance.

Paramedics rushed to the huge city centre market (pictured) on Friday night after the group became unwell

'Can honestly say after all these years I think that was the worst shift I've ever worked. It was stupidly busy and relentless.'

He told the Express and Star three people were initially taken hospital but paramedics had to later return to the market to deal with a fourth from the group.

He said: 'One went to hospital and the other three were at different stages and were left at the scene.

'A lot of people are regular users of the drug and we regularly attend them.

'What is the attraction really? There have been deaths around this drug and people with serious impairments.'

People who take Black Mamba can experience seizures, psychosis, loss of motor control and an irregular heartbeat.

The drug is a synthetic form of cannabis that was made illegal and classified as a Class B substance in February 2013.

The drug is a synthetic form of cannabis that was made illegal and classified as a Class B substance in February 2013

In the US several deaths have been attributed to the drug, which is made from dried plants sprayed with engineered chemicals.

Last year, it was reported that Black Mamba was becoming the drug of choice in Midland prisons as it cannot be picked up by routine drug tests and looks similiar to tobacco.

The drug is causing 'serious physical and mental health consequences', according to a report by the chief inspector of prisons.

The HMIP report added Midland prisons including Birmingham, Hewell and Oakwood were affected by the drug along with another 20 jails across the country.
Syrian forces are also battling to liberate the ISIS 'capital' of Raqqa

would be a huge symbolic gain for ISIS following months of losses

Islamic State jihadists have re-entered the ancient Syrian city of Palmrya just eight months after they were chased out by regime forces.

The jihadists have launched an offensive in recent days close to the town, which is on UNESCO's world heritage list.

The Syrian army was battling to keep them out of the city on Friday, after the rebel fighters first tested their defences on Thursday, but ISIS militants have managed to break through and regain part of the city.

The Syrian army was battling to keep ISIS out of Palmyra, while continuing in its attempts to force the terror group out of Raqqah

Ancient ruins are seen in Palmyra on March 27, 2016, after Syrian government troops recaptured the UNESCO world heritage site from Islamic State

Islamic State jihadists have re-entered the ancient Syrian city of Palmrya just eight months after they were chased out by regime forces

The anti-Isis Palmyra Coordination group, which is monitoring activity on the ground, said militants approached from 'more than one axis' on Saturday.

'Isis controls the northern and western north neighbourhoods of Palmyra,' the group said, adding that civilians were in a state of 'fright and fear' as battles raged.

The ISIS militants were also targeting the city's ancient citadel.

During the terror group's ten-month occupation of the city, home to a Unesco World Heritage site, ISIS destroyed a number of important historic monuments, smashing to pieces two 2,000-year-old temples.

Isis was driven out of Palmyra in March following a long Syrian army offensive backed by Russian air strikes

If ISIS manages to take back control of Palmyra, it will be a huge symbolic gain for the terror group, which has suffered losses recently across the region

If ISIS manages to take back control of Palmyra, it will be a huge symbolic gain following months of losses across Syria, Iraq and Libya.

Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said fierce fighting was continuing on the ground, while at the same time the Syrian airforce has launched air strikes against IS fighters, he said.

The Syrian army is now facing a battle on two fronts, as troops are already fighting to liberate the ISIS-controlled city of Raqqa.

American forces are sending an additional 200 troops to join the 300 US service personnel already involved in the mission.

Fighters from the Kurdish-Arab alliance, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, have reclaimed around 270 square miles of territory from ISIS in the fight to regain Raqqa

The alliance has grown in size, with more than 1,500 local fighters joining forces with the SDF

SDF spokesman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed said forces will 'begin phase two of the campaign, which aims to liberate territory west of Raqa and isolate the city'

They will support an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters battling to repel jihadists from the northern Syrian city.

Raqqa, which had a pre-war population of 240,000, is the de facto capital of the self-styled caliphate IS declared across Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) officials said US soldiers would be 'on the front lines' of the push for the northern city.

The announcement came after US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter told a security forum in Bahrain that Washington was sending the additional troops to Syria.

These will include bomb disposal experts and trainers, as well as special forces personnel.

An additional 200 US troops will join SDF fighters on the front line in the battle for Raqqa

Backed by coalition air strikes, the SDF has been pushing south from areas near the Turkish border

SDF spokesman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed said forces will 'begin phase two of the campaign, which aims to liberate territory west of Raqa and isolate the city'.

Ahmed said the SDF had captured 270 square miles of territory since it began its advance on the city on November 5.

The alliance had also grown in size, he said, with more than 1,500 local fighters joining forces with the SDF after being 'trained and equipped by the international coalition'.

And he said the SDF's coordination with the US-led coalition will be 'stronger and more effective during the second phase of the campaign'.

The Syrian Democratic Forces alliance will be joined by an extra 200 US troops as they fight to liberate Raqqa

Fighters from the Kurdish-Arab alliance, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, prepare for an assault on the ISIS bastion of Raqqa today

SDF spokesman Talal Sello said: 'US forces were on the front lines of the first phase of this offensive, and one member of these forces was killed.

'Their participation will be even more effective alongside our forces in the second phase.'

Backed by coalition air strikes, the SDF has been pushing south from areas near the Turkish border, seizing a string of villages and advancing to within 15 miles of the city.

The jihadist group still holds Al-Bab, to the west, and most of the city of Deir Ezzor, to the southeast.

Raqqa and Mosul, in Iraq, are the last major urban centres under IS control after the jihadists suffered a string of territorial losses in both countries over the past year.

Syrian troops are now having to concentrate on fighting for Palmyra as well as Raqqa.

Isis was driven out of Palmyra in March following a long Syrian army offensive backed by Russian air strikes.

However, the terror group retained territory elsewhere in the eastern Homs Governorate, from which ISIS was able to launch the counter-attack.

The Syrian regime controls most of the province but its troops are regularly attacked by ISIS insurgents.
An urgent warning has been issued for anyone who took Ecstasy in Manchester last night to seek medical attention after a teenager has been found dead after taking the drug

Police were called to The City Warehouse ApartHotel, in the city centre, at around 6.30am today after reports of a sudden death.

Inside they found the body of the teenager.

Police were called to The City Warehouse ApartHotel, in the city centre, at around 6.30am today after reports of a sudden death.

Greater Manchester Police are now concerned about any others who may have taken the pills and are encouraging them to seek urgent medical attention.

Superintendent Stephen Howard, of GMP's City of Manchester team, said: 'This is a tragic situation, the death of a young person is always devastating, but in these circumstances, it is all the more heart breaking. My thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.

'Sadly, we know it is very unlikely that the girl was the only person to have taken this drug last night.

'We are appealing to anyone who may have taken ecstasy, to get checked out. Even if you took it some hours ago, this pill will still be in your system and could be seriously harming your health.

'Anyone with any information about what happened or where this drug may have come from should contact police as soon as possible.'

Police were called to reports of a suspicious death and it is understood paramedics tried to resuscitate the teenager.
China flew a long-range bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons over the South China Sea in recent days, according to US officials.

The move appears to be Beijing's way of flexing its military muscles in a worrying show of force that officials in Washington say is a message to President-elect Donald Trump, Fox News reported on Friday.

For the first time since Trump upended decades of diplomatic protocol and spoke on the phone with the leader of Taiwan, China flew aircraft over an area that includes disputed islands which it claims as its own.

The flight route corresponded to the so-called 'Nine-Dash line,' the demarcation boundary used by China to mark a number of islands that are also claimed by neighboring countries, including Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

A Chinese H-6 bomber is seen above as it flies over southern Japan in October, 2013. US officials say an H-6 was escorted by Chinese fighter jets in a recent flight over South China Sea

The last time Chinese planes flew along the route was March 2015, US officials told Fox News.

During the most recent flight, the Chinese H-6 bomber was at times escorted by fighter jets.

The United States has taken issue with what it perceives as China's increasingly aggressive stance in the contested South China Sea.

Pentagon officials are also increasingly concerned over the latest intelligence which indicates that China is making preparations to station advanced surface-to-air missiles on some of these islands.

This was the first time that an H-6 bomber flew over the contested South China Sea area in over a year, Pentagon officials said

The flight route corresponded to the so-called 'Nine-Dash line', an unofficial demarcation line which China uses to lay claim to a number of disputed islands in South China Sea

US satellites have detected components for China's version of the SA-21 surface-to-air missile at the southeast port city of Jieyang.

Fox News reported in February that China had deployed sophisticated SAM systems to Woody Island, a disputed island that is also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

The US suspects that China is expanding its military reach into the South China Sea.

The latest military maneuvers are all the more disconcerting since they come against the backdrop of increasing tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Trump said on Thursday the United States needed to improve its relationship with China, which he criticized for its economic policies and failure to rein in North Korea.

US satellites have also detected components for China's version of the SA-21 surface-to-air missile at the southeast port city of Jieyang. An original Russian SA-21 is seen in this file photo

'One of the most important relationships we must improve, and we have to improve, is our relationship with China,' Trump told a rally in Iowa.

The United States and China are the world's two biggest economies.

'China is not a market economy,' he said. 'They haven't played by the rules, and I know it's time that they're going to start.'

Trump criticized China repeatedly during his presidential campaign and drew a diplomatic protest from Beijing last week after speaking by phone with President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, which China considers a wayward province.

It was the first such top-level contact with Taiwan by a US president-elect or president since President Jimmy Carter adopted a 'one-China' policy in 1979, recognizing only the Beijing government.

President-elect Donald Trump (left) accepted a congratulatory phone call from the Taiwanese leader, Tsai Ing-Wen (right), on Friday, sparking controversy over a breach of protocol

Trump kept up his criticism of Beijing during the rally, which was part of a 'thank you tour' to express gratitude to states that helped him win an upset victory over Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton last month.

'You have the massive theft of intellectual property, putting unfair taxes on our companies, not helping with the menace of North Korea like they should, and the at-will and massive devaluation of their currency and product dumping,' Trump said of China.
A Florida mother was arrested on on drunk-driving and manslaughter charges Saturday connected to an October crash that killed her two sons and injured her daughter.

Tonya Capallia-Eason, 33, was driving down Lonnie Crews Road in Fernandina Beach on October 22 when she crashed into a utility pole, police say.

The SUV overturned, killing eight-year-old Nehemiah Capallia-Bird and nine-year-old Nicholai Capallia and injuring five other children, aged 7-15, one of whom was the boys' sister, WZZM 13 reported.

Charged: Tonya Capallia-Eason, 33, has been charged with felony manslaughter and driving under the influence after the October crash that killed her sons and injured five other kids

Tragic: Sons Nehemiah, 8, and Nicholai, 9 (pictured above with sister Nina) were killed. Nina's father was given custody of her. She is now back in school

The mother was driving the seven children away from a Halloween party when the crash occurred, police said.

She failed to negotiate a curve causing her SUV to cross a lane, leave the road and hit a utility pole. The vehicle then continued on and flipped over on Line Road.

The boys' sister, seven-year-old Nina, was among the five injured children taken to hospital after the crash.

A report says that Capallia-Eason was wearing a seatbelt at the time, but it's not clear whether her children were also wearing belts.

Capallia-Eason admitted to having two drinks, two shots and three or four pudding shots at the party, authorities told WZZM affiliate WLTV.

One passenger claimed that people had tried to stop her from driving.

On Saturday she was charged with two felony counts of driving under the influence and manslaughter.

Locked up: Capallia-Eason is now being held in jail on a $500,000 bond

It wasn't immediately clear why she was not arrested in October. Florida Highway Patrol has been contacted for comment.

Newaygo County firefighter Andrew Bird, the father of the boys and their sister, was granted temporary custody of the surviving child shortly after the incident.

He was also granted custody of his sons' bodies.

Capallia-Eason is being held on $500,000 bond in Nassau County jail. Her daughter is now back in school.
Children as young as seven are to be taught in schools to stop using the terms 'boys' and 'girls'  in case they discriminate against transgender pupils.

A guidebook for teachers, parents and pupils to be sent to schools around Britain advises against using language that suggests there are only two genders. It also condemns saying 'ladies' and 'gents'.

Instead the book  described as 'damaging' by critics  offers a bewildering array of alternative terms to describe gender and sexuality. Children who think of themselves as being the gender with which they were born are described as 'cisgender'. Other terms offered include 'panromantic', 'intersex' and 'genderqueer'.

Controversial: Children as young as seven are to be taught in schools to stop using the terms 'boys' and 'girls'  in case they discriminate against transgender pupils (stock photo)

The book  Can I Tell You About Gender Diversity?  also features the use of hormone blockers by a fictional 12-year-old 'transitioning' from female to male in order to stop the onset of puberty. The treatment is controversially available to children on the NHS, as first revealed by The Mail on Sunday.

Billed by the publishers as 'the first book to explain medical transitioning for children aged seven and above', it is distributed by Educate & Celebrate, a Government-funded body that goes into primary and secondary schools to give lessons on 'gender diversity'.

The organisation received 200,000 of taxpayer-funding from former Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and is endorsed by Ofsted. Earlier this year, the watchdog described as 'innovative and visionary' their work educating staff and children on gender and sexuality.

But politicians and leading religious figures last night lambasted the advice to stop saying boys and girls as 'damaging'.

The book follows Kit, a 12-year-old who is transitioning from female to male, and features illustrations that may appeal to young readers, including one of a 'gender-neutral' unicorn whose genitals are masked with a star. A key passage from the book advises that the use of 'boys' and 'girls' excludes transgender children  and reinforces the idea that there are behavioural differences between the sexes.

Former Tory Party chairman Lord Tebbit said: 'I think it is damaging to children to introduce uncertainty into their minds.'

A guidebook for teachers, parents and pupils to be sent to schools around Britain

Sir Anthony Seldon, the former Master of Wellington College, said: 'We have to respect the feelings of everybody, including teachers and parents who want traditional modes followed.'

And the Bishop of Chester, the Right Reverend Peter Forster, added: 'This is likely to sow more confusion than clarity.'

As an alternative to using the terms 'boys' or 'girls', the book by C.J. Atkinson  a poet, academic and 'trans advocate'  suggests: 'It may instead be preferable to group students into classes, or houses, or pupils.' In another part of the book, Kit talks about his fictional school, explaining that when children in his class were split into groups they were divided by numbers or heights. Kit says: 'This meant that when we were asked to do something, I didn't feel that I was weird or different.'

Other labels in the book include 'transman', which describes a man who was born female but who identifies as male; 'transwoman', which indicates the opposite; and 'panromantic'  someone who has a 'romantic attraction towards people of all gender identities'.

The book will be released by publishers Jessica Kingsley next month. Educate & Celebrate, which holds hundreds of workshops in schools, will send copies to the 120 'best practice' schools with which it works. It expects hundreds more head teachers to buy the book.
New evidence has been made public against Tonya Harding in the 1994 clubbing of her fellow figure skater Nancy Kerrigan - including a handwritten note on the back of an envelope that investigators saw as the smoking gun in the case.

Kerrigan was famously clubbed in the knee just seven weeks before the 1994 Olympic Games after a practice session at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Investigators traced back the attack to Harding's ex-husband and bodyguard.

Harding at the time was also hoping to join the Olympics team and was Kerrigan's rival. Both made the team that year - Harding finished in 8th position (after interrupting her own performance and asking to start again due to a broken shoelace) while Kerrigan went home with a silver medal.

Never-before-seen evidence has emerged against Tonya Harding (pictured) in the 1994 clubbing of her fellow figure skater Nancy Kerrigan

One of the new pieces of evidence is a photo taken by investigators of Harding and her husband at the time, Jeff Gillooly, who later received a two-year prison sentence

Kerrigan (pictured) was famously clubbed in the knee just seven weeks before the 1994 Olympic Games after a practice session at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan

One of the most important pieces in the case against Harding is a handwritten note scrawled on the back of an envelope. Investigators believe Harding wrote it while planning a failed attack at the Tony Kent Arena, Kerrigan's training center in South Dennis, Massachusetts

Two months later, Harding pleaded guilty to hindering the investigation. She received a $160,000 fine, had to do 500 hours of community service, was placed on three years of probation and was barred from competing in figure skating for the rest of her life.

One of the new pieces of evidence revealed in Saturday's episode of 'Scandal Made Me Famous', published by People magazine, is a photo taken by investigators of Harding and her husband at the time, Jeff Gillooly. The two have since separated.

Investigators found that Gillooly and Harding's bodyguard had hired a man named Shane Stant to beat up Kerrigan. Stant was later sentenced to 18 months behind bars. Gillooly pleaded guilty to racketeering and received a two-year sentence.

One of the most important pieces in the case against Harding is a handwritten note scrawled at the back of an envelope. It includes the name and address of the Tony Kent Arena, Kerrigan's training center in South Dennis, Massachusetts.

Investigators believe Harding wrote the note and that a first attack had been planned at the venue, but failed.

Also included in the new evidence is a record kept by investigators of all the elements in the case, which mentions interviews with Hardin's bodyguard Shawn Eckardt. He later pleaded guilty to racketeering and received an 18-month prison sentence.

Also included in the new evidence is a record kept by investigators of all the elements in the case, which mentions interviews with Hardin's bodyguard Shawn Eckardt

Harding finished in 8th position in the 1994 Olympics after interrupting her own performance and asking to start again due to a broken shoelace (pictured)
Former US Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat who represented North Carolina, has been hospitalized after falling seriously ill, her family said.

Hagan was rushed to a Washington, D.C., hospital Thursday and was being treated in an intensive care unit.

Former US Sen. Kay Hagan (pictured), a Democrat who represented North Carolina, has been hospitalized after falling seriously ill, her family said.

Hagan was rushed to a Washington, D.C., hospital Thursday and was being treated in an intensive care unit

The ex-senator's brother, Joe Ruthven, said Hagan didn't have a heart attack and isn't in a coma.

He wouldn't give any further details.

'We don't want any miscommunication or overreaction,' Ruthventold The Lakeland Ledger.

Hagan, 63, was elected in 2008 and served one term before she was defeated by Republican Thom Tillis.

Hagan, 63, (pictured with Hillary Clinton in 2014) was elected in 2008 and served one term before she was defeated by Republican Thom Tillis

Her family said Hagan (pictured with Bill Clinton) is receiving the best possible medical care' and asked for privacy

A spokeswoman said she formerly lived in Lakeland but currently resides in Greensboro, North Carolina.

'Kay is receiving the best possible medical care,' the Hagan family said in a statement to the Associated Press.

It didn't give further details and asked for privacy.
The Duke of Manchester has announced his separation from his third wife after a bizarre Facebook post accusing her of violence.

Alexander Montagu, the 13th Duke of Manchester, claimed his American wife Laura had stabbed him with a kitchen knife and hired a someone to run him over.

His latest social media tirade comes five years after the 53-year-old was exposed as a bigamist in the High Court in London.

Alexander Montagu, the 13th Duke of Manchester, claimed his American wife Laura had stabbed him with a kitchen knife and hired a someone to run him over

The social media tirade (shown above) comes five years after the 53-year-old was exposed as a bigamist in the High Court in London

The aristocrat, nicknamed the 'Dodgy Duke' because of his scandalous past, was born in Australia but now lives in Las Vegas.

He is one of only 24 people outside the Royal Family to retain the title of Duke in the UK, inheriting the title in August 2002 following the death of his father.

He wrote on Facebook: My wife, who claims she loves me, slashed my thumb.'

He added: 'Laura Smith my wife and self have Seperated and are filing for Divorce Laura has gone Back to her maiden name and is no longer the Duchess of Manchester if she Attempts to use the title she will be COMITING FRAUD [sic]'.

The aristocrat, nicknamed the 'Dodgy Duke' because of his scandalous past, was born in Australia but now lives in Las Vegas

However, it has now been revealed that police investigating the incident arrested and charged him for making a false statement and he has been placed under house arrest until his trial.

Montagu spent most of his childhood in Australia - his mother was Australian - where he was later convicted of fraud and assault.

He is no stranger to controversy after the High Court ruled in 2011 that his children could inherit his estate and fortune.

This was despite his argument that his son and daughter should not benefit because his marriage to their mother, Ms Buford was void.

In August this year, the dissolute aristocrat was charged with burglary after being arrested in Las Vegas.

He married Australian model Marion Stoner in 1984, but the marriage only lasted months after he allegedly pointed a spear gun at her.

In 1985, he was convicted of fraud in Australia, serving nine months for obtaining money by deception and in 1991 he received another conviction for hiring a rental car in one state and selling it to another.

In 1985, the Duke (left and right) was convicted of fraud in Australia, serving nine months for obtaining money by deception

He was also deported from Canada after illegally entering the country and was also said to have falsely claimed to be 52nd in line to the throne and the second cousin of Princess Diana.

He married second wife Wendy Buford in 1993, but discovered in 1996 he wasn't divorced from his first wife.
An asylum seeker described as the very model of a modern Al Qaeda terrorist has been allowed to stay in Britain despite being jailed for plotting attacks in this country.

The sleeper agent jihadi  who The Mail on Sunday is banned from identifying  was about to be deported back to his native Jordan after his release from prison.

But Home Secretary Amber Rudd changed her mind after the mans lawyers argued that he would be tortured.

The sleeper agent jihadi  who The Mail on Sunday is banned from identifying  was about to be deported back to his native Jordan after his release from prison

The man was convicted of amassing terrorist materials, including bomb-making manuals, on his computer.

A jury heard that he created a list of targets such as nightclubs and airports, and was described by the trial judge as an Al Qaeda sleeper agent waiting to launch an atrocity in the UK.

He was jailed for nine years at Manchester Crown Court but was released after only five years.

The Home Office then ordered that the terrorist be deported to Jordan. Earlier this year he appealed against his deportation at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), a secret court that only hears cases involving foreign terrorists and others who pose a threat to national security.

But as the married father began his appeal, Mrs Rudd wrote to his lawyers, revealing she will no longer deport him.

Daniel Furner, a lawyer at Birnberg Peirce, who was acting for the man, told The Mail on Sunday: The Home Secretary decided not to deport him to Jordan in July this year because she accepted he would face a serious risk of torture.

The man has now been given restricted leave to remain, which means he has to apply every six months to have his stay extended.

ISIS' CHRISTMAS APPEAL: MUG A DRUNK AND SEND US THE CASH A notorious British jihadi fighting in Syria has called on Islamic State supporters to mug drunken revellers and send the money to the terror group. In a warped Christmas appeal, former Morrisons security guard Omar Hussain, 28, urged militants to steal money and mobile phones to fund global terrorism. In a rambling message using the mobile phone app Kik, Hussain  dubbed the Supermarket jihadi  says: The time of year is coming again where getting ghaneemah [war booty] from the kuffar [non-believers] couldnt b any easier. Christmas time the kuffar are loaded with money. Wait around the corner from a pub at night It only takes a few punches for a drunk kafir to fall unconscious. Take a few ikhwa [brothers] with u and u can rob him of all his things. From watches, jewellery, money, phone, jacket, etc. In a warped Christmas appeal, former Morrisons security guard Omar Hussain, 28, urged militants to steal money and mobile phones to fund global terrorism He says victims will not be able to call police because their mobile phones will have gone and they will also be too drunk to remember their assailants features. Hussain, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, had further exchanges on Kik with a Mail on Sunday reporter, who asked him if Raqqa  the terror groups de facto capital in Syria  was under siege from Kurdish fighters, as reported in the worlds media. Hussain said: Lol [laugh out loud] raqqa is not under siege. Where did u get that from? He said he was ready to become a martyr if Raqqa was attacked. Advertisement

However, SIAC ruled he cannot have refugee status  which would allow him to stay in Britain for life  on the grounds that he is a convicted terrorist. SIAC imposed an anonymity order that prevents this newspaper from naming him and also identifying at least four aliases he has used to rent properties, open bank accounts, and even get a job. We cannot even reveal the codename he was given to anonymise him during the deportation case.

The SIAC judgment, made public last week, said the man had used so many aliases that his real identify was still uncertain. Robin Tam QC, representing the Home Office, told the hearing that the terrorists connections with other jihadis and his use of aliases made him in many ways, the very model of a modern Al Qaeda terrorist  echoing the Major-Generals song in Gilbert and Sullivans The Pirates Of Penzance. The judgment said the man entered Britain in 2002 from Rotterdam, where he was sharing a flat with four other jihadis.

After he entered Britain with his wife in 2002, he gave immigration officials a false name and said he was from Iraq, producing a forged Iraqi birth certificate. He and his wife were allowed to stay in the UK and were placed in accommodation in the North of England.

He claimed up to 100,000 in benefits using his genuine passport, which he kept hidden from immigration officials. He also opened several bank accounts under different names and worked in higher education.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd changed her mind after the mans lawyers argued that he would be tortured

But in 2006, anti-terrorist police raided two properties that he and his family lived in, seizing two computers belonging to him that contained a vast library of terrorist material, including manuals to make car bombs. He had also been in contact with an Al Qaeda cell in Britain linked to Dhiren Barot, who was convicted of plotting to detonate a dirty bomb  containing radioactive material  on the London Underground in 2007.

At the trial of the anonymous terrorist, the judge said: Doubts remain as to who you really are and where you really come from. The only reasonable conclusion to be drawn is that you were a sleeper for some sort of terrorist organisation.
Apple's $159 AirPods created a huge amount of interest when they were revealed alongside the iPhone 7 earlier this year.

However, Apple fans hoping to snag a pair of the headphones are still waiting - and the latest rumours claim they won't go on sale in time for Christmas.

The Wall Street Journal says technical problems with getting both earphones to play music at the same time are the problem.

Scroll down for video

Apple's $159 AirPods created a huge amount of interest when they were revealed alongside the iPhone 7 earlier this year - but buyers will have to wait to get their hands on a pair.

Citing a 'person familiar with the development of the AirPod,' it claims Apple is struggling to ensure that both AirPods receive a Bluetooth signal simultaneously, something that would help them avoid sudden connection dropouts or out of sync audio.

'Apple must ensure that both earpieces receive audio at the same time to avoid distortion', the person familiar with their development said.

'That person said Apple also must resolve what happens when a user loses one of the earpieces or the battery dies.'

The microphone at the bottom of the AirPods worked well, except during exercise, when heaving breathing made commands difficult for Siri to understand

Apple has not commented on the delay.

'The early response to AirPods has been incredible,' an Apple spokesperson said earlier in the year, when the first delay was announced in September.

'We don't believe in shipping a product before it's ready, and we need a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers.'

Users hilariously mourned the end of the wired earphones, posted 'In Memorium' images on Twitter

Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, told the WSJ it was 'an absolute black eye that they missed the holidays.'

The AirPod delay is believed to be the firm's first launch postponement since its white iPhone 4 in 2010, when the firm blamed 'manufacturing challenges'

The wireless ear buds were scheduled to go on sale in late October and cost $159

Although users feel it will only be a matter of time before they lose the AirPods, Apple CEO Tim Cook says he 'never personally had one fall out since using them' and has used them on treadmills.

In an exclusive interview with Good Morning America, earlier this year, Tim Cook said it is the weight of the wires that pull the headphones out of people's ears, and by cutting the wires, the earbuds should now stay in place.

With the introduction of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple made one of the boldest moves smartphone design has seen in recent years - the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack.

The reason behind the decision, Apple executive Phil Schiller explained was 'the courage to move on and do something new that betters all of us.'

Cook spoke with Robin Roberts on ABC News' 'Good Morning America' about the concerns consumers might have about Apple's new AirPods.

'There's a little case that you put the Airpods in and magnetically they're sort of sucked down into the case,' he told Roberts.

AirPods (pictured right) resemble Apple's older white EarPods (pictured left) minus an attached cable, and connect to your iPhone using a form of Bluetooth technology

'The wires tend to help the ear bud fall out right because it applies weight on the earbuds.'

'By snipping the wires, I have never personally had one fall out since I have been using them.'

Roberts joked with Cook that a colleague was convinced he was going to lose the new headphones, something many people around the world have been saying.

'I've been on treadmills, walking, doing all the things you normally do,' Cook said, adding, 'You know how you walk around with the earbuds and they're constantly getting caught on something? You never have that problem.'

A report on abc also reports that the tech guru reveals he dances wearing them too.

The interview will air on Wednesday morning from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET.

The wireless ear buds are scheduled to go on sale in late October and cost $159, but Rhiannon Williams with MailOnline was given a sneak peek into the new world of Apple's wireless headphones.

AirPods resemble Apple's older white EarPods minus an attached cable.

They connect to your iPhone using a form of Bluetooth technology.

They work to a distance of around 10 metres from the paired device, meaning if you wander away any further, the connection will drop.

To pair them with an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac running the latest iOS 10, watchOS 3 or macOS Sierra software, open their small magnetic carry case close to the device and wait for a notification asking to connect.

Roberts joked with Cook that a colleague was convinced he was going to lose the new headphones, something many people around the world have been saying

WHAT DOES THE CHANGE MEAN FOR YOU? Owners of the iPhone 7 will not be able to directly connect any headphones with a traditional 3.5mm plug. If people want to use other wired headphones, they will need to use the Lightning 3.5mm adapter - which is included with the phone. The phone also comes with new Lightning earbuds, which plug into the charging port. However, this means that users can no longer listen to music while simultaneously charging their phone, unless they use separate charging dock. Apple has also introduced its wireless AirPod headphones, but these are not included with the phone, and cost $159 (159). Advertisement

Every time you remove the headphones from the case and pop them into your ear, they will connect automatically.

This is helpful if you're used to fiddling around with Bluetooth on other wireless headphones, ensuring they're forgotten by one device before you try to pair them with another in range.

If two compatible devices are near to the AirPods case, you can choose to connect to the earphones via the control centre on your iOS device and selecting 'AirPods'.

Slotting the headphones back into the case as music is playing will allow the track to keep going until you close the magnetic lid.

The AirPods charge through their case, which in turn is charged by a lightning connector, just as you would an iPhone.

Apple claims each AirPod has a battery life of roughly five hours, while we found an hour's worth of continual listening depletes the battery by about 16%.

Although users feel it will only be a matter of time before they lose the AirPods, Apple's CEO Tim Cook says he 'has never personally had one fall out since using them'. The tech tycoon suggests it is the wires connected to the earbuds that pull them out of people's ears

The case itself carries around 19 hours worth of power on a single charge, equating to around 24 hours battery, the company claims.

When the AirPods are not in your ears, they're not using battery power and will automatically recharge once slotted back into the case.

The pair use optical sensors and infra-red technology to sense when they've been removed from the wearer's ear.

Slotting the headphones back into the case as music is playing will allow the track is keep going until you close the magnetic lid. The case itself carries around 19 hours worth of power on a single charge, equating to around 24 hours battery juice, the company claims

Pulling one earphone out of your ears pauses your music, which resumes when inserted back.

If you remove both earphones, you'll need to manually press play to resume playback.

One unexpected downside of this is it makes it hard to tell if the volume of your music, podcast or video is noisy enough to disturb others around you.

Instead of the remote control embedded on the EarPods' wire, you can skip songs or adjust the volume by gently double-tapping on one of the rounded buds, which triggers Apple's digital assistant, Siri

Instead of the remote control embedded on the EarPods' wire, you can skip songs or adjust the volume by gently double-tapping on one of the rounded buds, which triggers Apple's digital assistant, Siri.

Speaking phrases including 'Resume playback', 'Skip song', or asking Siri to play a certain artist will draw up a selection of their popular tracks, and it smoothly recognised each of our requests - even more complicated demands like 'play the last song'.

The only scenario when Siri got slightly confused was when we asked it to 'start playing music', as it prefers 'start playing'.

IPHONE 7 AT A GLANCE - New gloss black and black colours - Faster A10 processor - iPhone 7 plus now has a wide angle and a telephoto lens - New Retina HD display is 25% brighter - Now water and dustproof - Home button has force feedback - Stereo speakers at top and bottom with double the volume of previous version - New wireless AirPod headphones available as an extra - No headphone socket - but adapter and lightning EarPods will be in every box - Boosted battery life Apple claims could add 2 hours Advertisement

Siri does tend to err on the side of caution: asking it to turn down the volume from 50 per cent caused the music to become almost inaudible.

The AirPods fit comfortably into the ear, and don't tend to need much readjustment once they're in.

The audio quality is excellent, and is surprisingly bassy and well-rounded.

We were also impressed at the sheer volume they were capable of - a song played at maximum volume through the AirPods sounded much louder than the included lightning connector EarPod pair.

The EarPod headphones bundled in with the phones have been given a makeover, and are significantly better at noise retention than the predecessors.

One point worth bearing in mind is the price.

At 159 in the UK and $159 in the US, the AirPods are undoubtedly expensive, but not ludicrously so when compared to other wireless headphones currently available at a similar quality.

The pair use optical sensors and infra-red technology to sense when they've been removed from the wearer's ear

Our key concern is how easy it would be to lose them.

Misplacing one or both of the little AirPods or their small case is not beyond the realms of possibility, especially as they aren't connected to each other with a wire the way that the majority of wireless headphones are.

However, this ultimately hinges on how careful you are with them.

One question on many people's minds following the Apple event was how likely the AirPods are to fall out of your ears whilst exercising.

We put this to the test by taking them on several runs on a variety of terrains, including flat pavement, grassy hills and steep cobbles.

We experienced no problems whatsoever in terms of the headphones working themselves loose or falling out, and found that they didn't skip or need to be twisted more deeply into the ear like others we've tried in the past.

We would welcome a set of small buttons on one or both of the AirPods' stems to skip or replay tracks and change the volume while exercising, as Siri voice commands are just not suitable during exercise

The audio was clear and loud, but we found it very difficult to skip tracks or change the volume via Siri.

Breathing heavily while exercising doesn't lend itself well to speaking commands, and we found it easier to change songs and adjust sound levels using a paired Apple Watch than on the AirPods themselves.

So while Siri commands work well in general environments, you might struggle with them whilst running or playing sports.

Overall, the audio standard and brilliant pairing and charging technologies make AirPods an attractive prospect for Apple fans with multiple other iOS, macOS or watchOS devices looking to invest in new wireless headphones for use across the entire product range
Its long been suspected that Jupiter once orbited a different path before reaching its current position roughly five astronomical units from the sun.

But, the timing of Jupiters formation and migration has eluded scientists.

Now, a rare class of meteorites known as CB chondrites suggests Jupiter sat somewhere near the asteroid belt at its current size about 5 million years after the first solid objects formed in the solar system.

Scroll down for video

Meteorites known as CB chondrites suggests Jupiter sat somewhere near the asteroid belt at its current size about 5 million years after the first solid objects formed in the solar system. X-ray elemental maps of the chondrites Hammadah al Hamra 237 and Isheyevo are pictured

THE GRAND TACK THEORY In the new models, the researchers included Jupiter near its present-day position. And, they used a formation and migration known as the Grand Tack, which suggests that the planet formed somewhere in the outer solar system and changed its distribution of mass as it accreted its thick atmosphere. This caused the planet to migrate, and move toward the sun. Then, when Saturn later formed, it pulled both planets back out to where they now are. Advertisement

CB chondrites are thought to have formed in the early solar system in the present-day asteroid belt, and slammed into each other at extreme speeds.

Computer simulations in the new study, published to the journal Science Advances, show that Jupiters gravity could have created the right conditions for such impacts.

We show that Jupiter would have stirred up the asteroid belt enough to produce the high-impact velocities necessary to form these CB chondrites, said lead researcher Brandon Johnson, a planetary scientist at Brown University.

These meteorites represent the first time the solar system felt the awesome power of Jupiter.

Chondrites are made up of tiny spheres of previously molten material, known as chondrules.

While chondrites are common, CB chondrites are among a rare subgroup.

The chondrules in other meteorites five us a range of different ages, Johnson said.

But those in the CB chondrites all date back to this brief period 5 million years after the first solar system solids.

Computer simulations in the new study, published to the journal Science Advances, show that Jupiters gravity could have created the right conditions for such impacts. Combined x-ray elemental maps in Mg (red), Ca (green) and Al (blue) of the chondrite Gujba are pictured

CB chondrites also contain metallic grains that appear to have been condensed directly from vaporized iron, the researcher explains.

Vaporizing iron requires really high-velocity impacts, Johnson said.

You need to have an impact speed of around 20 kilometers per second to even begin to vaporize iron, but traditional computer models of the early solar system only produce speeds of around 12 kilometers per second at the time when the CB chondrites were formed.

In the new models, the researchers included Jupiter near its present-day position.

The animation shows the growth of bodies in the inner solar system and the excitement caused by Jupiter's migration. Credit: Kevin Walsh Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)

And, they used a formation and migration known as the Grand Tack, which suggests that the planet formed somewhere in the outer solar system and changed its distribution of mass as it accreted its thick atmosphere.

This caused the planet to migrate, and move toward the sun.

Then, when Saturn later formed, it pulled both planets back out to where they now are.

When we include the Grand Tack in our model at the time the CB chondrites formed, we get a huge spike in impact velocities in the asteroid belt, said Kevin Walsh, of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado.

The speeds generated in our models are easily fast enough to explain the vaporized iron in CB chondrites.

Chondrites are made up of tiny spheres of previously molten material, known as chondrules. CB chondrites also contain metallic grains that appear to have been condensed directly from vaporized iron, the researcher explains

In the most extreme simulation, a 90-kilometer wide object slammed into a 300-km object at a speed of roughly 33 km per second.

This would have vaporized 30-60 percent of the larger bodys iron core, creating the necessary material for CB chondrites.

And, the researchers found that the increase in impact velocities would have been short lived, lasting just 500,000 years  which amounts to very little on the cosmic timescale.

Though their findings support the Grand Tack migration, they also note that other scenarios could still be on the table.

Regardless, they say theyve arrowed down the timing of Jupiters presence in the inner solar system.

In retrospect, it seems obvious that you would need something like Jupiter to stir the asteroid belt up this much, Johnson said.
With an inventory of three million property listings in 190 countries, Airbnb has revolutionised the travel accommodation market.

But the peer-to-peer website (airbnb.co.uk) is not content with that. It is now spreading its wings with the creation of Trips, to enable travellers to immerse themselves more fully in the communities they visit.

Where you stay (Homes) is just one element of what Trips offers. The others are insider recommendations from locals (Places) and, more interestingly, Experiences  activities designed and led by local hosts.

The majority pf Airbnb's Trips are multi-day activities, including discovering street art plus attending a spray-painting workshop in Tokyo, and ice-cream-tasting and making in Florence

About 500 experiences can be booked across 12 cities  Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Detroit, Havana, London, Paris, Florence, Nairobi, Cape Town, Tokyo and Seoul.

The majority are multi-day activities, including discovering street art plus attending a spray-painting workshop in Tokyo, and ice-cream-tasting and making in Florence. But some experiences are events or tours lasting just a few hours, such as attending a private music gig in LA, and having a workout session and picnic on a Cape Town beach.

The offerings are generally imaginative and enticing, especially if you want to venture off the beaten tourist path for an alternative insight into a destination.

Over the coming months, Airbnb will start offering experiences in a further 39 cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Rome and Prague. Crucially  and unlike with its property listings  the company is vetting experiences before displaying them.

Among the standards desired of an experience are that its something you wouldnt be able to discover on your own, that it offers an original perspective, and that you can participate (ie not just observe). All that will be tricky for Airbnb to monitor, so it will be interesting to see how rigorously these criteria are applied.

You can browse the experiences on offer by applying category filters, such as social impact, arts, fashion and sports. At present you need to use Airbnbs app rather than the website.

Over the coming months, Airbnb will start offering experiences in a further 39 cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Rome and Prague (pictured). Crucially  and unlike with its property listings  the company is vetting experiences before displaying them

The information given on each experience is usually detailed, covering information about the host, available dates, whats included, and guest requirements such as minimum age, fitness and skills.

Youll also find videos and, as with Airbnb homes listings, reviews from previous participants. And, as with an accommodation booking, Airbnb passes on payment to the host only on the day after the experience  a good protection.

Other options

Airbnb is not the only online platform where you can find and book activities and tours led by locals.

Trip4real (trip4real.com), which has just been acquired by Airbnb, focuses also on letting travellers participate in the daily life of locals. With the company based in Barcelona, the best choice of activities is in Spain  options include tapas bar crawls in Barcelona, an intriguing rooftops walking tour in Madrid, and learning about flamenco with a dancer in Malaga  though other European cities are covered.

Vayable (vayable.com) is a similar set-up, featuring rated and reviewed cultural experiences created and hosted by local insiders. In Paris, you could eat like a local, take a jogging tour or visit designer boutiques.

If youre after a high-quality local guide likely to be professionally qualified, ToursByLocals (toursbylocals.com) offers 1,850 guides in 150 countries. It carries out a rigorous screening process before signing up guides and says only one in ten gets through.

Lastly, you may be able to get residents to show you around their home town or neighbourhood for free. See on the Global Greeter Network (globalgreeternetwork.info) whether your next destination has a greeter programme of volunteer guides  more than 100 cities do, from Almaty to Zagreb.




The New Year is speeding towards us  and there are some fabulous events around to help you give it the welcome it deserves. Here Katie Rowe rounds up a few of the best.

Paint the toon red in Newcastle

NewcastleGatesheads Winter Festival culminates on December 31 with an eye-popping carnival procession.

Gather at Monument, where torch-bearers will lead a dazzling procession of otherworldly creatures, puppets and street bands down Northumberland Street.

NewcastleGatesheads Winter Festival culminates on December 31 with an eye-popping carnival procession

Gather at Monument, where torch-bearers will lead a dazzling procession of otherworldly creatures, puppets and street bands down Northumberland Street

Follow these weird and wonderful creatures to the Newcastle Civic Centre, where the parade will end with a bang courtesy of an early-evening firework display.

Continue the celebrations into the small hours along the citys Quayside, where bars and restaurants will be abuzz with parties, and the iconic River Tyne will be illuminated in explosions of colour for the Midnight Firework Display.

Pull on your glad rags in St Ives

Layer up with thermals and feather boas as you welcome in 2017 at one of the most unique New Years Eve events in the country.

The locals of St Ives are famous for throwing on their best fancy-dress garments every New Years Eve. Why not join them at one of many parties taking place in the towns bars and restaurants?

Follow a sea of embellished revellers down to the harbour half an hour or so before the clock strikes 12 to soak up the excitement as the countdown begins for an explosive fireworks display, before heading for a nightcap or two in one of many charming pubs overlooking the water.

Celebrate with a cockt-ale in Exeter

Head down to Exeters pretty waterfront for a free, family-friendly event that promises storytelling, face-painting and live music from 6pm to 10pm, followed by party music until midnight.

For adults, theres the Cockt-Ale festival in a heated marquee, or put on your pearls and cravats for a glitzy Great Gatsby-themed soiree at the Terrace. This chandelier-laden rooftop bar is pulling out all the stops with a live band, burlesque acts and DJs until 4am.

Welcome in 2017 at a Cumbrian distillery

What better way to see in the New Year than with an evening at a distillery perched near the dramatic setting of Bassenthwaite Lake?

What better way to see in the New Year than with an evening at a distillery perched near the dramatic setting of Bassenthwaite Lake?

The evening includes a guided tour of the Lakes Distillery, where youll go behind the scenes and learn the fascinating processes of whisky- and gin-making before sampling the finished products.

This is followed by a lavish four-course meal at the award-winning Bistro at the distillery, where you can choose from a menu of fine British produce, including aged Cumbrian fell-bred beef fillet from just outside Kendal and the distillerys Lakes Gin Ice Cream.




The snow is deep and crisp and even, the air thick with the smell of gingerbread. Christmas tree lights twinkle as children slide and skid on a frozen circle of ice and, when we finally meet the man in red, hes so darn believable, I find myself a little moist of eye at the magic of it all.

This glittering winter wonderland, where elves dance, Mother Christmas bakes and reindeer graze, does a fine impression of the North Pole. Except were just off the M3 in Berkshire.

For the past three years, Lapland UK has cloaked the towering Scots pines of Whitmoor Forest, near Ascot, in faux snow and transformed a pedestrian patch of woodland into, well, Father Christmass patch of woodland.

"This glittering winter wonderland, where elves dance, Mother Christmas bakes and reindeer graze, does a fine impression of the North Pole. Except were just off the M3 in Berkshire"

Its not hard to convince my two, Belle, five, and Cleo, two, that weve genuinely made it Chez Santa. Even the weather is convincing, sharp enough to tinge Rudolphs nose red.

The format is polished; theres an air of Disney swirling about the place. Until Christmas Eve, thousands of families will come here, but theres no queuing.

A luxury welcome tent sees visitors chaperoned in groups through the Enchanted Forest for a three-and-a-half hour experience that includes toy-making, icing gingerbread men in a cosy bake-house and skating on a proper ice rink.

Free time lets little ones pet huskies, post their December 25 wish-list and prepare for the crescendo; the all-important tete-a-tete with Old St Nick.

So, who goes? Mostly, it is the preserve of middle-class parents who like their Christmas free of neon lights and Slade songs, even if that means paying about 300 a family. Oh, and celebrities; the website carries glowing praise from Elton John, no less.

When bearded elf Sage, who might have stepped off the West End stage, asks the sea of children before us what theyd like to unwrap this year, hope offers one angelic soul, peace adds another.

"The format is polished; theres an air of Disney swirling about the place. Until Christmas Eve, thousands of families will come here, but theres no queuing"

"A luxury welcome tent sees visitors chaperoned in groups through the Enchanted Forest for a three-and-a-half hour experience that includes toy-making and icing gingerbread men"

Finally, my mischievous father-in-law booms: Presents! and Sage looks almost relieved, fearing a lean day in the pretty village shops that await us.

Reassuringly, raging consumerism is alive and well, and the tills chime along with the jaunty music. The Enchanted Forest operates on the currency of Elf Jingles where one Jingle is equivalent to a British pound; a small soft toy reindeer will set you back 15 of them, a hot chocolate four and a Russian-style fur hat 50.

With an early-morning slot, though, we find ourselves only needing tea (a reasonable two Jingles a cup) to sustain us.

The grandparents, who are Christmas-mad, are smitten. And the children are, for almost four hours, wide-eyed and mesmerised. Belle, my Bambi on ice, has to be dragged from the rink, begging for just ten more goes around.

Likewise, we have to liberate Cleo from the brace of ice-eyed huskies, who dont seem to mind that shes patted them 100 times already.

When our Father Christmas moment comes, we bypass a trio of reindeer, a vintage sleigh and a blacksmith bashing out shoes for Prancer, Dancer and co.

The Narnia-esque path gets narrower and finally an elf ushers us to the cute wooden chalet where Santa sits by a toasty fire.

His cheeks are rosy, his beard a mass of tumbling white curls and his belly rotund. He knows their names (ah, the power of email), he knows that Belle likes ballet and Cleo is crackers about swimming.

They are dumbstruck and forget to say thank you when he hands them two luxuriant husky dog toys. The grandparents glow, we dab our eyes. And we sing carols all the way home.
It might be hard to believe that there's a fence in Australia that's 3,500 miles long, but it's absolutely true.

It's just one of the incredible facts that appeared on an internet forum after the users were asked: 'What is a geography fact that blows your mind?'

Here MailOnline Travel highlights some of the incredible statistics and revelations that have been submitted.

Reddit users responded to the question 'What is a geography fact that blows your mind?' with a remarkable number of fascinating bits of information

Fact: Russia spans 11 time zones

From: Reddit user Whoop_me.

He said: 'At one end of Russia it could be seven in the morning and at the other it's six in the evening.'

Fact: Glaciers store roughly 75 per cent of the planet's fresh water.

From: Weep2d2.

Weep2d2 added: 'Ninety-nine per cent of those glaciers are in the Arctic and Antarctic.'

Glaciers, 99 per cent of which are in the Arctic and Antarctic, store roughly 75 per cent of the planet's fresh water

Xander_man added: 'Twenty per cent of all the non-frozen fresh water on the planet is located in a single lake in Russia, Lake Baikal.'

Fact: China encompasses five time zones, but is all one time zone

From: GoddessOfRoadAndSky.

China occupies five zones - technically - but only uses one

GoddessOfRoadAndSky added: 'This is in spite of the fact that its geography would normally encompass five time zones. Neighbouring countries of the eastern end could be enjoying lunch (12 noon), while neighbouring countries of the western end are just waking up (between 7am and 8am.)

'Yet, all across China, it is 10am no matter where you are (at that particular moment of the day.)'

Yourtypicalredidiot said: 'This represents the only time that I've ever thought of something as "geographically gangster".'

Fact: The Appalachian mountains used to be as tall as the Rockies but are shrinking... meanwhile the Himalayan mountains used to be the size of the Rockies and are growing

From: KidGrundle.

The user added: 'The Appalachian mountains were formed over 480million years ago. That is at least quadruple the millions of years that it took for the Rockies to form.

Astramancer _ added: 'The Appalachian mountains [in eastern North America] are also part of the same mountains as the Scottish Highlands. They've just moved apart since they were formed.'

Fact: There is a ranch in Texas (King's ranch) that is bigger than Rhode Island

From: Alex878.

He later edited his comment to add: 'Apparently there is a ranch in Australia that is eight times larger than Rhode Island.'

Anna Creek Station, in Australia, is the largest ranch in the country, and has an area of roughly 6,000,000 acres - which is slightly larger than Israel.

The Pacific Ocean is massive, it's essentially its own hemisphere. There are a few points where if you started in the Pacific Ocean, and travel directly through the centre of the earth (through the core), and popped out on the opposite side of the planet, you'd still be in the Pacific Ocean Reddit user DoWnhillll

Fact: If someone in Stamford, Connecticut, travels a straight line north, east, west, or south, the next state they will encounter will be New York

From: Le_Poor_Merit.

He added: 'This is, apparently, the only city in the United States with this geographic quirk.'

Fact: Australia is wider than the moon

From: Fizdup.

The moon's diameter is about 2,100 miles, while Australia's is about 2,485 miles.

Yen223 added: 'Australia has roughly the same population as Taiwan, but is 200 times bigger.'

This is true, and Taiwan is roughly 225 times smaller than Australia, but has about 850,000 more citizens.

Fact: Russia and the USA are about 2.5 miles away at their closest point

From: Amiteshk47.

The user is referring to the fact that the two nations are separated by the 53-mile wide Bering Strait, up by Alaska. This has an American island, Little Diomede, in it, and a Russian island, Big Diomede, which are only 2.5 miles apart.

Russia and the USA are about 2.5 miles away at their closest point

There is a 21-hour time difference between them.

Fact: The Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal is further west than the Pacific Entrance

From: Passing4Human.

Malefix123 explained why this is: 'Because it goes from north to south, not from east to west. The southern part of Central America is basically S-shaped, and Panama is right in the middle.'

Fact: There's a fence in Australia that is longer than the drive from Seattle to Miami

This fence in Australia is a staggering 3,500 miles long - and was made to protect sheep from dingoes

From: Darcys_beard.

Wavs101 said: 'And its main/only purpose is to keep wild dogs out of south east Australia.'

They are referring to the 'Dingo Fence', built in the 19th century, that stretches for an incredible 3,488 miles from Jimbour to the cliffs of the Nullarbor Plain.

It was designed to protect sheep in Queensland from dingoes and was declared a partial success.

Fact: There are 11 states in the US that are larger than the United Kingdom

From Back2bach.

AbyssalUnderlord added: 'I live in Michigan. Can confirm state is big. I can drive from Detroit for nine hours up through the Upper Peninsula and still be in Michigan.

'To put this into perspective, if I drove south I would pass through Indiana, Kentucky and get to Nashville in eight hours.'

Fact: The Vatican City is so small that it has more than two popes per sq km

From: Opaki22.

Halofreak 1171 jokingly added: 'That f*****g .27 pope is always ruining the day for the other two.'

They are referring to the fact that the Vatican is home to Pope Francis, and the former Pope, Pope Benedict XVI, who uses the title Pope Emeritus.

Fact: The Pacific Ocean is massive, it's essentially its own hemisphere. There's a few points where if you started in the Pacific Ocean, and travel directly through the centre of the earth (through the core), and popped out on the opposite side of the planet, you'd still be in the Pacific Ocean

From: DoWnhillll.

He later edited his comment to say: 'Maps usually split the Pacific Ocean, so it creates an illusion of it appearing smaller than what it is.'

Bdgr4ever added: 'However, the Pacific Ocean is shrinking while the Atlantic is getting wider! Just have to wait out a few hundred million years.'

Fact: It is possible to get from Norway to North Korea by land, going through only one country

From: Fedehola.

He is correct in pointing out that it's just one very long drive through Russia.
She's been keeping fans updated throughout her entire pregnancy.

And on Friday, Teresa Palmer took to her mummy blog to deliver one final post before welcoming her second son - whom she said was 'the size of a watermelon.'

'Last pregnancy update is here,' exclaimed the actress, who also mentioned that she was in the 39th week of a 40 week pregnancy.

'The size of a watermelon!' Teresa Palmer took to her pregnancy blog on Friday to write about her unborn watermelon-sized baby

'Just wanted to send my love, appreciation and gratitude to you all for joining me on this journey,' she continued.

She then explained that her baby was 'between 7-9lbs/3.1-4kg, the size of a watermelon!'

The actress added: 'I wont make any assumptions but Bodhi was 8lb at 38 + 6 and Im 40 + 2 today so we will see! Im guessing he will be bigger than 8lbs.'

'I wont make any assumptions but Bodhi was 8lb at 38 + 6 and Im 40 + 2 today so we will see! Im guessing he will be bigger than 8lbs,' wrote the blonde beauty

Teresa was noticeably absent from the AACTA awards in Sydney on Wednesday night, despite her starring role in Mel Gibsons smash-hit film Hacksaw Ridge.

But as the glitz and glamour of the awards show unfolded, the heavily pregnant star and her husband, Mark Webber, both shared Instagram snaps of her bulging baby bump from a more low-key locale.

The blonde beauty looked ready to pop in the pics, with her second child due any day.

'Ready to pop': Teresa looked lovingly at her burgeoning belly and son Bodhi Rain in a candid snap posted to Instagram on Wednesday

In Marks Instagram post Theresa stood before the camera cradling her ballooning stomach, in a pose reminiscent of Demi Moores iconic Vanity Fair cover shoot from 1991.

The star- who is known for keeping things carefree - looked au naturel in the pic, posing against a bush backdrop.

She wore a loose-fitting strapless floral dress, with her wavy blonde locks adding to the relaxed look.

'Magic': Teresa looked at one with the word as she cradled her baby bump and leaned back into the arms of son Bodhi Rain

American-born Mark, an actor and activist, and Teresa met in 2012 and married in Mexico in 2013. Son Bodhi Rain was born the following year.

At the same time, Teresa also took to social media to upload her own pregnancy pic.

In her snap, which was shot from above, Teresa sat barefoot and cross-legged on the floor, highlighting her bulging belly.

She closed her eyes, as Bodhi Rain leaned in from behind.

Contrast: The star's intimate pregnancy pics marked a contrast from the more glamorous looks Teresa sports on the red carpet

Wearing another loose-fitted tie-dye outfit, Theresa went makeup free.

She looked fresh faced and at one with the world.

Some magic here waiting for the littlest love to join our tribe. #40weekstoday, Teresa captioned her photo.
It seems that humanity's only chance for survival rests with Woody Harrelson.

The 55-year-old Texas native takes on the role of Colonel in the third installment in the movie series, titled War Of The Planet Of The Apes, which is set to hit theaters on July 14.

In the new official trailer, it seems the situation for humanity has gotten even more desperate since a man made disease killed off ninety-nine percent of humanity and resulted in the creation a population of hyper-intelligent apes and monkeys.

Reluctant hero? Woody Harrelson takes on the role of Colonel in the third installment in the movie series, titled War Of The Planet Of The Apes, which is set to hit theaters on July 14

The trailer begins with shots of Caeser, the chimpanzee leader of the apes, riding along a coastline with some compatriots and a small human girl.

In gritty voice over, Caeser says 'I did not start this war,' and 'I offered you peace.'

Shots of an intense firefight in a gloomy forest follow, with the battle apparently resulting in the capture of a team of human warriors.

More chaotic battle scenes lead to Caesar coming face-to-face with the intense Colonel in front of an impressive waterfall.

Regal: The trailer begins with shots of Caeser, the chimpanzee leader of the apes, riding along a coastline with some compatriots and a small human girl

Ominous: In gritty voice over, Caeser says 'I did not start this war,' and 'I offered you peace'

Ambush! Shots of an intense firefight in a gloomy forest follow, with the battle apparently resulting in the capture of a team of human warriors

Rivals: More chaotic battle scenes lead to Caesar coming face-to-face with the intense Colonel in front of an impressive waterfall

The next scene shows a human military base preparing for battle.

Colonel stands in front of his soldiers as he menacingly shaves his head, perhaps to differentiate himself even more from his hairy ape foe.

A horse chase and more ferocious battle scenes ensue, as the Colonel gives a speech in voice over.

Last hope: The next scene shows a human military base preparing for battle

Shiny: Colonel stands in front of his soldiers as he menacingly shaves his head, perhaps to differentiate himself even more from his hairy ape foe

Giddy up!A horse chase ensues, as the Colonel gives a speech in voice over

Total war: Humans bring mechanization to the battlefield

'All of human history has led to this moment, the irony is we created you and nature has been punishing us ever since. This is our last stand. And if we lose, it will be a planet of apes,' he warns.

Finally, Colonel and Caesar come face to face again, but this time Colonel seems to have the upper hand, as he puts a pistol to the chimpanzee's forehead.

Andy Serkis, 52, who specializes in motion capture and has also starred in films such as The Hobbit, will reprise his role as the inimitable Caesar.

This will be the third installment in the new Planet of the Ape series, which began with the reboot of the original 1960s film back in 2011.
Australia's most controversial reality show Married At First Sight will return next year with a crop of new singles ready to mingle.

And one contestant, who is featured as 'Australia's pickiest man' in a trailer for the show, has now been revealed as Perth male stripper, who is set to cause controversy as he insists he won't date a woman who weighs over 60kgs.

'Small ears, good teeth. Is physically active and likes to train and keeps fit, is motivated, eats healthy,' he says nonchalantly.

'Generally I'd like a girl that's shorter than me, especially if she has heels on. Under 60kg.'

Scroll down for video.

'Small ears, good teeth': Married At First Sight introduced 'Australia's pickiest man' in a promo trailer this week

Michael, who goes by the stage name 'Hollywood Stripper', will walk down the aisle with his mystery bride when the show returns in January next year.

He has already started making waves on social media after Married At First Sight released a trailer featuring Michael describing his ideal woman.

'Under 60kg': He has already started making waves on social media after Married At First Sight released a trailer featuring Michael describing his ideal woman.

He continued: 'I don't like that pretentious, fake look. I hate that. I don't mind fake boobs, fake boobs doesn't worry me in the least. Natural beauty, perfect. Exactly what I want.'

'Somebody who can wake up in the morning and not have to worry about makeup and all that kind of stuff. It doesn't interest me at all,'

He also claimed he would never date someone who was ugly or who already has children, and adamantly stated that he would never move away for love.

Adult performer: Meanwhile, Michael has maintained quite the reputation in the adult industry

Racy! According to his biography on Dreamgirlz Elite 's website, Michael's menu of services include topless and G-string waitering

Watch out ladies! He also performs 'full monty' strip shows, in which he strips down to his birthday suit

Star stripper! He has also stripped on live television, having performed at Channel Seven Perth's 2012 Telethon (pictured)

Meanwhile, Michael has maintained quite the reputation in the adult industry.

According to his biography on Dreamgirlz Elite's website, Michael's menu of services include topless and G-string waitering and 'full monty' strip shows.

He has also stripped on live television, having performed at Channel Seven Perth's 2012 Telethon and on channel 10 at Queensland Sexpo.

For a fee, he will also do themed performances involving costumes, including policeman, fireman, cowboy, pilot, SWAT and tradie get-ups.

He's not shy! He has also appeared on channel 10 during Queensland Sexpo

Oh dear! He isn't shy about sharing intimate snaps on social media

Dressing up to dress down: For a fee, he will also do themed performances involving costumes, including policeman, fireman, cowboy, pilot, SWAT and tradie get-ups




It's a hospital that has a very special place in his heart after his daughter Lily-Rose was successfully treated for renal failure there in 2007.

And on Friday, Johnny Depp morphed into his Pirates Of The Caribbean character Captain Jack Sparrow to visit sick kids in London's Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital for Christmas.

He suited up in his familiar tricorn hat that he wore over his red head band and long scraggy wig as he swaggered around the wards in his scruffy white shirt, black waistcoast, breeches and heavy leather boots.

Yo-ho-ho landlubbers: Johnny Depp morphed into his Pirates Of The Caribbean character Captain Jack Sparrow to visit London's Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital on Friday

Some of the younger children probably had no idea who he was and might have appreciated a visit from Santa Claus more.

But the teenagers certainly recognised the 53-year-old Hollywood star.

GOSH posted one snap on its Instagram page from user eithnem, who captioned it: 'This is actual Johnny Depp. Just came in to the hospital. I'm so confused.'

Another shot from frankislove, showed Johnny holding a toddler. She captioned it: 'Yes folks that is indeed Johnny Depp with my lovely niece!!

Pirate hostage: An Instagram snap shot from frankislove, showed Johnny holding a toddler that she captioned, 'Yes folks that is indeed Johnny Depp with my lovely niece!!'

Quite a surprise: Instagram user eithnem posted this snap saying, 'This is actual Johnny Depp. Just came in to the hospital. I'm so confused'

Hanging with the captain: The 53-year-old attempted to recruit the teenager for service on his ship The Black Pearl

'One of the few upsides of being stuck in Great Ormond St for Xmas is you get some pretty awesome visitors.'

Johnny spoke about his Christmas visits to GOSH on UK channel BBC One's The Graham Norton Show last December, saying: 'For me its a gift. They give me the gift.'

He added: 'When my daughter was ill in Great Ormond Street, it was the darkest period of my life. Id always done these visits but after that experience the visits became more and more important.

Healthy teenager: After surviving renal failure in 2007, 17-year-old Lily-Rose is now a model, seen here walking for Chanel in Paris on Tuesday

Eclectic outfit: Johnny somehow merged rocker style with his pirate look for the Classic Rock Awards in Tokyo, Japan last month

'The kids are so courageous but to be able to bring a smile or a giggle to the parents means everything in the world to me.'

Johnny shares Lily-Rose, a 17-year-old model and 14-year-old son, Jack, with his ex-love Vanessa Paradis.

The actor will reprise his role at Captain Jack in Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, due out May 26.

Meanwhile, GOSH was visited by Shrek, Princess Fiona and Puss In Boots on Wednesday.

More high-profile visitors: GOSH also shared this snap of Shrek, Princess Fiona and Puss In Boots who popped in on Wednesday
She's the inspirational woman who was forced to battle cancer after giving birth to her first child.

And now breast cancer survivor Sally Obermeder is breathlessly awaiting the birth of her second child, who she is having via a surrogate in the United States.

In an Instagram post on Friday, the Channel Seven presenter revealed how her wait stateside has been made easier thanks to the 'kindness of strangers'.

Scroll down for video

'The kindness of strangers leaves me speechless': On Friday, Sally Obermeder revealed a Christmas surprise as the birth of her second child via surrogate is delayed in the United States

The 43-year-old explained how the birth had been delayed - meaning Sally and family will have to stay in a US hotel over Christmas.

The news upset her young daughter, Annabelle, who was already homesick.

'Sometimes the kindness of strangers leaves me speechless. So heres what happened. We have been staying in this gorgeous hotel for 10 days now. We thought by now the baby would have come and wed be gone, but that hasnt happened. Annabelle is homesick and missing her room, her routine and everything she knows. I broke the bad news to her that wed most likely be here now for xmas too. Tears. Endless tears,' Sally wrote.

White Christmas? The 43-year-old is currently in the United States awaiting the birth of her second child

Survivor: The Channel Seven TV personality beat breast cancer in 2012 after having to delay treatment during her first pregnancy

The smoothie recipe writer then explained how an Australian hotel worker had put together a surprise to make their stay better.

'I mentioned in passing to a hotel staff member that well be here for xmas and Annabelle is a bit bummed. The next day while we were out they put up this amazing xmas tree in our room - totally decorated it and you could have heard Annabelle squeal with delight 4 states away. Our room feels like a mini home and she hasnt stopped smiling. In addition they have so kindly loaned her a pet goldfish so she has a pet while shes here. Over and above. I was speechless,' Sally said.

Sally's decision to have a second child via surrogate comes after her well-publicised battle with breast cancer.

Becoming a mum for the second time: In July Sally announced she would be having a second child

After struggling for years to conceive, the author found out she had stage three breast cancer the day before giving birth.

After her daughter Annabelle's birth in December 2011, the new mother began chemotherapy, telling News Corp she wouldn't let the disease beat her.

'I'm fighting and I know I'll get through to the other side. There are days that are tough and I cry but I don't tell myself not to,' she said.

'I have a good sob and then it's okay, it's time to get up and just keep going. Failure's not an option.'

'Failure's not an option': Sally bravely declared she wouldn't let the diagnosis beat her in 2011

Sally was declared cancer free in 2012 and announced in July this year that she was having a second child via a surrogate.

'Yes, it's true,' Sally wrote on Instagram.

'Thrilled to bits to share that @marcusobermeder and I are adding to our family thanks to the most incredible surrogate.'
An eighth season of Showtime's hit Shameless is stalled due to a pay dispute between Emmy Rossum and Warner Bros. Television that produces the dramedy.

That's according to The Hollywood Reporter quoting 'multiple sources' Friday.

Rossum, 30, whose character Fiona has become increasingly more prominent in the series, wants parity with co-star William H. Macy who's consistently been paid more than her, and is actually asking for a higher salary than the actor for season eight to make up for being paid less over multiple seasons.

Wants parity: Emmy Rossum is reported to be locked in a pay showdown with Warner Bros. Television as she demands more money to return for eighth season of Showtime's Shameless

Macy, 66, stars as drug and alcohol addict Frank Gallagher and Rossum is the eldest daughter who steps up to take care of her five siblings.

The movie and television actor recently renegotiated his deal with Warner Bros. Television and was given a raise, THR.com reported.

He has always been paid more than the rest of the cast due to his high profile career that included a recurring role on TV's E.R. in its heyday and Oscar nomination for the movie Fargo.

Dispute: The actress, 30, is said to want equal pay with co-star William H. Macy and is asking for a higher salary to make up for being paid less over multiple seasons of the hit dramedy

Warner Bros. TV and Showtime have not commented publicly on the trade's story.

Sources told THR.com that if Rossum doesn't secure a deal, Showtime could choose to renew the show without her or cancel it.

Shameless, along with Homeland, ranks as Showtime's longest-running scripted original.

In 2017, the premium cable network will add a number of other high profile scripted rams to its lineup including the Twin Peaks reboot, Purity starring Daniel Craig and Idris Elba in the miniseries Guerrilla.
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A glass of vodka, cake with his bust and 150 friends and family helped Kirk Douglas celebrate his 100th birthday.

Kirk's son Michael Douglas, 72, and his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, 47, wanted to ensure that Kirk's was one for the ages when they joined him for a bash at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Friday evening.

The Lust for Life star looked over the moon when his son Michael and Catherine each flanked him and planted some big smooches on either side of his head.

Scroll down for video

Pucker up! It seems Michael Douglas, 72, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, 47, wanted to ensure that Kirk's 100th birthday was one for the ages when they joined him for a festive bash at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Friday evening

All together: Grandchildren Dylan Michael Douglas, 16, and Carys Zeta Douglas, 13, took positions next to their parents for one heartwarming snap

Kirk looked out onto the crowd of 150 family and friends and thanked everyone for coming

Of course, he may have just been excited to try some of the opulent birthday cake, which was situated between himself and wife Anne Buydens Douglas, 97.

Catherine stepped in to help cut the work of art, which was a multi-tiered affair which also featured a gold bust of the famous actor.

Later, different combinations of family members took pictures with the newly-minted centenarian.

Grandchildren Dylan Michael Douglas, 16, and Carys Zeta Douglas, 13, took positions next to their parents for one heartwarming snap.

Smile! Most of the family was on hand for the event, including granddaughter Kelsey Douglas, 24

Time to celebrate! At the beginning of the evening, Kirk Douglas looked out over the crowd of about 150 people, including Don Rickles, Jeffrey Katzenberg, his Rabbi and many of his closest friends and smiled

Father and son: 'One of the things that I find most incredible about dad is the third act of his life,' said Michael

Jeffrey Katzenberg, left, kisses Kirk Douglas after giving a tribute to Douglas at his 100th birthday party

At the beginning of the evening, Kirk looked out over the crowd of about 150 people, including Don Rickles, Jeffrey Katzenberg, his Rabbi and many of his closest friends and smiled.

Not only was he surrounded by friendly faces, he knew, as promised by his doctor years ago, that if he lived to 100, he would get to have a glass of vodka.

But before the vodka was presented in a comically large martini glass, Kirk Douglas got to sit and listen to words from his loved ones as images from his many classic film credits such as Spartacus, Lust for Life, Paths of Glory and others played on a screen behind him.

Michael kicked off the proceedings, saying that it's not just about age, but about the life he's lived and what he's accomplished.

'One of the things that I find most incredible about dad is the third act of his life,' said Michael.

'After all he accomplished in his professional career and what he's given for his country, at the point in his life where he's faced adversity, losing a son, having a helicopter crash, having a stroke, and what he's accomplished in this third act in his life, I find quite extraordinary.'

He's golden: Catherine stepped in to help cut the work of art, which was a multi-tiered affair which also featured a gold bust of the famous actor

'I'm so glad there's not 100!' Catherine exclaimed, before leading the room to sing 'Happy Birthday' with a string quartet accompaniment

Kirk Douglas kept his remarks brief.

'I wonder who he was talking about? He said some nice things about someone I don't know,' Kirk said, joking that Michael Douglas was chosen to organize the proceedings because 'he has the most money.'

Kirk Douglas also thanked everyone for coming and marveled at seeing most of his family in the crowd.

Zeta-Jones then lit the 12 candles on the cake.

'I'm so glad there's not 100!' she exclaimed, before leading the room to sing 'Happy Birthday' with a string quartet accompaniment.

Not only was he surrounded by friendly faces, he knew, as promised by his doctor years ago, that if he lived to 100, he would have a glass of vodka

Is it edible? Kirk's cake featured a bust planted on top of several tiers of cake garnished with gold leaf

Perfect pair: Michael Douglas and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones looked to be enjoying themselves

Tear-jerking: Catherine lead the room to sing 'Happy Birthday' with a string quartet accompaniment

Kirk is seen arriving at the party with his daughter-in-law Catherine Zeta-Jones, second from right, and her daughter Carys

It was only the start of the afternoon, which included remarks from a few of his seven grandchildren, his Rabbi and his doctor. Charley King's Bluebell Events oversaw the afternoon tea where each table was designated not by numbers but by Kirk's films. The birthday boy was seated at the 'Lonely Are the Brave' table, which is his favorite film.

Don Rickles lightened the reverent and respectful mood, quipping to the crowd from his seat that he wanted to go home.

He poked fun at Kirk Douglas's good looks and physique saying that he had to hear the 'I'm Spartacus crap' every day, and how Burt Lancaster used to advise him that Kirk Douglas 'doesn't know what he's talking about.'

Iconic: Kirk played Spartacus in the 1960 film of the same name, seen left, which went on to win four Oscars. He is seen right in the 1956 movie Lust for life

Rickles did get a bit choked up by the end.

'You are an outstanding man because you've been blessed with warmth and love and class, and ... ah, forget it, you're all of that and more,' He said. 'May god give you strength and may you be with us for 100 more. If that's his wish, so be it, if not, I know in heaven you'll be in charge.'

Of course The Lust for Life star looked like his classic, dapper self for the party in a dark brown plaid blazer with wood buttons, pressed slacks and black oxfords.

A dash of color was provided by a pale pink button down, which he kept open at the neck.

Of course it wouldn't be much of a celebration without his famous son Michael, 72, in attendance.

Big day: Kirk cut a dapper image as he headed out with family and friends on Friday to celebrate his 100th birthday

Cool casual: Kirk wore a dash of color in a pale pink button down, which he kept open at the neck and his wife Anne Buydens, 97, looked great as she was helped into a vehicle

The Basic Instinct actor was spotted as he arrived at LAX on Thursday evening, presumably to join the family for the festivities.

Catherine Zeta-Jones' husband also looked well put together in a slate grey blazer, matching trousers and his own black Oxfords.

A woolly scarf with a slight fringe helped ward off the winter chill, while he also donned a grey ball cap for the trip.

Interestingly, the Hollywood superstar seemed to be handling his own luggage as he made his way to his transportation.

Turning 100 hasn't been all fun for Kirk unfortunately, as he recently admitted to feeling 'lonely.'

Speaking to Variety magazine, the 'Spartacus' star said, 'I am now 100 years old. I read about Hollywood, and I don't know the people. Where is Burt [Lancaster]? Where is Laurence Olivier? They're all gone. I miss them. I feel lonely.'

Hollywood's golden age: Kirk Douglas, 100, who is hailed as the last of Hollywood's golden age, says he feels 'lonely' now that all his actor friends are gone

Olivier passed away at the age of 82, and Lancaster at 80.

The actors were Douglas' co-stars for many films, such as The Devil's Disciple.

Lancaster was known for his role in From Here to Eternity and Judgment at Nuremberg, while the English actor Olivier found fame after his role in Spartacus.

They're all gone: Lancaster was known for his role in From Here to Eternity and Judgment at Nuremberg, while the English actor Olivier found fame after his role in Spartacus

Life for the Champion actor - who is often hailed as one of the last remaining survivors of the golden age of film - hasn't been easy though, as he was previously involved in a helicopter crash in 1991, which killed two people and left him with a compressed spine.

Douglas now must use a walker for assistance when walking.

The star also suffered from a stroke in 1996, which resulted in debilitated speech.

Variety reports that Kirk interrupted the interview to apologize for his slow manner of speaking, when he said, 'I hope you understand me, because I used to talk better than this.'

'I feel lonely': Douglas admitted that he feels lonely without old Hollywood friends Burt Lancaster and Sir Laurence Olivier, pictured above along with Janette Scott in 1958 on the set of The Devil's Disciple

Ageless love: Kirk and his 97-year-old wife Anne Buydens will celebrate their 63rd wedding anniversary next year

In an interview in 2011, the Paths of Glory actor said that he doesn't 'think about death' and instead was focusing his energy on 'writing.'

He said at the time, 'I don't think about death, I think about life. Since my stroke interfered with my speech I find myself writing more.'

And the Lonely Are the Brave star still isn't planning on giving up any time soon, as he says he'll do another milestone interview 'when I'm 200'.

'I didn't realize when I reached 100 years old I would be doing interviews. I thought by now I would relax, and I'm doing more interviews than I used to,' he said with mock annoyance.

'But I think now it's time for me to relax. We're doing this again when I'm 200.'

Icon: Douglas' career in Hollywood spanned seven decades. He's pictured in 1958
She has been dedicating her time to raising funds and awareness for Pancare Australia since her mother died from pancreatic cancer.

And The Bachelorette's Georgia Love, 27, unveiled her latest philanthropic project with a sneak-peek Instagram post on Friday.

In the image, the pretty brunette is seen sitting at a desk in front of paper emblazoned with large quotes written in different typographic fonts.

'Hard at work thinking up "bright" ideas with the #damselflyofficial team': The Bachelorette's Georgia Love, 27, unveiled her latest philanthropic project with a sneak-peek Instagram post on Friday

'This is my creative concentration face, hard at work thinking up "bright" ideas with the #damselflyofficial team,' she wrote in the caption, hinting that she is working on a new charity candle range for jewellery brand Damselfly.

'Exciting collaboration with @pancareaus and @damselfly_official to be announced soon! #watchthisspace #pancare #flydamselfly #originalquotecandle,' she added.

It comes after Georgia shared a photo of herself donating five bags of clothing to the homeless at Hobart's Salvation Army.

'Yes sir, yes sir, NINE bags full': It comes after Georgia shared a photo of herself donating five bags of clothing to the homeless at Hobart's Salvation Army

The former reality star posted a picture of herself holding two bags full of old clothing while surrounded by seven more on the ground beside her.

Georgia captioned the image: 'Always feels good to pass on things I no longer need to those who need it more.'

She added the hash tags, 'salvationarmy' and 'yessiryessir9bagsfull' to the post.

Fans gushed over her generosity commenting on how it is 'always great to help the poor and less fortunate'.

'In memory of my mum': The snap comes just days after a post about Pancare in which Georgia was seen raising awareness to the disease which took her mother Belinda's life last month

While one Bachelorette fan quipped: 'This could be the start of her making wardrobe space for bf, lol.'

The snap comes just days after a post about Pancare in which Georgia wrote: 'In memory of the strong, beautiful, funny and intelligent woman I knew as my mum.'

Georgia lost her mother to pancreatic cancer last month and posted a picture collage to her 118,000 followers to break the news.

'My heart is utterly broken': Georgia lost her mother to pancreatic cancer last month and posted a picture collage to her 118,000 followers to break the news

'My heart is utterly broken. 7 weeks ago we were sipping cocktails in Italy. 7 months ago you weren't even sick. How is it possible you're no longer here?,' she wrote.

Moments later Lee broke his social media silence to express his love for his new partner and share his condolences for her family's tragic loss.

'I could not be any more saddened by what you and your family are going through right now,' he wrote on the Instagram post.

Georgia, who worked in Tasmania before filming the Bachelorette, said people had asked her if she regrets 'going away for three months' while her mother was sick.

'I could not be any more saddened by what you and your family are going through': Moments later Lee broke his social media silence to express his love for his new partner and her family

But she explained: 'You know, you can look back at any point of your life and go, "Well, I was away for two months travelling there or a year working there".

'If I had not have gone on The Bachelorette I would not have (met) Lee. But I would have still been in Tassie, I would have been further away from my mum. So, you know, I don't regret anything that happened.'

Georgia found fame when she appeared on the second season of the Bachelorette where she met her partner Lee Elliott during their quests to find true love.
He has been nominated for two Grammy Awards for his hit single Never Be Like You and chart-topping album Skin.

And 25-year-old DJ Flume was ready to celebrate as he stormed the stage at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena on Friday.

The ARIA Award winner, whose real name is Harley Edward Streten, sent fans into meltdown as he delivered a line-up of some of his most popular tracks alongside a dizzying light show.

A show to remember! 25-year-old DJ Flume was ready to celebrate his recent Grammy nomination as he stormed the stage at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena on Friday

The show also featured supporting act Vince Staples, an American solo rapper and member of the hip-hop group Cutthroat Boyz.

Flume's Grammy nods come less than a month after he cleaned up at the 2016 ARIA Awards, which saw him take home a whopping five awards, including Telstra Album of the Year Award, Best Dance Release and Best Independent Release.

In his acceptance speech for Best Dance Release, Flume urged the government to stop Sydney's recent lock-out laws.

Kaleidoscopic: The ARIA Award winner, whose real name is Harley Edward Streten, sent fans into meltdown as he delivered a line-up of some of his most popular tracks alongside a dizzying light show

Taking to the stage, the musician proclaimed: 'Before I drop off, I want to say a big thank you to the venues.'

'Especially the small venues and the small parties that are doing what they are doing because that's where music evolves, where the exciting stuff happens, and that's what's getting shut downright now.'

He continued: 'So to our policymakers and to our politicians - please keep Sydney open so that the young artists of the next generation can have the same opportunities that I had.'

Hit-maker: Flume's Grammy nods come less than a month after he cleaned up at the 2016 ARIA Awards, which saw him take home a whopping five awards, including Telstra Album of the Year Award, Best Dance Release and Best Independent Release

Sia has also been nominated for three Grammys including Best pop album for This Is Acting.

Previous Australian Grammy winners include Kimbra, Olivia Newton-John, Kylie Minogue and Keith Urban.

The 59th Annual Grammys will take place on February 12.
He attended his designer friend Rick Owens' furniture exhibit at the MOCA Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood

On Thursday he made his first public appearance since being

Kanye West was seen biking with some friends on Friday while still wearing his wedding ring

Kanye West was seen for the first time since his breakdown his new blond hair on Thursday.

And it seems that isn't the only change the rapper has made as he has picked up a new hobby.

The 39-year-old rapper was seen having some old fashioned fun as he was seen enjoying a bike ride with some chums in Los Angeles on Friday.

Having a wheely good time: Kanye West was spotted enjoying a BMX bike ride in Los Angeles on Friday

Kanye and two of his pals had their faces covered with matching full-faced black motorcycle helmets.

Despite going incognito no doubt it was the husband of Kim Kardashian as he rocked a pair of yet-to-be-released white Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 v2 trainers.

Another interesting part of Kanye's wardrobe was his wedding ring as there have been recent reports of marital woes between he and wife Kim Kardashian.

Keeping up: The 39-year-old rapper - who wore a full-faced motorcycle helmet - was joined by two chums as he pedalled along in his yet-to-be-released Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 v2 trainers

Still representing: Despite reports of marital woes, Kanye could be seen wearing his wedding ring

The Famous hitmaker lead the pack while pedaling along the BMX two-wheeler in his signature trainers as he was followed closely by a pair of pals and a security guard.

The hired help was not as fortunate when it came to looking sleek on the recreational trip as he had to wear a dorky multicoloured bike helmet instead of one of the cool motorcycle ones Kanye and his chums were wearing.

No doubt the star wasn't going to take any chances since his wife's robbery ordeal in Paris as there was another security guard following the group in an SUV right behind them.

Careful eye: The Famous rapper was also joined by a security guard who followed the group along while wearing some rather dorky head protection

Not taking any chances: The group were closely followed by a Range Rover driven by another security guard

The outing comes after he had ventured out in public Thursday night to support his avant-garde designer pal Rick Owens, who is exhibiting some of his furniture at the MOCA Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.

The Grammy-winning artist was without his wife Kim however for the night out, with the reality star has continuing to keep a low profile and avoid public events ever since being robbed at gunpoint back in early October.

Instead, the newly-blonde rapper was accompanied by Owens' wife Michele Lamy at the event.

Back in the public eye: Kanye had made his first public appearance on Thursday since being released from UCLA Medical Center

Tagging along with a friend: The Grammy-winning singer was accompanied by Rick Owens' wife Michele Lamy (above) at the event

Kanye's appearance came one day after a report emerged claiming that the reality star was looking to separate from her husband of a little over two years.

That report was shot down however by Kim's best friend Jonathan Cheban on Wednesday night however, who told DailyMail.com that he had just FaceTimed with the couple while attending the Unwrap The Holidays event at trendy New York City hotspot Vandal.

The father-of-two - who raises children North and Saint with wife Kim - was admitted to UCLA Medical Center on November 21 and remained at the facility for 10 days, where he was treated for temporary psychosis due to sleep deprivation and dehydration.

TMZ reported at the time that Kanye had also been dealing with growing paranoia in the months before his hospitalization.

His wife endured her own drama back in October when masked robbers broke into her Paris apartment and forced her into a bathroom at gunpoint, where they bound and gagged the reality star before running off with over $10million worth of jewelry.

Kim managed to escape with no physical injuries, but the emotional toll was so bad that filming on her reality series Keeping Up With The Kardashians was halted for weeks.

Famous couple: Kim Kardashian and Kanye are shown in September in Miami Beach, Florida before her Paris robbery and his hospitalisation

Before he was admitted to UCLA last month, Kanye cancelled the 21 remaining dates on his Saint Pablo Tour.

Before the cancellation, West cut short a concert after just two songs and rambled about Donald Trump, Jay-Z and Mark Zuckerberg at shows.

His bizarre behavior prompted the hashtag #KanyeIsOverParty to trend on Twitter before he was hospitalized.

Tough time: The couple, shown in September in Florida, are the parents of daughter North and son Saint

West's close friend Fonzworth Bentley told Page Six on Thursday about some of the issues plaguing the rapper.

'He never mourned his mother, and thats at the root of this, and you dont have to be a clinical psychologist to figure that out. That is at the core of this. I think a lot of these things are coming up and coming out now,' Bentley said.

West's mother Donda died in November 2007 of complications from cosmetic surgery.

Underlying issues: Fonzworth Bentley, shown with Kanye in February 2009 in New York City, cited some of the underlying issues his friend has been facing

Bentley said the rapper mourned the ninth anniversary of her death just before cancelling his tour.

He said that West was riding high off the success of his new album and merchandise sales 'and then your fashion show just demolishes and fails'.

'We all know more than anything that he wants to be successful in fashion, so when editors and everything are beating him up,' Bentley said.

Mother and son: Kanye is shown in June 2007 with his mother Donda who died in November 2007 of complications from cosmetic surgery

'That happens and then youre onstage, your wife gets robbed  and its not like that didnt happen  that happened,' he told the podcast Rich Friend: The Elevated Conversation.

He said the rapper gathered his crew backstage at his Sacramento, California show before cancelling the rest of the tour.

Bentley said he apologized and told everyone they were important to him while urging them to help each other.

'But at the same time I believe in my heart it was a call for help,' Bentley said.
She's the supermodel known for being a member of Taylor Swift's famous girl squad.

But Karlie Kloss didn't seem to be missing her famous posse as she was greeted by adoring fans at Sydney airport on Saturday.

The leggy brunette grinned from ear to ear as she made her way through the airport with her luggage, snapping what appeared to be selfies along the way.

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Say cheese! Supermodel Karlie Kloss took selfies as she arrived in Sydney airport on Saturday

The 24-year-old looked fresh faced and natural after she had stepped off the international flight.

With a youthful glow, Karlie had her golden brown locks tied back neatly in two braids which feel over her shoulders.

Having dressed comfortably for the flight, the former Victoria's Secret angel wore a loose-fitting plain black t-shirt.

Dressed down: Grey tracksuit pants with zip side pockets paired with white sneakers completed the laid back look

Grey tracksuit pants with zip side pockets paired with white sneakers completed the laid back look.

Karlie accessorised with over sized black Sunday Somewhere sunglasses and chic stud earrings.

The superstar model didn't look a bit tired, and appeared to be wearing little to no make up.

Hand on hip: The model appeared animated as she stopped to take a breather

Sunglasses off: Her Sunday Somewhere sunglasses were momentarily pulled back from her face after making her way through immigration

Making her way through the airport crowds, Karlie kept her dark shades on as she checked her phone and took photos.

After making her way through border control, the Vogue magazine cover girl paused for a breather, pushing her sunglasses up off her face.

Standing with one lean arm on her hip, Karlie held her jacket in hand as she appeared to talk animatedly to someone during the pit stop.

Hair twirler: Karlie played with one of her braids as she waited inside the airport

All smiles: The best friend of Taylor Swift appeared to be chatting animatedly with someone

High spirits: Karlie seemed full of energy and not a bit tired despite the international flight

She laughed and smiled, even twirling one of her braids girlishly.

But after the break the shades were back on, and Karlie made her way outside to her car.

The Canadian-born beauty handed over one of her silver luggage cases to a staff member to wheel, as she slung her jacket and handbag over a small one she wheeled beside her.

Reading time: But she looked slightly stern as she read from her phone outside the airport

Engrossed: A man took one of her larger silver suitcases as they crossed the road

Hands full: The 24-year-old carried her jacket and handbag balanced on a smaller suitcase

Stepping outside the smile was gone as Karlie appeared engrossed by whatever she was reading on her phone.

Before her flight, the lithe model had taken to Instagram to show herself on board a first class flight.

Shoes off, her long legs can be seen reclining in the extra-big set.

Casual look: The dressed down outfit matched perfectly to her crisp white sneakers

Watch the road! The Vogue covergirl didn't look up as she made her way across the street

Stepping out: It appears the superstar model may be visiting Sydney as part of her promotional duties

A reflection of the selfie showing Karlie throwing up a peace sign can be seen in the TV screen opposite her seat.

The prolific Instagrammer emblazons 'Another day, another plan' in letters over the photo, adding in the caption: 'Story of my life.'

While her model friends like Gigi Hadid have been living it up in Paris for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Karlie has been making her way solo across Europe.

Off she goes: Before taking off to Sydney, Karlie shared this photo with her followers on Instagram

The brunette stunner previously walked in the show from 2013 to 2015.

Last month, she took to Instagram to explain why she wasn't walking this year and to wish her friends good luck.

'Thinking of the Angels and my entire @victoriassecret family as they make their way to Paris today,' Karlie wrote.

'Unfortunately this year I have a work obligation that is keeping me from Paris. I'm sad to miss it but am wishing everyone all the best from afar! There is truly no show quite like the VS Fashion Show, and there is no feeling quite like walking on that magnificent runway. To all my girls walking, good luck and enjoy every minute of it!!! I can't wait to see you all shine bright over in Paris  all my love xx kk.'
She has been a fixture on the social circuit since finding fame on The Bachelor.

And Keira Maguire made sure to turn heads as she arrived at a Bellini brunch event at the Royal Hotel in Paddington, Sydney on Saturday.

The sassy blonde showcased a glimpse of side-boob as she posed in a skimpy singlet with low-reaching arm-holes.

Peek-a-boob! Keira Maguire made sure to turn heads as she arrived at a Bellini brunch event at the Royal Hotel in Paddington, Sydney on Saturday.

She completed her look with a pair of skinny jeans and a black handbag with rivet detailing.

Joining her was fellow Bachelor reject Noni Janur, who played up her bronzed complexion by donning a bright yellow mini-dress.

She left her hair to hang in natural waves and completed her look with a white clutch bag and brown leather booties.

Here comes the sun! Joining her was fellow Bachelor reject Noni Janur, who played up her bronzed complexion by donning a bright yellow mini-dress

Glam: She left her hair to hang in natural waves and completed her look with a white clutch bag and brown leather booties

Also attending the event was Australia's Next Top Model contestant Jordan Simek, who wore a sheer knit dress in blue and a dramatic black choker.

Instagram model Amy Maree Comber was also in attendance, donning a lace two-piece frock in red and grey.

Keira and Noni rose to national fame after appearing on the Network 10 dating show back in July.

Model moment! Also attending the event was Australia's Next Top Model contestant Jordan Simek, who wore a sheer knit dress in blue and a dramatic black choker

During her time on the popular reality TV series, Keira was portrayed as the villain, thanks to her outspoken personality.

After being sent home by Richie Strahan, the blonde admitted she didn't care about being labelled as the villain because she 'was just being herself' during the successful series.

'I'd rather be the honest one who's upfront and have people (in the house) hate me rather than pretend to be something I'm not,' she told the Herald Sun at the time.

'At least I know I was true to myself. I just say it how it is. I'm a bit competitive, so that will probably shine through, but I like to have a good laugh as well.'
It's a real Big Time Rush for Carlos and Alexa PenaVega who have just become parents.

The Spy Kids actress, 28, and former Big Time Rush star and band member, 27, welcomed son Ocean King PenaVega on Wednesday in Los Angeles, their rep confirmed to People on Friday.

The tot was expected in late November so he made his anxious parents wait a bit longer.

New arrival: Alexa and Carlos PenaVega, pictured at the Hollywood premiere of Doctor Strange in October, welcomed their baby son Ocean King to the world on Wednesday

And Carlos obviously got bored of waiting as he posted a shot of himself wrestling with his dad on a sofa four days ago.

He captioned it: 'When pops comes into town to wait for his grandson to be born...but OCEAN decides he does not want to come out...so you spend the weekend annoying him like when you were 10 and all you wanted was to go to Disney...#stillnobaby #vlogupdate coming SOON.'

Ocean is the first child for the happy couple, who tied the knot in January 2014, uniting their last names Pena and Vega into one word.

They revealed their baby news in June via matching Instagram posts and a vlog on their YouTube channel.

Getting bored: Carlos, 27, posted this snap four days ago saying, 'When pops comes into town to wait for his grandson to be born...but OCEAN decides he does not want to come out so you spend the weekend annoying him like when you were 10'

'I thought for sure itd be like, "One, two, three, wham, bam, were pregnant!" ' Carlos said in the video, in which the former Dancing With The Stars competitors explained that they had some help from an ovulation kit to conceive successfully.

'But no, thats not the case. You gotta keep trying, trying, trying...and try some more. Which is not a bad thing.'

Alexa added: 'When it doesnt happen, you think, "Is something wrong with me?" or "What am I not doing right?" when really its just your body adjusting.'

Cover star: Alexa admitted in the December/January issue that she struggled with an eating disorder when she was younger and feared that was stopping her falling pregnant

In November Alexa covered fitPregnancy And Baby magazine and she admitted: 'I struggled with an eating disorder when I was younger.

'It was a big part of my life, and I was worried that I wasnt getting pregnant because of some long-term damage from what Id put my body through.'

Alexa later explained in an Instagram post that the choice of their baby's name was inspired by their Christian faith.

'God called the dry ground 'land' and the water the 'seas'. And God saw that it was good. That is why we went with Ocean. And he is a son of the one true 'King'. For us it has a beautiful biblical meaning,' she wrote.
She's the brunette bombshell who was booted from The Bachelor.

But the rejection hasn't stopped Kirralee 'Kiki' Morris from flaunting her curves whenever she can.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, the reality TV beauty shared a 1950s-inspired photo of her in a bikini while holidaying in Bali.

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Bali baby: The Bachelor's Kirralee 'Kiki' Morris has celebrated the beginning of her beach holiday in Bali with a sexy bikini photo posted to Instagram on Saturday

The 28-year-old's toned physique was on full display as she posed retro-style with one slender leg forward.

Kiki covered her face from the harsh Balinese sun with a wide-brimmed straw hat.

She held the hat in place for the photo with both arms raised above her head provocatively.

Busting out: Kirralee 'KiKi' Morris certainly won the attention of her Instagram fans last Tuesday after posting a busty selfie wearing nothing but a bondage-style bikini

The bikini featured a pink Hawaiian print which seemed perfect for the beach get away.

The highwaisted bottoms showed off Kiki's trim pins, with her toned tummy boasting an ideal tan.

The skimpy low-cut top revealed her surgically-enhanced ample assets and she captioned the photo: 'Bali Babe'.

The beach holiday appears to have been long awaited by Kiki.

Dangerous curves ahead! The 28-year-old has made a name for herself on Instagram thanks to her enviable body

On Tuesday, she posted a busty selfie wearing nothing but a bondage-style bikini.

Kiki was working hard on her tan ahead of her upcoming trip to Bali.

In the racy photo, Kiki shields her eyes as she pouts for the camera and sizzles in the sun.

The reality TV stars sensational figure was on full display, with her mint green two-piece struggling to contain her ample assets - both top and bottom.

Practicing for Bali? The Bachelor reject has posted several bikini photos recently as she counted down to her holiday

The shot also showed off Kikis tattoo down the side of her ribcage, as she reclined on a sun lounger.

The final countdown. BALI, Kiki captioned the photo, ahead of hitting up the Indonesian island for a romantic getaway.

The toned beauty is in Bali with her new boyfriend, Jeremy Banks.

The pair went public with their relationship in late October.
As one of the world's most in-demand models, she surely has the means to afford an endless wardrobe.

And on Friday, Alessandra Ambrosio took a portion of her closet out for a time, as she wore not one, but three entirely different ensembles in the same day.

Whether at the gym, shopping with her children or enjoying time to herself, the 35-year-old proved she could do it in style.

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Triple threat: Alessandra Ambrosio was spotted in three different outfits while out and about in Los Angeles on Friday

The Victoria's Secret beauty brought glamour to earth tones, as she paired a green, oversize sweater dress with camel-coloured, over-the-knee boots.

Alessandra carried her belongings in a large purse and added a set of dangle earrings and aviator shades to complete her look.

The mum-of-two tied her brunette locks back in a loose, low bun.

Playing dress up! She started out by looking gorgeous in green

Walking wonder: The Victoria's Secret beauty brought glamour to earth tones, as she paired a green, oversize sweater dress with camel-coloured, over-the-knee boots

Quick change: During another part of the day, the beauty knew flats would be better while with her children, Anja, eight, and Noah, four

During another part of the day, the beauty knew flats would be better while with her children, Anja, eight, and Noah, four.

The fiance of Jamie Mazur paired a black cropped top with a pair of high waist, denim.

The star went for the grunge look with a large plaid shirt, which she layered over her ensemble.

Call to the 90s: The star went for the grunge look with a large plaid shirt, which she layered over her ensemble

That same day, Alessandra also made time for a workout.

The Brazilian stunner paired a black T-shirt with a set of leggings.

The model, who reportedly stays in shape using the Lagree Method, kept warm in a black leather jacket.

Switching it up: That same day, Alessandra also made time for a workout

The Lagree Method, according to People, is a workout routine that helps the star stay long and lean, verses bulking up.

The key to the technique is to keep the muscles contracted for an extended period.

'When you keep a muscle contraction for over 60 seconds, it's going to have that effect of really tightening and sculpting the muscle,' began the method's founder, Sebastien Lagree.

'Usually you do it for a shorter time, but we do sets that are 60 to 120 seconds, and that's how much time you keep the muscle tense. It's very hard to do, so you'll see people shaking and sweating. It definitely increases the heart rate, and that's the magic.'
She's now mostly known for her stint on The Real Housewives of New York and her outrageously successful Skinnygirl lifestyle brand.

But Bethany Frankel had to start somewhere, a fact which the entrepreneur shared with her Snapchat fans on Friday.

The 46-year-old reality star visited La Scala in Beverly Hills, her place of work before her immense success.

Flasback: Bethany Frankel, 46, visited La Scala in Beverly Hills, her place of work before her immense success

First, she posed for a bit with 'Marcela' who apparently now works in the same position that Bethenny did years ago.

'This is Marcela at La Scala, who has my old job,' gushed Bethenny, 'I was a hostess at La Scala in Beverly Hills.'

A caption also relayed that information, along with the message 'old stomping grounds.'

She then revealed that she was at the tony establishment having lunch with her six-year-old daughter Bryn, who does not appear in the clip.

Sisters? First, she posed for a bit with 'Marcela' who apparently now works in the same position that Bethenny did years ago

Next, she gave a very brief tour of her old place of work.

'This was my old office,' she quipped, adding 'right there,' as she pointed to a serving station.

Meanwhile, it seems Bethenny had a bit of fun with one of her fans earlier in the day on Instagram.

She posted a selfie, which showed the brunette beauty in a black top and a pair of wayfarer-style shades with brown plastic frames.

Same ol' spot: 'This was my old office,' she quipped, adding 'right there,' as she pointed to a serving station

Instagram: She posted a selfie, which showed the brunette beauty in a black top and a pair of wayfarer-style shades with brown plastic frames

Just a hint of her generous cleavage can be seen in the photo, where she appears to be reclining. Her caption simply read 'oh hey California.'

While many commenters were quite complimentary, she did get an odd question as well.

Montserrat0726 posed the question: 'Why is ur boob near ur collar bone?'

Quite surprisingly, Bethenny actually responded to the question: 'i will ask my boob the reason for its actions. Why is this question on my instagram?'
When driving Uber Pool, a single-occupancy vehicle is not recommended.

Nevertheless, the entire cast of Star Wars Rogue One somehow managed to fit into an X-Wing on Friday night.

Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed, Alan Tudyk, Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikkelsen and even director Gareth Edwards were snapped clambering out of the starfighter as they made their way into Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Rebels: Felicity Jones and the cast of Star Wars Rogue One arrived at Jimmy Kimmel via X-Wing on Friday night

The ship has been parked on Hollywood Blvd for a number of days now as LA prepares for the world premiere of the Star Wars spin off on Saturday night.

Felicity lead her co-stars in in a pretty long-sleeve navy dress, which she complimented in a pair of barely-there ankle strap stilettos.

Keeping the tradition of the strong female Star wars leads before her, he wore a delicate braid knotted at the back of her brunette locks.

Gorgeous: Felicity lead her co-stars in in a pretty long-sleeve navy dress, which she complimented in a pair of barely-there ankle strap stilettos

Leia-like: Keeping the tradition of the strong female Star wars leads before her, he wore a delicate braid knotted at the back of her brunette locks

An ecstatic Alan Tudyk, who voices the Imperial-turned-rebel enforcer droid, shared a selfie from inside the X-Wing cockpit.

'This annoying X-Wing fighter is parked in the middle of Hollywood Blvd,' he wrote. 'I tried to hot wire it. Couldn't figure it out. Foreign crap.'

Kimmel was the final stop on the press tour, with the cast flying in from Tokyo, Japan to be there.

In demand: Felicity Joined Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed, Alan Tudyk, Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikkelsen and director Gareth Edwards on the show

Knackered: Kimmel was the final stop on the press tour, with the cast flying in from Tokyo, Japan to be there

Rebellious bunch: Set before the events of 1977 film Star Wars: A New Hope, Rogue One sees the Rebel Alliance enlist Felicity's Jyn Erso to help steal the blueprint of the Galactic Empire's planet-vaporising Death Star, which her father helped to build

Hollywood Blvd and Vine St, along with many of the surrounding streets will be shut down the entire weekend of the premiere, essentially closing off a 20-block section in the heart of Tinseltown.

As with the Force Awakens premiere, the Rogue One premiere will be live-streamed to Star Wars fans around the world.

Set before the events of 1977 film Star Wars: A New Hope, Rogue One sees the Rebel Alliance enlist Felicity's Jyn Erso to help steal the blueprint of the Galactic Empire's planet-vaporising Death Star, which her father helped to build.

Joyride: An ecstatic Alan Tudyk, who voices the Imperial-turned-rebel enforcer droid, shared a selfie from inside the X-Wing cockpit.

A 'tache of the clones: Jimmy's crew had fun Photoshopping Guillermo into the poster
She's known to never put a foot wrong in the style stakes.

And Lindy Klim did not disappoint on Saturday, as she visited the Versailles exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.

The 38-year-old beauty ambassador captioned a snap 'first time treasures' to Instagram, that saw her highlighting her lean figure in an elegant peplum frock, as she posed in front of a ritzy backdrop.

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'First time treasures': Lindy Klim, 38, took to Instagram on Saturday, sharing a snap while attending a Versailles exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, that saw her highlighting her lean figure in an elegant peplum frock

'VERSAILLES,' Lindy captioned the stunning snap shared with her 91,000+ Instagram followers.

'First time treasures have made it to Australia, once in a life time experience, open to the public until April 2017,' she continued.

The image saw Lindy posing in the chic black frock, accessorised with two-toned strappy heels, a statement watch and a gold masquerade mask held in one hand.

She's not shy: The snap is in stark contrast from a previous snap shared to Instagram last week, that saw the mother-of-three stripping down to nothing but a black G-string and a strategically placed straw hat

Styling her dark tresses into an effortless topknot, the Balinese princess enhanced her facial features with a flawless complexion, defined brows and a nude lip.

Lindy is currently an ambassador for Qantas, regularly promoting services and activities on offer, through Instagram, online, as well as their in-flight magazine.

Versailles: Treasures from the Palace is an exhibition held at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, until April 2017.

Guests can trawl through 130 items from the Palace of Versailles.

Svelte: Lindy often shares stunning bikini-clad snaps to social media

The snap is in stark contrast from a previous snap shared to Instagram last week, that saw the mother-of-three stripping down to nothing but a black G-string and a strategically placed straw hat.

Lindy could barely contain her modesty in the racy image as she struggled to hide her most intimate areas from prying eyes.

'Hello Sunday!!!!' the confident socialite wrote alongside the daring photo.

Loved up: The beauty entrepreneur has found love again after splitting with estranged husband Michael Klim in February, with British property developer Adam Ellis

New chapter: Lindy's new relationship blossomed quickly, with Adam choosing to propose while on holiday in Morocco in October

Meanwhile, Lindy split with estranged husband Michael Klim, 39, in February this year.

The couple share three children together, Stella, Rocco and Frankie.

Both partners have since found new love interests, Lindy with British property developer Adam Ellis, and Michael with fashion designer Desiree Devari.

Lindy's new relationship blossomed quickly, with Adam choosing to propose while on holiday in Morocco in October.

Happier times: Lindy and Michael share three children together, Stella, Rocco and Frankie
She never fails to put in a fashionable appearance.

And Heidi Klum was looking cool and casual in a low-key ensemble when she left LAX airport on Friday, rocking a leather jacket and skinny jeans.

The 43-year-old supermodel was dressed to impress in her distressed denim, which she paired with a silk navy shirt.

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Stylish: Heidi Klum was looking cool and casual in a low-key ensemble when she left LAX airport on Friday, rocking a leather jacket and skinny jeans

Heidi completed her ensemble with some edgy accessories, donning a pair of leather ankle boots and a silver buckled belt.

She carried a large leather bag as hand luggage and wore a pretty teal pendant around her neck.

The German beauty wore her blonde locks pulled back in a half-up, half-down hairstyle.

Rock chic: Heidi completed her ensemble with some edgy accessories, donning a pair of leather ankle boots and a silver buckled belt

Fashionable as ever: The German beauty wore her blonde locks pulled back in a half-up, half-down hairstyle

The star's style was equally on point as she stopped by the hair salon for a little lock love earlier this week.

Heidi popped by celebrity loved hairdresser, Andy LeCompte, in West Hollywood, California, on Tuesday.

The German glamazon was a how-to guide for casual chic wearing one of this season's hottest - albeit priciest - trends, an embroidered moto jacket.

Simple touches: She carried a large leather bag as hand luggage and wore a pretty teal pendant around her neck

Heidi wore her floral and studded jacket with a distressed woollen turtleneck sweater and some black jeans.

The jeans were also very on-trend featuring a cropped length and a raw undone hem.

The America's Got Talent star finished off her look with a pair of suede above the ankle booties and some black aviators.

Style queen: Heidi's style was on point as she stopped by the hair salon for a little lock love in West Hollywood earlier this week

Coming up roses: The German glamazon was a how-to guide for casual chic wearing one of this season's hottest - albeit priciest - trends, an embroidered moto jacket

At the salon, Heidi did not get anything too drastic done to her signature golden locks.

Instead she had cutter to the stars Wendy Iles give her a little trim to make her locks that little bit sharper.

Posting a picture of herself in Wendy's chair, the model said: 'Always good to get a trim. Thank you @wendyiles_hair.'

Back in black: Heidi wore her floral and studded jacket with a distressed woollen turtleneck sweater and some black jeans

Just a little bit: the model had cutter to the stars Wendy Iles give her a little trim to make her locks that little bit sharper

As she left the salon, there star's hair did not look that much different with Wendy taking off about an inch or so.

The host did leave with a big bag of hear goodies so she can keep her hairstyle in check.

No doubt the mom of four appreciated a little me time, as she has been very busy of late flying in and out of Los Angeles every few days as she juggles appearances and her Project Runway hosting duties.
She's often criticised for imitating African-American culture by rapping in Ebonics and twerking on stage.

And Iggy Azalea's fascination with urban culture reached new heights last week, when she was pictured on Instagram wearing an Ankh symbol, that is popular among urban musicians like Beyonce and Rihanna.

The 26-year-old busty blonde, born Amethyst Kelly, gushed on Instagram about her new Ankh, which represents life and ancient Egypt, and not surprisingly, the post sparked criticism - with some followers accusing the Mullumbimby-born rapper of cultural appropriation.

Busting out! Iggy Azalea's fascination with black culture reached new heights last week, when she was pictured on Instagram wearing an Ankh symbol, that is popular among urban celebrities like Beyonce and Rihanna

'Black is not a fashion trend,' one user commented with another asking if the Australian celebrity even 'knows what the Ankh means.'

The Ankh symbol has become more common in mainstream pop culture in recent years.

Earlier this year, music powerhouse Beyonce was seen proudly wearing an Ankh in the music video for her hit track Don't Hurt Yourself.

Under fire: The busty blonde, born Amethyst Kelly, gushed on Instagram about her new Ankh, which represents life and ancient Egypt, and not surprisingly, the post sparked criticism - with some followers accusing the Mullumbimby-born rapper of cultural appropriation

Making a statement: Earlier this year, music powerhouse Beyonce was seen proudly wearing an Ankh in the music video for her hit track Don't Hurt Yourself

Gold Ankhs: Pop star Rihanna, who is a huge fan of ancient Egyptian-inspired tattoos, was also pictured showing off a dazzling Ankh necklace at the 2012 MTV VMAs

Pop star Rihanna, who is a huge fan of ancient Egyptian-inspired tattoos, was also pictured showing off a dazzling Ankh necklace at the 2012 MTV VMAs.

Iggy's busty selfie comes months after she was forced to speak out publicly after she was criticised for staying silent on civil unrest in the US stemming from deadly police shootings .

The outrage came in the wake of the tragic death of Louisiana resident Alton Sterling, 37, of Baton Rouge, who was fatally struck in what his family said was an unprovoked attack.

Unimpressed: Iggy's Instagram followers voiced their disdain in the comments section

Shaking my head: The rapper's selfie garnered mixed reactions. While some fans praised the photo, others did not

Cultural appropriation? This is not the first time Iggy has been criticised for imitating African-American culture

Controversial: Iggy's busty selfie comes months after she was forced to speak out publicly after being slammed for staying silent on ongoing civil unrest stemming from deadly police shootings in the US

A second man, Philando Castile, 32, was also shot by an officer in Falcon Heights, St Paul, Minnesota as his girlfriend recorded his death on Facebook.

Critics accused her of profiting off of 'black' culture yet failing to speak out on issues affecting the African-American community.

'My sincere condolences to all the families hurting at this moment. #AltonSterling #PhilandoCastile #BlackLivesMatter #SpreadLoveNotHate,' she tweeted in July using brown-coloured fist emojis.

The rapper, who admittedly once underwent cosmetic procedures to change her appearance, has been widely criticized by fellow hip hop artists in recent years.

Ruffling feathers: The rapper, who admittedly once underwent cosmetic procedures to change her appearance, has been widely criticized by fellow hip hop artists in recent years

Not a fan: Iconic artist Q-Tip once gave Iggy a history lesson on Hip Hop

Critical: Azaelia Banks accused the Sydney-born rapper of not caring about 'black issues'

Veteran MC-musician Q-Tip once offered her a 'history lesson' on Hip Hop.

In 2014, American Hip Hop artist Azealia Banks accused the X Factor judge, who raps in an American accent despite her natural Aussie twang, of appropriating black culture.

'Its funny to see people Like Igloo Australia silent when these things happen... Black Culture is cool, but black issues sure aren't huh?' Azealia wrote.

Speaking out: Earlier this year, Iggy told Elle Canada that she does not intend to 'sound black' in her music

Earlier this year, Iggy told Elle Canada that she does not intend to 'sound black' in her music.

'... Im not trying to sound blackI just grew up in a country where on TV and in music and film, everyone was American or any Australian person in them put on an American accent,' she said.

'... Im not trying to sound blackI just grew up in a country where on TV and in music and film, everyone was American or any Australian person in them put on an American accent' (Pictured in Los Angeles in 2012)




She's the outspoken radio star known for flaunting her ample bust on social media.

But Mel Greig opted for a change of pace on Saturday, instead showing off her slender pins in a chic blue frock which finished well above the knees.

The Wave FM host posed for a mirror selfie before she headed out for the station's annual Christmas party.

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Leggy lady! Mel Greig flaunted her trim pins as she prepared to head out for a boozy Wave FM Christmas party on Saturday

'Did someone say staff Christmas party?' she captioned the snap she shared with her 6,000 Instagram followers.

The 34-year-old blonde added several hashtags including 'Saturday night fun', 'laughs', 'drinks' and 'soon to be drunk'.

Just hours earlier, Mel posted a variety of sexy selfies to social media.

The 34-year-old co-host of the Mel & Trav breakfast show turned up the heat with photos showcasing her busty physique.

Bustin' out! Radio presenter and DJ Mel Greig is back to her confident self, posting a variety of sexy selfies to social media for her new audience

She updated her Facebook profile picture on Friday with a fresh shot of her piercing blue eyes staring directly at the camera and her perky breasts on full display.

Her wavy blonde locks cascaded over her shoulders as she threw up the peace sign with a coquettish smile.

That same day she posted another peace sign snap, as she prepared to host Carols by Candelight for Shellharbour City Council.

Ho ho ho! Wearing reindeer antler ears to get in the holiday spirit, her hair was this time straightened and her bosom was protruding from her unbuttoned denim shirt

Wearing reindeer antler ears to get in the holiday spirit, her hair was straightened and her unbuttoned denim shirt revealed a glimpse of her bust.

She added the humorous hashtags: '#justlikeshrek' and 'willsitonsantaslap.'

The former 2DayFM star recently said her 'happy place doesn't include a man' after her split from ex-husband Steve Pollock earlier this year.

Girl power: The former 2Day FM star recently said her 'happy place doesn't include a man' after her split ex-husband Steve Pollock earlier this year

She told the Daily Mail Australia at MAXIM's Hot 100 party in Sydney last month: 'I'm not dating anyone at the moment and I'm not really interested.

'I know that sounds ridiculous, but I'm just at that stage where I'm completely happy with myself.'

The fun-loving host writes candidly about her personal life for YahooBe.
He's famed for playing hapless yet lovable character Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter film franchise.

But it seems actor Matthew Lewis' is far luckier in the romance department than his bumbling alter-ego since the 27-year-old star has got engaged to his girlfriend Angela Jones.

The British star proposed to events planner Angela Jones last month after a whirlwind relationship, just four months after her divorce from her first husband was finalised, TMZ reports.

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Wedding bells! Harry Potter favourite Matthew Lewis has got engaged to his girlfriend Angela Jones following a whirlwind romance

The website shared a picture of the pair in which Angela is proudly displaying her dazzling diamond engagement ring in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, where Matthew reportedly proposed.

Matthew first met Angela at a Wizarding World event at Universal Studios in Orlando in January, where she works.

A spokesman confirmed the news to MailOnline and said: 'They're both over the moon. They got together in July and hit it off straight away.'

The star has kept his love life under the radar over the years and his romance with Angela played out away from the spotlight

Back in the day: The star is famed for playing hapless yet lovable character Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter film franchise

What a romantic: Neville reportedly popped the question with a dazzling diamond engagement ring in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris last month

Meanwhile, Matthew recently confessed he felt like he was 'nine years old' when he saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

The star saw the West End production last month and found the two-part play transported him back to being a fan of author J.K. Rowling's wizarding series.

Sharing a picture of himself and some of the cast from the play, he wrote on Instagram: 'A giant congratulations and an even bigger thank you to these guys and the rest of the cast of #CursedChild.

'To be in the movies was a dream come true but it became work and I forgot what it was to be a fan a long time ago.

'However, over the last two nights I was able to enjoy the world of 'Harry Potter' once again. To lose myself in a story so rich and so powerful and, more importantly, that I had nothing to do with was truly magical.

A spokesman confirmed the news to MailOnline and said: 'They're both over the moon. They got together in June and hit it off straight away'

Transformation: Matthew made quite an impact at the world premiere of the final film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, subsenquently becoming something of a heartthrob

'I felt like I was nine years old again, discovering it all for the first time and it is very, very special.'

Matthew played Potter's pal Neville from 2001 until 2011, but shocked fans with his dramatic transformation in his early 20s.

In time for the final film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, which was released in 2011, the actor was flattered when people were starting to realise he didn't look like nerdy Neville anymore.

Matthew made quite an impact at the world premiere, and reflecting on the spectacle he told Attitude magazine: 'I was 21, I was like "yeah, thisll be cool!" It was never meant to be a "hey everyone, look at me!" but it was nice to be able to go and be myself.

'And then obviously a lot of attention focused on it, which I didnt expect at all. Ive never considered myself to be good-looking at all. Just average.'
In 2014 she spent over 5k on faux fur after vowing to stop wearing the real thing.

And Melanie Griffith appeared to be sticking to her animal-friendly promise as she arrived at LAX airport in a faux fur leopard-print coat on Friday.

The actress, 59, worked jet-set glamour in dark shades as she arrived for her flight.

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Glamorous: Melanie Grifith appeared to be sticking to her animal-friendly promise as she arrived at LAX airport in a faux fur leopard-print coat on Friday

Teaming the ensemble with fitted black leggings and a matching top, she accentuated her frame with spiked-hell ankle boots.

And accessorising with a multi-chain and large diamond earrings, she looked every inch the Hollywood star.

With her hair scraped up into a half ponytail and a slick of lipgloss, the actress pulled a Louis Vuitton bag behind her as she made her way to the terminal.

Her runway! The actress, 59, worked jet- set glamour in dark shades as she arrived for her flight

It's been 18 months since since she separated from husband Antonio Banderas after 18 years of marriage.

While he has moved on with Dutch investment consultant Nicole Kimpel, 35, who he's been dating for a little over a year, she was recently seen dining with a mystery mum.

Meanwhile Melanie's daughter Dakota Johnson from her relationship with Don Johnson, also an actress, has been going from strength to strength in her career.

Earlier this year Dakota revealed there is nothing sexy about filming simulated sex scenes for seven hours straight with her hunky co-star, Jamie Dornan, 33.

The Social Network star told Interview Magazine: 'It's not... comfortable. It's pretty tedious.

Strutting her stuff: With her hair scraped up into a half ponytail and a slick of lipgloss, the actress pulled a Louis Vuitton bag behind her as she made her way to the terminal

'Well, we're not having actual sex. But I've been simulating sex for seven hours straight right now, and I'm over it. '

While the How To Be Single star may have grown a little blase about the films that saw her be on Hollywood's radar for more than just who her parents are, Dakota is not blase when it comes to understanding that these days fame can be fleeting.

The 26-year-old said: 'It is a bizarre time right now, though. It seems like the world is so fast to move its interest to someone else.

'And now I feel like there's such a weird pressure to find the new face. I don't get it at all. I want to see women evolve. I want to see a body of work. I want to see all of it.
She's been enjoying a more prominent role in recent episodes of Made In Chelsea.

And Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo was certainly taking centre stage at the Teens Unite The Advent Tale fundraising gala in London on Friday night, mingling with a host of her reality star pals.

The 22-year-old beauty flashed just a hint of skin in her stomach-baring dress, which featured a sheer panel at the waist.

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All eyes on her: Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo was taking centre stage at the Teens Unite The Advent Tale fundraising gala in London on Friday night

Toff's floral embellished, strapless top showcased her gym-honed upper body and made the most of her petite figure.

The politics student stunned in the glamorous, floor-skimming gown, although she appeared to be struggling with her train on the red carpet.

The star slung a sparkling bag with chain strap detailing over one shoulder as she made her grand arrival.

Oops: The politics student stunned in the glamorous, floor-skimming gown, although she appeared to be struggling with her train on the red carpet

Top of the crops: Toff's floral embellished, strapless top showcased her gym-honed upper body and made the most of her petite figure

Hair flick: The posh politics student tossed her long locks over one shoulder

Toff wore her blonde hair down loose and highlighted her features thanks to a slick of bright pink lipstick and make-up by Ruuby.

The reality star recently opened up about her love life following her heartbreak when Francis Boulle picked co-star Olivia Bentley over her.

Georgia told OK! Online that she 'struggled' because of the drama and found it hard to watch back.

Think pink: Toff wore her blonde hair down loose and highlighted her features thanks to a slick of bright pink lipstick

Touch of sparkle: The star slung a sparkling bag with chain strap detailing over one shoulder as she made her grand arrival

'It was really hard actually, I really struggled', she said.

'It was like the worst series Ive ever had, it was emotionally very hard.'

The posh beauty was recently spotted on a night out with a mystery man, but she remained coy when quizzed about her date.

She confessed: 'I've met someone that I really like and Im so happy.'

Harsh: The reality star recently opened up about her love life following her heartbreak when Francis Boulle picked co-star Olivia Bentley over her

New love interest? The posh beauty was recently spotted on a night out with a mystery man, but she remained coy when quizzed about her date




She's been vying for a position as a Victoria's Secret Angel ever since seeing Adriana Lima on the runway at the age of 13.

And now, exotic half-Indian half-Australian model, Kelly Gale, has truly had her dreams answered after donning wings at the Paris VS Fashion show last month.

Kelly rose to international stardom after walking in 2013 and then again in 2014, with her runway appearance in November marking her third.

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'I started dreaming about this show when I was 13': Former Playboy model Kelly Gale has had her dream of becoming a Victoria Secret's Angel come true in the label's Paris show

The former Playboy model, who has walked for the likes of Chanel and Ralph Lauren, shared her excitement with The Daily Telegraph calling the experience a 'dream come true.'

'When I walk (at the VS show) there's just a million emotions and thoughts that run through my mind,' explained Kelly.

'I started dreaming about this show when I was 13, and saw Adriana Lima on the runway, so it really is a dream come true,' she added.

'When I walk (at the VS show) there's just a million emotions and thoughts that run through my mind,' she told The Daily Telegraph

Joined by her long time boyfriend Johannes Jarl, Kelly debuted her wings in France at the 2016 Victoria Secret's Paris Fashion show.

Johannes and Kelly are often seen plastered across each other's Instagram walls, and were pictured embracing in the street's of Paris in a snap uploaded by the VS model.

Taking to Instagram, Johannes expressed how proud he is of his girlfriend writing next to a picture of her from the show and wrote: 'Kelly completely owned the show.'

City of love: Kelly is often seen posed with boyfriend Johannes Jarl who joined her in France for the show. The two were seen embracing in the street's of Paris in a snap posted to Instagram

Jet setter: Kelly shared her own excitement ahead of taking the Paris runway by posting pictures of special Angel airline tickets which she received to jet off to Paris

Kelly shared her own excitement ahead of taking the Paris runway by posting pictures of special Angel airline tickets which she received to jet off to Paris.

The brunette bombshell broke into the modelling industry after being discovered outside a coffee shop in Gothenburg, Sweden when she was just 13-years-old.

She received her big break in 2012 after being asked to walk in Chanel's pre-fall fashion show and has since gone from strength-to-strength.

Dare to bare: In September, Kelly posed for sizzling topless pictures in Playboy (pictured on set right) revealing a little bit about herself - which isn't uncommon for the brunette beauty (L)

In September, Kelly posed for sizzling topless pictures in Playboy revealing a little bit about herself.

She said: 'Women in Sweden are treated with a revolutionary level of respect that is unsurpassed in history.

'Still the biggest obstacle is appreciating - and incorporating - each genders uniqueness into society.'
She always add a touch of glamour to an event.

And Olivia Buckland was the belle of the ball as she attended Teens Unite's The Advent Tale at a fundraising gala in London.

Clad in a glittering gown, the 22-year-old reality starlet was a vision of beauty as she headed into the Grand Connaught Rooms on Friday.

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Glamorous: Olivia Buckland was the belle of the ball as she attended Teens Unite's The Advent Tale at a fundraising gala in London on Friday

Clinging to her slender curves, the gown showcased her phenomenal figure whilst remaining demure.

Featuring a thigh high split, the garment also offered a look at her tanned and toned pins, which were elongated by a pair of pink heels with a glittering block heel.

Keeping her ample bust under wraps, the gown bore a subtle V-neck that kept the ensemble demure.

Clad in a glittering gown, the 22-year-old reality starlet was a vision of beauty as she headed into the Grand Connaught Rooms on Friday

Silver siren: Clinging to her slender curves, the gown showcased her phenomenal figure whilst remaining demure

Adding some glitz to her outfit, she wore a glittering diamond necklace and donned a myriad of silver rings.

Oozing old Hollywood glamour she wore her golden locks in a centre parting, styling her glossy tresses in big bouncy waves that cascaded down her shoulders.

She finished off the look by framing her hazel coloured peepers with a strip of false eyelashes, whilst her plump pout was painted with a nude gloss.

Leggy lady! Featuring a thigh high split, the garment also offered a look at her tanned and toned pins, which were elongated by a pair of pink heels with a glittering block heel

Blonde bombshell: Oozing old Hollywood glamour she wore her golden locks in a centre parting, styling her glossy tresses in big bouncy waves that cascaded down her shoulders

Natural beauty: Olivia framed her hazel coloured peepers with a strip of false eyelashes, whilst her plump pout was painted with a nude gloss

Chest a glimpse! Keeping her ample bust under wraps, the gown bore a subtle V-neck that kept the ensemble demure

All about the accessories: Adding some glitz to her outfit, she wore a glittering diamond necklace and donned a myriad of silver rings

Alex was not joined by her beau, Alex Bowen, who she met on the second season of ITV2 show Love Island, with their relationship going from strength to strength.

The handsome star recently moved into his girlfriend's Wolverhampton home, and the pair bought an adorable French bulldog puppy together called Reggie.

Speaking to Femail about her beau, Olivia recently gushed: 'I know it sounds cliche but I honestly dont think it could be any better.

'When Im with him it just feels so right, its like nothing Ive experienced before. My mum always told me that when you find The One youll see why your past relationships werent right. Alex is The One.'
She became one of the most desirable women in the world after her saucy appearance in Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines video.

And Elle Evans looked positively smitten with her man of one year, Matt Bellamy, as they headed out for her birthday celebrations in West Hollywood on Friday night.

The 26-year-old model was every inch the blonde bombshell in a sexy skin-tight ensemble as she led her British beau to their car after dinner.

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Let the party begin! Elle Evans, 26, looked every inch the blonde bombshell in a sexy skin-tight ensemble as she celebrated her birthday in West Hollywood with beau Matt Bellamy, 38

Clearly in the mood to celebrate, the former Playboy Playmate of the Month looked flirty as she raised an immaculately manicured finger up to her mouth.

Clad in a body-hugging bandage mini-skirt, the stunner had no issue flaunting her lean pins in a pair of snakeskin open-toe heels.

Her glossy man effortlessly cascaded against her icy white faux-fur shrug as she attempted to shield herself stylishly from California's cooler weather.

Happy with letting the former Miss.Louisiana Teen USA hog the limelight, Matt kept it simple in an all-black outfit.

Sexy secrets: Clearly in the mood to celebrate, the former Playboy Playmate of the Month looked flirty as she raised an immaculately manicured finger up to her mouth

Her biggest fan: Happy with letting the former Miss.Louisiana Teen USA hog the limelight, Matt kept it simple in an all-black outfit

With dark jeans, bomber jacket and matching shoes, the Muse front-man looked every inch the rocker.

Elle and Matt started dating in April 2015 and have been inseparable ever since, enjoying several exotic holidays together over the past months.

Matt was previously in a relationship with American actress Kate Hudson but split in 2014 after four years together.

Despite remaining good friends now, Goldie Hawn's daughter discussed the 'painful' split in Allure magazine in December 2015.

In one of her most candid interviews to date, Kate revealed the couple 'had different visions of how [they] wanted to live [their] lives'.

Looking cool: With dark jeans, bomber jacket and matching shoes, the Muse front-man looked every inch the rocker

Smitten: The Blurred Lines model and Matt started dating in April 2015 and have been inseparable ever since, enjoying several exotic holidays together over the past months

She said: 'Relationships ending are painful, and you can choose to carry that or you can choose to reframe it.

'If Matt and I had a great relationship, we would still be together, but we chose to move on because we had different visions of how we wanted to live our lives,' the Almost Famous star explained.

'[It] doesnt mean, though, that we cant rebuild something that would be the best thing for the kids. [] We said, We need to try to create something for the kids where they feel like theyre gaining something rather than losing something.
They grew up dancing together as partners in ballroom dancing competitions across the country.

But Joanne and Kevin Clifton are now going head-to-head on Strictly Come Dancing as they compete for a coveted place in next week's final.

Joanne, 33, is the favourite to be eliminated this week with her partner Ore Oduba, whilst Kevin, 34 and Louise Redknapp are predicted to come in second place, however, their parents have revealed the siblings will do 'everything within their power' to win.

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Sibling rivalry: Kevin Clifton (L) will be going head-to-head with sister Joanne (R) on Strictly Come Dancing as they compete for a place in next week's final

The beginning: However their parents have revealed the siblings (pictured here when Kevin was 3 and Joanne, 2) will do 'everything within their power' to win

Speaking to The Mirror, Keith and Judy Clifton, who refused to disclose their real ages said: 'They both want to win it, even if its to the detriment of the brother or sister. They are doing everything within their power to do that.

'They are both perfectionists. Its not just for themselves but for their celebrity partners as well.'

The couple - who are four times British Latin American champions - added that they got 'nervous' watching their children perform, as they explained: 'Our worst nightmare is them being in the dance-off together.'

Success story: While Kevin, 34 and his partner Louise Redknapp (above) are predicted to come in second place

Strictly out of here? Joanne, 33, is the favourite to be eliminated this week with her partner Ore Oduba

Joanne has competed in both ballroom and Latin since the age of 4 and has been a British Champion five times, Italian Champion three times as well as Professional Ballroom European Champion and Professional World Dancesport Games Champion.

Meanwhile, Kevin was a Youth World Number 1 and four time British Latin Champion who won International Open titles in 14 countries, ranking him 7th in the world when he retired from competitive dancing in 2007.

The star, often referred to as Kevin from Grimsby joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 a year after his wife Karen Clifton began appearing on the series.

In 2014, Joanne followed suit and joined the BBC programme as a professional dancer.

Cute couple: The star, often referred to as Kevin from Grimsby joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 a year after his wife Karen Clifton began appearing on the series

Saturday's show will see the siblings compete to make it through to next week's final by performing two routines with their celebrity partners.

Louise and Kevin will be dancing the Samba to Brazil by Thiago Thome and the Tango to Glad All Over by the Dave Clark Five.

Ore and Joanne will be dancing the Quickstep to Are You Gonna Be My Girl? by Jet and the Argentine Tango to Cant Get You Out of My Head by Kylie Minogue.

Semi-final: Saturday's show will see the siblings compete to make it through to next week's final by performing two routines with their celebrity partners

Also in the semi-final is Olympic gymnast Claudia Fragapane who will be dancing the Rumba to Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis and the Quickstep to When Youre Smiling by Andy Williams with her partner AJ Pritchard.

The bookies favourite to win, Danny Mac will be dancing the Salsa to the track Vivir Mi Vida by Marc Anthony and the American Smooth to Misty Blue by Dorothy Moore with his partner, Oti Mabuse.

The Strictly Come Dancing semi-final airs Saturday night on BBC One at 6.50pm.
She packed on the PDA in a skimpy yellow bikini with her beau Scott Thomas in Australia recently.

And Kady McDermott flaunted her topped up bronzed physique as she arrived in style to a meet and greet at the House of CB store in Westfield's shopping centre in Stratford, London.

The Love Island finalist, 20, stole the spotlight in a chic, yet sexy, jumpsuit which served to highlight her enviably toned figure.

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Sexy lady: Kady McDermott, 20, flaunted her bronzed physique as she arrived in style to a meet and greet at the House of CB store in Westfield's shopping centre in Stratford, London

The eye-catching number, which sported black and navy panels, clung on to her figure to perfection.

It went on to sport wide-leg bottoms, allowing her pose up a storm in pair of heels.

The make-up artist showed off her beauty prowess with fluttery mascara-laden eyes, chiselled cheekbones and a plump pout while her brunette locks cascaded down her front.

An embellished choker completed the glam look, while she kept her phone close for a few selfies and in case her beau called.

Fashionista: The Love Island finalist stole the spotlight in a chic, yet sexy, figure-hugging jumpsuit which served to highlight her enviably toned figure

Stunner: The make-up artist showed off her beauty prowess with fluttery mascara-laden eyes, chiselled cheekbones and plump pout while her brunette locks cascaded down her front

Enviable frame: The eye-catching number, which sported black and navy panels, clung on to her figure to perfection

Kady met Scott after Love Island kicked off in May, leading to a tumultuous start to their romance before they cemented their relationship and moved in together earlier this year.

The couple flew home from their getaway on Wednesday, after spending time on the Gold Coast to support Scott's' twin brother Adam on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here.

While out in Oz Kady reportedly made fix claims against I'm A Celebrity bosses during the finale of the show on Sunday.

During Sunday night's final, the remaining three came down to comedian Joel Dommett and Scarlett Moffatt, who finished in second and first place respectively, ahead of Adam.

Snapping away: Feeling confident in her look, Kady captured a selfie to share with her social media followers

Can't let go: She ensured to keep her phone close by

Keeping a close eye on it: The reality star ensured to pop her phone in a convenient place before she posed up a storm for photographers

While the Emmerdale actor took his place gracefully, by thanking his supporters and congratulating Scarlett - Kady and Scott were reportedly more disgruntled.

In now-deleted Tweets, the Mirror report that Kady penned: 'Fix. Good night' before adding: 'They knew their winner before the show even started... Anyway he's the winner in our eyes he did AMAZING!!!! #KingAdam'.

Aside from her angry outbursts, the brunette beauty was still keen to show off her incredible figure in a number of sizzling bikinis as she took to Instagram throughout the trip.
She's gearing up to celebrate her first Christmas with son Paul Tony.

And Sam Faiers couldn't look more delighted as she shared a sweet snap of herself holding her one-year-old son as they posed inside The Dorchester Hotel in London on Saturday.

The former TOWIE star, 25, looked every inch the yummy mummy in a chic ensemble as she balanced the adorable tot on her hip.

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Sweet: Sam Faiers, 25, looked every inch the yummy mummy as she shared a sweet snap of herself holding her son Paul Tony, son, as they posed inside The Dorchester Hotel in London

Donning a white turtleneck, skinny blue jeans and long brown cardigan, the reality sensation was wrapped up for winter in style as she simply captioned the shot: Christmas holiday  #london'

Paul, who she welcomed into the world on December 29 last year with her partner Paul Knightley, looked sweet in a navy coat, socks and red shoes.

Clearly finding it difficult to part ways from the youngster, the Mummy Diaries star shared another snap of the two in her bathroom on Friday.

Capturing the perfect mirror selfie, Sam looked comfortable in a figure-hugging grey top as Paul struck quite the pose upon seeing his reflection.

Teamwork: On Friday, the former TOWIE star capturing the perfect mirror selfie where she donned a figure-hugging grey top as Paul struck quite the pose upon seeing his reflection

Regularly sharing snaps of the little one on Instagram, the Essex beauty was met with a wave of backlash after uploading an image of her breastfeeding him last month.

Sam can be seen cradling the tiny tot to her chest as she places a protective hand on her niece Nelly.

The mother-of-one's image provoked a mixed reaction from fans, with several querying why she felt the need to broadcast her breastfeeding.

Natural moment: The Essex beauty was met with a wave of backlash after uploading an image of her breastfeeding him last month

Live on air: This was after she divided public opinion by breastfeeding on This Morning in October

'I breastfed but I didn't feel the need to post it all over social media.. is it just to prove a point? I don't get it?!', one fan shared.

Another said: 'You could have covered up a bit more and did you really have to broadcast it on here have a little dignity.....'

However, the majority of her fans praised the reality star for normalising and celebrating breastfeeding.

'What A Beautiful Picture', one cooed, while another enthused, 'ur a real inspiration to all moms out there showing not to be ashamed to do something completely natural (sic)'.

Her sister Billie, who is also a mother-of-one, was forced to defend her sister in an interview with OK! earlier this year.

Painting the town red: Sam enjoyed a girls' night out with her sister Billie Faiers and youthful looking mum Suzanne Well for their store Minnie's Boutique's Christmas party

'I think breastfeeding is the most natural thing a woman can do,' she told the magazine.

'I totally disagree with people who say you shouldn't do it in public. If you're baby needs feeding then you don't care where you are or what you're doing.

Meanwhile, Sam took a break from mum duties as she enjoyed a girls' night out with her sister and youthful looking mum Suzanne Well.

The three blondes stepped out in style in Essex for the Christmas party of their store Minnie's Boutique.
5 After Midnight were voted off The X Factor on Saturday night - narrowly missing a place in Sunday's finale.

Facing off against Saara Aalto and Matt Terry, the trio of hopefuls were left disappointed as they were consoled by their mentor Louis Walsh.

Kieran, Nathan and Jordan were booted off at the last hurdle having belted out a bevy of hits at the live show in Wembley.

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Saddened: 5 After Midnight were voted off The X Factor on Saturday night - narrowly missing a place in Sunday night's finale

Speaking after the result, they said: 'It's been the best experience ever... It was amazing, we just wanna say thank you to everyone', before their mentor Louis told the public to watch this space.

The live show kicked off with host Dermot O'Leary driving a motorbike onto the stage while looking swish in a tuxedo.

Judges Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Nicole Scherzinger and Louis stepped onto the stage looking incredible glamorous.

The X Factor class of 2016 swarmed the stage to belt out Little Mix's number one hit Shout Out To My Ex before the finalists sang Cake By The Ocean by DNCE mashed with Justin Timberlake's Can't Stop The Feeling.

Staying strong: Kieran, Nathan and Jordan were booted off at the last hurdle having belted out a bevy of hits at the live show in Wembley

Dancing it off: Speaking after the result, they called the show 'the best experience ever'

Sticking up for them: Louis then added for viewers to 'watch this space' as he predicted big things for the boys in the future

Brave face: The boys, who have entertained audiences every week with their upbeat dance numbers and stunning vocals, were very graceful in defeat as they thanked fans

Ladies and gentleman... The finalist! Facing off against Saara Aalto and Matt Terry, the trio of hopefuls were left disappointed as they were consoled by their mentor Louis Walsh

We did it! Meanwhile Matt Terry swung Saara Aalto around in joy as they discovered they were last two standing in the competition

Good work: Nicole joined her contestant Matt and competitor Saara for a hug in celebration

Dynamic duos: Saara then reunited with her own mentor Sharon for a tight hug as the famous redhead congratulated her on her achievement

Mentor Louis opened the show with 5AM as he visited their respective hometowns.

Their first performance of the evening saw an epic stage setting with a helicopter dominating the set before they launched into Beyonce's 2003 hit Crazy In Love with a heavily dance based performance.

The arrangement received a standing ovation from the judges as Nicole lauded their 'electric energy' and told them they did an 'awesome job'.

Emotional: Matt struggled to hold back his tears as he was voted through by the public

Fight for the finish: The handsome hunk will fight for the prize of a recording contract with Syco

Jumping for joy! Matt and Saara will go against each other in Sunday night's final for the title

Vroom, vroom: The live show kicked off with host Dermot O'Leary driving a motorbike onto the stage while looking swish in a tuxedo

Kicking things off: Mentor Louis opened the show with 5AM, comprising of Kieran, Nathan and Jordan, as he visited their respective hometowns

Sharon backed her comment, saying: 'Everyone in this room is crazy in love for you guys', before cheeky Simon stated: 'Louis even though you are a horror of a human being. I've got to hand it to you guys... This worked on the competition and would work in the real world. You've worked hard. This was a fantastic performance.'

Nicole introduced her beloved Matt, who visited Heart FM to chat to Jamie Theakston and Emma Bunton before returning to his hometown of Bromley in the pre-performance VT.

Waiting for him in his hometown was Italian chef Antonio Carluccio, founder of Carluccio's - the restaurant where Matt once worked.

The shock factor: Sharon backed her comment, saying: 'Everyone in this room is crazy in love for you guys'

Good times: The band's first song on the show saw them launch into Beyonce's 2003 hit Crazy In Love with a heavily dance based performance

Belting it out: Matt then took the stage where he sang Jess Glynne's stunning hit Take Me Home, as he performed on a podium while wearing a white shirt embroidered with peacocks on the chest

Belting out the hits: The handsome hopeful did his best to get through to the final

Matt then took the stage where he sang Jess Glynne's stunning hit Take Me Home, as he performed on a podium while wearing a white shirt embroidered with peacocks on the chest.

Beneath the podium was a bevy of dancers and a choir who exited from beneath the stage - adding an extremely edgy and artistic feel to the staging.

Sharon told the hopeful: 'You're like me, a drama queen. I'm so glad you're here, you so deserve it.' Simon lauded Nicole for the song choice before saying: 'I was distracted by what was going on down here' in reference to the dancers.

England or Britain? Nicole urged England to get behind Matt before Dermot quickly gave the disclaimer: 'We're also hoping Scotland and Wales will get behind you'

Nicole urged England to get behind Matt before Dermot quickly gave the disclaimer: 'We're also hoping Scotland and Wales will get behind you' - leading to outrage on Twitter for her dismissal of the rest of Britain.

Dermot then cheekily said: 'You have got on very well with your mentor, some would say flirty, flirty, flirty?' before they played a montage of the couple's banter-filled moments after which Nicole shook her head.

As attention turned to Matt's dad, who was chatting to Xtra Factor host Rylan Clark Neal, the microphone cut out, after which Dermot apologised.

Working it out: As Sharon turned to introduce Saara, she made another faux pas as she mispronounced her name by saying: 'Here's Sarah'

As Sharon turned to introduce Saara, she made a major faux pas as she mispronounced her name by saying: 'Here's Sarah'.

The Finnish beauty lay on top of a group of men as she rose up to belt out Lorde's hit Everybody Wants To Rule The World.

She won huge praise from the judges who were extremely impressed by her incredible show.

Brave: A focal point of the show was a performance from grieving Louis Tomlinson, who bravely took stage, just days after his mum Johannah Deakin's death

A focal point of the episode was a performance from grieving Louis Tomlinson, who bravely took stage, just days after his mum Johannah Deakin's death.

The tragic news was announced on Friday, shortly before the 24-year-old One Direction star appeared on the show which made him famous six years before.

Performing Just Hold On, his new track with Steve Aoki, the star looked overwhelmed when he rounded up the song after which Simon Cowell lauded him for his bravery.

Devastating: The tragic news was announced on Friday, shortly before the 24-year-old One Direction star appeared on the show which made him famous six years before

Kicking off the duet section was 5AM as they performed Clean Bandit's hit Tears alongside last year's winner Louisa Johnson, who looked stunning in a black mini dress.

Matt was next to perform as he stepped out in a slick black suit before belting out Prince's hit Purple Rain before he was joined on stage by his mentor Nicole.

The hopeful stated that it was the 'most incredible experience' before the Hawaii-born beauty praised the star for the duet, which Dermot called a 'diva-off'.

Incredible: Performing Just Hold On, his new track with Steve Aoki, the star looked overwhelmed when he rounded up the sing after which Simon Cowell lauded him for his bravery

Amazing: The hopeful stated that it was the 'most incredible experience' before the Hawaii-born beauty praised the star for the duet, which Dermot called a 'diva-off'

Belting out a Queen medley was Saara who performed with Adam Lambert. While Sharon's protege played piano, Adam came out and clamoured on her piano to belt out the hit before she joined him atop the instrument.

In a shock move, controversial rapping contestant Honey G returned for one last performance on the X Factor stage.

Wearing glasses illuminated with her own name, she also had the judges sported the same bizarre eyewear. She was plugging her single which comes out later this month, while using the show to urge her fans to buy her record.

The Weeknd took the stage in yet another superstar performance of the night as he belted out some of his biggest hits. He received a standing ovation from the judges.
They are battling it out for their respective acts to take home The X Factor crown.

And judges Nicole Scherzinger and Sharon Osbourne were also battling it out in the style stakes as they slipped into stunning gowns for their turn at Saturday night's final.

The 38-year-old former Pussycat Dolls star looked phenomenal in the fitted gold gown which boasted a one shoulder detail and slashed leg while the wife of Ozzy, 64, went for classic gothic glamour.

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Legs eleven! And judges Nicole Scherzinger and Sharon Osbourne were also battling it out in the style stakes as they slipped into stunning gowns for their turn at Saturday night's final

Nicole, who is charged with crooner Matt Terry, wowed in a plunging gold gown with a slash extending along the leg and a one shoulder detail.

The dress boosted her ample cleavage to the maximum, as her toned arms were displayed alongside her perky assets.

Shunning the cardinal legs or cleavage rule, the former Pussycat Dolls star was determined to show off as much flesh as possible.

She wore her lengthy brunette tresses pulled over one shoulder in a sleek style with her make-up flawlessly applied to highlight her perfect bone structure.

The glam factor: The 38-year-old former Pussycat Dolls star looked phenomenal in the fitted gold gown which boasted a one shoulder detail while the wife of Ozzy, 64, went for classic gothic glamour

Wow! Sharon, who is looking after Saara Aalto, meanwhile opted for her classic Queen Of Darkness look as she wowed in a dazzling floor-sweeping gown with a racy split along the length of the leg

Sharon, who is looking after Saara Aalto, meanwhile opted for her classic Queen Of Darkness look as she wowed in a dazzling floor-sweeping gown with a racy split along the length of the leg.

The black dress showed off her age-defying figure to perfection, yet she ensured the look was appropriate with a high-neck and long sleeves.

Her trademark flame red crop was naturally styled into perfect curls, while she was flawlessly turned out with a dewy dab of foundation making her skin dazzle.

Hey there! Nicole, who is charged with crooner Matt Terry, wowed in a plunging gold gown with a slash extending along the leg and a one shoulder detail

Louis looked sharp in a fun blazer, complete with jacquard detailing, while bespectacled Simon wore a sharp grey suit with his trademark open necked shirt.

The Irishman is looking after Five After Midnight as the competition heats up among other star-studded performances throughout the night.

Atop the celebrations of the evening, Grieving Louis Tomlinson will bravely take the stage to perform just days after his mum Johannah Deakin's death.

Playful! Louis looked sharp in a fun blazer, complete with jacquard detailing
Comedian T.J. Miller arrested in row over Donald Trump

Comic actor T.J. Miller was arrested in Hollywood on Thursday on suspicion of assaulting a driver, police said, after the pair reportedly locked horns over President-elect Donald Trump.

Celebrity news website TMZ reported that the driver, who it said was working for Uber, claims he was slapped in the head by the "Silicon Valley" star when they arrived at his home.

It was not immediately clear which side of the Trump row Miller was on, but he has been an outspoken critic of the real estate mogul in the past.

Officers arrested T.J Miller at a private address around 1:00 am (0900 GMT) and took him into custody Alberto E. Rodriguez (AFP/File)

Officers arrested Miller at a private address around 1:00 am (0900 GMT) and took him into custody, LAPD officer Jenny Hauser said.

The actor, who was charged with battery, posted $20,000 bail. He was released just under five hours later and ordered to appear in court on January 9.

Hauser would not confirm that the driver worked for Uber, adding: "All I can say is that he was a driver for a transportation company."

Miller's disdain for Trump was on display on Election Day on November 8 when he tweeted: "Please prevent @realDonaldTrump from putting his name on the White House in cheap gold."

When Miller appeared on TBS show "Conan" a few days prior, the actor set fire to a Trump tie he said he had bought "back when Donald Trump was funny."

Best known for HBO series "Silicon Valley" and Marvel's off-beat superhero movie "Deadpool," Miller stars opposite Jennifer Aniston in "Office Christmas Party," which opened in the United States on Friday.

The actor had been due to host Sunday's Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California.
Syrian regime fighting IS on edge of Palmyra: rights observers

Islamic State jihadists battled Syrian regime forces on Friday on the outskirts of Palmyra, the ancient town from which they were chased out eight months ago, rights observers said.

The jihadists have launched an offensive in recent days close to the town which is on UNESCO's world heritage list. They have now progressed "right up to the edge of the town," said Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Fierce fighting is continuing on the ground, while at the same time the Syrian airforce has launched air strikes against IS fighters, he said.

Ancient ruins are seen in Palmyra on March 27, 2016, after Syrian government troops recaptured the UNESCO world heritage site from the Islamic State (IS) group STRINGER (AFP/File)

"The noise of fighting can be heard inside the town," added Rahman, whose organisation has civilian and military sources across Syria.

Since Thursday IS fighters had been only four kilometers (2.5 miles) from the town. "Today they launched a new attack and advanced," he said.

According to the Observatory, at least 49 pro-government force members have been killed by IS since Thursday in the offensive in the province of Homs, where Palmyra is situated.

They include 15 fighters killed in an IS ambush near the Mahr oilfield.

On Thursday IS fighters launched simultaneous attacks near the Mahr and Chaar oil and gas fields and elsewhere in Homs province, killing 34 members of pro-regime forces.

The Islamic State group seized control of several towns in the province including Palmyra in May last year including its ancient sites which they damaged extensively.
Writers call for end to China's human rights crackdown

More than 100 authors from around the world signed a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping Saturday -- Human Rights Day -- to urge an immediate end to China's "worsening crackdown" on rights, a global writers group said.

Since he came to power in 2012, Xi has overseen a crackdown on dissent, with hundreds of lawyers, activists and academics detained and dozens jailed.

His ruling Communist party tolerates no opposition to its rule. Newspapers, websites, and other broadcast and print media are strictly controlled. An army of censors patrols social media and many Western news websites are blocked.

Salman Rushdie is one of more than 100 authors urging China's President Xi Jinping to end a "worsening crackdown" on rights CHARLY TRIBALLEAU (AFP/File)

"China and the rest of the world can only be enriched by these opinions and voices," said the letter, organised by the London-based PEN International writers association, which advocates for free speech.

"We therefore urge the Chinese authorities to release the writers, journalists, and activists who are languishing in jail or kept under house arrest for the crime of speaking freely and expressing their opinions," it stated.

Signed by writers including Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood and Nobel laureate JM Coetzee, the letter mentioned imprisoned Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo, currently serving an 11-year sentence for "subversion", and his wife Liu Xia, who remains under house arrest.

It also referenced, among others, scholar Ilham Tohti, who is serving a life sentence for "separatism" for his criticism of Beijing's policies towards the mostly-Muslim Uighur minority.

Over a dozen members or honorary members of the organisation's China-focused chapter, the Independent Chinese PEN Centre, were currently imprisoned or persecuted, it stated.

"The enforced silence of these friends and colleagues is deafening, and the disappearance of their voices has left a world worse off for this egregious injustice and loss," the letter said.
Giuliani out as Trump narrows diplomat pick

Donald Trump plunged his quest for America's next top diplomat back into the spotlight by confirming that one frontrunner, outspoken former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, will not join his cabinet.

Giuliani had made no secret of his desire for the job, but came under media scrutiny over business dealings that could pose conflicts of interest.

He was one of Trump's most ardent supporters in the bitterly divisive election but others were alarmed about the prospect of the 72-year-old known for abrasive rhetoric heading up the largest diplomatic mission in the world.

Trump has confirmed that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (L) will not be joining his cabinet Don EMMERT (AFP/File)

Observers in the United States and around the world have been on tenterhooks over who the incoming Republican will pick as they wait to see whether Trump will make good on threats to rip up treaties and free trade agreements.

With the decision expected next week, the president-elect announced Friday that Giuliani had removed his name from contention as far back as November 29.

"Rudy would have been an outstanding member of the cabinet in several roles, but I fully respect and understand his reasons for remaining in the private sector," Trump said in a statement.

Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor, earned the moniker "America's Mayor" for his leadership of New York in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

"This is not about me; it is about what is best for the country and the new administration," he said in a statement released by Trump's team, confirming that he would continue to work in his law and consulting firms.

The New York Times reported that Rex Tillerson, chief executive of Exxon Mobil, was now the leading candidate to become secretary of state. Tillerson met Trump in New York on Tuesday.

- New picks next week -

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, a fierce critic of Trump during the campaign, is thought to remain in the running.

But the Times said Trump had "indicated to several people" that the former Massachusetts governor was now unlikely to be named.

In an interview with Fox News, Giuliani followed other ardent Trump loyalists in counseling against Romney, complaining that he "went just a little too far" in savaging Trump during the campaign season.

"You can make friends and make up, but I would not see him as a candidate for the cabinet," Giuliani told Fox.

Trump's appointments so far include four billionaires and three generals in a super-rich, conservative and largely white inner circle set to run the United States from January 20.

Many incoming cabinet members have railed against the worker protections and environmental and corporate regulations enacted by President Barack Obama.

Trump told a victory rally in Michigan that "phenomenal" new names would be announced next week, but declined to give specifics.

The stop in Grand Rapids was the fifth campaign-style event since the November 8 election as he soaks up adulation from supporters in key states that helped secure his electoral win over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The president-elect defends his picks as "some of the most successful people in the world" but when his choice for education secretary, billionaire Betsy DeVos, took the stage in Michigan, she was heckled by some protesters.

A number of protesters were forcibly removed from the floor at different points during the evening. "Where do these people come from? Unbelievable," said Trump as the crowd responded with chants of "U-S-A! U-S-A!"

- Oil refineries -

He used the rally to name Michigan resident and Australian-born Dow Chemical executive Andrew Liveris as head of a national manufacturing council.

Liveris said his company was going to invest in a new research and development center in Michigan that would create hundreds of jobs -- with job creation one of Trump's key promises.

The president-elect also rehashed his complaints about a Boeing contract to build two new Air Force One jets, which he claims has escalated to $4 billion.

"I'm not paying $4 billion for an airplane," he told the crowd.

At a rally in Louisiana earlier on Friday, the president-elect said he wanted to see more oil refineries built in the United States, and pledged to do away with "job-killing restrictions" suppressing the energy sector.

He also delivered a veiled warning to America's rivals around the world, stating he would be prepared to boost US military production to keep pace with countries like China, which is rapidly modernizing its armed forces.

"We're going to have the strongest military in the world, the most updated military in the world. And there has rarely been a time where we have needed it like this," he told the crowd in Michigan.

CEO of US oil and gas corporation ExxonMobil, Rex Tillerson, is now the leading candidate to become secretary of state says the New York Times NEZAR BALOUT (AFP/File)
Pentagon chief announces 200 more US troops for Syria

Washington will send another 200 troops to Syria to help an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters seize the Islamic State group bastion of Raqa, Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said on Saturday.

They will join 300 US special forces troops already deployed in support of the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance in the drive on the jihadist stronghold it launched on November 5.

The operation coincides with a vast US-backed offensive to retake Iraq's second city of Mosul from the jihadists, forming a twin-pronged campaign intended to deliver a knockout blow to the "caliphate" they declared across Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Western special forces, supporting the US-backed Kurdish-Arab forces, deploy on the frontline on November 6, 2016, as they launch an offensive on the Islamic State group's positions DELIL SOULEIMAN (AFP/File)

The two cities are the last major urban centres under IS control after the jihadists suffered a string of territorial losses in both countries over the past year.

"I can tell you today that the United States will deploy approximately 200 additional US forces in Syria," the Pentagon chief told Gulf policymakers in the Bahraini capital.

He told the Manama Dialogue security forum that the troop reinforcements will include bomb disposal experts and trainers as well as special forces personnel.

Car bombs and elaborate networks of booby traps and mines have been the jihadists' favoured weapons as they battle to defend what remains of their "caliphate" .

"We're now helping tens of thousands of local Syrian forces to isolate Raqa," from which they are only about 25 kilometres (15 miles), Carter said.

Raqa, which has also served as a hub for jihadists plotting attacks abroad, is being isolated according to plan, he added.

- 'Complex mission' -

The US-backed offensive has been complicated by the deep hostility to the SDF of Turkey, a NATO ally and Syria's neighbour.

Ankara regards the alliance's most powerful military component, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), as an arm of the outlawed rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a deadly insurgency in southeastern Turkey for three decades.

The alliance controls a large swathe of northeastern Syria along the Turkish border as well as a smaller enclave in the northwest.

After a series of advances that looked set to join up the two areas of control, the Turkish army entered Syria in August in an operation it said was aimed at both IS and the YPG.

Turkish troops have since attacked Kurdish forces multiple times even as they have suffered mounting losses at the hands of IS.

US defence officials announced on Thursday that they were brokering talks between the two sides in a bid to prevent any further conflict between them disrupting the campaign against IS.

"This week, we're facilitating joint discussions with Turkey, the SDF and other coalition partners to promote deescalation in the area," said Colonel John Dorrian, spokesman for the US-led coalition battling IS.

The Pentagon chief said that with the offensives against Mosul and Raqa, the coalition had reached "a critical milestone" in its campaign against IS.

Iraqi forces are battling jihadists deep inside Mosul, edging closer to the River Tigris that divides the city.

But seven weeks into the offensive, they still control barely half of its eastern side .

"This is a complex mission that will take time to accomplish but I'm confident that ISIL's days in Mosul are numbered," Carter said, using an alternate acronym for the jihadist group.

He warned it was unclear what form IS would take after its eventual defeat in Iraq and Syria.

"We must be ready for anything," he said.

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have all carried out air strikes against IS in Syria, and Jordan has done so in both Iraq and Syria.

But Carter said there had been "some imperfections" in the regional response to the jihadists.

"Some of the regional powers here in the Middle East have not lived up to the full potential one would expect", he said, without singling out any country.

They could do more politically and economically, he said.
Tibetan self-immolates in China: rights group

A man has self-immolated in protest against China's presence in Tibet while calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, a rights group said Saturday, the first Tibetan to set themselves on fire since March.

Horrific video footage online showed the man, aged in his thirties and named by The International Campaign for Tibet as Tashi Rabten, walking down the road in northwest China's Maqu region with his entire body engulfed in flames while a passerby recited prayers.

According to the Tibetan government in exile based in India, Rabten is the 145th Tibetan to self-immolate since 2009.

A pilgrim spins his prayer wheel in front of the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, in China's autonomous region of Tibet JOHANNES EISELE (AFP/File)

Local authorities, who collected his charred remains, could not be reached for comment.

Rabten's wife, two of his children and several other family members were placed in detention by local police after they went to claim the body, according to rights group Free Tibet.

"Having lost a father and a husband, Tashi Rabtens family now find themselves in detention. The cruelty of this system knows no bounds," Free Tibet said in a statement.

"The only crime they have committed is to be the family of someone who has embarrassed China by once again reminding the world that their occupation and these human rights abuses cause Tibetans real pain. And sometimes this pain pushes Tibetans to make the ultimate sacrifice," it added.

Beijing says its troops "peacefully liberated" Tibet in 1951, but many Tibetans accuse the central government of religious repression and eroding their culture.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled into exile after a failed uprising in 1959.

Tibetan monks within China have reported a campaign of government intimidation targeting the family and friends of those who set themselves on fire.

According to The International Campaign for Tibet, Tashi Rabten, a former monk, had a cousin who self-immolated in the exact same street in 2012.
China halts North Korean coal imports

China announced Saturday that it was suspending coal imports from North Korea for three weeks, in line with the latest United Nations sanctions against the hermit state.

"After the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2321... China is suspending North Korean coal imports," the government said in a statement.

The three-week suspension starts Sunday and ends on December 31, according to the statement.

UN Security Council has approved five sets of sanctions since North Korea first tested a nuclear device in 2006 Kena Betancur (AFP/File)

The Security Council passed the resolution on the international sanctions against Pyongyang on November 30 in the wake of the North's September 9 nuclear test.

It limits North Korea's coal exports next year to 7.5 million tonnes or just over $400 million, down 62 percent on 2015.

The cap represents a fraction of the North's current annual exports to China, the isolated country's sole ally and its main provider of trade and aid.

China imported 1.8 million tonnes of coal worth $101 million from North Korea in October alone, according to the most recent figures available on the Chinese Customs website. The volume was up nearly 40 percent year-on-year.

Under previous sanctions, the Security Council authorised the purchase of coal from North Korea provided revenues were not used to finance Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

However, the UN did not specify any assessment criteria, which allowed Beijing to increase its imports considerably while saying it was acting in good faith.

Between March and October, 24.8 million tonnes of coal was imported, three times the annual limit now allowed by the UN.
Rwanda confirms August 2017 presidential election date

Rwanda will stage presidential elections next August, according to a government statement issued Saturday.

Rwandans abroad will cast their votes on August 3, and those resident in Rwanda will follow suit on August 4, a communique in the local Kinyarwanda language said.

A constitutional amendment passed this year means that President Paul Kagame -- in charge since taking power at the head of a rebel army in 1994 -- is able to stand for re-election for another seven-year term.
Iraq police poised to enter Mosul

Police and interior ministry forces will enter Mosul to help the army defeat the Islamic State group in the east of the city, Iraqi commanders said on Saturday.

Lieutenant General Raed Shaker Jawdat said federal police forces and the elite Rapid Response forces from the interior ministry would soon move in to assist the army's 9th Armoured Division.

The move comes three days after jihadists ambushed the army in the Al-Salam hospital in southeast Mosul, killing several soldiers and forcing them to pull back.

Soldiers from the Iraqi special forces secure a street during an operation against Islamic State group jihadists in the Al-Baker neighbourhood in eastern Mosul, on November 30, 2016 THOMAS COEX (AFP)

"Our units moved towards Hamdaniyah to support the 9th Division, exact revenge on Daesh for what they did at Al-Salam hospital and retake areas on the east bank of the Mosul," Jawdat told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

Hamdaniyah, also known as Qaraqosh, is a large town southeast of Mosul which was retaken before Iraqi forces first entered Mosul last month and is used as a staging base for some of the forces operating in the area.

Lieutenant General Qassem al-Maliki, the commander of the 9th Division, said he lost 13 men in the fighting around the hospital. IS and some other security sources gave higher tolls.

Maliki told AFP that Rapid Response forces were also poised to enter the city on the eastern side to support the 9th Division.

The federal police and interior ministry forces have so far mostly been fighting along a southern front which has stalled within striking distance of Mosul airport, which lies on the western bank of the Tigris river that divides the city.

Most of the fighting in Mosul has been done by the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, which has entered Mosul from the east and has retaken several neighbourhoods.
Suicide bomber kills 35 Yemen soldiers

A suicide bomber killed 35 soldiers and wounded around 50 others Saturday at a military camp in Yemen's southern city of Aden, where jihadists are active, military and medical sources said.

The attacker detonated his explosives belt as hundreds of troops gathered to receive their monthly pay at the barracks in Al-Sawlaban near the city's international airport, a military source said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

IS and Al-Qaeda have carried out a spate of attacks in Aden, headquarters of Yemen's internationally recognised government since allied fighters retook the port city from the rebels last year Saleh Al-Obeidi (AFP/File)

Yemeni authorities have for months pressed a campaign against jihadists who remain active in the south and east of the war-torn country.

The Islamic State group and its jihadist rival Al-Qaeda have taken advantage of a conflict between the government and the Huthi rebels, who control the capital Sanaa, to bolster their presence across much of the south.

IS and Al-Qaeda have carried out a spate of attacks in Aden, Yemen's second city and headquarters of the internationally recognised government whose forces retook the port from the Huthis last year.

Al-Qaeda has long been the dominant jihadist force in Yemen, located next to oil-flush Saudi Arabia and key shipping lanes, but experts say IS is seeking to supplant its extremist rival.

In August an IS militant rammed his explosives-laden car into an army recruiting centre in Aden, killing 71 people in the deadliest jihadist attack on the city in over a year.

On Monday, Yemeni authorities arrested eight suspected IS jihadists implicated in a spate of attacks targeting security personnel in the city this year.
Iran summons British envoy to protest PM's comments

Iran summoned the British ambassador Saturday to protest against "interference" by Prime Minister Theresa May after she told Gulf leaders she would help counter the country's influence in the region.

Nicholas Hopton was told by a senior Iranian diplomat that "irresponsible, provocative and divisive comments by Theresa May at the (Gulf) summit are unacceptable and we reject them", foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said, quoted by state television's website.

"It is expected that such unacceptable remarks will not be made again."

British Prime Minister Theresa May, seen December 7, 2016, told Gulf leaders she would help counter Iran's influence in the region STRINGER (AFP/File)

Addressing a summit of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Bahrain, May on Wednesday reaffirmed British support for traditional allies in the region and said her country would help "push back against Iran's aggressive regional actions".

The mainly Sunni Arab Gulf monarchies and Shiite Iran are bitter regional rivals, at odds over a range of issues including the wars in Syria and Yemen.

In a joint statement, GCC states and Britain agreed to a "strategic partnership" and said they "oppose and will work together to counter Iran's destabilising activities".

Iran and Britain reopened their respective embassies in 2015 following a nuclear deal with world powers, after four years of strained ties.

The two states appointed ambassadors in September for the first time since 2011.

Ghasemi said May's remarks to the GCC summit went against the development of normal relations "and damage mutual ties".

He added that while Iran's regional policies are based on peace and security, "it is unfortunate and surprising that British officials and the prime minister have failed to note that some countries in the region pursue a clear policy of supporting terrorism".

The foreign ministry quoted Hopton as saying Britain's policy towards Iran was to develop ties and that he would communicate Tehran's "clear message" to May's office.

The state television website also quoted Iran's first vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, as pouring scorn on Gulf leaders.

They invited May "to say a few words against Iran there. These desolates don't think about the extent to which they are humiliating their own nations," Jahangiri said.

"Iran is the senior country in the region. To bring someone from the other side of the world to utter some meddlesome and irrelevant words about Iran, what does that say?

"Do you think you can match Iran and harm its security?"
US-led coalition strike kills IS leader in Syria: Pentagon

The US-led military coalition has killed a leader of the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria, the Pentagon said on Saturday.

"Coalition warplanes targeted and killed Tunisian Boubaker al-Hakim, in Raqa, Syria" on November 26, Pentagon spokesman Ben Sakrisson said in a statement emailed to AFP.

"Al-Hakim was an ISIL leader and longtime terrorist with deep ties to French and Tunisian Jihadist elements," he added, using an alternate acronym for the IS group.

A US-backed Arab-Kurdish alliance, members of which are seen December 20, 2016, announced "phase two" of its campaign for Raqa, the IS group's Syrian bastion, as Washington said it was sending 200 more troops to back the offensive DELIL SOULEIMAN (AFP)

The 33-year-old Al-Hakim was suspected of involvement in extremist attacks against Tunisian political leaders in 2013, Sakrisson said.

"His removal degrades ISIL's ability to conduct further attacks in the West and denies ISIL a veteran extremist with extensive ties," he added.

Hakim's death also "denies the Islamic State a key figure with extensive historical and current involvement in facilitation and external operations and degrades their ability to conduct terror attacks around the world," the statement read.

The official confirmation of al-Hakim's death comes after it was announced on December 2 on the Twitter account of a Syrian group of opponents to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Born in Paris, al-Hakim first fought for Al-Qaeda in Iraq from 2003 to 2004 before joining the IS group.

He was sentenced to seven years in prison in Paris in 2008 for his part in a drive to send young jihadists from France to Iraq. He was released in early 2011.

His network included Cherif Kouachi, one of two brothers who carried out the attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in January 2015 that killed 12 people.

In Syria, a US-backed Arab-Kurdish alliance on Saturday announced "phase two" of its campaign for Raqa, the IS group's Syrian bastion, as Washington said it was sending 200 more troops to back the offensive.

The battle for Raqa coincides with a vast US-backed offensive to retake Iraq's second city of Mosul.
UN Security Council demands Gambia's Jammeh hand over power

The UN Security Council demanded that Gambia's leader Yahya Jammeh hand over power to the president-elect after he rejected the election results in a dramatic political U-turn.

In a unanimous statement on Saturday, the 15 council members called on Jammeh to "respect the choice of the sovereign people of The Gambia, as he did on December 2 2016, and to transfer, without condition and undue delay, power to the President-elect, Mr Adama Barrow."

In power for the past 22 years in the West African country, Jammeh surprised his critics when he accepted defeat a day after the December 1 vote.

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, seen in 2014, rejected his election defeat only a week after conceding to opponent President-elect Adama Barrow ISSOUF SANOGO (AFP/File)

But he reversed course on Friday, announcing he no longer accepted the results.

Council members "strongly condemned" Jammeh's decision to reject the results and call for a new election.

They urged him to "carry out a peaceful and orderly transition process and they requested that the security of the president-elect Adama Barrow, and that of all Gambian citizen be fully ensured."

A consensus candidate backed by a coalition of opposition groups, Barrow on Saturday urged Jammeh to accept defeat, arguing he had no legal standing for the turnaround.

Senegal, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, has requested a meeting to discuss the crisis, which could be held on Monday, diplomats said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "dismayed" by Jammeh's rejection of the election results and called on him to "fully respect the outcome of the election".

Ban called for a "peaceful, timely and orderly transfer of power, in full respect of the will of the Gambian people as expressed in the election", said a statement from his spokesman.

The appeal to Jammeh was issued after Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was dispatched to Banjul by the West African ECOWAS group to defuse the crisis, but was prevented from entering the country.

Senegalese Foreign Minister Mankeur Ndiaye accused Jammeh of refusing to allow Sirleaf's plane to land in the capital.
White House condemns Gambian leader's rejection of vote results

The White House on Saturday sharply criticized longtime Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh's declaration that he would not accept the results of the country's December 1 vote.

"The United States strongly condemns the decision by President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia to ignore the will of the Gambian people in calling for the December 1 election to be nullified," National Security Council Spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

"The United States appeals to all Gambians to reject violence and seek a peaceful resolution that upholds the will of the Gambian people and advances the promise of a freer, more democratic, and more prosperous Gambia."

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, seen December 2, 2016, has been the leader of the country for 22 years Handout (GRTS - Gambia Radio and Television Services/AFP/File)

A week after conceding defeat, Jammeh on Friday declared that he no longer accepted the results of the election, upending hopes for a peaceful political transition after his 22 years in power.

The NSC specifically called on the country's security services "to uphold their sacred duty to protect all Gambians and reject any instruction to suppress peaceful expressions of dissent."

Jammeh, a devout Muslim who seized power in 1994 in the former British colony, warned Gambians not to take to the streets to protest his decision.

Signs of a massive security ramp-up multiplied across the capital Banjul on Saturday, while the United Nations Security Council led calls for Jammeh, 51, to stand down and eschew violence.

Latest official figures gave Adama Barrow, a consensus candidate backed by a coalition of opposition groups, 43.29 percent of the vote in the presidential election, while Jammeh took 39.64 percent. The turnout was 59 percent.
Contractors to pay $147,500 in fatal fall at Vikings stadium

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Two construction companies have agreed to pay a combined $147,500 in fines over safety violations in the death of one worker and injuries to another during construction of the Minnesota Vikings' new stadium last year.

Berwald Roofing is paying $113,200 for three violations, while Mortenson is paying $34,300 for one violation. The penalties are lower than Minnesota's Occupational Safety and Health Administration originally proposed, but the contractors disputed the original fines.

Thirty-five-year-old Jeramie Gruber, of Faribault, Minnesota, died and a second Berwald Roofing worker was seriously injured when they fell while working on the $1.1 billion U.S. Bank Stadium on Aug. 26, 2015.
Mexican actor lured to death in revenge killing

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexican authorities say TV and movie actor Renato Lopez was lured to his death by an offer of work in an apparent revenge killing.

The chief prosecutor of Mexico State did not specify the motive for the Nov. 24 killing of Lopez and his agent besides citing the revenge angle. Local media reported it may have involved a personal relationship.

Prosecutor Alejandro Gomez said two men were arrested. One allegedly lured Lopez to the rural area where he was killed by offering work on an ad campaign.

Lopez played a supporting role in the movie "Macho," about a straight fashion designer who feels obliged to act gay. He's also been a host on television shows.
Chicago poised to pay $5.3 million in 2 police shootings

CHICAGO (AP)  The city of Chicago is poised to pay more than $5.3 million in two police shootings that made national headlines at a time when the city had just begun its desperate struggle to restore public confidence shattered by the release of a video of a white officer killing black teenager Laquan McDonald.

On the agenda for the City Council's finance committee on Monday are recommendations for a settlement of $3 million with the family of a black teenager, 17-year-old Cedrick Chatman, and nearly $2.4 million with the family of Darius Pinex, a black, 27-year-old father of three.

Pinex was shot by police during a traffic stop in 2011, and Chatman was shot by police in 2013 after he jumped from a vehicle that he was suspected of taking in a carjacking.

But both cases made national headlines in January, just over a month after a judge forced the city to release dashcam video of a 2014 incident in which a white police officer named Jason Van Dyke shot the 17-year-old McDonald 16 times.

That video sparked major protests, prompted Mayor Rahm Emanuel to fire Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy and led to local and federal probes. As the city was scrambling to contain the fallout from the McDonald video, a federal judge accused a city attorney of hiding evidence in a civil lawsuit brought by relatives of Pinex and ordered a new trial.

That same month, a federal judge lifted a protective order related to the video of Chatman's last seconds and the city dropped its longstanding opposition to making the video public. That video doesn't clearly answer whether the teen turned toward the officers who were chasing him, or whether he was holding anything. One of the officers said he believed Chatman was armed, but investigators said the black object found at the scene was an iPhone box.

In Pinex's case, the officers who stopped his car contended that they did so because it matched a car involved in a shooting they had heard about over their police radio. They said they shot Pinex after he refused their orders and put his car in reverse.
Former Missouri wide receiver faces assault charge

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP)  Authorities have charged former Missouri wide receiver Keyon Dilosa with assault after a woman accused him of punching her in the face.

The Boone County prosecutor's office said Dilosa was charged Friday with third-degree domestic assault. The prosecutor's office also said it's asking that Dilosa's bond terms include him not having any contact with the alleged victim.

The Missouri Tigers dismissed Dilosa after police arrested him following a fight with a woman near a downtown Columbia bar late last month.

Dilosa, a native of Round Rock, Texas, played in three games this season. He made 11 catches for 86 yards during his freshman season in 2015.
Judge rejects pimping charges against escort services site

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  A California judge rejected pimping charges Friday against the operators of a major international website advertising escort services that the state attorney general has called the "world's top online brothel," citing federal free speech laws.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris had charged Backpage.com CEO Carl Ferrer and former owners Michael Lacey and James Larkin, but Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Bowman sided with attorneys for the men and the website in ruling that the speech was allowed under the federal Communications Decency Act.

The section of the act that applies to the case protects websites from content posted by third parties, such as restaurant or shopping reviews from being held accountable for scathing reviews left by customers or online news sites from vicious reader comments.

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Sacramento County Sheriff's office shows Michael Lacey. A California judge has rejected pimping charges against the operators of a major international website advertising escort services that the state attorney general has called the "world's top online brothel." Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Bowman cites free speech laws in upholding the right of Backpage.com and its operators to publish. Bowman's action Friday, Dec. 9, 2016, makes final a previous tentative ruling. California Attorney General Kamala Harris charged Backpage.com CEO Carl Ferrer and former owners Michael Lacey and James Larkin. (Sacramento County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)

"This Court finds it difficult to see any illegal behavior outside of the reliance upon the content of speech created by others," Bowman wrote in Friday's ruling. "The whiff of illegality is detected only when considering the alleged content of the statements contained in the ads."

Bowman's action Friday makes final a previous tentative ruling.

Ferrer, 55, was charged with pimping a minor, pimping and conspiracy to commit pimping. Lacey, 68, and Larkin, 67, both from Arizona, were charged with conspiracy to commit pimping.

Ferrer was arrested Oct. 6 at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport, having arrived from Amsterdam after his Dallas headquarters was raided.

Lacey and Larkin are the former owners of the Village Voice alternative newspaper in New York City.

"I think this is a victory for the rule of law more than it is for Backpage," said Robert Corn-Revere, who represents Backpage. "Judge Bowman's ruling made clear that the protections of the First Amendment exist for a reason. I suppose that reason is to prevent this kind of abuse of power."

Harris, a Democrat who was elected to the U.S. Senate last month, alleged that more than 90 percent of Backpage revenue  millions of dollars each month  comes from adult escort ads that use coded language and nearly nude photos to offer sex for money.

She said in a statement that she disagreed with the court's ruling and will pursue every avenue under the law to hold the operators accountable.

"The Communications Decency Act was not meant to be a shield from criminal prosecution for perpetrators of online brothels," Harris said in the statement. "We will not turn a blind eye to the defendants' exploitative behavior simply because they conducted their criminal enterprise online rather than on a street corner."

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Sacramento County Sheriff's office shows James Larkin. A California judge has rejected pimping charges against the operators of a major international website advertising escort services that the state attorney general has called the "world's top online brothel." Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Bowman cites free speech laws in upholding the right of Backpage.com and its operators to publish. Bowman's action Friday, Dec. 9, 2016, makes final a previous tentative ruling. California Attorney General Kamala Harris charged Backpage.com CEO Carl Ferrer and former owners Michael Lacey and James Larkin. (Sacramento County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)
Court overturns theft convictions of ex-owner of mortuary

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP)  An appeals court has reversed two theft convictions against the ex-owner of an abandoned North Texas mortuary where bodies were found unattended in 2014.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports (http://bit.ly/2heBCeN ) the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth ruled Thursday there was insufficient evidence to convict Dondre Johnson.

The appeals court rendered acquittals on both counts.

Johnson had been convicted in September 2015 of taking money from families for cremation and burial services in Fort Worth and failing to deliver those services.

Bob Gill, Johnson's attorney, says he's pleased with the ruling.

Gill says Johnson was released on bond after serving his one-year sentence on nine misdemeanor counts of abuse of a corpse related to the case.

Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson says her office is evaluating its options.

___
At least 45,000 homeless after Aceh quake in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  At least 45,000 people have been displaced by the powerful earthquake that hit Indonesia's Aceh province, authorities said Saturday, as the government and aid agencies pooled efforts to meet the basic survival needs of shaken communities.

The estimate of the number of homeless people continues to grow while relief efforts fan out across the three districts near the epicenter of Wednesday's magnitude 6.5 quake, National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told a press conference.

"The basic needs of refugees must be met during the evacuation," the agency said in statement.

Earthquake survivors rest and reflect at a temporary shelter in Ulim, Aceh province, Indonesia, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. A large number of people were killed in the quake that hit the northeast of the province on Sumatra before dawn Wednesday. Hundreds of people were injured and thousands buildings destroyed or heavily damaged. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)

Humanitarian groups are now coordinating their efforts from a main command post in the worst affected district Pidie Jaya, the agency said.

At least 100 people were killed and hundreds injured in the quake, which also destroyed or damaged more than 11,000 buildings, mostly homes but also several hundred mosques and schools. The displaced are staying in temporary shelters and mosques or with relatives.

On Saturday, sniffer dogs were again used in the search for bodies and possible survivors in the devastated town of Meureudu, where a market filled with shop houses was largely flattened. Four other locations in Pidie Jaya are also the focus of search efforts.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo traveled Friday to worst-hit areas of the province and promised to rebuild communities.

Australia's government said on Saturday it will provide 1 million Australian dollars ($750,000) of humanitarian aid through the Indonesian Red Cross.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia is ready to respond to additional requests for assistance from the Indonesian government.

Survivors perform Friday prayer at a mosque badly damaged by Wednesday's earthquake in Pidie, Aceh province, Indonesia, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Over one hundred people were killed in the quake that hit the northeast of the province on Sumatra before dawn Wednesday. Hundreds of people were injured and thousands buildings destroyed or heavily damaged. (AP Photo/Heri Juanda)

Earthquake survivor Fakriyah tries to balance herself as she walks on the rubble at her shop damaged during Wednesday's earthquake in Tringgading, Aceh province, Indonesia, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Over a hundred people were killed in the quake that hit the northeast of the province on Sumatra before dawn Wednesday. Hundreds of people were injured and thousands buildings destroyed or heavily damaged. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)

Survivors perform Friday prayer at a mosque badly damaged by Wednesday's earthquake in Pidie, Aceh province, Indonesia, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Over one hundred people were killed in the quake that hit the northeast of the province on Sumatra before dawn Wednesday. Hundreds of people were injured and thousands buildings destroyed or heavily damaged. (AP Photo/Heri Juanda)

Faisal Marwan, left, who was injured in Wednesday's earthquake, stands on the ruins of his shop as police officers clear the rubble in Tringgading, Aceh province, Indonesia, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Over a hundred of people were killed in the quake that hit the northeast of the province on Sumatra before dawn Wednesday. Hundreds of people were injured and thousands buildings destroyed or heavily damaged. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Assad relies on foreign fighters in push to retake Aleppo

ALEPPO, Syria (AP)  Syria's President Bashar Assad is on the verge of recapturing all of Aleppo from rebels, but the victory won't be his alone. The battle for Syria's largest city has attracted thousands of foreign forces backing Assad  including Russian soldiers and Shiite fighters from Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The remarkable political and sectarian alignment underscores Aleppo's symbolic and strategic importance, which goes beyond the confines of Syria's civil war. Syria's former commercial center has long been regarded as a major gateway between Turkey and Syria.

Assad has sent some of his most elite forces to take part in the offensive on eastern Aleppo neighborhoods, held by the rebels since 2012. They include the Republican Guards, the 4th Division and the special forces. Syria's powerful paramilitary Desert Hawks and naval commandos have also joined the fight.

FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 5, 2016 file photo, a Syrian army soldier places a Syrian national flag during a battle with rebel fighters at the Ramouseh front line, east of Aleppo, Syria. Aleppo is set to be recaptured by Syrian President Bashar Assad, but the victory will not be Assad's alone. The battle for Syria's largest city has attracted thousands of foreign forces, including Russian soldiers and thousands of fighters from Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)

But after more than five years of war, even the best Syrian forces have been severely depleted. The pro-government side has cast the fight as a sectarian one in order to rally support, particularly in the Aleppo battle.

"We, the Shiites, are fighting to defend our ideology, religion, holy places and the state against terrorists," said a Shiite cleric in Beirut. He would only give his first name, Mohsen, because he did not want to appear as if he is inciting violence.

There are no exact numbers for the foreign fighters backing the Syrian government in Aleppo, but they are estimated to be in the thousands. And while thousands of Sunni volunteers from around the world have come to fight against Assad in Syria, the Shiite militiamen and foreign fighters  as well as the Russians  have been critical for his battlefield successes.

An Associated Press team that toured the government-held part of Aleppo this month saw Shiite religious banners, mostly in areas on the city's southern edge. In the southeastern Nairab neighborhood, near the closed international airport, Palestinian gunmen with red headbands that read "Quds Brigade" were seen in the streets and directing traffic.

Nearby, an office for Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah, or the Hezbollah Brigades, was decorated with the group's yellow flags and Shiite religious banners.

In western Aleppo hotels, plainclothes Russian advisers come and go carrying their flak jackets, helmets and Kalashnikov automatic rifles. It's an odd mix of forces, including Sunni Palestinian factions, which are often referred to by government supporters simply as "the friends."

In the town of Safira, just south of Aleppo, a small hut with a coffee machine stands in the middle of a street, surrounded by a scene of destruction. Few civilians remain in the area but Shiite fighters from Iraq's al-Nujaba militia have a center nearby. "The Friends Cafe," reads a plastic banner on top of the kiosk, which sells bottled water and coffee.

The so-called friends were also seen along the desert road leading to Damascus, which was opened after rebels cut the main highway linking Syria's two largest cities. Volunteer Fatimiyoun militiamen from Afghanistan and al-Nujaba fighters have posts on hills overlooking the desert beyond the road.

The fighters protect the road, which has been attacked by the Islamic State group and which was cut several times in the past before troops fortified their positions.

Shiite volunteers have been going to Syria with the blessing of Shiite power Iran  Assad's key ally since the early days of the Syrian conflict in 2011. Tehran, which also backs armed groups in Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan, has been sending military advisers to Assad's forces for years, including several senior officers who were killed in the conflict.

Pressure mounted on Assad last year when rebels captured the northwestern province of Idlib, which borders the coastal province of Latakia, a government stronghold and the heartland of Syria's Alawites, a Shiite offshoot to which the Assad family also belongs. Then, Russia joined the war in September 2015, tipping the balance of power in the favor of the Syrian president.

The Lebanese Hezbollah, also a Shiite group, is believed to have sent hundreds of its fighters to Aleppo. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has described the fight in Syria as "'the mother of all battles" and said the road to Palestine passes through Syrian cities, including Aleppo.

An official with the Iraqi al-Nujaba militia told the AP in October that the group had sent some 4,000 of its fighters in preparation for the battle to storm Aleppo.

Syrian government supporters say the nearby town of al-Bab, now controlled by the Islamic State group, is likely to be the next target, and suggest Iran seeks to expand its influence through a contiguous land corridor from Tehran to the Mediterranean Sea, through Iraq and Syria.

Also among the foreign fighters backing Assad's forces are Afghani refugees from Iran, who have reportedly been promised Iranian citizenship.

"As early as 2012, Iran took it upon itself to prevent the collapse of the Syrian regime," said Hilal Khashan, professor of political science at the American University of Beirut. "When the tide of the battle did not favor the Syrian regime and its allies, the Russians stepped into the battle and made sure that the regime would prevail."

"Without these fighters it would have been impossible for the (Syrian) army to make a breakthrough" in Aleppo, Khashan said.

___

Associated Press writer Zeina Karam in Beirut contributed to this report.

FILE - In this Saturday, May 9, 2015 file photo, a Hezbollah fighter stands on a hill next to the group's yellow flag in the fields of the Syrian town of Assal al-Ward in the mountainous region of Qalamoun, Syria. Aleppo is set to be recaptured by Syrian President Bashar Assad, but the victory will not be Assad's alone. The battle for Syria's largest city has attracted thousands of foreign forces, including Russian soldiers and thousands of fighters from Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Bassem Mroue, File)

FILE - In this May 9, 2015 file photo, a Hezbollah fighter looks toward Syria while standing in the fields of the Lebanese border village of Brital, Lebanon. Aleppo is set to be recaptured by Syrian President Bashar Assad, but the victory will not be Assad's alone. The battle for Syria's largest city has attracted thousands of foreign forces, including Russian soldiers and thousands of fighters from Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Bassem Mroue, File)

FILE - This Friday, Nov. 22, 2013 file photo, Iraqi and Lebanese Shiite fighters from a group called the Hussein Brigade use a helmet to draw a sniper into view during clashes between the Sunni-dominated Free Syrian Army and Syrian soldiers loyal to Syria's President Bashar Assad, supported by Iraqi and Lebanese Shiite fighters, in the town of Hejeira, which Syrian troops captured, in the countryside of Damascus, Syria. Aleppo is set to be recaptured by Syrian President Bashar Assad, but the victory will not be Assad's alone. The battle for Syria's largest city has attracted thousands of foreign forces, including Russian soldiers and thousands of fighters from Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Jaber al-Helo, File)

FILE - This Friday, Nov. 22, 2013 file photo, a Shiite fighter clashes with members of the Sunni-dominated Free Syrian Army rebel in the town of Hatita, in the countryside of Damascus, Syria. Aleppo is set to be recaptured by Syrian President Bashar Assad, but the victory will not be Assad's alone. The battle for Syria's largest city has attracted thousands of foreign forces, including Russian soldiers and thousands of fighters from Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Jaber al-Helo, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, April 26, 2014 file photo, mourners carry the flag-draped coffins of five militia members of a Shiite group, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, or League of the Righteous, during their funeral procession in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq. Aleppo is set to be recaptured by Syrian President Bashar Assad, but the victory will not be Assad's alone. The battle for Syria's largest city has attracted thousands of foreign forces, including Russian soldiers and thousands of fighters from Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Jaber al-Helo, File)
Norway expresses concern over Israeli settlement bill

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Norway has expressed concern over a planned Israeli bill that would allow expanded construction in major West Bank settlements.

Marit Berger Roesland of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that the proposed law "cast doubts about Israel's declared support for the two-state solution."

The contentious bill that Israel's parliament backed this week would retroactively legalize hundreds of homes in West Bank settlements that sit on private Palestinian land.

Another Scandinavian country, Sweden  whose relations with Israel have been strained since it recognized Palestinian statehood in 2014  said last month that it is "deeply concerned" about the bill. Sweden said such settlements are contrary to "Israeli and international law," and "greatly undermine" the possibility of a two-state solution.

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Recounts bring Stein publicity that eluded her on the trail

Long before presidential recounts crossed her mind, trash dumping and mercury contamination pushed Jill Stein into politics.

Stein, a physician, joined a 1990s movement to shut down or better regulate mercury-polluting incinerators in Massachusetts. She authored papers on child neurological damage and spoke at public gatherings. She testified at hearings as a medical expert.

Massachusetts eventually enacted strict limits on mercury emissions, and a few incinerators closed. But Stein had begun to see the system as set up to block change, and when the Green Party recruited her to run for governor in 2002, she took the chance.

Green Party candidate Jill Stein holds a press conference at the federal courthouse in Philadelphia after a hearing on the Green Party's request for a statewide recount, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. A federal judge allowed Wisconsin's presidential recount to move forward Friday as a another federal judge in Pennsylvania planned to take the weekend to decide on a Green Party-backed request to recount paper ballots and examine election computer systems for signs of hacking. Democrats and Republicans alike are criticizing her recount efforts as a ploy to raise her national profile for a future run. (Ed Hille/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

"I was part of a very frustrated public health initiative, and then the Green Party came to me and said, 'Why don't you run for office?'" Stein said in an October interview with The Associated Press. "I said, 'Everything else is failing, I might as well try electoral politics.'"

She's been trying ever since, running for president in 2012 and again this year, earning roughly 1.5 million votes. She lost the 2002 bid, as well as another run for governor in 2010, state representative in 2004 and Massachusetts secretary of state in 2006.

Stein is now gaining arguably more attention than she ever did on the campaign trail by pushing for recounts of the presidential contest in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. She has claimed, without concrete evidence, that the voting systems there are vulnerable to tampering and that a recount would reassure voters.

A judge in Michigan ended the recount this week, ruling Stein lacked standing. "We may be moving out of the court of law, but we're moving into the court of public opinion," Stein told dozens of supporters Saturday in Detroit.

A recount is underway in Wisconsin, and a judge is set to rule Monday on whether one can begin in Pennsylvania. Stein said efforts to stop the recounts will only increase voters' distrust in the system.

Her critics, including President-elect Donald Trump, charge she is running a scam to raise her profile and rake in money for another presidential run. She has raised more than $7 million to help cover the costs of the recounts, double what she raised for her presidential campaign.

Democrats have painted her as a spoiler stealing their votes. Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton would have won all three states, and the presidency, if all of Stein's votes had gone to her instead. But Stein argues most of her voters would not have supported Clinton.

Stein denies she's trying to boost her profile. Her website says donors will be surveyed to determine how to spend any leftover recount money.

"If I was thinking about me, I'm not sure I would be doing this now," Stein told the AP this week. "Election integrity is a big Green value."

Those who know Stein say she is sincerely passionate about her issues. But few believe being a perennial candidate is the best route, given her lack of electoral success and inability to form an organized campaign.

"She certainly would've been, in my mind, more effective staying in the arena of being an advocate for health issues," said Joan Kulash, an activist with Stein on the incinerator campaigns.

When the Green Party recruited Stein for 2002, co-chairman Jonathan Leavitt thought he had found a winner. He believed Stein's medical background and articulation made her perfect to woo voters fed up with the status quo but wary of supporting a third party.

Massachusetts had just passed a law that allowed candidates to qualify for public funds. But campaigns were required to show 6,000 small contributions in order to qualify, and Stein came up short. Leavitt, serving as a campaign manager, eventually left because he felt too many people were trying to direct the campaign.

A Boston news poll showed Stein performed strongly in a televised debate against Republican Mitt Romney, Democrat Shannon O'Brien and two other third-party candidates. Ultimately, she captured just 3.5 percent of the vote; Romney won.

"If we had stayed focused on the mechanics of the campaign, then we would've had a third-party campaign with a big budget," Leavitt said. "We would've won that campaign with Jill Stein in Massachusetts."

Stein, 66, argues winning isn't the only mark of success. She describes Democrats and Republicans as driving America toward an existential crisis, and sees the Green Party's struggle against powerful interests as a battle designed for her to lose. She argues that the media deliberately locks third-party candidates out of coverage and debates and that the two major parties practice fearmongering to maintain allegiances.

Her presidential platform centered on erasing student debt, reaching 100 percent clean energy by 2030 and cutting back U.S. involvement in international conflicts.

Stein received nearly 1 million more votes in 2016 than she did in 2012, which she considers a sign of growing displeasure with the status quo. She said she's not sure whether she'll run again.

"This is a David and Goliath struggle," Stein told the AP this week. "David doesn't get Goliath on the first shot."
What the 114th Congress did and didn't do

WASHINGTON (AP)  Congress wrapped up the 114th session early Saturday, a tumultuous two years marked by the resignation of a House speaker, a fight over a Supreme Court vacancy, bipartisan bills on health care and education and inaction on immigration and criminal justice. The new Congress will be sworn-in Jan. 3.

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What Congress passed or approved:

In this photo taken Dec. 8, 2016, the Capitol Building as seen in Washington. Congress wrapped up the 114th session early Saturday, a tumultuous two years marked by the resignation of a House speaker, a fight over a Supreme Court vacancy, bipartisan bills on health care and education and inaction on immigration and criminal justice. The new Congress will be sworn-in Jan. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

 A hard-fought budget and debt agreement that provided two years of relief from unpopular automatic budget cuts and extended the government's borrowing cap through next March.

 The end of a 40-year-old ban on crude oil exports.

 A rescue package for financially strapped Puerto Rico, creating an oversight board to supervise some debt restructuring and negotiate with creditors.

 A sweeping biomedical bill that would help drug and medical device companies win swifter government approval of their products, boost disease research and drug-abuse spending and revamp federal mental health programs. It would also include money for preventing and treating abuse of addictive drugs like opioids.

 The first overhaul of the Toxic Substances Control Act since it was approved in 1976.

 A sweeping rewrite of education law, giving states more power to decide how to use the results of federally mandated math and reading tests in evaluating teachers and schools.

 An aviation bill that attempts to close gaps in airport security and shorten screening lines.

 Five-year, $305-billion highway legislation to address the nation's aging and congested transportation systems.

 An extension of a federal loan program that provides low-interest money to the neediest college students.

 The USA Freedom Act, which extends some expiring surveillance provisions of the USA Patriot Act passed after the 9/11 attacks.

 A bipartisan measure that recasts how Medicare reimburses doctors for treating over 50 million elderly people.

 Legislation reviving the federal Export-Import Bank, a small federal agency that makes and guarantees loans to help foreign customers buy U.S. goods.

 $1.1 billion to combat the threat of the Zika virus.

 Defense legislation rebuffing President Barack Obama's attempts to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and blocking the Pentagon from starting a new round of military base closings.

 Food labeling legislation that will require most food packages to indicate whether they contain genetically modified ingredients.

 Legislation authorizing hundreds of water projects, including measures to help Flint, Michigan, rid its water of poisonous lead, and to allow more of California's limited water resources to flow to Central Valley farmers hurt by the state's lengthy drought.

 Expanded law enforcement tools to target sex traffickers.

 Legislation that would tighten several security requirements of the visa waiver program, which allows citizens of 38 countries to travel to the U.S. without visas.

Cybersecurity legislation that would encourage companies to share cyber-threat information with the government.

 A renewal of health care and disability payments to 9/11 first responders who worked in the toxic ruins of the World Trade Center.

 A bill allowing families of Sept. 11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in U.S. courts for its alleged backing of the attackers, enacted in Obama's first veto override.

 A permanent ban on state and local government Internet taxes.

 A bill that boosts government suicide prevention efforts for military veterans.

 Confirmation of Eric Fanning to be Army secretary, making him the first openly gay leader of a U.S. military service.

 The election of a new House speaker, Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

___

What Congress did not pass or approve:

 Confirmation of Obama's pick for the Supreme Court, Merrick Garland.

 Confirmation of 51 federal judges nominated by Obama, including 44 district court nominees and seven appeals court nominees.

 Gun control legislation.

 Bills that would have halted federal payments to Planned Parenthood, after secretly recorded videos of Planned Parenthood officials discussing tissue donations fueled an uproar among congressional Republicans and abortion opponents.

 Comprehensive or incremental changes to immigration law.

 $1 trillion worth of agency budget bills that will be kicked into next year, complicated by a familiar battle over the balance between Pentagon spending and domestic programs and a desire by Republicans to get a better deal next year from the Trump administration. Congress passed a four-month extension of current spending instead.

 A bipartisan criminal justice bill that would have reduced some mandatory sentences for low-level drug offenders and increased rehabilitation programs.

 The first comprehensive energy bill in nearly a decade, which would speed exports of liquefied natural gas and create a new way to budget for wildfires.

 War powers for Obama to fight Islamic State militants.

 A bill forcing the president to allow construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada. Obama rejected the pipeline in 2015 after seven years of indecision.

 The Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multinational trade agreement involving 11 other Pacific Rim countries. Congress did give the president Trade Promotion Authority, allowing Congress to ratify or reject trade agreements negotiated by the executive branch, but not change or filibuster them.
John Kerry awarded French Legion of Honor for peace-making

PARIS (AP)  U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is now an officer in France's Legion of Honor.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault bestowed the award on Kerry on Saturday after the two held talks on Syria's war.

Calling him a "friend to France," the Foreign Ministry said he earned the distinction for "his indefatigable efforts in favor of peace."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, shakes hand with France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault after being awarded of the Legion d'Honneur medal, at the Quai d'Orsay, in Paris, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. The Foreign Ministry said he earned the distinction "for his contribution of the development of relations between France and the United States, and his indefatigable efforts in favor of peace in the world." (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)

Accepting the award, an emotional Kerry recalled visiting Normandy D-Day beaches as a child with his French mother, and watching her cry.

"That's when I began to understand the cost of war, and the need for all of us to keep fighting for peace, always."

He also hailed Napoleon for creating the Legion.

Kerry has visited Paris countless times as secretary of state for high-level diplomatic meetings on Syria, Ukraine and other hotspots.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, poses with his daughter Vanessa and his son in law, Brain Nahed after being awarded of the Legion d'Honneur medal, at the Quai d'Orsay, in Paris, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. The Foreign Ministry said he earned the distinction "for his contribution of the development of relations between France and the United States, and his indefatigable efforts in favor of peace in the world." (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)
Death toll in Yemen suicide bombing rises to 45

SANAA, Yemen (AP)  A suicide bomber on Saturday blew himself up inside an army base in the southern city of Aden, killing 45 soldiers and wounding another 50, security officials said.

They said the bomber detonated a belt of explosives he was wearing amid hundreds of soldiers lining up to collect their salaries in the city's Solban army base.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

Waleed Rashed, a soldier in the base, arrived at the scene shortly after the attack to find the area littered with bodies and blood.

"I could hear the wounded soldiers screaming for help," he said.

Private cars were used to ferry the wounded to hospitals before ambulances arrived, he added.

The Islamic State group's Yemeni affiliate claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on social media sites known to be sympathetic with the extremist group. It was impossible to immediately verify the claim.

Aden is controlled by a loose coalition of troops loyal to the internationally recognized government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, local militias and jihadi groups.
Iran summons UK ambassador in Tehran

TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting that the country's Foreign Ministry has summoned the British ambassador in Tehran over the British prime minister's recent comments on Iran.

The Saturday report quotes Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying the issue was Prime Minister Theresa May's comments during a two-day summit in Bahrain of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a regional bloc of Western-allied countries including Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
UK: Sunday Times critic AA Gill dies after cancer battle

LONDON (AP)  Britain's Sunday Times says its long-standing restaurant critic and columnist Adrian Gill, better known as AA Gill, has died after a short battle with cancer. He was 62.

Gill revealed he had cancer in his regular column last month. In an announcement seen on its website Saturday, the paper's editor Martin Ivens said "the suddenness of his death has shocked us all."

Ivens added Gill was "the heart and soul of the paper," and said "his wit was incomparable, his writing was dazzling and fearless."
Trump team challenges intel on Russian election influence

WASHINGTON (AP)  Donald Trump's presidential transition team on Saturday challenged the veracity of U.S. intelligence assessments that Russia was trying to tip the November election to the Republican. A top Senate Democrat demanded a full congressional investigation.

The CIA has now concluded with "high confidence" that Moscow was not only interfering with the election, but that its actions were intended to help Trump, according to a senior U.S. official. The assessment is based in part on evidence that Russian actors had hacked Republicans as well as Democrats but were only releasing information harmful to Trump's rival, Hillary Clinton.

The official was not authorized to discuss the private intelligence assessment publicly and insisted on anonymity.

FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2016 file photo, President-elect Donald Trump speaks in Grand Rapids, Mich. Trump's presidential transition team on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, challenged the veracity of U.S. intelligence assessments that Russia was trying to tip the November election to the Republican. A top Senate Democrat demanded a full congressional investigation. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

Trump's public dismissal of the CIA assessment raises questions about how he will treat information from intelligence agencies as president. His view also puts Republicans in the uncomfortable position of choosing between the incoming president and the intelligence community.

In a statement late Friday, Trump's transition team said the finger-pointing at Russia was coming from "the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction." On Saturday, spokesman Sean Spicer told CNN there were "people within these agencies who are upset with the outcome of the election."

Spicer denied a New York Times report that Russia had broken into the Republican National Committee's computer networks. The U.S. official who disclosed the CIA assessment to The Associated Press said only that Republican entities had been targeted during the election.

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he would press for a congressional investigation in the new year. "That any country could be meddling in our elections should shake both political parties to their core," he said. "It's imperative that our intelligence community turns over any relevant information so that Congress can conduct a full investigation."

Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina have also said they plan to pursue investigations into Russian election interference. Other Republicans have played down the reports. Texas Sen. John Cornyn wrote on Twitter Saturday that Russian hacking had been going on for years. He said the matter was "serious, but hardly news."

There was no immediate official response from Moscow. But Oleg Morozov, a member of the foreign relations committee in the upper house of the Russian parliament, dismissed the claim of Russian interference as "silliness and paranoia," according to the RIA Novosti news agency. Morozov described the allegations as an attempt to force the next administration to stick to Obama's anti-Russian course.

President Barack Obama has ordered a full-scale review of campaign-season cyberattacks to be completed before he leaves office in January.

The investigation ordered by Obama will be a "deep dive" into a possible pattern of increased "malicious cyber activity" timed to the campaign season, White House spokesman Eric Schultz said Friday, including the email hacks that rattled the presidential campaign. It will look at the tactics, targets, key actors and the U.S. government's response to the recent email hacks, as well as incidents reported in past elections, he said.

The president ordered up the report earlier in the week asked that it be completed before he leaves office next month, Schultz said.

"The president wanted this done under his watch because he takes it very seriously," he said. "We are committed to ensuring the integrity of our elections."

The Kremlin has rejected the hacking accusations.

In the months leading up to the election, email accounts of Democratic Party officials and a top Hillary Clinton campaign aide were breached, emails leaked and embarrassing and private emails posted online. Many Democrats believe the hackings benefited Trump's bid.

Schultz said the president sought the probe as a way of improving U.S. defense against cyberattacks and was not intending to question the legitimacy of Trump's victory.

"This is not an effort to challenge the outcome of the election," Schultz said.

Obama's move comes as Democratic lawmakers have been pushing Obama to declassify more information about Russia's role, fearing that Trump, who has promised a warmer relationship with Moscow, may not prioritize the issue.

Given Trump's statements, "there is an added urgency to the need for a thorough review before President Obama leaves office next month," said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., senior Democrat on the House intelligence committee. If the administration doesn't respond "forcefully" to such actions, "we can expect to see a lot more of this in the near future," he said.

The White House said it would make portions of the report public and would brief lawmakers and relevant state officials on the findings.

It emphasized the report would not focus solely on Russian operations or hacks involving Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta and Democratic National Committee accounts. Schultz stressed officials would be reviewing incidents going back to the 2008 presidential campaign, when the campaigns of Sen. John McCain and Obama were breached by hackers.

Intelligence officials have said Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney were targets of Chinese cyberattacks four years later.

___

Associated Press writers Kathleen Hennessey in Washington and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.

___

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

President-elect Donald Trump arrives at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Baltimore, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, to attend the annual Army and Navy football game. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2015 file photo, President Barack Obama shakes hands with Russian President President Vladimir Putin before a bilateral meeting at United Nations headquarters. Obama has ordered intelligence officials to conduct a broad review on the election-season hacking that rattled the presidential campaign and raised new concerns about foreign meddling in U.S. elections, a White House official said Friday. White House counterterrorism and Homeland Security adviser Lisa Monaco said Obama ordered officials to report on the hacking of Democratic officials email accounts and Russias involvement. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
Series champs Fiji, South Africa unbeaten at Cape Town 7s

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP)  World series titleholder Fiji and on-form South Africa were unbeaten on Day 1 of the Cape Town Sevens on Saturday, while New Zealand also made the quarterfinals despite being held to a draw by Canada in pool play.

Fiji won three from three, although it was sternly tested by France in its final pool game and came from behind to win 28-19 and preserve its unbeaten status with two tries in the last two minutes.

South Africa opened with a 41-0 blowout over Russia at its home event, where it's the defending champion. Winner of this season's series-opening event in Dubai last weekend, South Africa went on to beat the United States 28-10 and Australia 29-7 at Cape Town Stadium.

New Zealand rebounded from the Canada result to beat England 33-7 with a big second-half performance. The New Zealanders pounced on two yellow cards for the English to score 26 points without reply in that second period and clinch top spot in the pool.

Scotland beat Samoa, Wales and Uganda to be the other pool winner.

Sunday's quarterfinal lineup is: South Africa vs. Wales, New Zealand vs. Kenya, Scotland vs. the United States, and Fiji vs. England.

Fiji lost to South Africa in the Dubai final and hasn't hit its champion form yet. The Fijians dispatched Japan 33-7 in their opener in Cape Town but had to battle hard to hold off Kenya 28-22 and needed late scores by Setareki Bituniyata and Jerry Tuwai to get past France after trailing 19-14.

South Africa's seven-tries-to-nil blitz of Russia showcased the home team's attacking play, led by speedster Seabelo Senatla, but the South Africans' defense has been a significant part of their early season success, and they conceded just three tries on the opening day.
Radio journalist shot dead outside home in northern Mexico

MEXICO CITY (AP)  A radio station in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua says one of its reporters has been shot dead outside his home.

Antena Radio in the state capital, also called Chihuahua, says Adrian Rodriguez was killed Saturday morning and prosecutors are investigating whether his work may have been a motive.

Antena Radio adds that Rodriguez spent more than 15 years at radio, print and online outlets. He joined Antena's parent company GRD Multimedia in April to cover state and local government.

The Chihuahua state journalists' union condemned Rodriguez's murder and called for an exhaustive investigation.
The Latest: Ohio church plans candlelight vigil for Glenn

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The Latest on the death of John Glenn (all times local):

4:10 p.m.

John Glenn's hometown church in Ohio is planning a candlelight vigil to celebrate the life and legacy of the late military and space hero.

Westminster Presbyterian Church, in New Concord, where Glenn was a lifetime member, has scheduled the event for 7 p.m. Sunday. It will include readings, singing and prayer.

It's one of several commemorations that have been scheduled for Glenn since his death at age 95 on Thursday.

Glenn is scheduled to lie in state in the Ohio Statehouse rotunda from noon to 8 p.m. Friday. A public memorial service will be held Dec. 17 at Ohio State University's Mershon Auditorium.

Ohio's two U.S. senators say the chamber where Glenn once served as a Democratic U.S. Senator announced the passage of a resolution in his name.

___

3:25 p.m.

Members of the public will be given eight hours Friday to pay their respects to John Glenn as the late astronaut-hero lies in state at Ohio's capitol building.

A spokesman said Saturday that Glenn would lie in repose in the Statehouse Rotunda from noon to 8 p.m. under a proposal set for final approval Monday.

A public memorial service at Mershon Auditorium has been scheduled for 2 p.m. on Dec. 17. The event will be open to the public but tickets are required. They will be available through the college's website starting Thursday.

Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth. He also served as a combat pilot and was a U.S. senator representing Ohio for more than two decades. He died Thursday at the age of 95.

___

11:30 a.m.

Ohio's two U.S. senators say the chamber where the late astronaut-hero John Glenn once served has honored him with a resolution.

Republican Rob Portman and Democrat Sherrod Brown introduced the measure this week and announced its passage Saturday.

The resolution honors Glenn, who died Thursday at age 95, as the first American to orbit the Earth and for his many military and public service accomplishments.

It says the nation is "deeply indebted" to Glenn "for his passion for exploration, commitment to public service and desire to make the world a better place."

The Senate will stand adjourned as a mark of respect to Glenn.
Puerto Rico police seize $13.5 million worth of cocaine

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  Three men are in custody after police in Puerto Rico seized shipments of cocaine worth an estimated $13.5 million during two operations.

Police said on Saturday that they seized 25 bricks of cocaine worth an estimated $12.5 million from a 35-foot wooden boat off Puerto Rico's east coast near Ceiba. They said three male Puerto Rico residents on board were arrested.

Police also reported another $1 million worth of cocaine was found Saturday in an abandoned boat off the island's west coast near Camuy. Police said the boat came from the Dominican Republic and was also used to bring migrants to Puerto Rico.
Red-suited SantaCon pub crawl revelers fan out across NYC

NEW YORK (AP)  Red-suited revelers fanned out across New York City's bars Saturday despite efforts by a community group to deter the annual pub crawl known as SantaCon.

Fliers that claimed SantaCon had been canceled went up in some neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn as the holiday bacchanal approached.

The group behind the fliers, New York City Residents, wants the rowdy event to shut down permanently.

Revelers line up to enter a tavern for the 2016 SantaCon celebration in New York, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. New York City's annual SantaCon event is on despite efforts by a community group to deter the holiday pub crawl by red-suited revelers. (AP Photo/Julie Walker)

SantaCon has ballooned to thousands of people over the years. It grew from a 1994 San Francisco "Santarchy" that satirized Christmas consumerism into bashes in over 300 cities. New York's is generally the biggest, an event that has earned an out-of-control reputation with summonses in the past issued for disorderly conduct and other offenses, and online videos of brawling St. Nicks.

Organizers describe SantaCon as a creative take on holiday traditions of festive dress and good cheer. They say it also raises tens of thousands of dollars for charity.

Metro-North, NJ Transit and the Long Island Rail enforced an alcohol ban on trains and stations in anticipation of the event.

Revelers line up to enter a tavern during the annual "SantaCon" in New York on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. SantaCon grew from a 1994 San Francisco "Santarchy" that satirized Christmas consumerism into bashes in over 300 cities. (AP Photo/Julie Walker)

A SantaCon reveler, second from right, attempts to argue his way past a bouncer and into a bar Saturday Dec. 10, 2016, in New York. The city's annual SantaCon event is on despite efforts by a community group to deter the holiday pub crawl by red-suited revelers. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Some SantaCon revelers can be seen through a window dancing inside a bar, Saturday Dec. 10, 2016, in New York. The city's annual SantaCon event is on despite efforts by a community group to deter the holiday pub crawl by red-suited revelers. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

SantaCon participants arrive to join other revelers, Saturday Dec. 10, 2016, in New York. The city's annual SantaCon event is on despite efforts by a community group to deter the holiday pub crawl by red-suited revelers. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
Andrew Lloyd Webber backs amateur performances of School Of Rock

Theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber has waived fees for schools to perform School Of Rock, in a bid to bolster musical creativity in the younger generation.

In an interview with The Times, the Phantom Of The Opera composer also vowed to provide resources such as scripts and scores to help schools put on the musical, adapted from the 2003 comedy film.

Breaking with theatre tradition, Lord Lloyd-Webber condemned the rule that schools may not perform musicals until they finish their commercial run on the stage, adding that arts subjects are already being "squeezed".

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Speaking about the move, he told the newspaper: "It's a no-brainer - School Of Rock is about kids making music.

"Let's get on with it. You have to get music back into everybody's DNA again."

The 68-year-old also named New York over London as the world centre of musical theatre, pointing out that Broadway will have opened 14 new productions in the year up to next May, compared to just three in the West End.

Citing a drop in music teaching in schools as a possible reason, he said: "I am suddenly thinking: is this because we are neglecting the arts to such an extent in schools? Are things really going backwards?"

In his commitment to boosting arts education, his own foundation has poured more than 3.5 million into projects this year alone.

Adding that the West End has become saturated with "revival" productions, he shared his excitement for next year's arrival of fresh American musical Hamilton in the capital, which he described as the most original production he has seen in the last 50 years.

But his quest for originality may just fall short of writing a musical about a meeting between Donald Trump and Jeremy Corbyn, as prime minister.
Weekend marks 80th anniversary of abdication of Edward VIII

This weekend marks the 80th anniversary of one of the most turbulent times in the history of the British monarchy.

Edward VIII's abdication in 1936 rocked the nation when the King, who had been in the job for less than 11 months, gave up his throne in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

He left his brother, the Duke of York - the Queen's father - to take over as George VI.

This weekend marks 80 years since Edward VIII gave up the throne

Edward VIII signed the Instrument of Abdication on the morning of December 10 1936 in front of his three brothers and his lawyers, and the news was announced to the Commons by the prime minister, Stanley Baldwin.

The next day, December 11, the Act of Abdication came into effect when it was passed by Parliament and given royal assent in Edward's last act as king. He addressed the country in a radio broadcast.

Unsurprisingly, the Royal Family are not expected to mark the anniversary of this difficult period - which not only caused a constitutional crisis, but affected their relationships for years to come.

Princess Elizabeth, who was just 10 at the time, became the heiress presumptive on his abdication. Her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, never forgave Edward and Mrs Simpson for their actions, and the former king and his lover went into exile in France.

The Queen is expected to be staying, as she does most weekends, at Windsor Castle - from where her uncle, the former king, gave his historic address, declaring: "I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love."

If Edward VIII had remained as sovereign and fathered children, it is unlikely Elizabeth II would ever have become monarch.

Had her uncle - who was always known to his family as David - stayed on the throne until his death in 1972 and not had children, then the Queen - whose father died in 1952 - would not have spent the formative years of her children's lives as head of state.

She would only have reigned so far for 44 years and be still some way off her record as the country's longest reigning monarch.

Historian Professor Richard Toye has said Edward VIII would have been a "useless king" had he stayed on the throne and that, rather than giving up the crown for love, he was actually looking for a way out from a role he "fundamentally couldn't stomach".

Prof Toye, of Exeter University, told the Press Association: " He had been, frankly, not very interested in doing the job.

"You have to ask yourself whether this whole episode was really about his most incredible, profound love for Mrs Simpson or whether he was perhaps subconsciously looking for a get-out."

He added: "He liked all the trappings and the luxury but actually being king is reasonably hard work and not very interesting work either and that was fundamentally what he couldn't stomach and couldn't stick to."

The historian said Edward VIII would have proved to be a terrible monarch in the long term, and his brother, the shy, stammering George VI, was much better.

"I think he would have been completely useless," he said.

"George VI fitted the bill very nicely.

"He didn't particularly want to do it...

"George VI lacked the charismatic personality of the kind that Edward undoubtedly did have, but in the circumstance that was really pretty perfect for what was required."

The womanising Prince of Wales, as Edward was styled before he became monarch, met Mrs Simpson when she was still married to her second husband, Ernest, at a house party given by his then mistress, Lady Thelma Furness, in 1931.

He acceded to the throne in January 1936 after George V died and seven months later Mrs Simpson filed for divorce from her husband. Neither the royal court, the government nor the church would accept a twice-divorced American as Queen.

Edward, who was never crowned, pushed for a morganatic marriage where his wife would have no claim on his rights, but the government would not accept this and he decided to abdicate.

He died in Paris in 1972 and is buried at Windsor.
Peter Tatchell disrupts Jeremy Corbyn human rights speech with Syria protest

A speech by Jeremy Corbyn to highlight human rights abuses was plunged into chaos when campaigners staged a protest over Labour's response to the Syrian crisis.

Demonstrators led by Peter Tatchell waved banners calling for immediate air drops in the war-torn nation as Mr Corbyn began to address supporters.

The human rights campaigner said he was acting in desperation over the Opposition leader's failure to push for action in the face of widespread civilian slaughter.

Campaigner Peter Tatchell leads a protest over the war in Syria ahead of a speech by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

He told activists gathered to hear Mr Corbyn speak in the Central Methodist Hall in Westminster : "What is happening in Aleppo is a modern-day Guernica.

"We haven't heard the leader of the Labour Party speak out enough to demand UK air drops to besieged civilians who are dying in their thousands."

Mr Corbyn was on stage with Baroness Chakrabarti, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott and shadow diversity minister Dawn Butler when the demonstration happened.

Seemingly forgetting they were still wearing microphones, Baroness Chakrabarti advised the Labour leader "just let them do this". Mr Corbyn then consulted Ms Thornberry, asking: "When did we condemn the bombing?"

Mr Tatchell h as previously criticised the Labour leader for failing to speak out loudly enough against Russia, which is propping up Bashar Assad's brutal dictatorship.

He has also criticised the Stop the War coalition Mr Corbyn previously headed for opposing Western military action while failing to protest against the Syrian regime.

Mr Corbyn insisted that he had condemned Russia's bombing of civilian targets in Syria.

"I condemn all bombing by all sides against everybody in Syria," he added. "I also want aid drops to go in because there is starvation in Aleppo and other places and I want war crimes investigators to go in to investigate everything that has happened."

He added: "The people that came this morning, that's absolutely fine. This is human rights day, it's the right to speak out, the right to make your voice heard, the right to a protest."

Mr Corbyn has previously faced accusations from Labour former prime minister Tony Blair that he is "standing by" while Syrian civilians suffer. Mr Blair claimed the current party leader was engaging in the ''politics of protest'' while dodging difficult decisions.

Mr Tatchell, who has known Mr Corbyn for many years, said he was frustrated at the party's inaction over the humanitarian crisis in the country.

He told the Press Association: "Today's protest was an act of desperation because we are so frustrated that the leader of the Labour party Jeremy Corbyn seems to have forsaken the principle of international solidarity.

He's made no statements as far as we know in solidarity with civil societies in Syria. He's not listening to their demands, he's not promoting their demands, which are very simple - a UN supervised ceasefire, for the UN to supervise the evacuation of civilians to safe havens, and most importantly right now, the airdrop of aid and medicine to besieged civilian populations.

"Those are things that Jeremy Corbyn could push for in Parliament right now this week. He hasn't done so, so far. We hope as a result of today, he will."

The Labour event had been arranged to highlight women's rights and other issues as part of International Human Rights Day.

After the five-minute protest died down, Mr Corbyn continued his address, telling supporters: "This Government may be lead by a woman but the rights of women are not in discussion.
Shares in Britain's Capita fall further as investors shun strategy

EDINBURGH, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Shares in Capita fell further on Friday after a profit warning and the decision to sell its asset management business left investors questioning the British outsourcing group's strategy.

The company's financial problems since the vote to leave the European Union, which has slowed the pace of decision-making by customers in the public and private sector, has prompted investors to look closer at the quality of some of its contracts and its method of shoring up its balance sheet.

Barclays brokerage arm referred to a contract to manage London's traffic congestion charge and a mortgage management contract at Co-op Bank, flagged as problematic by Capita in September.

"(..) are they genuine one-offs or do they point to a growing risk appetite which has reduced the margin for error?" it said in a note to clients. Barclays has an "equal weight" rating on Capita and a 525 pence price target.

Capita, which offers IT-led admin services to help companies cut costs, shocked investors on Thursday by announcing the sale of its CAS asset management services arm, one of its most lucrative units with a profit margin of around 25 percent.

The disposal of CAS, thought by brokers to be worth at least 700 million pounds ($880 million) and described by many as one of the company's "crown jewels", is aimed at paying off debt while revenues wane because of a slowdown in spending in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

"The outcome of the business review lacks substance and our confidence in the management team's ability to turn round Capita is low. More decisive action is required," said brokerage Stifel, who cut the stock to "hold" from "buy" with a price target of 500 pence.

Shares were down a further 2.3 percent at 474.2 pence at 1424 GMT having fallen by 14 pct on Thursday.

Others noted a likely exit from Britain's FTSE 100 index of leading shares after it lost 60 percent of its value in the last year. They also expressed doubts about the company's ability to keep step with an increasingly competitive, complex and risky industry at a time of belt-tightening.
Colombian gets prison in U.S. drug case involving Venezuelan military

By Nate Raymond

NEW YORK, Dec 9 (Reuters) - A Colombian butcher accused of working with members of the Venezuelan military to facilitate shipments of massive loads of cocaine from South America to the United States was sentenced on Friday to five years in a U.S. prison.

Gersain Viafara-Mina, 50, wept as U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter in Manhattan imposed the maximum sentence he faced after pleading guilty in August to participating in a conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States.

His lawyers called Viafara-Mina a decent man who only participated in the drug scheme to support his family and escape guerrilla-controlled territory. But Carter cited the size of the drug-trafficking operation in imposing sentence.

"I am concerned about the scope of criminal conduct that he engaged in," Carter said.

The sentencing came amid a series of U.S. cases and probes linking individuals tied to the Venezuelan government to drug trafficking.

The U.S. State Department has called Venezuela a preferred route to traffic cocaine from South America onward due to, among other things, a porous border with Colombia and a "permissive and corrupt environment."

According to his lawyers, in 2008, Viafara-Mina was asked to move to Venezuela by a drug trafficker he met through the Colombian rebel group FARC, which U.S. authorities have accused of being significantly involved in the drug trade.

Once there, Viafara-Mina began a new butcher business and started a family while also maintaining airfields the drug trafficker used, his lawyers said in court papers.

Prosecutors said that for at least five years, Viafara-Mina facilitated the dispatch of cocaine shipments from clandestine airstrips by coordinating with other drug traffickers, politicians and members of the Venezuelan military.

At a Venezuelan runway in 2010, FARC members provided security as Viafara-Mina worked with others to send more than 1,650 pounds (750 kg) of cocaine to Honduras for transshipment to the United States, prosecutors said.

In 2011, Viafara-Mina spoke about securing the release from the Venezuelan military of a U.S.-registered aircraft seized in an anti-narcotics operation, the prosecutors added.

In 2015, Viafara-Mina told a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration informant he had Venezuelan military associates who could provide transponder codes that would allow drug planes to operate in Venezuelan airspace, according to the prosecutors.

Viafara-Mina is expected to receive credit for the time he has already spent in custody since his arrest in Colombia in February 2015. In court on Friday, he apologized, saying he was only trying to support himself and his family.

"I did that in order to eat," he said.
Canada agrees on national carbon price, but tensions remain

By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA, Dec 9 (Reuters) - The Canadian government on Friday reached a deal with eight of the 10 provinces to introduce a landmark national carbon price, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says will help Canada meet its international climate change obligations.

The agreement was only struck after hours of heated talks and energy-producing Saskatchewan did not sign up, saying the measure would make firms uncompetitive at a time when incoming U.S. President Donald Trump looks set to adopt policies cutting energy costs.

In a sign of the tension that remained after the negotiations, Trudeau and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall exchanged barbed comments at the closing news conference.

The carbon price is part of a framework that aims to help Canada attain its Paris goal of reducing emissions by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The measures include boosting the use of renewable energy and investing in clean technologies.

"(This) will both protect our economy and protect the environment at the same time," Trudeau told reporters.

Under his plan, carbon pollution would cost C$10 ($7.60) a tonne in 2018, rising by C$10 a year until it reaches C$50 in 2022. The provinces can either implement a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade market.

Trudeau is broadly aligned politically with President Barack Obama, who has pushed hard to cut emissions of greenhouse gases.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden told the meeting he doubted Trump could undo much of the administration's policies since many of them had taken firm hold.

Wall, though, noted Trump's decision to put a climate skeptic in charge of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which Obama used to push through many green measures.

"Let's not be naive as Canadians. This is our No.1, not just trading partner, but competitor ... we need to be competitive with them," he said.

"Canadian climate policy will be set by Canadians, not by whoever happens to be president of the United States," Trudeau immediately replied.

Environmental groups largely welcomed the announcement, but some said Trudeau's recent approval of two crude oil pipelines would make it harder for Canada to meet its Paris targets.

Trudeau, who vows to impose a carbon price on any province that refuses to sign the deal, did not answer directly when asked when he would move against Saskatchewan.

Manitoba also declined to sign, saying it wanted Ottawa to hand over more money for health care first, but officials said it might join later.
Gambia President Jammeh rejects outcome of Dec. 1 election

By Emma Farge

DAKAR, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Gambian President Yahya Jammeh said on Friday he rejects the outcome of last week's election that he lost to opposition leader Adama Barrow and called for fresh elections.

The announcement made on state television throws the future of the West African country into doubt after the unexpected election result ended Jammeh's 22-year rule and was widely seen as a moment of democratic hope.

Jammeh had conceded defeat on state TV last week, prompting wild celebrations over the defeat of a government that human rights groups accused of detaining, torturing and killing opponents during the president's rule.

"After a thorough investigation, I have decided to reject the outcome of the recent election. I lament serious and unacceptable abnormalities which have reportedly transpired during the electoral process," Jammeh said.

"I recommend fresh and transparent elections which will be officiated by a god-fearing and independent electoral commission," he said.

Witnesses said Banjul, the capital, was quiet overnight, and there was particular nervousness about the president's statement that he would deal harshly with any troublemakers who took to the streets.

International reaction was swift. The U.S. State Department said in a statement that Jammeh's rejection of the results was an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election and remain illegitimately in power.

Senegal's foreign minister, Mankeur Ndiaye, called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and "solemnly" warned Jammeh not to harm Senegal's interests or its citizens in Gambia.

Senegal, which has Gambia's only land border and entirely surrounds the small riverside country, is a non-permanent member of the Security Council. Its army intervened in Gambia in 1981 during a coup.

SEVERE TEST FOR BARROW

Jammeh's announcement presents an unexpected and severe challenge to the incoming Barrow administration, which was already grappling with how to take the reins of power and deal with the army that for two decades was loyal to the president.

Army chief General Ousman Badjie has already called Barrow to pledge his allegiance, the latter's spokesperson said, although diplomatic sources say they expect a faction from Jammeh's Jola ethnic group to remain loyal to him.

The head of Barrow's transition team said the president-elect and his staff were safe.

"We are consulting on what to do, but as far as we are concerned, the people have voted," Mai Ahmad Fatty told Reuters. "We will maintain peace and stability and not let anyone provoke us into violence."

Official election results from the electoral commission gave Barrow, a real estate developer who once worked as a security guard at retailer Argos in London, 45.5 percent of the vote against Jammeh's 36.7 percent.

But the Independent Electoral Commission later corrected the results to give Barrow a slimmer lead with 43.3 percent of votes, or fewer than 20,000 more than Jammeh.

Some people had doubted whether Jammeh would accept defeat, given that he had abolished term limits and said before the election that he would rule for a "billion years."

Barrow's win galvanized many in Africa, who saw it as a step forward for democracy, and they baulked at the prospect that it could be reversed.

"The international community, notably ECOWAS (the West African regional bloc) and the African Union, should loudly protest any unlawful attempt to subvert the will of the Gambian people," said Babatunde Olugboji, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch.
Russia intervened to help Trump win election -intelligence officials

By John Walcott

WASHINGTON, Dec 10 (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help President-elect Donald Trump win the White House, and not just to undermine confidence in the U.S. electoral system, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.

U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that as the 2016 presidential campaign progressed, Russian government officials devoted increasing attention to assisting Trump's effort to win the election, the U.S. official familiar with the finding told Reuters on Friday night, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The president-elect's transition office released a statement that exaggerated his margin of victory and attacked the U.S. intelligence community that Trump will soon command, but did not address the analysts' conclusion.

"These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction," the statement said. "The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again.'"

Democrats and some Republicans in Congress are calling for a full investigation into Russia's election year activities.

"Protecting the integrity of our elections is hindered when President-elect Trump and his transition team minimize or dismiss the intelligence assessments themselves," Representative Adam Schiff of California, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said in a statement issued on Saturday.

Citing U.S. officials briefed on the matter, the Washington Post reported on Friday that intelligence agencies had identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and others, including the chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, to WikiLeaks.

U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered intelligence agencies to review cyber attacks and foreign intervention into the 2016 election and deliver a report before he leaves office on Jan. 20, the White House said on Friday.

Obama's homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco, told reporters the report's results would be shared with lawmakers and others.

"The president has directed the intelligence community to conduct a full review of what happened during the 2016 election process ... and to capture lessons learned from that and to report to a range of stakeholders, to include the Congress," she said during an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

As summer turned to fall, Russian hackers turned almost all their attention to the Democrats. Virtually all the emails they released publicly were potentially damaging to Clinton and the Democrats, not Republicans, the official told Reuters.

"That was a major clue to their intent," the official said. "If all they wanted to do was discredit our political system, why publicize the failings of just one party, especially when you have a target like Trump?"

A second official familiar with the report said the intelligence analysts' conclusion about Russia's motives does not mean the intelligence community believes that Moscow's efforts altered or significantly affected the outcome of the election.

Russian officials have denied all accusations of interference in the U.S. election.

A Central Intelligence Agency spokeswoman said the agency had no comment on the matter.

The hacked emails passed to WikiLeaks were a regular source of embarrassment to the Clinton campaign during the race for the presidency.

U.S. intelligence analysts have assessed "with high confidence" that at some point in the extended presidential campaign Russian President Vladimir Putin's government had decided to try to bolster Trump's chances of winning.

The Russians appear to have concluded that Trump had a shot at winning and that he would be much friendlier to Russia than Clinton would be, especially on issues such as maintaining economic sanctions and imposing additional ones, the official said.

Moscow is launching a similar effort to influence the next German election, following an escalating campaign to promote far-right and nationalist political parties and individuals in Europe that began more than a decade ago, the official said.

In both cases, said the official, Putin's campaigns in both Europe and the United States are intended to disrupt and discredit the Western concept of democracy by promoting extremist candidates, parties, and political figures.

In October, the U.S. government publicly accused Russia of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organizations ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election. Obama has said he warned Putin about consequences for the attacks.
U.S.' Kerry urges Russia to show "grace" in Geneva Aleppo talks

By John Irish

PARIS, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Backers of the Syrian opposition appeared resigned to the fall of eastern Aleppo on Saturday, with the United States urging Russia to show "grace" when officials meet in Geneva to try to reach a deal for civilians and fighters to leave the city.

Syrian government and allied forces have in the last two weeks driven rebels from most of their territory in what was once Syria's most populous city.

The rebels have controlled the eastern section since 2012, and President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published on Thursday that retaking Aleppo would change the course of the civil war across the whole country.

Critics of the operation have warned that thousands of civilians risk being caught in the crossfire and have repeatedly called on Syrian government forces backed by Russian air power to accept a ceasefire to allow civilians and rebel fighters to leave to safer areas.

Speaking in Paris after a meeting of countries that oppose Assad, including France, Britain, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry showed little optimism for U.S. and Russian talks in Geneva later on Saturday.

"Our teams are meeting in Geneva today in order to flesh out details of a possible way of trying to save lives. Russia and Assad have a moment where they are in a dominant position to show a little grace," Kerry told reporters.

"I believe there could be a way forward but it depends on big, magnanimous choices from Russia ... and insistence of Russia on the Assad regime," he said.

Moscow and Washington have discussed a ceasefire to let civilians escape eastern Aleppo and aid enter. Russia also wants the United States to urge rebel fighters to abandon their territory and accept transport out.

"Fighters ... don't trust that if they agreed to leave to try to save Aleppo that it will save Aleppo and they will be unharmed and free to move where they are not immediately attacked," Kerry said, adding that Geneva talks had to set some guarantees for rebels.

The meeting in Paris, also attended by Riad Hijab, the main opposition coordinator, underscored the powerlessness of Syrian opposition supporters, as well as some divisions between them.

Beyond the issue of humanitarian access, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Moscow and Damascus needed to realise that the fall of Aleppo would not end the war and that negotiations based on U.N. Security Council resolutions agreed in Dec. 2015 should be revived to find a political solution.

More than five years of war in Syria have killed more than 300,000 people and made more than half of Syrians homeless.
Colombian Nobel Prize winner says a "ray of hope" for Syria, Sudan

By Alister Doyle

OSLO, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said an accord to end a 52-year civil war with Marxist rebels was a "ray of hope" for solving conflicts from Syria to South Sudan as he collected the Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday.

In an acceptance speech that quoted an anti-war song by Bob Dylan, the 2016 Literature Laureate, Santos said Colombia itself had drawn inspiration from other peace processes such as those in South Africa and Northern Ireland.

Santos collected the prize - a gold medal, diploma and a cheque for 8 million Swedish crowns ($870,000) at a ceremony in Oslo's city hall for his efforts to end the conflict with Marxist FARC rebels in which 220,000 people died.

"The Colombian peace agreement is a ray of hope in a world troubled by so many conflicts and so much intolerance," he said, saying a U.S. academic study called it the most comprehensive of 34 peace accords signed in the past three decades.

"It proves that what, at first, seems impossible, through perseverance may become possible even in Syria or Yemen or South Sudan," he told an audience including victims of the war as well as Norway's King Harald.

The rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, were not invited, except for a Spanish lawyer to represent them. FARC leader Rodrigo Londono had been tipped by some Nobel watchers to share the prize with Santos.

The audience applauded a group of about 10 victims attending the ceremony, after they stood after Santos introduced them.

Among them was Leyner Palacios, a man who Santos said lost 32 relatives, including his parents and three brothers, in a 2002 FARC mortar attack on a church. Palacios nodded when Santos said he had forgiven the attackers.

The peace deal almost collapsed in October after Colombian voters rejected it in a referendum, reckoning the first version was too lenient on the rebels. A revised deal was approved by Congress last month, but controversially without a referendum demanded by a big opposition party.

Berit Reiss-Andersen, a member of the five-member award committee, said in a presentation speech that Santos had been "a driving force" and that the peace process needed "all the international support it could get" after the referendum.

In his speech, received with a standing ovation, Santos quoted what he called a "haunting question" from one of Dylan's most famous songs: "How many deaths will it take 'till he knows that too many people have died? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind."

The other 2016 prizes - for Literature, Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Economics - will be presented later in Stockholm. Dylan has said he won't attend, citing "pre-existing commitments."

($1 = 9.1825 Swedish crowns)
Iran summons UK envoy over "divisive" May remarks to Gulf Arabs

DUBAI, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Iran summoned the British ambassador on Saturday to protest against remarks by Prime Minister Theresa May who accused Tehran of "aggressive regional actions" in a speech to a Gulf Arab summit.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said the move was prompted by May's "irresponsible, provocative and divisive remarks" at the summit in Bahrain on Wednesday, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported.

May told the Gulf Arab leaders that "we must also work together to push back against Iran's aggressive regional actions, whether in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Syria or in the Gulf itself".

Iran and most Gulf states are on opposite sides in Middle East conflicts, with the Iran an ally of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war and of the armed Houthi movement fighting a Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen.
Russia signs Rosneft deal with Qatar, Glencore

By Katya Golubkova

MOSCOW, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Russian state holding company Rosneftegaz on Saturday signed a deal with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and commodities trader Glencore to sell a 19.5 percent stake in state-owned oil major Rosneft, Rosneft said.

The privatisation deal, which Rosneft Chief Executive Igor Sechin called the largest in Russia's history, was announced by Rosneft in a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.

Its success suggests the lure of taking a share in one of the world's biggest oil companies outweighs the risks associated with Western sanctions imposed on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.

Rosneft had been under pressure to secure a sale of the 19.5 percent stake to help replenish state coffers, hit by an economic slowdown driven by weak oil prices and exacerbated by sanctions.

Rosneft said in a statement the budget would receive 710.8 billion roubles ($11.37 billion) from the sale, including 18.4 billion roubles in additional dividends from Rosneftegaz.

It said the additional dividends were due to a change in its dividend policy, according to which it will pay at least 35 percent of net profit according to international accounting standards in payouts twice a year.

Rosneft confirmed that Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo was a major creditor for the deal and said it would be closed by the middle of December.

A Rosneft source said Intesa and a syndicate of four or five key banks would provide 7 billion euros of financing.

The Italian lender will provide "significantly over 50 percent" of the financing, while Glencore will hedge the bulk of its stake in Rosneft, the source added.
Deutsche Post DHL Group, the leading mail and Logistics Company, and the United Nations represented by the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently celebrated a decade of successfully partnering in the areas of disaster preparedness and response.



The partnership aims to prepare airports and personnel on disaster preparedness and provides support to better manage logistics at airports in disaster hit areas. The initial memorandum of understanding was signed in December 2005 in New York.



I am very proud to celebrate ten successful years of a joint partnership with the United Nations. Let me thank all of those who have continuously supported our efforts in disaster preparedness and disaster relief. Our unique public-private endeavor has developed into a very positive joint initiative which was able to provide crucial support at airports, delivering help to those who most needed it.

We are very pleased that we are able to share our logistics expertise within the international aid community and in cooperation with such globally recognized partners as UNOCHA and UNDP. I am very much looking forward to extending this positive experience in the coming years, said Frank Appel, CEO Deutsche Post DHL Group.



As airports are the main access point to receive international and national aid when a disaster strikes, they can also become a critical bottleneck due to damages to infrastructure and a lack of capacity. In order to address these challenges, Deutsche Post DHL Group and UNDP jointly developed the Get Airports Ready for Disaster (GARD) program., aiming to prepare airports in disaster prone areas to better handle the surge of incoming relief goods.



To-date, GARD has been implemented in 30 local airports in 15 countries including Sri Lanka, Armenia, Bangladesh, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Nepal, Panama, Peru, the Philippines and Turkey. The GARD program also offers a follow-up workshop to review the original recommendations and their implementation process. This has been conducted in a number of countries including Armenia, Lebanon and Indonesia, and in 2016, the series of GARD and GARD Plus workshops will continue in countries such as Honduras, Mauritius and Nepal.



It is increasingly clear that the eradication of poverty and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals will remain difficult if we do not address disaster risk, notes Magdy Martinez-Soliman, Assistant Secretary General and Director of UNDPs Bureau for Policy and Programme Support. This requires an all-of-society approach, incorporating both the public and private sector. The partnership between UNDP, Deutsche Post DHL Group and OCHA is such an approach. By drawing on the respective strengths of the agencies involved we are better able to support our partners globally in disaster preparedness.



Together with Deutsche Post DHL Group we can foster disaster readiness and improve response, said the acting Director of OCHA Geneva, Rudolf Muller. OCHA, the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, brings together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies, and to promote emergency preparedness and prevention. Deutsche Post DHL Group has the technical expertise, the assets and resources, the supply chains and networks to support better disaster risk reduction globally. I am very much looking forward to the continuation of this important partnership. In the field of disaster response, Deutsche Post DHL Group has teamed up with UNOCHA. While the Group provides the UN with access to its core competence in logistics, its global network and the know-how of its employees on a free-of-charge basis, the UN mandates Deutsche Post DHL Group with access to the international relief and development community. The Disaster Response Teams (DRT) are made up of DHL logistics experts trained in disaster management, tasked to handle the incoming relief supplies at an airport during the aftermath of a disaster.
President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday though the Members of Parliament were not satisfied with their salaries, increasing their salaries would create a problem given the unfavourable situation in the Treasury.

He also said that his salary was also lesser than that of a Parliamentarian.

Bribery and Corruption is a major stumbling block when preparing feasibility reports, environment impact assessment reports, technical assessment reports, tender procedures and large scale development projects involving billions of rupees, President Maithripala Sirisena said.

He said the officials in charge were working hand in glove with some of the parties to the contract resulting in bribery and corruption.

The President said nearly 50% of the public institutions were engulfed in corruption, mismanagement and fraud but when those crimes were exposed, the finger was pointed at the subject ministers.

Society talks so often of crimes, rapes and robberies, bribery and corruption committed by politicians and public officials but a debate on organized bribery and corruption was only a whimper despite the fact that bribery and corruption had a cancerous effect on the daily life of the people, he said when delivering the keynote address at the inauguration of the 2016 National Summit on Anti Corruption held at the Hotel Taj Samudra yesterday.

The President said South Asian countries did not have a satisfactory record on eradicating bribery and corruption though most Western Countries had been able to do so because politicians and the officials were committed to eradicating such crimes as a policy matter.

There is a new trend among public officials where they refuse to place their signature to approve funds for Government functions. Their excuse is that they may be summoned by the FCID, the PRECIFAC or even the CID. This is a misconception. No official must be afraid to do whats right. An experienced official should know what is right and what violates FRs and ARs, he said.

I am sad to say that recently, there was a move by the management of a prominent State institution to fix a CCTV system at its office to control bribery, corruption and thefts. The entire staff took to the street against the management preventing the setting up of the cameras. In another instance, a public official who was transferred was not assigned any responsibilities for more than one and half years because he was not ready to fall in line with other officials taking bribes. This is the organized bribery and corruption entrenched in our public life. Another retired official of the Bribery Commission told me that the previous political leadership and other ministers used the Bribery Commission to keep other members of the government under their thumb.

The President said these negative and distressing attitudes by officials that led him to make certain comments at the SLFI on the activities of independent commissions that created a big uproar in the country. What I meant in that speech was the importance for public servants and public institutions, such as the Bribery Commission, the FCID, the CID, the Police or the PRECIFAC to be independent, impartial and right minded when performing their duties, he said adding that the Government would be able to bridge the budget deficit if waste and corruption were eradicated and hoped the 2016 National Summit on Anti Corruption would find a way to do that.



The President said he decided to hold an anti corruption summit in Sri Lanka after he participated in the anti-corruption global summit in London on May 12 convened by the then British Prime Minister David Cameron.(Sandun A Jayasekera)
The navy is seen trying to disperse the protestors at the Hambantota port to free the two ships seized by protesting workers. Pix Sanath Gamage
Prime Minister Narendra Modi told a jan sabha in Gujarat on Saturday: Days of looting poor, exploiting middleclass will soon be history. Perhaps, he was attempting a self-deprecating joke. The NDA governments demonetisation drive, intended to fight black money and bring its hoarders down to their knees, has been nothing but the exploitation of the poor.

While ordinary citizens stand in serpentine queues, struggle to get their hands on their own hard earned money, and even die (thanks to the drive), we have the uber-rich one per cent who seem to be doing everything in their power to mock the other 99, with a toxic display of wealth and grandeur, as the nation recently witnessed with the wedding of former BJP minister in Karnataka, Gali Janardhan Reddys daughter, which reportedly cost close to Rs 100 crore.

As if that weren't enough, on the one-month anniversary of the demonetisation drive, Union minister for transport and highways Nitin Gadkari too indulged in an extravagant display of wealth on the occasion of his daughters wedding reception. According to reports, Gadkari had chartered 50 private aircraft to ferry the guests to Nagpur for the wedding whose guest list included the whos who of Indian politics. There were an estimated 10,000 guests at the event.

In the aftermath of the demonetisation drive, at least 80 Indians have lost their lives, and several weddings cancelled - it is but obvious that this peacock feather display of ones wealth will not only garner criticism, but also questions and, hopefully, even an official investigation. And that is exactly what former IAS officer and an ex-advisor in the Planning Commission, EAS Sharma has attempted.

In his letter to Modi, Sharma urges the PM to investigate such flagrant display of lavishness by his own ministers and party members.

EAS Sharma has written a letter to the prime minister asking him to investigate this display of lavishness.

He has also served the prime minister an ultimatum: If you do not act quickly and firmly on these letters of mine, I will be constrained to seek judicial intervention, as every citizen in this country has the right to question the basics of governance.

Here's the full text of his letter:

To

Shri Narendra Modi

Prime Minister

Dear Shri Narendra Modiji,

I enclose two news reports, one that appeared today in Hindustan Times on 50 chartered planes to ferry VVIPs to Nagpur for Gadkaris daughters wedding, and the second in today's Times of India, Weddings put off as families struggle to tide over crash crunch.

Apparently, there is one set of rules and standards for NDA ministers (please see my letter addressed to the enforcement directorate, forwarded here on a similar wedding equally lavishly celebrated last week by your minister Mahesh Sharma) and another set of rules and standards for the common man on the street.

As a result of the prevailing cash crisis, many families have put off their scheduled weddings. Many other weddings have broken down. But, Gali Janardhana Reddy, Mahesh Sharma and Gadkari feel no crisis whatsoever, as they seem to have the blessings of bigwigs from both BJP and the NDA. While your ministers are indulging in such unhealthy extravagance, is it not ironic that you yourself should exhort the common man to stand in queues to uphold your grandiose mission to fight against black money?

Those that stand in the queues like me feel that your intentions are great and temporary inconveniences should be ignored. At the same time, we feel perplexed to find no Janardhana Reddy's, Mahesh Sharma's and Gadkari's in the queues. Adding insult to injury, they flaunt their wealth and mock at the public at large. Are we living in a civilised society, Mr Modi?

I am asking the enforcement directorate to investigate the source of every rupee that these super-citizens have spent and the cash component of every expense they have incurred. I am not sure whether the enforcement director has the authority or an inclination to carry out an impartial investigation, as the numerous cases of overseas accounts standing in the names of some of your chief ministers brought to their notice by me, are yet to be investigated by the central investigation agencies till now.

I do not think that any marriage in the West can boast of 50 chartered flights being arranged as it seems to be the case with Gadkari.

Are these chartered flights paid for by the corporate houses? Who are those corporate houses? Are there quid pro quos involved? How many five-star rooms have been booked on behalf of Gadkari at Nagpur? How many air-conditioned cars are deployed to ferry the VIPs to and fro? Who has paid for the same? What was the expenditure incurred on the wedding celebrations?

Have Gadkari and his associates withdrawn cash from banks at the expense of all those languishing for days in long serpentine queues in front of banks and ATMs?

Have the local senior Income-Tax officials already compromised their position by attending the wedding reception as honoured guests?

Who are the NDA, RSS and BJP bigwigs who attended the wedding and endorsed the extravagance? This calls for a full-fledged investigation, Mr Modi.

I am marking a copy of this letter to Hasmukh Adhia, the union revenue secretary so that he may feel that he too has the obligation to order an investigation into this conspicuously celebrated Gadakari wedding, especially at a time when his department is harassing small jewellers and petty contractors in the name of "tightening" the noose around the necks of "black marketeers".

I believe that in a democracy like ours, we need an explanation on this questionable wedding from the highest level in your government. I believe that the CBDT and the enforcement directorate should investigate and report on this. The public at large have not yet fully digested the initial "clean" certificate provided by the Income-Tax Department on the details of Gali Janaradhana Reddy's spending on his daughter's wedding. This has certainly eroded the credibility of your government in regard to the demonetisation measures.

If you do not act quickly and firmly on these letters of mine, I will be constrained to seek judicial intervention, as every citizen in this country has the right to question the basics of governance.

I am circulating this letter widely to generate a public discussion and a debate on NDA's true stance on profligacy and conspicuous expenditure in the context of demonetisation.

Regards,

Yours sincerely,

EAS Sarma

Just days after the extravagant wedding organised by Reddy, evidence of his dubious dealings have emerged. KC Ramesh, the driver of a state official, allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison, but not before leaving a suicide note linking Reddy to black money laundering.

In his note, Ramesh has claimed he helped the mining baron convert 100 crore of his black money into white. The money was to be used for Reddy's daughter's wedding.
Several journalists and ordinary citizens commenting on social media have been praising Jayalalithaa, who died earlier this week, for having overcome patriarchy to rise to the chief minister's position, for having been a stern administrator and initiating schemes to help women and children.

The schemes include the hugely popular "Amma Unavagam" or Amma canteens (Amma or "mother" referring to Jayalalithaa herself) employing women for the most part. Videos and photographs have proliferated showing large numbers of women weeping uncontrollably during the last days of her life and after her demise.

However, as with several other women politicians who not only rose to the highest positions in their lands, but also exercised near-absolute power, that is women such as Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher, she did little to challenge patriarchal structures in society and was no champion of feminism or other progressive causes.

She sure did dole out much largesse at state expense through her various schemes - some of it of dubious social value such as "Thalikku Thangam Thittam" meaning gold for marriage, which only reinforced existing cultural practices that progressive thinkers would frown upon.

She did little to empower women or help them become economically independent. Her party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), and its arch-rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) are not exactly known for fostering trade unionism or championing workers' rights even though both parties have been exceedingly vocal in stating that they uphold the cause of the "thozhilazhi" - meaning the worker - one that generously peppers their leaders' fiery speeches.

She did little to empower women or help them become economically independent. Credit: PTI

Female workers have been severely neglected, a fact that emerged in stark relief during a fact-finding mission of academics and human rights activists in July 2013, which looked into the conditions of garment workers at factories that supplied to the France-based supermarket chain, Carrefour.

The mission was sponsored by the Paris-based FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights) and its report was published a few months later. This writer joined two academics from France and Finland and a human rights activist from Spain, who was then on the staff of FIDH, in visiting factories, workers' hostels connected to them and villages in some districts of western Tamil Nadu, as well as activists from trade unions linked to Left parties and NGOs working on labour issues.

The fact-finding report "identified serious human rights concerns on textile factories' work-floors and hostels duringits mission and as a result of interviews conducted with local trade unions, NGOs and experts. Precarious employment and working conditions continue to be commonplace. Disproportionate use of contract labour and apprenticeship, stripping workers of legal protections and benefits, as well as overtime work and salaries below minimum wage are among the issues prevailing in garment factories.

Garment workers can be subject to an alarming level of control both within factories and at hostels, including thorough restrictions on their freedom of movement and communication outside the factory.

Garment factory facilities such as "doctors' rooms" and toilets were found empty in every factory visited, which may indicate an intense pressure to maintain high productivity.

Of course, one of globalisation's fruits - namely the failure to respect trade union rights and resulting exploitation - are hardly confined to Tamil Nadu or India as a whole, but something all too visible in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam and China as well as other countries.

But Tamil Nadu and other parts of India compound the exploitation in their own unique ways.

Caste-based discrimination - something Tamil Nadu's parties including Jayalalithaa's have not only failed to stem but have, in fact, fuelled despite avowing the anti-caste ideologies of the great Dravidian stalwarts CN Annadurai and Periyar EV Ramaswamy - is rife in the factories as are sexual harassment and the use of child labour.

Children's ages are fiddled with in the books. Young Dalit girls the fact-finding team met in their village homes had been recruited when they were in their early to mid-teens.

"Management and line supervisors are frequently from urban middle-class background, and they generally belong to the same upper castes. Manual workers on the other hand usually belong to lower castes, the Dalit community or to indigenous groups (Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes)," the report said.

"Dalits are at the very bottom of the system, and they typically perform tasks that sections of the population consider unclean and polluting. 'DDD' tasks (dirty, demeaning and dangerous) are usually assigned to members of the lowest or lower castes, ethnic minorities or workers from indigenous communities. For instance, those asked to clean the floor and the toilets are more likely to be Dalits or from the lowest castes."

Tamil Nadu's own peculiar racket for exploiting girls and young women has been the more than ten-year-old "Sumangali" scheme under which girls from oppressed castes are told they could work in factories for three years following which they would be given a lumpsum of Rs 30,000 (the sum had risen to Rs 50,000 in some parts by 2013).

Jayalalithaa presenting Amma Unnavu packets to a citizen. Credit: PTI

The fact-finding report noted: "The Sumangali scheme is primarily being practised in spinning mills, as more than 80 per cent of cases were identified in mills and 20 per cent in garment factories. Sumangali is also known as Thirumagal Thirumana Thittam, a Tamil (term) alluding to the state of happiness a woman is believed to have attained once she is married. Poor families struggle to get their daughters married and to come up with the dowry demanded by the grooms' families. Workers recruited under the Sumangali scheme are mostly young women, 80 per cent of them between 14 and 20 years old, and they are sometimes even younger. Most come from poor rural villages and vulnerable groups, and 60 per cent are Dalits. One study shows that 60 per cent of workers recruited under Sumangali are between 15 and 18 years old."

Although the "Sumangali" scheme is now officially illegal - following pressure from overseas buyers who are, in turn, subject to scrutiny by human rights and labour rights groups and NGOs - it is known to continue.

While it has been the subject of some amount of reporting in the media in the state, the rest of India and the world - barring a few foreign buyers adhering to norms dictated by their stakeholders - know little of it.

"Under the Sumangali scheme, workers are accommodated in hostels run by garment factories or spinning mills. Hostels are separated by gender, and staffed by guardians. In these hostels, workers - particularly young women - are subject to an extreme level of control. Factories and workers' hostels are usually surrounded by high walls, and workers are not allowed to leave the premises, to receive visitors or to have mobile phones. Psychological control and pressure have had tragic consequences in some cases.

Mission delegates were particularly alarmed at allegations of control over women's menstruation and maternity cycles. Indeed, some workers alleged that drugs were administrated via their food to prevent them from getting pregnant and menstruating, in order to maintain their productivity. Mission delegates could not obtain further information regarding this serious allegation, and further investigation would be needed to ascertain facts. The quality of the food and of facilities in garment factories and workers' hostels was systematically signalled as a matter of concern by the former Sumangali workers interviewed," the fact-finding report said.

There are some reasons why politicians in Chennai, including those of the late Jayalalithaa's party, ignore this practice in thousands of factories across the state: the companies are not only obliged to regularly contribute to the parties' coffers, many have also got Members of the Legislative Assembly and several ministers on their board.

The presence of labour inspectors on the ground is thin and they too are subjected to inducements or threats. Those factories that are subject to inspections by foreign buyers - a small fraction as most sell in the domestic market and few are into export manufacturing - can also fudge the books they show visitors.

Apart from exploitation of workers, "caste-based 'honour killings' of inter-caste (couples), especially involving Dalit boys and non-Dalit girls were at an all-time high during (Jayalalithaa's) watch," said Cynthia Stephen, a Bangalore-based independent researcher in an email to this writer.

"And the reason for this was that her support base was from the oppressor Gounder and Thevar castes, much of whose political power also devolved from wealth and influence got from running such oppressive sweatshops, and from illegal sand mining. And that Sasikala, her aide, belonged to the Thevar community who used this proximity to extract maximum advantage from the system."

Stephen also pointed out that many of the freebies given to women such as mixer-grinders and fans were of poor quality and have ended up as unwanted junk in many homes. Jayalalithaa could have done a great service to the girls and women of Tamil Nadu had she devoted an iota of her time in office to look into the exploitation they were being subjected to by thousands of factory owners, contractors, landlords and others.

Instead, her party AIADMK - made up mostly of oppressor caste members - and she herself, having been a Brahmin born from Bangalore, let them down massively.

Today, December 10, is International Human Rights Day. Human rights include workers' rights, women's rights and children's rights as also migrant workers' rights (and there are thousands of migrant workers from faraway states in Tamil Nadu, but their woes are a subject unto themselves).
Strategic

China has always been keen on gaining a strategic toehold in the Arabian Sea and Gwadar has been an attractive option.

Despite its problems, the Sino-Pak military collaboration too has been proceeding apace.

Despite some suggesting that Beijing's role in Gwadar would remain limited because of mounting troubles in Balochistan and its keenness to avoid raising hackles in New Delhi and Washington, China has now taken the plunge into the murky waters of Gwadar.

The Gwadar port, opened in 2007 with an initial $200 million in funding from China, had been a commercial failure because of Pakistan's inability to use it effectively.

But where in the past Beijing had repeatedly played down the significance of the Chinese role in Gwadar, many in the Pakistani establishment had gone to the extent of explicitly asking China to build a base at Gwadar.

China wants to overcome its 'Malacca Dilemma' as more than 80 per cent of its oil imports travel through the Straits of Hormuz.

Given its reluctance to rely on US naval power for unhindered access to energy, it has moved to build up its naval power at choke points along the sea routes from the Persian Gulf to the South China Sea.

The Gwadar port is central to this aim.

Situated about 400 km away from the Straits of Hormuz at the apex of the Arabian Sea, it is a key asset for China, especially now when Beijing and Islamabad are busy building the nearly 3,000-km-long economic corridor linking the Gwadar port with Xinjiang.

The Chinese-Pakistani relationship has now moved beyond the "higher than Himalayas and sweeter than honey" phase.

Chinese strategists are openly talking of Pakistan as their nation's only real ally.

China's submarine operations in the Indian Ocean and the Chinese-Pakistani naval cooperation are challenging naval supremacy and have the potential to change the regional naval power balance.

China is also busy redefining the territorial status-quo in the region.

By deciding to construct major civil, energy and military infrastructure projects in the CPEC, which runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the areas of Gilgit and Baltistan, China has accorded de facto 'legitimacy' to Pakistan's illegal occupation of these areas.

Weapons

China - the world's third-largest weapons exporter - has Pakistan as the top recipient of its arms.

By aiding Pakistan in setting up its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, besides supplying conventional arms, Beijing had made sure that the Indian-Pakistani military balance is maintained.

A Pakistani Naval personnel stands guard beside a ship carrying containers during the opening of a trade project in Gwadar port. [Photo: AFP]

China is considered a reliable ally that has always come to Pakistan's aid - so much so that Beijing has even tacitly supported Islamabad's strategy of using terror as a policy instrument against New Delhi.

With India ascending in the global hierarchy and strengthening its ties with the United States, China's need for Pakistan is likely to grow.

This has been evident in China's policies toward Pakistan on critical issues in South Asia.

A rising India makes Pakistan all the more important in China's strategy for the subcontinent.

It is highly unlikely that China will give up playing the Pakistan card vis-a-vis India anytime soon.

The Chinese-Pakistani partnership serves the interests of both partners by presenting India with a potential two-front theatre in the event of war with either country.

Presence

And for China, Pakistan is increasingly important to fend off a joint Indian-US challenge.

South Asia is emerging as an important new front in the power struggle between the US and China as well as India and China, and the region's importance is only likely to increase in the coming years.

China is taking the plunge in the waters of the Indian Ocean with its potential naval presence in Gwadar.

It will reshape the strategic map of the region in the coming years.

Beijing has often tried to explain the construction of ports and facilities by China in the Indian Ocean, including Gwadar, on purely economic and commercial grounds.

But regional powers like the US, Japan and India inevitably view the sum total of China's diplomatic and military efforts in the Indian Ocean as projecting power vis-a-vis competing rivals.

Moreover, most of Chinese naval facilities in the Indian Ocean are dual use in nature and no serious strategy can discount their future military use.

Welcome to the new maritime order in Asia.

(Courtesy: Mail Today)

Also read - Why Kashmiris are fed up of Hurriyat's failures
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Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc.,      ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics.

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Global Payments Inc. provides payment technology and software solutions for card, electronic, check, and digital-based payments in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through three segments: Merchant Solutions, Issuer Solutions, and Business and Consumer Solutions. The Merchant Solutions segment offers authorization services, settlement and funding services, customer support and help-desk functions, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security services, consolidated billing and statements, and on-line reporting services. This segment also provides an array of enterprise software solutions that streamline business operations of its customers in various vertical markets; and value-added services, such as point-of-sale solutions, and analytic and engagement tools, as well as payroll and human capital management services. The Issuer Solutions segment offers solutions that enable financial institutions and retailers to manage their card portfolios through a platform; and commercial payments and ePayables solutions for businesses and governments. The Business and Consumer Solutions segment provides general-purpose reloadable prepaid debit and payroll cards, demand deposit accounts, and other financial service solutions to the underbanked and other consumers, and businesses under the Netspend brand. It markets its products and services through direct sales force, trade associations, agent and enterprise software providers, referral arrangements with value-added resellers, and independent sales organizations. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
AutoZone, Inc. retails and distributes automotive replacement parts and accessories. The company offers various products for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Its products include A/C compressors, batteries and accessories, bearings, belts and hoses, calipers, chassis, clutches, CV axles, engines, fuel pumps, fuses, ignition and lighting products, mufflers, radiators, starters and alternators, thermostats, and water pumps, as well as tire repairs. In addition, the company offers maintenance products, such as antifreeze and windshield washer fluids; brake drums, rotors, shoes, and pads; brake and power steering fluids, and oil and fuel additives; oil and transmission fluids; oil, cabin, air, fuel, and transmission filters; oxygen sensors; paints and accessories; refrigerants and accessories; shock absorbers and struts; spark plugs and wires; and windshield wipers. Further, it provides air fresheners, cell phone accessories, drinks and snacks, floor mats and seat covers, interior and exterior accessories, mirrors, performance products, protectants and cleaners, sealants and adhesives, steering wheel covers, stereos and radios, tools, and wash and wax products, as well as towing services. Additionally, the company provides a sales program that offers commercial credit and delivery of parts and other products; sells automotive diagnostic and repair software under the ALLDATA brand through alldata.com; and automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products through autozone.com. As of August 27, 2022, it operated 6,168 stores in the United States; 703 stores in Mexico; and 72 stores in Brazil. The company was founded in 1979 and is based in Memphis, Tennessee.
Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. provides home and security products for residential home repair, remodeling, new construction, and security applications. It operates in three segments: Plumbing, Outdoors & Security, and Cabinets. The Plumbing segment manufactures, assembles, and sells faucets, accessories, kitchen sinks, and waste disposals under the Moen, ROHL, Riobel, Victoria+Albert, Perrin & Rowe, and Shaws brands in the United States, China, Canada, Mexico, Southeast Asia, Europe, and South America directly through its own sales force, as well as through independent manufacturers' representatives to wholesalers, home centers, mass merchandisers, and industrial distributors. The Outdoors & Security segment offers fiberglass and steel entry door systems under the Therma-Tru brand; storm, screen, and security doors under the Larson brand; composite decking and railing under the Fiberon brand; and urethane millwork under the Fypon brand. This segment also manufactures, sources, and distributes locks, safety and security devices, and electronic security products under the Master Lock and American Lock brands; and fire resistant safes, security containers, and commercial cabinets under the SentrySafe brand. It serves home centers, hardware and other retailers, millwork building products and wholesale distributors, specialty dealers, and remodeling and renovation markets, as well as locksmiths, industrial and institutional users, and original equipment manufacturers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Central America, Japan, and Australia. The Cabinets segment manufactures custom, semi-custom, and custom cabinetry, as well as vanities for the kitchen, bath, and other parts of the home directly to kitchen and bath dealers, home centers, wholesalers, and builders in North America under the AOK, Diamond Brands, Homecrest, Kitchen Craft, Omega, and EVE brands. The company was incorporated in 1988 and is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.
Phillips 66 operates as an energy manufacturing and logistics company. It operates through four segments: Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties (M&S). The Midstream segment transports crude oil and other feedstocks; delivers refined petroleum products to market; provides terminaling and storage services for crude oil and refined petroleum products; transports, stores, fractionates, exports, and markets natural gas liquids; provides other fee-based processing services; and gathers, processes, transports, and markets natural gas. The Chemicals segment produces and markets ethylene and other olefin products; aromatics and styrenics products, such as benzene, cyclohexane, styrene, and polystyrene; and various specialty chemical products, including organosulfur chemicals, solvents, catalysts, and chemicals used in drilling and mining. The Refining segment refines crude oil and other feedstocks into petroleum products, such as gasolines, distillates, aviation, and renewable fuels at 12 refineries in the United States and Europe. The M&S segment purchases for resale and markets refined petroleum products, including gasolines, distillates, and aviation fuels primarily in the United States and Europe. This segment also manufactures and markets specialty products, such as base oils and lubricants. The company was founded in 1875 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
KeyCorp operates as the holding company for KeyBank National Association that provides various retail and commercial banking products and services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer Bank and Commercial Bank. The company offers various deposits, investment products and services; and personal finance and financial wellness, student loan refinancing, mortgage and home equity, lending, credit card, treasury, business advisory, wealth management, asset management, investment, cash management, portfolio management, and trust and related services to individuals and small and medium-sized businesses. It also provides a suite of banking and capital market products, such as syndicated finance, debt and equity capital market products, commercial payments, equipment finance, commercial mortgage banking, derivatives, foreign exchange, financial advisory, and public finance, as well as commercial mortgage loans comprising consumer, energy, healthcare, industrial, public sector, real estate, and technology loans for middle market clients. In addition, the company offers community development financing, securities underwriting, brokerage, and investment banking services. As of December 31, 2021, it operated through a network of approximately 999 branches and 1,317 ATMs in 15 states, as well as additional offices, online and mobile banking capabilities, and a telephone banking call center. KeyCorp was founded in 1849 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
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. S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy UK, Becton Dickinson Insulin Syringe Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings II Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings III Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Israel Ltd., Becton Dickinson Italia S.p.A., Becton Dickinson Ithalat Ihracat Limited Sirketi, Becton Dickinson Korea Holding Inc., Becton Dickinson Korea Ltd., Becton Dickinson Ltd., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Finance S.a.r.L., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Global Holdings Sarl, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings II S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings III S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings V S.a.r.L., Becton Dickinson Malaysia Inc., Becton Dickinson Management GmbH & Co. KG, Becton Dickinson Matrex Holdings Inc., Becton Dickinson Medical (S) Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Products Pte. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Technology (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Global Holdings II C.V., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Holdings B.V., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Holdings II B.V., Becton Dickinson Norway AS, Becton Dickinson O.Y., Becton Dickinson Overseas Services Ltd., Becton Dickinson Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd., Becton Dickinson Penel Limited, Becton Dickinson Philippines Inc., Becton Dickinson Polska Sp.z.o.o., Becton Dickinson Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Becton Dickinson Pty. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Research Centre Ireland Limited, Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH, Becton Dickinson Rowa Italy Srl, Becton Dickinson S.A., Becton Dickinson Sample Collection GmbH, Becton Dickinson Scot Financing L.L.P., Becton Dickinson Scot Financing L.P., Becton Dickinson Sdn. Bhd., Becton Dickinson Slovakia s.r.o., Becton Dickinson Sweden AB, Becton Dickinson Sweden Holdings AB, Becton Dickinson Switzerland Global Holdings SarL, Becton Dickinson Technology Campus India, Becton Dickinson U.K. Limited, Becton Dickinson UK Financing I Limited, Becton Dickinson UK Financing II Limited, Becton Dickinson Venezuela C.A., Becton Dickinson Venture LLC, Becton Dickinson Verwaltungs GmbH, Becton Dickinson Vostok LLC, Becton Dickinson Worldwide Investments Sa.r.L., Becton Dickinson Zambia Limited, Becton Dickinson and Company Ltd., Becton Dickinson de Colombia Ltda., Becton Dickinson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson del Uruguay S.A., Bee IT Solutions, Benex Ltd., Biometric Imaging, Bridger Biomed Inc., C. R. Bard (Portugal) - Produtos e Artigos Medicos e Farmaceuticos, C. R. Bard Do Brasil Productos Medicos Ltda., C. R. Bard GmbH, C. R. Bard Inc., C. R. Bard Netherlands Sales B.V., C.R. Bard Inc, CME America LLC, CME Ltd., CME Medical (UK) Limited, CME UK (Holdings) Limited, CRISI Medical Systems, CRISI Medical Systems Inc., Caesarea Medical Electronics, Cardal II LLC, Care Fusion Development Private Limited, CareFusion (Barbados) SrL, CareFusion (Shanghai) Commercial and Trading Co. Limited, CareFusion 213 LLC, CareFusion 2200 Inc., CareFusion 2201 Inc., CareFusion 302 LLC, CareFusion 303 Inc., CareFusion Asia (HK) Limited, CareFusion Corporation, CareFusion Corporation., CareFusion D.R. 203 Ltd., CareFusion France 309 S.A.S., CareFusion Israel 330 Ltd., CareFusion Italy 312 S.p.A., CareFusion Manufacturing LLC, CareFusion Mexico 215 S.A. de C.V., CareFusion Netherlands 328 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 503 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 504 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands Financing 283 C.V., CareFusion Resources LLC, CareFusion S.A. 319 (Proprietary) Limited, CareFusion Solutions LLC, CareFusion U.K. 244 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 305 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 306 Limited, Carmel Pharma AB, Carmel Pharma Inc, Cato Software Solutions, Cell Analysis Systems Inc, Cellular Research, Cellular Research Inc., Clearstream Technologies Group Limited, Clearstream Technologies Limited, Clontech Laboratories Inc, Corporativo BD de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Critical Device Corporation, Cubex, Cytognos, Cytopeia Inc, DLD (Bermuda) Ltd., DVL Acquisition Sub Inc., Davol Inc., Davol International Limited, Davol Surgical Innovations S.A. de C.V., Difco Laboratories Incorporated, Distribuidora BD Mexico S.A. de C.V., Dutch American Manufacturers (D.A.M.) B.V., Dymax Corporation, Embo Medical Limited, Enturia de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Enturican Inc., FJ International Inc., FlowCardia Inc., FlowCardia LLC, FlowJo LLC, Franklin Lakes Enterprises L.L.C., GSL Solutions, Gamer Lasertechnik GmbH, GenCell Biosystems, GenCell Biosystems Ltd., GeneOhm Sciences Canada ULC, GeneOhm Sciences Inc, Gentest Corporation, Gesco International Inc., Gesco International LLC, Glentech Inc, HandyLab Inc, HandyLab Inc., IBD Holdings LLC, Iontophoretics Corporation, JoHome LLC, Kabushiki Kaisha Medicon (Medicon Inc.), Liberator Health and Education Services Inc., Liberator Health and Wellness Inc., Liberator Medical Holdings Inc., Liberator Medical Supply Inc., Limited Liability Company Bard Rus, Loma Vista Medical Inc., Loma Vista Medical LLC, Luther Medical Products Inc, Lutonix Inc., Med-Design Corporation, Med-Design Investment Holdings Inc., Med-Safe Systems Inc, Med-Safe Systems Inc., MedChem Products Inc., Medafor Inc., Medegen LLC, Medinservice.com Inc., Medivance Inc., NAT Diagnostics Inc., NAT Diagnostics Inc., NOW Medical Distribution Inc., NOW Medical Distribution LLC, Navarre Biomedical LLC, Navarre Biomedical Ltd., Neomend Inc., Nippon Becton Dickinson Company Ltd., Omega Biosystems Incorporated, P.R.C. (Isialys) Societe a responsabilitie limitee, PT Becton Dickinson Indonesia, PharMingen, PharMingen., Plasso Technology Ltd, PreAnalytiX GmbH, Pristine Access Technologies Inc., ProSeed Inc., Procesos para Esterilizacion S.A. de C.V., Productos Bard de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Productos Para el Cuidado de la Salud S.A. de C.V., Puls Medical Devices AS LC, PureWick Corporation, Roberts Laboratories Inc., Rochester Medical Corporation, Rochester Medical Ltd., Saf-T-Med Inc, Safety Syringes Inc., Scanwell Health Inc., Sendal S.L.U., SenoRx Inc., SenoRx LLC, Shield Healthcare Centers Inc., Sirigen Group Limited, Sirigen II Limited, Sirigen Inc., Sistemas Medicos ALARIS S.A. de C.V., Specialized Cooperative Corporation, Specialized Health Products Inc., Specialized Health Products International Inc., Specialized Health Products International LLC, Staged Diabetes Management LLC, Straub Medical AG, Straub Medical AG, Surgical Site Solutions Inc., TVA Medical Inc, TVA Medical Inc., Tepha Inc, Tepha Inc., Tissuemed Ltd., Tri-County Medical & Ostomy Supplies Inc., TriPath Imaging Inc., Tru-Fit Marketing Corporation, Vas-Cath Incorporated, Vascular Pathways Inc., Velano Vascular, Velano Vascular Inc., Venclose Inc., Venetec International Inc., Venetec International LLC, Visitec, Y-Med Inc., Y-Med LLC, and ZebraSci Inc..

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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. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., R&D Engineering A/S., R&D Prague s.r.o., R&D Steel ApS., R&D Test Systems A/S., R&D Tools and Structures A/S., RDGDK Engineering Private Limited, Ramset Fasteners Hong Kong Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. 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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TransUnion provides risk and information solutions. The company operates in three segments: U.S. Markets, International, and Consumer Interactive. The U.S. Markets segment provides consumer reports, actionable insights, and analytics to businesses. These businesses use its services to acquire new customers; assess consumer ability to pay for services; identify cross-selling opportunities; measure and manage debt portfolio risk; collect debt; verify consumer identities; and mitigate fraud risk. This segment serves various industry vertical markets, including financial services, insurance, tenant and employment, collections and services, technology, commerce and communication, public sector, media, and other markets. The International segment offers credit reports, analytics, technology solutions, and other value-added risk management services; and consumer services, which help consumers to manage their personal finances and consumer credit reporting, insurance and auto information solutions, and commercial credit information services. This segment serves customers in financial services, retail credit, insurance, automotive, collections, public sector, and communications industries through direct and indirect channels. The Consumer Interactive segment provides credit reports and scores, credit monitoring, identity protection and resolution, and financial management solutions that enable consumers to manage their personal finances and take precautions against identity theft. This segment offers its products through online and mobile interfaces, as well as through direct and indirect channels. The company serves customers in approximately 30 countries and territories, including North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, India, and the Asia Pacific. The company was formerly known as TransUnion Holding Company, Inc. and changed its name to TransUnion in March 2015. TransUnion was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
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.
Nabors Industries Ltd. provides drilling and drilling-related services for land-based and offshore oil and natural gas wells. The company operates through five segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. It provides tubular running, wellbore placement, directional drilling, measurement-while-drilling (MWD), equipment manufacturing, and rig instrumentation services; and logging-while-drilling systems and services, as well as drilling optimization software. The company also offers REVit, an automated real time stick-slip mitigation system; ROCKit, a directional steering control system; SmartNAV, a collaborative guidance and advisory platform; SmartSLIDE, an advanced directional steering control system; and RigCLOUD, which provides the tools and infrastructure to integrate applications to deliver real-time insight into operations across the rig fleet. In addition, it manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and other drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools; and provides aftermarket sales and services for the installed base of its equipment. As of December 31, 2021, the company marketed approximately 301 rigs for land-based drilling operations in the United States, Canada, and in 20 other countries worldwide; and 29 rigs for offshore platform drilling operations in the United States and internationally. Nabors Industries Ltd. was founded in 1952 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.
RICHMOND  The founder of a Culpeper-area business pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Richmond on Friday to a $10.5 million bank fraud.

Michael P. Klekamp, 67, of Charlottesville, the owner of Court Capitol Components and Millwork Inc., admitted that from 2012 until 2015 he lied about his assets and the company's financial health to win more credit from The Fauquier Bank in Warrenton.

A criminal information filed in the case said Klekamp did not employ a controller, chief financial officer or other accounting staff, and until November 2015 he controlled all the accounting and financial operations for the company, which manufactured architectural millwork items such as doors, trim and cornices for residences.

The credit line agreement with the bank required the company to submit periodic reports to the about the value of the underlying collateral, such as accounts receivable and inventory, and the creditworthiness of the company.

Eventually his scheme increased the bank's revolving line of credit to $11.5 million by April 2015.

On Oct. 25, 2015, Klekamp submitted documents to the bank that fraudulently claimed there was approximately $17 million of total accounts receivable and inventory securing the $11.5 million credit line. In fact, was no more than $3.4 million of total accounts receivable and inventory.

The company was in such poor financial condition that it was unable to repay the interest or principal on the loan and in November 2015 the bank forced the company into receivership. The bank ultimately lost $10.5 million.

Klekamp faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when sentenced on March 24, by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. However, Klekamp's plea agreement states that he and the government have agreed that a sentence of 51 to 63 months is appropriate, although that is not binding on Hudson.

Kelkamp also agreed to making restitution to the bank for $10,531,049.

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by David T. Maguire, an assistant U.S. attorney.
Discussion about crime rates in America tend to garner public attention and hold public interest, but many people do not know where the data comes from and how crime is measured.

At its simplest, a crime rate is a count of how many instances of criminal activity occur in society for every 100,000 people.

But how is that data collected and what is actually being measured?

There are two main reports that generate much of the discussion about crime rates in the country  the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting Program and the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics National Crime Victimization Survey.

Both use different methods and collect different data, but attempt to answer the same question  how much crime is there in America?

UCR

The main one people generally cite is the Uniform Crime Reports, Fordham University School of Law Professor of Law John Pfaff said. The way those work is that the police keep track of when someone makes a call in that a crime has happened.

If I got robbed or I saw someone get robbed, I call in and that sort of shows up as an incident, he said.

Pfaff explained the UCR measures crime that is known to police.

Every time a police department receives a report of a crime and confirms that it occurred or is witness to a crime, it gets entered into a database that is compiled with departments across the country.

The FBI only tracks a certain small number of crimes for the Uniform Crime Reports  for reported crimes, Pfaff said.

The FBI collects data on violent crimes  including murder, aggravated assault and rape  and property crime  including burglary, theft and arson.

The UCR does not track DUIs, drug crimes or other offenses like lower-level assaults, Pfaff said.

Cases involving DUI or drug crimes generally account for more than 40 percent of all new case filings each year in Cumberland County, according to Cumberland County Insight.

Pennsylvania State Police also maintains a database that all police departments in the state are required to report to.

The information is similar to the FBIs crime reporting program, but is updated generally every month rather than yearly and includes a larger list of offenses.

The information is posted to a public website where the general public can use that as a tool to see what crimes are occurring around them and to view the crime rates, Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Adam Reed said.

Clearance Rate

The FBI and Pennsylvania State Police Uniform Crime Reporting Programs also track the clearance rate for the crimes tracked.

An agency can mark an offense cleared if it meets a certain set of criteria, Reed said. It can either be cleared by an arrest or by what is known as by exceptional means.

The Sentinels Cumberland County Insight tracks crimes that have been cleared by an arrest. In essence this program shows how many times criminal charges have been filed for a given crime type.

Reed said having an incident cleared by exceptional means is rare but does occur. In this case the police identify a suspect, gather enough evidence to make an arrest and identify where the suspect is but are unable to make an arrest because of situations outside law enforcements control.

That could be either  your suspect dies or the victim refuses to cooperate with prosecution, Reed said, citing two of the more common examples.

Clearance rates vary depending on the crime type. For example, nationally 61 percent of all murders were cleared in 2015, but only 13 percent of burglaries were marked as cleared, according to the FBI.

Pennsylvania Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm said when crimes that are reported do not get cleared, it can erode the trust in the criminal justice system and wreak havoc on victims.

Its kind of this open wound that remains, Storm said. And not that solving of the crime or the conviction of an offender heals that wound, but it certainly allows for a person to move through the process of healing by obtaining, or having the ability to obtain justice.

NCVS

If the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting System keeps tabs on the number of crimes reported to police, what about all the offenses that go unreported?

That is where the Bureau of Justice Statistics National Crime Victimization Survey comes in.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics surveys about 90,000 households, roughly 160,000 people, to get a sense of how much crime is occurring and how much is being reported to police.

Respondents answer questions about whether they have been a victim of crime in the last year, provide details about the incident and provide information about whether they reported those victimizations to police.

Reporting victimization to police, much like clearance rates, also vary between crime types.

Offenses like aggravated assault and robbery usually have a relatively high rate, 62 percent in 2015, of being reported to police. Other crimes are generally reported to police at far lower rates.

Roughly one third of rape and sexual assault are generally reported and less than 30 percent of thefts in 2015 were reported to police, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Reporting

Theres a myriad of reasons (why people dont report crimes) and a lot of that tends to depend of the type of victimization, Storm said. Obviously, in sexual assaults and domestic violence there is the fear of retaliation, shame, humiliation.

Storm said other factors like a distrust of authority, involvement in criminal activity by the victim and a societal view against contacting police can also play a role in crimes not getting reported.

For a lot of neighborhoods or communities its just commonplace that you dont call the cops. You just resolve conflict on your own, in your own neighborhood with you peers, she said.

Pfaff noted a recent study found reporting of crimes fell dramatically in Philadelphia following a high-profile incident of use of force by police, because of the distrust that incident, and the coverage of it, generated in the community.

Crime victims have rights, Storm said. Oftentimes victims dont know they have rights unless theyre forced to know.  Oftentimes victims dont know where to turn for help.

Storm said every county in Pennsylvania has victims advocates to help support victims through the criminal justice process.

The Cumberland County Crime Victim Services can be reached by calling 240-6220.

A holistic approach

Both major measures of crime have their faults, according to Pfaff.

The UCR only tracks crimes that are reported to police and the NCVS operates on a survey method that could leave out homeless and transient individuals or others who are vulnerable to victimization.

Pfaff said the two measures should be viewed more holistically. He advised viewing the reports in context of the overall trends and not minor changes from one year to the next.

Neither one is perfect, but they both tell  a fairly reliable story about what is going on, he said.  I think it still remains fair to say that crime is in fact substantially lower today than it was 10 or 15 years ago. Maybe the exact crime rate may not be perfectly measured but the overall trends are being captured and are real.
Trumps successful rise to president-elect has many people angry and upset and others gleeful and excited to see a major policy shift in Washington, D.C.

For Mr. Trump to be successful, he must institute policies that will benefit most Americans, and it is an absolute must that he keep his campaign promises. To veer off his main platform of smaller government, lower taxes, abolishing Obamacare for a much better system, beefing up our military strength and showing our adversaries that America will no longer be soft are just a few of the things Mr. Trump must do.

He has already made some moves, two months before he is inaugurated: Carrier and Ford have already made moves to stay in the United States. He has made some appointments to his cabinet, most of which I agree with as do the majority of Americans. There are many other positions to be filled, and there are many well-rounded, experienced people ready to take these jobs.

However, I have my doubts about some of the people he is talking to. They are Mitt Romney, David Petraeus and Rudy Giuliani. Romney, the highest profile of all, made extremely inappropriate comments continually through Trumps campaign, maligning him and calling him absolutely unfit to be president.

I can see mending fences between them as a good thing but placing Romney as secretary of state is not a good way to do it. Romney has never shown to have the fortitude or the mental strength to combat major foreign leaders and his weak-kneed performance in the 2012 presidential election was embarrassing. He has never shown to have his finger on the pulse of American foreign affairs.

The secretary of state is a position that must be filled by a very strong and forceful individual being sure that America eliminates the policies of the last eight years of Obama. Importantly, the secretary must be able to help get America out of the foolish Small Arms Treaty, a Clinton and Obama signed agreement that gives the UN and its unimpressive representatives control over Americas gun rights.

Just because we have a Constitution that expressly states we have the right to bear arms and no other country does, doesnt mean that a president can take it upon himself to give up our sovereignty to pseudo-intellectual foreign bureaucrats.

Romney, Petraeus and, interestingly, Giuliani have all shown interest in supporting banning firearms in the past. In fact, each of them has joined the forces with anti-gun groups such as Bradys Handgun Control Inc.

Petraeus worked closely with anti-gun advocate Mark Kelly when they formed Veterans for Common Sense. This entity is pushing heavily for more background checks as well as gun registration of citizens who have never broken any laws. In fact, Petraeus is on the advisory board of this group.

Mr. Trump, throughout his campaign, has stated he supports the Second Amendment, but appointing Petraeus would be going back on his word.

This also relates to Giuliani, who has shown support for federal gun licensing and the Clinton semi-auto ban; he even was a leader in establishing the strategy of filing inane lawsuits against firearm manufacturers. I doubt many Americans realize Mr. Giulianis anti-gun position. Indeed, he also introduced, stop and frisk in New York City which allowed many law-abiding citizens to be stopped for any reason and frisked with no recourse.

As for Romney, he signed a permanent adaptation of the Clinton semi-auto ban into law in Massachusetts and supported the Brady Bill.

These men do not fit the bill of secretary of state based purely on these facts, as well as their inexperience in foreign matters. John Bolton fits the bill: a former ambassador to the UN, a man with his strong thumb on the pulse on global foreign affairs and a man with the mental fortitude to hold other bureaucrats feet to the fire while negotiating for America.

Ambassador Bolton has shown his knowledge and well thought out solutions to the complexities of Americas place in this world. They are based on common sense, military strength and a cool, calm attitude.

President Trump can not go wrong with John Bolton being his secretary of state.
A man stole a police vehicle and attempted to run over an officer with it before he was shot, Pennsylvania State Police said Friday night.

The unidentified man was transported to Penn State Hershey Medical Center by helicopter after the incident in Shippensburg.

State Police said they are investigating the incident as an escape and possible attempted homicide of a Shippensburg police officer.

According to a State Police news release, Shippensburg Police Department responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle that was parked in a private construction yard on West Martin Avenue. Police found a man in the vehicle.

The man was asked to exit his vehicle, and then fled from the officer, the State Police said. The man stole a marked police SUV and drove it directly toward of one of the officers, the state police said.

The officer fired an undetermined number of shots at the man, who was hit an unknown number of times, police said.

He then fled for approximately 1.5 miles before he was located in possession of the stolen police vehicle, police said.

The mans condition and identity were not released, and the officers involved were not seriously injured, police said.
Dear Editor:

In 1984, when desecrating the American flag was prohibited in 48 states, Gregory Johnson, of the Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, burned a flag to protest the Reagan administration. Johnson was tried, sentenced to one year in prison and fined $2,000. His appeal, reached the Supreme Court.

A misguided Supreme Court voted 5-4 that burning the American flag was free speech overturning the laws of 48 states  so ONE PERSON overturned the peoples law in 48 states.

Congress then passed the 1989 Flag Protection Act, making it a federal crime to desecrate the flag. Once again, common sense ruled and respect was accorded to our flag. But, that law was struck down by the same five Supreme Court justices.

This is the same flag we face during the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of our National Anthem ... the same flag that was raised on Iwo Jima where over 6800 Marines died (including three of the flag raisers) ... the same flag that brings tears to veterans eyes on Veterans Day and Memorial Day as they reverently render salutes ... the same flag that covers the coffins of our military who gave their lives for our freedom ... the same flag that is reverently folded into a triangle at military funerals and solemnly presented to the families of the fallen.

This flag is not a colored rag, it is the symbol of everything that makes this country great, a symbol of freedom and not oppression. It has been sanctified and blessed with the blood of our patriots and the tears of our citizens.

I suggest Congress pass a law classifying flag burning as a hate crime, punishable by a fine of $10,000 and one year in prison, but I admit to a bit of prejudice.

Robert Hall

Carlisle
Rajasthan High Court scraps 5% quota for Gujjars

Published: December 10, 2016

The Rajasthan High Court has scrapped the Rajasthan Special Backward Classes (SBC) Reservation Act, 2015 that provided 5% quota to five communities, including Gujjars in jobs and education.

The verdict was given on bunch of writ petitions challenging the 2015 Act on grounds of violation of Supreme Court mandated limit of 50% on reservation.

HC Verdict

State government had given the reservation illegally to five communities and declared SBC Reservation Act, 2015 and its notification unconstitutional.

It has failed to consider Article 16(4B) of the Constitution, which forbids reservation exceeding 50%.

In this case, Rajasthan High Court had used Supreme Court verdict pronounced in Indra Sahwney case (Mandal Commission) which had set ceiling of 50% in quotas.

Background

In September 2015, Rajasthan State Assembly had SBC reservation bill along with a separate Bill for giving 14% reservation to Economically Backward Classes (EBC). Both bills had received assent of Governor Kalyan Singh. The SBC Reservation Act had given 5% reservation to Gujjars, Banjara, Gadia Lohar, Raika and Gadariya communities in jobs and education. It was notified after the repeal of the controversial legislation of 2008 on the same subject. However, state government had not notified the law on EBC quota.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2016

Topics: Gujjars  High Court  Rajasthan  Reservation  Social Issues

Latest E-Books
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DEAR BRUCE: I am getting close to the age when I will make a possible move to a California rest home. I am concerned as to the tax consequences of selling stocks and bonds regularly to pay this expense. -- B.H.

DEAR B.H.: You're fortunate to have possible tax consequences because you've been successful in having your securities grow in value. That's not a bad problem to have. I wouldn't lose any sleep over paying these minor taxes.

DEAR BRUCE: Once, employers liked hard workers. Today if an employer describes an employee as a hard worker, some employees see it as microaggression in the workplace that could lead to a costly labor complaint with a human rights commission or an expensive lawsuit. No wonder companies like Wal-mart and others are cutting workers and consider "hard-working" robots to replace people offended by the term. As an employer, do you consider "hard worker" a compliment or an insult? -- Reader

DEAR READER: I never considered someone called a "hard worker" to be a problem in the workplace. I would rather have someone who meets that description than a goof-off in any of my businesses. I have no problem with any of my employees legitimately being called a hard worker, and I would be working like crazy to keep them labeled "hard-working."

DEAR BRUCE: I am 61, in good health, with kids grown and working. No major debts. I own a condo. I am paying $185 per month for a life insurance policy through my firm. I want your advice on dropping the policy and simply buying a burial policy on the market. What are your thoughts? -- D.S.

DEAR D.S.: You didn't mention how much insurance you were buying for $185 a month, but if you feel that you don't need the policy, you might wish to drop it. You also might wish to investigate companies that will buy your insurance policy and continue to pay the premiums until you pass away. Because of your relatively young age, you might not be able to get a lot of money for the policy, but it would be better than simply dropping it altogether.

I am curious as to why you bought what appears to be a large insurance policy and now you feel you don't need it. With that having been said, before you drop it, look into selling it. Something is better than nothing.

DEAR BRUCE: I called a real estate agent to view a property. She said she'd call me back when she scheduled an appointment with the seller. I did not get a prompt call back. When I called the agent again, she told me she was in Las Vegas for a party. For this I lost out on a property I really needed. What action should I take? -- Peter

DEAR PETER: I understand that you're mad because the real estate agent didn't call you back and because she was attending a party in Vegas, someone else purchased the property you wanted. But if it was such an important purchase, you should have followed up immediately or with a second agent. You can make a complaint to the local licensing authority, but I don't think there will be anything they can do. Time is of the essence.

DEAR BRUCE: Due to a U.S. government data breach, a Los Angeles company sent me a $6,000 bill for "services." I refused to pay and informed the company. They sent the $6,000 to collection and it appeared on my Experian credit report. I reported it to the police, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and other state and federal agencies.

Experian sent me a letter stating the collection action was deleted from my credit report. I am not sure what "deleted" means. Is my credit still damaged? Please explain it to me. -- P.F.

DEAR P.F.: Congratulations! A win to the good guys. Unfortunately, there is no way I can tell you which one of your inquiries got Experian to take care of the collection letter. In turn, there is no damage to your credit history.

I really would like to say congratulations again. It isn't often you can say the good guys won one!

DEAR BRUCE: I recently had back surgery, and I was going through TSA in a wheelchair at Reno/Tahoe Airport and I was flagged for personal inspection. The TSA agent made me stand for 15 minutes as he swabbed the entire contents of my carry-on bag. He had to pat down my pants and he required me to stand with my legs widely parted, though I told him this was painful to me. He ordered me to stand anyway, and I sat in the wheelchair and called him names.

This brought a team of TSA agents asking me what my problem was. I told them about my back surgery and then I told them about the guy who made me stand. They read me the riot act about their jobs. When they were done, I called them all sorts of names and they cleared me for my plane.

These TSA agents are unprofessional in my opinion. What do you think? -- Reader

DEAR READER: I am glad to hear that you won that fight. They could have fooled around with you long enough that you missed your connection. That would have been kind of a hollow victory.

I have a difficult time standing for long periods of time, too. Whenever I've been in this situation and I have asked for someplace to sit, they have wasted time on occasion. Nonetheless, they always provided a chair with no argument. You just happened to run into a few guys who were real stinkers, and I congratulate you on getting through it. Although, I wouldn't suggest that you make your methods a regular habit.

DEAR BRUCE: My wife is set to retire at the end of the year. She has several retirement investments in different accounts. She is also over the age of 69 1/2.

Is it beneficial for her to work one week into 2017 rather than retire at the end of 2016? Would this allow us more time to set up required distributions? Immediate money is not an issue. -- D.C.

DEAR D.C.: I don't think it's going to make a big difference except you may have a few weeks more to make a decision. Frankly, I don't see what that's going to do for you. Make the decision if she wants to retire now and let her go about it, or if she wants to hang out another couple of months, that's fine, too.

DEAR BRUCE: I recently left my job and received a large severance payment of $140,000. I was without another job for only one month and started a new job with an annual salary of $250,000. I am trying to avoid the IRS hit on all the income this year. Do you have any suggestions for what I can do to lower the amount of income tax I will have to pay? -- D.M.

DEAR D.M.: All I can tell you is that many people would love to have your problem -- $140,000 in the bag and a $250,000 salary. I don't know any way to avoid income tax on this money. If another reader has an idea, I would love to know, but I am afraid it's a problem that will not make many people feel sorry for you. I do wish you well.

DEAR BRUCE: I haven't paid my federal taxes in quite some time. I kind of got mad at the way our government has wasted time and money. After checking the 16th Amendment, which Pennsylvania opted out of ratifying, it doesn't say anywhere that we are bound to pay taxes on income.

My question is, can any of this hold up in court, or do I threaten them with letting all taxpayers know about the loophole and let our government go broke, so they won't be able to prosecute anybody? -- L.W.

DEAR L.W.: You may have all kinds of arguments with our government and try to rebel, but all that does is get you into a bigger hole, and sooner or later it's going to catch up. If I were you, I would hire a representative who routinely works with the government on circumstances such as yours. He or she can help you get paid up, or at least get your returns in so that the amount you owe is established. You may or may not be able to negotiate a portion of this, depending on your income. Don't let it go on any longer.

Send questions to bruce@brucewilliams.com. Questions of general interest will be answered in future columns. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

The Bruce Williams Radio Show can now be heard 24/7 via iTunes and at www.taeradio.com. It is also available at www.brucewilliams.com.
New Delhi: Seeking support of Tata Power shareholders against promoters' proposal to remove him from the board, Cyrus Mistry has said that the company fared better than most of its competitors during his tenure.

The company has called an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on December 26, 2016, to consider the resolution for removal of Cyrus P Mistry as its Director.

"At the consolidated level for Tata Power,...efforts resulted in a marked improvement EBITDA over the last three years. There has been a re-rating of the power sector in India over the last few years, and hence it would not be appropriate to compare its performance vis-a-vis Sensex. However, the company has fared better than most of its competitors during this time," Mistry said in a letter to shareholders.

Mistry joined the Board of Tata Sons in 2006 and was appointed Chairman of its Board in December 2012. He is currently Chairman of Tata Power. He said that Tata Power faced several challenges in 2012 and the overwhelming threat to its survival was on account of situation at Mudra Ultra Mega Power Project (CGPL).

As per the letter, CGPL had been set up to almost double the generation capacity of the company with a huge capital investment of USD 2.6 billion and the plan was to use Indonesian coal. Tata Power had invested USD 1.2 billion in coal assets, to secure low coal supply.

However, regulatory changes by the Indonesian government challenged the viability of the project. Tata Power has filed a petition in central electricity regulatory commission and the matter is in the courts, it added.

Earlier this week power regulatory CERC has allowed Tata Power to pass through the increased cost of coal due to change in regulation by Indonesia. However, the relief is subject to approval of Supreme Court where matter is still sub judice.
New Delhi: India has expressed reservations on World Bank's 'Doing Business Report' where it has been ranked 172 amongst 190 countries, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today.

The government is aware of the latest analysis of the World Bank's report in which India has been ranked 172 amongst 190 countries surveyed in the matter of paying taxes.

"We have some reservations about the methodology of the assessment parameters in this regard," he said during Question Hour, amidst noisy protests by Opposition.

Mr Jaitley said the government has been taking a number of steps to ease tax compliance for tax payers. "We are constantly striving to improve our position," he said.

The Minister said the Tax Administration Reform Commission (TARC) in its four reports had made useful recommendations on issues like customer focus, structure and governance, dispute management, key internal processes, use of information and communication technology.
Out of 21 sub-components and assemblies, three were addressed in last year's budget and five more have been recommended for this year. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: IT and Telecom industry bodies have sought measures in the upcoming Budget to promote ease of doing business, incentives for R&D investments and push for domestic manufacturing.

"Our main focus is on ease of doing business and level playing field. Important backdrop of our suggestion was that the industry does face headwinds globally because of protectionism and anti-globalisation forces in different country," Nasscom President R Chandrashekhar told reporters after a meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

He said Nasscom has sought reduction in safe harbour margin which is very high at 25-30 per cent, extension of R&D benefits to IT sector, clarity on cut in corporate taxes from 30 to 25 per cent and support for SMEs and start-ups.

"Domestic investments are also important and currently resident investors are taxed at twice the rate than non- residents. This is an anomaly which we felt should be removed," said Chandrashekhar.

Nasscom also flagged concerns over the procedural aspects in GST with regard to place of provision of service, valuation, tax on intra-company supply of softwares which was never done earlier.

"Place of Effective management is applicable from April 1, 2016 but guidelines have not been issued. We have requested that its implementation should be done prospectively and industry should not be impacted by it," he said.

Mobile industry body Indian Cellular Association proposed differential tax structure for five component categories.

"We have sough direct tax benefit based on value addition. This year in the phased manufacturing programme, five more components have been recommended which have to brought out of zero duty. These include mic receiver, mechanics, USB cable, keypads," ICA National President Pankaj Mohindroo said.

Out of 21 sub-components and assemblies, three were addressed in last year's budget and five more have been recommended for this year.

"We have requested for imposition of duties on all non-ITA items and differential duty on all ITA-1 items," Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association Chairman NK Goyal said.

IT hardware manufacturers body MAIT Vice President Nitin Kunkolienker said that he has demanded extension of duty differential scheme for laptops, notebook and servers.

"Last year only 3 customer premise equipment were included under differential duty. Major products were excluded. How can industry go with partial relief? We have demanded that incentive should be given companies for minimum 15 per cent value addition in India," Kunkolienker said.
New Delhi: India's debt-laden steel industry should not take the government's protectionist measures for granted and need to raise their efficiency to compete with foreign companies, the country's steel minister told Reuters in an interview on Friday.

The government has imposed various duties and quality controls on imports over the past two years to stop the inflow of cheap steel from countries such as China, the world's biggest producer burdened with a massive oversupply.

"In my view (protectionist measures) should not be there even for a month, but I have to see the overall position of the industry," minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said in his office.

"I've made it very clear to the industry that on one hand, we are giving this much of protection but on the other hand, I want a roadmap where you can improve upon your efficiency ... (to) narrow down the cost of production and sale price."

Goutam Chakraborty, analyst at Emkay Global Financial Services in Mumbai, said Indian companies typically produce commodity-grade steel with lower returns and are less efficient than foreign companies producing high-end steel.

Bad debts

India's steel sector still accounts for 28 per cent of banks' stressed loans, Singh said, but the government measures have helped local companies including JSW Steel, Jindal Steel and Power, Tata Steel and state-run SAIL to raise prices and improve margins.

Lenders now want the government to help the steel sector with more steps to expedite the recovery of their loans, including by asking state companies such as SAIL to buy some sick private steel assets or manage their operations.

Singh said loss-making SAIL or fellow state steel maker RINL were not in a position to buy any assets of private companies struggling to repay loans, but they could help with "expertise" or people.

"It's very strange. When banks advanced loans to these companies, they never consulted me. (But the) responsibility (of sorting the bad loans) now rests with the steel ministry."

The government expects India's steel-making capacity to rise over a third to around 160 million tonnes by mid-2018, for which SAIL will need to speed up its capacity increase that Singh said had not been satisfactory.

The company recently signed a technical agreement with South Korean steel maker POSCO, which Singh hopes will help raise output.

The minister also said Japan and South Korea were keen to invest in India's steel sector and their officials have already met with him.
There is almost nothing real about "reality TV." All but the dullest viewers understand that the dramatic twists and turns on shows like "Bachelor" or "Celebrity Apprentice" are scripted in advance. More or less like professional wrestling, Donald Trump's previous claim to fame.

Welcome to the reality-TV presidency. Nothing president-elect Trump says is to be taken literally, nor evaluated for its truth content. His surrogates have made that clear. Once and future sidekick Corey Lewandowski recently admonished journalists at Harvard University.

"This is the problem with the media," he scolded. "You guys took everything that Donald Trump said so literally. The American people didn't. They understood it. They understood that sometimes -- when you have a conversation with people ... you're going to say things, and sometimes you don't have all the facts to back it up."

So when Trump claimed that he saw Muslims in Jersey City celebrating 9/11 on TV, he was just blowing smoke like some guy in a bar.

And so what if he kept his opposition to invading Iraq a secret?

When Trump denied mocking a disabled reporter on national TV ... Well, who are you going to believe, the president-elect or your lying eyes?

Then there's the president-elect's latest whopper. Providing zero evidence, he claimed that "millions of people" voted illegally last November, and that "serious voter fraud" had taken place in Virginia, New Hampshire and California -- three states he lost.

Otherwise, see, Trump believes he'd have won the popular vote decisively, instead of trailing Hillary Clinton nationally by 2.5 million votes -- a bit more than 2 percent. Far from being the people's choice, Trump eked out one of the narrowest electoral wins in U.S. history.

An ordinary egomaniac would fake humility and try to win the citizenry over. But that's not the Trump way. When journalists challenged his assertion, try to believe that the future president re-tweeted one "Filibuster," a Beverly Hills 16-year-old: "Pathetic -- you have no sufficient evidence that Donald Trump did not suffer from voter fraud, shame! Bad reporter."

No, and nobody can prove that there are no unicorns in Oklahoma. Or that Melania Trump isn't a Russian spy. Is it that Trump has no grasp of elementary logic or that he believes most voters don't? Either way, the nation is screwed. Bad president-elect!

GOP stalwarts -- Paul Ryan, Mike Pence, Reince Priebus -- were all over the talk shows making variants of the same claim: Just because there's no evidence of voter fraud doesn't mean it might not be true.

Sure, and Melania Trump might be Vladimir Putin's lover.

Meanwhile, Trump's lawyers tried to stop Green Party candidate Jill Stein's (pointless) Michigan recount by arguing "(a)ll available evidence suggests that the 2016 general election was not tainted by fraud or mistake."

But it was left for Trump spokesblonde Scottie Nell Hughes to push this nonsense to its ultimate end. Appearing on NPR's "Diane Rehm Show," Hughes chastised unimaginative pundits: "One thing that has been interesting this entire campaign season to watch, is that people who say 'facts are facts,' -- they're not really facts ... Everybody has a way of interpreting them to be the truth or not true.

"There's no such thing, unfortunately, anymore, as facts."

Certainly not in Trumpworld. To be fair, it wasn't clear Hughes thinks this is a desirable state of affairs. But she was reacting to a question about James Fallows' blog at The Atlantic, documenting and rebutting Trump's serial prevarications. Last time I checked, the list was up to 155.

Things are getting serious. Fallows posted one American diplomat's reaction to Trump's voter fraud falsehood:

"Embassy staff in China or Russia are bound to be told, 'It doesn't look like your governmental system is doing so well, does it? See, your future President is saying that your elections are rotten with fraud.'

"What could our people then say? For the sake of truth and the honor of the country, they can't agree; but to disagree is to call their future boss a flagrant public liar. That he is in fact such a liar is, in that situation, beside the point. Our ability to advocate for our country is being recklessly endangered simply to satisfy Trump's vanity."

Meanwhile, hippy-dippy leftists used to be accused of feckless relativism. Now it's so-called "conservatives" who argue against objective standards of evidence and proof.

Writing in 1943, Orwell thought it all came down to power-worship. Contemplating Hitler and Stalin, he wrote that, "If the Leader says of such and such an event, 'It never happened' -- well it never happened. If he says that two and two are five -- well, two and two are five. This prospect frightens me much more than bombs."

But for all the boasting and bullying of Trump supporters, Americans do expect better of their president. Already mistrusted by the majority, if Trump doesn't clean up his act -- a psychological impossibility, I fear -- they'll soon want to change the channel.

Arkansas Times columnist Gene Lyons is a National Magazine Award winner and co-author of "The Hunting of the President" (St. Martin's Press, 2000). You can email Lyons at eugenelyons2@yahoo.com
Mumbai: The one thing that had caught everyones imagination ever since 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania' was announced, was the new version of 90s hit song 'Tamma Tamma'. Finally we have some good news to share, via Varun Dhawan himself. The shoot for the song, has begun, and even a picture with the original stars of the song Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit features in it.

While giving a glimpse of his and his co-actor Alia Bhatts derriere, the Student of the year actor Varun Dhawan tweeted, "#Tammatamma 2.0. #badrinathkidhulania. Something's never change some songs never die."

The picture tweeted by Varun has a poster of the Sanjay and Madhuri too from the movie 'Thanedar', the song originally composed by Bappi Lahri, went on to become a club hit in the 90s. This is the same the makers of the 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania' are expecting again. The movie a franchise of 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania', has repeated the same actors too. The movie is directed by Shashank Khaitan, 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania' is all set to release next year and is produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions.
Taapsee Pannu has been riding high on the success of her movie Pink. The actress has been on a work spree since, with six movies lined up for next year. So hectic is her schedule that a beverage brand that Taapsee endorses actually had to shift their location and schedule to match with her dates.

An upcoming beverage brand has roped in the actress as its brand ambassador. Taapsee will be leaving for her shoot in Dubai and the brand has also planned their schedule accordingly, to match with her dates. The actress will be shooting her Telugu film next. Earlier, the shoot was scheduled in Mumbai, but now the entire crew has shifted their base to Dubai to shoot with Taapsee there.

The actress confirmed the news and said, Being busy is a good thing, and Im happy that people who work with me are cooperative and understanding. I will soon shoot for the brand as the same city as my movie shoot.
After all the hype and hoopla surrounding Priyanka Chopras grand turn as the villain in Baywatch, the first official trailer was finally released on Thursday, to rather disappointing reactions.

The hyped trailer, which marks Priyankas silver screen debut in Hollywood turned out to be a downer for her fans. The actress ended up making a disappointingly short two-second blink-and-miss appearance in the trailer, and her friends in India criticised her on social media.

Her co-star and friend, Dwayne Johnson, came to her rescue who assured her fans that theres more to PeeCees character in the movie, and all one has to do is wait and watch. He tweeted, All our fans & press friends in INDIA, @priyankachopra SLAYS our #Baywatch! Trust my plan..The #Boss is comin (sic.) We cant wait!
Get Him to the Greek and Silicon Valley actor T.J. Miller was arrested in Hollywood early Friday morning, as confirmed by Eonline.com.

The Los Angeles Police Department says that Miller was initially placed under citizens arrest, and was later arrested. Miller was charged with battery, issued a citation, and released from custody on bail for $20,000, with a promise to appear in court at a later date.

Miller is expected to host the 2016 Critics Choice Awards on Sunday. Millers role as Erlich on HBOs Silicon Valley has earned him two Critics Choice Television nominations and one win.
Akhil is currently working on his second film (Picture courtesy: Joseph Radhik).

Mumbai: Tollywood Superstar Nagarjunas youngest son and actor Akhil Akkineni got engaged to his girlfriend of two years Shriya Bhupal, in a private ceremony in Hyderabad on Friday.

The engagement, reportedly, was a very close affair, as only family and close friends from the southern fraternity were invited.

There are also reports doing the rounds that the couple will have a destination wedding, and that too, in Italy. According to the reports, the Akkinenis will get 600 odd guests to fly to Italy.

The couple only revealed their relationship to their parents a year post their relationship.

Akhils elder sibling and popular Tollywood actor Naga Chaitanyas wedding to actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu has been delayed, for the longest time.

Samantha, who also was present at the ceremony, tweeted wishing the couple good luck.

Nagarjuna, at an earlier press conference, had cited lack of an auspicious date as the reason behind the postponement. Akhil, whod debuted in Akhil as a hero, will next be seen in director Vikram Kumars untitled next. The director had earlier helmed Manam, which starred his father Nagarjuna and brother Naga Chaitanya, while also featuring himself in a cameo.

Fans are now eagerly awaiting the much adored actors wedding.
The team discovered that from the five shops that they visited in Bandra, Mumbai, they were able to purchase four different kinds of acid. (Credit: YouTube)

Acid attacks are just one of the many types of horrific acts of violence that women may face in several parts of the world. Despite the Supreme Courts ban on the over-the-counter sale of corrosive acids in 2013, acid attacks in India are still very much prevalent.

Acid attack survivor Mamta who works for an organisation called Make Love Not Scars raises awareness about the indiscriminate sale of sulphuric, nitric, and hydrochloric acids that could be used to mutilate women. The team at Buzzfeed decided to go undercover to find out if shops were really following the apex courts diktat.

The team discovered that from the five shops that they visited in Bandra, Mumbai, they were able to purchase four different kinds of acid. It is shocking that they did not encounter any problems while buying supposedly contraband materials.

Click on the link below to view the video:
New Delhi: Police have debunked theories making rounds about a "serial killer" on the prowl in south and southeast Delhi, calling the murders a "coincidence" with probes into each of them unearthing different motives and murderers.

However, two cases have come to light where the police claim that they might be related.

After six bodies were found within a radius of 10 kilometre of each other in south and southeast Delhi with their body parts missing, theories had emerged that the deaths are related to each other.

"It's a coincidence that they have happened in the same time. One of the cases has been solved and in the other cases the investigation is at an advanced stage," Delhi Police spokesperson and Joint Commissioner (southwest) Dependra Pathak said.

"The discussion about serial killings is bereft of truth. There are different intentions, different motives and murderers that have emerged during our investigation," he said.

The body of a woman, wrapped in a black polythene, with a tattoo mark was found lying outside Ganganath Mandir near Vasant Vihar. In the second incident, headless body of a woman was found in a sewer tank in Munirka.

Police claim that these two murders that took place last month might be related.

Based on their tattoos, police questioned several tattoo artists in the area and identified the women.

Both of them hailed from the same village and were working at a spa, sources said.

They had allegedly been lured into escort services and had some fallout with their employer who allegedly murdered them with the help of his accomplices, they said.

Police has identified the accused and they are likely to be arrested soon. The body's head hasn't been recovered and police is waiting for the arrest to find the missing part, sources added.

In another incident, body of a woman, in her 20s, with injury marks on the neck was found lying under a car near Khanpur T-point on November 30. The woman has been identified and no link in that case has been established with the other two murders, police said.

A case where a woman's body was hacked into two parts in Amar Colony area, her live-in partner was arrested on Wednesday.

In Sangam Vihar, the mutilated body of a man was found with injuries and lower limbs chopped off on December 2.

In a shocking incident on December 4, a 24-year-old man was arrested for allegedly having "unnatural sex" with corpse of a woman near Sarai Kale Khan bus stand along the bank of Yamuna river. The woman's face was smashed due to which no identification has been done yet.

The police is investigating whether the man arrested was the one who killed her.
Bengaluru: The Mandya district police have reportedly taken a person into custody in connection with the suicide of Ramesh Gowda, a car driver of Bangalore Special Land Acquisition officer Bheema Naik for questioning.

Sources told Deccan Chronicle that Suresh, a close friend of Ramesh Gowda, was picked up by one of the special teams headed by Inspector Prasad for questioning. Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased was allegedly helping the KAS officer in real estate business and currency exchange racket.

It is said that there was a dispute between Naik and Ramesh over Rs 8 lakh and the driver was assaulted over the issue by some people.

The officer was allegedly pestering him to return the money. The cops are planning to make Suresh a prime witness in the case. Meanwhile, Maddur police visited Naik's house and office for investigation.

A notice under Section 160 of Criminial Procedure Code had been served on the officer asking him to appear before the police for inquiry. But the officer did not appear before the police and remained underground.

The police examined bank transactions of Naik, Ramesh Gowda and his relatives to arrive at details of transactions. The teams visited Bengaluru and Ballari district where Naik had worked.

The police are planning to take approval from the court to search Naik's house and office premises, sources said. The police are planning to take approval from the court to search Naik's house and office premises, sources said.

Naik, Mohd, file for bail

Bengaluru Special Land Acquisition officer Bheema Naik, who has been named as an abettor in driver Ramesh Gowdas suicide note, has applied for bail before a Mandya sessions court.

Mr Naiks another driver, Mohammed, who too has been named in Rameshs suicide note, has also applied for bail, sources said. Both bail applications are coming up for hearing on December 14, sources said.

Give us info on Naik, Mohd: Maddur police

Maddur police, who are probing the case of suicide of Ramesh Gowda, official driver of Bheema Naik, the accused special land acquisition officer, have sent notices to the revenue department and Naiks residence in Yelahanka. They have also sent notices for Mohammad, the co-accused. The police are still clueless about their whereabouts. The police have told the family members and colleagues of the accused to notify them if they get any information regarding their whereabouts, failing which legal action will be take against them.

The teams are analysing the contents of the death note and are corroborating facts and collecting evidence to establish the abetment angle. In the suicide note, Ramesh Gowda had mentioned about him not being paid salary for three months and the details of his pay slips are being collected as evidence in the case from the office, said an official. The police have also stumbled on a witness named Suresh, a friend of Ramesh. Both were beaten up by Bheema at his office in VV Towers, when the duo went and questioned why Ramesh was being targeted, threatened and harassed repeatedly.

As of now the police are investigating only the suicide abetment angle and not the money laundering offence, said an investigating official and added that they have shared all the information with the ACB. The police and the ACB will collectively decide and seek a legal opinion as to whether money laundering sections will need to be added to the FIR.
Rescue workers work at the site after an under construction building collapsed in Hyderabad. (Photo: AP)

Hyderabad: Two persons were rescued on Friday in a continuing operation 22 hours after a multi-storey building collapsed at Nanakramguda late on Thursday. Six more persons, including a three-year-old child, are believed trapped under the debris.

The bodies of 11 persons were brought out of the debris by National Disaster Response Force personnel. NDRF officials said since this was a case of pancake collapse, where the floors progressively collapsed, there was no chance of finding survivors.

In the preliminary inquiry we found a deep excavation conducted for another under-construction project behind this collapsed building. A part of this buildings foundation had caved in into that area and a retaining wall is not visible. That would be one reason for this mishap. Fault in design, lack of quality building materials and negligence of the builder are also reasons, said Cyberabad commissioner of police Sandeep Shandilya.

JNTU sees poor quality material

Cyberabad police commissioner Sandeep Shandilya said these were early findings and a team of experts would pinpoint the exact cause. At the moment, our priority is the rescue operation. The investigation against builder is taking place in parallel, he said. He said multiple police teams were looking for Satyarayana Singh.

There should be a strong retaining wall and gap between two buildings. We are examining if this project had followed the rules, he said, referring to the Sumadhura Constructions building.

Some of those inside the building could be workers from nearby sites, police said.

K.T. Rama Rao announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of dead adults. Injured persons will be paid Rs 1 lakh, and treatment costs. The government has arranged for the bodies of the dead accompanied by their family members to be transported to their native places.

"We could save two of the 13 people who were trapped in debris in the six-storey building collapse. Unfortunately, the remaining 11 lost their lives. It is a painful incident. We extend our sympathies to the families of the deceased on behalf of state government," Rao said.

The preliminary report of the investigation by JNTU experts said extremely poor quality of material, gross violation and structural standards led to the collapse. JNTU civil engineering rector Dr N.V. Ramana Rao said, We are studying the role of the construction being taken up behind the building.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Deputy Mayor Baba Fasiuddin said post mortem has been completed on the 11 bodies.

Rama Rao said the builder has been arrested and that tough action would be taken against the guilty in the incident. The state government has already suspended two GHMC officials over the incident.

An inquiry committee has been set up under Municipal Administration Secretary Navin Mittal and the report would be obtained in 15 days, he said.

"Nobody, either builder or GHMC officials, would be spared. We will show this as an example how tough action would be taken for violation of rules," the minister said.

The Andhra Pradesh government has also announced compensation to the victims in the tragedy, an MLA from the state, who visited the site, said.

AP Housing Minister K Mrinalini visited the spot yesterday.
The cyclonic storm 'Vardah', which was lying 250 km west- northwest of Port Blair, was very likely to intensify into a severe cyclone, according to the MeT department. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

Port Blair: A fleet of seven ships and six helicopters evacuated all 2,376 tourists, including several foreign nationals, stranded in two islands of the Andamans due to cyclonic weather since December 5, officials said on Friday.

As the weather cleared in the morning, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Union Territory (UT) administration started a joint evacuation drive and brought back all stranded tourists to Port Blair from Havelock and Neil islands of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.

"Altogether 2,376 tourists were evacuated from the two islands and brought to Port Blair. All are safe and are taken care of," an official of the UT disaster department said.

He said three Mi 17V-5 military transport helicopters from the Air Force and three Pawan Hans helicopters of the Union Territory administration, besides seven ships from the Navy and administration have been regularly plying between the islands for the evacuation process.

Located about 40 km from here, Havelock and Neil are the most popular tourist attractions in the Andamans where tourists were stranded since Monday due to torrential rains, choppy seas and heavy winds as neither aircrafts nor ships could operate due to the inclement weather.

The cyclonic storm 'Vardah', which was lying 250 km west- northwest of Port Blair, was very likely to intensify into a severe cyclone, according to the MeT department.

Lt Governor of the Islands Jagdish Mukhi said there was no untoward incident and no loss of life or property due to the weather conditions.

"We are sending all tourists back home from Port Blair according to their flight timings. We have also made arrangements for their stay here," an official said.

Among those rescued included 12 foreigners. They included two Germans, four Spanish and one Israeli.

The IAF in a statement said three MI-17V5 were pressed into service for the rescue operation.

Total 14 sorties carried out, 11 sorties from Havelock carrying 230 passengers and 3 sorties from Neil island carrying 65 passengers, it said.
WASHINGTON -- So, this is the new conservatism's recipe for restored greatness: Political coercion shall supplant economic calculation in shaping decisions by companies in what is called, with diminishing accuracy, the private sector. This will be done partly as conservatism's challenge to liberalism's supremacy in the victimhood sweepstakes, telling aggrieved groups that they are helpless victims of vast, impersonal forces, against which they can be protected only by government interventions.

Responding to political threats larded with the money of other people, Carrier has somewhat modified its planned transfers of some manufacturing to Mexico. This represents the dawn of bipartisanship: The Republican Party now shares one of progressivism's defining aspirations -- government industrial policy, with the political class picking winners and losers within, and between, economic sectors. This always involves the essence of socialism -- capital allocation, whereby government overrides market signals about the efficient allocation of scarce resources. Therefore it inevitably subtracts from economic vitality and job creation.

Although the president-elect has yet to dip a toe into the swamp, he practices the calculus by which Washington reasons, the political asymmetry between dispersed costs and concentrated benefits. The damages from government interventions are cumulatively large but, individually, are largely invisible. The beneficiaries are few but identifiable and their gratitude is telegenic.

When, speaking at the Carrier plant, Mike Pence said, "The free market has been sorting it out and America's been losing," Trump chimed in, "Every time, every time." When Republican leaders denounce the free market as consistently harmful to Americans, they are repudiating almost everything conservatism has affirmed: Edmund Burke taught that respect for a free society's spontaneous order would immunize politics from ruinous overreaching -- from the hubris of believing that we have the information and power to order society by political willfulness. In an analogous argument, Friedrich Hayek warned against the "fatal conceit" of believing that wielders of political power can supplant the market's "efficient mechanism for digesting dispersed information." The Republican Party is saying goodbye to all that.

Indiana's involvement in the Carrier drama exemplifies the "entrepreneurial federalism" -- states competing to lure businesses. This is neither new nor necessarily reprehensible. There are, however, distinctions to be drawn between creating a favorable climate for business generally and giving direct subsidies to alter the behavior of businesses already operating in the state. And when ad hoc corporate welfare, including tariffs, becomes national policy, it becomes a new arena of regulation, and hence of rent seeking, which inevitably corrupts politics. And by sapping economic dynamism, it injures the working class.

The most widely discussed and properly praised book germane to today's politics is J.D. Vance's "Hillbilly Elegy" about the sufferings and pathologies of the white working class, largely of Scots-Irish descent, in Appalachia and the Rust Belt. This cohort, from which Vance comes, is, he says, one of America's most distinctive subcultures, particularly in its tenacious clinging to traditional mores, many of them destructive.

His book has often been misread as primarily about the toll taken by economic forces -- globalization, automation, etc. Actually, Vance casts a cool eye on the theory that "if they only had better access to jobs, other parts of their lives would improve as well." His primary concern is with "lack of agency" and "learned helplessness" -- the passive acceptance of victim status.

One theory of the 2016 election is that the white working class rebelled not just against economic disappointments but also against condescension, demanding not just material amelioration but, even more, recognition of its dignity. It is, however, difficult for people to believe in their own dignity when they believe that their choices are powerless to alter their lives' trajectories. Eventually, they will detect the condescension in the government's message that their fortunes are determined not by things done by them but by things done to them.

Such people are susceptible to charismatic presidential leadership, with its promise that executive power without limits can deliver them from unhappiness by delivering to them public goods. In contrast, there was dignity in the Joad family (of John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath"). When the Dust Bowl smothered Oklahoma, the Joads were not enervated, they moved west in search of work.

What formerly was called conservatism resisted the permeation of society by politics, and particularly by the sort of unconstrained executive power that has been wielded by the 44th president. The man who will be the 45th forthrightly and comprehensively repudiates the traditional conservative agenda and, in reversing it, embraces his predecessor's executive swagger.

George Will's email address is georgewill@washpost.com.
Hyderabad: On Thursday midnight, as the 20-member team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was removing the piled-up rubble from the collapsed building at Nanakramguda, one of the men rushed to NDRF sub-inspector Rahul Dixit to tell him something he had been waiting to hear since the moment he landed there with his team.

Two victims are alive under the debris. I can hear a childs scream and a woman's choked voice, the constable told Mr Dixit pointing in one direction.

Mr Dixit immediately alerted the other team members. What happened in the next few hours was a flawless rescue mission that proved the competence of the NDRF team.

We stopped everything else, moved there, and removed the rubble carefully till we saw the two of them, said NDRF sub-inspector.

He then had to carefully calculate the risks of pulling the mother and child out from under the heavy slab under which they were trapped without causing further injuries.

When we looked closely, a concrete beam and wood used for the construction work were suspended less than half a foot above their heads. This could hinder us from pulling them out safely. Two pillars on both sides of them also hampered our chances of piercing through from one side. The only way was to dig a cave under them and pull them out from underneath, Mr Dixit said.

Years of intensive training has taught the NDRFs team to know what to do to keep a victim alive in such traumatic conditions. It would take another five hours to pull them out. The boy, who had an injury on his forehead and had a stone on his leg and hand, was crying. His mothers hands too were stuck under the rubble. Our men managed to give them water and assured them that they would be rescued. After a team of doctors arrived, we also gave them much-needed oxygen, a rescuer said. The NDRF men succeeded in digging the cave and they carefully pulled out Rekha, 25, and her three-year-old son Deepak.

As the rescue team searched further, they found a man trapped one foot away from the mother and son. It was Rekha's husband Shiva. But he was crushed under the rubble, another NDRF official told this newspaper

Crash sounded like an earthquake: Witness

Eye-witnesses to the building collapse recall that at first they thought an earthquake had struck.

Twenty-nine-year-old Babita Bai and her kin, who live next door, were about to hit the sack when they felt the shaking, accompanied by a rumbling sound. They rushed out of their home thinking it was an earthquake.

Outside, we saw the building coming down as if it was a controlled destruction. As each floor came down one after the other, the dust spread all over the area. It took some time for the dust to settle. Panic-stricken people were running out of their homes screaming, said Babita Bai, who lives in the house adjacent to the collapsed building. Babita knows the labourers and their families who had been working there.
Former Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi arriving at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: Former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief S P Tyagi, who was arrested in AgustaWestland choppers case, blamed former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's office for irregularities in the Rs 3,600 crore deal.

Procurement of chopper deal was a collective decision, SP Tyagi's counsel told a Delhi court on Saturday, asserting that Tyagi alone cannot be blamed for the deal and that it was Manmohan Singh's office that made changes in the deal to favour AgustaWestland.

Choppers were meant for VVIPs. Prime Ministers Office (PMO) suggested the change of service ceiling (6000 metres). How many times did VVIPs visit Siachen?, the counsel asked in court.

Tyagi and other accused in the case were sent to CBI remand till December 14 by the Delhi Court.

Tyagi, who retired in 2007, was questioned by the CBI extensively in the past in this case. Along with Tyagi, his cousin Sanjiv alias Julie Tyagi and lawyer Gautam Khaitan were also arrested on Friday.

On January 1, 2014, India had scrapped the contract with Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks of Rs 423 crore by it for securing the deal.

CBI had also got issued Letters Rogatory (judicial requests) to multiple countries to gather more leads and evidences in this case.
Nitin is a law student at Pendekanti College, and V. Narasimha Reddy is an Australian citizen, who is originally from Andhra Pradesh.

Hyderabad: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested the prime accused in the postal cash exchange scam, K Sudheer Babu, and two other accused, T. Nitin, 37, and V. Narasimha Reddy.

Nitin is a law student at Pendekanti College, and V. Narasimha Reddy is an Australian citizen, who is originally from Andhra Pradesh. They collected the money in old demonetised notes from their friend Sudheer Babu, Hyderabad postal department head, and exchanged it for new Rs 2000 notes for a commission of one or two per cent. Sudheer Babu is a close friend of T. Nitin as they had prepared for the civil services exams together.

The CBI believes Sudheer Babu has misappropriated funds to the tune of Rs 2.95 crore.

Nitin and Narasimha Reddy actively assisted Sudheer Babu in committing this currency exchange fraud.

The CBI has booked three cases so far regarding the fraud committed at the Himayatnagar, Golkonda and Karwan Sahu sub-post offices.

Around Rs 17.02 lakh of new currency notes has been recovered, seven persons have been arrested, 55 incriminating documents, some laptops and mobile phones have been seized and searches conducted at 11 places in Hyderabad city.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Congress MPs Prakash B. Hukkeri and Rehaman Khan on their way to wish AICC president Sonia Gandhi on her birthday in New Delhi on Friday. (Photo: PTI)

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday called on Union home minister Rajnath Singh and agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh in New Delhi, and appealed to them to sanction drought and flood relief funds of over Rs 5,000 crores, forthwith.

During his meeting with Mr Rajnath Singh, Mr Siddaramaiah mentioned that the state government has submitted a memorandum seeking a central aid of Rs 4,702 crores to provide succor to drought-hit farmers, and for Rs 386 crores to take up relief work in flood-hit areas.

Meanwhile, sources in the party disclosed that Mr Siddaramaiah updated Mr Singh about the impact of drought and floods on agricultural crops as well as the farming community, and urged him to take action at the earliest to release the central aid.

According to sources, the home minister is likely to call a meeting to decide on the quantum of relief funds to be released to Karnataka from National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF).

In another meeting with Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh, Mr Siddaramaiah expressed his concern over the delay in release of central aid to drought-hit farmers. Our state is facing drought for the sixth consecutive year and has declared 110 taluks of 25 districts as drought-hit during the 2016 kharif season. A central team, which visited the state last month to assess the situation, has already submitted the report and based on which the agriculture ministry has prepared a report, but, still central aid is not released yet, Mr Siddaramaiah was quoted as tell the minister. The CM presented a memorandum, requesting the Union government to announce a bonus of Rs 700 for ragi and jowar above the minimum support price (MSP) in order to help the small and marginal farmers at one hand and benefit poor consumers on the other.

He explained in detail the plight of millet growing farmers from drought prone areas who contribute 62 per cent of the countrys ragi production.
New notes of Rs 2000 issued by the Reserve Bank of India. (Photo: PTI)

Chennai: A fresh seizure of Rs 24 crore cash in new notes was today made by the Income Tax department, adding to the biggest haul of cash and gold post demonetisation, in which over Rs 142 crore unaccounted assets have been recovered in tax operations so far here.

Officials said the fresh seizure of new currency, in Rs 2000 notes, was made by the sleuths from a car in Vellore on the insistence of the accused presently being interrogated in the case.

With this amount, the total seizure in the case has now gone upto Rs 166 crore in a single case.

The department had seized Rs 142 crore undisclosed assets - that includes about Rs 10 crore in new notes and gold bars weighing 127 kg -- during searches at multiple locations in Chennai, for the last two days, to check tax evasion.

This largest seizure of new currency notes in the country, after the old Rs 500/1,000 notes were scrapped on November 8, was seized after raids were launched on Thursday on eight premises of a group engaged in sand mining in Tamil Nadu.

"The group has sand mining licence for the entire state of Tamil Nadu. Eight premises (six residential and two offices) were covered in the search.

"During the search, Rs 96.89 crore cash in old high denomination notes and Rs 9.63 crore in new Rs 2000 currency notes along with gold weighing 127 kg worth approximately Rs 36.29 crore were found and seized, as unaccounted assets," the Central Board of Direct Taxes, policy-making body for the I-T department, had said in a statement issued in Delhi.

It had added that the searches are "still in progress at four out of the total 8 premises and more specific details including modus operandi would emerge after examination of the documents and other evidence detected during the search."

Officials had said S Reddy, a contractor working with the state government, has claimed the entire money and the gold as his own and is being questioned along with few other people.

A senior department official said this seizure of gold and cash was "an unprecedented amount that the tax department has seized in recent times."

The department, the officials said, carried out the searches based on intelligence inputs about the activities of Reddy and few others for the last few days.

Officials said the agency was investigating how the new notes in such a large quantity were stashed by the individual.

The bundles of the new Rs 2000, that were seized, had no banking slips on the them and were jumbled up to mislead investigators, they said.

The officials said a number of documents related to financial transactions, entries of gold sale and records of sale/purchase have also been seized by the tax sleuths.

"He (Reddy) is a contractor working with the state government. He is claiming the entire cash and gold to be his own. Further probe is on," they had said.
Kolkata: India will get the first tranche of Rafale fighter jets from France in the next three years, Indian Air Force chief Arup Raha said on Saturday.



"Rafale contract caters for delivery time between 36 months to about 66 months if I am not wrong. So within three years time we will have the first few aircraft delivered to us and within five and a half years we will have two full squadron of aircraft in operation," Raha said at a function here.



He said the fighter jets, capable of carrying nuclear weapons and equipped with latest missiles, will tremendously increase the force's capability.



When asked about the depleting strength of jets, he said besides Rafale, India is going to produce Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas in large numbers.



"The effort is on to increase production lines. The more the number of aircraft we produce, the faster we ramp up the capacity to close the gap created by obsolete and old aircraft," Raha said.



IAF has put on display one such obsolete MiG-27 fighter aircraft in front of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here. The installation was inaugurated by the Air Chief Marshal.



He also said the government is also thinking of procuring another fighter aircraft to fill up the gaps faster.



On the Indo-Russian fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA), Raha said they are already working with Russia on research and development.



"The project is already negotiated. Preliminary design on our part is over and if this R&D negotiations are over and we sign the contract then we should have these aircraft in another 5-6 years," Raha said.
New Delhi: The war between the Narendra Modi government and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saw another front opening on Friday when defence minister Manohar Parrikar said the Trinamul chiefs remarks on the Army at toll gates in West Bengal could adversely impact the morale of the forces. Ms Banerjee was quick to take strong exception to the defence ministers letter.

The West Bengal CM and her Trinamul Congress party has already been at loggerheads with the government on demonetisation. Your allegations in this regard run the risk of adversely impacting the morale of the countrys armed forces and the same was not expected from a person of your standing and experience in public life, Mr Parrikar said in his strongly-worded letter. In it, he said that while political parties and politicians had the luxury of making wild and unsubstantiated allegations against each other, one must be extremely careful while referring to the armed forces.

Pained over Parrikars allegations, she said, They dont know how to write to a CM. Dont think that it behoves a Union government minister to pass near-defamatory remarks on a CM of any state, she added. Ms Banerjee had accused the Central government of having deployed the Army at toll plazas in West Bengal without informing the state government and described it as unprecedented and a very serious situation... worse than the Emergency. She had refused to leave her office in Kolkata till the Armymen were withdrawn from the toll plazas and had asked whether it was an Army coup, that drew a sharp reaction from the Centre. Mr Parrikar said the West Bengal CMs objection was an avoidable controversy as the exercise was carried out by the Eastern Command in West Bengal.
Chennai: I-T sleuths concluded their searches on eight premises belonging to TTD board member and PWD sand contractor Sekhar Reddy and his associates in Chennai and Vellore on Friday.

The final tally of seized currency notes of Rs 106.5 crore and 127 kg gold worth Rs 38 crore was given as Rs 144.5 crores.

Investigators are trying to extract a statement from Sekhar Reddy. He is a tough nut to crack. He is claiming all the money and gold belong to him. He is yet to name any politician or bureaucrat, a senior income-tax official said.

Huge cash seized by the Income Tax department after it conducted searches in Chennai. (Photo: PTI)

Sleuths however believe he is the benami of a senior IAS official in the state.

Reddy and his associates have been linked to certain senior IAS officers and Tamil Nadu ministers.

In October, he had reportedly even taken Tirupati prasadam for former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu cabinet, headed by newly appointed Chief Minister Panneerselvam, moved a resolution to to recommend Bharat Ratna for Jayalalithaa on Saturday.

The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award in the country and names for the top honour are recommended by the Prime Minister and President. Jayas mentor M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) was bestowed with the award posthumously in 1988 for his contribution in the field of both cinema and politics.

"A resolution was adopted in the Cabinet to recommend to the Centre to award Bharat Ratna to honourable Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa," an official statement detailing the decision taken in the meeting said.

The cabinet also moved a resolution to request the Central government to install a bronze statue of their leader who was fondly known as Amma inside the Parliament campus.

The state government decided to rename the MGR memorial to 'Bharat Ratna Dr. MGR and Jayalalithaa' memorial. It also decided to build a memorial for Jaya at a cost of Rs 15 crore.

Ever since Jayalalithaa was buried some 30 metres away from where her mentor M.G. Ramachandran lies, thousands of AIADMK cadre and common people have been streaming in to pay their respects to the late Chief Minister.
Mumbai: Days after the Allahabad High Court termed the practice of triple talaq as 'cruel', the Shiv Sena on Saturday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give his nod to bring changes in Sharia law in the interest of Muslim women.

"The Allahabad High Court had asked whether there should be changes in Sharia. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi should say yes without seeking anyone's advice.

"This decision would be as revolutionary as demonetisation," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.

"What the High Court said was not an order but an observation. But, it reflects the feeling of the country and the pain of Muslim women," the Sena, an ally of BJP in Maharashtra, said.

The High Court has paved the path of enactment of a common civil code, it said.

Those torturing Muslim women in the name of Muslim personal law should be branded anti-nationals and punished, the Sena said.

"However, nobody is willing to comment on this as everyone, including the BJP, is eyeing Muslim vote bank in the UP elections," the editorial claimed.

The debate on the validity of triple talaq has intensified after the Allahabad High Court on Thursday termed the practice as "most demeaning" which "impedes and drags India from becoming a nation".

The court had said that the Constitution of India was supreme and not the Muslim Law Board.
Kerrville, TX (78028)

Today

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 78F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 66F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Hitting out AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi for his Pay to Modi and demonetisation was foolish remarks, Naidu reacted in his usual style of coming with one-liners replete with rhyming words.

Bengaluru: Holding the Congress, TMC and the Left parties responsible for Parliament logjam, Union urban development and poverty alleviation minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday dared the Opposition to come inside (Parliament) and expose the government if they have any evidence. If you are wise enough, you should come inside (Parliament) and expose. Then we will reply, he said.

Hitting out AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi for his Pay to Modi and demonetisation was foolish remarks, Mr Naidu reacted in his usual style of coming with one-liners replete with rhyming words.

He ridiculed Mr Gandhi and Opposition parties. By making noise outside Parliament, you (opposition parties) are showing contempt for democracy. Your black day on Thursday was black money supporting day. You have every right to make accusations. You crossed all limits by hurling abuses at the Prime Minister. When you said Pay to Modi you are making insinuiations againt the PMs office which is an institution. I presume he is making such statements based on past experience, he said. He said the previous UPA did not take any steps to check black money.

Tamil Nadu politics

He said it was not appropriate to talk Tamil Nadu politics at this stage. It is too early to discuss anything (about an alliance). Just now the last rites of Madam (Jayalalithaa) were performed. Secondly, there is no election now. There is no alignment. There is no realignment also now. Let us wait and see, he said responding to a question.
Hyderabad: The death toll in the Nanakramguda building collapse mounted to 11 after all the bodies were recovered by rescue teams in a 32-hour operation. The bodies were handed over to the families after autopsy.

Only two persons, a mother and her child, survived the tragedy. The police detained builder Satyanarayana Singh, but has not arrested him so far. A team of experts has started to examine what caused the collapse.

Thirteen people were sleeping in the building when the mishap occurred. Two people were rescued and are alive. The rest are dead, said a senior officer from the Cyberabad police.

Police sources from Cyberabad said Satyana-rayana Singh was picked up from Pamba in Kerala. He has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Cyberabad commissioner of police Sandeep Shandilya said, The investigation is underway. The expert team investigating the causes of the mishap will give us a report soon. Based on that report, we will proceed with the criminal charges, he said.

The National Disaster Response Force removed a large portion of the debris in one specific area which helped them recover the bodies. Some bodies were crushed under the rubble. After removing the debris from a side and the middle, most of the bodies were visible and retrievable, said an NDRF official.

The victims, who used to sleep in the unfinished building, were Neti Paidamma, 35, her daughter Neti Gowri, 13, her husband Sambaiah, 40, and Venkat Lakshmi, Kotipalli Polinaidu, 30, Narayanamma Polina-idu, 23, Pridi Polinaidu, 25, Piridi Mohan, 3, Na-dagalla Shankar, 23, Durga Rao, 25, all natives of Vizianagaram, and Shiva, 30, of Chhattis-garh. Shivas wife Rekha and son Deepak survived.

Two more babus suspended for crash

Two more officers of Serilingampally municipal circle were suspended following the Nanakramguda building collapse that claimed 11 lives. Town planning section officers R. Rajender and P. Madhu were suspended as they did not stop the unauthorised construction of builder Satyanarayana Singh.

On Friday, Serilingampally deputy municipal commissioner V. Manohar and circle 11 assistant city planner Krishna Mohan were placed under suspension.

Joint commissioner Suresh Rao has been appointed as incharge deputy commissioner for Serilingampally.

JNTU pins blame on builder

The final report issued by JNTU civil engineering experts who investigated the Nanakramguda building collapse blamed builder Satyanarayana Singh for faulty construction. Dr N.V. Ramana Rao, professor of civil engineering, JNTU, said, It is clear that the building collapsed because of inadequate design, bad quality of materials and excessive loading on foundation soil and columns.

Dr Ramana Rao said, Buildings were constructed too close to each other; it led to excessive pressure on the soil. The adjacent excavation may have also aggravated the problem but this we can ascertain only after complete removal of debris. The demolition of illegal structures in the West Zone has been postponed to Tuesday due to the long weekend, and will resume on December 13.
Mumbai: A 28-year-old youth from Thane, Tabrez Tambe, who allegedly went abroad to join the terror outfit ISIS, was nabbed by enforcement agencies in Libya late on Friday night.

Tabrezs case came to the light after his brother Saud (26) approached the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) office at Kalachowkie, Mumbai to inform that his brother has joined the ISIS.

According to an ATS official, Tabrez, a resident of Mumbai in neighbouring Thane district was caught late on Friday night from the oil-rich country, where he had joined ISIS with his friend Ali.

Tabrez was tracked from a telephone number he used to stay in touch with his parents and brother after leaving for Egypt in January 2016.

The ATS plans to question Tabrez about his friend Ali, who the family alleges had lured Tabrez into joining the ISIS. We have not been able to trace Ali yet. It is not even clear whether he is Indian. The family suspects he is a foreign national, said an officer.
Kochi: The much talked-about cashless economy may remain a pipe dream for most people dealing with the utility and other payments involving government departments and local bodies in Kerala. The E-payment system remains a totally alien concept for most local bodies including the city corporations such as Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram. The E-payment system introduced by entities such as Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and Kerala Water Authority (KWA) is yet to gain traction as majority of the people are still using hard cash route for making the utility payments. The penetration of the E-payment system is less than 15 per cent of the total of KSEB, says a spokesman.

"Though we introduced E-payment system two years back, it is yet gain popularity", he said. The currency crunch and the new-found thrust placed on cashless economy by the Union Government may help the system to be more popular. "The E-payment system of KSEB is user- friendly compared with that of the KWA", said Krishna Kumar, who shifted to E-payment mode two months ago.

The local bodies are the worst in terms of introducing E-payment despite the talk about the knowledge economy by all and sundry. Kochi corporation, known for flaunting its credentials as the fastest growing IT hub in the state, is yet to have a full-fledged E-payment facility.

Although some modules of the long drawn E-governance have been implemented, the crucial components like property tax or professional tax payment are yet to be shifted to the e-payment system. Only services like registration of death, birth and marriage and public grievances can be availed online. The average daily tax collection of the corporation has plummeted to `10-12 lakh per day from `25 lakh per day following demonetization thanks to the non-existence of online payment facility.

In Kozhikode corporation, property taxes and a portion of the advertisement taxes were paid through e-payment, said officials. However, the majority still prefer to pay at the billing counters, they add. "In the last financial year, only 20 to 30 per cent of the users utilised the provision for e-payment", they said. Although officials said e-payment was user-friendly, some 'technical glitches' might be preventing the taxpayers from using it. The Thrissur corporation is not at all having a system in place for the public to pay taxes online. Deputy mayor Varghese Kandam told DC that the civic body would start receiving online payments within six months. "Once we implement the system, all payments could be made online from across the globe", he added.

The average daily revenue collection of Thiruvananthapuram corporation has slipped to Rs 35-40 lakh from the levels of Rs 50-60 lakhs. The corporation official who spoke to this news paper was not sure whether the online payments had really increased after demonetisation. Normally, the average online transaction is just around 1,000 in a year. The Sankhia software used by the local body for the e-payment is not user friendly, sources said. The corporation is trying to strike a deal with State Bank of Travancore to get 10 or 15 swiping machines installed at its counters. The corporation draws most of its revenue from building tax and professional tax that show a clear surge between September and February.
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti left a Cabinet meeting midway after a rift with a BJP minister over police service restructure.

The Chief Minister, who had the rift with the BJP minister over her proposal to restructure the Kashmir Police Service (KPS) officers' cadre, left the meeting midway, a source privy to the meeting said.

She became angry over the issue and immediately left the meeting hall and the secretariat, the source said.

As soon as the Chief Minister left the secretariat, the meeting was shifted to the office of Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh.

Soon a delegation of the ministers headed by Singh also left for the official residence of the Chief Minister and the meeting was still going on. The ministers are trying to placate the chief minister, the source said.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan attend the wedding ceremony of the daughter of the head warder of Central Jail Ramashankar Yadav. (Photo: AP)

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government will bear marriage expenses of all the police officials who die in the line of duty, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced in Bhopal on Saturday.

Chouhan, who attended the marriage ceremony of slain jail head constable Ramashankar Yadav's daughter Sonia on Friday night, donned the role of the girl's father as he welcomed guests at the entry gate.

"If any police personnel dies in the line of duty, then the state government will bear all the expenses of their daughter's marriage and these girls will be treated as the state's daughter," an official release from the state government said.

The state government claimed that it has left no stone unturned to make this (Sonia's) marriage a grand event.

Yadav was allegedly killed by eight SIMI activists on the intervening nights of October 30 and 31 before they escaped from the high security jail by scaling its walls with the help of bedsheets. The activists were later gunned down by Bhopal Police in an alleged encounter.

Chouhan had then promised that the government will not only offer job to any family member but will also make all arrangements for the marriage of Sonia.

The Chief Minister also handed over an appointment letter for the post of Assistant Grade-III to Sonia as her marriage gift on the occasion.

Chouhan stayed at the wedding till all rituals were done and said that Sonia is a daughter of Madhya Pradesh.

He conveyed greetings to both the families on the occasion. Madhya Pradesh Minister of State for Cooperatives (independent charge) Vishwas Sarang was among others present at the function.
New Delhi: Attacking Congress over the VVIP chopper scam, BJP on Saturday asked its Vice-President Rahul Gandhi to disclose that which politician in the UPA government received bribe in the controversial deal.

BJP's attack on the party came a day after the CBI arrested former Air Force Chief SP Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev, and a lawyer in the alleged Rs 450 crore bribery case in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from UK-based AgustaWestland during the UPA-2 government.

"It has been established that commission was paid in the deal. Rahul Gandhi speaks on all matters under the Sun. He should now make it clear who in the UPA government received the bribe," its National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

During hearing in a Italian court, initials of people who were allegedly given bribe had emerged and BJP has used it to target the Congress leadership.

Sharma said it was laughable that corruption cases that took place under the previous Congress government continue to make headlines even two-and-a-half-years after it was voted out and the BJP government took over.

An Italian court had convicted two top executives of defense major Finmeccanica (AgustaWestland is its subsidiary) for paying kickbacks in the deal.
Chennai: Senior AIADMK leader and former minister K. A. Sengottaiyan on Friday came out with a strong statement expressing his unswerving loyalty to the AIADMK leadership and warned of legal action against those spreading rumours against him in the wake of reports of him opposing Jayalalithaas aide Sasikala taking charge of the party.

Despite false cases were foisted against me by the DMK regime, I continued to remain a loyalist of Amma and the party so they are targeting me to create confusion by spreading rumours, he said in a statement. He warned that he would initiate legal action against those spreading rumours in the media and social media. I will continue to stand by the party leadership as always, he noted. There have been report of power struggle in the AIADMK after the leaders demise with Sasikala holding the centrestage her close relatives, most of whom had been banished by Jayalalithaa, are now back in action.

The vacancy to the crucial post of party general secretary, created by Jayalalithaas demise needs to be filled soon, considering that the local body election are to be held in next few months. Besides, the party needs a strong Captain even though there are quite a few experienced function down the line to look after smaller responsibilities. Some party insiders insist that Sasikala is most likely to get anointed as the party general secretary whereas some others feel that she would bide her time and wait until the public mood softens.

The names of party seniors C. Ponniyan and K.A. Sengottaiyan are doing the rounds for the top post, many insisting that whoever is chosen that would only be temporary arrangement before Sasikala or some from the family is ready to formally takes charge.
As the logjam in Parliament enters the fourth week, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, speaks with Ashhar Khan on the reasons of the current logjam.

It has been three weeks and the government has agreed for discussion but Parliament has not witnessed any constructive business. What is the reason?

It was the Prime Minister who in his address to the nation announced demonetisation so he should be present in Parliament and listen to the discussion and points which the members are raising. So there is nothing wrong in our demand that the PM should come to the House and the discussion will start. The problem is that this decision was taken without application of mind. It was merely an announcement and that too without thinking and visualising what type of disaster it will lead to. Now the government is finding it tough to answer.

The President has also said that Parliament is no place for dharna and disruption, instead there should be debate and discussion. What do you think of his statement?

I totally agree with the President and I squarely hold the ruling party responsible for this disruption. It is the responsibility of the ruling party to run the House and not that of the Opposition, and I must say that the ruling party is the one which is instrumental in disturbing the House. This government still has not realised whether they are in the Opposition or in the government. Once you are in the Opposition, you have a particular role to play  role of an Opposition but after having come to power, they are still playing the same role which they used to play as the Opposition party. So, they must realise that they are no more the Opposition and that they are now the ruling party and behave like one.

Has the Opposition got any offers from the government for coming to a reasonable middle ground?

The government is not interested. It provokes the Opposition. You have seen how many times the Union minister gives statement inside and outside the House. In our time, have you ever seen any Union minister giving statements against the Opposition? There are ministers who give statements five times against Opposition parties in the premise of Parliament. Before going inside, they provoke the members, then come and give the byte outside, then go for lunch. After coming back from lunch, give another byte against the Opposition, then go inside and again brief the media inside against the Opposition, then come out and finally for the fifth time, they give another press conference against the Opposition. This is not the way to run the government.

Dont you think that due to this disruption important issues are not being raised in Parliament and the voice of the common man is not being heard?

We are all representatives of people. But the government does not want to listen to us. It has been more than a month since demonetisation more than 100 people have died due to faulty planning. Who is responsible for this? First, they said they are attacking black money then counterfeit currency and now they are saying we should go cashless. I asked finance minister Arun Jaitley in the House that the revenue secretary has said that all money will be deposited. If all the money will be deposited in banks then what was the point of this entire exercise?

The government says that the Opposition is running away from discussion and they have challenged you to come back and discuss. What is your response?

When did we run away from discussion? We are ready. In fact we started it. But where is the Prime Minister who announced this decision? The fact is that the government has no idea what they have gotten into. They have issued more than 120 notifications since this decision was announced. They were unprepared, they did not visualise the horrors, which lay in store for the people of this country. People are daily standing in lines to withdraw their own money. Can you imagine the number of man-hours being lost?

The government is talking about cashless economy. Do you have a problem with this?

I only want to ask: is the infrastructure ready? Do we have enough bandwidth to carry on? First, we need to have more ATMs and bank branches so that the rush, which is prevailing at banks and ATMs, can reduce. Second, all decisions should involve huge scale planning and trying to ascertain difficulties which can crop up. The government failed miserably on this front. Look at the US, Japan and the UK, these are advanced countries, have they gone completely cashless? I have travelled to so many countries, nobody says that you have to only pay by card then you will get something.

What problems do you have with demonetisation?

You can see for yourself the effects of this on streets, villages and towns. Look at farmers and daily wage earners, what has happened to them. Lakhs of jobs have ceased to exist in this month and there have been large-scale retrenchments. People dont have cash so they have stopped hiring labourers and daily wagers, what is the government doing about them? Look at the amount of money which has been wasted on this exercise. People have been standing in lines for days, marriages have been affected and private hospitals are not taking old currency. There is complete chaos.

The government says that there is short-term pain because of the secrecy it had to maintain. Your views.

Some people in the BJP were informed of this decision well in advance. The BJP bought land just before this was announced in so many places in Bihar and Odisha. It is also surprising that BJP people are being caught with huge amounts of new currency. Black money hoarders are getting their money replaced at a commission and there is no money in banks and ATMs for the common man.

How do you see the session going now?

We have a very gentle Opposition in this country and very constructive Opposition party unlike the destructive ruling party. So we are always ready for discussion, but as I said, earlier the lead has to be taken by the ruling party. I feel that they are not interested in running the House that is why they keep provoking Opposition members.
The rocket, carrying Japans HTV-6 cargo ship, blasted off at 8:26 a.m. EST (1326 GMT), flying over the Pacific Ocean on its way to space. The capsule is due to reach the station, a $100 billion laboratory flying about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, on Tuesday. (Representational image)

An unmanned H-2B rocket blasted off from Tanegashima island in southern Japan on Friday to send a cargo ship to the International Space Station, a NASA TV broadcast showed.

The delivery of about 4.5 tons (4,100 kg) of supplies for the six-member station crew took on fresh urgency after a botched Russian cargo run on December 1 and additional delays returning NASA contractor SpaceX to flight following an unrelated accident.

The rocket, carrying Japans HTV-6 cargo ship, blasted off at 8:26 a.m. EST (1326 GMT), flying over the Pacific Ocean on its way to space. The capsule is due to reach the station, a $100 billion laboratory flying about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, on Tuesday.

In addition to food and supplies, the capsule is delivering six lithium-ion batters and adapter plates, weighing about 3,000 pounds (1,360 kg), which are needed for a planned upgrade of the stations electrical system. The batteries will be installed during upcoming space walks, said NASA launch commentator Dan Huot.

Japans HTV capsules are one of four supply ships that fly to the station, a project of 15 nations. However, two of the four freighters are currently grounded following accidents.

A Russian Soyuz rocket failed to put a Progress capsule into orbit on Dec. 1 due to a problem with the booster's third-stage engine. The capsule burned up as it fell back into Earth's atmosphere, with debris crashing to the ground.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX is recovering from a launch pad explosion on Sept. 1 that destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket and a $200 million Israeli communications satellite. SpaceX now expects to return to flight in January.

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NASAs Juno spacecraft will make its third science flyby of Jupiter, on December 11, at 9:04 a.m. PST (12:04 p.m. EST, 17:04 UTC).

At the time of closest approach (called perijove), Juno will be about 2,580 miles (4,150km) above the gas giants roiling cloud tops and travelling at a speed of about 129,000 mph (57.8km/sec) relative to the planet. Seven of Junos eight science instruments will be energized and collecting data during the flyby.

This will be the first time we are planning to operate the full Juno capability to investigate Jupiter's interior structure via its gravity field, said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. We are looking forward to what Jupiters gravity may reveal about the gas giant's past and its future.

Mission managers have decided not to collect data with the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument during the December flyby, to allow the team to complete an update to the spacecraft software that processes JIRAMs science data. A software patch allowing JIRAMs operation is expected to be available prior to the next perijove pass (PJ4) on February 2, 2017.

The spacecraft team continues to weigh its options regarding modifications of Junos orbital period  how long it takes for the spacecraft to complete one orbit around Jupiter. At present, Junos orbital period is 53.4 days.

There had been plans to perform a period adjustment manoeuvre with the spacecrafts main engine on October 19 to reduce the orbital period to 14 days.

The team made the decision to forgo the manoeuvre in order to further study the performance of a set of valves that are part of the spacecraft's fuel pressurisation system. The period reduction manoeuvre was the final scheduled burn of Juno's main engine.

We have a healthy spacecraft that is performing its mission admirably, said Rick Nybakken, project manager for Juno from NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. What we do not want to do is add any unnecessary risk, so we are moving forward carefully.

The Juno spacecraft launched on August 5, 2011, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and arrived at Jupiter on July 4, 2016.

During its mission of exploration, Juno soars low over the planet's cloud tops  as close as about 2,600 miles (4,100km). During these flybys, Juno will probe beneath the obscuring cloud cover of Jupiter and study its auroras to learn more about the planet's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.

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There is a 60-day comment period, and the proposal leaves the door open to the possibility that federal officials could still impose an outright ban.

Airlines could let passengers make in-flight phone calls using Wi-Fi under a proposal from federal regulators. Flight attendants and others have complained that the calls could be disruptive. But the Department of Transportation said Thursday that it envisioned allowing the calls if airlines tell all customers about the policy when they buy their tickets.

That way, customers could make other travel arrangements if they feared sitting next to passengers chatting on their phones. There is a 60-day comment period, and the proposal leaves the door open to the possibility that federal officials could still impose an outright ban. The Federal Communications Commission prohibits passengers from making cellphone calls during flights, but not Wi-Fi calls.

"Today's proposal will ensure that air travelers are not unwillingly exposed to voice calls, as many of them are troubled over the idea of passengers talking on cell phones in flight," Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. In 2014, the department issued a request for public comments on the possibility of permitting the calls and the response was overwhelmingly negative.

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said anything short of a ban on calls is "reckless." Flight attendants have said previously that they fear the calls could lead to fights between passengers who want to make calls and passengers who don't want to listen to the conversations.

"It threatens aviation security and increases the likelihood of conflict in the skies. It threatens safety for crews and passengers," Nelson said. However, the US airlines' trade group opposes a government ban on in-flight calls.

"We have long held that this was not a matter for DOT to regulate, and we believe airlines should be able to determine what services can be safely offered in flight and make those decisions based on what is in the best interests of their passengers and crewmembers," a spokeswoman for Airlines for America, Kathy Grannis Allen, said by email. Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines said they have no plans to allow voice calls.

"Our customers have expressed concerns regarding the potentially disruptive nature of in-flight voice calls," said Southwest spokesman Brian Parrish. Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said the carrier surveyed passengers a few years ago and got "a strong reaction" that they didn't want calls.

A Delta Air Lines spokeswoman noted that the carrier has opposed voice calls for several years. United Airlines said it was reviewing the proposal and would listen to the views of customers and employees. American referred questions to the trade group. JetBlue did not have an immediate comment.

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New York: Yasmin Seweid, 18, who was harassed by three drunken men on the New York subway on December 1, has been reported missing.

According to New York Post, Seweid of New Hyde Park was reported missing by her father on Thursday, following which the Nassau County Police Department launched an investigation.

Seweid, who is a student of Muslim Baruch College, has not been to school since December 2, sources told the daily.

On December 1, Seweid was returning from a fashion show when the three white men allegedly started hurling racial slurs on her and called her a "terrorist". They allegedly told her to "go back to your (her) country", when she took the subway from Manhattan.

Seweid said she heard the men talking about Donald Trump and mentioning the word "terrorist". But the conversation later turned to verbal and physical attack on Seweid.

"Oh look, a (expletive) terrorist," they said, Seweid said in a post on Facebook. "Get the hell out of the country!" they yelled during the train ride. "You don't belong here!"

"Three white racists ripped the straps off my bag and attempted to yank my hijab off my head," she added.

Born in Brooklyn, United States (US), to Egyptian parents, on a Facebook post she said: "Trump's name was repeatedly said and it finally clicked in my head. No matter how cultured or Americanised I am, these people don't see me as an American.

It breaks my heart that so many individuals chose to be bystanders while watching me get harassed verbally and physically by these disgusting pigs.

"Trump America is real and I witnessed it first hand last night. What a traumatising night.

Here is the post that she had shared on Facebook:
Washington: Hillary Clinton has issued a stern warning against the proliferation of fake news, branding it an epidemic with real world consequences that must be addressed in order to protect democracy.

The Democrat Clinton lost last months presidential election to Republican Donald Trump in a shock upset, with several Trump critics arguing the prominence of fake articles on Facebook and other social media may have affected the polls.

The phenomenon nearly turned deadly this week when a rifle-wielding man entered a pizza restaurant in Washington saying he wanted to investigate a fake news story about child abduction linked to Clinton. Its now clear that so-called fake news can have real world consequences, she said.
Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump has said he would not allow Americans to be replaced by foreign workers, in an apparent reference to cases like that of Disney World and other American companies wherein people hired on H-1B visas, including Indians, displaced US workers.

"We will fight to protect every last American life," Trump told thousands of his supporters in Iowa on Thursday as he referred to the cases of Disney world and other US companies.

"During the campaign I also spent time with American workers who were laid off and forced to train. The foreign workers brought in to replace them. We won't let this happen anymore," Trump vowed amidst cheers and applause from the audience.

"Can you believe that? You get laid off and then they won't give you your severance pay unless you train the people that are replacing you. I mean, that's actually demeaning maybe more than anything else," he said.

Disney World and two outsourcing companies have been slapped with a federal lawsuit by two of its former technology staff, alleging that they conspired to displace American workers with cheaper foreign labour brought to the US on H-1B visas, mostly from India.

The two employees - Leo Perrero and Dena Moore - were among 250 Disney tech workers laid off from their jobs at Walt Disney World in Orlando in January 2015. They have also dragged two IT companies HCL Inc and Cognizent Technologies into this class action lawsuit.

"You know the name of one of the companies that's doing it. I'm going to be nice because we're trying to get that company back. Don't forget much harder when a company announced a year and a half ago - some of these companies, like Carrier, they announced long before I even knew I was going to be running for president," Trump said.

On immigration, Trump reiterated that he will build the wall along the Mexico border.

"We will put an end to illegal immigration and stop the drugs from pouring into our country, the drugs are pouring into our country, poisoning our youth and plenty of other people," he said.

"We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country. We will stop the drugs from poisoning our great and beautiful and loving youth. OK? We'll do it," he said, adding that the Trump administration will stop the violence that is "spilling across our border."
Washington: President Barack Obama has ordered intelligence officials to conduct a broad review of election-season cyberattacks, including the email hacks that rattled the presidential campaign and raised fresh concerns about Russia's meddling in US elections, the White House said Friday.

The review, led by intelligence agencies, will be a "deep dive" into a possible pattern of increased "malicious cyber activity" timed to the campaign season, White House spokesman Eric Schultz said. The review will look at the tactics, targets, key actors and the US government's response to the recent email hacks, as well as incidents reported in past elections, he said.

The president ordered up the report earlier this week and asked that it be completed before he leaves office next month, Schultz said.

"The president wanted this done under his watch because he takes it very seriously," he said. "We are committed to ensuring the integrity of our elections."

US intelligence officials have accused Russia of hacking into Democratic officials' email accounts in an attempt to interfere with the presidential campaign. The Washington Post reported on Friday that the CIA has concluded that Russia aimed specifically to help Donald Trump win the presidency.

The Post said the CIA presented its assessment to senators last week. The newspaper's report cited anonymous US officials who were briefed on that closed-door meeting.

Trump's transition team is, however, dismissing the report that the CIA believes Russia tried to intervene in the US election because it wanted him to win.

A Friday night statement released by the transition team notes that the CIA "are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction."

The transition team statement says: "The election ended a long time ago. ... It's now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again.'"

The Kremlin has also rejected the hacking accusations.

In the months leading up to the election, email accounts of Democratic Party officials and a top Hillary Clinton campaign aide were breached, emails leaked and embarrassing and private emails posted online. Many Democrats believe the hackings benefited Trump's bid. Trump has downplayed the possibility that Russia was involved.

Schultz said the president sought the probe as a way of improving US defence against cyberattacks and was not intending to question the legitimacy of Trump's victory.

"This is not an effort to challenge the outcome of the election," Schultz said.

Obama's move comes as Democratic lawmakers have been pushing Obama to declassify more information about Russia's role, fearing that Trump, who has promised a warmer relationship with Moscow, may not prioritize the issue.

Given Trump's statements, "there is an added urgency to the need for a thorough review before President Obama leaves office next month," said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., senior Democrat on the House intelligence committee. If the administration doesn't respond "forcefully" to such actions, "we can expect to see a lot more of this in the near future," he said.

The White House said it would make portions of the report public and would brief lawmakers and relevant state officials on the findings.

It emphasized the report would not focus solely on Russian operations or hacks involving Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta and Democratic National Committee accounts. Schultz stressed officials would be reviewing incidents going back to the 2008 presidential campaign, when the campaigns of Sen. John McCain and Obama were breached by hackers.

Intelligence officials have said Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney were targets of Chinese cyberattacks four years later.
Washington: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has reassured Americans of bringing back jobs to the United States and said that his administration will follow two simple rules: "Buy American and hire American."

"My administration will follow two simple rules: Buy American and hire American. The American worker built this country and now it's time for American workers to have a government for the first time in decades answers to them," CNN quoted Trump, as saying at his rally in Des Moines, Iowa.

Officially introducing Terry Branstad as the new US ambassador to China, Trump said that he has chosen a man who knows and likes China.

Asserting that Branstad he has been delivering results for 23 years for the great farmers and people of Iowa, Trump said he knows how to deliver on results.

Trump's transition team had said that Branstad was selected as envoy in Beijing due to his experience in public policy, trade and agriculture as well as his pre-existing relationship with China's leaders.

During his rally, Trump said that improving relations with China would be one of the most important goals of his administration.

"The nation of China is responsible for almost half of America's trade deficit, they haven't played by the rules and I know it's time they're going to start. We're all in this thing together folks. We have to play by the rules folks," he said.

Trump has accused China of stealing US jobs and has criticized Beijing over currency devaluation and tariffs during his campaign. Trump had last week angered China by taking a congratulatory call from the president of Taiwan .

The Republican also said that he would suspend immigration from places "where it cannot be processed or vetted." Trump said he wants people to come legally into the country.
A Sikh gala in the US has raised USD 250,000 to fund scholarship for financially strapped students in Punjab and neighbouring states. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Washington: A Sikh gala in the US has raised USD 250,000 to fund scholarship for financially strapped students in Punjab and neighbouring states.

The funds raised at the gala organised by Sikh Human Development Fund would help in providing scholarship to 700 bright students who could not pursue studies due to lack of money, the organisation said in a media release.

According to Manpreet Singh, a board member of Sikh Human Development Foundation (SHDF), 539 scholarships were awarded in 2016.

More than 65 per cent of these students are from rural areas of Punjab and more than 74 per cent are female students. This is the 17th year for SHDF.

"We at SHDF are so very grateful that you have walked with us for all these 16 years on this educational journey for our disadvantaged youth. So far, we have given more than 4,500 scholarships and more than 2,200 of these children have graduated and found good jobs," said Gajinder Singh Ahuja, chairman of SHDF.

"Higher Education is the best gift we can give to our needy children. This is one way we can put our resources for greater good of humanity and bring dignity in the lives of so many. This is what Sikhism teaches us to do," said Satinder Singh Chadha, an entrepreneur from UK, who was the chief guest of the event.

He himself announced a donation of USD 25,000 and made a fervent appeal to the audience to show their generosity and support for the program.

"The need is much greater and ours is still a very small effort. There are thousands of students who are unable to pursue their dreams due to their difficult family circumstances. A lot more needs to be done and we hope people from all over the world will join us in this endeavour," said Rajwant Singh, outreach director of the foundation.
Kabul, Afghanistan: Afghanistan has fallen so far from Americans' consciousness that some may have forgotten it's called the forgotten war.

It also is America's longest war. Now in its 16th year and showing little sign of ending, it will soon be the responsibility of Donald Trump, two presidents removed from the October 2001 invasion.

During the presidential campaign, neither Trump nor Democrat Hillary Clinton offered new ideas for breaking the battlefield stalemate. They hardly mentioned the country, let alone a strategy.

And yet, the war President George W Bush began as America's response to 9/11 grinds on as nearly 10,000 US troops train and advise the Afghan army and police, hopeful that at some point the Afghans can stand on their own against the Taliban - or better, that peace talks will end the insurgency.

A look at the war Trump is inheriting, what US troops are doing and why the outlook is so clouded:

The US Mission

While President Barack Obama was a longtime critic of the Iraq war, he always cast the Afghanistan fight as vital.

Shortly after taking office in 2009, Obama looked to fix what he saw as US failures in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He tripled troop levels in Afghanistan, but the surge did not force the Taliban to the negotiating table. Pakistan remains a sanctuary for the Taliban.

In December 2014, the US ended its combat role in Afghanistan, but there will be at least 8,400 troops there when Trump takes office.

American troops and their coalition partners perform two tasks: Operation Resolute Support is to train and advise Afghan forces fighting the Taliban. Operation Freedom's Sentinel is to hunt down and kill Al-Qaeda militants, as well as those affiliated with the Islamic State and other groups using the country as a hideout and potential launching pad for attacks.

"The interests we are pursuing here are clear and enduring," Defense Secretary Ash Carter said during a visit Friday. He cited the goals of preventing another 9/11-type attack on America and helping Afghanistan attain enough stability to remain a long-term security partner.

The US performs its counter-terror work in Afghanistan in two ways. First, it goes after Al-Qaeda and Islamic State operatives as a US-only mission. General John Nicholson, the top US commander in the country, said last week that US special operations forces have conducted 350 such missions in 2016, about one per day on average, killing or capturing nearly 50 leaders and other members of Al-Qaeda.

Secondly, US forces join Afghan special forces in hunting Islamic State fighters; these operations have killed the top 12 IS leaders in Afghanistan, Nicholson said.

He said that of the 98 militant groups designated by the US as terrorist organizations, 20 are in Afghanistan, the world's highest concentration. That alone says much about the inconclusive - some would say failed - outcome of Obama administration's efforts.

Nicholson said, on Friday, the remnants of Al-Qaeda, the group whose 9/11 attacks were the reason the US invaded, still intend to attack America.

The Outlook

Nicholson and many US generals who preceded him see reason for hope, pointing to Afghanistan's modest progress against corruption and expanded opportunities for women.

He said he is confident the Afghan army, which suffered heavy losses in 2016, will continue to improve.

"It was a tough year," he said. "They were tested. They prevailed."

His predecessor, retired General John Campbell, says the Afghans deserve continued support.

"The Afghan government is now taking on the Taliban more so than ever before," he said Friday in an email exchange.

Some analysts, however, worry that the Obama administration missed opportunities to improve security and strengthen the government.

Frederick W Kagan, a military historian and director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, says security has deteriorated despite US efforts to build up the army and police.

"If that's not good," he said of Afghan security, "nothing else matters. And it's not good."

Kagan says Obama is leaving his successor a worrisome situation.

"We're sliding toward the collapse of this government and potentially a renewal of the civil war," he said.

Trumps War

Trump will not have an easy time disentangling the US military from Afghanistan, short of an unlikely decision to simply walk away. He has said little about the country, but has called broadly for an end to "nation-building" efforts.

Michael Flynn, the retired Army lieutenant general who will be Trump's national security adviser, sees Afghanistan as part of a broader war that the US must fight for generations.

"We defeated Al-Qaeda and the Iranians in Iraq, and the Taliban and their allies in Afghanistan. Nonetheless, they kept fighting and we went away," he wrote in his 2016 book, "Field of Fight."

"Let's face it: Right now we're losing, and I'm talking about a very big war, not just Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. We're in a world war against a messianic mass movement of evil people, most of them inspired by a totalitarian ideology: radical Islam."

Trump's choice to lead the Pentagon, retired Marine General James Mattis, is a veteran of combat in Afghanistan. He has written that the US devotes too few resources, guided by too little strategic clarity, to Afghanistan. How that translates into action by the next White House is unclear.
Vietnam has begun dredging work on a disputed reef in the South China Sea, satellite imagery shows. (Photo: AP/File) (Photo: AFP/Representational)

Hanoi: Vietnam has started dredging work on a reef in the South China Sea, fresh satellite images appear to show, a move that could provoke Beijing which claims most of the disputed waterway.

An image of Ladd Reef in the Spratly Islands, where Vietnam has a lighthouse, shows several vessels in a carved out embankment.

Sediment can be seen leaking out into the ocean, according to the November 30 image provided to Agence France-Presse on Friday by US-based Planet Labs, a satellite imaging company.

A July picture from Planet Labs shows no breach of the reef's embankment, suggesting the work began in recent months on the small piece of land that is also claimed by Taiwan.

Vietnamese officials did not respond to a request for comment.

The images follow photos published last month from US-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative that showed Vietnam had extended a runway and was building hangars capable of hosting military equipment on a different island in the Spratlys also claimed by Beijing.

But Vietnam's latest moves remain small-scale compared to China's build-up in the waterway, where it has constructed several islands capable of supporting military facilities.

Though the nature of the work in the photos cannot be confirmed, Vietnam expert Carl Thayer told Agence France-Presse that Hanoi might be trying to "stock up" ahead of a code of conduct agreement between various claimants in the South China Sea expected next year.

"If we are moving toward some diplomatic end game at some point in the next year or two, then Vietnam looks like it's trying to get as much as it can before it's prohibited," said Thayer, a professor at the University of New South Wales.

Beijing on Friday delivered a customary rebuke to Vietnam over the apparent dredging, saying it had "indisputable sovereignty" over all Spratly Islands, including Ladd Reef, and surrounding waters.

It urged Hanoi to "refrain from complicating the situation and work with China to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular briefing.

The two countries have long traded barbs over disputed territory in the sea. In 2014 China moved a controversial oil rig into contested waters, prompting riots in Vietnam.

Tensions have eased slightly in recent months but the issue remains incendiary on both sides.

The sea is also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan and is rich in energy reserves, fishery resources and is a busy shipping route.
Stockholm: Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Saturday accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, saying it helped his country achieve the "impossible dream" of ending a half-century-long civil war.

A smiling Santos received his Nobel diploma and gold medal at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway, for his efforts to end a conflict that has killed 220,000 people and displaced 8 million.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there is one less war in the world, and it is the war in Colombia," the 65-year-old head of state said, referring to the historic peace deal this year with leftist rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Santos used his acceptance speech to celebrate the end of the longest-running conflict in the Americas, pay tribute to its victims and call for a strategy shift in another, related war - on drug trafficking worldwide.

Just a few years ago, imagining the end of the bloodshed in Colombia "seemed an impossible dream, and for good reason," Santos said, noting that very few Colombians could even remember their country at peace.

The initial peace deal was narrowly rejected by Colombian voters in a shock referendum result just days before the Nobel Peace Prize announcement in October.

Many believed that ruled out Santos from winning this year's prize, but the Norwegian Nobel Committee "saw things differently," deputy chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen said.

"The peace process was in danger of collapsing and needed all the international support it could get," she said in her presentation speech.

A revised deal was approved by Colombia's Congress last week.

Several victims of the conflict attended the prize ceremony, including Ingrid Betancourt, who was held hostage by FARC for six years, and Leyner Palacios, who lost 32 relatives including his parents and three brothers in a FARC mortar attack.

"The FARC has asked for forgiveness for this atrocity, and Leyner, who is now a community leader, has forgiven them," the president said. Palacios stood up to applause from the crowd.

FARC leaders, who cannot travel safely because they face international arrest orders by the U.S., were not in Oslo. A Spanish lawyer who served as a chief negotiator for FARC represented the rebel group at the ceremony.

Colombians have reacted to Santos' prize with muted emotion amid deep divisions over the controversial peace deal. The vast majority didn't bother to vote in October's referendum. For many Colombians in big cities Santos' overriding focus on ending a conflict that had been winding down for years has diverted attention from pressing economic concerns.

Santos' speech made a reference to fellow Nobel laureate Bob Dylan, this year's surprise winner of the literature award, by citing the lyrics of one of his most famous songs, "Blowin' in the Wind."

The president also used the Nobel podium to reiterate his call to "rethink" the war on drugs, "where Colombia has been the country that has paid the highest cost in deaths and sacrifices."

Santos has argued that the decades-old, U.S.-promoted war on drugs has produced enormous violence and environmental damage in nations that supply cocaine, and needs to be supplanted by a global focus on easing laws prohibiting consumption of illegal narcotics.

"It makes no sense to imprison a peasant who grows marijuana, when nowadays, for example, its cultivation and use are legal in eight states of the United States," he said.

The five other Nobel Prizes will be handed out later Saturday at a separate ceremony in Stockholm. Dylan is not attending, citing other commitments.
France has carried out air strikes against IS in both Iraq and Syria and has military advisers on the ground. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP)

Dubai: The Islamic State group will not be defeated on the battlefield alone but by teaching tolerance and creating economic opportunity, Germany's defence minister said Saturday.

"We should complement the coalition against terror with a coalition for education," Ursula von der Leyen told a Gulf security conference.

She said members of the US-led coalition fighting the jihadists needed to counter the "brutal lies" of IS with a message of hope for a better future.

"Google, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and many more platforms have been weaponised," she told the Manama Dialogue.

"People without prospects are easily led to believe such false promises and such brutal lies. To win the war we have to dominate the Internet. But to win peace we have to offer hope and prospects," French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian echoed the theme in an address to the same forum.

He too said the jihadists could not be defeated by military means alone as they fed off poverty and underdevelopment.

France has carried out air strikes against IS in both Iraq and Syria and has military advisers on the ground.

Germany has provided weapons and training to Kurdish peshmerga fighters taking part in the campaign against IS in northern Iraq.
Moscow: Russia appears to have snubbed a Japanese attempt at puppy-love diplomacy by declining a gift of a dog for President Vladimir Putin at a summit next week with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The Japanese government had planned to present Putin, widely known to be a dog lover, with a male Akita as a companion to Yume, a female of the same breed that Japan gave him in 2012.

But a Japanese legislator said Russia had turned down the offer.

"Unfortunately, we heard from our counterparts, and our hope to present a bridegroom was dashed," House of Representatives member Koichi Hagiuda said in a blog post on Friday, without giving a reason for the rejection.

Abe and Putin will meet in Japan on Dec. 15-16.

They are expected to work towards reviving security talks and joint naval rescue training halted after Russia annexed the Crimea region in 2014. The two sides are also set to sign some business deals.

A territorial dispute over a group of islands has bedevilled relations between the two countries since the end of World War Two.

Putin is known to be an animal lover who has been photographed riding horses, swimming with dolphins and cuddling a leopard.

In addition to Yume, which means "dream" in Japanese, he is the owner of Buffy, a male Bulgarian Shepherd given by Bulgaria's prime minister in 2010.
Brussels: The UN human rights chief has warned of the dangerous rise of the rhetoric of fascism in Europe.

Speaking in Geneva on Friday, ahead of Human Rights Day, Prince Zeid bin Raad Zeid al-Hussein said that 2016 has been a disastrous year for human rights across the world. He said human rights were at a risk of unravelling due to unprecedented pressure.

2016 has been a disastrous year for human rights across the globe, Mr Hussein said. If the growing erosion of the carefully constructed system of human rights and rule of law continues to gather momentum, ultimately everyone will suffer, the UNs human rights chief added.

Populist sentiments have been gaining momentum in the West this year with UK voting to leave the European union and Donald Trump winning the US presidential elections. In US, there has been a rise in the number of hate crimes after Mr Trumps surprise victory.

Mr Hussein warned that hate speech and fascist rhetoric was on the rise across the West. In some parts of Europe, and in the United States, anti-foreigner rhetoric full of unbridled vitriol and hatred, is proliferating to a frightening degree, and is increasingly unchallenged.

The rhetoric of fascism, he said, was no longer confined to a secret underworld of fascists, meeting in ill-lit clubs or on the Deep Net. It is becoming part of normal daily discourse, he said.

Mr. Hussein warned that many leaders were failing to understand and deal with with these complex social and economic issues. And as a result, people are turning in desperation to the siren voices exploiting fears, sowing disinformation and division, and making alluring promises they cannot fulfil, he added, referring to populist forces.

He also highlighted the refugee crisis unleashed by the Syrian conflict and extremist movements.
Jerusalem: Israel will, on Monday, receive its first F-35 stealth fighter jets, hailed as technological marvels whose helmets alone cost more than most people's homes but criticized for their price and initial flaws.

Built by US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, the first two planes' arrival in Israel is being welcomed as a major event for the country's military as it seeks to maintain dominance in the turbulent Middle East.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter is to attend the arrival along with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman at the Nevatim air base in the country's south.

The delivery of the first two of 50 F-35s to be purchased by Israel comes as the years-long development of the most expensive plane in history reaches a critical stage.

While a list of countries have ordered the planes, Israel, which receives more than $3 billion a year in US defense aid, will be the first with an operational F-35 squadron outside the United States.

"I think we don't fully understand the big advantage of the F-35," an Israeli air force official said.

"I think it's going to be learned in the next few months, maybe years. I think it's a very super-tech airplane."

Israel has given it the name "Adir" -- which means "mighty" in Hebrew. Its first planes are expected to be operational within a year after delivery.

It will be receiving the F-35A model for standard takeoff and landings. The B and C models are for short takeoffs and aircraft carriers.

Among their main features are advanced stealth capabilities to help pilots evade sophisticated missile systems.

The single-pilot jets can carry an array of weapons and travel at a supersonic speed of Mach 1.6, or around 1,200 miles per hour (around 1,900 kilometres per hour).

It is unclear if Israel's planes will be able to deliver nuclear bombs. Israel is believed to be the Middle East's sole nuclear-armed power, though it has never acknowledged it.

The ultra-high-tech helmet, at a cost of some $400,000 each, sounds like something out of a science-fiction film.

It includes its own operating system, with data that appears on the helmet visor and is also shared elsewhere.

Thermal and night vision as well as 360-degree views are possible with cameras mounted on the plane.

Israeli firm Elbit Systems has been involved in the helmet's production.

In Israel, the planes, designed for multiple combat situations, will initially replace a group of ageing F-16s.

They are seen as helping the country maintain its edge in the Middle East, particularly as its main enemy Iran seeks further influence in the region.

"The F-35 has been designed to deal with the most advanced threat systems now being fielded in the Middle East," Lockheed Martin's Steve Over said.
Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina plans to tour India in February next, the Bangladesh government said on Saturday during the visit of Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar in Dhaka.

Hasina's press secretary Ihsanul Karim said she has plans to visit India adding officials of the two countries would work out the schedule of the tour as Akbar made a courtesy call on the premier.

Hasina told Akbar that "there might be problems between two neighbouring countries, but these should not affect the friendship and cooperation".

The premier, he said, reiterated her government's "zero tolerance policy" against terrorism and militancy and said none would be allowed to use Bangladesh's soil for terrorist acts against any country.

"We won't tolerate any sorts of terrorism and militancy and won't allow our land to be used for carrying out terrorist acts against any country," the official said quoting the premier.

Hasina said the Dhaka cafe attack in July which killed 19 foreigners including an Indian girl and the vandalising of temples in Bangladesh were staged to destabilise the country's development and progress.

The prime minister recalled with gratitude the contribution of Indian armed forces in Bangladesh's War of Liberation in 1971 against Pakistan.

She also mentioned that Indian forces returned to their country immediately after independence of Bangladesh.

"It has created a history as no allied force in the world did return home immediately after the victory," she said.

The premier also discussed with Akbar the issue of constructing water reservoirs on both sides of the border for ensuring water security.

Akbar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hasina took India-Bangladesh bilateral relations to a new height.

"The horizon of bilateral relations has been widened due to pragmatic steps of the two leaders," the official quoted Akbar as saying.

Akbar said there are vast areas of cooperation between Bangladesh and India particularly in the field of hydroelectricity and energy.

Hasina's International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi, Principal Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury and India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla were also present, among others.

Akbar arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a two-day visit to represent India at the 9th annual meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD).
Beijing said it remains opposed to unilateral sanctions against the Pyongyang regime taken without the approval of the UN Security Council. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP)

Beijing: China's chief negotiator on North Korea's nuclear program says Beijing remains opposed to unilateral sanctions against the Pyongyang regime taken without the approval of the UN Security Council.

The Foreign Ministry said Wu Dawei also told his South Korean counterpart in talks on Friday that China was "adamantly opposed" to the South's deployment of an advanced US missile defense system that China says poses a threat to its own security.
People move bodies of plane crash victims to ambulances en route to Islamabad, at a hospital in Abbotabad. (Photo: AP)

Islamabad: A team from France-based ATR will assist with the probe into the crash of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) PK-661 that killed all the 48 passengers and crew aboard on December 7.

The team with a group of experts affiliated with the aircraft manufacturer is expected to arrive in Pakistan in the next 24 hours, according to the Dawn.

According to sources, the French embassy has also ensured full cooperation in the investigation.

The plane's black box and audio recorder will be sent to France within a couple of days, and the data retrieved from the black box and recording device in France will be handed to Pakistan's Safety and Investigation Board (SIB).

Sources said that data analysis will take another two to three weeks, adding that data decoded from the black box and the voice recorder will determine the direction of the investigation.

On Friday, the PIA rejected claims circulating in the media that its fleet of aircraft is faulty saying, "It defies common sense that pilots and engineers would fly an aircraft that does not meet safety standards, and risk their own lives."

Some media reports suggest that engine problem was the cause of the crash.
The only large temple in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi is Krishna Mandir in Saddar. (Photo: Representational Image)

Islamabad: In a rare first, Hindus living in the Pakistani capital would soon have their major demands met after a decision by authorities to allocate land for a temple, community centre and cremation ground.

The decision was taken on Friday in a meeting of Capital Development Authority (CDA), which is responsible for development and civil amenities in Islamabad.

The Express Tribune reported that CDA approved the allocation of a half-acre plot of land in Sector H-9 of the capital for a Hindu temple, community centre and cremation ground in the federal capital.

"It was a longstanding demand of the Hindu community which has finally been fulfilled," the paper reported.

There are around 800 Hindus living in Islamabad, and in the absence of a temple, they were forced to celebrate Diwali and other religious festivities at home.

As there was no crematorium in the city, they also had to take the bodies either to Rawalpindi or to their hometowns for cremation.

The only large temple in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi is Krishna Mandir in Saddar although a few smaller ones exist in residential parts of Rawalpindi cantonment.

The CDA board allocated the plot close to one that had already been allocated to the All Pakistan Buddhist Society.
According to the Tibetan government in exile based in India, Rabten is the 145th Tibetan to self-immolate since 2009. (Photo: Representational Image)

Beijing: A man has self-immolated in protest against China's presence in Tibet while calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, a rights group said on Saturday, the first Tibetan to set themselves on fire since March.

Horrific video footage online showed the man, aged in his thirties and named by The International Campaign for Tibet as Tashi Rabten, walking down the road in northwest China's Maqu region with his entire body engulfed in flames while a passerby recited prayers.

According to the Tibetan government in exile based in India, Rabten is the 145th Tibetan to self-immolate since 2009. Local authorities, who collected his charred remains, could not be reached for comment.

Rabten's wife, two of his children and several other family members were placed in detention by local police after they went to claim the body, according to rights group Free Tibet.

"Having lost a father and a husband, Tashi Rabten's family now find themselves in detention. The cruelty of this system knows no bounds," Free Tibet said in a statement.

"The only crime they have committed is to be the family of someone who has embarrassed China by once again reminding the world that their occupation and these human rights abuses cause Tibetans real pain. And sometimes this pain pushes Tibetans to make the ultimate sacrifice," it added.

Beijing says its troops "peacefully liberated" Tibet in 1951, but many Tibetans accuse the central government of religious repression and eroding their culture.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled into exile after a failed uprising in 1959.

Tibetan monks within China have reported a campaign of government intimidation targeting the family and friends of those who set themselves on fire.

According to The International Campaign for Tibet, Tashi Rabten, a former monk, had a cousin who self-immolated in the exact same street in 2012.

In March this year two Tibetans, a monk in China and a teenager in India, set themselves on fire to protest Beijing's control of the Himalayan region.
Islamabad: A Pakistani Senate body has decided to invite transgender activists to the Parliament for discussing issues faced by the community and find a way to prevent violations of their rights in the conservative nation.

The matter was forwarded to the Senate Standing Committee on Marginalised Segments after Senator Maulana Hafiz Hamdullah raised the issue during a session in the Parliament on Friday.

The meeting observed that the massive and rampant violations of the rights of transgender Pakistanis began from a young age and continued throughout their lives.

The committee chairman, PML-N Senator Nisar Mohammad, added that while the Constitution does not discriminate based on gender and ensures the rights of all individuals, "society's behaviour towards transgender [people] is appalling", the Dawn reported.

The committee asked the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) to suggest a way forward in light of a 2012 Supreme Court decision, a unanimous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly resolution and the Capital Administration and Development Division's (CADD) draft bill on transgender rights.

The commission has been directed to report its recommendations to the committee at its next meeting.

Four years ago, the SC decreed equal rights and civil liberties for transgender citizens, including the right to inheritance and equal job opportunities.

The KP Assembly passed a resolution seeking voting rights for the province's transgender community.

PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar said:" It will be the first time that transgender [people] will be given the chance to be important segments of society".

However, details of the proposed transgender rights bill were not discussed, and the NCHR was not prepared to brief the committee on the measures taken to mitigate the problems facing transgender individuals.

The committee meeting also discussed computerized identity cards for transgender citizens. Senator Babar likened the situation to the National Database and Registration Authority's (Nadra) initiative to issue CNICs to children with unknown parentage, saying: "If Nadra makes the effort, the matter of issuing CNICs to transgender [people] can also be settled".

Awami National Party Senator Sitara Ayaz requested that representatives from the transgender community be invited to the next Senate session, when all members of parliament and the media are present, to send a message of good will.
President-elect Donald Trump has said the US-China relationship is one of the most important relationships that his administration has to improve, days after he slammed Beijing for currency manipulation and military build up in South China Sea.



"One of the most important relationships we must improve is our relationship with China," Trump said at a public meeting in Iowa on Thursday. However, he also accused China of being a manipulative economy.



"The nation of China is responsible for almost half of America's trade deficit. China is not a market economy. They have got a lot of help and that is why we designate them a non-market economy," Trump said.



"They haven't played by the rules and they know it's time that they are going to start. They have got to. We are all in this thing together. We have got to play by the rules," he said.



"You have the massive theft of intellectual property, putting unfair taxes on our companies. Not helping with the menace of North Korea like they should and at will and massive devaluation of their currency and product dumping," he said.



"Other than that, they have been wonderful, right?" he said. Trump has picked Iowa Governor Terry Branstad as his next Ambassador to China. "The man I have chosen as our ambassador to China is the man who knows China and likes China...and he knows how to deliver results and he will deliver results just like he has been delivering it for 23 years for the great farmers and for the people of Iowa," he said.



Trump said that Branstad has been on six trade missions to China and is highly respected by all the Chinese officials. He is also a native of Iowa. "I know we will succeed in bringing our jobs back and I also know that China who has been so tough and so competitive...but I will tell you what, we're going to have mutual respect," Trump said.



"We are going to have mutual respect and China is going to benefit and we are going to benefit and Terry is going to lead the way," he said. Trump said that he desires to see Apple and other companies to start building plants in the US.



"That is what I want to see. Big plants. Their biggest plants. Ethics reform will be a crucial part of our 100 day plan as well. We are going to drain the swamp of corruption in Washington DC," the 70-year-old President elect said.
A secret assessment by America's intelligence agency CIA has concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 presidential elections to help Donald Trump win, according to a media report, which was strongly refuted by the President-elect's transition team.



"It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia's goal here was to favour one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected. That's the consensus view," a senior US official briefed on an intelligence presentation made to Senators was quoted as saying by The Washington Post.



"The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency, rather than just to undermine confidence in the US electoral system," the report said, citing officials briefed on the matter.



However, in a statement, Trump's presidential transition team dismissed the report."These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," the transition team said.



"The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again'," it said.



According to the report, intelligence agencies have identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided WikiLeaks with thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and others, including Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman.



Those officials described the individuals as actors known to the intelligence community and part of a wider Russian operation to boost Trump and hurt Clinton's chances, the report said, hours after the White House revealed that US President Barack Obama has ordered an investigation into hacking during the US election cycle.



Trump had dismissed such allegations early this week. "I don't believe they interfered" in the election, Trump told Time magazine. The hacking, he said, "could be Russia. And it could be China. And it could be some guy in his home in New Jersey."



According to the Post, CIA shared its classified assessment to some select Senators during a briefing last week. "Agency briefers told the senators it was now 'quite clear' that electing Trump was Russia's goal, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters," the daily reported.



Earlier in the day, Lisa Monaco, who advises Obama on counter terrorism and homeland security said the President has ordered a "full review" of the Russian hacking during polls.



"We may have crossed into a new threshold, and it is incumbent upon us to take stock of that, to review, to conduct some after-action, to understand what has happened and to impart some lessons learned," Monaco told reporters at a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.



White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz said the President wants the report be submitted before January 20, the day he leaves the office.
Atlantic killifish may be up to 8,000 times more resistant to highly toxic industrial pollutants such as heavy metals due to the high level of DNA diversity seen in their populations, a new study has found.



The Atlantic killifish is renowned for its ability to tolerate large fluctuations in temperature, salinity and oxygen levels. However, its rapid adaptation to the normally lethal levels of toxic pollution found in some urban estuaries in the US is unusual, even for such a hardy species.



Researchers including those from the University of Birmingham in the UK, analysed the genomes of four wild populations of pollution-tolerant killifish compared with four non-tolerant populations, to identify the mechanism behind this adaptation.



They found that the genes responsible for the trait were those involved in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signalling pathway, which combined with observations of desensitisation of this pathway in tolerant populations, led them to conclude that the AHR pathway is a key target of natural selection.



The team also showed that the potentially negative effects of desensitisation of the AHR pathway were ameliorated through compensatory adaptations in terms of cell cycle regulation and immune system function.



This, combined with the diversity of pollutants present in estuaries, results in a relatively complex adaptive genotype in wild populations compared to that of laboratory models.

"This report highlights the complexity of the processes involved in the adaptation of wild fish to lethal levels of environmental pollution," said John Colbourne, Chair of Environmental Genomics at the University of Birmingham.



"It also demonstrates how the DNA of populations that differ in their susceptibility to pollutants can reveal "signatures" of the adverse effects of chemicals in the environment," Colbourne said.



"The Atlantic killifish seem particularly well-positioned to evolve the necessary adaptations to survive in radically altered habitats, because of their large population sizes and the relatively high level of DNA diversity seen in their populations," he said.



The researchers warn that these findings should not be used to justify the harm caused by human pollution of the natural environment. Department of Environmental Toxicology and lead author on the study, said: "Unfortunately, most species we care about preserving probably can't adapt to these rapid changes because they don't have the high levels of genetic variation that allow them to evolve quickly," said Andrew Whitehead, associate professor at University of California, Davis in the US.



The study was published in the journal Science.
The Madhya Pradesh government will bear marriage expenses of all the police officials who die in the line of duty, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced here today.





Chouhan, who attended the marriage ceremony of slain jail head constable Ramashankar Yadav's daughter Sonia last night, donned the role of the girl's father as he welcomed guests at the entry gate.



"If any police personnel dies in the line of duty, then the state government will bear all the expenses of their daughter's marriage and these girls will be treated as the state's daughter," an official release from the state government said.



The state government claimed that it had left no stone unturned to make this (Sonia's) marriage a grand event.



Yadav was allegedly killed by eight SIMI activists on the intervening nights of October 30-31 before they escaped from the high security jail by scaling its walls with the help of bedsheets. The activists were later gunned down by Bhopal Police in an alleged encounter.



Chouhan had then promised that the government will not only offer job to any family member but will also make all arrangements for the marriage of Sonia.



The chief minister also handed over an appointment letter for the post of Assistant Grade-III to Sonia as her marriage gift on the occasion.



Chouhan stayed at the wedding till all rituals were done and said that Sonia is a daughter of Madhya Pradesh.



He conveyed greetings to both the families on the occasion. Madhya Pradesh Minister of State for Cooperatives (independent charge) Vishwas Sarang was among others present at the function.
The Centre will bring out an Information and Communication policy which will be formulated in consultation with states, Information and Broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said.





Speaking at a conference of state information ministers and top officials, he also announced a cash component of Rs 1 crore for the 'Most Film Friendly State' award that is given at the national awards.



The senior minister noted that while the government has a policy on areas ranging from trade to education, there has been no such policy with regard to information even after 69 years of Independence.



He emphasised on the importance of keeping people informed and aware while also adding that it is important that development issues are highlighted.



The Ministry of I&B would be formulating a draft National Information and Communication Policy to address the communication needs of the people, he said.



This daft would be then discussed with various state government before the final policy in this regard is created, he added.



At the event where Minister of State for I&B Rajyavardhan Rathore and ministers of several states were present, Naidu said the broad objectives should be to enhance access to information and communication infrastructures and new technologies, especially in rural areas, to promote dialogue on development issues by all citizens and facilitate informed participation of people in setting development agenda and its execution.



Naidu also referred to Swachh Bharat Mission and the recent remonetisation initiative of the government and said both were socio economic transformational in nature with long term gain for the country.



The Minister also urged the states to do more effective campaigns under Swachh Bharat Mission.



In order to encourage the ease of film shooting, the Minister announced a cash component of Rs 1 crore for the 'Most Film Friendly State'.



Currently the award carries a medal (Rajat Kamal) and a certificate only.



Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Naidu said he wants to ask the Congress whether it was with or against the fight against blackmoney.



Referring to Rahul Gandhi's comment that an earthquake would occur if he was allowed to speak on demonetisation issue in the House, the minister asked what was the message that was sought to be given.


President-elect Donald Trump shut down some of his companies in the days after the election, including four that appeared connected to a possible Saudi Arabia business venture, according to corporate registrations in Delaware.





News of the move comes days before Trump is expected to describe changes he is making to his businesses to avoid potential conflicts of interest as the US president.



The Trump Organisation's general counsel, Alan Garten, described shutting down the four companies as routine "housecleaning," and said there is no existing Trump business venture in Saudi Arabia.



The four Saudi-related companies were among at least nine companies that Trump filed paperwork to dissolve or cancel since the election.



The recent dissolutions represent a fraction of Trump's global network of companies the breadth of which has raised conflict-of-interest concerns about whether Trump can balance being an international businessman while conducting the nation's business abroad as president.



Trump's holdings include more than 500 private companies, some of which he creates for prospective deals. The complex and changing structure makes it difficult for Americans to track his financial interests and partners. Trump has disclosed the names and some details about companies in public filings.



But a complete picture of Trump's finances is unclear, given that he has broken with decades of presidential precedent by not releasing his tax returns.



Next week, Trump said, he plans to announce how he will separate himself from his business interests as president. Trump operates branded hotels and resorts in a handful of countries around the world, though he and his executives have talked about expanding more globally.



Last year, Ivanka Trump singled out the Middle East and Saudi Arabia as potential locations.



During the campaign, he created eight companies that included Jeddah, a major Saudi city, in their formal names. Four of those companies were shut down months after they were created. The other four were dissolved about one week after the election.



For years, Trump has routinely named corporate entities after the projects to which they were connected. Companies set up as part of licensing or management deals in Indonesia and India bear the names of the cities where those projects are located.



The same is true for some of his companies connected to properties and business ventures in the United States.



Garten said yesterday that the dissolution of the companies, which occurred last month, was part of a periodic process to shed corporate entities that were no longer needed or were set up for ventures that did not materialize. Garten said he did not know why the companies were set up last year or whether they involved business ventures in Saudi Arabia that didn't happen.


Sheela was a 12-year-old girl with autism whose academic performances and social skills were poor. For over a year and a half she met with movement therapist Tripura Kashyap thrice a week for 45-minute sessions.





These sessions included warm up routines and body awareness games, eye contact activities, and the use of dandiya sticks for her to express her feelings through rhythm and partnership games. After barely a month, Sheela began to respond instantly to contrasts and quick changes in movement exercises.



Several weeks later, she began to move through all the movement activities with the ease and confidence of a normal 13-year-old. Towards the end of six months, she needed less physical help in performing a variety of movement tasks, and progressed to responding appropriately to verbal prompts.



Though dance had been a part of healing rituals in many prehistorical cultures, it was only in the 1940s that it emerged as a distinct therapeutic modality in the US, through the work of Marian Chace, says Tripura Kashyap, the pioneer of Creative Movement Therapy in India.



This amazing contemporary dancer shifted gears to Creative Movement Therapy (CMT) in 1990, inspired by her wheelchair-bound brother and the visually impaired students at Kalakshetra, Chennai.



The challenges were many: economics (Kashyaps work initially was voluntary), lack of space, our Indian penchant for performances, and surprisingly, scepticism from her compatriots in the dance world. Yet, many organisations, educators and psychotherapists were excited, welcoming and accepting of this new form, she says. Since then, Kashyap has seen much innovation in India because of the different kinds of population with whom dance movement therapists work, as well as the variety of dance forms in our country.



To the uninitiated, Creative Movement Therapy is a form of body psychotherapy in which clients use their movement as the language to express repressed feelings of trauma, self-identity, or buried memories that they are unable to articulate verbally. In this context, the body becomes a powerful tool for them to articulate what they are going through, says Kashyap.



For a common goal



Though each art therapy discipline functions within its own parameters, there is also inter-relation with one or several of the other arts (dance, music, drama and visual art). We might have our differences (as all families have), but I think there is a great deal of respect and overlap between these artistic disciplines, says Anshuma Kshetrapal, in the company of Mike Clarke  they trained together in the M A Drama and Movement Therapy (Sesame) course at Londons Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and now shuttle between India and the UK for their therapy programmes. Ultimately, we are all working towards the same ideal: expression of the self through creative methods.



CMT cuts across geographical, socio-cultural and economic boundaries, and gender divides. It can be utilised to help those in kindergarten to those in their twilight years; it can be practised with an individual or in a group setting. The movement experiences offered to populations vary according to the therapeutic needs of its participants. With the visually impaired, elements of folk dances that would involve touch  for example, holding hands in a circle  would be incorporated, while for the hearing impaired, elements from Indian classical dance involving hand gestures, storytelling and facial expressions would be more appropriate.



For adults with schizophrenia, therapists might use components of creative/contemporary dance like mirroring or shadowing to ground such patients in reality. We do not really teach a form or a style, but lead clients into creating their own personal movement language and expression to communicate what they have suppressed or desire to bring forth, says Kashyap.



Dance movement psychotherapist Devika Mehta, from Mumbai, uses elements of Gujarati folk dance in her therapy sessions. Garba, she says, has movements that represent the cycle of life  from birth to death  with the only constant being god. The claps charge the acupressure points, while the body bending ahead up and down helps to cross lateral and upper-lower connectivity. Dandiya improves hand-eye coordination, communication, rhythm and synchrony with groups as well as partners.



With roots in psychology and inspiration from her mum who was a special educator, and her own love for dance and movement, it was foreordained that Chennai-based Tarana Katri should work with children with special needs. Most parents and children are open to trying new forms of therapy, says Katri, co-founder of Synchrony, which is dedicated to promoting the awareness and importance of movement therapy with this population. People need to understand that such a deep process takes time and commitment, she confesses. But what is the rate of success? Success is a tricky term, says Katri. Personally, if my client finds the therapy as a space in which they feel safe enough to explore themselves, I feel Im successful. For the therapist herself, it involves a lot of self-exploration and understanding, and also constant learning.



In her book My Body, My Wisdom, Kashyap cautions about the fallacy that CMT is used only for people with disabilities. People who function normally, she finds, are as disadvantaged, in varying degrees. Rather than teaching dance, these therapists assess and evaluate needs and issues of their clients individually, then initiate and help to develop movement experiences, taking off from the physical-emotional-intellectual levels of the individuals. Therapists attempt to elicit movements that are considered symbolic of the inner voice of individuals, explains Kashyap.



Varun Venkit echoes Kashyaps sentiment. I always believed in the therapeutic benefits of drumming for one and all. It was only a question of convincing the people around me of the same, says this drum circle therapist from Pune. Venkits Taal Inc has worked with a spectrum of clients like commercial sex workers, corporate groups, special needs groups and students. The aim for each of our sessions is to create a space where participants can feel free enough to forget themselves, and thereafter share their thoughts and feelings. This in itself is known to be therapeutic. Using the drum as a metaphor to express oneself is a safe, unobtrusive way to do so, he says.



One who cares about a sidelined section of our population is Alida Esmail, who has, for the past three years, been working on a project with seniors in Canada. Older adults frequently present certain functional limitations, so we work with their current movement repertoire and introduce props and activities accordingly in order to provide a space where each individual in the group can grow, she says.



Still on the path of therapy but working with a totally different medium is Eliza Homer, who currently resides in Mexico, where she is focussed on exploring the role of textiles and other folk art traditions for healing and well-being. This bilingual art educator, administrator, author and expressive arts therapist has worked with a range of underserved populations in the US, including youth, adults with severe mental illnesses, incarcerated males and several Native American communities, and emphasises on utilising creative modalities to address trauma.



Evan Hastingss passion lies in interactive theatre, to use it to deal with social and environmental issues. Working at San Francisco County Jail with its men incarcerated for violent crimes, Hastings realised that realistic re-enactments of traumatic events can be emotionally torturous for performers and spectators alike. He co-created his first shadow theatre performance in 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Through shadows we can visually create abstract representations of traumatic events without they being emotionally overwhelming, he says.



The theatres Gender Shadow and Shadow Liberation confront the issue of gender violence using shadow puppets, improvisational theatre and masks. Audience members are invited on stage to offer improvisational interventions during scenes depicting oppression. This artistic dialogue offers no quick fix, but rather places faith in the emerging ethics of the community to creatively address the problem, explains Hastings.



Considering cultures



In India, Hastings has spent the past few years working with Ramachandra Pulavar, a traditional shadow puppeteer from Kerala who practises thol pavai koothu (traditional shadow play). By rooting our practice in an indigenous aesthetic, we pay respect to traditional shadow puppetry, which has offered a space to artistes to voice criticism and social commentary, says Hastings.



Its important for movement therapists to be aware of cultural norms because its natural for clients to respond with motifs from their cultural background. Kashyap found that her clients in the West are more comfortable with free movement and silence, while in India, clients initially prefer structure and music. Facial expressions, hand gestures, Indian rhythms, footwork, body movements and Indian-style props are some of the Indian metaphors that Kashyap has exported to her workshops in the West.



Kshetrapal was keenly aware of the culture while working with a group of East Asian women who had suffered severe domestic abuse and were seeking asylum in London. Their stories were horrifying, and because of that, the victims had severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) and trust and rage issues. When they met Kshetrapal, they played games that gradually brought in themes and metaphors around trust. After six months of working together, they were able to recount stories of healing to the group. This was because of the safe space that had been created to allow self-expression, explains Kshetrapal. Both Kshetrapal and Clarke caution that while healing takes place, there are no miracles.



Theres a growing and urgent need for the mental healthcare of refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons, says Katia Verreault from the Netherlands. Their mental health is severely affected due to traumatic histories, precarious living conditions, discrimination, and post-migration adversities. Current events in Europe are indicative of this urgency.



In India, over 60 million people have been internally displaced since the partition in 1947. People continue to migrate for reasons such as natural and industrial disasters, and urban development. But attending to the needs of this vulnerable section of people differs significantly on cultural, religious and ethical levels, says Verreault, who taps into the existing resources of dances and rituals while working in different cultural settings.



Verreaults practice-based research that she has conducted with refugees and asylum seekers in the Netherlands, Uganda, Kenya, Nepal and India shows that CMT can help in bridging an individuals emotional, cognitive and somatic processes to stimulate body-mind integration.



Hyderabad-based drama therapist Mahnoor Yar Khan has been doing just that in the conflict zones in Palestine for 25 years. Stone pelting, verbal abuse and suspicion were the initial responses. Working against all odds in the West Bank and Gaza, with adolescents who were very involved with the fighting, Khan found that they were as scarred by the fighting as with the violence within their own homes. She worked single-handedly, designing, implementing and documenting the programme, in addition to training Palestinian animators.



CMT derives its validity from its symbiotic relationship with the health and medical community, and the constant practise-based research of movement therapists. Dr Suganthi Ravichander, 23 years a paediatrician, says that she has recommended music for nine and 10-year-olds to improve their concentration. Janavi, with an MSc in Clinical Psychology, says, Psychology is now happy to extend itself to include these approaches, for we are all trying minimum dependency on medication.



Kashyap feels bitterly about the lack of employment opportunities for arts-based therapists and no masters degree courses to train movement therapists, in India. To redress this issue, Kashyap and four talented women have co-founded Creative Movement Therapy Association of India (CMTAI), headquartered in Delhi, with a branch in Bengaluru.



This is an independent organisation that brings together practitioners, trainees, beneficiaries and supporters of Creative Movement Therapy across India and the globe. CMTAI held its third international conference (in Pune recently) to discuss cross-cultural applicability of the arts therapies and their integration in society, particularly within the Indian context.
Laolu Senbanjo stood silently, head slightly bent to one side. Clothing and arms speckled with white paint, he studied his muse a few feet away.





With a scratch of his chin and a nod, Senbanjo glided in his socks toward the actress Danielle Brooks. His ever-present white marker in hand, a combination of body paint and other materials, he resumed adorning her face with continuous patterned lines.



A lot of my work is heavily influenced by the culture of my Yoruba heritage, said Senbanjo, a Nigerian-born visual artist and musician, in a recent interview at his Brooklyn studio. I like to see the world in that lens. His most recognised work, a form of body painting that he calls the sacred art of the Ori, draws on those cultural influences and was made famous through its appearance in Beyonce's Lemonade visual album.



An important aspect of Yoruba culture, Ori means head or essence, and Senbanjos artistic depictions of it have elevated him from Instagram celebrity to appearances at New York art institutions like the Brooklyn Museum and to music festivals like Afropunk.



If you tap into your Ori you can move mountains, Senbanjo said. Drawing from personality traits of deities in Yoruba culture with words as well as patterns, Senbanjo says he conveys various attributes of the gods onto his subjects bodies, based on conversations before painting them. The process requires an average of six to eight hours to complete. For Brooks, he created a small crown on her forehead in a nod to royalty, and the idea of beauty and knowing ones worth. Senbanjo said the triangles he paints on himself are symbolic of a religious trinity: father, son and Holy Ghost, and the idea of stability.



For the Yoruba, as well as in several African cultures, the head is the wellspring of wisdom and seat of divine power, Ugochukwu-Smooth C Nzewi, curator of African art at the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, USA, said in an email. With the head also a source for creativity, Nzewi said Senbanjos work is pushing the boundaries of indigenous art traditions through recuperation, appropriation and reinvention, and combining them with formal ideas.



I tell a lot of people your melanin is the paint, Senbanjo said. When you look at the negative space and see what I do with it, what shines through is the darkness of your skin. It gives it the contrast.



Brooks, who plays Tasha Jefferson (known as Taystee) in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, said in a telephone interview that the experience, which she likened to a ceremony, is an exercise in mutual trust.



When he is so intimately close to your body in that way, hes seeing all of your scars, all of the things you deem beautiful or all of the things that you dont like. She continued: Theres a part of him that hes also sharing with me, the things that hes writing on my body are a part of his culture.



Senbanjo, a former human rights lawyer in Nigeria, found himself yearning for a life beyond the constraints of the corporate world. In 2013, he changed careers to focus full time on his art and relocated to New York. Theres something Brooklyn does to you, to be honest, something about an artist here  either you evolve or you die, said Senbanjo, who now splits his time between Nigeria and New York. The struggle to break through the gallery scene led him to embrace the idea that everything could be his canvas, from murals to custom-designed clothing.



It was an Instagram photo that sparked the idea for his sacred art of the Ori. One evening in 2014, at Parsons School of Design for a show, he saw Reign Apiim, a fellow artist, observing a painting. Staring at her, he said, she appeared to become a part of the work. He sent her a direct message shortly after, inquiring if she would be open to trying an idea  her body as the canvas.



The first time we did it, it was full-out performance art, we never did a practice run, Apiim said of their Afropunk festival collaboration in 2015. As hes applying paint to you, youre kind of washing away all the negative energy of the day. Every time he paints me, when I wake up the next day I feel like Ive had a spiritual experience. It becomes more and more meditative.



Brands, art institutions and celebrities took notice but Beyonces interest proved a crucial tipping point in elevating mainstream appreciation for his work. I was taking everything in, it was amazing to be around geniuses, he said of working on the set and on the video Sorry, which has been viewed more than 150 million times. Senbanjo said that he created and adjusted the patterns based on the movement of the dancers. She was thrilled and that meant everything to me, he said of Beyonce, who sometimes watched him paint.



While the collaboration increased demand for his work, Senbanjos mission remains unchanged: to increase the attention paid to African artists both living and dead, including Prince Twins Seven-Seven, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Nike Davies-Okundaye and Tola Wewe.



Laolu brings something that is necessary right now for art and black empowerment, said Seun Kuti, a musician, collaborator and son of the Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Laolus work is unapologetically inspired by our ancestors, so I think thats what makes it so unique and powerful, especially in the times we are in.



Senbanjo said his work offers a history lesson in Yoruba culture. Theres a lot of codes and writing in what I do, and I want people to study it. I want it to end up in libraries and textbooks, he said. This is a movement. If I know Picassos life story, why shouldnt you know mine?




Five days after the Pearl Harbour attack, on December 12, 1941, Hitler called a meeting of his closest aides in a private room of the Reich Chancellery.





No official records of the meeting exist; but Hitlers Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, wrote in his diary that the great leader had decided to clear the table. The world war is here... destruction of the Jews is a necessary consequence... must be carried out without sentimentalism. It has been 75 years since the birthing of this final solution.



Five years before this meeting, the womb had been readied.

In the summer of 1936, it was nothing out of the ordinary for the residents of Oranienburg  a small, bucolic town north of Berlin  to see truckloads of prisoners pass along their pretty cottages and tree-lined avenues, to build the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Intended as the standard, both in design and treatment of prisoners, for all future such necessary endeavours of the Reich, the camp was built by 900 prisoners, nearly all of whom died due to hunger and torture  a minor inconvenience really, but neatly fitting into the SS architects larger scheme of things.



So powerful was the propaganda in those years before the actual war that the towns residents went about their everyday work even as an elaborate design for the systematic death of an entire race was being developed right in their midst. After all, the Fuhrer had reiterated, in speech after emotional speech, that his countrymen must unite to work for the greater good. If Germany had to become the greatest nation in the world and its intellectual and racial superiority had to be established without doubt, then all obstacles on this path had to be dealt without the guilt of compassion. The SS officers (and the townspeople) were only following this dictum. They probably put up the welcome message at the entrance of this concentration camp themselves  it read Arbeit Macht Frei (German for Work makes you free).



Enter the gates below this inscription and even an unpractised eye can spot the famous German architectural precision. Its only much later that you get to read how defined the blueprint was, how elaborate the entire plan and how efficiently its carriage by a whole host of people.



The camps perimeter is a perfect equilateral triangle, with barracks built in straight radiating lines from the gate so that a single machine gun at the gate could see (and kill) all. Economy of usage has always been one of the Nazi strongpoints. Additional watchtowers did look down from the edge of the perimeter, and the deadly three-layered electric fence surrounding the three-metre-high wall is intact. No imagination is sufficient to understand the horrors that might have occurred on the death strip on the inside of this electric fence. Any prisoner who ventured into this area would be immediately shot dead by an SS officer. Unsurprisingly, many did prefer this cruel end to the daily terrors inside the barracks.



Inside the barracks



Camps that were built later, such as Auschwitz, followed the path perfected at Sachsenhausen. In fact, Sachsenhausen was also the central training facility for SS officers. The barracks consisted of two sleeping areas linked by washing and storage areas. Heating was near non-existent. Inmates mostly slept and worked in the biting cold, and were given a maximum of 15 minutes to wash and eat up in stinking washrooms, which sometimes housed a dead body or two. They were usually of fellow inmates who were killed mostly for food or sleeping space and then dumped unceremoniously. The officers often encouraged inmates to fight and kill.



In 1942, the officers forced the inmates to build an installation in a section of the industrial yard where they worked, solely for the extermination of prisoners. It even saw a grand inauguration where many high-ranked Nazi officials were invited. The clinical efficiency of the new installation was proven by executing 96 Jews. Its name, Station Z, was intended as a macabre joke  the entrance of the camp was through Building A, and Station Z was meant to be their exit.



In 1943, a gas chamber was added to Station Z, the sophisticated remains of which make you want to say nothing and take no pictures. In all, around 2,00,000 people passed through Sachsenhausen between 1936 and 1945, when it was liberated by the Soviets. Nearly 1,00,000 died in the camp, some from exhaustion and disease, and most others because of execution or torturous medical experimentation.



Swept by propaganda



As you walk past the stark walls dotted with narratives about the inmates who tried to escape the camp, you wonder how a regime so cruel to fellow human beings received support from the average German. German historian Gotz Aly has an explanation. He says Hitler was a feel-good dictator and a national leader who not only made the German feel important, but also inspired in him a sense of energy and dynamism. After years of hopelessness, the people felt that they had a government that was doing something to get Germany back on track and avenge its enemies. Hitler introduced tax breaks and social benefits. He particularly pampered soldiers and their families, offering them double the usual salaries. The propaganda mastermind Goebbels did the rest with his strategy of projecting Hitler as the saviour of the masses, a charismatic leader who was a gift to the nation.



Visitors can go through some of the funny posters, snarky advertisements and propaganda articles (not unlike present-day social media forwards) that Goebbels insidiously used to strengthen Germans sense of supremacy and inherent feelings of anti-Semitism. This warm feeling of being loved, says Aly, made the masses overlook the Reichs evil, murderous side and turn a blind eye to the blood on its hands.



As you trudge towards the modern exit gates of the camp, on the grey wall nearby is a commemorative quote from one of the prisoners that declares that the world cannot exist without remembering all the people who were murdered with complete contempt and hate. But, can the world exist without a repetition of those dark days?




Chatterjee is all set to pass on baton to son





Walking into Sushil Kumar Chatterjees room is like walking through time, like stepping into a different era, or, many eras at the same time. An early 18th-century sundial, a video camera dating back to World War I and a grandfather clock are among the variety of objects that dot Chatterjees small attic room. A collection built over decades, the nonagenarian makes it a point to wipe clean these objects every day, first thing in the morning.



Chatterjee, better known in his north Kolkata neighbourhood as Naku-babu, is a product of Bengal's landed gentry. The scion of an old money family, he inherited a substantial wealth and instead of wasting it on nautch girls, sozzled soirees and a variety of other paths his peers or ancestors would have taken, the 92-year-old decided to use his inheritance to fuel his interest of all that is mechanical and breathed new life into such things.



His family members recount with a note of affection how the nonagenarian wakes up every day at the crack of dawn, washes away the remnants of the previous night's sleep and sets out to his attic with a red-cloth duster in his hand. His advanced age notwithstanding, he takes paternal care of each object that dots the room, along with another bigger room on the second floor.



Even the 60 sqft room he sleeps in has such curios strewn all over and even stacked all around his old-style mahogany bed. His collections include a wall clock of Swiss make that dates back to the 18th century, a speaker system that was once used in a cinema hall after silent films made way for 'talkies' in 1900, a signal lantern from 1870 rail guards used to communicate with train drivers and even a pocket microscope from 1912 scientists used to study samples while on field.



The objects Chatterjee collected over the years are as varied and as numerous that even the large, leather-bound ledger book, used by clerks of the East India Company, will run out of pages to record an inventory of his collection.



The attic room, along with another room next to his bedroom, is filled with such curios and at first glance, gives the impression of a dump. A closer look, however, reveals that it is more like a museum and is a repertory of technological innovations in the last three centuries. From projectors dating back to the early days of cinema, microscopes, compasses, wireless sets, cameras, radios, watches and a variety of other items are kept in a manner that suggest method in madness.



Despite their advanced age, much like Chatterjee himself, they are all in working condition. Even though when he found most of these objects did not function, painstaking repair work and their regular maintenance have turned each of them usable even in the age of touch screens and drones. A science graduate from Scottish Church College, alma mater of luminaries such as Swami Vivekananda and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, among many others, Chatterjee has a penchant for collecting and repairing mechanical objects, which are to most people way past their expiry date.



With eight years from scoring a century, Chatterjee finds it funny that the modern generation is so quick in discarding things just because they are a little banged up. These objects are a lot like me, old but still usable, he says with a smile. Chatterjee started showing his knack for curios at an early age and by the time he was in his teens, he had collected objects of everyday use but considered much past their shelf lives.



His passion gave way to a collection that includes a table-top brass calling bell used by British indigo planters in the 19th century, a magic lantern from 17th century Italy, used to educate and entertain girl children and a sundial clock, attached to a compass, used by captains of Australian Navy ships in the 19th century.



A brass paperweight and a brass paper clip from 18th century, an ink pot of unknown date, sea-shell buttons from 1777 used in shirts worn by early British settlers to India, a pair of headphones made in 1926 by the renowned English electronics company British Thomson-Houston, and a 1930 Swiss stopwatch by ROCAR all find place of pride in his collection.



Chatterjee also possesses a black stone idol of Hindu deity Krishna dating back to 1850, he received as a gift from a Bulgarian woman. The collection also has around 3,000 music records made of shellac.



Pressed between 1900 and 1925, Chatterjee continues to listen to these records in a turntable from the same era that he repaired himself. Chatterjee reminisced how in the 1950s, when he was in his thirties, he went on a road trip through India, Nepal and Bhutan on a 1939 BMW motorbike his family owned. It was during this trip that he picked up some of his prized possessions, including a still-operational 16 mm video camera dating back to World War I and a 16 mm film projector.



I was fortunate enough to have been born into an affluent family and never did anything particular for a living. My familys wealth allowed me to pursue my passion and I jumped at the opportunity, he said. Barring a few stints as an actor in troupes that performed jatra (folk theatre) and even some small roles in Bengali films in the 1950s, besides part-time jobs in some mercantile firms, he was steadfast on his collection. And even at 92, his eyes sparkle with pride and affection, when he shows off his strange collection.



Chatterjee, however, lamented that shortage of space in his house forced him to give away or sell some objects he collected. He also regretted never maintaining an inventory, which resulted in him forgetting the history of many of the objects in his collection. These things take me back to a different era, reminds me of days that are gone forever. I sometimes close my eyes and feel transported to the past and if I speak to these objects, they sometimes speak back to me. It is hard to express my feelings in words, he said.



What started with Chatterjee picking up stones from streets at the age of 10 just because of their strange shapes turned into a collection that will make almost any museum in the world envious. But he is unwilling to let the government take over his collection. They cannot even take care of Rabindranath Tagores Nobel Prize medal, he complained. The collection has found a future caretaker in the form of Chatterjees eldest son, who shares his fathers love for old mechanical objects. Ive instilled in him a love for my collection. He has promised to look after my collection, the nonagenarian said.




At its first meeting, the Tamil Nadu Cabinet today decided to recommend late AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa for 'Bharat Ratna', the highest civilian honour of the country, and to propose to the Centre to install her life-size bronze statue in Parliament complex.





At the meeting chaired by Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and a small portrait of Jayalalithaa on the table, a number of decisions were taken to honour the late Chief Minister.



"A resolution was adopted in the Cabinet to recommend to the Centre to award Bharat Ratna to honourable Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa," an official statement said.



It was also proposed in the Cabinet meeting to raise a memorial building for the leader at the MGR Memorial site, where she was laid to rest.



The Cabinet also resolved to rename the memorial as Dr Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Selvi J Jayalalithaa Memorial.



The Cabinet also proposed to unveil a portrait of the leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.



The meeting condoled Jayalalithaa's death saying the 68-year-old leader had dedicated her life for the betterment of the people of Tamil Nadu, and help the state take giant strides in sectors like social welfare, education and growth.



"We promise to work in the path laid down by Amma who is now watching us perform" from Marina where she was buried, the Ministers said, condoling her death.



She was an "unparallelled leader" in the sense that she was AIADMK General Secretary for 28 of her 35 years of public service, a seven-time MLA and leading the party to many victories including the 2011 and 2016 assembly polls and 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the resolution said.



She had overcomed many challenges presented by rivals and had ruled the state with the sole motive of people's welfare, it added.



It said Jayalalithaa had donated gold jewelleries she was wearing to the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri during the 1965 Indo-Pak war.



Tracing her life from her being born to Sandhya-Jayaram in 1948, it said Jayalalithaa grew to be a bright student in school and excelled in arts like music and dance.



She was even lauded by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for her speeches in Rajya Sabha on issues including internal security, it said.



Earlier, Panneerselvam and other Ministers paid floral tributes to Jayalalithaa's portrait and then held the meeting.
As the third edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) opens on Monday, the narrative discourse of the popular contemporary art festival could be defined by a coming-together of diverse artistic expressions in a space of synergy.





Eminent contemporary artist Sudarshan Shetty, the curator of KMB 2016, says the third editiontitled Forming in the pupil of an eye will showcase diverse approaches to art, its sensibilities and practices.



Selecting from and bringing together a multiplicity of disparate sources of material, the artists gather and layer all the complexity of the world into their representations of it. Forming in the pupil of an eye is an assembly and layering of multiple realities, says his curatorial statement.



The Biennale will run for 108 days (till March 29, 2017) and feature performances and production of 97 artists from 36 countries. The final list of artists, across disciplines, released by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) includes writers, dancers, poets, musicians, theatre practitioners and visual artists.



The event will be spread across 12 venues in Fort Kochi-Mattanchery, Ernakulam and Kodungallur. The KBF uses restored heritage properties, defunct warehouses, public spaces and galleries as venues for the event.



The main exhibition will be complemented with programmes including the Students Biennale featuring works of over 470 students from 55 art schools across India. The daily tickets priced at Rs 100 each (Rs 50 for students) provide access to all venues.



Most of the works on display will be new, some of them shipped in, some done on site and some, including an expansive mural coming up at the Aspinwall House, to be completed during the course of the event.



Sophie Dejode and Bertrand Lacombe (installation, France), Daniele Galliano (painting, Italy), Pedro Gomez-Egana (installation, Colombia/Norway), Sergio Chefjec (text installation, Argentina/ USA), Mikhail Karikis (video, Greece/ UK), Desmond Lazaro (installation, UK/India) and Gary Hill (video, sculpture and installation, USA) are among artists showcased at KMB 2016.



Bonny Thomas, KBF Trustee and research coordinator, says the Biennale is evolving with time and the vision brought in by its successive curators. This edition is also pegged to diversity in art and features litterateurs and artists who practise in unconventional forms and styles, he says.



Acclaimed Chilean poet-revolutionary Raul Zurita will be the Biennales first artist. The KBF states that the decision to host Zurita is a nod to Keralas intimate relation with Latin American art and culture.



It also reflects a continuing effort to expand the scope of the Biennale by featuring talents outside of the conventional painting-and-sculpture spaces. Chinese poet Ouyang Jianghe, painter-poet from Mexico Valerie Mejer Casoand Slovenian poet-novelist Ales Steger are among artists featured in this edition.



KMB 2016 (www.kochimuzirisbiennale.org ) will feature works of 36 Indian artists, among them acclaimed cartoonist E P Unny, eminent Malayalam writer Anand and graphic artist Orijit Sen. Stage performances by Anamika Haksar and Kalakshetra Manipur, Sangam poetry recitals, dance performances and print-making are among the events.



Bengaluru-based Avinash Veeraraghavan, who works on graphic books, digital photo-montage and multi-channel video installations, will display works in embroidery and video at the Biennale. The 12 venues are Aspinwall House, Pepper House, Kashi Art Cafe, Cabral Yard, David Hall, Durbar Hall, MAP Project Space, Anand Warehouse, TKM Warehouse, Kashi Art Gallery, Cochin Club and Kottapuram Fort in Kodungallur.



The KBF had, in November, appointed Manju Sara Rajan as its CEO. Even as the foundation oversees last-lap arrangements ahead of Indias only biennale, its hard to miss the impact demonetisation of high-value currency notes has had on the event.



Some of the installations have not been completed because there were issues related to payment to workers on the site. We hope that they are completed by the time the Biennale picks pace, says a member of the organising team.



The 2012 and 2014 editions of the Biennale had about three lakh and five lakh visitors respectively; the organisers hope to see a rise in footfall despite the demonetisations reported effect on tourism sector. The tourist numbers are also crucial. The Biennale, while showcasing art, is also pegged to the idea of culture tourism, says the member.



The KBF has entered into an agreement with headload workers unions which effects a 30% reduction from the 2014 edition in rates for installing and unloading artworks. In April last year, Waswo X Waswo, a US-born Rajasthan-based photographer-writer had posted a video on YouTube in which he was seen destroying articles from his installation exhibited in KMB 2014, in a protest against unreasonable demands by headload workers.



KMB 2016 will feature seminars, talks, workshops, film screenings and music sessions. Under the segment Artists Cinema, narrative, documentary and experimental films curated by filmmakers and film scholars will be screened. The 2016 edition will have nine curators in the segment.



Cinema Travellers, a Cannesprize-winning Marathi-Hindi documentary feature by Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya, will be the opening film. The KBF also runs Art by Children, an art education initiative covering 100 schools across the states 14 districts.






As technology has been fast replacing conventional methods, Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) is all set to receive complaints online from January.





Addressing a gathering during Human Rights Day organised at the deputy commissioners office on Saturday here, Secretary to the commission Madhu Sharma said, The commission will be launching facility towards online registration of complaints, with computerisation of the office underway.



The officer, who described it as a big change in the making, said the new facility will be in addition to the existing system where complaints are being received offline, with an average of 30 to 40 complaints received everyday. Pointing at the Police department, the officer said, 50% of cases received at the commission are still against the police, making accusations of illegal detention, ill treatment and also arrest. However not all are genuine cases.



However, unlike previous years, there has been a phenomenal change among the police personnel, who become more humane after attending the training sessions at the commission, the officer added.



Scientific methods



Earlier, Additional SP of Dakshina Kannada Dr C B Vedamurthy who elaborated on reforms in the set up, especially after the declaration of human rights day, said, Scientific methods of investigation has taken precedence over third degree method in probing the cases. A chapter on human rights is already included in the training module at police training schools.



Principal District and Sessions Court Judge K S Beelagi said, Human rights are being violated since time immemorial. Mention must be made of South Africa, where white americans practiced apartheid, ill treating blacks, that led to a revolution with Nelson Mandela taking the lead for the cause of blacks.



Students of St Agnes College took part in the programme in large numbers.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Kumara, Senior Civil Judge Mallanagowda also the member secretary of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), DCP (Law and Order) K M Shantharaju, deputy secretary, zilla panchayat, N R Umesh, human rights activist Balakrishna Rai and principal of St Agnes College Sr Jeswina were present.




Centre on Saturday announced that it would provide 90% subsidy to community radios in North-east and 75% funding for the ones started elsewhere in the country.





The prevailing rules allow the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) ministry to offer 50% subsidy for the investment slab of Rs 7.5 lakh for starting community radios.



I&B Minister M Venkaiah Naidu announced this at a state ministers conference, where he also revealed that the Centre would start a dedicated Doordarshan channel for the Northeastern states by first the half of January, with an aim to show the richness, variety and diversity of the local culture and seamlessly integrate it with the rest of the country.



Naidu said the I&B Ministry would draft an Information and Communication policy based on peoples needs, hold consultation on the draft with the states and finalise it.



Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, Naidu denied that there is any communication from the Uttar Pradesh government on starting a news channel for the state.



No direct communication (from UP govt). Why are they communicating through you (media)? Naidu asked.
The Supreme Court has advised judges not to enter the domain of executives and indulge in policy making by passing generalised directions.





It said the courts must confine themselves to adjudication of the dispute in question only.



A judge should not perceive a situation in a generalised manner. He ought not to wear a pair of spectacles so that he can see what he intends to see. There has to be a set of facts to express an opinion and that too, within the parameters of law, a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy said.



The apex court did not appreciate certain directions issued by the Allahabad High Court for separating investigation and prosecution wing of the Uttar Pradesh, saying those fell in the legislative domain and some of them were beyond the scope of litigation.



The Uttar Pradesh government challenged the directions issued by the high court, saying those required amendment into the Criminal Procedure Code and the Indian Penal Code before implementation.



The directions may definitely show some anxiety on part of the judges, but it is to be remembered that directions are not issued solely out of concern. They have to be founded on certain legally justifiable principles that have roots in the laws of the country, the bench said.



We are of the convinced opinion that the high court has crossed the boundaries of the controversy that was before it. The courts are required to exercise the power of judicial review regard being had to the controversy before it. There may be a laudable object in the mind but it must flow from the facts before it or there has to be a specific litigation before it, the bench said.



The top court set aside the high courts judgement and reminded the state government that it is their duty to maintain law and order and if there is a failure, the executive is to be blamed.






Chief Justice of India Justice T S Thakur expressed anguish after a group of lawyers started raising their voice during a hearing on Friday on petitions relating to demonetisation.





What kind of memory will I take back, he asked after the counsel started arguing simultaneously, creating chaos.



Justice Thakur, presiding over a three-judge bench, warned the counsel if they continued to behave like that, he would adjourn the matter.



You want the court to proceed or not? Then you have to behave. There has to be some decorum, this is not a fish market, he said angrily.



Justice Thakur reminded the counsel to look towards their seniors like Kapil Sibal, P Chidambaram and Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to learn court decorum.



In 23 years as a judge, I have not seen such behaviour. This is the last week as a judge and I would be going with a heavy heart. What kind of decorum is this? This is CJIs court and yet no decorum. You cant be allowed this kind of behaviour, the CJI said.



Justice Thakur is set to retire on January 3.

The CJI had on December 2 also warned the counsel against creating chaos during the hearing. The court had then favoured for categorising the petitions relating to demonetisation.



On Friday, the court also indicated it would consider on December 14 a plea by the Attorney General to transfer various petitions filed in different high courts to the apex court.



CJI Thakur: In 23 years as a judge, I have not seen such behaviour. This is the last week as a judge and I would be going with a heavy heart. What kind of decorum is this? This is CJIs court and yet no decorum. You cant allow this kind of behaviour


As former Air Force chief S P Tyagi was sent to CBI custody for four days by a Delhi court on Saturday in the AugustaWestland scam, a political blame-game has begun on the issue.





While Congress leader K T S Tulsi questioned the timing of Tyagis arrest, the BJP went all out against the opposition party, demanding that Rahul Gandhi disclose the name of the UPA politician who received kickbacks in the Rs 3,600-crore deal.



Investigators have claimed that Tyagi, along with his cousin Sanjeev alias Julie Tyagi and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan, had allegedly received kickbacks to swing the deal in favour of the UK-based helicopter maker.



The first service chief  acting or retired  to be arrested, Tyagi was questioned for over four hours by the CBI on Friday before being produced in a court on Saturday.



The court also remanded Sanjeev Tyagi and Gautam Khaitan in four-day CBI custody. The CBI sought 10 days custody of Tyagi, his brother Sanjeev and lawyer Khaitan, arguing that it was a very large conspiracy having international ramifications.



However, the defence counsel opposed the plea citing that the case was registered three years ago and there was no fresh ground for the arrests.



Tyagis counsel said the decision to purchase the VVIP choppers was a collective decision and the then Prime Ministers Office was also part of it. The counsel appearing for the other two accused also opposed the CBIs remand. the CBI, however, alleged that Khaitan was the brain behind how the bribe money reached India and several firms through which the money travelled came into existence and Sanjeev was known to European middleman Carlo Gerosa. Noting that facts about Tyagis role were in the public domain for two years, Swaraj India leader Prashant Bhushan said, Now, suddenly, he has been arrested since this whole fiasco of demonetisation.



Bhushan said if the Centre was serious about weeding out corruption, then it should have launched an inquiry into deals signed by the Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand governments with AugustaWestland.



Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha described Tyagis arrest as unfortunate and said it had dented the reputation of the Air Force.



Very unfortunate that such an episode has taken place. It does dent our reputation as a professional force. But we believe in the rule of law, Raha told the media in Kolkata.



Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha: Very unfortunate that such an episode has taken place. It does dent our reputation as a professional force. But we believe in the rule of law
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday evening walked out of a cabinet meeting over difference with BJP ministers, indicating a major rift in the ruling alliance in Jammu and Kashmir.





The dispute over the cadre restructuring of gazetted police services, commonly known as the Kashmir Police Service (KPS), is believed to be the bone of contention.

BJP ministers reportedly opposed posting KPS officers as DIGs and above, a proposal mooted by the chief minister, who also holds the charge of the Home Department.



Sources said as soon Mehbooba left the meeting, BJP ministers met in the office of the Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, and later rushed to the chief ministers

residence.



The other issue which angered Mehbooba, sources said, was the opposition by BJP ministers to replace incumbent Chief Secretary B R Sharma with senior bureaucrat

B B Vyas. During the meeting, the deputy chief minister argued that they (BJP) will have to first seek consent from New Delhi, a source said.



Mehbooba took three months to commit to the alliance with the BJP after her fathers demise in January this year as the two parties agreed on a common agenda. But differences have started surfacing recently.



Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday dismissed reports that its officers had applied for a protest leave over the issue of delay in cadre restructuring.



On Saturday, rumors were flying thick and fast that KPS officers were contemplating to go on protest leave. However, a police spokesperson said none of its officers has applied for leave.



Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu also dismissed the reports that there were differences within the coalition government over the cadre restructuring of KPS.



The PDP leader said a Cabinet sub-committee, comprising members from both the parties, has been formed on the instructions of the chief minister to look into the issue.



There is a strong resentment in the entire middle-rung cadre of the Jammu and Kashmir Police as promotions at various levels have been held up by the Home Department, notwithstanding clearance from the top echelons of power. During the last budget session, Mehbooba had announced on the floor of the House that a separate cadre would be raised for the KPS within one month, similar to the Kashmir Administrative Service.




The state CID on Saturday arrested Kolkata-based industrialist Pawan Kumar Ruia from the national capital on charges of cheating.





Ruia was arrested on the basis of a complaint lodged by a deputy director of the Indian Railways for violating supply agreements.



According to the complaint, the Railways had supplied raw material and parts of wagons worth Rs 50 crore to Jessop, a company under the banner of the Ruia Group, but the company failed to meet the agreement terms.



While Ruia had bought companies like Jessop and Dunlop, an official communique from his group, however, said he held no shares in either of the two firms. The arrest came following an investigation by the CID, initiated a few months ago, after a series of fire accidents at the Jessop factory at Dumdum in east Kolkata.



Following this, the CID claimed to have unearthed mismanagement in the Railways order, which gained further credence after investigators visited the factory, accompanied by Railways officials, and found neither the raw materials nor the finished goods on the premises.



While the Railways deputy director lodged a complaint, Ruia moved the Calcutta High Court for anticipatory bail in both the cases lodged against him. The court ordered the CID not to take any stringent action against him, at the same time, asking Ruia to cooperate with the probe. He, however, failed to meet the police despite repeated notices.



Ruia had also sought an advance bail in the case filed by the Railways, but the high court wanted to hear the complainants side, too, and set it aside for hearing on December 12.



The CID, however, went ahead and arrested him under Sections 420, 406 and 409 of the Indian Penal Code. In an official statement, the Ruia Group refuted his involvement with Jessop. Mr Pawan K Ruia does not hold any position in Jessop & Co Ltd. He is neither a Director nor a Shareholder of the Company. He is not even an occupier of any of the Jessop premises, the statement read.
The state government has formed a committee under retired IAS officer M R Sreenivasa Murthy to suggest ways to give a facelift to the Department of Information and Public Relations, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.





Speaking after inaugurating the All India Public Communicators Workshop here on Saturday, Siddaramaiah said the committee was constituted following criticism about the departments functioning that questioned its very relevance. The government is committed to overhauling the department once the committee submits its recommendations, he added.



The chief minister said the state would co-operate with the Centre, which had proposed to formulate a new communication policy, that would also facilitate upgrading the department in Karnataka. Though the department has been trying to reach out to people through government policies and programmes, there is a need to adopt innovative methods to achieve the same, he said.



Siddaramaiah said his government endeavoured to uphold the cardinal principles of the Constitution (freedom of speech and expression) through various schemes to benefit the poor and the needy, especially the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, backward classes and minorities.



He said the role of the DIPR had undergone drastic changes with the introduction of new elements of Information, Education and Communication. This has heralded an era of a knowledge society, where the communicators role has gained significance.



The communicator caters to the needs of professional journalists as well as citizen journalists, he added.

DH News Service
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday described Prime Minister Narendra Modis refusal to give him an appointment to discuss drought in the state as against democratic principles.





He told reporters after garlanding the statue of S Nijalingappa on his birth anniversary at Vidhana Soudha that he wanted to apprise Modi on the severe drought in the state. The Centres help is necessary to provide relief to people affected by drought. But the Prime Minister refused to give an appointment, he charged.



Crops worth around Rs 17,000 crore have been damaged due to drought. The state is entitled to Rs 4,722 crore aid according to the Centres guidelines. Karnataka is witnessing severe drought for the second consecutive year. The water level in all reservoirs is low. The Centre should extend a special grant to the state government to help it cope with the situation, he added.



Besides, Siddaramaiah said he wanted to apprise Modi on the Mahadayi river water sharing issue. The Karnataka legislature recently held a detailed discussion on the issue and passed a resolution, he added.



Procedure not followed

BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, however, took exception to Siddaramaiahs comments and accused him of not following procedures to meet the prime minister. The appointment with the prime minister should be sought much in advance, he added.



The chief minister should have made proper preparations for meeting the prime minister. It is not proper to seek an appointment at such a short notice. The chief minister should do away with his habit of blaming Modi unnecessarily. We (BJP leaders) are ready to extend all co-operation to the state government in the interest of the state, he added.



BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje accused Siddaramaiah of not being serious in running the administration. The chief minister recently held a meeting with MPs of Karnataka in Delhi only as a formality. He had not made any preparations for the meeting, he charged.
At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pushing Indians to adopt digital technology for day-to-day transactions, people are frustrated by frequent technical glitches.





I have been using my international Visa card issued by State Bank of Mysore for many years. However, for the past two days, I have been unable to swipe my card at PoS (point of sales) machines at many retail outlets, a woman said on condition of anonymity.



The banks are closed today and tomorrow. Hence, I tried reaching the call centre four times but got no response. On the fifth attempt, after giving all details, the line got disconnected. How do I manage when there is no money in ATMs and banks are closed? What happens if somebody get hospitalised? she asked.



Put in place a good system then go for a revolutionary change, she advised the Prime Minister.



State Bank of Mysore general manager Nemiraja H C said, There might be a connectivity error. However, our IT department will take up the matter and resolve the issue immediately.



We have launched a customer-friendly initiative called SMS Unhappy', which will allow customers to express dissatisfaction regarding services of the bank by sending a cellular message 'unhappy'. The unhappy' message should be sent to 9900020002, Nemiraja added.



Other bankers neither attended calls nor responded to the SMS sent to them.

A user who has four cards, said he was unable to use his UCO Bank card at any ATM on Friday while he was able to withdraw using his HDFC Bank and Axis Bank cards.



While he was able to make an Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) transfer using his mobile from his HDFC account to his Axis Bank account, he got a message saying the transfer to his SBI account was declined due to technical issue at beneficiary bank end.



Another user of an Axis Bank had a similar problem. He could use the card for online transactions but it did not work at PoS machines. I have been getting messages like check your pin code or pick-up card. The fact is that I never changed the pin code and the card is still valid to be termed a pick-up card, he said.

DH News Service
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into the murder of RSS worker R Rudresh. It took over the case on December 8 on the direction of the Ministry of Home Affairs.





The Bengaluru police is investigating the case for offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, as amended, as the crime was a terrorist act, committed with a motive to strike terror in the minds of common citizens. A team of officers of the NIA will reach Bengaluru shortly to visit the crime scene and commence the investigation. The NIA will place the FIR before the NIA special court at Bengaluru (sic), the NIA said in a statement.



The agency has re-registered the case at the NIA police station, Hyderabad. Rudresh was hacked to death with a machete by two men on a motorcycle on K Kamaraj Road on October 16, 2016. Police arrested five people, including a PFI leader.
After years of neglect, the Leprosy Hospital on Magadi Road is set to get a facelift with the state government planning to renovate it at Rs 88 lakh.



The Karnataka Health System Development and Reform Project, funded by the World Bank, sent a proposal to the Department of Health and Family Welfare in November-end to renovate the hospital.



While Rs 45 lakh is estimated to be spent on upgrading and renovating the operation theatre, Rs 40 lakh is the approximate cost for general repair of the hospital, said Dr S Pushparaj, Joint Director, Leprosy, Department of Health and Family Welfare.



The hospital has been in a bad shape ever since the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited demolished a part of the compound wall six years ago for building the western stretch of Namma Metros Purple Line. The construction debris is still strewn all around the hospital.



The inner sections of the hospital arent any better. The walls of the building cracked recently, forcing the staff to shift the patients to a smaller ward. Heavy equipment has been moved into the hospital building for construction of Arogya Bhavan that will house the proposed health commissionerate, a source in the hospital said.



The operation theatre needs to be upgraded. Unlike in other hospitals, the operation theatre at Leprosy Hospital has no Hepa air filters which are required to keep the room sanitised. This is just one of the shortcomings. The century-old hospital has not been upgraded for a long time, the source said and revealed that ministers and high-ranking officials rarely visit the hospital because of the stigma attached with leprosy. During the renovation, patients with deformities will be operated at the government-run KC General and Victoria hospitals. Ten beds in each hospital will be reserved to isolate patients, the source added.

DH News Service

Downsizing for leprosy programme

With a reduction in leprosy cases over the years, the state government is gradually downsizing its leprosy programme by closing sub-centres and retaining only district centres. Accordingly, five staffers of each district hospital will be trained to treat leprosy. During an extensive testing across Karnataka in September 2016, as many as 137 new cases came to light. Of them, 121 are from Ballari and 16 from Chamarajanagar. The government has decided to prescribe the antibiotic Rifampicin to prevent bacterial infection to those who may come in contact with a leprotic person.
CaseyGerry partners Thomas Penfield and Robert Francavilla, a Carmel Valley resident, were recognized recently as Outstanding Trial Lawyers at the Consumer Attorneys of San Diegos (CASD) annual Evening with the Trial Stars Awards Dinner held at the U.S. Grant Hotel (www.usgrant.net).

The award was presented to the longtime CaseyGerry partners based on their successful work on a case against American Reprographics, LLC, a digital reproduction firm whose truck driver hit a young Carlsbad woman crossing the street, causing a serious and permanent foot injury. Following a three-day trial, a Vista Superior Court jury ordered the San Diego company to pay $425,741.67 in damages to the plaintiff.

According to CASD, a local organization of trial lawyers dedicated to preserving and protecting the legal rights of consumers, the Outstanding Trial Lawyer Awards are given to attorneys responsible for an outstanding verdict in connection with a jury trial involving a civil or criminal matter. Criteria include ingenuity, liability aspects, service to the community and the amount of the verdict.

With a practice concentrating on serious personal injury/head injury and products liability, Francavilla is now a six-time winner of CASDs Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award and has been named one of the Top 25 Plaintiffs Lawyers in California by the Los Angeles Daily Journal.

Penfield has significant experience in personal injury, products liability, class actions and civil litigation; he is an adjunct professor of law at the University of San Diego (USD) School of Law and is one of a handful of California attorneys named a Diplomate of Trial Advocacy by the American Association for Justice.

For more information, visit www.caseygerry.com.
Imad Dandan, M.D., trauma medical director at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, has received the Outstanding Service Award from American University of Beirut (AUB) Surgical Alumni of North America.

Dandan, a native of Lebanon, earned his medical degree from American University of Beirut Medical School and has remained active with the medical school over the years as a visiting professor and volunteer. His contributions include helping to establish an endoscopy unit for bariatric surgeons and a simulation center for training surgical residents.

The Carmel Valley resident was presented with the AUB alumni award during the recent American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress annual conference in Washington, D.C. Former Scripps Health Chief Medical Officer A. Brent Eastman, M.D., who is also a former ACS president, was the guest of honor at the ceremony.

Dandan began his career as a trauma surgeon at Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego in 1990. In 1996, he accepted the position of assistant professor of surgery at AUB. He returned to Scripps in 2001. For more information, visit www.scripps.org.
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Jody Sleppy, 53, of Bethel, AK, passed away suddenly on November 10, 2016, with his family by his side, in Anchorage, AK.

Jody Greg Sleppy was born on August 12, 1963, in Denver Colorado to John and JoAnn Sleppy. His parents were missionaries and moved the family to Alaska in 1969. He attended and graduated from Bethel Regional High School in 1981. Jody majored in Music at Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College in San Dimas, California. He graduated from PCBBC in 1985. It was at bible college that Jody met the love of his life, Sheri Johnston. They were married on August 15, 1987, in Oregon.

Jody held many titles, including pastor, son, brother, husband, father, and friend. The things that interested him most were reading, traveling, spending time with his family, singing, and helping those in need.

Jody is preceded in death by his dad, John Sleppy and grandparents, Jerome and Ruby Sleppy, and John and Anna Strausz.

Jody is survived by his wife, Sheri; children, Karissa, Lauren, Michael, and Caleb; sisters, Joni Tingue, Jonda Sleppy and Joyce Sleppy; and mother, JoAnn.

Memorial service for Jody was on Saturday November 26, 2016 at Gladys Jung Elementary School. The family of Jody wishes to extend their sincere thanks to all of those who have given of their heartfelt time, words, and gifts.

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by Peter Twitchell

Life gets interesting as I age. First, Ill admit time flew by from my youth to my retirement age. I have to admit again that it seems like its slowed down to where time stand still! Sometimes 15 minutes of the hour feel like an eternity!

I remember when I was a teenager listening to the record album, Gary Lewis and the Playboys where his father Jerry Lewis, the famous actor and comedian sings Time stands still.

Im just wondering if Im feeling what he was feeling when he sang that song and I dont believe its a coincidence. I believe when we think of time as slowing down or standing still is accurate and Ill reflect on this now.

Im just thinking right this moment I must be in my golden years!

I never worry about what tomorrow will bring. I just know its going to come and I must make the best of each day I have. I always feel that tomorrow is going to be a better day.

When I think about the saying The Golden Years without fail it seems like my past since childhood was golden in years growing up, to the present time.

Especially the things I hold dear to my heart and my mind like my family, my friends, and people I know that are not here anymore. All these memories are treasures and precious  65 plus years ago to this moment in my life.

Because of the past I can say today the friends and family I have presently are more precious than gold.

Its like waking up to the facts and events that happened that transformed my life to where life is more precious, awesome, and can never be replaced by anything else including the current cycle of life I am experiencing.

I can only add to the fact that life gets better as you get older. I am confident this phase of my life and what is to come was ordained by the Almighty Creator God and this realization that I have a life thats worth living and am enjoying to the fullest.

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by Mary Catharine Martin

It was past midnight one night in August, 2018 that the film crew and their Alaskan guides, out shooting for a Netflix documentary series called Night on Earth, found themselves sitting in the dark, surrounded by wolves.

They were next to a salmon stream in the Tongass National Forest, wearing night vision goggles and filming with thermal imaging cameras, attempting to capture something that hadnt yet been previously captured on film: wolves catching salmon at night.

Back in Juneau, I was waiting to hear from them, because this is a personal story, too: the lead guide, Bjorn Dihle, is my partner. Hed been excited to scout out locations for wolves, but was also measured in his optimism about their chance of success. No matter how hungry a wolf is for a salmon, theyre generally exceptionally wary of humans.

Dan Kirkwood is the manager at Pack Creek Bear Tours, where Bjorn works. When Dan first got the call inquiring about the possibility of a night shoot, he was hiking down from a Southeast Alaska mountain, checking a camera trap hed set up for wolves. At first he thought, This is impossible. The odds are just insanely long.

But they agreed to try, and Bjorn headed down early to scout the area theyd chosen.

I didnt know where or if I would find the right spot, so I scouted the majority of the watershed as far as the salmon were spawning, Bjorn told me. Because it was also on a stream with brown bears, I was looking for an area that was relatively open, so that we could mitigate bear encounters by having some time to communicate with them.

Eventually, he came across a spot that seemed pretty promising: he not only saw a wolf there, he saw wolf tracks, wolf scat, wolf beds, and 50 or 60 salmon with their heads removed. (Wolves are more sensitive than bears to parasites that can live in the rest of the salmon.)

All of that was no guarantee, however, that the wolves would emerge when the team of three was there.

When dark fell, the alpha male and the alpha female showed themselves at dusk about 100 yards away. When they saw the three men, the wolves retreated.

And then as soon as it got dark, the wolves came out and felt comfortable coming within 10, 15 yards of us because they believed we couldnt see them, Bjorn said. Without the goggles, you would have said Oh, there was a bird there. Theyre so quiet  you wouldnt have known.

You can see the animals like theyre lit up with the night goggles, because theyre just glowing against nothing, Dan said. Without them, you cant see anything. The trickle of the stream, the finning of the fish as theyre swimming upstream, and pretty constant wolf howling all night it was very surreal, because I was seeing it through a screen the whole time, with the exception of the wolves that came out at dusk and in the morning.

The next morning, as they were hiking out, a small female wolf trailed them.

She kind of turned the tables on us, Bjorn said. When we finally stopped and realized she was trailing us at literally 20 yards, she just hung out for several minutes. Even lay down.

I was really surprised at how some of the wolves decided to really not be too bothered by us, Dan said.

As a guide, Bjorn pointed to the growing importance of experiences like this, and films like this, to Alaskas economy. Bears also feature in the filming.

Wildlife and wild places are going to be a way bigger resource in the future as the world becomes more industrialized, and I think we need to have way more of an emphasis on preserving these wild places, he said. Its ridiculous that Southeast Alaska only has a couple of bear-viewing places. Thats why people come here. Its huge, whether its hunting, fishing, wildlife films or just tourism.

Salmon, he said, were also central to the shoot.

The only reason why we were able to get the footage we were and be safe around bears is because we had such a good salmon run, Bjorn said. Its all about salmon.

Mary Catharine Martin is the communications director of SalmonState, a nonprofit initiative that works to ensure Alaska remains a place wild salmon thrive.

How to watch

Night on Earth is streaming on Netflix. This shoot is part of the last episode in the series, at minute 35.

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June 10, 2020: As a result of a community grant made by ConocoPhillips, The Salvation Army was able to provide the Southwestern Alaska community of Bethel with 14,000 pounds of food. The food was distributed to over 200 residents of Bethel as part of The Salvation Armys Service Extension program. This food was a wonderful gift to people at just the right time in our community, said Michelle Dewitt, Bethel Community Foundation Executive Director.

In locations where The Salvation Army does not have a physical presence, a service unit helps address community needs with the support of local volunteers. In Bethel, The Salvation Army helps address food insecurity, providing vouchers to the local grocery stores and a weekend backpack feeding program for school children. The program works with other organizations to identify those in Bethel and neighboring communities most in need of assistance.

Although The Salvation Army may not be able to maintain a Corps in every community, we are happy to be able to provide the support we can to those in need through community partnerships, said Major John Brackenbury, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army in Alaska. We would not have been able to provide to the families and children in need in the community of Bethel without the generosity of supporters like ConocoPhillips.

At Gladys Jung Elementary, backpacks with easy to prepare food are available for the weekend every Friday for kids who may have gone without otherwise. We at the school, are so thankful, for the huge contribution The Salvation Army is making, said Jackie Kjelka, who coordinates the backpack program. I am so humbled and thankful for all your hard work of shopping and shipping for these kids.

As we all work through this difficult time, its important that we help each other. As a business with deep roots in the state, we are very concerned about the ability of Alaskans to make it through this trying period. We were pleased to be able to support The Salvation Armys purchase of food for Bethel families, said Joe Marushack, president of ConocoPhillips Alaska. We applaud The Salvation Army and their services that assist so many Alaskans and communities throughout our state.

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The Bethel Sprint Mushers Club hosted a 12-mile race last Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22-23rd, 2019. Winning with the fastest elapsed time overall was Greg Larson of Napaskiak. He posted the fastest time on Day 1 of the race and the second fastest on Day 2 to win with an overall time of 58:32.

Coming in second was Joe Demantle of Tuluksak. He had the fastest time on Day 2 which was 28:34. His overall time was 59:19.

The race began on Charles Lake in Bethel and followed the historic Atmautluak Trail, with a turn around at mile 6 and then back to Charles Lake.

The Red Lantern award went to Jeffrey Chingliak of Akiachak.

Bethel Sprint Club 12 mile Race Results

Musher Day 1 Day 2 Total

1 Greg Larson 29:40 28.52 58:32

2 Joe Demantle 30:45 28:34 59:19

3 George Manutoli 32:09 29:16 1:01:25

4 John George 32:18 30:43 1:03:01

5 Cameron Jackson 33:28 30:08 1:03:36

6 Nicholai Napoka 33:44 30:50 1:04:34

7 Mike Williams Jr. 33:32 31:47 1:05:19

8 Lewis Pavilla 33:38 32:38 1:06:17

9 Nicholai Ayapan 34:27 31:57 1:06:26

10 Jackie Larson 32:45 34:17 1:07:03

11 Gilbert Phillip 33:49 32:32 1:07:03

12 Jim George 34:22 32:58 1:07:20

13 Ernest Phillip 33:49 34:22 1:08:11

14 Elden Westdahl 37:10 37:08 1:14:18

15 Jeffrey Chingliak 35:53 43:32 1:19:25

Photos of the race are posted at www.deltadiscovery.com.

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A City of Bethel action memorandum No. 21-36 to accept and approve the FY 2022 State of Alaska, Designated Legislative Grant, approved by the 32nd Legislature for the Design of the Yukon Kuskokwim Fitness Center gym and track in the amount of $500,000 was approved by council during their November 9th, 2021 regular meeting.

The State of Alaskas 32nd Legislature approved a $500,000 capital budget award to the City of Bethel for the design of a gym and track to be part of the YK Fitness Center. The YK Fitness Center was constructed with the intention of adding a gymnasium on to it in the future. A feasibility study is currently being prepared by DOWL and Agnew::Beck Consulting.

The grant performance period is July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2026. There is no match required from the City of Bethel. AM 21-36 was introduced by City Manager Pete Williams.

The City received the grant award letter dated September 8th, 2021 from the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development notifying the City of the funding.

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The Shot at Dawn Memorial, Staffordshire, UK A century ago today in the Great War, Second Lieutenant A century ago today in the Great War, Second Lieutenant Eric Poole laid down his life at the city hall of a Belgian border town





As it was put by the sadly defunct Shot At Dawn site ( still preserved at the Wayback Machine ), The cemetery register of Poperinghe New Military Cemetery states that Lt. Eric Skeffington Poole died of wounds on 10 December 1916. Tactfully, it omits to record also that his death was caused by a British Army firing squad.





A Canadian-born engineer, Poole had enlisted in the very first weeks of the war and been commissioned an officer by May 1915.





In July of 1916, a falling artillery shell struck so close that its concussion knocked Poole down, spattering him with earth. He was hospitalized for shellshock but returned to duty in September  still complaining of rheumatism and feeling damned bad.





One night in October as his unit moved up to a forward trench, Poole disappeared from it  nobody knows how or when, but he wasnt there when it mustered at its new position at midnight. He was detained two days later, wandering well west of the trenches, a leather jacket hiding his privates tunic  in a very dazed condition, an officer who interviewed him would later remember. From conversation which I had with him I came to the conclusion he was not responsible for his actions. He was very confused indeed.





Evidence collected in Pooles desertion trial pointed to a man taxed beyond his capacities by command responsibility and the strain of two years at war. His division commander recommended against the court martial, for Poole was not really accountable for his actions. He is of nervous temperament, useless in action, and dangerous as an example to the men  but still could [be] usefully employed at home in instructional duties or in any minor administrative work, not involving severe strain of the nerves. Another captain in his battalion described him as somewhat eccentric, and markedly lacking in decision and liable under pressure to become so mentally confused that he would not be responsible for his actions.





By the book the mans irresolute midnight ramble was a clear instance of abdicating duty, but Pooles weakness was apparent enough to trouble the court that tried him for desertion  not only to solicit this and other testimony from his comrades about the lieutenants state of mind but even to remark from its own observation that his mental powers [were] less than average. He appears dull under cross examination, and his perception is slow. Perhaps this was fellow-feeling by other officers that would not have been extended to a mere grunt; if so, what was a mitigating consideration for the court made Pooles execution a in the eyes of Field Marshal Haig : Such a case is more serious in the case of an officer than a man, and it is also highly important that all ranks should realise the law is the same for an officer as a private. Two years in, and somehow not one officer had suffered such a punishment; Shot At Dawn speculated that military courts recent shocking verdict excusing Captain John Bowen-Colthurst on grounds of insanity for an atrocity in Ireland had also raised pressure on the armed forces to show that British officers stood not above the law.*





The British army executed 306 of its own soldiers during World War I. Among them, Poole was the first of only three officers.





* The War Offices decision not to publicize his fate (and the euphemistic reference in the cemetery register) would seem sharply at odds with any intended demonstrative effect.





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Source: Executed Today , December 10, 2016
October 30, 2022

Holidays are about making memories and there are so many reasons why visiting Walt Disney World during the holidays is a must-do. Now more than ever, in this fast-paced world, its so important to take that time to give experiences to your families because in doing so, you will be creating memories that will last a
Inflation, abortion on voters' minds ahead of upcoming election

What are the most important issues for Ohio voters? We canvassed the state as the midterm election nears. Here's what we learned.
The director of the public defender's office that represented Alabama Death Row inmate Ronald Bert Smith, who was executed Thursday night , believes the execution was "botched" and that Smith felt pain as he died.





The Alabama Department of Corrections disagreed and said the execution went according to its protocol.





Either way, the execution is likely to become an issue in lawsuits by death row inmates who claim the first drug in Alabama's lethal injection procedure doesn't ease the pain for the two fatal drugs that follow. The inmates claim the state's lethal injection method is unconstitutional and represents cruel and unusual punishment.





During a 13-minute portion of Thursday night's execution Smith's chest heaved, he appeared to gasp for breath, and at one point his left hand clinched before he stopped moving.





"I think it was botched," said Christine Freeman, executive director of the Federal Public Defender's Office in Montgomery which represented Smith in his appeals. She was one of the execution witnesses on Thursday.





The Alabama Department of Corrections issued a statement Friday that states that throughout the execution, the department followed an established protocol upheld as constitutional. Smith had his eyes closed and did cough but at no time during the execution was there observational evidence that he suffered, according to the statement.





"We followed our protocol," Alabama Prisons Commissioner Jeff Dunn said in a press conference after the execution.





Dunn said there was no discussion among prison officials during the execution about stopping the execution once Smith started coughing and his chest heaved.





He also contradicted witnesses who said Smith reacted to consciousness tests that a corrections officer administered to determine when the first drug, midazolam, had sedated Smith enough for the administration of the two other drugs that would kill him. "From where I was seated, I didn't see any reaction to the consciousness assessment," Dunn said.





The consciousness assessment consists of a corrections officer loudly calling the inmate's name, brushing the inmate's left eyelash and pinching the inmate's upper arm. In past lethal injection executions, the inmate was given one test, but on Thursday night there were two after Smith continued to move and cough after the first one.





And Smith's right hand moved shortly after the second test.





Dunn declined to provide details of the execution protocol the state uses. But the protocol has been approved after examination by the medical community, prison officials and the courts, he said.





Freeman said that "since the protocol is secret I can't make any guesses about whether it was followed."





Ronald Smith

But Freeman questioned how anyone could consider the execution going as planned. "It indicated that the protocol was not adequate," she said.





"The object of the protocol is to create a painless execution and that is not what we saw last night," Freeman said.





Autopsy





The ADOC says an autopsy will determine if there were any "irregularities" with the execution.





The federal public defender's office says an autopsy may show some things. "But no autopsy can measure the extent of Ron Smith's suffering as he died," according to the public defender's statement.





Escambia County Medical Examiner Dr. Dan Raulerson said Friday that the coroner's office transported the executed inmate's body for examination by one of the doctors at the state forensics laboratory in Mobile. "Basically what they look for is any sign of inappropriate trauma ... and that the prisoner died in a humane fashion," he said.





The forensics laboratory can run toxicology tests, Raulerson said. Once completed, the forensics lab sends him a report in about six weeks to three months on the autopsy, he said. That report will be filed in his office where it will become public record, he said.





Raulerson notes that he doesn't attend the executions. "I'm very much opposed to capital punishment. As a doctor it is my job to save lives," he said.





Pending lawsuits





Smith's execution could find its way into the pending lawsuits other death row inmates have filed challenging midazolam and Alabama's three-drug lethal injection protocol, Freeman said.





Alabama changed its drug protocol a few years ago after drug manufacturers began declining to sell their drugs to it and other states for executions.





The drugs were changed, with midazolam being the first one administered.





Inmates in Alabama - including Smith - and around the country have filed lawsuits over the use of midazolam.





Robert Dunham, director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said that midazolam isn't meant to be an anesthesia that can block all pain. "One of midazolam's failures is that a person unconscious can be jolted back into consciousness by the execution drugs," he said.





Dunham said there are several examples of inmates struggling to breathe after midazolam has been administered. One of those was in 2014 in Ohio with the execution of Dennis McGuire , who gasped for air for about 25 minutes while the drugs hydromorphone and midazolam took effect. "Witnesses reported that after the drugs were injected, McGuire was struggling, with his stomach heaving and fist clenched, making 'horrible' snorting and choking sounds," according to the death penalty information website.





The U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 ruled in a case out of Oklahoma that involved midazolam that its use was constitutional in a multi-drug combination.





Dunham believes Smith's execution will serve as one more example for inmates seeking to have a court declare the use of midazolam in the state's lethal injection method will be ruled unconstitutional. "Midazolam should not be used in these type protocols," he said.





Raulerson, however, said he has used midazolam in procedures, such as colonoscopies. "And it works quite well ... It doesn't mean your patient won't move or could not react to pain. But I guarantee you when they wake up they have no memory at all," he said.





 | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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Source: al.com , Kent Faulk, December 9, 2016
Blog Hinangai

While there is much discussion in Guam about the economic benefits of increasing the islands military presence, the damages/dangers that they represent are rarely mentioned. This blog, a supplement to the Peace and Justice for Guam Petition, is meant to counter that by providing information about the US military in Guam, with the hopes of steering policy away from a dangerous unilateralist course to more sustainable notions of regional development and a strengthening international solidarity.
China's state media Global Times has warned Mongolia of dire consequences for seeking financial help from India and described the move as "politically harebrained" and said it will further complicate bilateral ties. The newspaper was reacting to a report in The Hindu earlier this week that Mongolia is seeking "clear support" from India to break away from China's recent "blockade." The report had quoted Mongolian ambassador to India, Gonchig Ganhold, as stating that China has raised tariffs on Mongolian trucks passing through Chinese territory, which he claimed is an "overreaction" to the Dali Lama's visit to Mongolia in November in disregard to China's opposition. Mongolia caught China by surprise by hosting the Dalai Lama last month for four days, saying that it was purely religious visit. China countered by hiking overland transit charges among a series of other measures to punish Mongolia for its "erroneous action" of defying China's warning, according to foreign media. A few days after the Dalai Lama's visit, China suspended indefinitely two sets of talks with the Mongolian side, which is in dire need of Chinese loans for infrastructure and development projects. China's foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang on Thursday declined to respond on the issue, saying he hasn't heard of any such remark, PTI reported. "Sandwiched between Russia and China, Mongolia vows to remain a neutral state to benefit from both sides without having to get involved in a major-power competition," the article said. ''However, it also hopes it could seek a "third neighbor," which can enable the country to reap more profits by gaining more bargaining chips. But Mongolia should be alerted that it cannot afford the risks of such geopolitical games. ''Mongolia seems naive about the way international relations work - you cannot harm a country's interests while hoping it can reciprocate nicely. ''Mongolia should know that mutual respect is the precondition to develop bilateral relationships and hitch a ride on China's economic development. ''It is even more politically harebrained to ask for support from India, a move that will only complicate the situation and leave a narrower space to sort the issue out. We hope the crisis-hit Mongolia will learn its lessons,'' the reports stated. Sandwiched between Russia and China, Mongolia has vowed to remain a neutral state to benefit from both sides without having to get involved in a major-power competition. The Chinese foreign ministry didn't confirm or deny these countermeasures or their connections with the Dalai Lama's visit. Spokesperson Geng Shuang said Mongolia should "adopt effective measures to eliminate the negative effects of the Dalai Lama's visit," insinuating the precondition for bringing Sino-Mongolian ties back on track is that Ulannbaatar must realize it was wrong to touch China's red line of the Dalai Lama. Mongolia, according to Ganhold's statement, simply deemed the Dalai Lama as a religious leader, and there were no political strings attached to his visit. But since he fled to India in 1959 after his separatist revolt was upset, the Dalai Lama has become a political advocate calling for the separation of Tibet under the guise of religion. In China's narrative, he is much more a separatist than a religious figure. Receiving him implies endorsement of his deeds, which is highly disapproved of in both government and public discourses in China. Whether China's countermeasures are real or not, Mongolia should reflect on its ill-considered handling of the case, lacking diplomatic sophistication and making trouble for in-depth cooperation between both sides.








People across Donegal are being urged to be vigilant against a scam where a caller claims the be from the Revenue.



Gardai say they have been made aware of a recent telephone scam where a male/female caller states they are from Revenue and seeks immediate payment of a tax bill over the phone. They may also give you a telephone number to call back to give your credit card details.



An Garda Siochana say this caller is not calling from Revenue and is a scam and they would like to remind the public to be wary of any contact from an unsolicited source, whether it is by telephone or email.



Do not give out your credit/debit card, bank account, or PPS Number to anyone who makes contact with you over the phone. An Garda Siochana, Revenue, nor any Financial Institution will ever call you and ask for your PPS number or bank account details.



If a member of the public receives a call from anyone requesting any personal or financial information, they should end the call and report the matter to their local Garda Station, to any Garda station, or to the Garda Confidential line on 1800-666-111.
Stretched along the eastern Mediterranean Sea and linked to the Indian Ocean through the Gulf of Eilat and the Red-Sea, Israel has always strived to maintain a naval force to protect its maritime border and sea lines of communications. Since the 1970s, following repeated terror attacks from the sea, the Israeli Navy assumed the responsibility to combat terror at sea and along the coast. Since the late 2000s, after major discoveries of natural gas reserves offshore, the Navy also added a new role  the security of the countrys Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ) and protection of offshore marine infrastructures.

Since the induction of the Dolphin class submarines in the 2000s, the Israeli Navy also assumed a strategic Deterrent role. According to unconfirmed foreign reports, Israels Dolphin class submarines are equipped with oversized tubes capable of launching nuclear-tipped cruise missiles that can provide the country a retaliatory second strike capability, in case Israel is attacked and its first line of strategic assets  ballistic missiles and attack aircraft  are destroyed by surprise, nuclear attack.

These added responsibilities come with a growing piece of Israels defense pie, a larger share of the acquisition budget and more attention at the highest levels in the Ministry of Defense and Prime Minister office. In recent years, senior naval officers were selected for prominent positions in the MOD R&D department (DR&DD), Defense Export Agency (SIBAT), Intelligence agencies (Mossad), the National Security Council (Malal) and major government operated defense companies, to name only a few.

Unlike the air and land forces, that rely heavily on US Foreign Military Sales (FMS), the Navy maintained independent procurement sources in Israel and Europe. Since the 1960s Israels Navy surface ships were all constructed in Israel by the Israel Shipyards and IAI. The exception were two Shimrit class hydrofoils built in the USA in the 1980s (and scrapped a few years later), and three Saar V corvettes, constructed in the 1990s in the USA and are in service today.

As for the submarine force, since the late 1960s Israel maintains a fleet of three submarines (which allows the Navy to keep at least two operational subs at any time). The loss of INS Dakar in 1968 left the Navy with only two subs for eight years, until the first Type 209 Gal class submarine 1976 was launched. Type 209 were the first subs designed and built specifically for the Israeli requirements by the German submarine designer Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), although these boats were built in the UK.

The Israel Navy maintained close relations with HDW in the following years, with the design and construction of a larger class subs  the Dolphin. These submarines were built in Kiel in Germany and provided a significant boost strengthening the German shipyard.

The acquisition cycles of Israeli submarines accelerated over time. From 20 years between the Gal and Dolphin generation, the period reduced to 12-16 years between Dolphin I and Dolphin II (AIP). The reduced cycle means the Israel Navy can now operate several submarines simultaneously, while the other are undergoing heavy maintenance. The recent decision to buy three additional, yet unnamed submarines in the next ten years sets the next cycle at only 10-13 years, from the current buy, maintaining Israels capability to operate four submarines simultaneously through the 2030s.

What is the rush? Why does Israel require such increased capability?

The simple answer: increased operational tempo that evolved with the growing operations of naval forces in the area; however, this argument is weak. The ongoing peace with Egypt, the Syrian Civil War and crippled state of Libya all mean reduced threat to Israels security, at least from the symmetric, naval side.

However, the Iranian threat is growing. The reasonable need to maintain long-range deterrence patrols added new missions to Israels submarine force. According to foreign sources, Israels submarines carry cruise missiles that can attack targets at ranges beyond 1,000 miles. While such missiles could hit targets in western Iran, when launched from the Eastern Mediterranean, the Israeli subs could hold the entire territory of Iran at risk, from positions in the Indian Ocean or inside the Persian Gulf.

Israel would likely keep these patrols secret and avoid sailing in the Suez Canal, thus sending its subs on voyages that would take weeks, through the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Once one operational submarine is committed to such extended patrols, the Navy would likely require two boats for missions in the Mediterranean.

Such arguments would likely be part of the rhetoric used by Israels leadership, arguing for the increase of the nations submarine force to six, even nine boats. However, this recommendation faced stiff opposition from the Ministry of Defense, due to the high acquisition and operational cost (500  650 million per boat) competing with other priorities. The resignation of Defense Minister Yaalon from office paved the way for the submarine deal to continue.

But there is another side of the coin  the German side. As explained above, the Israeli Navy has been a loyal and regular client of the HDW shipyard in Kiel, which is now part of the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) industrial conglomerate. These close relations are likely to continue  despite the revelations that Iranian and UAE corporations have minority holding in it. Notwithstanding these ties, Israel and Germany have signed a contract worth 430 million to build four Saar VI Magen stealth corvettes, based on the German Blohm & Voss designed Classe 130. Soon to be launched third Dolphin II class submarine  Dakar is also a major undertaking soon expected in Kiel.

But the workload at the shipyards has diminished dramatically in recent years. As Type 212 deliveries to the German and Italian Navies completed and construction of Type 214 designs moved overseas, the shipyard will be under pressure to lay off part of its workforce. These hands are critical to maintaining the skills and know-how for the two Type 218SG submarines on contract for the Singapore Navy (the first slated for delivery in three years). Earlier in 2016 TKMS management still hoped to win an A$36 Billion mega-deal in Australia, but after losing this opportunity, the submarine shipyards are striving for a sustainable business for the remaining of the next decade. The prospects for the near term are slim  a future submarine support program in Peru and shortlisting as one of two bidders in Norway. Hence, reaffirming Israels commitment to buy three submarines in the future would be a life saver for the crippled shipyard, even if it means a long term prospect.

The decision to proceed with a memorandum of agreement between the Governments of Israel and Germany at this stage is understandable and serves the interests of both sides. But the attempts on both sides to cover the deal are wrong.

Prime Minister Netanyahu claim that the decision is a matter of national security is true but, setting all strategic arguments aside, these moves should be managed by Government officials and diplomats, not by sales agents or private counselors. Furthermore, the investigation of the former deputy of Israels National Security Council, who was an active supporter of the submarine deal, adds an unpleasant odor of corruption to the top of Israels national security pyramid.
Doug Collins always showed up early on Sunday mornings to set up his keyboard for his middle school youth group at Albany First Christian Church. He liked to improvise the groups favorites tunes, including a jazz version of Lord I Lift Your Name on High.

Collins, who participated in just about everything at the church from age 3 through his graduation from West Albany High School in 2009, will come home to First Christian on Saturday, Dec. 17, to be ordained as a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister.

The ordination service, two days after Collins 26th birthday, begins at 3 p.m. (Anyone wishing to attend a dinner that follows the service is asked to RSVP by Wednesday, Dec. 14, to Charlotte Houser at 541-928-3810.)

The Rev. Cynthia Lindner, one of Collins pastors during his formative years and more recently one of his professors at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, will give the sermon. She will preach about one of the miracle stories in Luke in which a paralyzed man was lifted through a roof to be healed by Jesus.

Were all lifting each other to find healing and help, and thats a miracle to me, said Collins, who completed his master of divinity this month. He counts Lindner among those who have given him important lifts in life.

Another person who lifted Collins along the way was the late Ray Lindley, who served as co-pastor with Lindner at First Christian.

I realize how much of an emphasis and priority he put on the children of the church, said Collins, who will receive one of Lindleys Bibles during the ordination service. He challenged me to ask my own questions.

Collins said the Rev. Patricia Evans, longtime First Christian senior pastor who retired last year, taught me about extending a no-strings attached love to what I do. Its the cornerstone of love demonstrated by Christ.

Another important person to Collins is Sara Staton, who helped lead his youth group. Staton also attended the Divinity School at the University of Chicago and later served as an associate pastor at First Christian.

Collins also has stayed in touch with First Christians current pastor, Douglass Anne Cartwright, who has served on his ordination committee.

Collins entire family will be in attendance for the ordination. His father, Pat, was a fourth-grade teacher at Periwinkle Elementary, and his mother, Janice, was an ICU nurse at Lebanon Community Hospital. Both are retired and living on Whidbey Island, Wash. Collins has three older brothers: Scott of Portland; Jay of Seattle; and Lee of McMinnville.

Collins is pursuing a ministerial position, with a goal to serve a congregation much like the one in which he grew up.
A column written last year by Stephen Mucher, Director of the Master of Arts in Teaching Program at Bard College, has attracted a lot of attention from those concerned about the health and vitality of public education. And for good reason. Mr. Mucher mentions the recent history of campus protests across the country, which he says he has noticed on his visits to some of the nations most elite universities (M.I.T. to U.S.C., Appalachian State to Cal State, Michigan to Berkeley, Amherst to Occidental) in his attempts to recruit what he refers to as brilliant, dedicated, inspired young people who are ready and willing to serve to Bards Master of Arts in Teaching program. His conclusion is that these students are still engaged, politically aware, and want to make a difference in our nations future (until recently, many flocked to Teach For America), but they do not want to become teachers.

Why?

Without offering any actual evidence, Mr. Mucher suggests that prospective teachers have been scared off from applying to his program by much of the agenda of the corporate reform movement: increasing accountability demands placed on teachers, using student test scores to determine teachers effectiveness ratings, and the way teachers are blamed for much broader social problems. Now, no one who has spent any time in a classroom over the past several years would disagree that these are all real problems, and have combined to create a profession that feels under attack and held to unrealistic expectations even as states and the federal government continue a systematic disinvestment in public education. However, I would suggest that at least part of Mr. Muchers failure to find what he is looking for may be because he is he is basing his search strategy on a faulty premiseand perhaps more importantly, because hes looking in the wrong places.

Better Rhetoric

A careful reading of Mr. Muchers essay reveals an emphasis on the same, tired old reformer rhetoric: that teachers are the problem in public education (But finding candidates to fill this role, especially good candidates, may be more difficult than policymakers are willing to admit), and that these problems can be solved only if we can improve the quality of the teaching workforce (Americas public schools need better teachers). In an effort to bolster his assertions, Mr. Mucher nods to a recent survey suggesting that the teacher shortage is a significant problem, and identifying a set of principles designed to attract more young persons to the profession. [Curiously, these principles are eerily similar to the ones released earlier this week by the #TeachStrong initiative: Better pre-service preparation, scholarships, loan forgiveness, higher salaries, professional mentorship, in-service training, and more time for collaborative work.]

With all due respect to Mr. Mucher, its time to put a stop to this lazy rhetoric, and stop blaming teachers for the problems that have been caused by the very reform agenda that forms the underpinning for his essay. Teachers are not the problemteachers are the solution.

The problems in public education wont be solved by promoting the rhetoric that simply luring the best and brightest students from Americas most elite colleges and universities to teaching will somehow fix the systemic defunding and privatization of our schools and the de-professionalization of the teaching profession. If anything, this strategy has contributed to the destabilization of the teaching force through programs such as Teach for America and The New Teacher Projectboth of which, ironically enough, are partners for the #TeachStrong initiative.

Public education will only be fixed by admitting that whatever problems do exist in the schools have only been worsened by the damages done by the corporate reformers. Is there a teacher shortage in certain areas and in specific subject areas? Of course. But this shortage has been a manufactured one, and wont be solved simply by increasing the numbers of new entrants to the profession. We must first address the root causes of the shortagepoor working conditions, inadequate compensation structures, a lack of administrative and community support for teachers and schools, and invalid and unreliable teacher evaluation systems that are driving the most talented and experienced teachers out of the classroom.

Looking for Teachers in All the Wrong Places

If Mr. Mucher is really interested in finding more and better teachers I would also suggest that, instead of copying the approach of Teach for America and other alternative route to certification programs, he start by looking for young people who actually want to be career teachersnot just those with the highest GPAs or the gaudiest resumes.

I also find it curious that while the principles mentioned by Mr. Mucher in his essay for improving the quality of the teaching force include recommendations for better inservice preparationin-service training, and more time for collaborative work, the marketing materials for the Bard MAT Program, which is designed to be completed in 14-24 months, appear to emphasize brevity and convenience more heavily than depth or breadth of content or experience. The irony here is remarkable.

The students I have the privilege of working with at Michigan State University are not only proficient in the skills, knowledge and dispositions needed for success as early career teachers, they are aware of the big picture surrounding public education, and are committed to making a difference. These students are deeply committed to becoming not just teachers, but to becoming teacher leaders. They recognize the inequities that currently exist in too many schools and communities, and are excited to enter a profession that desperately needs their energy and passion. My students understand that they are entering a profession that requires significant preparation, and have dedicated themselves to a comprehensive and thorough course of study that includes theory, practice and authentic field experiences over an extended period of time.

While Mr. Mucher seems alarmed at the recent protests on college campuses, I see these protests as signs that todays students are increasingly aware of the inequities that exist in our society, and are ready to do something about these problems. Where Mr. Mucher sees college activism as a sign that students are less interested in joining the teaching force, I see these events as indications that college students are ready to join those of us who have committed our professional lives to making a difference in our public schools and communities.

It is our job to stand up to the reform agenda, and make public education a place that is again worthy of the passion, dedication and spirit of our newest colleagues. We need them, and they need us.
AT&T and Time Warner executives this week appeared before a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee to respond to lawmakers concerns about their US$84 billion merger. Their testimony came at a time of high public skepticism of institutional power. Rival content and mobile providers applied further pressure with questions about the impact the deal would have on competition and pricing.

AT&Ts acquisition of Time Warner would serve to disrupt existing models of traditional cable provider dominance by letting consumers watch television whenever and wherever they wanted to, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson told the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights.

The launch last month of DirecTV Now is one example of the kind of innovative programming options the Time Warner acquisition would provide, he said, and greater control over content would force traditional cable operators to offer more of the features and functionality that consumers actually want.

Cable Killer

This transaction will help us break out of that box and reshape the competitive landscape, Stephenson said at the hearing. It will provide AT&T with a stable of major content from Time Warner that will serve as a launching pad to support a broad array of video offerings, including ones designed for mobile.

The merger would help speed the deployment of 5G mobile, he added, noting that AT&T already was committed to that, but that the merger would help offset the costs of buildout and speed its pace.

However, the merger would lead to higher costs for other providers trying to access Time Warner programming, including HBO, CNN, Turner, and other major networks, argued Gene Kimmelman, CEO of Public Knowledge.

It also would give AT&T an unfair advantage due to its ability to provide zero rating, by giving its customers access to that content and not counting it against existing data plans.

A number of committee members, including Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., raised concerns about the impact that would have on consumer choice and pricing, and the ability of independent content providers to compete with the combined AT&T and Time Warner behemoth.

If this transaction is found to be anticompetitive, the need to compete with other companies is not a justification, Klobuchar said. The solution for less competition is not even less competition.

Precedent Set

There was no new information presented at the hearing that suggested the merger would not be approved, said telecom analyst Jeff Kagan, but there likely would be conditions attached.

Other network content provider acquisitions  like the Comcast purchase of NBC and Verizons acquisitions of AOL and Yahoo  were approved, he noted, and AT&T and Time Warner similarly operate in two separate industries.

Conditions may be centered around making sure the new company plays fair in the marketplace with competitors, Kagan told the E-Commerce Times, which is something they already said they would do.

Prior to the election, the Trump campaign raised concerns about the deal, centering on the potential concentration of too much power in one company, noted Tim Mulligan, senior analyst at Midia Research.

Further, AT&T shareholders should be concerned about the premium being paid for Time Warner, he told the E-Commerce Times, as the assets are being valued on pre-digital-distribution models of monetization.

There is nothing about the merger that is in the public interest, argued Christopher Mitchell, director of community broadband networks at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, although he noted that he hasnt studied the issue closely since Wednesdays hearing.

When I speak to small cable companies and ISPs, they are deeply opposed to more consolidation, he told the E-Commerce Times. They fear their ability to compete effectively in a world of such giants with so much market power.

Among the key concerns are the fact that customers who watch Time Warner content on the AT&T network will not be faced with the same bandwidth caps that other networks will charge, thus giving consumers another incentive to switch over to AT&T.
By David Kirby

Theres no doubt that melting sea ice in Hudson Bay is threatening endangered polar bears, but it might also be harmful to beluga whales, seals, narwhals and other marine mammals, scientists are warning.

The reason? Melting ice caused by climate change is carving huge swaths of open water for longer periods of time, providing Atlantic killer whales more access to the bay and its rich stocks of prey.

Melting ice caused by climate change is carving huge swaths of open water for longer periods of time, providing Atlantic killer whales more access to the bay and its rich stocks of prey.

There has been an increase in the duration of open water by about 35 percent in the last 10 to 15 years and killer whales can now come into the bay with little to hamper them as they move around, said David Barber, the Canada research chair in Arctic system science at the University of Manitoba.

The open-water period in Hudson Bay used to last about two months each year, Barber said, but that has been extended to three months today and were on our way to four, five, and six monthsand it will keep increasing as climate change starts to have more and more impact in the arctic.

Barber spoke by phone from Winnipeg, where he is attending ArcticNet 2016, a weeklong conference of some 800 Canadian scientists studying physical and biological systems in the Arctic, largely driven by changes in the ice cover.

Killer whales have historically avoided areas with ice because their large dorsal fins get caught underneath before their blowholes can breathe through fractures, Barber said. But ice-adapted whales, such a belugas and narwhals, have much smaller dorsal fins and can breathe though little cracks in the ice.

Longer periods of ice coverage have always afforded protection for those animals, until weather patterns started shifting.

If ice is in the area for long periods of time, it limits how far the killer whales can come in and how long they stay there, Barber said.

In addition to climate change, freshwater entering the bay from two hydroelectric dams that generate power in the winter may be contributing to ice loss, he said.

Each summer, thousands of belugas migrate from the Hudson Strait on the eastern side of the bay to shallow estuaries on the western shore to feed and mate. The status of the western bay population, estimated at about 57,000 or 35 percent of the worlds total, was upgraded to Special Concern in 2004 by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, because of potential threats from shipping and hydroelectric development.

Reported sightings of killer whales, especially in the western part of the bay, have skyrocketed in recent decades, although there are no precise figures on how many more orcas are now entering the huge waterway each season.

Kristin Westdal, a marine biologist for the Pew Charitable Trusts Oceans North Canada, along with two colleagues, began interviewing hundreds of Inuit elders and hunters in 2006 about the historical presence of killer whales in the bay.

They are a relatively new predator, Westdal said. Reports of sightings started in the 1950s or 60s, and theres not much history prior to that.

The frequency of sightings has also increased. Historically it was every few years and now its every year, fairly consistently, Westdal said, adding that some of the increase in sightings might be owing to faster and larger boats that can transverse extensive stretches of the bay.

Reports of killer whales preying on belugas are also coming in.

Westdal said a large number of belugas that had been tagged at Seal River were subsequently attacked by a killer whale pod.

The belugas were in a tight cluster at the rivers mouth, and after the event they spread out along the coastline quite a ways north and then came back to their original habitat, Westdal said.

So theyre using quite a bit more of their range than we might have thought, which is important when looking at marine conservation in the region, she said. Their core habitat is not necessarily enough to protect that species [as] this points to potential changes in distribution should killer whale attacks continue to increase.

How much of a threat do the roving orcas pose to belugas?

Its a difficult question to answer because the population is so large, Westdal said. If theres any effect, its going to be something we see in the long run. Still, a pod of 10 to 12 killer whales can do a lot of damage; they can certainly take down quite a few belugas. Over time, I think were going see some kind of changes in population and distribution.

Westdal said there should be a similar impact on seals and narwhals.

Melting sea ice in the bay may be a boon to orcas, but it can also be hazardous. In 2013, a killer whale pod was trapped when a sudden freeze turned the open water into ice.

Orcas are brilliant, but they dont carry calendars, said Shari Tarantino, president of the Seattle-based Orca Conservancy. As long as there is no ice building up and food to eat, they will stay in the bay longer than they should.

Reposted with permission from our media associate TakePart.
By Reynard Loki

Editors note: The terms GE (genetic engineering) and GMO (genetically modified organism) are often used interchangeably, but their meanings are different. GMOs, which are produced when plant breeders select genetic traits that may also occur naturally, have been around for centuries. Common examples are seedless watermelons and modern broccoli. The subject of much recent debate are GE foods, which have only been around in recent decades and are produced by transferring genes between organisms. The resulting GE organismseither plant- or in the case of GE salmon, animal-basedwould not otherwise occur in nature. This article is about GE foods.

In 1994, a tomato known as Flavr Savr became the first commercially grown genetically engineered food to be granted a license for human consumption. Scientists at the California-based company Calgene (which was scooped up by Monsanto a few years later) added a specific gene to a conventional tomato that interfered with the plants production of a particular enzyme, making it more resistant to rotting. The tomato was given the all-clear by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Since then, both the U.S. and Canada have embraced the genetic engineering of food crops, while Europe has broadly rejected the use of such technology. Only five EU nationsthe Czech Republic, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spaingrow GE crops and in such minor amounts that all five countries make up less than 0.1 percent of GE cultivation worldwide.

It appears Europe has been right all along to renounce GE crops. An in-depth examination recently published by the New York Times found that GE crops have largely failed to achieve two of the technologys primary objectives: to increase crop yields and decrease pesticide use.

New York Times Takes Critical Look at False Promise of GMOs https://t.co/ojJKF4jtiR @TrueFoodNow @justlabelit  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) November 1, 2016

Pesticides in particular have come under increasing fire in recent years, not only for their negative impact on human health and wildlife, but for decimating populations of key food crop pollinators; specifically bees, which we rely on to pollinate a third of food crops.

New USDA Data Shows 85% of Foods Tested Have Pesticide Residues https://t.co/yVwXEZJff8 @gmo917 @TrueFoodNow  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) November 23, 2016

While consumer awareness of the effects of pesticides has grown, the ongoing battle over GE crops has largely zeroed in on whether or not such foods are safe to consume. But as the New York Times investigative reporter Danny Hakim points out in his article about the papers analysis, the debate has missed a more basic problemthat GE crops have not accelerated increases in crop yields or led to an overall reduction in the use of chemical pesticides.

Analyzing academic and industry research, as well as independent data, the New York Times compared results on the two continents and found that the U.S. and Canada have gained no discernible advantage in yieldsfood per acrewhen measured against Western Europe. The paper also cited a recent National Academy of Sciences report that found little evidence that the introduction of GE crops were resulting in more rapid yearly increases in on-farm crop yields in the U.S. than had been seen prior to the use of GE crops.

New York Times: Behind the Times?

For many farmers, researchers and activists, the New York Times conclusion was not news. Ronnie Cummins, co-founder of Organic Consumers Association, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Minnesota, told AlterNet that the papers analysis simply confirms what many of the worlds best scientists have said for years: GE crops have benefitted no one except the corporations selling the chemicals required to grow them.

Im glad that the New York Times has now discovered what those of us in agriculture have known for 20 years, that the old and exaggerated claims of genetic engineering by Monsanto and their allies are bogus, Jim Gerritsen, an organic farmer, told AlterNet. They have not panned out and Im glad that now the newspaper of record has made this clear to a lot of people. Gerritsen and his wife Megan have owned and run Wood Prairie Family Farm in northern Maine for 40 years. A lot of us have been saying this for a long time, he said.

While it may not be news for those working toward a more sustainable food system, the New York Times story was unexpected. Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety, an environmental nonprofit based in Washington, DC, told AlterNet that the New York Times piece is a surprising ray of light illuminating the longstanding GE crops debate. He said that the paper for so many years had ignored the science about genetic engineering and bought the Big Lie that Monsanto and its cohorts have been telling the public for so long: that GE crops reduce pesticide use, increase yield and are key to feeding the world.'

Seeing Through Monsantos Propaganda

These recent findings fly in the face of Monsantos stated claim that the introduction of GM traits through biotechnology has led to increased yields. But the company is sticking to its guns. When shown the New York Times findings, Robert T. Fraley, the companys chief technology officer, claimed the paper had selectively chosen the data in its analysis to put the industry in a bad light. Every farmer is a smart businessperson and a farmer is not going to pay for a technology if they dont think it provides a major benefit, said Fraley. Biotech tools have clearly driven yield increases enormously.

On its website, Monsanto backs its claim by citing statistics reported by PG Economics, a UK-based agricultural industry consultancy. However, that firm that has been exposed as a corporate shill by Lobbywatch.org, a UK-based nonprofit that tracks deceptive PR practices. PG Economics has been commissioned to write reports on behalf of industry lobby groups whose members include the Big Six agrichemical giants: BASF, Bayer, Dupont, Dow Chemical, Monsanto and Syngenta.

Most of the yield advancement since GE crops were first commercialized is attributable to traditional breeding techniques, not the GE traits, Mark Kastel, co-founder of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm policy research group based in Wisconsin, told AlterNet. Kastel, who worked for several agribusiness giants including International Harvester, J.I. Case and FMC before making what he calls the paradigm shift to sustainable farming, said that since GE crops were introduced in the U.S., farmers have experienced boom-and-bust cycles and today are generally hurting, regardless of the scale of their farming operations. GE crops have not been a panacea for economic sustainability, he said.

Instead, GE crops have been a source of financial growth for the agrichemical industry. Kimbrell said that the Big Six make tens of billions of dollars in profits by selling ever more pesticides, especially herbicides. Why would they spend hundreds of millions of research dollars and then billions in advertising and lobbying to promote crops that actually reduce pesticides and thereby destroy their bottom line? Are these companies committing economic suicide in an altruistic attempt to feed the world? Obviously not. You can accuse Monsanto of many things, including myriad corporate crimes over many decades, but altruism is not one of them. The vast majority of [genetically engineered crops] are not designed to decrease herbicide use, but to massively increase it.

A Toxic Plague

The New York Times Hakim notes that, according to U.S. Geological Survey data, while insecticide use has actually fallen by a third since GE crops were introduced in the U.S. in the mid-90s, herbicide use has exploded, growing by more than a fifth over that same period. French farmers, by contrast, have been able to reduce insecticide use by a far greater margin65 percentwhile decreasing herbicide use by more than a third. Although some insecticide use has been reduced, overall agrochemical applications have grown exponentially, said Kastel.

American tomatoes may take longer to rot than their conventionally grown European counterparts. But with GE tomatoes being one of the most pesticide-contaminated foods in the U.S. food supplynot to mention the fact they wont feed more people (therell be a staggering 8.5 billion of us by 2030, 11.2 billion by 2100)the Flavr Savr is just a trick and perhaps ultimately a dangerous one. While the real toll of industrialized GE agriculture on human and environmental health is hard to calculate, its track record is dismal. By some estimates, pesticides have killed an estimated 250 million bees in a just a few years. The New York Times reported that some commercial beekeepers have lost more than a third of their bees in 2013. Pesticides have also impacted populations of fish, amphibians and songbirds.

But its not just wildlife that suffers. The general public is ingesting pesticides on a regular basis. Kastel notes that eaters are consuming copious amounts of biological insecticides built into the genome of corn, adding that the cumulative health impacts are unknown. People who live near GE crops have to contend with an additional health impact: pesticide drift, agrichemicals blown into their communities by the wind.

The heavy reliance on pesticides has started a vicious cycle, leading to the rise of pesticide-resistant superweeds. Weeds and insects are becoming resistant to the herbicides and genetic insecticides that are spliced into the plants, said Gerritsen. To combat resistance, some farmers are using a chemical cocktail of multiple herbicides while biotech companies are introducing resistance to even more powerful and toxic chemicals. He estimates there may be 60 to 80 million acres of farmland in the U.S. with superweeds that have built up a resistance to Roundup. Cummins said superweed resistance has forced farmers to use higher and higher amounts of increasingly dangerous poisons so that soils are eroded and degraded. Water is polluted. Foods are contaminated. And to what end?

It may take years, even decades to fully understand the unintended consequences of industrialized agriculture. These chemicals are largely unknown, David Bellinger, a professor at the Harvard University School of Public Health, told the New York Times. His research has linked the loss of millions of IQ points among children 5 years old and younger in the U.S. to a single class of insecticides. We do natural experiments on a population, he said, referring to human exposure to agrichemicals, and wait until it shows up as bad.

Activists of the World, Unite

Hakim also points out that profound differences over genetic engineering have split Americans and Europeans for decades, noting that anti-GE sentiment across the pond has been much more active, with Monsanto drawing the ire of thousands of protesters in cities like Paris and Basel, as GE opposition is firmly established as a primary plank of Europes Green political movement.

The prospect of a Monsanto-Bayer merger has only galvanized the opposition in Europe, even as activists recognize new and different kinds of challenges ahead. Jan Perhke of the Coalition Against Bayer-Dangers, a German NGO, says that Bayers diversification has made it a more difficult target than Monsanto, whose business is simple: GE seeds and pesticides. Monsanto, which has emerged as the primary worldwide target of the anti-GE movement, has been steeped in controversy recently, particularly since Roundups main ingredient glyphosate was deemed a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization in 2015.

We have tried to put the focus not only on Monsanto and to let people know that behind Monsanto there are many agrochemical multinationals which are very big and also have very dangerous products, Perhke told DW. There has been speculation that, if the merger goes through, Bayer will drop the Monsanto name, which would force activists to rebrand their campaigns.

Many anti-GE activists can be found in Vermont, the first state to pass GMO-labeling legislation. In its 2016 report Vermonts GMO Addiction: Pesticides, Polluted Water, and Climate Destruction, the nonprofit group Regeneration Vermont describes the terrible impact chemical-based industrial agriculture has had on the states economy and environment:

The true nature of GMO agriculture in Vermont today is a stark and dangerous difference from the promises of its corporate advocates. According to data collected by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, pesticide use is up 39% and increasing rapidly while, at the same time, new pesticides are being added to the arsenal. Climate-threatening nitrogen fertilizers have been up about 17% per year in the decade of GMOs rise to dominance (2002-2012) and climbing as our denuded soils require more and more inputs for high production. And the pollution to our climate, water and soil from these increases continues to rise, keeping us on a steady degenerative decline, environmentally, economically and culturally.

Lining Corporate Coffers

The great economic promise of genetically engineered crops has flowed primarily to bankers, suppliers and the biotechnology industry, said Kastel. Rather than improving the bottom line, it enabled farmers to grow larger and automate crop production with fewer people involved.

The agrichemical industry is the chief beneficiary of those economic benefits. Over the past 15 years, the combined market capitalizations of Monsanto and Syngenta have grown more than sixfold. And these companies are profiting on both ends. They sell the seeds and the poisons sprayed on those seeds. Great for their bottom line, terrible for the rest of us and the planet, said Kimbrell. For Monsanto and the other chemical companies, genetically engineering crops is just another way to significantly increase profits. If the mergers of Monsanto and Bayer on one side, and Syngenta and ChemChina, a Chinese state-owned agrichemical company, on the other, were to go through, the two newly created behemoths would each have combined values in excess of $100 billion.

Meanwhile, bees are dying in worrisome numbers, in part due to the increased use of neonicotinoids, a dangerous class of pesticides produced by Syngenta, Bayer and Dow Chemical and commonly used on GE corn, soybean, canola and cereal, as well as many fruits and vegetables. But because bees work for free, the estimated $15 billion in ecosystem services they provide to society each year is not included in economic calculations.

Is It Too Late?

Even as crop yields have shown no improvement versus conventional methods, U.S. growers have increased their use of herbicides as they have converted key cropsincluding cotton, corn and soybeanto modified varieties. Meanwhile, American farmers have been overtaken by their counterparts in France, Europes biggest agricultural producer, in the overall reduction of pesticides.

Is it too late for the U.S. and Canada to get off this ruinous track of industrialized agriculture? For advocates of sustainable agriculture, regenerative agriculture and agroecologywho seek to place farming within the context of natural ecosystems as opposed to objects of chemical-based productionthe answer is a resounding no.

Regenerative Agriculture Will Feed the World and Cool the Planet https://t.co/qWmR0ZPF79 @SoilAssociation @RootsofChange  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) November 10, 2016

Research has shown that agroecologically based methodssuch as organic fertilizers, crop rotation and cover cropscan succeed in meeting our food needs while avoiding the harmful impacts of industrial agriculture, argues the Union for Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As farmers incorporate these practices into their work, many benefits emerge: Less pollution. Healthier, more fertile soil that is less vulnerable to drought and flooding. A lighter impact on surrounding ecosystems, resulting in greater biodiversity. Reduced global warming impact. Less antibiotic and pesticide resistance.

In fact, a 2015 global study conducted by researchers at Washington State University and published in the peer-reviewed Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences found that despite lower yields, the profit margins for organic agriculture are significantly greater than conventional agriculture. Part of that increased profit margin may come from not having to pay a premium for Big Ags seeds and pesticides.

Why would a farmer want to pay a premium for Roundup Ready soybeans if the Roundup is no longer working? Gerritsen said. What has been happening, widespread, is that farmers are going back to non-GE soybeans and growing them as they did before the Roundup Ready soybeans came in 20 years ago. Then, the best among them have figured out that there is a growing market worldwide for a non-GMO soybeans.

He notes that some U.S. farmers raising conventionally grown, non-GMO soybeans have found competitive markets in Asia, where they receive a premium for their produce. An added benefit for these farmers is that they can save their seeds instead of having to buy them each season from Monsanto, which actually leases its seeds and regulates them as intellectual property. For thousands of years prior, seeds were considered a part of the wealth of the commons, free and available to anyone who planted and grew crops.

But moving from industrial agriculture to organic farming isnt easy, especially when the transition period to get organic certification exposes growers to financial risk. The authors of the Washington State University study say that the impetus for change must come from policymakers, who should develop government policies that support conventional farmers converting to organic and other sustainable systems, especially during the transition period, a 36-month withdrawal period from the time a farmer last used an unapproved material, like a pesticide.

But considering the powerful Big Ag lobby, getting policymakers to help farmers move to organic is a daunting task. Gerritsen acknowledges that its hard to out-gun the tremendous resources of Monsanto and what basically amounts to a calculated propaganda effort to misrepresent reality, to gain position and dominance. He said the deck is stacked against farmers. Sadly, this is nothing new to agriculture. The history of agriculture is one where farmers who were spread out and independent by nature and by geography have a hard time competing with the concentrated power structures within agriculture. This has gone on for 150 years. Only now, the accelerated rates of concentration is no more stark than in the seed industry. Just a small handful of companies now control the vast majority of world seed resources. Monsanto is chief among them.

If regulators approve the $66 billion Bayer-Monsanto merger, the resulting corporation would have control of nearly a third of the worlds seed market and nearly a fourth of the pesticide market.

In all probability, one story, albeit a major one, is probably not enough to finally debunk Monsanto and friends Big Lie about GE crop technology, Andrew Kimbrell said about the New York Times analysis. You will probably continue to see the common sense-defying claims for a while yet. But if as the ancients said, the truth is like a lion; just let it loose. Then maybe we can finally go past the already failed but still dangerous GE experiment and move to an ecological agriculture that really will reduce and eventually eliminate pesticides and provide a secure sustainable food future for us all.

Whether or not the U.S. and Canada will move toward a more sustainable agricultural model remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: The 20-year-old experiment with genetically engineered crops has proven to be a false promise, suggesting that the creation of completely new organisms is better left in the hands of Mother Nature, not scientists in laboratories.

When you begin to genetically engineer organisms by mixing plant and animal genes, you now have the ability to alter ecosystems, which can have unintended consequences, Robert Colangelo, founding farmer and CEO of Green Sense Farms, Americas largest network of commercial and sustainable indoor vertical farms, told AlterNet. Mankind does not have a good track record when it tries to alter nature.

Reposted with permission from our media associate AlterNet.
In the final hours of Ohios lame-duck session, lawmakers passed House Bill 554 late Thursday night, which will freeze clean energy mandates for another two years if Gov. John Kasich signs the bill. More than 25,000 jobs could be at risk.

The states original Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), SB 221, was passed in 2008. It set a target for the state to get 25 percent of its electricity from advanced energy sources by 2025, with a requirement that at least half (12.5 percent or more) would be generated from renewable energy resources, including one-half of one percent from solar and 50 percent of the energy to be generated within the state.

A two-year freeze was enacted when Gov. Kasich signed SB 310 on June 13, 2014. HB 554 now seeks to extend that freeze, making renewable energy targets voluntary for utilities. Ohio is the only state in the nation that has frozen its RPS. To date, 38 states have adopted RPS targets.

Wake Up Ohio Lawmakers and Unfreeze Your Renewable Energy Standards https://t.co/B5xPMrIVzU @BusinessGreen @GreenCollarGuy  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) October 28, 2016

Ohios renewable energy and energy efficiency standards have been frozen for the past two years, costing the state its place as a national leader in the clean energy economy by hampering energy innovation, investment, and jobs, said Dick Munson, Midwest clean energy director for Environmental Defense Fund. Before the freeze, these standards saved families money and brought huge investments into the state, supporting more than 25,000 jobs, saving Ohioans over $1 billion on their electricity bills, and slashing the Buckeye States air pollution.

A 2015 survey by

Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), a national, nonpartisan group of business owners and investors, showed that job growth in the clean energy sector in Ohio slowed to just 1.5 percent following implementation of the freeze in 2014. Moreover, those firms that did grow had to find business out of state.

Investments in renewable energy in Ohio have dried up, stated the E2 report. Solar development has ground to a halt, with new solar resources dropping below 100 kW per month when industry averages for the six months prior stood at 1 MW or more per month.

One example is

First Solar. The company employs 1,200 people in Ohio and spends $100 million a month on its production and research labs in the Toledo area, according to testimony by its director of regulatory affairs Colin Meehan. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the company would take a hard look at staying in Ohio if HB 554 were enacted.

A manufacturing associate at work in First Solars Perrysburg, Ohio plant. Source: First Solar

Nationally, renewable energy

grew to 16.4 percent of total installed capacity in 2015. Job creation in the solar sector grew 12 times faster than overall job creation. The green workforce in the U.S. now numbers 2.5 million.

The Ohio House of Representatives did a great disservice to the people of Ohio,

said Trish Demeter at the Ohio Environmental Council. This rushed and sloppy legislation will have untold impacts on electric bills, result in dirtier air, and stifle economic innovation and job growth.

Newly published emails confirm the influence of utility and industry lobbyists on 2015s controversial Energy Mandates Study Committee report, which recommended an extension of the freeze on Ohios clean energy standards, said Dave Anderson, policy and communications manager for the

Energy and Policy Institute. The emails were obtained from state legislators by the Energy and Policy Institute via a public information request, and were not available publicly before now.

Anderson reported:

In one August 18, 2015 email addressed to several Republican state policymakers and 10 industry lobbyists, Ohio Senator Bill Seitz suggested that we should be meeting as a small group to figure out what that report is going to say. The following month, the Energy Mandates Study Committee that Seitz referenced in his email issued a contentious report that recommended extending the freeze on Ohios clean energy standards indefinitely.

Seitzs email went to lobbyists for American Electric Power, Dayton Power & Light, Duke Energy, and FirstEnergy, as well to Samuel Randazzo, a lobbyist for the Industrial Energy Users of Ohio and anti-wind attorney.

Source: Energy and Policy Institute

Seitz is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the Koch brothers-backed group that supplies corporate-friendly model bills to state legislators. In 2012, ALEC joined with the Heartland Institute, a think tank described by DeSmogBlog as at the forefront of denying the scientific evidence for man-made climate change, to write model legislation aimed at repealing renewable energy standards across the country.

Prior to the 2014 freeze on Ohios renewable energy portfolio standard, emails show a trail of energy industry lobbyists working with Seitz.

The question now is whether Gov. Kasich will sign or veto HB 554.

Changes to HB 554 are accepted 55-34. It now goes to Gov. Kasich for approval #OhioHouseSession pic.twitter.com/qwP3P1TP8D  Ohio House GOP (@OHRGOPCaucus) December 9, 2016

In response to a reporters question on Nov. 30, Kasich said, I just would hope the legislature will not have a headline that Ohio went backward on the environment. But he did not say that he would veto the bill.

During the governors aborted presidential campaign, he took an all sources approach to energy supply and said that he would approve the Keystone XL pipeline. He also touted his job creation in Ohio without mentioning that many of those came from the clean energy sector. The Environmental Entrepreneurs report numbers Ohio clean energy jobs at 89,000 from 7,200 businesses.

If he does veto HB 554, its questionable whether the legislators could override it. Most, but not all, Republicans voted for the bill.

Today, Ohio lawmakers decided to significantly stall the states clean energy efforts, putting politics over economic growth. The governor should continue the leadership he has demonstrated and reject this harmful legislation, so Ohio can get back to work building its clean energy economy, opening the door to well-paying jobs and millions in investment, Munson said.

Governor Kasich has an opportunity to show that Ohios energy policy is not for sale to utility lobbyists by vetoing HB 554 and unfreezing clean energy in the Buckeye State, Anderson concluded.
By Steve Horn

ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillersonwho has close personal and company ties to Russia and President Vladimir Putinis President-elect Donald Trumps top pick to become the next secretary of state, with the decision likely coming next week according to NBC News.

The news comes amid reports that Congressional members and senior U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officials say they have intelligence showing Russia attempted to tip the balance of the November U.S. presidential election in favor of Trump by hacking into email systems and giving those emails to Wikileaks. And President Barack Obama has called for a complete investigation on the matter before he leaves the White House on Jan. 20.

Though the evidence presented to the U.S. public so far lacks smoking gun documentation, many are alarmed that a geopolitical adversary may have interfered with the U.S. electoral process. Trump, thoughwho has signaled a potential sea change in the U.S.-Russia geopolitical relationshipis not among them, as indicated in his choice of Tillerson for top U.S. diplomat.

If the goal is to drain the swamp in DC, Tillerson might not be your man; Exxons business plan continues to require raising the level of the ocean to the point where Foggy Bottom will be well underwater, said 350.org founder Bill McKibben in a press release. But this is certainly a good way to make clear exactly wholl be running the government in a Trump administrationjust cut out the middleman and hand it directly to the fossil fuel industry.

Exxon Says Its Not a U.S. Company

Exxon, the top U.S. producer of oil and gas and a well-documented funder of climate science denial, actually leases more land in Russia than it does in the U.S.

Exxon boosted its Russian holdings to 63.7 million acres in 2014 from 11.4 million at the end of 2013, according to data from U.S. regulatory filings, reported Bloomberg in March 2014. That dwarfs the 14.6 million acres of rights Exxon holds in the U.S., which until last year was its largest exploration prospect.

Exxon, though headquartered in Irving, Texas near Dallas, is a sprawling private empire with assets spread across the globe. When asked about building more U.S. refineries to protect the U.S. economy and consumers from fuel shortages, former CEO and chairman Lee Raymond put Exxons view of itself and its loyalty to the U.S. bluntly.

Im not a U.S. company, and I dont make decisions based on whats good for the U.S, Raymond is quoted as saying in the 2012 book Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power by Steve Coll.

In June, Tillerson attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum after taking a two-year hiatus from attending the event, which is the top business meeting held annually in Russia. Igor Sechin, CEO of Russian state oil company Rosneft and currently the subject of U.S. sanctions, served as the keynote speaker.

Offshore Drilling, Fracking, LNG

Exxon and Rosneft have maintained close business relations, so much so that Putin gave the Order of Friendship Award to Tillerson in 2013. In terms of business ties, what has that friendship entailed?

The two oil companies had intended to tap into Russias bounty of over 191 billion acres of offshore Arctic oil as part of their joint venture. (However, that was before the U.S. sanctioned Russia for its incursion in Crimea, which has temporarily halted the drilling plans.) The two companies also co-run the Arctic Research and Design Center for Continental Shelf Development in Russia, in which Exxon maintains a 33.33 percent stake.

Since 1996, Exxon has also taken part in the Sakhalin Consortium, which centers around pumping oil offshore from Russias Sakhalin Island. Exxon and Rosneft also co-own acreage in Texas Permian Basin shale patch, and until recently dropping the joint venture, they co-owned 20 offshore drilling plots in the Gulf of Mexico.

Beyond the Gulf, Exxon maintains a joint venture with Rosneft to do offshore drilling in Alaskas Point Thompson in the states North Slope territory.

In Russia, Exxon also co-owns a stake in the proposed Sakhalin liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in Sakhalin, which would see that gas exported to the global market. However, the plant opening was delayed when sanctions hit, pushing it back at least two years according to an April 2015 announcement.

Exxon also has a joint venture with Rosneft in the Bazhenov Shale basin in Siberia, into which Exxon poured $300 million. Exxon owns a 49 percent stake and Rosneft 51 percent in that venture, which is to explore hydraulic fracturing or fracking possibilities in the field. If exploration bears fruit, Rosneft would hold a 66.67 percent interest in drilling the field while ExxonMobil would maintain a 33.33 percent stake.

This agreement combines the strengths of our two companies, Tillerson said when the two companies announced the deal in June 2012. ExxonMobil has technology leadership in tight oil and unconventional reserves development and Rosneft brings direct knowledge and experience of Western Siberias geology and conventional production.

If drilling proves technologically feasible, Bazhenov could become the most prolific shale field in the world.

Lobbying Against Russian Sanctions

As soon as sanctions are lifted in Russia, which Trump has said he would do, Exxon has said it will return to the Russian Arctic.

BuzzFeed has reported that a bill is now making its way through Congress which would make it much more difficult for the next president to reverse those sanctions, which were put in place through a series of executive orders. Exxon is very interested in the fate of that bill.

As Buzzfeed reported:

We have not lobbied on the bill, Alan Jeffers, spokesperson for ExxonMobil, told BuzzFeed News. Our activities on the bill constitute monitoring of congressional activities.

That was this summer before Congress was again in session. Yet the bills language has already been changed in a way that would make Exxons dealings in Russia much easier, as it essentially exempts the exective order sanctioning Rosneft and other Russian energy companies.

With Tillerson heading the State Department, this kind of international energy policy may become much more common.
To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020.
It's going to get bad before it gets worse:

The Trump transition team has issued a list of 74 questions for the Energy Department, asking agency officials to identify which department employees and contractors have worked on forging an international climate pact as well as domestic efforts to cut the nations carbon output.

The questionnaire requests a list of those individuals who have taken part in international climate talks over the past five years and which programs within DOE are essential to meeting the goals of President Obamas Climate Action Plan.

Trump and his team have vowed to dismantle specific aspects of Obamas climate policies. The questionnaire, which one Energy Department official described as unusually intrusive and a matter for departmental lawyers, has raised concern that the Trump transition team was trying to figure out how to target the people, including civil servants, who have helped implement policies under Obama.

Thousands of scientists have already signed petitions calling on the president-elect and his team to respect scientific integrity and refrain from singling out individual researchers whose work might conflict with the new administrations policy goals. This potential clash could prompt a major schism within the federal government, with many career officials waging a battle against incoming political appointees. ...

The document spanned a broad area of Energy Department activities, including its loan program, its technology research program, responses to Congress, estimates of offshore wind and cleanup of uranium at a site once used by the military for weapons research. In many cases, the inquiries meshed with the priorities of conservative groups such as the Heritage Foundation, which held a meeting on energy and environment issues in Washington on Thursday, as well as priorities outlined in a recent fundraising pitch sent by the American Energy Alliance (AEA), a wing of the Institute for Energy Research.

Thomas Pyle, who heads AEA, leads Trumps Energy Department transition team. In a recent fundraising pitch, Pyle wrote supporters, After eight years of the Obama administrations divisive energy and environmental policies, the American people have voted for a change  a big change. We expect the Trump administration will adopt pro-energy and pro-market policies  much different than the Obama administrations top-down government approach.

One question zeroed in on the issue of the social cost of carbon, a way of calculating the consequences of greenhouse gas emissions. The transition team asked for a list of department employees or contractors who attended interagency meetings, the dates of the meetings, and emails and other materials associated with them.

The social cost of carbon is a metric that calculates the cost to society of emitting a ton of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The Obama administration has used this tool to try to calculate the benefits of regulations and initiatives that lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

At Thursdays Heritage meeting, senior fellow David Kreutzer  who is a member of Trumps Environmental Protection Agency transition team  attacked the idea of using the social cost of carbon during the regulatory process. ...
Troubles get worse by the day for San Antonio attorney Todd Prins, already accused of fabricating court documents and facing arrest here for defying a judges order to turn over client funds.

Prins is now facing arrest by another court, in Houston, for allegedly pocketing $2.4 million in a foreclosure sale, according to a judges order. Compounding Prins problems, District Court Judge Michael Mery on Friday issued a suspension of his law license at the request of a State Bar of Texas committee. Prins didnt fight the suspension.

In Houston, Prins violated bankruptcy court rules by conducting a foreclosure sale on a house there without a judges approval and then failing to turn over the $2.4 million in proceeds, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Jeff Bohm said in a court order Wednesday.

No one seems to know where the money is, and Prins isnt saying. He was representing a lender that foreclosed on a borrower.

Bohm ruled Wednesday that the money is, at a minimum, arguable property of the (bankruptcy) estate and ordered Prins to wire the money to the bankruptcy trustees bank account by 5 p.m. Monday.

If he fails to comply, Prins will have to appear before Bohm on Wednesday. If Prins fails to show, Bohm warned in his order that Prins will be held in contempt and will face possible sanctions and a bench warrant for his arrest.

Mr. Prins complex legal situation involves a multitude of layers and a team of attorneys specializing in different areas, Carlos Solis, one of Prins lawyers, said in an email. We are all diligently working in tandem for the best result for Mr. Prins and his family.

In arguing to suspend Prins law license, the State Bar of Texas Commission for Lawyer Discipline said in a court filing that he constitutes a substantial threat of irreparable harm to clients. Prins has engaged in multiple violations of lawyer conduct rules, according to the filing.

Prins is accused of engaging in a fraudulent scheme to mislead and deceive clients in a 2009 lawsuit filed in District Court in Bexar County by fabricating court orders, appellate court opinions and other documents, the filing added.

RELATED: See the Ozers' court filing against Todd Prins here.

In addition to issuing the suspension, Judge Mery ordered Prins to return all files, monies and other property belonging to clients and former clients and to refund any unearned fees.

Earlier this week, Bexar County Probate Judge Kelly Cross signed an order for Prins arrest after he failed to appear for a separate hearing in San Antonio on whether he should be held in contempt for disobeying a Sept. 28 order. He was supposed to turn over $360,902 that belonged to a deceased client that is reportedly being held in his law firms trust account.

In addition to his legal troubles, Prins is dealing with other difficulties. He and his wife filed for bankruptcy in September, and he shut down his law practice last month.

In the case involving the Houston house, Prins represents an investment fund of United Sentry Mortgage, which loaned more than $1.5 million to Triple Gate Investment in June 2015. Felix Amos and Oluyemisi Okedokun are Triple Gates representatives, loan documents show.

Triple Gate apparently failed to make its loan payments, so Prins posted the property for an Oct. 4 foreclosure sale. An hour before the sale was set to occur, Okedokun filed for bankruptcy liquidation. The Houston house is listed as an asset belonging to Okedokun in bankruptcy documents.

When a bankruptcy case is filed, an automatic stay goes into effect. It prevents creditors from pursuing collections and halts any foreclosure sales.

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.

Judge Bohms order indicates that Prins violated the automatic stay by conducting a foreclosure sale on the house. Regardless of whether Prins complies with Bohms order and turns over the $2.4 million by Mondays deadline, he has been ordered to appear before the judge Jan. 9 for a hearing on why the attorney should not be sanctioned for violating the stay.

The house was purchased at the foreclosure sale by Houston-based Elbar Investments. But company President Elias Klaimy said it never got title to the house and, thus far, its out the money.

Didnt get a deed, didnt get a property, didnt get nothing, Klaimy said in a phone interview. When asked if hes trying to get the house or his money back, he said, Were trying to get anything we can get. Were happy getting anything.

United Sentry, the lender on the house, never got the proceeds from the foreclosure sale, either, said its attorney, Benette Zivley.

We just would like either the money to get put back all the way, or start from ground zero in terms if we can get the money back, he said. Thats obviously the No. 1 concern.

Calls to Chapter 7 trustee Eva Engelhart and Kyle Payne, Okedokuns bankruptcy lawyer, were not returned. Okedokun couldnt be located for comment.

On Oct. 11, a week after Okedokuns bankruptcy filing, Prins filed a motion on behalf of United Sentry to lift the automatic stay so it could complete the foreclosure of the house. Prins argued in a court filing that Okedokun acted in bad faith when Triple Gate deeded the property to Okedokun and Amos on Dec. 30, 2015. Its not clear why Prins would have filed the motion, given that the foreclosure sale happened Oct. 4.
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In the back office of a Toys R Us on the West Side, manager Robert Hutchinson opened a brown box and pulled out the most sought-after toy of the holiday shopping season: a Hatchimal.

I could walk outside with that and I could get mugged, Hutchinson said Friday, laughing.

The furry interactive toy that hatches out of an egg has sent shoppers into a frenzy, prompting parents to line up outside toy stores and other retailers the night before they open, scour toy aisles and frantically hit the refresh button on online retailers webpages in hopes of even the smallest window to snag the toy, which has a list price of $59.99.

Demand for the cuddly Hatchimals has outpaced that of the Nintendo NES Classic Edition console, a modern mini version of the vintage gaming system popular with Millennials and Gen-X shoppers, retailers say.

Hatchimals are for the kids, Hutchinson said. The Nintendos a more selfish quest.

Third-party sellers and scalpers have tried to cash in on the craze. Independent vendors using Walmarts website and Amazon.com have set their asking prices north of $200. On eBay, somebody bid $875 for eight of the elusive Hatchimals, paying roughly $109 for each egg. Prices on San Antonios Craigslist run as high as $300 for the Hatchimal and $500 for the NES console.

Shoppers have also turned to inventory tracking websites such as BrickSeek and to the Hatchimal and Nintendo minines subreddits, discussion groups on social media site Reddit, where vendors post links to deals and shoppers trade success stories and exchange intel.

Kid: Mom, whats a Hatchimal? San Antonio-based blogger Jill Robbins tweeted Thursday. Send prayers. Send wine. Or maybe just send an extra $250 if you have that laying around in a drawer.

Spin Master, the Canadian company behind the toy, didnt anticipate such high demand.

The consumer response to Hatchimals has been extraordinary, exceeding all expectations, the company said in a statement on the Hatchimals website. This is a special season, and we dont want anyone to be disappointed, nor do we support inflated prices from nonauthorized resellers.

The company said it expects that Hatchimals that hit store shelves this month will sell out quickly, but it promised a batch of the product in early 2017.

Many parents arent willing to wait that long. Some are willing to wait in the cold. Hutchinson, who manages the Toys R Us at 8327 Texas 151, said some shoppers lined up for 15 hours through persistent rain and falling temperatures before the store opened Sunday. When the doors opened, customers were given tickets to ensure a hold on one of the few dozen Hatchimal toys available that morning.

On Friday, the only two Hatchimals in the store were being held on layaway, Hutchinson said. He said he couldnt recall a toy craze this manic since shoppers stormed stores for Tickle Me Elmo in 1996.

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.

Were not even able to put them on the shelves, Hutchinson said of the Hatchimals.

Large retailers have had trouble keeping a steady supply. Hutchinson said his store received regular shipments three to four times a week prior to the holiday shopping season but now wont receive a new batch until Dec. 18.

Target stores will begin stocking their shelves with dozens of Hatchimals on Sunday, the company said on its website.

And Walmart will receive shipments through Dec. 19, spokeswoman Molly Blakeman said Friday, but its unclear if the retailer will be able to fill its shelves with more of the prized eggs before Christmas.

We know theyve been an absolute hit with our customers, and weve worked very hard more to get more for the Christmas season so theres plenty to hatch under the tree, Blakeman said.

jfechter@express-news.net

Twitter: @JFreports
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TORKHAM, Afghanistan  Abdul Tawkali stood a few hundred yards inside the border of this country with his sandaled feet touching the foreign soil of his native land.

In 1979, at age 21, he fled Afghanistan when the Soviet Union invaded, and over the ensuing decades, as one war after another wracked the country, he built a life in neighboring Pakistan.

He ran a corner shop in a village outside Peshawar, and he and his wife raised a family that grew to a dozen children and grandchildren.

Thirty-seven years later, Tawkali, his beard the color of steel wool and his belly a gentle parabola beneath his tunic, had returned against his will. Pakistans government expelled him and his family in September, giving them three days to leave or face arrest.

Yes, this is my homeland. But it doesnt feel like home, said Tawkali, 58, talking near the border gate in Torkham, the busiest crossing between the two countries, linked by a serpentine road through the Khyber Pass. His grandchildren clustered around him, clinging to a familiar presence in a country unknown to them. We are very worried about what will happen to us.

His uncertainty parallels that of more than 1 million migrants whove returned to Afghanistan since January, most of them from Pakistan, home to 2 million registered and undocumented Afghan refugees at the start of the year. Aid officials expect the surge to rise as high as 1.5 million by spring as Pakistan, Iran and the European Union enforce stricter deportation policies.

Pakistans government has cracked down on Afghan migrants since the summer amid fraying diplomatic relations with Afghanistan. The reverse exodus gained greater visibility in October when Pakistan deported Sharbat Gula, the emerald-eyed Afghan girl who appeared on the cover of National Geographic magazine in 1985.

A San Antonio Express-News reporter traveled to Torkham earlier this fall to meet refugee families. They entered a country that remains burdened by war, political upheaval and a failing economy despite the U.S. government spending $800 billion since invading Afghanistan in 2001 to oust the Taliban.

The situation is quite dire, said Nicholas Bishop, a project development officer with the International Organization for Migration who works in Kabul. They leave Pakistan with almost nothing and come into a country they know almost nothing about. What chance do they really have?

Tens of thousands of those returning have lived in Pakistan for decades. Authorities repatriate most of them under threat of detention, typically imposing a deadline of three to five days.

Tawkali had only enough time to rent a truck and pack up a portion of his familys belongings. They planned to stay with relatives near Jalalabad, a city of some 360,000 people an hours drive west of Torkham.

At an aid station a half-mile inside the border, Tawkali received a wooden crate that held cooking utensils, flour, sugar, tea, blankets, bed linens and a handful of toys. He would need to supply his own resolve to start over.

Our lives were in Pakistan. That is where my children and their children were born, he said. We are now feeling like we are at the bottom.

The war in Afghanistan has killed more than 31,000 civilians since 2001, including 1,601 during the first half of this year. The violence displaced nearly 519,000 Afghans within the country through November, more than triple the total in 2014, the last year before U.S. forces turned over control of the nations security to the Afghan military.

The combined number of internal and returning refugees in Afghanistan could exceed 3 million next year, the anguished legacy of almost 40 years of armed conflict. Jalalabad and Kabul absorbed waves of refugees in the past six months, swelling the population of settlement camps and further straining each citys inadequate infrastructure as winter approached.

The intensified repatriation efforts by Pakistan, Iran and the EU have deterred more Afghans from seeking asylum in other countries. The number of people fleeing Afghanistan has dropped from 280,000 in 2014 to fewer than 50,000 so far this year.

Yet with the Taliban gaining ground across the country  and as suicide bombers strike Kabul with increasing frequency and the jobless rate hovers at 40 percent  young adults in particular continue to chase a life outside Afghanistan. Most attempt the journey without visas, choosing to risk death rather than surrender hope.

You cant expect people to live here when theres nothing for them, said Abdul Ghafoor, who runs the Afghan Migrants Advice and Support Organization, a nonprofit aid group based in Kabul. If you dont have jobs, if you dont have security, if the government cant provide for its people, why would you stay?

A voluntary return

A line of jingle trucks 3 or 4 miles long had backed up on Afghanistans side of the border crossing. Painted in bright, intricate patterns, and adorned with the metal tassels and chains that inspire their name, the trucks carried wheat, melons, mattresses and an array of other goods, forming a giant necklace of stalled commerce.

Some drivers had been waiting three days to enter Pakistan. They and their passengers filled the daytime hours by sleeping beneath the rigs and visiting the hundreds of food and supply vendors in the border zones teeming open-air market.

The delay endured by truckers on one side of the border and the coercion suffered by Afghan refugees on the other illustrated Pakistans power over its war-ravaged neighbor.

Pakistani authorities have closed the border to incoming traffic for days at a stretch on several occasions since June. The ploy has come in apparent retaliation for Afghanistan fortifying its economic and political ties with India, Pakistans longtime adversary.

Around the same time this summer, the Pakistani government began its campaign to expel Afghans, rousting even those with valid passports and visas. The intimidation has convinced hundreds of thousands to cross back into Afghanistan on what Pakistani officials describe as a voluntary basis; authorities have deported another 25,000 to 30,000.

It has been no more voluntary than arresting them, Ghafoor said. They know what will happen if they stay, so they have no choice but to come back.

Soldiers showed up at Abdul Yousufzais cafe near Peshawar on a Monday and told him he and his family needed to leave within 72 hours. Three generations of the clan arrived at the refugee aid station in Torkham that Thursday.

Yousufzais parents brought him to Pakistan in 1980 as a toddler, soon after the Soviet invasion. His adopted country felt like home, the place where he matured into a father and grandfather, a business owner and provider.

He returned to Afghanistan with only as many possessions as could fit into a 17-foot jingle truck and with little idea of his familys prospects beyond moving in with relatives north of Jalalabad.

More than a third of the countrys population of 32 million lives below the international poverty line, and the education system outside of Kabul and a few other large cities exists mostly on paper. Yousufzai, 42, furrowed his brow as he considered the months ahead.

We dont know what will happen here, he said as one of his grandsons stood beside him and chewed the hem of Yousufzais tunic. The young boy shared his grandfathers worried stare. I dont know what I or my sons will do for work. I dont know where my grandchildren will go to school.

Pakistani officials accuse some Afghan refugees of acting as terrorists and justify their removal as a national security measure. The allegation is freighted with Orwellian irony.

Pakistan long has served as a haven for the Taliban and al-Qaida, and more recently for Islamic State, or ISIS, all of whom target Afghan and U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

In 2011, U.S. special forces killed Osama bin Laden in the city of Abbottabad in a raid that American officials kept secret from Pakistani authorities, who later claimed ignorance about his presence in their country.

Afghan refugees recognize the cruel absurdity of their circumstance. They migrated to Pakistan to escape war and seek stability. Now the Pakistani government, wary of Afghanistan gaining strength and its alliance with India, has sent them back while abetting the turmoil that cripples their homeland.

I hate what Pakistan does to Afghanistan, Yousufzai said. I wish they would stop interfering. If they did, Afghanistan wouldnt have all these problems.

The flood of refugees into Afghanistan has had the unintended effect of boosting President Ashraf Ghanis crusade to reverse the countrys brain drain.

He has implored Afghans to rebuild the country while reproaching those who pursue their ambitions elsewhere, and in October, he signed a pact with the EU that will repatriate tens of thousands of migrants to Afghanistan.

When they leave, they break the social contract, Ghani told the BBC earlier this year.  Countries do not survive by their best attempting to flee, so I have no sympathy.

Refugee advocates point out that under Ghani and his predecessor, Hamid Karzai, the government has failed to deliver peace or economic progress as corruption has flourished.

Returning refugees receive $300 to $400 for each family member  a payment expected to sustain them for six months  and, at least in theory, an offer of land from the government.

But U.S. officials reported last year that the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation provided plots to less than 15 percent of applicants and engaged in bribery, forgery, nepotism (and) embezzlement.

All of the refugees are wondering, What are we going to do here? Ghafoor said. Many of the families assisted by his organization in the past year have left again, some within a week of arriving. Yes, President Ghani encourages people to return. The question is, return to what? There are not enough jobs, security is terrible, corruption is widespread. There is uncertainty everywhere you look.

Yousufzai found himself in Afghanistan bereft of his business, home and sense of order.

After collecting a crate of provisions at the aid station in Torkham, he shepherded his family toward the jingle truck. They would drive toward Jalalabad as the anonymous pawns of two governments.

We feel lost, he said. We have come back into chaos.

Perpetual darkness

The war in Syria had pushed the total number of refugees who fled that country to nearly 3.9 million by 2014. The figure marked the first time in 33 years that another nation outranked Afghanistan as the worlds largest source of refugees.

The aggressive removal of Afghans by Pakistan, Iran and the EU and the long odds of obtaining visas have slowed their migration this year. Most who leave the country hire human smugglers in a high-stakes gamble to reach Europe.

Ezatullah Ahmadzai and Mohammad Zahid departed Kabul in July. The cousins dreamed of resettling in London, Paris or Rome, where relatives had migrated in the past five years and acclimated with the help of the Afghan diaspora.

The pairs common purpose arose from different motives. Ahmadzai, 18, hoped to find work; Zahid, 25, wanted distance from death threats.

Both men viewed Afghanistan as a nation cloaked in perpetual darkness.

Zahids problems began last year when neighbors in his village in Logar province, south of Kabul, accused him of working as a government informant. Neighbors turned on him after an Afghan army raid killed the innocent brother of a suspected Taliban insurgent.

Zahids job as a magazine distributor required him to spend time in Logars capital. Villagers believed he met with government operatives there, and unpersuaded by his denials, their suspicion mutated into menace.

He moved to Kabul to live with relatives, switching houses every two to three days and seldom venturing more than a few blocks away.

I knew trying to go to Europe would be a horrible journey, Zahid said. But I felt I had no choice. Staying in Afghanistan is a death sentence.

The sentiment resonates among the countrys young adults irrespective of explicit threats on their lives. Three-fourths of the countrys population is under age 35, and almost half of the 180,000 Afghans who sought asylum in Europe last year were 30 or younger.

War has shadowed their generation since birth. In their desire for a future free of bloodshed, they defy Ghanis admonition that Afghans who leave sever the social contract between citizen and country.

Ahmadzai believed migrating to Europe offered a chance to live. In Afghanistan, he saw too many people simply trying not to die.

I would rather stay in my own country, he said. But there isnt work, bombs are going off in Kabul and the Taliban (are) getting stronger again. The situation is getting worse, not better. The president lives in a palace. The rest of the people dont.

The two cousins left Kabul three days apart and traveled by bus to the southwestern province of Nimruz.

Smugglers there arranged for vehicles to bring refugees into Pakistan through unmarked border crossings before they entered southern Iran on foot. The planned route would take them north toward Tehran and west into Turkey, with Europe beckoning beyond.

Ahmadzai belonged to a group of 15 men that walked south into Iran before turning north toward the city of Kerman. Three days later, Zahid joined perhaps 200 refugees, including families, who hiked west toward the same city.

Both parties traversed a mountain range as daytime temperatures rose to 100 degrees. Each refugee had received two small bottles of water and a piece or two of naan for the 30-hour trek. An unspoken dread, as much as smugglers harassing them to move faster, prodded them forward.

You knew that if you fell behind, Ahmadzai said, no one was coming back for you.

Two men in Zahids group suffered that fate. One collapsed from heat exhaustion; another stumbled off a high cliff trail. The smugglers refused to allow others to stop for them.

Vehicles picked up the refugees after they emerged from the mountains.

Ahmadzai rode in the trunk of a battered Toyota Corolla with four other men. As the car bucked along dirt roads, his leg slipped through a hole and grazed the muffler, branding his calf with a crimson wound still visible two months later.

His passage to Europe ended abruptly the next morning, one week after leaving Kabul, when border police forced the vehicles to stop about an hour from Kerman.

Zahids arrest occurred four days later in about the same area after departing a safe house.

The police transported the refugees to jail and crammed them into cells. The cousins had imagined hugging relatives in Europe. They instead wound up recoiling from the fists and Tasers of jailers.

Ahmadzai and Zahid returned to Kabul by bus after their release at the border. They had borrowed money from family and friends to pay $5,000 apiece to their smugglers. Repaying the debt would require finding work in a country where jobs are as scarce as optimism.

Both men were undaunted. Neither regretted the attempt to escape Afghanistan. Neither doubted he would try again.

I love my country, Ahmadzai said. But it is broken.

Zubair Babakarkhail and Qadir Sediqi contributed to this report.

mkuz@express-news.net

Twitter: @MartinKuz
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Students at San Antonio College are worried and even panicked about the effects of accreditation warnings announced this week for three of the five Alamo Colleges, faculty members and student advisers told SAC President Robert Vela during a Friday morning meeting.

Many students assume the community colleges have lost or will lose their accreditations, and consequently think they will not be able to use federal financial aid or transfer their credits to other institutions, employees said. Adviser Andrea Flores said students fears have been stoked by the closure of for-profit colleges such as ITT Tech and Career Point, and theyve told her they need to graduate within the yearlong warning period for fear that SAC will subsequently close.

Those students fears are unfounded, Vela and other college employees said.

Were as accredited today as we were a year ago or five years ago or 10 years ago, said Kristine Clark, a consultant for the college and its former chief of integrated planning and performance excellence.

San Antonio College is not in danger of closing because it came out of the accreditation process with strong academic and financial metrics, administrators said.

If we were a weak institution, we would probably be in trouble, but we are a very strong institution, Vela said.

Representatives of the districts accrediting agency informed the presidents of San Antonio, Northwest Vista and St. Philips Colleges that their accreditation reaffirmations were denied Tuesday and their schools were being warned. The action extends the colleges current accreditations, with no further penalties unless the agencys concerns are not addressed within two years.

The colleges will receive a letter in mid-January detailing the reasons for the warning, but Vela said they are related to the same standards of institutional autonomy that a special committee questioned after a summer visit. The colleges must submit a report by September to the agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which will decide how to proceed at next years December meeting in Dallas.

Four of the five Alamo Colleges are independently accredited. The newest, Northeast Lakeview College, is still on the path to accreditation with a visit scheduled for February. A proposal for single-district accreditation was quashed years ago because St. Philips College would lose millions that it receives from the federal government as the nations only historically black and Hispanic-serving institution.

Palo Alto College was not scheduled for reaffirmation this year. The three largest colleges were supposed to be reaffirmed in June, but that was delayed while the special committee visited to determine their level of autonomy. The visit produced seven recommendations, including one that stated colleges must demonstrate faculty are primarily responsible for curriculum content.

That recommendation resulted from the conclusion that trustees bypassed faculty in requiring districtwide curriculum include The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Trustees will discuss amending that policy at Tuesdays board meeting.

The accrediting agency's other recommendations included conferring degreees, hiring and branding at the college rather than the district level.

The colleges are working to carry out the agencys recommendations, but need time to show it, said Lisa Zottarelli, a sociology professor and SACs liaison to the accrediting agency. For example, the commencement script was rewritten to clarify that students are receiving degrees from their individual colleges, but SACs next commencement does not take place until May.

Employees voiced their concern that the colleges warnings would impact Northeast Lakeviews often-delayed accreditation process and the districts proposal for a $450 million bond election.

How are you going to go out to the public with a bond issue if youre on warned status? said Gerald Busald, a math professor. Im not sure you can.

amalik@express-news.net
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Longtime civil rights attorney Al Kauffman might not seem the most likely pick to offer reflections at a Catholic Mass on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The St. Marys University law professor and former litigator for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund is, after all, Jewish.

But those at St. Marys Center for Legal and Social Justice say his commitment to a just society more than qualifies him to address its work on behalf of the poor and disenfranchised, among them immigrants and survivors of domestic violence.

The Mass at noon Monday will be at the centers legal aid clinic, 2507 N.W. 36th St., a facility that once served as a retreat for nuns. Kauffman will deliver his reflections after the homily.

Hes a Jewish professor with Catholic roots who married into a Catholic family, said Sister Grace Walle, a Marianist nun and the law schools chaplain. She said Kauffman has attended the centers Masses since the clinic began holding them in the 1990s.

Dec. 12 is the feast day of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, a Marian figure among the most revered of Catholic saints, considered the patron saint of Mexico and Empress of the Americas. Her image is ubiquitous and was long ago appropriated by popular culture.

Weve used the feast day to witness her message of concern for her people, Walle said of the clinics Masses. Mary (in the brown-skinned image of Guadalupe) was concerned about the poor and indigenous people and those who had no voice in their country.

She also cited Kauffmans service to St. Marys law students and his leadership by example. His career at MALDEF focused on Latino education, voting and employment rights, most notably Texas public school finance cases. He also worked for the Civil Rights Project at Harvard Law School and the Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Race, Ethnicity and Diversity at the University of California at Berkeley.

Kauffman said he and Walle have long been in dialogue about the roles of Catholicism, Judaism and Guadalupe in social justice activism.

He said he plans to speak about the critical role the legal clinic fills in the community and what the figure of Guadalupe means to its clients. The clinics mission is consistent with the Virgin of Guadalupes connection to the poor, the disenfranchised and the Latino community, he said.

Other events on Guadalupes feast day include San Fernando Cathedrals Serenata a la Virgen de Guadalupe at 10 p.m. Sunday, followed by a midnight Mass.

The 28th annual pilgrimage between two area churches will begin at 10 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Helotes. Participants are expected to arrive at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on San Antonios West Side about 3 p.m. A Mass for the so-called caminantes, or walkers, will be celebrated at 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Centro Cultural Aztlans 21st annual Celebracion a la Virgen de Guadalupe exhibit of new work depicting the Marian image will open at 6 p.m. Monday at 1800 Fredericksburg Road and will be on view through Friday.

eayala@express-news.net

Twitter: @ElaineAyala
Voter Guide: Everything Cumberland County voters need to know

Early voting is underway, with local, state and federal races on the ballot in Cumberland County.
Married people are more likely to stay in shape than those who remain single, says a study by Japanese researchers.



The study also found that married men were less likely to suffer metabolic syndrome -- a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity which damages the blood vessels -- although the same did not apply to women, Daily Mail reported.



"Our findings show that being married and living with one's spouse reduced the risk of being overweight by approximately 50 per cent among patients with type two diabetes," lead study author Yoshinobu Kondo from Yokohama City University was quoted as saying.



"Men who were married and lived with their spouse also exhibited a risk reduction of 58 per cent for metabolic syndrome," Kondo said.



The researchers believe that people in relationships are more likely to eat healthily and take their medication.



The study involved 270 people with Type-2 diabetes -- 180 married and 90 were single -- with an average age of 65.



They calculated the body mass index of the participants and also measured the fat content of their body.



The married group were 50 per cent less likely to be overweight when compared to the single group, the findings showed.



The research was presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting in Munich, Germany.



Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the Doctors are their independent professional judgment and we do not take any responsibility for the accuracy of their views. This should not be considered as a substitute for Physician's advice. Please consult your treating Physician for more details.

Next Story : Not Your Average Gift: Our Handpicked Thoughtful Diwali Gifts
Brazil's administrative council for economic defence (CADE) has cleared Solvay's agreed sale of its 70.59 per cent stake in Solvay Indupa to chemical group Unipar Carbocloro. The transaction, valued at $202.2 million when announced in May 20016, is now expected to be completed in the coming weeks. Solvay Indupa produces caustic soda in Brazil and Argentina.

Founded in 1948, Solvay Indupa is the fourth largest caustic soda producer in South America. With 956 employees and two production sites in Argentina and Brazil, Solvay Indupa had net sales of $ 588 million in 2015.

Caustic soda, or sodium hydroxide, is a strong base soluble in water obtained through electrolysis of the brine. It is used in the manufacturing of our daily life products or in applications within textile and several other industries.

Brazil's administrative council for economic defence (CADE) has cleared Solvay's agreed sale of its 70.59 per cent stake in Solvay Indupa to chemical group Unipar Carbocloro. The transaction, valued at $202.2 million when announced in May 20016, is now expected to be completed in the coming weeks. Solvay Indupa produces caustic soda in Brazil and Argentina.#

As an international chemical and advanced materials company, Solvay assists its customers in innovating, developing and delivering high-value, sustainable products and solutions which consume less energy and reduce CO2 emissions, optimise the use of resources and improve the quality of life.

Solvay serves diversified global end markets, including automotive and aerospace, consumer goods and healthcare, energy and environment, electricity and electronics, building and construction as well as industrial applications.

Headquartered in Brussels, Solvay has about 30,900 employees spread across 53 countries. It generated pro forma net sales of 12.4 billion in 2015, with 90 per cent made from activities where it ranks among the world's top 3 players. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The Fijian Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Hon. Faiyaz Koya, has called for immediate discussions on the impact that the United Kingdoms (UK) withdrawal from the European Union (EU) will have on relationships between the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), the EU and the UK.



He made the call when speaking on behalf of Pacific ACP countries at the ACP Ministerial Trade Committee Meeting in Brussels.



Neither the EU nor the UK have given clear positions on Brexit for the ACP group to thoroughly analyse and assess. We have only been able to speculate under the circumstances. However, it remains an imperative that ACP countries be able to conduct assessments to determine our most effective course of action in advancing our relationships with the EU and the UK, he said.



Minister Koya added that the high dependence of some ACP countries, Fiji included, on UK and EU markets was a particular area of concern.



Fiji is a case in point in this regard, as 45 per cent of our exports to the EU were destined for the UK market in 2015. In 2014, the UK market accounted for an even higher 76 per cent of Fijis exports to the EU, down from a peak of 94 per cent in 2011. So the UK market is very important to Fiji and for other Pacific Island countries, he said. our preference is that current trade and economic relationships are preserved as best as possible.


CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 12/09/16 -- Veresen Inc. ("Veresen") (TSX: VSN) has received notice from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") that it has denied the request for rehearing submitted on April 8, 2016, by Jordan Cove Energy Project, L.P. and Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, LP related to their applications for authorization to construct and operate a liquefied natural gas export terminal and natural gas pipeline. In its decision, FERC stated that the March 11 order properly denied the application and that it would not reopen the record and consider evidence filed subsequent to the initial decision, as the request for rehearing did not demonstrate the existence of extraordinary circumstances. The FERC reiterated that its denial is without prejudice to the applicants submitting a new application should the companies show a market need for these services in the future.

"Veresen remains committed to this important energy infrastructure project," said Don Althoff, President and CEO of Veresen. "We are very disappointed by FERC's decision, especially in light of the significant progress that has been made in demonstrating market support for the project and the strong showing of public support for the project. We continue to firmly believe this project will provide significant economic benefit to Oregon, while ensuring responsible environmental stewardship and stakeholder engagement."

Veresen will review all of its options in light of the FERC denial, including appeal or the submission of a new application with FERC. The company will provide an update on its strategy to advance the Jordan Cove LNG project at an appropriate time in the future.

For further information about the Jordan Cove LNG project, please visit www.jordancovelng.com.

About Veresen Inc.

Veresen is a publicly-traded dividend paying corporation based in Calgary, Alberta that owns and operates energy infrastructure assets across North America. Veresen is engaged in three principal businesses: a pipeline transportation business comprised of interests in the Alliance Pipeline, the Ruby Pipeline and the Alberta Ethane Gathering System; a midstream business which includes a partnership interest in Veresen Midstream Limited Partnership which owns assets in western Canada, and an ownership interest in Aux Sable, which owns a world-class natural gas liquids (NGL) extraction facility near Chicago, and other natural gas and NGL processing energy infrastructure; and a power business comprised of a portfolio of assets in Canada. Veresen is also working to advance Jordan Cove LNG, a six million tonne per annum natural gas liquefaction facility proposed to be constructed in Coos Bay, Oregon, and the associated Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline. In the normal course of business, Veresen regularly evaluates and pursues acquisition and development opportunities.

Veresen's Common Shares, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series A, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series C, and Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series E trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols "VSN", "VSN.PR.A", "VSN.PR.C" and "VSN.PR.E", respectively. For further information, please visit www.vereseninc.com.

Contacts:

Mark Chyc-Cies

Investor Relations Director

(403) 213-3633

investor-relations@vereseninc.com




MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 12/09/16 -- Genius Properties Ltd. ("Genius" or the "Corporation") (CSE: GNI)(CSE: GNI.CN) announce that it has signed an amended engagement letter with Leede Jones Gable Inc., to modify the price of the flow through shares issued under its Offering, announced on November 14, 2016, to $0.05 per flow-through share. All the other terms remain unchanged.

Genius is also pleased to announce that it has closed a first tranche of 1,240,000 units for gross proceeds of $62,000 (the "First Tranche") of a non-brokered private placement, consisting of up to 12,000,000 units of the Corporation for maximum gross proceeds of $600,000. Each unit is offered at $0.05 and consists of 1 common share and 1 common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant shall entitle its holder to purchase a common share at a price of $0.10 for a period of 12 months period following the closing of the private placement.

The Corporation also announces that Mr. Stephane Leblanc resigned as Executive Chairman effective immediately to focus on other projects. Jimmy Gravel, President & CEO of Genius, on behalf of the Board of Directors and the Corporation, would like to thank Mr. Leblanc for his years of service and contribution to the Corporation. "We appreciate Stephane's contribution to the Board and we have significantly benefited from his wide ranging knowledge and experience during his tenure with us. We wish Stephane all the very best in his future endeavors and we know he will continue to support Genius' project" Each Unit consists of 100,000 common shares of the Corporation (each a "Share") and 100,000 transferable Share purchase warrants. Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase (1) one additional Share at an exercise price of $0.10 per share during the 12 months from the closing date.

The Corporation intends on using the net proceeds from the offerings to continue advancing its projects and for general corporate purposes.

All Shares issued pursuant to this First Tranche will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from their date of issuance and as such are restricted from trading until April 10, 2017.

About Genius Properties

Genius is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on developing projects with some of the world's most critical metals and minerals for use in various industries including in particular, batteries for storing electrical energy and the raw materials essential for Lithium-ion battery production.

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Jimmy Gravel

President & CEO

Email: jgravel@geniusproperties.ca




LAGOS, Nigeria, December 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

TheAfrica Finance Corporation (AFC) will host what is being billed as the continent's most critical summit on African infrastructure in Abuja, Nigeria, on 27-28 March 2017.

AFC Live2017,to be opened byNigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, isa global event that will bring together financiers, developers and policy makers to discuss how to increase private sector investment and deal flows in the African infrastructure space.

The two-day event will also mark the Corporation's remarkable first decade since its inception in 2007. It has invested over $4 billion on projects covering 26 African countriesand it is setting regional benchmarks in itscomplementary service areas - project development, financial advisory and principal investing.

The theme for the two-day event is'AFC Live 2017 - Connect. Engage. Innovate - The African Infrastructure Revolution'.(The first edition ofAFC Livewas held in 2014).

The often poor state of the existing infrastructure has been identified as the major bottleneck to Africa's development. The pressure on these assets will continue to intensify in light of the explosive population growth and expanding urbanisation. Rapid and sustained infrastructure development is essential if the continent is to unlock its potential and embark on an era of prosperity.

While the challenge is enormous, the response has been robust, led by organisation such as the AFC. A growing number of expertly constructed private-public partnerships (PPP) has led to an upsurge of infrastructure projects across the continent and are helping to build tomorrow's Africa. But much more still needs to be done.

"Ourunique public and private shareholder base and our in-depth knowledge of the African market positions us well to address Africa's pressing infrastructure investment and development needs" says Andrew Alli, President and CEO of AFC. "But we need to find new models to fast track investments and reduce lead times from inception to completion".

AFC Livewill explore these ideas and concepts in depth, showcase recent success stories and provide networking and deal making facilities.

"Today," says Alli, "investors can partner with a growing number of African institutions, and private sector companies, to take advantage of the African opportunity, as well as working with them to navigate the perceived African risk. The return on investment, as the AFC has proved, is considerable.

By getting the key players in this space under one roof, I am sure numerous ways to scale up investments and put together the right frameworks to encourage private sector investment in key sectors will emerge".

The AFC last week signed a Memorandum of Understanding withMorocco's Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP) aimed at increasing pan-African collaboration in financing vital infrastructure projects in North and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The MoU signing comes on the back of the launch of the Africa Infrastructure Development Association, a private sector initiative to bring about successful financing and project development solutions for infrastructure projects across the continent.

CONNECT. ENGAGE. INNOVATE -Join the Infrastructure Revolution!

For further information visit:http://www.africafc.org

Note to Editors:

About AFC

AFC, an international investment grade multilateral finance institution, was established in 2007 with an equity capital base of US$1 billion, to be the catalyst for private sector infrastructure investment across Africa. With a current balance sheet size of approximately US$3.2 billion, AFC is now the second highest investment grade rated multilateral financial institution in Africa with an A3/P2 (Stable outlook) rating from Moody's Investors Service. In May 2015, AFC successfully concluded a debut US$750 million Eurobond issue which was 7 times oversubscribed and attracted investors from Asia, Europe and the USA.



AFC's investment approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development and risk capital to address Africa's infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth.



AFC invests in high quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications.



Follow us on Twitter - @africa_finance




PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Fitch Ratings maintained the sovereign ratings of the U.K. with a 'negative' outlook, while France's rating was affirmed with 'stable' outlook. The agency kept the U.K.'s credit rating at 'AA' on Friday. The ratings balance a high-income, diversified and advanced economy against comparatively high public sector indebtedness, the agency said. Fitch noted that deep capital markets and sterling's international reserve currency status and high governance and human development indicators further support the ratings. However, the 'Brexit' vote has ushered a period of heightened uncertainty. The rating agency also affirmed Bank of England's rating at 'AA' with a 'negative' outlook. In a separate communique, the agency said France's credit rating remained at 'AA'. The ratings balance a wealthy and diversified economy, track record of relative macro-financial stability, strong and effective civil and social institutions with a high general government debt/GDP ratio and fiscal deficit, Fitch said. The rating was underpinned by its strong financing flexibility, as a core Eurozone member with access to the Eurozone's deep and liquid capital markets, and with government debt entirely denominated in euros. The stable outlook suggests that Fitch does not expect developments with a high likelihood of leading to a rating change. 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.
ANKARA (dpa-AFX) - The Turkish air force has killed 19 Kurdistan Workers' Party fighters in the Gara area of northern Iraq, the state run Anadolu news agency reported Saturday. In a statement, the Turkish General Staff said that the Turkish jets eliminated 19 terrorists in a security operation, while destructing five shelters of them and a logistics center. More than 70 PKK and Daesh terrorists have been killed in Turkish air strikes across eastern and southeastern Turkey and northern Syria over the past week, the military said in a separate statement. The military had also dismantled 50 shelters of the PPK fighters during the operations. Meanwhile, the PKK fighters detonated a vehicle bomb before a gendarmerie station in southeastern Diyarbakir province early in the day, but no causalities have been reported. An operation is being carried out by the authorities to find the offenders. 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.
General Atlantic, a New York, NY  based global growth equity firm, promoted Aaron Goldman and Shantanu Rastogi to managing director and Erin Chang to principal.

Mr. Goldman, who joined General Atlantic in 2007, is based in the firms New York office and focuses on investments in the financial services sector, with a concentration on payments. He has been closely involved with investments in BillDesk, Network International, Avant, Adyen, Tory Burch, Mu Sigma, Sura Asset Management, First Republic Bank, Pierpont Securities, and IHS Markit. He currently serves as the General Atlantic shareholder representative for Adyen, a technology company that provides businesses with a single solution to accept payments anywhere in the world, and as a board observer for Network International, a provider of payments solutions in the Middle East and Africa.

Mr. Rastogi, who joined General Atlantic in 2013, leads investments in the financial services, healthcare, and retail & consumer sectors in General Atlantics Mumbai office. He has played an active role in General Atlantics investments in PNB Housing Finance Limited, IIFL Wealth & Asset Management, House of Anita Dongre, National Stock Exchange, Sharekhan, and NDTV. Mr. Rastogi serves on the board of directors of the House of Anita Dongre and IIFL Wealth Management Limited.

Ms. Chang, who joined General Atlantic in 2007, is a senior investment professional in the firms Hong Kong office, focusing on investments in the retail & consumer and healthcare sectors. At General Atlantic, she has been involved in the investments in Ocean Link, Xiabu Xiabu, Tenfu, Sun Art Retail Group, and ZhongSheng Group, and provided support during the Tory Burch investment process.

The promotions will be effective as of January 1, 2017.

FinSMEs

09/12/2016
Procore, a Carpinteria, Calif.-based provider of cloud construction software, raised $50m in venture capital funding.

The round was led by Iconiq Capital.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate R&D investments, to expand its current product offering beyond its core project management suite, and grow internationally with the opening its first offices outside of the United States.

Led by Tooey Courtemanche, CEO, Procore provides cloud-based project management software for construction companies to have constant access to real time project information from anywhere, at any time, with any device, and increase project efficiency.

In 2016, the company added more than 500,000 new users, bringing the current number to 1.5 million users, and will end 2016 with more than 2,500 clients across 92 countries.

Procore has close to 700 employees in seven offices across the United States.

FinSMEs

10/12/2016
As cash is the primary mode of transaction in agriculture sector, demonetisation is bound to cause temporary stress in the system. But as they say 'No pain, no gain', for I believe this historic move has the potential of bringing about transformational changes in the sector like better access to credit for farmers, elimination of middlemen, direct transfer of subsidies to farmers and ultimately linking the Indian farmer to the global agricultural market.

However, in the short term, the sector has to brave several storms before it realises the true fruits of demonetization. In the transitional phase, farm produces with limited shelf-life like fruits and vegetables, which significantly contribute to overall farm output, will be hit due to cash crunch. Similarly, payment of wages to farm laborers and rentals for farm implements will too become difficult considering the limited access of service providers to the banking system. The steep decline in transactions at various states APMCs (up to 70 percent as per reports) in the aftermath of the decision is a testimony to this fact.

But despite these initial hiccups, demonetization can potentially address the perennial problem of credit in farm sector. With banking system glowing with liquidity, there can be increase in investments in farm sector, which is the only way to get out of the vicious circle of subsistence farming. Despite being declared as a priority sector credit availability to typical farmers for investment in their own lands are far from adequate. This has forced farmers to rely on non-institutional credit, which further aggravates the problem.

A market-driven, intense farming practice is must for bringing about positive change on ground. Indias agricultural sector provides more jobs and sustainable incomes than all other sectors put together. Despite high-population density, per capita arable land availability in India is among the best in the world; it the only country in the world capable of growing almost any grain, fruit or vegetable in abundance. Unknown to many, India's agricultural products fetches higher earnings than trade in services or manufacturing.

With proactive support, India can further enhance its farm exports and contribute to its prosperity. Development of agriculture will also address other glaring social problems like town planning, migration and access to basic health care and nutrition. Better access to credit for farmers will help them gain sustainable incomes and invest in their assets for better returns.

Farming communities across India have been very supportive to the cause. Despite inconveniences, farmers are willing to play their part for country's development. An essential ingredient for the success of demonetization is internet penetration in rural India. Mobile wallets can play a cardinal role in dealing with cash crunch. They can be helpful in reimbursing labourers and providing farm implement rentals. Yet mobile wallets, net-banking are to a large extent dependent on internet connectivity; despite wide mobile coverage, internet connectivity and its stability remain dicey in rural areas.

Seeds, fertiliser and labour are the largest contributor to farmer's expense in the sowing season. Direct subsidy transfer for farmers for fertiliser purchase will be very beneficial in the current scenario. Banking provisions like over-drafting, disbursement of working capital/micro credit are the need of the hour.

Demonetization will empower Indias farming communities and bring them at par with city dwellers. Access to institutional credit has the potential to change the very nature of Indian agriculture, post successful implementation of demonetization. The advent of GST regime and access to better credit can revitalize agro-processing in an unprecedented way.

The biggest challenge of this entire exercise lies in reaching out to marginalised farmers with negligible/nil landholding and to those outside the banking and social security net. Decline in arrivals at mandis signals temporary distress in small farmers. From hiring trolleys, to unloading of crops, scarcity of cash has emerged as bottleneck in this sowing season. Our company is already taking steps to reach out to such marginalized farmers and address their problems.

The government and industry must come together to help farmers and make this initiative a thumping success for the farm sector.

(The writer is Founder and Managing Director, Ruchi Soya Industries Ltd
IndiQube, a Bangalore-based company focussed on making life easier and comfortable for startups and entrepreneurs by providing office space on lease, is looking at increasing footprints in other major metros in the country. Startups find renting and owning office space when they start out an ordeal. It is not only expensive but also impacts frugal reserves that could be used in the business model and get the startup up and running.

IndiQube started in 2014 by Rishi Das, an IIT-Roorkee graduate and his brother Anshuman, an IIT-Delhi graduate along with Meghana Agarwal, an IMT Ghaziabad alumnus is now expanding its reach. The company is in talks for raising Series B funding which they hope to close in March 2017.

What it does

It takes buildings on a 20-year lease and then develop it. The company has eight buildings in Bangalore catering to half million space and 60 companies. The companies are charged for the space and also the services it provides from furniture to meal coupons to housekeeping.

The business centers are equipped with gyms, food courts and employee engagement programs like yoga, Pilate sessions, etc. There are other services too provided depending on the need of the client like transportation service, shared transport, etc.

There is a demand for 40 million square feet of new office space in the country, according to industry estimates with an increasing number of startups emerging from all parts of the country. Rishi Das, co founder and Chairman says that the demand for office space is always very high. The company leased out 70 percent of office space last year that was less than 10,000 sq feet.

However, with startups themselves going through a period of struggle in the past yera, IndiQube has changed its focus and is interested in leasing space only to those startups which are looking out for Series A and B funding. "We do not refuse startups but we look at their growth potential. Typically, we offer space to those companies with a 3 year horizon in mind," says Das. IndiQube has been profitable from the beginning, says Das, refusing to share the numbers.

Self-funded firm

The company that has been fully bootstrapped with close to Rs 40 crore by the co-founders is hopeful of closing its Series B round in March 2017. They expect to expand their business from half a million office space to an additional one million that will be focussed heavily on Bangalore and then move to other metros. "Of the 40 million square feet of office space that is needed in the country, around 16 million will be absorbed in Bangalore only. We are bullish on Bangalore and understand its potential," says Das. The funds raised will be used to do interior designing services.
From a single hospital with 150 beds, Prathap Chandra Reddy, founder of Apollo Hospitals Ltd, became India's largest healthcare entrepreneur with over 50 hospitals in the country and abroad. Journalist Pranay Gupte brings you the full story of Reddy's rise from humble origins in his book, Healer: Dr Prathap Chandra Reddy and the Transformation of India, published by Portfolio Penguin, New Delhi. The following are some interesting excerpts from the book.

On why Dr Reddy decided to set up Apollo Hospitals

How did Dr Prathap Chandra Reddy help transform India's health care landscape? The creation of Apollo was the first step, after he'd returned home to India in 1970 after nearly a decade in the United States.

He lost a thirty-eight-year-old patient in Madras because the man could not mobilize the resources for a heart bypass operation in America.He was not able to save his own father, Raghava Reddy, who suffered from a brain haemorrhage, or his mother, who succumbed to cervical cancer. He could not save his dear friend Kumara Raja Muthiah, who died of a sudden heart attack.

Lodged in Dr Reddy's mind is the thought that had Apollo been in existence then, the lives of all of them could conceivably have been saved. It is a powerful, atavistic thought, and it continues to drive him to continually search for better technologies and more sophisticated systems to improve health care in India.

That thought has engendered in Dr Reddy a relentless focus on how health care is delivered in a country of more than a billion people, most of them poor. He transformed health care by generating widespread awareness of a simple, sensible method - that prevention is better than cure.

He did it by building a system in urban and rural areas; more hospitals and clinics are in the pipeline. He did it by building training colleges for nurses, and schools for children in rural areas in the belief that education about health care should be part of the curriculum from an early stage - and that perhaps more students would want to go on to choose medicine as a career in a developing country such as India.

In the course of Dr Reddy's thirty-year journey, he has truly transformed India's health care landscape. Transformation, by definition, presupposes an unprecedented change of paradigms in one or all of the following attributes - scale, character, genre or value. When Apollo started in 1983, it was Dr Reddy's belief, his charisma and his power to carry the team with him that gave life to what was essentially a vision.

On making affordable healthcare a reality

He actualized that vision with a deep abiding spiritual faith, and he did it with a self-confidence that motivated hundreds to join him in a venture that had seemed impossible - the creation of a nationwide hospital system in the corporate sector. 'I took others with me,' Dr Reddy said to me. 'I emphasized that the true Apollo spirit is: If anything that can be done in the field of medicine anywhere in the world, we can do it better.'

Dr Reddy recognized that India seemed well on its way to becoming the world's fourth largest economy, after the United States, China and the European Union. Business constituencies in America and elsewhere perceived exponential growth opportunities in a place that Winston Churchill had once dismissed as a land of fakirs.

It can be certainly said that the vision of Dr Prathap Chandra Reddy of Aragonda has been durable. Thirty years ago, when he started Apollo Hospitals, he named it Apollo after the Greek god of medicine, music, light, law and prophesy. Today, it has grown into one of the world's largest such networks. And it is growing, both in size and in market value.

On how Dr Reddy named the hospital

One afternoon in Chennai, over a cup of steaming coffee with the celebrated astrologer D. Nagarajan in his modest two-room apartment, I heard an intriguing story of how Apollo Hospitals came to be adopted as a name by Dr Reddy.

'He came to me quite excited about the name that he'd just registered - Apollo Hospital Enterprises,' Nagarajan said. 'I immediately sensed that the name wouldn't work, and I told him that.'

Dr Reddy's face fell. 'What can I do now?' he said. 'I've already registered that name.'

Nagarajan did some quick numerological calculations.

'Rename it "Apollo Hospitals",' he told Dr Reddy. 'Add an "s" to Hospital. You will see how your business will grow into many hospitals.'

And so Apollo Hospital became Apollo Hospitals. That was three years before the first Apollo facility was inaugurated in Madras in 1983. Dr Reddy's wife, Sucharitha, told me separately that well before her husband established Apollo, Nagarajan had read her hand and predicted that Dr Reddy would launch an enterprise that would benefit millions.

On what industrialist Mukesh Ambani told the author about Dr Reddy

This is what India's leading industrialist Mukesh Ambani told me: 'I have a hunch that, true to the name, Dr Reddy wanted to accomplish an Apollo-like dream in the field of medicine in India. How else can one explain the fact that an enterprise that began with a single 150-bed hospital in Chennai in 1983 has now grown into one of the largest health care providers in Asia with over 8,500 beds at more than fifty hospitals in India and abroad?

Paraphrasing the famous words of Neil Armstrong, the first astronaut to land on the moon ? "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" ? I would say that the one small but steadfast step that Dr Reddy took thirty years ago has now become a giant leap for the private sector-led world-class health care in India.

Say this for Dr Reddy: as with other remarkable entrepreneurs like Dhirubhai Ambani, he had foresight, of course, and he had a compelling vision. But, far more than most of his contemporaries, he took a great risk in an industry at a time when everybody advised him otherwise. When he embarked on establishing Apollo, almost no one - with the exception of his wife Sucharitha, and the astrologer Nagarajan - thought that Dr Reddy would succeed.

On Dr Reddy's efforts at empowering women in Indian business

'Dr Reddy's other exemplary achievement is women's empowerment in Indian business. His four daughters ? Preetha, Suneeta, Shobana and Sangita ? who have helped him so ably in building and running his enterprise, have shown that professionally well-qualified and capable women can be equal to their male counterparts in any enterprise, especially in the enterprise of health care.'

*************************

Dr Reddy's four daughters - Preetha, Suneeta, Shobana and Sangita - are all key executives at Apollo, and have been lauded for their talents. His ten grandchildren are increasingly assuming leadership roles. There will be continuity at Apollo in offering access to high quality clinical care - and affordable care.'Where else in the world can you get such top-class medical treatment at such low cost?' Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, the billionaire Mumbai-based investor and financier, told me.

On how Dr Reddy manages the twin jobs of being a healer and a businessman

'At the end of the day, when you see smiling faces and you are satisfied that you have given your best to help people, that is what keeps you going. I truly enjoy what I do. There is no "secret" to the way I work. It's simply passion. I never claim our success as my own.

Our success is the sum total of the dedicated enterprise of each and every member of the Apollo family. That is why I make it a point to meet as many Apollo family members as possible every day of the week, and every week of the year. Even when I am travelling, I stay in touch with my colleagues. And I always am in contact with our patients - whether through daily rounds of the wards, or by telephone. I call it offering the human touch; our patients say it is reassurance provided by a chairman who also happens to be a physician himself.

'Whatever it is, I truly believe that medicine's curative value is enhanced when the physician and other institutional personnel give personal attention to patients.

I believe that patients aren't simply numbers - medicine is a matter of people, and that means paying special attention to people's feelings, anxieties, trepidations, worries and hopes. It also must mean paying special attention to their aspirations for leading a healthy, productive life in a disease-free society.'

On the massive impact Dr Reddy has had on India's healthcare industry

Consider the changes that flowed from Dr Reddy's initiatives.

Among them: India's pathetic casualty departments gave way to clean efficient emergency departments that functioned round the clock; an organ donation bill was passed enabling cadaver transplants; health insurance was introduced in India; new technology introduction in health care was now becoming commonplace; investments in the private sector health care industry grew sharply thanks to key legislative changes - in essence significantly increasing the reach of advanced health care and making it affordable to all across the country.

The noted philosopher and the inspiration behind the Isha Foundation, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, says: 'Dr Prathap Chandra Reddy has transformed the concept of health care in India. In many ways, we can demarcate health care in India as before Apollo and after. Sitting upon such laurels, the man himself is childlike, effervescent and joyful. His irrepressible enthusiasm at eighty is to be seen to be believed. He's a devout being and a visionary entrepreneur, a true blessing for the nation.'

In view of such encomiums, I wondered how Dr Reddy kept himself anchored to his fundamental role as a 'healer'. I asked him: How do you convey your competence to patients?

His response: 'By creating in them a continuing belief that there are people - Apollo people - who care 24/7, and that there's a system that works.'

That belief is earned: it is not fostered easily in men and women more accustomed to the unresponsiveness they encounter in many of India's institutions of public service, particularly hospitals. It is also reinforced when a medical facility provides thoughtful aftercare to patients because a founder like Dr Reddy insists.

He also happens to be a thoroughly decent man who isn't impressed by his own success - he is in fact one of the most decent and likeable figures I have known in public life since I entered international journalism in 1968.

Whether it's a ward boy at a hospital, the chief minister of one of India's twenty-eight states, the head of one of the country's seven Union territories, or a visiting dignitary from overseas, Dr Reddy engages the person with an egalitarian warmth and curiosity. He is a man of endless questions - which is why it's often difficult to interview him, because he's always asking questions of his interviewer. In fact, this reversal of roles can be unsettling at times for a writer.

'We are a team,' he told me, 'we are always a team. No one man could have created and sustained Apollo. From Day One, our total footprint was in the very best health care that could be offered to patients - and in preventive health care. It all happened because we simply didn't give up, no matter what the obstacles were. Nowadays, of course, there are many others in the private-sector health care industry. We are not Massachusetts General, or Sloan-Kettering, or Johns Hopkins or Mayo Clinic. But believe me, none of them is what Apollo is today in our total health footprint. Apollo will continue this journey of transforming the form and delivery of health care. We led the journey in India. And the journey continues. You can take my word for it.'

Healer:Dr Prathap Chandra Reddy and the Transformation of India, by Pranay Gupte, published by Portfolio Penguin, New Delhi, December 2013. 548 pp, Indian price: Rs 899. (c) Pranay Gupte 2013
Mumbai: State Bank of India (SBI) on Friday sold 3.9 percent stake in SBI Life for Rs 1,794 crore to Singapore sovereign fund Temasek and global private equity major KKR, valuing the life insurance firm at Rs 46,000 crore ahead of its plans to go public within a couple of years.

Both the partners will pick up equal stake in the third largest private life insurer, after HDFC Life (post merger with Max Life) and ICICI Prudential Life.

In October, SBI had informed the exchanges it was planning to dilute up to 5 percent to interested parties and that it was working towards taking SBI Life public over the next 18-24 months. SBI had also offered to shed 10 percent stake to its French joint venture partner BNP Group, at a right price.

Asked whether SBI would sell the remaining portion in the planned stake dilution, a senior company official said that it is unlikely in the current fiscal year.

SBI Life is a joint venture between the nations largest lender and French financial powerhouse BNP Paribas Cardif, which owns 26 per cent stake.

Post-transaction, SBIs stake in the life insurance firm will come down to 70.1 percent from current 74 percent, while BNP Paribas Cardif will continue to hold 26 percent.

In a statement, SBI said the executive committee meeting of its board has approved the sale of 3.9 crore shares of Rs 10 each, equalling a 3.9 percent stake in SBI Life for Rs 1,794 crore ($264 million).

It said an investment vehicle affiliated with the KKR- managed funds and an affiliate of Temasek will each purchase 1.95 crore share from the bank.

"We are happy to welcome KKR and Temasek as our incoming partners in SBI Life. The partnership with Temasek and KKR is a recognition of the efforts of SBI Life's commitment to create a high-quality institution which is a leader amongst the close to two dozen private life insurers in the country," SBI Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya said.

The valuation of SBI Life at Rs 46,000 crore reflects significant value creation since its inception in 2001, she added.

KKR India Chief Executive Sanjay Nayar said, "We look forward to supporting SBI Life's long-term growth alongside these high-calibre partners, and are excited to enhance financial access for citizens across the country and promote development of a more inclusive financial services industry."
By Lawrence Delevingne

| NEW YORK

NEW YORK The Beechwood group of reinsurance companies is in talks to sell most or all of itself after a backlash from some clients due to its relationship with troubled hedge fund manager Platinum Partners, according to a person familiar with the situation."The very good news is that Beechwood has a successful business model that is attractive to investors," Davidson Goldin, an external spokesman for Beechwood, said in a statement to Reuters on Friday."The unfortunate news that Beechwood is working to manage on behalf of its clients is that Beechwoods historical relationships with individuals from Platinum are causing substantial reputational issues for the firm separate from its performance."The sale discussions are with large insurance and private equity firms, according to the person, who requested anonymity because the information is private and who spoke to Reuters on Wednesday.The talks mark a reversal of fortune for Beechwood, a once fast-growing reinsurer founded in 2013 with some funding coming indirectly from Platinum and some crossover in personnel. (See graphic: tmsnrt.rs/2hjRlW6)The Bermuda-, Grand Cayman- and New York-based firm has been working to sever its links with Platinum after the once-$1.35 billion hedge fund manager became embroiled in multiple federal probes and put its funds in liquidation in July. Beechwood had made investments worth hundreds of millions of dollars in Platinum-related hedge funds and businesses on behalf of its insurance clients, according to public filings and information provided by one client as part of subsequent litigation.As Manhattan-based Platinums troubles mounted, one of Beechwoods major clients, Indiana insurer CNO Financial Group (CNO.N), pulled business from Beechwood and sued three current and former Beechwood executives seeking damages. Another large client, Pennsylvania-domiciled Senior Health Insurance Co of Pennsylvania, better known as SHIP, is liquidating its Platinum-related holdings, invested for them by Beechwood.Led by a former chief executive officer of Marsh USA and senior executives from Morgan Stanley (MS.N) and Merrill Lynch (BAC.N), Beechwood managed $2.44 billion as of 2015. The lawsuit from CNO subsidiaries in September claimed that Beechwood told them that it is about to run out of cash and that its two principals will have to fund operations with their own money.Beechwood did not respond to a request for comment on its current financial state.

PLATINUM PROBLEMS

Beechwoods links to Platinum began hurting over the summer.In June, longtime Platinum and Beechwood associate Murray Huberfeld was arrested on criminal corruption charges, and the hedge fund's headquarters was raided by federal agents. Platinum, led by Mark Nordlicht, later decided to liquidate its main hedge funds under the supervision of a professional monitor amid pressure from investigations by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. A lawyer for Huberfeld has said his client denies the allegations; the case is pending. Huberfeld provided Platinum with money for its launch in 2003, and the firm eventually took over separate hedge funds he managed. Huberfeld allegedly kept ties to Platinum throughout, according to the federal charges against him, and in recent years did some work for Beechwood, where his nephew, son and son-in-law also had roles, according to the CNO lawsuit.

Since the decision to unwind its funds, Platinums main offshore vehicle has received U.S. bankruptcy protection as Cayman Islands-based liquidators work to recover money and sell off its assets on behalf of creditors. Platinum and its executives also face lawsuits based on allegations that they stole money or intellectual property from companies they invested in.A spokesman for Platinum declined to comment. The September lawsuit by subsidiaries of CNO against Beechwood Chief Executive Officer Mark Feuer, Beechwood President Scott Taylor and Platinum co-chief investment officer and former Beechwood executive David Levy  Huberfelds nephew  alleged that Platinum executives conspired with counterparts at Beechwood to form the reinsurance group and then invested client assets in Platinum-related funds and businesses.The plaintiffs allege that current and former Beechwood executives hid their links to Platinum even after they were asked by the CNO subsidiaries to sever ties. A subsequent audit found at least $116 million of hard-to-value assets inextricably intertwined with Platinum, the lawsuit said. Feuer, Taylor and Levy did not respond to emails seeking comment. Other Beechwood clients are keeping a close eye on developments.

Universal has been closely monitoring events related to the Beechwood label, Eira Pineiro, an external spokeswoman for Puerto Rico-based Universal Group Inc, said in an email, adding that the insurer was taking steps to ensure that its assets were protected.The firm's life insurance unit had $437.5 million in assets with Beechwood as of the end of 2015, according to a filing with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. It was unclear if any of those assets were related to Platinum; Pineiro did not respond to requests for clarification.Representatives of two other insurers, Columbus, Ohio-based Motorists Life Insurance Co and Charleston, South Carolina-based Atlantic Coast Life Insurance Co told Reuters in separate statements that they had no Platinum-related holdings through Beechwood despite separate asset management agreements for approximately $100 million each. We are comfortable with our position, Atlantic Coast CEO Daniel Cathcart said in an email.By contrast, SHIP, the Pennsylvania-domiciled insurer, told Reuters in September that it was liquidating its Platinum-related holdings related to its contract with Beechwood. Those investments totaled at least $100 million as of June and about $50 million as of September. A spokesman for SHIP declined to comment, including on the current status of the divestment.CNO appears to be the only client to cut ties with Beechwood, and has taken back its approximately $550 million in assets, according to public company disclosures. CNO previously estimated it would lose about $55 million, pending an audit by year end of hard-to-value assets, which it believes were incorrectly priced by Beechwood. A CNO spokesman declined to make an additional comment; Beechwood released a statement at the time saying it had "acted properly at all times." (Reporting by Lawrence Delevingne; editing by Carmel Crimmins)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
When the AgustaWestland scam erupted in May this year both inside and outside of Parliament, I wrote that "the two-term regime of the UPA left behind a sprawling trail of institutional destruction. Former Air Chief S P Tyagis arrest by the CBI in connection with the same case must be viewed in this light. While this is the first time a former Air Chief has been arrested, and as unfortunate as it is, it raises several important points.

The first is obviously, the industrial-scale compromise of institutions at the highest levels, a case of the proverbial fence preying on the field. It appears that no institution has been spared of the toxic game of political favouritism. Equally, those that don't play this game have their professional and personal reputations sullied among other damages as the case of the former CAG Vinod Rai shows. Or, closer home, the fact of how General V K Singh was hounded because he took on the omnipotent arms lobby.

The second is more specific to Indias defence establishment, which to say the least is soaked in almost every conceivable misdemeanour. Tragically, this is a subject about which very little has been writtenbeyond some superficial ethical homilies, there has been no definitive book or investigative report at least hinting at the contoursif not delving into detailsof this very critical subject. While the reasons for it are understandablegiven the high level of secrecy and dangers associated, it is neverthelessan endeavour that needs urgent attention.Neither is corruption in the defence establishment restricted to India. Transparency International assesses this problem with its key factors thus:

With huge contracts and high secrecy, the defence sector poses unique corruption risks. In 2010 alone, the sector as a whole spent the equivalent to Russia or Indias GDP, but how much of that money can we follow? We estimate at least US$ 20 billion is lost to corruption in the sector every year. And that is only a modest estimation of the costs incurred when national security concerns become a veil to hide corrupt activity. Single source contracts, unaccountable and overpaid agents, obscure defence budgets, unfair appointments and promotions, and many more forms of corruption in this secretive sector waste taxpayer funds and put citizens and soldiers' lives at risk.

When we closely examine the timeline of the AgustaWestland case, most of these factors strike as eerily familiar, almost like checkboxes that one can tick off.

If a former Air Chief staff can be arrested on grounds of accepting dirty money to broker a deal, the point is really not about his guilt or innocence  the point is more about how he even allowed fingers to be pointed at him. Tragically, the timeless truth in Caesars wife should be above suspicion hasnt rung true in this case. But he isnt alone: Wikileaks cables reveal how back in the 1970s, Rajiv Gandhi acted as a negotiator lobbying on behalf of the Swedish Viggen fighters. The then Air Marshal OP Mehras son-in-law Navin Behl was alleged to be lobbying on behalf of Viggens competitor, Mirage.

Indeed, the aforementioned timeline investigations reveal quite a bit. The most crucial of these revelations is the fact that but for the 2012 expose of this corruption in the Italian media, the AugustaWestland deal would have been successful with none the wiser. Bears an uncanny similarity with the Bofors arms scandal that was first reported on Swedish radio, doesnt it?

Lets also not forget the fact that the same Tyagi was referred to as a "gorgeous girl" by shady arms dealers, a shameful epithet that this Firstpost piece says "reduced him to the level of a gangster's moll, a Mona Darling to Lion."

Theres just no other way to put this: its a matter of national shame that the highest officer of Indias key defence arm should subject himself to such epithets. The other curious fact is the inexplicable involvement of Tyagis cousin, Sanjiv Tyagi in the deal, who too, was arrested by the CBI on Friday.

At the very minimum, this shouldve raised questions concerning conflict of interest.Then theres the matter of their lawyer-businessman-friend, Gautam Khaitan who was arrested as well. This is not his first arrest though: in September 2014, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him on allegations of kickbacks in the Rs 3,600 crore deal.

It could also be argued that Tyagi has become a political scapegoat while the real movers and shakers party on unharmed. Yet, the involvement of Sanjiv Tyagi and Khaitan (who was on the board of Aeromatrix, a front company through which the chopper deal money was routed) tells a different story.

In a way, Tyagis arrest is the culmination of the process that began with the FIR that the CBI filed against him in March 2013. At the moment, the name of the other key player in the sordid deal, Christian Michel, does not figure prominently. But it has once again underscored the powerful and dangerous clout of the arms lobby in the highest corridors of power, some contours of which were revealed by defence minister Manohar Parikkar.

Indeed, the role of the arms lobby is a recurrent theme in the case of arms lobbyist Sanjay Bhandari, a once-obscure businessman who swiftly gained proximity to the first family members of Congress, including Robert Vadra and Sonia Gandhi. Among his other achievements, his firm OIS lobbied hard with the Defence Ministry and won a Rs 4,000-crore basic trainer aircraft contract on behalf of the Swiss firm Pilatus.

And in both cases, the media was on the take. Note how Christian Michel had earmarked about Rs 45 crores to manage the media, and Bhandari had done the same, too  a May 2016 Outlook investigation revealed how "a senior, Delhi-based journalist with an English daily is also under the scanner. His call data records show that he made at least 478 calls to Bhandari."

Perhaps the real truth about AgustaWestland will never be known but what is undeniable is the impact such sleazy deals have on the morale of the defence forces. Its akin to how high-level corruption in civilian life sends a signal down to the last peon that its ok to be less than honest.What direction the AgustaWestland case takes is hard to predict but the one good thing it has done, similar to what the demonetization effort has done, is to expose the scale, manner, and innovative devices of corruption that had occurred at all levels.

Or to quote the Mitrokhin Archives, which damningly said this about the India of the 1970s: "(The KGB) had scores of sources throughout the Indian Government  in intelligence, counterintelligence, the Defence and Foreign Ministries, and the policeIt seemed like the entire country was for sale; the KGB  and the CIA  had deeply penetrated the Indian government.
Close on the heels of the news of CBI filing charge sheet against the former Telecom Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others (including two former BSNL Chief General managers) in the illegal telephone exchange case that reportedly caused a loss of Rs 1.78 crores to the exchequer, has come the news that the CBI has arrested the former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi for allegedly accepting bribe in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal. Tyagi was reportedly arrested along with his cousin Sanjiv Tyagi and lawyer Gautam Khaitan. In February 2010, the then UPA government had signed a contract with UK-based AgustaWestland to purchase 12 x AW101 helicopters for the IAF at an estimated cost of Rs 3,600 crore.

Much has happened since the UPA government signed the deal with AgustaWestland in 2010 for procuring VVIP helicopters for the President, the Prime Minister and others. Three helicopters had been delivered to India before the deal was put on hold in 2013 after Bruno Spagnolini, CEO of AgustaWestland and Guiseppe Orsi, Chairman of Italian parent company Finmeccanica, were arrested in Italy on charges of bribing middlemen to acquire the deal with the IAF.

As a follow-up, AK Anthony, then Defence Minister, ordered a probe into the matter. The CBI registered a case against the former IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal (ACM) SP Tyagi and 12 others, including his cousins and European middlemen, in March 2013. ACM Tyagi who commanded the IAF between 2004 and 2007 was accused by investigators in Italy and India of helping AgustaWestland win the helicopter contract by tailoring specifications at the instance of his cousins.

The specific allegations accused ACM Tyagi of reducing the required flying ceiling of the helicopters from 6,000 m to 4,500 m which helped AgustaWestland qualify. ACM Tyagi claimed that the change of specifications was a collective decision involving many departments. As per reports, the Enforcement Directorate alleges that payments were made through Tunisia-registered companies controlled by Switzerland-based intermediaries Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa and transferred to accounts in India and Mauritius.

In September 2014, ED arrested Gautam Khaitan on allegations of kickbacks in the 3,600 crore deal. However, in October 2014, an Italian lower court acquitted Orsi and former AgustaWestland chairman Spagnolini. Then in April 2016, a Milan Court of Appeals sentenced Orsi to four and half years and Spagnolini to four years in jail on charges of false accounting and bribing Indian officials including Tyagi. Earlier, in April 2016, Christian James Michel, the middleman in the deal had said he is willing to face Indian authorities for investigation, also writing a letter to the effect to PM Modi. Reasons why Michel had offered at this stage to cooperate are not known but he reportedly has links with the Gandhi family; so he could genuinely want to cooperate or try and lead the investigators up the gum tree.

When in May 2016 the AgustaWestland scam surfaced in media and Parliament rocked, it appeared the culprits, including high and mighty politicos and babus, would land up pronto in Tihar. But then things appeared to have cooled off. Now both the charge sheet against Dyanidhi Maran and Co and arrests in connection with the AgustaWestland scam are being attributed to Rakesh Asthana, recently appointed as the interim CBI chief. That intelligence agencies are not free from corruption and submit to diktats of political masters is quite well known.

One example of this was when the erstwhile UPA government even managed to pit the IB against the CBI for obvious political gain. But in the instant case of AgustaWestland, three things are relevant: first, over the past few months while ACM Tyagi and his Vice Chief were being questioned, no bureaucrat was summoned by CBI or ED; second, the CBI team that travelled to Italy did not probe Haschke for the jotting in his diary specifically naming the Defence Secretary, Joint Secretary (Air), AFA, DG Acquisition, CVC besides others  apparent beneficiaries? Instead, the CBI team visiting Italy during the UPA regime focused only on the role of IAF officers and some others, and; third, earlier this year, an Italian court had also exonerated ACM Tyagi of all charges.

There have been numerous articles and indications over the months that role of Shashi Kant Sharma, who was appointed CAG under exceptional circumstances by UPA, should logically be central to the ongoing AgustaWestland probe but there is no move yet to question him. Sharma, considered indispensable by Congress in MoD, has had the dubious distinction of being: DG Acquisition in MoD during signing the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal; Defence Secretary during closure of Armys Technical Support Division through a sham board and during fake rumour of army coup; as CAG ignored SC order to appear in court personally for Contempt of Court for not executing SC orders on Rank Pay when Defence Secretary.

In the VVIP chopper scam, lowering of the QR was arbitrarily by ACM Tyagi, whether on suggested by his cousins or without, is illogical. To think that any defence scam can occur without the involvement of the Defence Secretary and the DG Acquisition in MoD is downright stupid. A veteran ambassador, originally IAS, says when posted to MoD his first brief was to forget all else, just concentrate on what procurements are in pipeline and how much money could be made.

Most importantly, mystery remains who conducted trials abroad on representative helicopters and was BV Wanchoo, then Director SPG, on board during trials? Why did Wanchoo immediately step down as Governor of Goa when he was questioned in this regard? Was he protecting his political masters? MoD has reportedly asked CBI and ED to hasten the probe but it is to be seen if all involved would be interrogated and prosecuted guilty.

Scams in India have a way to be buried or go astray. Not only should the jottings of Haschke with regard to the AgustaWestland scam be probed, in the Purulia drop, Kim Davy (real name Niels Christian Nielsen) claimed it was Congress conspiracy in conjunction RAW and MI5 to overthrow the communist government in West Bengal. Are we really to believe that the probe was right in concluding that the Purulia drop was meant for a defunct organisation like Anand Margis? For that matter shouldnt the Eurocopter Scam be probed; what bribes were taken, what part returned when the deal was called off, and what retained by whom? Justice in all cases including in AgustaWestland should be complete, not merely meted out to scapegoats.

The author is veteran Lieutenant General of Indian Army
CBI's arguments in Patiala court

According to CNN- News 18, these are the CBI's arguments in Patiala House court when SP Tyagi and the two others were produced over the AgustaWestland scam.

- Criteria of 6,000 ft was to fly in areas like Ladakh

- In 2005 when SP Tyagi took over, Agusta did not even have choppers for demonstration

- NSA in 2005 had also opposed single vendor system for procurement

- Minimum flying ceiling became 4,500 ft after Tyagi took over as Indian Air Force chief

- In 2004, IAF had remained firm on 6,000 ft ceiling

- Agusta was ruled out because of ceiling constraints

- A French company was fulfilling criteria of 6,000 ft ceiling

- Searches in Switzerland showed incriminating evidence

- Custody required to confront accused, retrieve bribe money

- Sufficient evidence of bribe being paid to SP Tyagi, others

- SP Tyagi met AgustaWestland officials in private

- Gautam Khaitan routed bribe money from Agusta to India

- SP Tyagi purchased huge agricultural land when he was IAF chief

- SP Tyagi never declared land purchases to any aithorities

- Tyagi has failed to give explanation to give source of the money for land procurement

The CBI is asking for custody because they have certain incriminating evidence against the accused which they cannot reveal now. CNN-News18 reports that evidence from Mauritius and Italy has startling details.
In what appears to be the rarest of a rare case, former Air Force Chief S P Tyagi has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged involvement in the scam of purchasing VVIP chopper deal worth Rs 3,700 crores with AgustaWestland in 2010(AW-101 deal). The CBI seems to believe that the retired Air Chief Marshal influenced the decision of procuring 12 choppers, meant for the use of the top leaders of the country, including the President and Prime Minister. In the process, he is believed to have received huge kickbacks along with his cousins, known middlemen in the arms-trade.

However, the former Air Chief has always denied his role to the CBI, ever since the investigating agency was entrusted the case to find out the truth by the then UPA government in 2013.

The whole episode, in my considered view , raises two important points  the record of the CBI in presenting a strong case in matters relating to defence procurements and the very procedure of procuring defence equipments, including the role of lobbying.

Let be it be noted straightaway that so far the record of the CBI in uncovering the defence scandals has been really pathetic, to say the least. One does not remember a single case that the CBI has solved in this regard.

We all know how the CBI was asked by the UPA government to investigate about half a score of, what it said were, corrupt defence deals under the NDA rule of Atal Bihari Vajpayee during which George Fernades was the Defence Minister. However, nothing came out of these investigations and the same CBI requested the court to close the investigations years later, but not before ruining the reputations of many officials and reputations for no fault of theirs. One hopes, the same will not be the case with the former Air Chief Tyagi. If he is proved guilty in the final analysis, nobody will shed a tear for him, but if he has been a convenient ploy to save the real guilty in the top political and bureaucratic establishments, then nothing can be more tragic.

It is strange that a retired Air Chief can play a role in signing a deal three years after his retirement. Tyagi retired in 2007 and the deal was signed in 2010. Let it be noted here that these helicopters, though bought by the Indian Air Force (IAF), were meant for the use of the VVIPs, these were not going to be used by the Air Force as such. That being the case, it is really a riddle for me that the IAF was asked to buy the helicopters. Those could have been bought and maintained by the civil aviation ministry.

Be that as it may, the exercise to procure VVIP helicopters began during the Vajpayee regime. The then National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra wanted changes in the quality requirements (QRS), that, in turn, were agreed upon and signed later by the then defence minister Pranab Mukherjee (now our President). As the then Air Chief, Tyagi did not have any role in this; in fact, he did not have the authority to change the QRS. And that being the case, if at all Tyagi did play a role in the conclusion of the deal in 2010, then that must have been as a middle man after his retirement. But, was he a middleman? The inference that he was is because two of his cousin brothers are known middlemen and that the former Air Chief was seen along with his cousins in some social and family occasions.

In my humble opinion, to be seen with relatives cannot be construed as agreeing with or partnering with them. Can one be responsible for the deeds of his her own adult children? Can one be liable for what his or own brother or sister, let alone a cousin, does? In India, we have seen many political families whose members belong to different political parties. Can Rahul Gandhi be held answerable for what his first cousin Varun Gandhi says or does? Can Delhi minister Kapil Mishra be held accountable for the omissions and commissions, if any, by her mother, who is a leading BJP member and former mayor? The point that I am making is that we should not go hyper and kill the reputations of people just because they are accused of some wrong doings. In a country like India, accusing is the easiest of things done; but conviction of the accused is the most difficult job to do.

This bring me to the second point  revisiting our defence acquisition process. We must ask why is the present system is so highly prone to corruption. Is it really impractical, despite its goal being laudable? The basic point is very simple  we must have value for the money that we pay for buying right arms and ammunitions( the qualitative requirements, known as QRs) from abroad at right price (by floating tenders) and at right time( shortest possible time). And that presupposes that the QRs are formulated in such a manner that they truly reflect the countrys requirement, that there is an objective system of technical evaluation and that there are oversight agencies such as the Central Vigilance Commission(CVC), Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and Central Information Commission(CIC) to ensure the due diligence.

Theoretically speaking, we have such a system in place. Practically, however, things are not working. Our technical evaluation system takes too long a time to give the green signal. Our oversight agencies exceed their briefs more often than not by not sticking to the process and going into questioning the rationale of the very decision to procure things, a role they are not technically equipped to play. As a result, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is in a dilemma. If it strictly plays by the way the oversight agencies look at the system, the desired result may not be obtained in time. On the other hand if it circumvents the procedure, it faces objections from the oversight agencies. And this confusion leads to unnecessary delays.

Over the last two decades, we have been witnessing more and more scams in defence procurements, it is mainly because we have made lobbying illegal.

Even otherwise, there is room for fine-tuning the system that requires clearances in every possible stage of acquisition. A study shows that from the initiation to the signing of the contract, a procurement case has to sequentially go through 7 distinct stages like Acceptance of Necessity, Solicitation of Offers, and Trial Evaluation etc. Each stage consists of 6 to 10 approval points with each approval point having at least 2 submission points. Therefore, any acquisition has to be processed at about 60 to 80 processing points, involving military personnel, civilian officials in the MoD, the Defence Minister, the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister. This being the case, if there is any corruption involved in the AW-101 deal, or for that matter any other deal, then the system as a whole is to blame. And when one talks of the whole system, the major responsibility for the lapses remains ultimately with the Ministers who give the final clearance.

In my considered view, when the procedure is so complicated and requires so many clearances, and all this is all in the name of transparency, the opposite just happens. Because, as we know, in any license-permit raj, corruption thrives. And this is exactly happening in the MoD.

Finally, there is the vital point of lobbying, a natural practice. In fact, if over the last two decades, we have been witnessing more and more scams in defence procurements, it is mainly because we have made lobbying illegal. In essence, a lobbyist is like a lawyer. It is a legitimate activity in established democracies such as the United States, Canada, Germany and France. In fact, by keeping lobbying illegal, we are making our decision-making process non-transparent, hence more prone to corruption. We need people from across the spectrum to present their views to the decision-makers. There will be greater transparency if the lobbyists register themselves and disclose their activities and expenditure as is the case in the US. And once these activities are transparent, we will know who are the elected officials and the administrative bureaucrats the lobbyists have met.

That way, we will be able to know better the rationale behind a particular policy-decision and be in a better position to evaluate it. Of course, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikkar has been on record to favour such a process. Sooner he implemets it, better it is.
Since 8 November almost 12 lakh crore in demonetised notes have been deposited into banks, the RBI recently said at a news conference. On Friday, while facing some tough questions on shoddy implementation, the Centre admitted before the Supreme Court that it did not expect 80 per cent of the scrapped currency to return.

We must be cautious here. Return of the money into the banking system does not mean that demonetisation has failed. Indeed, economists such as Surjit Bhalla of The Observatory Group, a New York-based macro policy advisory caucus, has stressed that even if all of the devalued currency were to return, tax revenues will jump and therefore the move would have achieved its objective.

Be that as it may, if we narrow down on the gap between the government's hope and reality, it reflects a mismatch that should be scrutinised. It ought to tell us two things. One, the government perhaps underestimated the innate Indian talent for jugaad. Two, meta-corruption seems to be at work. When the tools of cleaning a system are also corrupted, any effort at cleansing the system is likely to face resistance.

Black wealth isn't just top-down corruption, it permeates nearly every strata of the society to create a parallel, rent-based system. Everything moves subject to greasing of the palm. It divides the nation into bribe givers and takers. While the economic repercussions serve to keep a major part of the population poor and out of the development loop, black money is also a moral hazard. While fighting this systemic problem, regulation can only serve a limited role. Unless the risk of generating black money exceeds its accruable benefits, hoarders may find ways to beat the system.

Critics and experts have hence warned the government that demonetisation must be seen as the means to an end, not an end in itself. It must be followed by structural reforms such as simplification of income tax, revoking of stamp duty, etc, to trigger a behavioural change. Since demonetisation's success is also dependent on whether or not people see this as a personal battle against graft, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly tried to vest the ownership to individuals, urging, almost imploring them to take up the cudgels on his behalf. Simply put, Modi has invested huge trust on the collective will for this radical policy to succeed.

Was he wise in doing so? Let us consider some pointers.

According to latest government data for fiscal ended 31 March 2012-13, only one percent of all Indians pay income tax. This was revealed when the Centre this year disclosed as part of a transparency exercise direct tax data for the last 15 years. According to a PTI report, a total of 2.87 crore individuals filed income tax returns for that year, but 1.62 crore of them did not pay any tax  leaving the number of taxpayers at just about 1.25 crore which was close to one percent of the country's total population of about 123 crore at that time.

While this doesn't necessarily indicate that a majority of Indians are dishonest, it certainly points to the fact that Indians have a complex relationship with notions of corruption and taxation.

R Jagannathan, in his Swarajyamag column succinctly explains the Indian mindset. "In the Abrahamic system, it is criminal to evade tax. Thus you are a good guy if you pay tax, and a bad guy if you dont. The outcome is binary. In the Dharmic mindset that most Indians operate in, we both pay taxes and attempt to evade them, depending on what we think is just and acceptable. Tax is a matter of individual judgment and negotiation. Punishment for not paying tax is karmic  outside the ambit of the state."

From temple donations, paying advance salaries, using Jan Dhan accounts of the poor, pressing the unemployed youth into service as money mules, using bank accounts of relatives to park unaccounted cash to buying and cancelling high-value train tickets, demonetisation has sprung some really innovative ideas.

While this is one part of the problem, the other part is plain dishonesty. Ever since the high-value notes were decommissioned, some duplicitous bank officials have conspired with the rich and corrupt to launder their existing black money and almost simultaneously create a pool of fresh black wealth even as the honest majority stood for hours on end in fruitless queues to get access to their daily quota of own legitimate cash.

In report after report, we find unscrupulous individuals subverting the system in collusion with some bankers to turn their black money into white. Livemint gives details about the biggest seizure of black money on Friday since the demonetisation, with I-T officials confiscating about Rs 106 crore in cash and 127 kg in gold from a Chennai businessman and his associates. In two other raids, the I-T department found Rs100 crore in an Axis Bank branch in Delhi, and Haryana police officials caught three men with Rs 17 lakh in new currency notes, according to the report.

A cartel that converted black into white with a hefty 35 percent commission was caught in Mumbai, a fake currency racket was busted in Hyderabad, a doctor in Kolkata's tony Salt Lake area was found hiding wads of new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes worth Rs 10 lakhs in his chamber while I-T raids in Bengaluru unearthed Rs 152 crore of unaccounted wealth in new notes, old notes and bullion. In between, Enforcement Directorate has arrested two managers of a private bank for assisting the corrupt in laundering money. The picture isnt pretty. We can only imagine the extent to which laundering has gone undetected.

These cases reduce the moral strength of the fight against black money. People, who have been very patient so far and have withstood extreme inconvenience with a degree of support and stoicism, may soon be feeling disillusioned. While previous opinion polls had indicated huge support in favour of demonetisation, fresh data from a new opinion poll suggests that the public support may be waning.

According to new data from a Huffpost-BW-CVoter opinion poll, "proportion of people who said that the pain of demonetisation was worth the stated aim of curbing black money continued to fall for the third straight week, while in semi-urban and urban India, support that was growing might now be reversing. Support fell the fastest among the poor and the middle class, and fell slower among the rich." The poll's margin of error is +/- 3 percent at the national level and +/- 5 percent at the regional level.

While demonetisation is an ongoing exercise that may throw new revelations each week, these findings do indicate that the government has less space to play around with unless some stability is quickly restored. Is corruption getting the better of good intent?
Mumbai: A group of women belonging to the Dawoodi Bohra community, who underwent Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), have launched a petition seeking people's support to abolish the practice.

The online petition, aimed at rooting out this ancient practice was launched by an advocacy group known as 'Speak Out on FGM' on Change.org on Thursday ahead of the International Human Rights Day, being observed on Saturday.

It would be submitted to the wing of United Nations that deals with the welfare of women and child, said a senior associate with the group.

This group had earlier launched a similar petition in the month of December last year which has received over 80,000 responses so far and was submitted to Union Women and Child Development minister Maneka Gandhi.

"Our main objective to make at least everyone aware about this age-old practice being observed in our country since last 1,400 years which in not only shameful but is unconstitutional and utterly violates human rights," said Masooma Ranalvi, a 50-year-old working woman from Delhi.

"I have no hesitation in admitting that I was subjected to FGM at a very young age, but I have ensured that my daughter, who is now 22, does not undergo this brutality," said Ranalvi, adding even today over 80 percent of the Bohra girls are subjected to this "hurtful" tradition.

A senior associate of the group from Pune Shabnam Poonawala said, "Though this is practiced in US and Canada too, but their respective governments have brought laws to curb this evil. But unfortunately, no one speaks about this here, forget bringing a law for it."

"We want the government to acknowledge it and stand behind us. Promulgate a law to flush out this regressive ritual from the society," said Poonawala, also president of the University Women's Association (UWA), a non-profit organisation (NGO) working towards empowering women.

In December 2012, the UN General Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution on banning FGM. The World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies FGM as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

The WHO defines FGM  sometimes called female circumcision  as all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to their genital organs for non-medical reasons.

Recounting her ordeal that she underwent at a tender age, a survivor from Mumbai said, "I was very young, around seven years of age. I was subjected to FGM in Mumbai in an unhygienic condition and in a clandestine manner. The shock, the physical and psychological trauma of that day is still fresh in my mind."

"Its good that thousands of survivors are joining this campaign not only from India, but also from Canada, Australia, South Africa, Britain etc," she added.

Survivors maintained the aim behind FGM was to curb the natural sex drive in women. They claimed FGM has nothing to do with religion and is more of a cultural practice.

According to WHO, between 100 million and 140 million females across the world are thought to be living with the consequences of FGM.
Mumbai: Hours after the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) issued a gag order on its members, asking them not to criticise government policy on demonetisation, and instituted a probe against some of them for "professionial misconduct", the advisory was withdrawn on Saturday.

A top ICAI official, declining to be named, said there were some objections from members on the advisory issued on Friday by ICAI president M Devaraja Reddy, after which it was removed.

The advisory carried on its website said notices had been slapped on four chartered accountants for their "alleged acts of professional misconduct" following demonetisation of Rs 500 and 1,000 notes. "The members are strictly advised not to indulge in any nefarious act to subvert the intentions of the government in any remote possible way," it said.

It also sought to put a gag order on the CAs. "Members are also advised not to share/write any negative personal views by way of an article or interview on any platform regarding demonetisation," it said.

On Saturday, a leading Mumbai RTI activist, Anil Galgali, who tweeted on the ethics behind the advisory's aim to stop criticism of the move, was also blocked by the ICAI from its twitter handle.

"They don't want to listen to any criticism. Probably, some politicians may have objected, as they are advised by their CAs on how to manage stashed illegal funds. Instead of heeding to fair criticism, ICAI resorts to crushing it," an indignant Galgali said.

He wondered whether the so-called advisory would still be effective after its erasure from the ICAI site. On Friday, Reddy had said three CAs  whose identity had not been revealed  had been served notice under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949, and Chartered Accountants (Procedure of Investigations of Professional and Other Misconduct and Conduct of Cases) Rules, 2007.

Apart from these three, two more were also in the process for initiating similar disciplinary action by the ICAI, Reddy said. In one case, the ICAI had sought information from the principal commissioner of the Income Tax Department in Pune.

In another case, the details had been solicited from the Income Tax Department in Ahmedabad, while the ICAI has sought information from a private television channel, News18 India, in a third case.

"It is a matter of grave concern and distress to our profession when certain news reports/video clippings have come in the public eye depicting certain CAs indulging in such acts of illegality which go against the efforts of the government in eradicating corruption and black money from business and commercial transactions," Reddy said, in his sharp advisory to ICAI members.

Reddy urged CAs to work towards the best interest of the nation in keeping with true spirit of the principle of ICAI  'Partner in Nation Building'.

ICAI, a statutory body set up by an act of Parliament, has over 250,000 members as fellows or associates with more than half in full-time practice. The maximum number of members hails from western India while eastern India accounts for the lowest membership of ICAI.
Pressure is increasing on India, one of the worlds top stoner destinations, to legalise marijuana for medicine, the push triggered by the products growing acceptance worldwide as an alternative to cancer drugs.

New Delhi, on paper, has not allowed medical marijuana, even banned production and consumption of cannabis for over three decades. However, over the last few years, the health ministry has heard several petitions from both local and international organisations exhorting benefits of medicinal marijuana. The petitioners have also argued how this could be poor mans answer to expensive cancer drugs.

Health Ministry officials in Delhi say there are over 30 proposals from various organisations seeking permission to extract cannabis oil for cancer treatment.

An official spokesperson from the office of the health minister, JP Nadda said there has been no decision to lift the ban. A study group looked into it last year but suggested no changes. Some amendments were made into the NDPS Act but marijuana was not a part of it, said the official spokesperson.

The government ban on producing the plant is very much on, though its implementation is a definite crisis. No one will look at the proposals as long as the ban stays. The government is not even thinking about it, said a senior ministry official - joint secretary rank - on conditions of anonymity.

The official said New Delhi could take a realistic look at the situation if cancer patients reach an alarming situation in India. Currently, India has 3 million plus cancer patients, the figure could rise to 11 million by 2025.

Indian politicians have often argued in favour of lifting the ban. This law is more than 30 years old and needs to change, especially when next door China is pushing marijuana oil for cancer treatment, even making clothes from marijuana plants, says BJP MP Tathagata Satpathy. He has been vocal both inside and outside Parliament, supported by BJP members like former actor Vinod Khanna and AAP MPs from Punjab, but the health ministry did not budge. "There are strong lobbies that do not want this to happen, they are very strong," said Satpathy.

Even Indian medical practitioners have often pushed the government to lift the ban so that it could help facilitate studies on the actual usefulness of cannabinoids for cancer patients. As many as four top medical institutes, among them Delhi-based All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Mumbai-based Tata Memorial Hospital and Research Centre, have asked for permission to test the oil for use in therapeutic situation and palliative chemotherapy, where there are no chances of it getting addictive.

Still, it has not happened in India.

The West has taken the leap, medical marijuana is a fast selling product. Its for India to take the call, though there are many in India who use the product illegally, says Prabir Sen, one of the worlds top data scientists who is working on a plan to push New Delhi agree to a marijuana medicine hospital in northeastern Meghalaya. Supplies, claims the Vancouver-based Sen, would never be in the problem in that region where the plant grows like wild shrubs all across the seven states in the region.

Sen and his team of investors are looking at a hospital for cancer patients to be treated with marijuana medicine which he claims has caused a rage across Canada where hospitals are asking patients openly if they would like to use it along with their expensive, allopathic cancer drug.

If we get the permissions, it could be a pathbreaking initiative, says Sen.

A 2007 Harvard study, considered the most comprehensive on Tetra Hydro Cannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component of cannabis, said THC in three weeks flat induces tumour cell suicide while leaving healthy non-tumour cells alone in mice subjects and reduce cancer lesions by even more.

In Canada, Rick Simpson, a former power engineer, has earned accolades from millions across the globe for advocating cannabis oil usage to cure cancer. Cannabis hemp plant is being outlawed by some countries only because of the threat it poses to big pharma companies which will never be able to compete cannabis oil is offered for cancer treatment, says Simpson. His website explains how to extract and use cannabis oil.

What is interesting is that the process is followed by hundreds in India who extract the oil for cancer patients. On paper it is illegal in India, but those in it claim they do it discreetly and are getting good results.

Cannabis oil is worth a few dollars as compared to hundreds of dollars patients spend to buy cancer drugs. The Canadian government is now actively pushing the oil in markets where patients must procure it with a legitimate medical prescription.

Canada imported the seeds from India, Thailand, Cambodia and Afghanistan to start this unique experiment which is showing results, says Sen. Since 2000, Canadians have been allowed to possess and grow small amounts of pot for medical use.

The Canadian government began licensing such companies in 2014 to grow mass marijuana to meet increasing demand from patients suffering from diseases causing chronic pain, seizures and nerve problems.

But it is easier said than done in India, especially after New Delhi gave in to international pressure and banned production and consumption of cannabis in 1985. Possession of a kilogram of black and sticky hashish (charas)  a rich extract derived from procuring resin from freshly cut marijuana buds  is punishable by a minimum 10 years imprisonment.

But it has not deterred production, as well as consumption across India, where marijuana has been legally cultivated and sold for decades before the drug law. In remote, hilly villages, cannabis is consider the only cash crop grown in harsh weather and geographic conditions.

Indias aromatic Malana Cream, produced in Parvati Valley - a group of mountains in the upper reaches of the Himalayas - has earned legendary status among pot smokers across the world, even found in coffee shops in Amsterdam. The product has twice won the High Times Cannabis Cup.

Currently, the Himachal Pradesh government estimates 240 hectares being used for cannabis cultivation, producing more than 12,000 kilograms. The actual figure is almost the double. And these are figures for just one state.

India is the best ground for checking out medical marijuana, there is no dearth of supplies and it does not kill you unless you are smoking kilos, says Viki Vaurora, a passionate campaigner for medical marijuana. For some years, Vaurora - a musician and recording engineer - and his team are trying hard to bust myths around the much much maligned weed and spread awareness about its uses, especially in palliative cancer care on social media with online communities like the Great Legislation Movement which has over 3000 members. Aurora even hosted India's first ever Medical Cannabis Conference last year in Bengaluru.

The Indian government is still not budging.
The Delhi High Court has rightly pulled up the police for failing to trace Najeeb Ahmed, a student of the Jawaharlal Nehru University who has been missing since October.

"It is over 50 days. Still you (police) do not know about his whereabouts. How can somebody vanish suddenly and police have no clue about it? Even if we think of the worst, something has to be found out. We are pained that the missing person has not been traced till date," a bench consisting of justices GS Sistani and Vinod Goel said.

Next week will mark two months since Najeeb disappeared from the JNU campus. Till date, the investigating agencies have failed to come up with any concrete information  reassuring or otherwise  about the students whereabouts. We dont know what happened to Najeeb after he went missing following a physical scuffle with students of the BJPbacked Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

The police's lack of interest in fasttracking the case is all the more glaring when considered in light of their swift reaction in acting against Najeebs family and the concerned student community. It can be argued that the police have been far more zealous in restraining Najeebs mother and family, who were protesting alongside the students, than in tracing the disappeared person.

Who can forget the disturbing media image last month of a distraught Fatima Nafees (Najeebs mother,) being dragged by the police outside the National Archives of India in Delhi while protesting alongside the JNU community?

"Najeebs mother, Fatima Nafees, was taken to Mayapuri police station, his cousin Sadaf Musharraf and other family members were taken to Mandir Marg police station. The protesting students were also detained and taken to South Avenue police station," said a report in The Indian Express.

If the police have been dragging their feet, so have the JNU authorities. If Najeeb's family  particularly his mother  and campus Left student organisations did not refuse to back off, neither university authorities nor the police would have done even the bare minimum that they have so far. Even these bare minimum interventions on the part of JNU authorities have been far too little, and perhaps already, too late.

Earlier this week  nearly two months after Najeeb went missing  the university administration finally sat up.

They "identified" four ABVP activists as having been involved in a "scuffle" with Najeeb. In a lenient punishment, the administration recommended the students "immediate transfer" from their hostels alongside a "strong warning" not to engage in such "scuffles" in future.

The lackadaisical response of the police and university authorities to Najeebs disappearance represents a microcosm of the state of affairs in India. The systems in place to supposedly guarantee citizens safety and security are willfully manipulated to serve the interests of politicians and those in power.

Given the larger context of the politicisation of the police, and the immediate memory of the bitterness between JNU students and Central government, the callousness in Najeebs case, does not really come as a surprise. Nor is it particularly shocking that university authorities  not just in JNU but across Indias higher educational institutions  are treating the ABVP with kid gloves. This student organisation, as everyone can plainly see, operates more like an ideological and political arm of the BJP and less like an organisation concerned with issues on campus plaguing the student community.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, tweaking its political strategy for the North East, has reversed its decision to observe 25 December as 'Good Governance Day'. The Christian-dominated NorthEast had opposed the central government's decision of re-christening Christmas Day, and even state units had assured people that they wouldn't impose Good Governance Day here.

Local units of the saffron party now stand on opposing sides of the debate. Visasoilie Lhongu, Nagaland state BJP president, told Firstpost, "We are being criticised by the church for stepping into religion, by asking Christians to observe Good Governance Day."

He added that it was always going to be a tough ask, getting people's participation on seminars organised on Christmas Day, considering over 90 percent of the state's residents are Christians. "We can definitely get a fair number of participants if it is organised on a day other than Christmas," he added.

Lhongu suggested that the Centre change the date Good Governance Day is observed in states which have a large Christian population.

The Nagaland Baptist Church Council had earlier demanded the NDA government reverse its Good Governance Day notification, saying it would go down in history as a discriminatory move against religious minorities. It had also criticised the NPF-led DAN state government for "betraying the trust of the people, by continuing to adore and glorify leaders who have systematically dismantled the secular fabric of the country".

The Nagaland state government has still not planned any programmes for Good Governance Day. The Naga People's Front (NPF), in a central executive council meeting on 29 November, had appealed to the Centre to not impose Good Governance Day on Christmas Day.

Jyoti Kalash, resident commissioner of Nagaland House in Delhi, told Firstpost that he has received no specific instructions in this regard. "It is likely that the Nagaland government will observe a holiday on 25 December as usual," he said. "Since it is a Christian majority state, and Christmas is the only major festival for the community, it's unlikely the government will function on that day."

Kalash, who has been in the present position since a long time, further added that Nagaland also didn't observe Good Governance Day last year.

Meanwhile, the Mizoram unit of the BJP has moved even further away from the Centre's diktat. State president of the BJP in Mizoram told the media, "The BJP led government at the Centre had declared 25 December as Good Governance Day to mark former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birthday. But we want to assure the people of the state that it will never happen in Mizoram. This day will always be Christmas Day here."

Sources from the party have told Firstpost that the party has been forced to take up this stand because of the stinging public criticism it has faced ever since suggesting the rechristening.

David Thangliana, former journalist and resident of Aizawl, told Firstpost that no one in Mizoram supports the move, as they feel it restricts the religious freedom of Christians.

The Reverend Lalramliana Pachau, one of the Church leaders in Mizoram, further added, "We have not issued any public statement on whether to celebrate Good Governance Day or not. But we are definitely not in favor of it."

In Arunachal Pradesh, where the party officially supports the Pema Khandu-led government, the BJP released a statement clearing misconception among the people that Good Governance Day will replace Christmas Day. "25 December is a national Gazetted holiday. It will continue to remain Christmas Day for followers of Jesus Christ everywhere in the country, including in Arunachal Pradesh," the statement said.

The statement came after the Arunachal Christian Forum strongly opposed the move to celebrate Good Governance Day, calling it a strategy to cater to the local demands. The shift in BJP's stand on Good Governance Day is seen as an extension of the changing political discourse it had employed so effectively in Assam earlier this year. The party moved away from its rhetoric on 'Bangladeshi infiltrators' to 'soft Hindutva', and clinched Assembly polls in the state.

The present NDA regime at the Centre had said Good Governance Day will be observed across the country on 25 December, to mark Vajpayee's birthday. The move was heavily criticised by several quarters, since observing this day required government officers and staff to remain present in office on Christmas, a gazetted holiday.
Bulk seizures of new currency rose on Saturday, with four more incidents being reported, including one in which the Income Tax department recovered Rs 5.7 crore cash in new notes secretly stashed inside bathroom tiles of a hawala dealer in Karnataka's Chitradurga district.

Another fresh seizure of Rs 24 crore cash in new notes was also made by the Income Tax (IT) department in Chennai, adding to the biggest haul of cash and gold post-demonetisation, in which over Rs 142 crore unaccounted assets were recovered in tax operations so far.

In one incident, CBI recovered Rs 65 lakh of new currency in Rs 2,000 denomination from the senior superintendent of post

offices, Hyderabad, in connection with its probe in the note exchange racket.

In another recovery, an amount of Rs 82 lakh, including Rs 71 lakh in new Rs 2,000 currency, was seized at Kothur near

Hyderabad, the police said. Two persons, allegedly involved in exchange of money on commission basis, were nabbed by the police.

While giving details of the incident in Karnataka, officials said the IT department seized the alleged undisclosed assets, as part of its raids against black money hoarders post-demonetisation, from the residence of the said hawala operator who is yet to be identified.

The Challakere town, about 40 km from district headquarters of Chitradurga, is popularly known as the "oil city" due to number of edible oil mills being present there. Officials said the taxman raided the premises based on intelligence inputs about the presence of huge cash and the sleuths were startled to find a cleverly-hidden stainless steel safe, above the wash basin, inside the tiled walls of the bathroom.

The cash stash of Rs 5.7 crore, all in new Rs 2,000 notes, 28 kg of bullion (gold biscuits), 4 kg of other gold and jewellery was stuffed inside this bathroom safe, which was kept sanitised against termites using hundreds of mothballs.

The assets were recovered after the department's investigation wing in Panaji on Friday began searches against casino and bullion traders in Hubballi and Chitradurga districts. A good number of documents and another Rs 90 lakh cash (Rs 100/Rs 20 notes) have been seized after the searches on the said hawala dealer, they said. "The searches in this case are still going on at various places and the valuation of the bullion and jewellery is being conducted," they said.

Regarding the incident in Tamil Nadu, officials said the fresh seizure of new currency, in Rs 2,000 notes, was made by the sleuths from a car in Vellore on the insistence of the accused presently being interrogated in the case. With this amount, the total seizure in the case has now gone upto Rs 166 crore in a single case.

The department had seized Rs 142 crore undisclosed assets  that includes about Rs 10 crore in new notes and gold bars weighing 127 kg  during searches at multiple locations in Chennai, for the last two days, to check tax evasion. This largest seizure of new currency notes after the old Rs 500/Rs 1,000 notes were scrapped on 8 November, took place after raids were launched on Thursday on eight premises of a group engaged in sand mining in Tamil Nadu.

In a statement, the CBI said K Sudheer Babu, senior superintendent of post offices, had kept the amount of Rs 65 lakh as his commission for allegedly exchanging over Rs 3.75 crore of old currency with the new one. "The money seized was the commission of K Sudheer Babu, as he kept it aside as his share, out of Rs.3.75 crore, which he misappropriated by fraudulently exchanging old currencies for new currencies from the post offices falling under his division. So far CBI had seized Rs 92.68 lakh of new currency in Rs 2000 denomination, in these cases," it said.
The Allahabad High Court on Thursday called triple talaq 'unconstitutional' and added that 'no personal law board is above the Constitution'. In doing so, it reaffirmed the Centre's stand on the issue in Supreme Court recently.

Arif Mohammad Khan, minister of state for home affairs in the Rajiv Gandhi government, is a known proponent of reforms in the Muslim community. In 1986, he had parted ways with Congress over differences with the former prime minister on the issue of the Shah Bano case and the passage of Muslim Personal Law Bill, which was piloted by Gandhi in the Lok Sabha.

With the Allahabad HC's observation, the issue of 'triple talaq' and the desirability of uniform civil code (UCC) have once again been brought up for debate. Firstpost spoke to Khan, to uncover how the situation has changed in the last three decades and what he feels will be the future of the fight to help Muslim women get their due and their right to equality.

FP: History seems to be repeating itself. Do you think that the Allahabad High Courts observation (not binding as order) on triple talaq is a sequel to the unfinished agenda of the Shah Bano case?

AMK: Well, if inequality and injustice persist then it will continue to provoke the protest. Triple talaq is an enormity, it oppresses and dehumanises Muslim women. In 1986, the level of awareness was low and hence people feared to speak out. Now, the situation has radically changed with rising levels of education and awareness, particularly of Muslim women.

In fact, it is gratifying to note that today the Muslim women and their organisations are valiantly fighting against the cleric stranglehold. The Quran, in verse (7.157), delineates the prophetic mission saying: He releases them from their heavy burdens and the yokes that are upon them. It is the duty of every believing person to liberate himself or herself from these middlemen of religion, and do the divine will.

FP: Can you elaborate on the differences in the scenario during the Shah Bano case and in todays scenario? Was Rajiv Gandhi better equipped to deal with fundamentalism than Narendra Modi, who has the image of a Hindutva poster boy?

AMK: There is hardly any difference between 1986 and now. The Shah Bano case was essentially the fallout of a triple divorce. The husband had deserted 65-year-old Shah Bano and when she sought relief under section 125 of the CrPC, the husband instantly divorced her.

Even the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) describes this instant divorce as Talaq Bidat. Bidat in Arabic means an innovation, something that is not part of the original scheme. Their own book describes it as permissible in law but sin in religion. It is strange that they are putting up a fight in defence of a sin.

I do not like to compare personalities. Rajiv ji was a modern man, his sympathies were with Shah Bano and other suffering women. But being a gentleman, he was open to pressure. My understanding is that it was not the pressure of the AIMPLB or politicians like Najma Heptullah and ZR Ansari that worked on him. What really tilted the balance in favour of AIMPLB were the views of senior Congress leaders like Narsimha Rao, who rightly said that they cannot assume the mantle of social reformers of the Muslim community and take the risk of losing their constituency.

On the other hand, today, the government has taken a view that is consistent with the provisions of the Constitution. The constitution says that all laws in force in the territory of India immediately before the commencement of the Constitution in so far as they are inconsistent with the fundamental rights shall be null and void.

FP: In a diverse society like India, how prudent is it to let personal laws decide the social conduct of a community?

AMK: We have this great tradition of embracing diversity right from the inception of Indian civilization. A great many years ago, India had declared: The Truth is on and those who know describe it variously.

It is in our DNA that we dont fear diversity, rather we celebrate diversity. But in the name of diversity and pluralism, it is not permitted to perpetuate rules and customs that oppress a section of citizens. Respecting diversity does not mean to continue with rules and customs that perpetuate gender injustice.

FP: If one recalls history, you parted company with Rajiv Gandhi on the issue of Shah Bano? Do you believe that the Muslim leadership would have been much more moderate and liberal if Gandhi had not reversed the Supreme Courts order on Shah Bano?

AMK: It is meaningless to hold Rajiv ji or the decision in one single case responsible for the extremist and conservative attitude of the so called leadership. The curriculum that members of organisations like AIMPLB go through and the religious norm of Taqleed that they adhere to can produce only extremists and conservatives.

It is the liberals and moderates who must be blamed for tolerating this state of affairs and not raising their voice against the cleric stranglehold over the community.

FP: How true is the impression that the AIMPLB represents the entire Muslim community across the country?

AMK: This question can be answered only by those who consider them as the representatives of the community. My feelings are different. I feel sorry for them. Recall 1986, they protested against the Supreme Court judgment saying that the liability of the Muslim husband is confined to three months period of Iddat alone. After Iddat, the law cannot ask the Muslim husband to pay anything to his former wife.

Finally, the government accepted their demand and agreed to enact a law and the then Chairman of AIMPLB said in his autobiography that it was only after his approval that the final draft was introduced in Parliament as a Bill, which was later enacted by the Parliament.

What is the position now? The law that was enacted at their instance nowhere says that the liability of ex-husband is limited to the Iddat period, instead it says that a reasonable and fair provision must be made and paid within the period of Iddat.

Consequently, the Supreme Court has laid down that this amount should be adequate enough to meet all future requirements of the ex-wife. The Supreme Court has further clarified that the law enacted in 1986 does not prevent a Muslim divorced woman to seek relief under section 125 of CrPC. Only a few months back, the spokesperson for AIMPLB had admitted in an article that the 1986 Act proved to be a deception and that it did not satisfy the demands of AIMPLB.

The whole episode proves that AIMPLB not only lacks a representative character but that it also lacks the knowledge and expertise required to understand and draft any legislation.

FP: You have always been a proponent of reforms in the Muslim community. Do you think that such a judicial intervention would set the tone for reform? Or is it a setback?

AMK: The paramount duty of the Courts is to protect the Constitution and the rights of citizens against any encroachment by the Parliament or the executive. Judicial intervention is not a matter of discretion but the courts must necessarily intervene in cases where the fundamental rights are abridged or taken away by any law made by any Legislature or in force immediately before the commencement of the Constitution.

Triple talaq is clearly an issue that denies gender justice and discriminates against Muslim women and it is the duty of the Courts to protect the fundamental rights of any and every citizen of India. Reforms may be a matter of concern for the community but protection of the fundamental rights of the citizens is the sacred duty of the Courts.

FP: Reform is not an insular process. Do you think that the uniform civil code (UCC) would pave the way for such reforms?

AMK: Uniform Civil Code is a different subject altogether and is part of the directive principles of state policy. Article 44 of the Constitution lays down that the State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.

On the other hand, Article 37 says that the directive principles are not judicially enforceable but they are fundamental in the governance of the country and it shall be the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws.

So far, the government has not come forward with any proposal. When it happens, this issue can be discussed but we need not mix up the issue of UCC with the demand to abolish triple talaq. Today, the Shariat Application Act is the law of the land and under this law the right to triple talaq is being exercised.

Triple talaq is clearly repugnant to the provisions of fundamental rights and the immediate need is not only to outlaw it, but to make it a punishable offence so that this obnoxious practice can come to an end.

FP: In the international scenario, Indian Islam offers moderate and liberal strains. Do you think that it has been benighted of late by politics? I am asking this question as I find moderate and progressive voices like you are largely ignored in the political leadership.

AMK: The question of moderate and liberal attitude in religion must not be linked to politics. There is a prophetic narration that says that: The most beloved religion to God is liberal Hanifiya. The Quran itself uses the words Ummatan Wasata  a nation where people are justly balanced or moderate. But if we ignore these words and adopt an extremist and aggressive posture, we do so at our own peril.

As far as politics is concerned, the requirement in a secular and pluralistic society is not to allow politics to use religion as an instrument to mobilise electoral support. This has happened in the past and ultimately resulted in communal hatred, violence and partition of the country. Is that not enough to learn our lessons?

In a democracy we cannot keep complaining. We need to win minds and hearts. I do not share your feelings. I have been fighting against the cleric establishment since 1986. Back then, it was almost a lonely fight against heavy odds. But today, the number of people who are speaking out particularly the Muslim women is very high. This is a highly positive development and we need to consolidate these gains to make further progress and not keep cribbing about individuals.
Mumbai: Days after the Allahabad High Court termed the practice of triple talaq as 'cruel', the Shiv Sena on Saturday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give his nod to bring changes in Sharia law in the interest of Muslim women.

"The Allahabad High Court had asked whether there should be changes in Sharia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should say yes without seeking anyone's advice. "This decision would be as revolutionary as demonetisation," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.

"What the High Court said was not an order but an observation. But, it reflects the feeling of the country and the pain of Muslim women," the Sena, an ally of BJP in Maharashtra, said.

The High Court has paved the path of enactment of a common civil code, it said.

Those torturing Muslim women in the name of Muslim personal law should be branded anti-nationals and punished, the Sena said.

"However, nobody is willing to comment on this as everyone, including the BJP, is eyeing Muslim vote bank in the UP elections," the editorial claimed.

The debate on the validity of triple talaq has intensified after the Allahabad High Court on Thursday termed the practice as "most demeaning" which "impedes and drags India from becoming a nation".

The court had said that the Constitution of India was supreme and not the Muslim Law Board.
The smiling countenance of the 36 year-old Lama Lobsang Gyatso, a Buddhist monk who lives in the Mon-Tawang region of Arunachal Pradesh belies his steely resolve to see things through he has set his mind upon. Gyatso, lovingly called Anna, has fearlessly fought against corruption and rapacious development, and campaigned to protect the rivers, wildlife and culture of the Tawang region, home to the Buddhist Monpa community he belongs to.

Gyatso was in Mumbai recently to receive the Sanctuary Magazines Wildlife Service Award for mobilising a movement to save the Black-necked crane and its habitat against the 780 MW Nyamjang Chhu project, promoted by the Noida-based steel conglomerate LNJ Bhilwara Group, to be set up in the Zemithang region of Tawang. This is the place where the rare black necked crane comes for its winter retreat.

Sacred bird

The black necked crane is considered auspicious and holy by the 50,000 strong Monpa community that lives in Tawang. They consider the bird to be the reincarnation of the 6th Dalai Lama  Tsangyang Gyatso, a Monpa  who they believe returns annually to his winter retreat here.

Heading the Save Mon Region Federation (SMRF), Gyatso and his band of like-minded followers have been advocating socio-culturally and ecologically sensitive development in the Mon-Tawang region of Arunachal Pradesh.

Even as a young child and the only son of his parents, Gyatso made up his mind to become a monk. After finishing his matriculation at the Bylakuppe monastery in Karnataka, Gyatso worked at the monastery for a few years before returning to his village in Tawang and living on his own as a monk. He came out of his secluded life engrossed in study and meditation to stand up against destruction to the ecology and the threat to the black necked crane because of proposed hydroelectric projects in the region during 2012.

There are 13 hydroelectric projects that have been proposed in the region. We dont need these many at all as our community is only around 50,000 members, said the lama seated in a crowded outdoors of the Press Club in Mumbai, far from his serene surroundings of Tawang, sipping his tea and speaking softly about his strife to save the black necked crane.

As he talks, he surveys quizzically the hustle and bustle around him, blowing air over his steaming hot cuppa, while the crowd passing by turn to look at him too as he stand out in his maroon robe.

Arrests, agitation

Gyatso was arrested four times for leading an agitation against the Nyamjang Chhu project. The black necked crane is gods bird to us, the Monpas. We feed it. The 6th Dalai Lama has mentioned about it in his poetry. We also have it as a motif on our thangkas and other sacred things. I could not keep silent and watch the birds winter retreat being destroyed by hydropower projects, he says, his voice maintaining an even tone and tenor.

The black necked crane rated vulnerable in the International Union for Conservation of Natures list of endangered species is classified under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

This quiet Buddhist monk has led local rallies and campaigns, met up with parliamentarians in Delhi, reported environment and forest violations to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), raised awareness through the media, mobilised his community and has taken legal action besides documenting ecologically-sensitive sites affected by certain destructive hydroelectric projects.

Hydropower project suspended

Gyatso met with success when the National Green Tribunal in April 2016 suspended the environmental clearance of the Rs 6,400 crore Nyamjang Chhu project based on the appeal filed by his Federation.

He says that he draws strength from his faith and his life as a monk. We are not against people or development, he says. It is inter-development that is the focus, he adds.

The Lama is confounded at how people can ravage the environment even as they live amidst it. As we see it, to survive we have to depend on the environment. If the environment is destroyed, our lives too will be.

His agitation has received strong local support. The locals have stormed the police station when he was arrested. He says that he bears no ill will for those who jailed him or even for those who are setting up the hydro electric power projects. Our protests are non violent. It is my duty to protect my community and the environment around us.

Lama says that the survival of rare species of birds and plants are threatened by the hydroelectric power projects. There are small leopards, red panda and many other birds, he says. I am fortunate to have been born in this region and the community. It is his deep sense of gratitude to his environment and the destruction to it posed by development projects that gives him strength to withstand power and politics, he remarks.

Despite hurdles, Gyatso and the SMRF continue their uphill battle to protect the rivers, wildlife and culture of Tawang. His work has resulted in many villages in the area adopting Gram Sabha resolutions against destructive projects impacting cultural sites, livelihoods and wildlife species.

Though the Nyamjang Chhu project has only been suspended as of now, he is hopeful that the agitation will succeed.  I am in no hurry. One has to be hopeful that things will be better tomorrow. Hopefully it will for Gyatso and his community.
Ordinarily , intelligence agencies involved in espionage and counter-espionage the world over are cloaked in deep mystery with people having negligible or no knowledge of their structure and working. Even if some segments of the society have knowledge, they are distorted and garbled .

For Indians, the Pakistan Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) is seen as a monstrous and dreaded outfit threatening to harm India by fomenting multiple destructive problems. This belief is deep seated in the Indian mindset. But such a perception is not wide off the mark. A book on the ISI is hitting the stands, which exposes every detail of the ISI setup and its functioning. Authored by Hein Kiessling, the book dispels all the misgivings surrounding the ISI and it adequately deals with all the questions about Pakistan's unwieldy intelligence body which have perhaps not been answered as yet  making it a most readable book on the subject.

The author, Dr Kiessling, has lived in Pakistan for thirteen long years (1989- 2002) enabling him to develop a close relationship with the ISI hierarchy and top leadership of Pakistani polity and military. A scholarly personality with history and political science as his forte, Kiessling is a PhD from a well known Munich university. Given his long exposure in Pakistan and close professional interactions with powerful players who mattered , he is best suited to come out with this magnum opus on the ISI.

The highlight of the book in the Indian context is ISI's direct involvement in funding the Khalistani movement including sheltering of the Sikh extremists in Pakistan. The book adds that ISI threw itself into its Khalistan adventure from the early '80s. Terrorist training camps for young Sikhs were set up in Karachi and Lahore. ISI had

chalked out a three pronged blueprint: to precipitate the alienation of the Sikhs from mainstream India; emphasised the need to subvert the state machinery and trigger off mass agitation launching a reign of terror in Punjab. Further , ISI contributed to the high number of fatalities in Punjab by supplying sophisticated weaponry, adding to the arsenal of Sikh militants .

Continuing his revelations on the ISI machinations, Dr Kiessling writes that ISI had instructed one of the Khalistanis to receive training at a flying college in Mumbai, aimed at crashing at an off shore oil rig. This shows how deeply embedded the notorious ISI was way back in the '90s, to strike at critical Indian infrastructure.

Glaring revelations are also mentioned in the book about active ISI complicity in the Indian Northeast. In 1990, ISI undercover operatives stationed in Pakistani embassy Dhaka got in touch with Naga insurgent groups  NSCN and ULFA  and commenced supply of arms to the Naga ultras and organised training to ULFA cadres in Pakistan. Several such batches were trained in arms and that eventually saw unleashing of terror in Assam and adjoining places. The Pak embassy Dhaka emerged as the hub of Indian Northeast operations. China too collaborated with ISI in the joint anti India (Northeast) activities which, inter alia, included funding, supply of weapons and providing safe havens to Northeast insurgents, wanted in India.

In the book under review , Kiessling has provided minute details about covert ISI operations in Kashmir, Northeast and Punjab. Readers would find the contents interesting to read themselves rather than to judge by this review alone.

Speaking about the budget of ISI, the author estimates the 'official' budget quantum stands today at a whopping USD 300 million. This is in addition to various other channels generating colossal extra funds for the ISI activities from drug trade, counterfeit money, foreign donations etc.

This book is recommended not only for the intelligence community but for all academics and students of Geopolitics to know the truth about the clandestine dynamics the ISI is engaged in to subvert and penetrate the Indian system . There is comprehensive mention of Indian RAW as well, but readers may like to discover themselves the 'facts' contained therein.

On the whole, this is worth a read as its 300-plus pages give some insight into the working of this draconian intelligence outfit targeting a diverse range of objectives employing most lethal means. Academically, the book carries the history of the ISI, profiles of their erstwhile chiefs, supported by illustrated plates .

The reviewer is a retired IPS officer and a senior fellow with the Indian Police Foundation. Follow him on Twitter: @Shantanu2818
The state unit of Goas ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is preparing a shield around Prime Minister Narendra Modi to insulate him from being blamed for a possible poll debacle in the state.

Alarmed at opinion polls outcome which has predicted a hung assembly in view of the Aam Aadmi Partys foray into Goa politics, BJPs state unit is currently riding on hopes that it would get a second successive term despite the insipid performance of its government, led by incumbent Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.

The party has decided to tweak its formula of seeking votes on the name of Modi after the Bihar setback. Instead, Parsekar would lead the party to polls, scheduled for February next year. Modi along with his Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, BJP national president Amit Shah and federal Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari would jointly campaign for the party, lest Modi is blamed for a below par show in which even emerging as the single largest party in the 40-member state assembly would be akin to rejection by the Goan voters.

Parsekar, however, would not be projected as its chief ministerial candidate in a bid to keep those unhappy with his performance in good humour.

"You cannot compare Parrikar and Parsekar. Parrikar had previous experience as the chief minister. Parsekar was new," Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar told Firstpost in an exclusive interview.

Tendulkar, himself a former Goa minister, knows well that political bravado itself would not be sufficient to a dream into the reality. Shah recently put the state unit into a spot of bother by announcing that BJP would win 27 seats  half a dozen more than what it had won in its best ever performance under Manohar Parrikar in 2012 polls.

Has Shah put the state unit under pressure by making such a big claim when pollsters are predicting loss of at least half a dozen seats for BJP in Goa?

"It is not a pressure for us. We have done lots of work in Goa  development, healthcare etc. We have given lots of schemes to the people. We have fulfilled more than 90 percent of our promises made in our manifesto. People are happy with our government. We are also having some reports. Based on that he (Amit Shah) said we should win at least 27 seats," Tendulkar said.

The state BJP chief seemed to ride hope instead of conviction while dismissing the threat being posed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which has taken the lead by announcing its list of candidates well in advance, giving its nominees sufficient time to pan out to the voters.

"AAP effect wont be there," Tendulkar claimed, adding that AAPs decision to change its declared candidates is making a mockery of the entire exercise.

BJP would, however, take AAP threat at its own peril since it has emerged as the third force behind arch-rivals Congress party and BJP in this tiny south-western coastal state. Goa. Theoretically, Goa should be a fertile ground for AAP which came out of a national agitation against corruption. If the northern state Haryana is credited for starting the political fad off aaya ram gaya ram (mass defection), Goa honed it to perfection with governments in the past falling at the drop of a hat, mostly over monetary considerations until BJP was voted to power in 2012 with a simple majority.

BJP has reasons to be wary of AAP after Delhi demolition, considering AAP deflated all its hopes of coming to power in the state assembly by winning 67 of 70 seats on offer. But displaying its nervousness, BJP knows, will demoralise its cadres.

"Goa is different from Delhi. People here are well educated. They have seen that nearly 27 AAP MLAs in Delhi have been booked. Some have even gone to jail. Goa voters would reject AAP," Tendulkar said, declaring that it would be a fight direct between the BJP and the Congress party.

"Fight here in Goa is between BJP and the Congress. But the Congress is not geared up for the past four-five years. People here have seen that the Congress governments in the past did not do anything for them.

"On the contrary, our activities are increasing by the day. Starting 5 November, we have so far held 18 rallies in 18 different assembly constituencies. We are getting tremendous response from the public at these rallies. We would have held our rallies in all 40 constituencies by the time elections are announced," the Goa BJP chief said.

The Goa BJP president also ruled out any possibility of Parrikar being projected as its chief ministerial candidate, which many pollsters have suggested would turn the tide in BJPs favour considering Parrikar has better credentials as being above corruption to Goa voters when compared to AAP head and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Parrikars impeccable image was one the reasons Modi handpicked him to head the corruption-ridden defence ministry even though the then Goa chief minister Parrikar had shown no visible inclination to move to the national politics.

"It is not like that. We are seeking votes on the basis of development work done by our government here and various people-friendly schemes launched by us. Parrikar has helped us a lot by getting Goa more than Rs 10,000 crore worth of funds from the Central government for roads, bridges, etc.," Tendulkar said, virtually ruling out that votes cannot be sought on Parrikars name, though he would be the partys star campaigner.

One is left to wonder what prevents the BJP then from naming the incumbent chief minister and Parrikars successor Parsekar as the chief ministerial candidate if his performance was satisfactory and when votes where would not be sought on Modis or Parrikars name?

"We are going to polls under the leadership of Laxmikant (Parsekar). We are contesting under his leadership. He is our present chief minister. Modi is very much there. He had come here and will come for campaigning. Our national president Amit Shah, Parrikar and Gadkari would all come and campaign here. After elections our MLAs and Parliamentary Board would decide who should be the next chief minister," said Tendulkar.

One of the reasons that BJP has withheld naming Parsekar in advance as its chief ministerial candidate has been taken with an eye on the post-poll scenario, should BJP fall short of the majority mark and need the help of others to form the government. Ties with its existing partner MGP (Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party) is already in tatters with MGP in the recent past threatening to go to polls on its own.

MGPs threat is being seen as a pre-poll posturing since the regional outfit is doing all it can to ensure it gets to keep its share of seven seats to contest in the upcoming polls, and probably more. Compared to BJP, which won 21 out of 28 seats it contested, MGP could pocket just three out of seven seats it contested, while the BJP had extended its support to five independents. Both the BJP and the MGP are now eyeing those five seats, set aside for the independents five years back. MGP has already staked claim on five additional seats, which is not acceptable to the BJP as it itself is keen on contesting at least four of these, namely Dabolim, Porvorim, Bicholim and Quepem. MGP has already fixed a deadline of 15 December, before going ahead of its threat to go alone in Goa polls.

BJP has a poor track record of arm-twisting existing allies or dumping them after it swept to power at the centre in 2014. Haryana Janhit Congress in Haryana was dumped and Shiv Sena in neighbouring Maharashtra is still smarting when BJP forced it to contest lesser number of seats when the two states went to polls in October 2014. Incidentally, BJP emerged winners in both these states.

With Shah setting the target of winning 27 seats in Goa, it is apparent that BJP is eyeing to contest more than 28 seats it did in 2012.

The Goa BJP president, however, said seat-sharing talks would soon take place.

"MGP is an old ally. We are going to start talks soon and all will be finalised smoothly soon. Newspapers may say anything but our relations with MGP are good and strong. Who contests how many seats will be settled amicably," he said.

The Goa BJP president, while listing reasons for being confident of emerging victorious, listed the fight against corruption besides development as one of the major planks of the BJP. He, however, was candid in admitting that the success achieved on this front was not as expected.

"We have been successful in fighting corruption in Goa. Maybe not 100 percent, but it has been controlled to the extent of 80-90 percent. There can be sporadic instances of government servants like peons or clerks taking small amounts as bribes for moving files, but we have been successful by and large. The Rampant political corruption that Goa witnessed during the previous Congress party rule does not exist any longer," he said.

Interestingly, Tendulkar, who had a stint as minister of forests in the past, could also come into reckoning to head the new government in case BJP falls short of the majority mark and Parsekar becomes unacceptable to MGP or any other post-poll ally. He, however, rules himself out of the contention, asserting that he has no chief ministerial aspirations.

"Party will decide if I should contest. It asked, yes I will.

And chief minister?

No no. I am not interested in becoming chief minister. I will rather work for the party.

Is he, as the state unit president, happy with the present chief minister?

Laxmikant (Parsekar) was new to the job. But he has learnt. He is working hard. He works for 18-19 hours a day. Now he is doing good work and everyone is happy with his performance as CM," Tendulkar, who was re-elected as Goa BJP chief for the second term in January this year, said.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a farmers' rally in Deesa, Banaskantha district in Gujarat on his day-long visit where he raised the issue of demonetisation and the lack of support from the Opposition in Parliament over this move. Opposition has been stalling the Winter Session of Parliament over the note ban issue and the prime minister lambasted Opposition for not being on board with a plan which takes the country on the path of development.

"Government has always said we are ready to debate. I am not being allowed to speak in Lok Sabha, so I am speaking in the Sabha. Happenings in Parliament anguished our President, who has tremendous political experience. Demonetisation has broken the backbone of terrorism and Naxalism. I am fighting against terrorism as fake currency is fuelling and funding their activities."

Taking a jibe at the Congress party, he said, "Merely talking about the poor is different from working for the poor, something that the NDA government is always doing."

Want to assure the people of the country that no one will be spared: PM Narendra Modi in Gujarat pic.twitter.com/HBURG3F7ik  ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

"Criticise me, highlight people's problems but also inform masses that they do not need to stand in queue and can use mobile banking. Those who have laundered and hoarded money post demonetisation will not be spared."

He also sought support from the people for his demonetisation move, "I want to assure the people of the country that no one will be spared. I am standing by the side of honest people who have been instigated against me. For 70 years the honest people of this country have been harassed by the government."

Modi drew parallels between the empowerment of Rs 100 note post ban on high denomination notes and the empowerment of the poor in the nation.

He said, "What was the value of the Rs 100 note before 8th November? What was the value of the Rs 50 note? Nobody cared about them. I have taken the step of demonetisation to strengthen the poor of this country."

100 ke note ki koi keemat thi kya 8th November ke pehle? Rs 50 ki keemat thi kya? chhote ko koi poochta tha kya?: PM Modi #DeMonetisation pic.twitter.com/fW7joL0RC3  ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

While explaining his motives behind demonetisation, Modi also talked about ushering a digital revolution in terms of banking. He said, "There is no need to waste your time standing outside banks or ATMs, e-wallets have brought banks to your mobiles."

Modi was in Deesa to inaugurate a cheese factory of dairy major Amul during his day-long visit to Gujarat. Over two lakh people attended his rally.

After his programme in Deesa, Modi visited state BJP headquarters at Koba in Gandhinagar, his first visit since he took the top office at the Centre.

Politicians react to Modi's speech

Senior politicians like JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee commented on Modi's Deesa speech and said that the PM should give his speech in the Parliament.

Whatever he is saying outside in speeches, he must come to Parliament and say during the debate: Sharad Yadav, JD(U) on PM Modi's statement pic.twitter.com/aM1rRZ5gVn  ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

Modi babu knows that #DeMonetisation now derailed. Except giving bhashan, he has no solution  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 10, 2016

It is wrong that we are not allowing the PM to speak, in fact we have been insisting on having a debate: Anand Sharma,Cong #demonetisation pic.twitter.com/Mgi8Om5FmZ  ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016
Mark Twain, who happened to be the greatest American humourist of his age, had popularised the following adage, quoting British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli: There are three kinds of lies: Lies, damned lies and statistics.

The good, old saying, which is colloquially used to describe the persuasive power of numbers, particularly the use of statistics to bolster weak arguments, has survived down the ages. Though not without reason. It carries sense  even more so in Prime Minister Narendra Modis demonetised India  particularly in Uttar Pradesh.

Statistics being dished out by official agencies and pro-establishment experts to show that things are moving in the right direction sound hollow at the ground level. Tens of thousands of labourers, artisans and weavers are losing jobs by the day in cities like Agra, Varanasi, Kanpur, Moradabad, Allahabad, Ferozabad and Aligarh.

The scene in rural areas is even worse, with farmers finding it tough to buy fertilizers and pesticides. What adds poignancy to the farmers woes is the fact that many of them have had to sell their freshly harvested paddy at almost half the price. And there are few takers of the perishables such as fruits and vegetables in mandis. Its a grim scenario all over poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Acute scarcity of cash has hit them all alike. But does it mean that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to lose the upcoming electoral battle? No, not yet, for these three reasons: First, most of the people still believe that things would, as the prime minister promised, improve by the end of this month. They exude hope, pain and patience simultaneously. And they dont see eye to eye with the Oppositions prophets of doom.

Second, the anti-BJP forces in the state continue to be a divided lot. The vision of a Bihar type mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) has failed to materialise. The Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress are pulling away in different directions in confusion.

While the BSP thinks that the SP and BJP are hidden friends, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his lieutenants are busy propagating the fact that the BSP and the BJP had already formed a government together in Lucknow twice. By default, the BJP doesnt have to face a united opposition that speaks in one concerted voice.

Third, perception and truth are two different things. Its always perception that wins over truth in politics. That poor Modi is the only He-Man in his government, who is fighting the demon of black money is a popular perception. And like it or not, most people believe that the prime ministers intentions were right. He had taken the decision to demonetise the bigger currencies of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 in national interest, even at the risk of sacrificing his partys interests.

There are solid reasons for why this perception has gained ground: The BJP has always been known as a party of Brahmins and Banias, in the cow belt states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. And its the Banias who happen to be the most aggrieved lot post demonetisation.

Who doesnt know that this otherwise solid vote-bank of the BJP is beginning to crumble? They had moved away from the saffron camp in Delhi in 2015. And its anybodys guess if they might move further away from the BJP in Uttar Pradesh this time.

Should that happen, it would be disastrous for the saffron outfit, that had got just 15 percent of popular votes with 47 seats in 2012 compared to SPs 29.15 percent votes with 224 seats and BSPs 25.91 percent votes with 80 seats.

Whats noteworthy in these figures is that the SP, which had bagged just 97 seats in 2007, could garner an additional 127 seats by securing less than four percent more votes. The BJP does have to go a long way if it wants to secure a majority on its own.

They, however, love to compare their performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, when they had got 42 percent of popular votes, with 72 of the total 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. But much water has flown down the Ganga since 2014.

There is another problem that stares in the face of Amit Shahs party: People think that Modi, his government and party dont swim along in sync. And rightly so. While the government has faltered hugely on the implementation front, the party continues to be viewed with suspicion even by the young, apolitical supporters of the prime minister.

Lets not waste time and space by discussing the details. The newspapers are already full of stories that raise question marks over the Union Governments ability to tackle the crisis on one hand and some of the BJP leaders alleged acts of corruption on the other. The party is no longer seen as a party with a difference.

Meanwhile, electioneering has come to a standstill in Uttar Pradesh in the cashless era. Dont get distracted by the otherwise ostentatious rallies of the prime minister at Agra, Gazipur or Moradabad last month. Its a completely different picture at the grassroots level.

No banners, no buntings, no posters and no movement of SUVs carrying party activists. Maybe, they are all standing in serpentine lines in front of banks and ATMs, or else, are busy finding fertilizers for their farms. Caught in the doldrums, there is no wind left for the election campaign sails to move forward.

All you can feel now is the climatic cold wave that has drowned the riddles: Will the prime ministers gamble pay off in Uttar Pradesh? Would peoples patience last beyond 31 December? And what will happen if it does not? Perhaps, you know the answers.
By Jack Kim and Nataly Pak

| SEOUL

SEOUL Protestors demanding that South Korean President Park Geun-hye step down marched on Saturday for a seventh straight weekend, a day after parliament voted overwhelmingly to impeach her and put the fate of her presidency in the hands of a nine-judge court. The crowd estimated by organisers at 200,000 packing a large square in downtown Seoul was significantly smaller than in recent weeks but festive, with performances of music between speeches calling for the early removal of Park."We demand that the Constitutional Court make a decision of conscience and justice and do not act against the will of the people," Jung Kang-ja, one of the leaders of a coalition of civic groups backing the rally, said in a speech.Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who became acting president late on Friday after the impeachment vote, called on authorities to ensure that rallies are peaceful and sought to calm anxiety over national security and to reassure financial markets"So far, financial and foreign exchange markets have been relatively stable and there are no signs of unusual movements by the North, but all public servants should bear vigilance in mind as they conduct their duties," Hwang told a meeting.Park's powers were suspended after 234 of parliament's 300 members voted to impeach her, meaning more than 60 members of her own party backed the motion against her.The impeachment, which has to be reviewed and approved by the Constitutional Court within 180 days to remove Park from office, sets the stage for her to become the country's first elected leader to be ousted in disgrace.Park, 64, the daughter of a former military ruler, is accused of colluding with a friend and a former aide, both of whom prosecutors have indicted, to pressure big businesses to donate to foundations set up to back her policy initiatives.Park, who is serving a single five-year term ending in February 2018, has denied wrongdoing but apologised for carelessness in her ties with her friend, Choi Soon-sil.

"IMPEACHMENT DISCOUNTS"

For seven consecutive weekends, huge crowds have gathered in central Seoul in demonstrations calling for Park to step down. On Saturday, some restaurants in central Seoul were offering "impeachment discounts," according to TV channel YTN. The candle-lit rallies have been peaceful, with parents bringing children and many demonstrators using smartphone apps with candlelight images and maps for bathrooms.

Lee Youl-woo, a 48-year-old office worker, was at a booth giving out free LED candles. "The impeachment was passed but this is the beginning, not the end," he said.The rally capped a historic week that saw the heads of nine of the country's biggest conglomerates subjected to a 13-hour grilling by a parliamentary panel on whether they sought favours by agreeing to pay into the foundations controlled by Choi. "Imprison Jay Y. Lee," said a sign held at the rally by Democratic Party presidential hopeful Lee Jae-myeong, referring to the scion of the Samsung Group, who was among the nine.None of the companies has been accused of wrongdoing.

If Park leaves office early, an election must be held within 60 days. She would also lose presidential immunity from prosecution. Prosecutors have named Park as an accomplice in their investigation.Park's approval rating is just 5 percent, according to a poll released before Friday's impeachment vote, but some Koreans turned out to support her at a march earlier on Saturday."Nothing has been proven yet," said Kim Han-gone, a 49-year-old office worker carrying an "against impeachment" sign."After the investigation, after everything's been revealed, it's not too late to impeach then," he said.The United States, which has about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea, was in close contact with South Korea and remained a strong ally, the White House said late on Friday.While North Korean state media has been scathing in its coverage of South Korea's presidential scandal, which erupted in October, the official KCNA news agency's first report on the impeachment was a simple three-sentence item on Saturday. (Additional reporting by James Pearson; Editing by Tony Munroe, Robert Birsel and Louise Heavens)

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By Alister Doyle

| OSLO

OSLO Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said an accord to end a 52-year civil war with Marxist rebels was a "ray of hope" for solving conflicts from Syria to South Sudan as he collected the Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday. In an acceptance speech that quoted an anti-war song by Bob Dylan, the 2016 Literature Laureate, Santos said Colombia itself had drawn inspiration from other peace processes such as those in South Africa and Northern Ireland.Santos collected the prize - a gold medal, diploma and a cheque for 8 million Swedish crowns ($870,000) at a ceremony in Oslo's city hall for his efforts to end the conflict with Marxist FARC rebels in which 220,000 people died."The Colombian peace agreement is a ray of hope in a world troubled by so many conflicts and so much intolerance," he said, saying a U.S. academic study called it the most comprehensive of 34 peace accords signed in the past three decades."It proves that what, at first, seems impossible, through perseverance may become possible even in Syria or Yemen or South Sudan," he told an audience including victims of the war as well as Norway's King Harald.

The rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, were not invited, except for a Spanish lawyer to represent them. FARC leader Rodrigo Londono had been tipped by some Nobel watchers to share the prize with Santos.The audience applauded a group of about 10 victims attending the ceremony, after they stood after Santos introduced them.Among them was Leyner Palacios, a man who Santos said lost 32 relatives, including his parents and three brothers, in a 2002 FARC mortar attack on a church. Palacios nodded when Santos said he had forgiven the attackers.

The peace deal almost collapsed in October after Colombian voters rejected it in a referendum, reckoning the first version was too lenient on the rebels. A revised deal was approved by Congress last month, but controversially without a referendum demanded by a big opposition party.Berit Reiss-Andersen, a member of the five-member award committee, said in a presentation speech that Santos had been "a driving force" and that the peace process needed "all the international support it could get" after the referendum.

In his speech, received with a standing ovation, Santos quoted what he called a "haunting question" from one of Dylan's most famous songs: "How many deaths will it take 'till he knows that too many people have died? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind."The other 2016 prizes - for Literature, Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Economics - will be presented later in Stockholm. Dylan has said he won't attend, citing "pre-existing commitments."($1 = 9.1825 Swedish crowns) (Reporting By Alister Doyle; Editing by Ros Russell)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Lamin Jahateh

| BANJUL

BANJUL Gambia's President-elect Adama Barrow said on Saturday the country's outgoing leader Yahya Jammeh had no authority to reject the results of Dec.1. polls, while the United Nations and African Union piled pressure on Jammeh to step aside. Long-ruling Jammeh on Friday called for another election in the tiny West African country after narrowly losing to opposition leader Adama Barrow, jeopardising what was expected to be Gambia's first democratic transition of power in over 50 years. He had conceded defeat publicly last week.The announcement on state television threw the future of the country of 1.8 million into doubt after the unexpected election result ended Jammeh's authoritarian 22-year rule. It had been widely seen as a moment of democratic hope and a chance to end repression in a country known as a police state."The outgoing president has no constitutional authority to reject the result of the election and order for fresh elections to be held," Barrow told reporters in Banjul following an emergency meeting under high security."I open up a channel of communication to convince him to facilitate a smooth transfer of executive powers in the supreme interest of this country," he said.The streets of Banjul were calm on Saturday, although some residents said they were staying at home for fear of violence. A strong police presense remained on the streets.

Under chapter 5 of Gambia's constitution, candidates have 10 days from the declaration of the results to appeal to the Supreme Court.It was not immediately clear if Jammeh had done that.As Gambians brace for a tense standoff, international criticism of Jammeh came in fast. Following the United States and Senegal, the African Union on Saturday weighed in, calling Jammeh's statement "null and void".The U.N. and regional body ECOWAS called on the armed forces to stay neutral. Diplomats have voiced private concerns that a faction of security forces from Jammeh's Jola ethnic minority might protect Jammeh, potentially provoking broader conflict along ethnic lines.

Senegal, which has Gambia's only land border, has called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and "solemnly" warned Jammeh not to harm Senegal's interests or its citizens in Gambia.ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations called jointly for all parties to "reject violence and peacefully uphold the will of the people". But in a sign that early mediation efforts are floundering, Senegal's foreign minister said that Gambian authorities had refused entry to the chair of regional body ECOWAS.

"Johnson Sirleaf was supposed to fly in today, but Jammeh said 'not at the moment,'" Senegalese Foreign Minister Mankeur Ndiaye told Reuters. It was not clear if the plane had already taken off.It was unclear what the Security Council is planning, but military intervention is one option, diplomats said, without giving details. There is precedent for this: for example, Senegal's army intervened in Gambia in 1981 during a coup.A third party candidate in last week's election, Mama Kandeh of the Gambia Democratic Congress also rejected Jammeh's call for another election."Your swift decision earlier to concede defeat and your subsequent move to call Adama Barrow to congratulate him was lauded throughout the world," Kandeh said. "We therefore prevail on you to reconsider your decision." (Reporting by Diadie Ba, Edward McAllister and Emma Farge; writing by Edward McAllister; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)

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AMMAN Islamic State militants entered the ancient city of Palmyra on Saturday in eastern Syria after advancing to its outskirts for the first time since losing the city earlier this year, a war monitor said.The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights said the militants had entered Palmyra after they had taken strategic heights near the city and captured the northern part of the city and major silos and mountains around it.

(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi, editing by David Evans)

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While many investors will be enjoying egg nog and putting bows on presents, the automotive industry will be putting the finishing touches on its global sales figures, and that will show how massive China's new-vehicle market is. North America will likely remain the most profitable auto market for some time, but that hasn't stopped General Motors (GM -2.11%) from tallying up a massive number of sales in China this year.

"With less than a month to go, we are on track for record sales in 2016," said GM Executive Vice President and GM China President Matt Tsien in a press release this week. "All recently launched products, such as the new-generation Buick GL8 and Baojun 310, have gotten off to a very good start of deliveries."

Highlights and figures

In total, GM and its joint ventures tallied an impressive sales figure of 371,740 units in China, a 7% increase from the prior year. GM's umbrella of brands did well, with Cadillac, Buick, and Baojun all notching all-time monthly highs. In fact, Cadillac's results in China continue to impress, with its sales soaring 70% in November to more than 13,400 units -- that's the fifth consecutive month its year-over-year gains checked in higher than 50%.

Buick's sales gains were less impressive, checking in at a meager 1.5% gain, but its volume of sales, at nearly 110,000 units, played a big role in GM's strong month. Chevrolet, which is GM's best-selling brand in the U.S. by a landslide, posted a 2.4% sales increase to 52,400 units in November. GM's Baojun jumped 28% to total 74,779 units sold, and Wuling posted a meager gain of 0.2% but racked up more than 121,000 units sold.

What about the competition?

GM's sales total for November is extremely impressive when you consider it outsold Ford Motor Company (F -2.54%), Honda, and Toyota, combined. Ford's November sales in China were strong, too, checking in with a 17% gain to 124,113 units. Honda and Toyota posted gains of 40% and 6%, respectively, to 126,713 units and 111,100 units.

Because of Honda's push in 2016, it has actually surpassed sales of Toyota and Ford, by the slimmest of margins. Through the first 11 months, Honda's sales moved 28% higher to 1.11 million units, while Toyota's and Ford's gains checked in at 10% and 5%, to 1.10 million and 1.09 million, respectively. Again, all of those competitors significantly trailed GM's year-to-date total of 3.4 million.

A grain of salt

Now, to be fair, China's automotive industry received a shot in the arm during 2016 with the purchase tax cut in half on a new vehicle with an engine displacement smaller than 1.6 liters. That's set to expire at the end of this month, and it could be pulling demand from consumers on the fence about a purchase in the near term to the dealership lots to take advantage of the soon-to-expire incentive.

That means 2017's sales could start off more slowly, but it means other things, too. For instance, these incentives absolutely work, but it also makes it difficult for major automakers and suppliers to adjust for the sales volatility between years. For instance, during 2009 China cut the purchase tax in half, and even amid the economic crisis, light-vehicle sales soared 53%. Then the following year, when it raised the tax slightly, that growth slowed, to a still impressive 33%. When the tax was fully restored to 10% in 2011, sales slowed to 5.2%. Fast-forward to 2016, and through the first 10 months, sales are up 15%.

You could also make the argument that these inflated sales from the tax incentive help keep afloat inefficient autos -- and China has more than you might realize, at around 70 domestic manufacturers at the end of 2015 -- when it would be healthier for the industry to consolidate and create cost synergies.

Yes, China is going to be incredibly important to major automakers' growth stories, including Detroit and Japanese autos alike, but take the massive sales gains this year with a grain of salt. Sales could start off 2017 much slower than anticipated, and until automakers can better match production capacity with wild annual swings in sales, big success in China might not help the bottom line as much as investors would like.
Pruitt and McMorris Rodgers, tasked with destroying America's environment



Of Washington's 10 congressional district, there really are only 2 that are safely red-- WA-04 and WA-05. Both go from the Canadian border to the Oregon border and both are large and largely rural. The 4th, represented by Republican sophomore Dan Newhouse, is the center of the state and includes Grand Coulee, Yakima and the Richland/Kennewick metro. The 5th district, basically the eastern third of the state includes Walla Walla, some suburbs of Lewiston, Idaho, Pullman and, primarily, Spokane. Local far right politicians are always agitating for statehood for the two districts and they call it Eastern Washington (land-wise, 60% of the state). Looks like there may be a special election coming up soon for WA-05 since Trump has decided to add Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the local Congresswoman and the only Republican woman in House leadership, to his Cabinet from Hell. An advocate for all the wrong policies, McMorris Rodgers would be Interior Secretary; better than Sarah Palin, I guess.





Bill Clinton won WA-05 both times he ran, although in the middle of his first term, the local Democratic congressman, House Speaker Tom Foley, was defeated. The district has been red ever since. Obama only got 46% against McCain and 44% against Romney. Trump won both the 4th and the 5th districts and McMorris Rodgers was reelected 59.6-40.4%, with an over 60,000 vote margin against Democrat Joe Pakootas, who managed to spend just $348,873 to her $3,221,433. The DCCC took no notice of the race. We'll see if they recruit a candidate and put up a battle for the open seat next year. (It's worth keeping in mind that Spokane County, from which most of the votes come, was pretty evenly split between Democratic Senator Patty Murray and GOP challenger Chris Vance (who refused to back Trump):

 Vance- 106,555 (50.5%)

 Murray- 104,578 (49.5%)

The margin was identical in Walla Walla, the only other county in the district with any kind of population base. If it starts becoming apparent that Trump is going to be the worst president in history and that the Republican Congress is going to overreach and do things like destroy Social Security and the health care system , it will be a district worth fighting for.





McMorris Rodgers is a predictably rotten choice for Secretary of the Interior. In the words of Friends of the Earth, "In a leaked memo , Trump plans to expand oil and gas drilling on public lands and waters and lift the moratorium on new coal mining. During her time in office, Rep. McMorris Rodgers has consistently voted in favor of accelerating fossil fuel development and against the protection of wildlife and sensitive, natural areas." They refer to her as "a rubber stamp for the fossil fuel industry." Ecosystems, Environmental Defense Fund sees it much the same way, pointing out that just this week the deceitful Trump promised to follow 'the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt one of our great environmentalists. But his nomination of Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers for Secretary of the Interior does not inspire confidence that he meant what he said. In Congress, Rep. McMorris Rodgers has, among other things, voted to open up our public lands and waters to widespread oil and gas production and end the congressional ban on selling public lands for private gain. If the President-elect truly wants to claim the mantle of Theodore Roosevelt, he will need to recognize that Roosevelt built his legacy by protecting and defending our precious landscapes for this generation and future generations of farmers, ranchers, hunters, anglers, hikers and all Americans."









New Yorker In a normal administration, she would be a nightmare, but how does that compare to Jeff Sessions as Attoney General? Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education? Andy Puzder for Labor? Steven Mnuchin for Treasury? Wilbur Ross for Commerce? Tom Price for Health? Ben Carson for Housing? John Kelly for Homeland Security? Linda McMahon for Small Business Administrator? Gary Cohen, President of Goldman Sachs as Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors? And of course Steve Bannon as National Security Advisor? This really is the Cabinet From Hell. Oh, and let's not forget Trump's new EPA Director, Scott Pruitt, who will work with McMorris Rodgers to wreck the environment. Not familiar with Pruit yet? This week Jane Mayer, writing for the stripped the bride bare . "Garvin Isaacs, the president of the Oklahoma Bar Association," she explained, "isnt one for understatement, but he topped himself in his reaction to the news that Donald Trump is expected to nominate Scott Pruitt, the Oklahoma attorney general, to run the Environmental Protection Agency. 'Its the worst thing in the history of our environment! We are in danger. The whole country is in danger. Our kids are in danger. People have got to do something about the Citizens United decision that is turning our country into an oligarchy, run by oil-and-gas interests.'"













Times, in 2014. The investigation revealed that a letter Pruitt sent to the E.P.A in 2011, complaining about federal regulators estimation of the air pollution caused by drilling in Oklahoma, was actually written by lawyers for Devon Energy, one of the states biggest oil-and-gas companies. (Outstanding! the companys director of government relations wrote in a note to Pruitts office.) The Times found that Pruitt had sent similar letters, drafted by energy-industry lobbyists, to the Department of the Interior, the Office of Management and Budget, and President Obama. Pruitt has also taken a lead role in coordinating a twenty-eight-state legal challenge to the Obama Administrations regulations on fossil-fuel pollution, which are at the center of its larger effort to stem climate change. Until now, Pruitts greatest claim to national fame was his star role in a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation by the, in 2014. The investigation revealed that a letter Pruitt sent to the E.P.A in 2011, complaining about federal regulators estimation of the air pollution caused by drilling in Oklahoma, was actually written by lawyers for Devon Energy, one of the states biggest oil-and-gas companies. (Outstanding! the companys director of government relations wrote in a note to Pruitts office.) Thefound that Pruitt had sent similar letters, drafted by energy-industry lobbyists, to the Department of the Interior, the Office of Management and Budget, and President Obama. Pruitt has also taken a lead role in coordinating a twenty-eight-state legal challenge to the Obama Administrations regulations on fossil-fuel pollution, which are at the center of its larger effort to stem climate change.



In taking these anti-regulatory positions, Pruitt has clearly aligned himself with his right-wing campaign donors, including Charles and David Koch. Kochpac, the political-action committee of the brothers Kansas-based oil-and-chemical conglomerate, Koch Industries, contributed to Pruitts campaigns in 2010, 2013, and 2014. Pruitt has also been backed by several other billionaire oil-and-gas executives, who joined political forces with the Kochs during the Obama years, becoming investors, as they called themselves, in the Kochs anti-regulatory, pro-business political movement. Harold Hamm, the billionaire founder and chief executive of Continental Resources, and Larry Nichols, the chairman emeritus of Devon Energy, have both supported Pruitt. Hamm, in fact, was the co-chairman of Pruitts 2013 reelection campaign. This year, Hamm became an early and ardent Trump supporter and adviser on energy matters. In September, Politico reported that Nichols had become a close adviser to Trump on energy, too. Its not clear that Pruitt will continue to take dictation from his fossil-fuel backers, but they almost certainly will have a lot more to thank him for if he enters the Trump Administration.



During the Presidential campaign, Trump signaled his support for the fossil-fuel industry and his lack of concern about climate change, which he called a hoax. He also echoed the industrys calls to dismantle the E.P.A. In that sense, Trumps nomination of Pruitt would not be unexpected. But it is deeply inconsistent with his populist rhetoric during the campaign. Trump mocked billionaire Republican political donors, including the Koch brothers. Steve Bannon, his campaign manager and now his chief strategist, derided the donor class, which he said had sold out ordinary voters, while Trump promised to take on corrupt special interests in Washington, and, as he put it, drain the swamp. With the choice of Pruitt, though, Trump appears to have once again chosen the plutocrats over the populists.

The first time I visited Nepal was in 1971 and they had just built the first paved road. The country was pretty pristine but when I was back in Kathmandu in the mid-1990s and it seemed crowded and far less pristine. I went again in 2011 and the pollution was so overwhelming that I can't imagine ever going again. I couldn't go outside without a heavy duty carbon filter mask. To turn the country into that was a decision made by people, people like Trump , Rodgers and Pruitt. Count on it.








What happened

Crude oil did not do that much this week and was basically flat on the heels of a double-digit rally last week. That said, the oil market still had plenty of fuel left in the tank from last week's rally as investors continued to bet that OPEC's agreement to cut production would lead to better future results for the sector. In addition to that, President-elect Donald Trump had some energy market-moving news of his own. Those two factors drove several energy stocks up by double digits this week. Leading the way, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, were CVR Energy (CVI -1.76%), Dorian LPG (LPG 1.45%), Hornbeck Offshore Services (HOS), PBF Energy (PBF -3.05%), and Bristow Group (BRS):

So what

Shares of independent U.S. refiners CVR Energy and PBF Energy have been red hot since Trump's election, up 80% and 32%, respectively, since Nov. 8. Fueling that rally was Trump's pledge to pull back regulations that have been hurting American businesses, including Environmental Protection Agency regulations that have decimated independent U.S. refiners. He took the first step in that process this week by nominating Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to be the new head of the EPA. CVR Energy, in particular, has railed against the agency's policies, with the CEO of its refining arm saying that it is destroying small refiners with the Renewable Standards Program. The Trump administration, with Pruitt at the helm of the EPA, will likely dramatically overhaul that program, which could lead to improved profitability for independent refiners.

Meanwhile, continued OPEC-fueled enthusiasm drove the stocks of Hornbeck Offshore Services, Bristow Group, and Dorian LPG up this week. Those moves are a continuation of their sharp rallies since OPEC agreed to step in to support oil prices at the end of November, with Hornbeck, for example, now up more than 80%. Investors see OPEC's decision as a game changer for offshore companies because it might push oil prices high enough to boost offshore drilling activities, which could mean more work for Bristow's helicopters and Hornbeck's service vessels. Meanwhile, improving oil prices should lift propane prices, which could continue to drive a rebound in seaborne LPG trade and lead to stronger demand for Dorian's vessels.

Now what

There was one common theme running through all five of these upward moves this week: hope. Investors hope that Trump's new EPA head will cut the regulatory burden that has been holding back profits at independent refiners CVR Energy and PBR Energy. Likewise, investors see the OPEC deal fueling higher activity levels offshore, which could lead to more work for Hornbeck and Bristow, as well as driving demand for petroleum product vessels. While these outcomes might happen, investors need to be aware of the risk that these new policies might not lead to higher profits as quickly as the market seems to be pricing in.
With one phone call with the leader of Taiwan and several tweets, President-elect Donald Trump has stirred concerns about a potential trade war between the U.S. and China. It's not just industrial and consumer products companies that could be impacted if the two countries fight economically. Should Big Pharma be worried as well?

Bulls in the China shop

Several major pharmaceutical companies have significant operations in China. The push to make inroads in the country has intensified in recent years.

Pfizer (PFE -1.96%) touts itself as the No. 1 foreign biopharmaceutical company in China. The company employs over 10,000 workers in the country across 300 cities. Pfizer has four manufacturing facilities in China, plus two research and development centers.

While the company markets 40 products in China, exact sales figures for the Chinese market are not available. Pfizer reported 2015 sales of $11.1 billion from emerging markets, reflecting nearly 23% of total revenue. However, that's a big territory that includes Asia (except Japan and South Korea), Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Europe, the Middle East, and Turkey.

Merck (MRK -0.36%) built its first Chinese manufacturing facility in 1994 in Hangzhou. The company now has multiple manufacturing facilties in the country, along with a research and development center in Beijing, plus a sales and marketing headquarters in Shanghai.

Although Merck doesn't break out its sales figures for China specifically, the drugmaker reported sales of $3.82 billion in the Asia Pacific region last year. That represented almost 10% of Merck's total revenue. The company's Asia Pacific region includes China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. China has the largest market among the countries in the region.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ -1.54%) beat both Pfizer and Merck in opening up shop in China. J&J started operations in the country in 1979 with a technology-transfer agreement to build a chemical factory. The company followed up in 1985 with its first joint venture in China. Through the years, Johnson & Johnson has continued to expand its presence in the country.

Like Pfizer and Merck, Johnson & Johnson doesn't provide details on sales generated in China. The company reported $12.3 billion in sales last year from its Asia Pacific and Africa regions, reflecting nearly 18% of total revenue.

Potential impact

It's hard to know for sure what impact a trade war between the U.S. and China would have on Big Pharma. China represents a significant amount of sales for many drugmakers.

A more important question is how many of Big Pharma's drugs are manufactured in China versus exported to the country. The most likely scenario for a trade war would involve both the U.S. and China slapping tariffs on products imported from the other nation. Products (including prescription drugs) manufactured in China probably wouldn't be affected. Because Pfizer, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, and other Big Pharma companies make some of their products in China, the negative impact of a potential trade war would likely be less than it would otherwise be.

However, there are other possible issues that could arise. China already is a challenging market in which to operate for multinational companies. The government doesn't make things easy for companies based in other countries now. It would likely get worse if economic tensions increase between the U.S. and China.

Also, even though Big Pharma companies still make most of their money outside of China, the country represents a major growth opportunity. China is currently the second-largest pharmaceutical market in the world. Total pharmaceutical sales in the country could reach $167 billion by 2020. Trade barriers could hurt Big Pharma companies trying to get their share of that potential market.

Sound and fury

At this point, the only war being waged is one of words. China lodged a complaint about Trump's phone call with Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen but hasn't taken further actions. And for his part, President-elect Trump hasn't gone beyond responding with a few tweets. Both Taiwan's president and Vice President-elect Mike Pence have downplayed the significance of the phone call.

It could also be that Donald Trump is simply using one of the negotiating tactics mentioned in his book, The Art of the Deal: Use your leverage. China probably already thinks that Trump is unpredictable. By reinforcing that view, he could potentially make Chinese leaders more agreeable to negotiations on trade policies. If this is the case, the sound and fury of recent days could signify something positive for Big Pharma.
A lorry driver caught smuggling 2.9 million cigarettes into the UK, hidden under a load of half-baked mouldy baguettes, has been jailed for four years and three months after being extradited from Romania by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Simion Bocan, 23, of Transylvania, Romania, was stopped by Border Force officers at Dover Eastern Docks on 6 October 2015. Bocan told officers the lorrys trailer unit contained 30 pallets of frozen baguettes. But the soggy, raw and mouldy bread was being used to hide boxes loaded with 2,948,160 Regal King-Size cigarettes worth 788,249 in evaded duty.

Evidence gathered during the HMRC investigation suggests a trial run was made, using the same bread, a few days earlier.

A European Arrest Warrant was issued after Bocan fled from the UK while on bail. He was extradited from Romania in July 2016 and remanded in custody.

Bocan pleaded not guilty to the fraudulent evasion of excise duty at Maidstone Crown Court on 31 August 2016, but changed his plea to admit guilt on 8 December 2016. He was jailed immediately for four years and three months.

Her Honour Judge Williams said: This sentencing reflects the serious criminal behaviour, failure to answer bail, and this being a sophisticated operation.

Alan Tully, assistant director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: Bocan smuggled a substantial quantity of illegal cigarettes into the UK. He fled the country to try to avoid paying for his crimes. However, no one is beyond HMRCs reach, and with the co-operation of our overseas partners he is now behind bars.

HMRC continues to work with other enforcement agencies at home and abroad to reduce the availability of illicit tobacco, which costs the UK around 2.4 billion a year, steals from communities and harms the livelihood of legitimate retailers. We encourage anyone with information regarding the smuggling, storage or sale of illegal tobacco to contact our 24-hour hotline on 0800 595000.
This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.
A former Cantor Fitzgerald trader has been indicted on charges that he defrauded investors by lying about the price of mortgage bond transactions he handled for them after the financial crisis, U.S. prosecutors said on Friday.

David Demos, 35, was charged with securities fraud in an indictment filed in federal court in New Haven, Connecticut, becoming the latest trader to face charges for cheating customers on prices of mortgage-backed securities.

Demos, of Westport, Connecticut, appeared in court on Friday for an arraignment. In a joint statement afterwards, his legal team, which includes lawyers Peter Chavkin and Stanley Twardy, said Demos would fight the charges.

"Mr. Demos denies the charges made against him, including the allegations that his communications and negotiations with counterparties were 'material,'" his lawyers said in the statement. "He intends to vigorously defend himself."

Prosecutors said Demos, a trader and managing director at Cantor Fitzgerald from November 2011 to February 2013, defrauded customers by fraudulently inflating the price at which the company could buy residential mortgage-backed securities.

The goal, prosecutors said, was to induce customers to pay a higher price for mortgage bonds and to decrease the price at which Cantor could sell them in order to get investors to sell bonds at cheaper prices.

The scheme allowed Cantor Fitzgerald and Demos to reap illegal profits, prosecutors said, while causing their customers to sustain millions of dollars of losses.

The victims included asset managers and firms affiliated with or subsidiaries of recipients of funds from the U.S. government's financial crisis-era bailout program, the Troubled Asset Relief Program, prosecutors said.

The case marked the latest action by federal prosecutors in Connecticut against traders accused of cheating customers on prices of mortgage-backed securities.

In December 2015, a federal appeals court reversed a first conviction in the probe against Jesse Litvak, a former Jefferies managing director who was found guilty in 2014 and sentenced to two years in prison.

Litvak, who denies wrongdoing, is scheduled to face re-trial on Jan. 4. Jefferies, a unit of Leucadia National Corp , in 2014 agreed to pay $25 million to end U.S. criminal and civil probes into how it supervised Litvak and other traders.

Others charged to date include two former Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc traders, who have pleaded guilty, and three former traders at Nomura Holdings Inc <8604.T>, who are scheduled to face trial on Feb. 27. 8604.T>

The case is U.S. v. Demos, U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, No. 16-cr-00220.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Leslie Adler)
Image source: InvenSense.

It's been a rough couple of years for InvenSense (NYSE: INVN). The micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) maker has stumbled for a number of reasons, including significant pressure from its largest customer, Apple. We're talking about nearly 60% of sales coming from the iPhone maker last quarter, up from "just" 34% a year ago; the reliance on the tech titan is only growing. As many suppliers have learned the hard way, getting in bed with Apple is a double-edged sword: The company is infamous for squeezing suppliers and using its sheer size as negotiating leverage, while small suppliers like InvenSense have much less bargaining power.

INVN data by YCharts.

Both revenue and gross margin have been falling for many quarters, and fears of commoditization for gyroscopes and accelerometers continue to hurt InvenSense's ability to differentiate. Even beyond the iPhone titan, InvenSense relies heavily on the smartphone market, which is also showing signs of maturing. Shares are soaring today on speculation that InvenSense may be put out of its misery, with investors welcoming a possible acquisition.

Rumor has it

Reuters reports that Japan-based TDK is in discussions to acquire InvenSense, citing anonymous sources. TDK already manufactures a wide range of smartphone components such as GPS front-end modules, thin-film RF components, and batteries, among many others. Adding MEMS to the mix makes plenty of sense, as it would expand TDK's product portfolio, potentially allowing the company to win even more content in mobile devices. TDK has been growing its sensor portfolio via several acquisitions over the past few years, and InvenSense has been trying to sell itself for a little over a month now. The company said in October that it had hired a financial advisor to evaluate "indications of interest."

According to the report, TDK is offering $12 per share, although the two companies are still negotiating and nothing has been finalized. Of course, as with all acquisition speculation, this report should be taken with a grain of salt, because nothing may materialize. Investors are factoring this uncertainty in; shares are currently trading around $10.50, well below the rumored offer price.

The news comes at a time when the broader semiconductor sector is undergoing unprecedented levels of consolidation as companies seek to grow profitability by combining in order to reduce combined costs through synergies.

This is the end, my only friend

InvenSense's business has been deteriorating due largely to factors outside of its control. It's hard to imagine the company's business recovering to prior levels in a sustainable way, which also means that its stock price would have a hard time recovering, too. Shares topped out around $26 in 2014 after InvenSense went public in 2011. If the odds of a meaningful recovery are remote, then perhaps getting taken out at $12 per share is the best possible ending to InvenSense's short public life.

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Nguyen Anh Hong, 45, is not the birth mother of 15-year-old Nguyen Hong Tam. About 14 years ago, when I was selling lottery tickets, I met my sons mother. The woman in the first months of her pregnancy said that she would have an abortion. I told her to keep the baby and I would raise him. Three months after birth, she left the baby for me. Since then I have never met her again, Hong said.
November 9, 2016 was a special day for this proud American. My eyes opened that morning with an immediate thought that We the People had witnessed --and taken part in -- A Miracle.

There are millions of Americans who have yet to recognize the miracle of November 9th. They remain angry, shocked and saddened that our nation has elected to our highest office someone whom their trusted leaders had promised was unelectable. With a national mandate granted to the Republican Party, i.e. sweeping control of both Houses, State Governorships, Presidency and the Supreme Court, these Americans will have the opportunity to finally see the promises of unfettered Conservatism. With the passing of policies designed to increase opportunities for all to procure the American Dream, many will come to recognize what has been chronically missing with their decades-long loyalty to the Democratic Party..HOPE!

November 9, 2016 over the years will come to represent the renaissance of HOPE for millions of Americans from all races, colors, creeds and neighborhoods. It will be seen as the day that We the People chose to begin our racial healing after years of purposeful divisiveness. It will be noted as the day when the American people chose to return to its optimistic waysalways its driving force. It will be known for..

HOPE for poor urban parents and their children who, after decades of neglect, will be granted choice for a quality education, like their fellow middle & rich-class citizens.

HOPE for men and women from all backgrounds who continue to seek the American ideal of self-reliance.

HOPE that personal safety and equal protection continues to be a Constitutional Right for ALL citizens, including those living in the urban liberal cities of Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit, Ferguson, etc.

HOPE that the encouragement to Dream Big remains within the American DNA and that we are still a nation where upgrading our lives is only a decision, time, faith and a work ethic away.

HOPE for brighter days within the Black community where for decades Misery has been imposed on it by the empathy-free & hopeless ideologies of Socialism, Marxism and Liberalism.

On November 9th 2016, We the People offered an undeniable repudiation of the Democratic Partys historical use of identity politics, divisiveness and misery as a political strategy. We broke from the political model that has placed demeaning expectations for racial, gender and immigrant zombie-like Group Think. With this elections unexpected swing of Women, Hispanics, and Black Americans to the Republican Party, minorities have established that they are capability of thinking pass skin color, sexuality their originating country. As we continue to prioritize ourselves as Americans first and foremost, we will continue to witness the demise of the Democratic Partys emotional bondage, held too long on our societys minority segments.

In the weeks leading up to the election, I was invited to share my views on Fox Business Networks Varney & Co. During one of my interviews, I stated that over 28% of Black Americans share my love for our Race, Country and God. We believe that it is the American Way that uniquely offers opportunities to ALL, regardless of our start. I then issued a challenge to Stuart Varneys viewing audienceIf Americans this voting cycle will give Black America Conservatives more time, four years, well make our entire country proud. We promise to train our youth, to hire, mentor and encourage them to Dream Big. We will guide them along the pathway of gratitude, patriotism and success as past generations have done for us. As I awoke on the morning of Nov 9th 2016 it occurred to me that my countrymen and women had done their part. It is now time for us to do ours.

From the bottom of my heart I want to thank my fellow Americans for the opportunity to do our part to make America Great AgainTHANK YOU for the MIRACLE of November 9, 2016.
For perhaps the first time ever, its not necessarily cool in DC to have grown up in a big city and attended an elite college or university. This is one of the more important, yet subtle, developments for our republic resulting from Trumps victory. And its a positive one that should be capitalized uponbeginning in the capital.

Since November 8, the self-appointed guardians of the cultural heights, spanning academia to the media, have been experiencing nothing short of a collective epiphany. With scales falling from their bloodshot eyes, theyre now (finally) seeing theres not only an America between the coasts, but an America that matters.

The morning after the election, Mika Brzezinski, co-host of MSNBCs "Morning Joe," declared that the press must embed journalists across the fruited plane if it wishes to understand America. Tell me, she entreated others on the set, a reporter for a major network that lives in Trump country that really knows how people feel and think out there.

As someone who grew up amidst shuttered steel mills in Pennsylvania, I appreciate Mikas sentiment. But shes only halfway to the solution. Will the Millennial who was reared in Greenwich, who went to Groton and Wesleyan, be able to fully empathize with the residents of Toledo and Milwaukee?

Its simple. The American people dont just want to be heard, they want to  and have wanted to for a long time  participate in charting Americas future. In turn, the institutions in our country dedicated to serving the citizenry must start recruiting citizens who were born and raised in Trump country.

Indeed, if our government is to be capable of understanding and addressing our concerns and aspirations, then Washington must be comprised of people representing the entirety of our diverse nation. Im suggesting a bottom-up approach, a personnel shift in our nations capital involving think tanks, media outlets, and public organizations.

To be clear, Im not advocating for the imposition of quotas and upheavals at every career level. Im simply advising that younger, recent graduates of non-elite schools ought to be afforded a bit more consideration in hiring. Their resumes shouldnt immediately be placed on the bottom of the pile.

There is, I can personally attest as a DC denizen, already a change in perspective underway on the boulevards and amidst the marbled buildings of our capital.

Due in large part to the breakaway success of J.D. Vances memoir of childhood in Appalachia Ohio and Kentucky, "Hillbilly Elegy," elites who hail from the coasts have become fascinated with those of us from Middle America (i.e., the gun and religion clingers). Not too long ago, they showered us with unbridled disdain. Today were anthropological subjects to be poked, prodded, and examined. I suppose thats progress.

By now, Im confident someone reading this has thought, But Trump went to an Ivy League school! Firstly, the University of Pennsylvania community certainly hasnt rushed to claim Trump as its ownin the way, for example, Columbia and Harvard did with Obama.

Penns administration refused to even comment on Trumps candidacy during the election. Further, alumni started a Change.org petition, which garnered more than 500 supporters, asking Penn President Amy Gutmann to disavow the intolerant views of alum Donald Trump. On November 9, the day after the election, Philadelphia magazine reported a majority of [Penns] faculty, staff, and students embarrassed by their association with a soon-to-be president of the United States.

But Trump is different in an additional, more substantive way. How many eventual Ivy League graduates walked through a construction site before they turned eighteen? How many Ivy League graduates, who are furiously blogging away in cushy offices about income inequality, have ever walked on a construction site, factory floor, or farm (other than one that grows organic kale)? Sure, theyve seen economically depressed towns. But theyve seen them from the comfort of their seat on the Acela to and from Princeton and Harvard for the holidays.

And look, its not that the alumni of elite schools arent intelligent. Its not that theyve (all) been indoctrinated with the wrong ideas about the history and constitution of our nationto say nothing about their (lack of) instruction in virtue and excellence. Its simply that they missed out on spending several formative years out there.

Plus, I know theres institutional momentum to overcome. Recent graduates from traditionally prestigious schools will long be viewed by human resources employees as safe choices, as easily justifiable picks to their higher-ups. But I have hope that if theres ever been a moment to capture some new blood, this is it, with the election of Donald Trump, who has pledged to give Washington back to the people.

So to those hiring in D.C., give the twenty-one-year-olds from flyover country and Florida State, Wisconsin, and Texas Christian University an interview, or merely a few minutes on the phone. Many of them are just as smart as their counterparts from Hanover, Providence, and New Haven. Theyre also darn motivated because they have chips on their shoulders; they feel they have something to prove.

But most significantly, they not only want to make America great again, theyre capable of doing it because they know America.
Liberals have tried very hard to depict the Hispanic community as a monolithic group fully in sync with the agenda of the Left. Not surprisingly, they assured us that Latinos were so offended by Donald Trumps rhetoric and proposals on immigration that they would come out in massive numbers on November 8th to vote against him.

Yet, to their chagrin, this didnt materialize. While the number of Latino turnout went up, it only did slightly. Fifty percent of Latinos decided to stay home, clearly not enthused with either candidate for president, not just Trump. At the end, the aggressive efforts by the George Soros funded liberal Hispanic groups to turn out more Latino voters for Hillary failed abysmally.

More impressively, however, is that Donald Trump did better with Latino voters than Mitt Romney, receiving a significant 28 percent of the Latino vote. Moreover, Latino support for Hillary Clinton went down to 66 percent compared to the 71 percent President Obama got in 2012.

Latinos cannot be typecast. They are independent-minded and, as other Americans, will embrace President Trump if he is successful in improving the economy and their quality of life and addressing many of the other issues they care about.  Alfonso Aguilar

We shouldnt be surprised by these results, however. Contrary to what liberals have told us for so long, the Latino community is not homogenous. Latinos have a wide variety of views and opinions, which is reflective of their great diversity.

Over half are foreign born or the children of immigrants, while the families of most of the rest have been in U.S. territory for generations. Those who have recently arrived come from different countries in Latin America that have particular idiosyncrasies, not to say customs and traditions.

Race is not a common denominator either for the Latino community is an ethnic, not a racial group. What binds us together is not race, but the cultural heritage of our countries of origin. No less significant is the fact that theres also substantial diversity in income levels within the Latino population.

Latinos, moreover, also share many of the same characteristics and views of some of the staunchest Republican constituencies. They are, for example, pro-life, church going, extremely entrepreneurial and very supportive of school choice.

Latinos are not, therefore, natural-born Democrats as some may think. In fact, polls show that the majority of Hispanics dont identify as Democratic or Republican, but rather as independent.

Nor is immigration the most important issue to them. Like most Americans, they are primarily concerned with jobs and the economy.

Evidently, many were attracted by Mr. Trumps call to restore Americas economic greatness and his commitment to create good paying jobs for working Americans. As other Americans, Latinos are struggling to make ends meet. The poverty rates of Latinos greatly exceed the national average and their wages are the lowest in the nation.

Hispanic liberal elites, nevertheless, are in denial. They cannot accept that the Latino groupthink they have touted for decades simply doesnt exist.

Thats why they reject the exit polling, saying it doesnt properly poll Latinos and that support for Trump was actually much lower. Yet, Mark Hugo Lopez, a reputable pollster who heads Hispanic Research at the Pew Research Center acknowledged in a recent interview with the Guardian that Trump may have outperformed Romney with Latinos, adding that the diversity of the Hispanic electorate can explain some of these results.

Having said all of this, we shouldnt underestimate the significance of the immigration issue for Latinos. Its pretty obvious that Trump didnt do better with them because the majority rejected his view and outlook on the issue. However, if he is willing to deal with illegal immigrants in a constructive way during his first term, as he seems to be indicating, after he secures the border with Mexico and begins deporting those with criminal records, his support among Latino voters could realistically reach 40% or more in 2020.

What we can say for sure after this election is that Latinos cannot be typecast. They are independent-minded and, as other Americans, will embrace President Trump if he is successful in improving the economy and their quality of life and addressing many of the other issues they care about.

Hes certainly already moving in the right direction with his bold comments on the death of the murderous Cuban tyrant Fidel Castro recognizing that his legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights. Hispanics of Cuban origin, and many other Hispanic whose home countries were taken over or violently tormented by ruthless Communists guerrillas with the assistance of Fidel Castro, were appalled at President Obamas statement extending condolences to the dictators family, while whitewashing his criminal record. They, nonetheless, felt encouraged that the incoming president had the leadership and courage to state the truth that the incumbent president amazingly chose to ignore.

Ironically, Im one of those who didnt support Trump over his comments and views over immigrants. I ended up leaving the ballot blank. But like many other Latinos, I have already put the election behind me and am ready to lend him my support to ensure we make America great again.

The author is the President of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles and the former Chief of the U.S. Office of Citizenship in the administration of President George W. Bush.
An Honduran woman is suing the Obama administration over alleged mistreatment that she and her child suffered while held in a family detention center in Dilley, Texas.

The woman, Suny Rodriguez Alvarado, filed the lawsuit  on which her then-7-year-old son also is a plaintiff  in federal court in New Jersey. Alvarado, who is 43, was kept in detention for more than four months last year.

The suit is believed to be the first of its kind to seek damages for harm suffered in Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention while seeking refugee status.

A release about the lawsuit reads, Suny Rodriguez Alvarado and her 7-year-old son, Angelo, left their home in Honduras because of persistent threats of police violence, only to be subjected to prolonged detention, coercion and abuse by Department of Homeland Security officials.

In an interview with Fox News Latino, Rodriguez said that her son remains traumatized from his time in detention.

The lawsuit alleges that border officials tried to coerce Rodriguez to sign a document agreeing to be returned to Honduras, in violation of U.S. law on how people who express a fear of persecution if they return to their homeland and request to apply for asylum are supposed to be treated.

It also alleges that a border agent denied Rodriguez food and told her that it was futile of her to have entered the United States, suggesting that she would face worse persecution than she had in Honduras.

Additionally, the suit claims that officials withheld asthma medication for Angelo.

Hes been very affected, Rodriguez said about her son, who later was granted political asylum. Rodriguez has been granted a temporary protection from deportation while her status is determined and an authorization to work in the United States.

My son has flashbacks. Hes deeply afraid every time we have to go to the immigration agency for something, she said in Spanish. When we were in detention, he would get bad anxiety. He cried a lot and always asked, Why are they like that? They shouldnt treat us like that. Tell them not to deport us.

Rodriguez said it was particularly painful for her to watch her son fight a constant cough and fatigue because of his asthma and not be able to obtain the medication he required.

The lawsuit claims, Plaintiffs experienced inhumane conditions that fell below [Custom and Border Protections] own minimum standards for operation of its facilities at the first holding facility, known as the icebox.

CBP agents detained plaintiffs in a crowded room with a wet floor and cement blocks for seats, it continues. Other detainees had taken all the seats, so Ms. Rodriguez requested a blanket for her asthmatic son to sleep on so that he would not have to sleep directly on the wet floor. CBP agents told her that could not have anything because she was not in her own country.

The Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic at Yale Law School is representing Rodriguez in the lawsuit. It accuses the Obama administration of flouting court rulings that denounce detaining children for long periods of time. The complaint says the Obama administration resorted to the harsh approach in an attempt to deter other Central Americans from entering the U.S. illegally.

As with many immigration cases, Rodriguezs isn't simple.

She lived in the United States without documentation in late 1990s and received Temporary Protected States after Hurricane Mitch devastated many parts of Honduras in 1998. She traveled back to Honduras in 2006 after her mother and stepfather were killed by Honduran police.

According to the lawsuit, Rodriguez was threatened by the Honduran police and fled to the United States in 2014 with her son and his father, Jose Rafael Sanchez Villatoro. They were returned to Mexico, but confronted by threats and violence again, returned to the United States the next year. They were detained with Sanchez Villatoro held in a separate facility.
Navy Adm. Harry Harris is the top military officer in the Pacific Ocean theater but still has bosses -- namely President Obama and the secretary of defense. And while the men in those positions will soon change, Harris makes clear that his military duty is to follow their orders.

"I work for the commander in chief, who is President Obama, until the 20th of January, then my commander in chief will be President Trump, Harris said matter of factly on Monday. And I look forward to working for him."

In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News, Harris, who leads all U.S. forces as head of Pacific Command, also shared his assessment of the many hot spots under his watch throughout that region.

Speaking just outside his Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, headquarters, Harris was quick to note the directives from Washington that guide his stewardship of a sometimes volatile region.

It's a role that requires him to pull from his background as a Navy pilot to execute complicated military movements, while also drawing upon a mix of diplomatic acumen, economic understanding and the flexibility to adjust to geopolitical realties.

Harris readily calls attention to Defense Secretary Ash Carter's determination that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and terrorism are the five main global pressure points.

"My biggest concern -- imminent concern-- is North Korea, he said. As I've said before, Russia and China are existential threats to the United States. And both are countries in the Indo-Asia Pacific. And both are in Secretary Carter's list of five-problem sets. North Korea is in that problem set ... the most imminent threat that I face today."

A significant reason for that concern is what Harris describes as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's unpredictability. He notes the weaponry already pointed toward the United States and its regional allies, combined with the regime's unbridled nuclear ambitions.

"So he's a very real threat today," he said.

While not minimizing the threats posed by China and Russia, Harris describes each as responsible powers. Harris thinks that Russia and China -- unlike North Korea -- can be responsive to normal modes of diplomacy.

An example of this, perhaps, is China's reaction to a recent adverse ruling by an international tribunal about the construction of islands doubling as military outposts in the South China Sea. China had claimed sovereign rights to the water.

Harris said hes seen China lower its rhetoric in the months since the decision.

So well have to see what it means in the long run," he also said.

Iran is the only named global concern that falls outside of the admiral's domain.

As for terrorism, Harris says there are thousands of ISIS fighters in the Middle East who come from countries like Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh.

"At some point theyre going to want to go home -- those who are still alive -- and they will want to come back," Harris predicts. "Its a very real concern to me .... because theyre right there in my backyard."

Harris would not offer further comment on Trump, including the president-elects recent use of Twitter to taunt China.

"It sounds like youre asking me to grade the president-elects homework, he told a reporter. Im not going to do that."

However, Harris praised retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, whom Trump wants as his Secretary of defense and who with Trump would become Harris's new boss.

"I supported him in the beginning on Operation Enduring Freedom, and I think highly of him, Harris said. I think hes going to be an extraordinary secretary of defense."
Donald Trumps presidential transition team late Friday criticized President Obama's order for a full-scale review of campaign-season cyber-attacks allegedly linked to Russia, saying its time to move on.

Trump has been repeatedly dismissive of the intelligence community's determination that Russia sought through hacking to disrupt the U.S. election, which he won in a stunning upset over Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on and `Make America Great Again,  the transition team said. "These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

The investigation ordered by Obama will be a "deep dive" into a possible pattern of increased "malicious cyber activity" timed to the campaign season, White House spokesman Eric Schultz said Friday.

On Saturday, New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, the next Senate minority leader, called for the Republican-led Congress to address the issue.

Reports of the CIAs conclusion that Russia actively sought to help elect Donald Trump are simultaneously stunning and not surprising, given Russias disdain for democracy and admiration for autocracy, Schumer said. Senate Democrats will join with our Republican colleagues next year to demand a congressional investigation and hearings to get to the bottom of this.

The administration probe will include looking into the email hacks that rattled the presidential campaign. It also will look at the tactics, targets, key actors and the U.S. government's response to the hacks, as well as incidents reported in past elections,.

The president ordered the report earlier in the week and asked that it be completed before he leaves office next month, Schultz said.

The Washington Post reported Friday that the CIA has concluded that Russia aimed specifically to help Trump, a Republican, win the presidency.

The Kremlin has rejected the hacking accusations.

In the months leading up to the election, email accounts of Democratic Party officials and a top Clinton campaign aide were breached, emails leaked and embarrassing and private emails posted online. Many Democrats believe the hackings benefited Trump's bid.

Schultz said the president sought the probe as a way of improving U.S. defense against cyberattacks and was not intending to question the legitimacy of Trump's victory.

Obama's move comes as Democratic lawmakers have been pushing Obama to declassify more information about Russia's role, fearing that Trump, who has promised a warmer relationship with Moscow, may not prioritize the issue.

The White House said it would make parts of the report public and would brief lawmakers and relevant state officials on the findings.

It emphasized the report would not focus solely on Russian operations or email hacks involving Clinton campaign Chairman John Podesta and Democratic National Committee accounts. The emails were made public by WikiLeaks.

Schultz said intelligence officials would be reviewing incidents going back to the 2008 presidential campaign, when the campaigns of Sen. John McCain and Obama were breached by hackers.

The intelligence community has already concluded that Russia-backed actors likely were involved in breaching and releasing the Democratic Party emails.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has denied the Russian government or any other state parties were the source for the 50,000 emails, which fueled weeks of embarrassing coverage for the Clinton campaign detailing behind-the-scenes discussions and arguments among advisers and family members.

Many Democrats believe the disclosures in emails stolen from Democratic Party officials and Podestas account benefited Trump.

Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway told Fox & Friends on Friday that Democrats wont learn the lessons from the 2016 race.

"A little self-awareness would do for a team that is blaming everybody but themselves for this. Its Bernie Sanders fault  Its the alt-rights fault," she said. "Its  fake news fault. Its Russian interference. Its James Comey. ... How about you had no message?"

Fox News Chad Pergram, Jake Gibson and Catherine Herridge and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A missing child case that rocked Hawaii to its core 19 years ago now may be solved.

An adorable 6-year-old boy named Peter Kema Jr.  known better by his nicknames Peter Boy and Pepe  vanished without a trace in 1997 after having been sent to live, his parents claimed, with a friend.

But in state court on Dec. 1, Peter Boys mother, Jaylin Kema, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting, "I failed to protect my son."

And what you did recklessly caused his death? the judge asked.

Yes, she answered.

Jaylin and her husband, Peter Kema Sr., let an infected wound in the childs arm go without medical treatment, she told the court. Prosecutors believe that, after enduring years of suffering from severe neglect and horrific mental and physical abuse, Peter Boy ultimately died of septic shock.

Pepes siblings would testify that Pepe had a hole in his arm the size of a quarter that was so deep that you could put your finger in it, Deputy Prosecutor Ricky Roy Damerville told the court. The arm was swollen and red to the point he could not effectively use the arm and his fingers.

Hawaii County Prosecutor Mitch Roth formed a team to go back over cold cases, and officially reopened the Peter Boy case in 2014. On April 28, 2016, a grand jury on the big island of Hilo indicted the Kemas on charges of murder by omission.

For so long, we had the community asking the question, What happened to Peter Boy? How could this have happened? Why was nothing done? Roth told FoxNews.com. We cannot give up on these cold cases, especially ones that involve children.

The Kemas initially pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the child. But now, through a deal with prosecutors, Jaylin has agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter and testify against her husband.

Under the terms of the agreement, she would spend up to a year in prison and 10 years on probation.

This case is very important to the people of Hawaii, Roth said. People want to know what happened.

Some 2,000 records from Child Protective Services, made public in 2005, show the Kemas were under investigation for years before their sons disappearance.

The abuse was first documented when 3-month-old Peter Boy was brought into Hilo Hospital with new and old fractures.

We cannot give up on these cold cases, especially ones that involve children.  Hawaii County Prosecutor Mitch Roth

Peter Boy had three siblings, and all of them were abused, but he took the worst of the punishments.

He was frequently beaten and was rarely fed; he slept tied to the bed, on the bathroom or closet floor or outside without bedding; and he was often left handcuffed or tied up with rope.

During family outings Peter Boy was forced to stay in their car trunk covered with a blanket in extremely hot weather.

It was just absolutely horrifying the torture this child was subjected to, said Meaghan Good, founder and editor of The Charley Project, a website that is tracking 9,500 unsolved murder cases, including that of Peter Boy.

At one point State Child Protective Service intervened, placing the Kema children with Jaylins parents, where they began to thrive. But the agency and courts later returned the kids to their parents.

And then, in January of 1998, the Kemas filed a missing person report for Peter Boy, stating that they had taken him the previous summer to Oahu to stay with a friend named Auntie Rose Makuakane, who lived near Aala Park in Honolulu, while he looked for work.

Police were unable to confirm Makuakanes existence, nor was there any plane ticket or other record of either Kema taking Peter Boy to Oahu. Right away, authorities suspected that the Kemas had murdered their son, but they lacked physical evidence.

The Kemas, meantime, stuck to the disappearance story, asking the public for help in locating Peter Boy and Auntie Rose.

Peter Boys younger sister, Lina Acol, who was 4 when he died, now remembers her mother calling out for her father while trying to perform what she now believes was CPR on her brother.

Later she saw her brother lying lifeless in a box, and she remembers her father burying a box.

In an exclusive interview at the time of Peter Boys disappearance, KHON2, which at the time was a Fox affiliate, asked the boys father, Are you responsible for your son being missing, or did you kill your son?

Umm, I did not kill my son. As far as I know, no, I did not kill him, Peter Sr. replied.

If there is a core to Hawaii, the core is family, said radio talk show host Rick Hamada, who covered the case for two decades on KHVH News Radio. So when the parents came on TV tearfully holding a picture of their son and claimed to have given him to a mysterious aunt in Aala Park, no one believed it for a minute. The community wondered, Are these people going to get away with killing their child?

Popular radio personality Michael W. Perry of KSSK said people called the station frequently to express their feelings of anger and frustration about the story.

The absurdly casual parental agreement with the fictional Auntie Rose Makuakane was infuriating, as was the lack of solid evidence, Perry said. Nothing will bring back Peter Boy but getting closure for this high-profile case is satisfying.

The childs parents failed to post bail, which was set at $500,000 for Peter Sr. and $150,000 for Jaylin.

Without the plea deal, Jaylin, who pleaded guilty in a separate welfare fraud case, could face two decades in prison on the manslaughter charge and another 5 years for welfare fraud.

Peter Sr. also faces illegal weapons and drug possession charges, over items that were discovered during a Nov. 15 search of their home.

His trial is scheduled for January, but prosecutors have asked for it to be postponed until April.

Jaylin could be released from prison as early as April 27, a few days before May 1,which would have been Peter Boys 26th birthday.
Authorities say six New York high school students who were checked out at a hospital had eaten a candy bar containing marijuana.

School officials said Friday afternoon that the students from Sachem (SAY-chem) High School North on Long Island were all OK.

Authorities said they went to a hospital as a precaution after consuming candy that made them "uncomfortable." All were later released.

Superintendent Dr. Ken Graham says the candy bar was prepackaged with a label indicating it contained marijuana.

It's unknown where the students obtained the candy bar.

Graham says school officials are taking the incident "very seriously" and are reviewing the situation.
New York State troopers said Friday that a 20-year-old New York college student has been charged with killing a young volunteer firefighter after a year-long investigation.

Justin Speights, 20, of Scotchtown, N.Y., was stabbed to death when he tried to break up a fight at a crowded New Years Eve house party.

Troopers announced that Juantae Brown of Spring Valley, N.Y. has been charged with the murder.

"I am thankful, very thankful, because some families that go through tragedies never get this," Lisa Speights told the Journal News when informed of the Brown's arrest in her son's killing.

Close to 200 people attended the party in Crawford, a 90-minute drive north of New York City. Still, troopers had a tough time cracking the case.

Troopers arrested Brown at SUNY Delhi, where he attends classes.

Speights belonged to the Silver Lake Volunteer Fire Department in Sullivan County.

Dozens of firefighters filled the courtroom at Browns arraignment on second degree murder. Hes being held in the Orange County Jail without bail.

Troopers say Brown stabbed Speights multiple times.

FoxNews.com reported in January that troopers offered a $20,000 reward for information about the murder. It wasnt clear if the reward led to Browns arrest.

Investigators said in a press release Friday that they interviewed more than 250 people during the investigation.

The Journal News also reported Friday that investigators examined cellphone video taken during the party frame by frame.

The article mentioned that Brown's arrest was the third, and most serious, in the case.

The others arrests involved individuals who attended the party. They were accused of tampering with evidence.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Prosecutors are using Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof's own words to portray him as a cruel angry racist at his death penalty trial.

Roof's two-hour confession to killing nine black people at a church Bible study has been introduced as evidence, along with a handwritten journal found in his car when he was arrested.

The videotaped confession shows Roof laughing several times and making exaggerated gun motions as he describes the massacre inside Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in June 2015.

Roof's trial continues next week. His lawyers conceded his guilt, but are trying to spare his life.
An open letter to America's CEOs By: Scott Sumner

Dear CEOs,

You may face a decision about whether to locate a new factory in America or Mexico. In the past, either location gave you an option of later moving production to the opposite country. It appears that option is about to be curtailed. You will still be free to re-locate jobs from Mexico to America, but you are about to lose your freedom to relocate jobs from America to Mexico.

The loss of this option somewhat tilts the balance in favor of locating new plants in Mexico, where you will have more flexibility to adjust production over timeperhaps to China or India. If you have recently been wrestling with a decision about which location is best, I implore you to opt for Mexico, as its the best option where other factors are roughly equally balanced. Remember how your European friends reacted to labor laws making it difficult to fire European workers? They opted to hire fewer workers in the first place. You can do the same. Make America more like Europe!

Perhaps you have Italian friends and already know all this. In that case is my open letter a waste of time? Not necessarily, this might also be of interest to Americas voters.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Saturday that as many as 200 more American troops are being sent to Syria to help Kurdish and Arab fighters capture the Islamic State group's key stronghold of Raqqa.

The extra troops will include special operations forces and are in addition to 300 U.S. troops already authorized for the effort to recruit, organize, train and advise local Syrian forces to combat IS.

Addressing a security conference in Bahrain, Carter also took gentle jabs at U.S. Middle East partners for failing to provide more military muscle in the broader campaign to defeat IS and counter extremism.

Without mentioning any by name, Carter suggested the U.S. has been the target of disingenuous criticism from "regional powers here in the Middle East" for not doing more to help fight extremism.

"I would ask you to imagine what U.S. military and defense leaders think when they have to listen to complaints sometimes that we should do more, when it's plain to see that all too often, the ones complaining aren't doing enough themselves," he said.

He said it is not unreasonable for Washington to expect regional powers who oppose extremism in the Middle East to do more to help fight it, "particularly in the political and economic aspects of the campaign."

Carter noted that many Sunni-led Gulf countries have expressed concern about the spread of Iranian influence in the region.

"The fact is, if countries in the region are worried about Iran's destabilizing activities - a concern the United States shares - they need to get in the game. That means getting serious about starting to partner more with each other, and investing in the right capabilities for the threat."

Carter said the 200 extra troops going to Syria will help local forces in their anticipated push to retake Raqqa, the de facto capital of the extremist group's self-styled caliphate, and to deny sanctuary to IS after Raqqa is captured.

He said President Barack Obama approved the troop additions last week.

"These uniquely skilled operators will join the 300 U.S. special operations forces already in Syria, to continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces to take the fight to ISIL," Carter said in his address to the IISS Manama Dialogues in the Bahraini capital, using an alternative acronym for IS.

"By combining our capabilities with those of our local partners, we've been squeezing ISIL by applying simultaneous pressure from all sides and across domains, through a series of deliberate actions to continue to build momentum," he said.

The military push is complicated by the predominant role played by local Kurdish fighters, who are the most effective U.S. partner against IS in Syria but are viewed by Turkey -- a key U.S. ally -- as a terrorist threat.

A senior defense official said the troop boost announced by Carter will give the U.S. extra capability to train Arab volunteers who are joining the Raqqa push but are not well trained or equipped. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of internal Pentagon planning.
"Our truce is with God, society and authorities. We ask society and authorities to forgive us for the damage we have done."

With these words, Marco, a spokesman for the Mara Salvatrucha, sealed an unprecedented truce with its top rival, 18th Street gang, and brought hope that continued peace is still possible in Honduras, by most accounts the world's most violent country.

"I want my son to be a doctor or a cameraman, not a gangster."  Marco, Mara Salvatrucha spokesman

The two biggest and most dangerous Honduran gangs offered to end all street violence in exchange for rehabilitation and jobs.

Marco said the Mara Salvatrucha will commit to zero violence and zero crime in the streets as a first-step show of good faith. He spoke to reporters from a prison cell in San Pedro Sula, the Central American country's northern business capital and one of the world's most violent cities.

Minutes later, a leader of the rival 18th Street gang gave a separate news conference from another prison cell, saying his gang offers the same as the Mara Salvatrucha, "if the government will listen." His face was covered by a scarf and he didn't give his name.

The truce, patterned after one between the same two gangs in neighboring El Salvador, has been worked out over the last eight months with mediation by Roman Catholic Bishop Romulo Emiliani of San Pedro Sula.

President Porfirio Lobo said Monday that he was backing efforts by the church leader, saying he personally offered his support. But there has been no official government response so far.

Emiliani said last week when announcing the impending truce that the gangs need government help to break away from their criminal lives, including extorting money from businesses to finance their war with each other. He said authorities should try to turn Honduras' prisons into rehabilitation centers.

In El Salvador, authorities say the truce that began last year has sharply lowered the number of violent deaths. According to reports from Salvadoran public security authorities, homicides have dropped about 52 percent in the 14 months of the truce.

But there is skepticism that a gang truce could reduce violence that dramatically in Honduras, which is said to have the highest homicide rate in the world with anywhere from 85 to 91 killings per 100,000 people. About 20 people die violently every day.

A 2010 U.N. crime report said only 30 percent of the killings are the result of gang-on-gang violence.

"The dynamic of violence in the country goes beyond gangs and reflects the existence of multiple actors that are difficult to pinpoint," said Julieta Castellanos, the National University of Honduras rector whose son and a friend were slain in 2011, allegedly by Honduran police and not gang members.

She said she is concerned the agreement will mean even less criminal prosecution in a country with an enormously high impunity rate.

The 18th Street and Mara Salvatrucha are the country's biggest gangs, formed by Central American immigrants in U.S. prisons who later overran this small Central American country as their members were deported back home. Both engage in dealing drugs and charging extortion fees under threat of death. The 18th Street gang has said its members are being targeted by police death squads, not by rival gang members.

Marco said the gangs will stop recruiting as part of the truce, but they won't immediately stop extorting small businesses, bus and taxi drivers or everyday citizens, a major source of income. That's a major criticism of the truce so far in El Salvador, even though the government reports that extortion there is down.

"Let's go step by step," Marco said. "First zero crime and zero violence, stop the violence. And to stop the violence that's hurting human beings, we will talk about ways to find alternatives."

The two gang leaders who talked with journalists emphasized that so many young men go into the gangs because there are no legitimate jobs or opportunities, and they emphasized the need for work.

"We ask the government to help us so our young people learn a trade and don't turn out like us," Marco said. "I want my son to be a doctor or a cameraman, not a gangster."

Adam Blackwell, the Organization of American States' ambassador for security affairs, said the dialogue with the Honduran gangs started when he and Emiliani visited prisons in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa and met with members of both groups.

Blackwell played an active role in negotiating the truce between the same two gangs in El Salvador.

"I use the term peace process to define what's happening in El Salvador and now here. Violence in Central America is at the same levels as in countries at war," he told The Associated Press. "You have to start building trust from somewhere and the community, the street, will tell us right away if it's working or not, whether they feel better. We'll all be able to see that."

Based on reporting by The Associated Press.

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A war of words has erupted between Venezuela and Paraguay that has led to the freezing of relations between the two South American nations.

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez slammed Paraguay over the weekend for bold threats her Paraguayan counterpart made following his announcement that there would be a "total freezing of relations" between the two countries.

Paraguay's Eladio Loizaga said on Friday that he would not return to the Venezuelan capital of Caracas following a series of what he called rants by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In response to Loizagas comment, Rodriguez tweeted: "Venezuela does not allow itself to be threatened nor will it succumb to fear from those who choose to serve the empire rather than the people  (Loizaga's) bold threats ... insult our heritage of independence and freedom."

The animosity between the two nations appears to have begun earlier this month when Maduro complained that Venezuela was being "persecuted" by "a corrupt Paraguayan oligarch and drug trafficker," apparently in reference to Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes.

Venezuela, which is suffering through a period of political and social upheaval paired with a crumbling economic situation thanks to the fall in global oil prices, has come under fire from numerous countries in Latin America. The Maduro government has been accused of failing to comply with the region's Democratic Charter and of being an authoritarian dictatorship.

The complaints from countries like Brazil and Paraguay come as a summit of the regional trade bloc, Mercosur, is slated to begin on Tuesday. A proposal is up for vote at the summit in Montevideo, Uruguay, that would allow Venezuela to share the presidency of the bloc with another nation, but this has been vehemently opposed by a number of Mercosur members.

On July 30, Venezuela said that it had assumed the presidency of Mercosur  although Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil rejected its assuming that position given that Venezuela has failed to comply with a number of Mercosur norms, including the bloc's human rights standards and tariff regulations. Uruguay said it was in favor of maintaining the current order and letting Venezuela take over the presidency.

There are no sanctions contemplated for those who do not meet these norms. Nobody had predicted this situation or a collective presidency of Mercosur, Uruguay's Foreign Minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa said. The situation is complex. We want Mercosur to work, we do not want paralysis.

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Honduras president said on Thursday that authorities were investigating reports that a drug cartel based in the country was planning to assassinate him and the U.S. ambassador to the Central American nation.

Speaking to a local radio station, Juan Orlando Hernandez said that external sources had revealed a plot by a drug cartel based in eastern Honduras to kill him and Ambassador James Nealon.

"They reported there was evidence of plans for an attack against Ambassador Nealon and against (myself) by an Atlantic criminal group," Hernandez told a radio station, according to Reuters. "So we told everyone that they had to do their job, investigate and bring proceedings in the case."

Hernandez, who came to power in 2014, has made reducing Honduras endemic levels of violent crime and reeling in the power of drug traffickers a major issue of his presidency. While his administration has been successful in reducing the countrys soaring murder rate and instituted a strict policy against drug cartels, human rights groups have raised concerns about his tactics.

Drug cartels have been using Honduras as a transit point for moving cocaine into the United States.

It was not immediately clear what role the cartel played in the alleged assassination plan and Hernandez did not give any more information about the investigation, citing the sensitivity of the case.

Hernandezs revelation came only a day after Honduran army captain Santos Orellana claimed that U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents had pressured him o testify against the president's brother over a plot to kill Nealon. Orellana is currently under investigation by the U.S. for allegations of corruption and ties to drug traffickers.

The Honduran presidents brother, Juan Antonio Hernandez, wrote in a letter to Congress on Thursday that he was willing to cooperate with any investigation and denied having any links to illegal activities.

Hernandez has faced numerous challenges to his rule since taking office in 2014, including a march by thousands of citizens calling for his resignation.

Opposition political groups want an independent investigation into a corruption scandal involving the Honduran Institute of Social Security, where companies formed by institute officials reportedly overcharged for services.

Hernandez admitted that his 2013 presidential campaign unknowingly accepted donations that may have been linked to the groups embroiled in the scandal.

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Burundi's foreign minister says the country's ambassador to Belgium has been told to return home amid diplomatic tensions related to political violence in the central African nation.

Alain Aime Nyamitwe told The Associated Press on Saturday that Burundi's embassy in Brussels remains open despite the recalling of Ambassador Jeremie Banigwaninzigo.

Nyamitwe says relations with former colonizer Belgium "are not really good. We have called our ambassador to assess relations between the two countries."

Burundi's government has persistently accused Belgium of backing the exiles who opposed President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision last year to seek a third term. Hundreds of people have been killed in political tensions since then.

Many protests have been staged outside the Belgian embassy in Burundi by demonstrators who accused Belgium of supporting opponents of Burundi's government.
China's chief negotiator on North Korea's nuclear program says Beijing remains opposed to unilateral sanctions against the Pyongyang regime taken without the approval of the U.N. Security Council.

The Foreign Ministry said Wu Dawei also told his South Korean counterpart in talks Friday that China was "adamantly opposed" to the South's deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system that China says poses a threat to its own security.

Wu also pressed for a resumption of six-nation talks on the North's nuclear programs that have been stalled since North Korea walked away from them in 2009. The talks involved North and South Korea, China, the U.S., Japan and Russia.
ISIS militants re-entered the historic city of Palmyra in central Syria on Saturday for the first time since they were expelled by Syrian and Russian forces nine months ago.

The activist-run Palmyra Coordination network said the militants had nearly encircled the city and entered its northern and northwestern neighborhoods. The group, which maintains contacts inside the city, said ISIS fighters were approaching the city's UNESCO heritage site as well.

Osama al-Khatib said government soldiers were fleeing Palmyra.

"The army as an institution has dissolved," he said. Some soldiers and militiamen remain in the city, along with 120 families who have not been able to leave, Khatib said. He spoke to The Associated Press from Gaziantep, Turkey.

"There is strong fighting on all sides," he reported. "There is no exit except through a corridor to the west."

The dramatic reversal in Palmyra comes days after ISIS militants in the Iraqi city of Mosul launched a major counterattack that surprised Iraqi soldiers, killing at least 20 and halting their advance. Iraqi special forces units have entered the eastern outskirts of the largest remaining ISIS-held city, but their advance has been greatly slowed by both a desire to limit civilian casualties and the resilience of the ISIS fighters.

On Saturday U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced that an additional 200 U.S. soldiers would be dispatched to Syria to accelerate the push on the self-declared ISIS capital of Raqqa. The 200, to include special operations troops, are in addition to 300 already authorized for the effort to recruit, organize, train and advise local Syrian Arab and Kurdish forces to fight ISIS.

"These uniquely skilled operators will join the 300 U.S. special operations forces already in Syria, to continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces to take the fight to ISIL," Carter said, using an alternative acronym for the extremist group. "By combining our capabilities with those of our local partners, we've been squeezing ISIL by applying simultaneous pressure from all sides and across domains, through a series of deliberate actions to continue to build momentum."

In Palmyra, Mohammad Hassan Homsi of the Palmyra News Network reported that a military division withdrew from the city earlier Saturday without leaving a way out for civilians. According to Homsi, only 350 families had returned to the city of its original 30,000 inhabitants after the government retook the city to great fanfare in March.

ISIS militants were shelling the government's military airport to the east of the city, according to the Coordination group.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the militants reached the city's Tadmor Hospital and its wheat silos.

The militants advanced on Palmyra after seizing several government positions, oil fields, and strategic hilltops in the surrounding countryside in a lightning three-day campaign.

Earlier Saturday, the militants' Aamaq News Agency claimed the group shot down a government warplane in the Jazal oil fields west of the city.

The Observatory said the jet had crashed for reasons unknown. It reported the militants had taken the oil fields.

During the 10 months that ISIS held Palmyra, from May 2015 to March 2016, the militants dynamited several of the city's famed ancient Roman monuments and executed its archaeological director.

After the city was retaken, the Russian government staged a classical music concert in the city's soaring Roman amphitheater last May to celebrate the success. The Syrian and Russian government maintain they are defending the global community against Islamic terrorism in the country's devastating five-1/2-year war.

After taking Palmyra, the two states turned their attention to wiping out the internal opposition in Damascus and Aleppo, leaving the historic city relatively unguarded.

Syrian state media had no comment.
The Latest on the Syrian conflict (all times local):

1:30 p.m.

The Islamic State group says it has shot down a Syrian warplane near the historic city of Palmyra.

The extremist group's Aamaq news agency said Saturday that the militants downed the jet near the Jazal oil fields west of the city, which is home to famed 2,000-year-old ruins.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a government jet crashed in the Jazal area. It reported IS militants were attacking government positions 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from Palmyra, which the government recaptured from the extremists to great fanfare in March. The activist-run Palmyra Coordination Committee said the jet was a MiG-23.

The Observatory said Friday that the IS assault near Palmyra has killed at least 49 pro-government forces.

The Syrian government has not commented on the reports.

___

12:30 p.m.

Russia says nearly 18,000 people have fled eastern Aleppo in the last 24 hours in a "constant stream" as Syrian government forces close in on the last pocket of opposition control in the northern city.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Saturday that Syrian troops have suspended their offensive to allow for the evacuation of civilians, but the activist-run Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says heavy clashes are still underway.

The Russian military's Center for Reconciliation in Syria says 17,971 civilians, including 7,542 children, have left rebel-controlled Aleppo districts in the last 24 hours.

Backed by Russia and other allies, Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces have driven the rebels from nearly all of eastern Aleppo, which was captured by the opposition in 2012.
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Ten years after Mexico declared a war on drugs, the offensive has left some major drug cartels splintered and many old-line kingpins like Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman in jail, but done little to reduce crime or violence in the nation's roughest regions.

Some say the war has been a crucial, but flawed, effort. Others argue the offensive begun by then-President Felipe Calderon on Dec. 11, 2006, unleashed an unnecessary tragedy with more than 100,000 people dead and about 30,000 missing  a toll comparable to the Central American civil wars of the 1980s.

In some places, homicide rates have lessened. In others, the killings continue unabated. The drawn-out conflict has also had a profound effect on those close to the cross-hairs of suffering: youths inured to extreme violence; adults so fed-up with poor and corrupt policing that they took up arms as vigilantes; and families who banded together in the face of authorities' inability to find their vanished loved ones.

A law enforcement official in the northern border state of Tamaulipas told The Associated Press he now routinely encounters young cartel gunmen who have few regrets about their vocation. In fact, they see killing as the best way to afford things like smartphones, cars and girlfriends.

"I ask them, 'What do you want to be?' And they say, 'To be a chief look-out and have a narco-corrido song written about me," said the official, who was not authorized to be quoted by name. "As young as they are, they have no other aspiration in life."

He recalled the case of one 16-year-old who kidnapped, killed and mutilated his victims, and then took selfies with the cut-up bodies. A decade into the war, the violence is the only reality his generation has ever known.

"The kids who are getting arrested now, from about 14 years old and up, they have grown up with crime," the official said. "It is something completely normal to them."

Now the state faces a new challenge: Many of the older cartel gunmen jailed early on were convicted only of lesser weapons charges, as prosecutors are often unable to make organized-crime or money-laundering charges stick, and some are being released and returning to their old ways.

While Tamaulipas has calmed somewhat after reaching horrifying murder levels around 2010-2012, there are still shootouts and mass graves and piles of bodies  only no longer as frequently. Arrests and deaths have fractured the hyper-violent Zetas cartel in Tamaulipas, but the result has been a dozen smaller factions at war with each other for control.

"Right now, if there's anything good in this whole bad situation, it is that these groups don't have that much power anymore," former FBI agent Arturo Fontes said. "But they are divided, and that is why there is a lot of chaos."

Mexico's armed forces have increasingly been pulled into the conflict because police forces are often corrupt or unreliable. That has had its own toll on the troops, who are frequently ambushed and accused of illegally executing detained cartel suspects in some cases.

Defense Secretary Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos noted that the army's involvement was only supposed to be temporary while policing was reformed.

"Ten years ago it was decided that the police should be rebuilt, and we still haven't seen that reconstruction," Cienfuegos said. "This isn't something that can be solved with bullets. It requires other measures, and there has not been decisive action on budgets to make that happen."

Calderon launched the drug counteroffensive by sending troops to his home state of Michoacan, where the Familia Michoacana drug gang and later the Knights Templar cartel have dominated many aspects of daily life, such as telling residents when to pick crops and determining what price they would get. Through extortion, the gangs took a cut of every industry in the state.

Citizens formed vigilante groups and largely chased the Knights Templar out, though other gangs have since taken root.

"Things are the same as far as crime," said Hipolito Mora, the founder of one of the first "self-defense" militias. "The government has to do more to combat the corruption in itself. If they don't do that, nothing is going to work. It is the corruption within the government that creates tolerance for organized crime."

At the same time, Mora, who also owns a lime orchard, said the new cartels no longer try to dictate when he can harvest or burn down the warehouses of people who disobey their orders.

Bigger gains can be seen in places like Ciudad Juarez, which is across the border from El Paso, Texas, and where an average of 10 people were killed each day at the height of the city's violence in 2008-2010. In Chihuahua state, home to Juarez, homicides have fallen by about two-thirds since it began a stepped-up policing effort in 2010.

But in some places, things seem to be getting worse.

In the southern state of Guerrero, authorities routinely report grim discoveries: mass graves containing the bodies of kidnap victims, severed human heads dumped in public, federal agents burned to death on a highway. The once-glamorous resort of Acapulco is now one of the world's deadliest cities.

In Iguala, Guerrero, where 43 teachers' college students disappeared in 2014, relatives of other people who have vanished were emboldened enough to form a group to search for their own missing loved ones. So far they have found and gotten authorities to exhume 18 bodies from clandestine graves  a measure of closure at least for those families, when missing-persons cases have long been routinely written off by police.

While the government has created support agencies for victims and improved its handling of investigations and bodies, it is grass-roots groups like The Other Disappeared that have mainly been responsible for such small victories.

"If there has been anything good that has come out of all of this, I would say it is the awakening of the victims," said group co-founder Adriana Bahena, whose husband disappeared in 2011.

Raul Benitez, a security specialist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said Calderon was right to fight the cartels but argued that the government has failed to stop corruption within its own ranks.

"Without that," Benitez said, "the strategy will always fail."
Norway and Sweden have expressed concern over a planned Israeli bill that would allow expanded construction in major West Bank settlements.

Marit Berger Roesland of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that the proposed law "cast doubts about Israel's declared support for the two-state solution."

The contentious bill that Israel's parliament backed this week would retroactively legalize hundreds of homes in West Bank settlements that sit on private Palestinian land.

Another Scandinavian country, Sweden  whose relations with Israel have been strained since it recognized Palestinian statehood in 2014  has also said it is "deeply concerned" about the bill. Sweden said Friday that such settlements are contrary to "Israeli and international law," and "greatly undermine" the possibility of a two-state solution.
In a unanimous vote, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution November 30th imposing new and expanded sanctions on North Korea, also known as the DPRK, in response to that countrys fifth and most recent nuclear test on September 9.

Resolution 2321 condemned the test and reaffirmed the DPRKs obligations not to conduct any further nuclear tests or launches that use ballistic missile technology, and to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs in a completely verifiable and irreversible manner.

The sanctions take aim at North Koreas ability to raise the hard currency it needs to fund its nuclear and missile programs, imposing a binding cap on North Koreas coal exports, reducing them by approximately $700 million a year  that is, by more than 60 per cent. It also bans the export of monuments, which generate millions of dollars through contracts around the world; and it prohibits North Korean exports of non-ferrous metals  copper, nickel, silver and zinc  that provide approximately $100 million in hard currency to the regime annually.

Speaking after the adoption of the resolution, U.S. Ambassador and permanent representative to the U.N. Samantha Power pointed out that among other measures, the resolution also targets North Koreas use of its diplomats to funnel in financial resources to fund its nefarious programs, and noted that the resolution threatens to suspend North Koreas rights and privileges at the United Nations if it continues to defy its obligations as a U.N. member state.

In addition, Ambassador Power noted that for the first time, the Security Council included provisions that call on the DPRK to respect the inherent dignity of the North Korean people--an inclusion she called significant.

Ambassador Power said the Resolution 2321 sends a clear message that the international community is united in continuing to work together to increase the pressure to defend itself from the pernicious threat to international order posed by the DPRK.

U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner emphasized that the expanded sanctions are not directed at the long suffering people of North Korea, but at the ruling elite who are responsible for violating multiple Security Council resolutions in their reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons.
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and leading diplomats are trying to find solutions for Syria's desperate opposition, as Syrian government forces squeeze rebels out of Aleppo after a devastating blitz.

With tens of thousands of civilians fleeing, Kerry said he is working to ensure their safety and to save Aleppo "from being absolutely, completely destroyed."

Kerry is meeting in Paris on Saturday with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, European and Arab diplomats and members of Syria's opposition.

Meanwhile, U.S. and Russian military experts and diplomats are meeting in Geneva on Saturday to work out details of the rebels' exit from eastern Aleppo.

Backed by Russia and other allies, Syrian forces have taken control of nearly all of the rebel enclave in eastern Aleppo.
The United States, along with other governments, advocates, journalists, and girls, is sounding a rallying cry against early and forced marriage.

That's a call that is now sounding in the Western Hemisphere as well, said U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Catherine Russell. "This region," she said, "is behind others around the world in tackling this issue. Parts of the Americas are seeing an increase, not a decline, in early and forced marriage."

Research indicates that this phenomenon does not end on its own. Early and forced marriage can perpetuate poverty and keep girls and any children they have from getting the education they need to succeed. The good news is that the region has laws on the books that address early and forced marriage in many countries, which makes it easier to take the next step and respond to these issues.

Within the Western Hemisphere, the U.S. is working to get at some of the root causes by strengthening justice sectors, supporting survivors of gender-based violence, and raising awareness of womens rights. The U.S. is working to increase access to education for girls and reaching out to people who have often been marginalized  including indigenous communities and people of African descent.

In Brazil, which has the most child brides in the region, the United States is working with UNICEF to give girls the support they need to reach their full potential. Through this program, adolescent girls are meeting mentors from different professions. Theyre learning about entrepreneurship and innovation.

But more needs to be done. "Weve seen time and again that when women and girls do better, countries do better as well" said Ambassador Russell. "That means our broader shared goals for the Western Hemisphere -- security, prosperity, and good governance  are deeply connected to the issues of child marriage and motherhood."

In other words, its in our interest for laws around early marriage to be respected and implemented. Its in our interest for girls to get the education they need to earn money and eventually invest it in their own childrens health and education.

Thats why its critical, said Ambassador Russell, "that we answer the call to do better and do more to end early and forced marriage in the Americas.
Its been nearly three years since the Russian Federation occupied and sought to annex Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. In response to Russias illegal aggression against Ukraine, the United States, the European Union, and a number of other countries, applied targeted sanctions against Russian individuals, businesses and officials.

As a result, dozens of individuals and entities have been designated by the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, which means U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting business with them. Likewise, any assets these Specifically Designated Nationals, or SDN, may have under the jurisdiction of the United States, or in the control of U.S. persons, are frozen.

In mid-November, the Treasury Department added 6 new names to the SDN list--individuals who purportedly represent Crimea and the city of Sevastopol in the Russian State Duma. Thus, Dmitry Belik, Andrey Kozenko, Konstantin Bakharev, Svetlana Savchenko, Ruslan Balbek, and Pavel Shperov have been designated under Executive Order 13660, for actions or policies that undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine, as well as for actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Belik, Kozenko, Bakharev, and Savchenko were elected to the Russian State Duma representing one-seat constituencies in Crimea and Sevastopol.

Balbek was elected to the Russian State Duma as part of the United Russia political party ticket, along with Natalia Poklonskaya and Mikhail Sheremet, who was sanctioned two years ago.

Shperov, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, was seated on the Russian State Duma after a United Russia Party member declined the seat.

The United States does not recognize the illegitimate elections to the Russian State Duma that took place in Crimea, said John E. Smith, Acting Director of OFAC. The Treasury Departments action, he said, was closely coordinated with the European Union, underscoring the strength of the U.S.-EU partnership in maintaining pressure on Russia until it respects the security and sovereignty of Ukraine.

The Treasury Department will continue to sanction individuals and entities involved in Russias attempted annexation of Crimea and its destabilizing activities in Ukraine until Russia ceases violating Ukrainian sovereignty and adheres to its commitments under the Minsk agreements.
Working waterfronts in coastal Virginia are under increasing threats from sea-level rise, subsidence and loss of marine habitat. And the desire to live on the water sometimes clashes with the tradition of working the water.

Earlier this year, Virginia Beach oyster farmers made headlines when they were confronted by waterfront property owners over the number of cages they were putting down in waters used not only commercially but for recreation.

And its not an urban problem. Homeowners on the western branch of the Corrotoman River in rural Lancaster County are challenging aquaculture applications there and applying for riparian rights in an effort to block new farms.

Its the same as Virginia Beach on a much smaller scale, said Ben Stagg, who manages shellfish leases for the state. Its the same argument: We dont want somebody right outside our door. We use this area, our kids swim out here, we dont want a bunch of cages. This issue is percolating up statewide.

Now, after four years of collaboration, working waterfront stakeholders from the Eastern Shore to the Northern Neck have come up with ways to alleviate conflict and to preserve Virginias nearly 600 working waterfronts and their commercial fishing heritage.

Of those, 123 are located in the four counties of the Northern Neck. That includes one of Virginias oldest and largest industry, Omega Protein Inc.s menhaden fishing operation in Reedville, which contributes about $88 million to the states economy.

The document, Virginia Working Waterfront Master Plan, was presented to members of the General Assembly at an annual conference early this month sponsored by William & Marys Virginia Coastal Policy Center. In it there are recommendations on how to protect, restore and enhance waterfronts that depend on commercial and recreational activities.

But even as planning officials from Hampton Roads, AccomackNorthampton, the Middle Peninsula and the Northern Neck worked together to develop the master plan, not all are adopting it as policy. Jerry Davis, who heads the Northern Neck Planning District Commission, said it will be used only as guidance.

Were not having conflicts with our local governments here, said Davis. There are issues in other counties where they felt they needed legislation to deal with it.

What spooked the Northern Neck are recommendations in the plan for adopting policy to achieve the desired development objectives along the working waterfront. It also suggests localities support commercial marine activities through regulation and by adding language to their comprehensive plans and land-use regulations to promote expanding and preserving waterfront businesses and fishery operations.

Northern Neck Del. Margaret Ransone, whose family owns Bevans Oyster Co., did not attend the conference panel with her fellow delegates. Former Del. Albert Pollard took her place. Ransones constituents have a strong opinion about property rights.

Davis said watermen especially are wary of supporting anything that might lead to legislation that would interfere with private property rights.

If a waterman wants to sell their land to a developer to build condos, they say, I want the right to do that. Its my land. I own it, Davis said. He doesnt want the government, any government, saying that this has to be protected as a working waterfront, even though it may no longer be environmentally, economically viable for it to be a working waterfront.

Other localities have expressed the desire to preserve working waterfronts and prefer they remain designated as such.

In light of the differences, Del. Keith Hodges, who represents the Eastern Shore and part of Norfolk, said coastal communities need to work together as a region to bring economic issues to legislators, much the way the southwestern region is addressing its declining coal industry and Southside is revitalizing its tobacco region.

Im looking at introducing the Rural Coast of Virginia Economic Development Act of 2017, which brings together the Northern Neck, the Middle Peninsula and the Eastern Shore to at least create an authority to move forward with many of these recommendations, said Hodges. That way were all on the same page and we can continue to move forward and take that message to Richmond.

What regions did agree on was that it cost a lot to keep waterways open through dredging and overall infrastructure problems with public waterfront structures.

Del. Robert Bloxom, who represents the Eastern Shore and part of Norfolk, says the biggest challenge to the working waterfront master plan is money.

If youre just going to ask for funding from Richmond, I think everyone probably knows the answer is no, he said. I think the localities are really going to have to put some money up and then ask for the money.

But Lewis Lawrence, executive director for the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission and a panel member, said there is supposed to be tax money available for public waterfront infrastructure. He said back in the 1980s, a portion of tax on diesel gas used by commercial watermen funded repairs on publicly owned working waterfront infrastructure. But in the late 1990s, the money was diverted to clean up the Chesapeake Bay.

For the last 30 years, the commercial watermen have been paying this tax, but the money has not been poured back into the publicly-owned working water infrastructure, he said during one of the panel discussions.

Anytime there is a disaster at a commercially-owned wharfsomebody runs into something, somebody drove a vehicle out on it, Mother Nature tore it up the agencies and the local governments have to look around to see whos got money left in the bottom drawer to try to hobble together a repair.
A student at the University of Mary Washington can go all four years on campus without encountering a minority faculty member in a classroom.

Likewise, minority faculty members at the school enter predominately white departments and find it difficult to find mentors and advance through the tenure system.

Its an issue that Leah Cox, special assistant to the president in the office of diversity and inclusion, said has been noticed for a long time by diverse members of the community who encounter an overwhelmingly white crowd on and around campus.

As part of the presidents cabinet, Cox has experienced it firsthand at times when she was the only person of color, and the only woman, at that level.

It is not always a welcoming atmosphere, she said. And it is the same with students. It is hard to figure out how to navigate the landscape when you have to look hard to find someone who looks like you.

President Troy Paino has made the issue a priority since taking office earlier this year. He has appointed a university-wide Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion to look critically at hiring practices and climate to create an action plan by the end of the academic year.

I have found this to be a welcoming and supportive community that values and celebrates diversity, Paino wrote in an email to The Free LanceStar. At the same time, however, I feel that we have much work to doto substantially increase diversity in all areas, to promote a campus climate that is fully inclusive, and to ensure that effective systems are in place to help prevent and to address incidents of bias.

The task force, which has met twice so far, has subcommittees on bias incident reporting, prevention and education, recruitment of diverse faculty and administrators, campus climate and retention of diverse staff and students.

The minority student population, now about 25 percent of the overall student body, is growing and outpaces the faculty representation, where 40 of the 250 members, or about 16 percent, are underrepresented minorities.

Diversity, Cox, said, can mean a lot of things at UMW: more students of minority groups like African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans or international students; more men to balance out the female-heavy student body; gay or transgender students; or even first-generation college students.

Cox said even her white students notice the lack of racial diversity in classrooms. Two students in her class Race and Revolution are transferring to Virginia Commonwealth University to encounter different cultures.

We are hoping to educate students on what to expect in the real world, she said. They will go out into a world that is diverse. They will work in a place that is diverse. People of different races, cultures and gender identities bring something new to the table. . . . We need to invite people to the table and hear what the real concerns are.

DIVERSITY Blueprint

Virginia Tech has been noted by the task force as a school that is doing diversity right. It has also been recognized nationwide, named one of the 10 diversity champion colleges and universities by Insight Into Diversity magazine.

Menah PrattClarke, who joined Virginia Tech earlier this year as vice president for strategic affairs and vice provost for inclusion and diversity, said the school has pledged to increase enrollment of underrepresented minorities from the current 12 percent to 25 percent by 2022.

The university is doing that through InclusiveVT, its commitment to diversity launched two years ago. It includes an outreach program to high schools, matching scholarships and efforts to recruit more minority faculty.

The change didnt happen overnight, Pratt-Clarke said. It is the result of 20 years of efforts, which were kicked into high gear when President Timothy Sands arrived in 2014.

It all starts with leadership from the top and making values explicit, she said.

Chon Glover, chief diversity officer at the College of William & Mary, led that colleges task force on race last year. This spring, the task force completed its study and released 51 recommendations.

The schools board of visitors acted on eight of those and launched a $1 million initiative to recruit new diverse faculty members. In addition, two buildings have been renamed, mandatory diversity training is in the works and a consultant was brought in to better understand employee concerns.

Glover said for task forces like these to work, there need to be buy-in from the top: the president, provost and board must be willing to make investments and clear statements.

This is significant, but only a start, said Glover, who has worked on the campus for 20 years. This is really monumental for us, Ive seen from whence we came.

A student perspective

Corey Taylor of Woodbridge, a senior computer science major and one of the student members of the UMW task force, said real diversity is about encouraging a lifestyle, not just checking a box.

We need to have an open conversation, and I know big changes wont happen overnight, said Taylor. Five years from now, if there are more minority students, I wont reap benefits, but I can help others.

He works with the office of diversity and inclusion and mentors in the Student Transition Program for minority students matriculating to UMW, in addition to working for design services and volunteering at the school.

It was strange, I didnt look hard into diversity [when choosing a college], he said. In Woodbridge I took diversity in high school for granted. Its different here. Its welcoming, but without people like me.

Mariam Khan, a senior sociology and women and gender studies major at UMW, is another of the student appointees to the task force.

Khan was this years recipient of the schools Citizenship Award for Diversity Leadership and works with the Islamic Students Association, Women of Color, Students Empowering and Educating for Diversity. She is also the diversity and unity coordinator for student government.

Khan said she didnt see a place for herself when she first arrived at UMW, but found ways to get involved.

Its not in your face, the culture here, she said. But to be an inclusive environment, the campus needs to be actively engaged.

Kimberly BusterWilliams, associate provost for enrollment management, has made diversity recruitment a priority since arriving on campus in 2014. Her strategic enrollment plan, released this spring, spelled out goals to grow enrollment and enhance diversity.

By 2020, she wants to bring the male population on campus closer to the female majority and to increase diversity to 48 percent of the student body from minority backgrounds by that time, as well.

Northern Virginia is a diverse place and that is not reflected on campus, she said. There is a large growing Hispanic population and we have to be prepared for longer trends as demographics shift. Are we prepared to support these students? Are we offering what they are looking for?

She said her staff is identifying high schools that dont have a lot of students applying to UMW, as well as targeting international students. Her staff is also contacting nontraditional groups such as churches and community centers in search of minority students.

Its really about leaving no stone unturned, she said.

Faculty of color

Kashef Majid, an assistant professor in the college of business, serves on the recruitment subcommittee and has been teaching at the college for four years. But before he applied, he had never heard about UMW.

In graduate school in Washington D.C., the Ottawa-native spent time socializing with other degree candidates with similar backgrounds. He said none of them mentioned the Fredericksburg campus as a career option, even though it had positions open.

He happened upon an online posting.

It is a very supportive campus, but needs different perspectives to provide a well-rounded education, he said, adding that he is encouraged by Painos effort to put muscle behind words.

A recent candidate of Indian descent asked him if there were good Indian restaurants in town and if anyone at the school has dealt with the immigration process and has tipsall of which benefits from a diverse background.

But the current president, he said, has muscle behind words. Its encouraging.

LaWanda Simpkins, the schools James Farmer Post Doctoral Fellow, has been on campus for just a few months and previously studied at historically black schools.

I went from meetings with everyone in the room looking like me to none, she said. My sociology and anthropology colleagues are warm and supportive, and I knew where I was going, but orientation was the first time I realized how white the culture here was.

As a fellow, her work entails research and teaching, and she said its important for her students to see people of all backgrounds and graduate with cultural competence. In the spring, she will teach classes on Women of Color Feminism and Social Justice in the Age of Multiple Identities, which she hopes will open some discussions.

Craig Vasey, chair of the department of classics, philosophy, and religion and professor of philosophy at UMW, chairs the recruitment subcommittee. He said he has seen the commitment to diversity ebb and flow since he arriving on campus in 1986.

He noted recent issues in which the school garnered national attention over a racist chant at an off-campus party and when the campus feminist club complained about harassment over the social media platform Yik Yak.

Minorities and women felt uncomfortable on campus, he said.

Vasey said he doesnt recall there ever being a dedicated effort to study the climate surrounding race before.

Its a chicken-and-egg situation with staff, he said. Minority faculty wont want to come if they dont see a critical mass of faculty like them. The Ph.D. is very white . Being white ourselves, we dont see how white it is.

This town, as well as the campus, is culturally 90 percent white. It creates a question of community.

He said for the task forces recommendations to stick, the provost and president need to make their commitment to diversity clear.

Thats what determines whether it becomes a report that is shelved or action, he said.
IF you were old enough to tie your shoes Feb. 20, 1962, then you almost surely remember Marine Col. John H. Glenn Jr. entering the history books by becoming the first American to orbit the Earth.

During that flight, Americans, watching on their black-and-white television sets, held their collective breath after reports that there was trouble in the fiberglass heat shield of Glenns tiny capsule. If that heat shield had not been in its exact position during re-entry, Glenn quite simply would have been incinerated.

Upon Glenns safe return, President John F. Kennedy flew to Cape Canaveral to welcome him back. Pablo Picasso, no major fan of America or Americans, exclaimed, I am as proud of him as if he were my brother. The biggest ticker tape parade in New York history followed. Glenn was invited to address a joint session of Congress. Schools, babies, highways and airports were named after Glenn, who continues, after his death at 95, as an enduring American hero.

Let me testify as someone who was fortunate enough to know him for almost a half-century. John Glenn was absolutely the genuine article. He loved his country, the Marine Corps and one woman, the thoroughly admirable Annie Glenn, to whom he was married and devoted for more than 73 years.

Glenn served as a U.S. senator from Ohio for 24 years. The difference between the grownups and the adolescents in public life is simple: The adolescents want to be something, whereas the grownups want to do something.

What made this American hero exceptional was that he, unlike so many who seek high office, never needed a daily ego fix from media affirmation. He already knew what it was to be a living legend. Glenn only wanted to make a difference.

Nobody on Capitol Hill worked harder than Glenn on the critical but unglamorous issue of nuclear nonproliferation. Committed to strengthening government research and higher education, he steadfastly opposed the export of U.S. nuclear technology. That independent inspectors general are now appointed in all federal agencies is a tribute to Glenns efforts.

A personal reminiscence: On May 4, 1974, I was almost certain that Glenn would someday be elected president. That was just three days before the end of an acrimonious Democratic primary battle, when Glenn debated his opponent, the appointed U.S. senator Howard Metzenbaum, who, in that anti-Vietnam War environment, had faulted Col. Glenn for never having met a payroll. The Glenn camp accused Metzenbaum of charging that Glenn had never held a job.

At the Cleveland debate, Glenn said: I spent 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I was through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space program. It wasnt my checkbook; it was my life that was on the line. ...

I ask you to go with me, as I went the other day, out to a veterans hospital. Look those men out there, with their mangled bodies, in the eye and tell them they didnt hold a job. You go with me to any Gold Star Mother and you look her in the eye and you tell her that her son did not hold a job. ...

You go with me on Memorial Day coming up and you stand in Arlington National Cemeterywhere I have more friends than I like to rememberand you watch those waving flags. You stand there and you think about this nation and you tell me that those people didnt have a job.

I tell you, Howard Metzenbaum, you should be on your knees every day of your life thanking God that there were some mensome menwho held a job. And they required a dedication to purpose and a love of country and a dedication to duty that was more important than life itself. And their self-sacrifice is what has made this nation possible. Ive held a job, Howard.

What followed was an uninterrupted 22-second standing ovation and a thumping Glenn victory, which led to his four honorable terms in the Senate. This good man from New Concord, Ohio, never made it to the White House. But boy, did John Glenn serve his country!

Mark Shields is a columnist in Washington with Creators Syndicate.
Aortic Coarctation Market Expected To Raise CAGR Of ~3.8% During The Period 2016 To 2022

Global Aortic Coarctation Market Information, by treatment (Balloon angioplasty, Patch aortoplasty, Subclavian flap aortoplasty and others), by end user (Hospital, Clinic, Cardiac Institutes and others) - Forecast to 2022

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Market Research Future published a half-cooked research report on global Aortic coarctation market. The global aortic coarctation market is expected to grow with CAGR of ~3.8% during the period 2016 to 2022.

Market Highlights

The Global Aortic coarctation Market has been evaluated as a growing market and it is expected that the market will touch high growth figures in future. Increasing demand for non-invasive procedures is boosting the revenues per year.

Major Kay Players

o Creganna (Ireland)

o Medtronic (Ireland)

o Freudenberg Medical, LLC (Germany)

o Clada Medical Devices (Ireland)

o B. Braun Melsungen AG (Germany)

o Braile Biomedica (Brazil)

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Global Aortic coarctation Market:

Aortic Coarctation is a rare inherited birth defect in which causes narrowing of aorta and which affects blood flow. The untreated cases of CoA are usually fata and causes death in their 30s to 40s from heart disease or complications of chronic high blood pressure. Continuous increasing need for products with improved outcomes has boosted the growth of the market.

Market Research Analysis:

In recent years, due to increasing technological advancements and increasing patient number for cardiovascular disorders has helped in driving the growth of the market. In the coming years, it is expected that the Global Aortic Coarctation Market will advance with higher growth rate as compared to previous years.

Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 30 market data tables and figures spread over 90 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on "Aortic Coarctation Market Research Report- Global Forecast to 2022".

Study Objectives Global Aortic Coarctation Market:

o To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 7 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Aortic Coarctation Market

o To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth

o To analyze the market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc.

o To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.

o To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective

o To provide country level analysis of the market for segments by type, by end user and other sub segments.

o To provide overview of key players and their strategic profiling in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market

o To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments globally.

Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/aortic-coarctation-market-research-report-global-forecast-to-2022

Brief TOC

1 Introduction

1.1 Definition

1.2 Scope of Study

1.3 Research Objective

1.4 Assumptions & Limitations

1.5 Market Structure

2 Research Methodology

2.1 Research Process

2.2 Primary Research

2.3 Secondary Research

3 Market Dynamics

3.1 Drivers

3.2 Restraints

3.3 Opportunities

3.4 Challenges

3.5 Macroeconomic Indicators

4 Market Factor Analysis

4.1 Porter's five forces model

4.1.1 Bargaining Power of suppliers

4.1.2 Bargaining Power of Customer

4.1.3 Intensity of Competitor's

4.1.4 Threat of New Entrants

5 Global Aortic Coarctation Market, by treatment

5.1 Introduction

5.1.1 Balloon angioplasty

5.1.2 Patch aortoplasty

5.1.3 Subclavian flap aortoplasty

5.1.4 Others

6 Global Aortic coarctation Market, by End User

6.1 Introduction

6.1.1 Hospitals

6.1.2 Clinics

6.1.3 Cardiac Institutes

6.1.4 Others

Continued....

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Platelet Agitator Market Information, by type (Flatbed, Circular and Combination devices), by capacity (small, medium and large) by end user (autonomous blood banks, hospital based blood banks and others) - Forecast to 2027

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Clean, mobile-friendly updated site design and new blog feature make it even easier than before to learn about company and its services, Staxoweb reports.

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Staxoweb, one of the United Kingdom's top Web Development, e-commerce, and hosting specialists, launched an updated website and a new blog. The improved website is easier to navigate and even more pleasant to use, while responsive design techniques make for satisfying experiences on devices of all kinds. The new Staxoweb blog covers a wide range of web- and technology-related topics, with regular posts ensuring readers stay up to date.

Since its launch in 2010, Staxoweb has become a top Web Development partner for clients ranging from small businesses and government agencies to large corporations. Offering both personal, custom-tailored service and mastery of a wide range of proven, powerful technologies, Staxoweb delivers results that have helped produce industry-leading levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty. The new Staxoweb site and blog section will make it even easier than before to learn about and keep up to date with one of the UK's leading companies of its kind.

"As usual, we've been hard at work in recent months providing top-quality web solutions to our clients," said Staxoweb CEO Sean Kelly, "We've also taken some time to update our website and launch a new blog initiative. The new website reflects modern design principles and best practices in ways that make a great showcase for what we can do for others. From its mobile-friendly, responsive layout to the advanced, intuitive navigation, we think our new site is a real pleasure to use. We're also proud of the new blog section, where our experts regularly weigh in on the most interesting and important developments in web development and technology."

With over a billion websites presently online, according to Internet Live Statistics, there is almost one such digital destination for every three active internet users worldwide. Millions of blog posts are written every day, according to the same source, with over three billion daily searches being sent off to Google alone.

Since 2010, Surrey-based Staxoweb has been one of the United Kingdom's leading sources of web development services, e-commerce solutions, and hosting. With a small, steadily growing team of highly experienced technologists and engineers, Staxoweb has forged a reputation for delivering in ways that help clients achieve their most ambitious goals online.

From an in-depth mastery of important technologies like WordPress, jQuery, Amazon Web Services, and Ruby on Rails, to a customer-focused approach that accounts precisely for each client's needs, Staxoweb consistently stands out as an industry leader. The updated Staxoweb website and new blog section make it even easier than before to learn about what the company has to offer.

About Staxoweb:

As one of the United Kingdom's leading web solutions specialists, Staxoweb offers a full range of top-quality web development, e-commerce, and hosting services.

For more information, please visit https://www.staxoweb.com

Contact Info:

Name: Sean Kelly

Organization: Staxoweb

Address: London, Surrey, KT6 7HT

Phone: 02071484581

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/top-uk-web-development-firm-staxoweb-launches-updated-site-and-new-blog/153285

Release ID: 153285

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2016-2020 Aesthetic Industry With Focus On Aesthetic Injectables Market Global Analysis & Forecasts Now Available At MarketReportsOnline.com

MarketReportsOnline.com adds "Global Aesthetic Market: With Focus on Aesthetic Injectables Market (2016-2020)" report to its research store.

--

Complete report on Aesthetic market spread across 65 pages providing 3 company profiles and 35 figures is now available at http://www.marketreportsonline.com/547316.html. The report titled "Global Aesthetic Market: With Focus on Aesthetic Injectables Market (2016-2020)" provides an in-depth analysis of the global aesthetic market with detailed analysis of market size, in terms of value along with the market for each of the segments, namely, aesthetic injectables; energy-based devices; body shaping, skin tightening & liposuction; physical-dispensed topical products and breast implants. Also, the market analysis of aesthetic injectables market segment includes the market sizing of the sub-segments, namely, neurotoxins and dermal fillers.

The report provides detailed regional analysis of the North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific for the aesthetic market. Regional analysis includes market sizing by value for each region, historical and forecast. The report also includes the country analysis of Japan and China, as they are the two leading countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Furthermore, the report assesses key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the global aesthetic market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends. The competition in the global aesthetic market is stiff and dominated by the big players like Allergan. Further, key players of the aesthetic market Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Zeltiq Aesthetics are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.

Regional Coverage of Global Aesthetic Market: North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia- Pacific, Japan & China

Company Coverage of Global Aesthetic Market: Allergan, PLC, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. & Zeltiq Aesthetics, Inc.

The global aesthetic market increased at a significant CAGR during the span of 5 years, i.e., 2011-2015 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next five years, i.e., 2016-2020 tremendously. The market is spread across the globe with the North America dominating the market with more than 50% market share.

The aesthetic market can be segmented on the basis of the products into, aesthetic injectables; energy-based devices; body shaping, skin tightening & liposuction; physical-dispensed topical products and breast implants. Aesthetic injectables is the largest market segment, which can be sub-categorized into neurotoxins and dermal fillers. Also, the market can be classified on the basis of applications into, skin & hair treatment, body contouring and body enhancement & augmentation. As per this classification, market is largely led by the skin & hair treatment application type of the market.

Purchase a copy of this "Global Aesthetic Market: With Focus on Aesthetic Injectables Market" research report at USD 850 (Single User License) http://www.marketreportsonline.com/contacts/purchase.php?name=547316.

The major growth drivers for the global aesthetic market are: rise in the aging population, female labor force & personal disposable income along with increasing social awareness among individuals and multiple applications. Despite the market is governed by various growth drivers, there are certain challenges faced by the market such as: regulatory environment, competitive pressure, mergers & acquisitions and existence of over the counter products. Some of the recent and major trends in the market include, shift in consumer preferences, transition of targeted market, technological developments and male aesthetic market.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

3. Global Market Analysis

4. Regional Market Analysis

5. Market Dynamics

6. Competitive Landscape

7. Company Profiling

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Global Wound Care Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020) (http://www.marketreportsonline.com/547179.html) Wound care is defined as the process through which it is taken care that the wounds do not reach a stage where they become completely untreatable and develop complications. Wound care can be done naturally when the wound heals in accordance with the healing capacity of the body. Also, wounds get healed by various dressings, devices and bioactives as well depending on the contamination level of the wound.

Proton Therapy Market Outlook - Global Analysis (http://www.marketreportsonline.com/504243.html) Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses high-energy proton beam rather than conventional radiotherapy to irradiate a tumor. The unprecedented demand of proton therapy for the treatment of cancer has set the stage for the market to move ahead at a rapid pace. The main advantage of proton therapy is that while destroying the target malignant cells, it causes minimal damage to the surrounding cells. Proton therapy uses the ionization technique to inhibit cell proliferation. Protons move slowly through the body and interact with electrons and discharge energy.

Explore more medical devices market research as well as other newly published reports by Daedal Research at http://www.marketreportsonline.com/publisher/daedal-research-market-research.html.

For more information, please visit http://www.marketreportsonline.com/contacts/purchase.php?name=547316

Contact Info:

Name: Ritesh Tiwari

Email: sales@marketreportsonline.com

Organization: Market Reports Online

Phone: + 1 888 391 5441

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/2016-2020-aesthetic-industry-with-focus-on-aesthetic-injectables-market-global-analysis-forecasts-now-available-at-marketreportsonline-com/153080

Release ID: 153080

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An ISIL suicide bomber recently detonated a truck filled with explosives at a roadside service station in Hilla, Iraq, killing nearly 80 people and injuring many more. The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms this outrageous terrorist attack.

Many of those killed were pilgrims returning from commemorating the Shi'a observance of Arbaeen in the city of Karbala. The annual rite is a commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, a revered seventh-century Shiite figure. Millions of Shiites have flowed through southern Iraq in recent days for what may be the worlds largest religious pilgrimage, larger even than the hajj in Saudi Arabia. This pilgrimage has been a frequent target of Sunni extremist groups like ISIL and its predecessor, al-Qaida in Iraq.

The United States extends its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims, as well as to all of Iraq, for this cruel violence, which was clearly intended to stoke sectarian tensions.

The United States remains steadfast in its partnership with the Iraqi people and government, and this attack only serves to strengthen American resolve in defeating ISIL. The U.S. extends its deepest condolences to the victims' families and friends.

These murders are yet another example of ISIL's contempt for human life and its efforts to sow discord and division among the Iraqi people. The U.S. partnership with Iraq and its people, who serve on the front lines of this global fight, remains steadfast and unwavering.

The State Department Spokesperson John Kirby said, the United States is "in close contact with Iraqi authorities, and we stand committed to supporting Iraqi Security Forces as they continue to take the fight to Daesh and bring to justice those responsible for these despicable crimes."
Daniel Yomtobian And Advertise.com Offer Groundbreaking Monetization Tool - InText Publisher

InText joins the network's comprehensive suite of publisher monetization products.

--

One of the largest privately owned online advertising networks, Advertise.com and its CEO Daniel Yomtobian have announced the release of the firm's InText publisher monetization tool. This new, text-based advertising product will help website publishers boost their revenue by targeting users' incoming search behavior and page interests.

The appearance of the solution is both simple and elegant: InText automatically identifies and highlights commercial keywords that advertisers bid on, then triggers relevant text ads when a user scrolls over a highlighted keyword. Because the user sees a related ad in the context of their browsing session, it is likely to be more useful and less intrusive.

"By implementing a keyword-targeted ad unit for related content sites, we hope to create a pleasant viewing experience for the user that is also flexible to the various needs of our publishers, explains Daniel Yomtobian, CEO and Founder of Advertise.com. "So we made InText very easy to implement with a simple JavaScript code--requiring no change to a website's structure or general design."

InText joins the network's comprehensive suite of publisher monetization products, including Banner Ads, Adentify, InterYield, ExitYield, ConversionPlus, and XML Ad Feed. Similar to other products in the Advertise.com portfolio, InText generates revenues for publishers at highly competitive CPC rates.

Advertise.com has been delivering high-quality traffic to advertisers and publishers around the globe for 13 years. With advertising solutions such as contextual pay per click, display, mobile, video and remarketing traffic, Daniel Yomtobian and his team offer full-service digital solutions suitable for businesses large and small. The company follows its mission to provide advertisers with quality traffic that converts, and publishers with competitive listings that yield high revenues. More than ten thousand businesses have used Advertise.com to drive traffic to their website, and 240 million visitors (as verified by comScore) are delivered to publisher websites every month.

Advertise.com was originally founded by Daniel Yomtobian in 2001 as ABCSearch.com, and rebranded in 2009. Yomtobian, who was born and raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California, started experimenting with the Internet almost two decades ago when a family friend suggested he learn web design. What started as a two-day HTML course developed into a hugely successful career resulting in a company that Daniel is rightly proud of: "We launched Advertise.com to provide advertisers and publishers with a new value proposition--effective, affordable, and easy-to-use advertising campaigns all under one roof."

Prior to founding Advertise.com, Daniel launched the online media and advertising company, WayInternet, as well as the search engine, Findology. Today, Daniel is considered a pioneer in the online advertising industry and is acknowledged for his innovative concept. He was recently described by C-Suite Quarterly as a "...young leader [who] will continue to play an important role in shaping the online world of tomorrow."

Daniel Yomtobian - Ernst Entrepreneur of Online Advertising: http://www.DanielYomtobianInfo.com

Daniel Yomtobian - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielyomtobian

Daniel Yomtobian - CEO & Founder @ Advertise.com - crunchbase: https://www.crunchbase.com/person/daniel-yomtobian

For more information, please visit http://www.DanielYomtobianInfo.com

Contact Info:

Name: DYI

Email: daniel@danielyomtobianinfo.com

Organization: DanielYomtobianInfo.com



Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2fvpsHCFg0

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/daniel-yomtobian-and-advertise-com-offer-groundbreaking-monetization-tool-intext-publisher/153344

Release ID: 153344

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Boris Mizhen - Joins Industry Experts At The First NYC Real Estate Tech Week

As a combination of public and invitation-only events, the NYC Real Estate Tech Week featured investors and executives from the residential and commercial real estate communities.

--

Boris Mizhen has been invited to the first New York City Real Estate Tech Week, which took place on October 19-23 of last year, with the aim to present a series of 10 individual proceedings, shining a spotlight on different startup technologies. Hosted in what is considered the real estate technology capital of the world, the event was coordinated and co-promoted by technology accelerator MetaProp NYC and its select partners including the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), REBNY, and Zillow. Organizations in attendance included the Real Estate Board of New York, Zillow Group, CRE // Tech, the Urban Land Institute, the Industrial & Office Real Estate Brokers Association, the New York City Real Estate Tech Meetup, and NAIOP.

Boris Mizhen is considered invaluable to developers within the industry. In addition to his investments in New York City properties, he has headed marketing technology firms staffed by highly trained and experienced professionals. As a combination of public and invitation-only events, the NYC Real Estate Tech Week featured investors and executives from the residential and commercial real estate communities. Among the invited speakers and panelists were a number of local technology startups, including Radiator Labs, Edenworks, and The Square Foot. Topics of discussion were Sustainability and Security; Digital Disruption; How Tech Tsunami Disrupts the CRE Industry; and How to Build Data-Driven Startups in Real Estate.

"I'm honored to be invited to this exciting event and to examine all the real estate and technology fields," said Boris Mizhen. "With all the new developments and rapid innovations in recent years, an event like this is essential to remain informed. It has brought in some of the key players in New York City's real estate market, making it an invaluable opportunity for experienced real estate developers to meet one another."

Boris Mizhen has long been an advocate for the increasing use of technology in the real estate industry, which is no surprise given his well-known admiration of futurists such as Elon Musk and Steve Jobs. In addition to his work as a real estate developer, Mizhen is a prominent philanthropist. Through the Boris Mizhen Family Trust, he has contributed to many noteworthy non-profit organizations including the Jewish Foundation's PACE Fund (Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowment Fund) and the Chabad of Shoreline's Jacob Fund. The charities provide food for local families in need through "gift cards" that are honored by area supermarkets.

Boris Mizhen - Property Developer and Philanthropist: http://borismizhennews.com/

Boris Mizhen - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmizhen

Boris Mizhen -- Proud to Donate to Yale-New Haven Hospital: http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+Releases/Boris+Mizhen+--+Proud+to+Donate+to+Yale-New+Haven+Hospital/11166539.html

For more information, please visit http://www.BorisMizhenNews.com

Contact Info:

Name: BMN

Email: boris@borismizhennews.com

Organization: BorisMizhenNews.com



Source: http://marketersmedia.com/boris-mizhen-joins-industry-experts-at-the-first-nyc-real-estate-tech-week/153341

Release ID: 153341

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Asher College Named to Victory Media's 2017 Military Friendly Schools List

Asher College announced today that it has earned the 2017 Military Friendly School designation by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs, STEM JobsSM, and Military Spouse. First published in 2009, Military Friendly Schools is the most comprehensive, powerful resource for veterans today. Each year, the list of Military Friendly Schools is provided to service members and their families, helping them select the best college, university, or trade school to receive the education and training needed to pursue a civilian career.

--

Sacramento (December 12, 2016) -- Asher College announced today that it has earned the 2017 Military Friendly School designation by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs, STEM JobsSM, and Military Spouse. First published in 2009, Military Friendly Schools is the most comprehensive, powerful resource for veterans today. Each year, the list of Military Friendly Schools is provided to service members and their families, helping them select the best college, university, or trade school to receive the education and training needed to pursue a civilian career. Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from Victory Media's proprietary survey. More than 1,700 schools participated in the 2017 survey; 1,273 were awarded with the designation. Ratings methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Victory Media with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution's survey scores with the assessment of the institution's ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans. Sacramento Campus Director, Linda Freeman says; "Asher College stands shoulder to shoulder with Veteran's and active military personnel as they assimilate back into the workforce. For more information about Asher College's commitment to attracting and supporting military students, visit the Asher College website. Asher College will be showcased along with other 2017 Military Friendly Schools in the annual Guide to Military Friendly Schools, special education issues of G.I. Jobs and Military Spouse Magazine About Military Friendly Schools: The Military Friendly Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weightings were developed by Victory Media with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. Data calculations and tabulations were independently evaluated for completeness and accuracy by EY. The survey is administered for free and is open to all post-secondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at the Military Friendly website. About Asher College Asher College is a career college that was founded in 1999 and accredited by Accet. They specialize in Information Technology, Health Services and Business certification and associate degree career training programs. In addition to the technical career training, Asher College also places a strong emphasis on the soft skills employers require and career service assistance to prepare the students for their goals after graduation. Asher College has been eligible for veteran training benefits since 2002 and has campuses in Addison, Texas, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Sacramento, California. To learn more about Asher College and its education offerings visit the Asher College website or call 888-211-8829. About Victory Media: Founded in 2001, Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, Vetrepreneur, STEM JobsSM and Military Friendly brands. Learn more about Victory Media at their website.

Contact Info:

Name: Linda Freeman

Email: info@asher.edu

Phone: (877) 205-6364

Organization: Asher College Sacramento

Source: http://www.prreach.com/pr/26906

Release ID: 153350

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IT Department at Asher College in Dallas Now Offering Free Computer Repair

Asher College recently announced that they will be reintroducing a popular information technology (IT) service at their Dallas location: their Free PC Repair Clinic.

--

Asher College recently announced that they will be reintroducing a popular information technology (IT) service at their Dallas location: their Free PC Repair Clinic. The PC Repair Clinic at Asher College is a free service that is open to the public in and around Dallas, Texas. This program allows members of the local community to make an appointment to drop off their broken or malfunctioning computers at Asher College for free repair, virus removal, installations, and maintenance. Under the supervision of Asher instructors, the work is performed by Asher students who are currently enrolled in the information technology programs. Not only is this a great way for Asher's IT students to get real-world, hands-on experience in their field, it is also an excellent resource for people in the Dallas area who need help getting their computers fixed. According to Campus Director Josh Paulsen; "Asher College is happy to be in a position where students have the chance to give back to their community while sharpening their skills and gaining confidence in their new careers. This is a win-win situation for both Asher College IT students and members of the community." The Free PC Repair Clinic at Asher College in Dallas, Texas will officially reopen on 12/7/2016. Computers are accepted for drop off each Monday and Tuesday and repairs will take place on Wednesdays. The campus is located off the Dallas Tollway in Addison. To schedule an appointment to drop off your computer, call Asher College at 972-248-9000.

About Asher College: Asher College is an accredited vocational career college with locations in Dallas, Texas; Sacramento, California; and Las Vegas Nevada. All three Asher College locations offer programs in a number of areas including information technology career training, medical career training, computer career training and business career training. Title 4 funding and veteran training benefits are available to those who qualify. To learn more, visit their website.

Contact Info:

Name: Josh Paulsen

Email: info@asher.edu

Phone: (972) 600-2818

Organization: Asher College Dallas

Source: http://www.prreach.com/pr/26900

Release ID: 153349

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Cincinnati Reputation Management Brand Awareness Marketing Services Launched

Web Marketingville, a Cincinnati reputation management agency, launched a wide range of brand awareness and reputation marketing services. The company offers personalized reports, custom-designed review pages and comprehensive reputation training courses for business staff.

--

Web Marketingville, a reputation management agency based in Cincinnati, Ohio, released a wide range of reputation marketing and brand awareness services.

More information is available at http://localbuzzconnect.com/ohio/cincinnati/reputation-marketing-web-marketingville-cincinnati.

Online marketing has grown considerably over the past decade, with heavy business investment in ad campaigns, social media marketing and search engine optimization. Recent reports show that up to 90% of all clients used online reviews or search engines to look for online services.

According to a recent study, online reviews have the highest influence among all online marketing parameters on the final buying decision, being second only to friend recommendations. This translates into large investments being made in reputation management and brand awareness services, in an effort to encourage clients to leave positive reviews.

Web Marketingville offers a comprehensive range of reputation management services for clients in the Cincinnati area, as well as national and international businesses.

The first step in the reputation management and brand awareness strategy is identifying the current online business presence of the client. The experts at Web Marketingville work towards creating a comprehensive review and strategy report, which can then be used as the basis for further brand awareness efforts.

Web Marketingville then creates custom review pages that encourage the clients to leave feedback. Any review is monitored and sent back to the business, so that appropriate action may be quickly taken, if necessary.

Negative reviews can therefore be followed by the company solving the solution and letting the client know in the comments section. This proves to be a very powerful confidence builder, showing the client that the business is serious and professional, and the customer relations department is prompt.

Web Marketingville also offers staff training courses via the Reputation Training Center. The course aims to familiarize business staff with the importance of online reviews and prompt client response, with a view to generate a more client-oriented business climate.

Interested parties can find more information by visiting the above-mentioned website. Web Marketingville can also be found on Facebook at https://facebook.com/WebMarketingville

For more information, please visit http://www.webmarketingville.com

Contact Info:

Name: Ken Geers

Organization: Web Marketingville

Address: 9204 Village Green Dr Cincinnati, OH, 45242 United States

Phone: (513) 489-5550

Release ID: 153357

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Free Freightnet Membership

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ELKO  U.S. Bank has been named a Best Brand for Small Business and for Middle Market Banking by leading consulting and research firm Greenwich Associates.

U.S. Bank is among eight banks that won national Best Brand Overall awards in both the small business ($1 million to $10 million in annual sales) and middle market categories ($10 million to $500 million in annual sales) from Stamford-based Greenwich Associates.

We work hard to advocate for our clients and support their success, said Elliot Jaffee, executive vice president and head of commercial banking for U.S. Bank. This recognition is external validation that our approach is making a difference for our clients and we couldnt be more pleased.

The Greenwich Best Brand Awards are based on thousands of interviews conducted from January through September as part of the Greenwich Associates Small Business and Middle Market research programs. They measure banks reputation by company owners and executives. To be selected as a Greenwich Best Brand winner a bank must have a score for a particular service that is statistically higher than the industry average.

U.S. Bank was recognized as a Best Brand in six categories: Overall, Loans or Lines of Credit; Cash Management for Small Business; Overall; Loans or Lines of Credit; and Cash Management for Middle Market.

U.S. Bank employees are committed to providing great service to small business customers and its nice to have that effort show through in brand reputation surveys like this, said Ross Carey, U.S. Banks head of business banking.

U.S. Bank meets the needs of small businesses with a wide range of products and services that include deposit accounts and cash flow management, card payment and acceptance tools and equipment leasing and wealth management. It was the third largest lender of SBA loans in the country in fiscal 2016 with $838 million in volume.

Money Magazine and Nerdwallet also recently recognized the U.S. Bank Business Edge Platinum credit card as Best for Borrowing in the Small Business category of Moneys annual Best Credit Cards listing.
125 YEARS AGO

December 5, 1891: The W.C.T.U. of Elko have removed from Langs building to the Badt building, next door to the Free Press office.



Miss Lena Alexander, who has been teaching school in Independence Valley, returned home Sunday.



Starr Valley is to have the services of Rev. T.E. Simon, both Sunday morning and evening, December 6th. Arrangements are under consideration by the Good Templars for a series of gospel temperance meetings to be continued through the week following.



Notice is hereby given of the Childrens Dance to be held on Christmas Eve, in Freeman Hall. The parents of the little girls are specially requested to see that they attend dressed in plain white. Sashes will be furnished by the Committee on the arrival of the children. No one over 15 years of age will be allowed on the floor until refreshments have been served. Spectators will pay an admission fee of ten cents.

100 YEARS AGO

December 6, 1916: The stage carrying the U.S. mail from Rogerson into Jarbidge, was held up yesterday evening between four and five oclock, the driver, Searcey, shot and killed, and the mail bags cut open and rifled of their contents. The news of the robbery was not received in Elko until this morning, the details are very meager. Searcey was a very popular man in Jarbidge and had just begun driving the stage.



J.H. Cazier is down from Wells to meet with the board of education in the matter of the high school building. A meeting was held this afternoon in the rooms of the Retail Merchants association when the question of a site came up, but no definite action was taken.

December 7, 1916: The man arrested in Jarbidge yesterday is suspected of shooting Searcey, the stage driver between Rogerson and Jarbidge, and rifling the mail bags, is named Kuhl, and has been around there for some time though not appearing to do much of anything. It is thought that he is the right man, though two or three more arrests may follow before tonight.

December 8, 1916: The building which will house the machinery to be used by the Sanitary Milk Depot, a new concern composed of Messrs. Ogilvie, Bell and Mason, is nearly finished and it is expected that by the 15th of this month, the machinery will be installed and the business going full blast.

75 YEARS AGO

December 4, 1941: Believing that the city of Elko should take the first steps toward becoming a well-lighted city during the Yule Tide, members of the city council last night voted $100 for 10 strings of lights, which will be strung in the business district. Immediate steps were taken today by Paul Leonard, chairman of the committee in charge, to secure the lights. Members of the council appreciate that 10 strings of lights in Elkos business district would not make a terrific showing, but they do feel that it will be a starter. These, coupled with the community Christmas tree, furnished by the Western Pacific company, and lighted by the Elko Lamoille Power Co. and lighted trees in front of business houses will make a creditable display.

December 5, 1941: C.S. Tremewan was elected worshipful master of the Masonic Lodge in this city Tuesday night. Other officers named were as follows: Dr. S.W. Comish, S.W.; George W. Naylor, J.W.; C.T. Jack, treasurer, C.J. Littlefield, secretary, and L.J. Wintermantel, Sr., trustee.

December 6, 1941: The county commissioners purchased a Mercury coupe from the Warren Motor company yesterday. The members pointed out today that it met their requirements better than any of the other cars, which were offered, even though it was not the lowest price. Firms offering cars, the type and amounts were as follows: Van Leer and Harriman, Buick, $1,290; Silver State Motor company, Chevrolet, $1,099; Commercial Garage, Studebaker, $1,235 and Warren Motor company, Mercury, $1,351.95. The car was purchased for use by Earl Green, county road supervisor.

December 7, 1941: CONGRESS DECLARES WAR. President Roosevelt signed the resolution, passed by both houses of congress, declaring a state of war between the United States and Japan, at 4:10 p.m. today.

50 YEARS AGO

December 5, 1966: All fishing waters will remain open the year-round in Elko County, members of the Nevada Fish and Game Commission decided at a meeting held in Reno over the weekend. The only exception to this will be at the Ruby Marshes from April 2 until June 17, during the nesting season. Another important move by the Commission was to abolish weight limits on fish in Elko County and to establish numbers as the criterion from which fish may be taken. The general rule adopted is that the limit of trout or charr in in the small streams of the county will be 15. Other limits will be as follows: reservoirs, Jiggs 5, Wild Horse 10, Wilson Sink 10, Angel Lake 10, Ruby Marshes 10 trout, 20 bass.



Lamoille rancher Orvis Stock was named Nevada Cattleman of the Year Saturday night as the Nevada State Cattlemen Association wound up its annual meeting in Reno. The association elected Leslie Stewart of Paradise Valley as its new president , seceding Roger Smith of Ruby Valley.

December 6, 1966: Irreplaceable records, some of them dating back to the organization of the Latter-Day Saints Church in Carlin, together with church owned property consisting of clothing, furniture and equipment valued at $1000, were totally destroyed when fire gutted the frame warehouse in which they were stored late Friday night. Some 15 of the 20-member Carlin Volunteer Fire Dept, who responded to the 11:30 p.m. alarm, found the interior of the 12 x 20 building ablaze and wind whipped flames licking at the outside timbers. A 10 minute downpour, which one firefighter described as a cloudburst helped douse the flames.

25 YEARS AGO

December 4, 1991: Vega Construction & Trucking submitted the lowest of four bids today for the demolition of the old county rest home. County manager George Boucher said the demolition could take place as soon as in two weeks; a contract still needs to be worked out between the county and Vega. When commissioners previously discussed demolishing the rest home, located off Bullion Road, one group suggested turning the building into a historical landmark. However, commissioners agreed to tear it down after insurance inspectors said major renovations would be needed.

December 5, 1991: Starting tomorrow, the city reports, Fifth Street traffic will be stopped at Spruce Road. Elko City councilmen decided last month that stop signs would be the easiest way to make that intersection safer. While conceding Spruce Road doesnt have the traffic volume to warrant a four-way stop intersection at Fifth, councilmen expressed concern over the visibility there. Charles Williams, the city director of public works, added traffic on Spruce should increase. The road begins at Mittry Avenue to the east and ends at Mountain City Highway to the west. A traffic signal is scheduled to be installed next spring at Spruce and Mountain City Highway.

December 7, 1991: Elko County Commissioners told County Manager George Boucher to contact the state about funding methods for a proposed traffic signal at the intersection of Lamoille Highway, Jiggs Highway and Spring Creek Parkway. In a related matter, commissioners received 784-signature petition from Spring Creek, South Fork and Elko residents about putting a signal at the intersection. The petition said area residents were sick and tired of the accidents and near misses there.
Apples Latest News & Update: iPhone 8 In Red Is Coming In 2017

A lot of iPhone 8 rumors are circulating around the internet since the release of the latest Apple's iPhone model 7 and 7 Plus. Many fans are a bit disappointed as it closely resemblance to its predecessor iPhone 6. Now, another rumor is added to the long list, an iPhone in Red.

If this rumor turned out to be true, then this will be the new Jet Black of the next iPhone. From Apple's recent models, it has been noticeable that the variety of colors are normally the classic and simple black, silver, and gold except for the iPhone 5C which was released in colorful ranges. According to CNET, Apple is also known for its involvement with the (RED) charity which helps raise money to fight against HIV/AIDS. The affiliation of the two resulted in some red products in the past.

Can't wait to get the new iPhone in Red!!! :) I am just a little obsessed with the color Red! Lol  Rebecca Richter (@RebeccaRichter) September 10, 2013

A source in Taiwan told the Japanese Apple blog Macotakara that the next iPhone unit will be called iPhone 7s and not 8 contradicting the previous rumors. The unit and design will remain the same and the update will only be made on its CPU changing it to A11 chip. The wireless charging and tempered glass framework are still not going to be executed on the next handset. Though, an additional color RED will be added to the lineup which is a yearly thing for Apple. The site prediction for both the rose gold and jet black iPhone colors turned out to be precise.

Meanwhile, Tech Times reported that there could be an iPhone 7, 7s and iPhone 8 next year to commemorate Apple's 10-year anniversary. This supports the initially reported rumor of releasing three iPhone models in 2017.

Apple has not released any comments with regard to these speculations.
BlackBerry Company News & Updates: BlackBerry Secure Mobile Security Platform Has Been Released; BlackBerry Upgraded Mobile Apps Coming On 2017?

As what BlackBerry said that they will stop producing smartphone hardware, and starts focusing on its software, they recently released their upgraded mobile security platform. It was called BlackBerry Secure that manage and secure all the endpoints from Enterprise Of Things.

BlackBerry Secure is mobile security platform for mobile phones, sensors, computers or any mobile technology or simply Internet Of Things. It allows the customer to simply management and lower cost. BlackBerry Secure was also a related service that will combine the recent acquisition of BlackBerry such as Encription, AtHoc, Good Technology, and WatchDox. BlackBerry customers will be able to choose capabilities under the five different suites in BlackBerry BES12 software that meets their needs and payment can be done using the annual subscription model.

Furthermore, BlackBerry was the rebranded software of BlackBerry company. Together with its rebranding, BES12, Good Dynamics, and WatchDox have been renamed. BlackBerry UEM is now the new BES12 that will provide the IT to protect all mobile endpoints. Good Dynamics had its new name under BlackBerry Dynamics as the mobile applications' secure development platform. And lastly, WatchDox became BlackBerry Workspaces that serves as document management platform for business.

In addition, Hackers will have a hard time to breach any data since the BlackBerry Secure strengthens its data encryption. In addition, to boosts, the ability of their security software, BlackBerry had a partnership deal with Microsoft Corporation, Salesforce.com Incorporation, and Samsung Electronics Corporation.

As what Marty Beard, BlackBerry Chief Operating Officer said in his conference call, "Blackberry is no longer about the smartphone, but about the smart in the phone and in cars and containers and medical devices and wearables and industrial devices." He also added that BlackBerry Secure was the most comprehensive security platform in combining the Enterprise of Things.

This coming January, BlackBerry company will add more new mobile applications along with BlackBerry Secure such as BlackBerry Work (formerly Good Work), BlackBerry Access (formerly Good Access), BlackBerry Connect (formerly Good Connect), BlackBerry Share (formerly Good Share), BlackBerry Tasks (formerly Good Tasks), and BlackBerry Notes. These new applications will release in the first 10 days of January 2017.
'Dota 2' Latest News & Update: Monkey King Arrives; Release Date, Abilities, Lore & More

The new "Dota 2" hero Monkey King has been announced to be released by fall of 2016. This new hero is unseen in the forests of the Dire or Radiant jungle. Here are the clues discovered to aid us in learning more about Monkey King.

"Dota 2" Monkey King Release Date

Monkey King is included in the Journey update, which had a classic December 2016 release date as revealed in TI6. The reason for this is that Valve is waiting until the "Dota 2" Major tournament in Boston is over.

This is Valve's way not to throw any big changes as a curveball for the pro gamers. During the International, Valve was quoted that the next "Dota 2" next update will happen at the tail end of fall, or on December 12, 2016.

"Dota 2" Monkey King Abilities

Echo Sweep ability is originally a move made by a single illusion; this plain nuke now appears to be used by Monkey King himself. A magic damage sweep of a radius is in front of him, now apparently peppered by a slam of his bo staff on the ground. Monkey King appears to clear a wave of creeps with this move in the teaser. This suggests that it will have so much divergent stats as its beta version. Also, there is an apparent cooldown between 9-12 seconds and a damage of 100 to 250.

The Flicker ability in datamined version is an act where the character quickly sprints in a straight line for 600 units and leave up to six illusions in his wake and automatically attacks anyone in sight. This is somewhat similar to the move used at the end of the teaser trailer. His practice of plucking his own hairs before the illusions' charge is an orientation from his mythological powers from Journey to the West.

Nimble Nimbus ability is not seen in the teaser trailer, where he was sure sprightly, but did not appear to jump over any foes. Possibly, this passive action has been amended into some sort of movement method involving trees, as he does appear to crisscross them easily in the trailer. In addition, Cloud Dance ability showed no signs of being part of his new kit. While waiting for Beastmaster to pursue him into the forest, Monkey King is invisible standing next to a tree. This ability, though, sounds a lot like Treant's Nature Guise ability.

"Dota 2" Monkey King Lore

The legend of Sun Wukong is one of the most lasting from East-Asian history. It is abouta Monkey statue, brought to life and handed unbelievable fighting strength by the power of Taoist practices. Wukong voyaged across the continent to aid Buddhist monk Xuanzang in attaining three sacred texts to return home with. Among Wukong's exceptional powers are his flying cloud, Nimbus, a magical Bo staff and his hair. Each of his hairs possesses magical properties, capable of being transmuted into clones of the Monkey King himself, just as in the teaser trailer.

After he had been entombed in Bagua Lu for 49 days, his eyes were refined into Jin Jing Huoyan blazing golden eyes, allowing him the ability to differentiate demons from humans, known as True Sight. This enables him to see through the deceit of evasion and hit even the slipperiest of foes, says Reddit.
Apple iPhone 7 And 7 Plus Latest News & Update : Series Will Arrive In An All New Shading?To Release A Redesigned Glass Bended iPhone?

Besides the supposed iPhone 8, Apple is additionally said to redesign its present lead smartphones, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Japanese blog website Macotakara has another report today demonstrating that the successor of the iPhone 7 series will arrive in an all new shading. The site says Apple will include a red packaging shading, joining the current Black, Jet Black, Silver, Gold and Rose Gold alternatives.

Apple is said to advance another shading for the overhauls of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.According to 9to5Mac, KGI has already reported that Apple will present three new iPhones in 2017. This would incorporate one significantly overhauled 'iPhone 8' with OLED show and no physical Home Button, and in addition two iterative upgrades to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Macintosh Otakara has an average reputation with regards to reporting insights about unreleased Apple items, particularly iPhones. It was the main site to state that Apple would expel the earphone jack with the iPhone 7 and it was valid. The site says Apple will include an all-new red shading close by current Black, Jet Black, Gold, Rose Gold, and Silver alternatives.

The report of MacRumors cases the cell phones will hold a similar aluminum plan as the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, with just inward changes, including the expansion of a speedier A11 chip.

The new iPhone 7 Plus's. Now available in 5 different colors and styles. pic.twitter.com/hV9AdPcvYK  The_iphone_byapple (@iphoneby_apple) December 8, 2016

In the event that this report is exact, it could connote Apple's arrangements to release a totally redesigned glass-sponsored iPhone with a bended, sans bezel OLED show and wireless charging at the high end of its 2017 cell phone lineup, while making just incremental moves up to its customary 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones with LCD shows.

The new iPhone 7 Plus's. Now available in 5 different colors and styles. pic.twitter.com/hV9AdPcvYK  The_iphone_byapple (@iphoneby_apple) December 8, 2016

Keep in mind that prior report from another Japanese site Nikkei Asian Review said Apple series to release three glass-sponsored iPhones one year from now, while it was said the 4.7-inch iPhone would get wireless charging, so their remains an absence of accord among gossipy tidbits-maybe obvious given new iPhones is likely more than nine months away.
Sony PS4 Latest News & Update: New Adventurous Games Will Be Available With $50 Discount; Deals On Offer For The Holidays

It is again the time to rejoice for PS4 users. Sony will soon offer discounts worth $50 on PlayStation products following the successful sales observed after Black Friday.

For example, a $50 discount on the 500 GB "slim" PS4 available packed with "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End" will be there for gamers at around $250 only. The PS4 discount announcement has been made keeping in mind the Christmas season. The festival's gift offering tradition for children and youngsters is what made Sony take this decision.

Sony PS4 Discount Announcement

"We first brought you this deal during Black Friday weekend, and it was incredibly successful for PS4 sales so we decided to bring it back this month. You can treat yourself, or pick this up for someone else on your list," SCEA brand VP John Koller said in a statement.

"The future of gaming truly lives on PlayStation. I hope that all of you have seen this brought to life with the release of new hardware like PlayStation VR and PlayStation Pro, as well as new games like The Last Guardian, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, and Watch Dogs 2." The vice president also indicated that there are other games to to be introduced soon. Some of them include "Spiderman," "God of War," "Days Gone" and "Horizon: Zero Dawn."

Koller expressed his gratitude to the whole Playstation community as it contributed in making teh gaming industry one of the most sought-after industries across the globe. He also wished a happy holiday season to the whole community and PS4 users.

Sony PS4 Discount Reflects Marketing Strategy Similar to 2015

The PS4 discount deals are available on many products, including a PlayStation 4 and a Nathan Drake disc copy. The combo will also have a DualShock 4 controller with a new illuminous feature visible at the top of the touchpad. The combination was made available for promotional purpose during the Black Friday deals also. Koller mentioned that the discount trick worked for Sony PS4 during the Black Friday purchases.

According to Polygon, Sony will make the PS4 discount available in the United States from December 11 to December 24 while in Canada the deals will be offered to customers until December 29. The tech giant is repeating a similar strategy as it did in 2015 and expects same successful results once again.
VICTOR, Colo. -- Elko native Lisa Becker is now external relations manager for Newmont Mining Corp.'s Cripple Creek & Victor gold mine after working at Newmont's Carlin operations, where she started full-time in 2007.

She works closely with the communities near the Colorado mine, including the historic mining towns of Cripple Creek and Victor.

"The communities rely on us a lot," Becker said.

The reliance includes tourism, taxes and water sales. She said CC&V doesn't have water rights so the mining operation buys water mainly from Victor and also from Cripple Creek.

Along with community relations, Becker handles government affairs, including working with state lawmakers, and she works with the Colorado Mining Association.

She is currently involved with Amendment 11 to the Cresson Project permit for mine operations, as well. Becker said she is answering comment letters forwarded from the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety.

Mine project approval comes from the state and Teller County because CC&V is all on private land.

"We received a handful of letters from the state," Becker said during a mine tour in early October.

Becker also oversees the staff that runs mine tours and Newmont's visitor center in Cripple Creek. CC&V has company offices in a historic building in Victor. Both towns are near the mine.

"Lisa has been working nonstop since coming here," said Brad Poulson, communications and community affairs specialist.

Becker officially became external relations manager at CC&V in June, but she was the interim manager beginning in April. She applied and went through the interview process to become the official external relations manager.

Before coming to Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Co., the subsidiary of Newmont, she was an external relations specialist for Newmont's Carlin operations, but she also worked as an intern for Newmont in summers while attending Hillsdale College.

"Thanks to the internship opportunity, I realized how much I enjoyed public relations," Becker said.

She also completed a master's degree in communications and leadership at the end of 2015 through Gonzaga University, with the help of Newmont's tuition reimbursement program.

"Cripple Creek & Victor is such a great opportunity for me to learn and grow," Becker said. "Community relations at this site is very hands on. There is lots and lots of stakeholder engagement."

She said Newmont is still building trust with the neighboring communities. Denver-based Newmont bought CC&V in August 2015 from AngloGold Ashanti Ltd., a South African company.

"A lot of people didn't know Newmont is a Colorado-based company and an American company as well," Becker said.

Future plans include rolling out a Legacy Fund program in 2017, similar to what Newmont has for Nevada operations, Becker said. The legacy program will replace the current program that provides support to the neighboring communities.

The Legacy Fund is a combination of employee pledges and matches from Newmont, with employees in control of where they want their money designated. The pledged money is deducted from paychecks.

Becker and her husband Joe Decker, who has a job in exploration at CC&V and worked at Newmont's Carlin operations, bought a house in Woodland Park, Colo.

"It was a difficult decision to leave home and family in Nevada, but Joe and I are so excited for our new adventure. Colorado has been very welcoming so far. We are enjoying working at CC&V and living in Woodland Park. But we will definitely be back to visit Elko soon," she said.

Lisa Becker is the daughter of Lee and Lynne Hoffman. Lee Hoffman worked for Newmont 32 years before retiring in 2013. He was in metallurgy and process and then in planning and capital management.

"At one point, he was even one of the first community relations reps, working with Mary Korpi," Lisa Becker said.

Korpi was director of communications and external relations for Newmont before retiring Jan. 5, 2016.
Leonardo DiCaprio Met Trump But Could Not Convince Him

Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio who is also famous for the contributions he make for saving the environment. Leo is an environmentalist and in 1988 he created the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. He takes full advantage of his star power by bringing attention to the important causes he supports. With a net worth of $245 million, he's donated his money to many environmentally-conscious causes.

In his Oscar accepting speech he became successful in drawing everybody's attention on environment by saying "Climate change is real, it is happening right now." On Wednesday Leonardo and his foundation's head, Terry Tamminen met the president-elect of USA Donald Trump. The purpose behind this meeting was to share some views with Trump regarding climate change. Terry said "We presented the President-elect and his advisors with a framework ... that details how to unleash a major economic revival across the United States that is centered on investments in sustainable infrastructure"

he continued "Our conversation focused on how to create millions of secure, American jobs in the construction and operation of commercial and residential clean, renewable energy generation." The meeting was held at the Trump Tower. Scott Pruitt who is the attorney general of Oklahoma as the next EPA administrator was chosen by Donald Trump. He is a sceptic of climate science. He once said Scientists continue to disagree about the degree and extent of global warming and its connection to the actions of mankind."

It seems like Donald Trump and his chosen ones do not care much about the environment and even after meeting with people like Leonardo DiCaprio he does not seem to be convinced. When Pruitt got nominated, the president of Earthjustice said that every American should be appalled by his nomination. "The head of the Environmental Protection Agency should be making sure that our air is clean to breathe and our water is safe to drink, not working to make sure polluters make more money," he said.
Google DayDream VR News Update: Netflix, HBO, Lego Games, and More Comes!

The Google Daydream platform announced the availability of seven new apps, including Netflix, and the entry of Motorola Moto Z and Moto Z Force into the family. With access via Google Daydream VR, thousands of Netflix titles are now available for viewing and navigation via virtual reality, including classics and new movies and series that come every week to the Netflix catalog.

Google Daydream VR now supports Netflix-width-1500. On the side of games, including "Gunjack 2: End of Shift", a space shooter that allows us to annihilate half of the known universe with impunity. We also have the first Need for Speed created in a virtual environment, "Need For Speed No Limits VR".

There is "LEGO BrickHeadz Builder VR", where we can build characters and worlds with the famous blocks in Google Daydream VR. For terror fans, they will have "Layers of Fear: Solitude", while "Underworld Overlord" lets us control our subterranean henchmen against the hordes of heroes who try to annoy our peaceful life of evildoers.

In addition to these frankly tempting titles in Google Daydream VR, services not relevant to most of Europe countries were also added. It is notably from HBO and NextVR. However, the Daydream Viewer will be available at the Google Store in England, Canada, and the USA on the limited editions Crimson and Snow.

Today, seven titles are filling the library, putting Google closer to the 50 applications promised to Daydream by the end of the year. Two of them are video services: there's the NextVR, known for broadcasting live shows and sporting events in virtual reality, and HBO, which will allow HBO Now and Go subscribers to watch TV on a virtual big screen on Daydream. As we've heard before, Netflix also has an application on the way, and is now listed as coming later this month.
Google Nexus 7 Relase Date, News & Updates: To Come Out In 2017? Specs & Features Revealed!

All eyes are on Google as excitement over the upcoming release of the new Google Nexus 7 increase. Google's latest entry in the mobile gadget industry has caught the attention of many. The official specifications and features of the highly anticipated mobile unit remain a mystery.

Google took a giant leap this year by deciding to venture into the mobile gadget industry. Everybody is excited as the famous search engine schedule the release of Google Nexus 7 next year. According to Google, the mobile unit will be one of, if not the best handsets that will be released in 2017.

According to PC Advisor, Google Nexus 7 was initially scheduled for release in time for Christmas this year. However, the giant search engine company had to cancel its initial plan after Huawei refused the offer to be the manufacturer of Google's phone.

Sources report that the Chinese company Huawei refused to accept Google's proposal after the latter demanded to exclusively use their logo on Google Nexus 7. With the news of Google's refusal to include any other logo on their handphone, the executives of Huawei decided to trash the entire offer.

With the unfortunate turn of events, disappointed fans concluded that Google Nexus 7 will never make it to the market. However, new sources reveal that the famous search engine Google has managed to find a solution.

Reports also mentioned that Google is currently collaborating with HTC for its Google Nexus 7 release. Moreover, the tech giant and its new partner are reportedly working hand in hand to improve some of the features of Google Nexus 7.

The upgrade will focus on Google Nexus 7 design to match consumer demands for stylish and classy looking phones. Are you excited for the release of Google Nexus 7 too? Share your thoughts below and stay tuned to GamenGuide for more updates.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Latest News & Update: Samsung To Remotely Kill Note 7 In US, But Keeps It Alive In Europe?

South Korean tech giant Samsung issued a final notice to owners of the doomed Samsung Galaxy Note 7 in the US, giving them 10 more days to return the busted device. This as Samsung pointed out that it will remotely kill the ill-fated Note 7 device on December 19.

"A software update will be released starting on December 19th that will prevent U.S. Galaxy Note 7 devices from charging and will eliminate their ability to work as mobile devices. If you have not yet returned your device, you should immediately power it down and contact your carrier to obtain a refund or exchange," the company said in a statement on its website.

Samsung reiterated the safety risk of the overheating Galaxy Note 7 while giving owners the chance to return the device to the carrier or retail outlet where they purchased them. In partnership with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Samsung disclosed that more than 93 percent of Galaxy Note 7 in the US were already recalled. Of the 1.9 million units sold in the US, only about 133,000 remains unaccounted for.

But the company has different approach in Europe. Instead of remotely killing Galaxy Note 7, Samsung said the units will get a new battery software update that will limit the maximum charging capacity to 30 percent. This is to minimize the risk to customers while the Galaxy Note7 Replacement Program is ongoing.

It is not clear why Samsung takes different approach in handling the Galaxy Note 7 blunders in the US and UK. But owners of the doomed device were given the choice to replace their Galaxy Note 7 with a Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge, with a refund of the price difference, or get a full refund.

Samsung issued a global recall of the ill-fated Samsung Galaxy Note 7 in September following reports of explosions and overheating especially when the device is charging. Amid attempts to resolve the glitch through exchange programs, Samsung permanently halted the sales of Note 7 on October 10.Watch the events the led to the global recall program of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 here:
Nokia Android Phones 2017 Release Date, Price, Latest News & Update: Collaboration With GoPro Confirmed? Toughest Smartphones Ever?

Nokia has announced the upcoming launch of Nokia Android phones 2017. After being the underdog for so many years, will Nokia Android phones 2017 help the Finland-based tech giant to reclaim the top spot?

Can Nokia Android phones 2017 compete with Apple and Samsung gadgets? Read on for more Nokia Android phones news, features and updates.

Nokia Android Phones 2017

Those who can't wait to get their hands on Nokia Android phones 2017 will have to wait for a while because the said phones remain unnamed as of writing. This means that Nokia Android phones 2017 might still be in the planning and prototype stage.

Other details of Nokia Android phones 2017 remain murky, except for the news that Nokia is planning to release two Android smartphones initially. The first Nokia Android phone 2017 will reportedly a mid-range phone, while the second Nokia Android phone 2017 will be a more spectacular one, which will be considered as the flagship phone.

Nokia Android Phones 2017 News

According to tech experts, Nokia Android phones 2017 will be hitting two birds with one stone. First, Nokia Android phones 2017 launch will be the chance to show Microsoft that the company is better off without it.

It can be remembered that Nokia and Microsoft once collaborated with Lumia phones. It was received with a bland response, far off from what Apple and Samsung experienced with consumers. Nokia Android 2017 phones are Nokia's chance to vindicate itself and reclaim the top spot in the smartphone industry.

Nokia Android Phones 2017 Price

As of writing, Nokia Android phones 2017 remain to be unveiled. However, tech analysts believe that Nokia Android phones 2017 will fall in the same price range with Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and iPhone 7. The mid-range Nokia Android phones 2017 are predicted to fall in the same price range with mid-range Samsung phones.

What other features would you want Nokia Android phones 2017 to have? Sound off in the comments section below!
Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe Dating: 'Outlander' Season 3 Actress Wants To Remain Friends? Turns 'First Light' Actor Down On A Date?

Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe have been a subject of dating rumors for quite awhile now. Although the "Outlander" Season 3 starts remained tight-lip about their relationship status, their on-screen and off-screen chemistry are definitely undeniable. But did the Irish actress and model turned down the "First Light" actor when he asked her for a date?

Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe Dating: 'First Light' Actor Ready To Take Things Further? 'Outlander' Season 3 Actress Dumps Co-Star?

Hall Of Fame Magazine revealed that even though a lot of women would love to have a chance to go on a date with Sam Heughan, the 36-year-old Scottish actor was actually turned down by a woman before. While fans are quick to think that it may be his co-star who dumped him, the "Outlander" Season 3 actor was actually referring to his teenage years.

Sam Heughan shared the moment that he gave all his effort to win a girl over. But instead of getting a positive feedback, him bringing wine, glasses, and flowers was too much for the girl and was called a stalker.

Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe Dating: 'Outlander' Season 3 Stars Taking On-Screen Romance to Real Life?

Now, Sam Heughan will definitely have no problem asking any girl for a date, but many believed that he may actually be already taken by Caitriona Balfe. Shippers for the "Outlander" season 3 stars have been waiting for an update of their relationship status.

Caitriona Balfe (Claire Beauchamp Randall/Fraser) initially denied that she and Sam Heughan (James "Jamie" Mackenzie Fraser) are taking their working relationship to the next level. While Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe maintains their close relationship, the "Outlander" Season 3 stars have yet to comment on these dating rumors once again.

For now, Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe are leaving fans to speculate about their current status. Do you think they're really together in real life? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
General Hospital Spoilers, News & Update: Who Is Responsible For Bomb Case & For Morgans Death?

When in 1970s the show General Hospital was doing bad with the rating, Gloria Monty decided to move the shows focus away from the hospital and onto material more relevant to a younger audience. Everybody loves a great drama plus with a romance, this must end on everyones watched list.

According to Blasting News, Julian is not the one who is responsible for the bomb case and neither for Morgans death, all the bloodshed is on Nelles hands. When Jason and Curtis linked the bombing to Julian, the evidence that traced back to Julian was sloppy on purpose. While Derek Wells Van was used, Julian was set up when she was taking orders from Oscar Jessup who might be Olivia Jerome. Nelle is working with her father who isnt dead while her little orphan story made Corinthos family to feel sorry for her. Her dad is not a mastermind, but a pawn who is lying to her and manipulating her to do as he says. Jason and Curtis will dig deeper into the case and will find out that both Jason and Sonny were set up. Some fans are speculating that Morgan is not really dead, but a recast is not announced.

According to Tv OverMind, Alexis is going to be in a bad place, she was drunk when she hit Julian with her car. But, Sonny is also a mess, he caught Nelles scheming and he wants to know why is she working so hard to ruin his marriage. While Nelle thinks she has Sonny in her palm, she has no idea he knows about her plans and he is working against her.

According to She Knows, Natalia Livingston said the writers were very careful and they approached her rape scene were thoughtful. It was a big deal for her and it wasnt something they took lightly. However, that filming that scene left her traumatized.

General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC.
'Modern Family' Actress Sofia Vergara Faces Lawsuit From Her Own Frozen Embryo!

Modern Family star, Sofia Vergara is sued by two frozen embryos she conceived with her former partner Nick Loeb. The embryos named Emma and Isabella are listed in Louisiana court documents. Sofia Vergara and Nick split in 2014 and he unsuccessfully tried to sue for the embryos custody.

According to BBC, the embryos are deprived of their inheritance from a trust by not being born. They created them in Louisiana but they are now located in California. The suit is asking the embryos to be transferred to Mr. Loeb so they can be born and receive their inheritance. The former couple created them in 2013 and signed a contract that neither partner could do anything with them without others consent. According to the suit, Sofia Vergara is refusing to allow them to be implanted in a surrogate mother. Mr. Loeb said they cant keep four frozen lives forever, they will go to hell on which Sofia responded they will go to hell regardless. In Ohio, Republican lawmaker has approved a bill which would ban abortions once a heartbeat has been detected in an embryo. This still needs to be signed by Governor John Kasich and this will mean there will be no more abortions six weeks after conception.

According to Reuters, the attorney Fred Silberberg said this is nothing less than an attempt on the part of Mr. Loeb to keep himself in the public eye. The Louisiana lawsuit came a week before a California judge was expected to dismiss Loebs bid to get custody. There was a written document that requires both parties to attempt to create a pregnancy.

According to US Magazine, Sofia Vergara and Nick Loeb created the two female embryos named Emma and Isabella when they were together through IVF. They are still frozen at a fertility clinic in L.A. This is not the first time Loeb sued Sofia. In April 2015 he sued her in California. When Mr. Loeb saw he will lose decided to attempt to save face by taking their proverbial ball and go home. Loeb said he created them to take them to term, not destruction, he also said his biggest dream is to become a father.
The new rules would apply to employees, and elected and appointed officials.
WINNEMUCCA -- Nevada Outdoor School is able to host programs near Winnemucca and Elko with the help of area mines.

The Nevada Outdoor School works to teach science as it relates to the outdoors as well as outdoor ethics and ATV safety. It is a nonprofit that provides summer camps and special events to allow students to engage in a hands-on outdoor learning experience in northern Nevadas various habitats.

Melanie Erquiaga, executive director for the Nevada Outdoor School, said the mines help raise funds through donations and by sponsoring events, such as the annual Buckaroo Dutch Oven Cook-off in Winnemucca. Erquiaga said the cook-off is a major fundraiser for the nonprofit.

Nevada Outdoor School could not have made our programs possible without the generous community support from our local outdoor advocacy groups, corporate mining contributions and local employee giving campaigns, she said.

The mining companies that have helped the group include Newmont Mining Corp., Barrick Gold Corp. and Silver Standard Resources Inc.

Our intention is to connect kids with the outdoors and give them the education and tools to do so," Erquiaga said. "From there you make your own decisions on how you want to recreate, how you want to work, how you want to spend time with your family or what you want to see in the world. Thats the beauty of the inquiry-based science. Its not about reading it in a book and saying this is what you should believe. Its about getting kids to think critically about whats going on around them and their role in it.

While many companies give money, some mining employees donate their time as well.

Briony Coleman volunteers as president on the board of directors for Nevada Outdoor School. She is employed by Newmont as senior environmental manager-sustainability and external relations for Phoenix and Lone Tree operations.

I sit on the board with four other board members that represent quite a range of interests," Coleman said. "We have the ranching community, local parents, obviously the mining community, and the local business community represented on the Board. So that gives us a really great perspective for trying to manage what is best for the kids and working closely with the staff at Nevada Outdoor School to make sure the programming and the camps and the education material is relevant and fits the mission.

In particular my passion is teaching children about natural sciences, the outdoors, and environmental education, said Coleman. In northern Nevada, we have such a great opportunity to do that. There are so many options for getting out and learning a little bit more about the natural sciences and the natural environment.

This summer Nevada Outdoor School hosted several camps for children entering sixth and seventh grades in northern Nevada. Excursion camps to the Sierra and the Ruby mountains included overnight camping, swimming in mountain lakes, hiking, zip lining Tahoe Treetops Course, and learning about the geography and history of the area.

Adventure camps, for Elko and Winnemucca children entering third through fifth grades, included activities at parks in town that focused on team-building, hiking, and visiting the California Trail Center and the Lazy P Adventure Farm. Children in Winnemucca entering sixth through eighth grades also participated in an adventure camp that went to the Santa Rosa Mountains for two nights.

Coleman highlighted the nonprofit's Nature at Noon program.

This is something for pre-k through second grade, the really little ones," she said. "They come down with their families to learn a little bit about nature during the summer. We run that program both in Elko and Winnemucca.

Nevada Outdoor School also ran ATV rider camps in Winnemucca, Elko and Reno throughout the summer. Rider camp participants played team building games and participated in a variety of activities that taught them about safe and responsible riding practices such as proper safety gear, how to be rider active and how to practice TREAD Lightly! behaviors. Campers also had the option to participate in a hands-on rider course at the end of camp.

Nevada Outdoor School opened an office in Elko. While many camps and programs have been hosted in Elko as well as other rural areas in northern Nevada for quite some time, Nevada Outdoor School was able to open an office with a staff member to work on expanding programs for the Elko region.

Theres a lot of need there and its a very positive community," Erquiaga said. "Theyre super supportive every time we go over there to talk to someone. Its encouraging and fun to go to Elko. So far they love our field trips, after school programs, and summer camps.

Newmont's Legacy Fund was the "seed money" for the Elko office, Erquiaga said.

"The biggest money came from Newmont and Barrick, Southwest Gas, and then the Elko County Commission came in with some cash for us last year. Thats what allowed us to open our office in Elko and get a staff started, she said.

That staff starts with Jessica Larsen, education coordinator for the new office in Elko. Larsen has been on the job since May, working with the summer camps and events in the Elko area and preparing a community assessment to see what the Elko community really wants from Nevada Outdoor School.

Everything weve done in Winnemucca might not be the best fit for Elko, Larsen said, referring to how the community assessment currently in progress may change the curriculum, structure, or other features from what has been done in Winnemucca.

This school year, Nevada Outdoor School will work with the Elko County School District, pre-schools, and private home school groups. Next summer, Nevada Outdoor School plans to continue the summer camps and educational events in the park.

Its a really great opportunity that people see a lot of future in," Larsen said. "Weve been recently blessed to have a vehicle given to us by Southwest Gas so we are able to have transportation to and from the schools when we conduct the programs. So that was a really great and much needed addition to our program.

Were doing some fundraising events in the community and itll be a great opportunity for people to find out who we really are and decide if they want to partner with us in the future," she said.
A Corvallis woman is scheduled to appear on Monday's episode of the long-running quiz show "Jeopardy!"

Amy Young, a research assistant at Oregon State University, shot her episode Wednesday, Aug. 31, on the show's set in Culver City, California.

She is prohibited from saying how she did until after the show airs, but just getting the chance to compete fulfills a longtime dream: "Basically, I'm a lifelong fan of the show."

In fact, this was the second time she had auditioned for the show. Would-be "Jeopardy!" contestants are asked first to take an online test with 50 questions designed to test general knowledge. Contestants who do well on that test then are invited to audition in person; for the 32-year-old Young, that audition took place in Las Vegas.

Only then was she invited to California to compete on the actual show. Contestants pay their own way to the auditions and to Culver City, but winners in each episode get to keep money earned during the show; second-place finishers get $2,000 and third place nets $1,000, so that covers at least some of the travel expenses.

"Jeopardy!" is produced on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and shoots five episodes each day. Until they're summoned to the stage for their episode, contestants sit in the audience. As it turned out, Young sat through all of Tuesday's episodes before getting the chance to play on Wednesday, and said the extra day of watching helped her prepare.

Young can't talk about the specific categories that came up in her episode, but noted that "there were definitely some categories on the board that played to my strengths."

But even in other categories, she noted that "Jeopardy!" writers pen the clues in such a way to give contestants who may not be experts in a particular field a chance at making educated guesses.

The contestant who buzzes in first gets first crack to answer any particular question, and mastering the buzzer takes practice: Contestants who buzz in too soon are locked out for a second or so, and Young noted that "in 'Jeopardy!' time, that's a long time." A light just off screen is illuminated when it's safe for a contestant to buzz in; in theory, that happens whenever host Alex Trebek finishes reading the clue.

Each episode of the show runs about 22 minutes, and Young said that producers try to tape it in what seems like real time, with commercial breaks on the set taking up about the same amount of time as they do when the show is broadcast. "It's very fast-paced," she said.

Young is the second mid-valley resident to be featured recently on the show: Miranda Prince of Albany finished second on the Sept. 27 episode.
Oregon State University's Department of Public Safety is alerting people on campus to a reported robbery that occurred Friday morning outside of Poling Hall.

Public Safety officials said in an emailed alert that an investigation of the reported robbery is underway. The email alert did not note the time, suspect information or other details.

Officials are asking anyone with additional information about the reported robbery to call the Department of Public Safety dispatch line at 541-737-3010 and anyone witnessing a similar incident to call 911.

Authorities also recommended in the email alert that anyone on campus travel with others when possible and to be aware of their surroundings.

Attempts by the Gazette-Times to contact representatives of the Oregon State Police for additional details were unsuccessful on Friday.
The Corvallis City Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution on becoming a sanctuary city at its 6:30 p.m. meeting Monday at the downtown fire station, 400 N.W. Harrison Blvd.

A possible repercussion of joining the sanctuary movement is the loss of federal funds. President-elect Donald Trump has said he will cut federal funding to sanctuary cities immediately after he is inaugurated Jan. 20.

Corvallis mainly receives federal funds for transportation, road improvements and housing projects. Finance Director Nancy Brewer said that the city has not done a risk analysis because "it's not clear federal funds would be at risk and which federal funds might be at risk. Thus it's hard to do a risk assessment."

Mayor Biff Traber, in a statement accompanying the proposed text of the city's resolution, said that "if a situation arose in which federal funding was at risk, council members could address it."

The council also is scheduled to review and act on a draft climate action plan and review progress toward the six council goals of this two-year election cycle.

The council session will include a community comments segment in which the public can testify on any subject. Residents also can submit testimony on any topic in advance at www.corvallisoregon.gov/publicinput.

Before the meeting, at 5:30 p.m., there will be a ceremony to thank City Council members and those who participate on council goals task forces. The meeting will be followed by an executive session at which the status of pending litigation or litigation likely to be filed will be discussed.

In other public meetings:

Today

 Ward 3 Corvallis Councilor Zach Baker is the government comment corner guest from 10 a.m. to noon at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 N.W. Monroe Ave.

Monday

 The Corvallis Economic Development Advisory Board meets at 3 p.m. at the Madison Avenue Meeting Room, 500 S.W. Madison Ave.

 The city of Philomath will host an open house for its transportation system plan update at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 980 Applegate St. At 7 p.m. the City Council will meet and discuss a request to form a citizens advisory council and review a resolution that would set a recreational marijuana tax rate.

Tuesday

 The Corvallis King Legacy Advisory Board meets at 5:15 p.m. at Osborn Aquatic Center, 1940 N.W. Highland Drive.

 The Corvallis Historic Resources Commission meets at 6:30 p.m. at the downtown fire station. Commissioners have scheduled two public hearings, one to discuss plans for a porch at the Bell House at 530 S.W. Fifth St. and the second to review a series of alterations proposed for Oregon State Universitys Merryfield Hall at 1600 N.W. Monroe Ave.

 The League of Women Voters Corvallis has scheduled a 7 p.m. forum on Oregon election methods at the library. The guest speaker will be David Bernell, OSU associate professor of political science.

Wednesday

 The city task force working on the City Councils sustainable budget goal meets at 8 a.m. at City Hall, 501 S.W. Madison. Task force members will review questions planned for a community survey on revenue increases and budget issues and discuss feedback on a newsletter on budget challenges that was sent to residents.

 The Corvallis Community Policing Department Advisory Committee meets at 3 p.m. at the Law Enforcement Building, 180 N.W. Fifth St.

 The Corvallis Watershed Management Advisory Board meets at 5:15 p.m. at the downtown fire station.

Thursday

 A community meeting on homelessness and the operation of the mens cold weather shelter is at 6:30 p.m. at the library.

 The Corvallis Parks, Natural Areas and Recreation Advisory Board meets at 6:30 p.m. at the downtown fire station.

Dec. 17

 Ward 5 Corvallis Councilor Mike Beilstein will be the government comment corner guest from 10 a.m. to noon at the library.
Former Corvallis City Councilor Mark OBrien has fired a shot across the bow of the citys budget task force work, asserting in an open letter to task force members that the enterprise is off-course and should be considering unfunded liabilities in addition to general fund services such as public safety and parks.

O'Brien is a member of the task force, which consists of three councilors and three members of the citys Budget Commission. It has been meeting since June 2015 and is considering new or expanded revenue sources to pay for infrastructure and unmet program needs, including public safety.

OBrien, however, wants the group to expand the mission to include using any revenue increases for unfunded liabilities such as the Public Employees Retirement System.

If the city, somehow, develops a new revenue source and chooses to spend it, in its entirety, on enhanced services, OBrien wrote, we will have simply created a short-term band-aid solution to current wants and needs. This will only exacerbate our current and dire financial position. Lets stop kicking the can down the road.

OBrien also favors reducing the accrual of city employee vacation time, sick time and comp time and said that absent new revenue the city would have no alternative but to cut city services.

Another task force member, Karyle Butcher, said that OBrien is leading the group into uncharted waters.

I would say that Mark is looking to expand the discussion beyond the charge of the task force and I dont believe we should do that," said Butcher, who added that the unfunded liabilities issue is one that the City Council should resolve.

Butcher also noted that reducing employee benefits would have to be undertaken during contract negotiations with the unions that represent city workers.

Curtis Wright, chairman of the citys Budget Commission and the third community member on the budget task force, said that he appreciated OBriens comments and noted that the solution likely will require tax and fee increases, greater economic development and budget cuts.

Its more than likely that it will take some combination of all of these efforts to create a budget that is truly sustainable, Wright said.

Wright also said that the ultimate questions for Corvallis residents are: What kind of city do we want to live in? What services, and level of service, do we want from our local government? What are we willing to pay, in tax and/or fees, to sustain Corvallis as wed like it to be?

Ward 9 Councilor Hal Brauner, chair of the budget task force, did not respond to requests for comments from the Gazette-Times. City Manager Mark Shepard said that he had seen OBriens memo but could offer no comment because he had not had time to thoroughly review it.

In addition to its general fund work, the task force has recommended that the council increase the street maintenance fee sevenfold to help pay for a backlog of maintenance.

A council vote on the fee increase was scheduled for Nov. 21 but action was postponed amid strong community opposition. Subsequently OBrien, and other downtown businessman, uncovered evidence that the city had been overcharging them under the current fee structure.

City officials still are investigating the billing errors and hope to have a review ready for councilors to discuss at their Feb. 6 meeting.
This log includes incidents in which there might have been a public disturbance or a risk to the public. Information comes from the Corvallis Police Department, the Benton County Sheriffs Office and Oregon State Police. It does not include all calls for service. The status of incidents might change after further investigation. Locations are approximate. People arrested or suspected in crimes are considered innocent until proven otherwise.

Corvallis Police Department

THURSDAY, DEC. 8

TRUCK VS PEDESTRIAN: 4:58 p.m., Southwest Third Street and Adams Avenue. Police responded to a report of a pickup versus pedestrian crash. According to police, a man driving a 1998 Ford Ranger turned right from Southwest Adams Avenue onto Third Street and struck a woman in the crosswalk. The woman suffered an injury to the back of her head and was transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. The man was cited for failure to stop and remain stopped for a pedestrian.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7

ARSON: 10 p.m., 1915 N.W. Ninth St. Police reported that someone set a fire inside the woman's bathroom accessed from an exterior door at The Show. A witness reported seeing a red gas can a day or two prior to the arson. Damage to the bathroom was not believed to be significant. Police said it did not appear that the person involved intended to set fire to the restaurant and it was likely that the person who set the can on fire was not the same person who left the can near the restaurant.
After nearly a decade of making big strides and consolidating gains, conservation groups focused on the Willamette River basin are looking ahead toward an uncertain future and wondering, Whats next?

Since 2008, the Meyer Memorial Trust has been pumping about $1.5 million a year into the Willamette River Initiative, an ambitious program of environmental restoration projects along the rivers mainstem and throughout the web of tributary streams that feed it.

That money has been used to leverage additional funding sources, creating a powerful multiplier effect that has fueled a massive pulse of work aimed at protecting native fish and wildlife species, restoring floodplain connections and channel complexity, and improving the overall health of the Willamette River system.

But the initiative was never intended to continue indefinitely, and now its nearing the end of its 10-year lifespan. In March 2019, the programs original funding stream is scheduled to dry up.

That prospect was a major discussion topic on Friday at the fourth edition of Within Our Reach, a two-day conference held every two years at Oregon State University to discuss restoration efforts in the Willamette basin. More than 200 people attended, many of them personally involved in restoration work as landowners, contractors, volunteers or employees of land trusts, watershed councils and other conservation organizations.

Meta Loftsgaarden of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board  one of the Meyer Trusts major funding partners in the Willamette River Initiative  started off by congratulating the attendees on all that theyve accomplished. Beyond the successful completion of individual restoration projects, she said, the groups combined efforts have done a great deal to raise public awareness and interest in the Willamette.

Weve turned and faced the river, she said.

People are excited now at seeing their river, and thats because of you.

Willamette River Initiative director Allison Hensey challenged group members to think about how they could build on the momentum theyve created to keep the work going in the future, after the initiative sunsets in a little over two years.

It feels like this is a time just like a great wildflower year, she said.

It doesnt happen every year, she added. The conditions have to be just right, you have to have the right nurturing elements  and it feels like were in one of those times now.

Noting some of the collaborations that had formed among the various groups working in the Willamette basin and the success theyve had in securing funding for large-scale projects, Hensey suggested the possibility of a Willamette River network that might be able to take up the mantle of the Willamette River Initiative and asked the attendees what they thought such a network might look like.

As an incentive, she said the Meyer Memorial Trust was committed to working on the issue for the next couple of years and providing an additional three years of partial funding for the new organization so it can get on its feet before it has to fly with its own wings.

Following Henseys talk, the conference attendees broke up into smaller groups to brainstorm ideas around four key questions: What challenges in the Willamette basin most need a collective approach over the next five to 10 years? What services would be needed to address those challenges? How could a network add value to your work? And what are your hopes and concerns about such a network?

Michael Pope, executive director of the Corvallis-based Greenbelt Land Trust and one of the speakers at this years conference, acknowledged that the question of future funding was a significant worry for his organization and others in the field.

My concern is the sustainability of that work on the ground, Pope said. Who is going to sustain that work five, 10, 15 years down the road?

But he also said he was encouraged by the level of cooperation that had developed among restoration groups working on the Willamette River and its tributaries. He likes the idea of taking a big-picture approach to challenges facing the river and forging a new coordinating body to carry on the vision of the Willamette River Initiative.

I feel pretty optimistic, he said.

For me, what this conference confirms is that theres a tremendous amount of work thats been done over the last eight years (and that) theres still a lot of work to do.
A 39-year-old Philomath man with a long history of theft and drug offenses was found dead Dec. 6.

Jared William Lang had most recently been facing first-degree felony theft charges. A Philomath Police investigation turned up various items in a shed behind a residence at 120 N. 18th St., that were determined to have been stolen.

We conducted a death investigation on the scene with the assistance of the Benton County Sheriffs Office and we determined, at least our initial take on it, is its either an accidental death or an overdose, Philomath Chief of Police Ken Rueben said. We dont have the toxicology reports back yet.

A medical examiner in Clackamas County was scheduled to perform an autopsy on Langs body Friday morning and a report was expected in the coming days.

Police responded to the residence at 2:49 p.m. last Tuesday to an emergency code indicating somebody not breathing.

Upon our arrival, we met the Philomath fire department there and they attempted to resuscitate the individual but he had been dead, we think, for a little while before we got there, Rueben said.

Investigators are not ruling out that Lang's death could be connected to tainted drugs.

Sometimes people cut drugs or mix other substances with drugs and recently in the last year or two  people have mixed fentanyl with opium products to basically make more of it, Rueben cited as an example.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid analgesic similar to morphine but much more potent. Its among what was to be tested at the crime lab.

After identifying the individual as Lang, police obtained a search warrant.

Thats a standard protocol with us and the DAs (district attorneys) office to do more of a comprehensive search anywhere theres a death that could be an accident and were not really sure what the cause of death was, Rueben said.

The search turned up stolen items.

Weve confirmed thefts at seven separate locations, Rueben said.

Stolen items have been connected to thefts from Bi-Mart and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in west Corvallis, and from the vehicles of two individuals that live in the immediate vicinity of those businesses. Three more items have been connected to thefts out of vehicles belonging to Oregon State students.

We havent identified the owners of two weedeaters, a bag of tools and a television set, Rueben said. The rest, weve identified as belong to somebody else.

The Lang investigation extends to Clackamas County with a tie-in to a case up there, Rueben said.

Lang was arraigned Nov. 7 locally in the Class C felony theft charge and granted a conditional release, which included no contact with two individuals and to stay away from drugs and alcohol.
In September, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell marked the one-year anniversary of the decision to not list the greater sage grouse as endangered. Proposed revisions to Resource Management Plan rules are hopeful for bureaucrats, but history shows little attention to local stakeholders and scant benefit to taxpayers will ensue. Socialist central planning was reinforced as agency operating mode.

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives are established to better integrate science and management to address climate change and related issues. The Great Basin LCC will provide to a wide array of managers a range of scientific and technical support tools for landscape-scale conservation design. In the twenty-four person steering committee, nineteen are government or NGO employees and five represent the private sector. Apparently those would be the five economically productive taxpayers footing the bills.

That structure suggests these cooperatives, similar to Resource Advisory Councils, tend to support agency agendas. These constructs are cynical yet efficient means to declare public input has been achieved while assuring that conclusions are pre-ordained, suitably sterilized and compliant with agency goals.

Under the section on Related Executive and Secretarial Direction, the BLM declares renewable energy to be one of its highest priorities. That priority did not extend to the China Mountain project on the Idaho line west of Jackpot. Eliminating the project cost Elko County a projected $700,000 per year in wind energy revenues. This was to protect a sage grouse lek, which experience shows are resilient to nearby human activity.

A year later at a lek between Lone Mountain Station and Tuscarora, we took care to stay quiet and hidden during our count. It was difficult to suppress my own laughter when the sage grouse proceeded with their strutting and showing despite the occasional ear-splitting air brakes or growling downshifts of cattle trucks on the state highway merely tens of yards beyond the other side of the lek.

The agency declares the importance of science-based decision-making, landscape-scale management approaches, adaptive management techniques to manage for uncertainty, and active coordination and collaboration with partners and stakeholders. This while abetting sage grouse predatory losses on the order of 1.4 million birds per year  with no timely effort to reduce a slaughter exceeding the annual loss of life arranged by Planned Parenthood.

Drawing an equivalence between sage grouse and humans simply follows the extreme environmentalist practice of deeming human use of natural resources both unnatural and undesirable. In turn, agencies embrace the sue-and-settle mechanism for federal acquiescence to the extreme environmentalist legal firms and activists. They have incentive to continue this practice. It affords negotiation with predominately like-minded extremists. If agencies fail, they simply use travel benefits to punch the clock in federal court before an agency judge and no jury  where only taxpayers lose.

Tellingly, Secretary Jewell now expresses concern over future land management policy.

President-Elect Trumps intention to eliminate two regulations for every new one is a good start, and many of us business owners and other taxpayers will be concerned if he does not follow through.
Objektiv betrachtet ist er der deutlich Bessere : Diese uberraschenden Ergebnisse liefert ein Datenexperte zu den FC-Profis
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

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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
OnePlus 3Ts Dash Charge Technology is Way Faster than Google Pixels QuickCharge 3.0 Features oi -Chakri Kudikala The OnePlus 3T significantly charges faster than the Google Pixel XL

Smartphones have come a long way in recent times. Several manufacturers are continually improving the way a smartphone looks. And, in the same process, they have introduced several new technologies such as the edge-to-edge display, dual camera setup, etc.

But, one space where smartphones have seen a downside is regarding charging technology. We can give two instances for the same. One is that Android smartphones over the course of years are plagued with several battery life issues and manufacturers failed to deliver the best battery smartphone till date. The second scenario is instead of developing a smartphone with a good battery life, they are now stepping into a bandwagon to develop a technology which decreases the charge time of a smartphone.

Also Read: 10 Essential Tips and Tricks for OnePlus 3

In the same arena, OnePlus has come up with their charging tech called as 'Dash Charge,' whereas on the other hand, we have the world's best camera phone- the Google Pixel XL with Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0.

Here's how both these technologies work. Do check out which one is the winner.

Facts:

You might not be aware of the fact that OnePlus' Dash Charge is based on Oppo's VOOC (Voltage Open Loop Multi-step Constant Current Charging) tech. And, you might not be aware of another fact that, OnePlus before stepping into the smartphone market, was one of the subsidiaries of Oppo and now they have taken the same technology and rebranded it as Dash Charge.

On the flip side, the QuickCharge 3.0 found on Google Pixel phones and several other phones is being developed by Qualcomm solely. And, this QuickCharge technology can only be seen on smartphones that use Qualcomm chipsets.

How they Work?

Before we proceed to the technical terms, you should know about the batteries used in smartphones these days. Most phones launched in the past four years or so came out with Lithium-ion batteries (which of course explodes at times). The sole reason for the manufacturers to use Lithium-ion batteries is that they charge quickly from the zero state.

SEE ALSO: BlackBerry's New Mobile Security Platform: Here's All That You Need to Know

There is a saturation point in this battery recharge cycle. When these Lithium-ion batteries reach 70 percent of charge, this saturation point will come into play, and it slows the charging level to prevent the batteries from exploding.

So, both the Dash Charge and QuickCharge 3.0 work on the same principle. But, there is a slight difference between them. The Dash Charge uses the higher current range (5V/4A), whereas the QuickCharge goes with the higher voltage (5V/2A). But, powering them directly will result in the explosion of the smartphones.

As said earlier, QuickCharge 3.0 works only with the phones embedded with Qualcomm's chipset. That being said, the company is using a special chip inside the phone to control the voltage flow. However, that isn't the same case with Dash Charge.

You might be aware of any of your friend who owns a OnePlus 3 saying that I need to get my charger with me. Why? Here's the answer. OnePlus has embedded the entire circuit into their wall charger. OnePlus has taken this step especially to keep the phone cool even while charging.

Also, you can notice that phones with QuickCharge do heat a bit on charging. We experienced the same with our review unit of Google Pixel XL. Also, do make a note that you can use Dash Charge phones even while charging.

Charging Time!

Yes, it matters a lot for modern day people. When OnePlus announced the Dash Charge tech with their OnePlus 3, everyone was skeptical on their take that it charges the phone in just 90 minutes. But, after trying out that feature, everyone was like 'WOW.'

And, OnePlus officially has released a video comparing the charging time of OnePlus 3T and Google Pixel XL. Have a look at the video below.

Points to Note

1) The Dash Charge on OnePlus devices only works with the proprietary charger bundled with the phone.

2) There are several QuickCharge certified chargers available in the market right now. So, a QuickCharge supported phone can be charged with any of them.

As seen in the video above, the Dash Charge on OnePlus phones is way better than the QuickCharge 3.0 on Google Pixel XL. Also, at the Qualcomm summit concluded recently in New York, the company introduced their next generation QuickCharge 4, which we expect to be much stronger than the Dash Charge.

Source

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BlackBerry's New Mobile Security Platform: Heres All That You Need to Know News oi -Samden Sherpa BlackBerry had seen a great need for securing the enterprises process from data thefts and hacker disruption.

Canadian-based multinational wireless telecommunications software and mobile hardware company Blackberry has recently announced the launch of a cloud-enabled mobile security platform for "Enterprise of Things."

Pointing to the fact that the Enterprise of Things was very real and highlighting that this network of intelligent connections and endpoints helped enterprises in moving products from sketch to scale, the company had seen a great need for securing the process from data thefts and hacker disruption.

So as to manage today's enterprise of things, by taking a mobile native approach, BlackBerry is providing a cloud-enabled security platform that will comprehensively enable and manage security, mobility and communications between hardware devices, programs, mobile apps and the internet of things.

SEE ALSO: Lava Launches Metal 24 for Rs 2,000

This platform is also the culmination of the integration of the company's prior acquisitions of key technologies such as Good Technology, WatchDox, AtHoc, and Encription.

John Chen, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BlackBerry said in a statement that the businesses should be able to confidentially and reliably transmit sensitive data between endpoints to keep people, information, and goods safe.

He added that BlackBerry was uniquely qualified to address this emerging market because of the company's deep experience, industry leadership and ongoing product innovation that was capable of addressing future business needs.

On the other hand, BlackBerry's solution has been dubbed BlackBerry Secure and is grounded in the company's mobile software security platform. Significantly, the platform will help companies manage and secure their mobile devices and connected things while securing communications for all messaging and file types.

Chen also highlighted that the enterprises' investments would be protected because the foundational platform was not only compatible with the company's current products and third-party software like Microsoft Office 365, but it was also 'future-proofed' to address upcoming capabilities such as messaging and analytics.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Android Apps for December 2016

Additionally, BlackBerry has plans to expand the platform's features, market segments it supports, and the company's entire partner ecosystem.

On the bright side, now with the launch of this platform, it might ultimately open up new markets for BlackBerry where multiple endpoint mobile security management and applications are critical. However, while it is still fresh, we are yet to see what role it will take in the days to come and how successful the platform will be.

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Overall, Double XL is a well-made film that might be liked by gentry in all shapes, sizes, and age too. By the way, do not miss the interval!!
Counter-ISIL Strikes Hit Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Dec. 9, 2016  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted seven strikes in Syria:

-- Near Raqqah, three strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit, destroying a vehicle, a fighting position and a supply cache.

-- Near Ayn Isa, two strikes damaged five ISIL supply routes.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike destroyed an oil wellhead.

-- Near Palmyra, a strike destroyed 168 oil tanker trucks.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter, rotary and remotely piloted aircraft conducted five strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Bashir, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position.

-- Near Beiji, a strike destroyed an ISIL rocket system.

-- Near Mosul, three strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit, destroying six vehicles, two front-end loaders, two vehicle bombs, an armored vehicle, an ISIL command-and-control facility, a heavy machine gun and a fighting position. An excavator and two supply routes were damaged. A tactical unit was suppressed.

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 it poses to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of targets in Syria and Iraq further limits ISIL's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

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Airstrike Destroys Fleet of ISIL Oil Tankers in Syria

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2016  In the largest airstrike of its kind to date, the coalition destroyed a fleet of 168 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant oil tanker trucks near Palmya, Syria, according to a Combined Joint Task Force  Operation Inherent Resolve news release.

"The coalition continues to forcefully prosecute the air war on ISIL revenue capability," Air Force Col. John Dorrian, CJTF-OIR spokesman, said in the release. "When ISIL has access to large sums of money, they use it to conduct violent terror attacks against anyone who doesn't share their barbaric ideology."

The coalition is systematically targeting ISIL-affiliated oil infrastructure to eliminate millions of dollars in potential revenue, the release said. This most-recent strike resulted in estimated lost revenue of more than $2 million. Stopping or severely hampering ISIL cash flow degrades their ability to fund the war effort in Iraq and Syria and terrorist attacks around the world.

The destruction of ISIL oil tanker trucks and petroleum equipment is just one of the multiple targets the coalition strikes to hasten the military defeat ISIL in Iraq and Syria by, with and through partnered forces, the release said.

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Carter, Ghani, Reaffirm Security Commitment for Afghanistan

By Terri Moon Cronk DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2016  Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani today reaffirmed their strong strategic partnership and common vision for a secure and prosperous Afghanistan during a meeting in the country's capital of Kabul.

In a joint press conference, the two leaders discussed their meeting -- one of the secretary's many stops on his around-the-world trip to visit and thank U.S. troops during the holiday season.

Ghani has been a valued U.S. partner, Carter said, telling the Afghanistan president, "I want to thank you again for your continued leadership, your resolve, for your friendship  throughout your time as president."

Ghana made a deep impression on the Pentagon when he visited to honor U.S. service members' sacrifices in Afghanistan, Carter said, adding, "We won't  we can't forget that."

The U.S. and its coalition partners continue to support Afghan forces, Carter said. He noted that the U.S.-Afghan strategic partnership demonstrates to the world that America is, and will remain, committed to a sovereign and secure Afghanistan.

Year of Successes

In the past year, the secretary said, Afghan security forces have assumed the lead for securing their country, and were put to the test. And despite great sacrifices, they passed the test, he said.

"They demonstrated their growing capabilities and resilience, and they denied the Taliban its own stated goal of seizing a major population center. That reflects the progress Afghan forces have made with the help of the United States and our NATO partners," Carter noted.

Reflecting upon America's 15 years in the country after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Carter highlighted three important decisions the United States has made this year that will "continue to define the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan."

-- President Barack Obama gave expanded authorities to U.S. forces to proactively assist and enable its Afghan partners in operations that have strategic effects;

-- The plan was modified to retain some 8,400 U.S. troops during 2017 in Afghanistan, compared to the original 5,500; and

-- The United States will continue to maintain its financial commitment to the Afghan National Defense and the country's security forces through 2020.

Commitments to Afghanistan

NATO has committed to continuing the Resolute Support mission, the secretary said, adding that combined international community pledges to maintain Afghan security forces, including from the U.S., total about $5 billion per year thru 2020.

"These robust American commitments  in forces and finances will ensure that not only can we continue supporting our Afghan partner, but [we can] also continue our counterterrorism mission well into the future to ensure no terrorist group can seek safe havens such that it can threaten the stability of Afghanistan, of the U.S. homeland or the coalition," Carter said.

Alongside its Afghan partners, the United States recently conducted two large-scale operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the secretary said, killing its top leader in the country, and significantly degrading its capabilities in Afghanistan. The United States also struck remnants of al-Qaida in Afghanistan, killing its top plotter, he added

U.S. Troops' Sacrifices

"Many of the men and women of the Defense Department have given their all, and so many years of their lives, here in Afghanistan," the secretary said. "Many have given life itself, including three service members and two contractors in last month's suicide attack at Bagram. Today and every day, I join President Ghani in remembering those we've lost in the last decade and a half in the United States and Afghanistan."

As we remember the fallen, we'll honor their memory by ensuring the U.S.-Afghan strategic partnership is strong and enduring, Carter said, "and by remaining firm in our resolve to secure a brighter future for all Afghans and a better world for all our children."

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Taiwan to uphold sovereignty over islands in South China Sea: Tsai

ROC Central News Agency

2016/12/09 15:34:01

Taipei, Dec. 9 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen () said Friday Taiwan will firmly uphold its sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea and its rights in the region based on international and maritime laws.

Taiwan will also continue to uphold the freedom of navigation and flights in the South China Sea based on peaceful, humanitarian, ecological and sustainable development values, the president said.

She made the remarks when she addressed the opening ceremony of an exhibition titled "Sustainable Governance and Enduring Peace: An Exhibition Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Recovery of the South China Sea Islands," at Academia Historica, which is co-organizing the event with the Ministry of the Interior.

The president noted that several countries have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, and the issues involved include regional security, diplomatic relations and their political and economic interests.

"The government will continue to cooperate and negotiate with these countries," Tsai said.

She vowed to firmly safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty in the South China Sea based on international law and maritime law and uphold its legal rights.

She said Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba and the largest island in the Spratly Islands, has been "a major site for Taiwan to make substantive contributions to regional peace and stability."

She said her administration proposed to handle the South China Sea issue based on four principles in July.

First, territorial disputes should be dealt with according to international law and maritime law, and second, Taiwan should be included in the multilateral dispute settlement mechanism.

Third, claimants of the South China Sea have an obligation to maintain freedom of navigation and flight in the region, and fourth, Taiwan advocates putting aside disputes to make way for joint development of resources in the region.

Based on these four principles, the government has achieved some results, starting with stepping up patrols around the Pratas and Spratly Islands and cracking down on foreign fishing boats illegally operating in the waters.

Taiwan has also expressed to the international community its support for shelving disputes and jointly developing South China Sea resources through a multilateral dialogue mechanism.

She also spoke of a humanitarian drill held in waters around Taiping Island on Nov. 29, demonstrating that Taiwan is capable of turning it into a humanitarian rescue center and logistics base.

Taiwan has also pushed for cooperation with peripheral countries on seismological, tsunami, climate change and ocean development projects on Taiping Island.

The president also held a video conference with the commander of Taiping Island to learn about the lives of the people stationed there.

Tsai expressed her appreciation for their contributions, calling them "the pride of Taiwan."

Col. Wang Mao-lin () reported to the president that personnel there -- mostly Coast Guard officers -- undergo training in the daytime and can take a vacation back to Taiwan proper every three months.

Wang reported that 20 sheep are raised on the island, usually in a field, but return to their pens at noon upon hearing military songs, drawing laughter from Tsai and others.

There are also about 30 or 40 kinds of vegetables and fruits and 220 chickens raised on the island, according to Wang.

Six countries -- Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei -- claim part or some of the islands in the South China Sea.

(By Claudia Liu and Lilian Wu)

Enditem/ls

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Transcript

Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter; John Nicholson, Commander of International Forces in Afghanistan December 09, 2016

Press Conference With General John Nicholson

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ASH CARTER: Okay.

Well Good afternoon, everyone.

STAFF: Can you wait one second? I just want to make sure CNN pulls through -- (inaudible).

SEC. CARTER: I just can't wait to get to Bob Burns.

(Laughter.)

You ready to go?

Okay. Well, listen, thank you all for being here. It's great to be here once again at Bagram with General Mick Nicholson. And I'll say a few things about our meetings today and then both General Nicholson and I will be pleased to respond to your questions.

I have come here for two main purposes, but one is to thank him, our NATO partners and our Afghan partners for their efforts all together to ensure a bright future for the Afghan people and to protect our own people from attacks originating here.

I have full confidence in General Nicholson and that's -- that's true also of the chairman and the president. We're very luck to have him here. I've known him for a long time. I have great confidence in his leadership and I'm very pleased that he is here with his wife also.

And I want to mention that my wife Stephanie is here also, and that's the other reason why I'm here, is to -- holiday time is approaching and to thank the wonderful men and women who have performed so well here in Afghanistan, and you know, indirectly, Americans going back many years who have done so well, sacrificed so much. Remember all of them at holiday time.

And since I'm here at Bagram, also -- and I'll have a moment shortly to especially remember them -- but also, in our thoughts and prayers are the families of those who perished here -- here at Bagram recently in the incident. And again, we'll be visiting that site shortly.

I just came from Kabul, had productive meetings with President Ghani and discussed the continued U.S. commitment to Afghanistan. I commended the determination of the Afghan security forces. This -- I've made many visits to Afghanistan myself. This was the first place I came when I became secretary of defense, so I know it well, and I am therefore able to say both to General Nicholson but to all the U.S. service members here how proud I am of what they're doing here and how well they're doing it.

And so in addition to wishing them a happy holidays, there's a big congratulations to (inaudible) -- I'm giving that to them as well. They're pursuing two key missions for us. First is the counterterrorism mission and the second is giving enabling support to the Afghan security forces.

And the United States made three key decisions in 2016 that General Nicholson and I and Chairman Dunford recommended to President Obama and he approved that will shape our future involvement here.

The first has to do with the authorities that General Nicholson has. Last time I was here, if you remember, I announced the president's decision to grant General Nicholson some additional authorities that essentially permit him to act in anticipate -- in anticipation of events that could have strategic effect. And it -- at that time, we -- we -- Mick and I were explaining to you why that would make a different, and now, we can explain to you -- now we can show you how it has made a difference.

And so if you ask that question, Mick will be prepared to answer that. But I think you've seen that in the results over the last few months here in Afghanistan, the one sign of which is that the Taliban failed to achieve the objective that it set itself this year, which was to take the provincial capital, and they didn't do what they set out to do.

A second decision was made by the president to retain in 2017 8,448 troop level here in Afghanistan rather than the 5,500 that has been planned earlier. And the third was the make a continued financial commitment to the support of the Afghan security forces.

And in our conversations with President Ghani today, he was explaining how those decisions both physically and in morale terms strengthened the Afghan government and the Afghan security forces. And looking ahead, we discussed a number of issues as well.

For the Americans, we always remember what brought us here in the first place, which is our -- our need to make sure that this is never again a place from which terrorist attacks arise against the United States and we have an opportunity here to maintain a counterterrorism platform in a part of the world where that's very important. That's -- that's  very valuable to -- the United States.

And so, that's a very important objective to us and so we're -- we're grateful both for our Afghan partners and we're above all grateful for our wonderful men and women serving here today.

So with that, let me and Mick take your questions.

Q: Can you hear me?

SEC. CARTER: I can.

Q: My question is primarily for General Nicholson -- (inaudible)

SEC. CARTER: Sure.

Q: General, obviously soon, you will be working for a different commander-in-chief and a different secretary of defense. I'm wondering whether you, A, received any kind of guidance from the president-elect's team about going forward next year? And B, are you already considering some options on different approaches to handling the conflict in the coming year?

GENERAL JOHN NICHOLSON: Well, thank --

SEC. CARTER: Let me just say something about the transition first and then you answer the -- you answer the question.

I -- I just want to say that the -- our -- the department is working on and committed to a transition that allows the new team there to hit the ground running. We're responding to and will continue to respond to and make questions and to make available people, including General Nicholson. That hasn't been requested yet, but I just want to make it clear that if that does come up in the future, of course, we'll -- we'll make General Nicholson available.

Sorry. Please, Mick.

GEN. NICHOLSON: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

And Bob, what I'd add to that is the fundamental rationale for being here in Afghanistan, as the secretary referenced, has not changed. When you look at the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, there are 20 U.S.-designated terrorist groups in this region. Our policy of having an enduring counterterrorism effort alongside of our Afghan partners is, in my view, very sound and something we need to continue.

If you look at this past year in terms of our counterterrorism effort, we have focused on Al Qaida and Islamic State in particular with great success and we wish to continue that. So I think the fundamental logic is -- is very sound.

The second part of our mission, as the secretary mentioned, is to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces. When you look at the performance of the Afghan forces this year, it was a tough year. They were tested, but they prevailed. And this is a testimony to the effectivness of our mission here.

It also should be noted that we have a 39-nation coalition here. So this mission and its continuance has been endorsed as recently as the Warsaw Summit, where those coalition partners all committed to four more years of help to the Afghans, and at the Brussels donor conference, where donors expressed an intent to commit another $15.2 billion to development.

So I think we see a lot of positive momentum and effective stemming from this policy.

STAFF: Idrees?

Q: Mr. Secretary -- (inaudible). You've been here four times, like you mentioned. President-elect Trump has not given too much information about his policies for Afghanistan. What advice do you have for him how to deal -- (inaudible)?

SEC. CARTER: With?

Q: How to deal --

SEC. CARTER: With Afghanistan?

Q: And General Nicholson, could you define what success, how you are defining success in Afghanistan? -- (inaudible).

SEC. CARTER: Well, with respect to the first part of your question, I think the interests that we're pursuing here are clear and enduring, namely to protect ourselves from attack ever arising again from Afghan territory. That's one thing that we're doing here. The other is to make Afghanistan able to secure its own territory so that it can remain what it is, which is a place in a -- in a part of the world that we need to watch from which we can have a strong security partner.

So those -- those interests will endure and our -- and our approach to it is based upon the pursuit of those two American national security interests.

Mick?

GEN. NICHOLSON: Thank you, sir.

And I think a good way to respond to that question is to look at what President Ghani and his team, along with Chief Executive Abdullah and the ministries have defined as success. So they have a national campaign plan. That campaign plan ends with a reconciliation with the belligerents or a reconciliation with enough of them that the balance can be managed by the Afghan security forces.

So I'd say this year, we're on that glide path. When you look at the -- the amount of the population secured by the government, it equates to roughly two-thirds, about 64 percent. The Taliban are viewed with great disdain by the Afghan people; 87 percent would tell you that a return to Taliban rule would be bad for the country. There's also great confidence expressed in the Afghan security forces. And so -- and roughly three-quarters of the population say they have faith and confidence in the Afghan security forces.

So these ingredients add up to a -- I think a year on year increase in the amount of security provided by their government over the population, and that is the objective of the national campaign plan, to a point where the enemy is incentivized to reconcile.

Now, let's look at the Hezb-i-Islami peace deal that was reached this year. This is an important milestone. It demonstrates that former belligerents can reconcile with the government. And next year, they'll go through a re-integration process.

So I think year on year, with the support provided by the international community, from the Warsaw Summit, from Brussels, we're gonna see this gradual improvement of the situation until they get to this critical mass of the population that they control, and ideally, a reconciliation with the belligerents. Thank you.

STAFF: David?

Q: General Nicholson and Secretary Carter, you both spoke of efforts against terrorists and Secretary Carter you spoke of great success going against Al Qaida. Since the original authorization for the use of military force here, specifically tailored to going after Al Qaida to what extent has Al Qaida been eliminated from Afghanistan? And how far are -- is the United States from achieving that objective?

SEC. CARTER: Well, this has been a -- a big year in that connection, David, and since he conducted many of those operations, let me give Mick the pleasure of reporting the results.

GEN. NICHOLSON: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

And first, I want to thank our counterterrorism forces, special operations forces. You've done a great job this year.

These operations have been done in conjunction with our Afghan partners. So highlights this year. I mentioned there were 20 terrorist groups in the region; seven of those are in Pakistan. Of these 20, our CT forces, operating with the Afghans, have killed five of the emirs of the 20 organizations.

They have inflicted -- for example, take Islamic State. So Islamic State has lost a third of its fighters, two-thirds of the territory that they have seized and we have killed the top 12 leaders, including their emir, Hafiz Saeed Khan. So just one example. Against Al Qaida, Farouq al-Qatari, who was the external operations director for Al Qaida, was killed on October 23 along with a few of his associates. He was involved within the last year in active plotting against the West, against the United States and our allies. So by removing him, we have severely disrupted their ability to do that.

We'll continue to keep the pressure on these organizations and we'll continue to take the fight to them. And so, we -- the medium within which some of these groups, like Islamic State and Al Qaida, operate is provided in part by the other insurgent and terrorist organizations in the country. So pressure on the -- on the whole is important.

I also want to point out the Afghans' key role in all of this. So 80 percent of the operations done by the Afghan special forces are independent of U.S. enablers, but those operations are critical in keeping pressure on these organizations.

SEC. CARTER: Do you -- you want to characterize Al Qaida today --

Q: I have a follow up. Does Al Qaida represent a threat to the United States at this point here in Afghanistan?

GEN. NICHOLSON: Al Qaida has the intent to attack the United States, their capability, we're working hard on that, on reducing that capability.

But what you see -- you have core Al Qaida, you also have Al Qaida's affiliates. So here in Afghanistan, we have a group called Al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent. And so the two of these groups together have the intent and the capability to conduct attacks outside of Afghanistan. And in the case of -- of core Al Qaida, they certainly have the intent to try to conduct operations against the United States.

STAFF: Team CNN, you guys got -- (inaudible)?

Q: Thank you, General. Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

In regards to today, President Ghani spoke at length about how the commitment of resources and commitment of continued U.S. personnel here had gone a long way in terms of boosting morale in the country. But given that there's a transition -- a new administration coming in, are you hearing any expressions of concern from the Afghan partners, whether in the Afghan military or within the Afghan political establishment?

And I may just quickly -- General, you described a moderate level of risk with the current resources. What additional resources will reduce that risk? Is it more trainers, more air assets, those kind of things?

SEC. CARTER: Well, with respect to the first part of the question, no there -- there wasn't concern. We did talk about the future, so in addition to President Ghani thanking the United States and the coalition for the decisions made over the last year and the continued support, we did talk about the future. We talked about the so-called -- (inaudible) -- rest, which is important to look ahead to next summer.

We looked -- we talked about the importance of political unity here in Afghanistan continuing into the future. We talked about the continued need for economic reform and anti-corruption. And we talked about regional security affairs and the actions of others in the area, including their actions within Afghanistan. So it was a very forward-looking conversation.

But the reason why, I think, President Ghani has confidence in the future of his country is importantly because of some of the decisions taken over the last year.

And on the second part of your question, I think that was for General Nicholson.

Go ahead, Mick.

GEN. NICHOLSON: Thanks, Mr. Secretary.

Well, thanks for the question. And -- and to reiterate on the Warsaw Summit, so when we talk about Afghan morale and hope for the future, the international decision of this coalition to recommit to four more years provided a huge boost in morale to the government, to the Afghan security forces themselves, but mainly to the Afghan people.

So I think in July, that renewal of commitment and then the follow-on in Brussels with the renewed donor commitment was extremely important to Afghan morale. We have seen, despite the fact that this was a tough year -- and I would say the Afghan security forces were tested, but they prevailed -- we've actually seen a decrease in the number of Afghans who say they would seek to emigrate.

Now, I -- I know these are small signs of -- of -- well, I already mentioned the fact that, you know, 87 percent of the people do not want to see a return of the Taliban.

With respect to the question of risk, I've said it's a moderate but acceptable level of risk. And in terms of what are we doing, of course we are primarily doing our counterterrorism mission, and when I need additional assets for that, they are brought in for the duration that we need them and then they can depart again. So there's been -- I've been able to get everything I've needed when it comes to my counterterrorism mission.

And with respect to the advising mission, what we've done this year is sort of re-organized our advisers and gone back to some of our allies, especially with respect to, for example, the training base, the schools, the education systems. And we've gotten some great contributions from many of our allies on this; the Germans, the Italians, the Brits in particular have all provided additional focused groups of advisers on some of these key areas.

So in the NATO system, every six months, we do a review of the mission, it's called a periodic mission review, and then we review our requirements, then we go out to the alliance with the -- with those needs. And so this process is what -- you know, as we get the numbers back in from all the allies, that's what causes me to gauge my risk. So -- but I should point out we're not only asking the U.S. for these, we're also go out to all of our allies as well.

I just came here from the foreign ministerials meeting in Brussels with NATO. I was very encouraged by what we heard from the nations and the foreign ministers. I think when you look at the range of challenges facing NATO, there remains a strong commitment to Afghanistan going -- going forward, as mentioned, at Warsaw, Brussels, and now again at the foreign ministerials.

So I feel like we will have the resources we need going forward.

STAFF: Let's take one last one from -- (inaudible).

Q: (inaudible)  so when I came here on previous visits -- (inaudible)  there was a time when people talked about security -- (inaudible) -- governance -- (inaudible). We hear a lot less of that now. When you have a president-elect who says he doesn't do nation building, how -- is there any extent to which nation building is still a part of -- (inaudible) -- as you (inaudible) security objectives?

SEC. CARTER: Well, our -- our mission is principally the security mission. (inaudible) I'll say something and then -- (inaudible) -- which is as I've characterized it. There is also an international assistance mission here in Afghanistan which we're -- we can't speak for, but which is also extremely important, which is aimed at political development and economic development here in the country. And that continues.

But the reason for the U.S. military commitment here are the reasons, David, that I cited before, which are the need to protect our own country and our own people first and foremost from attacks emanating from here, and secondly, the recognition that this is an important part of the world and that to have a stable security partner who is eager and willing to work with the United States is an asset for the future for us in security terms. So those are the reasons why we're here, and in particular, why General Nicholson and all these wonderful people here you see at Bagram are here.

GEN. NICHOLSON: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

David, what I'd add -- I'd add to what the secretary said, in 2014, we shifted our mission from ISF doing counter-insurgency to Resolute Support conducting train, advise, assist. So when we ended our counter-insurgency mission, those other dimensions that you mentioned, nation-building and development, were picked up by the international community and -- and led by our diplomatic missions.

I would point out a couple things. I already mentioned the Brussels donor conference with $15 billion expressed intent to commit. Let me highlight a couple of folks. The Indians, for example, give -- have given $1 billion to the Afghans thus far and have now committed to additional billion -- excuse me -- $2 billion thus far and committed to an additional billion. You see the U.S. -- this is one of our largest development programs. It remains not administered, of course, by the Pentagon, but by the State Department and USAID.

So we see continued strong commitment in many of these other areas going forward.

In the -- speaking on the military sides, it's also worth noting that when Secretary Carter became the secretary of defense and we had close to 100,000 troops here, and now, we're down to one-tenth of that. So the -- the way we've been able to do that is because the Afghan security capability has been built up over that same period to where they now provide over 300,000 service members, police, out there securing the country with our advising and assisting, again, at one-tenth of the level we once were.

So we've seen a real shift in terms of our focus going forward. So that's reflected not only in the -- in the numbers of troops, but also it's actually in -- in our mission statement, it's -- it's what we do. Do we consult with those other efforts? Absolutely. But we are not directly involved in that from -- from the Resolute Support or U.S. forces Afghanistan perspective.

Q: Quick follow-up. Just quick, if the United States -- (inaudible) -- United States government stopped what could be called nation building would that make your task harder?

GEN. NICHOLSON: I think the -- we're talking about factors such as economic development, demographics, counter-narcotics, and all these factors are very important. Other actors in the landscape here, primarily through our diplomatic efforts and donors, are focused on those issues. We -- we certainly try to coordinate our activities with them, but -- but our main focus is -- is on -- on the security dimension going forward.

And again, from my assessment as a commander on the ground, the Afghans are making steady process in that -- in that arena, and that's been proven this year in the fact that they were tested, they prevailed, the enemy sought to take their -- take cities away from them on eight separate occasions, some of them -- (inaudible) -- one day, the sixth of October, there were simultaneous attacks on four Afghan cities. The Afghans defeated them all.

And this is -- shows a maturing army that can deal with complexity and simultaneity in a way that they have not been able to do in the past. So we're very encouraged by what we see.

Q: Thank you, sir.

SEC. CARTER: Good. All right. Thanks, all, very much.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1026539/

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Release

No. NR-431-16 December 09, 2016

Secretary Carter Arrives in Afghanistan for Visit to Thank U.S. Troops

Defense Secretary Ash Carter arrived in Afghanistan Friday on a visit to thank U.S. troops for their service to the nation during the holidays, receive an update on NATO and U.S. efforts to support Afghan security forces and to meet with senior Afghan officials including President Ashraf Ghani.

In addition to several engagements with U.S. troops deployed to Afghanistan, Secretary Carter will meet with Gen. John W. Nicholson Jr., commander of NATO's Resolute Support mission and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, and other senior officers to hear their assessment of the security situation and international efforts to help the government of Afghanistan improve security in the country. He will also receive an update on recent, successful U.S. counter-terrorism efforts against al Qaeda and ISIL in Afghanistan.

In his meetings with senior Afghan officials, the secretary will discuss the growing capabilities and resilience demonstrated by Afghan security forces in recent months. He will also discuss ongoing efforts to continue building Afghan combat capacity including aviation.

Carter is in the midst of a round-the-world trip to thank deployed U.S. troops for their service over the holidays, meet with important regional partners, and advance U.S. priorities including the rebalance to the Asia-Pacific and the lasting defeat of ISIL. The trip already has included visits to U.S. ally Japan and to major defense partner India, and is scheduled to include visits to Bahrain, Israel, Italy and the United Kingdom.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1025305/

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Marine Corps strives to be leaner, meaner, greener

US Marine Corps News

By Cpl. Levi Schultz | December 9, 2016

As an ongoing effort to be the premier self-sufficient expeditionary force, the Marine Corps is striving to make itself leaner, meaner and "greener" as it takes a look at energy use across the Corps, equating the efficient use of vital resources with increased combat effectiveness.

The Marine Corps' Expeditionary Energy Office held an Energy Capability Exercise at Camp Wilson aboard the Combat Center, Dec. 6, 2016, in alignment with the Great Green Fleet initiative, to highlight different efforts and technologies the Corps has developed to promote a more energy conscious force.

GGF is a year-long, Department of the Navy initiative that demonstrates the sea service's efforts to transform its energy use. As one of the Secretary of the Navy's key energy goals, the purpose of the GGF is to make our Marines and sailors better warfighters, able to go farther, stay longer and deliver more firepower.

"2016 is the year of the Great Green Fleet, highlighting the energy efficiencies in both installations and operations in the Navy and Marine Corps," said Col. Bryan Magnuson, director, Marine Corps Expeditionary Energy Office. "Today, we are demonstrating operational energy technologies that allow the Marine Air Ground Task Force to go further on the same amount of energy. We have representatives out here from the office of the Secretary of Defense; the departments of the Navy, Air Force and Army; and Marine leadership to include general officers and commanders."

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus chose the name Great Green Fleet to honor President Theodore Roosevelt's "Great White Fleet," which helped usher in America as a global power on the world stage at the beginning of the 20th Century. Likewise, GGF will usher in the next era of DON energy innovation.

Expanding operational energy capabilities

The Expeditionary Energy Office intends to change the way the Marine Corps employs energy and resources to increase combat effectiveness and reduce need for logistics support.

"We take a look at the Marines Corps' future requirements and how to fulfill those requirements," Magnuson said. "We are focused on a multitude of capability sets from vehicles, currently in use, such as the [Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement] to make it go further on the same amount of energy, as well as different commercial technologies to make [Marines] more effective."

In order to find the best technology for the future the Marine Corps, the Expeditionary Energy Office has reached out to commercial industry through technical field demonstrations.

"We go out to industry and we say, 'Here are our challenges, what do you have out there that can help us?'" said Capt. Michael Herendeen, science and technology analyst, Marine Corps Expeditionary Energy Office. "We actively search for those sorts of things. One of the challenges is to make sure what we are buying is good so we make sure Marines have hands on to test products before we invest."

According to Magnuson, field artillery cannoneers with 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, have already put to use a Ground Renewable Expeditionary Electronics Network System, a hybrid energy power system, which utilizes solar panels and high energy density batteries to be more sustainable in a deployed environment. This has allowed them to go totally off the grid, without having to haul a large generator through arduous terrain.

"[The system] provides the same power that Marines would normally need to idle the truck for," Herendeen said. "Instead of burning fuel to power the cannon's computer and communication systems, we can plug it into the green system and not need to consume that fuel or cause a need for additional maintenance on the truck."

Marine Corps Future Operating Concept

In 2012, the Commandant of the Marine Corps identified Expeditionary Energy as one of the six pillars of modernization in the Marine Corps. The Expeditionary Energy Office is working toward a Marine Expeditionary Force that can maneuver from sea and sustain command, control, communications, computer, intelligence and life support systems in place, with more efficient mobile systems requiring less liquid fuel.

"The future force is going to be much more energy intensive, so we need to understand how we use our energy," Magnuson said. "Right now, Marines don't know how we use our fuel other than with the E and the F gauges. When we give Marines that information, they make it possible to implement change within the MAGTF."

In line with the Marine Corps' Future Operating Concept, they will put things in the hands of small units to allow them to be self-sustaining in respect to energy and water so we don't have to take on the risk and logistics of moving fuel and water around the battlefield. Marines will sustain the fight in a more distributed environment.

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USS Mahan Visits Ancient Port of Call In Greece

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS161209-08

Release Date: 12/9/2016 9:42:00 AM

By Petty Officer 1st Class Tim Comerford, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

PIRAEUS, Greece (NNS) -- Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72) arrived in Piraeus, Greece, Dec. 9, for a scheduled port visit to enhance U.S.-Greece relations as the two nations work together for a stable, secure, and prosperous Europe.

In addition to enjoying the rich culture of Greece, the Sailors expect to participate in a community relations event during their stay.

Quotes:

"It is a pleasure to stop in the fair city of Piraeus. I know Mahan's Sailors will show the people of Greece that they are courteous and amiable professionals. It is through port visits like this we strengthen the enduring partnerships between our countries, and allow our Sailors the opportunity to experience the hospitality of Piraeus and the rich culture of Greece." - Cmdr. Harold Bowman-Trayford, USS Mahan executive officer

Quick Facts:

Mahan plans to participate in a community relations project with the Muscular Dystrophy Association Hellas.

Strengthening partnerships during the port visit to Greece demonstrates the shared commitment to promote safety and stability within the region, while seeking opportunities to enhance interoperability with allies like Greece.

Mahan, homeported in Norfolk, departed Nov. 19 and is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of allies and partners and U.S. national security interests in Europe.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

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Pentagon to deploy 2,300 more US troops to Afghanistan

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 7:21PM

The United States military says it will deploy an armored brigade and an aviation brigade totaling about 2,300 soldiers to Afghanistan this winter.

The Pentagon made the announcement in a statement released on Thursday, saying 1,500 soldiers will be sent to Afghanistan this winter, in addition to another 800 troops that will be deployed in support of a training mission known as Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

"This deployment is part of a regular rotation of forces in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel," the press release stated, adding that the soldiers were "well-trained, well-led and fully prepared for the challenges this mission will bring."

No exact date was given in the announcement for when the US troops will leave for deployment to Afghanistan.

The United States -- under Republican George W. Bush's presidency -- and its allies invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban regime from power, but after about one-and-a-half decade, foreign troops are still deployed to the country.

After becoming president in 2008, Barack Obama, a Democrat, vowed to end the Afghan war -- one of the longest conflicts in US history  but he failed to keep his promise.

US President-elect Donald Trump, who speaks against the Afghan war, has dubbed the 2001 invasion and following occupation of Afghanistan as "Obama's war".

Obama has ordered the military to take on the Taliban more directly and empower Afghan forces battling the militant group.

In October last year, Obama announced plans to keep 9,800 US troops in Afghanistan through 2016 and 5,500 in 2017, reneging on his promise to end the war there and bring home most American forces from the Asian country before he leaves office.

According to US officials, Washington would also maintain a large counter-terrorism contingent of terror drones and Special Operations Forces to fight militants in Afghanistan.

There are now about 10,000 American troops in Afghanistan, as well as some 6,000 NATO service members, to "train and advise" Afghan security forces fighting Taliban.

Over the past several months, Taliban militants have intensified their pressure with numerous offensives on other key Afghan provinces, including Kunduz and Takhar.

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Thousands flee from fresh violence in Congo-Brazzaville: UN

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 7:5PM

Fresh fighting in the Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, between government forces and rebels has forced thousands of people to flee their homes.

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) warned on Friday that fighting in the southeast of the country had displaced an estimated 13,000 people.

"We are afraid some 13,000 displaced people soon may not have enough to eat," UNHCR spokesman William Spindler told reporters in Geneva, Switzerland.

People in the area are "also having trouble getting health care and education because so many state-employed medics and teachers have fled," he added.

Spindler said that the uptick in violence in recent weeks between the Ninja Nsiloulou rebels and government forces has included an attack on a military vehicle in the southeastern district of Mindouli that killed two people.

The rebels, who fought two civil wars against the government in the 1990s, were seen as having been mostly disbanded after agreeing to a peace accord in 2003. However, sporadic clashes between the two sides have continued ever since.

In October, at least 14 people, including children, were killed in an attack on a train in Mindouli. The assault was blamed on the Ninja rebels.

The situation in Congo-Brazzaville had been tense since a constitutional referendum in October 2015 removed a two-term limit on the presidency, allowing the 72-year-old leader to run in the 2016 election.

The rebels are led by a Protestant pastor named Frederic Bintsamou, who his followers call the Prophet.

Bintsamou came out in favor of opposition presidential candidate Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas in elections in March 2016.

However, the opposition candidate lost to longtime leader Denis Sassou Nguesso.

Sassou Nguesso won re-election in the first round of voting, receiving 60 percent of the vote.

The opposition claimed the election was a sham.

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Bomb explosions kill at least 56 in northeast Nigeria

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 2:36PM

Over 50 people have been killed after two women blew themselves up in a bustling market in Nigeria's northeastern town of Madagali, officials says.

Yusuf Mohammed, chairman of the local district government, said the bombings left 56 people dead and wounded 57 others on Friday.

Survivor Ahmadu Gulak said the blasts hit simultaneously at opposite ends of a grains and vegetables market.

Boko Haram Takfiri militants have been blamed for the attack on the edge of the group's Sambisa Forest stronghold, which the Nigerian military has been bombing ahead of ground assaults.

The militants have been attacking soft targets since the military has dislodged them from towns and villages this year.

Madagali was liberated last year after months in the hands of Boko Haram. It is 150 kilometers southeast of the biggest northeastern city, Maiduguri, which has been the epicenter of Boko Haram's seven-year insurgency.

At least 30 people were killed when a bus station near the same market was targeted by two women bombers in December 2015.

Boko Haram militants also opened fire on mourners at a funeral in Madagali in June, killing 18 people.

The group has recently regained momentum after it was nearly obliterated months ago by a joint military force made up of Nigerian government forces and troops from neighboring countries.

Boko Haram has pledged allegiance to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, which is mainly active in Syria and Iraq.

The United Nations has warned that areas affected by Boko Haram face a humanitarian crisis.

Boko Haram terrorists have killed more than 20,000 people and forced over 2.7 million others from their homes.

The group started its campaign with the aim of toppling the central government in Nigeria.

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Education expert: If country smells bad, everybodys noses should not be cut off

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan at Government session held on December 8, instructed Levon Mkrtchyan, Minister of Education and Science, to submit within three weeks the complex events schedule aimed at ensuring financial and economic education in the secondary schools with a mandatory condition starting the project from the new academic year. Education expert Serob Khachatryan, considers that including the financial and economic education in the academic plan of Social Science, Mathematics, Me and Surrounding World to be a positive step. It is a good approach, as today we already dont have a chance and a place to include new subjects, besides we should understand that children do not always perceive well all those things, which are served them directly, Serob Khachatryan told A1+. According to the expert, some problems may occur at the primary schools connected with the teachers training for that subject, though he is not against the idea of teaching citizens financial knowledge in an integrated way. International study was carried out and they tried to understand in which countries the financial knowledge of schoolchildren and students is in high level, and the study showed that in the countries, where it is taught as a separate subject, the results arent good, but, for example, in the countries, where fundamental mathematics is stressed, the results are better, noted the expert. Expert Serob Khachatryan also touched upon the Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrtchyans project of reforms, according to which 12th grade high school students will have an opportunity to pass their final examinations in December to have time to get ready for entrance exams during the second term. We all know that 12th grade students do not attend classes in a normal way. Directors of the schools, headmasters were asking them to come from time to tome or to immediately come, when there were inspectors in the schools; the Ministers decision simply legalizes this situation, noted education expert. As for the Ministers statement to eliminate state exams rule in the universities, Serob Khachatryan does not agree with it. Taking into account also the fact that today we have a problem in universities of Armenia that the students mainly dont want to study well, that rule must be maintained in order to sum up at the end the important questions of the profession. The nature of the questions should be reviewed, said Serob Khachatryan. The expert thinks that the existence of corruption in this sphere does not mean that exams must be eliminated. There is a well-known story, when the king is told that the country smells bad and the king orders to cut off the noses of the citizens. If there is corruption in the education sphere, we must fight against corruption, education expert Serob Khachatryan told A1+. To remind, Minister of Education and Science presented the draft law on Higher education on December 2 and now it is being amended.
Saudi rocket, aerial attacks against Yemen kill seven, injure 11

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 11:13AM

Saudi rocket and aerial attacks have reportedly killed seven civilians and injured 11 others in the northwestern Yemeni province of Sa'ada.

Rocket attacks by Saudi forces against the city of Haydan in the Telan district of Sa'ada on Friday killed five residents and wounded eight more, local al-Masirah TV network reported.

Saudi airstrikes also targeted the al-Nazir region of the city of Razeh in the same province, leaving two residents killed and three more wounded.

Saudi Arabian warplanes also bombarded the regions of al-Mandaba, al-Thu'ban and al-Baha in Sa'ada Province as well as al-Hoban district in Ta'izz Province. However, no casualty figures were reported from those strikes.

A Saudi drone separately crashed in the al-Qavia region of the country's Jizan Province.

Yemeni army and Popular Committees staged retaliatory attacks against Saudi military positions in Asir, Jizan and Najran provinces of Saudi Arabia, killing 10 Saudi troops.

The latest Saudi attacks came a day after US-based rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia over its brutal war against Yemen. The rights organization said that the US may be complicit in the "atrocities" perpetrated against Yemen by supplying arms and munitions to the Riyadh regime.

The British government also continues to provide massive amounts of lethal weaponry to Saudi Arabia. According to the London-based Campaign Against Arms Trade, Britain has approved 2.8 billion ($4 billion) in military sales to Saudi Arabia since March 2015, when the war on Yemen began.

Saudi Arabia launched the war in a desperate bid to reinstall the former Yemeni government.

The war-torn Yemen is grappling with the scarcity of food supplies and an outbreak of diseases in the face of the persisting Saudi aggression.

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US to sell $7bn worth of military aircraft, missiles to four Arab states

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 9:4AM

The Pentagon has given the go-ahead for the sale of $7 billion worth of military aircraft and missiles to four Arab states, the bulk of which is to head to Saudi Arabia.

It announced the approval on Thursday of a $3.51-billion contract to sell 48 CH-47F Chinook cargo helicopters with spare engines and machineguns to the kingdom.

Another deal envisages the transfer of $3.5-billion in 27 AH-64E Apache helicopter gunships and support equipment to the United Arab Emirates.

Washington and Riyadh maintain a controversially-close alliance, with the US turning a deaf ear to stop arms sales to the kingdom due to its tattered human rights record and its 2015-present bloodletting against Yemen.

Saudi Arabia initiated the bombing campaign in March 2015 to reinstall Yemen's former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a dedicated Riyadh ally, who had resigned earlier and fled to the Saudi capital.

The offensive has killed thousands and displaced millions across the impoverished nation. The UAE has also been lending lavish support to the campaign at Riyadh's behest.

The US approved more than $20 billion in military sales to the kingdom in 2015 alone. Pentagon has even been providing advisory and other sorts of support to the bombardment.

On Thursday, Human Rights Watch called for an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia over its war on Yemen, saying the United States could be held accountable for the "atrocities" being perpetrated against war-stricken Yemenis.

Last week, the New York-based rights body had called for Washington to "immediately" halt arms sales to the Saudi regime and review the participation of US forces in Riyadh's "unlawful" air raids against Yemen.

HRW said Washington has been withholding clarification on reports that US forces were providing aerial refueling, tactical intelligence, or other support to the deadly campaign.

Also on the list of US arms recipients as per the recently-announced contracts are Qatar, which has requested eight C-17 military cargo jets and spare engines in a pair of contracts totaling $781 million, and Morocco, which is slated to take delivery of 1,200 TOW 2A anti-tank missiles for $108 million.

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Ashton Carter makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 7:15AM

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan to consult with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and US military commanders regarding the future of America's 15-year-long military campaign there.

The outgoing Pentagon chief will also deliver a speech to US troops at Bagram Airfield, the largest US military base in Afghanistan located about 60 kilometers north of the capital Kabul.

This will be Carter's last official trip as Defense Secretary to Afghanistan as he prepares to hand off his military responsibilities to his designated successor, retired Marine General James Mattis.

Carter's visit comes amid questions about what President-elect Donald Trump's foreign policy will be in the country as it faces a renewed Taliban-led insurgency.

Trump has not said how he will approach the Afghanistan situation, though he denounced US nation-building projects during his presidential campaign.

Despite this, his first cabinet appointments suggest that he may receive advice that favors a growing military presence in the country with additional troops and resources.

Mattis oversaw the war in Afghanistan as part of his responsibilities while commander of US Central Command from 2010 to 2013.

And Trump's pick for national security adviser, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, was the director of intelligence at the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan.

There are now about 10,000 American troops in Afghanistan, as well as some 6,000 NATO service members, to "train and advise" Afghan security forces fighting Taliban.

Outgoing US President Barack Obama announced plans in October last year to keep 9,800 US troops in Afghanistan through 2016 and 5,500 in 2017, reneging on his promise to end the war there and bring home most American forces before he leaves office.

Over the past several months, Taliban militants have intensified their pressure with numerous offensives on other key Afghan provinces, including Kunduz and Takhar.

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Russia's Lavrov Sees 'Frantic' Rush On Montenegro NATO Membership

December 09, 2016

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he believes "frantic attempts are being made to pull Montenegro into NATO" before the end of U.S. President Barack Obama's term in January.

Speaking in Germany on December 9 on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Hamburg, Lavrov added that "we are not interfering in this process, but I think that the unattractiveness of these frantic efforts is clear to everyone."

He said that NATO should "hold consultations" with the Montenegrin people over the Balkan country's membership bid.

In October, the government of Montenegro arrested 21 people, including two Russians and three Serbian citizens, on suspicion that they were trying to foment a coup to prevent the election of a government that supported the NATO membership drive.

Last month, NATO Secretary-General Jen Stoltenberg said whether Montenegro joins the alliance is a matter for that country and the 28 NATO member states.

"Any interference into elections in any sovereign nation is absolutely unacceptable," Stoltenberg said.

NATO issued Montenegro a membership invitation in December 2015 and signed an accession protocol in May.

The process of ratifying its membership could be completed by the spring of 2017.

Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/russia-lavrov-nato- montenegro-frantic-rush/28165884.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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Five Things To Watch In Macedonia's Early Elections

Deana Kjuka December 09, 2016

Macedonian voters, having witnessed nearly two years of political scandal and instability, are anxiously looking to their country's long-delayed early parliamentary elections as a way forward.

The vote is scheduled for December 11. But the decision to hold it was first made in February, a year after a massive wiretapping scheme was revealed, implicating members of the ruling party in vote-rigging, widespread corruption, cronyism, and media manipulation.

The massive antigovernment protests that followed ushered in EU mediation that led to the resignation of the prime minister and the installation of a caretaker government. The early elections, announced shortly after Nikola Gruevski stepped down in January, were twice delayed.

With the arrival of the big date, we take a look at what the vote represents to Macedonian voters, and the implications it could have for their country's future.

Fight Against Corruption

There are fears that if the sidelined ruling party, the conservative VMRO-DPMNE, and its coalition partner, the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (BDI), come out on top in the elections, high-ranking officials implicated in the scandal will never be prosecuted.

A Special Public Prosecution office (SJO), run by three women seen as heroines of the street protests, was set up in 2015 on agreement with the four main parties in parliament and the backing of the EU.

It has been investigating criminal allegations that emerged from the wiretaps, including an orchestrated campaign of illegal telephone surveillance of more than 20,000 civilians, political opponents, activists, and journalists, and the misuse of government funds.

Highest-ranking among those implicated is former Prime Minister and VMRO-DPMNE leader Gruevski, although many other high-ranking officials in the former government stand accused as well.

The SJO claims it has evidence that shows that the country's Intelligence Agency (UBK), run by Gruevski's cousin Saso Mijalkov, was behind the wiretaps.

The SJO's 18-month mandate will end in March, and a government led by the VMRO-DPMNE would be unlikely to extend its term. On the other hand, the opposition Social Democrats (SDSM) have promised to eliminate obstacles to the investigation set up by the VMRO-DPMNE, and to speed up the process.

The Democratic Path

The elections stand to have a great impact on the future of the country's judicial independence, rule of law, and free media -- all of which were placed under a microscope amid the scandal.

EU and U.S. envoys have repeatedly pointed out a lack of impartiality in Macedonia's judiciary. A June 2015 report by the European Commission accuses Gruevski of misusing the national security services to control the appointment of judges, public prosecutors, top officials in the public administration, and political opponents.

The government's overt influence on the media has also come under criticism.

Leaked recordings from the wiretapping scandal include a telling example of government pressure. The recordings appear to catch the culture minister in the sidelined government ordering the editor of the national TV station, Sitel, what to air.

International watchdogs have painted a dismal picture of Macedonia's media situation. Freedom House has designated Macedonia as "not free" in its report on press freedom and listed it among the countries that suffered the largest declines in 2015. Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index for 2016 ranked Macedonia 118th, the lowest ranking of all the Balkan states.

EU Membership

A decade ago Macedonia was considered a serious candidate for EU membership, with the main issue being its name dispute with bloc-member Greece, which objects to its northern Balkan neighbor's use of the name.

The EU's list of complaints' has expanded exponentially in the last several years.

As the VMRO-DPMNE tightened its hold and control over the country's institutions while in power, red flags were raised in Brussels. The EU's current list of recommendations has expanded to include issues in the judiciary, freedom of speech, corruption, and crime. The bloc's accession-talks invitation now rests on the precondition that these issues be addressed, notably freedom of expression and the judiciary.

The political crisis following the wiretapping scandal also prompted the EU to demand that Macedonia's political crisis be resolved, and it backed the early elections as a means of realizing that goal.

Russian Influence

The antigovernment protests attracted much attention in Moscow and increased Russian activity in Macedonia. As the country's so-called Colorful Revolution took off in April, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned of destabilization similar to that seen in Ukraine following that country's Euromaidan protests.

A web portal in Macedonia financed by Moscow, Ruska Rec, part of the Russia Beyond The Headlines project, was launched in Macedonia in 2012. Russian capital has also flowed into Macedonia, with much of it appearing to come via Sergei Samsonenko, a Russian business tycoon who was often seen at photo-ops with ruling party head Gruevski and openly supported the ruling party during the 2014 parliamentary elections.

Analysts have noted that pro-government media is often sympathetic toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Interethnic Relations

Relations between ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians, who make up about one-quarter of the population, have been relatively calm in recent years. But the country's current multiethnic harmony could face discord.

The VRMO-DPMNE has portrayed itself as a protector of Macedonians' "ethnic rights" during campaigning, leading critics to accuse the party of inciting ethnic tensions in order to attract votes under the guise of nationalism.

The main opposition party, the SDSM, meanwhile, is challenging the history of citizens voting along ethnic lines.

Opposition leader Zoran Zaev has been actively pursuing the vote of the country's Albanian minority -- who analysts say are disillusioned by the unfulfilled promises of the Albanian political bloc, most notably the ruling party's coalition partner, the ethnic Albanian BDI.

The VRMO-DPMNE has accused the SDSM of seeking to divide Macedonia and make it a bilingual state, the latter of which Zaev says is already guaranteed by the constitution.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan Service

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/macedonia -what-to-watch-early- elections/28167639.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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Outside Russia and OPEC, Few Are Pledging To Cut Oil Output

RFE/RL's Uzbek Service December 09, 2016

Less than half of 14 major oil-producing countries have agreed so far to attend a meeting on December 10 aimed at securing their public commitment to output cuts sought by OPEC, cartel officials said on December 8.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries announced its first major output cut in eight years last month to prop up sagging prices, and said it would seek to supplement its own cuts of 1.2 million barrels a day with commitments to reduce production by producers outside the cartel by another 600,000 barrels.

However, producers outside OPEC so far have fallen short of pledging such a large cut in production. Only Russia has publicly committed to cuts, providing half the amount sought, or 300,000 barrels a day.

It is not clear where the other 300,000 barrels in cuts would come from. So far, only five non-OPEC producers -- Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Mexico and Russia -- have agreed to attend the weekend meeting in Vienna.

Brazil and Norway are no-shows, and the United States -- which consumes all the oil it produces plus some -- is a free-market advocate and was never expected to come.

Outside of Russia, only Oman and Azerbaijan have publicly stated that they are ready to cut production, though they have not specified by how much.

Kazakhstan has said it is undecided. It just started up its Kashagan field after a decade of delays, and stakeholders must start producing next year to recoup $55 billion in investment. It is expected to produce another 200,000 barrels a day in 2017.

While OPEC President Mohammed al-Sada was confident last month that more cuts would be found, OPEC sources said they may fall short of pledges, with one official estimating commitments to cut about 500,000 barrels a day.

Mexico's aging oil fields are in structural decline and it has shown no interest in further cutting its dwindling output.

Russian Energy Minister Aleksandr Novak is scheduled to chair the weekend meeting and has suggested a postponement is possible.

Robert McNally, president of energy-market consultancy The Rapidan Group, said oil producers may have grown complacent since the price of premium crude has catapulted to as high as $55 a barrel since OPEC announced the cuts on November 30.

"My sense is the fear factor is not strong enough to get countries to do anything but promise cuts that they never intend to make," he told CNBC.

"The only time you get real collective cuts, including by non-OPEC, is when prevailing prices are at rock bottom lows."

McNally said even Russia's promised cuts look iffy, given the "litany of hedges, caveats, and conditions" Novak placed on delivering them.

In pledging the cuts, Novak said "Russia will gradually cut output in the first half of 2017 by up to 300,000 barrels per day, on a tight schedule as technical capabilities allow." That statement gives Russia plenty of room to delay or fudge the cuts, analysts said.

With reporting by Reuters, CNBC, and Bloomberg

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/outside-russia- opec-few-pledging-cut-oil-output-novak- vienna-meeting/28164976.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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Russian Helicopters to Deliver Mi-8 Parts to Peruvian Air Force Starting 2017

Sputnik News

14:32 09.12.2016(updated 15:49 09.12.2016)

The Russian Helicopters holding won a tender for supplying the Peruvian Air Force with parts for Mi-8 helicopters and will begin deliveries in 2017, the company's deputy CEO, Grigory Kozlov, said Friday.

ENGELS (Russia) (Sputnik)  According to the deputy CEO, the new contracts will help obstruct the spread of counterfeit parts that put crew and aircraft safety at risk.

"In September 2016, the holding won another tender for delivering spare parts for Mi-8/17 helicopters to the Peruvian Air Force. After signing the corresponding contracts, Peru will start receiving spare parts directly from the manufacturer of the helicopters in the beginning of 2017," Kozlov told reporters.

According to Russian Helicopters company, over 400 Russia-made helicopters are currently being operated in Latin America and the Caribbean. The most popular models are those of the Mil Mi-8/17 series, amounting to 320 units.

 Sputnik

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Honouring victims of genocide, UN chief decries attempts to separate people into 'us and them'

9 December 2016  Marking the second International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon today urged Member States to honour those victims by "working even harder against expressions of hatred, intolerance, racism and xenophobia."

Recalling that while the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted on 9 December 1948, Mr. Ban stressed that "we continue to be confronted with extreme acts of violence against individuals and communities simply because of their national, racial, religious or ethnic identity."

In his message on the Day, the Secretary-General paid tribute to the memory of the victims and encouraged the international community to reaffirm its pledge to prevent such atrocities.

"I am gravely concerned about the rising hostility and prejudice against immigrants and those labelled outsiders. There can be no place for exclusionary or superior views of identity, or for divisive attempts to separate people into 'us and them,' stated the UN chief, warning: "We have seen in the tragedies of history where this dark path can lead."

As such, he called on the international community and Member States to "spare no effort to uphold our moral and legal responsibility to protect populations against genocide." The purpose of the International Day is to raise awareness of the Genocide Convention and its role in combating and preventing the crime of genocide, as defined in the Convention, and to commemorate and honour its victims.

Through the consensus adoption of the resolution that established the Day, the UN General Assembly reiterated the responsibility of each individual State to protect its populations from genocide, which entails the prevention of such a crime, including incitement to it.

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Carter: US Will Remain 'Committed' to Afghanistan

By Ayaz Gul December 09, 2016

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has praised the "growing capabilities and resilience" that Afghan security forces have demonstrated this year in battling the Taliban insurgency and conducting joint operations with American partners against Islamic State terrorists.

During his final visit to Afghanistan as head of the Pentagon before President-elect Donald Trump takes command of America's longest war, Carter emphasized that Washington remains committed to Afghanistan's future.

"The United States presence and continued support to Afghan forces and strategic partnership with the government of Afghanistan demonstrates to the world that America is and will remain committed to a sovereign and secure Afghanistan," said Carter during a joint news conference with President Ashraf Ghani.

Around 10,000 American troops are in Afghanistan. They are tasked to conduct counterterrorism operations against Al Qaeda and IS terrorists, and to train and advise Afghan forces under the larger NATO mission called Resolute Support.

President-elect Trump has given little indication of his foreign policy plans. Afghanistan in particular was not a frequent point of discussion during his campaign.

Secretary Carter praised successes Afghan security forces have made this year against Taliban insurgents with the help of U.S. and its NATO partners.

"They demonstrated their growing capabilities and resilience. And they denied the Taliban its own stated goal of seizing a major population center," he said.

Carter added that U.S. forces together with Afghan partners have recently conducted two large-scale operations against IS, killing its top leader in the country and significantly degrading its capabilities in Afghanistan. Carter is expected to discuss ongoing efforts to continue building Afghan combat capacity, including the country's growing Air Force.

Tough Year for Afghan forces

The Taliban has inflicted record casualties on Afghan security forces during this year's fighting and have made territorial advances, particularly in southern Afghan regions.

The insurgents control roughly 10 percent territory while two-thirds is controlled by the Afghan government and the remainder of the population is contested.

Carter also addressed and thanked American troops for their services and sacrifices while addressing them at Bagram, the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan. Commander of the Resolute Support mission also spoke on the occasion.

"Our policy of having an enduring counterterrorism effort alongside Afghan partners is, in my view, very sound  something that we need to continue," said Nicholson.

Incoming President Trump has nominated retired Marine General James Mattis to be the next Pentagon chief. Afghanistan will be one of the major challenges facing the new administration, say analysts.

Taliban insurgents allegedly continue to use sanctuaries in neighboring Pakistan to plot and guide insurgent attacks in Afghanistan. Islamabad denies the charges.

Russia-Taliban ties

Afghan and American officials are also increasingly worried about Russia's growing ties with the Taliban amid concerns it could further complicate the Afghan war.

Russian ambassador to Kabul, Alexander Mantytskiy on Thursday acknowledged Moscow's contacts with the Islamist insurgency.

However, Mantytskiy insisted, the contacts with the Taliban are aimed at ensuring the safety of Russian citizens and diplomatic missions in Afghanistan, and encouraging the insurgents to come to the table for peace talks with Kabul.

He also dismissed U.S.allegations that Moscow is arming the Taliban, saying they are aimed at distracting attention from the worsening Afghan conflict.

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Suicide Bombing Kills 30 in Nigerian Market

By Joshua Fatzick December 09, 2016

At least 30 people are dead in northeast Nigeria after a pair of female suicide bombers struck the busy market Friday morning, Nigeria's army said.

The army blamed the attack on the Boko Haram Islamist group, which has been known to use women and young girls to launch suicide attacks, though the group did not immediately claim responsibility for the bombing.

"The two bombers, who [were] disguised as customers, detonated their suicide belts at the section of the market selling grains and second-hand clothing," said Yusuf Muhammad, of the Madagali local government.

Army spokesman Maj. Badere Akintoye said that, in addition to those who were killed, 67 wounded people were transported to a local hospital.

The Madagali area had been under Boko Haram control for several months last year before it was liberated by Nigeria's military. Boko Haram still keeps a stronghold in the nearby Sambisa Forest.

Boko Haram has launched several similar attacks in the Madagali area over the past year. In December 2015, two female suicide bombers killed 30 people at a bus station near the same market, and in June, a militant attack on a funeral left 18 people dead.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said Boko Haram had been "technically defeated" in December 2015, but the attacks continue.

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For transferring passengers body money was raised just on board (video)

Unfortunate incident happened during Moscow-Yerevan flight. The plane made an emergency landing in the city of Mineralnye Vody, as the health condition of 60-year-old passenger suddenly deteriorated. After the landing, the doctors were not able to save his life. One of the witnesses, political expert Armen Grigoryan told A1+ that it was not allowed to transfer the body of the passenger to Yerevan by the same plane and according to his information, the body of the man is still in the city of Mineralnye Vody. After the landing his relatives wanted to transfer the body by the same flight, as they have financial problems with further transfer into Armenia, but it wasnt allowed by the law. When the passengers learnt about the problem, they decided to raise money to help the family, he told. Armen Grigoryan had difficulty to answer how much money was raised but he stated that the money had been already transferred to the relatives of the dead. Moscow-Yerevan plane arrived in Yerevan after having stayed in Mineralnye Vody for three hours. Video from Armen Grigoryans Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/armenvgrigoryan/videos/10206326796607769/
Strained US-Philippine Ties Show Signs of Improvement

By Ralph Jennings December 09, 2016

Relations between the United States and one of its oldest allies, the Philippines, show signs of returning to normal after a crisis in September when the president in Manila demanded Washington withdraw military support and talked of a deeper break in ties with the superpower.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump congratulated Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in a call this month on his deadly campaign to squelch the drug trade, according to the Philippine side. The government of U.S. President Barack Obama had angered Duterte, who took office in June, by criticizing the effort because of suspected extrajudicial killings.

Trump also invited Duterte to visit the White House, part of a chain of overtures to traditional U.S. allies in Asia, including Japan.

"What Trump is doing is trying to (take back) the ground that the U.S. has lost in the last phase of the Obama presidency and strengthen partnerships and alliances that the U.S. already has in the region," said Fabrizio Bozzato, an associate researcher specialized in international affairs at Tamkang University in Taiwan.

Ambassador's talk 'fruitful'

The Philippine president's office cited a "fruitful" one-hour discussion between Duterte and new U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim this week, media in Manila reported.

In a Facebook video posted by the U.S. embassy in Manila, Kim called the encounter terrific and said it covered a range of issues.

"My hope and my plan and my commitment is to make sure to strengthen and deepen all aspects of our relationship, so I think you can expect the relationship will continue to grow," he said.

Rough patch not that rough

In September, Duterte called Obama a vulgar name, suggested scaling back economic ties and demanded that U.S. military personnel leave the country.

Manila has been one of Washington's chief Asian allies since the two sides signed a mutual defense treaty in 1951.

Since 2002, 50 to 100 American advisers have worked in the archipelago's southwest helping keep Muslim rebels in check. Since the two sides signed an agreement in 2014, American naval personnel have visited to help the country watch for Chinese ships in contested waters.

The United States, a former colonizer of the Philippines, also gives many work visas to Filipinos and was the country's No. 2 source of foreign direct investment after Japan in 2013.

Analysts expect the upswing in ties to continue. Duterte has not scrapped any agreements with the United States, and the two sides weathered an even deeper falling out in the early 1990s with the closure of two U.S. military bases, said Christian de Guzman, vice president and senior credit officer with Moody's in Singapore.

"They've gone through rough patches before, and by no means do we think that the rough patch between Duterte and latter months of the Obama administration was the roughest," de Guzman said.

In September, the notoriously rough-spoken Duterte was seeking only less dependence on U.S. aid rather than a complete cut, part of a multicountry foreign policy, analysts say. He has visited China and Japan and contacted Russia's prime minister since taking office.

"Duterte's objective was never to completely shift to China and abandon the kind of relationship the Philippines have had with the U.S. for decades," Bozzato said. "Rather Duterte is trying to balance between China and the U.S. in order to maximize the kind of aid or political support he can get from both of the big guys in the region."

Strong Philippine-U.S. ties should bring factory investment from American companies, said Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist with Banco de Oro UniBank in Metro Manila.

In 2013 the United States invested $1.3 billion in the Philippines.

"The warming relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines could create that new spark similarly to that of President Ramos during his term," Ravelas said. "His relationship with the U.S. was strong, and it was during those times you had seen the likes of FedEx being here in the Philippines."

Brace for Trump

But experts warn that the Philippines should brace for more protectionist trade and investment policies under Trump.

Those policies might make it harder for people in the still largely impoverished country to get U.S. work visas and discourage American firms from using offshore bases such as call centers, a driver for the fast-growing Philippine economy.

About 1.8 million Filipinos work in the United States, sending back a major chunk of the $20 billion-plus in remittances from other countries each year.

The Philippine call center industry began in 2004 with an American investor and has expanded to employ about 1 million people, with expected revenues of $25 billion in 2016.

"I think that the source of concern in financial markets at the moment is Trump economic policy," de Guzman said. "He says he may have incentives or disincentives for American companies looking to offshore jobs or place overseas investment."

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Obama orders full review of 2016 election hacking

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 9:30PM

US President Barack Obama has ordered a full review of alleged hacking by the Russians into the 2016 election, says the White House.

"The President has directed the Intelligence Community to conduct a full review of what happened during the 2016 election process. It is to capture lessons learned from that and to report to a range of stakeholders," White House Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Adviser Lisa Monaco told reporters on Friday.

Monaco said that Obama had ordered intelligence agencies to deliver a report before he leaves office on January 20.

Moscow and Washington have long been at odds over claims by American intelligence officials about an attempt by the Kremlin to disrupt the November 8 presidential election, when Republican Donald Trump defeated his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

The allegations against Russia first came a few months before the election, when the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks released thousands of emails belonging to the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

The hacked emails were provided to WikiLeaks via a hacker who goes by the name "Guccifer 2.0" and is deemed Russian by American intelligence agencies.

The hacking prompted warnings from Clinton's campaign against what the former first lady and her aides called foreign interference in favor of Trump.

Moscow, however, has constantly denied the accusations, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying that Russia "on a state level has never done this."

Monaco said that the review "is consistent with the work that we did over the summer to engage Congress on the threats that we were seeing."

Later on Friday, White House spokesman Eric Schultz said that the measure "is a major priority for the president of the United States."

Schultz said that the review would be a "deep drive" which would be carried out into such behavior over several years, as far back as the US presidential election in 2008.

The Russian government on Friday denied the allegations again, calling on Washington to show evidence of its involvement.

"We are also very interested in understanding what they accused Russia of," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. "Many times the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have asked Americans to provide full information. But never had any response."

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Alleged Russian Cyberattacks Review to Look at Full US Election Cycle

Sputnik News

21:49 09.12.2016(updated 21:53 09.12.2016)

According to a White House deputy press secretary, US President Barack Obama's directive to conduct a full review of alleged Russian cyber interference will include the 2008 presidential election.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  US President Barack Obama's directive to conduct a full review of alleged Russian cyber interference will include the 2008 presidential election, White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Shultz said during a briefing on Friday.

"President asked for review looking at our full presidential election cycle, going back to 2008," Schultz told reporters.

According to Shultz, outgoing US President Barack Obama expects to receive a full review of alleged Russian cyber interference in the 2016 US election before he leaves office on January 20.

"This is a major priority for the president of the United States," Shultz told reporters. "He expects that report to be issued to him before he leaves office."

Shultz noted that the review of alleged Russian cyber activities is not an effort to challenge the outcome of the US presidential election.

Moreover, Obama's ordered review into alleged hacking of US election systems will not be limited to allegations against Russia, and will consider all foreign actors, Schultz added.

"The intrusion in 2008 was publicly attributed to the Chinese, not to the Russians, so yes, we will be looking at all foreign actors and any attempt to interfere with the elections," Schultz told reporters.

 Sputnik

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Pentagon Claims China Preparing Anti-Satellite Missile Test

Sputnik News

01:11 10.12.2016(updated 02:30 10.12.2016)

Beijing is gearing up to test fire a powerful new asymmetric-warfare weapon, a missile designed to destroy satellites in space.

Pentagon officials detected preparations for testing the Dong Neng-3 anti-satellite missile at a military facility in Central China, according to the Free Beacon. Beijing announcing the closure of airspace along the DN-3's presumed flight path on December 7, and December 8 clued in US intelligence agencies to their plans.

According to Asia Affair writer Henri Kenhman, test firing may occur at the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Jiuquan satellite launch site in inner Mongolia, along with the Korla launch site in Western China's Xinjiang region. Beijing's last anti-satellite missile test took place at the Korla complex, in October 2015.

China has conducted its anti-satellite missile program under the guise of a missile-defense system since 2007, when a ballistic-missile test left detritus in orbit around the Earth. The US, Japan, Australia and other nations joined in international condemnation of Beijing.

A British government spokesman told the Telegraph at the time, "We are concerned about the impact of debris in space and we expressed that concern," adding that the UK also took issue with the "lack of consultation and we believe that this development of this technology and the manner in which this test was conducted is inconsistent with the spirit of China's statements to the UN and other bodies on the military use of space."

In February of 2015 Frank Rose, assistant secretary of state for arms control, verification, and compliance acknowledged Beijing was engaging in clandestine testing in 2014.

"Despite China's claims that this was not an ASAT test; let me assure you the United States has high confidence in its assessment, that the event was indeed an ASAT testThe continued development and testing of destructive ASAT systems is both destabilizing and threatens the long-term security and sustainability of the outer space environment," he said.

The Pentagon drafted a report on the Chinese military, claiming that, "The PLA is acquiring a range of technologies to improve China's counterspace capabilitiesIn addition to the development of directed energy weapons and satellite jammers, China is also developing anti-satellite capabilities and has probably made progress on the anti-satellite missile system it tested in July 2014."

The DN-3 is likely based on the Kuaizhou-1 (KZ-1) mobile space vehicle, according to Richard Fisher, a specialist in the military affairs of China. He detailed that the missile can reach satellites in orbit at a distance of 18,640 miles or above, putting it well within the range of US satellites, which orbit 186 to 620 miles above Earth.

"The bottom line," Rose stated, "is that the PLA now has at least two deployed ground-launched, mobile, solid fueled direct-ascent ASAT [anti-satellite] systems and may be able to soon field two more larger third generation ground-launched ASAT systems."

Also in development in China is the Long March-11 (LM-11), another mobile-transporter space launch vehicle.

 Sputnik

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China Charges Lawyer Treason After Recent Disappearance

By Joyce Huang December 09, 2016

China is showing no sign of easing its crackdown on the nation's rights defenders.

Earlier this week, rights lawyer Li Heping was officially indicted, and the whereabouts of three other rights activists, including public interest lawyer Jiang Tianyong, are unknown more than two weeks after they disappeared.

Li's wife, Wang Qianling, learned of her husband's indictment days after she and attorney Ma Lianshun began pressing authorities in Tianjin for an answer.

Treason charge

"Today [on Thursday], Ms. Wang went to [the procuratorate in] Tianjin again and confirmed that Li is formally charged with treason. No more details were given," Ma told VOA.

Wang hired Ma to defend Li, one of the country's best-known lawyers, who was taken away from his home in Beijing during the Communist Party's sweeping crackdown on rights activists last July.

But the lawyer has never been allowed to meet his client, and the authorities, by putting Li in detention where he is incommunicado, have not followed due process of law.

Ma said Li's situation is like a "boiling black pot with its lid on for no one to see clearly."

Guilty verdict expected

What's clear, however, may be Li's fate. Experience shows that he may soon be put on trial and most likely be forced to plead guilty even before a verdict is reached.

But Ma called the treason charge against Li ridiculous, arguing that the detained lawyer has done nothing other than advocate for basic human rights.

The attorney suspects Li's anti-torture, anti-death-penalty studies, funded by overseas organizations, are the main reason behind his treason charge, although the offense is hard to justify.

"In our view, human rights should transcend sovereignty," Ma said, "Our country's record of human rights hasn't been ideal. Thus, the nature of [Li's] studies, which aimed to promote human rights, should have been academic, rational and peaceful. That was far from subverting state power."

Over the past few years, Li had defended underground Christians, political dissidents and followers of the banned group Falun Gong, as well as the blind "barefoot" lawyer Chen Guangcheng, all of which have irked Chinese authorities, Ma said.

Ineffective crackdown

Ma argued that the government's crackdown has done the opposite of silencing outspoken lawyers. Instead, it has revealed the fallacy of those in power as the support for detained members of the country's civil rights community has grown domestically and internationally.

Despite that, authorities continue to suppress dissident lawyers and rights activists. Jiang and two other rights campaigners, Huang Qi and Liu Feiyue, have been missing since late November. And their whereabouts remain unknown, said Chen Jinxue, who represents Jiang.

Jiang's enforced disappearance

Over the past two weeks, Chen has accompanied Jiang's father to file a police report on Jiang's disappearance. But the public security apparatus has either refused to launch an investigation or made things difficult for them, Chen said.

Among other things, police have asked Jiang's father to prove his relationship with his son or retrieve surveillance camera footage in Changsha himself, signs of deliberate inaction by police, according to Chen.

Jiang allegedly went missing after November 21 while boarding a train from Changsha in Hunan province. Jiang was traveling to Hunan to try to arrange a meeting with Xie Yang, a lawyer arrested in last year's crackdown of rights activists, and was accompanied by Xie's wife and lawyers.

Jiang never made it back to Beijing and is suspected to have been forcefully detained.

"The overall trend of arresting rights lawyers has apparently continued. Jiang is another target of the massive crackdown since July 9, 2015," Chen said.

By law, police should have informed Jiang's family of his whereabouts within 24 hours of his arrest.

At risk of torture

If he is under secret detention, Jiang would be at risk of torture. He had been beaten repeatedly during his previous enforced disappearances, which hurt his memory and hearing abilities, his wife Jin Bianling told VOA.

"I'm extremely worried that he may be tortured again. Also, he needs medication to lower his blood pressure. Without his medicines, he will be in a bad shape," Jin said.

Jin, who lives in the U.S. with her daughter, has initiated a campaign online, urging China's public security to investigate Jiang's disappearance soon or hold those responsible for his secret detention accountable.

The campaign has, so far, garnered hundreds of signatures from supporters in an open letter addressed to head of China's Public Security Bureau.

Jin also expressed concerns over her husband's disappearance at a hearing organized by the State Council in Washington on Wednesday.

Rights groups, including experts from the United Nations and Freedom House, have also issued statements to express similar concerns.

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DPRK FM Spokesman Denounces Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK Friday gave the following answer to a question raised by KCNA as regards the fact that the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights pulled up the DPRK over the issue of divided families in the north and the south of Korea:

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights slandered the DPRK in a "report" on the issue of divided families in the north and the south on Dec. 7, citing all sorts of fabricated information that the north "abducted" someone.

The DPRK resolutely rejects the above-said "report" peppered with lies and fabrications cooked up by the south Korean authorities published by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights despite its repeated warnings, branding this as hostile act against the DPRK.

As already the DPRK clarified several times, it has nothing to do with the word of abduction.

The suspension of the reunion of the divided families and relatives which had been regularly arranged thanks to the positive measures and sincere efforts of the DPRK in the past is entirely attributable to the south Korean authorities' acts of bringing the inter-Korean relations to complete collapse by ceaselessly luring and abducting citizens of the DPRK.

In April last the south Korean authorities mobilized gangsters of the Intelligence Service to abduct a group of more than 10 women citizens of the DPRK in a foreign country and the chief executive of south Korea openly agitated "defection from the north". This proves that the south Korean authorities are a group of inhumane criminals whose main job is abduction.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights made public the above-said "report" at the time when the south Korean authorities are hit hard from all sides for the "Park Geun Hye scandal". This is the unreasonable action taken by the Office away from the principle of objectivity and impartiality, which keep the Office alive, following the south Korean authorities keen to seek a way out in escalating the north-south confrontation.

If the Office is truly concerned for the solution of the issue of the divided families and relatives, it should bring charges against the chief executive of south Korea resorting to undisguised agitation of "defection from the north" and the gangsters of the Intelligence Service of south Korea that lured and abducted a group of women citizens of the DPRK in broad daylight, to begin with, and demand the south Korean authorities send back those to the DPRK at once. -0-

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Human rights violations in DPR Korea 'warning signs of instability and conflict,' Security Council told

9 December 2016  Citing human rights violations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), senior United Nations officials today highlighted the need for the Security Council to pay attention to the situation "of great concern."

"History teaches us that serious human rights violations are warning signs of instability and conflict," Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said in a briefing requested by nine of the Council's 15 members.

France, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States and Uruguay had sent a letter to the Council President, seeking further information from the UN Secretariat on this situation and its implications for international peace and security.

"Abduction of foreign nationals, enforced disappearances and people fleeing desperate situations all demonstrate the links between human rights, humanitarian crisis and international peace and security," Mr. Eliasson said.

He also said that the international community has collective responsibilities to protect the country's population from the most serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, live up to the principle and norm of the Responsibility to Protect and consider the wider implications of the human rights situation for regional stability.

Last week, the Security Council adopted a resolution toughening its sanctions on the DPRK, aiming to step up pressure on the country to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

In the text, the Council "condemns the DPRK for pursuing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles instead of the welfare of its people while people in the DPRK have great unmet needs, and emphasizes the necessity of the DPRK respecting and ensuring the welfare and inherent dignity of people in the DPRK."

This was the first time the Council specifically requested the DPRK to respect and ensure the welfare and inherent dignity of people in its territory, Mr. Eliasson said, noting that about 70 per cent of the population of the DPRK, or 18 million people, are considered food insecure, a quarter has inadequate access to health services and a fifth lacks access to clean water and proper sanitation. Stunting is a rampant phenomenon among children.

In line with the "no one left behind" principle of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UN humanitarian and development support must be decoupled from geopolitical considerations, he stressed.

No improvement in 'truly appalling' situation

Also addressing the Council was Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Andrew Gilmour, who provided more details on human rights violations in the DPRK.

"There has been no improvement in the truly appalling human rights violations in the country," he said.

He noted that the Commission of Inquiry on the human rights situation in the DPRK found that numerous crimes against humanity were committed and ongoing, including extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions and other sexual violence, persecution on political, religious, racial and gender grounds, the forcible transfer of populations, the enforced disappearance of persons and the inhumane act of knowingly causing prolonged starvation.

He said that in the past 12 months, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has conducted more than 110 interviews with persons who had left the DPRK. A major issue that emerged was the treatment of people in the custody of law enforcement agencies. "All of those who had been detained stated that they were subject to, or witnessed, practices that clearly contravened international human rights standards," he said.

The General Assembly has again in its resolution this year encouraged the Security Council to take appropriate action to ensure accountability, including through consideration of a referral of the situation in the DPRK to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Improvement in human rights in the country will not only protect the livelihoods and dignity of people in DPRK but also promote long-term security and stability in the region and beyond, he said.

"Escalated security tensions, however, will further isolate the country and leave the DPRK population as usual to bear the terrible consequences, at yet further expense of their human rights," he warned.

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China Fails to Block UN Meeting on North Korea Rights

By Margaret Besheer December 09, 2016

The U.N. Security Council discussed the situation of human rights in North Korea on Friday, despite efforts by China to block it.

It was only the third time the 15-nation council has taken up the issue, usually reserved for other bodies, including the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly. The council has held what has become an annual meeting on the topic since December 2014.

"China is against deliberations by the Security Council on DPRK's human rights situation," China's ambassador Liu Jieyi said as he tried to stop the public discussion going ahead. "The Security Council is not a forum for discussing human rights issues, and still less for the politicization of the human rights issue," he said.

China failed to secure the necessary nine votes to derail the meeting. Only Russia, Venezuela, Angola and Egypt objected to the session.

While China objects to the discussion of Pyongyang's human rights abuses in the council, it has not objected to additional targeted sanctions on the rogue regime for its nuclear and ballistic missile tests. Last week, Beijing joined the rest of the council in unanimously approving the latest round of tough measures aimed at bringing North Korea in line with its international obligations.

Rights Abuses

A 2014 Commission of Inquiry Report commissioned by the U.N. Human Rights Council, detailed widespread, systematic and gross human rights violations in the DPRK, including torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, executions and inhumane treatment.

"The deplorable human rights situation in the DPRK remains unchanged," U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told council members.

She said that 2016 has seen an increasingly aggressive North Korea, with numerous ballistic missile launches and two nuclear tests. "This behavior affirms what we have long stated - when governments flagrantly violate the human rights of their own people, they almost always show similar disdain for the international norms that help ensure our shared security," Power said.

"The people in North Korea, as such, are destined to live a miserable life from the very moment of their birth, trapped in the state machinery that systematically tramples on their basic human rights," said South Korea's newly arrived U.N. Ambassador Cho Tae-yul. "The leadership in Pyongyang shamelessly employs a reign of terror merely for the sake of the survival of his regime," he said in reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

"History teaches us that serious human rights violations are warning signs of instability and conflict," U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the council.

"The patterns of grave violations of human rights in the DPRK have repeatedly been established," Eliasson said. "The authorities have given no effective commitment to remedy the situation," he added.

North Korea continues to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on its illicit nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Meanwhile, the U.N. says some 70 percent of the population  about 18 million people  are food insecure. The U.N. says about $145 million are required to address the country's critical humanitarian needs.

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US Official: North Korea's Nuclear Capabilities Growing

By Carla Babb December 09, 2016

North Korea now has the capability to launch a nuclear weapon, but it may not be able to hit its intended target, according to a senior U.S. military official.

The Pentagon believes Pyongyang can mount a warhead on a missile, but North Korea has not developed the capabilities needed for the warhead to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and strike a specific area, the official told reporters Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"It is the threat that keeps me awake at night," the senior military official said. "And that's why they continue to test their systems out there."

Army's I Corps ready to fight

In March, a top U.S. admiral said that North Korea may have figured out how to make a nuclear warhead small enough to fit on a long-range missile, bringing Pyongyang closer to its goal of developing a weapon capable of reaching continental U.S.

Pyongyang has conducted two nuclear tests so far this year and the country has made steady progress since Kim Jong Un came to power in 2011.

In the event of a North Korean attack, Lt. General Stephen Lanza, the commander of the Army's I Corps based on the U.S. Pacific coast, said his troops are ready to "fight tonight."

Multinational exercises a must

I Corps is headquartered in Washington state, but Lanza said the corps has several troops positioned forward in Hawaii to aid tens of thousands of U.S. troops already stationed in Korea should an attack arise.

In an interview with VOA, Lanza stressed the importance of multinational military exercises to prepare nations on how to work together in critical times.

The U.S. Army conducts heavy-equipment military exercises known as Pacific Pathways each year in the region. Lanza says that South Korea will be one of four stops on the next Pacific Pathway, which is scheduled in 2017.

I Corps also plans to conduct annual war games called Ulchi-Freedom Guardian with South Korea in August.

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Indian Defense Minister Keeps Eye on Pakistan's Nuclear Expansion

Sputnik News

20:20 09.12.2016

What is making India anxious is that in a decade Pakistan may have the world's third largest stockpile of nuclear warheads.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  New Delhi is keeping a close eye on Pakistan's nuclear expansion and is taking all steps to safeguard its national interests, India's Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar informed Parliament on Friday.

"The government is aware of reports on the expansion of Pakistan's capability for fissile material production for nuclear weapons. The government continues to monitor development in this regard and is committed to taking all necessary steps to safeguard national security and respond to any threat suitably and adequately," Parrikar informed the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament.

Compared to India's stockpile of 100-120 nuclear warheads, Pakistan possesses 110-130, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. However, Pakistan may have the capability to produce 20 nuclear warheads annually, says a research publication by two American experts  Tom Dalton and Michael Krepon.

In their research paper 'A Normal Nuclear Pakistan', the duo argue that Pakistan could have the third-biggest nuclear stockpile within a decade producing 20 nuclear warheads annually taking its total arsenal to 350 weapons, as reported by Indo-Asian News Service. The report also says that Pakistan operates four plutonium production reactors, while India operates one with the capability of producing about five warheads annually.

 Sputnik

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Arrest of Ex-Service Chief Heralds Major Indian Crackdown on Dodgy Defense Deals

Sputnik News

20:17 09.12.2016

Indian probe agencies are looking into half a dozen defense deals where there is evidence of corrupt practices. For the first time in India, a former Indian Air Force chief has been arrested for corruption.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  As India's demonetization drive to eliminate black money stutters, the Government has opened another front to crackdown on corruption.

In what could be a signal to those who have taken the corrupt route to win Indian defense tenders in the past, India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested former Indian Air Force Chief SP Tyagi and two others over alleged corrupt practices in the $ 753 mn AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.

"They were arrested on the allegations of accepting illegal gratification for exercising influence through corrupt or illegal means," said the CBI, India's premier investigating agency for probing corruption in high places.

CBI sources revealed that the arrested people had shown undue favor to the Italian firm AgustaWestland Ltd and helped it win a contract through illegal means.

India had signed a deal to purchase 12 luxury helicopters from AgustaWestland. The contract was annulled after an initial probe revealed changes in technical parameters to accommodate the AgustaWestland chopper in the tender. Earlier this month, a special Indian court had issued non-bailable warrants (NBW) against a British national and alleged middleman Christian Michel James in this case.

The Modi government began investigating all deals entered by his predecessor and last month, registered a money laundering case in connection with another aircraft deal. It was alleged a Brazilian company has paid $ 5.76 mn in bribe to defense consultant Vipin Khanna to bag the deal for the sale of three aircraft to the Defense Research and Development Organization, said CBI.

In addition, a case under the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) for alleged commission in award of contract for upgunning 130 mm field guns to 155 mm to Soltam Ltd of Israel has been registered by Directorate of Enforcement. The case is under investigation," Subhash Bhamre, India's Minister of State for Defense, said in Parliament on Friday.

Sources say that Indian government has also ordered inquiry into a deal for Swiss made basic trainer aircraft Pilatus.

India's Ministry of Defense documents reveal that it has already debarred six firms from further business dealings for a period of ten years. Apart from this, the Indian government has also suspended business dealings with 13 firms. The government has recently issued guidelines for penalties in business dealings with entities.

As per a report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in February this year, India's share in international arms imports during 2011-2015 was 14 per cent.

Since 2014, Indian government has signed 135 contracts with a total value of approximately $ 29 billion for capital procurement of defense equipment such as aircraft, helicopters, rifles, rockets, missiles, radars, UAVs, frigates, ammunition and simulators.

 Sputnik

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India, China in Indian Ocean Tug of War?

Sputnik News

15:26 09.12.2016

The Indian Ocean is no longer an idyllic commons as both India and China are stepping up naval activity. For India, three regional hotspots are of concern because of increasing Chinese naval interest.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  India trying to aggressively safeguard its interests in the wake of a spurt in Chinese naval activity in the eastern Indian Ocean which it considers as its backyard.

According to a top official in the Ministry of External Affairs, India-Sri Lanka relations were crucial for India to make its presence strongly felt in the Indian Ocean. India was initially optimistic of Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's support but the recent signals from Colombo have dampened its optimism in this respect.

Sri Lanka's inclination towards China despite Srisena's initial announcements of scrapping some major deals with Beijing is a major concern for India.

India has another area of concern about 3,000 kms north of Colombo. This is the Gwadar port in Pakistan that is turning into a hub for passing Chinese Navy ships. China also plans to deploy warships to safeguard the Gwadar port, a warm water gateway to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The two spheres of Chinese naval activity in its neighbourhood has compelled the Indian Navy to closely monitor the activity around Gwadar port.

The third regional naval hotspot for India is Bangladesh after Dhaka agreed to buy two submarines from China.

"The security situation in the Indian Ocean region so fragile that India has to adopt the policy of "prepare for war and plan to conquer" rather than "prepare for war but hope for peace". India is adopting the strategy of projection of power in the region. Considering the geo-political environment in the Indian Ocean region, India will have to implement its strategy without any support as several of its Indian Ocean allies are hobnobbing with China," former Indian diplomat, Yogendra Kumar who had served in Philippines and Central Asian countries, told Sputnik.

He further added that, "there are reports of Sri Lanka's plans to sell a major stake in Hambantota port to China. This is really a concern for India. Clearly, China is stepping up its operations in the Indian Ocean which will have greater ramifications."

Therefore, India has adopted a two pronged strategy. First is to keep a close eye on Chinese naval activity in eastern Indian Ocean and second, to aggressively push for dominance in the region.

 Sputnik

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Zarif says commitment to JCPOA is to US benefit

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tokyo, Dec 9, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is a multilateral treaty and it will be to the benefit of the US and other sides to remain committed to such internationally recognized treaty.

Addressing a group of Japanese intellectuals working on international affairs (JLLA), he said nuclear deal is not a bilateral agreement between Iran and the US to enable the US to resume talks or walk it out, but it is a type of agreement that the European Union has been directly directly involved in it and the United Nations has approved it through a Security Council resolution.

It will be to the benefit of the US and other parties to remain committed to such an international agreement, he said.

On a question about US sanctions on banking transactions with Iran in dollar, Zarif said it is the US which has deprived itself on dollar-based economic transactions with Iran and for the same reason Iran will deal with other countries with their own national monetary system and with Japan with Yen or Euro.

Zarif emphasized that in modern world each country is entitled to exert its effect on the international system.

The era of monopoly is over and non-governmental organizations are now turned into major players and it can be seen that some organizations have effects on global developments, he said.

After the Cold War and disintegration of the Soviet Union, many people assumed that a new century has statrted for the US and the war in Afghanistan was to bring about a new world order, but it led to formation and bolstering of terrorism and extremism, said Zarif.

He stressed that in resolving global issues, one cannot trust win-lose games since they lead to zero sum games.

Irania foreign minister said the same rule should be now applied to Syria as the balance of power between the government forces and their opponents could not be disturbed based on win-lose game.

1430**1771

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Army Ground Forces to hold major drill in southeast Iran

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 1:25PM

A senior Iranian military commander says the Army's Ground Forces will stage a major military maneuver in the southeastern parts of the country with the aim of boosting their combat readiness.

Brigadier General Kiomars Heidari, the new Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces, told IRIB on Friday that the three-day drill will start on Sunday in an area of 200,000 square meters.

"This maneuver will be staged at three tactical phases with the use of state-of-the-art equipment," Heidari said.

He added that such modern equipment had been deployed in previous drills but the Iranian Ground Forces have upgraded their quality and will study their new precision and range during the upcoming exercise.

The commander noted that the Ground Forces plan to test different techniques and tactics developed by young Iranian officers.

In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems.

"The Army's Ground Forces are responsible for maintaining the country's territorial integrity," Heidari said.

He emphasized that given the features of the wars in the future, the Army's Ground Forces must have the capability to counter any potential act of aggression by enemies in the shortest possible time.

Iran has conducted major military drills over recent years to enhance the defense capabilities of its Armed Forces and to test modern military tactics and state-of-the-art army equipment.

The Islamic Republic maintains that its military might poses no threat to other countries, stating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence.

Back in May, the Iranian Army's Ground Forces successfully test-fired domestically-manufactured short-range N-6 and N-10 Naze'at and Fajr 5 rockets during a major maneuver.

The two-day exercise, code-named Beit-ul-Muqaddas 28, was held in a desert area in the central province of Isfahan. Long-range artillery of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces also hit predetermined targets during the drill.

The Iranian Army's Ground Forces successfully held Beit ul-Muqaddas 27 drills in Isfahan Province in May 2015.

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Iraqi Special Forces win back 3 districts in eastern Mosul

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 4:12PM

Iraqi government forces have established full control over three more neighborhoods in the eastern quarter of Mosul as they try to drive Takfiri Daesh terrorists out of the northern city in joint operations with allied fighters and Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

On Friday, Iraqi Special Operations Forces managed to liberate the neighborhoods of Adl, al-E'lam and al-Ta'mim in the eastern part of Mosul, located some 400 kilometers north of the capital Baghdad, and raised the national Iraqi flag over a number of buildings there, Arabic-language al-Forat news agency reported.

Scores of Daesh members were killed and injured during the fierce exchanges of gunfire between government forces and the extremists.

The development came on the same day that pro-government fighters from Popular Mobilization Units, also known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha'abi, defused a car bomb in the strategic Tal Abtah region west of Mosul.

Additionally, the Iraqi Defense Ministry announced that Iraq's Air Force fighter jets had carried out a string of airstrikes against Daesh positions in the eastern and western flanks of Mosul, killing dozens of the Takfiris in the process.

Iraqi warplanes pounded a missile depot in Mosul's eastern neighborhood of Rashidiya, before targeting a workshop for booby-trapping vehicles and manufacturing bombs near a train station in western Mosul.

Another Daesh position was bombarded in Mosul's western al-Mansour district as well.

Separately, Iraqi jets, based on information from the Directorate General for Intelligence and Security, launched precision strikes against a Daesh arms depot in Qadisiyah district.

Iraqi army soldiers and their allied forces launched joint operations on October 17 to retake Mosul from Daesh terrorists.

The Iraqi forces' advance has however been slowed down due to the presence of hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of whom are prevented from leaving Mosul by Daesh.

The United Nations says more than 82,000 civilians have experienced forced displacement in the wake of Mosul liberation operation.

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Iraqi Troops Recapture Three Northern Districts in Mosul

Sputnik News

13:33 09.12.2016

The Iraqi army managed to recapture 3 districts of Mosul  Nawafel, Simyak and Abbassiya, security sources were quoted by Iraqi press as saying Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  According to the Defense Ministry's War Media Cell, the number of districts recaptured from Daesh terrorist group is now at least 24.

Military and police commanders claim the government forces now control nearly 50 percent of the eastern part of Mosul. However, they admit that Daesh troops show fierce resistance with use of booby-traps and suicide attacks.

Commanders also underlined that one of the factors that slow down operations against terrorists holding Mosul is security of civilians that are caught within the battlefield.

The operation in Mosul has been ongoing since October 17. The offensive is led by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Iraqi soldiers backed by the US-led anti-terror coalition.

 Sputnik

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Israel, S Africa conducted nuclear test in 1979: Declassified documents

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 10:11PM

A new trove of declassified documents indicates that Israel and the Apartheid regime of South Africa conducted a joint nuclear test in the South Atlantic Ocean nearly four decades ago.

At the dawn of September 22, 1979, the American VELA spy satellite registered a double flash of light over the ocean, hundreds of kilometers off the coast of South Africa, that caused panic in the administration of then US President Jimmy Carter, leading to speculations that the mysterious phenomenon could be created by two prime suspects, namely South Africa and Israel.

Two months later, a special panel, assigned by the White House and composed of eight experts, launched an investigation into the incident but could not determine whether the detected signal had been the result of a "nuclear explosion" or just the "reflection of sunlight from a small meteoroid or a piece of space debris passing near the satellite."

Later, it was alleged that US officials interfered in the panel's deliberations and tipped the final report against the idea of a joint test by the two regimes.

An array of inconclusive and contradictory claims regarding the mysterious flash has been offered ever since, with Washington adopting the satellite's technical malfunction scenario and not the nuclear one.

On Thursday, however, Georgetown University's National Security Archive published declassified documents, through an article, on its website, shedding new light on the flash of light, and strongly suggesting that based on the aftereffects and intelligence gathered at the time, the incident was in fact a nuclear explosion conducted by the two regimes.

The documents were released from the estate of Gerard Smith, a former ambassador and special envoy on nuclear nonproliferation issues in Carter's administration. Smith, who died in 1994, was quoted in the article as saying, "I was never able to break free from the thought that [the event of September 22, 1979] was a joint operation between Israel and South Africa."

The new documents cite a June 1980 State Department report, in which Jack Varona, then a Defense Intelligence Agency vice director, claimed that the investigation launched at the time of the incident was a "white wash, due to political considerations," using "flimsy evidence" to arrive at a "non-nuclear" explanation.

He argued that the "weight of the evidence pointed towards a nuclear event," particularly the hydroacoustic data analyzed by the Naval Research Laboratory.

The data involved "signals unique to nuclear shots in a maritime environment," and emanating from the area of "shallow waters between Prince Edward and Marion Islands, south-east of South Africa."

Both Israel and South Africa have strongly denied the nuclear test claim since then.

Israel, which has refused to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) or allow inspections of its military nuclear facilities, keeps an estimated stockpile of 200-400 nuclear warheads.

According to former US Secretary of State Colin Powell's emails leaked in September, Israel has 200 nuclear weapons "targeted on Tehran."

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French Court Cancels Extradition Of Kazakh Dissident Tycoon To Russia

December 09, 2016

France's highest administrative court has canceled an extradition order to send Kazakh tycoon and opposition leader Mukhtar Ablyazov to Russia.

In a statement on December 9, the Council of State court said it canceled the extradition on the grounds that the request was made for political reasons.

The French government approved Ablyazov's extradition to Russia in September 2015. But the court's December 9 decision has now canceled that extradition order.

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer said on December 7 that France must refrain from extraditing an individual to a country where there are serious grounds for believing that he is at risk of being subjected to torture.

He also noted that Russia can extradite Ablyazov to Kazakhstan, where there are serious grounds to believe that Ablyazov is at risk of being subjected to torture.

Kazakhstan has no extradition treaty with France, but has such deals with Russia and Ukraine.

Ablyazov, former head of Kazakhstan's BTA bank, is wanted by Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine on suspicion of embezzling some $5 billion.

The Kazakh tycoon, who was arrested on the French Riviera in 2013 after months on the run, says the charges against him are politically motivated.

Ablyazov was a successful businessman by the late 1990s and in 1998 was appointed minister of energy, industry, and trade.

In 2001, he formed the opposition Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan movement to challenge the rule of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev.

Ablyazov was convicted of abuse of office in 2002 and sentenced to six years in prison but was released in 2003 after promising he would not engage in politics.

By 2005 he was able to rebuild the BTA bank he founded and served as bank chairman from 2005 until 2009 when BTA filed a lawsuit against him.

Ablyazov fled the country, spending time in Russia then in Britain, where he sought political asylum.

Charges were also filed against Ablyazov in a British court and his assets there were ordered to be frozen.

In 2012, a British court ordered Ablyazov to be jailed for perjury pertaining to his financial assets and he fled the country.

Since his flight from Kazakhstan, Ablyazov is alleged to have funded opposition groups in Kazakhstan and media outlets that carried critical reports about Kazakhstan's government.

With reporting by Reuters and AP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan- russia-france-cancels-ablyazov- extradition/28167604.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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Myanmar urged to allow aid deliveries to Rakhine

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 6:50PM

Several Western countries have called on Myanmar's government to allow humanitarian aid deliveries to Rohingya Muslims in the western state of Rakhine.

The aid deliveries are seemingly approved by top government officials in the capital, Naypyidaw, diplomats from countries including France, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and the United States said on Friday.

However, the diplomats said, officials in Rakhine often ban or delay the aid access.

"We are concerned by delays and urge all Myanmar authorities to overcome the obstacles that have so far prevented a full resumption (of aid deliveries)," the diplomats said in a statement.

Myanmar's military has launched a fresh wave of crackdown on Muslims since an alleged attack on border guards on October 9 left nine policemen dead. The government blamed the Rohingya for the assault. There have been numerous accounts by eyewitnesses of summary executions, rapes and arson attacks against Muslims since the crackdown began.

The statement also said that "tens of thousands of people who need humanitarian aid, including children with acute malnutrition, have been without it now for nearly two months."

The United Nations said only about 20,000 people out of more than 150,000 aid-reliant Rohingya Muslims have received aid since October 9 under a partial resumption of deliveries.

The UN has already called on Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi to take action to end the brutal crackdown on the Rohingya in Rakhine.

At least 30,000 Rohingya have been internally displaced in Rakhine, while about 22,000 have fled to Bangladesh to seek refuge since November 1, the United Nations said in its latest update on the situation.

Rakhine has been the scene of communal violence at the hands of Buddhist extremists since 2012. Hundreds of people have been killed and tens of thousands have been forced from homes and live in squalid camps in dire conditions in Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The government denies full citizenship to the 1.1 million-strong Rohingya population, branding them illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. However, many believe the Rohingya are a community of ancient lineage in Myanmar.

According to the UN, the Rohingya are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.

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UN calls on Myanmar's Suu Kyi to take action to end Rohingya crackdown

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 6:29AM

The United Nations has called on Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi to take action to end a brutal military crackdown on the Muslim Rohingya minority in the country's northern Rakhine state.

In a statement, the UN's special adviser on Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar, appealed directly to Suu Kyi to intervene and halt the atrocities.

"The adoption of a generally defensive rather than proactive approach to providing security to the local population has caused frustration locally and disappointment internationally," the statement read.

Nambiar said Suu Kyi had to visit Rakhine in person and restore confidence in the Muslim population there.

Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize laureate who has been lionized in Western media as Myanmar's "democracy icon," has failed to take any meaningful action to stop the crackdown on the Rohingya in Rakhine.

The northern state has been under a military siege since October over a raid on a police post that was blamed on the Rohingya. There have been reports of rape, murder, and arson against the Muslim population in the state. Over 20,000 Rohingyas have also been forced to leave for neighboring Bangladesh, where they are also kept at dilapidated refugee camps.

Suu Kyi, however, has described the crisis in Rakhine as "under control" and demanded that the international community stop stoking the "fires of resentment."

The bloody crackdown on the Muslims by the military has now prompted an international outcry and poses the biggest challenge to Suu Kyi since her National League for Democracy party won Myanmar's first democratic elections in a generation last year.

On Sunday, Malaysia has accused Myanmar's army of "genocide" against the Rohingya. Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak taunted Suu Kyi in an address before a crowd of about 5,000 protesters in Kuala Lumpur.

"What's the use of Aung San Suu Kyi having a Nobel prize?" he said. "The world cannot sit and watch genocide taking place."

Before the current escalation in violence, over 120,000 Rohingya Muslims had already been trapped in squalid displacement camps dating back to the last major outbreak of violence by Buddhists in Rakhine in 2012.

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Diplomats Urge Myanmar to Allow Aid in Rakhine State

By VOA News December 09, 2016

Fourteen diplomatic missions including the United States urged Myanmar to allow humanitarian aid into troubled Rakhine state, where tens of thousands of people in need have not had access to medicine or other assistance since a military operation began two months ago.

"The assistance is desperately needed to address serious humanitarian needs but also to begin to restore the confidence and hope that are essential to a restoration of peace and stability," the joint statement released Friday said, calling for "full and unfettered access" to aid.

The government has denied most journalists and aid access to Rakhine state since its counterinsurgency operation began two months ago, following the killing of nine border guards by unidentified attackers.

The government has, however, stated multiple times their intention to allow aid to be delivered to the area, where more than 80 people have died and over 20,000 have fled to Bangladesh.

"We have welcomed the Government's agreement to allow a resumption of humanitarian assistance and initial deliveries to some villages," said the statement. "But we are concerned by delays and urge all Myanmar authorities to overcome the obstacles that have so far prevented a full resumption, noting that tens of thousands of people who need humanitarian aid, including children with acute malnutrition, have been without it now for nearly two months."

After violence in 2012, more than 120,000 Muslim Rohingya were forced to live in holding camps amid reports of squalid conditions and tough restrictions on mobility.

Myanmar's state counselor and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi has faced growing criticism for failing to tackle the violence. Human rights groups allege widespread abuses, including rape by Myanmar forces and the torching of hundreds of homes during the crackdown.

The joint statement was signed by Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey

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S.Korean lawmakers overwhelmingly pass presidential impeachment bill

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 16:18, December 09, 2016

SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- South Korean parliament overwhelmingly passed a historic bill Friday to impeach scandal-scarred President Park Geun-hye as it gained the two-thirds majority vote.

The final tally was 234 votes cast in favor of impeachment, with 56 against and 2 abstentions. Seven votes were invalid. One legislator did not take part in the voting.

President Park will be stripped of all powers immediately after receiving the copied result on paper. It is expected to take 3-4 hours for the document to reach the impeached president.

The first South Korean female leader became the country's second president impeached by the National Assembly.

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn is to become acting president, temporarily assuming presidential power while the constitutional court weighs the case for as long as 180 days.

The impeachment was overwhelmingly passed as there are 172 opposition and independent lawmakers in the 300-seat assembly.

Before the vote, about 210 legislators were forecast to vote yes considering the number of ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers who are not loyal to President Park.

The number of votes in favor indicates over 20 pro-Park faction members cast secret ballots in favor of the president's impeachment. Among Saenuri lawmakers, 62 members voted for it, with 56 against.

The vote started right after a quarter-hour speech by a lawmaker to explain the impeachment proposal, which was put forward last Saturday by the opposition bloc.

It took just over an hour to make the proposal speech, cast ballots and count votes. Legislators voted one by one on printed ballot paper inside closed booths.

The parliament picked the traditional way of voting to prevent a possible manipulation in electronic vote, which the unicameral assembly usually takes in passing bills.

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S.Korean Prime Minister to Assume Leadership in Wake of President's Impeachment

Sputnik News

12:24 09.12.2016

South Korean Prime Minster Hwang Kyo-ahn will serve as the country's interim leader after the parliament voted on Friday in favor of impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, local media reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  According to the Yonhap News Agency, the prime minister will receive presidential powers after the parliament issues the official document.

Earlier in the day, as many as 234 lawmakers of the 300-seat parliament voted in favor Park's impeachment over the ongoing political and scandal.

According to the media outlet, the impeachment now has to be approved or rejected by the country's constitutional court and the review on the legitimacy of the motion may take up to 180 days. In case of Park's voluntarily resignation the presidential election must be held within two month.

Political scandal around the president broke out in late October when media reported that Park allowed Choi Soon-sil, her friend and "shadow adviser," who held no official post, to edit her speeches thus letting her influence the country's policy. Moreover, Choi was suspected of pressuring South Korean big corporations and extorting money from them for her non-commercial funds.

 Sputnik

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South Korean President Accepts Parliament's Impeachment Vote

Sputnik News

12:01 09.12.2016(updated 12:07 09.12.2016)

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Friday she accepted the parliament decision to impeach her.

TOKYO (Sputnik)  As many as 234 lawmakers voted in favor of the motion to impeach Park and 56 voted against in the 300-seat parliament earlier Friday.

"I strongly accept the voice of the parliament and the people of the country, and I sincerely desire the end of ongoing chaos," Park said, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.

She called on the government to prevent "vacuum" forming in the country's economy and security.

Political scandal around the president broke out in late October when media reported that Park allowed Choi Soon-sil, her friend and "shadow adviser," who held no official post, to edit her speeches thus letting her influence the country's policy. Moreover, Choi was suspected of pressuring South Korean big corporations and extorting money from them for her non-commercial funds.

 Sputnik

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South Korean Parliament Votes in Favor of President's Impeachment

Sputnik News

10:11 09.12.2016(updated 12:05 09.12.2016)

The South Korean parliament has voted in favor on the issue of President Park Geun-hye's impeachment.

In this historic ballot, 234 MPs voted in favor of the impeachment, 56 voted against it in the 300-seat parliament, according to a live feed broadcast by South Korean television channels. Two more MPs abstained from voting, and seven ballots were reported spoilt.

The Constitutional Court will now have to decide whether to uphold the motion or reject it. If the motion is upheld, Park will become South Korea's first democratically elected leader to be removed from office.

A political scandal around the president broke out in late October when media reported that Park allowed Choi Soon-sil, her friend and "shadow adviser," who held no official post, to edit her speeches thus letting her influence the country's policy.

Moreover, Choi was suspected of pressuring South Korean big corporations and extorting money from them for her non-commercial funds.

The situation has triggered protests around the country and the president has been criticized by the country's politicians, including the ones from her own party. The president could be impeached if two-thirds of the 300-seat legislature support the move.

 Sputnik

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Russian Foreign Ministry Refutes Claims on Militarization of Kaliningrad Exclave

Sputnik News

16:59 09.12.2016

Poland's claims that Russia is militarizing its exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea are false, the Russian Foreign Ministry's Third European Department Director Sergey Nechayev said Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, Polish Ambassador to Russia Wlodzimierz Marciniak said the deployment of Russian Iskander-M mobile missile systems in Kaliningrad is a threat for Poland and added that Warsaw was concerned over militarization of the exclave. The deployment was confirmed by the Russian Defense Ministry in October.

"Regarding the militarization of the region, this is, of course, fiction, as we are forced to react to NATO military infrastructure approaching our borders despite our attempts to clarify why this is being done. We have not been told anything specific about this We are forced to undertake adequate measures, but we are doing this on our own territory while our NATO colleagues are approaching someone else's border, our borders," Nechayev told RIA Novosti.

The official, whose department deals mostly with central European countries, including Poland, stressed that Moscow fails to understand why Poland has still not lifted movement restrictions on its border with Kaliningrad.

Poland introduced temporary border controls due to the NATO summit that took place in Warsaw on July 8-9 and the World Youth Day in late July. Earlier in August, Poland decided to leave in place the restrictions on the Kaliningrad border. Poland has promised to lift the restrictions but has so far kept them in place.

"We are still waiting for a constructive move from Poland with regards to implementing promises made by senior officials from the Polish Foreign Ministry on unfreezing dialogue and resuming cooperation," Nechayev said.

 Sputnik

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Promised victory coming for Syria, allies in Aleppo: Nasrallah

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 6:44PM

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah says the "promised" victory is imminent for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the city of Aleppo.

The secretary general of the Lebanese resistance movement made the remarks during an address to the nation on regional developments on Friday.

Earlier in the day, Russia said Syrian army ground forces and allies had liberated 52 blocks in the eastern parts of the northwestern city from the grip of foreign-backed militants and were in control of 93 percent of the whole city.

Washington and some of its Western allies have supported Takfiri terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the region over the past few years, Nasrallah said, adding that cooperation and unity among nations are needed in the face of Takfiri threats in the region.

"Safeguarding the region as well as the Islamic civilization against Takfiri threats is the only way we have," Nasrallah said.

Hezbollah resistance fighters have been assisting government forces in Syria in the battle against terrorists.

The Hezbollah secretary general also commented on the presidency of Michel Aoun in Lebanon.

Relations between Hezbollah and the administration of the newly-elected president, Nasrallah said, will be based on mutual respect. He rejected rumors that the two sides would not get along well due to differences.

The leader of the Lebanese resistance movement also stated that Hezbollah had been falsely accused of hindering the formation of a new government.

"Everyone is responsible for looking for ways out, for solutions, and to cooperate for us to reach the necessary conclusion on the government," the Hezbollah leader said, referring to Lebanon's political factions.

He went on to say that "government... must be formed as soon as possible."

In early November, Lebanon's parliament elected Aoun, a Christian leader and strong ally of Hezbollah, as president, ending a vacuum in the post that had been dragging on since April 2014.

He has tasked Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, a Western-backed Sunni politician, with setting up a government.

Lebanon is expected to hold parliamentary elections in May 2017, the first legislative vote in the country in eight years.

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Syrian army forces control 93 percent of Aleppo: Russia

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 3:46PM

Syrian army ground forces and allies have liberated 52 blocks in the eastern parts of the city of Aleppo from the grip of foreign-backed militants and are now in control of 93 percent of the whole northwestern city, Russia says.

"As a result of a successful advance, 52 districts of eastern Aleppo have been freed from militants," Russian Defense Ministry official Sergei Rudskoi said in comments broadcast on state television on Friday.

"Over the past four days, territory controlled by militants decreased by one third. The Syrian army controls 93 percent of the city's territory," he added.

He said as many as 10,500 people have left eastern Aleppo in the last 24 hours, adding that the city's residents have reported torture, public executions by the so-called moderate militants backed by the US and its allies.

"Civilians who escaped from terrorists talk about new crimes committed by militants of the so-called moderate opposition in eastern Aleppo. Cases of torture, public executions and massacres of the population have been confirmed," the Russian official said.

Rudskoi noted that over 3,000 residents of the strategic city have so far returned to their houses and added that dozens of tonnes of humanitarian aid have been delivered to liberated Aleppo districts on a daily basis.

He further said more than 1,000 militants have surrendered arms and left eastern Aleppo while 953 of them have been granted amnesty.

"Thus, the Syrian government fully fulfills its obligations to help return participants of illegal armed groups to peaceful life," the Russian general added.

Damascus has called on the militants holed up in Aleppo's east to lay down arms and surrender. The Syrian president has ordered for those militants choosing to stop fighting to be granted amnesty.

Elsewhere, Rudskoi stressed that Russian and Syrian warplanes have not carried out any airstrike over Aleppo since October 18.

"I emphasize that such results [in Aleppo's liberation] have been achieved only by Syrian army's ground forces," Rudskoi pointed out.

He further said that 21 facilities, including two schools and two mosques, have been cleared of explosive devices in Aleppo over the past 24 hours, adding that over 1,040 settlements have joined the ceasefire in Syria.

Syria has set up several humanitarian corridors to facilitate the exit of civilians from the eastern districts. Reports coming out of Aleppo say the terrorists are using people as human shields to slow the army's advances.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement earlier on Friday that around 8,500 civilians have been evacuated from the militant-held eastern side of Aleppo via humanitarian corridors.

The statement added that there were 2,934 children among those evacuated from the occupied parts of Aleppo and resettled in the government-held part over the past 24 hours.

Footage released on Friday showed residents from the city's al-Ramusi district staying in tents as reconstruction of the area started.

Some of the residents were resting inside the temporary accommodation while others started to clear rubble away in preparation for the rebuilding.

Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in a recent interview that the victory in the battle for Aleppo will be "a huge step" in bringing the war in Syria to an end.

"It's true that Aleppo will be a win for us, but let's be realistic, it won't mean the end of the war in Syria. But it will be a huge step towards this end," Assad said in an interview with al-Watan newspaper.

The recent army gains have flown in the face of the unstinting financial and military support, which many foreign states have been providing to the militants since 2011 to secure the ouster of President Assad.

'Syria ready to resume dialogue with opposition'

In another development, Syria's official SANA news agency quoted a Foreign Ministry source as saying that the government was ready to engage in talks with the opposition without any preconditions or external intervention.

The government is ready to resume "Syrian-Syrian dialogue," the statement said.

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Terrorists blocking civilians from leaving Aleppo: UN

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 11:23AM

The UN human rights office says foreign-backed militants are blocking civilians from fleeing eastern parts of the Syrian city of Aleppo to the government-held sector.

"Some of the civilians who are attempting to flee are reportedly being blocked by armed opposition groups," rights office spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva on Friday.

The statement came hours after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Syrian government troops suspended their active operations in Aleppo to allow the evacuation of civilians.

Syrian forces have retaken large parts of eastern Aleppo in recent days and are on course to drive terrorists out of the area.

The Russian military said it has helped more than 8,000 civilians leave the militant-controlled eastern part of Aleppo.

The military's Center for Reconciliation in Syria said early Friday that 8,461 civilians, including 2,934 children, have left Aleppo's eastern neighborhoods in the last 24 hours.

The center said 14 militants surrendered their weapons and were granted amnesty.

The Russian military said its sappers have cleared mines from six hectares of Aleppo, allowing the restoration of a water facility, two power stations, two mosques and two schools.

Lavrov said Aleppo will continue to come under bombardment as long as militants stay in the city.

"After a humanitarian pause, (the strikes) have resumed and will continue for as long as the bandits are still in Aleppo," Lavrov told journalists in Hamburg.

US arms for terrorists?

Moscow also warned the US against easing its alleged arms embargo against Syria-based militants, saying the move would pose a threat to the entire Middle East.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said US weapons could end up in wrong hands if Washington goes ahead with the plan to lift restrictions on arms the deliveries to the so-called "moderate" militants.

On Thursday, the White House said US President Barack Obama had relaxed the so-called Arms Export Control Act for the militants "supporting US Special Forces" in Syria, saying such leniency would contribute to "the national security interests" of the US.

"Certainly, the worst result of this decision would be those weapons, including MANPADs [man-portable anti-air missiles], ending up in the hands of terrorists, which of course poses a serious threat not only for the region, but for the entire world," Peskov said.

The official said such weapons could "definitely" end up being used against the Russian air force, which has been aiding counterterrorism operations in Syria since last September.

Last year, Washington earmarked almost $500 million to arming and training of the "moderates." It had also slackened its arms embargo against certain militants back in 2013.

Meanwhile, talks between Russia and the US on a ceasefire in Aleppo have so far failed to produce a tangible result.

Peskov said talks on the subject were complex and kept faltering due to US moves.

Russia and China last week vetoed a UN Security Council resolution, calling for a seven-day truce in the embattled Syrian city, where the Syrian government has been conducting successful anti-terror operations.

The Syrian army troops and their allied forces are now in control of about 85 percent of militant-held eastern part of Aleppo as they press ahead an all-out offensive to fully liberate the city.

Russia and Syria oppose lengthy pauses in the Aleppo battle, arguing that Takfiri militants may take advantage of the situation and rebuild their strength.

Moscow also insists that all militants operating in eastern Aleppo must leave the area as part of any truce deal, saying those who refuse to do so would be regarded as terrorists.

Turkey-backed FSA advance

Separately, it was reported that Turkish warplanes had destroyed 10 targets allegedly belonging to the Takfiri terror group of Daesh in northern Syria.

Using Turkish support, militants with the foreign-backed so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) were also said to have seized control of a highway between the key towns of al-Bab and Manbij in the area.

Turkey has been supporting the FSA against anti-Daesh Kurdish forces, whom it calls anti-Ankara terrorists and accuses of not falling back from the vicinity of the Turkish-Syrian border after making gains against the Takfiris.

Leading a major operation, the Kurdish fighters seized Manbij from Daesh back in August.

Ankara, a staunch opponent of the Assad government, is accused of having been providing anti-Damascus militants with generous arms support and safe passage.

On Thursday, Turkish media reported that the country had sent 300 commandos to northern Syria to reinforce the operation.

Experts, meanwhile, warn that the recent Ankara-backed FSA advance could be followed by direct confrontation between Turkish troops on the one side and Kurdish fighters and Syrian soldiers on the other.

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Chechen Troops Ready To Fight In Syria, Kadyrov Says

December 09, 2016

The head of Russia's Chechnya region, Ramzan Kadyrov, asserts that troops based there would be happy to fight what he called "scum" in Syria if President Vladimir Putin wishes.

Kadyrov was reacting to Russian media reports claiming that two battalions of military police from Chechnya are preparing to leave for Syria to protect the Russian air base in the war-ravaged Middle Eastern country.

Kadyrov did not say whether the reports were accurate, but posted on Instagram that the troops stationed in Chechnya would be happy to deploy to Syria. He added that he would eagerly join the fight personally against "international terrorism."

"I would be happy and proud to immediately go to Syria to fight the scum" on Putin's orders, Kadyrov said. "The enemy must be destroyed in his den before his tentacles reach your land."

Russia has waged an air campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since September 2015, helping his forces steadily gain ground across the country, most recently in Aleppo, which was Syria's most populous city before the conflict began.

Kadyrov, who critics say routinely abuses human rights with impunity in mostly Muslim Chechnya, has repeatedly described himself and his troops as "Putin's foot soldiers."

Earlier this year, he told Russian state television that he had sent Chechens to infiltrate the Islamic State group in Syria and gather intelligence.

Based on reporting by AP and Interfax

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/chechnyan-troops- ready-fight-scum-in-syria- kadyrov-says/28164973.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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Syrian Government Offensive In Aleppo Continues Despite Cease-Fire Claim

RFE/RL December 09, 2016

Syrian government forces and their allies have continued their offensive against rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo, despite an announcement by Russia the previous day that the offensive had been halted to allow for the evacuation of civilians.

The Syrian Army pressed on in its offensive in Aleppo on December 9 with ground fighting and air strikes in an operation to retake all of the city's besieged rebel-held east.

A Turkish-based spokesman for the Jabha Shamiya rebel group told Reuters: "Helicopters, warplanes, and rocket bombardment like every day. Nothing has changed."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking on December 8, said Syrian forces had "halted" their operations in eastern Aleppo "because there is a large operation under way to evacuate civilians."

But Lavrov told journalists on December 9 that government forces had resumed fighting "after a humanitarian pause" and that the attacks would continue "as long as the bandits are still in Aleppo."

Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry earlier announced that Russian and U.S. military experts and diplomats will meet in Geneva on December 10 to evaluate the situation in Aleppo and try to reach agreements on the evacuation of civilians, the provision of humanitarian aid, and the withdrawal of antigovernment forces from the city.

The UN General Assembly voted 122 to 13 on December 9 to demand an immediate halt to violence in Syria and humanitarian-aid access in the country, including in Aleppo.

The nonbinding resolution passed by the 193-member assembly is unlikely to change the situation on the ground.

Russia voted against the resolution, saying that the text did not go far enough in detailing the role of what it termed terrorists in the conflict.

Vitaly Churkin, Russian ambassador to the UN, said the issue should be dealt with at the Security Council.

Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, has vetoed six resolutions in the council to stop the violence in Syria, including a draft put to a vote on December 5 demanding a week-long cease-fire in Aleppo.

"This is a vote to stand up and tell Russia and [Syrian President Bashar al-] Assad to stop the carnage," U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power told the General Assembly before the vote.

In Moscow on December 9, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed concern about a decision by the United States to ease restrictions on providing arms to antigovernment rebels in Syria.

Peskov said Moscow feared U.S.-provided shoulder-launched antiaircraft missiles could end up in the hands of "terrorists" and "pose a serious threat" to countries in the region and beyond.

Rupert Colville, the spokesman for the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, said up to 100,000 people were trapped in "ever-shrinking" areas of eastern Aleppo.

It was unclear exactly how many people remain and how many have fled eastern Aleppo, with Colville saying that "it is very difficult to establish the facts in this very fluid and dangerous situation."

But he said the UN had gathered evidence that "hundreds of men have gone missing" after leaving for government-held areas.

Syrian government forces have recaptured around 75 percent of eastern Aleppo in recent weeks. Rebels had controlled the area since 2012.

Russia has given Assad crucial military and diplomatic backing throughout the conflict, which began with a forceful government crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 and erupted into a civil war that has killed more than 250,000 people.

Moscow helped turn the tide of the war in the government's favor with a major campaign of air strikes that began in September 2015 and that Western governments say has mainly targeted rebels rather than Islamic State militants.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/syria- aleppo-offensive-continues-cease- fire--calim/28165442.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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Free Syrian Army Enters al-Bab From North, East With Turkish Army Support

Sputnik News

20:29 09.12.2016(updated 20:33 09.12.2016)

Free Syrian Army troops entered the Syrian city of al-Bab in the Aleppo Governorate from North and East with the support of the Turkish army on Friday, according to the information received by Sputnik correspondent from a source in the FSA.

Violent fighting is currently taking place in al-Bab. According to information received by Sputnik, Daesh militants are maintaining fierce resistance.

Jihadists blew up a car rigged with explosives, killing ten people. Some more people sustained injuries and were rushed in critical condition to hospitals in the Turkish province of Gaziantep.

Street fights are still ongoing in al-Bab.

Al-Bab is one of Daesh's last remaining strongholds near the Turkish border. Capturing the city is of strategic importance to Turkey in order to prevent the Syrian Kurds taking it and unifying their own territories.

 Sputnik

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Turkish Troops, Syrian Rebels Attack Key Town Held by Islamic State

By Jamie Dettmer December 09, 2016

Turkish troops and Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army rebel fighters launched an assault Friday on al-Bab, a strategic Syrian town northeast of Aleppo which rival Kurdish militias aligned with the U.S. also want to seize from the Islamic State terror group.

Syrian opposition sources on the ground told VOA that 20 civilians were killed in the town Friday by airstrikes, which they believe were carried out by both Turkish and Russian military jets. Such a joint action, if true, would be a major development suggesting that Damascus and Moscow have reached some kind of agreement about Turkish military intervention in northern Syria.

Al-Bab is the Islamic State's last major stronghold in the eastern Aleppo countryside. An assault on the town has been expected for months, part of Turkey's four-month-old Euphrates Shield operation to push both jihadists and Kurdish militia fighters away from the Syrian border area. Ankara fears the Kurdish militiamen of the People's Protection Units, or YPG, are determined to carve out an independent state in northern Syria.

In a statement, Turkish military officials said their warplanes destroyed nearly a dozen IS targets and that their forces had seized control of a highway linking al-Bab, 46 kilometers from Aleppo, and Manbij, another major regional town, currently held by Kurdish-led forces. On Thursday, Turkish media reported that Ankara had deployed an extra 300 commandos to the eastern Aleppo countryside.

For weeks, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signaled his eagerness for Euphrates Shield forces to seize al-Bab from IS, saying that once it is taken, Turkish forces will then turn their attention to ejecting Kurdish-dominated militias from Manbij.

"About 20 civilians were killed in airstrikes," Barry Abdulattif, an opposition activist, told VOA. He said sources in the town reported that Russian jets also carried out airstrikes.

The London-based monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has a network of activists and observers inside the war-torn country, confirmed there had been civilian deaths, including "no less than 12 civilians from three families [who] were killed, while others were wounded."

However, the group made no mention of the participation of Russian jets. It believes "Turkish warplanes and a bombardment by Turkish forces" from the outskirts of the besieged town were to blame for the civilian deaths.

Ever since Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin discussed the Syrian war by telephone late last month, there has been increasing conjecture about the possibility of a covert agreement over the fate of al-Bab between Ankara and Moscow, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's main foreign backer.

The two presidents spoke after the Turkish military claimed a Syrian warplane targeted Turkish soldiers in northern Syria, killing three of them. That incident had raised fears of an escalation, or even a direct fight between Syria and Turkey on an already complex battlefield.

Turkish officials issued dire warnings after the claimed airstrikes and threatened retaliation. But after Erdogan and Putin spoke on November 25, talk of retaliation stopped. A Kremlin statement said their discussion on Syria was constructive, and that they agreed to continue an active dialogue "to coordinate efforts against international terrorism."

"My suspicion since August has been that Putin and Erdogan have a partition deal," said James Miller, a Syria and Russia analyst and managing editor of the online magazine The Interpreter. He said he thinks Erdogan and Putin have "cut a deal where Turkey gets to control the area north of Aleppo, and Assad and Putin get to recapture Aleppo, and Syria gets carved up.

"Since Assad does not have enough ground troops to capture and hold all of Syria anyway, it seems that both sides are getting at least part of what they want," he added.

Turkey's Euphrates Shield operation has complicated Washington's bid to use Kurdish-led forces to launch a full-scale assault on the jihadists' self-proclaimed Syrian capital of Raqqa, and has maneuvered the U.S. and Turkey into ever greater cross-purposes in Syria, say Western diplomats and analysts.

The Turks disapprove of American support for the YPG, which it sees as a terrorist militia and an offshoot of an outlawed separatist Kurdish movement in Turkey. Clashes have intensified in recent weeks in northern Syria between anti-Assad Arab Syrian rebels backed by Turkey and the Kurds, aggravating already strained relations between Washington and Ankara, undermining the push on Raqqa and further complicating a multi-player battlefield.

On Thursday, U.S. Air Force Colonel John Dorrian, spokesman for the anti-IS coalition, told reporters in a video briefing from Baghdad that the coalition is facilitating joint talks with Turkey and the Syrian Kurdish forces in order to calm tensions. "Every party to these discussions has an overriding interest in common. This is the defeat of ISIS, an enemy that threatens us all," Dorrian added.

"These meetings are the starting points in addressing a challenging situation," Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Dorrian as saying.

A senior U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Kurdish forces had slowed their advance toward Raqqa because they were worried Turks would attack them. "Their biggest concern is the Turks behind them ... and that's what caused them to hesitate to move forward," the American official was quoted as saying.

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Russia Resumes Aleppo Bombings After Brief Pause

By VOA News December 09, 2016

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that Russia and Syrian government forces would continue their bombing raids in Aleppo until rebels vacated the city.

"After a humanitarian pause, [the strikes] have resumed and will continue for as long as the bandits are still in Aleppo," Lavrov told reporters while attending a security meeting in Hamburg, Germany.

Lavrov's comments came a day after he said the Syrian government had stopped all active military operations in eastern Aleppo. When asked about the seemingly contradictory statements Friday, Lavrov said: "I did not say that the military operations were completely stopped. I said they were suspended for a certain time to allow civilians wishing to leave to do so."

"Everyone understands it, our American partners understand it," he added.

Lavrov said that he hoped there could be a permanent agreement reached soon, but that American diplomats were exhibiting "strange" behavior. He accused them of backtracking on a proposal that would have allowed rebels to leave Aleppo if they laid down their weapons.

"If the American experts do not change their mind again as they did a few days ago ... then there is a good chance for an agreement on a final settlement of the situation in Aleppo," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry confirmed Friday that U.S. and Russian officials would meet in Geneva on Saturday, along with U.N. officials, to discuss the situation in Aleppo. Speaking in Paris, Kerry said the destruction in Aleppo was the worst "since World War II itself."

"We are working hard with people that we even have disagreements with, in order to see if we can find a way in the name of humanity and decency to be able to protect those lives," Kerry said.

At the U.N., U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power called on the warring parties to "remember their humanity" and allow safe passage for civilians who want to leave.

The General Assembly was to meet later Friday to vote on a nonbinding resolution calling for an immediate end to sieges and a cessation of hostilities, as well as access for humanitarian aid convoys.

The assembly has been seeking ways to circumvent the divided 15-nation Security Council.

In the latest show of disunity, on Monday, Russia and China blocked adoption of resolution calling for a seven-day cease-fire to get aid in and the sick and wounded out.

"Well, sadly, I suspect it will be too little, too late," British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters

"But what I hope that it will do is to demonstrate that there is a moral majority here," he said. "There are states who are not on the Security Council but have very strong views about peace and security and who are distressed that through a series of vetoes, the Security Council has failed to provide the unity necessary to change the situation in Syria."

A General Assembly resolution cannot force action, but it would send a message of moral outrage from the international community.

Tens of thousands of civilians are thought to be trapped in eastern Aleppo despite a surge of refugees during the past two weeks heading for the relative safety of government-controlled western districts.

Monitors last week estimated that 18,000 civilians in the east had moved into western neighborhoods, and more than 9,000 others into a Kurdish-controlled district.

VOA's Steve Herman and Margaret Besheer contributed to this report.

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U.S. Congress backs military exchanges with Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

2016/12/09 12:15:00

Washington, Dec. 8 (CNA) The U.S. Congress on Thursday passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2017, which included for the first time a section on senior military exchanges with Taiwan.

The Senate voted 92-7 to pass the bill Thursday, after it was voted through the House of Representatives 375-34 on Dec. 2.

Section 1284 of the final version passed after coordination between the House and the Senate states: "It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense should conduct a program of senior military exchanges between the United States and Taiwan that have the objective of improving military-to-military relations and defense cooperation between the United States and Taiwan."

Such a program should be conducted at least once each calendar year in both the United States and Taiwan, according to the act.

It defines "senior military exchange" as meaning "an activity, exercise, professional education event, or observation opportunity in which senior military officers and senior defense officials participate."

It also said the term "senior military officer' means a general or flag officer on active duty in the armed forces, while "senior defense official," with respect to the Department of Defense, means a civilian official at the level of Assistant Secretary of Defense or above.

The bill will now be turned over to President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it into law before he leaves the office Jan. 20.

The thing to watch will be how the new President Donald Trump and his defense officials will implement the sense of the Congress.

Although the U.S. Congress has tried to include similar provisions in the annual budget bill over the past few years, they were dropped from the final version of the bill after the executive branch stepped in, out of concerns that the move would damage U.S.-China relations.

(By Rita Cheng and Lilian Wu)

Enditem/jc

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Dozen dead as Turkish army shells north Syrian city

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 6:34PM

At least a dozen civilians have lost their lives when Turkish artillery units shelled the purported positions of the Takfiri Daesh terrorists and US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria's troubled northern province of Aleppo.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Friday that the projectiles slammed into a residential neighborhood in the city of al-Bab, located 30 kilometers south of the Turkish border and 40 kilometers northeast of Aleppo, claiming the lives of 12 civilians and leaving 10 others wounded.

The Britain-based monitoring group said the victims were members of three families, warning that the death toll is expected to rise as some people are still trapped under debris.

The report came a day after an unnamed military source said the Turkish military would dispatch 300 commandos to northern Syria, without providing any information on whether they had crossed into Syria, and where in northern Syria they would be deployed.

On August 24, the Turkish air force and special ground forces kicked off the so-called Operation Euphrates Shield inside Syria in a declared bid to support the Free Syrian Army militants and rid the border area of Daesh terrorists and fighters from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and Democratic Union Party (PYD).

The offensive was launched in coordination with the US-led military coalition, which has purportedly been fighting Daesh extremists since 2014.

The incursion was the first major Turkish military intervention in Syria, which drew strong condemnation from the Syrian government for violating the Arab country's sovereignty.

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Ankara seeks arrest of academics in post-coup crackdown

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 10:4AM

Turkish prosecutors have ordered the arrest of 87 people linked to Istanbul University as the state keeps up its purge of what it calls the academic structure linked to US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Police have carried our far-and-wide operations in 12 provinces, targeting suspects including many professors from the university, CNN Turk reported Friday.

The government has been leading a relentless witch-hunt against the people it accuses of adherence to Gulen, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ally-turned-archenemy. It accuses Gulen of masterminding a failed July coup, a charge the Pennsilvania-based clergyman denies.

The crackdown has seen some 36,000 people being jailed pending trial and more than 100,000 sacked or suspended across the civil service, army, judiciary and other institutions.

The part of the purge, which tries to weed out Gulen-linked academics, saw the police detaining dozens of academics from Islanbul's Yildiz University.

The campaign has raised vociferous criticism among those accusing the government of using the failed putsch as a pretext to suppress dissent. Among other things, it has cost the country the prospect of its long-sought accession to the European Union.

Ankara has, meanwhile, been trying to reintroduce death penalty, in what has been condemned as the high point of the suppression.

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300 commandos to join Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield in Syria

Iran Press TV

Fri Dec 9, 2016 1:52AM

Turkey is dispatching hundreds of more soldiers to Syria to reinforce its first major US-backed incursion of its conflict-ridden southern neighbor.

A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 300 special troops from the 11th Command Brigade departed Cardak airbase in the southwestern province of Denizli to the Syrian border on Thursday, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The source, however, did not provide any information whether they had crossed into Syria, and where in northern Syria they would be deployed.

On August 24, the Turkish air force and special ground forces kicked off Operation Euphrates Shield inside Syria in a declared bid to support the Free Syrian Army militants and rid the border area of Daesh terrorists and fighters from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and Democratic Union Party (PYD).

The offensive was launched in coordination with the US-led military coalition, which has purportedly been fighting Daesh extremists since 2014.

The incursion was the first major Turkish military intervention in Syria, which drew strong condemnation from the Syrian government for violating the Arab country's sovereignty.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on November 29 that the Turkish army marched into Syria to end the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, whom he accused of terrorism and causing the deaths of thousands.

The remarks caused consternation in the Kremlin, with Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov demanding Erdogan to clarify anti-Assad goals in Syria.

The Turkish leader backtracked on the comments two days later, asserting that the offensives there are aimed only at terrorists.

"The aim of the Euphrates Shield operation is not any country or person, but only terrorist organizations," Erdogan said in a speech at the presidential palace in Ankara on December 1.

He added, "No one should doubt this issue that we have uttered over and over, and no one should comment on it in another fashion or try to derail it."

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Turkey-Backed Free Syrian Army's Units Enter Daesh-Controlled Al Bab - Source

Sputnik News

23:43 09.12.2016

The units of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) backed by Turkish forces entered Syria's Daesh-controlled Al Bab, located in the Aleppo governorate, 19 miles away from the Turkish-Syrian border, FSA sources told Sputnik Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The FSA troops entered the Syrian city of Al Bab from the northern and eastern directions, encountering fierce resistance by Daesh terrorist group.

Car explosions, perpetrated by the Daesh terrorists, killed ten and wounded scores of people.

All those injured were taken to hospitals, located in the Turkish Gaziantep province.

The clashes between FSA and Daesg militants in Al Bab are ongoing.

 Sputnik

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Iranian-Turkish Tensions Escalate Over Syria, Iraq

By Dorian Jones December 09, 2016

Tensions between neighbors Turkey and Iran are on the rise, with the countries jostling for influence in war-torn Syria and Iraq. But there are concerns that the rivalry is fueling sectarian divisions in the region. The tensions could also open the door to cooperation with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

Officially Ankara says it enjoys good neighborly relations with Tehran. But an escalating war of words in Turkey's pro-government media tells a different story, according to political columnist Semih Idiz of Al Monitor website and Turkey's Hurriyet Daily News.

"It's very telling, that we have what appears to be an intense anti-Iranian campaign in the pro-government Islamist media," Idiz said. "I have been reading commentary by key figures on that side of the fence suggesting Iran as one of Turkey's prime enemies not just rivals in the region, because it's promoting its brand of Islamic, Shia Islam. But I don't actually see a direct confrontation although I do see a confrontation through proxies and in many ways that is already going on."

Humanitarian concerns drive policy

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a devout Sunni Muslim, who derives much of his support from the country's large pious Sunni voting base.

Erdogan is increasingly condemning the actions of Tehran-backed Shite Militias in Iraq. The Turkish President accuses the militias of targeting Sunnis. He also has indirectly accused Tehran of seeking to expand its influence at the expense of Sunni Muslims in the region. But Erdogan's chief of international relations Ayse Sozen Usluer insists humanitarian concerns rather than sectarian ones are driving Turkey's policy.

"We are seeing that after all these militia operations in the region we are seeing some demographic changes," Usluer said. "We are not against Shia militia because they are Shia. But we would like to maintain the demography of the region, Tel Afar, Mosul, Jarabulus, Al Bab, wherever."

"Unholy alliance"

Erdogan has sent tanks to the Iraqi border, warning he would not stand by if Sunnis fall victim to Shite militias in the fight against Islamic State in Mosul and Tel Afar. Some analysts warn Turkey's neighbors will likely view the country as pursuing a sectarian policy that will put it on a collision course with Tehran.

But any rising tensions with Tehran could be the basis for cooperation with newly-elected President Donald Trump. United States and Turkish relations remain deeply strained but with Trump vowing to take a tough line with Iran, columnist Idiz says common ground could be found.

"They could be an unholy alliance of sorts, but Trump going after Iran is really based on Trump's anti-Islamism," Idiz said. "It's not based on any strategic ideological difference and anti-Islamism also splashes on to Turkey also, depending on what Turkey's policies are."

A delicate balance

Ankara could also find common ground with Israel which also is calling a for a tough stance against Tehran.

Israel and Turkey last month restored full diplomatic relations. Turkish Iranian relations are traditionally characterized by a delicate balance of rivalry and cooperation, but analysts warn Ankara could end up paying a heavy price for any confrontation with Tehran, with Iran an adept player in the region in using proxies to destabilize its rivals.

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Ukrainians Want to Make a Deal with Trump

By Oleksiy Kuzmenko December 09, 2016

Ukrainians trying to figure out what to expect from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump may be having trouble.

His praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin during the recent political campaign received a lot of media attention. On the other hand, Trump also criticized President Barack Obama for "not doing what he should be doing for Ukraine," tweeting that "Russia took Crimea during the so-called Obama years."

What will Trump actually do regarding Ukraine?

Taras Berezovets, a Kyiv-based political expert, put forward what he sees as a best-case scenario: The United States will remain Ukraine's security guarantor during Trump's presidency; boost financial assistance to Kyiv; provide it with lethal weapons, military trainers and intelligence (to deter Russia from escalating violence in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region); and join the Minsk peace process, aimed at ending the conflict between Ukraine's government and separatist forces backed by Russia.

Volodymyr Horbach, a political analyst at the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation in Kyiv, offered a worst-case scenario: "Ukraine will be treated and used as a bargaining chip in relations with Russia," he told VOA in an email response.

Broad US assistance for Kyiv

The United States has championed Western sanctions against Russia and has committed more than $1.3 billion in direct assistance to Ukraine and $2 billion in loan guarantees. A $17.5 billion financial package for Kyiv came from the International Monetary Fund, headquartered in Washington. The U.S. also plays a key role in Ukraine's anti-corruption, military and law enforcement reforms.

In addition, Ukraine has had a self-described "phone pal" in outgoing Vice President Joe Biden, who spoke in September about his routine contacts with Ukraine's leaders. "In the last four years, I am on the phone two to three hours a week with those folks," Biden said.

Such a relationship between Ukraine and the new U.S. president is unlikely, according to one high-ranking Russian official.

"Ukraine seriously complicated the work of Trump's election campaign headquarters by planting information according to which Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, allegedly accepted money from Ukrainian oligarchs," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a recent news conference.

Manafort had to step down as the manager of Trump's presidential campaign in August, following reports that he earned millions of dollars working on behalf of Ukraine's ousted pro-Russian ruler, Viktor Yanukovych, and possibly lobbied illegally on Yanukovych's behalf in the United States. Some of the damaging information came from a Ukrainian anti-corruption agency.

Contrary view from Moscow

"As a man who is known for harboring a grudge, Trump is unlikely to give much attention to the political establishment of a country which gave its open support to Hillary Clinton," Andrey Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, told the Carnegie Moscow Center in November.

Media reports earlier this month said Manafort may be advising Trump on Cabinet appointments. His close associate and former partner in Ukraine, Rick Gates, is now functioning as "shadow chair" of the Trump inaugural committee, according to Michael Isikoff of Yahoo News.

"I'm not active in the transition, but I'm watching," Manafort told CBS News last week. He said the allegations against him were "not true," but that he quit as Trump's campaign manager four months ago because he "became a block to his ability to communicate his message."

Berezovets told VOA that Manafort will likely "advise Trump on Ukraine, whether in a formal or informal capacity," and may hold a grudge against Kyiv. Still, he said a telephone conversation between Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Trump just days after the U.S. election was ground for optimism. The two leaders agreed to hold a future bilateral meeting, and according to the Ukrainian president's website, Poroshenko also stressed the need for "Washington's resolute support of Ukraine in countering the Russian aggression and implementing crucial reforms."

This, the Ukrainian analyst said, is "evidence that Trump has zero prejudice with regard to Ukraine at the moment."

Welcome Cabinet choices

Despite concern in Ukraine about the U.S. president-elect's intentions, some observers are heartened by his Cabinet choices.

James Mattis, picked by Trump to lead the Pentagon, called Putin a threat to the United States and its allies, described the events in Ukraine's Donbas and Crimea regions as "a war," and said the conflict there could destabilize the region.

Jeff Sessions, Trump's choice to head the Department of Justice, has stated that the United States and Europe "have to unify" to push back against Russian overreach. Sessions also co-sponsored a bill that would authorize the U.S. president to arm Ukraine with lethal military aid.

Horbach, the analyst from the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation in Kyiv, told VOA: "A lot will depend on Trump's choice for the secretary of state."

Several names floated for top U.S. diplomat may be music to Kyiv's ears. Mitt Romney famously warned Obama about the danger posed by Russia back in 2008. Senator Bob Corker stressed the need for the U.S. to continue to support Ukraine and called for lethal aid for Ukraine's military. Former U.S. Ambassador the U.N. John Bolton has called for supplying Kyiv with weapons and fast-tracking Ukraine for NATO membership.

Strength, respect

While Trump's alleged "bromance" with Putin remains a popular trope in the U.S. media, the president-elect has made it clear that he wants the United States to be respected, and sees strength as a means to get respect.

"Part of the problem that Ukraine has with the United States is that Putin does not respect our president whatsoever," Trump said about Obama in a video address to the Yalta European Strategy meeting in September 2015.

"An optimistic scenario for Ukraine is that Trump will eventually discover Ukraine as a country that is key to resolving the Russia issue in international affairs," Horbach told VOA.

Asked how relations between the Trump administration and Ukraine are likely to develop, Berezovets told VOA: "The U.S.-Ukraine relationship will become more pragmatic."

Pragmatism may mean that the author of The Art of the Deal will meet Ukraine somewhere in the middle  between its worst fears and its rosiest dreams.

Trump ally predicts cooperation

"One thing Donald Trump is not going to do is to make a bad deal," Congressman Duncan Hunter told VOA, adding that the president-elect "is not going to make a bad deal for the Ukrainians and he is not going to make a bad deal for the United States."

"What we want to do is we want to arm the Ukrainians not with just night-vision goggles and uniforms," Hunter said. "We want to give them anti-tank weapons. We want to give them anti-air weaponry, anti-drone, counterartillery stuff. We already gave some of the radars, but we want make it so that if Russians decide to push the West again, it is very costly for them."

Hunter, a Republican from California who was one of the first members of Congress to endorse Trump, also is a former Marine who visited the Ukrainian military's front lines in Donbas. He contends the U.S. could provide lethal weapons to Ukraine and work with Moscow to secure Russia's withdrawal from Donbas, while giving Putin a free hand in Syria.

Regarding Crimea, the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014, Hunter suggested Ukrainians should look at the facts: that Crimea is a Russian stronghold.

"Do the Ukrainians want the United States to invade Crimea?" Hunter said. "It is not a possibility. So, what`s the answer? If Russians are not willing to leave Crimea but they are willing to leave the east of Ukraine, is that a bad thing? What do the Ukrainian people want?"

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Virginias Petersburg National Battlefield is on track to become Americas largest Civil War park after a vote Thursday in the U.S. Senate to enlarge its boundary.

The measure is part of the National Defense Authorization Act. If enacted, the provision will fulfill a long-held dream of park advocates. Starting with Rep. Randy Forbes, a Republican, and Sen. Jim Webb, a Democrat, the battlefield bill has been backed by a bipartisan group of Virginia members of Congress.

No property immediately will be added to the park, but the provision will authorize the National Park Service to incorporate battlefield landup to 7,238 acresthat is now unprotected outside the park boundary. Over time, such additions could make Petersburg one of the largest historical parks in the nation.

Already, the national battlefield commemorates 18 separate battlegrounds figuring in the longest blockade in U.S. military history. Petersburgs seesawing, hard-fought actions comprise one of the Civil Wars most complex struggles.

We are extremely excited about this new opportunity to join with the battlefield community to save our national treasures, park Superintendent Lewis Rogers said late Thursday. Nowhere else in our nations history have so many Americans fought and died for ideas they so strongly believed insome even against their own families.

U.S. Sen Mark Warner, who cosponsored the legislation with Sen. Tim Kaine, expressed pleasure Thursday that the defense bill is on its way to President Obamas desk.

Petersburg National Battlefield bore witness to the longest sustained siege in our nations military history and draws visitors from all across the country, injecting millions of dollars into the local economy every year, Warner said.

Reps. Bobby Scott and Randy Forbes sponsored the measure in the House of Representatives; it passed the House on Dec. 2.

Expanding the park will encourage more regional tourism, Warner said. It already bring more than $10 million a year in tourism revenue.

This hallowed ground bears witness to one of the longest, hardest and most decisive contests of the Civil War, Kaine said. The stories of all the combatantsincluding more than 16,000 African-American troopswill now be more accessible to the current generation.

The nonprofit Civil War Trust has helped protect more than 2,500 acres associated with the siege of Petersburg, nearly 2,000 of which couldnt be transferred to the Park Service until now. With the boundary expansion, the trust landsalong with properties protected by other conservation organizationscan be integrated into the park. That will improve visitors experiences and learning opportunities, it said.

We are grateful to the lawmakers and partner organizations who recognized the critical importance of preserving this historic Virginia landscape, Trust President James Lighthizer said. These battlefields are living monumentsnot just to the 70,000 men in blue and gray whose blood hallowed this groundbut to all of Americas veterans.

Among the sites the bill benefits are some of the wars most pivotal battlefields, including Five Forks, Peebles Farm, Reams Station, the Crater (where the Federals exploded a mine in an attempt to blow a hole in Confederate defenses), and the Petersburg Breakthrough (where a decisive Union assault led to the fall of the Confederate capital at Richmond).

A landmark 1993 study on the status of the nations Civil War battlefields commissioned by Congress recognized those sites as nationally significant historic resources. The study was updated by the National Park Service in 2010.

Petersburg National Battlefield now comprises about 2,700 acres. It includes places such as Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grants headquarters at City Point in Hopewell, as well as other land in Dinwiddie County and the city of Petersburg, such as Poplar Grove National Cemetery.

We are looking forward to the opportunity to open up new places for our children to learn about their heritage and enjoy Americas best idea, its national parks, Rogers said. We want to invite everyone to come find your park. What a great Christmas gift for our present and future generations.
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Dec. 9, 2016) - MCW Energy Group Ltd. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:MCW)(OTCQX:MCWEF), a Canadian holding company involved in the development of environmentally-friendly oil sands technologies, the production of oil from Utah's vast oil sands deposits, and remediation projects involving extraction of contaminating hydrocarbons, wishes to make the following statements regarding certain recent promotional activity surrounding the Company's common stock that it was made aware by OTC Markets on December 5, 2016.

The activities were promotional newsletter emails encouraging investors to purchase the Company's common stock. This promotional activity coincided with higher than average trading volume and fluctuations in the Company's stock price. The Company was unaware of the promotional activity until informed by OTC Markets, and is unaware of the full nature of the promotional activity, the extent of the email newsletters' dissemination, or the responsible parties.

Neither the Company, its officers, directors and, to the Company's knowledge, its controlling shareholders (i.e., shareholders owning 10% or more of the Company's securities) have, directly or indirectly, authorized or been involved in any way (including payment to a third-party) with the creation or distribution of promotional materials including these email newsletters; and that neither the Company's officers, directors and, to the knowledge of the Company, any controlling shareholders, sold or purchased shares of Common Stock of the Company within the last 30 days.

The Company is not affiliated in any way with the authors of these promotional newsletter emails.

About MCW Energy Group

MCW Energy Group Ltd. is focused on value creation via the development and implementation of (i) proprietary, environmentally-friendly oil sands technologies and remedial tailing ponds projects solutions (ii) expanding production capacities of its extraction plant in Asphalt, Ridge, Utah, and (iii) the formulation of worldwide joint ventures and the licensing of oil sands opportunities with worldwide with private and government entities within countries possessing extensive oil sands/oil shale deposits. MCW's management team is comprised of individuals who have extensive knowledge in both conventional and unconventional oil and gas projects and production, both in upstream and downstream industry sectors.

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.
Tech-Focused Trash Service Enters the Government Market with Atlanta Partnership

Omidyar Network Invests $4.5 Million in Three Civic Tech Groups

Massachusetts and California Police Order More Than 700 TASER Weapons

OpenGov Announces More than 20 Governments Using New Budget Builder

There appears to be a new player in the municipal waste game, and it is very tech-centric.In fact, Rubicons first-ever partnership with a city is much more about data than it is about the pickup and hauling of trash itself. The city will fix up its public works departments trash pickup fleet with smart phones carrying the companys application in order to collect data and feed it through Rubicons analytics tools.Atlanta expects the service to help it manage its waste services more efficiently and reduce the amount of trash going to the landfill. Rubicon has technology that uses the shaking of garbage trucks to verify trash pickups and uses data analytics to, among other things, optimize collection routes. Until now, the companys customer base has been commercial; Atlanta is the first city its worked with.The city council approved the partnership on Oct. 17, but Rubicon didnt make the announcement until Dec. 1. The council considered the arrangement  which it isnt paying for, and doesnt require it to purchase any services after the project ends  as consultation donation worth about $444,000.Rubicons commercial services include a network of independent trash haulers that compete against each other for pickup requests. The company has raised more than $95 million in funding.The Omidyar Network has put $500,000 into Citymart and $2 million each into Civic Hall and Civic Hall Labs in December.Citymart is a government procurement solution that seeks to set up a problem-based system. That is, the company begins with the problem a city needs to solve, and then looks for a variety of solutions from there. The idea, the company pitches, is to open cities up to solutions outside of their narrow network of usual vendors.The company has existed since 2011 and served more than 60 cities across the world, but hasnt been very active in fundraising  aside from the Omidyar investment, its reported a $1 million investment in 2013 . Urban.us invested an undisclosed amount in the company earlier this year.The investment will help Citymart to develop its online platform that provides users a collaborative tool to capture ideas, develop solutions, conduct market research and connect with the most innovative vendors to solve complex urban challenges, a press release from Omidyar reads.Civic Hall and Civic Hall Labs are two branches of the same civic tech effort based in New York City. The former is a collaborative community center with more than 100 member organizations that hosts hackathons and other professional events. The Labs arm is a nonprofit research and development effort.The Omidyar investment there represents a follow-on to an initial investment of $500,000 in Civic Hall in 2014.TASER International has reported new orders for its electrical weapons from state police in Massachusetts and California.On Dec. 8, the company announced that the Massachusetts State Police has ordered 400 of its X2 smart weapons, while California Highway Patrol has ordered 369 of the same model.According to TASERs website, the X2 features two laser sights and a backup shot allowing officers to shoot a second time without reloading if they missed on the first shot.We believe these key state police agencies have made an important move toward a world where every officer has the best technology and training to minimize the chances of a deadly encounter, TASER Chief Executive Officer Rick Smith said in the statement.TASER is a publicly traded company and was a member of the 2016 GovTech100 list. In its last fiscal year , the company made $197.9 million in net sales and $19.9 million in net income.More than 20 local government entities across the country are in the process of implementing Budget Builder, a new offering from OpenGov.The solution is an online collaborative platform where government officials can submit data, discuss budgeting in threads and keep track of changes over time. Its meant to replace the more disjointed process of email exchanges and Excel spreadsheets, according to a Dec. 7 statement from the company.By seamlessly compiling data from previous years, ensuring collaboration across departments and letting us quickly share key information with stakeholders, Budget Builder has allowed us to focus our time and energy on serving our residents instead of agonizing over the budget, said Judy Smith, finance director for the Jackson County Water and Sewerage Authority, in the statement.Some of the other government entities turning to the solution are Harford County, Md.; Long Beach, N.Y.; Culpeper, Va.; Burnet, Texas; and Greenwood, Ind.OpenGov primarily develops open data, performance management and budgeting tools for local government entities. It has raised about $47 million in capital since 2012.
(TNS) -- A new smart phone app to be tested in Solana Beach will allow residents to electronically monitor minute-by-minute water use at their homes.The app will flag any sudden spike in water consumption, which could indicate a broken or burst pipe, or a slow but steady increase, which might mean a pinhole leak or a loose connection.You could shut down your water through the phone if theres a big spike, Solana Beach Assistant City Manager Dan King said this week.The app will show real-time water use and allow the user to compare the data by days, months and years. It also could be programmed to automatically shut off all a clients water in an emergency, saving the ratepayer from a huge bill and possibly flood damage.It also could help the city meet the conservation goals of its state-mandated climate action plan, King said.If approved in January by the Solana Beach City Council, the grant money will be used by HydroSmart Technologies to develop the software and oversee a pilot project in about 10 homes and one or two public buildings, possibly including Solana Beach City Hall.Each app user will receive detailed, by-the-minute details on their water consumption, King said. However, the city will only get more general, aggregate information about residential consumption.The city was interested more for water conservation, King said. The technology they are using for this could also potentially be used for energy tracking with things like solar or other power sources.Solana Beach is considering forming a Community Choice Aggregation, or CCA, which would allow residents to buy electricity from sources other than San Diego Gas & Electric Co. That would allow the city to rely on a higher percentage of renewable sources such as solar and wind power.The money for the project is from one of two $80,000 grants awarded in November by the nonprofit San Diego Foundation as part of its Smart Cities and Water Solutions Program. The other grant went to the County Regional Airport Authority to pay for sensors to monitor water condensation captured from air conditioning units in buildings and jet bridges.For so long water users have been consuming in water-data-darkness and defenseless against significant financial water losses and water damage, HydroSmart Technologies CEO Mario Larach said in a news release. Our Smart Monitoring Platform delivers a trifecta of security, conservation and knowledge.Solana Beach gets its drinking water from the Santa Fe Irrigation District, which also supplies water to Rancho Santa Fe.
Naidu Cancels Gulf Tour: Cyclone Or Lokesh Effect?

Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday suddenly announced cancellation of his trip to Dubai, UAE and Kuwait, on the pretext that he has to be in the state since the cyclone Vardah presently located over southeast Bay of Bengal is expected to wreak havoc in the coastal Andhra in the next 48 hours.

Naidu was to leave for Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait in the afternoon and was supposed to be there till December 13, to invite investors to take part in the proposed Partnership Summit-2017 to be held at Visakhapatnam on January 27 and 28. However, the chief minister announced that he was not going abroad in the wake of cyclone threat to the state.

It was a surprise to many officials, as it was only the other day that he told them to report to his son Lokesh on administrative matters. Hence, the sudden move to cancel his tour raises many eyebrows.

Sources say may be he had felt a threat from Lokesh himself, as it might help the latter stage a coup against Naidu in the coming days. If Lokesh gains control over administration, he might as well take the power into his hands at a later stage. Since Naidu does not believe his own shadow, there is no wonder he does not believe his own son, say sources.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed a package of legislation putting autonomous vehicles onto Michigans roads. The core is Senate Bill 995 , which allows operation of autonomous vehicles on Michigan roads where before only testing of these vehicles by manufacturers was permitted.

All safety requirements that pertain to the testing of autonomous vehicles will apply to autonomous vehicle operation. The legislation also authorizes electronically-coordinated truck platooning on Michigan roads by creating an exception to the states required minimum following distance for commercial vehicles of 500 feet and also authorizes on-demand autonomous vehicle networks.

Additionally, the legislation creates the Michigan Council on Future Mobility within the Michigan Department of Transportation to make future recommendations on statewide policy recommendations that will keep Michigan ahead of the curve on regulatory issues that could impede new development. The bill is now PA 332 of 2016.

Gov. Snyder also signed three other bills as part of the autonomous vehicles package:

SB 996 outlines specific parameters for entities that wish to offer on-demand autonomous vehicle networks to the public. It is now PA 333.

SB 997 recognizes the American Center for Mobility at Willow Run in statute and removes barriers to operating at the facility. It is now PA 334.

SB 998 exempts mechanics from any damages to vehicles that result from repairs, if the repairs were made in accordance with manufacturer specifications. It is now PA 335.

All of the bills were approved with strong bipartisan support in both chambers.
Canadas First Ministers (The Prime Minister of Canada and the provincial and territorial premiers) issued a joint communique and released the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change following the First Ministers Meeting. The Framework outlines actions that will grow the economy while reducing GHG emissions. These actions include:

developing new building codes to ensure that buildings use less energy, saving money for households and businesses;

deploying more electric charging stations to support zero-emitting vehicles, which is an integral part of the future of transportation;

expanding clean electricity systems, promoting inter-ties, and using smart-grid technologies to phase out the reliance on coal, make more efficient use of existing power supplies, and ensure a greater use of renewable energy;

reducing methane emission from the oil and gas sector;

protecting and enhancing carbon stored in forested lands, wetlands and agricultural lands; and

setting an example and driving significant reductions in emissions from government operations.

A focus on clean technology is a core element of the Framework and through the actions identified, we will foster innovation and create new jobs, new technologies and new export opportunities. We also agreed on the importance of having globally competitive Canadian businesses as we transition to a low-carbon economy. We will position Canada to contribute to global solutions that can be exported to the world.

In support of these efforts, the federal government, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, will be making historic investments in green infrastructure, public transit, and clean technology and innovation. This will include helping Indigenous Peoples and remote and northern communities reduce their reliance on diesel by connecting these communities to electricity grids and implementing renewable energy systems. Communique of Canadas First Ministers

Federal, provincial and territorial governments will work together to establish a review of carbon pricing, including expert assessment of stringency and effectiveness that compares carbon pricing systems across Canada, which will be completed by early 2022 to provide certainty on the path forward. An interim report will be completed in 2020, which will be reviewed and assessed by First Ministers. As an early deliverable, the review will assess approaches and best practices to address the competitiveness of emissions-intensive, trade-exposed sectors.

Saskatchewan is not adopting the Pan-Canadian Framework.
The new entry in the electric vehicle range of products of Oerlikon Graziano is a single-speed transmission for a battery electric vehicle designed for a maximum input torque of 270 Nm (199 lb-ft) and max input speed of 14000 rpm. A new lubrication concept guarantees maximum flexibility in term of installation angle to allow the highest level of compatibility with different vehicle layouts. The transmission features a compact design (150 mm (5.91 inches) center distance input shaft) focused on weight optimization.

Oerlikon Drive Systems Segments transmission specialist brand, Oerlikon Graziano, introduced a new EV transmission and the concept of a new modular front-wheel drive hybrid transmission at the 2016 CTI Symposium and Transmission Expo in Berlin this past week.

The transmission features a parking lock system design with or without auxiliary actuation (upon customer request). This ensures a high level of functional integration with the electric motor to optimize powertrain weight and performance.

AT CTI Berlin, Oerlikon also presented a paper entitled Modular P2-P3 Dedicated Hybrid Transmission for 48V and HV applications. The new FWD hybrid technology concept is based on existing OGeco transmission architecture (earlier post) and can reduce component costs, offer a 40% improvement in acceleration and reduce CO 2 emissions by 25% when compared to traditional technologies. It also enables full hybrid functionalities, such as load point shifting, eBoost, KERS, regeneration, hybrid drive and full electric drive.

Oerlikon Graziano applied value engineering and continuous improvement to the OGeco transmission presented at 2012s CTI Symposium and Transmission Expo resulting in a patented dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT) design concept.

The P2-P3 dedicated hybrid transmission is modular, based on a two-shaft single-clutch concept. Due to a link between two main gears of the gearbox and the direct gearing between the electric machine and linked gear system, free-mounted on the primary shaft, the transmission has a very efficient electric path.

This also offers two different gear ratios between the electric machine and the secondary shaft. The architecture is simple, using standard components. Across a wider range of vehicle speeds it offers a full performance curve of wheel torque. The innovative system offers the advantages of both gasoline and electrical systems, for example: powershifting-P3, recuperation-P3, cranking-P2, KERS, and standstill charging-P2.
While the Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro (SM-C9000) has already been made official, it's currently only available for purchase in China. For those waiting for Samsung to release the phone in other markets, here's some good news: the launch may happen soon.

That's because the Samsung SM-C900F, which is most likely the international variant of the Galaxy C9 Pro, has received Wi-Fi certification from the WiFi Alliance (WFA).

As for specs, the SM-C900F is said to be similar to the Chinese variant, meaning it'll also be powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 653 chipset and sport a 6-inch 1080p touchscreen. RAM will be 6GB, while storage will be 64GB. The device will feature a 16MP/16MP combo, while a large, 4,000mAh battery will be there to keep the light on.

Source | Via
Samsung has announced that, next week, it will roll out another battery limiting update to Galaxy Note7 units in Europe that are still in use. While the previous update - pushed out in October - capped the battery charge to 60%, this one will limit the charging capacity to 30%.

"As part of our absolute focus on customer safety, from 15th December, all Galaxy Note7 devices will receive a new battery software update that will limit the maximum charging capacity to 30 percent," the South Korean tech giant said on its UK website.

In case you missed, a Note7 update is also set to be rolled out in the US on December 19, but unlike the one that'll be pushed out in Europe, the US update won't allow the phone to charge at all, effectively making it useless.

There's currently no information on if and when a similar update will be rolled out to Note7 units in Europe as well.

Source




Haiti - Agriculture : Passing of Francois Severin, a great loss for the country





The Ministry of Agriculture of Natural Resources and Rural Development announces with deep sorrow the sad news of the passing away Thursday of the former Minister of Agriculture, the Agronomist Francois Severin, at the age of 70 years (11 December 1946), in his residence, following a long illness which he courageously endured.



Pierre Guito Laurore, the Minister of Agriculture, would like to inform the bereaved family, the Corporation of Agronomists and other professionals in the agricultural sector of the emotion that he feels following the sad departure for the beyond of this intellectual to whom the Nation expresses its greatest gratitude.



The Agronomist Francois Severin, Minister of Agriculture on five occasions, is a heavy loss, the Ministry of Agriculture knows how deeply the role of this high level executive was in the vast extension campaign, the installation of collective tanks in the rural environment, in the promotion of agricultural development and in research in Haiti. The Ministry of Agriculture will retain the memory of this man so warn and the agricultural sector will never forget its famous research and its wonderful publications in Creole like "Rat Se Zenglendo" published in 1995, "Plant Ak Pyebwa Te d'Ayiti" published in 2002, "Cheche Grenn Banbou" published in 2005 and "Ti zwazo kote w a prale" published in 2007.



The Ministry of Agriculture expresses his condolences and sympathy to his children, to his family, in particular to his brother the Agronomist Arnoux Sevron, the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and other relatives and friends affected by this mourning. Peace to his soul, Sit tibi terra levis.



The Ministry of Agriculture, together with the Severin family, will provide the date of the funeral at the appropriate time.



The de facto President Jocelerme Privert "presents his sincere condolences to the family, relatives and friends of the agronomist Francois Severin who has served his country worthily. The Republic loses one of its executives experienced and competent by this death. President Privert salutes the memory and the journey of this rare value among the great servants of the Haitian State."



Prime Minister Enex Jean-Charles learned with dismay the news of the death of the former Minister of Agriculture Francois Severin "In this painful circumstance, the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Government salutes the departure of Mr. Severin and sends his sympathies to the relatives and friends of the deceased."



HL/ HaitiLibre


















By William Schwartz | Published on 2016/12/09

For technical reasons quite beyond me, "The Sound of Your Heart" has ceased being a web drama and is now being aired in repackaged form on late night Korean television. The first episode comprises what would be eight webtoon episodes. Aside from editing differences, the first, second, seventh and eighth episodes are more or less the same. The introduction to Seok, his idiot family, and Ae-bong- are largely unchanged. The new stories focus more on characterization than comedic situations.

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To excellent effect, as expected. Take the exploration of Cheol-wang's tendency to take on new jobs at random based on whoever will give him money. This employment history, coupled with Cheol-wang's other tendency to act like an idiot, causes him to not realize how other people see him. What ensues is a bizarre sequence throughout Seoul where Cheol-wang terrifies nearly everyone he meets in his attempts to go back home- all because he overslept.

Seok's adventures after a disastrous bathroom situation go little better. On the one end I pity him, and yet at the same time, Seok really does manage to pick the worst possible way out of the situation. But whether the criminal here is Seok or his father, it all boils down to the same thing. Even if they're not necessarily entirely responsible for their own dire situation, these two really do manage to come up with the worst possible solutions.

The final new section concerns Seok's abortive decision to lock himself in the closet. Again, what may have seemed initially justified by circumstance quickly grows out of control as Seok simply decides to live by other people's assumptions rather than explain what's going on. The comedy is further enhanced by excellent blocking, detailing the increasingly comical ways Seok has to avoid detection until finally, inevitably, another member of the household realizes what's going on and there's a reckoning.

As for the sections I'd already seen, well, they're still funny. Surprisingly funny considering I knew what was coming. Once again I relished waiting the entire minute necessary for Seok's meeting with Ae-bong to continue. Another factor worth mentioning- that bizarre interpretation of Prince Sado was in fact a recontextualization of "Cheese in the Trap". Somehow. Every time I try to peel a layer off "The Sound of Your Heart", it just gets weirder and weirder the more I look at it. Imagine. Depth in a comedy that overuses toilet humor.

Review by William Schwartz

"The Sound of Your Heart" is directed by Ha Byeong-hoo, written by Kim Yeon-ji, Kwon Hye-jo, Lee Byeong-hoon-II and features Lee Kwang-soo, Kim Dae-myung, Jung So-min, Kim Byung-ok and Kim Mi-kyung.
A man who robbed an Apache Pizza outlet with a chainsaw-wielding accomplice was acting completely out of character to pay off a drug debt, a court has heard.

Craig Dempsey's DNA was discovered on a blood-stained till and on an Adidas hoodie that were discovered in wasteland by gardai in the wake of the robbery last year.

A total of 2,535 was taken from the pizza outlet, Garda Niall Russell told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Dempsey (25), with an address in Allenton Road, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to robbing Apache Pizza in Old Bawn Shopping Centre, Tallaght, on September 6, 2015.

His co-accused remains before the courts.

Dempsey also pleaded guilty to robbing a Spar store in Ballycullen, and producing a broken bottle in the course of the offence, on July 20, 2015. He will be sentenced on April 4, 2017.

Gda Russell told Lisa Dempsey, prosecuting, that a staff member was preparing to close the restaurant in the early hours of the morning when Dempsey and another man, who was carrying an electric chainsaw, ran into the store shouting "money, money".

The other man turned the chainsaw on while Dempsey jumped over the counter and threw the till on the ground.

The pair then fled with the till and were spotted by a taxi driver making off into nearby wasteland. Gardai searched the wasteland and found the till and hoodie, before Dempsey was recognised from CCTV footage.

Cocaine

He has three previous convictions, including one for burglary.

Defence barrister Sorcha Whelan said Dempsey had debts due to a cocaine habit at the time of the offence.

He has since moved from Dublin to Mayo to live with his sister and her family, the court heard.

Ms Whelan said Dempsey had stopped taking cocaine, but is still using cannabis.

Judge Melanie Greally accepted Dempsey was remorseful and was acting out of character at the time of the offences.

She gave Dempsey one last chance to engage with probation services in Mayo.

"Your fate is in your hands," said the judge.
Shauna McHugh who survived an attack with an aerosol can outside Gallaghers Hotel in Letterkenny.

A tour guide at a former prison has been jailed for two years over a "flamethrower" attack on a 24-year-old mother, which left her scarred for life.

Kevin Quinn (23) pleaded guilty to charges of assault causing harm and adapting an aerosol deodorant into a weapon contrary to the Firearms Act.

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Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court heard how Shauna McHugh, from Donegal Town, had been staying at the Gallagher's Hotel in Letterkenny during the Donegal rally weekend in 2015.

In the early hours of June 22, Sergeant Sean McDaid said Ms McHugh answered a knock on the door of the hotel room where she had gone to chat to a friend.

"There was some commotion in the corridor and she looked to her right. She heard someone to her left say 'hi' and, when she turned, she saw a man light an aerosol can with a lighter and a large flame hit her in the face," said Sgt McDaid.

The garda said Ms McHugh then heard someone say "oh f**k" and heard the footsteps of someone running away.

He said a number of other people in the corridor got her into the room and doused the flames using damp towels and she was later taken to Letterkenny General Hospital.

Sgt McDaid told Judge John O'Hagan that gardai at the scene examined CCTV, which showed Quinn, who works at Crumlin Road jail museum in Belfast, go into his room and leave a short time later wearing a different top.

Stinging

He said gardai were able to identify Quinn and his vehicle and arrested him as he attempted to drive out of Letterkenny later that day.

In her victim impact statement, which Sgt McDaid read to the court, Ms McHugh described how the incident had changed her life.

She said she suffered stinging burn marks on the left side of her face and forehead, and lost part of her eyelashes and eyebrows. Her face still goes bright red on occasions and she can no longer wear contact lenses.

"I couldn't sleep for about two months, I kept reliving that night over and over again," said Ms McHugh.

She quit her pharmaceutical science degree course because she was afraid of using Bunsen burners during experiments.

Judge O'Hagan examined Ms McHugh's face and commented that a burn mark on her face was "still clearly visible".

The court heard that, in garda interviews, Quinn said he had been "carrying on with the lads" and had been chasing friends down the corridor when the incident happened.

Quinn, of Killycanavan Road, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, told the court that he was "extremely sorry" for his actions and apologised to Ms McHugh.

Aggravating

The judge said Quinn had "realised immediately" what he had done and had been captured on CCTV slipping away from the hotel, with his attempts at evading detection an aggravating factor.

He said, if it hadn't been for the diligence of gardai, Quinn "might have disappeared over the border and would never be seen again". He noted that Quinn had a previous conviction for assault in the North and a probation report had noted a lack of responsibility and a lack of empathy towards his victim.

The judge said Ms McHugh, who now works as an optician's assistant, continued to suffer the psychological effects of the attack.

He said the attack was "such a serious matter" that it had to attract a custodial sentence and he jailed Quinn for two years, suspending the final year.
'She targeted old age pension payments because the post office system allows pensioners to let them build up before collecting them.' (stock pic)

A post office worker who stole from ten elderly people by skimming their old age pensions has avoided a prison sentence.

Imelda Hanlon (36) stole a total of 18,752 over four years before she was caught. She used the money to pay her mortgage and gave some of it to her partner's children in an effort to forge a closer relationship with them.

Hanlon, of Oak Court Grove, Palmerstown, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ten sample counts of theft, from an 81-count indictment, at Chapelizod Post Office between 2010 and 2014.

Detective Garda Shane Kelly told Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting, that Hanlon worked part-time in the post office which was owned by her mother.

Targeted

She targeted old age pension payments because the post office system allows pensioners to let them build up before collecting them. When customers came in to collect a few weeks worth of payments, Hanlon would keep some cash back for herself. The customers did not notice the missing money

In 2014, An Post launched an investigation into unusual transactions at the branch and Hanlon admitted the thefts. An Post reimbursed the victims and Hanlon has since repaid An Post. Counsel added she was let go from the post office.

Judge Martin Nolan said: "Let's hope they don't lose their trust in their fellow human beings. Most people are trustworthy, especially in An Post."

He imposed a two-year sentence on Hanlon, which he suspended on strict conditions.
An army consultant therapist slipped and fell in a TGI Friday's restaurant after her long, floaty dress and high heels became entangled, the Circuit Civil Court has heard.

Joanne Smith (36), who lost a 60,000 damages claim against the restaurant, denied she had difficulty walking on the night of November 9, 2013, and claimed she slipped and fell on water.

She told the court that she and husband Aidan decided to have dinner at TGI Friday's at St Stephen's Green, Dublin, after they had gone to a Ludovico Einaudi concert at the National Concert Hall.

Smith, a-mother-of-two of Raphoe Road, Crumlin, Dublin, told barrister Eamon Marray, for the restaurant, that she was wearing a long black dress and high heels and had no difficulty walking.

The court heard that, as she was following a waitress and her husband to their table, Smith slipped and fell, landing heavily on her left side and hand. She had been embarrassed and stunned.

She said she got up and joined her husband, who had been unaware she had fallen. Her dress had been wet and she had seen a water spillage on the floor.

Negligence

The court heard she suffered pain in her lower back, left leg and wrist.

She had been out of work for several weeks and sued Chicago Rock Cafe Ltd, trading as TGI Friday's, of Leisureplex Retail Park, Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin, for negligence.

TGI Friday's denied liability and claimed Smith had made no complaint on the night about the floor or her dress being wet.

The restaurant claimed Ms Smith had fallen because her dress and heels became entangled.

Mr Marray said former TGI Friday's manager Robin Sadler had been informed of the fall and immediately went to see Ms Smith. Counsel said Ms Sadler had not seen any water on the floor.

Ms Sadler said she gave Ms Smith an ice pack for her wrist and the couple was offered a complimentary drink as a gesture. She said Ms Smith did not complain about the floor being wet.

Judge James O'Donohoe said Ms Smith, a respectable person working in the Defence Forces, had given a truthful account of what she believed had happened that night, but he preferred the restaurant's version of events.

He dismissed Ms Smith's claim and awarded legal costs against her.
The Spar shop on Tonlegee Road in Coolock which has robbed four times in the last six months. Picture: Damien Eagers

This is the terrifying moment a hammer-wielding raider stole cash from the till of a popular Dublin shop.

The thug threatened to assault staff with the weapon during the horrifying raid on the Spar shop on Dublin's northside.

Incredibly the store has been raided four times in the past six months.

The criminal entered the shop on Tonlegee Road in Coolock last Saturday at 6.30pm, and immediately put staff in fear of their lives when he brandished the hammer.

Staff were forced to back away from the man as he went behind the counter to steal cash from the shop's till.

The photograph of the raider shows the thug holding the hammer in his left hand as he seeks money from the cash drawer in the shop.

Terrified

The man later fled the scene and gardai were alerted.

The photograph has been handed over to gardai in Coolock and detectives are currently trying to indentify the man.

The same shop was held up again by raiders just four days later.

A thug entered the shop on Wednesday night at around 9pm and threatened staff with a knife before robbing the business.

Staff at the same shop had suffered an earlier ordeal on October 31, when two men armed with a handgun and a knife embarked on a frightening hold-up on the premises. The two men escaped with a quantity of cash. The shop was also targeted by armed criminals on June 30, the first of four raids that have hit the same shop since the summer.

The manager of the store declined to comment on the spate of robberies that have plagued staff in recent months.

The series of raids have been condemned by members of the public and a senior member of a retail business in Coolock.

They have all called for an increased garda presence to deter criminals.

The robbery at the shop on Wednesday night is believed to be one of a number of armed raids and attempted raids to take place in the area on the same night.

Shop workers in the area said they heard there were at least three raids at retail premises on the same date.

One of the businesses hit was the KFC fast food restaurant at Northside Shopping Centre.

A member of staff confirmed that a man wielding a knife attempted to carry out a robbery.

The thug, who was sitting in the restaurant, approached a female staff member and spoke to her in a low voice.

"When she moved closer to hear what he was saying, she saw he was carrying a knife and she ran and told the manager," said the staff member.

The thug fled from the restaurant as the female member of staff went for help.

Concern

A senior member of staff at a different retail premises told the Herald that the spate of robberies in the locality was a matter of "deep concern" for all staff, customers, and residents in Coolock.

"There are not enough gardai on duty in Coolock," the concerned staff member said.

"We are frequently told by gardai that there are not enough gardai cars available.

"Gardai are struggling to do their job and there are not enough of them around.

"There needs to be more gardai available to respond to situations."
BRISTOL, Tenn.  Children of all ages can become curious and interested in fire, an issue that has the potential to lead to disaster.

That is what authorities believe caused the deadly Gatlinburg fires in late November.

Juveniles setting fires is an issue, said Bristol Tennessee Assistant Fire Chief Jack Spurgeon.

Thats why the city has established a free FireWISE Juvenile Firesetter Program.

The end result [of fire curiosity] could be what weve seen in the Gatlinburg fires, which is devastating and loss of life, Spurgeon said. Thats the kind of things we are trying to prevent, loss of life and loss of property. Those are two key elements for us to function in our society.

In Sevier County, Tennessee, two juveniles have been charged with aggravated arson following the fires that killed 14 and damaged hundreds of structures in and around Gatlinburg. The fire was set in the Chimney Tops area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Details about how the fire started have not been officially released, but Spurgeon said it likely started small and got out of control.

Most people have the perception that they can control the fire, he said. Thats not the case. Next thing you know, its out of control. More than likely, thats the issue in Gatlinburg.

In Bristol and Sullivan County, children who are curious about fire, or who have set damaging fires, can be referred to the citys program, which is designed for those from prekindergarten to high school. A majority of the cases that Spurgeon sees are referred from the juvenile justice system or childrens services.

If a parent has concerns that their child may be showing some of these signs, they can call our department and well evaluate their concerns, he added.

The last case that came through the program involved a child who vandalized and set fire to a business. The court appointed the juvenile to the 14-week program. Volunteer cases typically involve a shorter program.

Were just about through the process with that individual, Spurgeon said. Then we have to report the progress and where we think were at back to the court and child services.

Curiosity and access to lighters are typical causes of juvenile-set fires. During the program, Spurgeon said both the children and their parents are educated.

During the first meeting, which takes place at the fire station, certified officials ask questions.

They discuss what situation led to their involvement in the program, their perception of fire, the relationship between the children and parents, and home life. Peer pressure and relationships may be an issue, Spurgeon said.

When you have these individuals that start showing these signs, basically there needs to be a process to both educate the juvenile and the parents as well, he said.

The program involves paperwork and research. In the case of court-mandated incidents, the children and parents also meet with the first-responders who fought the fires and the victims.

Most younger children start the fire in the bedroom or in a closet, Spurgeon said. They try to light something and the next thing you know, we have a fire situation.

A majority of the cases in Bristol involve boys and Spurgeon said the average age is 5.

Over the last decade, Spurgeon said there has been a 90 percent success rate for the program. He could only recall one case that led to another fire. This year, hes worked with three children and a fourth has been referred.

In the case of mental issues, the children are referred to appropriate professionals.

For additional information contact the Fire Department at 423-989-5701.
When they set out to find growing mainline churches, sociologist David Haskell and historian Kevin Flatt did the logical thing: They asked leaders of four key Canadian denominations to list their successful congregations.

It didnt take long, however, to spot a major problem as the researchers contacted these An-glican, United Church, Presbyterian and Evangelical Lutheran parishes.

Few, if any, of the congregations these denominations leaders named were actually grow-ing, said Haskell, who teaches at Wilfrid Laurier University in Brantford, Ontario. A few had experienced a little bit of growth in one or two years in the past, but for the most part, they were holding steady at best, or actually in steady declines.

To find thriving congregations in these historic denominations, Haskell and Flatt, who teaches at Redeemer University College in Hamilton, Ontario, had to hunt on their own. By word of mouth, they followed tips from pastors and lay leaders to other growing mainline churches.

The bottom line: The faith proclaimed in growing churches was more orthodox  especially on matters of salvation, biblical authority and the supernatural  than in typical mainline con-gregations. These churches were thriving on the doctrinal fringes of shrinking institutions.

The people running these old, established denominations didnt actually know much about their own growing churches, said Haskell in an interview. Either that, or they didnt want to admit which churches were growing.

The researchers stated their conclusions in the title  Theology Matters  of a peer-reviewed article in the current Review of Religious Research. In all, they plan five academic pa-pers building on their studies of clergy and laypeople in nine growing and 13 declining congre-gations in southern Ontario, a region Haskell called church-friendly, in the context of modern Canada.

Focusing on 2003-2013, the researchers defined decline as an average loss of 2 percent of church attendees a year. Growing churches were gaining people in the pews at a rate of 2 per-cent or more.

Haskell said leaders of doctrinally progressive churches tend to believe that strong convic-tions are what matter and it really doesnt matter what those convictions are. That is not what we see in the numbers, after our research. What we see is that growing churches hold more firmly to basics of traditional Christianity, including being more diligent about things like prayer, Bible reading and evangelism.

Crucial findings in this study showed that, in growing churches, pastors tend to be more con-servative than the people in their pews. In declining congregations, pastors are usually more theologically liberal than their people. For example:

 Clergy in growing churches affirmed, by an overwhelming 93 percent, that Jesus rose from the dead, leaving an empty tomb, while 56 percent of clergy in declining churches agreed. Among laypeople, this divide was 83 percent vs. 67 percent.

 In growing churches, 46 percent of clergy strongly affirmed, and nearly 31 percent moder-ately affirmed, this statement: Only those who believe in and follow Jesus Christ will receive eternal life. Zero pastors in declining churches affirmed that statement and 6 percent moder-ately agreed.

 In growing congregations, 100 percent of the clergy said its crucial to encourage non-Christians to become Christians, while only 50 percent of pastors in declining churches agreed.

 In declining churches, 44 percent of pastors agreed that God performs miracles in answer to prayers, compared with 100 percent of clergy in growing congregations.

There were other patterns worthy of future study, said Haskell. Growing churches were much younger, with two-thirds of their members under the age of 60, while two-thirds of those at-tending declining churches were over 60. Families in growing churches also had more children. Finally, growing mainline churches were finding their new members among outsiders  people who say going to church is new for them  at the same rate as growing evangelical Protestant churches (about 12 percent).

Its hard to avoid what we see in the numbers, said Haskell, who described himself as a ra-ther nontraditional believer. If you believe that Jesus is THE path to the best life in this life, and eternal life in the next, then youre going to practice your faith differently than someone who believes that all religions are basically the same. ... As it turns out, doctrines really do have consequences.
SERVICE

ST. LUKE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: Bristol, Va. 105 North Street. Dec. 24, 6 p.m.: Candlelight Christmas Eve service, everyone welcome, 276-669-2441.

NORTON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: Norton, Va., 8TH AND Virginia Avenue. Dec. 11, 11 a.m. Third Advent Sunday, everyone welcome, 276-679-3528.

SINGING

CENTERPOINTE CHURCH: Bristol, Tenn. 1276 Volunteer Parkway. Dec. 10, 6 p.m.: Rise up 2016, Christian concert, featuring Christian rapper Aaron Cole, guest speaker Steve Wright of Fellowship Christian Athletes, www.thecenterpointechurch.org.

STATE LINE BAPTIST CHURCH: Kingsport, Tenn., 310 Carters Valley Road. Dec. 11, 6 p.m.: Gospel singing featuring, Brian Burchfield, 423-345-2776.

BROWDERS CHAPEL CHURCH: Hiltons, Va., 538 Browders Chapel Road. Dec. 15, 7 p.m.: Browders Merry Christmas tour, featuring The Browders.

CLAY HILL BAPTIST CHURCH: Blountville, Tenn., 122 Hobbs Hollow Road. Meets every third Saturday, Dec. 17, 5 p.m.: Sullivan County Red Back Church Hymnal sing, 423-323-4085.

COMMUNITY

FULL GOSPEL TABERNACLE CHURCH: Bristol, Tenn. 487 Cant Hook Hill Road. Dec. 17, 7 p.m.: Christmas play, Tell Me the Story of Jesus, everyone welcome, 423-878-6770.

ADVENT LUNCHEON SERIES: Bristol, Tenn./Va., 105 North Street. Now  Dec. 21, 11: 50 a.m.  1 p.m. every Wednesday: Dec. 14: Virginia Avenue UMC, 1127 Virginia Avenue, guest speaker Rev. Jeremy McMillan, of St. Luke UMC. Dec. 21: John Wesley UMC, 311 Lee Street, guest speaker Rev. Liz Hamilton, of Addilynn Memorial UMC. Worship begins noon. Lunch served 12:30  1 p.m., everyone welcome.

FIRST BROAD STREET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: Kingsport, Tenn., 101 East Church Circle. Volunteer two hours any day Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Marlene Hudson, 423-817-8332, to help with food, Bob Smith, 423-246-3966. Clothing and other donations can be brought to Single Vision or taken to Shades of Grace.

FAIRVIEW UNITED METHODISH CHURCH: Jonesborough, Tenn., 878 Highway 81 North. Third Saturday each month, 7-10 a.m.: Country breakfast, bacon, fresh ground sausage, eggs, pancakes, gravy, biscuits and more. Donations. Located 5 miles from downtown Jonesborough going toward Fall Branch.

YARD SALE

PENTECOSTAL CHURCH: Abingdon, Va., 17535 Jeb Stuart Highway off Exit 19 toward Damascus: Yard Sale, second Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Name brand childrens and maternity clothes, plus tons of good quality baby equipment. Proceeds benefit the Mayan malnourished children of Guatemala, and children in our orphanage and those in our orphans at home program. www.safehomesforchildren.org.

HOW TO SUBMIT

News and calendar items for the Religion section should be emailed only to features@bristolnews.com with Religion Calendar in the subject line or sent by mail to Religion Editor, Bristol Herald Courier, P.O. Box 606, Bristol, VA 24203. Mailed items must be typewritten. Deadline is noon Monday. Please include the complete address of event location, name and telephone number of a contact person. If you have questions, contact Dorothy Hurt at 276-645-2556 or email dhurt@bristolnews.com. The service is free.






The PM suggested that Japan open its market wider for Vietnamese strong products, including agro-fishery products, dragon fruit and litchi.

To further foster the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership, the PM stressed the importance of strengthening political trust between the two countries through high-level visits and meetings on the sidelines of international events.

PM Phuc also expressed hope for more investment from Japanese firms, including small-and medium-sized ones, and recommended a number of special measures to bolster bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

Affirming that Vietnam sees Japan as a great friend and the top important and long-term partner, the PM said that Vietnam wants to expand cooperation with Japanese localities.

On his part, Isao Iijima expressed hope that the Vietnamese Government will continue facilitating Japanese firms operation in Vietnam.

Iijima vowed to make every effort to contribute to the growth of ties between the two countries./.
It's been 125 years since Dracula was published. And it's still scary.




The hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum Year 2017 also affirms Vietnams wish to make more contributions to the building and shaping multilateral cooperation mechanisms, including the APEC, he said.

Son highlighted four expectations of Vietnam for the organisation of the event, including making the APEC cooperation more practical and effective with the completion of Bogor goals in trade and investment liberalisation.

Vietnam hopes to enhance the position of APEC as the leading economic cooperation forum pioneering in the formation of deep and wide regional linkages, fostering peace, stability, cooperation and development, he said.

The country also wishes to strengthen friendship and partnership with leading partners in the world, while promoting a Vietnam of renovation, dynamism, abundant potential and active integration, bringing development and exchange opportunities for regions, localities, businesses and locals, declared Son.

He held that through the APEC Year 2017, Vietnam will have a chance to learn more experience and increase public awareness of the forum.

Stressing benefits the APEC Year 2017s activities will bring to localities, enterprises and locals, the Deputy FM said that as the host of the event, Vietnam expects to welcome tens of thousands of delegates to 200 activities across the country, opening up great chances for localities to attract visitors and advertise their products to APEC partners and world leading businesses.

Vietnamese enterprises, especially small and medium-sized ones, will have numerous opportunities to access a huge market of all member economies, link with potential strategic partners and enjoy favourable investment and businesses environment and travel conditions as well as advanced technology from top companies, he said.

Vietnamese people will also have more choices in employment, goods, services, health care, education and tourism thanks to programmes that APEC is implementing on people-to-people contact and tourism promotion, added Son.

To tap all chances, he urged localities nationwide to make good preparations, especially in infrastructure and workforce, while strengthening communications on the APEC 2017.

Regarding the outcomes of the recent informal APEC Senior Officials Meeting, the Deputy FM said that the event drew a crowd of participants, including hundreds of experts, scholars, business representatives and leaders of ministries and localities of Vietnam.

APEC member economies voiced their support for the orientation, theme and priorities of the APEC Year 2017. They include strengthening regional economic connectivity, fostering sustainable, creative and inclusive growth, supporting micro, small and medium firms and those led by women, and enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture.

Participants also agreed on a timetable of the APEC Year 2017, he said, adding that the highlight of the unofficial APEC Senior Officials Meeting was a dialogue with businesses from APEC economies.

The readiness of Vietnam in hosting the APEC Year 2017 was also felt by participants at the meeting, stated Son.

He also said that the official website of the APEC Year 2017 has become operational at www.apec2017.vn./.




He made the statement when receiving a visiting Vietnamese delegation led by Pham Van Chuong, deputy head of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), in Bejing on December 9th. The Vietnamese delegation visited China to attend the 8th Vietnam-China peoples forum in Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province.

Wan Gang praised the organisation and outcomes of the forum.

He shared his impression from a recent visit to Vietnam in November when he had a chance to witness the strong growth of the country and tour the house of the late President Ho Chi Minh.

Wan hailed the contributions made by Ho Chi Minh to his nation and for Vietnam  China relations, saying Chinese people always have respect for him.

He also talked about his meeting with Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh on promoting bilateral scientific cooperation, particularly exchanges between Vietnamese and Chinese scientists.

He said he is glad to see Chinese businessmen successfully operating in Vietnam and the growth of bilateral tourism.

For his part, Pham Van Chuong stressed his commitment to work with the Chinese side in cementing the friendship between the two peoples.

Both sides agreed to promote initiatives and exchange activities that aim to boost mutual understanding and amity for security and peace in the region and in the world.

The same day, the Vietnamese delegation was welcomed with a banquet hosted by Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

Li said she is pleased with upbeat progress recorded in bilateral ties and regular exchanges between high-ranking leaders of the two countries.

She appreciated the contributions of the VUFO to people-to-people exchanges in recent years, particularly the organisation of an exhibition on President Ho Chi Minh and a youth exchange festival in conjunction with a visit to Vietnam of Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress of China.

She said she will work closely with the Vietnamese side in organising activities marking 67 years of Vietnam-China ties in January next year.

The 8th Vietnam-China peoples forum took place from December 5th to 8th, with discussion focusing on 25 years since the normalization of friendship relations as well as measures to enhance mutual understanding, control disputes at sea and bolster result-oriented cooperation./.
HICKORY -- A Secret Service officer and Challenger Early College High School graduate returned to the school Thursday to tell students about the usefulness of his education and details about law enforcement careers.

Christopher Eaton, 24, graduated with the second class of the early college in 2010 and has served with the Uniformed Division of the U.S. Secret Service for almost two years.

The early college allows students the opportunity to obtain an associate degree from Catawba Valley Community College upon graduation.

Eaton said he was first drawn to the school after hearing it would provide a great deal of independence.

Thinking initially the early college would give him opportunities for downtime, Eaton said he soon discovered how rigorous the curriculum was.

Eaton credits the atmosphere of hard work and self-discipline the early college fostered with helping him demonstrate his value to other schools and employers.

Im worthwhile, youre worthwhile, all of us are worthwhile because we showed we have hard work and dedication, and were able to adapt quickly and learn quickly, Eaton said.

Having the advantage of graduating high school with an associate degree also helped in advancing earlier than many of his peers, Eaton said.

I was always been the youngest person at everything Ive done, Eaton said.

After graduating the early college, Eaton went on to earn a bachelors degree in criminal justice at High Point University and masters degree in intelligence security studies and analysis at Angelo State University.

Eaton applied to and was accepted by the Secret Service, and began training on March 4, 2015.

Only days after completing training, Eaton was assigned to assist with security for Pope Francis September 2015 visit to Philadelphia.

During the election season, Eaton served on security details for President-elect Donald Trump and candidates Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Ben Carson.

As part of the uniformed division, Eaton spends a great deal of time guarding the White House as well.

Several students had questions for Eaton, most of them focused on details about the Secret Service and how to get into law enforcement.

Eaton advised students seeking a career in law enforcement to focus on developing their particular area of interest and to seek out extracurricular activities to demonstrate their level of education and commitment.

The most important thing was staying out of trouble and keeping a clean record, Eaton said.

Some students who heard the speech said they found it useful.

Well, Id say it was interesting to hear, student Marie Eriskson said. Ive never been interested in this field, but I like to hear things like this because it gives me an idea of what I can do with my education.

Stephanie Estevez, who has an interest in law enforcement and has interned with the Drug Enforcement Agency, said she was encouraged by Eatons speech.

Its crazy to know I can get actually get there after Challenger, Estevez said. It makes me believe that I can actually get there, I can make it happen.
Photo for illustration

The consensus was reached during a dialogue between the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia and over 20 Malaysian businesses that are importing Vietnamese key products, such as agricultural products and steel and iron.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Pham Cao Phong, Vietnam and Malaysia hold great potential to develop trade relations, and target a two-way trade turnover of USD15 billion by 2020.

He added that the Vietnamese side wanted to hear about any obstacles Malaysian businesses face when importing goods from Vietnam, so that the obstacles can be addressed to promote trade relations between the two countries.

During the dialogue, Malaysian businesses appreciated the Vietnamese Governments policies in economic development in general and in trade in particular. Some businesses suggested that Vietnamese agencies should further promote the image of products in both domestic and foreign markets by building trademark for the products, and work out measures to increase the quality of product preservation, especially agricultural products.

They shared an idea that although Vietnamese agricultural products such as litchi, coffee and tea are of high quality, the poor preservation affects the final product quality. They also showed their care in building a plant to process and preserve products in Vietnam.

Ambassador Phong answered a majority of Malaysian importers questions, pledging to pass on their ideas to Vietnamese authorized agencies for seeking solutions.

The dialogue saw a consensus on the establishment of a Malaysia  Vietnam Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia.

Statistics by the General Statistics Office show that the trade turnover between Vietnam and Malaysia in the first 10 months of this year reached USD6.8 billion, a year-on-year increase of 3.4%./.
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The uncertainty surrounding the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given rise to much speculation and conjecture. One of the main reasons, it appears, is that India and Bangladesh have failed to arrive at an agreement over sharing of waters of the river Teesta.

Even in 2011, during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs visit to Bangladesh, the two nations were set to sign a water-sharing pact, but at that time West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee objected to the formula agreed upon. In the draft, the two sides had agreed on a 50-50 water sharing ratio during lean season. To Mamata Banerjee, this was against the interests of her state. Since the Teesta originates in Sikkim and flows through West Bengal before entering Bangladesh, the consent of the state government is essential. Even the Constitution places water under the state list. When negotiations couldnt break the impasse, the issue remained pending.

In spite of the steady growth in India-Bangladesh ties in the past few years, the non-resolution of Teesta waters has been a sore point. The trade and economic relationship is booming. India has given duty-free access to all products made in Bangladesh and provided $3 billion as economic aid to its neighbour for development of infrastructure.

Read: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina vows to fight terror threat within the country

During Sheikh Hasinas visit, the two countries were expected to sign a raft of agreements on a wide range of issues including infrastructure-development, trade and investment and military cooperation. All these positives couldnt move forward as the non-resolution of the Teesta issue continues to attract attention in the popular discourse and is a cause for much heart-burn in Bangladesh.

Water is an emotive issue in Bangladesh as the peoples lives revolves around rivers. The Teesta is a major source of sustenance for India and Bangladesh as agriculture has evolved in the catchment areas of the river in both the countries. To support agriculture, the two nations have constructed barrages: In India at Gozaldoba and in Bangladesh at Dalia.

Bangladesh has been complaining that it doesnt get enough water during lean season as the barrage upstream in Gozaldoba draws water unilaterally leaving very little for Bangladesh. Besides, riparian concerns (relating to the natural course of a river) have also made Bangladesh pitch for a viable agreement, since dams are being constructed upstream in Sikkim. They fear that this might alter the Teestas flow further.

Read: Sheikh Hasinas India visit in limbo after Mamata pulls the rug on Teesta pact

In the context of India-Bangaldesh ties, the issue becomes even more sensitive. There are many historical reasons for this. To begin with, Bangladesh perceives India to be harbouring a Big Brother syndrome. Secondly, its experience with the Farraka barrage (which allegedly caused water shortage downstream, a charge India denies) further deepens Bangladeshs apprehensions. Finally, its relationship with India has been fodder for much political chest-beating in that country.

The Opposition accuses Sheikh Hasina of being pro-India and often overlooking the interests of Bangladesh. The non-signing of the Teesta is considered her failure. In Bangladesh, every bilateral visit with India is measured on a strict barometer of gains and losses, and the signing of the Teesta pact has itself become a benchmark. Besides, Hasina has been facing criticism for the growing radicalisation in the country. With the elections likely to be held in 2019, the resolution of the Teesta issue is crucial for her to thwart further criticism.

One hopes the two countries recognise each others limitations and work for a win-win solution.

Joyeeta Bhattacharjee is fellow at the Observer Research Foundation

The views expressed are personal
High in the Himalayas there stands an icy mastiff, a strange-shaped monolithic gargantuan in black  Mount Kailash. At its foot are two huge lakes, one more massive than the other, Manasarovar and Rakshas Tal; revered by the followers of four ancient religions  the animistic Bons, the non-violent Jains, the truth- seeking Buddhists and the eternal Hindus.

A few years ago, I went on a Kailash Yatra, part of a TV crew embedded with one of the religious tours that regularly operate on the Kathmandu Kailash route, and I went the year the pucca road was still being built.

A flight to Kathmandu and a couple of days later a bus ride to the Nepal-China border brought our 125-strong group to the Friendship bridge, which we had to cross on foot, passing through Chinese Customs, one person at a time. On the other side was Zhangmu, a small frontier town where the next morning we boarded Land Cruisers that would take us to Kailash.

This ardous sacred trail often includes mishaps such as buses getting stuck in the mud

We started off on the highway to Lhasa and as we climbed out of the gorge, the turquoise blue of a limitless sky welcomed us to the Tibetan plateau. The highlands stretched in all directions, broken by snow-capped mountain ridges, there was not a tree in sight, only grassland furrowed by an occasional stream. On the pitch black road our convoy, of some 40 odd Land Cruisers, hurtled through time, carting dreams of a hundred individual quests of discovery.

A couple of hours later, we left the highway, as our vehicles turned west, to travel on grass fields that led to Manasarovar. There were no signs, no habitations, no markings and no landmarks to indicate that we were even headed in the right direction. It takes a while to realise that are no electricity poles, no agricultural fields, no airplanes flying above, no shacks, no plastic blowing in the wind and no FM radio. There are just four silent people in a car overawed by this strange new experience of being a speck, in the vastness of their surroundings.

As we kept stopping, to film along the way, we saw our convoy disappear, its dusty wake taking us away from human contact, one vehicle at a time. The only sound was that of the wind and under the harsh ultra violet rays of the sun, that first day, we had the first of our many punctures.

We drove through innumerable small streams, saw small trucks and big cars changing wheels or being stuck in water and soft mud. We saw lakes that were pristine blue, we saw smoke rise from rare little hamlets on the horizon, we saw a donkey cart loaded with household goods going from nowhere to nowhere, we met locals who smiled and waved as they walked the plains and we saw the first signs of a road being built, to take future travellers to Manasarovar. We saw birds flying and swooping for food in rivulets and water bodies, our driver told us that more than six months a year, this entire grassy landscape remained covered under snow and ice.

At a height of about 15,200 feet, Saga is the last town on the way to Kailash where one can stock up on provisions. There are hotels and small restaurants and it being a garrison town we were warned not to point our cameras at anything military. This was the place where we were to wait out a day, to acclimatise our bodies to the high altitudes, we would now be crossing.

Tibetan nomads can be spotted traversing this lush landscape and are known to follow their age-old traditions

It took us two days, after leaving Saga, to reach Manasarovar. The journey was more of what we experienced the first day of the drive, except for the Kiang or the Tibetan wild ass. We saw a herd, roaming free, grazing on the grass that grew in abundance. We saw sand dunes in the middle of the grasslands, dunes that rose to the height of a two- or three-storeyed building and except for the surrounding vista they could well have been in the Sahara.

At Manasarovar, water in the lake shimmered in the bright sunlight but if you touched it your hand would still freeze. Early in the morning the devout lined the banks to take their holy dip, shivering and chanting their prayers to Shiva. Far away, to the north west, Mount Kailash looked down at a scene that has probably not changed in a hundred thousand years. At night the clouds covered everything and lying in the tent the impenetrable blackness lay eerily heavy on ones consciousness.

A couple of hours drive from Lake Manasarovar is Darchen, a tiny outpost from where begins the trek to Mount Kailash. A small valley opened up in front of us and on our right there towered a rock shelf where locals still left the bodies of their dead, for the forces of nature to return the remains to their elements. Here, we were told, the forces of nature were the fat and ferocious looking dogs of Darchen.

The sight of the snow-capped Mount Kailash from Dirapuk is a real visual treat for the visitors

Darchen to Dirapuk, at the base of Mount Kailash, is a five- to seven-hour trek and halfway up, you get your first glimpse of Kailash, to never leave your side all the way to Dirapuk. The solidity and massiveness of Mount Kailash strikes you hard, it looks like a single piece of giant black rock topped with a wig of pure white. Humbled by the majesty of nature, I spent hours staring at the changing forms of Kailash. I saw the clouds come and cover it in the evening, I saw the moonshine reflect on its surface, in the middle of the night, I saw the snow cap turn hues of pink as the sun rose and I saw the vapour like wispy clouds form a skirt midway up its sheer sides. I walked close to its base and craned my head upwards to record every detail of the magnificent sight that held my senses in thrall.

On the trek back to Darchen, we saw a Yak fight and traffic halted, both up and down the track, as the beasts tried their best, to best the other. We passed once the fight ended, but back at Manasarovar there was still that one more magical moment to savour in this trip of sensory delights.

That evening, below an absolutely clear sky, there were patches of grey mist that hugged the terrain. Bright sunlight washed over the land as moving shadows, of clouds above, crisscrossed the terrain. There were erratic bursts of wind driving the low-hanging clouds in different directions and there were moving banks of rain, when suddenly the sun rays hit one such bank of rain transforming it into a block of rainbow. Imagine a rectangular rainbow, about 200 feet across and 150 feet high, drifting under a grey cloud sailing in the wind. The ethereal sight lasted for about five minutes before the angle of the sun turned and what was a wall of colour became the grey blue of rain once again.

On the return journey we had to drive from Manasarovar to Saga in a single day. We started very early but got delayed, filming along the way, and about two to three hours from our destination we got caught in a mudslide. The wheels spun uselessly as our powerful four-wheel drive vehicle floated on the sludge. After a long time we managed to hail a big construction truck, from a nearby road builders camp, to help us out. With some steel ropes and a mighty heave, the truck pulled our car out of the sludge, 300 yuan changed hands as we thankfully set off towards Saga. Half an hour later our steering rod gave way and we ground to a halt. It was already night and the chill had set in, our clothes soaked by a drizzle that refused to stop, we were covered in mud.

Vehicles like SUVs are an ideal choice for trudging through the rugged terrain leading up to Mount Kailash though one can expect to end up changing punctured tyres

In that utter darkness we were stranded in the middle of Tibets limitless grasslands, even if we wanted to, we dared not set out in search of help. On those wide open spaces, we wouldnt know which direction to go and even if we found someone, we wouldnt know how to get back. A few hours passed, with much shivering, when far on the horizon two sets of headlamps were seen moving slowly in our general direction. We started up the engine of our SUV, switched on the cabin lamp and kept flicking our headlights in desperation. After what seemed an eternity the two sets of headlights flicked their beams, we had been seen. A search party had come looking for us and they towed us back to Saga.

The year after this adventure, I had occasion to meet one of the tour organisers, and he told me that the road to Kailash Manasarovar had been completed and no longer were there SUV convoys driving through endless grassland, fording streams and braving sludge. I couldnt help but think, how lucky I had been to have made it, in that last year before the road got built...before the romance of adventure got sucked out of a trip to Kailash Manasarovar.

Authors Bio: Sujay Bhattacharyya, who now goes by the name Shoejoy, is an award-winning TV producer and documentary director based in New Delhi.

From HT Brunch, December 11, 2016

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Forget Latin scripts and tattoos that make references to pop culture  Delhis crowd now want divine intervention when it comes to getting inked. At the recent Heartwork Tattoo Festival, people got avatars of Indian gods and goddesses with a more neo-fantasy style on their bodies.

Lord Shivas Trishul with a name tattooed on an arm.

Being a major consumer of fashion, Delhi has a high society culture that has different expectations of tattooing. They tend to prefer flashier pieces rather than smaller, subtler designs, says Mickey Malani, a Bombay-based tattoo artist who was in the Capital during the festival.

He adds, But they arent afraid to experiment, whether its an original design or the latest trend. Whats in demand right now are neo-fantasy mythology tattoos that depict Indian deities in a new avatar. These deities include Shiva, Ganesha, Ram, Hanuman, Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati.

A girl with a tattoo of Ganesha on her back.

Mohit Yadav who got a picture of Ganesha tattooed, says, It has nothing to do with religion. I want something differentcolorful and bigger, where an artist can go creative and have his freedom to make what I wanted.

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Two government teachers were killed after the two-wheeler they were riding on was hit by a speeding bus from behind at Sanchi in Raisen district on Friday.

One of the teachers, Mariam Vector, 45, died on the spot, while Dinesh Kumar Raikwar, 40, breathed his last in a nearby hospital, police said.

Both the victims were residents of Sanchi and used to teach at a government school at Patar Paua village. They were returning home on a two-wheeler after closure of the school at around 5pm when a speeding bus hit their vehicle from behind on Sanchi-Vidisha road, the police said.

The bus driver escaped from the spot.

Police reached the spot after getting information from the locals. The police impounded the bus and registered a case against the absconding driver under relevant sections of IPC. The driver is yet to identified, the police said.

In another accident, a truck and a dumper collided head-on at Bari locality in Raisen district early on Friday.

As a result of the collision, a streetlight pole fell on the truck, triggering a fire, police said. Both the vehicles were gutted, while the truck driver sustained serious burn injuries, the police said.

The truck driver was rescued by the locals and rushed to a nearby hospital, from where he was later referred to the Bhopal district hospital. The fire was doused by the fire brigade in about 30 minutes.

The truck was coming from Bareilly to Bhopal when it collided with the speeding dumper coming from the opposite direction, the police said.
Countrys biggest and first ever crop insurance claim distribution programme will start on Saturday from Ujjain district in which claims worth Rs 4,416 crore will be distributed to 20.4 lakh farmers of the state, according to a statement made by the Madhya Pradesh government.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will inaugurate the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Sehore district on February 18 this year.

Minister for farmers welfare and agriculture development Gourishankar Bisen said that the farmers who lost kharif crop in 2015 due to natural calamities are being benefited under the PM Crop Insurance Scheme. He said earlier the chief minister had distributed Rs 4,600 crore relief amount against the loss to kharif crop in 2015 from the disaster fund. Therefore farmers will receive over Rs 9,000 crore compensation amount against their losses, the minister said, adding that MP was the second state in the country, which had distributed a big relief of Rs 2,187 crore to 14 lakh farmers against the damage to kharif crop in 2013.

Bisen said the crop insurance claim distribution will take place in all the 51 districts of the state with the inauguration of the scheme by Chouhan at Ujjain. Camps will be held at all tehsils. Besides letter of the CM, certificate of insurance claim amount will be provided to the farmers in the camps. If any beneficiary is unable to attend the programme then revenue officer will himself handover the certificate by visiting his home, he said.

Bisen said Chouhan will also present a roadmap to the farmers to double the agriculture income during the programme. All the district collectors will inform about the roadmap in the districts. Furthermore, approval letters for agriculture equipment like sprinklers, drip set, seed cum fertilizer drill, seed under the Annapurna Scheme, keys of tractors etc will be provided to the beneficiaries during the programme, he said.

Bisen said that 40 lakh farmers, including 4 lakh farmers who had not obtained loans, were linked to the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme in the state.

Live telecast of the inauguration

CM Shivraj Singh Chouhans address in Ujjain on Saturday will be telecast live at all the district level conventions and in gram panchayats. Directives have already been issued to all the district collectors for making necessary arrangements.
Two people were arrested from Noida in Uttar Pradesh for duping a Gwalior man of Rs 18 lakh on the pretext of providing a job, the crime branch police said on Friday.

The accused allegedly had deceived around eight to 10 people of Rs 74 lakh by assuring them plush jobs in the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and the Indian Railways. Rahul Nigam and his wife Nikita were arrested on Wednesday and brought to Gwalior on two-day police remand for interrogation, assistant superintendent of police and in-charge of Gwalior crime branch cell Alok Kumar Singh said.

The racket was unearthed when victim Ravi Rajput, a resident of Datia, lodged a case against the couple. Rajput had allegedly paid Rs 8 and Rs 10 lakh separately for two jobs in October, but became suspicious after there was no response for a prolonged period.

According to crime branch sources, Rahul and Nitika used to invite victims to visit their office in Noida and later send victims to Kolkata on the pretext of training, which were conducted by Rahul. They used photographs, clicked with politicians and influential men, to convince the victims.

Last week, the crime branch cops arrested the groups Kolkata agent Virendra Rawat who revealed the names of Rahul, Nikita and a few other accomplices.

Singh said: The police were interrogating the couple and trying to know the details about the money stashed by themAnother accomplice, identified as Amit, who conducted fake training sessions in Mumbai is still on the run. Efforts are on to nab him.
To control rising levels of air and vehicular pollution, the Madhya Pradesh Assembly cleared the decks for imposition of green tax on vehicles by passing the Madhya Pradesh Motor Vehicle Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2016 by a voice vote on last day of winter session on Friday.

Under non-transport vehicle category, green tax worth Rs 500 will be levied on two-wheelers and Rs 1,000 on other vehicles at the time of renewal of registration. On the other hand, in case of transport vehicles, green tax worth Rs 500 will be imposed on two-wheelers, light and medium motor vehicles and Rs 1,000 on heavy vehicles at the time of obtaining fitness certificate on expiry of eight years after manufacture.

States transport minister Bhupendra Singh said: Green tax hasnt been imposed to earn tax revenue, but instead to combat vehicular pollution, which is 70% of all kinds of pollution. The tax is being imposed following directions by the Supreme Court to state governments to combat pollution and preserve environment.

The new tax will render Rs 15 crore revenue annually that will utilised to start advance pollution control and certification centers.

He said steps will be initiated to ban commercial vehicles which were more than 15 years old. The government has also sent a proposal to the Centre to grant permits school vans.

Green tax has been introduced by Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi and Karnataka.

Acting Leader of Opposition Bala Bachchan, however, said the new tax would increase revenue, but only by adding to the burden of commoners.

Four other amendment bills passed

The assembly also passed the MP Ayurvedic, Unani and Prakritik Chikitsa Vyavsayi (Sanshodhan) Bill, 2016. States public health and family welfare minister Rustam Singh said the bill focused on rendering availability of doctors from field of alternative medicine as modern medicine practitioners.

The paucity of MBBS doctors could be filled in by training practitioners of Ayurveda and Unani forms medicine in modern medicine.

The assembly also passed the Madhya Pradesh Ayurvigyan Parishad (Amendment) Bill, 2016, Madhya Pradesh Upkar (Second Amendment) Bill and Madhya Pradesh Private Universities (Sthapana Avam Sanchalan) Third Amendment Act, 2016.
The Madhya Pradesh government will bear marriage expenses of all the police officials who die in the line of duty, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced here on Saturday.

Chouhan, who attended the marriage ceremony of slain jail head constable Ramashankar Yadavs daughter Sonia last night, donned the role of the girls father as he welcomed guests at the entry gate.

If any police personnel dies in the line of duty, then the state government will bear all the expenses of their daughters marriage and these girls will be treated as the states daughter, an official release from the state government said.

The state government claimed that it had left no stone unturned to make this (Sonias) marriage a grand event.

Yadav was allegedly killed by eight SIMI activists on the intervening nights of October 30-31 before they escaped from the high security jail by scaling its walls with the help of bedsheets. The activists were later gunned down by Bhopal Police in an alleged encounter.

Chouhan had then promised that the government will not only offer job to any family member but will also make all arrangements for the marriage of Sonia.

The chief minister also handed over an appointment letter for the post of Assistant Grade-III to Sonia as her marriage gift on the occasion.

Chouhan stayed at the wedding till all rituals were done and said that Sonia is a daughter of Madhya Pradesh.

He conveyed greetings to both the families on the occasion. Madhya Pradesh minister of state for cooperatives (independent charge), Vishwas Sarang, was among others present at the function.
This event marks the 2016 International Day against Corruption (December 9th). The global campaign theme this year is United against corruption for development, peace and security and the message is Everyone has the power to stand and fight against corruption. We must work together, UNITED.

Corruption is the single greatest obstacle to socio-economic development around the world. Every year, USD1 trillion is paid in bribes, while an estimated USD2.6 trillion is stolen annually through corruption  a sum equivalent to more than 5 percent of the global GDP. The 2015 Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index survey, supported by the UN, shows that Vietnamese people express more concern about corruption in the public sector and in public service delivery and are more worried about corruption and nepotism in public sector employment. In addition, citizens are less confident about the governments willingness to control corruption, with only 37% saying that their local government is serious about fighting corruption.

Putting an end to corruption requires a comprehensive approach. Only in a climate of transparency, accountability and participation by all members of society is this possible. Governments, the private sector, the media, civil society organizations and the general public need to work together to curb this crime, said Mr. Francesco Checchi, Anti-Corruption Regional Advisor, UNODC in South East Asia and Pacific.

The UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument. UNCAC recognizes the role of civil society in combating impunity by calling on governments to increase transparency, improve public access to information, and to promote public contribution to government decision-making processes.

Vietnams ratification of the UNCAC in 2009 gave new impetus to anti-corruption efforts. Enhancing participation, transparency and accountability are crucial to help Vietnam better control corruption, while maintaining its new phase of development as a middle-income country (MIC).

The round table conference is timely and important in the context of Vietnam preparing to construct the UNCAC Second Review Process Report, and meanwhile implement the four processes of UNCAC, said Mr. Nguyen Huu Loc, Acting General Director of International Cooperation Department under the Government Inspectorate.

The main objective of the round table is to kick start preparations for the review of Chapter II and V of UNCAC by raising awareness of national agencies and other stakeholders on the content of the Convention and on the review process. The event offers a platform for constructive dialogue between the different governmental representatives and stakeholders on the existing gaps and priorities of the implementation of Chapter II and V of the UNCAC. In addition, the conference also identifies suggestions for enhancing the engagement of civil society in the Review of UNCAC implementation in Vietnam.

As the custodian of the UNCAC, UNODC has been assisting States, including Vietnam, to fully implement the necessary legal framework and practical tools of the Convention. We therefore, encourage the Government to enable and strengthen meaningful participation of civil society, businesses and mass media in the UNCAC Review Process and in law enforcement strategy formulation and oversight UNODC. Moreover, The Government should provide effective protection to civil society organizations and actively consult and engage with civil society across all areas of corruption policy development, implementation, and monitoring, said Mr. Checchi.

On the same day, UNODC, Government Inspectorate and World Bank co-host a launching ceremony of "Barriers to Asset Recovery" and "Asset Recovery Handbook".

The publications were written by international experts to support law enforcement officers, prosecutors, investigating judges, lawyers, and other experts engaged in anti-corruption and stolen asset recovery. The first publication identifies various obstacles to asset recovery under three distinct headings of general barriers and institutional issues, legal barriers and requirements that delay assistance, and operational barriers and communication issues. The second one provides common approaches to recovering stolen assets located in foreign jurisdictions, identifies the challenges that practitioners are likely to encounter, and introduces good practices. The publications were translated into Vietnamese for use by relevant national partners./.
The Lokayukta police on Friday raided the residences of a clerk, posted at the administration department of the Indore Development Authority, and unearthed assets worth over a few crores, disproportionate to his known sources of income.

A 10-member Lokayukta special police establishment team reached the Sant Nagar residence of Rajendra Birthare, a grade II clerk, in the morning.

During the 4-hour raid, the lokayuktya police gathered details of assets, including 1,460 sq ft plot at Sant Nagar scheme no 114, three-storey house in Sant Nagar, two 8.5 acre plots at Maheshwar and Sejgaon towns, five four-wheelers, four two-wheelers, jewellery worth several lakhs besides other property details.

Deputy superintendent (lokayukta) Daulat Singh Parihar said some of the properties were registered in the name of Birthares wife Mangalabai and three sons -- Ravindra, Vikas and Sumit. All the four were present in the house during the raid.

The raid was conducted after the department got a tip-off against Birthare for amassing property of worth several crores during his 34 year service. A case under Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against him. The exact value of the assets is yet to be ascertained, Parihar said, adding that Bithares income from service and agriculture should not be more than Rs75 lakh.

The lokayukta has also seized Bithares bank accounts.

Son of a farmer-cum-milk seller, Birthare had bagged the government job in 1982. He was initially posted the estate department of the IDA. His three sons are small businessmen.

According to sources, Birthare, who is suffering from cancer, initially tried to escape citing poor health condition.

THE CLERKS RICHES

1,460-square-foot plot at Sant Nagar Scheme No 114

A three-storey house registered in his and Mangladevis name at Sant Nagar

Two eight-and-a-half acre lands at Maheshwar and Sejgaon towns, in Khargone district, registered in the name of son Ravindra

One-acre land at Jhara village in Khargone district registered in Mangladevis name

A house at Talawali Chanda area in Indore registered in his name

Property on one-and-a-half hectare land at Talawali Chanda area in Indore registered in the name of son Ravindra

A paan shop on Talawali Chanda main road registered in the name of son Sumit

Nine vehicles, including five four-wheelers and four two-wheelers

Jewellery worth several lakhs.
The Congress staged a noisy walkout from the state assembly on Friday demanding a debate on malnutrition deaths in Madhya Pradesh.

The Opposition blamed the government of being casual about the sensitive issue and trying to avoid a discussion. As the Opposition legislators staged a walkout, parliamentary affairs minister Narottam Mishra attacked the Congress legislators of seeking a debate on issues and then running away when the government was replying.

During the Zero Hour, Congress MLA Ramniwas Rawat demanded a debate on malnutrition deaths in the state. He said the Congress had already sought a debate on the issue but there was no response from Speaker Sitasaran Sharma.

According to a reply of the state government to a question, every day 80 children were dying in the state and in 123 days nearly 10,000 children had died in MPThe government is not serious about this sensitive issue and that is why it is not agreeing to the debate, Rawat said.

Rawat was soon joined by the acting Leader of Opposition, Bala Bachchan, along with other Congress MLAs, who rose from their seats and urged the Speaker to allow a debate on the issue.

The Speaker, however, declined saying that on Thursday Congress MLA Mahendra Singh Kalukheda had said that the debate on the issue could be held in the next session of the assembly. This led to pandemonium in the House and angry Congress legislators staged a walkout shouting: Save the children.

On Tuesday, state minister for women and child development, Archana Chitnis told the House that no child in Gwalior division and Sheopur district had died due to malnutrition in the last three years. The reply came barely a few months after the the National Human Rights Commission issued a notice to the chief secretary following media reports that 116 children had died allegedly due to malnutrition related ailments in Sheopur district in the last five months.

Govt buying power at higher rate

Congress MLA Jitu Patwari also staged a walkout from the state assembly on Friday. He accused the state government of buying electricity at higher rates and then putting the burden on the common man and farmers, which led to a ruckus in the House. Patwari staged a walkout shouting, Bijlee ke loot nahe chalegi (loot of electricity wont be allowed).

Sickle cell anemia in MP

Responding to Congress MLA Jhuma Solankis call attention motion on deaths due to sickle cell anemia in Khargone district, health minister Rustum Singh said soon state government will provide testing facility (hemoglobin electrophoresis test) for sickle cell anemia in all the 22 high prevalence districts in the state.

He said between January 1 and November 23, 22 patients of sickle cell anemia were indentified at the district hospital in Khargone.
Ruling BJP MLA Yogendra Nirmal termed the over two-month delay in arresting policemen accused of trying to murder RSS pracharak Suresh Yadav in police custody in MPs Balaghat district on September 25, an insult to every Sangh worker.

The first-time MLA from Waraseoni seat of Balaghat district had sought a call attention motion on the issue during the state assemblys winter session on December 6.

I had moved the call attention motion, but that didnt happen. The motion had the support of three other MLAs of BJP, he said. Through the motion the BJP MLA had sought to know why the nine cops and home guards accused of attempt to murder RSS pracharak in Baihar town of Balaghat were not arrested.

Nirmal claimed that the SIT probe set up into the case was a hogwash aimed to ensure that once the incident became 90 days old, the cops, get bail.

If the accused are not arrested then well meet the DGP and also top RSS functionaries of Madhya Pradesh to chalk out a strategy on the issue, added Nirmal.

RSS pracharak Suresh Yadav was allegedly beaten in custody by cops of Balaghat police in Baihar town on September 25 for allegedly uploading of an objectionable religious post on social media.
For dog walkers in Hoshangabad, who are often embarrassed by their favourite pets cocking legs against a lamp post, a tree or a shrub, help is on its way.

Dogs in this Madhya Pradesh city soon will have toilets, thanks to a first-of-its-kind project undertaken by Hoshangabad municipality. The move aims to curb open defecation by the mans best friend.

To begin with, the municipality has proposed to create three toilets for the canines under the Swachh Bharat Mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modis flagship clean-India initiative.

Chief municipal officer (CMO) Pawan Kumar Singh said selection of land and preparation of design for the toilets have begun. Separate staff will be appointed for cleaning the toilets and they will be paid from the nominal fees to be charged from the patrons of the dogs, he told the HT.

As many as 1500 households in the district have a dog. The names of the dog owners and the specific figures would be collected from animal husbandry department. Their names would be registered in municipality and ID number would be given to them, said Hoshangabad municipality chairman Akhilesh Khandelwal.

Khndelwal also said that if the pet does the open defecation then it will be the responsibility of the dogs patron to remove the waste. The non-compliance will make the owner liable for a fine.

Many corporators,however, feel the project will go to the dogs as people will not benefit from it.

Corporator Mahendra Yadav called it wastage of money. The municipality should first construct enough toilets for people. There are so many other major problems. Even if these toilets come up, how will the municipality ensure stray dogs go there to relieve themselves, he said.

When asked what actions will be taken for the stray dogs, CMO Singh said, Action will soon be taken to remove stray dogs. For this we are now seeking help from non-governmental organisations.

The municipality has also written a letter to police department urging it to construct toilets for police dogs.

Its, however, not for the first time that the state is getting attention for a unique toilet project. Madhya Pradesh had hit headlines in September this year when Bhopals mayor Alok Sharma announced separate public rest rooms for third gender in the state capital.

(With inputs from Shailendra Kumar)
From the moment he set foot in her court, Duleep became Victorias favourite. Her praise for him was frequent and full:

He is extremely handsome and speaks English perfectly, and has a pretty, graceful and dignified manner. He was beautifully dressed and covered with diamonds I always feel so much for these poor deposed Indian Princes...

In the bustling life of the English court, the maharaja enjoyed the status of a senior aristocrat. Behind the closed doors of the palace, he soon became a member of Victorias family. Though Dalhousie and others counselled the queen against showing him too much favour, she ignored them, showering the maharaja with lavish presents of jewellery, cameos of herself and even a thoroughbred horse. The two spent hours sketching each other at Osborne House and Buckingham Palace, and Victoria was deeply touched by the kindness Duleep showed her children, particularly her youngest son, Prince Leopold.

The coffin of the Queen Mother, mother of the reigning monarch of UK, Queen Elizabeth. The crown with the Koh-i-noor that was made for her coronation was placed on the coffin (Tim Graham/Getty Images)

Leopold was a haemophiliac and frequently suffered from fits and poor health. Though his own brothers gave little concession to his frailty, Duleep would invariably scoop up the child and put him on his shoulders, ensuring he never felt left out of their games. Prince Albert also grew fond of the maharaja and designed a coat of arms for him to use in England. It comprised a lion standing beneath a coronet surmounted by a five-pointed star. Albert even chose the motto: Prodesse quam Conspici, meaning, to do good rather than be conspicuous. As one of the only brown faces at court, however, Duleep would only ever be conspicuous, and as time went by he grew to crave the attention.



On 10 July 1854, Duleep Singh was standing on a specially constructed stage set up in the White Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace, trying very hard not to move. Queen Victoria had asked the celebrated court painter Franz Xaver Winterhalter to capture Duleeps likeness for her on canvas. She intended to display it at Osborne House, her Isle of Wight sanctuary. In silk pyjamas, a heavy gold-embroidered shirt and fine jewellery, Duleep looked every inch a king. On his feet he wore embroidered slippers which curled at the toes, and on his head he sported a turban dripping with emeralds. At his throat hung an ivory miniature of Victoria, set in diamonds, and another was pinned by his heart, out of sight. As Queen Victoria recorded in her journal: Winterhalter was in ecstasies at the beauty and nobility of the young Maharajah.

There was, however, one item conspicuously missing from all Duleep Singhs finery: the amulet which had been strapped to his bicep as a child. The loss of the Koh-i-Noor had always hurt him deeply. It was also preying on Queen Victorias mind. While Winterhalter tinkered at his easel, Queen Victoria beckoned Lady Login to follow her into a corner of the drawing room; she wished to talk in private. Lena Login recorded the conversation in her diaries:

She had not yet worn it [the Koh-i-Noor] in public, and, as she herself remarked, had a delicacy about doing so in the Maharajahs presence. Tell me, Lady Login, does the Maharajah ever mention the Koh-i-Noor? Does he seem to regret it, and would he like to see it again?

Anita Anand (Suki Dhanda)

Victoria ordered Lady Login to find out before the next sitting, though Lena already knew how he felt:

There was no other subject that so filled the thoughts and conversation of the Maharajah, his relatives and dependents as the forsaken diamond. For the confiscation of the jewel which to the Oriental is the symbol of sovereignty in India, rankled in his mind even more than the loss of his kingdom, and I dreaded what sentiments he might give vent to were the subject once re-opened.

Despite her fears, Lady Login dutifully brought up the subject while out riding with Duleep in Richmond Park a few days later. How would he feel if he saw the Koh-i-Noor again?

I would give a good deal to hold it again in my own hand. I was but a child, an infant, when forced to surrender it by treaty... now that I am a man, I should like to have it in my power to place it myself in Her Majestys hand.

William Dalrymple (Bikramjit Bose)

The next day, while Duleep posed for the German artist at the palace once more, a pantomime of sorts was enacted. Lena Login watched as an emissary from the Tower of London, escorted by yeoman warders, entered the drawing room. He carried a small casket in his hands, which the queen opened delicately. She showed the open box to Albert and together they walked over to where Duleep stood on the dais. Looking up at him, she called: Maharajah, I have something to show you! Duleep Singh stepped down and moved towards her, not knowing what to expect. She took the jewel from its box and dropped it into his outstretched hand, asking him if he thought it improved, and if he would have recognised it again?

The maharaja walked towards the window and held the diamond to the sunlight. It was so much smaller than he remembered. It was the wrong shape. It felt so much lighter in his hand. However, it was still the Koh-i-Noor, and the very touch of it transported him: For all his air of polite interest and curiosity, wrote Lena Login, there was a passion of repressed emotion in his face... evident, I think, to Her Majesty, who watched him with sympathy not unmixed with anxiety.

Read more: Shashi Tharoor strikes back at the British Raj

Time seemed to slow as the awkwardness in the room grew. At last, as if summoning up his resolution after a profound strength he raised his eyes from the jewel. I was prepared for almost anything, recalled Lena Login, even to seeing him, in a sudden fit of madness fling the precious talisman out of the open window by which he stood. My own and the other spectators nerves were equally on edge  as he moved deliberately to where her Majesty was standing. Bowing before her, Duleep gently put the gem into Queen Victorias hand. It is to me, Maam, the greatest pleasure thus to have the opportunity, as a loyal subject, of myself tendering to my Sovereign  the Koh-i-Noor. Th e maharaja had gifted the queen with something that no longer belonged to him. Neither Duleep nor any of his family would ever come so close to the diamond again.
The first time I heard of Jeff Kinney was when my younger son, then aged 10, and his gang of raucous friends, excitedly discussed the Wimpy Kid books. There was much laughter and the prattle session ended with an exchange of titles. Having never before seen the child show any interest in the written word, I was intrigued enough to flip through the books. Packed with jokes, deceptively simple illustrations, the series centres around Greg Heffley, an American middle school kid with issues that even a boy growing up in Gurgaon, far, far away from Heffleyland, can identify with. Greg likes comic books and video games and his schemes and irritations feature his family, his friends and ah, girls at school. Why, he could be Everyboy and he is. Which is probably why the series has sold three million copies in India.

I flashbacked to my own childhood favourite Enid Blyton, she of the midnight picnics with baskets stuffed with buttered scones, that seemed like fantastic gourmet delights to a generation of Indians, dressed in garish Smash T-shirts and fake Levis, growing up in hardscrabble socialist India. I ate my first scone in my early 20s and was saddened by its bland nothingness. Kinneys devoted Indian readers will never experience that crushing disappointment, that trauma to beat all traumas  the realization that a cherished childhood food fantasy is bereft of all gastronomic sensuousness in its stodgy real life avatar.

The Wimpy Kid series is about a boys relationships. As a result, theyll age better than Blytons prodigious oeuvre that few children today enjoy.

Kids usually discover my books around seven or eight. Once they are nine they really understand them. They read them until about 13, when they grow out of them, says the gangly Jeff Kinney, who is so American, you imagine his favourite dessert is apple pie with ice cream and that he flosses regularly too.

A former newspaper cartoonist, Kinney, who was in India to deliver the 2016 Annual Penguin Lecture on 6 December, believes his books with their drawings that provide moments of relief and comedy are a bridge between picture books for little children and the more serious young adult fiction favoured by teenagers. I think that there should be a lot more books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid that help transition kids, he said during an FB Live chat.

In person Kinney is relaxed, funny and likeable but, you sense, that like all writers, he has his neurotic side. A side that helps him meet the crazy deadlines that ensure the enormous tween appetite for his books is whetted year after year. The process (of writing each book) starts at this time of year. Usually Im touring but in my mind, Im always going over whats the next plan. I start writing jokes in January. Then, in May, I take all the 350 jokes and start writing the actual manuscript, he says. That takes about a month. Next, Kinney packs the illustrations into two months of 17-hour work days. Each drawing  320 is the ideal figure hes arrived at per book  takes an hour to do. Its a harrowing experience because I have to hit the deadline and if I broke my hand or did something like that Id be in real trouble, he says. The hand-breaking fear hovers over Kinney family holidays.

Jeff Kinney delivering the Penguin Annual Lecture at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi, on December 6, 2016

Its summer time and Im on vacation with the kids and maybe we are canoeing or something like that and Im always afraid that Im going to have some kind of injury thats going to make me a month late! he says. All this talk of intensely sporty American life makes me somewhat embarrassed that the most activity my holidays en famille entail is a leisurely wander about a hill station.

Occasionally, Kinneys fears about unforeseen interruptions have come true.

Book 10, which came out last year, was extraordinarily difficult. I was already late on my deadline and we decided to take a break and take my son to the movies, he says. While they were at the movies, a small plane crashed into the neighbours house. It became national news and it just set our world upside down. And while this whole thing was going on I had to try to write the book. That was a difficult one to pull off!

Most of the time, though, Kinney maintains his back-breaking schedule. Once the book is on the press, he launches into a minor but important ritual  reading the new book to his sons aged 11 and 14. Its a good feeling. A lot of parents stop reading to their kids once they can read but kids really get a lot out of hearing the way a book should be read so I really recommend to parents to keep reading to kids long after they know how to read themselves, he says.

Ecstatic kids at the lecture

I cant imagine either of my lumbering teenagers with their china-crashing propensities sitting still long enough for this. My older one is 14 now and hes 6 ft 1 -- my height. So yeah, laying in bed next to him is kind of weird. Im sure he wont be doing that next year, Kinney says with that mix of pride and nostalgia, that yearning to hold back Time, that is familiar to parents everywhere.

His own favourite authors growing up, he says, were Judy Blume and Beverley Cleary, who are almost entirely unknown on the subcontinent. I really liked JRR Tolkien, who wrote The Hobbit, he says. The much loved Roald Dahl  another gift of our colonial experience  never managed, he says, to conquer America except for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Unlike Dahl and JK Rowling too, Kinney does not intend to ever write for adults. What happened with JK Rowling is that she wrote for kids and then she started writing for adults. I started writing for adults and I found that my audience is kids, he says, adding that he originally intended for adults to read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

I spent about eight years working on it. And when I was writing I was thinking about an adult audience, somebody who would like to look back on childhood. So I was surprised when my publisher said, You know what? This would work as a childrens series, he says. I was a little bit concerned because Greg is an unreliable narrator, not a great role model but I think kids really get that. What I found is that they are not going to imitate Greg, much in the way they dont imitate Bart Simpson or Dennis the Menace.

Read more: I originally wrote Diary of a Wimpy Kid for adults: Jeff Kinney. Excerpts from an FB Live with the author

Kinney believes a vicarious enjoyment in the antics of these incorrigible characters is what makes them so successful. I think you like to see somebody behaving badly because you know you cant really do that. And you also like to see somebody punished for behaving badly, he says. My books are not morality tales but they allow kids to see their own lives through this character; what could happen if they made certain choices.

My children have graduated to such exotic reading matter as translated Chinese light novels and Japanese Manga, a world thats even more removed from the twee one inhabited by the cucumber-sandwich-eating and ginger beer-quaffing fictional characters of my own childhood. But Im glad they encountered Greg Heffley and introduced him to me too. Hes crazy like all the kids I know but like Holden Kaulfield  that superb 16-year-old from modern American fiction  he makes adults think too  a good thing when youre old and only slightly wise.

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Apart from the war on black money, the governments move to ban old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes was also a push towards a cashless economy (the old notes constituted 86% of the total money in circulation) . Ever since November 8, the Centre has announced a number of sops to push for a cashless economy -- discount on buying petrol and diesel through cards, waiving off of service charge on card transactions up to Rs 2,000 and no transaction fees on public dealings with PSUs if they are done digitally, among others.

But is India ready for a cashless society? Or how feasible is it for people to actually go cashless?

Two-thirds of Indian population live in rural areas. The number of bank branches and ATMs are far and few and very few people actually have bank accounts. Besides, most shops in these areas do not have the infrastructure to accept digital payments or plastic money.

There are around 1.45 million point of sale (PoS) machines in use in India, which makes it around 856 PoS machines per million people.

In a population of around 1.3 billion, India has only 662 million debit card holders as of March 31, 2016, according to RBI data. Most people use their debit cards only to withdraw cash.

Around R27 lakh crore worth of transactions happened through debit cards in 2015-16. Out of these, 92% were cash withdrawals from ATMs.

And people still prefer to withdraw money through cheques and slips.In 2015-16, cash withdrawal using plastic cards in India was only 32% of the total cash withdrawals; the rest of the money was withdrawn using paper clearances like cheques.

Lack of required infrastructure is another roadblock to the countrys digital drive. Indias mobile teledensity -- the number of telephone connections for every hundred individuals living within an area -- is 81, whereas in rural is areas it is even less  51, according to TRAI data. Though India is the fastest growing as well as the second-largest smartphone market, there are just a little over 300 million smartphone users in India. The majority still use feature phones.

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I cant claim to have known Jayalalithaa well and I doubt if I was her favourite journalist. However, 12 years ago I did an acrimonious interview which some of you might have seen on YouTube. It left me apprehensive of meeting her again. But when that happened around 2006 she was gracious and charming. Thats the memory I want to share with you.

However, to do so I have to go back to the beginning. In 2004, when I was anchoring HARDtalk India for the BBC, I wrote to Jayalalithaa asking for an interview. If I recall correctly, she accepted after some persuasion. A date was set and with my producer, Ashok Upadhyay, I flew to Chennai for the recording.

Unfortunately things started going wrong the moment we arrived at Fort St. George. To begin with the room chosen for the interview had been chilled to an icy 15 degrees. Thats what Amma likes, we were told when we asked if the temperature could be raised. Then I discovered a huge flower bowl had been placed on the round table where we were to sit opposite each other. This meant I wouldnt see Jayalalithaa and that would make interviewing her difficult.

Read: Jayalalithaa was an icon for a feminised culture

Once again my attempt to remove the flowers was resisted by her officials but this time I simply picked them up and moved them aside. They complained vociferously but I got away with it.

Moments later Jayalalithaa entered and the interview began. It was soon obvious she didnt like my questions and certainly not my interruptions. I could feel the atmosphere freezing over.

If I remember correctly, the lowest point was when I asked why her ministers and party men prostrate before her. She stared at me with evident hostility. Anger and contempt were visible on her face. Its an Indian tradition was her cold dismissive reply.

When the interview ended I put out my hand and said: Chief Minister, a pleasure talking to you. Jayalalithaa rose to her feet, ignored my outstretched hand and instead folded hers in a formal namaste. I must say it wasnt a pleasure speaking to you. With that she turned and sailed out of the room.

Read: It maybe a while before we see a Bollywood equivalent to Jayalalithaa

Two years later we met at a National Integration Council meeting in Vigyan Bhawan. I was talking to Naveen Patnaik when she walked up and joined us. I assumed it was Naveen and not me she wished to meet so I stepped aside.

Where are you going, Karan? she said in a voice that sounded genuinely cheerful. I came to talk to you. I meet Mr Patnaik all the time.

I was stumped. I couldnt believe what Id heard. Indeed I stared back in silence, not knowing what to say. Well, she smiled, her eyes twinkling with mirth, arent you going to say something?

I wasnt sure you wanted to meet me, I stammered. Have you forgotten our last meeting?

Of course, she laughed. In fact, isnt it time for another? But before I could answer she turned to Naveen and asked how he was. I took this as my cue to leave.

That second interview never happened. Im not sure if I ever wrote and asked for it. Quite possibly I did not. But the warm-hearted and charming way she put the first behind us left a deeper and more lasting impression than the abrasiveness of our original meeting.

It just proves great politicians ensure they leave behind the impression they want to.

The views expressed are personal

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A 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death by his classmate in east Delhis Shakarpur on Friday after he tried to intervene in a scuffle between two of his friend and the attacker. All four involved were classmates.

The other two friends received minor injuries in the fight.

According to the police, the fight between three students started in the school on Friday afternoon. The scuffle, however, continued even when the juveniles came out of school. The victim, who reportedly did not attend school on Friday, was present outside the premises and tried to pacify his classmates. The attacker, who was carrying a knife with him, attacked the boy leading to serious injuries and excessive bleeding. He also injured the other two boys.

Police said the victim lived with his family in Mandawali. His family members have alleged that their son was receiving threats from the attacker for the past 20 days. The family alleged the threats started coming after the boys had a tiff over some issue in school.

The family said that their son had missed school on the fateful day but went there to meet his friends and got involved in the fight that started during a game the three were playing.

A police officer said when the victim saw his friends being beaten up by other the boy he intervened and tried to pacify them. This enraged the attacker who pulled out a small kitchen knife and stabbed him in the chest.

The boy collapsed on the ground and the attacker allegedly tried to flee from the spot, but the passersby caught him.

The people saw the boy bleeding profusely. They called the police after which the injured was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

The alleged attacker was handed over to police and statements of the injured boys were recorded.

A senior official said, We have registered a case under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code at the Shakarpur Police station. The boy has been sent to a juvenile home.

The father of the deceased works as a security guard with a private company, and the father of the accused is a labourer.

The family of the victim said that their son was at home around 4 pm when he received a call from his friend. He told his mother that he is going to school to meet his friends and will come back soon.

At 7.30pm we received a call to reach the hospital where I found him dead. This was a plan to call him outside school. We are waiting for the police to give us the real picture, the victims mother said.
Delhi Police claimed to have solved the gruesome murder cases of two women whose mutilated bodies were found within a distance of 100 metres in south Delhis Munirka on November 18 and November 25.

A woman and her male associate were arrested from Delhi on Friday night by south district police teams in connection with the murders.

Two more accused, who are from Nepal, are still absconding. Other teams are camping in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, bordering Nepal, to nab the two Nepali nationals.

Joint commissioner of police (southeastern range) RP Upadhyay confirmed the arrests but refused to share other details related to their investigation. He, however, said that a sword and a knife that were used to kill the two women on November 16-17 night have been recovered at the instance of the arrested accused.

Upadhyay will make the names of the arrested during a press briefing that has been scheduled at 12.30pm at the Delhi Police headquarters.

Police sources said the two women were sex workers and residents of Delhi and they knew each other. Investigations have revealed that the women were killed by four people, including one who used to find clients for them, over a dispute about payments.

Upadhyay also clarified that the two Munirka murders have no links with four other murders reported at four police stations in south Delhi between November 30 and December 5.

Except the two Munirka murders, none of the four other murders are linked to each other. They are standalone and unfortunate crimes committed by different people, Upadhyay said.

On November 18, the mutilated body of a woman was discovered near the Baba Gang Nath temple at Munirka village. A passerby spotted the body dumped near a wall inside a white plastic bag that was covered with a black polythene bag.

A week later, the headless corpse of a woman possibly in her mid-30s  with a tattoo of a leaf on the lower neck was pulled out of a sewer of a four-storey building in south Delhis Munirka. An initial probe indicated the body was dumped there almost a week before.

We have solved the Amar Colony murder case where the hacked body of a woman was found on December 3. She was murdered by her live-in partner who has been arrested, Upadhyay added.

A senior police officer said they have identified the woman whose body was found under a car at a parking lot in Pushp Vihar on November 30. The male victim of Sangam Vihar whose body was discovered on December 2 has also been identified but the accused in both the murders are missing, the officer added.

Only the woman whose body with her face battered and disfigured found in Sunlight Colony on December 5 is unidentified. A vagabond was caught in a compromising position with the body.
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
A love triangle, an insatiable greed for money, and a possible sex racket merged to make a compelling motive in the murder of two women, whose mutilated corpses were found in south Delhis Munirka last month.

Delhi police said on Saturday they arrested a Nepalese man and a woman from Meghalaya for the gruesome murders and cracked the mystery of the corpses found within 100 metres of each other on November 18 and November 25.

After their arrest on Friday night, police said Mini Sangam aka Neha of the northeastern state, and her associate, Jeevan, revealed the plot they have been party to with main suspect Arjun and another accomplice, Govind.

The murder weapon, a khukri machete, was found at Nehas flat.

Arjun and Govind are on the run, probably escaped to their native Nepal through the porous border in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Neha and the deceased, Sushma aka Sonam from Assam and Nayesha from Nepal, were freelance spa therapists, and knew each other. Arjun, Nehas live-in partner, and the other two men scouted for clients for the three women.

Arjuns greed and philandering ways, jealousy between Sonam and Neha, and Nayeshas pressure on the main suspect to return her money led to the double murder.

The three men killed Sonam on the night of November 16 at Arjuns flat, chopped off her head, and dumped the torso in a nearby sewer. They killed Nayesha the next night because she would have informed police about her missing roommate, said RP Upadhyay, joint commissioner of police (southeastern range).

Neha told investigators that she was living happily with Arjun and his two children from his first wife till Sonam joined them in the business around a year ago. Arjun provided Sonam a roof in Munirka and she kept her earnings worth around Rs 4 lakh with him for safe custody.

About six months ago, Nayesha became Sonams flat-mate and business partner. Arjun became the custodian of her earnings as well.

But trouble began in September-October when Sonam and Nayesha asked Arjun to return their money.

Arjun was aware of Sonams feelings for him, and secretly married her at a south Delhi temple a day after Karwa Chauth. This was a ploy to stop the woman from asking for her money.

But Nayesha saw through Arjuns tricks and asked him to marry Sonam in the court.

Sonam was jealous of Neha because of her proximity to Arjun. To taunt Neha, Sonam sent photographs of her wedding with Arjun via WhatsApp. An enraged Neha then asked Arjun to choose between her and Sonam.

Cornered, Arjun decided to teach Sonam and Nayesha a lesson. He included Neha, Govind and Jeevan, their cook, in the conspiracy and together killed the two women, an officer said.

Nayeshas body was found stuffed in a bag near Gang Nath temple, about 75 meters from the flat where she lived with Sonam. A week later, Sonams headless body was pulled out of a sewer of the building barely 50 meters from the flat.

A former boyfriend identified Sonams body from a tattoo, while a friend recognised Nayesha.

The bodies were mutilated in such as way that these would give rise to suspicions of a serial killer on the loose. Police are probing if the accused belonged to any international human trafficking racket that brought young women from Nepal and the northeastern states to Delhi.
Delhi woke up to a thick blanket of fog on Saturday, reducing visibility drastically across the city but flight operations were normal, officials said.

However, more than 50 inbound and outbound trains were either rescheduled or delayed, some of them by as much as 5-6hours, railway officials said.

Airport officials described visibility as manageable and said there was no major impact on flight operations due to the weather conditions.

However, according to early reports from ANI, at the IGI airport too, arrival and departure of several flights were delayed.

Delayed International flights at Delhi's IGI Airport-Arrival : 5, Departure : 1; delayed domestic flights-Arrival : 3, Departure : 10. pic.twitter.com/6DwoPFFIOo  ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

The regional met department said the lowest visibility at Palam airport was 100 metres at 7.30 am. At the Safdarjung airport, the lowest visibility was also around 100 metres at 7.30 am.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded the minimum temperature at 9 degree Celsius while maximum is expected to be 23 degree Celsius.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) also hovered around 348 in the very poor category on Saturday, according to System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

People warming their hands on a chilly Delhi morning, Dec10, 2016. (Mohd Zakir / HT Photo )

The AQI in areas like Punjabi Bagh, Lodhi Colony, Mandir Marg, Anand Vihar, and Chattarpur crossed 300 in the morning, in data recorded by Hindustan Times real-time air quality tracking app. The level of air pollution in these areas have been called severe, and the air is deemed too dangerous to even breathe.

Track pollution levels in your city with this real-time air quality map

The thick fog reduced visibility in parts of the city and landmarks and prominent buildings such as the India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan were hidden by the dense fog early morning.

(With inputs from ANI)
Delhi Police have approached a US-based travel agency and asked them to submit an internal probe report that they conducted pertaining to the gangrape of a US woman in a five star hotel of the Capital in April this year.

The US woman, in her complaint filed before the Delhi Police, has named five people for allegedly drugging and then raping her.

The police have also asked an Indian travel agency, who organized the tour for the victim on behalf of their US counterparts, for their probe report and the evidences which the accused employees had produced to claim their innocence. The police have learnt that the employees named in the complaint as accused were reportedly given a clean chit and no action was taken against them by the travel agency, sources said.

A senior police officer privy to the probe said that during their investigations into the rape case they learnt that the woman had first approached the US travel agency with her complaint.

Considering her allegations as serious, the travel agencys administration ordered an internal probe. They took up the matter with their business partner in India and sought explanations from the tourist guide and other employees who were named as accused in the womans complaint.

The woman has accused five men  four employees of the Indian travel agency and an attendant of the hotel where she was staying  of drugging, raping and threatening her during her India tour in April.

During the internal enquiry, the tourist guide produced the feedback form that was filled by the woman before leaving for her country after her India tour. He has claimed that in that feedback form, the woman praised the services offered by the guide and other staff, said the officer.

The tourist guide has claimed that she did not make any adverse remarks against them in the feedback form. We want to verify his claims by examining that feedback form, the officer said.

The tourist guide and other staff have also submitted some group photographs which they had clicked with the woman and the group of tourists of which she was a part. Some of the photographs were clicked in Jaipur and Agra after the alleged crime. The alleged suspects have claimed that they had accompanied the woman during her trip to Agra and Jaipur after the alleged crime took palce.

The police may ask the travel agencies to explain why they did not bring the matter to their notice, even when the complaint was about gangrape with one of their customers.
Office Christmas Party actor T.J. Miller was arrested in Los Angeles early on Friday because of an altercation with his Uber driver over President-elect Donald Trump, according to police and media.

Miller was booked at a jail for misdemeanour battery and released with a promise to appear at an upcoming court hearing, Los Angeles police spokeswoman Jenny Houser said in a phone interview. She declined to give details of the incident.

An attorney for Miller did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Los Angeles police say Miller was arrested early Friday, December 9, after a driver accused him of battery. Miller was released on his own recognizance and his arrest will not affect his hosting duties for Sunday's Critics' Choice Awards. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Celebrity website TMZ, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, reported Miller was picked up by an Uber driver early on Friday and during the ride the two got into an argument about Trump.

The driver contends Miller slapped him when they got to Millers house, according to TMZ.

Houser said the driver, who she confirmed worked for a ride-hailing service, was not transported to a hospital and she had no information on any injuries the driver may have suffered.

Miller is no fan of the president-elect.

Several days before the election in November, he appeared on the late night show Conan and tried to burn a tie sold under Trumps brand.

On Thursday, he was on the television show again, with a safety pin through his ear in solidarity he said with opponents of Trump who have worn the pins in their clothing. In an apparent stunt, Millers ear seemed to bleed as he complained about feeling dizzy.

Miller on Thursday night attended an awards event by culture website Vulture.com. He also went to a separate awards gala the same night hosted by the magazine GQ.

The altercation with the driver occurred after Miller was picked up from the GQ Awards, according to TMZ.

Miller stars in the comedy Office Christmas Party which opens at movie theatres on Friday. He also plays a technology entrepreneur in the HBO television series Silicon Valley.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Kalawati Bandurkar had thought her hardships had ended in July 2008 when Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi visited her, propelling her to national headlines.

In a speech in Parliament, the Congress leader promised to empower her and thousands like her with progressive policies such as the India-United States nuclear deal.

Overnight, her humble house in Maharashtras parched Vidarbha region was swarming with journalists and Congress workers offering her financial assistance. She was given a fixed deposit that was supposed to give her Rs 14,000 every month  just enough to sustain her family of seven.

But the governments shock recall of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes over a month ago has left her a pauper again. The 61-year-old is having great difficulty in accessing any cash in a region ravaged by a decades-old agrarian crisis and a spate of farmer suicides.

Facts Millions of crisis-ridden farmers across the Vidarbha region in Maharashtra are caught in a pincer grip between the banks and local money lenders. At least 300 farmers have killed themselves this year in six districts  Amravati, Yavatmal, Wardha, Washim, Akola and Buldhana. Farmers say since demonetisation, they have had to sell their produce at a loss, further squeezing their economic condition.

I have travelled 25km to my bank at least ten times but got money on only three occasions  Rs 2,000 twice, and Rs 3,000  and that too in Rs 2,000 currency note, says an agitated Kalawati, a resident of Jalka village in Yavatmal district.

She lost her husband Parshuram in 2005 after he committed suicide, unable to bear the burden of crippling debts and back-to-back crop failure.

He had borrowed Rs 25,000 in crop loan from a local bank and more than Rs 1.50 lakh from private money lender. With the debts still not paid and little cash coming her way, Kalawati is wondering how to make ends meet.

The government usually waives off loans if farmers kill themselves. But Kalawati said that has also changed. When I went to the bank on December 2, I was told the bank deducted Rs 10,000 from my account as repayment of a crop-loan taken by my husband in 2004, says Kalawati.

She isnt the only one. Millions of crisis-ridden farmers across the Vidarbha region are caught in a pincer grip between the banks and local money lenders who are the mainstay in an economy broken by years of crop failure.

Moneylenders  who govern the local economy by lending small sums without solid collaterals as demanded by banks  have also been badly hit by the demonetisation move.

People are approaching us and are even ready to pay 5% more than the usual 25% interest. But we are unable to pay them in cash, says a money lender of Karanja who runs an agro-input centre.

Farmers say since the high-value currency was scrapped, they have had to sell their produce at a loss, further squeezing their economic condition in a region that has seen more than 3,000 agrarian deaths in the past four years.

Read | Farmers groan, moneylenders make hay post demonetisation in MP

At least 300 farmers have killed themselves this year in the six districts  Amravati, Yavatmal, Wardha, Washim, Akola and Buldhana  that comprise the Vidarbha region. Many of them have little access to the formal banking system and have killed themselves because of poor irrigation, persistent crop failures and debts as little as Rs 10,000.

Nemilal Bais of Hiwra village says he has had to sell raw cotton at a throwaway price of Rs 4,100 per quintal as against the market rate of more than Rs 5,100 as he insisted on cash payments. I borrowed Rs 84,000 from the bank but because of crop failures, couldnt pay it for the past two years. Hence this year, I decided to sell at lower price to pay the money and save my family, he says.

Read | Note ban effect in Maharashtra: Cabbages worth Rs80,000 sold for Rs6,000

The harassment by banks for loan payments may even compel several farmers to suicide.

Satish Bajoria, a middleman at a cotton market at Pandharkawda, and also a moneylender, says several farmers are holding their produce as buyers fail to give cash to them for the produce. Despite it being the harvest season, the transactions in cotton market has been badly, he pointed out.

The harassment by banks for loan payments may even compel several farmers to suicide.

State agricultural mission chief Kishore Tiwari admits the demonetisation move has hit farmers, agriculture produce market committees and farm produce transporters ahead of a bright wimnter crop prospect across the state.

Payments at agro-produce markets are currently at only 10% levels in buying seeds for the rabi season. Other marginal farmers in suicide-prone villages say they are finding it difficult to pay labourers to work in their fields and complain of a cash crunch in buying seeds and fertilisers.

This is Part 4 of our ongoing series on the effect of demonetisation on rural India. The earlier parts focussed on Sunderbans, Bastar and Jammu & Kashmir.
Two cadres of the anti-talk faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) were killed during an operation in Assams Kokrajhar district early on Saturday. a defence spokesperson said.

Lt.Col. Suneet Newton said an AK-56 rifle, a pistol, several rounds of ammunition and large quantity of rations and medicines were also recovered from near the slain cadres.

Based on tip off, a joint team of Assam Police and army launched an operation in a jungle area of the district on Friday night. During operation the security forces noticed movement of suspected persons. On being challenged, they opened indiscriminate fire on the security force. The ensuing gunbattle led to killing of two militants, he said.

Newton said that the two slain cadres were moving with food and medicines to be delivered to top wanted NDFB commander B Bidai, who is currently hiding in jungles.

One of the slain militant is identified to be a Myanmar trained cadre of NDFB faction while the other is a locally trained cadre, he said adding that the two slain cadres were also responsible for providing tip offs and warning to Bidai and his accomplices regarding movement of security forces, provision of logistics and coordination with linkmen and over ground workers.
Former air force chief SP Tyagi, arrested in the nearly Rs 4,000-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, was remanded to four days CBI custody along with two others on Saturday.

The CBI has sought 10-day custody of the accused because it believed their interrogation was essential to unearth a very large conspiracy with international ramifications. The others arrested with Tyagi in the case pertaining to the procurement of 12 VVIP choppers from the UK-based firm are his cousin, Sanjeev, and advocate Gautam Khaitan.

During proceedings at a Delhi court, Tyagis counsel N Hariharan said the procurement of VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland was a collective decision in which the erstwhile Prime Ministers Office also played a part. The file moved through several levels, but (my client is) the only one who has been arrayed as the accused, he added.

The CBI had arrested Tyagi on corruption charges during the course of its probe into the `3,767-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal on December 9. He is the first military chief to be arrested in Indias history.

Incumbent air force chief Arup Raha described Tyagis arrest as unfortunate, and said it had dented its reputation. But we believe in the rule of law, he added.

The CBI told the court that Tyagi had abused his official position when he was the air chief marshal, and made huge investments in land and other properties without disclosing his source of income. To this, Tyagi said he could give an account of all his land investments.

The counsel appearing for the other two accused also opposed the CBIs remand plea on the grounds that the FIR was lodged over three years ago, and there were no fresh grounds to arrest them at this stage. The probe agency, however, alleged that Khaitan was the brains behind the transfer of bribe money to India, and Sanjeev was known to alleged European middleman Carlo Gerosa.

After hearing them out, the magistrate said: Given the seriousness of the allegations and the gravity of the matter, I am of the considered opinion that CBI custody is required for a fair probe.

(With PTI inputs)
Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi for his earthquake remark, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Saturday that Congress vice president is right as it will totally destroy the grand old party if he is allowed to speak.

Rahul Gandhi says that an earthquake will occur if he speaks... he is right ...whatever is left of Congress will be totally finished ....all the partners in this political drama of the Congress will also be damaged beyond repair, Naqvi said at the BJPs Parivartan Yatra in Bareilly, referring to opposition parties protest against demonetisation.

Gandhi accused the Centre on Friday of not allowing him to speak in the Parliament on demonetisation. If they allow me to speak in Parliament, you will see what an earthquake is going to happen, he said.

Earlier in the day, asserting that black money hoarders are worried post demonetisation, Naqvi questioned Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati as to why they are feeling troubled and giving illogical statements opposing the move.

Black money hoarded by some people turned into scrap overnight thats why such people are worried. But why chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati are worried after demonetisation?, he said.

Babua (Akhilesh) and Bua (Mayawati) of Uttar Pradesh are feeling troubled after demonetisation...their illogical opposition to the move has exposed the SP and BSP completely.

Naqvis Babua and Bua dig at Akhilesh and Mayawati was in reference with the chief minister and his predecessor calling each other as so few days ago while exchanging barbs.

Wondering as to why some people like Mayawati, Mamata Bannerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh and Rahul Gandhi were worried over demonetisation, Naqvi said it should have perturbed the corrupt and dishonest the most.

But the most worried are the ones who have not allowed the Parliament to function, the Union minister of state for minority affairs (independent charge) said.

All sections of the country are supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi although those having black money are troubled by the fact that they are going bankrupt, Naqvi said adding that a new era has begun where black money hoarders looked panicked and the poor were happy.

Alluding to the recent feud within the Samajwadi Party, particularly between the CM and his uncle Shivpal Yadav, Naqvi stated that people of Uttar Pradesh are fed up with the chacha and bhatija.

The people want change in the government; they have decided to bring back the BJP in the state with a complete majority. Only the BJP can take the state forward on the path of development, the Union minister said.

Alleging worst law and order situation been the norm in Uttar Pradesh during SP and BSP regimes, Naqvi charged the SP with failing to act against land and mining mafia during its past five-year rule.

Naqvi said the Modi government at Centre has been working for the socio-economic-educational empowerment of farmers, Dalits and weaker sections including minorities.

Schemes such as Jan Dhan Yojana and Ujjwala Yojana have proved to be a guarantee of progress for the last person of the society. More than one crore free of cost LPG connections have been given to poor families under the Ujjwala scheme, the BJP leader said.

About 34 lakh gas connections have been given in Uttar Pradesh by the Centre. Also the Modi government has been working on a mission to provide house to all by 2022, he added.
A Peoples Tribunal, headed by retd Justice AP Shah has suggested that police officers should be held accountable for wrongfully confining people over terror charges.

The panel met 15 such people from across the country. It also suggested a rights based approach should be adopted by the State to grant compensation to the victims of wrongful actions of the State.

The panel had filmmaker Saeed Akhtar Mirza, Delhi School academic Nandini Sundar and TISS deputy director Abdul Shaban among its members.

The police officials involved in such cases must be held accountable. A departmental inquiry must be conducted against them. Further, these police officials should be made criminally liable for the malicious acts done by them in their official capacity, said the report.

The tribunal also said there should be guidelines for the media as any bid to sensationalise news might devastate lives.

The media must refrain from pronouncing the accused as guilty till a formal pronouncement is made by the court. Further, the media must publish an apology, if it had written defamatory material against the acquitted innocent, said the report.

It has also asked that the Prevention of Torture Bill should be passed by Parliament. Provisions of the anti-terror laws, Indian Evidence Act and Criminal Procedure Code should be amended to hold erring officers accountable and to curb custodial violence, said the panel.
Centres decision to waive off import duty on wheat became the latest flashpoint between the government and the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, forcing the upper house to adjourn.

On Friday, the Opposition banded together to slam the government for reducing the import duty from 10% to zero; dubbing the move as anti-farmer and not in national interest. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury was the first to raise the issue, underlining that the decision will ruin Indian farmers and benefit multinational companies. He accused the government of taking a deshdrohi nirnay (anti-national decision) and said the move could be in anticipation of food riots in the country following the move to demonetise higher value currency.

Even as the government placed on record that there is no shortfall of wheat in the country and the duty waiver is in anticipation of a possible rise in wheat prices, Yechury said farmers are selling their produce at half the price.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also slammed the decision as videshi uthaan (benefit foreign companies). He said the move will prove to be a disincentive for farmers and allow benefit companies from US, Russia, France and Ukraine.

The BSP, SP and JD(U) also criticised the move, with Sharad Yadav pointing out that globally wheat prices are on the decline.

Food minister Ram Vilas Paswans assertion that the decision is to prevent a spike in domestic prices failed to cut ice and the house had to be adjourned till lunch following protest.

Lack of quorum became the reason for adjourning the house post-lunch. The issue was raised by Congress Anand Sharma as a point of order. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said he can raise the issue only when he starts the proceedings. As he read out the business for the Private Members Business, Kurien raised the quorum issue and then directed the ringing of the quorum bell and taking a count of the members present in the House.
The government is racing against time to pass bills linked to the goods and services tax (GST), with just three working days before this protest-marred winter session of Parliament concludes.

The session has been almost a washout thus far because of the Oppositions a belligerent stand against the governments surprise move to demonetise the economy, scrapping 500- and 1,000-rupee banknotes that together formed 86% of the cash in circulation.

The three bills  the central goods and service tax (CGST), integrated goods and service tax (IGST), and a compensation legislation  has to be passed this session for the government to meet its target of implementing the countrys largest indirect tax overhaul for a uniform market from next April.

The government could sidestep a number of other legislation lined up for this session to focus solely on those related to the GST in the remaining days.

But the Opposition will loathe letting the demonetisation challenge off the hook.

Where is the time for the GST? Where is the political climate for the GST? Chances to pass the bill are gone, said senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, a member of the partys panel to review bills.

The Trinamool Congress, which supported the GST before, has reversed its stand after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation drive on November 8.

It was improper for the government not to allow a debate in Parliament on demonetisation. The situation has further vitiated. We are not talking about GST anymore, Trinamools leader Sudip Bandopadhyay said.

The Opposition wants a debate in Parliament in which Modi must speak on his demonetisation decision.

The Centre could take the risk of taking the extreme step of pushing these bills without debate in the Lok Sabha, despite the Opposition disrupting proceedings over the demonetisation standoff, sources said.

Besides an unwilling Opposition, there are other unresolved issues pertaining to the new tax regime for a single, nationwide market that will do away with most of the subsidiary taxes on goods.

Read| GST bill gets Parliament nod: A look at what happens next

Even after five meetings, the Centre and states have yet to hammer out the share of administrative power on the 10-million indirect tax assessees.

The CGST legislation deals with tax imposed and collected by the Centre. The IGST is for interstate movement of goods and services and their taxation. The third bill will tackle the compensation that the Centre will give to the states for loss of revenue under the indirect tax regime.

The Rajya Sabha, where the Modis government doesnt have the numbers to push through key legislation, passed the 122nd Constitution amendment bill this April, paving the way for implementing the GST.

The Opposition hoped the government will bring secondary legislation linked to the GST as financial bill in the Rajya Sabha, not as money bills which cannot be voted in the Upper House. There are fears the government will bypass the Rajya Sabha by introducing subordinate legislation as money bills.

Read| HT Explains: All you should know about Goods and Services Tax
Rescue workers called off search on Saturday after five more bodies were pulled out overnight from the wreckage of a building that collapsed in Hyderabad,taking the death toll to 11 in the incident.

Two people  a woman and her son  were rescued alive from the rubble, a day after the under construction building came down on Thursday night.

Authorities said the search operations, lasting 36 hours, were called off after all the missing people were accounted for.

According to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation authorities, the deceased are from Bobbili in Vizianagaram district of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Among the dead is Shiva, the husband of the rescued woman, identifed as Rekha.

The government will pay an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to each of the bereaved families. We have made arrangements for sending the bodies to their native places, Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao said.

The builder of the house, Satyanarayana Singh alias Sattu Singh, was arrested in Kerala and the police are on the lookout for his son, Anil, who was supervising the construction of the building.

The minister announced suspension of two officials of the GHMC  deputy commissioner Manohar (Circle-II) and assistant city planner Krishna Mohan for allowing Sattu Singh to take up construction of a seven-storey building in just a 200 square-yard plot.

He said as many as 1800 such illegal constructions were identified and orders would be issued to demolish all of them for violating building norms.

The Gachibowli police under Cyberabad police commissionerate registered a case against the builder.

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If music can make humans perform better, why should it be any different with cows?

This is the logic adopted by the authorities of a gaushala (cattle shelter) in Rajasthans Sikar district, where music systems and loudspeakers worth Rs40,000 have been installed to play religious tunes  or bhajans  to its 510 bovine inmates.

The reason? They believe music can make the cows spout milk with heightened generosity.

I once read that listening to bhajans can bring about hormonal changes in cows, and increase their milk-generating abilities. We installed our music system way back in June, and guess what! The cows have been producing more milk in the last six months, claimed Daulat Ram Goyal, president of the Gopal Gaushala Samiti at Sikar.

Theres nothing soft about the music either. According to 58-year-old Goyal, six amplifiers have been installed across the cattle shelter to ensure that the four-legged listeners do not miss a single note of the music.

The bhajans are played twice a day  5:15 am to 8 am in the morning, and 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm in the evening. The tracks include devotional songs written by Meera Bai, and phrases from the Ramcharitmanasm, he said.

If the samiti president is to be believed, none of that bass is going waste. Goyal claimed the cows have never produced this much milk in the seven years he has been heading the facility. Earlier, the cows would collectively bear around 130 litres of milk every day. It has now gone up to 170 litres. All our cows are of the pure desi breed, and this is the largest gaushala of its kind in the Shekhawati region, he added.

Samiti members have also decided to create a fixed deposit (FD) of Rs2 crore, which would be used to develop the facility. We have already created two FDs of Rs50 lakh each. We should be able to collect the complete amount by March, said Goyal.

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Consider visiting Kashmir if you are desperate for cash. The ATMs here have currency and the queues at most places are no more than 4-5 people long.

Swept by violent protests since the death of Hizbul Mujhahideen commander Burhan Wani in July, the Valley at the moment is an unlikely oasis of calm at a time when the rest of India is in the midst of a cash crunch following last months demonetisation decision.

There was a rush on the first two days, but everything is normal now. The queues are nothing like what we see elsewhere in the country, says Aijaz Ahmed, the Sopore branch head of Jammu and Kashmir Bank.

In the five months of unrest, people could not earn and all savings were exhausted. So, what will people take out.

Residents and experts say the absence of any rush, though without parallel, is not surprising.

People would have taken out money had there been any savings. In the five months of unrest, people could not earn and all savings were exhausted. So, what will people take out? says Professor Mohi-ud-Din Sangmi, who works at the department of business and financial studies at Kashmir University.

Read | In Parliament and Supreme Court, questions over demonetisation singe govt

Ahmed agrees. One of the reasons can be the coming to standstill of all economic activities in the unrest. People do not have that much money in their hands, he says.

Mushtaq Ahmed Tantray, an apple trader in Sopore, echoed the same thoughts. Everything was shut for at least five months. Labourers, traders, businessmen could not work as usual, and hence their savings were depleted, he says.

Though ironical, there is unanimity that the recent protests have had the biggest role behind Kashmirs current calm over currency.

In Kashmir, there can be a shutdown at any time or the weather can become very bad. So people are in the habit of storing things up to survive at least a few weeks and hence there is no dire necessity to take out cash and purchase essentials, said a senior official at a private bank in Srinagar.

Read | Demonetisation drives Kashmir Valley agitation into hawala dead-end

That the Kashmiri society is close-knit has also helped. Local grocery store owners are known to readily give customers essential items on credit, staving off desperation.

Stepping out of a Sopore ATM, a petty trader explains he withdrew some money as he needed to travel to Srinagar. Otherwise, in these times of continuous shutdowns and protests, people dont need much to sustain, he says.

Kashmiris are used to hardships and are normally not overtaken by sudden emergencies.

Kashmiris are used to hardships and are normally not overtaken by sudden emergencies, Shuja Ahmed, a Srinagar resident, adds. People cite the examples of the Gujjars and Bakerwal communities who live in places which remain cut off from the mainland for almost six months a year. Kashmiris point out that perseverance is their strength.

Banks, however, are not shying away from taking some credit for the rare normalcy that the otherwise troubled state is witnessing. Bank officials say they had prepared well in the aftermath of demonetisation to minimise panic in the state which has 1,900 branches and 1,500 ATMs.

Sajjad Bazaz, spokesperson of the J&K Bank, says they had reached out to people using all platforms of mass communication and conveyed that there was no need to panic, your money is safe.

But like everything else in Kashmir, even the rare normalcy is taking political overtones. People are exchanging old notes to discredit claims by Delhi that large sums of unaccounted money fuel trouble in the Valley. Had there been black money, the rush at banks would have been longer, Kashmiris are pointing out with a sense of pride.

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India along with 35 other nations abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Syria and urgent aid deliveries in the war-ravaged country.

The Canada-led resolution, which expressed outrage at the escalation of violence in Syria, particularly war-battered Aleppo, was adopted by a vote of 122 in favour, 13 against and 36 abstentions on Friday.

Indian diplomatic sources told PTI that India abstained from voting on the resolution in line with its traditional approach that it does not mix humanitarian issues with political issues.

The sources said the resolution had several elements mixed up -- the humanitarian elements mixed with a large amount of political elements, which are contentious.

The resolution had elements addressing the humanitarian situation mixed with political viewpoints of the sponsors which made for an uncomfortable cocktail. Consequently we abstained in line with our approach that is for a delineation of humanitarian issues from the politics of a situation, the sources said.

The 193-member Assembly adopted the resolution demanding an immediate and complete end to all attacks on civilians as well as an end to all sieges in the war-ravaged country.

The Assembly also expressed grave concern at the continued deterioration of the devastating humanitarian situation in the country and demanded rapid, safe, sustained, unhindered and unconditional humanitarian access throughout the country for UN...and all humanitarian actors.

The resolution in the General Assembly comes just days after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a similar resolution demanding a ceasefire in Aleppo, as two of its permanent members, China and Russia, cast their vetoes.

China, Russia, Iran and Syria voted against the General Assembly resolution, while Bangladesh, Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan and Nepal abstained.

American Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said while the resolution is far from perfect, it is a vote to stand up to tell Russia and (Syrian President Bashar) Assad to stop the carnage.

This is a vote to defend the bedrock principles of how states should act, even in war. This is a vote to demand food, medicine, and safety urgently for a population in eastern Aleppo who have none, she said.
To increase bilateral co-operation along the coastal border, Bangladesh Coast Guards (BCG) chief on Saturday discussed security issues with Indian Coast Guard officials in Kolkata.

A Bangladeshi delegation led by rear admiral Aurangzeb Chowdhury, director general of Bangladesh Coast Guard, met Indian Coast Guards north-east commander Inspector General K R Nautiyal.

Matters regarding maritime safety and security of the Bay of Bengal were discussed in particular, officials said, adding that the delegation was given a brief on the operational role and responsibilities of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

During the meet, Nautiyal brought out that standard operating procedures for the establishment of collaborative relationship and development of regional cooperation was likely to be signed during the forthcoming high-level meeting between the two nations.

Both the Coast Guards have been closely cooperating on a host of common issues since many years.

During the visit of Indian Prime Minister to Bangladesh a MoU was signed between ICG and BCG in 2015 for establishment of a collaborative relationship to combat transnational illegal activities at sea and development of regional cooperation between the two Coast Guards.

As a part of capacity building, ICG has been imparting specialist training for BCG personnel on maritime subjects like maritime law, search and rescue, pollution response, boarding operation, helicopter operations and anti-piracy, at their training centre in Kochi since February 2014.
Industrialist Pawan Ruia was arrested from his residence at New Delhi on late Friday night in a forgery case, police said on Saturday.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal police made the arrest following a complaint filed against him by the Indian railways, alleging forgery to the tune of Rs 50 crore, confirmed deputy inspector general of CID Bharat Lal Meena.

Ruia, owner of Jessop industries, has been charged under Sections 420, 406 and 409 of the Indian Penal Code, Meena added.

It is learnt that recently the deputy director of Indian Railways at Kolkata filed a complaint to the police alleging railways property worth Rs 50 crore were stolen from Jessops Dum Dum factory.

The railways authorities mentioned that they supplied equipment worth Rs 50 crore to Jessop for the manufacture of railway coaches. However, Jessop did not supply the coaches as per the order, said a CID official.

Accordingly a joint team of railways and state police inspected the Jessop factory at Dun Dum on November 4, 2016 and found that most of the equipment worth Rs 50 crore went missing. The CID then took up the investigation from Dum Dum police station and finally on late Friday night a team of CID sleuths arrested Ruia from his New Delhi residence, the CID official confirmed.

Jessops Dum Dum factory has been in the midst of controversy since October 2016, following series of fires and thefts there. In this connection the CID had summoned Ruia several times for questioning. But every time Ruia refused to turn up at the CID office.

Ruia became quite powerful during the previous Left Front regime in West Bengal, following his takeover of Jessop in 2003 and Dunlop in 2005, which even earned him the sobriquet takeover tycoon. He was backed by the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee-led seventh Left Front government following his promises of generating employment through the turnaround of these two sick units.

His faceoff with the Mamata Banerjee- lead state government started after the chief minister started questioning about his failures in reviving Jessop and Dunlop.

The faceoff further aggravated in 2014, when Ruia announced suspension of operations at Jessops Dunlop factory. The Trinamool Congress has always described Ruia as a close confidant of its arch rival CPI(M).

Finally, in February this year, the state government passed two separate legislations in the West Bengal assembly for takeover of the management control of both Jessop and Dunlop.

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Janata Dal United leader and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar may be openly supporting the demonetisation move initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but several JD(U) supporters and locals in Bengaluru staged protests against it by performing the last rites of an ATM machine near the Mysore Bank Circle.

Kumar Jahagirdar, a social activist, told ANI that, After one month, there is no point in keeping a dead ATM machine and waiting for it. We removed the artificial respiration and it is dead now. So, we have done its antim sanskar (last rites) in the presence of the public as per tradition. Let the ATMs soul rest in peace.

He said that the Prasad (sweets) will be sent to PM Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley.

After one month, there is no point in keeping a dead ATM machine and waiting for it. We removed the artificial respiration and it is dead now.

So they know the problems we are facing. We dont have money with us. We are not able to take our own money. None of the ATMs are working. They say no cash flow, no cash.. Sorry, cooperate with us. When we dont have money to spend for our basic needs..why should we cooperate? This is not fair, this is against human rights and we are fighting for this. he added.

Syed Mehboob, president of the local JD(U) unit, said, We support demonetisation, but what about the problems being faced by the common man, farmers etc. When will it get solved? You will find 90 percent of ATMs closed. Somewhere, there is no cash, somewhere the ATMs are not working. Everyday people stand in queues for money. It is going on for 30 days.

He said Prime Minister Modi and his government should do something to improve the situation.

The decision of demonetisation is good, but why should the common people suffer. It is our proposal from JD (U) Karnataka. he added.
The finance ministry has sent a strong message to banks, saying that no official will be spared if found involved in any wrongdoing.

Sources said, the ministry is seriously looking into the matter.

In a major crackdown on bank employees involved in irregularities after the demonetisation move, as many as 27 senior officials of various public sector banks were suspended on December 2 and six others were transferred to check corrupt practices.

The Axis Bank earlier on Tuesday suspended 19 of its officials allegedly involved in illegal activity post-demonetisation.

The employees of state-run and private sector banks have come under the scanner of the finance ministry over alleged irregularities in converting old currency into new notes after the demonetisation move was announced.

The move comes after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) cracked down on bank officials in a bid to curb black money conversions into new notes.

Last week, the ED had arrested two managers of Axis Banks Kashmiri Gate branch in New Delhi and recovered gold bars weighing more than three kilograms.

Both were sent to ED custody till December 12.
Apart from the winter chill, the people in and around Sankhda village in Gir Somnath district of Gujarat who camp outside the local branch of SBI every night have to fight the fear of lions and leopards.

The people from nearby villages are spending the nights outside the SBI branch in Sankhda -- the lone bank branch in the area -- so that they get the cash before it runs out when the bank opens in the morning.

However, sometimes there are other nocturnal visitors.

A leopard strayed into the village about one week ago. The people who had lined up outside the bank and villagers managed to run it off into forest, but before that it killed a calf, said the village sarpanch Santubhai Gohil.

The area is close to the Gir Lions Sanctuary.

The SBI branch at Sankhda caters to about 20 villages.

The sarpanch claimed that though the RBI has allowed withdrawal of Rs 24,000 a week, only Rs 2,000 were being disbursed by the bank as supply of currency was not adequate.

Shops are no longer willing to sell milk and groceries on credit, Gohil said.

People, desperate to withdraw cash, camped outside the bank armed with blankets and woollens, he said.

I have made arrangement to provide the people who camp outside the bank with biscuits and water, he said.

Farukh Raja, a resident of nearby Una town, said another problem was the banks were dispensing Rs 2,000 notes, which shopkeepers do not accept easily.

Some people were charging a premium Rs 200 to accept the Rs 2,000 note, he claimed.
Cash worth Rs 10.5 lakh in defunct notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 was seized from a former BJP corporator near Saswad, 30 km from Pune, police said on Saturday.

The amount was seized from Ujjwal Keskar, a former BJP corporator from Pune, when he was on the way to Baramati with three others on Friday, they said.

A team of state election commission and police seized the cash worth Rs 10.5 lakh, all in scrapped notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, belonging to Keskar. Income Tax Department has been notified, an officer from Saswad police station said.

Municipal council polls are being held in Pune district this month.

Keskar, however claimed the cash was legitimate.

Me and my associates were on the way to my village near Baramati. After visiting my village, we were supposed to go to Panchgani. Since banks in the city are crowded, I thought I will deposit the cash in a bank in Panchgani, where I have account and hence I was carrying the cash with me, he said.

He claimed that he had the documents to prove the cash was legitimate.

I have handed over the documents to the IT officials and soon truth will come out, he added.
A security guard manning an ATM of a state-run bank in Bihar capital Patna was brutally hacked to dead by unknown attackers late on Friday night, police said on Saturday.

The deceased, identified as Dipak Kumar, was on night duty at the Central Bank of India ATM inside the Mauryalok shopping complex near the busy Dakbungalow area when the incident happened. The ATM is only a stones throw away from the Kotwali police station.

The murder was not noticed till around 5.30 am on Saturday as the robbers pulled down the shutters of the ATM and fled the scene after killing the 40-year-old guard, a resident of Golghar area. They failed to prise open the automated teller machine.

Police said Kumars elder son Amar, who visited the ATM in search of his father after he failed to return home at the usual time of 5am, found his body in a pool of blood. It appeared from the scene of the crime that Kumar had resisted the attackers and his body was hacked several times by the assailants.

Amar immediately alerted the Kotwali Police, who rushed to the spot to conduct initial investigations. None of the assailants has been tracked so far.

According to deputy superintendent of police (law and order) Shibli Nomani, the ATM was found to have been damaged but had not been opened.

We have lodged an FIR and formed a special team to track down the robbers. The police have recovered the CCTV footage and are analysing it to ascertain the identity of the attackers, Nomani added.

We have taken the matter seriously as such incidents are rare in such busy areas, which witness heavy movement all night. Police are also not ruling out the possibility of personal enmity behind the murder, SSP Manu Maharaaj said.

An irate mob blocked the main road near Kotwali police station and disrupted vehicular traffic and shouted slogans against the administration. They demanded the immediate arrest of the killers as well as compensation for the bereaved family.

Kotwali police SHO Avinash Kumar has been removed from his post following the incident and sent to the police lines on charges of dereliction of duty.

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Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday to face Parliament and answer the questions raised by MPs, saying people are tired of his monologues.

Gandhis attack came soon after Modi slammed the opposition for not allowing him to speak in the Lok Sabha forcing him to speak out in jan sabha (public rallies).

Modiji, people are tired of monologues. I urge you to honestly face the Parliament and answer our questions, Gandhi tweeted.

Modiji people are tired of monologues. I urge you to honestly face the Parliament & answer our questions  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 10, 2016

Modi, while speaking at a public rally in Deesa in Gujarat, targeted the opposition for disrupting Parliament over demonetisation, noting that even the President was unhappy with their conduct.

Opposition is not allowing me to speak in Lok Sabha, so, I have decided to speak in jan sabha. But, whenever I would get a chance, I will try to represent the voice of 125 crore people in Lok Sabha, Modi said at a rally.

The PM said those criticising him and highlighting peoples problems should also inform masses that they do not need to stand in queue and can use mobile banking.

You must be aware that the Opposition is not allowing the Parliament to function. I am surprised that despite governments assurance that the PM is ready to speak on the issue (of demonetisation), the situation has not improved. Even the President is unhappy about it (disruptions in Parliament), he said.

Modi also said that the government is ready for a debate on the issue if the Opposition is willing.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was not being allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha, which is why he is speaking in the Jan Sabha, during his address at a farmers rally in Banaskantha district in Gujarat, where he arrived on Saturday morning for a day-long visit.

Referring to protests by Opposition parties in Parliament over the demonetisation of high-value currency notes, PM Modi says they are free to criticise him and highlight peoples problems but it was also important they, teach people about banking, using technology for financial transactions. He also raises the comments made President Pranab Mukherjee on the impasse in Parliament since the winter session began over three weeks ago.

Modi will also pay a visit to state BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar district in the afternoon, his first trip there after assuming the top office in May 2014.

Read | Backroom team in a bungalow: How PM Modi kept the currency ban move a secret

This is the fifth visit of the Prime Minister to his home state, which will go to polls in the second half of 2017, in the last six months.

Here are LIVE updates:

1.45 pm: Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma too criticises PM Modi for his comments that he was not being allowed to speak. In fact, we have been insisting on a debate, says Sharma.

But we dont want the PM to come and give a speech and leave, we want him to answer our questions, ANI quotes him as saying.

1.00 pm: Trinamool Congress chief and Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee reacts to the PMs comments saying, Modi babu knows that demonetisation now derailed. Except giving bhashan, he has no solution. TMC MP Derek OBrien termed it factually wrong of the Prime Minister to say that the government is ready for debate and that he was not being allowed to speak in Lok Sabha.

JD(U)s Sharad Yadav tells ANI that whatever PM Modi says in public rallies on demonetisation , he needs to come to Parliament and participate in the debate.

12.30 pm: There is no need to waste your time standing outside banks or ATMs, e-wallets have brought banks to your mobiles, says the Prime Minister. He compares the poor to Rs100 notes, saying, Like the Rs100 notes gained the strength, the poor have also been empowered. Modi says the evils of corruption and black money have been plaguing the nations progress and adversely affecting the poor. They need to end.

These games of looting the poor and exploiting the middle classes will now be history, concludes PM Modi.

12.23 pm: PM Modi now asks for 50 days for the situation to normalise after he announced the demonetisation policy on November 8. You will see how things will change. This is a major step to rid the nation from corruption, says Modi.

He emphasises on the importance of using technology for financial transactions. I urge you all to integrate people with e-banking, e-wallets. Once there was silver currency, then we had paper currency and today your banks and wallets are in your mobile, he says.

You must have seen how bank officials and others who have stashed huge amount of black money are being caught. They thought they can escape through back channels but they didnt know that Modi has installed cameras in the back channels as well, says Modi at the farmers rally, stressing that no one will be spared.

Read | After Rahuls Paytm jibe, Modi says demonetisation a yagna against corruption

12.20 pm: From the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel I want to share something with my friends in the Opposition. Yes, during elections we have a lot of heated debates. But we all call for increased voter turnout. Likewise, yes, you can oppose me but do teach people about banking, using technology for financial transactions, says Modi, as he continues to discuss demonetisation.

Merely talking about the poor is different from working for the poor, something that the NDA government is always doing: PM @narendramodi  PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 10, 2016

We belong to a nation where we do not think only in our self-interests. We are not a selfish nation. We think about future generations, says Modi.

12.15 pm: PM Modi speaks about the protests by Opposition parties in Parliament on demonetisation. Parliament is not being allowed to function. What has been happening in Parliament has even anguished our President, who has tremendous political experience, he says.

We are ready to debate on #demonetisation but I am not being allowed to speak in Lok Sabha so I am speaking in the Jan Sabha: @narendramodi  Hindustan Times (@htTweets) December 10, 2016

12.10 pm: Who is unhappy with corruption? Not those perpetrating corruption...it is the poor, the common citizens who are unhappy, says Modi. For 70 years, the honest have been looted. But now I am standing with them & thats why they are being provoked.

12.06 pm: We took the decision on currency notes to strengthen the hands of the poor of the nation, says Modi, bringing up demonetisation during his address in Deesa.

With our step on currency notes, we have been successful in weakening the hands of terrorists, those in fake currency rackets.

Read | Supreme Court questions Centre about demonetisation, asks about secrecy

12.03 pm: Along with Shwet Kranti, here there is also a Sweet Kranti. People are being trained in honey products, Modi says. He also speaks about Amul brand cheese and how popular it is now worldwide. People go looking for Amul branded cheese.

12.00 pm: Due to drought, farmers committed suicide before but now changes have taken place and farmers adopted livestock rearing leading to white revolution, says PM Modi.

The farmers here turned to dairy and animal husbandry. This was beneficial for the farmers: PM @narendramodi  PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 10, 2016

11.55 am: When I took over as chief minister, I would tell farmers that you need to focus on water as much as you focus on electricity. The farmers in Banaskantha heard my request and embraced drip irrigation. This changed their lives and lives of future generations, Modi says, during his address in Deesa.

11.52 am: There was a time when people from Kutch and Banaskantha would leave their homes in search of better opportunities. It is not the case now, says Modi. He lauds the work of farmers in Deesa: If anyone can breathe life into a rigid desert, its the farmers of north Gujarat.

11: 47 am: The farmer of north Gujarat has shown to the world what he or she is capable of, says Modi. I am told it is after a very long time that a Prime Minister is visiting Banaskantha. But, I am here not as PM but as a son of this soil.

11.45 am: Prime Minister Modi begins his speech in Deesa in Banaskantha district in Gujarat

Read | Short-term pain of demonetisation will pave way for long-term gains: PM Modi
I am not being allowed to speak in Parliament on demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra said on Saturday, countering the oppositions allegations of running away from a debate on the governments shock recall of high-value banknotes.

We are ready to debate on demonetisation but I am not being allowed to speak in Lok Sabha so I am speaking in a jan sabha (public meeting), a combative Modi said at a farmers rally in Banaskantha district in his home state.

Parliament is not being allowed to function. What is happening in Parliament has even anguished our President, who has tremendous political experience.

Read | As it happened: Modi speaks on note ban in Gujarat, Oppn says hes factually wrong

The Opposition had initially sought a debate under a rule that entails voting but later relented to one without voting. However, the government appeared reluctant to concede to the demand.

The ongoing winter session of Parliament has seen repeated disruptions with the Congress-led opposition demanding a debate on the demonetisation move that sucked out 86% of the currency in circulation, leaving millions of Indians struggling to withdraw cash.

More criticism followed on Saturday with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav mocking Modis latest comments.

Modi babu knows that #DeMonetisation now derailed. Except giving bhashan, he has no solution, Banerjee tweeted, ratcheting up her attack on the Prime Minister.

The Trinamool leader has led a series of agitations  even in Delhi and Patna -- against the move, which she says has severely impacted the people.

Yadav too attacked Modi over the issue. Whatever he is saying outside in speeches, he must come to Parliament and say during the debate.

Modi, however, put the onus on the opposition for the impasse.

Who is unhappy with corruption? Not those perpetrating corruption...it is the poor, the common citizens who are unhappy, Modi said.

For 70 years, the honest have been looted. But now I am standing with them and thats why they are being provoked, the Prime Minister added.

Modi, who has defended the demonetisation as a crackdown on black money and counterfeit currency, said the governments decision was aimed at strengthening the hands of the poor of the nation.

For how long can poor of India be told to pay for houses in cash. For how long will poor be asked - you want pucca bill or kuccha bill, he added, referring to a common method employed by many to avoid taxes.

Modis comments also appeared to be targeted at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi who said on Friday, The Prime Minister is giving speeches across the country but is afraid of coming to the Lok Sabha and is not willing to sit there.

If they allow me to speak in Parliament, you shall see an earthquake will come, Gandhi told journalists.

This is the biggest scam in Indias history. If I say this inside the House, Modiji will not be able to sit.
Income tax investigators seized a further Rs 24 crore in new notes and 50 kg of gold from businessman Sekhar Reddy in Vellore on Saturday, bringing the total amount of unaccounted assets confiscated through raids in Tamil Nadu over the last two days to Rs 166 crore.

This is the income tax departments biggest black money haul since the central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, scrapped high value currency notes on November 8.

According to police, they recovered the money and gold from a parked car in Vellore after extracting information from three men who had been arrested in Chennai two days ago.

The raided premises belong to Reddy, his associate and family member Srinivasalu Reddy, and their agents  including a man named Prem, an income tax official said, adding that four of the eight premises raided over the last two days are yet to be completely searched.

Reddys firm JSR Infra Developers Pvt Ltd counts the state highways department and the public works department among its clients. A native of Thondanthulasi near Katpadi, he was a member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Trust Board. Reddy was removed from the board after his arrest was made public.

The industrialist also has a sand mining licence that allows him to operate across Tamil Nadu.

Read: Rs 106 crore, 127 kg gold seized in Chennai by I-T department

Three men were arrested on Friday, after investigators seized Rs 90 crore in old high-denomination notes and Rs 9.63 crore in new Rs 2,000 notes. They also confiscated 127 kg of gold from Reddys properties in Chennai.

Meanwhile, across the state border, income tax investigators struck gold  quite literally  when they recovered 32 kg of the precious metal in the form of biscuits and jewellery, Rs 5.7 crore in new currency notes and Rs 90 lakh in old ones from the residence of a hawala dealer at Challakere in neighbouring Karnataka.

The accused, who is yet to be identified, had stashed the loot in a stainless steel safe cleverly concealed behind the tiled walls of his bathroom. Hundreds of mothballs were liberally scattered on the money to prevent termites from getting to them.

The assets were recovered as part of the crackdown on casino owners and bullion traders in Hubballi and Chitradurga districts.

(With PTI inputs)

Read: Cash crunch? Rs 242 crore in new currency seized after demonetisation
Tamil Nadu Cabinet decided on Saturday to recommend late AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa for Indias highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.

In its first meeting chaired by chief minister O Panneerselvam after Jayalalithaas demise, the Cabinet also decided to recommend to the Centre installation of her life-size bronze statue in Parliament complex.

A resolution was adopted in the Cabinet to recommend to the Centre to award Bharat Ratna to honourable Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, an official statement detailing the decision taken in Saturday meeting said.

Further, the council of ministers resolved to urge the Centre to install her bronze statue in the Parliament complex, and proposed to raise a memorial building for the deceased leader at the MG Ramachandran (MGR) Memorial site, where she was laid to rest on Tuesday at an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore.

The Cabinet further resolved to rename the memorial as Dr Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Selvi J Jayalalithaa Memorial, it added.

The Cabinet also proposed to unveil a portrait of the leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Intelligence alerts on terrorist threats in the Capital were 50% down over the past five years, a sign that warnings have become more pinpointed or handlers of Pakistan-based militants are wary of a global backlash after an attack on Indias political nerve centre.

Experts cautioned that the declining number didnt mean New Delhi has become less vulnerable to attacks, especially from Pakistan-based militant outfits such the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Besides fears of international repercussion, Pakistans terrorist activities are more focused in Afghanistan, plus the country is facing internal problems too. So terrorist activities are on the decline beyond Jammu and Kashmir since 2008, said Ajai Sahni, a counter-terrorism expert.

The Jaish and Lashkar enjoy patronage from the Pakistani establishment and army, and are involved in this years Pathankot air base and Uri army camp attacks in which about two dozen Indian soldiers were killed. Pakistan denies the charge.

A former special director with the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and a former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), AS Dulat, said the decreased threat perception could be a matter of guesswork.

The IB and R&AW alerted Delhi police 306 times about possible terrorist attacks since 2012, which recorded the highest number of warnings at 77. In comparison, only 29 alerts have surfaced till September this year, a Delhi police response to a right to information query revealed.

Broadly, we can divide these inputs into two parts. One is of general nature. Say possibilities of attack during Independence Day and Republic Day. We circulate these inputs to keep our forces on the toes, a senior Delhi police officer said.

The second type is specific. For instance, X person is coming to Delhi and staying in a particular hotel. We investigate and report back to the agency about the authenticity of the alert. No information is available on the authenticity of each and every alert.

Experts saw another reason for the falling numbers  alerts have become more specific and accurate.

It was said that any alert  verified or hearsay  was recorded and passed down as an input in the past. But that has changed these days with officers asking for more specifics, which help to sieve out rumours.

For a common man, decreasing inputs may indicate less threat. I believe the hinterland is always under heightened threat, Ashok Chand, a former additional commissioner of police, said.

The one aspect security experts were singular about was the Pakistan-sponsored militants focus on Jammu and Kashmir, which has been keeping them off targets such as New Delhi and Mumbai.

The spurt in terrorist attacks in Kashmir proves a point, an intelligence officer said. Also, Pakistan knows an attack in Delhi or the metros will attract a far greater international reaction than strikes on Kashmir.

Another aspect attributed to the decreasing alerts is the growing presence of Islamic State and Al-Qaeda sympathizers, and home-grown militants. Intelligence agencies dont share alerts in such cases, but take action with the help of local police.

Delhi police arrested about a dozen militants this year; among them six IS sympathisers and two are from the Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

None of them came directly from Pakistan. Agencies get information about Pakistan-based terrorist through local informers and technical intervention such as call interception, including months of work such as data encryption as ISIS members interact through social media, an officer said.

Such cases go beyond the realm of alert, but invite actionable input that requires direct collaboration between the intelligence agency and police to arrest the militant.

That explains why number of terrorism-related alerts is going down, though IS members are getting arrested increasingly, the officer said.

A network, called the National Intelligence Grid, or Natgrid, was supposed to collect and keep all data on previous alerts so that these could be assessed to verify similar links when a fresh warning is issued. But the idea mooted in 2010 remains a non-starter.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday underwent a scheduled kidney transplant at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, sources said.

According to sources, the donor was wheeled into surgery at 9.00 am and Swaraj was taken in at 11.30 am. The procedure went on till around 3.00 pm.

Both are being monitored for any eventuality, the source said.

Sushmas surgery was performed by AIIMS Director M.C. Misra and Sub-Dean V.K. Bansal apart from a few other senior doctors.

She underwent the transplant surgery at the cardio-thoracic neurosciences centre at AIIMS.

Earlier, the team of doctors constituted for the surgery included head of endocrinology Nikhil Tandon, head of pulmonary medicine Randeep Guleria, chief of cardio-thoracic and head of nephrology Sandeep Mahajan.

The possibility of having Swarajs daughter as a potential donor was turned down by the doctors as she too was diabetic and suffering from obesity.

Doctors said Swaraj was undergoing dialysis whenever required.

Swaraj had tweeted on November 16 that she was admitted to AIIMS because of kidney failure.

The 64-year-old, who has been in and out of AIIMS for the last few months, was admitted to the hospital on November 7.

(With agency inputs)
Senior state government officers are holding meetings to urgently clear pending files and identify issues that need the UP cabinets approval before the assembly election schedule is announced and the model code of conduct comes into force.

Some departments opened their offices on Saturday  and may do so even on Sunday  to clear the pending files and send them to higher-ups for further approval, said a senior officer on the condition of anonymity.

A state cabinet meeting will be held on December 13, and various departments have already sent 25 to 30 proposals for its consideration. More may follow later.

Read | UP election in Feb-Mar? EC tells govt to change dates for board exams

The cabinet has decided to convene a short winter session of the state legislature from December 21. The state government proposes to get a vote-on-account for the first four months of 2017-2018 to ensure availability of funds for ongoing schemes after the polls. It will also seek the cabinets approval to allocate additional funds for ambitious projects of CM Akhilesh Yadav, such as the Samajwadi Purvanchal Expressway.

The issue of demonetisation is likely to come up for discussion during the winter session. The opposition may use the occasion to target the state government over its failures.

The state government will showcase its development agenda to counter the Oppositions onslaught, and may make a mention of the early completion of the chief ministers dream projects  the Agra-Lucknow Access Controlled Expressway, Lucknow Metro and Gomti River Front  during the session.

Chief secretary Rahul Bhatnagar had reviewed the status of projects and schemes created through an investment of `100 crore and above at a meeting on Friday. Pointing out that only 25 of over 126 such projects had been wrapped up, he asked officials to draw a timeline for completing them.

The chief secretary also asked officers to issue warnings to those responsible for the delay.

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The Federal Council of Switzerland has decided to extend by one year the freezing of all the assets in Switzerland of ousted presidents of Tunisia, Egypt and Ukraine (Viktor Yanukovych) as well as of politically exposed members of their entourages and other persons closely associated with them.

The Federal Council made this decision on Friday, December 9.

"The aim of this decision is to give more time for the criminal investigations under way and to support judicial cooperation with the countries concerned. It also takes into account the political changes taking place in these countries," the Federal Council of Switzerland said in a statement posted on its official website.

In the case of Ukraine the situation is different because the initial freeze took place more recently, the report says. "It was ordered by the Federal Council in 2014 for a period of three years, which means that it expires for the first time in February 2017. Assets amounting to approximately CHF 70 million are involved," the Federal Council said.

"Criminal investigations have also been initiated against a large number of individuals targeted by this measure and several requests for mutual legal assistance have been addressed to Switzerland. Although these requests have resulted in significant interim findings, more time is needed to enable the ongoing criminal proceedings to be concluded. The freeze imposed by the Federal Council therefore fulfils its purpose in every sense, which suggests that it will be prolonged for a further year," the statement reads.

Shortly before the three freezes expire at the beginning of 2018, the Federal Council will re-evaluate the situation in each of the three countries concerned. It will then decide whether the freezes on these assets will be prolonged on the basis of the progress made in the respective legal proceedings.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday advised youths, particularly students, to use free Wi-Fi facility to download books instead of films.

My government has decided to provide free Wi-Fi facility at college and university campuses in the state soon. Youths, particularly students, should use this facility to download books instead of films, Nitish Kumar said at a public meeting during his ongoing Nischay Yatra in Katihar district.

Read | Wi-Fi used most at Patna railway station, mostly to watch porn

Nitish Kumar said free Wi-Fi facility at college and university campuses is part of the seven resolves of the grand alliance government in Bihar to promote governance.

The objective is to provide free Wi-Fi facility to help youths to move ahead in life and to become digital smart, he said.

The Chief Minister said that it was noticed that youths in Patna have not been using free Wi-Fi facility for reading and enriching knowledge.

I was informed by concerned officials that one person had downloaded 300 films in the stretch of a 22 km free Wi-Fi facility in Patna. It is an example of misuse of an opportunity, he said.

Read | Patna will have worlds longest free Wi-Fi zone: Bihar govt
British comedian John Oliver, known for his satirical take on world politics and other newsmakers across the planet, recently joked about Delhis soupy air in a video shared on Delhi Airports Facebook page.

Congratulations Delhi, you are a carbon-neutral airport. Even though the air outside is difficult to breathe, but thats not the point. The point is, its carbon-neutral here (Delhi airport). The air is like soup but lets not criticise that, lets congratulate Delhi airport, quipped John of Last Week Tonight fame.

The British comedian, who was recently spotted at the Indira Gandhi International airport, New Delhi, was said to be on a mysterious trip to the country since nobody knows if it was a leisure or business trip.

In the video, Oliver is also seen talking about the magnificent, large, pointy award of excellence and even drew attention to the historic baggage that comes with a Briton congratulating India at an airport in the country.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is set to return for its fourth season on February 12, 2017.
A delegation headed by former Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha arrived in Srinagar on Saturday to continue its efforts to empathise with the people of Kashmir.

The delegation members went to the residence of senior Shia separatist leader Aga Hassan Badgami in Badgam district immediately after landing at the Srinagar airport. They are likely to meet other separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik in the evening.

This is the second visit of Sinha-led delegation to Kashmir since late October.

The delegation had previously visited Kashmir on October 28 and met the separatist leaders, but made it clear then only that their purpose is to empathise with the people of Kashmir and that they carried no official brief to discuss the prevailing situation in the Valley.
In a bid to promote electronic transactions, NITI Aayog, the governments think tank, has proposed weekly and quarterly lucky draws for people making payments through digital mode.

NITI Aayog has requested National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) to conceptualize and launch a new scheme to incentivize digital payments, said a press release.

Sources told HT that Rs 125 crore will be spent annually in prizes for transactions in all modes of digital payments. The contours of the scheme will be announced shortly.

All consumers and merchants using digital payments shall be eligible for the draws even as the focus will be to incentivize the poor, lower middle class and small businesses.

However, it would be ensured that all those who have used digital payment systems after November 8 shall be eligible to participate in the scheme.

There are two levels of incentive amounts available under the scheme. Weekly lucky draw of the transaction IDs generated in that week, the contours of which are being finalized. Quarterly draw for grand prizes, said the release.

The draws will be conducted by the NPCI, Indias retail payment gateway. The prize money will come from the Financial Inclusion Fund set up with a corpus of Rs 500 crore by the Centre, Reserve Bank of India and Nabard.

It is possible to leverage technology to carry out business transactions digitally through online payments, mobile banking, e-wallets, debit cards etc. There are a large number of instruments to move from digital to digi-dhan.

In Africa a developing country like Kenya has made this possible. In a country like India where 65% of the population is below 35 years of age, whose IT prowess is well recognized and where even poor and illiterate people exercise their franchise through EVMs, this transformation toward digital economy is definitely possible provided the citizens resolve to do so, said the release.

In order to realize this vision, we need to encourage electronic payments and nudge the society to move from digital to digi-dhan, it added.

For merchants, transactions made on the POS machines installed at their locations would be considered.

Niti Aayogs announcement comes days after the finance ministry declared multiple incentives -- ranging from discounts on fuel, highway toll and railway tickets to cheaper insurance cover  for those using digital payment modes.

The government has come under opposition attack for its November 8 move to recall Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes but it has repeatedly defended itself, saying the decision was necessary to stamp out black money and counterfeit currency.

In recent weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extolled the virtues of a cashless society, giving examples of beggars using ATM machines, and said any pain from a shortage of cash was temporary and that the move will benefit the country in the long run.
INDORE: Ahead of the 62nd national conference of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Indore, the National Students Union of India (NSUI) has accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sanghs students wing of saffronisation of educational institutions. The ABVP, however, claimed that Congress students wing was creating an issue to stay alive in the state.

The ABVP conference will be held between December 24 and 27 at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Arts & Commerce College. NSUI has launched protests against the conference outside various educational institutions.

NSUI state president Vipin Wankhede on Friday alleged that ABVP leaders have put names of heads of several prominent education institutions in its leaflet without taking their consent.

Whichever college we visited, the top officials told us that they had no knowledge about the conference or how their name was mentioned on the ABVP leaflet, Wankhede told HT.

He said, We have no issue with ABVP conference. We only want them not to involve the educational institutions.

It may be mentioned that the leaflet contains the names of Devesh Jain, group director, Prestige Group; Upinder Dhar, vice-chancellor, Shri Vaishnav Vidhyapeeth Vishwavidhyalaya; KL Thakral, chancellor, Oriental University; Sunil K Somani, vice-chancellor of Medicaps University; Kunal Kaswaliwal, secretary, Arihant Education Society; Suprabhat Chowksey, managing director, LNCT Gruop; Prof Rama Mishra, professor at DAVV; and Prof Rajendra Singh, director department of distant education at DAVV.

Rubbishing the NSUI claim, ABVP state secretary Rohin Rai said they had taken the consent of every educationist before putting their name on the leaflet.

Initially, the NSUI and the Congress leaders had an issue with the venue. With the matter now being sub-judice, they are trying to create a new issue, Rai said.

He claimed that the conference has nothing to do with political agenda and its sole motive is create awareness among students about the current education scenario in the country.

More than 6,000 ABVP members are likely to participate in the conference where yoga guru Ramdev is expected to be the chief guest.

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After much dilly-dallying over the last seven years, the Indore district administration has finally set the ball rolling for construction of a fire station at Sanwer Road industrial area.

District collector P Narhari recently convened a meeting of all the departments concerned and submitted a report to the state industry department on the issue.

The project was stuck as it was not clear which department will take the responsibility for operation and maintenance. It has now been decided that Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) will operate the fire station, an industry department official said.

Sanwer Road area is home to about 1,400 industries and according to the industry association, 23 fire mishaps have been reported in the area this year leading to loss worth crores.

As per the plan, Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam (AKVN), Indore, will construct the building, the home ministry will provide two fire machines, while the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) will ensure its maintenance, Association of Industry, Madhya Pradesh, president OP Dhoot told HT.

At present, the nearest fire station is located at a distance of 8 km in Laxmibai Nagar and it takes 25-30 minutes for fire machines to reach the site of mishap depending on the traffic.

Traffic congestion at Banganga bridge also creates problems, Dhoot said. The association expects the fire station to become operational in about 18 months.

As per a study conducted by the fire department, Sanwer Road industrial area is one of the most fire prone areas of the city. The industrial area is home to many factories dealing in plastics and summer months see the highest number of fire incidents.

Five years ago, the government had allocated 10,000 square feet land at the industrial area for the construction of the building. The industry department has also sanctioned Rs 80 lakh for building construction. Tenders for the construction work will be issued once the industry department gives the green signal.
Three days after income tax department officials conducted raids on the houses and offices of Greater Kailash Hospitals owner Dr Kusum Singh and her family members, the management of the facility said it had deposited cash of Rs 5.50 crore in its bank accounts.

The search began after the investigation wing of I-T department received a tip-off that the hospital management, comprising owner Dr Kusum Singh, her daughter Dr Radhika Bandi and son-in-law Dr Anil Bandi among others, had accepted old currency from patients after the Centre announced withdrawal of high denomination notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 on November 8.

The teams have sealed and seized unaccounted jewellery worth Rs 51.71 lakh, cash of Rs 10 lakh, and documents to corroborate evidence of unaccounted wealth and tax evasion.

On Friday, the investigation wing began scrutiny of the seized documents recovered from hospital, offices and residence of owners, directors. The officials have allegedly found a mismatch between financial transactions projected in books, soft copies and diaries. They have also recorded statements of directors, accountants, clerks as part of the probe.

The investigation teams suspect that hospital directors have more unaccounted wealth than what they surrendered, a department official said on condition of anonymity.

It was the first major I-T search in Indore since November 8. On November 30, surveys were held at caterers, restaurants, sweetmeat shops, and eating joints.
The Centres move to demonetise old currency of Rs500 and Rs1,000 and the new practice of allowing municipal council presidents to be elected directly saw almost all parties woo voters with bribes in the civic elections held in the state two weeks ago, according to political leaders and observers.

As many as 80% of voters in the state are voting in the various civic elections in the state , which started in November, and will continue till the end of March.

In the first phase of the elections for 165 municipal councils and nagar panchayats held two weeks ago, the ruling BJP won the highest number of wards and which, according to sources, will set a trend for the remaining phases. The Opposition says that the ruling party used banned currency to woo voters . According to observers, almost all parties used black money in the elections.

Leaders say that in some cases, voters were paid as high as Rs6,000 to Rs8,000 a vote.  In Manmad in Nashik district, candidates from all the parties were with strong financial backgrounds and the rate per vote had gone up substantially. One party was paying the civic utility bills of voters using the old notes and sent the receipts along with the voters slip ahead of the polls, an observer said.

The elections are seen as a prestige issue for established political leaders as their results are directly linked to their political clouts. In some cases, the leaders had fielded their family members in the council elections. The elections are also presumed to be the grooming ground for would-be legislators and hence bear importance.

If you take a look at the council presidents elected in the first phase, most of them are financially strong and influential in their areas. Many are directly related with the incumbent ministers, MLAs or former legislators. Some of them have a history of being involved in illegal activities. Parties were even forced to consider the financial background of the candidates while giving them the tickets in civic elections. As it was a direct elections for the presidents, parties and even local leaders put their weight around the candidates to gain command over the councils, said a NCP leader from western Maharashtra.

According to local leaders active in the council elections, the contractors and lobbies looking at bagging the development works in the civic bodies were active in lending their financial support. Unlike mayors in municipal corporations, the municipal council presidents get de-facto powers of sanctioning budget for the projects. Many councils in the state have their annual budget ranging between Rs40 and 90 crore. The lobbies financially supported many candidates, keeping an eye on the contracts, the leader said.

Read

Municipal council polls: BJPs Maha winning streak continues

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Five mini forensic science laboratories will soon be set up at Thane, Ratnagiri, Solapur, Dhule and Chandrapur to make investigating crimes more efficient.

The proposal to set up these five laboratories is at the stage of getting administrative approval, the Maharashtra government has told the Bombay high court in an affidavit, filed in response to a public interest litigation by NGO Association for Aiding Justice. The NGOs PIL said there was little compliance with the police reforms as directed by the Supreme Court.

The governments affidavit also said to cope with the increasing work load, the existing forensic science laboratories are being upgraded and regional labs were set up at Nanded and Kolhapur in the past two years. It said every police unit was provided with a forensic support team for on-the-spot analysis.

The government also plans to outsource work to private laboratories, and a panel has been constituted to consider this. The high power committee, headed by the chief secretary, has sanctioned creating 312 posts to strengthen labs  especially the biology, toxicology, ballistics, general analytics, instrumentation and physics divisions. For pending cases in the psychology, cyber forensics, tape authentication and voice identification divisions, the government has sanctioned 164 new posts for a year starting October 2016.

In May 2016, the state also sanctioned the filling up 8,808 vacant posts, 75% of the existing vacant posts, in the state police force. The office of the Director General of Police (DGP) on November 22 submitted a provisional requisition for filing up 750 posts of police sub-inspectors to the Maharashtra Public Service Commission, through which the recruitment process will be completed.

The HC division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and justice MS Sonak disposed of the PIL saying the 2014 amendments to the Maharashtra Police Act has by and large resolved the NGOs grievances about non-compliance with the SC directives.

Read

Bombay HC to Maharashtra govt: Consider outsourcing forensic work

Cyber labs to be launched in 34 districts on August 15

Forensic medicine loses its lustre for Maharashtra doctors
The Matunga police are on the lookout for a man who fled the city recently after being booked for submitting a fake caste certificate to the Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research.

According to the police, the complaint was registered last week by the dean of the institute after their IT department found the student submitted a fake caste certificate to secure admission under a minority quota. Students under the quota pay reduced fees.

The police said they have identified the accused as Jay Dilip Shah, 21, a resident of Navghar in Mulund (East). Shah completed his engineering course and had applied for a Master in Management Studies degree at the institute, police said.

Read: HRD ministry to set up digital database to curb fake certificates, mark sheets

Shah was expelled on November 30, following which a case was registered by the dean, Satish Raghunath Tendulkar.

An officer said, The accused submitted the fake certificate through an online process. As soon as he was expelled and the college said they were registering a case against him, he fled the city. We even raided his Mulund residence.

The accused has been booked under sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 465 (punishment for forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc) 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged) of the Indian Penal Code.

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DCH Group of Kharkiv businessman Oleksandr Yaroslavsky has detailed its plans to create a consortium for the purchase of the Odesa Port-Side Plant.

"We intend to involve Rothschild & Co Bank as an advisor for establishing an international consortium to acquire Odesa Port-Side Plant. At the moment, we are discussing its role as an advisor," reads a statement posted on the DCH website.

The tender for the sale of shares in Odesa port-side plant with the starting price of UAH 5.16 billion was scheduled for December 14, 2016. However, it won't take place because none of the candidates submitted their bids in time. DCH Group represented by Glenshee Holdings Limited originally planned to take part in the tender. But later it refused the plans, pointing out the risks associated with the increasing creditor indebtedness of the plant and proceedings at the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine.

However, the company said it was still interested in buying the plant and offered to create an international consortium to acquire PJSC Odesa Port-Side Chemical Plant.

Rothschild & Co is a financial holding company controlled by the French and English branch of the Rothschild family. Rothschild & Co is the flagship of the Rothschild banking Group and controls the Rothschild Group's banking activities including N M Rothschild & Sons and Rothschild & Cie Banque.
The Tulinj police on Friday arrested three people for allegedly kidnapping and gang-raping a 13-year-old girl from Nalasopara for more than a month in Gujarat on the pretext of offering her a film role.

The police also arrested an 18-year-old woman for colluding with the accused men. The four people have been remanded in police custody till December 13 by a court in Vasai.

Without informing her parents, the minor left home on November 6 after she was lured by a woman who promised her a role in a Gujarati movie, the police said. The minor was later holed up at a slum in Shirdi Nagar, Nallasopara, for two days before being taken a studio in Umergaon, Gujarat, for the audition, said an official of the Tulinj police station on the condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, on November 7, the minors mother registered a kidnapping case against unidentified people.

In Umergaon, the minor was subject to rape and torture by three men in the studio, said the official.

On Thursday, the three men allegedly dropped her home in Nalasopara and warned her to not reveal the incident.

She, however, narrated the ordeal to her mother, who filed a complaint with the Tulinj police.

The police have registered a case against the accused under sections 363 (kidnapping), 376 (d) (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 4,8,12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

We will soon send a team to the Umergaon studio and more arrests are likely, said the official.
The hotel is good with excellent facilities and welcoming staff but the food is not good rest everything is awesome (sic).

This was perhaps 28-year-old Tabrez Noor Mohammad Tambes last public post on social media  when he checked into a Cairo hotel on January 12, 2016  before he allegedly joined the Islamic State in Libya. Investigators monitoring the case believe Tabrez was influenced by one Ali, who they have now found is a Pakistani national from Harnai district.

That Tabrez had joined the terrorist organisation came to light after his brother Saud Noor Mohammad Tambe approached the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) this week. The brothers are from Ratnagiri and were living in Mumbra.

Read: Mumbra man claims his brother has joined ISIS and is now in Iraq

Tabrez became friends with Ali while working in Saudi Arabia.

ATS sources said the two were in touch even when Tabrez came to Mumbra in 2015 and that Ali met Tabrezs family and even visited his home in Mumbra.

ATS sources are yet to confirm how Tabrez was influenced. So far, they have found out Tabrez completed schooling at the National High School and Junior College in Ratnagiri, before moving to Mumbai to study chemistry at the Mumbai University. Tabrez was good at academics, played volleyball and took part in science quizzes. He also volunteered for a charitable organisation and did a course on cargo services during his undergraduate study.

Investigators said Tabrez had always been employed at good firms  he started working in 2009, went on to join an airline as a cargo supervisor in 2010 and then moved to Iraq to work as a warehouse executive in 2011. In October 2012, Tabrez moved to Dubai, where he worked as a logistics officer. Somewhere around December 2015, Tabrez moved to Saudi and started working as a logistics officer. This is when he is said to have met Ali.

Saud told ATS officials that he and his family found out last month that Tabrez had left the country to join the ISIS.
Going to bed late, waking up early, irregular bedtimes and disturbed sleep  all patterns of sleep deprivation usually associated with adults are being noticed in Indian toddlers up to the age of three.

These were the findings of a first-of-its-kind study aimed at finding out bedtime routines of children across the globe. It was done by a network of 14 paediatricians across four hospitals, who are a part of a non-profit called Asia Pacific Paediatric Sleep Alliance (APPSA).

The study compared how toddlers in India sleep, with those in non-Asian countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States. Children in India sleep at 10pm on an average, the study said, as compared to children in other countries who are tucked in by 8pm; children here also wake up at least twice on an average a night, while in the other countries, they wake up only once.  Both parents work late, so the child sleeps late, said Dr Indu Khosla, consultant paediatrician and former president of Indian Academy of Paediatricians (IAP).

Dr Khosla sees at least 15 cases a month where the child is sleep deprived.

Parents make their children sleep with them on the same bed. This proximity affects their sleep timings as they tend to sleep and wake up along with them, said Dr Abhijit Deshpande, a specialist at the International Institute of Sleep Sciences, Thane.

Doctors warned how much sleep deprivation can affect children. They tend to be underweight as the growth hormone is secreted only during nighttime sleep. Abnormal secretion affects the childs growth and immunity. Inadequate sleep also affects a childs psychological growth, leading to hyperactivity and lack of attention, said Dr Somu Sivabalan, a Chennai-based paediatrican.

For the study,the researchers asked the parents of 10,666 infants and toddlers, including 3,000 from India, to answer a detailed questionnaire. While the doctors who conducted the study said the results indicate a trend about Indian childrens sleep pattern, they added additional scientific studies are needed to understand the social backgrounds of parents before arriving at accurate conclusions.

This is the most basic study, yet unique as no other such study has been done, said Dr Mahesh Babu, a consultant paediatrican and sleeping disorder expert, National University Childrens Medical Institute, Singapore, and APPSA member.

The data indicate children in India are sleep deprived. This is a very alarming trend as there are several studies that show how disturbed sleep affects the childs growth and cognitive abilities, he added.

Doctors across Indian metros blamed social factors such as breast feeding the child at the wrong times, parents working late night and rising noise levels in the cities as leading reasons behind this upward trend.

Mothers tend to breast feed the child the second it whimpers or cries. Infants above six months should not be breast fed at night as this too affects sleep patterns, Dr Khosla said.

Doctors said studies over the years have shown parents should follow a strict bedtime routine to ensure the child gets adequate sleep. A bed time routine is a must. Parents need to have a fixed routine, be it giving a bath to the child, feeding in time or reading a book, Dr Babu said.

READ MORE

Babies sleep habits make them gain weight
To intensify its opposition to the demonetisation in the Vidarbha region, a BJP stronghold, the Shiv Sena plans to tie-up with Prahar Sanghatana led by Achalpur legislator Bacchu Kadu to protest against the Narendra Modi governments shock decision.

The Sena, which shares power with the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state, may even join hands with Kadu against its senior partner in the upcoming local elections in Vidarbha, a Sena source said.

Kadu, an Independent Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), met Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence in Matoshree on Saturday to discuss how the demonetisation has caused distress to farmers, with the prices of agricultural produce having plunged and the governments apathy towards the poor. Kadu is known for his aggressive stance to safeguard the interests of farmers, the physically-challenged and the common people.

Bacchu Kadus Prahar Sanghatana is planning to stage an agitation against the government on these issues and he requested the Sena to join the protest, a Sena leader said, adding the party is likely to join Kadus efforts.

He added that the Shiv Sena needs an aggressive face to fight the BJP in Vidarbha, while Kadu will also benefit with the partys support. The Nagpur civic body is scheduled to head to polls early next year, and the Shiv Sena is trying to aggressively make inroads into the BJPs bastion. On the other hand, the BJP seeks to grow stronger in Mumbai, which has been Senas stronghold for long.

Compared to smaller parties such as the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in certain pockets, the Senas presence in Nagpur is negligible. The Sena has just six corporators in the 145-member Nagpur Municipal Corporation, with the BJP being the single-largest party holding 62 seats, followed by the Congress with 41 seats.

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Vehicle registrations, payments and certificates will all be a click away soon, with regional transport offices (RTOs) at Tardeo and Wadala switching to an upgraded version of their web application.

The RTOs are launching a new version of its vehicle registration system. Called VAHAN 4.0, it has been developed by the National Informatics Center (NIC), the IT brain of the country, from next week.

This means, motorists can apply online for all vehicle-related services. Fill online forms, upload the required documents, pay fees once the new version of VAHAN is implemented, said a source in the Motor Vehicle Department, not wishing to be named. On Tuesday, both the Tardeo and Wadala RTOs are likely to run the new software.

Sources said the Wadala RTO will use the new system only for non-transport vehicles, while at Tardeo, it may be used for transport vehicles as well. Private vehicles such as cars and bikes fall under the non-transport category, buses, trucks and taxis under transport.

Another RTO official said there will be a slight change in the vehicle registration process once the new system is in place. Under the existing system, auto dealers bring the sold vehicles to the RTO to complete the registration process. Under the new system, RTO inspectors will go to the dealers outlet.

The vehicle will get registered and get the registration number the same day . At present, this process takes at least two days. Vehicle owners will get an email or SMS during every step of the process. This ensures transparency, the officer said.

Nationwide vehicle data would also be stored on a centralised server that all RTOs will be connected to, making it easy to access details of any vehicle. The data currently remains only with the server of that particular RTO. The system will bring transparency and curb bogus registrations. It will also make it easier for manufacturers, dealers and the motorists.

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Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that every household in the state would get electricity by the end of next year and exhorted people to start practising rational use of power to avoid fat bills.

Survey work has been carried on households still not having power connection and the government would provide free electricity connection to all such households across Bihar by the end of 2017, Kumar said at the Chetna Sabha here in course of his Nishchay yatra.

Power was an important election issue during the 2015 Bihar polls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly made references to dismal power situation in the state almost in every rally he had addressed in Bihar at that time.

Kumar has refuted the charges by stating that power situation had been continuously improving in the state with urban areas enjoying electricity on an average for 20 hours daily while rural areas have 14-15 hours of power.

Kumar also exhorted people to start practising rational use of electricity to avoid heavy power bills.

Sometimes, out of callousness, people forget to switch off lights after use. We should use electricity only when required and ensure that lights are switched off after use to avoid fat power bills, Kumar said.

Providing free electricity connection to every household forms a part of seven resolves which the grand alliance government has adopted as policy of sushasan (good governance) for rest of its term, he said.

Kumar had launched Har ghar bijli lagataar programme on November 15 in Patna to achieve this target.

Launching the key programme, the CM had promised to provide free electricity connection to about 50 lakh households above the poverty line deprived of power connection so far. The objective would be met at an investment of Rs 1857.5 crore.
There was palpable nervousness in the air outside city schools as parents waited in serpentine queues to submit entry-level admission forms of their wards on Friday.

With some schools set to remain closed during the weekend, Friday was the second last day to submit the forms for some. Last date to submit the admission forms is December 12.

Parents were queued up outside the schools throughout the day, well in the afternoon. Sale of forms began at 8:30 am and continued late into the afternoon.

Officials at Carmel Convent School, Sector 9, said that extremely long queues of parents were witnessed since the school will remain closed on Saturday and Sunday, following which only one day will be left for the parents to submit forms.

Huge crowd was seen in the premises as it was the second last day to submit the applications with all the required documents, spokesperson Clara Lobo said.

We have received over 600 forms so far for 120 seats in lower kindergarten (LKG), she added.

Similar scenes were witnessed at St Johns High School, Sector 26, where 525 applications have been received so far.

Meanwhile, Sacred Heart Convent School, Sector 26, has received over 500 admission forms.

Between December 16 and December 23, every school will prepare a final list of students, which will be displayed on the notice board and school website.

The last date for submission of fee and documents for the final candidates will be February 10 and the waiting list of the candidates will be uploaded on February 15.

The last date to submit applications for the economically weaker section (EWS) parents has been extended for next two months. They can submit the admission forms till February 28, 2017 in the respective private schools with the required documents.

SCHOOL STILL NOT ACCEPTING AADHAAR CARDS

Despite orders having been passed by the education department on December 6, 2016, St Johns reportedly continued decline Aadhar card, passport, voter ID card, driving licence as valid proof of residence. The Chandigarh Parents Association on Friday wrote to the education department, stating that the school was refusing to accept admission forms from parents who were unable to fulfill the arbitrary requirements set by the school to submit electricity/water/BSNL bills or police verified rent deeds.
As many as 16 flights were delayed and four cancelled due to poor visibility as the region remained engulfed in fog for the second day on Friday.

In Chandigarh alone, 15 flights were delayed and three were cancelled.

The fog also had its impact on the flights coming and going from the Sree Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar.

The Jet Airways flight from New Delhi, which arrives in the holy city at 10.05 am, was cancelled due to poor visibility.

Besides, the Air Indias flight, which departs from New Delhi at 6.30 am and lands in Amritsar at 7.30 AM, was delayed by over six hours and landed at 1.35 pm.

TRAINS AFFECTED IN REGION

Five trains in the Ambala division, including the Nanded Express, were cancelled due to fog.

Railway officials said the Howrah-Sri Ganganagar Express (13007) was cancelled on Friday and it will remain cancelled on Saturday.

Besides, the Howrah-Jammu Himgiri Expresses (12331) and Jammu-Howrah Himgiri Express (12332) will remain cancelled till Sunday.

In Ferozepur division, Fazilka- Delhi Intercity Express was also cancelled.

The Amritsar-Jai Nagar Saryu Yamuna Express (14650) has been cancelled for Saturday.

Meanwhile, most trains on the Delhi-Chandigarh route were delayed by over half an hour, including the Shatabdis. However, no train was cancelled on the Chandigarh route.

In Amritsar, as many as 12 trains were delayed, including the AmritsarNew Delhi Shatabdi, Shane-e-Punjab, Howrah Mail, Jansewa Express and Chhattisgarh Express.
It was a volatile and peculiar situation at the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) here on Saturday morning when a group of around 20 Hindu right wing activists protesting against stalls from Pakistan. They faced severe criticism by a Hindu exhibitor, among others, from the neighbouring country who termed them fear-mongers.

By the evening, a police complaint was filed too, as cops at the expo were mute spectators when the protesters raised slogans and sought to vandalise the food stalls from Lahore and other places in Pakistan. After a low-key drama on Friday, on Saturday morning the protesters made an attempt to enter the Pak pavilion, which has at least 12 exhibitors. But police did not let them do that, even though cops asked exhibitors to voluntarily remove boards with Pak flags for security reasons.

(Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Pakistani traders removing boards carrying their national flag on police instructions at PITEX, Amritsar. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

At the food court, the situation was controlled by the exhibitors, including their representative Pankaj Khanna alias Parvez, an Indian exporter who had put up stalls of apparel, food and marble. His wife Hina Anjum, a Pakistani, had put up a stall too, of designer sawlwar-kameez suits. The protesters, who claimed allegiance to Shiv Sena, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, blamed the exhibitors for the diplomatic hostility and attacks on the borders.

Hina Anjum and her husband Pankaj Khanna alias Parvez. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Anjum later said, Non-cordial relations infuse fear amongst people on either side of the border, but, as peace ambassadors, we will go back and tell people in Pakistan that in Amritsar and other cities they will get immense love and hospitality. She added, If issues are being politicised, it should not affect our love, business ties and food links.

Sapna Kavita Oberoi, a Hindu exhibitor from Pakistan, said that being a Saarc visa-holder she visits India 20 times a year and she feels at home here. I once read somewhere that you cannot change your neighbours. We should learn to live with harmony and peace.

Condemning the protest and the police, she said, These people need to be reminded of the words atithi devo bhava from ancient Hindu scriptures, which means, guests are God. But I would still say that such a small number of people cannot pull us apart. The issue is being politicised, so common people on either side should decide for themselves.

Sapna Kavita Oberoi, a Pakistani exhibitor at PITEX, Amritsar, (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Former vice-president of SAARC chamber of commerce and industry from Pakistan, Jamil Mohammad Magoo, who came to the chambers inside the Pak pavilion, said he has an old friendship with PHD Chambers, the organisers, here, and was said to see a dip in exhibitors from his country due to frosty relations. Borders should be eradicated as they are doing nothing but affecting the Punjab in totality.

After the complaint, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) J Elanchezhian reached the venue in the evening. Things are settled now. Sufficient security has been deployed. I have assured the Pakistan pavilion that strict action would be taken against those who take law into their hands, he said.

On police being mute spectator in the morning, he said, I have no idea what happened and how they could not handle the situation well. But now I will make sure nothing untoward occurs. It is totally the exhibitors call if they to put up boards with their national flag or not.

Pankaj Khanna said, We are not flaunting the boards with any political intention. The buyers need to be told which product is genuinely from Pakistan and which is not.

Want to visit Golden Temple

Khannas wife Anjum, who says she has visited India 30 times but was in Amritsar for the first time, said she was told by her daughter that she must visit Golden Temple: Beti kehti thi, Wahan zarur jana jaha dua kabool hoti hai (Do go there, where wishes are fulfilled. So, I would be visiting the holy shrine. She and others were excited to see the new heritage look of Town Hall and the street to the Golden Temple.

Khanna also highlighted that of the 55 exhibitors who applied, only 22 got the visa. yet, not all of them too could make it to the expo. Even two days before the date to come to India, they do not know if they would get the visa or not.

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The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is all set to win most of the seats in the Ranchi University students union polls, held after a gap of nine years.

The Adivasi Chatra Sangh (ACS) was placed at the second position at the time of filing this report.

As per the results announced so far, the ABVP swept the election in two colleges of the varsity, while the ACS fared well in three rural colleges by bagging majority of the seats.

The ABVP, a student affiliate of the ruling BJP, had in the recent past won all students union elections held in four universities of the state.

As per the trend available till late evening, the ACS is followed by the All Jharkhand Student Union at the third position.

The National Student Union of India (NSUI), which had entered into an alliance with other student unions, including Jharkhand Vikas Chatra Morcha (JVCM), Jharkhand Chatra Sangh (JCS) and Adivasi Moolvasi Chatra Sangh, failed to open account.

In three rural colleges, the ACS gave ABVP a tough contest pocketing most of the seats. But since the ABVP won all five seats of president, vice president, secretary, joint secretary and deputy secretary in Doranda College and JN College Dhurwa, it got an edge over its nearest rival in the overall seat count.

The results seem to be in our favour till now and we are now gearing up for the university level election, ABVP convenor Atal Pandey said.

The counting of ballots was sluggish even after low turnout (24%) and several ballots were found to be invalid, giving rise to call for holding students body polls regularly to make students (voters) accustomed with the voting process.

The successful candidates at the college level will contest at the university level pollsscheduled to be held on December 20.

Even though heavy security was deployed, clashes between ABVP and AJSU members were reported at Marwari College during counting of votes. Police later resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd.

Almost all the candidates of different student organisations fought this years elections on the development agenda focusing on several student-centric issues.

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The UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for an end to the fighting in Syria by a majority of votes on Friday.

The resolution was supported by 122 countries, 13 voted against it and 36 abstained.

The resolution, sponsored by Canada, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, and Japan, demands that all parties to the conflict in Syria immediately stop the hostilities and provide humanitarian access to all districts of Syria.

The document also calls for ending the blockade of Aleppo and identifying and prosecuting individuals responsible for war crimes.

The resolution mentions the importance of a political process toward normalizing the situation in Syria and resuming intra-Syrian negotiations.
A Pakistani filmmaker with roots in Mumbai, and an Indian actor of French descent, have just finished work on a documentary that couldnt have come at a better time.

Currently in post-production, Azmaish: Trials of Life by Sabiha Sumar and Kalki Koechlin comes at a time of fraught India-Pakistan ties, most recently as a result of the terror attack on an army camp in Uri, Kashmir, in September.

So its interesting, and sometimes heartening, to note the lack of political chauvinism in the conversations the two women recorded as they explored the emotional landscape on both sides of the border, talking to ordinary Indians and Pakistanis.

The context in which we know India and Pakistan is always conflict and divide. We specifically wanted to look away from that and see the two countries just as they are, says Koechlin.

There are times when the vignettes are unsurprising, as when an RSS sympathiser says, We believe that Indias culture is Hindu or, on the other side of the border, a man in a religious procession shouts, to much cheering: If called upon in the name of Allah, we would throw our suckling infants to the ground to serve Him.

My favourite experience was an interaction between two truck drivers in Mumbai, a Hindu and a Muslim. They spoke about religious identity as a political ploy. What does it have to do with our real lives? they asked. How does it help the abject poor on Mumbais streets, says Sumar.

And then there are moments that leave one hopeful. My favourite was an interaction between two truck drivers in Mumbai, a Hindu and a Muslim, says Sumar. They spoke about religious identity as a political ploy. What does it have to do with our real lives? they asked. How does it help, for instance, the abject poor on Mumbais streets.

Mumbai, incidentally, is a place Sumar speaks of fondly, as the birthplace of her parents.

Its a melting pot, just like New York. I grew up listening to stories about the city, and how its a source of ambitions and dreams, she says.

Ask whether being culturally heterogeneous  her husband and business partner, S Sathananthan, is a Sri Lankan Tamil and the couple lived in Delhi for nine years with their daughter  helped her see the two countries from a more neutral vantage point, and her short answer is yes.

A mixed background does help, she adds. But if Azmaish has taught me anything, its that the average Indian and Pakistani also understands that politics muddies the water and diverts attention from the serious issues their countries face.

Koechlin travelled extensively through Sind, and says of all that she saw and experienced, she found the poverty in the Thar desert the most difficult to deal with.

Falling into place

The idea for Azmaish... came to Sumar in 2013. We had the election in Pakistan that year, and then there was Modis electoral victory in India in 2014. I wanted to capture this time in history because I believe it will shape our future, says the filmmaker.

The idea lay dormant for a while, and then Sumar met Koechlin at the MAMI film festival in Mumbai and found her very receptive to the idea of a joint project. Koechlin travelled to Pakistan in January this year while Sumar toured India in mid-2016.

Koechlin and Sumar picked the Indian and Pakistani locations respectively. Islamabad, Karachi, Sukkur, Gothki, and Pir Jo Goth form the Pakistani backdrops; in India, it is Mumbai, Thane, New Delhi, Saharanpur, Mohali and rural Haryana.

Barring Islamabad, the Pakistani locales are all in the Sindh province. Kalki and I wanted to get to the heart of who really calls the shots in both countries, because thats where dominant values come from. In India, its the business elite or industrialists. Pakistans ruling elite are the feudalists, Sumar explains. Thats why I chose Sindh. Wed have liked Punjab too, but we couldnt do it all in one film. The landscape of Sindh  from its mega cities to deserts  is also so diverse and dramatic.

For Sumar, it was troubling to see people speak of a Hindu nation much more freely than they ever had on her previous visits to India. Pakistan chose to go down the route of Islamic identity, and where has it got us, she asks.

For Koechlin, the journey to the Sindh section of the Thar desert left an indelible mark. It was disturbing yet moving because it was another level of poverty there, she says. There are villages in the middle of nowhere and no schools nearby. People walk for four hours to get water. That was a difficult experience.

For Sumar, it was troubling to see people speak of a Hindu nation, for instance, much more freely than they ever had on previous visits to the country. Pakistan chose to go down the route of Islamic identity, and where has it got us, she asks. India was once a model of secularism and something we aspired to, but look whats happening there. I hope it learns from our example.

Sumar and Koechlin are now in the process of raising Rs 20 lakh for post-production, via crowdfunding platform Wishberry. Weve raised nearly Rs 12 lakh in just three weeks, so Im confident well reach our goal before our 39 days are up, she says.

Watch the teaser for Azmaish... here

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop

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To celebrate 15 years of New Zealand being the real Middle-earth, Tourism New Zealand has come up with a unique way for tourists to explore the country by re-imagining it through the eyes of The Lord of the Rings characters.

The journey engages consumers through a unique quiz designed to discover which character they would be. Consumers will be provided with a character inspired journey throughout New Zealand with an itinerary on Tourism New Zealands official website.

Ace filmmaker Peter Jackson says that since the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001, nothing has changed in New Zealand.

New Zealand offers a variety of landscapes -- lush green forests to soaring mountains. (Shutterstock)

New Zealand has such a variety of landscapes from lush green forests, to soaring mountains. The grandeur of these landscapes saw tourists flock to our shores, and made a huge impact on the tourism industry, Jackson said in a statement.

New Zealand is the perfect Middle-earth and a real place that visitors can experience for years and years to come, he added.

The endless beauty of New Zealand is bewitching. (Shutterstock)

Sharing his love for the country, actor Ian McKellen said: This is the Middle-earth I had always pictured. How can New Zealand not bewitch anyone who visits?

According to Skyscanner survey, New Zealand emerged as a favourite among Indian travellers, witnessing a growth of 52 percent in travel searches from last year.
A group of 120 authors including Salman Rushdie and JM Coetzee have written to President Xi Jinping on Saturday, marked as Human Rights Day, urging him to reverse Chinas ongoing crackdown on writers, academics and dissident voices.

During Xis four years in power since 2012, the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) has hardened its stand against voices perceived to be critical, throwing to jail many activists, lawyers and academics.

There is hardly any room for dissenting voices in China, and its vibrant online community  the largest in the world at nearly 700 million  is under multiple layers of censorship.

Besides the CPC, Chinas top leadership and their policies continue to be among taboo topics for discussion in the second largest economy of the world. Newspapers and television channels are strictly controlled too.

In an open letter from Pen International, a freedom of speech group, the authors urged Xi to end the worsening crackdown.

On World Human Rights Day, our PEN International community of writers, readers, activists and publishers condemn the Chinese authoritys sustained and increasing attack on free expression and call for an immediate end to Chinas worsening crackdown on fundamental human rights, the letter said.

Where is the voice of publisher Gui Minhai, who disappeared from his holiday home in Thailand and is now being held incommunicado? Where is the voice of Nobel Peace Laureate and former president of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre, Liu Xiaobo serving an 11-year prison sentence and the voice of his wife, the poet Liu Xia, who has been under house arrest for over six years without even having been accused of a crime?, it asked.

Where is the voice of Ilham Tohti, Uyghur scholar and PEN member, currently serving a life sentence, when his lifes work has been about creating peace and dialogue in China? Where is the voice of veteran journalist Gao Yu, who spent close to two years in prison and is now under house arrest?

The authors said the rest of the world can only be enriched by these opinions and voices.

We therefore urge the Chinese authorities to release the writers, journalists, and activists who are languishing in jail or kept under house arrest for the crime of speaking freely and expressing their opinions, they said in the letter.

This is not the first time that noted authors have written to the Chinese government about human rights.

Rushdie was among those who wrote earlier about Tohti after he was arrested.
At least 43,000 people have been displaced by the powerful earthquake that hit Indonesias Aceh province, authorities said Saturday, as the government and aid agencies pooled efforts to meet the basic survival needs of shaken communities.

The estimate of the number of homeless people continues to grow while relief efforts fan out across the three districts near the epicenter of Wednesdays magnitude 6.5 quake, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said in a statement

The basic needs of refugees must be met during the evacuation, it said.

A man retrieves fans from a collapsed shop following a strong earthquake in Meureudu, Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia. (Reuters)

Humanitarian groups are now coordinating their efforts from a main command post in the worst affected district Pidie Jaya, the agency said.

At least 100 people were killed and hundreds injured in the quake, which also destroyed or damaged more than 11,000 buildings. The displaced are staying in temporary shelters and mosques or with relatives.

On Saturday, sniffer dogs were again used in the search for bodies and possible survivors in the devastated town of Meureudu, where a market filled with shop houses was largely flattened. Four other locations in Pidie Jaya are also the focus of search efforts.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo traveled Friday to worst-hit areas of the province and promised to rebuild communities.
China announced Saturday that it was suspending coal imports from North Korea for three weeks, in line with the latest United Nations sanctions against the hermit state.

After the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2321... China is suspending North Korean coal imports, the government said in a statement.

Read | US challenges Chinas imports of North Korean coal amid UN sanctions

The three-week suspension starts Sunday and ends on December 31, according to the statement.

The Security Council passed the resolution on the international sanctions against Pyongyang on November 30 in the wake of the Norths September 9 nuclear test.

It limits North Koreas coal exports next year to 7.5 million tonnes or just over $400 million, down 62 percent on 2015.

The cap represents a fraction of the Norths current annual exports to China, the isolated countrys sole ally and its main provider of trade and aid.

China imported 1.8 million tonnes of coal worth $101 million from North Korea in October alone, according to the most recent figures available on the Chinese Customs website. The volume was up nearly 40 percent year-on-year.

Under previous sanctions, the Security Council authorised the purchase of coal from North Korea provided revenues were not used to finance Pyongyangs nuclear programme.

Read | North Korea rejects UN sanctions, briefs envoys in Pyongyang

However, the UN did not specify any assessment criteria, which allowed Beijing to increase its imports considerably while saying it was acting in good faith.

Between March and October, 24.8 million tonnes of coal was imported, three times the annual limit now allowed by the UN.

Although Beijing has traditionally protected Pyongyang diplomatically, believing that Kim Jong-Uns regime is preferable to its collapse, it has grown frustrated by its neighbours defiance.

Read more | China says opposed to unilateral sanctions on North Korea
China remains opposed to unilateral sanctions against North Korea taken without the approval of the UN Security Council, the countrys chief negotiator on the Norths nuclear program was quoted Saturday as saying.

Wu Dawei also told his South Korean counterpart in talks Friday that China is adamantly opposed to the Souths deployment of an advanced US missile defense system that China says poses a threat to its own security, Chinas foreign ministry said in a statement.

Wu also pressed for a resumption of six-nation talks on the Norths nuclear programs that have been stalled since North Korea walked away from them in 2009. The talks involved North and South Korea, China, the US, Japan and Russia.

The Chinese side opposes the imposition of sanctions taken outside the framework of the Security Council resolution 2321, Wu was quoted as saying by the foreign ministry.

As the Norths chief source of aid and diplomatic support, China has reluctantly agreed to UN sanctions, but said they should be used sparingly as an inducement for the North to rejoin talks.

China demands that South Korea give weight to Chinas concerns about the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, missile system, which is intended to counter North Koreas nuclear and missile threats, Wu said, according to the ministry.

Russia also opposes the system, saying it could help the US monitor its own missiles and other military developments.

Read | North Korea rejects UN sanctions, briefs envoys in Pyongyang
The French government will propose extending the countrys state of emergency until July 15, 2017 due to presidential and parliament elections in spring next year, Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Saturday.

Read | Terror strikes Paris: 127 killed as France declares emergency

The socialist government imposed the state of emergency - which gives police extended powers to search and arrest - in November last year following the attacks on Paris.

The extension needs to be approved by parliament, which will debate the proposal on Tuesday. The senate will review it on Thursday.

The state of emergency, which was set to end in mid-January, has already been extended four times as the government considers that the risk of armed attacks by Islamist militants remains high.

France will hold presidential elections in April-May, followed by parliament elections in June.

The state of emergency is criticised by some as at best inefficient and at worst an infringement of civil rights.

Read more | France will not extend state of emergency beyond 26 July
Faced with a losing battle against mice, Downing Street has roped-in two more cats to the Cabinet Office.

Evie and Ossie are the latest recruits in the governments ongoing -- and losing -- battle against mice.

The black and white mother and son were rescued from the Celia Hammond Animal Trust and arrived in time for the Cabinet Offices centenary this week, The Sun reported.

Evie is named after Dame Evelyn Sharp -- the first ever female Civil Service Permanent Secretary.

And her boy Ossie is named after top civil servant E.C.B Osmotherly -- an expert on Whitehall and parliamentary procedure.

Welcome to our new cats Evie & Ossie, rescued by @CeliaHammond. Arrived in time to celebrate our 100th birthday & catch some mice! #CO100 pic.twitter.com/DxC1ucXFyC  Cabinet Office (@cabinetofficeuk) December 9, 2016

No taxpayer money will be spent on the two furry friends, the report said.

So far they have shunned the limelight with only a sneaky snap of Evie surfacing after it was tweeted by a Whitehall chief.

A Cabinet Office said the two cats had been specifically chosen to avoid fights with the Whitehall tomcats.

No 10s famous Larry -- the governments official Chief Mouser - has been locked in a vicious territorial war with Palmerston, the Foreign Office cat.
Dylann Roof said he killed nine African Americans in a Charleston church because of alleged crimes by black people against whites and expressed support for Adolf Hitler in a taped confession shown Friday at his federal death penalty trial.

There were neither tears nor anger from Roof in the two-hour confession made the day after the shooting, as the then 21-year-old stared straight ahead with his hands in his lap.

Well, I killed them, I guess, the self-described white supremacist said with a chuckle, according to The Post and Courier newspaper.

Roof told two FBI agents interrogating him that he deliberately chose Mother Emanuel, the oldest African Methodist Episcopal church in the US South, as the scene of his crime.

I wasnt going to go to another church because there could be white people there, he said, after chuckling when admitting he had committed the carnage, according to local ABC television affiliate WCIV.

When asked if his goal had been to become a martyr, Roof responded: Yeah, that would be nice, sure.

The gunman said he was first inspired after reading online about a neighbourhood watchmans 2012 killing of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin that sparked widespread protests and was a catalyst for national outrage over violence blamed on law enforcement against African Americans.

And then for some reason after I read that, I typed in, for some reason I typed in black on white crime. And ever since then... Roof said.

I had to do it because somebody had to do something because black people are killing white people every day. They rape 100 white people a day.

Roof could not even initially recall how many people he had shot, telling investigators it was just five.

I support Hitler

The video marks the first time the public has heard Roof speak at length about the grisly June 17, 2015 attack. Sobs could be heard in the courtroom as the video was shown, local media reported.

Roof had a total of eight ammunition magazines, each loaded with 11 bullets rather than the full 13.

That means the total number of bullets was 88, an abbreviation used by white supremacists to represent the Nazi salute Heil Hitler.

I support Hitler, Roof said during the confession.

The last magazine, which was found unspent, he said was meant for him.

The FBI made the stunning admission last year that Roof should not have been able to buy the .45 Glock semi-automatic handgun that killed the parishioners, citing a breakdown in the background check system and paperwork confusion.

Before the atrocity, Roof sat with parishioners in a Bible study group at the church.

I was sitting there thinking about whether I should do it or not, he said.

He was arrested the next day during a traffic stop in North Carolina, about 250 miles (400 kilometers) north of the site of the shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.
An Iraqi commander says reinforcements have been sent to eastern Mosul after a major Islamic State counterattack drove troops back last week, further slowing a nearly two-month-old offensive to retake the city.

Major general Najim al-Jabouri said on Saturday that federal police and Iraqi army units have moved from the southern front to the citys east, where most of the fighting has been concentrated in recent weeks.

Iraqi commanders had hoped to push up from the south to take Mosuls international airport, but those plans appear to be on hold.

Iraqi troops were driven back last week within hours of seizing the al-Salam hospital in eastern Mosul, which IS had been using as a base. More than 20 soldiers were killed before special forces opened a corridor for them to retreat.
U.S. Senate approves bill on defense budget which envisages $3.4 bln to deter Russian aggression

The upper house of the U.S. Congress - the Senate on December 8 adopted a bill on the allocation of funds to the Defense Department in the next fiscal year, and approved the expenditure "to deter Russian aggression" and military assistance to Ukraine.

The document on the financing of national defense was proposed by Senator John McCain and sent to U.S. President Barack Obama.

According to U.S. media, the total size of the country's military budget next year will be $611 billion. Some 92 senators voted to support the bill, seven voted against it.

The U.S. defense budget envisages $3.4 billion in 2017 to reassure its NATO allies and to deter Russian aggression.

According to the Voice of America, the total amount of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine in 2017 is planned at $350 million.
Gambias ruler of more than 22 years announced late Friday that he no longer accepts defeat in the countrys presidential election, reversing course a week after he conceded to his rival.

In a speech on state television, President Yahya Jammeh said that investigations since the Dec. 1 vote have revealed a number of voting irregularities that he called unacceptable.

I hereby reject the results in totality, he said in his address that aired late Friday. Let me repeat: I will not accept the results based on what has happened.

Only one week ago, a jovial Jammeh was filmed on state television calling opposition candidate Adama Barrow to wish him the best.

You are the elected president of The Gambia, and I wish you all the best, Jammeh told Barrow at the time. I have no ill will.

The dramatic about-face was certain to spark outrage among the opposition and the tens of thousands of Gambians living in exile abroad. Already in the week since Jammeh had been defeated, several dozen political prisoners had been released on bail.

We are deeply concerned by reports of belated objections to the Gambian election results raised by President Jammeh, said Babatunde Olugboji, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch. The international community, notably (regional bloc) ECOWAS and the African Union, should loudly protest any unlawful attempt to subvert the will of the Gambian people.

The U.S. government also condemned Jammehs rejection of the election result, calling it an attempt to remain in power illegitimately.

The people have spoken and it is time for Gambians to come together to ensure a peaceful transition to President-elect Barrow, said State Department spokesman Mark Toner in a statement.

It remained unclear whether the tiny country of 1.9 million people would accept Jammehs continued rule. As news spread last week of his defeat, Gambians took to the streets  singing, dancing and shouting Freedom!

Under Jammehs rule, the country surrounded almost entirely by Senegal has become notorious for its abysmal human rights record as well as the presidents erratic behavior.

The Jammeh regime has long been accused of imprisoning, torturing and killing its opponents, according to human rights groups. He also has issued increasingly virulent statements against sexual minorities, vowing to slit the throats of gay men.
Incoming UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will take the oath of office on Monday, hoping to show he is primed for action despite anxiety over the US role in the world under unpredictable Donald Trump.

During a formal ceremony at the General Assembly, Guterres will be sworn in before outlining in an address to all 193 UN member-states his plans to confront global crises and reform the 71-year-old United Nations.

The first former head of government at the UN helm, Guterres will take over from Ban Ki-moon on January 1, just weeks before President-elect Trump moves into the White House.

The choice of the former refugee chief as the ninth secretary-general energized many diplomats who see Guterres as a skilled politician, able to overcome divisions that have crippled the United Nations, notably over Syria.

The 67-year-old former prime minister of Portugal has put ending the five-year carnage in Syria at the top of his to-do list and is keen to put forward a new plan to achieve a settlement, diplomats say.

Trumps election however is complicating that strategy.

This is tough for Guterres, said Richard Gowan, a UN expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations. He enjoyed a wave of diplomatic goodwill at the UN and looked set for a straightforward transition.

Now he will find it hard to propose big institutional reforms or float new political initiatives until the Trump team is settled in and made its intentions clear.

Trumps victory has put a question mark over the Paris climate deal championed by Ban during his 10 years at the UN helm and stirred unease over the prospect of a new-style diplomatic dealmaking from the White House that could sideline the United Nations.

Trump has not made any statements about his view of the United Nations or multilateralism since his election, but his choice of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley as US ambassador was seen in some circles as a positive signal.

While Haley has no foreign policy experience, she has been a player in negotiating trade deals for her state and earned respect in foreign circles for taking a stand against racism by pulling the Confederate flag from the state capitol.

The key to getting the new Trump administration on board may lie in Guterres plans for reforming the world body to turn it into something the US can support, said a Security Council diplomat.

He will have to show that he is shaking up the system enough in order to really make it effective, slimming it down in some places, realigning it in others, in a very pro-active way, said the diplomat, who asked not to be named.

The United States is by far the biggest financial contributor, providing 22% of the UNs operating budget and funding 28% of peacekeeping missions which currently cost $8 billion annually.
Two female suicide bombers on Friday killed 45 people and wounded 33 others when they detonated their explosives in a crowded market in Nigerias restive northeast, the emergency service said

The army had earlier put the death toll at 30.

From our updated records we have 45 dead and 33 injured in the twin suicide bomb explosions in Madagali, said Saad Bello of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Adamawa state.

While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, the blasts bore all the hallmarks of Boko Haram, which regularly uses women and young girls to carry out suicide attacks in its seven-year insurgent campaign in the troubled region.

Map locating Madagali in Nigeria, where at least 45 people were killed by suicide bombers. (AFP)

Military spokesman Badare Akintoye had earlier said at least 30 people have been killed in the suicide blasts carried out by two female suicide bombers in the market.

A local government official and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the attack.

The two bombers who (were) disguised as customers, detonated their suicide belts at the section of the market selling grains and second-hand clothing, said Yusuf Muhammad, the chairman of Madagali local government.

The attack on Madagali, which was recaptured by Nigerian forces from Boko Haram jihadists in 2015, was the third time the town has been targeted since December last year when two female suicide bombers killed scores.

Market trader Habu Ahmad said Fridays blasts happened around 9:30 am (0830 GMT).

It was dead bodies and wounded people in the midst of blood, spilt grain and abandoned personal effects, he said.

Under control

Ibrahim Abdulkadir, NEMA spokesman for the northeast, said rescue teams had been deployed to the scene.

He said security agents had cordoned off the scene of the explosions.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack in a statement on Friday, vowing to put an end to this senseless loss of innocent lives.

This latest attack is obviously an act of desperation, but the Nigerian military will neither be distracted nor relent, he said.

He urged Nigerians to be more vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest security agents.

The battle against terrorism is a joint effort involving all citizens, both government and governed.

Together, Nigerians can and will defeat the evil that is Boko Haram, he added.

Buhari had told a security conference in Senegal on Wednesday that the situation in the region was under control.

Boko Haram is seeking to impose a hardline Islamic legal system on Nigerias mainly-Muslim north.

Its campaign of violence has killed at least 20,000 people and displaced some 2.6 million since 2009.

Nigerias military campaign against the jihadists is increasingly bogged down as it confronts suicide attacks, looting and indiscriminate slaughter.

The United Nations has warned that the affected region faces the largest crisis in Africa.

The UN estimates that 14 million people will need outside help in 2017 because of the ongoing violence, particularly in Borno State, the epicentre of the rebellion.
A secret CIA assessment has found that Russia interfered in last months US presidential election with the goal of helping Donald Trump win the White House, the Washington Post reported Friday, citing officials briefed on the matter.

The report comes after President Barack Obama ordered a review of all cyberattacks that took place during the 2016 election cycle, amid growing calls from Congress for more information on the extent of Russian interference in the campaign.

President-elect Donald Trump has rejected the intelligence communitys conclusion of Russian involvement.

These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, Trumps transition team said in a statement late Friday.

The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. Its now time to move on and Make America Great Again.

According to the Washington Post, individuals with connections to Moscow provided anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks with emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clintons campaign chief, among others.

It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russias goal here was to favour one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected, the newspaper quoted a senior US official briefed on an intelligence presentation last week to key senators as saying. Thats the consensus view.

CIA agents told the lawmakers it was quite clear that electing Trump was Russias goal, according to officials who spoke to the Post, citing growing evidence from multiple sources.

However, some questions remain unanswered and the CIAs assessment fell short of a formal US assessment produced by all 17 intelligence agencies, the report said.

For example, intelligence agents dont have proof that Russian officials directed the identified individuals to supply WikiLeaks with the hacked Democratic emails.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has denied any links with Russia.

Those individuals were one step removed from the Russian government, which is consistent with past practices by Moscow to use middlemen in sensitive intelligence operations to preserve plausible deniability, the report said.
A suicide bomber killed 50 Yemeni soldiers and wounded at least 70 others at a base in the city of Aden on Saturday, a medic at the scene and government officials said, in another major attack on forces allied to a Saudi-led military campaign.

The attacker blew himself up as the troops were waiting to collect their salaries, the government sources added.

Islamic State militants have repeatedly claimed responsibility for deadly attacks on troops in the southern port city, which is under the control of the internationally recognized government in exile in Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom intervened in Yemens civil war in March 2015 to fight the governments foes in the Iran-allied Houthi movement but have failed to dislodge the group from the capital Sanaa despite thousands of air strikes.

Houthi forces were pushed out of Aden and much of Yemens south last summer, but the government and coalition troops have struggled to enforce their control as Al Qaeda and Islamic State militants use the security vacuum to carry out attacks.

At least 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict which has unleashed a humanitarian crisis on the impoverished country.
US secretary of state John Kerry said on Saturday the Syrian regimes indiscriminate bombing of Aleppo amounted to crimes against humanity and war crimes and called on its backers Russia to try to stop it.

The indiscriminate bombing by the regime violates rules of law, or in many cases, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, Kerry said after a meeting of Western powers and Syrian opposition representatives in Paris and he called for Russia to do their utmost to bring it to a close.
Some 50,000 civilians have fled eastern Aleppo over the past two days in a constant stream, Russia said Saturday, as Syrian government forces close in on the last pocket of opposition control in the northern city.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said that Syrian troops have suspended their offensive to allow for the evacuation of civilians, but the activist-run Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says heavy clashes are still underway.

Read | Syrian army declares truce around Damascus, parts of Idlib province

Konashenkov said that on Saturday alone more than 20,000 civilians left rebel-controlled Aleppo districts through humanitarian corridors. The military is live streaming images from drones showing the exit.

Backed by Russia and other allies, Syrian President Bashar Assads forces have driven the rebels from nearly all of eastern Aleppo, which was captured by the opposition in 2012.

People are moving in a constant stream through humanitarian corridors into the government-controlled districts, Konashenkov said at a briefing. After civilians exit, the Syrian army will continue its operation to free Aleppo neighbourhoods, and the militants will be either pushed out or destroyed.

Konashenkov said the Russian military is providing civilians who have left eastern Aleppo with temporary accommodation, hot meals and medical assistance. He also urged the US, Britain, the European Union, Canada and international organizations to provide humanitarian assistance to them.

The UN human rights office has expressed concern about reports that hundreds of men have vanished after crossing from eastern Aleppo into government-controlled areas.

Read | Syria president Bashar Al Assad says victory in Aleppo wont end the war

US Secretary of State John Kerry and European and Arab diplomats are meeting members of Syrias opposition in Paris on Saturday. Kerry said he is working to ensure their safety and to save Aleppo from being absolutely, completely destroyed.

US and Russian military experts and diplomats are meeting in Geneva on Saturday to work out details of the rebels exit from eastern Aleppo.

The Russian militarys Center for Reconciliation in Syria said Russian sappers have continued defusing mines in the city, clearing 8 hectares (about 20 acres) since Friday.

Read more | Where am I? What happened? Syrians return to see ravaged homes in Aleppo
Turkish warplanes destroyed 39 Islamic State targets and killed four militants in northern Syria, the Turkish army said on Saturday.

Turkeys ramping up of its air strikes in northern Syria are part of Ankaras almost four-month-old Euphrates Shield operation with Turkish-backed rebels, which aims to push the jihadists and Kurdish militia fighters away from the Syrian border area.

Turkish jets destroyed shelters, vehicles mounted with guns, and ammunition depots the latest air strikes in the al-Bab and Zarzur regions of northern Syria, the army said.

The Turkish army on Friday said its air strikes destroyed 34 Islamic State targets, while a statement from the day before said it said it had hit 10 targets.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday the Turkish-backed rebels closed in on the key Islamic State-held city of al-Bab in northern Syria, with Turkish tanks and warplanes supporting the assault.

Hundreds of Arab and Turkmen fighters seized at least two villages west of al-Bab, the rebels said on Friday. The city is of strategic importance to Turkey, partly because Kurdish-dominated militias have also been trying to take it from the jihadists.

The advance of the Turkish-backed forces potentially pits them against both Kurdish fighters and Syrian government forces in an increasingly complex battlefield.

Ankara is determined to prevent the Kurdish YPG militia, which it sees as a hostile force, from joining up cantons it controls along the Turkish border, fearing that would embolden Kurdish separatism at home.
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Saturday that as many as 200 more American troops are being sent to Syria to help Kurdish and Arab fighters capture the Islamic State groups key stronghold of Raqqa.

The extra troops will include special operations forces and are in addition to 300 U.S. troops already authorized for the effort to recruit, organize, train and advise local Syrian forces to combat IS.

Addressing a security conference in Bahrain, Carter said the extra troops will help the local forces in their anticipated push to retake Raqqa, the de facto capital of the extremist groups self-styled caliphate, and to deny sanctuary to IS after Raqqa is captured.

He said President Barack Obama approved the troop additions last week.

These uniquely skilled operators will join the 300 U.S. special operations forces already in Syria, to continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces to take the fight to ISIL, Carter said in his address to the IISS Manama Dialogues in the Bahraini capital, Manama.

By combining our capabilities with those of our local partners, weve been squeezing ISIL by applying simultaneous pressure from all sides and across domains, through a series of deliberate actions to continue to build momentum, he said.

The military push in Syria is complicated by the predominant role played by local Kurdish fighters, who are the most effective U.S. partner against IS in Syria but are viewed by Turkey -- a key U.S. ally -- as a terrorist threat.

A senior defense official said the troop boost announced by Carter will give the U.S. extra capability to train Arab volunteers who are joining the Raqqa push but are not well trained or equipped. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of internal Pentagon planning.
President-elect Donald Trump has said he would not allow Americans to be replaced by foreign workers, in an apparent reference to cases like that of Disney World and other American companies wherein people hired on H-1B visas, including Indians, displaced US workers.

We will fight to protect every last American life, Trump told thousands of his supporters in Iowa on Thursday as he referred to the cases of Disney world and other US companies.

During the campaign I also spent time with American workers who were laid off and forced to train. The foreign workers brought in to replace them. We wont let this happen anymore, Trump vowed amidst cheers and applause from the audience.

Can you believe that? You get laid off and then they wont give you your severance pay unless you train the people that are replacing you. I mean, thats actually demeaning maybe more than anything else, he said.

Disney World and two outsourcing companies have been slapped with a federal lawsuit by two of its former technology staff, alleging that they conspired to displace American workers with cheaper foreign labour brought to the US on H-1B visas, mostly from India.

The two employees - Leo Perrero and Dena Moore - were among 250 Disney tech workers laid off from their jobs at Walt Disney World in Orlando in January 2015. They have also dragged two IT companies HCL Inc and Cognizent Technologies into this class action lawsuit.

You know the name of one of the companies thats doing it. Im going to be nice because were trying to get that company back. Dont forget much harder when a company announced a year and a half ago - some of these companies, like Carrier, they announced long before I even knew I was going to be running for president, Trump said.

On immigration, Trump reiterated that he will build the wall along the Mexico border.

We will put an end to illegal immigration and stop the drugs from pouring into our country, the drugs are pouring into our country, poisoning our youth and plenty of other people, he said.

We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country. We will stop the drugs from poisoning our great and beautiful and loving youth. OK? Well do it, he said, adding that the Trump administration will stop the violence that is spilling across our border.
Poroshenko thanks Bulgarian president for position in opposing Russian aggression

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko thanked Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, whose presidential tenure comes to an end, for his principled position on the international arena in terms of deferring opposing the Russian aggression against.

During a telephone conversation with Plevneliev, Poroshenko noted the intensification of bilateral contacts at the highest level, the Ukrainian president' press service reported.

He stressed that the presidential visits made over the past two years had significantly promoted the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between Ukraine and Bulgaria.

"Petro Poroshenko thanked Rosen Plevneliev for his personal principled position on the international arena regarding the counteraction to Russian aggression against territorial integrity of Ukraine," the statement reads.

Poroshenko wished the President of Bulgaria success in his future plans.


Abdication of Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani

Hawaiis Queen Liliuokalani stepped down from the throne on January 24, 1893, to avoid any bloodshed and to pardon her supporters who had been jailed by the Provisional Government, which had asked her to abdicate. After becoming queen in 1891, Liliuokalani fought against making Hawaii a part of the United States, making her unpopular among those Hawaiians who felt they had more to gain from annexation. She believed in Hawaii for Hawaiians, and conceded less to foreign businesses and governments than her predecessors had. Five years later the U.S. Congress annexed Hawaiiwithout a vote from the Hawaiian people.

Image: Library of Congress
Kate Middleton and Prince William divorce news have been gaining momentum day by day. Recent reports suggest that Queen Elizabeth has suspended the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge due to their alleged complain of the hectic work schedule and royal responsibilities.

Kate Middleton's husband Prince William reportedly complained of the overwhelming Royal responsibilities and duties publicly. The Duke spoke at an event about mental health at work and while addressing, he complained about his workload, People reported.

The Duke's candid take on royal work load and responsibilities has Queen Elizabeth enraged and it is said that according to the Queen's order, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte's parents has been barred from performing royal duties.

However, neither the Duke nor the Duchess of Cambridge has confirmed the news about their suspension from royal duties.

It is worth mentioning here that Kate Middleton is pregnant with the third royal baby after Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Though the pregnancy is not yet confirmed but it is speculated that the news will be announced around Christmas this year.

This pretty much explains her absence from the Hospice Gala, which she was to attend. The last minute cancellation probably happened due to pregnancy-related medical condition, which the Duchess suffered from during her earlier pregnancies as well. And, it was not just the annual Gala Dinner for the East Anglia's Children Hospice Nook Appeal, but Kate had to cancel several engagements, reports Hall of Fame Magazine.

In other news, it is also being said that Kate Middleton, who is expecting her third child with husband, Prince William had a miscarriage. And, this has, in turn, created a rift between the royal couple whose relationship has been going through a rocky patch lately. However, the report about the miscarriage is not confirmed yet.

It is also being heard lately that Queen Elizabeth is favoring Prince Harry and his girlfriend, Meghan Markle more than Kate Middleton and Prince William, which is also inviting more trouble for the royal couple.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Soulja Boy isnt letting up on his string of recent beefs. Over the last few weeks, hes instigated feuds with Lil Yachty, Shia LaBeouf, and most recently, Quavo, who he addressed a diss track to last week. In a new development, Soulja now claims to have possession of the Migos rappers stolen chain.



An Instagram user who goes by @Topshottaaya seems to have contacted Soulja, claiming that he had Quavos chain. Later on, Soulja posted a picture of himself rocking the same QC The Label chain on his own IG.







In a speculated response, Quavo put up some video footage of his collection of jewelry on Instagram, including a similar QC piece. Meanwhile, Soulja has deleted his post.





In 2014, it was reported that Quavo had his chain taken at a show in DC. It is unclear if the event is related to this development.

Soulja Boy
New-vehicle sales in the Houston area improved slightly in November, though the total did little to alleviate a downward trend expected to continue for months.

Retail sales in the nine-county region totaled 19,830 vehicles in November, only a half-percent decline over the same month a year earlier, according to data from the TexAuto Facts Report, published by Sugar Land-based InfoNation. But year-to-date sales are still down nearly 22 percent from last year.

"Retail was pretty strong, but I think we are just going to keep bumping along," said Steve McDowell, owner of InfoNation.

The slump in crude oil prices for months has dampened auto sales for dealers across the region. Third-quarter figures were the lowest since 2011.

Monthly sales began consistently declining earlier this year after area dealers reported record sales in 2015. November marks the ninth consecutive month in which sales fell below prior-year totals.

The slowdown in the oil patch recently showed some signs of improvement after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed last month to rein in production. But McDowell said he expects lower monthly vehicle sales totals to persist through the first half of next year.

"What happened is we hit the peak, we had a plateau and now we're in the valley," he said.

Despite the overall declines, the retail market share for trucks and SUVs reached a new high at 67.4 percent, up from 66.6 percent last month. That trend, which often coincides with a drop in gasoline prices, helped drive the average retail sales price up to $36,595.

Suburban dealerships in the Houston area also saw market share increase to 24.6 percent in November, the 15th consecutive monthly uptick. That percentage is the highest since June 1998, according to TexAuto Facts.

Virgil Skinner, chairman of the Houston Automobile Dealers Association and owner of Fort Bend Kia in Rosenberg, said population growth in Houston's outlying areas has somewhat insulated suburban dealers from some of the steepest declines in sales.

"Last two months have been pretty good for us," he said. "I'm pretty optimistic about how we'll finish the year."

Still, many dealers are facing an inventory surplus in the final weeks of the year. Skinner said many dealers are offering strong incentives to sell off older models.

"No one wants to go into the new year with the prior-year model if they can avoid it," he said.

Across the country, vehicles sales increased after falling for three consecutive months year-over year. November's national retail sales total increased 3.6 percent year-over-year, according to TexAuto Facts.
Cameron International Corp., the Houston energy services company, dropped a lawsuit after a federal judge determined Cameron's noncompete agreement was overly broad and couldn't be used to stop an ex-Cameron employee from working for a Houston rival, FMC Technologies.

Cameron is owned by Schlumberger, the international oil field services company. Another Schlumberger-owned company, M-I Swaco, filed a similar noncompete case against Houston-based National Oilwell Varco that is scheduled for trial in February in Harris County.

Noncompete agreements have become increasingly controversial in recent years as the workforce has become more mobile. Companies argue that they are needed to protect proprietary information, but critics say they are mostly aimed at preventing employees from changing jobs.

In the Cameron case, U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas refused the company's request to issue an order that would have stopped its former employee, Steven Abbiss, from working in the Middle East for FMC, according to court documents.

Atlas rejected Cameron's argument that Abbiss, who was responsible for Cameron's operations in Oman and Yemen, was privy to confidential information about the energy company's entire Middle Eastern operations.

Atlas ruled that information Abbiss gained was generic to the energy industry and would not prevent him from working for FMC in markets outside Oman and Yemen, according to court documents.

"Cameron was overreaching and using this lawsuit to try to kill competition," Houston lawyer Todd Mensing, who is representing FMC, said in a written statement. "We are happy to see it did not work."

Schlumberger said it would not comment.

Abbiss was able to continue working for FMC through the six months of litigation.
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What do you get the girls who have everything? The possibilities are endless: from heirloom Hermes pillows and jaunts to Cuba to "mommy and me" Burberry and museum-worthy bicycles. Here's what Houston's chic young things are coveting this season.

Holly Smith Alvis

"Hermes is such a classic designer that will never go out of style and can be passed down from generation to generation. I love how these pillows can be used as a focal point in a neutral bedroom to bring in some excitement."

Rachael Volz

"These custom monogrammed cocktail napkins from one of my favorite stores, Biscuit Home, are a must-have. The pineapple symbolizes those intangible assets we appreciate in a home: warmth, welcome, friendship and hospitality."

Lindley Arnoldy

"One item on my list this year is Hayden Lasher's 'Kathryn' evening bag. Hayden is a friend and talented designer; I just love the ladylike detail and rich jewel tone of this bag."

Kristy Bradshaw

"I love MCL by Matthew Campbell Laurenza bracelets from the Havana collection at Tootsies. I'm 100 percent Cuban and loving the Cuban-influenced capsule collections that designers are introducing. MCL's jewelry is so distinctive, and this collection, in particular, brings the vibrant colors and old Hollywood glam of Cuba's yesteryears to life.

"I'm still waiting on my 'push' present for my son Pierce. Cartier's 'Love' necklace in rose gold is at the top of my list."

Elizabeth Abraham-Colombowala

"Burberry feels lavish and special for the occasion, but it will also last for many years. Plus with a scarf, (my newborn) will not outgrow it. Next on my list is Burberry's iconic trench to complete the dapper look. They come in adult sizes, too, so I may buy them (for my daughter and) myself to match in style."

Carmina Zamorano

Her pick is "Lotus III by Shamballa Eyewear. The cat-eye style is my favorite; they're versatile in gold and black and an absolute favorite among fashionistas."

Divya Brown

"Truthfully, (my husband) Chris and I don't exchange presents. We have a deal where we forego presents for experiences. Usually it is a trip to somewhere new - this year we are hoping to visit Cuba!"

Ting Bresnahan

"A food dehydrator would help me explore the raw-food world. I definitely love raw fruit and being able to control sugar. Kale and zucchini chips would be on the top of my list, as well as trying to make homemade turkey jerky!"

Sippi Khurana

"The Lalique Ganesh crystal statue is such a great piece for security and prosperity for the home. Ganesh brings good luck!"

Isabel David

"Lusting after art is its own reward, and we are fortunate to live in a city filled with exceptional art. I dream of Angel Otero's work, now on view at the Contemporary Arts Museum. Picasso's line drawings have never been more beautifully presented than at the Menil. I'll gladly settle for the fantastic catalog."

Claire Cormier Thielke

She wants "the Hollandia Dutch cruiser bike. The MFAH store sells a fancy cruiser as well, but I've had my eye on the Hollandia for a while. My (current) $100 cruiser has lasted me eight years."
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After more than 30 years as an actress, Houston native Lois Chiles knows the feeling of being observed.

She was, perhaps, most watched for her turn as a Bond girl - she portrayed Holly Goodhead opposite Roger Moore in the 1979 James Bond film "Moonraker" - but also had feature roles in other notable films, including "The Great Gatsby," "The Way We Were" and "Broadcast News."

Although Chiles is still naturally gorgeous at 69, these days she prefers to be the observer. She spends as much as five hours, five days a week, in her New York studio, painting. Her subjects, most often, are nudes - a practice necessary to understanding what's underneath clothing when one paints.

Chiles works the old-fashioned way, spending hours at a stretch with professional life models. Her recent works at Octavia Art Gallery in Houston show an accepting and empathetic eye.

Skin and the anatomic subtleties of the human body are endlessly fascinating and challenging to conquer, Chiles said. "It's really about seeing, and the more you see, you can make choices about what you are going to paint."

Chiles took up painting in the mid-1980s after Oscar-nominated costume designer Theadora Van Runkle invited her to join a life drawing group of Hollywood insiders.

More Information 'Woman to Woman' New works by Lois Chiles When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, through Dec. 10 Where: Octavia Art Gallery, 3637 W. Alabama Info: 713-877-1810, octaviaartgallery.com See More Collapse

"I hadn't painted since I was a child, but they told me just to bring some newspaper and come," Chiles said. "I started by sitting in the back and watching what everyone else did."

She kept at it and, a decade later, began studying life drawing with Laddie John Dill, one of the California Abstract Expressionists. But her life on the West Coast seemed stalled.

"I could see it was time to drive away," she said. "There are not that many parts for women my age  and bad scripts upset me," she said. "I grieved about 10 years as I saw it coming because it was all I knew. And I had friends and a nice life in Santa Monica."

She wanted to pursue painting but needed a job. So in 2001, Chiles packed up and came home, landing a gig teaching film acting to theater students at the University of Houston.

A year later, in Maine, she met Richard Gilder, the New York investor and philanthropist who jump-started the Central Park Conservancy (a model for Houston's Hermann Park Conservancy).

Chiles had dated famous men for years, including musician Don Henley, but never married. Gilder, who is now 84, finally persuaded her to wed him in 2005.

The couple maintains a full schedule, with pet projects that include the New York Historical Society and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. They spend summers entertaining at a spectacular historic estate in Islesboro, Maine.

With more freedom to paint, Chiles enrolled in life drawing classes at the National Academy of Fine Arts, where her first teacher, Cornelia Foss, allowed no nonsense, insisting that Chiles stand up to paint - which she still does.

"I feel very lucky to have found another form of artistic expression at this point in my life," Chiles said.

She sees painting as an extension of acting. Both involve studying faces and behavior," she said. "Painting is endlessly fascinating. There's such a wealth of knowledge to be gained."

She has taken workshops with T. Allen Lawson, one of Maine's best landscape painters, and she studies often in New York with painter Kyeong Keun No.

"He is responsible for teaching me how to create the illusion of form, volume and dimension on a one-dimensional surface," Chiles said.

She gravitates to painting women.

"Perhaps it has something to do with learning more about my own gender - finding the common thread in all of them and in me," she said. "I appreciate the beauty and radiance of women of all ages and ethnicities, in contemplation, whether nude or not, stripped down bare, without emotional artifice. When I paint, I try to go beyond the boundaries of the physical being to see the interior life: the vulnerability of the young nude woman, the grief of a friend having lost her beloved husband, the young girl reading while being observed. All being themselves with dignity, strength and resilience."

There is, however, one man she would love to paint: her husband.

"But he won't let me."
The recent crash of Russia's Progress MS-04 cargo spacecraft was likely prompted by damage caused to its power plant because of the third stage's abnormal separation, a source at the Baikonur Cosmodrome told Interfax.

"After the spaceship separated from the third stage of the launch vehicle, its engine did not stop for some reason but continued to work. This resulted in the third stage's hitting the spacecraft and critically damaging its power plant," the source said.

Interfax could not immediately obtain official confirmation of this theory from Roscosmos.

Meanwhile, a government commission is continuing to investigate the causes of the crash and is considering various theories of the incident. Its findings should be made public not earlier than December 20.

It had been reported earlier that the Progress MS-04 cargo spacecraft which was launched from Baikonur on December 1 and was supposed to deliver over two tonnes of various types of cargo to the International Space Station (ISS), failed to reach the planned orbit. Contact with the Progress was lost while it was about 190 kilometers above uninhabited mountainous terrain in Russia's Tuva republic.
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Ernest Raines' house is full of toys.

This is not an exaggeration. There are toys in the corner, toys on the table, toys on the shelves. Every flat surface holds a clutch of wooden toys, and Raines has made every last one.

His shirt says it all: "Toys by Ernest, 713-858-1439."

Raines, who lives in Rosharon, south of Houston, sells his toys at the Sienna Plantation farmer's market near Sugar Land every Sunday afternoon until Christmas. (His van is full of toys, too.) "I've got something to catch anybody's eye," he says.



At 85, Raines is retired. He spent his working life building houses and then building churches around the country. For 35 years, he preached in the Church of Christ. Raines and his wife, Margaret, who died in 2011, raised nine children, four biological and five adopted. "We have 13 living grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren," he says, a bit wryly, "but that could have changed."

The nine children are why he started making toys.

Christmas was coming. Money was tight at the Raines house in Tennessee  so tight that store-bought Christmas presents were impossible. "It was a tough road to travel," Raines says now.

He dug through the county dumpsters to find bicycles that could be given new life. "I reworked them and painted them," Raines says.

But what about the children who were too little for bikes? For them, Raines taught himself to fashion wooden toys.



ERNEST AND Margaret married in 1953. Shortly thereafter, they adopted an 11-year-old boy.

Soon they added four biological children, a girl and three boys. One day, Margaret told Ernest it wasn't right for their little girl not to have a sister. "Let's see if I can find one," he told her.

Raines was doing some remodeling work at a local children's home. The superintendent told Raines he was going to pick up four little girls who had been surrendered, but he had no home to send them to.

The next week Raines encountered the superintendent walking down the hall. "I still haven't found anybody," he said.

"I'm going to take them all," Raines told him. And all at once, the family added a six-month-old baby and little girls 3, 5 and 6.



The toys Raines made for his children are much like the ones he sells now. Many tell the story of his Tennessee childhood in the 1930s and of a way of life long gone.

Here, in the living room, is a locomotive with a coal car and caboose, because little Ernest loved watching the trains at the station.

Here, on the back porch, is a covered wagon. "I grew up riding in a wagon more than I rode in a car," Raines says. "Some people had money to buy a seat. We didn't have a seat." He pauses. "We came up hard."

Here's a Model T delivery truck. When the back was loaded with ice, the real-life truck would travel neighborhoods, ringing its bell, and sell milk, butter and eggs out the front. "Back yonder years ago," he says, "people didn't drive much."

Raines built his house in Rosharon himself. He fasted on Fridays and used the money he would have spent on lunch and dinner to buy supplies on Saturdays.

Raines' sons Paul and Tim bought land in Rosharon, too, when they were working alongside their dad there. Paul remembers the wooden toys from his childhood. "It was his dream, when he retired, to set up a little shop to make toys," he says. "It's what he loves to do."





RAINES HAS a motto: "A toy a day keeps the doctor away."

Sometimes it works imperfectly. He has had, in addition to two operations on his face for cancer, a back operation, a heart operation and kidney trouble. In May, he fell in his living room and shattered his femur. After two weeks in a rehabilitation hospital, he declared himself able to take care of himself and went home.

When Raines enters his workshop, though, the years fall away from him. He handles his tools and saws with the confidence of decades of practice. A basic toy comes together in minutes.

Very little is wasted; he keeps scraps and bits and figures out how to use them. He works with oak, pine, cedar, poplar, and he travels north of Conroe to get the cedar. (The air in the shop smells like cedar.) Often, the cost of materials is more than he charges  they range from $3 to $45  for a toy. No two are quite alike.

"I didn't have many toys when I was growing up, so I know how to appreciate them," Raines says.

That small child is always in the front of Raines' mind. When he sells his toys, he sets some aside for children whose parents can't afford any.

"If some child wants one," he says, "I can say, 'Here, take this.' "
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An alleged Grinch has been charged with theft after witnesses reported seeing her steal children's presents from a doorstep in Cypress, Harris County deputy constables said Friday, Dec. 9.

On Sunday, Dec. 4, the witnesses said they watched as a woman stole UPS packages from their neighbor's doorstep in the 12900 block of Wincrest Court in Cypress,Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said in a release. The packages contained toys for victim's grandchildren.
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Houston-area schools were not immune to a slew racist behavior towards students of color, which spiked in schools across the country in response to Donald Trump's recent election as president.

At Tomball High School, African American students are organizing a multicultural club to counter what they feel has been an increase in verbal abuse from students and even some teachers and administrators.

"There's total disregard for people's feelings or situation," Jodeci Williams, a senior at the school, said of the abuses which students of color or other religions experience.

In early November, a student wore a makeshift Ku Klux Klan robe and hood to school. Further still, were all the times students shouted "Build that wall" and various racial slurs at students of color - all of which went unpunished because they couldn't prove it was said to them, many students said.

"Our parents have gone up to the school multiple times but the principal demands facts," Toni Trail, another African American student at Tomball High School said.

"There's so many students at this school who say stuff," Trail continues, "you can't just pick someone out when they shout at you from behind."

Tomball ISD suggests it handles such racially-charged incidents adequately.

"As stated in Tomball ISD's Secondary Student Handbook, the district has established policies and procedures to prohibit and promptly respond to inappropriate and offensive behaviors that are based on a person's race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law," said Tomball ISD spokeswoman Staci Stanfield.

"Any violations of the Secondary Student Handbook are dealt with appropriately and consequences are determined based on the offense," said Stanfield.

The Tomball ISD incident is one of a series of racial and political clashes that have erupted in classrooms in the Houston area and nationwide related to the Nov. 8 presidential election.

Among the recent events: a Stafford MSD student was allegedly attacked for supporting Trump in a mock election; Klein ISD students took an obscene photo to proclaim that "rednecks" are here to stay; and a Fort Bend County mother filmed her crying son as she nearly kicked him out of the house for supporting Trump in a mock election.

The city of Tomball has also been in the news for its share of race-related incidents.

A 2005 clash outside the Tomball Community Center led to the arrest of at least seven protesters after a lecture and exhibit sponsored by the White Camelia Knights of the Ku Klux Klan which drew activists from as far as Austin to protest the event.

In August, the city made headlines as the home of Miss Teen USA, Karlie Hay, after she was exposed for racist social media posts she authored in 2013 and 2014. At Tomball High School, even when students - and parents - take their grievances to the school, they feel they're often overlooked or not taken as seriously as white parents and students, Williams said, and pointed to a recent incident at the school.

In early November, students wearing all black to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement - which differs from the Black Lives Matter organization - were allegedly threatened with in-school suspension if they didn't remove a photo from social media.

That same day a friend took a picture of Williams posing with her fist raised as white students spelled out "T-R-U-M-P" on their collective shirts standing for a separate picture in the background behind her.

Williams said they took the photo to show the ideological divide that exists at the school, not to criticize the Trump-supporting students or the candidate himself.

Nevertheless, she said she and her friends were pressured to remove their photo after the mothers of the Trump-supporting students called the school. The school swiftly moved to take action against her and her friends, Williams said.

"Minority's feel like when we have an issue it's brushed under the rug," she said. "At what point do our issues matter. We have real concerns, real problems too."

The school's threat of punishment raises constitutional questions, said Frank LoMonte, executive director of the Student Press Law Center, who is an expert on social media and First Amendment law.

"Any expressed First Amendment activity is governed by the Supreme Court's Tinker standard, which means you get to express yourself on school grounds on school time as long as you don't materially disrupt the school," LoMonte said. "They're never going to be able to show one retweet out of 200 caused a substantial disruption."

Trail will be the inaugural president of PRIDE (People Recognizing Individual Differences Equally) while Williams will be her vice president.

The two are excited to open their group up to the school community to help open conversations to improve cultural understanding and provide leadership training.

The group is open to all students, particularly those who feel like they don't have a voice in the school community, Williams said. They also intend to host multicultural events to help expose students to a wider range of cultures and to organize a potential field trip.

"Racial tensions have been high at school (since the election)," Trail said, "(But) it's always been that way."

She's hoping the new club will be a vehicle through which students and administrators at Tomball ISD can learn to be more nuanced in their understanding of other people and cultures.
As a child in Ethiopia, Lealem Mulugeta would gaze at the night sky and dream of working at NASA.

This week, the former lead scientist sued his dream employer for subjecting him to "shocking discrimination," a hostile work environment, disparate treatment due to his race and national origin and, ultimately, retaliation for complaining about it.

The 38-year-old Houston man quoted his supervisor in court documents as calling him practically "my slave," and said the monitoring he endured in his first months made him feel like "a suspected terrorist."

Thoughts of suicide

Mulugeta says the experience at Johnson Space Center triggered severe depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. A federal civil rights suit filed Wednesday in the Southern District of Texas also names the head of NASA and the Universities Space Research Association as defendants. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission cleared him to sue the agencies in federal court.

Among other allegations, Mulugeta claims he faced pay disparity, heightened monitoring by security officials and spent his final days as lead scientist in a room that amounted to a janitorial closet.

"He was discouraged from making complaints and on more than one occasion his job was threatened if he didn't go along with it," said Sidd Rao, one of the attorneys representing him at Shellist Lazarz Slobin, an employment law firm. "There was definitely a culture where you weren't expected to complain about how you were being treated. You were expected to take what was happening and just live with it."

Karen Northon, at NASA's media relations division in Washington, D.C., said the agency could not comment on pending litigation. Officials at USRA, the other agency sued, did not respond to requests for comment.

Faced 'undue scrutiny'

Mulugeta studied mechanical engineering with a focus in aerospace and received his masters in space studies with an emphasis on biomedical space research. USRA hired him to work for NASA Digital Astronaut Program in April 2009 to create models to predict the risks of spaceflight on the human body, and help protect long-term health of astronauts.

The lawsuit alleges that during the first eight months of his employment, NASA subjected him to "intense and undue scrutiny" whereby NASA officials would monitor his movements in pairs, while other foreign nationals, for example Brits, never experienced that level of surveillance. Co-workers presumed he was Muslim and questioned about it based on his race and national origin, he says, although he is not Muslim. He felt he was treated like a "suspected terrorist" due to his skin color, race and nationality.

He was paid $10,000 less than others with similar experience. A supervisor in another department noted the disparity and inquired about it, but the matter did not get traction. Between 2010 and 2011, the suit claims the lead scientist on his project was "abusive" to him saying "you're practicably (sic) my slave." When Mulugeta complained, the supervisor said "I can abuse you all I want" and explained he could have Mulugeta fired if he wanted.

Seeks lost wages

When he got promoted to lead scientist, he alleges, he was making $40,000 below his peers. In this elevated position, he was excluded from significant meetings and not permitted to present his own work. He attempted to report the inequity and abuse, but made no headway.

In 2015, Mulugeta took a medical leave due to severe mental health problems he says were brought on by the hostile work environment where no one took his complaints seriously.

He is seeking lost wages due to wrongful termination and pay disparity and wants compensation for emotional suffering and mental anguish, as well as attorneys fees and damages.
The Houston Police Department seized more than 300 pounds of Kush and arrested a "large-scale distributor" in an undercover sting operation Thursday night in south Houston, officials announced Friday.

The raid capped off a day of arrests and seizures for the HPD narcotics division, which confiscated 160 kilograms of cocaine in one incident and 31 firearms in another.

Mayor Sylvester Turner pledged to increase efforts to crack down on Kush use and distribution after more than a dozen people overdosed in June at Hermann Park.

"There have been a lot of concerns, rightfully so, about people who are wandering around on the streets," Turner said. "The best way we can ameliorate those issues, in our neighborhoods and underpasses, is to reduce the supply of people who are selling and distributing this toxic substance."

At a news conference Friday, the mayor said more than 200 arrests have been made this year and nearly 900 pounds of the synthetic cannabinoid have been seized. The illicit substance, oftentimes packaged in bright, colorful packets, is a mixture of leaves coated with a chemical compound that can mimic the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

Houston has outlawed possession, marketing and sale of synthetic drugs, making the crime a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 for each packet.

Health effects of synthetic drug widely varies depending on potency, ranging from vomiting and agitation, to more serious side effects of convulsions, hallucinations, psychosis or heart failure.

Police Chief Art Acevedo said Thursday night's raid is part of an ongoing investigation and charges for the suspect have yet to be filed. He declined to offer any more information.

The overnight raid yielded more than 14,000 packages of the synthetic cannabinoid, equivalent to about 84,000 doses at a street value of more than $2.2 million.

Standing beside poster board maps of Kush-related emergency call hotspots, the mayor noted that only 78 Kush-related emergencies were reported in November, down from 97 in October and 187 in September.

In May, federal agents indicted 16 people - including a University of Houston-Victoria finance professor - on charges related to a $35 million international ring that produced more than 9.5 tons of Kush. Between July 2015 and June 2016, the Harris County Attorney's Office obtained injunctions against nine local retail stores to stop the sale of Kush or other synthetic drugs. Three were shut down.

Sgt. Marsha Todd of the HPD Narcotics Division said investigations into synthetic drugs in Houston are a "never-ending battle," with leads streaming in.
GALVESTON - Henry Molden sat in disbelief earlier this week as he heard a Waller County judge give probation to the man who plunged a knife into his son's heart, killing him.

"We were totally blindsided," the 44-year-old father from Spring said. "No one expected this. It's retraumatizing, that's what it is."

District Judge Albert McCaig on Wednesday sentenced Christopher Ellison, 24, of Spring, to 10 years probation after accepting his guilty plea in the stabbing death of Brayon Molden, 23, on Dec. 2, 2014. As a condition of the plea, the murder charge was reduced to manslaughter.

Although Ellison could have to serve the complete sentence if he violates his probation, Henry Molden and prosecutors have questioned why the judge would hand down such a light sentence.

Two legal scholars said the law prohibits probation if a deadly weapon is involved. "Normally the judge cannot grant probation where there is a deadly-weapon finding pursuant to state law," said Lupe Salinas, a former judge who is a professor at Texas Southern University's Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

Kenneth Williams, a professor at South Texas College of Law Houston, said of the ruling, "It's pretty unusual, especially when a witness testified he did use a deadly weapon. I've never heard of that happening before."

McCaig responded through a spokeswoman that it would be unethical for him to comment on his ruling, but on Thursday he issued a three-page findings of fact and conclusions of law. The document details facts of the case and concludes that Ellison was guilty of manslaughter and that "the defendant did exhibit a deadly weapon, to-wit: a knife."

Waller County prosecutor W.K. Diepraam said the written order was inconsistent with the judge's spoken order in the courtroom.

"In the record, the judge stated that he is not making a deadly-weapons finding," Diepraam wrote. "If this is his ruling, the probation sentence is illegal and we will be asking that the defendant be taken into custody and transferred to prison."

Williams, in an email, wrote, "The prosecutor is correct. The findings of the court are those contained in this document, not what the judge said in court. Therefore, because the judge found that the defendant used a deadly weapon, the sentence was incorrect. The defendant has to be resentenced."

Ellison and Molden were both from Spring but attended different high schools, according to Henry Molden. They became friends during their freshman year at Prairie View A&M University, when they lived in the same dormitory.

Ellison, who was arrested on a marijuana possession charge in 2010, dropped out of college his freshman year, records show. Ellison was arrested again in Harris County in 2014 on a tampering with evidence charge. Diepraam said an officer arrested him for trying to hide marijuana by eating it. Ellison received probation but later went to jail for violating its terms.

An account of the night of the slaying was pieced together from interviews with prosecutors, family and court documents. The two friends became embroiled in a weeklong argument after Molden tried to thwart an alleged plan by Ellison and a female friend to assault another woman.

Feud escalates

The two men spent the next week exchanging insults through various social media. On the night of Dec. 2, 2014, they were texting insults to each other. Diepraam said Ellison went to Molden's apartment, next to the Prairie View campus.

The two faced off in the parking lot and Ellison stabbed Molden in the chest, puncturing his heart. Ellison fled and was arrested three days later. The knife was never found. During the sentencing hearing, Ellison denied stabbing Molden, saying that he fell into his knife. A friend of Ellison's who witnessed the stabbing initially said Ellison attacked Molden, but later changed his story to say Molden fell into the knife.

Henry Molden contended that Ellison and his defense attorney, Travis Fleetwood, broke into smiles when the sentence was announced.

"I yelled at him," Henry Molden said about Fleetwood. "I did tell him you ought to be ashamed of yourself. He laughed and he smirked. 'There is a God' - that's what I told him!"

'Legal gymnastics'

Fleetwood said Henry Molden charged at him before one of the prosecutors restrained him. "He threatened my life and several other family members," Fleetwood said.

The defense attorney declined to comment about the sentencing.

Sean Whittmore, another Waller County prosecutor, said he had asked the judge for the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

After McCaig announced the sentence, Whittmore says, he told the judge that the law prevents probation in cases where a deadly weapon was used, and asked the judge if he would be issuing a finding that a deadly weapon had been used, but that the judge "did not make a finding."

Without the deadly-weapon finding, he said, the probation sentence is legal and cannot be appealed.

"That is legal gymnastics," Diepraam said of the sentencing.

McCaig was appointed to a judgeship in 2007 by then-Gov. Rick Perry. He won re-election without opposition in 2016.
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Ren Moore was a bright but frustrated kid growing up in Houston's Studewood neighborhood in the 1980s amid the crack cocaine epidemic pounding urban communities.

As a teenager, he spent time in juvenile detention. By 18, he was leading a drug-selling street team.

His anger, machismo and a handgun escalated a dispute over a bad batch of crack into murder in June 1993. An arrest a few weeks later began 20 years of incarceration.

Moore's formative years - 18 to 38 - were spent in the Texas prison system. A good reader, he found an escape through education and earned an associate's degree in 2000. But upon release in 2013, he couldn't find a job and, at one point, was forced to live under the Pierce Elevated.

A breakthrough came when he enrolled at Texas Southern University, where he thrived. He was a constant presence on the dean's list and snagged coveted roles in campus productions.

On Saturday, Moore will graduate as the winter commencement valedictorian, having academically outperformed more than 800 other graduates.

"When I was growing up, people told me I was dumb," Moore said. "I believed that. I internalized that."

Now, the 42-year-old's near-perfect 3.9 grade-point average has earned him a bachelor's degree in radio, television and film as well as a new freedom and dexterity with a technology he missed during two decades in prison.

This week, Moore was on campus editing videos for his final project. When asked about his digital work, he offered to send a link and murmured about his gmail account.

Then, he stopped and chuckled.

"Three short years ago, I didn't know how to do any of this," he said. "Now, I'm Mr. Technology."

Though the aspiring actor and rapper is not scheduled to make a valedictory address, he spoke to fellow graduates at Thursday evening's commencement ceremony rehearsal.

He talked about dropping out of high school and earning his GED in a youth lockup. The crowd grew still. Some took out their smartphones and began recording videos. Then, he pivoted from his story.

"All of you had to go through something. ... Never let anybody tell you that you can't make it," he said before receiving a standing ovation at the end of the four-minute speech.

TSU officials say students like Moore and Ana Gabriela Cepeda Morales, a blind woman whose goal is to walk across the stage to receive her diploma with only the assistance of a service dog, illustrate the university's special purpose.

In 1971, the Texas Legislature designated the historically black university in state law as a higher education institution that should focus on impacting "urban programming" in its instruction, research, programs and services.

James Douglas, interim dean of TSU's Thurgood Marshall School of Law and a former president of Texas Southern University, said the special purpose designation provides the university with several clear mandates.

"It means that we try to train students to go out and deal with urban issues, but the other thing is that we deal with students who have special issues when they come to us," he said. "We're a place for people when they need help. Everyone pays taxes to support these public institutions and the doors should be open to everybody."

'Turn lives around'

Today, that means offering real second chances through education in Harris County, where a large percentage of the state's "returning citizens" settle after prison, and to those with other special challenges. Both Moore, who has been diagnosed with depression, and Cepeda are served by the TSU Office of Disability Services that ensures accommodations to students covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"We need to create more environments like TSU so that more people who made mistakes early in life can turn their lives around," Douglas said.

When she was a toddler, Cepeda's family emigrated from Mexico to seek treatment for her eye cancer. Cepeda survived but lost her sight by age 5.

She was raised in southwest Houston and graduated from Sharpstown High School in 2010. After attending Houston Community College for two years, she transferred to TSU in 2012.

"It was small and pretty easy to get around, and I liked the business school," Cepeda said.

Until 18 months ago, she used a cane to navigate the campus. Now, a 3-year-old black Labrador Retriever named Calliope helps her calculate beyond tapping objects and counting steps.

She has completed a bachelor's degree in business management.

"I'm proud of myself. I'm excited, but I'm a little nervous about what's going to come after," said Cepeda, 24.

Taking a bow

On Thursday afternoon, Cepeda and Calliope rehearsed their commencement walk route. When Cepeda tried to take the opposite ramp to the stage at the evening rehearsal, Calliope stomped her feet in protest. When led to the other side and coaxed by treats, the dog breezed across the stage.

In their last run, Calliope - who will be wearing a mortarboard and drape - even practiced waving her paw on stage in anticipation of taking a bow.

When Moore enrolled at TSU, he was known as Reynoil White - a unique first name and surname courtesy of his mother. That was his identity on the day he took a man's life in 1993.

"My cousin bought some bad drugs from a well-known guy in the neighborhood, and I went back to try to rectify the situation," he said.

During the confrontation, Moore said the man threatened to shoot him. It was not the sort of threat he felt he could ignore.

"There's a kill-or-be-killed mentality in the drug game," he said.

Then, Moore described how his thoughts exploded into action.

"I was sitting in the passenger side of a car," he said. "He was outside of the window, and I reached down by my leg and got a 9 millimeter automatic pistol and shot him numerous times."

Reynoil White pleaded guilty to the crime in 1995.

Last year, he decided to reinvent himself as Renald Moore - spelling his first name the way the old one was pronounced; the last name is a nod to his father's family.

Transparent about his life and his remorse, Moore has appeared on several local grass-roots media programs to tell his story.

"I will do anything that will perhaps inspire somebody or motivate somebody - or discourage somebody from making the same mistakes I did," he said.

Ladonia Randle, who teaches journalism and communication classes, first encountered Moore when he was looking perplexed in a computer lab. The next time she saw him, he asked for help and told her his story. Then he took one of her graphic design courses.

"He was new to computers, so he worked extra hard," she said. "He came early. He asked questions. It was refreshing."

'Rise to the occasion'

Randle wasn't surprised to learn he had earned the valedictorian honor and thinks the culture of the university benefits students like Moore.

"TSU is a different type of environment where we are encouraging and nurturing," she said.

Playwright Thomas Meloncon, an associate professor of theater, said he saw a passion within Moore and chose him for a leading role in his "Johnnie B. Goode" blues musical this year.

"What I love about Ren is his absolute dedication to the craft, his hunger to study the story and to find himself in the story," Meloncon said. "He has shown that regardless of your past, when you focus on the future and when you have discipline and compassion for your dreams, that you can rise to the occasion."
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SEOUL, South Korea - South Korean lawmakers' impeachment of President Park Geun-hye on Friday throws the country into a period of uncertainty as it grapples with a slowing economy, a growing nuclear threat from North Korea and a more assertive China.

Park, a conservative, had adopted a tough stance toward the North, focusing on stronger sanctions. Her administration also had agreed to deploy a U.S. missile defense system that infuriated the Chinese.

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who will serve as acting president, convened a meeting of top security officials Friday, vowing "resolute retaliation if North Korea misjudges the situation and attempts a provocation."

Hwang said South Korea would persist in enforcing "strong sanctions and pressure" as part of international efforts to force North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons development.

The impeachment motion accused Park, the nation's first female leader, of "extensive and serious violations of the Constitution and the law." It followed weeks of damaging disclosures that all but paralyzed the government and produced the largest street protests in the nation's history.

Her powers are suspended while the Constitutional Court considers whether to remove her permanently. If it votes to do so, South Korea will hold an election for a new president in 60 days.

Park suggested that she intended to fight her impeachment, telling Cabinet members hours later that she would "calmly" prepare for the court trial and giving no hint that she would resign.

Park has been accused of allowing a shadowy confidante, the daughter of a religious sect leader, to exercise remarkable influence and of helping her extort tens of millions of dollars from South Korean companies.
Militants have opened fire upon Ukrainian armed forces' positions 31 times over the past 24 hours, the press service of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) conducted by the Ukrainian armed forces reported in a bulletin posted on Facebook on Saturday.

In the Luhansk sector, militants fired 120mm and 82mm mortars upon Troyitske and Novozvanivka and small arms, machineguns, and mortars upon Novozvanivka, Lobacheve, Krymske, Novotoshkivske, Troyitske, Stanytsia Luhanska, and Shariv Kut. In addition, sniper fire was opened near Zhovte.

In the Mariupol sector, militants shelled Shyrokyne ten times with mortars, grenade launchers, weapons of armored fighting vehicles, and small arms. They also fired at Krasnohorivka, Talakivka, Novotroyitske, Zaitseve, and Mayorsk, including with sniper rifles, it said.

In the Donetsk sector, militants fired grenade launchers, machineguns, and small arms at Avdiyivka, the bulletin said.
Say her name. Sandra Bland.

An encounter that began with changing lanes without a turn signal ended with Bland behind bars at the Waller County jail last year. That's where she died, unable to afford bail. Her death made national news and rallied a cause.

How many other Sandra Blands make their way through our jails, locked away for minor violations and left to suffer?

That's the subject of a lawsuit brought against the city of Houston this week.

Too many Houstonians have been arrested, locked up and denied a hearing to determine if there was probable cause for the initial arrest, according to the Texas Fair Defense Project and the Civil Rights Corps. The Supreme Court has held that governments have 48 hours to grant an arraignment hearing or risk violating the Fourth Amendment. That unconstitutional delay falls specifically on those who don't have the money to bail out of Houston's jail while awaiting transfer to Harris County facilities, the two civil rights organizations allege in their lawsuit.

Putting this burden on the poor doesn't make Houston safer. However, it does raise the odds that arrestees will end up losing their jobs.

Punish someone for not having enough money, and then make it harder for them to keep a line of work. As Marvin Zindler used to say: It is hell being poor.

This lawsuit against the city follows a similar legal action at the county level. Personal wealth, not criminality, is a better predictor of whether someone languishes behind bars at the Harris County jail. More than 77 percent of the jail population hasn't even been convicted of a crime, according to a study by the retired director of Harris County Pretrial Services. More than 80 percent of people charged only with misdemeanors will spend time in jail, and a quarter of those folks can't even afford a bail of $500 or less.

The Harris County District Attorney's office received a $2 million grant this year to reform the bail process. We've yet to see the results.

But recently released video by the Texas Organizing Project doesn't herald a positive outcome. In full color, Harris County magistrates treat bail hearings will all the nuance of an assembly line. The embarrassing scenes have earned the ire of state Sen. John Whitmire.

"Texas governing statutes clearly state that a magistrate should exercise their full discretion when conducting probable cause hearings and setting bond amounts," Whitmire, a Houston Democrat, said.

Magistrates should consider personal recognizance bonds for the indigent. Instead, as one egregious video revealed, magistrates just view poor repeat offenders as "job security." And taxpayers end up footing the bill to house these low-level violators.

No other major city in Texas has these sorts of problems. Maybe there's just something in the bayou water.

Or maybe it is just politics.

In a meeting with the Chronicle editorial board last year, Whitmire blamed local for-profit bond companies for putting pressure on elected judges.

Wouldn't you know it? There's an actual bail bondsman on Houston's City Council: Michael Kubosh. And so far, the mayor's office has remained silent on this new lawsuit.

While we wait for reform at the city and county levels, the upcoming legislative session in Austin offers some changes that will help keep the poor out of jail.

House Bill 50, filed by state Rep. James White, R-Hillister, would allow justices of the peace and municipal judges to waive fines and substitute community service before defendants default on payments. Senate Bill 271, filed by state Sen. Konni Burton, R-Kerrville, would eliminate most arrests for Class C misdemeanors - the sort of low-level violation that eventually landed Bland in jail.

It doesn't take jackbooted thugs or a fascist coup to deny Houstonians their constitutional rights.

All it takes is the banal inertia of status quo and a sclerotic political system that ignores the lives of the poor.

How many more people have to suffer in jail before Texans have had enough?
Back in 1970, President Richard Nixon got the idea that his White House uniform guards looked "slovenly," so he ordered new attire that featured double-breasted white tunics with starred epaulets, gold piping, draped braid and high black plastic hats decorated with a large White House crest. Nixon got the idea from honor guards he'd seen in Europe.

The military-style uniforms didn't last long. The Buffalo News commented that the newly outfitted guards looked like old-time movie ushers. As columnist Megan McArdle reported a few years ago, they ended up as uniforms for the Southern Utah State College band.

None of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet choices are in uniform - not anymore, at least - although three of them are retired generals. Reportedly, Trump is impressed by their swagger and self-assurance, even though he once proclaimed that he knows more about ISIS than the generals do. Retired Marine Gen. James N. Mattis is likely a good choice as defense secretary, but the preponderance of generals - with more to come, reportedly - raises the question of whether the habit of command lends itself to the basic tenets of democracy.

The military-heavy trend also raises concerns about the nation's fundamental commitment to civilian leadership. With its nearly $600 billion budget, the Pentagon already exercises a huge influence in Washington and, as New York Times columnist Carol Giacomo points out, it dwarfs the State Department in resources. With a woefully inexperienced and ill-informed president, the possibility of an undue reliance on military solutions to international problems has to be a concern.

Aside from the brass sitting around his Cabinet table, Trump has favored either fellow plutocrats or loyalist ideologues bent on deconstructing whatever agency they've been picked to run or some combination of both. Although Trump's actual policy positions are fluid, the tenor of his Cabinet choices is hard-right.

Members of the deconstruction category are likely to be disastrous, but Americans shouldn't be surprised. Candidate Trump's contempt for government, particularly the federal government, was a campaign hit for Trump true-believers across the country. Aided and abetted by a compliant Congress, the new president is about to give his supporters what they asked for. They include a billionaire education secretary who doesn't believe in public education (Betsy DeVos), a labor secretary who takes positions that are virulently anti-worker (fast-food executive Andrew Puzder), an Environmental Protection Agency head who doesn't believe in climate change (Oklahoma Attorney Gen. Scott Pruitt), a health and human services secretary who wants to eliminate public health programs (Georgia Congressman Tom Price) and a secretary of Housing and Urban Development whose only qualification is his home ownership (Dr. Ben Carson). We're still waiting for a Secretary of State choice.

That list doesn't include Jeff Sessions, a Republican senator from Alabama who is Trump's pick for attorney general. Sessions is an opponent of voting rights, has a sketchy past when it comes to civil rights and is likely to unleash the full force of the Justice Department on the undocumented among us. Nor does it include former Goldman Sachs partner Steven Mnuchin, the president elect's choice for Treasury secretary and a man who made millions during the subprime loan debacle just a few years ago. Trump's proposed Cabinet so far has a combined wealth of more than $14 billion, according to multiple news sources. The choice of Mnunchin and other Wall Street types is called "draining the swamp" - to be replaced, apparently, by a luxury swimming pool.

Trump's Cabinet picks are subject to Senate approval, although they're unlikely to face formidable opposition. Presidents usually get their way, plus Democrats' ability to block Trump's selections is limited due to then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's decision in 2013 to change the filibuster rules, so that certain executive branch nominees only required a majority vote.

Senators, Democrat and Republican, still have an obligation to raise questions and highlight concerns about Trump's choices. It's the American people who suffer when a president chooses a nominee who's unqualified and unfit to serve. In a Trump Cabinet, that's a real possibility.
If you were making a list of the hardest jobs in Houston, president of Texas Southern University would be near the top.

Dr. Austin Lane, who is five months into that role, has much to do if this university - with roots that go back to 1927 - is to thrive in the highly competitive market for higher education today. Lane needs to increase TSU's graduation rate of full-time students and to expand enrollment. He must continue to improve safety on this campus at the same time as he works to integrate the university, its faculty and its students into the Third Ward and to enhance relations with University of Houston and other local institutions.

Changes at TSU in recent years have angered students, creating tension between them and the administration. Lane must bridge that divide.

Any single item on this list would be daunting; this Hackensack, N.J., native needs to accomplish all of them. Whether TSU succeeds is of more importance than the continuance of a proud university tradition that includes notable graduates such as Barbara Jordan and Mickey Leland. TSU's success at graduating well-prepared professionals will play a critical role in determining whether Houston will have the educated workforce it needs to be an economic powerhouse in the upcoming decades.

Along with other historically black universities, TSU has provided greater access to higher education for many citizens emerging from an economically and racially segregated society: About 70 percent of its students are the first in their families to attend college. Although 8 percent of its student body is international, this university graduates more black lawyers and pharmacists than University of Houston and University of Texas combined, according to Lane. In recent years, the university has experienced a drop in enrollment, and now has about 22 percent fewer students than in 2005. Not all of the decline can be attributed to greater access for students of color to other schools of higher education. Some students in our area lack the financial resources for higher education. About 90 percent of TSU students are on some form of financial aid, according to Lane. Others are unaware of the opportunities or are unprepared for college.

To reverse the enrollment slide, Lane, who was executive vice chancellor of Lone Star College, has reached out to Richard Carranza, superintendent of Houston Independent School district, to help improve student achievement at neighborhood high schools. He's also in the process of forging deeper relationships with local community colleges, including Lone Star, where as an administrator he played a pivotal role in increasing full-time enrollment. He's working with corporations to establish paid summer internships and to find mentors for students.

But there's a limited amount that Lane can accomplish without additional state funding to support his efforts. The new president is asking for $4.1 million in special services funding in the next legislative session to help build a support system to keep students in school. Currently TSU's graduation rate of full-time students within six years of enrollment stands at 16 percent, much lower than the national average of 42 percent. Only 53 percent of students return after freshman year, compared with the national average of 68 percent, "High marks for new TSU head," Page A1, Oct. 31).

In future years, TSU will likely be serving a more diverse student body, and taxpayers will be asking hard questions about the coordination of spending between universities such as University of Houston and TSU. But today, TSU still fills a unique and valuable role in our community.

Legislators should recognize that TSU is an asset to the state's economic growth. The fact that TSU faces greater challenges does not warrant second-class funding. TSU's alumni work in companies that are pivotal to the regional economy such as NASA, CenterPoint Energy, Shell, Norton Rose Fulbright, city of Houston, Port of Houston, CVS, Reliant Energy, HISD and other surrounding school districts.

"The five months for me feels like five years," Lane told us. "But there's a lot going on." It's momentum that's moving TSU forward, and it's a momentum that must not stop.
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Head of Donetsk Military and Civil Administration Pavlo Zhebrivsky and Head of EU Delegation in Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli met on Friday, December 9, to discuss further prospects of restoration of infrastructure in Donbas and the ProZorro e-procurement system.

Zhebrivsky reported this on his Facebook page.

"Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Mr. Hugues Mingarelli and I have discussed today plans for further development of the Regional Development Agency and its transformation into a single commissioner of work on reconstruction and development of infrastructure of Donetsk region. The ambassador has confirmed the EU's readiness to support this project," the statement reads.

In addition, the two officials have discussed the situation with the Water of Donbas municipal enterprise, whose fate will be decided based on comprehensive audit, and the ways to improve the ProZorro e-procurement system.

According to Zhebrivsky, the next working meeting with Mingarelli will take place in Kramatorsk.
"And lying she knew was a sin."

Tom Lehrer, An Irish Ballad

A number of parents have written asking for suggestions as to how they can explain to young children why the life of the lie has improved so dramatically in the United States in recent months. That is because since they were very young, children have been told that becoming friends with the lie is a bad thing. Times have changed.

The lie has acquired an air of respectability of which it could not have dreamed ten years ago. Its success and prominence are attributable to two things: the internet, that has not only given the lie new respectability but facilitated its promulgation; and the election of Donald Trump, who can be counted as one of the lie's best and most prominent friends. That is not to suggest, however, that there is nothing but good news for the lie. There is in fact a cloud on the horizon. But first, its successes, and there have been many.

Almost all children have seen first-hand how the internet has enabled the lie to instantly and widely spread its message. All that is needed is that the lie be placed on a computer, followed by the depression of the "send" key. More difficult to explain to the child will be the battle between the lie and the truth, a battle that the lie is clearly winning. That is because the lie's biggest proponent is about to become the president of the United States. The lie's friendship with Mr. Trump is well known. Mr. Trump has given prominence to the lie of which it could only dream before he was elected.

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One of Mr. Trump's best known collaborations with the lie involved the invasion of Iraq. When the invasion took place, Mr. Trump publicly expressed support. When it became obvious that the invasion has been a mistake, he and the lie simply said what he'd said he'd not said. Another successful Trump collaboration with the lie occurred after the election. Acting as the lie's spokesman, Mr. Trump said with some self-satisfaction on November 27, 2016, that: "In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally." By actual count, of course, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by more than 2.6 million votes and there was never a suggestion, nor proof, that there were people who voted illegally in large numbers. To give this lie an aura of respectability, the lie invoked the assistance of none other than Mike Pence, who will soon be vice president of the United States. Speaking of the lie's success in recruiting Mr. Trump as its spokesman, Mr. Pence said: "The American people find it refreshing that they will have a president who is willing to tell them what's on his mind." (When counselling a child on the child's relationship to the lie, the parent should explain that if caught in a lie in school, it will be of little help to explain to the teacher that the child was simply trying to be refreshing.) The collusion between the lie and Mr. Trump is well documented and hundreds of examples of their successes can be found on countless websites.

Although the foregoing suggests that the lie is alive and well and prospering with its presidential friend, it has cause for concern. There is a growing body of thought that says we live in a fact-free world. This was revealed to us by Scottie Nell Hughes, a CNN commentator and Donald Trump supporter. She was interviewed on The Diane Rehm Show and, in that interview, made the astonishing statement that: "One thing that has been interesting this entire campaign season to watch is that people that say facts are facts, they're not really facts. Everybody has a way, it's kind of like looking at ratings or looking at a glass of half-full water. Everybody has a way of interpreting them to be the truth or not true. . . . There's no such thing, unfortunately, anymore of facts." It is obvious that in a fact-free world there is no place for the lie.

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Reince Priebus, soon to be Trump's chief of Staff, was asked in an interview, about Trump and the lie describing non-existent voter fraud. Mr. Priebus responded that the lie and Mr. Trump, working together: "pushed the envelope and caused people to think in this country."
RUSSIA, SAINT PETERSBURG - DECEMBER, 2 (RUSSIA OUT) Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during the opening of the 5th International Saint Petersburg Culture Forum, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, December, 2, 2016. (Photo by Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

We now know that the American election was stolen by a loose affiliation of Russian infiltrators, American white supremacists, and FBI enablers -- with an assist from elected quislings like Mitch McConnell. Donald Trump, it turns out, is no more the duly elected president of the United States than I am the world's most decorated ballerina. Luckily, this can be rectified. You see, Donald Trump is by legal definition not the elected president. He is not even president-elect (a fictitious title, nowhere supported by the Constitution). He will not become president until the Electoral College votes him into office on December 19. And -- unless you sympathize with the notion of Vladimir Putin choosing the American Commander in Chief -- that must not happen.

We have heard a great deal about how dissenting electors would somehow be traitorous; how they would subvert the will of the people; how they would be deeply un-American. It is time to dismiss this sophistry.

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First, we know what traitors look like: they are elected Congressmen, for instance, who do the bidding of Russian intelligence. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, for instance, "raised doubts about the underlying intelligence and made clear to the administration that he would consider any effort by the White House to challenge the Russians publicly an act of partisan politics." As the writer Mark Harris put it, succinctly, on Twitter: "Is there any reading of this story in which Mitch McConnell is not a traitor to the United States? No. There is not."

Second, it is absurd to suggest that the will of the people would be subverted here. Ignoring Hillary Clinton's crushing domination of the popular vote, I suggest that the will of the people is not aligned -- except in tiny corners of Congress and the FBI -- with the will of the Russian tyrant. I'd even suggest that the will of the people is overwhelmingly defined by something other than white supremacy (the "alt right").

Third, regarding the hypocritical accusation of un-American behavior: nothing could be less American than to legitimate the presidency of a demagogue whose friends -- whose campaign partners -- are America's enemies. Nothing.

If the Electoral College is composed of patriots -- and I have no doubt that it is -- they will combine to reject this assault upon American democracy. No, we can't expect them to vote for Hillary Clinton; that fine ship has sailed. But we can certainly insist that they vote for a Republican whose name is not Donald Trump. Any Republican. Preferably one who has in no way collaborated with Russia or Breitbart.

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By now you have probably heard about a group called the Hamilton Electors, which is devoted to just this: convincing the Electoral College to rally behind another Republican. Their initial choice (a good one) was John Kasich; he has, unfortunately, announced that he will not accept the office. Other names have been mooted: Mitt Romney, Colin Powell, John McCain. Might I suggest Jeb Bush? A man who speaks Spanish fluently, and is married to a Mexican-American? He might be a good choice, strategically, should the Republican Party hope to have any future beyond this administration, now that they have effectively alienated the entire Latino demographic.

The replacement for John Kasich must be agreed upon immediately, and vetted: it must be someone willing to assume the role. While I have the greatest admiration for the Hamilton group, the critique here is painfully close to the mark: "Hamilton Electors' Disorganization Painfully & Perfectly Captures Why Democrats Lost." It is not yet too late for this candidate to be designated; soon it will be.

Lastly, for this strategy to have any hope of succeeding, the political elite must endorse it, with a full-throated public endorsement; they must embrace this as their single most important task in the coming week.

Hillary Clinton -- who has, unfortunately, no hope now of becoming president -- should release her electors, and urge them to vote unanimously for the alternate candidate agreed upon. And, crucially, the few elected Republicans who have not already established themselves as enablers of this Manchurian candidate -- which is to say, the few who have not accepted the role of quisling in the name of party loyalty -- must take a public stand. They must demand that electors vote their conscience and disavow this illegitimate president. They must recognize these people as heroes, as opposed to "faithless electors," and pledge to support their choice in the House of Representatives, in the likely event that their designated candidate not receive the requisite 270 votes in the Electoral College.

How do you convince these Republicans? It should be a lot easier, now that they know just how greatly Donald Trump (whom most of them secretly revile) relied upon the Russians for his electoral success. Ordinary citizens should appeal -- loudly -- to these elected representatives, insisting that they do their job and rescue the nation from a demagogue forced upon the republic by a foreign tyrant. Should you require a ready-made document to put before the nose of relevant officials, I have provided it here: "A Plea To Concerned Republicans: Urge The Electoral College To Save The Nation From Trump."

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You know that feeling you get when your favorite song comes on the radio, and you're driving down a quiet road with no one around? Yes, that emotion that overcomes you, reminds you of times past spent in the company of friends and loved ones, or a special moment in time... That sensation, this immediate, subconscious journey to a different time and place, I find, is only possible thanks to music.

So if you believe as I do that music can be a magical facilitator, then Lebanese-born film composer Gabriel Yared is the master of creating the soundtrack of our lives. Personally, I cannot remember a moment in time when Yared's music hasn't been around to accompany me, in joy, love, sadness and pleasure. From one of his first works with Jean-Luc Godard, to his music for cult classic Betty Blue by Jean-Jacques Beineix, from Jean-Jacques Annaud's The Lover, to his work on several Hollywood blockbusters like City of Angels, Cold Mountain and Amelia, his sweeping cinematic symphonies have been the force that moves us from beyond the screen.

But one cannot mention Yared's music without turning to his collaboration with the late (and deeply missed) Anthony Minghella on several projects, including The Talented Mr. Ripley, a couple of episodes of the HBO TV series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and of course, The English Patient, which earned Yared an Academy Award for Best Original Score.

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These days the composer has a few upcoming projects that should prove exciting, including a collaboration with the bad boy of cinema Xavier Dolan, provocatively titled The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, and due out in 2018.

I caught up with Gabriel Yared at the Dubai International Film Festival where he accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award on opening night -- as seen below Yared is with HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and DIFF Chairman Abdulhamid Juma. The next day, the composer graciously met members of the global press, who all yearned to spend just a few precious moments in the company of this kind, handsome and wonderfully generous man, a true artist with a heart. For me, the resulting conversation was the stuff dreams are made of.

Through music you've come across cultures and created bridges and that's why I'm such a big admirer of yours. We live in a world of misunderstandings and music is perhaps the most universal language. How did you begin your journey as a composer?

Gabriel Yared: The problem is I was born in a family where there are no artists whatsoever. Nothing, through generations, there is nobody. I'm born with this gift. I'm sure. There is like an angel protecting my life. I'm born with just a craving for music and no one could understand this. Then I was put into a boarding school at four years old, which is very young, and from four to fourteen I can say that music was my companion, my angel, my everything for me. And I had no music studies, I'm self taught at the beginning. My teacher, at the Jesuit school, just gave me half an hour of piano a week, but he was very angry at me because I wouldn't really work mechanically. I would just look at a score and then open other scores, because I understood that the only way for me to evolve would be to "eat" music as much as possible, to read music as much as possible.

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You know, this alphabet [of music] is only seven letters, but it's endless possibilities. So I kept reading a lot of music, from Bach, Mozart, Schumann, everything. Those were my first lessons.

Then when I later left the Jesuits, I started listening to music like John Coltrane, jazz music, Marvin Gaye, who has been really important for me. If you listen really properly to Marvin Gaye, if you listen to his voice, it's woven like the counterpoint of Bach. It's fascinating. I listened a lot to Stevie Wonder and my real obsession was The Beatles.

So what I did to learn how it was built, I'd take down -- you know what is taking down, sitting and putting down on paper everything I'm hearing. Absolutely everything.

That's a huge talent! It's the most difficult part of music theory.

Yared: At the time it was so difficult because you had LPs and you could not just go back, if you'd go back you didn't know where you were anymore. It's not like today.

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My schooling was this and mostly it was on the organ. Because when my teacher died, I substituted him, it became mine and I started working on the organ and reading Bach... And then I went to Brazil for fifteen days and stayed for almost two years. On a flight to France to say goodbye, I stayed in France, and there I began orchestrating, which is something I didn't know at all.

You worked on Mina's album. I'm Italian so she's an idol of mine.

Yared: I love Mina! I'm so sorry I never saw her again.

You arranged her album with Lucio Battisti, right?

Yared: Mina she was great with me, she would treat me like a prince. It was the greatest memory for me because Mina would sing along with the orchestra together -- live. It was not first record the orchestra and then she'd come along! Such a voice. I did Mina, Johnny Hallyday and Charles Aznavour as an arranger. And after a while I said well I don't want to carry on being an arranger, it's not my job. So I stopped everything, took two sabbatical years and went to see a teacher. I wanted to learn music. And then came to me, also by an angel, the first film with Jean-Luc Godard.

Your music to me has been part of my life -- unknowingly at first and now consciously -- throughout my adult life. From Anthony Minghella, all the way through to The Prophet a couple of years ago, for which you did the score. City of Angels in between, your Oscar win for The English Patient. How do you come up with such a different vision each time?

Yared: Because my approach is not orthodox. I don't like to be called on a film at the end. I try as much as possible to be there since the beginning. I say, even at the script stage, please call me. And then I read the script, I spend time with the director, man or female, because to me it's like a marriage. You cannot marry forever, you have to spend time first engaged, and then you get married. Like on The English Patient it was more than eight months, to meet Anthony, to get to know him, to exchange musical ideas and most of this music had been written before the shooting began. So you ask how does it work with images? That means that the music exists by itself as music, but when it comes to work on images then I know how to craft my music in every scene and every step of the scene. But in order to get there I need to have a proper piece of music, like a symphony, with all the themes, which exists by itself.

Probably what you feel in my music, and it's without any pretension that I say this, you can feel that it's a thing that exists by itself and thank God, also exists with the images. Because images to me don't trigger my imagination.

I find music and scent triggers my imagination!

Yared: And talking, if you tell me this is the story of my film, I'll listen to you captivated. Then music comes like this (snaps his fingers).

What are your greatest achievement and your one regret?

Yared: I would say that every film I did I've done with all my heart, my consciousness, but relationships are sometimes difficult. The most beautiful thing in this career I would say has been the meeting with Anthony Minghella before he passed away. We have created four completely different films and four different scores. He would always take me forward, take me somewhere else. He was bold, I was bold with him.

My regret? I think I have no regrets because I try to address them every day. I try.
During the superabundance of interesting meetings, star-filled junkets and glamorous parties that make up the Dubai international Film Festival, at times I forget the most important part of this event -- the films! It's the reason why I'm here, why we are all here in fact, audiences, filmmakers and media from around the world alike.

But on my second day at DIFF I caught up on a lot of films I'd been craving to watch, like Their Finest, a moving British drama starring Gemma Arterton and Bill Nighy, Thierry Fremaux's fantastically curated Lumiere! presentation and Yousry Nasrallah's Brooks, Meadows and Lovely Faces.

Nothing like sitting in a dark movie theater, with the glow of the big screen warming my heart to make the world seem right again.

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With Their Finest, a film I watched in the isolated comfort of a press screening, it was a case of the perfect storm. A film made by a woman filmmaker, Lone Scherfig, about a female screenwriter (played by Gemma Arterton) who writes propaganda films during WWII in London. It's a phenomenally ripe time to be talking about the undeniable power of cinema and how good, positive messages empower while violence only adds to the chaos. I found myself cheering silently for the film, for its characters and at one pivotal moment in the story, I sobbed out loud. Their Finest is that good, that satisfying, that important at this point in time, that well made. More interviews with the cast and those working behind the scenes to come, from DIFF.

Now onto Thierry Fremaux's labor of love Lumiere!, a documentary about the French inventors of cinema, as pretty much we know it today -- Auguste and Louis Lumiere. Through a series of short, silent films that were shot between 1895 and 1905 by the Lumiere brothers, Fremaux shows a world that is at once past, present and future.

The wondrous treat that audiences get when they watch Lumiere! is a live commentary by Monsieur Cannes himself. The artistic director of the largest movie festival in the world sat inside the Jumeirah Theater, his chair facing the screen and shared insight, disclosed little known facts and took the audience on an important, yet utterly fun, cinematic journey. What he called, a "door into the Lumiere world", these ten films, having gone through a 4K restauration are at the best they've been since their creation. They are "in a shape we've never seen them in the past," gushed Fremaux during the screening. While the Lumiere brothers came in the midst of the invention process that made cinema possible, which started with Thomas Edison, they won it in a technological way, by creating the best machine, but also by imagining the most creative way to watch films, from within an audience, making it utterly social. A quality Fremaux calls "very French!"

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With Yousry Nasrallah's latest Brooks, Meadows and Lovely Faces, his highly anticipated return since the 2012 After the Battle, a personal favorite, I found myself as participant to a great banquet of "love, food, freedom and dignity," as Nasrallah himself proclaimed to kick off the screening. In fact, I felt as if his film started where our last interview left off. "I love to cook, you know you cook and you get the same kind of response you get for a movie! It's good, it's delicious, it's wonderful, or it's lousy. Come to Cairo, I'll cook you lunch," he said, back in 2013. Brooks is that banquet, with a larger than life group of people who infused my senses and grabbed my attention from the very first frame. To say that I adore Nasrallah, is an understatement. His treatment of women in the movies is unique, not only because he intrinsically respects our gender, but because he gets our sensuality, our joie de vivre, our need for a connection -- down to a T. Again, more to come on his film in later blogs.
Movie Review- Jackie K Cooper

"Office Christmas Party" (Paramount Pictures)

"Office Christmas Party" is the funniest movie I have seen since "Bridesmaids" first rolled into town. It has all the nudity and crudity comedies are required to have these days, but it also has that something extra - its laugh out loud funny. Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Munn, T. J. Miller, Kate McKinnon and Courtney B. Vance head up a cast of actors who know how to get the most out of any line or any situation. Justin Malen, Laura Solon and Dan Mazer have created a screenplay that gives them a lot of room to exercise their talent.

The plot finds CEO Carol Vanstone (Aniston) ready to pull the plug on brother Clay (Miller) and his staff at a branch of the company in Chicago. Employees Josh and Tracey (Bateman and Munn) come up with an idea to raise revenue by landing business from Walter Davis (Vance). To show him what a great group of people work at this branch Clay and friends decide to throw a huge Christmas party, something Carol has said a definite NO to.

The party is the focus of the film and it is a raucous one. This is where we get the drug and alcohol use, the graphic nudity and the irreverence. This is also where we get laugh after laugh after laugh primarily thanks to Mary, the human resources head (McKinnon). McKinnon is the new "queen of comedy" and continues to create one hysterically funny character after another.

This is also the best comedic role Aniston has had since "Friends." Carol is a part no one else could play. It requires the actress to be hated and humiliated,while projecting evilness and warmth. Aniston dishes the dirt with ferocious glee and yet never fails to let us know she is a good person at heart.

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The other cornerstone of the movie is Bateman. He is mister warm and fuzzy from the start and just gets more likable with every scene. He is the big brother to Clay, the potential lover to Tracey, the timid adversary to Carol, and the boss to Mary. He is everywhere and Everyman.

There are scores of other actors, too numerous to mention, who add just the right touch to every scene. Whoever cast this film did so with a golden touch. There is not one false note on view. Minor subplots fit in just perfectly with the overall story, and when it is all over you have made a new bunch of friends.

The film is rated R for profanity, sexual situations and graphic nudity.

In the true spirit of the holiday season this movie is "naughty and nice." Some may be offended by the crudeness of the humor but there is a equal balance of endearing and touching material to counter it. You will enjoy the story, laugh at the jokes, and come away with a renewed appreciation for the awesomeness that is Kate McKinnon.

I scored "Office Christmas Party" a festive 7 out of 10.
Trump just picked ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his nominee for Secretary of State. The State Department handles nearly all of our foreign policy, including our engagement in the international climate process. It also approves international fossil fuel projects, like the Keystone XL pipeline, which will be back on the table once Trump is sworn in.

Handing over the State Department to the CEO of the world's largest oil company to the world's largest oil company is like giving Voldemort the keys to Hogwarts. Some of the media is reporting that Tillerson might not be so bad for climate policy because at least he believes in global warming, unlike Trump or some of his other nominees like Scott Pruitt, his pick for EPA. Don't believe the hype. ExxonMobil's "support" for the Paris Agreement and a price on carbon is nothing but good old fashioned greenwashing.

While Exxon says it "supports" the Paris Climate Agreement, it's also been careful to say that it only "acknowledges" the targets in the deal. That's code for "we have no intention of meeting them." Anyone who has looked at Exxon's own energy assessments knows that's the unvarnished truth. Exxon's business plan relies on the world blowing past 1.5C and 2.0C of warming. The company's share price is directly tied to its ability to burn through all of its oil and gas reserves, something that would be impossible if countries got serious about addressing the climate crisis.

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As for supporting a price on carbon, Exxon adopted that position under extreme duress back when it looked like a climate bill might actually pass through Congress. It was a move designed to get them in the room so that they could weaken the proposed legislation. When you look closely, all of the numbers that Exxon puts forward for a carbon price are so low that the only impact would be to help Exxon corner the market on natural gas (Exxon is already the largest natural gas producer in the United States). They're not interested in preventing global warming, they're interested in profiting from it.

That's why Exxon continues to fund front groups that spread climate denial and lobby against renewable energy legislation. It's something they've done for decades. As the #ExxonKnew campaign has highlighted, Exxon scientists were warning the company as early as the 1970's that the production of the fossil fuels could lead to catastrophic global warming. Instead of warning the public, Exxon executives buried the truth and launched a massive misinformation campaign using the same tactics as Big Tobacco.

Now, Exxon is facing multiple investigations and lawsuits because of history of funding denial. If the company is found guilty of lying to its shareholders about the threat global warming posed to its business plan, it could be convinced of fraud and would face massive liabilities. Just like the mob, Exxon could also be convicted of racketeering charges for working with other oil companies to spread misinformation and continuing to promote the use of fossil fuels and blocking the spread of renewables.

All of this dirty history should come to light now that Trump has nominated Tillerson as Secretary of State. The nomination process will give Senators a chance to put ExxonMobil on trial, just as they did with Big Tobacco. If Tillerson is forced to admit the truth about Exxon's history of denial, it could have massive repercussions for the company. If he lies about it under oath, he may get away with it for the time being, but it would come back to haunt him and the oil industry, just like it did with the cigarette companies.

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President elect Donald Trump is a loggerheads with the U.S. intelligence community just weeks before he is to be sworn into office. The Washington Post reported that the C.I.A. had determined that Russia had interfered with last month's presidential election in an effort to undermine the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. The Russians broke into Democratic National Committee computer networks and released embarrassing documents and emails in the weeks prior to the election. The New York Times reported the Russians had also hacked Republican National Committee computers but did not release any of those documents.

The Post quoted a senior U.S. official as saying, "It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia's goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help get Trump elected." The Trump transition team responded with a snarky statement, "These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction." In an interview released Wednesday, Trump told Time magazine, "I don't believe it. I don't believe (Russia) interfered." But President Obama has now ordered a full review "of what happened during the 2016 election process" to be completed before he leaves office.

While there is no evidence yet that the Russians or President Vladimir Putin did anything that would alter the outcome of the election, Trump supporters are concerned that these reports may be an effort to delegitimize his presidency. Trump praised Putin as a strong leader during the presidential campaign. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Twitter Saturday, "I'm not challenging the outcome of the election, but very concerned about Russian interference/actions at home & throughout the world."

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President Putin has been waging a multi-front campaign for years to destabilize Western democracies and undermine NATO. Trump was critical of NATO during his campaign. Russia has endured tough sanctions as a result of its invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions have added to the severe economic problems the country is facing. While Russia has been a partner of the U.S. in the Iranian nuclear deal, it has been at odds with the West over its military support of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, which has only intensified that country's civil war and compounded the human tragedy currently taking place.

Putin is a master manipulator, and he may be betting that businessman Donald Trump would be easier to deal with on several fronts. Trump's imminent announcement of Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as his Secretary of State nominee is an added plus for Putin. Tillerson and Putin are friends and have done business together. The ExxonMobil website claims that the company "has had a continuous business presence in Russia for more than 20 years." No project is more important than a joint venture between Exxon and the Russian state owned company Rosneft to drill oil in the Arctic's Kara Sea. That project had been halted due to the sanctions, but Tillerson has said he does not believe the Russian sanctions work. This week it was announced that Russia sold a 20% stake in Rosneft for $11.7 billion based on expectations that sanctions would be eased under a Trump presidency.

Putin is a trained KGB officer and he runs his country with a ruthless hand. He has cracked down on civil society, the media, he has intensified persecution of his critics, and he has fanned anti-Western sentiment in Russia. Two weeks ago Republican Senator John McCain warned Trump against another reset with Putin. "At the very least, the price of another "reset" would be complicity in Putin and Assad's butchery of the Syrian people," he said. "When America has been at its greatest, it is when we have stood on the side of those fighting tyranny. That is where we must stand again."

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One Ukrainian serviceman was injured in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone on Friday, spokesman for the Ukrainian Defense Ministry for ATO Andriy Lysenko has said.

"As the result of hostilities none of Ukrainian servicemen has been killed, one soldier has been injured," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Saturday.
Throughout 2016, a wall of rhetoric has obscured fundamental truths about U.S. relations with Mexico. As the year winds down, I offer this dispatch from Pima Community College (PCC) in Tucson, Arizona, about 65 miles from the border. Consider it an attempt to provide facts and on-the-ground observations regarding the importance of continued Arizona-Mexico economic and educational development.



Let's begin with economics. Mexico is by far Arizona's largest international trading partner. The state exports more to Mexico than to the next 10 countries combined. In 2015, the state exported $9.16 billion in goods to according the University of Arizona's Eller College of Business; in contrast, Canada, the state's No. 2 trade partner, received $2.3 billion.



If you visit any mall in Tucson during the ongoing holiday season you will hear multiple tongues speaking the universal language of retail commerce. As they have for years, members of Mexico's growing middle class cross the border in December to contribute millions of dollars in purchases and sales tax to the city and state economies. The reality is that tens of thousands of jobs in our state depend on a strong U.S.-Mexico relationship. PCC's cross-border connections can only improve our position as an economic development engine for the region.



That the middle class in Mexico is burgeoning is inextricably connected to the prioritization of higher education by Mexican leaders at all levels of society. It behooves the College to be a willing and capable partner in this endeavor, which enriches both societies in multiple ways. For example, late last month Mexico's ambassador to the United States, Carlos Manuel Sada Solana, presented PCC with an $80,000 award to fund scholarships for immigrants and Americans of Mexican origin.



The support for PCC comes from the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME), which is part of Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Relations. This is the third grant PCC has received from IME since November 2014, bringing the total for scholarships to $260,000. As Ambassador Sada stated while praising community colleges for preparing students for transfer or employment, "There is no greater legacy than education."



The connection between employment and education was particularly evident when I was part of a delegation from Tucson, led by Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, to meet with education and economic leaders in Mexico, including former Mexico President Vicente Fox.



Since leaving office, President Fox has headed a foundation, Centro Fox, which is committed to furthering education, entrepreneurship and leadership. President Fox agreed to partner with Tucson, and as part of the collaboration, he asked the College to work with him to institute a two-year college credentialing system in Guanajuato, Mexico, similar to a community college system. As we at PCC well know, community colleges are a crucial piece to furthering the educational and career aspirations of those who cannot afford university tuition. We look forward to deepening our connection with Centro Fox in 2017.



Underlying these initiatives is a constant emphasis on diversity, inclusiveness and equity that becomes more poignant with each day, it seems. Our recent reaffirmation of our commitment to DREAMers and DACA students connects to the importance we place on providing a welcoming atmosphere for all students, whatever their nation of origin, as well as creating a place for the open exchange of ideas.



Those are among our core values. They did not change in 2016, and won't change in 2017, despite the many uncertainties the year is likely to bring. Pima Community College remains committed to expanding and enhancing our growing relationship with Mexico. It makes good sense for the economic, academic and cultural vitality of both of our communities.
Let's be completely honest, America: we've just been handed an election result that was hand-picked, paid for, gift-wrapped, and delivered by our committed comrades from across the sea.

And while the recipient of that noxious gift-giving, Donald Trump, sniffs that we should reject the bombshell findings released this weekend and just allow him to get on with the task of "making America great again" (colluding with foreign dictators apparently part of his protocol), the rest of us are left wondering just how much more it will take for the powers-that-be in this country to declare Election 2016 to be null and void. Fraudulent. Manipulated. Corrupt. Unacceptable.

It's one thing to shake our heads and parse the fact that Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump by as many votes as President Obama won in 2012 but is still considered "the loser" (which should make abolishing or amending Electoral College rules a priority).

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It's one thing to review the unprecedented and outrageous move of FBI Director James Comey to, right before the election, make ultimately pointless claims of more email trouble for Clinton (how has he not been sanctioned for that?), and feel outrage that this shattered her then-12-point lead and likely aided Trump's win.

It's one thing to consider the daily, weekly, monthly drip-drip-drip distraction (and fodder for haters and conspiracists) from Wikileaks and their sleazy founder Julian Assange (still in hiding from law enforcement over sexual assault allegations), and question why they only targeted Democrats and how much their biased hackery impacted the election.

It's one thing to consider the possibility that Russian actors were behind that hackery and likely had a hand in manipulating what got released and when, and ponder the heinous thought that our election itself might have been hacked at the behest of foreign interests and preferences.

It's one thing to grasp how much fake news -- much of it directed by Russia -- with its bilious lies directed particularly at Hillary Clinton -- misguided and misinformed the electorate, and feel churned by the fact of America's gullibility.

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BUT IT'S A WHOLE OTHER THING to read the bombshell reports that have come out this weekend:

Now the intelligence community has concluded that Russia was clearly after a Trump victory and manipulated information to that end, according to sources who spoke to the newspaper. "It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia's goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected," a senior U.S. official briefed on the CIA assessment told The Washington Post. "That's the consensus view."

Every single thing about that should stir waves of anger and revulsion, brandish red flags so voluminous they're canopies; ring alarm bells far, wide, and loudly across the entire United States of America. In all our myriad doomsday imaginings, in all the conspiracy theories and Cold War drills, fears of invasion and terrors related to "The Russians are Coming," what is patently clear at this moment is that the Russians came and they chose our next president.

And that cannot stand. In addition to the other election corruptions listed above, this is an unequivocal tipping point. This should not be a partisan issue; this should not be about Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump; this should be about the fact that an antagonistic foreign power just got up close and personal with our domestic presidential election and coerced it in favor of its preferred candidate.

Russia's preferred candidate lost the popular vote.

Russia's preferred candidate is Donald J. Trump.

Russian's preferred candidate cannot be our next president.

That Russia worked so nefariously to tilt this election, and succeeded in doing so, cannot be dismissed along with Comey, Wikileaks, fake news, etc. It makes the election's results null and void. Our country's leadership, law enforcement, Homeland Security, and every single one of its citizens should agree with that thesis. Whatever we are or are not, America is a free and democratic nation. If we are forced to accept election results that are fraudulent, manipulated, and corrupt, there will be no uniting behind this president.

He may be Russia's choice, but without winning an unassailably honest election in America, by Americans, he will not be ours.

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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump appears at campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan U.S. October 31 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

It is Human Rights Day today, and with Donald Trump about to become our next president, we have to wonder whether the Trump administration and State Department will do anything positive at all on that issue. The early signs aren't exactly what you'd call hopeful:

 Trump has made no secret of his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and both he and his cabinet have business ties to the authoritarian state. This completely disregards Russia's violent suppression of academics, journalists, and political opponents; illegal annexation of Crimea in Ukraine; severe laws against homosexuality; and other human rights abuses.

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 President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and Trump have also exchanged praise for each other -- while half a million people have died in Syria, most as a result of Assad's brutal war and bombings against his own people with aid from Russia. According to IamSyria.org, 450,000 have died, among them 50,000 children.

 In September, Donald Trump met with autocratic Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi calling him a "fantastic guy," meanwhile al-Sisi has been routinely condemned by Human Rights Watch for his support of violent, armed groups and flagrant abuse of human rights.

 The International Criminal Court, European Union, and United States have condemned Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for murdering 4,500 people in an unhinged "war on drugs." Meanwhile Trump reportedly congratulated Duterte and said he was doing things the "right way."

 The CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al-Baker has reported on his close friendship and business ties with Donald Trump, including leased offices in Trump Towers where space starts at $19,000 and can cost as much as $106,000. State-owned Qatar Airways doesn't have a good track record with human rights: mandating that employees live in company quarters with strict curfews and surveillance; prohibiting marriage without permission; terminating women who become pregnant; enforcing strict grooming standards and weight limits; and barring employees from unionizing and protesting.

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The irony here is that for all of Donald Trump's bluster about helping U.S. workers compete against workers abroad, it is a hell of a lot harder to do that when foreign workers don't even have human rights. The fact is that a great deal of totalitarian oppression around the world is directly related to workers in countries who are without the right to form a union, without the right to protest, who are discriminated against and sometimes even held as slaves. When Americans are competing with what is essentially slave labor, it is going to be pretty hard to get their wages to rise.

The incoming Trump administration should keep their promise to be tough on trade deals that don't help American workers, but they should also never forget that labor rights are human rights. If workers overseas are not forced into slavery, they have more freedom to speak out and organize for better wages; the right to fight blatant discrimination; and the right to travel freely and live where they want. Fighting human rights abuses will have a big impact for the better in helping American workers.
A view of the Blomstrand Glacier, on June 16, 2016, in Ny-Alesund, Norway. US Secretary of State John Kerry and Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende toured the glacier, and made remarks about climate change.Kerry is visiting Norway's extreme north to view areas impacted by climate change with melting ice and the opening of new sea lanes. / AFP / POOL / Evan Vucci (Photo credit should read EVAN VUCCI/AFP/Getty Images)

One of the strangest stories about totalitarian regimes comes from Romania. Under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu, the official temperature in Romania was never below 10 degree Celsius. No matter the snow and ice, the weather reports would always have temperatures above 10 degrees. The reason? Below that, the law required the heating to be turned on in public places, and Romania could not afford this.

It is hard to say what is stranger about the story. A dictator who feels so omnipotent that he pretends he could change the reality of the weather? Or a population so misled, misinformed, or disillusioned that it will put up with the weather reports over what it knows to be true?

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Today, the story is not so strange anymore, nor do we need to look to countries far away. Today, the story is happening right here in the United States. Our Ceausescu is the minority president-elect, Donald Trump. And our Romanian winter is climate change.

We know climate change to be true with as much certainty as we can know things. We know it as the Romanians knew how cold it was. We know it not only because we see wildfires in Tennessee and flooding in Louisiana. We know it not only because we have to turn on the air conditioning on Christmas. No, we have seen the science reports that temperatures rise faster than they ever have. We have seen data suggesting that the arctic ice sheet is collapsing. We know not only that nearly all scientists agree that climate change is man-made; we also know why they agree.

It is not just scientists who know this. The US military knows it and considers a great stability risk. Companies know it and are beginning to adapt. Exxon knows it and has known it since at least 1977.

Trump must know too, but he pretends otherwise. Before being elected, he repeatedly called climate change a hoax. After the election, despite occasional signals that he had an open mind, he named a man to run the EPA who has so far demonstrated his opposition to the institution and its mission.

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What goes through his mind? An answer may come from an article he linked to on Facebook. Among that article's many absurd statements, the worst may be the suggestion that "a broad array of climate activists ... continue to argue that increased solar activity, not rising carbon dioxide, has driven recent climate trends" and that therefore Obama's endorsement of man-made climate change is "a potentially flawed ideology."

Yes, the idea that climate change is man-made is still disputed by some (though the article tellingly talks of activists, not scientist). Many things are disputed. Some believe that Auschwitz was not a death camp. Some believe that Neil Armstrong did not walk on the moon in 1969. Some believe that the Egyptian pyramids were built to hold grain. Science needs dissent, but it insists on ways to test it. The idea that increased solar energy caused our climate change came up in the 1980s; it has long been refuted. Calling the near-consensus of scientists a "flawed ideology" is nothing short of scandalous; it is itself purely ideological.

It is one thing for a paid hack to write nonsense. (The author's online profile includes "website content, promotional articles, and ghost-written op-eds and editorials," for $ 44.00/hr. Below the article, we are told that he "has served as "media director for both the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) and the U.S. Business & Industry Council (USBIC)"). It is quite another thing for the man bound to become President of the US to endorse it.

Yes, Presidents lie about many things, from mistresses to weapons of mass destruction. But Trump's lying is of a different kind entirely. Trump lies against facts that are clear for us to see. Trump pretends the facts are not facts. And his supporters willingly go along with him.

This is bad for more than for the environment. Trump's open disdain for truthful speech shows clear signs of authoritarianism, as Jacob Levy points out. Trump's lies in the face of clear facts are a demonstration of power, characteristic of totalitarian leaders.



As Levy writes:

"Saying something obviously untrue, and making your subordinates repeat it with a straight face in their own voice, is a particularly startling display of power over them. It's something that was endemic to totalitarianism. Arendt analyzed the huge lies and blatant reversals of language associated with the Holocaust. Havel documented the pervasive little lies, lies that everyone knew to be lies, of late Communism. And Orwell gave us the vivid "2+2=5."'

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So what is stranger? A President-elect, soon-to-be head of state of the most powerful country in the world, who pretends he can change the realities of the climate? Or a population so mislead and misinformed, or disillusioned that it will put up with the lies over what we know to be true?

It is important for us to not put up. We need to point out that such false statements are not just lies. They are efforts to break the foundations of society. They are efforts to establish a system in which the truth is determined by those in power. We must deny this.

Or we will face a long Romanian winter.
My proposal published here on Wednesday, "Hillary Can Be a Hero By Saving America from Trump," calling for a "Compromise of 2016" that would include the Electors choosing someone other than Donald Trump as the next president and the creation of a "National Unity Government" has received far more positive attention than any other piece I have ever written on HuffPo.

The confirmation that the CIA has determined that it is "quite clear" that Russian intervention in the American presidential election had the goal of electing Donald Trump makes the achievement of such a grand compromise even more imperative.

In July, cartoonist Marc Murphy of the Louisville Courier-Journal perfectly captured the horror that we now face:

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And now Mr. Trump has chosen Exxon Mobil Corp CEO Rex Tillerson, who has strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Secretary of State! Trump had previously picked Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who is also close to Putin, to be his National Security Advisor. And Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign manager, who is under FBI investigation for his ties to Putin, is back giving counsel to Trump.

Where Is the Outrage?

Trump is setting up a Government "Over the American People, By the Russians, and For the Russian and American Oligarchs."

Where is the outrage? Where are the patriots? Where are Republicans? Where, for that matter, are most of the Democrats? Where are the voices of the media? This is our country, for God's sake! Stand up and stop them before it's too late!

We are talking about a hostile foreign power stealing an American election and making their stooge President of the United States! Why isn't there supreme outrage and discussion, not of how this may affect Tillerson's confirmation hearings in January, but how it should affect the Electoral College vote on December 19? The media went wild (rightly so) over Watergate, and over Monica Lewinsky, but they are being very timid about confronting this scandal that is vastly worse than Watergate.

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The stealing of an election through actions by a hostile foreign power is both the greatest scandal in American history and precisely the sort of evil that the Framers of the United States Constitution sought to block through the Electoral College. In The Federalist No. 68, Alexander Hamilton foresaw the danger to the Republic that could come from someone like Vladimir Putin, warning of "the desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils." "How," Hamilton asked rhetorically, "could they better gratify this, than by raising a creature of their own to the chief magistracy of the Union?" The Electoral College was meant to be a safeguard against such foreign treachery.

Surely, Hamilton and other Framers believed, the Electors would have the wisdom and the patriotism to block a man backed by a hostile foreign power from becoming President of the United States.

The question to be determined over the next nine days is whether the 2016 Electors will have the wisdom and patriotism the Founders assumed they would and save America in the time of our nation's gravest crisis since the Civil War.

Under the circumstances now, I think it would be unwise for Hillary Clinton yet to make the sort of call on Democratic Electors that I suggested a few days ago. Instead, she and other leading Democrats should work out a proposed Compromise of 2016 and call upon leading Republicans to redeem the souls that most of them have sold to the devil-horned man who appeared on the cover of Time by divorcing themselves from Trump and Putin and coming up with their version of an acceptable compromise Government of National Unity.

After each side comes up with a proposal, leaders from each group can enter negotiations to reach an agreement acceptable to both by next weekend that can be announced before December 19, with a call on Electors from both parties to support the chosen candidates. In light both of her large margin of victory in the actual vote and of the Russian intervention against her, it is entirely reasonable that the president chosen in these negotiations should by Hillary Clinton, with a Republican Vice President. Only if acceptance of that outcome proves impossible to achieve should Mrs. Clinton agree to step aside and call for the Electors from both parties to join together in choosing a ticket of sane people not under the influence of Mr. Putin.

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Let us update Thomas Paine's immortal words from the year of our country's birth: "THESE are the times that try a nation's soul. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he and she that stand by it now, deserve the love and thanks of man and woman."
Three big things have happened recently that change a lot about what's needed at Standing Rock.

1) The Army Corps of Engineers announced it would now, for now, be granting an easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline -- a huge win for water protectors, indigenous people everywhere, and the future of life on the planet.



Chief Arvol Looking Horse entering the Oceti Sakowin Camp.

2) An estimated 5,000 U.S. veterans showed up to camp, prepared to be human shields for the water protectors. While they were there, they apologized to Native elders for the atrocities against Native peoples committed by the military units they belong to. This is a huge breakthrough, and

3) Two winter blizzards, with single-digit temperatures, strong winds, and icy roads, made life at camp extremely difficult.

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Then Standing Rock Chairman Archambault, in light of all these changes, thanked the supporters and said it is time for people to leave the camp and go home.

That said, Energy Transfer Partners insists that the pipeline will go through.

So what is the plan now to secure this win?

The main Oceti Sakowin Camp is not longer accepting new arrivals. The conditions are too difficult. There is much work to be done nonetheless.

Trump is likely to try his best to reverse the Army Corps' position and give DAPL a green light. So the top priority -- and something you can do from home -- is to keep up the pressure on investors and bankers to pull out.

Break Up With Your Bank

Banks are feeling the heat from the protests and from their own customers. One bank, DNB of Norway, has responded to pressure by divesting from Energy Transfer, the parent company of the Dakota Access pipeline. DNB is reportedly reconsidering more than $400 million in credit. The ING Bank of the Netherlands, which prides itself on its sustainability and human rights stance, posted a statement on its website expressing concern about excessive police force at Standing Rock.

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If your bank is one of the direct investors in DAPL or one of the investors in its parent companies, Energy Transfer and Sunoco Logistics, ask them to withdraw support. Tell them you plan to close your account if their support continues. Photograph yourself cutting up your credit card, or share your letter on your social media networks. I posted my break-up letter to Chase Bank on my blog and on Facebook and Twitter--and was surprised by how many responded that they planned to do the same.

If you have a retirement fund or mutual fund, find out if it is invested in Energy Transfer Partners, Energy Transfer Equity, or Sunoco Logistics--or any of the 38 banks offering credit to the pipeline project. If so, let those investment companies know you object and tell them you would like the fund to divest or you'll shift your account to a socially responsible investment fund.

Consider planning or participating in a nonviolent protest at a bank branch or headquarters. Sacred Stone Camp has posted a map to find bank branches near you and recommends actions beginning Dec. 1.

Banks are risk-averse, and this pipeline project has become quite risky because of public relations problems as well as the oil price bust and reduction of oil extraction in North Dakota. Banks and investors may be hoping for an excuse to back out. Your action could help tip the balance.

And reinvest your money in credit unions, community banks, or generative investments that build the new economy.

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Call off the police

There were dozens of law enforcement agencies participating in the multi-state force that was shooting water cannons, pepper spraying, and shooting various "sub-lethal" weapons at unarmed water protectors. Many political leaders responded to public pressure by recalling their officers. If yours are still in North Dakota, contact elected officials, write to local papers and local blogs, and contact local media to object to law enforcement involvement at Standing Rock.

Contact government decision-makers

Thank President Obama for his decision. But also urge him to insist that an Environmental Impact Statement will be necessary before any permit can be issued. Here's a good analysis of the legal questions at stake.

President Barack Obama

Phone: 202-456-1111

Email: president@whitehouse.gov

You can also call Denis McDonough, White House chief of staff, at 202-456-3182.

Donate

There are many needs, still for cash. Here are three that I can vouch for:

 The Standing Rock Tribe, spent a huge amount of money for their substantial legal expenses and for providing facilities for the camp. Help them out: standwithstandingrock.net/donate/.

 Oceti Sakowin Camp is the largest of the water protector camps, the closest to the front lines: ocetisakowincamp.org/donate.

 The Water Protector Legal Collective (formerly the Red Owl Collective), which has been providing legal support to the many who have been arrested at Standing Rock: https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/11B5z8

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You can also support some of the key indigenous organizations that are leading this movement nationwide and worldwide:

 The Indigenous Environmental Network

You can raise more money for these and others by organizing support events and fundraisers in your community. Invite people who are curious about the issues as well as people who are already passionately engaged. Make it a celebratory or prayerful event in whatever way makes sense to your community.

Other options

Resist extraction where you live. Join work to stop the pipelines, coal trains, fracking, and export terminals in your city or state and include #NoDAPL and #WaterisLife messages to remind people of the link to Standing Rock.

Resist but also renew. Remember that as you resist the dystopian world of extraction, Donald Trump, violence, and racism, you can also use your activism to build up the world you want. Do your own "just transition," switching to clean energy, conserving, protecting the water, rebuilding the soil--while including everyone in a way of life that is more soul-satisfying and joy-filled.

Resilience for the days ahead

When I talked to people at Standing Rock, I felt the trauma and pain but also the resolve. The young people spoke of being the Seventh Generation, the ones that were prayed for. And many endured enormous to ensure the next generations has the clean water they will need to survive.

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That resolve can energize us and inspire as we take the lessons of Standing Rock home.

LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, founder of Sacred Stone Camp, said "We are in our home, we are strong, and we have prayer." That is an ethos we can take with us, as we protect Mother Earth and stand together for the well being of future generations, wherever we live.
Amid treasurer race, where Kansas puts its money is increasing an issue

As the race for state treasurer heats up, debate about how Kansas is investing its KPERS portfolio and state funds has increased.
Helsinki is skeptical about the possibility of lifting the EU sanctions from Russia in the near future.

The lifting of sanctions is only possible with the EU unanimous approval, and this will not happen until the Minsk agreements are implemented, Finland's Prime Minister Juha Sipila said on the Finnish TV on Saturday, noting that there is no progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Finland fully supports the EU's line in this matter, he said.




iciHaiti - Education : Inauguration of two new schools





Friday, was inaugurated in the South East the National School of Calumette in Belle-Anse and the National School of Colin in Thiotte, in the presence : of Director General Lucien Francoeur and Deputy Director General Carmithe Israna of the Social and Economic Assistance Fund (FAES), Anne Sophie W Olsen, Representative of the Inter-American Bank Of Development (IDB), the Mayor of Thiotte, Jean-Pierre Maxo.



In both cases, these are fully equipped fundamental schools including 9 classrooms with in addition 2 rooms for the preschool, according to the vision of the Ministry of Education for the fundamental.



Jean Beauvois Dorsonne, the Minister of National Education welcomed the cooperation with the IDB and the FAES for the benefit of Haitian children, declaring "These new schools reinforce the public school park by offering a better learning framework in region with better opportunities."



IH/ iciHaiti






















iciHaiti - Humanitarian : Medical aid from Brazil





On Thursday, the Brazilian government sent medicines and supplies to Haiti. In addition to medicines, were sent nearly 4,000 doses of cholera vaccine and 1,000 rapid tests for HIV testing.



According to the Ministry of Health, medicines are enough for 3,000 people.



It should be recalled that in October the World Health Organization expressed concern about the threat of a cholera epidemic in the country following the floods caused by Hurricane Matthew https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19050-haiti-health-1-million-vaccines-against-cholera-arrived-in-the-country.html



SL/ HaitiLibre


















Azarov can't confirm or deny valuables found in Kyiv belong to him, says Tropinin's painting definitely not his

Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has said that based on photographs alone he can neither confirm nor deny that valuables found by police in a Kyiv apartment belong to him.

"I do not consider myself guilty and I am not going to I justify myself before anybody. I have stolen nothing. No court has found me guilty of committing any crime," Azarov wrote on his Facebook page on Friday.

He wondered on what basis "things, which may or may not belong to me" have been removed from his flat.

"There is no reason why I should give up the things which rightfully belong to me. I will seek their return in court. However, at the moment after having seen the photos, I can neither confirm nor deny that those things which were shown belong to me. For instance, it is the first time I see "The Portrait of a Girl" attributed to Vasily Tropinin, which was demonstrated with such panache on Facebook by [Interior Minister of Ukraine Arsen], I have never had such a painting," Azarov said.

With regard to information about early printed books, the former prime minister said he did collect books, but could not say if the covers presented on the photos where those of his belongings.

Azarov says the discovery of these valuables in an apartment in Kyiv is "another provocation" against him by "the Kyiv regime." In his opinion, the aim of this incident is to distract attention from the deadly shootout among law-enforcers outside Kyiv, the corruption schemes disclosed by MP Oleksandr Onyschenko and multi-million dollar income declarations by Ukrainian officials.

As earlier reported, on December 8 Kyiv police investigators found an apartment in Kyiv's Darnytsky district with items belonging to disgraced ex-PM Azarov. The items found are estimated to be worth at least $5 million.
Ambassador Samantha Power To Launch #FreeToBeHome Political Prisoners Campaign

Washington, DC - U.S. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Samantha Power will launch the #FreeToBeHome campaign on International Human Rights Day, December 10. The campaign will draw attention to political prisoners around the world, all wrongfully imprisoned for speaking out against abuses of power, combating human rights violations, or serving as a voice for victims.

Ambassador Power will feature the stories of these prisoners on her social media accounts, with individual profiles posted daily at https://medium.com/@StateDept . Stories will highlight the profound impact on the families and communities of political prisoners and call on the immediate release of all political prisoners.
Price is Right

Washington, DC - Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens, issued the following statement regarding the selection by President-elect Donald Trump of Congressman Tom Price to head the Department of Health and Human Services:

Liberal losers seek to undermine the Trump presidency even before Mr. Trump takes office. Perhaps the two most egregious examples of the vitriol on the left are the senseless and divisive calls for a recount of the votes cast in the 2016 Presidential Election and the smear campaign that is under way against Representative Tom Price.

Congressman Price from Georgia has been chosen by President-elect Trump to take over the Department of Health and Human Services and the Democrats are out to get him because he is bound to challenge President Obama's self-described signature law-Obamacare.

Throughout his two terms in office, President Obama had two Secretaries of Health and Human services, Kathleen Sebelius and her successor Sylvia Mathews Burwell. Neither of them had a clue about America's health care needs; Sebelius was a career politician and Burwell was little more than an organizational functionary.

Dr. Tom Price, on the other hand, is a knowledgeable medical doctor with two decades in private practice. In fact, before he was elected to Congress in 2004, he served as Assistant Professor and Medical Director of the Orthopedic Clinic at Emory University's School of Medicine teaching resident doctors in training.

Rep. Price has a well-deserved reputation as the go-to guy on health care and a true advocate for senior citizens. He has dedicated himself to ensuring that the promises made to our seniors are not broken. As he put it, "the only way to avoid watching our health and retirement security programs fall into insolvency is to make real reforms. Every day we hesitate or bow to the same, tired political games of the past, we risk leaving our children and grandchildren a pile of debt and a broken system."

Despite his credentials, folks like Senator Charles Schumer and Representative Nancy Pelosi mustered up a considerable amount of venom to denigrate Price. Schumer and Pelosi will take over as minority leaders in their respective houses of Congress and their vicious attacks signal their intentions loud and clear.

Americans want us to work together. But apparently there are those in power on the left who didn't get the message. How about we begin fixing our medical system by cooperating with an experienced medical doctor, Tom Price."

Representative Price is an outstanding and innovative expert on how to address the Nation's health care crisis caused by Obamacare. He has been a real leader in the Congress on both projecting the disastrous impacts of Obamacare and fashioning positive and constructive solutions for improved access to health care for all Americans, including seniors. Moreover, he has always thoughtfully listened and considered advice and counsel on proposals and ideas to remedy Obamacare's 'titanic' approach" to health care in our Nation.

It is unfortunate that a man of his character and qualifications for this important leadership position in the Trump-Pence Administration should be the object of careless, callous, and misleading criticisms that have no basis in fact, but appear to promote only political controversy.

Let's get Tom Price approved quickly, so he can start fixing our health care sooner than later.

The Association of Mature American Citizens is a vibrant, vital senior advocacy organization that takes its marching orders from its members. We act and speak on their behalf, protecting their interests and offering a practical insight on how to best solve the problems they face today. Live long and make a difference by joining us today at http://amac.us/join-amac .
Assistant Secretary Frank A. Rose To Travel to Romania, Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom

Washington, DC - Assistant Secretary for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance Frank A. Rose will travel to Bucharest, Romania; Brussels, Belgium; Paris, France; and London, United Kingdom from December 1216 for meetings and events focused on international security, arms control, and strategic stability.

On December 12, Assistant Secretary Rose will visit Bucharest to hold discussions on a variety of strategic issues with officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Defense and the Office of the President.

On December 13, Assistant Secretary Rose will participate in the EU-U.S. High-Level Dialogue on Non-proliferation, Disarmament, Arms Control, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Risk Mitigation at the European Union in Brussels. While in Brussels, he will also attend meetings at NATO Headquarters and brief NATO Allies on issues related to arms control and strategic stability.

Assistant Secretary Rose will then travel to Paris on December 14 where he will meet with counterparts to discuss arms control issues and space security.

On December 15 and 16, Assistant Secretary Rose will meet with officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defense in London to discuss international security and strategic stability issues. He will also attend a roundtable event on security issues hosted by Kings College London.
Vice President Joe Bidens Meeting with Masrour Barzani, Chancellor of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Security Council

Washington, DC - The Vice President met today with Masrour Barzani, Chancellor of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Security Council, on the margins of the Chancellor's meeting with Deputy National Security Advisor Avril Haines.

The Vice President commended Peshmerga and Iraqi forces for their bravery and sacrifice in the fight against ISIL and offered condolences for lives lost. The Vice President applauded the close cooperation between the Iraqi Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to ensure ISIL's lasting defeat and reaffirmed strong U.S. support for a united, democratic, and federal Iraq committed to the welfare of all Iraqi citizens.
UltraServe appoints VP Operations for global growth

UltraServe VP Operations Vishnu RoyAustralian ecommerce specialist UltraServe has created the new role of Vice President Operations to support delivering services to meet rapidly growing local and international demand.

Concurrently with opening its first US office in Chicago, UltraServe has filled the newly created role with Vishnu Roy, an experienced service delivery and project manager who has previously worked for Dimension Data, ASIC and IBM Australia.

UtraServes new VP Operations role involves managing senior project engineers, the service desk and general operations across the business, both in Australia and internationally.

UltraServe CEO Matthew Hyland said Vishnu Roy had a strong background with large tech businesses such as IBM and DiData. He is very professional, gets things done and has a lot of experience with managing and leading teams, he said.

UltraServe is growing strongly so we need someone with the experience and expertise to manage bigger and more complex projects. Our project portfolio increasingly supports mission-critical projects for large enterprise customers which have higher expectations, so require more management.

Vish is the right person for that role. He is great at driving outcomes. During the six months since I became CEO, Ive seen Vish stand out as he performs at that top level.

Vishnu Roy has worked as a Senior Project Manager at UltraServe for the past two years.

UltraServe has seen surging demand for its services through international recognition of its expertise in deploying, supporting and hosting the SAP Hybris ecommerce platform in the Cloud. Central to UltraServes success is its SmartStack provisioning software, which arguably provides the fastest, most scalable and resilient way to develop and deploy SAP Hybris ecommerce platforms in the Cloud.

For media assistance, call John Harris on 08 8431 4000 or email john@impress.com.au.

About UltraServe http://www.ultraserve.com.au

Since its founding in 2000, UltraServe has become a market leader in the Australian Cloud and managed hosting services industry. In 2009, UltraServe was the first company to launch an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Cloud computing product in Australia  a true testament to its company vision of being industry innovators. UltraServe has continued to broaden its business model through key channel partner relationships such as Amazon Web Services and SAP Hybris, which will continue to shape the direction of the business moving forward. UltraServe is 100 per cent Australian-owned  creating and shaping the adoption of Cloud technology in this country.
It was one week before Christmas 2010. I sat in my oncologists office at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, 600 miles from my home in Arkansas, clutching my husbands hand as tears streamed down my face.

My oncologist had delivered the great news first: after two rounds of high-dose chemotherapy, the rare and aggressive tumor in my breast was much smaller. But there was bad news. My platelets were dangerously low from the chemo, and I still needed at least four more rounds to have a chance at survival.

My doctor had a solution.

In a clinical trial at MD Anderson, I would receive an experimental drug to boost my platelets. But I would need to spend two out of every three weeks in Houston. At that time, I feared I wouldnt live long enough to walk my 18-month-old daughter into first grade. I certainly didnt want to spend any of my time in a Houston hospital room.

But I didnt have a choice.

As we flew home that afternoon, my husband and I discussed logistical challenges that seemed insurmountable.

One week later, I needed to return to Houston. I needed a place to stay, friends to care for me during each week-long chemo treatment, last-minute flights, rental cars, and most importantly, a nanny to care for our three children, ages 6, 4, and 18 months. We had one week to sort out these needs, and it was the week of Christmas.

Have you ever faced an impossible situation? Maybe youre facing one right now. You wonder how you will repair your marriage, how to pay your bills, or how far your wayward child will run from God.

When we walk through tough times, Gods Word gives us a beautiful truth to cling to.

He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all  how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

In this verse, Paul makes a logical argument from the greater to the lesser. First, he says that God did not spare His own Son. There is nothing more precious that we could ask for from God than Gods own Son, Jesus Christ. There is no greater sacrifice made by the Father than when He handed over His Son to be crucified for our salvation.

Second, we see that God gave up His beloved Son for us all. He allowed His Son to be betrayed, slandered, mocked, beaten, spit upon, and crucified so that you and I can be His daughters.

On the cross, God proved that He will go to any lengths necessary to meet the needs of His beloved children.

And so, Paul argues, if God did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? If He sacrificed the One who was most precious to Him to meet our greatest need, we can expect Him to also meet all of our lesser needs.

As I walked through the week of Christmas 2010 and the difficult months that followed, God revealed His plan to provide for our family. He didnt eliminate all of my suffering.

I still endured months away from my children and wept as I missed birthdays, holidays, and milestones in their lives.

But God provided a Christian couple in Houston who took me in and treated me as a daughter. The Lord met all of our financial needs and gave us a wonderful nanny who even attended the same Bible study as me. He preserved my life, and not only did I walk my daughter into first grade, I walked her into second grade this fall.

Friends, when we face impossible situations, lets remember this: we can trust our Heavenly Father, who did not spare His own Son, to graciously give us all that we need.
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The holidays are fast approaching and the pressure to find that all important gift for your mum, sister, partner or friend is mounting. What does she want? What doesnt she already own? There are so many questions yet so little time to buy.

If youre stuck on what to get the woman in your life then youre in luck because weve gathered a horde of goodies that will guarantee to put a smile on any ladys face this Christmas. Whether shes a beauty buff, homebody or seriously stylish, were here to help lessen your gift shopping stress.

Yolke Aquarius Zodiac Silk Eye Mask, 39.50, Selfridges

Formed in 2013, Yolke are a London based brand known for their luxurious nightwear and while their PJs might be a little steep their eye masks are far more accessible. Perfect for the girl who loves to lie in, these silk eye masks are each designed with a different zodiac in mind.

Bi-Fold Card Wallet Anthracite, 25, The White Company

A cardholder might seem like a practical present and while its surely useful it should be anything but dreary. This 100 per cent leather wallet from The White Company will make the perfect gift for any stylish gal on the go. Its small enough to fit in your pocket with two card sleeves and a clear compartment so you can easily see whats inside.

Ikuya Leather Keyfob, 38, All Saints

All Saints is one of those brands you can always rely on to deliver but their more substantial items can carry an even heftier price tag. If your lady loves to look the part but you cant quite splash the cash, investing in smaller goods is your way in and this leather keyfob makes for the perfect gift. Crafted from smooth leather with a logo-engraved metal clip and eyelet detailing. Also available in mink, prune, stone and white.

Diptyque Mini Scented Candle Epices Et Delices, 28, Harrods

You cant go wrong with a candle and this one from cult brand Diptyque is an absolute festive fancy. The packaging alone is lustworthy, with a lacquered red outer covered in the brands signature emblem and some endearing gingerbread men to boot. The candle itself has a rich and spicy scent that features notes of warm gingerbread, star anise and delicious honey.

Naomi Small Camera Bag, 15, Accessorize

This pint-sized carryall nails the mini bag trend, making it the ideal gift for any stylish sister. It comes with two separate compartments so you can keep your belongings organised and an adjustable strap meaning it can be worn over the shoulder or across the body. Its available in a few different colour options but our favourite has to be red. Festive and seriously on-trend.

Tom Ford Black Orchid EDT 30ml, 46, Selfridges

If your femme is fragrance-obsessed then a Tom Ford scent will guarantee to put a smile on her face. The problem is, theyre somewhat costly. The solution? Opt for an Eau de Toilette instead. Black Orchid is one of the designers most popular whiffs but its not for the faint of heart. Musky, opulent and classically dark, this isnt one for those with a nose for the sweet stuff.

Sheepy Trim Robe, 26, Next

As the nights draw in and get oh so much colder the lady in your life is sure to be grateful for a cosy robe to keep her warm. This one from Next is super-soft with a royal blue fluffy outer and sheepy lining. Also available in grey and pink, it comes with roomy pockets, and a hood that will let her lounge in ultimate comfort.

Charlotte Tilbury Magical Mini Brush Set, 45, Net-a-Porter

This nifty set is the perfect travel companion for any jet-setting girl. Crafted by the master of makeup, Charlotte Tilbury, its the ultimate kit containing everything shell ever need  a wide-set powder brush for blush and bronzer, a tapered blender brush for eyeshadow, a smudge brush to define the creases and a precision brush for lipstick.

Made Slim Bar Earrings, 25, Whistles

Jewellery as a Christmas gift can be tricky to get right but these slim bar earrings from Whistles are so classic its inevitable that shell fall in love with them. They look just as good paired with a T-shirt and jeans as they do an evening dress. The chic pair are a simple thread through silver plated design that are handcrafted in Mades Kenyan workshop. By purchasing them, youre also helping to create sustainable jobs and teach new skills to communities in Africa.

Club L Night Mermaid Blanket, 32, Asos

Ever since Ariel swam onto the big screen, us girls have been obsessed with mermaids and this cosy blanket promises to make your lady feel every bit the mythical sea creature. As she wiggles her feet into the fins she can lounge about in a sea-dream bliss with a cover-up thats soft to the touch and seriously warm.
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They are the real heroes of the Haitian earthquake disaster, the human catastrophe on America's doorstep which Barack Obama pledged a monumental US humanitarian mission to alleviate. Except these heroes are from America's arch-enemy Cuba, whose doctors and nurses have put US efforts to shame.

A medical brigade of 1,200 Cubans is operating all over earthquake-torn and cholera-infected Haiti, as part of Fidel Castro's international medical mission which has won the socialist state many friends, but little international recognition.

Observers of the Haiti earthquake could be forgiven for thinking international aid agencies were alone in tackling the devastation that killed 250,000 people and left nearly 1.5 million homeless. In fact, Cuban healthcare workers have been in Haiti since 1998, so when the earthquake struck the 350-strong team jumped into action. And amid the fanfare and publicity surrounding the arrival of help from the US and the UK, hundreds more Cuban doctors, nurses and therapists arrived with barely a mention. Most countries were gone within two months, again leaving the Cubans and Medecins Sans Frontieres as the principal healthcare providers for the impoverished Caribbean island.

Figures released last week show that Cuban medical personnel, working in 40 centres across Haiti, have treated more than 30,000 cholera patients since October. They are the largest foreign contingent, treating around 40 per cent of all cholera patients. Another batch of medics from the Cuban Henry Reeve Brigade, a disaster and emergency specialist team, arrived recently as it became clear that Haiti was struggling to cope with the epidemic that has already killed hundreds.

Since 1998, Cuba has trained 550 Haitian doctors for free at the Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina en Cuba (Elam), one of the country's most radical medical ventures. Another 400 are currently being trained at the school, which offers free education  including free books and a little spending money  to anyone sufficiently qualified who cannot afford to study medicine in their own country.

John Kirk is a professor of Latin American studies at Dalhousie University in Canada who researches Cuba's international medical teams. He said: "Cuba's contribution in Haiti is like the world's greatest secret. They are barely mentioned, even though they are doing much of the heavy lifting."

This tradition can be traced back to 1960, when Cuba sent a handful of doctors to Chile, hit by a powerful earthquake, followed by a team of 50 to Algeria in 1963. This was four years after the revolution, which saw nearly half the country's 7,000 doctors voting with their feet and leaving for the US.

The travelling doctors have served as an extremely useful arm of the government's foreign and economic policy, winning them friends and favours across the globe. The best-known programme is Operation Miracle, which began with ophthalmologists treating cataract sufferers in impoverished Venezuelan villages in exchange for oil. This initiative has restored the eyesight of 1.8 million people in 35 countries, including that of Mario Teran, the Bolivian sergeant who killed Che Guevara in 1967.

The Henry Reeve Brigade, rebuffed by the Americans after Hurricane Katrina, was the first team to arrive in Pakistan after the 2005 earthquake, and the last to leave six months later.

Cuba's constitution lays out an obligation to help the worst-off countries when possible, but international solidarity isn't the only reason, according to Professor Kirk. "It allows Cuban doctors, who are frightfully underpaid, to earn extra money abroad and learn about diseases and conditions they have only read about. It is also an obsession of Fidel's and it wins him votes in the UN."

A third of Cuba's 75,000 doctors, along with 10,000 other health workers, are currently working in 77 poor countries, including El Salvador, Mali and East Timor. This still leaves one doctor for every 220 people at home, one of the highest ratios in the world, compared with one for every 370 in England.

Wherever they are invited, Cubans implement their prevention-focused holistic model, visiting families at home, proactively monitoring maternal and child health. This has produced "stunning results" in parts of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, lowering infant and maternal mortality rates, reducing infectious diseases and leaving behind better trained local health workers, according to Professor Kirk's research.

Medical training in Cuba lasts six years  a year longer than in the UK  after which every graduate works as a family doctor for three years minimum. Working alongside a nurse, the family doctor looks after 150 to 200 families in the community in which they live.

This model has helped Cuba to achieve some of the world's most enviable health improvements, despite spending only $400 (260) per person last year compared with $3,000 (1,950) in the UK and $7,500 (4,900) in the US, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development figures.

Infant mortality rates, one of the most reliable measures of a nation's healthcare, are 4.8 per 1,000 live births  comparable with Britain and lower than the US. Only 5 per cent of babies are born with a low birth weight, a crucial factor in long-term health, and maternal mortality is the lowest in Latin America, World Health Organisation figures show. Cuba's polyclinics, open 24 hours a day for emergencies and specialist care, are a step up from the family doctors. Each provides for 15,000 to 35,000 patients via a group of full-time consultants as well as visiting doctors, ensuring that most medical care is provided in the community.

Imti Choonara, a paediatrician from Derby, leads a delegation of international health professionals at annual workshops in Cuba's third city, Camaguey. "Healthcare in Cuba is phenomenal, and the key is the family doctor, who is much more proactive, and whose focus is on prevention ... The irony is that Cubans came to the UK after the revolution to see how the NHS worked. They took back what they saw, refined it and developed it further; meanwhile we are moving towards the US model," Professor Choonara said.

Politics, inevitably, penetrates many aspects of Cuban healthcare. Every year hospitals produce a list of drugs and equipment they have been unable to access because of the American embargo which prevents many US companies from trading with Cuba, and persuades other countries to follow suit. The 2009/10 report includes drugs for childhood cancers, HIV and arthritis, some anaesthetics, as well as chemicals needed to diagnose infections and store organs. Pharmacies in Cuba are characterised by long queues and sparsely stacked shelves, though in part this is because they stock only generic brands.

Antonio Fernandez, from the Ministry of Public Health, said: "We make 80 per cent of the drugs we use. The rest we import from China, former Soviet countries, Europe  anyone who will sell to us  but this makes it very expensive because of the distances."

On the whole, Cubans are immensely proud and supportive of their contribution in Haiti and other poor countries, delighted to be punching above their weight on the international scene. However, some people complain of longer waits to see their doctor because so many are working abroad. And, like all commodities in Cuba, medicines are available on the black market for those willing to risk large fines if caught buying or selling.

International travel is beyond the reach of most Cubans, but qualified nurses and doctors are among those forbidden from leaving the country for five years after graduation, unless as part of an official medical team.

Like everyone else, health professionals earn paltry salaries of around $20 (13) a month. So, contrary to official accounts, bribery exists in the hospital system, which means some doctors, and even hospitals, are off-limits unless patients can offer a little something, maybe lunch or a few pesos, for preferential treatment.

Cuba's international ventures in healthcare are becoming increasingly strategic. Last month, officials held talks with Brazil about developing Haiti's public health system, which Brazil and Venezuela have both agreed to help finance.

Medical training is another example. There are currently 8,281 students from more than 30 countries enrolled at Elam, which last month celebrated its 11th anniversary. The government hopes to inculcate a sense of social responsibly into the students in the hope that they will work within their own poor communities for at least five years.

Damien Joel Suarez, 27, a second year from New Jersey, is one of 171 American students; 47 have already graduated. He dismisses allegations that Elam is part of the Cuban propaganda machine. "Of course, Che is a hero here but he isn't forced down your neck."

Another 49,000 students are enrolled in the El Nuevo Programa de Formacion de Medicos Latinoamericanos, the brainchild of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, who pledged in 2005 to train 100,000 doctors for the continent. The course is much more hands-on, and critics question the quality of the training.

Professor Kirk disagrees: "The hi-tech approach to health needed in London and Toronto is irrelevant for millions of people in the Third World who are living in poverty. It is easy to stand on the sidelines and criticise the quality, but if you were living somewhere with no doctors, then you'd be happy to get anyone."

There are nine million Haitians who would probably agree.
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Good parents want their kids to stay out of trouble, do well in school, and go on to do awesome things as adults.

And while there isn't a set recipe for raising successful children, psychology research has pointed to a handful of factors that predict success.

Unsurprisingly, much of it comes down to the parents.

Here's what parents of successful kids have in common:

They make their kids do chores

"If kids aren't doing the dishes, it means someone else is doing that for them," Julie Lythcott-Haims, former dean of freshmen at Stanford University and author of "How to Raise an Adult" said during a TED Talks Live event.

"And so they're absolved of not only the work, but of learning that work has to be done and that each one of us must contribute for the betterment of the whole," she said.

Lythcott-Haims believes kids raised on chores go on to become employees who collaborate well with their coworkers, are more empathetic because they know firsthand what struggling looks like, and are able to take on tasks independently.

She bases this on the Harvard Grant Study, the longest longitudinal study ever conducted.

"By making them do chores  taking out the garbage, doing their own laundry  they realize I have to do the work of life in order to be part of life," she tells Tech Insider.

They teach their kids social skills

Children only play outdoors in Switzerland for about half an hour a day on average (Getty)

Researchers from Pennsylvania State University and Duke University tracked more than 700 children from across the US between kindergarten and age 25 and found a significant correlation between their social skills as kindergartners and their success as adults two decades later.

The 20-year study showed that socially competent children who could cooperate with their peers without prompting, be helpful to others, understand their feelings, and resolve problems on their own, were far more likely to earn a college degree and have a full-time job by age 25 than those with limited social skills.

Those with limited social skills also had a higher chance of getting arrested, binge drinking, and applying for public housing.

"This study shows that helping children develop social and emotional skills is one of the most important things we can do to prepare them for a healthy future," said Kristin Schubert, program director at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which funded the research, in a release.

"From an early age, these skills can determine whether a child goes to college or prison, and whether they end up employed or addicted."

They have high expectations

Using data from a national survey of 6,600 children born in 2001, University of California at Los Angeles professor Neal Halfon and his colleagues discovered that the expectations parents hold for their kids have a huge effect on attainment.

"Parents who saw college in their child's future seemed to manage their child toward that goal irrespective of their income and other assets," he said in a statement.

The finding came out in standardized tests: 57% of the kids who did the worst were expected to attend college by their parents, while 96% of the kids who did the best were expected to go to college.

That parents should keep their expectations high falls in line with another psych finding  the Pygmalion effect, which states "that what one person expects of another can come to serve as a self-fulfilling prophecy"  as well as what some teachers told Business Insider was most important for a child's success.

They've attained higher educational levels

(Getty)

A 2014 study lead by University of Michigan psychologist Sandra Tang found that mothers who finished high school or college were more likely to raise kids that did the same.

Pulling from a group of over 14,000 children who entered kindergarten in 1998 to 2007, the study found that children born to teen moms (18 years old or younger) were less likely to finish high school or go to college than their counterparts.

Aspiration is at least partially responsible. In a 2009 longitudinal study of 856 people in semirural New York, Bowling Green State University psychologist Eric Dubow found that "parents' educational level when the child was 8 years old significantly predicted educational and occupational success for the child 40 years later."

They teach their kids math early on

A 2007 meta-analysis of 35,000 preschoolers across the US, Canada, and England found that developing math skills early can turn into a huge advantage.

"The paramount importance of early math skills  of beginning school with a knowledge of numbers, number order, and other rudimentary math concepts  is one of the puzzles coming out of the study," coauthor and Northwestern University researcher Greg Duncan said in a press release. "Mastery of early math skills predicts not only future math achievement, it also predicts future reading achievement."

They develop a relationship with their kids

A 2014 study of 243 people born into poverty found that children who received "sensitive caregiving" in their first three years not only did better in academic tests in childhood, but had healthier relationships and greater academic attainment in their 30s.

As reported on PsyBlog, parents who are sensitive caregivers "respond to their child's signals promptly and appropriately" and "provide a secure base" for children to explore the world.

"This suggests that investments in early parent-child relationships may result in long-term returns that accumulate across individuals' lives,"coauthor and University of Minnesota psychologist Lee Raby said in an interview.

They're less stressed

According to recent research cited by Brigid Schulte at The Washington Post, the number of hours that moms spend with kids between ages 3 and 11 does little to predict the child's behavior, well-being, or achievement.

What's more, the "intensive mothering" or "helicopter parenting" approach can backfire.

"Mothers' stress, especially when mothers are stressed because of the juggling with work and trying to find time with kids, that may actually be affecting their kids poorly," study coauthor and Bowling Green State University sociologist Kei Nomaguchi told The Post.

Emotional contagion  or the psychological phenomenon where people "catch" feelings from one another like they would a cold  helps explain why. Research shows that if your friend is happy, that brightness will infect you; if she's sad, that gloominess will transfer as well. So if a parent is exhausted or frustrated, that emotional state could transfer to the kids.

The mums work outside the home

(Getty Images/iStockphoto (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

According to research out of Harvard Business School, there are significant benefits for children growing up with mothers who work outside the home.

The study found daughters of working mothers went to school longer, were more likely to have a job in a supervisory role, and earned more money  23% more compared to their peers who were raised by stay-at-home mothers.

The sons of working mothers also tended to pitch in more on household chores and childcare, the study found  they spent seven-and-a-half more hours a week on childcare and 25 more minutes on housework.

"Role modeling is a way of signaling what's appropriate in terms of how you behave, what you do, the activities you engage in, and what you believe," the study's lead author, Harvard Business School professor Kathleen L. McGinn, told Business Insider.

"There are very few things, that we know of, that have such a clear effect on gender inequality as being raised by a working mother," she told Working Knowledge.

They have a higher socioeconomic status

Tragically, one-fifth of American children grow up in poverty, a situation that severely limits their potential.

It's getting more extreme. According to Stanford University researcher Sean Reardon, the achievement gap between high- and low-income families "is roughly 30% to 40% larger among children born in 2001 than among those born 25 years earlier."

As "Drive" author Dan Pink has noted, the higher the income for the parents, the higher the SAT scores for the kids.

"Absent comprehensive and expensive interventions, socioeconomic status is what drives much of educational attainment and performance,"he wrote.

They teach 'grit'

(Lucelia Ribeiro / Flickr)

In 2013, University of Pennsylvania psychologist Angela Duckworth won a MacArthur "genius" grant for her uncovering of a powerful, success-driving personality trait called grit.

Defined as a "tendency to sustain interest in and effort toward very long-term goals," her research has correlated grit with educational attainment, grade-point average in Ivy League undergrads, retention in West Point cadets, and rank in the US National Spelling Bee.

It's about teaching kids to imagine  and commit  to a future they want to create.

They give their kids bias-proof names

A host of research shows just how much your name can affect your lifetime success, from your hireability to your spending habits.

Career-wise, people with names that are common and easy to pronounce, for example, have been found to have more success.

They understand the importance of good nutrition and eating habits

Successful people recognize that good eating habits can help you focus and be productive throughout the day.

Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair, a family and children's clinical psychologist and author of books like "The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age," told Slate that developing food habits in kids that are both mentally and physically healthy requires involvement from parents.

To help their kids develop a sense of body acceptance and a body-positive self-image, she says parents need to role model good attitudes about their own and others' bodies, healthy eating habits of their own, and a positive attitude about food.

Read more:

 This chart is easy to interpret: It says we're screwed

 How Uber became the world's most valuable startup

 These 4 things could trigger the next crisis in Europe

Read the original article on Business Insider UK.  2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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Engineers are preparing to move an Antarctic research station because it is in the projected path of a crack expanding across the ice shelf.

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) base was built like a very long railway train on skis, allowing it to be moved with relative ease, but scientists did not expect to have to relocate so soon.

Shortly after the brand new Halley VI centre was towed to its current coordinates in 2012, a chasm that had been dormant for at least 35 years began to open up once again 4.3 miles away.

David Vaughan, BAS director of science, said satellite imagery suggested the crevasse could potentially isolate the centre from the mainland.

The chasm, if it continues to grow, will eventually produce an iceberg and if we left the station where it is at the moment it would be on that iceberg, he told Sky News, explaining that the organisation intend to tow the centre over 14 miles inland across the ice to safety.

The centre was designed to make relocation possible, he said.

It is made up of separate modules, carriages if you like, each of which is sitting on four skis, it gives us the opportunity to separate each of the modules and tow them separately, using caterpillar tractors, to a new location, and then fit the whole station back together again," he added.

(British Antarctic Survey (British Antarctic Survey)

The station is on Antarcticas 150-metre-thick Brunt Ice Shelf, a floating ice sheet which is constantly flowing at a rate of a quarter of a mile per year towards the sea, where, at irregular intervals, it calves off as icebergs.

All ice shelves do this. Its a natural event, Hilmar Gudmundsson, a glaciologist at BAS, told New Scientist.

But its difficult to say exactly when and how large these events will be. Its a bit like trying to predict an earthquake.

It is not known if the growth of the crack is related to global warming or how it will develop, she said.

We dont know what will happen. It might stop growing, but we cant exclude the possibility of a big calving event, she told the magazine.

In October, a second crack emerged in the ice about 10.5 miles north of the station, across a route sometimes used to resupply the base. Alternative paths have been used since.

Halley is crucial to studies into globally important issues, such as the impact of extreme space weather events, climate change and atmospheric phenomena. It was scientific investigations from the current site that led to the discovery of the Antarctic Ozone Hole in 1985.

(British Antarctic Survey (British Antarctic Survey)

Tim Stockings, operations director at BAS, said: "Over the last couple of years our operational teams have been meticulous in developing very detailed plans for the move and we are excited by the challenge.

"Antarctica can be a very hostile environment. Each summer season is very short  about nine weeks. And because the ice and the weather are unpredictable we have to be flexible in our approach."

He added: "We are especially keen to minimise the disruption to the science programmes. We have planned the move in stages  the science infrastructure that captures environmental data will remain in place while the stations modules move.

Meet the people who call Antarctica home Show all 6 1 /6 Meet the people who call Antarctica home Meet the people who call Antarctica home THE ADVENTURER Climbing and skiing guide Jean Cane, 45, who grew up in Yorkshire, works as an IT contractor in Sydney for six months of the year to fund her 'other' life, as an adventure-sports instructor on expedition cruises to the Antarctic Mark Chilvers Meet the people who call Antarctica home THE SEAMAN With more than 300 crossings of the Drake Passage to his name, the Ukrainian Oleg Klaptenko, 44, is one of the most experienced captains working in Antarctic waters. He is currently skipper of the Ocean Diamond, an ice-strengthened expedition vessel Mark Chilvers Meet the people who call Antarctica home THE SCIENTIST A professor of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences at Louisiana State University, Dr Dr Mike Polito, 35, has travelled to Antarctica regularly since 2000. He works with Penguin Lifelines (penguinlifelines.org), collecting research samples and video footage from across the continent to help us better understand and protect penguins Mark Chilvers Meet the people who call Antarctica home THE ALL-ROUNDER In 1995, Liesl Schernthanner, 48, took a sabbatical from her career in academic research to work with the US Antarctic Program. She never went back to her real job. The American has worked all over Antarctica, including the South Pole, where she met her British husband at a research base. This season, she is working in a conservation role for the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, looking after historic bases on the Peninsula Mark Chilvers Meet the people who call Antarctica home THE HISTORIAN Antarctic historian and Polar guide Jonathan Shackleton, 63, is a cousin twice removed of the late polar explorer Ernest. He has travelled to Antarctica 37 times, leading historical tours. He lives in County Cavan, Ireland, close to where Ernest was born, and is the author of 'Shackleton: an Irishman in Antarctica' Mark Chilvers Meet the people who call Antarctica home THE POSTMAN Sub-postmaster Stephen Skinner, 29, was brought up in County Durham. An early obsession with the stories of Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton led to his 15-year mission to get to Antarctica. He finally achieved it for the first time this season, beating off scores of applicants to secure the role of sub-postmaster at Port Lockroy, the historic British base where he also helps to maintain the museum (ukaht.org) Mark Chilvers

Preparatory work for the relocation was carried out during the 2015-16 Antarctic summer season, which runs from November to March.

The planned move will be completed in gradual stages by April 2018, allowing scientific research to continue in temporary facilities at the existing site.
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A Canadian police force, on Prince Edward Island, is threatening drink-drivers with the music of the homegrown rock band Nickelback. Police in the town of Kensington warn on top of a hefty fine, a criminal charge and a years driving suspension we will also provide you with a bonus gift of playing the offices copy of Nickelback in the cruiser on the way to jail.

This might seem an odd form of crime prevention, but the use of music as punishment is a tried and tested method. Other recent examples include Rockdale Council in Sydney, Australia, which in 2006 used the music of Barry Manilow to prevent young people from loitering outside shops. And in 2009, a judge in Colorado incensed at young people playing music too loud from their cars in certain neighbourhoods, sentenced them to his music immersion programme.

This involved them being both punished and educated by having such songs played to them as the Barney & Friends theme tune and, yes, more Barry Manilow.

There is of course variation in the types of music different people would consider punishment. When British naval officers blasted Britney Spears tracks to repel Somali pirates off the coast of east Africa in 2013, Steven Jones, of the Security Association for the Maritime Industry, said: Id imagine using Justin Bieber would be against the Geneva Convention.

We could all jokingly volunteer naff music for inclusion in these punishments and deterrents  but the truth is that the (mis)use of music quite often does breach international human rights conventions, notably Article 5 of the UN Declaration.

Acoustic bombardment

Music has long been systematically used a weapon of war. It was famously blasted out of loudspeakers in Nazi concentration camps to drown out sounds of gunfire, which might have led to panic or rebellion. Jolly music was also used as a welcome to greet newly arrived captives at the train station in Treblinka, deceiving them about the true nature of the camp. Official orchestras were a feature of many camps. Prisoners played for the benefit of officers and were treated better than ordinary camp prisoners, many feeling that they owed their survival to being in the orchestra.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters 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 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Famously when the former dictator of Panama, Manuel Noriega, was taking refuge from US forces at the Vatican embassy in Panama City, the Americans blasted heavy metal at the opera-loving general. The New York Times reported that Noriega, exhausted and tormented by the deafening heavy metal music that troops were playing, surrendered on January 4 1990.

During the Iraq war of 2003, US troops bombarded the enemy with music, a tactic that was agreed at command level. The choice of music was left up to the soldiers, who constructed sound systems in military vehicles so they could play it. The soldiers overwhelmingly chose rap and heavy metal. One soldier in the 2005 documentary film Soundtrack to War, which is about the use of music by US soldiers in Iraq, says war itself is heavy metal.

Psychological torture

To some extent, any repetitious noise can be used for harm, but in the cases of the Iraq war and Guantanamo Bay, the music was often selected specifically because it was culturally alien to the enemy  heavy metal and rap, for example. The themes from Sesame Street and Barney, symbolic of childhood innocence, were also used to break detainees.

The British former Guantanamo prisoner, Binyam Mohamed, reported the use of music on numerous occasions alongside other torture techniques:

It was pitch-black, and no lights on in the rooms for most of the time, he has said. They hung me up for two days. My legs had swollen. My wrists and hands had gone numb... there was loud music, Slim Shady and Dr Dre for 20 days. I heard this nonstop, over and over.

Some bands are reportedly happy for their music to be used for what they perceived as patriotic purposes, but many more were vigorously opposed their music being used for torture. But the use of music has joined sensory deprivation and sexual humiliation as non-lethal torture lite which is used to coerce prisoners into giving up their secrets.

Music, like any noise, can be a source of pain. At high volume, people experience accelerated respiration and heartbeat, spatial disorientation, their intellectual capacity becomes diminished, and they feel nauseous and neurotic. Beyond a certain limit, it can become more than just a nuisance or a means to rid the streets of loitering kids  it can be an immaterial weapon of death.

This article first appeared on The Conversation (theconversation.com). Eleanor Peters is a senior lecturer in criminology, at Edge Hill University
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AA Gill, the revered writer, fearsome food critic and provocative columnist for The Sunday Times for more than 20 years has died of cancer. He was 62.

Gills balance of acerbic wit and searching observations established him as one of the most distinguished British columnists.

Sunday Times editor Martin Ivens said Gill was the heart and soul of the paper and "a giant among journalists".

His writing was dazzling and fearless, his intelligence was matched by compassion," he said in a statement to staff.

"Adrian was stoical about his illness, but the suddenness of his death has shocked us all.

Characteristically he has had the last word, writing an outstanding article about coming to terms with his cancer in tomorrow's Sunday Times Magazine.

Gill announced his diagnosis of an embarrassment of cancer, the full English in his Table Talk column just three weeks before his death.

He also detailed how he had chosen to leave private medical care and continue his treatment with the NHS because he did not want to die in a trench in Harley Street.

What I always look for is the spark of human connection in everything, and thats one of the reasons why Ive always wanted to be in the NHS. Thats why I wanted to be here in Charing Cross Hospital, because I want the connection it brings, he said.

Notable deaths in 2016 Show all 42 1 /42 Notable deaths in 2016 Notable deaths in 2016 Debbie Reynolds was an American actress, singer, businesswoman, film historian, and humanitarian. She died on December 28 in Los Angeles Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Actress Carrie Fisher died on December 27 aged 60 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Comedian and Actor Ricky Harris died on December 26 aged 54 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 British singer George Michael died on 25 December aged 53 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Rick Parfitt OBE was an English musician, best known for being a singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist in the rock band Status Quo. He died on December 24 in Marbella, Spain Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Lord Jenkin of Roding died at the age of 90 on the 21 December PA wire Notable deaths in 2016 Rabbi Lionel Blue died on the 19 December Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Zsa Zsa Gabor died on December 18 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Leonard Cohen died on 7 November Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Grand secretary of the Orange Order Drew Nelson died on 10 October aged 60 after a short illness PA Notable deaths in 2016 Aaron Pryor, the relentless junior welterweight died Sunday, Oct. 9, at the age of 60 at his home in Cincinnati after a long battle with heart disease AP Notable deaths in 2016 Polish Director Andrzej Wajda died on October 9, aged 90 Reuters Notable deaths in 2016 Stylianos Pattakos has died following a stroke on 8th October. He was 103 years old. AP Notable deaths in 2016 Dickie Jeeps, was an English rugby union player who played for Northampton. He represented and captained both the England national rugby union team and the British Lions in the 1950s and 1960s. He died on 8th October. He was 84 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Duke of Westminster Billionaire landowner the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor has died on 9 August, aged 64 Rex Features Notable deaths in 2016 Christina Knudsen Sir Roger Moores stepdaughter Christina Knudsen has died from cancer on 25 July at teh age of 47 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Caroline Aherne The actress Caroline Aherne has died from cancer on 2 July at the age of 52 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Christina Grimmie Christina Grimmie, 22, who was an American singer and songwriter, known for her participation in the NBC singing competition The Voice, was signing autographs at a concert venue in Orlando on 10 June when an assailant shot her. Grimmie was transported to a local hospital where she died from her wounds on 11 June Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Kimbo Slice Former UFC and Bellator MMA fighter Kimbo Slice died after being admitted to hospital in Florida on 6 June, aged 42 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Muhammad Ali The three-time former heavyweight world champion died after being admitted to hospital with a respiratory illness on 3 June, aged 74 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Sally Brampton Brampton who was the launch editor of the UK edition of Elle magazine has died on 10 May, aged 60 Grant Triplow/REX/Shutterstock Notable deaths in 2016 Billy Paul The soul singer Billy Paul, who was best known for his single Me and Mrs Jones, has died on 24 April, aged 81 Noel Vasquez/Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Prince Prince, the legendary musician, has been found dead at his Paisley Park recording studio on 21 April. He was 57 Notable deaths in 2016 Chyna WWE icon Joan Laurer dies aged 45 after being found at California home on 20 April Notable deaths in 2016 Victoria Wood The five-time Bafta-winning actress and comedian Victoria Wood has died on 20 April at her London home after a short illness with cancer. She was 62 Notable deaths in 2016 David Gest The entertainer and former husband of Liza Minnelli, David Gest has been found dead on 12 April in the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Warf, London. He was 62-years-old PA Notable deaths in 2016 Denise Robertson Denise Robertson, an agony aunt on This Morning for over 30 years, has died on 1 April, aged 83 Notable deaths in 2016 Zaha Hadid Dame Zaha Hadid, the prominent architect best known for designs such as the London Olympic Aquatic Centre and the Guangzhou Opera House, has died of a heart attack on 31 March, aged 65 2010 AFP Notable deaths in 2016 Ronnie Corbett British entertainer Ronnie Corbett has passed away on 31 March at the age of 85 2014 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Imre Kertesz Hungarian writer and Holocaust survivor Imre Kertesz, who won the 2002 Nobel Literature Prize, has died on 31 March, at the age of 86 REUTERS Notable deaths in 2016 Rob Ford Rob Ford, the former controversial mayor of Toronto, has died following a battle with a rare form of cancer. The 46-year-old passed away at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto on 22 March Notable deaths in 2016 Joey Feek Joey (left) passed away in March after a two-year cancer illness. She was part of country music duo, Joey + Rory, with her husband Rory (right) Jason Merritt/Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Umberto Eco Italian writer and philosopher Umberto Eco died 19 February 2016 aged 84 EPA Notable deaths in 2016 Harper Lee Harper Lee, the American novelist known for writing 'To Kill a Mockingbird', died February 19, 2016 aged 89 2005 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Vanity Vanity, pictured performing in 1983, died aged 57 REX Features Notable deaths in 2016 Dave Mirra The BMX legend's body found inside truck with gunshot wound after apparent suicide aged 41 Notable deaths in 2016 Harry Harpham The former miner became Sheffield Labour MP in May after many years as a local councillor. He died after succumbing to cancer, at the age of 61. Notable deaths in 2016 Dale Griffin The Mott the Hoople drummer died on January 17, aged 67 REX Notable deaths in 2016 Rene Angelil Celine Dion's husband and manager Rene Angelil has lost his battle with cancer on 14 January, aged 73 2011 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Alan Rickman Legendary actor Alan Rickman has died on 14 January at the age of 69 after battle with pancreatic cancer. He is largely regarded as one of the most beloved British actors of our generation with roles in Love Actually, Die Hard, Michael Collins, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and an illustrious stage career 2015 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Maurice White The Earth, Wind & Fire founder died aged 74. The nine-piece band sold more than 90 million albums worldwide and won six Grammy awards Notable deaths in 2016 Lawrence Phillips Former NFL star found dead in prison cell on 13 January in suspected suicide, aged 40 AFP/Getty Images

Reflecting on his life, Gill told the paper he felt fulfilled by what he had achieved up until his diagnosis. I realise I dont have a bucket list; I dont feel Ive been cheated of anything. Id like to have gone to Timbuktu, and there are places I will be sorry not to see again.

Gill was married to the current Home Secretary Amber Rudd in 1990 when she was working as a financial journalist. They split five years later.

He then met his partner of 23 years, former Tatler editor-at-large Nicola Formby, who he proposed to shortly after his diagnosis. He would refer to her as 'The Blonde' in his reviews.

Celebratedly fierce, biting and funny in his prose, Gill was also severely dyslexic and dictated his copy to editors. A former alcoholic, he began his career as an artist, which would prove to be a fruitless venture, gave up drinking aged 30 and wrote his first piece for Tatler under a pseudonym from a detox clinic.

Relentlessly controversial, he was the subject of 62 press commission complaints in five years, including one by Clare Balding after he referred to her as a dyke on a bike in a typically caustic column for The Times.

Many of those paying tribute to Gill wrote AA Gill is Away in their eulogies, a nod to the footnote which would appear in the paper to denote the writer was travelling.

Gill is survived by Formby and his four children.
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Nasa researchers have joined forces with Stephen Hawking to build a nano-starship that can travel one-fifth the speed of light.

If successful, the ship, called StarChip could reach Earths closest star system, Alpha Centauri, in 20 years.

Stephen Hawking announced the Breakthrough Starshot project in April, for which he is joined by a team at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology. But whether the craft could survive a two decade-long trip remained in question.

Thats where Nasa can help. According to their researchers, high-energy radiation in space could cause the ship to cease functionality well before the 20-year trip was over, according to Science Alert.

Nasa proposed a number of options to pursue in the development stages of the project. They presented their findings at the International Electron Devices Meeting in San Francisco this week.

 Four things you may not know about the speed of light

First, adjust the route of the flight to avoid those high-radiation areas. But that could add years to the voyage and would not necessarily protect the ship from degradation.

Second, they proposed the ship could be built with protective shielding on the electronics. But adding shielding to the ship would add to the size and weight and thus slow down the remarkable speed of the craft.

Third, Nasa researchers proposed a silicon chip that would automatically repair itself.

On-chip healing has been around for many, many years, Nasa team member Jin-Woo Han said in the presentation.

Still the research is only theoretical and researchers have significant work to do to address other major problems in interstellar travel.

The limit that confronts us now is the great void between us and the stars, Mr Hawking said in April. But now we can transcend it. With light beams, light sails, and the lightest spacecraft ever built, we can launch a mission to Alpha Centauri within a generation.

Today, we commit to this next great leap into the cosmos because we are human, and our nature is to fly."
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At least 400 people killed themselves shortly after they were released from police custody in England and Wales in the last seven years, a new report has said.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) expressed concern over serious gaps in the care of people who had been detained, after examining data gathered by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) from April 2009 to the end of March 2016.

The commission urged the Home Office to consider transferring responsibility for health care in police stations to the NHS, the BBC reported.

Although the IPCC collects information about the number of people who died in the immediate aftermath of state detention anually, the EHRC said it decided to review the figures because they had been given considerably less attention than deaths in state custody, which reached an all-time high last year.

Almost all of the 400 hidden deaths included in the statistics occurred within 48 hours of release from custody. A small number, which happened outside that time frame, were also included if the individual's detention by police may have been relevant to the subsequent death and the death had been referred to the IPCC.

The IPCC noted the figures were unlikely to be complete, and the actual number may be higher.

The police may not always be told of an apparent suicide that happens after time spent in custody, as this association may not always be clear. Therefore, there may be additional deaths in these circumstances that are not reported here, it said.

The Government admitted each death represented a failure.

The IPCC noted that the 70 deaths in 2014/15 was the highest number recorded in the category since 2004/05.

It added: Reporting of these deaths relies on police forces making the link between an apparent suicide and a recent period of custody. Increases in these deaths may therefore be influenced by improved identification and referral of such case.

Of those who died in the seven years, 128 (32 per cent) had been arrested over allegations of sexual abuse.

The EHRC report said: Sexual offences, especially in relation to children, are particularly taboo and lead many offenders to feel high levels of shame and experience high levels of social exclusion.

A further 83 people (21 per cent) who had been investigated over crimes of violence took their own lives; 44 (11 per cent) had faced breach of the peace or criminal damage allegations, and 38 (10 per cent) had been in custody on suspicion of driving offences.

One of the 60 people who killed themselves last year had been detained under the mental health act, while another was just 16 years old.

Mental health concerns and drug or alcohol addiction played a role in the majority of cases.

One case highlighted in the EHRC report concerned a young person who had been caught in possession of cannabis while on a family holiday.

He killed himself after being later wrongly issued with a further summons at his home address.

The Home Office noted there were 60 deaths in 2015/16, down by10 on the previous year, but stressed it was not complacent and had launched an independent review to identify areas for improvement.

A spokeswoman added: Every death in or following police custody represents a failure and has the potential to dramatically undermine the relationship between the police and the communities they serve.

Over recent years police forces have worked closely with NHS England to improve the quality and provision of custody health services and build better local partnerships.

The commission called on ministers to set up an inter-agency summit to tackle the issue.

David Isaac, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, told the BBC: When the state detains people, it also has a very high level of responsibility to ensure they are safely rehabilitated back into their communities, particularly those who may be vulnerable.

Our report reveals a fractured state of post-detention care that is potentially leading to hundreds of deaths.

The commission said all apparent suicides within two days of release should be referred to the IPCC.

As a minimum requirement it said custody health care staff should have prompt access to NHS records.
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Amazon workers in Scotland have resorted to sleeping in tents near the companys warehouse in a desperate attempt to save money.

At least three tents have been pitched in woodland near the M90 motorway in Dunfermline, Fife - close to one of the retail giants "fulfilment centres".

Employees are braving sub-zero temperatures to save money on travel costs so they can continue working for the company, which does not pay staff a living wage.

Critics said Amazon should be ashamed and demanded it raise workers wages to enable them to commute from their homes.

Willie Rennie, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, said: Amazon should be ashamed that they pay their workers so little that they have to camp out in the dead of winter to make ends meet.

Amazon need to take a long, hard look at themselves and change their ways.

They pay a small amount of tax and received millions of pounds from the SNP Government so the least they should do is pay the proper living wage.

 Amazon Go launches, letting people walk into shops and take things from the shelves

The fares the company charge for transport swallow up a lot of the weekly wage which is forcing people to seek ever more desperate ways of making work pay.

Temperatures have dropped to -7C in the area in recent days, raising fears about the welfare of the workers. Around 1,500 permanent staff are employed at the Fife facilty, while temporary workers are also hired to meet demand in the run-up to Christmas.

According to The Courier, the campers said they could not afford to travel to the facility from their homes in Perth. One described Amazon as a poor employer.

5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Show all 5 1 /5 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Facebook Facebook paid 4327 in corporation tax in 2014, after it made a pre-tax loss of 28.5 million, according to filings at Companies House. That's less tax that new average UK employee pays on their salary. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Amazon Amazons UK business paid just 11.9m in corporation tax last year, even though the online retail giant took 5.3bn in sales from British shoppers. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Google So well known for avoiding tax that it had the 'Google tax' on multinationals that move profits to low-tax countries named after it. Alarm bells started ringing in 2012, when Google revealed it payed only 11.6 million to the Treasury, despite taking 3.4 billion in the UK. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Uber Uber paid 22,134 in UK corporation tax last year despite making an 866,000 profit. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Starbucks In October, the European Commission ruled that Starbucks' tax deal in the EU was illegal, ordering it to pay pay between 20-30 million to the Netherlands.

However, a spokesperson for Amazon said: Amazon provides a safe and positive workplace. The safety and wellbeing of our permanent and temporary associates is our number one priority.

We are also proud to have been able to create several thousand new permanent roles in our UK fulfilment centres over the last five years.

We pay competitive wages  all permanent and temporary Amazon associates start on 7.35 an hour or above regardless of age and 11 an hour and above for overtime.

Special buses are laid on by private companies to transport workers to the facility but fares cost up to 10 per day  the equivalent of more than an hours pay.

Amazon has repeatedly come under fire for its treatment of workers. Staff claimed to have been fined for returning one minute late after a lunch break and made to work four days in a row without sleep. One woman with breast cancer alleged she was put on a performance improvement plan" and told her personal life was interfering with her work.

The company, which was founded by entrepreneur Jeff Bezos in 1994 and now has a global value of 290 billion, has also been accused of dodging tax after paying just 9.8 million in tax on profits in the UK despite raking in 6.3 billion from UK sales.
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Around half of the people in the UK would not be prepared to pay more in tax even if they knew the money helped homeless young people, a survey has revealed.

An exclusive ComRes poll for The Independent showed that 46 per cent of the public rejected the idea of paying more to help fight youth homelessness.

It comes as thousands of young people are preparing to sleep on Britains streets this Christmas, a major problem that led to The Independent launching its Homeless Helpline Appeal.

The ComRes poll asked more than 2,000 people if they would be prepared to have more money taken from their income in tax if they knew it was going to help young people with no home.

Just over a third backed the idea  some 35 per cent  while 19 per cent did not know. The rest opposed it.

More than 150,000 16 to 24 year olds are approaching local councils in the UK every year to seek help because they are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Meanwhile, research recently found that up to one in three young people seeking help to be housed from their local council are being turned away unaided.

Centrepoint has warned that some 25,000 young people could be at risk of homelessness, leading The Independent to join forces with the charity in a Christmas appeal for funds to launch the countrys first nationwide helpline for young people facing life on the streets.

ComRes interviewed 2,040 GB adults online between 7 and 8 December 2016. Data was weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults and by past vote recall. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
(Xinhua) 19:19, December 09, 2016

SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye said that she is gravely accepting the parliamentary decision to remove her from office after her impeachment motion was passed through the National Assembly with an overwhelming support.

"I'm gravely accepting parliamentary and public voices, and wish the current turmoil comes to a stable end," Park said at a meeting with cabinet members in the presidential office after the impeachment bill obtained the two-thirds majority vote.

Park will maintain the title of president, but she will be stripped of all presidential powers while the constitutional court reviews her case. Park's legal authority was stopped at about 7 p.m. local time after formally receiving a copied result on the vote.

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn will take over, becoming acting president while the trial gets under way for as long as 180 days to determine whether to permanently force Park out.

The 300-member assembly passed the bill, proposed last Saturday by the opposition bloc, with 234 legislators voting for and 56 opposing. Seven votes were invalid, and two abstained. One lawmaker refused to take part in the voting which was broadcast live on TV.

Park apologized to people for causing the national turmoil because of her lack of virtue and carelessness at a time when the country's security and economy both are in troubles.

The first South Korean female leader vowed to calmly and composedly address the court ruling and investigation by a special prosecutor who is forecast to launch an independent probe into the case as early as next week.

At the potentially last meeting with cabinet members until the court's ruling, Park asked for them to make efforts to minimize vacuum of state affairs, including economic and security affairs, by uniting with each other as Prime Minister Hwang as the central figure.
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The Duke of York has said there is no truth in rumours of a rift between him and the Prince of Wales over his daughters' participation as members of the Royal Family.

Making a rare public statement, Andrew posted a link on Twitter in response to recent rumours regarding Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice.

He said: It is a complete fabrication to suggest I have asked for any future husbands of the Princesses to have titles.

There is no truth to the story that there could be a split between The Prince of Wales and I over my daughters' participation as members of the Royal Family and any continued speculation is pointless.

Earlier on Friday, the Duchess of York spoke of her pride in her daughters and made the plea stop bullying the York family.

She was speaking as her daughters became patrons of the Teenage Cancer Trust, calling their hard work an example of good parenting.

The Duchess and the two princesses visited a specialist teen cancer unit in London to mark the occasion, meeting young people with the disease.

Sarah said: Both the Duke and myself, we could not be more proud of this moment because these are two girls that work so hard in their own careers, have taken time off today to spread the word of teen cancer, which is so important, and then go back to work.

It's really an extraordinary example that, I think, good parenting and listening to your children and getting them to take responsibility for their own actions.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures 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 launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that 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 at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz 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. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty

The Teenage Cancer Trust provides specialist care and support for young people with cancer, giving them the chance to connect with others of the same age.

Beatrice spent time talking to Harry Sadler at the University College Hospital unit, who has been diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer.

The 17-year-old said the princess was polite and vibrant, and he added: She listened to me.

Beatrice was in turn inspired by the Colchester student, saying: His strength taught me so much. I learnt a huge lesson today from Harry.

Sarah said she is proud of her family's charity work, adding: Let's focus more on this and less on tittle-tattle gossip.

Stop bullying the York family, please.

Press Association
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Boris Johnson has accused the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad of presiding over a "flagrant disregard for human life" in Aleppo after meeting other foreign ministers to discuss the ongoing crisis there.

The Foreign Secretary emerged from the meeting in Paris to demand access for humanitarian aid to the Syrian city being strangled by a Russian-backed regime offensive.

It comes as Mr Johnson heads to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with the countrys leaders following the row over his comments that the country is involved in proxy wars.

After the Paris meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry and others, Mr Johnson said: The situation in Aleppo remains dire with desperate images of destruction and a flagrant disregard for human life being splashed across the media on a daily basis.

We agreed our first priority must be the protection of civilians and ensuring access for humanitarian aid. It's essential that the regime and its backers provide the United Nations that access with immediate effect.

Mr Johnson accepted that rebels were being beaten back in Aleppo but went on to outline that there can be no military solution in Syria.

In pictures: Aleppo bombing Show all 14 1 /14 In pictures: Aleppo bombing In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Smoke rises after airstrikes on the rebel-held al-Sakhour neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family runs for cover amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of Al-Qatarji in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man reacts as he stands on blood stains at a site hit by airstrikes in the rebel held area of Aleppo's al-Fardous district, Syria, April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damage of the airstrikes in the rebel-held area of Aleppo on April 28 Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damaged the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-backed al-Quds hospital after it was hit by airstrikes, in a rebel-held area of Syria's Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians evacuate an injured man amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following an air strike on a rebel-held of Aleppo on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo People inspect the damage at a site hit by airstrikes, in the rebel-held area of Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man leads a woman in tears and child out of the scene after airstrikes hit Aleppo AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Civil defence members search for survivors after an airstrike at a field hospital in the rebel held area of al-Sukari district of Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian boy is comforted as he cries next to the body of a relative who died in a reported air strike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Soukour in the northern city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family walks amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike in the Bustan al-Qasr rebel-held district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers and rescuers remove a baby from under the rubble of a destroyed building following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Kalasa in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians help a wounded youth following an air strike on the Fardous rebel held neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers evacuate people from a damaged building following a reported airstrike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Tareeq al-Bab in the northern city of Aleppo

He added: We must keep pushing for a return to a political process with the credibility necessary for all parties to commit to an end to all the fighting.

Mr Johnson left the meeting to immediately head for the Gulf where he is due to meet his Saudi Arabian counterpart, where he will explain comments he made at a conference in Italy last week.

In the unguarded words, recorded and later published by the Guardian, he accused all politicians in the region of twisting and abusing religionin order to further their own political objectives.

He added: And thats why you have these proxy wars being fought the whole time in that area there is not strong enough leadership in the countries themselves.

 Boris Johnson caught on video accusing ally Saudi Arabia of playing proxy wars

Mr Johnson then lumped the Saudis in with Iran suggesting the two nations are both puppeteering and playing proxy wars.

Afterwards, Theresa Mays official spokesperson said the Foreign Secretarys comments were his own view and did not reflect Government policy, and indicated Mr Johnson would have a chance to recant when he visits Saudi.

The Foreign Secretary has refused to apologise however, and has even won the backing of Tories for giving what they see as an accurate appraisal of the situation in the Middle East.
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Lawyers are trying to raise 70,000 in public donations to fund a new court case over Article 50 and the Brexit process.

The planned lawsuit will ask in the Irish High Court whether it is possible for the UK to revoke a decision to trigger Article 50 at a later date.

Its originator Jolyon Maugham QC wills seek for certain questions to be referred to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg - including whether triggering Article 50 will mean Britain leaves the European Economic Area (EEA), or if that must involve a separate negotiation process.

The move follows the four-day hearing in the UK Supreme Court on an appeal by the UK Government against a High Court ruling demanding more scrutiny by Parliament over Article 50.

Mr Maugham is taking on the Irish government, the European Council and the European Commission and he is hoping UK MEPs who want the UK to remain in the EU will spearhead his legal action.

Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Show all 13 1 /13 Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Supreme Court Brexit Challenge People wait to enter the public gallery outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Gina Miller, co-founder of investment fund SCM Private arrives at the Supreme court in London on the first day of a four-day hearing Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A man waves the EU flag in front of the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Satirical artist Kaya Mar poses with two of his paintings in front of the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Pro-Europe protestors dressed as Supreme Court Justices stand outside the Supreme Court ahead of the first day of a hearing into whether Parliament's consent is required before the Brexit process can begin. The eleven Supreme Court Justices will hear the government's appeal, following the High Court's recent decision that only Parliament can trigger Article 50 Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge The eleven Supreme Court Justices will hear the government's appeal, following the High Court's recent decision that only Parliament can trigger Article 50 Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Businesswoman Gina Miller arrives at the Supreme Court ahead of the first day of a hearing into whether Parliament's consent is required before the Brexit process can begin Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Attorney General Jeremy Wright arrives at the Supreme Court in London EPA Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Protesters outside the Supreme Court in London, where the Government is appealing against a ruling that the Prime Minister must seek MPs' approval to trigger the process of taking Britain out of the European Union PA wire Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A protesters wearing a judge's wigs and robes stands outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A protester holds up a placard outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Pro-Europe protestors dressed as Supreme Court Justices stand outside the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A man waiting to enter the public gallery waves a European Union flag outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters

On his crowdfunding page Mr Maugham argued that if Article 50 cannot be revoked then the Government will be forced to accept whatever Brexit deal the EU puts before it, good or bad.

If the opposite is true then Parliament, on behalf of voters, will be able to scrutinise the settlement and reject unfavourable terms, he said.

But he will also ask whether Article 50 was in fact triggered in October, when Prime Minister Theresa May told the EU Council that Britain would leave the union.

If it has been triggered then the EU Commission is in breach of its treaty duties through wrongly refusing to commence negotiations with the UK, Mr Maugham says. If it has not, the European Cpouncil and Irish state are in breach of their treaty duties in wrongly excluding the UK from council meetings.

Recommended EU plan to let Brits opt in and keep EU citizenship explained

Mr Maugham said: "Put aside the legal niceties, what no one can dispute is that there are incredibly important questions to answer.

"Should Parliament control the terms on which we Brexit? Could we have a referendum on the final deal  or is the consequence of triggering Article 50 that we will leave the EU whatever the terms?

"By triggering Article 50, does the UK also leave the EEA, or is there a separate decision to make about whether we remain in the European Economic Area and Single Market?

Everyone  those who voted Leave and Remain; the people and Government of Ireland  deserves to know the answer to these questions."

 Theresa May aims for 'red, white and blue Brexit'

He added: "People must plan their lives. Businesses need certainty to invest.

"The people of Ireland are entitled to a Government that can work for the best possible future for Ireland. Its right that we all have the maximum certainty that the law can give.

"And referring these questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union is the only way to deliver that certainty."

Mrs May has admitted that EU leaders will seek to punish Britain in the Brexit talks to stop the break-up of the bloc.

The comment follows those of numerous EU leaders insisting they will not allow Britain to break away with a better deal than it currently enjoys as a member.
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Protesters have interrupted a speech by Jeremy Corbyn on domestic violence and human rights to demand Labour takes a stronger stance on battles raging in the Syrian city of Aleppo.

Peter Tatchell, the human rights campaigner, led demonstrators who burst on to a stage shared by the opposition leader and Baroness Shami Chakrabarti.

As protesters held posters in front of television cameras demanding actions not words, Mr Tatchell said: Whats happening in Aleppo is a modern day Guernica. We havent heard the leader of Labour party speak out enough to demand UK air drops.

Peter Tatchell (right) leads protesters disrupting a speech by Jeremy Corbyn to demand more action in Aleppo, in London on 10 December (PA)

Hundreds of thousands of life are at risk. We expect the leader of the Labour party to speak out.

Mr Corbyn remained at the podium, appealing with the demonstrators to leave their comments to a question session scheduled at the end of his speech.

Peter, could we leave this to the questions please? Were trying to make a speech here, he said, before being urged to sit down for a minute by Lady Chakrabarti. Just let them do this, she added.

Mr Corbyn could be heard asking aides if and when the Labour Party condemned the bombing of rebel-held areas of Aleppo before returning to the stage as protesters receded.

Thanking demonstrators for raising the issue, he said Emily Thornberry, Labours shadow Foreign Secretary, had made it absolutely clear that we do think there should be aid given to aid given to people in Aleppo, we do think the bombing should end, we do think there should be a ceasefire, we do think there should be a political solution, we do think the war should end in Syria.

Mr Corbyn had started making a speech to mark Human Rights Day when the protest started. It was due to focus on a commitment to lay down minimum standards of support for those fleeing abusive relationships under the Istanbul Convention.

In pictures: Aleppo bombing Show all 14 1 /14 In pictures: Aleppo bombing In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Smoke rises after airstrikes on the rebel-held al-Sakhour neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family runs for cover amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of Al-Qatarji in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man reacts as he stands on blood stains at a site hit by airstrikes in the rebel held area of Aleppo's al-Fardous district, Syria, April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damage of the airstrikes in the rebel-held area of Aleppo on April 28 Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damaged the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-backed al-Quds hospital after it was hit by airstrikes, in a rebel-held area of Syria's Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians evacuate an injured man amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following an air strike on a rebel-held of Aleppo on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo People inspect the damage at a site hit by airstrikes, in the rebel-held area of Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man leads a woman in tears and child out of the scene after airstrikes hit Aleppo AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Civil defence members search for survivors after an airstrike at a field hospital in the rebel held area of al-Sukari district of Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian boy is comforted as he cries next to the body of a relative who died in a reported air strike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Soukour in the northern city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family walks amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike in the Bustan al-Qasr rebel-held district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers and rescuers remove a baby from under the rubble of a destroyed building following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Kalasa in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians help a wounded youth following an air strike on the Fardous rebel held neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers evacuate people from a damaged building following a reported airstrike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Tareeq al-Bab in the northern city of Aleppo

We will put womens rights and freedoms, human rights, at the heart of our programme for government, he was due to say.

Women will not only be at the heart of my government, womens rights and interests will be front and centre stage of everything we do.

Recommended Corbyn pledges to ratify convention on preventing domestic violence

Saturdays protest was mounted by the pro-opposition Syria Solidarity UK campaign group, which is calling a parliamentary vote on UK aid drops, the end of sieges in Syria and humanitarian evacuations of civilians.

Mr Tatchell has previously criticised the Labour leader for failing to speak out loudly enough against Russia and its role supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

He has also hit out at the Stop the War Coalition Mr Corbyn previously headed for opposing Western military action.

The row comes as Syrian government forces and allies from Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, continue to advance on rebel-held districts of eastern Aleppo.

The UN warned that the city risked becoming one giant graveyard as bombing continued in civilian areas and thousands fled their homes. Numerous violations of international law have been reported on all sides, including indiscriminate bombing, the targeting of hospitals and civilian infrastructure and the use of chemical weapons.

Russias defence ministry claimed more than 20,000 civilians have left eastern Aleppo so far, on Saturday, and that more than 1,200 rebels had put down their arms, although the numbers could not be independently confirmed.

Read Peter Tatchell's article on the Stop The War Coalition here
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Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh has said he rejects the outcome of last week's election that he lost to opposition leader Adama Barrow and called for fresh elections.

The announcement made on state television throws the future of the West African country into doubt after an unexpected election result that ended Mr Jammeh's 22-year rule and was widely seen as a moment of democratic hope.

After a thorough investigation, I have decided to reject the outcome of the recent election. I lament serious and unacceptable abnormalities which have reportedly transpired during the electoral process, Mr Jammeh said.

I recommend fresh and transparent elections which will be officiated by a god-fearing and independent electoral commission, he said.

Mr Jammeh's announcement presents an unexpected and severe challenge to the incoming Barrow administration, which was already grappling with how to take the reins of power and deal with the army that for two decades was loyal to the president.

We are consulting on what to do, but as far as we are concerned, the people have voted, Mai Ahmad Fatty, the head of President-elect Barrow's transition team, told Reuters. We will maintain peace and stability and not let anyone provoke us into violence.

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

Human rights groups have long accused Mr Jammeh's government of having detained opponents and used violence against them during his rule - although the government have denied such allegations.

In 2007, Mr Jammeh claimed to have developed a cure for AIDS that involved an herbal body rub and bananas. Alarming public health experts, he insisted patients stop taking antiretroviral medications so his remedy could have an effect.

He also increasingly isolated Gambia, whose economy has long been dependent on tourism. In 2013 he exited the Commonwealth, a group made up mostly of former British colonies, branding it a neo-colonial institution. And in October, Jammeh said Gambia would leave the International Criminal Court, which he dismissed as the 'International Caucasian Court.'

Official election results from the electoral commission gave Mr Barrow, a real estate developer who once worked as a security guard at retailer Argos in London, 45.5 per cent of the vote against Mr Jammeh's 36.7 per cent. Mr Jammeh's defeat sparked wild celebrations - but some people also said they doubted whether he would accept defeat.

The United States condemned the statement from Mr Jammeh rejecting the result of the election. "This action is a reprehensible and unacceptable breach of faith with the people of The Gambia and an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election process and remain in power illegitimately," said Mark Toner, deputy spokesman at the US Department of State.

Mr Barrow is set to take over as president in late January following a transition period.

Reuters
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A British artist has self-published spoof photographs of Donald Trump, despite being told the next President of the United States could take legal action against her.

Alison Jackson, who uses lookalikes to make work commenting on the cult of celebrity and the deceptive nature of many images, said she was warned against publishing the satirical photographs by her lawyers.

She could not find a publisher prepared to release the "hard-hitting" collection, which features a Trump double having sex with Miss Mexico in the Oval Office, and as a member of the Ku Klux Klan, in addition to photographs of other celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and members of the Royal family.

 Michael Moore suggests Trump still might not become President

Ms Jackson said she decided to release the images herself because she believes it is wrong to allow artistic freedom to be curtailed.

But she admitted the threat of litigation was extremely off-putting and frightening.

Nobody wants to be sued by the US President, the 46-year-old artist, who is currently based in London, told the Independent.

[But] I dont want to stop doing the work. I dont think any artist or satirist, or anybody who sits outside the establishment, should have their artistic freedom stopped.

Alison Jackson; PRIVATE (Alison Jackson; PRIVATE)

It would be an outrageous moment if all artists had to stop doing their work because the President of the United States didnt like it."

She added that while an artist might expect to be censored in Vladimir Putins Russia or in North Korea, it was not something that usually happened in a Western democracy.

To have your artistic freedom curtailed... youre running into the realms of dictatorship, arent you? she said.

Ms Jackson, who won a BAFTA in 2002 and has had her photographs displayed in the Tate Modern, the Centre Pompidou in France, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, has previously had Penguin publish coffee table editions of her work, featuring spoof images of Princess Diana, Tony Blair and the Clintons, as well as celebrities such as the Beckhams.

(Alison Jackson; PRIVATE (Alison Jackson; PRIVATE)

But this time, she found it much more difficult to persuade people to release her work.

We approached publishers [but they all said no]. And then in the summer we just decided that wed do it outselves, she said.

The photographs are very hard hitting. If I want to create my work, I have to find other ways of doing it.

Ms Jackson self-published her book, Private, at the end of October.

Athough the project proved extremely well-timed, the photographs are far from a hasty response to the US election result. The series took months to complete, including almost a year spent just trying to find an adequate Trump lookalike.

(Alison Jackson; PRIVATE (Alison Jackson; PRIVATE)

Ms Jackson also stressed her work is not just about the President-elect, or the other celebrities she pokes fun at.

"It is about how its very difficult to tell the difference between what's real and what's not real in media imagery, or indeed any imagery at all," she said.

"It's very, very difficult to try and work out what's authentic and Im saying you can't rely on your own perception in imagery. Thats my point.

She started on this theme in the 1990s, when she created spoof images of Princess Diana, including photographs depicting her with boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed and a mixed-race baby.

(Alison Jackson; PRIVATE (Alison Jackson; PRIVATE)

Mr Trump, she said, was an obvious muse.

Hes the biggest topical figure of now, and hes going to be the US president, she said, adding that he was also always camera ready "in every sense of the word".

Hes gold, the same colour as his brand colour, gold hair, gold skin," she said.

"I mean Im sure he has a pop-up podium which pops up everytime he sees a camera. The Donald Trump reality show has gone viral.

She added that her Trump double had generated far more attention than any other fake celebrity she had worked with.

The paparazzi attention, she said, was comparable only to Princess Diana. Even three-year-old children, she said, have recognised him, screaming, running and holding his leg calling him 'Donald, Donald'. Children see him as a cartoon figure, a bit like a Flintstone.

Her lookalike, she said, enjoyed the attention so much he was sometimes reluctant to take off the wig she meticulously crafted for him.

(Alison Jackson; PRIVATE (Alison Jackson; PRIVATE)

But Ms Jackson is aware the President-elect is also a dangerous person to parody.

Mr Trump and his businesses were involved in at least 3,500 legal actions over the past three decades. Since his election victory, Mr Trump has praised British libel laws and his wife, Melania, is currently suing the Daily Mail and a blogger for $150m (119m) over allegations about her modelling career.

A group of lawyers in the US even recently decided not publish a report on his use of baseless litigation, because they were afraid of baseless litigation.

(Alison Jackson; PRIVATE (Alison Jackson; PRIVATE)

Hes a very litigious man said Ms Jackson. I dont think any president has sued artists before.

"I mean he sued a nightclub in Coventry for using a Halloween picture of him. It's miniutiae.

She added that she was extremely careful in the way she worked, endeavouring to be ethical and regularly seeking legal advice.

But in the past this has only ever been precautionary measure. Ive never had a legal issue, this is the first time that something this serious has emerged, she said.

Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits Show all 10 1 /10 Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits AN28331432_MG_4147_KATE_WIL_1.jpg Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits FINAL_King-and-queen-cups_I.jpg Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits jackson-2.jpg Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits FINAL_Harry_on_Stairs_1608_.jpg Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits FINAL_Dancing_MG_9384.jpg Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits FINAL_Camilla_Throne_067.jpg Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits FINAL_Dancing_IMG_3686.jpg Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits FINAL_Cutting_Cake_IMG_2539.jpg Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits FINAL_Conga_IMG_2995_S.jpg Alison Jackson reveals the tricks behind her lookalike celebrity portraits rexfeatures_2592966t.jpg Rex Features

Fear of litigation, however, has not affected her plans for future projects, Ms Jackson said.

Isnt it the job of artists and satirists to look at public figures and to be able to raise questions? she said, adding that far from backing-off, she was thinking about making a "mockumentary" film about the President-elect.
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Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has accepted the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the countrys long civil war, calling it a gift from heaven.

In a speech at Oslos city hall he dedicated the prize to all Colombians  in particular the 220,000 killed and eight million people displaced in the 50-year war against the Farc insurgency.

Ladies and gentlemen, there is one less war in the world and it is the war in Colombia," he said.

He won the award for reaching a historic peace deal with the leftist rebels, officially known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, where they agreed to lay down their weapons in exchange for a partial amnesty for war crimes.

But the deal was initially in jeopardy when Colombians narrowly voted against the deal in a referendum held days after the Nobel Peace Prize announcement in October.

In November, a revised deal was agreed which meant Colombian magistrates will preside over the trials of former Farc members and the group will give up money it earned mostly through drug trafficking to compensate its victims.

The deal was not put to a public vote and was instead ratified by the countrys congress, where Mr Santos' party has a majority, last week.

His main rival, former president Alvaro Uribe, boycotted the vote which was subsequently unanimously passed by both houses.

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

Several victims of the conflict attended the prize ceremony, including Ingrid Betancourt, who was held hostage by Farc for six years.

Leyner Palacios, who lost 32 relatives including his parents and three brothers in a mortar attack, was also there.

The Farc has asked for forgiveness for this atrocity, and Leyner, who is now a community leader, has forgiven them, the president said.

Mr Palacios stood up to applause from the crowd.

Farc leaders, who cannot travel safely because they face international arrest orders issued in the US, were not in Oslo.

A Spanish lawyer who served as a chief negotiator for Farc represented the rebel group at the ceremony.

Mr Santos also used his Nobel speech to reiterate his call to "rethink" the war on drugs "where Colombia has been the country that has paid the highest cost in deaths and sacrifices".

He has argued that the decades-old, US-promoted effort had produced enormous violence and environmental damage in nations that supply cocaine.

"It makes no sense to imprison a peasant who grows marijuana, when nowadays, for example, its cultivation and use are legal in eight states of the United States," he said.

Additional reporting by agencies
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The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has determined that Russia did in fact try to help Donald Trump win the US presidency rather than work to simply interfere with the election, according to a secret report conducted by the agency.

US intelligence officials from multiple agencies have found connections between the Kremlin and Wikileaks. The former provided the latter with countless hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee, Hillary Clintons campaign chairman John Podesta, and many others, the Washington Post reported.

The spectre of an ongoing email controversy lurked over Ms Clintons campaign from the onset of her candidacy. But in the final months, the massive leak of thousands of emails closed the gap between the former Secretary of State and Mr Trump by double digits. Cybersecurity experts, as well as intelligence officials, had found evidence that linked the hacks to Russia.

It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russias goal here was to favour one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected, a senior US intelligence official briefed on information shared with US senators told the Post. Thats the consensus view.

In a perplexing response, the Trump transition team outright dismissed the validity of the report and the intelligence committee they will soon be running.

These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, the team incorrectly said in a statement. The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on and Make America Great Again.

Officials held a secret briefing with congressional leaders in September, but House Majority Leader Mitch McConnell doubted the legitimacy of the assessment. Additionally, the Post says Mr McConnell made his opposition to such intelligence clear, and if the White House spoke publicly about the Russians' role in the hacks, he would simply consider it a partisan political stunt.

In a briefing held with Senate leaders last week, agency officials said it was "quite clear" that Russia's goal was to get Mr Trump elected, the officials told the Post on the condition of anonymity.

 Russian parliament bursts into applause upon announcement of US election result

Still, there is some disagreement among some of the officials from all 17 intelligence agencies. They lacked evidence that showed a direct connection between Russia and Wikileaks.The actors they found were "one step" removed from the Russian government, the officials said.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange had said Russia was not the source of the leaks in an interview published on the state-owned broadcaster Russia Today.

"The Clinton camp has been able to project a neo-McCarthyist hysteria that Russia is responsible for everything," he said. "Hillary Clinton has stated multiple times, falsely, that 17 US intelligence agencies had assessed that Russia was the source of our publications.

"Thats false  we can say that the Russian government is not the source."

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

Earlier in the day, the Obama administration ordered a full review of election-related hacking.

The Presidents counterterrorism and homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco, made the announcement to reporters at an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

We may have crossed into a new threshold and it is incumbent up on us to take stock of that, to review, to conduct some after-action, to understand what has happened and to impart some lessons learned, she said.

Mr Obama expects a full report before he leaves office on 20 January.

US officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence officially accused Russia of hacking the DNC and other organisations "to interfere with the US election process".

The reiterated their accusations earlier this week.

"The US Intelligence Community is confident that the Russian government directed the recent compromises of e-mails from US persons and institutions, including from US political organisations," officials said in a statement.

"We believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts, that only Russia's senior-most officials could have authorised these activities."
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Donald Trumps transition team has dismissed the CIAs reported findings that Russia intervened in the US election in an attempt to ensure his victory, comparing them to investigations into Iraqs non-existence weapons of mass destruction.

The President-elect previously said he did not believe the Russian government had interfered, after making friendly overtures towards Vladimir Putin.

These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, said a statement from his transition team.

 CIA director warns Donald Trump over the worst mistakes he could make with Iran, Syria and Russia

The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest electoral college victories in history. Its now time to move on and Make America Great Again.

Mr Trump ranks at number 12 of the largest electoral college votes and is currently lagging behind Hillary Clinton by at least 2.7 million in the popular vote.

The CIA has concluded that hackers backed by the Russian government targeted Democratic officials' email accounts with the specific aim for Mr Trump to win, The Washington Post reported.

It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russias goal here was to favour one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected, a senior official said. Thats the consensus view.

Asked about previous allegations Russia was behind a damaging leak of emails from the Democratic National Committee and Ms Clintons campaign team, Mr Trump told Time magazine: I dont believe it. I dont believe they interfered.

Members of his transition team have also cast doubt on the findings of government and security agencies they will soon be running.

Michael Flynn Jr, the son of the President-elects pick for national security adviser, was among those supporting the debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory that led to a man opening fire in a Washington restaurant.

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

While working for his father, he shared a fake conspiracy that Ms Clintons allies had been running a paedophile ring in the Comet Ping Pong pizza parlour on social media.

After a gunman claiming to investigate the allegations opened fire at the restaurant on Sunday, Flynn Jr tweeted: Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, itll remain a story.

The incident has heightened concerns about the incoming administrations support for conspiracy theorists including Alex Jones, the proprietor of Infowars, and comments made by Mr Trump himself suggesting wide-ranging plots against him in the American establishment.

He claimed the election was absolutely rigged as polls forecast a humiliating defeat but swiftly dropped the allegations after his victory.

As the DNC emails scandal raged in July, Mr Trump also called on the Russian government to releasing tens of thousands of private emails from Ms Clinton.

Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing, he said at a press conference in Florida. They probably have them. Id like to have them released.

Analysts have reportedly assessed with high confidence that at some point in the presidential campaign Mr Putin's government had decided to try to bolster the Republican underdogs chances of winning, The Washington Post reported.

An anonymous official repeated the assertion to the Reuters news agency, saying Russian government officials devoted increasing attention to helping Mr Trumps campaign as the election wore, aiding the mass leak of emails from the Democratic National Committee and Ms Clinton's campaign chairman.

That was a major clue to their intent, the official said. If all they wanted to do was discredit our political system, why publicise the failings of just one party, especially when you have a target like Trump?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has welcomed Mr Trump's election victory (AP)

The findings do not cover whether the cyber attacks significantly affected the outcome of the election.

Barack Obama has ordered intelligence agencies to review cyber attacks and foreign intervention into the 2016 election and deliver a report before he leaves office next month.

Moscow is accused of launching a similar effort to influence the German election, following an alleged campaign to promote far-right and nationalist political parties and individuals in Europe that began more than a decade ago.

The head of Germany's BfV intelligence agency said there was growing evidence of attempts to influence next years federal election, where Angela Merkel will try to secure a fourth term, with increasingly aggressive cyber espionage.

Russian officials have denied all accusations of interference in both elections and Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, said the Kremlin was not the source of its material in an interview published on the state-owned broadcaster Russia Today.

The Clinton camp has been able to project a neo-McCarthyist hysteria that Russia is responsible for everything, he said. Hillary Clinton has stated multiple times, falsely, that 17 US intelligence agencies had assessed that Russia was the source of our publications.

"Thats false  we can say that the Russian government is not the source."

Mr Trumps widely unexpected election victory was met with spontaneous applause in the State Duma and friendly overtures from Mr Putin, who said the pair would work together to straighten out relations between the US and Russia.

Tensions have been steadily mounting over Russias intervention to support President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war, intervention in Ukraine and military build-up in countries bordering Nato members.
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Donald Trump is set to chose ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be the next nominee for Secretary of State.

Mr Tillerson, 64, emerged as Mr Trump's top pick for the position in recent days. He has faced significant criticism for apparent ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

President-elect Trump is expected to make his official announcement next week. Sources close to the transition team cautioned that nothing is final, however, NBC News reported.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Mr Tillerson negotiated an energy partnership with Russia in 2011. The Russian President said the could be valued at approximatly $500bn. The following year, the Kremlin awarded Mr Tillerson with the Order of Friendship, the country's highest honour for foreign nationals.

Russia faced sanctions after the illegal annexation of Crimea, and thus ExxonMobil had to cease operations in 2014. But the head of the oil giant's Russian operations, Glenn Waller, said the company would return to the project once the sanctions were lifted. Mr Tillerson could certainly expedite the lift of those sanctions as the US's top diplomat.

"If you are trying to lift sanctions on Russia and get back to business with Vladimir Putin, Rex Tillerson would be an excellent choice," former US ambassador to Russia for the Obama administration, Michael McFaul, told BuzzFeed News.

In an interview with Fox News set to air Sunday, Mr Trump touted Mr Tillerson's business dealings with Russia.

"To me, a great advantage is he knows many of the players, and he knows them well," he said. "He does massive deals in Russia."

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Mr Tillerson has spent his entire career with the Texas-based oil company. He became chairman and CEO in 2006, maintaining close business ties to Mr Putin throughout.

The news of Mr Tillerson's potential new role comes a day after the bombshell Washington Post report of Russian interference in the election. According to the report, CIA officials conducted a secret assessment that determined Russia worked to influence the US election in Mr Trump's favour, following a massive hack of the Democratic National Committee and other party officials.

The Trump transition team dismissed the report as bogus in a statement issued Friday evening.

"These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," he said.

President Barack Obama ordered a "full review" of election related hacking, according to his Homeland Security adviser Lisa Monaco.

But the apparent link between Russia and Mr Trump's incoming administration worries some officials.

Arizona Sen John McCain told NBC that Mr Tillerson's relationship with the Russian president raised major concerns and should be put under scrutiny.

"I believe that Vladimir Putin is a thug and a bully and a murderer and I believe the relationship between Mr Tillerson and Vladimir Putin needs to be examined," Mr McCain said.

 Trump's EPA pick condemns Obama's conservation policy

While he led ExxonMobil, Mr Tillerson expressed his support for the Paris climate agreement, wherein countries around the globe vowed to cut their carbon emissions, brokered in part by Sec of State John Kerry. The President-elect, however, said that he will back away from the agreement.

The company also acknowledged the existence of climate change, and agreed with the science behind the crisis. Mr Tillerson himself has stated the importance of addressing it.

"We believe that addressing the risk of climate change is a global issue," he said in May during a company shareholder meeting.

Yet, Mr Trump has outright denied climate change, claiming that it is a conspiracy manufactured by China to make the US less competitive. He reaffirmed his opposition to the idea of climate change by appointing Oklahoma Attorney Gen Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency.

Mr Pruitt has sued the agency over its restrictions on power plants.

Still, climate action advocates have criticised ExxonMobil for keeping up the appearance that they support efforts like the Paris agreement, while doing nothing to reduce their impact on the environment.

"Just when we thought Trumps cabinet could not get farther away from the needs of the American people, he sneaks in a Saturday appointment of Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State," said Greenpeace spokesperson Cassady Craighill. "In this position,Tillerson will try his hardest to silence global initiatives and the right of state attorney generals to hold fossil fuel companies legally accountable for climate change."

Donald Trump has spent weeks interviewing potential nominees for the role  which is fourth in line for the presidency, just below the president pro tempore, Utah Sen Orrin Hatch.

Among those conisdered for the role were former Masschusetts Gov Mitt Romney, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. On Friday, the transition team announced the Mr Giuliani withdrew himself from the running on 29 November.

If Mr Tillerson is confirmed, former UN Ambassador John Bolton will serve as his deputy, according to the report.

Once a contender for what is likely to become Mr Tillerson's poisition, Mr Bolton has faced criticism for his hawkishness, and penned a New York Times op-ed in March 2015 calling for the bombing of Iran.

"Iran will not negotiate away its nuclear program. Nor will sanctions block its building a broad and deep weapons infrastructure," he wrote. "The inconvenient truth is that only military action ... can accomplish what is required. Time is terribly short, but a strike can still succeed."

In July of that year, the White House announced that after two years of negotiations it reached a deal with the Iranian government that would prevent them from obtaining nuclear weapons.
(Xinhua) 20:26, December 09, 2016

BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's recently released Policy Paper on Latin America and the Caribbean serves to strengthen ties between the two regions, analysts said.

Nadia Radulovich and Maria Cecilia Peralta, co-founders of the Argentine consulting group Asia Viewers, regard the document as a tool to generate, expand and improve a joint strategy for ties.

"The new document seeks to boost bilateral commitment through cooperation in various areas such as the economy, manufacturing, science and technology, information, investment and foreign trade, and take the comprehensive and cooperative partnership between China and Latin America to new heights," they said.

"The policy paper also underscores the potential to build on the existing relationship between the two regions," said the two experts, who serve as consultants to the Argentine Council for International Relations on China-related matters.

"The possibilities for exchange and cooperation between the parties are numerous, such as partnerships for comprehensive cooperation," they said.

In 2015, trade exchange between China and Latin America reached 236.5 billion U.S. dollars, according to Chinese statistics. The country has free-trade agreements with several regional countries such as Chile, Peru and Costa Rica.

The concerted growth came largely in the wake of China's first policy paper on Latin America issued in 2008.

In 2016, regional ties made more headway, including on the cultural front, with the Year of China-Latin America Cultural Exchange.
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Donald Trumps transition team has circulated a 74-part questionnaire at the Department for Energy that requests the names of employees who have attended climate talks over the last five years.

The detailed survey also asks for the names of contractors that were present at the conferences, all the emails and documents relating to the talks, and information about programmes essential to meeting the goals of Barack Obama's Climate Action Plan.

The President-elect and his team have previously promised a bonfire of the Democrats global warming policies, including job-killing regulations and the Paris climate accord.

Mr Trump has questioned the reality of climate change and recently appointed Scott Pruitt, a climate change denier, as head of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The questionnaire prompted concern about a potential political witch hunt for civil servants sympathetic towards policies designed to reduce climate change.

The survey spans a broad array of Energy Department activities, including its loan and technology research programmes, responses to Congress, and the development of offshore wind.

Even the departments independent statistics branch  the Energy Information Administration  was the subject of at least 15 questions, including one that asked it to justify measuring how much carbon dioxide pollution the US generates.

The survey also asks the office whether its predictions underestimate future US oil and gas production.

Critics said the questions in the survey appeared to align with the views of conservative groups such as the Heritage Foundation.

Thousands of scientists have signed petitions demanding the Trump administration not interfere with scientific integrity and asking it not to single out individual researchers whose work conflicts with its political agenda.

Such a collision could interfere in the functioning of the future federal government, if significant conflict breaks out between the officials and incoming politicians.

 Climate change: It's "game over" for planet earth

Democratic Senator Edward Markey said that punishing civil servants for their work under previous administrations would be tantamount to an illegal modern-day political witch hunt and would have a profoundly chilling impact on our dedicated federal workforce.

His concerns were echoed by Robert Weissman, president of the watchdog group Public Citizen, who said in a statement that the questionnaire suggests the Trump administration plans a witch hunt for civil servants whove simply been doing their jobs.

Democrats and Republicans alike should unite to condemn any action that intimidates, threatens or retaliates against civil servants for lawfully doing their jobs, he added.

Democratic Congressman Bill Foster, a physicist, also warned the questionnaire threatens to undo decades of progress we have made on climate change.

Yet Michael McKenna, a former Energy Department official who worked under George W Bush administration and initially led Mr Trumps Energy Department transition, told The New York Times people should not be alarmed.

If meetings happened and important stuff was decided, voters have a right to know, he said.

Its not a matter of national security. The transition is not asking about nuclear weapons. They are asking about meetings about modelling for Gods sake.

Yale University environmental historian Paul Sabin told the Washington Post that previous administrations had tried to implant experts aligned with their own agendas in government departments.

But what seems unusual is singling people out for a very specific substantive issue, and treating their work on that substantive issue as, by default, contaminating or disqualifying, he said.

10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke  filled with the carbon that is driving climate change  drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan

Michael Halpern, the deputy director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told Bloomberg  which first uncovered the questionnaire  that it was certainly alarming that they would be targeting specific employees in this way.

Scientists are looking at this with some suspicion, because many of the people who have been chomping at the bit to dismantle federal climate change science programmes are now deeply embedded in the transition," he said.

He added that Trump team members were already in place at the EPA and NASA.

John Podesta, former head of the Obama transition, told the New York Times: To the best of my knowledge, no one in the 2008 transition asked questions about meeting attendance.

After Mr Trump's election, climate scientists were offered a guide on how to avoid legal harassment.
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Jurors in the federal hate crimes trial of Dylann Roof have been shown a video of the avowed white supremacist confessing to killing nine parishioners at a historic black church in South Carolina and saying he felt he had to do it.

Mr Roof told investigators after his arrest for the 17 June, 2015, massacre at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston that he estimated he had killed five people as retribution for perceived racial grievances. He sounded surprised to learn nine parishioners died.

I had to do it because somebody had to do it, Mr Roof said in the taped confession.

Asked if he had regrets, Mr Roof said, I'd say so, yes ... I regret that I did it, a little bit.

Mr Roof, 22, is charged with 33 federal counts, including murder and hate crimes. His defense has largely conceded that he committed the murders and has instead focused on trying to spare him the death penalty. On Friday, they asked the judge to allow them to present more evidence about his personality and state of mind, and US district judge Richard Gergel said he would decide on a case-by-case basis before jurors begin hearing testimony from a witness.

The videotaped confession, presented on the third day of his federal trial in Charleston, gave jurors a chance to hear the defendant explain why he carried out the attack on a Bible study meeting.

He appeared both animated and at ease as he spoke to investigators, laughing at times as he answered their questions.

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Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Roof spoke with investigators in Shelby, North Carolina, where he was arrested about 13 hours after security video showed him leaving the church.

Inside his car, police said they found a journal where Roof wrote of his dreams for a race war and notes he wrote to his parents.

Dear Mom, I love you, read one note presented to jurors. Im sorry for what I did. I know this will have repercussions.

In the video, Roof said white people needed to take a stand against crimes by African Americans.

I don't like what black people do, Roof said, adding he was in favor of reinstating segregation.

If jurors find Mr Roof guilty, they will decide whether he should be put to death or spend the rest of his life in prison. Mr Roof has said he wants to represent himself during that penalty phase of the trial.

Reuters
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A Muslim woman whose brother was allegedly shot dead by his neighbour in what campaigners labelled a hate crime has urged people to speak out if they encounter Islamophobia and other bigotry.

Suzanne Barakat made the plea in a moving TED talk published by the ideas-sharing group. Her brother Deah, 23, his wife Yusor, 21, and her sister Razan, 19, were murdered in their home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, last year.

Now Dr Barakat has said she believes "we've all become so numb to the hatred that we couldn't have imagined it turning into fatal violence".

Craig Stephen Hicks has been charged with murdering the trio. An atheist who frequently posted anti-religious messages on social media, he is said to have claimed he acted because of a dispute over parking.

Dr Barakat received the news of the killings while working at a hospital in San Francisco.

"They were murdered by their neighbour because of their faith. Because of a piece of cloth they chose to don on their heads. Because they were visibly Muslim," she said.

"Some of the rage I felt at the time was that if roles were reversed and an Arab Muslim or Muslim-appearing person had killed three white American college students, execution-stule, in their home, what would we have called it? A terrorist attack.

"When white men commit acts of violence in the US they're lone wolves, mentally ill, or driven by a parking dispute."

She described her younger brother as "an American kid in dental school, ready to take on the world" and spoke of how he had told her on his wedding night: "I am who I am because of you."

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

Dr Barakat added: "These days it feels like Islamophobia is a socially acceptable form of bigotry. We just have to put up with it and smile.

"The nasty stares, the palpable fear when boarding a plane. The random pat-downs at airports that happen 99 per cent of the time.

"It doesn't stop there. We have politicians reaping political and financial gains off our backs.

"Here in the US we have presidential candidates like Donald Trump casually calling to register American Muslims, and ban Muslim immigrants and refugees from entering this country.

"Violence and hatred doesn't just happen in a vacuum.

"The least we can do it call it what it is. The least we can do is talk about it."
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When his father was in power he was known as The Prince and was widely believed to be the richest man in the former Soviet state of Kyrgyzstan. He rarely left his luxury mansion without a retinue of bodyguards and was often spotted hurtling through the streets of Bishkek with a convoy of armoured SUVs following close behind.

Maxim Bakiyev struck a lonely figure as he sat in the dock at Westminster Magistrates court. Dressed in a pink shirt and dark suit, the 34-year-old son of fallen strongman Kurmanbek Bakiyev appeared for the first hearing of what is likely to become a lengthy and costly extradition battle.

Prosecutors in the United States allege that the Kyrgyz businessman was involved in a complex insider trading scheme that netted millions of pounds on the New York stock exchange in September last year. An affidavit from an FBI special agent which has been seen by The Independent states that one of Mr Bakiyevs former business colleagues has agreed to cooperate with the US government and provide details on the alleged scheme.

Mr Bakiyev strenuously denies the claims and has vowed to fight any attempt to extradite him to the States. But the American extradition request is just one of the accusations that have dogged the controversial businessman ever since he fled from his homeland in a private jet, landed at Farnborough airport and tried to claim asylum.

In the spring of 2010, popular resentment against the increasingly despotic regime of Kurmanbek Bakiyev spilled over into street protests that led to the deaths of hundreds of demonstrators and eventually succeeded in forcing the loathed leader out of office.

Bakiyev senior had himself come to power five years earlier in a popular revolt known as the Tulip Revolution. Ordinary Kyrgyz, who live in one of Central Asias most impoverished countries where average annual household incomes still languishes around the $2,400 mark, had hoped that the revolution would herald a new era of prosperity and freedom. Instead, the new regime became increasingly authoritarian, corrupt and nepotistic.

Anger was directed at Kumanbeks sons and immediate family members, who seemed to become wealthy off the back of government promotions. Maxim Bakiyev was out of the country when security forces fired on demonstrators, but the crowds quickly targeted many of his assets there, burning down his mansions and even a popular restaurant he owned in downtown Bishkek. (His father and uncle  who headed up the security forces  have both fled to Belarus where they have been given shelter by another dictator, Alexander Lukashenko.)

Ever since his flight, the new Kyrgyz government has been trying to extradite Bakiyev junior on their own charges, alleging that he embezzled tens of millions of dollars through a development agency he ran and on unpaid fuel duties at Americas strategically vital Manas airbase. He denies the charges.

Britain has no extradition treaty with the Central Asian republic and has been unwilling to return the fallen playboy out of fear that he would not receive a fair trial  a position that has caused immense ill will towards London in Bishkek.

But the recent extradition request from the US appears to have dug Britain out of a diplomatic hole. In court yesterday Bakiyevs counsel, Hugo Keith QC  an extradition expert who also represents South Africa in the case against Shrien Dewani and led computer hacker Gary McKinnons legal team  attacked the motivations of the US.

The extradition request, he claimed, was politicaland made in bad faith, Mr Bakiyevs legal team, he added, were concerned that his arrest was part of a wider deal for the United States to hand the client over to the Kyrgyz authorities in return for them continuing to use Manas, an airbase on the outskirts of the capital that is a vital supply route for American forces in nearby Afghanistan.

Counsel for the United States did not respond to the claims yesterday but the Department of Justice has previously insisted that the investigation is a purely criminal one and has no involvement from the State Department.

The full extradition hearing was adjourned until 13 May and is scheduled to last four days.
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Greece has appealed to the EU to support its plan to reduce the numbers of migrants living in overcrowded refugee camps on the Aegean Islands.

The country suggests segregating people from nations with a low recognition rate of asylum eligibility  namely Algeria, Pakistan and Morocco  along with migrants judged to be behaving improperly in pre-removal detention centres on the mainland.

But human rights organisations have previously argued that singling out certain nationalities for removal is arbitrary and illegal.

The request comes after the European Commission announced that member states should be able to send asylum seekers back to Greece from March 2017.

Under EU rules the first country of entry must process an asylum seeker's claim, but that system collapsed in 2015 when Greece was overwhelmed by a million people trying to use it as a gateway to richer European states.

Other EU countries reacted by closing their borders, leaving some 62,000 stranded in Greece. Refugee camps on the Greek islands are in some cases operating at double capacity and have become squalid, according to humanitarian agencies.

A letter to to the EU interior ministers and the EU Commission on Friday, Greek Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas said the overcrowding  on Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos  was mostly down to migrants whose asylum claims were manifestly unfounded.

It is important to address the concerns of the local population and curb the adverse reactions already noted in many islands where the situation is difficult, he said.

Recommended Barack Obama backs IMF calls for Greece debt relief

He added that the Greek government thought migrants from countries where there is only a slight chance of achieving asylum should be transferred to pre-removal centres on Greece's mainland where they will be kept under tight security before being returned to Turkey.

Mr Mouzalas claimed this would not be a long term solution and promised special units in the centres that would make a decision on an applicant's asylum claim within a three-week period.

The proposals are likely to meet opposition from humanitarian groups, who may argue that the suggestions contavene the UN 1951 Refugee Convention by arbitrarily discriminating against asylum-seekers based on their nationality.

He sent the letter to both to the EU interior ministers and the EU commission, urging them: Your support is requested to make the... emergency action possible, to help decongest the islands smoothly, effectively and immediately.

Some 16,300 refugees are now thought to be living on the Aegean islands in camps that often lack basic services. According to Human Rights Watch, due to a lack of space in the official shelters, unaccompanied children have been detained, sometimes with adults.

Aid workers have also reported that lack of proper drainage systems in the camps mean the tents flood when it rains.

While the rate of those making the dangerous oversea journey to Greece has lowered since March, when the EU signed a deal with Turkey, the processing of asylum claims has been painfully slow.

In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee children at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees queuing for food at the Kara Tepe camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees' tents at the Kara Tepe camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees at the Oxy transit camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos The graves of drowned refugees in Mytilene, Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos A building used to house unaccompanied children at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees queuing to register at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees arriving on smugglers' boats from Turkey in Lesbos

UNHCR spokesperson William Spindler said: As of 7 December, only 6,259 asylum seekers had left Greece under the EU Relocation Mechanism, less than 10 per cent of the 66,400 agreed last year.

This is an unacceptably poor response, causing unnecessary uncertainty for people, affecting children including those who are unaccompanied, and prolonging a humanitarian situation for Europe that should have been resolved months ago and which risks encouraging people to move on with the help of smugglers.

UNHCR appeals to European countries to do the right thing, by ending this situation without further delay.

The International Rescue Committee said is was gravely concerned about the vulnerable lives living in the camps amid freezing winter conditions.

In response the the EUs announcement that member states should be able to send migrants back to Greece from March, head of the organisations Brussels office Imogen Sudbery said: The responsibility for this response cannot continue to be levelled at Greece.

Its the EUs duty to find holistic and workable solutions that work for all member states, but, most crucially, for refugees.
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The Mayor of Rome has placed a partial ban on vehicles in the Italian capital in an attempt to tackle the severe smog that has engulfed many of Italys major cities.

Sunday will be a semi-car free day in the metropolis, with stringent restrictions imposed on traffic and police instructed to fine anyone who flouts the ban.

The move comes after a period of unseasonably calm and dry weather has allowed pollution to build up and smog to settle over many parts of the country.

Nitrogen dioxide levels in Rome have soared to significantly higher levels than deemed safe by European Union standards, leading Mayor Virginia Raggi to announce the city's first eco-Sunday to be held on 11 December.

A note from the capital's City Hall warned residents: Surveys have highlighted high pollution levels, and a critical situation which is expected to persist in the coming days".

Only vehicles deemed environmentally-friendly such as hybrids and electric cars will be exempt from the ban, running from 7.30am to 12.30pm and 4.30pm to 8.30pm tomorrow, with mopeds and motorcycles also ordered temporarily off the streets.

Councillors in Turin, a city in northern Italy, also voted to limit car use there, with the extent of the ban to be determined on Monday based on pollution levels over the weekend.

Environment councillor Stefania Giannuzzi said residents should use alternative transport whenever possible, even before the ban is officially put in place.

Milan is also looking at restricting traffic, with high levels of fine particle pollution recorded. But the city is yet to exceed the recommended maximum EU level for the seven consecutive days stipulated before they must act.

Air pollution levels have exceeded European limits for 62 days in Turin this year and 52 days in Milan.

Rossella Muroni, president of the Italian environmental association Legambiente, said politicians must act quickly to solve the problem.

The causes of smog are known and there are solutions, she told The Local. We need a strong political will to put them in place.

The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Show all 10 1 /10 The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Ukraine The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Bulgaria Rex Features The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Belarus The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Russia The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Armenia The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Bosnia and Herzegovina REUTERS The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Georgia The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Hungary DigitalGlobe The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths China The worst countries in the world for air pollution deaths Moldova

Milan and Rome also placed restrictions on car use last year, due to heavy smog.

Milan banned cars, motorcycles and scooters for six hours a day over a three day period in December 2015, while Rome banned cars with odd-numbered plates from driving for nine hours on one day, and cars with even-numbered plates for nine hours the next day.

The French cities of Paris and Lyon have also experienced dangerously high smog levels recently, with Paris making all public transport free in an attempt to encourage people not to drive in the capital.
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Russia has carried out a test of a revolutionary unmanned nuclear submarine, according to US intelligence sources.

Unnamed Pentagon officials reportedly said the underwater drone was launched on 27 November but did not give details about whether the test was a success.

A spokesman for the Pentagon, Captain Jeff Davis, told the Washington Free Beacon that the US military closely monitors Russian military underwater military developments but declined to comment on the test in detail.

It comes as Russia has stepped up its development of nuclear technology in the past year as relations with the West have deteriorated further.

The existence of the nuclear submarine was first reported in September and confirmed by the Russian military two months later.

US intelligence agencies said the submarines, which have been given the code name Kanyon by the Pentagon, will be equipped with the largest nuclear weapons in existence.

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. 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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. 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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

In October, the Russian military released photographs of its biggest-ever nuclear missiles which are said to be powerful enough to destroy an area about the size of England or New York state.

The new generation of RS-28 Sarmat missiles is designed to replace the countrys ageing arsenal of SS-18 Satan weapons, which were originally commissioned by the USSR in 1974.

Tensions between Russia and the West are at their worst levels since the Cold War.

On Friday, CIA sources revealed the agency believed the Kremlin had tried to help Donald Trump become US President by leaking damaging information about Hillary Clinton and the Democratic party.

It found state-backed hackers did leak the Democratic National Committees emails to Wikileaks but did not release the information it had gathered from a similar hack of the Republican National Committee.

In October, Moscow launched a nationwide civil defence training exercise to ensure the country was ready for a nuclear attack from the West.

Zvezda TV, a news channel run by the countrys defence ministry, warned: Schizophrenics from America are sharpening nuclear weapons for Moscow.
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At least five people have been killed and another 23 injured after a cargo train derailed and exploded in Bulgaria.

The train, carrying propane-butane, derailed at a station in Hitrino, a village in the northeast of the country.

After coming off the tracks, it hit an electricity line causing it to burst into flames.

The explosion has also caused a fire. We do not expect a second blast, but the people from the village are being evacuated, Nikolai Nikolov, head of fire safety and civil defence at the police, told Reuters.

Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kostov added: Two blasts have caused a serious fire and ruined at least 20 buildings. There are many people injured ... many with burns.

Police announced they were investigating the incident as 150 firefighters put out the fire and searched for survivors.

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

Bulgarias Prime Minister, Boyko Borissov, was travelling to the village, which is 280km northeast of Sofia and home to approximately 800 people.

Mr Borissov urged people to donate blood to the local hospital where the injured were being transported.
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The US Secretary of State has called on Russia to help stop Bashar al-Assads war crimes in Aleppo as world powers meet to save the city from being absolutely, completely destroyed.

Syrian government forces and their allies are closing in on rebel-held areas of the city amid the bombardment of civilian areas and reported use of chemical weapons, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee.

The United Nations warned that hundreds of men have gone missing after crossing into regime-controlled areas, while some Islamist rebel groups are reportedly blocking civilians from fleeing their territory and killing those who resist.

 At least 45 Syrian refugees killed by regime missile while trying to flee Aleppo

Representatives from the US, UK, Germany and other nations met with the Syrian opposition in Paris on Sunday for fresh talks aiming to end the violence.

Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, called on the Assad government and his foreign backers, including Russia and Iran, to allow the UN to deliver desperately needed aid across besieged opposition held areas of Syria.

The situation in Aleppo remains dire with desperate images of destruction and a flagrant disregard for human life being splashed across the media on a daily basis, he said.

We agreed our first priority must be the protection of civilians and ensuring access for humanitarian aid. It's essential that the regime and its backers provide the United Nations that access with immediate effect.

Although the deterioration of the situation in Aleppo will be a setback for the Syrian opposition it will not change the fundamentals of the conflict. There can be no military solution in Syria. We must keep pushing for a return to a political process with the credibility necessary for all parties to commit to an end to all the fighting.

Syrian opposition leaders said they would be willing to resume peace negotiations with the Assad government without pre-conditions.

A picture taken on December 8, 2016, shows destroyed buildings in the Bab al-Hadid neighbourhood, in Aleppo's Old City, after Syrian pro-government forces took control of the area. (AFP/Getty Images)

American and Russian officials were due to meet in Geneva later on Saturday in attempts to reach a deal enabling civilians to leave eastern Aleppo safely.

John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, called on Vladimir Putins government to use its influence to stop the Syrian regime's bombardment of rebel-held districts.

The indiscriminate bombing by the regime violates rules of law, or in many cases, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, he said, asking Russia to do their utmost to bring it to a close.

Mr Kerry added that militants do not believe they will be unharmed if they leave Aleppo and must be shown grace so the fighting can end.

But the Syrian government and its allies classify all opposition groups as terrorists and have emphasised the inclusion of jihadi groups including former al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra in the battle for Aleppo.

Analysts have said Islamist fighters are only one part of a multitude of competing rebel groups based in Syrias second city but their inclusion has frustrated calls for the UN to drop aid into opposition territory.

Calls by the UN for jihadi groups to separate themselves from more moderate elements have failed and a statement published last week by an alliance calling itself the Opposition Council for Aleppo said factions would unite to fight to the end.

In pictures: Aleppo bombing Show all 14 1 /14 In pictures: Aleppo bombing In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Smoke rises after airstrikes on the rebel-held al-Sakhour neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family runs for cover amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of Al-Qatarji in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man reacts as he stands on blood stains at a site hit by airstrikes in the rebel held area of Aleppo's al-Fardous district, Syria, April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damage of the airstrikes in the rebel-held area of Aleppo on April 28 Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damaged the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-backed al-Quds hospital after it was hit by airstrikes, in a rebel-held area of Syria's Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians evacuate an injured man amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following an air strike on a rebel-held of Aleppo on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo People inspect the damage at a site hit by airstrikes, in the rebel-held area of Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man leads a woman in tears and child out of the scene after airstrikes hit Aleppo AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Civil defence members search for survivors after an airstrike at a field hospital in the rebel held area of al-Sukari district of Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian boy is comforted as he cries next to the body of a relative who died in a reported air strike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Soukour in the northern city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family walks amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike in the Bustan al-Qasr rebel-held district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers and rescuers remove a baby from under the rubble of a destroyed building following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Kalasa in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians help a wounded youth following an air strike on the Fardous rebel held neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers evacuate people from a damaged building following a reported airstrike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Tareeq al-Bab in the northern city of Aleppo

Saturdays talks were the latest in a long line of international meetings and summits that have failed to find a solution to the five-year long Syrian civil war, which has killed an estimated 400,000 people and displaced millions more, including almost 1.2 million people seeking asylum in Europe.

Mr Kerry said he was working to ensure the safety of people fleeing Aleppo and prevent the city from being absolutely, completely destroyed.

Recommended The rebels of Aleppo are no heroes

He acknowledged that people are tired of what appeared to be futile discussions, adding: But what am I supposed to do? Go home and have a nice weekend in Massachusetts while people are dying?

Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy for Syria, warned that although the governments victory in Aleppo would be a crushing blow to rebels, the war was far from over.

We are at the last steps of the battle for Aleppo...this is likely to end very soon, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

But that's not the end of the war, that's the end of the battle for Aleppo. But it will have a major psychological impact.

The Russian ministry of defence claimed the Syrian government controlled 93 per cent of Aleppo on Saturday, with almost 18,000 people fleeing in a continuous flow to government areas over the past 24 hours. The numbers could not be independently verified.

Major General Igor Konashenkov said Syrian troops had suspended their offensive to allow for the evacuation, but the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported heavy clashes still underway.

Pro-opposition activists released footage appearing to show civilians being treated after a reported barrel bombing on the Kalasa district of eastern Aleppo on Friday evening.

Children and elderly women were seen coughing and retching before being given oxygen masks.

It came as the UN General Assembly on Friday voted by 122 to 13 to demand an immediate ceasefire in Syria, allow urgent humanitarian aid access throughout the country and an end to all sieges.

It estimates there to be up to 100,000 people squeezed into an ever-shrinking rebel pocket in eastern Aleppo with little or no access to food, water or medical care.

The city, once the most populous in Syria, has been divided in two since the middle of 2012, when it became a symbolic hub of the uprising against Assad.

Government forces backed by Russian special forces and air strikes, as well as militias from Iran and Hezbollah, have closed in over the past year and cut off opposition districts.

Mr de Mistura told Sky News Arabia the world would be watching the final stages of the battle and urged the Syrian President to seriously discuss a political process allowing room for the opposition.

We are watching with concern the last steps of what will be called in history the 'Battle for Aleppo', he said.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Isis militants have re-entered the groups former stronghold of Palmyra almost nine months after being driven out by the Syrian army, activists have said.

The group has been advancing on the ancient Syrian city since Thursday, when jihadis launched a surprise attack on Bashar al-Assads forces and pro-government Shia militias to regain territory.

Regaining control of Palmyra would be a huge symbolic gain for Isis, following months of losses across Syria, Iraq and Libya.

Monitors with the anti-Isis Palmyra Coordination Committee (PCC) said militants approached from more than one axis on Saturday, fighting their way into the al-Amiriyah district before targeting the citys citadel.

A map showing Isis advance (in black) on regime-held parts of Palmyra (in red) on 10 December (Liveuamap)

Isis controls the northern and western north neighbourhoods of Palmyra, the group said, hours after reporting that jihadis had downed a Syrian government fighter jet in nearby Jazal.

The PCC added civilians were in a state of fright and fear as battles raged following the reported withdrawal of hundreds of regime troops and allied militia members on Saturday afternoon.

Activists have been warning of Isiss advance for several days, earlier describing a fearful mood in the deserted city centre on Saturday morning as families either stayed indoors or fled to other parts of Homs province.

Internet and phone services were still reported to be working as residents sought news of the ongoing battles.

Isis has been mounting a concerted propaganda effort to highlight the campaign as its forces are beaten back in its Iraqi stronghold of Mosul.

Amaq, the self-styled news agency controlled by Isis, released footage of battles appearing to show its fighters advancing against the Syrian army through the desert on Saturday, while videos sent out the previous day showed a huge suicide car bombing hit an army checkpoint on a road approaching the city.

Militants could be seen plundering a makeshift camp used by the army for supplies and weapons including guns, rocket launchers, shells and ammunition.

Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Show all 10 1 /10 Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Graffiti on the ancient stones reads in Arabic Shooting without the permission of the chief is prohibited Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Damaged artefacts lay inside the museum of the historic city of Palmyra Reuters Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Syrian pro-government forces rest by Palmyra Citadel as they take control of the city from the hands of Isis Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces The UNESCO world heritage site appears surprisingly intact after its recapture from the militant group Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Many had feared the ancient city would be destroyed following its capture by Isis in May Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Smoke billows from the Palmyra Citadel as Assads forces drive the Jihadist group from the city Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Palmyra is one of the most important cultural centers of the world Unesco says Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces Pro-government forces play football in the streets following the recapture of the city Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces The extent of the destruction caused by Isis 10 month occupation of the city has yet to be fully realised Getty Palmyra recaptured by Syrian government forces Palmyra recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces The City Council of Palmyra building in ruins Reuters

Isis claimed it had taken control of at least 15 army checkpoints as well as oil and gas fields in the surrounding desert, including the al-Muhr Gas Company, and seized several tanks.

The groups propaganda claimed its fighters  among whom it reported no casualties  captured areas including Huwaysis, Shair, Jazal and Jahar, killing around 200 Syrian army and militia members and taking several more prisoner.

According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, up to 49 pro-government troops have been killed since the advance started on Thursday  far fewer than Isis claimed.

Syrian regime forces reportedly have the bodies of at least eight Isis fighters killed in battles  more are said to have been killed in air strikes and bombardment.

Regime planes and helicopters were continuing bombing on Saturday, the Observatory said, while enforcements were arriving to mount a counter-attack against Isis.

Isis overran Palmyra in May 2015, implementing its brutal interpretation of Sharia law on residents and using the citys famed ancient ruins as the backdrop for a series of gory executions and propaganda videos.

As well as murdering the citys 81-year-old director of antiquities, Khaled al-Asaad, militants proceeded to loot and destroy artefacts including the Temple of Bel.

 Palmyra after Isis

Isis was driven out of the city in March following a long Syrian army offensive backed by Russian air strikes, but retained territory elsewhere in eastern Homs Governorate, which was used as a launchpad for its counter-attack.

The Syrian regime controls most of the province but its troops are regularly attacked by Isis insurgents in isolated areas, including in oil fields, which are difficult to protect.

The new battle for Palmyra was receiving little international attention as focus remained on the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, where the Assad regime is closing in on rebels.

International talks were held in both Paris and Geneva on Saturday as efforts continued to reach a solution allowing for the delivery of aid, and end to bombing of civilian areas by government forces  which US Secretary of State John Kerry called a war crime.

While the UN raised concern over the disappearance of hundreds of men entering government-controlled areas, there were also reports of Islamist rebel groups preventing families from leaving their territory and killing or kidnapping those who resist.

Isis is not a party in the battle for Aleppo, but is currently defending territory elsewhere in Syria, including around the cities of al-Bab and Deir ez-Zor, as well as fighting against a huge international campaign to drive its militants out of the Iraqi city of Mosul.
(Xinhua) 20:28, December 09, 2016

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and China set to further enhance their bilateral cooperation in security, counter-terrorism and prevention of cybercrime, Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Chum Sounry said Friday afternoon.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting between Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and a Chinese delegation led by Liu Guangyuan, director-general of the Department of External Security Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, the spokesman said the inter-ministerial officials of both countries met here on Friday morning and agreed to set up a mechanism to boost bilateral cooperation in these fields.

"The minister had voiced his support for the mechanism," Sounry said.

During the talks, Sokhonn also expressed his satisfaction with the excellent relations and cooperation between the two countries in all fields, particularly in economics, trade, investment, and tourism.

The minister said the exchange of top-level visits by the leaders of the two countries in 2016 had contributed further to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation that the two countries elevated in Dec. 2010.

The exchange of high-profile visits included the state visit of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni to China in June and the historic visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Cambodia in October.

Meanwhile, Liu conveyed best regards from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Sokhonn, saying that his visit to Cambodia aimed to further enhance bilateral cooperation in security, counter-terrorism and anti-cybercrime.
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The US government has announced it will deploy 200 more troops to Syria to help rebels fight Isis.

Speaking in the Bahraini capital of Manama, Defence Secretary Ash Carter said the US would send the troops to help the coalition of Kurdish and Arab rebels, who are already supported by 300 American special forces.

The elite personnel have been deployed in the country since 2014 and have recently begun an offensive to push the extreme Islamist movement out of its stronghold in Raqqa.

An offensive to retake Mosul in Iraq is being carried out simultaneously by the Iraqi army.

The two cities are the last major urban centres under Isis control after the group was pushed out of its other major positions  including the symbolically important town of Dabiq in October  over the past year.

Mr Carter said troop reinforcements would include bomb disposal experts and trainers as well as extra special forces, the AFP news agency reported.

He told reporters the coalition against Isis had reached a critical milestone as the battle for Mosul edges closer to the Tigris river which divides the city.

Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Show all 11 1 /11 Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkey's two million Syrian refugees There are already over 2.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, but their current camps can only hold 200,000 people ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkish citizens protest a new deal, also criticised by human rights activists, which will see refugees who arrived in Greece after March 20 be sent back to Turkey AP Photo/Emre Tazegu Turkey's two million Syrian refugees An estimated 80% of Syrian refugee children already in Turkey are unable to attend school BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Refugee children beg for water near the Turkey-Syria border. Turkey has been accused of illegally deporting asylum-seekers back to Syria BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees In Turkey, no-one from outside Europe is legally recognised as a refugee, meaning the 2016 deportations may not meet international legal standards for protecting vulnerable people BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees A refugee child cries as she is searched by police at the Syria-Turkey border, where 16 refugees (including three children) have been shot dead in the last four months BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Many refugees are living rough on the streets of cities such as Istanbul or Ankara (pictured) ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkish soldiers use water cannon on Syrian refugees BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Syrian refugees shelter from rain in the streets of Istanbul BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees A derelict building housing Syrian refugees in Istanbul Carl Court/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkey houses around half of all the refugees who have currently fled Syria Carl Court/Getty Images

This is a complex mission that will take time to accomplish but I'm confident that Isis days in Mosul are numbered, he said.

Mr Carter, who is on a tour of the Middle East ahead of Barack Obamas departure from the White House in January, said the US and the West had to remain vigilant in the fight against extremism in the Middle East saying: We must be ready for anything.

It follows the death of a US officer in Syria last month.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott Dayton was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) near the former Isis stronghold of Ayn Issa, 56km from Raqqa on 24 November.

The 42-year-old from Woodbridge, Virginia, had been working with a bomb disposal unit.

Commenting on his death at the time, Mr Carter said it was a painful remainder of the dangers our men and women in uniform face around the world to keep us safe.
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Stating that Saudi Arabia has been conducting proxy wars was a relatively restrained form of criticism by Boris Johnson. The kingdom has been condemned for a lot more  ranging from funding terrorism and exporting religious intolerance to running a brutal legal system with beheadings and suppressing the rights of women.

In fact the Foreign Secretary was even-handed in apportioning blame for a series of sectarian conflicts in the Middle East, also pointing out that Iran, the great Shia rival of the Sunni Saudis, was also playing its part in orchestrating strife.

This is taking place in a number of arenas at great human cost. One of the grimmest is Yemen where the war between Shia Houthi rebels backed by Iran, and the Saudi-led Sunni alliance backing the president, has claimed 12,000 lives in 18 months. The poorest country in the region is sliding into a humanitarian disaster with three million people driven from their homes and 14 million suffering from severe hunger and malnutrition.

More than a hundred hospitals and medical clinics, dozens of power stations and water plants have been hit by the more than 3,000 airstrikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition. The weaponry for this is being supplied by the West. The UKs share of the trade, just in the period since the bombing began in March last year, is $6.5bn. The Saudis have long been the most generous customers for British arms and one of the main reasons for the attacks Mr Johnson has faced is the fear that his remarks will damage this lucrative commerce.

Theresa May  who has just come back from a trip to the Gulf  defends the sale of arms to the Saudis. She maintains that banning it would lead to the Saudis withholding intelligence on Islamist terrorist threats  threats which, ironically, are largely the direct result of the fundamentalist Wahhabi creed propagated from Saudi Arabia. Close ties, the Prime Minister stressed in September, keep people on the streets of Britain safe. They do not, however, keep people in the streets of Yemen safe. Around the same time as Theresa May was making her comment, a 500lb laser-guided bomb dropped on a funeral procession in Sanaa, killed 140 people and injured 525 others.

Many will find the failure to criticise the Saudis for their proxy-wars and human rights abuse for the sake of the arms trade distasteful. The US has contracts for $115bn worth of military equipment to Saudi Arabia since the start of the current Yemen war. But that did not stop it passing a law allowing victims of the 9/11 attacks to sue the Saudi government whose officials, it has been alleged, were involved in the terrorist plot  Congress overwhelmingly rejected Obamas veto on the bill. In September, 27 senators, including senior leaders, voted to block a sale of tanks and other weapons to the kingdom. While the measure did not pass, it was a sign of a growing concern over the Saudi connection to September 11 .

10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty

The British governments position, officially, is that any criticism of the Saudis by ministers is traditionally made in private. Sir Malcolm Rifkind joined in the row to condemn Mr Johnson and suggest that he should be demoted. Sir Malcolm has, in the past, spoken of a number of advantages in keeping the Saudis sweet. He may have privately criticised the Saudis when he was Foreign Secretary  there is no discernible evidence that he managed to improve Saudi behaviour if he did so.

Downing Streets public slapping down of Johnson is partly, at least, to do with inner tensions in the Tory party. The British public, on the other hand, supports the stance of the Foreign Secretary on telling some home truths publicly to the Saudis. Indeed, they would surely welcome more ministers in the government having the courage to speak out on this matter.
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It is the 10th of December, the day the world marks the 68th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We, Syrians, cant commemorate the day the international community declared that everyone deserved life, liberty, and security, because we have no human rights to celebrate when we are deprived of the right to live.

We have been raped, starved, tortured, bombed, driven from our homes and killed. In the process, many Syrians have come to believe that the international community has given up on Syria. Remarkably few still believe there are ways to change the situation and bring back our human rights.

After six shameful Russian vetoes blocking meaningful action to save lives in Syria, it is now clear that the UN Security Council will not protect civilians in Syria. But, International Humanitarian Law is equally clear that the Security Council is not the only vehicle for action. We are past the point where states can opine the Councils deadlock. Now, they must themselves stand up for the people of Syria  as individual countries, through other international processes and via multilateral organisations like the European Union.

One area the international community can start is by easing the suffering of hundreds of thousands of civilians besieged in Eastern Aleppo. Its been over three months since the last aid delivery made its way into the city. Faced with a regime and Russian-sponsored siege, many Syrians are days away from starvation.

 Seven-year-old girl tweeting from Aleppo siege pleads for help

To avert the looming annihilation of Aleppo, states must urgently airdrop aid  and they can do this as individuals or as a collective  either way, they must stop the excuses and do it. Over 200 British MPs have demanded airdrops and dozens of Syrian civil society groups have joined their call. International laws, including UN Security Council resolution 2139, state that aid must reach people through the most direct routes and that further steps must be considered in case of non-compliance. Member states have the means and capability to airdrop aid to Aleppo, they also have a legal obligation to do so.

But ultimately, Syrians need more than humanitarian aid: they also need protection, which member states can give them by stopping the main killer of civilians in Syria: the indiscriminate attacks perpetuated by the Assad regime and Russia. Across the world, it rains water. In Syria, it rains bombs. Airstrikes now account for more than 70 per cent of civilian deaths in besieged Aleppo and more than half of all civilian deaths across Syria. As a result, people are safer at the frontline than in their homes, schools or hospitals, where they are targeted by the never-ending shelling of the Assad regime and Russia.

With the Security Council  and the EU  divided over Syria, the responsibility falls on individual states to end the indiscriminate attacks and protect civilians. Credible options are available, such as a no-bomb zone argued by many experts, which would immediately save lives and would not require boots on the ground or planes in the sky.

Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Show all 16 1 /16 Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo A girl who fled areas of conflict rides a vehicle in Dahiyet al-Assad, west Aleppo city, Syria REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Rebel fighters from the Jaish al-Fatah (or Army of Conquest) brigade have a tea in a building under construction Getty Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo A rebel fighters' armoured vehicle in Dahiyet al-Assad Reuters Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Rebel fighters from the Jaish al-Fatah (or Army of Conquest) brigades sit on a tank Getty Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Abandoned magazine of shells after rebel fighters took control of Dahiyet al-Assad Reuters Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Rebel fighters ride a pick-up truck with civilians who fled areas of conflict in Dahiyet al-Assad, west Aleppo city, Syria Reuters Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo A rebel fighter gestures with a girl who fled areas of conflict while they ride a pick-up truck in Dahiyet al-Assad Reuters Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Smoke rises near a damaged road in Dahiyet al-Assad, west Aleppo city, Syria Reuters Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Syrians carry their belongings as they leave the southwestern frontline neighbourhood of Dahiyet al-,Assad Getty Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo A view shows a damaged minaret of a mosque after rebel fighters took control of Dahiyet al-Assad, Syria Reuters Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Rebel groups have pledged to push from newly captured positions in the Dahiyet al-Assad district towards Hamdaniyeh. Rebels and allied jihadists launched a major offensive on October 28, 2016 to break through government lines and reach the 250,000 people living in the city's east Getty Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Rebel groups have pledged to push from newly captured positions in the Dahiyet al-Assad district towards Hamdaniyeh Getty Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Rebel fighters from the Jaish al-Fatah (or Army of Conquest) brigades hold a position at an entrance to Aleppo, in the southwestern frontline neighbourhood of Dahiyet al-Assad Getty Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Smoke billows from the frontline district of Dahiyet al-Assad following an attack by rebels on Syrian regime forces in the northern city of Aleppo Getty Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo Syrians carry their belongings as they leave the southwestern frontline neighbourhood of Dahiyet al-Assad Getty Dahiyet al-Assad - Aleppo People who fled areas of conflict ride a pick-up truck in Dahiyet al-Assad, west Aleppo city, Syria Reuters

States can also work through the Human Right Council. The Human Rights Councils upcoming March session will feature the independent International Commission of Inquirys special investigation into the besieged city of Aleppo. The aim is to expose all perpetrators of human rights violations in Aleppoand it must include Russia.

Evidence of Russian war crimes in Aleppo is abundant. Both international organisations and Syrian civil society groups have documented Russias failure to take necessary precautions to limit collateral damage from its airstrikes and avoid hitting civilian infrastructure and vital facilities like schools, hospitals, and homes. Evidence shows that Russias attacks disproportionately affect civilians and that Russia is deliberately targeting vital facilities in opposition-held areas. Russia has even used incendiary weapons on heavily populated civilian areas in direct contravention of international law. Members of the Human Rights Council must use the March session to make clear that all parties who violate international humanitarian and international human rights law will be held accountable. This includes Russia.

The international community can also stand up for the Syrian people in the UN General Assembly. Some states have called for an emergency session on Syria at the General Assembly to unlock the impasse in the Security Council. Other states must join the effort. The General Assembly can adopt a resolution that will stop further war crimes and hold war criminals accountable. Outside the General Assembly individually countries can augment this effort by enforcing universal and national jurisdiction to ensure that all parties responsible for war crimes are held accountable.

All of these options are available to the international community as a collective or as individual member states. The world can indeed stand up for Syrians and help renew the pledge that all humans deserve the universal rights of life, liberty, and safety. Syrians want to join in the commemoration of Human Rights Day. We want to live with the rights we all deserve. But we cant do it alone.

Hivin Kako is Executive Director of Bihar Relief Organisation, a Syrian NGO providing aid to vulnerable people in northern Syria. She is working with the campaign group Independent Diplomat
With political turmoil sweeping Europe, Enda Kenny's status as an EU elder statesmen and ally of Angela Merkel marks him out as a potentially key figure in the looming Brexit talks, according to deputy head of Europe's most important employers group.

The view is likely to be seen as unwelcome among senior Fine Gael figures vying to succeed the Mayo TD as Taoiseach at home.

But abroad, with political heavyweights including Italy's Matteo Renzi and France's Francois Holland disappearing from the scene at an unprecedented pace, Mr Kenny's longevity within the Fine Gael linked European People's Party and his status as one of the EU's longest serving heads of government may yet propel him to the forefront of next year's Brexit talks.

The deputy head of the German Chambers of Commerce Worldwide, Volker Trier, met the Taoiseach in Dublin this week, and singled him out as a stabilising factor at a time when Germany's other political allies are being swept from the scene, replaced by unpredictable emerging political movements.

"When it comes to the Irish-German relationship, your Taoiseach is like our Chancellor has the longest experience in his job and this is good when it comes to negotiations on the level of Brussels. That is very helpful," Dr Trier said.

"We need experience and we need at least, reduced emotional decisions," he said.

Political turmoil in a number of countries and what he said was the European Commission's weakness after the struggle to secure the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the US, had left a leadership void in the EU just as the Brexit crisis demanded a response, he said.

Dr Trier was in Dublin for a two-day visit this week, where the German Chamber also brought 10 journalists from German newspapers.

The Chamber, whose local affiliate is the German Irish Chamber of Commerce, represents 3.6 million companies and used the visit to raise the alarm about the potential consequences of a mismanaged Brexit.

A report published this week by the Chamber shows Ireland as potentially the weakest link in the single market if Britain's exit from the EU is mishandled because of the extent of our trade ties with the UK and the status of the Border.

But, Dr Trier said the fall out from Brexit is having an impact on German industry. He said: "We have to raise awareness in German."

The German Chamber forecast at the start of 2016 that German exports to the UK would increase by up to 5bn this year, in the event, the plunge in sterling means sales are expected to be flat.

"Next year we now even expect a contraction, the loss is now billions of euro just for German exporters," he said.

As many as 800,000 German jobs are directly linked to trade with the UK, the country's third biggest export market. In relative terms it is far less than Ireland's UK exposure, but enough to concentrate minds.

This week's report on the impact of Brexit said a "hard" settlement with harsh terms for Britain could actually force Ireland towards the EU exit door, labelled an 'Irexit'.

Dr Trier said some of the same risks are being thrown up in Denmark, also a long-time exporter into the UK. Maintaining free trade should be a priority, he said.
A British lawyer is launching a fundraising campaign in a bid to bring the issue of Article 50 to the Irish courts.

Jolyon Maugham QC is hoping the legal challenge to Brexit will be referred from the Irish High Court to the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

The aim of the case is to establish whether or not Article 50 can be reversed once it is triggered to be adjudicated upon by the ECJ.

The 'Remain' campaigner has already signed up with Irish senior counsel Joseph Dalby SC for the proceedings, RTE reports.

Mr Maugham said the legal challenge will cost around 70,000stg (83,000) and launched a crowdfunding campaign on Friday night.

He said he expected the the litigants in the case to include a number of British MEPs and possibly a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

And he said he believes the judges in the High Court in Ireland will refer the legal questions to judges at a European level.

The move is set to cause angst for the Irish Government who will be trying to negotiate a smooth Brexit landing for Ireland with the UK.
Q I have patiently waited for my BPS payment and my ANC since the end of September. Despite ringing my local department office, who can't tell me why my payments are delayed, I am none the wiser as to why or what I can do about my situation. Although I work off-farm, financially my wife and I depend on these payments. What can we do?

A Pay day for the first portion of the Basic Payment Scheme has now passed and for many farmers who wait anxiously or have already been notified of difficulties with their application, it can be intimidating facing into the appeals process in an attempt to have payments restored.

Payment dates

EU regulations provide that payments under the BPS will be made within the period 1 December to 30 June of the following calendar year. Payments will be made in a maximum of two instalments within that period.

Despite this time line the Irish department of agriculture agreed under the Charter of Farmers Rights, that:

 50pc advance payments of Basic Payment and Greening Payment will commence on October 16 each year with a target of paying 100pc of cleared cases and 90pc of all applicants in the first week. In 2016 a 70pc advance was targeted in October.

 Balancing Basic Payment and Greening payments will commence on December 1 each year with a target of paying 100pc of all applicants on that date.

Inspections

Your local office should be the first point of contact if you discover your payments are not being made around the time that most payments are released to farmers. The reasons why payments are withheld are many. It maybe that your application was selected for inspection or irregularities were identified during inspection. It could also be as a result of failure to satisfy stocking rates.

Farmers who have yet to satisfy the annual average stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare have until the December 31 to confirm this to the Department. The relevant manual records for noting should be submitted without delay to facilitate the speedy processing of their applications.

The Department is bound by very clear rules in relation to how many inspections they carry out and the notice required. For example, 1pc of applicants will be subject to unannounced cross compliance inspections. The 3pc that are subjected to pig/cattle/sheep/goat ID and registration inspections will get up to 48 hours notice, while there is up to 14 days notice for SMR and GAEC inspections.

Appeals

Difficulties arise for applicants who find that the Department have not notified them of any decision and have nonetheless reduced or withheld payments. In this instance it is important that the applicant write formally to the Department requesting the reason for any reductions without delay.

The Agriculture Appeals Act gives every applicant who is dissatisfied with a decision the right to have that decision referred to an appeals officer in Portlaoise.

A notice of appeal must be lodged within three months of the date that you receive the letter telling you about the decision. After that, an appeal will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances.

The notice of appeal should contain a statement of all the facts and contentions that you wish to make known in the appeal. Blank Notice of Appeal forms are available online at www.agriculture.gov.ie. If you have any documentary evidence in support of your case you should send that with the notice of appeal. A copy of the letter notifying you of the decision of the Department should also be sent with the notice and proof of postage should also be obtained.

If you haven't received any notification of a decision to reduce your payments, the three month time period has not begun. However, you should always be proactive in asking the department for a reason and a decision if an inspection has taken place.

Oral Hearing

On request of the applicant farmer, the appeals office must provide an oral hearing. In many cases this will be the only time that you will be able to put forward your side of the story.

At that stage applicants can represent themselves or be represented by another person, including agricultural consultants or legal advisors. The oral hearing must be held in private. The applicant must notify the appeals office at least five days in advance of anyone attending with them at the oral hearing.

The decision of the appeals officer must be notified in writing to the applicant. As a matter of practice when an appeal is being heard, you should ask for confirmation of the time period that the decision will likely take as there is no legal time frame in which the appeals officer has to make this decision and notify the applicant, and it can take a long while to receive a decision.

High Court

If the applicant is dissatisfied with the decision of the appeals officer they can appeal directly to the High Court on a point of law. In deciding what is 'a point of law' for the purpose of an appeal to the High Court, legal advice should be sought.

It is essential that, having received notification from the appeals office of an unsuccessful appeal, that you urgently seek legal advice if you intend to appeal the matter further. The reason for the urgency is because the High Court only allows 21 days for this appeal.

Ombudsman

If you are dissatisfied with the decision of the appeals officer but do not wish to appeal to the High Court, you can appeal the decision to the Office of the Ombudsman at 18 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2.

If the ombudsman finds in your favour then he can recommend to the Department that they take action to put things right. Although the ombudsman can make recommendations to the Department to do something, it is only the High Court that can force the Department to take a particular action.

You are not bound to go to the ombudsman prior to taking legal action. This process can take up to a year and even more in some cases.

Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act entitles any person to access information held by public bodies relating to them and gives everyone a legal right to obtain reasons for decisions affecting themselves.

In making an application for information under the freedom of information provision, you should state what information you are seeking from the Department, and that you are seeking it under the Freedom of Information Act provisions, with some form of identification. Be specific in the details you are seeking.

The Office is obliged to acknowledge a request within two weeks and is obliged to respond to the request within four weeks.

For many farmers the reality that the appeals process can take months and even years in some cases to complete is not satisfactory.

The difficulty for many is that their livelihoods have been affected and they simply cannot wait for a lengthy appeals process to attempt to sort it out.

I would recommend that all correspondence with the Department and appeals office is carried out by letter and that copies of these are kept for the appeals process. It is also important to seek advice from a competent ag consultant or solicitor who understands this area of law.
Adopting Norway's strategy of "smart countryside living" could bring long lasting vibrancy to the fabric of rural Ireland, the Northern and Western Regional Assembly chief has claimed.

After attending a series of conferences across Europe, David Minton, Director of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, is confident that Ireland could replicate Norway's success at reversing depopulation and unemployment.

In the late 1990s and 2000s, Norway also witnessed an increasing trend towards urban areas while rural communities dealt with many of the peripheral issues Ireland continues to grapple with.

However, after rolling out gigabyte fibre broadband to rural homes and villages, stabilisation occurred leading to population, growth in employment and increasing demand for property and housing.

"If you look around the world at other countries, Norway in particular, they have managed the trend of depopulation and over concentration of urban areas," he said.

"Norway has managed to reverse that trend and people are now living and raising their families in rural areas and they are co-locating so they are travelling into cities while others have the option of working from home in these vibrant rural communities with their families," he said. "Norway's western region had a blank canvas to craft a vision which it then executed. It is now time to craft our own vision," he said.

He believes if the Government and communities fully commit to such a vision, it will ease pressure on the housing crisis in urban centres.

"The future of urban areas is going to be about the shared economy, there will be such a concentration that people will not be able to afford things.

"We'll be sharing cars, we'll be sharing bikes, we'll be sharing accommodation, we'll be sharing space, that is not an environment I want to live in - and it's not an environment many Irish people want to live in," he said.

The Northern and Western Regional Assembly recently surveyed more than 5,000 businesses in the county of Mayo, of which 78pc forecast growth.

"We can solve our own problems. A lot of the major problems for us are broadband, transport - but there are a lot of initiatives under way to try to address those.

"My message is can we simply just connect all the strengths that are in each region, and take control. We will put a vibrant future in front of all of us or want to remain in the countryside," he said.

"The time is now. I want our economy to welcome Google and Apple and other industry giants. But I also want to see their workers and the self-employed living next door to me in a vibrant Rural Ireland 2.0," he concluded.
Rhetoric of rural decline in our towns and villages rankled hard with David Minton throughout the darkest times of the recession.

Every other day he rolled his eyes at headlines reporting the slow, agonising, unstoppable death of communities due to emigration, depopulation and unemployment.

Although he acknowledges that many areas have suffered greatly, he believes constant analysis of isolation issues including lack of broadband and rural transport has led to a "misguided" impression of the place he calls home.

The Galway native, born and raised on a dry-stock family farm in Ballinasloe, says stories depicting a "loss of hope" frustrated him the most.

And so, the father-of-two with a 20-year professional background in the area of rural development, decided to take action to help turn the ship.

In his newly appointed role as Director of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, Mr Minton has a very specific vision for the future of economies beyond 'The Pale' - Rural Ireland 2.0.

The main roles of the NWRA are to monitor the general impact of all EU and Irish exchequer-funded programmes in the region, promote the co-ordination of public services and ensure that national policies take regional issues into account.

"Over the last two years, I've been challenged by discussions of urban versus rural and a very singular focus that urban areas are the only option for future economies," he said.

"Since 2011, there has been a lot of commentary about the rural depopulation but when you look at the real map of Ireland and the structure, it's plain to see there has been a significant legacy of underinvestment in the west and northern areas," he said.

From motorways and gas pipe networks to electrical transmission networks, Mr Minton says historic plans for national economic development were always comparatively weak. Despite this neglect, communities have remained.

"We've had none of the comparative investment, yet we've managed to sustain all of these communities and the reason is people want to live there. He said balanced regional development is not the answer to affecting change - each region must be treated differently.

"On the west coast we don't need a replication of what we have on the east coast. What we need is the opportunity to take advantage of our natural strengths in the region, which is renewable energies. Rural Ireland in the future could be a net exporter of energy, water, services, global technology products and ideas. It can become an economic powerhouse in its own right," he said.

From Galway to Donegal, across to Cavan and Monaghan, Mr Minton says his main goal is to enhance our competitiveness.

In recent years, countries like Norway have managed to reverse the trend of depopulation in rural areas by "making communities tech smart".

Mr Minton believes Ireland needs to adopt a similar strategy.

Although the national broadband plan is on track to be completed by 2020, Mr Minton says communities must be ready for its delivery.

"We need to establish a digital agenda for each region in order to prepare for information, communication and technology changes that are going to happen," he said.

The emerging agri-technology sector is also considered as vital to the sustainability of the northern and western region.

"When you look at the emerging agri-tech sector, north of Galway and up to Mayo, these are thriving industries. A lot of that technology is being created in the west and sold and commercialised internationally," he said.

Mr Minton, who studied rural development in UCD and worked in the field with the Concern Worldwide charity, says efforts must be made to target entrepreneurs within agriculture.

"Farmers need to look at how they adopt technology and how they can innovate and become entrepreneurs of the future so they have options for their families to stay on the farms or that they are staying within their agricultural communities," he said.

"Ballina mart was the first live farming market in Europe but we must continue to encourage young entrepreneurial minds to apply technology to their emerging sector. Technology is key here," he said.

Mr Minton will speak at the "One Region: One Vision" conference in Sligo on Thursday. The aim of the conference is to challenge the consensus that the west and north west is a subsidised region and that higher returns on investment can be achieved if smart moves are in time.
(Xinhua) 21:13, December 09, 2016

BEIJING, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) Friday specified major tasks for the economic work in 2017, including further advancing supply-side structural reform.

The country should push forward reforms in key sectors, including state-owned enterprises, fiscal policy, finance and social security, according to a statement released after a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

China will enhance the rule of law, improve its investment environment, unleash consumption potential, further open up its economy and work to proactively attract foreign investment, the statement said.

The meeting was presided over by President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

China's economic growth remained within "a reasonable range" this year, with better quality and higher efficiency, the statement said. But it warned that the economy faces various challenges, including the contradiction between industrial overcapacity and structural upgrades in demand, financial risks in certain areas and economic difficulty in some regions.

In 2017, the country will continue its efforts to stabilize economic growth, promote reform, adjust structure, improve people's livelihoods and guard against risks.

The country aims to yield substantial progress on five major tasks -- cutting excessive industrial capacity, destocking, de-leveraging, lowering corporate costs and improving weak links, it said.

For the year ahead, China should study and establish a long-term mechanism compatible with the conditions in China and market laws, to ensure stable and healthy development of the real estate market.

Guidelines to enhance efforts to safeguard national security were passed at the meeting. The statement said China maintained overall social and political stability, but its national security remained in complicated circumstances.

The statement said China must integrate various resources and use a combination of measures to safeguard national security on all fronts. The country must also hold fast to "a centralized, unified, highly efficient and authoritative national security leadership system," it said.
Fyffes executive chairman David McCann said it's with "mixed emotions" that he ends his family's 60-year-old ownership link to the global fruit firm after Japanese group Sumitomo made a 751m offer to buy the Irish business yesterday.

It will result in an 87m payday for the wider McCann family.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, Mr McCann said that he believed the deal - which has been recommended by the Fyffes board to shareholders - would strengthen the Irish group and create growth opportunities.

More than 27pc of Fyffes' shares, including 11.8pc owned by the McCann family and an almost equal stake held by the US-based Zucker family, have already been pledged in favour of the takeover, giving the deal a high probability of success.

Fyffes - founded over a century ago and one of the world's biggest banana distributors - had sales last year of just over 1.2bn, and earnings before interest and tax of 45.8m.

Sumitomo - a 15bn conglomerate whose interests span finance, transport, energy, food and resources - is paying 2.23 per Fyffes share.

Fyffes shareholders will also receive a two cent per share dividend. Sumitomo also jointly owns Dublin-based aircraft leasing firm SMBC Aviation Capital.

The Japanese group's offer comes just more than two years after a planned $1bn merger between Chiquita and Fyffes was derailed after the Cutrale and Safra groups barged in on the deal, instead buying Chiquita for nearly $700m (663m).

Sumitomo is one of the biggest players in the Asian fruit sector.

It imports 30pc of all bananas into the Japanese market, and owns a large banana plantation in The Philippines. Precise financial details of its fruit business have not been disclosed, however.

There's no overlap between Sumitomo's and Fyffes businesses, which should make securing regulatory approval relatively straightforward. Fyffes shareholders will vote on the takeover in coming weeks, and it's expected to be completed early in 2017.

Read more:

David Holohan, the chief investment officer at Merrion Stockbrokers, said that Sumitomo, which has "deep pockets", will give Fyffes the opportunity to pursue other acquisitions as well as expanding the combined group's penetration in North America, where Fyffes already has a presence, but Sumitomo does not.

Fyffes bought two Canadian mushroom firms this year for a total of 140m, and in September raised 47m via a share placement at 1.50 per share.

Ever since the planned Chiquita-Fyffes merger was abandoned, there was speculation that Fyffes would come into play again.

Sumitomo approached Fyffes two months ago, said Mr McCann. Executives then met in Dublin to discuss a potential deal.

He said that Fyffes did not believe that it needed the sale in order to continue to compete on a global stage that has seen consolidation.

"Absolutely not," he said. "We weren't up for sale. We received an approach and it's a transaction that is commercially compelling and also sensible in terms of what it means for the people and the company itself."

He added: "That all sounds a bit cliched, but it's the way we feel about this. They seem to be good people and they seem to think the same as we do."

Mr McCann added that he and his executive team will remain with Fyffes, but declined to say for how long.
Small investors who were wiped out when an investment fund marketed by AIB collapsed four years ago have appointed a liquidator in a move that will spark a formal investigation of how the structure fell apart.

Insolvency expert Myles Kirby of Kirby Healy has been appointed as liquidator of The Fourth Belfry Properties (UK) plc (Belfry), one of a series of investment vehicles put together between 2001 and 2006 and marketed by AIB though its branches.

He was voted in with support from investors rather than the company's nominee.

The funds raised money from Irish investors which was used, alongside loans from AIB, to buy commercial property in the UK.

Five out of six of the Belfry funds collapsed when the value of the investments plunged after the financial crash.

The fund had raised money in Ireland to buy property in England but used a complex web of Jersey-based holding companies to structure the deals.

The assets were sold off at a loss from 2012 onwards, with the bank first in line to be repaid, and investors ultimately left on the hook for a 54m shortfall owed to AIB.

The small investors who had ploughed 34m into Belfry 4 are officially classed as creditors, but have no prospect of recovering any of the original cash from the liquidation.

The bank and some investors have been locked in a long running legal row.

Solicitor Tom Casey, who acts for a number of investors, said the appointment of their nominee as liquidator was a victory.

"Investors are still looking for answers," he said.

Liquidators of insolvent companies in Ireland must determine the reasons the company failed and review the conduct and decisions of the directors. There is also a statutory obligation on liquidators to prepare a report for the Director of Corporate Enforcement.
EIB president Werner Hoyer, left, tries on a VR headset during a tour of the RCSI in Dublin Picture: Maxwells

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is poised to provide Ireland with around 200m to help tackle the housing crisis, its president has revealed.

EIB president and former German minister, Werner Hoyer, was in Dublin to mark the opening of the bank's new office here. He gave details of the proposed loan to build thousands of social and affordable housing units.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and a host of ministers and MEPs were present in Dublin's Shelbourne Hotel to welcome Mr Hoyer.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the Government will seek to tap into the EIB's "years of experience" in judging infrastructure projects.

He said the presence of an office here is a "statement of confidence" by the bank in future investment opportunities in the Irish economy.

He quipped the Government welcome the new EIB office because: "They have an awful lot of money and they're prepared to give it to us reasonably cheaply".

While Mr Noonan did not raise the issue of EIB cash to fund housing, he referred to demographic pressures in Ireland and the possibility of seeking EIB finance to help provide infrastructure.

Mr Werner, however said the EIB expects a deal amounting to around 200m to come early in the new year. He also suggested there is a possibility of future finance for housing.

He said: "This is a first step. I think the housing challenge for Ireland will remain for the next decade and we will be there."

The benefit of such a loan would be that it would be 'off-balance' sheet, meaning the Government wouldn't be in breach of European fiscal rules.

In its 46 years of lending here the EIB has invested billions into Irish projects, including the Luas and Terminal Two.

Mr Hoyer was also asked about water charges and whether the Government has contacted the EIB in relation to financing water services.

He was familiar with "the political sensitivities" surrounding the issue and that the structure for funding water services is a decision for Ireland that he cannot "pre-empt".

However, he said: "I hope we'll have that decision soon, then we'll be able to assist."

Mr Hoyer said the European Union is in "bad shape and we have to be worried".

"I believe the way we are treating this crisis presently is insufficient," he said, referring to Brexit and other political upheaval.
When life hands you the Yale Glee Club, make music.

A railroad conductor decided to try his hand at choral conducting for the second time last week when he realised the Yale Glee Club were on board his train.

Bob McDonough (54),whose great grandparents were from Ireland, conducted the group on a train journey last year and they came back for an encore.

By chance, last Friday, I had to jump on the local train, because the train I was supposed to be on didn't run. One of the conductors looked out and said, that there was a big group on the platform that looked like my Glee Club friends, Mr McDonough told Independent.ie.

They all laughed when they saw me, and I said What are the chances? I asked it they wanted to do another carol and they said yes.

"They decided on "In the Bleak mid winter" I posted it and its made the local news and has about 47k views now.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny at a requiem Mass in commemoration of the Easter Rising, at the Church of the Most Sacred Heart, Arbour Hill. Photo: Fergal Phillips

Members of the Defence Forces (from left) Able Seaman Leia Wall, Army Private Chloe Carroll, and Air Corps Sgt Anne Kelly arrive for the Commemoration for women in the 1916 Rising at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin. Photo Brian Lawless/PA

Captain Peter Kelleher from the 27th Infantry Battalion reads the Proclamation at the GPO on O'Connell Street on March 27, 2016 in Dublin, Ireland.

With bus tours, parades, theatre and a flagship exhibition at the GPO on O'Connell Street, the capital did itself proud in its remembrance of 1916.

In March, sailors, soldiers, and airwomen of the Defence Forces took part in the International Women's Day event in Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Lieutenant Colonel Mary Carroll, Officer Commanding (1st Inf Batt) said: "Today we are honouring the role of women in 1916. Considering universal suffrage was not wideplace at the time, they broke the mould for women with their bravery."

On Easter Sunday, March 27, the main State commemoration ceremony took place in Dublin, starting with a morning parade by members of the Defence Forces, gardai and emergency services, from St Stephen's Green to College Green.

At the GPO, Captain Peter Kelleher read the Proclamation, before Taoiseach Enda Kenny addressed the crowd. In recognition of the sacrifice made by the rebels, a minute's silence was observed by those present, including President Michael D Higgins. The President was joined at the event by former presidents Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson, and former taoisigh Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen, among others.

The GPO itself underwent a major restoration and saw the opening of a powerful permanent exhibition, GPO Witness History, which has seen enormous numbers pass through its doors since it opened in April.

The City Council delivered two of the Permanent Reminder projects of the Rising - the restoration of Richmond Barracks, Inchicore, where the 1916 courts martial were held, and No 14 Henrietta Street, a formerly grand Georgian townhouse which by 1916 was a tenement packed with poverty-stricken Dubliners.

The City Council also supported Dubliner Jimmy Wren's monumental book 'The GPO Garrison Easter 1916', a biographical dictionary which settles once and for all the arguments over who was in the GPO.

Read more:

Down the road, City Hall held a lunchtime lecture series in April at the Council Chamber on Dame Street to honour "the role of the Corporation, its staff and the 1916 Rising". City Hall was a rebel garrison during the Rising.

Dr Mary Clark curated the lecture series, which was arranged by Dublin City Library and Archive. She said the role of City Hall had been overlooked during the 50th anniversary commemorations.

"About half of the staff of Dublin City Council went down to fight at the time, a very high proportion," she explains, so the council wanted its role to be recognised this year.

She continues: "Of course, a famous employee of Dublin City Council was Eamonn Ceannt, one of the signatories." Ceannt worked in the Rates Office, while Major John MacBride was the water bailiff.

Meanwhile, the leader of the City Hall garrison was Sean Connolly, who worked in motor tax. He was subsequently killed by a sniper, as was unarmed councillor Richard O'Carroll. On April 5, researcher and editor Conor McNamara gave a lecture on Connolly entitled Sean Connolly, City Hall and the 1916 Rising.

Dr Clark said that from the outset, there was a "huge response" to the lecture series and each event attracted up to 130 people.

On April 12, Major John MacBride and Jacob's Factory Garrison was the subject of the lecture by Seamas O Maitiu: Siege Mentalities: The Occupation of Jacob's Factory Easter 1916. O Maitiu is a former secondary teacher at Padraig Pearse's alma mater, CBS Westland Row.

Dublin Fire Brigade played a pivotal role in the rebellion, inspiring the lecture Dublin Fire Brigade and the 1916 Rising, by Las Fallon, a firefighter in Dublin.

For a lively and rousing finale to the series, on April 26, City Hall played host to Songs of the 1916 Rising with Francis Devine and Friends. For his lecture, Devine brought song sheets so the crowd could join in a sing-song of rebel songs from the time.

As well as the series, the original Proclamation belonging to Nurse Elizabeth O'Farrell went on display at City Hall, as well as Countess Markievicz's banner, attracting 5,000 visitors alone in a historic year for the council and its city.
Paudie McGahon from Ardee, said that his life is up and down since going public about suffering abuse Photo: Frank McGrath

The alleged rapist of Louth man Paudie McGahon has been arrested by Spanish police on the back of an international arrest warrant, the Irish Independent can reveal.

The IRA figure, whose family are known to Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams, was detained by detectives in Spain last Wednesday.

Sources confirmed that the suspected abuser was remanded in custody and has been refused bail. It is understood he will now be subjected to extradition proceedings.

The decision to arrest the individual, who fled the country over two years ago, was taken following a request from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The move represents a major breakthrough in the Garda investigation into IRA sex abuse and the operation of kangaroo courts.

It comes as the Irish Independent revealed yesterday that a separate individual, who holds an influential position within Sinn Fein, is also facing charges of "perverting the course of justice" after he allegedly organised a kangaroo court to investigate the abuse allegations made by Mr McGahon and another man.

Read More

The revelations have plunged Sinn Fein into its most serious crisis in years and heaped further pressure on Mr Adams.

It is understood the alleged rapist, who is suspected of child abuse, will now be subjected to extradition proceedings. He was moved to various safe houses by the republican movement and is also suspected of raping a 12-year-old boy in Dublin.

He comes from a well-connected Belfast family, likened by sources to "republican royalty".

The man's brother is a convicted bomber, while another brother is a prominent Sinn Fein activist.

He is one of four people named in an internal and secret Sinn Fein document which suggests that there could be up to 100 IRA abusers and which lists details about a Sinn Fein 'inquiry' into a litany of cases involving sexual and physical abuse.

Mr McGahon and another man were allegedly raped in his own bedroom in Louth in 1992. Ten years later and at the same location, they were subjected to a kangaroo court style interrogation.

Read More

One senior IRA figure who conducted the probe is alleged to have told Mr McGahon, a father of three, not to go to the gardai.

Speaking on 'Newstalk Breakfast' yesterday, Mr McGahon said his life is "up and down" since he went public.

He continues to suffer vile abuse at the hands of Sinn Fein figures.

"It's hard. It's not easy. I had some tough times over the last 18 months. I shed enough tears. But as I said I grew a bigger backbone than I had," Mr McGahon said.

"I have people that I know are members of Sinn Fein and they're 100pc behind me. But you have the vile ones who will hurl abuse at you."
An internet cafe manager kicked a customer to death during a "seven to 10 second" loss of control after a row over a 70c phone call, his sentence hearing has been told.

At the Central Criminal Court last month, Zhen Dong Zhao (40) pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Noel Fegan (39) outside the e-Times internet cafe and call shop in Dublin city centre on May 20, 2011.

The plea was accepted by the State. Zhao, of Jervis Street, Dublin, was originally convicted of Mr Fegan's murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2012.

However, that conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal earlier this year and a retrial was ordered.

Prosecution counsel, Ms Pauline Walley SC, recalled Detective Garda Niall O'Reilly to give evidence.

During his detention the accused was interviewed by gardai on four occasions over two days.

The court heard Zhao was also examined by a doctor during this time but he had no injuries.

Det Gda O'Reilly agreed with counsel that when he gave evidence on Monday, he told the court that a row had started in the shop between the accused and the deceased. One witness had agreed she saw Mr Fegan slapping the accused's face while a different account was given by another witness who said he saw the accused slap Mr Fegan first, the court heard.

Det Gda O'Reilly agreed with Ms Walley that there was a conflict between witnesses over who hit who first.

Zhao was originally convicted of Mr Fegan's murder on December 5, 2012 and spent two years and eight months in custody, the court heard.

The witness agreed with Anthony Sammon SC that his client had expressed remorse for what he had done during the garda interviews.

The court heard CCTV footage showed that the incident from when Mr Fegan entered the shop was "a very brief one" and lasted three minutes and 36 seconds.

Mr Fegan's phone call to his daughter lasted 89 seconds and the row which then broke out over the payment of 70c for the phone call lasted one minute and seven seconds.

Det Gda O'Reilly said the physical altercation during which the kicking took place outside the shop was "in and around seven to 10 seconds".

Zhao was remanded in custody until December 20, when he will be sentenced.
Bernadette Scully: Wept in court as routine of caring for her daughter Emily was outlined to the jury Picture: Collins

The trial of a GP charged with the manslaughter of her profoundly disabled daughter has heard that the mother was "very reluctant" to give her the sedative the prosecution claims caused her death.

Dr Bernadette Scully (58) of Emvale, Bachelor's Walk, Tullamore, Co Offaly, has denied the manslaughter of Emily Barut (11) by an act of gross negligence.

The prosecution alleges she gave toxic amounts of the sedative chloral hydrate to her daughter on September 15, 2012, with 10 times the therapeutic levels found in her blood.

A private nurse specialising in disabilities said Dr Scully had provided a level of care that was "100pc-plus" for Emily - who she said was one of the most profoundly disabled children she had ever attended.

Noreen Roche, with 40 years' nursing experience, visited Dr Scully's home on June 29, 2009, at the request of a solicitor in relation to a family law case and had observed her caring for her daughter and feeding her.

She observed that Dr Scully was "hassled, anxious and run off her feet" from caring for her daughter and working four days a week as a GP. Emily received 29 hours a week of care from the health service, but Dr Scully had been unsure of this continuing due to cutbacks.

Emily's disabilities were severe, Ms Roche noted in her report. She was visually impaired, her hearing was also impaired and her epilepsy was "severe and difficult to control".

She needed 24-hour, one-to-one care, Ms Roche told the court.

Emily was unable to communicate, stand, walk or sit and wore a nappy.

Her feeding needs were "most complex" and her mother cooked all organic meat and vegetables, liquidising her meals very finely while her drinks had to be thickened so that she did not aspirate fluid into her lungs.

Dr Scully wept in court as Ms Roche outlined the routine of what had been her typical day caring for her daughter. The day started at 7.30am when Emily would wake and Dr Scully would exercise and mobilise her joints, change the dressing on her feeding tube, change her nappy and brush her hair before putting her into a special chair for feeding.

Medicine would be administered into the peg tube before Emily would be carried back to her room, toileted and a lycra suit put on to straighten her body.

She would then drive her daughter to school, with Emily attending from 9.30am until 2.30pm - though Ms Roche noted that she would often not be able to attend due to illness, or might have to be taken home early if she became upset.

On her return home, she would be given a drink, which would take half an hour, toileted, and she might sleep for an hour before having physiotherapy for an hour and a half.

Ms Roche referred to the intensive exercise regime, which included Emily being strapped into a standing frame for 20 minutes.

Ms Roche noted that the child had not shown the contracting muscles that might have been seen in children with disabilities in the past.

She also said Emily had not been admitted to hospital with multiple chest infections, which was typical for a person at risk of aspirating fluids.

Dr Scully would then take Emily for a walk before returning for her meal, which would take an hour and a half. Supper would take a further hour and she would be carried into her bedroom, toileted and given a bath, which Emily enjoyed.

A 'good night' would see her waken two to three times, she said.

Ms Roche made a note that Emily suffered screaming fits and that chloral hydrate was the only medication that relaxed her and helped her to sleep "but that the mother was very reluctant to use it".

Ms Roche said that chloral hydrate was used as an anti-convulsant and that it was more frequently used in the past, but that she still occasionally saw it prescribed for children.

She said Emily was one of the most profoundly disabled cases she had come across and she had wondered if the quality of her care had assisted in her survival.

The care Dr Scully provided was "100pc-plus", she said.

Meanwhile, she said she had seen the onset of puberty in young female patients with epilepsy rendering the status of their attacks "more severe and frequent", requiring a re-evaluation of medication.

The court heard that the post-mortem report conducted by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy had noted signs of early stages of puberty. Ms Roche said: "It is a big consideration to be taken into account."

The evidence in the case is now complete, with the jury told to return on Tuesday when closing arguments from both sides will be heard.
Shauna McHugh who survived an attack with an aerosol can outside Gallaghers Hotel in Letterkenny.

A tour guide at a former prison has been jailed for two years over a "flamethrower" attack on a 24-year-old mother, which left her scarred for life.

Kevin Quinn (23) pleaded guilty to charges of assault causing harm and adapting an aerosol deodorant into a weapon contrary to the Firearms Act.

Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court heard how Shauna McHugh, from Donegal Town, had been staying at the Gallagher's Hotel in Letterkenny during the Donegal rally weekend in 2015.

In the early hours of June 22, Sergeant Sean McDaid said Ms McHugh answered a knock on the door of the hotel room where she had gone to chat to a friend.

"There was some commotion in the corridor and she looked to her right. She heard someone to her left say 'hi' and, when she turned, she saw a man light an aerosol can with a lighter and a large flame hit her in the face," said Sgt McDaid.

The garda said Ms McHugh then heard someone say "oh f**k" and heard the footsteps of someone running away.

He said a number of other people in the corridor got her into the room and doused the flames using damp towels and she was later taken to Letterkenny General Hospital.

Sgt McDaid told Judge John O'Hagan that gardai at the scene examined CCTV, which showed Quinn, who works at Crumlin Road jail museum in Belfast, go into his room and leave a short time later wearing a different top.

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He said gardai were able to identify Quinn and his vehicle and arrested him as he attempted to drive out of Letterkenny later that day.

In her victim impact statement, which Sgt McDaid read to the court, Ms McHugh described how the incident had changed her life.

She said she suffered stinging burn marks on the left side of her face and forehead, and lost part of her eyelashes and eyebrows. Her face still goes bright red on occasions and she can no longer wear contact lenses.

"I couldn't sleep for about two months, I kept reliving that night over and over again," said Ms McHugh.

She quit her pharmaceutical science degree course because she was afraid of using Bunsen burners during experiments.

Judge O'Hagan examined Ms McHugh's face and commented that a burn mark on her face was "still clearly visible".

The court heard that, in garda interviews, Quinn said he had been "carrying on with the lads" and had been chasing friends down the corridor when the incident happened.

Quinn, of Killycanavan Road, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, told the court that he was "extremely sorry" for his actions and apologised to Ms McHugh.

Aggravating

The judge said Quinn had "realised immediately" what he had done and had been captured on CCTV slipping away from the hotel, with his attempts at evading detection an aggravating factor.

He said, if it hadn't been for the diligence of gardai, Quinn "might have disappeared over the border and would never be seen again". He noted that Quinn had a previous conviction for assault in the North and a probation report had noted a lack of responsibility and a lack of empathy towards his victim.

The judge said Ms McHugh, who now works as an optician's assistant, continued to suffer the psychological effects of the attack.

He said the attack was "such a serious matter" that it had to attract a custodial sentence and he jailed Quinn for two years, suspending the final year.
(Xinhua) 21:14, December 09, 2016

BEIJING, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday urged Japan to abandon the surrogate country approach it uses to calculate anti-dumping measures against Chinese exports, as a related clause in China's World Trade Organization (WTO) deal is set to expire on December 11.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang made the remarks at a routine press conference.

According to Article 15 of the protocol on China's accession to the WTO, to which Japan is a signatory, China will automatically switch to market economy status by December 11, 2016, when the legal foundation for treating China as a non-market economy - or a surrogate country - ends.

However, the Japanese government said Friday that it will not recognize China as a market economy under the WTO without changes to the country's policies.

By doing so, Japan can continue to use a third country's prices to determine whether China is selling goods below market value, making it relatively easy for Japan to level anti-dumping claims against China.

Lu said Japan should face up to its international commitment instead of beating around the bush.

With regard to China's market economy status issue, Lu said that after nearly 40 years reform and opening-up, China's GDP has climbed to the world's number two, and China has become the biggest trade partner of many countries in the world.

China's economic growth has become the main engine of global economic growth, contributing to about one quarter of world economic growth, he said.

Whether Japan recognizes China as a market economy or not, China's close relationship with the world economy and its mutually beneficial relations with the world speak for itself, Lu said.
A ROW over a card trick performance in a Listowel Pub has led to an amateur magician appearing before the courts.

Patrick Puchalski (30) with an address at 21 Ardmore Lawn, Bray County Wicklow appeared before Listowel District Court charged with assaulting a bartender and causing criminal damage at The Saddle Bar on William Street Upper, Listowel on the morning of August 22 last.

The court heard that Mr Puchalski - who now resides in Galway - was an amateur magician and on the previous night he had arrived at the bar where he performed a number of card tricks for patrons.

The court heard that, during the course of the evening an unidentified person on the premises - who it is understood was not a staff member and had nothing to do with the business - told Mr Puchalski he would be paid 150 for the performance.

During the hearing Judge O'Connor was told that the unknown person who had supposedly promised Mr Puchalski payment had "fainted from drink" not long afterwards.

The following morning he arrived at the bar and asked one of the bar staff for payment to be told that the bar knew nothing of any such arrangement and that there was no money owing to him.

In anger Mr Puchalski then knocked 48 stacked pint glasses off the counter, causing the bartender to cut her hand.

Patrick Puchalski - who has no previous convictions - said he was deeply sorry about the incident, that he had "seen red" and that he had never intended hurting anyone.

The court heard that the bartender had brought no claim in relation to her injury.

Judge O'Connor ordered Mr Puchalski to pay compensation of 1,250 and adjourned the matter to the February 2, 2017 sitting of the court.
Aidan O'Driscoll and his fiancee Marion Ryan in front of the Eiffel Tower

Former Real IRA chief Aidan O'Driscoll, who was this week gunned down by former associates, had been planning a wedding with his girlfriend.

The couple were due to wed in six months but now, his fiancee Marion Ryan will instead be making arrangements for O'Driscoll's funeral.

The 37-year-old, who was nicknamed 'The Beast', was ambushed by two men in balaclavas as he was walking along the Old Commons Road in Blackpool on the northside of Cork city at around 5pm on Wednesday.

He was shot in the back before the gunman pumped two further bullets into him as he lay dying.

His fiancee Marion Ryan recently updated her Facebook to a picture of the pair standing in front of the Eiffel Tower as she shows off her diamond engagement ring.

The slain gangster recently updated his own profile picture and friends gushed underneath.

One replied: "Ahhh ye husband and wife in six months".

Father-of-two O'Driscoll, from Ballyvolane, had a lengthy list of enemies.

Read More

He was the former Officer Commanding of the Real IRA in Dublin but was kicked out of the group after a row with Alan Ryan, who was himself murdered in September 2012.

He returned to Cork after the dispute and was shot in the legs as part of a punishment style attack in June 2013. In a statement the group said he was shot for "un-republican activities".

Gardai have begun examining a number of lines of enquiry into his brutal murder.

A number of senior sources and underworld contacts have revealed that O'Driscoll was targeted as part of a local dispute with republicans who he previously associated with.

One source familiar with the case said: O'Driscoll had fallen out with a long line of people but at the moment it would appear that this is a localised dispute.

Gardai had examined his connection to Limerick based dissidents but this is very, very unlikely.

Likewise they have not ruled out a revenge attack by local drugs gangs but again there is no evidence for this.
Compensation payouts of 2.9m have been given to an additional 47 former patients of disgraced obstetrician Michael Neary, it was announced yesterday.

Mr Neary, who was an obstetrician at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, was struck off the register more than a decade ago for wrongly removing the wombs of a number of his patients over the course of 20 years.

In 2011, a State redress board, presided over by Judge Maureen Harding Clark, paid 20.6m to 119 women.

But several more of his former patients were excluded from this process because they were aged 40 or over when the procedure was performed.

Following a campaign by the women, the then health minister James Reilly said they could apply to the State Claims Agency in 2013.

A new report has revealed this led to 100 women making a claim - but 38 were refused. This was mostly because the procedure they had was deemed warranted.

In a number of other cases the procedure did not fall within the terms of the scheme, and in two cases Mr Neary was not their treating doctor.

The report said two women each received 100,000 and another two were granted 160,000. Another 43 women were granted 60,000.

Legal costs came to 84,020.

The same criteria was applied in measuring the awards as was used in the redress scheme. A women with no children got three points and someone with two or more received one point.

In four cases, women threatened to issue judicial review proceedings after being refused compensation. The most common procedure involved the removal of ovaries and a fallopian tube - an operation that should only be carried out after appropriate discussion.
Protest outside Leinster House in support of people with cystic fibrosis and the campaign for Orkambi drug therapy approval in Ireland by supporters of people with cystic fibrosis, their families and friends Picture by Shane O'Neill Photography

Hopes of a breakthrough in the campaign to secure the drug Orkambi for cystic fibrosis patients rose yesterday after it was confirmed talks on a new price agreement will resume on Wednesday.

The HSE told the Irish Independent that the meeting with its officials and the makers of the drug, Vertex, has been arranged.

However, other patients, who suffer from the most common genetic lung disorder in Ireland, were left devastated after being told a cost-benefit analysis has deemed a life-changing new drug to be too expensive.

The drug Repreeza (Zemaira), to treat the sufferers of Alpha-1, will cost 84,364 per patient annually. It was rejected by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics.

The Alpha One Foundation called on Health Minister Simon Harris to intervene.

Kitty O'Connor, CEO of Alpha One Foundation, said around 350 people have been diagnosed with the severe form of Alpha-1 in Ireland.

Patients on the drug on a trial basis fear it will be stopped at the end of January.
Pressure on Gerry Adams to provide gardai with the name of an IRA man who may have information on the murder of Brian Stack has intensified.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin said he believed Mr Adams was "committing crime" by refusing to hand over the name.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said "murder is murder" and anyone with information had an "obligation" to pass it on to gardai.

Mr Adams insists he doesn't know who killed prison officer Mr Stack more than 30 years ago. He facilitated a 2013 meeting between Mr Stack's sons, Austin and Oliver, and an IRA member who looked into the killing.

He arranged to have them driven in a blacked-out van to meet the IRA member and Austin Stack believes this man knows who killed his father. Despite Mr Stack's demand that Mr Adams pass on his name to gardai, the Sinn Fein president last night reiterated that he had to protect his sources. He told RTE that this was "not to protect individuals involved" but to ensure when a "truth recovery process" was eventually set up, families could get "closure".

"I'm about the business of trying to make peace," he said.

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Last night, Mr Howlin said it was clear that Mr Adams knew the identity of the IRA man tasked with looking into the murder of Brian Stack.

"In possessing this information and refusing to reveal to police, I believe he is committing crime," he said.

Mr Noonan urged Mr Adams to tell gardai the names of the van driver and IRA man from the 2013 meeting.

"Murder is murder", he said, adding that Gardai were still investigating Mr Stack's killing. "Any person, whether they are a TD, or a councillor, or an ordinary citizen, has an obligation to give information to the guards," he said.

A Sinn Fein spokesman said Mr Adams had indicated that he would co-operate with gardai, but did not reply when asked if this included passing on the IRA man's name. The spokesman said it was not an issue "politicians should be attempting to make political capital from".

Separately, a Dail committee is to examine if Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell abused Dail privilege. Mr Farrell named Sinn Fein TDs Dessie Ellis and Martin Ferris as two of the individuals mentioned in an email from Mr Adams to the Garda Commissioner earlier this year.

Mr Ellis and Mr Ferris strenuously deny any involvement in Mr Stack's death.

Mr Farrell insisted he didn't make accusations of wrongdoing against any individuals and said it was his "firm belief" that he did not abuse privilege.
Some people will tell you Italy is no criterion for any other European nation, saying the Italians have had a new government each year since 1945. They argue the phenomenon is more akin to annual Cabinet re-shuffles carried on with suitable operatic drama.

However, we are facing a very uncertain year in 2017, and since last Sunday you can add Italy to that "uncertain list." A string of elections in 2017 will pit populist forces against mainstream politicians in the European Union's founding nations.

Revolt against Europe's political status quo started in Greece, surprised many by spreading to Britain last June, and hit the US last month with the election of Donald Trump as president. Next year hardy will to come to hardy in France, Germany, Netherlands, and very probably Italy.

It is not apocalyptic to say we could be looking at the beginning of the end for the European Union as we have come to know it. That would spell a whole heap of uncertainty for Ireland, just as it looked like our fragile economic recovery might be taking root.

There is widespread disillusionment about the toughness of life in the eurozone. This is topped by anger at a perceived loss of control over immigration.

The result of a referendum in Italy and a presidential election in Austria last weekend, which saw more than four in 10 voters back a far-right candidate, signals widespread, deep divisions. Citizens in many EU member states are internally split between a rejection of the EU's guiding principles, and those who believe it badly needs change if it is to survive.

The Italian anti-establishment Five Star Movement is demanding a referendum on whether Italy should keep the euro. Such a vote would destabilise Italy's already fragile banking system and the contagion could spread to other core EU states.

Despite the happenings in Italy and elsewhere, the most important one of all to watch in 2017 is the French presidential elections run over two votes next April and May. The far-right National Front (FN) wants to return to national currencies.

We are told that the FN standard-bearer, Marine Le Pen, cannot win as the moderate right, centre and even the far-left, will rally to Francois Fillon of the centre-right Republican Party, which is basically a successor to the Gaullists. We don't need to labour the point on what we were told about Brexit and Donald Trump throughout 2016. President Le Pen is still a real prospect from a campaign which has yet to start.

The FN advocates an orderly withdrawal from the euro led by the Franco-German "motor". They want to renegotiate the EU founding treaties, a refund of France's EU budget contributions and restrictions on migration within the EU.

A Le Pen win would start the unravelling of the EU by a collision between France and Germany. Happily, in Germany the EU stalwart, Chancellor Angela Merkel, is favourite to win a fourth government term in September 2017, ranking her alongside her one-time mentor, Helmut Kohl, and their revered post-war leader, Konrad Adenauer.

For the moment, she is the main bulwark against the far-right populist and eurosceptic, Alternative for Germany, which has made gains in several regional elections. However, for many people across Europe, Ms Merkel is a big part of the EU's problems as evidenced by the Italian electorate's rejection of a reform referendum last Sunday.

Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, wanted to streamline Italy's cumbersome government by eliminating two-thirds of the Senate and stripping regions of power over policies including transportation and energy.

Mr Renzi, who has since quit, was himself a critic of Ms Merkel and blamed her for EU economic austerity slowing Italian economic growth and job creation.

We don't know when Italians will go to the polls to pick a new government, though it is looking like sometime next year. At all events it is worth keeping an eye on the country's burgeoning Five Star Movement, which wants to shake up the EU, including casting off its German-sponsored fiscal shackles.

The Five Star Movement showed its strength recently by winning the Mayor's office in Rome and Turin. It is an internet-based group that draws support from a very broad political spectrum and aims to upend Italy's elites from power and replace them with regular citizens.

It is also very vocal in demanding a referendum on Italy's eurozone membership. Political compromise does not appear to be a Five Star strong suit and so far it refuses to participate in coalitions.

Italy's anti-immigrant and regionalist Northern League, in contrast to Five Star, wants to quit the EU altogether. On June 24 last, just after the Brexit result was announced, the Northern League's leader, Matteo Salvini, announced his campaign for an "Italexit" referendum. Last weekend he welcomed the defeat of Mr Renzi's reform referendum as another step towards leaving the European Union.

Voters in the Netherlands will also go to the polls next March to select a new parliament. Here the one to watch is Geert Wilders of the far-right, PVV, or Freedom Party. Just yesterday he was convicted for inciting hatred against Moroccan immigrants, though no penalty was imposed and he dismissed it as a "politically-motivated charade".

Mr Wilders's party currently has 12 out of the 150 seats in the national parliament. It is hard to accurately estimate his current level of support and the party's loose, non-structure is reminiscent of Italy's Five Star movement.

"The PVV has no party organisation or local branches, no member or activist base, he is the only party member," a journalist summed up this week.

Regardless, BBC journalists in the Netherlands estimate the PVV could attract three million votes and up to 35 parliament seats. He has pledged to lead the country out of the EU if ever put into power and his electoral performance will warrant close scrutiny.

In most EU member states the majority still supports membership of the EU and the eurozone. According to the most recent EU survey in May, 54pc of Italians, 69pc of Austrians and 73pc of Germans support the euro.

Problems surface when you drill deeper. Only about one in three people said they had a "positive image" of the European Union.

Those who believe the "European project" is the only show around now badly need to review their thoughts and actions. It is a project which must urgently be reconnected to ordinary citizens.
Coding is set to become the norm in all schools across the State as a new computer sciences subject is rolled out, the TD who began the country's revolution has said.

Deputy Ciaran Cannon got the coding ball rolling more than three years ago in groups and schools around Ireland.

Almost 7,000 children have attended coding workshops this year, with events in 232 schools and centres.

Thousands of children in hundreds of schools took part in this week's Hour of Code initiative.

"We now have a commitment from Government and from Minister Richard Bruton for computer science to become an integral part of the education system," said Mr Cannon, who attended a symposium at Farmleigh in Dublin yesterday.

"As has been pointed out at the conference, we have been on the starting line for so many years but nobody had fired the starting gun and today the gun has been fired."

British film director David Puttnam was among the guests at the conference.

"David is a huge advocate of digital learning.

"He said to me three years ago that Ireland had at most three to four years to get this right or our people would be left behind. David has always been at our shoulder," Mr Cannon said.

He said the involvement of companies like Microsoft and Facebook had helped bring together critical expertise to make the delivery of coding to young people easier and more fun.

Nuala McHale is the community engagement volunteer with the coding champions CoderDojo, which was founded in Cork five years ago.

"At Dojos, young people learn about technology in fun, safe, creative club environments," she said.

"Volunteers are the backbone of the CoderDojo movement. They give their time to enable young people globally to develop deep technology skills, but also through the experience and environment (to develop) a host of transferable skills including, creativity, problem solving, communication, leadership and teamwork."

This year, 157,281 events were registered worldwide over the past six days, with 232 of these being in Ireland.

While the Hour of Code is an introduction to coding and is particularly visual, CoderDojo offers a regular and creative club-based environment for children to experiment and try out their tech ideas with a variety of languages and hardware.

"The Hour of Code is a campaign aimed at engaging all students and introduce them to coding," said Giustina Mizzoni, executive director at the CoderDojo Foundation.

"With this campaign, we aim to dispel stereotypes associated with the tech industry and get young people excited about the endless possibilities available to them when they learn how to create using technology."
A massive dredging programme for the River Shannon is planned in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the devastating flooding which struck last winter.

Works are unlikely to get underway before the end of next year though, as the Government has to complete in-depth environmental assessments to ensure that the dredging does not result in flooding downstream of works or affect protected habitats.

Office of Public Works Minister Sean Canney said a group made up of the OPW, Inland Fisheries, Waterways Ireland, the ESB and other stakeholders had been tasked with assessing where dredging was required and what environmental measures are needed.

"We have agreed to put in place a plan to start dredging the Shannon. That's never been done before," Mr Canney told the Irish Independent. "We will look at the Shannon with all the groups to see how we can have maintenance for the Shannon, and not just the tributaries."

He said the plans will be subject to in-depth environmental assessments, and may have to be approved by the European Commission to determine that they comply with the Habitat Directive.

"Probably in places where we are doing dredging, environmental damage may be caused with questions around what we do with the silt, so we have to put in place mitigation measures as well," the minister said.

The IFA said farmers and landowners would want to see works begin "as soon as possible" as silt and vegetation had built up.

The Shannon Flood Risk Group, which is led by the OPW, considers that maintenance works are essential to halt the deterioration of the river channel.

Environmental group An Taisce has previously warned that dredging alone will not solve flooding problems on the country's largest river, saying that a catchment-wide approach is needed to include restoration of flood plains, schemes for farmers to help reduce surface run-off, planting native woodlands and reducing over-grazing.

The OPW said that complete works will be "problematic". Dredging will take place alongside planned flood defence works in affected communities.
Murdered prison officer Brian Stack stood up to the IRA's attempts to take control of Portlaoise Prison in the 1970s and early 1980s, Sinn Fein TD Martin Ferris has revealed.

Mr Ferris is one of four senior Republican figures linked by Gerry Adams to the cowardly murder of Mr Stack in 1983.

The Kerry TD was the Provos commanding officer in Portlaoise during his time in prison for gun-running. Mr Ferris denies any knowledge or involvement in the murder of the Chief Prison Officer at Portlaoise.

However, in his authorised biography, Mr Ferris is scathing of Mr Stack and outlines the continual clashes between the authorities and IRA prisoners.

The Provos wanted their own command structure to contol the prison. But the prison governor and his senior officers, led by Mr Stack, battled to maintain control for the State.

"Stack was a particularly vindictive individual. He would never forget a previous incident, and if he took a dislike to a certain prisoner, he would wait until a suitable opportunity arose to punish the man in some way or other," he says in the book, published in 2005.
President Xi Jinping has said he is confident that China will well achieve its major economic and social targets for 2016, and that the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020) will be off to a good start, according to a statement released Friday.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a CPC Central Committee meeting held Tuesday to solicit opinions on the proposed economic work from non-CPC personnel.

In a world economy beset with increasing instabilities and sluggish recovery, China has stuck to its new development concept and the basic tone of making progress while maintaining stability, and firmly pushed forward reforms that include supply-side structural reform, Xi said.

Stressing that China's task of stabilizing growth, promoting reform, adjusting structure, improving people's livelihoods and guarding against risks was still arduous, the president called on the nation to maintain solidarity in face of a complicated situation and difficult task.

Premier Li Keqiang briefed the meeting about the government's economic work this year and plans for 2017.

Leaders of China's eight non-communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce attended the meeting. Economist Li Daokui was also present as a representative of personages without party affiliation.

The attendees said they agreed with the central leadership's analysis of China's economic situation this year and the planning for next year's economic work.

They also put forward opinions and suggestions on issues including supply-side structural reform in property sector, fiscal and financial support for poverty alleviation, and industrial innovation.

Other topics covered were creating new financing channels for small and medium-sized companies, upgrading the manufacturing sector, fostering new growth momentum, controlling risks in foreign exchange management, and boosting the sharing economy.

Xi expressed thanks to non-CPC personnel for the contribution they made to the national economic and social development, noting that the central leadership will seriously consider their opinions and suggestions.

Xi especially praised the non-communist parties' effective supervision over poverty reduction work in eight provinces this year, and called for continued efforts to supervise government work and make suggestions.

Under China's multi-party cooperation system, non-communist parties participate in state affairs under the leadership of the CPC. The CPC and non-communist parties work together and supervise one another.
Service exports grew by 3.5bn to 34.7bn, driven largely by growth of the export of computer and business services (Stock picture)

The economy performed strongly in the months after the Brexit vote, official figures have revealed.

The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show Ireland is on course to have the fastest-growing economy in Europe this year.

While the figures were strong, last year's incredible growth figures branded 'Leprechaun economics', mean official Irish data is now seen as potentially exaggerated, reflecting as much international money flows as economic activity within the state.

The latest data shows the value of all business in the country, measured by gross domestic product, jumped by 4pc in the three months to September, the CSO said.

Irish-owned enterprises enjoyed growth of 3.2pc, suggesting little or no signs that the UK's decision to split from Europe has yet affected Irish trade.

The latest review by the CSO, covering July, August and September, showed personal consumption of goods and services increased by 0.7pc.

The current account surplus for the period was 10.1bn, up from 6.9bn at the same point last year.

Service exports grew by 3.5bn to 34.7bn, driven largely by growth of the export of computer and business services.

Meanwhile, service imports fell by 3.6bn, which the CSO said was due to a fall-off in imports in research and development services.

The CSO Assistant Director General with responsibility for economic statistics, Jennifer Banim, said the results also showed growth in Ireland's domestically focused gross national product (GNP).

"The three largest sectors of the economy experienced growth with industry increasing by 3.8pc in volume terms, distribution, transport, software and communications growing by 5.3pc and other services showing 1.5pc growth," Ms Banim said.
Sources say heavy fog may have impaired the woman's vision as she was driving at around 9.30pm (Stock photo)

A young woman has died following a single vehicle collision in Waterford on Thursday night.

Rachel Hennessy (25) was driving along the Five Cross Roads near Stradbally village when her car crashed into a wall.

Sources say heavy fog may have impaired the woman's vision as she was driving at around 9.30pm.

Ms Hennessy, who is from the Stradbally area, was rushed to University Hospital Waterford in a critical condition with what have been described as "catastrophic injuries".

The woman was pronounced dead on Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, two people are being treated at the University Hospital Limerick, following a two car collision in Clare yesterday afternoon.

The incident took place on the N67 Kilrush to Killimer Road, near Ennis.

It is understood that the fire brigade had to remove one passenger from the car using specialist cutting equipment.
The wine bar in this Swiss hotel has 33,000 books on its shelves. Can we be teleported there immediately?

We're sure there are lots of reasons to recommend the B2 Boutique Hotel, set on the site of a former brewery in downtown Zurich.

Its tasteful architecture, for example. The spa with its thermal baths, perhaps - or its 51-odd rooms, inspired by the building's industrial history.

But there's really only one reason we want to visit.

The Wine Library.

That's right - a breathtaking space in which two of our favourite things go hand and hand amidst towering bookshelves.

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As well as the 33,000 books, the library boasts a yummy-looking food menu (an antipasti plate starts from about 18, with glasses of wine from around 6.50) and chandeliers made from original Hurlimann beer bottles.

It's even got coffee tables made out of stacked books.

Sip, browse, repeat.

Get me there

Room rates at B2 Boutique hotel (b2boutiquehotels.com) start from around 280 per night - or you could just swing by for a glass. Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) flies from Dublin to Zurich daily. See zurich.ch for more on the city.

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What will it take to unite Ireland? Opinions are divided

There are those for whom Northern Ireland is a geographical fragment of the UK holding true to empire on its western flanks, and those for whom partition is a century-old wrong that must be overturned. Somewhere in the middle are the persuadables  people willing to accept either unity or union, so long as the justification is logical. One way or another, the unity conversation is in the air.
Dundalk School of Music, which recently celebrated its 7th anniversary, will once again support the Dundalk Simon Community by hosting their annual Christmas concert in The Spirit Store on the afternoon of Sunday December 11 from 2pm to 6pm.

This promises to be a wonderful event for all the family with performances from the talented young musicians who attend the school. DSM founder Patricia Duffy is very grateful to guest musician Barry Jay Hughes from Carrickmacross, who will be giving a special performance.

Tickets, priced 10 are now on sale, and all funds raised will go towards Dundalk Simon Community for their vital work with the homeless in Dundalk.
Local artist Leanne Mullene was highly commended for her entry to the 2016 Hennessy Portrait Prize which was presented at the Millennium Wing of the National Gallery of Ireland.

The overall prize was won by Limerick School of Art and Design graduate Gerry Davis, who was awarded the prize of 15,000 for his entry and receives a commission worth 5,000 to produce a portrait for inclusion in the National Portrait Collection.

For the first time, two of the other finalists were highly commended by the judges, one being Leanne Mullen for her work 'Someone's Mother'.

Leanne was prompted to enter the competition by Brian Harten and Dennis D'Arcy of Louth County Council's Arts Office.

She had exhibited 'Someone's Mother', an oil on canvass, in the group exhibition 'A Sense of Place' with fellow artists Declan Honan and Rosie Martin, in The Basement Gallery earlier this year and they suggested she enter it into the Hennesy Portrait Prize.

Leanne based her work for the show on the history of the gallery, which is located in what used to be old prison cells. She uses drawing, painting and sculpture to produce site specific works in response to places and buildings of interest.

Leanne studied at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin and attained a MA from the University of Ulster. She combines her role as an art teacher in St Vincent's Secondary School with being a practising artist, working in a studio at her Gyles Quay home. She expressed her thanks to her fellow teachers Carmel Clyne and Caoimhe Woods in the school's art department and principal Deirdre Matthews for their support.

Over the years, Leanne has exhibited both locally and nationwide. In addition to the exhibition in The Basement Gallery, her work was also shown in the Verling Gallery's 'Into the Blue' exhibition in Blackrock this summer. Many of her pieces are held in both public and private collections, including public works at Dublin airport and Louth County Council.

Speaking on behalf of the judging panel, Gemma Tipton commented: "Our congratulations to Gerry Davis for his winning portrait of Sean And to the highly commended artists, Gavan McCullough and Leanne Mullen for their portraits of Imran and Someone's Mother respectively. Their work, and that of all the finalists, reflects the extraordinary diversity of humanity and the talent of these brilliant artists in capturing that, and reflecting it back to us. These art works are all also people, people that I almost feel I have now met. I would like to thank my fellow judges on the panel and all the artists who entered the competition.'

Now in its third year, the Hennessy Portrait Price received over 400 entries, encompassing a wide range of media and materials, by artists living in Ireland and Irish artists abroad.

The Hennessy Portrait Prize was launched in March 2014. Open to artists in all disciplines, it aims to encourage interest in contemporary portraiture, and to raise the profile of the National Portrait Collection at the National Gallery of Ireland.

The work of the 14 finalists, chosen by the judging panel comprising of Co Louth based photographer Jackie Nickerson, Gemma Tipton (art critic), Dr Adriaan Waiboer (Head Curator, National Gallery of Ireland) and Peter Murray (Director of the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork), can be seen in the National Gallery of Ireland until Sunday, March 26, 2017.
A one-man show telling the true story of how Irish LGBT groups had to fight bigotry to be allowed to march on 5th Avenue in New York's St Patrick's Day Parade, comes to An Tain Arts Centre on Friday, December 9.

This promises to be a very special occasion as Brendan Fay, the Drogheda man at the centre of the story will be present to participate in the post-show discussion. Brendan is making a visit to Ireland, along with his co-chair Kathleen Walsh Darcy, from New York, to be honoured by President Michael D Higgins, at Aras an Uachtarain, for their work with the Irish diaspora and the St Pat's For All Parade, New York's first inclusive St Patrick's Day Parade.

The story of the LBGT community's 25 year fight to be allowed take part in the parade is told in Brian Fleming's one-man show which has played to sell out performances, critical acclaim and several award nominations in Ireland and New York. Using projection, costume, humour, storytelling, bad dance, bad striptease and his considerable musical skills, Brian draws us into his highly original take on the event for 50 minutes.

His wry, curmudgeonly delivery takes us on an journey from 1990s Ireland, where homosexuality, divorce and condoms are illegal, to 2016 when over 40,000 people participate in the Dublin Pride Parade, gay marriage is legal and LGBT groups can march on St Patrick's Day.
Karen McArdle in the pop up shop at The Longwalk Shopping Centre in aid of Mellon Educate

Dundalk businesswoman Karen McArdle continued her charity work with a pop up shop in the Long Walk Shopping Centre last week aid of Mellon Educate.

The charity, which was first founded by Irish man Niall Mellon to build homes for people living in squalor in African townships, has in recent years been focusing on creating schools for children.

Karen, who owns Chaplains hair salon, has just returned from her 14th trip with the charity to South Africa, and is already fundraising for the 2017 building blitz!

'We were thrilled to host the pop up shop again in the Long Walk centres. It's been a great success every year, both with people donating quality pre-loved designer goods, and the amount of people who have come in to buy.'

Early last month, Karen joined Mellon Educate on an ambitious plan to transform two schools in Ummangaliso and Kuyasa in the town of Khayelitsha in South Africa.

'We had 270 volunteers there, 100 of those who were there for the first time,' Karen told the Argus.

At the end of the week long blitz the volunteers had succeeded in building 11 brand new classrooms, two libraries, two new playgrounds and sun sheltered eating areas. 'It is an incredibly life changing experience to take part in, and we are already appealing for volunteers to join the 2017 blitz,' said Karen. To join the blitz volunteers must fundraise 4,500. But one person who their applies through Chaplains salon will have the first 500 paid!
Yang Cuiying, a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, mourns the victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 9, 2016. A series of ceremonies were held by people to mourn their family members killed in the 1937 massacre ahead of the National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims, which falls on Dec. 13. Japanese troops captured Nanjing, then China's capital, on Dec. 13 of 1937 and started a campaign of slaughter lasting longer than a month. More than 300,000 Chinese civilians and soldiers who had laid down their arms were murdered and over 20,000 women were raped. (Xinhua/Sun Can)
The proposed playground at Cooley Kickhams GFC is one of the projects benefiting from the latest round of CLAR funding. A grant of 99,900 has been awarded to the club for a new playground with a local contribution of 19,980 from Louth County Council.

Carlingford has been allocated 50,000 in ClAR funding to improve drainage on community all disciplines pitch and for lighting to increase opening hours, with 10,000 from Louth County Council.

Omeath will get 4,500 from CLAR for improvements to its playground surface, with a local contribution of 900 from the local authority.

An allocation of 8,000 has been made towards the provision of a road to Kilwarra Cemetery, which has seen increased traffic since the visit by US Vice President Joe Biden earlier this year.

20,000 has been allocated for replacement and upgrade of flashing amber lights at schools in Rampark, Monksland, Muchgrange and Mullabouy. 14,000 has been allocated for speed safety signs at Carlingford school.

The funding announcement by Minister Michael Ring has been welcomed by Deputies Peter Fitzpatrick and Fergus O'Dowd.
Members of the INTO who have retired from their teaching posts at local Schools at a function held in The Crowne Plaza. Included are, Padraig MacCanna, Maire Ui Mhaitui, Frank Mullen, Nuala Traynor, Marie-Therese McGeough, Mary Gilsenan, Joe McDonald, Ann Cumiskey, Maire Doonan, Sean Morahan and Nollaig Giggins. Also in the photo are, Rosena Jordan, Gerry Malone and Catheine Flanagan, INTO

The work of primary school teachers and principals who taught in schools in Dundalk and surrounding areas was marked recently when the INTO Dundalk Branch held a special function in the Crowne Plaza for those teachers and principals who had retired in 2014-2016. The event was attended by family, friends and staff of teachers who have recently retired.

The evening was a celebration of their work and dedication in educating young people at a most formative stage of their lives, introducing them to the world of learning and developing the social skills which they need to advance to post-primary education.

The teachers had guided their young pupils from their first tentative days at school through landmark celebrations including First Communion and Confirmation, introduced them to the reading, writing, maths, and a whole host of subjects, taught them to enjoy music and art and how to play sports.

Ms Rosena Jordan INTO President spoke of the good will she felt from family, friends and staff towards the retired teachers on the night and on behalf of the I.N.TO thanked them for their great work over the years as educators and role models for countless generations of pupils. She wished them all a long and healthy retirement.

Ms Catherine Flanagan District Representative Louth Cavan Monaghan area thanked all retiring teachers for their hard work in their schools and their positive impact on the lives of all the children they have guided and taught throughout their career.

Ms Aoibheann Lynch Dundalk Branch Secretary (Acting) wished all present and absent retired teachers a happy retirement. She thanked the guest speakers for their contributions and the Committee of Dundalk Branch I.N.T.O for the efforts make to make the night a success.
With a promotional campaign around story telling, it's hard to imagine a better person to sell Ireland's Ancient East that Martina O'Dwyer who has recently returned to Dundalk as a Failte Ireland business development trade engagement advisor.

The Carlow native who now lives in Monasterboice, is delighted to be back in familiar territory.

Martina worked here before with the Regional Tourism Authority and later with Failte Ireland. She was subsequently involved in the in-depth process which led to the setting up of the Ireland's Ancient East marketing campaign to sell that part of the country which is neither Dublin or the Wild Atlantic Way to overseas tourists.

It is, she explains, part of the strategy to sell Ireland post recession and was developed after extensive research into what attracts overseas visitors to Ireland.

'About three years ago we began looking at how to sell the east side of the country and at that time I moved to the international leisure sales area. We carried out extensive research with overseas operatives and visitor agencies about the east coast and what attracts people to Ireland and also spoke to businesses who were successfully attracting visitors from overseas, hoteliers, visitor attractions who were going out selling and giving visitors what they wanted.'

It this research which led to Ireland's Ancient East which promotes Ireland's greatest asset, its people, says Martina.

'Visitors still say that the most attractive thing about Ireland is our people and their engagement with people,' she explains. 'The concept of Ireland's Ancient East is to support the physical heritage with the concept of stories from the best story tellers in the world.'

'We don't have the best castles, we don't have the most dramatic landscapes, and on their own they are not compelling enough to draw overseas visitors but the campaign focuses on Irish people telling the stories behind our heritage and scenery.'

An example of how this can be done is the advertisement featuring Roche Castle which forms part of the Ireland's Ancient East marketing campaign, which is mainly targeted at the overseas market.

'It's the overseas market which helps grow the economy and brings money into the country,' says Martina. 'Up until now, Ireland was marketed in a fragmented way, focusing on small areas, while now we are promoting just three areas, Dublin, the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East.'

The Wild Atlantic Way has already proven very successful and Martina is confident that Ireland's Ancient East will reap similar awards for tourism from Louth to East Cork.

'My interest has always been in working with the trade on the ground, bringing it life so it was wonderful to have been involved with the evolution of the brand and to be now working with the trade in Louth and for them to see the benefits of visitors coming in.'

'There has been a really positive response from the trade in Louth,' she says. She was delighted to see a large contingent from Louth at the last big trade briefing in Mount Juliet, Kilkenny.

'People might think that the region is very big, but overseas visitors are used to driving long distances which is why we have designed the campaign around different themes which they can explore.'

'The local authorities have been very supportive with the new signs which are going up around the country,' she continues. 'There are over 400 Welcome signs being erected so visitors know what attractions there are in each area. The idea is to increase the dwell time, so that when they get into an area with a big attraction, it will cross sell to the smaller attractions. We don't want them stopping in Carlingford and whizzing down to Newgrange, so we will be cross selling what there is to do in Dundalk and Drogheda.'

'We are also moving away from geographical locations to themes as the international visitor doesn't recognise county boundaries,' she continues. 'Our job is to tell them the big stories in this part of Ireland, so for example we have a Viking story in Waterford which also refers to Carlingford.'

Alongside the legends and folk stories, the campaign wants people to tell the small stories which make their shop, pub, town or village different.

'Everyone knows these stories but we have to bring them out so that the visitor can hear them.'

Since coming back to work in the county, Martina has been meeting with groups in Dundalk and Carlingford and is encouraging people to see their hometown as a visitor would and recognise the things which tourists would like to see.

'When we got to France or Italy, we visit churches yet people probably wouldn't think of St Patrick's Church as a tourist attraction yet it is,' she explains.

The campaign is supported by the first mobile tourism website which tourists can use as they travel around Ireland.

'The demands of tourists are changing, they like to get information and make bookings on the move so this website has been designed especially to be used on mobile phones.'

Failte Ireland has also introduced a new 'Welcome' standard to meet the demands for alternative accommodation like yurts, shepherds' huts, and camping barns.

'Overseas visitors spend about twice as much per day than the domestic tourist so it is very important to attract them here,' she says. 'Tourism brings so many benefits to the local community, providing employment for a whole range of people from food producers and chefs to students getting part-time work,'

There are, she admits, challenge to the tourism industry, particularly with Brexit, but she points out that it is a resilient industry which has overcome setbacks such as volcanic ash storms and foot and mouth.

And, she says there is a long term commitment to the campaign with 18million pledged to it under the programme for Government.
Louth Rose Megan Ferguson is getting ready to join a group of other Roses and escorts as they travel to Belarus with Adi Roche's Chernobyl Children International.

'I will be going out in February and I have just started fund raising so that I can bring some toys and equipment out to the children as we won't be there long enough to do much work,' she explains.

Megan has set up a fundraising page on the everydayhero website and has set a target of 1,500 to be raised on line, and hopes to raise twice that much before she goes to Belarus.

'I am hoping to raise as much funds as possible and this is a very quick and easy way for people to support me,' she says. 'I am also organising a fund-raising event in the Carlingford Arms after Christmas.'

The twenty year old who works in The Four Seasons Hotel, Carlingford, is enjoying her reign as Louth Rose and is looking forward to travelling to Belarus to visit projects run by Adi Roche's charity to help those still affected radiation after the Chernobyl disaster.

'I was lucky to get the opportunity to go as only twenty are selected,' says Megan who was moved to volunteer after watching a documentary about Chernobyl on RTE.

'I know how tough it's going to be, it's not a holiday but I can't wait to get out and lend a hand.'

As her year as Louth Rose begins to wind down, Megan says 'it's been a whirlwind of a year, we've had so many different events.'

'We are just home from Germany where we visited the Christmas Markets and we will be going to New York for the St Patrick's Day Parade, and there is also a trip to London planned.'

Megan says she has made lifelong friends with the other Roses and they all get together when an international Rose comes to Ireland to make sure she gets a warm welcome.

'We have all become very close friends and are like one big family now.'

As the Louth Rose, Megan is also busy fulfilling engagements at home, and opened the Craft Fair in Carlingford last weekend.
The beautiful voices of local schoolchildren will be joined by none other than the Band of An Garda Siochana at a special fundraising concert next week.

Pupils from Roundwood's St Laurence O'Toole NS and Moneystown NS will perform alongside the band at the Church of St Laurence O'Toole at 7.30 p.m. on Sunday, December 18. The concert is being held in support of the local St Vincent de Paul branch. Tickets, costing 10, are on sale now and are available from Roundwood Post Office. Keeleys Hardware, Centra Roundwood, Kavanagh Butchers, Roundwood Community Centre and Ashford Post Office.
Three Delgany girls helped launch a national goodwill campaign recently that benefited families and communities throughout Ireland.

Irish Girl Guide members carried out 84,000 good turns last week during 'National Good Turn Week'.

Girls from the age of five voluntarily tidied up their toys, picked up litter or said something nice to cheer up a friend, while older girls completed a range of kind acts - from offering to get groceries for an elderly neighbour, packing Christmas presents for those in need, donating blood or supporting a charity.

Nicole Maxwell (9), Chloe Lewis (9) and Aisling Doorly (10) from Delgany Brownies were among 1,100 girl guide members to attend an exclusive performance of the Gaiety pantomime Robin Hood following the Good Turns launch.

'Good turns are at the heart of what Girl Guiding is about,' said IGG chief commissioner Helen Concannon. 'When girls become members of the Girl Guides, they promise to help other people and to do at least one good turn every day. The important thing is that these are tasks which a girl has not been asked to do - they are not chores, but something she notices needs to be done and she just does it. This is a skill we need all young people to develop - to be active citizens helping others in their communities.'
Locals in Ashford are up in arms after proposals to develop a new water treatment plant at Vartry were given the green light.

Last week Wicklow County Council granted permission for the new water treatment plant on the site of the existing plant at Vartry. Irish Water says that this treatment plant, along with other planned upgrades to the existing site, will secure the water supply for the long-term and ensure the Vartry scheme meets all drinking water standards.

Currently treated water from Vartry provides drinking water for one of the most densely populated areas in the country. The supply area stretches through north Wicklow to south Dublin and serves more than 200,000 people.

The plant was originally constructed in the 1860s and was a feat of engineering for its time, which involved the building of two reservoirs, a water treatment plant, a four kilometre long tunnel under Callowhill and 60 kilometres of trunk main to deliver water to the supply area.

Irish Water said that the Vartry scheme is a priority for them given its importance to so many people in Wicklow, Dun Laoghaire and other areas of south Dublin.

Geoff O'Sullivan, Project Manager with Irish Water said: 'We welcome this planning permission as an important step in securing the drinking water to the Vartry Water Supply area of north Wicklow and south Dublin. The scheme has had no major upgrade since it was built over 150 years ago and is now in need of urgent investment. Irish Water will invest up to 200 million in the upgrade of this priority project.'

However Cllr Jennifer Whitmore has raised concerns about the project.

'Planning permission was granted by Wicklow County Council last week to Irish Water for a 200m upgrade to the Vartry Reservoir, which will provide a new treatment plant and replace much of the ageing pipework in the system.

'Whilst I welcome the investment in securing water supply for the county, I am concerned about some of the unintended consequences of this project. In particular, how it may impact on the Vartry, an EU designated salmonoid river, which is downstream of the reservoir.

'The upgrade will mean that any water that normally leaks from the 150 year old reservoir will now be retained by the new pipework. This upgrade in efficiency will mean that up to two thirds of the water, that normally flows into the Vartry, will now not make it down into the river. This could have a significant impact on both the fish stocks and the underlying ecology of the system,' she said.

'Unfortunately, an Environmental Impact Statement was not submitted as part of the planning process. The provision of such an assessment would be normally standard for a project of this size and I believe that, as a result, we do not have a clear picture of how this work will impact on the surrounding environment and, in particular, the River Vartry.'

Her views are supported by members of the Ashford Development Association who have organised a public meeting for this Friday night at 7.30pm in the Community and Heritage Centre in Ashford to prepare an appeal to An Bord Pleanala.

Matthew Weiss, who is a member of the group and also spokesperson for the River Vartry Protection Group, has also started on online petition in a bid to overturn the decision.

He said Irish Water have been given permission for the plant 'without the benefit of an Environmental Impact Assessment and widespread objection from the Ashford Community and the River Vartry Protection Society who represent the Riparian owners living beside the river.

'The River Vartry is an EU Protected Salmonoid River but even with that protection and the fish managing with the current lack of water, their plan will reduce the water flowing in the River Vartry by two thirds of its current flow. The EU River Basin Management Document requires the government to negotiate 'compensatory flows' for the river, but instead of getting more, we are going to get one third of the current flow.

'Our option at the moment is to take the case to An Bord Pleanala. We need to be able to make a good case at An Bord Pleanala for sending Irish Water back to produce a full Environmental Impact Assessment, which will allow us to participate, as a stakeholder, and make sure the River Vartry is safe.

'Wicklow County Council should have insisted on this but with Irish Water's unclear charter, they looked at them as Government not a private company with the vested interest of selling more water to Dublin.

'We need people from all over, speaking out and demanding that the need of the environment be taken into account. If we destroy all our best rivers now, our children will be seeing salmon, sea trout, otters and all the other protected species of the River Vartry in the Natural History Museum.'

Matthew said that the group plan to engage the services of an environmental solicitor or barrister as well as a Hydrologist/Hydrogeologist to give expert witness.

He sad that Irish Water has 'continually reversed its position and science in going through the planning process. Every time we found a weakness, they changed their plan to another one.

'We will be requesting an oral hearing which is only given for very few circumstances. One circumstance is to be able to prove that this is of major public concern.'

Matthew said the appeal must be lodged with An Bord Pleanala by December 19 but said that if they are not successful with the appeal they will consider taking the case to the High Court and, if necessary, the Supreme Court.

The construction of the new water treatment plant is a key element of the Irish Water Vartry Water Supply Upgrade Project, which also includes the decommissioning of the existing water treatment plant and existing tunnel to allow for re-mediation works to be carried out. A separate application for the replacement of the existing tunnel with a pipeline has been made by Irish Water to Wicklow County Council.

Although no additional water will be abstracted from the reservoir, the upgrade works will also enable the extension of the water supply network from Vartry to other areas of Mid Wicklow including Rathdrum, Aughrim, Avoca, Ballinaclash, Roundwood, Laragh, Annamoe, Redcross, Conary and Glenealy. These areas are currently served by water sources which have been identified by the EPA as being at risk of failure to meet the current drinking water regulations.
In his talk 'Mercury Rising - Planning For Our New Climate Reality', Dr Barry O'Dwyer told his audience in Bray last Friday of the scientific evidence demonstrating that climate change is happening now. The Bray native outlined its likely acceleration with catastrophic consequences for planet earth and its people if it is not arrested and adapted to.

Dr O'Dwyer is is a leading research scientist on climate change impacts and adaptation at the Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy (MaREI), University College Cork.

'In addition to all the research work that demonstrates this changing situation there are many easily identifiable pieces of evidence of what is happening; arctic sea ice is declining rapidly, sea levels are rising,' said Dr O'Dwyer.

'Sea levels around Ireland have risen by 4cm to 6cm since 1990 with the greatest increases observed for the Irish Sea. Rainfall patterns are changing and extreme storms in the north Atlantic area are increasing in both frequency and strength. In Ireland in recent years we have seen storms breach our coastal defences and unprecedented flooding in inland regions as a result of extreme rainfall. All of this at huge financial, social and environmental costs.'

He explained that rising temperatures can have serious health effects for vulnerable populations, particularly the old and the young.

In agriculture our ability to grow traditional crops will be negatively affected, traditional fish stocks such as mackerel are moving north with increasing temperatures and with major implications for our fishing industry, and coastal erosion caused by rising seas and storm surges will put a lot of our coastal infrastructure at risk.

Dr O'Dwyer went on to say there is an urgent need to respond proactively to this situation and there are two broad approaches we can take: mitigation and adaptation

Mitigation measures involve reducing our emissions of greenhouse gases so as to decrease the causes of climate change.

However, regardless of our mitigation efforts, our long history of greenhouse gas emissions now mean that climate change is now locked-in till at least mid-century

Adaptation involves accepting the reality of climate change and adapting our way of living to this new reality.

Our approach to adaptation must be nuanced and will involve difficult choices. It will not be possible to defend all the areas vulnerable to climate change impacts and we will have to choose to defend where impact will be greatest in social and financial terms.

This will pose major challenges for everyone and particularly for policy makers and politicians.

'In order to successfully adapt to the ongoing and expected impacts of climate change, an inclusive and integrated approach is required in which appropriate policies and programmes must be put in place at national and international levels while at the local level adaptation solutions must be put in place that are community led,' said Dr O'Dwyer. 'This involves identifying our areas of vulnerability and the sensitivities that need to be addressed.

'Making progress, gaining acceptance and building a willingness to change requires a huge amount of awareness building and education among the planners, policy makers, politicians and the electorate.'

Dr O'Dwyer thanked Bray Sailing Club for the opportunity to engage and debate with such a large audience and hopefully help raise awareness levels on this challenging topic.

Speaking after the event, Green Party councillor Steven Matthews said 'Barry O'Dwyer presented us with a thought provoking and very frightening assessment of the future we face if we don't make the hard decisions necessary to combat the effects of climate change.

'There is no doubt that it is happening and that we are sleepwalking into a future of catastrophic climate events that will impact on every aspect of our lives and that of future generations.

'There is a serious deficit of political will and understanding at local and national level to address the problem and it would serve us well if Barry was invited to make his presentation to both houses of the Oireachtas and to all local authorities. Action on climate change is something we have to demand from all politicians regardless of party or position.'

The Rosslyn Court native said that while we can already see the consequences of climate change, it's not too late for the individual to become aware of the realities we are facing.

He said that some hard decisions are going to have to be made, including accepting that we will lose rather than defend certain portions of coastline.

He added that while there are a number of 'climate change deniers' in the world, that is a very small portion of the scientific community and the community at large.

'For me the science is clear,' he said. 'The public are starting to become more aware.'

He said that while there will always be danger in some rhetoric, it's important to hold these kinds of talks to bring the science directly to the people in an accessible way.
The trial of a man accused of murdering a 22-year-old man began yesterday in Dublin.

Thomas O'Connor (29), of Burnaby Court, Greystones, is accused of murdering John O'Brien on June 4, 2010, at Farrankelly Road, Delgany.

At the Central Criminal Court on Monday, Mr O'Connor's plea of guilty to Mr O'Brien's manslaughter but not guilty to his murder was not accepted by the State and a jury for the trial was sworn in.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy told the jury of eight men and four women that he hoped the trial would begin yesterday (Tuesday), but said that it could start today, depending on the availability of a judge.

It began after lunch yesterday afternoon.

Mr Justice McCarthy told the jury that the trial was expected to last two weeks.
Hannah Moran and Alannah Guilfoyle with their muppet cupcakes

The girls of Loreto in Bray enjoyed a feast of cupcakes recently for their annual Cupcake Carnival at the school.

Pupils got creative in their baking, producing sets of buns decorated as Disney princesses, the Loreto crest, muppets, sea otters and more.

Each participant was asked to make at least six buns for their entry.

In some cases they worked alone, whereas some of the girls got into groups to make their cakes.

The result was a colourful display of beautifully decorated treats.

Students from each year in the school took part in the carnival and enjoyed making, as well as eating, their creations.

The students were asked to bake a batch of cupcakes and decorate them however they liked, later selling them to each other during their break.

The home economics department at Loreto organised the carnival, with proceeds to be donated to charity.

It was a fun-filled day and all the girls admired each other's fantastic work.
Six villagers have been transferred to judicial authorities in south China for allegedly hunting and selling a rare sea turtle illegally, authorities said Friday.

This week, a viral video showing a group of people dismembering a giant Dermochelys coriacea, a sea turtle under state protection, caused an uproar among netizens.

The turtle, reportedly weighing more than 200 kg, was slaughtered and its meat was sold for 70 yuan (10 U.S. dollars) per kg to local residents in Xuwen County, Guangdong Province, according to a report by the Global Times, citing the local Zhanjiang Daily. Pictures on microblog Sina Weibo showed bloody scenes of the slaughter, with the turtle tied in rope on a two-wheeled cart.

But initial investigations showed that the turtle was already dead when it was caught, according to a statement by the county government.

According to the statement, three fishermen caught the turtle when they were fishing in waters off Luodousha Island in Xuwen. They then sold the turtle to three local villagers at a price of 4,000 yuan. The villagers dismembered the turtle and sold the meat to other villagers.

The fishermen claimed that the turtle was already dead when it was caught. Investigators found no evidence proving the turtle was alive when it was dismembered, said the statement.

Dermochelys coriacea is a Class B protected animal in China. The species, also called the leatherback sea turtle, has a unique shell unlike other sea turtles. The animal has rarely been spotted in China, according to Bowu, a spinoff magazine of China National Geography. According to China's Criminal Law, illegal purchase, transportation and sales of endangered wild animals could result in a fixed jail sentence and fines.

Sea turtles are traditionally regarded as "guardian angels" in coastal areas in Guangdong, said Liang Daichong, a local fishery policeman. "There have been stories of the Dermochelys coriacea turtles saving people."

Liang said that the turtle is a deep-sea species, and many people do not know it.

Local villagers told Xinhua that sea turtles are "not allowed to be hunted" according to local fishing traditions.

"Any sea turtle caught by mistake is typically released, and some fishermen even burn incense and inscribe their names and the time on the turtle's shell when they release it just to get blessings," a local villager said.

Xia Zhongrong, an official with the national nature reserve for sea turtles in Guangdong's Huizhou City, said that fishermen in Guangdong rarely kill or eat sea turtles, and that any sea turtle caught by mistake is usually released or sent to the reserve.

"Each year, about 50 sea turtles are sent to the reserve," Xia said. "Sometimes the number has exceeded 100."

One of the suspects accused of dismembering the turtle said that he "did not know it was a sea turtle," nor did he realize it was under state protection.

"I have always known sea turtles should be released when they are caught," said the suspect, surnamed Zheng. "Last year, I spent several hundred yuan buying a sea turtle and released it."

Liang Daichong said that the incident in Xuwen is a reflection of "bad eating habits" and "ignorance."

"The government should improve education about wildlife protection," Xia said. "The public should remain friendly to and in awe of wild animals."
At last week's meeting of Greystones Municipal District, Cathaoirleach Jennifer Whitmore suspended standing orders to discuss the matter.

She said that it was disappointing that councillors had not been told about the unit going onto that site. 'There has been a lot of worry in the area about what is going in,' she said.

'All of that could have been avoided if we had been informed about what was happening and the community had been part of the discussion.'

Cllr Gerry Walsh said that there had been a lack of communication. 'I heard about it from members of the public and I wasn't able to provide the answers,' he said.

Cllr Derek Mitchell said that he thought that this would have needed planning permission. He said that the rights of the people nearby are greatly impinged. 'There should be an open planning process,' he said.

He said that there was previous planning permission granted by the council and An bord Pleanala for 22 senior citizens houses on this and the wider site. He said that while the permission has expired, any works should adhere to certain conditions laid down at that time.

Those included good boundary treatment, and an archaeologist was to be employed before any work was done on the site. 'The last thing the council should be doing is going out with a JCB and a digger.'

'It's disgraceful to completely ignore the An Bord Pleanala conditions for the former expired planning permission,' said Cllr Mitchell. 'Once you dig up the whole site it's pointless having an archeologist.'

Cllr Grainne McLoughlin said that the housing department gave a presentation at the last district meeting and 'they omitted to mention anything about this'.

She said that the council is saying they don't need planning permission. 'I would like someone other than housing say definitively that planning permission is not required, and why.

'I'm not against homeless housing and for anyone to construe that any of us is would be completely wrong. The fact is, it's gone right in beside someone's home without even basic good manners and without a discussion with anybody. That's not democracy and it's bad form.'

'We're supposed to be the voice of the public,' said Cllr Nicola Lawless. 'How are we supposed to do our job at full capacity if we're not informed? It's embarrassing and unprofessional.

District manager Michael Nicholson said that part 8 planning is only required if works are over the value of 125,000.

Members said that they will write and request further information on the site and location of the house, access works, screening for the neighbour, and how close it is to the floodplain area, and that the council comply with previous requirements of An Bord Pleanala. They will also ask that the council consult with the residents.

They discussed the possibility of asking that works stop until such time as all that is facilitated, however they decided against this as a family in difficult circumstances awaits a home. They did not wish to delay works unduly.
In a notice of motion before the district meeting, Cllr Derek Mitchell and Cllr Grainne McLoughlin asked what progress has been made in obtaining a hotel in Greystones next to the park and ride site.

Cllr Mitchell said that he had asked for a report on this matter some months ago. District administrator Myra Porter read out a report which said that the south beach area referred to in the Greystones Delgany Local Area Plan 2013, zoned AP4 and EMP4, includes the council offices, the park n ride car park and the old wastewater treatment plant. The report said that the site would allow for the development of a hotel and other facilities in the area.

There has been limited interest in the development of a hotel in Greystones in recent times. The Chief Executive and the Economic Development Unit have met with the IDA as recently as last week, with regard to taking a collaborative approach to developing the council land bank and the IDA's adjoining land (zoned for employment).

The IDA has confirmed that a planning consultant has been engaged by them, to develop an overall vision and outline plan for the land in question and will liaise with Wicklow County Council's planners in this regard. It is envisaged that the Council will engage in a process similar to that which was used bring the Florentine site to the market. 'This project will require the support and input of the members to bring the development of the lands to fruition,' read the report. 'It should be noted that there are other locations and zones where hotel development in Greystones is feasible, for example the town centre and village centre zones as well as the E2 zone at Windgates.'

'The site has been for sale for 10 years. A number of offers have been rejected. I would like to see a hotel or something else to add to the town on the site. I've no objection to it being sold but would like to try to get something useful for the town,' said Cllr Mitchell.

Cllr McLoughlin said that it would appear that unless there is a major plan for the area, there is no plan. She said that it is quite a good idea to bring the two agencies together. 'But if you just want to build a hotel it's almost precluded. Unless there's a major plan, there's no plan,' she said. 'What consultant says this is the best idea? I know Wicklow County Council things this is a great idea but I haven't seen a report that this is the best idea for Greystones.'
A former bank official who worked at a Bank of Ireland branch in Mid-Cork has been sent forward for sentence at the Circuit Criminal Court after she entered a signed plea to stealing 105,000 from three bank customers.

Niamh Thornton (36) from Ahamore, Causeway, Co Kerry was charged with 187 counts of theft and four counts of computer fraud at Bank of Ireland, Main Street, Macroom between 2009 and 2013.

The theft charges allege that Ms Thornton stole sums ranging from 100 to 2,000 from three Bank of Ireland account holders, contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Theft and Fraud Offences Act.

The computer fraud charges allege that Thornton dishonestly operated a computer in relation to bank statements with the intention of making gain for herself, Contrary to Section 9 of the same act.

This Wednesday at Macroom District Court, Insp Brian Murphy said the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed the case be dealt with by way of indictment at Circuit Criminal Court level.

Insp Murphy applied to Judge John King to have the matter sent forward to the next sittings of Cork Circuit Criminal Court at the Courthouse on Washington Street in Cork on February 7, 2017.

Defence solicitor Peter Malone said his client was entering a signed plea of guilty to all charges and Judge King sent her forward for penalty to appear at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on February 7.

Judge King remanded Ms Thornton on her own bond of 500 to appear at the Washington Street Courthouse on that date and he granted her free legal aid after hearing she was now unemployed.
Minister Heather Humphreys and Cllr Gerard Murphy, chair of the North Cork Local Action Group (LAG), signing contracts for the LEADER programme. Also pictured are (standing L-R): Aidan Gleeson, Ballyhoura Development; Sean Hegarty, Avondhu Blackwater Partnership; Niall Healy, Cork County Council; Valerie Murphy, Avondhu Blackwater Partnership; Tom Stritch, Cork County Council and Padraig Casey, Ballyhoura Development. Photo: Brian Mulligan

By stepping in to augment the latest round of funding under the LEADER programme, Cork County Council has ensured that vital community projects in rural area across the county can be given the green light.

That's according to council chief executive Tim Lucey, who said the authority was one of the few around the country to have backed up LEADER with a pledge of additional cash.

"Our elected members listened to the communities of Cork County who were concerned about shortfalls in funding to the LEADER programme and responded by making an additional 3.5 million in council funding available across the county," Tim Lucey.

Controversy has surrounded the funding for the LEADER initiative up to 2020, with sweeping cuts seeing its budget slashed when compared to previous allocations.

This time around Cork County has been allocated just over 13.9 million, out of a total national allocation of 250 million.

Mr Lucey confirmed that the council will provide an additional 3.5 million to that from its supplemental Community Development Initiative Fund, bringing the total funding available to communities in Cork to 17.4 million.

The roll-out of the programme will be overseen by three Local Community Development Committees (LCDC), with the North, South and West Cork committees having been confirmed as the new Local Action Groups (LAG) for their respective regions.

'LEADER North Cork', will be rolled out by a consortium of its LAG and the three local development companies operating in the County Council's North Cork division: The Avondhu Blackwater Partnership , Ballyhoura Development and IRD Duhallow.

With an initial allocation of 5.1 million augmented by a 1.28 million top-up from Cork County Council, LEADER North Cork will have a total budget of 6.4 million to spend on projects over the next fours years. While its chairman, Cllr Gerard Murphy, conceded the total funding was "greatly reduced" from previous programmes, he commended the LAG, its three implementing partners and Cork County Council for what he described as the "fresh and innovative" approach developed for the roll-out of LEADER in the region.

"There is a real sense of urgency in rolling out the new programme as communities have been cut off from LEADER funding over recent years and there is a pipeline of projects ready to be assessed," said Cllr Murphy.

"These communities can be assured of the determination of Cork County Council to issue contracts for available as speedily as possible," he promised.

Cllr Murphy said LEADER provided a "real opportunity" to invest in local communities across the North Cork region. "I am looking forward to seeing a continuation of the great work that has been carried out under previous LEADER programmes by the local development companies, albeit this time around with an overall significantly reduced budget," he said.

"Now that the programme has been officially launched North Cork LEADER welcome expressions of interest from suitable project." For more information North Cork LEADER, application forms and latest developments visit www.leadernorthcork.ie.

'LEADER West Cork', will be rolled out by a consortium of its LAG and the three local development companies operating in the County Council's West Cork division: The Avondhu Blackwater Partnership, South and East Cork Area Development (SECAD) and Comhar nan Oilean. Its allocation of 5 million has been topped up by 1.25 million to 6.25 million.

See www.leaderwestcork.ie. 'LEADER South Cork', will be rolled out by a consortium of its LAG and the four local development companies operating in the County Council's South Cork division: South and East Cork Area Development (SECAD), The Avondhu Blackwater Partnership, Udaras na Gaeltachta and IRD Duhallow.

Its allocation of 3.8 million has been topped up by 1million to 4.8 million. See www.leadersouthcork.ie.

What is LEADER and how does it work for Cork?

 LEADER stands for Liaisons Entre Actions de Developpement de L'Economie Rurale, which roughly translates to 'Liaison among Actors in Rural Economic Development'.

 Since its launch in 1991, the LEADER programme had provided rural communities across the EU with resources that enable local partners to actively engage and direct development within their area using a 'bottom-up' or community-led approach.

 It is an integral part of Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine administered Rural Development Programme (2014-2020).

 The programme supports local and community projects across a diverse range of themes including: tourism, enterprise, rural towns, broadband, youth, biodiversity, conservation, renewable energy and the development of services in isolated areas.

 Administered by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, the programme's aim is to improve the quality of life in rural areas by encouraging the diversification of economic activity.

 All funding decisions are made at local level by Local Action Groups (LAG's) comprised of public and private partners. These groups must include representatives from across different socio-economic sectors including community and voluntary organisations, the local authority and experts in the field of local development.

 Following an independent bidding process the north, south and west Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) have been confirmed as the new LEADER Local Action Group's (LAG's) covering their respective areas in Cork.

 Each LAG is given a budget and charged with identifying and implementing a Local Development Strategy (LDS) through making project funding decisions and managing and accounting for all expenditure.

 The 'bottom-up' element of the process involves combining the knowledge and experience of the general public, economic and social groups and members of public and private bodies to become involved in the development of each LDS.

 Though a consultation process open to any member of the rural community, an LDS will take into consideration local needs and through a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis examine the potential of each proposed project/initiative.

 The national budget for LEADER (2014-2020) is 250 million.

The Cork allocation totals 13,938,823 and is broken down as follows:

Cork North: 5,091,845.

Cork West: 5,015,674.

Cork South: 3,831,303.
When the idea of importing buffalo from Italy to produce cheese in Macroom was first mooted it was, somewhat predictably, greeted with raised eyebrows and no small measure of scepticism.

More than six years later even the most trenchant of sceptics have to admit that the move has been an unqualified success. Proof of this, if needed, emerged this week with the news that Tairgi Caise Buabhaill Mhaigh Chromtha Teo (Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products Ltd) has stuck gold with its Macroom Buffalo Mozzarella at the prestigious world Cheese Awards in San Sebastian, Spain.

While their Macroom Buffalo Mozzarella is no secret to Irish cheese aficionados, it has now proven to be a big hit on the international stage thanks to the foresight and vision of Cill na Martra farmer Johnny Lynch.

In 2009 Johnny imported 31 buffalo from Italy, creating the first ever milking herd in Ireland. He now has a herd of more than 220 buffalo, which is thriving in the Irish environment.

Last year Johnny set up Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products Ltd, enlisted the help Sean Ferry, the man behind the renowned Desmond and Gabriel cheeses, and started producing mozzarella at his modern, purpose built artisan cheese making facility on his farm. The cheese has made a quite a name for itself amid gourmet and food circles in Ireland and available in major supermarkets across the country.

With the added support of Udaras na Gaeltachta the company now produces a variety of mouth watering cheeses including Ricotta, Greek-style salad cheese and Haloumi. However, it was their mozzarella that fired up the taste buds of the experts from across the globe who tasted, nosed and graded more than 3,000 cheeses from 31 countries in just a single day at the world awards.

Congratulating the company on their gold medal, Udaras na Gaeltachta chief executive Steve O Culain said the accolade was "well deserved".

"This award shows the quality of food products that can be delivered to the world stage from our Gaeltacht areas through the hard work of our producers and with the support that we can provide," he said.
Cork shoppers donated 7,000-worth of food to the annual Tesco Food Appeal held recently at eight of the chain's supermarkets in the county.

Run in partnership with the Lions Club and FoodCloud, the food donation haul was raised in collections at Tesco's stores in Ballincollig, Mitchelstown, Wilton, Paul St, Douglas Extra, Mahon Point, Mallow and Midleton.

Over 170,000 worth of food was collected by the Lions Club and FoodCloud during the nationwide, two-day appeal at Tesco stores. An estimated 700 trolleys laden with food were donated in total. Tesco's said that this year's appeal has been the most successful yet with a 70 per cent increase in food donated on last year. Lions Club and FoodCloud volunteers are now sorting through the packages to create food hampers for families in need.
Guns N' Roses are coming to Slane. The legendary band, featuring Axl Rose start their 'Not in This Lifetime Tour' for 2017 on Saturday 27 May 2017 at Meath's Slane Castle.

The Live Nation produced tour will then steamroll into 18 more cities across the UK and Europe including shows scheduled in London, Paris, Madrid, Vienna, Copenhagen and more. Tickets go on sale this Friday 9 December at 9am.

Speaking on the announcement Lord Henry Mountcharles stated, "We are really thrilled to have one of the most exciting rock n' roll bands in the world coming back to Slane 25 years after they first played, the same month in 1992 which was critically considered to be one of the best Slane's ever."

While Lord Henry's daughter Lady Tamara Conyngham is thrilled by next years headliners "I'm just so excited that I will finally get the chance to see one of the greats. I missed them the first time round the fact I get a second chance is pretty incredible."

While son Alex recalled the last time Guns N' Roses visited Slane "They were massive for us at the time and an amazing act to witness. I remember Axl coming out on stage and the crowd just going bananas. The energy was incredible."
He might not have been born in Drogheda, but TK Whitaker can rightly claim it as home.

This Thursday, the man whose long life of public service parallels the history of the modern Irish state and in whose economic, financial, social, educational, political and cultural evolution he played a pivotal role, celebrates his 100th birthday.

Born in Rostrevor, County Down, his family moved to Drogheda in 1922, where his father found employment in the Greenmount and Boyne Mill.

He recalled one of his earliest memories was seeing a man with a revolver running into their street!

Growing up in Drogheda, at Paradise Cottage, at the corner of Paradise Place, as he notes, ' was the nearest I may ever get to heaven!' and was for him 'a memorable, even a magical experience'. He attended the local Christian Brothers school where his potential was nurtured and where the unique ethos that was later to distinguish his role as a public servant was moulded.

During those days he learned that the first Whitaker in Ireland was actually bailiff of Drogheda in 1305.

His memories of those days are vivid, playing marbles all along the kerb in Fair Street as he made his way home from school.

'Now and again a terrifying fight between inebriated adults could be seen on the streets. I was watching two powerful men slag one another in Shop Street one day when Madame Schwer's excited dog dug his teeth in the calf of my leg. I still remember the pain of the old fashioned cauterisation.'

In secondary school, he recalled some great teachers, Brother James Burke and Peadar McCann, a teacher who came to school half an hour earlier to teach a handful of students French.

He was a mean hurler - winning a medal for the Louth Minor Hurling C'ship of 1929. 'I can recall no heroic feats,' he claimed years later, 'I suspect I was merely a sub on the winning team.'

He dabbled in music too - Miss Crilly taught him the piano on Fair Street and took up the violin under Agnes McGough on Laurence Street.

'Drogheda was, indeed, the ideal place to grow up,' he once told the Droogheda Independent.

In 1956 at the young age of 39 he became secretary of the Department of Finance. Against a background of economic stagnation, rampant emigration and an atmosphere of national despondency in 1958 he devised Economic Development, a blueprint for the economic regeneration of the country.

During the 1960s Ken Whitaker spear-headed Ireland's convoluted path towards the European Economic Community, leading many delegations to European capitals.

Between 1967 and 1997 he played a behind-the-scenes role in the search for peace in Northern Ireland. As far back as the 1950s he initiated cross-border relationships with his opposite numbers in the Northern Ireland administration and in 1965 arranged the historic meeting between Sean Lemass and Captain Terence O'Neill. In 1969 he wrote Jack Lynch's famous 'Tralee Speech' which, for the first time, committed the Irish Government to a policy of reunification by the principle of consent.

And Drogheda's pride in the achievements of its famous son was exemplified in 1999 when he was made a Freeman of Drogheda 'in recognition of his distinguished public service,' while in its sister town of Dundalk the library in the Institute of Technology is named in his honour.

With thanks to Anne Chambers, author of 'TK Whitaker: Portrait of a Patriot', now available in paperback.
A Healing Mass will take place in the Augustinian Church, Shop Street, Drogheda at 7.30pm on Monday 12th December. The Mass is run by the Drogheda Community Drugs & Alcohol Forum in conjunction with the Holy Family Prayer Group.

It is for everyone suffering from addiction or any illness, and their families. There will be anointing of the sick on the night. The celebrant is Fr. Paddy Stanley. Light refreshments will be served. All welcome.

St Pio devotions

St Pio devotions will take place on Thursday 15th December in St Marys church Drogheda, mass at 7.30pm followed by Eucharistic healing blessing with relic of St Pio,rosary at 7.05pm,all are very welcome. If you would like to receive the Sacred Heart messenger for 2017 (cost 18)please contact Austin 087 9307541.
The Drogheda Down Memory Lane calendar is set to be another massive fundraiser for charities around town - thanks to the generosity of Anglo Printers.

The local firm are sponsoring the production again for 2017 and have produced 1,000 high quality calendars which will retail for 10, which will net 10,000 towards the services of Boomerang Youth Centre & Cafe; Boyne Fisherman's Rescue & Recovery; Drogheda Alzheimer Society and Drogheda Senior Citizens Group.

Drogheda Down Memory Lane was started by Wheaton Hall resident Donna Hayes in 2011 when she began a Facebook page and put up a photograph of her mother Mary Collins-Coughlan and her grandmother Kathleen Collins.

At that stage they thought they would just get about 50 members who might share a few pictures. The idea was to have people post pictures of Drogheda and Droghedeans from before 1990. The 'likes' started to come in for the first picture and they have never looked back since.

Donna was soon joined as Admin by her mam Mary who is from Mell as Admin and the page grew like wildfire. Just a few months ago the membership of the page exceeded 13,500 members.

The administrators would like to acknowledge the support and encouragement of Peter Kierans of Anglo Printers Ltd, who has single-handedly made this project possible by offering to print the calendars free of charge.

'We are delighted to sponsor the 2017 DDML Calendar, it's a beautiful calendar which I'm sure will be well supported by the people of Drogheda to help maintain the services they offer in Drogheda,' Peter stated.

How to purchase the DDML 2017 Calendar: Boyne Fisherman's Rescue & Recovery - 041-9804876 or from Boathouse or members of rescue will deliver direct to your door

Drogheda Alzheimer Society - Ann Tel 087-2893698 Daycare Tel 041 9841311.

For sale in Jo Jo's, West St; Crafty Fox, Shop St;Tuites Butchers., Drogheda Senior Citizens Group - 041-9846753, Boomerang Youth Centre & Cafe - 041-9839916. They will post abroad if needed.
The 16-year-old panda Long Hui died on Friday during an emergency examination at the Schonbrunn Zoo in Vienna, the zoo said.

An ultrasound examination conducted on the male panda on Tuesday had revealed a 10-centimeter-large tumour in his abdomen, the zoo stated in statement.

Zoo vet Thomas Voracek said discussions were held with experts in China over whether an operation was possible, before it was decided a CT scan would be carried out.

He said Long Hui's heart had however stopped beating while under narcosis. It was also found that the tumour would have been inoperable, with the lungs having already showed massive changes, indicating metastasis.

The zoo said the panda had already shown rapidly deteriorating health and had been under intensive medical care since mid-November.

"We still cannot believe it," said zoo director Dagmar Schratter, adding that "Long Hui will be missed by us all."

The giant panda, born on Sept. 26, 2000, in Wolong, China, was moved to the Vienna zoo in March 2003.
A local child is the star of a heartwarming ad in which he pays tribute to his older brother for helping those less fortunate at Christmas.

Aaron Taaffe from Hillview features in the latest Tesco ad campaign #ToTheHosts which features people from all over Ireland penning a letter thanking a loved one for what they have done at Christmas.

IN the ad Aaron (12), who is a student of St Mary's Parish Primary School, reads a letter he was written to his big brother Conor who bought food and clothes last Christmas and travelled to Dublin to distribute it to some of the many homeless people in the city.

In the ad, Aaron says: 'He's my role model and I want to be like him. Conor, I hope I can do it with you this year. Thank you for being such an inspirational big brother. Lots of love, Aaron.

His Mum Joan revealed Aaron was chosen to take part in the campaign through the dance school he attends, Fit Kids/Fit Teens.

'He came home one day and they had been told they could write a letter about an important Christmas or someone who made Christmas special. He wrote the letter that evening and sent it off with a photo,' said Joan.

About a week later he got a call to say he was shortlisted. Then they skyped him about a week later and they came to film the ad in October. It was mad but it was great experience for him.'

She revealed Aaron is enjoying his new found fame and was thrilled to have the opportunity to pay tribute to the his 'idol' older brother Conor (21) who works in Dublin as a barber.

She said she and husband John and both of Aaron's siblings, Amy and Conor are very proud of his letter and the sentiments expressed in it.
A local councillor has said Brexit now opens up a 'unique opportunity' to once again look at the idea of a united Ireland.

Councillor Pearse McGeough said: 'A united Ireland makes sense in terms of the economy, public services, investment, exports, agriculture, policing and justice and sport.'

'There are no advantages for a small island of just over six million people in having two separate tax systems, legal systems, and competing economic development programmes. Removing barriers to trade, created by the border will lead to significant economic growth across the island.'

The discussion document launched by Sinn Fein this week entitled 'Towards a United Ireland' outlines the case for unity.

Cllr McGeough explained "Sinn Fein wants to see a new Ireland where citizens have the right to a job, to a home, and a decent standard of education. A new, united Ireland must deliver new politics and fundamentally change the political status quo North and South.

"There will be a need for a new Constitution and Bill of Rights, and there may need to be constitutional and political safeguards for the unique identity of Northern unionists. The Good Friday Agreement provides for peaceful and democratic constitutional change through concurrent referendums North and South.

"Securing a referendum on Irish unity would be an historic opportunity for all the people of Ireland, allowing us to vote for the kind of government and society we wish to see.

"Sinn Fein has called for a Unity Poll and we are seeking an informed, reasoned and respectful dialogue on the issue. Now is the time to plan and to build the maximum support for unity. The leadership of those political parties which say they support Irish unity, acting together, could provide the leadership to deliver it.

"I believe the Government should start preparing for unity by establishing an all-party group to bring forward a Green Paper for Unity. I also believe they could start now to develop a plan for an all-island National Health Service and give citizens of this country what they deserve.

"I hope everyone gives this discussion document careful consideration and I would like to see other parties and organizations putting forward their ideas on this important issue."

To view the discussion document please go to www.sinnfein.ie
'The file should be closed,' Chief Excecutive Joan Martin told Cllr Anthony Cassidy at Louth County Council's monthly meeting as he urged the local authority to apply for registration as the owners of the site known as 'Kitty Daly's cottage' at Blackbush Lane.

The Sinn Fein councillor had urged the council to review its corporate estate profile, identify all unregistered plots of land to which it has title, take possession of these unregistered plots, and make applications for registration of title to these plots of land. He said that the motion specifically related to a site at 1 Blackbush Lane and that Michael O'Gorman has also concluded that the title to this site remains in the name of Drogheda Borough Council. 'In the interests of public safety it is imperative that this property is registered urgently.'

He said that the issue has been going on for 12 years and the site was right beside a school. There is a bottle neck with traffic at peak times of the day . People living in the area were sick to death of it and wanted it sorted out.

He wanted to know who many applications for registration of title had the council made.

'It's running as long as Dallas,' quipped Cllr Frank Godfrey. ' The residents have been up in arms for years and 200 of them signed a petition.'

Ms Martin said they would not be in position of going down the road for first registration if there was an issue of someone claimed adverse possession.

Council official Mary T Daly said she was very familiar with the situation as she had dealt with it in Drogheda Corporation.

She said that the land formed part of Corporate Estate lands, unique to Drogheda, which were all contained in charters of King William and James, which the local authority took possession of in the 1970s.

She made an application for first registration and in order to do so also had to make an application that they were in possession of the land and had maintained them for 12 years but she couldn't do that as there was another person in possession of the lands. The matter fell under the Statue of Limitations Act 1957 and there were two or three legal opinions on file all clarifying that.

The Chief Executive said she was aware of the situation as had been Town Clerk in Drogheda. They couldn't make the affidavit as required and therefore can't pursue first registration.

'To me the file should be closed.'

'It's nonsense. I don't understand how we can abandon the land,' stated Cllr Cassidy.

Ms Martin told him that the local authority was not in position to make the sworn document which was required to get registration as they had not been in possession of or maintained the lands for the last 12 years.

Cllr Cassidy wanted to know how they could build a retaining wall on the site if they didn't own it and she replied that the difficulty was in making the first registration on the property as they were not in position to make the affidavit. 'What do you suggest I do?' she asked.

Cllr Cassidy suggested that the council 'stand up to the mark', noting that they had knocked down the cottage.

'It's the law and how it works,' retorted Ms Martin,

Cllr Pio Smith said there was a lot of anecdotal evidence that what Cllr Cassidy was saying was true,

Ms Daly said that there were three legal opinions on file and the legal opinion of their solicitor was that they had lost possession of the site.

Cllr Godfrey wanted to know why they had knocked down the cottage if that was the case,.

'I am not able to provide the affidavit and intend to close the file. The simple fact is that the application can't be made.'

Cllr Cassidy said he didn't know how the council could walk way from the site.
A local councillor has voiced serious concerns that the current traffic management plan at Crushrod Avenue is causing 'significant financial loss' to businesses local along the road and in Yellowbatter.

Councillor Pio Smith said Louth County Council need to look at an alternative to the current traffic plan in place as a result of the works taking place at Hartys Cottage.

CllR Smith said: 'I have spoken to business owners in the area and takings are down significantly. Given that we are now in the busiest time of the year local business are facing a significant loss.

"The Traffic Management Guidelines that are used by the Local Authority when considering road closure or diversions do not appear to have been used in this case. For example, there was no consultation with local councillors to get their advice on the diversion, after all some of us live in the area and know it well, there was no consultation with local business to discover the possible impact on them of the closure and we have no report from the Emergency Services regarding the closure of the road and the diversion.'

He went on to say that an ambulance cannot travel directly from the Lourdes Hospital to Yellowbatter, Glenmore Drive or St Ita's School.

'Instead it must travel by a longer diversionary route. One would think that this has a negative impact on response and journey times,' he said.

'In my opinion the route needs to be reversed and allow traffic flow from west to east and also allow traffic enter St Ita's from east to west. It can be done if there is a will to do it, otherwise local business in the area who employ up to 60 people will face major losses.'

Cllr Smith raised the issue at the December meeting of Drogheda Municipal District and appealed to the council to reverse the current traffic flow system. Senior Executive Officer with Louth County Council Paddy Donnelly accepted that there was disruption to local businesses as a result of the road closure but said the work had to be done.

He said the council had re-engaged the consultant involved to see if there was an option to reverse the route and said the consultant did not recommend that this be done given the backlog of traffic that could occur.

He said the council accepted this as it was not their policy to go against the professional advice of someone who was an expert in the field.

'We are progressing the works as quickly as possible. We recognise that it has caused inconvenience but unfortunately the road had to be blocked to carry out these important works,' he said.
A Drogheda boy with Down Syndrome and who suffers from uncontrollable epilepsy this week delivered a heartfelt plea to Education Minister Richard Bruton - deliver the school I was promised.

Hayden Gregory attends St Marys Special School in Drumcar but it is simply not fit for purpose anymore. Those campaigning for a new facility have earmarked sites at Killineer and at Waterunder, close to the Oliver Plunketts GAA pitch.

Haydens words of hope are being used to highlight the campaign and hopefully spark major action, with his mum Sabrina helping to take up the fight.

Several years ago I inspired my mammy to try and change Special Education in Ireland. You see my friends and I at St. Marys are a minority in this country and because of that The Government of Ireland forgot about us. New schools with Special needs units were been built in every town throughout Ireland, but these units were not for children like us who fall into the low moderate and severe and profound range.

To ensure I got the education, equality and social inclusion in my own town of Drogheda, we started out on this long, long journey to hopefully reach a successful outcome, a statement on his behalf says.

After years of fighting and the help of some wonderful people the funding was eventually granted in 2015 for a new school. However, 2019-2021 is so far away for my friends and I to wait at St. Marys. Some of my friends have sadly passed on and some are in palliative care.

At present, Hayden and his friends attend St Marys but the classrooms were never designed for children in the low moderate to severe and profound range.

Not one class has the correct toilet facilities which are paramount for a number of pupils. As the school has grown, they had to convert the school canteen into a classroom. Not only did we eat here but it was one of the few occasions where we could socialise in a safe manner, Haydens story states.

We do not have a sensory room even though this has been recommended by every therapist who comes in to the school, there is no room for further development, also, existing toilets are all physically too small for my friends in wheelchairs or hoists to avail of them.

On many occasions the school principal has given his office as a room for therapists to meet parents, pupils etc. Many times a therapist has had to meet parents in their own car outside the school.

Now those behind the campaign want to develop a Centre of Excellence and not just a school. They seek a greenfield site which is large enough to accommodate a school and education centre when the children turn 18 years old.

Minister Bruton, step into my shoes for one day and live my life or that of my friends and you wont have to think twice about saying yes to this request, he urges.

But there is still no decision on a site even though sites have been looked at with Louth County Council. They include 39 acres at Kilineer and 48 acres on the Slane Rd, Drogheda.

A public petition has also been launched as the likes of Hayden and his pals continue their battle.
Local SuperValu workers were left shocked and upset after they turned up for work last Friday morning to be told they were out of a job.

The Stockwell Street premises closed its doors after SuperValu said it was 'no longer sustainable.'

They thanked the staff members for their dedication and say that a consultation period will now commence. There were 24 people, full and part-time in employment at the store.

The company say that trading conditions at the store were difficult for a long period.

'This has come as a bolt out of the blue for the staff, many of whom I met on the morning,' Senator Ged Nash stated. 'They were not afforded the basic courtesy of consultation in advance of the company's decision to close the doors. They have been left high and dry and we have yet to be informed as to who is acting as the provisional liquidator so the staff can receive the documents they need to make claims to the Department of Social Protection.

'All they will be entitled to receive under current Irish law for their years of hard work and loyalty is basic statutory redundancy of two weeks per year of service.

If Minister Mitchell O'Connor had changed the law, as we have suggested and has been recommended in the Duffy-Cahill report which has been sitting on her desk since May, then the workers in Drogheda would not be in the situation they are in today.'

Among other measures, the expert review proposed an automatic entitlement to a 30 day consultation period for all collective redundancy situations - including in the context of insolvency.
Some of the pro Brexit side involved in the massively complicated process of extricating the UK from the EU would do well to pick up a dictionary and look up the definition of the word Republic.

Soundings made by Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster and UKIP Welsh Assembly Member David Rowlands suggest that some on the pro Brexit side do not fully comprehend that the Republic of Ireland is a sovereign state and full EU member - not a rump of the UK.

Just last week, First Minister Foster said that the UK Government is developing a proposal that would see the UK border being extended to include the Republic. This "extension" of the border would, according to Ms Foster, help our two islands protect ourselves from terrorism and create a common travel area.

In a magnanimous gesture, she acknowledged that the extension of the border would, "of course", have to be accepted by other member states in Europe but the mere notion that the UK would seek to extend its borders - in any capacity - to take in the Republic is grossly offensive, particularly in a year when we celebrate the 1916 Rising and the birth of our nation.

One wonders how Ms Foster, a successor to Ian Paisley as leader of the hard-line Democratic Unionist Party, would respond if Enda Kenny were to announce the Republic was hoping to extend its borders to incorporate the six counties, albeit in European related matters.

We must remember that it's just five months since Ms Foster left Enda Kenny red faced by flatly refusing to take part in an all-island forum to discuss the impacts of Brexit.

The pro Brexit DUP - whose stance runs contrary to the majority view in the North - appears to think that it is the UK that is in the strongest position when it comes to the Brexit negotiations and that the Republic of Ireland is the weaker party at the negotiating table. This is simply not true and they need to be disavowed of this notion. The North is not the Republic's gateway to the UK, rather the Republic is the UK's gateway to Europe and the European market.

UKIP too seem to be possessed of the notion that the Republic will accede to their post Brexit needs and wishes.

A few days ago, UKIP Welsh Assembly Member David Rowlands made the utterly preposterous suggestion that the Irish Government should apply for EU funds to pay for upgrades to the M4 motorway between London and South Wales.

UKIP have dug the UK into a financial hole and now they want the Republic of Ireland and the EU's taxpayers - whom they went out of their way to insult during the Brexit campaign - to help them out of that hole. Quite frankly, UKIP and their supporters need to cop themselves on and accept the new realities of the post Brexit Europe that, for better or ill, they have created.

According to one accidentally leaked briefing note, when it comes to Brexit, the UK Government want to "have their cake and eat it".

The Brexit negotiations on the island of Ireland will be tough but our Government needs to send a strong signal to Stormont and to Westminster that we stand firmly alongside our allies in Europe and that we will not kowtow to British demands.

Instead of having their cake and eating it, the Brexiteers must be shown to the bed they have made themselves and be made lie in it.
Wexford startup businesses are being encouraged to apply for a position on Google's Adopt a Startup Spring 2017 programme.

The initiative which forms part of Google's commitment to supporting the Startup community in Ireland. No Wexford start-ups have yet participated in Adopt a Startup and it is hoped that this year the county will be represented for the first time.

With 30 positions on the programme up for grabs the full list of companies selected will be revealed in early January 2017. Successful applicants will receive 12 weeks of hands-on mentoring and access to exclusive lectures and workshops.

Head of Google Ireland's Startup Engagement programme, Paddy Flynn said: 'This is a hugely beneficial programme for Irish startups. The types of startups we are looking for, and who will benefit the most from participation, are those in business for more than one year, with a strategy in place for acquiring new customers and already generating revenue. They will be thinking globally and rapidly scaling their business, or planning to enter into new markets over the first six months in 2017.

'This is an intense programme so participants also need to be available to participate in a hands-on three month mentoring program and be willing to embrace change and take action on feedback given. Since we launched our Adopt a Startup programme 2014 we have worked with almost 100 high potential Irish startups and many have gone on to raise significant capital funding and greatly increase their employee numbers.'

Each company selected will get to work with a dedicated Google support team to develop and improve their overall business strategy with the programme culminating in a Dragons Den style competition final in Spring 2017.

Interested Startups should submit their entry at: https://events.withgoogle.com/adoptastartup/apply.
Members of Rush Dramatic Society continue to showcase their wonderful talent with yet another amazing production.

The group's latest production 'The Runner Stumbles' played to packed houses at the Millbank Theatre during its four-week run.

The play centred around a priest on trial for a nun's murder remembers their meeting in 1911 Michigan in Milan Stitt's play, which is based on a true incident.

This lovely story beautifully told by amazing local starred Conor Molloy Stephanie Garrigan with Oisin Molloy, Jackie Austin Celeste Jones Patrick A McDyer Pat McGrath Claire Duffy and Mike Weldon

The young nun had died under mysterious circumstances in a remote parish in northern Michigan, and her superior, Father Rivard, has been charged with her murder.

Meanwhile, the year will come to a close with two different productions. First up is the return of Abba Forever on Thursday, December 22 at 8pm. Tickets cost 20.

And then the dramatic society, along with Rush Musical Society, will stage Cinderella over the Christmas seaon.

It will open on December 16 and it runs until January with both matinees and evening shows.

For further information and bookings visit www.millbanktheatre.ie. A family ticket costs 50.
Students from St Joseph's in Rush took on the work of the bard himself, William Shakespeare, when they spent a day at the Irish Film Institute attempting to reimagine the work of the great playwright for the modern age.

This creative bunch of students from the Rush school collaborated for the day with professional dramatist and screenwriter, Anthony Goulding who encouraged them to 'reimagine Shakespeare in a more contemporary fashion'.

The participating students in the one-day workshop drew inspiration from a series of modern short film adaptations before creating their own unique version of a Shakespearean play.

'This workshop is a brilliant example of how we make learning more active and more relevant to the lives of our students', said Patricia Hayden, principal at St Joseph's Secondary School.

She also thanked the teachers at St Joseph's who have shared their passion for drama and Shakespeare with these and other students.
Some countries haven't said whether they'll drop unfair tariff assessments as required on Monday

China will take "necessary measures" to defend its legal rights if World Trade Organization members continue to use a non-market economy clause to assess dumping tariffs against it, a Ministry of Commerce spokesman said on Friday.

As a condition for being admitted to the WTO, China agreed in 2001 that other members could treat it as a "non-market economy" for 15 years, ending on Dec 11, Sunday.

Under this status, trading partners may use a surrogate country whose economic situation is similar to China's as a reference when determining whether China is dumping in their countries.

Shen Danyang, the Ministry of Commerce spokesman, said at a news conference on Friday that China opposes continued use of the system in anti-dumping investigations against China. "Some of the WTO members have not expressed explicitly that they will observe the 15th clause in an attempt to keep using the surrogate country system. We expect them to abide by the rules," Shen said. The 15th clause outlines when the surrogate system is inappropriate.

Analysts said China could takes measures ranging from filing petitions to retaliating in the dispute, according to analysts. Chen Xin, director of the business department of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, said China may appeal to the WTO.

"If the WTO rules that these countries have breached the terms of the agreement, they will have to pay for the losses Chinese companies have suffered in the anti-dumping cases. Meanwhile, China may retaliate by imposing higher taxes on imports from these countries," Chen said.

Chen said the anti-dumping cases against China in the European Union account for 2 percent of the total trading volume between the two sides. It does more harm than good if other trading sectors are hurt because of the anti-dumping cases.

Mei Xinyu, a researcher at the Commerce Ministry's Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that even if some countries label China as a non-market economy, it won't affect China's status as a leading country in trading.

"China has grown into a major exporter to many countries even though it has been treated as a non-market economy for years. Anti-dumping cases won't have much impact on China's overall trading volume. On the other hand, protectionism will only make the local businesses even weaker in competition," he said.

In response to the Japanese position on the issue, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Japan needs to observe its obligation and stop using the surrogate country system in anti-dumping investigations against China as of Monday.

"China has become the largest trading partner of a lot of countries," said Lu Kang, a Foreign Ministry spokesman. "China's market economy status is non-deniable whether Japan recognizes it or not."
The Arena Health & Fitness Club in Malahide has been given a 'Diamond' award in the Ireland Active White Flag Excellence Awards for 2016-17.

Receiving the award on the night was Suzanne Byrne, Arena manager and Philip Byrne, White flag coordinator. This year's Ireland Active Conference and White Flag National Quality Standard Awards took place at the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone. The ceremony awarded leisure and fitness facilities for their remarkable standards in the areas of safety, hygiene, customer service and human resources.

Fitness entrepreneur and Dublin GAA All Star, Philly McMahon, Dublin GAA High Performance Manager, Dr. Bryan Cullen, Team Ireland nutritionist Sharon Madigan and Cork Camogie legend and host of Ireland's Fittest Family, Anna Geary, were among the list of impressive speakers at the conference discussing topics such as nutrition, industry insights and health and physical activity.

The White Flag National Quality Standard, grades facilities' operational standards, similar to the Blue Flag award which classifies Ireland's beaches, and it is the most sought after accolade in the leisure and fitness industry.

A spokesperson for Arena said: 'We're delighted that all our hard work has been rewarded and we've achieved the highest possible standard, so we can assure our members and guests that we are doing everything in our power to continuously improve our standards.'
A bomb scare on an estate in Rush last Friday appears to have been some kind of veiled threat against a detective Garda officer living locally.

The detective Garda who works out of a north Dublin station outside of Fingal but lives at Clifflands in Rush, was leaving his home at 8am last Friday morning when he noticed a suspicious box to the left of his porch, alongside three shotgun cartridges.

He immediately contacted Balbriggan Gardai who were quickly on the scene and called in the army bomb disposal unit.

A number of neighbouring properties were evacuated as a precaution but the bomb disposal unit determined the package was not a viable explosive device.

The suspicious device along with the three shotgun cartridges were all removed from the scene and taken away for forensic examination.

A team has been set up within Balbriggan Garda Station to investigate the sinister incident.
Three young men travelling in a car were caught with cannabis after they tried to turn away from a checkpoint, a court has heard.

David Monahan (20), Ian McCann (20) and Cian Coleman (19) all admitted being in unlawful possession of cannabis at Hacketstown in Skerries on May 16, under Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Sergeant Tony Tighe told Balbriggan District Court the three men were travelling in a silver Renault Clio which had turned away from a checkpoint.

Garda managed to stop the car and found evidence of cannabis use in the vehicle.

The men made admissions and Monahan, of Holmpatrick in Skerries had 5 worth of cannabis on him while McCann, of Kelly's Bay Beach in Skerries had 50 worth of cannabis on him and Coleman, of Townspark in Skerries, had 10 worth of cannabis on him.

The three young men have no previous convictions, the court heard and have not come to garda attention since.

Defence solicitor for Monahan, Annette Kealy said the 20-year-old, who is studying Environmental Engineering at Tallaght IT, works part-time at Joe May's pub in Skerries.

'His parents are in court with him and he is taking the offence seriously,' said Ms Kealy.

She said Monahan travelled to Canada last year and hopes to travel to New York next summer and wants to avoid a drugs conviction.

'He realises its an activity he shouldn't have been engaging in and he made a mistake and it's a complete shock for him,' said Ms Kealy, adding that Monahan has 300 with him in court which he is prepared to give to charity to avoid a conviction.

Defence solicitor for McCann, Fiona D'Arcy said the 20-year-old, whose father attended the court with him, is unemployed and was using cannabis for a 'short spell' but is no longer using it.

'His parents were not at all impressed with him and he is anxious to do anything to convince the court he won't get in trouble again. He doesn't have money with him but he could have 300 within a week,' said Ms D'Arcy.

She said Coleman, who is studying Politics and Law, works part-time as a kitchen porter and has 300 to offer the court for charity.

Judge Dermot Dempsey struck the cases out against Monahan and Coleman after they paid 300 each to charity while he adjourned McCann's case until December 22 for him to come up with 300 for charity.
Students keeping an eye on their future went along to the annual careers fair at Gorey Community School last week, so they could learn more about the various options open to them when their Leaving Cert ends.

School spokesperson Seamus O'Connor explained that the event for all senior cycle students was a way of empowering them 'with the knowledge, understanding and skills to make positive and informed college and career choices.'

They got to engage with experts from 60 different career, college and training domains. 'The representatives from the various career areas shared their professional journey with students,' said Seamus. 'They gave freely of their advice and answered the students' questions.' The careers represented spanned a very broad professional panoply, and comprised many past pupils and members of the wider school community.

Davnet Neary, guidance counsellor and lead organiser, sincerely thanked the career representatives for giving so generously of their time.
Ivan Kelly of Seal Rescue Ireland, who raised the green flag at St Kevin's NS Tara Hill, along with deputy principal Niamh Ward Carty and the green school committee

It's been a busy few weeks at St Kevin's NS, Tara Hill. First up was an open day, where the local community was invited in to see all that goes on at the school, and the following week, they raised their sixth green flag.

Green Schools co-ordinator Niamh Ward-Carty explained that green flag number six is awarded after a two-year programme which focuses on global citizenship, and litter and waste reduction.

The day of the flag raising included a visit by Ivan Kelly from Seal Rescue Ireland, who gave a presentation on the charity's work, and he was then invited to raise the flag.

The pupils dressed in green on the day or wore a national costume from a country they learned about during the two years. In the Green Schools programme, they learned about looking after the environment around the world, and promoting active citizenship.

The Parents' Association held an international history day and Colm O'Gorman from Amnesty spoke about human rights and environmental degradation. They also got information from the European Parliament on food miles, food packaging, and food waste. Congratulations went to all involved.
The female empowerment of Frozen gets a colourful Polynesian makeover in the joyful rites-of-passage animation Moana, peppered with infectious songs composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa'i and Mark Mancina.

Directors Ron Clements and John Musker, who previously fashioned the Little Mermaid and Aladdin, rediscover their golden touch on land and at sea, with breathtaking visuals including dazzling water effects.

They also wedge tongues firmly in cheek by poking fun at the lead character's stern assertion that she isn't an archetypal Disney heroine.

'If you wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, you're a princess,' quips a demi-god, who joins her on this memorable odyssey into the magical unknown.

The key message of Frozen - that girls don't need a handsome prince to achieve their happily ever after - is reaffirmed and the script incorporates the now obligatory smattering of pop culture references, like when the same demi-god scrawls a message with a rooster and deadpans, 'When you write with a bird, it's called tweeting.'

The songbook might lack a karaoke earworm akin to Let It Go - parents, you can breathe easy - but the film still boasts some terrific compositions, particularly the solo offerings of Miranda, who won numerous Tony awards for the musical Hamilton.

Moana Waialiki (voiced by Auli'i Cravalho) is the daughter of Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison) and has been groomed since birth to lead her people on the island of Motunui.

However, she feels a strong calling to the sea which angers her father, who believes the tropical paradise can sustain their tribe.

Moana's wise grandmother Tala (Rachel House) fills the girl's head with wild stories about the demi-god Maui, who stole the heart of the island goddess Te Fiti and lost this precious green stone during a battle with ferocious lava demon Te Ka.

The old woman encourages Moana to seek out Maui and restore Te Fiti's missing heart in order to bring prosperity to the island.

With the wind in her sail and a witless rooster called Heihei (Alan Tudyk) by her side, Moana ventures over the reef for the first time in search of Maui (Dwayne Johnson).

Moana is another solid gold hit from Disney's animation studio, marrying self-realisation and broad comedy to dizzying effect.

A trippy interlude with a singing coconut crab (Jemaine Clement) in the underwater Realm of the Monsters is a highlight, including one groovy lyric that rhymes demi-god with decapod.

Johnson embraces his role with comic gusto, including a fine rendition of the self-congratulatory anthem You're Welcome, and Cravalho imbues her gung-ho seafarer with tenderness and determination.

Moana is preceded by Leo Matsuda's exquisite animated short Inner Workings, which journeys inside the body of one hapless office worker to explore the literal battle between head and heart for supremacy.
A North Kerry farmer has been sent forward for trial on over 80 counts of alleged animal cruelty.

38-year-old Thomas Doyle with an address at Fourhane, Listowel appeared before last week's sitting of Listowel District Court where he was served with a book of evidence.

Mr Doyle is charged with 89 counts under animal cruelty legislation including causing or permitting animals unnecessary suffering and with failing to provide animals with sufficient water.

The animals involved in the charges include dogs; cockerels; pigs and piglets; ponies; goats; a canary, a hamster and a rat.

All the alleged incidents of cruelty are alleged to have taken place Fourhane, Listowel on dates between December 23 2015 and December 30 2015.

The case was sent forward to the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee after Judge James O'Connor declined jurisdiction when the case came before him at a previous district court sitting in Listowel last June.

The book of evidence was subsequently prepared and it was served on Mr Doyle last week.

The book contains details of 88 charges against Mr Doyle.

The court heard An additional charge has since been filed against him and Judge O'Connor ruled that details of this charge - which also relates to animal cruelty and is linked to the other charges - can be added to the book of evidence.

Legal aid was granted to Mr Doyle and he was released on bail to appear again before the Circuit Criminal Courts.

His case is expected to be listed for mention at the next sittings of Tralee Circuit Criminal Court which are due to commence in mid February 2017.
An English tourist has been described as 'very lucky' after sustaining relatively minor injuries after a horror fall on Carrauntoohil.

Colm Burke, assistant PRO for Kerry Mountain Rescue, said the woman, who is in her 40s, fell some 65 feet while descending Central Gully with her friend.

"We received a call at 1.45pm on November 30," Mr Burke told The Kerryman.

"With help from the Rescue 115 Coastguard Helicopter, we airlifted personnel and equipment from Ard na Locha to near the summit. We then abseiled to the scene, reaching her at about 3pm.

"We treated her for head and suspected spinal injuries, and then we covered 2,400ft of vertical descent by stretcher lower over extremely testing terrain."

The woman was then carried by Land Rover to Kissane's Cottage, before a waiting ambulance brought her to Kerry University Hospital.

"We were back at base by 10pm," Mr Burke said, adding: "It was a challenging rescue mission with 30 members of our team involved".

"She was discharged the following morning with a fractured nose and a few stitches, but her injuries were largely superficial."

The woman was on holiday in Ireland. An experienced climber, Mr Burke said she was very fortunate given the nature of her fall.

"It wasn't just the distance she fell, it was the fact that the fall happened in a very rocky part of the mountain. Seemingly less serious falls have resulted in more serious injuries."

Mr Burke added there are hard compacted snow sections in North facing gullies, while ground on high ridges is still frozen. He urged that climbers visiting the reeks be experienced winter climbers and properly equipped.

Kerry Mountain Rescue is based on the New Road in Killarney, and was founded 50 years ago. It's made up of 35 volunteers, and its area of operation covers the southwest of the country and 15 of Ireland's 20 highest peaks.

The team,on duty at all times, receives up to 50 callouts a year, and half of its funding comes from private donations and fundraising efforts.

You can donate to the cause at kerrymountainrescue.ie.
The local brigade in their headquarters in The Dawn Davie Hurley, Pat O'Meara, Dado Hurley, Paddy Looney and Vince Doyle which was released in 1936. Photo off original film by Michelle Cooper Galvin

Within discussions about Irish cinema history, Thomas G Cooper's 'The Dawn' will forever sit on a lofty, sturdy perch.

The 1936 Killarney-based film was the first feature-length 'talkie' made in Ireland, and international screenings even prompted chatter of Killarney becoming Europe's answer to Hollywood. But in contrast to its thumping reputation, the original film itself was in a fragile state, and The British Film Industry had to house it in a specially controlled environment.

But now, 80 years down the road from its original release, 'The Dawn' has been digitised, its quality duly boosted, and is set for a December 9 screening in its birthplace, Killarney. The process of digitising the original film to bring it closer to its original splendour came about from co-operation between the Cooper Family and the Digital Skills Production team at Kerry ETB.

Brian Nolan is co-creator of the centre's 'Dawn Workshops' for film, and is an instructor on broadcast production skills at Kerry ETB. He discussed the challenging process with The Kerryman.

"It took over three months of careful, delicate work at little cost. We used a range of software tools, and it was an exciting project for our digital skills trainees to delve into," he explains. "It was a labour of love for all involved. Support from the Cooper family, and particularly Tom's great grandson Diarmuid Galvin, was crucial."

"Chris Garrett, Seamus Slemon and Kieran McCormick put a lot of work into this project after we received the necessary materials from The British Film Industry, and the trio deserve praise for the painstaking efforts they put into this project."

The classic was shot and directed by Cooper in 1936, and he utilised everything the locality had to offer. 'The Dawn' showcased Killarney's unique scenery, and Cooper sourced technicians and actors from the town's deep lake of talent. The film's plot was based on the War of Independence, and as the locals had either lived through or even taken part in the War, Cooper saw them as ideal candidates to act in the picture.

Brian praises Cooper generously in recalling his story. "Thomas was the first Indie filmmaker in Ireland. As a boy, he was influenced by the visit of Kalem Film studios of New York to Killarney to make films based on our local stories."

"Kalem's plan to set up a studio near Killarney ended with the arrival of war in 1914, but the advent of "The Dawn" in 1936 restored hopes that Killarney could become the Hollywood of Europe. The film was screened to bumper audiences and acclaim in the U.K. and New York, and received compliments from Maud Gonne and others within the Literary Revival."

The arrival of another War levelled dreams of Killarney developing to become the focal point of European cinema, but The Dawn's influence and stature have never dulled.

"It was a milestone in Irish cinema history, a brave step away from silent film, and its first digital screening on Friday gives it the kind of stage it deserves," Brian said.

"The film deserves to be honoured and to have more made of it. It was momentous for Irish cinema, and it happened on our doorsteps."

Killarney photographer Michelle Cooper Galvin cant wait for Friday. Shes seen her grandfathers film The Dawn  Irelands first talkie  countless times but this time its a little bit special, as she explains...

"I remember us going down to our cinema in KIllarney and watching it as children; it was always a central part of our family."

Michelle Cooper Galvin can't wait for Friday. She's seen her grandfather's film on the big screen umpteen times before, but thanks to help from Kerry ETB, this week's first digitised screening of 'The Dawn' will showcase Thomas G Cooper's classic in a quality that hasn't been witnessed in years.

"It's been screened even in recent years, but the film had taken a bit of wear and tear; it was brittle. It's been an ambition of ours to digitise 'The Dawn' and now it's in great shape for a film of its age," The Kerryman photographer said.

As you'd expect, Michelle is well able to recall the film's story. Thomas G Cooper was a hotelier, taxi-driver, qualified electrician and mechanic who developed a passion for cinema. This passion, coupled with a hunger to promote Killarney's beauty, led to "The Dawn."

Cooper travelled to London in the 1930s and purchased the camera he used to capture his renowned film. He used his skills to put together lighting equipment in his garage, and the producer and director co-wrote a script with DDA Moriarty and Donal Cahill.

"The film is best known for being Ireland's first full-length talking film, but there's more to the film than that," Michelle said.

"He used silhouetted scenes and other techniques that would have been unusual for their time, so it was a pioneering film in more ways than one.

"He also banded together locals to act in 'The Dawn' and fill other roles. It's often commented by people who see the film how excellent those amateur local participants were at the tasks they were given. I think it's because they either lived through the War of Independence or even participated in it - they were able to bring their experiences into their work."

"It also put Killarney on a new pedestal, as the world became aware of the beautiful Kerry town."

Michelle's son Diarmuid became involved with Kerry ETB, and incited a greater interest in 'The Dawn.' The digitisation project stemmed from there, and Michelle is now looking forward to seeing the end product on the big screen.

"My grandfather opened Killarney's first cinema, and my cousin runs it today, On Friday, 'The Dawn' returns to that cinema - its home"
The Paranal Observatory in Chile, 30 kilometers from the site where China plans to build its second overseas observatory. [Photo: baidu.com]

China has signed an agreement to build an observatory in northern Chile, the best place in the world to observe the sky.

The agreement was signed by China's National Astronomical Observatories and the Catholic University of Chile in November, witnessed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet during Xi's week-long Latin America tour.

Thanks to the high altitude, sunny nights and dry air, Chile is believed to be the best observatory site on earth and has attracted many developed countries to build observatory bases there.

As early as 2013, China established an astronomical research center at the Catholic University of Chile. Under its framework experts and scholars of the two countries can share research and observatory results.

Observatories built by other countries in Chile provide 10 percent of its observation time to Chilean experts. As Chile's cooperation partner, Chinese astronomers can also share the 10 percent time in observatories built by other countries.

As the 10 percent time has become insufficient since astronomy is fast developing, China decided to build its own observatory at the site.

It is China's second overseas observatory following the one in Antarctic, and 30 kilometers from Chile's famous Paranal Observatory.
One in three prisoners at Cork Prison are out on the streets on temporary release at any given time according to figures from the Irish Prison Service.

Cork Prison - which is the main remand prison for all men in Kerry sentenced to jail time - had the highest temporary release rate of any men's prison in the state last year according to the Irish Prison Service's 2015 Annual Report.

While an average of 218 people were incarcerated in Cork Prison on an average day last year typically another 110 prisoners - a third of those supposed to be imprisoned in Cork - were at liberty having been granted temporary release by prison authorities.

This compares to just 95 of 649 prisoners in Mountjoy and 54 of the 924 prisoners in the Midlands Prison.

The Irish Prison Service says that usually prisoners are given temporary release when they are nearing the end of their sentence and are not serving sentences for violent crimes - for example, murder and rape.

Other criteria for temporary release include the nature of the crime; length of sentence; the potential threat to the public and conduct in custody.

Prisoners committed for non-payment of fines also typically spend only a few hours in prison often without ever seeing the inside of a cell.

Critics of temporary release claim that it is often used in order to lessen the impact of overcrowding in Irish jails.

The Irish Prison Service figures also show that in 2015 Cork Prison was the most overcrowded jail in Ireland, albeit only by an average of around nine prisoners a day.

Earlier this year a new purpose built prison opened in Cork and it is hoped this new 43 million facility - with an operating capacity for 275 prisoners compared to 200 in the old prison building - will greatly reduce overcrowding in the prison and lessen the need for as many prisoners to be granted temporary release before their sentences have expired.

Approximately 200 people from Kerry - 180 men and 20 women - are jailed every year with about 75 per cent sentenced to a year or more.

The Prison Service said the cost of keeping a prisoner in jail last year was just under 70,000 or 5,800 a month.

Given that three quarters of prisoners are serving over a year and the remainder serve an average of six months that would equate to a taxpayer bill of 12.2 million to jail Kerry's prisoners last year.
Healthy living, a wonderful family life and the constant honouring of her God-given musical talents, are believed to be behind the extraordinary longevity of one Kerry woman who celebrated her 103rd birthday this week.

Kitty Lenihan of Leith, Abbeydorney, enjoyed a wonderful party surrounded by her loving family.

One of the nation's oldest citizens, she received her third medal from President Michael D Higgins marking the great milestone.

1916 commemorations played out as so much history to most people during the year, but Kitty lived the turbulent period - having to attend primary school in Ardrahan rather than the school in Abbeydorney as it was closed following the Black and Tans' burning of a number of homes in the village.

She was born Kitty Trant in Rathscannell, Abbeydorney, training in early adulthood as a radio operator in Limerick. She then met and married Ned Lenihan of Lisanearla, Abbeydorney, and they had a family of eight children : Maura, Jimmy, Anne, Paudeen, (RIP) Tom, Dan, Gerard, and Bridie. Renowned for her singing voice, dancing and recitations, Kitty performed on stage in Siamsa Tire and on Radio Kerry among many other great highlights.
Oonagh O'Connor, presented a cheque of 5,000 to Clinical Nurse Manager Theresa Walsh, at the Oncology Unit in Kerry University Hospital. Also included is Staff Nurse Oncology, Mairead O'Connor and Muiris Walsh. Photo by Valerie O'Sullivan

Kerry University Hospital's Oncology Unit has received a donation of 5,000 after a south Kerry crew rowed from Valentia to Dingle as a mark of gratitude for the unit's work.

Oonagh O'Connor, who was treated at the unit twice - for breast and ovarian cancer - presented the funds to the hospital during last week.

Her husband, Muiris Walsh, was one of the men on board the traditional four oar boat, and was accompanied by fellow south Kerry men Dan O'Driscoll, Tony McGillicuddy, Paul Murphy, and cox Leo Houlihan on the three-hour journey to the famous west Kerry harbour.

Muiris organised the effort to show his appreciation for the treatment Oonagh received in 2014, and the funds will purchase equipment for chemotherapy patients showing signs of infection. The equipment will be able to quickly detect the stage of infection, allowing patients to be treated in a timely manner.

The crossing of Dingle Bay took place after several attempts had been thwarted by poor weather over the summer. Muiris and Oonagh thanked Dan, Tony, Paul and Leo for their participation, as well as 'everyone who contributed to the collection or helped in any way.'

"We'd also like to thank all the staff in the Oncology Unit at KUH for the truly amazing care and support they provide," the pair added.

Monies raised by the charity row will also be donated to Valentia Island Community Hospital.
One of Listowel's main thoroughfares was reopened on Saturday on the completion of a two-month scheme that saw the road largely closed to traffic - only for traffic through the town to begin slowing down.

The new-look William Street was widely welcomed by traders and townspeople at the culmination of a two-year-long campaign for the vital repair project.

But while William Street was closed to cars and trucks during the works traffic flowed much better in Listowel with the other main town centre artery of Church Street operating a two-way traffic system.

Within hours of William Street re-opening and Church Street going back to normal as a one-way, the flow of traffic through Listowel began reverting to its usual slower grind.

"Flow was better but to be fair there wasn't nearly as many people coming into Listowel the past few months while the work was underway," local Fine Gael County Councillor Mike Kennelly told The Kerryman.

"It's a top-notch job and there's a great buzz around town since William Street re-opened on Saturday with traders really excited over it," he said. But the two years came at a cost to traders. "The state of William Street turned people off coming to Listowel and I'm calling now on the council to acknowledge this by reducing rates."

Cllr Kennelly also praised former Minister Jimmy Deenihan for getting William Street on the NRA radar. "It was only for Jimmy this went ahead at all, unfortunately it cost him dear at the election," he said.

Mr Deenihan said he was delighted with the outcome of the 600,000 scheme. "When I saw that it hadn't been included by Kerry County Council on the list for upgrading works for 2015 I personally contacted the NRA who included it. Unfortunately the first design wasn't to the liking of traders and this delayed it into the election. But I'm delighted it is open now in an excellent job completed to a very high standard."

While traffic flowed better with the Church Street two-way, the loss of parking spaces to make way for the flow cost traders there dearly, Mr Deenihan added.

"Clearly there is a parking problem in Listowel but I think one way of addressing it would be for Kerry County Council to buy the Mart Yard. This is something I've already put to Council CE Moira Murrell."
Anne Shannon, Anne McMorris and Kay O'Riordan at the coffee and information morning for the launch of the new SCOPE newsletter in the AOH Hall, Bridgetown on Thursday last

Launch of Journal - The 45th edition of the Kilmore Parish Journal will be launched on Friday, December 9, in Stella Maris Community Centre, Kilmore Quay at 8pm.

The journal will be launched by the renowned Wexford writer and playwright, Billy Roche. The Editor and committee of KPJ invite parishioners and friends of the journal to join them in celebrating the launch of edition No 45 which records the lives, heritage. history and traditions of the people of Kilmore Parish.

The King and I

Kilmore variety group present the musical 'The King and I' in Dun Mhuire Wexford December 8, 9 and 10 at 7.30pm nightly. Tickets available from 087 7720129 or available on the door.

Camogie Club news

Last Friday night our junior team were presented with their county and league winners medals in Quigleys by Linda Bolger. This bunch of players truly deserved their celebrations and again Well done to ye all for a Fantastic Achievements for a team that has only been playing adult camogie for three years.

On Monday night at Wexford camogie Convention the another surprise was in store for our club when we were announced club of the Year. For us this is unbelievable to win such an award and we would like to thank all the clubs that gave us this award. league winners, County Final winners and now club of the year 2016 will be a year Kilmore camogie will remember for ever.

Kilmore ARA

The fifth annual general meeting of the Section was held in the Kilmore GAA rooms on Thursday, December 1. The following officers were returned; Noel Howlin, Chairperson; Vice Chairperson, Agnes Behan; Seamus O'Keeffe, Secretary; Treasurer, Mai Sadler; PRO, Des Behan. Motions to the meeting were one that all payments be made by cheque for Services. This was passed by unanimous decision.

Outings for the foreseeable future were decided with 'The High Kings' in the Opera House on December 21; The Three Amigos in the Riverside Hotel on January 2 in the Riverside, Enniscorthy and 'Mike Denver' in the Riverside Hotel, Enniscorthy on March 23. The plan is to organise transport for these events depending on take-up. Tickets to all events are 30 plus the Bus.

Bowls League; Wednesday the 7th in SMC at 2 p.m. Kilmore Seals versus New Ross, Wednesday the 14th in the SMC at 2 p.m. Kilmore Gulls versus Oulart.

Ten-Pin Bowling every Monday in Leisuremax at 10.30 a.m.

Country Music Festival

Five of Ireland's leading artists are confirmed to play the South East Country Music Festival 2017 at Killag on July 30, 2017. A stellar lineup of artists includes Nathan Carter, Mike Denver, Jimmy Buckley, Cliona Hagan and Lee Matthews. Tickets are already on sale locally, priced at just 25. Available online or at the following local outlets: PJ Murphy's Kilmore, Brady's Mace Kilmore Quay, Bridgetown Post Office, Wallace Wellingtonbridge (Drapery Dept), Martina's Hairdressing Knocktown. For further information please see the website www.southeastcountrymusicfestival.com or contact 089 2029871.

Tomhaggard centre

A small token of appreciation to the community Tomhaggard social centre are hosting a Reception for all those who have volunteered, helped and supported the various fundraising events over the past few years. It takes place on Sunday, December 11, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. So why not come along and enjoy the wonderful facility that the centre has become since its refurbishment.

Ongoing activities in Tomhaggard social centre: Monday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Women's Shed, this week Christmas floral arrangements with Paula Hore 6-7.30 p.m. Yoga Tuesday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Art, Wednesday 7-8.30 and Saturday 10-11.30 a.m. Scouts, Mon, Thursday and Friday 8 p.m. Drama. Reading Room open to the public when centre in use. Centre is available to hire, contact 087 6858480.

Scouts

The Scout Investiture takes place on Wednesday, December 14, at 7 p.m. It's an important step in the scouting life of young people and adults. Meetings will then resume in the new year.

As usual the group will be organising a family trip to the Panto in Wexford in January. This year it's Beauty and the Beast, details will be circulated over coming weeks. Beavers enjoyed their Christmas trip to the Cinema on Saturday, December 3.

GAA club AGM

Kilmore GAA Club will hold their AGM this Friday, December 9, at 8 p.m. in the clubhouse. All members are asked to attend and new members are more than welcome to attend and help us prepare for 2017.

Sympathy

Sincere sympathy to the following families who had bereavements recently: the Pierce family on the death of John, the Nisbet family on the death of Margaret, the Moore family on the death of John, and to Lisa Roche on the death of her mother.

Coffee Morning

Kilmore SCOPE's coffee and information morning which was held in the AOH hall, Bridgetown on Friday last was a very enjoyable one for those in attendance. The new information brochure was launched at the event and will be distributed locally and will be available in strategic areas of the parish. Thanks were expressed to The Hidden Gem, Button and Spoon and Goff's Centre for the 'goodies' and prizes for the event. Prizes were won in the free draw by Pam Moore, Mary Roche, Roisin McCabe and Brenda O'Carroll. Thanks were expressed to all who supported the event.

OUR LADY'S ISLAND

Church Re-opening

Following the completion of the painting and restoration work, our parish Church will re-open this Thursday, December 8, Feast of Immaculate Conception of Our Lady. Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Denis Brennan at 7.30 p.m. The Historic Mayler Chalice from Tomhaggard will be on display. Refreshments will be served in the Community Centre after Mass.

Tacumshane Get-together

All welcome to our 'Christmas Mulled Wine and Mince Pies' on Sunday, December 11, at 2.30 p.m. at the Old Schoolhouse, Tacumshane. Come along for a fireside chat and Christmas cheer. See you there.

ICA Guild

The December meeting of the local ICA guild will take place on Monday, December 12, at 7.30 p.m. in the Community Hall. Reminder to bring along gifts for Senior's Party.

Seniors Christmas Party

The OLI/Tacumshane Senior Citizens Christmas party takes place on Sunday, December 18, in Riverbank House Hotel. Bus starting to collect from houses at 4.45 p.m. Anyone of senior age (65) who would like to come along please contact Amanda at 087 6221612. Coffee morning

Annual coffee morning, Cake Sale and raffle in aid of Kilscoran Union takes place in Cushen's, Tagoat on Tuesday, December 13, at 11 a.m. All are welcome - your support will be greatly appreciated

Split-the-pot

Congratulations to Ali Butler, Airhill who won split-the-pot last week receiving 179. Draw takes place after Mass on Sunday. All proceeds to Church Restoration Fund. Thanks to all concerned

The King and I

Kilmore variety group present the musical 'The King and I' in Dun Mhuire Wexford December 8, 9 and 10 at 7.30 p.m. nightly. Tickets available from 087 7720129 or available on the door.

RATHANGAN/CLEARIESTOWN

Notes

If you have any news or information that you would like to submit in the weekly notes you can contact Rathangan Parish Hall at 051 563039 between 9.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. or leave a message. Also you can email your notice to rathanganhall@gmail.com. At the latest all notes must be received by 10 a.m. on Friday morning.

Community lotto

There was no winner of last week's jackpot of 8,700. The winning numbers were 12, 14, 25 and 29. Congratulations to the three match-three winners who received 100 each. The match-three winners were Chris O'Mahony, Shauna Murphy, William Walsh. The next lottery will be held on Tuesday, December 6, and the jackpot now stands at 9,000.

Lotto Christmas Break - Rathangan Parish lotto will be taking their annual Christmas break. The last draw for 2016 will be held on December 20 and will resume again on Tuesday, January 10, 2017. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the various clubs and everyone involved in the lotto on the Tuesday night. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year

Fastnet Rovers FC

Fastnet Rovers are now selling tickets for our Christmas Grand prize draw. Tickets are 20 and limited to 300 tickets with the winner receiving 1,000. Tickets are available from the committee, managers and players. This is a key fundraiser for the club and your support is greatly appreciated.

Parish AED's

We're delighted to now have Four AED's in our parish - Baldwinstown, Cleariestown, Duncormick and Rathangan. They are located at the shop in Baldwinstown; Church in Cleariestown; Former post office in Duncormick and on the school in Rathangan. They're in a bright yellow box.

If you suspect a cardiac arrest please call 999/112 FIRST and then, if you can, your voluntary AED team. We will try our best to respond and our number is 086 4011688. Volunteers for the team are always required. Call Jacqui at 087 2219302 for more information or facebook.com/Rathangan Defib/

Rathangan Hall

Regular activities going on at present in Rathangan Hall. New members are always welcome to all classes/groups. Enquiries to 051 563039.

Monday and Wednesday Morning 9.30-10.30 a.m. and evening 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Exercise Classes with Macfit; Tuesday Morning 10.30 a.m. to midday - Mother and Toddler; Tuesday Afternoon 3.15 p.m. to 4.15 p.m. - Irish Dancing; Tuesday Evening 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Gymnastics; Thursday Evening 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. - Archery; Friday Evening 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Badminton.

Afterschool

Sunnydays Afterschool Rathangan Homework Club service is provided for the kids who attend between 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Kids who attend from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. remain in our afterschool room in the school. Children who attend from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. are cared for in Rathangan Hall. We have a designated homework room were the children can concentrate without distraction. We offer assistance and guidance to allow them to complete their homework at their own pace. When homework is complete we provide a range of fun and activities.

Baldwinstown Lights

You are invited to a village gathering in Baldwinstown on Saturday, December 10, at 7.30 p.m. to turn on Christmas tree lights, sign a few carols and enjoy some refreshments in the hall. Followed by a gathering in the Wheelhouse. There will be a raffle on the night. Sponsored by Baldwinstown businesses.

Senior Citizens Party

Due to unforeseen circumstances the committee need to defer the annual Christmas party till early in the New Year. Come and join us in early January (date to be confirmed) for a late Christmas celebration together in a newly refurbished location.

Tomhaggard centre

A small token of appreciation to the community Tomhaggard social centre are hosting a Reception for all those who have volunteered, helped and supported the various fundraising events over the past few years. It takes place on Sunday, December 11, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. So why not come along and enjoy the wonderful facility that the centre has become since its refurbishment.

Ongoing activities in Tomhaggard social centre: Monday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Women's Shed, this week Christmas floral arrangements with Paula Hore 6-7.30 p.m. Yoga Tuesday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Art, Wednesday 7-8.30 and Saturday 10-11.30 a.m. Scouts, Mon, Thursday and Friday 8 p.m. Drama. Reading Room open to the public when centre in use. Centre is available to hire, contact 087 6858480.

Scouts

The Scout Investiture takes place on Wednesday, December 14, at 7 p.m. It's an important step in the scouting life of young people and adults. Meetings will then resume in the new year.

As usual the group will be organising a family trip to the Panto in Wexford in January. This year it's Beauty and the Beast, details will be circulated over coming weeks. Beavers enjoyed their Christmas trip to the Cinema on Saturday, December 3.
Labour leader Brendan Howlin has called on the Government to provide clarity over whether it will support the idea of a referendum to keep Ireland's water infrastructure in public ownership.

It follows the publication of the report by the Expert Commission on water which makes clear the principle that public ownership should be protected in the constitution.

The issue of public ownership was raised by Deputy Howlin during Leaders' Questions.

'Minister Bruton's assertion that the Government is open to discussing a constitutional referendum won't give people the assurance they want on this matter.

'We will resubmit our Referendum Bill that will protect all our networks, including gas and electricity, so we don't repeat the disaster of the sale of the Telecom network.

He said anyone who paid charges should be refunded.

'I asked for assurances that law abiding citizens who paid their water charges in good faith would be fully refunded. His reluctance to make such a commitment is simply not good enough.'
A County Wexford Christmas tree grower has branched out and joined forces with former Miss World Rosanna Davison in appealing to Wexford people to buy a real Irish Christmas tree this year, and to support local jobs and the economy in the process.

The Irish Christmas Tree Growers Association has launched a #lovearealtree campaign to highlight the merits of a real Irish tree, and to remind people of the joys of a traditional Christmas.

According to Wexford Christmas tree grower, Pat Delaney from Dennistown, Rathaspeck, said there is no comparison between a real Irish tree and a plastic, fake one. Mr Delaney said: 'By buying a real Irish tree Wexford people are supporting jobs and investing in something that is natural, sustainable, recyclable and that will beautifully decorate their home for the entire festive season.'

He sells between 600 and 700 Christmas trees each year, 200 direct from the farm and the remaining 400 through retail outlets in Wexford. Pat uses Shropshire sheep to keep control of the grass and weeds around the trees. 'More and more people want a real tree at Christmas as it gives them the true festive feeling.'

Joe and Robbie Flynn who own Wexford Christmas Trees in New Ross are also looking forward to a busy season ahead.

'All the indications so far are good. We have had a good harvest and are extremely busy now supplying trees in Wexford and all over the South East,' said Joe.

A survey on behalf of the Irish Christmas Tree Growers Association reveals that 44 per cent of consumers are likely to opt for a real tree this festive season, with the average spend per tree expected to be 43.

Families are being encouraged to choose an Irish-grown tree by looking for the 'Love A Real Tree' label which will prove the tree was grown by a member of the Irish Christmas Tree Growers Association.

Davison has family roots Tomhaggard, where her grandmother Maeve lives in Bargy Castle, and both the model and her father musician Chris de Burgh visit regularly. Davison is supporting the #lovearealtree Twitter campaign and backs real and not plastic.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 10

By Elchin Mehdiyev  Trend:

Activity of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG) has not produced any results and in such circumstances there is a need to take drastic steps, Ali Ahmadov, Azerbaijani deputy prime minister, told reporters in Baku Dec. 10.

Ahmadov said that delaying the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement is a threat not only for Azerbaijan, but also for the whole region.

I think the Minsk Group must make a serious turn in its activity, he noted.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly expressed its position that if the Minsk Group doesnt change its activity and achieve the conflicts settlement, then a question arises: how logical is it to keep the current composition of the Minsk Group, added Ahmadov.

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.
Eileen Gray, 1878 - 1976, the first woman to feature on a commemorative coin in Ireland

Enniscorthy native Eileen Gray has been honoured with a limited edition collector coin.

Last Wednesday the Central Bank issued a limited edition silver proof collector 10 coin celebrating the renowned designer and architect who died in 1976.

This is the first collector coin issued by the bank celebrating the achievements of an Irish woman. Gray was regarded as one of the leading members of the modern design movement in France.

Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Sharon Donnery said: 'On behalf of the Central Bank of Ireland, I am delighted to present our new 10 silver proof coin commemorating the life and work of designer Eileen Gray to the National Museum and its permanent Eileen Gray exhibition.

'We are honoured to commemorate Gray's work, achievements and her contribution to modern movements in architecture and design. Gray was a pre-eminent figure within the Modernist movement and it is very fitting that she was chosen as the first woman to feature on a collector coin issued by the Central Bank of Ireland.'

Raghnall O Floinn, Director of the National Museum of Ireland said: 'The Museum has had a long-standing relationship with the Central Bank of Ireland and our exhibition Airgead traces one thousand years of Irish coinage. Eileen Gray's place as one of the world's greatest modernists is at last being recognised both here and abroad and is reflected in our exhibition gallery devoted to her work. We are delighted to be associated with this special commemorative coin honouring her achievements in architecture, furniture and interior design.'

The coin features a portrait of Gray in front of a representative image of one of her most iconic modernist designs 'Screen'.

Screen is one of Eileen Gray's most iconic pieces of furniture and is indicative of her modernist design tendencies. Utilising the ancient Japanese technique of lacquer, Screen came to embody the way in which Gray's work managed to combine everyday functionality with aesthetic charm.

The silver proof coin was designed by Italian artist Sandra Deiana.

Ms Deiana said she was 'immediately struck by the idea of designing a coin to pay tribute to a female artist who worked in a period when it was still difficult to succeed in the world of work, especially in the arts'.

Forming part of the European Silver Coin Programme, this coin also features a re-designed obverse incorporating the Irish harp and year-date with the Europa Star symbol.

The Eileen Gray coin is available to the public at a cost of 60, and has an issue limit of 6,000 pieces.

Coins can be purchased by phoning 1890 307 607 between 9.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. You can also download an order form from www.centralbank.ie/coinsets, or purchase the coin directly from the Central Bank on Dame Street in Dublin.

A permanent exhibition gallery devoted to Eileen Gray's work can be seen at the National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Art and History.
Mayor of Sligo Municipal Authority Councillor Marie Casserly has said she hopes more of the country's youth will be encouraged to explore and exploit the benefits of farming and agriculture.

"Farming is a profession that must be promoted and studied like all other professions. In addition to being part weatherman and part scientist, farmers must also be able to constantly adapt to changes in climate, market conditions and advancing technology," said Cllr Casserly when addressing the National Shows Dinner Dance at The Sligo Park Hotel.

The organisation evolved from a Federation of Show Societies initially formed in 1931.

The Mayor said: "The tradition of neighbours and towns people coming together to stage an annual show is a great feature of rural Ireland, and promotes all that is good about our country.

"The Agricultural Show embodies the very essence of volunteering in Ireland. In recent years shows have modified their focus to attract the diverse cross-section of people now living in rural Ireland. They also allow farmers to meet their friends and fellow farmers and thereby perform a very important social function.

"I believe the true value of shows lies in its potential to inform the public about farming matters, food and countryside topics. This is all the more relevant at this time when the Agrifood sector is seen as a key driver of economic growth and export earnings.

"While livestock exhibits provide the mainstay of any agricultural show they are much broader in their appeal. The inclusion of such a wide range of activities including showing classes for horses, ponies, sheep and dogs, horticulture, flowers and farm products, cookery, crafts, woodwork and trade exhibits, ensures that everyone has something interesting to see.

"I am hugely encouraged that in more recent times, the increased focus on health and well-being has spurred a renewed interest in all things agricultural, particularly in the realm of organic farming.

"With the emergence of the Farm to Fork movement, I see nationally the development of closer ties between the local agriculture sector and the tourism industry. And these shows are now very important tourist attractions."
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Dunlavin thanks to the wonderful lights that are illuminating the streets of the village.

The crowds gathered on Saturday evening for the big switch-on, which marked the start of a festive weekend that continued on Sunday with the Christmas craft fair Imall Hall.

There was mince pies and mulled wine in Market House but everyone - and the little ones in particular - were there for one reason and one reason only.

The Christmas lights subcommittee have done a wonderful job this year and when the switch was flipped, the whole village was bathed in a warm glow that the North Pole itself would be proud of.
There were squeals of excitement and wonder in Rathdrum last Saturday as the town's Christmas lights were officially switched on.

The lights were turned on by Special Olympian Leo O'Brien watched on by Santa Claus.

Seamus O'Toole from the Christmas lights organising committee said the whole evening had been a great success.

'It went really well and we had the biggest crowd there that I've ever seen in the 14 years we have been doing the lights. We started the event with performances from the three school choir and the Avondale choir. Then 10-year-old Brianna Byrne sang and she just blew everyone away. Her voice lifted the square. She was really fantastic.

'The pipe band led Santa up the street and he arrived into Rathdrum safe and sound in a specially designed car by Denis Carter. Santa showed extreme patience and saw every single child there.

'We were delighted to have Leo turning on the lights. He was supposed to do it last year but we had to cancel the official switch on because of the weather. He was the obvious choice for this year's event.'
Wicklow County Council is urging landowners to check their ditches and boundaries alongside roads to ensure that trees, hedges or other vegetation are maintained.

The council has said that, in the interest of road safety, landowners should ensure that ditches and roadside verges are not a hazard to road users and do not interfere with the maintenance of the public road. In particular, branches which jut out onto the road, including the footpath, should be cut back.

It is also recommended that dead and unsafe trees should be removed and hedges cut and trimmed; professional advice on the condition of roadside trees should also be obtained from time to time. When landowners are maintaining hedges or trees all reasonable care should be taken to ensure the safety of road users while this work is being carried out.

All necessary work should be carried out before February 28, 2017, in order to comply with the Wildlife Acts. Wicklow County Council has said it will be taking a proactive approach in enforcing this legislation.
A 35-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to 14 counts of theft from Dunnes Stores has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence.

Samantha Keating, of 33 Evergreen Way, Whiterock, Wexford, came before Judge Barry Hickson at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court on fourteen counts of theft totalling 1,760.

The thefts occurred at the Dunnes Stores Bridgewater branch in Arklow, between March 3, 2014, and October 30, 2015, with eight separate counts totalling 620.

The remaining six counts at the Dunne Stores branch in Gorey occurred on separate dates between February 12, 2015, and August 30, 2015, and totalled 1,140.

Sgt Ray Heffernan told the court that the defendant had pleaded guilty and that the counts before the court were sample counts. He said the defendant worked in Dunnes Stores from 2007 to 2014 and was promoted to Assistant Manager in the Arklow branch in 2014.

Sgt Heffernan said that as Assistant Manager, if a customer came back to customer services seeking a refund for an item, she would deal with the matter.

Through this refunds process, the defendant created false transactions using over-riding receipts while logged in on numbers assigned to other staff, having asked them for the password or codes.

The till would balance at the end of the day so nothing would be suspected.

Sgt Heffernan said the thefts came to light when a staff member became suspicious, leading to an investigation. Staff members who were subsequently interviewed by gardai said they felt it quite normal to give their pin numbers to an Assistant Manager.

It came to light as a result of one particular staff member noting something suspicious. She became concerned when an over-riding receipt was generated but no customer had sought an exchange.

Following this there was an internal store investigation, after which the gardai were informed. He said that 92 receipts representing cash in Arklow came to 4,817, while 54 receipts in Gorey amounted to 7,196, amounting to a total of12,013.

The defendant, he said, was arrested by gardai and when shown the receipts she made a full admission. She co-operated fully with the investigation and had no previous convictions.

Defence Counsel, Jordan Fletcher, said the defendant lived with her partner. Things have been difficult at home since this, but she did not tell her partner until the last minute. In the meantime they have worked through their difficulties, having been engaged with the Probation and Welfare services. She was in a position of trust and is deeply shameful at having abused her position of trust, said Mr. Fletcher.

He said the defendant is now a student and is saving 20 per week from her entitlements. Some money had been paid over and she continues to put money aside every week.

Judge Hickson said that within her limited means, the defendant has been trying to make good the losses. He noted that it was a first offence and that she co-operated fully with the investigation.

The judge said that on counts one to eight relating to both Gorey and Arklow he would impose a concurrent sentence of two years, suspended for two years, in her own bond of 200 to keep the peace for two years.

She was also ordered to continue to attend for psychotherapy, continue to liaise with the Probation and Welfare services, and continue to make restitution. He said he would mark the remaining counts taken into consideration.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27

By Temkin Jafarov - Trend:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has left for a visit to Afghanistan, official news website of the Iranian television, iribnews reported.

Alongside international events on the occasion of Nowruz, there will be held a quadripartite meeting of Iranian, Pakistani, Afghan and Tajik presidents in Kabul. During the meeting the development of relations between the countries, regional and international issues will be discussed.

Before the visit Rouhani told journalists that the countries of the region need mutual cooperation.

"The meeting that will be held in Kabul will benefit both Afghanistan which suffers from terrorism, extremism and internal tension and the countries of the entire region," Rouhani said.

The international ceremony for celebrating Nowruz is to begin in Kabul on March 27. Presidents of Turkmenistan, Iran, Tajikistan and high-ranking officials of the countries celebrating Nowruz will participate at the events.

On Feb.23, 2010, at the initiative of Azerbaijan, the UN General Assembly adopted a decision to declare March 21 the International Day of Nowruz. The first international ceremony of celebrating Nowruz was held in Iran in 2011. The following celebrations were organized in Dushanbe in 2012 and in Ashgabat in 2013.

Translated by L.Z.

Edited by C.N.
Theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber has waived fees for schools to perform School Of Rock, in a bid to bolster musical creativity in the younger generation.

In an interview with The Times, the Phantom Of The Opera composer also vowed to provide resources such as scripts and scores to help schools put on the musical, adapted from the 2003 comedy film.

Breaking with theatre tradition, Lord Lloyd-Webber condemned the rule that schools may not perform musicals until they finish their commercial run on the stage, adding that arts subjects are already being "squeezed".

Speaking about the move, he told the newspaper: "It's a no-brainer - School Of Rock is about kids making music.

"Let's get on with it. You have to get music back into everybody's DNA again."

The 68-year-old also named New York over London as the world centre of musical theatre, pointing out that Broadway will have opened 14 new productions in the year up to next May, compared to just three in the West End.

Citing a drop in music teaching in schools as a possible reason, he said: "I am suddenly thinking: is this because we are neglecting the arts to such an extent in schools? Are things really going backwards?"

In his commitment to boosting arts education, his own foundation has poured more than 3.5 million into projects this year alone.

Adding that the West End has become saturated with "revival" productions, he shared his excitement for next year's arrival of fresh American musical Hamilton in the capital, which he described as the most original production he has seen in the last 50 years.

But his quest for originality may just fall short of writing a musical about a meeting between Donald Trump and Jeremy Corbyn, as prime minister.

Video of the Day

He told the newspaper that he was being "facetious" when he made the suggestion after meeting Mr Trump, months before he secured his Republican nomination, adding: "Now I'm not so sure."
Donald Trump is expected to make changes to his businesses to avoid potential conflicts of interest (AP)

Donald Trump shut down some of his companies in the days after the election, including four that appeared connected to a possible Saudi Arabia business venture, according to corporate registrations.

News of the move comes days before he is expected to describe changes he is making to his businesses to avoid potential conflicts of interest as the US president.

The Trump Organisation's general counsel Alan Garten described shutting down the four companies as routine "housecleaning", and said there was no existing Trump business venture in Saudi Arabia.

The four Saudi-related companies were among at least nine companies Mr Trump filed paperwork to dissolve or cancel since questions were raised after the election about how he would conduct business while in the White House.

The president-elect operates branded hotels and resorts in a handful of countries around the world, although he and his executives have talked about expanding globally. Last year, Ivanka Trump singled out the Middle East and Saudi Arabia as potential locations.

"Dubai is a top priority city for us. We are looking at multiple opportunities in Abu Dhabi, in Qatar, in Saudi Arabia, so those are the four areas where we are seeing the most interest," she told the publication Hotelier Middle East in May 2015 while attending the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference.

"We haven't made a final decision in any of the markets, but we have many very compelling deals in each of them."

Mr Trump for years has routinely named corporate entities after the projects to which they were connected. Companies set up as part of licensing or management deals in Indonesia and India bear the names of the cities where those projects are located. The same is true for some of his companies connected to properties and business ventures in the US.

Four of the companies recently dissolved included Jeddah, a major Saudi city, in their formal names. The entities were established three months after Ms Trump's comments, during the presidential campaign. Four more similarly named businesses were also set up around the same time then closed a few months later.

Mr Garten said the dissolution of the companies, which occurred last month, was part of a periodic process to shed corporate entities that were no longer needed or were set up for ventures that did not materialise. He said he did not know why the companies were set up last year or whether they involved business ventures in Saudi Arabia that did not happen.

"I'm not aware of any deal in Saudi Arabia. I'll go further, there is no deal in Saudi Arabia."

Mr Garten declined to say whether the closures were related to Mr Trump's election or his expected announcement next week about how he will be handling his businesses as president.

AP
Boris Johnson has used his first speech since his controversial comments about Saudi Arabia, to underline his "profound concern" at the suffering of people in Yemen.

Mr Johnson said stability in Yemen, which has been heavily bombarded by a Saudi-led coalition, could not be brought about by force alone.

It follows reports that Mr Johnson has refused to apologise for his claim last week that Saudi is involved in a "proxy war" in Yemen  words which embarrassed Theresa May who had just returned from a relationship-building trip to the Gulf.

The furore over those comments has also sparked a row in the Tory party, with critics claiming Mr Johnson should leave the Foreign Office and others backing him, like Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson who said he is "absolutely right".

After outlining his "profound concern" over suffering in Yemen at an event hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Bahrain today, Mr Johnson went on: "I think we can all agree on at least this key point, that force alone will not bring about a stable Yemen. Thats why we in London have been working so hard with all our partners to drive that political process forwards.

"The same point about the need above all for a political solution can be made about every other conflict and struggle in this region."

Mr Johnson sought to realign his rhetoric in some way with Ms Mays by launching an attack on Russian and Iranian backing for the regime of Bashar Assad in Syria.

But at the Med2 conference in Rome last week, Mr Johnson accused all politicians in the region of "twisting and abusing religionin order to further their own political objectives."

He added: "And thats why you have these proxy wars being fought the whole time in that areathere is not strong enough leadership in the countries themselves."

Mr Johnson then lumped the Saudis in with Iran suggesting the two nations are both "puppeteering and playing proxy wars".

Afterwards, Ms Mays official spokesperson said the Foreign Secretarys comments were his own view and did not reflect Government policy, and indicated Mr Johnson would have a chance to recant when he visits Saudi leaders on Sunday.

Despite the reported incidents of civilian deaths and the worsening humanitarian situation in Yemen, the UK has signed off 3.3bn in arms sales to Saudi Arabia since the start of its offensive, with the Foreign Secretary himself having previously defended the exports.

The row over Mr Johnson's original comments continued today after Ms Davidson told BBC Radio 4s Westminster Hour: "I think Boris Johnson was absolutely right about what he said about proxy ways, and about Saudi and about Iran.

"And I agree with his analysis. Now, that might not be the position of the UK Government, but guess what? I am not in the UK Government and I think he was right."

On Downing Streets treatment of the Foreign Secretary she said: "I think there is a longstanding diplomatic convention about not panning your allies in public.

"I think that this situation, particularly in Yemen, is desperate. I think that the UK Government is trying its hardest to make a dreadful situation better and I absolutely understand why the UK Government had to come out and say what it said - but I dont think Boris was wrong."

Earlier in the day ex-Tory Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind suggested Mr Johnson could be "dangerous" in his job and indicated that it might be better if he were moved.
A man has been arrested in connection with a sexual assault on a teenage boy.

The suspect, aged 55, was arrested by West Midlands Police on Saturday after a 16-year-old was attacked in Birmingham city centre on November 30.

Police said the boy accepted a lift to a bus stop from a man in a van. He was later locked inside the vehicle and assaulted after being driven from Kent Street to nearby Claybrook Street.

Police have also seized the vehicle that detectives believe was used in the attack.

It came after police released CCTV footage in connection with the incident.

Detective Sergeant Guy Stephenson said: "I would like to thank everyone who got in touch following the appeal yesterday - if anyone has any more information they should call us on 101."
Britain's Prince Andrew issued an extraordinary public statement last night denying a rift between himself and the Prince of Wales over the status of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

The Duke, angry at reports he wants them to have enhanced public roles and their future husbands to be given earldoms, said the stories were "completely made up".

He said he had taken the rare step of issuing a statement in his own name "to terminate further speculation and innuendo".

He went on: "It is a complete fabrication to suggest I have asked for any future husbands of the princesses to have titles. There is no truth to the story that there could be a split between the Prince of Wales and I over my daughters' participation as members of the royal family and any continued speculation is pointless."

He said he wanted them to be "modern working young women who happen to be members of the royal family".

His intervention came hours after his former wife Sarah Ferguson made a plea for people to "stop bullying the York family".

As her daughters became patrons of the Teenage Cancer Trust, she called their "hard work" an example of "good parenting". The Duchess and the two princesses visited a specialist teenage cancer unit in London to mark the occasion. "Let's focus more on this and less on tittle-tattle gossip."

Both princesses have faced criticism over regular holidays: in one 15-month spell, Eugenie took eight holidays, including Burma and California. From December 2014 to December 2015, Beatrice managed 18 trips, including the Caribbean, Verbier and Florida.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Far-right National Front party leader and candidate for the 2017 presidential election, Marine Le Pen, visits a Christmas market in Paris as she continues her quest to win over voters before the people of France vote in April

When the votes for the next US president were being counted on election night last month, there was an interesting foreign guest inside Trump Tower in New York.

Ludovic De Danne, international affairs director for France's far-right National Front, mingled with Donald Trump's inner circle as news of his victory trickled in.

Mr De Danne's boss - National Front leader Marine Le Pen - was one of the first European politicians to congratulate Mr Trump, whose win she hopes to emulate when France goes to the polls to elect a new president next April. His election victory, she later said, was "good news for our country".

It is striking how much Mr Trump and Ms Le Pen echo each other's rhetoric: both rail against immigration and globalisation; blame 'elites' for all that ails their respective countries; talk of fostering closer links with Moscow (the National Front has taken loans from Russian banks); and welcome Britain's departure from the EU, which Ms Le Pen hopes will trigger a domino effect across the continent. They have both stoked anti-Muslim sentiment in their campaigns, with Ms Le Pen exploiting the terrorist attacks in France over the past year for political advantage in a country that is home to Europe's largest Muslim population.

"A new world is emerging, global equilibriums are being redefined by the fact of Trump's election," Ms Le Pen said at a press conference the day after the election. Her closest adviser tweeted: "Their world is crumbling, ours is being built."

After Mr Trump's win, the question of whether Ms Le Pen has a chance of being elected president next year is no longer dismissed outright. While some French insist that history shows that while National Front candidates may gain in the first round, they lose in the second round run-off due to tactical voting aimed at keeping them out, others warn that nothing can be taken for granted.

Most polls suggest Ms Le Pen will fare very well, securing at least one-quarter of ballots in the first round, and possibly more than that in the second, but that most voters will eventually plump for the establishment right-wing candidate and former prime minister Francois Fillon.

Asked in a recent interview with 'Time' magazine what she would say to people who say it is impossible for the National Front to win a French presidential election, she replied: "I think the British with Brexit, then the Americans with the election of Donald Trump, did that: They made possible the impossible."

No doubt her campaign team will be taking lessons from Mr Trump's circle, given the existing ties between the two.

Her niece, parliamentarian Marion Marechal-Le Pen, has said there have been contacts "for some time" between the party and the Trump campaign. Furthermore, the right-wing US website Breitbart, whose incendiary commentary on immigration, race and "elites" has made it popular with white supremacists, plans to launch a French version in January, just as the presidential election campaigning kicks in. Stephen Bannon, now Mr Trump's chief White House strategist and until recently the head of Breitbart, told French media last summer: "We think France is the place to be" and he lauded the 26-year-old Marechal-Le Pen as a "rising star". Days after Trump's election, Marechal-Le Pen tweeted: "I answer yes to the invitation of Stephen Bannon, CEO of @realDonaldTrump presidential campaign, to work together" and later described "alternative media" like Breitbart as "useful tools".

Breitbart's editor-in-chief, Alexander Marlow, has made no secret of the fact its expansion in Europe is linked to elections next year in France and Germany, where it also plans to launch a German version. Breitbart started a British spin-off in 2014 after seeing a "business opportunity" in the push for Brexit, he told the 'New York Times'. Mr Marlow talks of an "under-served readership" as populism grows in Europe. "It's the same readers who had been ignored in Britain and had been ignored in the United States," he said of their target audience.

Some question how the Breitbart formula, bankrolled by private funders who were also major donors to Mr Trump's campaign, will translate in France. The French media scene is relatively staid, with nothing like the tabloid press that drove the Brexit campaign in Britain. In recent years, however, a number of small right-wing websites have popped up, but the provocative style of Breitbart would be very different.

Key to Ms Le Pen's growing popularity is her attempt to make the National Front - founded by her father Jean-Marie - more acceptable to mainstream voters once repulsed by the explicit anti-Semitism and racism that defined the party under her father's leadership.

How the Breitbart effect could work for or against her remains to be seen.
Bernard Cazeneuve said France will vote on extending a state of emergency that has been in place since the Paris attacks

The French prime minister has said it is "absolutely necessary" to extend the state of emergency in place there since the Paris attacks.

Bernard Cazeneuve said 17 attacks have been thwarted in France so far this year and he is asking Parliament to extend the state of emergency until July 15.

Speaking after an extraordinary cabinet meeting, he said Parliament will vote on the bill next week.

He said the extension for seven more months is necessary to ensure the highest possible level of protection in the country in the context of next spring's presidential and general elections.

Expand Close A photograph of one of the victims of the Bataclan attack in Paris places across the road from the theatre / Facebook

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Whatsapp A photograph of one of the victims of the Bataclan attack in Paris places across the road from the theatre

Mr Cazeneuve said the electoral period with multiple political meetings and gatherings may increase the risk of attacks by "those who want to strike our democratic values and republican principles at the heart".

The newly appointed prime minister said the "terrorist threat" remains "at a particularly high level" in France and neighbouring European countries.

The threat - he described as an "imminent peril" - is still closely linked to the actions of the Islamic State group, he said.

Mr Cazeneuve said the state of emergency has "fully proven its effectiveness" with 4,194 house searches leading to 517 suspects arrested, 434 kept in custody and almost 600 firearms seized, including 77 "weapons of war", over the last year in France.

Expand Close Mourners reflect on the city's great loss at floral tributes outside the Bataclan theatre in Paris / Facebook

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Among those arrested 420 had links with "terrorist networks," he added.

He said some 700 French citizens or foreigners who used to live in France are now in Iraq and Syria, that 222 have already died there and more than 2,000 are involved in jihadi networks, including those returning from that region, those hoping to go and those still "in transit".

Next week's vote in Parliament will be the fifth extension since a state of emergency was declared in France the day after the Paris attacks that left 130 people dead on November 13 2015. The attacks have been claimed by Islamic State.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 10

By Anakhanum Hidayatova  Trend:

The Azerbaijan-Hungary relations are at a high level and trust relationship was established between the heads of the two states, the Hungarian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Imre Laszloczki told Trend.

There are rather strong ministerial-level relations as well as strong humanitarian ties between the two countries, he said.

"The Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air currently operates direct flights to Budapest which lets the citizens of both countries learn more about one another, the ambassador said.

The diplomat noted that March 2016 was significant for the bilateral relations due to the visit of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Azerbaijan.

"President of Azerbaijan visited Hungary two years ago and in March [2016], the parties agreed to undertake visits annually," the ambassador added.

The Hungarian Embassy in Baku will implement the functions of a NATO Liaison Office starting January 2017.

For the last five years, the Embassy of Romania in Azerbaijan has been serving as a NATO Liaison Office.

"First of all, we would like to continue the fruitful work of the Romanian Embassy in Baku and we will surely add a bit of Hungarian specificity, Laszloczki said.

In cooperation with NATO, we can move forward only with Azerbaijan," he added.

According to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Hungary amounted to $26.6 million in January-November 2016.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum
Restaurant critic AA Gill has died after a short battle with cancer, it has been announced. He was 62.

Revealing his illness in an interview last month - diagnosed only recently after family concerns about his rapid weight loss - the writer said it prompted his successful proposal to Nicola Formby, his partner of nearly a quarter of a century.

In a nod to his career as a food writer, Gill referred to his diagnosis as a "full English" of cancers.

His death was confirmed by the Sunday Times, for whom he was a long-standing columnist.

He died on Saturday morning.

Friends and colleagues on the newspaper were informed of his death by editor Martin Ivens, who described the celebrated critic - known to some by his first name Adrian - as "a giant among journalists".

His final column will be featured in tomorrow's edition.

In his memo to staff, Mr Ivens said: "It is with profound sadness that I must tell you that our much-loved colleague Adrian Gill died this morning.

"Adrian was stoical about his illness, but the suddenness of his death has shocked us all.

"Characteristically he has had the last word, writing an outstanding article about coming to terms with his cancer in tomorrow's Sunday Times Magazine.

"He was the heart and soul of the paper. His wit was incomparable, his writing was dazzling and fearless, his intelligence was matched by compassion.

"Adrian was a giant among journalists. He was also our friend. We will miss him.

"I know you will want to join me in sending condolences to Nicola Formby and his children."

Journalists and colleagues also paid moving tributes to Gill, with Financial Times editor Lionel Barber hailing him as the "king of irreverent critics".

Jay Rayner, The Observer's restaurant critic, wrote on Twitter: "So sorry to hear about the death of AA Gill. He was a controversialist, sometimes outrageously so, but a kind man and a brilliant writer," while Tim Shipman, political editor of the Sunday Times, said: "AA Gill, the writer who first made me buy the Sunday Times, the best of us for 30 years, has died. Very sombre mood in the office."
Destroyed statues at the damaged Palmyra Museum, in Palmyra city, central Syria. (SANA via AP)

The amount of destruction found inside the archaeological area in the historic Syrian town of Palmyra was similar to what experts have expected but the shock came Monday from inside the local museum where the extremists have caused wide damage demolishing invaluable statues that were torn to pieces. (SANA via AP)

This photo released on Sunday March 27, 2016, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows a general view of Palmyra citadel, central Syria. Palmyra is an archaeological gem that Syrian troops took back from Islamic State fighters in central Syria. The amount of destruction found inside the archaeological area in the historic Syrian town of Palmyra was similar to what experts have expected but the shock came Monday from inside the local museum where the extremists have caused wide damage demolishing invaluable statues that were torn to pieces. (SANA via AP)

The famous Roman theatre in the ancient city of Palmyra (AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin gives his annual state of the nation address in the Kremlin (AP)

Isil has advanced to within two miles of Palmyra, pushing once again to retake the Unesco World Heritage city from Syrian forces while they are tied up with battles elsewhere.

Isil fighters had begun surrounding the desert city from the north, east and south before an attempt to storm it.

The militants were said to have managed to capture several key areas in the past 24 hours, with as many as 50 troops reported dead in the attacks and a video posted by Isil showed four captured soldiers handcuffed and on their knees.

Isil was still present in parts of the east of the province of Homs, in which Palmyra lies, and had carried out insurgent attacks on government positions in recent months.

Rami Abdel Rahman, the director of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the current assault was the first to see Isil seize territory since it was pushed out.

Backed by Russian air forces, the Syrian army recaptured the city - noted for having some of the most extensive ruins of the old Roman Empire - from Isil in March after 10 months in the hands of the jihadists.

Expand Close A Russian sapper works to clear mines in the historic part of Palmyra, Syria, earlier this year, after it was retaken from Isil. The jihadists carried out a mass killing in the ancient city before Syrian troops expelled them from it. Photo: Reuters / Facebook

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Whatsapp A Russian sapper works to clear mines in the historic part of Palmyra, Syria, earlier this year, after it was retaken from Isil. The jihadists carried out a mass killing in the ancient city before Syrian troops expelled them from it. Photo: Reuters

In those months it was under occupation, Isil destroyed the ancient temples of Baal Shamin and Bel and systematically plundered the relics at each site.

Russian forces set up a base at the site, which houses several dozen troops from both nations, but the Syrian army was badly stretched across the war-torn country battling jihadists.

In Aleppo, some 300 miles north, tens of thousands of Syrian troops were engaged in bloody fighting as the offensive on the north-western city continued. A mix of pro-government forces, Russian soldiers and regional militias have managed to retake more than 80pc of the opposition-held east Aleppo in a lightning offensive that began three weeks ago, but fears for civilians remained.

On Thursday, President Putin's Russia declared a "humanitarian pause" to evacuate thousands trapped by fighting, but it was short-lived.

Residents sent journalists audio messages of artillery fire and air strikes all through the night and morning.

"Bombing never stops," Abdulkafi al-Hamdo, a teacher and activist, said around midnight.

"The regime and the Russians are putting out propaganda saying the Aleppo frontlines are relatively quiet," Yasser al Youssef, a spokesperson for the Noureddine al-Zenki rebel group in east Aleppo, said.

"This is absolutely false. The airstrikes and artillery bombardment are ongoing on all districts of Aleppo and all the frontlines are on fire."

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart John Kerry meet today in Geneva to try again to reach a truce agreement.
A general view shows the damage at a Russian military field hospital after it was shelled by what the Russian Defence Ministry said were Syrian rebels in Aleppo, Syria SANA/Handout

Civilians fleeing the violence in eastern rebel-held parts of Aleppo evacuate from their neighbourhoods through the Bab al-Hadid district after it was seized by government forces yesterday. Photo: Getty

Syrian residents fleeing the violence gather at a checkpoint, manned by pro-government forces, in the village of Aziza on the southwestern outskirts of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo yesterday.

I've just spent hours watching footage of the siege.

The pictures are familiar: planes fall like vultures through the sky and buildings are blown apart, children are brought to hospitals covered in blood, bodies are buried in shallow graves, hospitals themselves are repeatedly bombed, entire districts of the city turned to rubble, civilians flee their homes amid burning buildings.

Rescue workers tug at the living and the dead amid the wreckage of the city.

America and Britain demand an end to the destruction but do nothing. And Russia cynically and cruelly allows the innocent to die. Readers will know exactly what I am describing.

The Warsaw Uprising, of course, 1944, not 2016. The scenes are eerily familiar to all that other blood-soaked footage from Aleppo we've been watching more recently - but, in one critical way, very different. For the fighters of the Home Army in Poland - 'rebels' against German occupation, patriots loyal to the Polish government in London - appear constantly in the old black-and-white film of the Warsaw Uprising. Their own military targets are attacked by their enemy. Civilians are seen queuing for weapons to fight alongside the insurgents.

Not exactly what you see in the terrifying film from eastern Aleppo this past year, where not a single 'rebel' can be identified - save for carefully posed shots in their own propaganda productions - and where every target is a hospital or a civilian home. And anyone who believes the French nonsense about Aleppo becoming the "worst massacre since World War II" should study the stunning films I've been watching in the Polish Museum of the Warsaw Uprising.

In the first week, the Nazis and their allies murdered up to 40,000 civilians. The Warsaw Rising was to last for only 63 days, but the death toll was up to 200,000 - half the total deaths of the entire Syrian war, even by the dodgy statistics upon which journalists currently depend. Warsaw in 1944 was total war indeed - even if we forget later massacres of even greater bloodshed: the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the 1991 and 2003 Iraqi wars, the Afghan wars, the Algerian war of independence against the French with a minimum of a million dead, which the French appear to have forgotten. The "worst massacre since World War II" indeed!

But now a reminder of the tragedy of Warsaw. By mid-summer of 1944, Russian troops had smashed through the German armies in the east on their way to Berlin, and reached the eastern banks of the Vistula river opposite the very centre of Warsaw.

Nazi troops had already begun to evacuate the city and retreat towards the Polish-German border. The Polish 'Home Army' of General Tadeusz 'Bor'-Komorowski, with the full knowledge of the Allied-supported Polish government-in-exile in London, decided that the moment had come to liberate Warsaw from the Nazis - at 5pm on August 1, 1944.

It was a calculated, daring and disastrous decision.

Komorowski wanted to strike when the Germans were retreating - but before the Russians could 'liberate' Warsaw themselves and impose a Communist government on the once independent Polish nation.

Britain and France had declared war on Germany in 1939, after Hitler attacked Poland - but they were powerless to help. Besides, Churchill and Stalin had already agreed that Poland would fall under Soviet 'influence' in post-war Europe.

The Germans, meanwhile, brought in SS reinforcements and, on Hitler's specific orders, razed the entire city of Warsaw to the ground while the Russians watched from the other side of the Vistula - and did nothing.

They were quite happy to allow the Nazis to crush the 50,000 armed nationalist Poles of the Home Army - leaving Warsaw to be 'freed' by the Russians in January 1945 and a Communist government imposed on the survivors.

This is a necessarily truncated and simplified version of those terrible moments of history.

The British and Americans deliberately delayed air drops of arms and medicine to the Poles in Warsaw and even refused to send the fully trained Polish Parachute Brigade to help them.

RAF crews did volunteer to fly from Brindisi to Warsaw but were shot at by Russian as well as German artillery.

An escaped British POW, RAF Lieutenant John Ward, actually joined the Home Army, the 'Armia Krajowa' (AK), fighting in the Rising and sending 64 reports of the battle to 'The Times' in London.

Other foreigners, including Ukrainians, even Azerbaijanis, fought alongside the Poles, as well as Jewish survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto rising of 1943.

So back once more to Aleppo.

No-one doubts that foreigners are fighting alongside Jabhat al-Nusra/al-Qa'ida and the Salafist Ahrar al-Sham and other groups around the city.

But, oddly, that's not what we call them.

We refer to them as 'rebels' - as if they were the Maquis fighting in the French resistance or Partisans freeing Yugoslavia from the Nazis or, indeed, the insurgents of Warsaw struggling for freedom from the German SS. Which they clearly are not.

And while we know that the 'rebels' of eastern Aleppo have died fighting bravely, we also know that they have executed their internal enemies, slit the throats of their prisoners and that - well, since Jabhat al-Nusra is al-Qa'ida (and has since changed its name yet again) - they have flown passenger aircraft into very tall buildings in New York. ( Independent News Service)
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name the chief executive of Exxon Mobil Corp as the country's top diplomat, NBC News reported Saturday.

Exxon chief Rex Tillerson emerged on Friday as Trump's leading candidate for U.S. secretary of state and met with him Saturday morning, a transition official told Reuters.

The transition official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tillerson, 64, had moved ahead in Trump's deliberations over 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who has met Trump twice, including at a dinner in New York.

As Exxon's CEO, Tillerson oversees operations in more than 50 countries, including Russia.

In 2011, Exxon Mobil signed a deal with Rosneft, Russia's largest state-owned oil company, for joint oil exploration and production. Since then, the companies have formed 10 joint ventures for projects in Russia.

NBC News cited two sources close to the transition team in reporting that Tillerson will be named as secretary of state.

Trump's campaign was not immediately able to confirm the selection.
US intelligence officials have accused Russia of trying to interfere in last month's election by hacking into Democratic officials' email accounts

President Barack Obama has ordered a review of the email hacking that rattled the US presidential campaign, according to a White House official.

Intelligence and national security officials were told to report their findings to the president before he leaves office on January 20, Mr Obama's counter-terrorism adviser Lisa Monaco said.

US intelligence officials have accused Russia of trying to interfere in last month's election by hacking into Democratic officials' email accounts.

Mr Obama has raised his concerns about Russia's involvement directly with President Vladimir Putin.

Many Democrats believe the embarrassing disclosures in emails stolen from Democratic Party officials and a Hillary Clinton campaign aide's account benefited Republican Donald Trump.

Democratic senators on the Senate Intelligence Committee have asked Mr Obama to declassify more information about Russia's alleged role in the hacks.
A suicide bomber has blown himself up inside an army base in the southern Yemeni city of Aden, killing 23 soldiers and wounding at least 30 others.

The bomber detonated his explosives amid hundreds of soldiers who were lining up to collect their salaries in the Solban army base. At least 30 soldiers were wounded in the incident.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which bore the hallmarks of al Qaida.

The terror network's branch in Yemen is thought to be the world's most active.

It is known to have a presence in Aden, where a loose coalition between troops loyal to the internationally recognized government, local militias and jihadi groups is in control.

AP
Donald Trump's presidential transition team has challenged the veracity of US intelligence assessments that Russia was trying to tip the November election to the Republican.

The CIA has now concluded with "high confidence" that Moscow was not only interfering with the election, but that its actions were intended to help Mr Trump, according to a senior US official.

The assessment is based in part on evidence that Russian actors had hacked Republicans as well as Democrats but were only releasing information harmful to Mr Trump's rival, Hillary Clinton.

Mr Trump's public dismissal of the CIA assessment raises questions about how he will treat information from intelligence agencies as president. His view also puts Republicans in the uncomfortable position of choosing between the incoming president and the intelligence community.

In a statement late on Friday, Mr Trump's transition team said the finger-pointing at Russia was coming from "the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction".

On Saturday, spokesman Sean Spicer told CNN there were "people within these agencies who are upset with the outcome of the election".

Mr Spicer denied a New York Times report that Russia had broken into the Republican National Committee's computer networks. The US official who disclosed the CIA assessment to The Associated Press said only that Republican entities had been targeted during the election.

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer said he would press for a congressional investigation in the new year.

"That any country could be meddling in our elections should shake both political parties to their core," he said. "It's imperative that our intelligence community turns over any relevant information so that Congress can conduct a full investigation."

There was no immediate official response from Moscow. But Oleg Morozov, a member of the foreign relations committee in the upper house of the Russian parliament, dismissed the claim of Russian interference as "silliness and paranoia," according to the RIA Novosti news agency.

Mr Morozov described the allegations as an attempt to force the next administration to stick to Barack Obama's anti-Russian course.

President Obama has ordered a full-scale review of campaign-season cyberattacks to be completed before he leaves office in January.

The investigation will be a "deep dive" into a possible pattern of increased "malicious cyber activity" timed to the campaign season, White House spokesman Eric Schultz said, including the email hacks that rattled the presidential campaign.

It will look at the tactics, targets, key actors and the US government's response to the recent email hacks, as well as incidents reported in past elections, he said.

The president ordered the report earlier in the week and asked that it be completed before he leaves office next month, Mr Schultz said.

"The president wanted this done under his watch because he takes it very seriously," he said. "We are committed to ensuring the integrity of our elections."

The Kremlin has rejected the hacking accusations.

Mr Schultz said the president sought the probe as a way of improving the US defence against cyber attacks and was not intending to question the legitimacy of Mr Trump's victory.

"This is not an effort to challenge the outcome of the election," Mr Schultz said.

AP
SALISBURY- Law enforcement are teaming up to curb crime in Rowan County.

Our news partner WSOC-TV reported that the Salisbury Police Department and the Rowan County Sheriffs Office announced a partnership that will allow deputies to work for the police department.

Sheriff Kevin Auten said the partnership will help patrol the streets in Salisbury while the police department works to fill 15 vacant officer positions, according to Channel 9.

This partnership was announced right after a weekend of violence that ended in two unsolved murders, including 7-year-old Ayanna Allen.

Ayanna was killed when someone fired bullets into her home while she was sleeping and on that same day, 22-year-old Sherod Mathis was shot and killed outside of a bar.

No arrests have been made and officials are offering a $20,000 reward to anyone with information.

They do believe the cases are connected.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 10

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

The 4th GUAM-Japan ministerial meeting took place on the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg on Dec. 8, a diplomatic source told Trend Dec. 10.

The GUAM side was represented by Elmar Mammadyarov, foreign minister of Azerbaijan (GUAM Chairmanship), Mikheil Janelidze, foreign minister of Georgia, Andrei Galbur, deputy prime minister, minister of foreign affairs and European integration of Moldova, Pavlo Klimkin, foreign minister of Ukraine and Altai Efendiev, GUAM secretary general.

The Japanese side was represented by Nobuo Kishi, state minister for foreign affairs of Japan.

The sides reiterated that they consider the maintenance of peace, security, stability and cooperation in each region as an important element of collective efforts to create a common space of indivisible security for all states without exceptions or distinctions.

The sides agreed to continue dialogue at the appropriate forums and recalled their obligations to respect the universally recognized norms and principles of international law, including those enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, in particular the principles of respect to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of the states.

The sides emphasized that the GUAM-Japan Cooperation Program signed during the 3rd GUAM-Japan ministerial meeting (Dec. 3, 2015, Belgrade) provides a solid basis for widening and deepening cooperation between GUAM and Japan.

The sides underlined the necessity of elaborating and implementing projects and programs of cooperation on the basis of the GUAM-Japan Cooperation Program in the spheres of trade and investments, energy, emergency situations, tourism, transport, culture, agriculture, medical care and environment.

The GUAM ministers expressed their gratitude to the Japanese side for its commitment to cooperation with GUAM and, in particular, for the excellent organization of the workshop Environment  Waste Management for the experts from GUAM member states (Feb. 21-29, 2016, Japan) and welcomed the initiative to organize the next workshop on Tourism (January, 2017, Japan).

The sides emphasized the added value of enhanced GUAM-Japan interaction, aimed at ensuring peace, security and stability in each region.

The sides reconfirmed the interest and readiness to maintain high-level dialogue, including both on GUAM-Japan cooperation and a wide range of regional and global issues.

The time and venue of the next GUAM-Japan meeting will be agreed through diplomatic channels.

The GUAM format was created by the post-Soviet states in 1997 during the summit of heads of states of the EU in Strasbourg. In 1999, Uzbekistan joined the format and four years later withdrew. In 2006, Ukraine and Azerbaijan announced plans to further increase the GUAM member relations and established its headquarters in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.

Azerbaijan assumed the chairmanship in GUAM on January 1, 2016.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 9

Trend:

The amount of container trains on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TCITR) will reach 1,000 until 2020, according to a message posted on the website of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSC (Kazakhstan Railways).

This agreement was reached during a working meeting of heads of railway administrations of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Georgia in Baku, said the message.

Issues on conducting a flexible tariff policy to increase cargo flows via the TCITR, freight traffic among Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia were considered during the meeting. Comprehensive rate and tariffs for 2017 were also agreed upon in order to increase transit via the TCITR.

A memorandum of cooperation on implementation of joint projects in railway engineering was also signed between Azerbaijan Railways CJSC and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSC during the Baku meeting.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, August 5

By Demir Azizov- Trend:

Uzbekistan has no plans to build nuclear power plant (NPP) on its territory, according to the website of the "Uzbekenergo" SJSC.

The construction of the nuclear power plant is not considered in the future perspectives of the company within the implementation of Uzbekistan`s industry development and annual investment programs , the report said.

Earlier, some foreign media reported that the Uzbek government is considering building a nuclear power plant in the territory of the country in the coming years.

At present, some 28 major investment projects are being implemented in Uzbekistan on the creation of new modernization and reconstruction of existing facilities, the report said.

In accordance with the decree of Uzbek President Islam Karimov "On the priorities of industrial development of Uzbekistan in 2011-2015," it is considered to implement 48 investment projects, including 15 projects for modernization and development of thermal power plants (TPP) with input operational capacity in the amount of 2,329 megawatts and nine hydropower projects with capacity increase in the amount of 63.8 megawatts by 2015.

In particular, in line with the existing plants of the company - Tashkent, Tolimarjon, Navoi (TPP) and Tashkent Combined Heat and Power Plants (CHP) - construction of combined-cycle gas turbines with total installed capacity of 1,775 megawatts has started.

Uzbekistan also intensifies work on enhanced use of alternative energy sources, firstly solar and wind energy.

The proven and estimated reserves of uranium in the country makes up 185,800 tons according to the Uzbek State Committee on Geology and Mineral Resources. Uzbekistan is not a consumer of uranium products, and all produced uranium is exported.

At present, there are 45 power plants in the energy system of Uzbekistan with total capacity of approximately 13, 000 megawatts. Up to 90 percent of all electricity generated in the country is produced by 10 thermal power stations with total installed capacity of 11.6 million kilowatts.

In 2013, electricity production increased by 3.2 per cent up to 54.207 billion kilowatt-hours in Uzbekistan compared to 2012.

Edited by CN
As we all know Thala Ajith is presently shooting for 'AK57' in Bulgaria along with the cast and crew that includes Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi who makes his Tamil debut playing villain in the flick.

Noted Stunt Choreographer Stunt Silva and Ganesh are designing stunt sequences in the film. Silva has recently returned to Chennai while the Bulgaria shooting is expected to go on till January. This has lead to a rumour that Silva has been arrested by the police in Bulgaria and Ajith had to intervene to get him released and send him back home.

However Silva has clarified that this is a completely baseless rumour and that he has come to Chennai only for his work related to Superstar Rajinikanth's '2.0'.
We have often heard numerous people tell us that they live to eat and the not-such-great food enthusiasts who eat to live. But a wise man once told me that the breakfast you eat must be the reason you eat to live.

Think about it - why have our elders always told us to eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper? Lets figure out why this holds true with 15 dishes across the country that deserve you waking up early.

1. Bread omelette and tea, Amritsar

yummytummyaarthi

In Amritsar, there are numerous tea shops and stalls scattered throughout the city. But one of the best is Giani Tea Stall, where you go to have that steaming cup of chai but also end up gorging on omelettes and bread.

This piping hot cup of chai along with the juicy bread omelette is a sureshot winner but you've got make sure you rise early.

Cost for the meal: Rs 40 including a cup of tea

2. Nihari, Purani Delhi

ndtv

There is something about Old Delhi that attracts everyone. Whether it's the parathas at Chandni Chowk or the early morning Namaz at Jama Masjid, Old Delhi has its own charm. If you are up to witness the Namaz, you are sure to be enticed by the faint fragrances of a dish that has its origin in the Awadhi kitchens of the kings. Often called the dish of the kings, Nihari consists of slow-cooked lamb/beef with the softest Khameeri Rotis, garnished with chillis. The best Nihari is available at Karims, Al Jawahar or the Haji Shabrati Nihari Wale, starting 6 AM.

3. Nimish, Lucknow

bcmtouring

Anybody who has visited Lucknow has only one thing to say - the true flavour of food is in Lucknows homes and streets. Unfortunately, the fancier places dont entirely match up. Once you are in Lucknow, head to the old city and get a flavour of Nimish, also popularly known as Makkhan Malai. To make Nimish, the froth of milk is mildly flavoured with saffron and cooled in the overnight dew and served with nuts. The process remains largely the same and Nimish is available in little carry-along glass-covered flat plates everywhere on the streets of Old Lucknow. But make sure you are there before 9 AM, else you may end up missing it.

4. Luchi Dum at Sharma Dhaba, Kolkata

theepochtimes

Luchi Dum, or Poori Bhaji as we know it, is best served at the Sharma Dhaba on Elgin Road in Kolkata. No Bengali breakfast is complete without steaming hot luchis and spicy Aloo dum.

5. Poha and Jalebi, Indore

wikimedia

Jalebi is a part of Indore's famous breakfast, Poha-Jalebi. Although jalebi is considered a dessert in many parts of the country, it is a daily affair in Indore and is most liked by everyone. Its a kind of staple street breakfast that you can find in most restaurants in the morning.

6. Vada Pav, Mumbai

dfordelhi

The quiescent vada pav, world-famous in Mumbai, is gorged upon by every Mumbaikar or traveler when in the city. Early morning joints near railway stations or hotels give you some of the spiciest Vada Pavs.

7. Misal Pav, Pune

ekplate

Theres nothing quite like a plate of piping hot misal pav to warm you up on a cold, rainy day. Pune has its own unique version of this supremely popular dish that you can eat at any time of the day. But it's got to be especially in the morning if it is from Bedekar Tea Stall in Narayan Peth

8. Rava Idli, Bangalore

abtfoods

Those who have lived in Bangalore know what a Rava idli is and the smile that it brings to ones face. Unlike the normal idli, this one is made with Rava (Sooji), coriander, carrot and a piece of cashew. Served with chutney, kurma and ghee, it is absolute bliss!

9. Tatte Idli, Bidadi

thewanderersdiary

Tatte Idli translates into an idli that was cooked in a large plate. The idli is three times the size of your normal idli, and is served with piping hot vegetable curry and 2 kinds of chutneys. Bidadi is an ideal getaway for a lot of people staying close to Bangalore who wake up early only to go get some idli at 6.30 AM.

10. Piping hot idlis, Chennai

macrokitchen.blogspot

We all know what living in Chennai seems like. But there are some things you cannot miss waking up for. One of them is piping hot idlis at every nook and corner of the city. Served on banana leaves with chutney and a bowl of lip-smacking sambhar, your day can never go wrong from there.

11. Idiyapam and stew, Kerala

niyasworld.blogspot

The idiyapam and stew combo is more of a shared resource of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Authentic idiyappam and stew go really well for a healthy, heavy breakfast. Idiyappam is made with rice flour which is churned out like thin noodles and then steamed. The stew, usually made of coconut milk and a host of vegetables, is a major reason this needs you to get out of bed early.
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak expects OPEC and non member countries to sign an agreement after the meeting on December 10 in Vienna, TASS reported.

"Of course. We came here to sign an agreement," Novak said responding to a question on whether OPEC and non member countries may sign an agreement after the meeting.

"I look forward to tomorrow's event with optimism, I think we will reach an agreement," he added.
British comedian John Oliver just made a secret visit to India. Although no one has even the slightest clue about this trip, he shot a video at the Delhi airport that was later shared by Delhi Airport's Facebook page. In the video, Oliver is seen talking about the the magnificent, large, pointy award of excellence.

Even though he was slightly uncomfortable about the air outside, he expressed his happiness on the airport being carbon neutral. After David Letterman's visit earlier this year to interview Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October, this was yet another memorable visit.
The unconditional love and support of a pet can help you calm down instantly. It also has therapeutic benefits on owners suffering from long-term mental health conditions, says a new study.

The findings were published in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry. Researchers from the University of Manchester suggested that pets should be considered as a main source of support in the management of long-term mental health problems.

www.rd.com

"The people we spoke to, through the course of this study, felt their pet played a range of positive roles such as helping them to manage stigma associated with their mental health by providing acceptance without judgement," said lead study author Dr Helen Brooks from the University of Manchester.

"Pets were also considered particularly useful during times of crisis. In this way, pets provided a unique form of validation through unconditional support, which they were often not receiving from other family or social relationships. Despite the identified benefits of pet ownership, pets were neither considered nor incorporated into the individual care plans for any of the people in our study," Brooks added.

The team interviewed 54 participants, aged 18 and above, who were under the care of community-based mental health services and had been diagnosed with a severe mental illness.

The participants were asked to rate the importance of members of their personal network including friends, family, health professionals, pets, hobbies, places, activities and objects, by placing them in a diagram of three concentric circles.

viralfancy.com

Anything placed in the central circle was considered most important; the middle circle was of secondary importance and the outer circle was for those considered of lesser importance.

The pets played an important role in the social networks of people managing a long-term mental health problem, as 60% placed their pet in the central most important circle and 20 percent placed their pet in the second circle.

The participants stated that their pet helped by distracting them from symptoms and upsetting experiences such as hearing voices or suicidal thoughts.

"These insights provide the mental health community with possible areas to target intervention and potential ways in which to better involve people in their own mental health service provision through open discussion of what works best for them," Brooks explained.
Being a new mother and seeing Europe's refugee crisis escalate sowed the seed for Anoushka Shankar's latest album, but more than a year since, the sitarist's music has found resonance with many global events - Brexit, Donald Trump's promise of building a wall and then becoming president, and even the heightened tension between India and Pakistan.

Reuters

She agrees that in times of war, art becomes secondary, but stresses that there has to be a cultural exchange between the two countries for things to reach somewhere good. Nominated for a Grammy for the sixth time, she is in Delhi while touring in India with her sons Zubin (five) and Mohan (almost two), but hasn't been able to show them the capital because of the smog. And oh, touring with kids can be very glamorous, she reveals, especially when you arrive covered in vomit without even realising it! Excerpts:

You've said the birth of your second son coinciding with the escalation of the refugee crisis inspired your latest album. You have also said how the images of Aylan Kurdi (the Syrian toddler who washed up dead on a Turkish beach) influenced your title song.

That image solidified the issue for lots of people around the world, for whom it was just a headline before. Did it do that for you as well?

It made me weep. But I was already making this album, before that image. The whole summer was such an escalation of that crisis. The day that image was out everywhere, was the day that we ended up recording the song 'Land Of Gold', which really crystallised and became the centre and the title. So we wrote the song based on that, in response to the horrible images of him, but the album as a whole was in response to this overall feeling of injustice and just the imbalance in the world, and this feeling that millions of people 'have', and millions of people 'don't have'. And how, it's like a lottery, and how unfair that is. And just trying to make sense of it and trying to express my feelings about that.

Do you think the album wouldn't have come about, or come about the same if you were not a parent?

Reuters

Being a parent is so central to who I am, and everything I do is a product of who I am. So it's hard to dissect and separate. But there was something very particular about being a new parent again. It's a very vulnerable, very open time period. It's so... primitive and so raw.

And so there was a way in which I had no emotional barriers the same way. You know, sometimes we're more sensitive than other times. And I think, having such a huge humanitarian crisis coincide with a personal event for me, that contrast was too big to bear, really.

The idea that there were so many other mothers, just simply trying to have the same thing for their children that I was able to have for my child, and just the wrongness of that. As a young person, images of children on the news, in poverty, would make me sad, but not in the same way. Once you're a parent, every child looks like your child, it's completely different.

Since then, the refugee crisis boiled over into several trajectories around the world - it got leaders to step down, might affect the re-election of others, and contributed to Donald Trump's victory. When you were writing your music, did you think the issue would have such a ping-pong effect?

Yes, in the sense that it's about injustice, in general, and there has always been so much inequality. We wrote this song called 'Dissolving Boundaries', and then when we were on tour in North America, Trump made his first thing about building the wall between America and Mexico.

And so suddenly, this idea of dissolving boundaries became about that wall to me. But it wasn't when we wrote it, it was about the Hungarian border, that wall. And so it feels like all around the world, people are talking about building up walls and isolating people, and this album is basically about breaking walls down and about connecting and... you know, here, is another area to talk about the same thing. We are trying to build up walls with our neighbours, and I don't feel like that ever reaches anywhere good. It's only through empathy and connection that you can have peace. That's universal, and timeless, really.

We had a terrorist attack very recently, and the debate around a cultural exchange between India and Pakistan has been pretty charged. Do you think in times like this, art naturally has to take a backseat?

Reuters

Well, that's always the case, isn't it? If you look at Maslow's hierarchy of needs, right, it's always about survival first. That will always be the case. Obviously, life and death are more important than art, but - art is essential for the human soul. And I think art is a place where human beings across the world are able to reach higher parts of their consciousness, and it's from that raised level of consciousness that we are able to be our best selves. So I think it plays a part in raising us as humanity, to our best possible place.

Do you think then that we should have cultural exchanges with Pakistan?

Reuters

We should always have conversations and exchanges. Look what's happened now, when you talk about Trump, this thing of echo chambers - it's like we all have friends on Facebook that agree with us, and so we all hit 'like' and we all hit 'share' and we think it's all fine, and then suddenly everyone gets bludgeoned and shocked.

It happened with Brexit as well, where up until the day it happened, nobody expected it. For me, if you think of things on a macro scale, it's the same as on a micro scale. What would you say to a husband and wife? If they have an awkward problem, do they just bury it under the carpet? Or is it better to have the awkward conversation, even if it's a little bit ugly, or a bit of a fight, or there's tears or it's scary, 'coz that's where you understand each other, and that's where you heal?

So the same thing happens on a larger scale. People have to be able to connect, you have to be able to understand your differences, and then from there you can go somewhere different. If we just start shutting doors down and not talk to each other, then you're just propagating the same ideas again and again.

What was your reaction to Donald Trump's victory? Were you shocked too?

Reuters

I think Brexit was a shock, and from there Trump was as devastating, but it wasn't a shock. Because you can see what's happening in the world right now, it's a global thing. There's a big shift to the right, and it's scary.

Trump hasn't been very kind to the two causes you have stood up for - women and minorities. How disturbing is that? That his voice reaches far more people than an artist could hope to reach with their music?

Reuters

I don't have the answer to that, I only have the hope for that. One never knows what's going to happen, I wanna try and be on the right side of history, and of my conscience. So where I can use my voice, I'll use my voice, where I can use my art, I'll use my art. If that does something, great, if it doesn't I tried my best. But I do think that numbers make a big difference. As artists, it is our responsibility to collectively use voices and not feel that fear.

Living in London, how directly have you felt the refugee crisis?

Keenly. It's hard to answer because it's happening over there, and it's coming to us. We're just feeling the feeling of people trying to come to safety. But I've been terribly ashamed of the British government, for the way it's been dealing with it. I was part of a couple of letters that were written to the British government and got published, and part of a movement to sponsor children who are coming into the UK. Especially with unaccompanied minors, the way we've been acting is horrific and shameful.

Post Brexit, is there a palpable anti-immigrant sentiment? Perhaps not so much for you, but for someone who takes the bus or the tube to work?

I take the bus and the tube to work (laughs)! Yeah, the weekend of Brexit, my mum's assistant got shouted out and told to go back to 'her effing country'. It's definitely happening. London, as the cosmopolitan, international city, was cushioned to some extent. It's not as bad in London as it has been in other places. But you feel it. Most of the people I know - again, talking about echo chambers - but most of them feel like I do, everyone's horrified and everyone's reaching out even more. So you see a real beautiful, kind of counter-movement of people wanting to make minorities feel welcome.

You previously wrote a song for Nirbhaya and joined the whole gender-equality movement that followed, and now you're addressing the next big issue. Is your music moving into the activism space?

Reuters

Yes, and at the same time, I have no idea what the next few albums might be, it might be something very personal again. But I think activism is increasingly a part of my life, and so as a musician it makes sense that it's also coming out of my music. I think ultimately, it's more about growing up, in the sense that a lot of my thoughts about my music-making before were like, trying to send the right message, what did people expect of me, who did people think I was. And the older I'm getting, the less I care about all of that, and it's more about, just, playing - this is what I feel, this is my truth, this is who I am, this is what I want to say. And I think that kind of courage enables a stronger message. Because you have to take a stand to make a statement, which takes knowing yourself and being sure of yourself. A couple of benefits to getting a little older!

How crazy is touring with two little boys?

Well, I got vomited on about six times on our way to Delhi! It's very glamorous, touring that way. My little one gets carsick actually, I have to plan very carefully, but we had to get here. I got to the first city and realised my hoodie was completely covered in vomit. I just hadn't noticed. Yeah, it's very glamorous!

Have you taken them around to see Delhi?

Aaah, what do you say? I've effectively wanted to keep them in the house since they got here because it's terrible. They went out yesterday and they started coughing. In one year, the difference is shocking, I've never seen such a big decline in air quality. There are so many things I'd love to show them, but the air is so bad that I'm scared.

You were just nominated for the sixth time for a Grammy. What do you think of your chances this time?

Reuters

It's 20%, like always! There are five people. Being nominated is great, but I've seen people be nominated up to 27 times who haven't won before. No one owes you anything. So I just try and stay focused on like, ultimately, doing the work. I'm really happy, but I just try and not get my hopes up because if it doesn't happen, you don't want to be disappointed.
Indian Air Force's last attempt at buying a new fighter ended up in only 36 planes being ordered. Clearly, the IAF needs more. A new competition may be underway for a single engined fighter and two makers looking to grab a piece of the action are Saab with its Gripen and Lockheed Martin with the F-16.

Swedish aerospace major Saab says it would set up a brand new production line in India if it wins an Indian Air Force (IAF) contract for single-engined combat jets and would make the country a net exporter of such fighters -- once the necessary procedures are in place.

gripen international/representational image

"I think we are the only one right now who is developing brand new next-generation fighters. Even if we are single-engine, we have capability matching any of the other twin-engine aircraft that would be on the market," Jan Widerstrom, Chairman and Managing Director of Saab India, told IANS in an interview.

Saab has fielded its next-generation Gripen E fighters in response to a communication to global manufacturers for their offer for what could be up to 100 jets.

The Grippen, in fact, was among the six jets in the running for an IAF tender floated in 2007 for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA). The bulk of these aircraft were to be manufactured under licence in India. After protracted trials, the choice was narrowed down to two and then to one -- Dasault Aviation's Rafale. With the price negotiations going nowhere, the tender was eventually scrapped and the IAF opted for an off-the-shelf purchase of 36 Rafales.

saab/representational image

The final contract was inked only in September 2016 and the jets will begin arriving in September 2019, with the order expected to be completed in 30 months.

Meanwhile, the IAF has also decided to purchase an additional 83 of the indigenously developed and manufactured Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) when its original intent was to induct only two squadrons (36 aircraft).

In the midst of all this, the IAF has seen its strength dwindling from the sanctioned 42 combat squadrons to 25 -- with the best it has achieved being 39.

This is largely due to the phasing out of Soviet vintage Mig-21s, MiG-23s and Mig-27s and the unserviceability of many aircraft due to the lack of spares after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Hence the latest proposal to purchase in the region of 100 jets.

Wikimedia Commons/representational image

These aircraft are expected to be manufactured in the country under the Make in India initiative.

"We are ready to offer full technology-transfer and build-up capability in India not only for manufacturing and production," Widerstrom said, adding:

"We are not planning to move an old production line to India. Our offer is to build a brand new production line for the next generation fighters and the next after that. This will be putting India on the aerospace map as a net exporter of fighters."

There is, however, a catch. The export of lethal weapons and systems is a rather gray area, with the Defence Ministry only recently setting in motion the process through which this could be done. Given that India took 25 years to purchase an advanced jet trainer and that the process for the Rafale has taken almost a decade, this could be a prolonged exercise.

Widerstrom was unfazed.

"We would definitely like to see India as a regional manufacturing hub for Gripen global orders in the future. We will fully comply with the Indian government's regulations on export of defence equipment." The company believed the aircraft "would certainly be a good fit for India's requirements".

youtube/representational image

"Our business model is to work through partnership with countries and companies. We have the full backup of the Swedish government on this," Widerstrom noted.

"India will be part of our global supply chain. We have a European hub in Sweden. We are building up a hub right now in South America in Brazil, supporting that part of the market. What we want here in India is a third hub supporting this part of the market," said Widerstrom.
Not even a month has passed since Delhi was practically gagging for breath, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation has requested permission from the Lt Governor - Najeeb Jung - to sanction a stretch of the Yamuna's flood bank as a landfill site to collect Delhi ever-rising garbage.

Indian Express

Vimlendu Jha, founder and executive director of Swechha and an environment activist, says in his petition to the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as well as to Najeeb Jung, "East Delhi Municipal Corporation(EDMC) of Delhi has proposed to develop a 150 acre landfill site along with a waste to energy plant on the banks of Yamuna, on the floodplains. To say the least its the most preposterous and ill-conceived proposal in the history of Yamuna and urban governance in the country."

Facebook/Vimlendu Jha

"Solid Waste Management Rules 2015 clear states 'The Landfill site shall not be permitted within the zone of coastal regulation, wetland, Critical habitat areas, sensitive eco-fragile areas and flood plains as recorded for the last 100 years'. The fact is that the site in question is an active flood plain and has been flooded in 1978, 1988, 1995, 2008, 2010 and 2013," he has argued.

"Yamuna floodplains are one of the most ecologically sensitive zones; its aquifers support vast expanses of riverbank habitat along with being the primary source of drinking water for the millions. Floodplains drain into the river and therefore play a critical role in recharging the river. The river in question is one of the most polluted rivers of the country, already been battered and turned toxic due to organised damage to its ecosystem and systemic neglect by several government authorities and policies through decades."

Reuters

"The current proposal to build a landfill on the banks of Yamuna with the capacity of managing over 3000 metric tonnes of garbage daily is a dangerous proposition. It will sit over a source of drinking water, its in the high seismic zone, near the densely populated area and also next to several archaeological sites. We are also conveniently ignoring the situation that may arise due to flooding, we are welcoming the waste dump flowing into the mainstream of the river," he writes.

"This plan is also a civil rights violation as it deliberately makes lives of the citizens of Delhi more vulnerable and subjects them to toxins and toxics entering their water stream and therefore their blood stream."

If you think that the people in Delhi and its surroundings deserve better air and water, then please join the campaign.
Two young lives came to an unexpected end captured on live streaming.

Brooke Mitanda Hughes, 18, and Chaniya Morrison-Toomey, 19, were going live on Facebook while driving when a tractor-trailer rammed into the back of their car on the Interstate 380 in Pennsylvania just after midnight on Tuesday.

According to the Scranton Times-Tribune, the final moments of the young lives was marked by a flash of lights, screeching tires and then seven minutes of blackness.

Both the girls were declared dead at the scene.

According to a report in the Associated Press, the driver of the truck that hit their car was uninjured in the incident.

The video of the incident was posted live on Hughes' Facebook profile and received more than 7,000 views before being removed.

The incident has left her friends devastated as they could see their friends die but could not do anything to help them. Samantha Piasecki, a 17-year-old friend of the two victims, said that she had been with them in the car earlier the same night but had decided to get off at her mother's residence shortly before the accident.

She admitted to having watched the video on Hughes' timeline at about 3 am.

"It broke me," she said. "They were both down-to-earth people. They had good personalities. They had smiles that could light up dark rooms. Anytime you were with them it was always fun."

The video, however unsettling, is not considered in violation of Facebook's community standards, a Facebook spokesman has said.

"However," the spokesman added, "a graphic warning screen has been added, auto-play has been disabled and it is not accessible for users under the age of 18."

The state police, however, has had the video taken down from Hughes Facebook page. They will use the footage in their investigation.


Indians visiting the Walmart website were in for a surprise when they saw that it showed the state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of China.

No, it's no joke. When one considers that the Chinese have alway claimed it as a disputed territory in South Tibet, this mistake cannot be taken lightly.

Twitter/Walmart

China has repeatedly tried to infiltrate into the state. Even now, military activity is high on this border.

India and China have even fought a war over this back in 1962 too. Here's how Redditors reacted:

Reddit
A horrific video has surfaced on social media showing a 70-year-old woman, a resident of east Delhi's Shahdara region, who was mercilessly beaten up by her son.

In the video, the old woman is seen lying on the floor with her face covered. A voice tells her to take off the blanket. Once the woman on the floor reveals her face, blots of blood on her blouse, and gashes and bruising on her face is visible.

Facebook

The video was posted on social media by a Delhi-based activist, Kundan Srivastava, who was learnt of the incident from a friend. Upon further investigation, he found out the old woman was assaulted by her own son, Nandkishore.

In his post, he wrote, "This elderly woman is 'Rajindari Devi' resident of Gali No. 8, Subhash Park, Shahdara, Delhi - 110032. On November 24, 2016, her son Nand Kishore (Nandu) brutally thrashed her to kill, but she was saved somehow. He always used to take her rental income, abused and beat her every day."

Facebook

Rajindari Devi has been taken to the hospital where she is getting the required medical attention while her son, Nandu, has been arrested and sent to Tihar Jail.

The video is disturbing, please use discretion.
When income tax sleuths raid the Axis bank branch on Friday, they unearthed a massive Rs 100 crores deposited in 44 fake accounts which once again questioned the integrity of banks, especially the private sectors banks which have been in news for malpractices ever since demonetisation was announced.

reuters

Here are major incidents where bank officials have been found assisting illegal deposits to various accounts including ghost accounts while overlooking the KYC or other mandatory norms.

1. Axis Bank, Chandni Chowk, Delhi

Indian Express

Income Tax officials on Friday found over Rs 100 crore in 44 bank accounts in the Chandni Chowk branch of Axis Bank . The accounts which had the money did not follow the mandatory KYC norms. The department had raided the bank earlier in the week as well but couldn't found anything objectionable. But the sleuths didn't turn a blind eye towards their sources and raided the bank again on Friday.

2. Axis Bank, Kashmiri Gate, Delhi

On December 5, the Enforcement Directorate arrested two Axis Bank managers and seized 3kg of gold bars in connection with its money laundering probe in a racket of illegally converting old notes in connivance with banking authorities.

PTI

A criminal complaint was registered against the managers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on November 30, found that huge monies were transferred through RTGS transfers to some shell companies including a case where the Director of such a firm was a labourer.

"It was also found that directors of other shell companies were also persons of no means," the ED said in a statement. Later, a CA was also arrested by ED in connection with this case.



3. HDFC officials booked in Gurgaon

Two officials of HDFC Bank in Gurgaon were booked on Friday for allegedly illegally exchanging currency notes. Police said the duo was charged after a probe into a previous cash haul revealed they were allegedly involved in the illegal exchange of old notes for new ones.

Reuters/representational image

One of those booked is a cashier with the bank's branch in DLF-2 and has been identified as Suakant in the FIR. The another bank officer has not been named. Neither has been arrested.

Also Read: HDFC Bank Sacks 4 Staffers For Unauthorised Exchange Of Currency

Cops said it was the detention of a man, Sunil alias Sunny, with nearly Rs 11 lakh in old currency notes on November 30 that led them to the bank employees. During interrogation, Sunil admitted the cash was meant for exchange and Suakant and the bank official would help him do that. Sunil also told cops he got Rs 10 lakh in old currency notes exchanged earlier. Sunil was let off and the IT department was informed.



4. HDFC sacked four employees in Chandigarh

HDFC on December 3 fired four of its employees in Chandigarh branch for allegedly indulging in unauthorised exchange of demonetised currency notes.

PTI

Services of the employees, posted with the Sector-15 branch here, were terminated immediately after it was discovered they were allegedly favouring a person known to one of them by exchanging his demonetised currency notes with new notes, the bank said in a statement.

The bank said an isolated incident of unauthorised currency exchange involving the employees came to its notice after its systems detected an inconsistency.

5. Public sector bank's manager arrested in Punjab

PTI

Punjab police on December 5 arrested a branch manager and a cashier of Oriental Bank of Commerce(OBC) for allegedly for duping a commission agent. The accused were allegedly converting the banned currency notes after deducting 20% commission.

6. Bank officials questioned for exchanging notes with id proof

AFP

On November 14, Hyderabad Police questioned two officials of Syndicate bank for allegedly exchanging demonetized notes worth 6 lakhs without taking the identity proof from the depositor. Later one of the officials was suspended over the alleged charges of exchanging notes without taking the identity proof.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.10

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Single Authorization Permit of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and its approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) remain unaffected by the referendum held in Italy, Lisa Givert, TAP Head of Communications, told Trend.

She was commenting on the possible results of the referendum held in Italy Dec.4.

Alongside with other amendments, the referendum also envisaged returning to the state the power to regulate on energy matters and reduce the veto right of local authorities. However, 59.1 percent of voters said no to the referendum.

There have been protests in Italys Puglia region demanding the TAP pipeline re-routed away from the area, which includes olive trees.

TAP is closely assessing political events in Italy as they unfold, said Givert, adding that TAP continues to progress its secondary permitting activities.

"Indeed, TAP is a strategic project for the future, helping to ensure the security and diversification of Europes energy supply for decades to come," she said. "It will boost TAPs host countries roles as energy hubs by supporting physical interconnections and market integration."

Additionally, new gas supplies will have an important impact on gas to gas competition, offering more competitive prices for end consumers and industries, according to Givert.

TAP is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor which is one of the priority energy projects for the EU.

TAP project envisages transportation of gas from the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas and condensate field to the EU countries.

The 870-kilometer pipeline will be connected to the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italy's south.
Mining Leaders Africa Summit 2017

15 on Orange Hotel, Orange St

The African Continent is richly blessed with mineral resources with Gold, Platinum, Coal, Copper, Diamonds and Uranium among the main natural resources. Despite economic uncertainties, the African Mining Industry is still today one of the best performing sectors and continues to attract investment and drive economic growth. After many previous successful events, the Mining Leaders Africa Summit will once again bring together industry leaders from across the African continent to discuss the latest challenges facing the industry today, plus discover what opportunities lie ahead for the exciting industry.

Visit Event Website
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) is the ground-breaking global forum that unites thought leaders, policy makers and investors to address the challenges of renewable energy and sustainable development. With the global population set to reach nine billion by 2050, ADSW promotes collaborative thinking and development to accelerate the solutions needed to support rapid economic and population growth. An Abu Dhabi government initiative, ADSW is the largest gathering on sustainability in the Middle East and a significant forum for stimulating international dialogue and action.
Neocon War Criminals Target Iran Nuclear Deal Opponents Urge Military Confrontation with Iran



By National Iranian American Council December 09, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " NIAC " - The U.S. should sink Iranian ships, consider targeted killings of Iranian fighters in Syria, and ratchet up new non-nuclear sanctions on Iran under the Trump Administration, according to a panel of lawmakers and policymakers organized on Capitol Hill yesterday by the hawkish United Against Nuclear Iran organization. Outlining Trumps options going forward, Mark Dubowitz of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said the U.S. must restore coercion and recommended direct military confrontation, saying that sanctions alone are not a silver bullet. The next time a Revolutionary Guard attack boat harasses the U.S. Navy, we should sink it, put it in the bottom of the Gulf, Dubowitz said. That would be a good start. He also noted the possibility of directly targeting Irans Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah proxies that are operating in the Syrian civil war. Remember, right now Syria is a target-rich environment if you want to go after the Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah, and thats not just a hypothetical possibility, the Israelis are doing it todayThe Israelis are enforcing their red lines, theyre using military force against the Iranians. I think the United States of America could do the same. Former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, echoed Dubowitzs calls for military action, advising Trump to make it explicit with the power he has as Commander-in-Chief that if they challenge some of our naval assets, we will fire on them. Weve got to be that explicit. Lieberman is chairman of UANI and formerly an advisory board member of an AIPAC organization explicitly established to kill the nuclear deal. In addition to the UANI panel, he appeared at a Capitol Hill event this week organized by the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), a shadowy group formerly designated as a terrorist organization by the State Department. They have a long history of using violence and terror both against their own members as well as when they were serving as a military force for Saddam Hussein in Iraq. At the UANI event, Lieberman said the goal of increased pressure on Iran would be to elicit concessions from Iran by causing them to begin to wonder about the survival of the regime. Military confrontation was only part of the strategy put forward at the UANI briefing. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) joined others in calling for an escalation of sanctions under the Trump administration. She advocated for expanding non-nuclear related sanctions on Iran  including those targeting entire sectors of the Iranian economy  and perhaps even rolling back or tightening provisions of the JCPOA. Dubowitz, meanwhile, called to use our ability under the deal, particularly in non-nuclear sanctions, which the administration itself has admitted are not inconsistent with the JCPOA, to begin to address Irans malign activities outside the deal and inside the deal. Contrary to his assertions, however, the JCPOA prohibits the U.S. from re-imposing sanctions lifted under the nuclear deal under a separate pretext, and the Obama administration has threatened to veto legislation that does so in order to protect the deal. Ros-Lehtinen, whose former Chief-of-Staff is leading the Trump Transition Teams approach to Iran, forecasted a flurry of Iran-related activities early in the New Year and looked forward to the opportunity to undo a lot of the problematic concessions that we have seen over the last few years, adding an enthusiastic I cant wait! The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Information Clearing House editorial policy.
The Stop Arming Terrorists Act By Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Washington, DC Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) introduced the Stop Arming Terrorists Act today. The legislation would prohibit the U.S. government from using American taxpayer dollars to provide funding, weapons, training, and intelligence support to groups like the Levant Front, Fursan al Ha and other allies of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, al-Qaeda and ISIS, or to countries who are providing direct or indirect support to those same groups. The legislation is cosponsored by Reps. Peter Welch (D-VT-AL), Barbara Lee (D-CA-13), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA-48), and Thomas Massie (R-KT-04), and supported by the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) and the U.S. Peace Council. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said , Under U.S. law it is illegal for any American to provide money or assistance to al-Qaeda, ISIS or other terrorist groups. If you or I gave money, weapons or support to al-Qaeda or ISIS, we would be thrown in jail. Yet the U.S. government has been violating this law for years, quietly supporting allies and partners of al-Qaeda, ISIL, Jabhat Fateh al Sham and other terrorist groups with money, weapons, and intelligence support, in their fight to overthrow the Syrian government.[i] The CIA has also been funneling weapons and money through Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and others who provide direct and indirect support to groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. This support has allowed al-Qaeda and their fellow terrorist organizations to establish strongholds throughout Syria, including in Aleppo. A recent New York Times article confirmed that rebel groups supported by the U.S. have entered into battlefield alliances with the affiliate of al-Qaeda in Syria, formerly known as al Nusra. This alliance has rendered the phrase moderate rebels meaningless. Reports confirm that every armed anti-Assad organization unit in those provinces [of Idlib and Aleppo] is engaged in a military structure controlled by [al-Qaedas] Nusra militants. A recent Wall Street Journal article reported that many rebel groups are doubling down on their alliance with al Nusra. Some rebel groups are renewing their alliance, while others, like Nour al-Din al-Zinki, a former CIA-backed group and one of the largest factions in Aleppo are joining for the first time. The Syria Conquest Frontformerly known as the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Frontis deeply intermingled with armed opposition groups of all stripes across Syrias battlefields. The CIA has long been supporting a group called Fursan al Haqq, providing them with salaries, weapons and support, including surface to air missiles. This group is cooperating with and fighting alongside an al-Qaeda affiliated group trying to overthrow the Syrian government. The Levant Front is another so-called moderate umbrella group of Syrian opposition fighters. Over the past year, the United States has been working with Turkey to give this group intelligence support and other forms of military assistance. This group has joined forces with al-Qaedas offshoot group in Syria. This madness must end. We must stop arming terrorists. The Government must end this hypocrisy and abide by the same laws that apply to its citizens. That is why Ive introduced the Stop Arming Terrorists billlegislation based on congressional action during the Iran-Contra affair to stop the CIAs illegal arming of rebels in Nicaragua. It will prohibit any Federal agency from using taxpayer dollars to provide weapons, cash, intelligence, or any support to al-Qaeda, ISIS and other terrorist groups, and it will prohibit the government from funneling money and weapons through other countries who are directly or indirectly supporting terrorists, concluded Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Stephen Kinzer, a senior fellow at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University, and award-winning author and journalist said , The proposal to stop sending weapons to insurgents in Syria is based on the principle that pouring arms into a war zone only intensifies suffering and makes peace more difficult to achieve. Congress made a decision like this about the Nicaraguan contras during the 1980s. Aid to the contras was cut off by the Boland Amendment. The result was a peace process that finally brought an end to wars not only in Nicaragua, but also in El Salvador and Guatemala. This is the example we should be following. Cutting off arms shipments forces belligerents to negotiate. That is what we achieved in Nicaragua. It should be our goal in Syria as well. Donna Smith, Executive Director of Progressive Democrats of America said , "Progressive Democrats of America believes that it is fundamentally wrong for the United States to fund those groups or individuals aligned with al-Qaeda, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, ISIS, or other terrorist/extremist organizations. The 'Stop Arming Terrorists' bill authored by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, of Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District, would help bring an end to the human tragedy unfolding in Syria where the haunting eyes of the innocent children of Aleppo call on us all to stop supporting those who threaten and kill them with ferocious intention. War is war, and terrorism is terrorism whether waged by the state or from external forces. PDA supports this measure." Alfred Marder, President of the U.S. Peace Council said, The U.S. Peace Council is honored to endorse and support the Stop Arming Terrorists Bill as a major contribution to peace. This legislation will serve to galvanize the anti-war movement and the opposition to regime change policies that characterize our present foreign policy. Background: The Stop Arming Terrorists bill prohibits U.S. government funds from being used to support al-Qaeda, ISIS or other terrorist groups. In the same way that Congress passed the Boland Amendment to prohibit the funding and support to CIA backed-Nicaraguan Contras during the 1980s, this bill would stop CIA or other Federal government activities in places like Syria by ensuring U.S. funds are not used to support al-Qaeda, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, ISIS, or other terrorist groups working with them. It would also prohibit the Federal government from funding assistance to countries that are directly or indirectly supporting those terrorist groups. The bill achieves this by: Making it illegal for any U.S. Federal government funds to be used to provide assistance covered in this bill to terrorists. The assistance covered includes weapons, munitions, weapons platforms, intelligence, logistics, training, and cash. Making it illegal for the U.S. government to provide assistance covered in the bill to any nation that has given or continues to give such assistance to terrorists. Requiring the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to determine the individual and groups that should be considered terrorists, for the purposes of this bill, by determining: (a) the individuals and groups that are associated with, affiliated with, adherents to or cooperating with al-Qaeda, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, or ISIS; (b) the countries that are providing assistance covered in this bill to those individuals or groups. Requiring the DNI to review and update the list of countries and groups to which assistance is prohibited every six months, in consultation with the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees, as well as the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Requiring the DNI to brief Congress on the determinations. Notes [i] Levant Front (U.S. backed, via the MOC in Turkey) is working under an Ahrar al Sham led umbrella group: http://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/December%202%20EDITS%20COT_2.pdf ; U.S. support for Levant Front: http://carnegie-mec.org/diwan/57605?lang=en ; CIA groups cooperated with Jayesh al-Fateh http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/01/19/the-cia-s-syria-program-and-the-perils-of-proxies.html; U.S. weapons arriving in Syria through covert, CIA-led program, via Saudi Arabia and Turkey; CIA can provide support http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-syria-obama-order-idUSBRE8701OK20120802 Tulsi Gabbard Says The U.S. Government Is Directly Funding ISIS And Al Qaeda! The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Information Clearing House editorial policy.
President Duterte  Fighting for his Life & his Country

By Andre Vltchek

December 09, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " RT " - There is a sense of change in those narrow and desperate alleys of the Baseco slum in the Philippines' capital Manila. For the first time in many years a beautiful, noble lady visited; against all odds she decided to stay. Her name is Hope.

Baseco is a tough, crime-ridden region built from cartons and metal sheets, even rusty containers; everything is thrown together in startling fashion, right near the shipyard.

Here, the lips of the people used to be sealed, expressions on their faces incessantly desperate. Now everyone speaks, some even smile shyly, adults and children, women who look sixty at the age of thirty, as well as tough looking men.

I support Duterte! declares Ms. Imelda Rodriguez, who works as a physiotherapist here, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Now children get free education and medical missions provide basic medical care. We also receive allowances, and the government provides jobs. We are still lacking electricity, but at least the municipality is providing free drinking water.

Nearby a teenage girl is washing her hair, using a bucket full of soapy water. It is raining and mud is everywhere. Children are running around barefoot, and some are obviously suffering from malnutrition.

So much has to be done, concludes Ms. Imelda. But so much had been done already.

People complain about an extremely high crime rate, about drug-pushing gangs. I visit the slums and vast cemeteries inhabited by the poorest of the poor; I also speak to people in shopping malls and at the office towers.

At the South Cemetery, Mr. Rex, a security guard, explains: President Duterte is strict on the implementation of the rules. Crime is now going down dramatically.

Self-proclaimed socialist Presidente Rodrigo Duterte is enjoying the staggering support of his people, estimated to be well over 70 percent of the population.

He reads a lot. He was greatly influenced by Hugo Chavez, explains Roland Simbulan, Professor at the University of the Philippines in Manila. He is strongly critical of the Western imperialism in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and of course in his country He is outraged by how the West is treating refugees from the countries it destabilized in the Middle East. He is offering to accept them, to welcome them in the Philippines.

Duterte has acquired a reputation for lashing out at everything from Western imperialism to President Obama, to Pope Francis (in this staunchly Catholic country), the EU, and the UN. He has threatened to close down all US military bases and to move his country closer to China and Russia. To emphasize his seriousness, he has canceled all joint USPhilippine military exercises.

President Putin is his hero. He is clearly leaning toward the left, and he despises colonialism. He often speaks about the genocide committed by the US against his people during the PhilippineAmerican War.'

He refuses to provoke and antagonize China. He is with the poor, introducing and improving social programs. He is gradually releasing political prisoners and actively negotiating peace deals with the Marxist and Muslim guerrillas while seeking peace treaties and territorial compromises with China.

He occasionally explodes, insults, and then backtracks, but he continues to steadily move forward.

If Duterte moves too fast, he will be overthrown by the military, explains Prof. Simbulan. He is an outsider.' Police and the military are holding grudges against him. Most of the top brass were trained in the US. He tries to keep them engaged, visiting the military camps around the country, explaining why is he releasing political prisoners and why is he inviting left-wing cadres to the government.

After centuries of colonialism, after the disgraceful collaboration of the military and civilian elites, Dutertes revolution has to be measured, changes gradual.

Prof. Simbulan is cautiously optimistic: I evaluate Duterte positively. Dutertes anti-imperialist policy goes beyond rhetoric; it is real and persistent. Even as mayor of Davao, he banned all USPhilippine military exercises there. The US tried to negotiate; they offered plenty of money. They wanted to build a huge drone base in Mindanao, but Duterte refused, resolutely. His track record shows: if there are irreconcilable differences, hell always side with the left.

In Davao, Ms. Luzviminda Ilagan, a former member of Congress and countrys leading feminist, explains: After Mayor Duterte announced in 2003 that no US military exercises would be allowed in his city, Davao was bombed twice: one bomb exploded at the airport, another at the pier.

The mainstream media abroad and at home is relentlessly attacking Dutertes War on crime, drugs, and corruption.' It is also repeating how he re-buried former dictator Marcos at the Hero Cemetery.'"

Small pushers are resisting arrests, explains a South Cemetery dweller. They kill police; they have nothing to lose. It is a real war. Those who keep talking about extra-judiciary killings care only about the criminals, not about us, the citizens.

Thats the main sentiment expressed in the slums.

Duterte encourages police to take action, explains Eduardo Tadem, a leading academic, Professorial Lecturer of Asian Studies (UP). He is a lawyer, he stays within the legal limits. Some 5,000 were killed so far, but who really does the killing? Vigilantes, motorcycle gangs... The crime rate used to be horrible: killings, kidnapping, petty crime. People are fed-up with the crime. Theyd support any action to stop it.

If we talk about extra-judicial killings, then we have to prove that the authorities are really ordering them, explains Ms. Ilagan. Duterte came with the names: among them some top military and police generals! Now many are being killed. But the international HRs organizations are totally misinterpreting Dutertes role in all this. Another thing is: the number of people killed in this country is actually decreasing. Before, under Aquino, those murdered were mainly poor farmers, indigenous people, and urban poor; people fighting for their basic human rights. Under Gloria Arroyo, the foreign mining companies were even given permission to kill protesters. All this is over now.

The President is defiant, especially when criticism comes from abroad: I do not kneel down before anybody else, except the Filipino in Quiapo walking in misery and in extreme poverty and anger.

Eduardo Tadem believes that burying former dictator Marcos at Heros Cemetery was a gross miscalculation. Marcos brought this country to ruins. But he says that the act was not ideological; it was about pragmatism and personal ties. Duterte made a promise to the family of Marcos. Before the elections, he didnt accept a member of the Marcos clan as his vice presidential running mate, but he needed the votes of his followers.

Marshall Law was the US project, exclaims Dr. Reynaldo Ileto, a leading historian. But now they only talk about Marcos. Under Ramos and others, there were terrible abuses, too. The cemetery carries the hero name, but actually, almost all former presidents are buried there. Focus on Marcos is deliberate: to raise controversy, to discredit Duterte, and to avoid real issues. Many people from the left, even Marxists, were actually working with Marcos. Dutertes father was a minor minister in Marcos cabinet, but his mother was a resistance figure.

Dutertes mother played an extremely important role in the protest movement against Marcos, confirms Ms. Ilagan. She was vocal, fearless, and she had great influence on her son. Lets also remember that during Marshall law Duterte served as a prosecutor in Davao, and he saved many prisoners, many activists.

Dr. Iletos gives a personal verdict on President Duterte: He is doing a great job. He is being sensible to China, while the West is doing all it can to antagonize China. This is an essential issue. Remember our past: President Arroyo visited China first, before she went to the US. She moved closer to China. She was punished: they got her indicted for corruption.'

We discuss Argentina, Brazil and Ukraine and how the West invents or exaggerates human rights and corruption matters to ostracize, even to overthrow legitimate governments.

Now the process to discredit the rebellious President of the Philippines is already in full swing. Would Dutertes liberal Vice-President Leni Robredo (recently expelled from the cabinet), be elevated by the Western establishment to stardom? She is pro-Washington, she is against all Dutertes 'wars,' and, above all, she is against his increasingly close relationship with China. She could soon join the band of the Color Revolutions leaders, as she leads the yellow Liberal Party.

In Mindanao, people say Imperialist Manila,'" explains Ms. Ileto. Duterte is from the South, he is an anti-imperialist, he defends his people, and the elites in Manila hate him for that. He swears, curses, after all, he is Visaya  we are like that  open and outspoken. First, they thought he was a joke, but he won, he touched the people. He speaks their language; he is real.

What will happen if he is overthrown or killed? I ask point blank, here in his city of Davao, on Mindanao Island.

There would be a real danger of explosion; even of a civil war, I am told. And people of Mindanao would be at the forefront.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 10

Trend:

Azerbaijans Energy Ministry expects finalization of agreements on reduction of oil output between OPEC members and non-OPEC countries Dec. 10, RIA Novosti reported citing Azerbaijani Energy Minister Natig Aliyev.

Today, on Dec. 10, Vienna hosts OPECs meeting with non-OPEC countries. Earlier, OPEC reached an agreement on oil output reduction in order to stabilize prices.

I think, yes, said Aliyev answering the question that whether this meeting will be final.

The minister noted that he has positive expectations from this meeting.

However, I think that we have to continue our efforts regardless of the outcome of this meeting, added Aliyev.

OPEC agreed on Nov. 30 to reduce output by around 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) beginning in January in a bid to reduce global oversupply and prop up prices.

It hopes non-OPEC countries will contribute another 600,000 bpd to the cut. Russia has said it will reduce output by around 300,000 bpd.
UK Govt-Funded Outlet Offered Journalist $17,000 a Month to Produce Propaganda for Syrian Rebels



Emails reveal that a popular source for mainstream Western media is a U.K.-backed propaganda outlet.



By Rania Khalek December 09, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " AlterNet " - The Revolutionary Forces of Syria (RFS) media office, a major Syrian opposition media outfit and frequent source of information for Western media, is funded by the British government and is managed by Westerners operating out of Turkey, according to emails provided to AlterNet by a Middle East reporter RFS tried to recruit. The outlet stirred controversy this November when it released a video at the height of the Mannequin Challenge, a pop culture craze in which people compete for how long they can freeze in place on video. The RFS video depicted a staged rescue by the White Helmets, the Western-funded rescue group that operates exclusively in rebel-held territory. RFS quickly removed the video and issued an apology out of apparent concern that the staged rescue could raise questions about the authenticity of other videos by the White Helmets. Over the summer, the Middle East reporter, who asked not to be named, was contacted by an American acquaintance and former colleague about working for RFS. I'm currently in Istanbul, working on a media project for the HMG [the British government], wrote the acquaintance in an email time-stamped June 23. We're working on media surrounding the Syrian conflict, as one of their three partners. The email included links to RFS Medias English website and SMO Media, an Arabic website that covers the Southern Front, a Western-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) group. [W]ere looking for a managing editor/production manager to head up our team here in Istanbul, and I thought you'd be a great fit. I was wondering if you had any interest, or knew of anyone looking to move out to Istanbul for an opportunity," the acquaintance added. In a followup phone conversation, the acquaintance explained to the reporter what the job would entail. I would have been talking to opposition people on the ground and writing news pieces based on statements from media activists who are affiliated with the armed groups in places like Aleppo, the reporter later explained. The salary offered for this task was an eye-popping $17,000 a month. The reporter ultimately decided not to pursue the RFS position because he felt it would be journalistically unethical. The idea that I would work for the government of a country thats intimately involved in the Syrian conflict is one thats incomprehensible for me as a journalist, he told AlterNet. This was far beyond working for state-owned media in my opinion. It was to actually be a mouthpiece for specific armed groups that are backed by a Western regime with a long history of disastrous interference in this region. That doesnt mean I dont have sympathy for people who are against the Syrian government. I am not pro-regime. At the same time, I am a journalist and would like to maintain my integrity at that level. The reporter declined to recommend others for the job, saying, Im not going to facilitate some dubious relationship between a reporter and what is obviously a propaganda outlet, he said. RFS did not respond to a request for comment. Go-to source for information-starved Western media Western media often relies on self-described media activists in areas controlled by Western- and Gulf-backed militant groups, like Jabhat al-Nusra (until recently Al Qaedas affiliate in Syria), Ahrar al-Sham, Jaish al-Islam and Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki. These groups are explicitly anti-democratic and have been implicated in human rights violations from mass execution to using caged religious minorities as human shields. Most recently, civilians fleeing rebel-held eastern Aleppo have described being fired on by militants seeking to prevent them from escaping to the safety of government-controlled territory. Two months ago, I spoke over the phone to a frequently quoted media activist living in East Aleppo. He told me that if he publicly criticizes the armed opposition groups, he risks being tortured, or worse. Indeed, a largely ignored report by Amnesty International published in June revealed that civilians in opposition-controlled Aleppo and Idlib have been subjected to abduction, torture and summary execution simply for criticizing armed groups on social media. RFSs videos and hashtags are regularly picked up by major Western media outlets. One of its videos has even been cited by human rights groups as evidence of Russian war crimes. Among its most viral campaigns is #AvengersInAleppo, which featured photos of children living in East Aleppo holding up signs calling on Marvel comic book superheroes to save them. (East Aleppo is controlled by a number of extremist groups led by Al Qaedas renamed offshoot, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham.) Prior to that, RFS capitalized on the popularity of Pokemon Go to sell a pro-interventionist message to Western audiences with photos of children in opposition-controlled areas of Syria holding up photos of Pokemon characters with messages calling for intervention. The campaign garnered favorable media coverage from major outlets, including the Guardian, the Washington Post, CNN, the Independent, Reuters, and the BBC, none of which have bothered to question the origins of RFS or similar pro-opposition outlets. A $3 million British government propaganda campaign for Syrias rebels RFS Media is just one of several different propaganda outlets financed by the U.K. Foreign Office. A recent investigation by the Guardian revealed that the British Foreign Office Conflict and Stability Fund has secretly pumped at least 2.4 million (over $3 million U.S.) into pro-rebel propaganda outfits based out of Istanbul. The money began flowing after the British parliament voted against bombing the Syrian government in late 2013. (RFS Media launched in December 2013 in both English and Arabic.) The vote against war was attributed in large part to public pressure, as citizens on both sides of the Atlantic, reluctant to overthrow yet another Middle Eastern government after the disasters in Iraq and Libya, mobilized against another campaign for Western regime change in Syria. After the political defeat, the U.K. Foreign Office embarked on a clandestine propaganda campaign to suppress the publics anti-war sensibility, hiring private contractors to produce videos, photos, military reports, radio broadcasts, print products and social media posts branded with the logos of fighting groups, and effectively run a press office for opposition fighters, according to the Guardian. The purpose of the propaganda, euphemistically referred to as strategic communications by the Foreign Office, is to clandestinely influence the course of the war by shaping perceptions of opposition fighters and provide strategic communications and media operations support to the Syrian moderate armed opposition. Sanitizing the armed opposition as moderate has been a difficult task to be sure. While Western officials were well aware of the extremist and violently sectarian ideology that dominated the opposition early in the conflict, they deliberately chose to whitewash their atrocities in favor of weakening the Syrian government. RSF Media has stayed true to that goal, portraying armed groups as liberators and protectors adored by the people living under them, a narrative Western media outlets have enthusiastically echoed even as their own reporters were kidnapped, ransomed and even shot by Western-backed rebels. This has presented a puzzling contradiction in Syria coverage. On the one hand, foreign reporters do not dare enter opposition areas for fear of being abducted. Yet the same media outlets that refrain from sending their reporters to opposition areas are comfortable amplifying propaganda that comes out of these areas with almost zero scrutiny, despite the fact that such information almost certainly requires the approval of the armed groups they fear may kidnap their reporters. The warped picture of Syria that has been provided to Western media consumers is not the fault of the Syrian opposition, which is merely advancing its own most immediate public relations needs without regard for the objective truth, as combatants in war often do. It is, however, a damning indictment of a media establishment that has failed to scrutinize convenient pro-war narratives that serve their own governments geopolitical interests. Rania Khalek is an independent journalist living in the Washington D.C. area. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Information Clearing House editorial policy.
Palestinian Body Politic is Rotten to the Core By Ramzy Baroud December 09, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - In July 2003, the Palestinian Authority Chairman, Yasser Arafat, described Mahmoud Abbas as a traitor who had betrayed the interests of the Palestinian people. Arafat loathed Abbas to the very end. This particular outburst was made during a meeting with the United Nations envoy, Terje Larsen. The meeting took place a few months after Arafat was coerced by the United States, Israel and other Western powers to appoint Abbas as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority. Historically, Abbas has been the least popular among Fatah leaders  the likes of Abu Jihad, Abu Iyad and Arafat himself. These popular leaders were mostly assassinated, sidelined or died under mysterious circumstances. Arafat is widely believed to have been poisoned by Israel with the help of Palestinians, and Abbas has recently alleged that he knows who killed Arafat. Yet despite his unpopularity, Abbas has remained in one top position or another. The power struggle between him and Arafat that culminated in 2003, until Arafats death in November 2004, hardly helped Abbas insipid reputation among Palestinians. At times, it seemed that the less popular Abbas becomes, the greater his powers grew. He has just been re-elected as the head of his political party, Fatah, during their seventh congress held in Ramallah on Nov. 29. At 81, he is the leader of Fatah, head of the Palestine Liberation Organization and president of the Palestinian Authority. However, his long-drawn-out speech of nearly three hours last Wednesday brought nothing new; rehashed slogans, and subtle messages to the U.S. and Israel that his revolution shall remain subdued and nonviolent. Considering this critical period in Palestines history, Abbas impractical rhetoric represents the depth of the crisis among Palestines political elites. The numerous rounds of applause that Abbas tedious, unimaginative speech received from the nearly 1,400 supporters who attended the conference is a reflection of the deep-seated political tribalism that now controls Fatah, the dominant PLO party and, arguably, the party that sparked the modern Palestinian revolution. But todays party is a far cry from its original self. Fatahs founders were young, vibrant and educated rebels. Their primary literature from 1959 spoke of their early influences, particularly the guerilla war of Algerias resistance against French colonialism. The guerrilla war in Algeria had a profound influence on us, wrote Abu Iyad. We were impressed by the Algerian nationalists ability to form a solid front, wage war against an army a thousand times superior to their own, obtain many forms of aid from various Arab governments and, at the same time, avoid becoming dependent on any of them. Certainly, some circumstances have inevitably changed, but many aspects of the conflict have remained the same: Israels territorial war and unceasing colonial expansion, backed by unhinged U.S. imperialism. Yet, Fatah has changed to the point that its founders would no longer recognize the current political structure from what they had created. The movement is now more keenly interested in consolidating the power of Abbas allies than fighting Israel; top members are conspiring against each other, buying allegiances and ensuring whatever massive financial perks that resulted from Abbas Oslo accords remain intact, even after the old leader retires. Mohammed Dahlans political clan was, of course, excluded from the conference. In fact, the reason the conference was held after all these years (seven years have separated it from the last one) is partly Ramallah to ensure the new Fatah hierarchy is set up in such a way in order to prevent Dahlans allies from staging a comeback. The sad truth is that regardless of who wins in the current power struggle, Fatahs descent is inexorable. Both Abbas and Dahlan are perceived as moderates by Israel, supported by the U.S., and extremely unpopular among most Palestinians. According to a poll conducted in September 2015, the majority of Palestinians  65 percent  want Abbas to resign. The same poll indicated that Dahlan was nowhere near popular (only 6 percent supported him) and Abbas allies, Saeb Erekat and former prime minister, Salam Fayyad, received 4 percent and 3 percent of the vote respectively. Indeed, there is a chasm between Palestinians and those who claim to represent them, and that rift is growing tremendously. The Fatah conference political theater on Nov. 29 seemed far removed from this reality. After Abbas  who was only elected to lead the Palestinian Authority once in 2005 for a period of four years  purged all of his opponents, he sought a new mandate from his supporters. Predictably, everyone voted yes, a spokesman for Fatah, Mahmoud Abu al-Hija told reporters. When everyone in Fatahs top political circle votes for Abbas, while the majority of Palestinians reject him, this leads one to conclude that Fatah is neither a fair representation of the Palestinian people, nor is it remotely close to the pulse of the Palestinian street. Even if one is to ignore the yes men of Fatah, one cannot ignore the fact that the current fight among the Palestinian elites is almost entirely detached from the fight against Israel. Palestinians are victims of daily violence: Jewish settlements are occupying Palestinian hills and are ever expanding, Israeli soldiers roam occupied Palestinian land and Abbas himself is not allowed free movement without prior security coordination with the Israeli army. Moreover, Palestinians are divided among factions, regions and clans; political favoritism, financial corruption and straight-out treason are eating the Palestinian body politic like an incurable cancer. Talk of unity, reconciliation and state building are just that  words  while Palestinians suffer their bitter existence under the boots of soldiers, behind checkpoints and under the quiet  but maddening  humming of military drones. Still, the Fatah elites applauded Abbas nearly 300 times during his three-hour speech. What are they applauding, exactly? What has been achieved? What vision did he put forth to end the Israeli occupation? Much Palestinian land has been lost between Fatahs sixth congress in 2009 and seventh congress. That is not an achievement but a cause for alarm. The sad truth is, no self-respecting Palestinian should be applauding empty rhetoric; instead, the respected Fatah members should urgently rethink this destructive course altogether. Ramzy Baroud has been writing about the Middle East for over 20 years. He is an internationally syndicated columnist, a media consultant, an author of several books and founder of PalestineChronicle.com. His website is www.ramzybaroud.net . Israeli bill to legalise settler homes 'unequivocally illegal': UN; The UN human rights chief on Thursday slammed a bill in Israel that would legalise some 4,000 settler homes in the occupied West Bank, saying it would clearly violate international law. Snowden leak: UK spied on Israel, Palestine : One of the files from 2009 said that Britains GCHQ intelligence-gathering apparatus defined Israel as a true threat to the Middle East. Congress okays $600m. for Israel missile defense : Congress scrambled on Thursday to wrap-up unfinished business, voting decisively to send President Barack Obama a defense policy bill, including more than $600 million for missile defense cooperation with Israel. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Information Clearing House editorial policy.
The Decline and Fall of Britain By Brian Cloughley December 09, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - It is sad to have to have to acknowledge that the country of ones birth is in decline, but there are signs that Great Britain has fallen on the slippery slope of moral deterioration. The recent surge in nationalistic jingoism and xenophobia in Britain is lamentable and obnoxious. In October the British Home Office reported that the number of racist hate crimes in the country had increased by 41 per cent in the month after the June referendum about UKs membership of the European Union, the so-called Brexit vote. The Equality and Human Rights Commission noted that the figures make it very clear that some people used the referendum result to justify their deplorable views and promote intolerance and hatred and there were other expressions of regret and revulsion  but not from many of the mainstream media outlets, because several newspapers rejoiced in the rush of intolerance that they had done so much to encourage. The reasons for lack of regret, alas, are that many Britons are inherently racist and most of the print media play on that appalling aspect of the British character in order to attract readers and make money. In the facile and attractive guise of patriotism the papers seize on instances of supposed non-Britishness to encourage their readers to engage in hatred and contempt of foreigners. It is unlikely that any writers of such fascist hokum are familiar with the works of one of the greatest English essayists, poets and moralists, Dr Samuel Johnson, who wrote so perceptively that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Britain has had a race problem for many years but of late it has become severe because of a spiteful nationalistic campaign to leave the European Union, an organization that is bureaucratically absurd but seeks to benefit Europes citizens by promoting free trade and freedom of movement, protecting human rights, encouraging harmonization of legal processes, increasing effectiveness of counter-terrorism cooperation, and promoting economic and social progress. These objectives are considered abhorrent by a surprising number of Britons who believe that alliance with the other 27 nations of the European Union helps movement of undesirable people to their country and that European legal covenants, agreed by their own governments during the past forty years, are inimical to the British way of life. They claim that leaving the European Union will save vast sums of money, especially in health care, while preventing abuse of British Law by continuing to abide by European human rights standards. It is the contention of those who wish to leave the European Union that future trading arrangements to be negotiated at an unknown date with potential but unnamed countries will be of more financial benefit than continuance of existing European Union agreements with current trading partners. (The hastily-arranged November trade-promotion visit to India by Prime Minister Theresa May  a civilised person  was sadly barren. As reported by Indias Financial Express, she returned Empty-Handed.) The seeming rise in anti-European fervour was taken into political account by former Prime Minister David Cameron who announced in February 2016 that a referendum would be held in June to ask the simple question: Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union? It was made clear that the referendum result would not in any way oblige the country to leave the European Union, because the Parliament did not specify legal consequences of a vote either way. It was an advisory referendum, and the British Parliament was and is in no way bound by any law or precedent to accept the result as mandatory for the country to Brexit. It was intended that the referendum result would be an expression of the non-binding feelings of the British people and that the elected members of Parliament would take due notice of this when debating the complex matter in due course. There are 46,501,241 people of voting age in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Of these, 17,410,742 voted to leave the European Union. Another 16,141,241 voted to remain within the European Union. Let me repeat that in a plebiscite of 46 million people, 17 million  37 per cent  voted to leave the EU and that their choice was in no manner or by any interpretation of law an instruction to the government to do so. The laws of Great Britain are determined by its members of Parliament. Many of both may be stupid, but no matter : Parliament is sovereign and its decisions are binding. Some of those who objected to the stance that the country should immediately leave the Union without Parliament discussing the matter took the matter to the High Court where three distinguished judges ruled that Parliament must vote on whether the country can begin the process. Then Britains media sprang into action. The Daily Mail, whose editor, a foul-mouthed vulgarian called Paul Dacre, received 88,000 in subsidies from the European Union for his country houses in Sussex and the Scottish Highlands in 2014 ordered his minions to produce one of the most disgusting front pages in the long history of British journalism. It depicted the three judges with the banner caption ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE. Even more despicably, the newspaper emphasised that one of the people who brought the High Court action was a coloured citizen of Britain (who was sent threats of rape and murder for her actions), and one of the judges was openly gay. It declared that two of the judges had sat on the European court of human rights, one being fluent in several languages and the other steeped in EU laws and tradition. One of them  shock, horror!  had worked for a Hamburg law firm shortly after leaving Oxford. These spiteful, malevolent and thus most effective tirades were straight out of 1930s Germany, and there was not a shred of criticism of the newspapers by the government. Other garbage newspapers, such as the formerly admirable Daily Telegraph, carried headlines such as The Judges Versus The People. The Mail removed one abusive headline from its vulgar website, but the damage had been done and the bigots of Britain had been given yet more backing to express their hatred of foreigners, which extends to the medias relentless anti-Russia campaign, intended to portray President Putin and the Russian people in the worst possible light. One declaration of President Barack Obama that will be remembered is his wise warning that in the United States we are going to have to guard against a rise in a crude sort of nationalism, or ethnic identity or tribalism that is built around an US and a THEM. In Trump America it is possible that this crude nationalism might become dominant. But in Britain it seems it already rules, as those judged (no irony intended) to be different in any way to native Anglo-Saxons are considered to be undesirable. This has been so for very many years, unfortunately, and, as recollected by one young person so affected in the 1960s, it was insulting, when looking for lodgings, to find notices galore that said No Irish, no coloureds. Although repulsive racist prejudice and casual bigotry are far from new in the United Kingdom, it had been thought that in the New Millennium there might have been some advance towards tolerance and acceptance of minorities. The Race Relations Act was supposed to eradicate racism, and had some mild success, but its aims have been set back or even destroyed by the bigots of Brexit who won their dubious victory largely because they appealed to all that is most base in mankind : the idea that superiority depends on race and especially color. The country is declining. At this rate, the fall wont be long in coming. A version of this piece appeared in Strategic Culture Foundation on November 28, 2016 The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Information Clearing House editorial policy.
Mayday! Post-Brexit Britain Courts Gulf Despots By Finian Cunningham December 09, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " SCF " - With Britains post-Brexit economic outlook uncertain, Prime Minister Theresa May was doing her best this week to drum up trade prospects in the Persian Gulf. But her assiduous courting of the monarchs and emirs in what is perhaps the most despotic region in the world spells, ironically, a Mayday distress signal for an intensification of conflict and human rights violations. May, who took over from the ill-fated David Cameron following Britains shock referendum vote to quit the European Union in June, was attending the 37th annual summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). She was reportedly the first woman to ever address the GCC whose member states Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman are all ruled by unelected, self-styled monarchs with appalling human rights records. This years summit was held in Bahrain, which like the other GCC member states is a former British colonial territory. There seems little doubt that Britain is gearing up to maximize business ties with the Gulf. The push is given added impetus following the Brexit result and Britains forthcoming exclusion from the European single market. Britains touting for more business in the Gulf is apiece with similar unctuous overtures to US president-elect Donald Trump. Falling off the EU cliff, Britain needs to quickly find bilateral trade safety nets in other parts of the world. And it looks like Britain is desperately seeking to return to its old colonial patch in the Persian Gulf as compensation for breaking with the EU bloc. One pointer to British fervor is the stepped up frequency of official visits. In October, Bahrains King Hamad Al Khalifa was hosted by Britains Queen Elizabeth during a state visit to the United Kingdom. The following month, November, Britains heir to the throne Prince Charles returned the compliments while in Bahrain on a regional tour. Now this month, UK premier Theresa May was again greeting the monarchial rulers of Bahrain and the other Gulf states at the GCC summit. According to the BBC, the British government is counting on doubling its trade with the oil-rich region to around 30 billion ($38 billion) over the next five years. Gulf security is our security, your prosperity is our prosperity, said May in obsequious tones to the assembled Gulf leaders in Bahraini capital Manama this week. To this end, Britain is rapidly scaling up its military-security presence in the region in what seems to be a throwback to the heyday of its colonial pretensions. Last month, Prince Charles opened a new naval base in Bahrain, the first permanent such facility since the island gained nominal independence in 1971. The base is also the first military installation to be established by Britain east of the Suez Canal since 1971. While in Bahrain this week, May reportedly promised Britain would step up its security commitment to the region. She unveiled plans for British military staff to be newly posted in Dubai to coordinate regional security; and for the opening of a training base on the territory of Oman. What is at stake here are huge arms export orders for Britain to the Gulf. In the last year alone, Britain sold some $4 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia. Similar sums are pending for further British arms sales to the other GCC states. Theresa May told the Gulf autocrats that a post-Brexit Britain would not abandon the Middle East. It is hard to overstate the utter cynicism in the British prime ministers honeyed words. Her grubby touting for business opportunities is made to seem like a virtuous act by Britain of affording protection. This is classic British colonial-speak. When Britain imposed protectorate status on the Gulf, for example in Bahrain in 1861, it had nothing to do with protecting the people of the region. It was all about protecting British imperialist trade and other interests along the vital maritime route to India  Britains colonial jewel in its crown. An essential part of this British protection was to install despotic rulers like the Khalifas in Bahrain and the House of Saud in Saudi Arabia to suppress any democratic uprising by the indigenous peoples. Playing on sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shia muslims was a major instrument of Britains colonial control, just as playing on tensions between Christian, ethnic and tribal sects were in other parts of the British empire. This week, the London government was reprising the best of British cynicism when premier May assured Gulf rulers that Britain would not be abandoning them. She talked about the shared threat of terrorism  without the slightest hint of shame that the scourge of jihadist extremism has been sponsored and fomented by her Gulf hosts as well as by her own military intelligence agencies as a matter of covert policy in order to destabilize the Middle East for regime change. The nearly six-year war in Syria is the evil fruit of British-Gulf machinations to overthrow the Assad government, along with the intrigue of Washington, Paris and Ankara. The gaffe-prone British foreign secretary Boris Johnson gave a partial admission this week when he reportedly let it slip that Saudi Arabia was guilty of pursuing proxy wars and acting as a sectarian puppeteer. With typical British conceit, however, Johnson omitted to say that it was Britain that tutored the Saudis in these nefarious ways. Theresa May also said she was clear-eyed about the threat to regional stability posed, allegedly, by Iran. She accused Iran of aggressive actions in Syria because it supported the Assad government, and of inciting conflict in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and within the Gulf states. If rule of law were to truly apply internationally, May should be prosecuted for making such provocative statements and recklessly stoking conflict. This is incredible hypocrisy from a British leader whose country is supplying Saudi Arabia with warplanes, bombs and logistics to commit slaughter against civilians in Yemen; and whose country was responsible for an illegal war of occupation in Iraq resulting in the death of over one million people since 2003, which bequeathed a legacy of fanatical terrorism contaminating the entire region. With stupefying cynicism, May claimed that she would address human rights concerns with her Gulf hosts. There was no outward sign that she actually did so while in Bahrain this week. To expect otherwise would be a feat of naivety. Ever since the Arab Spring protests that erupted in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in 2011, British governments have routinely whitewashed the litany of systematic violations in these countries, where thousands of pro-democracy protesters have been imprisoned without trial, tortured, maimed and killed by regime forces, armed and sometimes directed by the British state. Amnesty International recently accused Britain of being completely disingenuous in its official claims of concern over human rights in the Gulf. Indeed, Britains pandering to the Gulfs autocratic regimes is set to increase in the wake of its decision to depart from the European Union. As Britains economy faces an insecure future exacerbated by Brexit, there is evidently a strategic move to court new trade and investment in the Gulf. In pursuit of that objective, Britain is playing time-worn colonial cards of talking up security threats in the region while boosting arms to its despotic regimes. In the real world, as opposed to official British rhetoric, that will mean more repression within these regimes and very possibly more sectarian conflict between regional states. The British puppeteer is back with a vengeance. Theresa May said Britain wont be abandoning the Middle East. Mayday, Mayday! For many sane people, the heart-felt wish is that Britain would do just that. That is, to get out and  for once  leave those nations to develop in peace. Finian Cunningham, Former editor and writer for major news media organizations. He has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Information Clearing House editorial policy.
Cardboard figures depicting US President-elect Donald Trump were set ablaze at the annual Burning of the Devil ceremony in Guatemala.

The centuries-old tradition, held every year ahead of Christmas, is supposed to rid homes and neighbourhoods of bad spirits.

This year, participants added a Trump lookalike to the fire, burning cardboard figures of the president-elect with devil horns. Some figures held fistfuls of cash and others clasped American flags.

Were against this person in many respects, regarding deportation, with the wall he wants to build, said Astrid Soto, a ceremony participant, before telling Reuters. We do not agree.

During the campaign, Trump promised to build a wall along the 2,000-mile boarder between the U.S. and Mexico.

This has drawn anger from Latin Americans in the US and around the world.
The Lokoja-Abuja expressway has been blocked by trailer drivers since Friday afternoon following the killing of a driver by a soldier. Eyewitnesses claim that the soldier attempted to obtain a N100 bribe from the driver who refused.

The truck drivers have blocked the expressway in protest, leaving many travelers stranded as the situation still remains deadlocked.

The Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello has described the incident as unfortunate and promised to open an investigation into the incident.
A businessman, Mr. Oladipupo Ogunbiyi, who left his 2010 BMW in his landlords compound at Bode Thomas, Surulere, Lagos, and travelled abroad, came back in 2014 only to find out that the engine of the vehicle worth N3.7m had been removed and sold off.

He would later find out that the landlords driver, Ayodele Odunuga, and two mechanics had removed the engine under the pretext that the gasket had burnt.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that when Odunuga and his accomplices were later arrested, they confessed that they sold the engine for N5,000 and replaced it with a fairly used one.

But Ogunbiyi would have none of that. According to him, it is a clear case of theft.

This case is now at the centre of a row that has reached the office of the Inspector-General of Police, with Ogunbiyi calling on police authorities to probe the conduct of their men involved in the investigation and charge the suspects to court.

Ogunbiyi told Saturday PUNCH that when he reported the case of the theft, conspiracy and malicious damage at the Zone 2 Police Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, the case was eventually assigned to one Inspector Akorede, who he accused of trying to sweep the case under the carpet.

After the confessions of the three suspects at the station, they wrote an undertaking with the police to buy the new engine on or before October 20, 2016. I realised they were playing pranks and I called Inspector Akorede, who told me he could not charge the case to court because the three suspects told him I had been paid for the engine. He never called to confirm this from me, Ogunbiyi said in his petition.

Ogunbiyi is seeking the intervention of the IG to ensure his men did their duty at the Zone 2 in charging the suspects to court.

A copy of the petition was also sent to the Chairman, Police Service Commission; Permanent Secretary of the commission; Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs and the Minister of Police Affairs.

Source: Punch
Nigerian newspaper headlines December 10, 2016.

Leadership

The Wayamo Foundation, International Nuremberg Principles Academy and the Africa Group for Justice and Accountability (AGJA) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice have step up to develop the capacity of federal prosecutors in Nigeria who are dealing with the Boko Haram issue in the northeast, on addressing complex crimes under Nigerian criminal law.

Thisday

After a bitterly fought campaign, Ghanas main opposition leader former foreign minister, Nana Akufo-Addo who was making his third bid for the top job, yesterday won the countrys national election, defeating imcumbent President, John Mahama, electoral commissioner Charlotte Osei said.

Punch

The Central Bank of Nigeria has charged Deposit Money Banks in the country to work towards salvaging the distressed economy as the role of returning it to normalcy remains their responsibility owing to their financial intermediation activities that cut across all sectors.

Guardian

Edo State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) yesterday confirmed that not less than 53 persons died in a multiple accident that occurred on Thursday evening at Abudu Bridge, along Benin/Agbor Road, in Orhionmwon Local Council of the state.

Vanguard

As re-run elections into federal and state legislatures hold today in Rivers State, world leaders have joined President Muhammadu Buhari in calling for violence-free polls even as the army has deployed troops to protect oil facilities and other strategic locations in the state.

The Nation

About 30 people were killed by suspected teenage female suicide bombers who infiltrated Madagali market in the Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

The Sun

Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George has asked ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo to shut up and stop playing to the gallery through public criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Premium Times

Online media outshined their print counterpart at this years Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism Awards with The Cables Fisayo Soyombo winning the top prize, the Nigerian Investigative Journalist of the Year.
Embattled Senator representing Kaduna central, Shehu Sani, has again reaffirmed that no one can suspend him from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Senator who was suspended indefinitely by a faction of the party in the state after a fallout with Governor Nasir El-Rufai, while speaking with State House correspondents in Abuja on Friday, described his suspension as a ruse, stating that he remains a member of the party.

I cannot be suspended. I am unsuspendable (sic), if there is any word like that. I remain a member of my party, If you simply feel uncomfortable with my words all you can do is to simply put some cotton on your ears so that it can block it, he said.

And if you are not comfortable with seeing me physically, you simply need to use sunglasses but in every sense you cant hide behind attempts to silence Shehu Sani. In fact, I have been so suspended up to about 20 times that my car doesnt need any suspenders right now, each time they call its about to suspend.

Speaking of his strained relationship with el-Rufai, he said: Well its a normal thing. You can be Siamese twins and then you may engage in combat, you can also be twins and then engage yourselves in disagreement and you can also be from the same house or family or same room but still disagree with each other.

I think its a normal thing in a democracy to disagree.

Well, it is foolish for anybody to start talking about 2019 when we are just less than two years into this tenure. What is most important to each and every one of us is to deliver on the mandate for which we have been elected whether you are a governor, senator, a member of house of representative, in whatever capacity, he said.

But in the course of it, it is also normal that missiles will strike from here and there, it is normal in a democracy, he stated
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 10

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

On the eve of a referendum to make amendments to the Constitution of Kyrgyzstan and elect members of local councils, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev held a meeting with the countrys Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Chairman of Central Election Commission (CEC) Nurzhan Shayldabekova.

During the meeting, the Kyrgyz president instructed the government and the CEC to create all the conditions for free expression of the citizens will, said the presidential press service Dec. 10.

We have to show once again that Kyrgyzstan is a country, where fair elections are held, where the fate of referenda and elections are decided by citizens themselves directly via voting, said Atambayev.

Nurzhan Shayldabekova informed the Kyrgyz president that polling stations are ready for the voting, and all the conditions were created by election commissions for a democratic and open competition among all participants of the election campaign.

Prime Minister Jeenbekov, for his part, noted that public authorities take all necessary measures to ensure public order and security during the voting.

The referendum to make amendments to the Constitution of Kyrgyzstan and elect members of local councils will be held on Dec. 11.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova
The Nigerian Army on Friday directed the deployment of troops to flash points in Rivers State ahead of Saturdays legislative elections rerun in the state.

Kasimu Abdulkarim, a Maj. Gen. and General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Port Harcourt, gave the order while addressing officers and soldiers at the Divisional Headquarters in Port Harcourt.

Mr. Abdulkarim said the directive was to ensure the prevention of breakdown of law and order before, during and after the elections in Rivers.

He said that troops would also be deployed to strategic locations, including oil and gas installations and other critical assets in and around the state.

According to him, commanders will embark on early planning, coordination and liaison with civil authority, Nigeria Police Force, INEC and others involved to ensure hitch-free election.

During the election, commanders are to ensure that troops are deployed at flash points, key points and valuable points before, during and after the elections, he said.

Troops will be in their respective position by 3 a.m. on the Election Day while monitoring of security situation from the joint operations centre will commence two days before election.

Commanders are to ensure that troops are deployed at the outer perimeter of designated collation centres and polling booths in support of the Nigeria Police without getting directly involved with INEC activities.

Similarly, commanders are to direct the conduct of patrols; establish checkpoints and roadblocks and provide escort during the election in order to prevent unlawful movements, ballot box snatching and sundry crimes.

Also, commanders must ensure that troops deny unauthorized persons access to collation centres, INEC offices and NYSC officials during the election, he said.

Mr. Abdulkarim also directed local commanders of the army to escort the election materials to INEC office in Port Harcourt.

He said that troops would identify and curtail hostile individuals, groups and key players; gather information and carry out a show of force within strategic towns in Rivers and adjoining states.

Lastly, commanders are to establish a broadband communication network with repeater stations at strategic towns starting seven days before and two days after the election, he said.

Mr. Abdulkarim urged troops to remain non-partisan and document on video as pictorial evidence for use in the event of litigation that might result from their conduct during the elections.

The GOC also advised troops to strictly adhere to armys election Code of Conduct and Operational Orders in the rerun elections.

This is because any personnel found to flout the armys position on the election will be severely sanctioned in line with our operational guideline.

Officers and soldiers should disassociate themselves with civilians and politicians, especially during the election, he said.
Austin Okojie, a supervising Resident Electoral Commissioner has announced the suspension of re-run legislative election in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that elections were scheduled to hold in five units of Ward 12.

Mr. Okojie told journalists at Abonnema, headquarter of Akuku-Toru Local Government on Saturday that the decision to suspend the election was taken after a meeting with representatives of parties.

He said the election would be held on Sunday.

He said INEC did not continue with the exercise because ad-hoc staff and corps members complained of lateness.

Meanwhile, representatives of the APC and PDP have expressed mixed reactions to the suspension of the election.

Tonye Alalibo, caretaker committee chairman of the local government, said that the suspension would allow a rival party manipulate the process.

Mr. Alalibo said the PDP was ready for the elections but INEC decided to suspend the process.

Isobo Jack, a leader of the APC in the area, said it was unfortunate that the elections couldnt hold but hoped that it would be held as agreed.

Mr. Jack urged his party faithful to be patient and avoid anything that could cause crisis.
Victoria Kimani, has released some new photos to promote her debut album titled, Safari.

The album which features collaboration with Phyno, Sarkodie, Ice Prince, Vanessa Mdee and a few others was released on Monday December 5th 2016, under Chocolate City Music.

See her promo photos below.
After so much hullabaloo in various media that the highly celebrated, intensely-awaited marriage of President Muhammadu Buharis daughter, Zahrah, to the son of billionaire Mohammed Indimi, Ahmed slated for December 16, 2016 would not hold as planned, the couple has released pre-wedding photos, to tell us that all the negative rumours about their nuptial union might have been false all along.



Another account claimed that the President was dissatisfied with the grandiose manner with which the Indimis delivered their dowry boxes made by French luxury brand, Luis Vuitton. The report claimed that the President threatened to return the boxes and stop the marriage which Nigerians have been anticipating.One account said the Indimis and the Buharis had a run-in during the traditional introduction ceremony as one of the Indimi sisters was banned from taking her camera into the Villa to record the traditional introduction ceremony.

Whether the stories are true or not, it appears the wedding will go on and the couple has demonstrated that there is no going back with the release of their pre-wedding photos.

Source: Vanguard
If your Windows 10 Anniversary Update PCs (version 1607) are suddenly dropping their Wi-Fi connections and the Network Diagnostics troubleshooter is spouting "Wi-Fi doesn't have a valid IP configuration" nonsense, you're not alone.

I've heard from many people who blame the Wi-Fi disconnect on today's KB 3201845, the patch (which still isn't documented on the Win10 update history site) that brings version 1607 up to build 14393.479. It's unlikely that the new patch brought on the bug because the large influx of complaints started on Dec. 7 -- two days before the patch.

[ The essentials for Windows 10 installation: Download the Windows 10 Installation Superguide today. | Stay up on key Microsoft technologies with the Windows Report newsletter. ]

Although the vast majority of Wi-Fi problem reports come from Win10 version 1607 systems, there are other reports of the same problem on Win 7 and 8.1 PCs using domain-connected and not-connected systems with a wide array of ISPs, routers, and network cards.

Speculation at this point says the disconnect results when a machine performs a fast startup, setting the machine's IP address to 169.x.x.x. It's an old problem, but somehow it's come back in spades in the past two days. I have no idea what triggered the sudden outbreak, as there were no Win10 1607 patches issued on Dec. 6, 7 or 8.

Microsoft acknowledged the problem on Dec. 8, with moderator and 'Softie Lonnie_L posting on the Microsoft Answers forum:

We are looking into reports that some customers are experiencing difficulty connecting to the Internet. We recommend customers restart their PCs, and if needed, visit https://support.microsoft.com/help/10741/windows-10-fix-network-connection-issues. To restart, select the Start button from the taskbar, click the Power button and choose Restart (not Shut down).

You can also perform a clean restart by holding down the Shift key, then clicking Start, the power icon, then Shut Down. Don't let go of the Shift key until the machine's completely gone.

Looks like KB 3201845 didn't cause the bug. But the patch didn't fix it, either.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, July 18

By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend:

The final decision on the route of the Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Turkmenistan (TAT) regional railway will be made after signing a trilateral agreement in late July in Dushanbe, Tajik media reported on July 18 citing Tajikistan's Minister of Transport Khairullo Asoev.

He said currently, negotiations with Turkmenistan on the route are underway, adding that the trilateral agreement will be signed after all the details are agreed.

Asoev went on to add that the agreement will be signed in Dushanbe, after the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to be held in late July, Tajikistan's Asia-Plus agency reported.

Certain details have already been agreed with Afghanistan. Previously, Afghanistan proposed to construct the railway on the Kelif (Turkmenistan) - Sher Khan Bandar (a trade port in the Kunduz province on the Afghan-Tajik border) route.

Nevertheless, the Kelif - Hoshadi route seems to be more preferable.

Tajik media said that the route proposed by Afghanistan doesn't meet Tajikistan's interests, and stressed that the new railway is important for Tajikistan since it is experiencing some difficulties due to the blockade of its goods by Uzbekistan.

The TAT railway project, the implementation of which began in early June 2013, is of great importance for the strategic, political and economic interests of all parties to the project. China, Iran and Kyrgyzstan are expected to join this project in the future. China, Iran and Kyrgyzstan are also expected to join this project.

Previously, the Turkmen side said that the TAT railway, with the length of 400 kilometers is expected to come into operation in 2015. Moreover, Turkmen railway men will lay the Afghan section of the railway.

This route will open a new corridor between Central Asia and world markets through the sea ports on the coast of the Indian Ocean. Its length is two times less than through Russia to the Baltic Sea coast.

Edited by CN
Canada orders Chinese companies to sell lithium assets AP - 31 minutes ago Three Chinese companies have been ordered to sell lithium mining assets in Canada after the countrys government imposed limits on foreign involvement in supplying critical minerals used in batteries... $SPX : 3,759.69 (-2.50%) $DOWI : 32,147.76 (-1.55%) $IUXX : 10,906.34 (-3.39%)

Germany's Scholz makes difficult visit to assertive China AP - 1 hour ago Chancellor Olaf Scholz is making his first visit to China as German leader this week, a diplomatically delicate trip while Germany and the European Union work on their strategy toward an increasingly assertive... $SPX : 3,759.69 (-2.50%) $DOWI : 32,147.76 (-1.55%) $IUXX : 10,906.34 (-3.39%)

GBPAUD Retests Key 1.80 Level Tradable Patterns - 1 hour ago The (GBPAUD) is consolidating just above what is arguably downchannel resistance (on the weekly chart), forming a 3rd straight daily Doji/Hammer near the psychologically key 1.80 whole figure level. Although... ^GBPAUD : 1.78372 (-0.42%)

Russians try to subdue Ukrainian towns by seizing mayors AP - 1 hour ago As Russians seized parts of eastern and southern Ukraine in the opening stages of the war, mayors, civilian administrators and others, including nuclear power plant workers, say they have been abducted,... $SPX : 3,759.69 (-2.50%) $DOWI : 32,147.76 (-1.55%) $IUXX : 10,906.34 (-3.39%)

Powell: Rate hikes may slow, but inflation fight hardly over AP - Wed Nov 2, 11:01PM CDT Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell sought to strike a delicate balance at a moment when high inflation is bedeviling the nations economy and commanding a central role in the midterm elections $SPX : 3,759.69 (-2.50%) $DOWI : 32,147.76 (-1.55%) $IUXX : 10,906.34 (-3.39%)
Mosca e intervenuta nelle elezioni Usa per aiutare Donald Trump a vincere la presidenza. Non e un sito di gossip a passare la notizia, ma la Cia, lagenzia di spionaggio civile del governo federale degli Stati Uniti dAmerica con il compito di ottenere e analizzare le informazioni riguardanti la sicurezza nazionale provenienti da tutto il mondo.

Il rapporto e stato pubblicato dal Washington Post che ha citato fonti informate allagenzia. Gli 007 Usa hanno individuato spie legate al governo russo che hanno fornito a Wikileaks migliaia di email hackerate ai danni del partito democratico e di altre organizzazioni, compreso il presidente della campagna di Hillary Clinton, John Podesta.

E opinione della comunita di intelligence che lobiettivo della Russia fosse favorire un candidato rispetto ad un altro, aiutare Trump ad essere eletto, ha confidato un alto dirigente Usa. Questo spiegherebbe la vittoria  del tutto sfavorita dai sondaggi  del controverso magnate newyorkese, da sempre apertamente favorevole a una collaborazione con Mosca.

Trump ha prontamente respinto tutte le accuse. Il suo team ha affermato in una nota che della Cia fanno parte le stesse persone che dicevano che Saddam Hussein aveva armi di distruzione di massa. Le elezioni si sono concluse molto tempo fa  conclude la nota  e ora di guardare avanti e Rifare grande lAmerica. Ma la guerra (via web) e ancora aperta.
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A Boat-full of Potential - Renewed Interest in the Cruise Industry Bolsters Luxury Markets (OTC: MASN) (NYSE: CCL) (NYSE: CUK) (NYSE: RCL) (NYSE: NCLH)

Vancouver, Kelowna, Delta, BC - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com, a leading investor news resource covering luxury goods and cruise ship stocks releases a special report featuring Maison Luxe, Inc. (OTC: MASN), a company that offers luxury retail consumer items.

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Breaking AI Stock News: Intellagents, a FatBrain AI (OTCQB: LZGI) Company, Announces Hiring of Insurtech Industry Veteran as Chief Revenue Officer

NEW YORK, NY - November 2, 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, announces the hiring of Euan King, an experienced and respected Insurtech industry leader as Chief Revenue Officer for insurance technology-focused subsidiary Intellagents.

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Health and Wellness Stock News - Endexx (OTCBB: EDXC) Secures $3.8M Order for Non-Nicotine Vape Product HYLA from Italy

CAVE CREEK, Az. - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Endexx Corporation (OTCBB:EDXC), a provider of innovative, plant-based, and sustainable health and skincare products, today announces it has secured a new $3.8 million USD order for its newly acquired, non-nicotine based vape product, HYLA from customers in Italy.

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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.

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Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Dec. 10

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmenistans national air carrier Turkmenistan Airlines (Turkmenhowayollary), starting from Dec. 14, 2016, will carry out regular passenger flights on the route Ashgabat-Kazan-Ashgabat on Wednesdays and Sundays.

It was previously reported that it is also planned to launch flights to Tehran and Milan in the near future.

The biggest international airport of Central Asia was put into operation in September 2016 in Turkmenistans capital. The new airport is able to take aircraft of any type and capacity. The capacity of the ultra-modern air harbor is 1,600 passengers per hour and 14 million per year.
Actor T.J. Miller was arrested early this morning after a driver accused him of battery, Los Angeles police said.

The arrest of the Silicon Valley and Deadpool star came two days before Miller hosts the Critics' Choice Awards in the city.
Some 50,000 civilians have fled eastern Aleppo over the past two days in a "constant stream", Russia says, as Syrian government forces close in on the last pocket of opposition control.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said Syrian troops have suspended their offensive to allow the evacuation of civilians.

However, the activist-run Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says heavy clashes are still under way.

Mr Konashenkov said that on Saturday alone more than 20,000 civilians left rebel-controlled Aleppo districts through humanitarian corridors. The military is live streaming images from drones showing the exit.

Backed by Russia and other allies, Syrian president Bashar Assad's forces have driven the rebels from nearly all of eastern Aleppo, which was captured by the opposition in 2012.

The UN human rights office has expressed concern about reports that hundreds of men have vanished after crossing from eastern Aleppo into government-controlled areas.

US secretary of state John Kerry and European and Arab diplomats are meeting members of Syria's opposition in Paris.

Mr Kerry said he is working to ensure their safety and to save Aleppo "from being absolutely, completely destroyed".

US and Russian military experts and diplomats are meeting in Geneva to work out details of the rebels' exit from eastern Aleppo.

It comes after US defence secretary Ash Carter said as many as 200 more US troops are being sent to Syria to help Kurdish and Arab fighters capture Islamic State's key stronghold of Raqqa,

The extra troops will include special operations forces and are in addition to 300 already authorised for the effort to recruit, organise, train and advise local Syrian forces to combat IS.

Addressing a security conference in Bahrain, Mr Carter said the extra troops will help local forces in their anticipated push to retake Raqqa, the de facto capital of the extremist group's self-styled caliphate, and to deny sanctuary to IS after Raqqa is captured.

AP
Cork Chamber president Barrie OConnell used his address in front of a 300-strong audience to call for various Cork infrastructure projects to be given firm timelines for delivery, as well as the M20 motorway.

Despite 20m spent on planning for the 800m motorway, it was postponed indefinitely in 2011 by then transport minister Leo Varadkar, who said there was no funding available for the foreseeable future.

Intensive lobbying from business and political figures in Munster in recent months prompted speculation that it may be included in the Capital Plan 2016-2021 review.

Mr OConnell said there was momentum for the region over the past few weeks with the announcement that Cork flights to Boston would finally take off in the New Year.

Norwegian Airlines International had finally got the green light from the US to operate the flights following months of uncertainty.

Mr OConnell added that the Capital Plan review could cement that progress by committing to the M20.

He said: In 2017, we want the M20 motorway included in the Capital Plan Review. We also want to see the already-included projects such as the Dunkettle Interchange really get under way, and move towards delivery and certainty around timing and funding.

He called for the public to show their support for the new routes out of Cork Airport, saying it was in the hands of people in Cork that would decide their ultimate success.

He said: We now need to get out and use these flights, as well as encouraging more visitors into Cork. It is a real win-win to have more people into access the Cork region.

Mr OConnell acknowledged that Cork faced the same challenges as many regions around Europe in the wake of the Brexit vote and the US election. However it was also a chance to capitalise on opportunities, he added.

He said: There are many reasons to be optimistic, notwithstanding the many headwinds out there in the global economy. Cork is very well positioned to outperform expectation.

We are focused on opportunities from Brexit and for companies relocating and establishing a base in Ireland.

Why wouldnt they pick Cork with the mix of investment, environment, people, talent and the quality of life we can offer here to access the European marketplace from what will soon be the second largest English-speaking city in the EU? he said.
This will result in the Hilton Dublin hotel having a total of 305 bedrooms.

Mr Malone, reputed to be the largest landowner in the US, bought the hotel for around 30m in 2014.

He also owns the five-star Intercontinental hotel in Ballsbridge, and the five-star Westin hotel in College Green, while he recently added the Spencer, Morgan and Beacon hotels to his growing Irish portfolio.

His stock market-listed Liberty Global media giant owns TV3 and Virgin Media.

An Bord Pleanala said the proposed development would not seriously impact either the visual or residential amenities of the area, nor have an adverse impact on the character or setting of the Grand Canal Conservation Area.

Dublin City Council gave the plan the go-ahead earlier this year but it went before An Bord Pleanala after appeals were lodged against the decision.

The expansion will go some way towards easing the demand for hotel rooms in the capital.

A recent report from the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation estimated there was a need for 30 more hotels providing 5,000 additional rooms in the next few years.

In a written Dail reply on the issue, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Patrick ODonovan, said the bulk of the new room stock will not come on stream until after 2018.
The measures aimed at getting more than 20 publicly funded institutions to take gender equality in research careers more seriously will take effect from the end of 2019.

Only those with the minimum bronze accreditation under the Athena Swan gender equality scheme  requiring a successful phase of self-assessment, data collection, action planning, and peer review  will be considered for funding from the Irish Research Council, Science Foundation Ireland, and Health Research Board.

However, from the end of 2023, funding from these agencies will not be available unless the college leading a proposed research project has reached silver, or intermediate level, accreditation.

The UK-based Athena Swan Charter recognises work in most academic disciplines to address representation, work environment, student progress into academia, and the journey through career milestones.

The new rules being announced today by the funding agencies, with combined annual research budgets of 230m, were recommended in last Junes national review of gender equality in the countrys third-level colleges. It was carried out for the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and chaired by former EU research commissioner Maire Geoghegan Quinn, who said gender balance in leadership roles will not happen in our lifetimes if we just wait for change to naturally occur.

The review found that only seven of 26 colleges, including publicly funded teacher training colleges, had 40% or more women on their executive management teams. There were no women at senior management level at two ITs .

Women account for only 19% of university professors, despite half of lecturing staff being female. Nearly half of academic staff at institutes of technology are women, but they account for just 29% of senior academics.

A lot of colleges are behind the mark because they are such big organisations with many types of employees, said Gemma Irvine, HEA head of policy and strategic planning. This will be about putting structures and processes in place to ensure change across an institution.

In about three years, State-funded colleges will risk cuts in their core budgets if they do not meet gender equality targets now being finalised.

The seven universities, 14 ITs, and the Royal College of Surgeons signed up to the Athena Swan Charter in 2015 and will be covered by the new requirements.

UCC, the University of Limerick, and Trinity College have already achieved bronze accreditation.
Christopher Jones, 24, had been getting into difficulty with gardai for repeatedly begging on the streets to pay for his heroin addiction. He was facing sentencing yesterday for criminal damage to the coin box at Farranree church on March 21.

However, a stranger he met on the street gave him his first job and Jones is now due to get his first pay packet on December 22. He is also starting a methadone treatment programme.
A network of organisations, including the NCWI and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) is calling on An Garda Siochana, Tusla, the HSE, the Courts Services, and the Central Statistics Office to come together to record data accurately.

It seems ludicrous to write policy without knowing clearly and comprehensively the facts behind it, Ms OConnor said yesterday.

We need our authorities to properly record data, from the police to the court services, and the health services. We urgently need our State services  An Garda Siochana, Tusla, HSE, the Courts Services and the CSO to come together to record data accurately, and importantly, to share the data and subsequent analysis.

Our current system is archaic and not fit for purpose.

Ms OConnor was addressing the Irish Observatory on Violence against Women, an independent network of grassroots and national organisations that monitor progress on responses to violence against women in Ireland.

Her comments came in the same week as Tanaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald said she will not rest until domestic abuse is stopped.

These people are very shameful in their cowardice, said Ms Fitzgerald. I certainly dont want to rest until this is stopped.

She added that abusers derived false strength by preying on vulnerable people behind the closed doors of their homes.

Also speaking yesterday, on the crisis of data shortage around domestic abuse was Noeleen Blackwell, director of the DRCC.

To reduce violence against women, we need to understand the scale of the problem, and for that we need quality data, she said.

Reliable and comparable statistics help us to assess the effectiveness of policy measures and services in place, estimate the resources needed to tackle the issue and track progress over time.

The Domestic Violence Bill is to be published in the next two weeks.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Dec. 10

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmenistans President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, in honor of Neutrality Day (Dec. 12), signed a decree pardoning convicted persons, the Turkmen government said in a message Dec. 10.

Under the document, more than 560 people, some of whom are foreign nationals, are released.

The Turkmen president ordered to soon provide the pardoned persons with the opportunity to be with their families and take all necessary steps for their employment.
Thousands of houses are set to be built across the country using the off- balance sheet financing and the bank has committed to allocating similar amounts over the next decade if the first round of funding is successful.

It comes ahead of the publication of the Governments rental plan, which is due to be released by Housing Minister Simon Coveney next week.

EIB president Werner Hoyer yesterday said the institution is aware of the acute housing crisis and would be providing funding to build thousands of homes next year.

Speaking at an event to mark the opening of a branch of the EIB in Dublin, Mr Hoyer said: The challenge for Ireland is huge and you have a growing population.

But I think we are going to make a first deal at the beginning of 2017 of around 200m for social housing, both in Dublin and the surrounding areas.

I think if that runs successfully and, if it is implemented wisely, then this will be a product type for the next decade.

This is a first step. I think the housing challenge for Ireland will remain for the next decade and we will be there.

The bank has already helped to fund a number of significant infrastructure projects including Luas Cross City, Dublin Airports Terminal 2, and Dublin Ports Alexandra Basin Redevelopment.

EIB, the worlds biggest international public bank, also announced it would be providing a 50m loan to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

The bank will now have a permanent office in Dublin.

On water charges, Mr Hoyer said that the bank is waiting on a decision on the matter and then we will be able to assist.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Finance Minister Michael Noonan, and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe all attended the announcement in the Shelbourne Hotel yesterday.

Mr Kenny said that the strengthening of the relationship between Ireland and the EIB is particularly important at this critical time in our recovery.

He added: The Government and companies based in Ireland will need to focus more on capital investment in the years ahead.

The EIB will have a significant role to play in helping to finance many of these new investments.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Noonan was in Limerick where global medical company Becton, Dickinson and Company announced 100 research and development jobs at the National Technology Park at Plassey.

The total workforce at the company will then number 200.
Fr Pat Hogan, parish priest of the Holy Family parish, lived in the heart of Southill, including during the dark times there.

A Canadian government expert visiting prior to the Regeneration programme had said the only other place he had seen such damaged children was in Gaza, the priest recalled.

Fr Hogan said: Families had to sleep in the landing area of the houses through fear of shots being fired in through their window. We got used to bonfires and shootings on a nightly basis. One visitor to my house dived behind a couch when a gun went off.

He said the community was caught in the stranglehold of drug kingpins.

These people used children and vulnerable people, he said. If you were seen using a mobile phone on the street you were in danger as you would be suspected of being on to the guards.

The 10 years since the regeneration programme began had been a struggle he said, and a revised and more realistic programme was adopted in 2014.

Fr Hogan told of the awful torment which children had to endure.

The children paid an enormous price from the violence and the dysfunction, he said. We had no idea what was going on in many childrens lives, what they were seeing and watching at home, what was being done to them, what they were being involved in, being introduced to crime.

One of the great phrases at that time was that a child has no language, but its behaviour. And there was lots of behaviour.

I remember one incident of a child standing in the primary school yard as they were going home. He was about six years old. He was kicking his schoolbag out the gate. One of the teachers went over, as he was in her class, and asked him what was wrong. He looked at her and said: Miss, you have no idea what I have to put up with at home, and off he went. There was so much of that.

An education psychologist working for the Candian government came and visited the school and one of the teachers asked what he thought of the children and would he have seen children like them before. He came back again the day after and said the only place he would have seen children, as damaged like that, this was in the Gaza Strip.

Fr Hogan said they had to remind themselves of the dark days.

We can quickly forget where we have come from, he said. But we must make sure such things never happen again. They were yesterdays headlines. They are not todays headlines and they should not be tomorrows headlines.

Housing Minister Simon Coveney yesterday launched a review of Limerick Regeneration.

A review in 2014 set out a target of 564 new houses. To date, 110 have been completed, a further 131 are under construction, and 270 are at design stage.
Darren Martyn, aged 24, from Cloonebeggin, Claregalway, Co Galway, but currently living in Birmingham in England, appeared at Dublin District Court yesterday to be served with a book of evidence.

Judge Dermot Dempsey granted the DPPs request for Mr Martyn to be returned for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where he will face his next hearing on January 13.
The government TD made the comment as a number of ministers joined forces to insist Mr Adams reveals the name of the Provisional IRA member who carried out an investigation into the 1983 killing and how the gunman was disciplined.

Speaking at an event in Co Limerick, Mr Noonan said Mr Adams is obliged to give any information he has to gardai.

Addressing the fallout from the 1983 shooting directly, he said the reality is murder is murder and that Mr Adams will be breaking the law if he does not give gardai the names of those involved.

There are people who seem to have information about the murder of Brian Stack. There is a particular person that the Stack family met [in 2013 as part of a meeting organised by Mr Adams] and there was a particular van driver who took them there.

Both of them may be in a position to give some information to the gardai, and like any citizens, they should do so now.

Murder is murder. Any person, whether theyre a TD, councillor or a straight-forward citizen, has an obligation to give information to the gardai if they have it about a murder that was perpetrated, he said.

Asked about Mr Adams view  that he cannot provide the names of the person the Stack family were brought to meet in 2013 to explain what happened to their father as this may impact on the peace process and limit the information supplied confidentially by the Provisional IRA on other cases  Mr Noonan said that the argument was nonsense.

Noting the fact Mr Stack was a prison officer in the Republic who was shot in this jurisdiction and had nothing to do with the Northern Ireland Troubles, he said:

To be trying to mix it [the murder] up with the peace process is a piece of nonsense.

The view was supported yesterday by Housing Minister Simon Coveney, who said Mr Adams is prioritising justice on the back of a murder investigation over loyalty to former IRA comrades.

Speaking in Dublin at the same time as the Limerick remarks, Government chief whip Regina Doherty said she agrees with Sinn Fein that now is the time for a truth and reconciliation process to begin into the Northern Ireland Troubles.

However, she stressed this process cannot include the Brian Stack murder as it had nothing to do with the Troubles and was, according to Sinn Fein, unsanctioned  meaning it was simply a murder with no political links.

That murder would fall specifically outside of this process.

Gerry Adams seems to think he has been prohibited by some confidentiality agreement. I do appreciate involvement of Gerry Adams and many others into peace process, but it cannot be by any price.

Its not grey. Its perfectly black and white. There is a person in this country literally getting away with murder, she said.

Meanwhile, the Fine Gael TD who named Sinn Fein TDs Dessie Ellis and Martin Ferris in relation to the case in the Dail on Wednesday could be sanctioned over the move.

Dail ceann comhairle Sean O Fearghail confirmed last night Fine Gael TD Alan Farrells action will be examined by the committee on procedure and privileges.
Aoife Winterlich from Walkinstown, Dublin 12, died after she was swept into the sea off Hook Head, Co Wexford, on a weekend scouting trip. The teen was rescued from the sea by the Irish Coast Guard but later died on December 11, 2015, at Our Ladys Childrens Hospital in Crumlin.

Gardai in New Ross investigated all aspects of the incident, examining photos, maps, emergency rescue reports, and CCTV footage in their preparation of a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The file was submitted to the DPP last August. Supt John McDonald of New Ross Garda Station informed Dublin Coroners Court that no prosecution was directed.
It follows reports from the US earlier this week that Norwegians Irish subsidiary, Norwegian Air International (NAI), which finally secured regulatory approval last week to fly from Ireland to the US, is no longer considering Bostons main airport, Logan International, for its direct Cork to Boston service using a Boeing 737.

Norwegian already operates a Boeing 787 Dreamliner out of Logan on its London route.

But the airline said the cost of operating a single-aisle 737, which carries 150 fewer passengers than the Dreamliner, from a main US city airport on the proposed Irish routes would be much more expensive given that the smaller aircraft type limits passenger numbers.

Aviation industry sources reported earlier this week that NAIs parent company, Norwegian, is set to choose between New Hampshires Portsmouth International Airport and TF Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island for NAIs Cork to Boston flights.

Portsmouth International Airport, also known as Pease International, is about 60 miles (nearly 100km), or an hours drive north of Boston.

It served as a hub for Pan Am from 1998 until 2005, and it was once one of seven launch abort sites, and one of 18 emergency landing sites, for Nasas space shuttle.

Green Airport in Rhode Island is about a 60-mile, 70-minute drive south of Boston.

It has also been reported that Norwegian has opted to establish NAIs New York base at Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, New York  60 miles north of Manhattan  rather than at the larger New York City airports.

A spokesperson for the airline said it was too early to comment on which US airports it will use on the direct Cork-US routes.

But he confirmed that secondary airports are being looked at.

A number of airports are being looked at while we finalise our plans but secondary airports in the US present us with an opportunity to offer some truly ground-breaking fares to passengers in Ireland and the US.

The airline hopes to offer introductory price offers of around 69 one-way, with normal fares expected to be in the region of around 160 one-way, and around 300 return.
The action was taken by mother of three Bridget Daly, aged 48, of The Chase, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, who suffers from a condition known as ME or chronic fatigue syndrome and has been deemed medically unable to work by the Department of Education.

Ms Daly had, through her trade union, the ASTI, signed up to a salary protection scheme with Zurich. However, Zurich ceased paying her the benefits in April and informed her that her case was under review.

As a result, she sued Zurich and sought injunctions directing the insurer to pay her disability benefit under the salary protection scheme.

She had also claimed she and her children were spied on and placed under surveillance by a private investigator because she sued Zurich.

She also sought orders restraining the defendant and all persons who have knowledge of the order from carrying out any surveillance of her and her children, and that any images be handed over.

The application was opposed by Zurich.

The case returned before Mr Justice Paul Gilligan at the High Court yesterday when counsel for Ms Daly, Patrick Keane, said the proceedings had been resolved and the matter could be struck out.

Ms Dalys application for the injunction due to be heard last week was adjourned to allow settlement talks to progress. No details of the settlement were given in open court.

When the matter was previously before the court, lawyers for Zurich said the insurer stopped the payment because it wanted her to undergo a test called a functional capacity evaluation.

It said it was entitled to stop the payment after she declined to take this test. Zurich had also argued Ms Daly had signed a clause in the policy allowing it to investigate claims.

Ms Dalys lawyers argued she had been asked to take a test that had previously been found by the High Court as not being a medical diagnostic test. There were many independent medical reports to show Ms Daly cannot work and she has been retired by the Department of Education on health grounds, she claimed.

Ms Daly said that after she launched the claim over the refusal to pay her the allowance, she was followed while driving one of her children to school.

She also alleged she was photographed or filmed by a man while walking in a park on another occasion, and also saw a car drive past her home slowly.

Following a complaint, Zurichs lawyers informed Ms Dalys solicitors Burns Nowlan it would discontinue the surveillance. Ms Daly says the surveillance was designed to intimidate me.

Ms Daly, who said she had been upset and distressed by the events, said in a sworn statement the dispute should be determined through medical evaluation and not by people spying on me and my family.
Joanne Smith, 36, who lost a 60,000 damages claim against the restaurant, denied she had difficulty walking on the night of November 9, 2013, and claimed she slipped and fell on water.

She told the court that she and husband Aidan decided to have dinner at TGI Fridays, St Stephens Green, Dublin, after they had gone to a Ludovico Einaudi concert at the National Concert Hall.

Ms Smith, a mother of two, of Raphoe Rd, Crumlin, Dublin, told Eamon Marray, counsel for the restaurant, that she had been wearing a long black dress and high heels and had no difficulty walking.

The court heard that as she was following a waitress and her husband to their table, Ms Smith slipped and fell, landing heavily on her left side and hand. She had been embarrassed and stunned.

She said she got up and joined her husband, who had been unaware she had fallen. Her dress had been wet and she had seen water spillage on the floor.

The court heard she suffered pain in her lower back, left leg, and wrist. She had been out of work for several weeks and sued Chicago Rock Cafe Ltd, trading as TGI Fridays, of Leisureplex Retail Park, Malahide Rd, Coolock, Dublin, for negligence.

TGI Fridays denied liability and claimed Ms Smith had made no complaint on the night about the floor or her dress being wet. The restaurant claimed Ms Smith had fallen because her dress and heels became entangled.

Mr Marray said former TGI Fridays manager Robin Sadler had been informed of the fall and immediately went to see Ms Smith. Counsel said Ms Sadler had not seen any water spillage on the floor.

Ms Sadler said she gave Ms Smith an icepack for her wrist and the couple was offered a complimentary drink as a gesture. She said Ms Smith did not complain about the floor being wet.

Judge James ODonohoe said Ms Smith, a respectable person working in the Defence Forces, had given a truthful account of what she believed had happened that night, but he preferred the restaurants version of events.

He dismissed Ms Smiths claim and awarded legal costs against her.
Business The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (December 10)

A fisherman paddles his boat with one leg on Inle lake, September 4, 2015. / Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

Business Chiefs Optimistic, But Urge More Policy Clarity

A survey of almost two hundred senior executives from companies of different sizes during August and September indicated that most were positive about the business outlook for growth and expansion, but caveats remain.

Executives from a wide range of sectors were surveyed, including telecommunications, media, technology, construction, real estate, utilities, chemicals, retail, banking, and tourism.

Almost 80 percent of respondents cited Burmas status as a frontier market with a large and growing population as a top reason for investing in the country. A total of 66 percent felt that the governments commitment to reform was a key reason to enter the market, the Myanmar Business Confidence Survey by Roland Berger says.

Almost three-quarters of respondents felt that the overall business landscape would get better and 92 percent expected to expand their operations within a year.

Success in Myanmar is a matter of commitment and patience, Roland Berger said. The firm pointed out that 70 percent of firms operating in the country for more than five years were satisfied with their performance, while only 50 percent of firms that have been in the country for less than five years were satisfied with how they were faring.

Challenges identified by respondents included labor issues, notably a lack of skilled workers, and, especially, a lack of legislative certainty.

While there is broad acknowledgement that important actions such as the new investment law have been taken, the business community is missing a program that is broad enough to cover the major parts of the economy, specific enough to build business and investment plans on, and quick enough to take advantage of the goodwill created by the change in government and lifting of sanctions, before it evaporates, the report said.

These obstacles indicate the need for comprehensive public sector reform. Despite ongoing initiatives, meaningful improvements to public services will be inevitably challenging, reflecting the urgent need for swift implementation and quick wins, said Thomas Klotz, Managing Partner of Roland Berger South-East Asia.

Car Assembly Plants Well Underway

Ford, Nissan, and Lisan auto manufacturers are progressing with assembly units in Burma and gearing up for sales, according to a report in DealStreetAsia.

It quoted Dr. Soe Tun, chairman of Myanmar Automobile Manufacturers and Distributors Association as saying that Japans Nissan, which has an assembly plant in Hlaing Tharyar, could be ready to sell cars by February 2017.

The US-based Ford company was planning to sell vehicles by June and Chinese manufacturer Lisan would also be ready to sell cars during next year, he said.

Aertel to Boost Connectivity in Burma

Indians largest mobile phone operator Bharti Aertel will invest in an international fiber optic cable link between India and Burma in order to tap into Burmas rising demand for high-speed data services for the business and consumer markets, the Economic Times reported.

The company is investing an undisclosed sum in a 6,500-km route terrestrial fiber-optic cable link to boost internet speeds in Burma, the media outlet report. The link will be connected to Airtels landing stations in Chennai and Mumbai.

Aertel failed to win a mobile services license in Burma in 2013 when the previous government awarded permits to Norways Telenor, Qatars Ooredoo and state-owned Myanmar Posts & Telecommunications (MPT). The Burma government was due to award a fourth mobile operator license earlier this year but the process has been delayed. Airtel did not comment on whether it had entered a fresh application in the latest bidding round, the report said.

Inle Lake Zone to Charge in Dollars

Entrance fees to the hotel zone in Inle Lake will be collected in US dollars instead of kyat starting on December 10, according to a travel website quoting local sources.

The current entrance fee of 12,500 kyat will change to US$10 according to the Myo Group which is responsible for collecting the fee, it reported.

The move follows the recent decline in the value of kyat, U Zaw Htay Aung of the Myanmar Tourism Association said in the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper.

The move is likely to inconvenience travelers who are not carrying dollars, the report added.

Vietnam Govt Upbeat on Burma Investment

The government of Vietnam will encourage investment in Burma by Vietnamese businesses, the countrys president Tran ai Quang pledged this week.

Investments in agriculture, fish farms, mining and the tourism industry would especially be encouraged, the president told the Burmese Minister of Home Affairs U Kyaw Swe during the ministers visit to Hanoi, Viet Nam News reported.

President Tran Dai Quang said that cooperation between the two countries had progressed, especially in priority areas including agriculture, industrial tree plantation, aquaculture, finance and banking, telecoms, and oil and gas.

Minister Kyaw Swe expressed admiration for Viet Nams development achievements and highlighted a determination to enhance ties between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Viet Nams Ministry of Public Security. He said that Burma would create optimal conditions for Vietnamese investors and do its utmost to protect their legitimate rights, the report said.

Entrepreneurs to Attend Networking Event in South Africa

A group of Burmese entrepreneurs will travel to South Africa and Kenya next year to gain business insights and network with business persons from around the globe and in the two African countries.

The trip scheduled for March will include attendance at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress 2017 from March 13-16 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The congress gathers together thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers from more than 160 countries to identify new ways of helping founders start and build up new ventures. The tour will also include a trip to the Kenyan capital Nairobi which is recognized as a dynamic entrepreneurship hub along with Johannesburg.

The study tour is being organized by a local branch of the US-based Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN).
Dateline Dateline Irrawaddy: The Govt Should Give the Media Unrestricted Access

On this weeks Dateline, Irrawaddy reporters share their experiences investigating ongoing clashes in Arakan States Maungdaw Township.

Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy. Irrawaddy reporters Ko Lawi Weng and Ko Moe Myint have just arrived back from covering clashes in northern Shan State and Arakan States Maungdaw Township. They will recount their experiences of the situation on the ground. Im Irrawaddy English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe.

Ko Moe Myint, problems in Arakan State have been escalating regarding the Rohingyaor Bengali or Muslim community, in the governments words. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak himself led a protest last week. And Burma-Malaysia relations have been strained because of this. Chairman of the Arakan State Advisory Commission Kofi Annan, as well as the Malaysian commander-in-chief, have come to Burma to discuss the issue. What is your take on the situation?

Moe Myint: There have been serious accusations on the ground in Maungdaw. Both Arakanese and Muslim communities, as well as Hindu communities caught between these two groups, are suffering from the negative impacts of this conflict. For example, when the Burma Army carried out a manhunt for the perpetrators, it blocked waterways, and locals could not fish [which they depend on for their livelihood]. They have grievously suffered the consequences since the commodities that flow into the town have been disrupted. Muslims have been hit harder. Rohingya communities in the north of Maungdaw are largely illiterate and extremely poor. They flee once a stranger enters their villages. I visited Maung Nama and Wa Peik villages in northern Maungdaw. I went to those villages alone by motorcycle. In one case, I got off my bike and walked to a village, bringing a camera. All the villagers there were women; there were no men. I was about to ask a woman questions but as soon as I took out my camera, they all fled. No one was left and no one would answer me. I was not holding a gun, only a camera. But they ran away when they saw a stranger coming. This hints at the extent of the fear on the ground.

KZM: Which side are they afraid of? Because there have been clearance operations by security forces following the militants attack on border police, I hear that villagers fear both sides. Did the military really commit violence against them and force them from homes? What did the other side do to them?

MM: I would like to note certain things regarding the nature of the conflict in northern Maungdaw. Most of the people in major towns like us are rational in cases of conflict. But in northern Maungdaw, things are different. There, whatever a spiritual leader says, villagers believe. Rumors fuel their fear and so does hearsay. There are rumors that soldiers are killing villagers. So when weapon-wielding security forces search villages, all the villagers run away. I talked to Muslim communities, and they claimed that there were cases of the military arresting Muslims whether they were involved in the attacks or not. But it is difficult for me to provide evidence of that.

KZM: The Malaysian commander-in-chief spoke with President U Htin Kyaw and Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, and both of them said that there was growing misunderstanding because of the spread of misinformation about the governments response to the Muangdaw attacks. There were accusations of security forces raping Rohingya women, but none of this could be confirmed. What is your overall impression about these accusations after speaking to villagers?

MM: There are shortcomings in the response of the government. Reports about the incidents were only published by state-run media. No one will believe this. Even Burmese citizens do not trust state-run media. Rather than denying allegations [of human rights abuses] when it has no evidence to disprove these allegations, the government should at least give the local media access to the area. Only then can we investigate the accusations.

KZM: Ko Lawi, you also went to Maungdaw in the aftermath of the attacks. What restrictions did local authorities impose on media during that time?

Lawi Weng: Theythe armywere quite perverse. Government officials, administrative authorities, and even the police seemed to be willing to give access to the media. We arrived in Kyikanpyin village, and a general staff officer grade-2 denied us access even though the police seemed willing to work with us. Ko Moe Myint made a good point. There are accusations from both sides, and it is difficult to verify them. So the best thing would be to give the media unrestricted access to the area.

KZM: So that the truth can be reported.

LW: Yes, so that people will know if these accusations are right or wrong.

KZM: Speaking of the conflict in Arakan State, there are so many things to discuss. Another important thing is that there have been continuous clashes between the Burma Army and ethnic armed groups in northern Shan State. You went there. What happened on the ground in northern Shan State, including Muse? How bad is the situation there?

LW: I spoke with Col Tar Bong Kyaw [of the Taang National Liberation Army, or TNLA] about Mong Ko. He said the town was held by a number of ethnic armed groups. The army came and attacked with choppers. Civilians were hit and buildings and churches were damaged. Ethnic armed groups said they had withdrawn from the area given safety concerns for civilians. Their strategy was not to hold the town for long. They said they had only agreed to launch attacks, not to take control of a town. Clashes between the Burma Army and ethnic armed groups are likely to deescalate a bit. Well wait and see.

According to my experience on the frontline, clashes were fierce. They broke out on Nov. 20. I went to the area that day. I left Lashio on Nov. 21. The road was blocked the evening of Nov. 21 in a Kachin State village called Nang Pha Lon. I have never had such an experience. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) stopped us. Nang Pha Lon is a long village. I didnt know how many gates they had set up. At the first gate, I saw three men tied up with rope. On my return, that place had been burned, as wed seen in newspaper reports about burned cars. I think they had obtained intelligence about which cars were carrying Burma Army officials and that at least one of the three tied there was a military official. They extorted money as well as hand phones. It was quite frightening. Clashes broke out around 7 p.m. We were stuck with as many as 300 other vehicles.

KZM: Civilians were killed and injured during the northern alliance offensives?

LW: Yes, they were. But the northern alliance had warned people not to use that route and to exercise caution if they did use it. Still, it is the most common route, and people had to use it. It was quite dangerous to have gotten stuck in the clashes.

KZM: What is the situation now? They launched offensives and they have deescalated. What is their latest proposal, given that theyve recently released a statement?

LW: They have released a statement calling on the Burma Army to withdraw its troops from ethnic regions, to stop offensives and for the government to declare a nationwide ceasefire. They also want China to participate in peace negotiations. They are mainly demanding inclusion in the peace process. As they have withdrawn from Mong Ko now, clashes have deescalated. What will happen depends on if the government, particularly the military, is willing to accept inclusion.

KZM: The alliance consists of four ethnic armed groups: the KIA, TNLA, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army [MNDAA], and Arakan Army [AA]. What is interesting to note is that the Burma Army usually does not mention the AA in talking about the clashes. Ko Moe Myint, you have been covering Arakan State issues. Why do you think the Burma Army does not mention the AA?

MM: The Burma Army does not recognize the AA as an ethnic armed group because it was only formed after 2010. But the government, led by the National League for Democracy [NLD], and the Burma Army have different views. Myawaddy Daily, which is owned by the Burma Army, as well as army statements, call those groups insurgents, and they dont mention the AA. But statements released by Daw Aung San Suu Kyis State Counselors Office call the AA, KIA, TNLA, and MNDAA ethnic armed groups. They seem to have different views.

KZM: Those clashes and conflicts are big challenges to the new government, which is just eight or nine months old. Some people call the Arakan State issue a cancer that is difficult to cure. But regarding the clashes in the northern area, I think the problem can be solved if the two sides agree to be all-inclusive. Ko Lawi, what should is the solution?

LW: It is not that complicated. They stated that it was a limited war, since they launched an offensive. They said they would stop once they reached their objective, which was all-inclusion. But nothing is certain yet. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi talked about inclusion at the Panglong Conference. But the military did not agree. Thats why these clashes happened. It is simple. As soon as the peace process is all-inclusive, our country will achieve peace. Wars will cease.

KZM: They will come to the negotiation table?

LW: Yes, they will. And then we will achieve peace.

KZM: Ko Moe Myint, is there any good solution to the Arakan State issue?

It will be exceedingly difficult, more difficult than the northern Shan State issue. These two problems are different in nature. Again, the Arakan conflict is different from the first conflict that happened there in 2012.

KZM: The latest one includes violence and attacks.

MM: Yes, as you said, the Malaysian Prime Minister held protests, and Bangladesh has also held protests, in which thousands of people have said they would immediately march to the border to help their brothers. I am concerned that the militant attacks will turn into communal conflicts similar to the ones in 2012. If that happens, the problem will only get worse.

KZM: As far as I know, six government bodies have been formed to address the Arakan issue. Among them are a commission chaired by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as well as committees and the Arakan State Advisory Commission, headed by Kofi Annan. How effective have these actions been?

MM: There is a political crisis regarding the commissions. The Arakan National Party (ANP), which is involved in these issues on the ground, is totally against these commissions. It is a real crisis for the government.

KZM: By against, you mean they wont cooperate with the commissions?

MM: Yes, it is real problem that there is no cooperation. It is a challenge for the Kofi Annan-led Commission and for the Arakan State Stability and Development Commission headed by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

KZM: Ko Moe Myint, Ko Lawi, thank you for your contributions.
Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Jan.14 / Trend D.Azizov /

President of Uzbekistan, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Islam Karimov presented strategy of the further development of the army in his congratulatory message on the occasion of day of Defender of the Fatherland Day, which is celebrated on Jan.14 and 20th anniversary of the country's Armed forces.

"Importance of reforming and increasing operational readiness of the Armed Forces in modern time is caused primarily by circumstances of rapidly-changing world, continuing rise of tension in the Middle East and the Gulf, difficult situation in the region taking into consideration rise of confrontation, different threats and challenges to the security," the congratulatory message said.

The President said the Central Asia region by virtue of its geo-political and geo-strategic importance, huge mineral and raw material resources has become recently object of close attention and crossing of strategic interests of the largest states and is characterized by continuing confrontation in Afghanistan, where war has continued for over 30 years.

The forthcoming withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force in 2014 may lead to an increased threat to the expansion of terrorist and extremist activities, tensions in the region, establishing here a permanent source of instability, the president said.

Serious challenge to regional stability and security is also deteriorating socio-economic situation in some countries of the region, which creates favorable conditions for the growth of social discontent, continuous extremist forces replenishment of new members.

"In general, the evaluation of socio-political, socio-economic, political and military situation prevailing in Central Asia and the world shows increasingly growing trend of increasing threats to peace, stability and sustainable development of the region," Islam Karimov noted.

The President said all this requires the taking preventive advanced systemic measures to further improve and enhance the effectiveness of the entire system of defense and national security, the continuation of the comprehensive strengthening of the capacity and readiness of the Armed Forces.

Particular attention should be paid to the further accumulation of experience, improvement and deepening the knowledge of basic principles and techniques of modern combat operations during a potential theater of military operations in the region, the head of state noted.

Command of the Armed Forces and the military districts should pay serious attention to improve the efficiency of planning, organizing and conducting command post and tactical exercises, which should be a school for testing different models of combat operations.

We should focus on the problem of retrofitting units with modern weapons and equipment. The most important condition for increasing the combat capability of the armed forces is to reach a new quality of military education and training," Islam Karimov said.

Uzbek President also determined the issue of social protection of servicemen as a problem of special importance.

"We should also focus on timely and full implementation of the adopted state programs aimed at providing servicemen with housing, improvement of social conditions of residence and duty of soldiers, sergeants and officers," the message said.

The message noted that a lot of work to create a modern, mobile, well-equipped army have been carried out over the years of independence.

Organizational and staff structure of the armed forces was fundamentally changed, an effective management system of corps and sorts of troops, led by the Joint Staff was created, the military districts were formed, system of protection and security of state borders meeting modern requirements was shaped, mobile, primarily the battalions of Special Operation Forces, Corps to fight terrorism were established in the most important operational directions.

Large-scale work has been done in equipping the army with modern weapons and equipment.

In conclusion, the President of Uzbekistan expressed gratitude to all the servicemen - privates and sergeants, officers and generals, all those who today has difficult service in the Armed Forces, adequately fulfilling its noble and responsible duty to protect the homeland.

Earlier according to the presidential decree a large group of servicemen has been awarded national awards - honorary degrees, medals and orders.
Politics This Week in Parliament (Dec 5-9)

Members of parliament attend a meeting at the Lower House of Burmas parliament in Naypyidaw on March 10, 2016.

Monday (Dec. 5)

In the Lower House, lawmakers asked questions about the expansion and improvement of health facilities in their constituencies as well as the promotion of Burmese traditional medicine.

In the Upper House, lawmakers asked about the repair and upgrading of schools in their constituencies plus the provision of educational opportunities for students in remote areas.

Tuesday (Dec. 6)

In the Lower House, lawmakers approved a proposal put forward by U Thaung Aye of Pyawbwe Constituency which urged the Union government to work for the all-around development of rural areas and the alleviation of poverty by implementing rural housing, modernized farming and by developing small and medium-sized enterprises.

In the Upper House, the chairman of Union Election Commission (UEC) submitted the second amendment to the UEC law.

There were reshuffles for chairperson, secretary and member posts of a number of parliamentary committees.

Wednesday (Dec. 7)

Lawmakers in the Union Parliament approved the Presidents proposal to obtain a loan of JPN31.051 billion from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the construction of Thanlyin Bridge No. 3.

Parliamentarians debated the Presidents proposal to obtain a loan of 93.970 million from JICA for the implementation of projects, but a decision was not yet reached.

The President sent a proposal to join the Asean Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, which lawmakers will discuss at a later date in the Union Parliament.

Thursday (Dec. 8)

In the Lower House, seventeen lawmakers debated a proposal by Dr. Daw Khin Soe Moe Kyi of Pyay Constituency, which urged the Myanmar Agricultural Development Bank to deliver agricultural loans directly to the doors of farmers in rural villages. Under the current system, farmers have to take out loans at the respective bank branches. The Parliament simply recorded her proposal.

In response to a question by U Aung Sein of Dawei Township about the governments crime prevention measures for public safety, deputy minister for Home Affairs Maj-Gen Aung Soe replied that his ministry is reviewing the existing criminal laws to prescribe harsher penalties for crimes as well as to promote community policing.

In the Upper House, U Tun Tun of Mandalay Constituency (2) said that it was in violation of existing laws that the China National Petroleum Corporation Southeast Asia Pipeline Co. Ltd. (CNPC-SEAP), the operator of Burma-China oil and gas pipeline, had bought much of the farmland directly from locals along the pipeline from Kyaukphyu, Arakan State, to Kunming, in Chinas Yunnan Province. He asked the Ministry of Electric Power and Energy to sign new contracts. Deputy Minister for Electric Power and Energy Dr. Tun Naing replied that lands were confiscated as part of a project area of Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise under the ministry, but not for ownership by foreign companies operating the pipeline. Therefore, it was not against the law, he said.

Friday (Dec. 9)

U Myint Lwin, representing Twante Constituency in the Lower House, asked if the government had a plan to set up a hotline between lawmakers and administrative officials at national and subnational levels. Deputy minister for transportation and communications U Kyaw Myo replied that the government had no such plan, saying that complaints or petitions can be sent to the President and State Counselor through the online channels of Letters to the President and Letters to the State Counselor on the offices respective websites. He added that there is no international precedent for setting up hotlines between lawmakers and ministers.

Lawmakers from the Upper House made inquiries regarding the upgrading of roads and healthcare facilities in their respective constituencies.
Title: Cheapest fibre deal but very high speed



Time With Provider:

Package Name:

For 21 a month I get a phone line and fibre connection that gives me at least 50Mbps, I know others have commented on traffic shaping but I am yet to notice it. I watch a lot of HD content streamed directly to the HD TV and have never had any connectivity or speed issued.When I moved into my current house a few months ago there was a stopped BT line, I couldn't sign up to SEE online as the website doesn't cater to customers who don't already have an active line with a different provider.Plusnet looked like a good option, but when I looked into it because I'm not in a "low cost" area they were going to charge me 7.95 a month for the "free" broadband, plus a line activation fee and p&P for the router.I called SSE and they said they could sign me up for a new line over the phone, they didn't charge anything for connecting the line and there was no P&P for the router.At 21 a month this is far cheaper than the likes of Sky or BT and if you're getting your fibre broadband from anyone else, you're paying more than you need to.
Attack the Stack: 5 Tips for Successful Cloud Deployment

There is little question that the cloud and the Internet of Things (IoT) will dominate enterprise IT development in the coming years, but exactly how these two initiatives will coalesce into a working production environment is still very much up in the air.

The enterprise needs to figure it out quickly, however, because the world economy is shaking off the old processes and business models that rely on traditional data infrastructure in favor of the faster, leaner, service-based applications of the mobile era.

According to Cisco, more than 90 percent of the enterprise workload will be hosted in the cloud and tailored to IoT functionality by 2020. The total IoT workload by then is expected to be a whopping 600 ZB per year, nearly 40 times that of traditional data infrastructure and 275 times the amount of traffic running to user devices directly from enterprise data centers. It is hard to predict how these trends will progress into the next decade, but its fair to say that once the bulk of data is pushed into the cloud, there is little incentive to migrate it back to the data center again.

For all intents and purposes, this means the enterprise will have to start treating its cloud and IoT workloads with the same care and attention it has given to internal data operations over the years, which represents both a technological and cultural shift from what we have today. And therein lies the rub, because those who say they can deliver on this new data environment are offering such a radical idea of what IT should be that just getting started on the transition is exceedingly difficult.

Amazon, natch, has a lot to say about the new digital infrastructure, but the company is no longer proposing that the enterprise simply migrate its entire shop to AWS, at least not directly. Instead, says Fortune, the company is presenting new hardware options like the Snowball Edge and AWS Greengrass that push storage and compute services close to users to enable greater speed and more personalized service, while still providing a back-channel to AWS for analytics and data management. Meanwhile, the companys Lambda serverless computing architecture acts as the application framework to allow in-house and third-party support tools to implement hybrid-style computing environments.

Microsoft is looking to leverage its Azure cloud as an IoT solution as well, although the company seems to be taking a more measured approach than Amazon by leveraging legacy data infrastructure to a higher degree. The company recently implemented an Apache Kafka-based device connector that allows enterprises to stream and ingest data into the Azure cloud. In this way, analytics engines are not overwhelmed by volumes of telemetry and other types of data as IoT environments scale. The system works in conjunction with other IoT systems, such as the Device Twin syncing service and third-party security platforms like Casaba and CyberX.

While cloud-based IoT infrastructure is usually viewed as the next phase in tech-savvy markets, many developing nations are looking at it as a way to propel their economies into the 21st century without having to recreate decades worth of data center infrastructure. Systems developers like Fujitsu are hoping to tap these markets with turnkey solutions that allow organizations to launch full-scale IoT environments with relative ease and low start-up costs. The Fujitsu Cloud IoT Platform provides a broad set of APIs and a user-friendly dashboard to enable a high degree of customization and continuous development as technologies and markets evolve. Fujitsu also has a large managed services portfolio that focuses on providing solutions to clients rather than loading them up on technology.

It is important to remember that while this cloud-based IoT ecosystem is where many providers want to take the enterprise, it is still unclear how far the enterprise is willing to follow. The practical advantages of Big Data and the IoT are still largely theoretical at this point, as is the notion that economic activity will be dominated by services going forward, rather than merely supplemented.

But as mentioned above, this is the path the enterprise has chosen to tread for the time being, and at some point it will have to deliver real-world results to those who are footing the bill.

Arthur Cole writes about infrastructure for IT Business Edge. Cole has been covering the high-tech media and computing industries for more than 20 years, having served as editor of TV Technology, Video Technology News, Internet News and Multimedia Weekly. His contributions have appeared in Communications Today and Enterprise Networking Planet and as web content for numerous high-tech clients like TwinStrata and Carpathia. Follow Art on Twitter @acole602.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 10

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

Baku hosted celebration of the 24th anniversary of adoption of the Constitution of Uzbekistan.

On this occasion, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Baku organized an official reception on Dec. 9 which was attended by Azerbaijans state officials, heads and employees of diplomatic missions accredited in Azerbaijan, as well as science, art, business and media representatives.

The date of adoption of the Constitution will remain in our history as a momentous date, a holiday that laid the foundation for building an independent democratic state, said Sherzod Faiziev, the Uzbek ambassador in Baku, in his welcoming speech to the guests.

Faiziev noted that 2017 was announced the Year of Dialogue with People and Human Interests in Uzbekistan.

In this context, in the coming year we will continue to work to ensure the citizens rights and legitimate interests, which are enshrined in the Constitution, he added.
The demand for Final Fantasy XV guides and walkthroughs have risen to considerable new heights since the release of Square Enix's game. The Frogs of Legend is one of the many side quests you can do in the Land of Eos and beyond. Here's a guide on the quest and the Rainbow Frogs' locations.

Final Fantasy XV The Frog of Legend Side Quest

This quest is located in the Meldacio Hunter HQ and can be unlocked after completing the Professor's Protege quest line. To start the quest, finish the Protege quest line given to you by Sania, a friend of Gladiolus in Final Fantasy XV and talk to her again. She will tell you that the legendary Rainbow Frogs have captured her interest and no one knows where they are but she will give you 'water' as a hint.

Since no one has captured these frogs, the data about them is zilch and so she will give you the task of collecting five Rainbow Frogs yourself. These frogs are scattered to most of the major locations within Final Fantasy XV that have a body of water. Despite the hint, they are relatively hard to find and might need a bit of patience.

Final Fantasy XV Rainbow Frogs Location

To get the first Rainbow Frog in Final Fantasy XV, head on over to the west bank of the Vesterpool. From the Fishing Spot or the dock, head left and cross the water until you reach the first island you see. The first Rainbow Frog will be there.

The second Rainbow Frog in Final Fantasy XV is located at the Ravatoghan River Area. Right around the spot where the river splits in two is the second frog, resting near a boulder. Rainbow Frog number three is located at Hulldagh Pike River Area, sitting quietly between the huge boulder and the shoreline.

You will catch the fourth frog at the Saxham Outpost. The frog is sitting right next to the biggest boulder nearest to the water tank. The last Rainbow Frog in Final Fantasy XV is at Alstor Slough. Head for the lake through the trees and the frog will be between the tree and the shore. Return to Sania to end the quest and that's how you finish the Frogs of Legend quest.
The official trailer for the upcoming "Spider-Man: Homecoming" movie has recently been released, and it has excited the Marvel fans all over the world. It featured the first look of actor Tom Holland as the lead in the movie after appearing in Marvel's "Captain America: Civil War" early this year.

First Official Trailer For Upcoming "Spider-Man: Homecoming" Released

It can be recalled that Tom Holland made his first appearance as Spider-Man in the recent "Captain America: Civil War" film wherein he is so excited to fight the bad together with the Avengers. In the official trailer of the upcoming "Spider-Man: Homecoming," Peter Parker is seen struggling with wanting to become a superhero just like any of the Avengers while still stuck in high school. He then talks to Tony Stark who tells him to stay away from any danger, but he naturally doesn't oblige to Stark's orders.

He does the opposite of what Stark advised him to do then later finds himself and his loved ones in great danger against the enemy, known as the Vulture. Thus, Peter will be featured in this movie a little different and lighter form the previous Spider-Man franchises wherein Peter plays an adult role. Although the second reboot, the lead role played by Andrew Garfield was also in high school at the setting of the movie, the new one will be filled with more humor and outside the story of the original comic book series.

Marvel Presents A Whole New Peter Parker In Upcoming Movie, Making Him Part Of Similar Cinematic Universe As The Avengers

"Spider-Man: Homecoming" will not feature Mary Jane or Gwen Stacey, instead Peter will have a whole new love interest entirely, a different character at that. The movie will reportedly be a whole new territory for both Sony and Marvel since in the original story, Spider-Man is living in an entirely different cinematic universe from that of Marvel's Avengers but now, will be joined together with them. Hence, this explains the whole new storyline being set for the lead character. Since the trailer in itself has already been presented with great humor, it seems to feature a lighter side of the character which makes it different from the previous movie franchises.
WikiLeaks leader Julian Assange is still facing the threat of getting back to Sweden and being prosecuted for the accusations of rape. Since the accuser's lawyer Elisabeth Massi Fritz keeps pushing the case and stated that he has a low credibility that she will prove once the prosecution starts.

WikiLeaks Leader Leaked His Testimony

As it was reported on December 8, WikiLeaks leader leaked his own 19-page testimony from Swedish rape probe, explaining his version of everything that happened with the woman known as SW on August 16, 2010, after he was giving a lecture about his organizations disclosures. In his official statement, Assange said that he was completely innocent of any kind of sexual misconduct and strongly criticized the prosecutors for the degrading treatment of him.

According to his version of the event, he met the woman two days before the lecture, since she was taking photographs of him while he was giving a speech about Afghanistan war, and two nights later she invited him to her house, and she appeared to be "romantically interested" in him. During the night and in the next morning, they had consensual sexual intercourse many times, and her physical reactions made it clear that she encouraged and enjoy the interactions.

Massi Fritz Assure That Julian Assange Is Desperate

Giving this situation, it was reported that Massi Fritz said that WikiLeaks leaders actions releasing his statement has violated her client the media. Also, she told that the decision of doing this clearly shows his desperation in the case and is conducting the investigation through the media every time he has something to say. She expects that Assange stops violating her client on her media since she has suffered enough for six years now.

Although it is not known what is going to happen with this delicate situation, WikiLeaks leader is still facing the risk of having to get back to Sweden to be prosecuted, which could also mean an extradition to the U.S. because of the disclosures he have made with the radical transparency organization.
Paleontologists found a tumor in a 255-million-year-old giant human ancestor. The beast may have had a terrible toothache caused by a cancerous tumor in its jaws.

Megan Whitney, lead author and UW biology graduate student, told Washington.edu: "Most synapsids are extinct, and we - that is, mammals - are their only living descendants. To understand when and how our mammalian features evolved, we have to study fossils of synapsids like the gorgonopsians."

Scientists Did Not Expect To See A Tumor In The Gorgon's Jaw

Gorgonopsids are ancient predators who lived during the Paleozoic age. They are also known as 'gorgons' and grew up to 10 feet long. Scientists from the University of Washington weren't looking for tumors when they sliced up the fossilized beast's jaw.

Odontoma is a benign tumor that is composed of normal dental tissue that has grown in an irregular way. This can disrupt the position of the teeth and other tissues, and surgery is the common option to remove it.

According to the study: "Odontomas have been reported in a handful of fossil mammals up to a few million years old but were previously unknown in deep pre-mammalian evolutionary history."

Senior author Christian Sidor, a UW professor of biology and curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, said: "We think this is by far the oldest known instance of a compound odontoma. It would indicate that this is an ancient type of tumor."

Odontoma Was Also Found In Fossilized Mammoths And Deers During The Ice Age

According to Dailymail, the earliest evidence of odontomas came from the Ice Age in fossilized mammoths and deer.

Programme director in the US National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences which funded the research, Dr Judy Skog, said: "These researchers have found an example in the ancestors of mammals that lived 255 million years ago. The discovery suggests that the suspected cause of an odontoma isn't tied solely to traits in modern species, as had been thought."
Xiaomi released a teaser on Weibo that suggests a new vehicle from the company is on its way to the market. The Chinese tech giant has been rumored to enter the electric car industry since 2014. This may be what the general public has been waiting for since the company is known to provide cheaper alternatives to the premium brands.

E-ABS Is Mentioned On The Teaser Photo

The speculations about Xiaomi's venture to the electric car industry started after the Chinese government announced and encouraged new companies, both old and new, to manufacture electric cars in the country.

Although the revelation does not directly point to a new electric car, the teaser photo shows grid marks or tire marks that give the indication of a new vehicle. The Chinese characters on the photo say "E-ABS" which stands for an electronic anti-lock braking system. Regenerative braking, perforated discs brakes, cruise control, and integrated die-cast motors are also said to be included on the features.

Earlier this year, Xiaomi unveiled the Mijia Qicycle, a bicycle that is powered by 250 watts, 36 volts electric motor. The bicycle is equipped with Torque Measurement Method or TMM torque sensing technology that supports the rider's pedal power. The power is produced from the Panasonic 18650 battery that is rated at 2,900mAh which provide ample power to run 45 kilometers. The bicycle can be folded and fit into the trunk of the car when not needed and for easier transportation.

Hopes For An Unveiling On December

Rumors about the vehicle to be launched on December 12, 2016, are spreading like wildfire. Although, in reality, that target date may be slim. Lei Jun, founder of Xiaomi, made a speech last year at the fifteenth annual meeting of China entrepreneurs forum that mentions no plans of launching an electric vehicle. At least not for the next five years. Jun said that he wants the company to focus on developing their existing products for the next three to five years.

Xiaomi May Be Out To Surprise Us

However, consumers can still hold their hopes up as Xiaomi has a history of surprises. The Xiaomi Mi Mix is a bezel-less phablet that was unveiled without anyone knowing about the product beforehand. It is highly possible that a concept car will be unveiled first, then a production unit will follow. Just like what company LeEco did earlier this year when they showed their LeSEE concept car. Over $1.08 billion dollars has been reportedly raised by the company for the project. Forbes also recently reported a $3 billion dollar investment by the company to set up a car factory in China.

A Perfect Time For Chinese Companies

No better time could have been chosen by the Chinese tech giant as analysts reports that the road to electric cars is very promising. Other startup companies have started developing their own line of electric vehicles, with hopes of surpassing what Tesla has achieved in the past 10 years. China is also known for producing companies that reach out to the general public, most of which cannot afford premium models such as a Tesla or a BMW. Most American and European companies also have their products made in China to gain profitability coming from the low labor cost.
Tech giant Microsoft is now officially LinkedIns owner after closing a deal of $26 billion, which comes 6 months after the first headlines announcing a possible acquisition appeared in the media. The popular social media network and tech company can now integrate their products and service to the customer, which could increase its power in their respective fields, as well as their position in the market.

A Perfect Deal For Both Companies

According to the CNET, the new LinkedIns Owner plans with this deal are to become an important provider for any kind of business of cloud-based service, which includes it Office 365. Also, both companies revealed their plans of working together in major technology project as gadgets, devices, machine learning, artificial intelligence and much more. Naturally, both Microsoft and the social media platform will start to bet big considering that both have more chances of taking risks since the companies can rely on the others services and powers.

On the other hand, LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner explained that the company will remain unchanged and the usual services that customers have been using will be exactly the same, and over the next months the platform will explain more about how it is integrating its services with the tech giants products.

LinkedIns Owner Was Expecting Since June To Close The Acquisition

Previously, Weiner stated through a blog post that the deal with the new LinkedIns owner would accelerate the mission of connecting professionals of the world in order to make them more successful, productive, and ultimately help to built a lucrative opportunity for every single member of the global workforce.

According to the International Business Times, Microsoft CEO Saya Nadella also said through a blog post that this was a day that the company was expecting since June. This mark the beginning of the mission to bring a reunited worlds leading professionals into a tight-knit network.

As it was reported in a previous article, LinkedIns owner needed the bless of the European Union in order to close the deal with the social media platform, and fortunately for both companies, everything went perfectly well and the acquisition was approved. Although this represents great news for Microsoft and LinkedIn, it remains uncertain by which moments the benefits will start to appear.
Celebrated motion-capture actor Andy Serkis is the true star of the cited Planet of the Apes movie franchise, having now pictured the ape revolutionary Caesar in both Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Serkis again plays Caesar in the upcoming War for the Planet of the Apes: a film that, similar to Rise and Dawn before it, is strange in the sense that it doesn't have any A-listers playing the humans contrary Serkis and his fellow ape actors.

The Last Two Planet of the Apes Movies Have Featured Several Well-Respected Character Actors Playing Human Roles

Planet of the Apes producer Dylan Clark unveiled on the set of War for the Planet of the Apes that none other than Tom Cruise - whom Clark worked alongside on director Joseph Kosinski's sci-fi action film, Oblivion - has expressed interest in playing an ape in one of the Planet of the Apes films. He mean it or not, here is the larger quote from Clark on that matter:

Cruise said, "I love working on these movies. [20th Century] Fox has been great. Typically, when you make tentpole movies like the one we made last time, and Jason Clarke, who's my friend, Jason Clarke is not Tom Cruise. Or he's not Denzel Washington. But we said we really loved Jason in Zero Dark Thirty, and they said, "We did, too." And we said, "We really would like to put him in as our human lead [in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes]." And they were like, "That's cool," not like, "You've got to go get Tom Cruise," who is great, too. But if we had Tom Cruise show up in this movie, you guys would be like, "Whaaaat?" Although Cruise, I produced Oblivion. He's a friend and he loves these movies. So, he's always, like, emailing me: "I want to play an ape..." He's always messing with me. He's like, "I've figured it out. I'm going to be this ape in the next movie."

As mentioned, it doesn't sound that Cruise is genuinely aim on joining the Planet of the Apes series - and he already has plenty of other franchise movies and its big that he will keep busy with, over the next few years. Still, who knows; if the current Planet of the Apes franchise does continue after Caesear's story is over, maybe it will be Tom Cruise (the CGI ape) who takes his place as the series warrior.
Health experts have long promoted breastfeeding as best for babies' health. But what if breast milk is placed in a bottle. Does that make a difference? Breastfeeding advocates definitely think so.

Breastfeeding Is Still The Best Option, Research Shows

New moms are choosing pumped breast milk in bottles rather than directly breastfeeding their babies. However, researchers on a new study said that moms don't understand the benefits of feeding babies breast milk directly from their breast. The study surveyed more than 2,000 new moms about their feeding practices and found that in just a short time span, moms begin to increasingly rely on bottles.

Marie Tarrant of the University of British Columbia, author of the study, said: "Breastfeeding is the unequalled method for feeding infants. It has been previously determined that breastfeeding is important for nutrition, immunology, growth and development of infants and toddlers. Anything that contributes to shortening the recommended six months of exclusive breastfeeding is a concern."

Bottle-Feeding Increases Risk For Respiratory Issues

In a press release, Tarrant said: "New mothers may believe there is no difference between expressed breast-milk feeding and direct feeding at the breast. Although expressed breast-milk feeding provides greater benefits than infant formula, bottle-feeding may increase the risk of respiratory issues, asthma, rapid weight gain and oral diseases."

Aside from all the health benefits your baby gets from breastfeeding, it also provides a closeness and comfort that strengthens the bond between mother and child. It also contributes to better health for moms. Researchers at Oxford University conducted a study which claims breastfeeding is associated with lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

However, researchers say that this study is not meant to mommy-shame those who feed using bottles. "No one is saying that the feeding of expressed breast milk shouldn't be recommended. It's just that direct breastfeeding is preferable, where possible," Tarrant said.
Facebook CEO Marck Zuckerberg wants to pursue government service and at the same time retain total control of the social media network, since it was revealed through recently unsealed court filings that showed his political ambitions and the way the new stock structure allows him to take full reign of the company even if he decides to leave it for two years in order to work for the government, or even sell most of his stock. Of course, this gives him the possibilities of funding the "Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative" (his new philanthropy efforts) without any kind of issues.

An Incredible Structure To Control Shareholders

It was reported that these documents were filed as part of a shareholders lawsuit against Facebooks board of director, after Zuckerberg proposed a major change that would dilute the voting power of the shareholders, putting three board members on a special committee to represent the shareholders in discussions.

In addition to this detail, it was also stated that Zuckerbergs advisor Marc Andreesen was accused because of a conflict of interest since he gave him information about the boards deliberation instead of representing the shareholders position. In fact, some texts messages excerpted from the court documents show that Facebook CEO and two members of the board discussed the chances of working with the government, and argued about how to explain it to shareholders. Overtly, this was a move that would definitely seem as a lack of commitment.

Facebook CEO Might Work For The Government In A Cabinet Position

Regarding this situation, it was reported that the lawsuit revealed that Bill Clinton's former chief of staff and one of the companys board members on the special committee, Erskine Bowles, told Andreesen that he was extremely worried that the concession that Facebook CEO wanted in order to serve two years in the government without losing the social media network control, may see very irresponsible.

However, Bowles was later persuaded to Facebook CEOs plan to go through, which was confirmed in another text message that Andreesen send to Zuckerberg, saying "Mission Accomplished." Whether it is not sure which duties could have Facebook CEO if he ended up working for the government.Many believe that he would work on a Cabinet position, giving the fact that those jobs only last two years.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 10

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Iranian airlines will hold negotiations to purchase Russian short-haul passenger aircraft, Sukhoi Superjet 100, Secretary of Association of Iranian Airlines Maqsoud Asadi Samani said.

The plane manufacturer will introduce Sukhoi Superjet 100 to Iran on Dec. 13, Samani said, Mehr news agency reported Dec. 10.

After that, the Iranian airlines will make a decision on the issue, he said, adding that Sukhoi Superjet 100 is a suitable choice for Iranian airlines.

Earlier, Russias Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Moscow might deliver a big batch of Sukhoi Superjet 100 passenger aircraft to Iran by 2020.

The planes can be in part localized by Iranian producers if Tehran makes a political decision to purchase ready-made aircraft, Rogozin said.

Russian aircraft manufacturers remain interested in Iran's market, despite negative viewpoints in Iran. Iran does not seem to be interested in purchasing Russian planes, since according to local reports the performance of Russian aircraft wasn't satisfactory during the sanctions period in Iran.

However, Samani said that Sukhoi Superjet 100 is completely different from other Russian planes, such as Tupolev, and enjoys a special technology.

Some European countries, including Italy and France have participated in manufacturing the plane, he added.

A total of 64 Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft are currently in service, according to Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCA) data. The largest aircraft operators are Aeroflot (26 airplanes), Mexico's Interjet (19) and Gazpromavia (10 jets of the long-range series).

The SSJ-100 aircraft are produced in two versions: 75-seat and 95-seat jets (the number of seats may vary depending on the passenger cabin configuration).
Next to the Brangelina controversial split, one thing that people can't accept coming is Will Smith and Jada Pinkett's marriage tearing apart. Will Smith have been open about the conflicts that they're confronting as a couple, and their efforts of making their marriage stayed longer. But rumors has about Will Smith and Jada Pinkett's divorce continue to circulate online.

And since the thoughts never end, the public eye is getting increasingly curious about steps to make the married couple stay. What's the real reason behind this never-ending rumors? Are they just sugarcoating the actual state of their relationship?

Jada Pinkett Doesn't Support Will Smith's Possible Career Shift

In a report of Morning USA, Will Smith was dropping clues about his possible career shift in the future. There had been claims about Will Smith is wanting to relocate to Washington, DC to pursue a political career. But instead of supporting his husband, Jada Pinkett didn't seem that much interested about her husband's plans.

Will Smith be serious about switching from actor to politician? In an interview, the actor said that he should be the president of the United States after the political circus that's been going on in the elections.

Though people were aware that it's just Will Smith fooling around when he said he wants to run for POTUS, who knows what plans he has in mind, right? But since Jada Pinkett is passionate about her career in film, she showed no support for Will Smith's plan to run for the presidency.

Other reasons for the split include bankruptcy reports attached to Will's name. Even the media's blaming the couple's children for the strain in their marriage. However, none of these reports were confirmed. So, I guess we just must wait for Will Smith's next move.

Will Smith And Jada Pinkett Underwent Marriage Counseling?

Evidently, since the couples have been trying their best to save their marriage. The actor opened up attending marriage counselling and he even shared about their experience.

He explained that truth comes out when you do marriage counseling. He also revealed how hard it has been for the couple to look at each other after all the revelations.

Will Smith also explained that connecting to your partner with honesty helped them understand each other. In addition, it made them move on and start anew with their affair. He also said that to make a relationship work, everybody should be open to improve themselves first. Then they could present themselves better with their respective partners.

The fact is, people can say that both Will Smith and Jada Pinkett are doing their best to make their relationship last longer.
It sounds ridiculous to hear, but that's where Supernatural Season 12 Episode 8 decided to take the Lucifer-with-no-exact storyline. And then it took a bit of turn, knocked Lucifer out of the No. 1 problem spot for the Winchesters, and revealed that he's got an unholy kid on the way.

Bet We'll See That birth on the Supernatural Season 12 Finale; Lucifer Became The President Of The United States

I'm glad that Sam could expel Lucifer from the president's body with help from his special egg and send him back to hell. Now, that's a weapon indeed! The effects for that scene were neat, and having Sam, Lucifer's true vessel, be the one to do it felt fitting.

Though, can't Lucifer just turn around and get out of hell? What did that do to him? I'm sure he'll be back soon, but I'm glad we seem to be a bit of a break from Lucifer. It's a little bit disappointing that a character that was so unforgettable as a chilling and fantastic villain. He just doesn't feel like the same character anymore.

Though, I admit, that Lucifer as the arch-devil walking around while the crosses flipped upside down was eerie. And even watching Sam and Dean discover what Lucifer had done before leaving the archbishop's body felt more in line with a Lucifer from the past. But then it was off to the president, and I just found myself not caring about it.

You'd think that Satan taking over one of the most powerful people in the world would have more intense, more scary stakes at the chances of what he could do with that position. Instead, we got some jokes about launching nukes and Lucifer spending his time having pillow talk with one of the president's employees.

What did you think of the recent episode? What do you think of Lucifer taking over the president? Will Lucifer's baby be born or will Sam and Dean stop it? Put some buzz below, and be sure to stay tuned only here in iTechpost.com
Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne already showed the world that soon they will become parents. The British Pop sensation showed her baby bump for the first time and they look very happy with it.

Cheryl Cole Pregnancy Updates

The pregnancy rumors started last October this year. Cheryl Cole, the Former X factor judge, tried to keep it low and didnt answer any of those pregnancy questions but the media wont stop bugging her. She already cancelled a lot of her show(that is according to her agent) to relax for a bit but thats not whats happening. Her mother eventually answered some of those questions but it was not very helpful.

Then finally, they were ready to admit the pregnancy. Cheryl Cole and soon to be husband Liam Payne(One Direction Member) went out to attend a party and showed the baby bump. Fans were yelling and the media were screaming when they finally admitted the pregnancy rumors. The couple is visibly happy and they are ready to take parenthood.

Cheryl Coles Baby Gender

Right now, the power couple are tight lipped about the gender of the baby. However, in a stunning turn, we saw an evidence about the babys gender. Liam Payne was seen carrying a basket full of pink clothes and pillows. This led to the conclusion that they are expecting a baby girl. Now, this is not a guarantee yet as Liam Payne has a past of misleading its fans. He is great in hiding or playing mind games. Whatever the gender of the baby is, we hope that the baby is healthy. Cheryl Cole is taking extra measures with regards to her pregnancy and just wants to stay home all day long.

Liam Payne Attacks Louis Walsh

Well, this would not be the first time that the controversial X Factor judge is being attacked verbally by a celebrity. Louis Walsh is very unpredictable and has some attitude. He was also the center of the manipulation of the results in X factor. Yesterday, Liam Payne was pissed with Louis Walsh gesture. Apparently, Walsh didnt even acknowledge Cheryl Cole and just ignored her to death.
Are smartwatches still in? Fitbit may not exactly what you think so since it only bought Pebble's software and shut down its hardware. Moreover, Other manufacturers may not think so as well, with smartwatches sales abruptly dropping from the Google Store. Google wants everyone to think these smart timepieces are still hot, which is why it has announced a new Magic Minute Project, which is simply a marketing campaign that's trying to salvage what little is left of Android Wear's market.

The Magic Minute Market

The Magic Minute Project is a marketing campaign made to allure attention to Android Wear. It subsists of one-minute clips showing what is really possible in a minute, like rapping 300 words or parkouring nonstop for 60 seconds while maintaining a low heart rate.The final minute of a competition is always the most intense: The riders perform their 'all-or-nothing' gimmicks and everything is on the line," Google wrote in the Magic Minute blog post.

Other Things You Might Consider To Know

A wide of variety of Android Wear watches were used in the videos, and that includes the Asus ZenWatch 3, the Moto 360 Sport and Moto 360 second-gen, Huawei Watch, the Fossil Q Wander, Fossil Q Marshal and a lot more.

Not just that, but Google mention the Magic Minute Project is now available to everyone and users could submit their videos and may end up being featured on the website committed to the project. Might as well you could still get all of the Android Wear watches shown off in the videos from the Google Store.

That's a true challenge for Google and its Android Wear platform. Some Market research firm currently noted that smartwatch sales as a whole drop 51 percent in the third quarter, with total shipments spanning just 2.7 million units. Moreover, IDC followed that up with another report stating that simple wearables mostly covered by fitness bands assumed for 85 percent of the wearables market.
Scientists are still speculating how the universe has been formed. There are a number of theories that try to explain this, but none of them have yet been fully verified yet. A newly discovered galaxy might shed light, as a hyper-starburst galaxy might provide clues to the universe's evolution.

The galaxy is known as SPT 0346-52. It is 127 billion light years from the Earth. At such distance it is said to be near as to when the universe was formed, as farther the object is from the Earth, the farther back in time it is. University of Florida graduate student Jingzhe Ma and his team are observing it using Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Using data from the ALMA telescope in Chile, the team noted a bright infrared emission coming from the galaxy. A theory has been proposed about the emission. According to the theory, a supermassive black hole is at the center of the galaxy and that is causing infrared to come out from it.

Gas, dust and other matter fall into a black hole. As these fall into it, they emit bursts of radioactive emission just before they completely fall into it. The team is looking into this using Chandra as well as CSIRO's Australia Telescope Radio Array, according to UF News.

However, after careful observation, there are no x-ray or radio wave emissions coming from the center. A black hole then could not possibly be creating the bright emission, as the team has discovered. Ma said that it could possibly be the bright emission from stars being formed.

Star formation on SPT 0346-52 is going at a fast rate. This rate is 4,500 times the mass of the Sun and is going on every year, as Science Daily reports. Normal galaxies such as the Milky Way only form stars at a rate of one solar mass per year.

It is speculated that SPT 0346-52 has a high volume of cool gas that is speeding up star formation there. The team would be continuing its study to find out if the galaxy would soon have a supermassive black hole in it. The study would also see how a hyper-starburst galaxy might provide clues to the universe's evolution. Planet forming dust has also been recently measured by ALMA, as reported earlier.
When the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were unveiled in October, Apple also announced that it would release Airpods - wireless earphones that connected via Bluetooth. The wearable was supposed to enter the market in October, but the Cupertino-based company has since delayed the same. According to the tech giant, it needed "a little more time."

As Mac Rumors notes, Apple has since kept quiet about any updates on the Airpods, or when it will be available. However, the publication continues on to say that an insider has finally let some light in on why the gadget has been kept under wraps. Apparently, the company is working on some kinks that the public first thought of.

For example, Apple is apparently looking into how it can resolve the issues of battery and if one Airpod is lost. These thing are vital to the use and success of the new wearable, and the company is aware of that. These two issues were some of the first to be raised by the public after the Airpods were first introduced, after all. Furthermore, it as to fix the issue that most Bluetooth earpieces face - the connection to the actual device.

Business Insider explains that with most earphones of the wireless category, only one piece actually connects to the device, while the second connects to the first. Apple, meanwhile, is trying to develop tech that will connect the device to both earpieces. The current struggle involves making sure that each piece will receive the data simultaneously.

There has been no definite announcement made regarding the release of the Airpods, which are noted as "coming soon" on its official webpage. However, several news outlets have claimed that Apple started production on the unit at a limited basis for this month. Where there units are for testing or shipping was not confirmed.
The upcoming Samsung flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S8, will sport an all-screen design up front. This means the physical home button and bezels will be saying their goodbyes.

The virtual home button will be integrated within the phone particularly under the glass at the lower part of the device while the OLED display will wrap around the edges of the phone practically getting rid of the bezels.

Aside from Samsung, Apple is also rumored to be ditching the home button in its next iPhone which will also be released next year. Even the iPad will ditch the home button according to some rumors. This may mean that 2017 will mark the end of the home button.

As for the bezels, Samsung actually got beat by Xiaomi. The Chinese company has already launched the Mi Mix, a device designed by Philippe Starck which has the least bezel so far.

Other Developments

For a time, the S8 was supposed to get a dual rear camera setup. But that idea has apparently been scrapped according to a leak coming all the way from China.

The company is now working with Viv Labs, headed by Siri creators, to update its software with its own digital assistant which will named Bixby, if rumors prove true. Users can tell Bixby to do tasks without going to particular apps. The AI platform will also allow third-party developers to upload services to Bixby helping it become smarter and have more skills.

Release Date

Rumors regarding the availability of the Galaxy S8 point to a March release. However, news of the home button-less design and other new features may push the release date to April, at the least.

Recent reports indicate that the main reason why the Galaxy Note 7 ended up in smoke was Samsung's desire to beat Apple to the punch. The company's aggressiveness has caused it to permanently stop the production of the controversial Note 7.

Because of the travesty, Samsung will surely take its time to test the prototypes, particularly its batteries, before giving its go-ahead to the production team.
Fans of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon were in for a treat after they saw with their own eyes what the Nintendo Switch looked like and how it worked.

The episode of the talk show which aired a day ago was actually supposed to feature the new Super Mario Run mobile game. The show's special guest was Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo America.

Fils-Aime was on hand to discuss the Super Mario Run but surprised everyone including Fallon (supposedly) by unveiling the Nintendo Switch which was just sitting on the table in front of them under a box designed as a Coin Block from the popular Super Mario games.

Super Mario Run

Before the surprise unveiling, Fallon got to play the new mobile game. Staying true to his personality, the talk show host/actor was screaming like a little kid who got a x10 score at the Goal Pole for the first time. He got x7, by the way.

Reggie also announced that SuperMario Run will launch on Dec. 15 but a series of demo runs will be done in Apple stores all over the world starting Thursday.

"I'm geeking out right now!"

Fallon best described the feeling of finally seeing the much-awaited console. The self-confessed video game geek was giddy with excitement as Fils-Aime revealed what was under the Coin Block.

Jimmy also became the first person outside of Nintendo personalities (most likely) to hold the gadget and play a game albeit for a while. The talk show host got to play the new "The Legend of Zelda" game where he got Link to do a shield slide.

Release Date

The Switch was officially announced in October and is scheduled for a March 2017 release.

The much-loved episode (the YouTube clip has garnered more than 1.8 million views as of this writing) also had Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of iconic video games Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, and The Legend of Zelda, as guest. Miyamoto sat in the audience and gave Fallon a thumbs-up for his performance playing Super Mario Run. The Japanese gaming icon also played the Super Mario Theme with The Roots.
Reports have confirmed that Microsoft has officially sealed its $26 Billion LinkedIn acquisition deal, officially making itself the owner of the popular social media platform. The agreement came six months after Microsoft declared its intention to acquire LinkedIn first made headlines.

Microsoft CEO makes his announcement

"Today is a very exciting occasion, one that we've been looking forward to since June. Today marks the close of the agreement of Microsoft acquiring LinkedIn, and the beginning of our journey to bring together the world's leading professional cloud, as well as the world's leading professional network," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a recent blog post.

LinkedIn CEO makes his announcement

"Today, I'm very pleased to announce that we have just officially closed the acquisition. I am more confident than ever that our recent move in joining forces with Microsoft will accelerate our mission to connect the world's professionals and make them more productive and successful than ever, and ultimately help develop economic opportunities for every member of the global workforce," LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner wrote in a recent blog.

New integrations between the two companies

The two firms, now joint as one, will now begin to integrate and collaborate their products and services. Nadella had already outlined a specific set of integration scenarios which are set to come to fruition in the near future. These would include features such as LinkedIn notifications within Windows action center, enabling users to draft resumes on Word when updating LinkedIn profiles and so much more.

Collaborating in a lot of areas

The integration process will also involve developing a business news desk across MSN and other properties, indicating the possibility of MSN advertisers possibly provided the opportunity to buy space on LinkedIn, which will boast 100 million strong monthly visitors, as per report. The two firms are also planning on working together for innovative technology purposes, which would include working on AI, cloud computing, machine learning and so much more.
Apple is undeniably one of the most talked-about smartphone brands in the world. With that said, each of their flagship product gets rumored from the time its predecessor gets unveiled. This is exactly what's happening to the 2017 iPhones. By the moment the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus got released, rumors about their successors already started to surface online. The interesting thing about it is that not all rumors that come out about the next iPhone agree with each other. There are leaks and hints that are somewhat contradictory. Nevertheless, we can just all read between the lines and hope for the best. Here's what's known about Apple's 2017 releases so far.

Apple iPhone 8 Rumors

The iPhone 8 is expected to be a very premium iPhone release. Apart from the rumored change in shape (curved edges), the phone is also expected to come with a glass body, Mac Rumors reported. This means that the alleged iPhone 8 could have a full-display frontal with a smooth surface. The fingerprint scanner will instead be placed underneath the display as the home button is ditched. The front camera should also be tucked below the glass display. On top of that, the device could also be wireless charging-enabled.

Apple iPhone 7S And 7S Plus Rumors

The most recent news shocked a large number of Apple followers. Apparently, it was implied that the 2017 iPhones will be comprised of an iPhone 7S and 7S Plus instead of the earlier rumored iPhone 8. As per a GSM Arena report, this information leak started from a Taiwan-based supplier who also added that the said phones will include a red variant. Apparently, this has led to the assumption that the iPhone 8 rumors have been a big lie all along. Nevertheless, it's still worth noting that one of the earlier rumors about the iPhone 8 is that it will come with three variants. This could still mean that the iPhone 8, 7S, and 7S Plus could all be shown off next year, with the iPhone 8 being the premium model and the 7S and 7S Plus being the regular iPhone successors.

Apple iPhone 2017 Conclusions

With that said, it's important to note that Apple hasn't given out any solid info yet. What is certain at this point is that the next generation of iPhones would show up next year, as what Apple has always been doing. Whether or not the supposed iPhone 8 will be absent next year, it might be too early to assume.

Right now, we can only say that Apple rumors usually turn out to be true. They may not be a hundred percent accurate, but most of the time, they end up being true. If you remember months before the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus' arrival, there were rumors about the ditching of the headphone jack. As ridiculous as that news may have been earlier, it actually ended up being true. As for the iPhone 8, a bunch of rumors have already surfaced for the device to actually be a pigment of imagination. It could as well come with a different name, but it's hard to believe that all those rumors did not root from anything.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 10

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

While the Iranian governments proposed budget bill for the coming year has sparked hot discussions over the countrys economic situation, the sharp plunge in the value of the national currency has cast shadow over the Islamic Republics capabilities to hit its economic objectives.

Earlier in the week, President Hassan Rouhani, through his proposed draft budget plan, forecast that the countrys economic growth over the next Iranian calendar year (starts March 21, 2017) will amount to 7.7 percent with an inflation of 7.6 percent.

This is while, the value of foreign currencies against Irans national currency, rial, has significantly increased in the countrys free market over the past several days.

Over the past week, the price of US dollar increased by at least 2,500 rials, with euro and pound sterling going up by 3,300 rials and 3,800 rials, respectively, in the free market.

While one US dollar was traded at about 39,078 rials on Dec. 10, euro valued about 42,285 rials with pound sterling at 49,370 rials in the free market.

In the meantime, the Central Bank of Iran put the official rates of the US dollar at 32,199 rials, euro at 34,005 rials and pound sterling at 40,482 rials on the same day.

The surge in currency prices comes after a relatively stable period in the countrys currency market, provoking public discussions over the future of economic situation in the Islamic Republic.

Budget bill seems to be optimistic on economic growth

Considering the recent surge in the value of the foreign currencies, in particular US dollar, which will probably continue over the coming months, I assume that Irans current single digit inflation rate will again be at two-digit level, surpassing 10 percent over the next year, Alireza Kadivar, a financial analyst and deputy head of Irans Novin Investment Bank, told Trend.

When Rouhani took office in 2013 the inflation rate was somewhere above 30 percent, which over the current year dropped to single digits (9.5 percent) for the first time in a quarter century.

Although the administration officials have denied the governments involvement in decreasing the value of the national currency against the US dollar, Kadivar still believes that the increase in dollar prices will help the government to cover a part of its budget deficit.

Financial policies adopted by the Central Bank of Iran and the current deficit in the government budget are likely to lead the administration to increasing the value of the foreign currencies against rial, he added.

The government, however, says it is not in favor of increasing its income through higher dollar prices as the national purchasing power is of high importance for the administration.

In the meantime Saeed Laylaz, an Iranian economist who was an adviser to former President Mohammad Khatami, told Trend that he was not as optimistic as the governments draft budget bill regarding the economic growth and inflation rate, though the countrys economy will continue to grow over the next year.

He forecasts that the economic growth in the country is more likely to stand somewhere at 4-6 percent rather than the budgets anticipation of 7.7 percent.

Laylaz further believes that the inflation rate is also expected to slightly increase over the next year, reaching 11-13 percent.

Reasons behind rocketing currency prices

A group of Iranian economy experts say that the concerns over the proper implementation of Irans nuclear deal with the world powers, the possible implications of the outcome of the US presidential election, a surge in demand for foreign currencies in the country ahead of the New Year as well as the proposed rate for dollar (33,000 rials) in the administrations draft budget bill for the coming year are among the main reasons for the rocketing currency prices.

On the other hand, a group of observers suggest that there are some other significant factors causing the violent fluctuations in the countrys currency market.

This group of experts says that the main reason behind the fluctuations is the galloping inflation over the past several years.

The inflation rate in the Islamic Republic in the Iranian calendar year of 1392 (March 2013-March 2014) stood at 34 percent, which fell to 15 percent in the following year, reaching 12 percent in the last Iranian year (ended March 21, 2016). The downward trend of the inflation rate continued over the current year, posting 9.5 percent.

These figures simply state the fact that purchasing power of Iranian consumers has decreased by 70 percent over the past three years. In other words, the value of the national currency has declined by 70 percent.

It appears that the value of foreign currencies in Iran over the past three years has failed to keep pace with the 70 percent inflation rate, therefore the government and Central Bank of Iran may adopt some financial and monetary policies to rebalance the currency market.

If this condition leads to the government intervention by means of suppressing the value of foreign currencies against rial, the countrys domestic production will face a risk of collapse as ordinary consumers find it more beneficial to purchase imported goods rather than the home-made ones.

For a period of 10 years since 2001, the Central Bank, ignoring the inflation rate, injected dollars into the countrys currency market in a bid to stabilize the currency rate  a failed policy as the prices of the greenback suddenly hiked in 2012 reaching 30,000 rials from the decade long 10,000 rials.

Over those years, thanks to the oil dollars, the government and the Central Bank were capable of keeping the control of the currency.

However, after years of devastating sanctions and plunging oil prices, the Iranian financial authorities do not seem to enjoy such rich monetary resources to protect the value of rial in the current conditions.

---

Farhad Daneshvar is Trend Agency's staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @Farhad_Danesh
Flip phones may sound like a thing of the past. However, it's undeniable how much of a great thing that technology was. With that said, there is a good chance that current smartphone leaders will once again embrace that old-school technology in the modern times. It's worth noting though that Samsung isn't at all a stranger to modern flip phones as the company actually releases some in certain markets. Releasing a premium flip phone for the rest of the world on the other hand, is what is being rumored right now. Both tech giants Apple and Samsung are rumored to embrace that technology in the foreseeable future.

Samsung To Introduce Premium Foldable Phones

Rumors suggest that Samsung is now in the works for a foldable smartphone. Phone Arena says that this unit can go from being a phone to being a tablet by means of special hinges. It was said that this phone could appear this coming CES or MWC event. Take note that the rumor suggests a tablet-to-phone gadget instead of the regular flip smartphone. This pretty much is a big deal if it does get materialized.

Apple Receives Foldable Display Patent For Smartphones

A recent patent has been granted to Apple for flexible display devices. This supposed device is still a patent and is overall as vague as it can get, but people expect it to be used on future iPhones. As per CNET, the proposed design features a foldable device that highly resembles the traditional flip phones.

Current Flip Phones 2016

It's worth mentioning that Samsung's W2016 device is a high-powered flip smartphone. However, this unit isn't released in a large number of markets. In fact, this phone has just been made official in China last November. It was said that this phone is equipped with great specs like 3 GB RAM, 16 MP/5 MP cameras, Exynos 7420 SoC and 4G support. Needless to say, creating a flip smartphone is a very possible thing, as presented by Samsung. It looks like these companies are just waiting for the right time and the right marketing strategies before they make this technology once again mainstream.
Given how the automaker has been consecutively receiving different honors in the recent years, it would not be a surprise if a lot of people have already expected this outcome. This does not change the fact that Subaru has achieved an incredible feat as five of its vehicles won top marks in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) annual event.

The Top Safety Picks

According to a report from Torque News, Subaru was able to earn the three Top Safety Pick+ award with its Outback, Forester and Legacy while the Crosstek and WRX were each given a Top Safety Pick award. The Top Safety Pick+ represents the highest honor in the annual IIHS event while the Top Safety Pick represents the second highest award.

It Is Not An Easy Battle

Apparently, qualifying even for the second top mark is not easy. Reports stated that a good rating has to be achieved by a vehicle in after being subjected to five crashworthiness tests. The tests will check the small and moderate overlap front, the roof strength and head restraints, the side and the car.

In addition, a superior rating also needs to be achieved by a vehicle in the aspect of crash prevention as reported. Earning the Top Safety Pick+ honor is harder. Aside from the five crash worthiness tests and superior crash prevention rating, the car also needs to achieve a good rating in the headlight aspect. Apparently, the latter is one aspect where many failed.

Not The First Time

This is not the first time that Subaru was able to earn a Top Safety Pick Award. In fact, the Subaru Forester holds the longest streak of achieving this award and this win marks the 12th year of the automaker's midsized SUV winning the Top Safety Pick award as reported by The Province. "Safety continues to be one of Subaru's Core values. We will continue to demonstrate our commitment to safety as we design and develop core technologies such as the Subaru Global Platform, to meet the safety standards of the future", said Shiro Ohta, charman, president and CEO of Subaru Canada, Inc.
Events start to spin out of Abby's control and it makes her totally anxious. Abby is ready to show herself to Chad. "Days of Our Lives" spoilers hint at Abby's decision to flee Salem after seeing her husband and Gabi kissing each other torridly.

Abby Flees Salem In Panic

The truth about Abby (Marci Miller) starts to spread. Laura (Jaime Lyn Bauer) had hidden her for long. Abby revealed herself to Jennifer (Melissa Reeves). JJ (Casey Moss) and Dario (Jordi Vilasuso) discovered her. The latest is Gabi (Camila Banus) who will have hints that she's alive. Abby clearly fears most of all to show herself to Chad (Billy Flynn).

However, seeing her secret unfold on its own, Abby seems too daunted with the fact that she could no longer hold her fate in her hands. Upon learning that Chad is ready to move on and plans to hold a memorial for her, Abby comes to her senses about how much pain she's caused her husband and it crumples her to the bone. The preview for Monday, Dec. 12 shows Abby is ready to end her hiding.

"Days of Our Lives" spoilers, however, reveal that as Abby is about to show herself, she'll see Chad and Gabi in each other's arms kissing torridly. This will prompt Abby to flee Salem. Abby feels that Chad and Thomas do not need her anymore so they're better off without her.

Jennifer And JJ Report Abby Missing

Down an alley, Abby has her moment crying and in panic. She's insanely affected by her condition and it resists her to face the reality. Abby hasn't fully recovered mentally and having Laura by her side would help her so much. Yet, latest spoilers suggest that Jennifer and JJ will report Abby to authorities as missing. Later though, either Jennifer or JJ will be able to find her but one person will see her. Certainly, Abby will find herself sitting on Christmas dinner with her family and Chad.

Is leaving town to escape her situation the right thing for Abby to do? Who will see Abby when she flees? What do you think? Comment down below your thoughts!

"Days of Our Lives" airs Mondays thru Fridays at 2:00 p.m. ET on NBC.
Toyota finally confirms that a new 86 is on the way. Given how it was an instant hit the first time it came to the auto market, it only makes sense that a second generation follows. A lot of fans and enthusiasts have been patiently waiting for the next generation of the 86 and it seems that their wish has been granted.

The Confirmation

The confirmation of the second generation of the 86 is one that a lot of people have anxiously anticipated. According to a report from Road and Track, the next generation of the 86 is now actually being developed. "The GT86 will carry on. The car serves a big purpose. We are not getting out of that business. Sporty cars go through their phases. It's our intention to continue with the car," said Karl Schlicht, head of Toyota Europe.

The Development

While it has been confirmed that a new 86 is coming, most of the details about its second generation are still under wraps as noted by Left Lane News. In a statement, Schlicht mentioned that the project is still at the embryonic stage of development and there is still no chief engineer for the project. Schlicht also added that the development of the 86 will likely be in cooperation with Subaru. The latter was Toyota's partner in the development of the first generation 86.

When Will It Be Introduced?

It appears that fans and enthusiasts do not have to wait very long. Schlicht stated that the next generation of the 86 will be introduced before the year 2018 ends or in the beginning of 2019. The U.S. market however, will have to wait a little longer as the next generation of 86 will probably come in 2020. The good news is that when it finally arrives in the North American shores, it will not be alone as the new Supra will be tagging along with it.
Tehran, Iran, December 10

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

Russias Minister of Energy Alexander Novak will travel to Tehran December 13 to meet Irans Minister of Oil Bijan Zanganeh, SHANA news agency reported December 10.

Novaks visit comes a few days after the 171st meeting of the OPEC, where members decided to cut down on their output by 1.2 mbpd starting January 1, 2017. Also, it was agreed there that OPEC non-members lower their output by 600,000 bpd.

Iran has been exempted from crude output cuts. The country just recovered from sanctions in January. Since then, Iran has managed to regain its pre-sanctions OPEC quota.
Nicole Kidman, 49 is free to decide if she's going to divulge what she know and how Scientology affects her marriage to Tom Cruise, 54 and her relationship with their children. Recent news said that she's going to write a tell-all book. Since Tom Cruise and Scientology is hot these days, the book will be more popular if she will really expose everything.

Kidman is actually writing her autobiography and since Tom Cruise and Scientology became a major part of her life, they should be at least mentioned. It will be on her discretion how she will go about the details - discrete or not. It will be the reader's decision to judge Scientology and her ex-husband, but, she can surely put a dent on their reputation if she decides to go that way, says Hollywood Life.

Katie Holmes, 37, Cruise's other ex-wife is prohibited from speaking out about their union and the religion according to their legal agreement. Kidman does not have that kind of restriction. It is a fact however that if she chooses to divulge anything that can destroy Scientology, then she is subject to lawsuits like what happens to former King of Queens star, Leah Remini.

The Church of Scientology according to former Scientologist Marty Rathbun has already discredited Nicole Kidman by telling her children that she is a sociopath. The former chief spokesman for the church, Tommy Davis allegedly told Bella and Connor who are now 23 and 21 about that repeatedly until they are brainwashed. The book can then be her sort of revenge if that is true.

It's all good for Nicole Kidman but on the other side.despite Tom Cruise's flirting with Scientology, he is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Jerry Maguire which was a $273 million hit. It's not a comics, action or true to life film like today's top films but it has won an Oscar and quite successful for being how it is, a wholesome film on its own, as hinted by MTV.

He is also mentioned in the previous article her on Jobs & Hire regarding the Church of Scientology dispute with Leah Remini. She is the one who faces various lawsuits as she tells it all through her documentary show, "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath."
The midseason finale of "The Walking Dead" Season 7 is beginning to heat up as there's a possibility Carol (Melissa McBride) and Morgan (Lennie James) will be going to war against The Saviors. Meanwhile, Negan and his team visit Alexandria, while Rick and his crew are out scavenging for supplies.

E! News shared an exclusive sneak peek on what will happen on the midseason finale of "The Walking Dead" Season 7. In the clip, Morgan pays Carol a visit to bring her some fruits, but Carol reveals that Ezekiel also visits her while bringing some fruits as well.

When Morgan is about to leave, someone from The Kingdom is seen at the door, saying he wasn't expecting to see Morgan at Carol's house but was glad he was there as he needs to talk to the both of them. What could the person from The Kingdom have to say to Morgan and Carol?

The International Business Times showed a promo video, providing a glimpse of the kind of conversation Morgan and Carol had with the person from The Kingdom. The person can be heard saying that he knows what The Saviors are and what they do, "they cannot be trusted." Morgan asked what exactly does the person want them to do.

The person from The Kingdom replied, while various scenes are being shown in the video, "if we don't do something now, things will go bad. And when they do, we'll lose everything." Could this be an indication that he is recruiting Morgan and Carol to go to war against The Saviors?

That's likely the reason why he was there and why he needed to talk to both Morgan and Carol. But will they go for it?

Speaking of Negan, he and his men paid a visit to Alexandria while Rick and his team are out scavenging for supplies. A synopsis for the show says that things got out of control as tensions between the two groups are still high.

With so many questions needing answers, fans from all over the world will surely be tuning into the midseason finale of "The Walking Dead" Season 7. The midseason finale episode is scheduled to air on AMC, Sunday, December 11, 2016, 9 p.m. EST.
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Iranian Shipping Lines (IRISL) finalized a contract with Hyundai Heavy Industries Company to buy 10 ships worth dlrs 650 million and develop technical cooperation on shipbuilding, the South Korean industry giant, Hyundai, said in a statement on Saturday, IRNA reported.

Hyundai said that the company wll build several container ships and oil tankers for the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines for delivery from year 2018.

One of the container ship will have capacity of 14,500 containers, but the exact number of containers and oil tankers has not been declared yet.

It is the first contract to purchase ships from South Korea after lifting sanctions by implementing the nuclear deal last January.

IRISL said that the Iranian and South Korean companies have record of close cooperation to develop shipping industry and joint venture investment in Iran.

IRNA economic correspondent said that Iran required the South African industrialists to develop joint venture investment with Iranian partners in Iran in parallel with purchase of industrial products.
Q: Why is the nation called Israel rather than Judah?

Reader

Answer: The three great patriarchs of the Jewish people were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In Genesis 35:10, God changed Jacobs name to Israel, meaning He who strives with God. The book of Genesis calls him both Jacob and Israel. He had 12 sons who became the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Judah was the fourth son of Isaac and Leah. His name was given to the Southern Kingdom when the division occurred. The Northern Kingdom was called Israel. The land was primarily Jewish until the 3rd Century AD. After the 3rd century, it was primarily Christian until the 7th Century AD when it became under the control of Muslims. The Zionist movement began in the late 19th century with the hopes and plans to return to the homeland.

In 1947, the United Nations recommended the creation of two states, Israel and Palestine. Then in May, 1948, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the independence of the new state of Israel. President Harry Truman officially recognized Israel. Independence Day was named Yom Haatzmaut.

Instead of the two kingdoms, the country was united with one name, Israel. Another important place name is Zion. It is mentioned frequently in scripture, and it refers to the Temple Mount. It actually means fortification, but it can refer to Jerusalem, City of David, and the City of God. In Jeremiah 31: 5-6, Jeremiah says, Arise and go to Zion to the Lord our God.

The Old Testament describes the wars, captivity, and exodus of the ancient people. The more modern story of Jewish people leaving many places around the world to escape persecution and some returning to Israel is important and moving. As with many stories in the history books, the struggle was hard, and even now the area continues to have problems. Jerusalem has been and is a holy and sacred city for people of three major world religions, and it should always be protected by people of faith. It should be a fortress of peace.

Studying our faiths

I just finished teaching a course about world religions and continue to be amazed by the many different religions. I am encouraged by the many beliefs that these religions have in common. Yet, my enthusiasm is dampened by the strong emphasis that is placed on the differences. I have also found the same points in my study of Christian denominations. We sometimes tend to permit our religion to divide us. A global society requires tolerance and understanding. We do not need to believe the same or think the same. But we do need to use our religions to solve common problems. Maybe a partial answer would be to study and understand the beliefs of others. I am planning to include discussions on different denominations and religions. If you have a question about either, I will try to devote a column once a month to sharing ideas about different beliefs and denominations.

In this column, I will start these discussions by giving a brief introduction of the Southern Baptist denomination and encourage those who are interested to read more details. Southern Baptist is the largest Protestant denomination in American. Southern Baptists belong to their Baptist congregation which is autonomous. The pastors and members are chosen by congregational vote. To become a member, one must be baptized by immersion, but they believe that they are saved by grace. They do not have sacraments, but they celebrate baptism and the Lords Supper which are called ordinances, not sacraments. Southern Baptists regard baptism as a sign of faith and the Lords Supper as a memorial. The Bible is believed to be the true word of God and is used for guidance in all things. By practice, they tend to be evangelical in spreading the word of Christ. Many of the early Baptists came from England to escape persecution. For that reason, Roger Williams started the First Baptist Church in America in Providence, Rhode Island in 1638. It was in the 1800s that the small southern mission groups formed what is now called Southern Baptist Churches. A group met in 1845 and formed the Southern Baptist Convention in Augusta, Ga. Since that time there have been several divisions with a truly interesting history. Reports reveal that there are over 15 million members and over 46,000 churches associated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The oldest Baptist Church in the South was founded in 1682 in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Forsyth County Public Librarys bookmobile has driven into the 21st century with a new name, Web on Wheels, and a new mission.

The bookmobile, which is called WOW, offers more space for technology and computer based education.

The 26-foot-long bus has desk space for five laptops and other devices. It also will offer on-site training courses, access to the Internet and access to technology devices such as electronic tablets and laptop computers to assist in online job searches and job applications.

Yolanda Bolden, manager of outreach services for Forsyth County Public Library, said WOW will help bridge the digital divide.

We wanted to be able to provide a service to assist with connecting those who dont have access to computers, Bolden said.

WOW is cruising the streets of Forsyth County to get more community input on what residents want to see in the bookmobile and where it should make stops.

Right now, were partnered with our library branches and other agencies, Bolden said. We have about 19 scheduled stops so far in neighborhoods and agencies weve had a history with.

Wow also has free Wi-Fi, so community members can use their wireless devices in and around the bookmobile.

Though internet and wireless access is still considered a luxury, it has become increasingly necessary for children and adults.

About 20 percent of Forsyth County residents have no internet access, either because they do not own a computer or because they have a computer but no internet connection, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus American Community Survey.

Homework for students is often assigned online or requires online research.

The lack of internet access can affect job searches, too. Many companies post job openings and applications only online, so people looking for work also depend on access to the internet.

WOW will also play a role in early childhood literacy efforts in Forsyth County. It will stop at day-care centers and human service agencies, allowing children and adults to check out books and AV materials. Library staff will provide training and education, and access to technology resources at the stops.

A television on the outside of WOW allows library staff to have programs for the holidays, storytime and other seasonal events.

The library received a grant buy the bus and equipment needed to equip it.
RALEIGH  Gov. Pat McCrory is calling legislators back to Raleigh next week to authorize disaster relief after Hurricane Matthew and mountain wildfires, but some statewide elected officials criticized the proclamations language for opening the door for all kinds of other topics to come up.

The proclamation McCrory signed Friday tells the General Assembly to reconvene Tuesday morning. It says the purposes of the special session are to authorize money for both disasters and to change the law to aid the recovery. But the proclamation also says legislators can take up any other matters the General Assembly elects to consider.

Several members of the Council of State  Democratic Attorney General and Gov.-elect Roy Cooper and Republican Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry among them  told McCrorys attorney Thursday that the session should have been narrowed to disaster relief only.

I do not consent to, join in, or advise any extra session with a broader purpose, Democratic State Treasurer Janet Cowell wrote to McCrory attorney Bob Stephens.

McCrorys office didnt respond to an email requesting comment on the response by Council of State members. The state constitution says a governor can convene a special session with the advice of the Council of State, which he did Thursday by providing language of the sessions scope to council members. But the governor doesnt need the councils support before calling it.

House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, said Friday that he believes the legislature can act on anything it chooses once it has convened, regardless of the proclamation language.

Democrats in the legislature and their allies have been especially worried about what other legislation Republicans could pass during the session.

Moore said he anticipates that legislators will debate a few topics outside of disaster relief  perhaps items left over from the last regular work session that ended in early July. He declined to discuss potential topics because the N.C. House Republican Party caucus hasnt met to consider them.

Still, Moore said, this session is about disaster relief and taking care of critical business facing the state.

Through social media and news conferences, critics of the Republicans have stoked suspicions that the GOP wants to pass legislation increasing the number of justices on the N.C. Supreme Court from seven to nine, preserving a Republican majority on the bench even though Democrats won a fourth seat on the court last month. Such a scenario would have McCrory naming the new justices before he leaves office at the end of the month.

Republican leaders have said the court-packing idea isnt something theyre talking about. Moore said he has not seen any proposed legislation on the topic.

The only folks that are talking about that (are) the Democrats, he said, adding that at this point, I would be very surprised if it came up.
Novant Health Inc. has gained final approval for a rare joint venture with a publicly traded company for a $28.3 million inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Winston-Salem.

Novant said Thursday that the N.C. Division of Health Service Regulation has approved its certificate-of-need application for a 68-bed facility.

The hospital will replace Novants rehabilitation center at 3333 Silas Creek Parkway.

The proposed site is located at the intersections of Stratford Road and Hillcrest Center and Somerset drives  within three miles of the current location.

The facility would serve patients who have experienced a stroke, trauma, brain injury, complex orthopedic conditions as well as other major illnesses or injuries.

Joining Novant on the application is HealthSouth Corp. of Birmingham, Ala. It is one of the nations largest providers of post-acute health care services, offering both facility and home-based care in 34 states and Puerto Rico.

The Winston-Salem facility would be HealthSouths first inpatient rehabilitation hospital in North Carolina. Construction is set to begin this summer.

Novant said it determined that a joint venture was the best way to continue advancing inpatient rehabilitation services for patients.

This joint venture combines the strengths of a high-quality provider with the operating platforms and clinical resources of our national network to further advance the already strong rehabilitative care Novant provides, Ed Mowen, president of HealthSouths mid-Atlantic region, said in a statement.

Dr. Stephen Motew, president of Novants Winston-Salem market, said the hospital will help meet the growing demand for rehabilitative care in this community.

Novant said it chose HealthSouth based on its expertise with inpatient rehabilitation hospitals.

Of HealthSouths 122 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, 34 were formed through joint ventures. All but three of the inpatient rehabilitation hospitals are with not-for-profit acute-care hospital systems.

Neither the 2016 nor proposed 2017 State Medical plans indicate an identified need for such an inpatient rehabilitation hospital in the state.

Typically, state health officials identify a health care need, whether regional or statewide, in the annual plan. The need can be as large as a hospital or as small as a piece of equipment.

Health care systems, hospitals and independent providers submit certificate-of-need applications. State regulators decide on the most efficient and cost-effective applicant as part of their mission to avoid unnecessary duplication of services.

David Meyer, senior partner with Keystone Planning Group of Durham, said there is a history in North Carolina of general acute-care hospital operators working with organizations that specialize in long-term acute-care hospitals.

They essentially operate as a hospital within a hospital, Meyer said. He noted HealthSouths experience in this care segment.

However, this is the first joint venture for an inpatient rehabilitation hospital which I am aware of in North Carolina.

I would imagine Novant is testing the waters with this joint venture to see what benefits can be gained and what it can learn, Meyer said.
Winston-Salem police closed the northbound and southbound lanes of the 1400 block of Peters Creek Parkway Friday night into early Saturday morning, authorities said.

Police acted because a broken pipe poured water onto the road and it froze as temperatures plummeted throughout the night.

Two vehicles had overturned Friday night and their occupants had minor injuries, said Police Lt. Rick Newnum.

Officers blocked the affected section of the road late Friday. They detoured drivers traveling north from Peters Creek Parkway to Link Road.

The road was hazardous for drivers, police said. Police encouraged motorists to find alternate routes around the area until the section of road reopened.
Tehran, Iran, December 10

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned UK Ambassador Nicholas Hopton over recent remarks by Prime Minister Theresa May.

Accordingly, Iran conveyed strong protest to Hopton over Mays meddlesome statements about Iran in a recent Persian Gulf Cooperation Council meeting, spokesman Bahram Qassemi said, IRNA news agency reported December 10.

In her recent address to the council, May had accused Iran of destabilizing the Middle East.

Hopton was told that Mays inconsiderate statements would fly in the face of mutual intentions to develop relations as previously stated, Qassemi said.

The spokesman expressed surprise while Iran is making attempts to bring peace and security to the region, some regional countries support for terrorism seem to be overlooked by the UK.

Iran and the UK resumed diplomatic ties this summer after four years of severed diplomatic relations.
The Shiveluch volcano, which is the northernmost active volcano in Russias Kamchatka Territory, has spewed ash 11,000 meters above sea level, the Kamchatka branch of the Russian Emergencies Ministry informed in a statement, Sputnik reported.

A huge ash emission from Shiveluch volcano was registered in the morning on December 10, according to the ministry.

"The height of the ash plume was up to 11,000 meters above sea level. The height of the volcano is 3,200 meters," the Saturday statement said.

According to the local emergencies authorities, there are no settlements in the path of the ash plume and no Kamchatka residents were affected by the incident.

An orange aviation alert has been issued for the volcano, which is one of the largest in Kamchatka.
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

The headlines scream, Secret CIA assessment says Russia was trying to help Trump win White House and Obama orders review of Russian Hacking during Presidential campaign.

I dont doubt that the Russian Federation employs hackers and PR people to influence public opinion and even election outcomes in other countries. So does the United States of America. But I am skeptical that anything the Russians did caused Donald Trump to be president.

It wasnt like Trump was a Manchurian Candidate, a stealth plant in the US body politic who would only be operationalized once elected.

Trump was in plain view. He had all along been in plain view. His hatred for uppity or nasty women, his racism, his prickliness, his narcissism, his rich white boy arrogance and entitlement (apparently even to strange women and other mens wives), his cronyism and his fundamental dishonesty were on display 24/7 during some 18 months of the campaign, and it wasnt as though he were an unknown quantity before that.

Americans voted for him anyway. Slightly more Americans voted for him than for a respectable person like Mitt Romney. No Russians were holding a gun to their heads. And they knew, or should have known, what they were getting.

By a black swan fluke, a few tens of thousands of the Trump voters were distributed differently, state by state, than the McCain and Romney voters; and in some key states like Michigan Sec. Clinton did not do as well as Obama had, even if she was beloved in California and New York.

One of the cleverest things Trump said during the campaign was directed to African-American voters, asking what they had to lose by challenging the status quo and voting for him. It was a trick, of course, and they have everything to lose, both because the Republican Partys economic policies aim to help rich people at the expense of workers and most African-Americans are working class, and because the GOP since Nixon has connived at attracting a white racist constituency, and succeeded.

But despite the dishonesty of the quip (which did not fool African-Americans one little bit), that kind of thinking appears to have been widespread. In some states, as many as 14 percent of the white working class deserted the Democratic Party compared to the previous two elections, and, worse, 21 percent of white working class voters who used to vote for Obama just stayed home. They werent being irrational. Things have been bad for them and they havent participated in the recovery after 2008 the way the stock market has. Their death rates have even increased.

Nor did any Russian hacking related to Wikileaks, if that is what happened, prove decisive. Clintons own polling people found the big turning point was when she called Trump voters a basket of deplorables. Americans dont like being talked down to, and had already gotten rid of Romney for the same sin. The spectacle of Clinton taking hundreds of thousands of dollars to give a speech to the people who put them out of their homes in 2008-9 also turned many of them off so that they stayed home, while another section of them decided to take a chance on Trump. He will screw them over, but from their point of view, they worried that she might have, as well. Trump was promising to stop the hemorrhaging of jobs via protectionism, whereas everyone understood that Sec. Clintons first instinct was to do TPP and send more jobs to Asia.

So it was Clintons public persona and public positions that hurt her and depressed Democratic turnout in places like Detroit and Flint, not anything in Wikileaks (can anyone name even one newsworthy email?) Or on the other hand it was Neofascist disinformation campaigns like spiritcooking and pizzagate. It wasnt anything as rational as a Putin sting.

No, America had its eyes wide open. The Republican Party, the usual 61 million, voted for Trump, despite his vulgar talk and vulgar style of life. Since the GOP is mostly the party of Protestant whites plus about 40 million Catholics who think they are white, nobody over there too much minded the racism against minorities. There were some defections among the white Protestant married women from the GOP (either stay-at-homes or aisle-crossers) and there were some defections among the white working class from the Democratic Party. But those two may well have just cancelled each other out.

The GOP voted for a champion of the business classes, which Trump will be, in spades. And that is what everyone should expect. There is nothing surprising about it. The GOP wins nationally when it can add to its base of small and large businesspeople and farmers and exurbanites, and Trump managed to attract a few tens of thousands of other sorts of people in the districts where it happened to matter.

Russia doesnt enter into it.
A bill to change Turkeys constitution and governing system has been submitted to parliament on Saturday, Anadolu reported.

Justice and Development [AK] Party's Group Deputy Chairman Mustafa Elitas submitted the bill to Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman with 316 signatures, total number of ruling party's seats.

The move came following an agreement struck with the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on the draft amendments.

The government has long sought to replace the current parliamentary system with a presidential one, saying there are flaws in the setup which hold back Turkeys development.

However, the ruling party does not have enough lawmakers alone to enact the proposal. The draft constitution needs at least 330 votes in a secret parliamentary ballot to pave the way for a referendum.

The Justice and Development (AK) Party has 316 seats while the MHP has 40 lawmakers; both parties back the bill.

The largest opposition group, the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) remains opposed to the changes.

Teams from both the AK Party and MHP have carried out detailed work on disputed areas in the draft. Binali Yildirim, who is also the AK Party leader, has repeatedly met MHP head Devlet Bahceli on the issue.

Bahceli said on Monday the meetings had been "positive" and said a draft bill on the new constitution would soon be sent to parliament.

Despite the public having not seen the draft text, some media outlets claimed the two parties debates focused on three main issues.

These were: the authority of the current president until 2019; the limits of presidential decrees; and the quorum required to take the president to the Supreme Council for prosecution.

"The proposal, of course, will be a text that the MHP agrees upon or one that has been negotiated and agreed on, Yildirim said recently, adding that a referendum to endorse the bill would be possible by early next summer "if everything goes well".

Before that stage, the proposal must be presented at the Turkish Parliament's General Assembly after approval by the Constitutional Committee. The constitutional amendment would then be discussed at two parliamentary sessions of the General Assembly.

During the first session, the four political parties in the assembly and the government would discuss the proposal as a whole and the articles separately, as well as any motions for amendment. The second session would be devoted only to the discussion of motions for amendment of articles.

If the draft constitution gets more than 367 votes, it can pass directly without the need for a referendum. However, the AK Party has said it will hold a referendum, even if none is needed.

If two-thirds of parliament (367) approve the bill, the president can take it to a referendum; that vote would be held within 60 days.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that he will push for a referendum even if the draft is approved by a two-thirds majority in parliament.

The change to the constitution requires a 50 percent vote in favor in a referendum.

Constitutional change -- in particular, the call for a presidential system -- has been on the political agenda since Erdogan, the former prime minister and AK Party leader, was elected Turkey's president in August 2014.

That election was the first time a Turkish president was directly chosen by popular vote.

In the current parliamentary model, Turkish people vote for 550 members of parliament. The government is formed by minimum number of 276 lawmakers.

In the proposed presidential system, the electorate would vote for a person to form a government independently of parliament, with no need of a vote of confidence.
By Matthew Tempest | ( EurActiv.com ) |  

Syria: Abdulaziz (in red), 10, whose father was killed in the continuing conflict, spends time with his friends at the Land of Childhood  two basements linked with a tunnel to create an underground playground that gives children a relatively safe place to have fun in their besieged area.

[UNICEF]

From Aleppo to South Sudan or Yemen, UNICEF banged the drum for education in emergencies at a European Parliament event this week, highlighting the plight of tens of millions of children in conflict and emergency situations going without schooling.

EurActivs development correspondent Matthew Tempest spoke with Justin Forsyth, the deputy Executive Director of UNICEF on the sidelines of an event at the European Parliament on Tuesday (6 December).

Forsyth is formerly chief executive of Save the Children and a former advisor to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

What was todays event hoping to achieve?

It was about putting the spotlight on education in emergencies. Weve made a lot of progress in the world in terms of getting children into school in general  but in emergency situations many children fall out of school, and they dont need to.

Or they stop learning. And very little humanitarian aid is spent on that. So Commissioner Stylianides and all these children were all here today to bang the drum for education in emergencies.

Whether its in Aleppo or South Sudan or Yemen, the question is how do we keep children learning amidst humanitarian emergencies? We heard some great stories about how thats possible.

UNICEFs figures are that 462 million children are in emergency situations and some 75 million children are not able to attend schools. Now, nobody can be in favour of 75 million children not attending school, so what is it youre wanting concretely, or in financial terms, to help that situation?

One example is that in the past, the European Union  one of the biggest aid donors in the world  spent less than 2%, or only a few %, of its humanitarian budget on emergencies. Then Commissioner Stylianides came in, saying we spent 4%, now its going to be 6%, and now its going to be even more than that. So one thing is to mobilise a lot of money.

And its not just the EU  the World Bank, bilaterally the British government, the Norwegians, the Americans, a lot more money is going towards this, and that leads to practical results.

In Aleppo at the moment, even in the midst of all this conflict, there are underground schools, where children are learning. And thats with European Union money. In the refugee camps in Jordan and Turkey, there were huge numbers of children out of school  and now nearly all the children in Jordan, for example, are in school. Theres still a lot more to go in Turkey, but in Jordan theres been a huge amount of progress, so we dont have this lost generation of children that miss out on education, because we know it damages those children.

But it also has very negative impacts on those communities and societies. And in places like the Middle East, it leaves them vulnerable to being recruited by extremists.

You mentioned Syria and Aleppo. Obviously, that is on everyones minds at the moment, but speaking to a lot of NGOs over the past few months, Syria crowds out a lot of other forgotten conflicts. Theres also Yemen, the Lake Chad situation in Africa

Completely. Ive just been in South Sudan over the summer, and 50% of the children in South Sudan dont go to school. And thats a tragedy. We were beginning to make progress in South Sudan, but the two leaders there opening up that conflict again in July has led to mass displacement and huge amounts of children being malnourished, but its also displaced more children out of school, and armed groups have not only been committing human rights abuses generally, but recruiting children as child soldiers.

I went to one very remote part of South Sudan, a place called Bentu where thousands of people are displaced by the war. In the refugee camp theyve begun to put schools together, children are learning again, and they were really eager and enthusiastic  because it creates some normalcy for them in the midst of conflict, as well as making sure they dont miss out on learning.

So I completely agree. South Sudan, also northern Nigeria, where Boko Haram deliberately targeted I think 3,000 schools were destroyed. As theyve been pushed back, more children were able to start education again in those areas.

Its not just Syria, where children are on the move.

UNICEF Deputy Director Justin Forsyth believes people have almost given up hope on Syria, and that 2016 was one of the worst years in history for children worldwide. [Twitter]

I guess part of the importance of education is that  horrible as the situation children find themselves in now  if they have an education of some sort, they are equipped with tools for later life, whereas if you miss out entirely, its hard to get a second chance.

No. Although you can catch up later, and some of the programmes which we run with slightly older children are catch up programmes. But its much better that you dont miss out  because also those children are also vulnerable to abuse, or working in factories, like they are in Turkey at the moment. So schools are a place of safety, as well. So keeping children learning has a double benefit.

And it might not be formal schools. In South Sudan, I went to outdoor schools, tents in one of the refugee camps, and in Aleppo as I mentioned there are underground schools. We have to make do in these very difficult situations, but the point is you have a place of safety for children.

Since its December, how do you see 2016 in retrospect from the development/humanitarian perspective? Weve had the London Syria donors conference, the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, the EUs new Consensus on Development. And yet, on the other hand, theres no end in sight to the Syrian conflict, there are millions of refugees in neighbouring countries, let alone Europe. Do you have any glimmer of hope for 2017?

I think 2016 was probably one of the worst years in history for children. If you add up not just Syria, but Yemen, South Sudan, northern Nigeria, children on the move around the world, fleeing gang violence in central America, or crossing the Mediterranean from Libya, there cant be many years that children suffered so much from violence, let alone missing out on education.

In Syria, I think it looks very bleak at the moment. In many of these besieged areas where we work and try to have access, yes, some aid has got in, more than in eastern Aleppo, but very little, and much less than in previous years. And were not about to reach the sixth anniversary of this conflict, and the level of suffering is appalling.

One of our staff was telling me that in eastern Aleppo doctors that we fund and work with have run out of medicines. So theyre having to literally decide which children live or die.

And there are hundreds of injured children weve not been able to evacuate.

You cant imagine a more horrific situation. People are beginning to give up hope. We had a story of one mother, who lost her husband and two sons, and then tried to stab her baby to death and kill herself.

At the beginning of this conflict, people had hope about returning, and hope about the future. I think people are now in despair.

Via EurActiv.com
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By Tyler Fisher and Kamal Kolo | ( OpenDemocracy.net) |  

The liberation of Mosul offers the international community a unique opportunity to permit the regions most vulnerable minorities to exercise self-preservation and self-determination.



Prayer cloths on Mount Arafat in the Yezidi holy site of Lalish, Kurdistan Region. Picture by Levi Clancy. Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0.

The imminent liberation of Mosul offers the international community a unique opportunity. It is an opportunity to take concrete, concerted legal action: to permit the regions most vulnerable minorities to exercise self-preservation and self-determination by forming an autonomous, pluralistic province in the area known as the Nineveh Plains, their historic homeland in the northwest reaches of Mesopotamia.

Such a territorial initiative would, of course, be fraught with dangers and disadvantages, which any viable plan must take into consideration. It must not be a unilateral effort, especially by the United States, or perceived to be such. This must not be another American interventionist, nation-building exercise.

Earlier this year, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the British Parliament, and the United States Congress all formally recognized that the Islamic State (ISIS) has waged an ongoing campaign of genocide against Christians, Yezidis, and other ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria. This resounding international designation of Islamic States atrocities as genocide is momentous. Under the terms of the United Nations Genocide Convention of 1948, states must undertake to prevent and to punish genocide. Prevention of genocide can take real, substantial form in the creation of a protected province in the Nineveh Plains, even if that province is federated and remains dependent on Baghdad to some degree.

Too often, international interventions in Iraq during the last two decades have lacked clear and consistent strategies for the aftermath of military campaigns.

Too often, international interventions in Iraq during the last two decades have lacked clear and consistent strategies for the aftermath of military campaigns and even for the aftermath of humanitarian efforts: what should be done after a dictator is overthrown, or when a hotbed of extremism is reoccupied? How long can millions of refugees subsist in makeshift camps?

Liberating Mosul and the Nineveh Plains from the Islamic States control affords a crucial window of time and territory in which to be proactive instead of merely reactive. One proactive proposal that is gaining some traction among the coalition powers, both inside and outside of Iraq, is a plan to create an autonomous, democratic, pluralistic province for Iraqs Christians, Yezidis, and other minorities, within the region that Islamic State has occupied with their self-declared caliphate since the summer of 2014. For Iraqs Christian and Yezidi minorities, in particular, this proposal might prove to be the one measure that can still spare them from extinction in their ancestral homeland. They are under existential threat. As matters stand, they could easily go the way of Iraqs Jewish population, which was utterly wiped out by ethnic cleansing, exile, and emigration between the 1950s and 1970s the end of a community that had lived continuously in Mesopotamia for at least 2,500 years.

Restoring the mosaic

The Nineveh Plains have historically been a fragile mosaic of ethnicities: Assyrian Christians, Chaldean Christians, Syriac Orthodox Christians, Yezidis, Babawat, Kakai, Shabak, Sufi, Shia and Sunni Muslim tribes. The Islamic State did their best to obliterate this mosaic. Now is the time to frame what is left of that mosaic within secure borders where it can recover some of its former rich and vivid colours. The formation of a secure, self-governing homeland for the ethno-religious minorities of northern Mesopotamia would stand in stark contrast to Islamic States monolithic reign and fanatical, autocratic ideology.

The territorial initiative would grant an opportunity to repatriate many of the nearly two million refugees who have fled to the relative safe haven of the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq. Even now, members of vulnerable minorities from the Nineveh Plains continue to flee to Kurdistan, Turkey, Syria, and neighbouring regions, but these neighbours cannot support them indefinitely. A perpetual diaspora need not be accepted as inevitable.

The Nineveh Plains have historically been a fragile mosaic of ethnicities.

It would constitute a new narrative for the region, countering head-on the caliphates genocidal narrative of population control and territorial expansion. This would blunt much of Islamic States appeal as a strong, geographically expanding enclave for extremists. Beyond neutralizing a central tenet of Islamic States apocalyptic message, it would represent a decisive reversal of Islamic States violent depredations. The contrast could not be clearer between a repressive caliphate and vigorous pluralism.

Ancient Christian communities have endured in this often inhospitable region since the first century CE. There is an apocryphal story of an American soldier who was surprised to see a church in a village of northern Iraq. When did you people convert to Christianity? he asked the villagers. About 2000 years ago, was their reply. Indeed, the Nineveh Plains are home to the tombs of patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, as well as other sites of biblical significance. Alongside these, the land is dotted with important shrines for Yezidi pilgrimage. The Islamic State has systematically destroyed museums and monuments. We must preserve what is left of the cultural and archaeological heritage in this region of Mesopotamia that is so fundamental for the broader history of civilization.

Obstacles and necessary provisons

International peace-keeping forces will be indispensable. The Nineveh Plains are rich in natural resources, with vast oil and gas reserves that are largely untapped. Control of these resources is likely to be strongly contested. In the same vein, the international community must also recognize and preempt the potential for further sectarian conflict in the area. At present, various factions, visibly represented by local militias, are united in cooperation against a common foe, but, historically, their relations have not always been so harmonious.

Likewise, the international community must recognize and preempt the potential for such a territorial entity to become a prime target for radical Islamists. The Islamic State might be in retreat at the moment, but it leaves a void that other extremists will almost certainly strive to fill.

Finally, the political relationship between this hypothetical province and Baghdad would require careful, clear articulation from the beginning  whether it is to be a semi-autonomous province within a federated Iraq, or an independent state.

Among the global powers, there may well be little appetite for further subdividing Iraqi territory, but doing nothing in the aftermath of the Islamic State will surely result in continued carving-up of the region. Clear policies and definitive action can prevent further atrocities. Mesopotamia has long been known as the cradle of civilization. The international community must prevent it from continuing to be a cradle for regional genocide and international terrorism.

About the authors

Dr. Tyler Fisher is a visiting scholar at Soran University in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Prof. Dr. Kamal Kolo directs Soran Universitys Scientific Research Centre.

via OpenDemocracy.net
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By TeleSur |  

White-supremacists are upset because nearly all of the major characters on the new Star Wars film are people of color.

Neo-Nazi groups on the Internet are calling to boycott the premiere of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as they feel offended about the themes of the upcoming film, calling it nothing but a Jew masturbation fantasy of anti-White hate, reports IB Times.

According to what these white-supremacists have poured into their comments on a forum on the discussion website Reddit, they are upset mostly because nearly all of the major characters are non-whites and the main character is an empowered white female.

The films main characters are starred by Felicity Jones, a woman and Diego Luna, a Mexican. It is a prequel to the hugely successful franchise which returned to screens last year with The Force Awakens. It is set for release on December 15.

A similar thing happened before the release of the franchises Episode VII Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, when mens activists called on boycott the film because it was starred by John Boyega and Daisy Ridley: a black actor and a woman.

The election of Donald Trump has underscored deep national divisions that have fueled incidents of racial hatred across the United States. There has also been a spike in the number of hate crimes after the vote, according to the FBI.

Via TeleSur

-

Related video added by Juan Cole:

Star Wars: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Trailer #2 (Official)
South Korean lawmakers on Friday voted to impeach President Park Guen-hye. The final vote count [Reuters report] was 234 to 56, well beyond the two-thirds majority needed for the impeachment motion to pass. More than 60 members from Parks conservative party crossed the aisle to vote with the opposition pushing for the impeachment. Park is accused of sharing confidential information and extorting millions of dollars from large corporations with a personal friend [NYT report], the daughter of a religious sect leader. Parks powers are temporarily suspended while the Constitutional Court considers whether to remove her permanently from her position. Park said she would await the courts decision with a calm and clear mind. During an meeting [WSJ report] with cabinet members she apologized for causing national confusion because of my lack of virtue and carelessness. Should the Constitutional Court uphold the impeachment, a process that could take up 180 days, an election for a new president will follow within two months. Parks duties will be assumed by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn until the court reaches its decision.

Earlier this month South Koreas three opposition parties introduced the joint impeachment motion [JURIST report] against embattled president Park. In October Park proposed [JURIST report] to amend the countrys constitutional provision that limits presidents to one term in office. Currently, South Korean presidents can only have a single five-year term, and should the Constitutional Court decide against impeachment Park will finish her term in office in February 2018. In Kyung-joon, a senior prosecutor in South Korea was indicted [JURIST report] in July on charges of bribery by accepting more than USD $11 million from an executive at the online-game company Nexon during collusive stock transactions over a nine-year period.
Max Holloway does not mind whoever he faces inside the Octagon. (Photo : Getty Images/Suhaimi Abdullah)

Max Holloway has nine-fight winning streak spanning the past three years and in those years, the Hawaiian fighter accepted every fight offered to him without hesitation. Now that he has a chance to be a UFC champion, fighting for the interim featherweight belt does not bother him that much.



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"I am a fighter. I want to fight," said Holloway in a report by MMA Junkie. 'Blessed,' while blasting those whom he calls 'crybabies' said he is willing to fight anybody anywhere and anytime. And though the interim belt looks like a less version of the real featherweight title which belongs to Jose Aldo, Holloway does not mind fighting for it believing that if someone wants to be the best in the world, that someone would have to fight anybody he is offered to fight against.



"Who cares? The belt is the belt, it's great, it's pretty, it's beautiful; you get a nice pretty payday, too, so I ain't complaining," he said.



If the Hawaiian wins the interim belt against former UFC champ Anthony Pettis at UFC 206, he would probably get a shot at Aldo who was just hailed featherweight champ weeks ago. Also, he would extend his winning streak to 10 fights to become the sixth fighter in UFC history to accomplish such feat.



Originally, the Holloway-Pettis fight was the co-headliner of the UFC heavyweight title clash between champ Daniel Cormier and veteran Anthony Johnson but Cormier suffered an injury and was forced to pull out from the fight.



In a report by CBS Sports, Pettis missed weight by three pounds but UFC president said that the fight would still continue. As a consequence, Pettis' 20 percent of his base salary would go to Holloway. Should Holloway defeat the American title, he would take the crown, but if Pettis wins, he would not take home the belt, also a result of him missing the weight.



UFC 206 is set on Dec. 10 at the Air Canada Center in Canada.






KickassTorrents (commonly abbreviated KAT) was a website that provided a directory for torrent files and magnet links to facilitate peer-to-peer file sharing using the BitTorrent protocol. (Photo : YouTube/BNO News)

Rumors have been swirling around that Kickass Torrents is likely to resume operations February 2017 or following the purported release of alleged KAT owner and operator Artem Vaulin. But KAT.cr going live again seems unlikely as the campaign continues to takedown The Pirate Bay, ExtraTorrent and other torrenting destinations.



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Recent reports have indicated that both TPB and ExtraTorrent are under pressure from the relentless crackdown being waged by rights holders and government authorities. The former is dealing with the prospect of being blocked by ISPs in Sweden and banned by major browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari and Opera.



ExtraTorrent, on the other hand, has reported the loss of three backup domains that the site used as mirrors. Somehow, these developments are suggesting that silently rights holders are closing in on identified torrent sites with TPB and ET as among the chief targets.



But it turned out too that relatively new players are on the takedown list as well. In recent weeks, the torrenting world saw the demise of FS.to and EX.UA in Ukraine and What.cd in France. And this week, TorrentFreak reported that more are seen to possibly suffer the same fate that befell Kickass Torrents and Torrentz.eu.



The same report said that Google has been purging its search results that a number of known torrent sites are not being indexed anymore. Listed as directly affected by the ongoing crackdown are free video streaming sites Fmovies and 123movies, the latter already the subject of ISP blocking in the UK recently.



Also removed from Google's search index is YouTube-MP3.org, which has made a name for itself as the preferred tool for users who want to download YouTube videos. The operation, according to TorrentFreak, was likely targeted for copyright infringements as Google had previously sent warnings of similar accusations.



As for Fmovies and 123movies, one can only speculate on the Google search purging but one thing is clear - torrenting sites are on the crosshair of authorities and anti-piracy groups, and they are working double time to force these operations offline as soon as possible.



In effect, the reported comeback of Kickass Torrents seems a remote possibility now in the light of both The Pirate Bay and ExtraTorrent - acknowledged as the best KAT and Torrentz alternatives at the moment - are under siege from copyright holders, not to mention other torrenting destinations.


Apple CEO Tim Cook introduces the iOS 10.1 during a product launch event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California on October 27, 2016. (Photo : Getty Images/Josh Edelson)

It appears more unlikely that Team Pangu will skip on releasing an iOS 10 jailbreak, at least this 2016 but security researcher Luca Todesco has an alternative to offer. The dev just issued a jailbreak loader for Safari that resolved one key issue of the existing JB tool originally provided by the Chinese hacking team - expiring certification.



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To be clear, the Todesco jailbreak will not replace the semi-tethered iOS 9.3.3 crack that Pangu first provided. Rather, it is a tool that makes it easier to re-jailbreak a liberated iPhone or iPad. As the Pangu JB tool needs to be re-jailbroken after a certain period part of the process is to deal with expiring certification. But the new jailbreak provided a welcome shortcut, sort of according to WCCFTech.



True to his earlier statement, Todesco took advantage of the exploit he had identified earlier on Apple's mobile Safari browser. "Thanks to the hard work of hacker Luca Todesco you don't have to go through the trouble again as you can re-jailbreak your device right from Safari," the report said.



And per the same report again, to re-jailbreak is quite easy. "Simply visit the following link from Safari if you are jailbroken on iOS 9.3.3 - jbme.qwertyoruiop.com - then tap on the Go button to bring your device back into the jailbroken state. You don't have to worry about expiring certificates whatsoever," WCCFTech said.



But there are few important things to note before taking the plunge. According to iDownloadblog.com, Todesco's jailbreak rework is a solution exclusive to the latest Pangu JB tool and in the same manner will not work on iPhone 5 and earlier models. That means the re-jailbreak tool is 64-bit only.



Also as mentioned, the Todesco tool is not a replacement for the Pangu jailbreak and to highlight this fact the same report indicated that Cydia will not install on the companion jailbreak. Users will to jailbreak first with the modified iOS 9.2-9.3.3 shared to the public by Team Pangu.



And even with the tool in effect, there is no chance that the Pangu jailbreak will become fully untethered, iDownloadblog.com reiterated on its report.



But the annoying semi-tethered state might just disappear when the next jailbreak from Team Pangu or TaiG comes rolling down. There is no clue when the iOS 10 jailbreak release date will happen but those still waiting Todesco has one piece of advice - while holding out better stick with the 10.1.1 release as the next jailbreak could be based on that version.


South Korean actor Lee Joon-Gi plays the lead character of 4th Prince Wang So in SBS's 'Scarlet Heart: Ryeo.' (Photo : YouTube/Best 2016 Drama Korea)

Lee Joon-Gi, 34, revealed he would love to take up roles similar to "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo's" co-star Kang Ha-Neul. The former portrayed the aloof and reserved forth prince Wang So.



In a sit-down interview with Chinese magazine, as cited by Soompi, the Hallyu star was asked which prince he would like to play if he had the chance to choose again. In response, Lee stated he still prefers 4th prince Wang So and explained exactly why.



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"Wang So has a stiff personality, but he is wholeheartedly devoted to a girl, which I think makes him a very cool and handsome character," Lee explained. "It was a great satisfaction to have played such a character."



However, if he had to choose, the "Scholar Who Walks the Night" admitted he would like to try the role of "The Heirs" actor. The latter played the gentle and sweet 8th prince, Wang Wook, who is the most accomplished and talented prince.



Lee explained he would love to take up the role in light of the fact that the 8th prince is a romantic person and although all of the characters went through a lot of changes, many viewers still liked Wang Wook. He then added that he would like to learn how to be a romantic person from playing the character.



Lee, who became a household name after starring in 2005's "The King and the Clown," has landed a supporting role in the upcoming sci-fi action film "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter." He will play Umbrella Corporation's Commander Lee, who holds a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo.



Though Lee's screen time is only five to ten minutes long, his character is expected to have a significant fight scene with the heroine Alice (Milla Jovovich). Recently, the Hallyu star expressed his deep gratitude to the latter by uploading a video clip of Jovovich's past interview with IGN on his Instagram account.



A video posted by a.k.a Actor JG ! (@actor_jg) on Dec 7, 2016 at 3:55am PST





In the interview, as cited by All Kpop, Jovovich complimented Lee on his skills in martial arts. She detailed how awed she was watching the actor do his own stunts, while still being the most beautiful pretty boy.



Check out Lee in "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter" trailer here:






'Outlander' And Saks Fifth Avenue Photocall (Photo : Getty Images)

"Outlander" Season 3 spoilers are out following the release of behind-the-scenes photos from the set of the show. Now fans know how far filming for "Outlander" Season 3 has gone.



The cast and crew of "Outlander" Season 3 are currently filming in Scotland. One of the filming locations for the third season includes a castle, which is believed to be the set piece that will represent Lallybroch.



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Reports claim that filming for episodes 1 to 4 of "Outlander" Season 3 has been completed. Speaking to Variety, actress Catriona Balfe said that they are almost halfway through filming the third season. She added that she has not been filming with Sam Heughan due to their different storylines in the upcoming season. Instead, Balfe will be sharing more screen time with Tobias Menzies and Sophie Skelton in the first few episodes.



The first four episodes of the third season will likely follow Jamie's life in the 1740s and he will appear as an older person, since "Outlander" Season 3 will pick up at the height of the Battle of Culloden, just shortly after Claire travels back to the 20th century. Jamie and Jack Randall will engage in a bloody battle when fans see them again for the first time.



According to Express, "Outlander" Season 3 will show Jamie and Claire separated by time the time-travelling lady returns to the 20th century.



Interestingly, "Outlander" Season 3, which is based on Diana Gabaldon's book "Voyager," will not only focus on life in Scotland. As the name suggests, the characters will go on a voyage to other places. Balfe hinted that they will begin filming in South Africa, which will stand in for Jamaica on the show.



The third season of the hit Starz series will probably be the most intriguing and mystical of all. Aside from the time travelling element, "Voyager" actually showcases pirates and voodoo zombies-something that's never been explored in the "Outlander" series before. If these aspects ever make their way to the third installment, chances are ratings will spike up even more.



"Outlander" Season 3 has yet to receive its official release date.






We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

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Mark Zuckerberg prevents hackers by doing this simple trick and you should too!

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg celebrates Instagram's feat (Photo : Facebook/Mark Zuckerberg)

Facebook chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg accidentally revealed how he prevents hackers from illegally accessing confidential information that he may be cooking up in the Facebook headquarters.



On June 21, the creator of the social media platform posted a photo of himself celebrating 500 million users of Instagram, which Facebook has acquired in 2012. The photo showed Zuckerberg on his desk at Facebook's HQ.



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Some people noticed that Facebook's boss puts a tape on the webcam and microphone of his laptop. This will censor or filter the images and conversations received by the device that can be accessed by hackers by tapping on the network.



Facebook receives security threats daily and Zuckerberg is taking all necessary precautions to prevent illegal access to confidential information they are cooking in the headquarters.



Even FBI agent James Comey copied this simple DIY trick and said, "I put a piece of tape over the camera because I saw somebody smarter than I am had a piece of tape over their camera." The American digital rights group EFF sells webcam stickers, and told the Guardian's Danny Yadron "people purchase these regularly," according to The Guardian.



Aside from putting a tape, people can also buy webcam covers in Amazon or tech stores for at least five dollars or around 250 pesos. The product also caters for cameras on smartphones and tablets.



There is no guarantee that this will prevent possible hacking incidents. It is still best to make strong passwords and use firewall option in your devices to prevent illegal access. Moreover, changing the wifi and computer passwords periodically may help.


53 persons were feared dead and billions of naira burnt on Thursday at Abudu, Orhionmwon LGA of Edo State, following an accident involving two bullion vans carrying money, a fuel-laden articulated vehicle and some commercial buses.The accident reportedly occurred on the Benin-Asaba expressway Thursday afternoon when one of the bullion vans reportedly had a head-on collision with the fuel tanker and instantly resulted in a fire that immediately spread to another bullion van.

Two commercial buses were said to have further rammed into these vehicles and instantly caught fire as well. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed that 53 persons were burnt to death.

It said eight vehicles, including one motorcycle, were involved in the accident. Other vehicles are two commercial Toyota hummer buses, one Dyna truck, one tanker carrying petrol, one ford bus and one Toyota Corolla. .

An eyewitness said security agents and officials of FRSC watched helplessly as the victims burnt to death as there was no fire service station at Abudu town.

The number of human casualties involved in the inferno was yet unknown, but eyewitnesses feared that many lives may have been lost as they claimed that the tanker and the bullion vans went up in flames immediately after impact.

When contacted on phone Thursday Night, Edo State sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Samuel Odukoya, said bullion vans were at the scene of the accident but they were not caught up in the explosion.
KickassTorrents (commonly abbreviated KAT) was a website that provided a directory for torrent files and magnet links to facilitate peer-to-peer file sharing using the BitTorrent protocol. (Photo : YouTube / Underground @News)

The Pirate Bay is battling Google's Repeat Offender policy and it risks the danger of facing a prominent ban by the search engine. As a result, it may be easy for Kickass Torrents to reclaim the number one torrent website spot after its launch as Kat.cr.



Currently, The Pirate Bay is facing the heat from Google under the newly drafted Repeat Offender Policy. According to this policy, all the websites, which show misinformation in their advertisements will be penalized. Initially, the site will be warned and penalized for a maximum time period of 30 days.



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After 30 days, the search engine will again stock of the situation and then decide the next course of action, depending on whether the website has now adhered to their terms or not. Websites, which do not adhere to the stringent guidelines can also face a longer ban.



Google said in an official blog post that, "With regards to Safe Browsing-related policies, Repeat Offenders are websites that repeatedly switch between compliant and policy-violating behavior for the purpose of having a successful review and having warnings removed." It also mentioned that some websites may be hacked and thus they may be forced to post malicious information in their advertisements. Google also clarified that such hacked websites will not fall under the preview of the Repeat Offender Policy.



The homepage of The Pirate Bay has a lot of advertisements with wrong information and malicious content. As a result, it is being penalized by the search engine and it seems to be a long-drawn battle. Hence, Kickass Torrents may emerge as the victor in this case because The Pirate Bay is entangled with Google.



Prior to the arrest of Artem Vaulim, the owner of Kickass Torrents in July, Kickass Torrents used to be the number one torrent website in the world. After it went offline, its loyal customers were forced to switch to other torrent websites.



The Pirate Bay and Extra Torrent were two of the major gainers, according to Torrent Freak. Other torrent websites, which also noticed a surge in their traffic include 1337x, RARBG and YIFY.



Watch the video to know more about Kickass Torrents here:






(L-R) Actors Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus arrive at Australians In Film Awards & Benefit Dinner at InterContinental Hotel on June 27, 2012 in Century City, California. (Photo : Getty Images/ Toby Canham)

Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus look like they are taking their love into the next level as they are reportedly planning to purchase a $4.5million Byron Bay seaside mansion in Australia ahead of their 2017 wedding. A source close to the deal revealed that the couple visited the property just recently.



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The news came after it was rumored that the "Wrecking Ball" hitmaker will be named as the fourth judge in "The Voice Australia," and the purchase would be timely for her next business engagement. The source also confirmed that it was "The Hunger Games" actor's brother Chris, who is convincing Hemsworth and Cyrus to buy the mansion.



"They were in town about two or three weeks ago," a real estate agent close to the sale of the property told The Daily Telegraph. "His (Liam's) brother would have been the one to tell them about the property."



The 12,500 square meter property in Broken Head that Hemsworth and Cyrus are planning to purchase has its own private beach and a private road. The property named Ardeevin has four huge bedrooms with views of the scenic ocean.



If the couple will purchase the property, they will be close to Chris and his wife Elsa Pataky, who live nearby the mansion. The closeness between Cyrus and Pataky are reportedly one of the reasons why the loved up couple is considering to buy the property, Daily Mail reported. The popular pair spent their New Year together at Pataky's home in Australia.



Hemsworth and Cyrus have been the target of breakup speculations since they got back together in October. There are rumors saying that there are trust issues between the two and there is a big possibility that their engagement will be called off soon.



On Dec. 7, Wednesday, the couple was seen looking happy when they were spotted having lunch with his parents Craig and Leonie; and his brother Luke and wife Samantha. Their sighting just put the rumors to rest that their romance is once again on the rocks.



Back in October, Cyrus told Ellen DeGeneres that she is not wearing her engagement ring too often because it does not complement the other rings that she is wearing. She added that she used to wear rings like cotton candy and gummy bears, and it would only look a mix up.



Check out the news about Hemsworth and Cyrus nest's hunting:






An annual UISD event geared toward promoting acceptance and inclusion for students with special needs is hosted by United High School.

Meet in the Middle is a program implemented district-wide. It is a fun day full of activities and games for students with or without learning disabilities.

United High School's Student Council put together this year's holiday-themed event as a way to bring everyone together.

"We're doing board games and Bingo," says student Erika Resendez. "There's a lot of different things we're doing today for them. This is the first year that I've been a part of it, and I love it so far. We've been to two different classrooms and it's just been a blast."

This is the third year United High School has hosted the event.
An extradited drug smuggler gets nearly 30 years in federal prison.

32-year-old Fernando Arturo Flores-Fang, from Mexico, first pled guilty in May 2015.

According to court documents, Flores-Fang participated in a conspiracy to smuggle meth, cocaine and heroin into Laredo.

An arrest warrant was issued for Flores-Fang, and he was later taken into custody by Mexican authorities and then extradited back into the United States.

Flores-Fang was sentenced to 340 months in federal prison. He is expected to face deportation proceedings following his release from prison.
The funds generated from the proceeds of Ballyouskill Vintage 2016 were distributed at a function in the Wheel Inn on Wednesday night.

MC for the night Frank Brennan thanked all involved on the day and had a special word of appreciation for Billy McDonald who has made his field available for the past three years.

This year we are delighted to be in a position to distribute a whopping 6K and once again we are indebted to all who have contributed to making the annual event both a social and a financial success. To the committee, stewards and volunteers on the day we say a big thank you said Mr. Brennan.

BENEFICIARIES 2016

1,200 - Enable Ireland.

1,200 - Beaumont Hospital, Dublin (Neurosurgical Unit)

1,200 - Ballyouskill Community Hall.

1,200 - Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association.

1,200 - OGorman Home, Ballyragget.

ENABLE IRELAND

Paula Rudkins, Service Manager at the facility on St. Josephs Road, Kilkenny said that the centre provides a Childrens Disability Service to over 120 kids throughout Kilkenny city and country. The comprehensive service which includes physio, OT, speech and language runs from Monday to Friday. To enable our children to be the best they can be we have to raise some 100K every year and we are most grateful for the contribution tonight. Said Ms. Rudkins.

BEAUMONT HOSPITAL

Sheila Campbell. Fundraising & Communications Manager was very pleased to be in Ballyouskill after a three hour journey. Our service is nationwide and thanks to generous donations such as what we are receiving tonight we can avail of the latest equipment in our continuous campaign to save lives. There has been a specific request that tonights donation will be ringfenced for the neurosurgical centre and we will honour that request. Said Ms. Campbell.

COMMUNITY HALL

Noel Cummins is Chairman of Ballyouskill Community Hall Committee who have been included as a new recipient. We are at the early stages of re-developing the hall and our vision is to provide a hub for both young and not so young inclusively.

We are busy fundraising to provide the necessary local contribution that will hopefully allow us to draw down Kilkenny Leader Partnership funding in the second quarter of 2017. We have been successful in obtaining planning permission and 45K funding from Kilkenny County Council so we look forward to real progress next year said Mr. Cummins.

OGORMAN HOME

Anne McGrath was joined by fellow committee members Josephine Downey and Jim Mooney. Our home continues to flourish and thank you so much for continuing to support us each year. We are full to capacity and strive to provide quality care in a homely fashion to all of our residents. We depend on donations to maintain the service once again thanks and continued success to Ballyouskill Vintage. said Ms. McGrath.

MOTOR NEURONE

Following the death of his sister Kathleen from the disease Tommy Walsh, Durrow has immersed himself into fundraising in a voluntary capacity for the organisation.

I try at every opportunity to assist whether that involves church gate collections or general fundraising. There are ongoing financial needs and I wish to thank all involved in the community effort in Ballyouskill that has raised such an impressive amount of money for charity. said Mr. Walsh.
ATLANTIC SKIES: Stellar asterisms  eye-catching pretenders to the constellation throne and just part of the bigger picture

Most everyone, or at least most amateur astronomers, are familiar with the constellations in the night sky to some degree. Many, however, may not be familiar with the numerous asterisms in the night sky. What is the difference between a constellation ...
In my previous articles, we've discussed the large role that luck plays in investing; creating our individual strategy; and some of the tools we can use to tease out luck from skill. We'll now put those tools to use.

Let's take a look at the large-cap domestic asset class in our hypothetical portfolio. This may be the largest allocation for many Americans, and there are many participants in this space. We could break our allocation into smaller components, and spread our allocation to large-cap U.S. value, large-cap U.S. growth or large-cap U.S. blend. I'd recommend keeping your options open in your initial screen.

Here are four steps to whittle down your options and make the best selection for you:

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1. Your Initial Screen

First, you have to decide your minimum requirements for a fund. Let's say we want an investment with at least a three-year track history, the same manager at the helm for at least two years and a minimum of $75 million under management.

To screen for funds that meet these requirements, plus whatever other details you'd like to name, I'm partial to the fi360 database (opens in new tab), a service provided by the Center for Fiduciary Studiesmainly used by professional advisers. You could start your search by using Morningstar.

Now, let's look for funds that rank highly, with four or five stars over three- and five-year periods on a consistent basis. In my sample search (conducted in October), I'm looking for top quartile funds across a variety of metrics, including alpha, which measures the active return on an investment. My search results in 38 initial qualifying funds out of the entire large-cap domestic stock universe.

The following are at the top of that list:

First Trust Value Line Dividend ETF (symbol FVD (opens in new tab) ) SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY (opens in new tab) ) Powershares QQQ ETF (QQQ) ClearBridge Large Cap Growth I (SBLYX (opens in new tab) )

Morningstar classifies the first two as large-value and the next two as large-growth. So your allocation requirement would affect what you might choose here. Let's assume that you have a need for large-growth fund and investigate the Clearbridge option.

2. Deeper Analysis

Let's assume you can actually buy this fund (it is an institutional fund with a high minimum purchase requirement; some custodians allow RIA firms to buy in smaller increments for their clients). Next, you want to take a deep dive into the data. I am going to use another tool typically used by us pros called Evestment. You could find most of this data on Morningstar and Google Finance.

Here are some basic statistics (all fund data is as of September 30, 2016):

Looks promising so far! Let's look at some additional information, such as alpha, tracking error (deviation of the fund's prices from the benchmark's prices) and excess returns (how much better the fund performsor notcompared with its benchmark):

There is a pretty consistent record of alpha-generation, significant tracking error and returns consistently in excess of its benchmark. Not only that, the management team seems to meet our experience and tenure requirements:

3. Check the Company Filings

Visit the firm's website, where you can gain a wealth of additional information, including management and analyst commentary, top holdings, philosophy and strategy, expenses and more.

In the commentary of the Clearbridge fund, you can see that the current sector allocations are heavy on information technology, health care and consumer discretionary holdings with 66% of the portfolio in those three areas. Additionally, the strategy of this fund involves holding a core group of stocks, surrounded by a cyclical bucket and a select bucket of opportunistic holdings. This approach appears to be working for this manager, and it highlights where skill and process may have a positive impact on results.

As an investor, you need to be comfortable with the future of this strategy. Comfortable enough to forgo an indexing or low-activity approach in favor of this perceived skill.

4. Evaluate Costs

This fund charges between 0.81% and 1.11%, based on share class. Assuming you can get the lowest cost institutional class, you'll pay the manager 0.81%, which will be a potential drag on your returns.

You have to evaluate whether this fee is worth it. Compare the returns on this fund with its benchmark, the Russell 1000 Growth index (returns are reported net of fees). Considering that the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF (opens in new tab)) has an expense ratio of 0.20%, the added cost to buy the Clearbridge fund is 0.61% to 0.90%. Will it be worth it? Judging from the history and statistics, perhaps. Going back to 1997, the Clearbridge fund has shown excess returns of at least 1.07% in every year except six. So in 14 out of 20 years, the fund did better than its benchmark. That's a 70% chance, historically.

In conclusion, I hope I've given you some insight into the process you should follow to make an informed selection of an investment for your portfolio. The process is similar, but with many additional variables when looking at individual stocks and bonds.

If you are not inclined to do this work yourself, then either hire a reputable fee-only fiduciary adviser to help you or simply choose low-cost index funds. If you aren't in the investment business full-time, using index funds takes a lot of variables out of the equation, so that you can concentrate on your overall diversification strategy, cash flow, etc.

Doug Kinsey is a partner in Artifex Financial Group, a fee-only financial planning and investment management firm based in Dayton, Ohio.
DUBAI, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Dubai Investments CEO Khalid Bin Kalban told reporters on Saturday that the conglomerate plans to list 30 percent of Dubai-based Emirates DistrictCooling (Emicool) on the the Gulf emirate's bourse in 2017 and hopes to raise $200 mln.

(Reporting By Alexander Cornwall; Writing by Noah Browning Editing by Jeremy Gaunt.)

DUBAI, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Dubai Investments , part owned by sovereign wealth fund Investment Corp of Dubai, plans to close a 1.1 billion dirham ($299.52 million) loan by Dec. 31, its chief executive said on Saturday.

United Arab Emirates banks First Gulf Bank (FGB) and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank have been mandated for the loan, Khalid Bin Kalban told reporters in Dubai.

The loan will be used to build a residential project in Dubai's Mirdif neighbourhood located near the world's busiest airport for international travel, Dubai International.

Bin Kalban said the company would not take the entire loan, which is to be delivered in tranches, if off-plan sales of the project meet expectations. Sales launched on Saturday.

He also said there are plans to list 30 per cent of Dubai-based Emirates District Cooling (Emicool), a joint venture between Dubai Investments and Union Properties, on the Dubai bourse next year.

Bin Kalban is also chairman of Union Properties.

The listing, expected to raise $200 million, would only go ahead if market conditions improved, he said, adding that plans to list this year were cancelled.

Dubai Investments is also planning to build and operate business parks in Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Angola.

A joint-venture project to build a business park valued at 600 million dirhams in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, is expected to break ground in the next month, Bin Kalban said.

A similar project is planned for the Angolan capital Luanda and Morocco's Tangier, he said.

Dubai Investments will go into Angola on its own, whilst would consider a joint venture in Morocco, Bin Kalban said.

The three projects would be similar to a 23 square kilometre business park the company owns and operates in Dubai. ($1 = 3.6726 UAE dirham)

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell)
Tom Holland attends the Closing Night Screening of 'The Lost City Of Z' for the 54th New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on October 15, 2016 in New York City. (Photo : Getty Images / Jamie McCarthy)

Tom Holland suits up the web-slinging Spider-Man in the first full trailer of "Spider-Man: Homecoming," which was unveiled in the Dec. 8 broadcast of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" A teaser clip, however, has gotten fans buzzing about the upgrades on Spidey's suit in the reboot.



In one scene, Spider-Man sits on top of the Washington Monument in D.C. He later dives over a helicopter, stretches his arms and pop out his web wings. The wings is clearly something that would differentiate Holland's Spider-Man from that of Toby Maguire's and Andrew Garfield's portrayals.



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The short clip also showed Jon Favreau returning as Happy Hogan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Cinema Blend reported. Fans would recall Happy in the "Iron Man" movies. He is Tony Stark's closest friend and was later appointed as the Head of Security of Star Industries. In "Spider-Man: Homecoming," Happy will help Peter out on a mission.



Co-producer Eric Hauserman Carroll explains that "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is not an origin story, unlike the previous "Spider-Man" movies. This Marvel reboot will focus on Peter Park's daily life as a high school student and going through some life-changing realizations.



"He literally just went to Europe with the coolest clique of them all, and now he's back with the academic decathalon and the mathletes and going, 'What am I doing here?'" Carroll told USA Today.



Aside from that, Peter is also working on impressing Tony Stark, his new "benefactor. That goes without saying that Robert Downey, Jr. will definitely play an expanded world in "Spider-Man: Homecoming."



Despite the help and guidance coming from Tony Stark, Peter Park will still be the genuine rookie hero who makes big mistakes and learns from them.



Michael Keaton is also part of the franchise as Vulture, the villain in "Spider-Man: Homecoming." Vulture has been described as "terrifying," although his not the kind of antagonist with grand supervillain powers. This was intended to find a match for a young hero like Spider-Man, who's still starting out in the biz. His encounter with Spider-Man leads to "really scar, very intense and shocking" events.



"Spider-Man: Homecoming" will premiere in theaters on July 7, 2017.






North Kitsap girls soccer keeps state tourney streak alive

Four teams  North Kitsap, Bremerton, Olympic and Sequim  came away victorious in the first round of the Class 2A West Central District tournament.
Simon Bridges has conceded in the Deputy Leadership election which means Paula Bennett will be elected Deputy Leader of the National Party on Monday and then appointed Deputy Prime Minister.

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Kelly McParland writes in the National Post:

Im willing to bet that most Canadians had never heard of John Key before they readtoday that hes stepping down as prime minister of New Zealand. If they gave the news the usual cursory glance, they probably assumed he was leaving because a) he got caught in a scandal, b) is so unpopular he has no chance of re-election, or c) he knew he was cooked and wanted to avoid the embarrassment of being forced to quit over a or b. What makes Keys departure noteworthy, however, is that none of the above apply. He appears to be quitting because he feels hes accomplished enough, and genuinely wants to spend more time with his family. A politician leaving office before being forced out by circumstances. Imagine that.

Almost unheard of.

His three mates, Abbott, Cameron and Harper all went out the normal way. Key avoided that.

From all available reports (I admit my first-hand experience with New Zealand politics is limited), Key looks to be an authentic success story. He has been party leader since 2006 and prime minister since 2008. He led his party to three successive victories and appeared set to add a fourth next year. No major scandals stain his name. When he first entered politics his party had just suffered a serious drubbing at the polls; six years later he lifted them to power, and theyve been there ever since.

He goes out with National polling 27% ahead of Labour.

Canadas history is loaded with examples of politicians who didnt know when to go (or, even if they did know, refused to leave anyway). John Diefenbaker had to be dragged from office kicking and screaming, then glued himself to the opposition leaders bench until a party rebellion arose against him. Pierre Trudeau stuck around so long he was defeated by Joe Clark, then ended his comeback just in time for his successor to be decimated by Brian Mulroney. Mulroney, in turn, successfully exited office in time for his Tories to be reduced from 156 seats to two

Term limits could be a good idea!

It all reflects the iron ego that motivates so many electees. They run for office because theyve convinced themselves the people need them. Far too many have little experience in any job that didnt depend on public funding. Once handed some authority, they are loath to ever let it go, because its too crucial to their own self-image. In the end, serving the public has little to do with it; its all about protecting their sense of self-worth. John Key appears to be an exception. A lot of elected people in Canada should study the example hes set and look in the mirror. The world would be a better place, and politics a much more respectable calling, if others followed his example.

Key never measured his self worth by political power. He achieved enough outside politics to avoid that.

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Fiber optic cables (Photo : DARPA)

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has a program whose goal is to quickly restore tactical data among U.S. military units certain to be disrupted by an enemy during wartime.



DARPA's "Tactical Undersea Network Architectures" (TUNA) program seeks to develop a rapidly deployable undersea network. Phase I brought together a bevy of military contractors, including Raytheon BBN Technologies; Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation Information Sector; LGS Innovations and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, among others.



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John Kamp, TUNA program manager, said involving heavy hitters in TUNA is necessary because the immense technical challenges involved demand the brainpower these established defense contractors can provide.



As a solution to an enemy disrupting U.S. military networks, DARPA proposes a system of lightweight undersea fiber-optic cables strung together between buoys.



"As soon as you put something underwater, that makes it automatically harder. You've got pressure, you've got things that swim in the ocean, you've got vessels. There are forces in the ocean. It's a hostile environment. It will break everything it can," said Kamp.



Phase I of TUNA looked at three elements of the equation. Some vendors focused on systems design, including integrated network and system architectures, deployment concepts, information assurance, and reconfiguration and restoration.



Others looked at the design of the buoy nodes that will connect the tactical data network to the undersea fiber-optic network.



Other teams considered the fiber-optic cable systems, and focused their efforts to develop small-diameter, lightweight unpowered optical fiber technologies capable of surviving deployment and operation in the ocean for at least 30 days.



LGS Innovations found a way to make a neutrally buoyant cable, or a cable that floats in water at any given depth. It developed a fiber slightly larger in diameter than a human hair.



"If you could create a neutrally buoyant fiber, you'd need a much shorter length of fiber," said LGS's CEO Kevin Kelly.



Phase II of TUNA will ask contractors to take the next step, to "develop and demonstrate an integrated, end-to-end, scaled network prototype" for the system.


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South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Lee Sun-jin, center, advises at a frontline post in mid-to-eastern regions to take heed of North Korea's military provocations as the South's Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn began his term as an acting-president on Friday after the National Assembly passed a motion to impeach President Park Geun-hye.

/ Yonhap



By Ko Dong-hwan

South Korea's military chief on Dec. 10 called for vigilance against North Korea's possible provocations after the National Assembly voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye a day earlier.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Lee Sun-jin issued the mandate when he visited a general post in the front-line facing North Korea. Lee mentioned there is "a high possibility that North Korea's military could make provocative acts in a surprise manner on the occasion of the South Korean political situation in a bid to drive a wedge among South Koreans."

Lee ordered to raise the military's alert level and focus on defending the nation.

Lee's firm grip on the South Korean military came after the National Assembly passed a motion on Dec. 9 to impeach the President over a corruption scandal that rocked the country for weeks. The breakthrough suspended all authority held by the President as the head of state.

Lee led an emergency meeting of military commanders not long after the passage of the motion, calling for complete readiness against North Korea's possible provocations.

The following day, South Korea's foreign and unification ministries also had meetings to follow up on the impeachment.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se raised a need to inform other nations that South Korea is in a stable condition despite the impeachment. He also mentioned that Seoul will coordinate with its allies as well as neighboring countries over major diplomatic issues, including the nuclear-armed North.

Yun sent on Friday a telegram to South Korean embassies and consulates across the world, ordering diplomats to "stay focused on their duties," according to Yonhap news agency.

Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo also had a meeting, much in worries of the Northern neighbor. The ministry issued a statement on Friday, saying the South Korean government "will continue to keep its North Korean policy stance including a push for working toward a peaceful unification."
Go Kyung-Po tells his story about "Jealousy Incarnate" and his trick to overcome nervousness to play with a very experienced actor and actress, Jo Jung-Suk and Gong Hyo-Jin.

Go Kyung-Po is an actor who started his career in a comedy show "Saturday Night Live" on tvN. He was the cast member for three seasons of SNL throughout 2011-2012. His breakthrough career began when he played Sun-Woo in tvN drama "Reply 1988" which has become worldwide hits.

Following his success to play a serious model student Sun-Woo role in "Reply 1988" he is recognized as a serious actor. He was then offered to play Jung-Woon in the SBS drama "Jealousy Incarnate." The character is 10 years older than his actual 26 -year old age.

Furthermore, he has to line up with the serious and experienced actors Jo and Gong. In a recent interview with Hankook Ilbo, he revealed how he prepared himself to play well with his two seniors.

"I enjoy analyzing and understanding the character while reading the script," Go said. "I did a lot of research about characters in the movie, who is similar to Jung-Woon before playing the role."

Although his nervousness was quite noticeable in some scenes of "Jealousy Incarnate," he tried hard to overcome that. In many intense scenes, he still needs work to polish his subtle emotions.

Regardless of some obstacles, Go was able to overcome them, resulting the increase of his Korean and international fans. This month, he will have a fan meeting on December 18, as reported by Yonhap News Agency, to be held at Ilji Art Hall in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul.

His fans are the ones who support his role in "Jealousy Incarnate." Currently, there is a divide in several "Jealousy Incarnate" discussion forums for international fans between supporter of Jung-Woon and those who root for Hwa-Shin. Competition between both sides have since been intense.

Watch the interview with the cast members of "Jealousy Incarnate" with English subtitle from Arirang TV below:
"Train to Busan" is without a doubt one of the best Korean films of the year and is a masterpiece in every way so it isn't entirely surprising to know that international film producers would be interested in remaking the film. Just recently, it has been announced that Gaumont, a French studio, has acquired the English remake rights of Train to Busan and now a Hollywood version is finally happening!

The blockbuster Korean zombie film was first screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and there, Train to Busan garnered a lot of interest from several film producers and companies. But it was Gaumont who would later strike a deal with the film's producers. After premiering in Cannes, Train to Busan instantly became the first South Korean film to attract 11 million moviegoers, which accounts for about a fifth of South Korea's overall population and according to The Hollywood Reporter, the zombie film grossed over $83.5 million, gaining wide success in Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.

Vincent Kim and Danny Lee of Contents Panda were the ones who negotiated with Cecile Gaget who head the international distribution and production at Gaumont.

"We have been pursuing this remake ever since we fell in love with the film at Cannes Film Festival. Now, we are so excited to begin on creating a U.S. adaption of the film which would also mark our first move towards English-language films in Los Angeles" says Sidonie Gumas, CEO of Gaumont.

While this may be the first time Gaumont is venturing into English-language film production, their L.A. division is already known for producing a number of critically-acclaimed television series like "Hannibal" and "Narcos," Blastr reports.

Kim Woo Taek, the CEO of NEW, had made the announcement on December 7 saying, "We are truly happy to partner with Gaumont and through this partnership we are hoping that the world give more attention to Korean films."

Train to Busan centers around a dad and his daughter who boards a bullet train to Busan while unbeknownst to them, a zombie infection is rapidly spreading throughout South Korea. Unfortunately, even through the confines of the bullet train, the zombie infection manages to reach them.

Check out the film's trailers below.
A man from Elkland who ran over and killed a man in a bar parking lot pleaded guilty on Thursday to lesser charges than those with which he was charged. Timothy Frye, 25, faces a prison sentence up to 15 years for manslaughter and up to seven years for leaving the scene of an accident.

Frye admitted he hit Corey Arthur outside Lil Dallas Bar and Grill north of Fair Grove in Dallas County early on Dec. 13, 2014. Arthur died at a hospital in Springfield 15 days after he was run over.

A Dallas County grand jury indicted Frye for second-degree murder, assault, and leaving the scene of an accident in March 2015. Witnesses said Frye was driving an SUV when he hit Arthur, tried to hit another man, hit a metal post and drove away.

The SUV turned up at an impound lot in Springfield after it was abandoned in the Rountree neighborhood east of Missouri State University. Detectives got a search warrant for the SUV in January 2015 and collected DNA samples from the steering wheel, drivers door hand and light switch, along with paint scrapings from the front bumper and an energy drink bottle, according to search warrant documents.

Dallas County Prosecuting Attorney Barbara Viets offered the plea deal because Frye will be sentenced as a prior offender, which means longer sentences than normal for those two crimes. She said witness accounts of what Frye did had changed, so this was a sure way to get a conviction.

Frye received a four-year prison sentence in 2011 for resisting arrest in Hickory County. He received five years of probation in Polk County in 2009 for second-degree burglary, and then was sent to prison a couple of years later for violating terms of his probation. He received a four-year sentence in 2010 for a burglary in Dallas County. Hes now serving a five-year prison sentence for burglary and endangering the welfare of a child from Dallas County; he was on parole for those crimes in December 2014 when Arthur was killed. He also has a pending case for second-degree assault and armed criminal action that was filed in Greene County in August 2015.

Frye's case for the death of Arthur was moved from Dallas County to Webster County to try to ensure a fair outcome in case it went to trial. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 24.
The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary

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PRESS RELEASE

For Lack of a Mission: Drugs, Deaths of Despair, and the Increase of Mortality in Obamas U.S.A.

Dec. 12, 2016 (EIRNS)Deaths from drug overdoses were one leading factor driving the stunning increase of mortality rates and decrease in life expectancies in the U.S. reported yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Overdose deaths from all drugs rose 11% in 2015, with more than 52,000 Americans dying from this Dark Age epidemic. Heroin deaths rose 23% in one year (reaching almost 13,000); deaths from synthetic opioids by 73% (nearing 10,000); deaths from prescription painkillers, the largest killer, increased by 4%. Overdose deaths far exceeded deaths in car crashes (almost 38,000) or by guns, homicides and suicides combined, even as these deaths rose significantly also.

A shocked Robert Anderson, who oversees death statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told Associated Press: "I dont think weve ever seen anything like this. Certainly not in modern times."

Dr. Jiaquan Xu, lead author of the CDC mortality study, also cited the opioid epidemic as a significant factor in the overall increase in mortality, the website STAT reported. Pointing to the rise in such preventable causes of death generally, Xu noted that "whats really significant is that these things are happening more to people of younger ages," which impacts life expectancy estimates more significantly.

The last time mortality increased slightly in the U.S. was in 1993, according to Xu (with HIV/AIDS then a major factor), but declines in life expectancy are neither natural nor normal, but have always been the starkest markers of civilizations falling into a dark age throughout human history. Americans today are dying because their nation has been dying, stripped of any commitment to fostering the General Welfare of the human species, under 16 years of Bush/Cheney/Obama destruction.

On Dec. 10, researchers at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health published an article in the journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, reporting a study which foundlo and beholdthat unemployment is a factor in non-medical use of prescription opioids and stimulants, with higher rates of abuse also affecting people with only part-time employment. Unemployed young adults, ages 26-34, are at greatest risk, the study found.

As the smashing defeat of Hillary Clinton in the presidential election demonstrated, most Americans did not need an academic study to understand this. Shannon Monnat, an assistant professor and research associate at Penn State University, just published a study which found a strong vote for Trumplo and beholdin counties with the highest drug, alcohol and suicide mortality rates, many of those counties having experienced significant losses in employment in manufacturing over recent decades.

Scioto County, Ohio, which became the pain pill-mill capital of America, typifies her findings: Before the 1990s, it was the home of shoe, steel, brickyard, nuclear energy and soda factories; today, it houses pawn shops and scrap yards. Scioto Countys drug, alcohol and suicide mortality rate more than doubled between 1999 and 2014 (from 32.9 to 74.8 per 100,000). Trump got 33% more of the countys vote than Romney did.

As Monnat put it, Trump received great support "in Americas new post-industrial heroin beltway," places where "good jobs and the dignity of work have been replaced by suffering, hopelessness and despair," where "downward mobility is the new normal."
The new property owner of the historic Los Angeles Times building unveiled details Friday about its plans to dramatically transform the downtown Civic Center with high-rise residential towers and a host of stores.

Onni Group, a developer in Vancouver, Canada, bought the 202 W. First St. property formerly known as Times Mirror Square for more than $100 million in September.

More details of the planned makeover of the newspapers historic home emerged this week after Onni submitted a rezoning and development application to the city. The proposal calls for razing the structures on the western half of the block and replacing them with two apartment towers of 37 and 53 stories containing more than 1,200 apartments, a swimming pool and other luxury amenities, according to Onni.

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A pedestrian walkway between First and Second streets would separate the new towers from the Art Deco-style Times buildings that were built along Spring Street in the 1930s and 1940s.

Those old office buildings occupied by The Times and other tenants would be refurbished and the ground floors converted to restaurants, shops and a grocery. The ground floors of the apartments would also have shops and food service, Onni said.

The roaring growth in much of downtown Los Angeles is now seeping into the Civic Center, where a subway station is under construction across the street from The Times on Second Street. Another developer plans to build a 30-story office and condominium tower on top of the station.

A parking structure and office buildings on the Times property from the 1970s and earlier along Broadway are set for demolition. That includes the six-story former headquarters of Times Mirror Co. at First and Broadway, which was designed by popular Los Angeles architect William Pereira, who also designed the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco.

Los Angeles architecture firm AC Martin will design the new buildings, Onni said. It is the same firm behind the Wilshire Grand skyscraper, which will be the tallest building in the West when completed.

Onni is very excited for the opportunity to restore the historic Los Angeles Times building and integrate it into a new mixed-use campus, serving an important part of downtown Los Angeles, David Evans, vice president of development, said in a statement.

We also understand the long-standing history the L.A. Times building holds and are dedicated to working carefully with the city to preserve its celebrated aesthetic while ensuring it can continue to stand as a monument to the progress of the city, Evans said.

Downtown development consultant Hal Bastian said the Onni redevelopment would breathe new life into the blocks near City Hall and other government buildings, which have remained relatively sleepy despite downtowns ongoing revival.

The Civic Center is woefully underserved for retail, he said. The area doesnt have that many places to go.

The area is largely a government hub without available land open for development, Bastian said.

Onni did not set a timetable for construction, but such a large-scale development would typically take at least two years to secure permits and get underway. A company representative declined to estimate the potential cost of development but said Onni would reveal renderings and more detailed plans next year.

The Canadian company has been on a buying spree in downtown L.A., where it also owns at least nine other properties  including offices, apartments, an extended-stay hotel and, most recently, an Arts District development lot.

Among its more ambitious developments is a 49-story residential tower under construction near the corner of 8th and Hill streets and Level DTLA, a 33-story building with fully furnished extended-stay apartments that opened on Olive Street last year.

The Times has a lease until 2018, with two consecutive five-year options beyond that, a person familiar with the terms said in June. A spokeswoman for the papers owner, Tronc Inc., said there are no immediate plans to move.

Onni was founded by Italian immigrant Inno De Cotiis with the companys name an anagram of his first name. It has helped transform Vancouver from a sleepy town to a dense city with soaring glass towers.

Times staff writer Andrew Khouri contributed to this article.

roger.vincent@latimes.com

Twitter: @rogervincent

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Carrie Fisher on Princess Leia: Shes like a superhero

(Robert Carter / For The Times)

Actress and writer Carrie Fisher has died after suffering a cardiac episode during a flight from London to Los Angeles on Dec. 23. Prior to the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Fisher spoke to The Times about the film, Princess Leia and her Star Wars legacy. Below is an excerpt from a story originally published on Dec. 4, 2015.

Fisher would know what it takes to make a lasting legacy in this franchise. The first few precious moments of A New Hope follow the angry revolutionary pulling together a contingency plan to smuggle spy documents off a spaceship. Unafraid of being taken hostage by the nefarious Empire, Princess Leia blasts the invading Imperial Stormtroopers. Leia shoots first.

In captivity, Leia proceeds to throw some truly galactic shade: Darth Vader, only you could be so bold, Gov. Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vaders leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board, and the classic, Arent you a little short for a Stormtrooper?

While Han Solo shirks responsibility and Luke Skywalker fumbles around with his evolving, boyish perception of the hero, Leia gets things done. When her own rescue goes awry, she grabs the blaster herself and finds a way out. Shes not just a princess but a radical fighting for freedom under a tyrannical empire.

She had contempt for and worked with men, and I liked that, Fisher says. There was something human about her. It showed that she could do whatever she needed to do, and if she could do that, then everybody could do it. People identified with her. Shes like a superhero.

Kennedy, who took over the reins for Lucas in 2012, agrees. When Princess Leia hit the scene in 1977 she was a pretty formidable character. I give George [Lucas] a huge amount of credit, she says. Leia really held her own. We used that as kind of a touchstone for why it was so important to have a strong female character and hopefully many more strong female characters in the Star Wars universe.

The new film reintroduces Leia 30 years after the war. Shes no longer a princess but a general. And shes still very much in command  still walking and talking, Fisher says. She doesnt have any mortal wounds or disease. But, she warns, things have happened that have been difficult.

Fisher was mum on the rest of her characters details but didnt mind sharing a moment of nostalgia she felt on the set of the new film:

Youre so self-conscious, youre exhausted before you get out of your trailer. I was in my trailer in the back and I heard Harrison. I recognized how his boots sound, and I heard him say, Is Carrie here? That was funny. That was like were back on Star Wars campus.

In response to this reporters surprise that the actress who brought to life Princess Leia  general of the new resistance  was self-conscious, Fisher let out a guffaw. I think everyone thinks the same way, only [some] people pretend better. Im going to do badly this time. I look like .... The new people are better. What am I going to do? My hair looks bad again.

Fisher may still get nervous, but that doesnt change her legacy. Nor did it stop her tenacious response about the recent kerfuffle over her characters notorious bikini. A frustrated father in Deptford, Pa., went viral in a Fox 29 report over a Target store selling Princess Leia action figure toys dressed in the divisive slave Leia ensemble (a metal two-piece the character was forced to wear while prisoner to character Jabba the Hutt). The man was perturbed it was being sold in the toy aisle and flustered over how he was going to explain the toys chain to his daughters.

How about telling his daughter that the character is wearing that outfit not because shes chosen to wear it. Shes been forced to wear it, Fisher advises. Shes a prisoner of a giant testicle who has a lot of saliva going on and she does not want to wear that thing and its ultimately that chain, which youre now indicating is some sort of accessory to S&M, that is used to kill the giant saliva testicle. Thats asinine.

Truly the contempt for the scruffy-looking nerf-herders of the world is very much alive and well in Fisher.

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Good morning. Im Paul Thornton, The Times letters editor, and it is Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. If you read only one tweet about President-elect Donald Trumps transition, let it be this one: If there were a Secretary of Mouse Welfare, Trump would appoint a cat.

Lets take a look back at the week in Opinion.

So-called sanctuary cities, those that refuse to use municipal resources to help the federal government deport immigrants, are scrambling to prepare for the start in six weeks of life under a president who promised to deport millions of people in the country illegally. Their worry: that the Trump administration might deny funding to cities that frustrate attempts by federal agents to enforce immigration law.

Some scholars and activists protest that such a punishment would be mean-spirited and possibly even unconstitutional. Not so, say constitutional lawyers David Rivkin and Elizabeth Price Foley in a Times op-ed article  courts would almost certainly allow Trump to financially punish cities in this way. They write:

Feldman and others point to New York v. United States (1992) and Printz v. United States (1997), in which the Supreme Court concluded that the federal government cannot conscript state or local officials to carry out federal law. The federal government must enforce its own laws, using federal personnel. So when state or local police arrest immigrants who are present in the country illegally, they are under no obligation to deport them, as deportation is the responsibility of the federal government alone. This anti-commandeering doctrine, however, doesnt protect sanctuary cities or public universities  because it doesnt apply when Congress merely requests information. For example, in Reno v. Condon (2000), the court unanimously rejected an anti-commandeering challenge to the Drivers Privacy Protection Act, which required states under certain circumstances to disclose some personal details about license holders. The court concluded that, because the DPPA requested information and did not require state officials to assist in the enforcement of federal statutes, it was consistent with the New York and Printz cases. It follows that, consistent with the anti-commandeering doctrine, Congress can require state, local or university police to tell federal agents when they arrest an immigrant present in the country illegally.  Whatever ones view of the best immigration policy, it should be uniform. Some, including the Washington Posts editorial board, have suggested that Congress should give sanctuary cities flexibility to report only those whove committed the most serious violent offenses. But precisely which criminals should be subject to deportation requires resolution by Congress, not each city or university. Sanctuary policies create Balkanization on an issue with important foreign policy implications and corresponding potential for diplomatic embarrassment. As the Supreme Court affirmed in Arizona v. United States (2012), the removal process is entrusted to the discretion of the Federal Government because it touch[es] on foreign relations and must be made with one voice. The Constitution is clear that power to determine deportation policies belongs to Congress, not states, municipalities or universities.  Click here to read more.

California, leader of the resistance to Trump. So says the New York Times editorial board, which notes that California and other progressive, immigrant-friendly states and cities do not have the luxury of waiting and hoping for the best when it comes to the incoming Trump administration. The New York Times praises California legislators for passing three bills in rapid succession that prepare the state to protect vulnerable immigrants from Trumps reach. New York Times

Identity politics did in Hillary Clinton, but only because Trump played them. And he played them masterfully, writes Meghan Daum, convincing the nations white majority that it was in fact a persecuted minority: Trump dealt out the victim card to his supporters at every possible opportunity, and they were all too happy to show theirs around like a brand new fake ID. L.A. Times

Trump went after a labor union leader  just like a true authoritarian would. In attacking the Indianapolis steelworkers union official who criticized him for lying his ass off about saving jobs at Carrier Corp., the president-elect wasnt just letting off steam; he was seeking to crush dissent, writes Steven Greenhouse: Anyone who believes in robust, pluralistic democracy should be worried that a national leader, so soon after being elected, is assailing labor unions with an eye to weakening them. How else can one interpret Trumps attack on union dues? L.A. Times

What Obama still doesnt get about terrorism: Islamic ideology plays a role. Bryan Dean Wright, a former CIA officer and self-described Democrat, bristles at President Obamas refusal to make any association at all between the religion of Islam and terrorism, and details the way observers of its growing Salafist strain seek global conquest. With luck and wisdom, President Trump will fare better, Wright concludes. L.A. Times

Canada welcomed him as a visitor; the United States dehumanized him when he came home. UCLA law professor Khaled Abou El Fadl, who was returning to the United States after giving a lecture at the University of Alberta, was detained without explanation at Edmonton Airports U.S. border preclearance facility. El Fadl, who as a national security lawyer is familiar with the reasons for searches at the border, speculates that nothing other than racial profiling was the cause: Now I wonder, is there no limit to the alienation and marginalization that American Muslims will be made to feel by their own country? L.A. Times

Reach me: paul.thornton@latimes.com
The night Donald Trump was elected president, JC Chang, 28, shed tears and called his mother, scared for the direction the country was going.

When he learned of Trumps call with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen last week, he found himself in a strange place: on Trumps side.

I guess if I was a pure American liberal, without any ties to Taiwan, I would criticize him. . . . But I am Taiwanese American. We kind of have a different perspective, said Chang, a financial advisor and the president of the Los Angeles chapter of Taiwanese American Professionals.

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Asian American voters in California are twice as likely to identify as Democrats than as Republicans, according to the National Asian American Survey.

About 79% of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders voted for Hillary Clinton this November, according to an exit poll conducted by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.

And Trump has drawn plenty of ire from Asian Americans, especially during a campaign speech last year in which he used broken English to draw laughs at a rally.

Everyone says, dont aggravate China. But no one ever thinks, is this fair for Taiwan?  Simon Lin, chairman of the Taiwan Center Foundation of Greater Los Angeles

But Trumps call with Tsai sparked excitement and cautious support from many Taiwanese Americans  a reminder that political identity is as variegated as humanity.

Identity has always been a particularly complicated matter for Taiwanese Americans, of whom there are more than more than 45,000 in Los Angeles County, the largest population in the U.S.

For Chang, just stating that he is Taiwanese American often feels like taking a political stand, depending on how much his audience agrees with Chinas stance that Taiwan is not a country. More recognition for Taiwan  a democratic, progressive nation that just elected its first female president  represents more recognition of his identity, Chang said.

But support for Taiwanese independence would be just one small positive in a whole sea of darkness, Chang said, and he could never see himself voting for Trump in an election.

Taiwan has functioned as an independent country ever since officials fleeing the Communist takeover of China established a government there in 1949. But China claims sovereignty over the island and refuses diplomatic relations with any country that recognizes Taiwans independence.

Everyone says, dont aggravate China. But no one ever thinks, is this fair for Taiwan? said Simon Lin, chairman of the Taiwan Center Foundation of Greater Los Angeles.

Lin has voted as a Republican in every election since he immigrated to the U.S. in 1980. This year he voted for Clinton because he was afraid that Trump was too erratic to handle sensitive international relations with countries like China.

Yet he supports Trumps call with Tsai because Taiwan has been ignored by a lot of people for a long time, he said.

Other Taiwanese Americans, such as attorney Karin Wang, question Trumps motives.

If anything, he is using Taiwan for some larger agenda, whether to provoke China or to further his own business interests, Wang said.

And more attention for Taiwan may not be a good thing, said Stephen Cheng, 28. Hes worried that any negotiations between the U.S. and China over Taiwan will work out unfavorably for the island.

Id love to see us become more than a footnote in history, but I dont want to see us become an epitaph.  Jeff Yang, Taiwanese American writer and critic

Whats good for Taiwan is the status quo, and the status quo as we see it now is already eroding, Cheng said.

As the call trended on Twitter and became fodder for newscasters, it sent ripples of alarm through the international community. But its actual ramifications are still unclear, said Syaru Shirley Lin, a professor at the University of Virginia and the author of Taiwans China Dilemma.

No American president has spoken directly to a Taiwanese president since 1979, when the U.S. established official relations with the Peoples Republic of China.

Trumps call was unprecedented, but so is any mention of Taiwan in the U.Ss foreign policy, Lin said.

President George W. Bush sparked a similar outcry in 2001 when he said he would do whatever it takes to defend Taiwan from China in a televised interview, Lin said.

When it comes to Taiwan, everything is unprecedented because its so infrequent, Lin said.

She thinks the call represents a wake-up call for the U.S. to reevaluate or restate its policy toward Taiwan, which hasnt been updated since the Clinton administration. The U.S. has remained largely silent as China has taken a more assertive stance on Taiwan, which in turn has shifted toward more autonomy with the election of Tsai, a pro-independence candidate.

Theres been too much focus on how this is an extreme action and very little focus on whether the U.S. needs to review its Taiwan policy, Lin said.

Though many Taiwanese Americans hope the sudden attention on Taiwan will improve the countrys political future, others worry about the consequences.

Jeff Yang, a Taiwanese American writer and critic, would love to see more attention for Taiwan  the country that brought Boba tea and Jeremy Lin and Fresh Off the Boat to the world (his son, Hudson Yang, stars in the show).

But he believes Trump is using Taiwan to make political hay, and hes worried that the president-elects actions will put the country at risk.

Id love to see us become more than a footnote in history, but I dont want to see us become an epitaph, Yang said.

frank.shyong@latimes.com

Twitter: @frankshyong

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A Superior Court judge ruled Friday that the stepfather of 2-year-old Jahi Turner, who disappeared more than 14 years ago, should stand trial for murder.

After a weeklong hearing, Judge Charles Rogers said that prosecutors had presented enough evidence to hold Tieray Jones for a trial. Attorneys for Jones, who was questioned repeatedly by San Diego police in the days after the child vanished, insisted afterward that he was not guilty.

Jahi has not been seen since Jones, 38, reported him missing April 25, 2002.

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Something happened to Jahi, Deputy Dist. Atty. Nicole Rooney told the judge Friday, and the defendant disposed of his body.

According to prosecutors, Jones lied to police about his actions after Jahis disappearance in order to cover up the crime. A medical expert also testified that Jahi may have been a victim of child abuse, a conclusion based in part on Jones journal entries.

An entry from April 23, 2002, read: Today for some reason he hasnt been moving or really talking. Jahi is starting to act really funny he wont get up off the floor. Hes not walking or talking when I tell him to get his cup he just looks at me.

I know its going to take some time. But I dont want him hating me for something I cant control. The bump on his head has gone down I put ice on it. Its gotten a little red.

Jones was living with Jahis mother, Tameka Turner, who was in the Navy and had been deployed a few days before her son went missing.

During the preliminary hearing, investigators testified that Jones called 911 on April 25, 2002, to report that Jahi had disappeared. He said he had taken the boy to a playground that day and left him to walk to a vending machine several yards away. When he returned, Jones said, Jahi was gone.

He said he searched the area for 15 minutes before calling police.

In making his ruling, Rogers said he concluded the call was fabricated. He noted that witnesses who were at the park said they never saw Jones or Jahi.

Jones was not arrested after Jahi disappeared, and the district attorneys office announced in 2004 that it was not planning to file charges against any suspect in the case.

Last year, Tameka Turner agreed to call Jones while police listened. The couple separated in 2004 and later divorced.

In that call, which was played in court, Jones said he often thought about the day Jahi disappeared and acknowledged that people blamed him. I should have been paying attention, he said.

Authorities in April arrested Jones, who had been living in North Carolina.

The prosecutor said the cooperation of Jahis mother and the 2015 phone call were two new elements that were not available in 2002, but they were not the most crucial.

The most compelling piece of evidence we had was the fact that nobody ever saw Jahi Turner alive after Monday, April 25, 2002, Rooney said outside court. We have numerous witnesses at the [apartment] complex, at the park, all around town who saw the defendant without Jahi Turner, and thats the most compelling argument.

The trial is set to begin in April.

dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com

Littlefield and Moran write for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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A judge has rejected state Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris effort to prosecute the operators of Backpage.com, one of the largest online classified advertisement websites, as the worlds top online brothel in hosting advertisements for adult services.

The California attorney generals office had accused the companys chief executive and former owners of creating a website with knowledge that prostitutes and pimps use it to advertise sexual services, and filed pimping-related charges against them.

State prosecutors alleged the vast majority of the ads are for adult services and that the company profited from the sex trafficking of adults and children.

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But in a rebuke issued Friday, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael G. Bowman ruled that websites such as Backpage.com are protected from lawsuits when they publish speech posted by other people.

The judge said the Communications Decency Act of 1996 struck a balance in favor of free speech in keeping Internet service providers protected from liability.

In a statement, Harris said she was extremely disappointed by the ruling.

The Communications Decency Act was not meant to be a shield from criminal prosecution for perpetrators of online brothels. The evidence is clear  these defendants are responsible for personally creating and publishing the content that was used to pimp and traffic victims on their websites, Harris said.

To all those who have been victimized by pimps online and trafficked through Backpage.com, you are not alone and the fight for justice is not over, she continued. We are exploring all legal options and will continue to advocate for all victims and to aggressively prosecute those who prey on and exploit the vulnerable.

A lawyer for Backpage praised the courts ruling.

Were just gratified that the court upheld the rule of law and dismissed this baseless prosecution, said Robert Corn-Revere, a 1st Amendment attorney with Davis Wright Tremaine. The government doesnt get to ignore the demands of the 1st Amendment and  the Communications Decency Act.

A lawyer and expert on Internet law, Heather Antoine, said she thinks legal immunity for online publishers is an important concept in the age of the Internet, so that websites such as Facebook and other social media websites can host free speech without fearing lawsuits regarding another persons writings.

We need the Internet to function to have a free society, Antoine said in an interview. If the state of California wants to go after these adult service rings, then thats who they should go after. They shouldnt go after Backpage.com because its technically easier for them.

Backpages chief executive, Carl Ferrer, 55, was arrested in October in Houston after arriving on a flight from Amsterdam. Charges were filed on Sept. 26 against Ferrer and former owners Michael Lacey, 68, and James Larkin, 67  who had high-profile careers shepherding alternative weekly papers including the Village Voice and Phoenix New Times.

Prosecutors accused Ferrer of overseeing the company, including the screening of ads, and contended he knowingly gained money from the prostitution of women and children, according to court papers.

Backpage denied any wrongdoing and accused Harris prosecution as being politically motivated as she entered her final weeks in her campaign for U.S. Senate. She was elected last month.

Backpage originated in the classified section in the back of alternative newspapers. It also lists apartments, cars and jobs. State prosecutors alleged that the site earned more than 90% of its revenue from the adult section, and said some of the paid ads offer thinly veiled prostitution of women and minors, with nearly nude photos and a menu of sex in coded language.

The case was the most vigorous effort yet to blunt Backpage, founded in 2004 and now owned by a Dutch company that lists Ferrer as its sole partner.

The charges followed a three-year-long inquiry in which California authorities claimed to have found numerous instances in which the company received fees from ads for escorts younger than 18. The minors lived in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Santa Clara counties, court files said.

A 27-year-old woman said she began using Backpage after Craigslist shuttered its escort section and the prostitution website MyRedbook.com was shut down by federal officials. A 15-year-old girl, who said she was forced into prostitution at 13 by her pimp, told authorities that Backpage profits off of women and men.

The company has contended that it is a host  not a publisher  of content generated by third parties, namely, consenting adults.

ron.lin@latimes.com

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

For more Southern California news, follow us on Twitter: @ronlin and @MattHJourno

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On Friday night, several hundred people were on hand at the Oakland Museum of California to pay tribute to the Ghost Ship victims.

Outside in the Oak Street Plaza, a chalkboard memory wall covered with the names of the victims gave visitors a chance to write a note of support. All donations went to the Gray Area Foundation for the Arts fund for the victims and their families.

We are gathered here because we love you and we know were all hurting, said Evelyn Orantes, curator of public practice at the museum.

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We all need a space to come together in community and remember that there is light and hope in the world. I want to thank the artist community for bringing shape to things that live in our hearts and our minds, that we cant always put words to.

Museum director Lori Fogarty had a simple message for the East Bay art scene that some fear is under siege in the wake of the fire: I want to extend strength and courage to the artist community  weve got your back here.

Just after 7 p.m., there was a moment of silence that ended with the sound of a drum and childrens voices. Hundreds of bubbles filled the air outside the museum while those in attendance held candles.

At the end of the two-minute reflection, someone let out a cheer: God bless Oakland!

Oakland artist Chris Treggiari helped design a memorial adorned with names of the 36 who died in the warehouse fire last week. A ship replica  its three masts missing sails  sat atop battery-powered candles on the wooden, altar-like installation. The vessel was set against a starburst of boards.

On the floor, framed messages and candles were placed on top of wooden stools, with such messages as: He inspired a hell of a lot of people, he still is.

We just wanted to create a sacred space, said Treggiari, an adjunct professor at the California College of the Arts. We just wanted to get people talking and thinking and sharing.

Treggiari worked with Ghost Ship victim Alex Ghassan on a video installation called Oakland I want you to know, which was displayed at the museum over the summer.

The two worked side-by-side for more than four months, interviewing people for a documentary that covered issues such as gentrification and demographic change in the city of 400,000.

He was an extremely hard worker and he had a great incredible eye and his compositions were really beautiful, Treggiari said of Ghassan. We did have a lot of fun together. We spent a lot of time together and we had a lot of laughs. It was a pleasure to spend however many months together.

Carol Koch, an Oakland resident for 30 years, left a message on behalf of her daughter Katie Gibson, who has been texting with her all week. Gibson, whose nickname is Peach, used to frequent the music warehouse scene in Oakland when she was younger.

Fighting back tears, Koch placed a note card on the memorial that read: Friends, dance, sing, love and laugh in heaven. You have touched so many lives. You will be missed, but never forgotten. Love, Peach.

ben.poston@latimes.com

Twitter: @bposton

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Ghost Ship tragedy puts focus on plight of Oakland artists dealing with soaring Bay Area housing costs

Refrigerator ruled out as cause of Oakland fire that killed 36; no evidence of arson

Its excruciating: Inside the heartbreaking recovery of 36 bodies in Oakland warehouse
A San Jose State University student has been arrested following a series of six sexual batteries reported on the campus since Oct. 17, according to authorities.

The student, Huaien David Kong, 19, was taken into custody on suspicion of attacking a female victim at 4:25 p.m. Monday in the campus Student Union, university spokeswoman Patricia Harris said. Police believe he grabbed the victim, then rode away on a skateboard.

Although Kong is accused of committing just one of the six cases campus police are investigating, authorities said they believe Kong committed other attacks that went unreported.

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The attacks were reported at Duncan Hall, Sweeney Hall, Boccardo Business Complex and the Student Union.

These disturbing incidents have caused understandable anxiety in our community, university President Mary Papazian said in a statement Thursday.

Seventeen incidents of sexual battery have been reported on campus so far this year. Thats six more than 2015.

While there is no indication that we are experiencing a significant year-to-year increase in these crimes, even one case is too many, Papazian said.

Authorities dont know whether the assailants in the other cases of sexual battery were students. But they think at least two of the incidents involved the same attacker.

Top school officials are working on a plan to increase security and add lighting at the university.

Two dozen security cameras will be installed to help with any police investigations. The cameras, however, will not be monitored in real time, Papazian said.

The university is recruiting six additional patrol officers, which will increase the Police Department staff to 32.

In September, a women told the San Jose Mercury News that she was attacked by a water polo player who attends the university at an off-campus party. She was one of two women who said they were attacked by the player off campus, school officials said.

The womans account prompted Papazian to issue a statement, assuring students and faculty she was determined to ensure the campus was safe and inclusive.

She said the Santa Clara County district attorneys office was reviewing the assault allegations.

The student was barred from campus and ordered to stay away from the victims, Papazian said.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

For breaking news in California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.
Two people were killed and a third was seriously injured in a fiery street-racing crash in Anaheim that ended when one driver lost control of his vehicle and barreled through a light post before slamming into a building early Saturday morning, authorities said.

The crash occurred about 2 a.m. in the 1700 block of Ball Road. Witnesses told police that two vehicles were racing at speeds of up to 100 mph when one driver hit a dip and lost control, slamming over a curb and smashing through a concrete lamp post, according to Sgt. Daron Wyatt, an Anaheim police spokesman.

The car, described as a 2003 Nissan Infiniti, then struck several parked cars and rolled over multiple times before it smashed into the patio of an apartment and caught fire, Wyatt said.

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The driver and a passenger in the back seat were pronounced dead at the scene, Wyatt said. A third victim, who was riding in the front passenger seat, was ejected from the vehicle and suffered severe burns. The man, identified as a 24-year-old Anaheim resident, was in critical condition late Saturday but is expected to survive.

Anaheim police said the fire damaged the exterior of the nearby apartment complex. The Red Cross was assisting residents.

Investigators believe the race happened spontaneously, and detectives are attempting to determine if it was captured by surveillance cameras, Wyatt said. Police are still searching for another vehicle involved in the race, which witnesses described as a sports car similar to a Mustang or a Camaro, Wyatt said.

The two deceased victims were badly burned, which has made it difficult for police to identify them. Wyatt said investigators have tentatively identified the driver as a 19-year-old man from Stanton, though officials will need to extract DNA to confirm the mans identity.

The passenger who was killed has been identified only as a man, Wyatt said.

Police do not track statistics on street racing the way they do other crimes, such as murder or robbery, but investigators in Southern California say races have become more common in recent years. The area has become an attractive target for car clubs, with some traveling all the way from the Bay Area to coordinate drag races and other dangerous driving contests.

Racers have also taken to using Instagram and other social media to quickly change the locations of races and sideshows, car meets where drivers will compete for money while performing dangerous stunts

Saturdays crash in Anaheim was the latest in a string of deaths related to street racing in Southern California in the last year, officials said.

Earlier this year, a 36-year-old music teacher was killed when a suspected street racer lost control of his vehicle during a race on a busy Hawthorne thoroughfare. In February, a crash linked to street racing killed three people on the 5 Freeway, including the son of a Los Angeles County sheriffs lieutenant. In July, a teenager was shot and killed by undercover California Highway Patrol officers after he fled from a truck meet in Orange County.

The deaths have prompted action from law enforcement. Los Angeles police created two separate task forces to combat the issue in 2014, and the department is now helping spearhead a countywide task force aimed at curtailing racing activity. In Orange County, Wyatt said police have also been working to track racers to remote areas where they attempt to hold organized competitions.

james.queally@latimes.com

shelby.grad@latimes.com

ALSO

Former Orange County pastor sentenced to prison for sexual battery of church members

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UPDATES:

4:55 p.m.: This story was updated with additional information from Anaheim Police and additional background on street racing in Southern California.

This story first published at 7:20 a.m.
In a lengthy taped interview with FBI agents conducted a day after he fatally shot nine black members of a Charleston Bible study, Dylann Roof casually and matter-of-factly confessed to the crimes, giggling uneasily as he recounted his actions and his motivation.

The massacre was minuscule, he said, compared with what African Americans were doing to white people every day.

At times, Roof appeared confused, expressing shock he had killed as many as nine people, admitting he was freaking out during the shooting and preferred not to think about his victims.

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Asked if he had any regrets, the gangly high school drop-out sighed heavily: Yeah, Id say so, he said blankly, in a deep yet faltering voice. I regret doing it, a little bit.

Jurors heard the chilling two-hour confession on Friday, the third day of Roofs federal hate-crimes trial. The 22-year-old white supremacist from Columbia, S.C., is accused of murdering nine people at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston. The court made a tape of the FBI interview available online.

I went to that church in Charleston and, uh, you know, I did it, Roof told FBI agents after waiving his right to an attorney.

When pressed to describe his actions, Roof was reluctant at first  not because he was afraid he would seem guilty, he explained, but because he didnt really like saying it. An FBI agent asked him again.

Well, I killed them, I guess.  Dylann Roof

Well, I killed them, I guess, Roof said hesitantly. I dont really know how many people or anything like that.

Prosecutors played the entire confession, recorded after Roof, who was 21 at the time, was arrested in North Carolina the day after the June 17, 2015, shooting. Roof told investigators he chose Emanuel AME Church because of its history as the oldest black church in the South and because he was confident only black people would attend the Bible study.

The day after the shooting, he appeared surprised that the crime had left nine people dead. There wasnt even nine people there, he said flatly. Are you guys lying to me?

The agents assured him they were not.

Oh, well, he murmured as he fidgeted with a plastic bottle top and rubbed his fingers on the oval, wooden conference table.

The agent asked how he felt.

Well, it makes me feel bad, he muttered softly.

The jury has already heard testimony from one of the two adult survivors of the shooting. It has also listened to first responders and seen graphic crime scene photos and videos of bodies strewn on the churchs white linoleum floor, surrounded by discarded Bibles, ammunition and shell casings.

I am guilty, Roof said, chuckling uncomfortably as the agent asked if he thought he had committed a crime. We all know Im guilty.

What do you think should happen to you? one of the agents asked.

Ugh, I dont know how to answer that, he sighed.

In a 33-count indictment, the Department of Justice charged Roof with 12 counts of committing a hate crime against black victims, 12 counts of obstructing the exercise of religion and nine counts of using a firearm to commit murder. The agency is seeking the death penalty due to what it called his lack of remorse and animosity towards African Americans.

Roof told agents he did not have any accomplices, and drew inspiration from from information he gleaned online. It sounds lame, you know, you dont really Iike to say it, but it was pretty much just the Internet, he said. All the informations there for you.

After drinking half a Smirnoff, Roof told investigators, he walked into the church, carrying a .45-caliber Glock pistol and a heavy bag crammed with seven magazines of ammunition. He was silent as parishioners sat around a table discussing the Book of Marks Parable of the Sower.

I was sitting there just thinking about whether I should do it or not  because I know I could have just walked out, he said. But then  Im not going to say in the spur of the moment, but you know  I just finally decided I had to do it.

After the shooting, he said, he was in absolute awe when he peeked out the church door and found no police outside. He had saved one of the eight magazines hed bought at Walmart, expecting to kill himself if confronted by police officers.

Describing himself as a white nationalist and admirer of Adolf Hitler, Roof was clear and unapologetic about his desire for racial retribution.

Somebody had to do something because, you know, black people are killing white people every day on the streets, and they rape white women, he said.

The Trayvon Martin case, in which the killing of a black Florida teenager in 2012 prompted nationwide protests, woke him up, he said.

When asked what he meant, he said: Viewing everything that happened ever through a racial lens thats what black people do. From the day black people are born, theyre viewing everything that happens to them through a racial lens. Thats why they get offended so easily.

Roof is the first defendant in American history to face parallel death penalty trials from state and federal governments. In January, he faces a second potential death sentence on charges of murder and attempted murder in a state trial.

Until now, the main window into Roofs motivation was a 2,000-word racist manifesto he posted online the day of the shooting.

During the trial, Roof has remained stiff and impassive, staring down at the wooden defense table.

Not long after prosecutors finished opening statements Wednesday, Roofs mother collapsed. Later, his defense attorneys said shed had a heart attack.

Handwritten notes to his mother and father were found in the backseat of Roofs black Hyundai sedan after his arrest. I love you, he wrote to his mother. I know that what I did will have repercussions on my whole family and for this, I truly am sorry. At this moment, I miss you very much and as childish as it sounds, I wish I was in your arms.

The first witness, Felicia Sanders, a church usher who was one of two adult survivors and lost her 26-year-old son in the massacre, delivered testimony on Wednesday that was so emotional the defense attorneys wiped away tears.

Hes evil, Sanders said under cross-examination. Theres no place on earth for him except the pit of hell.

Her statement prompted the defense team on Thursday to call for a mistrial, arguing the law did not allow survivors and family members of victims to offer opinions about appropriate penalties during the guilt phase of the trial.

Roofs defense team is representing him only in the guilt phase. In an unusual move, Roof has said he will take over his defense and act as his own attorney during the sentencing stage.

Jarvie is a special correspondent.

ALSO

Clinton won as many votes as Obama in 2012  just not in the states where she needed them most

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In New York, attacks on women with headscarves raise alarms
Good morning. It is Saturday, Dec. 10. Heres what you dont want to miss this weekend:

TOP STORIES

Housing crisis: The Oakland warehouse fire that killed 36 people has put a spotlight on the Bay Areas affordable-housing crisis, which has pushed some into substandard housing because its all they can afford. The regions rising rents have been particularly devastating to Oakland, where more than a fifth of all residents live in poverty and the median household income is $25,000 less than neighboring San Francisco. Los Angeles Times

Also: Investigators have ruled out a faulty refrigerator as the cause of the fire and raised the possibility we may never know the answer. Los Angeles Times

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Water under the bridge: The great congressional water war of 2016 ended Friday, with Sen. Barbara Boxer terminating her filibuster over a water infrastructure bill on the Senate floor. That cleared the way for long-stalled California drought legislation. Los Angeles Times

Taiwanese reaction: For Southern Californias large Taiwanese community, Donald Trumps historic, controversial phone call with the president of Taiwan is being greeted with excitement and anxiety. Los Angeles Times

Caught on video: The fallout from Trumps election continues. An instructor at Orange Coast College is caught on tape saying Trumps victory was an act of terrorism. Orange County Register

End of an era: The Field Poll, the granddaddy of California political surveys, is shutting down. The move comes after the death of namesake Mervin Field last year. The demise for a poll known for its accuracy has the political world in mourning. Sacramento Bee

The #NeverTrump camp: Is California leading the resistance? New York Times

About that doctors note: The doctors letter said the patient was too sick to be performing manual labor for her court-ordered community service in her embezzlement case. She was being monitored for heart and lung problems as well as intolerance to physical labor, said the letter filed with the court. The only problem: The doctor never wrote the letter. Los Angeles Times

Driving ambition: Despite Uber, Lyft and increasing mass transit options, millennials are beginning to get into the car market. Its about traveling to more places, and about groceries. San Diego Union-Tribune

Lust for life: Lets wish Kirk Douglas a belated happy 100th birthday. CNN

THIS WEEKS MOST POPULAR STORIES IN ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

1. Sneak preview: Heres what the beach at Santa Monica will look like after restoration project. Curbed Los Angeles

2. Warehouse tragedy: Who is Derick Almena, the man behind the Ghost Ship? Some have portrayed him as a narcissist, others as an eccentric. Los Angeles Times

3. Reuse, remodel: Fourteen shipping containers are being used to build two houses side by side in Redondo Beach. Daily Breeze

4. Lets do the time warp again: Watch this Google time lapse video of how Los Angeles has developed since 1984. Los Angeles Magazine

5. At last: Californias ballots have all been counted  more than 14.6 million and most of them for Hillary Clinton. Los Angeles Times

ICYMI, HERE ARE THIS WEEKS GREAT READS

Hidden gem: In a city where architects get the adulation of rock stars, one Los Angeles masterpiece remains largely undiscovered. Built with oil money, the Clarke Estate represents some of the best principles of Southern California. Curbed Los Angeles

Sing it: For much of the 20th century, L.A. was famous for being the rare global city without an opera house, which was particularly perplexing because it was a center of world culture. Now, its creating some of the more creative opera anywhere. Heres how it happened. The New Yorker

It stuck with her: A child of the 70s growing up in Southern California, I recall the tar balls thick petroleum fragrance  and how once they were lodged on the sole of the foot, they were difficult-to-remove but oddly comforting little reminders of a splendid day at the beach. I began thinking about where they come from, how they got to be tar balls, and if they were bad or benign. Writer Robin Tricoles on her search for answers about those black beach balls. The Atlantic

Now it can be shown: The censored photos Dorothea Lange took of Californias internment camps for Japanese Americans are finally revealed. Anchor Editions

LOOKING AHEAD

Monday: Golden Globe nominees are announced in Beverly Hills.

Monday: Midnight Mission Christmas celebration in downtown L.A.

Wednesday: Screen Actors Guild Award nominees are announced in West Hollywood.

Friday: Griffith Park celebrates its 120th birthday.

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Shelby Grad.
There is much for Southern Californians to like in departing U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxers final bill  to authorize federal water projects  including funding to restore the Los Angeles River and to pay for various water storage and groundwater efforts.

And then there are the provisions Boxers colleague and fellow California Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, negotiated with Republicans and their supporters in San Joaquin Valleys agriculture industry to squeeze more usable water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta for farmers in drought years.

At issue in the delta and the rivers that feed it are the rules that govern when and how much water can be diverted for farms and homes instead of being allowed to keep flowing through rivers and into the delta to protect endangered salmon.

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The so-called drought provisions are unacceptable.

Californias two senators have long approached water issues from different angles but generally managed to agree. Not this time. When Feinstein and Republicans inserted their provisions in Boxers bill late last week, Boxer threatened to scuttle the whole package. She said the delta provisions would undermine the Endangered Species Act and could irreparably damage the states salmon and the thousands of jobs that depend on the Pacific salmon fishery, not just off Californias coast, but off Oregons and Washingtons as well.

Environmentalists have balked at the Feinstein proposal, just as they opposed a drought bill she proposed earlier this year. That measure also was aimed at making delta rules more flexible to keep water flowing to farms during periods in which it arguably wasnt needed for fish. Notwithstanding the concerns, that bill was a prudent compromise and might have been acceptable had it been an end-point  part of a grand bargain between the various factions to end the long-running California water wars.

So the question now is whether the new provisions that Feinstein has brokered with Republicans are appreciably different from her earlier version, or whether circumstances have changed enough to warrant endangering the entire bill and all the funding it allocates to badly needed water projects.

The regrettable conclusion must be that the so-called drought provisions are unacceptable.

Circumstances certainly changed with the election of Donald Trump and the climate-change-denying, environmentally challenged cabinet members he is considering or has already appointed. Although the bills rules governing when delta pumps can operate and how water must be managed are technical and subject to interpretation, they grant Trumps secretaries of Commerce and Interior an important role in determining when to divert less water and leave more for endangered fish and the environment. That sort of discretion might have been tolerable if entrusted to cabinet members of an environmentally responsible administration, but it must be seen in a different light with a White House with a decidedly different approach to the environment.

An internal memo from the current White House also notes that since Feinsteins earlier bill, populations of endangered salmon and smelt have significantly declined. Even the current program of scientific findings may be insufficient to protect the fish as required under the Endangered Species Act.

The proposed drought-year legislation would appear to be directly at odds with current, laudable efforts by the State Water Resources Control Board to ensure the presence of enough water in the lower San Joaquin River  close to the delta pumps  to sustain migrating salmon, which are not merely another fish but integral to Californias ecology, culture and history.

All that aside, Feinsteins effort to add some flexibility to delta rules to provide more water for farms and urban areas in times of drought  despite serious concerns that they could weaken species protection  might still be worth the risk if they were part of a final compact between environmental and agricultural interests on delta water.

But there is still no final compact, no grand bargain, and in fact the recent election has only emboldened Republicans who are targeting the Endangered Species Act. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and other members of Congress who represent the San Joaquin Valley have made it clear that they intend to press further to divert more Sacramento and San Joaquin river water to agricultural use rather than letting it flow into the sea to sustain the states increasingly fragile environment. The drought language, negotiated in private and inserted into Boxers bill at close to the last minute, would embolden them further if adopted. Lets hope that Kamala Harris, Boxers successor, has been paying attention and is prepared to stand up for Californias increasingly fragile environment.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Most of the time, at least one American is orbiting Earth in the International Space Station. What seems so routine, if still risky, today was heroically dangerous in 1962, when John Glenn became the first American to orbit our planet. The rocket he rode on was designed to deliver warheads across the world, not humans on peaceful missions into space; the modest, bell-shaped capsule that carried him aloft at 17,000 miles per hour could fit inside most office cubicles.

Glenn, who died Thursday, was the last surviving astronaut of NASAs original seven. His death has prompted readers to write not only of their fond memories of him and Americas early space program, but also of an entire era. Here are some of their letters.

Frances Terrell Lippman of Sherman Oaks praises Glenn as a member of the Greatest Generation:

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Role models and American heroes like Glenn are becoming harder and harder to find these days. They make up a rare breed that has become almost extinct. As boomers growing up in the space age of possibilities, we witnessed courage all around us. Citizens fought for civil rights, and a young President Kennedy promised a bright future for our country and for us to soar to the moon.

Glenn was an authentic American hero who made a difference for all mankind.  Frances Terrell Lippman, Sherman Oaks

Glenns extraordinary achievements in his 95 years showed us that it was worth taking all the risks he took. He was part of the Greatest Generation, whose hard work, determination and benevolence lead this country to greatness.

In a society whose members have become so self-centered and self-absorbed, this is a good time to reflect on a man who was an actual modern-day adventurer and explorer. Glenn was an authentic American hero who made a difference for all mankind. Let us hope that the seeds he planted will produce new pioneers in science, medicine and space travel who will honor his legacy.

Laguna Beach resident Denny Freidenrich pays tribute to Glenns fellow explorers:

They were the Magnificent Seven in real life before the popular western film of the same name. Growing up in the late 1950s, my friends and I knew all the names of the Mercury 7 astronauts. Now with Glenns passing, none is left.

In the 1970s, my parents told me the single most important event of their lifetime was man landing on the moon. If it hadnt been for Glenn and his six late brothers, life as we know it today might have turned out very differently.

If America ever resumes sending humans into space using our own vehicles, I hope the next rocket launched will be the Mercury II. That would be a fitting tribute to the original astronauts my friends and I knew when we were kids.

Pacific Palisades resident Russ Davies reminds us of Glenns lengthy, noteworthy life before he was selected as an astronaut in 1959:

In The Times front-page obituary Friday, Glenns first career received only a passing mention. In the United States Marine Corp, he served in two wars as an officer and a fighter pilot.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
To the editor: Following adverse reactions to some of Donald Trumps comments during the presidential election, the public was advised by his supporters to take him seriously but not literally. Jonah Goldberg reminds us that words matter, as do several other articles in the same edition of the Times. (Take Trump seriously but not literally? How, exactly? Opinion, Dec. 6)

One article reported on a man believing what he read online in a completely fake news story. He stormed a Washington pizzeria with an AR-15 to rescue fictional children. Another piece was about California legislators resisting some of Trumps stated objectives regarding deportations.

The two stories provide examples of the raw power of words. In the first case, the words were false and uttered by a conspiracy promoter. Nevertheless, someone acted on them. In the second case, Trumps words carry the authority of the soon-to-be president and his ability to implement his stated policy objectives. Thus, his words were taken seriously by California lawmakers.

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Words matter because people respond to them.

Todd Collart, Ventura

..

To the editor: Language matters. Its the way we communicate our thoughts. All of us, including the next president, must be accountable for the words we speak.

Unfortunately we are never quite sure what Trump truly believes because he seldom stands by what he says. One day he excoriates someone, the next day he embraces that same person. Just how did this incoherent man become president-elect?

I have a theory. Somehow, during the last couple of decades, Americans have just stopped listening to words. We are attracted to emotions but not what people are actually saying.

The first time I was able to vote was in 1964. I listened very carefully, as did everyone, to what each candidate was saying. I will never forget when Barry Goldwater stood before the Republican convention and said, Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.

Goldwater was defeated in a landslide because voters were listening and took his words literally.

Richard A. Steel, Los Angeles

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Gov. Jerry Brown had to pick an attorney general faster than he expected

(Susan Walsh / Associated Press)

The phone call that Gov. Jerry Brown made on Wednesday night was unusual. A governor who marches to his own methodical timetable for decisions was having his hand forced by the politics of Capitol Hill, and the job of California attorney general hung in the balance.

In the end, Brown got the man he wanted: Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles). But it was Becerras effort to make a big career move that complicated things.

In interviews with advisers to the governor and those close to Becerra, a portrait emerged of two veteran politicians who have mutual admiration but dont really know each other very well. In fact, the 12-term congressman plans to spend part of this weekend meeting with Brown in Sacramento.

It was Becerras angling for an unexpectedly open high-profile post leading Democrats on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee that sparked the circumspect governor into action.

Nancy McFadden, the governors top staffer, decided she did not want to be attorney general. (Robert Durell / For The Times)

In Sacramento, those close to the governor said that the list of potential replacements for Kamala Harris was short, much shorter than the ones circulated by political watchers. Advisers confirmed that either First Lady Anne Gust Brown or the governors top aide, Nancy McFadden, could have had the job if they had wanted it.

Neither did, perhaps knowing the importance being placed on picking someone who would be willing to run for a full term in the job in 2018 (though Becerra declined to talk about future plans when asked on Thursday).

Becerra, on the other hand, intrigued the governor. Not only did he have the right credentials -- a former deputy attorney general, former state legislator, veteran member of Congress -- but advisers said the governor also valued diversity. And the chance to select the states first Latino attorney general was important.

While few jobs are as important to Brown, himself a former attorney general, the leading contender never came in for an in-person interview. Becerra, who grew up in Sacramento, had been in town just before election day to stump for the reelection of Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove). He met with McFadden on that visit, but not the governor.

And so the two men, who had no deep personal relationship, made the big decision long distance.

When they talked, McFadden said in an interview, the man matched the resume.

Becerra had been looking for somewhere to land. Out of places to move in House leadership and nearing the limit on how much longer he could lead the House Democratic Caucus, the vocal advocate for Hillary Clinton had spent the last year campaigning for her across the country with hopes it might lead to a new position.

Clintons loss Nov. 8 put an end to that speculation, and for a while Becerras next move didnt seem clear.

Surprise news Tuesday afternoon that the ranking Democrat on Ways and Means, Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) would not seek the position again led Beccera to quickly announce his plans to seek the position and lobby colleagues to back him. Levin quickly endorsed Becerra over Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Richie Neal, who had sought the job before.

Word of Becerras effort quickly reached the state Capitol and the governors inner circle sprang into action. Perhaps fewer than a half dozen people knew of Browns decision until news began to spread early Thursday morning.

Becerra called the offer sudden and said with Congress in session he hadnt even had a chance to talk with Brown about the job in person.

It went very quickly when it started to move, he said. I was as stunned as you probably were and others were.
The final results of the 2016 presidential election look like this: Hillary Clinton got roughly the same number of votes that President Obama received four years ago en route to his reelection, but she nonetheless lost the presidency to Donald Trump, who came in at least 2.8 million votes behind her.

Thats a highly unusual outcome  the biggest gap between the popular vote and the electoral college in almost a century and a half. Only now, with almost all the nations ballots counted, have analysts begun to flesh out what led to that result and what implications it has for the nations deep political divisions.

Start with California, where Clinton beat Trump by almost 2 to 1, amassing a margin of more than 4.2 million votes. Thats a victory more impressive even than Obamas in 2012, and it included a win in Orange County, which had sided with the Republican in every presidential election back to 1936.

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Note: a previous version of this chart mistakenly stated that a Democratic candidate had won the 1952 election in California. Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower won the state that year with a margin of 14%.

But Clintons huge majority in the nations largest state was also part of her key weakness  a base of support too concentrated in the big, urban areas of the northeast and the West Coast.

A candidate gets all of a states electoral votes whether she wins by four or 4 million, so in the national picture, the huge size of Clintons majority in California, as well as a similarly lopsided margin in New York, did her no good. Clinton piled up similarly wasted votes in some big, Republican states  notably Georgia and Texas  in which she did significantly better than recent Democratic nominees, but not well enough to win any electoral votes.

By contrast, Trumps vote was incredibly efficient, said Tom Bonier of TargetSmart, a Democratic data and strategy firm based in Washington. Where he lost, he lost big. Where he won, he won by a little. There werent many wasted votes. He won almost all the close ones.

Trump narrowly eked out the victories he needed in key states of nations industrial belt, taking Michigan by 10,704, according to final returns, Wisconsin by 22,717 and Pennsylvania by just under 45,000, according to a compilation of the latest data maintained by David Wasserman of the Cook Political Report.

The reasons that happened varied from state to state, Bonier and other analysts note. In Ohio and Wisconsin, for example, turnout fell, belying the image of an army of previously hidden Trump voters storming the polls.

In Pennsylvania, by contrast, that image may be more accurate  turnout rose significantly across the state. Similarly, in Florida, Clinton won heavily in nearly all the places that Democrats generally count on, but lost because of a huge election-day upsurge in heavily white, nonurban counties of the central part of the state, according to an analysis by Democratic strategist Steve Schale.

One big, consistent piece of the problem was that Clinton performed worse than Obama did in blue-collar, predominantly white communities outside of major cities; such as the counties that include Scranton and Erie, Pa.; Youngstown, Ohio; Green Bay, Wis.; and Daytona Beach in Florida. In many such counties, Clintons vote was 15 percentage points or more below what Obama received in his reelection.

When I look at those blue-collar areas, Im still kind of in awe over how dramatic the change was, said Sean Trende, election analyst for the RealClearPolitics website.

Clinton actually did better than Obama in counties that have high levels of education  Orange County being a prime example  as well as suburban counties outside Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston and several other major cities.

Indeed, the share of the white population with a college degree or higher turned out to be one of the strongest predictors of which candidate would win a particular area this year.

Trumps weakness in those suburban counties, which in the past have often sided with Republicans, provides a big red, flashing sign for both parties, said Trende.

The danger for Democrats is that if Trump can bring those suburban Republicans back into the fold without losing his core support among blue-collar, white voters, he could win a pretty significant victory in the next election, Trende said.

The danger for Republicans is that if Trump fails to improve his standing in the suburbs, there are a bunch of GOP representatives from those districts who could suddenly be at risk.

Like the where of Trumps victory, the when is also fairly clear: He won heavily among voters who made up their minds in the final two weeks of the campaign.

The USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Daybreak tracking poll of the election provides evidence on that score. The poll, which tracked roughly 3,200 people through the campaign, resurveyed them after the vote.

Those who had said they were certain about which way they would vote almost all followed through as predicted. But among the smaller group who were still uncertain about their vote in late October  people who said, for example, that they were only 60% likely to vote for their favored candidate, Trump did notably better than Clinton.

That finding suggests that voters who were undecided, or only weakly committed, late in the campaign broke toward Trump. Pollsters for both the Trump and Clinton campaigns say their internal data found similar results.

Clinton aides blame that late surge for Trump on FBI Director James B. Comey, saying that he heavily influenced the outcome with his disclosure, 10 days before the election, that the bureau was looking at a trove of emails that might be related to Clintons handling of classified data while secretary of State. Comey said days later that the newly identified emails would not change his previous conclusion that there was no evidence to warrant indicting Clinton.

Trump aides say that other factors were also at play, including the president-elects unexpectedly disciplined focus on his campaign message in the contests final two weeks. But they dont deny that Comeys letter played a role.

In contrast to the where and when, the who and why of Trumps success remain more elusive. Analysts know, for example, that some people who voted for Obama four years ago turned around and voted for Trump this year. But they dont yet have a good picture of how many did so compared with the number of Obama voters who simply stayed home.

Some of the answers wont be known until states release their detailed voter files, showing who actually voted this year. Only a few states have done that so far.

Even before all the numbers are available, however, an intense and potentially disruptive argument has started among Democrats about which groups in their coalition were most responsible for Clintons defeat and what the answer means for the partys future direction.

One big argument involves the relative importance of economics and race.

Aides to Trump say he won because voters in blue-collar communities favored his economic message. Particularly in the Midwest, he scored with his promise to bring jobs back to a region that has suffered from stagnant incomes and declining economic mobility for decades, they say.

Some Democratic analysts agree, at least in part. Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg said Friday that a postelection poll conducted by his firm showed that Democrats and independents who had voted for Trump held many doubts and anxieties about the his character. Nonetheless, they held their noses and voted for him because he offered a different economic vision, Greenberg wrote in analyzing the polls findings.

Other Democrats and some academic analysts stress Trumps ability to play on racial resentments among his core supporters.

Michael Tesler, a political scientist at UC Irvine, has spent the year studying the role of race in the campaign. In a series of articles, he has described survey data that show a strong link between measures of racial resentment and support for Trump among white voters.

Whites who scored high on questions that are designed to measure racial animosity or anxiety were more likely to favor the Republican candidate this year than they were in 2008 and 2012, when the Democratic candidate was the countrys first African American president, he found. That could be a result of some of the racially tinged language Trump used in the campaign.

Another issue involves how badly Clinton underperformed among millennial generation voters.

The Clinton campaigns internal data indicate that the drop-off among voters younger than 30 was a key problem. Those voters mostly did not side with Trump  he remains unpopular with younger Americans  but enough either stayed home or voted for third-party candidates to make the difference in the closest states.

We needed to be in the low 60s with young people, and at the end of the day, we were in the high 50s, Clintons campaign manager, Robby Mook, said at a recent conference held by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy School of Government. Thats part of why we lost.

David.Lauter@latimes.com

For more on Politics and Policy, follow me @DavidLauter

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UPDATES:

9:05 p.m.: This article was updated to report that Hillary Clinton now leads Donald Trump in the popular vote by 2.8 million votes. An earlier version of the story reported her lead as 2.7 million votes.

This article was originally published at 3:10 p.m.
A bomb targeting a police vehicle on a road in Egypt's Kafr El-Sheikh killed a civilian motorist who was in the vicinity of the explosion and injured three policemen Friday evening, Egyptian news channel Al-Nahar Al-Youm reported.

The four were transfered to Kafr El-Sheikh hospital.

This is the second bombing targeting police to take place in Egypt on Friday, as another explosion killed six policemen in Giza's Haram district earlier in the day.

An Egyptian militant group called Hasm claimed responsibility for the Giza bombing in a statement issued on their website.

The interior ministry's statement said that the Giza blast killed two police officers, a low-ranking policeman and two conscripts.

Three other policemen were injured and were transferred to hospital.

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Over Sen. Barbara Boxers objections, the Senate voted 78 to 21 Friday evening to pass sweeping water infrastructure legislation that changes how much water is pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to San Joaquin Valley farmers and Southern California.

The bill  co-authored by Boxer  authorizes hundreds of water projects across the country, including new infrastructure to fix lead issues in Flint, Mich., and and millions of dollars for projects connected to the Los Angeles River, Salton Sea and Lake Tahoe.

Earlier in the week, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy inserted 90 pages of California water policy that drew Boxers opposition, negotiated over the past year by the states 14 GOP members, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and a handful of House Democrats.

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The bill passed the House by a vote of 360-61 (including 36 of 53 California members) on Thursday before representatives left town for the year.

Described as drought relief, the proposal focuses on environmental restrictions that have at times limited water flow from the delta to its dry southern neighbors.

Salmon fishing and conservation groups and members of Congress from Northern California condemned the water proposal as a last-minute attack on the environment and the fishing industry. But San Joaquin Valley growers and urban water agencies urged its passage.

Boxer and environmentalists issue is that the measure would allow officials at state and federal water management agencies to exceed the environmental pumping limits set under the Endangered Species Act to capture more water, especially during storms. Those limits have been a pet peeve of water contractors, including the Westlands Water District and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which complained of water supplies lost to the sea during last winters heavy rains.

We got pretty good storms last winter and the... regulators were so risk adverse they said you cant pump hardly any of it, said Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies, which represents public water districts across the state.

Federal biologists have said certain levels of water flowing through the delta are vital for native fish, which have suffered devastating losses during the prolonged drought, and help maintain the quality of the deltas freshwater supplies.

Feinstein said Friday that she came on board with the new policy after tracking daily water levels and seeing where, if it were possible, we could have saved water without impacting fish.

The bill states more than 30 times that the new policy does not supersede existing environmental laws, and Feinstein disagrees with Boxers insistence that it weakens the Endangered Species Act.

Saying the change in policy is akin to attacking the landmark law, Boxer spent the last few days trying to persuade colleagues to kill the entire bill, which includes more than two dozen water projects in California alone.

She spoke passionately on it for about 90 minutes Friday, slamming her fist against the lectern repeatedly.

It isnt easy. It breaks my heart, she said, urging her colleagues to either strip out the language or kill the bill.

The retiring senator had vowed to do everything in her power to stop the legislation, but the overwhelming House vote convinced her it was a lost cause.

Ive made my point and Ive spoken enough. Its a very uphill battle, Boxer said. Im a realist; Ive been here a long time.

When she spoke on the Senate floor hours later, Feinstein laid out why she supports the plan, calling it the result of three years of painstaking public work.

California is home... to more than 40 million people, and our major water infrastructure hasnt been significantly changed in the past 50 years when we had 16 million, Feinstein said. We must modernize the system, both infrastructure and operational flexibility, or I fear we risk eventually becoming a desert state.

The final language includes chunks of a bill Feinstein introduced in February, which was considered twice by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee but never made it to the full Senate. Feinstein has called it one of the most difficult bills she has ever worked on.

We have addressed, to the best of our ability and on and on and on, concerns raised by environmentalists, water districts, federal and state agencies and the [agriculture] sector, she said. I believe that these provisions will place California on a long-term path to drought resiliency.

The White House hasnt issued a veto threat for the bill. Press Secretary Josh Earnest said earlier in the week there was some leeriness about the new California language, but that the president would look at the entire bill in deciding whether to sign it.

Still, that doesnt mean the water will immediately begin flowing. Boxer and several legal experts said Friday they expect the legislation to quickly draw legal challenges over whether the pumping provisions amount to an override of the environmental law.

Supporters may say it doesnt change the Endangered Species Act, but I think thats probably not exactly true when theyre this prescriptive. It probably is going to override the acts rules, said Holly Doremus, a professor of Environmental Regulation at the UC Berkeley School of Law.

Doremus said other parts of the new policy were contradictory and could spawn a barrage of lawsuits.

It is awfully messy. There will be a lot of litigation, she predicted.

Boxer said shes counting on it, though shes not sure what, if any, role she will play.

I hope they take this to court, Day One, Boxer said. Of course its going to end up in court.

sarah.wire@latimes.com

Follow @sarahdwire on Twitter

Read more about the 55 members of Californias delegation at latimes.com/politics

ALSO

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Updates on California politics
With less than hour to spare, the Senate late Friday backed legislation averting a government shutdown as coal-state Democrats retreated on long-term healthcare benefits for retired miners but promised a renewed fight for the working class next year.

The 63-36 vote sent the stopgap spending bill to President Obama for his signature before a midnight deadline.

It came hours after Democrats dropped threats to block the measure in hopes of using the shutdown deadline to try to win a one-year respite for 16,500 miners facing the loss of healthcare benefits at years end. Instead, the legislation provides benefits for four months, at a cost of $45 million.

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Democrats evoked President-elect Donald Trump, whose economic message resonated strongly with the working class in coal country, in pressing for more benefits. Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.), who has been mentioned as a potential member of the Trump Cabinet, led the fight of coal-state Democrats.

But House Republicans were unrelenting  and had already vacated the Capitol for a three-week holiday  forcing Democrats to concede. Manchin acknowledged Friday night that he did not have the votes to block the bill, but said that the fight will continue next year.

Im born into a family of coal miners. If Im not going to stand up for them, who is? he told reporters.

Manchin is meeting with Trump on Monday.

The fight gave Democrats, whose election defeat a month ago was largely due to dwindling appeal among working-class voters, a chance to cast themselves and not the GOP as the champion of the worker. Manchin was joined by other coal-state Democrats who face reelection in 2018 in states Trump won, including Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Were just getting warmed up, said Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), also promising a fight next year. These miners and their families kept their promise, put their lives at risk. ... Its not too difficult for a senator or House member to keep a promise.

The dispute over health benefits and a separate fight over legislation to shift more of Californias scarce water resources to inland farmers were the final battles of a two-year session marked by constant quarreling. It was capped by a burst of productivity on legislation to authorize hundreds of water projects, repair the lead-tainted water system in Flint, Mich., and keep the government running through April.

Congress will reconvene on Jan. 3 to get a swift start on repealing key elements of the Affordable Care Act and confirming Trumps Cabinet.

The underlying funding bill would keep the government running through April 28 to buy time for the incoming administration and Congress to wrap up more than $1 trillion in unfinished agency budget work. It also provides war funding, disaster aid for Louisiana and other states, and an expedited process for confirming Trumps choice for Defense secretary, retired Marine Gen. James Mattis.

The trucking lobby won permanent relief from recent Transportation Department rules mandating more rest and overnight breaks for long-haul drivers. And the White House and some Republicans were denied in a bid to revive the Export-Import Banks ability to approve export financing deals exceeding $10 million.

The miners issue had history. Seventy years ago, President Harry S. Truman guaranteed a lifetime of health and pension benefits for retired miners to avert a strike.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said the four-month extension was better than nothing. McConnell, who represents thousands of miners in the struggling coal industry, said he tried to get a longer-term solution in talks with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.).

Would I have preferred that provision to be more generous? Of course I would have, he said in a speech on the Senate floor.

The House had left town on Thursday, creating a dynamic in which the Senate had little choice but to adopt the stopgap measure. Both the funding measure and a water projects bill passed the House by sweeping bipartisan votes.

Democratic opponents of the popular water projects bill, led by retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, assailed provisions to divert more water to corporate farmers. A vote to overcome a filibuster of that measure, which would also clear the way for long-delayed funding of $170 million to help Flint fix its lead-tainted water system, was to follow action on the stopgap spending bill.

Democrats griped that GOP negotiators on the water bill rejected a permanent buy America provision that would have required U.S.-produced steel be used in water projects. But that effort lost steam Friday.

The spending bill also would provide $7 million to reimburse the New York Police Department for the cost of security around Trump Tower in Manhattan, far less than the $35 million the city requested.

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A dispute over the meaning of Proposition 54, the new voter-approved change to how fast bills can be approved by the Legislature, could end up in front of the California Supreme Court next year in a showdown between Democratic lawmakers and government accountability groups.

Its a very high-stakes game, said Charles Munger Jr., one of the official authors of the ballot measure.

The disagreement centers on whether the laws 72-hour waiting period before final action on a bill applies to either chamber of the Legislature, or only when the proposal is on the verge of being sent to the governor. The question is important because a bill typically has at least two final votes: one in the house in which it was introduced and a concurrence vote in the other house.

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On Monday, the Assembly enacted operational rules with the more narrow interpretation, saying only that a Senate bill shall not be voted upon by the Assembly for final passage until after the 72-hour waiting period.

We dont regard an Assembly bill that still has to go through the gantlet of the Senate as a final vote, said Assemblyman Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova), the new chairman of the Assemblys rules committee.

Proposition 54, approved by more than 65% of voters on Nov. 8, promised to end the practice of passing last-minute legislation where the bills language isnt distributed to the public prior to passage. The official voter guides summary said the constitutional amendment would ban lawmakers from passing any bill unless published on the Internet for 72 hours before the vote.

That language is what Munger and the initiatives backers believe covers action by either house of the Legislature taking what could be a final vote on a bill.

Someone will go to the California Supreme Court if legislation is passed in 2017 using the Assemblys narrow new rule, said Munger on Friday. And it might be me.

Disputes over the intent and effect of the new rules have festered between Proposition 54 backers and lawmakers since the summertime, as lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to offer Munger and his supporters a compromise proposal if they would withdraw their initiative.

Proposition 54 asked voters to force new transparency in the Legislature 

Critics of the ballot measure believe that powerful interest groups will use the waiting period to crush support for delicate political agreements on important but controversial policies. Proposition 54 supporters disagree, and view the new Assembly rule as a way to simply shield the political sausage-making long enough for private negotiations to seal the deal.

They will graciously allow the public to read the bill in the house where theyve already locked up the votes, Munger said.

The state Senate, in its operating rules adopted this week, was silent on the issue of the new 72-hour waiting period. Both houses traditionally vote on organizational rules on the first day of a two-year session, rules implemented by a majority vote. Assembly Republicans voted against the narrow interpretation of Proposition 54 written by Democrats.

The legality of the Assembly policy could come into play early in 2017. Democrats have promised swift action to blunt potential immigration crackdowns by President-elect Donald Trump, bills crafted to take effect immediately if signed by Gov. Jerry Brown. In the event that a court ruled the Assemblys procedural rules violate Proposition 54, those laws could be thrown out.

The initiatives backers, including the League of Women Voters and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., sent a letter to leaders of the Legislature on Dec. 2 raising the implementation of the bill waiting period as one concern.

Cooley, the chairman of the Assembly Rules Committee, insisted in an interview that the coalition is reading the new transparency law too broadly.

The final vote, he said, is only when its potentially going to the governors desk.

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:

California Democrats plan to push back on any Trump immigration efforts

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Updates from Sacramento
Its been one year since the Food and Drug Administration approved the first cooling cap system to help cancer patients in the U.S. preserve their hair during chemotherapy treatments. A new clinical trial strengthens the case that cooling caps really do reduce the risk of hair loss.

Among 95 breast cancer patients who were randomly assigned to test a cooling cap, 48  or 51%  still had a good amount of hair after four cycles of chemotherapy. Meanwhile, among 47 control patients who did not use a cooling cap, none had hair after four rounds of chemotherapy.

The results were so striking that the trials data safety and monitoring board decided to halt the study early and release the results, according to a presentation Friday at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

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Chemotherapy works by killing rapidly dividing cells. Thats a hallmark of cancer cells, but theyre not the only ones that fit this description  unfortunately, hair cells divide rapidly too. Thats why chemotherapy treatments cause patients hair to fall out.

The idea behind the cooling caps is to reduce the assault on hair by delivering less of the chemotherapy agent to follicles on the head. By chilling the scalp to about 66 degrees Fahrenheit, the caps constrict blood vessels and reduce blood flow by 20% to 40%. Chemotherapy drugs travel through the bloodstream, so less blood flow to the scalp means less of the drug reaches vulnerable follicles.

In the trial, women with Stage 1 or 2 breast cancer donned the silicone caps 30 minutes before beginning their chemotherapy treatments. They kept the caps on throughout the treatment and for 90 minutes after it was over.

After four rounds of chemotherapy, hair loss was judged by independent evaluators who didnt know whether a patient had used a cooling cap. Patients were considered to have hair preservation if their hair looked normal from a distance and they did not need a wig or other hair piece to mask their hair loss.

The study authors plan to follow the patients for five years to see if the reduction in chemotherapy paves the way for their cancer to spread to their scalp. They will also track their overall survival.

The cooling caps should work the same for patients with any kind of solid tumor, but the researchers tested it on breast cancer patients because hair loss presents a bigger emotional blow to women than to men, study leader Dr. Julie Rani Nangia of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston said in a statement. (The caps should not be used on patients with leukemia or other blood cancers because they constrict the blood vessels.)

The clinical trial tested the Orbis Paxman Hair Loss Prevention System, which is currently under FDA review by the FDA. If approved for use in the U.S., it would become an alternative to the DigniCap Scalp Cooling System, which received FDA approval last December.

Paxman Cooling, the company that makes the Orbis system, funded the trial presented in San Antonio.

karen.kaplan@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @LATkarenkaplan and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook.

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As 2016 comes to a close, so does the first 10 years of Burbank Arts for All, an arts education foundation that has funneled roughly $403,000 into Burbank schools in the past decade, investing in Burbank Unifieds visual arts, music, dance, theater and digital-media programs.

We want to make sure the foundation has longevity. Were going to be here another 10 years and beyond, said Trena Pitchford, the foundations executive director.

A current drive to raise $20,000 by years end is underway as the organization continues to work at its vision of building the finest arts program in the country, Pitchford said.

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In 2016, funds went to pay for many items such as new theatrical lighting equipment, a kiln, a digital piano, software for instrumental music instruction, guest choreographers and teaching artists, all of which impacted more than 10,000 students throughout the districts elementary, middle and high schools.

But the foundations vision is not tied only to raising grant money.

The organizations attention is also focused on the larger Burbank community, which is why, over the past year, it reached out to 400 artists, community members as well as civic and business leaders through community meetings and public forums.

The purpose, Pitchford said, is to support arts education for the entire community to better assure that local students grow up to become viable employees who fuel Burbanks creative economy.

Thats why the foundation has held forums that bring in experts and educators to discuss topics such as the video game industry and hosted community meetings to drive volunteer and parent engagement.

The foundation also regularly interacts and meets with Burbank school officials, and its members attend state-mandated meetings where Burbank school officials make decisions about how state funding will be spent.

Pitchford said the foundation also keeps an eye on education policy. Its members will ask Burbank school board candidates about their thoughts on arts education ahead of the spring election.

The current board and Supt. Matt Hill, she said, stand behind arts instruction during the school day, and their own ambitious 10-year arts plan is one the foundation wants to support through its end in 2022.

It started with an idea, and it has been a community-wide effort, Pitchford said of the foundation. Were not done yet. Weve got more to do.

--

Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
Burbank police are searching for a woman who reportedly robbed a bank Thursday afternoon.

At around 2:30 p.m., officers responded to a robbery at the U.S. Bank located at 1750 W. Olive Ave., according to Burbank police Sgt. Claudio Losacco.

The woman handed a note to a bank teller demanding money, he added. The note mentioned the alleged robber had a gun, but no weapon was seen, and no injuries were reported.

The woman then fled on foot southbound on Orchard Drive from Olive Avenue with an undisclosed amount of money.

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The FBI said an attempted bank robbery occurred recently at a Bank of America branch in Los Angeles, and Burbank police are working with the Los Angeles Police Department and the FBI to determine if the two incidents are related.

Laura Eimiller, a spokesperson for the FBI, said the notes handed to the tellers and the suspects description are similar in both cases.

The woman was described as Caucasian, 40 to 50 years old, approximately 5 feet 6 and weighing about 110 pounds.

She can be seen in security footage wearing a gray, long-sleeved sweater, gray pants, black shoes, thick rimmed classes and an aqua blue scarf covering her head.

Although described as a woman, Eimiller said authorities are not ruling anything out.

The teller did describe the suspect as a woman, but based on the photos, there was some discussion of whether or not it couldve been a male disguised as a woman, she said.

Anyone with information may contact police at (818) 238-3210 or the FBI at (888) 226-8443.

--

Andy Nguyen, andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc

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Accompanied by police officers and McGruff the Crime Dog, 30 Burbank children roamed the aisles of the Target store in the Empire Center to purchase holiday gifts for themselves and their families.

It was part of Burbank polices annual Shop with a Cop event, where officers help youths from lower-income backgrounds purchase gifts with the help of a $2,000 donation from Target and several other sponsors. Each child was handed a $100 gift card, and it was up to them how they would spend it.

Its a way for everybody to coalesce into the spirit and meaning of the holidays, Burbank Chief of Police Scott LaChasse said. Thank God we have corporate sponsors out there willing to jump up and contribute to making other people happy during the holidays.

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Sean Kang, 10, shows a gift he found to a friend while his shopping partner, Burbank Police Officer Jorge Jaime, calculates how much Sean has left to spend at Target for the Shop with a Cop event on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. (Tim Berger / Burbank Leader)

The annual shopping spree has been held for for nearly 30 years.

For its involvement, Target drew on several stores for its donation to the event. Ryan Sebesta, loss prevention manager at the Burbank location, said stores in Pacoima, Granada Hills and Valencia contributed.

Those stores werent doing their own [Shop with a Cop event], so they donated to this one so we could get more kids, Sebesta said. Who doesnt like cheering up kids?

Lianne DePino, director of club services for the Boys and Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valley, said the spree is something the children look forward to every year. In addition to having the opportunity to buy gifts, she said it was a way for the children to have positive interactions with the police.

Its just a very great event that the police put together for the Boys and Girls Club. Were very appreciative, she said.

According to Angela Burrows, an officer with the departments community resource bureau, the children sometimes needed to be prodded to get something for themselves.

We encourage them to get a gift for themselves, but they generally choose gifts for their families, which is great, she said.

All of the children gather with Burbank law enforcement and Target employees during the Shop with a Cop event. (Tim Berger / Burbank Leader)

There was no prodding required for 7-year-old Anthony Gonzalez. Within minutes of entering the store, his cart already had several toys in it  a few for himself and one for his sister.

He still had to figure out what to get for the rest of his family, but he already had something in mind for his grandparents.

Im going to get a water bottle for my grandma because she doesnt have a water bottle, he said. And an ice bag for my grandpa because he got hurt.

Many of the officers who participated said they found the event a humbling experience. Norman Delrosario said helping children like Anthony reminded him the importance of celebrating the holidays  especially since he has a child of his own.

Its touching  just to interact with those less fortunate and being able to put a smile on their face and see them light up, Delrosario said. A simple gesture such as this can make a huge impact on their day and their holiday season.

--

Andy Nguyen, andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
A Burbank resident has filed a complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission, or FPPC, accusing the Burbank Hospitality Assn. of using public funds to pay for campaign mailers for the Committee for Yes on Measure B.

Measure B, a ballot measure that allows the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority to build a replacement terminal at Hollywood Burbank Airport, was approved by Burbank voters during the Nov. 8 election.

David Spell told the City Council about his complaint during a meeting Tuesday night, telling council members that the marketing organization for Burbank, commonly known as Visit Burbank, gave at least $50,000 to the committee that was advocating for the ballot measure and used the funds to pay for campaign mailers.

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It will take about two weeks for the FPPC to review the complaint and issue a response to Spell, according to Jay Wierenga, a spokesperson for the FPPC.

City Manager Ron Davis and City Atty. Amy Albano were not available for comment.

Going through campaign disclosures on the citys website after the election, Spell and two other residents learned about the contribution made by the Burbank Hospitality Assn. to the committee.

The association is in charge of distributing funds generated by the citys Tourism Business Improvement District, which collects money from hotels through a 1% assessment on hotel stays.

The association is made up of seven hotel managers, Lucy Burghdorf, spokeswoman for the Hollywood Burbank Airport, Tom Flavin, chief executive of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce, and Patrick Prescott, Burbanks community development director.

Spell and the others allege that the $50,000 given to the ballot measure committee was used to purchase and distribute campaign mailers telling voters to support Measure B.

Its either a mistake or worse, Spell said during a phone interview on Wednesday.

According to a city memo dated Sept. 20, former state Assembly candidate Sunder Ramani, a member of the Committee for Yes on Measure B, had asked the Burbank Hospitality Assn. on Sept. 14 to donate $50,000 to his organization to educate Burbank residents on the importance of voting yes on Measure B.

The association approved making the donation, with Burghdorf recusing herself from the discussion and vote, and Prescott absent from the meeting.

According to the FPPC, it is illegal to use city funds on campaign material. Violations can range from a warning letter up to a $5,000 fine per violation, Wierenga said.

Spell added that though he was not comfortable saying that the city was trying to conduct illegal acts, he thinks there are outside interest groups trying to influence city decisions.

From just examining the goings-on in City Hall, theres a culture there that is definitely influential, and it has to do with big business and the [Burbank] Chamber [of Commerce].

--

Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio

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Engineering was not the career field Burbank Public Works Director Bonnie Teaford intended to enter when she went to college.

Teaford attended UC Santa Cruz and earned a bachelors degree in cultural anthropology, but after earning her degree, she became fascinated with potable water and how it worked.

As an anthropology major, she understood the cultural values a water well has on a community, but Teaford could not stop thinking about potable water systems and decided to take a few engineering classes at CSU Sacramento.

Before you take an engineering class, first you have to take calculus, physics, chemistry and statics, she said. All of a sudden, by the time I figured out how to pump water, I was halfway through a civil engineering degree.

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Teaford decided to stick with engineering, earned another bachelors degree at Sacramento and made a career out of it. She worked for private companies, became a consultant and eventually worked for the Burbank Public Works Department.

After 32 years in the field, of which 17 were spent with Burbank, Teaford, 59, has decided to hang up her hard hat and retire on Dec. 19.

As a Northern California native, Teaford and her husband may move back north to spend time with family members there.

My husband has been spending a lot of time there with our families, and hes been really anxious for us to move back, she said. Hes been very patient, and its time for me to support his endeavors as he has supported mine over the past 17 years here in Burbank.

Teaford joined Burbank in December 1999 as chief assistant public works director after working as a consultant for the city for about 10 years.

I think they got tired of paying my consulting fee, she said, laughing.

Teaford took over the helm of the Public Works Department in 2005.

Throughout her 17 years with the city, Teaford has overseen several major projects, such as the Community Services Building, Ovrom Park and realignment of the intersection at Victory and Burbank boulevards and Victory Place, known as Five Points. More recently, she oversaw the renovation of Johnny Carson Park.

She said the two parts of her job she will miss the most are her employees and the purpose of this work.

The job is about truly serving the community, and it gives my life purpose, Teaford said.

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Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio
While it was encouraging to see the Leader write an article about the city staffs efforts to create stricter guidelines to limit mansionization, I was surprised that the entire article was devoted to the opinion of one person, Mr. Troy Peterson. Apparently, he feels the city staff is spending too much time drafting these guidelines. I dont know Mr. Peterson, and I expected him to be an expert on housing or a representative of a pertinent organization. But judging from the article, he is just a man with his own financial planning business. Its interesting that the Leader now writes whole articles covering the opinion of a random businessman. Will they then be interviewing people with differing perspectives? Personally, I applaud the city staff attempts to get these guidelines right, because they will affect the lives of residents for decades to come.

Tom Abrams

Burbank

..

Questions on mansionization

Time spent on stricter design guidelines for single-family homes in an effort to prevent mansionization is time well spent if you want to keep Burbanks present and historical character of a family comfortable, middle/upper-middle class place to live. mansionization is already taking place in nearby areas such as the Colfax Meadows area of Studio City, huge, two-story lookalike structures oversized for the lots and the area, looking down on neighbors homes and yards, destroying the neighborhood continuity and character. I believe it may have already started in the Toluca Lake area.

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Strangely, they look so similar, even though put up by different builders and developers. Perhaps it saves them time and money, as it would seem the builder would be able to predict the exact cost of materials, down to the last nail. They look almost like tract homes for the overprivileged, with prices that seem to begin at about $2.5 million! With little room left for backyards for kids, they dont seem to me family-friendly as areas like Burbank and Studio City have always been, up to now. Finally, people like me, and perhaps you, wont be able to afford to live in Burbank or Studio City in the future.

Respectfully, if the city doesnt knuckle-down and set reasonable standards for Burbank, the desirability of Burbank will attract mansionization, and do the people now living here really want that kind of change?

Harvey Barkan

Studio City

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Ballot story seems unlikely

Why do we Leader readers have to suffer a Hollywood reporter as a political commentator? Ray Richmond expands upon hearing from a single Facebook friend (always a reliable source) about his disqualified mail-in ballot in Dallas, into rhetoric about a vast Republican conspiracy to deny voting rights to hundreds of thousands of eligible voters nationwide. While I cannot speak definitely to the likelihood of an out-of-state ballot judge (of unstated political affiliation) actually communicating with a disqualified voter, I can state that Mrs. Clinton got more than 61% of the votes that were qualified in Dallas. I would imagine that trend was clear when the devious, Dallas ballot judge found a problem with the Facebook friends ballot. So, Ray, how about some more precise examples about how the Republican Party spends so much time and energy in keeping people from voting? For the record I am a Republican who did not vote for Trump.

Mel Wolf

Burbank
A bomb attack on an Egyptian police checkpoint killed six policemen and injured three others

Turkey strongly condemned the Friday terrorist attack in Gizas heavily-populated Haram district, which killed six policemen and injured three others, a Turkish foreign affairs statement read.

The statement conveyed the Turkish condolences to the friendly people of Egypt, and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.

A little-known Egyptian militant group called "Hasm" ("Resolve") claimed responsibility for the bomb attack on the security checkpoint.

The "Hasm" group has claimed a number of attacks on police checkpoints in recent months.

Attacks against security forces have become common in recent years but are concentrated in North Sinai, where Egypt's army and police are battling an entrenched Islamist insurgency.

Relationships between Egypt and Turkey have been strained since Ankara emerged as one of the most vocal opponents of the Egyptian authorities following the 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi - a close ally of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

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Students in the UC Irvine School of Law are taking time on top of their studies and research to help some of the universitys approximately 650 undocumented students with immigration matters before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office Jan. 20.

The law students began offering the pro bono  free  legal work last week.

Almost a dozen law students attended a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) Renewal Fair at the UCI law school to meet with undocumented students looking to renew their DACA status.

During his campaign, Trump said he would repeal DACA, an executive action established by the Obama administration in 2012 that allows undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children to get temporary permission to stay and work in the country. They must reapply every two years.

The fair last week was open to UCI students seeking help in filling out their renewal applications.

Theres a lot of concern over the DACA program itself and what it means to apply under a new presidency, said second-year UCI law student Samuel Park, 26. Just having the rights that so many people take for granted is monumental and life-changing, so theres a lot of emotions and a lot of concern right now.

Trump was quoted this week in a Time magazine interview that he would like to work something out for those young immigrants.

They got brought here at a very young age, theyve worked here, theyve gone to school here, Trump said in the interview. Some were good students. Some have wonderful jobs. And theyre in never-never land because they dont know whats going to happen.

More than 700,000 immigrants are in the DACA program, according to the Los Angeles Times.

UCI law school staff and one student were trained last week by Saya Austin, a staff attorney with the University of California Undocumented Legal Services Center, on how to conduct immigration screenings to help students see what forms of relief they or their family members may be eligible for.

The screenings will continue as needed, according to Anna Davis, the law schools director of pro bono programs.

Some law students also will volunteer at naturalization fairs this month at the Orange County Labor Federation in Orange. Those who attend may ask for help in filling out their application for naturalization, the process of becoming a U.S. citizen.

Though pro bono work is not required for UCI law students, a large majority of them choose to participate in it each year, according to professor Sameer Ashar.

Theres been a deep commitment to doing pro bono work, said Ashar, a co-director of the Immigration Rights Clinic at the law school. One of the big questions is  as a lawyer, how do you respond when a crisis is in the community? How do you marshal your knowledge and experience to support particularly vulnerable populations?

The assistance to undocumented students comes as the University of California system announced last week that it intends to protect students who entered the country illegally.

The UC presidents office released a statement saying that all nine campuses in the system will not release confidential student records without court orders or have school police departments help local, state or federal agencies investigate, detain or arrest students in connection with possible violations of federal immigration law.

While we still do not know what policies and practices the incoming federal administration may adopt, given the many public pronouncements made during the presidential campaign and its aftermath, we felt it necessary to reaffirm that UC will act upon its deeply held conviction that all members of our community have the right to work, study and live safely and without fear at all UC locations, UC President Janet Napolitano said in the statement.

alexandra.chan@latimes.com

Twitter: @AlexandraChan10
Stag Bar + Kitchen in Newport Beach was packed Thursday night as Orange Countys oldest bar hosted its annual ugly holiday sweater contest and toy drive.

Each guest who donated a new unwrapped toy received a new smartphone protective case by Irvine mobile electronics accessory maker Incipio. The toys  organizers said more than 500 were collected at the event  will be distributed by Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County to needy children in time for Christmas.

Its all about the kids and spreading good holiday cheer, said Stag Bars owner, Mario Marovic. Andy [Andy Fathollahi of Incipio] and I always look forward to partnering up for this event, and each year is always bigger than the last.

In addition to seeing Santa and his helpers, guests were greeted by Christmas carolers singing a mix of seasonal songs. A complimentary buffet included Stag Bars signature pizza, gourmet-style meatballs, spicy wings and antipasto salad.

As for the contest? There were no winners or losers. It was all about fun and charity.
The California Coastal Commission approved a plan Friday to consolidate a portion of Banning Ranchs longstanding oil and gas production facilities into a more concentrated area, a move that disappointed activists who attended the panels hearing in Ventura.

The commission approved Horizontal Development LLCs proposal on an 8-1 vote, with Commissioner Nidia Garcia-Erceg dissenting. She did not state her reason.

Under the plan, during the next three decades Horizontal will be allowed to build up to 77 additional wells within two already industrialized areas of the Banning Ranch property while simultaneously consolidating its existing wells, structures and oil and gas production facilities into those two areas.

The plan also includes abandoning other wells outside the designated areas.

We are taking a sprawling, large footprint oil facility that is 70 years old and were consolidating it down to a very small footprint, which is already intensely developed, said Don Schmitz, representing Horizontal Development.

The vote came three months after the commission denied a development plan for Banning Ranch that would add 895 homes, a hostel, a 75-room hotel and 45,100 square feet of retail space on 62 acres of the 401-acre coastal expanse in Newport Beach.

Commission staff, which approved and negotiated the oil and gas plan, said it would involve installing more modern equipment and wouldnt negatively affect nearby habitat for birds and plants. There will continue to be a buffer, staff said, between the oil operations and environmentally sensitive areas, some of which contain the rare southern tarplant.

The commissions vote does not affect other companies drilling activities in Banning Ranch, an active oilfield since the 1940s.

Steve Ray, executive director of the Banning Ranch Conservancy, which seeks to make the property an open space free of development, noted that the plan will not remove 67 wells not owned by Horizontal.

He expressed concern about the new oilfield technology possibly causing sinkholes or geysers, as well as the projects seismological and geological effects.

In other words, nature going crazy out there, Ray said.

Schmitz dismissed those concerns, saying Banning Ranchs oilfield activity is not the type that will induce seismic activity, nor has it in 70 years.

Brad Pierce, an oil and gas industry veteran asked by the Banning Ranch Conservancy to evaluate the plan, also was critical of Horizontal Developments proposal.

He called it vague and lacking a lot of drilling-related details that would aid in evaluating the projects potential risks to the environment.

Commission staff said such aspects are under the purview of the state Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources.

Other critics, including some Native American groups, were concerned over the prospect of prolonged drilling activity at Banning Ranch, where their ancestors lived for thousands of years.

Elizabeth Cameron called the area sacred.

Please protect native lands and allow native peoples to be partners in your conservation efforts, she said.

bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZint
The Irvine Co. filed a lawsuit Friday in Orange County Superior Court against the developer of Museum House, alleging the firms supporters have been unlawfully petitioning on Irvine Co. properties and creating a hostile environment for shoppers.

The Irvine Co., based in Newport Beach, contends that people working for Related California have been trespassing on its properties and disrupting Museum House opponents efforts to gather signatures in an attempt to force a referendum on the 25-story, 100-unit luxury condominium tower the Newport Beach City Council approved last month for Newport Center.

The Irvine Co. requires advance registration for free speech activities on its properties.

We were forced to take legal action today against the Museum House developer in order to ensure that our retail centers free-speech rules  which follow state and federal law  are followed and our guests enjoy a pleasant shopping experience, Irvine Co. officials said in a statement Friday. Going forward, we will serve a summons on any agent of the Museum House who engages our guests in political discourse without following our centers rules.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and a temporary restraining order against Related California agents who are on Irvine Co. properties without permission.

Local activist group Line in the Sand, organizer of the referendum drive, has been conducting its petition activities lawfully and receiving permission from Irvine Co. to set up tables at several of its Newport Beach shopping centers, the Irvine Co. statement said.

Sean Matsler, attorney for Museum House, said Friday that Related California hired a vendor to educate the public about the process and has submitted registration paperwork to the Irvine Co. to do so.

He said the vendor didnt know, however, that one form wouldnt apply to all 10 Irvine Co. centers. The company requires registration at each center.

Our vendor is in the process of complying with this technicality, Matsler said in an email.

Matsler also said Related California will pay for retired or active peace officers to sit at the shopping centers and help guarantee that all sides participate fairly in the public process. We hope this removes any concerns or issues going forward.

The suit came after days of reports from residents and activists about Museum House supporters engaging people at Irvine Co. shopping centers without the companys permission.

Line in the Sand organizer Jennifer McDonald said she saw 10 Museum House proponents at Newport Beachs Eastbluff center on Thursday. She said they were handing out literature supporting the condominium project while encouraging people not to sign the referendum petition.

There was no way people could go to the shops without interacting with them, and they were really in-your-face aggressive, McDonald wrote in an email.

Two men who were at the Westcliff shopping center in Newport Beach on Wednesday left the property after speaking with a security manager. They had been at the same location a few days earlier.

On Wednesday they were asking people to rescind their signatures supporting Line in the Sands referendum effort.

On Dec. 2, residents reported seeing the men gathering signatures opposing Museum House, leading some to speculate they were trying to trick people into signing a fake petition. Line in the Sand had not yet begun circulating its petition.

The men declined any comment when approached by Daily Pilot reporters both days.

Museum House representatives said they didnt know who was circulating those materials.

bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZint
Marylou Sarkissian, who authorities say was slain in her Huntington Beach home last week, is remembered by people who knew her as an intelligent and loving mother of three who was trapped in an abusive relationship.

Sarkissian, 50, was found dead at about 1 p.m. Dec. 2 when police did a welfare check at her home in the 9000 block of Litchfield Drive. Jason Becher, described in court documents as Sarkissians ex-boyfriend, was arrested the following day in Grants Pass, Ore., after being sought as a suspect in her death.

The cause of death has not been released.

Becher, 41, has been charged with murder and a special-circumstances sentencing enhancement of lying in wait, according to Orange County Superior Court records. He is in custody in Oregon and is expected to be extradited to Orange County to stand trial.

If convicted, he would face a minimum sentence of life in state prison without possibility of parole, according to the Orange County district attorneys office.

As you all can imagine, our hearts are broken and we are still trying to process what happened, Debra Zdrazil, Sarkissians sister, wrote on Facebook. Thank you to all for reaching out with your kind words of love, support and prayers.

Sarkissians cousin Natal Morrow started a Gofundme page this week to raise money for funeral expenses and the cost of raising Sarkissians children, Robert, 16, and 13-year-old twins Ian and Isabel. More than $6,000 in donations had been registered by Friday afternoon.

Those of you who knew Marylou and her children knew that she was a caring, intelligent and loving mother who was tragically taken too soon, Morrow wrote on the page. Marylous family is forever changed after this senseless tragedy.

Becher and Sarkissian, a hospital sales representative, had dated on and off for the past five years, Zdrazil said.

Sarkissian often would speak about their tumultuous relationship during appointments at Addicted to Hair, a salon in Newport Beach that she would visit every few weeks for extensions, haircuts and coloring, according to Ashley Baez, who worked at the salon as a receptionist.

Baez said Sarkissian was always smiling and had a positive attitude.

She was a really soft-spoken, sweet woman, Baez said. She always talked about doing things with her kids and was really just pleasant to be around.

However, when the conversation turned to her relationship with Becher, Sarkissian would shake as she described him harassing her by phone and showing up at her house uninvited, Baez said. A few times, Sarkissian came in with bruises on her arms and extensions ripped out of her hair, Baez said.

Sarkissian said a few months ago that she called police after Becher tried to strangle her with a towel, Baez said.

Huntington Beach police have released no information about the couples relationship.

Becher had been previously incarcerated for violent crimes, and Sarkissians sister was granted a restraining order against him in September, court records show.

According to court records, Becher pleaded guilty in 2001 to four counts of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to produce great bodily injury, false imprisonment and possession of marijuana for sale, all felony charges that originated in 1999.

He also pleaded guilty to making criminal threats, a misdemeanor.

He was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison, according to court records. It wasnt clear how long he served.

In a separate case, Becher pleaded guilty in 2005 to inflicting corporal injury and to unlawful taking of a vehicle, both felonies. He was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison, court records show. It also wasnt clear how long he served in that case.

Zdrazils restraining order request alleged that Becher had been harassing Zdrazil through texts and voicemails since June 28 and threatened to smear her reputation and pay someone to hurt her. She indicated in court papers that Becher owned or had access to a gun.

Cindy Borella, who owns Addicted to Hair, said she hadnt heard about Sarkissians death until Wednesday, when she didnt show up for an appointment.

She said Becher had a way of getting under Marylous skin and drawing her back into communicating with him.

I dont understand how he was even walking around out of jail with his record, Borella said. Im just sick about it. We saw this coming, but I cant believe its actually real.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
Eight sober-living-home permit requests originally scheduled to be voted on during next weeks Costa Mesa Planning Commission meeting have been bumped from the agenda pending City Council review of the approach to regulating such facilities.

Earlier, the city issued notices indicating the commission would consider applications for the following properties on Monday: 329 Rochester St., 268 Knox St., 351 and 357 Victoria St., 321 and 327 Cabrillo St., and 3016 and 3018 Jeffrey Drive

None of those items are included on the commission agenda posted Friday morning.

The City Council has expressed its intent to evaluate the citys regulations and approach to sober living homes and licensed drug and alcohol treatment facilities in early January 2017, states an email notification from the city. The Planning Commissions review of applications filed pursuant to these regulations will be deferred until the Council has conducted its evaluation.

For the past several weeks, the commission has waded through a spate of requests from sober-living-home operators seeking the permits they need to remain open under a pair of city ordinances restricting how close such facilities can be to one another.

Sober-living homes generally house recovering drug and alcohol addicts, who are considered disabled under state and federal law.

In 2014, the City Council adopted an ordinance requiring that sober-living homes with six or fewer occupants in single-family neighborhoods be at least 650 feet apart. The council created similar rules for such homes in multifamily areas last year.

City officials say the goal of the ordinances is to prevent such facilities from clustering in residential neighborhoods. Some critics have claimed the restrictions discriminate against recovering addicts.

The Planning Commission was scheduled to consider six permit requests for local sober-living homes earlier this week, but commissioners instead delayed the items because the attorney representing the applicants was unable to make it to the meeting.

Mondays agenda includes only two items  a request to subdivide a parcel at 2053 Tustin Ave. and an application for a conditional use permit to allow shared parking among properties at 1912 through 1942 Harbor Blvd.

The Planning Commission meeting starts at 6 p.m. Monday in City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter: @LukeMMoney
On Nov. 28, more than 150 people attended a town hall meeting at Costa Mesas Neighborhood Community Center to discuss the future of sober-living homes in the city.

The town hall was sponsored by the Assn. of California Cities-Orange County and the Orange County Assn. of Realtors and was attended by U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa), state Assemblyman Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach) and state Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa), among others.

But instead of trying to solve a problem, they discussed the symptoms. According to the U. S. Dept. of Health and Human Services statistics from 2014, on an average day in the U.S.:

More than 650,000 opioid prescriptions are dispensed;

13,900 people initiate non-medical use of prescription opioids;

2,580 people initiate heroin use;

278 people die from an opioid-related overdoses.

Those are just the drug numbers. According to the 2014 numbers from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:

Nearly 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the fourth-leading preventable cause of death in the United States;

In 2010, alcohol misuse problems cost the United States $249 billion;

More than 10 percent of U.S. children live with a parent with alcohol problems, according to a 2012 study;

Drinking alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, esophagus, pharynx, larynx, liver and breast.

Drinking alcohol also increases the chances that you will require the services of a sober-living home.

Sober-living homes are not the problem, they are a symptom. The problems are many, but the root problem is the constant flow of drug- and alcohol-abusing people who need sober-living services, which is supported by:

A society that promotes drug use and abuse and supports excessive alcohol consumption. On the one-mile stretch of 17th Street in Costa Mesa, between Newport Boulevard and Irvine Avenue, there are multiple places in which one can purchase alcohol;

Politicians who cannot tell the difference between a symptom and a problem, and who kowtow to constituent audiences with the tough regulation talk that they came to hear;

The same politicians who fail to propose any meaningful laws regulating the substances that cause the need for sober living in the first place and powerful drug and alcohol industries that claim to want to get abuse under control but are as complacent as the politicians: Inserting the phrase drink responsibly on every alcohol ad is a weak response to a tragic epidemic.

If we are to resolve the need for so many sober-living homes, we need these politicians to move upstream and start addressing the problem of addiction instead of attending meaningless town halls that result in little more than grandstanding opportunities and media sound bites.

Costa Mesa resident STEVE SMITH publishes the Better CM/Newport Schools blog.
The city of Costa Mesa appears to be heading in the wrong direction and does not appear to have any concern for the residents of this once-quiet community. It is time to support the rights of the residents and take back our community!

We all agree, based on discussions at meetings, that sober-living homes in the city of Costa Mesa have proliferated at an alarming and disproportionate rate compared with other Orange County cities. These facilities do nothing positive for our community, do not treat local residents and do not benefit the city in any way.

Meanwhile local commercial and retail businesses who do contribute goods, services and taxes to our city are required to operate in appropriately zoned areas. This seems like a rather short-sighted and passive approach to city planning. Are the lawyers more important than the longtime residents, businesses and homeowners in our city?

It is time to hit pause while we all examine the direction of our citys development, become more proactive and support the hard-working, local citizens and business owners in Costa Mesa. Until current and future legislation is further examined and adjusted, no further projects of this controversial and permanent nature should be approved. These facilities will forever change the character, feeling and value of our community.

Sober-living houses are really boarding houses and not single-family residences. The only thing they provide is a bed for the resident. No services are provided and each resident has a separate lease. The facility being discussed is not a group-living home where people who know each other have decided to live under one roof.

As a taxpayer and local citizen, I do not wish to endorse or invite the issues that accompany a boarding house into a residential neighborhood, such as noise, traffic, loitering, parking and transient residents to my once quiet, peaceful neighborhood. It does not matter who resides in these houses, therefore I am not being discriminatory. I just do not want boarding houses in a neighborhood that was planned as a residential neighborhood.

The residents in these particular facilities are drug addicts. The facilities have questionable success rate and no licensing. While the visiting residents are attempting recovery, they should be living in commercial and industrial areas or perhaps in a supervised healthcare facility, not in a residential neighborhood. There are two schools around the corner, and The Boys and Girls Club is down the street.

The Cape Series Community, where my condominium is, is literally across the street from a facility site. Our community has many elderly, taxpaying residents and is quiet and protected. In the past year we have seen people wandering the property, hanging out near our Dumpsters, using our property as a short-cut and for the first time have had reports of property vandalized and bikes stolen. The proposed facility would further jeopardize our quiet enjoyment of neighborhood and pose a potential threat to the safety of our residents.

Our neighborhood already has a lot of traffic/parking problems, and allowing this facility would worsen these issues due to the many additional cars used by the residents and their guests  many more than if a single family lived in the residence.

A recent article in the newspaper stated Costa Mesa already has too many of these types of facilities. It is time the city set some limits as to what ratio is acceptable and place all applications on hold until a fair ratio and zoning issues can be more clearly and legally specified. Recently Costa Mesa was successful in closing several facilities, and now it is considering adding more. This does not make sense.

This lucrative business does not contribute to our community in any way and, in fact, reduces our quality of life. It is a commercial operation and needs to be in a neighborhood zoned for business, not residences.

These facilities are well known to cause problems such as trespassing, parking issues, smoking, littering, noise and break-ins, just to name a few. Many of these facilities have been shown to not be good neighbors, and they may decrease property values.

We are a nice quiet community and should not have a facility like this in a residential area.

ADRIENNE RZEPNICK owns a condominium in Costa Mesas Cape Series Community.
As a former planning commissioner, I have been asked by many residents about the Museum House project. After thorough review, I support the project as a planning matter. So I wont be signing any petition to put the project to a public vote in an expensive special election.

I live in Big Canyon, and of course, would not favor anything that I thought harmed Big Canyon in general, or my home in particular. I carefully reviewed portions of the independently prepared environmental impact report (EIR) for the project. This is the document that analyzes whether a project causes impacts.

My focus was on traffic. The EIR determined there would be no real impacts from traffic. From my experience in looking at numerous traffic studies while on the Planning Commission, this makes sense to me.

This type of housing does not generate nearly the traffic volume of similarly sized retail or office uses. And in the case of Museum House, the demographic will generally be wealthy, older residents. When not traveling and in residence, most owners of units will not be getting up and going to work. So traffic will be very minimal.

The increase in vehicle trips over the existing museum will be about 300 per day, spread over 24 hours. If they were spread over 10 hours, that would average one trip every two minutes. Simply put, no factual basis exists to support a claim that the project will exacerbate traffic congestion.

The project will not block any views. There are already six buildings in the area along San Joaquin Hills Road of comparable height, however, the elevation of the building pad for Museum House will be lower than the comparable office buildings to begin with. Water restrictions from the drought will not be increased by the addition of a couple of hundred residents in a town of over 80,000 people.

There is no such thing as precedent in land-use decisions. One approval does not mean any future approvals must be granted. And Newport Beach has the Greenlight Initiative, passed in 2000, which severely limits future Newport Center entitlement approvals after Museum House. So the argument that Newport Center will become Manhattan, Century City or some other place should be recognized for the exaggeration that it is.

Based upon the facts, I do not fear Museum House even though it will be very close to my home. It will cause no impacts.

Larry Tucker

Newport Beach

Fashion Island is zoned for tall structures

The opposition group that is trying to prevent the construction of the new 25-story, 100-unit condominium project is about 30 years too late. Lets look at the details.

The new condo project is to be built in Fashion Island next to several other high-rise office buildings. If the anti-building crowd was so serious about modern, thoughtful development, they should have been voicing their opposition when the other high-rise office buildings were in the planning stages decades ago.

Back then, nobody was in opposition because Fashion Island was the place for large structures. And it still is. Nobodys views are being threatened, and the recent road modernization can handle the increase in traffic.

The anti-development crowd is a day late and a dollar short when it comes to its opposition of a new modern high-rise housing project. Museum House is the right project in the right location.

Rob Macfarlane

Newport Beach
The holidays are a joyous time of year, although for some people they can also exacerbate feelings of anxiety, alienation and loneliness.

Many of those who experience such stress turn to their church pastors for solace and guidance to help get them through the difficult times.

But what if the pastor is the one in need of comfort?

Those who take up the ministry are still just people, after all. Though they have dedicated their lives to the belief that they are serving a higher calling, and they are often put on an unrealistically high pedestal, the fact remains that pastors are as susceptible as the rest of us to emotional upheaval.

That realization many years ago led a Balboa Island couple, Jim and Debbie Hogan, to resolve to find a way to help pastors who feel overwhelmed by the intense demands of their jobs and family lives. The result was Standing Stone Ministry, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting pastors and their spouses, and to alleviating some of the burnout that leads some of them to abandon their church work.

Most pastors have no close personal friends they can go to with their issues, said Jim. They isolate themselves.

They are the ones that are supposed to have all the answers, Debbie added. When they have a problem, they dont have anywhere to turn.

Standing Stone, named after the Colorado ranch where the Hogans launched the ministry, is focused on providing pastors and their spouses with rejuvenating retreats intended to help them recharge and refocus on their work and personal lives. The time is used for many of the things that pastors often neglect as they devote themselves to tending their congregations, including rest, outdoor activities, reflection and discussion about their own needs and feelings.

Since starting Standing Stone in 2002, hundreds of people have been on the retreats. The Hogans claim a 98% success rate, meaning that the participating pastors are still in the ministry and remain married.

The work is dear to the Hogans, in part because they have endured trials of their own. The high school sweethearts, who have been married for 47 years and are parents to two grown sons, appear to the outsider to have a charmed life. He has been successful in business and has been involved in church administration. She has gained fulfillment through teaching and charitable work.

But over the years they dealt with tragedy and family crises, including the deaths of Debbies parents in a plane crash, a late-term miscarriage and the suicide of a close friend. They were also deeply affected by a string of pastors they encountered throughout their lives who had succumbed to the pressures of their work. Some blew up their marriages, and many left their parishes adrift, due to infidelity and other missteps.

After one of these episodes, the Hogans heard about the Masters Program, a three-year Christian leadership program. During that experience, the couple became inspired to do something to help pastors regain a healthy balance in their lives that would allow them to continue with their ministries.

They founded Standing Stone Ministry and hosted the first of many couples for the week-long retreats at their Colorado ranch. After each of these sessions, the Hogans continued to check in with the pastors and their spouses a few times a year. They have also developed a large network of professional counseling services they can refer people to if the need arises.

Though they believe this arrangement worked well, by 2011 the Hogans decided to make a change in order to reach more people. They sold the ranch and began recruiting other couples all over the country who were willing to serve in the same role, hosting and mentoring pastors and their spouses at similar types of retreats.

They now have a network of 41 other couples that theyve trained to provide such services and spend most of their time recruiting new associates. Theyd like to have 100 up and running by the end of next year.

With the holidays fast approaching, the Hogans believe Standing Stone Ministry is needed more than ever. The Christmas season is a particularly vulnerable time for pastors because the demands of the job are even greater, they said. Pastors tend to feel responsible for ensuring that all their parishioners needs are met, and that everyone else is experiencing a meaningful and fulfilling Christmas.

The week leading up to Christmas is just bedlam, said Jim. A lot of pastors feel they have to do it all.

Thats why the Hogans see it as their mission to ensure that the shepherds responsible for leading the flock dont get lost themselves.

This is the last place we thought wed be at this stage in our life, Debbie said with a laugh.

But like the pastors they serve, the Hogans felt a calling and remain dedicated to ensuring that the ministry feels less of a burden and more of a blessing for those who choose the life.

PATRICE APODACA is a former Newport-Mesa public school parent and former Los Angeles Times staff writer. She lives in Newport Beach.
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10 Famous TV Personalities Born In Ethiopia Ethiopia is a country best known for its fast athletes like Dibaba and Bekele, breathtaking models like Liya Kebede and of course Haile Selassie but there are also famous TV personalities who are doing a great job in entertainment and pushing the country to civilization. The following is a list of ten most famous TV ...

Top 10 African Authors of All Time The pace of present African literature is moving at a high-speed; more defiant in both style and tone than those of the great independence writers generation. Here, the subjects of taboo are widely explored. The emerging African authors of this generation are not afraid to go further afield for the literary fodder. Meanwhile, since the birth ...

Maina Kageni Biography  Daughter, Salary and Gay Rumors Maina Kageni is one of those Kenyans who has remained as interesting as ever in the eyes of the public. A strong Red devil fan and lover of football, the man is currently a Breakfast Show presenter with Mwalimu Kingangi on Nairobis Classic 105 Radio Station. Many questions have always emerged on the man in serious ...

Kalekye Mumo  Biography, Boyfriend and Salary Kalekye Mumo has been described as someone who is as vibrant as she is beautiful, a Kenyan radio queen, TV host and media personality, movie actress, Musician, businesswoman, and fashionista but what else is there to know about this Kenyan icon, Kalekye Mumo and her co-host Shaffie Weru have been among the most listened to radio presenters ...

Julie Gichuru Bio  Age, Husband & Children In Africa, women have a long history of bringing under control obstacles to keep their heads above the water. So, it comes as no surprise whenever African women are recognized and decorated across the continent and globe for performing brilliantly well in their various fields of endeavor. In Kenya for instance, a list of national ...

Jeff Koinange Biography  All About His Age, Wife  Shaila Koinange & Family Jeff Koinange is a well-known Kenyan journalist. He currently hosts Jeff Koinange Live on KTN. Koinange has served as a journalist in the United States and has also worked for a few U.S. broadcasters. He was born in Kenya but attended college in the United States, which may explain his accent. There are several interesting ...

Caroline Mutoko Biography  Age, Daughter & House Caroline Mutoko is a Kenyan radio presenter, famously known for hosting a morning breakfast show on Kiss 100 FM. The station is based in Nairobi and ranks among the highly-rated radio stations in Kenya with online streaming services as well. Learn more about the Kenyan-born journalist. Caroline Mutokos Age and Bio Born on January 4, 1973, Caroline is ...

The Most Stunning News Presenter In Kenya Discloses Her Real Age  You Would Not Believe It In modern African societies, it is often regarded as impolite or outright lack of disrespect to ask a woman of her age. We also have seen celebrities lie about how old they are when asked their age. People, mostly women have refused to let people know their real age, despite being public figures. The few ...

Demystifying Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies Biography, Husband & Education Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian novelist, non-fiction writer, short story writer and actress. As a seasoned Nigerian writer, she has been called the most prominent of a procession of critically acclaimed young anglophone authors that is succeeding in attracting a new generation of readers to African literature. She has been making Nigeria proud in the global scene ...

Wole Soyinka  Biography, Wife, Children, Family, Quick Facts Professor Wole Soyinka, a great and brilliant Nigerian writer and political activist, who was the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The name, Wole Soyinka, is a household name both in Africa and beyond especially in the field of literature. With over 50 pieces of work, his writing includes poems, novels, memoirs ...

5 Most Vulgar Kenyan Radio Presenters It appears being vulgar is the real deal nowadays especially for the fact that the world is becoming more exposed and civilized. Sadly, but true, young people are constantly being exposed to images, discussions, and content that most people would deem detrimental to the African culture and moral statutes. This is because most of us ...

6 Sexiest News Anchors In Kenya Some news anchors have been stealing eyes every time they appear on-screen. Most of us hardly concentrate on the programme they present as our entire focus is usually on their striking physique and beautiful faces. It is common knowledge that Kenyan women are amazingly beautiful. From the celebrities to the everyday woman, they are all in ...

Interesting Oprah Winfrey Quotes To Keep You Motivated Oprah Winfrey is one of the worlds most powerful women in the media and business sectors. Her life is the typical success story that motivates and lifts ones morale. One amazing thing about this media mogul is her sincerity about past hurts, mistakes, healing, and success. The renowned talk show host and media personality is the first ...

Chinua Albert Achebe Biography- Family, Net Worth & Death Chinua Albert Achebe, of blessed memory, was a Nigerian prolific author best known for his inventive style of writing and simplicity of expressions. Famed as one of the finest writers Nigeria has ever produced, Achebe lived and died an international hero and a literary giant, who left behind unforgettable legacies and footprints in the sands of ...

Steve Harvey  His Wife, Kids & Height Steve Harvey is an American comedian, actor, radio and TV show host, producer and an author of different relationship advice books. Steve Harveys Early Life Born in Welch, West Virginia, on January 17, 1957, as Broderick Stephen Harvey, Steve was the last of five children. His family relocated to Cleveland when he was young and there, he attended Glenville High School from ...

Intriguing Things You Should Know About Danny Kokers Rise to Fame and Who His Wife Is Danny Koker is popular as the star of the History Channel reality TV series, Counting Cars. Prior to him appearing on the show, the TV personality was a musician who had embarked on a number of national tours with his rock group, Counts 77. He and his group have released quite a number of songs ...

Fun Facts You Didnt Know About Andy Cohens Rise to Prominence and His Partner Andy Cohen is one of Americas top media personalities who gained prominence after helping to bring the Bravo network back to life. He also hosted a couple of shows on the network, including the popular nightly series Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. After rising to the position of head of production and development at ...

Tracing Isha Sesays Career Until CNN, Her Worth And Why She Divorce Her Husband As far as journalists of African origin go, Isha Sesay is one of the most famous on the continent  and by extension, the world. The Sierra Leonean and British journalist has had a successful career since she joined the industry in 1998. In that time, she has worked for a host of major media ...

Open Secrets of How Joanna Gaines Balances Her Career With Being a Wife and Mother Joanna Gaines is the co-founder of Magnolia Homes, a business she runs with one goal: converting houses to homes. She doubles as the lead designer of the company which she co-owns with her husband, Chip Gaines. Lady Gaines gained massive popularity when she became a co-star with her husband on the HGTVs show, Fixer Upper. ...

Juicy Details of Ayesha Currys Love Story With Stephen, Her Family Members and Recent Pursuits When your husband is one of the greatest basketballers that the NBA has ever seen, then it bestows on you the status of a celebrity wife  and may not even demand that you do anything extra to maintain that status. However, Ayesha Curry, the wife of multiple NBA champion, Steph Curry, is not one ...

What Is Tarek el Moussas Ethnicity, Why Did He Divorce His Wife and Who Is He Dating? Tarek El Moussa has made himself one of the most recognizable men on reality television, especially to fans of HGTV. Thanks to his expertise in the world of real estate, Tarek has become a national star. But even to his hardcore followers, there are questions about Tarek El Moussa that remain unanswered, such as his ...

Fun Facts About Natalie Beckers Lonely Childhood and Eventual Career Success Natalie Becker is an actress of South African descent who became famous for her appearance in films like The World Unseen and The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior. A multitalented individual, Natalie is also a television/radio presenter. She is also a co-founder of the Thought Leader Global Media which she runs together with ...

Top 3 Female CNN News Anchors You Didnt Know Were Africans CNN is one of the leading news agencies in the world. The satellite and cable news network was founded in 1980 by Ted Turner and has been one of the best sources of news for a number of years. It also boasts of the best journalists and presenters all around in media broadcasting. The company is a ...

Channels That Aided Katie Pavlichs Growth as a Journalist and All About Her Marriage To Friedson If you have ever come across any Fast and Furious featuring Barack Obama, it is the handiwork of Katie Pavlich. The book which claims to have exposed Obamas bloodiest scandal and the shameless cover-up thereof, has been earning Pavlich much praise and fame ever since it was published in 2012. Nonetheless, Pavlich is more famed ...

Is Oprah Winfrey Married? Husband, Children, Biography, House, Facts Oprah Winfrey is a billionaire philanthropist, talk show icon, producer, actress, and writer. The media icon famously dubbed The Queen Of All Media owns and hosts the highest-rated television program in the media circle. Read more about the powerful television star below. Oprah Winfrey Biography Oprah was born as Orpah Gail Winfrey on January 29, 1954, to a ...

Who Is Arsenio Hall, What Happened To His Talk Show and Why Do Fans Think He Is Gay? He is one of the funniest beings to have graced the comedy constituent of the American entertainment industry. Arsenio Hall has a reputation for the rib-cracking disposition always portrayed in his comedy roles. He is not just a comedian; he is also an actor and a former talk show host for his popular show, The ...

What Is Woah Vicky Famous For and Who Are Her Family Members? Like most social media celebrities in this digital era, Woah Vicky is one of those stars that have utilized the internet as a powerful tool to propel themselves to instant fame. The social media space, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc., offers lots of people the right opportunities and potentials to become superstars overnight. Not everyone achieves ...

Where Is Michael Strahan Since His Retirement From The NFL and Who Is His Partner? Michael Strahan is a retired American football player turned media personality. He played the defensive lineman position and holds the record for most sacks in a single NFL season. He also only played for the New York Giants throughout the entire 15-year professional career that saw him win a Super Bowl ring. In February 2014, ...

How Wendy Williams Went From Being a College DJ to Having Her Own Talk Show and More About Her Divorce Wendy Williams is a former radio personality, now talk show host, who is known for her outspokenness and brash no-nonsense attitude. She gained fame and notoriety for her on-air clashes with celebrities before moving on to host her own talk show. Since 2008, Williams has hosted the nationally syndicated television talk show, The Wendy Williams Show. ...

Who is Sunny Hostin? Her Husband, Family & Net Worth Sunny Hostin is no ordinary Latina  American lawyer but also a successful columnist, multi-platform journalist, and social commentator. A happily married woman and mother of two, Hostin is the Senior Legal Correspondent and Analyst for ABC News and co-host of ABCs popular morning talk show, The View. She is a legal expert popularly known as a former ...

Who Is Robert Costa and Is He Married, Who Is His Wife? Robert Costa is a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC who is regarded as being part of Americas next generation of journalists. The University of Notre Dame graduate, who is of Italian/Portuguese descent, has been lauded for his fresh political perspectives in an industry full of old heads. In addition to his work listed above, Costa ...

Team Valor Pokemon Go  7 Key Facts You Need To Know Team Valor Pokemon Go  The craze of the new game Pokemon Go is one that took the gaming world by storm sending teenagers and adults alike into a frenzy and one of its teams Team Valor, has proven to be instrumental in making it so. Before the game was created, Pokemon was a cartoon ...

Sheryl Underwood  Husband, Family & Net Worth She is known for her trademark smile which can be described as the brightest and broadest smile ever seen on planet earth. She is none other than Sheryl Underwood the comedian, actress, and TV host whose funny wits has left America in great awe. Although Sheryl has risen to become an important personality in the industry, ...

Team Mystic Pokemon Go: 7 Facts You Need To Know And Signs You Are One Team Mystic of the break out game Pokemon Go is a team that is full of sass and chivalry. With an enchanting monicker, Team Mystic stands out from the rest of its counterparts and deserves to take the crown as champion in the Pokemon gaming-verse. To be a member of this exceptional team of Pokemon battle ...

Exploring Guy Beahms Dr Disrespect Persona, Wife and Why He was Banned Permanently From Twitch Guy Beahm who is popularly known by his online alias  Dr DisRespect, is an award-winning Twitch.tv streamer. He has leveraged on the Twitch platform to become an internet personality that is quite widely known. His online success is just more proof that anyone who is good at what they do can attain celebrity status ...

Critical Facts About Lee Ann McAdoo  The Infowars Anchor Lee Ann Mcadoo is a conservative journalist and television host whose interests in conspiracies and astrology has established her as a famous American reporter. Often referred to as Wonder Woman, McAdoo is a reporter who works for InfoWars.com, a controversial right-wing website run by radio show host, Alex Jones. Who Is Lee Ann McAdoo? Lee Ann McAdoo was born on 7 ...

Millie Weaver  Age, Husband & Infowars Career Millie Weaver is an American model, journalist, political activist, and social commentator. The young and beautiful journalist rose to fame working as a reporter for a controversial right-wing website InfoWars.com. Also known as Millennial Millie, Weaver is a social media influencer with over 100,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel and over 35,000 followers on Twitter. Who Is Millie Weaver and What Is ...

Is Jessica Tarlov Married? What Are Her Height & Weight? Jessica Tarlov is an American political consultant, strategist, and analyst whose influential and regular TV presence has made a popular figure. A good example of beauty with brains, Tarlov has appeared on various TV networks, mostly the FOX News Network where she is known for her liberal views on political analysis and insights. She is also the senior director ...

Who Is Kelly Rebecca Nichols  Alex Jones Ex-Wife? Kelly Rebecca Nichols is the ex-wife of controversial American radio show host, Alex Jones. She got nationwide attention following her divorce and subsequent custody battle with her estranged husband. Nichols, who worked with PETAs public relations department, was herself no stranger to controversies as she was involved in several publicity stunts of the non-profit animal rights ...

Who Is Bree Morgan  Cole Sprouse Ex-Girlfriend And What Is She Up To Now? Although Bree Morgan became famous through the Instagram, she also sapped some dose of popularity from Disneys sweetheart, Cole Sprouse of the Sprouse brothers. She is not only an Instagram star but also a YouTube vlogger whose popularity has long exceeded the ordinary level. Bree is conspicuously prominent on the internet and has her digital savviness ...

Does Vanna White Have Husband or Children, What Is Her Net Worth / Salary? For over three decades, Vanna White has been a household name, famous as the co-host and letter turner of the iconic NBC game show Wheel of Fortune. The talented and beautiful television personality is also an actress with several TV series and films to her credit. Since making her Wheel of Fortune debut in 1982, she has become one ...

Liz Wheeler  Biography, Husband & Net Worth Liz Wheeler is the kind of girl who sets the room on fire whenever she comes around. In this situation, however, she sets our screens on fire each time she appears as the host of One America News Tipping Point. She is, therefore, a presenter, publisher, consultant and a member of the Board of Zoning ...

Betty White  Net Worth, Children & Husband The entertainment industry will remain indebted to personalities like Betty White who brought something extra to the table and kept the world entertained for donkey years. The comedienne, actress, and writer graced the big screens in the early 50s as a show host and has been a delight since then. She is the queen of ...

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 ...

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Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi attended on Saturday the first follow-up meeting in Cairo to October's first annual National Youth Conference.

The Saturday event was attended by hundreds of youth and dozens of state officials.

In October, over 3,000 youth from a number of the country's universities and political parties attended the first annual National Youth Conference in the Sinai resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh.

The Saturday meeting was organised to follow up on the decisions made during Octobers conference, which included the formation of a committee to review the cases of youth prisoners for possible pardon.

The participants in the meeting presented a video endorsing Egyptian former diplomat Moshira Khattab for the position of director-general of UNESCO.

I support the nomination of ambassador Moshira Khattab to the UNESCO, and I call on all Egyptians to support her, President El-Sisi said on his Facebook account.

The president also presented an exceptional youth creativity award to Mona El-Sayed Ibrahim, known as the cart girl, in recognition of her job as a cart wheeler. Last month, El-Sisi received Ibrahim at the presidential palace after a photo circulated on social media of her on the job.

The president praised her efforts and offered her family an apartment.

The first panel at the event focused on ways to develop education and included speakers such as the ministers of education and higher education as well as other education.

During the discussion, El-Sisi said Egyptians would not have accepted directing all the countrys resources into improving education, as some countries did, while putting on hold all other development projects.

He also said that the work done in education reform should not be contradicted by the teachings in the mosque or the church, or by the media.

During the second session, President El-Sisi blamed the media for behaving in an irresponsible manner that jeopardises national security.

El-Sisi also discussed the economic situation.

He said that after the 25 January Revolution, imports covered 60 to 70 percent of our basic needs, and this required dollars, which taxed our dollar reserves, in addition to the drop in tourism and export revenues caused by the aftermath of the revolution.

The president also expressed his confidence in the Egyptian people, whom he says rejected calls to take to the streets on 11 November in protest to the surge in prices.

I had no doubt regarding the response of the Egyptian people. We started the road to reform, and we wish success from God.

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Ive spent a lot of time over the years discussing college and career readiness. Most of the time, Ive focused on the education side of the topic, and how todays career education isnt meant as a choice between college or career.

Ive touted the arguments of diehard career technical educators who understand the value of real-world learning as a means of mastering academics, both for clearly motivated students and those looking for the nearest classroom exit.

Ive reported on the educational benefits of project based learning and how it engages students who come to understand  and understand the value of  subjects that seemed pointless.

But Ive been hearing more and more recently about the economic imperative of a more career-focused education. For the U.S. Congress, that reauthorized the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the state legislature that directs funds to workforce systems in California (principal funders of the career pathway grants to school and college districts), the development of career pathways is about jobs and the economy.

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As stated in a press release from the California Community College Chancellors office on Dec. 1, To develop more workforce opportunities and lift low-wage workers into living-wage jobs, California took a bold step in 2016 to create 1 million more middle-skilled workers.

Throughout the state, workforce development representatives are meeting with businesses and educators to develop plans to boost employment in key economic sectors.

This theme is not a new one. As voters in the 1992 presidential election may remember from Bill Clintons note-to-self mantra, "[Its] the economy, stupid. And as we know from the most recent presidential election, the economy matters to most people in a way that the topic of public education just doesnt.

Educators will likely always be looking for ways to improve instruction, but industries are increasingly impatient for the skills they need in a rapidly changing workplace, where whole industries are appearing and disappearing at unnerving rates and an aging workforce is poised to retire.

I expect it will be jobs and the economy that drive educational reform sooner than continued conversations about effective educational strategies. It will be the supply and demand of the jobs market that alters how we educate.

Even a few statistics should be enough to move us to action. At a summit hosted recently by BizFed, which is an alliance of Los Angeles area business networks, I heard that 80% of recent parolees are unemployed, and many of them lack basic skills.

While not surprising, its a troubling number for anyone concerned about safety and security. I can understand why California encourages workforce agencies to prioritize job training and placement for parolees and others facing barriers to employment.

At a Verdugo Job Center workshop on diversity in the workplace, the speaker pointed out that our country currently has the oldest workforce in its history. Increasingly, as baby boomers age, employers will need the services of specialists in geriatric ergonomics to design workplaces to match the particular needs of these employees. But the remaining boomers will eventually retire, and employers will need workers to fill their jobs.

Ive heard 40% of employees at the L.A. Department of Water and Power are reportedly eligible to retire. Two years ago, I heard similar projections for skilled workers at the Port of Los Angeles. We need young people willing and able to repair our rusting pipes, to design, build and manage sustainable power supplies and infrastructure.

We need smart young college graduates who will step into public education classrooms when the last of the baby boom teachers retire. Not everyone will be learning online at home. And we need people to build affordable housing, not only for the regions homeless, but for all the teachers and others who cant afford to live where they work.

At the Southern California Assn. of Governments summit last week, former Gov. Gray Davis described the growing world of robots, where human employment is focused on maintaining the robots and programming software.

Therell be a big need and good pay, he said.

Robots may manufacture our cars, and self-driving trucks or drones may deliver our packages, but technicians will be needed to build and maintain the robots. Well also need engineers and artists to design them.

We need schools to consider career education an element of all they teach, to alert students to the utility of their learning so they can begin to imagine the careers they might pursue with the skills they gain in school. But we must also make sure we dont lose sight of the foundational skills needed for real success in any career path.

My favorite quote from the BizFed summit came from an educator in a school serving South Central L.A. One skill beats all: literacy  reading and writing. Theres economy in those words.

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JOYLENE WAGNER is a former member of the Glendale Unified School Board and an advocate for college and career education. Email her at jkate4400@aol.com.
Last year 2,500 people petitioned the school board to put August and more weeks back into our summers. Teachers and parents were encouraged to vote in subsequent surveys and community meetings. Their opinions reflected this same community request. But the GUSD board has chosen to ignore these pleas and recently adopted a 2017-18 calendar that eliminated only three holidays. We went from nine full weeks of summer to nine full weeks and a partial week. Now, the board is discussing 2018-19, and we want to eliminate enough holidays to return to the 11 full weeks of summer that we enjoyed before all the extra holidays were added.

Please do the following: Immediately log on to the GUSD Board of Education and from there email any or all board members individually. Ask them to honor the votes from the survey and community meetings and return to 11 full weeks of summer recess. Show your support by attending the next school board meeting on Tuesday, Dec.13 at 6:30 p.m., 223 N. Jackson St., Glendale.

Join the conversation on Facebook >>

Top priorities: Start two Mondays before Labor Day to give the AP students more instruction before the May AP test, and never start earlier than the second Monday before Labor Day, thus keeping most of August in the summer recess.

GUSD will honor the following holidays and breaks: Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving (two), Winter Break (10), Armenian Christmas, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day (one), Spring Recess (five), recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Memorial Day and, possibly, one more holiday if needed.

GUSD should eliminate seven to eight of the extra student holidays and avoid adding new holidays in the future so that we can maintain 11 full weeks of summer recess every year. The district should provide 85 instructional days before Winter Break so that we can end first semester at Winter Break.

Please email and come to the board meeting. More information is available on the GUSDPARENTS Facebook page.

Marilyn Bayles

La Crescenta

..

Not too worried about Richmond

Ray Richmonds petulant column (Nov. 18) against Donald Trumps victory made my day. It reflects the perfect word in the German language: schadenfreude  pleasure found in the misery of others. Even better, he describes himself as the sorest loser ever and crushingly depressed.

Does Obamacare cover prescriptions for antidepressants?

In the half-century of my political involvement Ive been disappointed when presidential candidates of my choosing lost  Barry Goldwater, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, John McCain and Mitt Romney. What I did not do was block freeways, throw Molotov cocktails at police, attack motorists in their cars or set fires to trash bins.

Far more troubling is Richmonds callous comment as to cleansing the U.S. of imaginary Muslim terrorists. Perhaps he was out of town when 2,996 Americans were murdered on 9/11 or the 14 people murdered by Muslim terrorists just a year ago in San Bernardino. Imaginary? No  nightmarish.

He doesnt have to worry by warning the rest of us, Dont ask me to heal, accept, embrace, reassess or chill. We wont  any more than his tips on horse racing or heart surgery.

While liberals know little about American history (and care less) they might find succor and comfort in the words of one of George Washingtons most valued and trusted advisers in the American Revolution, Gen. Nathanael Greene: We fight, get beat, rise and fight again.

Better luck and dont despair: The next eight years will fly by  just in time for the 2024 presidential candidacy of Chelsea Clinton.

Allen E. Brandstater

Glendale

..

Film displays loves endurance

I saw the movie The Last Inhabitant before its release date. The film has been submitted for consideration at the 74th annual Golden Globe awards.

The panoramic view shows the beautiful natural scenery of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and the cinematographic bluish-grayish tone brings forth a nostalgic feeling toward the ruins of ones ancestral homeland, which makes the viewer admire the character and natural beauty of his lost paradise.

Despite being the last inhabitant of Gyurjevan and surrounded in the enemy ring, the movie effectively shows the fathers love toward his daughter. Director Jivan Avetisyan paints a story and involves us with his main characters to show us that there is still love in all of us. Regardless of all atrocities, one can still survive, still admire the natural beauty of his homeland, and still continue his friendship. Avetisyan does not portray the last inhabitants encounter as one with an enemy, but as an encounter with a friend who is there to help him.

The film, based on a true story with historical insights, sets the time period during the 1988 conflict in the region and the massacres against Armenians, as the area was on the verge of collapse with the Soviet Union, during which Artsakh was struggling to rejoin Armenia.

The Last Inhabitant builds on the human passion of love and makes viewers identify with the struggle of the conflict with the political implications behind the world actors. The protagonist is able to protect his daughter within the enemy ring, but he is unable to defend his homeland. Watching the movie certainly makes viewers aware of international politics, apathy and the struggle for power.

Rachel Melikian

Glendale

..

Elevated tracks, elevated concerns

Re: Proposed high-speed rail station would travel from Burbank to L.A. Union Station, Dec 5. Imagine a futuristic high-speed train on elevated tracks 30 feet above a busy street traveling 100 mph derailing and then crashing downward toward a crowded street below. A scene from a Superman movie? No, this might someday be my own Pelanconi neighborhood if the California High-Speed Rail Authority plans move forward. The map I saw at the CHSRA meeting on Dec. 1 showed that tracks passing through Glendale would be at the surface, not underground or elevated. However, when I pressed the engineers for details, they told me that current plans are for tracks to be elevated from 15 to 30 feet directly above street level along the half-mile stretch of San Fernando Road going through our neighborhood. The safety risk is compounded by the fact that this elevated railroad would serve not only high-speed rail, but also Metro Rail, Amtrak and Union Pacific freight trains.

Besides obvious safety issues, this design would have a devastating quality-of-life impact on our neighborhood. This elevated railroad would be visible from most of the residential streets here, and because it is elevated, the noise from all the trains would project further into the neighborhood than it already does now.

There are better alternatives than an elevated railroad that would not have such a huge impact on the quality of life in our neighborhood. I am not a NIMBY, but I do want to see this system designed with our neighborhoods quality of life as its first priority. My fear is that with the budget constraints that CHSRA is under, reducing cost may instead be their highest priority. Superman will not come to our rescue.

Steve Mills

Glendale

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AT&T should reach out elsewhere

I strongly oppose the proposed placement of a new cell tower/maintenance building at Dunsmore Park.

We have been homeowners in La Crescenta since 2009. Our children attend Dunsmore Elementary and spend hours at the park with friends on our weekly short day. My 8-, 10-, and 12-year-olds play all over the park, not just on the play structures. The southeast corner (the proposed site) is a favorite location for Nerf battles and rolling down hills.

Dunsmore Elementary, like many Glendale schools, has limited green space and uses the park for special school events. Dunsmore park is used regularly after morning drop-offs and afternoon pickups.

I am surprised that AT&T cannot identify a more appropriate location for their use. Approving this proposal in a well-established popular park makes no sense at all when Glendale is increasingly becoming overbuilt and congested.

I strongly urge the Glendale City Council to deny AT&Ts appeal on Dec. 13.

Mana Holman

La Crescenta
Islamic State militants reentered the historic city of Palmyra in central Syria on Saturday for the first time since they were expelled by Syrian and Russian forces nine months ago.

The activist-run Palmyra Coordination network said the militants had nearly encircled the city and entered its northern and northwestern neighborhoods. The group, which maintains contacts inside the city, said Islamic State fighters were approaching the ancient ruins at the citys UNESCO heritage site as well.

Osama Khatib said government soldiers were fleeing Palmyra.

The army as an institution has dissolved, he said. Some soldiers and militiamen remain in the city, along with 120 families who have not been able to leave, Khatib said. He spoke to the Associated Press from Gaziantep, Turkey.

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There is strong fighting on all sides, he reported. There is no exit except through a corridor to the west.

The dramatic reversal in Palmyra comes days after Islamic State militants in the Iraqi city of Mosul launched a major counterattack that surprised Iraqi soldiers, killing at least 20 and halting their advance. Iraqi special forces units have entered the eastern outskirts of the largest remaining Islamic State-held city, but their advance has been greatly slowed by both a desire to limit civilian casualties and the resilience of the Islamic State fighters.

During the 10 months that the Islamic State previously held Palmyra, from May 2015 to March 2016, the militants dynamited several of the citys famed ancient Roman monuments and executed its archaeological director.

After the city was retaken, the Russian government staged a classical music concert in the citys soaring Roman amphitheater last May to celebrate the success. The Syrian and Russian governments maintain they are defending the global community against Islamic terrorism in the countrys devastating 5-year war.

After taking Palmyra, the two states turned their attention to wiping out the internal opposition in Damascus and Aleppo, leaving the historic city relatively unguarded.

Syrian state media had no comment.

Mohammad Hassan Homsi of the Palmyra News Network reported that a military division withdrew from the city earlier Saturday without leaving a way out for civilians. According to Homsi, only 350 families had returned to the city of its original 30,000 inhabitants after government forces expelled Islamic State to great fanfare in March.

Islamic State militants were shelling the governments military airport to the east of the city Saturday, according to the Palmyra Coordination group.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the militants reached the citys Tadmor Hospital and its wheat silos.

The militants advanced on Palmyra after seizing several government positions, oil fields and strategic hilltops in the surrounding countryside in a lightning three-day campaign.

Earlier Saturday, the militants Aamaq News Agency claimed the group shot down a government warplane in the Jazal oil fields west of the city.

The Syrian Observatory said the jet had crashed for reasons unknown. It reported the militants had taken the oil fields.

ALSO

Pentagon will send 200 more troops to Syria

Death toll in Yemen suicide bombing rises to 45

Supposedly defeated, Boko Haram blamed for killing 30 in suicide attack
A suicide bomber blew himself up at an army base in the southern city of Aden, killing 45 soldiers and wounding another 50, security officials said.

They said the bomber detonated a belt of explosives he was wearing amid hundreds of soldiers lining up to collect their salaries in the citys Solban army base.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

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Waleed Rashed, a soldier at the base, said he arrived at the scene shortly after the attack to find the area littered with bodies and blood.

I could hear the wounded soldiers screaming for help, he said.

Private cars were used to carry the wounded to hospitals before ambulances arrived, he added.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which bore the hallmarks of Al Qaeda.

The terror networks branch in Yemen is thought to be the worlds most active. It is known to have a presence in Aden, where a loose coalition between troops loyal to the internationally recognized government, local militias and jihadi groups is in control.

The troops and jihadi groups are fighting Shiite rebels, who in 2014 seized Yemens capital, Sana, and later swept much of northern Yemen. Their advances forced Hadi to flee the country and seek shelter in neighboring Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition, mostly consisting of Gulf Arab states, subsequently intervened in Yemen, launching a punishing air campaign against the rebels and their allies.

ALSO

Supposedly defeated, Boko Haram blamed for killing 30 in suicide attack

Dutch court convicts far-right populist politician of inciting discrimination

Islamic State video of captured British photographer signals a shift in the groups propaganda

UPDATES:

10:20 a.m.: This article was updated with a death toll of 45 and additional details from the scene.

This article was originally published at 7:35 a.m.
The Pentagon plans to send 200 more troops into northern Syria to support rebel militias now holding positions about 15 miles from Islamic States self-declared capital of Raqqah, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Saturday.

Carter told a security conference in Manama, Bahrain, that the new troops will help train and assist the Syrian militias but will not engage in direct combat.

The increase, which was approved by President Obama, adds to 300 acknowledged U.S troops in Syria and comes as Syrian government forces backed by Russia have pounded rebels holding parts of Aleppo in the countrys multisided civil war.

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The additional U.S. troops will include special operations forces, explosive ordinance disposal teams and trainers.

This latest commitment of additional forces within Syria is another important step in enabling our partners to deal ISIL a lasting defeat, Carter said, using an acronym for Islamic State.

The planned rebel offensive on Raqqah comes as Iraqi forces backed by the U.S.-led coalition are weeks into an assault on Mosul, the militants self-declared capital in Iraq and the largest city under its control anywhere.

Victory in either country would deal a considerable blow to Islamic States self-declared caliphate and eliminate a vital propaganda tool used to lure foreign fighters.

Obama would like to see the militants ejected from Mosul or Raqqah before he leaves office on Jan. 20, but its unclear whether either is likely. In any case, the militants still hold considerable territory in both countries outside those cities.

In recent weeks, advancing U.S.-backed rebel ground forces have retaken towns and cities around Raqqah and have cut off some supply routes to the city.

The Pentagon has backed the Syrian Democratic Forces, a loose alliance of fighters dominated by Syrian Kurds. They are now within 15 miles of Raqqah, Carter said.

By combining our capabilities with those of our local partners, weve been squeezing ISIL by applying simultaneous pressure from all sides and across domains, through a series of deliberate actions to continue to build momentum, he said.

Wary of sectarian conflict, the U.S. wants more Syrian Arab fighters in the Kurdish-run militias as they work toward predominantly Arab territories.

Col. John Dorrian, a Baghdad-based spokesman for the coalition against Islamic State, said Thursday that more Arab fighters have wanted to join the fight, including the so-called Syrian Elite Forces, which include people displaced from their homes in Raqqah by Islamic State.

The U.S. reliance on Kurdish forces has strained relations with Turkey, which views Syrian Kurdish forces as terrorists seeking to carve out their own territory along the border.

The Pentagon now has more than 6,000 troops in Iraq. U.S.-led coalition warplanes based outside Iraq and Syria have carried out thousands of airstrikes since mid-2014.

Although U.S. forces work mostly as advisors and trainers, five have died thus far fighting against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The most recent death was Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott Dayton, 42, of Woodbridge, Va. He died on Thanksgiving Day after a roadside bomb exploded near the northern Syrian town of Ayn Issa.

william.hennigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @wjhenn

ALSO:

Climate change is real: Just ask the Pentagon

Overweight, tattooed, stoned? The Pentagon may still want you

Captured battlefield cellphones, computers are helping the U.S. target and kill Islamic States leaders
Egypt's Court of Cassation overturned on Saturday a five-year jail sentence and an EGP 209 million fine against of Mubarak-era politician Safwat El-Sherif and his son over corruption charges, ordering a retrial.

El-Sherif was convicted along with his two sons last May of illicit gain and abuse of power during his long years of serving in government during the Mubarak era.

El-Sherif's two sons were also sentenced in the case.

One of the two sons, Ehab, had appealed the verdict with his father.

The other son, Ashraf, was sentenced to 10 years in absentia, and therefore could not appeal the verdict.

El-Sherif held various public posts under Mubarak including head of Egypt's State Information Body, the head of the Egyptian Radio and Television Union, information minister and the speaker of Egypt's upper house in parliament, which was abolished in 2014.

In 2012, a court acquitted El-Sherif and other high-level Mubarak figures of organising the so-called "Battle of the Camel," a deadly mob attack against anti-regime protesters during the 18-day uprising in 2011 that eventually toppled the long-time autocrat.

Ahmed Fathy Sorour, the speaker of the house under Mubarak (1990-2011) represented El-Sherif in court today as defence attorney.

Many other Mubarak-era figures have been cleared of corruption charges in recent years, with others reaching settlements in corruption cases with the Egyptian government.

The Illicit Gains Authority has received 26 requests from other Mubarak-era figures for financial settlements with the government in corruption cases, according to Adel El-Saied, a justice ministry aide.

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UPDATE: Investigators identify cause for Palmer Twp. garage fire

Dozens of firefighters battled a fire that destroyed a three-bay garage Friday night behind a Palmer Township home.

Firefighters were called at 7:11 p.m. to the 4000 block of Green Pond Road, near Palmer Elementary School.

The two-story, three-bay garage was engulfed as the first firefighters arrived, said Stephen Gallagher, Palmer Township fire commissioner.

No one was hurt and everyone was accounted for, Gallagher said.

The garage was two stories, with an unfinished second floor and at least one vehicle in the building, he said.

Smoke filled the neighborhood across from the elementary school. At the height of the fire, a column of smoke and the fire's glow were visible from nearby Route 22 and the Chrin Community Center.

Besides Palmer Township, Nancy Run, Hecktown and Bethlehem Township fire companies responded to the call.

Gallagher said three crews from Palmer Township answered the alarm and the extra units were called in to boost the water pressure supply and support firefighters.

Green Pond Road was closed for more than an hour after the blaze.

Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.
Easton shooting.jpeg

Eastin police are investigating a shooting that happened about 11 p.m. in the 1200 block of Ferry Street. (Time Wynkoop | lehighvalleylive.com contributor)

A shooting in Easton and an armed robbery in Wilson Borough were separated by about an hour and a half in time and less than a mile in distance.

So far there's nothing specifically linking the two crimes that occurred late Friday, but police are investigating the possibility.

The shooting happened about 11 p.m. Friday outdoors in the 1200 block of Ferry Street, Easton police Lt. Matthew Gerould said Saturday. The victim, a 16-year-old Allentown boy who is believed to have gang ties, was shot in the leg but has since been released from the hospital, Gerould said.

He has been uncooperative with investigators, who earlier Saturday couldn't say where the shooting occurred. Easton police ask anyone who saw anything suspicious in that area to call Inspector Daniel Reagan at 610-250-6796 or the department's anonymous tip line at 610-250-6635.

Earlier in Wilson Borough, a man was walking home in the 1900 block of Washington Boulevard when he was approached from behind by two masked men at about 9:30 p.m., borough police officer Shane Gessner said.

One of the robbers pointed what may have been gun at the victim and told him to empty his pockets, Gessner said. The victim reportedly handed over his cellphone, but the thieves gave it back and told him not to call police before they ran off toward the east.

The robbers were described as two juveniles between 16 and 18 years old, both about 5 feet 7 inches tall with slender builds. They wore all black with their hoods up and ski masks covering their faces.

Reporter Tony Rhodin contributed to this report.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A gift that will be on the wish list for many teachers this Christmas is a new book written by Abbeyleix native Sean Delaney.

The book is called Become the Primary Teacher Everyone Wants to Have: A Guide to Career Success.

Although it was written for beginning teachers, one reviewer wrote that it will be of huge interest and support to even the most experienced practitioner.

The book discusses many topics that are of interest to teachers such as how to teach reading, how to teach mathematics and how to organise learning through play in early childhood classrooms.

It also has chapters on assessment, managing behaviour, how to run successful parent-teacher meetings, how to relate to colleagues, and how to achieve a work-life balance.

On a more controversial note, the author claims that there is little evidence to support the value of homework for primary school children.

However, he provides many alternative suggestions to the spellings and written homework that many children frequently receive.

The book is published by the prestigious UK publisher Routledge.

It is the kind of book I would like to have had when I started teaching but I couldnt find one like it Delaney says.

Teachers learn a lot of theory in college but sometimes it can be hard to remember what you learned when you need it in an actual classroom with actual children.

In this book I tried to combine research findings with practical classroom experience.

Sean Delaney began his teaching career in Scoil Mhuire, Abbeyleix before moving to Dublin and then to Kilkenny where he taught for several years.

Today he works as a teacher educator in the Marino Institute of Education in Dublin where he teaches courses in mathematics education and in the practice of teaching.

Each summer he teaches a mathematics summer school in the institute for primary school children.

The book was launched in Marino Institute of Education by the Chief Inspector of the Department of Education and Skills, Dr. Harold Hislop, on 29 November.

Sean is originally from Abbeyleix and he was educated there by the Brigidine Nuns and the Patrician Brothers.

He received his secondary education in the Salesian College Ballinakill (now Heywood Community School).

After leaving Heywood he went to St. Patricks College in Dublin to study primary teaching and later he received degrees from Harvard University and the University of Michigan.

Many teachers have commented that the book is easy to read and that it contains much food for thought.

Its a book Ill be dipping into for years to come. one teacher predicted.
The bomb attack killed six and injured three others at a security checkpoint in Haram district

The Arab League denounced Saturday the terrorist attack Friday against a security checkpoint in Giza's Haram's district that killed six policemen and injured three others.

Arab League Deputy Secretary General Ahmed Bin Heli expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and the Egyptian people, according to a statement reported by Egypt's state news agency, MENA.

Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia also condemned the attack.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia issued a statement denouncing the blast, stressing the kingdom's principled stance against terrorism, MENA reported.

In a statement by the Bahraini foreign ministry early Saturday, Manama expressed its "solidarity with Egypt in countering terrorism, establishing security and continuing development efforts."

Meanwhile, Kuwait Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a telegram to Egypt's President Abdel Fattah-El-Sisi condemning the "criminal attacks that aims to undermine security and stability in Egypt."

Attacks against security forces have become common in recent years but are largely concentrated in North Sinai, where Egypt's army and police are battling an entrenched Islamist insurgency.

A little-known Egyptian militant group called "Hasm" ("Resolve") claimed responsibility for Friday's bomb attack.

The group has claimed a number of other attacks on police checkpoints in recent months.

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Young harpers from Music Generation Laois recently joined an ensemble of almost 50 harpers for the world premiere of a newly commissioned work by celebrated Irish composer Philip Martin.

Led by former principal conductor of the RTE Concert Orchestra, David Brophy, Avoca: A Celtic Journey was performed in the Great Hall of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin, presented by Music Network to mark their 30th anniversary year as Irelands national music touring and development agency.

Playing alongside the young musicians from Laois were harpers Laoise Kelly, Anne-Marie OFarrell, Grainne Hambly, Dearbhail Finnegan, Triona Marshall, Michelle Mulcahy, Deirdre Granville, Fiona Gryson, Aine Ni Dhubhgaill, Diane Marshall, Eilis Lavelle among others.

The spectacular live event was designed to acknowledge the richness of contemporary harp practice in Ireland.

Music Generation Laois coordinator Rosa Flannery said: It was a real honour for these young musicians and for County Laois to join this very special and important event and to have the opportunity to play together with such accomplished and renowned professional musicians.

We are so grateful to have been invited by Music Network to perform as part of the ensemble and for the young harpists involved to have been able to share their skills on a national platform in the stunning surrounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Its an experience theyll never forget, she said.
Last year, Your Liberal Britain was founded by five new members who were keen to set out a clear statement of what a Liberal Britain would look like.

Their work has been supported by the Federal Policy Committee and they have already conducted a wide-ranging consultation. You can read some of the contributions made on this site here.

Now they are taking their work to the next stage with a competition, for which the closing date is 23rd December. Members are asked to set out what Britain would look like in 2030 if the Liberal Democrats were in power. Your Liberal Britain says:

As a party we struggle at times to explain what we stand for: our values mean the world to us, but they can be hard to communicate. To overcome this we need a short, simple, inspirational description of how life in Britain would be better if the Lib Dems had their way. We need to supplement the preamble to our constitution with a temporary vision statement that helps communicate its statement of our permanent values to the people of Britain today.

We can then use this document to guide our policy making, inform our campaigns and communications, induct our new members and support our candidates and elected representatives.

I am going to be one of the judges and another, party president Sal Brinton, explains a bit more about the competition.

This is what you need to do:

Write a down-to-earth description of life in Britain in 2030 in no more than 500 words, that is:  Accessible, using simple language and straightforward concepts

 Inspirational to members and supporters alike

 Distinctive, setting out a vision no other political party would support

 Grounded in the social problems facing Britain today

 Realistic, assuming the Lib Dems were in government And that communicates that Liberal Democrats stand for the values set out in Agenda 2020 and the Your Liberal Britain consultation. In short, that Liberal Britain would offer every person without any exception (regardless of their sex, gender, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, sexuality, identity, ability or age)  The opportunity to succeed

 The power and voice to shape their own lives and communities

 The support to always have a fair chance

 The freedom to be themselves

 The responsibility to contribute and share the burden.

And whats the prize? You get to join the team shaping that vision document which will be taken to Federal Conference in Bournemouth next September.

All the information you need to take part can be found here.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
CALLS have been made to ensure that the wall on which an apparition of the Virgin Mary appeared is protected.

And according to one priest, this is not the first time Our Lady has appeared in Kilmallock.

The town of Kilmallock was under the media spotlight on Friday last after it emerged that an unusual sighting of what is believed to be an image of the Virgin Mary had drawn crowds to a housing estate in the town.

At around 11pm on Thursday reports began to circulate of a peculiar image which appeared on the front of a house in the Riverview Estate in Kilmallock.

Within an hour, up to 50 people had gathered outside the two-storey home - some travelling from as far away as Mitchelstown - to say prayers and light candles, at what locals believe was an image of Our Lady.

By 4am, up to 100 people had visited the site.

Fr David Stokes who contacted the Limerick Leader on Saturday said that this is not the first appearance of Mary in Kilmallock and people should be aware of this fact.

Fr Stokes referred to an excerpt from a book by Brian Nugent titled Marian Apparitions in Ireland.

In the book, a Cork correspondent writes: A little country chapel near Kilmallock, in the county of Limerick, is reported to have been the scene of some strange supernatural manifestations, corresponding with those of Knock.

According to Fr Stokes, the people of Kilmallock who witnessed the apparition on Thursday night must all come forward and give official statements to the church on this matter.

Preserve that apparition wall now before it's defaced or destroyed in ignorance. People began taking stones from the chapel wall in Knock so be warned, he added.
A LIMERICK student has won a top innovation award for her idea to connect Irish technology start-up businesses with foreign financial companies.

UL student Sarah McCarthy won the 2016 A&L Goodbody Bold Ideas Student Innovation Award, after she proposed to establish the Irish Fintech Investor Market, or IFIM.

Sarahs winning idea would link technology businesses with established foreign financial companies who are looking to make a low risk investment in Ireland.

My bold idea is that the IFIM would act as an online tool to connect Irish tech start-ups with potential foreign investors, said Ms McCarthy, a third year Law Plus student.

The start-ups and the investors would both be vetted and authorised by the IFIM. The investors can make an informed decision based on profiles of the start-ups and can choose to invest with them either online via Bitcoins or via direct communication," she added.

The site, which would facilitate foreign investment in Irish tech companies, would build on Irelands reputation and success on the international stage.

John Whelan, Partner and Head of A&L Goodbody's International Technology Group said: "Bold Ideas is about inspiring creativity and bold thinking among Irelands brightest minds and giving them the space to develop their own ideas on how to tackle the issues that Ireland faces today.

Sarah's idea to establish the Irish Fintech Investor Market impressed the judges as an innovative way of tackling future challenges to Foreign Direct Investment, he added.

As first prize winner, Sarah will receive 4,000 in cash and an internship in A&L Goodbodys Head Office in Dublin. The firm will also make a donation to a charity of her choice.
A NEW 96-bed unit that will help alleviate overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick will need approximately 25m to see its delivery.

However, the UL Hospitals Group must wait until next May before a decision is made on a funding bid. The hospital has been seeking significant funding for this vital project for a number of years, it is understood.

And Senator Kieran ODonnell, who will soon make contact with the Minister for Health Simon Harris and HSE chief Tony OBrien, has said the hospital can secure seed money through the Department of Health and HSE, to allow the project enter its design phase.

It is understood that the design phase for this project could cost up to 1m  a fraction of the overall costs. He said that if the hospital can secure this seed fund by the mid-term capital review next May, no time will be lost and the project will be shovel ready to construct.

When this 96-bed unit is built, this will ensure that people are not stuck on trolleys in the A&E.

According to recent figures published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, UHL had the highest rate of overcrowding in November, with 789 patients treated on trolleys in the A&E, and on additional trolleys, beds and chairs in the wards. And so far this year, more than 7,500 patients have been treated on trolleys at the Dooradoyle facility.

I am basically asking Minister Harris to effectively facilitate seed money being provided by the Department to the HSE, to allow it to proceed with getting on with the design of the 96 acute bed unit, so that no time is lost when the capital review comes along in 2017. Its critical.

"If you go back to reconfiguration, we lost 50 beds with Ennis, Nenagh and St Johns, and then we lost another 18 A&E beds between each of those, and then there is the sheer growth in the numbers. Certainly, in more recent times, within the A&E itself, we have continuous overcrowding, and the specially-designated unit for children has now become overcrowded, he said.

He added that the conditions are intolerable.

This is something that everyone knows, but we have to find a way to deal with this. The first thing is the winter initiative emergency, the new A&E will open in May 2017, and following up on that, it is critical that the 96 acute beds are built adjacent to the new A&E, and overheard the dialysis unit.
OVER THE past fortnight, surrounding the ongoing debate on the merits of medicinal use of cannabis, we are reminded of the Limerick-born doctor and surgeon who was the first person to introduce the therapy to Western civilisation, 170 years ago.

Dr William Brooke OShaughnessy, born 1808, was a doctor, surgeon and inventor, graduating out of University of Edinburgh with doctorate of medicine in 1829.

And though Dr OShaughnessy is now more notably known for his input into the first studies of medicinal cannabis, he was more acclaimed in his lifetime for his inventions relating to telegraphy in India; and for the foundations of fluid therapy during the cholera outbreak in the early 1830s.

Dr OShaughnessy was influential during the outbreak in London, and had suggested that patients suffering from cholera should be injected with ounces of a saline solution, instead of bloodletting, which was the adopted practice then.

In 1833, Dr OShaughnessy joined the East India Company as a surgeon, and was appointed the first professor of chemistry at the Calcutta Medical College. And in 1839, his interest in Indian hemp and cannabis treatment was first published in the British and Foreign Medical Review.

Following his extensive observations of the cannabis plant, the Limerickman was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1843.

While on sick leave, Dr OShaughnessy was responsible for the construction of the largest telegraphic line - spanning 3,500 miles - with the assistance of Governor-General of India, the Earl of Dalhousie, Lord James Ramsey.

Dr OShaughnessy was knighted in 1856, and died aged 80 in 1889.
Dec 10, 2016, 4 AM

The two-story American Philatelic Research Library in Bellefonte, Pa., opened its doors to visitors and guests Oct. 29 during its grand opening following years of planning.

This 1918 United States Jenny Invert airmail error stamp, position 58 from the original pane of 100, was hammered down for slightly more than $1.35 million on May 31 during a Robert A. Siegel auction at World Stamp Show-NY 2016 in New York City.

By Donna Houseman

It has long been a tradition at Linns Stamp News to review the significant events and stories at the end of the year.

The first half of the year 2016 was dominated first by preparation for World Stamp Show-NY 2016, and then by the actual event. The once-in-a-decade international stamp exhibition took place May 28-June 4 at the Javits Center in New York City.

In the April 11 issue of Linns, it was announced that a vintage Curtiss Jenny biplane, similar to the plane pictured on the famous 1918 24 Inverted Jenny, would be displayed at WSS-NY 2016.

Connect with Linns Stamp News:

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The highest-graded example to date of the Inverted Jenny error, having received a grade of extra fine-superb 95 from Professional Stamp Experts, was auctioned during the show by Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, and Siegel president Scott Trepel pulled out all the stops to promote the stamp, the auction, and the plane. Siegel created an online reference site dedicated to the Inverted Jenny.

When the gavel was brought down by Trepel himself on May 31, the error stamp, position 58 from the original pane of 100, sold for slightly more than $1.35 million, a record realization for any U.S. stamp.

Another example of the Inverted Jenny, the missing example from the block of four known to stamp collectors as the McCoy block, also made news prior to and during WSS-NY 2016.

Keelin ONeill from Northern Ireland discovered the missing stamp in a box given to him by his grandfather before he died.

The stamp, position 76 from the original pane, had been stolen and missing for more than 60 years and was returned to the rightful owner, the American Philatelic Research Library, during the New York international show.

Linns reported in the Dec. 5 issue that the APRL is taking steps to sell the stamp.

Linns gave the show extensive coverage in the issues leading up to and during the show. Linns World Stamp Show-NY 2016 Special Preview was bundled with the April 18 Linns monthly magazine as a preview to the eight-day show.

Linns participated in the show with a booth and kept readers and show-goers up to date on daily events with three special editions. Linns website and social media sites made certain that readers who could not attend were also kept abreast of news and events from the show floor.

The year was an important year for the stamp hobby in other respects as well.

In the Jan. 18 issue of Linns monthly, Washington correspondent Bill McAllister gave readers a glimpse into one of Washingtons secret stamp treasures found inside a huge basement vault at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

McAllister reported, Ten years after the BEP printed its last postage stamps, it still retains in this vault the original dies as an invaluable legacy of its rich history as one of the worlds premier stamp printers.

The American Philatelic Society was in the news on several occasions during 2016. The APS board of directors approved a five-year strategic plan for the society; Mick Zais of Columbia, S.C., was elected the societys president, along with a new board of vice presidents and all new APS directors-at-large; and the society adopted new guidelines for judging philatelic exhibits at APS World Series of Philately national shows. The guidelines were revealed in a new seventh edition of the APS Manual of Philatelic Judging and Exhibiting.

Following years of planning and construction, the APRL celebrated the grand opening of its new two-story home that occupies 19,000 square feet in the American Philatelic Center, part of the former match factory complex in Bellefonte, Pa.

First-day cover collectors were dismayed to learn in 2016 that Washington Stamp Exchange discontinued producing ArtCraft FDCs.

In news concerning the United States Postal Service, the USPS came under fire for the manner in which it handled the sales of imperforate press sheets.

Linns Washington correspondent McAllister reported, Some collectors are accusing the Postal Service of operating in secrecy, keeping the numbers of imperforate sheets  also called no-die-cut sheets  a closely guarded secret until the moment sheets have gone on sale at first-day ceremonies.

As of this writing, the Postal Service appears to have cut back or discontinued the no-die-cut press sheets program.

In other news surrounding the Postal Service, an Office of Inspector General report accused the USPS of selling stamps to Royal Mail below face value.

Significant auctions were covered in New York correspondent Matthew Healeys Auction Roundup in Linns monthly issue throughout the year.

In addition to the sales of the examples of the Inverted Jenny error during WSS-NY 2016, other auction news included the sale of the William H. Gross collection of Hawaii. Proceeds from this significant sale went to charity.

A previously unrecorded full pane of the United States 1893 $2 Columbian stamp (Scott 242) surfaced in Germany earlier in 2016. The pane was hammered down at public auction Nov. 15 by the Hans Mohrmann firm in Munich, Germany, for 510,000, or about $677,000 with the firms 20 percent buyers premium.

While the stamp hobby hit many high notes during 2016, a low note was that Allen R. Kane, the director of the Smithsonians National Postal Museum, will retire from that position in January 2017.

Under his directorship, stamp collecting has taken center stage at the museum, where previously postal vehicles occupied the spotlight. The most significant of his many achievements as director was the opening of the William H. Gross Gallery.

As we put another year behind us and look forward to the coming year, the Linns staff wishes you good health, prosperity, peace, and happy collecting for 2017.
Egypts Court of Cassation rejected on Saturday a final appeal by Islamist militant Adel Habara against a death sentence for plotting an execution-style killing of 25 soldiers in an ambush in August 2013.

The court also rejected the appeals of 15 other defendants in the case whose sentences ranged from three years to life in prison.

Habara's lawyer Adel Moawad told Ahram Online that his client is still on trial in other cases, including insulting the judiciary, attempted escape during transport, and [and has received another] death sentence for the murder of an informant in Sharkiya governorate.

However, today's death sentence is final and enforceable, and [the implementation of which] cannot be postponed until other cases are concluded.

Habara, who gained notoriety over his reported involvement in the attack, is appealing another death sentence against him for his role in a major 2012 attack in North Sinai that left 16 soldiers dead.

Habara's death sentence has to reviewed by the country's Grand Mufti, though the Mufti's recommendation to the court is not legally binding.

The Egyptian government been battling an Islamist insurgency in North Sinai since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Militants have killed hundreds of army and police personnel. The army has said it has also killed hundreds of militants.

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City of Laredo officials and the Texas Department of Transportation held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning to announce the completion of upgrades to the intersection of Shiloh Drive and Bob Bullock Loop, where many traffic accidents had been reported.

City of Laredo officials fixed the road by lowering the grade, or slope, at the intersection. It provides a smoother access after many community members complained about the roadway.
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Egypt's foreign minister Sameh Shoukry said on Saturday that the chaos and rapid change witnessed in the region over the past five years has created political and social vacuums that have allowed the spread of terrorists and sectarian militias.

Shoukry said at the Manama Dialogue conference on Middle East security in Bahrain  organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies  that the weakening of state institutions in countries like Syria, Libya, Iraq and Yemen since 2011 has allowed the spread of terrorist groups.

A statement on the ministry's official Facebook page quoted the FMs outlining of the main pillars of Egypts regional foreign policy.

Regarding the Syrian conflict, Shoukry said that Egypt's stance is based on two main pillars. The first is to maintain national unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian state and prevent the collapse of its institutions.

The second pillar is to support the aspirations of the Syrian people in rebuilding their country through a mutually acceptable political solution.

On Libya, the FM said that Egypt supports the establishment of a new, more inclusive government that is more representative of the Libyan people.

Egypt-Saudi relations

Shoukry also addressed Egyptian-Saudi relations during the conference, according to Reuters.

Let me reassure you that from Egypt's perspective we have a very clear vision as to the fundamental nature of that relationship ... Arab national security depends on the cohesion and understanding that exists between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Shoukry was quoted by Reuters as saying.

The sensitivity that exists in ... what may be perceived as differences of opinion might be exaggerated in the press to take dimensions that go beyond the inherent special relationship, Shoukry said.

Shoukry added that Egypt is not attempting to rebuild its relations with Iran, even though it still engages with the Islamic republic in multilateral forums.

Egypt has maintained a severance of diplomatic relations [with Iran] over the past 25 years and has taken no efforts to change that situation.

Egypt has always taken the opportunity... to reemphasise the positions of the Arab nation and the interest of the Arab nation vis-a-vis what may be the expansionary policies of Iran, Shoukry said.

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Longford/Westmeath Independent Alliance TD Kevin Boxer pledged his support for the medicinal cannabis bill which was passed by the Dail last Thursday.

The Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill has several stages of legislative scrutiny to go before it becomes law, however having passed the second stage, the bill will now proceed to the Oireachtas Health Committee where it will be discussed by members.

Deputy Moran told the Leader that a number of the Independent Alliance members were also likely to support the bill, which he added was necessary.

You have to look at it from this point of view, the local TD continued.

If you have a loved one, young or old, you want them to have what helps them.

That goes without saying.

He went on to say that he was delighted the second stage of the bill was passed and pointed out that the subject matter was something that was being talked about for a long time now.

It is time we got on with it and I am delighted with the progress, he continued.

We cant keep pushing the can down the road, we were elected to make decisions, and this is an easy decision to make.

Deputy Moran also said that while he did have concerns about certain aspects of the legislation, changes to the bill could be made at a later stage.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the vast majority of Irish people are in favour of cannabis being legalised when recommended for medical reasons by a doctor, according to a new survey.

The survey showed that 92% of Irish people would be in favour of the legalisation of cannabis for medical purposes.

Support for the question was highest in the Munster counties at 94%, although all areas surveyed showed greater than 90% of respondents answering yes to the question.

Women showed a 93% favorability towards the survey question compared to 90% of men asked.

The opinion poll was carried out by Red C Research on behalf of 'Help Not Harm' in order to understand the general views of the public towards the medical use of cannabis.

1,000 respondents were interviewed via phone call using a random selection.
The Swing Cats bring their highly entertaining show to the Backstage Theatre on Thursday, December 15 at 8pm, signalling a 'homecoming' of sorts for local drummer Caoilin Considine.

The son of Brendan Considine and Eimear O'Donnell, Caoilin spent most of his youth living in the USA, but moved to Ennybegs, attending sixth class in Melview NS before moving on to St Mel's College.

Speaking about his first foray into the world of music, Caoilin laughed; I started when I was fifteen and it happened while I was in St Mel's. It was pretty much an accident.

Revealing that some friends of his were starting a band and had asked if he could play drums, Caoilin continued; For some reason I panicked and said 'yes'.

I panicked for twenty-four hours and I went in to them and they quickly realised I couldn't play.

He quickly learned, however, and alongside his friends Sean Rooney and Gerard Madden, he performed at pubs around the county.

After sitting his Leaving Cert, Caoilin went on to earn a Higher National Diploma in Music Performance at Ballyfermot before earning a Higher Degree from BIMM Institute, Dublin.

In 2013, Caoilin was invited by a college friend to join a corporate wedding band, which was under the same management as The Swing Cats.

Three years later, Caoilin heard that The Swing Cats were looking to do a bit of a revamp on the band.

I became very annoying to my manager, he joked. I annoyed him enough until he said 'right, here's the guys' numbers!

I got my place by annoying my Manager!

There have been many highlights for Caoilin in his time with The Swing Cats; performing in Luxembourg being one of them, and his first theatre show in Westport last February.

Further highlights are to come in the next number of months, with the release of an album 'The Swing Cats After Dark' on December 9, and their headline gig at the National Concert Hall next May.

Performing in Longford for the first time in approximately eight years will also be special for Caoilin.

To be back and to be back for a theatre show - it's really exciting.

Thanking Gerard and Sean, and his family and friends who have supported him throughout his musical career, Caoilin added; It really means a lot, and it's very exciting.

The Swing Cats will perform at the Backstage Theatre on Thursday, December 15 at 8pm.

Tickets are almost sold out, but a limited number, costing 20/18, are still available by calling 043 33 47888 or booking online at www.backstage.ie.

Early booking is advised
Longford could be primed for a major capital investment project in recognition of its steadily improving financial well being at local authority level.

Speculation a sizeable cash injection from Leinster House bosses could be on the way comes hot on the heels of Longford County Councils recently adopted Budget for 2017.

The terms of that agreement were rubber-stamped by all 18 elected members at a meeting last week.

Councillors agreed to freeze commercial rates for another 12 months ahead of a long awaited revaluation process which is due to kick in from January 2018.

But it is the countys more sustained financial position going into 2017 which has prompted increased spending at local level as well as talk of a possible monetary investment from central government.

Over the course of 2017, Longford County Council has ring-fenced just over 8m for various housing and building projects, representing a 1.22m increase on last year.

Likewise, an extra 1.35m has been set aside for development management across the likes of tourism, supporting local communities and ongoing regeneration plans.

Other areas also expected to experience spending hikes include road, transport and safety as well as recreation and amenity.

That greater flexibility in Longford County Councils cash reserves came courtesy of an additional 1.2m which was taken in from grants and subsidies, over 600,000 in goods and services alongside rebates from both the Lansdowne Road Agreement and Irish Water.

Those measures were signed off on despite the anticipated loss in 2017 of over 60,000 to its Local Property Tax (LPT) returns after councillors sanctioned a three per cent reduction back in September.

Local Councillor Gerry Warnock said the upshot of last weeks announcement now opened up the prospect of a substantial government backed venture coming on stream.

We also now have 98,000 from paid parking that has been transferred to a capital account thats sterilised for use in a capital project of some sort, he said.

The Independent representative was keen to qualify those remarks however, insisting that five figure sum would remain the sole preserve of Longfords six municipal district members.

It's important to note that this will be very much at the discretion of the elected members of Longford Municipal District, he said.

Cllr Warnock revealed a further 60,000 held over from 2016 meant the overall figure left available to local politicans would be in the region of 160,000.

However, rather than spend that money across a range of different areas, Cllr Warnock said he would be pushing his colleagues to await the possible onset ofsupplementary government assistance.

My preference would be to see if we can get our hands on some matched funding from the Department in order to get some sort of significant enterprise project up and running, he said.

Should those overtures become reality, Cllr Warnock said it would lay further claim to the benefit of paid parking in Longford town.

What this does is it gives us, the elected members, much greater autonomy to focus on bringing projects thatwill be of greater benefit to the people of Longford town, he said.

If we can get matched funding from the Government then it will hopefully show people the relevance and importance of having paid parkin
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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Washington will send another 200 troops to Syria to help an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters seize the Islamic State group bastion of Raqa, Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said on Saturday.

"I can tell you today that the United States will deploy approximately 200 additional US forces in Syria," Carter told Gulf policymakers in the Bahraini capital Manama.

Washington already has some 300 special forces troops deployed as military advisers with the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance.

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Air strikes pummelled the shrinking rebel enclave in Aleppo on Saturday as US Secretary of State John Kerry said the Syrian regime's "indiscriminate bombing" amounted to crimes against humanity.

Western powers meeting in Paris called for the resumption of peace talks and for civilians to be allowed to leave Aleppo, where tens of thousands have already fled a fierce regime offensive.

The diplomatic flurry came as a US-backed alliance announced it would launch the second phase of its battle for the Islamic State (IS) militant group's de facto Syrian capital Raqa further east.

The three-week-old assault by Syria's Russian-backed regime aimed at retaking all of Aleppo has triggered mounting international outrage.

"The indiscriminate bombing by the regime violates rules of law, or in many cases, crimes against humanity, and war crimes," Kerry said after the talks in Paris, urging Russia to do its "utmost to bring it to a close".

US and Russian officials meanwhile were due to gather in Geneva for what Kerry described as a bid to stop the city from "being absolutely, completely, destroyed".

Aleppo has witnessed some of the most brutal violence of the country's nearly six-year war.

In less than a month, forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have overrun around 85 percent of east Aleppo, a rebel stronghold since 2012.

The UN's Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said the world is watching "the last steps" in the Aleppo battle and evacuating civilians must be a priority.

Air strikes and regime rocket fire battered the last remaining rebel districts on Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

An AFP correspondent in west Aleppo could hear the hum of airplanes circling above, coupled with bombardment and machine-gun fire on the city's east.

The strikes were so intense that windows in the west rattled and plumes of smoke could be seen rising from several points across the city's skyline.

"The bombing is unreal," said Ibrahim Abu al-Leith, spokesman for the White Helmets rescue force inside Aleppo.

Abu al-Leith spoke to AFP from one of the last rebel-controlled zones in Aleppo's southeast, saying he had been forced to move homes because of the intensity of the raids.

"The streets are full of people under the rubble. They are dying because we can't get them out," he added.

According to the Observatory, nine civilians were killed on Saturday in a barrage of rebel rocket fire on government-controlled neighbourhoods.

The fresh attacks brought to 129 people, including 39 children, the number of people killed by rebel fire on regime-held west Aleppo since November 15.

Another 413 civilians, among them 45 children, have been killed in east Aleppo in the same period.

With the fighting intensifying after a brief respite, the UN General Assembly demanded an immediate ceasefire and urgent aid deliveries, in a resolution adopted by a strong majority.

But both Moscow and Damascus have rejected talk of a ceasefire without a rebel withdrawal from the city -- a demand that opposition groups have refused.

After meeting with opposition representatives on Saturday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said the opposition was willing to resume peace talks "without pre-conditions".

Retired American general David Petraeus, a possible contender to replace Kerry when Donald Trump becomes US president next month, expressed doubt about prospects for a political solution in Syria.

"It is not clear that Humpty Dumpty can be put back together again," he said at a security forum in Bahrain. "I don't think it's too late for that but I do think that it is very late in the day indeed."

The Observatory said another 2,000 civilians poured out of Aleppo's remaining rebel-held districts on Saturday.

State news agency SANA also reported the displacement, but gave a number of 3,000 people and said they had been taken to the temporary shelter in Jibrin, about 10 kilometres (six miles) east of Aleppo.

The UN said Friday it had received reports of rebels blocking some from leaving and of reprisals against residents who asked armed groups to leave.

It has also expressed concern about reports that hundreds of men had gone missing after fleeing to government-held territory.

The fall of east Aleppo would be the biggest blow for the rebels since the war began in 2011.

It began as a widespread protest movement against Assad's regime but has since evolved into an all-out war that has seen Islamist militants like the IS militants rise to prominence.

On Saturday, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces announced "phase two" of the campaign for the Islamist militants bastion of Raqa.

Washington announced it was sending an additional 200 troops to support the offensive.

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The Afghan Special Police Force, a unit assigned to the Interior Ministry, claims to have captured an al Qaeda financier during a raid in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar on Dec. 8.

The Interior Ministry reportedly announced the arrest in a statement released yesterday, according to Kabul 1TV. The al Qaeda financier, who was not named, is reportedly a Pakistani national. The Interior Ministry said he was captured in the district of Khogyani. Police also reportedly found a flag of [the] Taliban on the wall of the room where the militant was captured.

Khogyani is among 14 Nangarhar districts known to host terror cells, according to data compiled by FDDs Long War Journal. The US military has reported targeting al Qaeda and allied groups in Nangarhar since 2007. [See FDDs Long War Journal report, Al Qaeda facilitator targeted in eastern Afghanistan.]

The US military and Afghan forces have consistently targeted al Qaedas network throughout Afghanistan despite claims from Obama administration officials that the group has been decimated since Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in May 2010. Al Qaeda has made up for the loss of traditional Arab commanders by backfilling leadership positions with Afghan and Pakistanis from jihadist groups based in the region.

Most recently, the US killed Faruq al Qahtani, the al Qaeda emir for eastern Afghanistan. The US was hunting Qahtani for six years before he was finally brought down in an airstrike in Kunar province on Oct. 23. One month prior, three al Qaeda leaders and six operatives were killed in a raid in Paktika province that also killed Azam Tariq, a leader from the Movement of the Taliban in South Waziristan.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
The US-led coalition Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) reportedly destroyed a fleet of 168 ISIL [Islamic State] oil tanker trucks near Palmyra, Syria on Dec. 8. According to an OIR statement, it is the largest air strike of its kind to date.

The Islamic State launched a large-scale offensive against the Syrian regime and allied militiamen near Palmyra on the same day. The so-called caliphate has repeatedly clashed with Bashar al Assads men in the Homs province since losing control of the ancient city in March. But the jihadists new assault appears to have created a target of opportunity for the US and its allies, as the Islamic State was seeking to capitalize on its renewed push into the oil and gas-rich region.

The Coalition continues to forcefully prosecute the air war on ISIL revenue capability, Col. John L. JD Dorrian, the OIR spokesman, said in a statement. When ISIL has access to large sums of money, they use it to conduct violent terror attacks against anyone who doesnt share their barbaric ideology.

OIR says the airstrikes resulted in estimated lost revenue of more than $2 million. Several of the airstrikes have been documented in videos released by OIR.

Amaq News Agency, an Islamic State propaganda arm, has released a stream of videos, photos and statements documenting the battle. Amaq has also produced a map (seen on the right) purportedly showing the groups gains. According to some unconfirmed reports, the Islamic State has already reentered Palmyra itself.

Amaq has released numerous short statements concerning the martyrdom operations (suicide attacks) and other tactics employed. Two longer reports, posted on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9, document the jihadists perspective on the heavy fighting that has transpired thus far.

On Dec. 8, Amaq reported that Islamic State forces launched a wide rang[ing] and surprise attackagainst the Syrian Army and the Shiite militias on a battlefront running 200km in the eastern countryside of Homs.

Amaq claims that the jihadists completely captured the town of Huwaysis in the first hours of the battle and also took over eight army and militia checkpoints, as well as the nearby area of Shaer. The gas fields in Shaer have repeatedly changed hands throughout the course of the war, with the Islamic State showcasing the spoils its taken from Shaers facilities on multiple occasions. Abu Bakr al Baghdadis men also purportedly gained turf near the T4 (Tiyas) airbase. In May, Amaq claimed that the jihadists had destroyed four Russian helicopters and 20 vehicles at the same airbase.

According to Amaq, 50 Syrian Army soldiers were killed at checkpoints at the Shaer gas field and in the nearby town of Huwaysis. Dozens of additional Syrian regime casualties were reported in the follow-up reporting during the first day of the offensive.

Then, on Dec. 9, Amaq claimed that at least 112 members of Syrian regime forces were killed in battles today, as [Islamic] State fighters seized 3 tanks, a multiple rocket launcher, a field artillery unit, an autocannon, and quantities of ammunition.

The Muhr Gas Company, as well as other gas and oil fields, purportedly fell to the jihadists. Syrian regime forces sent a military convoy from Palmyra to attempt to recover the hills near the [Muhr] company, Amaq reported, but the Islamic State fighters countered that attempt. Several additional regime fighters were then killed.

To underscore its control over Muhr, Amaq also produced a video of the facility that includes footage apparently recorded with a small drone. Some of the overhead images can be seen at the end of this article.

It is notoriously difficult to verify war details, especially far away from the battlefields of Homs province.

The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR) has produced its own reports, and many of the details are consistent with Amaqs propaganda. Casualty counts appear to differ, but SOHR also says that the Syrian regime has suffered significant losses. SOHR has issued several reports saying that dozens of Syrian regime fighters have been killed and Assads fighters have also displayed the corpses of dead jihadis.

SOHR also reports that a Syrian war plane crashed in the eastern countryside of Homs, amid renewed airstrikes in the area surrounding Palmyra. The Islamic State says it shot down the plane.

Screenshots from the Islamic States video of the Muhr Gas Company, which was seized from Bashar al Assads regime. The jihadists apparently used a small drone to record some of the footage:

Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
Lifestyle / Gastronomy

Dec 10, 2016 | By Staff Writer

A worldwide celebration of French cuisine, the Good France initiative, will return for its third edition in March 21, 2017. The event held by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs will have 2,000 participating chefs from around the globe serving French-style dishes in their respective restaurants. The full list of participating restaurants will be released at the end of January.

Back at its opening edition, 1,000 chefs from various backgrounds have served French-style menu in their restaurants, even those unfamiliar with the culinary specialty. The menu consists of an an aperitif, a starter, a main dish, a cheese and a dessert, all complemented with French wines and champagnes.

The French dining experience is regarded as one of UNESCOs world heritage, and through the Good France initiative, people from around the globe will be able to familiarize themselves with it. Michel Durrieu, tourism promotion director at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mentions the participations of Italy, Poland, Brazil and Japan in the previous Good France, held annually at March 21.

Almost 200,000 diners will sit down to enjoy this new edition, held in 152 countries and across five continents. Turkmenistan is one of the new countries set to serve a French meal this year. Chefs have until January 13 to sign up. A committee of industry heavyweights, presided by Alain Ducasse, has been formed to approve applications from participating restaurants.

Guy Savoy, a jury member who has trained the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Thomas Keller, evokes a keen interest among young foreign chefs looking to learn the techniques of French gastronomy. Between 12 and 15 different nationalities are represented within the team, comments the triple Michelin-starred chef who took the top spot in the La Liste ranking of worlds best restaurants, uneveiled this week. Every Friday morning, a chef prepares a breakfast to present their culture, says the head of the Restaurant Guy Savoy at La Monnaie de Paris. Summing up Good France, he says that foreign cooks speak better than us of the virtues of French cuisine.

In France too, the event is a great occasion to celebrate the countrys cuisine. While the official list of participants is yet to be unveiled, French food fans who book a table for March 21 are sure to enjoy a unique experience, sometimes with a behind-the-scenes look at the kitchens or with the pleasure of dining alongside the chef.

For more information visit: www.goodfrance.com.
Kuwait's prime minister formed a cabinet Saturday that includes a new oil minister but keeps all the ruling family members, following elections in which the opposition performed well.

The government has seven new faces including Essam al-Marzouk who was named minister of oil, electricity and water.

Marzouk, a member of a merchant family, was a board member in national oil conglomerate Kuwait Petroleum Corp. and also the head of the Kuwait Bourse Company.

Besides Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah, the cabinet includes five members of the Al-Sabah family which has ruled Kuwait for two and a half centuries, as many as in the previous cabinet.

But Sheikh Mohammad Khaled Al-Sabah, the former interior minister and a senior royal, was moved to the defence post, apparently after many opposition lawmakers vowed to grill him over the revoking of citizenships of several opposition activists.

The defence minister in the previous cabinet, Sheikh Khaled Jarrah Al-Sabah, who is also a member of the ruling family, was given the interior portfolio.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah, a royal, was also retained.

Anas al-Saleh remained the finance minister in the new cabinet despite strong criticism for his economic policies which included reducing subsidies and raising the price of petrol.

Several MPs have vowed to question him if he was retained in the cabinet.

The government of the oil-rich Gulf state resigned last month as required by the constitution following the November 26 general election in which the opposition and its allies won nearly half the seats in parliament.

The 50-member legislature is scheduled to start meeting on Sunday.

The Islamist-dominated opposition has vowed to oppose the government's austerity measures in the face of low oil revenues.

The reappointment of Sheikh Jaber, 73, who has held the post since late 2011, came despite calls by a number of opposition MPs for a new premier to reflect the result of last month's polls.

The opposition groups boycotted two general elections in 2012 and 2013 in protest at a change in the voting system brought unilaterally by the government.

Under Kuwait's constitution, the emir has the sole power to appoint the premier regardless of the outcome of polls as the country does not have a full Western-style multi-party system.

The new cabinet is not required to have a vote of confidence from parliament.

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The validation of a European patent in a contracting state is determined by Article 65 EPC, the London Agreement on the application of Article 65 EPC and the contracting state's national law. Hence, validation of a European patent in a contracting state may require the filing of a translation of the European patent as granted into one of the official languages of the contracting state, generally within three months from the date on which the mention of the grant of the European patent is published in the European Patent Bulletin.

Notably, the London Agreement has the objective of reducing costs linked to such validation, more in particular the translation of European patents. Each contracting state which has ratified the Agreement waives the requirement for furnishing such translations entirely or at least largely, depending on its official languages.

Heretofore, Belgium has not yet ratified the London Agreement. Consequently, in Belgium, the validation of a European patent granted in English still requires furnishing, by the prescribed deadline, a complete translation of the description and claims into one of the official Belgian languages (French, Dutch or German).

However, as from January 2017, the furnishing of such a translation to validate a European patent in Belgium will become superfluous!

The Belgian government, at its Council of State, enacted a new law on June 29 2016 which states that a European patent granted, amended after opposition or limited in any of the official EPC languages confers upon the patentee the same rights as a national Belgian patent. Consequently, it might also be expected that the Belgian Government intends to ratify the London Agreement shortly.

This new regime is highly advantageous for patent owners and for the Belgian government, since this major change in Belgian law will reduce both validation costs and a large amount of administrative work at the Belgian Patent Office. Furthermore, this will considerably reduce litigation between companies and the state of Belgium which arises when companies seek to re-instate their rights in Belgium for European patents granted in English if a translation is deemed not to have been properly filed.

Meanwhile, the legislator has reopened a time window, terminating on January 6 2017, for the retroactive reinstatement, under certain conditions, of granted, amended or limited European patents for which a translation was not duly provided to the Belgian Patent Office (See our previous article, 'Patent law harmonised with PLT').

Cathy Kourgias Pascal Leroy

GeversHolidaystraat, 5B-1831 Diegem - BrusselsBelgiumTel: +32 2 715 37 11Fax: +32 2 715 37 00www.gevers.eu
The Syrian opposition is willing to resume negotiations with Bashar al-Assad's regime "without pre-conditions", France's foreign minister said after talks between Western powers and opposition representatives in Paris on Saturday.

"We need to tie down the conditions for a genuine political transition, and negotiations must resume on a clear basis within the framework of the UN resolution" Jean-Marc Ayrault added, referring to a roadmap for ending the five-year-old Syria war.

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Four weeks ago, Donald J. Trump was elected the 45th US President.[i] Since then, the President-elect has made a lot of noise about what he will do once in office-especially regarding trade-triggering pundits' frenzied efforts to size it all up. Many believe Trump poses a big threat to the global economy, particularly through trade policy. And who knows, perhaps that is true. Worth watching! But, while trade is an area where the president has more latitude than, say, tax policy, Trump still doesn't have carte blanche-assuming he even tries anything. Trade could easily be a key area in which the reality of a Trump presidency is better than feared.

Trump has many plans to "improve"[ii] America's competitiveness and existing trade relationships. He said he will hit China with tariffs early on because of unfair trade practices (e.g., supposed currency manipulation). The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)? It's a bad deal and must be redone-or else the US will leave it. And don't even think about the US ratifying the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). But don't worry, the Donald says he will negotiate easier-to-enforce bilateral deals. US businesses also need to watch their backs, with Trump threatening a 35% tax on firms exporting US jobs. That's a lot, but how much can he actually do unilaterally?

When it comes to imposing tariffs, the president has broad powers. (Exhibit 1)

Exhibit 1: Some Presidential Tariff Powers

This list isn't even exhaustive. And presidents have used these powers. A few examples: In 1971, Richard Nixon imposed a temporary 10% tariff on imports because American products were at a "disadvantage because of unfair exchange rates." George W. Bush implemented steel tariffs in 2002 to protect against "imports that materially harm domestic industry" (US steel in this case). More recently, Barack Obama slapped tariffs on China for select steel products and solar panels.

While we aren't fans of tariffs because they impede the movement of goods-and risk retaliation, which could further hamper global commerce-a single tax needn't start a big bad trade war. Obama's China tariffs didn't kill this bull market. Bush's steel tariffs lasted from March 2002 to December 2003, a period beginning near the end of Tech-led bear and ending alongside surging stocks in the 2003 - 2007 bull's first year. Nixon's tariff lasted for four months in the middle of the 1970-1973 bull market. This doesn't make tariffs good, but scale matters.

In China's case, Trump's 45% tariff threat stems from currency manipulation accusations. Trump, like many politicians in the last decade, argues China purposely devalues the yuan for economic advantage (via making its exports cheaper). However, these claims are off base. While China arguably did keep the yuan artificially low for a spell, as the US Treasury notes, China is now trying to prevent faster yuan depreciation by selling forex reserves, which neared an eight-year low $3.05 trillion in November. For context, reserves are down nearly a trillion[iii] dollars from its January 2014 peak. Tariffs today would punish China for strengthening the yuan, so to charge them with a currency-manipulation tariff, Treasury would need to rewrite its rules and definitions for just this one case-which would be bizarre and contrary to pretty much all evidence. Stranger things have happened, but China being dubbed a manipulator doesn't seem assured. As for potential punitive tariffs on US firms, Trump's power is much more limited. He lacks the legal authority to target individual companies, let alone overhaul the corporate tax system, as levying taxes is Congress' domain. Plus, even if some legislators agree with Trump's tax proposals, those ideas will likely hear loud opposition, as House Republicans are currently finding out-taxes have a way of eliciting strong opinions.

As for free trade agreements like NAFTA, the president holds considerable influence. Though Trump can't singlehandedly make new trade agreements-Congress must approve, a big reason the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) already faced long odds-he can affect existing deals. NAFTA says simply: "A Party may withdraw from this Agreement six months after it provides written notice of withdrawal to the other Parties." While there is some debate over this, most legal scholars believe this means Trump can unilaterally withdraw the US from the pact. While there is the potential for legal recourse in the courts for this and other actions, it is an open question of how fast it would move, and whether the court would issue an injunction barring the action quickly enough. All that said, however, just because the president has these powers doesn't mean he will use them.

Despite all the speculation, no one knows what Trump will actually do until he's in office. His rhetoric warrants monitoring, but we recommend against assuming his words will become action. Politicians commonly make big, threatening proclamations before entering office, only to moderate once in power. Obama said almost the exact same things in 2008-renegotiate NAFTA or walk, smack China for currency manipulation, whack companies that outsource jobs-and didn't do any of it. Instead, he reversed course, embracing free trade. Trump, like all politicians,[iv] has many constituents to answer to-and those constituents' wants vary and sometimes conflict. For example, many of Trump's supporters in the Midwest's Rust Belt got behind him for his opposition to NAFTA. However, other Trump supporters-see these business owners in Texas-are big NAFTA proponents. Tough to see how he pleases both. Also, the president's political capital is a limited resource. Even the most popular presidents don't have unlimited goodwill and can typically get only two or three big things done during their presidency. Trump is entering office with less political capital than Obama and many new presidents, given his loss in the popular vote, slim Senate majority and intraparty opposition from the #NeverTrump Republicans. So while we don't know what he's going to focus on yet, he probably won't have the ability to implement most of his initial proposals.

While it's easy to talk now and point to largely symbolic gestures like jawboning one company into keeping several hundred jobs here, reality can start dampening that enthusiasm quickly. However, here is one potential underappreciated positive: Fears about Trump's impact on trade run deep. If disaster doesn't happen-i.e., Trump talks big but ultimately demurs and doesn't act on many protectionist promises, that could tee up a nice positive surprise for folks expecting the worst. Trump's trade positions are one reason why expectations for his presidency are low-it wouldn't take much for reality to top them, a potential bullish disconnect.
A US-backed Arab-Kurdish alliance announced Saturday "phase two" of its campaign for the Islamic State group's Syrian bastion of Raqa as Washington said it was sending 200 more troops to back the offensive.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) officials told AFP that US soldiers would be "on the front lines" of the push for the northern city.

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter earlier on Saturday told a security forum in Bahrain that Washington was sending the 200 troops to join the 300 it has already deployed to support the campaign.

The SDF will "begin phase two of the campaign, which aims to liberate territory west of Raqa and isolate the city," spokeswoman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed told reporters.

With a pre-war population of about 240,000, Raqa is the de facto capital of the self-styled caliphate IS declared across Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Speaking in the village of Aaliyah, north of Raqa, Ahmed said the SDF had captured 700 square kilometres (270 square miles) of territory since it began its advance on the city on November 5.

The alliance had also grown in size, she said, with more than 1,500 local fighters joining forces with the SDF after being "trained and equipped by the international coalition".

The SDF's coordination with the US-led coalition "will be stronger and more effective during the second phase of the campaign," Ahmed said.

Two SDF officials told AFP that US soldiers would be taking part in the offensive "on the front lines" alongside SDF fighters.

"US forces were on the front lines of the first phase of this offensive, and one member of these forces was killed. Their participation will be even more effective alongside our forces in the second phase," said SDF spokesman Talal Sello.

SDF adviser Nasser Hajj Mansour said: "American forces will be on the front lines of this phase."

The Pentagon chief said the "200 additional US forces in Syria" would include bomb disposal experts and trainers as well as special forces personnel.

The Islamist militants have used car bombs as well as booby traps and mines as they battle to defend what remains of their territory.

"We're now helping tens of thousands of local Syrian forces to isolate Raqa," which has also served as a hub for Islamist militants plotting attacks abroad, Carter said.

Backed by coalition air strikes, the SDF has pushed south from areas near the Turkish border, advancing to within 25 kilometres (15 miles) of the city.

The offensive has been complicated by the deep hostility to the SDF of Turkey, a NATO ally and Syria's neighbour.

Ankara regards the alliance's most powerful military component, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), as an arm of the outlawed rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has waged a deadly insurgency in southeastern Turkey for three decades.

The SDF controls a large swathe of northeastern Syria along the Turkish border and a smaller enclave in the northwest.

After advances that looked set to link the two areas, the Turkish army entered Syria in August in an operation it said targeted both IS and the YPG.

Turkish troops have since attacked Kurdish forces multiple times even as they have suffered losses at the hands of IS.

US defence officials said on Thursday they were brokering talks between the two sides towards preventing any further conflict between them disrupting the campaign against IS.

Colonel John Dorrian, spokesman for the US-led coalition, said they were "facilitating joint discussions with Turkey, the SDF and other coalition partners to promote deescalation in the area".

The battle for Raqa coincides with a vast US-backed offensive to retake Iraq's second city of Mosul from the Islamist militants.

Raqa and Mosul are the last major urban centres under IS control after the jihadists suffered a string of territorial losses in both countries over the past year.

In Syria, IS still holds Al-Bab, to the northwest of Raqa, and most of the city of Deir Ezzor, to the southeast.

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SPRINGFIELD -- CRRC, the Chinese rail car manufacturer building a plant on Page Boulevard in East Springfield, is reportedly planning a similar factory at a former General Electric site in Fort Edward, New York, on the Hudson River near Glens Falls.

The possibility was reported by the Post-Star of Glens Falls.

In Springfield, CRRC MA is ahead of schedule on its $95 million plant in East Springfield. Work on the 204,000-square-foot factory, which will employ 150 workers, is expected to be completed by the fall of 2017. The first rail cars are scheduled to be delivered in 2018.

CRRC said production jobs will pay $55,000 to $60,000 a year.

In 2014, CRRC received a $566 million Massachusetts contract to manufacture 284 subway cars for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Greater Boston's mass transit system. Of those cars, 152 will be for the Orange Line and 132 will be for the Red Line. First delivery of the Orange Line cars is expected in March 2018 and production is expected to last five years.

The plant will have a 2,240-foot subway tack to test the cars.

The proposed Fort Edward factory sounds remarkably similar, according to the Post-Star. The 125,000-square-foot building proposed there would have 150 to 200 workers and they would manufacture 1,025 subway cars for New York City over five years.

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority opens bids on the subway cars Dec. 15.

In Springfield, CRRC officials have said this will be the company's North American headquarters and its beachhead for manufacturing rail cars for the U.S. and Canada.

In an email this week, CRRC MA spokeswoman Lydia Rivera said the company is working to bring more business to Springfield and keep the factory here busy after the five-year production run in its contract with Boston is completed.

"CRRC, with its local success here in Massachusetts, continues to identify opportunities in North America including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York and beyond, with attention to stimulating job growth in Springfield, as well as executing a steady investment and development plan in North America," Rivera wrote.

The Fort Edward site, 134 miles and an almost 2-hour drive from Springfield, is a former dewartering site General Electric constructed about a decade ago to process mud dredged from the Hudson River. GE had contaminated the river with PCBs dumped from its now-shuttered plants nearby and was ordered by the federal government to clean it.

Crews at the dewatering site took dredged sediment off barges, removed the water and then loaded the mud on rail cars for disposal elsewhere. That work is done, so the facility is idle now despite having a relatively new rail line going into it, as well as docks where barges traveling up and down the Hudson can dock.
With both antique muskets with bayonets attached and the latest offerings from the top gun-makers in the world, the Antique & Modern Firearm Show is held at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, but it is a world away from the usual craft fair or Big E vendor experience.

As soon as one enters the Young Building, show visitors are greeted pleasantly by uniformed police officers, asking attendees if they are carrying any weapons and requiring them to unload and leave their ammunition at the door with them, firearms are then secured with plastic ties that prevent the weapon from being re-loaded and visitors are allowed on to the show floor. Ammunition is returned to visitors upon leaving the show.

Show rules require that all weapons being displayed for sale also have a safety-lock in place. Any weapon purchased at the show also may not be taken into the ammunition tent, which requires a hand stamp to enter. Crowd movement throughout the venue is geared to keep weapons and ammunition as separate as possible. Show managers are also posted at the entry to greet visitors and insure that the show rules are enforced.

For the sake of security, cameras are not allowed on the show floor, however, MassLive was given the opportunity to work with several vendors in an effort to show what can be expected when visiting a gun show.

Purchasing a weapon at the show entails the proper licensing and an on-the-spot background check is conducted by many of the vendors, allowing fair-goers to purchase the firearm immediately, with many vendors offering show discounts. If a shop is not equipped to do the on-the-floor ID checks, the firearm purchased must be picked up at a later date, once the required checks are completed.

This year's show included several signs informing visitor's of the new enforcement banning the sale of AR-15 and AK-47, so called 'black guns,' from sale in the state of Massachusetts.

David Bourdeau, owner of Tombstone Trading Company of Brookfield, Mass. tells MassLive that 20% of his monthly business was lost when the state Attorney General's office instituted the enforcement. "It impacted all firearm businesses in the state to one degree or another, depending on what percentage 'black guns' were of their shop's inventory. Tombstone has a varied, broad inventory of firearms, but we are aware of a shop that dealt 100% in 'black guns.' He was out of business overnight. He is in the process of packing up, selling his properties and moving to New Hampshire, where he hopes to reopen his business."

Many of the vendors present at the show were local businesses that rely on both internet sales and gun shows to sell their products. Jason Dempsey of Spencer and Josh T. from Sutton are co-owners, along with Josh's father, Ron, of Wicked Holsters, an accessory shop based in Sutton, Massachusetts. The business is proud to be veteran-owned and offers discounts to other members of the military and law enforcement.

The Antique & Modern Firearm show runs December 10 & 11, 2016 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. -- admission is $12; Children under 12, free with parent.
SPRINGFIELD  Communities across Western Massachusetts are expected to get heavy snowfall over the weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has projected an 100 percent chance of precipitation in Springfield on Sunday night--with snow likely after 8 p.m. The NWS has further projected a 90 percent chance of precipitation in the city on Monday morning.

Jacob Wycoff, meteorologist for Western Mass News, spoke with The Republican about predictions for a very wintry weekend.

Wycoff confirmed that snow is projected to start Sunday night with light accumulation. As the snowfall progresses into Monday morning, heavier snow is expected, Wycoff said.

Wycoff projected that the areas in Western Massachusetts that will likely be most affected are northwestern Hampden County and western Hampshire County, as well as some parts of western Franklin county.

Springfield should expect at least 3 to 5 inches of snow, but potentially more than that, Wycoff said. This will likely affect traffic patterns, he said.

For perspective, Wycoff compared Monday's snowfall to the projected snowfall for Sunday night, which will likely have a larger impact. "On Monday we had a little snow, and the speeds on the Masspike dropped, and we had a number of little accidents," Wycoff said. "That was a minor accumulation event. By contrast, this is a moderate accumulation event that will see larger impacts."

Wycoff said that some differentials might mean the weekend could be a little warmer or a little colder. "What we're watching for is the potential of a little warm air to mix in during the morning, which would certainly reduce some of the total snowfall. However, there's also the possibility that the weather could come in a little stronger, which would make the totals a little larger," said Wycoff.

Will the snowfall be so heavy that children in Western Massachusetts might start thinking about taking Monday off? "I will say that in some areas schools will not be operating on their usual schedules--whether that's in the form of delays or cancellations, I'll leave that up to the Superintendent," said Wycoff.

The snowfall is ultimately expected to stop sometime in the afternoon on Monday, Wycoff said.
Governor Bullock Announces Cabinet Directors

Governor thanks Cabinet Directors for their service; announces appointments for second term

MONTANA  Governor Steve Bullock today announced the following reappointments to his Cabinet:

* Mike Tooley as Director of the Department of Transportation;

* Major General Matt Quinn as the Director of the Department of Military Affairs and the Adjutant General for the Montana National Guard;

* Angela Wong as Montana Lottery Director;

* Pam Bucy as the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry;

* John Tubbs as the Director of the Department of Natural Resources;

* Tom Livers as the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality; and

* Mike Kadas as the Director of the Department of Revenue.

"Today we celebrate the exceptional public service of these outstanding leaders," said Governor Bullock. "Montana has benefited greatly as a result of their tireless efforts and I look forward to working with each of these dedicated public servants both personally and professionally as we move forward." said Bullock.

The Governor also announced the following Cabinet directors will be leaving their posts to retire from state government or seek opportunities in the private sector:

* Department of Corrections Director Mike Batista;

* Department of Health & Human Services Director Richard Opper;

* Department of Commerce Director Meg OLeary;

* Department of Agriculture Ron De Yong;

* Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks Director Jeff Hagener;

* Governors Office of Economic Development Director John Rogers.

Sheila Hogan, Director, Department of Public Health and Human Services:

Governor Bullock has selected current Sheila Hogan to serve as the Director of the Department of Public Health and Human Services. Hogan currently has served as the Director of Administration for the last four years where she has been a champion of public service, streamlining processes online, cutting red tape and making it more accessible for Montana businesses to do business with the state. Hogan was appointed to serve as the Director of Administration by Governor Bullock in 2013. Previously, she served as the executive director of the Career Training Institute in Helena, MT for 20 years. She has a bachelors degree in business and public policy from Montana Tech-University of Montana. Hogan has held numerous leadership roles in workforce and economic development organizations throughout Montana. Hogan is married to Jim Edwards and collectively have four children, two grandchildren, and a Labrador named Led Zeppelin.

John Lewis: Director, Department of Administration:

Governor Bullock has selected John Lewis to replace Hogan as the Director of the Department of Administration. Lewis served for 12 years as a top advisor and Montana Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Max Baucus. Working for Senator Baucus, Lewis spearheaded legislation giving businesses incentives to hire veterans. In 2011, John traveled to all 56 counties across Montana, meeting with every mayor of the states 129 incorporated cities and towns getting to know them better and hearing their community needs. Born in Billings, John met his future wife Melissa at Western Washington University in 1996. John and Melissa reside in Helena with their daughter Kate, son Jackson  and newborn baby boy Luke.

Loraine Wodnik, Interim Director, Department of Corrections:

Governor Bullock has appointed Loraine Wodnik to serve as the Interim Director of the Department of Corrections while a national search is conducted to replace Director Batista. Wodnik has served the State of Montana in several roles over the last 24 years. For the past three and a half years, she has served as the Deputy Director for the Montana Department of Corrections, working to make Corrections a better place for both the employees of the agency and the offenders in the departments custody. In 2015, the Interagency Committee for Change by Women selected Wodnik to receive the Excellence in Leadership Award for achievement in State Government. She holds a bachelors degree in Business Administration and a masters degree in Public Administration. Wodnik is married to Joe Wodnik and together they have four grown children.

Governor Bullock continues to have ongoing discussions about his remaining Cabinet appointments and will make announcements as decisions are made in the upcoming weeks.

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Montana Career Opportunities  Information Management Bureau Chief, Communications Director, Senior Computer Systems Analyst, GIS Analyst and many more  State of Montana http://www.matr.net/article-74614.html

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Six of Montana Gov. Steve Bullocks cabinet members will be leaving the administration before his second term begins next month, and replacements have been found for two of them so far, the Democratic governor said Friday.

The governor thanked the departing appointees for their service in a news conference at the state Capitol.

"Every large organization goes through change, and the state of Montana is no different," Bullock said.

Full Story: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/bullock-announces-top-level-appointee-changes/article_d4d0081f-9b6b-56c9-895d-912aa3f0e1a3.html

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Paul Tuss, President of the Board of Directors for the Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA), issued this statement following todays announcement by Governor Steve Bullock about changes to his Cabinet:

Today Governor Bullock announced that John Rogers, Montanas Chief Business Development Officer, will be retiring effective December 31, 2016.

MEDA is proud that John Rogers, who has been integral to Montanas economic growth for more than 30 years, has supported businesses, local communities and their workforce, and economic development leaders during that time.

Under Governor Bullocks Administration, John Rogers promotion of Montana has been a labor of love and has elevated our identity as a great state for business while steadfastly holding to Montanas intrinsic values.

Tuss stated that John Rogers asked him to express his personal thanks "  to the Montana Economic Developers Association, the Montana Ambassadors, fellow state and federal partners, my dedicated and hard-working staff, and others who steadfastly supported these efforts. I am humbled by the support shown for the hard work and dedication of Governor Bullock and this Administration."

MEDA will have contact information for John Rogers following his retirement. Contact Gloria ORourke at [email protected]

The following are significant accomplishments for the Governors Office of Economic Development during Johns tenure as Montanas Chief Business Development Officer, from 2013 to 2016:

1. Establishment of the Choose Montana brand to support an economic development posture "Big Sky + Big Opportunity."

2. Enhanced website at Business.mt.gov highlighting the business-friendly economic climate and the robust industry sectors that make up Montanas economy.

3. Created the Montana Economic Development Report, released the spring of 2015; highlighting Montanas key industries and emerging innovative industries, rankings, and success stories.

4. Increased business marketing to support Montanas industry sectors such as the Bio-International Show, Photonics West, the Global Petroleum Show, and Select USA.

5. Enhanced marketing of Montana through a Delta Magazine "Profile: Montana" article consisting of 36 page article featuring Montana as a great place to live, work, and play.

6. Increased marketing to site selectors in support of local development corporations by conducting outreach missions across the US.

7. Enhanced the Montana Site Selector website by utilizing the cloud to provide automatic data updates as soon as they are available, thus reducing the overall cost of updating the information each year  a savings of about $26,000 per year, making this website affordable to all those who need to use it

8. Enhancement of the InnovateMontana.com website to be Montanas entrepreneurial website; offering resources, highlighting emerging industries, and promoting successful innovators.

9. Montana has been ranked the leading state in the nation for startups and entrepreneurship for 4 years in a row, according to the Kauffman Foundation.

10. Creation of the Montana Business Navigator, the first of its kind, a state on-line tool to assist new businesses to find required permits. The architecture for the program will allow enhancements in the future to add local government permits to the site and to improve information about resources for businesses. The Navigator has been recognized by receiving two national awards

11. Creation of the new Choose Montana Initiative, aimed at retaining/recruiting workforce to Montana. In its infancy, this program will position Montana to assist businesses and industries in addressing their workforce needs, by aligning efforts, utilizing existing partnerships, and highlighting Montanas quality of life, business climate, and job opportunities across multiple sectors, in all regions.

12. Establishment of the first-ever Innovate Montana Symposium as part of the Main Street Montana Project. Taking its cue from the Small Business and Downtown KIN, GOED worked with its partners to develop a peer-to-peer Symposium that featured private sector leaders providing insights into business practices, highlighting Montanas industry clusters, and creating an unsurpassed environment for business networking. This first-of-its-kind Symposium was attended by 450+ business, government, and economic development leaders from around the state.

13. Created the Small Business Road Show aimed at small and medium size communities throughout the state that do not regularly have access to entrepreneurship-related events. These Road Shows are organized in cooperation with local economic development groups but feature successful entrepreneurs from similar size communities to lead the discussion about how to spur entrepreneurship and to provide technical assistance to aspiring business owners.

14. Supported specific projects and initiatives in communities across the state in support of economic development.
A global deal to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions contains elements "of great concern", retired US general David Petraeus, seen as a contender to be Washington's top diplomat, said on Saturday.

The agreement took effect in January following its signing last year after years of international effort.

It calls on Tehran to curb its controversial nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief from the United States and other nations.

Iran has denied that it seeks to acquire a nuclear weapons capability.

"There are some significant downsides that should cause us great concern," Petraeus told the Manama Dialogue security forum in Bahrain of the accord.

He pointed to the 10-15 year validity of the pact, and the fact that it gives Iran access to tens of billions of dollars in previously frozen assets.

Petraeus is on the shortlist to be secretary of state under Donald Trump, who will assume the US presidency at the end of Barack Obama's term in January.

Trump has promised to tear up the Iran nuclear agreement once in office, calling it the "worst deal ever negotiated".

Despite Petraeus's reservations, the former general said "there are actually some positive elements", as it helped curb Iran's path to a nuclear weapon.

"There's a pretty intrusive set of verification measures," he said.

Petraeus led the US troop surge in Iraq from 2006 to 2008.

He headed the Bahrain-based US Central Command and then the NATO force in Afghanistan in 2010, before retiring to lead the CIA.

He resigned from the spy agency in late 2012 after coming under investigation for giving his biographer and mistress, Paula Broadwell, access to classified information.

Petraeus eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour charge of mishandling classified information.

Saudi Arabia and its Sunni Gulf allies fear the Iran nuclear pact will lead to more regional "interference" by predominantly Shia Iran, which backs opposite sides in the Syria and Yemen conflicts.

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Montana offers a variety of opportunities to help you make a difference in your community and further your career. We offer competitive benefits, work-life balance, and family friendly policies. As a service-oriented employer, we seek employees with a passion for customer service. Explore the links below to apply for a state job or learn more about our career opportunities and the benefits of working for the state.

All Opportunities  https://statecareers.mt.gov/
Western powers called Saturday for talks between the Syrian regime and the opposition in a bid to end a war that has cost more than 300,000 lives but desperation hung over a meeting in Paris.

With Bashar al-Assad's forces pursuing an onslaught on rebel-held areas of Aleppo assisted by Russian air power, the West's powerlessness was evident as leading powers and Gulf states gathered for discussions with the opposition.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said the meeting was "an effort to try to do more than wring our hands and express frustration".

Kerry said the regime's "indiscriminate bombing" of Aleppo amounted to "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity" and he called for Russia and Assad's other backers Iran to show "a little grace" and help end it.

After the talks that included opposition representative Riad Hijab, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault urged a diplomatic solution to the nearly six-year-old conflict.

"We need to tie down the conditions for a genuine political transition, and negotiations must resume on a clear basis within the framework of the UN resolution 2254," he said.

That resolution sets out a roadmap for ending the war.

Ayrault said the opposition offered to participate in negotiations without conditions. But a diplomatic source told AFP the opposition required a political transition in Syria before it would agree to take part.

When the two sides staged fruitless talks in Geneva in April the subject of a transition -- and Assad's fate -- was not even among the issues discussed.

Ayrault said that even if Assad's forces regained control of Aleppo, many other areas of Syria would still be in the hands of rebels or jihadist groups and the fighting would rage on.

"What sort of peace is it if it's only the peace of cemeteries?" he asked.

His British counterpart Boris Johnson had the same message for Assad.

"There can be no military solution in Syria," Johnson said. "We must keep pushing for a return to a political process with the credibility necessary for all parties to commit to an end to all the fighting."

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the international community was stunned by the extent of the suffering in Aleppo.

"We have no words to describe what happens in Aleppo every day," he said.

He urged the regime and its military backers to allow civilians to leave the shattered city.

"We demand that the regime, but also Iran and Russia, let people leave the conflict zone," Steinmeier said.

US and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Sunday for what Kerry called discussions to "to save the lives... of people innocently caught up" in the fighting.

But Kerry admitted his expectations of those talks were "very constrained".

Aleppo was once Syria's most important industrial and commercial city but has seen some of the most brutal violence of the war.

In less than a month, forces loyal to Assad have overrun around 85 percent of east Aleppo, which had been a rebel stronghold since 2012.

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The US-led coalition has killed a key leader of the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria, the Pentagon said on Saturday.

"Coalition warplanes targeted and killed Tunisian Boubaker al-Hakim, in Raqqa, Syria, November 26," Pentagon spokesman Ben Sakrisson said in a statement emailed to AFP. "Al-Hakim was an ISIL leader and longtime terrorist with deep ties to French and Tunisian Jihadist elements."

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Silicon Beat, Friday, December 9, 2016 8:23 AM

Five of what might be more than 23 lawsuits against Yahoo have been consolidated into one suit. The lawsuit brought by victims of the company's massive data breach is set to be heard in federal court in San Jose. The company revealed the news in September in the midst of a $4.8 billion sale to Verizon. But last month, Yahoo admitted that they had known about the intrusion since 2014.

Read the whole story at Silicon Beat 
The Guardian and Vice are partnering to collaborate on news reports that will air in the US and the UK, across Vices channels. One is a London-based publisher founded nearly 200 years ago, the other a 22-year-old media brand based in New York.

The Guardian will bring its journalistic prowess to Vices brand, and Vice will provide its video production skills and access to a millennial audience.

This partnership recognizes the Guardian and Vice as pioneers in digital news and underscores our commitment to using video to open up our journalism in new and interesting ways, Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief at Guardian News & Media, said in a Guardian report announcing the deal.

A small team of Guardian journalists, led by multimedia news editor Mustafa Khalili, will be based at Vices offices in east London, working with Vice News producers and executives to produce original content.

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Co-branded reports will air across Vices nightly news show: Vice News Tonight, Vice and HBOs weekly series Vice on HBO as well as Vice Specials, the hour-long documentary series for HBO.

According to The Guardian, this is the first content partnership deal Vice News has struck with another news organization.

This partnership provides a test case for the way forward in multiplatform exploitation of content, Shane Smith, co-founder and chief executive of Vice Media, told The Guardian. When that content is the foremost investigative news in the business, it becomes even more imperative. Real, fact-based, trusted news has never been more important."

In September, Vice launched its "Viceland UK" television channel on Sky.

David Pemsel, chief executive of Guardian Media Group, the parent company of TheGuardian and Observer, said in the article that the partnership represents the Guardians strategy to innovate on a global scale to maximize both the revenue potential and impact of our journalism.

In July, The Guardian revealed an operating loss of 69 million (or $90.5 million) in the year ending March 2016.

Another British publisher,has been making efforts to tap into the U.S. millennial audience. In October , the 173-year-old newspaper announced it would publish a weekend edition on the Snapchat Discover platform to reach Snapchats 100 million daily users, most under the age of 35.
Iran summoned the British ambassador Saturday to protest against "interference" by Prime Minister Theresa May after she told Gulf leaders she would help counter the country's influence in the region.

Nicholas Hopton was told by a senior Iranian diplomat that "irresponsible, provocative and divisive comments by Theresa May at the (Gulf) summit are unacceptable and we reject them", foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said, quoted by state television's website.

"It is expected that such unacceptable remarks will not be made again."

Addressing a summit of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Bahrain, May on Wednesday reaffirmed British support for traditional allies in the region and said her country would help "push back against Iran's aggressive regional actions".

The mainly Sunni Arab Gulf monarchies and Shia Iran are bitter regional rivals, at odds over a range of issues including the wars in Syria and Yemen.

In a joint statement, GCC states and Britain agreed to a "strategic partnership" and said they "oppose and will work together to counter Iran's destabilising activities".

Iran and Britain reopened their respective embassies in 2015 following a nuclear deal with world powers, after four years of strained ties.

The two states appointed ambassadors in September for the first time since 2011.

Ghasemi said May's remarks to the GCC summit went against the development of normal relations "and damage mutual ties".

He added that while Iran's regional policies are based on peace and security, "it is unfortunate and surprising that British officials and the prime minister have failed to note that some countries in the region pursue a clear policy of supporting terrorism".

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by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, December 9, 2016

In the early 1950s Dentsus fourth president, Hideo Yoshida, established 10 guiding principles designed to set the tone for the work ethic of employees at the firm. One of them, as translated by several Japanese publications, was: "Never give up on your task. Do not let go even if you get killed."

It was seen as inspiring at the time -- but now,in light of worker-related suicides in Japan, that principle in particular seems outdated and overly fanatical. The Dentsu leaders other guidelines included messages to take an active role at work, not a passive one and to seek out large and complex jobs.

Today all 10 guidelines were officially relegated to the dustbin of the company's history as Dentsu said that it is eliminating Yoshidas principals from its employee handbook and other company materials.

Dentsu announced the decision as part of a broader effort to improve its workplace environment in the midst of an investigation by the Japanese government into the companys labor practices. Earlier the government ruled that the apparent suicide of a Dentsu staffer late last year was linked to what the Japanese call death by overwork given the hundreds of overtime hours she had logged in the months leading up to her death.

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The companys effort to revamp its workplace culture is well underway. Last week the Tokyo-based ad-holding company stated that as part of the overhaul of its work assignments, about 650 people (or 10% of the Japan-based workforce) will shift to new positions in January.

The company also indicated today that as part of its effort to improve work-life balance at the firm, it has instituted a goal to encourage employees across all of its divisions to take more than 50% of their paid time off.
by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, December 9, 2016

A federal appellate court is standing by its ruling that defunct aggregation service Power Ventures violated a federal hacking law by "scraping" Facebook's site.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals today rejected a request by digital rights groups, including the ACLU and Electronic Frontier Foundation, for a new hearing in the long-running dispute. Those organizations argued that the decision could have far-reaching consequences -- including the prosecution of users for violating sites' terms of service.

The battle dates to 2008, when Facebook and Power Ventures became embroiled in litigation. Power aggregated data from a variety of social networking services, enabling people with accounts through MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter and other services to access all of their information from one portal. To accomplish this, Power asked users to provide log-in information for their social networking sites and then imported people's information.

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In late 2008, Facebook sent a letter to Power demanding that it cease and desist accessing the site. Power allegedly refused to comply with Facebook's demand. Instead, the company allegedly continued to draw on the passwords that users had provided in order to access their information.

A three-judge panel of the appeals court ruled in July that Power violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by continuing to access Facebook after receiving the cease-and-desist letter. That law, which provides for private lawsuits as well as criminal penalties, prohibits anyone from accessing computers without authorization.

The judges wrote that violating a Web site's terms service wasn't enough in itself to also violate the anti-fraud law. But advocates argued that the opinion still created uncertainty about the law.

Power asked the 9th Circuit to reconsider that ruling; the EFF and ACLU backed the request. The rights groups argued that Power never "broke into" Facebook's computers, because users voluntarily gave their passwords to Power. The groups also warned that the decision was so broad that it could lead to prosecution of people based on a broad range of common activities.

"Suppose a bank website creates a pop-up notice warning that only credentialed users, not family members, are allowed to access the banks computer system. Has the person who nonetheless continues to log in with her spouses legitimate credentials to pay a bill, at the spouses behest, been given 'notice' that her access is 'without authorization' under the CFAA?," the digital rights groups asked. "What about logging into an airline account to print a boarding pass, or paying a bill directly on a utility or credit card website, on behalf of another person?"

It's not yet known whether Power will ask the Supreme Court to review the decision.


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Women have type 1 diabetes before their pregnancy

Gestational diabetes (High blood sugar starts or first diagnosed during pregnancy); according to CDC the prevalence of gestational diabetes is as high as 9.2%

The data was transferred to a computerized model that mimicked the fetal circulation. The model was developed by Dr Patricia Garcia-Canadilla in the Physense research laboratory of Dr Bart Bijnens at the University of Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.The reason for blood flow to the placenta could be:Diabetic mothers have changes in their blood vessels and are known to be large and therefore likely to receive more blood supply.Dr Kulkarni said: "The computational model equivalent of the fetal circulation is an electrical circuit where there are resistances and compliances. It is easier for blood to flow to the placenta, and harder for blood to flow to the brain.""The placenta gets taken away after a baby is born so it's no longer a part of the circulation," she said. "But it's possible that the reduced circulation to the brain in utero could affect the baby through life. We don't know enough about why this redistribution of blood flow occurs or the implications it might have. More research is needed to find out if this has any long-term impact on the health of the baby and whether anything can be done to prevent it."She concluded: "At the present time, I don't think any changes should be made in management of pregnant women with diabetes mellitus based on these findings."The research is presented today at EuroEcho-Imaging 2016.1The annual meeting of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI), a registered branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), is held 7 to 10 December 2016 in Leipzig, Germany.Women may have diabetes during pregnancy in 2 waysBabies born to mothers with diabetes are sometimes bigger due to uncontrolled diabetes or larger placenta. Larger babies make vaginal birth harder; C-sections are more likely.The infant is more likely to have hypoglycemia (periods of low blood sugar) shortly after birth and during the few days of life.Mothers with uncontrolled/poorly controlled diabetes are more likely to have a miscarriage or stillborn child.Infants of mothers with diabetes are at an increased risk of birth defects.Source: Medindia
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The findings showed that there was a wide range of highly rated apps that offer to help people with conditions such as diabetes and depression, but for those with arthritis or pain only few options high-quality apps were present."The ratings on app stores mainly supplied by other users could not always be a reliable guide even with highly rated apps. Further, nearly 121 of the apps were found to let people enter information such as a daily blood sugar or blood pressure level or whether they were feeling suicidal into their phone.However, only 28 of these apps reacted appropriately when the reviewers entered a dangerous value, for instance a high blood pressure or low blood sugar level, or a suicidal mood, the researchers explained.In addition, most of the apps allow users to share their health information with others, but the researchers found that often this was through insecure methods. Only two-thirds of the apps had a written privacy policy spelling out how they protect or use the information supplied by users.This is better than previous studies of all mHealth apps have found, but still troubling to the researchers because the apps in this study were supposed to be the most top-notch."We found that the consumer-generated rating on the app store is a very poor marker of how usable an app is, and whether a physician would recommend it. Clearly, the work is not done once consumers have rated an app," Singh added.The study was published in the journal Health Affairs.Source: IANS
The Turkish army and its allies on Saturday entered the Islamic State (IS) militant group's bastion of Al-Bab in northern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

"They entered Al-Bab from the northwest after violent clashes with the jihadists as Turkish artillery bombarded the town," the Observatory's Rami Abdel Rahman said.

Heavy fighting was ongoing late Saturday in the town near the Turkish border, he said, which has been under IS control since 2014.

Al-Bab is the last bastion IS has in northern Aleppo province.

In August, Turkish troops entered northern Syria in an unprecedented operation Ankara said targeted both IS and Kurdish fighters.

Turkish media said on Friday it was sending 300 commandos to reinforce its military campaign inside Syria.

The offensive comes as a US-backed Arab-Kurdish alliance presses an offensive on IS's de facto Syrian capital of Raqa southeast of Al-Bab.

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At the beginning there was an ant. The ant crawled onto the wall of an abandoned, half-damaged kiosk in the Cairo neighbourhood of Dokki; it started examining the passers-by as they rushed to their destinations. Everyone seemed busy  men, women and children  as they moved in a predefined direction, at a precise pace. The ant understood that in this socially organised whole, everyone had a role to fulfill, everyone knew how to channel their energy as they were reduced to functions and numbers, carrying the illusion of an identity that they would gradually be stripped of.



The people who thus turned into a colony continued to move swiftly before the ant, reminding it of its own species: workers, soldiers and queens. As the ant watched the growing formicary and pondered the destiny of each passer-by emerging from it, autumn winds started speaking of social mobilisation. Then came the January 2011 Revolution. While the colony called for the fall of the regime in millions, the ant started multiplying. The voices in the city amplified, and more ants spread to more walls, bringing with them the word Keizer  an alternative signature of the prime-ant creator.



The ant is Keizers mascot or logo. It is also a representation of the faceless people, as he puts it, and a symbol of those who are marginalised by capitalism, become increasingly less seen or recognised, as governments are taking individuality away very rapidly, and with them they take rights and freedoms.



In the heat of the revolution, the Egyptian graffiti artist came to the limelight with his stencil of an ant, but in the following months and years, his works developed to cover a wide range of visual ideas, signed either Keizer or with the ant.

Keizer is recognised for many other works, among them the word Capitalism written in the Coca Cola font, a Snow White holding a Kalashnikov, women demanding their rights, activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah saying Dont forget me, Umm Kalthoum reminding us that art is not a sin, the ultimatum Respect Existence or Expect Resistance, a large representation of Leon Trotsky, a picture titled Drugged showing a capsule with Facebook's logo, or the phrase You Are Beautiful, which has touched passers-by.



Keizer also creates work inspired by calligraphy, geometrical shapes, and explores urban manipulations. And though, at the peak of graffiti, many other artists  Ganzeer, Sad Panda, El Teneen, Nazeer, Zeft, Ammar Abu Bakr etc  took their creativity, social and political commentaries and frustrations and occasional dosage of hope, to the streets, Keizer remains active in Egypt, six years later.

Keizers large body of work includes thematic content that ranges from political and social issues to abstract forms, expressed visually, in text or through a mixture of both. His creative impulses can go as far as infusing graffiti with calligraphy and geometry; some of his works incorporate minimalist thinking, others use the language of dada to reject standards or to form poignant contradictions; others still fuse heritage with modernity.It also so happens that, one day, Keizer emerges from the streets and displays his work in a gallery. This is when the viewer has the opportunity to be close to Keizers creative essence while the artist can secure the funds necessary for further creative endeavours. His most recent exhibition, which took place at Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art in Cairos Downtown and closed 30 November, was titled Anthology.

In it, in a few steps, Keizer walked us on the ants journey through many creative transformations: thought-provoking pieces, frustration with oppression or capitalism or shocking contradictions which, as he explains, create an eruption of doubt.

Rather than making political statements, the exhibition took a lighter note and showcased the artists conceptual versatility and creative development. This procedure allows Keizer to escape from being strictly classified as a political artist, without jeopardising his individuality or challenging the presence of his creative voice and its history in Egypts still very young graffiti movement.



Keizers iconic Donkey Departure greets us at the entrance to the gallery, before we move towards a set of poignant contradictions: the seemingly innocent Snow White stencil, on a sweet pink background, holding a weapon; guitars falling from a military plane in a piece entitled Musical Warfare.

On the other hand, the scream of painful satire can be heard in a work that depicts a group of people worshipping Nutella. The exhibition also presented a number of calligraphic works which, though hardly new to viewers, always redirect the eye to the beauty of Arab heritage.



Keizer does not reveal much of his background; we wont hear him talk about his family, educational background or jobs prior to becoming a graffiti artist. We can, however, understand him better by navigating the map of works of literature and art that have touched his soul, and looking at the travels that have enriched him on the personal level, ranging from a few months to a couple of years in Peru, Australia and South East Asia as well as Europe and the US.

Keizer reveals that his teenage years were strongly inspired by Salvador Dali and Picasso. Then he began to discover less commercial artists. His interest in political propaganda and its materialisation in the art of posters, including those coming from the CCCP (Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union), comes as no surprise.





Huxley, however, is grander.

Further discussion brings up the name of Aldous Huxley, a big humanitarian, a sensitive soul who reminds me of one of my favourites, Carl Jung. And of course there is George Orwell, who is more of an anthropologist, a social experimenter. He likes going into the depth of darkness, to experience it and come out of it.

Keizers eyes twinkle when he talks about the 1960s and the 1970s, and his interest in the civil rights movements that took place in those decades, about their culture, fashion, poets and writers. He then moves onto select reads from his obviously profuse bookshelf, citing such names as Hunter S Thompson, Jack Kerouac, Ernest Hemingway, Tom Wolfe, Gore Vidal and Noam Chomsky, emphasising the latters youth, when he was more courageous, outspoken, supporting his views with strong arguments and wanting to implement them. Later in life, he focuses on theory and not application. Thats not bad, we need theory as well.

With many examples, art genres and conceptual transformations, Keizers list of influences is long, expanding also to the American songwriter and artist, Bob Dylan.

He underlines, however, that he also cherishes traditional art and vintage material. It is in this context that we can see Keizers experimentation with calligraphy and symmetry, which though it looks like Arabic script, does not consist of recognisable letters or words. This calligraphy is probably the best testimony to Keizers ability  and need  to embrace both past and present, heritage and modernity.



I think I have been influenced by everything I see and experience, from visual art to audio and to everything that comes into play with the world of art, he comments.

As he continues to venture, his vast body of work helps him escape from being pigeon-holed or classified. I do not want to be dubbed a political artist. This would mean death for my career as an artist as I would be obliged to keep going politically regardless of the reality. Keizer adds that there are many more factors that have contributed to his development, allowing him to appreciate beauty and other aesthetics besides.



Six years on, Keizer continues to explore, experiment and surprise passers-by as much as himself, never unveiling his true identity or face to the public. My face is not public property, he comments, adding that my art speaks for itself and my face has nothing to do with it.

However, beyond his belief in the right to privacy  a value abandoned by artists trapped in the commercial dynamic  and the need to ensure his own personal security, Keizer has been planning to live off the grid for some time already.



Im almost there  though in our world it is impossible to be completely off the grid. I dont have a credit card, I do not receive bills. I dont believe in a banking system. I buy prepaid cards for my phone, I dont pay taxes for my work, I use my bike or walk more than I drive a car, he comments. Living in a society where in many ways he is forced to be a consumer, he remains conscious of what products he buys and who the producer is. I constantly try to do my homework, as much as I can and find alternatives for things we believe are irreplacable.

With the rapid growth of the consumerist lifestyle, Keizers ideology might sound utopian to many. However, further exploration of his mind will reveal that at the heart of his thought lies a belief in harmony as expressed through a collective community whose members take care of each other, sharing together and that cooperates together.Egypt has this magic. It has this quality, even though we see it less and less now. People still know how to care for each other, a fact which partly results from the government turning their back on them. There is still some symbiosis, even if, in general and unfortunately, harmony is challenged right now. We are moving towards the Western mentality, glorification of acting busy' and being passive observers. Spirituality, be it religion or any representation of ethics towards people and the community, is fading.But despite the downslide of many such aspects of life, Keizer still believes in harmony and humanity, values which directly feed his art.

My optimism has to do with my idealism rather than the Egyptian situation per se. Ill always be defending universal issues of oppression and injustice --issues that have to do with Egypt,but at the world at large as well, whether its societal, political, satire or womens rights. Im in touch with a lot of political movements, young people; I can feel the pulse of the street. I was more optimistic before, thinking there was a chance for another uprising. Maybe I was one of the last people to wake up and accept the current reality, he comments, pointing to several other factors that trigger his thoughts and artistic rhythm.



The first ant  his optimal symbol of frustration against the loss of individuality and therefore the loss of humanity  appeared hardly two months prior to the revolution and though back then he had been experimenting, he seems to have found himself at the right moment in Egypts socio-political history. Though the revolution generated a great boost in terms of exposure to graffiti, music, photography and other arts, the perspective of time has shown that those who utilised the hype and the media to their benefit burned out very quickly. As a result, today most Egyptian graffiti artists of 2011-2013 have either left the country or remain dormant.

Keizer says that though the general interest of the international community in the graffiti artists work at that time did undeniably bring much needed attention to his experiments, he never felt comfortable with the kind of showmanship to which many of his peers eventually succumbed.

Though Keizer feels lucky that at one point the revolution boosted his art, he chose to continue even when international eyes turned away from the country.

When people start noticing you, you start feeling this pressure that certain ideas have to be skipped in favour of other, more important ideas. As an artist, one needs to be selfish at times and do something that you like for the sake of artistic value or whatever you believe in. You cannot be selfless all the time.



He gives an example of his Townhouse Gallery show back in 2011, when he was offered a huge wall to create. Instead of filling it with colours and iconic stencils recognised by his followers, Keizer wrote a quote from Picasso: Everything You Can Imagine Is Real, and beneath it, in parentheses, imagine a masterpiece.

He recalls this experience as one of the big surprises to his audience with some viewers complementing the idea and others expressing disappointment. I never give the audience what they want, he comments.



Protecting his identity and creativity, Keizer does not leave viewers without the right to respond. In fact, being a big believer in graffiti as the most democratic art form, Keizer is always happy when his work triggers a response, even  maybe especially  when this response comes as the whitewashing of the wall. In fact it is through whitewashing that he can see how big an impact his work created. And while in a sense he loses his piece, Keizer believes that the graffiti artist should not have any attachment to work that is already out there, as this is when it no longer belongs to him.



He is never without pleasure; he enumerates numerous instances of catharsis that he experiences while creating his art. It is therapeutic when I draw a pattern, then apply it. Then there is the great pleasure that comes with its release to the world, when I take the stencil off the wall and see the final work. There is also the pleasure of getting away with it, he laughs.



With the end of Mashrabia exhibition, Keizer will go back to the streets. Though we will never know when and where his work will appear, he does assure us that in the next few weeks he will be exploring more urban manipulations.

This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

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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YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan visited a number of regiments in the southern and south-eastern parts of Artsakh on December 9, the second day of his visit to Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh). As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Armenian Presidents Office, Serzh Sargsyan was accompanied by President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan, Defense Ministers of the Republic of Armenia and NKR, as well as other high-ranking military officials.

The Presidents listened to a report by the commander of a unit in one of the defense positions and familiarized themselves with the works done for reinforcing the defense system. The Presidents discussed issues related to the combat readiness of the troops on site and issued relevant instructions. The President of the Republic of Armenia awarded the best officers, contractual servicemen and conscripts of the regiment for their conscientious and excellent service. For the exceptional courage, selfless valor and boundless dedication in defending borders of Fatherland, the Second Degree Military Cross was awarded to the Commander of the N unit Lieutenant-Colonel Aram Hayryan.

President Sargsyan also attended the opening ceremony of a multifamily residential building designed for officers and two barracks, got acquainted with the housing conditions of the officers and congratulated them on house-warming.
SEBEWAING  Michigan Sugar Co. and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality dont particularly agree on the source of the substance that caused a significant fish kill in the Sebewaing Marina in October.

Michigan Sugar responded this week to a violation notice it received from the DEQ for a wastewater discharge into the Sebewaing River that was determined by the DEQ to come from the company.

While Michigan Sugar disputes whether it was the cause of the impacts to the Sebewaing River, and continues to work with the DEQ to resolve our disagreement, Michigan Sugar quickly deployed experts and dedicated significant resources to help minimize environmental impact when the incident was identified, as part of our commitment to the environment in communities we serve, the company said Friday in a release.

The violation notice was delivered to Michigan Sugar on Nov. 17, with the DEQ informing the company it was in violation of a part of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, relating to the direct or indirect discharge of a potentially injurious substance into state waters.

The violation alleges that on Oct. 11, Water Resources Division staff observed the unlawful discharge of wastewater, which originated from the beet tailing piles on Michigan Sugars property, located at 763 N. Beck St. in the village. The wastewater was being discharged into a storm sewer catch basin in the right of way immediately south of the companys piling grounds.

The catch basin was determined to be the source of the wastewater entering the storm sewer system and discharging into the Sebewaing River at the M-25 bridge, which caused oxygen levels that were found to be far below Michigan water quality standards.

The wastewater discharge resulted in the Sebewaing River turning a black color and had a large amount of organic material in it, with a high carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand; which resulted in the lowering of dissolved oxygen in the Sebewaing River below Michigan water quality standards, the DEQ stated in the notice. The low oxygen conditions caused a fish kill.

Bob Lehmann, DEQ Environmental Quality Analyst for the Water Resources Division Bay City Office, said he was one of several DEQ officials on scene Oct. 10, taking data of the river following a complaint to the office the evening of Oct. 9. A week later, officials returned to the river for further testing and determined the quality of water was returning back to normal.

On Oct. 17, the data showed the river was coming back pretty nicely, so we didnt take anymore data after that, Lehmann said. It looked like things were recovering.

Despite the apparent recovery, the DEQ required a response from Michigan Sugar outlining the companys explanation for how the situation occurred and a plan to eliminate it from happening again. Discussions continue between the two sides.
The Huron County Board of Commissioners is considering the approval of a five-year moratorium to prevent the construction of more wind turbines in county-zoned communities.

The commission appears almost evenly divided on the issue, and has asked for the county planning commission to weigh in on the matter this week.

It is no secret that wind energy has dominated the landscape of Huron County in the last decade. The county is considered one of the most ideal places for Michigan to produce renewable energy, which is in high demand in a world convinced that global warming caused by excess carbon dioxide is destroying our planet.

Huron County leads the state in wind energy production. Its coastline makes it an ideal place to erect turbines, and multiple wind energy companies have taken advantage of it.

But not everyone in Huron County likes wind turbines. Many residents have expressed disappointment that turbines have changed the landscape with their appearance during the day and their blinking red lights at night. Some people insist they are too loud. And others have had legitimate complaints about shadow flicker.

Both county planners and commissioners have done their duty to listen to these complaints and require study and stricter specifications to deal with them. And energy companies have responded by reducing noise and shadow flicker and now  for the first time in Huron County  to eliminate the flashing red warning lights at night.

Claims of health damage, which are a real concern, have not been widely accepted.

County planners recently spent many months coming up with resident-friendly limits for new turbines.

Unfortunately, county commissioners have shown signs they would prefer to throw out the new limits, throw their hands in the air, and say enough is enough.

Wind energy companies have proposed an increase in payments for their new projects. And landowners in Sherman Township and other communities that do not have wind turbines should be able to take advantage of this.

The fact that there are enough turbines in Pigeon or Ubly or Owendale have little to do with the farmers and landowners in Sherman Township, who may want cash guarantees, better roads and better schools.

A five-year moratorium because we have simply had enough of wind turbines is neither fair nor genuine.

If they must, commissioners would do better to back off on their moratorium threat and demand even tougher restrictions from its planning commission than to stop more farmers and landowners from obtaining wind energy developments because of an arbitrary limit.

We have seen townships like Meade reject wind energy, and that was its right. But other townships may not want to take that route and should have the freedom to receive county support in whatever decision they make.

This spring, referendums are likely in Lincoln and Sand Beach townships, and possibly in Sherman Township regarding decisions related to wind energy made by their local boards. County-zoned municipalities will vote on a proposed wind district for Lincoln, Dwight, Sigel and Bloomfield townships.

Theres no doubt that this could further complicate the situation, and will continue to divide residents. But there is no arguing with the people once they have spoken.
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Ltd, Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Pty Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SASU, Accenture Customer Services Ltd, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Delivery Poland S.p. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance II Limited, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services S.r.l., Accenture Financial Advanced Solution & Technology S.r.l., Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Global Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Global Engagements Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Limited, Accenture Global Services Limited, Accenture Global Solutions Limited, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc, Accenture Holding Brasil Ltda, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SASU, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services B.V., Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture International B.V., Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea B.V., Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Lithuania UAB, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Marketing Services LLC, Accenture Marketing Services Limited, Accenture Middle East B.V., Accenture Minority I B.V., Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi Pty Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations GmbH, Accenture Operations S.p. z o.o., Accenture Operations Services Private Limited, Accenture Operations Services Sdn Bhd, Accenture Outsourcing S.r.l., Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations B.V., Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru SRL, Accenture Post Trade Processing SASU, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture Qiyun Technology (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture S.p. z o.o., Accenture S.p.A., Accenture SASU, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sdn Bhd, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services and Technology S.r.l., Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Single Member S.A. Organization Information Technology & Business Development, Accenture Solutions Co. Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions S.p. z o.o, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc, Accenture Sub III Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions S.r.l., Accenture Technology Solutions SASU, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures B.V., Accenture Technology Ventures SPRL, Accenture Tecnologia Consultoria y Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co. Limited, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Ltda, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Advoco, Agilex Technologies Inc., Alfa Consulting, Allen International, AlphaBeta Advisors, Altevie Technologies S.r.l., Altima, Altima (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Altima Asia Ltd, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Altius Consulting Limited, Altius Data Solutions Private Limited, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Apis Group Pty Ltd, Appaloosa Technology SASU, AppsPro, AppsPro, Arca, Arca Ingenieros y Consultoria S.L., Arca Telecom S.L., Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Artio People (Payroll) Pty Ltd, Artio People Pty Ltd, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Automation Partners Pty Ltd, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda , Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Avieco, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, BRIDGEi2i, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, ClearEdge Partners, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Ergo, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Founders Intelligence, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Headspring, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, King James Group, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision LLC, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations  Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Olympus Systems Corporation, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, T.A. Cook, TXF LLC, Tambourine, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis AG, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zestgroup, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut.

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The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Canadian Retail, U.S. Retail, and Wholesale Banking. The company offers personal deposits, such as chequing, savings, and investment products; financing, investment, cash management, international trade, and day-to-day banking services to businesses; and financing options to customers at point of sale for automotive and recreational vehicle purchases. It also provides credit cards and payments; real estate secured lending, auto finance, and consumer lending services; point-of-sale payment solutions for large and small businesses; wealth and asset management products, and advice to retail and institutional clients through direct investing, advice-based, and asset management businesses; and property and casualty insurance, as well as life and health insurance products. The company also provides capital markets, and corporate and investment banking products and services, including underwriting and distribution of new debt and equity issues; advice on strategic acquisitions and divestitures; and trading, funding, and investment services to corporations, governments, and institutions. It offers its products and services under the TD Bank and America's Most Convenient Bank brand names. The company operates through a network of 1,061 branches and 3,381 automated teller machines (ATMs) in Canada, and 1,148 stores and 2,701 ATMs in the United States, as well as offers telephone, digital, and mobile banking services. It has a strategic alliance with Canada Post Corporation. The Toronto-Dominion Bank was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Brookdale Senior Living Inc. owns, manages, and operates senior living communities in the United States. It operates in three segments: Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs). The Independent Living segment owns or leases communities comprising independent and assisted living units in a single community that are primarily designed for middle to upper income seniors. The Assisted Living and Memory Care segment owns or leases communities consisting of freestanding multi-story communities and freestanding single-story communities, which offer housing and 24-hour assistance with activities of daily living for the Company's residents. This segment also operates memory care communities for residents with Alzheimer's and other dementias. The CCRCs segment owns or leases communities that provides various living arrangements, such as independent and assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing; and services to accommodate various levels of physical ability and healthcare needs. It also manages communities on behalf of others. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned 347 communities, leased 299 communities, and managed 33 communities on behalf of others. Brookdale Senior Living Inc. was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee.
China Mobile Limited provides mobile telecommunications and related services in Mainland China and Hong Kong. The company offers local calls; domestic and international long distance calls and roaming services; and value-added services, such as caller identity display, call waiting, conference calls, and others. It also provides wireless Internet service, as well as digital applications comprising music, video, reading, gaming, and animation; wireline broadband services; and wireline voice services. In addition, it offers dedicated line and IDC services to corporate customers in a range of industry sectors; and basic corporate communication products comprising corporate VPMN and SMS, and tailor made solutions. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, which includes IDD, roaming, Internet, MNC, and value added business services. Additionally, it offers telecommunications network planning, design, and consulting services; roaming clearance, IT system operation, and technology support services; value-added platform development and maintenance services; mobile data, and system integration and development services; network construction and maintenance, network planning and optimizing, and training services; electronic communication products design and sale of related products; and non-banking financial services. It also provides mobile cloud research and development services; call center services; e-payment, e-commerce, and Internet finance services; and mobile Internet digital content services, as well as operates a network and business coordination center. The company serves 950 million mobile customers and 187 million wireline broadband customers. The company was formerly known as China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited and changed its name to China Mobile Limited in May 2006. The company was incorporated in 1997 and is based in Central, Hong Kong. China Mobile Limited is a subsidiary of China Mobile Hong Kong (BVI) Limited.
The following companies are subsidiares of Reliance Steel & Aluminum: AMI Metals Aero Services Ankara Havaclk Anonim Sirketi, AMI Metals Europe SPRL, AMI Metals Inc. , AMI Metals UK Limited, Acero Prime S. de R.L. de C.V., Admiral Metals Servicenter Company, Admiral Metals Servicenter Company Inc., Airport Metals, Alaska Steel Company, Alaska Steel Company, Aleaciones Especiales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., All Metal Services (Malaysia) Sdn., All Metal Services India Private Limited, All Metal Services Limited, All Metal Services Ltd. (Xian), All Metals Holding, All Metals Processing & Logistics Inc., Allegheny Steel Distributors Inc., American Metals Corporation, Best Manufacturing Inc., CCC Steel Inc., Chapel Steel Canada Ltd., Chapel Steel Corp., Chatham Steel Corporation, Clayton Metals Inc., Continental Alloys & Services (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Continental Alloys & Services Limited, Continental Alloys & Services Pte. Ltd., Continental Alloys Middle East FZE, Crest Steel Corporation, Delta Steel Inc., Diamond Manufacturing Company, DuBose National Energy Fasteners & Machined Parts, DuBose National Energy Fasteners & Machined Parts Inc., DuBose National Energy Services, DuBose National Energy Services Inc., Durrett Sheppard Steel Co. Inc., Earle M. Jorgensen Company, FastMetals Inc., Feralloy Corporation, Ferguson Perforating Company, Ferguson Perforating Company, Fox Metals And Alloys, Fox Metals and Alloys Inc., Fry Steel, Fry Steel Company, GH Metal Solutions, GH Metal Solutions Inc., Haskins Steel, Infra-Metals Co., KMS FAB LLC, KMS Fab, KMS South, KMS South Inc., Liebovich Bros. Inc., McKey Perforating, Merfish United, Merfish United Inc., Metals USA, Metals USA Inc., Metalweb Limited, National Specialty Alloys, National Specialty Alloys Inc., Northern Illinois Steel Supply Co, Northern Illinois Steel Supply Co., Nu-Tech Precision Metals Inc., Nu-Tech Precision Metals Inc., PDM Steel Service Centers Inc., Pacific Metal Company, Phoenix Corporation, Precision Flamecutting and Steel Inc., Precision Strip Inc., Reliance Metalcenter Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Reliance Metals Canada Limited, Rotax Metals Inc, Rotax Metals Inc., Service Steel Aerospace Corp., Siskin Steel & Supply Company Inc., Sugar Steel Corporation, Sunbelt Steel Texas, Tubular Steel, Tubular Steel Inc., Valex Corp., Valex Korea Co. Ltd., Valex Semiconductor Materials (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd., Viking Materials Inc., and Yarde Metals Inc..

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The following companies are subsidiares of American Tower: 10 Presidential Way Associates LLC, 3267351 Nova Scotia Company, 3286208 Nova Scotia Company, 3298099 Nova Scotia Company, 52 Eighty Partners LLC, 52 Eighty Tower Partners I LLC, ACC Tower Sub LLC, AT Atlantic Holding LLC (1), AT Iberia C.V. (2), AT Kenya C.V., AT Netherlands C.V., AT Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., AT Rhine C.V. (2), AT Sher Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., AT South America C.V., ATC Africa Holding B.V., ATC Africa Shared Services (Pty) Ltd, ATC Antennas Holding LLC, ATC Antennas LLC, ATC Argentina Cooperatief U.A., ATC Argentina Holding LLC, ATC Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ATC Atlantic C.V. (2), ATC Atlantic I B.V. (2), ATC Atlantic II B.V. (3), ATC Atlantic IV B.V. (2), ATC Backhaul LLC, ATC Brasil  Servicos de Conectividades Ltda., ATC Brazil Holding LLC, ATC Brazil I LLC, ATC Brazil II LLC, ATC Burkina Faso S.A., ATC CSR Foundation India, ATC Chile Holding LLC, ATC Colombia B.V., ATC Colombia Holding I LLC, ATC Colombia Holding LLC, ATC Colombia I LLC, ATC EH GmbH & Co. KG (2), ATC Ecuador Holding LLC, ATC Edge LLC, ATC Ethiopia Infrastructure Development Private Limited Company, ATC Europe B.V. (2), ATC Europe C.V. (1), ATC Europe Cooperatief U.A. (2), ATC Europe LLC, ATC European Holdings Inc., ATC Fibra de Colombia S.A.S., ATC France Holding II SAS, ATC France Holding SAS, ATC France Reseaux SAS, ATC France SNC, ATC France Services SAS, ATC GP GmbH, ATC Germany Holding I B.V. (3), ATC Germany Holding II B.V., ATC Germany Holdings GmbH, ATC Germany Munich GmbH, ATC Germany Services GmbH, ATC Ghana ServiceCo Limited, ATC Global Employment B.V., ATC Green Grass LLC, ATC Heston B.V., ATC Holding Fibra Mexico S. de R.L. DE C.V., ATC IP LLC, ATC Iberia Holding LLC (3), ATC India Infrastructure Private Limited (1), ATC Indoor DAS Holding LLC, ATC Indoor DAS LLC, ATC International Cooperatief U.A., ATC International Financing B.V., ATC International Financing II B.V., ATC International Financing II Holding LLC, ATC International Holding Corp., ATC Iris I LLC, ATC Kenya Operations Limited, ATC Kenya Services Limited, ATC Latin America S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., ATC MIP III REIT Iron Holdings LLC, ATC Managed Sites Holding LLC, ATC Managed Sites LLC, ATC MexHold LLC, ATC Mexico Holding LLC, ATC Niger Wireless Infrastructure S.A., ATC Nigeria Cooperatief U.A., ATC Nigeria Holding LLC, ATC Nigeria Wireless Infrastructure Limited, ATC On Air + LLC, ATC Operations LLC, ATC Outdoor DAS LLC, ATC Paraguay Holding LLC, ATC Paraguay S.R.L., ATC Peru Holding LLC, ATC Polska sp. z o.o., ATC Ponderosa B-I LLC, ATC Ponderosa B-II LLC, ATC Ponderosa K LLC, ATC Ponderosa K-R LLC, ATC Rhine Holding LLC (3), ATC Scala Operations S.L. (3), ATC Scala Spain Holding S.L. (2), ATC Sequoia LLC, ATC Sitios Infraco S.A.S., ATC Sitios de Argentina S.A., ATC Sitios de Chile S.A., ATC Sitios de Colombia S.A.S., ATC Sitios del Peru S.R.L., ATC South Africa Investment Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, ATC South Africa Services Pty Ltd, ATC South Africa Wireless Infrastructure (Pty) Ltd, ATC South America Holding LLC, ATC South LLC, ATC TRS I LLC, ATC TRS II LLC, ATC TRS III LLC, ATC TRS IV LLC, ATC Tanzania Holding LLC, ATC Telecom Infrastructure Private Limited, ATC Tower (Ghana) LTD, ATC Tower Services LLC, ATC Uganda Limited, ATC Uganda ServiceCo (SMC) Limited, ATC Watertown LLC, ATC WiFi LLC, ATS-Needham LLC, ActiveX Telebroadband Services Private Limited, Adquisiciones y Proyectos Inalambricos S. de R. L. de C.V., Agile Airband Ohio LLC, Agile Connect LLC, Agile IWG Holdings LLC, Agile Network Builders LLC, Agile Networks Indiana LLC, Agile Networks Site Development LLC, Agile Towers LLC, Alternative Networking LLC, American Tower Asset Sub II LLC, American Tower Asset Sub LLC, American Tower Charitable Foundation Inc., American Tower Chile I S.A., American Tower Chile II S.A., American Tower Delaware Corporation, American Tower Depositor Sub LLC, American Tower Espana S.L.U. (3), American Tower Guarantor Sub LLC, American Tower Holding Sub II LLC, American Tower Holding Sub LLC, American Tower IB Participacoes Imobiliarias Ltda., American Tower Inmosites S.L.U., American Tower International Holding I LLC, American Tower International Holding II LLC, American Tower International Inc., American Tower Investments LLC, American Tower LLC, American Tower Latam SLU, American Tower Management LLC, American Tower Peru S.A.C., American Tower Servicios Fibra S. de R.L. de C.V., American Tower T. Torres do Brasil Ltda., American Tower Tanzania Operations Limited, American Tower do Brasil - Cessao de Infraestruturas Ltda., American Tower do Brasil  Communicacao Multimidia Ltda., American Towers LLC, Appleseed Holdco LLC, BR Towers, Blue Sky Towers Pty Ltd, Blue Transfer Sociedad Anonima, Broadcast Towers LLC, CNC2 Associates LLC, California Tower Inc., Cell Site NewCo II LLC, Cell Tower Lease Acquisition LLC, Central States Tower Holdings LLC, Colo ATL LLC, Colo Atl, Communications Properties Inc., Comunicaciones y Consumos S.A., Connectivity Infrastructure Services Limited, CoreSite Real Estate 12100 Sunrise Valley Drive L.L.C., CoreSite Real Estate 1656 McCarthy L.P., CoreSite Realty Corporation REIT Qualification Trust, Coresite, DCS Tower Sub LLC, Digital Access Ohio LLC (1), Eaton, Eaton Towers Ghana (M) Limited, Eaton Towers Ghana Limited, Eaton Towers Holdings Limited, Eaton Towers Kenya Limited, Eaton Towers Limited, Eaton Towers Uganda Limited, Essar Telecom Infrastructure, GTP Acquisition Partners I LLC, GTP Acquisition Partners II LLC, GTP Acquisition Partners III LLC, GTP Costa Rica Finance LLC, GTP Infrastructure I LLC, GTP Infrastructure II LLC, GTP Infrastructure III LLC, GTP Investments LLC, GTP LATAM Holdings B.V., GTP LatAm Holdings Cooperatieve U.A., GTP Operations CR S.R.L., GTP South Acquisitions II LLC, GTP Structures I LLC, GTP Structures II LLC, GTP TRS I LLC, GTP Torres CR S.R.L., GTP Towers I LLC, GTP Towers II LLC, GTP Towers III LLC, GTP Towers IV LLC, GTP Towers IX LLC, GTP Towers V LLC, GTP Towers VII LLC, GTP Towers VIII LLC, GTPI HoldCo LLC, Ghana Tower InterCo B.V., Global Tower Assets III LLC, Global Tower Assets LLC, Global Tower Holdings LLC, Global Tower LLC, Global Tower Partners, Global Tower Services LLC, Gondola Tower Holdings LLC, Grain HoldCo LLC, Grain HoldCo Parent LLC, GrainComm I LLC, GrainComm II LLC, GrainComm III LLC, GrainComm LLC, GrainComm Marketing LLC, GrainComm V LLC, Haysville Towers LLC (1), IW Equipment LLC, IWD Equipment LLC, IWG Holdings LLC, IWG II Holdings LLC, IWG II LLC, IWG Towers Assets I LLC, IWG Towers Assets II LLC, IWG-TLA Australia Pty Ltd., IWG-TLA Canada Corp., IWG-TLA Encanto 1 LLC, IWG-TLA Encanto 3 LLC, IWG-TLA Holdings LLC, IWG-TLA Media 2 LLC, IWG-TLA Media LLC, IWG-TLA Telecom LLC, InSite (BCEC) LLC, InSite (MBTA) LLC, InSite Borrower LLC, InSite Co-Issuer Corp., InSite Guarantor LLC, InSite Hawaii LLC, InSite Issuer LLC, InSite Licensing LLC, InSite Tower Services LLC, InSite Towers Development 2 LLC, InSite Towers Development LLC, InSite Towers International 2 LLC, InSite Towers International Development LLC, InSite Towers International LLC, InSite Towers LLC, InSite Towers of Puerto Rico LLC, InSite Wireless Development LLC, InSite Wireless Group, InSite Wireless Group LLC, Invisible IWG Holdings LLC, Invisible Towers LLC, JT Communications LLC, Kirtonkhola Tower Bangladesh Limited (1), LAP Inmobiliaria Limitada, LAP Inmobiliaria S.R.L., LL B Sheet 1 LLC, Lap do Brasil Empreendimentos Imobiliarios Ltda, Lease Advisors-AU PTY LTD, Loxel SAS, MATC Digital S. de R.L. de C.V., MATC Infraestructura S. de R.L. de C.V., MATC Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., MC New Macland Properties LLC, MCSU Properties LLC, MHB Tower Rentals of America LLC, MIP III U.S. Iron LLC, Microwave Inc., Mountain Communications LLC, Municipal Bay LLC, Municipal-Bay Holdings LLC, New Towers LLC, PCS Structures Towers LLC, R-CAL I LLC, RSA Media Inc., Repeater Communications Group I LLC, Repeater Communications Group II LLC, Repeater Communications Group III LLC, Repeater Communications Group IV LLC, Repeater Communications Group LLC, Repeater Communications Group V LLC, Repeater Communications Group VI LLC, Repeater Communications Group of New York LLC, Repeater IWG Holdings LLC, Richland Towers LLC, Signum/IWG Tower Corp., Southeast Network Access Point LLC, SpectraSite Communications, SpectraSite Communications LLC, SpectraSite LLC, T8 Ulysses Site Management LLC, TLA PR-2 LLC, Telecom Lease Advisors Management 2 LLC, Tower Management Inc. (4), Towers of America L.L.L.P., Transcend Infrastructure Holdings Pte. Ltd., Transcend Towers Infrastructure (Philippines) Inc., Turris Sites Development Corp., Turris Sites IWG Corp, Tysons II DAS LLC, U.S. Colo. LLC, UNIsite, Uganda Tower Interco B.V., Ulysses Asset Sub I LLC, Ulysses Asset Sub II LLC, UniSite LLC, UniSite/Omnipoint FL Tower Venture LLC (1), UniSite/Omnipoint NE Tower Venture LLC (1), UniSite/Omnipoint PA Tower Venture LLC (1), and Viom Networks.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Pfizer: AH Robins LLC, AHP Holdings B.V., AHP Manufacturing B.V., Agouron Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alacer, Alpharma Holdings LLC, Alpharma Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alpharma Specialty Pharma LLC, Alpharma USHP LLC, American Food Industries LLC, Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., Angiosyn, Array BioPharma, Ayerst-Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, BIND Therapeutics Inc., BINESA 2002 S.L., Bamboo Therapeutics, Bamboo Therapeutics Inc., Baxter International - Marketed Vaccines, BioRexis, Bioren, Bioren LLC, Blue Whale Re Ltd., C.E. Commercial Holdings C.V., C.E. Commercial Investments C.V., C.P. Pharmaceuticals International C.V., CICL Corporation, COC I Corporation, Catapult Genetics, Coley Pharmaceutical GmbH, Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Coley Pharmaceutical Group Inc., Continental Pharma Inc., Covx, Covx Technologies Ireland Limited, Cyanamid Inter-American Corporation, Cyanamid de Argentina S.A., Cyanamid de Colombia S.A., Distribuidora Mercantil Centro Americana S.A., Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc., Esperion LUV Development Inc., Esperion Therapeutics, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals Inc., Farminova Produtos Farmaceuticos de Inovacao Lda., Farmogene Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Ferrosan A/S, Ferrosan International A/S, Ferrosan S.R.L., FoldRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Foldrx Pharmaceuticals, Fort Dodge Manufatura Ltda., G. D. Searle & Co. Limited, G. D. Searle International Capital LLC, G. D. Searle LLC, GI Europe Inc., GI Japan Inc., GenTrac Inc., Genetics Institute LLC, Greenstone LLC, Haptogen Limited, Hospira, Hospira (China) Enterprise Management Co. Ltd., Hospira Adelaide Pty Ltd, Hospira Aseptic Services Limited, Hospira Australia Pty Ltd, Hospira Benelux BVBA, Hospira Chile Limitada, Hospira Deutschland GmbH, Hospira Enterprises B.V., Hospira France SAS, Hospira Healthcare B.V., Hospira Healthcare Corporation, Hospira Healthcare India Private Limited, Hospira Holdings (S.A.) Pty Ltd, Hospira Inc., Hospira Invicta S.A., Hospira Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, Hospira Ireland Sales Limited, Hospira Japan G.K., Hospira Limited, Hospira Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Hospira NZ Limited, Hospira Nordic AB, Hospira Philippines Inc., Hospira Portugal LDA, Hospira Produtos Hospitalares Ltda., Hospira Pte. Ltd., Hospira Pty Limited, Hospira Puerto Rico LLC, Hospira Singapore Pte Ltd, Hospira UK Limited, Hospira Worldwide LLC, Hospira Zagreb d.o.o., ICAgen, Idun Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Santa Agape S.A., InnoPharma, InnoPharma Inc., International Affiliated Corporation LLC, JMI-Daniels Pharmaceuticals Inc., John Wyeth & Brother Limited, Kiinteisto oy Espoon Pellavaniementie 14, King Pharmaceuticals Holdings LLC, King Pharmaceuticals LLC, King Pharmaceuticals Research and Development LLC, Korea Pharma Holding Company Limited, Laboratoires Pfizer S.A., Laboratorios Parke Davis S.L., Laboratorios Pfizer Ltda., Laboratorios Wyeth LLC, Laboratorios Wyeth S.A., Laboratorios Pfizer Lda., MTG Divestitures LLC, Mayne Pharma IP Holdings (Euro) Pty Ltd, Medivation, Medivation Field Solutions LLC, Medivation LLC, Medivation Neurology LLC, Medivation Prostate Therapeutics LLC, Medivation Services LLC, Medivation Technologies LLC, Meridian Medical Technologies Inc., Meridian Medical Technologies Limited, Monarch Pharmaceuticals LLC, Neusentis Limited, NextWave Pharmaceuticals, NextWave Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, P-D Co. LLC, PAH USA IN8 LLC, PF Americas Holding C.V., PF Asia Manufacturing B.V., PF PR Holdings C.V., PF PRISM C.V., PF PRISM Holdings S.a.r.l., PF Prism S.a.r.l., PFE Holdings G.K., PFE PHAC Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Pfizer Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Wyeth Holdings LLC, PFE Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) LLC, PHILCO Holdings S.a r.l., PHIVCO Corp., PHIVCO Holdco S.a r.l., PHIVCO Luxembourg S.a r.l., PN Mexico LLC, PT. Pfizer Parke Davis, Parke Davis & Company LLC, Parke Davis Limited, Parke Davis Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Parke-Davis Manufacturing Corp., Parkedale Pharmaceuticals Inc., Peak Enterprises LLC, Pfizer, Pfizer (China) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Pfizer (Perth) Pty Limited, Pfizer (Thailand) Limited, Pfizer (Wuhan) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer AB, Pfizer AG, Pfizer AS, Pfizer Africa & Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Veterinarian Products & Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer Anti-Infectives AB, Pfizer ApS, Pfizer Asia Manufacturing Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., Pfizer Atlantic Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Australia Holdings B.V., Pfizer Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Pfizer Australia Investments Pty. Ltd., Pfizer Australia Pty Limited, Pfizer B.V., Pfizer BH D.o.o., Pfizer Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer Biofarmaceutica Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Pfizer Biologics (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Pfizer Biologics Ireland Holdings Limited, Pfizer Biotech Corporation, Pfizer Bolivia S.A., Pfizer Canada Inc., Pfizer CentreSource Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Chile S.A., Pfizer Cia. Ltda., Pfizer Colombia Spinco I LLC, Pfizer Commercial Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Commercial Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Commercial TRAE Trading Kft., Pfizer Consumer Healthcare AB, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare GmbH, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Ltd., Pfizer Consumer Manufacturing Italy S.r.l., Pfizer Corporation, Pfizer Corporation Austria Gesellschaft m.b.H., Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Pfizer Croatia d.o.o., Pfizer Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Development LP, Pfizer Development Services (UK) Limited, Pfizer Domestic Ventures Limited, Pfizer Dominicana S.R.L, Pfizer ESP Pty Ltd, Pfizer East India B.V., Pfizer Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer Egypt S.A.E., Pfizer Enterprise Holdings B.V., Pfizer Enterprises LLC, Pfizer Enterprises SARL, Pfizer Europe Finance B.V., Pfizer Export B.V., Pfizer Export Company, Pfizer Export Holding Company B.V, Pfizer Finance Share Service (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Financial Services N.V./S.A., Pfizer France International Investments, Pfizer Free Zone Panama S. de R.L., Pfizer GEP S.L., Pfizer Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer Global Supply Japan Inc., Pfizer Global Trading, Pfizer Group Luxembourg Sarl, Pfizer Gulf FZ-LLC, Pfizer H.C.P. Corporation, Pfizer HK Service Company Limited, Pfizer Health AB, Pfizer Health Solutions Inc., Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, Pfizer Hellas A.E., Pfizer Himalaya Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Holding France, Pfizer Holding Ventures, Pfizer Holdings Corporation, Pfizer Holdings Europe Unlimited Company, Pfizer Holdings G.K., Pfizer Holdings International Corporation, Pfizer Holdings International Luxembourg (PHIL) Sarl, Pfizer Holdings North America SARL, Pfizer Hungary Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Innovations AB, Pfizer Innovations LLC, Pfizer Innovative Supply Point International BVBA, Pfizer International LLC, Pfizer International Markets Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer International Operations, Pfizer International S. de R.L., Pfizer International Trading (Shanghai) Limited, Pfizer Investment Capital Unlimited Company, Pfizer Investment Co. Ltd., Pfizer Investment Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Ireland Investments Limited, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 1 LLC, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 2 LLC, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Ireland Ventures Unlimited Company, Pfizer Italia S.r.l., Pfizer Italy Group Holding S.r.l., Pfizer Japan Inc., Pfizer LLC, Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Limited, Pfizer Laboratories Limited, Pfizer Laboratories PFE (Pty) Ltd, Pfizer Leasing Ireland Limited, Pfizer Leasing UK Limited, Pfizer Limitada, Pfizer Limited, Pfizer Luxco Holdings SARL, Pfizer Luxembourg Global Holdings S.a r.l., Pfizer Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer MAP Holding Inc., Pfizer Manufacturing Austria G.m.b.H., Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland Grundbesitz GmbH & Co. KG, Pfizer Manufacturing Holdings LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Manufacturing LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Services, Pfizer Medical Technology Group (Belgium) N.V., Pfizer Medicamentos Genericos e Participacoes Ltda., Pfizer Mexico Luxco SARL, Pfizer Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pfizer Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Animal Health and Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer New Zealand Limited, Pfizer Norge AS, Pfizer North American Holdings Inc., Pfizer OTC B.V., Pfizer Overseas LLC, Pfizer Oy, Pfizer PFE ApS, Pfizer PFE AsiaPac Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Pty Ltd, Pfizer PFE B.V., Pfizer PFE Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Belgium SPRL, Pfizer PFE Brazil Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE CIA. Ltda., Pfizer PFE Chile Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Colombia Holding Corp., Pfizer PFE Colombia S.A.S, Pfizer PFE Commercial Holdings LLC, Pfizer PFE Croatia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer PFE Finland Oy, Pfizer PFE France, Pfizer PFE Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Ireland Pharmaceuticals Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco 2 S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Pfizer PFE Limited, Pfizer PFE Luxembourg S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Mexico Holding 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE Netherlands Holding 1 C.V., Pfizer PFE New Zealand, Pfizer PFE New Zealand Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Norway Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE PILSA Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Peru Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Peru S.R.L., Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer PFE Private Limited, Pfizer PFE S.R.L, Pfizer PFE Service Company Holding Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer PFE Singapore Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Singapore Pte. Ltd., Pfizer PFE Spain B.V., Pfizer PFE Spain Holding S.L., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding 2 S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Switzerland GmbH, Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 2 B.V., Pfizer PFE UK Holding 4 LP, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 1 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 2 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 4 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 5 LLC, Pfizer PFE spol. s r.o., Pfizer PFE Ilaclar Anonim Sirketi, Pfizer Pakistan Limited, Pfizer Parke Davis (Thailand) Ltd., Pfizer Parke Davis Inc., Pfizer Parke Davis Sdn. Bhd., Pfizer Pharm Algerie, Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Pfizer Pharma PFE GmbH, Pfizer Pharmaceutical (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceutical Trading Limited Liability Company (a/k/a Pfizer Kft. or Pfizer LLC), Pfizer Pharmaceuticals B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Global B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Korea Limited, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Pfizer Pigments Inc., Pfizer Polska Sp. z.o.o., Pfizer Private Limited, Pfizer Production LLC, Pfizer Products Inc., Pfizer Products India Private Limited, Pfizer Research (NC) Inc., Pfizer Romania SRL, Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A. (Belgium), Pfizer S.A. de C.V., Pfizer S.A.S., Pfizer S.G.P.S. Lda., Pfizer S.L., Pfizer S.R.L., Pfizer SRB d.o.o., Pfizer Saidal Manufacturing, Pfizer Sante Familiale, Pfizer Saudi Limited, Pfizer Seiyaku K.K., Pfizer Service Company BVBA, Pfizer Service Company Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Services 1, Pfizer Services LLC, Pfizer Shared Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Shareholdings Intermediate SARL, Pfizer Singapore Holding Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Singapore Trading Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Spain Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Specialties Limited, Pfizer Strategic Investment Holdings LLC, Pfizer Sweden Partnership KB, Pfizer TRAE Holdings Kft., Pfizer Trading Polska sp.z.o.o., Pfizer Transactions Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Transactions LLC, Pfizer Transactions Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer Transport LLC, Pfizer Ukraine LLC, Pfizer Vaccines LLC, Pfizer Venezuela S.A., Pfizer Venture Investments LLC, Pfizer Ventures LLC, Pfizer Worldwide Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Zona Franca S.A., Pfizer spol. s r.o., Pharmacia, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn S.A. de C.V., Pharmacia Brasil Ltda., Pharmacia Hepar LLC, Pharmacia Holding AB, Pharmacia Inter-American LLC, Pharmacia International B.V., Pharmacia LLC, Pharmacia Limited, Pharmacia Nostrum S.A., Pharmacia South Africa (Pty) Ltd, PowderJect Research Limited, PowderMed, Purepac Pharmaceutical Holdings LLC, Redvax, Renrall LLC, Rinat Neuroscience, Rinat Neuroscience Corp., Roerig Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Roerig S.A., Sao Cristovao Participacoes Ltda., Searle Laboratorios Lda., Serenex, Servicios P&U S. de R.L. de C.V., Shiley LLC, Sinergis Farma-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Site Realty Inc., Solinor LLC, Sugen LLC, Tabor LLC, The Pfizer Incubator LLC, Therachon, Thiakis Limited, Treerly Health Co. Ltd, US Oral Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Upjohn Laboratorios Lda., Vesteralens Naturprodukter A/S, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AB, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AS, Vesteralens Naturprodukter OY, Vicuron Holdings LLC, Vinci Farma S.A., W-L LLC, Warner Lambert, Warner Lambert Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Warner Lambert del Uruguay S.A., Warner-Lambert (Thailand) Limited, Warner-Lambert Company AG, Warner-Lambert Company LLC, Warner-Lambert Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Warner-Lambert S.A., Whitehall International Inc., Whitehall Laboratories Inc., Wyeth (Thailand) Ltd., Wyeth AB, Wyeth Australia Pty. Limited, Wyeth Ayerst Inc., Wyeth Ayerst S.a r.l., Wyeth Biopharma, Wyeth Canada ULC, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare LLC, Wyeth Europa Limited, Wyeth Farma S.A., Wyeth Holdings LLC, Wyeth Industria Farmaceutica Ltda., Wyeth KFT., Wyeth LLC, Wyeth Lederle S.r.l., Wyeth Lederle Vaccines S.A., Wyeth Pakistan Limited, Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Company, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals FZ-LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Limited, Wyeth Puerto Rico Inc., Wyeth S.A.S, Wyeth Subsidiary Illinois Corporation, Wyeth Whitehall Export GmbH, Wyeth Whitehall SARL, Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) Limited, Wyeth-Ayerst International LLC, and Wyeth-Ayerst Promotions Limited.

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Dril-Quip, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, sells, and services engineered drilling and production equipment for use in deepwater, harsh environment, and severe service applications worldwide. The company's principal products include subsea and surface wellheads, subsea and surface production trees, mudline hanger systems, specialty connectors and associated pipes, drilling and production riser systems, liner hangers, wellhead connectors, diverters, and safety valves, as well as downhole tools. It also provides technical advisory services, and rework and reconditioning services, as well as rental and purchase of running tools for use in the installation and retrieval of its products; and downhole tools comprise of liner hangers, production packers, safety valves, and specialty downhole tools that are used to hang-off and seal casing into a previously installed casing string in the well bore. The company's products are used to explore for oil and gas from offshore drilling rigs, such as floating rigs and jack-up rigs; and for drilling and production of oil and gas wells on offshore platforms, tension leg platforms, and Spars, as well as moored vessels, such as floating production, storage, and offloading monohull moored vessels. It sells its products directly through its sales personnel, independent sales agents, and representatives to integrated, independent, and foreign national oil and gas companies, as well as drilling contractors, and engineering and construction companies. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
State Street Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of financial products and services to institutional investors worldwide. The company offers investment servicing products and services, including custody; product accounting; daily pricing and administration; master trust and master custody; depotbank services; record-keeping; cash management; foreign exchange, brokerage and other trading services; securities finance and enhanced custody products; deposit and short-term investment facilities; loans and lease financing; investment manager and alternative investment manager operations outsourcing; performance, risk, and compliance analytics; and financial data management to support institutional investors. It also engages in the provision of portfolio management and risk analytics, as well as trading and post-trade settlement services with integrated compliance and managed data. In addition, the company offers investment management strategies and products, such as core and enhanced indexing, multi-asset strategies, active quantitative and fundamental active capabilities, and alternative investment strategies. Further, it provides services and solutions, including environmental, social, and governance investing; defined benefit and defined contribution; and global fiduciary solutions, as well as exchange-traded fund under the SPDR ETF brand. The company provides its products and services to mutual funds, collective investment funds and other investment pools, corporate and public retirement plans, insurance companies, foundations, endowments, and investment managers. State Street Corporation was founded in 1792 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
Tableau Software, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides business analytics software products. It offers Tableau Desktop, a self-service, powerful analytics product with data; Tableau Server, a business intelligence platform for organizations; Tableau Online, a hosted software-as-a-service version of Tableau Server; Tableau Prep, a data preparation product for combining, shaping, and cleaning data; and Tableau Public, a cloud-based platform for analyzing and sharing public data. In addition, it offers Visual Query Language (VizQL) for databases, which is a computer language for describing pictures of data, including graphs, charts, maps, time series, and tables of visualizations; Live Query Engine that interprets abstract queries generated by VizQL into syntax understandable by database systems; and Hyper, an in-memory data engine technology that helps customers to analyze a range of data sets by evaluating analytical queries directly in the transactional database. Further, the company provides support, maintenance, training, and professional services. It serves organizations in various industries, including business services, energy and telecommunications, financial services, life sciences and healthcare, manufacturing and technology, media and entertainment, public sector, and education, as well as retail, consumer, and distribution industries. The company sells its products directly, as well as through indirect sales channels, such as technology vendors, resellers, original equipment manufacturers, independent software vendor, and distributors in the United States, Canada, and internationally. Tableau Software, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.
BlackRock, Inc. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks. It also provides global risk management and advisory services. The firm manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios. It also launches and manages open-end and closed-end mutual funds, offshore funds, unit trusts, and alternative investment vehicles including structured funds. The firm launches equity, fixed income, balanced, and real estate mutual funds. It also launches equity, fixed income, balanced, currency, commodity, and multi-asset exchange traded funds. The firm also launches and manages hedge funds. It invests in the public equity, fixed income, real estate, currency, commodity, and alternative markets across the globe. The firm primarily invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, SMID-cap, large-cap, and multi-cap companies. It also invests in dividend-paying equity securities. The firm invests in investment grade municipal securities, government securities including securities issued or guaranteed by a government or a government agency or instrumentality, corporate bonds, and asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. It employs fundamental and quantitative analysis with a focus on bottom-up and top-down approach to make its investments. The firm employs liquidity, asset allocation, balanced, real estate, and alternative strategies to make its investments. In real estate sector, it seeks to invest in Poland and Germany. The firm benchmarks the performance of its portfolios against various S&P, Russell, Barclays, MSCI, Citigroup, and Merrill Lynch indices. BlackRock, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is based in New York City with additional offices in Boston, Massachusetts; London, United Kingdom; Gurgaon, India; Hong Kong; Greenwich, Connecticut; Princeton, New Jersey; Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; Taipei, Taiwan; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, District of Columbia; Toronto, Canada; Wilmington, Delaware; and San Francisco, California.
A late directive from an air traffic controller and poor visibility contributed to the deadly crash last year of an Air Force F-16 fighter jet and a private Cessna plane, according to a new report.

An F-16 Fighting Falcon of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, collided with a Cessna 150M on July 7, 2015, over Moncks Corner, South Carolina. The Cessna's pilot, Joseph Johnson, 30, and his passenger and father, Michael, 68, died of blunt force trauma in the accident.

Maj. Aaron Johnson, pilot of the F-16CM, didn't have enough time to turn to avoid colliding with the Cessna, which flew into its path, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released Friday.

"Based on radar information and a data-based animation, the F-16 pilot had an obstructed view and insufficient time to avoid the collision," ACC said in a release. "At the time, the Cessna pilot was ascending into the path of the F-16."

The F-16, en route to Charleston Air Force Base from Myrtle Beach International Airport, was traveling at 282 mph; the Cessna at 78 mph. As the F-16 descended and turned south, the Cessna ascended and turned to meet the aircraft, according to a separate report from the National Transportation Safety Board.

While air traffic control advised the "F-16 pilot that the Cessna was approaching," and "directed the F-16 pilot to a 180-degree left turn," the command came too late, according to ACC.

The controller told the pilot, "Death Four One [F-16], if you don't have that traffic in sight, turn left heading 1-8-0 immediately," according to the NTSB report.

Seconds after 11 a.m., the aircraft collided at 1,466 feet above the ground, crashing about 25 miles north of Charleston.

Johnson flew for roughly 10 miles before ejecting. He sustained minor injuries. Both aircraft were destroyed in the collision.

The "best action would have been to instruct F-16 to turn before airplanes were close and away from Cessna's path," according to the lead NTSB investigator's findings and safety presentation.

The NTSB investigator specifically cited "the approach controller's failure to provide an appropriate resolution to the conflict between the F-16 and the Cessna."

Also playing a role in the accident were "the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept, resulting in both pilots' inability to take evasive action in time to avert the collision," according to the NTSB.

The command listed as contributing factors "the controller's directive for the military aircraft to operate near an uncontrolled airfield, the timing of the controller directives, and the pilots' non-use of additional systems or safeguards which may have aided situational awareness.

"While all concerned acted with the best intentions, the situation left little margin for error," Maj. Gen. Scott Kindsvater, the ACC board's president, said in the release. "It's a terrible tragedy and loss to the families."

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
The 200 additional U.S. troops heading into Syria will support a drive on the self-proclaimed ISIS capital of Raqqa led by Syrian Kurds who are under risk of attack from NATO-ally Turkey, according to a senior U.S. military official.

"They're the horse we're riding to Raqqa," the senior official said of the Syrian Kurdish fighters known as the YPG, or People's Protection Units.

Turkish forces invaded Syria in August to clear border areas under the control of militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, and also to attack the YPG, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has labeled a terrorist organization bent on carving out an autonomous Kurdish region.

"Their biggest concern is the Turks behind them" and not the ISIS fighters arrayed against them in Raqqa, the senior official said of the YPG fighters who have been trained and equipped by the U.S. and are widely considered the best rebel fighting force in northeastern Syria.

The Turks "hate who we're working with," the senior official said. The U.S. has cut off air support for the Turkish forces inside Syria out of concern over their intentions.

The senior military official, who spoke on grounds of anonymity last Friday, described an increasingly complex battlefield in Syria in which the U.S. worried about potential clashes between the Turkish forces inside Syria and those of the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad pressing north with backing from Russia.

The U.S. military was also operating in a policy vacuum as the Obama administration leaves and President-elect Donald Trump takes over as the new commander-in-chief, the senior official said. He asked, "Is it still a policy objective to remove Assad?"

In a major address on Mideast policy at a security conference with Arab leaders in Bahrain, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said, "the United States will deploy approximately 200 additional U.S. forces to Syria, including Special Operations forces, trainers, advisors, and explosive ordnance disposal teams."

"These uniquely skilled operators will join the 300 U.S. special operations forces already in Syria, to continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces to take the fight to ISIL, and also bringing down to bear the full weight of U.S. forces around the theater of operations like the funnel of a giant tornado," Carter said, using another acronym for ISIS.

The speech was expected to be Carter's last on Mideast policy. Trump has announced that he will nominate retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to replace Carter as Defense Secretary in the new administration.

In a video briefing from Baghdad to the Pentagon last Friday, Air Force Col. John Dorrian, a spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, said that U.S. and coalition warplanes had carried out nearly 300 airstrikes over the last month to support the advance on Raqqa of the mixed force of Kurdish and Arab fighters led by the YPG and known collectively as the Syrian Democratic Forces.

"These strikes have destroyed about 90 fortifications and over 50 vehicles," and were continuing to disrupt supply routes of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Dorrian said.

"The SDF, with its Arab elements, has enabled the establishment of a governance structure representative of the local population" in areas liberated from ISIS, including the flashpoint town of Manbij, Dorrian said.

"They've begun providing services to the people of Manbij, including having opened more than 240 schools since its liberation. A similar model with local governance is in the works for Raqqa once it is liberated," Dorrian said.

Dorrian also noted the threat to the advance on Raqqa from Turkey. He said that the U.S. was "facilitating joint discussions with Turkey, the SDF and other coalition partners to promote de-escalation in the area. These meetings are starting points in addressing a challenging situation."

Dorrian acknowledged that "There have been instances where -- previous instances where there has been an exchange of fire between the SDF and the Turks -- the Turkish military. That has already occurred at different times during the campaign. So what we're trying to do is make sure that we keep all these operations de-conflicted."

The Turkish General Staff claimed Saturday that more than 70 PKK (Kurdish Workers Party) and ISIS terrorists had been killed by recent Turkish airstrikes in northern Syria and in Kurdish areas of southeastern Turkey, Turkey's Andalou news agency reported.

Turkey has charged that the YPG is an offshoot of the PKK, which has been labeled a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union.

In a statement, the Turkish General Staff said that local forces backed by Turkey called the Free Syrian Army were also closing in on the ISIS-held town of al-Bab in northeastern Syria with the support of Turkish tanks, artillery and airstrikes, Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper reported.

The senior U.S. official who spoke on background last week said the U.S. also had concerns about a potential all-out fight he called a "meeting engagement" around al-Bab that would involve the Turks and the Syrian opposition, and the Assad regime forces backed by the Russians moving from the south. "This is a very tenuous situation," the senior official said.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go.

Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune...
Moviegoers will get to see another side of actress Ha Ji-won in the romantic comedy "Life Risking Romance." Ha plays a clumsy novelist on the trail of a serial killer.

At a press event in Seoul on Thursday, Ha said, "After playing serious, strong characters in previous dramas and films like 'Empress Ki' and 'Chronicle of a Blood Merchant,' I wanted a comedic role. I was drawn to the script because it's a romantic comedy with the twist of a thriller. I had to play it straight in funny situations in order to build the comedic tension, and that was so much fun."

Asked about her co-star, Taiwanese actor Bolin Chen, Ha said, "I enjoyed working with him. He was hardworking and sincere, and never complained about working in Korea, away from home."

The film's director, Song Min-kyu, said, "Most romantic comedies focus on an emotional conflict between a man and a woman, but I wanted to put a new spin on the old formula by drawing in elements of other genres."

The film is scheduled for release on Dec. 14.
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Emily Bingham | ebingham@mlive.com

Michigan-made food gifts you can mail-order for the holidays

Michigan-made food gifts are a delicious way to support local businesses and give folks on your holiday giving list a taste of all the good things here in the Mitten State. This list is only a fraction of the Michigan food companies that offer online ordering for the holidays; order soon to ensure holiday delivery! Read on for some great suggestions and comment below with your own favorite local food companies for holiday gifting.

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Via UndergroundCheesecake.com

Underground Cheesecake Co.

The quirky name is a nod to the company's cottage-industry origins, which began in a basement. The Traverse-City based bakery offers shipping of its classic and inventive cheesecakes, plus a cheesecake-of-the-month membership. undergroundcheesecake.com

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Good People Popcorn

Good People Popcorn, located in Detroit's Bricktown, makes crave-worthy popcorn in creative flavors like brown sugar, barbecue, caramel apple pie and bacon cheddar (in addition to traditional flavors like cheese and butter). Order one- and two-gallon tins online. goodpeoplepopcorn.com

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Sanders

This historic Detroit confectionery company dates back to 1875, when Fred Sanders Schmidt opened his first chocolate shop on Woodward Avenue. Many of the Sanders treats that Detroiters grew up with, like hot fudge topping, sea-salt caramels and "bumpy cake"  devil's food cake with buttercream ridges  are available for purchase online. sanderscandy.com

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Hilltop Sweet Rolls

This restaurant in the U.P. town of L'Anse has become legendary for its bigger-than-your-head cinnamon rolls, each of which weighs more than a pound  and now you can have them shipped to your home. (The last shipping day before Christmas is Dec. 13.) sweetroll.com

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Higher Grounds Coffee

This Traverse City-based fair-trade, organic coffee roasting company sources its beans directly from small farming communities around the world. Proceeds from its "Coffees for Change" collection benefits local and global nonprofits. In addition to coffee, Higher Grounds' online shop also sells fine coffee-making equipment, gift boxes, and monthly coffee subscriptions. highergroundstrading.com

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Mindo Chocolate Makers

Mindo, based in Dexter, is a small-batch "bean-to-bar" chocolate company  meaning their chocolates are made entirely in-house, starting with the cacao beans. Mindo's online shop is a chocoholic's dream: chocolate bars, cacao nibs, jars of drinking chocolate and cocoa powder, teas made with cocoa bean shells, and more. mindochocolate.com

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Cherry Republic

A gourmet cherry foods purveyor offering everything from cherry salsa to cherry chocolates to cherry summer sausage. Tons of gift basket options plus snacks for stocking stuffers. cherryrepublic.com

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Zingerman's

This Ann Arbor gourmet foods empire offers all manner of sweets, cheeses, meats, condiments and baked goods in its online shop. Send a holiday gift box stuffed with holiday breads, or give someone one of the monthly club subscriptions, each dedicated to a particular artisan food (bacon club, anyone?). zingermans.com

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Lori Niedenfuer Cool/The Grand Rapids Press

Grand Traverse Pie Co.

Ship a Michigan cherry pie  or blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, peach, you name it  straight to the door of someone you love. Grand Traverse Pie Co. also offers other baked goods, including cakes, as well as a Pie of the Month club option for the person on your list who's been very, very good this year. gtpie.com

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A pasty from Lawry's. MLive file photo

Lawry's Pasty Shop

Lawry's has been dishing up traditional U.P. pasties for 60 years. Online shoppers can choose from original beef or veggie, packaged mini pasties, or 12- to 24-packs. lawryspasties.com

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Image via Grocer's Daughter Chocolate

Grocer's Daughter Chocolate

This family-owned business, whose home base is in a lime-green shop just steps from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, works with cacao growers in Ecuador and Venezuela as well as local farmers to produce fine chocolates often infused with fruits, edible flowers and herbs. Options include truffles, chocolate bars, chocolate barks, hot chocolate, honey caramels and more. grocersdaughter.com

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Even though the weather does not want to admit it, spring is here and with spring many of you are thinking about... Posted by Walters Fisheries on Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Walter's Fisheries

For a taste of the Great Lakes, this Ludington-based fishery's online shop sells Lake Michigan smoked fish  including trout, herring and whitefish  as well as smoked Alaskan salmon. waltersfisheries.com

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Tyler Stabile | The Ann Arbor News

Achatz Handmade Pie Co.

Achatz Pie Co. started out small, in a Victorian home in Armada, Mich.  and now the company ships its award-winning pies (featured everywhere from Good Morning America to Bon Appetit magazine) anywhere in the nation. achatzpies.com

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National Coney Island

This stalwart southeastern-Michigan coney chain sells chili sauce, natural-casing hot dogs and coney kits  the latter of which comes with everything you need for a coney party, right down to the onions and mustard. nationalconeyisland.com

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Cook's Illustrated has confirmed what Spoon fans have known all along: our Red Haven Peach Preserves are the best! In a... Posted by American Spoon on Saturday, January 9, 2016

American Spoon

American Spoon has been churning out preserves and condiments  much of it made with Michigan- and Midwest-grown fruit  from its Petoskey kitchens for more than three decades. The website includes tons of recipes that can be made with American Spoon products; we think it'd be neat to print a few out and tuck them into the wrapping when giving jars of jam for holiday gifts. spoon.com

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Photo by Jessica Webster | MLive.com

Shatila Bakery

This Dearborn bakery has garnered a devoted following for its homemade Middle Eastern and European pastries. Online ordering options include the shop's legendary baklawa and other treats. shatila.com

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Germack Pistachio Company

Germack has been a Detroit tradition since 1924. The family-owned company got its start with imported Turkish pistachios, but now is known for offering a range of gourmet foods, including snack mixes, candy, coffee, tea and other treats. germack.com

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Chip magic happening at the Better Made factory. Tanya Moutzalias | MLive Detroit

Better Made Snack Foods

Yes, you can order bags of this beloved Detroit potato chip  plus the company's other products, like pork rinds, pretzels, popcorn, and Better Made swag  to be delivered to your favorite Michigan ex-pat. bettermadesnackfoods.com

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Namaste! We are so grateful for this rainy day to water our beautiful earth. Come visit us and get a lovely cup of tea... Posted by Light of Day Organic Farm and Tea Shop on Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Light of Day Organics

Light of Day, located on the Leelanau Peninsula, is both a tea company and the state's only biodynamic farm (meaning it employs a specific method of sustainable agricultural practices). While some of its teas are sourced from other parts of the world, many of the company's products incorporate teas, fruits, flowers and herbs grown right on its farm. lightofdayorganics.com

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Every week we bring some of our specialty Montasio cheeses to the Elk Rapids Farmer's Market (Fridays) and Sara Hardy... Posted by Boss Mouse Cheese on Thursday, June 25, 2015

Boss Moss Cheese

Boss Mouse's small-batch, artisan cheeses and legendary smoked butter have made a name for themselves at Michigan farm markets and gourmet shops  the company's legendary smoked butter was even featured on an episode of The Rachael Ray Show. Shop online to join the Cheese of the Month Club, or to order that smoked butter (which comes in a vegan version, too). bossmousecheese.com

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Original Murdick's Fudge

This century-old Mackinac Island fudge company is practically synonymous with Michigan summertime. Online ordering options include holiday gift boxes of brittle and 12 flavors of fudge. originalmurdicksfudge.com

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MSU Dairy Store

The MSU Dairy Store is a beloved spot on campus for ice cream and cheese made onsite. Dairy Store fans can head to the website to order any of the cheeses (including the popular fudge-like chocolate cheese) or a variety of sampler packages. dairystore.msu.edu

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Leelanau Cheese Company

The award-winning Leelanau Cheese Co. focuses mainly on two types of cheese: Raclette and a French-style Fromage Blanc. Proprietor Julie Hoyt says the Raclette varieties ship very well this time of year and are great to serve at holiday gatherings. leelanaucheese.com

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Panettone: The origins of this traditional Italian holiday sweet bread date back to 15th century Milan, when a large... Posted by Crust - a baking company on Monday, December 5, 2016

CRUST Bakery

In addition to its regular rotation of breads and pastries, this Fenton bakery (which took third place in MLive's 2014 search for Michigan's best doughnut) also has special holiday treats, like German-style stollen and traditional Italian panettone, both of which are available online. crustandbeyond.com

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Avalon International Bread co-founder Jackie Victor holds up bread to be blessed at the welcoming bread-breaking party for the company's 2013 expansion. (Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com)

Avalon International Breads

This Detroit-based bakery operates with a "triple bottom line" that seeks, through thoughtful business practices, to best support its employees, its community, and the planet at large. Shop online for creative gift baskets, holiday specials, breads, sweets, gear, and "hearth to home" delivery subscriptions. avalonbreads.net

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BLiS Gourmet

This Grand Rapids company's name stands for "Because Life is Short," and its focus is on bourbon-barrel aged sauces (like soy sauce, fish sauce, maple syrup and sherry wine vinegar) as well as wild-caught domestic roe. blisgourmet.com

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Food for Thought

This preserves company, based in the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, is dedicated to using organic, fair-trade, responsibly sourced ingredients. The online shop allows you to build your own case of jarred jams, mustards, salsas or other preserves. foodforthought.net

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McClure's Pickles

Michigan is one of the country's largest producers of cucumbers, so it only makes sense that McClure's, a pickle company with practically a cult following, would base its operations here. Aside from pickles and relishes, the online shop also has kettle chips, tapenades, party packs and the company's legendary Bloody Mary mix. mcclures.com

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Photo courtesy Good Stuff Cacao

Good Stuff Cacao

This Metamora company sells chocolate made from raw cacao, which, by undergoing minimal processing, maintain the nutritional benefits many claim chocolate can offer. Flavors include peppermint and coconut, plus trail mixes and other treats. goodstuffcacao.com

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Check it out! It's back to school time! Check out sale we are having until Wednesday! Act fast!:) Also, look at these cool labels! Posted by Naturally Nutty on Saturday, September 3, 2016

Naturally Nutty

This Traverse City company is known for crafting nut butters in inventive flavors: peanut butter in flavors like butter toffee and chocolate cherry, for instance, or sunflower butter in cinnamon vanilla. All are available for ordering online. naturallynutty.com
FILM REVIEW

'Nocturnal Animals'

2.5. stars (out of 4)

MPAA rating: R for violence, menace, graphic nudity, and language

Cast: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Director: Tom Ford

Run time: 116 minutes

Tom Ford's "Nocturnal Animals" wants to make a statement about life, love and art, but I walked away from it only reassured that, yes, I absolutely could watch Michael Shannon eat breakfast beneath a half-pushbroom mustache for as long as it takes to fill his belly twice, probably more. The actor, a true eccentric of cinema and heroic scene thief, radiates enough heat and intensity in his many supporting roles to inspire a new conspiracy theory about global warming. He's great. As usual.

This is the long way around to the proclamation that "Nocturnal Animals" is a mixed bag. It has many lofty ambitions not innately tied to Shannon's performance, which is perhaps a shame, but admirable nonetheless, even when they're not quite fulfilled. Adapting Austin Wright's novel "Tony and Susan," Ford's film is a tale of two disparate narratives - one excellent and the other lousy - that never tangle in a fulfilling or meaningful manner. It's a beautifully photographed slice of quasi-profundity, and above and beyond that, a quest for tonal consistency never consummated. It's satire, it's noir, it's melodrama; it's all of the above, but also not quite any of the above.

In the primary narrative, Amy Adams plays Susan Morrow, an upper-upper-crust art gallery proprietor living an immaculately lit, emotionally empty life beneath a few inches of blue eye shadow. There's trouble in her cold, hard, showy, maudlin, polished paradise of servant staffs, runway fashion and dinners of groomed sprigs and micro-filets. Her house is more of a museum than a home - if there's a rounded corner anywhere in it, it surely will be reconstituted as a sharp angle. Her husband Hutton (Armie Hammer) is handsome and distant, skipping Susan's big opening with work-related excuses. I kept expecting him to make a haughty speech about how the Hamptons has gotten too bourgeois.

Hutton jets off for an extramarital affair disguised as a business trip, leaving Susan alone with a manuscript, titled "Nocturnal Animals," written by her previous husband. Uh oh. It's not made clear until later in the movie, after a few flashbacks to her time with Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal), that she feels she at least owes it to the guy to read his novel during her dark and lonely insomniac nights.

It's a gripper. Ford, who similarly overdirected Colin Firth's Oscar showcase "A Single Man," cuts up Susan's blase despair with a story within the story, casting Gyllenhaal in a second role, Tony Hastings, the protagonist of Edward's novel. It's pretty clear he's working out some stuff by writing it. Tony and his wife (Isla Fisher) and teenage daughter (Ellie Bamber) are road-tripping after dark across rural Texas, outside the reach of a cell phone signal, when they're run off the road by midnight joyriders, three predatory redneck creeps led by Ray, played by a wily Aaron Taylor-Johnson with a screw or three loose, several two-by-fours short of a trailer stoop or a wheel-and-a-half short of a bicycle, take your pick.

This sequence of great and terrifying harassment is drawn-out, upsetting and thoroughly unpleasant, and therefore engaging and suspenseful. If you felt nothing for Adams' character earlier - and why would you not feel nothing for a riche snob whose friends comment on her existential despair by saying, "Our world is a lot less painful than the real world"? - you will feel much more for Tony, emasculated by men who are bigger and stronger than him, and who make off with his family in the dead of night. Ford's work here is arresting filmmaking, in the sense that you feel cuffed and thrown in a paddywagon, where you're physically and psychically jostled, captive to the situation, deeply in touch with Tony's sense of fear and frustration.

And so arrives Shannon, playing a cowboy-hatted detective, Bobby Andes, taking Tony's case. Initially, Bobby doesn't strike the most reassuring tone, which is one of Shannon's superpowers. The guy never plays a stable character, even when it might be stable on the page. He's sneaky that way. Anyway,

Bobby and Tony go out for breakfast, and as Shannon eats a forkful of hash, we learn that neither man really has anything to lose, and unorthodox methods may be necessary for justice to be served.

I feel like I've gone off the reservation in my description of "Nocturnal Animals," so at odds are its tones. It's a genre film wrapped in an art film, fine in concept, but in execution here, as discordant as a bacon-wrapped birthday cake. Ford shifts from vibrant and raw to dull and somber, grinding gears as he cuts back and forth from Tony's visceral experience to Susan's contemplative staring, from colorful characters to cardboard cutouts. The editing generates suspense building to resolutions of both narratives, but the film often feels less like a fully formed body, more like guts splayed on one end of the table and a brain dropped on the other, with only a light trail of blood connecting them.
Pinckney CTI - Jennifer Tisdale.jpg

Jen Tisdale, cybersecurity and intelligent transportation systems manager for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, speaks at the grand opening of the Pinckney Cyber Training Institute at Pinckney Community High School on Dec. 7, 2016.

(Provided photo | Nick Nerbonne, MEDC)

PINCKNEY, MI - Pinckney Community High School celebrated the grand opening of a new high-tech space on Wednesday, Dec. 7, that will provide cyber security training for students as well as regional business and IT professionals.

The new Pinckney Cyber Training Institute and Sentinel Center was unveiled Wednesday evening, starting with a VIP reception that drew more than 200 people, said Pinckney Community High School Principal Jim Darga. The event included keynote speakers, tours and demonstrations of the technology.

"It's really so wide ranging because not only do our high school students get a great cyber security experience, but we're going to be able to provide support for the business community of southeast Michigan," Darga said.

The Pinckney cyber hub is the newest Michigan Cyber Range, part of an initiative spearheaded by Gov. Rick Snyder and supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. that aims to provide a wide range of cyber security education. About 5,000-square-feet in Pinckney Community High School was repurposed to create the hub, Darga said.

"The development of the Pinckney Cyber Training Institute is just one way we're dedicating resources to educating people in cyber defense and subsequently protecting our citizens, infrastructure and economy," said Steve Arwood, CEO of the MEDC, in a press release. "From smart phones to connected and automated vehicles, our world is relying more and more on advanced technologies and these initiatives are developing the talent and skills needed to prevent cyber attacks."

Students in high school and college plus IT professionals can complete hands-on cybersecurity coursework, exercises and labs through the Pinckney Cyber Training Institute, which is the state's only cyber rage hub connected to a high school. The programs will lead to 22 different government-recognized and required certifications in order to increase the supply of qualified security talent in Michigan. This high school cyber program is the first of its kind in the nation, according to a press release on the grand opening.

High school students can earn 12 to 18 college credits toward a cyber security degree through the institute, Darga said, and PCHS has credit transfer agreements with Washtenaw Community College and Eastern Michigan University. PCHS also is working with Cleary University to have classes for the university's new information security and assurance degree program taught at the cyber hub, Darga said.

The cyber hub will hold monthly community events on topics like credit card security and preventing identity theft. Another perk is that the hub is connected directly to Merit Network Internet, Darga said. Merit Network is a nonprofit that creates and manages the Michigan Cyber Range locations.

"That enables us to conduct training exercises in a secure environment," he added. "It also allows businesses to come in and use our Internet for software testing and product testing."

For more information on the Pinckney Cyber Training Institute and upcoming events, visit pinckneycti.org
Schultz said the investigation would look at any and all foreign interference, and investigators would go wherever the evidence leads them. Asked about Russia's role, Schultz said this type of activity is "nothing new for Moscow," adding that the U.S. has seen Russia do this type of thing for years in Asia and across Europe.

Eric Schultz, White House Principal deputy press secretary, told reporters Friday there has been a pattern of "malicious" cyber activity timed to coincide with U.S. elections. He said the investigation will be a "deep dive," going all the way back to the 2008 presidential elections, when cyber meddling was attributed to China.

The announcement comes as pressure is mounting from Democratic and Republican members of Congress who are calling for a thorough and public investigation into Russian interference in the election.

 Results of Investigation

Schultz said the president has ordered that he be given the results of the investigation before he leaves office on Jan. 20. He said the White House would make public as much of the report as it can. Schultz also explained this is not an effort to change the outcome of the U.S. elections, but to preserve the integrity of future U.S. elections by revealing the scope of what happened.

Earlier Friday, White House counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco broke the news of the probe at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast. "We may have crossed into a new threshold, and it is incumbent upon us to take stock of that, to review, to conduct some after-action, to understand what has happened and to impart some lessons learned," Monaco said.

A number of U.S. Congress members welcomed the announcement. Democratic Representative Adam Schiff said in a statement, "The administration should work to declassify as much of it as possible, while protecting our sources and methods, and make it available to the public."

In October, the Obama administration formally blamed Russia for a cyberattack into the Democratic National Committee and other political organizations. Wikileaks published excerpts from the hacked e-mails that were potentially damaging to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Republican President-elect Donald Trump repeatedly has downplayed any Russian interference in the U.S. election. During one election debate, he said the cyberattacks could have been carried out by a "400-pound man sitting on his bed." Trump's campaign said voters should focus on what was in the e-mails.

 Congressional Issue

Since Obama has only a few weeks left in office, the report may only serve to establish some facts for Congress to grapple with next year. Several leading Senate Republicans, including John McCain and Lindsey Graham, say they are preparing to launch a widespread investigation into Russia's interference in the election and its cyberthreats to the U.S. military. Both senators have been critical of Trump's praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Graham told CNN, "I'm going after Russia in every way you can go after Russia. I think they're one of the most destabilizing influences on the world stage. I think they did interfere with our elections and I want Putin personally to pay the price."

Putin has dismissed what he called U.S. "hysteria" over the hacking into Democratic Party organizations, saying it does not matter who hacked into the e-mails, and Americans instead should focus on their content.
you are here:
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan on December 10 sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the NKR State Independence Referendum and Constitution Day, press service of the NKR Presidential administration told Armenpress.

The message reads:

Dear NKR people,

On behalf of the NKR authorities and personally myself I congratulate you cordially on the NKR State Independence Referendum and Constitution Day, an important and memorable holiday for our people.

In 1991 we made the sacred dreams and aspirations of our grandfathers come true proclaiming independence and steadily following the path of building a democratic state. We had irretrievable losses on this way, overcame hardships and ordeals and due to our peoples unshakable will and unwavering spirit we managed to gain significant victories, remaining the masters of our country's present and future, which will unconditionally be bright and cloudless. There is no other alternative to this.

In 2006 the first Constitution of our country was adopted through the nationwide referendum. It became another testimony of our will to build a free, independent and powerful state demonstrating our commitment to the democratic principles and human values. The role of our Basic Law is invaluable in the contemporary history of Artsakh.

Dear compatriots,

I once again congratulate all of you on this significant state holiday and wish peace and welfare to your families and the Artsakh Republic".






Team of locals provides medical care to Honduran community in need
Midland County Precinct 2 Constable Mark Wohlekings blood alcohol concentration was more than three times the legal limit when his vehicle rolled over during a November incident in Gaines County, according to a Department of Public Safety report.

The rollover took place on Nov. 18 as Wohleking was traveling on U.S. Highway 62. The report, according to DPS, states the driver, later identified as Wohleking, said he feel asleep at the wheel and began drifting off the roadway. He overcorrected and steered to the left, re-entering the roadway. He then entered into a broadside skid before rolling, according to the report.

DPS then reported toxicology results showed that the driver had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.262 (0.08 is the legal limit). A contributing factor of the accident was DWI (under the influence of alcohol, according to the DPS report. Wohleking was then taken to the hospital, according to DPS.

Wohleking turned himself in to the Gaines County Jail at around 5 a.m. Thursday, according to officials with the Gaines County Jail. He later paid bond and was released.

Wohleking surrendered in response to a warrant for the driving-while-intoxicated incident, according to jail officials.

Wohleking is the second Midland County constable to be arrested this year. Theodore Macklin, who at the time was the constable of Precinct 3, was arrested in August on a Class A misdemeanor charge of family violence - assault causes bodily injury, according to a previous Reporter-Telegram article.

Macklin later pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor offense of official oppression, related to a 2014 arrest. He surrendered his license and was defeated in the November general election.

Midland County Attorney Russell Malm, while not speaking directly to the Wohleking case, said the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement would not take any action until there is resolution in a case in which a crime has allegedly been committed. He said that if a misdemeanor case ends with someone pleading no contest or pleading guilty or with a guilty verdict, then it would be up to TCOLE to file an action to suspend or terminate a law enforcement officials license.

Even if a persons license is suspended or terminated, the person can still remain in office but could not perform as a peace officer, he said. It would take a legal action to be filed to remove a person from office.

Wohleking did not respond to messages left at his office on Friday,
New members inducted into Institute of ...
Arnold, CA  A man was shot while standing by his car on the shoulder of Highway 4 but is not cooperating with detectives investigation into the incident.

On Thursday around 1:45 p.m., Calaveras County Sheriffs investigators responded to the Ebbetts Pass Fire Station where the victim had been taken after the shooting. Detectives found, 33 year old Robert Allen Hilton Jr. with a gunshot to his upper torso. His passenger and witness to the shooting, 48 year old Lamir Anthony Amma, claimed to be driving from Oakland to the Sacramento area. Both are from Richmond, California.

Amma told investigators that he was asleep in the vehicle and woke up to the sound of two to three tap noises and saw a grey sedan fleeing the scene. He got out of the car and found Hilton shot. Amma dragged him into the vehicle and drove towards Arnold for help. Detectives report Hilton was alert but uncooperative during questioning. Additionally, neither had an explanation as to why they were in Calaveras County. Hilton was taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment. Sheriffs officials say he is listed in stable but critical condition.

Upon further investigation, deputies could not find the shooting site, which Amma described as a 10 minute drive from Arnold where trees are not as tall. Sheriffs officials describe the suspect vehicle as an unknown make and model 1990s grey car. Hilton was driving a white 2011 Dodge Challenger bearing a Georgia license plate, pictured in the upper left-hand image box.

No description was given for the alleged suspect. Anyone recognizing Hilton, Amma, their vehicle, or has information regarding the shooting is asked to call the Calaveras County Sheriffs Office Anonymous Tip Line at (209) 754-6030 or the Sheriffs Office business line at (209) 754-6500.
Columbia, CA  The state has awarded Columbia College a second apprenticeship program grant this time to teach automotive skills and toddlers.

The two-year grant for $960,000 will fund the development of new Apprenticeship programs for Automotive Technology and Child Development training, beginning in January 2017. It will be similar to the Hospitality Apprenticeship Initiative, as reported here last year, which currently has students working at local hospitality hot spots getting hands on training.

The funding comes from the California Community College Chancellors Office Workforce and Development Division. Its goal is to broaden the range of apprenticeship programs available to California workers. Columbia College President Dr. Angela Fairchild expressed her gratitude We are honored that our small, rural college has once again submitted a successful proposal in a statewide grant competition and appreciate the recognition by the state Chancellors Office of the demonstrated need for workforce training opportunities in the Motherlode region.

The grant will fund the development of the two pilot projects that will give up to 48 students the opportunity to earn while they learn. Overseeing the programs is Dean of Career Technical Education and Economic Development Dr. Klaus Tenbergen who says that he was ecstatic when heard the news. He explains, It means for the students great opportunities to work with our local employers to obtain the skills needed not only to become a certified apprentice but go above and beyond and complete a two year degree program. It also meets the need of the employers in Tuolumne County to find qualified people to fill vacant positions.

Apprentices will complete a minimum of 2,000 hours of employer-paid on-the-job training, while completing 288 instructional hours as college students. Early Childhood Services Director for the Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency Marcia Williams notes the scarcity of worker in child services, stating, For the past several years, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties have been experiencing a severe shortage of qualified preschool and infant toddler teachers. This shortage is causing us to reduce the number of children that can be served through our programs, leaving some of our most vulnerable children without adequate preparation for school.

Dr. Tenbergen encourages businesses that may be interested in partnering with the college to come to upcoming planning meetings to be scheduled sometime in late January. To sign up contact him at (209) 588-5142. Additionally, applications for the Hospitality apprenticeship program are still being accepted. Tenbergen already has his eye on a possible third grant application in fire science, which would involve graduates from the Fire Academy continuing on in an apprenticeship program where they can then fulfill their on the job training and internships required by the state to get a job in the field. However, no grant applications have been submitted yet.
New Melones Reservoir View Photos

Washington D.C.  With a 78 to 21 vote early Saturday morning, the Senate approved the $10 billion federal water package bill despite complaints from some Democrats that the $588-million drought funding in the measure was a giveaway to California farmers and businesses. As reported on here on Thursday, Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer, vowed to defeat the bill in the Senate. Although she was initially one of the bills key authors, she was urging fellow senators to vote no arguing that a last-minute provision added to the measure put the interests of big farms over the fishing industry.

Earlier in the week, Mother Lode Republican Congressman Tom McClintock backed the measure noting that it would reduce some of the restrictions when it comes to water releases out of New Melones. Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein supported the bill she played an active role in negotiating with congressional republicans. She touted it will increase water deliveries to farms and businesses devastated by the years-long drought.

The vote sends the bill to President Barack Obama for his signature.
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More than two years after the City of Plainview and Hale County applied for federal funds to upgrade a flood control dam on the Runningwater Draw just west of Plainview, the issue is again on local agendas.

Both entities discussed the issue at work sessions Thursday and Friday, and are expected to take formal action during regular sessions Monday and Tuesday. Specifically, county commissioners and city council members will be asked to authorize letters to the Natural Resources and Conservation Service in support of moving forward with plans to rehabilitate the dam on Slaton Draw north of the Ebeling Addition.

A series of flood control structures, from Clovis, N.M., to Plainview, were built along the Runningwater Draw in the mid-1970s through mid-1980s in response to intermittent heavy flooding during the 1960s and early 1970s. Three of the structures are in Hale County  on the northwest edge of the county, south of Edmonson and four miles west of Plainview off 24th Street on the Slaton Draw.

The last structure, known as Site 4, is the one targeted the upgrades.

Last week a public meeting on the project at Ollie Liner Center draw a strong response from interested parties, reported Precinct 4 Commissioner Benny Cantwell. He told commissioners Friday that construction will cost more than $4 million. Federal funds are expected to cover 65 percent of the upgrades with the city and county sharing the remainder. The state is expected to pick up a large portion of the local share, he added.

A breach in the dam, according to an NCRS study, could imperil 446 individuals. More than 100 homes and businesses within the flood plain could be damaged. In all, a breach could flood almost 2,000 acres and cause $12 million damage, Cantwell said.

With supporting letters from the city, county and Hale County Soil and Water Conservation District board, Cantwell said the project likely will now go to the NCRS regional office in Little Rock, Ark., for review, and then to the NCRS chief in Washington, D.C. Actual construction is probably two to five years away.

Also discussed Friday with possible action Monday are:

--Appointments to the Plainview/Hale County Board of Health for the expiring terms of Stacie Hardage and Charlotte Adams. Both could be reappointed to new two-year terms running through 2018.

--Finalizing an interlocal agreement with Lubbock County to share funding for an AgriLife Extension agent serving both counties.

--A request to TxDOT to include a deteriorating bridge across Runningwater Draw on County Road Z on TxDOTs System Bridge watch list for regular inspection and maintenance.

--Seek an engineer to oversee improvements at the Ollie Liner Center and RV park.

--Consider a Renewable Energy Economic Development Grant program in connection with current and future wind, solar and geothermal projects.

--Consider installation of commercial-grade vinyl composition tile at the Ollie Liner Center kitchen and repurposing stainless steel panels from governmental surplus showers as kitchen back-splashes.

Mondays session begins 9 a.m. at the Hale County courthouse, 500 Broadway, and is open to the public.
One hundred and twenty-five years after Plainview Masonic Lodge No. 709 was organized, the fraternal organization continues to thrive with some 90 members.

There used to be Masonic lodges in every town, but over the years many of the lodges in rural communities consolidated as population declined and their membership grow older. Their membership ranks just grew too slim, explains local Worshipful Master Ernie Gandy. Fortunately, were getting a number of younger Masons along with younger men who want to become Masons. Its encouraging to see a resurgence in the desire to join and serve.

The Plainview Lodge was chartered Dec. 12, 1890, and is among the three oldest active lodges in northwest Texas. The others are Childress and Clarendon, with charters dated Dec. 11, 1890.

The local lodge is at the corner of Fifth and Ash in a building constructed in 1912. The original lodge hall was about three blocks away, at Fifth and Date, and used both as the Masonic Hall and public school. The two-story wooden structure was constructed in 1889-90, and replaced Plainviews first school which was a sod dugout built in 1887.

According to Plainview ISD history, $675 was set aside to construct the new building, with the Masons paying for the labor and materials need to construct the second floor to use as their lodge. Thomas G. Nance, pastor of the First Christian Church, received the contract to build the building. Initial known as Plainview School, the name was changed to Llano Estacado Institute in 1895. Its first graduates, in 1897, were Alfred T. Howell Jr., John Humphrey and Samuel R. Merrill.

A fire destroyed the structure in 1902. That same year, on March 12, 1902, Plainview ISD was organized.

Plainview used to have two active Masonic lodges, Lodge 709 and Arch Keys Lodge 1395 which was across from Plainview High School on 16th Street, Gandy explains. Several years ago, the Arch Keys Lodge consolidated with Plainview Lodge 709, as did Lockneys Masonic Lodge. Some of the other lodges in the area are in Hale Center, Floydada and Olton. They all are still active, although many are seeing the average age of members increasing and growing quite elderly, Gandy observe. We realize that we have quite a legacy in Plainview and are striving hard to live up to that fact.

According to 1937s The History of Hale County, Texas, by Mary L. Cox, The Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Plainview Lodge No. 709, was the first lodge organized in Hale County. On Sept. 9, 1890, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, A.S. Richardson, granted a dispensation for this lodge to function until the convening of the Grand Lodge of Texas. The story of the organization was given to Mary L. Cox by Sterling P. Strong, as follows:

The Dispensation was granted upon the application of J.W. Smylie, Sterling P. Strong, Z.T. Maxwell, W.L. Smith, R.A. Ford, R.C. Ware, A.J. Welter, R.W. Martine, L.G. Wilson, J.H. Bryan and W.H. Portwood. The above named organized the Masonic Lodge at Plainview with A.J. Welter Worshipful Master, Sterling P. Strong Senior Warden, R.A. Fort Junior Warden, and the Lodge functioned until the Grand Lodge of Texas met in Houston in December 1890, when Sterling P. Strong went as representative of Plainview Lodge and secured a Charter from the Grand Lodge, which was dated December 12, 1890.

The Grand Master of Texas appointed Wm. C. Turner, who then resided at Amarillo, Texas, District Deputy Grand Master to set Plainview Lodge to work under the charter. This was done on January 1, 1891. The first annual report to the Grand Lodge by Plainview Lodge showed the following officers and members: Sterling P. Strong W.M., J.C. Pipkin S.W., L.S. Kinder J.W., R.W. Martine Treas., R.M. Morris Secretary, R.A. Ford Senior Deacon, P.F. Bryan Junior Deacon, J.N. Donohoo Senior Steward, C.W. Marsalis Junior Steward, A. Jones, Tiler, C.R. Bailey, J.H. Bryan, J.T. Chapman, W.G. Conner, F. Faulkner, W.P. Herbert, Z.T. Maxwell, J. Phillips, W.H. Portwood, W.L. Smith, J.W. Smylie, W.C. Turner, R.C. Ware, L.G. Wilson and A.J. Welter.

Early in 1890, plans were perfected to build a frame school building, and the Masons of Plainview and surround country joined in this, building an upper story to the school building, and using same for the meeting place of the Masonic Lodge. The lumber and material for this building was hauled from Amarillo by freight wagons.

Under Masonic Law, the three principal officers of a newly constituted Lodge must go to the nearest Lodge for examination. It was decided by the Masonic interest at Plainview that the Masonic Lodge at Vernon was the nearest Lodge to Plainview, so A.J. Welter, R.A. Ford and myself went to Amarillo by horse-drawn wagon, took the train to Vernon, and was examined as the law provided by Vernon Lodge. Our examinations were satisfactory to Vernon Lodge, but when same reached the Grand Master, we were notified that there was a Masonic Lodge nearer to Plainview, which was located at Margaret, in Hardeman County. We prepared a chuck wagon and camping outfit and drove through the country to the town of Margaret, consuming fully a week to make the trip, but our examination was accepted, and the Dispensation which I have already mentioned was granted.

Plainview Lodge No. 709 was the first Masonic Lodge organized on the Plains of Texas. After the organization of Plainview Lodge, myself and others of same were appointed by the Grand Master to set other Lodges to work, those being at Della Plain, Tulia, Canyon and Amarillo. Sterling P. Strong, July 3, 1935.

Gandy invites those interested in learning more about the organization or wanting to become Masons to call him at 806-777-0114.
What is the identity of the young man who died following an odd car accident which occurred on Oct. 18, 1984 in the town of Malvern, Arkansas?



The question has been pondered for 30-plus years.



At present, the answer is unknown.



The man had been hitchhiking in Louisville, Kentucky, when he was given a ride. The unknown hitchhiker told the driver that he was on his way to Houston, Texas and eventually to California.



But tragedy soon struck the duo. The car went off the road and plunged into a body of water.



The driver managed to escape, but the hitchhiker, submerged underwater for too long, died two days later. The death was ruled accidental.



With the hitchhikers identity unknown, he was simply given the number 3123 in the NAMUS system, the national database of unidentified human remains.



There is one seemingly important clue in this case. The driver who picked up the unidentified hitchhiker said the man may have been from the New Haven, Connecticut area.



The hitchhiker is described as being between 25 and 35 years of age, with medium to dark brown hair that was six inches in length. Also, he wore a chin beard that was two inches long. The man stood approximately 5-feet-8-inches tall and weighed 167 pounds.



The deceased had two scars; one was a small, circular shape on his left ankle, and the other was a healed wound from being shot in the chin with a BB gun.



Kermit Channel, executive director of the Arkansas State Crime Lab, believes that with modern technology, and the Internet, this case can finally be solved.



There is lot we can do today that we couldnt do 20 years ago, Channel said. Hopefully someone will see his picture and realize that this may be someone, like a relative or friend, that they havent seen in years.



Berlin resident Tiffany Menard knows the pain of having a loved one disappear. The military veteran was deployed in October of 2003 when her 40-year-old mother, Mary Menard, vanished.



A drug and alcohol addiction counselor, and a former addict, Mary Menard had recently relapsed.



When Tiffany returned to the United States in 2006, her mother still had not been found.



I remember searching Jane Does that could match her description, weekly, Tiffany said. Countless Internet searches of women who could have amnesia and not know their identities, while secretly hoping I would see her walking down the street.



Also, Tiffany and her family submitted DNA to a national database which compares genetic codes with unidentified human remains.



In October of 2014, Mary Menards remains were positively identified. Hers was one of three female bodies found in a wooded area behind a strip mall on Hartford Road in New Britain in August 2007.



A year later, convicted murderer William Devlin Howell was charged with Mary Menards murder.



My mother was found over a decade of searching, so I can only imagine all of the people who arent even reported, Tiffany Menard stated. Filing a police report was undoubtedly the most crucial first step my family could have done in getting the answers we needed. With the technology these days I feel there is an even bigger chance in finding closure. Sometimes I hear stories of people that were too ashamed to report because of the issues surrounding the disappearance, but its never too late.



Kermit Channel echoed that. Theres a feeling that when the family does a report or give DNA, they are admitting that their loved one is dead, he said. It shouldnt be like that.



Perhaps someone in Connecticut can help give No. 3123 his rightful name.






MERIDEN  A local dentist accused of sexually assaulting patients was arrested Friday night on charges that he tried to intimidate a witness, police said.



Police said Jeffrey Krahling, 51, of 94 Summerhill Road, Wallingford, was arrested after police responded to a report of a burglary in progress, but didnt indicate where the incident occurred. Police set his bond at $1 million.



A vehicle fled the scene as officers arrived, and police were able to determine it was registered to Krahling. They also said other evidence gathered in the investigation, including witness statements, indicated that Krahling was involved in the incident.



Krahling was located at his home and placed into custody with assistance from Wallingford and state police.



He was charged with two counts of risk of injury to a minor and attempt to assault a police officer. He was also charged with single counts each of first-degree stalking, intimidating a witness, tampering with a witness, violation of a restraining order, second- and third-degree criminal mischief, breach of peace, first-degree reckless endangerment, interfering with police, and reckless driving.



Krahling had been out on bond while awaiting trial for three counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, as well as charges of disorderly conduct and violating a probation from a 2015 conviction of driving under the influence.



The sexual assault charges stem from complaints by three women, including two accusing Krahling of putting his genitals on or around their head during dental procedures.



Krahling, who also has five battery convictions in Maryland, was suspended from his practice last month. He is also required to release treatment records to other dentists as part of his suspension, according to a state Department of Public Health interim consent order.



msavino@record-journal.com 203-317-2266 Twitter: @reporter_savino






HARTFORD  Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced an agreement Friday afternoon that would avoid a looming spike in pension costs that threatens to choke the state budget over the next 15 years.



The agreement, which includes increasing pensions payments over the next five years but also pushing out the amortization another 14 years, would avoid ballooning payments that are projected to peak at $6 billion in 2032.



Republicans criticized the plan, characterizing it as simply refinancing the states unfunded pension liabilities and pushing out its debt for another generation. Malloy said extending the payments is the only way Connecticut can meet its obligations without drastic measures.



No one in this state believes that we would go from $826 million in contributions in 2010 to $6 billion contributions in 2032, Malloy told reporters Friday at the Capitol.



Lawmakers can vote on the agreement within the first 30 days of the legislative session, which begins Jan. 4, but can also choose to let the agreement take effect without a vote.



The agreement with the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition would increase the current $1.5 billion contribution in pensions to $2.4 billion by fiscal year 2022. Contributions would stay at that level for roughly 10 years before dipping back down below $2 billion.



Projected payments under the plan would gradually decrease to roughly $1.6 billion in 2046, when the unfunded liability would be paid off.



Currently, pension payments are set to increase to $2 billion next fiscal year, then $3 billion by 2026, $4 billion by 2029, and potentially more than $6 billion by 2032, depending on investment returns.



Connecticuts pension system is only roughly 50 percent funded, the fourth worst rate nationally, Bloomberg News reported in early November. The agreement would also reduce the states assumption for returns from 8 percent to 6.9 percent. A consultants report in 2015 said part of the states unfunded liability was the result of underperforming assumptions.



Additionally, the states pension contributions would be determined on a fixed cost rate, not as a percentage of total payroll. The agreement would also split pensions for pension liabilities accrued before Dec. 31, 1983, when the state revised benefits. The 2015 report said the largest portion of the unfunded liability is tied to the oldest tier of employees and retirees.



Union representatives praised the deal, saying it helps ensure retired state employees will get their pensions without taking up too much of the state budget.



This agreement makes sense for the long term retirement security of the public sector workers we represent and the taxpayers of Connecticut, said Ron McLellan, president of the Connecticut Employees Union Independent SEIU Local 511, which represents 4,000 state employees. McLellan is also a member of the State Employees Retirement Commission.



Incoming House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, also praised the deal.



This is a great step toward increasing stability and managing the long-term obligations of the state, and shows the willingness by all parties to come together for the benefit of Connecticut taxpayers and the health of our future economy, said Aresimowicz, whose district covers part of Southington.



Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, said the agreement takes a balanced approach at addressing the unfunded pension costs, but said he wanted to review it further.



Republicans criticized the agreement for not getting concessions or changes to retiree benefits from the unions while pushing pension costs into the future.



Simply refinancing our debt is not the structural change we need to change the direction of our state, Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said in a statement. This package will add billions of dollars in new costs onto taxpayers beyond what is reflected in the governors summary. Its not a solution and taxpayers deserve better. Fasanos district includes Wallingford.



House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, said Republicans have proposed increased employee contributions, the elimination of overtime earnings from pension contributions, and the institution of pay freezes for three years as ways to keep pension costs down.



Malloy said Republicans, though, have failed to put forward a more developed plan to address rising pension costs, a problem he also said is the result of past Republican governors not meeting obligations and pushing costs into the future.



I dont begrudge the fact that they want to be in the story, but the reality of the fact is theyve done nothing to get us here, he said.



msavino@record-journal.com 203-317-2266 Twitter: @reporter_savino






SACRAMENTO  After nearly 70 years of tracking public opinion on elections, the Field Poll is closing.

Called the gold standard by political insiders, the announcement came as a surprise to many who relied on the polls to gauge interest in their campaigns or on hot-button ballot measures.

Its a sad day for all of us at the Field Poll, Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo said after clearing out his desk Friday.

DiCamillo made the announcement in an email to news outlets Friday, saying the polls parent company, HAVAS Advertising, has suspended its Field Poll operation. Field Research, which operates the poll, will close next year, but will continue to conduct surveys for public and private clients until then.

It marks the end of an era, and it has been a great ride, DiCamillo wrote.

Based in San Francisco, the Field Poll published 2,557 surveys over the years, with its last poll published Nov. 15 on the 2018 governors race in California.

The nonpartisan and independent public opinion poll was founded in 1947 by Mervin Field, who died last year, as a media-sponsored public opinion news service.

Financial support for the poll shrank as poll-subscribing newspapers faced declining advertising revenue over the years. The San Francisco Chronicle had remained a subscriber to the poll.

The Field Poll had an impeccable reputation and was always rated among the top, said Larry Gerston, a retired political science professor at San Jose State University, who had his own polling firm he ran for 25 years. They did everything right.

Gerston said pollsters are facing an increasingly difficult landscape with more people using cell phones versus landlines, fewer people wanting to participate in polls, an increase in the number of languages spoken by voters and more online polls taking away business.

Despite that difficulty, Gerston said polls provide a valuable service and weve lost a good one.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
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Attorney Todd Prins, who is facing various legal and financial troubles in San Antonio, has been ordered by a Houston bankruptcy judge to turn over $2.4 million by 5 p.m. Monday or face possible jail time.

In a Wednesday order, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Jeff Bohm wrote that Prins violated bankruptcy rules by improperly conducting a foreclosure sale on a Houston home on Oct. 4.
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Santa Clara County has settled a wrongful death and civil rights violation claim by agreeing to pay $3.6 million to the family of a mentally ill jail inmate allegedly beaten to death by three correctional officers, officials said Friday.

The family of Michael Tyree  which includes his sisters, Shannon Tyree and Elizabeth Ott, and his 7-year-old daughter  reached the agreement with the county after filing the claim in January.

The family would much rather have their brother than any amount of money. Its the most bittersweet money, said Paula Canny, an attorney representing the sisters. They much rather would have Michael.

On Aug. 27, Tyree, 31, was found dead in his cell shortly after midnight. Investigators determined he had been beaten three hours before with severe damage to his spleen and liver, causing him to die from internal bleeding.

Officers also are accused of causing injuries to Tyrees eye, near his chin, on his cheek, above his left ear and on his upper arms, legs, back and hips, investigators said.

Tyree, who was discovered naked and covered with feces and vomit in his cell, cried Im sorry, and Stop, during the beating, prosecutors said.

His alleged attackers, correctional officers Jereh Lubrin, 28, and Matthew Farris and Rafael Rodriguez, both 27 at the time of the assault, were charged with murder in September 2015.

Tyree had been housed by himself at a cell in the 6B wing of the jail on the sixth floor for misdemeanor theft and drug possession. The section was for inmates who are in protective custody or have special needs, according to officials.

Before the assault, Tyree went to get his evening medications during the nightly pill call at 7:30 p.m. but refused to take the pills.

After the nurse gave him his medications, he put the pills into his pocket instead of taking them, sheriffs Sgt. Marc Carrasco wrote in an affidavit. Lubrin confronted Tyree, who swallowed the pills, the affidavit said.

The assault occurred later that night, with Lubrin and Farris going into his cell while Rodriguez stayed near the door, Carrasco wrote. The men had also been accused of assaulting another inmate, Juan Villa, that night, according to the affidavit.

All of the suspects had been released from custody by October 2015 after posting $1.5 million bail each. The murder trial is scheduled to start Jan 23.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
BRIDGEPORT - A vacant house and two ajacent buildings were damaged in a Saturday morning fire.

At 5:09 a.m., Bridgeport firefighters responded to a fully-involved house fire 158 Hanover St.

This structure was vacant, however the occupied houses on each side of the structure sustained moderate damage to their exteriors. Thanks to the quick work of the fire companies on scene no occupants were displaced and nobody was injured. said Assistant Chief Michael A. Caldaroni.

Four engine companies, two ladder companies and Rescue 5 operated at the scene.

An additional engine company was special called to the scene as a precaution, but was not needed and was returned to service shortly after arrival. Fire Marshal Henry Polite is investigating.
Clifton Park

Retiring State Sen. Hugh Farley will be honored during Monday's Town Board meeting.

According to an advisory, the board will have a short ceremony, which will include presentations and remarks by Farley, a Republican who's served since 1977. The meeting will be held at the Town Hall and begins at 7 p.m.

In other town news, the Planning Board will meet Tuesday. Agenda items include a site plan for the Hoffman Office Building on Route 9, which is a 45,000-square foot, two-story office building with 210 parking spaces; the Vistas West proposed subdivision of 22 duplex units extending from Vista Court along with two single-family residences on Tanner Road, and a site plan for Peak Environmental Industrial Park on 16.63 acres with light industrial buildings, 44 Wood Road.

Malta Town Board changes meeting dates

MALTA  The Malta Town Board will convene its regular monthly meeting for January on Jan. 9 and Jan. 23, a change due to the holidays.

According to the town website, future 2017 regular monthly meetings will continue to be held on the first and third Mondays of each month at Town Hall main meeting room, 2540 Route 9.

Also, the Malta Route 9 North Comp Plan Study Committee meets at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at the Malta Highway Garage.

The new committee will review and suggest possible revisions to the comprehensive plan, from Collamer Drive to the city of Saratoga Springs line (Kayderosseras Creek).

By March the panel will provide final recommendations to the Town Board for consideration, including possible zoning updates, according to the town website.

Wilton plan reviewed

WILTON  The town Planning Board has scheduled a public hearing on Dec. 21 to consider an application by Wilton Route 9 Holding Corp. for a three-lot commercial subdivision on Route 9, according to the town website.

The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Wilton Town Hall, 22 Traver Road.

In other town news, Wilton Fire District voters can go to the polls from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday Dec. 13 at the firehouse on Ballard Road to choose a fire commissioner for a five-year term.

Ballston water hearing

BALLSTON  The Town Board plans a public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the town hall on Charlton Road on proposed water rate changes.

The increases proposed are 20 cents per 1,000 gallons in District 2 and 18 cents per 1,000 in districts 5 and 6 and the District 6 Extension 1, according to a posting on the town's website.

Compiled by Tim Blydenburgh
Student actors plan tribute to suffragist

LAKE GEORGE  "Forward Into the Light," a play to celebrate the lives of area suffragists, will be presented by Lake George High School drama and history students at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the school, 381 Canada St.

The state will celebrate the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote in 2017, one of the first states in the country to grant this right to women.

A collaboration among students, teachers, history enthusiasts and community groups, the free play will commemorate the centennial of the passage of women's right to vote in the state. The public is welcome.

For details, call 307-7842 or email: lgha@verizon.net.

Reservations due for Hanukkah event

SARATOGA SPRINGS  Make reservations by Wednesday to attend a Hanukkah celebration open to everyone 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, at Congregation Shaara Tfille and The Jewish Community Center of Saratoga Springs, 84 Weibel Ave.

Sylvia Fletcher and her Magic Trunk provides ventriloquism and comedy. Attendees can enjoy a dairy luncheon featuring latkes, children performing and lighting the Menorah.

The cost is $10; free for children younger than 16.

For reservations or details, call 584-2370.

McKrells, students to perform at school

ALBANY  A special guest appearance by the school's sixth-grade class will take place when the McKrells perform a family Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Albany School of Humanities, 108 Whitehall Road.

Refreshments will be made available by the Parent Teachers Association.

Admission is $10, $8 for children. Anyone bringing in a toy to donate to Toys for Tots will receive a $2 discount. Half the proceeds with be donated to Equinox, which provides services to victims of domestic violence, and the remainder will fund future cultural and artistic events at the school.

For more information, call the school, 475-6575.

Riding clinic offers Christmas program

GHENT  Enjoy holiday goodies and serenading from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, at High & Mighty Therapeutic Riding and Driving Center 501, 71 County Road 21C.

Bring horsey treats to stuff their stockings and to share with neighboring rescue farms.

The center provides equine-assisted activities to people with special needs. Dress in warm clothing.

For details, go to https://high-n-mighty.org.

Service of comfort offered to all Dec. 21

BALLSTON SPA  A service of comfort and hope for the longest nights of the year will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 21 at First Presbyterian Church, 22 West High St.

Anyone who has experienced broken or lost relationships, employment and financial insecurity, poor health or depression can attend the community service of Scripture, prayer, music and candle lighting.

All are welcome.

For more information, call the church, 885-5583, or go to http://www.ballstonpresby.org.

Christmas for Kids in Schoharie County

COBLESKILL  The Schoharie County Christmas for Kids, formerly known as the "Community Wide Christmas Collaboration," is serving families during the Christmas holidays for the fifth year.

The program, which ensures help during the holidays for families facing unemployment and economic challenges, includes representatives from most of the county's non-profit and not-for-profit groups.

Drop off toys or monetary donations at 114 Lark St., Cobleskill. Send a check or gift card to "SCC for Kids" at P.O. Box 413, Middleburgh 12122.

Studio accepting disposable diapers

SCHENECTADY  Drop off donations of unopened packages of disposable baby diapers through Dec. 31 at Sow's Ear Studio, 1597 Union St.

The art gallery and Schenectady Inner City Mission are partnering.

Diapers are not included as a food stamp item under Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs and most families in need do not have laundry facilities at home.

For details: 522-3307.

 Compiled by Azra Haqqie
On this date in ...

1916: After writing one simple statement  "Good-bye to the world"  on the back of an envelope, Helen Lee Robinson, the young wife of Charles L. Robinson, famed theatrical promoter and builder of the Grand Theatre, opened the gas jets in her Western Avenue home and lay down to die. Her body was discovered after police officer John Ford noticed a candle burning in a window all night long and became suspicious. The coroner determined Robinson had been dead for several days. The motive remained a mystery.

1966: Operation Goodwill's first load of tapes containing recorded voice messages from loved ones in the Capital Region for servicemen in Vietnam left Albany International Airport on board a Mohawk Airlines jet to Pittsburgh. From there, they would be put on a TWA plane to San Francisco and then another TWA plane to Saigon. Eventually, the tapes would be distributed to recipients in outlying military installations all over Vietnam.

1991: A top aide to Gov. Mario M. Cuomo investigating a presidential run for the governor had gone on leave from his $95,000-a-year state job and made inquiries about renting campaign office space in Washington. "I talked to someone a day or two ago that we may have to move quickly and that we may need some space," Brad Johnson, the director of Cuomo's Washington lobbying office, acknowledged. Johnson said that Washington would not serve as campaign headquarters for a Cuomo candidacy, leaving either New York City or Albany.

Want to read more about the area's past? Have any thoughts about how our history relates to today's events? See http://blog.timesunion.com/history/
On this date in ...

1916: On the eve of the last day of the statewide boycott, the egg wars raging in New York were about to take a legal turn. Rumors swirled among women's clubs and egg dealers in Troy and the surrounding towns that amendments to the state agricultural laws and general food laws would soon be passed, prohibiting the amassing and storage of any food products for the purpose of speculation. Amendments would also place the state in charge, to a greater extent, of food prices.

1966: For the third time in as many years, the state Public Service Commission had turned thumbs down on a Delaware and Hudson Railroad request to discontinue its daily rail service between Albany and Montreal. The PSC brushed aside arguments of financial loss by saying, in essence, that D&H could afford it. The railroad had estimated it lost $166,400 during 11 months of service of the Lautentian which left Albany at 11:25 a.m. and arrived in Montreal at 5:30 p.m. The southbound train departed Montreal at 10:30 a.m. and arrived in Albany at 4:35 p.m.

1991: The Colonie Planning Board accepted as complete an environmental impact statement for the $30 million Latham Farms shopping plaza off Route 2. That action moved the controversial project into the next stage, in which findings of mitigation measures for such issues as traffic would be formulated.
Director Martin Scorsese met Pope Francis at the Vatican's Apostolic Palace last week to discuss his film "Silence," starring Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver who portray Jesuit priests in 17th-century Japan.

Francis is a Jesuit who joined the order while a young man in Argentina with the idea of becoming a missionary in Japan. But health problems scuttled that dream.

Scorsese told the pope that Garfield had gone through the Jesuits' 30 days of spiritual exercises before starting the film, which is based on the 1966 novel by the late Japanese writer Shusaku Endo, a convert to Catholicism.

"And he said the next thing for Andrew to do is to be ordained," Scorsese recalled. "And I looked at the pope and said, 'Instead he got me.' And there was a big laugh."

The filmmaker said that before he and his wife and two children met with the pope for 15 minutes, a meeting with the papal staff was filled with discussion of protocol and instructions of what to say to the pope. When Francis arrived, however, he put everyone at ease.

"He was the most disarming," said Scorsese. "He was smiling and thanked us for being there."

The film follows the two Jesuit in Japan, where Christians were persecuted, as they search for their mentor (played by Liam Neeson). Scorsese gave Francis a copy of a painting of a Madonna by a 18th-century Japanese artist that was venerated by the Christians who continued to practice the faith underground.

Some 300 Jesuits studying or working in Rome attended a screening in a Vatican chapel after which Scorsese answered the audience's questions.

The director said the film, which opens in theaters on Dec. 23, was shown on a screen near a large crucifix.

"So the whole film played on this crucifix, it was quite stunning," said Scorsese.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
The efforts of local volunteers in Humble and surrounding areas contributed to amassing a record number of gift-filled shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child this year.

Operation Christmas Child is an initiative conducted by Samaritan's Purse - an evangelical Christian humanitarian relief organization in which shoeboxes filled with age-appropriate gifts are assembled, donated and distributed to children around the world affected by poverty or are otherwise in need.

"Since Samaritan's Purse started doing Operation Christmas Child in 1993, it's delivered 135 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide," said Dana Williams, media relations coordinator for Operation Christmas Child.

Operation Christmas Child includes Humble as part of a geographic area as well as other parts of the greater Houston area. Together, Humble and surrounding communities managed to collect about 64,600 shoeboxes this year.

The success of this year's collection is due in part to the New Covenant Church in Humble, which served as a shoebox drop-off location for the first time this year.

"This is our first year as a drop-off, but our fourth year involved in Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan's Purse," said Yvette Obregon, who coordinated the efforts at New Covenant Church. "In previous years, we had done it in our church with just our own congregation supplying boxes. This year, we decided to step up and serve as a drop-off to assist the area coordinator."

During drop-off week, from Nov. 14 through Nov. 21, New Covenant Church accepted ready-made boxes from the community.

"People would learn about our location serving as a drop-off site either by seeing our banner when they drive by or finding the information online and they would come by and drop off the ready-made boxes," Obregon said. "We would acknowledge and thank them for participating. People participated as individuals, as a business, family, youth group, and we received anywhere from one to 100 boxes in a night."

According to Obregon, in their first year serving as a drop-off location, the church was able to amass approximately 700 boxes.

This year, Obregon was also able to participate in as a volunteer at the Dallas distribution center where volunteers can ensure the products they contain are appropriate.

"At the distribution center, volunteers look through boxes to make sure they don't contain items that could spoil, deteriorate, break or cause harm," Obregon said. "I was able to participate at the distribution center and it was very impacting. You feel a lot of energy there."

One night, Obregon said, she and the other volunteers at the distribution center in Dallas filled a truck with about 35,000 boxes.

Operation Christmas Child is an evangelical initiative; however, Obregon said children are not denied boxes based on their belief.

She foresees Operation Christmas Child as an initiative in which the New Covenant Church will continue participating.

"An initiative like Operation Christmas Child is important because sometimes we get so caught up in our own obligations and responsibilities that we don't find an opportunity to just stop and see there's a bigger need out there than our own personal world," Obregon said. "Operation Christmas Child is very impacting. Kids are not denied boxes if they are not believers. Boxes are given based on need.

"If it's not me leading this (at our church), someone else will. Our church loves the opportunity to give to our community and the world. Through Operation Christmas Child, each box will affect a child somewhere in the world."

Although the shoebox drop-off period is over, people interested in donating gift-filled shoeboxes may do so online. Participants are able to choose items to be placed in the box according to the child's age and gender.

This year, Samaritan's Purse also added a gift card option where people can purchase a gift card to give to friends and family, so they can purchase and donate a gift-filled shoebox online.

To learn more about Operation Christmas Child, visit https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child.

For more information about New Covenant Church, visit http://www.newcc.org/.
WESTPORT  When David Pogue speaks about tech issues, millions of people, and even corporations, listen.

In one of his consumer advocacy campaigns, Pogue exposed Verizon for exploiting consumers with a button that automatically connected users to the internet; every time an owner of a flip-phone pressed the up-arrow key, on purpose or accidentally, the user was charged a $2 fee to access the internet, even if they didnt use it.

Then a New York Times tech columnist, Pogue elicited a major response from the wireless company in 2010: It issued $90 million in customer refunds. Verizon made an estimated $300 million a month through the superfluous charges.

A self-described musical theater guy since he was young, Pogue pursued his passion at Yale, where he completed a music degree with the highest honors and went to work conducting and arranging Broadway musicals in New York City. Although he never ended up writing Broadway musicals as he had dreamed, Pogue found another outlet  tech criticism.

When he was 24, Pogue, who was the office manager and wrote product reviews for the New York Macintosh Users Group, asked for a free copy of a $1,000 program to review which Pogue described as like the Microsoft Word for sheet music.

A great big lightbulb went off over my head, and it was that easy and I kept doing that, he said.

Since that light illuminated, Pogue has written books, launched Yahoo Tech, tutored Carly Simon on how to use the internet, given TED Talks and cemented himself as one of the most respected authorities on all things tech.

A Westport resident since 2004, Pogue will be at the Westport Public Library on Saturday to promote his new book, Pogues Basics: Money: Essential Tips and Shortcuts (That No One Bothers to Tell You) About Beating the System.

Q: How did you become the tech guy?

A: If I have one talent, its explaining things. People make fun of me because Im not a computer guy. I cant put a PC together and back or write code. I am good at explaining things, and during my time as a conductor and arranger, I did a lot of computer work for the people I worked with on Broadway and it went from there.

Q: Most influence youve had on the industry?

A: In 2009, I realized that Verizon was making $620 million a year off customers listening to 15 seconds of voice mail instructions. Within six weeks, AT&T eliminated instructions on to how send a fax and a page; T-Mobile eliminated voice mail instructions altogether; Sprint revealed it was possible to do away with the instructions and Verizon, to this day, has not done anything about it. I did have an effect on three of the four carriers, and that made me happy.

Q: What made you leave the New York Times for Yahoo?

A: In 2013, Yahoo approached me with an offer I couldnt refuse. They said I could be a black box. We want you to make us something cool and well support you and you can hire your own staff. It was an incredible, generous, salacious offer.

I made Yahoo Tech, which was the first of their digital magazines. They have little sub sites on food, movies, parenting, health, etc. I got to hire a team of writers and wrote my own weekly column and started doing a ton of videos, and the goal is one video a day. Either reviews or how to  there really isnt a single website that is devoted to helping you master gadgets.

People have no idea how much their phones can do. So theres this long video (on Yahoo Tech) where I explain things you might not know. For instance, if your phone was ringing, you can just squeeze it and it will stop.

Q: How did the idea for your new book progress?

A: Im the kind of guy who cant keep his mouth shut if I see someone using their phone the wrong way.

At a Ted Talk I gave in 2013 called 10 Tech Basics You Think Everybody Knows (But They Dont) and demonstrated them. I put essential technology techniques that you assume everybody knows but they dont. Examples were: You dont need to type apostrophes for contractions on any smartphones, and when you get to the end of a sentence you dont need to type a period  just hit the space bar twice and the period is inserted with proper spacing and the first letter of the next word is capitalized.

They were gasping, saying I never knew that, and that video has almost 4.7 million views, and thats when I decided this should be a book.

Pogues Basics came out in 2014, but this was the first time Ive ever had a New York Times best-seller, so last year I came out with Pogues Basics: Life, which also was a New York Times best-seller. A lot of people dont understand that on your dashboard on the fuel gauge is a picture of a gas pump with an arrow pointing you to the left or the right to tell you which side has the gas tank door.

Once you hit 40 years old, your eyesight starts to go and, when in need, you can curl your index finger so tightly that theres only a pinhole to see through and that permits you to read without needing glasses or contacts, for instance, when youre in a hotel shower and you cant read the tiny font on the shampoo bottle.

This third book is Pogues Basics: Money. There are websites that will buy your gift cards and its real money. So, we the people, can go to those websites and buy them for super cheap. So you could go to one gift card shop like cardcash.com and buy a $100 iTunes gift card for $85.

Were all renting our cable box and cable modem, but for $120 you can buy one and just own it and send the rented one back. Over time that will add up.

@chrismmarquette; cmarquette@bcnnew.com
CASS CITY  Architects are preparing a new rendering of a proposed grocery store in downtown Cass City, which will now include keeping an historic building.

In August, the Cass City Village Council saw Toshach Sobczak Spence Forsythe (TSSF) Architects facadscape showing the grocery store Texas businessman Mark Molter plans to build along Main Street (M-81). The original plan was to demolish the former Fairway Discount store and Cass City Antique Mall, and to relocate Rotary Park.

Now, instead of tearing down the Cass City Antique Mall, the building will become an extension of the new store when it is built.

The MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Corp.) and the state historic preservation office as well as several residents requested he keep the building because it is historic, said Vicky Sherry, who is Tuscola County Economic Development Corp.s communication director as well as president of the Cass City Chamber of Commerce. Being the good person that he is, Mark agreed to keep the building, restore it, and make it part of the new market.

In keeping and restoring the mall, which is a former farm supply store, the buildings design will provide a kind of farmers market atmosphere.

Molter plans to build a 21,000-square foot, Spartan-brand store that would include a meat and butcher shop section, fresh fruits and vegetables, a bakery and deli. When completed, the Farm Fresh Supermarket is expected to be a state-of-the art market in its equipment and offerings.

The cost of the project is now estimated to cost $5.8 million, instead of $4 million that was an original estimate, and to create about 60 jobs.

The change may add about $200,000 more, but it isnt expected to delay the start and completion of the store, Sherry said. The store is still expected to open in 2017.

The former Fairway Discount store cannot be used because a fire years ago and years of abandonment compromised the stores integrity, village Manager Peter Cristiano explained.

Although the antique business will no longer operate at 6476 Main St., customers like Debbie Rholfs is happy a part of the communitys history will stay.

I love Cass Citys antique mall and shopping there. They always had a nice variety of antiques and collectables, Rholfs said. The buildings architecture complimented the business. It gave it character. It has a tin ceiling. That gave it a nice homey feeling, and the owners were nice and made you feel like family.

The Cass City Downtown Development Authority recommended selling the antique mall building to Molter for about $54,000, which is the remaining cost of the village- owned structure. The council approved the sale.

Molter was expected to attend Mondays DDA meeting but was unable to because of a medical issue.

In the meantime, Molter will continue to seek grants and incentives to help fund the store, but the stores development is not contingent on them.
The Conroe Salvation Army is serving hundreds of more children this Christmas, but the organization is thousands of dollars short in order to continue providing all of its services. Without the community's help, it may face difficult decisions in January.

This time last year, the Salvation Army raised $400,000 through its Christmas work through kettle workers ringing bells, mail sent seeking donations and donations received in the mail.

On Dec. 5, 2015, the Salvation Army had about $200,000, but right now it has $125,000, according to representatives.

"If this trend continues, we could be (more than) $150,000 below where we were last year," Conroe-based Salvation Army Corps Officer Major Don Wildish said. "The Salvation Army really needs help this Christmas."

While the Salvation Army provides a shelter and meals throughout the year, it is primarily focusing on a need for funds to serve Christmas to this year's 4,500 children and 500 seniors in need.

Last year, the first portion of the $400,000 raised took care of "an immediate need" during Christmas to serve 4,100 children Christmas gifts. About 3,000 children were adopted through Angel Tree, which is a program many businesses and community members participate in where they buy gifts for the children. However 1,100 were not adopted, he said.

"The first part of the $400,000 was buying gifts for nearly 1,100 children to keep a promise to all parents and children that if they signed up, we were going to provide Christmas for them," Wildish said.

Two contributing factors to the shortage of donations may be that people do not have the correct mailing address, which is P.O. Box 897, Conroe, TX 77305.

Wildish also thinks some local donors may hesitate to make a deposit to the regional lockbox which has a Houston address. He wants donors to know a check from Conroe is still entered into the Conroe bank account.

"Some people may be thinking we wouldn't get it, but we are and I am getting notification of that when a deposit is made," he said. "If that is a process in which they are not comfortable with they can certainly send a check to our PO box in Conroe."

GIVING BACK

Robin Massey-Crozier, 64, of Montgomery, is passionate about volunteering with the Salvation Army, especially serving the people of the Angel Tree program. Crozier praised the generosity of those who have contributed gifts and encourages families to consider bringing their children to volunteer and learn about the meaning of Christmas.

When her three children were younger than the age of 12 in the 1980s, the Salvation Army extended a hand to her family to provide Christmas.

Her late husband, Conroe's former Whispering Pines Baptist Church Pastor Robert Massey, was out of a job while between churches for two years. It was a difficult time for the family who could barely pay rent and buy food.

On Friday, she helped sort through donated gifts, which will be delivered to the families this year. She said the Salvation Army needs more volunteers, more people to adopt children through Angel Tree, along with the donations to help this Christmas.

She gets emotional thinking about the humble requests of children and seniors, like those who ask for a doll or something as small as a candy bar.

The average income of the families assisted make anywhere from $500 to $1,000 a month, she said.

"Most are living on financial help," Crozier said. "Many of the seniors are living on fixed income. ... It's just heart rendering when you see the needs of people."

"You don't think of senior citizens needing a crock pot or floor lamps," she added as she choked up. "It's really touching when you deal with this in a big volume and see so much of it. I wish I could adopt them all and meet their needs."

According to Salvation Army Corps Officer Major Helene Wildish, who is married to Don, the families who receive the gifts reached out to the Salvation Army during the first three weeks of October with proof of income, expenses, number of children living in the home and documentation for their need for assistance.

"Can you imagine a child waking up on Christmas morning and not seeing a Christmas present under the tree?" Major Helene Wildish said. "Just coming out of the room and not seeing a Christmas present. That's what Salvation Army is here to do. We may not get to see a smile on the child's face. We don't want children to know it is Salvation Army. We want children to think it is Santa Claus."

FACING CUTBACKS

The Conroe Salvation Army also shelters and feeds, including three meals a day, an increasing homeless population. The services are daily, year-round. Up to 110 people stayed there on a single night this week, Don Wildish said.

Last year, 918 people were reported as homeless in Montgomery County, according to an interview with Salvation Army Shelter Director David Jenatta in November. He estimates more than 1,300 people are homeless in the area for various reasons, including a need for affordable housing and people who are living paycheck to paycheck and unable to keep up with the cost of living. Some have college degrees and jobs, others have suffered from addiction or abuse

"The Salvation Army is never closed," Wildish said. "We are always open, always here, always serving. For that reason, we need some financial support to continue to do the good work that we do. We are going to take care of our first commitment; that is Christmas. But when January comes, we will have to begin taking a close look at the budget and cut some things back. We just cannot continue to serve and do work we've been doing with less money. It will put a challenge in front of Salvation Army. We will have to change."

For more information about the Angel Tree Program and the Salvation Army, call 936-760-2440 or visit http://salvationarmyhouston.org/conroe.
The Plainview/Hale County Crimestoppers Committee will pay a reward of up to $750 to anyone with information that will lead to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for the following crime:

--On Nov. 28, someone entered Kentucky Fried Chicken, 1900 W. Fifth and took an undisclosed amount of money.

The Plainview/Hale County Crimestoppers Committee will pay a reward of up to $350 to anyone with information that will lead to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for the following crimes:

--On Dec. 6, someone entered a building on the 2900 block of West 24th and took a grinder, jigsaw, car polishing equipment, and several other miscellaneous power tools.

--On Nov. 26, someone entered 804 Denver and took an Xbox One, 55-inch Magnavox TV, 40-inch TV, and a Galaxy Luna.

--On Nov. 25, someone stole a cement mixer from a residence at 401 Ennis. Besides the reward Crimestoppers is offering, the owner would like to contribute an additional reward.

--On Nov. 19, someone entered a 1992 Ford pickup on the 1200 block of East Fifth and took an assortment of tools, 30-gallon air compressor, generator, 20-ton air jack, 2-ton floor jack and a 12-gauge shotgun.

--On Nov. 13, a Hispanic male took approximately 27 Polo shirts from Bealls department store. He was approximately 5-feet-5 with a burr haircut. He possibly had a tattoo or an injury to the back of his head. Suspect left the store in a white colored vehicle.

--On Nov. 5, several vehicles had their tires flattened by a sharp object while parked on the Cinemark Theater parking lot.

--On Nov. 9, several vehicles had their tires flattened by a sharp object while parked at 2408 W. Fifth.

--On Nov. 7, someone entered a garage at 2815 Edgemere and took several miscellaneous tools.

Fugitives: Crimestoppers will pay a reward of up to $250 for information that leads to the arrest of the following persons. Warrants have been issued for their arrest. Callers can contact the Hale County Sheriffs Office Warrants Division at 296-2724 or contact the Crimestoppers Hotline.

--Matthew Torres Ramirez, 29, Hispanic male is wanted for possession of controlled substance.

--Lucy Nicole Cortez, 28, Hispanic female is wanted for credit card abuse.

--Alfonso Telles, 26, Hispanic male is wanted for tampering with government records and fail to ID.

--Luis Gerardo Reyes Fuentes, 26, Hispanic male is wanted for sex abuse of a child continuous under 14.

--Ramon Esqueda Gonzales, 44, Hispanic male is wanted for indecency with a child sexual contact.

--Lorenzo Pineda Alvarez, 62, Hispanic male is wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

--Manuel David Cervantes, 33, Hispanic male is wanted for motion to revoke probation possession controlled substance.

--Pierre Chico Hawkins, 41, black male is wanted for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

--Arthur Larry Lewis Jr., 51, white male is wanted for aggravated sexual assault.

Anyone having information on the above crimes or any other crimes occurring in Plainview or Hale County can contact the Crimestoppers Hotline at 293-8477 (293-TIPS). All calls will be confidential.
Delta College has been awarded $15,800 from the Michigan State Police (MSP) to assist in creating a safe campus for all students.

The award is part of MSPs Campus Sexual Assault Grant Program, providing funds for Michigan colleges and universities to implement innovative and strategic sexual assault prevention programs on their campuses. This is the second year of the program.

This years award will help fund two student-led and student-driven campaigns  V-Day and Its On Us.

 V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls, promoting creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. Deltas involvement will include film screenings, plays and the presence of professionals in the field of sexual assault prevention on campus to create a relaxed yet alert spotlight on sexual assault and what the College can do with and about it.

 The Its On Us campaign was launched in 2014 by President Barack Obama. It provides awareness to help put an end to sexual assault on college campuses, and it asks everyone  men and women across America  to make a personal commitment to step off the sidelines and be part of the solution to campus sexual assault. Delta College will be hosting events, including a roundtable discussion with students, a workshop for survivors, and sessions on rape culture and how everyone can work together to change it. The campaign will conclude with a focus on support and healing for survivors.

The campaigns will be led by Jodi Ann Stevenson, associate professor of English. Combining these two campaigns will deepen the relevancy, conversation and critical thinking surrounding sexual assault awareness on our campus, Stevenson said. There are also many campuses working on trainings for their faculty and staff with regards to sexual assault awareness and prevention. Using these campus programs as models, we would like to create two trainings a year for our faculty and staff.

Last year, Delta College received $28,850 to host a student competition to produce videos on the topics of consent, risk reduction and bystander intervention. It worked with Bay Area Womens Center in Bay County, ShelterHouse in Midland County and Underground Railroad in Saginaw County to produce the videos, which are being used as part of the Colleges new student orientation process. They are also available to all of the 41 area high school districts in the Colleges service area, each of the three sexual assault centers in the region, and any community group that sees the need for this type of valuable information.

For more information, contact Stevenson at jodiannstevenson@delta.edu or (989) 686-9174.
To the Editor:

Democrats are wimps. I should know, I am one. Im not talking about active local party members. I am talking about the National campaigns for president that Democrats run every four years.

The wimpiness started in 1980, when Ronald Reagan ran for office. His slogan? Get government off our backs. Did national Democratic leaders like Mike Mansfield and Robert Byrd respond by saying What government do you want to eliminate? Social Security? Medicare? National interstate highways? How about our national parks? Are you kidding? There was silence.

Reagans slogan resonated with people, partly because no Democrat answered the charge.

Democratic wimpiness continued when the first President Bush ran against Michael Dukakis. Remember Willie Horton, the African-American convict who raped and murdered someone in Massachusetts? He was featured day after day after day in ads run by the Republicans. Genteel Mr. Bush kept his distance from the ad, but it was the work of his press secretary, the late Lee Atwater. And how did Dukakis respond? So insignificantly I dont even remember.

Then, fast-forward to 2004 when President George W. Bush ran for a second term against Sen. John Kerry. President Bush kept a discreet distance, as his father had earlier, but his cohorts, perhaps Karl Rove, came up with the Swift boat ads against Kerry. When Kerry was nominated, I thought, Wonderful, a genuine war hero, who volunteered to serve in the Vietnam War and was wounded and then rewarded with a military medal. Who can say anything bad about him? Wait and see. We did.

Did his medal inoculate him against a nasty campaign? You jest. The Swift boaters used band-aids to suggest Kerry was not really wounded and did not deserve a medal. And so, what was Kerrys response? Did he draw himself up to his 6 foot 4 or whatever height and say righteously, How dare you? I volunteered. What did President Bush do? He went AWOL from the National Guard? No way.

Kerry was, I suppose, so shocked by the audacity of the false charges, he did nothing, said nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero.

So here we are in 2016, 12 years later, faced with Donald Trumps constant refrain about Crooked Hillary, lock her up. He warmed up in the Republican primary with his grade school attacks on his Republican opponents (remember Lyin Ted, Little Mario, unattractive Carla?).

So when the actual election campaign began, he was ready with Crooked Hillary. She did try to respond by quoting many unpleasant things Trump had actually said, but nothing seemed to stick. Yet she never responded to the crooked charge directly.

It may sound like hindsight, but as I said to friends at the time, she should have addressed the charge itself. She might have done so by meeting it head-on, saying, Crooked? You want crooked? How about the Trump University that charged innocent people thousands of dollars with false promises? You want crooked, how about the Trump Foundation, which took contributions and used them to buy portraits of Trump himself and used other donations to make contributions in his own name to other charities? Crooked? How about stiffing contractors and the workers who built your hotels? Nada. And did any of her surrogates and supporters respond? Youre kidding. Theyre Democrats.

Well, as I said, wimpy.

Janet Brooks

New Canaan
A 36-year-old man was arrested Nov. 28 for threatening to shoot Montgomery County Sheriff's deputies.

A deputy was summoned to the 17400 block of Springfield Road in reference to a disturbance. An investigation revealed that a man had been arguing with his brother. It became physical and he caused injury to his brother. The suspect obtained a loaded shotgun and threatened to shoot law enforcement as they arrived.

Deputies observed the man run into a travel trailer and then out of it into a shed, where the suspect's handicapped father took him to the ground as deputies then detained him. The loaded shotgun was located in the travel trailer, well within the suspect's reach as he ran from it attempting to elude deputies.

The suspect was arrested and charged with terroristic threat public servant and assault.

District 1  North County

A man was arrested Nov. 27 for dragging his spouse from his truck. A deputy responded to a disturbance call in the 13200 block of Tom Sawyer near Willis. A deputy spoke with a woman who said she and her spouse had been in a verbal argument. The spouse got into his truck and grabbed the driver's-side door handle. The spouse accelerated and dragged her approximately 10 feet. The woman had multiple cuts, missing teeth and her knees were beginning to swell. The man was located sleeping in the back seat of his vehicle with a gun lying on his chest and was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

A man was arrested Nov. 28 for throwing a weight bar and car battery at his girlfriend. A deputy responded to a disturbance call in the 11500 block of Ward Lane. The deputy met with a woman who said her boyfriend had thrown a weight bar at her vehicle. The weight bar was thrown through the windshield. It was learned that the man also threw a car battery at the victim. The man was arrested for criminal mischief and terroristic threat.

A man was arrested Nov. 30 for spitting in his sister's face. A deputy responded to a disturbance call in the 10900 block of Quinlan North Lake Drive near Conroe. The deputy spoke to a woman who said her brother was drinking and started throwing things around the house. During a verbal argument, the man spit in his sister's face. The man was arrested for assault.

District 3  East County

A 50-year-old man was arrested Nov. 28 for assaulting his mother. Just after midnight, a deputy was summoned to the 19000 block of Norfolk near New Caney in reference to a disturbance. An investigation revealed that a man assaulted his mother during an argument causing her visible injury.

A 24-year-old man was arrested Nov. 28 for threatening to assault his neighbors. A deputy was summoned to the 22400 block of Grace Lane near in New Caney for a disturbance for the second time. It was learned that a man that who had been previously warned again started threatening his neighbors with bodily injury, as he yelled and cursed at them.

A 19-year-old woman was arrested Nov. 30 for assault. A deputy was summoned to the 19100 block of Timberland Boulevard in reference to a disturbance. Upon arrival, an investigation revealed that a woman had caused a disturbance on the prior evening while being intoxicated. On today's date she attempted to take her child from the husband. She and family members became involved in a physical altercation in which all sustained minor visible injury. The suspect was found to be the aggressor. She was arrested and charged with assault.

A 24-year-old man was arrested Dec. 1 for stealing drugs from his employer. A deputy was dispatched to the Kroger store on U.S. 59 and FM 1314 in reference to a theft by an employee. An investigation revealed that a man had taken prescription items over a period of time from various stores. Narcotics were discovered on the suspect. The man was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance as well as theft.

A 17-year-old male was arrested Dec. 3 for burglarizing a car. A deputy investigated a burglary of a motor vehicle that had occurred on Blue Jay Lane near Porter. The complainant had followed the suspect into the Humble area. An investigation revealed that the teen had broken into the complainant's vehicle and stolen items, including the radio. The complainant followed the suspect to a local motel in Humble, confronting him, and was using force to regain custody of his property. It was at this time that the Humble Police Department was summoned. After learning where the offense occurred, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office was contacted. The suspect was arrested and charged with the burglary of a vehicle.

A 55-year-old man was arrested Dec. 3 for stealing more than $500 worth of groceries from Kroger. A deputy was called to the Kroger store on U.S. 59 at FM 1314 in reference to a theft. An investigation revealed that a man had taken several items, including meat products, out of the store without attempting to pay for them. The stolen property was valued at more than $527. After the subject was stopped and identified, it was learned that he had multiple prior convictions for theft, which enhance this theft to a felony.

A 26-year-old man was arrested Dec. 3 for stealing more than $350 worth of clothes from Walmart. A deputy was summoned to the Porter Walmart where an investigation revealed that a man had attempted to steal numerous clothing items, totaling more than $357, by placing them in a bag and running out into the parking lot. The suspect was detained. It was found that the suspect had priors that enhanced this to a felony theft.

A 31-year-old man was arrested Dec. 3 for strangling his wife. A deputy was called to the 25100 block of Howsor Drive near New Caney for a disturbance. An investigation determined that a man and his wife had gotten into an argument. The man reportedly strangled her causing her to be unable to breathe and injury. The suspect was arrested and charged with felony assault.
FAIRFIELD  For many years, it was veteran reporter Debra Estock who was the storyteller. Now, with her death last week, its others who are telling Estocks story.

Estock, 61, started as a reporter at the Fairfield Citizen News, and later became managing editor at the Cooperator New York, a publication dealing with condominiums and co-ops.

Debbie was a dedicated journalist whose knowledge of the town in which she was raised was unmatched, said Patricia Hines, former Fairfield Citizen managing editor. During her time at the Citizen, she wrote hundreds of stories that informed, educated and entertained our readers.

She was tenacious when covering a story.

One of my favorite stories about Debbies hard work and ingenuity was when I sent the entire reporting staff to cover the crash of a small plane in Greenfield Hill, Hines said. Three of them left for the scene at least 20 minutes before her, but Debbie managed to be the first one to the site, she talked to all the key investigators and used a nearby neighbors house phone to call the story into the office.

Hines said Estock was always a professional and had the respect of everyone from co-workers to government leaders to readers. Her death has affected me deeply, Hines said. I will never forget her kind and generous spirit.

Estock was a former secretary for the state chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, but former SPJ president Cindy Simoneau said Estock will best be remembered for her service as chairwoman of the CTSPJ Scholarship Committee from 2000-09. Under her guidance, the board offered scholarships to journalism students attending universities in the state, or Connecticut residents attending out-of-state universities.

She would often keep in touch with recipients long after they graduated from school and had started their careers, said Simoneau, chairwoman of the Southern Connecticut State University Journalism Department. Debbies dedication to journalism students, and to professional development projects serving our professional colleagues, was impressive.

Simoneau, former assistant managing editor of the Connecticut Post, recalled years of working side-by-side with Estock as competitors covering the town of Fairfield.

Debbie and I often sat through lengthy Town Plan and Zoning and political meetings assessing which officials had the interests of the town in mind, rather than their own self-interests. It was always funny when we would see through the shenanigans of some government leaders at the same time over some issue or comment. The next time we would see each other, we would often remark: I told you so. 

My memories of Debbie are from when I first started to get involved in education issues in town, back in the mid-90s, said state Rep. Brenda Kupchick, R-132. I remember Deb at Board of Education, Board of Finance and RTM meetings.

Kupchick said, Accurate and detailed reporting on those meetings were crucial to the issues we were fighting for, and Deb was spot on with her reports.

Estock was a good person, Kupchick said, unbiased and detailed in her work. She didnt interject her opinion or beliefs, she simply reported the details of a meeting so readers could judge for themselves about any particular issue.

Former First Selectman Paul Audley said Estock was clearly dedicated to Fairfield, where she lived her entire life.

Deb was excellent in her profession; she did her homework on stories, presented balanced information and was clearly dedicated to her community, Audley said.

Probate Judge Daniel Caruso said Estock was always a pleasure to talk to. She had a heart of gold, he said. We were lucky to have people like her to report our stories. She cared a lot about the town, and my heart goes out to her mom.

Susan Barrett, a former state representative who now serves on the Police Commission, recalled Estock as a quiet reporter.

She had a keen sense of observing and tuning in to the situation at hand, Barrett said. Debbie could get the story and just do her job. Her notepad was always filled with quotes and comments from the people that were the news.

Connecticut SPJ is accepting donations to offer a scholarship in Estocks honor at its annual meeting in May. Donations may be sent to: Connecticut SPJ Foundation, P.O. Box 5071, Woodbridge CT 06525.

greilly@ctpost.com; @GreillyPost
The Midland County Board of Commissioners has a new face as of Tuesdays meeting. Representing the 4th District, Gaye Terwillegar has taken the place of former Commissioner Rich Keenan, who is now Mount Haley Township supervisor.

Im real pleased to have the privilege to serve, said Terwillegar, who will fulfill the remainder of Keenans term, which was to expire on Dec. 31. This is a very big day for me. Im looking forward to serving in 2017.

To appoint Republican Terwillegar, the board needed to waive Midland County policy, which has new board members join fellow commissioners on the first full board meeting of the new year.

While the three new commissioners were all sworn in on Tuesday, only Terwillegar joined the other six Republican commissioners. Representing District 1, Jeanette Snyder and Steve Glaser, representing District 3, will take their seats at the Jan. 3, 2017, board meeting.

Keenan ran unopposed for Mount Haley supervisor and took office on Nov. 21, just following his resignation from the county board at midnight on Nov. 20. The board also appointed the following citizens to various boards and authorities.

 Tori Meyer to the Midland County Building Authority for a second term with the term to be Jan. 1, 2017, through Dec. 31, 2019.

 Bridgette Gransden to the City and County of Midland Joint Building Authority for a fourth term with the term to be June 1, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2019.

 Reappointed Jenee Velasquez to serve as the jointly elected representative on behalf of Midland County on City and County of Midland Joint Building Authority with the term to be Feb. 8, 2017, through Feb. 7, 2021.

 Homer Township Fire Chief John Hanson to the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board for a fourth term with the term to be Jan. 1, 2017, through Dec. 31, 2019.

 Jeremy Rosenbrock, Tim Lapham and Roger Mahoney to the Midland County Peer Review Remonumentation Program for a third term with the term to be Jan. 1, 2017, through Dec. 31, 2018.

 Roy Green for a second term to the Tri-City Airport Zoning Board as a Midland County representative, with the term to be Jan. 1, 2017, through Dec. 31, 2019.

 Appointed/reappointed the following Midland County Employees to the Midland County Employees Safety Program: Mike Kirby, law enforcement; Heather Lynch, general administration; John Schmude, land use; Ronda Cunningham, human service; and Rebecca Taylor, general administration.

Following approval from voters for the 0.25-mill renewal for public transportation services (County Connection), the board also unanimously approved an updated version of Michigan Department of Treasury Form 614, (L-4029 Tax Rate Request Form). The form reports the levied amounts for each millage was filed along with the Statement Showing Taxable Valuations and Mills Apportioned by the County Board of Commissioners, for each governing institution.
Andrew Harnik

President-elect Donald Trump shut down some of his companies in the days after the election, including four that appeared connected to a possible Saudi Arabia business venture, according to corporate registrations in Delaware.

News of the move comes days before Trump was expected to describe changes he is making to his businesses to avoid potential conflicts of interest as the U.S. president.
A child was rushed to a hospital after a traffic crash late Saturday morning in northwest Harris County.

The three-vehicle wreck happened bout 11 a.m. on FM 1960 near Walters Road, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies a child was reportedly flown by LifeFlight medical helicopter to Memorial Herman-The Texas Medical Canter. Details of he child's possible injuries and condition were not released.

No other information was available about other possible injuries or what led to the crash.

Deputies are investigating the wreck.
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Police conducted a workshop downtown Wednesday after a rash of credit card fraud was found at local business, officials said.

SAPD spokesman Douglas Greene went live on Facebook from the workshop to discuss skimming which has occurred at at least seven locations in the San Antonio area. Skimming is when a device is used to rip off credit card numbers from a gas pump, he said.

RELATED: Credit card skimmers found at Beaumont, Orange gas stations

Greene suggested gas station patrons be aware of their surroundings when stopping to fuel up. He said if something appears to be altered on the gas pump, the gas clerk should be notified immediately.

Police could not tell mySA.com which business were affected. They said it would make the businesses more susceptible to those looking to scam.

RELATED: SAPD warns of ATM skimmers

But skimming occurred at a business located in the following places:

Bandera Road and Loop 1604

Huebner Road and Interstate 10

Nacogdoches Road and Loop 1604

SW Military Drive and Interstate 35

La Cantera

San Pedro Avenue and Loop 410

U.S. 281 and 1604

Be very careful and very aware of your surroundings, Greene said, adding to keep a watchful eye on ones bank account.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
David Malcolm Strickland, the man convicted of capital murder this year for a shocking attack on a young couple in Corpus Christi, could have his case reconsidered, according to media reports.

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported Thursday that Strickland, who was sentenced to life in prison without parole after an attack left one woman dead and her girlfriend injured, maintains his innocence and has requested a new test be done in the case.
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Two San Antonio Police Department officers were injured after one rear-ended the others vehicle while arriving at a reported robbery Friday night on the South Side.

SAPD Sgt. Gary Mucho said the officers were driving their police SUVs to a potential robbery in progress at the Commercial Food Mart, 2601 Commercial Ave.
San Antonio police Friday released images of what they believe is a vehicle used in a double shooting with one fatality in September.

Two people were shot at 1010 N. Frio Street on Sept. 13, one died. The suspect vehicle has been described as a silver or gray Chrysler 200 or Dodge Avenger. The driver was a Hispanic male and two female Hispanic passengers were also in the car, according to the release.
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SAN ANTONIO  It's official: Councilman Ron Nirenberg is running for mayor.

The two-term District 8 councilman made the announcement Saturday at a campaign kickoff event near downtown  in the parking lot of a defunct car dealership that birthed the mayoral tenures of Phil Hardberger and Julian Castro.

Nirenberg hopes to seize on the popularity of those former mayors as he attempts to cast incumbent Mayor Ivy Taylor as an official, at the helm of one of the largest cities in the U.S., who lacks leadership and vision.

"They say that city leadership is no longer creating solutions, it's just coasting on the initiatives set in motion by Mayors Phil Hardberger and Julian Castro," he said in prepared remarks. "That has become a big, big problem. In fact, present government is the problem. Under Mayor Ivy Taylor, our city has stopped rising."

In an interview this week, Nirenberg said that progress in San Antonio has come to "a grinding halt" since Taylor took over for a departing Castro in 2014.

He told a spirited crowd of more than a 100 people who braved the chilly morning that San Antonio deserves "visionary leadership" and not more studies and delayed decisions. Nirenberg also attacked Taylor for a pardon she won from the City Council, absolving her from ethics complaints over a conflict of interest she faced when appointing members to the San Antonio Housing Authority's board of trustees.

"You deserve a city whose leaders are held to the highest ethical standards and held accountable when they violate those standards," he said in prepared remarks provided to the San Antonio Express-News.

The announcement ended with cries of "Ron! Ron! Ron!" from the crowd.

Later Saturday in a statement, Taylor challenged Nirenberg's assessment of her term.

"I'm not sure which city he's talking about. In the one that I have the privilege of leading, we've made tremendous progress over the last several years. We've secured our water future, so we'll have the water we need to grow and add jobs. I broke a political impasse to negotiate a contract with the police union that's good for both SAPD officers and taxpayers. We're training workers for 21st century jobs, we're keeping rideshare, and soon we'll have ultra high-speed Internet. By any definition, that's momentum.

"We've accomplished a lot by working hard and building support for initiatives that will move San Antonio ahead. I focus on solutions, not soundbites," Taylor said.

For more on this story, visit www.expressnews.com or read the Sunday edition of the San Antonio Express-News.

jbaugh@express-news.net

Twitter: @jbaugh
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Justice Minister of Armenia Arpine Hovhannisyan on December 9 participated in the 109th plenary session of the Venice Commission and presented the changes proposed by two constitutional bills.

According to official reports, the Venice Commissions opinion on the draft law on The Human Rights Defender and the joint opinion of the Venice Commission and OSCE / ODIHR on draft law on The Parties must be approved at this sitting.

Justice Minister Arpine Hovhannisyan told Armenpress that the international partners stated that the regulations proposed by the bills are in accordance with all international standards. And their opinion on the bills was very high and positive, she said, adding that the proposals existing in the approved opinion will be discussed and will be reflected in the second reading texts.
A 15-year-old failed to make a $1.1 million delivery of marijuana when he was intercepted by Customs and Border Protection agents in Texas Thursday morning, according to a press release.

Agents said they watched as several people loaded bundles of marijuana into an SUV near the Rio Grande in Los Indios then followed the vehicle and stopped it, the release from the Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol Public Affairs Office.
Although he initially intended to become a newspaper reporter, Richard H. Dick Gentry later realized he had a passion for teaching.

Attending Stanford University for his masters degree, Gentry was asked to fill in for the professor of a media writing course.

It was then he discovered how much he loved teaching.

Starting his career at Trinity University in 1968, Gentry taught media history and law, and writing, in the journalism department for almost 25 years.

He liked working with young students, his wife Diane Gentry said. He always said his optimism came from his students because they were in the prime of their lives, looking forward to their futures.

Gentry, 87, died after a fall Nov. 3 in North Carolina.

Starting his education at the University of Tulsa in his native Oklahoma, Gentry worked at the Tulsa World newspaper as a reporter and copy editor.

Receiving his bachelors degree in 1951, Gentry was accepted to Stanford, where he became acting instructor at the universitys Institute for Journalistic Studies.

After obtaining his doctorate in communication from the University of Illinois, Urbana, in 1960, Gentry was an instructor at Rutgers University. He later became an associate professor at Ohio University, where he met his wife. They married in 1966.

Gentrys move to Trinity was, in part, because of the South Texas climate.

More Information Richard H. "Dick" Gentry Born: Sept. 29, 1929, Lookeba, Oklahoma Died: Nov. 3, 2016, Burnsville, North Carolina Preceded by: Parents Jason and Hattie Gentry Survived by: Wife Diane Gentry Services: Memorial at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Parker Chapel, Trinity University, 1 Trinity Place. See More Collapse

He was tired of the winters up north, his wife said. He  wanted to get back to the Southwest where he came from.

Settling into his role as professor, Gentry was an unflappable presence in the classroom.

He was quite the gentleman scholar, said former student Sharon Jones Schweitzer. I do vividly remember him standing in front of the class in a button-up sweater with a pipe in his hand, engaging the students into the conversation.

Gentry also served as chair of the journalism, broadcasting and film department at two different times.

He definitely was a calming influence on the university, said former student and friend David Pasley. Not just the  department, but the whole school.

He also made sure his students learned about life outside of the bubble of the university, recruiting volunteers to help oversee elections and report numbers to local newspapers.

It was such a friendly way of showing us how to get engaged in the civic process, former student and friend Betsy Pasley said.

mheidbrink@express-news.net
I cannot go toe-to-toe with a political science major on the differences in communism in China, our trading partner, and Cuba, our Caribbean neighbor.

I cannot discuss the imprisonment and deaths caused by communist governments, nor the poverty and deaths inflicted by dictator-democracies in Latin America, or even the deaths and maiming of U.S. troops as a result of invented conflicts in Vietnam and Iraq.

But I can tell you how a decades-old political grudge once trumped our countrys national security.

In 2002, I was director of investigations for Latin America and the Caribbean, under the U.S. Department of Justices Immigration and Naturalization Service. I was assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Our primary objective was to target international smuggling organizations. The principal focus in those post-9/11 days was to dismantle international smuggling pipelines that dealt with Middle Eastern males  specifically, criminal organizations that were smuggling special interest aliens into the United States.

The successful multinational project was responsible for the U.S. indictment of seven international smugglers who had a nexus to terrorism.

The international initiative was well received by four countries in Latin America and by Cuba. All five countries were amenable to and championed the national security initiative.

But at a strategy meeting in Washington, D.C., a State Department representative declined any assistance from the Cuban government. He simply said, It would make Castro look good. End of conversation. Not to mention the end of any possibility of Cubas participation in the multinational, anti-terrorist effort. That would have been at odds with keeping Cuba on the U.S. list of sanctioned states.

This decision joined a long list of failed schemes to undermine Fidel Castros 60-year-old rule of the Caribbean island, 90 miles off our southern coast.

These plots included;

The trade embargo, a congressional act declared in 1960 and kept alive by Cuban exiles and Congress.

Bay of Pigs, a failed military invasion of Cuba, undertaken by a CIA-sponsored paramilitary group in 1961.

U.S. immigration laws that encourage illegal Cuban migration. Unlike other immigrants, Cubans can become permanent residents if they have been present in the United States for at least one year and a day. Caps on immigration do not apply. They dont enter the United States at a port of entry and  again, unlike other immigrants  taking public benefits doesnt make a Cuban immigrant ineligible to become a permanent legal resident.

Operation Mongoose, a CIA covert plan that included, among other things, destruction of sugar crops and false attacks on Cuban exiles.

Assassination plots. The U.S. Senates Church Committee confirmed eight CIA-run plots to assassinate Castro.

Operation Peter Pan, a scheme that promulgated misinformation that the Castro regime was intent on declaring children  like land, industries, stores and housing  property of the state. This was part of a psychological arsenal to instigate the revolt of the Cuban people against the Castro regime. The goal was to instill the fear of losing their children, which would lead to the exodus of thousands of children, causing a destabilizing scenario and dissolution of the family unit. This, it was hoped, would undermine internal support for the Cuban government.

It has been a political grudge that has continued against one man  at the expense of the Cuban people. These ineffective actions of rancor toward one man has translated into an attitude of indifference toward the plight of Cuban citizens.

I cant help but wonder at the outcome if, we, the United States, had taken Cuba under our wing  when Castro met with Vice President Richard Nixon, seeking assistance and guidance for the Cuban people. A memorandum of Nixons conversation memorialized the meeting on April 25, 1959.

He was incredibly naive about the communist threat and appeared to have no fear whatever that the Communists might eventually come to power in Cuba, Nixon wrote.

He quoted Castro: It would be far better if the money that you give to Latin American countries for arms be provided for capital investment.

Nixon concluded: The one fact we can be sure of is that he has those indefinable qualities which make him a leader of men. Whatever we may think of him, he is going to be a great factor in the development of Cuban and very possibly in Latin America affairs in general.

Now, almost 57 years later, with the death of Castro, the U.S. should consider the Cuban people and put this decades-old political and personal grudge to rest.

The political pawns, real victims of this Cold War melodrama, are also the American people. They have funded these unsuccessful escapades to dislodge the Castro regime. They have spent hundreds of millions of dollars for special treatment granted specifically  and only  to Cuban refugees.

And we mustnt forget the Cuban people who have suffered and have gone without as a result of U.S. sanctions against the Castro government, in place for more than a half century.

David G. Ramirez, now retired, was an assistant special agent in charge at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He is author of Beneath the Same Sky, which tells of his 30-year career as a U.S. federal agent.
The collapse of plans for a charter school at the former Al Price prison complex by the airport is disappointing, especially because the property has been vacant for five years and this venture seemed promising at one time. But all Jefferson County commissioners can do is keep trying to find a productive use for the site.

In fact, they're already doing that. On Monday, commissioners will hear a proposal from a private prison business to use the facility as a treatment center for people convicted of drug crimes. That's not as uplifting as a charter school but Texas has plenty of people who need drug treatment.
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STAMFORD  One of the citys oldest Christmas parties kicked off last week just like it has for more than a half-century.

Santa Claus arrived in a police car Friday at the Yerwood Center, bringing holiday cheer to about 75 ARI clients at their annual party.

The Stamford Police Association has helped sponsor the event since it began in the early 1950s. The police association donated $2,000 for the party and gifts given to each of ARIs special needs clients.

Gerard Gasparino, ARIs manager of development and recreation, said all of his consumers look forward to the party and receiving gifts that are specifically purchased for each recipient.

The Stamford police union has been awesome. The faces may continue to change, but their support has continued no matter what, he said. Hopefully, it will continue for many years to come.

Gasparino, who has been with ARI for a dozen years, said the gifts will be the only ones many of ARIs clients receive this holiday season.

For a good number of the people at the party today, this may be the only present they get or the only present that will be meaningful for them, Gasparino said. You see the joy in their faces when they get their gift.

Sgt. Kris Engstrand, president of the police union, said the party is just as meaningful for his membership.

I think it is a great way for the police and community to connect. It makes you feel good to give to people and seeing joy on the faces of those people who face hardship every day is priceless, he said.

Chris Gioielli said the event is one of the most enriching things the union does each year.

It is hard to put into words how appreciative the clients are when they get the gifts, said Gioielli, who has been the unions vice president for a decade.

jnickerson@scni.com;
1 Boko Haram attack: Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up at a bustling market in northeast Nigerias Madagali town on Friday morning, killing at least 30 people and wounding 67, an army spokesman said. The attack comes as Nigerias government claims it is routing the Boko Haram Islamic extremists blamed for the blasts. The explosions occurred on the edge of the extremist groups Sambisa Forest stronghold, which Nigerias military has been bombing ahead of ground assaults. Since the military has dislodged the insurgents from towns and villages this year, they have been attacking soft targets. Madagali was liberated last year after months in the hands of Boko Haram. Fridays blasts struck simultaneously at opposite ends of the market selling grains and vegetables, according to Ahmadu Gulak, a driver who was buying tea there. Rescue workers evacuated the bodies of 30 people and took 67 wounded victims to a nearby hospital.

2 Quake destruction: Hundreds of people in remot e parts of the Solomon Islands have had their homes damaged or destroyed by a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Friday, an aid organization said. There have been no deaths reported from the quake, which also caused some small tsunami waves in the Solomon Islands and other Pacific islands. Speaking from the capital Honiara, Suzy Sainovski, World Visions Pacific Timor-Leste spokeswoman, said it has been hard to get a full assessment from some more remote communities, some of which dont have cellphone coverage. There are some initial reports that 3,000 people have been affected, Sainovski said. Some of these are traditional houses that are on stilts, and made with vegetation. The quake struck near the island of Makira. Sainovski said in the town of Kirakira on the island, the quake damaged a hospital, a church and other buildings including the World Vision office.
ZANU PF has shut its doors on exiled former minister Saviour Kasukuwere, accusing him of being arrogant and disrespectful to party leader President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Kasukuwere fled the country into self-imposed exile alongside other G40 members, who include former ministers Jonathan Moyo, Walter Mzembi and Patrick Zhuwao following the November 2017 coup that ousted longer time ruler, the late Robert Mugabe.

The G40 was a camp allegedly aligned to former First Lady Grace Mugabe that was forced to escape into exile, when President Emmerson Mnangagwa assumed power.

Other G40 members such as former Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo were unlucky not to escape, and have faced various criminal abuse of office charges.

Zanu PF director for information Tafadzwa Mugwadi said the ruling party had shut its doors on Kasukuwere, accusing him of undermining Mnangagwa and his leadership.

As a matter of policy, the party does not negotiate with individuals who seek to return or trace their roots to the party. Rather, those who seek to return know what to do if ever they were truly and genuinely in it before, they know the rules and procedures to follow, he said.

Its unfortunate that his case might be a different one because there is no remorse, repentance nor positive revolutionary conduct in him. He has continued on a path to denigrate, undermine and insult the party, its leadership and its ethos, clandestinely presenting himself as a political phenomenon. That behaviour stands in his way. Be that as it may, the leadership of the party will advise accordingly as and when he does the necessary procedures.

It is understood that Kasukuwere has been trying to worm his way back into the ruling party through high-level negotiations.

Sources in Zanu PF claimed that the former Local Government minister has also dangled US$30 000 to the Harare Womens League chairperson Ratidzo Mukarati to support G40s bid to wrest State power.

The sources also said party bigwigs were closely monitoring events around the upcoming Zanu PF womens elective conference, where Mnangagwa allies fear G40 elements aligned to Kasukuwere can grab positions.

Kasukuwere confirmed the high-level talks to enable him to return to the ruling party.

People have spoken and people continue to speak. We must listen to our people and act. Everyone is involved and engaged. The way forward has been written on stone. There is no going back, he said in an interview with NewsDay.

We are glad that those who led Operation Restore Legacy have realised that as they were busy engaged with discussion on serious party issues with former president Mugabe, unscrupulous people whose agenda was to topple President Mugabe and install Mnangagwa had always been known, took advantage of the talks and captured our party. Illegal central committee of November 2017 must be remedied.

The ruling party has perennially been beset with infighting, which has sometimes resulted in violent running battles, and this was laid bare during campaigning for the recent district and provincial positions.

 NewsDay

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As you will see from our earlier post on B.S. Detector, our attorney Jim Moody has had a busy day.

As lawyers like to say, res ipsa loquitur. Please tweet and circulate this letter widely.

The Washington Post, which legitimated PropOrNot, got more unfavorable press reactions to its continued refusal to retract its fake news/evil Rooskies story, more formally titled, Russian propaganda effort helped spread fake news during election, experts say by Craig Timberg. Expert media commentators criticized the Posts handwave in the form of an editors note that it placed at the top of a story that is now history, as opposed to news. The mild concession is likely to be read only by fans of the 199 sites that were defamed by the Post, and journalists whove taken interest in the row and not the vast public that read the story through the post and other major outlets, like USA Today, that re-reported or syndicated Timbergs piece.

As the Columbia Journalism Review stated (emphasis original):

More importantly, the editors note vaults into verbal gymnastics in an attempt to simultaneously rationalize and distance itself from an obviously flawed primary source. Any data analysis is only as good as the sum of its parts, and its clear that PropOrNots methodology was lacking. The Post, of course, was merely reporting what PropOrNot said. Yet it used declarative language throughout, sans caveat, lending credence to a largely unknown organization that lumps together independent left-wing publications and legitimately Russian-backed news services. The Post diminished its credibility at a time when media credibility is in short supply, and the non-apologetic editors note doesnt help.

And from FAIR (emphasis original):

Almost two weeks after its article ran, the Post ran a sort of correction in the form of an editorial comment in italics pasted on top of the online edition of Timbergs November 24 piece (where only those looking for the by then old original story would find it). In that note, the editors say that the paper did not name any of the sites [on PropOrNots blacklist], does not itself vouch for the validity of PropOrNots findings regarding any individual media outlet, nor did the article purport to do so. Since publication of the Posts story, PropOrNot has removed some of those sites from its list. Of course, the damage was already done, as the original article achieved widespread circulation via the Posts wire service; it would be up to all those news organizations that bought and ran the story, or reported their own versions of it, to make any correction. Meanwhile, the facile dodge of we didnt name the sites ignores the reality that the Posthad prominently showcased PropOrNot and let its name vouch for the heretofore unknown groups credibility. The paper didnt have to run the list; anyone with a smartphone could do a Google search, find PropOrNots website as the first listing, go to the homepage and find a link button headed The List. And apparently plenty of readers did that. While thanks to the Posts grant of anonymity, PropOrNots hidden principals remained safe from inquiring reporters and Russian hackers alike, editors of sites named on its McCarthyite hit list quickly found themselves deluged with venomous calls and emails. As Jeffrey St. Clair, a co-founder and editor of CounterPunch.org, another site listed prominently as a propaganda tool, recalls, The morning after the Post published its article, I found 1,000 emails in my inbox, mostly hate mail and death threats.

And from a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner by e-mail:

I am astounded by the editors note they appended to the story. The Post says it doesnt vouch for PorpOrNot?? And yet, it cites them repeatedly and blind quotes their associates? Ive never seen anything like it.

A partial list of additional coverage: a favorable story in the Daily Beast, in which we were interviewed (and the Beast has had at the top of its Read This List: sidebar apparently since it was published till now) and TruthDigs publication of the Posts response to its letter. Several other sites, including two well-known ones, have said in the last two days they would like to join our suit (this is in addition to parties that previously approached us).

161209-jam-demand-letter-to-propornot

161209-jam-demand-letter-to-propornot
A new residential community at Glencomeragh House near Kilsheelan training young Catholics to do youth ministry work in parishes and schools across the country was officially opened by the Papal Nuncio to Ireland Archbishop Charles Browne last Friday night.

The Rosminian Order handed over Glencomeragh House to the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore in September and the new Holy Family Mission based there enrolled its first ten students on October 23.

Nine of the students are Irish and one is from the United States. Holy Family Mission Director Maura Garrihy, one of the three co-founders of the Holy Family Mission, says the Mission is the first of its kind in the country.

She says Glencomeragh House will continue to offer religious retreats for young people families, individuals and groups as it did under the Rosminians but on a smaller scale.

She describes the Holy Family Mission as a place for young people aged between 18 and 30 to discover and deepen their knowledge of the Catholic faith.

"Through the training and formation they receive they will be able transmit the faith in parishes and schools across the country."

The spend a year at the Mission from October to July receiving academic and practical formation in the Catholic faith. Maura says most of their students are post-Leaving Certs and are treating the course as a gap year. Some are from northern Ireland and others are from Limerick, Waterford and Cork.

She has set up the Mission along with Fr Patrick Cahill, a native of Thurles and Parick Reynolds, who is originally from Scotland. They all have a broad range of experience in youth ministry and evangelisation. Maura, for example, previously worked as a Diocesan Youth Minister in Derry and Galway and was involved in providing retreats at schools around the country.

"Holy Family Mission is the first of its kind in Ireland and is a response to a deep desire in the young people we meet to know the beauty of what our faith is about. They (the young people) have seen and experienced how it helps them to live lives with purpose and they desire to share this with others, she said.

At the official launch and blessing Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown described the Mission as a "source of light that God willing will spread throughout Ireland".

He said to be a follower of Jesus in this era meant taking big risks and not being satisfied with the status quo. There was so much darkness in the world today and a longing in young people's hearts for light, truth and love, he continued.

Archbishop Brown said there were a lot of bleak assessments of the Catholic Church in Ireland today but the Holy Family Mission was a "beautiful" example of the green shoots happening in the Church. It was something small, precious, new and fragile but had tremendous promise.

"Nothing is more important that the evangelising of young people. It's the most important thing for the Church," he declared.

Bishop of Waterford & Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan recounted how the Mission's three co-founders approached him in April with their idea for a place where young people could be formed in the Catholic faith.

The next day Fr Jimmy Browne of the Rosminian Order phoned him and offered Glencomeragh House to the Diocese. Cynics might say this was a coincidence but he believed it was the "hand of God" at work.

He said the greatest enemy to their faith was ignorance. People simply did not know the Catholic faith and they could see all around the results this ignorance of faith - a do it yourself Catholicism, where you choose a little bit of this or that.

"So a house like this is a place where people can learn and discover Jesus Christ and can experience the beauty of the faith which Jesus Christ as left us in his charge."

Bishop Cullinan added that the dumbing down of their faith was no longer an option because it hadn't worked. Now he believed God was calling them to take a risk and do something different.

For further information on the Holy Family Mission contact: Maura Garrihy, Mission Director of Holy Family Mission on 052 613 3181 or 0861693874, or email holyfamilymissionireland@gmail.com.
One of latest proposals for reviving the private-label residential mortgage market involves improving communications between issuers and investors.

The Structured Finance Industry Group released its fifth in a series of papers outlining contract language for new securities and other measures intended to reduce conflicts of interest between issuers, servicers and investors. It includes a proposal for a common communication platform for mortgage bond issuers and investors.

The proposal is in the formative stage and is subject to review and revision. The overarching principles include that it be administered by a third party; that it provide free access to all investors; and that it support notifications sent by transaction parties, communication among authenticated bondholders and voting process for consent solicitations.

The proposal also lays out recommended system criteria and specifications covering technology, access, authentication, communication, record keeping and security.

"Each transaction should provide investors free access to the designated communication platform," SFIG states in its latest "Green Paper."

Investor members of the working group believe that the cost of access should be paid by transaction cash flows. Charging individual investors would limit participation, especially by smaller investors. This is up for discussion.

Moody's Investors Service believes that improving communication between all transaction parties would improve transparency and ongoing governance and monitoring of the transactions. In a report published Thursday, it noted that some common reasons investors and issuers need to communicate include requests for proxy votes, soliciting consent for amendments or resolutions, and notifications to and from various transaction parties and investors.

"Currently, because multiple intermediaries must forward communications to the ultimate investor, certain investors may receive the information more quickly than others and in some case some investors may not see the information at all," the Moody's report states.

Because the vast majority of bonds are held electronically, instead of in paper form, the current communication process relies on the Depository Trust Co. to forward communications to bondholders. However, DTC typically does not have a record of the actual investor's identity; it only has the investor's custodian/broker dealer. So it's not clear who will ultimately get communication.

Ensuring that all investors receive communications isn't the only benefit, however. Moody's believes that encouraging investors of any size to raise concerns or other issues with the issuer and greater investor group should improve asset quality. "Under the current system, typically the costs and effort associated with raising and resolving issues may deter smaller investors to bring up issues," the report states.

The latest Green Paper also includes a new form for comparing representations and warranties across deals by the same issuer or multiple issuers. Moody's sees this as "credit positive," if widely adopted, because it will make it easier for investors to assess the relative credit risk as a result of differences, if any.

"Currently, investors may have difficulty assessing R&Ws from deal to deal, even from the same securitization shelf," the ratings agency said in a separate report published Thursday. "Offering documents do not highlight differences between two series or say whether R&Ws are the same."
(Natural News) The Washington Post has finally committed its most desperate act of credibility suicide, publishing a blatantly false, fabricated story that now claims Russia directly interfered with the election to deliver a victory to Donald Trump. Click here to read the WashPost fabrication in full.

The WashPost story does not name a single source for the accusation, and the obviously fabricated story serves primarily to provide cover for a previous story the Washington Post also faked (and then got caught faking).

Journalism at the WashPost, in other words, has devolved to the point where new fake stories are published to try to bolster the fabrications of old fake stories. All of them feed into the paranoid delusions of the hysterial left which has now entered the realm of clinically diagnosable mental illness when it comes to excuses for why Hillary Clinton lost the election to Donald Trump. (Next, well hear tin foil hat theories that aliens or Bigfoot stole the election, no doubt)

The delusional liberal media is now widely circulating the WashPost story as fact, citing the Washington Post as their source even though the Post cited no named person whatsoever. This is how the circle of delusion works in the bubble liberal media: One media source fabricates a piece of fake news, then they all repeat it, citing each other as credible sources until the entire population of gullible democrats believes the false narrative.

WashPost story completely bogus and they know it

Donald Trump blasted the story. These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, said the Trump transition team.

The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. Its now time to move on and Make America Great Again.'

RNC spokesman Sean Spicer also lashed out at the false WashPost fake news report. Via DailyCaller.com:

The intelligence is wrong, Spicer told Smerconish. It didnt happen. We offered the New York Times conclusive proof that it didnt happen. They ignored it. They refused to look at it because it didnt fit the narrative.

The Washington Post is now actively engaged in treason against the United States of America

On January 21, 2017, one of the most important acts President Trump can initiate is the arrest and indictment of seditious Washington Post operatives who are actively working against the interests and national security of the United States of America.

The wholesale fabrication of false news stories by the Post, with the intended impact of denying Donald Trump the White House, is an act of sedition against this nation. It means the Washington Post, far from functioning as part of the free press to keep government honest, has decided to use its remaining influence to overthrow the government through the use of strategic, falsified articles that are timed to sway Electoral voters to throw their votes away from Donald Trump.

In fabricating these blatantly false and malicious news stories, the Washington Post is not engaged in journalism or an expression of free speech. This degree of news fakery and malicious interference with the election is, ironically, exactly what the Post ridiculously accuses Russia of doing. Publishing this brand of falsified information that carries such game-changing ramifications for the outcome of a democratic election is the geopolitical equipment of yelling fire in a crowded room.

This is precisely the kind of deeply malicious, misleading and knowingly false propaganda that the Trump administration must halt. The First Amendment does not protect malicious, anti-American speech that is intended to overthrow the legitimately and democratically elected President of the United States. Its time to call for the arrest and prosecution of Washington Post propaganda operatives who are literally staging a soft coup via coordinated media fabrications.

The Washington Post has demonstrated it is a clear and present national security threat to the United States of America. Theyve gone beyond their usual news fakery and have now decided to actively work against the interests of democracy.
NASA will take on a new groundbreaking earth science mission: the Geostationary Carbon Cycle Observatory (GeoCARB), an official press release from the space agency said last Dec. 7.

GeoCARB is the second space-based investigation lined up in NASA's Earth Venture, which are a series of small, low-budgeted, and targeted missions as part of a bigger program, such as NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) program. (The first mission in the series is the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS), which was chosen back in 2012 and will be launched on Monday, Dec. 12.)

NASA dedicated a whopping $166 million in total funding for GeoCARB, which should cover early stage development, launch of the mission as a hosted payload on a commercial communications satellite, and data analysis over the next five years. In the pipeline since 2010, the new satellite mission is expected to launch sometime in 2021, an article by the Washington Post stated.

The space agency is confident that the GeoCARB mission will continue the nation's pioneering efforts in quantifying critical greenhouse gases and vegetation health from space, which in turn will help us better understand the Earth's natural exchanges of carbon between the land, atmosphere and ocean.

"The GeoCARB mission breaks new ground for NASA's Earth science and applications programs. GeoCARB will provide important new measurements related to Earth's global natural carbon cycle, and will allow monitoring of vegetation health throughout North, Central and South America," Michael Freilich, director of the Earth Science Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, said.

Headed by Berrien Moore, the vice president for weather and climate programs at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, the GeoCARB mission will be executed in partnership with the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, California; SES Government Solutions Company in Reston, Virginia; the Colorado State University in Fort Collins; and NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
Despite efforts to combat its population decline, a newly developed network of acoustic detectors has confirmed that there is an alarming 34 percent per year decline of the endangered vaquita porpoise in Mexico. A study in the journal Conservation Biology has revealed this devastating statistic.

The vaquita became endangered due to its association with the sought-after totoaba, a large fish with a swim bladder that is of great value in China. As an unintended bycatch, the vaquita's numbers have declined exponentially.

"We are witnessing the end of a species, if the illegal fishing continues," said Armando Jaramillo-Legorreta of Mexico's Department of the Environment and Natural Resources. He is also the lead author of the research describing the acoustic array and its findings. "The acoustic array is a powerful new tool that helps us see the tragic direction of this population by listening for the porpoises' voices."

A companion paper published in Conservation Letters uses both acoustic and visual surveys to reveal that as of 2015, only about 60 vaquitas remained. "The science revealing the decline was key to spurring the Government's emergency actions," shared Rafael Pacchiano, Mexico's Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources.

The new acoustic study found that due to the resumption of illegal gillnet fishing for totoaba, the vaquita population is declining much more rapidly. Totoaba bladders are now worth up to $5,000 per kilogram, even costing as much as $100,000 on the black market in China according to information from the Environmental Investigations Agency.

The Government of Mexico has launched many campaigns to save the vaquita. They have set aside half of the small porpoise's range as a no-fishing refuge and implemented a two-year ban on all gill net fishing in the range of the species. Local fishers and related industries are even being given compensation to aid in reversing the decline of the vaquita.

"Long-term monitoring like this is usually about as newsworthy as an annual check-up," said Barbara Taylor, a NOAA Fisheries marine mammal biologist and coauthor of the new study. "In this case the monitoring exposed the shocking degree of illegal fishing that is rapidly driving the vaquita toward extinction. The science is showing us the urgency of the situation."

With numerous totoaba gill nets having been found and removed in recent months, marine experts hope for a more positive and recent abundance estimate using the acoustic monitoring that builds on last year's abundance estimate.

"This pioneering research revealed just how sharply vaquitas are declining, and how urgent the situation has become," said Cisco Werner, director of NOAA Fisheries' Southwest Fisheries Science Center. "Science may have bought the vaquita some precious time by supporting the extra protections. But we are now on the verge of losing the species altogether."
A presidential race like no other and 17 ballot propositions brought California voters to the polls in strong numbers on Election Day.

Three out of four registered California voters cast a ballot in the November election, the highest rate of participation since the 2008 presidential election.

With all counties tallying their final turnout results, the secretary of state's office reported Friday that just over 14.6 million ballots were cast in California. That's 75.3 percent of the state's 19.4 million registered voters.

Turnout this year was up 3 percentage points from 2012, but it fell four points short of the participation rate in 2008, when Barack Obama was elected the nation's first black president.

This year, Democrat Hillary Clinton won 62 percent of the vote in California, defeating Republican Donald Trump by 4.3 million votes to win the state's 55 electoral college votes.
Hundreds of immigrants in the South Bay are worried Friday that they've lost money and their chance to stay in the United States.

Santa Clara County sheriffs deputies in November arrested James Lopez on suspicion of running a fraudulent immigration assistance service that is believed to have duped more than 1,000 people.

Investigators say that what Lopez did  or didn't do as the case may be  could result in his clients being deported. Lopez faces several felony charges, including forgery, grand theft and practicing law without a license, according to investigators.

After NBC Bay Area broke the story, investigators received calls from more potential victims. And people are continuing to come forward, they said.

The response has been a "little more than what we expected," Lt. Elbert Rivera said.

He continued: "We've had over 30 calls that we're filtering. There's still some calls that we've got to get back to."

A victim who identified himself only as Jesus said he was trying to remedy his wife's immigration status when he shelled out more than $1,000 of hard-earned money to Lopez, who was allegedly operating an illegal consulting service in Cupertino without state approval.

The business advertised itself as a place to help immigrants, but Lopez may have actually been targeting them, investigators believe. He is suspected of providing improper service to about 1,000 clients and counting, while charging each of them about $1,200, they said.

He was charging fees for services in regards to immigration paperwork  which don't require any fees, Rivera said. It appeared he was also forging documents, just based on the evidence."

Lopez did not respond to NBC Bay Area's requests for comment.
A race to $30 million.

That's the goal San Francisco city officials have set to help 800 homeless families in the next few years.

Tech giant Salesforce is backing the plan, with CEO Marc Benioff encouraging others to do the same.

"It's easy to forget how many homeless children we have in San Francisco. We have thousands," Benioff said.

City officials said the money will help homeless families find housing. The goal for the campaign is to keep kids in school and off the streets.

"There's nothing more important than the education and health care of our kids," Benioff said. "And when you look at health care, it starts where they are living."

Yessenia Barrientos said she and her three kids were evicted from their San Francisco apartment last year. Barrientos and her family are now receiving housing assistance from Hamilton Families, a non-profit organization working with the city.

"We already place about 400 families into rapid rehousing a year we need about 800 more in the next few years to address the backlog of families who are waiting to be served," said Jeff Kositsky, director for the city's department of homelessness and supportive housing.

Benioff and his wife, Lynn, have pledged to match up to $10 million for the homelessness campaign.

Mayor Ed Lee is now asking for help to reach the $10 million goal to help more parents like Barrientos.

"I think it's going to be great," Lee said. "Not just for the schools, for families and it will make out city stronger for that reason."

There is currently a six-month wait list for families to receive housing assistance in San Francisco. The goal of this fundraiser is to offer immediate services.

For more information on the Hamilton Families, visit the group's website.
A 17-year-old driver died Friday evening when his car collided with another car in South San Jose, according to police.

At around 5:20 p.m., officers responded to a report of a collision involving two vehicles at Monterey Road and Daylight Way, police said.

After conducting a preliminary investigation, officers determined the collision occurred when a silver 1992 Honda Civic was traveling south on Monterey Road, approaching Daylight Way, and a black 2001 Honda Accord tried to make a left turn on northbound Monterey Road from Daylight Way, according to police.

Both drivers were taken to a hospital. The teenage driver of the Honda Civic was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. His identity has not yet been released.

The driver of the Honda Accord suffered injuries not considered life-threatening.

Investigators do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved in the collision, according to police.

The incident marks the city's 41st fatal collision this year.
The San Francisco road where a water main break occurred early Friday morning has reopened as of Saturday morning, but will likely be closed again for more repair work, according to the city's Public Utilities Commission.

The 12-inch main break at Howard and Fourth streets was first reported at 2:41 a.m., a fire dispatcher said. A utilities spokesman said crews responded at 3:15 a.m.

The water main, which dates back to 1895, caused flooding and sent water into the Moscone Center and the unfinished MTA subway line. It also shut down streets and snarled traffic in the bustling area, officials said. The affected water main was pressurized, so crews also struggled with erosion late Friday.

The SoMa intersection was expected to reopen by late afternoon, but it didn't. Crews worked into early Saturday morning to pour concrete and repair the roadway.

While the roadway is back open, the SFPUC will be forced to close it briefly during the coming week to do final paving work. However, officials did not confirm which day or for how long the road would be closed

Often, age causes water main breaks, but such incidents are more common in colder months, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission officials said.

"The pipe was originally put in in about 1895 so as most folks around the city know we do have aging infrastructure as old as the city," said Suzanne Gautier with the SFPUC.

In fiscal year 2013, crews replaced 6 miles of pipes, while 9 were replaced in 2014, 12 in 2015, and 15 in 2016, Gautier said. However, 53 water main failures have been reported in the first 6 months of this year, with most occuring in January.

"The PUC has taken an aggressive goal of repairing or replacing about 15 miles of pipe per year although clearly we havent caught up with all the vulnerable ones," said Suzanne Gautier with the SFPUC.

Water was shut off to about 200 customers in the area, including a senior home, as crews sought to repair the break. But all water service was restored within hours. The SFPUC said that many water lines cross the neighborhood, which is why service wasnt impacted for a longer time.
Donald Trump is tweeting about television again  this time accusing CNN of reporting "rediculous" fake news and asserting that he won't let his television show conflict with his presidency.

Trump's Saturday morning tweets follow an announcement by Mark Burnett, the creator of "The Apprentice," that the president-elect remains an executive producer on the show.

Trump's spokeswoman, Kellyanne Conway, said on CNN Friday that Trump's ties to his reality show are being reviewed for potential conflicts of interest.

At 6:28 a.m. the president-elect said on Twitter that he had "NOTHING to do" with the show and that he will devote "ZERO TIME" to it. [[405753255, C]]

He also slammed the CNN report, which raised the possibility that he might be doing "double-duty" as both president of the United States and executive producer of his show. Trump misspelled the word "ridiculous" in his Tweet.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/807549462105165824

He later deleted the tweet with the misspelled word, and posted a correction.
A man is facing a number of charges following a police involved shooting early Saturday morning in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

Police said the shooting happened at a sober house on Teaticket Highway at about 1 a.m., after an intoxicated man barricaded himself in his bedroom for hours with a firearm.

Officers first arrived to the scene at 8:09 p.m. Friday after receiving a 911 call that the man was making threats to kill himself. Police evacuated the residence and were told by witnesses that the man was holding a firearm to his head.

"I looked out the window and looked all around and there was police over there and an ambulance," said neighbor Jean Burnett. "It's scary. Very scary."

According to a neighbor, police told area residents to evacuate their homes around the same time and a portion of the roadway was shutdown as a safety precaution.

"My wife said, 'can I see an ID, and the cop just said, 'leave,'" recalled neighbor Arthur Thomas.

Police made contact with the man inside the house via cellular phone, but he refused to surrender.

A special response team was then called in to assist. When negotiations failed, police said the special response team made entry into the house. Authorities said that's when the man pointed the gun at officers and was shot.

Police said the man suffered a single gunshot wound to his hip area. He was first transported to Falmouth Hospital then to a Boston hospital for treatment of non life threatening injuries.

No officers were injured during the incident.

The man, who has not been identified, is facing a number of charges including assault by means of a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and firearm violation  with one prior violent crime.

The incident is under investigation by the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office.
A new upscale Starbucks Reserve is set to open on Chicago's North Side next year.

The new Starbucks store will open in the Wrigley Field office building complex with a so-called Starbucks Reserve experience bar, according to a company spokesperson.

These stores are designed to have coffee craft be the center of conversation, where the coffee bars are interactive and customers can lean in and talk to our partners (employees) about how coffee is brewed on a siphon or made on a Black Eagle (manual espresso machine), David Daniels, managing director for Starbucks Design, said in a statement. The theater of coffee is the first thing you see when you walk in the door and it says, Come here, sit down, learn more.'"

Starbucks has also teamed up with an Italian food partner, Princi, to introduce food into their new boutique bakery and cafe locations.

A stand alone Princi store is set to open in Chicago's West Loop in late 2017.
For nearly 70 years the Catholic Charities has been collecting toys for needy children. But this year thousands of kids could wake up Christmas morning without a presentbut the generosity of strangers can help.

Inside the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicagowhats being called Santas Workshopvolunteers are running out of toys to pack.

Each year Catholic Charities volunteers collect and distribute presents to 25,000 underprivileged kids for Christmasbut theyre still 5,000 gifts short this year.

Marie Jochum, director of volunteer relations for Catholic Charities, recalled a recently arrived child refugee from Iraq who received a toy for Christmas.

When I brought the gifts to him he said to me: I thought baba Noel, Santa Claus was killed in the bombings in Iraq. So, these are our children whos stories we know and care about. Jochum said.

The charity says it needs to collect the toys by Wednesday in order to sort and send them to facilities throughout Cook and Lake counties before Christmas.

We had a few donors pull out at the last minute and that has affected us, said Marie Jochum, director of volunteer relations for Catholic Charities.

Maybe you can only give a $5 giftthats okay, she said. Its an opportunity to really participate in the community and say these are our families and these are our children and theyre important to us.

For more information on how you can help, visit catholiccharities.com.
As Chicago sees a weekend of winter snowstorms, more than 1300 flights at both O'Hare and Midway Airports have been canceled.

As of Sunday morning, at least 1231 flights were canceled at O'Hare, and 177 at Midway, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.

At O'Hare, cancellations were split almost exactly between arrivals (616) and departures (655), while Midway's breakdown was fairly even as well, at 81 arrivals and 96 departures canceled.

Delays at both airports were listed at under 15 minutes. [[405932396, C]]

Midway tweeted just after 2 p.m. Saturday that Southwest Airlines had preemptively canceled most flights through Sunday, warning travelers to check their flight statuses with the specific airline. A Southwest spokesperson later said the airline had canceled at least 241 flights.

American Airlines said Saturday that approximately 430 flights were canceled for Sunday, and 60 canceled on Saturday. With a travel advisory in place, American Airlines passengers whose flights were impacted are allowed to rebook without additional fees.

United Airlines did not immediately disclose how many flights were disrupted, but a spokesperson detailed a similar waiver plan where affected travelers can change the date or time of their flights and United will waive the fees. [[405862145, C]]

The flight cancellations came as a Winter Storm Warning impacted most counties across the Chicago area, with forecasts continuing to call for several inches of snow.

The warning went into effect at 3 p.m. for Boone, McHenry, DeKalb, Kane and Kendall counties, remaining in those areas until midnight Sunday night.

Cook, DuPage, Lake and Will counties in Illinois, and Porter and Lake counties in Indiana were under the warning beginning at 6 p.m., again through midnight Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service.

Snow began to develop across the area by early Saturday evening and is expected to continue through Sunday evening with accumulations of more than 6 inches possible.

Far northern counties could see up to 10 inches of snow, with up to 8 inches possible in central sections of the metro area. Areas south of Chicago will likely see less snow, with accumulations of 3 inches or less forecast.

A Look Back at the 5 Biggest Snowstorms in Chicago History
Gov. Bruce Rauner praised President-elect Donald Trumps pick for education secretary Thursday, calling the Michigan billionaire and school voucher advocate a very talented and very passionate education advocate, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Trump named Betsy DeVos the head of the federal Department of Education last month. DeVos has been a visible proponent of voucher programs that allow parents to use taxpayer money to pay for private or parochial schools, according to the report. Devos, whose husband is an heir to the Amway fortune, was a former chair of the Michigan Republican Party.

I do know Betsy DeVos, I have great respect for her, Rauner said Thursday. I think shes a very talented and very passionate education advocate. And I personally believe in school choice. And I look forward to working together."

The DeVos family, who are among the countrys top Republican donors, contributed $13,000 to the governors 2014 campaign, according to the Tribune. That includes a $1,000 donation from DeVos herself.

Earlier this month, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis slammed Devos, warning that she would expand on policies that have been proven not to work, according to a separate Tribune report.

Dont ask me why he picked her, Lewis said. I dont know who put her name on the list, but shes a nightmare.

Lewis has repeatedly clashed with Rauner during his first term in office, even calling him a new ISIS recruit in April after the governor slashed millions in funding for the district and other social service groups.

Has Homeland Security checked this man out yet, Lewis asked as the time. Because the things hes doing look like acts of terror on poor and working class people."
A Meriden dentist previously accused of sexually assaulting patients was arrested Friday on a slew of charges following a reported burglary.

Police said around 10 p.m. Friday they responded to a reported burglary in progress. When officers arrived they spoted a vehicle fleeing the area. Police determined the vehicle was registered to Dr. Jeffrey Krahling, of Wallingford.

According to police witnesses identified Krahling as being involved in the incident. Krahling was arrested with help from Wallingford police and state police.

Krahling was charged with risk of injury, criminal mischief, stalking, tampering with a witness, intimidating a witness, breach of peace, reckless endangerment, interfering with police, criminal attempt to commit assault on an officer, violation of a restraining order, and reckless driving.

Meriden police did not release full details on the incident that led to these charges.

Krahling was held on a $1,000,000 bond.

Krahling was arrested back in October on accusations he sexually assaulted patients at his dental office. He is next scheduled to appear in court in that case on Jan. 18.

NBC Connecticut reached out to Krahling's attorney but has yet to hear back.
There's talk of a new $15 million hotel project being built on an empty parcel of land in the Fort Trumbull area.

It could put that property back on the tax roll for the first time in 10 to 15 years.

The hotel, proposed by the Massachusetts-based J-Hotel Group, would include a conference center, restaurant and coffee shop all on New London's waterfront.

The group's attorney, Glenn Carberry, of TCORS, said it could create between 20 to 60 full-time and part-time jobs.

"Hopefully the timing is right now to create something to benefit the city," Carberry said.

"Obviously it creates buzz and it puts New London out in front of the development world," said Peter Davis, executive director of Renaissance City Development Association, that owns the land.

RCDA is the City of New London's development partner.

Davis said the original concept was to build a hotel on the nine acre parcel of land about a decade ago. But the plan fell through, partially because of the economy.

Now with the growth of Electric Boat, the coast guard museum, and the merger of L&M Healthcare and Yale New Haven Hospitals, it seems like the right time to grow, he added.

Commercial fisherman would potentially need to be relocated. The Connecticut Port Authority is looking at options at State Pier.

Proposed housing projects on Howard Street and at the corner of Howard and Bank Streets can drive even more people to the area, Davis added. He believes residential housing can rejuvenate a community.

There has been a lot of talk about the history of eminent domain in the Fort Trumbull. This parcel is not part of that. But Davis said it's time to build up the Fort Trumbull area.

While the hotel is only an idea, Nathan Przybysz at Dev's American Bistro & Bar on Bank Street said it could mean a lot of foot traffic and word of mouth.

He's excited about the possibility.

"We'd be so close to them they wouldn't need a means of transportation to get to us," Przybysz.
On his so-called victory tour, President-elect Donald Trump has been repeating some inaccurate talking points that weve flagged before. So, as we did during the campaign, well highlight these repeats in our Groundhog Friday feature.

Follow the links to our original stories on these claims for more information.

On jobs at Carrier, Dec. 6 in North Carolina: We were very proud of saving 1,100 jobs in Indiana with the help of Mike Pence 

Thats an exaggerated figure, as we noted when Trump and Vice President-elect Pence stopped at a Carrier plant in Indianapolis on Dec. 1 to announce a deal with the company to save jobs that were scheduled to be moved to Mexico.

The company told us that the agreement  which reportedly includes $7 million in tax breaks over 10 years  prevents 800 factory jobs from going to Mexico. Another 300 jobs in headquarters and engineering at the plant were never going to be shifted to Mexico, but instead were slated to move to another facility in Indiana, the company representative said.

When a union official correctly pointed out Trumps inflated figure, the president-elect fired off two tweets criticizing the union official, saying the man had done a terrible job representing workers and that if the local union was any good, they would have kept those jobs in Indiana.

While the deal negotiated by Trump keeps 800 of the factory jobs in Indianapolis, another 600 factory jobs will still move to Mexico. And Carriers parent company, United Technologies Electronic Controls, will still close its manufacturing plant in Huntington, Indiana, shifting another 700 factory jobs to Mexico  for a net loss of 1,300 jobs.

Trumps Campaign-Style Exaggerations, Dec. 2

On the trade deficit, Dec. 6 in North Carolina: On trade, our trade deficit now nearly $800 billion a year. We have a deficit  think of it  of almost $800 billion a year.

We heard this one a lot on the campaign trail, and it ended up in our Groundhog Friday reports a few times. Its still an incomplete picture of trade.

The U.S. trade deficit was $531.5 billion in 2015. Trumps nearly $800 billion number involves a generous rounding-up and pertains to the trade deficit for goods only, which was $758.9 billion in 2015. But the U.S. has a trade surplus in services, such as travel, education and intellectual property, resulting in a trade deficit of $531.5 billion for goods and services.

FactChecking the 11th GOP Debate, March 4

On support from African American and Hispanic voters, Dec. 6 in North Carolina: We did so well, so much better with African American communities, with Hispanic communities than anybody ever anticipated.  So much better, better than has taken place in years back, in years back. So I want to thank the African American communities. I want to thank the Hispanic communities.

It depends on what Trump meant by in years back.

As we wrote when Trump claimed his percentage of the black vote was higher than all of the Republican candidates for years, thats true when compared with Republicans who ran against Barack Obama, the first black president. But Trump did about the same or worse, as a percentage, than every other previous Republican since 1968.

According to exit polls, Trump garnered 8 percent of the black vote, while Clinton got 88 percent. Thats better than what Republican nominees Mitt Romney (6 percent in 2012) and John McCain (4 percent in 2008) got when they squared off against Obama. But its a little less than George W. Bush got in 2004 (11 percent), and about the same as Bush got in 2000 (8 percent). But prior to that, youd have to go back nine presidential elections, to Barry Goldwater (6 percent) in 1964, to find a Republican presidential candidate who won a smaller percentage of support from black voters than Trump.

As for the Hispanic vote, exit polls show Trump got 29 percent  which was better than only four of the last 11 Republican nominees dating to 1972. Trump did better than Mitt Romney (27 percent in 2012), Bob Dole (21 percent in 1996), George H.W. Bush (25 percent in 1992) and Gerald Ford (24 percent in 1976). But the president-elect did worse among Hispanics compared with John McCain (31 percent in 2008), George W. Bush (35 percent in 2000 and 44 percent in 2004), George H.W. Bush (30 percent in 1988), Ronald Reagan (37 percent in both 1980 and 1984), and Richard Nixon (34 percent in 1972).

Trumps Campaign-Style Exaggerations, Dec. 2

On unemployment, Dec. 8 in Iowa: Got to get the jobs. Got 96 million people out there. We got to get them going, and they want to work. They gave up looking for jobs.

Throughout the presidential campaign, Trump argued that the real unemployment rate was higher than the official one, because he said it did not include those so frustrated by the labor market that they simply gave up looking for work. But as we wrote last February, Trumps wildly inflated unemployment rates revealed a misunderstanding of the way unemployment statistics are tallied.

According to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 95 million people not in the labor force. But Trump is wrong to say they want to work. In fact, according to BLS, only 5.5 million of them currently want a job. Those not looking for a job include millions of retirees, teenagers and stay-at-home parents. For example, there are 18.2 million people age 75 and older who were not in the work force in November, BLS says.

Trump Wildly Inflates Unemployment, Feb. 10

On his tax plan, Dec. 6 in North Carolina: And massive tax cuts, by the way, for middle-class workers, massive.

And Dec. 8 in Iowa: First on taxes, were going to undertake one of the great tax reforms and simplifications in American history. Its going to be simpler. Too much work, too complicated. And the center of the plan is massive tax relief for the American middle class has been forgotten  forgotten.

We dont know what Trump may do as president, but the tax plan he proposed during the campaign does include an average tax cut for middle-income earners. Whether thats the center of the plan or massive, however, is debatable. The average percentage change is larger for upper-income earners. The middle quintile would see a 1.8 percent average increase in after-tax income in 2017, according to an analysis by the Tax Policy Center. The fourth quintile would see a larger average increase  2.2 percent  and the top quintile would get an even larger average increase in after-tax income  6.6 percent. The top 0.1 percent would get an average increase of 14.2 percent.

His proposal would cut taxes at all income levels, although the largest benefits, in dollar and percentage terms, would go to the highest-income households, the TPC wrote in its Oct. 18 analysis.

The pro-business Tax Foundation found the same type of outcomes, with those in middle-income groups seeing a less than 2 percent average increase in after-tax income, and those in the top 10 percent of income earners getting a 5.4 percent to 8.3 percent average increase on a static basis.

Whether these changes are massive for the middle-class is a matter of opinion. Its a vague statement, unlike the specific  and misleading  figures Trump touted near the end of the campaign. Its worth noting that these are average estimates  some would see a larger increase in after-tax income and some would see less. In fact, some families, particularly some of those headed by single parents, would see an increase in their tax bills under the plan Trump has proposed. About 20 percent of households and more than half of single parents would pay more in taxes, Lily Batchelder, a visiting fellow at the Tax Policy Center and a professor at the New York University School of Law, calculated in an Oct. 28 paper.

Trumps Tax Cut Claims, Nov. 4

On crime, Dec. 6 in North Carolina: On crime, the murder rate has experienced its largest increase in 45 years. We are going to support the incredible men and women of law enforcement, and we are going to bring this terrible crime wave to an end. Highest in 45 years, the murder rate.

Trump was accurate in saying that the murder rate has experienced its largest increase in 45 years, but then went on to repeat the false claim that the murder rate was the highest in 45 years, a bogus statement he made repeatedly in the final weeks of the presidential campaign. (He got the statistic right in his speech in Iowa this week.) And Trump gave a misleading impression of the big picture on crime in claiming that he would bring this terrible crime wave to an end.

The rate for 2015 for murder and nonnegligent manslaughter was 4.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, according to FBI data. Thats lower than the rate in 1970, 45 years earlier, which was 7.9 per 100,000 inhabitants. Last years figure is also less than half the peak murder rate of 10.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1980. However, 2015s rate is the highest since 2009, when it was 5 per 100,000 people. That makes it the highest in six years, not 45 years.

But, the 2015 murder rate was 10 percent higher than it was in 2014. Thats the highest one-year increase in nearly half a century, according to the New York Times.

Does that one-year jump mean the U.S. is in the midst of a terrible crime wave? The Times quoted Richard Rosenfeld, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, saying: Its too early to call this an end to the crime drop, but we are facing a one-year rise in murders that is quite substantial  the largest in about half a century.

As the chart here shows, the murder rate has dropped substantially since its peak in 1980 and similarly high levels in the early 1990s.

Trump Wrong on Murder Rate, Oct. 28

FactCheck.org is a non-partisan non-profit organization that will hold candidates and key figures accountable during the 2016 presidential campaign. FactCheck.org will check facts of speeches, advertisements and more for NBC.
Border Patrol agents seized 1,380 pounds of marijuana valued at $1.1 million after seeing several people load the drugs into a car near the Rio Grande in Los Indios, Texas.

The driver of the drug-smuggling vehicle was a 15-year-old male from Mexico who was turned over to the local police department after being caught by Border Patrol.

Border Patrol agents were patrolling Los Indios, located far south near the border, when they spotted the juvenile and some others loading the bundles of marijuana into the car. They followed the vehicle and pulled the man over.

The juvenile tried to run from agents after being pulled over, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

This is a prime example of how transnational criminal organizations are exploiting the youth, said Chief Patrol Agent Manuel Padilla, Jr. These young lives are deliberately put in danger for the profit of smuggling drugs and immigrants.

The drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This time of year when many of us are looking at our bank accounts pretty frequently. One North Texas woman says she's glad she did, after a check drawn on her account was from a company she had never heard of.

"Pay to the order of 'DOA New Retail Inc' for $31.98," Janice Seefeldt read. "Then it says 'no signature required.' It's an actual check, has my bank's name on it and it's charged to 'Janice Seefeldt.'"

The mysterious check was drawn on her account, but the Lake Kiowa woman didn't write the check even though it says it's from her.

"I did not authorize that check. Never, never heard of that company," she said.

So she called the number on the check to try and figure out where it came from, but she says the company on the other end of the line sounded sketchy.

She was told the charge was for a purchase she made online.

"If it was something that I purchased online, why would you not question me about that purchase?" Seefeldt said.

She then asked more questions about the so-called purchase, but they couldn't tell her what website it was from or the company behind the site.

"OK, this is just another scam," Seefeldt said.

NBC 5 Responds even called the number ourselves but they told us they are just the billing service and claimed they had absolutely no information about DOA New Retail, the company they represent.

"Now, from what my bank told me, apparently this has been around for a while," Seefeldt said. "The bank led me to believe that if I had not done anything, then what they would do is write another check against our checking account and it would just be for a lot higher amount."

We contacted First State Bank to find out how this check managed to be deposited in her account, but they wouldn't comment about the situation.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency says banks are generally liable for reimbursing customers for forged checks.

We found the address for DOA New Retail from the Better Business Bureau, and we decided to follow up in person.

But when we showed up, that company was nowhere to be found.

And in Seefeldt's eyes, that helped confirm what she thought all along.

"I know with today's society, there's a lot of scams out there. So it's just a new scam and we just need to be more cautious," Seefeldt said.

Luckily, her bank was able to stop the payment, so she got her money back.

For you at home, this is something you need to watch out for, especially during the holiday season.

Here are Sam's Solutions:
The city of Dallas says it is not giving up on bringing a grocery store to a southern Dallas food desert.

For months the city's offer of $3 million in funding was up for grabs. Last week the deadline passed with no takers. It's left residents and city leaders wondering what it is going to take to get a grocery store.

"Often times, we heard that it was not in their plans, that their property margins were really thin. So they're looking how can they best recoup their finances and how quickly can they do that," said Dallas City Councilman Erik Wilson.

Two months ago a Save-A-Lot grocery store opened in Wilson's city council district. Before that, residents had to choose between shopping at a convenience store or driving several miles to find a grocery store.

The city offered the owner of the Save-A-Lot $2.8 million in funding. Wilson said the city is actively looking for another person or grocery store chain willing to take a chance on southern Dallas. He said low income households, density and public safety concerns  real or imagined  should not deprive southern Dallas residents of healthy food options.

"Everyone needs to eat. Someone has to take a chance. We're willing to work with those individuals to take that chance so we can provide a better quality of life," Wilson said.

Standing inside the family-owned grocery store that bears his grandmother's name, Ryan Munchrath recalls the risk his family took nearly 30 years ago when they opened Ann's Health Food Center and Market in a low income neighborhood in Oak Cliff surrounded by fast-food chains.

"'Why would you put a health store in an area that doesn't care about their health?' That's what the banks told my grandmother," Munchrath said.

The investment the Munchrath family made in the surrounding community has paid off. Like the Save-A-Lot the shelves are stocked with a variety of foods, fresh fruits and vegetables. There is a steady stream of customers daily.

Munchrath said $3 million in funding may not be much to the larger grocers, but for a smaller grocer it can go a long way.

"For the big chains it's nothing. For somebody like us that's another store," he said. "You have to be willing to take some years in the red, too. It's not always going to be perfect."

Munchrath said his family was able to get past the perception that quality grocery stores cannot survive in southern Dallas when their first customer walked in the door. Like Munchrath, Wilson hopes someone else can do the same and finally turn a southern Dallas food dessert into an oasis of fresh food.

"The money is still there, the offer still stands," Wilson said. "We may repackage it a different way, but we're still going to fight everyday for the elimination of food deserts in southern Dallas."
Recess is making a big comeback at several North Texas schools.

In fact, students are now required to play at some schools in Little Elm, including Oak Point Elementary.

Four times per day, students in some kindergarten and first grade classes put down their pencils for a 15 minute recess break.

Its part of the Liink Project, or Lets Inspire Innovation N Kids, created by TCU professor Dr. Debbie Rhea.

She says kids who play throughout the day are more focused in the classroom.

"It does bring back brain power, so when they're out here, it crates highways to develop in the neurological system so the mind can actually function better when its in the classroom, she said.

Teachers say unstructured playtime is already helping students think outside the box.

The kids have figured out how to come up with games, whereas in the past, they were looking at us to tell them what to do, said Sarah Turnage, a new first grade teacher.

This is the first year the LiiNK Project has been in place at Oak Point Elementary.

So far, kindergarten and first grade classes are participating in the project.

But the district says it plans on expanding to give all students a chance to build mental strength on the playground.

The LiiNK Project started during the 2015-2016 school year.

Its now in 14 schools at six school districts including Arlington, Irving, White Settlement, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw and Little Elm.
As part of NBC 5s week-long focus on mental health, were taking a look at the pressures and stresses of college life.

Going off to school is exciting, but its also often a students first time on their own and balancing high-level academics with a new taste of adulthood can be overwhelming.

But at the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton, students and staff are working together to make school feel like home.

Theres a lot to learn on a new college campus, people to meet, classes to figure out. But in those quiet moments, it can start to sink in

No one has to tell me to do anything, said UNT sophomore Cam Johnson. I can kind of just go do whatever and at first that was really cool and then I was like, oh my god, I have a million things to do.

Youre on your own now.

I got really scared, said freshman Marcos Sillero of his first week on campus. It wasnt fun. It was nights of calling my mom and missing my dogs, missing my little brother and sister, it was tough.

Going off to college is a privilege and an exciting time. But theres also stress and pressure and experts say students can get into trouble when they dont admit to themselves that theyre struggling.

Failing a semester, you and I know you can get around that, said Dr. Pam Flint, UNTs Associate Director for Clinical Services and Training. The break-up of a romantic relationship, we know you can survive that. But for a young adult who may not have a lot of experience solving problems on their own, that can be overwhelming.

Dr. Flint uses therapy dogs to help UNT students feel more comfortable talking about their feelings.

It feels more relaxing, so you dont have to feel like youre in therapy, said Dr. Flint.

I would love to totally ignore all my homework and classes and stay here, one student said while playing with the therapy dogs.

Dr. Flint sees patients struggling with high-level academics, while managing career goals, finances and their parents expectations.

Im first generation to go to college, Sillero said. Im the first one at a university in my entire family actually. So its a lot of pressure for me because I feel like I have to succeed.

Its a lot to take in all at once, added Johnson. Especially now in 2016 just with everything that you have to do to kind of become that perfect candidate at the end of your four years here to get a job. It can be a lot.

Johnson had some tough times during his first year. Now as a sophomore, hes an orientation leader, helping freshmen like Sillero find their footing.

It may not seem like youve got that same support that you had at home, Johnson said. But theres always someone here whos here to listen to you, wants to hear your issues.

And saying them out loud to whoever will listen, human or canine, goes a long way.
Many federal employees will get a small Christmas gift from President Barack Obama.

Obama authorized a 2.1 percent pay raise for civilian agency employees so their raise will match that of Defense Department employees. Obama said in August that these workers would get a 1.6 percent raise but opted on Thursday to boost the amount by 0.5 percent.

The president said he reconsidered the raise  which follows a three-year pay freeze  in part due to "current and projected economic conditions."

"In light of the decision of Congress to provide a 2.1 percent pay increase for military personnel in 2017 and reconsideration of current and projected economic conditions, I have concluded it would be appropriate to revise my original alternative plan," he wrote in a letter submitted to the House and Senate and published by Federal News Radio.

An employee making $75,000 will see a $1,575 boost before taxes.

The nation's largest federal employee union, the American Federation of Government Employees, applauded Obama's decision.

Federal employees certainly deserve this modest boost in their pay, following years of pay freezes and miniscule increases that have left them worse off today than they were at the start of the decade, union president J. David Cox Sr. said in a statement. This pay adjustment will help employees pay their bills, reduce their debts, and cover the everyday costs facing working-class Americans.

The raise will take effect in January.
In a little over a month, Texas lawmakers will be heading to Austin for the 2017 legislative session, and mental health will be a priority for House Speaker Joe Straus.

Texas trails behind other states when it comes to care and treatment.

"There is enough to do in 140 days to balance our budget, to meet the needs of Child Protective Services, to improve mental health care in the state," said Straus, a San Antonio Republican.

Members of the Texas Legislature already have some ideas, because Straus put together a committee in 2015 to look at mental health treatment and services as a whole.

There have been hearings for a year now, but the recommendations are not out yet.

"My hope is that our recommendations include replacing state facilities, state hospitals, increase funding to local mental healthcare authorities, better integration with public education," said State Rep. Chris Turner, D-Arlington, a member of that committee.

According to our NBC 5's news partners at The Dallas Morning News, there are 11 psychiatric hospitals and the Texas Department of State Health Services has identified the need to replace five along with renovating the others.

It's a heavy lift that would require $1 billion of taxpayer money, and that is even before they even get to other mental health needs, like the shortage of psychiatrists in the state.

"Again, I think the House leadership, Speaker Straus and others, are very serious about this issue, as am I. So I think the House is united and says this is one of our top priorities. I think we can get it done," he said.
Texas lawmakers will consider a proposal this session to make cyberbullying a crime.

State Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, introduced the bill in honor of a student who died by suicide after relentless cyberbullying.

David Molak died in January, and his family was with Menendez when he introduced the bill.

"This is going to set some ground rules and give a definition and some consequences for doing this, both on the criminal and civil side," said Matt Molak.

The bill also says schools are required to have a cyberbullying policy and that schools would have the power to investigate bullying that takes place off campus.

State Rep. Ina Minjarez, D-San Antonio, has filed the same bill in the Texas House of Representatives, and both chambers must approve the measure for it to advance.
Two women from California and Nevada have pleaded guilty to stealing a combined total of nearly $300,000 in Social Security benefits intended for their parents, who had died many years ago, San Diego authorities said Friday.

The office of U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy said Pamela Anita Thomas, of Lemon Grove, and Darla Ann Ausman, of Henderson, Nevada, both admitted to similar offenses in unrelated cases, each pleading guilty to one count of theft of public property.

In Thomas case, court documents show her father began receiving direct deposits of his Social Security retirement benefits into his bank account in 1998. Thomas father died in November 2001, and investigators with the Social Security Administrations Office of Inspector General said Thomas made no effort to notify the Social Security Administration of her fathers death.

Documents state Thomas did not cancel the direct deposit of the benefits. Over more than a decade, $170,000 in benefits was deposited into her dead fathers account. Investigators said Thomas then routinely transferred the money to her bank account for her own personal use.

Duffys office said Thomas is set to be sentenced on Feb. 27, 2017, in San Diego. She was released on bail pending her sentencing.

She faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. As part of her plea agreement, Thomas has agreed to also repay all of the money stolen from the Social Security Administration, Duffys office said in a press release.

Ausmans case is similar.

In 1996, Ausmans mother began receiving direct deposits into her bank account for her Social Security retirement benefits. Her mother died in May 2007. Ausman also failed to tell the Social Security Administration about her mothers death. Over the next several years, more than $120,000 in benefits were deposited into Ausmans mothers bank account.

Ausman is set to be sentenced on Feb. 17, 2017. She too faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, plus the same restitution and payback fees as Thomas.

Investigators said both Thomas and Ausman admitted to knowing that the retirement benefits for their parents should not have continued to be paid after their deaths.

Duffy said their cases are prime examples of how people can defraud these types of government programs.

By collecting benefits that did not belong to them, these defendants took money away from those who need it most  elderly retirees, people with severe illnesses and widows and children of deceased wage earners, she said in a press release.

Robb Stickley, of the Social Security Administrations Office of the Inspector General, called Social Security benefits a lifeline for so many Americans and their families, and said cases like this will be vigorously prosecuted.
The state's attorney general filed criminal charges against a man accused of posing as an immigration attorney and defrauding clients in the Los Angeles area.

Oswaldo Rafael Cabrera, the owner and operator of Coalicion Latinoamericana Internacional (CLI), was arrested and now faces 22 counts of grand theft, attempted grand theft, attempted perjury, and conspiracy, the state's attorney general Kamala Harris announced Wednesday.

"Mr. Cabrera's deception cost dozens of immigrants their hard-earned savings and tore families apart," Harris said in a news release. "Scam artists who exploit immigrants trying to navigate a complex system must be held accountable."

Cabrera charged clients up to $9,000 for legal consultations and services, the attorney general's office alleged. He is accused of misleading clients about the status of their cases, misinforming them about their eligibility of immigration relief and completing immigration forms improperly. He is also accused of ignoring and lying to clients to avoid refunds -- in some instances, his alleged mishandling of cases led to the deportation of clients' family members.

Cabrera's services were advertised widely on his website and through commercials that aired through mainstream and Spanish-language media.

"This individual promised that he was going to be able to deliver -- whether it was getting somebody out of immigration detention or helping somebody obtain permanent residency," said immigration attorney Nelson Castillo. "He's not an authorized practitioner of law; he's not an attorney or an accredited representative. Yet he's been giving legal advice."

Immigration attorneys believe Cabrera is part of a new crime wave that was created in part of immigrants' fears over President-elect Donald Trump's plans over undocumented immigrants and deportation. This has made many, including Nohemy Hernandez, nervous about their status and therefore vulnerable to rip-offs promising legal protection.

Hernandez has temporary protected status and has worked in the U.S. for many years. She paid approximately $1,000 to Cabrera for legal advice to obtain permanent residency, but all she got was "lip service," Castillo said. Hernandez's sister paid Cabrera $1,500 for a different proceeding.

Cabrera's wife, Maria Marcelina Rodas, is also facing charges for allegedly conspiring with her husband to violate the Immigration Consultants Act. If convicted, Cabrera faces more than 13 years in state prison.

Anyone who has received immigration assistance from Cabrera or CLI and believes they may be a victim is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs immediately by calling 323-881-7099.
Authorities in Puerto Rico say 16 Cuban migrants have arrived in the U.S. territory by boat.

One group of 11 men and women landed in northwestern Puerto Rico near the Rincon lighthouse. Another group of five men arrived at Mona Island off the west coast.

Border patrol spokesman Jeffrey Quinones said Saturday that the migrants would likely be released and cited to appear before an immigration judge. Under longstanding policy, Cubans who reach U.S. territory are almost always allowed to remain.

Quinones said Cubans are now outnumbering Dominican and Haitian migrants in attempting the sea passage to Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) to the west. He said 356 Cubans, 253 Dominicans and 19 Haitians have been detained along the route this year.
Authorities are searching for a crook who was caught on camera attacking and robbing a woman at an ATM in Pompano Beach.

The robbery happened back on May 1 at a Wells Fargo ATM on Sample Road as the victim, a senior citizen, was making a deposit, Broward Sheriff's Office officials said.

The man pretended to use the ATM next to the woman but as she was making her deposit, the man reached over and snatched several hundred dollars from her hand. He then grabbed her and the two struggled for several minutes, authorities said.

During the struggle, the victim's watch was torn from her wrist. The suspect momentarily fled as the victim broke free, but he returned, punched the woman several times in the face, grabbed her watch and left, authorities said.

"This is a horrible person that would go out of his way to come back after having robbing this woman of her money just to steal her jewelry, just to inflict a little more violence upon her," BSO spokesperson Gina Carter said. "So this is clearly a man we want to get off the streets."

Authorities said the suspect, described as a black male possibly in his early 30s, fled in a dark-colored four-door Toyota.

Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
State police say a 20-year-old New York college student has been charged in the fatal stabbing of an upstate volunteer firefighter during a New Year's Eve party.

Troopers on Friday say Juantae Brown of Spring Valley in Rockland County was arraigned Thursday night on second-degree murder charges in town court in Crawford in Orange County.

The SUNY Delhi student is accused of killing 20-year-old Justin Speights of Scotchtown during a fight early on the morning of Jan. 1.

Speights was a member of the volunteer fire district in Silver Lake in neighboring Sullivan County. Dozens of firefighters filled the courtroom as Brown pleaded not guilty to the charges. He's being held in the Orange County Jail without bail.

Information on his lawyer wasn't available.

Police say investigators interviewed more than 250 people in several states to gather information.
A high school student was robbed and stabbed in Manhattan after using the new Facebook Marketplace feature to try and sell sweatshirts, police say.

The 17-year-old Stuyvesant High School student took three hooded sweatshirts down to Pier 26 after school on Friday to complete a sale he started on Facebook, his friend Nazum Uddin told NBC 4 New York.

When the student arrived at the Tribeca skate park where he had agreed to meet the female buyer, there were some surprise visitors.

Three other people approached him, one wearing a ski mask.

"He brought the clothing to the skate park after school, and when he got here they pressed upon him and stabbed him and grabbed his clothing and ran away," Uddin said.

Police confirmed the student was stabbed in the left thigh and was robbed of the sweatshirts.

Facebook recently introduced a new 'Marketplace' feature on its platform, where people can sell things to one another peer-to-peer.

NBC 4 New York has reached out to Facebook for comment.
A New York teenager who went missing after she said she was harassed on a train last week has been found.

Yasmin Seweid, 18, was found in the early hours of Saturday morning, officials from the Nassau County Police Department's Missing Persons Squad said. The teen was seen being taken from her Long Island home on a stretcher Saturday afternoon.

The Nassau County Police Department put out an alert on Friday saying Seweid had been missing since Wednesday.

Last Thursday, Seweid spoke out after she said she was harassed and intimidated by three men who tried to rip her hijab - a religious head scarf - off.

Police said they were searching for those men, who allegedly targeted Seweid on the 23rd Street subway station serving the 6 line at about 10 p.m. on Dec. 1.

Seweid posted on Facebook saying the men called her a terrorist, grabbed her bag and broke the strap of it and told her to "take that rag off your head". She said Trump's name was repeated during the alleged attack.

She called the incident "traumatizing" and spoke with multiple news organizations about it.
A South Jersey anti-fascist group is planning to protest Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway's leading of a Christmas parade in Atlantic County on Saturday night.

South Jersey Antifa is organizing the peaceful demonstration at Hammonton Fire Department's Christmas parade in downtown Hammonton, according to posts on the group's social media accounts.

Conway, a South Jersey native who went to St. Joseph's High School in the town, is set to serve as grand marshal. The 49-year-old is credited with playing a pivotal role in navigating President-elect Donald Trump to The White House in this year's election.

South Jersey Antifa says Conway is not an acceptable role model citing Trump and the campaign's history with xenophobic and sexist statements and policies.

The Trump campaign has been accused of fueling a resurgence of white nationalism and for being slow to respond to hate speech. Talking to MSNBC's Chris Matthews on "Hardball" Thursday, Conway said she's been receiving death threats recently for defending the incoming administration.

.@KellyannePolls talks to @HardballChris about receiving death threats and the need to end incendiary rhetoric https://t.co/wF6jv1b8nl  Hardball (@hardball) December 9, 2016

The group has asked protesters to wear Santa hats and post to social media with the hashtag #SantaHatesFacists.

A request for comment from the Hammonton Fire Department was not immediately returned.
A police marine unit was searching a lake Tuesday in an area where a Marine Corps veteran went missing earlier this month, state police said.

Troopers with the state police unit were at three lakes at Clementon Park and a wooded area of Clementon off White Horse Avenue during the ongoing search for Lance James, 29, who disappeared after leaving Hide-A-Way Tavern on Dec. 2.

The state police is assisting Clementon police and the Camden County prosecutor's office. A Clementon police official declined to comment on the investigation, saying only that James is a missing persons case. The county prosecutor's office issued a statement Dec. 10 that said James was last seen at his residence.

But that's not what his family says.

His sister, Jessica Hassan, told NBC10.com that on the night of his disappearance, James walked a mile from his home to the Hide-A-Way Tavern on White Horse Avenue.

At first, the family believed he never made it to the bar.

But Hassan said they have since found out that James made it to the bar and during a conversation inside the bar was manhandled by at least two local men who she said frequent Hide-A-Way. Hassan claims one of men held her brother down while another kicked him in the head.

They then took James outside, she said.

That's where Hassan claims her brother actually talked to Clementon police officers. She added that there is surveillance video showing James leaving the bar toward nearby Clementon Park, where Bottom Lake and Silver Lake are. Those, along with Clementon Lake, are the lakes being searched, she said.

James hasn't been seen since.

James spent five years as an active duty Marine, completing one-year tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Field Radio Technician. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and battles severe depression, his sister said.

"He has a big heart but he wears it on his sleeve. He will make you laugh and he is by far one of the most loyal people you will meet. When you befriend him you have a friend for life," Hassan said of James adding that he's a father to a 5-year-old girl.

James, who doesn't have a car, frequents Cherry Hill where he donates blood, Hassan said. He stands 5-feet-8-inches tall with a lean build and has brown hair as well as a reddish brown beard.
A federal judge allowed Wisconsin's presidential recount to move forward Friday as a another federal judge in Pennsylvania planned to take the weekend to decide on a Green Party-backed request to recount paper ballots and examine election computer systems for signs of hacking.

U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond in Philadelphia said he will rule Monday on the recount bid by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein in Pennsylvania, where Republican Donald Trump won, beating Democrat Hillary Clinton by about 44,000 votes.

Stein, who finished far behind Trump and Clinton, is seeking a recount of potentially more than 1 million paper ballots and a forensic examination of election system software in six large counties, including Philadelphia, that use different kinds of paperless electronic voting machines.

Stein's lawyers argue it's possible computer hacking occurred in a plot to change the outcome of the election and Pennsylvania's heavy use of paperless machines make it a prime target. Stein also contends Pennsylvania has erected unconstitutional barriers to voters seeking a recount.

"The average voter in Pennsylvania has had to go through incredible lengths in order to have the assurance that their vote is being counted and being counted accurately," Stein said after the hearing.

Still, opponents, including Trump and the state attorney general's office, counter that no such evidence of hacking has been presented and that Stein has no standing to seek a recount because she can't win the election.

Carnegie Mellon University computer science professor Michael Shamos, who tests voting machines, testified for the Pennsylvania Department of State that the chance of hacking was about as likely as "androids from outer space living among us."

However, Diamond asked for estimates on how long a partial recount of about 20,000 paper ballots in perhaps a dozen counties and an examination of the hard drives from a sampling of paperless electronic voting machines might take. A hand recount of the paper ballots in each of the counties could happen over one long day, while examining hard drives might take two days, University of Michigan computer scientist Alex Halderman testified.

Still, Diamond raised concerns about the possibility of disenfranchising all 6 million Pennsylvania voters if the election is not certified by Tuesday's deadline. He scolded Green Party lawyers for their timing: "You sat on your rights for three weeks now ... and now (have caused) a judicial fire drill."

The federal lawsuit is part of a broader effort by Stein to recount votes in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states with a history of voting for Democrats for president and where Trump narrowly beat Clinton. Stein received about 1 percent or less in each of those states while victory in the states was crucial to Trump's capturing the White House.

Trump's percentage margin in Pennsylvania was the state's closest in a presidential contest since 1840, Green Party lawyers said.

In Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. District Judge James Peterson refused to halt Wisconsin's presidential recount, which began Dec. 1. He told Trump's supporters that the effort probably won't change anything anyway.

Trump defeated Clinton by more than 22,000 votes in the state. Wisconsin election officials reported Friday that nearly 89 percent of the ballots cast for president had been counted. Clinton had gained just 49 votes.

"The relief you're asking for is so clearly unwarranted," Peterson said during a Friday morning hearing.

Two pro-Trump groups, the Great America PAC and the Stop Hillary PAC, sued to stop the process. The PACs' attorney said he would consult with his clients on whether to appeal.

Peterson said Friday that the Wisconsin recount has revealed no irregularities.

A federal judge halted the recount in Michigan on Wednesday after three days, citing a state court ruling that found Stein had no legal standing to seek it.

Stein is appealing, and on Friday two Michigan Supreme Court members who made Trump's list of possible U.S. Supreme Court nominees removed themselves from consideration of Stein's appeal.

Still, Stein's Michigan appeal has only a remote chance of success. The five remaining justices haven't decided whether to take the case, and three of them were GOP-nominated in their elections.

Meanwhile, in Nevada, the secretary of state declared a recount finished Thursday. The recount of ballots from five counties turned up 15 erroneous votes between Clinton and Trump and no change in the results of the election.
A Vietnam native convicted of murdering two brothers and dumping their bodies into the Schuylkill River has been sentenced to death.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports 44-year-old Tam Minh Le showed no reaction when the jury announced its decision Friday.

Last week, jurors found Le guilty on all counts in the deaths of 31-year-old Vu "Kevin" Huynh and his 28-year-old brother Viet.

Prosecutors allege Le tortured and stabbed the brothers in August 2014 along with another man over a $100,000 debt they owed him. All three were dumped into the Schuylkill River, their faces covered with duct tape and their legs weighted down with cement. One man survived.

Le's lawyer urged jurors to show mercy and to think of Le's children. The defense characterized Le as a scapegoat.
A Temple University student says she's anxious and can't sleep at her North Philadelphia apartment after she saw a peeping Tom outside her bedroom.

Philadelphia Police released surveillance video of the incident on Friday, four days after it happened on Monday.

The video shows a man climbing on the balcony of the off-campus apartment where the 20-year-old woman lived. Police said the man took photos while looking through her window. The victim asked to have her identity shielded when speaking about what happened.

"I don't know who he is. I don't think he's directly targeting me. I think it's just a fascination with girls in general," the student said.

Philadelphia Police

The young woman said her boyfriend tried to chase the suspect, but he got away. A new lock is now in place outside the gate where the suspect entered.

Police said the suspect appears to be 20 years old, is 6-foot-2-inches tall with long brown hair and about 170 lbs. He was wearing a black North Face jacket.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Philadelphia Police tipline at 215.686.TIPS.
M K Abdul Shuhaib, working as an electrician, was arrested for abetting the suicide of Nanda Vinod. The police say he threatened to leak her private photos to break-up.
Border Patrol agents at the El Centro Sector rescued a 39-year-old man lost in the mountains west of Ocotillo Friday.

California Highway Patrol was able to find the mans coordinates after he reported being lost about half a mile north of the Mexican border fence. Border Patrol agents were dispatched to the area and the man was located around 12:40 p.m.

The man, who was an undocumented El Salvadorian national, appeared to be in good health and declined medical attention. He was arrested and transported to the El Centro Station for further investigation.

Our agents did an outstanding job on this rescue. This is a prime example of the level of vigilance and compassion Border Patrol agents display routinely while serving the American public, said Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David S. Kim.

The man will be processed for removal proceedings. This is the fifth reported rescue attributed to the El Centro Sector Border Patrol since October 1 this year.
President-elect Donald Trump is apparently softening his stance on immigration.

But some, like Itzel Guillen aren't buying it.

Guillen, 22, is a senior at San Diego State University majoring in Political Science. She was born in Mexico City, and brought to the U.S., illegally, when she was four-years old.

Guillen currently has legal status through the federal DACA program established by President Obama in 2012.

But during the presidential election campaign, Trump vowed to abolish the program, which provides temporary legal status for certain undocumented young people.

This week, President-elect Trump appeared to be softening his stance when he told Time Magazine he would "work something out" with DACA participants.

But Guillen isnt quite convinced.

For a lack of a better word, he was very hateful, said Guillen. His words can now be a reality. So in the immigrant community theres a pretty big fear about what could happen in the next four years. Just because he seemed to be softening up, I dont think that changes a lot of the fear that hes already ignited.

But attorney Dean Broyles with the National Center for Law & Policy sees things differently. He says Trump is showing understanding and compassion by softening his position. Broyles doesnt feel the DACA program is a priority in Trumps immigration reform plan.

I think hes listening to people and rethinking a position when it may not have been well thought through in the first place is a good idea, said Broyles.

Guillen works at Alliance San Diego, an organization that provides legal resources to immigrants. She says shes still fearful, but the debate has forced the immigrant community to unite, and is encouraging people to seek out advice and guidance on the issue.
A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for a crash that killed a teenager and his parents in Bethesda, Maryland.

Olgucan Atakoglu, of Potomac, was driving his father's turbo-charged BMW like a bullet when he slammed into a family's car along River Road on Feb. 27, prosecutors said.

"This young man was traveling at 115 miles an hour only seconds before this crash," said Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy.

Michael Buarque de Macedo, 52, his wife Alessandra M. Buarque de Macedo, 53, and their son, Thomas, 17, all died in the crash. Helena Buarque de Macedo, now 16, survived the crash.

The family was heading to a play at Walt Whitman High School at the time of the crash.

Before his sentencing in court, Atakoglu sobbed and shook while saying, "Every day I pray God will shine down endless love on Helena and her family. I pray to God to forgive me for my negligence and recklessness."

Atakoglu's defense attorney, David Felsen, said the deadly crash was the reckless and careless act of a young man who thought he was invincible.

"We had hoped the court would take into consideration... Ogulcan's remorse, his acceptance of responsibility and the fact that this was not an intentional act," Felsen said. "I think the last thing I heard was his mother scream as he was being taken away that she loved him," Felsen said.

However, Judge Mary Beth McCormick referenced Atakoglu's driving record, including numerous arrests for speeding, when she sentenced him to 30 years in prison, with all but 12 years suspended.

"When are you going to wake up? You took a selfish risk that resulted in the death of three people. Frankly, there is no excuse for your recklessness," McCormick said.
A Manassas woman has been charged with child abuse after authorities say she tried to calm a 3-month-old baby by administering the opiate methadone.

The Manassas City Police Department said in a statement Friday that the baby was admitted to a local hospital on Dec. 3 in respiratory distress. Tests showed the infant was under the influence of methadone, which is used for controlling opioid addiction.

Police spokeswoman Adrienne Helms tells the Washington Post an investigation revealed 31-year-old Jessica F. Nicholson orally administered the drug in an attempt to calm the baby.

Police didn't say if Nicholson and the child, who is expected to recover, were related.

Nicholson is due in court Feb. 7. It wasn't immediately clear if she has an attorney who could comment on her behalf. A phone listing for her could not be found.
A proposal to build two new middle schools in Lynn, Massachusetts, has city officials discussing the possibility of taking two homes by way of eminent domain.

One of the homes on Parkland Avenue in Lynn is owned by Luise Fonseca. The 77-year-old bought the property just a few years ago to be close to her husband who is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery across the street.

"We had a very, very good life," Fonseca said. "We had 45 years together. He was my best friend and I want to be close to him."

Fonseca is in danger of losing her home so the city can build a new middle school in the Lynn Reservoir. The proposal is far from final, but with an influx of students, city officials said they may have no choice.

"Unfortunately, there is not a lot of land that is available," Assistant City Solicitor James Lamanna said. "But this is not a situation where a bulldozer comes and knocks down a building tomorrow. There's plenty of notice."

For now, it is a waiting game for Fonseca who thought her fate would be decided by city officials this past week. They have tabled the issue until Tuesday to see if the project planners can build the school without taking her home.

They also say the city may not have the funds to purchase the properties by way of eminent domain. The plan to build two new middle schools will ultimately be up to the voters in Lynn next year.

"I will fight as long as I'm alive, as long as this body lets me," Fonseca said. "I will fight for my home."
With questions still swirling about whether police did enough, friends of a murder victim gathered Friday in Lawrence, Massachusetts, to say goodbye.

Sixteen-year-old Lee Viloria-Paulino was found decapitated last week. His 15-year-old classmate, Mathew Borges, is charged with his murder. And his family says police didn't take them seriously when they said Lee was missing and in trouble.

But Friday, hundreds of people braved the coldest night of the year to say goodbye.

Many, including city officials, say the police never took the case seriously after the victim's family reported him missing two weeks before his body was found. The mayor has launched an investigation into the police response.

Viloria-Paulino will be buried in the Dominican Republic.
For decades, the city of Medford, Massachusetts, claimed the song "Jingle Bells" orginated in its community, written in 1850 by James Pierpont in the old Simpson Tavern. There's even a plaque marking the occasion.

But Boston University professor Kyna Hamill has started to wonder.

"I've been doing a lot of reference of the 19th century, nobody in any letters, in any references, talks about James Pierpont," Hamill said.

Hammill found documented evidence Pierpont was in San Francisco for the gold rush, not in Medford.

"The story was embellished," said Hamill.

What happens next to the story and the plaque remains unclear. No one from the city got back to necn. But John Anderson with the Medford Historical Society and Museum says it will always be a part of the areas history and plans on keeping all the Jingle Bells memorabilia as a conversation starter.

"It's a harmless myth," Anderson said.

Hamill says she isn't 100 percent sure where "Jingle Bells" was actually written, but she says it was copyrighted by Pierpont in the late 1850s when he lived in Savannah, Georgia. That city also claims it was first written there.

"I followed the playbill, he dedicated the song to John Ordway," Hamill said.

Hamill is certain the piece was performed for the first time in Boston's Ordway Hall on Washington Street as part of a minstrel show where actors wore blackface.
Police in Rhode Island are investigating the death of man whose body was found in a Providence auto shop on Friday.

According to WJAR-TV, police were called to Borinquen Auto Repair on Amherst Street shortly after 2 p.m., where the man appeared to have been shot sometime during the day.

Police did not release the mans name, but relatives identified him as Pito Ledee.

Family told WJAR-TV that they were told someone came into the shop, asked for Ledee by name, and then shot him in the head twice.

So far, no arrests have been made.
One man is dead after a shooting today in Dover, New Hampshire.

Police first responded to reports of shots fired at a home on Three Rivers Farm Road Saturday morning.

Fire Captain David Lindh was able to confirm that one man was shot and later died, but would not say if there were any other victims.

According to our NBC affiliate WCSH, access to Three Rivers Road has been closed for hours while police investigate.

The Dover Police Department does not believe there is any threat of danger to the general public at this time.
A US trade judge ruled today that Arista Networks infringed on two Cisco switch patents  the second important victory the networking giant has won against Arista in their ongoing legal confrontation since it began in 2014.

U.S. International Trade Commission Judge MaryJoan McNamara issued the so-called initial determination on the case which now must be reviewed by the ITC. In the end should the ITC find against Arista its switches could once again be banned from import into the US. The ITC you may recall ruled against Arista in another part of this case and between June and August the company could not import those products. In November Arista announced that US Customs has given it permission to resume importing its networking gear in the United States.

+More on Network World: Cisco whacks its Secure Access Control System

At the time Arista stated the companys current products which contain redesigned software -- Extensible Operating System (4.16 or later) are not within the scope of the limited exclusion order issued by the United States International Trade Commission in Investigation No. 337-TA-944 and therefore may be imported into the United States.

According to Cisco, the Judges ruling this time around found:

Violation of U.S. Patent 6,377,577 (Access Control List Processing In Hardware)

Violation of U.S. Patent 7,224,668 (Control Plane Security and Traffic Flow Management)

These patented technologies are required to improve the operation of networking products, and to protect the control plane of a router or switch. These are core switch functionalities, and are included in Aristas entire line of switches. Once again, Aristas customers will need to bear the risk associated with any import ban and cease and desist orders, said Cisco senior vice-president and General Counsel in a blog post about the ruling.

+More on Network World: Cisco Talos: Zeus spawn Floki bot malware gaining use, cyber-underworld notoriety+

In my two decades at Cisco, we have initiated an action such as this against a competitor on only one other occasion. There is no question that Arista copied from Cisco. There is ample evidence and multiple admissions from Arista confirming they have done so. Our goal has always been to protect technological innovation, and stop Arista from using our patented technology. We have made substantial investments in our technology and product development to build great products. We have a legal right and an ethical obligation to our employees, customers and shareholders to protect that innovation, Chandler wrote.

For its part Marc Taxay, Senior Vice President, General Counsel of Arista Networks said the company strongly believes that its products do not infringe any of the patents under investigation and looks forward to presenting our case to the full Commission.

The judge also found no infringement of four other patents Cisco originally asserted in the case, Arista stated.

Arista intends to request a review of the full Commission of the [judges] findings. If granted, the full Commission is expected to issue a final determination on this matter in April 2017. While still subject to review, Arista intends to fully address the infringement findings with design-arounds for its products, Taxay said in a statement.

Cisco noted too that both companies are currently in Northern California District Court presenting our case to a jury about Aristas copyright infringement of Ciscos User Interface, including our multi-word commands for our Command Line Interface, output screens, help descriptions, as well as our user manuals. Our case further includes infringement of a separate, valid Cisco patent, which relates to Ciscos innovative command line interface technology. The case is expected to conclude by Monday, December 12, 2016, with a jury verdict shortly thereafter, Chandler wrote.
Development would have "devastating impact", Woodland Trust says

THE Woodland Trust has launched a campaign to save trees in Aldermastons historic grounds from being bulldozed.

The UKs largest woodland conservation charity is calling on people to oppose Praxis plans for 227 homes in Aldermaston Park, which it said would have a devastating impact on local wildlife.

The scheme would see the homes that would be constructed to fund the restoration of the 19th-century manor house, built on the last remnant of a medieval deer park.

Once part of the great hunting forest that the Saxon kings and William the Conqueror called Windsor Forest, Aldermaston was first recorded on maps in 1202.

Under the plans, more than 180 trees (60 per cent of those in the application area), some of which are centuries old, would be lost.

The development would take up 15 per cent of the site and the Woodland Trust has objected because of the scale of habitat loss and damage in the deer park.

Praxis was asked to comment on the campaign but did not respond as the Newbury Weekly News went to press.

The developer has said that its scheme is the best option to secure and restore the historic buildings and at-risk parkland.

However, the Woodland Trust said it was a complete contradiction to justify damaging the important wildlife habitat and nationally important historic parkland as the only way to manage the remaining habitat.

Woodland Trust ancient tree specialist Jill Butler said: This is an unprecedented planning application in terms of the devastating impact on an historic wood pasture and parkland, which is an incredibly valuable wildlife habitat.

And to say that the remaining fraction of deer park can only be managed properly by first building houses on it is a complete contradiction.

We urge people to support us in opposing this application.

The Woodland Trust has been compiling information on individual trees, with more than 155,000 ancient and veteran tree records on its Ancient Tree Inventory.

For more on the campaign and the trust visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
By AFP

VIENNA: OPEC was on Saturday seeking to persuade other oil producers to lower production as part of a newly-struck global pact to stem a crude glut and lift painfully low prices.

The Vienna meeting, which includes major producer Russia, aims to nail down details on implementing the accord reached late last month.

Analysts however remained divided over the gathering's impact as doubts lingered regarding countries' willingness to freeze output.

"We do not expect the outcome of this meeting to play a significant role in rebalancing the oil market," Vienna-based analyst group JBC Energy said Friday.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed on November 30 to lower its monthly output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to 32.5 million bpd as of January.

Under the deal, OPEC also wants oil-producing nations outside the group to lower their output by 600,000 barrels a day.

Arriving shortly before the start of the talks, cartel chief Mohammed Barkindo of Nigeria expressed optimism about the chances of reaching an agreement to cut output by 600,000 bpd "and even more".

"This is a very historic meeting due to the presence of OPEC and non-OPEC members," he said.

"The political atmosphere has changed."

Moscow -- the world's largest oil producer along with OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia -- has already signalled it would provide half of that production cut in the first half of 2017.

Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Moscow would hold to its commitment.

"We have stated our obligations and will abide by the figures we have talked about," he was quoted as saying by Russia's Interfax news agency.

"For the non-OPEC countries gathered here, I think it will be about 600,000 tonnes in total."

- Deal expected -

This leaves the remaining 300,000 barrels a day to be divided between the other non-OPEC nations.

Oil prices climbed Friday as hopes grew of a deal. In late European business, WTI crude stood at $51.44, 60 cents up on the day, while Brent rose 20 cents to $54.09. I

Of the 14 invited countries, 10 are expected to attend Saturday's gathering at OPEC's headquarters, according to the Bloomberg news agency.

Some analysts were optimistic that details of the deal would be finalised.

"We expect the meeting between OPEC and non-OPEC producers to result in a credible document, which we think will be supportive for prices," said Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at top Nordic corporate bank SEB.

The November agreement ended weeks of uncertainty and volatility on crude markets, pushing prices above $50 for the first time in a month.

It also represented a dramatic reversal from OPEC's Saudi-led game plan, introduced in 2014, of flooding the market to force out rivals, in particular US shale oil producers.

The strategy saw production outstrip demand, causing prices to plunge from more than $100 a barrel in June 2014 to near 13-year lows below $30 earlier this year.

- Little immediate reduction -

OPEC now seeks a global cut of 1.8 million barrels a day to help rebalance the market.

The group -- which produces around 40% of the world's crude -- needs non-OPEC members to join the cuts in order to drain current stockpiles.

But Bloomberg calculations, based on OPEC data, indicated that there would be little overall reduction in record oil inventories in 2017 -- even if OPEC can convince non-members to come onboard.

"Non-OPEC producers, such as Mexico, Azerbaijan and Colombia, are likely to dress up involuntary production declines, already factored in by traders, as cuts," according to Bloomberg.

In addition, Mexico and Kazakhstan plan to ramp up their crude production next year.

And although Russia announced Wednesday that national oil companies backed cuts of 300,000 bdp, news agencies quoted Lukoil chief executive Vagit Alekperov as saying "No decision was made."

The slide in oil prices and Western sanctions over Moscow's role in the Ukraine crisis have pummelled the Russian economy.

"For now we are not assuming that Russia will deliver on the promised cuts but we are ready to change this assumption if we see lower exports coming out of Russia," said DNB Markets on Friday.

VIENNA: OPEC was on Saturday seeking to persuade other oil producers to lower production as part of a newly-struck global pact to stem a crude glut and lift painfully low prices. The Vienna meeting, which includes major producer Russia, aims to nail down details on implementing the accord reached late last month. Analysts however remained divided over the gathering's impact as doubts lingered regarding countries' willingness to freeze output. "We do not expect the outcome of this meeting to play a significant role in rebalancing the oil market," Vienna-based analyst group JBC Energy said Friday. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed on November 30 to lower its monthly output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to 32.5 million bpd as of January. Under the deal, OPEC also wants oil-producing nations outside the group to lower their output by 600,000 barrels a day. Arriving shortly before the start of the talks, cartel chief Mohammed Barkindo of Nigeria expressed optimism about the chances of reaching an agreement to cut output by 600,000 bpd "and even more". "This is a very historic meeting due to the presence of OPEC and non-OPEC members," he said. "The political atmosphere has changed." Moscow -- the world's largest oil producer along with OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia -- has already signalled it would provide half of that production cut in the first half of 2017. Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Moscow would hold to its commitment. "We have stated our obligations and will abide by the figures we have talked about," he was quoted as saying by Russia's Interfax news agency. "For the non-OPEC countries gathered here, I think it will be about 600,000 tonnes in total." - Deal expected - This leaves the remaining 300,000 barrels a day to be divided between the other non-OPEC nations. Oil prices climbed Friday as hopes grew of a deal. In late European business, WTI crude stood at $51.44, 60 cents up on the day, while Brent rose 20 cents to $54.09. I Of the 14 invited countries, 10 are expected to attend Saturday's gathering at OPEC's headquarters, according to the Bloomberg news agency. Some analysts were optimistic that details of the deal would be finalised. "We expect the meeting between OPEC and non-OPEC producers to result in a credible document, which we think will be supportive for prices," said Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at top Nordic corporate bank SEB. The November agreement ended weeks of uncertainty and volatility on crude markets, pushing prices above $50 for the first time in a month. It also represented a dramatic reversal from OPEC's Saudi-led game plan, introduced in 2014, of flooding the market to force out rivals, in particular US shale oil producers. The strategy saw production outstrip demand, causing prices to plunge from more than $100 a barrel in June 2014 to near 13-year lows below $30 earlier this year. - Little immediate reduction - OPEC now seeks a global cut of 1.8 million barrels a day to help rebalance the market. The group -- which produces around 40% of the world's crude -- needs non-OPEC members to join the cuts in order to drain current stockpiles. But Bloomberg calculations, based on OPEC data, indicated that there would be little overall reduction in record oil inventories in 2017 -- even if OPEC can convince non-members to come onboard. "Non-OPEC producers, such as Mexico, Azerbaijan and Colombia, are likely to dress up involuntary production declines, already factored in by traders, as cuts," according to Bloomberg. In addition, Mexico and Kazakhstan plan to ramp up their crude production next year. And although Russia announced Wednesday that national oil companies backed cuts of 300,000 bdp, news agencies quoted Lukoil chief executive Vagit Alekperov as saying "No decision was made." The slide in oil prices and Western sanctions over Moscow's role in the Ukraine crisis have pummelled the Russian economy. "For now we are not assuming that Russia will deliver on the promised cuts but we are ready to change this assumption if we see lower exports coming out of Russia," said DNB Markets on Friday.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Armenia can demand Nagorno Karabakhs participation in the negotiations as a precondition to return to the negotiation table over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, former US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans said at the event of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian issues, Voice of America reports.

For instance, I would not blame Armenia if Nagorno Karabakhs participation on the negotiation table would be put as a precondition to resume the negotiations, he said.

The official Baku not only doesnt recognize Nagorno Karabakh, but also refuses to hold talks with the NKR representatives, insisting that this conflict is between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Evans said but Karabakh is ready to pursue a policy by its own.

Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, Congressman Frank Pallone also spoke about the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the US role in an interview with Voice of America. He said the Congressmen are going to discuss these issues soon with the senior officials of the US President-elect Donald Trumps administration.

We are planning to meet the officials of Trumps administration in order to be convinced that they will put a special attention on the US Co-Chairmanship in the Minsk Group and the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict which will keep Artsakh Armenian-populated, Pallone said, stating that the Congressional Caucus on Armenian issues is bipartisan and will continue to work effectively regardless of whom the majority of the Congress supports, be the Democrats or the Republicans.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: While not directly citing the drop in demand post demonetisation, home-grown auto major Mahindra and Mahindra stated on Friday that it was stopping production in a few of its plants for certain days in December, besides the normally scheduled annual maintenance shut down, to adjust inventory.

Just a day ago, on Thursday, Nissan had announced that it would be reducing the number of shifts at its plant near Chennai as part of its optimisation drive with no loss of jobs for employees on its rolls.

While, neither company stated that the demand drop following demonetisation played a part in the decisions, experts say that inventories and production have to be re-adjusted following demonetisation. Demand has fallen precipitously and companies will have to readjust production. It is something that everyone will have to do, since no one expects demand to pick up for a few months, said an auto analyst who did not want to be named.

Mahindra put out its announcement as a BSE filing on Friday, stating, The company will be undertaking scheduled maintenance shutdown at some of its automotive and tractor plants in December 2016, adding that it will also observe on need basis a few days as No production days at some of its automotive and tractor plants, including the Chakan plant of its wholly-owned subsidiary Mahindra Vehicle Manufacturers as part of its efforts to optimise inventories during December year-end.

The management does not envisage any adverse impact on the availability of products in the market due to adequacy of stocks to serve the market requirements, the company said. Demonetisaion hit automobile sales in November, especially in rural areas.

The company had reported 21.85 per cent decline in its total sales in November.

CHENNAI: While not directly citing the drop in demand post demonetisation, home-grown auto major Mahindra and Mahindra stated on Friday that it was stopping production in a few of its plants for certain days in December, besides the normally scheduled annual maintenance shut down, to adjust inventory. Just a day ago, on Thursday, Nissan had announced that it would be reducing the number of shifts at its plant near Chennai as part of its optimisation drive with no loss of jobs for employees on its rolls. While, neither company stated that the demand drop following demonetisation played a part in the decisions, experts say that inventories and production have to be re-adjusted following demonetisation. Demand has fallen precipitously and companies will have to readjust production. It is something that everyone will have to do, since no one expects demand to pick up for a few months, said an auto analyst who did not want to be named. Mahindra put out its announcement as a BSE filing on Friday, stating, The company will be undertaking scheduled maintenance shutdown at some of its automotive and tractor plants in December 2016, adding that it will also observe on need basis a few days as No production days at some of its automotive and tractor plants, including the Chakan plant of its wholly-owned subsidiary Mahindra Vehicle Manufacturers as part of its efforts to optimise inventories during December year-end. The management does not envisage any adverse impact on the availability of products in the market due to adequacy of stocks to serve the market requirements, the company said. Demonetisaion hit automobile sales in November, especially in rural areas. The company had reported 21.85 per cent decline in its total sales in November.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: The Finance Ministry has sent a strong message to banks, saying that no official will be spared if found involved in wrongdoing.



Sources said, the ministry is seriously looking into the matter.



In a major crackdown on bank employees involved in irregularities post the demonetisation move, as many as 27 senior officials of various public sector banks were suspended on December 2 and six others were transferred to check corrupt practices.



The Axis Bank earlier on Tuesday suspended its 19 officials allegedly involved in illegal activity post demonetisation.



The employees of state-run and private sector banks have come under the scanner of the Finance Ministry over alleged irregularities in converting old currency into new notes post the demonetisation drive.



The move comes after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) cracked down on bank officials since note ban to curb black money conversions into new notes.



Last week, the ED had arrested two managers of Axis Banks Kashmiri Gate branch in New Delhi and recovered gold bars weighing more than three kg.



Both were sent to ED custody till December 12.

NEW DELHI: The Finance Ministry has sent a strong message to banks, saying that no official will be spared if found involved in wrongdoing. Sources said, the ministry is seriously looking into the matter. In a major crackdown on bank employees involved in irregularities post the demonetisation move, as many as 27 senior officials of various public sector banks were suspended on December 2 and six others were transferred to check corrupt practices. The Axis Bank earlier on Tuesday suspended its 19 officials allegedly involved in illegal activity post demonetisation. The employees of state-run and private sector banks have come under the scanner of the Finance Ministry over alleged irregularities in converting old currency into new notes post the demonetisation drive. The move comes after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) cracked down on bank officials since note ban to curb black money conversions into new notes. Last week, the ED had arrested two managers of Axis Banks Kashmiri Gate branch in New Delhi and recovered gold bars weighing more than three kg. Both were sent to ED custody till December 12.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: State owned banker State Bank of India will sell off 3.9 per cent of its stake in insurance arm SBI Life Insurance Company to global investment firms KKR and Temasek for Rs 1,794 crore ($264 million). The bank received approval from the Executive Committee of the Central Board in its meeting on Friday to divest 3,90,00,000 equity shares of the life insurance subsidiary at a price of Rs 460 per share.

An investment vehicle affiliated with KKR-managed funds, and an affiliate of Temasek, the Singapore-based investment company, will each purchase 1.95 crore shares from SBI, the countrys largest bank said.

Meanwhile, the deal has put the valuation of the insurance firm at over Rs 45,000 crore.

The partnership with KKR and Temasek is a recognition of the efforts of SBI Lifes commitment to create a high quality institution. Moreover, this transaction values SBI Life at Rs 46,000 crore, reflecting significant value creation since its inception in 2001, SBI Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya said.

SBI owns 74 per cent stake in SBI Life while BNP Paribas Cardif has the remaining 26 per cent. Upon completion of the transaction, SBI will hold 70.1 per cent stake in SBI Life while its joint venture partner, BNP Paribas Cardif, will continue to hold 26 per cent, said the bank.

The valuation aspect of the deal is good news for the firm, considering that it is also gearing-up to float initial public offer in 2017. Earlier in October, SBI announced to off load up to 5 per cent of its stake in SBI Life to a non-promoter group and had also offered to shed 10 per cent stake to its JV partner if given the right price. ICICI Prudential Life was valued at Rs 32,500 crore when ICICI Bank sold a 6% stake in ICICI Prudential to Wipro Chairman Azim Premji and the Singapore governments investment company Temasek in November last year.

SBI Lifes total gross written premium stood at Rs 15,825 crore and shares of SBI closed 2.41 per cent up at Rs 266 on BSE.

MUMBAI: State owned banker State Bank of India will sell off 3.9 per cent of its stake in insurance arm SBI Life Insurance Company to global investment firms KKR and Temasek for Rs 1,794 crore ($264 million). The bank received approval from the Executive Committee of the Central Board in its meeting on Friday to divest 3,90,00,000 equity shares of the life insurance subsidiary at a price of Rs 460 per share. An investment vehicle affiliated with KKR-managed funds, and an affiliate of Temasek, the Singapore-based investment company, will each purchase 1.95 crore shares from SBI, the countrys largest bank said. Meanwhile, the deal has put the valuation of the insurance firm at over Rs 45,000 crore. The partnership with KKR and Temasek is a recognition of the efforts of SBI Lifes commitment to create a high quality institution. Moreover, this transaction values SBI Life at Rs 46,000 crore, reflecting significant value creation since its inception in 2001, SBI Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya said. SBI owns 74 per cent stake in SBI Life while BNP Paribas Cardif has the remaining 26 per cent. Upon completion of the transaction, SBI will hold 70.1 per cent stake in SBI Life while its joint venture partner, BNP Paribas Cardif, will continue to hold 26 per cent, said the bank. The valuation aspect of the deal is good news for the firm, considering that it is also gearing-up to float initial public offer in 2017. Earlier in October, SBI announced to off load up to 5 per cent of its stake in SBI Life to a non-promoter group and had also offered to shed 10 per cent stake to its JV partner if given the right price. ICICI Prudential Life was valued at Rs 32,500 crore when ICICI Bank sold a 6% stake in ICICI Prudential to Wipro Chairman Azim Premji and the Singapore governments investment company Temasek in November last year. SBI Lifes total gross written premium stood at Rs 15,825 crore and shares of SBI closed 2.41 per cent up at Rs 266 on BSE.
By Online Desk

Following Gautami Tadimalla's footsteps, Tamil actor-turned-politician and founder of the All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi Sarath Kumar has taken to his official Facebook page to write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's death. This letter comes as an indirect attack against Gautami and others who have been seeking Center's probe into the death of late AIADMK supremo.

On Thursday, Gautami wrote a letter to the Prime Minister  which she published on her blog and tweeted from her account  to draw his attention to the burning questions about Jayas hospitalisation, treatment, reported recovery and unexpected death.

Reacting strongly to Gautamis letter, AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathi pointed out it was not only the party functionaries who said Jaya was recovering well, but also others including Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to Rahul Gandhi who were briefed by the doctors in Apollo Hospitals.

Here's the full text of Sarath Kumar's letter to PM Modi:

To

The Prime Minister of India

Dear Modiji

The recent attacks by few - so called - common citizens, have no ground in making such anguish, suspecting the entire execution of medical attention, constant monitoring by the supreme authorities both the state and the central governments. It is shocking and saddening to come across such baseless comments and brutal attacks.

It is a baseless allegation demeaning the character of all of us in the state.

It is a clear attention seeking tactics by addressing one's concerns on Social Media to the Prime Minister throwing allegation directly or indirectly on personalities whose roles have been very significant in the life our beloved Chief minister for many decades.

As a common citizen again, I have some basic questions to those Social Media Savvy few who have numerous questions in mind.

1. During hospitalisation of the late honourable Chief Minister, the Governor, representing the Central Government had visited the hospital and released statements where there was never a mention of him being denied access and if he was, has he withheld any truth? If the truth was withheld, was he compelled to do so? Can anyone compel The Governor to say anything which is not the truth?

2. Three senior central ministers representing the Central Government and the Honourable Prime Minister, had visited and met the press outside the hospital. In all their interviews, no where did they mention denial of accessibility nor treatment was inadequate or incompetent. They always mentioned international standard of medical care to her which was always supported by Dr Richard Beale from London and medical experts from AIIMS. If that is the case, where is the question of any hidden truth which was not revealed? Can the Central Ministers be compelled by anyone to hide the truth or speak otherwise?

3. Under the constitution of India, more specifically Article 19, people have the freedom of expression; but at the same time, slandering without any relevance and truth may cause huge damage to the sentiments of the already wounded hearts.

4. The Governor, The Central Ministers, Tamilnadu government and its authorities, Apollo Hospital, AIIMS Doctors, Dr Richard Beale from London and people who were taking care of her have been insulted by such comments. All their tireless efforts and services during the last 75 days have been now ridiculed by such baseless and senseless comments. Medical profession is considered the Noblest in the world, but ridiculing their selfless efforts and services hurt them the most. Every medical update was official and it was all released with utmost accuracy and authenticity.

So, when people make such baseless allegations, Dear Prime Minister, are they actually undermining your systems and the values?

I am sincerely seeking a reply from you to put an end to the untruths which is actually belittling your office, the state of Tamilnadu and our constitution itself.

Thank you

With warmest regards

R Sarathkumar

Following Gautami Tadimalla's footsteps, Tamil actor-turned-politician and founder of the All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi Sarath Kumar has taken to his official Facebook page to write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's death. This letter comes as an indirect attack against Gautami and others who have been seeking Center's probe into the death of late AIADMK supremo. On Thursday, Gautami wrote a letter to the Prime Minister  which she published on her blog and tweeted from her account  to draw his attention to the burning questions about Jayas hospitalisation, treatment, reported recovery and unexpected death. Reacting strongly to Gautamis letter, AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathi pointed out it was not only the party functionaries who said Jaya was recovering well, but also others including Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to Rahul Gandhi who were briefed by the doctors in Apollo Hospitals. Here's the full text of Sarath Kumar's letter to PM Modi: To The Prime Minister of India Dear Modiji The recent attacks by few - so called - common citizens, have no ground in making such anguish, suspecting the entire execution of medical attention, constant monitoring by the supreme authorities both the state and the central governments. It is shocking and saddening to come across such baseless comments and brutal attacks. It is a baseless allegation demeaning the character of all of us in the state. It is a clear attention seeking tactics by addressing one's concerns on Social Media to the Prime Minister throwing allegation directly or indirectly on personalities whose roles have been very significant in the life our beloved Chief minister for many decades. As a common citizen again, I have some basic questions to those Social Media Savvy few who have numerous questions in mind. 1. During hospitalisation of the late honourable Chief Minister, the Governor, representing the Central Government had visited the hospital and released statements where there was never a mention of him being denied access and if he was, has he withheld any truth? If the truth was withheld, was he compelled to do so? Can anyone compel The Governor to say anything which is not the truth? 2. Three senior central ministers representing the Central Government and the Honourable Prime Minister, had visited and met the press outside the hospital. In all their interviews, no where did they mention denial of accessibility nor treatment was inadequate or incompetent. They always mentioned international standard of medical care to her which was always supported by Dr Richard Beale from London and medical experts from AIIMS. If that is the case, where is the question of any hidden truth which was not revealed? Can the Central Ministers be compelled by anyone to hide the truth or speak otherwise? 3. Under the constitution of India, more specifically Article 19, people have the freedom of expression; but at the same time, slandering without any relevance and truth may cause huge damage to the sentiments of the already wounded hearts. 4. The Governor, The Central Ministers, Tamilnadu government and its authorities, Apollo Hospital, AIIMS Doctors, Dr Richard Beale from London and people who were taking care of her have been insulted by such comments. All their tireless efforts and services during the last 75 days have been now ridiculed by such baseless and senseless comments. Medical profession is considered the Noblest in the world, but ridiculing their selfless efforts and services hurt them the most. Every medical update was official and it was all released with utmost accuracy and authenticity. So, when people make such baseless allegations, Dear Prime Minister, are they actually undermining your systems and the values? I am sincerely seeking a reply from you to put an end to the untruths which is actually belittling your office, the state of Tamilnadu and our constitution itself. Thank you With warmest regards R Sarathkumar
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: The police have detained the owner of a building that collapsed in Nanakramguda locality in the Cyberabad quarter of Hyderabad on Thursday night in which 11 people died. Satayanarayan Singh

was taken in at Sabarimala where he had gone on a pilgrimage when the mishap occurred.

While 11 persons lost their lives, two were rescued alive by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Satyanarayan Singh will be brought to Hyderabad for questioning. Police have registered cases under Section 304 part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 304 (a) (negligence causing death) of the Indian Penal Code.

HYDERABAD: The police have detained the owner of a building that collapsed in Nanakramguda locality in the Cyberabad quarter of Hyderabad on Thursday night in which 11 people died. Satayanarayan Singh was taken in at Sabarimala where he had gone on a pilgrimage when the mishap occurred. While 11 persons lost their lives, two were rescued alive by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Satyanarayan Singh will be brought to Hyderabad for questioning. Police have registered cases under Section 304 part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 304 (a) (negligence causing death) of the Indian Penal Code.
K Shiva Shanker By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: While it was the sophisticated technology that helped rescue of Rekha (25) and her son Deepak (3), NDRF rescue operations team said it was because they were lean that they could be saved.

They used to live in the cellar of the building and were found to be stuck under a narrow space between collapsed pillar and ground.

"As the woman and kid were slim, they survived. Had it been me under the pillar, I would have died," said another NDRF personnel, who was of medium built.

While another person was a few feet away from the woman and kid, he was dead. The personnel said they can take out the body, after clearing more debris or else the concrete will further come down.

Two persons- a housewife and a boy, have been rescued and four bodies were recovered from the debris of the newly constructed building that collapsed at Nanakramguda here, last night.

As per the doctors, Rekha is suffering from hip bone fracture and her son is injured on the head. Doctors at Continental Hospital, where the two were admitted, said that there is no threat to the woman's life.

NDRF personnel, who are involved in the rescue operation, used "Victim Locating Camera" to spot and rescue Rekha and Deepak.

Besides them, four dead bodies have also been retrieved so far. Paidamma (47), Gowrieshwari (18), and two more unidentified male bodies were retrieved from the debris.

Five families of construction workers were staying in the building that belongs to one Satyanarayana of Tolichowki. The families hail from AP and Chhattisgarh.

Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao has been at the site since this morning, supervising rescue operations. Rescue operations are still underway at the site.

HYDERABAD: While it was the sophisticated technology that helped rescue of Rekha (25) and her son Deepak (3), NDRF rescue operations team said it was because they were lean that they could be saved. They used to live in the cellar of the building and were found to be stuck under a narrow space between collapsed pillar and ground. "As the woman and kid were slim, they survived. Had it been me under the pillar, I would have died," said another NDRF personnel, who was of medium built. While another person was a few feet away from the woman and kid, he was dead. The personnel said they can take out the body, after clearing more debris or else the concrete will further come down. Two persons- a housewife and a boy, have been rescued and four bodies were recovered from the debris of the newly constructed building that collapsed at Nanakramguda here, last night. As per the doctors, Rekha is suffering from hip bone fracture and her son is injured on the head. Doctors at Continental Hospital, where the two were admitted, said that there is no threat to the woman's life. NDRF personnel, who are involved in the rescue operation, used "Victim Locating Camera" to spot and rescue Rekha and Deepak. Besides them, four dead bodies have also been retrieved so far. Paidamma (47), Gowrieshwari (18), and two more unidentified male bodies were retrieved from the debris. Five families of construction workers were staying in the building that belongs to one Satyanarayana of Tolichowki. The families hail from AP and Chhattisgarh. Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao has been at the site since this morning, supervising rescue operations. Rescue operations are still underway at the site.
Venkata Susmita Biswas By

Express News Service

Rupashree Adam is a Masterchef. From idli-sambar, full south Indian meals and biryani to an English breakfast and Japanese sushi, she can whip up any dish. But you cant eat any of it, because her preparations are miniature replicas made from polymer clay.

As a child, Rupashrees mother would hand her small balls of chapati dough to play with, while she prepared dinner. Just like children her age, Rupashree would try to make objects with the dough, replicating anything that caught her wandering eyes.

photographs by Sunish P Surendran

Rupashreewho lives in Chennaidid not grow out of this hobby. As a first year visual fine arts student, she revisited her childhood pastime three years ago. This time, she replaced chapati dough with polymer clay. The revival was inspired by miniature food replicas that Rupashree saw in Europe while on a vacation five years ago. Upon her return, Rupashree began researching methods and processes, and finally settled on using polymer clay to sculpt her creations.

Rupashree has a diverse menu, though her focus is creating replicas of south Indian delicacies. I have seem many Indian creators making a wide variety of miniatures, but none making south Indian food items, so I decided to explore this cuisine, she says.

As a full-time undergraduate programme student in Chennai, Rupashree did not find time to make her miniatures during the day. So she would spend a couple of nights a week sculpting them.

Making each of these tiny dishes demands skills that are more refined and accurate than those in a kitchen. It takes Rupashree one to four hours to sculpt her miniatures. Making dishes like biryani are the toughest. I need to roll out every grain of rice. All the grains must look uniform. The pieces of lamb must also look authentic, it is tough to achieve that. Getting the perfect colour and texture takes a lot of time and effort, she says.

Once Rupashree sculpts her pieces, it is time to bake them in a small preheated toaster oven. Two minutes, she says, looking at her watch. This time it is not a quick cup of two-minute noodles, it is a plate of two-minute sambar vada. A couple of seconds more and it could be charred. Rupashree turns the oven off prematurely. That should be enough, she says. She couldnt be more right. A few seconds more would have cost her dear: 90 minutes of sculpting wasted.

Rupashree has burnt only one projecta Starbucks milkshake. It took me three hours to sculpt it and get the colours right, she says. She was so saddened by the failure that she has not attempted another Starbucks project.

She takes custom orders and prepares any dish her clients want. People also want to learn to make polymer clay food miniature designs from her. I had no idea it would become this big, she confesses.

Most of her clients want the miniatures to be either turned into fridge magnets or put in an acrylic box as gifts. She now has a new range of miniatures planned for Christmas.

Rupashree has now also begun offering one-day workshops on making miniature food replicas with group classes and one-on-one sessions. I am only teaching basics and making simple food like idli-sambar, she says. Rupashree has also created tutorial videos to help anyone who wishes to learn making miniature food replicas. The videos will soon be up on YouTube, her website charmingminiatures.com and her Facebook page, Charming Miniatures.

Rupashree will soon be joining a culinary programme, Le Cordon Bleu, in New Zealand. She wont be making vadas or biryani for the first nine months, but will be part of patisserie course, following which she will participate in a full-fledged culinary course.

Rupashree Adam is a Masterchef. From idli-sambar, full south Indian meals and biryani to an English breakfast and Japanese sushi, she can whip up any dish. But you cant eat any of it, because her preparations are miniature replicas made from polymer clay. As a child, Rupashrees mother would hand her small balls of chapati dough to play with, while she prepared dinner. Just like children her age, Rupashree would try to make objects with the dough, replicating anything that caught her wandering eyes. photographs by Sunish P SurendranRupashreewho lives in Chennaidid not grow out of this hobby. As a first year visual fine arts student, she revisited her childhood pastime three years ago. This time, she replaced chapati dough with polymer clay. The revival was inspired by miniature food replicas that Rupashree saw in Europe while on a vacation five years ago. Upon her return, Rupashree began researching methods and processes, and finally settled on using polymer clay to sculpt her creations. Rupashree has a diverse menu, though her focus is creating replicas of south Indian delicacies. I have seem many Indian creators making a wide variety of miniatures, but none making south Indian food items, so I decided to explore this cuisine, she says. As a full-time undergraduate programme student in Chennai, Rupashree did not find time to make her miniatures during the day. So she would spend a couple of nights a week sculpting them. Making each of these tiny dishes demands skills that are more refined and accurate than those in a kitchen. It takes Rupashree one to four hours to sculpt her miniatures. Making dishes like biryani are the toughest. I need to roll out every grain of rice. All the grains must look uniform. The pieces of lamb must also look authentic, it is tough to achieve that. Getting the perfect colour and texture takes a lot of time and effort, she says. Once Rupashree sculpts her pieces, it is time to bake them in a small preheated toaster oven. Two minutes, she says, looking at her watch. This time it is not a quick cup of two-minute noodles, it is a plate of two-minute sambar vada. A couple of seconds more and it could be charred. Rupashree turns the oven off prematurely. That should be enough, she says. She couldnt be more right. A few seconds more would have cost her dear: 90 minutes of sculpting wasted. Rupashree has burnt only one projecta Starbucks milkshake. It took me three hours to sculpt it and get the colours right, she says. She was so saddened by the failure that she has not attempted another Starbucks project. She takes custom orders and prepares any dish her clients want. People also want to learn to make polymer clay food miniature designs from her. I had no idea it would become this big, she confesses. Most of her clients want the miniatures to be either turned into fridge magnets or put in an acrylic box as gifts. She now has a new range of miniatures planned for Christmas. Rupashree has now also begun offering one-day workshops on making miniature food replicas with group classes and one-on-one sessions. I am only teaching basics and making simple food like idli-sambar, she says. Rupashree has also created tutorial videos to help anyone who wishes to learn making miniature food replicas. The videos will soon be up on YouTube, her website charmingminiatures.com and her Facebook page, Charming Miniatures. Rupashree will soon be joining a culinary programme, Le Cordon Bleu, in New Zealand. She wont be making vadas or biryani for the first nine months, but will be part of patisserie course, following which she will participate in a full-fledged culinary course.
Kalpana Sunder By

Express News Service

The first thing that hits me is the smell of cocoa from a chocolate factory across the river. A bucolic scene of wooden timbered buildings, peat meadows, reeds growing along the edges of the water, flocks of birds in the air, windmills painted a bright leaf green, and winding paths with cyclists silhouetted against the picturesque background of the Zaan River and the Kalver polder.

It is love at first sight. If you are a lazy traveller like me, then Zaanse Schans (ZAHN-ze skhahns) will appeal to you. This recreated 17th century town, just 15 minutes by train from downtown Amsterdam, puts various elements of Dutch culture and heritagefrom cheesemaking to wooden shoe carvingin a tidy package. Though this collection of loosely-related attractions in a pretty park with old houses is undeniably touristy, its a handy way to get a window into Dutch culture.

This open air museum started as the dream of architect Jaap Schipper, who wanted to preserve history and culture.

In the 60s, houses from around the region were transplanted here using giant cranes and trailers. Located on the Zaan River in the town of Zaandijk, the museum is devoted to the traditional lifestyles along the Zaan.

Up to the age of steam, this area was lined with hundreds of windmills, which harnessed wind power to produce flour, cacao, and spices and paint. Most of the exhibits are run by quirky locals whove found their niche in life. Whatever you see here is genuine and real. Locals live in those homes, explains our guide.

Until 1400, Holland was a web of wetlands, swamps and marshes separated from the sea by a belt of dunes. The resilient Dutch put up sea defences and built dams to disconnect the water from the sea. Windmills were used to drain lakes, swamps and wetlands. The windmills played crucial roles in various industries, and were used for cutting wooden logs for furniture, grinding spices, cacao, colour pigments and linseed or peanuts for oil.

A handful of functioning windmills have been converted into museums. Each is used for a different purpose. The De Kat Windmill, which was completed in 1782, still provides pigments and paint to artists and restorers.

I walk along the charming wooden houses with their dark green walls, white window frames and terracotta roofs. Many houses have genuine Dutch families living in them, paying affordable rent in return for maintaining them in their original state, though they have to put up with tourists peeping at them through their lace curtains.

Part of the Zaanse Schans is an interesting wooden clog museum with clog roller skates, betrothal clogs, and many other unique clogs. Clogs, the typical wooden shoes, were worn because of the boggy Dutch soil; they are still worn in the countryside.

At the Albert Heijn Museum Shop, I get a feel of the 19th century grocer shop with herbs, liquorice and candy in glass jars and a hand-cranked coffee grinder. At the Cheese Farm I watch a cheese-making demonstration, and sample free cheese. I see large wheels of regular Gouda, smoked Gouda with herbs, Gouda with chilies, and even neon green Gouda with pesto! At the Museum of Dutch Clockwork, is a wonderful collection of clocks through history.

Whats special about a Dutch pancake? I discover that at the De Kraai Pancake restaurant in an old warehouse with a tiled fireplace, where sweet or savory varieties are eaten as a main course. My sweet tooth gets the better of me as I gorge on pancakes with a variety of toppings ranging from cinnamon and raisins to apricot jam, whipped cream, pineapples and blueberries.

Spending a lazy day in this open-air living museum with all the traditional Dutch icons like windmills, cheese and clogs is a relaxing throwback to the olden times and really feels like time travel.

The first thing that hits me is the smell of cocoa from a chocolate factory across the river. A bucolic scene of wooden timbered buildings, peat meadows, reeds growing along the edges of the water, flocks of birds in the air, windmills painted a bright leaf green, and winding paths with cyclists silhouetted against the picturesque background of the Zaan River and the Kalver polder. It is love at first sight. If you are a lazy traveller like me, then Zaanse Schans (ZAHN-ze skhahns) will appeal to you. This recreated 17th century town, just 15 minutes by train from downtown Amsterdam, puts various elements of Dutch culture and heritagefrom cheesemaking to wooden shoe carvingin a tidy package. Though this collection of loosely-related attractions in a pretty park with old houses is undeniably touristy, its a handy way to get a window into Dutch culture. This open air museum started as the dream of architect Jaap Schipper, who wanted to preserve history and culture. In the 60s, houses from around the region were transplanted here using giant cranes and trailers. Located on the Zaan River in the town of Zaandijk, the museum is devoted to the traditional lifestyles along the Zaan. Up to the age of steam, this area was lined with hundreds of windmills, which harnessed wind power to produce flour, cacao, and spices and paint. Most of the exhibits are run by quirky locals whove found their niche in life. Whatever you see here is genuine and real. Locals live in those homes, explains our guide. Until 1400, Holland was a web of wetlands, swamps and marshes separated from the sea by a belt of dunes. The resilient Dutch put up sea defences and built dams to disconnect the water from the sea. Windmills were used to drain lakes, swamps and wetlands. The windmills played crucial roles in various industries, and were used for cutting wooden logs for furniture, grinding spices, cacao, colour pigments and linseed or peanuts for oil. A handful of functioning windmills have been converted into museums. Each is used for a different purpose. The De Kat Windmill, which was completed in 1782, still provides pigments and paint to artists and restorers. I walk along the charming wooden houses with their dark green walls, white window frames and terracotta roofs. Many houses have genuine Dutch families living in them, paying affordable rent in return for maintaining them in their original state, though they have to put up with tourists peeping at them through their lace curtains. Part of the Zaanse Schans is an interesting wooden clog museum with clog roller skates, betrothal clogs, and many other unique clogs. Clogs, the typical wooden shoes, were worn because of the boggy Dutch soil; they are still worn in the countryside. At the Albert Heijn Museum Shop, I get a feel of the 19th century grocer shop with herbs, liquorice and candy in glass jars and a hand-cranked coffee grinder. At the Cheese Farm I watch a cheese-making demonstration, and sample free cheese. I see large wheels of regular Gouda, smoked Gouda with herbs, Gouda with chilies, and even neon green Gouda with pesto! At the Museum of Dutch Clockwork, is a wonderful collection of clocks through history. Whats special about a Dutch pancake? I discover that at the De Kraai Pancake restaurant in an old warehouse with a tiled fireplace, where sweet or savory varieties are eaten as a main course. My sweet tooth gets the better of me as I gorge on pancakes with a variety of toppings ranging from cinnamon and raisins to apricot jam, whipped cream, pineapples and blueberries. Spending a lazy day in this open-air living museum with all the traditional Dutch icons like windmills, cheese and clogs is a relaxing throwback to the olden times and really feels like time travel.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The CBI on Friday broke new ground by arresting former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief S P Tyagi and two others for alleged corruption in the Rs 3,767 crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal. This is for first time that a former IAF chief has been arrested by the CBI. Tyagi had retired from service in 2007.

The CBI quantified the total payoff as 12 per cent of the contract value, sources said.

With Tyagis arrest, the Narendra Modi government has given yet another indication of its determination to go after black money.

Besides Tyagi, the agency arrested his cousin Sanjiv alias Julie Tyagi and lawyer/consultant Gautam Khaitan. All the three accused have in the past been grilled by the agency several times in connection with the probe.

A case was registered on March 12, 2013 under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against then Chief of Air Staff and 18 other accused persons/companies.

It was alleged that Chief of Air Staff (CAS) entered into criminal conspiracy with other accused persons and in 2005, conceded to change IAFs consistent stand that service ceiling of VVIP helicopters at 6000 metres was an inescapable operational necessity and reduced the same to 4500 metres. Such changes in Operational Requirements (ORs) made the private company based at UK, eligible to participate in the RFP (request for proposal) for VVIP helicopters, the CBI said in a statement.

It was revealed during investigation that such undue favours were allegedly shown to the said UK-based private company by accepting the illegal gratifications from the accused vendors through middlemen/relatives including his cousin and an advocate etc. who accepted the illegal gratification for exercising influence through illegal means, or using personal influence over the concerned public servants, the statement added. The arrested accused persons will be produced before the competent court here on Saturday.

NEW DELHI: The CBI on Friday broke new ground by arresting former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief S P Tyagi and two others for alleged corruption in the Rs 3,767 crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal. This is for first time that a former IAF chief has been arrested by the CBI. Tyagi had retired from service in 2007. The CBI quantified the total payoff as 12 per cent of the contract value, sources said. With Tyagis arrest, the Narendra Modi government has given yet another indication of its determination to go after black money. Besides Tyagi, the agency arrested his cousin Sanjiv alias Julie Tyagi and lawyer/consultant Gautam Khaitan. All the three accused have in the past been grilled by the agency several times in connection with the probe. A case was registered on March 12, 2013 under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against then Chief of Air Staff and 18 other accused persons/companies. It was alleged that Chief of Air Staff (CAS) entered into criminal conspiracy with other accused persons and in 2005, conceded to change IAFs consistent stand that service ceiling of VVIP helicopters at 6000 metres was an inescapable operational necessity and reduced the same to 4500 metres. Such changes in Operational Requirements (ORs) made the private company based at UK, eligible to participate in the RFP (request for proposal) for VVIP helicopters, the CBI said in a statement. It was revealed during investigation that such undue favours were allegedly shown to the said UK-based private company by accepting the illegal gratifications from the accused vendors through middlemen/relatives including his cousin and an advocate etc. who accepted the illegal gratification for exercising influence through illegal means, or using personal influence over the concerned public servants, the statement added. The arrested accused persons will be produced before the competent court here on Saturday.
Anand ST Das By

Express News Service

PATNA: The death of the main accused in Bihars Rs 8-crore toppers scam under mysterious circumstances during an attempt by police to arrest him has raised questions on the role of the state police.

Patna SSP Manu Maharaaj on Friday said that a murder case has been lodged against a team of six policemen led by sub-inspector Devkant who visited the house of Diwakar Prasad in the city Thursday to arrest him in connection with a case lodged by a firm based in Ahmedabad. Prasads family claims that he died after he was pushed off the terrace of his house by the policemen. Police, however, say Prasad fell while trying to flee in a bid to escape arrest.

We have taken the CCTV footage for examination after the familys allegations. We are interrogating the policemen in the team after lodging a case of murder against them. Suitable action would be taken as per law after the probe ends, said Maharaaj.

The case against Prasad that made police to seek his arrest was in connection with alleged irregularities in floating of a tender for the supply of answer sheets of the intermediate examination conducted by Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB). A raid was conducted earlier by the special investigation team (SIT) probing the scam on the printing press Diwakar owned in Patna.

Police officials speaking on conditions of anonymity said Prasad evaded arrest as the economic offences wing had passed an order earlier in the day that all assets of the prime accused in the scam would be seized. But the grieving family members of the 50-year-old Prasad asserted he was not trying to flee.

His record in the past would show clearly that he was not a man who would try to flee from police to evade arrest. There were four policemen on the rooftop interrogating him and we heard a loud sound of something falling. It was he, and he was lying almost dead. If he tried to flee, the policemen should have stopped him from falling, said Prasads widow.

In the infamous toppers scam in Bihar unearthed in May, the topper in arts and humanities, Ruby Rai, the science stream topper, Saurabh Shrestha, and the third topper in the science stream, Rahul Kumar, were found to have bagged the prestigious positions without even writing the answer sheets themselves.

PATNA: The death of the main accused in Bihars Rs 8-crore toppers scam under mysterious circumstances during an attempt by police to arrest him has raised questions on the role of the state police. Patna SSP Manu Maharaaj on Friday said that a murder case has been lodged against a team of six policemen led by sub-inspector Devkant who visited the house of Diwakar Prasad in the city Thursday to arrest him in connection with a case lodged by a firm based in Ahmedabad. Prasads family claims that he died after he was pushed off the terrace of his house by the policemen. Police, however, say Prasad fell while trying to flee in a bid to escape arrest. We have taken the CCTV footage for examination after the familys allegations. We are interrogating the policemen in the team after lodging a case of murder against them. Suitable action would be taken as per law after the probe ends, said Maharaaj. The case against Prasad that made police to seek his arrest was in connection with alleged irregularities in floating of a tender for the supply of answer sheets of the intermediate examination conducted by Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB). A raid was conducted earlier by the special investigation team (SIT) probing the scam on the printing press Diwakar owned in Patna. Police officials speaking on conditions of anonymity said Prasad evaded arrest as the economic offences wing had passed an order earlier in the day that all assets of the prime accused in the scam would be seized. But the grieving family members of the 50-year-old Prasad asserted he was not trying to flee. His record in the past would show clearly that he was not a man who would try to flee from police to evade arrest. There were four policemen on the rooftop interrogating him and we heard a loud sound of something falling. It was he, and he was lying almost dead. If he tried to flee, the policemen should have stopped him from falling, said Prasads widow. In the infamous toppers scam in Bihar unearthed in May, the topper in arts and humanities, Ruby Rai, the science stream topper, Saurabh Shrestha, and the third topper in the science stream, Rahul Kumar, were found to have bagged the prestigious positions without even writing the answer sheets themselves.
By PTI

KOLKATA: Air Chief Arup Raha today described the arrest of former IAF chief S P Tyagi as "unfortunate", and said that it has "dented" the force's reputation.



"Very unfortunate that such an episode has taken place. It does dent our reputation as a professional force. But we believe in the rule of law," Raha told reporters at a function at the city airport.



"I am sure every Indian citizen believes in rule of law and the due process is on," he said , adding "whatever is the final verdict we will go by that".



He refused to speak further on the issue, saying the matter is sub-judice.



In a sudden and first-of-its-kind action, CBI yesterday arrested Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev, and lawyer Gautam Khaitan in the sensational Rs 450 crore Agusta Westland bribery case in the procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters.



71-year old Tyagi, who retired in 2007, was called for questioning at CBI Headquarters along with his cousin and Khaitan, who were taken into custody after nearly four hours of grilling, CBI sources said.



These are the first arrests in the case by CBI, three years after it registered a FIR in 2013 to probe the allegations in the aftermath of the details of the scam emerged in Italy where the prosecutors levelled allegations of corruption in the deal against the chief of Finmeccanica, the parent company of Agusta Westland.



KOLKATA: Air Chief Arup Raha today described the arrest of former IAF chief S P Tyagi as "unfortunate", and said that it has "dented" the force's reputation. "Very unfortunate that such an episode has taken place. It does dent our reputation as a professional force. But we believe in the rule of law," Raha told reporters at a function at the city airport. "I am sure every Indian citizen believes in rule of law and the due process is on," he said , adding "whatever is the final verdict we will go by that". He refused to speak further on the issue, saying the matter is sub-judice. In a sudden and first-of-its-kind action, CBI yesterday arrested Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev, and lawyer Gautam Khaitan in the sensational Rs 450 crore Agusta Westland bribery case in the procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters. 71-year old Tyagi, who retired in 2007, was called for questioning at CBI Headquarters along with his cousin and Khaitan, who were taken into custody after nearly four hours of grilling, CBI sources said. These are the first arrests in the case by CBI, three years after it registered a FIR in 2013 to probe the allegations in the aftermath of the details of the scam emerged in Italy where the prosecutors levelled allegations of corruption in the deal against the chief of Finmeccanica, the parent company of Agusta Westland.
Anand ST Das By

Express News Service

PATNA: A security guard working at an ATM in one of the high-end shopping complexes in the Bihar capital was brutally killed by unidentified criminals in a failed bid to loot the ATM early Friday morning, prompting the Opposition parties to accuse the Nitish Kumar-led coalition government of failing to curb crime in the state.

Kundan Kumar, the man guarding the Central Bank of India ATM at Mauryalok Complex in Patna, was found with his throat slit inside the ATM kiosk on Saturday morning. When some people opened the shutters of the ATM, they found Kumars body in a pool of blood and the ATM defunct.

Patna police formed a special investigation team (SIT) to nab the killers. Avinash Kumar, the SHO of Kotwali police station that stands only around 100 metres from this ATM, was removed by Patna SSP Manu Maharaj following the incident. A team of forensic scientists visited the ATM kiosk to collect evidence that would help nab the killers. Officials of Central Bank of India who examined the ATM said it suffered loot attempts but the criminals failed to take any cash out of it.

There seems to have been an effort by the security guard, who was in his mid-forties and partially handicapped, to resist the loot bid. His throat was slit with some sharp weapon, said Patna ASP (operations) Rakesh Dubey, who is overseeing the probe by the SIT.

The slain security guard, a local resident, has three minor children  two sons and a daughter. His family sat with his body outside Kotwali police station demanding a government job for his illiterate wife. The bank authorities sanctioned an ex gratia of Rs 10,000 to Kundans family.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been roaming around Bihar and outside the state claiming that there has been considerable decline in crime rate in the state following the implementation of prohibition. This murder in one of Patnas high-security areas shows the falsehood of this claim, said senior BJP leader and Union minister Ramkripal Yadav.

Ruling JD(U) spokesperson and legislator Neeraj Kumar, however, said the ATM guards murder was an isolated incident and that the killers would be caught soon and punished as per law.

PATNA: A security guard working at an ATM in one of the high-end shopping complexes in the Bihar capital was brutally killed by unidentified criminals in a failed bid to loot the ATM early Friday morning, prompting the Opposition parties to accuse the Nitish Kumar-led coalition government of failing to curb crime in the state. Kundan Kumar, the man guarding the Central Bank of India ATM at Mauryalok Complex in Patna, was found with his throat slit inside the ATM kiosk on Saturday morning. When some people opened the shutters of the ATM, they found Kumars body in a pool of blood and the ATM defunct. Patna police formed a special investigation team (SIT) to nab the killers. Avinash Kumar, the SHO of Kotwali police station that stands only around 100 metres from this ATM, was removed by Patna SSP Manu Maharaj following the incident. A team of forensic scientists visited the ATM kiosk to collect evidence that would help nab the killers. Officials of Central Bank of India who examined the ATM said it suffered loot attempts but the criminals failed to take any cash out of it. There seems to have been an effort by the security guard, who was in his mid-forties and partially handicapped, to resist the loot bid. His throat was slit with some sharp weapon, said Patna ASP (operations) Rakesh Dubey, who is overseeing the probe by the SIT. The slain security guard, a local resident, has three minor children  two sons and a daughter. His family sat with his body outside Kotwali police station demanding a government job for his illiterate wife. The bank authorities sanctioned an ex gratia of Rs 10,000 to Kundans family. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been roaming around Bihar and outside the state claiming that there has been considerable decline in crime rate in the state following the implementation of prohibition. This murder in one of Patnas high-security areas shows the falsehood of this claim, said senior BJP leader and Union minister Ramkripal Yadav. Ruling JD(U) spokesperson and legislator Neeraj Kumar, however, said the ATM guards murder was an isolated incident and that the killers would be caught soon and punished as per law.
By Express News Service

An Express recce in south revealed that banks in Bhubaneswar and Kochi were cash rich, however, the those in Chennai, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Vijayawada remained cashless.

CHENNAI

Patience stretched to the limit

CHENNAI: The Express recce of banks in Chennai showed that banks here are dispensing new currency notes through cheques only for a few hours before running out of cash. As per the Centres directive, the withdrawal limit per week is Rs 24,000. Some have slashed the withdrawal limit to as low as Rs 5,000.

Serpentine queues continue to be de rigueur 30 days since the Big D was let loose on the nation.

Of the seven banks we randomly visited, two stopped honouring cheques after noon, three banks set their own withdrawal limit of Rs 5,000, Rs 6,000 and Rs 12,000 and only two honoured cheques up to the RBI limit of Rs 24,000. Read More

BHUBANESWAR

In need of cash? This is the palce to be

BHUBANESWAR: In Bhubaneswar, Express checked out SBI, Bank of India, UCO Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Central Bank, Canara Bank, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Axis Bank at the following locations: Unit VI, Unit VII, Unit IX, Surya Nagar, Gopabandhu Nagar, Sahid Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Forest Park, Satya Nagar and Mali Sahi.

There was no cash crunch in any of the bank branches we visited. Most of the banks allowed customers to use withdrawal slips, while a few stuck to the self-cheque route. Read More

KOCHI

There are no queues in Kochi

We visited the following banks in Kochi: South Indian Bank, Thevara; SBI branches at Kadavanthra, Thevara and Panampilly Nagar; HDFC, Kaloor; and South Indian Bank, Kaloor.

Most of the banks here have sufficient cash to meet the Rs 24,000 per week withdrawal limit imposed by the Union government. Read More

BENGALURU

Banks now money ration shops

BENGALURU:To get a firsthand idea of the situation, an Express team visited several banks  their home branches  on Friday to withdraw cash. We checked out banks in Kumaraswamy Layout, Chamarajpet, Electronic City, Basaveshwara Nagar, Infantry Road and TC Pallya Road.

While most banks had cash, SBI at Thubarahalli ran dry at 3 pm and put up a No Cash board outside. Such signs have been all too common at ATMs but for a bank to sport one was peculiar. Read More

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Kerala capital ain't bad either

A majority of the banks in Thiruvananthapuram had sufficient cash to honour the RBI limit of Rs 24,000 per week. No customers were turned away for the shortage of currency. However, getting the denomination of ones choice was difficult with only Rs 2,000s available.

There was a considerable rush at the SBI Althara Junction but elsewhere officials said the rush tended to come down by the end of banking hours.Read More

VIJAYAWADA

What if you are stuck with a salary cheque?

VIJAYAWADA: Express visited five banks in Vijayawada, and found that a majority of them have put on hold their regular services like issue of debit/credit cards, cheque books until December 30. Loans are being sanctioned but the payment is in installments. They are in fact in no position to even honour cheques. One customer, N Venkatesh walked into the SBI branch at Gandhi Nagar on Friday to encash a cheque of Rs 15,000. He was told to make it even  meaning it should be either Rs 14,000 or Rs 16,000. Read More

An Express recce in south revealed that banks in Bhubaneswar and Kochi were cash rich, however, the those in Chennai, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Vijayawada remained cashless. CHENNAI Patience stretched to the limit CHENNAI: The Express recce of banks in Chennai showed that banks here are dispensing new currency notes through cheques only for a few hours before running out of cash. As per the Centres directive, the withdrawal limit per week is Rs 24,000. Some have slashed the withdrawal limit to as low as Rs 5,000. Serpentine queues continue to be de rigueur 30 days since the Big D was let loose on the nation. Of the seven banks we randomly visited, two stopped honouring cheques after noon, three banks set their own withdrawal limit of Rs 5,000, Rs 6,000 and Rs 12,000 and only two honoured cheques up to the RBI limit of Rs 24,000. Read More BHUBANESWAR In need of cash? This is the palce to be BHUBANESWAR: In Bhubaneswar, Express checked out SBI, Bank of India, UCO Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Central Bank, Canara Bank, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Axis Bank at the following locations: Unit VI, Unit VII, Unit IX, Surya Nagar, Gopabandhu Nagar, Sahid Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Forest Park, Satya Nagar and Mali Sahi. There was no cash crunch in any of the bank branches we visited. Most of the banks allowed customers to use withdrawal slips, while a few stuck to the self-cheque route. Read More KOCHI There are no queues in Kochi We visited the following banks in Kochi: South Indian Bank, Thevara; SBI branches at Kadavanthra, Thevara and Panampilly Nagar; HDFC, Kaloor; and South Indian Bank, Kaloor. Most of the banks here have sufficient cash to meet the Rs 24,000 per week withdrawal limit imposed by the Union government. Read More BENGALURU Banks now money ration shops BENGALURU:To get a firsthand idea of the situation, an Express team visited several banks  their home branches  on Friday to withdraw cash. We checked out banks in Kumaraswamy Layout, Chamarajpet, Electronic City, Basaveshwara Nagar, Infantry Road and TC Pallya Road. While most banks had cash, SBI at Thubarahalli ran dry at 3 pm and put up a No Cash board outside. Such signs have been all too common at ATMs but for a bank to sport one was peculiar. Read More THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Kerala capital ain't bad either A majority of the banks in Thiruvananthapuram had sufficient cash to honour the RBI limit of Rs 24,000 per week. No customers were turned away for the shortage of currency. However, getting the denomination of ones choice was difficult with only Rs 2,000s available. There was a considerable rush at the SBI Althara Junction but elsewhere officials said the rush tended to come down by the end of banking hours.Read More VIJAYAWADA What if you are stuck with a salary cheque? VIJAYAWADA: Express visited five banks in Vijayawada, and found that a majority of them have put on hold their regular services like issue of debit/credit cards, cheque books until December 30. Loans are being sanctioned but the payment is in installments. They are in fact in no position to even honour cheques. One customer, N Venkatesh walked into the SBI branch at Gandhi Nagar on Friday to encash a cheque of Rs 15,000. He was told to make it even  meaning it should be either Rs 14,000 or Rs 16,000. Read More
By ANI

NEW DELHI: Defence expert Nitin Gokhale on Saturday said that former air chief S.P. Tyagi is not the last person to be arrested in the AgustaWestland case, adding that other high-profile officials, bureaucrats and politicians should also be brought under the CBI scanner.

The former air chief S.P. Tyagi being arrested is indeed a big news and it has taken almost four years for the CBI to make a first high profile arrest. But I believe that S.P. Tyagi is not the last person who will be arrested because he did not take an individual decision in the AgustaWestland case. There were many other high profile people also involved in the decision making, Gokhale told ANI.

So, just to pick out Air Chief Marshal (Retired) S.P. Tyagi will be unfair. So, therefore, my view is that even they should be not just interrogated, but they should be looked at very closely and if necessary also go after them, he added.

He further said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would do well to look at those involved in that decision-making process.

Otherwise, it will be seen as victimising a service personnel and allowing bureaucrats and may be some politicians to get away from this crime. This entire deal was handled not just by Air Head Quarters, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) was involved and so was the Prime Ministers Office. Two PMs offices that are the previous NDA government and Dr Manmohan Singhs Prime Ministers Offices were involved. The special protection group which protects the Prime Minister was also involved. he added.

The CBI will produce Tyagi in court today and will seek his remand after he was arrested in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal case.

Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan and Sanjeev Tyagi were also arrested in the case.

The deal is related to purchase of twelve helicopters for VVIPs from Italian manufacturer Finmeccanica in 2010 during UPA-2 government's rule.

Tyagi, 71,who retired in 2007, was called for questioning to the CBI headquarters along with Khaitan and Sanjeev Tyagi.

These are the first arrests by CBI which came after it registered a case in 2013.

NEW DELHI: Defence expert Nitin Gokhale on Saturday said that former air chief S.P. Tyagi is not the last person to be arrested in the AgustaWestland case, adding that other high-profile officials, bureaucrats and politicians should also be brought under the CBI scanner. The former air chief S.P. Tyagi being arrested is indeed a big news and it has taken almost four years for the CBI to make a first high profile arrest. But I believe that S.P. Tyagi is not the last person who will be arrested because he did not take an individual decision in the AgustaWestland case. There were many other high profile people also involved in the decision making, Gokhale told ANI. So, just to pick out Air Chief Marshal (Retired) S.P. Tyagi will be unfair. So, therefore, my view is that even they should be not just interrogated, but they should be looked at very closely and if necessary also go after them, he added. He further said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would do well to look at those involved in that decision-making process. Otherwise, it will be seen as victimising a service personnel and allowing bureaucrats and may be some politicians to get away from this crime. This entire deal was handled not just by Air Head Quarters, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) was involved and so was the Prime Ministers Office. Two PMs offices that are the previous NDA government and Dr Manmohan Singhs Prime Ministers Offices were involved. The special protection group which protects the Prime Minister was also involved. he added. The CBI will produce Tyagi in court today and will seek his remand after he was arrested in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal case. Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan and Sanjeev Tyagi were also arrested in the case. The deal is related to purchase of twelve helicopters for VVIPs from Italian manufacturer Finmeccanica in 2010 during UPA-2 government's rule. Tyagi, 71,who retired in 2007, was called for questioning to the CBI headquarters along with Khaitan and Sanjeev Tyagi. These are the first arrests by CBI which came after it registered a case in 2013.
By ANI

NOIDA: Reacting to the arrest of former Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi in the AugustaWestaland deal, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan on Saturday said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), is acting at the behest of the Centre and wants to divert attention from the demonetisation fiasco.



All the facts relating to Air Chief Marshal Tyagi are known for more than two years, yet he was not arrested till now. Now, suddenly he has been arrested since this whole fiasco of demonetisation, Bhushan told ANI.



Bhushan further said had the CBI and the Centre been serious about weeding out corruption, then, they should have launched an inquiry into the defence deals done by the Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand governments who have agreements with AugustaWestaland.



If they are serious about (tackling) corruption, why have they not taken action in similar Augusta Westaland purchases by the Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan governments, he asked.



Asserting that defence deals in India are notorious for corruption and over-pricing, Bhushan said, Even now, in this Rafale deal, the price of the aircraft was increased more than double where the contract of Rs. 58000 crore was given to Rafale and half of that has been given to Anil Ambanis company which has no experience in defence production.



Bhushan further alleged that the interim CBI director is acting on behest of the Centre who is a handpicked man of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah.



The CBI yesterday arrested Tyagi in connection with the AgustaWestland scam, - considered as one of the biggest defence scams after Bofors.



Gautam Khaitan, a Delhi-based lawyer, and Sanjeev Tyagi, alias, Julie Tyagi, were also arrested by the CBI in this connection.



The trio was arrested on the charges of accepting illegal gratification for exercising influence through corrupt and illegal means during the deal.

NOIDA: Reacting to the arrest of former Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi in the AugustaWestaland deal, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan on Saturday said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), is acting at the behest of the Centre and wants to divert attention from the demonetisation fiasco. All the facts relating to Air Chief Marshal Tyagi are known for more than two years, yet he was not arrested till now. Now, suddenly he has been arrested since this whole fiasco of demonetisation, Bhushan told ANI. Bhushan further said had the CBI and the Centre been serious about weeding out corruption, then, they should have launched an inquiry into the defence deals done by the Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand governments who have agreements with AugustaWestaland. If they are serious about (tackling) corruption, why have they not taken action in similar Augusta Westaland purchases by the Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan governments, he asked. Asserting that defence deals in India are notorious for corruption and over-pricing, Bhushan said, Even now, in this Rafale deal, the price of the aircraft was increased more than double where the contract of Rs. 58000 crore was given to Rafale and half of that has been given to Anil Ambanis company which has no experience in defence production. Bhushan further alleged that the interim CBI director is acting on behest of the Centre who is a handpicked man of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah. The CBI yesterday arrested Tyagi in connection with the AgustaWestland scam, - considered as one of the biggest defence scams after Bofors. Gautam Khaitan, a Delhi-based lawyer, and Sanjeev Tyagi, alias, Julie Tyagi, were also arrested by the CBI in this connection. The trio was arrested on the charges of accepting illegal gratification for exercising influence through corrupt and illegal means during the deal.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Expressing deep pain over allegations levelled by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee against the Army for its routine exercise at toll gates in the State, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has written to her saying such charges can adversely impact the morale of the force.

Manohar Parrikar

A week after the deployment of Army personnel in Bengal, which Parrikar called avoidable, he wrote a hard-hitting letter saying that while political parties and politicians may have the luxury of making wild and unsubstantiated allegations against each other, one needs to be extremely careful while referring to the armed forces. Your allegations in this regard run the risk of adversely impacting the morale of the armed forces and the same were not expected from a person of your standing and experience in public life, Parrikar said in his letter written on December 8.

Describing the Army as the most disciplined institution of the country, he said the nation is proud of its professionalism and apolitical conduct.

Mamata and her party Trinamool Congress have been opposing the governments demonetisation move in and outside Parliament. In fact, the party MPs had made noises in both Houses of Parliament over the Indigo flight carrying the Bengal CM which was not allowed to land despite a low fuel alert.

Mamata had accused the Centre of deploying the Army at toll plazas in Bengal without informing the State government and described it as unprecedented and a very serious situation worse than Emergency. She even tweeted that Trinamool members had refused to leave her office in Kolkata till the Armymen were withdrawn from the toll plazas, and had asked if it was a army coup, drawing a sharp reaction from the Centre.

, Mamata Banerjee

Terming the exercise carried out by the Eastern Command in Bengal and other states to collect information about the movement of heavy vehicles at toll gates as an avoidable controversy, Parrikar, in his letter to Banerjee, said it is being carried out by all formations of the Army in the country for years.

He said the exercises are held as per the dates convenient to the Army in consultation with State agencies. A series of communication from the Eastern Command has already cleared doubts raised by Mamata.

Parrikar said the Army was forced to put the record straight by presenting evidence of its communication with the State agencies, including rescheduling of the data collection operations. I have been deeply pained by your allegations as reported in the media. If only you had enquired with the agencies concerned of the State government, you would have come to know of the extensive correspondence between the Army and the State agencies including the joint inspection of sites carried out by them, Parrikar said in his letter to Banerjee.

However, later, Mamata hit out at Parrikar saying that her complaint was against the government policy, not the Army. My complaint was not against the Army. It was against your government and the government policy, as they act under your directions. We have great respect for their nationalism and professionalism, Mamata replied to Parrikar.

I take strong exception to your wild assertion that my articulation of the rights of the State government vis-a-vis Army deployment without clearance has impacted the morale of the armed forces. Your general observations about political parties and politicians may be apt for your party, but we do not belong to that group, she said.

NEW DELHI: Expressing deep pain over allegations levelled by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee against the Army for its routine exercise at toll gates in the State, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has written to her saying such charges can adversely impact the morale of the force. Manohar ParrikarA week after the deployment of Army personnel in Bengal, which Parrikar called avoidable, he wrote a hard-hitting letter saying that while political parties and politicians may have the luxury of making wild and unsubstantiated allegations against each other, one needs to be extremely careful while referring to the armed forces. Your allegations in this regard run the risk of adversely impacting the morale of the armed forces and the same were not expected from a person of your standing and experience in public life, Parrikar said in his letter written on December 8. Describing the Army as the most disciplined institution of the country, he said the nation is proud of its professionalism and apolitical conduct. Mamata and her party Trinamool Congress have been opposing the governments demonetisation move in and outside Parliament. In fact, the party MPs had made noises in both Houses of Parliament over the Indigo flight carrying the Bengal CM which was not allowed to land despite a low fuel alert. Mamata had accused the Centre of deploying the Army at toll plazas in Bengal without informing the State government and described it as unprecedented and a very serious situation worse than Emergency. She even tweeted that Trinamool members had refused to leave her office in Kolkata till the Armymen were withdrawn from the toll plazas, and had asked if it was a army coup, drawing a sharp reaction from the Centre. , Mamata BanerjeeTerming the exercise carried out by the Eastern Command in Bengal and other states to collect information about the movement of heavy vehicles at toll gates as an avoidable controversy, Parrikar, in his letter to Banerjee, said it is being carried out by all formations of the Army in the country for years. He said the exercises are held as per the dates convenient to the Army in consultation with State agencies. A series of communication from the Eastern Command has already cleared doubts raised by Mamata. Parrikar said the Army was forced to put the record straight by presenting evidence of its communication with the State agencies, including rescheduling of the data collection operations. I have been deeply pained by your allegations as reported in the media. If only you had enquired with the agencies concerned of the State government, you would have come to know of the extensive correspondence between the Army and the State agencies including the joint inspection of sites carried out by them, Parrikar said in his letter to Banerjee. However, later, Mamata hit out at Parrikar saying that her complaint was against the government policy, not the Army. My complaint was not against the Army. It was against your government and the government policy, as they act under your directions. We have great respect for their nationalism and professionalism, Mamata replied to Parrikar. I take strong exception to your wild assertion that my articulation of the rights of the State government vis-a-vis Army deployment without clearance has impacted the morale of the armed forces. Your general observations about political parties and politicians may be apt for your party, but we do not belong to that group, she said.
By PTI

DHAR: A 45-year-old tribal man from Madhya Pradesh has embarked on a 15-day cycle tour to Delhi in support of the Centre's demonetisation move.



Rajendra Singh, who started the journey from Kukshi town in Dhar district yesterday, plans to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital to urge him that more such "tough" decisions should be taken in the interest of the country.



"The major aim of this journey is to support Prime Minister, who has taken courageous decisions like surgical strikes (in PoK) and demonetisation," Singh told reporters before setting off on his tour.



"During the course of journey, which will be completed in 15 days, I will tell the nation that people are happy with this decision. After reaching Delhi, I will request the Prime Minister to take more such tough decisions in the interest of the nation," he said.



During the expedition, Singh will pass via Badnawar and Ratlam towns in Madhya Pradesh then enter Rajasthan, where he will pedal his way via Banswada and Jaipur, before reaching Delhi.



DHAR: A 45-year-old tribal man from Madhya Pradesh has embarked on a 15-day cycle tour to Delhi in support of the Centre's demonetisation move. Rajendra Singh, who started the journey from Kukshi town in Dhar district yesterday, plans to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital to urge him that more such "tough" decisions should be taken in the interest of the country. "The major aim of this journey is to support Prime Minister, who has taken courageous decisions like surgical strikes (in PoK) and demonetisation," Singh told reporters before setting off on his tour. "During the course of journey, which will be completed in 15 days, I will tell the nation that people are happy with this decision. After reaching Delhi, I will request the Prime Minister to take more such tough decisions in the interest of the nation," he said. During the expedition, Singh will pass via Badnawar and Ratlam towns in Madhya Pradesh then enter Rajasthan, where he will pedal his way via Banswada and Jaipur, before reaching Delhi.
By Express News Service

AS demonetisation continues to take a toll on the financial stability of the common man, Express did another status check on the availability of cash, this time in the bank branches across capital cities in south India and Odisha. This comes amidst widespread reports of banks rationing cash being given to customers. While the government has set a limit of Rs 24,000 for withdrawals in a given day, people lament that the banks seldom follow the same. This has been blamed on inadequate currency in the system.

The Supreme Court also expressed concern over the matter on Friday. You yourself said withdrawals can be up to Rs 24,000 a week. This is the limit you have prescribed. Once you say people can withdraw Rs 24000, that promise must be kept, Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur said.

Express journalists visited 46 bank branches across south India and Odisha and found that 30 branches were allowing customers to withdraw the maximum amount of Rs 24,000. However, the numbers varied depending on cities. For instance, Bhubaneswar, Kochi and Trivandrum were among the best with all branches visited giving the full amount. In Chennai, only two of the seven branches visited dispensed full amount. Similar situation prevailed in Bengaluru with just four of ten branches visited dispensing full amount.

AS demonetisation continues to take a toll on the financial stability of the common man, Express did another status check on the availability of cash, this time in the bank branches across capital cities in south India and Odisha. This comes amidst widespread reports of banks rationing cash being given to customers. While the government has set a limit of Rs 24,000 for withdrawals in a given day, people lament that the banks seldom follow the same. This has been blamed on inadequate currency in the system. The Supreme Court also expressed concern over the matter on Friday. You yourself said withdrawals can be up to Rs 24,000 a week. This is the limit you have prescribed. Once you say people can withdraw Rs 24000, that promise must be kept, Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur said. Express journalists visited 46 bank branches across south India and Odisha and found that 30 branches were allowing customers to withdraw the maximum amount of Rs 24,000. However, the numbers varied depending on cities. For instance, Bhubaneswar, Kochi and Trivandrum were among the best with all branches visited giving the full amount. In Chennai, only two of the seven branches visited dispensed full amount. Similar situation prevailed in Bengaluru with just four of ten branches visited dispensing full amount.
By IANS

NEW DELHI/PORT BLAIR: Over 2,300 tourists, including a dozen foreigners, were taken to safety by air and sea from Andaman and Nicobar islands on Friday, officials said.

Altogether 2,376 tourists stranded in Havelock and Neil Islands, due to a deep depression formed over the Bay of Bengal that later intensified into cyclone storm "Vardah", were brought to Port Blair during the day-long operation, the Directorate of Disaster Management said in a release.

The defence ministry said four of the foreigners were from Spain, two each from Germany, Italy and Latvia, and one each from Israel and Ireland.

Six Indian Navy ships, three Coast Guard vessels, besides ships of Directorate of Shipping Services, and three Indian Air Force MI-17 V5 choppers took part in the rescue mission that started on Friday morning despite rain and strong winds, according to a Defence Ministry spokesperson.

The Army and the Andaman administration also joined the rescue operations.

The six navy ships that took part in the mission are Karmukh, Kumbhir, Bitra, Baratang, LCU 27 and LCU 38.

The three IAF choppers carried out 14 sorties -- 11 from Havelock, and three from Neil island.

Earlier, at a high-level meeting held at Raj Niwas, Andaman and Nicobar Lt Governor Jagdish Mukhi directed the Andaman Nicobar Command and the Administration to immediately start the evacuation of tourists from Havelock & Neil Islands.

"Six Indian Navy ships and three Indian Coast Guard ships sailed out at 9.30 a.m. from Port Blair for rescue operations. Three Indian Air Force helicopters are also taking part in IN, ICG, Army, State administration joint operation for evacuation of stranded tourists in the Havelock Island," the Indian Navy said in a statement.

The sudden evacuation mission was initiated at the request of the Andaman and Nicobar Disaster Management, which speculated that the cyclonic storm might strike Havelock, an island about 36 km from capital Port Blair.

The navy on Wednesday made its first attempt to rescue the tourists stranded on Havelock.

However, due to extreme weather conditions, the tourists could not reach the jetty to board the ships.

Four navy ships had to return in a failed rescue attempt, the officials from A&N Disaster Management informed.

"Now the weather conditions have improved. It's only moderate rain and winds," an official from A&N Disaster Management told IANS.

The official said the sudden evacuation was called for as they did not want to take any risk given that a deep depression (in the sea) developed about 310 km from Port Blair.

NEW DELHI/PORT BLAIR: Over 2,300 tourists, including a dozen foreigners, were taken to safety by air and sea from Andaman and Nicobar islands on Friday, officials said. Altogether 2,376 tourists stranded in Havelock and Neil Islands, due to a deep depression formed over the Bay of Bengal that later intensified into cyclone storm "Vardah", were brought to Port Blair during the day-long operation, the Directorate of Disaster Management said in a release. The defence ministry said four of the foreigners were from Spain, two each from Germany, Italy and Latvia, and one each from Israel and Ireland. Six Indian Navy ships, three Coast Guard vessels, besides ships of Directorate of Shipping Services, and three Indian Air Force MI-17 V5 choppers took part in the rescue mission that started on Friday morning despite rain and strong winds, according to a Defence Ministry spokesperson. The Army and the Andaman administration also joined the rescue operations. The six navy ships that took part in the mission are Karmukh, Kumbhir, Bitra, Baratang, LCU 27 and LCU 38. The three IAF choppers carried out 14 sorties -- 11 from Havelock, and three from Neil island. Earlier, at a high-level meeting held at Raj Niwas, Andaman and Nicobar Lt Governor Jagdish Mukhi directed the Andaman Nicobar Command and the Administration to immediately start the evacuation of tourists from Havelock & Neil Islands. "Six Indian Navy ships and three Indian Coast Guard ships sailed out at 9.30 a.m. from Port Blair for rescue operations. Three Indian Air Force helicopters are also taking part in IN, ICG, Army, State administration joint operation for evacuation of stranded tourists in the Havelock Island," the Indian Navy said in a statement. The sudden evacuation mission was initiated at the request of the Andaman and Nicobar Disaster Management, which speculated that the cyclonic storm might strike Havelock, an island about 36 km from capital Port Blair. The navy on Wednesday made its first attempt to rescue the tourists stranded on Havelock. However, due to extreme weather conditions, the tourists could not reach the jetty to board the ships. Four navy ships had to return in a failed rescue attempt, the officials from A&N Disaster Management informed. "Now the weather conditions have improved. It's only moderate rain and winds," an official from A&N Disaster Management told IANS. The official said the sudden evacuation was called for as they did not want to take any risk given that a deep depression (in the sea) developed about 310 km from Port Blair.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Income Tax officials on Friday raided an Axis Bank branch in the national capital and identified at least 44 fake bank accounts. According to agencies, the accounts did not conform with Know Your Customer norms and old notes worth Rs 100 crore were deposited in them.

The raid was carried out at the Chandni Chowk branch of the bank in New Delhi. Axis Bank officials are being grilled in connection with the matter.

A total of Rs 450 crore had been deposited in the branch since November 8, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1.000 notes, according to reports.

An Axis Bank spokesperson said, The bank is committed to following highest standards of corporate governance and has zero tolerance towards any deviation on part of any of its employees from the model code of conduct. Strict action will be taken against any employee found deviating from guidelines; were cooperating with investigating agencies.

Earlier this week, the Enforcement Directorate had arrested two Axis Bank managers and seized 3 kg gold bars in its money laundering probe in a racket to illegally convert old notes in connivance with banking authorities.

Meanwhile, three persons were arrested and Rs 91 lakh in old notes was seized from their possession in separate incidents in Rajasthan, police said. Kotputali police seized Rs 88 lakh in demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from Rajendra Bharadwaj (22), asked to deliver the money to a trader in Chaura Rasta area in Jaipur. A Delhi metal firm owner had allegedly hired him for the job.

The accused was arrested while travelling in a bus near Paniyala with a bag full of cash, said Jaipur (rural) DSP Mahmood Khan. Acting on a tip-off, police teams carried out searches of the buses plying between New Delhi and Jaipur and caught the youth with the money, he added. We have seized the currency and referred the matter to the Income Tax department for carrying out further investigation, he said.

In Mumbai, the police crime branch seized Rs 85 lakh cash in Rs 2,000 notes from a person at Matunga, police said. The cash was seized by unit 5 of the crime branch from Babasaheb Ambedkar road on Friday afternoon, said Mumbai Police spokesperson Ashok Dudhe.

In a related development, the Haryana Police recovered Rs 10 lakh in new Rs 2,000 currency notes in Gurgaon and arrested two persons in this connection. A police spokesperson said a team recovered the notes from two persons, who were riding on a two-wheeler, near Islampur village in Gurgaon district.

NEW DELHI: The Income Tax officials on Friday raided an Axis Bank branch in the national capital and identified at least 44 fake bank accounts. According to agencies, the accounts did not conform with Know Your Customer norms and old notes worth Rs 100 crore were deposited in them. The raid was carried out at the Chandni Chowk branch of the bank in New Delhi. Axis Bank officials are being grilled in connection with the matter. A total of Rs 450 crore had been deposited in the branch since November 8, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1.000 notes, according to reports. An Axis Bank spokesperson said, The bank is committed to following highest standards of corporate governance and has zero tolerance towards any deviation on part of any of its employees from the model code of conduct. Strict action will be taken against any employee found deviating from guidelines; were cooperating with investigating agencies. Earlier this week, the Enforcement Directorate had arrested two Axis Bank managers and seized 3 kg gold bars in its money laundering probe in a racket to illegally convert old notes in connivance with banking authorities. Meanwhile, three persons were arrested and Rs 91 lakh in old notes was seized from their possession in separate incidents in Rajasthan, police said. Kotputali police seized Rs 88 lakh in demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from Rajendra Bharadwaj (22), asked to deliver the money to a trader in Chaura Rasta area in Jaipur. A Delhi metal firm owner had allegedly hired him for the job. The accused was arrested while travelling in a bus near Paniyala with a bag full of cash, said Jaipur (rural) DSP Mahmood Khan. Acting on a tip-off, police teams carried out searches of the buses plying between New Delhi and Jaipur and caught the youth with the money, he added. We have seized the currency and referred the matter to the Income Tax department for carrying out further investigation, he said. In Mumbai, the police crime branch seized Rs 85 lakh cash in Rs 2,000 notes from a person at Matunga, police said. The cash was seized by unit 5 of the crime branch from Babasaheb Ambedkar road on Friday afternoon, said Mumbai Police spokesperson Ashok Dudhe. In a related development, the Haryana Police recovered Rs 10 lakh in new Rs 2,000 currency notes in Gurgaon and arrested two persons in this connection. A police spokesperson said a team recovered the notes from two persons, who were riding on a two-wheeler, near Islampur village in Gurgaon district.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Attacking Congress over the VVIP chopper scam, BJP today asked its vice president Rahul Gandhi to disclose that which politician in the UPA government received bribe in the controversial deal.



BJP's attack on the party came a day after the CBI arrested former Air Force Chief S P Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev, and a lawyer in the alleged Rs 450 crore bribery case in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from UK-based AgustaWestland during the UPA-2 government.



"It has been established that commission was paid in the deal. Rahul Gandhi speaks on all matters under the Sun. He should now make it clear who in the UPA government received the bribe," its national secretary Shrikant Sharma said.



During hearing in an Italian court, initials of people who were allegedly given bribe had emerged and BJP has used it to target the Congress leadership.



Sharma said it was laughable that corruption cases that took place under the previous Congress government continue to make headlines even two-and-a-half-years after it was voted out and the BJP government took over.



An Italian court had convicted two top executives of defence major Finmeccanica (AgustaWestland is its subsidiary) for paying kickbacks in the deal.



NEW DELHI: Attacking Congress over the VVIP chopper scam, BJP today asked its vice president Rahul Gandhi to disclose that which politician in the UPA government received bribe in the controversial deal. BJP's attack on the party came a day after the CBI arrested former Air Force Chief S P Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev, and a lawyer in the alleged Rs 450 crore bribery case in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from UK-based AgustaWestland during the UPA-2 government. "It has been established that commission was paid in the deal. Rahul Gandhi speaks on all matters under the Sun. He should now make it clear who in the UPA government received the bribe," its national secretary Shrikant Sharma said. During hearing in an Italian court, initials of people who were allegedly given bribe had emerged and BJP has used it to target the Congress leadership. Sharma said it was laughable that corruption cases that took place under the previous Congress government continue to make headlines even two-and-a-half-years after it was voted out and the BJP government took over. An Italian court had convicted two top executives of defence major Finmeccanica (AgustaWestland is its subsidiary) for paying kickbacks in the deal.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2017 for admissions to medical colleges will be held in English, Tamil, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu, the Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Anupriya Patel said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here on Friday.

Section 10 D of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 prescribes conducting of uniform entrance examination in Hindi, English and such other languages, said Patel.

However, no criteria has been fixed for rural students applying under all India quota seats. State quota seats for UG and PG programs are decided by the state governments.

NEET also will not disturb reservation policies of the states.

Earlier, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had expressed apprehension that getting the question paper translated into six languages other than English and Hindi could result in its leakage.

Even the Medical Council of India (MCI) had said that eventually the NEET should be conducted in English only, as medical books are not available in any language other than English.

Amid strong reservations expressed by several states against conducting the NEET this year, the NDA government on May 20 paved the way for an ordinance to keep state government exams out of the ambit of the common test.

The Lok Sabha, on July 18, passed a bill mandating the conduct of single common examination for medical and dental courses. The new measures will also cover private colleges.

The Bill replaces the ordinances promulgated by the government to circumvent a Supreme Court order, which had called for the implementation of NEET from this session.

NEW DELHI: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2017 for admissions to medical colleges will be held in English, Tamil, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu, the Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Anupriya Patel said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here on Friday. Section 10 D of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 prescribes conducting of uniform entrance examination in Hindi, English and such other languages, said Patel. However, no criteria has been fixed for rural students applying under all India quota seats. State quota seats for UG and PG programs are decided by the state governments. NEET also will not disturb reservation policies of the states. Earlier, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had expressed apprehension that getting the question paper translated into six languages other than English and Hindi could result in its leakage. Even the Medical Council of India (MCI) had said that eventually the NEET should be conducted in English only, as medical books are not available in any language other than English. Amid strong reservations expressed by several states against conducting the NEET this year, the NDA government on May 20 paved the way for an ordinance to keep state government exams out of the ambit of the common test. The Lok Sabha, on July 18, passed a bill mandating the conduct of single common examination for medical and dental courses. The new measures will also cover private colleges. The Bill replaces the ordinances promulgated by the government to circumvent a Supreme Court order, which had called for the implementation of NEET from this session.
S Vaidhyasubramaniam By

The Financial Pokhran, as noted columnist S Gurumurthy describes the demonetisation decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a cleaning agent for the dirty troikafake currency, corruption and black money.

In a single masterstroke invalidating the high denomination currencies of 500 and 1,000, the cleaning process has started with a high hope of eliminating the fake currencies and stashed-away black money. However, whether corruption would get eliminated still remains a million-dollar question in the minds of economists of both typesestablished and the two-minute post-demonetisation specialists.



The demonetisation decision has resulted in a dizzying cocktail of sorts involving various academic subjects. Political science reveals the sudden reorganisation of many political parties, which include those having diametrically opposite ideologies aligning together with a common voice against demonetisation.

Students of economics paint different pictures of economic reasoning with some brushes being colour-biased. Though the final picture will emerge after December 30, the outline sketch seems to be well-contoured.



For those studying Mathemat(g)ics, repeated assignments on writing the extent of deposits and withdrawals which switched from one lakh to two to three lakh crores and so on, it was a good learning to finally know the number of zeroes that followed 1 and distinction for those who were able to quickly calculate the growth percentage in these daily figures. Newtons Third Law of physics was visible in the governments immediate plugging reaction to various actions of those trying to outsmart the surgical strike.

The chemistry between various stakeholders related organically or inorganically changed dramatically as well. The relationship between employers and employees, house owners and house maids and even between god and His devotees underwent a new chemical reaction. Those studying astrology did not advise people to take up Modis horoscope as many took up theirs to predict if the PM would reverse or review his decision. Opponents of demonetisation displayed a good knowledge of geography as many questioned the urgency in India when the black money from tax havens such as Switzerland, Cayman Islands, Macau, Bermuda, British

Virgin Islands etc. was not yet brought back. Interestingly, the subject of philosophy integrated the common man. Philosophy lovers understood the guiding principle behind Modi mission and majority of them chose to go through the inconveniences in the countrys interest. The emboldened and unified common man hopes that the nations prosperity and resultant socio-economic benefits would elevate the standards of citizenry.

With this multi-subject driven academic cocktail, also lies the hope of eliminating corruption in the field of higher education. The highest buyer is the ultimate buyer syndrome fuelled the capitation fees market in which the collusive parent-private college collaboration ensured the triumph of money over merit. Regulators have preferred to turn a Nelsons eye and act as a catalyst to this annual capitation ritual.

National Institute of Public Finance and Policy estimated the capitation fee collected by private colleges, on management quota seats during 2013, to be around `5,953 crore, most of them in black. Although the figure may be less in 2016, thanks to the Supreme Court order on NEET, the problem remains only half-addressed.

With the 2017 admission process to various engineering programmes already started, the issue of black money may resurface. The hope of eliminating its generation through capitation fee needs a disinfectant in addition to this cleaning agent called demonetisation. vaidhya@sastra.edu

The Financial Pokhran, as noted columnist S Gurumurthy describes the demonetisation decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a cleaning agent for the dirty troikafake currency, corruption and black money. In a single masterstroke invalidating the high denomination currencies of 500 and 1,000, the cleaning process has started with a high hope of eliminating the fake currencies and stashed-away black money. However, whether corruption would get eliminated still remains a million-dollar question in the minds of economists of both typesestablished and the two-minute post-demonetisation specialists. The demonetisation decision has resulted in a dizzying cocktail of sorts involving various academic subjects. Political science reveals the sudden reorganisation of many political parties, which include those having diametrically opposite ideologies aligning together with a common voice against demonetisation. Students of economics paint different pictures of economic reasoning with some brushes being colour-biased. Though the final picture will emerge after December 30, the outline sketch seems to be well-contoured. For those studying Mathemat(g)ics, repeated assignments on writing the extent of deposits and withdrawals which switched from one lakh to two to three lakh crores and so on, it was a good learning to finally know the number of zeroes that followed 1 and distinction for those who were able to quickly calculate the growth percentage in these daily figures. Newtons Third Law of physics was visible in the governments immediate plugging reaction to various actions of those trying to outsmart the surgical strike. The chemistry between various stakeholders related organically or inorganically changed dramatically as well. The relationship between employers and employees, house owners and house maids and even between god and His devotees underwent a new chemical reaction. Those studying astrology did not advise people to take up Modis horoscope as many took up theirs to predict if the PM would reverse or review his decision. Opponents of demonetisation displayed a good knowledge of geography as many questioned the urgency in India when the black money from tax havens such as Switzerland, Cayman Islands, Macau, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands etc. was not yet brought back. Interestingly, the subject of philosophy integrated the common man. Philosophy lovers understood the guiding principle behind Modi mission and majority of them chose to go through the inconveniences in the countrys interest. The emboldened and unified common man hopes that the nations prosperity and resultant socio-economic benefits would elevate the standards of citizenry. With this multi-subject driven academic cocktail, also lies the hope of eliminating corruption in the field of higher education. The highest buyer is the ultimate buyer syndrome fuelled the capitation fees market in which the collusive parent-private college collaboration ensured the triumph of money over merit. Regulators have preferred to turn a Nelsons eye and act as a catalyst to this annual capitation ritual. National Institute of Public Finance and Policy estimated the capitation fee collected by private colleges, on management quota seats during 2013, to be around `5,953 crore, most of them in black. Although the figure may be less in 2016, thanks to the Supreme Court order on NEET, the problem remains only half-addressed. With the 2017 admission process to various engineering programmes already started, the issue of black money may resurface. The hope of eliminating its generation through capitation fee needs a disinfectant in addition to this cleaning agent called demonetisation. vaidhya@sastra.edu
Some 42 countries attended the Sixth Heart of Asia Conference held in Amritsar on December 4. The most enduring image from the conference was Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghanis outburst against Pakistan. He openly slammed Pakistan for its aid to terrorists operating inside his country. His pique and anger today is understandable.

Ghani began his tenure by investing considerable political capital in a rather risky outreach to Pakistan to broker peace with the Taliban. Pakistans response was to encourage the Taliban to mount an all-out offensive to overthrow the legitimately elected government in Kabul, the moment the Americans withdrew. In fact, Ghani cited a key leader of the Taliban, Mullah Rahmatullah Kakazada, as saying that if they did not have sanctuaries in Pakistan, they would not last a month. From September to October this year, the Taliban intensified its assault.

Hurt and bitter, President Ghani lashed out at Pakistani advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. Acidly thanking him for the Pakistani offer of $500 million aid, he pointed out that this money was of no use sans peace and stability in Afghanistan. In a most pointed snub, he said: this money, Mr Aziz, can be much better used for containing extremism. This angst is truly justified.

The Afghan Tragedy: Since 1979, when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, some one million Afghan citizens have been killed in the non-stop war. Some five million Afghans were forced to become refugees in Pakistan and Iran and another two-three million displaced internally.

Pakistans ISI started a jihad (with the help of the CIA and Saudi Arabia) to fight the Soviets. A decade later the Soviets withdrew. Surprisingly, the Afghan Army held the ragtag Mujahideen off for over three years. The ISIs poster boy Gulbuddin Hekmatyar surrounded Kabul and subjected it to a merciless bombardment that killed over 30,000 civilians. Hekmatyar failed to take the city. It finally fell not to the ISIs minions but the soldiers of Ahmad Shah Massoud of the Northern Alliance that was friendly to India. The ISI now raised the Taliban and sent its own soldiers with tanks and guns to conquer Kabul by a proxy war.

The Talibans most brutal and medieval dispensation now made Afghanistan a base for global jihad. This was followed by 9/11 and America launched a swift campaign that made a mockery of the Talibans military pretensions. Pakistan was drafted as a frontline state in the war against terror. It ripped the Americans of $31 billion and had the cheek to shelter Osama bin Laden for six years in Abbottabad.

American energies and forces, meanwhile, were diverted to Iraq and the ISI did its best to get Taliban back. Drained by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the US decided to withdraw. They virtually handed over Afghanistan as a vassal state to Pakistan that tried to reimpose the Taliban.

The Heart of Asia conference took Pakistan to task by identifying terrorist organisationsDaesh (ISIS), al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Haqqani network causing violence in Afghanistan. Pakistan dragged its feet on LeT and JeM, and insisted that the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Jundullah, and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Turkistan Islamic Movement also be included.

Issues of Connectivity. Only 12 per cent of Afghanistans land area is cultivable. The Mongols of Genghis Khan had so comprehensively destroyed the Afghan irrigation infrastructure that the country was pushed back from settled agriculture to nomadism. It later depended on the silk route for tariffs and trade. With the rise of sea trade, even this income atrophied.

Afghanistan was reduced to a rentier economy needing vast influx of economic resources from outside to sustain. Even today, the International community spends some $10-12 billion annually on the floundering state. The only way it can be made self-sustaining is by restoring its commercial connectivity with the largest market in AsiaIndia. Pakistan has been against this India-Afghanistan tie-up. However, ignoring Pakistan, India went ahead with the Chabahar port agreement. This will help Afghanistan become an economically viable and self-sustaining nation.

Military Capability. Pakistan had insisted on deliberately keeping the Afghan military weak. It dictates the size and armament levels of the Afghan National Army (ANA), which was kept confined to the status of an armed constabulary. This is where India must extend a helping hand. India has huge stocks of T-54 and T-55 tanks and 105 and 75/24 mm guns in its depots. These should be given to the ANA so it can crush the Taliban rebels.

Afghanistan cannot be treated as mere strategic depth for Pakistan. Pakistans obnoxious behaviour of using terrorism as an instrument of state policy has now riled all its neighbours who are sick and tired of its primary export of international terrorism.

gagandeep.bakshi@yahoo.com

Some 42 countries attended the Sixth Heart of Asia Conference held in Amritsar on December 4. The most enduring image from the conference was Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghanis outburst against Pakistan. He openly slammed Pakistan for its aid to terrorists operating inside his country. His pique and anger today is understandable. Ghani began his tenure by investing considerable political capital in a rather risky outreach to Pakistan to broker peace with the Taliban. Pakistans response was to encourage the Taliban to mount an all-out offensive to overthrow the legitimately elected government in Kabul, the moment the Americans withdrew. In fact, Ghani cited a key leader of the Taliban, Mullah Rahmatullah Kakazada, as saying that if they did not have sanctuaries in Pakistan, they would not last a month. From September to October this year, the Taliban intensified its assault. Hurt and bitter, President Ghani lashed out at Pakistani advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. Acidly thanking him for the Pakistani offer of $500 million aid, he pointed out that this money was of no use sans peace and stability in Afghanistan. In a most pointed snub, he said: this money, Mr Aziz, can be much better used for containing extremism. This angst is truly justified. The Afghan Tragedy: Since 1979, when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, some one million Afghan citizens have been killed in the non-stop war. Some five million Afghans were forced to become refugees in Pakistan and Iran and another two-three million displaced internally. Pakistans ISI started a jihad (with the help of the CIA and Saudi Arabia) to fight the Soviets. A decade later the Soviets withdrew. Surprisingly, the Afghan Army held the ragtag Mujahideen off for over three years. The ISIs poster boy Gulbuddin Hekmatyar surrounded Kabul and subjected it to a merciless bombardment that killed over 30,000 civilians. Hekmatyar failed to take the city. It finally fell not to the ISIs minions but the soldiers of Ahmad Shah Massoud of the Northern Alliance that was friendly to India. The ISI now raised the Taliban and sent its own soldiers with tanks and guns to conquer Kabul by a proxy war. The Talibans most brutal and medieval dispensation now made Afghanistan a base for global jihad. This was followed by 9/11 and America launched a swift campaign that made a mockery of the Talibans military pretensions. Pakistan was drafted as a frontline state in the war against terror. It ripped the Americans of $31 billion and had the cheek to shelter Osama bin Laden for six years in Abbottabad. American energies and forces, meanwhile, were diverted to Iraq and the ISI did its best to get Taliban back. Drained by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the US decided to withdraw. They virtually handed over Afghanistan as a vassal state to Pakistan that tried to reimpose the Taliban. The Heart of Asia conference took Pakistan to task by identifying terrorist organisationsDaesh (ISIS), al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Haqqani network causing violence in Afghanistan. Pakistan dragged its feet on LeT and JeM, and insisted that the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Jundullah, and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Turkistan Islamic Movement also be included. Issues of Connectivity. Only 12 per cent of Afghanistans land area is cultivable. The Mongols of Genghis Khan had so comprehensively destroyed the Afghan irrigation infrastructure that the country was pushed back from settled agriculture to nomadism. It later depended on the silk route for tariffs and trade. With the rise of sea trade, even this income atrophied. Afghanistan was reduced to a rentier economy needing vast influx of economic resources from outside to sustain. Even today, the International community spends some $10-12 billion annually on the floundering state. The only way it can be made self-sustaining is by restoring its commercial connectivity with the largest market in AsiaIndia. Pakistan has been against this India-Afghanistan tie-up. However, ignoring Pakistan, India went ahead with the Chabahar port agreement. This will help Afghanistan become an economically viable and self-sustaining nation. Military Capability. Pakistan had insisted on deliberately keeping the Afghan military weak. It dictates the size and armament levels of the Afghan National Army (ANA), which was kept confined to the status of an armed constabulary. This is where India must extend a helping hand. India has huge stocks of T-54 and T-55 tanks and 105 and 75/24 mm guns in its depots. These should be given to the ANA so it can crush the Taliban rebels. Afghanistan cannot be treated as mere strategic depth for Pakistan. Pakistans obnoxious behaviour of using terrorism as an instrument of state policy has now riled all its neighbours who are sick and tired of its primary export of international terrorism. gagandeep.bakshi@yahoo.com
By Express News Service

TIRUPATI/VIJAYAWADA : The Andhra Pradesh government removed J Sekhar Reddy, sand mining contractor and partner in SRS Mining, from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board on Saturday after Income Tax raids on the premises of his and his partners in Tamil Nadu unearthed a staggering stash of over Rs 100 crore and gold bars weighing 100 kg.



Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who reviewed the situation with the officials concerned, directed that Reddy be removed with immediate effect since his continuation would tarnish the image of the TTD and hurt the sentiments of devotees.



Sekhar Reddy stands removed from the board. A GO to this effect is being issued, Information Commissioner S Venkateswar confirmed to Express.



The I-T sleuths had on Thursday and Friday raided the premises of Reddy and his partners, Nagarathinam and SR Ramachandran and discovered about `106 crore cash and gold bars weighing 100 kg. The raids were conducted in Anna Nagar near Andhra Mahila Club and T Nagar in Chennai and two houses of Sekhar Reddy at Katpadi in Vellore district.



Sekhar Reddy was nominated to the TTD Trust Board on April 27, 2015 on the advice of the Tamil Nadu government. Reddy had paid a visit to former chief minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa when she was undergoing treatment at the Apollo Hospital in Chennai recently.

Top officials of the temple said they had no inkling that he was into something illegal.

TIRUPATI/VIJAYAWADA : The Andhra Pradesh government removed J Sekhar Reddy, sand mining contractor and partner in SRS Mining, from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board on Saturday after Income Tax raids on the premises of his and his partners in Tamil Nadu unearthed a staggering stash of over Rs 100 crore and gold bars weighing 100 kg. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who reviewed the situation with the officials concerned, directed that Reddy be removed with immediate effect since his continuation would tarnish the image of the TTD and hurt the sentiments of devotees. Sekhar Reddy stands removed from the board. A GO to this effect is being issued, Information Commissioner S Venkateswar confirmed to Express. The I-T sleuths had on Thursday and Friday raided the premises of Reddy and his partners, Nagarathinam and SR Ramachandran and discovered about `106 crore cash and gold bars weighing 100 kg. The raids were conducted in Anna Nagar near Andhra Mahila Club and T Nagar in Chennai and two houses of Sekhar Reddy at Katpadi in Vellore district. Sekhar Reddy was nominated to the TTD Trust Board on April 27, 2015 on the advice of the Tamil Nadu government. Reddy had paid a visit to former chief minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa when she was undergoing treatment at the Apollo Hospital in Chennai recently. Top officials of the temple said they had no inkling that he was into something illegal.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The Union government has spent at least `6,000 crore on advertising its schemes and polices in the last 11 years, said Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu here on Friday.

At an All-India Public Communicators workshop organised by the Karnataka Department of Information and Public Relations, he said: Of this, 55 per cent (`3,295 crore) was spent on print media followed by 38 per cent (`2,290 crore) on audio-video and 7 per cent (`448 crore) on print and outdoor publicity, he said.

He said they are planning to streamline government advertisements with a new print media policy.

Traditional media enables only one-way communication, but new platforms of social and new media enables instant and two-way communication between the government and the people. The challenge is how to make the best use of the media. Given the diversity of social, economic and geographic settings in our country, the traditional, new and social media platforms are important. Naidu said the Centre is also coming up with a new communications policy incorporating all the aspects.

Public communication is not a mere Public Relations exercise. It is a catalyst for socio-economic change, he said. State Urban Development Minister R Roshan Baig and former Union information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari also spoke on the occasion.

BENGALURU: The Union government has spent at least `6,000 crore on advertising its schemes and polices in the last 11 years, said Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu here on Friday. At an All-India Public Communicators workshop organised by the Karnataka Department of Information and Public Relations, he said: Of this, 55 per cent (`3,295 crore) was spent on print media followed by 38 per cent (`2,290 crore) on audio-video and 7 per cent (`448 crore) on print and outdoor publicity, he said. He said they are planning to streamline government advertisements with a new print media policy. Traditional media enables only one-way communication, but new platforms of social and new media enables instant and two-way communication between the government and the people. The challenge is how to make the best use of the media. Given the diversity of social, economic and geographic settings in our country, the traditional, new and social media platforms are important. Naidu said the Centre is also coming up with a new communications policy incorporating all the aspects. Public communication is not a mere Public Relations exercise. It is a catalyst for socio-economic change, he said. State Urban Development Minister R Roshan Baig and former Union information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari also spoke on the occasion.
By Express News Service

IDUKKI: In a pastoral letter wishing advance Christmas and New Year blessings and wishes, Idukki Bishop Mar Mathew Anikkuzhikkattil has called up on the diocese members to competitively engage in reproduction. In the letter published in Idukki dioceses monthly bulletin Sahyanadam, bishop Anikkuzhikkattil also

stated that those, who seek birth control measures are selfish and arrogant.

This letter, which lashes out at family planning, will be read out in parishes in one of the Sundays on December.



According to him, no one in this world have any right to prevent the birth of a new life. Many people

enthusiastically try to teach that population growth should be controlled and a population boom is dangerous. However, those, who ask for birth control manifold strongly than demanding castration of wild

boars or street dogs, should understand that they are also part of the population. Those, who say after becoming part of population that no one needs to be born and live after them, are selfish and arrogant. Men and women should try for making children till their reproduction capacity ends. A miserable life awaits those, who opt temporary or permanent birth control measures, Anikkuzhikkattil said in the letter.

According to him, the reason for many people to get rid of babies was the increase in the materialistic gains and erosion in the faith in God. When the Jeevan Foundation and Vincent D Paul Society have been jointly developing plans for bigger families, each person, family and parish should competitively come forth to cooperative with such initiatives. Youngsters should be promoted for marriage and those, who delays or obstructs marriage are denying a creation.

He further stated that when the husband and wife upset the Gods plans through permanent and temporary birth control measures, they are sowing the seeds of anxiety and frustration in families.



According to him, orphanages, old age homes, and childrens homes will be vanished if the families show courage to receive the creation with respect and generosity.

IDUKKI: In a pastoral letter wishing advance Christmas and New Year blessings and wishes, Idukki Bishop Mar Mathew Anikkuzhikkattil has called up on the diocese members to competitively engage in reproduction. In the letter published in Idukki dioceses monthly bulletin Sahyanadam, bishop Anikkuzhikkattil also stated that those, who seek birth control measures are selfish and arrogant. This letter, which lashes out at family planning, will be read out in parishes in one of the Sundays on December. According to him, no one in this world have any right to prevent the birth of a new life. Many people enthusiastically try to teach that population growth should be controlled and a population boom is dangerous. However, those, who ask for birth control manifold strongly than demanding castration of wild boars or street dogs, should understand that they are also part of the population. Those, who say after becoming part of population that no one needs to be born and live after them, are selfish and arrogant. Men and women should try for making children till their reproduction capacity ends. A miserable life awaits those, who opt temporary or permanent birth control measures, Anikkuzhikkattil said in the letter. According to him, the reason for many people to get rid of babies was the increase in the materialistic gains and erosion in the faith in God. When the Jeevan Foundation and Vincent D Paul Society have been jointly developing plans for bigger families, each person, family and parish should competitively come forth to cooperative with such initiatives. Youngsters should be promoted for marriage and those, who delays or obstructs marriage are denying a creation. He further stated that when the husband and wife upset the Gods plans through permanent and temporary birth control measures, they are sowing the seeds of anxiety and frustration in families. According to him, orphanages, old age homes, and childrens homes will be vanished if the families show courage to receive the creation with respect and generosity.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The industrial policy which will soon be rolled out is designed to spur industrial growth in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday.

He was inaugurating the valedictory function of TRIMA 2016, the annual meeting of Thiruvananthapuram Management Association here. Political commentator S Gurumurthy, who addressed one of the sessions on Friday, said the co-operative sector, across India, is highly politicised.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The industrial policy which will soon be rolled out is designed to spur industrial growth in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday. He was inaugurating the valedictory function of TRIMA 2016, the annual meeting of Thiruvananthapuram Management Association here. Political commentator S Gurumurthy, who addressed one of the sessions on Friday, said the co-operative sector, across India, is highly politicised.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vigilance director Jacob Thomas has accused the States finance inspection wing of going on a witch-hunt against him by investigating his activities in previous assignments.

In his letter forwarded to Chief Secretary S M Vijayanand through Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Vigilance) Nalini Netto, Thomas expressed displeasure over the retaliatory measures" of the finance wing in inspecting files with the departments where he had served earlier, particularly during his tenure as the Director of Ports, and sought remedial measures from the part of government.

Thomas alleged that the finance inspection wing by framing him citing lapses in all the aspects of administration procedure while he was the port director was abusing power, influence and official position. In his tenure as a port director, several initiatives were launched by Thomas to spur coastal shipping as an eco-friendly transport system and initiated comprehensive maritime development. Recently, the finance inspection wing had questioned the rationale behind the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) giving approvals to maritime initiatives in the Port Department, the letter said.

Thomas also criticised the previous actions of Finance Department by mentioning the cases registered against former finance minister K M Mani and Additional Chief Secretary (finance) K M Abraham.

He also requested the government to direct the Finance Secretary to inspect diligently, with the same vigour and enthusiasm, the administrative functioning and governance in all other line departments as well. He also made it amply clear in the letter that the finance inspection wing is working with a malicious objective of wreaking vengeance.

The letter assumes significance as the Chief Minister had on Friday cautioned Vigilance against "overenthusiasm" in giving hype to the initial stages of investigation into corruption cases as it could "crucify" the accused if they are subsequently proven innocent.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vigilance director Jacob Thomas has accused the States finance inspection wing of going on a witch-hunt against him by investigating his activities in previous assignments. In his letter forwarded to Chief Secretary S M Vijayanand through Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Vigilance) Nalini Netto, Thomas expressed displeasure over the retaliatory measures" of the finance wing in inspecting files with the departments where he had served earlier, particularly during his tenure as the Director of Ports, and sought remedial measures from the part of government. Thomas alleged that the finance inspection wing by framing him citing lapses in all the aspects of administration procedure while he was the port director was abusing power, influence and official position. In his tenure as a port director, several initiatives were launched by Thomas to spur coastal shipping as an eco-friendly transport system and initiated comprehensive maritime development. Recently, the finance inspection wing had questioned the rationale behind the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) giving approvals to maritime initiatives in the Port Department, the letter said. Thomas also criticised the previous actions of Finance Department by mentioning the cases registered against former finance minister K M Mani and Additional Chief Secretary (finance) K M Abraham. He also requested the government to direct the Finance Secretary to inspect diligently, with the same vigour and enthusiasm, the administrative functioning and governance in all other line departments as well. He also made it amply clear in the letter that the finance inspection wing is working with a malicious objective of wreaking vengeance. The letter assumes significance as the Chief Minister had on Friday cautioned Vigilance against "overenthusiasm" in giving hype to the initial stages of investigation into corruption cases as it could "crucify" the accused if they are subsequently proven innocent.
Toby Antony By

Express News Service

KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has approached the Special Court seeking permission to conduct polygraph test on Thodupuzha-native Subahani Haja Moideen, who allegedly trained and fought for Islamic State (IS) and was arrested for carrying out IS operation from Tamil Nadu in October.

It is also learnt that the French Embassy has approached NIA for sharing the information given by Subahani.



The NIA approached the Special Court in Kochi seeking permission for a polygraph test on Subahani. Since such a request requires permission from the accused, the court has sought Subahanis consent.

The polygraph test will help us confirm the statement he gave earlier, said an NIA official.



It is further learnt that the French Embassy approached the investigation agency for sharing information about Subahani and that his statement would be given to French authorities.

However, top officials in NIA refused to confirm and comment on the matter.



Subahani had told NIA that he knew Abdelhamid Abaaoud and Salah Abdeslam, who were involved in an attack inside a theatre in Paris in November, 2015.



Subahani had stated that the duo was in Mosul, when he underwent training there. One of them, Subahani had said, commanded the unit that trained new recruits.

The NIA had arrested Subahani and six others for forming an IS module in South India and planning attacks at various places.



It was claimed that key personalities, including High Court Judges and BJP leaders, were also the groups targets.

A criminal in the making

In April 2015, Subahani left for Turkey and crossed the border to Iraq with terrorists from Pakistan and Afghanistan. After training in arms and ammunition handling, he was sent to battlefield at Mosul.

However, Subahani withdrew after seeing an enemy rocket hit his friends. He was sent to prison at Raqqa in Syria as punishment but was later permitted to return to India on the condition that he work for the group here. After reaching his native place, he attempted to arrange explosives.

KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has approached the Special Court seeking permission to conduct polygraph test on Thodupuzha-native Subahani Haja Moideen, who allegedly trained and fought for Islamic State (IS) and was arrested for carrying out IS operation from Tamil Nadu in October. It is also learnt that the French Embassy has approached NIA for sharing the information given by Subahani. The NIA approached the Special Court in Kochi seeking permission for a polygraph test on Subahani. Since such a request requires permission from the accused, the court has sought Subahanis consent. The polygraph test will help us confirm the statement he gave earlier, said an NIA official. It is further learnt that the French Embassy approached the investigation agency for sharing information about Subahani and that his statement would be given to French authorities. However, top officials in NIA refused to confirm and comment on the matter. Subahani had told NIA that he knew Abdelhamid Abaaoud and Salah Abdeslam, who were involved in an attack inside a theatre in Paris in November, 2015. Subahani had stated that the duo was in Mosul, when he underwent training there. One of them, Subahani had said, commanded the unit that trained new recruits. The NIA had arrested Subahani and six others for forming an IS module in South India and planning attacks at various places. It was claimed that key personalities, including High Court Judges and BJP leaders, were also the groups targets. A criminal in the making In April 2015, Subahani left for Turkey and crossed the border to Iraq with terrorists from Pakistan and Afghanistan. After training in arms and ammunition handling, he was sent to battlefield at Mosul. However, Subahani withdrew after seeing an enemy rocket hit his friends. He was sent to prison at Raqqa in Syria as punishment but was later permitted to return to India on the condition that he work for the group here. After reaching his native place, he attempted to arrange explosives.
By Online Desk

CHENNAI: New Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O. Panneerselvam, who assumed office following the demise of J. Jayalalithaa, held a Cabinet meeting on Saturday at the State Secretariat.

The meeting began at 11.30 a.m. as per the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party sources. Before that, all ministers, led by the new CM, paid homage at the Jaya memorial.

The cabinet is expected to adopt a resolution to accord formal sanction for a suitable memorial for the late AIADMK supremo.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister is yet to formally take his seat in his office at the Secretariat.

On the other hand, AIADMK representative has mentioned that 203 people died, reportedly being unable to bear the demise of Jayalalithaa.

An ex-gratia of Rs.3 lakh to be awarded each of their families.

A similar amount was announced earlier, when it was reported that 77 people died, due to the similar reason.

Earlier, the Union Cabinet met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and condoled the death of Jayalalithaa who passed away on December 5 at Chennai's Apollo Hospital.

Panneerselvam took oath as the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after Jayalalithaa breathed her last at 11.30 pm last Monday at Apollo Hospital in Chennai. The oath-taking ceremony took place at Raj Bhawan.

Panneerselvam served as the Leader of Opposition during the DMK government in 2006. He has previously held the portfolio of Finance in every AIADMK government.

(With inputs from ANI)

CHENNAI: New Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O. Panneerselvam, who assumed office following the demise of J. Jayalalithaa, held a Cabinet meeting on Saturday at the State Secretariat. The meeting began at 11.30 a.m. as per the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party sources. Before that, all ministers, led by the new CM, paid homage at the Jaya memorial. The cabinet is expected to adopt a resolution to accord formal sanction for a suitable memorial for the late AIADMK supremo. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister is yet to formally take his seat in his office at the Secretariat. On the other hand, AIADMK representative has mentioned that 203 people died, reportedly being unable to bear the demise of Jayalalithaa. An ex-gratia of Rs.3 lakh to be awarded each of their families. A similar amount was announced earlier, when it was reported that 77 people died, due to the similar reason. Earlier, the Union Cabinet met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and condoled the death of Jayalalithaa who passed away on December 5 at Chennai's Apollo Hospital. Panneerselvam took oath as the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after Jayalalithaa breathed her last at 11.30 pm last Monday at Apollo Hospital in Chennai. The oath-taking ceremony took place at Raj Bhawan. Panneerselvam served as the Leader of Opposition during the DMK government in 2006. He has previously held the portfolio of Finance in every AIADMK government. (With inputs from ANI)
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Opposition parties slammed the State government over the issue of building collapse that occurred in the State capital, Hyderabad. Both the Congress and the TDP sought the resignation of municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao from the State Cabinet for the dreadful incident.



"KTR should tender his resignation to his post immediately owning the responsibility of building collapse incident occurred at Nanakramguda in Hyderabad in which several people died," TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy said.



Addressing mediapersons here on Friday, the TPCC chief alleged that the TRS government had failed to fulfil the assurances made by it during the elections. "Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has failed to fulfil a single promise which he made during 2014 elections. The Chief Minister has been keeping the people confused with his tall-talk and fake claims. For instance, as against the promise of turning Hyderabad into a global city, the TRS government has failed to maintain the city as it existed during Congress rule," he attacked.



Describing KCR government as the most corrupt regime, Reddy said, "A multi-crore road scam came to light recently and now several lives were lost in a building collapse incident in Nanakramguda."



Congress senior and former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir too demanded that the Municipal Administration minister KTR resign from his post on moral grounds in the wake of Nanakramguda building collapse.



Joining chorus with the Congress Party, TDP TS unit working president A Revanth Reddy too cornered the State government over the issue of building collapse.



"I doubt whether there is any governance in the state. Several buildings have collapsed in the past six months in Hyderabad," he said and demanded that Municipal Administration Minister KTR resign from his post owing moral responsibility for the incident.

HYDERABAD: Opposition parties slammed the State government over the issue of building collapse that occurred in the State capital, Hyderabad. Both the Congress and the TDP sought the resignation of municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao from the State Cabinet for the dreadful incident. "KTR should tender his resignation to his post immediately owning the responsibility of building collapse incident occurred at Nanakramguda in Hyderabad in which several people died," TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy said. Addressing mediapersons here on Friday, the TPCC chief alleged that the TRS government had failed to fulfil the assurances made by it during the elections. "Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has failed to fulfil a single promise which he made during 2014 elections. The Chief Minister has been keeping the people confused with his tall-talk and fake claims. For instance, as against the promise of turning Hyderabad into a global city, the TRS government has failed to maintain the city as it existed during Congress rule," he attacked. Describing KCR government as the most corrupt regime, Reddy said, "A multi-crore road scam came to light recently and now several lives were lost in a building collapse incident in Nanakramguda." Congress senior and former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir too demanded that the Municipal Administration minister KTR resign from his post on moral grounds in the wake of Nanakramguda building collapse. Joining chorus with the Congress Party, TDP TS unit working president A Revanth Reddy too cornered the State government over the issue of building collapse. "I doubt whether there is any governance in the state. Several buildings have collapsed in the past six months in Hyderabad," he said and demanded that Municipal Administration Minister KTR resign from his post owing moral responsibility for the incident.
By AFP

LONDON: Britain's Prince Andrew issued a rare statement on Friday to deny any rifts with his older brother and heir to the throne Prince Charles over giving more significant roles to his two daughters.

The denial follows reports of mounting tension between the two men, including the allegation that Andrew had said any husbands of Eugenie and Beatrice should be awarded the aristocratic titles of earls.

"There is no truth to the story that there could be a split between the Princeof Wales and I over my daughters' participation as members of the Royal Family," Andrew said in a statement on Twitter.

"I cannot continue to stand by and have the media speculate on their futures based on my purported interventions, which are completely made up," he said.

Andrew, the Duke of York, said his daughters' royal engagements were "very much appreciated by my family" and that he wanted them to be "modern, working, young women, who happen to be members of the Royal Family".

The two princesses have been heavily criticised by British tabloids for enjoying regular holidays.

Eugenie took eight holidays, including to Myanmar, over 15 months, ending with a New Year's party in New York last year, the Daily Mail reported earlier.

Beatrice had 18 holidays over the same period including to Verbier, Abu Dhabi, Ibiza and Florida.

Prince Andrew's statement came a month after Prince Harry blasted "abuse and harassment" by the media against his girlfriend, US actress Meghan Markle.

Harry also took issue with the "outright racism and sexism" on social media directed against Markle, best known for her role as Rachel Zane in the US television drama "Suits".

LONDON: Britain's Prince Andrew issued a rare statement on Friday to deny any rifts with his older brother and heir to the throne Prince Charles over giving more significant roles to his two daughters. The denial follows reports of mounting tension between the two men, including the allegation that Andrew had said any husbands of Eugenie and Beatrice should be awarded the aristocratic titles of earls. "There is no truth to the story that there could be a split between the Princeof Wales and I over my daughters' participation as members of the Royal Family," Andrew said in a statement on Twitter. "I cannot continue to stand by and have the media speculate on their futures based on my purported interventions, which are completely made up," he said. Andrew, the Duke of York, said his daughters' royal engagements were "very much appreciated by my family" and that he wanted them to be "modern, working, young women, who happen to be members of the Royal Family". The two princesses have been heavily criticised by British tabloids for enjoying regular holidays. Eugenie took eight holidays, including to Myanmar, over 15 months, ending with a New Year's party in New York last year, the Daily Mail reported earlier. Beatrice had 18 holidays over the same period including to Verbier, Abu Dhabi, Ibiza and Florida. Prince Andrew's statement came a month after Prince Harry blasted "abuse and harassment" by the media against his girlfriend, US actress Meghan Markle. Harry also took issue with the "outright racism and sexism" on social media directed against Markle, best known for her role as Rachel Zane in the US television drama "Suits".
By AFP

BEIJING: China announced Saturday that it was suspending coal imports from North Korea for three weeks, in line with the latest United Nations sanctions against the hermit state.

"After the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2321... China is suspending North Korean coal imports," the government said in a statement.

The three-week suspension starts Sunday and ends on December 31, according to the statement.

The Security Council passed the resolution on the international sanctions against Pyongyang on November 30 in the wake of the North's September 9 nuclear test.

It limits North Korea's coal exports next year to 7.5 million tonnes or just over $400 million, down 62 percent on 2015.

The cap represents a fraction of the North's current annual exports to China, the isolated country's sole ally and its main provider of trade and aid.

China imported 1.8 million tonnes of coal worth $101 million from North Korea in October alone, according to the most recent figures available on the Chinese Customs website. The volume was up nearly 40 percent year-on-year.

Under previous sanctions, the Security Council authorised the purchase of coal from North Korea provided revenues were not used to finance Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

However, the UN did not specify any assessment criteria, which allowed Beijing to increase its imports considerably while saying it was acting in good faith.

Between March and October, 24.8 million tonnes of coal was imported, three times the annual limit now allowed by the UN.

Although Beijing has traditionally protected Pyongyang diplomatically, believing that Kim Jong-Un's regime is preferable to its collapse, it has grown frustrated by its neighbour's defiance.

BEIJING: China announced Saturday that it was suspending coal imports from North Korea for three weeks, in line with the latest United Nations sanctions against the hermit state. "After the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2321... China is suspending North Korean coal imports," the government said in a statement. The three-week suspension starts Sunday and ends on December 31, according to the statement. The Security Council passed the resolution on the international sanctions against Pyongyang on November 30 in the wake of the North's September 9 nuclear test. It limits North Korea's coal exports next year to 7.5 million tonnes or just over $400 million, down 62 percent on 2015. The cap represents a fraction of the North's current annual exports to China, the isolated country's sole ally and its main provider of trade and aid. China imported 1.8 million tonnes of coal worth $101 million from North Korea in October alone, according to the most recent figures available on the Chinese Customs website. The volume was up nearly 40 percent year-on-year. Under previous sanctions, the Security Council authorised the purchase of coal from North Korea provided revenues were not used to finance Pyongyang's nuclear programme. However, the UN did not specify any assessment criteria, which allowed Beijing to increase its imports considerably while saying it was acting in good faith. Between March and October, 24.8 million tonnes of coal was imported, three times the annual limit now allowed by the UN. Although Beijing has traditionally protected Pyongyang diplomatically, believing that Kim Jong-Un's regime is preferable to its collapse, it has grown frustrated by its neighbour's defiance.
By IANS

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has ordered a review into hacking aimed at influencing US elections, the White House has said.

"The President has directed the Intelligence Community to conduct a full review of what happened during this year's election process. It is to capture lessons learned from that and to report to a range of stakeholders," White House Homeland Security and Counter-terrorism Adviser Lisa Monaco said on Friday.

According to CNN, White House Spokesman Eric Schultz said the review would encompass malicious cyber activity related to US elections going back to 2008.

Monaco said the administration would be mindful of the consequences of revealing the results of their review publicly, and Schultz said they will make public "as much as we can".

All of the Democratic senators on the Senate Intelligence Committee have called on Obama to declassify intelligence on Russia's actions during the November 8 election, CNN reported.

"You want to do so very attentive to not disclosing sources and methods that would impede our ability to identify and attribute malicious actors in the future," Monaco said of disclosure.

The review is intended to be done before Trump's inauguration on January 20. "He expects to get a report prior to him leaving office," Monaco said.

In response to the news, the Russian government called for evidence of its involvement, denying claims made by the US.

"We are also very interested in understanding what they accused Russia off," said Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

"Many times Foreign Minister Lavrov have asked Americans to provide full information. But never had any response."

The US government even before the election publicly blamed the Russian government for cyber attacks designed to influence the outcome, including hacks of Democratic groups like the Democratic National Committee.

A steady stream of documents and internal emails from Democratic groups and from Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman were released in the weeks and months leading up to the election, with damaging consequences for Democrats.

There was also concern about attempted attacks on voter registration systems at the state and local level, though the intelligence community never said there was strong evidence that was tied to the Russian government.

While the Intelligence Community has not suggested the attacks were designed to bolster Trump, the impact of the hacks was much more damaging to Democrats and to Clinton.

Trump has denied a Russian role in the hacking, despite the overwhelming consensus from private sector cyber security firms that investigated the hacks and from the various US government intelligence agencies.

Members of his own party have strongly pointed the finger at Russia, and Republican Seniors John McCain and Lindsey Graham are reportedly leading the charge among Republicans to investigate the hacking.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes said Russian interference was real, but dinged the administration for being slow to react.

"It appears, however, that after eight years the administration has suddenly awoken to the threat."

Democrats were quick to praise Obama on Friday. The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, California Rep. Adam Schiff, called on the White House to declassify as much as it could.

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has ordered a review into hacking aimed at influencing US elections, the White House has said. "The President has directed the Intelligence Community to conduct a full review of what happened during this year's election process. It is to capture lessons learned from that and to report to a range of stakeholders," White House Homeland Security and Counter-terrorism Adviser Lisa Monaco said on Friday. According to CNN, White House Spokesman Eric Schultz said the review would encompass malicious cyber activity related to US elections going back to 2008. Monaco said the administration would be mindful of the consequences of revealing the results of their review publicly, and Schultz said they will make public "as much as we can". All of the Democratic senators on the Senate Intelligence Committee have called on Obama to declassify intelligence on Russia's actions during the November 8 election, CNN reported. "You want to do so very attentive to not disclosing sources and methods that would impede our ability to identify and attribute malicious actors in the future," Monaco said of disclosure. The review is intended to be done before Trump's inauguration on January 20. "He expects to get a report prior to him leaving office," Monaco said. In response to the news, the Russian government called for evidence of its involvement, denying claims made by the US. "We are also very interested in understanding what they accused Russia off," said Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. "Many times Foreign Minister Lavrov have asked Americans to provide full information. But never had any response." The US government even before the election publicly blamed the Russian government for cyber attacks designed to influence the outcome, including hacks of Democratic groups like the Democratic National Committee. A steady stream of documents and internal emails from Democratic groups and from Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman were released in the weeks and months leading up to the election, with damaging consequences for Democrats. There was also concern about attempted attacks on voter registration systems at the state and local level, though the intelligence community never said there was strong evidence that was tied to the Russian government. While the Intelligence Community has not suggested the attacks were designed to bolster Trump, the impact of the hacks was much more damaging to Democrats and to Clinton. Trump has denied a Russian role in the hacking, despite the overwhelming consensus from private sector cyber security firms that investigated the hacks and from the various US government intelligence agencies. Members of his own party have strongly pointed the finger at Russia, and Republican Seniors John McCain and Lindsey Graham are reportedly leading the charge among Republicans to investigate the hacking. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes said Russian interference was real, but dinged the administration for being slow to react. "It appears, however, that after eight years the administration has suddenly awoken to the threat." Democrats were quick to praise Obama on Friday. The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, California Rep. Adam Schiff, called on the White House to declassify as much as it could.
By AFP

DUBAI: Washington will send another 200 troops to Syria to help an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters seize the Islamic State group bastion of Raqa, Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said on Saturday.

"I can tell you today that the United States will deploy approximately 200 additional US forces in Syria," Carter told Gulf policymakers in the Bahraini capital Manama.

Washington already has some 300 special forces troops deployed as military advisers with the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance.

DUBAI: Washington will send another 200 troops to Syria to help an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters seize the Islamic State group bastion of Raqa, Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said on Saturday. "I can tell you today that the United States will deploy approximately 200 additional US forces in Syria," Carter told Gulf policymakers in the Bahraini capital Manama. Washington already has some 300 special forces troops deployed as military advisers with the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance.
Express News Service

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Navy on Saturday dispersed workers of the Hambantota harbour who had been holding a Japanese cargo ship to ransom for the past few days to protest against privatization of the harbour through a deal with a Chinese company.

Navy spokesman Capt. Akram Alavi told Express that the detention of a ship in this way is tantamount to piracy under international law and the Sri Lankan navy, which is by law designated as the Competent Authority to maintain law and order on the island's ports, intervened and dispersed the workers and cleared all the obstacles they had placed to prevent the ship from leaving the harbor. The navy helped cast the ship to the sea.

This is the first time such a detention has taken place in the history of Sri Lankas port. Previously there had been strikes in the harbour but no ship had been detained forcibly, Capt.Akram said.

The vessel Hyperion Highway, owned by Kawasaki Kisen Kiyasa of Japan, had berthed in the harbour on December 6. The forced detention by the workers had cost it US$ 70,000 per day.

Casual employees of the Magampura Port Management Company (MPMC) had launched a strike demanding that they be regularized as workers of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). Around 483 of the employees also engaged in a protest fast and some threatened to commit suicide if their demands were not met.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who hails from the area, requested Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday to resolve the issues of the protesting workers. The Prime Minister instructed the Minister of Strategic Development, Malik Samarawickrama, to resolve the issue.

Significantly, the protest over recruitment was launched just days before a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Government of Sri Lanka and China Merchant Holdings Limited (CMHL) on the framework for the revitalization of the Hambantota Harbor. As per the MoU, the CMHL will hold 80 per cent stake in the company and will operate the port on a 99 year lease.

While the government said that this is not a sale of the company or privatization, the workers and the opposition consider it privatization and a gifting of control. The workers feared privatization may lead to retrenchment.

The Minister of Ports, Arjuna Ranatunga, had also protested against the deal with the Chinese company on the grounds that the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) which owns the islands ports will lose its control over the Hambantota port. But Prime Minister Wickremesinghe overruled him and signed the deal with the CMHL.

Wickremesinghes argument is that the Hambantota port built with a Chinese loan of US$ 1.4 billion is a white elephant which cannot be turned around except by inviting a foreign company like the CMHL to run it on a commercial basis.When the CMHL runs it on a commercial basis, Sri Lanka will be able to repay the loan taken from China.

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Navy on Saturday dispersed workers of the Hambantota harbour who had been holding a Japanese cargo ship to ransom for the past few days to protest against privatization of the harbour through a deal with a Chinese company. Navy spokesman Capt. Akram Alavi told Express that the detention of a ship in this way is tantamount to piracy under international law and the Sri Lankan navy, which is by law designated as the Competent Authority to maintain law and order on the island's ports, intervened and dispersed the workers and cleared all the obstacles they had placed to prevent the ship from leaving the harbor. The navy helped cast the ship to the sea. This is the first time such a detention has taken place in the history of Sri Lankas port. Previously there had been strikes in the harbour but no ship had been detained forcibly, Capt.Akram said. The vessel Hyperion Highway, owned by Kawasaki Kisen Kiyasa of Japan, had berthed in the harbour on December 6. The forced detention by the workers had cost it US$ 70,000 per day. Casual employees of the Magampura Port Management Company (MPMC) had launched a strike demanding that they be regularized as workers of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). Around 483 of the employees also engaged in a protest fast and some threatened to commit suicide if their demands were not met. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who hails from the area, requested Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday to resolve the issues of the protesting workers. The Prime Minister instructed the Minister of Strategic Development, Malik Samarawickrama, to resolve the issue. Significantly, the protest over recruitment was launched just days before a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Government of Sri Lanka and China Merchant Holdings Limited (CMHL) on the framework for the revitalization of the Hambantota Harbor. As per the MoU, the CMHL will hold 80 per cent stake in the company and will operate the port on a 99 year lease. While the government said that this is not a sale of the company or privatization, the workers and the opposition consider it privatization and a gifting of control. The workers feared privatization may lead to retrenchment. The Minister of Ports, Arjuna Ranatunga, had also protested against the deal with the Chinese company on the grounds that the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) which owns the islands ports will lose its control over the Hambantota port. But Prime Minister Wickremesinghe overruled him and signed the deal with the CMHL. Wickremesinghes argument is that the Hambantota port built with a Chinese loan of US$ 1.4 billion is a white elephant which cannot be turned around except by inviting a foreign company like the CMHL to run it on a commercial basis.When the CMHL runs it on a commercial basis, Sri Lanka will be able to repay the loan taken from China.
By AFP

SOFIA: Bulgarian authorities said on Sunday that the death toll following the derailment of a train transporting gas which then exploded close to a village has risen to eight.

The blast ripped through the northeastern village of Hitrino early Saturday morning, destroying a railway station, offices and dozens of houses, an AFP photographer saw.

Aerial footage following the crash showed a massive plume of black smoke rising over the village and charred tankers lying scattered around the tracks by the ruined station.

"The number of victims after the accident yesterday has now risen to eight," Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said Sunday. Twenty-nine people were seriously injured following the blast.

Local authorities declared a state of emergency on Sunday and sealed off the devastated village as firefighters continued to douse the 12 tankers that still lay stricken on the tracks.

The freight train was hauling 20 tankers of highly-flammable propylene gas as well as four containing liquefied petroleum gas, a mixture of propane and butane.

Hitrino's roughly 1,000 residents were all evacuated on Saturday and told that it might be several days before they will be permitted to return to their homes, many of which were destroyed by the blast.

Prosecutors visited the blast site Sunday to determine what caused the deadly accident.

"If we are guilty, we will take our responsibility," Stanko Stankov, the owner of the train's operator Bulmarket, told BNR public radio on Sunday.

All three of the train crew, who survived the crash and the explosion, as well as a Hitrino station worker, were all questioned by authorities on Saturday.

The government said there would be a day of national mourning on Monday and promised to pay compensation to victims' families as well as contributing to the reconstruction of the village.

SOFIA: Bulgarian authorities said on Sunday that the death toll following the derailment of a train transporting gas which then exploded close to a village has risen to eight. The blast ripped through the northeastern village of Hitrino early Saturday morning, destroying a railway station, offices and dozens of houses, an AFP photographer saw. Aerial footage following the crash showed a massive plume of black smoke rising over the village and charred tankers lying scattered around the tracks by the ruined station. "The number of victims after the accident yesterday has now risen to eight," Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said Sunday. Twenty-nine people were seriously injured following the blast. Local authorities declared a state of emergency on Sunday and sealed off the devastated village as firefighters continued to douse the 12 tankers that still lay stricken on the tracks. The freight train was hauling 20 tankers of highly-flammable propylene gas as well as four containing liquefied petroleum gas, a mixture of propane and butane. Hitrino's roughly 1,000 residents were all evacuated on Saturday and told that it might be several days before they will be permitted to return to their homes, many of which were destroyed by the blast. Prosecutors visited the blast site Sunday to determine what caused the deadly accident. "If we are guilty, we will take our responsibility," Stanko Stankov, the owner of the train's operator Bulmarket, told BNR public radio on Sunday. All three of the train crew, who survived the crash and the explosion, as well as a Hitrino station worker, were all questioned by authorities on Saturday. The government said there would be a day of national mourning on Monday and promised to pay compensation to victims' families as well as contributing to the reconstruction of the village.
There was a huge explosion at a crowded market place in Northeast area of Nigeria on Friday by two female suicide bomb attackers, that ultimately killed 30 people as per reported by army people earlier. But now the death count has rose to 45 and 33 have been injured.

"From our updated records we have 45 dead and 33 injured in the twin suicide bomb explosions in Madagali," said Sa'ad Bello of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Adamawa state.

Military spokesman Badare Akintoye had earlier said "at least 30 people have been killed in the suicide blasts carried out by two female suicide bombers in the market.". But later after rescue operations it was found at least 45 have been dead in the attack.

"The two bombers who (were) disguised as customers, detonated their suicide belts at the section of the market selling grains and second-hand clothing," said Yusuf Muhammad, the chairman of Madagali local government.

According to UN evaluation, "14 million people will need outside help in 2017 because of the ongoing violence, particularly in Borno State, the epicentre of the rebellion."

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The White House said on Thursday that it raised worries about China's new cyber security law amid a meeting with a Chinese authority after the most recent round of talks between the two nations on cyber crime.

U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice met with Chinese State Councilor Guo Shengkun to talk about the significance "of completely adhering " to a hostile to hacking accord marked a year ago between the China and the United States, National Security Council representative Ned Price said.

The deal, expedited amid Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington in 2015, incorporated a vow that neither one of the countries would intentionally do hacking for business points of interest.

Rice told Guo that the United States was worried "about the potential effects" of a law that China received in November went for battling hacking and fear based oppression.

Pundits of the law say it undermines to close remote innovation organizations out of different divisions considered "basic," and incorporates disagreeable necessities for security surveys and for information to be put away on servers in China.

Rights advocates additionally say the law will upgrade confinements on China's Internet, officially subject to the world's most advanced online restriction component, referred to outside China as the Great Firewall.

Rice met with Guo after the third round of abnormal state chats on digital security amongst China and the United States was hung on Wednesday.

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YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. US President-elect Donald Trump shut down some of his companies appeared connected with Saudi Arabia, Associated Press reports.

However, the agency doesnt specify exactly which companies the talk is about. At the same time, it is reported that Trump needed this step in order to avoid possible conflict of interests after assuming the post.

The Trump Organizations general counsel Alan Garten said at the moment there are no deals with Saudi Arabia.

AP reports, after victory Trump closed nine of his companies.
Food deals, seals and the 'Karate Kid': Can't-miss events this weekend

Get your fill at area restaurants, watch some seals, laugh at a comedy show, take in a concert and maybe even leave Newport County for some fun.
Reporter

Noelle McGee is a Danville-based reporter at The News-Gazette. Her email is nmcgee@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@n_mcgee).
Cedars-Sinai neurosurgeons have begun using a high-definition imaging device to see inside the brain during surgery, allowing them to map safer pathways to reach and remove tumors.

The device, called Brightmatter Guide, works like a GPS, providing real-time, brightly colored 3-D images that guide surgeons through the brain's tiny neural connections while avoiding healthy tissue. Until now, neurosurgeons have relied largely on conventional MRI scans that provide flat, two-dimensional renderings of the brain.

"This technology allows for us to more safely enter the brain without disturbing the important pathways connecting the brain's critical areas of operation," said Keith Black, MD, chair of the Cedars-Sinai Department of Neurosurgery and director of the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute. "An estimated 62,000 primary brain tumors and 150,000 metastatic brain tumors are diagnosed annually in the U.S. This new tool offers us a tremendous amount of hope for better outcomes for many of our patients."

In a new video, available for streaming, Black demonstrates how the device works and explains how it may help neurosurgeons cut surgery time and improve patient outcomes.

Cedars-Sinai is the first medical center in California to employ the new system. The device includes a camera that tracks the physician's tools and shows a detailed image of the patient's brain on a nearby screen. The tool can be used by surgeons operating on brain tumors, aneurysms, vascular lesions, skull-based issues and the spine.

Cedars-Sinai neurosurgeons perform approximately 600 brain surgeries a year. Going forward, about one-third of those procedures will be performed with the new device.
Researchers from the University of South Carolina, Duke University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Metabolon Inc. Research Triangle Park have discovered a new pathway in the liver that opens the door to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition that affects up to 25 percent of the population and may lead to cirrhosis and eventually liver cancer or failure, and likely other liver diseases.

The study was published in Free Radical Biology & Medicine, one of the leading scientific journals in the field of oxidative stress and medicine.

The team found that a protein (TRPV4), which is a part of the body's defense system, is able to activate the release of a gas (nitric oxide). This gas then blocks one of the enzymes (CYP2E1) that is a major contributor to non-alcoholic liver disease and its progression. TRPV4 is already known to protect against cardiovascular abnormalities.

Now that this protein's capacity to block the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has been discovered, the next step is to harness its preventive and treatment abilities. According to the authors, a new generation of TRPV4 agonists can now be tested to improve outcomes related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The agonist is a chemical that will bind to this protein and activate the release of nitric oxide to block the harmful enzyme. Once the appropriate agonist is identified, it can be incorporated into medication for clinical treatment.

"There are currently no clinically proven drugs to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease," says Saurabh Chatterjee, an associate professor of environmental health sciences at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health and the director of the Environmental Health and Disease Laboratory where the research was led. "Our goal is to find novel pathways in the liver that will result in a road to a cure, and this novel internal defense mechanism within the liver offers a very promising route."

In addition to revealing the benefits of activating TRPV4, the researchers also warn against the consequences of inhibiting the TRPV4 ion channel, an approach that can enhance hepatotoxicity (i.e., liver damage caused by chemicals), which can result from acetaminophen or alcohol over-consumption.

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"This means that one has to be careful when aiming to inhibit TRPV4 for therapeutic purposes, such as when treating pain, inflammation or itching, or other conditions, in particular when inhibiting TRPV4 by systemic application of TRPV4-blockers," says Wolfgang Liedtke, a professor of neurology, anesthesiology and neurobiology at Duke University School of Medicine who first described TRPV4 16 years ago. "An attractive avenue to meet this therapeutic dilemma is to use herbal-derived TRPV4-activating compounds that might be more 'gentle' or targeted genetic manipulations of liver cells aiming to facilitate TRPV4-signaling in the liver when treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These methods could also be a suitable approach to balance an eventually-needed systemic inhibition of TRPV4 that one aims for in order to treat pain, inflammation, fibrotic diseases or lung edema, in order to avoid additional damage to the liver."

This groundbreaking research has the potential to have a significant impact for both individuals and public health. "This type of research, which seeks novel pathways for treatment of diseases for which there are currently no therapeutic options is vitally important," notes collaborator and USC Vice President for Research Prakash Nagarkatti. "It opens doors that lead to the breakthroughs patients rely on to improve outcomes, enhance quality of life and even save lives."

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease occurs when there is a buildup of extra fat in the liver (i.e., more that 5-10 percent of the liver's total weight) coupled with liver inflammation that is not caused by alcohol.

Affecting both children and adults, this disease tends to occur in individuals who are obese or overweight, have type II diabetes, high cholesterol and triglycerides. However, some people develop non-alcoholic fatty liver disease without any of these risk factors, possibly suggesting genetic risk factors. Healthy liver function is critical because the liver functions as a metabolic and chemical central laboratory in all vertebrate organisms including humans. For example, it processes food and drink into energy and nutrients, produces bile, blood coagulation factors and other blood proteins while processing and removing many harmful substances from blood.
The recent suicide of Brandy Vela, a teen in Texas City, Texas, was a potent reminder of the sometimes tragic consequences of bullying. According to Vela's parents, the teen fatally shot herself Nov. 29 following months of bullying and sexual harassment, perpetrated in part through text messages and social media.

Sexual harassment is a prevalent form of victimization that most antibullying programs ignore and teachers and school officials often fail to recognize, said bullying and youth violence expert Dorothy L. Espelage.

Espelage recently led a five-year study that examined links between bullying and sexual harassment among schoolchildren in Illinois. Nearly half - 43 percent - of middle school students surveyed for the study reported they had been the victims of verbal sexual harassment such as sexual comments, jokes or gestures during the prior year.

The study followed 1,300 Illinois youths from middle school to high school, examining the risk factors associated with bullying and sexual harassment and the characteristics of the perpetrators. Students from four middle schools completed the surveys, and some of the youths and their teachers also were interviewed by the researchers.

Espelage, who conducted the research while on the faculty of the University of Illinois, is a professor of psychology at the University of Florida.

While verbal harassment was more common than physical sexual harassment or sexual assault, 21 percent of students reported having been touched, grabbed or pinched in a sexual way, and 18 percent said peers had brushed up against them in a suggestive manner.

Students also reported being forced to kiss the perpetrators, having their private areas touched without consent and being "pantsed" - having their pants or shorts jerked down by someone else in public.

About 14 percent of the students in the study reported having been the target of sexual rumors, and 9 percent had been victimized with sexually explicit graffiti in school locker rooms or bathrooms.

According to Espelage, "sexual harassment among adolescents is directly related to bullying," particularly homophobic bullying.

Homophobic name-calling emerges among fifth- and sixth-grade bullies as a means of asserting power over other students, Espelage said. Youths who are the targets of homosexual name-calling and jokes then feel compelled to demonstrate they are not gay or lesbian by sexually harassing peers of the opposite sex.

About 16 percent of students in the study reported that they had been the targets of homophobic name-calling or jokes, and nearly 5 percent of youths reported that this harassment happened to them often.

On the surveys, youths were asked an open-ended question about their most upsetting experience of sexual harassment. Fourteen percent of students who reported being victimized negated their experiences by writing that their peers' behaviors were "not really sexual harassment" because the incidents were "meaningless" or intended as jokes.

"What was most surprising and concerning was that these young people were dismissive of these experiences, even though they described them as very upsetting," Espelage said. "Students failed to recognize the seriousness of these behaviors - in part because teachers and school officials failed to address them. Prevention programs need to address what is driving this dismissiveness."

Youths who were dismissive of sexual harassment experiences also were more likely to perpetrate homophobic name-calling, the researchers found.

While students reported that large proportions of these sexual harassment incidents occurred in places such as school hallways, classrooms, gym locker rooms or gym classes where faculty and staff members ostensibly might witness them, the researchers found that many teachers, school officials and staff members failed to acknowledge that sexual harassment occurred in their schools.

Many of these adults also were unaware that they were mandated by school district or federal policies to protect students from sexual harassment, Espelage said.

"These findings highlight the importance of making sexual harassment prevention efforts a priority in U.S. school districts, and that will require the efforts of students, faculty and staff members, school administrators and practitioners such as school psychologists," Espelage said. "Schools need to have a consistently enforced policy that clearly defines sexual harassment and establishes regulations against engaging in such behavior. School officials also must provide guidelines for faculty and staff members on how to address these incidents and how to respond appropriately to student reports of sexual harassment."

Sexual harassment experiences varied across socio-demographic groups, depending on students' age, race and sex. For example, females were at greatest risk of sexual harassment, while African-American girls and boys were at greatest risk of being victimized by romantic partners, the researchers found.

Counseling techniques, interventions and prevention programs for students need to consider these socio-demographic differences and address relevant factors that contribute to sexual harassment in racially diverse school populations, Espelage said.
Women taking tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer were less likely to continue taking the drug if they suffered nausea and vomiting, according to new data presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium today (Friday).

The researchers found that women who experienced these symptoms after starting tamoxifen as part of the Cancer Research UK funded International Breast Cancer Intervention Study (IBIS-1), were more likely to stop taking the medication.

But this new analysis also reveals that women given a placebo who experienced the same symptoms were equally as likely to stop. This suggests that some symptoms due to other causes, were being mistaken for side effects of tamoxifen.

Previous results from the IBIS-1 trial showed that tamoxifen reduces the incidence of breast cancer among women at a high risk of the disease by over 30 per cent. These preventive effects last for more than 20 years.

However, a third of women on the trial did not continue with treatment for the recommended five years.

In this examination of the trial data, the researchers based at the University of Leeds and Queen Mary University of London, looked at symptoms that may have led to women not taking the full course of therapy.

While some women who stopped the medication experienced menopausal side effects including hot flushes and gynaecological changes, others may have stopped after mistakenly linking vomiting and nausea to the drug. This suggests that the understanding of what may be causing certain symptoms could be an important barrier to some women continuing with tamoxifen.

The highest drop-out rates occurred within the first 12 months of the IBIS-1 trial, highlighting a period during which interventions to support women should be targeted.

Dr Samuel Smith, a Cancer Research UK fellow and university academic fellow at the University of Leeds, said: "Our findings have implications for how doctors talk to patients about the benefits and side effects of preventive therapies such as tamoxifen.

"It's important to manage expectations and provide accurate information on the likelihood of experiencing specific side effects and how these differ from symptoms that women may experience anyway.

"The high drop-out rate observed in the early stages of the trial suggest that more support is needed to help women understand and manage side-effects that may be linked to their treatment."

Sarah Williams, Cancer Research UK's health information manager, said: "Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK but research is helping us find new ways of preventing the disease in women at high risk.

"While drugs such as tamoxifen and anastrozole can cut the risk of the disease, they do cause side effects. Research like this to understand more about the side effects women experience and the decisions this leads them to make, is vital to offering them appropriate support so they can make the best choice for them.

"It's important for anyone experiencing symptoms that are unusual for them, that don't clear up, or that keep coming back to tell their doctor."
#MBN Cable channel loses lawsuit against suspension order MBN, a cable TV channel, on Thursday lost a lawsuit against the government's order to suspend its operation for six months for accounting fraud. The Korea Communications Commis...

#Hybe Q3 Hybe posts highest Q3 revenue ever Hybe, the entertainment company behind K-pop superstars BTS, on Thursday reported a revenue of 445.5 billion won (US$314 million) for the third quarter of the year, up 30.6 percent...
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is seeking 24 patients to enroll in a Phase 2a study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of two oral cancer drugs for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who have relapsed or are resistant to other traditional therapies. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The study is being headed by a clinician, Matthew Lunning, D.O., and a translational scientist, Michael Green, Ph.D.

"Most cancer treatments come in the form of chemotherapy given intravenously," Dr. Lunning said. "This is unique because it uses a combination of two oral medications."

With the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine scheduled to open in May 2017, Dr. Green said this study is a perfect example of how the cancer center hopes to bring clinicians and scientists closer together.

Dr. Green is assistant professor and coordinator for lymphoma research in the Eppley Institute. Dr. Lunning is assistant professor, Department of Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology. Both have worked collaboratively in the Lymphoma Precision Medicine Laboratory to develop innovative correlative studies embedded within rationally-designed therapeutic studies as part of the James O. Armitage Center for Hematologic Malignancies Research.

Both Drs. Green and Lunning are among the more than 40 new recruits who have been hired since construction of the new cancer center began more than three years ago.

Each of the seven research floors of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center will feature a Research and Discovery Suite, an area in which clinicians and scientists working on the same type of cancer will be housed on the same floor. This will allow them to routinely come together and share their ideas to ultimately give patients access to the most cutting-edge cancer treatments.

The study will combine an experimental drug known as TGR-1202 with ibrutinib, an FDA-approved drug. The drugs are designed to target the cancerous B-cell receptor pathway at different points.

"We're excited to use this two-drug oral therapy," Dr. Lunning said. "DLBCL patients who relapse following a transplant or are unresponsive to frontline drug therapies remain an unmet medical need and new drug therapies are desperately needed for these individuals."

"This is a good example of bench to bedside and back again," Dr. Green said. "Ibrutinib was already in the clinic, but with mixed results. So we spent time trying to understand why it was less effective in some instances, performed experiments to show that a second drug (TGR-1202) could target the escape mechanism, and hopefully we will see better clinical efficacy as a result of the combination."

The study is currently open to enrollment. More information on this clinical study can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov or by contacting the UNMC Center for Clinical & Translational Research at 402-559-6941. A complete list of clinical trials at UNMC can be found here.

If you'd like to provide support for this research project, please contact Tom Thompson, senior director of development-UNMC for the University of Nebraska Foundation, at 402-502-4116.

Source: University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)
Former Air Force chief SP Tyagi, who was arrested by the CBI on Friday for alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal, has been sent to four-day CBI custody by a Delhi court.

Tyagis cousin Sanjiv alias Julie Tyagi and lawyer Gautam Khaitan, who were also produced before the court, will now be produced along with Tyagi on December 14.

The CBI had sought 10-day custody of the three accused to follow the money trail and said there was sufficient evidence to prove monetary benefit to the Tyagis. The former IAF chief spoke out in his defence and denied any wrongdoing.

The deal to supply 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland came under the scanner after Italian authorities alleged that bribe was paid by the company to clinch the deal. Tyagi, who retired in 2007, has been accused of influencing the deal in favour of AgustaWestland during his tenure as the IAF chief. He has denied the allegations.

Heres a recap of Saturdays court proceedings:

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here.
#WATCH IT dept seizes 5.7cr in Rs 2000 notes,90 lakh in old notes,32kg bullion frm secret bathroom chamber in Chitradurga & Hubballi #K'taka pic.twitter.com/8N0Wjsc8Ih  ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

: A month after the implementation of demonetisation drive, the volume of cash and gold seized by the Income Tax department across the country has swelled beyond imagination.In their attempt to beat the money launderers, sleuths from the I-T department and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have conducted raids at several places across the country and managed to recover huge amount of cash and gold.While long serpentine queues are still seen in front of banks and ATMs, the clever and the powerful have minted enough money by unfair means.Though, the recent raids have revealed the nexus between some corrupt bank officials and money launderers, it may be the tip of the iceberg.The amount of black money and gold seized since November 8 has shocked the nation.Here is a list of the cash and gold seized by the IT department, ED and policemen across the country:: On December 9, the Income Tax officials carried out raid at the Chandni Chowk branch of the bank in Delhi and identified at least 44 fake bank accounts in which a total of Rs 450 crore has been deposited since November 8 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.: In a startling catch, the Income Tax department on December 10 seized Rs 5.7 crore cash in new notes, 32 kgs of gold biscuits and jewellery and Rs 90 lakh worth old notes stashed inside the bathroom tiles of a hawala dealer inthe far-flung town of Challakere in Karnataka.: Delhi Police seized over Rs 3.6 crore in demonetised currency from three people in north Delhis Kashmere Gate on November 23. A Honda City car in which the three men were moving with the cash was also seized. Those detained include a jeweller, a chartered accountant and his assistant. In another incident, the Delhi Police on November 19 seized demonetised currency notes worth Rs 49 lakh from a man who was allegedly taking the cash to Haryana through the Tikri border in west Delhi.: Income Tax officials seized unaccounted assets worth Rs 144 crore, which included Rs 10 crore in new currency notes and gold bars weighing 127 kilograms, during searches at multiple locations in Chennai.: On December 1, 2016, IT department confiscated over Rs 4.7 crore during searches at several places in Bengaluru and other locations. During the course of searches Rs 5 crore and 7 kg bullion worth approximately Rs 2 crore were found in a flat owned by a civil contractor.: Income Tax department sleuths reportedly seized Rs 91 lakh cash from Maharashtra Cooperative Minister Subhash Deshmukh.: On December 4, Odisha Police busted a currency exchange racket in scrapped notes with the seizure of over Rs 1.42 crore and arrest of eight persons in Sambalpur district.: Police seized cash amounting to Rs 76 lakh in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from a private car (HP-58A-7707) at Dhanotu near Sundernagar at a check post on November 10, 2016. ALSO READ : Parliament Logjam on Note Ban: Why a Breakthrough Never Happened
Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's planned visit to India this month has been postponed after dates could not be finalised, official sources said.



The postponement comes amid speculation in the media here that it was not a suitable time to discuss Teesta water sharing issue given the pre-occupation of the government post-demonetisation.



"The Prime Minister (Hasina) was scheduled to visit India later this month but it had to be postponed as dates could not be finalised after consultations with New Delhi," Prime Minister's press secretary Ihsanul Karim told PTI.



The reasons behind the postponement, however, were not disclosed.



Now, Hasina's visit is likely to take place in February but that is subject to confirmation, a senior official said on condition of anonymity.



She was expected to leave for New Delhi on December 18 to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.



Though officials remained tight-lipped over the possible reasons behind the postponement, Bangladeshi media speculated that the death of Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa and the ongoing crisis over the demonetisation move could have been the reason behind it.



A Bangladesh Foreign Ministry source on condition of anonymity told Dhaka Tribune that Hasina had herself concluded that these issues may have preoccupied the Indian administration, and that consequently the Teesta Water Sharing Treaty, the cornerstone agenda point of her visit, may receive less attention from the South Block than it should.



The paper also quoted diplomatic sources as saying that the government was not willing to risk a sidelining of the Teesta issue. Therefore, Bangladesh had some reservations against the value of the trip, it said.



A Prime Minister's Office source and three Awami League policymakers, seeking anonymity, said the Teesta issue requires the consent of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is currently protesting the NDA's government's demonetisation move.



Since Mamata has overtly expressed her dissatisfaction, the Bangladesh administration, keeping everything in mind, realised that it was not a suitable time to discuss the Teesta issue, the paper reported.



Last week, Hasina had told reporters here, "I am going to India, I am not going with any conditions... discussion is on for Teesta river water sharing and we are hopeful".



In October, Modi had met Hasina on the sidelines of BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit in Goa. At the invitation of Hasina, Modi visited Bangladesh in June last year.








Lucknow: Accepting certain irregularities on the part of banks following the recovery of crores of rupees in new currency notes, Union Minister Kalraj Mishra on Saturday said that government was aware of the hardships faced by the people and was taking firm action to alleviate them.



"Raids have been carried out and some people arrested... banks have also committed certain irregularities. Some bank officials have been suspended," Mishra told news persons in Lucknow.



"Whenever there is any information (of irregularity), action has been taken," he said.



Many bank officials have been suspended over irregularities committed by them since November 8 when demonetisation was announced by the Prime Minister.



To a question on hardships and people committing suicide due to cash crunch, Mishra said, "Prime Minister Modi has himself urged the people to tolerate hardships for a brief time...Problems occur whenever any big decision is taken but this step will ensure a clean economy in the country."



Mishra, the Union Cabinet Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, said that Prime Minister had earlier appealed to the people to deposit undeclared wealth by September 30 or else he will take big steps and when it did not yield big results, notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 had to be scrapped.



He wondered as to how the political parties which had earlier hailed demonetisation later went on to criticise the move.



The demonetisation move has also stalled the winter session of Parliament and Opposition parties are blaming the government for not having a debate over the issue.



Mishra said that government wanted a debate in Parliament and it was open to good suggestions.
New Delhi: Human Rights Commissions, both at the Centre and in the states, must have "independent rights" to execute their orders, former Chief Justice of India and Kerala Governor P Sathasivam said on Saturday.



Sathasivam pitched for necessary amendments in the Protection of Human Rights Act in this regard citing the trend of state governments moving the courts against orders of the Commission.



"The Commission, both the national and in the states, must have independent rights to execute its orders. While summoning, it acts like a civil court. But civil courts have powers to implement its orders or decrees," Sathasivam said in address at the Human Rights Day event here.



Sathasivam referred to the Hyderabad High Court's decision to stay the proceedings of the NHRC over the alleged encounter of red sander smugglers in Andhra Pradesh last year in buttressing his point.



In his address on the occassion, NHRC Chairperson H L Dattu had referred to the Commission's proceedings on this matter as one of the highlights of the year.



Magsaysay Award winner Bezwadsa Wilson, who was the guest of honour at the event, expressed concern over "shrinking space to express feelings" and flayed the tendency to tag any dissenting voice as "anti-national".



Wilson, who leads the Safai Karamchari Andolan, referred to the usage of pellets in Kashmir and people losing eyesights due to that, wondering "which way is the country heading".



He also refererd to deaths of manual scavengers despite Supreme Court's orders to the states to put an end to the discriminatory practice and spate of caste-based violence.



"People did not let me forget my caste. Lakhs continue to clean other people's toilets. Over 1,000 people died over the last one year while doing this. Where is the dignity? We don't even bother and claim from our privileged positions that caste has disappeared," Wilson said.



UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's message was also read out at the event.



"At a time of multiplying conflicts, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reminds us of the importance of the freedom, justice and peace in the life of human beings. He said that people must stand up for others' rights," Moon's message said.



Dattu expressed confidence that by incorporating human rights as a way of life, a fundamental change can be brought about in to eradicate the scourge of poverty, ignorance, prejudices, and discrimination based on sex, caste, religion, disability and other forms.
New Delhi: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has withdrawn a controversial advisory asking its members to not give "negative personal views on demonetization", saying it was an "inadvertent mistake."



The advisory was issued on Friday by the ICAI by President M Devaraja Reddy and says, "It has been decided that an advisory be issued to the members cautioning them to watch the national interest as the upper most while advising their clients. Members are strictly advised not to indulge in any nefarious act as to subvert the intentions of the government in any remote possible way. The members are also advised not to share/write any negative personal views by way of an article or interview on any platform regarding demonetization."



ICAI secretary V Sagar told News18 that the advisory was withdrawn on Saturday and is no longer available on the institute's website. "It was an inadvertent mistake on our part," he said.



Sagar said the matter was now closed and refused to answer any questions on why it was issued in the first place.



However, sources in the ICAI suggest that the reason the advisory may have been issued could be criticism of auditors by the government.



Power Minister Piyush Goyal, himself a Chartered Accountant, said a few days back that the government would take "stern action" against those misusing the concessions given to honest people. He was quoted by PTI saying that CAs were colluding with bankers to prevent honest people from carrying out transactions.



The source also said that advisories from the president of ICAI are not binding on members and if not adhered to will not be regarded as a breach of the code of conduct because everyone is entitled to their opinion.



ICAI president Devaraja Reddy who had issued the circular was not available for comment.
Fatehgarh Sahib: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Kirpal Singh Badungar on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not violate Sikh 'rehat maryada' (religious code of conduct) by wearing a cap during his recent visit to Golden Temple.



After the Prime Minister visited the Golden Temple wearing a cap instead of covering his head with a piece of cloth, several people on social media alleged he had violated Sikh maryada.



Modi, accompanied by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, visited the holiest of the Sikh shrines on December 3 during the Heart of Asia conference at Amritsar. Both wore caps to cover their heads during their visit.



Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had accompanied PM Modi and President Ghani to the shrine.



Badungar said it is observed that Prime Minister being a Hindu has covered his head with cap and he is not Sikh so he did not violate Sikh maryada.



Many Hindus and people from other community pay obeisance at Gurdwaras wearing caps or covering their head with a rumala (piece of cloth) but Sikhs are not allowed to enter the Gurdwaras wearing a cap and if they do so, it is violation of maryada, he said.



He said Sikh Rahat maryada is only for Sikhs not for other community people.



He said every community has separate maryada. When Queen Elizabeth visited Golden Temple while wearing hat at that time late Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra was SGPC president and she was accorded a red carpet welcome, SGPC Chief said.

Badungar claimed that PM Modi has full faith in Sikhism.



Badungar today presided over meeting at Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib in which Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, Baba Sewa Singh Khadoor Sahib were also present.



He said after taking over SGPC president this time, during first executive meeting held last month he passed a resolution to save environment and make it green.



He said SGPC will observe March 14 as Sikh Environment Day as Gurpurab of Guru Har Rai falls on that day and Guru Hari Rai was knows as an plant and animal lover.



He said SGPC will encourage organic farming and efforts will be made to serve organic langar.
Hyderabad: Telangana is all set to become the first state in the country to introduce its own e-wallet named T-Wallet to push for cashless transactions.



Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will launch the logo of government's mobile app for digital financial transactions during the Collectors conference on December 14.



Telangana's IT Minister KT Rama Rao held a review meeting with I-T Department officials regarding the development of T-Wallet mobile application and instructed them to give utmost priority to data security and user privacy issues in the application.



The minister also said that T-Wallet will be a full-fledged mobile payment system of Telangana government and not mere an aggregator of payment apps.



The app would be available for computer, laptop, tablet, smart phone, and also users without a phone too.



On December 7, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also launched AP Purse, a mobile application that encourages cashless transactions. AP Purse has 13 mobile banking and 10 mobile wallets that could be used to pay the bills.



Chandrababu Naidu had said, Cashless transactions are the need of the hour to tide over the currency crunch. The government will pay incentives to the agents who train the people in digital financial literacy. Engineering students would be encouraged to train people.




Two NDFB(S) terrorists neutralised, search is on for two others who fled: Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay pic.twitter.com/9uceNEvLNZ  ANI (@ANI_news) 10 December 2016

Two National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-S) terrorists were killed in a gunfight by the security forces at Kokrajhar district of Assam on Saturday.The encounter took place during a joint operation by the Army and Assam Police.One AK 47 gun and a pistol along with large quantity of ammunition were recovered by the forces.Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay said, "Two NDFB(S) terrorists were neutralised and search is on for two others who fled."The identity of the two trained cadres from NDFB(S are yet to be known.
New Delhi: To celebrate 15 years of New Zealand being the real Middle-earth, Tourism New Zealand has come up with a unique way for tourists to explore the country by re-imagining it through the eyes of "The Lord of the Rings" characters.



The journey engages consumers through a unique quiz designed to discover which character they would be. Consumers will be provided with a character inspired journey throughout New Zealand with an itinerary on Tourism New Zealand's official website.



Ace filmmaker Peter Jackson says that since the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001, nothing has changed in New Zealand.



"New Zealand has such a variety of landscapes from lush green forests, to soaring mountains. The grandeur of these landscapes saw tourists flock to our shores, and made a huge impact on the tourism industry," Jackson said in a statement.



"New Zealand is the perfect Middle-earth and a real place that visitors can experience for years and years to come," he added.



Sharing his love for the country, actor Ian McKellen said: "This is the Middle-earth I had always pictured. How can New Zealand not bewitch anyone who visits?"



According to Skyscanner survey, New Zealand emerged as a favourite among Indian travellers, witnessing a growth of 52 percent in travel searches from last year.
New Delhi: Aamir Khan's 2001 buddy film Dil Chahta Hai became a cult and the superstar has welcomed the idea of a female reboot of the movie saying it is a great concept.



The Farhan Akhtar-directed film, also starring Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Khanna, was about three friends who share a deep bond but rift comes between them due to their different approaches towards relationships.



"I think it is a great concept. A bonding film about three friends who are girls is a great idea," Aamir says.



When asked, who he would like to see playing the female version of his character Akash, the actor says he wants his co-stars from upcoming film Dangal , Fatima Sana Sheikh and Sanya Malhotra, to be part of the film as they belong to the age group of the characters.



"Casting will depend on the script. There are so many good actresses. Out of the three characters for sure two of them should be Sanya and Fatima. That's the age group we are talking about. The age group of 'Dil Chahta Hai' is very young.



"Forget that I was 37 when I did the film, that was a mistake and we managed to succeed. But you can't repeat the mistake. You should actually cast girls in the age group of early 20s," he says.



Aamir's frequent collaborator Rajkumar Hirani, with whom he had worked in films like "3Idiots" and "PK", is currently busy with his next which is a biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt.



Aamir says he has heard the script of the film, which stars Ranbir Kapoor, and thinks it is fantastic.



"I have heard the script and it is fantastic. I called up Sanju and told him that for the first time in the history of cinema an actor, who is not in the film, will get more popularity than the actor who has worked hard in the film."



Dangal releases on December 23.
: Damien Chazelle: Ryan Gosling, Emma StoneIf you wish to watch a film thats both entertaining and heart-warming this weekend, La La Land is the right choice. Itll probably end up being one of the most beautiful cinematic experiences of your life  not the ones you watch but the ones you sing and dance your way through. Damien Chazelles musical blends Ryan Gosling and Emma Stones powerful on-screen presence, unparalleled chemistry with relatable words to have an impact on you  which will very much stay with you even when you move out of the theatres.Ryan Gosling plays Sebastian, a struggling Jazz pianist and Emma Stone is Mia, an aspiring actress who works as a cashier in a coffee shop. The two of them, struggling in their respective lives, find their way into each other  post some bittersweet encounters - in the picturesque city of Los Angeles.The romance in La La Land is not the usual done-to-death depiction but a fine and nuanced portrayal of old-school romance. A woman twirls in a yellow dress, a man charms his way with one hand in his trousers pocket, they romance each other by tap dancing on a park bench and both of them take a walk amid stars  literally. Its the kind of romance that will take you in  with every expression, every move and every song  the two of them paint a beautiful picture as their raw emotions takes over the screen. Damien Chazelle made it clear that he knows what love is when his film Whiplash bagged the Oscars but this time he leaves no stone unturned to bring to life the dying era of hopeless romanticism. The director has also divided the movie in seasons  Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  hinting at the various stages of their relationship. The makers have swiftly embroidered the romance and the undying passion for jazz in its running time. Its interesting to see the characters yearning for the resurgence of jazz music - something we haven't seen in a long time.Its the third time Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone feature in a movie together following Crazy, Stupid, Love and Gangster Squad and weave magic like no other. While Ryans inevitable charisma makes it hard for you to concentrate on other aspects, Stones bewildering performances takes the cake. She outshines Ryan in a lot of scenes  which is not a very easy thing to do  and makes you feel for her character and her struggles.Linus Sandgrens cinematography is one of the key elements in making the film a magical experience that it is. If the actors give Damiens story a heart, Linus bright hues, resplendent shots and the perfect angles give it the soul. With the song Another Day Of Sun in the opening sequence, you know youve landed at the right place.For a generation that has probably been devoid of fine musicals, this one comes as a breath of fresh air. The movie buffs whove an inclination towards this kind of artistic cinema will fall in love with Damiens work instantaneously for the simple reason that it sweeps you into a dreamy world of romance and makes you feel nostalgic for Hollywoods bygone era. La La Land reveals as much as it conceals  has just the right mix of realism and imagination.


#ExpectToday Tamil Nadu Government to hold first Cabinet meeting under new Chief Minister O Panneerselvam today.

 ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

The Tamil Nadu Cabinet is likely to hold its first meet under new chief minister O Panneerselvam at the Secretariat on Saturday.Panneerselvam assumed office following J. Jayalalithaas death.As per AIADMK party sources, the meeting will begin at 11.30 am and is expected to first adopt a resolution condoling the demise of chief minister Jayalalithaa on December 5.The meeting is also expected to adopt a resolution to accord formal sanction for a suitably impressive memorial for Jayalalithaa on Marina built within 30 metres of MGR Samadhi.Reportedly, the Chief Minister on Friday had visited the site along with Cabinet colleagues and officials.Panneerselvam is yet to formally take his seat in his office at the Secretariat.
Chennai: On a day when the leadership issue in AIADMK was almost settled in favour of Sasikala Natarajan, Deepa, niece of the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, too threw her hat in the ring.



"I want to follow in the footsteps of my aunt Jaya. I was extremely close to her," said Deepa.



The AIADMK, though, was quick to deny the claim.



"Jayalalithaa was never close to Deepa. She didn't go for her marriage," said CR Saraswathy, AIADMK leader.



Deepa alleged that she was not allowed to meet the ailing chief minister. She also alleged that she was barred from performing the last rites for her aunt and it was her brother, Deepak, who along with Sasikala, performed the last rites.



Deepa further launched an attack on Sasikala, Jayalalithaa's confidante, for opposing her.



"Sasikala is afraid that I will gain popularity as Jayalalithaa's heir. I have the backing of the people. Sasikala has to contest elections and prove herself," said Deepa.







Sasikala Natarajan, on the other hand, looks set to take over the reins of the AIADMK.



Senior functionaries of the party have urged Sasikala to step in and fill the void left behind by the CMs untimely death, the partys official Twitter handle said on Saturday.



Senior functionaries of AIADMK urge Thirumathi Sasikala to lead the party on the path shown by Puraitchi Thalaivi Amma, the party tweeted.




The impasse in Parliament over demonetisation would have ended this week paving the way for debate and discussion in both Houses, but for a last minute glitch. The back-channel talks between the Opposition and the government had produced results with the Opposition scaling down its demand of discussion under a rule which entailed voting.Sources tell CNN-News18 it was agreed upon by various political parties that discussion in the Lok Sabha would start as the House assembles for the days business at 11am on Friday. The Opposition had given its consent for a discussion without any rule. This was a climb-down from the earlier stand on discussion under rule 184 or Adjournment Motion which would have entailed voting at the end of the debate.The Congress in particular was eager to end the stalemate with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi preparing to speak in the Lok Sabha to lead the Congress's charge. But the way proceedings in the Rajya Sabha unfolded last week forced the treasury benches to make last-minute changes in strategy.After a day and a half of debate in the Upper House, the government had conceded the floor to former prime minister Manmohan Singh to speak on the issue. That turned out be a strategic mistake which government sources admit was used by Singh to launch one of the most scathing attacks on the midnight demonetisation. Both Prime Minister Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley were present in the House as Singh tore into demonetisation scheme calling it a "monumental" mistake which could ensue a GDP loss of 2 percentage points in the days ahead.To the chagrin of the treasury benches, the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha have since been disrupted for one reason or the other leaving little scope for the government to defend itself on the floor of the House.The government floor managers in the Lok Sabha anticipated a redux of what the government faced in Rajya Sahba if the Congress vice-president was conceded space to make his point on record. That Opposition may provide little opportunity to the government to present its defence after Opposition leaders had spoken on the floor of the House was a possibility which rankled many in the government.Which is why on Friday morning, to the surprise of many, it was MPs from treasury benches who were on their feet invoking President Pranab Mukherjee's appeal to lawmakers to let the House function. In a reversal of roles, it was BJP MPs who were seen seeking apology from the Opposition for disrupting Parliament for almost the entire Winter Session.In retrospect, it appears both sides waited for a month for the demonetisation dust to settle down  each expecting it would settle in their favour.Now only three working days are left in the Winter Session; a session which, among other legislative business, was slated to pass a bill to provide succour to the disabled. It was supposed to give final shape to the GST Bill after the passage of the enabling statute in the Monsoon Session; a session where the Opposition was to seek answers from the government on the other surgical strike, the one across the border.
Modi babu just said:Govt is ready to debate.I'm not being allowed to speak in LSabha so I'm speaking in Jan Sabha (We say: factually wrong)  Derek O'Brien (@quizderek) December 10, 2016

Trinamool Congress on Saturday dubbed as "factually wrong" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's contention that he was not being allowed to speak in Parliament on demonetisation."Modi babu just said: Govt is ready to debate.I'm not being allowed to speak in LSabha so I'm speaking in Jan Sabha(We say: factually wrong)," Trinamool leader and Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien tweeted.Earlier, addressing a rally in Deesa in Gujarat, Modi slammed the Opposition for disrupting Parliament, saying hehas been forced to speak out in 'jan sabha' (among people) as he was not allowed to do so in Lok Sabha.
Continuing her criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on demonetisation, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sayusaid except giving 'bhashan', he has no solution to the move that has "derailed"."Modi babu knows that #DeMonetisation (is) now derailed. Except giving bhashan (lecture), he has no solution," she said in a tweet immediately after Modi's speech at a public meeting in Banaskantha in Gujarat.Banejee had on Thursday said Modi must resign because the move has led to "economic disaster" in the country and that he has "no moral right" to continue.Alleging that the country's growth and business were hit due to demonetisation, she had said the prime minister "doesn't trust" anyone and "doesn't understand" what is good for the country.
Paris: Alternating traffic imposed in Ile-de-France region since December 6 on high pollution level, will be removed over the weekend due to an expected improvement in air quality, Paris prefecture said on Friday.



"Given more favourable forecasts, Paris prefecture, in agreement with Paris city hall... decided to lift alternating traffic from Friday midnight," Xinhua quoted a statement as saying.



Meanwhile, it called on Parisians to limit the use of their cars due to uncertain weather conditions in the coming days and to avoid another period of high pollution.



Traffic has been restricted since December 6 in Paris and in 22 neighbouring municipalities as air pollution reached high levels due to increased pollutant of PM10, particulate matter measuring less than 10 micron.



Following a pollution peak, local authorities offered free public transport. They also encouraged the use of clean modes of transport such as Velib and Autolib, which are public sharing services for bicycles and electric cars.
Aden: A suicide bomber killed 35 soldiers and wounded around 50 on Saturday at a military camp in Yemen's southern city of Aden, military and medical sources said.



The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.



The bomber detonated his explosives belt as hundreds of troops gathered to receive their monthly pay at the barracks in Al-Sawlaban near the city's international airport, a military source said.



"A martyr from the Islamic State detonated his explosives belt in Al-Sawlaban military camp in Aden during a gathering of the Yemeni army," the IS-affiliated Amaq news outlet said.



Yemeni authorities have for months pressed a campaign against jihadists who remain active in the south and east of the war-torn country.



IS and its jihadist rival Al-Qaeda have taken advantage of a conflict between the government and the Huthi rebels, who control the capital Sanaa, to bolster their presence across much of the south.



The two groups have carried out a spate of attacks in Aden, Yemen's second city and headquarters of the internationally recognised government whose forces retook the port from the Huthis last year.



Al-Qaeda has long been the dominant jihadist force in Yemen, located next to oil-flush Saudi Arabia and key shipping lanes, but experts say IS is seeking to supplant its extremist rival.



In August an IS militant rammed his explosives-laden car into an army recruiting centre in Aden, killing 71 people in the deadliest jihadist attack on the city in over a year.



On Monday, Yemeni authorities arrested eight suspected IS jihadists implicated in a spate of attacks targeting security personnel in the city this year.



A Saudi-led coalition has since March 2015 supported loyalist forces fighting the Huthis.
Washington: The US-led coalition has killed a key leader of the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria, the Pentagon said on Saturday.



"Coalition warplanes targeted and killed Tunisian Boubaker al-Hakim, in Raqqa, Syria, November 26," Pentagon spokesman Ben Sakrisson said in a statement emailed to AFP.



"Al-Hakim was an ISIL leader and longtime terrorist with deep ties to French and Tunisian Jihadist elements."


Washington: President-elect Donald Trump has said the US-China relationship is one of the most important relationships that his administration has to improve, days after he slammed Beijing for currency manipulation and military build up in South China Sea.



"One of the most important relationships we must improve is our relationship with China," Trump said at a public meeting in Iowa on Thursday.



However, he also accused China of being a manipulative economy.



"The nation of China is responsible for almost half of America's trade deficit. China is not a market economy. They have got a lot of help and that is why we designate them a non-market economy," Trump said.



"They haven't played by the rules and they know it's time that they are going to start. They have got to. We are all in this thing together. We have got to play by the rules," he said.



"You have the massive theft of intellectual property, putting unfair taxes on our companies. Not helping with the menace of North Korea like they should and at will and massive devaluation of their currency and product dumping," he said.



"Other than that, they have been wonderful, right?" he said. Trump has picked Iowa Governor Terry Branstad as his next Ambassador to China.



"The man I have chosen as our ambassador to China is the man who knows China and likes China...and he knows how to deliver results and he will deliver results just like he has been delivering it for 23 years for the great farmers and for the people of Iowa," he said.



Trump said that Branstad has been on six trade missions to China and is highly respected by all the Chinese officials. He is also a native of Iowa.



"I know we will succeed in bringing our jobs back and I also know that China who has been so tough and so competitive...but I will tell you what, we're going to have mutual respect," Trump said.



"We are going to have mutual respect and China is going to benefit and we are going to benefit and Terry is going to lead the way," he said.



Trump said that he desires to see Apple and other companies to start building plants in the US.



"That is what I want to see. Big plants. Their biggest plants. Ethics reform will be a crucial part of our 100 day plan as well. We are going to drain the swamp of corruption in Washington DC," the 70-year-old President elect said.
Washington: Pakistan's crackdown on Ahmadiyya community under the guise of anti-terrorist action has been denounced by the State Department and the Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).



"We're obviously very concerned about the reports that Punjab counter-terrorism police have raided the international headquarters of Ahmadiyya -- Muslim community in Rabwah," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said here on Friday.



According to Toner, the country's laws that restrict peaceful religious expression, particularly by the Ahmadiyya community, "are inconsistent with Pakistan's international obligations".



Pakistani laws do not recognise the Ahmadiyya community as Muslims and forbids them from calling themselves members of that religion. But Toner pointedly emphasised that Ahmadiyya is a "Muslim community".



USCIRF was harsher in its criticism.



"USCIRF condemns the brutal raid on the Ahmadiyya offices, the first such raid since Pakistan amended its constitution 42 years ago declaring that Ahmadis are 'non-Muslims'," said Thomas J. Reese, a Catholic priest of the Jesuit order.



"Pakistan's anti-terrorism laws should not be applied to the peaceful Ahmadiyya community simply because they are Ahmadis," he added.



The USCIRF noted in a statement that Pakistan's Punjab province, where the raid took place, "has a deeply troubling religious freedom record" with two-thirds of all blasphemy cases originating there.



On Monday the Counter-Terrorism Department raided an office of the Ahmadiyya community and arrested several people for publishing religious publications, Tehreek-e-Jadeed and Al-Fazal that the Punjab government had declared as "seditious and treasonable" in 2014.



During this raid "police beat and arrested several Ahmadis who later were charged under provisions in Pakistan's penal code and Anti-Terrorism Act", USCIRF said.
The case of a man who escaped from jail in Lynchburg was certified to a grand jury after a preliminary hearing Friday.

James Richard Pavlis, 22, of Danville, was in custody at Lynchburg Adult Detention Center on charges out of Pittsylvania County on Sept. 12 when he escaped. He had been convicted of burglary, grand larceny, identity theft and possessing a firearm as a felon in Pittsylvania on Aug. 25 and was scheduled for a Nov. 4 sentencing date.

Pavlis now faces one charge of escaping imprisonment without use of violence.

Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Charles Felmlee brought two witnesses before the court Friday to testify about the events of Sept. 12 through Sept. 14, when authorities found Pavlis about 2.5 miles away from the jail.

One witness, a civilian employee of the jail, said he usually oversees about 20 inmates working in the jails kitchen. He was overseeing Pavlis and others Sept. 12.

The witness said he noticed someone was missing from the group, knew it was Pavlis and described seeing him leave the area. He also said there was a security camera in the kitchen area but did not know who was watching the footage.

Lt. Steve Rivers, head of internal affairs with the jail authority and the second witness at the hearing, said every inmate was placed on lockdown following the escape at about 6:36 a.m. Pavlis was the one inmate reported missing, he said.

Assisted by the Lynchburg Police Department and other agencies, jail personnel passed out fliers and knocked on doors near the jail to locate Pavlis, Rivers said. When he saw Pavlis about two-and-a-half days after the escape, Rivers said he was wearing jail-issued clothing and shoes and almost had reached the citys waste management facility on Concord Turnpike.

Felmlee said the grand jury will hear Pavlis case Jan. 3 and decide whether to indict him. He said any trial would have to occur by May 9.

Since Pavlis originally was in custody for a felony conviction, hes facing a felony charge rather than a misdemeanor charge.

The maximum sentence he could face if convicted of the escape charge would be five years imprisonment.

Pavlis is being held at the Amherst County Adult Detention Center.

In 2009, Larry Wayne Dodson Jr. became the first person to escape from the Lynchburg Adult Detention Center.

The Pittsylvania County man reportedly slid more than 100 feet down a rope made of bed sheets and sparked a month-long manhunt across the Southeast.

It ended in a high-speed chase and crash just outside of Savannah, Georgia, and Dodson, who had been in Lynchburg awaiting transfer to a state prison on larceny and firearm convictions, was taken back into custody.
Lynchburg is preparing to work with drug-dependent offenders in adult drug treatment court starting in March, joining close to 40 other such courts in the state fighting addiction.

The Virginia Supreme Court gave its approval in late October, more than a year after an advisory committee started meeting to set up the drug treatment court. Participants will be able to come from Amherst, Bedford, Campbell and Nelson counties and the city of Lynchburg, so long as their offense occurred in Lynchburg.

Lynchburg officials will weigh cases against eligibility criteria that require participants to be alcohol or drug dependent, on supervised probation and deemed high risk or high needs, among other qualifications. Ed Burnette Jr., presiding judge of Lynchburg Circuit Court, will be the only judge hearing the cases on a designated day every two weeks.

I am already aware of some potential participants that have been identified by the commonwealths attorneys office and a public defender that may already be in line to be our first participants in the program, he said.

 The people we are going to be targeting are not the easy cases.  Were talking about chronic substance abuse users, people who have tried and failed.

Getting court participation up to a reliable 50 cases will mean the court would have access to state funding, but Burnette said itll aim to start out with a capacity of 15 people. That cap is meant to keep workloads manageable and within the current budgets of the various court-involved local offices that will serve the court.

In 2015, the Virginia Department of Judicial Services reported 11 adult and three juvenile drug treatment courts  out of 36 courts statewide  received grant funding.

Typically, Burnette said hell be hearing probation violation cases involving those who have already served their sentences but have failed to remain clean or sober. Rather than adding to their punishment the court will focus on participants recovery and rehabilitation.

The drug court program will seek to give people a path different from that traditional [approach], he said.

Instead of them pleading guilty to the probation violation and going back to jail for a period of time, this is a program that will allow them to seek treatment and deal with the underlying addiction that theyre battling and hopefully result in more long-term benefits to them and the community by staying clean and sober.

That path is characterized by regulation and structure, with program requirements divided into five phases. Those in the first phase must take drug tests at least twice per week, report to the probation and parole office at least once per week, attend drug court every other week and keep a 9 p.m. curfew. Regulations relax into the later phases, but participants must be sober for a certain period of time before moving on.

Personnel with community service board Horizon Behavioral Health will be providing treatment, which CEO Damien Cabezas said is the biggest component of the court.

What were pleased about with the drug court is that well see them sooner rather than later, he said.  If we were not involved with this at all, we would eventually see them later on, when things are at a much more serious level.

The path to graduation can take anywhere from one to two years depending on an individuals progress, and Cabezas said each persons treatment is based on their own personal assessment. He said Horizon will be able to use unrestricted state funds to aid participants not eligible for Medicaid.

Drug treatment courts have been around since 1990, and they clearly are very cost effective and provide real outcomes  improved recidivism rates, the number of individuals getting employment, re-establishing with their family is very high when people go through a drug treatment court. And it really is all about support, he said.

The Virginia Department of Judicial Services reports 2,445 people took part in one of 34 adult, juvenile or DUI drug courts across the state in 2015. Of those participants, 584 graduated by successfully completing the program  an increase of 8.95 percent over 2014. Participants that did not graduate in 2015 may have failed the program or continued into the next year.

In 2015, the department reported drug court programs [i]ncreased cost savings of $307,744 compared to traditional case processing.

Though drug court cases will eat up much more docket time than traditional cases, Burnette said itll be a more concentrated effort to break the cycle of addiction.

Im convinced that this alternative is worth pursuing and worth trying because Ive seen too many people in this revolving door [who] cannot break the addiction and the criminal behavior that  typically goes along with addiction, he said. And putting them in jail is not solving the problem.

Component agencies of the drug court -- including Horizon, law enforcement offices and legal offices -- were able to attend a training session in April, and officials said their departments are prepared for the extra cases coming from drug court.

Crystal Pulley, the districts chief probation and parole officer, said an experienced senior probation officer will be assigned to the drug court cases on top of the four probation officers they oversee. Officers can have up to 35 assigned cases, but Pulley said the drug court cases will demand more frequent drug testing and more time monitoring participants.

The big thing is that theres immediate consequences for [the participant's] behavior, and in the court system on a regular basis, she said.

Once the court takes on more cases, Pulley said the department likely will need to increase the number of officers with that assignment.

Lynchburg Circuit Court Clerk Eugene Wingfield said with more than a year of planning, his office is equipped to handle the courts first few cases.

I think we can manage that  its a learning curve, but I think well be fine, he said.

Maj. Todd Swisher represents the Lynchburg Police Department on the drug courts advisory board, which formed in July. He said the department will play a role in choosing participants, who will be selected for the docket by early February.

Ive learned over the years that incarceration of non-violent drug offenders is really not the answer ultimately, and wed like to think this is a more productive way of addressing those people, he said.

Tobi Walsh contributed to this story.
What a thing of beauty, our First Amendment.

Think about it: In only 45 words, it lays out five constitutional rights.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Pure poetry.

Notice that it says nothing about how a president  any president  can imprison or strip Americans of their citizenship for exercising these rights. Donald Trumps tweet suggesting otherwise in his rant against flag burners doesnt change this glorious fact. We had these freedoms before he was elected and, if were vigilant, were going to have them after hes long gone from the White House. Can I hear an amen?

Maybe we should memorize the First Amendment, and not just because our president-elect appears to lack even a passing familiarity with it. Theres value in committing to memory language that moves us.

Brad Leithauser addressed this in his 2013 New Yorker essay titled Why We Should Memorize:

The best argument for verse memorization may be that it provides us with knowledge of a qualitatively and physiologically different variety: you take the poem inside you, into your brain chemistry if not your blood, and you know it at a deeper, bodily level than if you simply read it off a screen. (Catherine) Robson puts the point succinctly: If we do not learn by heart, the heart does not feel the rhythms of poetry as echoes or variations of its own insistent beat.

May our hearts ring with the rhythms of our First Amendment freedoms. Theres nothing like breathing in the promise of America to help us stay calm when someone insists our country keep its word.

Take flag burners, for instance. Our Constitution and our Supreme Court insist they can burn our flag without losing their freedom. Every time they do it, though, someone else is yelling, Oh, yeah? Well, well see about that.

I dont enjoy seeing someone burn the American flag, mostly because Im not a fan of watching anger meet fire. Im not keen on American flag bandanas, either. You know that line of forehead sweat that slowly creeps over the Stars and Stripes? Just feels wrong. Why arent people who oppose desecrating the flag complaining about that?

After Trump tweeted his unconstitutional take on our constitutional right, I Googled American flag and clothing. My Lord, theres a bowie knife to the patriotic heart. Page after page of stuff that surely would offend the love-it-or-leave-it crowd.

Personally, I could have done without the guy modeling the American flag bikini briefs. Im never going to be able to un-see that particularly star and stripe. I also dont see the charm in American flag harem shorts, American flag leggings or American flag flip-flops. The American flag under the soles of filthy feet. Say that out loud and tell me you arent trembling.

Its enough to drive a girl to grab her American flag beer can koozie  you want to say cozy, but dont, because its keeping your beer kool, get it?  and slide it onto the nearest can of brew. The koozie, by the way, is on sale for $9.99. (You save $5.00!) Nothing says America like a U.S. flag wrapped around a can of Coors.

We could have a much healthier discussion about the politics of flag burning if we were honest about why those flag burners bother some of us. Could it be that we just arent comfortable with fellow Americans willing to question what in high heaven is going on in America? That maybe were just afraid of what comes next?

We hear a lot about how defacing the flag insults our men and women in uniform, but they do not sacrifice their comfort and too often their lives to protect a strip of fabric usually made in China. They are preserving our freedoms, including the five listed in the First Amendment. Lets stop insulting their intelligence by suggesting they dont know the difference.

Let us breathe in the promise of America and exhale to the rhythm of our freedom.

Or not.

Thats America.

Schultz is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and professional in residence at Kent State Universitys school of journalism. Email her at con.schultz@yahoo.com.
HOW DID SHANNON DIE?

Newsday was told that in addition to a second autopsy being ordered - to be done either by Dr Valery Alexandrov or Dr Eslyn McDonald Burris - swabs and tissue samples taken from Banfields body, will be examined in minute detail to try and get answers on Banfields death. The second autopsy could take place as early as today.

Banfield left her workplace, Republic Banks Independence Square branch last Monday to shop at Pennywise and IAM & Co Ltd before boarding a taxi to be taken to her Santa Cruz home. She never made it home. On Thursday, her bloated, decomposing body was found on a shelf in a store-room on the third floor of IAM & Co Ltds Charlotte Street outlet. Cardboard boxes were used to conceal her body. A security guard discovered the body after deciding to check the source of a foul stench, which at first was thought to be a dead rat.

Two male suspects, from El Socorro and San Juan, yesterday remained in custody at different police stations as they continue to assist police in their investigations.

One of the men was visited by an attorney and sources revealed that both have refused to co-operate with police thus far. Two other persons - a man and woman - who are employees of IAM & Co who were detained Thursday night, have since been freed after being questioned at length.

Newsday was told that police have evidence of the time that Banfield entered the store and who she was last seen with. Police also have in their possession camera footage that could prove useful to the investigation.

Yesterday afternoon, homicide investigators returned to the crime scene to re-interview several persons.

Officers of the Cyber Crime Unit are also assisting in the investigation as police continue to search for Banfields cellular phone which is missing. The homes of the two detained suspects were searched.

News of the discovery of Banfields body rocked the country resulting in hundreds of people taking to social media to vent their feelings of anger, outrage and fear at the worsening crime situation plaguing this country.

The owner of IAM & Co Ltd, Ishmael Ali, said yesterday that police investigators came to his businessplace on Tuesday and requested camera footage. He clarified claims that he refused to cooperate with police.

Ali said that when officers visited IAM & Co Ltd on Tuesday and requested CCTV footage, the supevisor asked the men (who were in plainclothes) to show proper forms of ID to prove they were indeed police officers.

Ali said the supervisor also said that a call would have to be made to his (Ali) son who is the one who has the password to access a computer that stores the CCTV footage recorded by cameras. Ali said the officers left without showing their Police Service ID.

However, a release issued last evening by the TT Police Service (TTPS) stated that officers acted swiftly and followed strict protocol with respect to the investigation into the disappearance of Banfield.

The release, issued by Ellen Lewis - Head TTPS Corporate Communications -stated that a request made to IAM & Co, to access CCTV footage on three separate occasions, was not readily forthcoming.

Police investigators visited the business establishment over the course of the three days since Ms Banfield was reported missing by her mother, Ester Sherry- Anne Lopez, to the Santa Cruz Police Station, at 12.15 am on Tuesday 6th December, 2016. All the other business establishments, in the area where Ms Banfield was last known to have been, including Pennywise, were approached for access to their CCTV footage and this was immediately forthcoming.

The Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the Criminal Investigations Department actively pursued the disappearance of Ms Banfield as they sought to have her safely return home.

Photographs of Ms Banfield were circulated early Tuesday morning and were later that day broadcast on outdoor billboard screens, released to the media and on social media, the release stated.
Minister calls for full report

Dillon was asked whether he thought the police had fallen down with respect to their handling of Banfields disappearance and surveillance in the area where she was last seen.

I have not received an in depth investigation to see whether they have fallen down, Dillon said.

I know they have looked at camera footage in respect of the Banfield murder, they have questioned about 14 people. Dillon added, I must say that the people are cooperating with the police. You have a lot of cooperation. Asked whether Banfields murder suggests a review of surveillance in urban centres in the country, the minister said security is dynamic and all strategies must be reviewed on a regular basis. He explained this would ensure that such strategies and measures, are applicable to what is happening on the ground.
Opposition walks out

The bill is essential to this country being Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) compliant with the United States.

The walkout by Opposition MPs occurred after Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George rejected a request by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar to adjourn the House to discuss what Persad- Bissessar described as Governments failure to address an unprecedented number of murders and missing persons in TT.

This came 24 hours after Republic Bank Ltd employee Shannon Banfield, 20, who went missing on Monday, was found stuffed on a shelf and hidden by cardboard boxes on the third floor of the IAM & Co warehouse store off Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain.

On Wednesday in the House, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said reports of missing persons in TT were, a matter of national concern, and law enforcement agencies in this country are doing what they can to locate these persons.

Rowley, who was not in the House yesterday, has condemned Banfields murder and extended condolences to her family.

As she outlined the reasons why this matter qualified under Standing Order 17 of the House, Persad- Bissessar declared, We are losing our citizens each day and there could be no more important matter than protecting the lives of our citizens. She also said every day the bodies of persons which cannot be identified are being found, even as more persons are reported missing. Persad-Bissessar warned if nothing is done to arrest this situation, the criminals will see it as a signal that their crimes will go unpunished and the countrys international reputation will be damaged.

However, Annisette-George ruled that the matter did not qualify under Standing Order 17 and advised Persad-Bissessar to raise it under Standing Order 16.

At this point, Persad-Bissessar stood up and argued with Annisette- George. The Speaker then ejected Persad-Bissessar from the Chamber. Persad-Bissessar replied, I will withdraw. Naparima MP Rodney Charles also protested the Speakers ruling and Annisette- George threw him out as well.

Other Opposition MPs immediately packed up their bags and followed Persad-Bissessar out of the Chamber, leaving Government MPs to continue debate by themselves. After Opposition MPs left, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi declared the Opposition had walked out again on FATCA, having done so previously on September 23. Saying that former Speaker Wade Mark made similar rulings on similar motions and no walkout ensued, the AG quipped, This is the Christmas gift to TT (from the Opposition). I cry shame on the Opposition! Public Utilities Minister Fitzgerald Hinds expressed Governments condolences to Banfields family and disclosed that he had spoken with Banfields mother on Thursday.

Describing the Oppositions action as a manufactured walkout, Hinds observed that several Opposition MPs were prepared to leave long before Persad-Bissessar challenged the Speakers ruling.

Declaring that he has never blamed any government for crime in TT, Hinds said the United National Congress (UNC) was dealing with crime in the wrong way.

He said partisan interests must be set aside, we have to pull ourselves together, pass legislation and give law enforcement agencies, the best shot to bring crime under control.
Business as usual on Charlotte Street

IAM and company remained closed, following the discovery of the body of missing bank clerk, Shannon Banfield, in a storage unit just above the store on Thursday.

As they went about their business, pedestrians along the street offered curious glances at the caution tape around the doors of the store, while police officers maintained a visible presence at the scene.

Newsday spoke to Donna Charles, a roadside vendor and Port-of- Spain resident, who said that while the crowds may have returned, the scent of death and a sense of unease lingers among merchants and shoppers.

That wasnt a nice thing at all, Charles said.

As a mother of two daughters and just as a person, it really churned my stomach to find out what happened to that girl. Ive been working as a vendor in Port-of- Spain for about 20 years now and I have never seen anything like this. I came out here this morn ng and you can still smell the body around the store.

When I came out this morning to set up my stall I saw the police in front the store. Charles added that on the afternoon of the discovery, she too had complained of a foul scent to the other vendors, but did not know which direction it was coming from. I remember asking the other vendors around me, what was the smell. We all are accustomed to the smell of garbage and rotting vegetables, but this was something different. It was only after my son came down the road told me that they found a body inside the store, I really felt it in my heart. Businessman, Steve Matthews, said that he was taking inventory in his stock room when he learned of the find and described the entire incident as disgusting.

No one saw this coming, Matthews said.

Of all the places you would find a dead body, you wouldnt think that it would be here on Charlotte Street. With all thats going on, how can you protect your children again? Its sad. Matthews said that he also noticed a foul scent on entering his businessplace on Tuesday morning, but could not recall seeing anything suspicious around the building.

Banfield, 20, of Santa Cruz was employed as a Customer Service Representative at Republic Bank, Independence Square, Port-of-Spain branch.

She was reported missing when she did not return home from work on Monday afternoon.

Banfields mother, Sherry-Ann Lopez, said that she spoke to her daughter when she left work and said that she was going to Pennywise cosmetics store and then to IAM and company.

On Thursday a security guard at the store discovered Banfields decomposing body beneath a pile of boxes in the storage room upstairs the store, while investigating the cause of a foul stench.
David West: Police biggest gang in TT

He said this gang is left untouched and there have been no prosecutions.

West made the statements yesterday at an event held at the British High Commissioners Residence, Beaumont Road, Maraval. The event took the form of a discussion titled Eat and Tweet: Anti-Corruption Debate. Live tweets were made by the Commission as the event progressed.

The debate was held in observance of International Anti-Corruption Day. Stuart Young, Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, Dion Abdool, chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute and Richard Blewitt, UN Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, sat on a panel leading the debate on corruption in TT.

A number of topics were raised among them human trafficking, key legislative changes, required changes to the Licensing Authority among others. During the question and answer session of the debate, West said crime and corruption is out of control in TT.

He added it was depressing to read the newspaper and listen to talk shows in the morning.

I want to know, as a citizen, what is the Governments policy for dealing with crime and dealing with corruption. he said.

West added that citizens needed to hear from the Police Service as well as the Government.

While, he added, he knew that prosecutions and investigations took time, there were no money laundering convictions in TT despite, billions of dollars in suspicious transactions reports have been made.

How far and how low do you want us to go? He said corruption was endemic in this country and that it has become a lawless society.

Young responded by saying that he agreed with West. His personal response was to get involved to deal with the issue. The Government, Young said, had no control over the Police Service.

Young said a lot of suggestions were made but some were carried out and some werent by the service.

Young said he could not overemphasise that the Government had no control over the TTPS and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). He added that there has been a lack of accountability for too long. During the debate, Young stressed that the fight against corruption was the responsibility of all. He added that a culture change was needed to address the issue, starting with children. Young added a number of legislative pieces, among them whistler blowers legislation, Public Procurement Act [waiting to be proclaimed] and human trafficking legislation were being worked on to aid in the fight against corruption.

Abdool called on TT to work on its ranking on the Corruption Perception Index, stating that the country has been failing on the index.

Sharon Inglefield, President of Arrive Alive, called on the Government to address issues at licensing office.
TSTT goes high speed...but

Emile Elias, chairman of TSTT, said the Board is contemplating taking legal action to ensure that TSTT and the people of Trinidad and Tobago gets the service they deserve.

Speaking at the 4GLTE launch at TSTTs head office, Edward Street, Port-of-Spain, Elias claimed that three years ago, elements in the old board of TATT and National Enterprises Limited (NEL) were involved in what he considered a conspiracy to damage TSTT. Whoever the cap fits, let them wear it. If they get me damn vex I might start naming names, he said.

He lamented that the last Boards of TATT and NEL, did not believe that the people of this country can run a telecommunications giant like TSTT. We need to get rid of that attitude and if necessary get rid of the people who still have that attitude. They conspired with certain foreign entities to damage TSTT to ensure we dont get the kind of spectrum and support that we need. Today after on a year, of a new Board, we have the financing in place, the leadership in place, we have the plan in place and we are going to go forward, Elias said.

TSTT Chairman Dr Ronald Walcott explained that the 700 megahertz spectrum is standard for LTE deployment because of its propagation characteristics.

Which includes the ability to have the type of geographical coverage that we would want to ensure so we can provide this solution throughout the length and breadth of Trinidad and Tobago, he said.

He also explained that 4G LTE allows the user to experience ultra fast broadband speeds on their mobile devices adding that TSTT would provide speeds that are as much as ten times faster than anything you can get from anyone in TT. Currently TSTT is in phase one of this deployment and in that phase, Walcott said they are sure to cover all of Portof- Spain, San Fernando and Scarborough. We would like to get 85 percent population coverage over the next couple of months assuming that we can get the 700 megahertz spectrum that is required, he said.
Opendoor Is Laying Off

Almost a Fifth of Its Workers
(Newser)  Authorities say a UPS driver "made a huge difference" in helping rescue a woman who was being abused by her husband this week in Missouri, KMOV reports. On Monday night, 33-year-old James Jordan allegedly locked the couple's 3-year-old son in a bedroom without food or water and started assaulting his wife. The victim says Jordan beat her, put a gun to her head, and threatened to kill her. When she tried to leave the house, she says he dragged her back inside by the hair. She also says Jordan forced her to take off her clothes then sexually assaulted her, according to CNN.

A UPS driver made a scheduled stop at the house Tuesday to pick up a package15 hours after the alleged abuse started. Authorities say the victim handed the package to the driver while Jordan stood behind her with a gun. She managed to write "contact 911" on the package as the driver was leaving. KTVI reports the driver called police, who arrived at the home and arrested Jordan without incident. "We are grateful this UPS driver with more than a decade of service followed protocol when he saw a customer in distress," CNN quotes UPS as saying in a statement. Jordan has been charged with domestic assault, sodomy, felonious restraint, unlawful use of a weapon, and endangering the welfare of a child. (Read more domestic violence stories.)
(Newser)  Ford is going ahead with plans to move small-car production from the US to Mexico despite President-elect Trump's recent threats to impose tariffs on companies that move work abroad, the AP reports. CEO Mark Fields said Ford's plan to move production of the Ford Focus from Michigan to Mexico will proceed, in part because US consumers demand low prices for small cars. The Focus starts at $16,775, which is less than half the average price that US consumers pay for new vehicles. But Fields stressed that no US jobs will be lost, since the Michigan plant that makes the Focus will be getting two new products. "If you're a worker in that plant, you now have even more job security because we have two products coming in instead of one," he said.

In a series of tweets last weekend, Trump reiterated a threaten to impose a 35% tariff on companies that build new plants abroad and sell products back to the US. Although Ford wasn't mentioned specifically, Trump did target the company a number of times during the campaign on the issue of trade and US jobs. Fields said tariffs can't be imposed on individual companies, only entire sectors, so they would wind up hurting the whole auto industry. Nissan, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler, and Toyota are among the other companies that export Mexican-made vehicles to the US. (Read more Ford stories.)
(Newser)  Samsung is preparing to release a software update that will turn every Galaxy Note 7excellent fire starter, less good smartphoneinto a very expensive paperweight, Gizmodo reports. Samsung issued a full recall of its once-heralded new smartphone two months ago because they wouldn't stop exploding, but some people are still using them. Samsung will roll out the new update, which will keep Note 7s from charging or working, starting Dec. 19.

But US carriers are rebelling, according to the Verge. Verizon says it won't pass the update along to its Note 7 users because it could keep them from contacting family and emergency services "in the heart of the holiday travel season." (Never mind that the phones have been banned on flights due to the whole exploding thing.) And AT&T and Sprint say they won't be releasing the doomsday update until the holidays are over in January. (Read more Galaxy Note stories.)
Nokia was one of the best companies in the market. It had headsets with internal antennas and customizable looks, with melodies as a ringtone with built-in games. They were thoughtfully designed quality products with Hulk-level toughness. But, when iPhone and Android phones started revolutionizing the cell phone industry, Nokia was struggling to find a solid alternative when Microsoft bought what was left of Nokia and sold phones under as Lumia model.

According to Phone Arena, Nokia phones will be announced within next year's first half. These phones will be Nokia-branded smartphones of a new generation. Manufacturing will be handled by the Taiwanese Foxconn, the same company that Apple hires to make iPhones. New Nokia phones will run on Android. There is a rumor the phone will be called Nokia D1C, but this is still not confirmed. D1C could be a codename for the whole project or a particular prototype in HMD's labs. It is believed that it will run a largely bloat-free, near-stock version of Android. Rumors are it will have Snapdragon 820 and Carl Zeiss-branded camera.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Salo, Finnish city can spring from talent and facilities from behind by onetime cellphone giant. In less than a week, Nuviz executives found and hired 20 engineers in Salo, Finland. The team recently finished developing a fully functional display prototype taking less than six months.

According to The Verge, Nokia's banner in the fight will be carried by a new company HMD global. Nokia promises that it will ensure its high standards for quality and engineering. In 2012, Nokia introduced the most advanced smartphone,Lumia 920 with a touchscreen you can use with your gloves on. It has wireless charging and a PureView camera with optical image stabilization, however, despite its hardware advantages, it failed. Now Nokia is switching to Android. HMD is investing more than $500 million over the next three years to market Nokia devices. It is a big challenge to dive into a sea when there is no space for a new phone company.
It seems that Motorola is working on a Moto handset which is expected to run on Android Nougat out of the box. With a codename Moto Cedric, a device has been spotted with various model numbers including XT1676, XT1670, XT1671 and XT1675.

Features of This Unannounced Phone

Mot Cedric is yet to be announced the rumored specs of this device may include 2GB of RAM, 2800 mAh removable battery, and 16 GB to 32 GB internal storage capacity as listed on the FCC website. Trusted Reviews reports that the Cedric will have a 5-inch display measuring 144 mm tall and 72 mm wide. The device is expected to come in single and dual-SIM options. It is not clear whether this device will have a micro SD card slot.

Cedric Won't Be The Only Device To Run The Latest Android OS

Apart from Moto Cedric Motorola has announced Android update for various other handsets Android Headlines reports. Motorola has already rolled out the newest version of Android to Moto Z-Droid, and Moto Z Force Droid. Users with less expensive phones are expecting to taste the flavor of Android on their devices in the coming future. Cedric would be the first entry-level Motorola device to receive the latest version of Android, out of the box.

Cedric Was Originally Spotted on Twitter

Roland Quandt spotted this device on Twitter. Information is not available whether this device will be launched in UK or US at this point in time. The arrival of this phone is yet to be decided by the company. Nougat as standard will make Moto Cedric run Google's latest version of its Mobile OS out of the box. As per the specs, the Cedric is similar to the Moto G.

In future Motorola, the Lenovo-owned American brand can surprise the users while launching few more modular handsets.


The Central Intelligence Agency concluded that Russia intervened with the US Election process during the election. Growing evidence surfaced of Russia's intervention says CIA officials.

After the call of Jill Stien from the Green Party for a vote recount on key States in the possible election fraud in US History, the CIA announced that after further investigation, Russia's intervention is true. "It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia's goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected," said CIA Senior Officer. However, he said this is a consensus view.

President Barack Obama's Action Plan

Over a month ago, before the eve of the election, speculation came to the public view that Russia is planning the hacking attack on the eve of the election. Now that the CIA made their official announcement on the White House briefing, the President made an order to put on a thorough investigation and review the events last election.

Russia's intervention, if proven is a grave breach of US Security and could further stain the US-Russo Relation. The US outgoing President will receive the report before the Inauguration of Donald Trump this coming January 20, 2017.

Russian Foreign Minister's Initial Reaction

Russia immediately denied the CIA accusation. "Many times the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Minister Lavrov have asked Americans to provide full information," said Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova of Russia Foreign Ministry.

The country she represents will take full cooperation with Russia's intervention accusation of the United States. The ministry said that Russia does not have any motives or point of interest with the US Election or engage in cyber-attacks.

President-Elect Donald trump's Opinion

Learning the information from the CIA briefing, the incoming President denied the allegation, and support Russia's statement of no involvement. His transition team also did not entertain this accusation until the review is submit

However, Republican Senators are the leading finger-pointing of Russia's intervention headed by Sen John McCain and Sen Lindsay Graham. The senators believe that Russia is a leading destabilizing influence of the United States.
Nokia may return to the Smartphone industry next year with a device which is currently dubbed as D1C. It is expected that this phone will revive Nokia's glory days. The company wants to be extremely competitive in terms of specifications and price.

There would be two variants of D1C. One with 2GB of RAM may Cost $150. Another Variant will have 3GB of RAM and the consumer have to pay $50 more to possess this device, VR-Zone reports. Nokia will try to target the budget sector through this phone. The Lumia phones by this company also struck a chord with consumers because of the low prices.

As far as the specs are concerned Trusted Reviews reports that the Nokia D1C will arrive with Android 7.0 Nougat, Snapdragon 430 processor, and 5.5 inch Full HD display. The company has decided of not highlighting the gigahertz and megapixels which suggest that this phone will be mid to low range device.

The last mobile phone was made by Nokia in 2014. The company had sold the mobile business to Microsoft which sold mobile phones under the name of Nokia Lumia.

Now HMD has gained rights for Nokia Brand in terms of Smartphones and tablets. For next ten years, this company will release Smartphones under Nokia name.

Nokia still enjoys a lot of consumer trust and brand recognition. Hence the new Android phone is definitely going to be a solid phone. It is very difficult to predict whether this device is going to be a game changing or dazzling.

The launch date of Nokia D1C is not decided but it is speculated that the device may go official in the first quarter of 2017. HMD will use the Foxconn's factories to manufacture the D1C. Maybe the phone is released in the MWC that will take place in February next year.
Looking for an all-electric everyday vehicle that is not as cost-prohibitive as its Tesla counterpart? Then, you might want to take a look at the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. For one, it has already earned the vote of confidence from some of the leading pundits in the automotive industry.

The Awards Just Keep Piling Up

And, for good reasons. The recognitions that the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV received include "The 2017 Motor Trend Car of the Year," the best EV and the best hatchback to buy says Car Connection, "2017 10 Best Cars" from Car and Driver, "Best New Car to Buy" from Green Car Reports, "Green Car of the Year" from the Green Car Journal, Time Magazine's 25 Best Inventions of 2016, and the list goes on with the compilation courtesy of Hybrid Cars.

It's The Best When it Comes to Range and Cost Consideration

"Chevrolet has made affordable long-range electric transportation available to the masses," says Motor Trend executive editor Mark Rechtin. "Elon Musk should be afraid. Very, very afraid."

And, this was seconded by the reputable auto magazine Car and Driver. They said that the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is a standout performer overcoming the two biggest faults of a pure electric vehicle--- range and cost.

Driving Experience: Check!

Apart from affordability, Motor Trend also cited that the driving experience the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV offers is on par, if not better, than that of the ordinary hatchbacks. The team believes that it's a world-class vehicle that delivers smooth riding experience with minimal road noise.

It's A Reliable Companion For The Everyday Commuter

The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV can go as far as 238 miles (EPA-estimated) for a single charge. Considering the average round trip distance for one's daily commute, that means, the Bolt EV can be your everyday buddy for at least three days without having to recharge the battery. There is also the option for DC Fast Charging for around 90 miles of range in as short as half an hour.

It's Surprisingly Spacious on the Inside

It's not something you'd expect from a compact hatchback vehicle. But, according to NY DailyNews, the Chevrolet Bolt EV is quite roomy and airy. The seats and door armrests were designed to be space-savers, not to mention the 56.6 cu. ft. of cargo space at the back.

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Specs, Price, & Release Date

The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is powered by a 60 kWh lithium-ion battery, and it delivers 266 pounds per foot of torque. It can go as fast as 60 mph from rest in just 6.5 seconds. The price starts at $36,620 MSRP (or just under $30,000 after the $7,500 federal tax credit applies). After its launch in California, the Bolt EV will be made available in more than 1000 Chevrolet dealerships in all the U.S. states.
Kirk Douglas, the actor known for his films like 'Spartacus', '2,000 Leagues Under The Sea', 'Champion' and 'The Last Sunset' turned 100 on Friday (December 9) - a feat not matched regularly. Kirk has also been known to be a producer, director, author and philanthropist.

Kirk was born in New York as Issur Danielovitch to Jweish immigrants from present-day Belarus and went on to become one of America's famous actors of the 20th century.

Members of the Douglas family assembled along with150 guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, California, to commemorate the occasion. The "Lust for Life" star was accompanied by his son Michael, another renowned Hollywood actor, his daughter-in-law Catherine Zeta Jones, grandchildren and of course Anne Buydens, his 97-year-old wife.

Everybody looked in a great spirit while celebrating the grand-old actor's 100th birth anniversary.

Speaking at his father's birthday bash, Michael, 72, said: "At the point in his life where he's faced adversity, losing a son, having a helicopter crash, having a stroke, and what he's accomplished in this third act in his life, I find quite extraordinary." The Daily Mail quoted him as saying.

Three generations of the Douglas family featured in a film named "It Runs in The Family" in 2003. Besides Kirk and Michael, Michael's son Cameron and his mother Diana, who passed away last year at the age of 92, were also present.

Kirk Douglas, who has won several awards during his long acting career, had acted last in "Empire State Building Murders" in 2008.

However, also his loved ones celebrated the moment with great energy and enthusiasm, Kirk said he feels "lonely" now for all his contemporaries like Burt Lancaster and Laurence Olivier have now left this planet. Speaking to Variety magazine, Kirk said he reads about Hollywood but cannot really relate.

"Where is Burt [Lancaster]? Where is Laurence Olivier? They're all gone. I miss them. I feel lonely," he said. Lancaster died in 1994 while Olivier passed away in 1989. Kirk said that he doesn't have much knowledge about the current stars in Hollywood, of course with the exception of his son and daughter-in-law.
We all had been hearing a lot of tigers disappearing fast from this planet. But now, reports have started surfacing about giraffes - the world's tallest animal - becoming vulnerable to extinction. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), giraffes' number has dwindled fast - about 40 percent in the past three decades - an announcement which is certainly going to make the environmentalists a worried lot.

The union takes care of a 'red list' of species which includes the conservation status of over 85,000 species and aims to track 160,000 species, threatened or not, for the purpose of creating a 'barometer of life'. The list has categories like least concern, near threatened, threatened, vulnerable, endangered, critically endangered, extinct in the wild and extinct.

The IUCN has recently removed the tall animal from the 'least concern' category into the 'vulnerable' one, taking into account the huge decrease in its population. While giraffes numbered over 150,000 in 1985, now their count has come down to be below 100,000 - 97,500 to be precise.

The reason for the alarming decline in the giraffe population is again the same: the growing human population. Illegal hunting of giraffes and their loss of habitats because of expanding agriculture and mining, etc. have taken a heavy toll on the animal's population. Of the nine sub-species of giraffes, five have witnessed a fall in population, the IUCN said.

A major reason why the giraffes are feeling threatened is their native, Africa, is seeing a huge rise in population. According to a report of the United Nations released in 2015, more than half of the global population growth between now and 2050 is expected to happen in Africa (1.3 billion out of 2.4 billion) and that would have an adverse impact on the giraffe population.

David Banks, regional director for the Africa Region with Nature Conservancy, said there is still hope if the countries begin to plan for the explosion in population from now on.

He said: "If you can save some of the last big wild areas in Africa that are important to giraffes and elephants, the [human] population will eventually plateau and start to decline, so if we can save the big places now we can get through that bottle neck, and the future beyond that plateau is a very hopeful one for people and wildlife."
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Snow showers early with a chance of lingering snow showers later. High 14F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..

Tonight

Cloudy skies. Low 8F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574.
New Delhi:

Speculations are rife that Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje Scindia may reshuffle and expand her Cabinet on Saturday.



Even though there is no official confirmation, sources say that Ministers in the Raje Cabinet have been reportedly asked from the Chief Minister's office to remain present in the state capital Jaipur on Saturday.



Sources say, the Rajasthan CM will hold a cabinet meeting at around noon and may announce reshuffle or expansion after that.



Reportedly, some Ministers will be asked to tender their resignations during the meeting and new appointments will be announced.



However, the state governor is not in capital and is expected to be back in Jaipur by Saturday evening, which may indicate that the directions to ministers is only limited to the purpose of cabinet meet.

(With Inputs from PTI)

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YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve says the government will propose to extend the state of emergency until July 15, 2017 following the attacks in Paris, Reuters reports.

It is supposed the proposal will be approved on December 13.

By the proposal of President Francois Hollande, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to declare state of emergency in France on November 13 last year following the attacks in the country.

In July, 2016 the French National Assembly (lower house of the Parliament) extended the state of emergency for 6 months due to the terror threats in the country.

Photo by Reuters
Kano:

Two female suicide bombers killed 45 people and wounded 33 others when they detonated their explosives in a crowded market in Nigeria's restive northeast region, the emergency service has said.

The army on Friday put the death toll at 30.

"From our updated records we have 45 dead and 33 injured in the twin suicide bomb explosions in Madagali," said Sa'ad Bello of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Adamawa state.

While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, the blasts bore all the hallmarks of Boko Haram, which regularly uses women and young girls to carry out suicide attacks in its seven-year insurgent campaign in the troubled region.

Military spokesman Badare Akintoye had earlier said "at least 30 people have been killed in the suicide blasts carried out by two female suicide bombers in the market."

A local government official and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the attack.

"The two bombers who (were) disguised as customers, detonated their suicide belts at the section of the market selling grains and second-hand clothing," said Yusuf Muhammad, the chairman of Madagali local government.

The attack on Madagali, which was recaptured by Nigerian forces from Boko Haram jihadists in 2015, was the third time the town has been targeted since December last year when two female suicide bombers killed scores.

Market trader Habu Ahmad said Friday's blasts happened around 9.30am (0830 GMT).

"It was dead bodies and wounded people in the midst of blood, spilt grain and abandoned personal effects," he said.

Ibrahim Abdulkadir, NEMA spokesperson for the northeast, said rescue teams had been deployed to the scene.

He said security agents had cordoned off the scene of the explosions.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack in a statement yesterday, vowing to put "an end to this senseless loss of innocent lives." "This latest attack is obviously an act of desperation, but the Nigerian military will neither be distracted nor relent," he said.

Buhari urged Nigerians to be more vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest security agents. "The battle against terrorism is a joint effort involving all citizens, both government and governed.

"Together, Nigerians can and will defeat the evil that is Boko Haram," he added. Buhari had told a security conference in Senegal on Wednesday that the situation in the region was "under control".

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Vadodara:

Two bank unions on Saturday urged RBI Governor Urjit Patel to ensure adequate supply of the new Rs 500 notes and bills of lower denominations to tide over the prevailing cash crunch.

Due to non-availability of adequate quantity of Rs 500 and Rs 100 currency notes, customers are reluctant to accept the newly printed Rs 2,000 bills which they find difficult to spend in the market for want of change, the unions said in a letter to Patel.

The letter has been written by C H Venkatchalam, General Secretary of the All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), and S Nagarajan, his counterpart at the All-India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA).

There is acute shortage of Rs 100 notes and ATMs, including the recalibrated ones, have been non-functional due to the shortage, they said, adding that banks are finding it difficult to face customers demanding the lower denomination currency.

The shortage of currency notes has resulted in tension, exchange of angry words, quarrels between bank staffers and customers. All these are putting mental pressure on bank staffers, the unions said.

There have been instances of angry citizens locking bank branches from outside, Venkatchalam and Nagarajan said. There are also allegations of RBI supplying more number of currency notes to private banks than their public sector counterparts, they said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Ahmedabad:

Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan on Saturday delivered a lecture on the state of global economy but reportedly made no mention of the prevailing economic scenario in India or the controversial demonetisation drive.

The former IMF Chief Economist spoke on the topic "The Global Economy: Opportunities and Challenges" at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIMA).

The lecture was the first of the annual IIMA-SRK lecture series. Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation is sponsoring the series with an objective to strengthen collaboration between industry and academia, said a release from the leading business school.

Also Read: Whatever I say on PM Narendra Modi will be 'problematic', says Raghuram Rajan

Rajan, now serving as the distinguished service professor of finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, is an alumnus of IIMA.

According to sources, Rajan was accompanied by his wife and met several other former students of the premier management institute. Rajan touched upon several aspects related to global economy but did not say anything about the prevailing economic scenario in India, they said.

The sources said the former RBI chief also made no reference to the Modi Government's cash recall exercise, announced on November 8, during his entire lecture, which was not open for the media.

The 53-year-old economist stepped down as RBI Governor in September at the end of his three-year term and returned to academia.
Benthood:

Two women are suing a groom and the event company that ran his wedding reception after they allege he flew a drone that hit them in the head at the New Hampshire event.

Kneena Ellis, of Seabrook, and Kelly Eaton of Peabody, Massachusetts, claim in their December 1 suit that they suffered permanent physical and emotional injury as a result of the August 8 incident.

Also Read: At least 45 dead in suicide attack by two women bombers in Nigeria

The suit says Barry Billcliff had flown the drone to take pictures at his wedding reception at Searles Castle in Windham.

It says the drone collided with the women while they were on the dance floor. The suit says they suffered a concussion.

Billcliff tells the Boston Herald he owns the drone, but wasnt operating it when it crashed. Scott Robb II, vice president of Searles Castle, said he never gave Billcliff permission to fly the drone.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Washington:

An Islamic State leader linked to the 2015 attacks at the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo was killed in a US airstrike in Syria, says US military officials

Officials say Boubaker el Hakim was killed in Raqqa on November 26.

Also Read: 5 terrorists nabbed for planning to free Harkatul Jihad al Islami leaders in Bangladesh

He is believed to have played a role in IS attack planning. The officials werent authorised to discuss the strike publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

El Hakim was a 33-year-old French Tunisian. He was a mentor to the brothers who gunned down cartoonists at the French paper in January 2015.

He was arrested in Syria and sent to France, where he was convicted in 2008 and sentenced to seven years in prison. He was released in 2011 and is believed to have moved to Tunisia.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Police have debunked theories making rounds about a "serial killer" on the prowl in south and south east Delhi, calling the murders a "coincidence" with probes into each of them unearthing different motives and murderers.

However, two cases have come to light where the police claim that they might be related. After six bodies were found within a radius of 10 kilometre of each other in south and southeast Delhi with their body parts missing, theories had emerged that the deaths are related to each other.

"It's a coincidence that they have happened in the same time. One of the cases has been solved and in the other cases the investigation is at an advanced stage," Delhi Police spokesperson and Joint Commissioner (southwest) Dependra Pathak said. "The discussion about serial killings is bereft of truth.There are different intentions, different motives and murderers that have emerged during our investigation," he said.

The body of a woman, wrapped in a black polythene, with a tattoo mark was found lying outside Ganganath Mandir near Vasant Vihar. In the second incident, headless body of a woman was found in a sewer tank in Munirka. Police claim that these two murders that took place last month might be related.

Based on their tattoos, police questioned several tattoo artists in the area and identified the women. Both of them hailed from the same village and were working at a spa, sources said. They had allegedly been lured into escort services and had some fallout with their employer who allegedly murdered themwith the help of his accomplices, they said. Police has identified the accused and they are likely to be arrested soon.

The body's head hasn't been recovered and police is waiting for the arrest to find the missing part, sources added.

In another incident, body of a woman, in her 20s, with injury marks on the neck was found lying under a car near Khanpur T-point on November 30. The woman has been identifiedand no link in that case has been established with the other two murders, police said. A case where a woman's body was hacked into two parts in Amar Colony area, her live-in partner was arrested on Wednesday.

In Sangam Vihar, the mutilated body of a man was foundwith injuries and lower limbs chopped off on December 2. In a shocking incident on December 4, a 24-year-old man was arrested for allegedly having "unnatural sex" with corpseof a woman near Sarai Kale Khan bus stand along the bank of Yamuna river.

The woman's face was smashed due to which no identification has been done yet. The police is investigating whether the man arrested wasthe one who killed her.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The crime graph has dipped sharply in Delhi since the government pulled out high-value banknotes, police data show.

Data show that the crimes with financial motive have registered a sharp decline of 33% in the Capital following the demonetisation exercise carried out by the Narendra Modi government.

The data from November 9 to December 8 shows that the city witnessed 315 incidents of cash robbery, a number which is way less than the cases registered during the same period in 2015.

Interestingly, the city has not witnessed a single case of ransom in the past one month.

Police officials feel that the cash crunch might be the reason behind sudden fall in the crime graph post-demonetisation exercise.Murder cases too have gone slightly down during the 30-day period.

Delhi Police registered 44 murder cases in the past month, five less as compared to the same period in 2015.

(With inputs from agencies)
New Delhi:

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday arrested the Former Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force Shashindra Pal Tyagi in the infamous Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland choppers deal case.



The chopper deal has been haunting several VVIPs since 2013. Here is all you need to know about the AgustaWestland Chopper Scam:



What is AgustaWestland?



AgustaWestland was formed in 2000 as a merger of Agusta (Finmeccanica's subsidiary) and Westland Helicoptors (GKN's subsidiary).



Agusta specialised in making commercial choppers while Westland was the only company manufacturing UK's military choppers. GKN bought out its share in 2004 leaving Agusta as the sole owner.



Why were the choppers needed?



It was perceived that Mil Mi-8s, the existing choppers in until 2000, would become obsolete due to major operational constraints such as inability to operate efficiently during night time and adverse weather conditions.

Also, after the 1999 Kargil war, it was required that choppers be procured which could operate at a height of 6000 meters(Siachen Glacier) and could also be used for transporting VVIPS since Mi-8s weren't that comfortable.



AgustaWestland Chopper deal with India



India signed a contract to purchase 12 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters in February 2010 for the Communication Squadron of Indian Air Force to carry the president, PM and other VVIPs.



Controversy over the contract came to light on 12 February 2013 with the arrest of Giuseppe Orsi, the CEO of Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland's parent company by Italian authorities.



AgustaWestland Chopper scam inquiry



Names of several Indian politicians and military officials cropped up during the Italian investigations, forcing India to launch an investigation.



In early 2013, an Indian national parliamentary investigation began into allegations of bribery and corruption involving named politicians and defence officials.



Who is SP Tyagi? What's his role in the entire matter? (Read detailed profile here)



SP Tyagi was the Chief in 2004 when IAF agreed to lower the maximum altitude ceiling from 6ooo m to 4500 m.



In its findings the CBI claimed, that back in 2004, Sanjeev, Rajiv and Sandeep - all cousins of SP Tyagi, who had acquaintance with Guido Hashke and Carlo Gerosa and entered into a consultancy contract with Gordian Services Sarl, in Tunisia.



Gordian Services belonged to Haske and Gerosa, both of whom stand accused in the scam.



The agency found out that amounts of 1,26,000 Euros after May 2004 and 2 lakh Euro after Feb 2005 camouflaged as consultancy fee was paid to Tyagi brothers and some of the money was allegedly paid off to AFM Tyagi himself.



Latest development in the scam investigation (Full story)



The scam rose to headline once again on Friday after SP Tyagi was formally arrested along with his two aides for the deal. Following are main observations made by the CBI:



# All 3 accused arrested under Section 120B, Section 420 IPC & Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988; were called for questioning at CBI HQ: CBI



# Probe reveals undue favour was shown, AgustaWestland Ltd accepted illegal vendors through middlemen/relatives including Sanjeev Tyagi etc: CBI



# Total deal amount in AgustaWestland was Rs 3767 Crore and bribe amount was 12% of main amount: CBI

Also read | Govt to cancel all defence tenders bagged by Finmeccanica: Manohar Parrikar

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed a farmersa rally in Banaskantha district, Gujarat and also inaugurated a cheese factory of dairy major Amul during his day-long.

He will also pay a visit to State BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar district in the afternoon, his first trip there after assuming the top office in May 2014.

The PM inaugurated a new Amul cheese factory at Banas Dairy in Banaskantha district and also launched aAmul Deshia A2 cow milk.

The factory has been built with an investment of Rs 350 crore and uses cutting-edge cheese-making technology, said GCMMF, which manages the popular Amul brand.

The aAmul Deshia A2 product, to be sold in Ahmedabad initially, is aimed at consumers seeking pure cow milk from indigenous breeds. It is priced at Rs 35 per 500 ml bottle.

This is the fifth visit of the Prime Minister to his home state, which will go to polls in the second half of 2017, in the last six months.









Here are the live updates:

12:26pm:A Opposition, media has right to criticise me, but also educate people in cashless transactions

12:25pm:A There is no need to waste your time standing outside banks or ATMs, e-wallets have brought banks to your mobiles: PM Modi

12:25pm:A India wants to progress. Corruption and black money is slowing our progress and adversely affecting the poor. These evils have to end: PM

12:24pm:A I urge you all to integrate people with e-banking, e-wallets: PM

12:22pm:A People commiting fresh crimes after Nov 8 will not be spared:A PM Modi on Demonetisation

12:20pm:A Had asked for 50 days. You will see how things will change. This is a major step to rid the nation from corruption: PM

12:19pm:A Merely talking about the poor is different from working for the poor, something that the NDA government is always doing: PMA

12:17pm: Just like we all contribute towards voter registration we must all unite to increase financial education: PM

12:15pm:A From the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel I want to share something with my friends in the Opposition: PM

12:15pm:A I am not allowed to speak in Lok Sabha, so I chose to speak in Jan Sabha: PM

12:13pm:A Parliament is not being allowed to function: PM

12:12pm:A We belong to a nation where we do not think- what my interest. We are not a selfish nation. We think about future generations: PM

12:10pm:A With our step on currency notes, we have been successful in weakening the hands of terrorists, those in fake currency rackets: PM

12:09pm:A For how long can poor of India be told to pay for houses in cash. For how long will poor be asked- you want Pucca bill or Kuccha bill: PM

12:08pm:A We took the decision on currency notes to strengthen the hands of the poor of the nation: PM

12:07pm:A Value of Rs 100, Rs 20 increased after demonetisation

12:05pm:A Farmer's need to focus on value addition to castor and isabgul crops: PM

12:03pm:A A2 milk product of Kankrej breed cow launched here today has high nutritional value: PM

12:02pm:A Dairy vehicles will carry milk and honey both as you produce it, Svet kranti ke baad Sweet kranti in Banaskantha: PM

11:59am: After shwet kranti (milk revolution), Gujarat will now lead in sweet kranti (honey revolution): PM Modi

11:58am:Per hectare potato production is record high in Banaskantha. Not one or two Progressive farmers, it's in movement mode here: PM at Deesa

11:58am:A The farmers here turned to dairy and animal husbandry. This was beneficial for the farmers: PM

11:55am:A The farmers in Banaskantha heard my request and embraced drip irrigation. This changed their lives and lives of future generations: PM

11:54am: When I took over as Chief Minister, I would tell farmers that you need to focus on water as much as you focus on electricity: PM in DeesaA

11:52 am:A There was a time when people from Kutch & Banaskantha would leave their homes in search of better opportunities. It is not the case now: PM

11:51 am:A Galbabhai started with 8 small milk societies,and now thanks to hard work of women,milk revolution has been realized here through Banas: PM

11:50am: I am told it is after a very long time that a Prime Minister is visiting Banaskantha. But, I am here not as PM but as a son of this soil: PM

11:49am: The farmer of North Gujarat has shown to the world what he or she is capable of:PM

11:47am:A You may feel why I'm speaking in Hindi, but it is necessary for nation to know how Banaskantha has changed its fortune through hardwork:PM

11:43am: PM Modi address farmer's rally

11:40am:A A PM launches honey product of Banas cooperative in Banaskantha district of North Gujarat

11:30am:A PM launches Galbabhai Patel birth centenary year celebrations, Kankrej cow A2 milk product of Banas Dairy under Amul brand

Excitement among crowd high as PM's helicopter lands besides public meeting venue in Deesa in North Gujarat pic.twitter.com/atHKTC9V5R a DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) December 10, 2016

PM @narendramodi reached Gujarat, where he was welcomed by Governor Shri OP Kohli and other dignitaries, officials. pic.twitter.com/BHGxRtbVXe a PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 10, 2016

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Washington :

President-elect Donald Trump has said he would not allow Americans to be replaced by foreign workers, in an apparent reference to cases like that of Disney World and other American companies wherein people hired on H-1B visas, including Indians, displaced US workers.

"We will fight to protect every last American life," Trump told thousands of his supporters in Iowa on Thursday as he referred to the cases of Disney world and other US companies.

"During the campaign I also spent time with American workers who were laid off and forced to train. The foreign workers brought in to replace them. We won't let this happen anymore," Trump vowed amidst cheers and applause from the audience.

"Can you believe that? You get laid off and then they won't give you your severance pay unless you train the people that are replacing you. I mean, that's actually demeaning maybe more than anything else," Trump said.

Disney World and two outsourcing companies have been slapped with a federal lawsuit by two of its former technology staff, alleging that they conspired to displace American workers with cheaper foreign labour brought to the US on H-1B visas, mostly from India.

The two employees - Leo Perrero and Dena Moore - were among 250 Disney tech workers laid off from their jobs at Walt Disney World in Orlando in January 2015. They have also dragged two IT companies HCL Inc and Cognizent Technologies into this class action lawsuit.

"You know the name of one of the companies that's doing it. I'm going to be nice because we're trying to get that company back. Don't forget much harder when a company announced a year and a half ago - some of these companies, like Carrier, they announced long before I even knew I was going to be running for president," Trump said.

On immigration, Trump reiterated that he will build the wall along the Mexico border. "We will put an end to illegal immigration and stop the drugs from pouring into our country, the drugs are pouring into our country, poisoning our youth and plenty of other people," he said.

"We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country. We will stop the drugs from poisoning our great and beautiful and loving youth. OK? We'll do it," he said, adding that the Trump administration will stop the violence that is "spilling across our border."

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
'ASIAN' = MUSLIM 99% OF THE TIME





The politically correct term 'Asian' is used by the leftist UK media as a way to cast suspicion on a wider group of people and take some of the negative attention away from the group usually responsible for committing the heinous acts.

A perfect example would be the Muslim grooming gang epidemic which are constantly referred to by the press and authorities as 'Asian' grooming gangs.

It isn't people from China, Japan or any Far Eastern Asian place.

Nor is it Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists,Christians Etc....

They are Muslims!!!!
Ottawa:

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that his government and the majority of Canada's provinces had come to an agreement on a national carbon pricing plan.

Trudeau has been working on a national carbon pricing plan with the provinces for months amid worries about the United States heading in the opposite direction and how that could put Canadian companies at an economic disadvantage.

Earlier, outgoing US Vice President Joe Biden urged Canadian leaders to continue to treat efforts to combat climate change urgently despite the incoming administration of Donald Trump.

Trudeau on Friday called the framework agreement on a carbon tax historic. But Canada's 10 provincial leaders are not unanimous in agreeing to Trudeau's carbon tax.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has refused to agree to the tax; Manitoba's premier said he hasn't signed on yet because it wants more money for health care; and British Columbia Premier Christy Clark balked at first before reaching a compromise.

Trudeau hopes to impose a national carbon tax that would rise to 50 Canadian dollars (USD38) a ton by 2022. Under a compromise deal, the carbon price would pause at British Columbia's existing US 23 level in 2020, when an independent expert panel will look at how the plan is evolving.

"The new Trump administration, most assuredly, will not be implementing a carbon tax," Saskatchewan Premier Wall told reporters. "We compete with the Americans in our province for drilling rigs. Our farmers compete with their farmers. Biden told Trudeau and Canada's provincial premiers that whatever uncertainty exists surrounding Trump's policies, he is confident America will continue to make progress on a low-carbon future.

He said that's because many of the trends are market driven and have already taken hold and because states and cities are taking action. Trump has called global warming a "hoax" and says he plans to abandon the US commitment to reduce carbon emissions as part of the international agreement signed last year in Paris.

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New Delhi:

The Narendra Modi government has swung into action against corrupt bank officials who have been involved in the financial wrongdoings after the announcement of currency ban on November 8.



According to ANI tweet, the Finance Ministry has given a stern message to the banks that it is seriously looking into matters of involvement of bank officials in wrongdoings.



Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that those who seek to turn their black money into white through back doors will not be spared.



People who thought they can save their corrupt wealth through back doors did not realise that Modi has put CCTV cameras on all possible ways. We will not spare anyone who is committing fresh financial crimes after the announcement of demonetisation on November 8, he said while addressing a farmers rally in Deesa, Gujarat. (Read full story here)



In one such incident on Friday, Income Tax officers raided Axis Bank branch in Chandni Chowk in Delhi. A total of 44 fake accounts were identified in the bank branch. Income Tax officers found cash deposits worth Rs 100 crore in fake accounts. (Read full story here)



On November 25, IT department had raided another branch of Axis Bank in Kashmiri Gate in Delhi, where in they started investigations against two bank officials for allegedly accepting bribe in gold bars in lieu of giving Rs 3.5 crore new notes to two people. (Read full story here)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Beijing:

China has launched a new cargo service linking Tibet and Nepal as dozens of trucks carrying goods worth $2.8 million left the Tibetan border port of Gyirong en route to Kathmandu.The new rail and road cargo service launched on Friday links Guangdong, Tibet and Nepal.

The new route aims to boost trade with the South Asian neighbour as China pushes forward its Belt and Road (Silk Road) initiative, state-run 'Xinhua' news agency reported on Saturday. A train carrying products, including shoes, clothes, hats, furniture, appliances, electronics and building materials,covered the 5,200-kilometer distance between Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, and Xigaze in Tibet.

The trucks are responsible for the remaining 870 kilometer of the journey, carrying goods to Gyirong and then to the final stop in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital. This is the first such consignment being sent to Nepal after new Prachanda government took over from his pro-Chinapredecessor K P Sharma Oli, who had signed the transit trade deal with Beijing in March this year in a bid to reduce Nepal's dependence on India despite it being expensive due to the mountainous terrain.

China also agreed his request to build a strategic railway link between the two countries from Gyirong, the last Tibetancounty which shares border with Nepal. China plans to extend the railway later to India and otherSouth Asian countries to promote trade. The process of formation of road and rail links however reportedly slowed down after Prachanda's take over resulting in the delay of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Nepal. However, Xi and Prachanda met on the sidelines of BRICS summit at Goa in October this year.

"The trip between Guangzhou and Gyirong takes about five to six days, much shorter than the 20 days for sea transport,"said Yao Yanfeng, general manager of the freight carrier Tibet Tianzhi Import and Export Co. Ltd. "The time could be cut further to 3.7 days in the future,'the Xinhua report quoted him as saying.

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Washington:

US Defense Secretary Ash Carter saidon Saturday that as many as 200 more American troops are being sent to Syria to help Kurdish and Arab fighters capture the Islamic State group's key stronghold of Raqqa.

The extra troops will include special operations forces and are in addition to 300 US troops already authorized for the effort to recruit, organise, train and advise local Syrian forces to combat IS.

Addressing a security conference in Bahrain, Carter said the extra troops will help the local forces in their anticipated push to retake Raqqa, the de facto capital of the extremist group's self-styled caliphate, and to deny sanctuary to IS after Raqqa is captured.

He said President Barack Obama approved the troop additions last week.

"These uniquely skilled operators will join the 300 US special operations forces already in Syria, to continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces to take the fight to ISIL,"Carter said in his address to the IISS Manama Dialogues in the Bahraini capital, Manama.

"By combining our capabilities with those of our local partners, we've been squeezing ISIL by applying simultaneous pressure from all sides and across domains, through a seriesof deliberate actions to continue to build momentum," he said.

The military push in Syria is complicated by the predominant role played by local Kurdish fighters, who are themost effective US partner against IS in Syria but are viewedby Turkey -- a key US ally -- as a terrorist threat.

A senior defence official said the troop boost announcedby Carter will give the US extra capability to train Arab volunteers who are joining the Raqqa push but are not welltrained or equipped. The official spoke on condition ofanonymity to discuss details of internal Pentagon planning.

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Washington :

US President-elect Donald Trump closed some of his companies after elections were conducted.

Further, four companies out of them appeared to be connected to a possible Saudi Arabia business venture, according to corporate registrations in Delaware.

News of the move comes days before Trump is expected to describe changes he is making to his businesses to avoid potential conflicts of interest as the US president.

The Trump Organisation's general counsel, Alan Garten, described shutting down the four companies as routine "housecleaning," and said there is no existing Trump business venture in Saudi Arabia.

The four Saudi-related companies were among at least nine companies that Trump filed paperwork to dissolve or cancel since the election.

The recent dissolutions represent a fraction of Trump's global network of companies the breadth of which has raised conflict-of-interest concerns about whether Trump can balance being an international businessman while conducting the nation's business abroad as President.

Trump's holdings include more than 500 private companies, some of which he creates for prospective deals.

The complex and changing structure makes it difficult for Americans to track his financial interests and partners.

Also Read: Wont allow Americans to be replaced by foreign workers with H-1B visa, Trump reiterates

Trump has disclosed the names and some details about companies in public filings.

But a complete picture of Trump's finances is unclear, given that he has broken with decades of presidential precedent by not releasing his tax returns.

Next week, Trump said, he plans to announce how he will separate himself from his business interests as president.

Trump operates branded hotels and resorts in a handful of countries around the world, though he and his executives have talked about expanding more globally.

In 2015, Ivanka Trump singled out the Middle East and Saudi Arabia as potential locations.

During the campaign, he created eight companies that included Jeddah, a major Saudi city, in their formal names.

Four of those companies were shut down months after they were created.

The other four were dissolved about one week after the election.

For years, Trump has routinely named corporate entities after the projects to which they were connected.

Companies set up as part of licensing or management deals in Indonesia and India bear the names of the cities where those projects are located.

The same is true for some of his companies connected to properties and business ventures in the United States.

Garten said on Friday that the dissolution of the companies, which occurred last month, was part of a periodic process to shed corporate entities that were no longer needed or were set up for ventures that did not materialise.

Garten said he did not know why the companies were set up in 2015 or whether they involved business ventures in Saudi Arabia that didn't happen.

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Washington:

President-elect Donald Trump has said he would not allow Americans to be replaced by foreign workers, in an apparent reference to cases like that of Disney World and other American companies wherein people hired on H-1B visas, including Indians, displaced US workers.

We will fight to protect every last American life, Trump told thousands of his supporters in Iowa on Thursday as he referred to the cases of Disney world and other US companies.

During the campaign I also spent time with American workers who were laid off and forced to train. The foreign workers brought in to replace them. We wont let this happen anymore, Trump vowed amidst cheers and applause from the audience.

Can you believe that? You get laid off and then they wont give you your severance pay unless you train the people that are replacing you. I mean, thats actually demeaning maybe more than anything else, he said.

Disney World and two outsourcing companies have been slapped with a federal lawsuit by two of its former technology staff, alleging that they conspired to displace American workers with cheaper foreign labour brought to the US on H-1B visas, mostly from India.

The two employees - Leo Perrero and Dena Moore - were among 250 Disney tech workers laid off from their jobs at Walt Disney World in Orlando in January 2015. They have also dragged two IT companies HCL Inc and Cognizent Technologies into this class action lawsuit.

You know the name of one of the companies thats doing it. Im going to be nice because were trying to get that company back. Dont forget much harder when a company announced a year and a half ago - some of these companies, like Carrier, they announced long before I even knew I was going to be running for president, Trump said.

On immigration, Trump reiterated that he will build the wall along the Mexico border.

We will put an end to illegal immigration and stop the drugs from pouring into our country, the drugs are pouring into our country, poisoning our youth and plenty of other people, he said.

We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country. We will stop the drugs from poisoning our great and beautiful and loving youth. OK? Well do it, he said, adding that the Trump administration will stop the violence that is spilling across our border.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Nawazuddin Siddiqui says working with SRK was one of his best collaborative experiences so far as the actor is very supportive on sets. This is the first time that Nawazuddin Siddiqui is working with Shah Rukh.

The 42-year-old star says the way Shah Rukh helps his co-actors on sets is commendable.

Ive never seen a co-actor like Shah Rukh in my life. People may think of him as the richest actor or that hes a superstar but what I found in him is that he is an actor above all. Hes extremely supportive. The way he responds to you and your performance, it takes your performance to some another level, Nawazuddin told.

The actor says he never felt like he was working with industrys one of the biggest stars because of Shah Rukhs open and loving attitude towards everyone.

I have yet to finish my scenes in 'Raees'. In fact, I was shooting just two days back and the way he helped and responded to those scenes was amazing.

When you work with him it doesnt feel like that he has this huge stardom. On sets hes an actor.

Shah Rukh is playing a bootlegger Raees Alam in the Rahul Dholakia film while Nawazuddin is essaying the role of police officer, ACP Majmudar, who is bent on thwarting Raees business.

Its not the first time that Nawazuddin is playing a police officer in a film as the actor had portrayed a similar role in Kahaani but he says his part is completely different than his earlier role.

Ive played inspector in Kahaani but it was very different. He was very short-tempered, whereas in Raees my character is very cool, sensible and very professional.

The actor was in Delhi to promote Addsbook.com, a social-commerce platform.

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New Delhi:

Attacking Congress over the VVIP chopper scam, BJP on Saturday asked its vice president Rahul Gandhi to disclose that which politician in the UPA government received bribe in the controversial deal.

BJPs attack on the party came a day after the CBI arrested former Air Force Chief S P Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev, and a lawyer in the alleged Rs 450 crore bribery case in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from UK-based AgustaWestland during the UPA-2 government.

It has been established that commission was paid in the deal. Rahul Gandhi speaks on all matters under the Sun. He should now make it clear who in the UPA government received the bribe, its national secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

During hearing in a Italian court, initials of people who were allegedly given bribe had emerged and BJP has used it to target the Congress leadership.

Sharma said it was laughable that corruption cases that took place under the previous Congress government continue to make headlines even two-and-a-half-years after it was voted out and the BJP government took over.

An Italian court had convicted two top executives of defence major Finmeccanica (AgustaWestland is its subsidiary) for paying kickbacks in the deal.

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Kolkata:

A Delhi court on Saturday sent former Air Force Chief S P Tyagi, arrested in Rs 450 crore Agusta Westland bribery case in procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters, to police custody for four days after the CBI said he was needed to be quizzed to unearth a very large conspiracy having international ramifications.

His cousin Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie and advocate Gautam Khaitan, also accused in the procurement of VVIP choppers from the UK-based company during UPA-2 regime, were also sent to police custody till December 14.

ALSO READ: (All you need to know about SP Tyagi: Former IAF chief arrested in AgustaWestland scam)

Metropolitan Magistrate Sujit Saurabh sent them to CBI custody saying their custodial interrogation was required for a fair probe in the case.

During the proceedings, CBI sought 10 days custody saying it was a very large conspiracy having international ramifications.

However, the counsel appearing for the accused, opposed CBIs plea saying FIR in the case was registered over three years ago and there was no fresh ground for the arrests now.

Senior advocate N Hariharan, who appeared for the former IAF chief, claimed that the decision to procure 12 VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland was a collective one and the Prime Minister Office (PMO) was also a part of it.

It was a collective decision and not his (Tyagis) individual one. It was a collective decision of which PMO was also a part, he told the court.

Air Chief Arup Raha today described the arrest of former IAF chief S P Tyagi as unfortunate, and said that it has dented the forces reputation.

Very unfortunate that such an episode has taken place. It does dent our reputation as a professional force. But we believe in the rule of law, Raha told reporters at a function at the city airport.

ALSO READ: (All you need to know about AgustaWestland Chopper Scam)

I am sure every Indian citizen believes in rule of law and the due process is on, he said , adding whatever is the final verdict we will go by that.

He refused to speak further on the issue, saying the matter is sub-judice. In a sudden and first-of-its-kind action, CBI yesterday arrested Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev, and lawyer Gautam Khaitan in the sensational Rs 450 crore Agusta Westland bribery case in procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters.

71-year old Tyagi, who retired in 2007, was called for questioning at CBI Headquarters along with his cousin and Khaitan, who were taken into custody after nearly four hours of grilling, CBI sources said.

These are the first arrests in the case by CBI, three years after it registered an FIR in 2013 to probe the allegations in the aftermath of the details of the scam emerged in Italy where the prosecutors levelled allegations of corruption in the deal against the chief of Finmeccanica, the parent company of Agusta Westland.

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Kolkata:

A 36-year-old man was arrested on Saturday on charges of defrauding different banks of Kolkata and its suburbs of around Rs 40 crore, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, the police picked up Arindam Ghosh Dastidar from his residence at Dhakuria in south Kolkata for allegedly swindling around Rs 40 crore from different banks in the form of loans.

Police said 17 credit cards and several fake PAN cards were seized from him. Dastidar was even running a small printing press from where he used to produce fake PAN cards and driving licenses, the officer said.

Talking about his modus operandi, officials of Kolkata Police Bank Fraud section said Dastidar used to rent rooms in different parts of the city and the suburbs in the pretext of opening offices of organisations.

Then he used to recruit people at these fake organisations and open salary accounts for them at banks at those localities, he said.

"And then he used to apply for loans from banks on behalf of such fake companies showing fake IT returns as well as PAN cards. He managed to cheat the banks around Rs 40 crore," the IPS officer said.

However, it was still not clear since when he was involved in this fraud.

The accused was earlier arrested in 2003 in a cheating case, he said adding that police were suspecting that there was a gang working with Dastidar.

"It seems quite difficult for a single person to operate such a network single-handedly. We are questioning him," the officer said.

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NEWTOWN  Sandy Hook Promise may have its version of the ALS ice bucket challenge - the self-drenching stunt that went viral and raised $115 million for research.

A video released nine days ago by Sandy Hook Promise had drawn 75 million views by Friday - mystifying and delighting its leaders by reaching middle Americans so quickly with the message that gun violence can be prevented when you know the warning signs.

And just as the ice bucket challenge converted a surge of social media attention into donations that helped researchers isolate a gene connected to Lou Gehrigs disease, Sandy Hook Promise hopes to convert gun-violence awareness into action.

We have these millions and millions of people we didnt anticipate reaching, said Tim Makris, one of three core founders and directors of Sandy Hook Promise, speaking of the 2 1/2-minute video with the surprise deadly ending. Now we come back with more programs of action, because now people understand, Wait a minute, there is another way of preventing gun violence that is outside of traditional policy, that I can do in my community.

Within weeks, Sandy Hook Promise will launch a $23 million, three-year campaign to:

Train 6 million students and adults in its four identification and prevention programs.

Fund research about its programs effectiveness through a partnership with the University of Michigan.

Launch a nationwide anonymous reporting system for red-flag behavior.

Double its supporter base to 1.6 million.

Lobby Washington, D.C., and state capitals to pass gun violence prevention laws.

Expand its own organization, adding as many as 15 employees to its 25-member staff, and moving to new headquarters in January.

The campaign, which also calls for doubling the organizations number of strategic partnerships to 900 and doubling its group of super volunteers to 4,900, shows the length the family-run organization intends to go toward its goal of becoming the next Greenpeace or Habitat for Humanity.

It also shows how far the home-grown organization has come since its launch in the awful aftermath of the Sandy Hook massacre.

The more people we educate, the more lives that can be saved, said Nicole Hockley, whose son was among the 20 first-graders and six educators slain at Sandy Hook School on Dec. 14, 2012. Our target audience is the center of America that doesnt want to be involved in policy or political activity but still wants to protect their kids and their community, and that is where this conversation is resonating.

Since Sandy Hook Promises launch one month after the worst crime in Connecticut history, the organization has shown its determination to stay at the center of the gun policy discussion but away from polarized debate, in part by advocating for mental health reform.

Sen. Chris Murphy said the groups support was essential in the passage last summer of a U.S House mental health bill, which was later folded into a $6.3 billion health bill that passed both House and Senate this fall.

This mental health bill probably would not have happened without Sandy Hook Promises advocacy, Murphy said. It is not the case that every advocacy group can point to a major legislative victory within its first four years of existence, but Sandy Hook Promise can.

The organization also has its critics, including Second Amendment groups.

The president of Connecticuts largest gun rights group said he is skeptical that Sandy Hook Promises core purpose is identifying at-risk behavior so that those people cannot hurt themselves or others with guns.

Their current track record is what it is - they do support and encourage and lobby for more gun control, said Scott Wilson, president of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League. I take issue with the idea of gun violence prevention when it makes gun ownership increasingly harder for law-abiding citizens.

Makris, also a Sandy Hook parent, responded that Sandy Hook Promise is not interested in political deadlock.

Talk about giving people guns or taking peoples guns is not working, Makris said. We dont want to fight. We want to be in the middle.

Mark Barden, a co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise, said the video released nine days ago would not have gone viral if it was divisive.

This is resonating with people across the country, beyond anything we imagined, because everybody can identify with this, said Barden, who lost a son at Sandy Hook. And its empowering because its something we can do in our workplace, in our schools.

The viral video

The video pulls the viewer into the life of a likable high schooler named Evan whose desire to find his secret admirer is frustrated and then surprisingly fulfilled just when he had given up hope. But when it appears that the video will have a happy ending, a lone teenager appears in a doorway and cocks a gun, sending scores of students running away shrieking as the video fades to black.

While you were watching Evan, another student was showing signs of planning a shooting," the video's text reads. But no one noticed.

The viewer gets the message that people miss signs if they arent looking for them. The video then replays key scenes, and highlights the signs in the background that the teen shooter is about to cause harm.

Three of those signs are gun-related, such as an Instagram photo of the student pointing a gun into the camera. Four other signs of red-flag behavior are non-gun related: the student as he sits alone, makes a threatening gesture, gets bullied and so overreacts in a routine interaction.

The video then directs viewers to Sandy Hook Promises website for more information about its Know the Signs programs.

Sandy Hook Promise has received nationwide attention for two of those programs, both of which are school-based and work with peer support. Start With Hello is a program to combat chronic isolation. Say Something is a program that teaches students to tell a trusted adult if they see red-flag behavior at school or online.

U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty said she was encouraged by the progress Sandy Hook Promise has made raising awareness of red-flag behavior in schools and communities.

They have proven to be remarkably effective at having their message resonate, Esty said. They have spent a lot of time and care not being reactionary but understanding the barriers.

Esty said she cried when she watched the video, and suggested that it is reaching millions of people because it teaches viewers to look for danger signs in others actions not out of fear, but out of our common humanity.

Esty said the timing of the video was especially important after a divisive presidential election.

I think this video has gone viral because of a deep human need to do something positive, she said.

rryser@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342
About 2,000 people are working today in Connecticuts solar power industry. The state has about 150 solar power companies, employing people who manufacture components of photovoltaic cells as well as those who install them on roofs.

For a small, somewhat cloudy state, Connecticut does well in harvesting the suns power. We rank 17th in the nation in the amount of installed solar capacity, producing about 265 megawatts of power, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Nationally, the figures are more impressive: More than 200,000 people work in solar.

Thats more than the number of people working in coal mines, said energy consultant Joel Gordes.

These numbers are important to remember as President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

Trump has nominated Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pruitt has made his reputation by regularly suing that very agency. Hes a climate change skeptic and a committed ally of the oil and gas industry.

So if youre working in the solar industry, you might look to the future with some anxiety. If, to promote oil and gas, the government takes away the tax credits now given to the solar industry, working with sun power could get spotty.

That tax credit is now 30 percent of the cost of a project. The credit is scheduled to be phased out over the next eight years, but small companies still need it to help customers buy solar systems, and an early phaseout could cause them hardship.

It would be difficult, said Stephan Hartmann, vice president of sales for the Ross Solar Group in Brookfield. It could mean layoffs.

Tom Wemyss, owner of Norwalk-based PurePoint Energy, makes even more dire predictions.

Without the tax credits right now, 80 to 90 percent of solar companies could go out of business, Wemyss said.

But heres the catch: The solar energy business is growing. A serious retrenchment in the federal policies might slow its progress, but probably would not stop it.

Some of the industrys growth has occurred because ordinary people understand the dangers of climate change. They want to contribute to a solution, no matter how small their individual contribution might be.

And when one person goes in for solar, neighbors often do the same, which is why you find clusters of homes with solar panels on their roofs. Its something thats not just environmentally beneficial; it also helps save money on electric bills.

There must be a five or six homes on my street that have solar panels, said Gordes, who lives in West Hartford and has been a longtime advocate of using alternative energy.

Connecticut is committed, on large and small scales, to supporting alternative energy. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced recently it has chosen 25 small, regional companies producing more than 400 megawatts of wind and solar energy to add to the states energy portfolio.

Alternative energy is an industry thats growing, (and) a lot of it is homegrown, said DEEP spokesman Dennis Schain. We want to help it.

And its not just happening here, Schain said.

All the other Northeast states are on similar paths, he said.

At a certain point, the cost of new technology begins to drop dramatically, even as it gets better at what it is doing.

Thats happening now in the solar industry. According to a report by the U.S. Department of Energys Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the per-watt cost of installing residential solar panels dropped from $7 in 2010 to $5 in 2015. That trend is expected to continue.

At the same time, solar panels are becoming more efficient at producing power.

So at certain point, solar panels will begin to really make sense financially as well as environmentally.

Its the marketplace. Technology will rule, Schain said.

Until then, its hard work.

Hartmann, of Ross Solar Group in Brookfield, said his company could survive without the federal tax credits. But with them, getting customers to see the advantages of solar panels is a no-brainer.

To end that credit now, rather than simply letting it phase out as planned, Hartmann said, would be a poor political decision.

It would be saying, Solar is bad,  he said.

Contact Robert Miller at earthmattersrgm@gmail.com
Gigi Hadid's battle with Hashimoto's disease

United States,Cinema/Showbiz,Hollywood, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Los Angeles, Dec 10 (IANS) Model Gigi Hadid has been battling with Hashimoto's disease for two years.

Speaking to Elle.com about the condition, Hadid said: "My metabolism actually changed like crazy this year. I have Hashimoto's disease. It's a thyroid disease. It's now been two years since taking the medication for it."

And the model shared that due to the illness, she was determined not to drop anymore weight prior to gracing the runway for the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which took place in Paris, France, earlier this week, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"So for the (Victoria's Secret) show I didn't want to lose any more weight," she said.

And the star has hinted she is frustrated by the disease because all she wants is to have "muscles in the right place" instead of having her body attic her toned limbs.

"I just want to have muscles in the right place, and if my butt can get a little perkier, then that's good," she said.

--IANS

dc/nv/
UAE, Singapore ministers meet to discuss ties

Bahrain,Diplomacy, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Manama, Dec 10 (IANS/WAM) The United Arab Emirates Foreign Affairs Minister met the Singapore Defence Minister in Manama to discuss bilateral ties.

The meeting between Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Affairs Minister of UAE and Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen was held on Friday.

The two ministers discussed ways to boost joint cooperation between the two sides in supporting security and stability as well as enhancing peace in the region.

Among those who also attended the meeting were Abdulridha Abdullah Mahmoud Al Khouri, UAE Ambassador to Bahrain, and Ahmed Abdul Rehman Al Jarman, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Political Affairs.

--IANS/WAM

soni/ahm/bg
5 dead, 27 injured in explosion in Bulgarian freight train

Bulgaria,Politics,Crime/Disaster/Accident, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Sofia, Dec 10 (IANS) At least five persons died and 27 were injured on Saturday when a freight train derailed following an explosion in the Bulgarian village of Hitrino about 360 km from here, authorities said.

The accident happened around 5.45 a.m. (local time), when the convoy made up of 26 tank cars, three holding propane-butane and 20 carrying propylene, derailed as it passed through the village, Efe news agency quoted sources in the Interior Ministry as saying.

The country's fire department chief Nikolay Nikolov said one of the tank cars carrying propane-butane provoked the devastating explosion that destroyed several nearby buildings and caused a huge fire.

He said that some 12 people were rescued from the debris, adding that the town with a population of about 900 people was being evacuated.

At least 20 buildings were destroyed in the incident, including the railway station and a police station.

The head of a local hospital said that 23 people had been admitted with burns.

Bulgaria's acting Prime Minister Boiko Borisov was on his way to the scene and made an appeal on his Facebook page for citizens to donate blood at hospitals in the area.

--IANS

vgu/bg
India to support Mauritius in training and capacity building: Parrkar

Mauritius,National,Defence/Security,Diplomacy, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Port Louis (Mauritius), Dec 10 (IANS) Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is on a two-day visit to Mauritius, on Saturday said that India would continue to extend its full support for training and capacity building of Mauritius.

Parrikar, who is the first Indian Defence Minister to visit the country called on Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, who also holds defence portfolio.

"India would continue to extend its full support to Mauritius for training and capacity building, as well as supply and maintenance of defence equipment," Parrikar said.

According to an official statement, during Parrikar's meeting with Jugnauth, both sides expressed their deep satisfaction over the close and growing defence and security cooperation and collaboration between India and Mauritius.

Parrikar, then along with Jugnauth, also attended the commissioning ceremony of CGS Victory manufactured by the Goa Shipyard Ltd and two upgraded Cheetah helicopters manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to the Police Helicopter Squadron here.

According to the statement, the CGS Victory, a Water Jet Fast-Attack Craft will help the coast guard of Mauritius to widen their outer island support activities and conduct in-depth surveillance in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for tackling transnational crimes.

Parrikar, who is accompanied by senior officers of the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and Defence Ministry officials, will on Sunday call on President Ameenah Gurib Fakim and will also interact with senior Ministers.

--IANS

ao-aks/lok/vd
China urges UNSC to ease situation on Korean Peninsula

United States,Diplomacy, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

United Nations, Dec 10 (IANS) A Chinese envoy called on the United Nations Security Council members to do more things that are conducive to easing the situation on the Korean Peninsula, media reported.

Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, made the appeal on Friday ahead of a UNSC meeting on North Korea, saying that "China opposes the aberrations by the UN Security Council to discuss North Korea's human rights situation", Xinhua news agency reported.

"We do not allow the Peninsula to be torn by turmoil or war under any circumstances," Liu said, noting that the council's discussion on the North Korea's human rights issue goes contrary to this goal and it's detrimental with no benefit what-so-ever.

Warning that the current situation on the Korean Peninsula was complex, sensitive and dire, Liu said China hopes council members and other parties concerned can "meet each other halfway and do more things that are conducive to easing the situation on the Peninsula and avoid making any rhetoric or actions that may provoke or lead to the escalation of the tensions".

--IANS

soni/ahm/
OSCE ministerial meeting closes in Hamburg

Germany,International, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Berlin, Dec 10 (IANS) The 23rd ministerial meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) -- the world's largest regional security organisation -- closed on Friday with some consensuses being reached among its member states.

Despite "marked differences" over the past two days, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said ministers attending the meeting shared views on the Ukraine crisis, migration, terrorism, cyber issues and OSCE development, Xinhua reported.

Ministers agreed that all sides of unresolved regional conflicts in the OSCE area should contribute to conflict de-escalation and peaceful settlement and expressed support for the full implementation of the Minsk agreements in terms of Ukraine crisis.

The ministers acknowledged the joints efforts being pursued within the OSCE to face transnational threats and challenges including terrorism, extremism, radicalism, and cyber issues.

They referred to the OSCE's role to address large movements of migrants and refugees. Most of the ministers also underlined the confidence and security building within the organisation.

Most of the ministers also underlined the confidence and security building measures (CSBM) within the organisation.

The so-called incoming Troika, composed of Germany, Austria and Italy, the latter two of which are to chair the OSCE in 2017 and 2018, approved a declaration at the end of meeting.

--IANS

sku/
Pakistan Senate to invite transgender activists to Parliament

Pakistan,Indo-Pak/Pakistan,Politics,Immigration/Law/Rights, Sat, 10 Dec 2016 IANS

Islamabad, Dec 10 (IANS) A panel of Pakistan Senate has decided to invite transgender activists to discuss issues facing the community and find a way to prevent violations of their rights.

The matter was forwarded to the Senate Standing Committee on Marginalised Segments after Senator Maulana Hafiz Hamdullah raised the issue during a session on Friday, Dawn reported.

The meeting observed that the massive and rampant violations of the rights of transgenders begin from a young age and continue throughout their lives.

The committee chairman, Senator Nisar Mohammad, added that while the Constitution does not discriminate based on gender and ensures the rights of all individuals, "society's behaviour towards transgender(s) is appalling".

The panel asked the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) to suggest a way forward in light of a 2012 Supreme Court decision.

The commission has been directed to report its recommendations to the committee at its next meeting.

Four years ago, the apex court decreed equal rights and civil liberties for transgender citizens, including the right to inheritance and equal job opportunities.

--IANS

ahm/sar
US intelligence agencies determined that several years ago China stole secrets relating to the F-35 jet fighter from a US contractor. The design secrets were detected in Chinas new J-20 stealth fighter and the J-31.

The stolen secrets included details of the F-35s electro-optical targeting system, radar-absorbing coatings and engine nozzles.

Taiwan remains a major spying target of China and, since 2002, 56 Chinese agents have been arrested there after being caught obtaining sensitive information, including about US technology shared with Taipei.

In recent years, Chinese agents have extracted data on some of the most advanced weapons and weapons systems in the US arsenal, such as jet fighters and unmanned submersible vehicles, states the annual report of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, released on November 16.

The United States faces a large and growing threat to its national security from Chinese intelligence collection operations. Among the most serious threats are Chinas efforts at cyber and human infiltration of U.S. national security organizations. These operations are not a recent phenomenon, but reports of Chinese espionage against the United States have risen significantly over the past 15 years. The threat from Chinese intelligence operations also extends overseas.

For example, Chinas growing technical intelligence * collection capabilities are increasing its ability to monitor deployed U.S. military forces. Moreover, by infiltrating and attempting to infiltrate defense entities in U.S. ally and partner countries, China could affect U.S. alliance stability and indirectly extract sensitive U.S. national defense information. Meanwhile, the national security implications of Chinese intelligence collection operations have grown amid U.S.-China competition and Beijings expanding military might.

Chinese intelligence threat is increasing as China reforms and centralizes its intelligence apparatus and gains experience conducting spying operations. China is also improving its human spy service.

The military spy agencies were the subject of a major reform effort in late 2015 that moved them from the General Staff Department of the Peoples Liberation Army to a new military service-level group called the Strategic Support Force.

U.S. Defense Industrial Entities

Chinas intelligence collection operations targeting U.S. defense industrial entities and its acquisition of sensitive defense technology could undermine U.S. military superiority by accelerating Chinas military modernization and giving China insight into the capabilities and operation of U.S. weapons and weapons systems.

Some spies were caught but there are more spies and operatives across the defense agencies, companies, contractors of the US and its allies.

 In June 2016, Wenxia Wency Man, a Chinese-born naturalized U.S. citizen, was convicted of conspiring with an agent in China to illegally export to China the MQ9 Reaper/Predator B unmanned aerial vehicle, as well as engines used in the F35, F22, and F16 jet fighters and technical data associated with these platforms.

 In June 2016, Amin Amy Yu, a Chinese national and permanent resident of the United States, pleaded guilty to illegally acting as an agent of the Chinese government. Ms. Yu illegally exported commercial technology used in marine submersible vehicles * to conspirators at Chinas Harbin Engineering University, a research institute that supports PLA Navy military modernization.

 In March 2016, Su Bin, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty to conspiring from 2008 to 2014 to steal U.S. military technical data, including data on the Boeing C17 Globemaster military transport aircraft and jet fi ghter aircraft, and export this information to China. Some of Mr. Sus co-conspirators were members of the PLA Air Force.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday congratulated the candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo, on his victory in the ...

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday congratulated the candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo, on his victory in the December 7 Ghana presidential election.In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President also also felicitated with the government and people of Ghana, the National Electoral Commission, and candidates of political parties, for the decorum, maturity and peaceful conduct of the election that produced a winner from an opposition party, who was contesting for the third time.Th statement read, As a scion of one of the biggest political families in Ghana, and with the lessons learnt from previous unsuccessful attempts preceded by years of service to the country, most notably as foreign affairs minister, President Buhari believes Akufo-Addo is widely experienced and skilled in leadership to build on the legacies of President John Dramani Mahama.The Nigerian leader extols the statesmanship and great leadership qualities of Mahama, who came into power at a trying period for the country with the passing away of former President John Atta-Mills, and kept pushing for a better life for all Ghanaians, and strengthening diplomatic relations with countries in the sub-region, especially Nigeria.He particularly commends the incumbent President for the great courage to call his opponent and concede defeat, stressing that leaders must always honour their pre-election pledge to accept the results of polls as the will of the people.President Buhari remains optimistic that the future of African development rests on building strong political, democratic institutions, ensuring free, fair and credible elections, and respect for the sanctity of the ballotBuhari urged the President-elect and other winners of the parliamentary elections in Ghana to be magnanimous in victory while losers should explore peaceful and legal mechanisms to challenge the outcome of the polls where necessary.He noted that the greater interest of the country and the stability of the sub-region should be uppermost in the minds of all stakeholders.The President wished Ghana a smooth transition of power, and looked forward to working with the new President.
Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has congratulated Ghanas President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo, on his victory in this years ...

Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has congratulated Ghanas President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo, on his victory in this years presidential election.The New People Party (NPP) candidate, has been declared the winner by the Electoral Commission of Ghana.Jonathan saluted Mahama for doing the honourable thing in conceding defeat.I am immensely proud of the maturity and high patriotism displayed by President John Mahama who has just conceded to Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo, Jonathan wrote on his official Twitter page.Some may erroneously think that President Mahama lost today. Not at all. Not at all. He has gained honour that will never depart from him.I congratulate Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo and urge him to immediately begin the process of reuniting the nation of Ghana.I also urge him to appreciate the great strides and achievements of President John Mahama when that time comes.To accelerate the growth of the economy, all Ghanaian irrespective of political divide should be involved, he added
Arsenals Alex Iwobi has said he is treated like a king whenever he travels to Nigeria to play for the Super Eagles.The 20-year-old forward chose to represent his country of birth instead of England.Iwobi, who is nephew to former Eagles captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, left Lagos when he was four years old and after a brief stay in Turkey, was raised in east London.He made his Nigeria debut in a 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Egypt in Kaduna.Everyone appreciates you. Youre almost like a king! He told The Guardian.When I arrived at the airport, I thought, Ill just have my earphones in, but everyone was like Iwobi! Iwobi! Oh gosh. Hi guys! I didnt know what to expect. It was just mad.I always go with Kelechi Iheanacho. When we go, we get escorted. Because Im not used to the Nigerian culture as much as they are, they do help me with it. I cant really speak the language that well. They help me with the fans. The fans are very different there. They dont ask me for autographs, they ask for boots, money.At my debut, we played in a stadium that holds 30,000 and there was 60,000  I dont understand how. People were standing on the floodlights, on the scoreboard. I was thinking, What? This isnt even safe! But people there will do anything to watch the match.Sometimes in a Premier League game the fans are a bit quiet but in Nigeria you just hear trumpets, everything. The atmosphere is so different compared to England.Iwobi has scored once in seven appearances for the Eagles.
After much speculation, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Friday that defender Joel Matip will remain with the club in January and not be heading to the African Cup of Nations.The 25-year-old was not born in Cameroon, but rather in Germany, and therefore has less of a connection to the national team than others may.Matip has been influential to Liverpools success so far this season and has adjusted well to the Premier League since his summer move from Schalke.Liverpool are already set to lose Sadio Mane to the AFCoN tournament as hell represent Senegal in Gabon.Its not an easy decision but I want to concentrate on Liverpool. I want to be here, Matip told Liverpoolfc.com.I want to focus on Liverpool and thats what I had to decide. I think I took the right decision.Matip also declared himself fit for Sundays match against West Ham, after missing out in last weekends 4-3 defeat at Bournemouth.




90 min GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 4-2 MANCHESTER CITY (NOLITO)

82 min GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 4-1 MANCHESTER CITY (ALEKSANDAR KOLAROV)

78 min GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 4-0 MANCHESTER CITY (JAMIE VARDY)

20 min GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 3-0 MANCHESTER CITY (JAMIE VARDY)

5 min GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 2-0 MANCHESTER CITY (ANDY KING)

3 min GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 1-0 MANCHESTER CITY (JAMIE VARDY)

The final whistle blows and the Leicester players, buoyed by their jubilant fans, celebrate a wonderful win over one of the biggest teams in the Premier League as Jamie Vardy picks up the match ball for his hat-trick over Manchester City! Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match!Okazaki pulls back the advancing Kolarov and gets a yellow for his troubles.Four minutes of added time and not long left for Leicester to hang on as Riyad Mahrez is replaced by Matty James.Leicester need to watch their backs now as this could get tense - from four goals up, there's just two goals between them and Man City as Kolarov breaks down the left, plays a low ball into Nolito eight yards out, and the Spaniard drills past Zieler.Jamie Vardy gets a standing ovation by the Leicester fans as he's replaced by Demarai Gray.Zabaleta breaks free and sends a cross in, which Nolito manages to meet with his head, but a Morgan deflection sees the ball comfortably fall into the hands of Zieler.A sliver of solace for the beleaguered visitors as Leicester's clean sheet is breached - Fuchs fouls Silva on the edge of the area to give Man City a free kick, and Kolarov's effort curls into the top-right corner past Zieler from 20 yards. A great goal, but surely too little too late?Stones attempted a backpass to Bravo but it was way too short as Vardy read it, went round the goalkeeper with his first touch and then squeezed a shot in from a tight angle - Sagna appeared to have cleared it, but Hawkeye confirmed that the ball was just over the line when he did so.This is shocking! What was John Stones thinking? Just a few minutes earlier he misjudged a long ball not far from his own goal and appeared to control it with his arm, but a second mistake in quick succession proves fatal as Vardy completes his hat-trick - unbelievable it is his first treble for Leicester!A change for Leicester as Shinji Okazaki comes on and Islam Slimani comes off.Just over 20 minutes plus added time to go here at the King Power and it looks like Leicester are over the worst of the Man City attacks. As we saw in the FA Cup, however, having a 3-0 lead even as far into the game as the 80th minute means nothing unless that lead is still there at the final whistle.Final sub of the day for Guardiola as Nolito is on in place of Ilkay Gundogan. Looks like the former Barcelona boss could really do with the extra substitutions that he called for earlier in the week...A bit of a questionable caution as Fernando catches Simpson on the halfway line and, despite appearing to be a legit tackle, the ref gets his yellow card out.More questionable goalkeeping from Bravo as he receives the ball inside his six-yard box, looks for Sagna at right-back with Vardy closing in, and ends up skewing the ball out of play near the corner. Wonder what Joe Hart is making of what's unfolding at the King Power today?Slimani edges forward from 50 yards out and, with Man City's backline edging away from him, he is able to make his way into the area where he tries a shot, but Bravo gets down and saves.Yet another dangerous chance for Man City, with Zabaleta cutting inside from the right into the area and attempting to curl the ball into the back of the net, but King charges the effort down.An interesting roll of the dice from Guardiola as Jesus Navas makes way for Raheem Sterling and Yaya Toure replaces Kelechi Iheanacho - the holding midfielder is to play as Man City's lone forward.A great passing sequence from Man City sees Iheanacho tee up Gundogan, but the German drags a low shot just wide from 17 yards out.Leicester have withstood Man City's initial barrage in the second half and now they probe forward as King forces a corner from Navas, which Albrighton plays to Amartey, who in turn fires well over.De Bruyne's defence-splitting pass puts Iheanacho through on goal, but he's flagged offside just before Zieler saves his shot.Leicester are sitting incredibly deep here as De Bruyne's dangerous cross is punched away by Zieler, before Navas's volley is blocked. The Foxes know that, even with a three-goal lead, they need to be cautious against a side unwilling to go down without a fight and very capable of hitting the hosts where it hurts.Man City are hell-bent on trying to claw back an early goal and they come so close as Iheanacho glances a header across goal, then Zabaleta and De Bruyne see shots blocked, before the Belgian reclaims the ball and drags another shot just wide from 15 yards.The ball is played out to Zabaleta on the right, but his cross flies straight into the hands of Zieler.We're back underway at the King Power as neither side makes any changes.Leicester really have a thing for producing shocks and confounding the bookies, don't they? Two seasons ago they survive the drop against all odds, last season they cruise to the title, and just everyone is thinking "surely that's it, they're doomed, Man City are going to batter them today", what happens? A three-goal lead for the Foxes against Pep Guardiola's side by the 20-minute mark!Two minutes of added time as Leicester very nearly claim a fourth, with Albrighton finding the unmarked Slimani, who somehow manages to head wide!De Bruyne plays in Silva down the left, who cuts it back towards the penalty spot, but Morgan is there once again to hack clear.Kolarov's sharp cutback from the left finds Fernando, whose first-time sidefoot is headed away by King. Not long to go until half time and Leicester are not letting anything through.Boos ring round the King Power as Albrighton fouls Navas and the ref eventually decides to give Man City a free kick, which De Bruyne takes but to no avail as Iheanacho fouls Morgan in the area to get Leicester off the hook.Man City are on their sixth corner of the first half and De Bruyne takes again, but Slimani heads clear - the Belgian claims the ball back and curls it to the back post, and Zieler is alert to claw it away as Iheanacho lurks intently.Leicester's two banks of four are stifling Man City's attacking forays as the visitors play the ball around and Kolarov attempts another long-range drive, but it gets blocked by a blue shirt.Man City manage to win a succession of corners and De Bruyne's deliveries are dangerous enough, but none of his teammates are able to get onto the end of them and Leicester escape scot-free.Better from Man City who are now applying some pressure - Gundogan mis-hits his effort from the edge of the box, but it falls kindly to De Bruyne, who forces a corner. The Belgian swings the ball in and Fernando flicks it on into a dangerous position, but Kolarov heads just wide at the far post.Man City's players appear stunned - they try to play the ball out from the back, Fernando almost passes it straight out for a corner, and Stones is forced to hack clear.More out of desperation than anything, Kolarov tries to have a go from 25 yards, but his effort flies well over.Now Mahrez nearly helps himself to a goal as he drives forward into the area, pulls off a few stepovers, and forces a fine save out of Bravo to his right!The champions are back! The visitors are completely shellshocked while the home fans are delirious as Vardy is now on a hat-trick! Fuchs lumps a long ball from the back towards Mahrez on the right, the Algerian deftly flicks the ball towards Vardy, putting him through on goal, and the Englishman rounds Bravo to slot home!BOOKING: Simpson slides in on Kolarov on the right, catching the Serb late, and gets himself the first booking of the game.Man City are now beginning to find their feet as De Bruyne twists and turns to work a shooting opportunity for himself, but he drags his shot wide.A third really looks imminent as Leicester keep banging on the door! From a short corner, Huth nods the ball down to Slimani six yards out, but the Algerian blasts just over the bar!The visitors appear to have rejigged their formation a number of times already in the first 10 minutes - they are completely rattled in the wake of a rampant Leicester.Nearly a third for the champions as Mahrez marauds into the area with the ball, aims and fires a shot towards the bottom left corner, but Stones gets a block!Mahrez and Slimani combined to slip Vardy through on goal in between Stones and Kolarov, and the Englishman coolly rifled home past Bravo. Moments later, Slimani was involved again as he laid the ball off to King on the edge of the area, and the Wales international's ensuing effort saw the City keeper get his fingers to the ball, but it slipped through.I'm speechless, I really am. This was not expected at all, but what a start it's been as Leicester have only gone and established a two-goal lead over Man City in the space of five minutes!Incredible! Just two-and-a-half minutes played and the champions are in the lead - and the scorer is Jamie Vardy, who had not scored in 16 games prior to today and had not even mustered a shot on goal since September 10!The visitors get the action underway under a rainy Leicester sky.
The Federal Government may have agreed to pay the Government of Switzerland $79m (N25.2bn) as part of conditions for the repatriation of ...

The Federal Government may have agreed to pay the Government of Switzerland $79m (N25.2bn) as part of conditions for the repatriation of almost $400m (N128bn) recovered from the family of the late military ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha.The Chairman of the Civil Society Network Against Corruption, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraj, said this during a seminar to commemorate the 2016 International Anti-Corruption Day in Abuja on Friday.The event was jointly organised by Nigerian anti-corruption agencies, the European Union, the United States and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and had in attendance senior diplomats and politicians.It will be recalled that the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Eric Mayoraz, had said in July that his country would return $321m out of the Abacha loot to Nigeria.However, Suraj, who was a member of a panel of discussants, said the original figure that was meant to be returned to Nigeria was about $400m.He said the Nigerian Government had secretly agreed to forfeit $79m as part of negotiations.Suraj said this was disgraceful as the Swiss Government was meant to pay Nigeria an interest instead of dictating the terms of agreement.He said, Unfortunately, the government goes to beg countries to get our money back rather than making demands, we appeal for the money and beg them to return it. We are fed with half information such that we even assume that we actually recover the amount stolen.I had a very funny experience and it is still ongoing. The $321m that the Swiss Government is meant to return to Nigeria, we discovered three weeks ago that the original money was about $400m. The legal process in Switzerland actually charged the Nigerian Government about $79m and that is why we are receiving $321m.The $321m is now to be returned to Nigeria with the condition that the World Bank will monitor how the funds will be spent. I cannot imagine anything more insulting.Attempts to speak with the spokesperson for the Swiss Embassy, Mr. Pascal Holliger, proved abortive as telephone calls were not responded to while he had yet to respond to a text message as of press time.Also, an inquiry sent to the Office of the Attorney-General in Switzerland by email had yet to be responded to as of press time.However, it will be recalled that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Geoffrey Onyeama, had said in June that the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo had paid the Swiss Government over $100m as commission for the return of Abachas loot.He had said, If you remember the Abacha loot in Switzerland at the time, Obasanjos government had to finally agree to give them 10 per cent of the amount. This was about $100m and so they returned $900m to Nigeria.If they (Swiss Government) had not agreed and said they wanted to keep the whole money, it would have been very difficult for us and that is why the anti-corruption summit and the initiative of President Muhammadu Buhari is really focused on these western countries to remove some of those barriers and lengthy procedures that are in place and make it possible for these people to delay (the payment).Meanwhile, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has described fighting corruption as a very expensive task.He maintained that there was a need for the government to focus on crime prevention rather than crime fighting.Fayemi, who spoke on the theme, Corruption: An Impediment to the Sustainable Development Goals, said Buhari, administration would promote transparency.The Country Representative of the UNODC, Cristina Albertin, lamented the high level of corruption in Nigeria and other developing nations.She said 37 per cent of Nigerias gross domestic product would be lost by 2030 if corruption wasnt curbed.A spokesperson for the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs, Noemie Charton, told our correspondent in an email that he would find out the situation.The message read, Thank you for your query. I have forwarded it to our colleagues in charge, and will get back to you in the course of next week.
Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu, on Friday said the body has no regrets over its decision to back former President ...

Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu, on Friday said the body has no regrets over its decision to back former President Goodluck Jonathan, in the 2015 presidential election.Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-political organisation of the Igbo, endorsed Jonathan, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, in the election, which was eventually won by Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress.Majority of the Igbo also voted for Jonathan and the PDP in the polls, which saw Buhari and the APC recording fewer votes in the South-East.Political analysts believe that the bloc votes for Jonathan was a grave miscalculation on the part of the Igbo, as it cost the South-East a place in national mainstream politics.Also, there are insinuations that the decision not to vote for Buhari was among the reasons for the alleged marginalisation of the South-East in key appointments made by the President, who reportedly said he will not treat those who did not vote for him the same way he will do those who voted him into power.Constituencies that gave me 97 per cent cannot in all honesty be treated, on some issues, (same way) with constituencies that gave me five per cent, Buhari reportedly said during a visit to the United States in July.But Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said it has no regrets for refusing to support Buhari.Ohanaeze scribe, Nwaorgu, who spoke to journalists in Enugu ahead of the expiration of the tenure of the current National Executive Committee of the body, which would vacate office in January 2017, said the travails of the Igbo under Buharis administration had vindicated Ohanaezes outright rejection of the President.Speaking to journalists in company of some other Ohanaeze chieftains, Nwaorgu said, The Igbo have been having problems with the Federal Government since the end of the civil war, problems of neglect by successive administrations, but the problems have exacerbated under Buhari.He (Buhari) has been unfair to us  in his first 32 appointments, he gave 24 to northerners, seven to southerners, and out of these seven to southerners, there was none to the South-East.Nothing has changed, the ministerial appointments he has given us are our constitutional entitlements but who he places where is clear. The super ministers are there.It has been very bad for the Igbo since 1970 but the situation has exacerbated under Buhari and his attitude and utterances are not helping matters. In fact, Buhari is even acting to provoke us into taking a wrong step, to give him a reason to clamp down on us.The Ohanaeze Secretary General explained why the body rejected Buhari.He said Buhari has always been unfair to the Igbos.We know him very well, during his first outing from 1983 to 1985, what did he do? Shagari, number one person (in the previous civilian administration was placed under) house arrest, Ekwueme, the number two, who has no constitutional functions (was sent to) prison. Igbo took note. He came out again as Executive Director, Petroleum Trust Fund, what did he do? Have you checked the allocations of PTF? Sixty-six per cent of all our petroleum money went to the North-West, his zone. He gave us (South-East) 6.2 per cent.With that pedigree, what will encourage people to say please come on? If we had said come on it would have put us in a poor shape that we cant analyze well. We analyzed well, and we have been vindicated, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo chieftain said.Nwaorgu went ahead to state the reasons behind Ohanaezes decision to support Jonathan in the presidential election.According to him, the decision was informed by a need to mend relations with the South-South, which together with the South-East was part of the old Eastern Region.
Rivers rerun election:Rivers State Governor , Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has accused the Nigerian Army and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad ( SARS)...

Rivers rerun election:Rivers State Governor , Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has accused the Nigerian Army and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad ( SARS) of the Nigerian Police of killing PDP agents, hijacking electoral materials and working to deliver a particular candidate in Rivers South-East Senatorial District.The governor added that no matter the use of the Nigerian Army and SARS personnel by the APC Government, Rivers State will never be conquered . Governor Wike , reacting to the mass shootings by the Nigerian Army and the Police in Khana, Gokana, Akuku-Toru and Etche Local Government Areas on Election Day , Governor Wike said that the Security Agencies were deployed to the State to manipulate the result of the polls. He said that true to the claim by the APC Governors and leaders that they will use Federal Might against the Rivers people, the military have been used to rig rerun elections in parts of the State .The governor said that in Khana Local Government Area , election Materials for the entire Local Government Area were hijacked by the Nigerian Army and SARS personnel .He added that in Gokana Local Government Area , soldiers hijacked election materials for Wards 2 and 3 in Bodo City where the military also killed two persons in the process of fleeing with the materials. Governor Wike said that out of the 19 wards of Etche Local Government Area , soldiers and SARS personnel hijacked election materials for 4 wards.He informed that One Mr Charles Anyanwu , Etche APC Chieftain has been arrested with two AK47. He noted that the security agencies may release him . The governor noted that the unfortunate onslaught by the military and SARS personnel started in the night of Friday , when the Minister of Transportation , Rotimi Amaechi backed by a battalion of soldiers and over 20 SARS personnel attempted to hijack materials from the Isiokpo INEC headquarters , but was resisted by youths.He thanked God that there was no loss of lives on Friday night at Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Government Area . Governor Wike noted that in Opobo-Nkoro Local Government Area , soldiers hijacked election materials and took same to the home of Dr Sam Sam Jaja of APC . He said: I anticipated it. I tried to let the world to know that these are the plans of the security agencies .In all my political career, I have never experienced this kind of invasion by security agencies . What causes violence is when you give certain persons undue advantage . Be assured that we are resisting it, it may take our lives, but we will resist to the last .That is what is expected , when you are fighting for freedom. You must make sacrifices. It is unfortunate that we are congratulating the opposition for winning in Ghana, but here the military are directly involved in rigging and hijacking materials .  The governor added: They say that they want to give Rivers State Governor problems, but you are not giving Rivers State Governor problems, you are giving Nigeria problems.He noted that he has informed a National Commissioner of INEC and the Resident Electoral Commissioner on the problems in Khana Local Government Area and Gokana LGA and he was assured that action would be taken.F
The former governor of Abia, Chief Orji Kalu, has said that it was more beneficial for the South east to join the All Progressives Congres...





The former governor of Abia, Chief Orji Kalu, has said that it was more beneficial for the South east to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), in order to belong and exploit the benefits of being in mainstream national politics.Kalu made the call on Friday night during an interaction with journalists at his Camp Neya country home at Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of the state.He said that the region would contribute more towards the good of the people of the region when they stop being in the opposition camp and instead stand with the decision makers in the ruling party.Ndigbo should join APC so as to enable them to sit where other Nigerians are seated to decide on how to move the nation forward, he said. He said that the victories recorded by APC in the Edo and Ondo general elections proved that the APC had become acceptable to Nigerians.The APC electoral victories in Edo and Ondo clearly showed the popularity of the party.So, I did not make mistake in taking the Igbos into the national politics, where other Nigerians are seated. That is where I want the Igbos to sit. So there is nothing wrong in our joining APC for us to be able to sit where other Nigerians are seated. That is more important to me, the former governor said.He said that it was imperative for other prominent Igbo politicians to swell the number of people from the south east region in APC, including the Minister of Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige, and Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, amongst others. Kalu commended President Muhammadu Buhari for fulfilling his promise to resume work on federal roads in the South east.He said, During my visit to the president, he made a promise to me and other leaders three months ago that all the contractors would be back to the federal roads before the end of Nov. Today, if you go to every federal road in Eastern Nigeria, you will see that all the contractors are back fully and this is why I joined APC.I didnt join the party on selfish basis; I joined because the president made a promise and I have seen that the contractors are back to site.And if they are back, why cant I believe him? He will do more, Kalu said. He further said that his interest was for the South east to have good roads, security and opportunities to trade and achieve prosperity.The former governor, who is a renowned businessman, further spoke on the current economic recession in the country.According to him, All the nations of the world are going through recession, Nigeria is not an exception.Im an international businessman, I am crying in all the countries I am doing business. From one country to the other, the story is the same, so we are crying there as we are crying in Nigeria.Kalu urged the president to pay attention to the economy as he had done to security.
NEWARK -- A local chain of craft beer bars featuring vintage arcade games is seeking approval to open in Newark's downtown, as the state's largest city sees a flurry of development in the neighborhood.

Barcade -- which has multiple locations, including those in Jersey City, Philadelphia's Fishtown section, New York's Chelsea, and Williamsburg in Brooklyn -- is set for a Jan. 12 city zoning hearing in a bid to open at 494 Broad Street, according to Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Paul Kermizian.

A bar currently in the location, Martini 494 Bistro, is set to close sometime near the end of December. The space, in the first floor of an office building that is home to a law firm, is near a light rail line, Broad Street train station, Rutgers Business School, NJPAC, and Audible.com's offices. Ongoing development, the proximity to transit and the other institutions attracted Barcade to the Broad Street space, Kermizian added.

"We are really excited about the opportunities in downtown Newark," Kermizian, the Barcade CEO, said in an interview. "There's a lot of opportunity to have more nightlife because people are coming into downtown or they are working there."

Barcade's Newark location is set to include a full kitchen also offering lunch, 45 arcade games and 25 beers on tap, he added.

The Newark location was still in its preliminary stages, but offered a possible opening date sometime near the end of March, depending on the approval process, Kermizian said. Plans call for changes to the decor in the current space and a reconfiguration of the bar, he said.

The plans for Barcade came as redevelopment projects take hold around downtown, including a project to turn the mostly vacant Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium and approximately 7.5 acres of surrounding land into a mixed-use development with 2.3 square feet of residential, office, retail and cultural space. A Whole Foods is also slated to open on Broad Street next year.

"We hope to be part of bringing some nightlife back [to Newark]," Kermizian added.

For more updates, visit barcadenewark.com.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Giants defense stars in 10th training camp practice

Fullback Nikita Whitlock during the Giants' 10th practice of training camp on Tuesday, August 9, 2016 at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. (James Kratch | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

(James Kratch | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Giants fullback Nikita Whitlock appeared on MSNBC's 'All In with Chris Hayes' on Friday night to discuss the recent break-in and racial vandalism at his Moonachie, N.J. residence.

During the interview, Whitlock told Hayes that while he has never felt bias in his community, he has "felt the distance of people being able to experience the black culture or black people," revealing an off-hand comment made by his neighbor as an example.

"I have a neighbor, she's a lovely lady. I love her to death. She bakes me cookies all the time," Whitlock told Hayes. "And one of the first things she said, I had been living in the house for about three weeks, I don't broadcast what I do for a living. Helmets conceal our faces, so a lot of people don't know who we are. The lady said, 'What do you do?' I said I play for the Giants. Her response was, 'I told them they didn't have to worry about drive-bys.'

"At that time, I knew this area really wasn't keen to having young, especially young black men, living here."

Whitlock's home was marked with "KKK", "Trump" and "Go back to Africa," as well as other racial slurs, on Tuesday night while he was away, CBS New York reported. Police said only a few items were stolen from the home, where he lives with his wife and two children. The family said it decided to move out before the break-ins occurred.

Whitlock also blasted the burglars for using President-elect Donald J. Trump as someone to "hide behind."

"I have strong opinions about the President-elect, but I don't like that they used him as something to hide behind," Whitlock said. "If they wanted to write anything, they should have written your name.

. You could have done it on Facebook, everybody would have known who you were and what you think. But you decided to violate my personal space, and give me your opinion, and use someone else's name."

James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.
ABDiaz.jpg

Alejandro B. Diaz, 55, of Guttenberg, appears in court in Jersey City today, Dec. 9, 2016, after allegedly firing a shotgun nine times in celebration of Fidel Castro's death.

A 55-year-old Guttenberg man has been charged with firing a shotgun multiple times apparently in celebration of the death of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who died on Nov. 25.

Alejandro B. Diaz, of Adams Street, is charged with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and the disorderly persons offense of creating the risk of public inconvenience or alarm, the criminal complaint says.

Diaz is charged with firing the shotgun nine times in a reckless and careless manner into the air and surrounding properties without regard for human life or property on Nov. 26, the complaint says.

The Guttenberg man was represented by North Bergen attorney Edgar Navarrete when he made his first appearance on the charges this afternoon in Central Judicial Processing court in Jersey City.

Diaz's next court appearance on the charges is scheduled for Jan. 26 in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul Depascale.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Grabar (ancient Armenian language, known as Classical Armenian) is the key of writing monuments of the Armenian heritage.

Within the framework of Grabar Days program held in the Matenadaran, Armenpress talked with program coordinator, researcher Tatevik Manukyan about the program.

-What is the importance of Grabar in todays science, in particular, in the Matenadaran?

-Before the 20th century, all Armenian sciences are certified in Grabar, and Grabar is a precondition to understand this entire writing heritage. Our literary heritage is contained in manuscripts, and knowledge of Grabar is a priority in order to study them and publish the original texts. The knowledge of Grabar makes available our ancient literary culture to the current generation. And eventually, Grabar is our national spirit, the maintenance of national memory, it is an opportunity for new generation to learn and speak literate Armenian.

-How the Matenadaran cooperates with the Ararat Patriarchal Diocese, and how long it exists?

-Within the frames of Grabar Days program, this is the first year the Matenadaran cooperates with the Ararat Patriarchal Diocese by bringing its participation in the program. Visits of school-children to the Matenadaran were organized within the frames of the program. They last over two months, the launch has already kicked off.

Interview by Ani Danielyan

The full interview is available in Armenian.
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.
Judy Lou Munn Imig, 79, of Lakeside, who founded Imig Herefords with her husband Roger, passed away surrounded by family Nov. 28, 2016.

Judy Lou Munn Imig was born on Jan. 22, 1937 in Harrison to Mabel Clare Higgins Munn and John Owen Munn. The family moved to a farm north of Waverly in 1939, where they lived with Judys grandmother and uncles during World War II. Her family lived in Rokeby in 1945, where her family operated the grain elevator. Judy was actively involved in farming, helping her dad at the grain elevator and in 4-H. She won numerous purple ribbons with her calves at the Nebraska State Fair and Ak-Sar-Ben.

Judy excelled at school. She skipped third grade and matriculated at the Teachers High School, an experimental teaching high school on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Judy was awarded a Regents scholarship upon graduating from high school.

Judy married Roger Imig in November 1954 and they moved to the Imig farm outside of Goehner. There, Roger and Judy started their family of four daughters and one son. They farmed corn and soybeans and began a herd of Hereford cattle.

Judy was a competitive seamstress, competing and winning awards for beautifully constructed womens and childrens clothing in the Nebraska Grange competitions. She often sewed through the night while raising five children under the age of 6, running a home and farming with Roger.

The Imig family moved to a ranch south of Valentine in 1968, to begin cattle ranching exclusively. The family moved to a ranch near Thedford in 1973. Judy and Roger purchased the Arapahoe Ranch north of Lakeside and moved there in 1983 to continue the development and running of Imig Herefords. In 1982, Judy and Rogers family was named the Nebraska Farm Family by the Lincoln Journal-Star.

Judy loved living in the Sandhills. She was actively involved in the ranch, feeding, riding, haying, calving and marketing, and catering their bull sales held on the ranch. She loved learning about the history of the Sandhills and enjoyed her neighbors immensely.

Judy loved every aspect of delivering cattle around the country to Imig Hereford customers. She enjoyed seeing the ranches where their cattle would produce and getting to know customers and their families. She especially enjoyed the independence and adventure of driving her pickup and trailer thousands of miles over the years, in all kinds of weather and on all kinds of roads, keeping the cattle healthy and safe.

Judys sense of humor was often the magic needed to help the family through the hard work of ranching. Silly songs and bad puns were in her arsenal, as well as the perfect line to make a ridiculous day funny.

Judy was an avid reader of biographies, history, Nebraska authors and of course, John Grisham. When she travelled with family to places like New York, London, Wales, Alaska and Hawaii, she knew much about the history and culture from her reading, which enriched everyones experience.

Judy actively supported her kids involvement in 4-H, Nebraska Jr. Hereford Association, high school sports, speaking contests, spelling contests and piano lessons. She worked hard to make it all happen  making clothes, drilling spelling words, washing calves and driving everywhere, so her kids could pursue a wide range of activities and interests.

Judy was a leader in her community as a 4-H leader, Western Nebraska Community College Board of Education member, Lakeside School Board member and Sheridan County Election Board member. Judy was an enthusiastic Nebraska Cornhusker fan and began going to games with her father in the 1940s at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. She was encouraged by the growing strength of the current Husker team into her last days.

Judy loved her dogs, her registered Tibetan Terriers which she raised and showed, and her beloved rescue dogs Lulu and Charlie.

Judy was actively involved in the lives of each of her grandchildren. She loved spending time with them, knowing all that was going on in their lives and group texts on Nebraska game days. Grandma Judy will be sorely missed.

Judy was very close with her sisters and brother, and loved getting updates from them about their kids and grandkids and so she could relay them to her own children.

Judy is survived by her children, Janyce (Tess Southard) Imig West, Mike (Vicki Hoecher) Imig, Mary (Robert Schweitzer) Imig and Julie (George Shopp) Imig; grandchildren, Clare Schweitzer, Jack Schweitzer, Ellen Imig Arkfeld, Grace Imig Arkfeld, Margaret Imig, Madison Imig, Emily Judith West Southard, Trystin Gielissen and Zane Gielissen; sisters, Janis Munn Davis, Eddie Munn Ranson; and brother, John Munn.

Memorials are suggested to the Alliance Public Library. Online condolences may be shared batesgould.com.

Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 19, at the Lakeside United Methodist Church with Pastor Gideon Achi officiating. Burial will be at the Lakeside Cemetery. Bates-Gould Funeral Home, Alliance, is in charge of arrangements.
TipRanks

With the Federal Reserve holding its November FOMC meeting now, theres plenty of speculation on the central banks next move. The conventional wisdom says the Fed will hike rates again, by another 75 basis points  the fourth such hike in a row this year. But after that, no one knows. Inflation remains above 8%, so the Feds tighter monetary policies have clearly not reined in high prices  yet. According to Fundstrat, however, the Fed has moved far enough in that direction, and well start to
PORTAGE  Data security breaches in Indiana cost business some $221 million annually, a state cybersecurity advisor told a gathering of local businesspeople on Thursday.

Douglas Rapp, an advisor for Cybersecurity & National Security Initiatives at the Indiana Economic Development Corp., spoke at a Cybersecurity Town Hall meeting held at the Northwest Indiana Forum.

"In the world-wide market, the estimated loss due to cyber breaches is $6 trillion over the next five years. It's not going away," Rapp said.

The session on Thursday included information on how the state of Indiana is positioning itself to lead the way on cybersecurity including gathering feedback from participants at a series of 11 Town Hall meetings.

It is part of the IEDC's and Gov. Mike Pence's plan to invest $1 billion during the next 10 years to advance innovation and entrepreneurship in Indiana.

"Cybersecurity is just part of that bigger initiative. We are gathering information from those in the field and making them aware of all the assistance the state can provide to grow businesses and create jobs," Rapp said.

Indiana is a state of collaboration, Rapp added.

"While others are trying to figure out how to bring stakeholders to the table, Indiana has built coalitions across government, military and industry to take a holistic approach to cybersecurity," Rapp said. "Indiana is unique with our state level cybersecurity advisory council, complex training at unique venues, cross-industry information sharing and a focus on cybersecurity economic development."

Rapp asked for input from participants at the Town Hall meeting on what companies need.

Lorri Feldt, regional director for the Indiana Small Business Development Center, said she had worked with a small manufacturing business that had experienced an incredible negative impact due to a data security breach.

"Maybe have a guide of what they could do...Their business of some 30 employees was small but it (the breach) had a huge impact on the company," Feldt said.

Rapp said there have been some re-occurring themes, such as a need for a state level resource center. The Portage Town Hall meeting was his fourth.

"If there are breach issues, there's confusion about who to call," Rapp said.

Dianne Burge, of Comcast Business Services, suggested offering incentives at the high school level to encourage computer "techies" to stay in the state.

Joe Simandi, an account executive with Comcast Business, said that too many businesses believe a security appliance will handle all their needs when in reality a plan is needed.

"We have leadership that's very aware. It's a collective risk that requires a collective response," Rapp said.

People who couldn't attend Thursday's session are asked to help the state with its cybersecurity efforts by filling out an online survey available at https://iedc.formstack.com/forms/cybersecuritysurvey.
ArcelorMittal has been working for the last three years to preserve about 10 acres of dune and swale at its Global R&D campus in East Chicago, and conservation efforts are heating up.

Last week, the steelmaker used a controlled burn to restore some of the habitat, which is described as globally rare.

Fire was a natural occurrence in wetlands, woodlands, prairies and dune and swale habitat until recent times, said Laura Milkert, ecological stewardship manager for the Keller Science Action Center at The Field Museum. Prescription fire is now a key component to restoration.

The Field Museum and Nature Conservancy have partnered with the Luxembourg-based steelmaker to restore the dune and swale, which was created by a glacier that receded from the southern rim of Lake Michigan thousands of years ago. Ecologists have found more than 50 species of plants, including threatened and endangered species, at the facility where ArcelorMittal scientists research new grades of steel and other product developments.

Conservation Land Stewardship used a controlled fire to help manage invasive species and restore plant diversity last week.

The city of East Chicago Fire Department was involved in the planning stages, said Matt Bartz, tech procurement and process researcher for ArcelorMittal Global R&D. They were onsite to ensure a safe burn. And because were located directly next to a school, the School Board president was also engaged in the planning discussions.

ArcelorMittal established a walking trail along the perimeter of the dune and swale that its employees can walk along. The steelmaker also regularly brings students onto its R&D campus for natural habitat tours as part of the Mighty Acorns restoration education program it funds.

Students are using our land to learn about dunes and swale which is very rare  there are very few left in the world, Bartz said. This habitat can never be replaced. Its value is immeasurable.
Heres a spoiler alert TV fans didnt see coming in 2016  the ottoman Dick Van Dyke trips over in the opening titles of his classic 1960s sitcom is olive green.

Several generations of viewers have enjoyed Van Dyke and costar Mary Tyler Moore on The Dick Van Dyke Show, which, 50 years after completing its initial run on CBS, is still available on Hulu, Amazon, the nostalgia TV network Cozi and a recently released Blu-ray box set. But on Sunday, viewers will see the Petries monochromatic world re-imagined in The Dick Van Dyke Show  Now In Living Color! in which CBS debuts two digitally colorized episodes back-to-back.

The original 1961 to 1966 run straddled the years when network TV series production converted to color. Some long-running sitcoms from the era such as The Andy Griffith Show and Bewitched made the switch after a few seasons on the air in black and white.

But The Dick Van Dyke Show creator Carl Reiner said he passed on the chance to film in color after learning it would require an additional $7,000 an episode, a significant cost in an era when a half-hour show cost around $40,000 to produce.

It would have killed whatever profits we were making from the black-and-white episodes, Reiner recalled in a recent interview. He also wanted the show to have a consistent look when reruns appeared in syndication.

Colorization of classic black-and-white movies has been a polarizing issue in Hollywood since the 1980s when cable entrepreneur Ted Turner and other film library owners started using the process to make their older titles attractive to younger audiences. Directors vehemently expressed objections to having their artistic visions altered for commerce.

David Bushman, television curator for the Paley Center for Media, said colorization will bring a new generation of viewers to the The Dick Van Dyke Show but suspects there are purists who believe great TV is an art form as worthy as film and shouldnt be tampered with.

You wouldnt use to technology to change the fundamental aesthetics of a Picasso, he said.

But Paul Brownstein, who manages The Dick Van Dyke Show library owned by Reiner, Van Dyke, and the estates of executive producers Sheldon Leonard and Danny Thomas, believes the TV audience is more accepting of refreshed editions of their favorites.

The very act of doing it would drive a cinema fan crazy, whereas the television fan appreciates seeing it updated, he said.

That has been the case for the CBS airings of colorized versions of I Love Lucy during the holiday season for the last few years. While they have generated some grumbling among bloggers (Dont  with I Love Lucy, TV comedy writer Ken Levine opined in 2013), the specials have attracted fans old and young  most recently 6.6 million of them on Dec. 2.

Brownstein long believed The Dick Van Dyke Show would be similarly successful with colorized versions. But he had to convince Van Dyke, who was not keen on the idea after seeing the tinting done years ago on his favorite Laurel & Hardy films.

After technological improvements to the colorization process, Brownstein said he got Van Dyke to look at it with an open mind and sold the concept to CBS in October. Stanton Rutledge, a designer for West Wing Studios who handled the project, said the results are markedly better thanks to improved computer-animation software and hardware.

Back when I was coloring films for Ted Turner, people had a right to say it looked bad, Rutledge said. I would love to redo all those films that I did back in the 80s and 90s. But there will be a whole new audience for The Dick Van Dyke Show. Millennials are never even going to know it was shot in black and white. Theyre just going to love the comedy.

The 94-year-old Reiner always maintained that the shows quality is timeless  he deliberately kept topical slang phrases and references out of the scripts  and welcomes the new exposure on a major broadcast network.

Were going to be on after 60 Minutes, he noted with the enthusiasm of a producer getting his big break.

Rutledge and Brownstein said it helped that Reiner had the color still photos of the shows set at Desilu Studios. The documentation allowed them to come up with the hues that accurately matched the Petries living room and kitchen. They also searched through old magazine ads to get the proper mid-20th-century color schemes for clothing and furnishings not seen in the photos.

On Sunday, viewers will see two of the most revered Dick Van Dyke episodes in its five-season run. Thats My Boy?? is a flashback story by writers Bill Persky and Sam Denoff in which the Petries reflect on how Rob gathered evidence that left him convinced the wrong baby had come home with Laura from the hospital after their son, Richie, was born.

Another spoiler alert: Rob telephones the other new parents in their neighborhood, the Peters, who had left the same hospital with their son at the same time, and presents his switched-at-birth scenario. Their arrival at the Petrie home to straighten out the matter elicited what Reiner claims is the longest studio audience laugh in TV history as Rob sees that the Peters, played by Greg Morris and Mimi Dillard, are African American.

The visual gag was a socially progressive jolt when it first aired on Sept. 25, 1963. The civil rights movement was playing out on the evening news nearly every night, but significant roles for black actors were still scant in prime time. (During that same TV season, CBS affiliates were skittish over George C. Scotts topical social-worker drama East Side/West Side, in which Cicely Tyson was the first black actress cast as a regular in a network hour.)

Along with the laugh, Thats My Boy?? sent a message to the TV audience that the Petries and Peters lived in the same town and their children went to school together. Reiner even made a point of having Rob Petrie note how Peters son had the best grades in the class while Richie remained an underachiever.

Reiner recalled that network executives suggested that the Peters be another nationality, but he resisted.

I was always looking for ways to bring African Americans to New Rochelle, he said.

CBS will also show the Emmy-winning 1965 episode Coast to Coast Big Mouth, where Laura Petrie appears on a game show and reveals to a TV audience that comedy writer Robs boss, the imperious variety show host Alan Brady (played by Reiner), wears a toupee. The scene with Laura apologizing to a humiliated Brady at his desk with his secret array of hairpieces is one of the most memorable moments of the series.

More than 50 years after it first aired, Reiner still points out how the episode is unrelated to his own tonsorial choices.

When I wore a wig, I always told people I was wearing a wig, he said.
*Editor's note: After this article was published, Schererville police reported one of the suspects gave a false name upon his arrest. The suspect's name is Ashton Montgomery, but allegedly told police his name was Timothy Pflugradt. Pflugradt quickly informed police of the situation. This story has been edited from a previous version.

SCHERERVILLE  A man accused of using stolen debit cards to withdraw cash from a Chase Bank ATM machine led police on a brief foot chase before he was taken into custody Wednesday.

Two others were also arrested after Schererville police were dispatched about 8:20 a.m. Wednesday to Chase Bank, 1801 Kennedy Ave., in reference to suspicious suspects in a black Chevy Impala, according to Schererville Police Patrol Cmdr. Brian Neyhart.

Ashton Montgomery, 25, of Markham, faces charges of fraud, identity deception, counterfeiting and resisting law enforcement in connection with the Dec. 7 incident, court records show.

Montgomery allegedly told police Wednesday his name was Timothy Pflugradt, and was from Burnham, Illinois.

Dajon Thompson, 23, of Dolton, faces charges of marijuana possession and handgun possession without a permit. Armani Moore, 19, of Dolton, has been charged with handgun possession with a permit.

Police approached the Impala, which was the same car reported for suspicious activity Dec. 3, and detected an odor of burnt marijuana and observed a handgun protruding from underneath the front passenger seat. Moore, the driver, and Thompson, the passenger, reportedly denied ownership, according to police.

During this time, an officer noticed another man, later identified as Montgomery, attempting to withdraw money from an ATM inside the bank but was repeatedly denied. When the officer asked him to stop, Montgomery allegedly fled on foot.

Police found in his possession two debit cards not belonging to him, four checks and one ATM receipt detailing a denied transaction totaling $1,500, according to police.

A fourth person, who was parked in another vehicle, fled the scene, according to police. Before the vehicle was towed, police observed two ATM receipts from the Chase Bank Schererville location detailing denied transactions, each totaling $1,900.

At the police station, a small bag of suspected marijuana was discovered on Dajons person. A search of Moores person revealed $3,246 in cash.

A bank manager later confirmed the checks found on Montgomerys person were fraudulent, noting the paper used and the printing on the checks are not standard, police said.
MERRILLVILLE  Racial slurs and swastikas written on the walls of an upstairs boys' bathroom at Andrean High School have some students, teachers and administrators hurt and angry.

Andrean Principal Tony Bonta, who was appointed in May by Gary Catholic Diocese Bishop Donald Hying, said he found out about the written slurs late Wednesday night.

He said the messages were removed and cleaned Thursday morning.

"This is ugliness," Bonta said.

"It was part of a whole series of ugliness. I met with the key administrators. We took pictures of it. There were other things in there about Hitler having done nothing wrong and a message that said, 'Black lives don't matter.'"

Bonta said there are cameras throughout the building, but none in the bathrooms due to privacy issues. However, he said administrators are considering installing cameras in the entry way of the bathroom, but no images in the individual stalls would be captured.

"This is not who we are. This is not Andrean," Bonta said, talking to students assembled on Friday afternoon.

He said he knows some people have racist attitudes but Bonta said, as a 1983 graduate of Andrean, he knows that's not what this Catholic school is about.

He said 99 percent of the students, faculty and staff don't feel this way. He said he asked for insight from some high school seniors about what was appropriate to say or not to say when he spoke with students. Bonta said he was told to just say the racist words as they were written.

Bonta said he has given the culprit or culprits 24 hours to come forward, and that would provide some leniency. He said if administrators find the culprit on their own, they will move to expel that student or students.

"We are not going to put up with any discrimination based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religion. It is not tolerable. It is not who we are at Andrean. It is not the school that has 'Christ is my teacher' as the model," Bonta said.

"When I came in May, it was obvious to me, even in the cafeteria, that the black students sat separately from the white students. It didn't take rocket science to see that. I held several listening sessions. As the students got comfortable with me, they would share some things. A lot of people were upset about what happened with Bishop Noll," he said.

During a game in late February between Andrean and Bishop Noll, both Catholic schools, the "Trump fathead" sign made an appearance on the Andrean side, and there were racially charged chants by both sides.

"I wish I could tell you that discrimination doesn't happen here, but what I can tell you is that when we find out about it, we do something about it. We are consistent, and we follow through," Bonta said.

Bonta said he is aware that some parents think the school is more racially divided than ever, and that their students have been treated unfairly.

"I will take responsibility in the sense that the discipline has increased; have we held students more accountable, yes," he said.

"I will be the first to admit that. When I interviewed, that's what people said they wanted. Have there been some growing pains, yes.

"I know we have work to do. There will always be differences, but we must respect one another. This tears at the very fabric of who we are. Your beauty is what makes you part of Andrean," Bonta said, asking all students of color, white students, Jewish students, European students and everyone to stand up.

Sophomore class moderator and teacher Denise Maldonado said Bonta was so disturbed by the racial slurs written in the bathroom that he called her at 4:51 a.m. Thursday.

"Whether this was someone who did it without thinking or someone who thought it was funny, it's not funny. We have to take care of each other. We have more similarities than differences," she told students.

Bonta said he is looking for assistance from Danny Lackey, coordinator of diversity and student relations for the Merrillville Community School Corp., to assist in starting a diversity group at Andrean. He said he hopes to have that organization in place early next year.
DYER  The Dyer Police Department, under the leadership of Chief David Hein, received the Achievement of Excellence Award presented by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police for promoting railroad safety.

Special Agent Eric Graf with the Canadian National Railroad Police presented the award to Hein during Thursdays Dyer Town Council meeting along with special agents and patrolmen from CN and CSX railroads.

Of the 700 police agencies that participated in the Operation Lifesaver and Midwest Rail Safety Week, the ILACP chose 25 agencies for special recognition. Dyer is one of those agencies, Graf said.

Hein was also recognized for making certain all police officers receive special emergency response training and for including the CN and CSX police departments in community events for the past five years, Graf said.
EAST CHICAGO  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has cancelled Saturday's scheduled open house in East Chicago to discuss the USS Lead Superfund cleanup, citing the possible lapse in federal funding beginning at midnight.

It is necessary for EPA to cancel the open house now to ensure that community members and others receive as much advance notice as possible, EPA said in a statement.

"With a possible lapse of funding, it would be unlawful for federal employees to work on this type of activity," the release states.

EPA will reschedule the event for a later date. The agency regrets any inconvenience the cancellation may cause.

The open house/public meeting was scheduled to run from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, at the cafetorium at Carrie Gosch Elementary School at 455 E. 148th Street in East Chicago.
WESTVILLE  The first graduation ceremony for the new Purdue University Northwest took place Friday night.

The message for the 174 graduates at the campus near Westville was to go through open doors and to encourage others hesitant to follow suit.

"When you see those open doors, explore what lies beyond," said guest speaker Christina Hale, a Michigan City area native and candidate for lieutenant governor in the November election.

Hale, a former graduate of the Westville area campus, also challenged the students to not doubt if they're up for whatever challenge an open door presents.

She told about being a single mother, picking up her child in day care while working her way through college, something she felt many of the not-to-be-denied graduates can relate to.

And it's that work ethic combined with their education that can take them farther than they ever imagined.

"You are scrappers. You know how to hustle. I believe we need more people like you," said Hale, who revealed she didn't allow her self-esteem issues to keep her from reaching new heights in becoming the fourth woman in Indiana to ever run for lieutenant governor and a state representative helping to pass landmark pieces of legislation.

She asked the graduates who might be experiencing the same type of mental barriers to do what she did to get to the next level.

"When opportunity knocks at your door ask yourselves why not me. Why not me," she said.

Afterwards, Chancellor Thomas Keon called the graduation a monumental occasion considering the fall semester was the first as PNW, which formed by combining the Purdue campuses near Westville and in Hammond.

There will be two graduation ceremonies Saturday in Hammond for the 816 graduates at that campus.

"This is really a great conclusion to the first semester of a new university. We're excited to have Purdue University Northwest graduates out and starting their lives," Keon said.

One of the challenges from the merger has been the cultural differences at each of the campuses.

"We're still working through some of the culture differences, but they've been minimal and things have been really positive," Keon said.

Among the surprises he cited was the number of students taking classes at both campuses.

Hale went on to say she could not predict what lies ahead for each graduate, but she promised doors leading to good things will open for each of them.

"Your future is unwritten and it's going to be special," she said.
EAST CHICAGO  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has canceled Saturday's scheduled open house for residents to discuss the USS Lead Superfund site cleanup, citing the potential lapse in federal funding beginning at midnight Saturday.

Several news outlets reported a vote on funding for the federal government was expected late Friday.

The news came just one day after the citys mayor, Anthony Copeland, announced the EPA had informed him that lead exceeded its standard for drinking water in 18 out of 45 homes it has tested.

EPA has tested water at 43 homes, not 45, a spokesman said Friday.

The testing was conducted in zones 2 and 3 of the USS Lead Superfund site in the Calumet neighborhood, the middle and eastern parts of the neighborhood, where high levels of lead and arsenic contaminants were found in the soil.

The agency has no plans to expand the testing program elsewhere in the Superfund site or the rest of the city, EPA spokesman Peter Cassell said Friday.

City Attorney Carla Morgan said the city does not have adequate funding to carry out further testing nor does it have the ability to duplicate the EPAs methods at this time. According to the city, this type of sequential testing costs about $5,000 per household but The Times could not independently verify the costs.

Copeland told residents Friday he sent letters to Gov. Mike Pence and governor-elect Eric Holcomb seeking an emergency declaration because of the lead crisis in the city's Calumet neighborhood.

Members of a community strategy group who met with Copeland on Friday said they hope the request helps bring more resources into the city as residents deal with the fallout from living on land contaminated with lead, arsenic and other chemicals left behind by decades of industrial activity.

"We are just really excited that the people have won today. The people have won today," said the Rev. Cheryl Rivera, a member of the group and director of the Northwest Indiana Federation of Interfaith Organizations.

A Pence spokeswoman on Friday said the governor's office has received the letter and is reviewing the request, without elaborating on a timeline.

The EPA test results "reaffirms the need for the entire site's drinking water to be tested as community groups have been requesting, said Debbie Chizewer, one of the attorneys at Northwestern University Pritzker Law Schools Environmental Law Clinic working on behalf of residents. "Now it's even more pressing."

'Parallel with Flint now'

Preliminary EPA data show elevated lead levels in the water supply for a number of homes prior to the EPA's excavation work. The testing was initially carried out to see if the EPAs construction work would disturb the service lines that carry water from the mains in the street to the yards in the homes.

When lead, or galvanized iron, service lines are disturbed, small particles of lead can break off and get into the drinking water, according to the city.

Like many older cities across the nation, East Chicago has a large percentage of service lines made of lead. It is likely that many homes in East Chicago have service lines that are made of, or contain, lead. Lead plumbing components in some homes could also cause increased lead levels, according to the city.

Now, The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is working with the city to adjust corrosion control levels. The treatment reduces lead leaching by forming a protective coating on the interior of the pipes, according to the city.

Thomas Frank, a member of the Duneland Environmental Justice Alliance and a board member for the Southeast Environmental Justice Task Force, said Friday the city and EPA began testing water because of residents' demands.

Frank said residents want the program extended throughout the city.

Ray Mosley, a member of the strategy group, said he felt progress is being made. He said he hoped the same resources Flint, Michigan, has received will now be made available to East Chicago.

"The lead has been found in the water," he said. "Our site is parallel with Flint now."

However, Kaplan said this week the results are preliminary and do not indicate if there is a widespread problem. He advised concerned residents to consider using a water filter like the ones distributed by the state of Michigan earlier this year in Flint.

Filters certified to remove lead or ones labeled National Sanitation Foundation-53 certified filters are considered highly effective at removing high concentrations of lead, according to the EPA.

Soil sampling in zone 2 will continue into winter as weather permits, according to an EPA fact sheet, but cleanup efforts have been suspended for the winter in zones 2 and 3. The agency excavated dirt at 55 properties, including 17 in zone 2 and 38 in zone 3 this year.

To date, EPA has sampled 476 of the 596 properties in zone 2. The agency received access agreements to sample 418 of the 468 properties on zone 3.

EPA tested indoor dust in many households in the Superfund site, and is offering indoor cleaning to residents in homes where dust tested above screening levels, according to a fact sheet.

Continued dialogue

Sheilah Garland, a member of the strategy group, said Friday the mayor also invited residents to meet weekly to discuss the lead crisis.

She said the group was happy the mayor made a request for an emergency declaration, "so there will be greater funding to address the ongoing crisis that just seems to continue to unfold," Garland said.

Maritza Lopez, of East Calumet, said the meeting with Copeland and his staff was productive and residents will continue seeking support.

"We've got to stay behind this and continue with the other agencies as well. It's our livelihood," she said.

Akeesha Daniels, of West Calumet, extended the invitation to meet weekly with city officials to residents of all three cleanup zones in the Calumet neighborhood and of the Nicosia Senior Building, a North Side public housing facility where some residents also have tested positive for lead.

Rivera said the group also asked to review the budget for the East Chicago Housing Authority, which is continuing its efforts to relocate more than 1,000 residents. The city plans to demolish the complex, which sits in the footprint of the former Anaconda lead smelter. USS Lead, a second smelter, operated just south of the complex.
Indiana is still a state where a man or woman legally can wed his or her same-sex partner on a Sunday, and legally get fired for being gay on a Monday.

The General Assembly this year declined to enact, or even consider, anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Hoosiers in employment, housing and public accommodations.

That's despite lingering damage to Indiana's reputation caused by Gov. Mike Pence's approving the 2015 Religious Freedom Restoration Act that appeared to the nation to encourage discrimination against homosexuals.

While the "religious freedom" law later was changed to bar religion as a justification for discrimination, the so-called "fix" did nothing to protect gays from discrimination for any other reason, or no reason at all, given Indiana's "at will" employment statute.

"To say this year's legislative session was a let-down would be an understatement," said Chris Paulsen, campaign manager at Freedom Indiana, a coalition of business and community groups pushing for statewide civil rights protections.

"Lawmakers' refusal to put forth serious effort to address LGBT nondiscrimination  despite having promised to do so  flies in the face of the strong majority of Hoosiers and hundreds of local businesses who wholeheartedly support a simple and fair solution: Four words and a comma to add 'sexual orientation, gender identity' to existing civil rights law," Paulsen said.

Since the Legislature adjourned in March, Freedom Indiana has worked to enact or expand LGBT human rights ordinances in communities across the state, including Hammond, Munster and Valparaiso.

In addition, Lake County and Michigan City prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, though not gender identity.

The issue of how to prevent gender identity discrimination is what prompted Indiana Senate Republicans in February to scuttle a committee-approved plan providing civil rights protections to lesbian, gay and bisexual Hoosiers  but not transgender individuals  tempered with a broad exemption for nearly any entity claiming a religious affiliation.

Senate Bill 344 did not receive a chamber vote after senators filed some 27 proposed amendments, including several "bathroom bill" provisions that subsequently harmed North Carolina businesses after being enacted there.

Wait-and-see approach

Senate President David Long, R-Fort Wayne, said it wasn't clear the legislation would pass the Senate, even if any or all of the suggested changes were adopted.

"They didn't want to go through the pain of having all this discussion if, in fact, in the end the bill was not going to move," Long said.

"We also got messages from the House that they weren't really probably going to seriously consider it. I don't know what the message was from down on the second floor; we still aren't sure what the governor would or wouldn't have done. All of that weighed into a difficult environment for us."

Indeed, 59 House Republicans later would reject an amendment to Senate Bill 20, proposed by House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, that would have prohibited employers from discriminating in the workplace based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

"This shows you how far the public needs to push some of its representatives to bring our laws in line with the attitudes and beliefs of the people," Pelath said.

In August, a joint House and Senate study committee heard familiar testimony from proponents and opponents of an LGBT civil rights law, ahead of possible consideration during the 2017 legislative session that begins in January.

State Rep. Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon, the committee chairman, said afterward that he expects pending federal court cases on LGBT discrimination issues will either resolve them before the Legislature can act, or lead lawmakers to take a wait-and-see approach in 2017 to avoid getting pre-empted by a federal ruling.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani had already removed his name for consideration for a cabinet position in the Donald Trump administration, the president-election said Friday.

In a statement released Friday afternoon, Trump said Giuliani told him during a meeting Nov. 29.

Giuliani will remain on the transition team as a vice chairman, Trump said, and will stay in the private sector.

"He is and continues to be a close personal friend," Trump said about Giuliani, "And as appropriate, I will call upon him for advice and can see an important place for him in the administration at a later date."

"This is not about me; it is about what is best for the country and the new administration," Giuliani said in a statement.

Giuliani said that before joining the campaign, he was fulfilled by his legal and consulting work, and will continue that. He added that he will help Trump from the private sector in any way that the president-elect deems "necessary and appropriate."

The public announcement is a blow to Giuliani. He took a risk by backing Trump so early and drew headlines like, "Is Rudy Giuliani Losing His Mind?" in a Politico Magazine article.

In mid-November, Giuliani was considered the front-runner for secretary of state, but questions raised about his foreign business ties may have weakened his candidacy.

Giuliani was also seen as a potential attorney general, but that job went to Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, and the former mayor found himself in an increasingly crowded field for secretary of state, a field that includes former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Trump has made the race for secretary of state a public spectacle, dining at the high-end Jean-Georges restaurant with Romney on Nov. 30, and growing the circle of candidates under consideration for the highest-profile job in his administration.

"In recent days he's been meeting with Ambassador John Bolton, Congressman [Dana] Rohrabacher, and more recently Rex Tillerson from Exxon and yesterday Alan Mulally from Ford," said senior Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway. "These two men are captains of industry."

Trump took part Friday in a get-out-the-vote rally in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for a U.S. Senate candidate John Kennedy, who has a run-off election Saturday.

Trump talked about Time Magazine naming him person of the year:

"Who'd rather have it the man of the year?" the president-elect said to the crowd in Baton Rouge.

Trump is expected to back in the swing of campaigning again, although that's very much what we've seen from him as he has held a series of "thank you" rallies with supporters since the election.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day at Trump Tower, the president-elect met with House Speaker Paul Ryan.

"Very exciting meeting. I've really enjoyed coming here and meeting with the president-elect. We had a great meeting to talk about our transition," Ryan said. "We are very excited about hitting the ground running in 2017 to put this country back on track."

The Queens-native held his fourth "thank you," tour, this one in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Thousands of revelers decked out in red take over the streets of Manhattan for the annual SantaCon bar crawl. It's an event that's led to many being added to the naughty list in years past. NY1's Natalie Duddridge has more from Flatiron.

Santa Claus has come to town  thousands of them actually  for the annual Santa Con Pub Crawl.

The holiday celebration has been going on for nearly 20 years, growing in popularity and size to more the 50 cities around the world.

"This is my uncle is his first time coming here this is my second time he came all the way from Colombia believe it or not," said one travelling St. Nick.

But the largest event takes place here in the city, this year focused in the East Village, Gramercy and Midtown, where costumed St. Nicks paint the town red and white.

"I was cold last year so I just let (my beard) grow," said one Santa.

"I made this costume entirely out of duct tape over top of the clothes I had," said another.

While the event raises money for charity, it has been criticized for its rowdy revelers who have been known to receive complaints of drunker and disorderly behavior.

"Be thoughtful and kind to police," one reveler said via public address system. "Be respectful to the city."

While we were filming, at least one person got a ticket for public intoxication.

That's just one of the reasons why some protestors turned up, shouting on megaphones, telling the Santas to go back to the North Pole.

Some fliers were even issued in Williamsburg saying SantaCon had been cancelled to deter participants, but that didn't stop the faux father Christmases from showing up in full force.

"I'm not a drunk Santa I don't like that part either, but this is the good part, the morning," said one. "Then later, ugly Santa!

But it's not all bad news for St. Nick, the Second Avenue Merchants Association invited Santa Con to move to the upper east side next year, to spur business at bars in that area once the new subway line opens.

"I know there's a lot of bad press about Sant Con and stuff like that but it's literally one out of thousands and thousands of people that come but it's a good time every year," said Dan Casper with the association.

A good time for many, that lasts all through the night.

That's why police will be on patrol to enforce alcohol bans on trains and in the street, to keep Santa nice and not naughty.
Days after a radiator malfunction in The Bronx killed two small homeless girls, a tenant in the building tells NY1 he had the same problem, while officials are proposing legislation to prevent similar tragedies in the future. NY1's Courtney Gross has that story.

Peter and Danielle Ambrose returned to their apartment in The Bronx on Wednesday to get their belongings, including boxes of toys belonging to their two little girls.

1-year-old Scylee Ambrose and 2-year old Ibanez Ambrose died Wednesday after a radiator burst in their apartment and filled their room with steam that burned them.

The family moved to New York more than a year ago and was placed in an apartment as a temporary homeless shelter. Neither parent spoke to the media.

The city has been reeling from the tragedy. The city's department of homeless services says there were 63 open violations at the building.

Inspectors for the city's department of housing preservation and development returned to the scene Friday. They would not take our questions.

But a tenant in the building told NY1 that he has experienced the same problems with his radiator in the past.

"Concerned? I am concerned about leaving anybody here!" said the tenant, Manuel Vazquez.

A city official told NY1 that there were no formal complaints from him about the apartment's radiators.

Meanwhile, the local councilman Rafael Salamanca, and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., are calling for action.

Salamanca is proposing legislation to require radiator inspections. The city's department of homeless services does not do that now.

"They should check those radiators and they should check those valves," Salamanca said.

The two officials are also proposing a bill to prohibit the city from placing homeless families in temporary housing where there are serious building violations.

"We should not be giving them the money when they are not only greedy, but they are putting the lives of children and families at risk," Diaz said.

The city council is looking to expedite the legislation, hoping to act as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the city's department of homeless services says the department does not comment on proposed legislation.
VANG VIENG, Laos  In this tourist town on the Nam Song River, Beer Lao is as ubiquitous as sneakers and sunburns.

Backpackers stroll the streets with a bottle of lager in each hand. Beer snobs like it, too. Time magazine has called it Asias best local beer. And the brands logo adorns everything from patio furniture to street signs.

But the buzz stops there. Outside Laos, Beer Lao is notoriously hard to find.

Like a film festival winner without a distribution deal, the rice-based lager has struggled to turn cult status into anything other than good press. Even with backing from the Danish brewer Carlsberg, which owns 50 percent of the company that makes Beer Lao in partnership with the Lao government, just 1 percent of its annual production is exported.

The company, Lao Brewery, hopes to change that. It would like to see 10 percent sold abroad, and it is counting on Vang Viengs beer-loving backpackers to help them make the sale.
Herb Hardesty, a tenor saxophonist whose name was synonymous with New Orleans rhythm and blues and early rock n roll and whose lyrical solos were heard on nearly all of Fats Dominos hit songs, died on Dec. 3 in Las Vegas. He was 91.

The Rhodes Funeral Home in New Orleans said the cause was cancer.

Mr. Hardesty had been discharged from the Army and was playing in Dave Bartholomews band when he first worked with Mr. Domino, though he was unaware of him at the time. Mr. Hardesty thought that he and his bandmates were going to record for The Fat Man, a radio detective drama, not accompany Mr. Domino, whose given name is Antoine, on his 1949 song The Fat Man.

In the liner notes to They Call Me the Fat Man, a Fats Domino anthology, Mr. Hardesty wrote that from the first recording, I spent many hours in the studio helping build up Fatss repertoire. His record sales were great, and the singles almost always made the charts, proving Fats and Dave to be a magical combination.

Mr. Bartholomew produced and was a writer on many of Mr. Dominos songs, which are regarded as part of the foundation of rock n roll.
The months between the election and the inauguration of any new president, particularly one from the opposing party, are always swollen with anticipation. While Trump critics and skeptics brace for their worst, supporters can happily indulge their hopes for the best.

The bitter political divide continues, but its impact on the economic outlook is not as sharp.

With Republicans about to take control of both the White House and Congress, business expects an end to the Washington stalemate and a shift in policies in its direction.

Uncertainty about the regulatory environment and tax policy is what can cause paralysis, said Dan Houston, chief executive of Principal Financial Group, a financial management company headquartered in Des Moines. Just understanding what the ground rules are going to be can make a difference. There seems to be a feeling that theres going to be more clarity in the first half of 2017.

Central Iowa has already been booming with one of the lowest unemployment rates and highest growth rates in the country. But employers have been further buoyed since the election by the belief that imminent tax cuts and fewer regulations will further rev up the economy, Mr. Houston said.

Meanwhile, although the attention to potential Supreme Court nominees has focused on bitterly fought social issues like abortion rights and gay marriage, a more conservative court is also likely to be more pro-business as well, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

If you are a Republican, this is the beginning of a golden age, Mr. Sabato said.

With unemployment falling and wage gains picking up in the last couple of years, Democrats were growing much more upbeat about the economy. Some are now more pessimistic, with Pew showing those who think the economy will get better next year declining to 15 percent from 35 percent. But that drop was not enough to offset the Republican surge.

Is it just two ships passing in the night? Mr. Sabato asked about the sudden enthusiasm about the economy.
The operator of a crane that collapsed and killed one person in Lower Manhattan in February failed to properly lower the boom and was responsible for the accident, New York City officials said on Friday.

After an investigation by the citys Buildings Department, officials suspended the license of the cranes operator, Kevin Reilly, and moved to revoke it permanently.

The giant crane collapsed on a gusty morning, leading the city to tighten rules for cranes operating in high winds. A man walking on the street, David Wichs, was killed, and three other people were injured.

Mr. Reilly had failed to secure the crane the night before the crash and lowered the boom of the crane at an improper angle, causing the crane to become unstable, officials said. The department said it would work with the City Council on rules to improve safety, including tougher licensing requirements for crane operators.
The bustling riverfront envisioned for a tattered stretch of warehouses and parking lots in the South Bronx is still many years away.

But that has not stopped the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio from going ahead with a $194 million plan to improve the infrastructure in a 30-block area on the Bronx side of the Harlem River. The plan will include making streets pedestrian-friendly, replacing water and sewer lines, carving out a new park and expanding broadband access  all in preparation for future development that, for now, exists only on paper.

Though public investment in the citys infrastructure is not new, it has often been an afterthought, especially in neighborhoods where development has been piecemeal. Now, as the city moves on its ambitious effort to build more affordable housing, economic development officials aim to make more infrastructure investments as part of a shift toward a more comprehensive, community-based approach  known as placemaking among urban planners  as they develop the citys remaining tracts of available land.

Its not just about changing the zoning, its about improving the infrastructure, said Maria Torres-Springer, the president and chief executive of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Its literally strengthening the bones of the community.
A construction worker died on Friday after falling from scaffolding at the site of a residential development in Brooklyn, in what was at least the citys 11th construction death this year.

The worker, Wilfredo Enrique, 59, was installing a facade at 325 Kent Avenue, part of the development of the former Domino Sugar refinery on the Williamsburg waterfront, when he fell a number of floors at about 8 a.m., the police said. Mr. Enrique, who had head injuries, was taken to Woodhull Medical Center, where he died.

A spokesman for Two Trees Management Co., which is developing the Williamsburg site, said all work had stopped at the location, as investigators worked to determine what had caused the fall. We are overwhelmed with grief by this tragic accident and extend our deepest condolences, a statement from the company said.

The number of people killed and injured in construction accidents has risen as real estate building has boomed in New York City. According to statistics from the citys Buildings Department, there were 12 construction-related fatalities in 2015, up from eight the year before, while the number of injuries rose to 472 in 2015 from 237 the prior year.
Donald Trump

The CIA believes that Russia intentionally meddled in the US election specifically to help Donald Trump win.

That allegation was revealed in a secret CIA presentation that was given to lawmakers, The Washington Post and The New York Times reported on Friday night.

Intelligence officials believe they have identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who allegedly gave WikiLeaks thousands of hacked emails and other documents, The Post wrote.

During the election, WikiLeaks regularly published hacked documents that were damaging to Democratic Party organizations and its presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton. The email dump reached a fever pitch in the final weeks of the election.

WikiLeaks founder and editor Julian Assange, has denied his organization played any role in Russia's alleged meddling.

The Trump transition team released a remarkable statement Friday casting doubt on the reported findings.

"These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," the statement said. "The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. Its now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again.'"

Donald Trump

In private meetings last week, the CIA told senators the evidence they gathered demonstrates it is "quite clear" Russia aimed to help ensure a Trump victory.

Initially, the inclination within the US intelligence community was that Russia simply sought to undermine the integrity of the election. That assertion was bolstered by concerns that the Kremlin might attempt to hack voting machines on Election Day.

But, as The Post's Adam Entous, Ellen Nakashima, and Greg Miller wrote, official findings have led US intelligence experts to believe Russia was aiming for a specific result  a President-elect Donald Trump.

"It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russias goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected," said an unnamed senior US official who was briefed on the matter and cited by The Post.

Story continues

The New York Times cited a senior Obama administration official who said "We now have high confidence that they hacked the DNC and the RNC, and conspicuously released no documents" related to Republicans.

Hillary Clinton

In addition to the release of hacked emails, a flood of disinformation and conspiracy theories was widely circulated on the internet in the form of false stories that were peddled as news. Much of that fake news  which almost exclusively targeted Hillary Clinton  gained tremendous popularity on social networks like Facebook for months leading up to November 8.

News of the CIAs findings came as President Barack Obama ordered a complete review of the matter Friday.

In October, the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence officially accused Russia of hacking the Democratic Party citing multiple cyberattacks against the organization.

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump

US intelligence officials have previously been cautious about accusing Russia of helping Trump win the election as they have faced challenges gathering intelligence about President Vladimir Putin, The Post reported.

Democrats have criticized the Obama administration's extremely cautious approach to pointing fingers at Russia.

According to the report, when the Obama administration tried to form a bipartisan coalition that would publicly accuse Russia of undermining the election, their plan was met with opposition from skeptical Republicans.

The Post noted that California Rep. Devin Nunes, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee and is a member of the Trump transition team, said he would "be the first one to come out and point at Russia if theres clear evidence, but there is no clear evidence."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell implied he would accuse Obama of partisan politics if Obama publicly challenged Russia.

NOW WATCH: 'They haven't played by the rules': Trump accuses China of 'massive theft of intellectual property' and unfairly taxing US companies





More From Business Insider


It is especially rewarding to see the video deliver some comfort and encouragement for the Newtown parents during what, now and forever, is their sadly commemorative holiday season in which to recall how the children perished 11 days before Christmas.

Were trying to prevent other families from suffering this pain, Mark Barden, a founder of Sandy Hook Promise, said, explaining how the video represents therapy for the parents in their determination to marshal power from their childrens shortened lives. It helps me reflect on the life little Daniel would have had, he said, speaking of his 7-year-old who was killed in the massacre. And the message turns out to be universal, reaching people at a fundamental human level, Mr. Barden said of the video, which was produced with the pro bono help of the ad agency BBDO New York.

The timing could not be better in this newly dawning era of fake news and truthers who use the internet to create vicious denials of reality. Since the first days of the Newtown shooting, dark fabulists have grotesquely insisted it was all staged as an anti-gun-rights charade, even harassing a Newtown parent with demands to see proof of his childs death.

Not on my radar, said Mr. Barden, who will not give the deniers the attention they crave. A dad at a meeting told me his son has this idea it was all a hoax and you and your son are actors. I told him that would be the answer to my prayers. I said I hope his son gets some help.

The truth has been painfully undeniable in the state courts where parents are attempting to sue the assault rifle manufacturer for recklessly selling adapted war weapons to civilians. Fifty-pound bodies were riddled with five, 11, even 13 bullets, the court filing declared in documenting the massacre. This is not sensationalism. It is the reality the defendants created when they chose to sell a weapon of war.
Washington  A new president, swept into office on a tide of fake news and media manipulation, surrounds himself with generals: his adviser on foreign policy, the defense minister, his minister of the interior and the further possible appointments of foreign minister and intelligence director.

If this happened in a third world country, the United States, as a global promoter of democracy, would warn against it. America has frequently urged the militaries of other countries to stand down and stay in barracks. The United States supports civilian control; the militarys job should be to provide military advice, not make policy and govern.

Yet these admonitions do not now seem to apply at home. Having roundly criticized generals during the campaign, President-elect Donald J. Trump is now surrounding himself with them.
It is understandable that South Koreans would celebrate after their Parliament voted overwhelmingly on Friday to impeach President Park Geun-hye, whose involvement with a shady and corrupt confidante has generated six weeks of huge street protests and demands for her resignation. The crisis, and Ms. Parks precipitous fall in public support, had made it all but impossible for her to function effectively.

Yet this kind of end for any presidency is not really cause for celebration. However the crisis plays out  and it still has a way to go  Ms. Parks plight is a symptom of faults in the political system that need to be fixed.

Ms. Park, the daughter of a long-ruling military strongman, Park Chung-hee, has not agreed to go quietly. She insists she will fight on in the Constitutional Court, which now has up to six months to decide whether she goes or stays. If the verdict is that she must go, elections for her successor will be held 60 days later.

In the meantime, Ms. Park has been suspended as president, which should quiet the streets and bring at least temporary stability. The crisis has kindled considerable uncertainty in a country, and a region, that can ill afford it. Ms. Park was hawkish toward North Korea and had irritated China by agreeing to deploy an advanced American missile defense system, and both policies are now in doubt. Japan and China have expressed concern about the political turmoil in Seoul, where Prime Minister Hwang Kyho-ahn, who is serving as acting president, has warned against provocations by the North.
SEOUL, South Korea  There were euphoric cheers from the crowd outside the National Assembly on Friday when its speaker announced the outcome: By 234 to 56, South Korean lawmakers had voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye for her role in a corruption scandal that has paralyzed the country for two months. Her powers have been suspended, and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn has taken over as acting president.

The impeachment had been supported by an overwhelming majority of the electorate and long overdue. But it doesnt solve South Koreas endemic corruption problem. There is little sense that government officials high and low will suddenly clean up their act. Or that the other powerful parties to the scandal  some of South Koreas major corporations  will suffer serious consequences, if accusations that they bribed the president and her friend prove true.

Since Ms. Park was first implicated in the scandal over connections to her longtime confidante, Choi Soon-sil, South Koreans have been stunned by the mountain of allegations against the duo. They include extortion, bribery, abuse of power, leaking classified documents and violating the Constitution.

Image President Park at a cabinet meeting on Friday. Credit... Getty Images

Ms. Park held firm though, even as her approval rating tumbled to the single digits. She repeatedly apologized to the nation, but never admitted to criminal wrongdoing. When prosecutors named her Choi Soon-sils criminal accomplice, her spokesman denounced the allegation as nothing but a house of cards that ignored objective evidence.
The characters in some plays  generally the not-so-good ones  leave your consciousness almost as soon as you leave the theater. Others stay a while, or never leave at all. Im confident that the three central characters in Street Children, an affecting and saucily funny new play by Pia Scala-Zankel, about transgender youth living on the harsh streets of New York in the 1980s, will remain with me for good. But also, given the dark turns their lives take, for not-so-good.

The play, a Vertigo Theater Company production at the New Ohio Theater, might be called a dysfunctional family drama, that staple of American stages. But the family here is not blood-tied, rather a collection of young people who style themselves the House of Diamonte and compete in the vogueing balls that were, thanks to Madonna and the documentary Paris Is Burning, briefly in vogue a few decades back.

The ample cast occasionally strikes poses, and there is one exuberant dance break (spectacularly performed by Tamara Williams, who with MJ Rodriguez provided the choreography). But mostly the show concentrates on the scrappy lives of the characters, some of whom spend much of their time selling their bodies on a pier just off Christopher Street, once a seedy refuge for those on the fringe.

Jamie (Eve Lindley) and Angela (JP Moraga) pass their idle moments trading funny shade. When Jamie brags that her Upper East Side-chic look is 100 percent authentic, Angela snaps back, I know Chanel dont take food stamps. Presiding over their friendly fracas is Terrence (Victor Almanzar), whose conflicted sexuality  he cannot accept that hes attracted to men  will become a dark theme in the play.
WASHINGTON  Donald J. Trump won the White House after spending a little more than half of what Hillary Clinton did, using a combination of his own money and contributions from donors big and small to fuel a campaign that shattered the modern conventions of money and politics.

The figures for the final weeks of the campaign, released late Thursday, showed that Mr. Trump paid his own companies nearly $12 million over the course of the election  reimbursement for flights, hotel stays, meals and services for him and his staff members, as well as office space in the tower he owns on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. His preferred mode of transportation  his private aircraft  made up the largest chunk of money that went back into Trump entities, $8.7 million.

The figures also show that Mr. Trump put in $65 million of his own cash, well short of the $100 million he had originally promised he would spend on his campaign.

These unusual practices provide a glimpse of the kind of potential conflicts and ethical issues that Mr. Trump will have to resolve as president. The wealthiest man ever elected president, Mr. Trump is already facing calls from government ethics officials to sever ties to his vast real estate and financial holdings around the world. He is resisting so far, raising the possibility that he could enter office with a virtually unknowable number of personal entanglements that is without precedent.
WASHINGTON  President-elect Donald J. Trumps transition team has circulated an unusual 74-point questionnaire at the Department of Energy that requests the names of all employees and contractors who have attended climate change policy conferences, as well as emails and documents associated with the conferences.

In question after question, the document peppers Energy Department managers with pointed queries about climate science research, clean energy programs and the employees who work for those programs. More broadly, the questionnaire hints at a significant shift of emphasis at the agency toward nuclear power, and a push to commercialize the research of the Energy Departments laboratories, long considered the crown jewels of federal science.

Energy Department employees, who shared the questionnaire with The New York Times and spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, described the questionnaire as worrying. Mr. Trump has just tapped Scott Pruitt, the attorney general of Oklahoma and a climate change denialist, to head the Environmental Protection Agency, and the president-elect has made it clear he intends to roll back eight years of regulatory efforts by President Obama that aimed to control planet-warming emissions.

The questionnaire suggests the Trump administration plans a witch hunt for civil servants whove simply been doing their jobs, Robert Weissman, president of the watchdog group Public Citizen, said in a statement. Democrats and Republicans alike should unite to condemn any action that intimidates, threatens or retaliates against civil servants for lawfully doing their jobs.
WASHINGTON  Senate Democrats on Friday relented in their flirtation with a government shutdown over a dispute about health care benefits for coal miners, and with less than an hour before the midnight deadline, the Senate approved a measure to fund the government through April.

The partys willingness to take the nation to the brink of a government shutdown signaled its intention, just weeks after its election drubbing in Rust Belt states, to quickly leverage the sorts of issues that propelled Donald J. Trump to victory.

The House on Thursday passed a short-term spending bill that would keep the government open through late April and extend through that month health care benefits for retired miners who were set to lose them at the end of the year. But Democrats wanted those benefits to last for a year, and slowed down voting on the measure with the threat of rejecting the bill.

We never intended to shut down the government, Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, the incoming minority leader, said on the Senate floor Friday evening. He added, I think weve made our point.
Rex W. Tillerson, the president and chief executive of Exxon Mobil, has emerged as President-elect Donald J. Trumps top choice to become secretary of state, according to a person with direct knowledge of the search process.

The news is the latest turn in what has become the most extended drama of Mr. Trumps transition effort, with a rotating cast of seeming front-runners to become Americas top diplomat. Choosing Mr. Tillerson would add to a long list of wealthy businesspeople in high-ranking Trump administration posts.

As Exxons top official, Mr. Tillerson has extensive experience working with foreign leaders. Some of his foreign relationships, especially those with Russia, could come under particular scrutiny during a Senate confirmation hearing.
President-elect Donald J. Trump boasted throughout the presidential campaign of his loyalty as a singular quality. Folks, look, Im a loyal person, Mr. Trump said at a CNN town hall in April, explaining why he would not rid his campaign of a staff member who was under fire.

Loyalty appears to be paramount for Mr. Trump, until it isnt.

Some of Mr. Trump's earliest supporters  among them Rudolph W. Giuliani, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee  have not fared well in the job sweepstakes. On top of that, they have been left in the December cold while Mitt Romney, a leader of the never Trump movement, has been wooed by the president-elects advisers for secretary of state.

It kind of reminds me of the Reagan administration, said Roger Stone, a long-serving informal adviser to Mr. Trump who met with him at Trump Tower last week. We used to have a running joke where it was news if somebody who supported Reagan got a job.
Residents on the nations coasts and along inland waterways have assessed storm damage and wondered if they should relocate  a painful and fairly uncommon form of hazard mitigation known as retreat.

Here, the consideration has a wrenching historical dimension. This is where a freed slave, Turner Prince, established Freedom Hill in 1865, which became Princeville 20 years later, a town where extended families have proudly lived for generations. And many of them are determined to rebuild.

This stretch along the Tar River is no stranger to flooding, and some say that it is probably the reason that African-Americans were able to settle the land in the first place. White landowners in the 19th century did not want it.

Their existence in this space was not a matter of chance or choice, but instead the discarded and unwanted space was what former slaveholders allowed them to occupy, Richard M. Mizelle, Jr., an associate professor of history at the University of Houston, wrote earlier this year, tying Princevilles location to environmental racism  the relegation of black people to flood-prone land and hazardous areas that expose them to greater levels of pollution.

But many people are proud of what they have built here, and how it has endured. The freed slaves made it what it is, said Mayor Bobbie Jones, 55, who wants the levee improved and opposes the buyouts and hopes residents who want to leave will first seek private buyers, perhaps like himself.
DAKAR, Senegal  The fate of the presidency in Gambia took a peculiar turn Friday night when the longtime incumbent appeared on state television to announce that he was rejecting the results of last weeks vote that ousted him. He also called for new elections.

Seated in front of microphones and between two flags, President Yahya Jammeh rattled off accusations of voter irregularities, from transposed numbers in tabulations to missing numbers that he said left in question the results of the election that handed the presidency to Adama Barrow.

I hereby reject the results in totality, said Mr. Jammeh, who has been in office for 22 years. I will not accept the results.

Mr. Jammeh, who first came to power during a coup, said he wanted fresh and transparent elections, which will be officiated by a God-fearing and independent electoral commission.
Under the plan, all Canadian provinces must have an initial minimum carbon price  set by either a tax on fossil fuels or a cap-and-trade system  of 10 Canadian dollars per metric ton, or about $7.60. Over the next five years, the price would rise to 50 Canadian dollars per metric ton, or about $38. Mr. Trudeau acknowledged on Friday that the price set by the plan would not be sufficient to meet Canadas commitments under the Paris climate accord.

As expected, the conservative government in Saskatchewan balked at signing the agreement. Brad Wall, its premier, said that while his province planned to significantly reduce emissions, a carbon price would make its farms, mines and oil industry uncompetitive. On Friday he said that was now particularly true if the incoming administration of Donald J. Trump pulled the United States out of its carbon reduction commitments.

Lets not be naive, Mr. Wall said.

Mr. Trudeau dismissed concerns about Canada being at an economic disadvantage relative to the United States.

Canadian climate policies will be set by Canadians, not by whoever happens to be president of the United States, he said.

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who was in Ottawa on Friday, tried to assuage concerns about Mr. Trumps approach to climate issues when he addressed the leaders.
TOKYO  When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said this week that he would visit Pearl Harbor with President Obama, news organizations around the world reported that the visit would be the first ever by a Japanese premier to the naval base that his country attacked in 1941.

But it seems that the Japanese foreign ministry was incorrect about the trip being a historic first. Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida stopped in Hawaii in 1951 on his way home to Tokyo from San Francisco, where he had signed a treaty to normalize relations between Japan and most of the victorious Allies of World War II.

During his brief time on the island of Oahu, he paid a formal visit to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, a mountaintop shrine dedicated to American war dead, and, it now appears, made a less public stop at Pearl Harbor.

A search of Japanese newspaper archives turned up a 1951 dispatch from the daily Yomiuri Shimbun. The newspaper reported that the premier had indeed gone to the American naval base at Pearl Harbor.
Russia and other oil producers agreed on Saturday to join OPEC nations in a rare, coordinated reduction in oil output meant to lift petroleum prices and revenues to shore up their sagging government budgets.

The agreement on Saturday, reached at OPEC headquarters in Vienna, was the latest attempt by producers led by Saudi Arabia to adjust output in an effort to influence crude markets. The oil-producing nations outside the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed to cuts of 558,000 barrels per day, according to a statement after the meeting.

While the deal is eye-catching, it follows months of unrestrained production increases. Analysts said it could be difficult to precisely monitor just how much oil producers are pumping, and that countries like Russia have rarely shown a willingness to cut production or to cooperate with others. It may all come to seem an optical illusion, said Bhushan Bahree, an OPEC analyst at IHS Markit, a research firm.

The cuts, if carried out, will amount to only around 2 percent of the overall global oil market. But they are likely to be perceived as significant by oil traders because the worlds two largest exporters, Saudi Arabia and Russia, are involved.
Mr. Kolton got the bright idea of manufacturing his line to Apples market-busting specifications. He flew to Cupertino, Calif., and made the pitch. He figured he would be one of many entrepreneurs with Apple in mind, but that was not the case.

The market got more crowded after Beats by Dr. Dre, founded by Andre Young, known as Dr. Dre, and the music producer and executive Jimmy Iovine, introduced its first $300 headphones in 2008.

Before Beats, $300 for a headphone was considered an outrageous amount of money to spend, said Jamey Warren, the chief executive of Headphone.com. You could buy a Sennheiser HD 600 over-the-ear headphone for $300. It was considered the worlds best, and it was a stretch for most folks except audiophiles.

Increased demand isnt the only thing fueling the boom. Crowdfunding sites have given potential entrepreneurs new routes to capital, while manufacturing costs have fallen. The 2014 sale of Beats to Apple, for $3 billion, also ushered in a new wave of headphone hopefuls.

Steve Guttenberg, a contributing editor to the digital products review site CNET and a high-fidelity expert, explained how the business has changed.

Thirty years ago, when someone said, I want to make a headphone, he would probably try to make it here in the United States, or he might design it and then get on a plane and say to the people who make headphones in China: Heres the design. Can you execute it? he said. Now, weve eliminated the first two steps. The requirement, quote unquote, is that the person whos running the show knows what it should sound like and look like and feel like and is able to say, Keep showing me your samples until I find it.
In the days after the presidential election, Jessa Blades, an herbalist and makeup artist in Brooklyn who supported Hillary Clinton, was devastated. All I could think to do was blend a tea to control my stress, she said.

Ms. Blades, 37, mixed three pounds of lemon balm, nettle, chamomile, rose and oats together for soothing the nervous system, calming, giving the right amount of boundaries and opening the heart and put it in brown paper bags with love for you and the world written on the front. She gave them out to friends with instructions to use the combination for self-care.

The term self-care has, over the past few years, become part of the vernacular. But what does it mean? I always say its a daily practice, she said. It can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be: making sure you get enough sleep and drink enough water, monthly facials, fermented foods, a meditation app for your phone or packing healthy snacks for the plane.

In recent weeks, though, self-care has often been invoked as a way of dealing with open-ended anxiety.
10. Writing as a long time racing cyclist, this report confirms what many have known for decades, and confirms (for me) the selective, double standard justice that many athletes have faced. Eastern bloc nations have systematically doped their athletes for many decades. This was well known at the time, but the testing science wasnt good enough to prove it with absolute certainty, and international politics made it inconvenient to press the case. While western and US athletes also doped, those cases were (and are) matters of individual choice rather than large scale, state sponsored efforts. Because of this, western athletes were, and are, disproportionately punished when caught. Lance Armstrong had all his Tour de France titles stripped, and is being sued by the US government for over $100 million, while Russian athletes have mostly kept their medals and prize money, and are simply being slapped on the wrist for their offenses. While there is no question that Armstrong doped (he admitted it), he was primarily punished for being a bully and a jerk (which he was).

Perhaps its time for a rethink, and perhaps its time for some equal justice.

 Stevevelo in Milwaukee, reacting to an article about a report by the World Anti-Doping Agency showing that a state-sponsored Russian doping program affected 1,000 athletes in 30 sports.
Bozeman, Mont.  The Statue of Liberty stands on a piece of federal land, but federal doesnt mean it belongs to Washington. This piece of real estate, 15 precious acres known as Liberty Island, lies in Upper New York Bay just west of the state line between New York and New Jersey, but it doesnt belong to New Jersey. Liberty Island is part of Statue of Liberty National Monument, created in increments by three American presidents (beginning with Calvin Coolidge in 1924) using their authority under the Antiquities Act. The National Park Service administers it, but it doesnt belong to that agency. It belongs to a schoolteacher in Vermont, a coal miner in West Virginia, a waitress in Las Vegas, a tattooist in San Francisco, and to you, and to me, and to every other American citizen.

Liberty Island is public land.

Those facts are worth remembering now amid the postelection clamor about shrinking the federal government and  among other constrictions  its role in land stewardship. Sell off the federal lands, some critics urge, or give them away to the states! Unload, transfer to local control, privatize! The 2016 Republican platform instructs Congress to divest certain federally controlled public lands to the states, without specifying which lands, and to amend the Antiquities Act, giving Congress and the states veto power over designation of national monuments.

The loudest individual voice in this argument belongs to Representative Rob Bishop, Republican of Utah and chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, who recently called on Donald J. Trump to abolish national monuments (most notably, Grand Staircase-Escalante, in Utah) created by Presidents Obama and Bill Clinton.

Whether a president has the power to abolish a national monument that was declared by one of his predecessors is questionable. Legal scholars Ive consulted say, not likely, though a final determination would happen in the courts. Whether this incoming president may want to try it is also uncertain. Back in January, Mr. Trump told Field & Stream magazine that he opposed divesting such holdings because I want to keep the lands great, and you dont know what the state is going to do. That particular resolve, if it holds firm, deserves our approval and support. Public lands under federal management, including not just national monuments but also national forests, national parks, national wildlife refuges and other entities, deliver enormous value, of several sorts, to the communal and individual lives of Americans.
Its not as if Donald Trump wants for self-amusement, but still I pity him the apparent end of his search for a secretary of state. He had such a blast with it.

Luminary upon luminary genuflected before him. Oracle upon oracle plumbed the mists of his utterances. (Just met with General Petraeus, he tweeted. Very impressed!) He was the star yet again of a top-rated reality show, this one with the heightened stakes of war and peace  The Apprentice: Armageddon. I assume that Mark Burnett helped to vet the candidates.

In fact I know it, because of something Ive kept secret until now: I was in the running. It was fleeting but electric, and Trump cut me a break, letting me escape media notice by transporting me to Mar-a-Lago in a leaky dinghy at midnight. After a choppy voyage, I made a soggy entrance for my audition  sorry, interview  which consisted of Trumps telling me which countries he already had hotels in and which he wanted to expand to. Then Ivanka swept in, modeling a choker and matching tiara from her jewelry collection, and asked me if I sensed a potential market for them in sub-Saharan Africa.

I jest, but not about the air of absurdity surrounding this previously staid process of selecting someone to be the nations top diplomat. Decades from now well still be talking about Trumps version, which presented a crystalline window into the man himself, revealing the titanic whole of his tortured psyche: the bloated ego, the boundless need, the capriciousness, the obsession with appearances.
Readers discuss the challenges the G.O.P. will face with its promise to replace Obamacare.

To the Editor: Re A G.O.P. Plan on Health Act: Rescind Slowly (front page, Dec. 3):

This article is just the latest indication that health care legislation is going to be a huge problem for Republicans. As the former chief executive of John Hancock Insurance Company, which once sold health insurance, I think it is fair to say that health insurance sold on an individual basis is a difficult proposition no matter how it is done.

If it is sold like any other product, people with pre-existing or chronic conditions will be turned down or will not be able to afford it. If exceptions are made, insurance companies will struggle to make a profit. None of the ideas being trotted out for the replace portion of the repeal and replace have much effect on the basic problem. This is not to say Obamacare is great; it isnt. As one example, the penalty for not buying insurance was much too low. However, the idea of repealing before knowing exactly what will replace it is a recipe for chaos for everyone involved.

Republicans are also spending far too little time on trying to deal with the underlying problem of costs. A couple of suggestions: How about requiring hospitals to publish their prices, and allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices (which Donald Trump backed as a candidate)?

STEPHEN BROWN

Palm Beach, Fla.

To the Editor: This is some of the nuttiest, ill-thought-out political rationalizing I have ever seen. According to this article, Republicans plan to strip out the mandate and tax penalties in Obamacare, leaving the remainder to deal with later.
Like many Standing Rock Lakota, Loretta is from several generations of veterans. Her father, Joseph Grey Day, was awarded a medal as a code talker. The night before, I had been at the first veterans gathering at Sitting Bull tribal college. There, I met Duane Vermillion, a local Marine and Vietnam veteran who was unsurprised that so many veterans were arriving. If a call is put out to ask for help, our friends will answer, he said. Duanes grandfather George Sleeps From Home was also a code talker, and Duanes father served in Korea.

Native Americans have always maintained an outsize presence in the military, serving on a per-capita basis in higher numbers than any other ethnic group. American Indians fought in the Civil War and World War I before we even had citizenship. Many Native Americans volunteered to serve in World War II and Korea before they were included in the Voting Rights Act, and in Vietnam before the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978.

Thats right. In a country founded on religious freedom, Native Americans were not granted the right to legally practice our own religions until 1978.

Since then, indigenous spirituality has become a powerful uniting force. Each tribal nation has its own rituals and observances, but we hold in common the conviction that our earth is a living mystery upon whose tolerance we depend.

In the Missouri Breaks, you feel that presence acutely. But the flat aqua expanse of Lake Oahe in view of the Oceti Sakowin camp is another story. The lake isnt natural, and was forced on tribal people when the Army Corps flooded the fertile bottomlands of the Missouri River. Up north, the project displaced the Hidatsa, Mandan and Arikara people. Down here, the Lakota. After so many other acts of dispossession, it was said that many elders died of broken hearts.

The Black Snake is what Lakota people call the Dakota Access Pipeline. It will extinguish the world. For a people who have endured the end of their way of life so many times, who can doubt the truth of their vision, which coincides with scientific truth about the relationship of fossil fuels to catastrophic climate change?

On Monday, I said goodbye to Loretta, who packed me an egg sandwich. I drove home chased by snow. Along I-94 there were the familiar signs, simple black-and-white admonitions, Be Nice, and Be Polite. It could have been the camp motto. So many young non-Native people have been drawn to this cause. I thought about the spindly girl with wild ringlets, smiling as she served me a plate of wontons and strawberries in the food tent. I worried. Did she have wool socks? A subzero sleeping bag? After a blizzard, there is usually deep cold.
We talked about what it would mean to be the better American he invoked on our call. I said that person would be able to find common cause with people of all backgrounds. Garrys eyes brightened, but he said that it would take time.

I speak for a lot of unspoken people, he told me. Maybe millions of white people who are afraid to admit their racial fears and prejudices. Theyre not bad people. They just dont know how to behave and how to interact with people of different races.

Garry had some advice for me, too. Talk to white people, he said. We need a little bit of guidance. Were not really getting it from our politicians. They want to play one side against the other for votes.

We steered clear of politics in our first few conversations, but after the election, he was eager to talk. Garry saw Mr. Trump as the peddler of all the toxic ideas about people of color that he now avoids on television. (He said watching too much TV is something he has in common with both Mr. Trump and his voters; we did meet, after all, through a C-Span call.) He thinks many Trump voters could benefit from the journey hes taken.

With Mr. Trump headed to the White House, my now-friendship with the racist caller on C-Span seems like a glimpse of a path not taken. Garry makes me believe that even though a man endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan won the majority of white support, people can change. He told me he now notices his own stereotypes and is eager to replace them with something more generous and true about his fellow Americans.

We need conversations like mine and Garrys to happen across the country, outside of politics. Societies that have been through traumas have embarked on racial reconciliation processes; South Africas is the most famous, but there are dozens more. Theres no reason we cant do that here.
In 2008, the city started the Summer Streets program, in which certain roadways were closed to car traffic during parts of weekends. In August, the city tried out its first Shared Streets day in Lower Manhattan, during which cars could drive into the historic zone but were advised by the police upon entering that they should travel no more than five miles per hour.

In Paris, Mayor Hidalgo described her effort to pedestrianize major arteries as an almost philosophical project, which consists of seeing the city in another way than through the use of cars.

Imparting that kind of vision should be fairly simple in New York, a city where auto ownership is expensive and difficult.

But New Yorkers are a stubborn lot, fiercely protective of the familiar. When, in 2009, the Bloomberg administration first proposed putting bike lanes along Prospect Park West, progressive residents of Park Slope were up in arms in protest. (Dont get me wrong, I love bike riding, but 

There is often initial resistance to pedestrianization, said Michael Replogle, former director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy and currently the deputy commissioner for policy at the city Department of of Transportation. In many cities, restaurants and stores have argued that such efforts reduce customer flow and make deliveries difficult. (A number of European cities allow deliveries during off hours.) But Mr. Replogle said there were various solutions to address those concerns, and that studies of pedestrianization generally showed positive economic benefits for restaurants and retail stores.

Theres no city that has tried it that said, No we want to go back to cars,  he said.

Ms. Trottenberg acknowledged that she didnt know of any full-throated program to close Broadway to car traffic at the moment. But she added that the city was continuing to experiment.

In fact, Broadway meets many criteria that typically render pedestrianization a success: The 1, 2 and 3 subway lines offer ample public transportation from top to bottom to serve as an alternative to auto use. And the other north-south avenues, with their synchronized lights, are better for getting up and down Manhattan anyway. Who in their right mind wants to drive on Broadway?
Boulder, Colo.  HERES an ethical dilemma. If you could save your family more than $8,000 next year simply by signing a statement affirming belief in principles you find repugnant, would you?

It sounds absurd. But in fact thats the position Im in this week, thanks to a loophole in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. My health insurance poses a financial hardship to my family. All I have to do to lower my yearly bills by thousands of dollars is use my John Hancock to denounce gay marriage and a womans right to control her reproductive destiny.

By Dec. 15, like many Americans, I need to choose a new health insurance plan for 2017. I am a freelance journalist and editor. My husband runs a small business that pays him a salary but no benefits. We are among the millions of Americans who, under the Affordable Care Act, buy individual insurance through an increasingly expensive and inadequate marketplace. Since the law went into effect, monthly premiums for my family of three have already more than doubled, from $450 a month to $930. (In Colorado, my home state, 2017 rates are on average 20 percent higher than they were in 2016; in some counties that number is 40 percent.) On top of that, high deductibles mean we pay for nearly everything ourselves. In 2016, between monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs, weve spent roughly $20,000 on health care.

Our new plan, the fourth in four years, is being discontinued, so we must again seek new insurance. We dont qualify for federal subsidies. Ive got six months of 2015 insurance premiums accruing interest on a credit card, and a $4,200 bill for a four-hour emergency room visit sits menacingly on my desk. The number of insurers offering individual plans in Colorado, as in many other states, has dwindled; there are now only three companies  Anthem, Cigna and Kaiser  left in our ZIP code. (In 14 Colorado counties, there is only one provider offering plans.) Only one of our longtime doctors participates in any of these 2017 A.C.A.-plan networks.
In the name of eliminating drug crime, President Rodrigo Duterte has plunged the Philippines into a nightmare of brutal slaughter. The police say that since July 1, they have killed more than 2,000 people suspected of drug-related crimes. In addition, more than 3,500 homicides remain unsolved, many at the hands of unknown vigilantes.

During a recent 35-day stay in Manila, Daniel Berehulak of The New York Times photographed 41 murder scenes, with 57 bodies. His powerful report is hard to read and the images are hard to view. But they bring home, in a way mere numbers cannot, the horror being inflicted on a population living in fear that death can strike anyone, at any moment, with impunity.

Even if Mr. Duterte has not directly ordered individual killings, there is no doubt they are being carried out with his approval. Mr. Duterte campaigned on a promise to begin a killing spree to eliminate the countrys drug problem, and he pledged bounties to those who would help. He has defied calls from the United Nations, the United States and the European Union to stop, instead lashing out, calling President Obama a son of a whore and threatening to pull the Philippines out of the United Nations and the International Criminal Court.

Mr. Duterte says he has found a sympathetic ear in President-elect Donald Trump, which, if true, would be deeply shocking. After the two men spoke by phone on Dec. 2, Mr. Duterte claimed Mr. Trump assured him that, as far as the Philippines war on drugs was concerned, we are doing it as a sovereign nation, the right way, and that Mr. Trump wished him well. So far, Mr. Trump, who has business interests in the Philippines, hasnt challenged Mr. Dutertes version of the conversation, leaving the impression that the future president of the United States condones the murderous methods of a strongman.
After Donald Trumps election, some universities echoed with primal howls. Faculty members canceled classes for weeping, terrified students who asked: How could this possibly be happening?

I share apprehensions about President-elect Trump, but I also fear the reaction was evidence of how insular universities have become. When students inhabit liberal bubbles, theyre not learning much about their own country. To be fully educated, students should encounter not only Plato, but also Republicans.

We liberals are adept at pointing out the hypocrisies of Trump, but we should also address our own hypocrisy in terrain we govern, such as most universities: Too often, we embrace diversity of all kinds except for ideological. Repeated studies have found that about 10 percent of professors in the social sciences or the humanities are Republicans.

We champion tolerance, except for conservatives and evangelical Christians. We want to be inclusive of people who dont look like us  so long as they think like us.
WASHINGTON  On any given day, locals flock to Comet Ping Pong, a pizza joint here not far from where I live, to eat, talk and, of course, play Ping-Pong. But last Sunday, a man armed with a military-style assault rifle and a pistol turned up for an entirely different reason: to see for himself whether the restaurant was indeed, as right-wing fake news reports and conspiracy websites have declared, the hub of a vile child sex-slavery ring masterminded by Hillary Clinton.

The absurdity of this story would be laughable if it hadnt led a man to bring a rifle to a restaurant filled with families. And if it hadnt resulted in an army of online terrorists harassing the owner, his employees and others along that block of Connecticut Avenue, accusing them of unspeakable crimes and even issuing death threats.

Ive seen my share of conspiracy theories. My grandfather, who accidentally took a home movie of President John F. Kennedys assassination  now known as the Zapruder film  was implicated in some of the most delusional stories about that event: He had colluded with the C.I.A. to allow his film to be altered just days after the assassination; he had secret ties to Lee Harvey Oswald through a co-worker who later married Oswalds close friend; and, wait for it, he was the one who pulled the trigger through an elaborate gun-as-camera mechanism at the bidding of the Jewish Mafia.

The governments failure, in the historian Art Simons words, to come up with a coherent and believable account of the assassination left many gaps to be filled. While early assassination researchers performed a valuable function by making important information public, later conspiracy theorists relied on association and innuendo and cherry-picked details to build increasingly wild narratives.
Winston Churchill was ebullient; he thought it was all over at last. On the evening of Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, hosting a small birthday dinner at Chequers, the prime ministers country retreat, for Kathleen Harriman, the daughter of the American diplomat W. Averell Harriman, Churchill heard the news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor from the BBC. At this very moment I knew the United States was in the war, up to the neck and in to the death, he wrote in his war memoirs. So we had won after all! After standing alone against Berlin since the German invasion of Poland on the first day of September 1939, struggling to engage an isolationist America, Churchill slept the sleep of the saved and thankful.

So the prevailing story of World War II goes even now, 75 years later. The attack on Pearl Harbor, an occasion of ceremonial remembrance commemorated once more last week, propelled the United States into the global contest against Japanese imperialism and European totalitarianism; within four years a once-isolationist America would achieve a superpower status from which it has yet to fall.

Yet the reality, as usual, is more complicated. The story of Americas entry into World War II three-quarters of a century ago offers us a window into the contingencies of history and the perennial risk that the nations isolationist tendencies  tendencies once more evident in our politics as the president-elect of the United States in 2016 revives the old slogan America First  can be durably potent even in moments of existential crisis.

In reaction to the bloodshed of World War I and to the cataclysm of the Great Depression  a global phenomenon  the United States spent the interwar years deeply skeptical of engagement overseas. Constricted by neutrality acts produced by isolationist sentiment and by the popular agitation of groups such as America First, Franklin D. Roosevelt was forced to maneuver carefully as the Nazi threat grew in Europe. For 27 months, from the invasion of Poland through the Battle of Britain, the fall of France, the U-boat war in the Atlantic and Hitlers invasion of the Soviet Union, America was the most reluctant of warriors.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Armen Papikyan on December 8 had a meeting with Director-General for American and European affairs of the Foreign Ministry of Indonesia Muhammad Anshor on the sidelines of Bali Democracy Forum IX in the city of Nusa Dua, press service of the Armenian MFA told Armenpress.

At the meeting the sides discussed in detail a number of issues related to the bilateral relations agenda, as well as the process of implementation of agreements reached during Armenian FM Edward Nalbandians visit to Jakarta on November 1, 2016. They reaffirmed the necessity on deepening and strengthening the bilateral ties and welcomed the existing positive dynamics.

They also attached importance to the activity of the Armenian Embassy in Jakarta. In this context, Deputy Foreign Minister Papikyan expressed hope that Indonesias leadership will soon consider the issue of opening their Embassy in Yerevan based on the principle of reciprocity and stated that this step will give a new impetus to the development of bilateral relations.

In his turn, Muhammad Anshor expressed gratitude for participating in the Bali Democracy Forum IX and said this meeting is a good chance to discuss the issues of bilateral agenda.

The sides also discussed the situation in the Middle East and the developments in the Southeast Asia.
It's that time again! Jim Cramer rang the lightning round bell, which means he gave his take on caller favorite stocks at rapid speed:



BP PLC (London Stock Exchange: BP.-GB): "BP, no. Look, it's not bad. It's just I like growth in the dividend."

Paychex Inc (NASDAQ: PAYX): "Trump stock. Simple enough."

Wendy's Co (NASDAQ: WEN): "I've been liking Wendy's for a long time and I'm not relenting one bit! I'll throw in McDonald's and let me give you an actionalertsplus.com name Panera. New Labor Department secretary has a different idea about labor than the previous guy."

PayPal Holdings (NASDAQ: PYPL): "Under $40 I like the stock. It has not had an ability to be able to pass $40. People are buying all of the real bank stocks now. They're buying the 'first national bank of Trump' a.ka. Bank of America."

Petroleo Brasileiro (Sao Paulo Stock Exchange: PETR'-BR): "The Brazilian government changed, the real got stronger and all I can say is you know what, not bad."

TransCanada Corporation (Grey Market: TCANF): "Trump stock. I mean, really! I like the stock very much."



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Donald Trump understood at least one thing better than almost everybody watching the 2016 election: The breakdown of a shared public reality built upon widely accepted facts represented not a hazard, but an opportunity.

The institutions that once generated and reaffirmed that shared reality  including the church, the government, the news media, the universities and labor unions  are in various stages of turmoil or even collapse. Because Mr. Trump himself has little regard for facts, it was easy for him to capitalize on this situation. But even as Americans gobble up fake news, there is the sense that something crucial has been lost. A North Carolina man told The Times that while he regularly clicked on links to stories claiming that Hillary Clinton was indicted or that Mexico built a wall along its southern border, he missed the days when Walter Cronkite delivered the news to the nation.

Hes not alone; it was different then. Americans knew that whatever they were hearing on the news, their neighbors were hearing, too. Cable TV fractured that shared experience, and then social media made it easier for Americans to curl up in cozy, angry or self-righteous cocoons.

The rise of social media has been great in many ways. In a media environment with endless inputs and outlets, citizens can inform and entertain one another, organize more easily and hold their leaders accountable. But it also turns out that when everyone can customize his or her own information bubble, its easier for demagogues to deploy made-up facts to suit the story they want to tell.
Mr. Martin, the retired teacher, who attended the conference, also didnt care for the Nazi-like salutes, calling them very foolish. But he suggested that most of those raising their arms were using the salute as their version of the middle finger  a defiant gesture to the media, to the Trump haters, to everybody they feel alienated from.

Indeed, the movement has the feel of a dispossessed youth rising up. Hours of interviews with young alt-right leaders suggest a pattern toward their white-nationalist radicalization. Seeing domestic and global strife often rooted in racial and ethnic differences. Finding validation from like-minded people on the internet. Hearing a major presidential candidate echo their grievances.

The political establishment has made an entire generation of young white men and women into fascists, and thats a beautiful thing! said Matthew Heimbach, 25, who runs the Traditionalist Worker Party out of his trailer in Indiana. His group advocates replacing the United States with nation-states based on races, ethnicities and religions.

In Northern California, a university student, felon and Marine veteran, Nathan Damigo, oversees a group called Identity Evropa, which he described as a fraternity of mostly young, college-educated men who celebrate European heritage  that is, an embrace of white identity and a rejection of multicultural coexistence.

Ever conscious of the importance of marketing, Mr. Damigo, 30, pointed out that Identity Evropas website looks completely mainstreamed. And it does, featuring men in business suits who also happen to be sporting the Hitler Youth-style haircut.

But for all the fresh approaches  the slick marketing, the internet savviness  the message remains the same. It is one of separation, of supremacy, of a refusal to recognize the equal worth of others who do not have the same skin tone or share the same religion.

The ascension of the alt-right has lifted some familiar names from the muck of the past, including David Duke, the white nationalist, Holocaust denier and former Louisiana state representative whose national profile has been resurrected.

When a reporter telephoned him recently to discuss the alt-right movement, Mr. Duke wasted little time with a question of his own: Are you Jewish?
WASHINGTON  A group of Holocaust survivors and their families notched a crucial victory on Friday, as Congress approved legislation that would make it easier to reclaim art confiscated during World War II.

The unanimous vote  which came during a late-night session as the Senate worked to pass a spending bill to avert a government shutdown and wrap up its business for the year  was the culmination of a bipartisan effort to help victims whose art was taken by the Nazis and their allies. The House passed the bill on Wednesday.

Should President Obama sign it into law, as expected, the measure would loosen, and standardize across the country, the statute of limitations on claims for the return of looted art. Survivors and their families would have six years to make a claim after identifying pieces taken from them and proving their right to them.

The legislation is considered a critical tool as Holocaust survivors and their heirs have faced a bureaucratic and legal tangle of governments, museums and collectors to recover art taken from them more than 70 years ago. In many cases, the works are now in museums or private collections, complicating the fight over ownership.
This is markedly different from the approach that party leaders have taken over the last eight years, when President Obama defined the party from top to bottom with his personality and policies. Instead, Democrats intend to focus on a sparer agenda of bread-and-butter priorities that can win support from both liberal and moderate officeholders  and appeal to voters just as much in red states as along the two coasts.

Inflation F.A.Q. Card 1 of 5 What is inflation? Inflation is a loss of purchasing power over time, meaning your dollar will not go as far tomorrow as it did today. It is typically expressed as the annual change in prices for everyday goods and services such as food, furniture, apparel, transportation and toys. What causes inflation? It can be the result of rising consumer demand. But inflation can also rise and fall based on developments that have little to do with economic conditions, such as limited oil production and supply chain problems. Is inflation bad? It depends on the circumstances. Fast price increases spell trouble, but moderate price gains can lead to higher wages and job growth. How does inflation affect the poor? Inflation can be especially hard to shoulder for poor households because they spend a bigger chunk of their budgets on necessities like food, housing and gas. Can inflation affect the stock market? Rapid inflation typically spells trouble for stocks. Financial assets in general have historically fared badly during inflation booms, while tangible assets like houses have held their value better.









Beyond that, they expect wide variance in how officeholders handle Mr. Trump and his agenda, from moderates who seek out accommodation to blue-state leaders who pursue total war. Their emerging message is likely to focus on protecting Medicare and Social Security, attacking income inequality and political corruption, and blocking legislation that might restrict access to health care.

The first salvo in the fight will be over Mr. Trumps pick of Representative Tom Price of Georgia, a vocal supporter of privatizing Medicare, as secretary of health and human services: The Democrats at Ms. Heitkamps dinner discussed how to highlight and, potentially, block Mr. Prices appointment, according to an attendee.

Many Democrats, especially those from the partys more liberal wing, see significant reasons for optimism about their political prospects in the medium and long terms. Though Mr. Trump prevailed in the Electoral College, he did so thanks to the slimmest of margins in three states  Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin  and he lost the popular vote nationally by nearly three million votes.

With the country growing more urban and racially diverse, Democrats like their chances in the 2020 presidential race, when nonwhite voters are likely to make up more than 30 percent of the electorate for the first time in history. Even in Mrs. Clintons defeat, the countrys changing hue helped her come closer than any Democrat in decades to flipping Arizona and Georgia, two traditional Republican bastions.

But before the next presidential race, Democrats must navigate a treacherous landscape of midterm elections. They must defend 10 Senate seats in states Mr. Trump won, many of them in the Rust Belt and the West. And unless they break the Republican lock on state governments by winning governorships in a handful of big states, like Wisconsin and Ohio, they may be unable to prevent Republicans from continuing to draw congressional maps that favor their candidates.
With the partisan emotions on both sides  Mr. Trumps supporters see a plot to undermine his presidency, and Mrs. Clintons supporters see a conspiracy to keep her from the presidency  the result is an environment in which even those basic facts become the basis for dispute.

Mr. Trumps team lashed out at the agencies after The Washington Post reported that the C.I.A. believed that Russia had intervened to undercut Mrs. Clinton and lift Mr. Trump, and The New York Times reported that Russia had broken into Republican National Committee computer networks just as they had broken into Democratic ones, but had released documents only on the Democrats.

For months, the president-elect has strenuously rejected all assertions that Russia was working to help him, though he did at one point invite Russia to find thousands of Mrs. Clintons emails. There is no evidence that the Russian meddling affected the outcome of the election or the legitimacy of the vote, but Mr. Trump and his aides want to shut the door on any such notion, including the idea that Mr. Putin schemed to put him in office.

Instead, Mr. Trump casts the issue as an unknowable mystery. It could be Russia, he recently told Time magazine. And it could be China. And it could be some guy in his home in New Jersey.

The Republicans who lead the congressional committees overseeing intelligence, the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security take the opposite view. They say that Russia was behind the election meddling, but that the scope and intent of the operation need deep investigation, hearings and public reports.

One question they may want to explore is why the intelligence agencies believe that the Republican networks were compromised while the F.B.I., which leads domestic cyberinvestigations, has apparently told Republicans that it has not seen evidence of that breach. Senior officials say the intelligence agencies conclusions are not being widely shared, even with law enforcement.
NEW DELHI  The governing party of the southern state of Tamil Nadu said on Saturday that nearly 300 of its followers had committed suicide or died of shock and despair upon learning of the death of the partys leader, Jayalalithaa Jayaram.

Ms. Jayaram, 68, a former movie star known to her admirers as Amma, or Mother, died on Monday night of cardiac arrest after dominating state politics for four decades and serving five times as the states chief minister.

A party spokesman, Chinnakutti Ponnaiyan, said reports continued to come in from far-flung regions about followers who had committed suicide or died when they heard the news of Ms. Jayarams death.

These deaths are a mixture, Mr. Ponnaiyan said. Unable to bear the shock, people have committed suicide, people took poison, cardiac arrest also. People jumped into wells and died.
JAKARTA, Indonesia  The Indonesian police said on Saturday that they had safely detonated a bomb in a neighborhood on the outskirts of Jakarta and had arrested four people accused of planning an attack on the presidential palace this weekend, including a woman suspected of being a would-be suicide bomber.

The thwarted plot was likely to cause particular concern in Indonesia because of the possibility that women with links to militant networks are now being recruited into more active roles, including planning and carrying out attacks.

This marks a new chapter of terrorism in Indonesia, where the suicide bombing was to be carried out by a woman, a terrorism analyst, Ridwan Habib, said in an interview with Indonesian TV.

People living within a 300-yard radius of a boardinghouse where the pressure-cooker bomb was found were evacuated during the police operation.
We called it the Yonsei Beach Club. It convened the last time South Koreans exploded in protest and forced a government to capitulate, in 1987, when a small band of reporters and photographers would assemble to chronicle the daily demonstrations by students at Yonsei University in Seoul.

Then as now, mass protest was a powerful weapon deployed by enraged citizens who felt they had nowhere else to turn but the streets. Thirty years later, its clear how far Korean democracy has advanced. Then, South Korea was a dictatorship, protests were outlawed and the threat of torture, imprisonment and martial law ever-present.

The emblem of the Beach Club was a gas mask, because the throngs of riot police in Darth Vader masks lobbed tear gas canisters at students whose weapons were moral force, rocks and homemade firebombs.

Students have long been at the vanguard of South Koreas robust history of protest, drawing on deep-rooted Confucian traditions that elevated scholars as guardians of morality. They helped topple a government in 1960 and rebelled in the southern city of Kwangju in 1980, only to be massacred by a military junta led by Chun Doo-hwan, who later made himself president.
URUMQI, China  The regional government of Chinas far western region of Xinjiang, which has grappled with ethnic violence, has put into effect strict regulations that punish people for spreading false information online.

The regulations appear to be aimed at criminalizing people living in Xinjiang who make online postings about ethnic conflict or tensions, as well as related violence and terrorism.

In recent years, Xinjiang and central government officials have said they are concerned about the spread of online material that might incite attacks by citizens. In areas of Xinjiang where there is a significant population of ethnic Uighurs, there have been notable incidents of violence, including here in Urumqi, the regional capital.

In 2009, ethnic rioting in Urumqi resulted in about 200 deaths  officials said most of the victims were ethnic Han, the dominant group in China  and a harsh security crackdown on Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking people who mostly practice Sunni Islam. Since then, violence has flared in southern oasis towns in Xinjiang, with Chinese officials attributing much of the bloodshed to religious extremists or separatists.
(Adds details on proposal, background)

SAO PAULO, Dec 9 (Reuters) - A group of creditors of Brazil's struggling phone operator Oi SA, including export credit insurers and banks, plans to present to the company in the next two weeks a new restructuring proposal.

The group, represented by FTI Consulting Canada ULC, Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. and Quiroga Advogados, said in a statement that it is in talks with the Sawiris Group and bondholders represented by Moelis & Co for an alternative restructuring plan for Oi.

Oi, Brazil's forth largest wireless carrier, went into bankruptcy protection last June. Its 65.4 billion-real ($19.2 billion) case is the largest ever in Brazil.

The company presented in September a reorganization proposal that was badly received by creditors, who said it favored shareholders at their expense.

The group of creditors working on the new plan, which includes China Development Bank Corporation, said the Sawiris Group could be a potential strategic investor in Oi as a result of the new proposal.

Oi's Chief Executive Officer Marco Schroeder said this week that management plans to meet major creditor groups and potential bidders as early as next week in a bid to accelerate efforts to help the company emerge from the bankruptcy protection.

Schroeder said Oi's main shareholders and management are "more open" to scrapping a proposed three-year restriction on creditors swapping part of their debt for equity, which Oi included in the September proposal.

Brazil's government has threatened to intervene in the case if the rift between the company, its shareholders and creditors persists.

(Reporting by Aluisio Alves and Marcelo Teixeira; editing by Lisa Shumaker, Bernard Orr)
A number of indigenous groups also oppose the project, saying it infringes on the traditional hunting, fishing and trapping rights guaranteed in an 1899 treaty and protected in the Canadian Constitution. While three indigenous groups have signed cooperation agreements with BC Hydro, others remain defiant, saying the dam reservoir would submerge ancient burial grounds, contaminate fish and flood more than 13,000 acres, affecting land they have long relied upon for holding ceremonies, hunting food and gathering medicinal plants.

This land is our church, our supermarket and our pharmacy, said Roland Willson, chief of the West Moberly First Nation, one of two indigenous groups who filed legal challenges against Site C.

The project took on national significance under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who called treaty rights a sacred obligation that Canada must uphold. During his campaign last year, Mr. Trudeau promised a renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with Canadas indigenous peoples.

But this summer, the federal government granted permits that authorized BC Hydro to escalate the project. After indigenous groups sought a judicial review, the federal government claimed it was not legally obligated to consider the issue of treaty rights relating to Site C, and demanded that the groups prove their case in court, a process that experts said would most likely not conclude before the flooding occurred in 2024.

This isnt reconciliation, and its certainly not just or fair, said Craig Benjamin, an indigenous rights campaigner for Amnesty International, which has called for a halt to Site C.

Mr. Benjamin sees a more serious problem for Canadian democracy in the governments response. That abuse of authority gets embedded into the system, he said. When you do that enough times for the rights of indigenous people, how badly does that warp the rights of all Canadians?
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey  When Kurdish officials here in Diyarbakir, the biggest Kurdish city in the world, say theyve been unavoidably detained, it is not just an excuse for lateness.

Even before I arrived, the co-mayors, Gultan Kisanak and Firat Anli, were jailed on terrorism charges that rights groups say are trumped up. Interviews in prison are not possible because, officially, foreign journalists are barred from the city.

Ahmet Turk, 74, a Kurd despite his name and the venerable mayor of another Kurdish city, Mardin, was out of jail at the moment. But his press officer, Enver Ete, said that it would be hard to arrange an interview: We cant give a time since so many people are getting arrested we cant foresee what will happen.

Kamuran Yuksek, a Kurdish politician, was on the phone with a reporter when he was detained briefly  just after being released from five months in prison.
BEIRUT, Lebanon  Islamic State fighters appeared close to retaking Palmyra, Syria, on Saturday, just nine months after Syrian government forces drove them from the desert city, where they had terrorized residents and blown up irreplaceable ancient monuments.

Residents said Islamic State militants were battling soldiers in the citys center, after retaking outlying oil fields and nearly encircling the city over the past week as the government and its allies were focused on a pivotal battle in Aleppo, further north.

Losing Palmyra for a second time would be a major symbolic and military blow for the Syrian government, which touted its reconquest of the city in March, after 10 months of Islamic State rule.

Russia, the governments main ally, which had helped with air support and advisers, flew an orchestra to play a victory concert in Palmyras ancient amphitheater that month.
BEIRUT, Lebanon  He had long been one of the more optimistic anti-government residents of the besieged, rebel-held section of Aleppo, trying to buoy others spirits even as loyalist forces closed in. But as the Syrian Army and allied militias took more and more territory in an apparently decisive offensive during the week, Yasser Hmeish, an accountant for the local medical council, grew frantic.

Soldiers seized his neighborhood on Wednesday while he worked at a clinic blocks away. Several of Mr. Hmeishs neighbors were brought into the clinic wounded, but died before he could ask what had happened to his family.

I dont know anything, anything about them, Mr. Hmeish said in an audio message, in one of scores of exchanges we had with people inside east Aleppo as the offensive unfolded. We are about to die or be arrested.

After years of bombing and months under siege, rebels had lost more than three-quarters of their territory in eastern Aleppo by the end of the week, throwing thousands of civilians and fighters into chaos. We followed the events in real time from Beirut, monitoring social media and talking via WhatsApp, Skype, telephone and other media with doctors, fighters, housewives, local council members, antigovernment activists, aid workers and others, including on the government side. All were people we had gotten to know through years of covering Syrias bloody civil war.
By Arno Schuetze and Oliver Hirt

FRANKFURT/ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus Aircraft is considering listing its shares in an initial public offering next year which could value the firm at around 3 billion Swiss francs (2.34 billion pound), according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Plans are at an early stage with Pilatus talking to bankers, although no institutions have yet been appointed to work on the flotation which could come in the second half of 2017, one of the sources said.

Pilatus is considering the flotation in order to raise funds for the production of its new PC-24 business jet, the source added.

The company has said first deliveries are due to be made to clients in the final quarter of 2017 and the aircraft is the first business jet which can take off from and land on short, unprepared runways.

The ultimate timing of the IPO will depend on market conditions, the other source said.

Pilatus declined to comment on a possible IPO.

Shares in other large listed planemakers trade at 13.4 to 20.5 times earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), implying that if Pilatus is able to fetch a similar multiple, the company could be worth between 2.6 billion and 3.9 billion francs.

Pilatus makes civilian and military aircraft and had sales totalling 1.12 billion francs in 2015 and a workforce of 1,905 employees.

The IPO would be a mixture of current owners selling some shares and the company issuing new stock, one source said.

Pilatus has said it does not disclose its owners but one major stakeholder is IHAG Holding, which is related to Oerlikon-Buehrle, Pilatus's founder.

(Additional reporting and writing by Joshua Franklin in Zurich; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
An argument over the leadership of William Hagen, an Orange resident who is the state grand dragon of the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, may have led to his suspected stabbing of a man last week in North Carolina, according to court records.

Caswell County Sheriffs Department deputies arrested Hagen, 50, who also goes by the name of Will Quigg, and Christopher Eugene Barker, 37, of East Yancyville, N.C., in connection with the Saturday stabbing of 47-year-old Richard Dillon of Hammond, Indiana.

The incident occurred at Barkers home, according to investigators.

Hagen was arrested on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury. Barker, the imperial wizard or national leader of the Loyal White Knights, was arrested on suspicion of felony aiding and abetting.

Hagen gained national attention after he was injured during a melee caught on video with counter-protesters during a February KKK rally in Anaheim.

On Saturday, Dillon, after being treated for two stab wounds to the chest and one to his right thumb, went to the Caswell County Sheriffs Office to report the incident, according to a probable cause statement in support of a search warrant of Barkers home.

Dillon told investigators he was visiting Barkers home as part of a KKK rally. It was there that Dillon said he got into an argument with Hagen over a past KKK conference call after the Anaheim protest, about how Hagen was operating the Klan in California, the statement says.

Mr. Dillon stated that he was sitting in the dining area of the residence with Mr. Hagen and Mr. Barker drinking and talking, says the probable cause statement. The previous argument Mr. Dillon and Mr. Hagen had was later brought up again, which resulted in another argument.

Dillon told investigators Hagen eventually stood up, took out a fixed-blade knife and stabbed him.

Mr. Dillon advised that after being stabbed, he was able to fight off Mr. Hagen, the statement says. He was then struck by Mr. Barker.

Dillon was eventually able to flee the house, get into his vehicle and drive away.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7767 sschwebke@scng.com Twitter: @thechalkoutline
Ezra McPhillips, 9, of San Clemente, lights her candle with the help of brother Dax as mother Amy looks on during a candlelight memorial at the Angel of Hope statue at El Toro Memorial Park in Lake Forest in Lake Forest Tuesday. Every year, hundreds in attendance quietly mourn together, remembering and honoring the children they lost too soon. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
CYPRESS  Theyd already lost their father, a towering, almost mythical figure horse owner Mark Brown once called the John Wayne of the racing world.

Now, these two daughters werent about to lose their fathers legacy, not about to let go of that very world, the one Blane Schvaneveldt ruled from beneath the giant cowboy hat that fit him like a kings crown.

Just the thought of not having this barn, with his signs and his tarps, having all that go away, it was more than we could even do, Shonna Smith says. It was just so hard to lose him. We couldnt lose more.

Oh, theyve lost in the six years since Schvaneveldt passed suddenly, at age 76, of complications from a heart arrhythmia.

Theyve lost owners, horses and money.

Lost races and sleep.

Lost  faced with no other options and with mounting expenses  employees who had to be let go.

But the one thing they havent lost is the spirit of the beloved trainer who won an estimated $55 million in purses and more than 5,000 races during a career that landed him in two halls of fame.

So, on Sunday, in the culmination of a feel-good, bounce-back year, the Blane Schvaneveldt Ranch will saddle Kissed By An Eagle in the headlining Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

I think hed be proud of what weve been able to do, says Brenda Schvaneveldt Figueroa, Blanes other daughter who manages the operation. I think hes looking down right now and smiling.

Theyve won 18 races this year, including, in August, the 100th since Blanes death.

In April, there was a 19-start stretch during which they had eight winners. Their trainer, Rafael Orozco, has spent much of 2016 among the tracks statistical leaders.

And with each triumph has come more mentions of Blane Schvaneveldt by the public relations department at Los Alamitos and the on-air talent at TVG, the legacy undeniably living on.

The success has marked a notable comeback in a sport that has a win, a place and a show, yet still has many more entries that finish far out of the money.

If they turned the races around, we would have had so many firsts because we were running so many lasts, says Brenda, smiling now at the struggles in recent years. There have been a lot of tears shed trying to keep this going.

Where they once had 30 horses stabled at this track, they today have 13. Where the 70-acre ranch in Romoland once had a staff of 40, there today is just a single employee.

As owners, the two sisters along with their mother, Shirley, rely heavily on Orozco and groom Guillermo Macias, both of whom began working for Blane as teenagers, more than 30 years ago.

The two men are fixtures here, toiling in and around the barns small, square office that remains unchanged from the way Blane left it in the summer of 2010, the walls still decorated with photos of family, friends and champion horses.

The stable also has benefitted from the continued commitment of owners like Mark and Peggy Brown, Abigail Kawananakoa and George and Judy Weldon, horse racing not unlike auto racing in that you need the right class of vehicle in order to be competitive.

It is fitting that a team of five runs a business once controlled mostly by just a single individual, an individual hall of fame horseman Jack Van Berg once said may have been the best trainer to ever put his hands on a horse.

At Los Alamitos alone, Blane Schvaneveldt won 3,982 races and 38 training titles, this track every October staging a handicap that bears his name.

The American Quarter Horse Association inaugurated a title for champion trainer in 1985. Schvaneveldt won it the first year  and each of the next 11 years.

Finding Blane at any track generally wasnt difficult. Look for the largest crowd and then for the man standing in the middle.

Wherever he went, people just followed him, Shonna Smith says. People wanted to get as close as they could. They wanted to hear the stories.

She remembers attending the 2008 Kentucky Derby, the world of thoroughbreds, and being amazed at how many people spoke glowingly of the quarter horse king.

Hall of fame jockey Mike Smith, in fact, was so delighted to meet the daughter of the Blane Schvaneveldt that he invited Shonna and her party to a gathering being hosted by Gary Stevens, another hall of fame jockey.

And here, she had arrived in Louisville fully prepared to, if necessary, name-drop Bob Baffert, a friend from the early days at Los Alamitos.

On Sunday, breaking from post position seven in the Two Million Futurity will be Kissed By An Eagle, running under the royal blue and white colors made familiar by Blane Schvaneveldt, his name, like his legacy, still alive, still racing.

This remains the family business, two daughters honoring the father they miss so dearly by trying to bring him more success, even if hes already one of the sports most successful figures.

If you win, the highs only stay until the next morning, until you eat your doughnuts, Brenda says. Then its back to, Oh, no, how are we going to pay for our feed this week? This is a really tough business.

A tough business, sure, but one that sometimes produces the tenderest of stories.

Contact the writer: jmiller@scng.com
Few people outside the artist community know about the Advertising Arts Building, tucked at the end of a Santa Ana cul-de-sac by railroad tracks and a busy downtown underpass, behind a forested hill and barbed wire fence.

The old wood and brick two-story building has loftlike workspaces for a couple of dozen artists, some of whom work irregular day and night hours. The building periodically hosts gallery showings and music events.

An airplane tail artistically juts out of the exterior. Inside, small canvas paintings hang along white hallways with fire extinguishers, a sprinkler system and security cameras. The common areas are tidy, as is a large, stained table used for projects.

This building is amazing  I love it here, said Barbara Godoy, 31, a henna and graphic artist who rents a unit filled with art supplies, tables, a refrigerator, couch and a bed piled with clothes behind a curtain. I work here 24 hours.

For Godoy, the inferno last week at Oaklands Ghost Ship art colony, which killed 36 residents and visitors, hit close to home. She had driven past the warehouse and creative hub six years ago when she considered relocating to the Bay Area.

Shes glad she decided to set up shop where she is, while living across town.

The landlord has been supportive of artists being able to work here, Godoy said Thursday. Literally, the next day (after the Ghost Ship fire), he was making sure all the fire alarms are installed.

At the urging of a local City Council member, city code enforcement officers visited the building Thursday and Friday and posted notices of improper occupancy.

The Advertising Arts Building is zoned for industrial and manufacturing uses, and the owner went through the city process to allow for artists studios, said Alvaro Nunez, who oversees the code enforcement division for Santa Ana. But the structure is not permitted for residential use, he said.

Building inspectors knocked on doors of units and werent let in this week, Nunez said, but they observed modifications suggesting the building was used for residential purposes, including laundry facilities improperly installed outside the structure.

Interior appliances like that cannot be used for exterior purposes, he said. The buildings landlord did not respond Thursday or Friday to requests for comment.

What, if any, corrective action may be required remains to be seen. The case showcases the challenges facing cities with growing art colonies and a shortage of affordable commercial and residential space.

The Ghost Ship tragedy underscored the balance municipalities must strike in allowing industrial and other aging buildings to be used by artists and others who cant afford soaring rents in newer buildings. The repurposed buildings  sometimes converted illegally  can raise safety concerns.

Santa Ana allows some buildings to be converted to live-work spaces.

Its not atypical for a city of our size, especially with space limitations, to want to take advantage of space and give that flexibility, Nunez said.

Tim Rush, a Santa Ana homeowner for 29 years and an executive in the Southern California real estate industry since the late 1970s, wrote several city officials after the Ghost Ship tragedy, calling for more robust code enforcement of multiple-tenant units.

Theres not enough affordable housing, said Rush, 61. Im not insensitive to that, but on the same token, that doesnt mean we turn a blind eyeto potential violations. We could end up with a situation like they had in Oakland.

As is the case with many cities, Santa Anas code enforcement division is primarily complaint-driven, Nunez said. Because no complaints had been received, inspectors couldnt recall previously visiting the Advertising Arts Building, he said.

Orange County Fire Authority records show no fire code inspection issues since spring 2012 and only a handful of medical calls to the building. Santa Ana, which maintains fire code inspection records before 2012, did not immediately provide requested information from its files.

Councilwoman Michele Martinez, who represents the area that includes the building and who called on code enforcement officials to check it, said building- safety programs are as vital as police and fire services and need greater investment. For a city that is 27 square miles, how many dwelling units we have, definitely I think we are understaffed, she said.

While the city has added eight code enforcement officers over the past three years, bringing the total to 13, it is well below the 33 officers the division had more than a decade ago, Nunez said.

City building officials say they have improved communication with fire and police officials in recent years about problem properties. They responded to complaints about summer rave parties and changed the municipal code to permit imposing higher fines for code violations and cutting off utilities in serious cases.

Nunez said the latter is an important enforcement tool. Investigators in Oakland looking for the cause of the fire that roared through the crowded Ghost Ship warehouse enclave had focused in part on a refrigerator used by occupants.

Code enforcement officers plan to return to the Advertising Arts Building for a thorough inspection early next week, Nunez said.

Our idea is to see if there are violations and see that life-safety issues are not compromised, he said.

This is Godoys second time renting at the arts building. She spent a few years at an industrial warehouse in Anaheim before returning in July.

Previous tenants in her space destroyed the place, she said. She painted the walls maroon and decorated her unit with creative, comfy touches for her henna clients.

With the really affordable rent  she said units range from $500 to $1,500 a month  shes hoping to expand into another studio in the building and sublet her current location.

Im just trying to stay busy while its still here, because who knows, with what happened in Oakland, she said. For some reason, this place is special  but hopefully that doesnt change.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7762 or jkwong@ocregister.com Twitter: @JessicaGKwong
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP)  France is willing to help rally international support for a summit next month aimed at clinching an agreement to reunify ethnically divided Cyprus, the countrys president said Friday.

President Francois Hollande said his country could play a useful role in getting the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council engaged in the Jan. 9-12 summit in Geneva, Switzerland.

Hollande said European Union leaders must also become engaged in the process and that Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades would sound them out during an EU Council meeting next week.

The Cyprus problem which has lasted for many years must today be solved, and were willing to contribute to reaching such a solution, Hollande said after talks with Anastasiades in Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus.

A 1974 Turkish invasion triggered by a coup intended to unite Cyprus with Greece split the island into a internationally recognized Greek-speaking south and a breakway Turkish-speaking north. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence.

The goal of the Geneva summit is an agreement on the thorniest issues that have stood in the way of a comprehensive peace accord. Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci already have been negotiating for over 18 months.

Cyprus so-called guarantors  Greece, Turkey and former colonial ruler Britain  will also take part in the summit.

A key sticking point remains how security would work in an envisioned federal Cyprus. Turkish Cypriots want Turkey to retain military intervention rights and to keep troops on the island; Greek Cypriots who see a Turkish troop presence as a threat insist that as an EU member, Cyprus doesnt need its security overseen by a third country.

Greek Cypriot officials feel the presence of the U.N. Security Council permanent five at the summit could keep in check potential Turkish demands to weave military intervention rights and a troop deployment into a peace accord.

Hollande met Anastasiades after visiting pilot crews and other military personnel aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle thats currently deployed in the east Mediterranean. The warship is taking part in strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria and Iraq.
ANAHEIM  Some businesses along a one-block stretch of Harbor Boulevard have raised serious concerns over Disneylands Eastern Gateway Project, a massive proposal that would dramatically change how visitors coming from the east get into the theme park.

With Star Wars land well under construction, Disney plans to develop a 23-acre parcel behind several motels and restaurants that line Harbor Boulevard. Plans include a seven-story parking structure with 6,901 slots and a security checkpoint welcoming those about to cross a 15-foot-high pedestrian bridge over Harbor leading into Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

To clear the way, Disney has spent more than $100 million to buy property in the area, part of a $1 billion-plus push to create Star Wars land and the gateway.

But this project, which Disney will present during a Planning Commission meeting at City Hall at 5 p.m. Monday and hopes to complete in 2019, has fast-food restaurants, hotels and other businesses worried that it would choke off their business.

Now, the businesses customers and guests just cross Harbor to get to the theme parks and can easily break away from the parks for a meal in their restaurants before returning.

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In Disneys plans, the route could be more complex: Guests would loop around behind the Harbor businesses to enter the pedestrian bridge, going through security first. There would be no direct access to the bridge from Harbor.

The current Harbor entrance to Disneyland isnt slated to be closed; Disney has said it will be kept open with a security checkpoint for the immediate future. The businesses want stronger assurance that an entrance will be there forever.

There are preliminary discussions about Disney allowing Harbor businesses to punch pathways behind their properties to the gateway so customers wont have to walk as far to enter the queue.

Its sort of like they are dumping their problems into our backyard, said Robert Red Harbin, a spokesman for the Harbor Boulevard Merchants Coalition, a group of some of the local business owners.

Its not our intention to delay the project, added Harbin, who said there are more than 25 affected businesses with, on any given day, 10,000 hotel guests. Were just asking for reasonable accommodations and to flesh out ideas that would be good for the entire block. We want to work with Disney.

In a sense, the business owners always have. Since 1955 when Disneyland opened, businesses have clustered here, getting parkgoers to stay in their motels and eat in their restaurants.

For several months, a Disney spokeswoman said, company officials have been working with neighboring business owners.

We have held a series of productive meetings with neighboring business owners to listen to concerns and gather input, Disneys Suzi Brown said. We have responded to their feedback and have been encouraged by the positive responses from many of the group to work together to find creative solutions.

Scott Frisbie, whose family owns the nearby McDonalds, is concerned that to connect to the new Disneyland gateway, the restaurant would have to give up space for a special walkway.

Its an impractical idea, said Frisbie, 57. They are asking us to create a walkway for people to walk across our property to their (gateway) entrance.

But we have a liability and responsibility once we have the public on our property, he said. Not only that, but that would require us to remove some of our parking stalls, and parking is already scarce in this area.

Paul Sanford, an asset manager for Wincome Management and Development, which oversees the Anaheim Plaza Inn and Suites on Disney Way, said Disneys plans are still being developed and no one should rush to conclusions.

With change, its never easy, Sanford said. Theres always concerns with change. I think Disney will come up with real positive options. I have a lot of confidence. The good news is they are listening and coming up with options.

The Planning Commission is scheduled to make a decision Jan. 23. Disney needs a permit for the construction of the pedestrian bridge, the new security-screening area, signage and a transportation hub. It also needs approval for the parking structure. The City Council is expected to have the final decision on at least the pedestrian bridge at some point.

The Eastern Gateway Project came out of the $1 billion-plus deal Disney made with Anaheim last year. The park agreed to make the major investment, which includes the 14-acre Star Wars land, in exchange for the city agreeing not to tax gate admission at the parks for up to 45 years.

The eastside project aims to do several things, including making it easier for those coming in from I-5 to slide into the new parking structure along Disney Way. Hotel shuttles and buses would drop off guests on the east side of Harbor, at the transportation hub, near the security checkpoint and pedestrian bridges entrance.

Also, Disney is trying to spread out where people go through metal detectors instead of having them clustered around the esplanade between Disneyland and Disney California, like they are now.

Visitors on foot coming from the south would take a 600-foot-long pathway along Disney Way toward the bridges entrance.

The bridge would be built on the site of the Carousel Inn, which Disney purchased for $32 million last year, and would take guests to the esplanade, which holds the ticket booths for the parks.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2443 or jpimentel@scng.com or follow on Twitter @OCDisney
CAMP PENDLETON  There were amphibious beach assaults, full-battalion air raids and a live-fire, full-regiment simulated battle.

Each of these exercises was part of the annual Steel Knight exercise involving U.S. Marines from bases across Southern California.

The training focuses on ground fire and maneuver warfare tactics and tests Marines and sailors in the air, on land and at sea. The exercise started Nov. 30 and continues until Monday.

About 10,000 Marines and sailors trained at Camp Pendleton, Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Training Center, the U.S. Armys National Training Center at Fort Irwin in north San Bernardino County and at Yuma Marine Corps Air Station.

While Marines and sailors practiced assaults, command staff simulated a battle against an adversary with similar capabilities, said 1st Lt. Matthew Gregory.

Commanders also looked at new threats, such as the use of drones and how to counter them, including shooting them out of the air and camouflaging units from drone surveillance.

In the mock battle, Marines boarded Osprey aircraft, helicopters and C-130s and flew to a hostile airfield. They took it over and brought forces to keep it secure. They also practiced vertical envelopment  a strategy used during the Vietnam War using new equipment and technology.

The air assault took 1st Marine Division troops from Camp Pendleton to the Yuma base. Troops from the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines and aircraft from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing out of Miramar practiced moving a full battalion  something that has not been done in a decade, said Gregory.

Steel Knight is an exercise that the Marine Corps has been running for decades, said Master Sgt. Daniel Tremore, 1st Marine Division operations chief. But, just as technology and our adversaries have changed, so has Steel Knight. It has been designed and re-designed over the years to reflect the current battlefield and what we might expect to see in the battlefield of the future. Training opportunities like this will help ensure that the Division will be one of the best units to respond to a global crisis 

Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini
The news media and President-elect Donald Trump have had a contentious relationship, to say the least, since he launched his bid for the presidency  with Trump often making a sport of bashing the media, many times for good reason.

But that has not stopped the News Media Alliance, a nonprofit organization representing nearly 2,000 news organizations in the U.S. and abroad, from offering the Trump transition team some media industry policy guidance.

Chief among the industrys concerns are outdated and burdensome regulations. While news organizations are innovating and adapting to a vastly different media landscape, antiquated government regulations and imbalanced policies are unnecessarily hindering investment and growth at news media companies, News Media Alliance CEO David Chavern said in a statement. We encourage the new administration to revisit these regulations and policies as it charts a new course for our nations economic growth.

One example the organization cited is the 1975 ban on media cross ownership, which would be repealed under a new bipartisan bill. Even if these rules made sense 40 years ago, when each market had one newspaper and three TV stations  and cable and the internet did not exist  they do not make sense today, the white paper noted. [T]he rules banning cross-media ownership no longer reflect the reality of todays media landscape and they unnecessarily restrain investment.

Similarly, in yet another example of laws and regulations lagging far behind markets and technological advances, the media organization criticized the governments overly narrow definition of media markets in antitrust actions, which has long been a shortcoming of antitrust law for a variety of industries. [The Justice Department] believes that print newspapers constitute their own market, and denies that newspapers compete with the internet, television, radio and other mass media, it wrote. The DOJs outdated market definition locks newspapers into a 1970s-era advertising model and does not consider the numerous sources the public has at its fingertips.

The NMA additionally called for greater copyright protections and the extension of a printing tax deduction to income from digital distributions, though, as the Carrier example and several previous editorials attest, we would much prefer broad-based tax reductions to carve-outs for specific industries  even our own. Finally, the group issues a plea for much-needed transparency and media independence.

A free, diverse and independent press is essential in our democracy to inform the public of the actions being taken by elected officials, it asserted. We urge the new administration to follow longstanding traditions of pool coverage and press access so that Americans from across the country can better understand the actions being taken by those in whom Americans have placed their trust.

Despite Trumps distaste for the media  as evidenced by his February call to open up libel laws to make it easier to sue the media for unflattering stories about him  and its many failings to present unbiased news, the fourth estate continues to serve an important role as government watchdog and facilitator of political discourse.

Trump has talked a great deal about reducing regulations once he takes the reins of power. By taking many of the NMAs recommendations to heart and not excluding the media industry from these reforms, he could not only make good policy but also begin to bury the hatchet with the industry and disprove critics accusations about his allegedly vindictive nature.
Although not as punctual as the swallows that return to San Juan Capistrano, sooner or later the monarch butterfly returns to Huntington Beach.

In recent weeks, the bright orange and black travelers have been spotted in groupings in Central Park behind the Central Library at 7111 Talbert Ave. Although Norma Gibbs Butterfly Park is traditionally a popular winter resting spot for the monarchs, this year they moved a little south and west to the library.

Its nature, it will do what it wants, said Leslie Gilson, known as the butterfly lady of Huntington Beach who helped lead the restoration of Gibbs Park.

Gilson said this years group is about 200-300, which is about the same as last year, when the butterflies were here from October to mid-January.

In recent years environmentalists have worried about the imperial flutterers, whose numbers have dipped perilously, particularly in the Eastern United States.

By some estimates, 95 percent of the national monarch population has been lost since its height in the 1990s, ravaged by the disappearance of milkweed  the only plant on which female monarchs lay their eggs  because of drought, the use of herbicides and overbuilding and logging. In the West, the decline has not been quite as severe, but alarming nonetheless.

Gilson said in Huntington Beach and elsewhere in Southern California there has been a strong effort by homeowners to plant milkweed and create monarch way stations that attract and nourish the fliers.

At Gibbs Park, where about eight kinds of butterflies can be found, there are monarchs year-round.

There are more than 300 overwintering sites from Baja to Sonoma County. By mid-November, most monarchs have settled into one, coming from as far as Canada and Idaho to hibernate for several months. In late winter or early spring female monarchs fly inland, looking for early sprouts of milkweed to deposit eggs.

Residents interested in learning about monarchs and local butterfly populations and touring Gibbs Park can call the Huntington Beach Tree Society. Information: 714-564-1396, hbtrees.org/

Contact the writer: CONTACT THE WRITER714-796-7964gmellen@scng.com
Marissa Gawel of Detroit took a road trip to document roadside folk attractions, from one Indiana mans collection-turned-museum of player pianos to anothers collection of junk cars in the woods of Georgia.

Jedediah Corwyn Voltz created tiny tree houses, built around potted succulents or miniature trees that will continue to slowly grow.

Andre Woodwards living tree sculptures are planted, and living, in cubes of concrete.

What brought all of these artists together is a show at the Orange County Great Parks Palm Court gallery. In Balance, these artists explore the junction of nature and our human footprint, according to Kevin Staniec, who programs arts for the Great Park. Sometimes one takes over another, as natural landscapes are cleared for development. Sometimes its the other way around, as in Woodwards tree sculptures, with bark beginning to grow over the edges of the concrete.

Voltzs six sculptures in the show will attract a lot of close examination. Each is a potted plant with a multilevel, tiny tree house built around it. Each shows a traditional technology: one is a waterwheel, another is a crane. Its a nod to how humans fulfill their needs, especially for energy, from the land. But also, its a playful viewpoint weve all experienced in our lives, Voltz said.

I like to imagine myself shrunken down and living in the world seen from something tiny, he said.

Everyone in their lives has made a fort or made a place for their dolls to play or their G.I. Joes to play, he said. Everybody has kind of imagined themselves in a little space.

Built around the miniature trees and succulents, the pieces also show the evidence of nature taking over again. Vines are already starting to wrap around Voltzs tiny waterwheel tree house.

Woodwards sculptures show the same idea of nature adapting to man-made structures. Hes encased ficus trees in cubes of concrete and, with a literal reference to the shows theme, suspended them from carefully balanced steel poles.

What happens is, the block kind of sustains the plant, said Woodward, who lives in Fullerton. It seems like a very oppressive situation, but the plant adapts. Just as a goldfish grows to the size of the bowl it lives in, he said.

Everywhere we live is covered with concrete, Woodward said. We use nature and trees, especially these ficus trees for a long time, as accents to embody nature. But theyre not really nature. Were imposing them on our structures. 

Sometimes nature will come and destroy what we make.  But then we do the same thing to nature. We destroy constantly to built upon it. But thats kind of a natural thing.

Amazingly, the trees continue to live, though their roots are completely covered. Because the concrete is porous, the trees can still get water.

Gawels road trip, from Michigan to Louisiana in 2015, is displayed along one wall of the gallery. Her photos for National Geographic magazine are paired with excerpts of interviews from the people she met, such as Dean Lewis, whose massive collection of junk cars is spread over 32 acres of forest in White, Ga. Old Car City USA is billed as the largest known classic car junkyard in the world. Using the QR codes displayed through the installation, visitors can listen to the interviews Gawel conducted on her trip.

Its almost like youre on this road trip, Staniec said. The roadside attractions, some of them fading, are these interruptions on the landscape that get people to pull over and kind of look.

Esther Traugot, who lives in the Bay Area, is another artist in the Great Park show. Shes crocheted tiny stockings around a variety of seeds. Each is displayed individually under a glass dome. Its the idea of trying to control nature while also protecting it.

Vaughn Bell of Seattle has created an interactive art piece for the exhibit. Visitors can make and adopt a biosphere  a gumball-machine capsule filled with soil and moss  a microcosm of the living world, Staniec said.

The show also includes a video installation by Isabelle Hayeur of Quebec. She uses ambient sound and slowly dissolving scenes of a stream, the edges of urban development and woods to comment on humans impact on the natural landscape.

Photos from the Storm King Art Center are the final piece of Balance. The 500-acre sculpture park in the Hudson Valley of New York state is another expression of art and landscape meeting and mixing.

Contact the writer: aboessenkool@ocregister.com
STOCKHOLM  Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Saturday accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, saying it helped his country achieve the impossible dream of ending a half-century-long civil war.

A smiling Santos received his Nobel diploma and gold medal at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway, for his efforts to end a conflict that has killed 220,000 people and displaced 8 million.

Ladies and gentlemen, there is one less war in the world, and it is the war in Colombia, the 65-year-old head of state said, referring to the historic peace deal this year with leftist rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Santos used his acceptance speech to celebrate the end of the longest-running conflict in the Americas, pay tribute to its victims and call for a strategy shift in another, related war  on drug trafficking worldwide.

Just a few years ago, imagining the end of the bloodshed in Colombia seemed an impossible dream, and for good reason, Santos said, noting that very few Colombians could even remember their country at peace.

The initial peace deal was narrowly rejected by Colombian voters in a shock referendum result just days before the Nobel Peace Prize announcement in October.

Many believed that ruled out Santos from winning this years prize, but the Norwegian Nobel Committee saw things differently, deputy chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen said.

The peace process was in danger of collapsing and needed all the international support it could get, she said in her presentation speech.

A revised deal was approved by Colombias Congress last week.

Several victims of the conflict attended the prize ceremony, including Ingrid Betancourt, who was held hostage by FARC for six years, and Leyner Palacios, who lost 32 relatives including his parents and three brothers in a FARC mortar attack.

The FARC has asked for forgiveness for this atrocity, and Leyner, who is now a community leader, has forgiven them, the president said. Palacios stood up to applause from the crowd.

FARC leaders, who cannot travel safely because they face international arrest orders by the U.S., were not in Oslo. A Spanish lawyer who served as a chief negotiator for FARC represented the rebel group at the ceremony.

Colombians have reacted to Santos prize with muted emotion amid deep divisions over the controversial peace deal. The vast majority didnt bother to vote in Octobers referendum. For many Colombians in big cities Santos overriding focus on ending a conflict that had been winding down for years has diverted attention from pressing economic concerns.

Santos speech made a reference to fellow Nobel laureate Bob Dylan, this years surprise winner of the literature award, by citing the lyrics of one of his most famous songs, Blowin in the Wind.

The president also used the Nobel podium to reiterate his call to rethink the war on drugs, where Colombia has been the country that has paid the highest cost in deaths and sacrifices.

Santos has argued that the decades-old, U.S.-promoted war on drugs has produced enormous violence and environmental damage in nations that supply cocaine, and needs to be supplanted by a global focus on easing laws prohibiting consumption of illegal narcotics.

It makes no sense to imprison a peasant who grows marijuana, when nowadays, for example, its cultivation and use are legal in eight states of the United States, he said.

The five other Nobel Prizes will be handed out later Saturday at a separate ceremony in Stockholm. Dylan is not attending, citing other commitments.



Associated Press writer Joshua Goodman in Bogota, Colombia, contributed to this report.
Two Anaheim school districts are suing the Orange County Department of Education, seeking to shut down a charter school that has raised concerns with some educators.

Anaheim Union High School District and Anaheim Elementary School District filed a lawsuit Friday in Orange County Superior Court seeking an injunction that would prevent the Oklahoma-based Excellence Performance Innovation Citizenship, or EPIC, from operating its online K-12 school in Anaheim, the districts said.

The lawsuit says the Orange County Board of Education violated the Charter Schools Act when it approved the schools charter petition last year despite a staff report recommending the petition be denied because it was educationally unsound.

The county school board failed to exercise its oversight duty when the flawed petition first came before them, Anaheim Union Superintendent Michael Matsuda said in a statement. Instead, they approved it with conditions that were never met.

The suit requests that the Board of Education revoke the schools charter. Members of the Board of Education could not be reached for comment Friday.

Anaheim school officials have complained that EPIC was improperly allowed to teach elementary through high school students and that it used predatory marketing practices by giving financial incentives to families that signed up. Anaheim educators have said the school does not properly prepare students for college and careers. They also noted that an affiliated school in Oklahoma is under investigation.

Paul MacGregor, EPICs executive director in California, could not be reached for comment Friday. In a Register article in November, he denied the allegations and said they are a rehash of issues that were already addressed by the Department of Education.

More than 85 students from Southern California have enrolled since June at the school, which has an office base in Anaheim.

Contact the writer: kpuente@ocregister.com
Exxon Mobil Corp. Chief Executive Officer Rex Tillerson is Donald Trumps choice as secretary of state, NBC News reported on Saturday citing people close to the president-elects transition.

The report couldnt be immediately confirmed. NBC said its sources cautioned that nothing is final until the president-elect makes an announcement. Trump has said he will announce his decision next week.

Tillerson, who reaches Exxons mandatory retirement age of 65 in March, has become the leading candidate for the post of top U.S. diplomat over the past few days, two people familiar with the matter said late Friday. Secretary of state is the highest-profile pick yet to be made by Trump. The position is subject to Senate confirmation.

Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee for president and a critic of Trump during this years campaign, remains on the short list of candidates, according to the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private.

Tillerson moved to the forefront as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani withdrew from consideration to become secretary of state or serve in any other capacity in the new administration, the transition team announced.

Tillerson has ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin that go back almost two decades. He was awarded the countrys Order of Friendship and as recently as 2015 visited with officials in Putins inner circle. That connection could make him a useful bridge between the Russian leader and Trump, who has repeatedly said hed seek a more cooperative relationship with Moscow.

Under Tillersons leadership, Russia became Exxons single biggest exploration theater as the company amassed drilling rights across tens of millions of acres, dwarfing its holdings in its home country, formerly its largest drilling opportunity, according to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. When the Putin regime forced Royal Dutch Shell Plc and other foreign investors to cede control of a massive gas export project on Sakhalin Island in 2007, Exxons holdings in the same region remained intact and untouched by the government.

Exxon is under fire from state attorneys general in New York, Massachusetts and elsewhere amid allegations the company misled investors for years about the projected long-term impact of climate change on its businesses, as well as whether Exxon has properly written down the value of its reserves following a global collapse in prices. The company has denied the allegations and said the valuation of its assets meets all legal standards.

Private Sector

Giuliani had been named by transition officials as one of the contenders to be the nations top diplomat, but has decided to remain in the private sector, according to a statement Friday from Trumps transition office. He withdrew from consideration during a meeting with Trump on Nov. 29, the statement said.

Rudy would have been an outstanding member of the Cabinet in several roles, but I fully respect and understand his reasons for remaining in the private sector, Trump said in the statement.

Kellyanne Conway, a top Trump adviser, said Friday on Fox News that the list currently includes a very diverse group.

In addition to Tillerson and Romney, she mentioned Alan Mulally, the former CEO of Ford Motor Co., former CIA Director David Petraeus, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, and Orange County Congressman Dana Rohrabacher.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that Tillerson was the leading candidate.

Loyal Ally

In New York City, Giuliani gained praise for overseeing a drop in violent crime and for his handling of the Sept. 11 attacks  earning the nickname Americas Mayor  but he left office with a reputation as one of the most divisive chief executives in the citys history.

Trump had few more loyal  and combative  allies throughout his presidential campaign than the 72-year-old former mayor and federal prosecutor. Giuliani vouched for Trump in the face of sexual-misconduct allegations, saying they didnt ring true; criticized the Iran nuclear deal; and backed Trumps claims that President Barack Obama founded Islamic State.

Critics raised questions about how Giulianis fiery temperament would fit the role of a diplomat. Senator Rand Paul, a Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee whos wary of foreign entanglements, raised concern about the former mayors work for foreign governments and companies and his history of giving paid speeches after he left the New York mayors office in December 2001.

Reince Priebus, who will serve as Trumps White House chief of staff, said in the transition offices statement that the former mayor was vetted by our team for any possible conflicts and passed with flying colors.

With assistance from Henry Goldman and Joe Carroll
A police officer in Orange was seriously injured after being struck by a woman suspected of driving under the influence.

Around 3 a.m., police responded to the 500 block of North Cambridge Street, where a man was found sleeping in a parked truck blocking the roadway, a police statement said.

While police were investigating the call, a woman driving a Hyundai crashed into the parked police cruiser and the officer standing outside of it, police said. The woman was traveling about 40 to 50 miles per hour down Cambridge Street when she veered right and struck the officer, the California Highway Patrol said.

The officer was taken to a hospital with major cuts and broken bones, and underwent surgery early Saturday morning. The woman also was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and later arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence.

Investigators believe alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.

The man in the truck was uninjured.

Witnesses to the crash are asked to contact the California Highway Patrol at 714-567-6000.

Staff Writer Louis Casiano Jr. contributed to this report.
Agricultural News

Congress Approves Water Infrastructure Bill- Includes Approval of Oklahoma, Chickasaw, and Choctaw Water Agreement

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, praised the final passage of S. 612, the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, which passed with a strong bipartisan vote of 78-21 and includes a number of provisions integral to Oklahoma.





"I am pleased that the WIIN Act has crossed the finish line with strong, bipartisan support," Inhofe said. "This bill soon to be law fulfills many important Oklahoma priorities. It helps Oklahoma rural electric cooperatives and the families they serve by returning the regulation of coal combustion residuals to states and stopping the Corps from charging fees to cross Corps land. The WIIN bill addresses Army Corps projects in Oklahoma by letting the Port of Catoosa and the Port of Muskogee provide services and funds to keep their ports and locks operational, by preventing deauthorization of the project to deepen the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, and by directing the Corps to find solutions for the Tulsa and West Tulsa Levee System. The bill also addresses recreation at Corps lakes in Oklahoma, continuing a program to encourage recreation opportunities, and transferring easements at Grand Lake to the state. WIIN also addresses the Oklahoma, Chickasaw, and Choctaw water agreement and creates opportunities to increase water supplies at Corps reservoirs.





"Another integral aspect of this bill is the assistance it provides to disadvantaged and rural communities in Oklahoma by helping these communities comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act. I am proud of the bipartisan efforts that got this bill across the finish line and I look forward to seeing the benefits to Oklahoma in action."





"I commend the efforts of Sen. Inhofe for putting forth a bipartisan WRDA bill and keeping the commitment of passing a bill every two years," said Julie Cunningham, Interim Executive Director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. "It is encouraging to see such a comprehensive package of water supply, navigation and other water infrastructure improvements that are vital to our nation's security and economic growth. I am especially appreciative of the inclusion of Oklahoma's Indian water rights settlement in this bill. Passage of this agreement is imperative to finalizing this historic, collaborative agreement which provides certainty in the management of Oklahoma's water resources while reasonably providing for all future water needs."







Oklahoma Provisions Included in WIIN:







ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEER PROVISIONS



Oklahoma, Chickasaw, and Choctaw Water Agreement



On Aug. 11, the state of Oklahoma, city of Oklahoma City, and the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations reached a settlement to end a water rights and tribal sovereignty dispute stemming back to the 19th century. The settlement acknowledges tribal sovereignty and meets the tribes' conservation guidelines for an area that spans over approximately 22 counties in south-central and southeastern Oklahoma while the state of Oklahoma would continue to manage the state's natural water supply. The deal also guarantees Oklahoma City's long-term access to Southeast Oklahoma as a drinking water source and sets lake limits at levels that meet tribes' recreational, cultural and water use claims. A provision in WIIN provides for the Congressional approval required for the settlement since it involves the Department of Interior and the Army Corps of Engineers.



"I'm glad the Senate passed this legislation and appreciate Senator Inhofe's efforts to get this matter taken up so quickly. Having a sufficient, reliable supply of water is essential for life, economic development, manufacturing, recreational activities, and important industry sectors like energy and agriculture to name a few. Under the agreement, the state will continue to exercise its authority to manage and protect water resources in Oklahoma. This way, existing uses of water remain secure, and it provides certainty for future development. And the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations will have a voice in specific proceedings addressing water resources within their treaty territories," said Governor Mary Fallin



"Oklahomans should be proud of the efforts of all parties involved in forging this historic water settlement. My office was privileged to work with the Governor, Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations and the City of Oklahoma City and their excellent legal teams to reach an agreement that is of profound benefit to all Oklahomans. I commend Senator Inhofe for his leadership and swift action in getting the agreement in front of Congress. This final step will provide certainty for the management and use of water resources in our state," said Oklahoma Attorney Gen. Scott Pruitt.



"We appreciate the quick action taken by Senator Inhofe to secure Senate approval of the historic water rights agreement between the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations, the State of Oklahoma and the City of Oklahoma City. His diligent effort on this issue underscores his commitment to serve all Oklahomans. We look forward to working with the House to finalize passage of this historic act this year," said Bill Anoatubby, governor, the Chickasaw Nation.



"We have confidence the water agreement is a good compromise that protects our natural resources in Southeast Oklahoma while addressing the needs of people living in Oklahoma City," said Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw Nation.



"Oklahoma City's growth will be propelled by our ability to manage our water and land use. This agreement ensures we have access to water through a clearly defined and orderly process for decades ahead. We are pleased to be part of this agreement and the opportunities it creates for even greater collaboration in the future," said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett.





Tulsa and West Tulsa Levee System



WIIN authorizes the Corps to develop a plan for modifying the Tulsa and West Tulsa Levee System. The Corps must provide recommendations for modifying the original levee system to address deficiencies identified in the recent levee risk assessment. The bill also requires expedited budget consideration for any parts of the system that are classified as a Class I or Class II (i.e. very high risk) under the Levee Safety Action Classification tool developed by the Corps.



"Tulsa's levee system protects more than 10,000 citizens and some $2 billion dollars of infrastructure including two refineries. The Corps of Engineers has determined that our levees are no longer viable. With help from this WIIN resolution we can begin the process of rehabilitating this aging levee system. A levee failure could have catastrophic environmental and economic impacts for the region. I am grateful to Senator Inhofe and his staff for their help in addressing this critical issue," said Karen Keith, Tulsa County Commissioner, District 2.





Providing Better Protection After a Flooding Disaster



WIIN gives the Corps authority to increase the level of protection when rebuilding a levee after a disaster if the Corps determines it is in the public interest, including consideration of whether the same levee has had to be rebuilt multiple times and whether there is an opportunity to reduce risk of loss of life and property.





McClellen-Kerr (MKARNS)



WIIN gives the Corps authority to establish partnerships with local entities to ensure safe, functional operation of projects along the waterway. These partnerships allow the Corps to accept and use funds, materials and services donated by non-federal interests to help address the backlog of maintenance at Corps projects. WIIN also makes sure the project to deepen the MKARNS to support increased commerce will not be deauthorized while it is waiting for funding from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.



"WIIN will help non-federal public and private entities to assist the Army Corps of Engineers repair and maintain projects on a timely basis. This will help ensure the viability and sustainability of our Nation's Inland Waterway System of which the MKARNS is an integral part! Special thanks are due to our Oklahoma Senior Senator Jim Inhofe, Chairman of EPW, and his committee colleagues, for this invaluable legislation," said Bob Portiss, port director for the Tulsa Port of Catoosa.





Grand River Dam Authority



WIIN conveys the Army Corps of Engineers easements on Grand Lake to GRDA. Due to multiple authorities overseeing the shoreline of Grand Lake, confusion over the maintenance of easements has led to encroachments. This provision will provide certainty and efficiency for landowners and GRDA when it comes to these easements.



"I think I speak for all Grand Lake residents and businesses in offering our warmest appreciation to Senator Inhofe for resolving this issue. He and his staff have worked diligently over the past couple years to find a reasonable solution to what was becoming an unacceptable situation around the lake. Giving homeowners and businesses the ability to repair retaining walls, which are critical to maintaining the integrity of the Grand Lake shoreline, promotes future growth and economic development around the lake. At the same time, this transfer will ensure the easements are managed to promote the flood control mission of the Corps of Engineers," said Dan Sullivan, CEO of the Grand River Dam Authority.







Oklahoma Electric Coops



Electric cooperatives in Oklahoma have been trying to renew easement agreements with the Corps for their lines that cross Corps property. Unlike prior easement agreements, the Corps is now charging upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars to renew these easements. In WIIN, easement fees will be waived for rural electric co-ops, allowing these non-profits to continue operating without costly fees, the need for new infrastructure, and without raising rates on their customers.



"Oklahoma's electric cooperatives are grateful for Senator Inhofe's leadership in the passage of the water resources bill. By providing relief from costly easement renewal fees on Corps property, WIIN ensures electric cooperatives can continue to provide safe, affordable and reliable electricity to member-owners," said Chris Myers, general manager, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives.





Leveraging Federal Assets to Increase Water Supply



WIIN gives the Corps authority to review proposals made by non-Federal interests to increase water supplies at reservoirs by increasing storage capacity, modifying project management, or accessing water that has been released. Any changes must be carried out under existing authorities and funded by the non-Federal interests, using no federal dollars.





Support for Reducing Chlorides in the Red River



Senator Inhofe has been a champion for reducing excessive chlorides in the Red River. WIIN contains several provisions to address this issue, including authorizing the Corps to facilitate transfer of desalination technologies from other countries with academic and institutional knowledge to reduce chlorides.



WIIN also clarifies the WIFIA program established by Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 to make sure chloride control is eligible for low cost loans from this program and that funds already expended on reducing chlorides in the Red River count towards the calculation of project costs.



WIIN also establishes a program to provide technical assistance for the development of innovative technologies to address water supply issues, including chloride control, and reauthorizes the Water Desalination Act of 1996.





Expediting Permit Reviews



WIIN expands the current authority for the Corps to accept funds from non-Federal interests to expedite permits for rail transportation projects.



Promotion of Recreational Development Along Corps Projects



WIIN transfers Corps property along the shore of Lake Eufaula to the Department of Interior to hold in trust for use by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to facilitate access to the lake for recreational purposes from land they already own. Furthermore, WIIN continues a demonstration program to promote and enhance recreational experiences on Oklahoma Corps of Engineers lakes. The development on and around lakes provides an important boost to the economy of surrounding communities by bringing visitors and jobs and provides taxpayers that have built these lakes with an additional benefit. WIIN also includes a provision that allows service providers to keep recreation fees they collect at Corps lakes, encouraging the development of more recreational facilities.









EPA WATER ASSISTANCE PROVISIONS





Assistance for Small and Disadvantaged Communities



In the U.S. we still have underserved communities that lack basic services. WIIN authorizes a grant program to assist small and disadvantaged communities in complying with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act. A priority is given to underserved communities. This section authorizes a total of $300 million over five years.





Water Supply Cost Savings



Some community water systems are so small that hooking up to a centralized system is cost-prohibitive. WIIN establishes a drinking water technology clearinghouse to provide information on cost-effective, innovative, and alternative drinking water delivery systems, including systems that are supported by wells.





Small Treatment Works Technical Assistance



WIIN reauthorizes technical assistance for small drinking water systems. WIIN also authorizes a similar program for drinking water systems on tribal lands.







COAL ASH PROVISION



The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule on Dec. 19, 2014, to regulate the management and disposal of coal combustion residuals from utilities as a nonhazardous waste under Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Because of the limited authority under RCRA Subtitle D, the requirements of the EPA rule apply directly to facilities and are enforceable only by citizen suits, not through state or federal permit programs. This legislation amends RCRA to authorize State permit programs, subject to EPA approval and oversight, to regulate coal combustion residual units based on the technical standards in EPA's rule or state-specific standards that are at least as protective as those in the EPA rule.



"Public Service Company of Oklahoma and American Electric Power strongly support the water resources bill, and appreciate Senator Inhofe's strong leadership in its passage. In particular, we applaud the Senator's efforts on a provision in the WIIN bill that solves the major shortcomings of current federal regulation of coal combustion residuals (CCRs), by giving states the primary authority over CCRs through state permit programs," said Stuart Solomon, president and COO of the Public Service Company of Oklahoma.



"EEI thanks Senator Inhofe for his leadership in completing the water resources bill, which contains critically important provisions for the safe management of coal ash. As the EPA's coal ash regulation goes into effect and our industry begins to close coal ash basins, these legislative provisions will enable states to be more involved in the permitting process for the closure of basins. Permanently closing basins in a manner that puts safety first, protects the environment, and minimizes impacts to communities and customers is vitally important to our industry," said Tom Kuhn, president of the Edison Electric Institute.



"America's electric co-ops are extremely grateful to Chairman Inhofe for championing the WIIN Act, which will bolster co-ops' efforts to provide affordable and reliable electricity to rural America. Because of his hard work, this bill promotes critical infrastructure projects pertaining to hydropower, flood control, water supply and emergency management. This bill is a win for America's rural electric consumers, and we appreciate the chairman's unwavering support for provisions that inject greatly needed certainty into the regulation of coal ash by giving states clear permitting authority and reducing litigation," said Jim Matheson, CEO of NRECA.



"OG&E greatly appreciates Senator Inhofe's leadership in including his coal ash provision in the 'Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act' conference report. His provision resolves a legislative stalemate to the satisfaction of both the electric industry and environmentalist community. The Inhofe provision brings legal certainty and predictability to the generation of electricity that will benefit Oklahoma electric customers, beneficial users of coal ash and the environment," said Paul Renfrow, vice president of public affairs for OG&E Energy Corp.













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Top Agricultural News
Hal Koch didnt know about Goodfellows until he was in his 30s, even though his family is intertwined with the charitys history.

Kochs great-great-grandfather Sen. Gilbert Hitchcock founded The World-Herald in 1885. Kochs great-grandfather was Henry Doorly, for whom Omahas zoo is named.

Doorly was publisher when Goodfellows became an official organization, although the assistance effort goes back to the late 1800s. Koch, whose first name is actually Henry, was named after Doorly.

Once Koch, 55, learned about his close connection with the charity, he was in awe.

I felt that I need to step up to the plate because Im his namesake, Koch said.

All donations collected through Goodfellows go directly toward helping community members in need. No money is kept by The World-Herald for administrative expenses.

Recipients are screened by metro-area social service agencies.

This is so amazing because all of the money is staying local to Omaha and 100 percent of it is helping people directly, Koch said.

Koch is a business equity manager and works closely with stock portfolios. Last year, he used that knowledge in his donation and became the first person to donate stock. The total donation equated to $5,160.90.

Koch recommends making donations in stock because when stocks are donated directly, they are exempt from capital gains tax, so the charity receives the full amount of money and the donor gets a larger deduction.

Its a great way to do it, Koch said. Especially for people who dont have cash. Its a great way for older people with a generous heart to make contributions.

Koch and his wife, Ashlee, donate to a variety of organizations. They said they believe strongly in sharing their blessings with those in need. They also want to pass down the tradition to their three children.

Every year, the weekend after Thanksgiving, before we go out and go shopping for Christmas presents or get any of that ready, the first thing we do is we look at the list of what we donated last year, Koch said. We sit down and they see me write a check out to those places every year. I want to make them aware of who we support and why its so important.

The family moved to northern California in the 1990s, but still has a house in Omaha. Hal said the family calls their country ranch Sonomaha as a blending of their two homes.

Koch advocates for Goodfellows by raising awareness among his friends and family and encouraging them to donate. He also wants to inform others on the benefits of stock donation.

He hopes to see Goodfellows reach $1 million in donations during the next five years.

Omaha is such a giving community, Koch said. And there is a tremendous need. If a city grows, so does the need. Its tough times for even a lot of middle-income people, and weve gotta help them out. I always tell my kids, if the shoe had been on the other foot, theyd do the same for me, so how can I let them down?
If airlines allow passengers to make in-flight cellphone calls, the carrier must notify passengers in advance, under a rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The rule, proposed this week, may be a moot question because the Department of Transportation is still considering a complete ban on airborne voice calls within, to or from the United States.

Still, the agency said that if such calls are allowed, airlines could prohibit them on all or some individual flights, and should notify passengers of the policy for their flight in advance.

Consumers deserve to have clear and accurate information about whether any airline permits voice calls before they purchase a ticket and board the aircraft, said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx.

The Federal Communications Commission currently prohibits cellphone calls on commercial flights but has opened the door for phone calls using the airplanes Wi-Fi connection. Several airlines, including Delta Air Lines, have said they oppose allowing voice calls on their planes  even those using Wi-Fi.

Flight attendants have also spoken out against calls on planes, saying loud phone conversations are sure to create conflict and confusion.

Anything short of banning voice calls is reckless, Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said in a statement.

It threatens aviation security and increases the likelihood of conflict in the skies, Nelson said.

However, the U.S. airlines trade group opposes a government ban on in-flight calls.

We have long held that this was not a matter for DOT to regulate, and we believe airlines should be able to determine what services can be safely offered in flight and make those decisions based on what is in the best interests of their passengers and crew members, a spokeswoman for Airlines for America, Kathy Grannis Allen, said by email.

This report includes material from the Associated Press.
This seat taken: OPS takes Amma's chair for the first time

Chennai

oi-Anusha

All eyes were on the cabinet meeting at Tamil Nadu on Saturday. But this time around, Amma's chair was not vacant. O Paneerselvam who was chief minister of Tamil Nadu twice in the past when Jayalalithaa was absent, had refused to occupy the seat. Instead, he placed a photograph of his beloved leader and convened the cabinet.

On Saturday, the photograph was there, but OPS occupied the seat while convening the cabinet meeting.

He had refused to take Jayalalithaa's place in Tamil Nadu assembly as recently as February 2015, when he was made CM after her conviction in a disproportionate assets case.

He chose to sit on the other end of a two-seater chair, cautious not to sit in Jayalalithaa's place. Each time he chaired a meet in her absence, he ensured that her chair and place were left empty, but a picture of hers was on display.

[Also Read: Will she, Won't she? AIADMK urges Sasikala to lead party]

While Panneerselvam displayed no reservations in assuming the chief minister's chair, a photograph of Jayalalithaa was, however, placed on the table like always.

The cabinet began with a silent tribute to Jayalalithaa and Panneerselvam offering prayers to her photograph. The cabinet discussed the construction of a memorial on Marina beach in her memory.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, December 10, 2016, 16:35 [IST]
Ex-Air Chief Tyagi sent to CBI custody; Read what transpired in court

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Former Air chief S P Tyagi on Saturday was sent to CBI remand till December 14 on Saturday.Tyagi and two others was arrested in connection with the AgustaWestland case by the CBI a day before. Two others, Gautam Khaitan and Sanjiv Tyagi too were sent to CBI remand till December 14.

[Also read: AgustaWestland: 1.5 lakh documents analysed before former Air Chief Tyagi was arrested]

During the course of the arguments, the CBI's counsel accused Tyagi of giving a step-by-step progress of the case to European middlemen Guido Haschke in connection with the case. While seeking Tyagi's custody for 10 days, the CBI stated that the latest Letter Rogatory from Mauritius and Italy have startling details which cannot be shared as of now.

"It is in this regard that we are seeking a 10-day custody," the CBI's counsel said. The premier investigating agency of the country said that the land investments made by the family of former Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi is under investigation.

Tyagi told the court that he is not a lawyer and does not understand why his arrest was necessary. "However I would like to add that, I am not going anywhere," Tyagi told the court. He also submitted that he could account for every bit of land that was purchased by him. "If a mere purchase of agricultural land makes one a criminal, then what can be done," he said in the court.

Bribes paid regularly

The CBI submitted that AgustaWestland was engaging middlemen and regularly paying bribes. "Investigations into all these aspects are on, and hence the custody of all three accused is needed," the CBI counsel submitted.

The defence counsel however submitted that Tyagi's arrest was aimed at taking the focus away from demonetisation. The FIR was filed in 2013, and the arrest made almost three years later. "This is illogical," the counsel told the court.

The defence contended that the remand papers say that the CBI is seeking custody to follow the money trail and transfer of funds through banking channels. "If banking channels have not been probed what can the CBI do now?" the defence argued while claiming that the arrest is carried out only to use third degree treatment.

The CBI submitted that it was decided in 1999 that new choppers were needed to ferry VVIPs. The Indian Air Force was to procure these choppers and the proposal had the approval of the defence ministry.

Eleven companies replied to the tender, but the number was later narrowed down to four. It was decided that the flying capacity of the choppers should be at least 6,000 metres to access areas such as Leh and Ladakh. Due to this, the ceiling-height AugstaWestland was ruled out.

The CBI counsel added that a French firm had fulfilled all the criteria. The IAF was firm on the 6,000 ceiling height clause. However, after Tyagi took over as air chief on October 31 2004, the ceiling height was dropped to 4,500 metres.

"There is enough evidence to prove that bribe was paid by AgustaWestland to Tyagi and others. There were searches conducted in Switzerland
Blast triggered at ATM, but these thieves fail to steal cash

Fact check: Did RBI ask banks and ATM operators to provide cardless cash withdrawal facility?

ATM dispenses 5 times extra cash in Nagpur; locals rush to withdraw money after news

Rajasthan: Robbers fled away with ATM machine having over Rs 12 lakh cash

ATM looted, guard killed in Bihar

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Patna, Dec 10: A security guard of an ATM booth was killed and cash looted by unidentified people in this Bihar capital on Saturday morning, police said.

According to the police, Deepak Kumar, the security guard of a Central Bank ATM booth in Maurya Lok here, was killed and cash was looted.

Maurya Lok, a posh shopping centre, is known as a safe zone for visitors as patrolling police have been deployed round the clock.

Agitated residents and relatives of the guard blocked the roads and burnt tyres to protest against the incident.

They demanded the arrest of those behind the crime, and a compensation to the family of the victim.

According to the police, prima facie it appears that the armed men killed the guard when he resisted their attempt to loot the cash in the ATM machine.

Patna Senior Superintendent of Police, Manu Maharaj, told the media that the police have began a probe into the incident. "The police will arrest those involved in the crime."

"We have collected CCTV footage and other evidences from the site," Maharaj said.

IANS


How demonetisation foiled terror bid in J-K

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Another plan of creating unrest in Jammu and Kashmir was recently foiled by security forces. According to intelligence sources, three terrorists from Pakistan had come into the Valley with a plan of creating another unrest. These men were subsequently killed in an encounter with security forces on Thursday in Arwani, Anantnag.

However, the lack of local support and quick action by the armed forces ensured that they were unsuccessful in their venture.

[Also read: Zargar, the man who massacred 40 Kashmiri Pandits, being re-launched by ISI]

The terrorists, Amin Dhar, Waseem Mattoo and Ahmad Zargar were launched into the Valley by Lashkar-e-Tayiba. The original plan was to carry out an attack, but for this, they needed the support of the locals who would once again come out on the streets and pelt stones.

A senior officer with the Jammu and Kashmir police informed OneIndia that the plan fell flat for various reasons. First and foremost, the terrorists got no local support from the stone pelters, since their paymasters have not been able to pay them after demonetisation.

Fatigued and demonetised:

The officer noted that the unrest in the Valley lasted nearly five months. "There is also this fatigue factor that has crept in and people have decided to go about their lives normally. The terrorists who are being launched from Pakistan are not finding the necessary local support. Moreover, with winter setting in, activity on the streets has also dropped drastically," the officer also notes.

The terrorists were expecting local support. But the security forces were able to corner and gun them down easily as they found no support locally. Documents and material seized from the terrorists suggested that they were in the Valley for a long haul. Had they managed to dodge security agencies and found local support then Kashmir would have started at another round of unrest.



For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, December 10, 2016, 13:01 [IST]
We have done nothing wrong: Centre for Policy Research reacts to tax raids

ITR Filing 2022: How to check your income tax refund status if you havent received it yet

K'taka: Hawala dealer's 'secret chamber' reveals Rs 5.7 crore cash, 28 kg gold bars

India

oi-Anusha

Income tax officials carried out raids on the house of a hawala operator leading sleuths to 28 kg of gold bullion, 4 kg of gold jewellery, Rs 5.7 crore in new 2,000 denominations and Rs 90 lakh in old Rs 100 and Rs 20 notes.

Sleuths from the Income Tax department raided 15 premises across Karnataka and Goa on Friday. Raids were also conducted on casino operators and bullion traders in Hubballi and Chitradurga districts.

'One of the hawala operators is also actively involved in converting old notes and was accumulating bullion using old currency,' the Income Tax department said in a press note.

During the search operations the sleuths chanced upon a secret chamber in the bathroom of the hawala operator's residence. On opening the chamber, they came across the illegal monies and jewellery. All unaccounted wealth has been seized by officials.

[Also Read: Chennai IT raids: Vehicle carrying Rs 24 crore seized in Vellore]

Various incriminating documents have also been recovered and income tax teams are further analysing and investigating the same. The major haul of new denomination currency is from the Challakere town in Chitradurga district. The searches are currently under way in many locations.

OneIndia News
Kerala CM denied security for event, alleges CPI

India

oi-PTI

Bhopal, Dec 10: CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat has claimed that the Madhya Pradesh Police advised Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan not to attend a felicitation programme as RSS and other organisations were opposing it and they were not in a position to provide security to him.

"The chief minister was supposed to attend a felicitation programme by Kerala Samaj today. However, when he was about to leave to attend it, Madhya Pradesh Police told him not to go there as RSS and other organisations were protesting against it," Karat told PTI.

"It is outrageous. How can they refuse security to an elected chief minister. It proves that the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh is functioning for RSS and by it only," she alleged.

Following the protest, the programme was cancelled and the Kerala Chief Minister went back. However, Madhya Pradesh DGP Rishi Kumar Shukla denied the allegations and said, "no question arises of not providing security to the Kerala Chief Minister". "I don't want to comment on what the CPI(M) leader is alleging. It has not happened".

Leaders of some Hindu outfits were protesting before the BSSS college gate where Vijayan was supposed to be felicitated in the evening. Police later took nearly 20 protestors into custody from the spot.

Bhopal Malyali Community Association Programme Convenor, O D Joseph said the programme was organised without Vijayan's presence whose scheduled visit to the venue was "cancelled due to security reasons". Vijayan did not attend the programme.

PTI
(Adds reaction from defense official, details on F-35)

By Steve Holland and David Lawder

BATON ROUGE, La./WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday said he was considering imposing a lifetime ban on U.S. military procurement officials going to work for defense contractors, a move that could dramatically reshape the defense industry.

Three days after publicly rebuking Boeing Co over the cost of the next-generation Air Force One presidential aircraft, Trump floated the idea of such a ban at a rally for Republican supporters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

"I think anybody that gives out these big contracts should never ever, during their lifetime, be allowed to work for a defense company, for a company that makes that product," Trump said. "I don't know, it makes sense to me."

He added that he "got the idea yesterday" as he thought about "massive" cost overruns for military equipment but needed to "check this out" first before making any decisions.

Trump said such a ban would make "a big, big difference because the purchasing in this country is out of control, for everything, not only military."

The president-elect's idea was met with deep skepticism within the U.S. defense establishment

Procurement and weapons program management jobs have long been a good alternative career path within the Pentagon for military officers who did not win coveted command jobs.

A U.S. defense official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said such a ban would likely discourage people from taking procurement jobs in the Pentagon and cause more attrition.

"The reason a lot of people go in and stay in is because it makes for a nice transition later to a civilian job. It could make people want to avoid that," the official said after being asked about Trump's announcement.

Current rules prohibit Pentagon employees from working on the same acquisition matter in the private sector, said Andrew Hunter, a former Pentagon official now at the Center of Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.

Story continues

But an industry-wide ban on hiring former Pentagon officials could backfire badly, he said.

"No one is going to want to take those jobs. You're going to have the worst of the worst, because no one with any particular talent is going to want a career where they are going to be banned for life for doing what they were trained to do," said Hunter, who is director of the center's Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group.

Congressional aides also told Reuters they were skeptical that such a ban could be enacted.

Trump singled out Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth fighter jet program for criticism at the Louisiana rally, saying it was "totally, totally, like, uncontrollably over budget."

The F-35 is the Pentagon's costliest arms program. The Defense Department expects to spend $391 billion to develop the plane and buy 2,443 of the supersonic, stealthy new warplanes in the coming decades. Costs per plane are expected to fall below $100 million as production ramps up.

(Additional reporting by Phil Stewart; editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Jonathan Oatis)
Stuck in an elevator, 62-year-old woman dies in Mumbai

Pathaan teaser review: SRK may have 'KGF-like winner' in hand

Comedian Atul Khatri's joke on seatbelt becomes one on him as Mumbai Police responds

Life is good here, you must come too: ISIS recruit from Maharashtra tells family

India

oi-Vicky

Mumbai, Dec 10: Life is good here and you must come here too is what the 28 year old Tabrez Mohammad Tambe told his family after he allegedly joined the ISIS.

The Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad which is probing the case against Tambe following a complaint by his brother says that he had travelled to Libya to join the ISIS.

An ATS official part of the probe tells OneIndia that Tambe remained in touch with his family.

While the family pleaded with him to return as he landed in the wrong place, Tambe would tell them he had made up his mind.

It is nice over here and I am at the right place. You must come here too, Tambe told his family.

A team of the Central Intelligence Bureau is recording the statements of the family members along with the ISIS.

It has been found that Tambe had travelled along with a person called Ali to Libya.

The family suspects that it was Ali who may have indoctrinated Tambe.

Join me here:

Tambe was adamant and would not listen to his family.

He constantly reiterated that he was in the right place.

It is a good life here he would tell his family who tried everything to convince him to return.

Tambe a resident of Thane is said to have been brainwashed by Ali.

The ATS however does not have much information on Ali.

The investigators are trying to piece together evidence to gather more details on Ali.

All the information that has been pieced so far on Ali is based on the statements given by the family members.

The ATS and the Intelligence Bureau is trying to get more leads on Ali's credentials.

It appears that Tambe was in touch with Ali for long.

Ali may have indoctrinated him.

What we know is that Tambe had travelled along with Ali to Libya.

Ali had come to Thane from Saudi Arabia and spent time with Tambe in 2015.

A few months later he along with Tambe left India for Libya. The ATS says that both are with the ISIS now.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, December 10, 2016, 7:48 [IST]
Maha CM pays tribute to the 264 police personnel who lost lives in one year

Micro artist pays unique tribute to Jayalalithaa and MGR

India

oi-Madhuri

By Madhuri

Coimbatore, Dec 10: As a unique tribute to the founder of AIADMK and late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa, a micro artist from Coimbatore created a 10-inch idol featuring the faces of two former Chief Ministers by using honey wax.

The artist, Sumesh a mechanic by profession began work on the statue immediately after he heard about Jayalalithaa's death. During Ganesh Chaturthi , he had sculpted an idol of lord Ganesha using honeycomb wax.

Coimbatore: Micro artist createS a wax idol featuring the faces of 2 former Chief Ministers MG Ramachandran and #jayalalithaa, as a tribute pic.twitter.com/42SGZBnz1K  ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

''Honeycomb is an eco-friendly medium as it can be used again if necessary. If one wants to remove the colour used in the sculptures it can be done easily by dipping it in mild hot water,'' said Sumesh. He further said that he will be handing over the sculpture to his alma mater Government Higher Secondary School in Kuniamuthur, on Monday.

Jayalalithaa passed away on December 4 after a prolonged struggle with ill health. She was admitted to Apollo Hospital in Chennai on September 22nd due to dehydration and fever.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, December 10, 2016, 10:05 [IST]
Mamata's party has replaced 'Rule of Law' by 'Rule by TMC law': Rijiju

Modi knows demonetisation has derailed: Mamata

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Kolkata, Dec 10: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aware that demonetisation has "derailed" and he has no solution except for delivering lectures.

"Modi babu knows that demonetisation (has) now derailed. Except giving bhashan, he has no solution," Banerjee tweeted.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said she had earlier accused the Centre of not allowing the Opposition to raise the issue of demonetisation in the Lok Sabha.

Modi addressing a farmer's rally in Gujarat on Saturday said "happenings" in the Parliament had "anguished" President Pranab Mukhejee.

Demonetisation to strengthen hands of poor: Modi

He was referring to the President's recent criticism of the continued logjam in both the houses of the Parliament over the currency ban.

Mukherjee slammed the Opposition for repeated disruptions in the Parliament over the ban of old Rs 500 and 1,000 notes.

"The government has always said we are ready to debate. I am not being allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha so I am speaking in the Jan Sabha," Modi said at the rally in Gujarat's Deesa town.

IANS
Online portal booked for fraud

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Dec 9: A case has been registered against an online portal for fraud on the basis of a complaint by a top doctor of RML Hospital, police said today.

Dr Rajeev Sood, Consultant and Head, Department of Urology, RML Hospital, in his complaint said despite having sufficient money in his e-wallet, he was not allowed to book tickets by the online portal.

"I booked tickets for my family from New Delhi to Port Blair on December 22, 2015 using credit card. On December 23, I got a mail that my booking was unconfirmed since there was a fare hike and my money was transferred to e-wallet," he told police.

When he tried booking tickets on December 23, he was not able to.

"The cost of tickets was coming to be Rs 1,11,182 but I wasn't able to book tickets despite the e-wallet showing a balance of Rs 1,18,736," he said in his complaint. He said he was not able to use the money in his e-wallet. An FIR has been registered in the matter and further investigation is underway, police said.

PTI
People tired of Modi's monologues: Rahul Gandhi

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Dec 10: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to face Parliament and answer the questions raised by MPs, saying people are tired of his "monologues".

Gandhi's attack came soon after Modi slammed the opposition for not allowing him to speak in the Lok Sabha forcing him to speak out in 'jan sabha' (public rallies). "Modiji, people are tired of monologues.

I urge you to honestly face the Parliament and answer our questions," Gandhi tweeted. Modi, while speaking at a public rally in Deesa in Gujarat, targeted the opposition for disrupting Parliament over demonetisation, noting that even the President was unhappy with their conduct. "Opposition is not allowing me to speak in Lok Sabha, so, I have decided to speak in 'jan sabha'.

But, whenever I would get a chance, I will try to represent the voice of 125 crore people in Lok Sabha," Modi said at a rally, in a retort to the opposition leaders accusing him of running away from speaking on demonetisation in Parliament.

The PM said those criticising him and highlighting people's problems should also inform masses that they do not need to stand in queue and can use mobile banking. "You must be aware that the Opposition is not allowing the Parliament to function.

I am surprised that despite government's assurance that the PM is ready to speak on the issue (of demonetisation), the situation has not improved. Even the President is unhappy about it (disruptions in Parliament)," he said. Modi also said that the government is ready for a debate on the issue if the Opposition is willing.

PTI
'Ill considered demonetisation decision' to be blamed for unemployment: Manmohan Singh

Five years of demonetisation: Notes in circulation on rise; so are digital payments

Noteban will be marked among worst policy blunders: Jairam Ramesh

PM Modi should admit that demonetistion a failure: Owaisi on cash seizure in UP

Aware of Lakshman Rekha says SC on demonetisation

Plastic currency: Here are the pros and cons

India

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Dec 10: The government informed the Parliament on Friday that it intends to print plastic currency notes.

The process has started, the ministry of finance informed the Lok Sabha.

It has been decided to print banknotes based on plastic or polymer substrate (commonly used for banknotes in countries such as Nigeria, Chile, Nepal among others).

"The process of procurement has been initiated," Minister of State fo Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

Plastic notes were first issued in Australia to safeguard against counterfeiting.

In 2014 the government had informed the Lok Sabha about its intent to introduce plastic notes.

A field trial was undertaken at Kochi, Mysuru, Jaipur, Shimla and Bhubaneswar.

[Also Read:Cat would have been out of the bag- Centre tells SC on fewer notes being printed]

Let us find out what are the pros and cons of plastic notes:

The pros:

- Hard to counterfeit as security features are easier to verify

- Plastic notes last longer reducing replacement cost

- Notes are clearer because they are dirt and moisture resistant

- Notes are waterproof

- Environmental impact lower as notes last longer.

The cons:

- Higher production cost

- Difficult to fold

- Hard to count as they are slippery

- Huge cost to recaliberate ATMs as existing machines are not compatible

OneIndia News
Will RSS appoint a woman as its chief asks Digvijaya Singh

What to make out of Muslim-Bhagwat meet?

Kerala: RSS leader injured in attack

India

oi-PTI

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 10: A RSS leader was injured after being attacked allegedly by a group of CPI-M activists at Sreevaraham here today, police said.

RSS district leader K Jayaprakash was attacked with swords in front of his house, they said. He has been admitted to a private hospital here.

BJP District President S Suresh condemned the attack and alleged it was a pre-planned one.

PTI
Shock deaths that follow a leader's demise: Coincidence or real?

India

oi-Anusha

We saw it in the case of Y S Rajashekhara Reddy and now we are getting to witness it in the case of J Jayalalithaa. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Saturday announced that 280 people had died following the death of Amma. It may be recalled that when YSR who was the chief minister of a unified Andhra Pradesh had died, his loyalists claimed 122 people had died in shock.

The Y S R Congress that was founded post the demise of Congress leader Y S Rajashekhara Reddy was built on the foundation of his popular image.

[Also Read: '280 people died of shock after Amma's demise,' claims AIADMK]

YSR's son Jagan Mohan Reddy shot to fame by visiting families of over 122 persons who the party claimed had died due to shock or committed suicide after YSR's death.

When Jayalalithaa was convicted in disproportionate case in 2014, the AIADMK claimed that more than 260 people had died, some of them had committed suicide. The party gave away compensation to their families.

Widespread violence following the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief minister M G Ramachandran took away 29 lives. 30 other people allegedly committed suicide following his death. The numbers are only swelling as years pass by. The compensation dolled out by parties is doing very little to discourage anyone from taking their own lives, at least according to what parties claim, sorrowed by a leader's demise.

Statistics matter to the party workers to create a huge impact and also try and suggest that their leader was a demi-god or a large than life personality. The media goes by these reports but none have been able to independently verify if these deaths were due to shocks or natural causes.

[Also Read: This seat taken: OPS takes Amma's chair for the first time]

It was said that following the death of a leader, party workers visit hospitals and take names of persons who have died on the same day. It could be just a coincidence that a person had died on the same day. However for the party worker the statistic is what matters.

What is worse is that political parties dole out compensation to the kin of deceased as if to encourage such incidents. No political party speaks on how they arrive at such numbers. There is no refuting that most cases may not be death due to shock as claimed.

OneIndia News
Maharashtra man who joined ISIS held in Libya

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Thane, Dec 10: The Thane man who had joined the terror outfit ISIS has been held in Libya, the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) has claimed. Enforcement agencies in Libya picked up the 28-year-old Tabrez Mohammad Tambe, ATS officials have claimed.

An ATS official informed OneIndia that they were trying to secure his custody. The due process of securing his custody will be followed, the official also added. Tambe had left allegedly for the ISIS along with another person called Ali recently.

Tambe had recently called his family and told them he had joined the ISIS in Libya. He also urged them to join him stating that life was good in ISIS territory. The ATS which is probing the case against Tambe following a complaint by his brother says that he had travelled to Libya to join the ISIS.

An ATS official part of the probe says that Tambe remained in touch with his family. While the family pleaded with him to return as he landed in the wrong place, Tambe would tell them he had made up his mind. It is nice over here and I am at the right place. You must come here too, Tambe told his family.

OneIndia News
Five years of demonetisation: Notes in circulation on rise; so are digital payments

Will Modi's popularity save him when the votes are counted?

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, Dec 10: A month into the demonetisation drive, there cannot but be a sense of worry in government circles about the unchanging ground realities with no sign of the long queues before banks and ATMs shortening any time soon.

A more effective opposition would have had a field day in pillorying Narendra Modi. But, first, it is divided with two important Chief Ministers, Nitish Kumar and Naveen Patnaik, backing the Prime Minister.

Secondly, the opposition appears more interested in stalling parliament than in a reasoned debate probably because there is no unanimity in its ranks about the course of action.

While Mamata Banerjee wants a complete roll-back, others favour a Joint Parliamentary Committee to examine the matter.

Even if there is no certainty about how long the hardship of the ordinary people will continue, or whether their patience is inexhaustible, the nomination of Modi as Time magazine's Person of the Year in an online poll will be a morale-booster for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

It shows, if anything, that there are a large number of people who have retained their faith in him and expect him to ride out the present storm.

No more 'Udta Punjab' after demonetisation

True, the online poll does not carry the prestige of the choice made by the magazine's editors. Evidently, the views of the denizens of ivory towers have greater value than of the unwashed hoi polloi.

Nevertheless, it is worth noting that this is the second time that Modi has come out on top in the online exercise for whatever it is worth. He won it for the first time in 2014 when he received 16 per cent of the five million votes which were cast.

This time he received 18 per cent, well ahead of Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Julian Assange, all of whom got seven per cent although Trump finally ended up the winner.

On the online poll, the magazine said that the Indian Prime Minister's handling of his country's economy was the "most positive story" of the "emerging markets".

Evidently, the present contretemps over demonetisation had no effect on the popular assessment.

What Modi's selection shows, however, is how far India -- and Modi personally -- have come from the days when the country was seen as a basket case and Modi was persona non grata in the US in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots.

In 1930, Time chose "saint" Gandhi as the Person of the Year as the "British Empire was still wondering fearfully" about 30,000 of his followers who had been jailed along with the "little half-naked brown man whose 1930 mark on world history will undoubtedly loom largest of all".

Nearly nine decades later, it is a completely different world which has seen India's, and Modi's, rise. The central point of this transformation is the economic development which is Modi's trump card.

Although there is not much to write home at present about the growth trajectory -- Manmohan Singh's government did better in the early years of his tenure -- what makes Modi stand out is his commitment to the cause.

While his predecessor faltered in the last few years of his stint because of the shift in the government's priority from growth to populism at Congress President Sonia Gandhi's behest, what is noteworthy about Modi is his focus on the market-oriented capitalist path.

Although demonetisation has caused concern about a fall in the growth rate -- the latest figure is 7.1, down from 7.6 -- few expect Modi to slow down.

The reason is that he seems to know what he is doing, unlike earlier governments which were unwilling either to follow the capitalist path lest they be labelled anti-poor, or to crack down on black money because of the banking secrecy regulations and the fear of causing a flutter in the dovecotes of tainted politicians and bureaucrats.

Modi, in contrast, has confronted the scourge of a parallel economy head-on notwithstanding the "monumental mismanagement" of the economy of which he has been accused by Manmohan Singh.

Or of being despotic, as Amartya Sen has said.

However, both the distinguished economists have failed to note that, by and large, the ordinary people have been willing to undergo the severe inconvenience of standing in long queues because they believe that instead of mere promises as in the past, a firm step against black money is at last being taken.

Nor is there an acceptance of the charge about the futility of the step considering that only six per cent of the black money is kept in cash. The reason is the belief that the latest measure will tell the hoarders of hidden wealth that Modi is serious about bringing them to book.

It is this largely uncomplaining acceptance of the travails of demonetisation which made the Left Front chairman of West Bengal, Biman Bose, concede that the bandh called by the communists failed in the state because the people believe in the efficacy of Modi's initiative.

Modi, therefore, can said to be in the process of passing the most arduous test of all by expecting the people to ignore their present difficulties because of their faith in him.

There is little doubt that demonetisation has been a risky gamble for Modi where he has taken on a section of the opposition in the hope that his popularity will save him when the votes are counted.

The unexpected support which he has received from the Time's readers is a sign that his intention to industrialise India and turn it into a regional super power is widely appreciated.

If he can pull it off, he may well be the choice of the magazine's editors for the Person of the Year in 2017.



IANS
(Updates with Obama signing funding bill, Senate approves water bill)

By Susan Cornwell and Valerie Volcovici

WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate passed legislation on Friday to fund the government through April and President Barack Obama promptly signed it into law, after Democrats who had sought more generous healthcare benefits for coal miners stopped delaying action on the measure.

Many government services and operations would have been closed or suspended at midnight, when current funding authority expired, if the Senate had not approved the bill. The vote was 63-36.

The House of Representatives passed the legislation on Thursday.

Obama signed the measure, the White House said in a statement issued about 90 minutes after the Senate passed it.

Democrats from coal-producing states, led by West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, had delayed the Senate vote on the funding bill in a failed attempt to get a bigger extension of miners' healthcare benefits that expire at the end of this year.

The Democratic senators, many of whom are up for re-election in 2018, seemed eager to court blue-collar voters who flocked to Republican President-elect Donald Trump in elections last month. Some of the senators also appealed to Trump to help the miners.

Trump "won coal country big, that's for sure," incoming Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor.

"So we are simply asking our president-elect, to communicate to the people in his party, to get on board, live up to the promise we made the miners many years, decades ago," Schumer said.

The legislation provided financial support for four more months of healthcare benefits for coal miners, through April, but Manchin and other Senate Democrats wanted at least a year.

Senate Republicans refused to reopen the issue. But Schumer said that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had promised Manchin he would work next year to continue the benefits beyond April. Manchin and the other Democrats then stopped objecting to holding the vote, although they still opposed the measure.

Story continues

"I was born in a family of coal miners," Manchin said. "And (if) I'm not going to stand up for them, who is?"

Manchin, a moderate Democrat who has been touted as a possible member of Trump's cabinet, is scheduled to see Trump in New York on Monday. Manchin told reporters, however, that "I'm not looking for a job."

The government funding bill would keep federal agencies funded until April 28. It freezes most spending at current levels.

Flint, Michigan, which has endured a two-and-a-half-year struggle with lead-contaminated drinking water, would get access to a $170 million fund for infrastructure improvements and lead poisoning prevention under the bill.

The Senate also passed a separate bill authorizing water projects around the country that included directions for spending the Flint money and provisions to provide relief to drought-stricken California. This measure was also approved by the House on Thursday.

A provision in the government funding bill would make it easier for Trump to win confirmation of General James Mattis to be defense secretary early next year.

Republicans demanded it to help Mattis get around a requirement that the defense secretary be a civilian for seven years before taking the job. Mattis retired from the military in 2013.

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by David Gregorio and Lisa Shumaker)
Will OPS chair the TN cabinet meet from Jayalalithaa's seat?

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Chennai, Dec 10: The Tamil Nadu cabinet which was sworn in after the death of Jayalalithaa will meet for the first time on Saturday. It will be a closely-watched event by many as questions are already being raised as to how the government and the AIADMK would function in the absence of their tallest leader.

Many questions have been raised: Will Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Paneerselvam (OPS) occupy Jayalalithaa's chair? When he was sworn in as de-factor chief minister, he had refused to occupy Amma's seat, twice in the past.

The fear/respect/love for Amma was visible in the cabinet meetings of the past. The meeting would begin with OPS and the rest wiping their tears. Amma's seat would be left vacant. However there would be a photograph of Amma on the table to make it look as though she was always in charge.

The OPS dramatics in the absence of Amma were widely publicised and made interesting reading. When Jayalalithaa was sent to jail in connection with the disproportionate assets case, OPS battled tears while he was talking oath as CM. He did not convene an asssembly session when Amma was in jail.

Political analysts in Tamil Nadu would watch closely the developments in the state. The AIADMK which only recently won the elections has a long tenure ahead.

One must also make a mention of the dramatic photograph of Amma with OPS before the budget was presented. The budget box held by OPS was with a picture of Amma on it.

All eyes are on OPS now. Would he continue to function like how he always did in the past or will he come out of the shadows and show that he is a leader?

Only time will tell.

OneIndia News
'Coronavirus vaccine may never be found': Boris Johnson warns of 'worst-case scenario'

Farmers' protest internal issue of India, for it to resolve: British govt

How did British colonise hot countries? Netizens ask as Britain faces extreme heat

British minister lauds Modi's demonetisation decision

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

London, Dec 10: Priti Patel, Secretary for International Development, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "bold initiative to tame black money and corruption in India."

Patel, the former Indian Diaspora Champion under prime minister David Cameron, told this correspondent that the move was "a right step to tackle the root causes of corruption."

She said "too much black money was circulating in the world which funds terrorism and illegal trade," adding that Prime Minister Modi should be commended for giving "a strong message to the whole world that the era of illegal deals and trade is over."

Patel, the UK's most influential British Indian politician, said she was quite happy with the Brexit outcome despite the rise in racist attacks on British Asian communities. Indian-origin parliamentarians like Lord Karan Bilimoria are campaigning to stem racially aggravated attacks.

"I don't subscribe the allegations of Lord Bilimoria," said Patel "This country is harmonious and tolerant. British people voted for Brexit and we are committed to deliver that."

Patel had campaigned in favour of Brexit.

IANS


Blacklisting Mahmood blocked by China: The man who raised funds under garb of religion in India

India abstains from voting on UNGA resolution on Syria

International

oi-PTI

United Nations, Dec 10: India along with 35 other nations abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Syria and urgent aid deliveries in the war-ravaged country.

The Canada-led resolution, which expressed "outrage" at the escalation of violence in Syria, particularly war-battered Aleppo, was adopted by a vote of 122 in favour, 13 against and 36 abstentions yesterday.

Indian diplomatic sources told PTI that India abstained from voting on the resolution in line with its traditional approach that it does not mix humanitarian issues with political issues.

The sources said the resolution had several elements mixed up -- the humanitarian elements mixed with a large amount of political elements, which are "contentious".

"The resolution had elements addressing the humanitarian situation mixed with political viewpoints of the sponsors which made for an uncomfortable cocktail.

Air strikes kill 34 in Syria

Consequently we abstained in line with our approach that is for a delineation of humanitarian issues from the politics of a situation," the sources said.

The 193-member Assembly adopted the resolution demanding an immediate and complete end to all attacks on civilians as well as an end to all sieges in war-ravaged country.

The Assembly also expressed grave concern at the continued deterioration of the devastating humanitarian situation in the country and demanded "rapid, safe, sustained, unhindered and unconditional humanitarian access throughout the country for UN...and all humanitarian actors."

Action in the Assembly comes just days after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a similar resolution demanding a ceasefire in Aleppo, as two of its permanent members, China and Russia, cast their vetoes.

China, Russia, Iran and Syria voted against the General Assembly resolution, while Bangladesh, Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan and Nepal abstained. American Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said while the resolution is far from perfect, it is a vote to "stand up to tell Russia and (Syrian President Bashar) Assad to stop the carnage."

"This is a vote to defend the bedrock principles of how states should act, even in war. This is a vote to demand food, medicine, and safety urgently for a population in eastern Aleppo who have none," she said.

Power said Russia and the Assad regime have displaced at least 32,000 people in the last two weeks alone and their campaign of airstrikes have struck every single hospital in eastern Aleppo.

"The people left in eastern Aleppo do not know where to go. Some get shot in the street as they try to flee, others stay in their basements hoping Russia and Assad's aircraft refrain from dropping a bomb over their heads this time. Still others make it across the front line, only to have Assad's intelligence agencies forcibly disappear them," she said.

PTI
Obama orders 'full review' of 2016 election cyberattacks

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Dec 9: President Barack Obama has ordered a review of all cyberattacks that took place during the 2016 election cycle, the White House said today as concerns over Russian interference mount.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz said Obama called for the review earlier this week, amid growing calls from Congress for more information on the extent of Russian interference in the campaign. "We are committed to ensuring the integrity of our elections and this report will dig into this pattern of malicious cyberactivity timed to our elections, take stock of our defensive capabilities and capture lessons learned to make sure that we brief members of Congress and stakeholders as appropriate," said Schultz.

Obama wants the report completed before his term ends on January 20, Schultz said. "We are going to make public as much as we can," he added.

"This is a major priority for the president." The move comes after Democrats in Congress pressed the White House to reveal details, to Congress or to the public, of Russian hacking and disinformation in the election. It also comes after President-elect Donald Trump rejected the intelligence community finding of official Russian involvement. Confidential emails from the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta, a top advisor to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, were steadily leaked out via WikiLeaks in the months before the election, damaging Clinton's White House effort. On October 7, one month before the election, the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence announced that "the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of emails from US persons and institutions, including from US political organizations."

"These thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the US election process," they said. But in an interview published Wednesday with Time magazine for its "Person of the Year" award, Trump dismissed those findings. Asked whether the intelligence was politicized, Trump answered: "I think so." "I don't believe they interfered," he said.

"It could be Russia. And it could be China. And it could be some guy in his home in New Jersey." Worried that Trump will sweep the issue under a rug after his inauguration, seven Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee called on November 29 for the White House to declassify what it knows about Russian interference. The seven have already been briefed on the classified details, suggesting they believed there is more information that the public should know.

Then on Tuesday of this week, leading House Democrats called on Obama to give members of the entire Congress a classified briefing on Russian interference, from hacking to the spreading of fake news stories to mislead US voters. Republicans in Congress have also promised hearings into Russian activities once the new administration comes in.

PTI
North Koreas acting ambassador to Italy is missing for two months

Diplomat thanking Canada Sikh referendum proves again the role of Pakistan

Top US diplomat on religious freedom to visit India

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Dec 10: A top US diplomat on international religious freedom will visit India next week to meet representatives of majority and minority religions, civil society members as well as government officials, the State Department has said.

Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom David Saperstein will visit New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai during his ten-day visit starting from tomorrow.

"Ambassador Saperstein will visit New Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai, India and Dhaka, Bangladesh," the State Department said.

Saperstein will discuss religious freedom with government officials, civil society representatives, and a range of leaders representing both majority and minority religious communities, it said yesterday.

PTI
Trump promises Hindu holocaust memorial in Washington DC if he wins

Trump picks Goldman Sachs executive for top economic post

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Washington, Dec 10: US President-elect Donald Trump has picked a Goldman Sachs executive to head the White House National Economic Council, the media reported on Saturday.

Gary Cohn, Goldman's president and chief operating officer, has been offered the director of the key economic council to coordinate domestic and international economic issues in the Trump administration, Xinhua news agency reported.

If Cohen accepts the post, which does not require Senate confirmation, he will be the third Goldman-linked banker to join the Trump administration.

Trump's treasury secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin and White House adviser Steve Bannon had also worked at Goldman.

While Trump repeatedly attacked Goldman and other Wall Street banks on the campaign trail, he has picked several wealthy businessmen with deep Wall Street ties into his cabinet, sparking criticism that he did not deliver his campaign promise to "drain the swamp" of powerful interests in Washington.

Bernie Sanders, a former Democratic presidential candidate and Vermont Senator, blasted the Cohn appointment on Twitter.

"It's called a rigged economy and this is how it works," he said.

The National Economic Council was created by then-President Bill Clinton in 1993 and it has become the most important economic-policymaking body in the White House.

--IANS

py/
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All rights reserved.

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Wonder Bread owner Flowers Foods (FLO) said in a Friday filing that it reached a settlement for a class action lawsuit originally filed in March 2013.

The stock rocketed 17 percent higher after the news. It later pared those gains, but was still ended the day 13 percent higher.

The company said the amount includes $5.2 million in settlement funds and $3.8 million in attorney fees.

The lawsuit focused on whether or not Flowers Foods had misclassified its distributors as independent contractors instead of employees. The original complaint, filed in North Carolina, alleged "violations of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act."

The key to Friday's settlement was that the company's current independent distributor model will remain in place. As part of that model, Flowers sells defined territories to its distributors who gain exclusive rights.

"Certain non-economic terms that are intended to strengthen and enhance the independent contractor model" were also part of the deal, Flowers Foods said in its Friday filing.

Shares of Flowers Foods have fallen by more than 10 percent so far in 2016.

Correction: This article was corrected to clarify that the lawsuit was related to the classification of independent distributors. An earlier version of this article misstated the nature of the case.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the NKR Defense Army, Colonel Senor Hasratyan says the Azerbaijani reports over the current situation in the frontline do not correspond to the reality, reports Armenpress.

Following the regular reports by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry over the existing situation in the frontline, we are convinced that the information field of that country, as usual, is working in the imagination field, rather than in a reality field.

Another proof is the disinformation spread today by this same field which says that the Armenian side violated the ceasefire regime 43 times within a day by firing 60 mm mortars. It is at least incomprehensible from where the use of 60mm mortars comes to the mind of the Azerbaijani propagandists

But one thing is definite: the falsification of reality is already an accepted measure and acting as an innocent lamb is a goal for the propagandists of the neighbor country, the NKR Defense Army spokesman writes on Facebook.
by  Graham Pierrepoint



Unless youve been living in a cave for the past six months, its been almost impossible to dodge the tumultuous fallout from the decision made by the British public to leave the European Union earlier this year  in a decision that was made with a swing towards leave, the referendum on the UKs EU membership has resulted in big changes at the top of government, not least the departure of Prime Minister David Cameron and the appointment of former Home Secretary Theresa May as the countrys face in times of great uncertainty. The economy, as much as social feelings and attitudes, has been affected greatly by the change. The most uncertainty for many people, however, lies in exactly what will happen to citizens rights in the months and years to come  will UK citizens be able to travel freely between European countries once the country exits the Union? What will happen to trade  and, more importantly for many people, the job market?

Its emerged this week that Guy Verhofstadt, who is currently working on a proposal on behalf of the European Parliament to approach Britain with in the event of negotiation once Article 50 has been activated, is said to be hoping to include a clause that will enable any British citizens wishing to benefit from EU membership to opt-in for a fee  meaning that anyone who disagreed with the referendum results could potentially look to benefiting directly from the European Union themselves on an individual basis. This process may enable certain citizens to gain associate citizenship  and while this is still being discussed ahead of any official talks, its a policy that may be of some solace to those hoping to still move and work freely within and across the continent.

The potential loss of free movement as a result of the referendum result could mean that certain UK citizens are left struggling in terms of where they will be able to travel and work  but the concept of free movement will be a factor that is negotiated alongside the UKs access to the single market, as trade and movement are expected to be the large players in negotiations as next year approaches. The idea of the UK leaving the Union may be polarizing to many for various reasons, but we are far from having a solid or definite deal lined up  meaning that various details on what will be bartered in the months to come are likely to become more widely reported sooner rather than later.
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Sweet Sofia: EEGS 2016 Comes Off with Flying Colours!

Published December 10, 2016 by Lee R

EEGS is gaining momentum as a one-stop iGaming information and networking superhighway.

The ninth edition of Eastern European Gaming Summit EEGS at Inter Expo Sofia surpassed the expectations of even the events most ardent supporters as well as promoters.

Global Nexus

Having just concluded from November 21st to 22nd, the conference has already taken on a life of its own as a global nexus for all attendees linking experts, professionals, and all manner of representatives of land-based and online gaming.

Meeting of Minds

Organised by the Bulgarian Trade Association of Manufacturers and Operators in the Gaming Industry (BTAMOGI), the summit provided rousing interface and dialogue among conference attendees and panellists, with over 200 visitors taking part in conference panels and discussions with over 60 seasoned experts.

Kick-Off

The event was kicked off by BTAMOGI and Bulgarian State Commission on Gambling Chairman Angel Iribozov, who got things underway in rousing fashion by affirming gaming industry stability through figures in the state budget, characterizing the results as exceeding all expectations.

Further Remarks

Conference moderator Mr. Ognemir Mitev celebrated the fact that EEGS has rapidly transformed into an innovative information and best business exchange, supporting iGaming sectors from manufacturing to operating to regulatory aspects of the gaming business.

Main Themes

Regulatory changes and challenges in Europe as well as omni-channel strategy were the central topics of discussion. The healthy exchange of ideas dramatically increasing the insight of open-minded attendees for effective compliance into all European markets through a Q&A session led by EU law expert Dr. Simon Planzer and updates from European Commission policy officer Bertil Vagnhammar.

Meeting the Press

An important press conference also took place at the EEGS, with luminaries such as Dr. Joerg Hofmann, Senior Partner, Melchers Law Firm, and former president of the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) addressing the press along with Carlo Pagan, General Director of the Casino Campione D'Italia and Vice President of the European Casino Association.

Addressing the Public

Their main message: with thriving online casino revenues increasing, responsible gaming becomes the priority of the iGaming industry moving forward.

Overview

It is only possible to touch upon the goings on at EEGS 2016. Suffice to say, all can trust that the full benefits were experienced by attendees fortunate enough to be here, with everyone else invited for next years even more rousing tenth edition!
From Consortium News



Journalist Gary Webb holding a copy of his Contra-cocaine article in the San Jose Mercury-News.

(Image by whale.to) Details DMCA



Amid the mainstream U.S. media's current self-righteous frenzy against "fake news," it's worth recalling how the big newspapers destroyed Gary Webb, an honest journalist who exposed some hard truths about the Reagan administration's collaboration with Nicaraguan Contra cocaine traffickers.

Webb's reward for reviving that important scandal in 1996 -- and getting the CIA's inspector general to issue what amounted to an institutional confession in 1998 -- was to have The New York Times, The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times lobby for, essentially, his banishment from journalism.

The major media pile-on was so intense and so effective that Webb lost his job at the San Jose Mercury-News and could never find regular work in his profession again. Betrayed by his journalistic colleagues, his money gone, his family broken and his life seemingly hopeless, Webb committed suicide on Dec. 9, 2004.

Even then, the Los Angeles Times wrote up his obituary as if the paper were telling the life story of an organized-crime boss, not a heroic journalist. The Times obit was then republished by The Washington Post.

In other words, on one of the most significant scandals of the Reagan era, major newspapers, which now want to serve as the arbiters of truth for the Internet, demonstrated how disdainful they actually are toward truth when it puts the U.S. government in a harsh light.

Indeed, if it had been up to the big newspapers, this important chapter of modern history would never have been known. A decade earlier, in 1985, Brian Barger and I first exposed the Contra-cocaine connection for The Associated Press -- and we watched as the big papers turned their backs on the scandal then, too.

The main point that Webb added to the story was how some of the Contra cocaine fed into the production of crack-cocaine that had such a devastating effect on America's black communities in particular. Webb's disclosure of the crack connection infuriated many African-Americans and the big papers acted as if it was their civic duty to calm down those inner-city folks by assuring them that the U.S. government would never do such a thing.

So, instead of doing their jobs as journalists, the major newspapers acted as the last line of defense against the people learning the truth.

A Solid Record

Yet, what's remarkable now about the Contra-cocaine scandal is that -- despite the cover-up efforts of the big papers -- the truth is out there, available in official government documents, including the CIA's inspector general's report.

Collectively, the information also represents a damning indictment of The New York Times, The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times and demonstrates why they are unfit to lecture anyone about what's real and what's "fake."

For instance, in 2013, at the National Archives annex in College Park, Maryland, I discovered a declassified "secret" U.S. law enforcement report that detailed how top Contra leader Adolfo Calero was casually associating with Norwin Meneses, described in the records as "a well-reputed drug dealer." Meneses was near the center of Webb's 1996 articles for the San Jose Mercury-News.

The report was typical of the evidence that the Reagan administration -- and the big newspapers -- chose to ignore. It recounted information from Dennis Ainsworth, a blue-blood Republican from San Francisco who volunteered to help the Contra cause in 1984-85. That put him in position to witness the strange goings-on of Contra leaders hobnobbing with drug traffickers and negotiating arms deals with White House emissaries.

Ainsworth also was a source of mine in fall 1985 when I was investigating the mysterious channels of funding for the Contras after Congress shut off CIA support in 1984 amid widespread reports of Contra atrocities inflicted on Nicaraguan civilians, including rapes, executions and torture.

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(Image by Georgianne Nienaber) Details DMCA



As discussed at today's (December 9, 2016) status hearing in Federal Court, Judge James Boasberg ordered that: 1) Dakota Access' motion to supplement the administrative record is denied without prejudice to be renewed in the event that it believes additional records are required to respond to the Government's forthcoming brief; 2) The Government shall make good-faith efforts to begin compiling the documents sought by Dakota Access, and it shall also supplement the administrative record by January 6, 2017, with all documents concerning the easement that were created on or before July 25, 2016; 3) Dakota Access's motion to expedite is denied in part, given the announced briefing schedule; 4) The Government shall file a combined opposition to Dakota Access's motion for summary judgment and any motion to dismiss by January 6, 2017; 5) The Tribes shall file any opposition(s) by that same date; 6) Dakota Access shall file its combined opposition and reply by January 31, 2017; 7) The Government and the Tribes shall file any replies within 10 days of Dakota Access's filing; 8) The Court shall notify the parties of a date for oral argument if it requires one; and 9) The Government shall promptly notify the Court should it change its position regarding the easement.

The protests at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation have galvanized supporters from around the world.

Last week Congresswoman and Veteran Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) gave a moving speech to Congress in opposition to the pipeline. It is noteworthy in that the five minute speech artfully sums up all of the legal, moral and spiritual issues surrounding DAPL.

The easement at Lake Oahe is the last obstacle Energy Transfer Partners faces in its efforts to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline. It was a major victory for the Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux when when Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Jo-Ellen Darcy announced on Sunday that the USACE would not grant the easement under Lake Oahe at this time.

The Judge's Decision moves the arguments into the New Year, with possible decisions coming at late as February. However, the Judge noted that any decision he might make could become moot when Donald Trump takes office in January.

The proposed Dakota Access Pipeline at Lake Oahe, North Dakota has been the subject of litigation since July 2016.

(Article changed on December 9, 2016 at 15:20)

(Article changed on December 9, 2016 at 15:38)
From WSWS

The recount of the presidential election in the state of Michigan halted Wednesday, after three days of ballot-counting, when a federal judge announced he would defer to a state court ruling against it.

The Michigan Court of Appeals decided Tuesday that Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein did not have standing to seek a recount. By a 3-0 vote, the Republican-dominated court accepted the claim of Republican state Attorney General Bill Schuette and the state Republican Party that since Stein trailed Donald Trump by more than two million votes in Michigan, she could not reasonably expect to win the state in a recount, and therefore was not an "aggrieved party" under state law.

In effect, the state court found that only the campaign of Democrat Hillary Clinton was entitled to seek a recount, since she lost Michigan to Trump by only 10,704 votes, the narrowest margin of victory for Trump in any state. The Clinton campaign was an observer to the recount once it began, but it has not initiated any request of its own for the ballots to be scrutinized and re-tabulated.

Federal District Judge Mark Goldsmith, who rejected the legal arguments of the Republicans opposed to the recount at a weekend hearing, issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday night after the state court ruling, compelling the state Board of Elections and local county clerks to continue the recount.

On Wednesday night, however, he dissolved that order, declaring that he would defer to the state court in interpreting Michigan state law. "Because there is no basis for this court to ignore the Michigan court's ruling and make an independent judgment regarding what the Michigan Legislature intended by the term 'aggrieved,' plaintiffs have not shown an entitlement to a recount under Michigan's statutory scheme," he wrote.

Attorneys for Jill Stein said they would appeal both court decisions. The state Court of Appeals ruling will be appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court, while Judge Goldsmith's ruling will be appealed to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.

Stein's lead attorney, Mark Brewer, a past chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, filed a separate motion to disqualify two state Supreme Court justices, Robert Young Jr. and Joan Larsen, from hearing the case, because Trump has named both of them as potential nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court to fill the vacancy left by the death of Antonin Scalia.

Neither court is likely to look favorably on Stein's appeal. The Michigan Supreme Court has a 5-2 Republican majority, and would still have a Republican majority if Young and Larsen were to recuse themselves.

A three-member panel of the Sixth Circuit upheld Goldsmith's initial order for the recount, ruling Tuesday that he had not abused his discretion. But the panel effectively required him to accede to state court decisions, writing, "If subsequently, the Michigan courts determine the ... recount is improper under Michigan state law for any reason, we expect the district court to entertain any properly filed motions to dissolve or modify this order in this case."

Significantly, the panel added that it had made no decision yet on such questions as whether "there is a freestanding constitutional right to a recount or that plaintiffs validly invoked a recount under Michigan law, or that plaintiffs should necessarily prevail on the merits of this suit."

The three days of recounting the nearly 5 million ballots cast in Michigan have not produced any reports of significant changes in the vote count because no county has filed any results. But there is already massive evidence of a dysfunctional and antiquated electoral system which is at its worst in the poorest areas of the state, particularly inner-city neighborhoods of Detroit and Flint.

Many precincts have been barred from recounting ballots under a state law which permits recounts only when the total number of ballots cast coincides exactly with the roster of voters recorded in poll books. If these two counts do not match -- frequently because of a voter who tore up his or her ballot and walked out without requesting a replacement -- the initial precinct count stands. Discrepancies arise from other causes, including human errors like misfiling of spoiled, challenged or blank ballots or transposing numbers.

Stein issued a statement denouncing the legal claims of the Republicans and the Trump campaign. "Donald Trump and his cronies are doing everything possible to try to stop this exercise in our democracy, this effort to validate our vote," she said, adding, "it suggests that Donald Trump is very afraid that his vote is not valid, that he's very afraid of this process of democracy."

Stein also noted the indifference of the Clinton campaign and the Democrats. "When the Clinton team weighed in, which was, shall we say, minimalist and a day late," she said, it was "about as passive an expression of interest as one could imagine."

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From Our Future

Donald Trump is a masterful con man, and his presidency will be a bait-and-switch of epic proportions. He will, on one hand, appeal to the populist temper of the time -- as he did this week with his "thank you tour" -- and with stunts, as he did with the Carrier deal or his series of tweets purporting to hold Boeing to account for overcharging the Air Force.

The switch comes in Washington, with what David Axelrod dubbed a "Monster's Ball" of Wall Street and right-wing ideologues in the cabinet. Republican majorities in Congress will work to further rig the economy for the wealthy few.

Trump's opening speech of his "thank you tour" in Ohio laid out the bait. While putting forth his "action plan to make America great," Trump dished out nationalist and populist themes with a characteristic mix of racist signaling. Trump promised to put America first: "There is no global anthem. No global currency. No certificate of global citizenship. We pledge allegiance to one flag and that flag is the American flag. From now on it is going to be: America First," Trump said. "Never anyone again will any other interests come before the interest of the American people. It is not going to happen again."

Trump echoed Bernie Sanders with his focus on the "forgotten" American worker. Trump felt their pain, and indicted trade deficits and flight of manufacturing jobs. He promised good jobs. He will renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and take on China. He bragged about the Carrier deal, and pledged a 35 percent tariff on companies that offshore jobs and try to ship products back into the United States.

Like Sanders, Trump proposed a major plan to rebuild America, including "our inner cities." His plan will have "two simple rules": "Buy America" and "Hire America," phrases that too many Democrats would choke on.

The conservative core of his program -- corporate tax cuts, deregulation, reviving coal and oil, repealing Obamacare -- is wrapped in this populist gauze.

The switch, of course, will take place in the suites of Washington where, instead of draining the swamp, he's populating it with predators. Trump's CEO council, which will advise him on taxes and regulation, is a classic gang of thieves. Steve Schwarzman, head of the Blackstone Group, and impassioned defender of the carried-interest tax-break scam, is the chairman of Trump's group. (He famously compared the effort to roll back this obscene tax rip-off with Hitler's invading Poland). It also includes Jamie Dimon, head of JPMorgan Chase, the bank with one of longest rap sheets coming out of the financial debacle. His bank paid over $38 billion in fines for various fraudulent schemes from 2008 to 2015, and still counting.

Add Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors, bailed out by the Obama administration, which managed to pay no federal taxes despite $7.7 billion in world earnings in 2015.

And there's Doug McMillon, the CEO of Walmart, America's largest and viciously anti-union employer, infamous for paying its workers so little that they are forced to depend on billions in taxpayer subsidies in everything from food stamps to low-wage housing assistance, while the six heirs of the founder have wealth equaling the combined fortunes of 40 percent of Americans.

After scorning Goldman Sachs on the campaign trail, Trump wants to hand the Treasury Department to a second-generation Goldman Sachs alum, Steven Mnuchin, whom Senator Elizabeth Warren dubbed the "Forest Gump of the financial crisis" because he seemed to be everywhere. Mnuchin profited at Goldman trading the collateralized mortgage-backed securities and debt swaps that helped blow up the economy, and then cleaned up after the crash by purchasing IndyBank and running one of the most fraudulent foreclosure mills in the country.

In interviews held simultaneous to Trump's "thank you" tour, Mnuchin laid out the real agenda. "Our number-one priority is tax reform, the largest tax change since Reagan."

The administration will push to lower corporate taxes to 15 percent, and give the companies that evaded taxes by stashing the money abroad a massive tax break. The rich will clean up with "middle-class tax reforms" that feature lower-top-end taxes and an end to the estate tax. Mnuchin suggested that closing loopholes would keep the rich from benefiting from top-end personal tax cuts, a preposterous falsehood.

The second priority will be rolling back the "complications" of Dodd-Frank financial reform. Trump is brandishing the threat of 35 percent tariffs on companies who ship jobs abroad, but his nominee for Commerce Secretary, billionaire investor Wilbur Ross, noted "tariffs are the last thing...part of the negotiation. The real thing is going to be to increase American exports," echoing every American president since Clinton.

Representative Tom Price, the anti-abortion zealot nominated to head the Department of Health and Human Services, will work with House Speaker Paul Ryan to repeal Obamacare. The plan now is repeal and delay -- repealing the reform on a date certain three or so years from now, while working out the "replacement" in the meantime. With Trump and the Republican Congress intent on slashing taxes and raising military spending, the resulting deficits will be used justify an attack on Medicaid and Medicare as part of "reform." In control of the Congress and the White House, Republicans will push to roll back and privatize basic pieces of the safety net.

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microsoft-linkedin-1.png

The $26 billion Microsoft-LinkedIn deal, sealed this week, also poses a question: Can Microsoft, formerly hostile to Silicon Valley, scoop up a Bay Area stalwart without breaking it?

(Handout image)

SEATTLE -- Microsoft's $26 billion deal to purchase LinkedIn is the boldest risk the company has taken under Chief Executive Satya Nadella.

The deal, sealed on Thursday, also poses a question: Can Microsoft, formerly hostile to Silicon Valley, scoop up a Bay Area stalwart without breaking it?

LinkedIn gives Microsoft, whose Office and Windows software are default portals for information workers, the leading online resume repository and workplace relationship database for that same crowd.

Microsoft, headquartered outside Seattle, hopes to use the professional social network to improve its software for salespeople and build new applications that combine LinkedIn's data about relationships with Office's information about organizations and how people spend their time at work.

But Microsoft has a checkered history when it comes to following through on its plans following megadeals. The purchases of Nokia's phone unit and digital advertising company aQuantive both resulted in billions of dollars in writedowns.

"The good news is this is Nadella's first big one," said Brent Thill, software analyst with UBS. "The bad news is, the big ones haven't gone so well."

Microsoft's position today contrasts with the last time it courted a large Silicon Valley Internet company.

Microsoft spent five years trying to buy web pioneer Yahoo, a flirtation that ultimately ended in 2009 with an agreement that Yahoo would use Microsoft's search technology.

At the time, Microsoft had a tarnished reputation in corners of the technology industry, born of the company's reputation as a fierce competitor hostile to technologies built outside of its orbit.

The gulf between Microsoft and the rest of the industry was so wide that some executives on both sides of the table in the Yahoo talks were concerned that the internet giant's rank-and-file employees would revolt at the prospect of rule from Microsoft, according to people involved in the discussions.

There was "a lot of discontent," said Al Hilwa, who worked on developer tools at Microsoft, and later joined researcher IDC. "People in the Bay Area were not happy about it. There was a huge amount of hand wringing about whether Microsoft's culture was appropriate for the folks at Yahoo."

The Microsoft of 2016 isn't that toxic, analysts and technologists say.

In his nearly three years at the helm, Nadella has pushed the company's culture to embrace open-source software and other areas dear to Silicon Valley's heart. A gentler tone, along with a rising stock price and progress in the company's growing web-based software, has boosted morale at Microsoft.

"It's being viewed as a destination versus maybe a few years ago, when it was a place that people wanted to move on from," Thill said. "Nadella's created more of a magnet for talent."

Thill, after crunching data from online job forum Glassdoor, noted that Microsoft's employee sentiment had climbed under Nadella, and recently stood 10 percent above its peers, surpassing Apple for the first time on an annual basis.

Still, some LinkedIn employees apparently had the opposite view of the deal. The Glassdoor data indicates a drop in employees' approval of LinkedIn Chief Executive Jeff Weiner after the deal was announced.

"There's always going to be disgruntled people when a large company buys an independent startup," Hilwa said. "Microsoft has to make a strong appeal to people to stay. They have to articulate what they're going to do in the next 12 months."

Nadella outlined some of those plans in a blog post on Thursday, detailing plans to add elements of LinkedIn's tools to Outlook and Word.

The top priority, Nadella said, "is to accelerate LinkedIn's growth."

The company has about 470 million members. It posted a profit of $8.6 million during the three months ended in September, the company's first profitable quarter in nearly two years. Revenue has been surging. LinkedIn's sales of $959 million during the quarter were up 23 percent from a year earlier.

In an effort to keep LinkedIn's culture and team intact, Microsoft has limited the integration of the two companies. Nadella said on a call with analysts after the deal was announced in June that the company had learned lessons from past acquisitions, and would keep LinkedIn's Weiner in charge of a relatively independent entity. Weiner also heads the integration team responsible for linking the two companies.

That's a contrast to Microsoft's approach with Nokia, in which teams at the Finnish company, from finance to marketing to engineering, were grafted onto their Microsoft counterparts, an approach that ended with a severe financial hit and layoffs.

Layoffs at LinkedIn units are likely in any case as the company loses the administrative requirements of a publicly traded company.

Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood told financial analysts this summer to expect $150 million in annual savings from "cost synergies," corporate jargon for streamlining of redundant processes, which often includes reduced headcount.

LinkedIn at the end of September had 10,113 employees, primarily at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters. Microsoft has 113,616 employees.

"I am energized and optimistic for what we can achieve together and the journey ahead," Nadella said.

-- The Seattle Times
A man with two Oregon warrants has been arrested on suspicion of robbing a Vancouver bank.

Robert Bemis implied he had a weapon, demanded money and made off with an undisclosed sum from a Chase Bank branch Friday afternoon, police said. He's facing a first-degree robbery charge and is being held in the Clark County Jail.

Bemis was convicted of third-degree rape in Clackamas County six years ago and has since been convicted of several misdemeanors in Oregon. Court records list a pair of probation violation warrants issued in September.

Vancouver police said Bemis, 24, left the bank on foot and was arrested a few blocks away. The robbery happened around 1:40 p.m., police said in a news release.

-- Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com

503-221-8005; @Jimryan015
AX126_7EE6_9 (1).jpg

Eastside Distilling in Portland's Southeast Central Eastside.

(The Oregonian)

After two years of testing and review, Portland's Eastside Distilling will be exporting their spirits in China.

The approval, which includes the company's Burnside Bourbon, Barrel Hitch American Whiskey, Cherry Bomb Whiskey, Marionberry Whiskey and Portland Potato Vodka, will help the Portland-based company break into one of the largest whiskey markets in the world, according to PR Newswire.

According to Steven Earles, president of Eastside Distilling, "the Asia Pacific region accounts for approximately 50 percent of the global whiskey market."

Import sales from American spirits in China have increased over the past three years, growing from $11 billion in 2013 to $15 billion, according to a report in Zacks SCR.

1805 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., 971-888-4264, eastsidedistilling.com

-- Samantha Bakall

sbakall@oregonian.com

Follow @sambakall
Investigative reporting can be lonely -- until it's not.



Let me try to explain.



In the past few days, we published an investigation by Rob Davis. The two-part series identified hundreds of National Guard armories that had been contaminated with lead dust. U.S. military officials knew about the problem for years but allowed it to fester -- exposing thousands of soldiers and the public to the hazards.



Botched clean ups and failed mitigation efforts enabled the toxic dust to spread to rooms used by small children. Lead had coated gym equipment, kitchen appliances and storage shelves that held children's toys.



In Oregon, Davis found that state military officials tried to cover up how long they knew about the problem, while the armories brought in millions in rental income from baptisms, baby showers, parties and other community events.

Davis began his long journey after first reporting that kids were being exposed to lead at the Forest Grove armory -- one of the nation's dirtiest. He wanted to find out if the problems in Forest Grove were unique. So Davis requested data from all 50 states. Over a period that spanned 18 months, he would amass more than 23,000 pages of documents.



Some states stonewalled us. So Davis fought with government officials to get more reports and a fuller accounting -- all while persuading reluctant sources to talk. He also arranged for free lead testing in former Oregon armories.



During the first year that Davis toiled on the project, his editors asked for occasional check-ins and updates. Largely, however, he was left alone. He found himself knee deep in the public records he had unearthed. He scoured pages for patterns. He carefully and meticulously entered the findings from inspection reports into an Excel spreadsheet, building from scratch a one-of-a-kind database.

Data entry is quiet, tedious work. At first, it yields nothing but achy fingers and bleary vision. The payoff comes when you begin to sort and filter the totality of the data. When Davis began to share his "aha" moments, his solo expedition morphed into a small team and then a bigger one.

And that's the beauty of project journalism. About 20 journalists would ultimately rally around the story. Our video journalists, photographers, web producers and data specialists brought their expertise and brilliant talents to bear. Together, with Davis, they created something special.



Davis describes it this way:



"You're on a long hike in the woods. You're alone. You're not sure how much further you have. Your feet hurt, your pack is dragging you down, you're walking uphill into the wind. Out of nowhere, a group of smiling, energetic, really smart people bound up next to you, grab your pack and help you the rest of the way. It was awesome to watch the newsroom mobilize around this project. They elevated the work in so many ways."



Davis is one of six reporters on our watchdog team. He focuses on environmental health investigations. His work on oil trains and Portland's contaminated air has won regional reporting awards. But he hadn't spent this much time on a single project before.

"This story never would have been told without the organization's commitment to investigative journalism," Davis said. "Even as our reporting spurred armory closures around the country in the last year, no one connected the dots or looked deeper."



Davis credited Samantha Swindler, who is now one of our local columnists, with first getting this story moving. Swindler, a tenacious reporter in her own right, initially requested inspection documents related to the Forest Grove armory. She teamed briefly with Davis to write about the problems there.

"The project's roots lie in her fundamental act of everyday watchdog journalism," Davis said of Swindler.



His editor, Steve Suo, who oversees our Watchdog and Data Driven Enterprise team, notes that many of the best investigative stories weave together human stories with data. The combination helps define and illustrate the scope of the problem. It also helps explain why our newsroom's five data specialists are part of our watchdog team. They took the spreadsheets Davis had created and developed a compelling way for readers to navigate it on OregonLive.



"Our data folks not only added a new visual dimension to Rob's story, but were essential to supporting the story's core conclusions," Suo said.



Investigative journalists are driven by a desire to make a difference. And our series Toxic Armories got results before a word was ever published. When Davis started asking questions, the National Guard directed states to inspect every armory in the country and clean up the ones that were tainted with the neurotoxin. Armories in seven states shut down to the public. Two states offered voluntary blood testing to their soldiers.

Davis gathered up inspection records from 41 states. Since we published our series, lawmakers have begun to pressure the missing states to cough up more inspection records. And we've shared the data with the public and with other journalists to help others dig deeper.



It's all part of our mission to shine a light on problems and hold those responsible to account.

And you can't always do it alone.
Two separate audits found the Oregon Department of Education didn't do enough to ensure that its huge cache of data on more than 600,000 students remains private.

Hundreds of people in school districts and in state government have access to some or all of that data. That means keeping it safe is a daunting technological challenge.

A report by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Inspector General found Oregon at risk of being unable to "prevent or detect unauthorized access and disclosure of personally identifiable information."

A state audit, made public Thursday, also found insufficient security measures to keep confidential student data confidential.

"The department does not provide an appropriate layered defense," auditors wrote.

Neither the state nor federal department issued a notice about the federal audit. The Oregon Department of Education provided it to The Oregonian/OregonLive in response to a public records request.

Oregon Department of Education officials say they have taken careful and technically advanced steps to protect data, and are constantly updating and upgrading those efforts.

Oregon student data in their possession has never been breached, said Susie Strangfield, the department's chief information officer.

But state and federal auditors both identified weaknesses in the steps and procedures the agency has used to ensure cyber security.

Federal auditors named several highly technical details; state auditors disclosed only general information, saying they listed precise problems in a confidential letter to state education department, to avoid flagging them for hackers.

The data doesn't include students' home addresses, health records or discipline write-ups.

But hackers could potentially capture full names, birth dates, test scores, special education designations, expulsions, whether students qualify for free- or reduced-price meals, expulsions, whether students are pregnant or parenting, whether students have opted out of testing, and other educational and demographic information.

The state tracks the identities of everyone who logs into the system, and it polices access to it. Officials also limit users to the portion of the data that's appropriate for them, such as information about their particular school or students in the grade they teach.

The federal audit was conducted beginning in June 2015 and looked at the department's internal controls of the data from from June 2015 through January 2016.

The Oregon Department of Education received preliminary findings in January and final results in September.

Oregon officials largely disputed the federal findings, saying their procedures and controls meet international and industry standards.

"Our implementation of these controls ensure our student data is kept secure," Strangfield, the state education department's chief information officer, said Thursday. "Agency technical controls and technologies implemented were not raised by either audit as cause for concern."

She said said the department "practices a defense-in-depth approach and continues to add layers of security to address emerging threats."

According to written comments included in the federal audit report, state officials acknowledged some problems. But they said they were on track to have them fixed by July.

The department, which had just one data security employee, hired three more, added software to detect unauthorized access, wrote down malware response procedures and trained staff on them, the federal audit said.

The state audit was conducted in fall 2016.

It found the department has done several things right, including ensuring the integrity of student data and accurately giving out and tracking state and federal funding.

But beyond raising questions about security measures, state auditors also said the department failed to follow procedures to ensure bad code did not get programmed into its system. And, although it has adequate measures to back up files in case of a disaster, the department lacks a workable plan for restoring those files and quickly becoming operational again.

State auditors said they were purposefully vague about inadequacies in the education department's data security system.

Weaknesses "relate to the department's processes for planning, configuring, managing and monitoring information technology security components," they wrote.

"Because of the sensitive nature of IT security, we communicated the details" in a confidential memo, they said.

-- Betsy Hammond
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Taipei, Dec. 10 (CNA) A Chinese student in Taipei said Saturday that she has been able to come forward openly as a gay person and a supporter of same-sex marriage since she came to Taiwan, because it is a "land of enlightenment" in terms of civil liberties.
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NORMAL  Rivian Automotive's pending deal with the town of Normal and other local taxing bodies has similarities to a deal the company made in Michigan a year ago.

On Nov. 24, 2015, Michigan Economic Development Corporation published an agreement with Rivian requiring the company to invest up to $29.5 million in the city of Dearborn and create 174 jobs in exchange for a $1.77 million grant.

"With incentive assistance the project can close the gap between competing locations and will ... move forward in Michigan with the establishment of a research and development facility," according to the MEDC, "opposed to alternative sites in Florida and California, where competing incentive offers and access to the technology experts are more readily available."

Rivian also has a facility in San Francisco. The company once operated in Rockledge, Fla., as well.

Representatives of Rivian could not be reached on Friday.

The grant is from the Michigan Strategic Fund, which uses taxpayer dollars to "promote economic development and create jobs," according to michigan.org.

The Normal City Council will consider Monday an agreement giving Rivian a $1 million grant contingent on the company buying the town's former Mitsubishi Motors North America plant and investing $20 million in the project.

Rivian must invest $40.5 million and create 500 full-time, high-paying jobs by the end of 2021 in order to trigger a five-year property tax abatement. That deal needs to be approved by several taxing bodies, including Normal, McLean County, the Normal-based Unit 5 school district and Heartland Community College.

Rivian plans to invest $175 million and create 1,000 jobs by 2024, according to a release from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The company plans to manufacture vehicles in Normal, said Mayor Chris Koos.

Rivian is expected to receive state incentives as well, though "nothing has been finalized," said Jacquelyn Reineke, media relations director for DCEO.
BLOOMINGTON  A prosecutor had stern words Friday for those who may consider bullets as a means to getting what they want in McLean County.

"Those of you who want to play with guns and use them to injure others, listen up," Assistant State's Attorney David Spence said, turning to face the audience attending the sentencing hearing of Deoante Jordan, 21, of Bloomington.

"If you are convicted, it may very well be the last day of freedom you experience," said Spence, telling Judge Scott Drazewski "this should be an end to this defendant's freedom."

Jordan was sentenced to a total of 74 years  10 years for attempted murder, eight years for armed robbery and 56 years in enhanced penalties for the use of a firearm.

The defendant was convicted of shooting Joshua Corbert, 26, three times on Dec. 21, 2014, as the victim fled an armed robbery in his own home at Washington and Howard streets in Bloomington.

The two men had been playing dice over two days before Jordan left the victim's apartment and returned with a handgun.

Corbert gave Jordan several hundred dollars before the assailant ordered him at gunpoint to drop to the kitchen floor. When Corbert heard Jordan removing a gaming system in the next room, he ran outside.

Jordan shot Corbert three times as Corbert ran across his yard to the street where he was found by a person who summoned help.

In his fiery argument for a 100-year sentence, Spence questioned the shooter's motivations.

"Could it just be over a few hundred dollars or was it just out of plain meanness? No, it was not," said Spence. It more likely was Jordan's plan "to eliminate Mr. Corbert as a witness" who would later testify against him, said the prosecutor.

Defense lawyer Ron Lewis argued that the addition of multiple sentences for the use of a handgun is contrary to a provision of the Illinois Constitution that calls for recognition of a person's potential for rehabilitation.

Stacking the sentences that must be served consecutively "is just beating people down," said Lewis.

Jordan grew up without a father in this life and a mother who had her own legal issues, said Lewis.

"When it gets down to it, he really didn't get a start in his adulthood," said the defense lawyer.

According to a pre-sentence report cited by Spence, Jordan's contact with the criminal justice system began when he was 10 and placed on probation for aggravated battery.

In 2014, after several years of minor offenses, Jordan was given probation for robbery. Three months later, he was charged with the attempted murder.

In a statement to the judge, Jordan said he grew into manhood during his 718 days in jail but he expressed no remorse for the shooting.

"I have no bad feelings about the victim. All the wrongs done against me have been forgiven," said Jordan.

In his comments before imposing the sentence, Drazewski said the defendant threw away an opportunity he received with the probation sentence in the first felony case.

"It wasn't even three months later that he committed these senseless, violent acts," said the judge.

Many defendants use their statement at a sentencing hearing to try to convince a judge that their crime does not represent who they are, noted Drazewski.

The judge assured Jordan that "you are not being punished for who you are or what you are but for what you've done."

Jordan said he will appeal his conviction.
STREATOR  A message written on a bathroom stall prompted an investigation Friday at Woodland High School in Streator.

A student discovered the words "BOM 1" written on a stall in the school and a teacher confirmed the note had not been present earlier in the day, according to a news release.

Through security camera footage, administrators determined which students entered the bathroom around the time the note was written.

The students were interviewed, and one admitted to writing the message. The student claimed to have no intention of following through with the written threat.

The Livingston County Sheriff's Department aided in the investigation.

"We at Woodland CUSD No. 5 will continue to take the safety of our students as our number one and top priority," said Superintendent Ryan McGuckin in the release.
NORMAL  J.A. Jac Copes of Heyworth has resigned from the Heartland Community College board of trustees.

Copes is stepping down because he is moving out of the district, according to college spokeswoman Becky Gropp. He missed the October and November board meeting and the board retreat in November.

The board will determine the procedures for filling the vacancy when it meets Tuesday, Gropp said. The new trustee will be selected and appointed at a Jan. 24 meeting.

The board meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Community Commons Building on the campus at 1500 W. Raab Road, Normal.

A public hearing on the tax levy will take place at the start of Tuesday's meeting. The board is proposing a total 2016 levy of $16.3 million.

Also on Tuesday's agenda is approval of a tax abatement and economic incentive agreement with Rivian Automotive in connection with the location and operation of an automobile manufacturing facility at the former Mitsubishi Motors North America property in Normal.

The person appointed to fill the vacancy left by Copes' resignation will serve until the 2019 election.

The board also will name a board member to take over Copes' position as secretary. He also previously served as treasurer.

Copes was elected to the board in 2009 and re-elected in 2015.

A native of Green Valley, Copes is a Vietnam veteran and served in the Navy for 30 years, retiring with the rank of commander in 1997. He has been a building operating engineer at Illinois State University since 2002.
BLOOMINGTON  Ten college students were displaced Saturday after an attic fire broke out in a large house split into multiple apartments in the Franklin Park neighborhood Saturday morning. No one was injured.

Flames were visible from the third-story windows of the house, 302 E. Walnut St., when Bloomington firefighters arrived at 7:48 a.m., said Fire Captain Jeffrey Day. Normal firefighters provided assistance.

The 10 tenants will be relocated to a nearby rental unit until the building is repaired. A cause and damage estimate were not available.

Day said the fire was difficult to extinguish because of the tight spaces in the attic.

Youd think it was out and then it would come back. Once fire gets into insulation it can smolder and start back up quickly, he said.

There was substantial damage to the attic, said Day, and the rest of the house received significant water damage.

The fire was under control by 8:42 a.m.

The building is insured by the owner but it was unclear if the tenants had rental insurance. The tenants declined Red Cross help.
A 17-year-old California teenager is now facing charges after she reportedly stabbed a pregnant mother to death. The baby inside the mother's womb also died.

The stabbing took place on Nov. 21 at Venice, California and the mother, identified as 22-year-old Jasmine Preciado, was left bleeding on the streets. People reported that the teenager was not identified as she is a juvenile but she has been charged with two counts of murder.

The teenager reportedly denied the charges. She is scheduled to appear in a juvenile court on Jan. 10. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said that the teenager will remain in custody but it was not stated if she has an attorney representing her and if she entered a plea.

Initially, officials had no lead to the identity of the attacker/attackers but the teenager reportedly turned herself into the Los Angeles Police Department on Wednesday. There were no other arrests made but the authorities believed that the teen was with two more people during the stabbing incident.

Reports claimed that Preciado, who also has a three-year-old daughter, was only visiting Venice, California with her boyfriend. Allegedly, there was an altercation outside a store near Pacific and Windward avenues, which is also near the Venice Beach boardwalk.

Preciado was then stabbed four times, as per the report of Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter. She was also stabbed in the neck, which ultimately led to her death, Cosmopolitan reported.

As per the surveillance video, the pregnant woman was seen seemingly being part of a scuffle near a dark SUV. Later, a woman runs in front of the SUV with what appeared to be a knife in her left hand. She then jumped into the SUV with other people then drove off.

A GoFundMe page was established for the funeral of Preciado as well as support for the young girl she left behind. As of writing, donations have amounted to $4,000.
How does your life influence your graduate school experience?" Anne Guarnera, a doctoral candidate in Spanish at the University of Virginia discussed teaching and learning as Intense she said."With the birth of my son earlier this semester, I've re-entered a season of intense parenting-well extraordinary life, to be true." Writing the last chapter of her dissertation, parenting two boys under three, and looking for a post-PhD job all the time is not a task for the faint of heart. It's not a mere logistical challenge, but an intense feeling as well.

She also stated that "One unexpected benefit of this time, however, has been the opportunity to reflect upon how the past seven years of graduate have molded me. Indeed, entering job market has required this kind of critical reflection, as writing cover letters has forced me to articulate my future research plans and how they tell my teaching (and vice versa)."

According to her, there's something else that she has been thinking about, though something that she can't conclude in any cover letter, but that is equally significant, and that's how her experience of classroom teaching has shaped her as an individual and more likely, as a parent as cited on the INSIDE HIGHER ED.

According also to an article on NCBI parent involvement is one factor that has been consistently related to a child's increased academic performance (Hara & Burke, 1998; Hill and Craft, 2003; Marcon, 1999; Stevenson & Baker, 1987) in other words parenting and pedagogy is a great factor to a child's increase in academic performance. While this relation between parent involvement and a child's academic achievements is well established, studies have yet to determine how parent involvement improves a child's academic performance

.Parent involvement was defined as the teacher's perception of "the positive feeling parents have toward their child's education, teacher, and school" (Webster-Stratton, 1998). Based on previous research (Gonzales-DeHass et al., 2005; Hughes et al., 2005), two possible mechanisms, a child's perception of cognitive competence as measured by the child's observation, and the student-teacher relationship as measured by the teacher's observation, were examined for their ability to mediate the relation between parent involvement and academic performance.




A group of volunteer women hosted an event to help girls with autism. The goal of The Yellow Ladybugs is to help improve lives of young ladies with autism through conducting social activities.

Recently, the Yellow Ladybugs hosted an event which was attended by many Moms with an autistic daughter. Jaennette Purkis, the ambassador of the group, was diagnosed with cancer twenty years ago stated that having kids like them in their region is important. According to ABC, during the event, Jaennette spoke with some parents who had just found out that their child had autism.

Ms. Jaenette said that her personal conversation was her interview with Leanne Kennedy because it was a very touching and emotional talk. Ms. Kennedy spoke to Ms. Purkis and stated that her daughter did not once have a single friend, and now she could even cry because of happiness knowing that her daughter Sophie has been already socializing with others. Comfort and happiness have never been the same before. She felt a relief because her daughter was not judged.

Certain things in her daughter's life with the developmental disability is what Ms. Kennedy's concern. Your mind goes to a possible bad result you could think of. Ms. Kennedy thought that her daughter could never socialize and could not live a normal life, but after talking to Ms. Purkis, she is now assured that it will be okay.

The Yellow Ladybugs was established by Melbourne mother Katie Koullas in 2004 after she found out that she both her daughters have a mental imbalance. Yellow Ladybugs is a volunteer group aggregate who gladly make social gatherings, like birthday parties, where girls could meet, socialize and bond with one another. Yellow Ladybugs is devoted to the satisfaction, achievement, and celebration of girls and women who are having autism.

Katie Koullas said that she was happy other parents in her position in the capital of Australia, Canberra. She stated that Canberra is the next enormous chapter to start and likewise she had the interest in Perth. She said that she also had an interest in America and the United Kingdom, but that's going to be their goal next year.


In fact, there's a big chance that health care insurance for women would be more expensive in the Trumpcare. According to National Women's Law Center in 2009, after this year the health law passed, the maternity benefits of a woman aging 30 years old who lived in a state capital have a 13 percent of individual plan. And also, according to Truven Health Analytic in childbirthconnection.org, America can give a severe decrease of finances during a natural childbirth that cost $18,000 plus, back in 2010.

Before the foundation of Obamacare, the charged for women in health insurance was higher than men in the individual market. That unfairness vanishes under the health law, which forbids insurers from making women pay higher rates than men in the same service. The vice president for reproductive rights and health at the National Women's Law Center, Gretchen Borchelt wants to put back our concerned, where the insurance companies are making their own rules again, and returning women to those dark old days in health care and all the progress that they've done to prevent this might loss according to a news on NPR.

During the Obamacare, preventive services suggested by the U.S Preventive Services Task Force search that without copays or deductibles they have to be covered, the task force, search for a scientific evidence for medication, screenings and services held by an Independent panel of medical experts It includes screening for breast and cervical cancer by a genetic mutation called BRCA1 and BRCA2 as cited on Marie Claire.

It is easier to eliminate the coverage of contraception and other services that was being endorsed by Health resources and services administration, the HRSA adopted the Institute of medicine proposing a list of eight preventive services that should be covered without cost sharing, In 2011. And all the products approved by the Food and Drug Administration including all contraceptives that must cover to the insurers without charging women too much. It also include the requirements to cover well-woman to visits at least once a year for the screening of gestational diabetes, sexually transmitted infection and counseling for breastfeeding support and for domestic violence.

Earlier this year led by the American college of Obstetricians and Gynecologists made changes to that list. The addiction involves coverage without copays for mammograms and for follow up test such as biopsies after mammograms start at age 40. The federal officials still review the update. Palanker expect that before the end of this administration the action will be taken. But Trump administration may have a different idea about for the woman insurers that required to covers. Tuesday for secretary of health and human services was chosen by Rep. Tom price and R-Georgia who president-elect Donald Trump, legislation to repeal and replace the ACA was introduced in the past.

Adam Sonfield, a senior policy manager at the Guttmacher Institute believed that if they can endorse they can also unendorsed. The ACA have finally been spelled out many pages of regulation and guidance. The new administration could just ignore the ones that are on the books and could write different rules. Take a scope for birth control. Some health plans initially illuminate the requirement to cover FDA-approved contraceptives actually to cover birth control pills. Obamas Federal officials stated that insurers couldn't pick and choose , they had to comply the 18 FDA-approved methods of birth control.


Apple introduced the all-new 'AirPods' during their September's "See You" event with a scheduled launch date set for the end of October. But later that month Apple delayed shipments without setting a release date in the future. Tick-tock, time is all but run out for a Christmas surprise. Engadget noted late last night that "For a company that places enormous emphasis on the pageantry of dramatically unveiling and releasing its products to a ravenous public, this is an unusual and humbling letdown."

The Wall Street Journal (paid subscription required) noted in their report posted after midnight that "AirPods have become a rare public misstep for Apple. In September, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller hailed the earbuds as the entree to a wireless future, with seamless connection to an iPhone and a five-hour battery life.

At the September event, Mr. Schiller said the $159 headphones would begin shipping in October. Late that month, Apple said shipment was delayed. It hasn't provided an update on when the devices might be available or given a reason for the wait.

An Apple spokeswoman had stated that 'We don't believe in shipping a product before it's ready. We need a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers.'

Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy added to the WSJ report by stating that 'the delay has damaged Apple's credibility and stoked frustration among consumers who can't charge their iPhone 7 while listening to music or conducting a call. It is an absolute black eye that they missed the holidays.'

The AirPod delay marks the first time Apple has postponed release of a product since its white iPhone 4 in 2010, Mr. Moorhead said. Then, Apple cited manufacturing challenges."

The oddity to this is the news of the delay into 2017 surfaced on November first. We were first to report that day that a Chinese business publication had stated that Apple's AirPods could be delayed until January 2017. The story wasn't believed and reports were posted shortly after claiming that the AirPods would be ready for Christmas. That's evidently not going to pan out in time for Christmas for everyone.

One of the technical reasons that have surfaced about the delay comes from a person familiar with the development of the AirPod. The person told the WSJ that the trouble appears to stem from Apple's effort to chart a new path for wireless headphones. In most other wireless headphones, only one earpiece receives a signal from the phone via wireless Bluetooth technology; it then transmits the signal to the other earpiece.

Apple has said AirPod earpieces each receive independent signals from an iPhone, Mac or other Apple device. But Apple must ensure that both earpieces receive audio at the same time to avoid distortion, the person familiar with their development said. That person said Apple also must resolve what happens when a user loses one of the earpieces or the battery dies."

To top off the week, Rush Limbaugh, who happens to have the highest-rated, most-listened-to talk-radio program in the United States with some 13.25 million unique listeners  aired a show titled "Is Apple losing its Edge?"

The show was a polite bitch session. Diving right in Limbaugh stated that "Apple has -- it's a wild guess -- anywhere from 115 to 145,000 employees, and so it's hard to understand why anything's late to market. It's hard to understand why, with that many people, how they would have to shut down their line of AirPort and AirPort express routers and the time capsules and all that. I'm like you; I want Apple to thrive. I want Apple to just win and win it, 'cause I love their stuff. I want Apple to continue to innovate. I want them to be on time. I want them to be leaders. And my big concern with Apple recently has been they can't build what they're designing.

He pointed to the iPhone 7 delays and Apple's AirPods. "Then the ear pods, you know, they take the headphone jack out of the iPhone and replace them with these wireless ear pods, and they announce they're gonna be available in October, then they say, sorry, they're not ready, and nobody knows when they're coming. And so people are going out and having to purchase replacement Bluetooth wireless headphones to use with their new iPhone 7s, and they're missing out on the sales they could be racking up now, these new ear pods."

There's not doubt that Samsung's Note7 was the debacle of 2016, period. Yet you'd have to be deaf dumb and blind not to notice that there's been more grumbling and disappointment expressed by many in the Apple community about products delays, product cancellations, missing ports, Apple dropping out of the display market, the lack of innovations for the iPhone and dongalitis than ever before. It takes very little to spark anger with Apple fans of late. They suppress their frustrations until a report allows them to vent and then bam  it explodes.

We posted a report back on November 14 titled "MacBook Pro Reviews fly in while Apostle Schiller continues to Warn us of the Evils of a Touch Display on Macs." There was a lot of anger from the pro community over Apple dropping the SD Card and other ports just to make the MacBook Pro look pretty instead of being practical for pros.

Yesterday, that anger rose again over at MacDailyNews on their coverage of the Rush Limbaugh report. Here are just a few of the comments capturing that sentiment:

"I know that Tim Cook will tell you there's a lot of amazing products in the pipeline, but that's not enough. If you love your customers, you don't leave them waiting for updates. You don't drop product lines without providing better alternatives. You don't deliver products, only to keep people waiting. And you deliver new products in a reasonable amount of time. There's a rumble in the Apple faithful. Things need to change."

"As I said in an earlier story, Apple is not meeting the needs of a large percentage of their users. I've been an an early adopter of virtually all mac hardware and software who, between my home and lab, has bought over 150 Macs since 1985. When people like me are questioning where Apple is going, that is a bad sign. It is indeed a rare issue that Rush and I would land on the same side of a debate showing that true Apple fans really are becoming concerned."

"When Jobs came back in the 90's one of the first tasks he took on was keeping the "power users" in the Mac community. Today's Apple seems to care nothing for the "power user". Within my University (50,000+) I've watch the Mac go from insignificant numbers among faculty and students to becoming the majority. Now, over the last two years I see Mac numbers DECREASING and decreasing rapidly  especially among students.

So, Apple is profitable, but of declining influence. I worry, that Apple could become the Blackberry of 2020. It took only 2-3 years for Blackberry going from owning the "smartphone" market to become a non-entity. Peak profits can rapidly tank to huge losses. Apple could go this way  especially if the "perceived" expert (i.e., power users) abandon them to other platforms, with the net result that the "average" user figures the other platform is superior."

You could check out more feedback on the MacDailyNews report here.

I continue to believe that Apple will deliver a hot new anniversary iPhone in 2017. From all this negative feedback and press, Apple has plenty of time to really deliver a hot new iMac and Mac Pro cranked up to satisfy the pro community and put their anger to rest. Apple may also introduce an iPhone model next year to work with Apple Pencil and more interesting product announcements. And to top it all off, with their tax rate dropping to 10% under President Trump, for bringing their cash home from overseas could lead to the unexpected announcement of a U.S. based Foxconn plant for future iPhone production over the next few years.

But for now, it's crazy to see how the delay of Apple's AirPods has stirred so much anger and coverage by the press and how it has quickly spilled over to customer dissatisfaction about everything Apple. It's like a tinder box that will take nothing to go up in flames. Hopefully Apple will come out swinging in 2017 and turn this negative sentiment around quickly before there's some real damage caused.

At the same time, Apple's executives have to stop patting customers on the head like pets telling them that dropping ports they want is in their best interest and that they'll just have to get over it in time. That's just pure arrogance. And lastly, Apple has to stop passing the buck that it's their customer's fault for product defects. That's starting to sound more like Samsung than Apple.

In the end, I think both Apple and their customers are hoping to get this year over with and start fresh with enthusiasm for 2017.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update Dec 15: Apple posted a press release on Dec 13 stating that AirPods are available online as of the 13th and in stores beginning sometime next week. However in Canada as of today, it's six weeks delivery which equals 2017 as our report has reported on.

About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
Patently Apple posted a report back in October titled "Microsoft's Big Boom in Surface Sales Last Quarter still Miles from Relevancy in Comparison to Apple's iPad." Microsoft's bump in sales still didn't get them unto the top five tablet vendors list. In 2017 Microsoft is going to put a big push on their next-gen Surface Book, because at the right price it could be a breakthrough product. But Microsoft isn't going to rely on just that tactic. No, this Thursday Microsoft is going to try and shake things up once again in the tablet space in an effort to break Apple's never-ending dominance in tablets.

While rumors point to Apple gearing up to introduce a new iPad Pro models in the first half of 2017 including new sizes, Microsoft is planning to take another twist for 2017 that could finally get more foreign OEM's behind Windows 10 based tablets, away from Android. Reportedly Huawei and Lenovo are going to release hybrid tablet notebooks in 2017 with Window 10 instead of Android  and you'll see why later in this report.

Yet the twist this week will be to introduce Windows for Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reports that Microsoft Corp. is working with Qualcomm Inc. to spawn a new breed of tablets and notebooks that promise to diversify the software giant's technology base and give the chip maker access to new markets. The partnership will result in an update of Windows 10 that runs on a chip in Qualcomm's widely used Snapdragon line of processors, the first Windows 10-Snapdragon pairing.

The collaboration, to be announced Thursday at the WinHEC hardware developer conference in Shenzhen, China, is meant to encourage hardware makers to build lightweight Windows devices that, unlike most tablets and laptops, have a cellular modem built-in.

That means users will be able to connect to cell networks smartphone-style, without the need for additional hardware, Microsoft said. In addition, the devices will offer longer battery life than most laptops.

Last year Patently Apple posted a patent report titled "To shake things Up, Apple may Add Cellular Voice Capabilities to the iPad via a new Wireless headset." The patent was originally filed in 2014. Yet once again it's Microsoft that will first run with that idea to market first. Microsoft cashed in on Apple's notebook-tablet hybrid with their Surface Book and a soft cover keyboard patent that they jumped on for their Surface line well ahead of the iPad Pro. Patently Apple also has a section dedicated to the Cellular MacBook here.

Microsoft's Terry Myerson, Executive Vice President, Windows and Devices Group, blogged this week stating that the next-generation of Windows called 'Windows 10 Creators' will empower a new wave of creativity, bringing 3D and mixed reality to everyone.

More importantly Meyers announced that Windows 10 is coming to ARM through our partnership with Qualcomm. For the first time ever, our customers will be able to experience the Windows they know with all the apps, peripherals, and enterprise capabilities they require, on a truly mobile, power efficient, always-connected cellular PC.

Hardware partners will be able to build a range of new Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered Windows 10 PCs that run x86 Win32 and universal Windows apps, including Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office and popular Windows games.



With Windows 10 on cellular PCs, we will help everyone make the most of the air around them. We look forward to seeing these new devices with integrated cellular connectivity and the great experiences people love like touch, pen and Windows Hello, in market as early as next year.

Qualcomm said in a statement that the first Windows 10 devices using its chip will be "commercially available in the second half of 2017."

Forrester Research Inc. analyst J.P. Gownder said that "If Microsoft is successful  it could make Windows tablets and notebooks more competitive with Apple's iPad Pro. It could even lead to new mobile computing form factors."

In late October Patently Apple posted a report titled "The Battle between Microsoft and Apple Events focused on the Pro Market Sets off a Firestorm." It seemed like it was Microsoft winning the innovation game this year if you read the vast majority of tech press reports outside of the Apple community. The buzz was that Microsoft was gaining the momentum with fresh ideas.

This Thursday Microsoft is going to shake things up once again to keep their momentum and buzz about Windows 10 at a peak. There's been a lot of energy coming out of Microsoft of late while Apple on the other hand is getting a bum rap from the media focusing in on the delayed AirPods, iPhone fire and power down issues, MacBook Pro graphics issues, the iPhone 6 Touch Disease and a lot of grumbling from critics over the MacBook Pro being a real yawner. You have to admit it's been a lousy quarter for Apple, media wise.

Yet let's not forget that at present it's Apple who is king of tablets, king of smartphone profits (by an obscene amount), offers the bestselling smartwatch (not that cheap fitness tracker band garbage) and has the most profitable App Store by a country mile. So while it wasn't an exciting year for Apple in terms of new products that won over the critics little hearts, let's not lose focus here. When it comes to making profits, Apple's competition still has a lot to learn - and that's the bottom line. Though admittedly, a little excitement thrown our way in 2017 wouldn't hurt, that's for sure.

About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
Thich Nhat Hanhs adoptive home of France is in early winter now and his monastery, Plum Village, is entering its fourth week of a three-month winter retreat. These days the retreats, once led by the 90 year-old Zen master himself, are taught by his senior disciples.

It has been nearly a year since Thay (as hes known to disciples) returned to France after treatment in the U.S. for a stroke.

According to the monastics at Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanh has requested to visit Thailand, where an affiliate Thai Plum Village, is home to over 150 monastics. And visit he shall, planning to arrive Dec. 10 in Thailand.

There, they will be greeted by hundreds of monastics and lay practitioners, including many venerable elders from Thailand and Vietnam, who over the last few days have been making the journey by land and air to greet him and pay their respects. We are very happy that Thay is still able to make such a journey, to offer his presence in Asia and be closer to his homeland at this time.

The monks at Plum Village conclude:
Iran threatens to reverse diplomatic relations with England after Theresa May's remarks at GCC

12/09/16

Source: Tehran Times

TEHRAN - Chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi has warned England of re-downgrading relations following "divisive" remarks by Prime Minister Theresa May.



Alaeddin Boroujerdi



During the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council's annual summit in the Bahraini capital Manama on Wednesday, May said she was "clear-eyed" about what she called "the threat" Iran poses to the region.

May had also stressed England would help the council "push back" against what she branded Iran's "aggressive regional actions."

"The remarks by England's prime minister have nothing to do with the realities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and testify to England's divisive policy," said Boroujerdi in a televised program.

Boroujerdi further saw the comments unfitting for ambassadorial-level relations between to Tehran and London, threatening to re-downgrade relations.

"If England presses ahead with such policy towards the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Majlis (parliament) will once again take action to downgrade relations."

The remarks had already drawn strong condemnation from Iran's Foreign Ministry which considers the remarks motivated by England's efforts to win further lucrative arms deals with Arab countries.

An ominous development

Over the past five years, bilateral ties between Iran and England have seen both low and high points, yet on a sluggishly improving track.

In what was a low point in diplomacy between the two countries in November 2011, the Iranian Parliament voted to expel the British ambassador and reduce diplomatic relations with the country in retaliation for its new sanctions against Iran.

Following the vote, England's embassy compound in Tehran was raided by protestors who were demanding that the British ambassador be sent home immediately.

England retaliated against the move, ordering Iran's embassy in London to be closed, with its staff given 48 hours to leave.

The two countries resumed their ties in 2015 by assigning charges d'affaires, partially influenced by the prospect of a successful nuclear deal with Iran.

The deal was announced in July 2015 as foreign ministers of Iran, the U.S., Russia, China, England, Germany, and France posed victoriously for cameras in Vienna on July 14, signaling a thaw in ties with between Iran and the West.

One month later, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond took a formal visit to Iran, re-opening the British Embassy.

"Today's ceremony marks the end of one phase in the relationship between our two countries and the start of a new one - one that I believe offers the promise of better," he said during an appearance at the embassy.

In September 2016, Iran and the United Kingdom restored relations to the highest level by assigning and dispatching their ambassadors to the other country each.

Hamid Baeidinejad, a key figure in the Iranian nuclear negotiating team, and Nicholas Hopton, a Middle East specialist, represent their countries in London and Tehran now, respectively.





Iran's Ambassador to Britain, Hamid Baeedinejad delivers his credentials to Queen Elizabeth II

December 1st, 2016



Theresa May's remarks come in stark contrast with Hopton's hope for greater confidence between Iran and England.

"For me as the ambassador it's a priority to try and establish greater trust to build more cooperation..." he told the Tehran Times in an exclusive interview in October.
Iranian-Turkish Tensions Escalate Over Syria, Iraq

12/10/16

Source: VOA

ISTANBUL - Tensions between neighbors Turkey and Iran are on the rise, with the countries jostling for influence in war-torn Syria and Iraq. But there are concerns that the rivalry is fueling sectarian divisions in the region. The tensions could also open the door to cooperation with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.



Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

cartoon by Mohammad Tahani, Iranian daily Arman



Officially Ankara says it enjoys good neighborly relations with Tehran. But an escalating war of words in Turkey's pro-government media tells a different story, according to political columnist Semih Idiz of Al Monitor website and Turkey's Hurriyet Daily News.



"It's very telling, that we have what appears to be an intense anti-Iranian campaign in the pro-government Islamist media," Idiz said. "I have been reading commentary by key figures on that side of the fence suggesting Iran as one of Turkey's prime enemies not just rivals in the region, because it's promoting its brand of Islamic, Shia Islam. But I don't actually see a direct confrontation although I do see a confrontation through proxies and in many ways that is already going on."

Humanitarian concerns drive policy

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a devout Sunni Muslim, who derives much of his support from the country's large pious Sunni voting base.



Erdogan is increasingly condemning the actions of Tehran-backed Shite Militias in Iraq. The Turkish President accuses the militias of targeting Sunnis. He also has indirectly accused Tehran of seeking to expand its influence at the expense of Sunni Muslims in the region. But Erdogan's chief of international relations Ayse Sozen Usluer insists humanitarian concerns rather than sectarian ones are driving Turkey's policy.



"We are seeing that after all these militia operations in the region we are seeing some demographic changes," Usluer said. "We are not against Shia militia because they are Shia. But we would like to maintain the demography of the region, Tel Afar, Mosul, Jarabulus, Al Bab, wherever."







"Unholy alliance"

Erdogan has sent tanks to the Iraqi border, warning he would not stand by if Sunnis fall victim to Shite militias in the fight against Islamic State in Mosul and Tel Afar. Some analysts warn Turkey's neighbors will likely view the country as pursuing a sectarian policy that will put it on a collision course with Tehran.



But any rising tensions with Tehran could be the basis for cooperation with newly-elected President Donald Trump. United States and Turkish relations remain deeply strained but with Trump vowing to take a tough line with Iran, columnist Idiz says common ground could be found.



"They could be an unholy alliance of sorts, but Trump going after Iran is really based on Trump's anti-Islamism," Idiz said. "It's not based on any strategic ideological difference and anti-Islamism also splashes on to Turkey also, depending on what Turkey's policies are."

A delicate balance

Ankara could also find common ground with Israel which also is calling a for a tough stance against Tehran.



Israel and Turkey last month restored full diplomatic relations. Turkish Iranian relations are traditionally characterized by a delicate balance of rivalry and cooperation, but analysts warn Ankara could end up paying a heavy price for any confrontation with Tehran, with Iran an adept player in the region in using proxies to destabilize its rivals.
Qatar's Diminishing Returns in Syria

12/10/16

By Giorgio Cafiero (Source: LobeLog)



Foreign involvement in the Syrian Civil War

(source: wikipedia)





Recent developments have set back Qatar's five-and-a-half-year campaign to topple the Syrian regime led by Bashar al-Assad. Donald Trump's win last month and the president-elect's vows to sever Washington's limited support for Syrian rebels, Russia and China's votes on Dec. 5 to block a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Aleppo, and decisive gains scored by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the ruined city have all severely undermined Doha's objectives in the war-torn country. Yet rather than abandoning Qatar's goals in Syria, officials in Doha have voiced their commitment to continuing to sponsor anti-Assad forces regardless of the Trump administration's policies vis-a-vis Damascus.

Last month, Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman declared that Doha's "support [for Syrian rebels] is going to continue, we are not going to stop it... Even if the regime captures it [Aleppo], I am sure they will have the ability to capture it back from the regime." Sheikh Mohammed continued: "But if they want to change their minds, are we going to change our position? For us, in Qatar at least, we are not going to change our position... based on principles, values and on our assessment of the situation there."

Yet if the SAA, with help from the Russian/Iranian militaries and foreign Shi'ite fighters, conquers more territory, what can Qatar realistically plan to achieve by continuing to support anti-regime forces in Syria? Unquestionably, Doha must reduce expectations about regime collapse and adjust strategies at this juncture in the Syrian civil war. The recent gains by pro-Assad forces in Eastern Aleppo may ultimately spell the end of rebel control of any major urban centers in Syria, leaving Qatari-backed rebels in a far weaker position.

The Pivotal Role of Aleppo

The rebels' total loss of Aleppo would devastate the morale of opposition across Syria. Before the SAA intensified its attacks on the city's rebel-controlled neighborhoods with stepped-up Russian support this year, the opposition sought to establish Eastern Aleppo as a model for a post-Assad Syria free of the Islamic State (ISIS or IS). The "moderate" Syrian rebels' electing of local officials, administering of schools, and maintaining trade with other "liberated" portions of the country as well as Turkey all demonstrated the opposition's governance capacities, according to certain voices in Washington and other Western capitals who have advocated arming such forces with heavier weaponry.

If the SAA consolidates its recent gains in Aleppo and secures the rest of the city under its control, the regime will be in a stronger position to deploy to Raqqa and eject IS from its capital in Syria. Officials in Damascus are certainly cautiously optimistic that under such a scenario the U.S. may (directly or indirectly) support the SAA in its fight against IS after Trump enters the Oval Office on January 20.

Yet even if pro-regime forces fully eject all rebels from Aleppo, it would be would be premature to conclude that the SAA's fight with the "moderate" opposition is over. Although the rebels have suffered massive casualties in the city, many have fled and could regroup in Syria's rural areas. Qatar, along with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, could help these rebels sustain their armed struggle by continuing to provide weapons plus political, moral, and financial support.

Perhaps officials in Doha see the regime's seizure of more neighborhoods in Eastern Aleppo as a temporary setback to their cause in Syria. The fluid nature of the civil war suggests that no side's gains are irreversible. As the SAA remains highly dependent on Russian, Iranian, and Lebanese support, it is not clear how much longer the Kremlin, Tehran, and Hezbollah will continue sacrificing blood and treasure to prop up Assad's embattled albeit resilient regime. Even if the SAA consolidates its takeover of the besieged and devastated city, Qatar and its regional allies could create more problems for Damascus in other parts of the country for, at least, the purpose of staying relevant in the brutal conflict and perhaps securing greater leverage at future roundtable talks.







Qatar and the GCC's Interests in Syria

Since 2011, the Gulf Cooperation Council has been mostly unified in its support for regime change in Syria. Yet due to the United Arab Emirate's fear of Sunni Islamists' rise to power throughout the region, Kuwait's sensitivities regarding its own Shi'ite population, Bahrain's internal crisis consuming the attention and resources of officials in Manama, and Oman's cordial ties with Iran and Muscat's traditional "non-interventionist," neutral, and non-sectarian foreign policy, the only GCC members to invest heavily in the campaign to oust Assad have been Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

For Doha and Riyadh, the stakes in Syria have been high since the country's crisis erupted in 2011. From the Saudi perspective, Damascus' pro-Iran/pro-Hezbollah foreign policy threatened to enable the Islamic Republic to consolidate its expanded power throughout the Levant by securing an axis of Shi'ite dominance from Afghanistan to the Eastern Mediterranean. Although Qatar has also viewed Iran as a strategic threat, Doha has been more focused on the Syrian crisis for the purpose of growing its influence throughout the Arab world, viewing the Sunni-majority country as an area for the Persian Gulf emirate to empower the local Muslim Brotherhood and boost the Qatari-backed movement's franchises elsewhere.

Ideology, pride, and emotions factor into the equation. Syria's importance has grown for Qatar as it seeks to establish itself as a promoter of pan-Arab and pan-Islamic causes. In the words of Middle East expert Hussein Ibish:

Syria is often regarded as the birthplace of Arab nationalism. No other modern Arab political trope - including Palestine with its powerful emotional resonance, or Saudi Arabia with its religious authority - evokes the same nationalistic sentiments. The first pan-Arab state was established by Prince Faisal in the immediate aftermath of World War I with its capital in Damascus. Although the 'Arab Kingdom of Syria' existed for only a few months, it had an enormous impact on the Arab political imagination and contributed to a set of ideas that were extremely influential throughout the 20th century, and continue to resonate into the 21st.

Yet recent events, which have underscored the Damascus regime's strength vis-a-vis GCC-backed Sunni rebels, suggest that Qatar's investments in Syria have had diminishing returns. In 2017, the Qataris will have to reassess their interests in Syria and strategies for advancing their interests throughout the Levant. Although back in 2012 Emir Tamim's father called for sending Arab troops to fight the SAA, the emirate has had minimal direct military involvement in Syria. It has participated only in the Washington-led campaign against IS, not the Damascus regime. U.S. officials have stated that Doha's limited role was mainly logistical.

In an earlier stage of the Syrian crisis, officials in Doha calculated that Qatar could help sway the outcome of the conflict (as the emirate did in Libya in 2011) by using its financial resources to back elements within the armed opposition. Yet the Arab Gulf sheikdom has witnessed the shortcomings of such a strategy. With Russia and Iran demonstrating their willingness to take risks on the ground in Syria to beef up Assad's position, and the Obama administration demonstrating its unwillingness to step up substantial support for any forces fighting Assad, Qatar's involvement in the civil war has not paid off for Doha.

It remains to be seen how much longer Qatar will maintain its rigid position against Damascus and how Doha adjusts its strategies for backing Syrian rebels. Qatar will likely shift its focus from regime change in the near-term to at least staying relevant in the raging Syrian civil war, which has left Aleppo and many other areas of the country in rubble and resulted in over 400,000 deaths.

About the author:



Giorgio Cafiero is the CEO and founder of Gulf State Analytics, a Washington, DC-based geopolitical risk consultancy. In addition to LobeLog, he also writes for The National Interest, Middle East Institute, and Al Monitor. From 2014-2015, Cafiero was an analyst at Kroll, an investigative due diligence consultancy. He received an M.A. in International Relations from the University of San Diego.
People write software, including antivirus software. People arent perfect. Ergo, your antivirus may not be perfect. Some zero-day innovative malware attack might elude your protection, and then disable it. Or you might have an existing malware infestation that prevents installation of any full-scale antivirus. Malwarebytes Free exists to wipe out attackers that get past your main defenses or that already compromised your PC before you could install protection. It can't help with attacks that do permanent damage, such as ransomware, but it's a handy tool when other approaches fail.

While many security companies release product updates every year, Malwarebytes only does so when necessary. The release of version 4 in 2019 was the first whole-number update since version 3 in 2016. Version 2 came out a couple years before that. The current version is 4.3.

When you install the free edition, you can choose a 14-day trial of Malwarebytes Premium. If you let the trial expire without upgrading, you'll find that you lose quite a few features. In particular, the free edition, reviewed here, doesn't include any real-time protection. It does just one thing; it cleans up existing malware problems. The free version is full of subtle and not-so-subtle suggestions to spring for the upgrade to Premium.

I found that the product installed very quickly. A banner across the top of the pastel-toned main window features silhouettes of mountains, clouds, and a city skyline, adorned with a big message suggesting that you upgrade to premium. The rest of the window consists of three rectangular panels. One displays detection history, and one displays real-time protection options, all of which are disabled in the free edition. The middle panel, the important one, lets you launch a scan for malware. It's an attractive presentation.

Lab Results Uninformative

Simple-minded signature-based malware detection alone isn't enough in the modern world of zero-day attacks and polymorphic malware. Every successful antivirus adds heuristic detection, behavior-based detection, and other non-signature protection layers. In Malwarebytes Premium, machine learning and detection of anomalous behavior catch many malware samples. Exploit protection watches attack vectors and heads off exploits. The anti-ransomware engine strictly uses behavioral detection.

This emphasis on active, prevalent threats and advanced detection methods makes testing Malwarebytes tough. A lab test that uses outdated samples could make the product look bad. In the past, Malwarebytes didnt submit even its Premium edition to most of the labs I follow.

More recently, Malwarebytes has been showing up in reports from AV-Test Institute(Opens in a new window). Its scores have varied quite a bit, but it looks quite good in the latest report. This lab rates antivirus products in three categories, Protection, Performance, and Usability, with six points available for each. Just over half the products in the latest report scored a perfect 18 points, among them Microsoft, Norton AntiVirus Plus, and Kaspersky. A score of 17.5 points is enough to earn the title Top Product; Malwarebytes Premium and a few others scored 17.5.

Malware experts at SE Labs(Opens in a new window) use a capture and replay system to hit every tested antivirus with the exact same real-world malware attack. Products can earn certification at five levels: AAA, AA, A, B, and C. A dozen products managed either AAA or AA certification, among them Avast Free Antivirus, AVG, and Avira. Malwarebytes took the only B in this report.

It's Surprisingly Easy to Be More Secure Online It's Surprisingly Easy to Be More Secure Online

In any case, these tests arent directly relevant to the current review, because they evaluate an antivirus tools ability to defend against malware attack. You call on Malwarebytes Free for those occasions when your real-time antivirus failed to defend you, perhaps because you forgot to renew it. Malwarebytes Free does not offer any real-time protection itself, but the fact that its premium edition is now earning good lab scores is encouraging.

The Problem of Ransomware

With the rise of ransomware attacks on businesses, governments, and individuals, ransomware protection is more important than ever. However, ransomware is intrinsically different from other kinds of malware. Most types of malware want to use your computer's resources, whether for mining bitcoins, launching DDoS attacks or simply stealing your personal data. Typically, they aim to avoid notice, which means they carefully avoid any visible harm to the computer. A post-infestation antivirus cleanup can scour the malware from your computer's crannies and crevices, restoring it to a safe, secure state.

Ransomware, on the other hand, only stays quiet until it has done its nefarious work, locking away your important files in unreadable encrypted form. Once finished, it displays its ransom terms. Removing the ransomware at this point doesn't help. It could even interfere with your ability to get your files decrypted, should you decide to pay the ransom. Malwarebytes Premium eliminates ransomware before it attacks; Malwarebytes Free can't do anything once your files are already locked away.

Effective Malware Cleanup

When you install Malwarebytes, it insists on giving you a free 14-day trial of the Premium edition. Clearly the company hopes youll love the Premium features so much that youll pay to keep them after the trial ends. If youre sure you dont want the trial, go ahead with the installation, and then dive into Settings. Click the Account tab and click Deactivate to revert to the plain, free edition.

Usually, I test malware protection by challenging an antivirus utility to prevent installation of my malware sample collection. However, as noted, Malwarebytes Free doesn't include real-time protection. With no help from the labs, I had to find some way to see the product in action. So, skipping the ransomware, I launched my samples five at a time, gave them time to finish installing, and challenged Malwarebytes to clean up each mess.

At the end of every scan, Malwarebytes displayed its findings; I used these details to identify exactly which of the samples it detected. In every case, I told it to quarantine everything it found, and in every case, it requested a reboot to finish the process. After reboot, I ran a tool that reports on any leftover malware traces.

The scans ran very quickly, much faster than when I last tested this product. Scans averaged 90 seconds, with none longer than two minutes and none shorter than one minute. Last time around the average scan time was seven minutes.

Malwarebytes reacted in some way to every sample. However, for about one sixth of them it eliminated the malware installer without doing anything about the installed malicious code. Thats not useful; I counted that as a miss.

For just under a quarter of the samples, Malwarebytes detected the installation and removed some traces, but left one or more executable files behind. Even when it did wipe out all the executable files, it often left behind non-executable traces, sometimes hundreds of them. Admittedly, those traces cant actively harm your system, but gunking things up with malware-related files and Registry entries cant be good for performance.

For a different sort of test, I rolled back the virtual machine testbed to a snapshot before any malware samples were launched and ran a full scan. Malwarebytes detected and quarantined every single one of the malware installers, including the dozen or so ransomware samples.

I maintain a second set of malware samples that Ive created by hand-modifying the basic collection. For each sample, I change the filename, append nulls to give it a different file size, and overwrite some non-executable bytes. Malwarebytes detected most, but not all, of these. It missed a quarter of the hand-modified ransomware samples, which is a bit alarming. About 18% of the modified non-ransomware samples slipped past the scan.

Admittedly, my hands-on tests don't precisely simulate the real-world malware cleansing that is this product's specialty. Normally, you'd bring in Malwarebytes to handle an attack that eluded your existing antivirus or that put up roadblocks to installation of a more traditional antivirus. The high-tech behaviors and technologies that such an infestation requires would be a red flag for Malwarebytes. A potentially unwanted program (PUP) or other less-risky sample accidentally launched by the user might not raise the same concerns.

See How We Test Security Software

Browser Guard for Online Protection

When you install Malwarebytes, it prompts you to add the free Browser Guard extension for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. Even if you skip this step at installation, you can download the extension later. Browser guard aims to protect against phishing and malware-hosting URLs, ads and trackers, tech support scams, sites with bad reputations, and more. I put those aims to the test.

As far as ad-blocking goes, it seemed to do the job. I installed Browser Guard in Chrome, then visited several ad-laden sites in both Chrome and an unprotected browser. The extension visibly removed ads. By clicking its toolbar icon, I could view specifics about ads and trackers on the current site or check statistics of past activity. The list of trackers is interactiveif you trust any of the tracking sites you can click it so Malwarebytes will stop blocking it. I doubt many will take advantage of this fine tuning, though.

My malicious URL blocking test uses a feed supplied by London-based testing lab MRG-Effitas(Opens in a new window), consisting of malware-hosting URLs discovered in the last few days. Most antivirus tools get two chances to fend off a malware download. First, they can divert the browser away from the malware-hosting URL. Second, they can eliminate the malware payload. With no real-time protection, Browser Guard only has the one opportunity.

Out of about 100 samples, Browser Guard blocked 98%. In most cases it replaced the page in the browser with a message that the site was blocked due to a Trojan. In a few cases it gave the reason as riskware, phishing, or a suspicious download. It also blocked some sites based on reputation, which it explains means sites with light traffic for which malicious activity has been reported. This result is a huge improvement over testing during my last review, in which Browser Guard caught just 9% of the samples.

Very few full-scale antivirus products have done better in this test. McAfee AntiVirus Plus leads the pack with 100% protection. Bitdefender, G Data, and Sophos scored 99%. No other recent products scored better than the 98% achieved by Malwarebytes.

I also put Browser Guard through my standard phishing protection test. Phishing sites dont try to infest your computer with malware. Rather, they masquerade as popular secure sites, hoping they can entice you to log in. If you do, youve given the fraudsters your login credentials. Whatever the account was, whether for online banking, gaming, email, or some other purpose, youve given it away to the creators of the phishing page.

For this test I scrape hundreds of recently reported fraudulent URLs from pages that collect and analyze such things. I make sure to include both verified phishing pages and pages that havent yet been analyzed and blacklisted. I use a hand-coded tool to launch each URL simultaneously in four browsers, one protected by the product under test and the other three by the built-in protection of Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. The testing tool also lets me record how each testbed handled the URL.

If any of the four browsers couldnt load a page, I discard it. If any alleged phishing page doesnt truly fit the profile, meaning it doesnt try to steal your login credentials, I discard it. After processing all the URLs, I calculate the scores.

Malwarebytes scored an impressive 95%, better than two-thirds of recent products. It beat out Edge and Firefox handily, though it came in a couple percentage points behind Chrome. To be fair, Chromes score varies a lot in these tests. At 97%, this was its best score, with other scores as low as 66% and an average of 88%.

My Malwarebytes cautioned me that Browser Guard doesnt have phishing protection as its primary focus, so it might not do well. He neednt have worried; 95% is a fine score. At the very top, F-Secure and McAfee managed 100% protection in their respective tests, with Bitdefender Antivirus Plus and Norton close behind at 99%.

Keep It in Your Toolbox

Malwarebytes Free remains a useful tool, despite some issues we encountered in testing. If you carry a thumb drive full of security tools, do include Malwarebytes. But remember, it offers no real-time protection, so it can't help you with ransomware. Use it along with Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus, or another antivirus that provides real-time protection. Bring out Malwarebytes when your regular antivirus slips up, or consider upgrading to Malwarebytes Premium.

With ransomware on the rise, a cleanup-only antivirus tool like Malwarebytes Free can't possibly be your first line of malware defense. You need multiple layers of real-time protection. We no longer declare an Editors' Choice in the cleanup-only category, but Malwarebytes remains a top choice.

Malwarebytes Free 4.0 (Opens in a new window) Check Price (Opens in a new window) Pros Very fast scan

Removed many malware infestations

Browser Guard extension proved effective in testing

Free View More Cons No real-time protection

Missed some installed malware in testing The Bottom Line Use Malwarebytes Free to root out malware that got past your antivirus or is keeping you from installing an antivirus update. It doesnt offer real-time protection, though, so dont rely on it as your first line of defense.
ONTARIO  With local control of Ontario International Airport comes a paycheck.

Airport commissioners voted Thursday to start paying themselves. Theyll get $150 per meeting.

Yeah, after working for free for eight years, almost nine years, Alan Wapner, the commissions president, said in an interview.

Commissioners have served without pay since the Ontario International Airport Authority was established. Four members are appointed by the Ontario City Council  Wapner and Jim Bowman, both Ontario councilmen, Orange County Business Council executive Lucy Dunn and former Riverside mayor Ron Loveridge  and the fifth is the San Bernardino County supervisor who represents Ontario, Curt Hagman.

Officials have joked that they were an airport authority without an airport to run  until Nov. 1, that is, when ONT returned to the authoritys control after nearly a half-century in Los Angeles hands.

We didnt feel right collecting a stipend when we didnt have an airport, Wapner said.

The staff report from Kelly Fredericks, the authoritys CEO, said pay is appropriate now that the commission has full responsibility for the operation, maintenance, development and marketing of the airport.

The $150 stipend will also be paid to commissioners for attending committee meetings, as well as authority-related business functions, up to six per month, for $900, or up to eight with Wapners approval, for $1,200. Any more than eight would require approval of the full commission.

Fredericks said after the meeting that per-meeting pay of other airport commissions ranged from $50 in Los Angeles to $200 in Burbank and San Diego.

We didnt want to be the lowest and we didnt want to be the highest, Fredericks said.

The commissions monthly meetings will switch in January to 4 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of the month and the venue to the authoritys new offices, 1923 E. Avion Ave., on the airports south side. Thursdays meeting was announced as the last at the Ontario Convention Center.

Contact the writer: dallen@scng.com, @davidallen909
If the old man bites dog journalism-school definition of news still applies, it was barely newsworthy when Donald Trump began gnawing on Chinas leg upon becoming president-elect. This is not to compare China to a giant canine or to ignore the fact of life that China-United States is a bilateral rivalry that must managed skillfully.

Its just to say that Trumps decision to speak on the telephone to the newly elected president of Taiwan shouldnt have surprised any sentient American, let alone the ladies and gentlemen of the Fourth Estate.

Ah, but it did. The phone call and subsequent Trump tweets induced widespread alarm in elite newsrooms and in the predictable precincts of social media: Take away that mans Twitter account! What is he trying to do, start World War III?!

Its clear that Donald J. Trump engenders strong emotions and that these feelings havent abated since he was elected president. But youd think his critics might have learned by now that throwing tantrums in response to anything he does or says can make the tantrum-thrower look ridiculous.

The morning Trump tweeted that burning the American flag should be punishable by jail time, for instance, the anchors on CNN and MSNBC went apoplectic. Their outrage lasted about as long as it took Fox News to unearth a similar 2005 flag-burning ban authored by one Hillary Rodham Clinton  when she was in the Senate. Oops.

The knee-jerk reaction to Trumps Taiwan gambit was even odder. The gist was that because Trump had irritated the Chinese government and alarmed the State Department, we, too, should be worried. But that line of argument ignored the entirety of Trumps campaign, and seven decades worth of lessons about relations between the White House and the State Department.

Lets start with the recently concluded presidential election. As a candidate, Trump repeatedly accused the Chinese of manipulating their currency, engaging in massive theft of intellectual property, unfairly taxing U.S. companies, not exerting enough control over North Korea, and nefariously enticing greedy American CEOs to relocate across the Pacific. He criticized Beijings leadership so much and so often for so many things that liberals famously made fun of how he pronounced the word China.

Yet his critics were shocked, shocked, when he took a call from Taiwans democratically elected president. Yes, lets dwell on that point for a second: Taiwan is a democracy, while China is the most populous dictatorship in the world.

At the State Department headquarters in Foggy Bottom, they got the vapors, but isnt this always how the foreign policy establishment reacts to presidents who want to, well, conduct international affairs the way they see fit?

In 1947 and 1948, the State Department did everything in its power to undermine Harry Trumans intention to recognize Israel. Although Truman considered Secretary of State George C. Marshall the greatest living American, he didnt listen to Marshall or the experts on this topic. At a White House meeting, Marshall raised an objection to the presence of White House political adviser Clark Clifford. Trumans answer was short, to the point, and relevant today. Well, general, the president of the United States replied, hes here because I asked him to be here.

In 1963, John F. Kennedy did listen to the State Department  and the CIA and the Joint Chiefs of Staff  on a foreign policy mess he inherited. Out of that deference came the Bay of Pigs fiasco and the popularity of a recently coined word, groupthink.

In 1987, neither Secretary of State George Shultz nor the White House National Security Council wanted President Reagan to go to the Brandenburg Gate and call for Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall. They considered it too provocative and feared that Kremlin hardliners would use it to undermine Gorbachev. (The State Department speechwriters preferred language? Someday this ugly wall will disappear.) Fortunately, the old Hollywood leading man ignored that edit.

Reagans theatrics did not end the Cold War, but they did set the stage for Reagans successful diplomacy with Gorbachev. Twenty years later, Shultz had no trouble admitting this to Time magazine. People were afraid of the consequences of what Reagan would say, he acknowledged. But it turns out he was right.

In 1993, the State Department opposed President Clintons decision to try to jump-start the peace process in Northern Ireland by granting Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams a visa to come to the United States. Clintons gambit succeeded spectacularly. From 1969 to late summer of 1994, 3,168 men, women and children were slain and another 30,000 maimed in the low-grade civil war simply called The Troubles.

It is not too much of a simplification to say that because Bill Clinton won the election in 1992, probably 150 people in Northern Ireland are walking around today who would have been dead by now, Irish expatriate Niall ODowd told me on the eve of Clintons 1995 to visit Ulster. You do the math: 3,000 people in 25 years. The cease-fire has lasted almost 15 months. Maybe it will last an eternity.

Come to think of it, when Richard Nixon went to China, he also had to circumvent his State Department, which he thought was leaking documents to sabotage his historic overture. It was this trip that led to the entire reset between the United States and China and the gradual abandonment of Taiwan in the first place. Is it time to reconsider?

I dont know about that, but I do know that Donald Trump sounded every day for a year-and-a-half like a presidential candidate uniquely unwedded to the status quo  especially when it came to China. And, by the way, those recent Trump tweets critical of Boeing and its CEO? This isnt a subject that just popped into the president-elects mind recently.

Back in February, Trump began accusing the Chinese of nefariously conspiring with Boeing to lure manufacturing plants out of South Carolina. He talked about this before the South Carolina primary, telling audiences there, It wont happen if Im president, by the way.

Carl M. Cannon is executive editor and Washington Bureau chief of RealClearPolitics.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. The US is sending 200 more military personnel to Syria to assist the Kurds and Arab fighters, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said, reports BBC.

They will join 300 US special forces already in Syria.

200 additional troops would continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces" to take the fight to IS, Carter said, as quoted by BBC.

At this moment the Syrian army controls the large part of Aleppo.

Photo by Getty Images
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If youve ever gone to a Trader Joes and found yourself circling the lot in search of a parking space, youre not alone.

The Monrovia-based grocers eclectic mix of private-label gourmet and organic foods has resonated heavily with Southland consumers. And the heavy influx of shoppers often overwhelms the stores parking lots.

John Palomo, who stopped in at the Trader Joes on Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena on Wednesday, is all too familiar with the parking dilemma.

I dont even try to get into the lot anymore, the 63-year-old Altadena resident said. I park up the street, although that can be kind of hit and miss. But I avoid the parking lot. It think its inevitable that this is gonna happen because of the density of the city.

Parking at that store is admittedly limited. But another Trader Joes on South Lake Avenue in Pasadena suffers from the same problem, despite the fact that it has a multi-level parking garage.

Its always crowed  especially on weekends, said shopper Christina Lu of San Gabriel.

As she walked to her car, a line of vehicles queued up at the entrance to the parking structure waiting to get in.

Some Trader Joes locations, like the store on Bouquet Canyon Road in Santa Clarita, do have enough parking. That store shares parking space with a Best Buy, a Jack in the Box restaurant and several other retailers. But parking at many of the other stores is still extremely tight.

So what gives? Why are many of the companys parking lots so small?

Martin H. Krieger, a professor of planning at the USC Price School of Public Policy, said the parking situation is largely dictated by where the stores are located.

The question for them is, How do we balance our customers parking needs versus the stores needs?  he said. Parking is expensive space. If you have a store out in the middle of nowhere theres plenty of available space and it wont cost as much  but then you have no customers. When youre in an area with more customers you can either have more branches or people who are willing to suffer and wait for parking spaces.

Trader Joes customers perceive the companys products as being unique, Krieger said, so they likely have a higher tolerance for delays while waiting to get into the stores. Theres no doubt that many of the companys private-label products skew toward the healthy/organic side of things.

The product mix includes everything from a 30-ounce packet of organic brown rice that sells for $2.99 to a two-ounce packet of kale chips priced at $3.99. Others are drawn to the grocers private-label line of beer and wine, including a Charles Shaw wine thats more commonly known as Two-buck Chuck.

But the parking problems persist.

There will always be some people who will say, I cant take this anymore and drive away, Krieger said. But when you live in a place like Los Angeles or New York, people expect that its going to be that way. And when they leave other customers will be coming in.

But thats not saying everyone will be happy.

BuzzFeed recently compiled a list of 23 Hilariously Accurate Tweets About Trader Joes Parking Lots. One from Paul R. Gilmartin goes like this:

Trader Joes Real Estate Agent: Hows the parking lot?

Landlord: Terrible

Trader Joes Real Estate Agent: Well take it!

Lily Williams message was even more pointed:

Im like 99 percent certain that when you go to hell you just have to find parking in a Trader Joes parking lot for all eternity, she tweeted.

Despite its parking problems, Trader Joes consistently ranks high in industry surveys of grocery stores. Customer insights firm Market Force Information published a set of grocery rankings this year that were pulled from the survey responses of more than 10,000 people.

Trader Joes ranked third behind Wegmans, which topped the list, and Publix Super Markets, which landed in second place. But Trader Joes held the No. 1 spot list the previous four years. The rankings are based on a composite loyalty index that measures everything from satisfaction with food quality and checkout speed to value and customer service.

Trader Joes currently operates about 460 stores in 41 states and in Washington, D.C. Founded by Joseph Joe Coulombe, the company has been owned since 1979 by a German family trust established by Aldi Nord owner Theo Albrecht.
When Bruce and Connie Kirk moved to their house east of Hemet in 2002, none of their neighbors decorated their homes for Christmas.

There were absolutely no lights, Connie Kirk said.

Now, their Chad Court neighborhood shines bright each December with lights and decorations in almost every yard.

It has kind of exploded, even more this year, said Kirk, a teacher at Hemets Acacia Middle School.

RELATED: Photos of Redlands homes decked out for the holidays  and for charity

Many people decorate homes for the holidays, but in some neighborhoods, such work becomes a community project with residents pitching in to decorate together.

Some choose similar themes, string lights from one house to the next or synchronize music for those driving through to hear as they view the decorations.

On Riversides Chapman Place, neighbors meet to agree on a street-wide theme and coordinate their decor.

This year for a Christmas stories theme, various homes sport signs painted to look like books with titles such as Rudolph and the Island of Misfit Toys, and the yards are tricked out accordingly.

Its Nancy Youngs first Christmas living on Chapman Place, she said, but she remembers bringing her children for years, and theyre in their 30s now.

RELATED: 50 holiday activities and events in the Inland Empire

In Menifee, Mary and Chris (get it, Mary Chris-tmas) Carnes home along Calle Pompeii in the Menifee Lakes development is decked out, as are their neighbors. The Carnes decorations include the inside of the home, which is open for tours.

We started decorating in September, said Chris Carnes, standing in his kitchen as dozens of visitors strolled through room after holiday themed room. Maps of the world mark where folks have come from. We had 16,000 (visitors) last year.

Why do all this? For some, like Michael Thompson, a resident of Amaryllis Road in Beaumont, the work brings seems to bring the community together. For others, it brings the neighborhood together.

Bob Pratte: Christmas lights are a tradition for Warren family

Not necessarily by choice.

Its kind of become a joke that when you buy a house up here, you are shown a picture and told this is Christmas, Kirk said.

HOLIDAY NEIGHBORHOODS

Where: Chad Court, Hemet

What: The entire neighborhood, including nearby streets, is decorated for Christmas.

Notable: The home of Bruce and Connie Kirk includes a 25-foot tree made of PVC piping and a Santas wish list visitors can sign. Plans for next year include a neighborhood-wide Santas village and a toy drive.

Quotable: Its all Bruces fault, Connie Kirk said of her husband, who was the first to put up elaborate Christmas decor in the neighborhood.

Where: Manning Street, Yucaipa

What: 16 houses with Christmas lights synched together and coordinated to music that changes through the weeks. Visitors can tune car radios to 92.5 to listen in. The shows start Dec. 9.

Notable: The street has its own website, www.yucaipachristmas.com, with times and directions. Its drone video has 4 million views on youtube.

Quotable: It creates peoples holiday traditions, said Jon Vrolyks, who started the decorating. As a neighborhood, we all now know each other. Its like having your whole family living right next to you.

Where: Menifee Lakes Community, Menifee

What: Nearly all of the 159 homes in the development have decorated their homes for the season. Some started setting up in September.

Notable: The Home Owners Association holds a decorating contest, with the judging on Saturday, Dec. 10; The Carnes home is just south of the Newport Road-Calle Pompeii intersection.

Quotable: We like to share the spirit of the holidays, said Mary Carnes.

Where: Amaryllis Road, Beaumont

What: 18 homes with lights linking homes throughout the street.

Notable: Every year has a theme, this year, it is arches.

Quotable: Its for the kids and the community, said Michael Thompson, a resident of Amaryllis Road. Its something kind of cool that brings the community to the area.

Where: Bainbridge Circle, Murrieta

What: A tradition in southwest Riverside County, Bainbridge draws visitors from around the region. Visitors can tune to a low-power radio station for music. The display went live the day after Thanksgiving and will go through Christmas.

Notable: Check out the Bainbridge Circle Holiday Extravaganza page on Facebook for info on times. Be warned: there are no parking areas near the neighborhood.

Quotable: It doesnt cost anything for people to enjoy this and it gets everyone in the mood for Christmas, said resident Charlie Grandin during a 2015 interview.

Where: Chapman Place, Riverside

What: Neighbors have been collaborating for decades to decorate the street for the holidays. They get together every few years to pick a new theme  this year its Christmas stories, such as The Littlest Angel, The Polar Express, and The Nutcracker.

Notable: Though not every home on Chapman takes part in the theme, the entire street is lined with lights atop poles that are striped red and white, like candy canes.

Quotable: Nancy Young, whose yard sports penguins and an igloo for The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, was excited to move into a house on Chapman recently. Its such a fun thing to be a part of, she said.

Staff writers Alicia Robinson, Gail Wesson and Liam M. Truchard contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9086 or cshultz@scng.com
Theres no Christmas tree in the living room of the Jones familys Temecula-area home.

There are weeds creeping toward the master bath the family never used, the splintered remains of a backyard playground set strewn in a front yard that was never landscaped and a broken window above the garage that never housed the familys cars.

This disheveled and decidedly unfestive state can be traced to a dispute about access  for humans and utilities  to the land where the four-bedroom, four-bath house was built.

We cant have a good Christmas because were dealing with this thing, said Keith Jones, explaining that his dream home became a costly and time-consuming nightmare.

A recent visit to the 2.68-acre parcel on a hill near Saint Jeanne De Lestonnac School with Joe Marchelewski of Shernoff Bidart Echeverria  the Claremont-based firm handling the case for the Joneses  offered a look at the abandoned property, in addition to great views of Pechanga to the west and Callaway Winery to the north.

According to the Jones family, which in October filed a civil lawsuit in Riverside County Superior Court against Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Co. and a Temecula-based builder of custom homes, it was promised a well-appointed, two-story home in Temecula Valleys Wine Country with a nice yard for their children and space for a vineyard for small-batch wine production.

What the family got, it contends, was a house without water or electricity on land that didnt have a legal easement for a road to connect the property with neighboring streets.

Greg Koll, owner and president of the builder, Koll Custom Homes, said last week that the familys dispute is with its title company and declined further comment.

Thats where their issues lie, he said.

An attorney for Commonwealth on Friday declined to comment on the case, citing a need for investigation into the particulars of the complaint.

The title company reportedly offered the family $50,000 to settle its claim, according to the lawsuit, which the family turned down since that total would do little to dent the almost $400,000 it has invested in the property.

At issue is a thin strip of land leading to the home. In a phone interview, the Joneses said the family was told that since there was a legal pathway to the property  regardless of its size  that the family had legal access.

There has been talk about getting access via land to the east, which has been partially graded for development of a small housing tract. But the family said work there has stalled.

Waiting on a third party is silly, Jones added.

The next court date for the family is in April.

The family continues to seek solutions while noting it cant sell because of the access issues. Until then, he and his wife, Patty, have moved to Austin, Texas, so their sons could attend a full year of school.

Its caused so much heartache in my family, Jones said.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9698 or aclaverie@scng.com
Murrieta city officials are asking the public to be cautious and observe some safety recommendations after finding evidence of mountain lion activity on a trail within the city.

Paw prints belonging to one of the animals were found at the Cole Canyon open space behind Placer Creek Street earlier this month, according to a Murrieta city news release.

Placer Creek Street is part of a larger residential area consisting of newer, one and two story homes but its not far from open space that abuts some mountain foothills.

Its also a stones throw from the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Preserve, where signs frequently advise hikers to watch out for mountain lions.

Though city officials were not at first sure whether the prints belonged to one of the animals, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has since confirmed it since receiving photos from Murrietas Community Services District.

Mountain lions have been spotted multiple times over recent years in Southwest Riverside County and sometimes in the most unusual of places.

In March 2015, a young mountain lion somehow made its way to the Promenade mall in Temecula, but the visit did not end well for the cougar.

A dart that was intended to sedate the animal before bringing it back to the wilderness somehow punctured its lung tissue. It ended up dying.

Forrest Violett, 74, said he has seen mountain lions multiple times at his rural Menifee home over the last seven years.

He said he saw one as recently as three months ago near his horse pen. Horses he was keeping in the pen were not injured by the cougar, he said.

Violett, who had previously lived in New Jersey, said he didnt think hed see the animals even once when he moved to California. He has been especially stunned to see them multiple times.

The way they write about mountain lions is that theyre just on the brink of going out from what I read, he said. I didnt expect to see any in California either. I was really surprised.

Kyle Orr, a spokesman for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, said there are an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 of the animals in California.

He said its hard to get a more specific number, or gauge how many are in a particular area, because of how elusive the animals are.

Our biologists will say mountain lions see people a lot more often than people see mountain lions, he said. Theyre around, but theyre avoiding people.

Orr said attacks by mountain lions are extremely rare. He noted that since 1986, there have been about 14 verified attacks by mountain lions on people, and from those, three fatalities.

Still, attacks can happen, he said.

Orrs advice for people who see a mountain lion? Dont run. He said running away can simulate for the mountain lion the act of prey running from them, thereby making an attack more probable.

Face the cougar, make noise, yell, try to look bigger by waving your arms, he said.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife also recommends that people in mountain lion country should bike, jog, and hike with groups; keep an eye on small children while outdoors; and avoid outdoor activities during dawn, dusk and nighttime hours.

City officials are asking anyone who sees a mountain lion in the Murrieta area to contact the Murrieta Police Department by calling 951-304-2677

Police are asking for such information as how many people were in a group when they saw the cougar, the time and date the cougar was seen and any other important information to determine whether the animal poses a threat.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9693 or agroves@scng.com

OTHER RECENT SIGHTINGS:

August 2016: Highland residents advised to beware of bears, other wild animals after sightings

August 2016: Mountain lion sighting near Corona spurs safety concerns

June 2016: Big cat spotted in Redlands may have been big raccoon

May 2016: Idyllwild critter cam captures one big cat

January 2016: Citrus Valley High staff report mountain lion on sports field

March 2015: Mountain lion captured at Promenade mall in Temecula
When Hank Perera got his first construction job for $350 in Alaska, he had no experience in the trade  he was a former juvenile probation officer and also worked for the Anchorage Department of Social Services.

Recently, Perera walked through the freshly renovated Nixon Presidential Library & Museum in Yorba Linda, where his Perera Construction & Design of Ontario was the general contractor for the precision work in the $15 million project.

That included the framing for a reproduction of President Richard Nixons Oval Office  already a visitor favorite, where people can sit behind a replica of the 37th presidents Wilson Desk  as well as galleries of informative, eye-filling graphics and statues to tell the story of the Nixon presidency.

Theres the Apollo 11 moon landing  look up in that exhibit, as millions of Americans did July 20, 1969. There are lifesize statues of Nixon and Chou En-Lai about to shake hands and end 22 years of a frozen relationship between the United States and China.

And Vietnam; the Western White House in San Clemente; the Cabinet Room; Watergate; and for visitors to start their tour, a theater with a 30-foot screen for a fast-paced, multimedia presentation on Nixons life and career.

Thinkwell Group was the exhibit designer, and Maltbie, which specializes in museum projects, did the exhibit fabrication, all fitting with Pereras work.

This is universal in the construction industry, Perera said during an interview at the library. You could have the laborer, you could have the salesperson, you can have the carpenter  theyll take their kids to a place  and theyll say, You see that? I built that.

Thats something thats unique within our industry; its not a company thing, I think with construction folks, thats just how we feel. Were leaving nice pieces of jewelry around, he said.

Pereras first work in Alaska, a fence repair job in August 1980  I had no experience in construction  led to a pretty nice residential development company  until the price of oil went down, and it just went all kaputs.

In 1986, he came down to Southern California, where he had family, looked around and decided to go back to Alaska. But by 1987, he returned.

I had exhausted myself to the point where I was very poor, and came down to California and started all over again, he said.

The experience in Alaska taught him a valuable lesson for his next startup, one that would pay off about 20 years later.

I did not want to be in the residential area anymore. I wanted to be in things that were more recession-resistant, he said.

He decided on health care, energy, communications, and then I thought, When things go south, people go back to school  so, I thought, college work.

How the rest of it came together  I guess Im going to call myself a pretty good salesman, he said with a laugh. Most of the work on hospitals and colleges is at private facilities.

Perera also added what it calls community work, including museums such as the Nixon library and a renovation at the Autry Museum of the American West.

In the Inland area, the company has worked on such projects as the San Bernardino County Crisis Residential Treatment Center, the Casa Blanca Resource Center in Riverside, a fire station in Norco, and a fire station and community park in Lake Elsinore.

It also did the architecturally matching addition to the Arlington Branch Library in Riverside, as well as restoration and upgrades for the 1909 building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Perera also said his company is one of the preferred contractors for the Walt Disney Co., although he declined to discuss possible projects, and just completed what Perera called a master agreement with Apple.

Revenue for Perera Construction in 2016 is $43 million, Perera said.

We really want to be at what we call the high end of construction, he said. It matches with unique projects like this, he said, referring to the Nixon library. It matches with the complexity of projects and the clients that we work with.

The model for the company is to build strong relationships with profitable clients and get repeat work, Perera said. The company did its first job at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in 1993 and now we have a permanent crew there; they dont leave, Perera said.

The companys website currently lists seven projects for Cedars-Sinai.

The Nixon project was Perera Constructions second at the facility. In 2006, the company was the contractor for the archive center that holds Nixons presidential papers and artifacts.

Theres many companies in 2008 that really began to struggle, and we lost some pretty big names in our industry during that period of time, but we consistently stayed steady with work and went right through that recession with no problem at all, Perera said.

The tightrope of working on a high-visibility project, with a hard deadline of one year from start to completion and October opening, meant working with architects, designers and, for work such as the Oval Office project, oversight from the National Archives and Records Administration.

Its constant communication with the designers, architects, through regular weekly meetings.  There was always a team effort to make sure everything was running, and as accurate as possible, said Tony Virga, the project superintendent for Perera.

Among the challenges: Removing by crane an armored presidential limousine and a woody station wagon. The vehicles were rolled into the museum before the annex was built, but had to be lifted out for the renovation project.

Virga said the crews put up temporary walls and barriers while doing the work. We had to maintain the look that we werent in there, even though we were.

Its a unique world for us, Perera said. If you can picture working next to an operating room, or a nurse station with patients.  Those disciplines have really helped us to develop the kinds of skill sets we need do these kinds of things  dust control, moisture control  all of these things are what we do as a normal day of work.

A lot of our clients want us to be invisible, said Bryan Glass, who handles business development for Perera.

The current renovation was overseen by the Richard Nixon Foundation and the National Archives and Records Administration. The project was funded entirely through private donations raised by the foundation.

Officials at the library say the new exhibits and the refreshed looks at older ones have spurred attendance.

The Oval Office is a visitor favorite; you see pictures all over social media, said Nixon Foundation spokesman Joe Lopez. This is the biggest thing to happen here in 20 years.  It has just completely revitalized this place.  This is history you just dont get in the classroom.

Lopez said the foundation hopes to increase visitors to 150,000 to 200,000 for the first year after the renovation. Were well on our way, he said.

Contact the writer: rdeatley@scng.comor 951-368-9573 Twitter: @RKDeAtley
The email that landed in Justine DArrigo-Patricks inbox earlier this year threw her at first. It was an invitation to consider living in the student dorms for the fall quarter at Cal State San Bernardino.

DArrigo-Patrick, 31, is a professor.

I thought, Whaaat? she recalled. I said, Its kind of crazy.

She showed the email to her wife, Beth, 32. Both were teaching college in New Hampshire at the time. What a wild idea, they both thought. But the more the idea rolled around in her mind, the more appealing it became to Justine.

I thought, This could be a fun thing to do, she said.

Now, three months into their return to dorm life, both women say they made a good choice.

They are one of four professorial couples imbedded in the daily lives of students as part of a faculty-in-residence program. There are many campuses across the country that have similar programs, some of which are decades old. But this is the first year for Cal State San Bernardino.

Housing director John Yaun said the idea was first floated in 2009, but with state budget cuts during the Great Recession, it had to be put off a few years. Yaun said the campus has joined about 150 other universities with such programs.

The hope, he said, is to build better connections between the student and faculty populations.

Theres sometimes a trepidation on the part of students to approach faculty, Yaun said. One of our primary goals is to break that down. Thats one of those things we know leads to student success. There is a lot of research that connection between students and faculty leads to better retention and higher graduation rates.

The school provides a four-bedroom apartment and a partial meal plan to the professors in the program for free. In return, they are expected to spend seven to nine hours per week engaged with the students in some fashion.

For the DArrigo-Patricks that has meant doing such things as handing out candy in the hallways of the dorm on Halloween, attending student activities and going on weekly group dog walks with the couples two miniature Australian shepherds. They also have established a dorm-based LGBTQ group called Queer Space that meets twice a month.

Theres a real benefit to provide a space for people that need that space, Justine said, adding that many such students are just discovering and accepting their sexual orientation.

Its exciting for us, she added. Weve had a really interesting journey ourselves. We never had any mentors to help us navigate.

Shes hoping she and Beth  who is teaching online college courses and will start as an adjunct professor for the San Bernardino campus in January  can provide such mentorship.

In many ways, they say, the faculty-in-residence program is a flashback. As students themselves, both had been in dorm-life leadership roles. Justine was a resident advisor. Beth was director of student orientation.

We had a lot of fun doing that, Justine said. When we became professors, we werent sure if wed have an opportunity to participate in undergraduate life.

Still, it has been an adjustment, especially at first. Beth recalled a somewhat surreal feeling the first time they entered the building where they live.

It feels a little bit crazy the first time, she said. When you get confused for a student, it really takes you back in time.

Isabel Huacuja Alonso, had a similar experience.

I thought, Oh my god, am I going backwards? she said of her first day walking down the narrow hallways. For the first week, I had that, the kind of feeling that Im moving back in time.

A professor of history, Alonso, 33, and her husband Timsal Masud, 42, live in a building adjacent to the DArrigo-Patricks, with their 3-year-old daughter, Amalia. The family was in Masuds native India for the summer, when Alonso, newly hired by Cal State San Bernardino, got the email about the faculty-in-residence program. Unlike Justine, she wasnt surprised. Cornell University, where she did her graduate work, had its own program.

To her, the offer was inviting.

At the time, I was searching for an apartment, she said. I thought, This sounds much better. Live with students. That would be fantastic.

The two say they are happy with their decision. On a recent evening, they chatted about dorm life in their small living room, while Amalia sat on the couch engrossed in a game she was playing on an iPad. They said they were surprised by how comfortable their apartment is. They had expected it to be smaller.

It came furnished, but they bought their own second-hand furniture  keeping only the kitchen table  and painted the living room walls a dusty orange. There is no television, but they do have a 1960s period console that houses a record player and radio beneath its top-sliding doors. It fits in with Masuds field of research  Indian radio broadcasts from World War II. He isnt teaching right now, but has a doctorate in Hindi and Urdu literature and he has also authored an English/Urdu dictionary.

In the end, were very happy here, he said.

Alonso said she has been surprised by how much there is to do on the campus. They regularly take advantage of activities they most likely wouldnt go to if they lived off campus, she said.

Its Friday night and the museum is having an event and its like, Hey, lets go she said. If they were not living in the dorms, she added, Theres no way I would go, even if I was living in San Bernardino.

They are both on a recreational badminton team that plays twice a week during the evening.

If it werent something they could walk to, Alonso said, Theres no way I would do that.

Living with students and getting to know them, she said, has given her a greater understanding of their struggles.

I never thought of it as a way for me to see what students are going through, she said. Almost every student here has a job of some kind. They have a lot going on. The other thing is how confused students are. What to major in? What am I going to do with my life? It causes a ton of anxiety.

Shes happy to play a mentorship role, she said, especially on a campus with a diverse student population. She grew up in the border towns of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and Laredo, Texas, where her Mexican family immigrated.

Particularly, Latino women look at me and say, How did you do it?  she said.

Though both couples recognize they are a curiosity, they also realize their dependents are a much more popular attraction. Alonso said Amalia has a cadre of college-aged friends.

Amalia is the one that really has the relationship with the students, she said with a short laugh. She has a fan club. She definitely thinks her friends are cooler than us. Shes constantly wanting to go (visit them).

Those relationships come in handy when the couple needs a babysitter for the evening.

For the DArrigo-Patricks, its their dogs, Emma and Tucker. It took the energetic dogs a while to adapt and not bark every time a student passed by in the hallway. But now, theyre a magnet, especially since students are not allowed any pets.

Hi, babies! said Ashley Escobar bending down and embracing the dogs. She had flagged the DArrigo-Patricks down from across a courtyard. Beth handed her some treats and Escobar got both dogs to shake paws with her.

A psychology major, Escobar, 22, said having the couple as part of the community was pretty cool.

Plus they have dogs, she said. None of us are allowed to have anything but goldfish.

Fellow student, Sara Cruz, 22, an English major, said it was nice to have the DArrigo-Patricks as part of the community.

It builds a good relationship between the faculty and students, she said.

Sometimes, as on a recent night, the lines get a little blurred.

There was a Halloween carnival, Justine said. A couple of my students were playing like trash can beer pong. (No alcohol was involved.) They were like, Professor, can you play a couple of rounds with us? And I was like, Sure!

For some moments in time, she added, those labels go away and people just enjoy spending time with one another.

Josiah Orozco, 18, who lives down the hall from Alonso and Masud, said he is enjoying having professors as neighbors.

Theyre super friendly and very outgoing, said the freshman marketing student. We would have our door open and they would step in and say, Hi. They were easy to become friends with.

Orozco said the couple is a resource when it comes to questions about academics and also as dorm mates. He had just bummed a few trash bags from them. But it works both ways. The day before he helped Alonso jump start her car when her battery was dead. Their relationship, he said, has added to his perception of the schools faculty.

It made me understand what a professor must go through, he said.

Its the kind of connection housing director Yaun said he wants to see. So far, he said, its working.

I havent heard anything negative, he said. Were very happy with it. I expect it to expand.

He wants to add a fifth spot next year. Any newcomers, however, may face competition. Alonso and Masud said if things continue to go as they have, they may re-up for another year.

We havent decided, Alonso said, but I dont see why not.

.

Contact the writer: mmuckenfuss@scng.com or 951-368-9595
A group of Mariposa Elementary students played neurosurgeon for the day at Redlands Community Hospital.

On Tuesday, members of the medical facilitys staff spent time with more than 30 fourth- and fifth-grade students to show them what its like to work at the hospital.

Its a very unique experience, said Dr. Javed Siddiqi, director of neuroscience and neurosurgery. They get to look under the neurosurgical microscope and play with microinstruments. They get information about the skull and the brain and the function of the brain and brain tumors.

The students, all members of the gifted and talented, or GATE, program, participated in hands-on demonstrations and lectures.

The day trip to expose GATE students to neurosurgery followed a similar program at the school in October, when a representative from Discovery Cube Orange County led a dissection of pig hearts on campus.

On Tuesday, students traveled from school to the hospital to participate in the multihour event. Much of Mariposas GATE programming takes place after school, is available throughout the year and is supported by parents of current students. Siddiqi has two children at the school: Amman, a 10-year-old fourth-grader, and Saira, a 5-year-old kindergarten student.

There really isnt state funding anymore for GATE programs, so what we do at our school is encourage our parents to consider volunteering and offering a workshop either after school or a special event like this field trip, said Scott Bohlender, Mariposas principal.

Its this type of workshop that allows students to think about their future and think about careers, and our students are loving it. Its just very, very exciting.

Much of Tuesdays activity look place in the Stan and Ellen Weisser Education Pavilion. Students were separated into groups and rotated among stations set up inside the space. One activity took place inside the hospitals main facility, where doctors provided the tools necessary to remove a tumor  actually, a piece of chocolate  from a bell pepper that was used to simulate the brain.

Grayson Ahmed, 10, said he had been looking forward to this simulation the most.

Im so excited to learn about the brain and the neurons, he said.

Contact the writer: khernandez@scng.comTwitter: @TheFactsKris
NIGERIA: The police in Abuja has smashed a syndicate who specialize in stealing ATM cards from bank customers across the country.



The suspected members of the syndicate were identified as David Wuese, Chika Okenyi, Omotayo Bamidele and Akura Godwin.



They were arrested after complaints from members of the public to the Inspector General Police Ibrahim Idris, who deployed his operatives at the Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to trail and arrest the suspects.



A source disclosed that the syndicate, who confessed to the crime during interrogations, said that they normally steal ATM cards from unsuspecting victims while pretending to help them solve problems at ATM machines.



It was gathered that a member of the syndicate would approach an ATM user who was having difficulties with the machine. They would then swap the unsuspecting customers ATM card with another one from their own pockets after they must have gotten the PIN of the ATM card of the unsuspecting customer.



The suspects would then take the stolen ATM card to the nearest ATM machine where they would check the balance in the victims account, after which they would then proceed to purchase expensive mobile phones from the account. In other cases, the suspects will also make withdrawals to the limits of the account. The leader of the syndicate, Wuese (27), said in an interview that the syndicate was formed in Markurdi, Benue State from where they took their activities to several states in the country.



He said: The idea behind our operation was a collective one. I cannot tell who actually brought it. But before then, we had read something similar in the newspapers, and we modified it. Some of the ATM cards found in our possession were all invalid, and that was what we were using to steal from our victims. We dont operate in one state.



We move from one state to the other, and after we had succeeded in stealing a victims card, we would take the card to a machine where we would check the balance in the owners account. If the money in it was less than N20,000, we would leave the money and move on to look for other victims. But if the amount in the account was huge, we would withdraw up to the ATM limit, then we would go to any shop where phones are sold and by phones, which we would resell at cheaper prices.



Sometimes, we take the ATM cards to night clubs and hotels where we paid with cards. In our last operation, we bought three Samsung Galaxy Edge for N245,000 each and we sold them for N215,000. We also bought three Blackberry Passport for N130,000 each and sold them for N90,000. We bought two Infinix phones for N82,000 each and sold them for N60,000. I cant count the number of operations we have done, but we normally share all the money we have made equally. I have succeeded in buying a Toyota Camry with my own share of our loot, but I dont know what my friends have done with theirs.

Source: The Nation









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Pollster Ben Ephson has admitted he got it wrong by predicting victory for President John Mahama and the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in this years elections.



You see, I take pride in the work I do and I thank Ghanaians for equaling my opinion polls to the word of God. Im not God. If Ive done five polls and Im wrong in the fifth one, yes Im wrong. It does not mean that I will not reconsider what we did and readjust. I think in 1996 I got it wrong and readjusted and I did well in four elections. If I am wrong, I will readjust and move on, Mr Ephson told Nana Aba Anamoah on GHOne TV on Friday, 9 December.



The Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch had predicted after his pre-election survey that the governing NDCs presidential candidate would garner 52.4 per cent of the votes while his main rival, Mr Akufo-Addo, would get 45.9 per cent.



However, collation of results from 252 constituencies so far by Class Media Group puts Mr Akufo-Addo ahead of Mr Mahama with 54.44% while the president has bagged 43.69% of votes. Similar collations done by other media houses also put Mr Akufo-Addo ahead. The Electoral Commission is, however, yet to announce the official results.



While eating humble pie for getting it wrong, Mr Ephson said: I mean there is no pollster who will say that: My projections are cut in stone and when I go wrong, they should hang me by the neck. I know people will be happy, I dont have a problem 

Source: classfmonline.com









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The African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) to Ghana has rejected claims of over-voting by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections at certain polling centres.



The EC had stopped the publication of all collated results of the polls, saying its attention had been drawn to what it called several possible instances of over-voting which occurred during the crucial elections.



The EC, through its Communications Director, Eric Kofi Dzakpasu, had said the commission is committed to releasing the results within the 72-hour mandatory timeline, but insisted that the verification process would have to be completed.



EC initially did not state which party raised such claims of over-voting, compelling several Ghanaians to ask it to give details about the claims.



The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) came out later, claiming instances of over-voting in the Ashanti Region, one of the strongholds of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).



But Head of AUEOM, former president of the Republic of Namibia, Hifikepunye Pohamba, said the Mission did not record any instances of over-voting.



We have not received any report of over-voting and the voters, those who cast their ballots are registered voters, meaning they are qualified to vote, Mr. Pohamba said in response to a question posed by DAILY GUIDE with respect to whether the Mission observed any instances of over-voting during the elections as had been alleged by the NDC.



Mr. Pohamba said this yesterday while releasing the preliminary findings of the AUEOM on Ghanas December 7, 2016 presidential and parliamentary polls.



According to him, if at all there was over-voting, it would not be by those who were registered by the EC to vote but rather by Ghanaians living in neighbouring countries like Togo and Cote dIvoire, who he claimed might have been smuggled into Ghana solely to illegally vote.



He contended that that should have been taken care of by the national security personnel who were deployed across the country on Election Day.



According to him, AUEOM collaborated with other international and domestic observer groups and had not received reports of over-voting from them.



The AUEOM argued that Despite some challenges encountered during the pre-election period, Special Voting and on Election Day, overall the 2016 elections were conducted in a largely peaceful, transparent and credible manner.



The Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) and the Civic Forum Initiative (CFI)  an umbrella body of 15 civil society organizations  which jointly sent a total of 1,200 observers on the field on Election Day, have also indicated that they did not receive any reports of over-voting from their observers.



Results Tabulation



The AUEOM, in its report which is divided into two phases  pre-election phase and election phase  encouraged the EC to handle the results tabulation process in a transparent, credible and expeditious manner.



Mr. Pohamba charged, The EC is implored to expedite announcement of remaining results in order to address the growing anxiety caused by delays thus far.



The AUEOM is expected to issue its comprehensive assessment of the elections within two months which will take into consideration how the remaining stages of the electoral process were managed.



Charge



Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Election Observer Mission to Ghana, led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, has urged Ghanaians to refrain from acts of violence, as the country awaits the Electoral Commission to officially declare the results of the presidential and parliamentary elections.



The Mission made the call at a press conference yesterday in Accra to release its preliminary report on the crucial 2016 general elections.

Source: Daily Guide









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President John Dramani Mahama has called to congratulate Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo.



According to Peace FM's reporter, Naana Ntiri, President Mahama called the Presidential candidate of the NPP to concede defeat.



"A few minutes ago, at 7:51pm, the President of the Republic and the NDC presidential candidate, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, called me on the phone to congratulate me on my victory in the presidential election of 7th December 2016.



He wished me the best of luck and Gods blessings, and assured me of his full co-operation in organizing the transition from his administration to mine.



I thanked him for this graceful gesture, which is in the finest traditions of Ghanaian statesmanship and, on my part, assured him of my cooperation for a successful transition.



I also thanked him for his service to our nation and said that I felt sure that his contribution to the welfare of our Republic was by no means over" he wrote on his facebook page.



Meanwhile, there has been shouts of jubilation on the streets of Accra and elsewhere in the country after news broke that President Mahama had conceded defeat.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh has rejected the result of the presidential election held earlier this month, a week after admitting defeat.



Mr Jammeh cited "abnormalities" in the vote and called for fresh elections.



Mr Jammeh, who took power in a coup in 1994, was defeated by Adama Barrow, who won more than 43% of the vote.



Mr Barrow accused the incumbent of damaging democracy by refusing to accept the result. His transition team said the president-elect was safe.



International criticism of Mr Jammeh came swiftly. The US and The Gambia's neighbour, Senegal condemned his announcement, and the African Union called for a "peaceful and orderly transition of power".



The results were revised by the country's electoral commission on 5 December, when it emerged that the ballots for one area were added incorrectly, swelling Mr Barrow's vote.



The error, which also added votes to the other candidates, "has not changed the status quo" of the result, the commission said.



However, it narrowed Mr Barrow's margin of victory from 9% to 4%.



Mr Jammeh said that he now rejected the results of the election "in totality". "After a thorough investigation, I have decided to reject the outcome of the recent election," Mr Jammeh said.



"I lament serious and unacceptable abnormalities which have reportedly transpired during the electoral process.



"I recommend fresh and transparent elections which will be officiated by a God-fearing and independent electoral commission." Mr Barrow's spokesperson said the head of the army, General Ousman Badjie, supported the president-elect, having pledged his allegiance after the initial result.



The BBC's West Africa correspondent, Thomas Fessy, says the main question now is whether the Gambian leader has managed to split the army, retaining a faction ready to back his announcement.



Foreign criticism of Jammeh

The government in Senegal called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. Foreign Minister Mankeur Ndiaye, speaking on national television, urged President Jammeh to respect the election result.



The US has "strongly condemned" Mr Jammeh's rejection of the result.



"This action is a reprehensible and unacceptable breach of faith with the people of The Gambia and an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election process and remain in power illegitimately," said state department spokesman Mark Toner.



A Human Rights Watch spokesman also said it was "deeply concerned".



"The international community, notably [regional bloc] Ecowas and the African Union, should loudly protest any unlawful attempt to subvert the will of the Gambian people," said Babatunde Olugboji, deputy programme director.



The streets of the capital, Banjul, were reported to be calm on Friday night although soldiers were seen placing sandbags in strategic locations across the city, AFP news agency reports.



Only last week, Mr Jammeh was shown on state TV calling Mr Barrow to wish him well.



"You are the elected president of The Gambia, and I wish you all the best. I have no ill will," he said at the time.



According to the electoral commission, the revised results of the vote on 1 December was:



Mr Barrow won 222,708 votes (43.34%)

President Jammeh took 208,487 (39.6%)

A third-party candidate, Mama Kandeh, won 89,768 (17.1%)

Mr Barrow, a property developer, is due to take office in late January.



The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, with a population of fewer than two million.



In his 22 years in power, Mr Jammeh acquired a reputation as a ruthless leader.



Ahead of the election, Human Rights Watch accused him of using violence to silence critics. The group said two activists had died in custody and dozens of people had been jailed and denied medical or legal help.

video below:-









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A three-time contender for Ghanas Presidential seat, Nana Akufo-Addo has been named the President-elect of the country after a historic poll in the country. Akufo-Addo polled 5,716,026 of votes representing 53.85 percent against his fiercest rival and incumbent President, John Dramani Mahamas 4,731,277 votes.

The son of a former President of Ghana (ceremonial 1969  1972), he was born in Accra some seventy-two years ago in Nima, a suburb of Accra. He started his education at the Government Boys School, Adabraka  Accra, and later at the Rowe Road School, now known as Kinbu Secondary Technical School also in Accra.



He proceeded to England for his O and A level education before returning to Ghana in 1962. He served as a teacher at Accra Academy Secondary School for about a year before proceeding to the University of Ghana, Legon to read Economics in 1964. Nana Akufo-Addo proceeded to study law in the United Kingdom and was subsequently called to the English and Ghanaian Bar in 1971 and 1975 respectively. Before then, he had relocated to France where he practised law for about five years.



In 1975, he returned to Ghana to pursue his legal career with a private firm before co-founding a law firm; Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co. He is named in Ghanas history as championing the cause of human rights, rule of law and justice in the country in the 1980s. Akufo Addo entered mainstream politics serving as the General Secretary of the Peoples Movement for Freedom and Justice (PMFJ) that sought to champion the freedom and rights of Ghanaians. He is credited with working to restore multiparty democratic rule in Ghana in 1979 through a campaign against a referendum for a one-party military-led State. In 1991, he was the chairman of the Organising Committee of the Danquah-Busia Memorial Club; dedicated to the preservation of the memory and ideals of the two great advocates of Ghanaian democracy, J. B. Danquah and K.A. Busia, Prime Minister of the Progress Party government of the 2nd Republic of Ghana.



The clubs, established across the country subsequently became the branches for the now New Patriotic Party. In 1992 when Ghana held its first democratic elections, he was named the first national organiser of the NPP and, later that year, campaign manager of the partys first presidential candidate, Prof. Albert Adu Boahen. His interest in establishing further promoting his views on democracy in Ghana saw him establish and fund The Statesman newspaper. From 1996 to 2008, he served as the Member of Parliament for the Abuakwa South Constituency of the Eastern Region and later served as an Attorney General and Minister of Justice between 2001 and 2007 under the erstwhile John Kufour Presidency. Under the Kufour-administration, he also served as a Foreign Minister.



In 2008, he made an attempt at ascending the Presidential seat in Ghana but lost to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Evans Atta-Mills. His second attempt against John Mahama of the NDC after the demise of John Evans Mills was unsuccessful. Although he disputed the results of the elections in the Supreme Court, the results were upheld. He however, won the elections with some 53.85% of valid votes cast in the December 2016 polls against President John Mahamas 44.40%.

Source: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana









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CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT-ELECT NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO FROM MARTIN A. B. K. AMIDU



I convey my warmest congratulations to the President-elect of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, of the Republic of Ghana for his well-deserved and stunning victory over the incumbent President John Dramani Mahama in the just concluded Presidential elections.



Changing a Government under which the mass of ordinary people were unnecessarily and needlessly burdened over the years under the yoke of massive and pervasive corruption, deliberate oligarchic mismanagement of abundant natural resources, party political and ethnic cronyism and abject ineptitude peacefully through the ballot box is a feat worthy of emulation by other citizens of the West African subcontinent in particular and Africa in general.



I have no doubt that with the wise decision of the Ghanaian people in electing Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as President of the Republic of Ghana, integrity, incorruptibility, probity and accountability in the Ghana body polity will soon be restored.



The track record of President-elect Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his unassailable commitment to democratic processes since Constitutional governance in Ghana in 1993 gives hope that under his leadership Ghana will once more instill the values of good, and accountable governance not only in Ghana but will also be an advocate for those values and norms in the West African sub-region and the continent at large.



I whole heartedly congratulate President-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his patience, consistency to purpose, persistence and this victory that allows him to make a very positive and beneficiary difference in the lives of ordinary Ghanaians as President of the Republic of Ghana.



This is a period of great enthusiasm and hope not only for the people of Ghana but also for those in the sub-region and Africa in general. I have no doubt that the President-elect is aware that the people of Ghana expect that his new Government will take up the urgent responsibility of getting back our over GHC51.2million back with the accruing interest looted by the outgoing Government for its lootee, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, alongside the Waterville Holing (BVI) Ltd loot of over 47million also with all the accruing interest both ordered to be refunded to the Republic of Ghana by the Supreme Court on 14th June 2013 and 29th July 2014 respectively.



Your victory is partly the result of the mandate and confidence entrusted to you by the people of Ghana to get our monies back to the Republic of Ghana in the shortest possible time. It is my personal prayer that upon your assumption of office on 7th January 2017 you will as the President of Ghana with your Government, and the new Parliament of Ghana reciprocate the trust and confidence reposed in you at these elections by getting our Woyome and Waterville looted monies back in the shortest possible time.



May you use your wisdom and diligence to carry along all Ghanaians including those who did not vote for you in order to achieve the common purpose of rebuilding a strong, motivated and united Ghana that will demonstrate the expected leadership on the African continent and the world at large. May God guide, guard and bless you now and forever more to always Put Ghana First.



Martin A. B. K. Amidu



Accra, 8 December 2016





Source: Martin A. B. K. Amidu









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One of the stranger aspects of the 2016 U.S. election was the constant suggestions by the Democrats and various appendages of the countrys security apparatus that the election was being compromised by Russia through hacking and collusion with Wikileaks.

Now, the Central Intelligence Agency has reportedly concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the election with the goal of electing Donald Trump  and not just to undermine the electoral system generally, as was previously suggested.

It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russias goal here was to favour one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected, said a senior US official during a briefing of senators. Thats the consensus view.

There was always a question as to why so many documents were released from the Democratic National Committee, but not from the Republican camp. The Republicans say that their systems were never compromised, but intelligence agencies now conclude they were hacked, but the documents were conspicuously never released.

Trump and his team have long dismissed any connection with the Kremlin, and the Democrats obsessing over such a connection during the election didnt really do much for them in the end. Trump issued a statement calling out the CIA for their nonsense intel on Iraq, which wed have to admit is a good call:

These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. Its now time to move on and Make America Great Again.

Considering the CIAs long and storied history of interfering with foreign elections and supporting military coups, its probably an interesting feeling for them to see the boot potentially on the other foot.

On Friday, Barack Obama ordered a full review of the possibility of Russian state intervention in the election, in what will probably end up being one of his final orders for the security establishment.

We may have crossed into a new threshold, and it is incumbent upon us to take stock of that, to review, to conduct some after-action, to understand what has happened and to impart some lessons learned.

Well keep you posted.

Source: The New York Times.

Photo: Getty Images.
The Australian housing market is generally somewhat of a nightmare for under-30s, but if you dont happen to have a rich mum and dad, another good way to get a foot on the property ladder is to be Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus.

As it happens, a real estate source  which I assume is like a regular source but with a clammier handshake and a late-model Toyota Camry  told News Corp that the pair are looking to drop $4.5 million on a luxurious property south of Byron Bay.

The 12,500 square metre property in Broken Head is accessible only by private road, and has and its very own beach, as well as a four-bedroom house, Ardeevin, which features polished wood floors and sweeping ocean and rainforest views.

The other main selling point is that the property is situated next door to the Byron home of Chris Hemsworth and his wife Elsa Pataky, so the fam would get to see each-other, like, all the time.

The real estate source  Im just going to keep using that phrase, because god how I love it  told News Corp:

They were in town about two or three weeks ago, his (Liams) brother would have been the one to tell them about the property  It is so private and such a beautiful area. It has its own private beach and there is only one private road in. Youd practically need a chopper to get in there if you wanted to get pictures of them.

The house currently appears to be a Stayz property, so here are some snaps of what $4.5 mil will get you:

Miley, already a mentor on the U.S. version of The Voice, is rumoured to be joining the cast of The Voice Australia next year, and has been spending bulk time in Byron in recent months.

If we cant have this baller property, then we hope these two crazy kids can.

Source: Daily Telegraph.

Photo: Matrix / Getty Images / Stayz.
Amoxicillin shortage in Michigan: What parents should know

Many Michigan pharmacy shelves are bare of amoxicillin oral powder for suspension, dispensed in liquid form most often to children, amid an RSV surge.
HAMMONTON, N.J. - Santa Claus - and Kellyanne Conway - are coming to town Saturday.

But apparently, nobody wants to talk about it.

At least no one from Hammonton would officially comment Friday about President-elect Donald Trump's campaign manager's being asked to serve as the grand marshal of the annual Christmas parade.

Conway, who grew up as Kellyanne Fitzpatrick, is 49, a native daughter of this "Blueberry Capital of the World" who picked blueberries to earn extra money as a child. At age 16, she won the New Jersey Blueberry Princess Pageant.

The daughter of a trucking company owner and a casino employee, she moved to nearby Atco at age 3 after her parents' divorce, and graduated in 1985 from St. Joseph's High School in Hammonton. She earned a law degree from George Washington University and then began a career in polling and politics, but being the first female campaign manager to successfully elect a U.S. president made her famous.

But some residents and a regional antifascism group are making it clear that the selection of Conway by the local fire department to serve as the ceremonial leader of the parade that the department sponsors - and ride in an open-air white carriage that will be drawn by a black horse - has sparked controversy among them.

Via social media and a letter directed at the town council, they have called on the Hammonton Fire Department and Mayor Steve DiDonato to rescind the invitation extended to Conway to "receive the keys to the town" and ride the lead vehicle in the parade, which traditionally extends for about six blocks down the main street, Bellevue Avenue.

DiDonato did not respond to repeated requests for comment Friday; neither did the Fire Department.

Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats 2-1 in this western Atlantic County town of just under 15,000 residents, many of Italian descent. Hispanics - the subject of some of Trump's most controversial rhetoric - make up about 20 percent of residents, according to census data.

The parade will pass by a bronze bust of President Ronald Reagan, who visited during his 1984 reelection campaign. Hammonton was also visited by Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Richard M. Nixon, and John F. Kennedy during their campaigns, although there are no memorials in the town for them.

Jess Bonnan-White, who moved to Hammonton four years ago and is the parent of two small children, teaches criminal justice and homeland security at an area university. She said she sees Conway's participation in the parade as a "deeper community safety issue" than one of political difference.

Bonnan-White said she was encouraging local leaders to reconsider allowing Conway to be the grand marshal because "Kellyanne Conway was a primary architect of an election campaign that actively opposed" religious, cultural, and sexual-orientation diversity.

She said she has gotten involved in the controversy to speak for populations in the town that have had no say in the matter and are fearful of what Trump may do.

Bonnan-White said Conway "peddled in the basest of cultural fears. Fears of Muslims, of LGBTQ community members, and of immigrants. She led a campaign that used women as targets for political oppression utilizing the worst of a rape culture that we work against each day.

"Policies that she helped form and publicize stand to remove the civil rights of women, Muslims, people who identify as LGBTQ, and immigrants," Bonnan-White wrote in her open letter to local officials.

"How, with this background, did the town decide she would be the best candidate for Grand Marshaling a Christmas Parade," Bonnan-White wrote. "I do feel this choice divides our town and weakens the bonds between us."

South Jersey ANTIFA on Thursday described itself as a group of "concerned citizens outraged" by the local fire company's decision to have Conway lead the parade. The group says it is antifascist.

"She is not an acceptable role model and we call upon the Hammonton Fire Department to drop her. It's shameful that the fire department is turning their annual parade into a platform for right wing sexism," according to a statement on ANTIFA's Facebook page.

The group says it expects about two dozen members to stage a peaceful protest along the parade route, said Alex Stein, a founding member.

"We are not against Christmas, we are against politicizing Christmas and making the parade about one side against the other. It's been a divisive year already. We certainly don't need a Christmas parade to be a divisive event," Stein said.

Another group called "Not My Hometown Hero" created a Facebook event in which it had planned to stage its own peaceful protest at the parade, and encouraged those going to the parade who are opposed to Conway's views to carry signs promoting peace and unity.

But the organizer of the protest said she had canceled it and removed it from Facebook after receiving "some seriously disturbing messages."

Contact Jacqueline L. Urgo at 609-652-8382 or jurgo@phillynews.com @JacquelineUrgo
oversaw the abolition of Canadas death penalty, passed away Wednesday at the age of 84.In March he had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.A native Montrealer, Allmand retired from federal politics after three decades before returning to public life as a councillor at Montreal city hall.Allmand grew up during the Great Depression, an experience that saw him develop a sense of social justice early in life, a sense that would more than once compel him to buck the party line in Ottawa and at city hall.In an interview with the Gazette in 2009, Allmand, who was preparing once again to leave politics, assessed his years in Ottawa and at Montreal city hall.Sometimes you hear people saying, Aw, whats the use of getting involved in politics? You cant get anything done. I can say that in my 40 years, a lot got done. Ive got a long list somewhere, but just for example, when I started out there was no Medicare, no Canada Pension Plan. To get a divorce, you had to get a bill passed in the Senate, hanging was still on the books, you couldnt buy contraceptives over the counter. Gays faced criminal charges for consensual acts. I could go on and on. Sure, theres been backsliding now and then, but on the whole were pretty far ahead.
OTTAWAAfter soaring in public approval for more than a year, Justin Trudeaus Liberals tumbled last month in a new poll that reflects a prime minister and key ministers struggling to balance ambitious electoral promises and the hard realities of governing.A new Forum Research poll conducted at the beginning of the week shows the Liberals dropped from 51 per cent a month ago to 42 per cent nationally.Much of the erosion for the federal Liberals appears to have come in B.C. and Ontario, where the Liberals and the Conservatives find themselves nearly tied for support.In the past month, the Conservatives national approval rating under interim leader Rona Ambrose ticked up to 34 per cent from 28. That narrows a recent gap between the Liberals and the Conservatives  who do not yet have a permanent replacement for Stephen Harper  from 23 percentage points to just eight points.There was no significant change for the New Democratic Party, which stands stalled at 12 per cent, nor for the Greens at 6 or the Bloc Quebecois at 5 per cent.The Liberals would still win a smaller but comfortable 10-seat majority government with those numbers. And regardless of party preference, when those surveyed were asked how good a job they think the three main party leaders are doing, Justin Trudeau has the approval of 51 per cent. More than a year in, he enjoys sky-high approval among Liberal voters and nearly half of NDP voters approve of the job hes doing as prime minister.But it is nevertheless a fall to earth politically after a 13-month post-election honeymoon high that had seen partisans of all stripes enthusiastically embrace the young prime minister and his gender-balanced government.I think the Trudeaumania, whatever you want to call it, last year that pulled some Tory supporters onto the Liberal bandwagon, thats probably done now, said Forum president Lorne Bozinoff.Well, Diefenbaker got it right; "Dogs know what to do with polls".One poll means nothing, except maybe a glimmer of hope for the nation.But hope is good.
Peach Airlines to fly from Bangkok to Okinawa in 2017

Japanese Low Cost Airlines Peach Airlines will do something unique next year in 2017. Peach Airlines will be flying direct from Bangkok to Naha in Okinawa Japan. Now, you can fly to Okinawa from Bangkok for the first time but for limited time only.

The schedule for Bangkok to Okinawa route will be from 19 February to 25 March 2017.

Flight Schedule Departing from Naha in Okinawa, Japan (19 Feb to 25 March 2017)

They will fly on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from Naha at 21.20 (9.20 pm) and reach Bangkok around 24.10 (00.10 am). On Saturday and Sunday, it will depart from Okinawa at 22.05 (10.05 pm) and reach Bangkok around 13.00 (1 pm).

Flight Schedule Departing from Bangkok Thailand (20 Feb to 26 March 2017)

On Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday it will depart from Bangkok at 01.15 (1.15 am) and reach Naha Okinawa at 7.30 pm. On Monday, it will depart on 01.40 and reach Okinawa at 7.55 pm and Sunday will depart on 02.05 and reach Naha at 8.20 pm.

The price for one way is expected from 9980 Yen to 41980 Yen (3100  13000 Baht). The airlines expected to continue the route after April. Tickets will be on sale on 15 Dec 2016. For more info, you can visit Peach Airlines website at http://www.flypeach.com/

For Malaysians who wants to travel to Okinawa, we believe this is the cheapest way to do so. Fly to Bangkok and fly to Okinawa with Peach Airlines. It is not just cheaper but you get to stay in Bangkok too! If you plan to travel to Okinawa, this might work for you!

Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S22 Ultra and Sony ZV-1. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two. I used to travel around 17 International trips per year but now staying at home. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For advertisements or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's posts
Sgt. Thomas Smith was inadvertently shot dead by a fellow officer in a search of a suspects home in Dublin in 2014. (Photo: BART PD)

Bay Area Rapid Transit directors have agreed to pay $3.1 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit that was filed by the family of BART police Sgt. Thomas Smith, who was inadvertently shot dead by a colleague in a search of a suspects home in Dublin in 2014.

The suit in U.S. District Court in San Francisco alleged that BARTs police department repeatedly denied Smiths requests for additional training or use of its SWAT team during high-risk searches such as the incident that claimed his life at 6450 Dougherty Road in Dublin at about 2 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2014.

The suit also alleged that the transit agencys police department under Chief Kenton Rainey and Deputy Chief Benson Fairow has a practice of denying the use of trained SWAT officers for potentially high-risk building and probation searches.

Smith, 42, a 23-year veteran at BART, was fatally shot when he led a team of eight officers in a search of a robbery suspects apartment, KPIX TV reports,
In the wake of the latest deadly attack on police officers in the United States, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke said the government needs to take a tougher line with cop killers, PJ Media reports.

On Wednesday, Americus police Officer Nicholas Smarr, age 25, and Georgia Southwestern State University public saftery officer Jody Smith, age 26, were allegedly shot by career criminal Minquell Kennedy Lembrick after responding to a domestic disturbance call. Both officers sadly succumbed to their injuries -- Smarr shortly after the incident and Smith on Thursday evening.

That brings the total police deaths this year by gunfire to 62, an increase of 72% over last year, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.

Lembrick was found barricaded in a home in Americus on Thursday with a self-inflicted gunshot to his head.

On Thursday morning, while Lembrick was still on the run, Sheriff Clarke appeared on "Fox & Friends" and said, "The federal government - the federal court system - should enact a death penalty for these cases, and they should go through the federal system," he said. "And upon conviction they should be put to death."
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While, for the time being, we still have a First Amendment, Latinos are waking up to a very different media landscape this morning:

Fox News Shuts Down Fox News

Latino Coverage and Programming

More as details become available.

FAKING IT: One doesnt have to use too many key strokes on Der Googlizer to see how often the Fox News Channel is described as Fake News, or  excuse my French  Faux News. Ever since Friday Fox Follies published Fake News, Fox News and News, the network has fought hard to discredit the entire notion that fake news is running rampant in Merka. This despite hagiography and stenography of Donald Trump lies. Make no mistake, our post-truth society has become dangerous:

New York Times: Alleged Pizzagate

Gunman Listens To Trump Ally

And Conspiracy Theorist Alex Jones

Conservatives Downplayed Fake News.

Yesterday It Almost Had A Body Count.

Who is to blame for Fake News? Not Trump. Not Alex Jones. Fox Psychiatrist Keith Ablow Blames Liberals For Pizzagate And Fake News. Is his diploma fake or is he just crazy?

This may be why Media Matters to pivot away from focus on Fox News, as it names new president. Appearing On The Bill Press Show, [new] Media Matters President Angelo Carusone Highlights The Fake News Cycle Of Misinformation. Those of us who have been on the Fox News beat even longer than Media Matters, think MMfA is making a mistake. While we all need to fight Fake News, Fox News needs to be watched even closer than ever now that the Trump administration is filled with Foxites.

Heres what we dont know: How much did Trump rely on the advice of disgraced former-CEO Roger Ailes during the campaign? How much Trump relied on the advice of Ailes to staff his administration is also completely unknown  just like the black hole that is Trumps tax returns.

What is known, as FFF reported last week in The Fox News Administration Shapes Up, is how many in Trumps Administration of Deplorables are from the Fake News Channel.

The Right-Wing Medias Government

Takeover, Via Donald Trump

Former Fox Contributor Dr. Ben Carson

Nominated To Be HUD Secretary

Despite Utter Lack Of Qualifications

While Eric Bolling and Monica Crowley continue to audition for Trumps anointing, James Murdoch Insists Fox News Is Really Fair And Balanced, despite all proof to the contrary. Yet, GOP And Fox News Go In With Trump Smearing And Endangering Carriers Union Head. Its like they were all reading from the same fake playbook. OH! WAIT!!

With Fox News tripling CNN, MSNBC in viewers since Election Day, its going to be a very long 4 fake years.

THE FAKE WAR ON CHRISTMAS: Fox loves to stir up Holiday Hate with this perennial blossom from the perpetual outrage machine. Its almost as if celebrating Christmas  while forgetting all about Jesus  isnt the default position for Merka.

Fox News Celebrates: You can

say Merry Christmas Again Because

Donald Trump Is Now The President

Fox Friends Outraged Over

Atheists Making Christmas Great Again

The Fox News Phony War on Christmas

KELLY FILES IT AWAY FOR LATER: Megyn Kelly continues revealing things after the election, which might have been helpful before the vote:

Megyn Kelly: Donald Trump and

Steve Bannon clearly empowered

the white nationalist movement

Megyn Kelly accuses Trump social

media director of inciting online abuse

   And then she goes and spoils it by saying something stupid like   

Megyn Kelly Suggests Critics Of Ben

Carsons HUD Nomination Are Racist Hypocrites

Reporing fake news like that might be why TV news executives are not seeing a bidding war for Fox News star Megyn Kelly.

This item caught my attention this week because of a quote in it:

Right-Wing Civil War: Megyn Kelly Trades

Barbs With Breitbart Editor-At-Large

Over Dangers Of Empowering Alt-Right

KELLY QUOTE: I knew Andrew Breitbart very well and he was great. I loved him. He was a true provocateur who would be fun about it, you know. Hed show up at a democratic protest and engage with the protesters and then hed go have a beer with them. This is something else entirely, and I dont know that Trump can stop it. I dont know who, if anyone, can stop it.

Here is provocateur Andrew Breitbart engaging with protestors and being fun about it:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ILZQSmE5Uu0

No wonder he dropped dead of a heart attack.

THE LEG CHAIR: Lets be clear. Fox News didnt invent sexism. Theyve just perfected it.

Busted! We Caught Fox Changing

Its Desk To Make Sure You

See A Female Anchors Legs

FALAFEL FAKERY: It should be noted for posterity that it was none other than Bill OReilly who started the whole Fake War on Christmas years ago when he ranted about how satanic  or something  it was for stores to use the inclusive Happy Holidays. Since then its been a holiday Christmas tradition. Forgetting all about his part in starting the Cultural Wars, Bill OReilly Blames Polarization In The U.S. On The Poor, Immigrants And Democrats. And, certainly not his milkshakin BFF Trump.

This week Wash. Posts George Will: There Is A Name For Trumps Carrier Deal, Its Called Socialism, so naturally Bill OReilly Goes After Colleague George Will For Criticizing Trump. But then Loofah Lad, who seems to attack George Will every year about this time.

IRONY ALERT!!! Tomi Lahren to OReilly on Daily Show Interview: You Cant Expect Liberal Media to Play Fair

VIEW WITH A ROOM: Diametrically opposed opinions on the best way to defend Donald Trump:

OReilly Vows Not To Go On

The View Because Joy Behar

Insulted BFF Donald Trump

Sean Hannity: I Need To Go Back

On The View Because They Need

To Be Straightened Out So Bad

But that doesnt end the fake outrage:

Hannity Continues His Bullying

Assault On The First Amendment

Sean Hannity Urges Trump Administration

To Get Rid Of The White House Press Office

Let the faux fur fly.

TUCKING INTO TUCKER: Tucked into the article Why Is The Daily Caller Using Images Of Black People With Obama Poster In Story About Food Stamps? is this gem of a paragraph:

The Daily Caller is owned by Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who was previously also the sites Editor-in-Chief, a role he resigned in order to begin hosting Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News. Since the shows debut three weeks ago Carlson has already used his prime-time platform to defend the racist past of Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III (R-AL) by attacking the totally discredited NAACP, claim that the American Nazi Party and the KKK dont really exist in a meaningful [way], and allow a guest to proclaim that there is very little evidence of classic racism anymore. Carlson has recently come under fire after lecturing The New York Times about tweets from Times reporters he deemed crossed the line while ignoring the hateful rhetoric coming from his own news outlet.

REMEMBER: Its not really fake if you believe it. Like Tinkerbell.

Headly Westerfield has been writing about Fox News criticism since before it became cool.
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There are a lot of reasons fast food exec (Carls Jr. and Hardees) Andrew Puzder is the wrong choice for Labor Secretary, including, as the Los Angeles Times puts it, the fact that he is a good spokesman for fast-food restaurant owners. For their employees, not so much.

As a New York Times editorial explains,

Here is the record at those restaurants. When the Obama Labor Department looked at thousands of complaints involving fast-food workers, it found labor law violations in 60 percent of the investigations at Carls Jr. and Hardees, usually for failure to pay the minimum wage or time and a half for overtime.

So there is that. And that is bad enough. Another problem is Puzders history of domestic abuse allegations dating back to the 1980s.

PFAW Press Secretary Laura Epstein had this to say in response:

Its horrifying that Trump is filling his administration with men like him who demean and assault women. While theres no stopping Trump, who bragged of sexually assaulting women, from taking the oath of office in January, Senators can and should keep Andrew Puzder from becoming a Cabinet Secretary. That one of the Labor Secretarys responsibilities includes overseeing the Womens Bureau makes it all the more concerning that Puzder could hold the post. He objectifies women in his ads, the Labor Department found that his restaurants mistreated employees, and hes faced troubling allegations of domestic abuse. He also stands against policies critical for women employees in particular, like raising the minimum wage and expanding overtime pay. How can we trust Puzder to protect women workers when we know he has no respect for them?

Trump has surrounded himself with the most disreputable of company, both during his campaign and now that he has been elected, his cabinet. There is little good that can be said of any of them and all are distinguished by their complete unsuitability for the jobs for which they have been chosen.

Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich had to explain to CNNs Kayleigh McEnany why Puzder is anti-worker and unsuitable for his new post:

Im saying hes anti-worker because hes anti-worker. The Department of Labor came into his restaurants and found that half his restaurants had wage and labor violations that violated the law of the United States. You think thats pro-worker?

Neither are his stands against policies critical for women employees. None of this should have to be explained but in the fact-free world of the Republican Party and sadly, some CNN commentators, it is necessary, if ultimately futile.

We have an anti-EPA guy in charge of the EPA, and now we have a man proven to have no respect for women or laborers in charge of the Department of Labor. The government is supposed to protect the people. Instead, our prospects are beginning to look much like livestock lining up for the slaughter.
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Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was informed about Russia interfering in the election to help Trump before election day, but he refused to stand with President Obama and condemn the actions of Putins government.

The Washington Post reported, According to several officials, McConnell raised doubts about the underlying intelligence and made clear to the administration that he would consider any effort by the White House to challenge the Russians publicly an act of partisan politics.

The Senate Majority Leader was told that Russia was meddling in the presidential election, and he responded by turning his back on his own country so that a man who will be a puppet of a foreign regime could have a better chance of winning the White House.

When Mitch McConnell was offered a choice between partisan politics and his country, he chose partisanship. Anyone who thinks that this man will ever allow a Republican investigation into Russian election interference is kidding themselves.

Though his opposition, Sen. McConnell made himself complicit in the Russian takeover of the White House. Mitch McConnell wanted Republicans to get the White House back so badly that he sold out his own country to get it.

America has a new Benedict Arnold, and he is the Majority Leader of the United States Senate. If the Trump administration leads to the worst case scenario for America, Mitch McConnell will be one of the Republicans who will deserve the most blame.
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Donald Trumps transition team released a statement in response to the CIA report that Russia interfered in the presidential election to help the GOP nominee where they strongly suggested that the CIA is lying.

The Trump team responded to the report in The Washington Post, These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. Its now time to move on and Make America Great Again.

Trump was suggested that the CIA was lying in 2016, because in the run-up to the Iraq war, the Bush administration, specifically Vice President Dick Cheney pressured the intelligence community to come up with false intel to support invading Iraq.

The second falsehood told by the Trump transition was about the size of his Electoral College victory. Trumps victory was the third smallest Electoral College win since 1980. Only George W. Bushs were smaller.

The president-elect has been skipping his intelligence briefings, and now appears to be in a state of open war with the CIA. The problem for Trump is that it isnt only the CIA who made this claim. Seventeen intelligence agencies believe that Russia interfered in the presidential election.

Seventeen intelligence agencies arent all lying. Trump had obvious connections to Russia throughout the presidential campaign. Someone is definitely not telling the truth, and the evidence points to the Donald Trump as the man behind the cover-up of the Russian assist that he got in the presidential election.
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Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement today on Trumps disparaging comments about the intelligence community & need for congressional investigation on Russian hacking:

As Schiff told MSNBC, Theres overwhelming evidence of Russian involvement in these hacks and by denying it he has essentially become a propaganda piece for Kremlin.

Watch courtesy of MSNBC:

There's overwhelming evidence of Russian hacking of our elections. By denying it Trump has essentially become a propaganda piece for Kremlin pic.twitter.com/3yTY04xNiq  Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 7, 2016

Donald Trump will do anything at this point to distract the public from the now undeniable fact that he was put into the White House not by the American voters (who went with Hillary Clinton) but by Vladimir Putin. As Schiff says, Trumps refusal to face facts is deeply disturbing.

Schiff is right to call for investigations in both House and Senate. As has pointed out, if allowed to take office what we will be left with in our Oval Office is a man who is nothing more than a propaganda piece for the Kremlin.
Arctic convoy WWII veterans presented with medals

The Arctic convoys







The Arctic Convoys transported four million tonnes of supplies and munitions to Russia between 1941 and 1945



A total of 78 convoys braved sub-zero temperatures and the German armed forces to get war supplies to the Soviet Union



The British Merchant Navy - then the world's largest merchant navy - along with Russian, US, Canadian, Norwegian and Dutch merchant fleets were involved



By May 1945, the Arctic route had claimed 104 merchant and 16 military vessels



More than 3,000 Allied seamen lost their lives to the freezing conditions and attacks during the trips to ports in the Arctic Circle



Arctic convoy WWII veterans presented with medals - BBC News

The Arctic Convoys transported four million tonnes of supplies and munitions to Russia between 1941 and 1945A total of 78 convoys braved sub-zero temperatures and the German armed forces to get war supplies to the Soviet UnionThe British Merchant Navy - then the world's largest merchant navy - along with Russian, US, Canadian, Norwegian and Dutch merchant fleets were involvedBy May 1945, the Arctic route had claimed 104 merchant and 16 military vesselsMore than 3,000 Allied seamen lost their lives to the freezing conditions and attacks during the trips to ports in the Arctic Circle

9 December 2016BBC NewsVeterans who transported vital supplies from Britain to Soviet ports have been presented with medals in recognition of their service during World War Two.The Arctic convoys carried food and military equipment across treacherous seas to support the Eastern Front between 1941 and 1945.Veterans from Hull and other areas of East Yorkshire were honoured by the Russian government at a ceremony in Beverley.Families of deceased veterans were also presented with medals.A total of 12 awards were given out, with four surviving veterans accepting theirs personally.Among them was Frederick Moore, 90, who served on HMS Whirlwind.Describing it as one of the "proudest days" of his life, he paid tribute to those who took part in the convoys alongside him, describing them as "the bravest men I have ever known".Freda Crawley collected a medal on behalf of her husband John, who died two years ago. He served on HMS Offa.She said: "He would have been thrilled, and he was always aware of how Russia felt towards the men of the convoys, and he would have been most appreciative."She added the crews in no way saw themselves as heroes, but more like "young lads on a great adventure".Representatives from the Russian Embassy handed out the Medal of Ushakov and said the veterans deserved to be recognised for their part in "a most dangerous and difficult operation".The medal is named after Fyodor Ushakov, an 18th Century naval commander who never lost a battle and is the patron saint of the Russian navy.
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By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  U.S. Senate Democrats plan to fight some of President-elect Donald Trumps choices for top administration jobs, but history and the partys minority status in the chamber are not on their side.

A simple majority of 51 votes is needed in the 100-member Senate to confirm nominations. Louisiana will select its newest senator on Saturday. If the Republicans, as expected, hold on to the seat, they will control at least 52 seats in the chamber next year.

Senate Republicans said on Thursday they were confident of winning Cabinet confirmations early next year.

Nonetheless, some Democrats said they hoped to persuade a few Republicans to help them block a Trump nominee or two, following the Republican Trumps inauguration on Jan. 20, when a newly installed Senate starts reviewing his nominations.

That could be just brave talk from Democrats. The Senate has rejected only nine of 719 Cabinet nominations in U.S. history, not counting nominees who have withdrawn when facing certain defeat, according to congressional records.

The last rejection was in 1989, when the Senate blocked Republican President George H.W. Bushs nomination of Senator John Tower to be defense secretary. In 2013, Democratic President Barack Obama had trouble getting Chuck Hagel confirmed as defense secretary, but he ultimately prevailed.

This time around, Democrats said their top targets included U.S. Representative Tom Price as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as Environmental Protection Agency administrator.

Former New York investment banker and hedge fund investor Steven Mnuchin, tapped by Trump to become Treasury secretary, is also drawing the ire of Democrats, who will be in the minority in both the new Senate and House of Representatives in 2017.

Trumps path toward Senate confirmations of nominees will be easier than the one faced by most of his predecessors.

In 2013, Senate Democrats, frustrated by Republicans blocking Obamas choices for federal judges, used their majority status at the time to eliminate filibusters against executive and judicial branch nominations, except the Supreme Court. That meant only 51 votes were needed for confirmations, rather than 60.

PRUITT, PRICE, SESSIONS

Pruitt is a climate change skeptic who has participated in lawsuits trying to stop the EPA from carrying out clean-air regulations. As a nominee, he will embody the fossil fuel and anti-clean air and clean water movement.  I like those odds, Democratic Senator Edward Markey said of the fight ahead.

In 2009, when in the House, Markey was a leader in the fight for legislation to control greenhouse gas emissions.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who was an ally at the time in that failed battle, said in a brief interview that while he did not know Pruitt: I appreciate his passion for fighting back against things he thought were an overreach by federal agencies.

Price is high on the Democrats target list, according to a senior Senate Democratic aide, who asked not to be identified,

Defending Medicare, the federal healthcare program for the elderly, is a top priority of congressional Democrats. Price supports limiting some Medicare benefits.

He also opposes government funding for womens healthcare provider Planned Parenthood. That could help Democrats win support for blocking Price from moderate Republicans such as Susan Collins or Lisa Murkowski, the senior aide said.

A spokeswoman for Murkowski said she had not expressed an opinion on the Price nomination. Collins and her aides were not immediately available for comment.

A second senior Senate Democratic aide said some Republicans up for re-election in 2018 could be uncomfortable voting for Price because of his Medicare stance.

But Graham said Price has been the heart and soul of the Republican alternative to Obamacare. I cant imagine any Republican voting against him.

Republican Senator Jeff Sessions has been chosen by Trump to be attorney general. Democrats plan to highlight his hardline stances on illegal immigration, as well as remind colleagues that a Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee rejected Sessions nomination for a federal judgeship in 1986 amid allegations that he had made racist remarks, which he denied.

If the debate stokes strong opposition to Sessions, Republicans might have to scramble to win his confirmation.

That could especially be true if the Alabama lawmaker follows a long-held practice of senators of merely voting present on their own confirmations, meaning Democrats would be one vote closer to defeating him.

(Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Peter Cooney)
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The Russian election interference for Trump is grounds for the Electoral College to reject the Republican candidate according to Alexander Hamilton in Federalist 68.

The CIA assessment that Russia interfered in the presidential election does more than cast a shadow over the incoming administration.

According to The Federalist Papers, the role of the Electoral College was to prevent a foreign power from gaining control of the union.

Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist 68:

Nothing was more to be desired than that every practicable obstacle should be opposed to cabal, intrigue, and corruption. These most deadly adversaries of republican government might naturally have been expected to make their approaches from more than one querter, but chiefly from the desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils. How could they better gratify this, than by raising a creature of their own to the chief magistracy of the Union? But the convention have guarded against all danger of this sort, with the most provident and judicious attention. They have not made the appointment of the President to depend on any preexisting bodies of men, who might be tampered with beforehand to prostitute their votes; but they have referred it in the first instance to an immediate act of the people of America, to be exerted in the choice of persons for the temporary and sole purpose of making the appointment. And they have excluded from eligibility to this trust, all those who from situation might be suspected of too great devotion to the President in office.

No senator, representative, or other person holding a place of trust or profit under the United States, can be of the numbers of the electors. Thus without corrupting the body of the people, the immediate agents in the election will at least enter upon the task free from any sinister bias. Their transient existence, and their detached situation, already taken notice of, afford a satisfactory prospect of their continuing so, to the conclusion of it. The business of corruption, when it is to embrace so considerable a number of men, requires time as well as means. Nor would it be found easy suddenly to embark them, dispersed as they would be over thirteen States, in any combinations founded upon motives, which though they could not properly be denominated corrupt, might yet be of a nature to mislead them from their duty.

The Electoral College was designed to be a safeguard against exactly what appears to have happened in the 2016 election. If the electors are going to fulfill the role that the Founding Fathers envisioned for them, they must reject the attempt by the Russian government to install their own President Of The United States.

Hamiltons writings make it clear that what Russia and Trump have done endangers the nations sovereignty.

Republicans who view themselves as upholders of our founding principles need to read Hamilton and understand that their duty in this situation is to reject the option that is a threat to the independence of the union.

The reasoning is clear. The path is in front of their eyes. To protect this nation, the Electoral College must reject Donald Trump.
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Earlier today, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) called for a Senate investigation of James Comey, saying that Lindsey Graham is a voice of concern, who could be instrumental in bringing aboard moderate Republicans.

As if to prove his point, Graham, the only Republican who seems genuinely troubled that Russia just elected our new president, warned today that we Dont have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out what Russia is up to  theyre trying to undermine democracies all over the world, adding in another tweet that,

Russia is trying to break the backs of democracies  and democratic movements  all over the world.

The National Reviews David French tried to put it in words Republicans could understand:

Imagine, Republicans, what you would think after losing a close election, then finding out Russia was interfering on Hillarys behalf.

Dont get the idea, however, that Lindsey Graham wants to undo what Putin has wrought. He doesnt:

I'm not challenging the outcome of the election, but very concerned about Russian interference/actions at home & throughout the world.  Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 10, 2016

Sadly, Republicans have had no problems with entertaining appalling double-standards for the past eight years, and theyre not likely to discover an objection, let alone a missing moral compass, at this late date. Rather, they will take what Putin gave them and run.

Like Graham.

Other Republicans will have to figure out how to respond to the fact that what we have known all along can no longer be denied. Besides ignoring it. Or pretending it didnt happen. Or Benghazi!

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who rationalized the problem away with a casual,

All this "news" of Russian hacking: it has been going on for years. Serious, but hardly news  JohnCornyn (@JohnCornyn) December 10, 2016

Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) reports Fox News,



[I]s calling for former CIA deputy director Mike Morell to be recalled to testify before Congress, following a Fox News report on his role in editing the administrations talking points on the Benghazi terror attack.

No surprise, since Benghazi is a fake scandal where all the fake facts are firmly in their control and its a nice distraction from real news.

Even if you dont care that the election was stolen by a foreign power, there is always the fact that as even Chuck Todd had to acknowledge, The implication in the Trump transition statement is that he doesnt believe a single thing from the CIA, has all sorts of implications, including the fact that the CIA reputation will be toast if Trump questions their findings so publicly.

What we are seeing is quite remarkable, a president-elect taking the side of a foreign power over his own countrys intelligence agencies, although weve never seen a president-elect in that position as a result of said foreign powers machinations.

Americas reaction to what amounts to a Russian coup should not be partisan, and Americans deserve better than the GOPs lukewarm reaction to the news.
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During the third presidential debate in October, Secretary Hillary Clinton told 71.6 million viewers about Russias interference with the U.S. election, on Donald Trumps behalf.

Clinton blasted Trump, Will Donald Trump admit and condemn that the Russians are doing this and make it clear that he will not have the help of Putin in in this election, that he rejects Russian espionage against Americans, which he actually encouraged in the past?

But the media didnt seem to care, because Hillary Clinton hadnt told us about her secret pneumonia for 24 hours and she had those non-criminal emails on a private server like every other Republican who ran for president in 2016 and had also been in an executive branch.

Watch and weep for your country that this most qualified person, the person of whom Putin is most afraid, not only lost an election to this Putin puppet, but then had to listen to the media deciding that she was a flawed candidate, she with all of her boring knowledge and refusal to bow down to Putin.

From CNN:

Hillary Clinton said, But you are very clearly quoting from WikiLeaks. And whats really important about WikiLeaks is that the Russian government has engaged in espionage against Americans.

They have hacked American websites, American accounts of private people, of institutions. Then they have given that information to WikiLeaks for the purpose of putting it on the Internet.

This has come from the highest levels of the Russian government, clearly from Putin himself, in an effort  as 17 of our intelligence agencies have confirmed, to influence our election.

So I actually think the most important question of this evening, Chris, is finally, will Donald Trump admit and condemn that the Russians are doing this and make it clear that he will not have the help of Putin in in this election, that he rejects Russian espionage against Americans, which he actually encouraged in the past?

Those are the questions we need answered. Weve never had anything like this happen in any of our elections before.

There you have it.

Variety reported the final viewership numbers for the third and last debate, which by the way dont include streaming numbers, The total across 13 networks, including PBS, Spanish-language channels Univision and Telemundo and Azteca, stands at 71.6 million viewers.

71.6 million people saw that and yet we have Donald Trump as our President-elect and Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who not only created a Constitutional crisis with his unprecedented SCOTUS blockade, but actively worked to hide the fact that Hillary Clinton was right about Russias interference from the American voters prior to the election.

There is a sickness afloat and part of that sickness has been to question everything we know to be true in order to justify this election result, which didnt fit the data or common sense. This is why we had Democrats deciding that they really needed to chase after the Trump voters and accusations that Hillary Clinton dropped her economic message and its the economy, stupid and suggestions that Hillary Clinton was a flawed candidate, as if Donald Trump were not The Flawed Candidate from Central Casting.

No, the problem is that reality and evidence all pointed to the Russians but instead, too many tried to stuff this election result into a more palatable package. Fact: The Russians interfered in order to help Donald Trump win.

Never question everything you know to be true in order to justify something that makes no sense.

Hillary Clinton was right in October, and she was right because this is a person who is prepared for the office of the presidency. She understood Putins motives years ago and she is the person of whom he is more afraid precisely because she doesnt back down.

Clinton was a more skeptical voice on the reset, former United States Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul told Politico in July. She was tougher on the Russians. She pushed back. She was a difficult interlocutor with both [foreign minister Sergei] Lavrov and Putin  and I say that as a compliment.

We all knew this about Clintons relationship with Putin, and we knew he harbored resentment against her because Putin blamed Clinton for 2011 protests accusing Putin of having rigged elections.

It really doesnt require a psychology degree to see the glaring motive.

Donald Trump is not only no match for Putin; Trumps childish ego makes him a willing puppet who thinks hes in charge. If Trump doesnt know it already, it should be a given that Putin has the goods on Trump and can and will drop them at any time to send a similar warning to Trump: Get in line or else.

Putin tried this with Clinton and she didnt back down. Like a boss. Like the person who should be President of the United States of America.

Thank the media for hyperventilating about Hillary Clintons emails and running with Republican accusations, which proved to be unfounded, and reporting on emails that were hacked and possibly doctored, per Russias usual dirty tricks  while pretty much glossing over the fact that Russia was interfering in a U.S. election.
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Incoming Senate Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is calling for a full bipartisan congressional investigation into Russias efforts to help Donald Trump win the White House.

Sen. Schumer said, Senate Democrats will join with our Republican colleagues next year to demand a congressional investigation and hearings to get to the bottom of this. Its imperative that our intelligence community turns over any relevant information so that Congress can conduct a full investigation.The silence from Wikileaks and others since election day has been deafening. That any country could be meddling in our elections should shake both political parties to their core.

There is potentially a large enough bipartisan coalition in the Senate to hold a committee investigation into the Russian hacking of the US presidential election. The report that the CIA found that Russia helped Donald Trump win the White House has set American politics on its ear. The Trump transition teams response of calling the CIA liars has only added fuel to the fire.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who knew about the Russian influence on the election but opposed President Obamas efforts to issue a bipartisan statement, will probably do all he can to block efforts to launch a full-scale Congressional investigation.

Before the country can get to January, there is the now not so small matter of an Electoral College vote on December 19.

The Russia story is not going to go away. The fact that the president-elect is not attending security briefings and is spending his time questioning the honesty of the intelligence community should trouble every American.

Donald Trump and the Republican Party have a major scandal on their hands, and Democrats are going to investigate and hound Trump until they get the truth about Russias role in getting the Republican candidate elected to be the next president.
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Back in November Rudy Giuliani emerged as the favorite to become Donald Trumps first secretary of state. That is no longer true, as Trump has announced the former New York City mayors withdrawal from the running:

.@RudyGiuliani, one of the finest people I know and a former GREAT Mayor of N.Y.C., just took himself out of consideration for "State".  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2016

So we have good news and bad news: Giuliani is out, but a bunch of unqualified yet rich CEOs are in. First among them and current favorite is Exxon Mobil Corp Chief Executive Officer Rex Tillerson, whom Reuters says has emerged as President-elect Donald Trumps leading candidate for U.S. secretary of state. So not only a CEO but a fossil fuel industry CEO.

And not only a fossil fuel CEO but one who has very, very close ties with Vladimir Putin, the guy the CIA says got Donald Trump elected president  for what looks like a little quid pro quo.

Some had hoped for Romney, who, while completely clueless is at least not insane, but Tillerson has apparently leapfrogged over even 2012s Republican nominee for president. Obviously, there was quite a bit of resistance to Romney from within the Trump circle, who want only unhinged conspiracy theorists surrounding our commander-in-chief.

Like Giuliani, Tillerson represents a vast network of overseas conflicts of interest. Of course, Giuliani, who runs a global consulting firm, passed the Trump test and there is no doubt that a lot or a little conflict of interest is not going to disqualify anyone from a place in a Trump cabinet.

Nor, of course, will Tillersons very close ties with Vladimir Putin, ties deeper even than the presidents-elect. In 2013, Tillerson accepted the Order of Friendship from Putin, and in 2014 Forbes was asking, Will Exxons Bromance With The Kremlin Help Keep Putin In Check?

It doesnt seem to matter that Tillerson opposed sanctions on Russia and that Exxons stock will skyrocket if those sanctions are lifted, something he will be in a position to leverage as Secretary of State. After all, whats one more rich white corrupt elite in a Trump administration already full of them?

As Jennifer Rubin wrote at The Washington Posts Right Turn the other day, Tillerson might be the worst secretary of state contender on Trumps list.

So why in the world would Trump be considering this guy? Maybe the people-pleaser Trump is trying to butter up whoever recommended Tillerson. That said, his nomination would be a disaster, one that could enrage anti-Russia hawks in both parties and anger both climate-change believers and deniers. In short, the only person who would like this nomination would be  you guessed it  Putin.

Everywhere we turn, the worst of possible outcomes is emerging, from Steve Bannon to Michael Flynn to Andrew Puzder and now Rex Tillerson. The thing most bizarre about the pick is that the CIA just revealed that Russia helped Trump get elected, and that Trumps response was to call the CIA liars while undermining his denial by at the same time settling on the guy with the closest possible ties to Putin.

This is a terrible choice on so many levels.

Kurt Eichenwald made the point that If Trump wants 2 end suspicions hes 2 close 2 Russia, shuld stop considering ppl 4 office who pose in Putin selfies, but yeah, thats not going to happen.

Trump has sent a clear message: There is now no denying an alarmingly close relationship with Vladimir Putin, the man who the CIA says stole our election.

Trumps cry of liar! seems to have come with a wink.

Photo: Rex Tillerson and Vladimir Putin from Lenta.ru
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*The following is an opinion column by R Muse*

As if any American needed another reminder, or revelation that the incoming administration is already hewing closely to the machinations that elevated Hitlers Nazis to power in 1930s Germany, a troubling report should bring them some much-needed clarity; clarity they wouldnt need if they had paid attention during history lessons.

Trump has already demonstrated a despicable practice of going to social media to reveal to his rabid minions who is on his personal (s)hit list, but now he is going after more than just any one individual who fails to genuflect at the sound of his name; hes compiling a list of government employees he, Republicans, the Koch brothers, and the fossil fuel industry regard as un-friendlies.

Trump has directed his transition team to pursue government employees and contractors who, as part of their civil service duties, were associated with any of President Obamas climate policies. Bloomberg reported that Trump demanded a list of Energy Department employees and contractors who worked on key Obama climate policies, attended any United Nations climate meetings, or have anything to do with the social cost of carbon.

Forget for a moment that there is no legitimate reason for a private citizen like Trump to ask for a detailed list of Energy Department employees, or contractors, except for retribution and vengeance. The vengeance is part of Trumps pledge to fossil fuel to completely wipe out any and all of Americas attempts to fight climate change or promote clean and renewable energy sources. Trump believes the Energy Department exists to set energy policies dictated by the petroleum industry. It is worth noting that besides taking vengeance on Energy Department employees, Trumps administration promises to be extremely hostile to clean and renewable energy and any federal or state regulation seeking to curb carbon emissions responsible for climate change.

The social cost of carbon is a metric used to calculate the concrete (real) benefits of certain climate policies that reduce carbon emissions. Fundamentally, the metric elucidates the real economic cost and damages associated with carbon emissions; damages that are seriously significant to national security and the peoples health and welfare. Currently, the social cost of carbon is used for various kinds of rule-making, whether it is from the Department of Energy to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Obviously, not only do Republicans criticize the metric as surrogates for the Kochs and fossil fuel industry, dirty Dons oil industry energy advisors have made no secret of their desire to kill the metric altogether. It belies the Trump claim that they want transparency in energy policy; a policy that will certainly be the purview of fossil fuel who will likely tell Americans that more carbon emissions will create an economic Utopia, ensure lifelong good health, and bring Jesus Christ back to Earth.

Trumps team is lying when they claim demanding an enemies list of government employees and contractors is to instill some much-needed transparency in setting energy policy. As expected, two anonymous Energy Department employees told Bloomberg that the Trump memo sent to agency staff unsettled many within the agency, and with good reason. However, that is when one of Trumps disciples lied and said the enemies list demand was merely meant to ensure transparency on the formation of existing, Obama-era policy.

Heres the thing, though; Trump concealing the real cost, and real damage, to the economy, national security and Americans health in eliminating the social cost of carbon is contrary to any remote idea of transparency. He is every bit as deceitful as he is vindictive.

In addition to Gestapo-like tactics of seeking information about specific staff and contractors Trump considers enemies, the memo specifically singled out the Departments Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) unit; the unit responsible for expediting research and development of clean energy projects. As Bloomberg reported, Trumps brown shirts demanded a complete list of ARPA-Es projects, including all specific information on Mission Innovation; likely so they will know exactly which projects and innovations to conceal from the public and private sector so they can eliminate them from existence.

Mission Innovation is an agency initiative to assist and accelerate the publics and private industrys transition to clean energy; the fossil fuel industry and Republicans want clean energy transition halted forthwith including extracting American involvement from a global forum, Clean Energy Ministerial that aims at advancing clean energy technologies around the world.

As ThinkProgress Natasha Geiling noted, that Trumps oil advisors are focusing on ARPA-E informs his determination Trump will follow through on a campaign promise to the fossil fuel industry to eradicate any and all federal funding for clean energy development. That should help the majority of Trumps racist supporters understand that their hero is just another Republican oil industry shill; 75 percent of Trump voters want the federal government to help accelerate the growth of clean energy  not kill it.

This entire episode is revealing on several levels and portends a seriously nasty fossil-fuel controlled government. However, it also demonstrates the lengths Trump will go to purge anyone he considers an enemy; enemy being anyone who does not support Trump policies.

That his team demanded a detailed list of Energy Department employees and contractors present over the eight years of the Obama administration, when vengeful Trump is still a stinking private citizen does not bode well for anyone in the department. This idea of an enemies list is very disturbing and not the first for the Trump. There is a list of progressive professors being gathered by a conservative site for monitoring and reporting, as well as another for unfriendly and non-compliant journalists and news outlets.

America under Trump will be an outlier, like Somalia or Yeomen, in the worlds attempt to combat climate change and there is no reason to believe his administration will not pursue climate scientists, Energy Department employees or private citizens and businesses that have embraced clean energy with a vengeance; including three-quarters of Trumps base. The impending danger is inevitable with a vindictive cretin assuming unchallenged power, and it is just wretched that decent Americans will suffer. It is a sentiment that this author does not extend to the irresponsible racists who voted for Trump.
THE WALL OF SHAME

"The only thing [Trump's] mouth is good for is being Vladimir Putin's c--k holster."

--STEPHEN COLBERT

"[Ivanka Trump] Your father is a racist birther. Steve Bannon an anti-Semitic opportunist. You and your husband are enabling hatred. F--- your shoes."

--BRADLEY WHITFORD

"Melania [Trump] is a hooker."

--JACOB BERNSTEIN

"And my job is to shut other white people down when they want to interrupt."

"We have to, at the DNC, provide training. We have to teach them how to communicate, how to be sensitive, and how to shut their mouths if they're white."

--SALLY BOYNTON BROWN

"And to our detractors that insist that this march will never add up to anything: F--- you! F---you!

"Yes, I have thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House."

--MADONNA

"Barron Trump looks like a very handsome date-rapist-to-be."

--STEPHEN SPINOLA

"Barron [Trump] will be this country's first homeschool shooter."

--KATIE RICH

"Hollywood is crawling with outsiders and foreigners, and if we kick 'em all out, you'll have nothing to watch but football and mixed martial arts, which are not the arts."

--MERYL STREEP

"There's a billion to one chance we're living in base reality."

[That means we're almost positively living in a simulation, like a video game.]

--ELON MUSK

"When I would deny that there was a significant racist component in some of the politics on our side, it was because the people I hung out with were certainly not. When suddenly, this rock is turned over, there is this'Oh shit, did I not see that?'"

----------------------------

"In any other scenario, Hillary Clinton's lying about her emails, and her pay-for-play relationship with the Clinton Foundation would be disqualifying issues. The only reason they're not disqualifying is because Donald Trump is a fundamentally more repellent, dishonest figure."

--CHARLIE SYKES

"I made a mistake in recalling the events of twelve years ago... I said I was traveling in an aircraft that was hit by RPG fire. I was instead in a following aircraft."

--BRIAN WILLIAMS

"I'm here to tell you if you elect me governor of this state, I will end the civil war."

--TOM BARRETT

"I would not look to the U.S. Constitution, if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012. I might look at the constitution of South Africa. That was a deliberate attempt to have a fundamental instrument of government that embraced basic human rights, had an independent judiciary. It really is, I think, a great piece of work that was done."

--RUTH BADER GINSBURG

"Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now, do you really think our country is ready for a white first lady?"

--ROBERT DE NIRO

"The death of Andrew Breitbart disproves the adage that only the good die young."

--JULIAN BOND

"The National Institute of Health has said that it is a danger to women's health and safety of their families that for 30 years to be exposed to the prospects of pregnancy."

--GWEN MOORE

"[Tea Party Republicans] have acted like terrorists."

--JOE BIDEN

"Why did- Couldn't the President have said at that moment, way back in December of last year, 'no game playing. No hostage-taking. No terrorizing this country with the debt ceiling. I'm not going to negotiate with you guys. You can't play it that way.' Could he have done that?"

--CHRIS MATTHEWS

"[T]he tea-party Hobbits could return to Middle Earth having defeated Mordor."

--WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL

"I remember distinctly an image of--we were sitting on his couches, and I was looking at [Obama's] pant leg and his perfectly creased pant, and I'm thinking, a) he's going to be president and b) he'll be a very good president."

--DAVID BROOKS

"I feel like calling her back and smackin' her around."

--FRED CLARK, DEMOCRAT

"The picture was of me, and I sent it."

--ANTHONY WEINER

"[I]f you go back to the year 2000, when we had an obvious disaster and - and saw that our voting process needed refinement, and we did that in the America Votes Act and made sure that we could iron out those kinks, now you have the Republicans, who want to literally drag us all the way back to Jim Crow laws and literally - and very transparently - block access to the polls to voters who are more likely to vote Democratic candidates than Republican candidates. And it's nothing short of that blatant."

--DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

"This is probably one of the worst times we've seen because the numbers of people elected to Congress. I went through this as co-chair of the arts caucus. In '94 people were elected simply to come here to kill the National Endowment for the Arts. Now theyre here to kill women."

--LOUISE SLAUGHTER

"The protesters have proven today that theyre not going away. It was a pretty rough night last night. You can imagine if people said, well, we just cant fight the power. Instead, this morning, they came by tens, by hundreds, by thousands. By midday today, it was easily more than 10,000, perhaps as many as 15,000 people on the square here in Madison. Not organized by anyone, just grassroots citizens who came out just like the Minutemen in 1776."

--JOHN NICHOLS

"They're sitting on the money, they're using it for their own -- they're putting it someplace else with no interest in helping you with your life, with that money. We've allowed them to take that. That's not theirs, that's a national resource, that's ours. We all have this -- we all benefit from this or we all suffer as a result of not having it. I think we need to go back to taxing these people at the proper rates."

--MICHAEL MOORE

"Why don't we just raise the taxes and let these folks have their collective bargaining, have their union representation and go back to their jobs? Raise the taxes on the wealthy."

--DAVID LETTERMAN

"In 1933, [Hitler] abolished unions and that's what our Governor [Scott Walker] is doing today."

--LENA TAYLOR, Democrat State Senator

"So I would urge my Republican colleagues, no matter how strongly they feel -- you know, we have three branches of government. We have a House. We have a Senate. We have a president. And all three of us are going to have to come together and give some, but it is playing with fire to risk the shutting down of the government."

--CHUCK SCHUMER

"Well, when you start off with the Preamble of the Constitution, you talk about the pursuit of happiness."

--JOHN LEWIS

"I'm Rebecca Kleefisch. I performed fellatio on all the talk show hosts in Milwaukee. And they endorsed me and that's how I became lieutenant governor."

--SLY SYLVESTER

"Do you think this Constitution-loving is getting out of hand? I mean, is it a nod to the Tea Party?"

--JOY BEHAR

"We cant just leave it up to the parents."

"[Military leaders] tell us that childhood obesity isnt just a public health issue; they tell us that it is not just an economic threat -- it is a national security threat as well."

--MICHELLE OBAMA

"Actually, I did not take part in [the assassination of Sarah Palin]. I led it."

--KATHLEEN PARKER

"[The repeal of ObamaCare is] a kind of creeping genocide."

--JESSE JACKSON

"[Obama] has to realize that Mitch McConnell has virtually said so that politically he wants to cut out his heart and throw his liver to the dogs."

--DAN RATHER

"And the instructions are not to improvise a comedy sketch, but to elect a group of unqualified, unstable individuals who will do what they are told, in exchange for money and power, and march this nation as far backward as they can get, backward to Jim Crow, or backward to the breadlines of the '30s, or backward to hanging union organizers, or backward to the trusts and the robber barons.

"Result: the Tea Party. Vote backward, vote Tea Party. And if you are somehow indifferent to what is planned for next Tuesday, it is nothing short of an attempted use of democracy to end this democracy."

--KEITH "Reagan's dead and he was a lousy President" OLBERMANN

"I gotta wonder when people are gonna start wearing uniforms. I mean they've got an army out there in Alaska of militia people. You've got these guys going around acting like street thugs. I mean it isn't far from what we saw in the thirties, where all of a sudden, political parties started showing up in uniform."

--CHRIS MATTHEWS

"[Sharron Angle] is a moron on top of being evil... I'd like to see her do this ad in the South Bronx. Come here, bitch. Come to New York and do it. I'm not praying for her. She's going to hell. She's going to hell, this bitch."

--JOY BEHAR

"So people have been hurting and I understand that. And it doesn't give them comfort or solace for me to tell them, you know, but for me, we'd be in a worldwide depression."

--HARRY REID

"And to play Dick Cheney, all I had to do was find my Dick Cheney. And you can find all the villainy in the world in your own heart, and that's what an actor's job is. I always say to kids, inside you is Hitler and Jesus. And you got to find the appropriate person and bring them out."

--RICHARD DREYFUSS

"Because I live in the District of Columbia which is so predominantly Democratic, I am a registered Democrat. But I am an avowed neutral. And to put that into practice, I take my young daughter into the voting booth and she votes for me. She's now 14. We've been doing this since she was about age 4. She's now quite informed."

--BOB WOODWARD

"Sarah Palin's an idiot. Come on. This is a remarkably, stunningly, jaw-droppingly incompetent and mean woman."

"The Democrats may have moved into the center, but the Republicans have moved into a mental institution."

--AARON SORKIN

"Perhaps the greatest threat of all is the undermining of our Constitution and the systematic attack against the inalienable rights of the citizens of this nation, rights that are guaranteed by our Constitution. At the vanguard of this insidious attack is the Tea Party. This band of misguided citizens is moving perilously close to achieving villainous ends."

--HARRY BELAFONTE

"[Christine O'Donnell is] a witch who doesn't masturbate."

--JOY BEHAR

"Ah, the Tea Party, the nativist bed-wetters who somehow control our national dialogue. Yes, I call them the Pee Party, Jay, because they're always peeing in their pants about something. They're just, they're afraid of a mosque being built in New York. They're afraid of guns. You know, they think Obama, who like every other pussy Democrat has never said a single word about gun control, but they are very sure that he and his Negro army are coming after their guns. You know what? If you think that he's coming after your guns, you need to get out of your chat room and have your house tested for lead. He's not coming after your guns or your Bible or your fishing pole or your chewing tobacco."

--BILL MAHER

"That's a trade-off society is making because of very, very high medical costs, and a lack of willingness to say, you know, is spending a million dollars on that last three months of life for that patient, would it be better not to lay off those ten teachers and to make that trade-off in medical costs. But that;s called the 'Death Panel' and you're not supposed to have that discussion."

--BILL GATES

"NOT the 'whiteman's bitch'"

--IESHUH GRIFFIN

"[If Rush Limbaugh suffered a heart attack in my presence, I would] laugh loudly like a maniac and watch his eyes bug out. I never knew I had this much hate in me. But he deserves it."

--SARAH SPITZ

"You want freedom, you going to have to kill some crackers. You going to have to kill some of their babies."

--KING SAMIR SHABAZZ

"If this was Texas, which is the state that, that is directly on the border with Mexico, and they were calling for a measure like this, saying that they had a major issue with, you know, with undocumented people flooding their borders, I would say I would have to look twice at this. "But this is a state that is a ways removed from the border. And, um, it just, it doesn't make sense to me that when you google this subject, if you put in 'Arizona S.B. 1070,' that you see a picture of the governor of Arizona meeting with President Obama in May of 2010. If you have direct linkage to the president, there are already National Guard troops on the border in Arizona."

--PEGGY WEST

"Tell [the Jews] to get the hell out of Palestine. Remember, these people are occupied and it's their land. It's not German. It's not Poland. [The Jews] can go home. Poland. Germany."

--HELEN THOMAS

"After the last eight years, it's good to have a president that knows what a library is."

--PAUL McCARTNEY

"By the way, I just want to point out I'm wearing my splash shield because I was told I was going to be in the splash zone (during Harry Smith's colonoscopy on live TV)."

--KATIE COURIC

"And that Word is, we have to give voice to what that means in terms of public policy that would be in keeping with the values of the Word."

----------------------------

"Think of an economy where people could be an artist or a photographer or a writer without worrying about keeping their day job in order to have health insurance or that people could start a business and be entrepreneurial and take risk, but not job loss because of a child with asthma or someone in the family is bipolaryou name it, any condition  is job-locking."

--NANCY PELOSI

"Back in World War II, we viewed the Japanese as 'yellow, slant-eyed dogs' that believed in different gods. They were out to kill us because our way of living was different. We, in turn, wanted to annihilate them because they were different. Does that sound familiar, by any chance, to what's going on today?"

--TOM HANKS

"The 'White Right' is trying to set Barack up to be assassinated.... Here are Christians praying for God to kill Barack Obama."

--LOUIS FARRAKHAN

"I refuse to accept the notion that the United States of America is not going to lead the world economically throughout the 20th Century."

--JOE BIDEN

"Obama's critics keep blasting him for Chicago-style politics. So, fine. Channel your inner Al Capone and go gangsta against your foes. Let 'em know that if they aren't with you, they are against you, and will pay the price."

--ROLAND MARTIN

"Martha Coakley is running to fill the rest of Ted Kennedy's term, and her opponent is a far-right tea-bagger Republican."

--CHUCK SCHUMER

"I tell you what, if I lived in Massachusetts, I'd try to vote ten times. I don't know if they'd let me or not, but I'd try to. Yeah, that's right, I'd cheat to keep these bastards out. I would. 'Cause that's exactly what they are."

--ED SCHULTZ

"We also see how revved up the tea baggers are at the thought of hijacking health care reform and every chance we have at making progress in Washington."

--JOHN KERRY

"A few years ago, this guy (Obama) would have been getting us coffee."

--BILL CLINTON

"I didn't realize I had written a column defending Roman Polanski and minimized his crime - are you sure it was me? I mean, I? There is, apparently, more to this crime than it would seem, and it may sound like a hollow defense, but in Hollywood I am not sure a 13-year-old is really a 13-year-old."

--TOM SHALES

"Joe Wilson yelled 'You lie!' at a president who didn't. But, fair or not, what I heard was an unspoken word in the air: You lie, boy!"

--MAUREEN DOWD

"One awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game... During the 7th inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez."

--DAVID LETTERMAN

"I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasnt lived that life."

--SONIA SOTOMAYOR

"We all considered sexual abuse of minors as a moral evil, but had no understanding of its criminal nature."

--REMBERT WEAKLAND, Archbishop of Milwaukee 1977- 2002

"You know, you might want to look into this, [President Obama], because I think maybe Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker, but he was so strung out on Oxycontin he missed his flight."

"Rush Limbaugh -- 'I hope the country fails.' I hope his kidneys fail."

----------------------------

"[Obama] told me I did a great job. The first lady said the same thing. I got a 'well done' from the president, I'm on cloud nine."

--WANDA SYKES

"Americans are looking for more government in their life, not less."

--COLIN POWELL

"[Tea Party goers are] just a bunch of wimpy, whiny, weasels who don't love their country."

--PAUL BEGALA

"I wouldn't want [gay marriage] to go to the United States Supreme Court now because that homophobe Antonin Scalia has too many votes on this current court."

--BARNEY FRANK

"Going forward, my mind will be open to every solution -- except one. We should not -- we must not -- and I will not -- raise taxes."

--JIM DOYLE, Liar

"He's a terrorist. Rush Limbaugh is a terrorist."

--JOY BEHAR

"You know, I just want to say to her (Sarah Palin), just very quickly...F--- you."

--JON STEWART

"Should I be worried about being a slave and being returned to slavery?"

--WHOOPI GOLDBERG

"I also believe that America is the greatest sin against God."

--FR. MICHAEL PFLEGER

"Those who think they can revive the stinking corpse of the usurping and fake Israeli regime by throwing a birthday party are seriously mistaken. Today the reason for the Zionist regime's existence is questioned, and this regime is on its way to annihilation."

--MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD

"We'll be eight degrees hotter in ten, not ten but 30 or 40 years and basically none of the crops will grow. Most of the people will have died and the rest of us will be cannibals."

--TED TURNER

"Look, [Mitt] Romney comes from a religion founded by a criminal who was anti-American, pro-slavery, and a rapist. And he comes from that lineage and says, 'I respect this religion fully.'"

--LAWRENCE O'DONNELL

"Mexico does not end at its borders... Where there is a Mexican, there is Mexico."

--FELIPE CALDERON

"The planet has a fever. If your baby has a fever, you go to the doctor. If the doctor says you need to intervene here, you don't say, 'Well, I read a science fiction novel that told me it's not a problem.' If the crib's on fire, you don't speculate that the baby is flame retardant."

--AL GORE

"Don't fear the terrorists. They're mothers and fathers."

--ROSIE O'DONNELL

"Is America ready for a black president? Well, I say we just had a retarded one. When did being black become a bigger deterrent than being retarded?"

--CHRIS ROCK

"Shut the f--- up! Shut up if you can't take a joke [about President Bush]!"

--BARBRA STREISAND

"Right, oh, yeah, Happy 9/11! Celebrate the day, right?"

--JAMES BROLIN, Mr. Barbra Streisand

"I think President Bush very well may have signed an authorization for the 9/11 attacks."

--KEVIN BARRETT, UW-MADISON Lecturer

"I said what I said. I am not guilty."

--SADDAM HUSSEIN

"Terri will not be starved to death. Her nutrition and hydration will be taken away."

--MICHAEL SCHIAVO

"On the eve of the election last month my wife Judith and I were driving home late in the afternoon and turned on the radio for the traffic and weather. What we instantly got was a freak show of political pornography: lies, distortions, and half-truths -- half-truths being perhaps the blackest of all lies. "

--BILL MOYERS

"I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for."

--HOWARD DEAN

"The Iraqis who have risen up against the occupation are not 'insurgents' or 'terrorists' or 'The Enemy.' They are the REVOLUTION, the Minutemen, and their numbers will grow -- and they will win."

--MICHAEL MOORE

"And there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women, breaking sort of the customs of the--of--the historical customs, religious customs."

--JOHN KERRY

"F---ing retarded."

"[Republicans] can go f--- themselves!"

--RAHM EMANUEL

"I'm not going to have some reporters pawing through our papers. We are the president."

--HILLARY CLINTON

"It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is."

--BILL CLINTON

"And let me tell you something -- for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. And I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction and just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment."

--MICHELLE OBAMA

"If asking a billionaire to pay the same tax rate as a Jew, uh, as a janitor, makes me a warrior for the working class, I wear that with a badge of honor."

----------------------------

"If you love me, you got to help me pass this bill."

----------------------------

"[F]or most of my lifetime, the United States was such a dominant economic power, we were such a large market, our industry, our technology, our manufacturing was so significant that we always met the rest of the world economically on our terms. And now, because of the incredible rise of India and China and Brazil and other countries, the United States remains the largest economic and the largest market but theres real competition out there. And that's potentially healthy. It makes -- Michelle was saying earlier I like tough questions because it keeps me on my toes. Well, this will keep America on its toes."

----------------------------

"If Latinos sit out the election instead of saying, 'We're gonna PUNISH OUR ENEMIES and we're gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us,' if they don't see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election, then I think it's gonna be harder and that's why I think it's so important that people focus on voting on November 2."

----------------------------

"We don't mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for the ride, but THEY GOTTA SIT IN BACK."

----------------------------

"We can absorb a terrorist attack. We'll do everything we can to prevent it, but even a 9/11, even the biggest attack ever... we absorbed it and we are stronger."

----------------------------

"We're buying shrimp, guys."

----------------------------

"We are the ones we've been waiting for."

----------------------------

"We talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers so I know whose ass to kick."

----------------------------

"We're not trying to push financial reform because we begrudge success that's fairly earned. I mean, I do think at a certain point you've made enough money. But, you know, part of the American way is, you know, you can just keep on making it if youre providing a good product or you're providing good service. We don't want people to stop fulfilling the core responsibilities of the financial system to help grow the economy."

----------------------------

"If you've got a business, you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen."

----------------------------

"It is a vital national security interest of the United States to reduce these conflicts because whether we like it or not, we remain a dominant military superpower, and when conflicts break out, one way or another we get pulled into them. And that ends up costing us significantly in terms of both blood and treasure."

----------------------------

"But I -- I think that the most important thing for the public to understand is, we're not handling any of these cases any different than the Bush administration handled them all through 9/11."

----------------------------

"One such translator was an American of Haitian descent, representative of the extraordinary work that our men and women in uniform do all around the world -- Navy CORPSE-MAN Christian [sic] Brossard. And lying on a gurney aboard the USNS Comfort, a woman asked Christopher: 'Where do you come from? What country? After my operation,' she said, 'I will pray for that country.' And in Creole, CORPSE-MAN Brossard responded, 'Etazini.' The United States of America."

----------------------------

"I hear that Dr. Joe Medicine Crow was around, and so I want to give a shout-out to that Congressional Medal of Honor winner. It's good to see you."

----------------------------

"We are God's partners in matters of life and death."

----------------------------

"[T]he Cambridge police acted stupidly."

----------------------------

"I am going to teach [my daughters] first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."

----------------------------

"The reforms we seek would bring greater competition, choice, savings, and INEFFICIENCIES to our health care system."

----------------------------

"Over the last 15 months, weve traveled to every corner of the United States. Ive now been in 57 states? I think one left to go. Alaska and Hawaii, I was not allowed to go to even though I really wanted to visit, but my staff would not justify it."

--BARACK OBAMA
Deanna Pan is an enterprise reporter for The Post and Courier, where she writes about education and other issues. She grew up in the suburbs of Cincinnati and graduated with a degree in English from Ohio State University in 2012.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Economic Development and Investments Suren Karayan on December 10 held a meeting with Executive Director of Medicine Producers and Importers Union of Armenia Samvel Zakaryan, press service of the Ministry told Armenpress.

At the meeting a number of issues related to the sector, in particular, the new procedures in the EAEU were discussed. An agreement was reached to hold a meeting in the Union with the companies of the sector, as well as with the participation of the representatives of the Healthcare Ministry and the Development Foundation of Armenia. The meeting will aim to introduce the new procedures over the common market for medicines within the EAEU to be launched on January 1, 2017 and the export opportunities for the Armenian medicine companies.

The Ministry also proposed to consider the development opportunities of the medicine sector in the context of deepening economic cooperation, as well as establishment of free economic zone with Iran.

In particular, an agreement was reached that the Union will negotiate with the Iranian medicine companies on establishing joint Armenian-Iranian medicine companies in the free economic zone and will submit respective proposals to the Ministry.
Motto:Even after something falls out of style, I'll still wear it if I still like it.

"I lived here because this is where my family lives, but I stayed here because this is where my job is," says Rochester Civic Theatre Education Director Denise Ruemping, who was born and raised in the area and earned her teaching degree at Winona State University.

In her ninth year at RCT, Ruemping says she applauds how much the arts community has grown in the past few years.

"I especially love the theater community in this area, which has been getting larger and more diverse over the years," she said. "With each new show I'm involved in, I meet new and interesting people, who all share a common interest, and there is such a range of ages and backgrounds, you always have someone to connect with in a different way. I met my two best friends through the theater!"

Please characterize your style.

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Comfort is the key! At heart, I am a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl, but jeans-and-T-shirt doesn't always work for many things I do. Instead, I opt for loose and flowy. I love to wear layers and to mix and match items in new and creative ways.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I'm always paying attention to other people's wardrobes, especially my students. They are the most in tune with the newest up-and-coming fashions, and I get to see them on a daily basis. From there, I can either be inspired ("Ooo, I like that!") or I pass ("Not really for me.").

What part do your students play in your style?

If my students don't notice what I'm wearing, then I feel I've done things correctly. If I'm too casual with my wardrobe, then I am not professional enough. However, if I'm too fashionable, then I'm focusing more on what I'm wearing than the practicality of it. I am often lecturing my students about wearing clothes that don't restrict your creative movement, and I need to lead by example.

What is the most essential component in your wardrobe?

For my professional wardrobe, it's layers. We live in Minnesota. I have to be prepared for the cold, but I also work in a theater with kids, so I have to be able to peel layers off as increased activity warms me up.

My casual wardrobe always needs flip-flops, especially in the warmer months. I am a barefooter at heart and would walk around with no shoes at all if I thought I could get away with it.

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Are you a purse or tote person?

I always have my floppy, big, brown purse with me, and for years, I've had a variation of that. The color and style may change, but it's always been big and floppy, with a long strap to go across my torso. I also always have a scarf tied to the side. The scarf has changed over the years, but it's always there.

Do you have priceless pieces?

I don't actually wear them  at least not often  but I have a rather extensive collection of T-shirts from the theater, either from shows I've been in or programs I've run. Every shirt has an assortment of memories attached to it.

Parting lines?

Find what works for you! If I don't like it, I'm not wearing it! Even after something falls out of style, I'll still wear it if I still like it. It's about what you like. Who cares what anyone else says? Wear it with confidence and the rest will fall into place.
WINONA  A man accused of pulling a gun during a drug deal  then was himself stabbed  has entered a plea in the case.

Patrick O'Brian Reese Jr., 21, of Winona, pleaded guilty Friday in Winona County District Court to an amended count of one count of fifth-degree drug possession. In exchange, two counts of first-degree burglary and one count each of first-degree aggravated robbery and second-degree assault are expected to be dismissed at sentencing, set for Feb. 16, nearly two years after the original crime.

The investigation began Feb. 13, 2015, when a man called Winona police to report he'd been assaulted and robbed. In turn, he'd stabbed his attacker.

The victim told officers he was a "middle man" in marijuana sales; he'd arranged a drug deal through text messages.

He answered a knock at his apartment door, and a man  later identified as Reese  pushed his way inside, saying he wanted everything the dealer had.

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The victim said he was calling the police; Reese allegedly knocked the phone out of the man's hand and pulled a handgun.

When the man asked if Reese was "really going to kill me over two ounces of pot." Reese said he would if he had to, court documents say.

The dealer lunged at Reese, pinned his gun hand to the wall and knocked the magazine out of the weapon. When the man tried to grab the magazine, Reese reportedly hit him in the head several times with the butt of the gun.

Reese racked the slide and tried to chamber a round anyway, the complaint says, as the victim said, "Go ahead and shoot me ... you ain't got no bullets." The man ran to the kitchen, grabbed a knife and stabbed Reese  who then ran out.

Officers found a .40 caliber pistol and loaded magazine in the apartment, as well as more than a half-pound of marijuana.

Two months later, the victim contacted law enforcement to say he'd spotted his attacker in a Facebook photo; he then identified Reese in a photo lineup, the reports say.

Traces of DNA were found on the grip of the gun and submitted to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for analysis. According to a report from the state, that DNA matched "with a high degree of probability" a known sample from Reese.

He was charged Feb. 24, 2016.
SPRING VALLEY  While it probably goes without saying life for students in China is much different than for those in the United States, said two visiting Chinese professors shared the stories of what life is like in their home country with Kingsland students on Friday.

But the purpose of their visit was to get a firsthand look at the U.S. education system  part of what they study in their role as professors in China. They particularly were interested in the opportunity U.S. students have to take college courses while in high school.

The professors, Cuiping Zhou and Wei Zhang, are visiting the region from Wuxi Vocational Institute of Commerce, near Shanghai. They joined students in their college-level English and political science classes because Kingsland, a rural district, has a strong College in the Schools program.

This allows students to earn college credit while in high school. At the same time, the professors' vocational institute is exploring partnerships with Riverland Community College, which Kingsland works with for its college courses.

The visit gave students a chance to ask questions and talk with the Chinese professors about their experience with Chinese education. The Kingsland students were amazed with the rigor of the Chinese education system.

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The visitors told students that in China, students start school age 3, often work on school work or attend school for well over 12 hours each day and can attend seven days a week.

It all comes down to a one-time college entrance exam called the "Gaokao," which determines a student's entire future, if and where they will be attending college. After the exam, only about 20 percent of people continue on to higher education.

Students were curious if there are sports, student council or extracurriculars. Dan Mueller, acting as an interpreter for the professor, said the Chinese schools have sports, but only the best athletes participate.

"There's a huge amount of stress and pressure put on that student to be the most successful," Mueller said. "Your grades will be posted outside of the school so the whole community can come and see how you did on the test."

The professors also are visiting Riverland because they are working to develop a 2+1+2 program, where students would start in China, do a year at Riverland and then pursue a bachelor's degree at a four-year university.

"Because it's the layering and the partnering that really matters to students," said Kelly McCalla, interim vice president of academic and student affairs at Riverland. "It's how to earn degrees and then advanced degrees.

"For us, it's how do we expand what we do in terms of being true, not just southern Minnesota partners, but world partners as the world evolves and changes," McCalla said. "It's a huge benefit for us, as well as our communities."

Kingsland has a strong College in the Schools program, but it wasn't always in the district.

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"When I came here we didn't have it, but I knew how to build it," said superintendent John McDonald. "And our teachers got excited about it."

Students are able to take multiple college courses to build toward their associate of arts degree.

About half of the district's high school students will finish high school with a year or a year-and-a-half of college credits, McDonald said. Last year, seven students graduated college with an associate of arts degree in hand.

Providing this type of education, even in a rural district, is necessary, McDonald said, because soon enough the students will be competing in a global market.

"Years ago, when I was younger, when you went out and were looking for employment and jobs, you were really only competing against a neighbor or a neighboring town, or somebody close by," McDonald said. "But now our students, as they develop their skills, are participating, collaborating and competing with students or other people nationwide."
The Rochester City Council is searching for a compromise between its preliminary property tax levy, the city of Rochester administration's recommended budget and meeting the needs of the city.

After three days of budget discussions concluded at a Friday afternoon meeting, it looks likely the council could settle on a property tax levy increase of about 9 to 9.5 percent next year.

The council set its preliminary levy amount  which it cannot exceed in its final budget  at $63.5 million , a nearly 11 percent increase. City administrator Stevan Kvenvold's recommended budget came in lower, at about $62 million, an 8.3 percent increase over this year.

Budget discussion Friday centered on the city's need for new employees. City department heads had requested 30 new positions , and the recommended budget included five of those positions.

A majority of council members offered tentative support to add positions into the budget, including two police officers, two firefighters, two fee-funded positions in the public works department and an arborist and some capital funding for the city to combat an emerald ash borer infestation.

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Council member Michael Wojcik also advocated for the city to add a sustainability manager position. The position was recommended to the city in a report produced by the Environmental Defense Fund, and several citizens at a Monday public meeting asked for the city to approve the position.

Council president Randy Staver said he wanted further evidence on funding for the position  which could become partly self-funded by grants and revenues after the first year  before advancing the position.

Council member Ed Hruska was uncomfortable adding anything to the recommended budget or increasing any fees to support new positions. Hruska was the only member of council to vote against the $63.5 million preliminary levy amount.

Council member Mark Bilderback also was sensitive to the levy amount , but he supported hiring for the public safety positions.

"I don't want to get this thing going skyrocketing. I'm not comfortable with going much more than 9 (percent) or right around 9 (percent)," he said. "I know that's not going to make a lot of people happy, but I'm still concerned about what the constituents are paying."

The council did not reach a clear consensus on the added positions, and Staver said the final budget  and what is in it  would come down to a vote at the council's Dec. 19 regular meeting .

"I think we'll just have to call the question on those positions when it comes time," he said.

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The U.S. Census Bureau tracks where people move to and from with its Census Flows Mapper . Using the latest data available, 2010 to 2014, here are the most common areas where people move from to arrive in Olmsted County and the most common destinations for people leaving the county.

Hennepin County, Minn.

Hennepin County, which includes the city of Minneapolis, tops the list both for people leaving and coming to Olmsted County. In the five-year period, 555 people moved to Olmsted from Hennepin, while 766 left Olmsted for Hennepin.

Ramsey County, Minn.

Another Twin Cities competitor, Ramsey County and its county seat, the city of St. Paul, were a top location for moves to and from Olmsted. Similar to Henneping, Ramsey moves resulted in net loss for Olmsted  290 people moved to Olmsted from Ramsey, while 356 left Olmsted to move to Ramsey.

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Fulton County, Ga.

The highest net-gain in migration for Olmsted County came from Fulton County, Ga., and its county seat, the city of Atlanta. From 2010 to 2014, Olmsted attracted 249 people to move from Fulton County. No moves were recorded from Olmsted going to Fulton County.

San Francisco County, Calif.

Olmsted County drew 173 people to move from San Francisco during the five-year data period. No moves were recorded from Olmsted to San Francisco, making it the second-highest net gain following Fulton County, Ga.

Cook County, Illinois

Olmsted took a net gain in population from Cook County, Ill., and the city of Chicago. Moves to Olmsted from Cook County numbered 212, while there were 51 moves away from Olmsted to Cook County. The net gain of 161 people was the third-highest net gain for Olmsted County during the data period.
The Rochester Area Family YMCA is making needed improvements to its Rochester location with the help of $150,000 in funding from the Otto Bremer Trust and the Rochester community.

The Otto Bremer Trust gave a $100,000 gift to the Rochester YMCA in February  $50,000 of it upfront and another $50,000 to be matched by community contributions.

The YMCA on Thursday announced the community had raised $50,000 to match the second half of the Otto Bremer Trust's gift, according to a YMCA news release.

The funding will go toward needed projects, including a $25,000 upgrade of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. The upgrade is expected to save the YMCA about $30,000 per year in energy costs.

Another $15,000 will go toward information technology upgrades, the release said. An investment of $60,000 will go toward general maintenance and fitness equipment repairs during the next several years.

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"We know these are just temporary solutions for an aging building, but we are confident that we are investing the matching gift from Otto Bremer Trust in the most responsible and astute manner as Y leadership continues to vision for the future," Ann Beatty, YMCA board chairwoman, said in the news release.

The board is preparing a strategic plan for the YMCA's future growth.

The Otto Bremer Trust is a private, charitable trust established in 1944 by founder Otto Bremer. The organization has invested more than $550 million in organizations throughout Minnesota, North Dakota and western Wisconsin.
WASHINGTON  Watch the video. Walter Scott, unarmed and slow of foot, tries to run away. Police officer Michael Slager calmly fires five rounds into Scott's back. Later, Slager approaches Scott's body, not to give first aid but apparently to plant evidence of a struggle that never took place.

Now tell me: How cheap is black life in these United States of America?

A jury in North Charleston, South Carolina, could not agree that Slager committed a crime, forcing the judge in the case to declare a mistrial. Prosecutors quickly announced they will try Slager again. In the optimistic view, this week's stunning result, or non-result, means justice deferred rather than justice denied. I'm trying to be an optimist, but at the moment it's not easy.

Tell me: What does it take to get a police officer punished for killing an unarmed black man in cold blood?

The whole thing is on video, people.A passerby named Feidin Santana used his mobile phone to capture Scott's final minutes. An immigrant from the Dominican Republic, Santana gave lengthy testimony at Slager's trial.

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"You ask yourself, what if there was no video? What if I wasn't there? Would we have gotten this far in this trial?" Santana asked in an ABC News interview after the mistrial was announced. "That's the way justice is over here, and we have to understand it. But it's a little bit disappointing."

Santana's phrase "over here" refers to the nation that fancies itself a beacon of freedom and equality.

The fatal encounter took place April 4, 2015, when Slager, who is white, pulled Scott over for having a busted brake light. African-Americans and Hispanics are used to such petty, harassing traffic stops. White Americans, perhaps not so much.

Slager testified that he feared for his life; Scott, he claimed, had wrestled away his Taser and was trying to use it on him. But Santana, who saw the whole thing, said there was no struggle -- and the video appears to show Slager placing the Taser next to Scott's body, as if it had been in the dead man's possession. If he did stage the crime scene, the officer demonstrated full awareness of his own culpability. Again, I ask, what does it take?

Even if you want to believe Slager's unsupported account of a struggle, no one can dispute the fact that Scott was running away when Slager gunned him down. A heavyset 50-year-old with no weapons, running as if through molasses, is hardly a clear and present danger to society. Having a broken light on one's car is hardly a capital offense. Yet Slager shot Scott five times. In the back.

Nearly half the population of North Charleston is black; Slager's jury included 11 whites and just one African-American. Notes from the jury to the judge, who is African-American, suggest there may have been one lone holdout who would not vote to convict Slager of murder or manslaughter. That's how the system works, and the outcome of Slager's next trial may be different. But still.

One miscarriage of justice, caused by one stubborn juror, would be easier to swallow if not for all the rest. Eric Garner, approached by police on Staten Island for selling loose cigarettes, was choked to death  again on video  but none of the officers involved has been charged. Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy, was playing with a toy gun; a police officer shot him dead within seconds of arriving on scene but faced no charges. Michael Brown was unarmed when a police officer stopped him in Ferguson, Missouri; the officer fired his weapon 12 times, killing Brown, but a grand jury failed to indict him.

No one should wonder why the Black Lives Matter movement is so relevant and necessary. It will remain so until black lives do, in fact, matter. And conservatives who claim to champion individual liberty against abusive state power should be the movement's most avid supporters.

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Slager also faces federal charges for allegedly violating Scott's civil rights. That prosecution was delayed pending the completion of the state trial; now that there is to be a second state trial, presumably the federal case will be put off once again.

So it will likely fall to Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.  President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general -- to decide whether to move forward with a trial in federal court. Sessions was once denied a federal judgeship because of racist remarks he had made; friends and supporters say that's all ancient history. We shall see.

Eugene Robinson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Washington Post.
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
In the stream of excellent appointments coming from Trump Tower, Donalds naming of Iowa governor Terry Branstad as Ambassador to China hasnt gotten a lot of notice, apart from the obvious point that farmers are the biggest free traders. That is true, of course, but a very smart reader with deep knowledge of international trade suggests that there is more to the Branstad appointment:

Trump could well be making a very shrewd appointment here. Terry Branstad has credibility both in the U.S. and China, not to mention influence over upwards of 25 electoral votes! He clearly has deep connections with China. But the real significance of the pick may be the exact opposite of what seems to be the case, if Trumps trade proposals, essentially a threat of trade war, are taken at face value.

I think Terry Branstad is acutely aware of how important the China export market is  for Big Ag. Soybeans alone are enormous, the third largest global commodities market, if I am not mistaken, after oil and coffee. We are in huge competition with Brazil, which is neck-and-neck with the U.S. in domination of the global soybean market, of which China is the largest customer. In addition ag related manufacturing is big in Iowa and elsewhere in the Midwest; firms like Caterpillar and John Deere (HQ in Iowa [UPDATE: Rather, across the river in Moline, Ill.]) compete with global firms for business all over the world, including China. There is no way the Trump voters in Des Moines, Dubuque, Decatur and Dayton want a trade war with China.

So whats going on? Forget about the largely bogus accusations of dumping, export subsidies and, especially currency manipulation. The Chinese currency has had a long term trend of increasing value and not export-motivated devaluation, as noted by the IMF and the U.S. Treasury Department. Furthermore, Chinas entry into the WTO in 2005 had a positive impact on U.S. exports:

Chinas entry into the WTO did not require the United States to lower its duties on Chinese imports, nor did it relax rules against Chinese subsidies. The main impact was to reduce Chinese barriers to exports from the United States. And there Chinas entry has had measurable, positive impact.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative elaborated:

The annual tariff changes that China made following its WTO accession significantly increased market access for U.S. exporters in a range of industries, as China reduced tariffs on goods of greatest importance to U.S. industry from a base average of 25 percent (in 1997) to approximately 7 percent, while it made similar reductions throughout the agricultural sector. [emphasis added]

No doubt Terry Branstad is well aware of these facts and very sensitive to both the importance of U.S. ag related exports and the vulnerability of the ag sector to trade retaliation. In fact, the biggest issue for U.S. exports is the lingering Chinese tariffs and other exclusions on certain ag products from the U.S., arising from prior trade disputes in other sectors.

If Branstad can assuage the tensions in U.S.  China trade relations, and increase primarily ag exports by reducing existing Chinese trade barriers, it would tend to reduce the U.S. trade deficit, perhaps substantially. This achievement, for what its worth, might be possible without resorting to a ruinous trade war, punitive tariffs to protect low-value added manufacturing at the expense of more important sectors, or the rhetoric of demagogic and exaggerated claims and threats. Trump would be able to claim victory and go home, while pretending that his bluster forced concessions from China and gave us better deals. Such a political victory based on ag exports reducing the trade deficit, while ignoring the false promise to bring back our stolen [manufacturing] jobs, would be quite good enough for government work. Trump would demonstrate again that he is not to be underestimated politically.
President Obama has ordered his intelligence agencies to conduct a review of hacking during the 2016 presidential election and present their findings before he leaves office. Alleged Russian hacking during the election might also become part of a broader Senate probe into Russian cyber-threats.

Donald Trump has been dismissive of reports of Russian interference and critical of the U.S. intelligence community for assessing that Russia interfered. He insists that the hacking of DNC emails might have been done by some guy in his home in New Jersey.

Its natural that Trump doesnt want anyone crediting Russian interference for his stunning electoral victory. And its possible that Obama has ordered the probe for just that purpose. The president likely sees Trumps win as a huge stain on his legacy.

But this doesnt mean the probe is a bad idea. In my view, its worth investigating possible Russian cyber-incursions of all sorts. Our national security is at stake.

Sen. John McCain is particularly concerned about cyber-incursions into U.S. weapons systems. Reportedly, he has been discussing an investigation of this matter with Sen. Richard Burr, chairman of the Select Intelligence Committee. Sen. Bob Corker, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, has also said he will investigate Russian hacking (assuming he doesnt become Secretary of State).

Any congressional investigation of Russias cyber-security threat likely would spill over into a probe of hacking relating to U.S. elections, and should. As McCain says, the problem with hacking is that it theyre able to disrupt elections, then its a national security issue.

An investigation led by Senate Republicans has the virtue of being non-partisan. The Obama administration investigation will be vulnerable to charges of partisanship and sour grapes. Its a stretch, if not a slander, to believe that our intelligence community would falsely find Russian hacking in order to provide the Democrats with a talking point. But that doesnt mean Trump wont make the claim.

Trump should overcome his vanity and welcome probes into the extent of Russian cyber-interference in a full array of American activities and operations, including the presidential election. If he doesnt, the president-elect will be vulnerable to claims that he wants to cover up Russian misconduct, not just to prevent any disparagement of his electoral victory, but also in order to stay on the good side of Vladimir Putin.
Working from public documents and my own interviews in 2006, I constructed a picture of Keith Ellison as a serious long-time advocate of the Nation of Islam. This is the picture I drew of Ellison in Louis Farrakhans first congressman and in the companion Power Line post Keith Ellison for dummies just before his election to Congress in 2006. Ellisons past and his continuing deceptions about it have emerged anew as open issues in connection with his current bid to lead the Democratic Party.

Following Ellison, the Star Tribune portrayed Ellisons involvement with the Nation of Islam as limited in time and extent. Explicating his May 2006 letter to the Jewish Community Relations Council, Ellison told the Star Tribunes Rochelle Olson that he took up with the Nation of Islam for some 18 months around the time of the Million Man March in 1995. Olson occasionally regurgitated Ellisons 18-month line as a fact and the Star Tribunes Allison Sherry now cheerleads for Ellison in the same blinkered and misleading fashion.

Since 2006 Ellison has always claimed that he was unfamiliar with the Nation of Islamss doctrines and teaching. He knew nothing about the organization. He didnt hear what Farrakhan was saying. He wasnt paying attention. When he dressed like Farrakhan and showed up at meetings with looming black men in suits, well, it was just for effect. He meant nothing by it.

This week the editor of the Nation of Islams publication The Final Call  one Richard Muhammad  denounced Ellison for his disloyalty to the Nation of Islam and the NoIs great leader. Muhammad included a photograph of Ellison distributing The Final Call back in the day when Ellison was working particularly closely with the organization about which he knew nothing (the photo above, credited to Ed Morrisseys old blog, depicts Ellison on campus at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis).

Drawing on his own experience with Ellison back in the day, Muhammad quotes Ellisons 1995 defense of their hero Louis Farrakhan and comments:

Thats pretty powerful language and a powerful argument penned by one Keith X Ellison. Yes. Thats the same Rep. Keith Ellison who represents the Fifth Congressional District in Minnesota and seeks to chair the Democratic National Committee. He was also once known as Keith Ellison-Muhammad. If Mr. Ellison once believed those things about the Minister and changed his mind, thats his business. We will leave Allah (God) to judge and handle the hypocrites. But what cannot be tolerated are the lies, the slander and false narrative against Min. Farrakhan. These lies cannot be proven, nor can these false charges be sustained. The Minister has been a strong voice for Black self-determination, a warrior against Jewish paternalism and control of Black people and a sledge hammer against the wall of White supremacy and neo-colonialism. None of that work would make him the favorite of a system or wicked people whose demonic rule he is working to destroy. But Mr. Ellison knows better. Years ago sitting in my Chicago office here at The Final Call, when I was managing editor, there was no question about Min. Farrakhan and who he was. There was no question when Mr. Ellison, aka Keith X Ellison, aka Keith Ellison-Muhammad, came to Chicago for an urban peace summit in October 1993 that featured Min. Farrakhan, or a vital summit in Kansas City that included Min. Farrakhan as the major speaker and one who helped legitimize the anti-violence movement in April 1993.

Brent Scher noted Muhammads editorial denunciation of Ellison yesterday at the Washington Free Beacon. Schers note concludes: Ellison is yet to comment on The Final Call editorial. His office did not respond to an email from the Washington Free Beacon regarding the piece. Brent, dont hold your breath on that one.

I think my 2006 portrait of Ellison stands up better than Ellisons apologetics.
Folks in the United States have heard a lot in the past few years about our nations crumbling infrastructure. Thats with good reason. Theres little doubt that we have plenty of shoring up to do.

In May of this year, the American Society of Civil Engineers released an economic study examining the nations investment in infrastructure and its economic consequences, according to an ASCE article published earlier this week noting the one-year anniversity of the FAST (News - Alert) Act. The study found the U.S. was on track to invest about $940 million in surface transportation over the next decade (from all levels of government and the private sector), leaving a $1.1 trillion gap.

This underinvestment will have a cascading impact on the nations economy, impacting productivity, GDP, employment, personal income, international competitiveness and, most importantly, public safety, the ASCE wrote. Every year this investment gap, along with that of other infrastructure categories, is not addressed it will cost American families $3,400.

The good news is that its not all bad news when it comes to the countrys vital services and mission-critical infrastructure. Indeed, Jersey Central Power & Light recently announced that it has completed upgrades on more than 80 major circuits this year to enhance customer reliability.

Overall, the power grid modernization work will help reduce the number and duration of service interruptions for more than 113,000 customers in central and northern New Jersey, according to an Electric Light and Power report.

The article when on to quote Tony Hurley, vice president of operations for JCP&L, who commented that: "Circuit upgrades serve an important role in enhancing service to customers. As we prepare for the upcoming winter season, the work that has been completed will help prevent or reduce the duration of service interruptions to customers."

Thats probably true. But the fact remains that while the grid upgrade will be beneficial, it won't eliminate outages altogether. That said, businesses would be wise to recognize that and make sure they have backup power systems in place that will support their needs in the event of outages.

Of course, in some cases we must rely on governments and other entities to take care of some of our mission-critical infrastructure needs, or suffer the consequences. But in other cases, like universal power supplies, we can make these important decisions and investments on our own.

Edited by Maurice Nagle
Prague-based producers bring two new films

Whatever ones opinion might be of Daniel Craig having assumed the Bond tux, theres no denying that Casino Royale was an international hit, as well as a major success for Barrandov Studios and the Prague-based producers of Stillking Films.

Rather than resting on its recent achievements, the Stillking crew has plunged into two new film projects that will be filming in Prague over the next couple of months. Up at Barrandov, Prince Caspian, the second part of the Chronicles of Narnia, began shooting Sunday, April 1, while across town at the Prague Studios, the cinematic version of Mark Millars cult comic Wanted, under the helm of the Moscow-based Kazakh Timur Bekmambetov, is gearing up.

Operating out of Prague since 1993, Stillking has served as co-producer on many of the large films that have been produced in the Czech Republic since the countrys liberation. While 2002s Bourne Identity and last years first Narnia outing, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, are as well-known as Casino Royale, Stillking also played a part in Liev Schriebers Everything is Illuminated (which never received a Czech cinema run), The Illusionist, XXX and Tristan+Isolde. Stillking also put up money for the Czech film Navrat idiota, directed by Sasa Gideon.

Out on the muddy fringes of Barrandov a few weeks ago, carpenters were busy creating a castle out of plywood and two-by-fours. This will be the principal back-lot location for Disneys next Narnia. Close by, a new soundstage has also been built for the film  a state-of-the-art facility that can only increase Barrandovs attractiveness to filmmakers.

Stillkings head of film production, David Minkowski, works out of offices near the new sound stage. With two projects weeks away from principal photography (and with rumors published in Variety that a Fox film, Babylon, currently being shot at Barrandov, is running behind schedule, which might affect Narnia), Minkowski appears unflappable.

Minkowski has been with Stillking for 12 years, first arriving in Prague as a production coordinator on a U.S. television film, Hidden in Silence. Casino has given us a lot of traction, he tells me. So much so that Ive had to turn down four film projects, because they would have competed with our schedules for Narnia and Wanted.

Minkowski is the associate producer on Narnia, and so is working on-site. His average day starts with an early-morning walk around the back lot and new soundstage to gauge the preproduction progress. At the height of filming, both this project and Wanted will employ upward of 1,600 people. Though both films will be primarily studio-based, Wanted will be wandering out into Prague streets for a few shots.

This busyness belies the talk of Hollywood leaving Prague for cheaper accommodations further east, particularly in Romania, which has attracted a number of recent projects. Im not worried that Prague is going to be abandoned, Minkowski says. Romanias studios are good, but the infrastructure is better here. Plus, it is Prague, and that counts for much.

With its massive built-in audience of C.S. Lewis readers, the latest Narnia chapter should do well for Disney and Stillking. Wanted, however, will be the film to watch. Its the first work of Bekmambetovs since his Night Watch and Day Watch became sensations in Russia (the third film in the trilogy is currently in production), and hell be using some new toys. Wanted will be the first film to be shot with the brand-new Red One 4k digital camera, something that has cinematographers salivating. The announced cast for Bekmambetovs take on Millars superassassin includes Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman and James McAvoy (fresh from The Last King of Scotland).

So, Stillking seems perched in the catbird seat. Things are going very well for us at the moment, Minkowski says. Were having no problems finding projects that we believe in and that we want to spend our time on. The company, however, has even more ambitious future plans. As much as we love this work, we do want to develop our own films eventually, he says, and then laughs. Its the only way to get to the Oscars stage.
Serbians view Czech recognition as a betrayal of history

One month after the Cabinet sauntered off to the north Bohemian town of Teplice to formally recognize the independence of Kosovo in an extraordinary meeting, the decision continues to fulminate among local pundits.

Emotional tirades interwove with constructive criticism in a June 18 panel discussion that pitted Foreign Affairs Minister Karel Schwarzenberg against some of the countrys top experts on Czech foreign policy in the Balkans.

While commended by several participants for his willingness to face the onslaught of disapproval voiced by the audience, Schwarzenbergs arguments for recognizing Kosovo appeared meek next to the commentaries of his fellow panelists, including former Foreign Affairs Minister Jiri Dienstbier.

One day after returning from a visit to Belgrade, Dienstbier initiated the discussion with a reminder of Serbias historic solidarity with the Czechs.

For the Serbians, the Czech recognition of Kosovo was perceived differently than the recognition of other countries. They recall that their country was willing to mobilize [against Germany] during the Munich Agreement, that they protested against the [Soviet] invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, that they supported the Charter 77 [anti-communist] movement, he said. From this less intellectual perspective, they view the Czech decision to recognize Kosovo as a betrayal.

It was the first of several panelist allusions to the infamous agreement of 1938, when France and England yielded to Germanys request to annex Sudetenland, an ethnically German area in Czechoslovakia. Although the Czech government may not have realized this, the fact that the Cabinets decision was made on the territory of the former Sudetenland is an irony that did not go unnoticed by Serbian intellectuals, said Dienstbier.

An area belonging to another country was annexed because a different language was spoken there. This is symbolic of what happened in Kosovo, he added.

Despite what Dienstbier called a feeling of regret at the abrupt Czech decision  which caused Serbia to recall its ambassador to the Czech Republic  Serbian politicians have no intention of severing diplomatic ties with Prague, and are in fact searching for ways to ease tensions that erupted there as a result of the Czech decision.

With Pragues diplomatic priorities firmly fixed on the Balkans, Belgrade hopes that the Czech Republic will champion Serbian interests when assuming the EU presidency in January. These include the approval of an association agreement strengthening Serbias ties to the EU, the abolishment of visa requirements for Serbs traveling to the EU, and the establishment of EU education programs and scholarships for Serbian students.

Ambiguous policy

Aware of Serbias disappointment, the Czech government remains committed to fully integrating Serbia into the EU, said Schwarzenberg. We must support Serbia, but we must also support Kosovo.

He stressed cooperation with the United Nations plans for regional stability and emphasized the importance of boosting Kosovos economy. The biggest problems in Kosovo are terrible poverty, destitution and unemployment, he said. It is therefore extremely important to attract foreign investment.

Aside from outlining the Czech governments future involvement in Kosovo, Schwarzenberg attempted to defend the governments aberrant decision to recognize its independence. As recently as February, Schwarzenberg said the Czech Republic was in no rush to recognize Kosovo, and that a final decision would be based on an EU consensus and further negotiation with the region.

Initially, we postponed the recognition, but we cannot be engaged in the region without participating in the development, he now said. Prime Minister [Mirek Topolanek] decided that it was time that I present the issue.

Schwarzenbergs main argument for the recognition was the presence of 500 Czech soldiers in the area, who would be placed in an unpleasant situation if they occupied a territory whose government was not recognized by their country. However, this explanation was promptly refuted by Dienstbier, who pointed out that Slovakia had deployed soldiers to Kosovo despite not recognizing it.

Aside from complicating the Czech military presence, Schwarzenberg said failing to recognize Kosovo jeopardized the Czech Republics membership in the International Steering Group (ISG), a recently forged union of countries supporting independence and democracy in the region.

After joining the group in March, the Czech Republic was recently expelled due to its fragmented stance on Kosovo independence, Schwarzenberg said, earning harsh criticism from Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Lubomir Zaoralek, who questioned the logic of joining the ISG in the first place.

We voluntarily joined a group of the most ardent supporters of Kosovo independence, and were then kicked out when they found out this decision had no support here  not in the governing coalition or Parliament, he said, collecting applause. What sort of purpose did this serve?

According to Zaoralek, this sort of ambiguity is characteristic and extremely detrimental to the countrys foreign policy. Instead of joining the ISG, the Czechs could have used their knowledge of the region to try and find a compromise for the Kosovo issue while maintaining their position as negotiators. I saw this as a great potential for the Czech foreign policy platform and for the EU presidency, he said. But now our chance has been lost.
Move is latest attempt at cash infusion for financially troubled carrier

National carrier Czech Airlines (CSA) may be expecting a forecast that remains in the red for 2010, but recent events, including a huge asset sale announced Dec. 30, have given reason to hope that the troubled airliner could avoid bankruptcy and even post a profit in 2011.

CSA spokeswoman Hana Hejskova told The Prague Post that 2010 will predominantly be about restructuring the company for the long term.

Czech Airlines plan for long-term stabilization of the company is already under way, she said. It embodies a great many measures.

At the end of December, CSA announced and started projects that included centralizing aircraft and passenger handling activities into a subsidiary, selling non-core related practices such as its Duty Free operations. Its biggest move came with a sale, announced Dec. 30, of the companys administrative building to Prague Airport for 607 Kc million, a move aided by Miroslav Dvorak, who is both chairman of the board at CSA and CEO of Prague Airport. The airline will now lease the space from the airport, while putting the cash toward other areas.

These steps will give Czech Airlines the capital needed to significantly strengthen the company, Hejskova said. The proceeds of the sale will be put completely toward further stabilization measures.

Petr Kovac, chairman of the board at Patria Corporate Finance, agrees that CSA has a long way to go, but recent strategies hes observed from the company promise a better long-term forecast.

2010 will be full of hard work for CSA on the improvement of its core business, he said. I expect there will be decisions regarding disposal of selected CSA assets.

Part of that will depend on CSAs cooperation with Prague Airport, which last month purchased CSAs headquarters building, otherwise known as APC. The sale of the building, which contains crew and administration facilities, was seen as a positive step that will inject much-needed funds.

Marek Hatlapatka, an analyst at Cyrrus, said the buildings sale makes sense, as there is no reason for an airline to own its office space.

The headquarters sale was a positive step. Changes such as this, plus further changes to management and help from Prague Airport, will help make CSAs restructuring plan more efficient, Hatlapatka said.

Other analysts, who generally see the winter season as a low-point for the travel industry, say CSAs comeback efforts, and the entire sector, will depend on the future development of the economy to revive demand.

2010 will be challenging not only for CSA but for the whole sector, said Milan Vanicek, head of research at financial group Atlantik. Thats due to the economy and rising unemployment, which means individuals hold on to their money and spend less. Pre-sales from travel agencies show that the new season could be challenging, even down 10 percent to 15 percent. Since people have started booking last minute rather than planning ahead, we wont know the exact numbers until later.
City sheds designation as last EU capital not to have LGBT event

More than 40 years after the first gay pride march was held in New York City, Prague will host its inaugural Pride Parade this week, following in the footsteps of other major European cities whose annual festivals raise awareness for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and also draw visitors for sometimes weeklong parties.

Organizers hope Pragues first pride event will stand in contrast to previous ones held in Brno, where protesters turned out in numbers comparable to marchers. Last June, approximately 600 supporters came out for the third annual Queer Parade, while neo-Nazis numbered about 150, and Christian Democrats held a protest earlier in the day. In 2008, protesters turned violent, and extremists were able to break through barriers and attack marchers.

For me, one of the main things is that this should be a place, a festival for everyone to come, have a good time and enjoy themselves. Its a celebration, said Bastiaan Huijgen, a member of the Prague Pride organizing committee. How can people protest a bunch of people having a good time in the street? Sure, it also helps to bring visibility to the LGBT community, and Czechs tend to be a bit introverted on these matters.

Introverted, and largely indifferent, Huijgen added, which he believes may be the reason Prague hasnt hosted its own event until now. While pride events are largely celebratory in Western countries where gays enjoy somewhat equitable social rights and treatment, there remain countries where events skew political.

In Warsaw, the European Court of Human Rights had to intervene after the city banned Pride Parades in 2004 and 2005. Five people were injured during Splits first pride event June 12 after thousands of counter-demonstrators overwhelmed police. And a gay pride event in October in Sarajevo devolved into chaos as rioters threw Molotov cocktails and rocks, and police fought back with rubber bullets and tear gas.

Look at Warsaw; they have more to fight for. Gays in the Czech Republic can live relatively comfortably. Society here isnt extremely tolerant, but theyre not intolerant, Huijgen said.

I use the analogy that in Amsterdam or London there are more incidents of gay-bashing, but there are also many more people who would do something if they saw that in the street. Gay-bashing isnt as prevalent here, but someone walking by would probably mind their own business. In my eyes, thats not tolerance; its indifference.

The Czech Republic was the first post-communist country to grant domestic partnership rights to same-sex couples, passing legislation in 2006. Since then, 1,181 same-sex couples have registered partnerships, according to Colourplanet.cz. Gay activists continue to fight for further social freedoms such as marriage and the right to adopt, however. And while attacks on religious, national or ethnic minorities are classed as hate crimes in the Czech Republic, attacks motivated by homophobia receive no distinction, a legal issue NGO In Iustitia has been working to amend as part of a Justice Ministry working group, In Iustitia Director Klara Kalibova told The Prague Post.

Pragues pride event, while it will be the occasion for dozens of parties and cultural events around town, also includes opportunities for more serious social and legal matters faced by the LGBT community, including seminars on hiring practices as well as preventing violence.

On Aug. 11, In Iustitia will participate in a workshop called Hate Crimes Motivated by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, held at the American Center and attended by U.S. Ambassador Norman Eisen, representatives of Human Rights Watch, the Council of Europes Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, the Justice Ministry and the head of the Stockholm Police Departments hate-crimes unit. One of the aims of the workshop is to influence legislation on hate crimes and encourage both NGOs and police to collect data on hate-crime incidents, of which there exists almost none, Kalibova said.

Kalibova, a lawyer, recently researched the level of protection granted to the LGBT community through the post-communist countries. Out of 15, only four  Croatia, Romania, Lithuania and Estonia  had laws that penalized attacks against sexual minorities, although those varied from simply banning hate speech to classifying attacks as hate crimes, she said.

In the Czech Republic, we do have an anti-discrimination law where sexual orientation is forbidden as a reason to discriminate, Kalibova said. From this point of view, the lack of criminal protection does not make sense. We provide the LGBT community some rights, but we do not protect them.

Both Kalibova and Huijgen said they were pleased by the amount of support authorities have nonetheless given to the Prague Pride event. Police presence and cooperation have lent a level of safety to the event that is only expected to draw one protest group in the form of a family values march staged by the Young Christian Democrats. Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda and Prague 1 Mayor Oldrich Lomecky have both lent their approval and patronage to the event.

I personally can only say that I support every event that contributes to the wider cultural and social offerings of our city, Svoboda told The Prague Post. The city has to support meaningful social and cultural events like this one, not crimp them.

While Prague is the last capital in the European Union to host a Pride Parade, outspoken support like this, and the fact that such an event now exists, may be a sign that change is afoot.

I really appreciate the mayor supporting Prague Pride, Kalibova said.

He was asked by a Christian group to forbid this event and to stand against it, and he replied to them in very nice letter that he believed gays and lesbians are a part of society and they have the right to do whatever they want until the point that it hurts someone elses rights. Thats an important message, and we need more of these kinds of engagements within the political scene.

Prague Pride 2011

The main event:Marchers gather at noon Aug. 13 on namesti Republiky, in front of the Kolkovna Celnice restaurant. Parade begins at 1 p.m. proceeding through Na Prikope, Jungmannovo namesti, 28. rijna, Narodni trida, over the Legionnaires' Bridge and to Strelecky ostrov, which will host a free outdoor festival and concert

Other events: More than 65 peripheral activities Aug. 10-14

Web:Praguepride.com

Read more:

Klaus backs aides anti-gay missive

Postview: Take no pride in the castle
In a moving tribute he published on his Facebook page Saturday, Nigerian journalist, Ahaoma Kanu, recalled the unusual, suspense-filled, romantic way he proposed to his wife of five years.

Mr. Kanu gave PREMIUM TIMES permission to republish the article.

Read full tribute below.

My Vanilla it has been five years of bliss with you.

In 1999 I met a girl with long hairs and a sing-song voice, she was my cousins friend and my cousin told me she was out of bounds.

I was in Lagos for my industrial work experience program and always met her at Surulere, Abiona Close to be precise. Whenever the tap doesnt run (which was often) we had to walk from Falolu street to the close to use the well in front of the house where this long haired beauty lived.

As the young man in the house the job of getting water was my responsibility so you can imagine the torture I was going through having to go to Abiona every evening to keep staring at a beauty I was told was off limits.

Some years later, after my cousin had long gotten admission to a university I met this girl again only this time she was now a lady. She asked about her friend and I told her she was in the North. I systematically collected her phone number for onward transmission to her friend. She obliged.

I started calling the land line and kept getting a husky male voice or some other nice ladies explaining Chimezie is not around, can you call back?

I took to email to keep up at least it was more private and then came the replies and the preaching for me to give my life to Christ.

From my base then in Makurdi, Benue State and later Jos, Plateau State, I did not relent.

In January 2006, on getting back to Lagos, I was house hunting and got a call  It was her and she informed me she came around and was waiting for me. I immediately left the real estate agent helping me get an apartment and started navigating to Surulere.

Trust Lagos traffic, it seems to know when you are sure in a hurry and starts grinding in a slow wind. I had to be creative and sent sms messages that bought me some time to get out of the hellish traffic.

I made it finally and met the lady with long hairs and a sonorous voice.

Hello, she said and I asked, Do you like ice cream?

We went to Quaterjack and when I asked her the flavour she prefers she responded, Vanilla.

From that moment I knew this lady was a flavour to my life and started calling her Vanilla.

We started courting, getting to know ourselves and our families and Vanilla sure made me start looking forward to everyday.

In my darkest moment in 2008 when I lost my father, she stood like a pillar of support and a cushion of comfort.

In October 2010 at the Down Syndrome Foundation Awards dinner at Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi, after we had given awards and honours to our members and patrons deserving of them, an award was announced for Vanilla.

Yaw, the famous OAP with the popular radio station, Wazobia, was the MC that evening and that special award was secretly planned so nobody except my two trusted friends, Amaka Awogu and Benny Chiedozie, knew. Our National President, Mrs. Rose Mordi, wasnt aware and was gesticulating to Yaw that there wasnt any award for her but Vanilla was already on the stage and to present the award was yours sincerely.

Vanilla, we want to thank you for everything you have been doing for us, you are always there when we call you and have been helping in advocating for people with Down syndrome,  I started.

Unlike other awards which come in plaques and big sizes, this award comes in a small form and is a life time commitment.

The suspense was intense and the audience which included my family, friends and advocates for people with Down syndrome still didnt have a clue about the honour being bestowed on Vanilla.

As I gave the cue, David Akerele, my little friend with Down syndrome (he is a man now) stepped forward and brought out a box containing an engagement ring.

That was when the crowd which included Dr. Reuben Abati, Mr. Tonye Cole, Felix Awogu, HRH Jerry Ozor, Benny Chiedozie and Amaka Awogu ( the two people that was in the know) got a clue that a family was about to be born.

I went down on my knees and asked the question meant for men.

Vanilla will you marry me?

There were tears, there were cries, there were exclamations of surprise, intrigue and bewilderment and

Vanilla was in tears.

She took the microphone, looked me in the eyes and said YES.

Someone, I dont know between Amaka and Benny whose idea it was, had arranged for Dr. Sids club banger, Pour Champagne to be played at that time and a champagne bottle appeared and we did pop it.

That day remains one of the most memorable days in my life.

Reuben Abati was so proud of me that he dedicated a whole page in his popular column in Nigerias flagship newspaper, The Guardian, to our proposal. In his article entitled, At The Down Syndrome Dinner, he started by saying, Ahaoma Kanu stood up for all Nigerian men who are considered not romantic

And Yaw took to the airwaves the next day to broadcast the romantic proposal which many callers who called into the programme doubted a Nigerian man can be that romantic.

On December 10, 2011, we got married.

Today marks exactly five years since this union and family started and we are blessed with two beautiful daughters.

Vanilla, on this occassion of our fifth year wedding anniversary I want to say Thank You for being my wife, friend, mother, sister, colleague, confidante and above all, the one person who tolerates my every baggage. These five years you have given me reason to fall in love over and over again.

Everyday with you is special and the happiness you have brought into my life has no estimation neither is it measurable.

On this our special day togther I renew my vow with you today and promise you that I will always take care of you and certainly, you will always be begging me to stop making you laugh. There are still better years ahead.

Be rest assured that I will always keep loving you my Vanilla with a special flavour.
About 100 free surgeries have been successfully carried out in Nasarawa State.

This is in line with the federal governments Rapid Response programme which aims to reach 10,000 citizens who cannot afford medical bills.

The programme, which was introduced in July by the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, is part of the Federal Government plans to give healthcare services to the people.

According to a Channels Television news report, 100 free surgeries were allocated to the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi and they have been conducted successfully.

In addition to the surgeries, free testing and screening were conducted on over 400 poor citizens.

The Chief Medical Director of Keffi Medical Centre, Joshua Giyan, who supervised the surgeries himself with the help of some consultants of the clinic applauded, the Federal Government for the initiative.

Mr. Giyan called on the people of the state especially well-to-do individuals to join hands to help underprivileged people in the state.

He promised to sustain the initiative even after the stipulated time.

It is a step in the right direction, we are going to continue even after this. I urge all and sundry to put hands on deck and support this type of venture so that indigents will have succour in the area of health care, he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Blessing Edache, who had lumps in her breast removed successfully, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian president for such initiative.

I thank God for making it possible for me to be alive today. I was admitted here for an operation (breast lump), I thank the President for remembering us, she said.

Surgeries conducted include lumpectomy, inguinal herniorrhaphy, hydrocelectomy, cataract extraction, myomectomy, correction of refractive errors.

Screening for hepatitis, diabetes, prostate cancer, breast cancer were also conducted. Those found positive were counselled adequately on the next line of action.
The Nigerian Army Council has approved the promotion of Adeboye Obasanjo, son of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, and its spokesman, Sani Usman, in a far-reaching exercise that saw no fewer than 227 officers elevated, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

The promotion came three years after the decoration of 102 officers by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

According to details of an internal memo exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, the promotion will take effect from as far back as March 2014 for some officers and as recent as December 2016 for many others.

The memo, dated December 9, 2016, said the officers were considered for promotion by the Army Council in strict compliance with the provisions of the Armed Forces Act.

In the latest rounds, 21 officers were promoted to the position of Major-General.

Amongst them is Chukwunedum Abraham, the General Officer Commanding of the Nigerian Army 2nd Division in Ibadan, whose elevation from the position of a Brigadier-General took effect from January 24, 2016.

Ninety-three were elevated to the rank of Brigadier-General, of which 20 were direct regular commission while the rest were regular combatants.

These include Sani Usman, the spokesman for the Army, whose promotion from the rank of colonel took effect from September 5, 2016.

One hundred and thirteen officers became colonels.

Amongst them is Mr. Obasanjo who was promoted from the position of a lieutenant colonel.

Mr. Obasanjos promotion, effective August 27, 2016, came two years after he sustained serious injuries in a shootout with Boko Haram insurgents in Adamawa State.

See the full list of all the promoted officers in the table below:


Online media outshined their print counterpart at this years Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism Awards with The Cables Fisayo Soyombo winning the top prize, the Nigerian Investigative Journalist of the Year.

Mr. Soyombo, the Editor of The Cable online newspaper, emerged winner ahead of Mojeed Alabi of the New Telegraph and Adekunle Ajayi, who won in the print and photojournalism categories respectively.

Mr. Soyombo had earlier won in the online category.

The 11th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism Awards had more than 125 entries for the awards out of which 44 were in the print, 38 online, 12 television, two radio, 16 photojournalism, and 13 editorial cartoon categories.

Kabiru Yusuf, the chairman of Daily Trust newspaper, received the Lifetime Achievement for Excellence in Journalism award, while the Public and Private Development Centre got the Anti-Corruption Defender award.

There were no awards for the radio, television, and editorial cartoon categories at this years event.

Lai Osho, the Chair of the 2016 Judges Board, said 90 percent of the entries were routine one-time stories, ordinary cartoons, opportunistic photographs, basic television features, and radio magazine reports.

While some of them are fairly executed, the majority of the entries are unnecessarily verbose, badly edited and rarely investigative in nature, said Mr. Osho, a professor and former Dean of the School of Communication, Lagos State University.

They are pastiches of hurriedly put up stories but less intense and non-creative. Many, however, will do well in features writing awards. But this Wole Soyinka Awards is solely for investigative stories, and the main reasons why not all the award categories will not be honoured tonight.

Mr. Osho said the criteria used by the judges include quality of investigation, human rights element, quality of reporting, delivery and writing; while for photography, there are scores for visual interest, power to evoke emotions, and technical quality.

The print media seems to be the most affected in the quality of materials presented and also in their language usage, Mr. Osho continued.

It seems as if the newsroom has no enterprise and is devoid of the gatekeepers in the age of declining circulation and poor advert revenues.

On the other divide is online, growing in leaps and bounds, but with an increasing sloppiness, poor editing and over-reporting. In spite of this, however, the online platform shows the direction to the future of journalism in Nigeria, not minding that it is equally strewn with the landmines of hacks, bloggers and fakes.

The night began with a one minute silence in honour of Adeyinka Adeparusi, a 2011 winner in the photo category, who died in a motorcycle accident in Abuja last month.

Ropo Sekoni, WSCIJ Board Chair, said the award aims to honour those who have pushed the envelope of exposing unwholesome behaviour in our society.

When this programme was started several years ago, its founders, as clairvoyant as they might have been, could not have imagined how much corruption would be a recurrent word in every aspect of the countrys life.
The rescheduled National Assembly and State House rerun and supplementary elections in Rivers State will finally hold today under a very tense atmosphere.

The Independent National Electoral Commission will conduct the elections across three senatorial districts, eight federal constituencies and 10 state constituencies.

Following court rulings that invalidated the 2015 federal and state legislative elections in the oil-rich state, INEC had conducted rerun polls on March 19, 2016. But the exercise was marred by violence mainly between armed supporters of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and those of the All Progressives Congress, APC; forcing the electoral body to suspend the polls midway.

Governor Nyesom Wike is the PDP leader in Rivers while his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, leads the APC. The race for the legislative seats is expected to be a two-horse race between both parties, although other parties are also participating in the elections.

Apart from the three senatorial districts, the eight federal constituencies in which elections will hold are Akuku-Toru/Asari Toru; Degema/Bonny; Okrika/Ogu-Bolo; Etche/Omuma; Ikwere/Emohua; Khana Gokana; Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo and Opobo/Nkoro/Andoni.

The state constituencies where elections will hold are Eleme, Gokana, Asari-Toru I, Asari-Toru II, Andoni, Khana II, Etche II, Ikwere, Bonny and Degema.

For the elections, 10,294 electoral staff were deployed, INEC said. The police spokesperson in the state said 28,000 officers had been deployed. The huge deployment of police officers  aside military personnel deployed by the Army and the Navy  is commensurate to the risk assessment taken, PREMIUM TIMES understands.

While elections will hold afresh in some places, INEC will only collate and declare results, and make returns in other areas, the Commission said. A total of 927,769 voters, representing 37 percent of 2,537,320 being total number of registered voters in the state, are eligible to cast vote across 1,840 polling units and 2,203 voting points where the rerun and supplementary elections will hold today.

PREMIUM TIMES Hassan Adebayo is in Rivers State to bring you live, minute-by-minute updates as they unfold in the constituencies where the elections will hold.

7.00: 200 PDP supporters, chieftains arrested, party says

Shortly before the crucial elections get underway, the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State has cried out over alleged arrests of 200 of its supporters and chieftains, including chairmen of Gokana local government area and the states commissioner for Local Government Service.

The PDPs spokesperson, Samuel Nwanosike, told PREMIUM TIMES the arrests were carried out men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, allegedly cooperating with Minister for Transport and All Progressives Congress leader in the state, Rotimi Amaechi.

Mr. Nwanosike, also the chairman of Ikwerre LGA, added attempts had been made to arrest him and that Mr. Amaechi stormed Ikwerre now (late last night) to with armed security men to hijack materials.

He said the Minister was repelled by youths. He sent four amateur photographs purportedly being scenes of the standoff.

Amaechi has been rejected but he wants to use security to rig this election; we will resist this by all means; people must be allowed to vote, Mr. Nwanosike said.

The Police could not confirm the arrests as at the time of filing this report. Police spokesperson, Omoni Nnamdi, said he was not aware but would contact the concerned DPOs. to confirm. When he was called back 15 minutes afterwards, he didnt pick his calls.

7.17: Amaechi denies ordering PDP chieftains arrests

Minister for Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, has denied being behind the alleged clampdown on PDP supporters and chieftains.

The Ministers spokesperson, David Iyofor, said, We dont know what you talking about. Amaechi is not the police neither does he work for the police or any of the security agencies. Please find out from the police or any of the Security agencies if they made any arrest. Kindly leave Amaechi out of this.

On the claim by the chairman of Ikwerre LGA that attempts had been made to incarcerate him by security officials allegedly compromised by Mr. Amaechi, Mr. Iyofor, dismissed it as untrue; adding it is not difficult to arrest him if anybody had wanted to do so.

8.06: By now, all the 20 local government areas where elections will hold have had materials needed for the polling, an INEC official told PREMIUM TIMES. The last batches were deployed yesterday.

8.55: The INEC office on Aba Road is now dry. Last batches of officials, including supervisors and collation officers among others, just moved to their respective places of assignments, heavily guarded by policemen. For all vehicles leaving the premises on election duty, a truck-load of armed policemen has to lead.

9.18: We have confirmed there is bitter disagreement between PDP and APC at ward 9, Unit 3 of the Ogu LGA over result sheet. The result sheet is missing, leading to counter accusations of snatching the vital material.

9.20: Elections have started across the state. We have confirmed developments Port Harcourt, Ikwere, Ogu, and Bonny.

9.47: Election going on smoothly in Asari/Toru LGA, observers said. The area is calm and people are showing right attitude.

Heavy security presence may have helped the situation.

Election not stalled at ward 9 unit 3, Ogu LGA where result sheet is missing.

Voters just stand without voting, a resident told PT on phone.

10.25: Election is got holding in Tai LGA at all. INEC decided not to conduct the election there, following a controversial court ruling during the week.

It then follows elections are being conducted in 20 LGAs.

10.27: Turnout impressive, election peaceful in Bera, Gokana LGA

The Rivers legislative rerun election has commenced peacefully in the state with a massive turnout of voters in Gokana Local Government Area of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the exercise in being conducted in the three Senatorial districts for senatorial seats.

The rerun is also held in eight Federal Constituencies for the House of Representatives seats and 10 State Constituencies for state assembly seats.

In Bera Ward 16, Gokana LGA, the turnout was early and massive while the election materials arrived at 8.30 a.m.

NAN also reports that card readers are working well in all the 16 polling units of Bera Ward 16 in local government area visited.

The accreditation and voting started simultaneously at exactly 9.11a.m in all the units of Bera Ward 16.

NAN further reports that all the polling units in the local government were organised in the Community Secondary School, Bera.

The agency reports that voters were coordinated but under the heavy presence of the security operatives.

All Progressives Congress (APC) and All Progressives Grand Alliance agents were seen in each of polling units in the Ward 16.

10.30: Materials just being moved to polling units in Gokana LGA. The materials and election personnel are being escorted by soldiers and policemen.

Voters are said to be turning out enthusiastically.

10.41: BREAKING: INEC just announced cancellation of election in ward 9 unit 3 of Ogu/Bolo LGA after hoodlums carted away result sheets and bitter disagreement between PDP and APC.

10.41: Buguma in Asari/Toru fully taken over military operatives, bringing tranquility to the place otherwise known for electoral violence, observers told PREMIUM TIMES.

The exercise is underway under a calm atmosphere.

10.55: The exercise is underway in Khana LGA.

No, no no, theres no violence; everything is going on smoothly and peacefully, an observer Nwagu Ezenwa of Partners for Electoral Reform just spoke with PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Ezenwa had been to Eleme earlier. In Eleme he said the exercise did not start until 9.30 am although situation there was calm as at the time he was there.

12.34: Late arrival of materials delay voting in some polling units, wards

As Rivers people vote in the legislative re-run elections, late arrival of materials has delayed commencement of voting in some wards and units in the state.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent reports that voting was yet to commence at 10.45 a.m. in some wards and units due to delayed arrival of voting materials.

NAN gathered that the wards and units affected include; Eleme, Ahoada-West, Etche, Bonny, Tai and Ikwerre Local Governments Areas.

Voters and party supporters were seen milling around polling units in Alesa and Ogale communities in Eleme council area awaiting the arrival of election materials.

Reports also showed that both materials and polling officers were yet to be seen at polling centres in Mbiama in Ahoada West council area as at the time of the report.

Ezenwa Nwagwu, an accredited Election Observer, commended the timely commencement of the elections in areas but heavy presence of security personnel in polling units in the Ogoni axis of the state.

So far, voting has not commenced in the areas I have visited, but there is huge security presence, he said.

12.22: BREAKING: PDP Accuses Army Of Stealing Materials For APC In Eleme

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Partys candidate for Rivers South East, Olaka Nwogu gas accused soldiers deployed to the area of collaborating with the APC to rig election in Eleme part of the district.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES minutes before now, Mr. Nwogu, said, soldiers are just stealing materials and giving them to APC in ward 8, Eleme here.

He said he would mobilise efforts to control the situation.

However, apart from the case of alleged theft of materials by soldiers, he said the election is going on well.

I think there are some who are not corrupt and not interfering with process but there are bad eggs. And it is shameful that some are shaming the institution, he said.

12.56: At unit 1 and 2, Ward 1 of Eleme LGA, the process is going on smoothly.

Its been okay, the presiding officer for unit 2 said; adding theres not been issue of violence.

12.58: In Rotimi Amaechis Ubima, Ward 8, Ikwere LGA, theres no voting. Voters are just hanging, having had their rights breached by political actors. Theres theft of result sheet.

We have confirmed this from multiple sources.

13.51: Storm the place  PDP candidate giving orders.

Mr. Nwogu, PDPs candidate for Rivers South East senatorial district, who just accused soldiers of cooperating with APC to steal result sheet, was overheard asking somebody through phone: Dont you have enough boys to storm the place and hijack this thing for me?

Later, he was telling aides sitting by his side that, the situation demands I should go to the field myself.

14.01: PREMIUM TIMES independently confirmed theft of result sheet at Abonchia, Ward 8, Eleme LGA.

14.47: No voting in Amaechis unit over disappearance of result sheet

His media office sent this to PT:

Presiding office(PO) in the Minister, Rotimi Amaechis unit, Ward 8, unit 14 in Ikwerre LGA has been detained by security agents following the disappearance of the the result sheet for the unit. The SPO confirmed that the result sheet was given to PO. As a result, voting has not commenced in the Ministers unit. The same story playing out in several other units in Ikwerre LGA.

17.22: EXCLUSIVE: Voting took place inside APCs Magnus Abes compound in Gokana

Voting exercise too place inside the compound of the All Progressives Congress candidate for Rivers South East senatorial district, Magnus Abe, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report.

Mr. Abes house is located at Bera, Gokana LGA.

The materials used for the voting exercise held in his residence are believed to be those meant for his unit 10, Ward 16, Bera, Gokana LGA.

It appeared voters cooperated with the politician as they were thronging the compound to vote at one corner of the expansive compound.

As the voting was going on, three were scores of security operatives, including soldiers and policemen, in the compound.

People whose identify as INEC legitimate staff were in charge of the exercise, while those who were confirmed to be INEC staff just hung around the compound holding trivial discussions with aides of Mr. Abe.

Among them, there was a corps member and two others who even wore INEC shirts.

As the voting underway inside Mr. Abes compound, dramatically armed men led two buses and a pick-up truck to the compound.

The vehicles were loaded with already used voting materials including boxes. INEC personnel were also there.

The materials were hijacked with guns.

I told I go bring them (the materials), dem say I no fit, now we don carry them come, a fiercely looking young man was boasting, apparently taking pleasure in leading criminal action of hijacking voting materials.

Attached are pictures of INEC personnel inside Mr. Abes compound, looking away as politicians held the role of conducting election.

17.47: Voting has ended in most units across Rivers State. But as the process moves to another collation stage, political actors have started started accusing one another malpractices.

18.32: Wike, PDP Call For Cancellation Of Elections In Gokana, Khana LGAs, Accuse INEC, Military Of Working For APC

PDP and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike have separately alleged foul play in the conduct of the elections in Gokana and Khana LGAs, accusing the military and INEC of working for the APC.

PDPs chairman, Felix Obuah, said there were widespread irregularities in Khana and that security operatives collaborated with APC chieftains to snatch voting materials.

Mr. Wike, who spoke through the states commissioner for information, Austin Tam-George, said in both Khana and Gokana INEC and the military were compromised by the APC, thereby calling for cancellation of elections in the two areas.

The security agencies have played a very despicable role in the rerun elections in Rivers State today. Like common criminals, they stole electoral materials in many wards and units across the State in support of the APC, while armed to the teeth.

In the coming days, well offer a comprehensive account of the shameless banditry of the Nigerian security forces during this election, as well as the desperate collusion between INEC and the APC, Mr. Tam-George said, speaking for the Governor.

He however commended the resilience and determination of the Rivers people, unarmed men and women, who stood courageously in defence of their sovereign right to choose their own leaders.

And in most cases they have triumphed.

21.38: The police in Rivers State said they put up good good outing in the Saturdays national and state assemblies rerun and supplementary in the state, thereby scoring self high despite wide reports malpractices aided by security operatives, including policemen.

The police spokesperson for River State, Omoni Nnamdi, gave the self-appraisal while speaking with PREMIUM TIMES hours after the elections had ended across the constituencies.

So far so good, we have given account of ourselves and put up a good outing, said Mr. Nnamdi.

28 thousand policemen were deployed for the elections that held in three senatorial districts, eight federal constituencies and 10 state constituencies. The huge deployment of police officers  aside military personnel deployed by the Army and the Navy  is commensurate to the risk assessment taken, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.

But there were credible reports of cases where police officers, especially men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, and soldiers worked in cahoot with political actors to perpetrate malpractices.

PREMIUM TIMES independently confirmed cases of malpractices aided by police officers and soldiers. For instance, voting coordinated by politicians held inside the compound of All Progressives Congress candidate for Rivers South East senatorial district, Mr. Abe in the full glare of scores of security and military men, while INEC personnel looked away.

Observers also said SARS and Civil Defense Corps operatives stormed a unit in Bodo, Gokana LGA, shooting sporadically and carted away election materials. One person was said to have been killed in the wake of the violence.

Apart from cancelling elections in Atoku-Toru LGA, the Independent Election Commission complained of violence in Gokana, Khana, Andoni and Tai.

Against the background of these disturbing reports, police spokesperson, Mr. Nnamdi said for what it is worth the police tried to ensure the exercise was free and secure.

We deployed 28 thousand officers and that was deliberate to give people confidence that they could come out to vote freely.

The deployment was led by DIG Operations, Habila Joshak and we toured Eleme, Khana, Tai and other places. There was no report of security breach. We saw people show readiness to vote.

So, I dont have knowledge of all these cases, said Mr. Nnamdi.

Also, Mr. Joshak said the exercise was generally peaceful despite reports of violence.

But he INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Rivers, Aniedi Ikowak said rumours of skirmishes would be investigated.

Messrs Ikowak and Joshak spoke at Rumuigbo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. But some residents hailed police officers and soldiers, expressing conviction the security bodies helped ensure safe exercise in some places.

10.52: Collation of results underway

Counting votes has ended in most of the 1839 units where elections held today, INECs spokesperson in Rivers, Tonia Nwobu told PREMIUM TIMES.

We are still stock but it (counting) has ended in most of the units, Mrs Nwobu said.

Having ending counting of votes in most of the units, collation of votes at different levels  ward, LGA and constituency  is now underway at various collation centres across the state, Mrs. Nwobu said.

She disclosed that INEC would declare results and make returns in each constituency involved in the election.

The collation centres for the three senatorial districts of Rivers East, West and South are City Council Hall, Port Harcourt, Council Hall, Ahoada and Council Hall, Bori respectively.

As at this moment, there has not any official result declared by INEC and no return has been made.

Unlike other elections where results at unit level were readily available online at the end of counting exercise, Rivers rerun brings a different case. This may not be unconnected to high risk involved in some areas where counting or collation is ongoing for Journalists, observers and ordinary citizens.
Ghanaians have elected Nana Akufo-Addo, the candidate of the main opposition party, New Patriotic Party, NPP, as their new president.

Mr. Akufo-Addo, 72, who was running for the office for the third time, comfortably edged out incumbent, John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) by almost 10 points.

The Electoral Commission of Ghana (ECG) tweeted late on Friday, two days after the election, that Mr. Akufo-Addo was the victor in the largely peaceful poll.

We declare Nana Akufo-Addo as President-Elect of our Ghana. God bless Ghana. Thank you, ECG tweeted.

A breakdown of the result showed that NPP won 53.85 percent of total vote cast while the ruling party managed to score just 44.4 percent of the votes.

The announcement confirmed the projections of local media, which have predicted from provisional results and result collated from polling stations that the opposition candidate was on course to unseating the incumbent.

Clearly, Mr Mahama, 58, couldnt sway enough voters with several infrastructural projects it was building all over the country, as voters were more concerned about worsening power cuts, dwindling economic growth in the resource-rich country, and the his inability to rein in corrupt officials.

Mr. Akufo-Addo, a former foreign minister, has made the countrys worsening corruption the focus of his campaign.

Friday evening, Mr. Akufo-Addo, tweeted that Mr. Mahama has called to congratulate him on his election victory.

The challenge before Mr. Akufo-Addo is how to achieve some of his mouth watering campaign promises, some of which critics have described as unrealistic. During the campaign, he promised to create jobs through the establishment of at least one factory in every district in the country.

He criticised the incumbent for centering most of its development plans in Accra and Kumasi, the two biggest cities in the country.
Today

Catholic Daughters cookie walk, 8 a.m., Delaney Hall at St. Patricks Catholic Church, 3400 E. 16th St., Fremont. Cookies are $6 a pound and candy is $8 a pound. Smaller packages with three or four cookies also are available for purchase. Sales will continue until the cookies and treats run out. Mrs. Claus will be on hand to greet children and pass out candy canes.

HomeStore, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 701 E. Dodge St., Fremont. The HomeStore sells donated items at discounted prices. Proceeds support the mission of Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Our Little Christmas Festival & Open House, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Fremont Opera House, 541 N. Broad St. Nine local choirs and ensembles will provide a variety of music and 14 local businesses have donated decorated wreaths that will be part of a silent auction. There will be a $5 donation at the door which will benefit the opera house.

Storytime, 11-11:30 a.m., Keene Memorial Library auditorium, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous womens heart to heart group, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Chamber Day with the Warriors, 2 p.m., Midland Universitys Wikert Event Center, Fremont. Midlands womens team will tip off against Briar Cliff University at 2 p.m. The mens game will follow at 4 p.m. Friends and family are welcome. Contact Tara at tara@fremontne.org.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Soup and pie feed, 5:30 p.m., Fremont Airboat Club House, 3159 Big Island Road. All ages are welcome (bring your own refreshments). A $1 donation will be accepted for 12 years and younger. A $5 donation will be accepted for ages 13 and older. There will be an appearance by a special someone for the kids.

Jessie Benton Fremont Chapter Family Dinner, 6:30 p.m., Izaak Walton Main Lodge, 2560 W. Military Ave., Fremont. Ham, scalloped potatoes, vegetables, salad and dessert, coffee or juice will be served. The cost is $8, which includes 20 free games of bingo following dinner. Prizes will be awarded. Call 402-620-1732 to reserve your tickets.

Narcotics Anonymous open meeting, 7:30 p.m., United Faith Church, 218 W. Gardiner St., Valley.

Narcotics Anonymous Lie Is Dead Group, 8 p.m., Care Corps, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Sunday Alcoholics Anonymous Happy Sober Sunday Group, 9 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Seekers of Serenity Group, 10:30 a.m., Care Corps, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Holiday Big Band Dance, 3-6 p.m., Salem Lutheran Church, Fremont. Music will be by the Greg Spevak Orchestra and some vocals by the Fremont TriTones. Admission at the door$12 per individual or $20 per couple  includes some refreshments.

Archbishop Bergan Catholic School kindergarten-sixth grade Christmas concert, 4 p.m., St. Patricks Catholic Church, Fremont.

Back to Bethlehem event, 5-7:30 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Worship Center, 1544 E. Military Ave. The evening will begin with the North Bend Community Band performing from 4-5 p.m. From 5-7:30 p.m., the building will be transformed into the village of Bethlehem. You can walk through the indoor village, visit with the shopkeepers and townspeople, listen to music from the children and members of Good Shepherd, add Christmas prayers to the Prayer Tree and enjoy cookies and fellowship.

7th annual Christmas Cantata, 5 p.m., Liberty Baptist Church, 11th and Main streets, Fremont. The hour-long program is titled The Hope of Christmas. The cantata consists of a choir and a play portion. There will be light refreshments after the program. Everyone is invited and there is no admission charge.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Archbishop Bergan Catholic School 7th-12th grade Christmas concert, 6:30 p.m., St. Patricks Catholic Church, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Point of Freedom Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Education Building, west of the church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Enter through the rear door.

Alcoholics Anonymous Sunday speaker, 7:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Monday

TOPS Club (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), 9 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 850 N. Broad St., Fremont. Weigh-ins begin at 8 a.m. Visitors (preteens, teens and adults  male and female) are welcome. The first meeting is free. For more information, call Janet Bloemker at 402-721-8952.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Humanities of Nebraska speaker, 10:30 a.m., Fremont Friendship Center. Charlotte Endorf will present the program, Excess baggage  The Orphan Train. The Fremont High School Chorale will perform at noon, following the presentation and lunch. Call 402-727-2815 for reservations.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Breast Cancer Support Group, noon-1 p.m., Dunklau Conference Room, Fremont Health Medical Center.

Fremont Health Medical Center Auxiliary Board Meeting, noon, Fremont Healths Health Park Plaza, 3rd floor.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Fremont Board of Education, 6:30 p.m., Main Street Education and Administration Building, 130 E. Ninth St., Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous basic text study, 6:30 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Education Building, west of the church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Enter through the rear door.

Platte Valley Civil War Round Table, 6:30 p.m., Keene Memorial Library, Fremont. The public is invited.

Fremont After 5 Christian Womens Club, 6:45 p.m., Midland University dining hall, Fremont.

Celebrate Recovery, 7-9 p.m., Sanctuary Church, 1640 W. Military Ave., Fremont. Childcare is available.

Celebrate Recovery, 7 p.m., Fremont Church of the Nazarene, 960 Johnson Road.

Alcoholics Anonymous 12x12 meeting, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.
One week after conceding defeat to opposition leader, Adama Barrow, Gambian President Yahya Jammeh on Friday, in a televised address to the country said he rejected the outcome of the election and called for fresh election conducted by a God-fearing and independent electoral commission.

Mr. Jammeh who has ruled the country for 22 years, by the announcement, has cast a shadow over the future of the small West African country after his televised phone call conceding defeat to the opposition leader led to wild celebration in major cities in the country and was hailed across the world.

After a thorough investigation, I have decided to reject the outcome of the recent election. I lament serious and unacceptable abnormalities which have reportedly transpired during the electoral process, Mr. Jammeh said.

I recommend fresh and transparent elections which will be officiated by a god-fearing and independent electoral commission, he said.

The announcement cast an air of uncertainty around the capital of the country Banjul as people stayed indoors following Mr Jammehs threat to deal severely with protesters.

The head of the countrys army, Ousman Badjie, told Mr Barrow to pledge allegiance to Mr. Jammeh, the spokesperson of the opposition said.

The army has shown unshaken loyalty to Mr. Jammeh during the 22 years of his rule, which human rights groups said was characterised by torture, political detention and extra-judicial killings.

Analysts expect Mr. Jammeh, who is widely known for being erratic, to take decisions that may affect the safety of Mr. Barrow; but opposition spokesperson said the president-elect is fine.

We are consulting on what to do, but as far as we are concerned, the people have voted, Mai Ahmad Fatty told Reuters. We will maintain peace and stability and not let anyone provoke us into violence.

The electoral commission initially gave Mr.Barrow 45.5 percent of the vote against Jammehs 36.7 percent but later reviewed the result giving Mr Barrow a slimmer victory of 43.3 percent with less than 20,000 votes over the incumbent.

Early in the week, leaders of the opposition party had threatened to stop Mr Jammeh from leaving the country after he hands over. They suggested that he might be imprisoned for the alleged human rights violations committed during his long tenure.

Analysts believed the threat of imprisonment might have forced Mr. Jammeh to rescind his earlier decision conceding defeat.

International reactions

In a swift reaction to the announcement, neighbouring Senegal called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting. Senegal is currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council.

The countrys foreign minister, Mankeur Ndiaye, in a televised address called on Jammeh to respect the wishes of the electorate and not to do anything to harm the interest of the country or its citizens in the Gambia.

Similarly, the United States Department of States has released a statement warning Mr. Jammeh to ensure smooth and peaceful transition of power.

Describing Mr. Jammehs televised statement as reprehensible and unacceptable breach of faith with the people of Gambia, the U.S. government called on Mr Jammeh to carry out an orderly transition of power to Mr. Barrow in accordance with the constitution of the country.

The people have spoken and it is time for the Gambia to come together to ensure a peaceful transition to President-elect Barrow, the statement read.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has advised Nigerians to look beyond oil to secure economic prosperity for the country.

Mr. Ekweremadu, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, said the days of oil as super foreign exchange earner for the nation were numbered or probably over.

Mr. Ekweremadu gave the advice at the one-year anniversary celebration of the Brickhall School, Abuja, founded by former Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Joy Emodi.

The deputy senate president expressed concern that not so much attention was given to education as much as oil, which would soon become valueless.

He said the way to go for sustainable growth of the country was education for both the young and old.

Our economy is in the throes of pain today because we thought the oil windfall would last forever, he said.

Even, while it lasted, we dismantled all the necessary structures, such as fiscal federalism, that would have encouraged competitive development and massive investment in human capital.

Without prejudice to the place of petroleum resources in our national life, we must face the reality that the days of oil as super earner of foreign exchange are numbered, if not over.

Those who still look up to petroleum resources for the revival of Nigerias weather-beaten economy live in the past and are only building castles in the air.

Prosperous global economies are knowledge-driven and the future only belongs to those who equip their citizens with quality education right from birth.

This is a major reason most African nations, including Nigeria, are abjectly poor despite their rich oil and mineral resources.

Meanwhile, many of their contemporaries, such as South Korea, with very little or no mineral resources, are among the worlds leading economies.

We must look beyond oil; and we must necessarily invest in education if we intend to make any headway. It is not a matter of choice, but imperative.

The deputy president of the senate urged privately-owned educational institutions to emulate the Brickhall School in providing high standard, but pocket-friendly education.

He also urged government at all levels and public-spirited individuals to prioritise support for educational institutions through provision of adequate supervision, infrastructure, grants, donations, and tax rebates.

A situation where government is only interested in collecting exorbitant taxes from privately-owned educational institutions, leaving them to fend for themselves in terms of access roads, security, water, power, and other social infrastructures is exploitative.

The development is also unacceptable because it has virtually driven them beyond the reach of the poor.

Governments should be able to provide subsidised lands and other support in exchange of specific percentage discount for the poor to access privately owned educational institutions, he said.

He commended Mrs. Emodi for consistently exhibiting innate drive for excellence and national development through the provision of quality education.

According to him, Brickhall School has demonstrated that private-owned educational facilities could provide high quality education at affordable costs devoid of exploitation.

(NAN)
Former Vice-President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, has expressed sadness at the collapse of the building of Reigners Bible Church in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, and the loss of lives and injuries reportedly suffered by worshipers.

In a press statement issued by his Media Office on Saturday, Atiku described the incident as horrendous and fearful, and a great test of faith given that the accident took place when the church building was packed full of worshipers who were in a jubilant mood during the installation ceremony of the Church Pastor to the exalted office of a Bishop.

Atiku said many unsuspecting worshipers were caught in the confusion caused by falling blocks and collapsing roof and urged the congregation to be strengthened and comforted by Almighty God.

The former Vice President implored relevant agencies and all men and women of goodwill to do all that is necessary in providing medical care to the survivors and counselling to families of the deceased.

The APC chieftain said the Church building collapse in Uyo was one too many of incidences of building collapse across the country, adding that after the mourning, the relevant building authorities have to be more serious in approving building plans, renovation requests and monitoring of standards, equipment and the building process by experts.

He said the high incidence of collapsed buildings was causing the nation a lot in terms of human life and materials as well as the confidence as to the ability of our builders to give our people safe structures.

Atiku Abubakar condoled with the people and Government of Akwa Ibom State, Christian Association of Nigeria and families of all those who may have lost dear ones in the tragedy.
The Nigerian Army has announced the immediate ban on the sale of illicit drugs and other illegal substances at the Mammy Market at the Giginya Barracks in Sokoto.

The ban was announced in a statement by Umar Shuaib, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations on Saturday.

The statement said the action followed a directive by the Commander, 1 Brigade, Sokoto, Ginikawa Nwosu.

The statement said all shops dealing in such substances at the market had also been closed immediately.

This is in line with his commitment towards ensuring sanity in the market and the entire barracks community.

The commander is hereby assuring the Sokoto State Government, Sultanate Council and the entire people of the state that no stone will be left unturned in restoring the values and traditions of the Seat of the Caliphate.

Also, this move is in cognisance of the ethos and values of the Nigerian Army.

NAN recalls that there have been complaints from various quarters about the sale of such substances at the market, with majority of the patrons being youth, including women.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, had on December 7, appealed for the closure of the affected shops when Mr. Nwosu, a Brigadier General, paid him a courtesy call.

NAN learnt that the issue was the centre point of the meeting of the State Security Council on December 8.

A cross-section of the residents interviewed by NAN commended Mr. Nwosu for the action, saying that the sealed shops were hitherto destroying the future of the youth of the state and Nigeria in general.

(NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, on his historic win of the December 7 Ghana presidential election.

President Buhari also felicitates with the Government and people of Ghana, the National Electoral Commission, and candidates of political parties, for the decorum, maturity and peaceful conduct of the election that produced a winner from an opposition party, who was contesting for the third time.

As a scion of one of the biggest political families in Ghana, and with the lessons learnt from previous unsuccessful attempts preceded by years of service to the country, most notably as foreign affairs minister, President Buhari believes Akufo-Addo is widely experienced and skilled in leadership to build on the legacies of President John Dramani Mahama, the presidents spokesperson, Femi Adesina, said in a statement Saturday.

The Nigerian leader extolled the statesmanship and great leadership qualities of Mr. Mahama, who came into power at a trying period for the country with the passing away of former President John Atta-Mills, and kept pushing for a better life for all Ghanaians, and strengthening diplomatic relations with countries in the sub-region, especially Nigeria.

He commended the incumbent president for the great courage to call his opponent and concede defeat, stressing that leaders must always honour their pre-election pledge to accept the results of polls as the will of the people.

President Buhari remains optimistic that the future of African development rests on building strong political, democratic institutions, ensuring free, fair and credible elections, and respect for the sanctity of the ballot, the statement said.

He urged the president-elect and other winners of the parliamentary elections in Ghana to be magnanimous in victory while losers should explore peaceful and legal mechanisms to challenge the outcome of the polls where necessary.
Former Gov. Orji Kalu of Abia State says it is more beneficial for the South-East to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), in order to benefit from being in the mainstream national politics.

Mr. Kalu said this during an interaction with journalists at his Camp Neya country home at Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of the state.

He said the victories recorded by APC in the Edo and Ondo general elections proved that the APC had become acceptable to Nigerians.

He, therefore, argued that the people of the South-East would benefit more if they quit the opposition camp and stood with the decision makers in the ruling party.

Ndigbo should join APC to enable them to sit where other Nigerians are seated to decide on how to move the nation forward.

The APC electoral victories in Edo and Ondo clearly showed the popularity of the party.

So, I did not make mistake in taking the Igbos into national politics, where other Nigerians are seated; that is where I want the Igbos to sit.

So, there is nothing wrong in our joining APC for us to be able to sit where other Nigerians are seated. That is more important to me.

He said it was imperative for other prominent Igbo politicians to swell the number of people from the South-East region in APC.

He identified other APC members of South-East extraction to include the Minister of Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, among others.

Mr. Kalu commended President Muhammadu Buhari for fulfilling his promise to resume work on federal roads in the South-East.

During my visit to the president, he made a promise to me and other leaders three months ago that all the contractors would be back to the federal roads before the end of November.

Today, if you go to every federal road in Eastern Nigeria, you will see that all the contractors are back fully and this is why I joined APC.

I didnt join the party on selfish basis; I joined because the president made a promise and I have seen that the contractors are back to site.

And if they are back, why cant I believe him? He will do more, Mr. Kalu said.

He said his interest was for the South-East to have good roads, security and opportunities to trade and achieve prosperity.

On the current economic recession in the country, Mr. Kalu, who is also a renowned businessman, said: All nations of the world are going through recession; Nigeria is not an exception.

I am an international businessman; I am crying in all the countries I am doing business.

From one country to the other, the story is the same; so we are crying there as we are crying in Nigeria.

Mr. Kalu urged the president to pay attention to the economy as he had done to security.

(NAN)
The North West chapter of the All Progressive Party has quashed the suspension of Kaduna Senator, Shehu Sani, by the Kaduna State chapter of the party.

The party said every disciplinary measure should strictly follow the Constitution of the party.

Mr. Sani, who has been embroiled in a bitter row with Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was suspended twice by a faction of party loyal to Mr. El-Rufai.

But speaking at the partys zonal meeting in Dutse, Jigawa State, on Saturday, the north-west national vice chairman, Inuwa Abdulkadir, said arbitrary actions by party leaders in states against members were invitation to anarchy.

He said intra-party wrangling has threatened the foundation of the party, as such, misunderstandings should be discussed openly to foster harmony and growth in the party.

We should do all we could not to depart from the winning formula of our party in 2015, he said.

Mr. Abdulkadir urged all the warring factions in Kaduna State to respect the reconciliation committee of the party headed by the chairman of north-west governors forum, Aminu Masari, for the good of the party.

The governors of Kano, Umar Ganduje; Katsina, Bello Masari; Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal; Kebbi, Abubakar Bagudu; and Jigawa, Abubakar Badaru, attended the meeting.

Four deputy also attended as well as National Assembly members.

The party also discussed the crisis in Kano APC.
Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, was conspicuously absent at Saturdays wedding of the daughter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) factional chairman, Modu Sheriff.

The wedding was graced by top politicians and personalities from across Nigeria.

Mr. Sheriffs daughter, Halima, married Ronnie Kabo, a captain in the Nigerian Army and aide de camp to the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

Mr. Kabo is one of the sons of Kano businessman, Dan Kabo.

Top amongst those who attended the event were former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Baba Shehuri, as well as governors of Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba and Imo states.

Former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, was also at the event.

Mr. Buratai was represented by the Armys Chief of Administration, Ado Abubakar. The spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, accompanied him.

Politicians appeared to use the occasion for some realignment ahead of 2019. But while some put aside their differences at least momentarily, Borno states acrimonious politics had no letup.

The governor, Mr. Shettima, who was backed by Mr. Sheriff to attain power six years ago, avoided the event, alongside his appointees.

The governor and Mr. Sheriff parted ways barely two years after the former assumed office.

But the deputy governor of Borno, Usman Durkwa, was at the Maiduguri international airport where he received the former vice President, Atiku, and other state governors. He later attended the wedding.

Other notable faces at the event are former PDP gubernatorial flag-bearer and now APC chieftain, Kashim Imam, former presidential liaison officer to the National Assembly, Muhammed Abba Aji, former PDP national secretary, Wale Oladipo, former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, former PDP 2015 flag bearer for Borno, Gambo Lawan, and former political adviser to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, and oil merchant, Muhammed Ndimi.

The Imam Idayn of Borno State, Asil Asunusiya, led other top clerics to officiate the wedding in accordance to the Islamic rights.

This wedding is not only about joining Halima and her husband Captain Kabo, said a strong ally of Mr. Sheriff, Muhammed Kashim. It is also a sign that our leader is still being loved by his people of Borno state, six years after he has left office.
Some political party supporters in Ahoada-West council area on Saturday protested against alleged bias by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of the legislative rerun elections in Rivers.

The supporters claimed that the election materials sent to polling units were fake and would not be allowed to be used for the exercise.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent reports that the party faithful chanted slogans such as  we no gree, no result sheet, no election, our votes must count.

The supporters said they had lost confidence on INECs ability to conduct a free, fair and credible election in the area.

The protest caused many voters to leave the polling units for fear of molestation.

NAN further reports that some voters, however, stood several metres away from the voting centres, awaiting any commencement of voting.

Meanwhile, INEC Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Nick Dazang, denied the allegations, saying INEC could not have deployed fake election materials for any election.

How can INEC deploy fake election materials of which we are the custodian of our materials? he asked.

He told NAN in a telephone interview that what happened in Ahoada-West is that some result sheets were snatched and from available report, the result sheets have been replaced.

INEC cannot deploy fake result sheets. It is like saying Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is producing fake currency. Is this possible?

(NAN)
Austin Okojie, a supervising Resident Electoral Commissioner has announced the suspension of re-run legislative election in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that elections were scheduled to hold in five units of Ward 12.

Mr. Okojie told journalists at Abonnema, headquarter of Akuku-Toru Local Government on Saturday that the decision to suspend the election was taken after a meeting with representatives of parties.

He said the election would be held on Sunday.

He said INEC did not continue with the exercise because ad-hoc staff and corps members complained of lateness.

Meanwhile, representatives of the APC and PDP have expressed mixed reactions to the suspension of the election.

Tonye Alalibo, caretaker committee chairman of the local government, said that the suspension would allow a rival party manipulate the process.

Mr. Alalibo said the PDP was ready for the elections but INEC decided to suspend the process.

Isobo Jack, a leader of the APC in the area, said it was unfortunate that the elections couldnt hold but hoped that it would be held as agreed.

Mr. Jack urged his party faithful to be patient and avoid anything that could cause crisis.

(NAN)
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Fonda Lang remembers the exact moment she saw her daughter for the first time.

Her husband had joined her at work because they knew the picture was coming via email.

We opened it together, got to see her, and the description they gave of her personality was perfect, Lang remembers. She was 15 months old and they said shes quite a jokester, she likes to play and hide, that she likes books.

Nearly a decade later, she said the description is still true of her daughter.

Lang and her husband, who live in Henrico County, Virginia, adopted their children, Natalie and Trevor. At the time, Langs employer  the Henrico-based accounting firm Keiter  had no benefits for employees adopting children.

In the 2000s, when the Langs adopted Natalie and Trevor, few companies offered benefits to adoptive families.

That meant Langs only options at the time would have been to take time off through the Family and Medical Leave Act, or FMLA, or cobble together time through vacation and sick leave so she could be home with her young children.

But Lang took the situation into her own hands. She researched adoption benefit policies and approached Keiter with her suggestion of offering paid time off to adoptive families.

I presented it to the firm leadership and was ecstatic that they accepted it, Lang said. It really validated that the way Im forming my family is equal to the other families that are formed.

Keiter now has a two-week parental leave policy, which Lauren Andrews, human resources manager with the firm, said morphed out of Langs proposal.

About 20 percent of employers now offer paid adoption leave, according to the 2016 Employee Benefits report by the Society for Human Resource Management. More companies are offering employees benefits to lessen the financial and emotional toll the experience of adopting can take.

The argument over paid parental leave has been raging for several years, with some advocacy groups questioning why the U.S. does not have a policy ensuring parents have time off when they bring their children home.

According to the Pew Research Center, when compared with 41 other developed nations such as Estonia, Japan, Portugal and Chile, the U.S. is the only country that does not mandate any paid leave for new parents.

But even fewer adoptive parents are assured by their employers that they will have time with their children when they bring them home.

Henrico resident Louellen Brumgards only option when she adopted her daughter in 2004 was to take off time through FMLA because that is the only option her employer at the time, the Commonwealth of Virginia, offers. She had to use all her available vacation time and sick leave, which she said did not feel fair.

Every family needs bonding time, but especially when you first factor in the reality that the adoption process can be stressful to a family, said Nadine Marsh-Carter, CEO of the Childrens Home Society, a Richmond-based adoption agency.

It really makes a difference. As an adoptive parent, youve gone through all this unknown, and you just want them to love you as much as you love them before they come home.

Several Richmond-area employers do offer benefits to their employees who adopt that many across the country do not.

Capital One Financial Corp. and HHHunt were included on the list of the best adoption-friendly workplaces of 2016, compiled by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

Capital One offers six weeks of paid time off for adoptive families, as well as $10,000 in financial assistance  a perk that few companies offer but that helps with the sometimes massive costs associated with adopting a child.

As of 2015, CarMax offered $4,000 in financial reimbursement for each adopted child.

In addition to offering four weeks of paid leave to adoptive families, builder HHHunt provides $7,500 in maximum financial assistance to adoptive families.

Offering adoption benefits to his employees was especially important to HHHunts CEO, Harry H. Buck Hunt IV, because he was adopted.

Hunt said that when he took over the company in 2013, his human resources department suggested offering benefits to parents who adopt.

I think my first reaction was surprise that we didnt do that already. It just felt like a no-brainer to me, he said. From my perspective, I would like to see this become more of the normal standard benefit package that companies around the U.S. offer.

The costs HHHunt sustained after providing adoption benefits were minimal, he added. Anyone who has children, whether via natural birth or through adoption, has to spend time away from work, so the company is already prepared for that reality.

And the ultimate cost to the company is very little compared with the benefit provided to the employee, Hunt added.

The adoption process now is much more arduous than it was back when (my parents) adopted me, he said. I know it means so much to parents who are able to adopt to finally bring that baby home.

All parents deserve the same treatment.

Brumgard and her husband, Bill Melton, spent two weeks in China when they adopted their daughter, Emma. She was 15 months old and living in an orphanage.

By cobbling together her vacation time and sick leave, Brumgard was able to take off two months.

Her husband did the same and took off one month.

They took their time separately so Emma would be home with a parent for three months after she got home.

That was especially necessary because while Emma was in an orphanage, she slept with another baby in her crib, so she did not want to sleep by herself when her parents brought her home.

When I was home, I slept with her, and I remember the first night I did that she actually laid across me ... because she was afraid that I would leave, Brumgard said.

Brumgard slept with Emma during the week, and her husband slept with her on the weekend so Brumgard could catch up on her lost sleep. Then when her husband stayed home with Emma for a month, they switched.

We were really thankful and lucky that ... we didnt have to take leave without pay, Brumgard said. That might not be the case for other families.

For me, I dont really consider that to be a perk of a job, I consider that to really be (the way) the United States should take care of families.

Deborah J. Debbie Johnston  who Gov. Terry McAuliffe appointed Virginias Adoption Champion in 2014  said parents who adopt are often in special need of bonding time when they bring the children home.

In Emmas situation, she was used to a different sleep pattern than she had at her home, so it required more time from Brumgard and her husband to get her acclimated.

For other families who may adopt older children, Johnston pointed out, that bonding time is even more important.

Theyre working with kids that are coming out of, usually, not great situations, so theyre trying to bond and heal, said Johnston, the founder and president of Care Advantage Inc., a Chesterfield County-based home health care business.

I think they need six months, because its not like youre getting a new little pink or blue bundle; youre getting a child thats been through a lot.

Marsh-Carter of the Childrens Home Society argues further in favor of parental leave, saying it is good for the children, as well.

It really has a tangible benefit for the child, she said. I adopted, and (the children) needed to understand that we are mommy and daddy, and we needed to understand that theyd had a loss  the natural loss of no longer being with your biological family, and then going to a foster family, bonding with them, and theres another loss there.

Theyre learning to love and respond and be empathetic just by the love the adoptive family gives them.
HAMMONTON  When New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance opened its first South Jersey branch in 2000, the company had about 25 people in a little, leased building on the White Horse Pike.

Sixteen years later, NJM has more than 300 workers in Hammonton, and its still growing. Carl Powell, an assistant vice president, said the company expects to add at least 30 more employees starting early next year.

And it has plenty more room to grow in the 147,000-square-foot facility the company opened in 2010 on Route 54, not far from the Atlantic City Expressway. That came after a move from a second rented building in Hammonton.

NJM got to its new home with 190 workers, but they were all stationed on the first two floors of the building. Two years ago, the company broke through to its top third floor, where some of the desks have views of the fields that lend the town its nickname, the Blueberry Capital of the World.

In 2014, the company said it had about 275 people in the building.

How much are homes selling for near you? Transactions are from county property records. Settlement dates are listed; deed filings may

And even if it fills all its empty desks, including a row waiting for workers on the top floor, the company still has expansion potential on its 55-acre campus.

Powell said in its current configuration, the building has room for 500 workers. Plus an empty area outside the offices has the footings built in for an addition, and the company already has the approvals it needs to build there. Linda Coles, a corporate spokeswoman, added the company has more than 600 spots available on a parking deck and surface lot.

That possible expansion area is next to a three-story atrium that sits at the back of the building. The atrium can fit more than 500 people and sometimes gets used for big community events, including a town-hall meeting for Gov. Chris Christie in 2011 and Hammontons 150th birthday celebration earlier this year.

Thats a wonderful space, and its so large, said Mayor Steve DiDonato. They had plenty of seating. It was just a tremendous day there.

As mayor, DiDonato is an enthusiastic backer of the seemingly ever-expanding company in town.

Agritourism booms in Cape May County Summer visitors flock to the beaches and boardwalks in Cape May County. But on the mainland,

Its a tremendous (tax) ratable, but New Jersey Manufacturers is a tremendous neighbor, too. Theyre always willing to donate their time, services and manpower, he said.

And as far as jobs, theres a ton of high-paying jobs there. Any time you can bring 300 jobs to a small town, thats a tremendous accomplishment. Its a clean industry and a beautiful campus, the mayor added. We literally are blessed  to be associated with New Jersey Manufacturers.

NJM officials say theyre equally happy to be in Hammonton, largely because its central location, about halfway between Philadelphia and Atlantic City, helps them find good applicants to fill all those openings.

New Jersey Manufacturers is the second-biggest automobile insurer in the state, with more than 800,000 customers, and the company claims to be New Jerseys biggest workers compensation insurer.

That insurance line traces directly back to NJMs founding in 1913, when executives from businesses around the state decided they were paying too much for workers comp insurance, so they got together and formed their own company.

In A.C., a century of one-stop shopping for Realtors ATLANTIC CITY  It can take a lot to sell a house, and most of what it takes was seen Wednes

We have employees who come from Camden County, Gloucester, Burlington, Cumberland, Cape May, Mercer, Powell said. We have a big contingent from the Manahawkin area. Its easy to get to, and were pulling from a good, large area.

Coles added recent recruits include a few former casino workers. And as he looked out over the campus from beside the atrium, building-services director Frank Galloway, a 34-year company veteran, added another advantage NJMs wide-open campus gives the company to attract talent:

Just on their own grounds, the workers have about a mile of paved trail they can use for exercise.
On a rainy Wednesday in the rectory of St. Michaels Church in Atlantic City, the MudGirls are hard at work, rolling out clay and carefully cutting it.

In the kitchen, a fresh pot of coffee is dwindling along with a tray of cheese, crackers and baked goods.

This isnt a group of 20- or 30-something women who steal away for a few hours to make ceramics but rather a brainchild of Dorrie Papademetriou thats helping economically disadvantaged and homeless women in Atlantic City get back on their feet.

The coffee and treats are just a sweet bonus.

Its a really nice, safe, warm environment; we share and we work, said Papademetriou, a former curator at the Noyes Museum. We learn a lot. I dont think anyone really did clay before, but its the way we approach forms in such that, anyone can really do it. Ive always enjoyed clay and found so much joy out of working the clay and using your hands to create something functional and beautiful.

In January, Papademetriou formed MudGirls Studio, a 501(3) organization, and brought along some of the women who had shown interest. The Rev. John Thomas at St. Michaels offered them the space to use as a studio, for which Papademetriou is grateful.

A few times a week, the women and Papademetriou gather in the rectory, which doubles as their studio, to create pottery that the women can sell for additional income.

Many of the core MudGirls who show up in the studio have been homeless but have recently either moved into apartments or boarding houses, Papademetriou said. Some, she said, are on assistance or disability.

The ultimate goal is to create a cottage industry here in Atlantic City that, through selling the work, people can earn a supplemental income, she said.

Cheese plates, bowls, ornaments and vases are just a few of their specialties.

A radio plays softly in the background. The women are focused on their work, quiet mostly, and occasionally dust off their hands to take a sip of coffee.

Atlantic City resident Donna, who did not want to give her last name, is originally from Philadelphia but has spent time homeless and on the streets of Washington, D.C. Donna said she loves the few hours she has in the morning with her fellow MudGirls in the studio.

Its very therapeutic, Donna said. (You have) to be in a place where youre homeless to understand being out on the street ... walking all night, going to sleep at the bus station or train station or behind the trash cans to get some rest, that this is a very therapeutic setting for us.

Many of the women Papademetriou met through her time teaching clay and ceramics at Adelaides Place, a day shelter for homeless women in Atlantic City.

The program, Papademetriou said, is like an oasis for the women who participate.

Theres something about creating something with your hands thats tangible to look at and say, I did this. Its sort of a way to affirm your existence; if thats there, then Im somebody. I make, therefore I am.

Some of the women, she said, are tired from wandering the streets and only catching a few hours of sleep. Otherwise, (more) of them would be participating. But they have other, obvious priorities. These guys are kind of getting on their feet. Which is the transitions we want to have happen. If we can do that with more people, that would be great. Its a commitment thing. They have to be committed to be here doing the work.

For the women in the studio, Papademetrious nonprofit is doing more than just helping them earn some extra cash.

(Dorrie) gives us a chance to motivate our minds, lift our spirits up, Donna said.

Around the table, Atlantic City resident and MudGirl Alana Lawless said each one gravitates toward their strengths. Lawless enjoys detail work, while others such as Mary Anne, who didnt provide a last name, are good at making vases and finishing details.

I like doing detail work. These guys, they do the vases where you have to bring the clay together and seam it. Ive watched it at least 30 times but Ive yet to get my feet wet and do it. Im a chicken, said Lawless, who splits her time between the studio and helping out at Adelaides.

I like cleaning up stuff to give it continuity, said Lawless. I always liked drawing when I was young, but I never worked with clay.

Mary Anne, who doesnt have a background in art, said she likes learning how to create pottery, rolling out the clay and being around the other MudGirls.

I was flattered when Dorrie asked me to be apart of MudGirls, Mary Anne said.

No two pieces are the same. Not a single created piece doesnt touch the hands of each MudGirl.

At a recent fair-trade gift show at Stockton University, Donna recalled walking in and seeing their work laid out by Papademetriou, like it was Gimbles. The sight brought Donna to tears.

I was like, Wow, and I started crying because the way she set it up  it was beautiful, she said.

Lawless was taken aback by the response their work received at the show.

Out of the whole place, people told us we were one of the best booths, she said. It was unbelievable.

Papademetriou said the goal is to expand MudGirls and move into a larger space with a kiln on site. Lawless jokes another one with a kitchen would be ideal.

The mission is validating these people and giving them a purpose, while making beautiful pieces, Papademetriou said.I love this.
Several roads in Atlantic City and Hamilton Township are closed Monday afternoon for the funeral of State Police Trooper Frankie Williams, who died earlier this week in a crash on Route 55 in Millville.

In Atlantic City, the beach blocks of Texas, Florida and Mississippi avenues and Columbia Place will be closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mississippi Avenue between Atlantic and Pacific avenues will be closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pacific Avenue between Texas and Arkansas avenues, Atlantic Avenue between Georgia and Arkansas avenues, and Arkansas Avenue between Georgia Avenue and the Atlantic City Expressway will be closed from 2 to 4 p.m.

Drivers will not be allowed to cross Arkansas Avenue during these times and should use Routes 322 and 30 and the Atlantic City Connector as alternate routes.

Bicycles will not be allowed on the Boardwalk between Texas and Missouri avenues.

In Hamilton Township, police will close Route 40 from the Black Horse Pike, in front of the Hamilton Mall, to the intersection of River Road and Main Street in Mays Landing, between 1 and 5 p.m.

Police said the procession also will cause periodic road closings at Wrangleboro Road between the Atlantic City Expressway entrance and the pike.

Detours will be posted, and drivers should expect delays.

Gov. Chris Christie has ordered all state buildings to fly flags at half-staff Monday in recognition of Williams.

The Press will have full coverage of Williams funeral beginning at 7 a.m. Monday. Follow at pressofac.com, facebook.com/pressofac and on Twitter @ThePressofAC.
PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP  The Pinelands Commission voted unanimously Friday to hold another public hearing and vote on whether a proposed South Jersey Gas pipeline meets its rules.

The commission could have tried to appeal a Nov. 7 state appellate panel decision that threw the fate of the pipeline back to its 15 commissioners, but after a closed session with Helene Chudzik of the state Attorney Generals Office decided against it.

The commission meeting was packed with people on both sides of the issue but dominated by pipeline opponents. It was the first meeting since the court decision.

A special meeting has been set for 9:30 a.m. Jan. 24 at the Ocean Acres Community Center at 489 Nautilus Drive in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township, and the public-comment period will end at 5 p.m. that day, the commission announced on its website after the meeting.

Pinelands Commission keeping pipeline discussion under wraps PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP  The South Jersey Gas pipeline application is not on the agenda for Frid

After taking comments from the public, commission staff will make a recommendation to commissioners, who may vote on whether the pipeline should proceed at their February meeting.

There were not enough seats at Fridays meeting for those who showed up. Dozens of people had to stand in the lobby, and many had asked the commission to find a larger place to hold the hearing.

Pipeline opponents were angry the commissions agenda, made available on its website before the meeting, did not mention anything about the pipeline and did not give the public notice that action on it might be taken.

They also complained the commission did not take any public comment before voting on the resolution.

South Jersey Gas wants to build a 22-mile pipeline from Maurice River Township to the B.L. England Generating Station in the Beesleys Point section of Upper Township so the plant can convert from coal and oil to natural gas.

The pipeline would travel along roadsides through about 10 miles of protected Pinelands Forest Area, which is why it needs permission from the commission to proceed.

South Jersey Gas pipeline approval on hold, court says The fate of the South Jersey Gas pipeline is on hold, after a state Appellate Court decision

Commission Executive Director Nancy Wittenberg had unilaterally decided South Jersey Gas application met the commissions rules and could proceed last year, but environmental groups sued, challenging her right to do that.

A three-judge appellate panel agreed, saying the authority rests with the commissioners.

The commissioners on Friday also voted unanimously for a similar resolution on a second pipeline proposed for the northern part of the Pinelands by New Jersey Natural Gas. Wittenberg had given it the right to proceed as well, and her decision on that was also challenged in court.

Pipeline supporters who attended Fridays meeting, including representatives of several unions and two plant workers, said building it will provide needed jobs and protect the jobs of those who run the plant.

The plant will have to close if it cannot convert to natural gas.

The commissioners voted against allowing the project to proceed as a public development in 2014, then the gas company came back with an application as a private development in 2015.

Wittenberg decided the private development met the requirements of the commissions Comprehensive Management Plan and didnt need to be voted on by the commissioners, clearing the way for approval by the state Board of Public Utilities.

The Sierra Club of New Jersey, Environment New Jersey and the Pinelands Preservation Alliance then filed lawsuits.

Several on the commission today were not there for the first round of public input and for the January 2014 vote that narrowly went against the pipeline.

Giuseppe Joe Chila, a Gloucester County freeholder, joined the commission as Gloucester Countys representative in January, after former commissioner from the county Francis Witt retired.

Witt had voted in favor of the pipeline.

After the January 2014 no vote, two commissioners who voted against the pipeline were replaced by Gov. Chris Christie or by the county that made the appointment.

Great benefits of converting B.L. England remain through years of delays The many advantages to South Jersey of converting the B.L. England power plant to natural ga

Cumberland County freeholders replaced longtime commissioner Leslie Ficcaglia, of Port Elizabeth, with real estate professional Jane Jannarone, of Vineland.

Christie replaced Robert Jackson, of Middle Township, with Bob Barr, of Ocean City.

And the U.S. Secretary of the Interiors appointee to the commission, Joseph DiBello, is retiring next month. He is superintendent of the National Park Services Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail and voted no on the pipeline in 2014.
TRENTON  A bill that would expand the reach of missing persons notices via social media was signed by Gov. Chris Christie this week.

The new law, sponsored by Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo, D-Atlantic, requires the state attorney general and State Police to develop a plan to distribute Amber and Silver Alert information on the New Jersey State Police media accounts.

The information posted on social media could include a description and photo of the missing person and any known details of the kidnapping or disappearance, according to a statement from Mazzeo.

Brown calls on Christie to overturn $225,000 CRDA severance package ATLANTIC CITY  Assemblyman Chris Brown called on Gov. Chris Christie Wednesday to overturn 

Being able to get information out to as many people as possible about a missing person is crucial in these cases, Mazzeo said in the statement. Most people are plugged into social media and use it consistently. There is no reason why law enforcement should not be able to use it to spread the word about Amber and Silver Alerts and help bring people who are in danger safely back home.

TRENTON  A bill that will forgive student loan debt in the event of the death or permanent disability of the borrower was signed by Gov. Chris Christie this week.

The new law, sponsored by Assemblymen Vince Mazzeo, D-Atlantic; Bob Andrzejczak, D-Cape May, Atlantic, Cumberland; and Bruce Land, D-Cape May, Atlantic, Cumberland, directs the state Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to forgive student loans in the event of the borrowers death or total and permanent disability.

To qualify for the loan forgiveness, the borrower who is permanently disabled must submit a letter from a doctor who is a specialist of medicine or osteopathy and is legally authorized to practice, declaring that the student borrower is totally and permanently disabled.

In some cases, a spouse ends up widowed and struggling to support a family and then they are hit with a student loan bill on top of it all. This law will make sure that doesnt happen, Andrzejczak said in a statement.

In the event of the death of the student borrower under the NJCLASS Loan Program, the person in charge of the estate must provide a certified death certificate within 120 days to forgive the loan.
ATLANTIC CITY  Fifty years after the land was cleared in the name of redevelopment, someone will finally build something on whats left of Paulines Prairie, the citys notoriously vacant property.

Boraie Development will break ground this week on an $81 million residential complex, one of the largest market-rate apartment projects the city has seen in decades.

Paulines Prairie will become The Beach at South Inlet: 250 apartments with hardwood floors, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

The complex, intended to attract millennials, will include a courtyard with a pool, a gym and an amazing residents lounge, said Wasseem Boraie, vice president of the New Brunswick, Middlesex County-based developer.

I can assure you there is no product like this in Atlantic City, Boraie, 44, said Thursday. Theres actually no product like this in Atlantic County.

Equipment arrived Friday at the 4-acre grassy lot bound by Atlantic, Pacific, New Jersey and Connecticut avenues. Construction should take about 18 months, Boraie said.

Officials hope the project will help inject new life in the Southeast Inlet, a neighborhood known for its abundance of empty properties. During the 1960s, Atlantic City Housing Authority Director Pauline Hill dismantled the neighborhood to make way for commercial development that in large part never came. The long-vacant land was dubbed Paulines Prairie.

Boraie bought the 4-acre lot where apartments will rise and an adjacent 4-acre field from the authority for $1 million in 2013.

I think that should bring some excitement to our community, said 1st Ward City Councilman Aaron Sporty Randolph, who represents the South Inlet. Its good news.  People finally can say they see something on that land, because its been empty for so long and its taken a while for it to come to fruition.

Beside the Boraie project, the former Revel casino, now known as TEN, is scheduled to reopen early next year. Neighboring Showboat Atlantic City is undergoing a rebranding. A Boardwalk reconstruction project is underway. And the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority has acquired and prepared vacant lots in the area for development.

Mayor Don Guardian said the South Inlet needed a jump start and he hopes the Boraie project will spark other development in the neighborhood.

I think once you see that theyre in the ground, theyre building, you start seeing cranes in the sky, I think a lot of people will say, Now must be the time, Guardian said.

Wasseem Boraie agrees, calling his project a piece of the South Inlet puzzle. He also dismisses the doom and gloom surrounding the city, now under state control after its finances deteriorated when it lost its East Coast gambling monopoly.

Atlantic City still has a $2.5 billion gaming industry, something Boraie said any mayor in the state would want. The resort has a 100-year history of being a tourist destination and occasionally rebranding itself, he said.

I think whats happening now, this is a moment for Atlantic City to kind of reposition itself as a quality-of-life city, Boraie said.

Monthly rent at the apartments will be $1,200 a month, but 20 percent of the units will be rented at a workforce rate of about $800 a month, Boraie said.

Im happy Boraie is going to bring luxurious housing with the affordable component to it so our people can enjoy such nice amenities, Council President Marty Small said.

But is there a market for what Boraies offering: more rental housing in a county that leads the nation in foreclosures and lost five casinos in two years?

Some local officials, such as state Sen. Jim Whelan, didnt see the need for new apartments in a city that already has 70 percent rental housing.

The project is in line for a $15 million loan from the CRDA, a $15 million loan from the state Economic Development Authority and a $30 million loan from the state Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. Whelan, D-Atlantic, had urged CRDA and HMFA to reconsider their offers.

Funeral arrangements set for Frankie Williams, State Police trooper killed in Cumberland crash The viewing for Frankie Williams, the State Police trooper who was killed in a head-on colli

Its going to happen, so I hope Im wrong, Whelan said Thursday. But to me, to take CRDA money and EDA money and dedicate it to rental housing in a city that doesnt need rental housing, an area that has a glut of housing  we need jobs. We should be focused on that, bringing our efforts into creating jobs and diversifying the economy.

But Boraie believes theres pent-up demand for what hes building. And he said there hasnt been a project like his in this town for a long time.

Show me evidence of a brand-new rental building in Atlantic City that didnt work, he said. You cant show me one. There hasnt been any in 45 years.
ATLANTIC CITY  About 50 volunteers canvassed the Chelsea section of Atlantic City on Saturday morning installing free smoke detectors for any interested resident.

The program was part of a larger national campaign to help prevent injuries or death related to home fires that go undetected.

The Red Cross worked in conjunction with the Atlantic City Fire Department on the program.

The heart of this is the volunteers, said Carol Cohen, executive director of the American Red Cross in South Jersey.

Cohen said this is the third time the program has been held in Atlantic City and that at least one family in the city was saved from a fire because of smoke detectors that were installed by volunteers.

The goal of the program is to install 9,400 smoke detectors throughout New Jersey, she said.

In addition to installing the smoke detectors, the volunteers were taught how to talk to people about how to reduce the risk of fire. Volunteers gathered at Vagabonds restaurant in Atlantic City before going out to canvas the Chelsea section.
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  A former Little Egg Harbor Township teacher and graduate of Stockton University is getting closer to helping more people with lymphedema across the United States.

Catherine Rosenberg, 34, a doctoral student at Rutgers University-Camden, is using her background in mathematics and computer science to develop a standardized method to measure lymphedema, or calculate the volume of fluid that builds up in the bodys limbs.

Rosenberg, with research partner Dr. Eric Chang, lymphedema specialist and surgical oncologist at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, announced Friday to the Stockton community that the calculation method now has U.S. patent-pending status.

Were now working with more lymphedema therapists and hearing what they think of the method, Chang said, to see how this works and see if we need to make it more user-friendly.

Rosenberg said she hopes this will be the standard method used by all hospitals and lymphedema specialists across the country in the future.

Currently, there is no such method. Each hospital, specialist and therapist uses different ways to measure fluid volume in a patients limbs, which makes it difficult to track a patients disease.

It gets even more complicated when a patient moves between hospitals or specialist physicians, Chang said, because then each doctor has to start measurements from scratch.

Lymphedema occurs sporadically in otherwise healthy people. It is much more common among people who have had lymph nodes removed or had surgeries and radiation treatment for cancer.

Much of Rosenbergs preliminary data and tests were based on her own lymphedema, which developed and progressed after a fight with a rare childhood form of carcinoma.

She has suffered much of her life with a swollen left leg, which sometimes became one-third bigger than her right. The condition also caused infections and pain walking.

This is where we've left state health care legislation at the end of 2016 State lawmakers made some of their last actions and statements of the year this week on heal

Chang performed vascularized lymph node transfer surgery on Rosenberg in May 2015, which helped reduce swelling and improve fluid drainage in her lymphatic system. Her left leg is now only 12 percent larger than the other, which is much less than the 32 percent she started with.

Rosenberg collaborates with Chang in between studying for her Ph.D., teaching at Rutgers and maintaining her health.

Its really good to get someone elses perspective when youre doing something like this, Chang said. With Catherine, she can tell me certain things based on what shes been through that I may have not thought about otherwise.

Rosenberg said she is not only working on something shes interested in as a mathematician, but from a personal perspective as well.

Its been great working with Eric on this, she said. Its been wonderful because I can explain my thoughts from both the mathematical and personal perspectives.
ATLANTIC CITY Three men face numerous charges after they allegedly were found by police with a car reported stolen, drugs and weapons.

Officers Jonathan Walsh and Robert Reynolds were patrolling Atlantic City looking for a Toyota that had been reported stolen. At about 8:40 p.m. Friday, the officers were driving near the intersection of Tennessee and Magellan avenues when the stolen car drove by them the other way, police said in a news release.

The officers immediately turned around and pulled over the car. They arrested Marcus Seda, 20, of Atlantic City, Malik Waddell, 23, of Atlantic City, and Antoine Jones, 21, of Egg Harbor Township, after allegedly finding cocaine and two loaded handguns in the car.

All three were charged with two counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, one count of receiving stolen property and one count of joyriding.

Waddell and Jones were taken to the Atlantic County jail after failing to post $50,000 bail. Sedas bail was set at $50,500 because he already had two active warrants for his arrest.
They were two men headed in opposite directions on Route 55 on Monday night, and their meeting at milepost 22.2 in Millville resulted in shock and sorrow.

State Trooper Frankie Williams, 31, and 61-year-old psychiatrist Lloyd Rudley died as a result of a head-on crash. State Police said Rudleys car crossed the median and hit Williams cruiser in the northbound lanes.

Friends and families went into mourning for two men who, according to people who knew them, likely had more in common than they would ever realize.

Williams was called a role model, a man always willing to help friends and neighbors. Former co-workers at Lowes in his hometown of Egg Harbor Township said he was loved and well-known. He and his wife, Kimberly, married in September and hoped to have children. He fulfilled a lifelong dream by becoming a state trooper, graduating from the State Police Academy in January.

Funeral arrangements set for Frankie Williams, State Police trooper killed in Cumberland crash The viewing for Frankie Williams, the State Police trooper who was killed in a head-on colli

Those who knew Rudley called him quiet, shy, gentle and kind, and someone who always had a good word for those he met. He was the guy who always had the pocket protector at Vineland High School, where he was valedictorian of the graduating class of 1973. He fulfilled his dream of becoming a doctor, graduating from Drexel University College of Medicine in 1981 and practicing psychiatry for more than three decades. The Philadelphia resident kept an office in Elmer, Salem County.

Those who knew Rudley say that while people are rightly praising Williams on social media for his life and service, others are wrongly condemning Rudley as everything from a reckless drunken driver to a murderer.

I hate to hear all of those negative comments, said Fifi Lerner, a Delray Beach, Florida, resident who graduated with Rudley from Vineland High. Everybody has this all wrong. Thats not the person that we all knew.

Vineland resident Elaine Greenberg, who also graduated with Rudley in 1973, called Mondays accident a tragedy.

Former coworkers mourn death of Frankie Williams ahead of vigil EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  When Ted Knox, store manager at Lowes, heard the news about State Tro

It was just an accident, Greenberg said. Two very nice men who lost their lives.

(Williams) wanted to be a state trooper, she said. (Rudleys) high school dream was to be a doctor. Basically, that was the goal of both their careers, helping people.

State Police said theyre still investigating what caused Rudleys vehicle to cross a wide, grassy median and hit Williams cruiser.

Whats clear is that the events that eventually led to Williams and Rudleys deaths included calls from motorists earlier Monday evening about a car being driven erratically in the southbound lanes of Route 55.

Tapes of those cellphone calls to Cumberland Countys emergency dispatch center revealed a growing sense of alarm from motorists. They reported a possible drunken driver swerving on the highway, a person who resembled an elderly woman driving wildly with one flat tire, and traffic that slowed to about 20 mph because a vehicle was all over the road.

Williams, who was assigned to the State Police barracks in Port Norris, Commercial Township, and apparently another state trooper, were dispatched to investigate. Both were heading north when Rudleys car hit Williams cruiser shortly before 7 p.m.

State Police have not said whether Rudley was the person whose driving prompted the 911 calls. All they are saying is that Rudleys Toyota Corolla matched witnesses descriptions of the car driven erratically in the southbound lanes.

What followed was what Millville police Capt. Daniel Baer said was a call for help from State Police. Millville first responders raced to the scene, soon to be joined by units from other jurisdictions.

Baer said he arrived on the scene about 7:30 p.m. to find Rudley already pronounced dead in what he called one of the most horrific accidents hed ever seen.

The engines of both vehicles were pushed into the passenger section. Willams cruiser had overturned and apparently caught fire for a short time. It took rescuers about an hour to right the vehicle, saw off its roof and remove Williams.

Any time theres a call like this, its intense. But when you know its a law-enforcement officer, it just heightens things, said Millville Fire Chief Mike Lippincott. A lot of guys were affected by it. A lot of the guys were upset.

Police chaplains eventually arrived on the scene to comfort first responders, including some who reportedly remained at the crash site until about 3 a.m. Tuesday.

Roads closing in Atlantic City, Hamilton for trooper's funeral Several roads in Atlantic City and Hamilton Township are closed Monday afternoon for the fun

Williams died later Monday night after being airlifted to Cooper University Hospital in Camden.

Since then, people from throughout South Jersey have performed acts of kindness linked to Williams death.

A Red, White and Blue Mass at St. Marys school in Vineland on Wednesday to honor members of the military and first responders included prayers for Williams.

A Girl Scout troop from the Collings Lakes section of Buena Vista Township delivered a poster with special messages to troopers at the barracks there. An entry on the State Police Facebook page reads, They sent us thoughts, prayers and hugs. And we sure could use all three right now.

And on Thursday night, more than 150 people gathered outside the firehouse in the Leesburg section of Maurice River Township for a vigil to honor Williams.

Greenberg said she last saw Rudley at their class 35th reunion in 2008. Rudley seemed fine and enjoyed himself at the gathering, she said.

Greenberg said the news of Rudleys death prompted her to start looking for a photo she took of him at the reunion. Rudley had a big smile on his face, she said.

I dont ever remember him being anything but happy, she said.

A viewing for Williams is planned for 8 a.m. to noon Monday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The viewing is expected to draw a large number of law-enforcement members.

Lerner said Rudleys parents, both Holocaust survivors, are deceased. She said she doesnt believe he has any living relatives.

No information was available about Rudleys funeral.
Pamela White, whose son Phillip died in March 2015 in the custody of Vineland police, did not receive closure when a Cumberland County grand jury decided in June not to indict the two officers involved.

White and her pastor, the Rev. James A. Dunkins of Shiloh Baptist Church in Vineland and the Concerned Men of South Jersey group, want to know what happened to her son, and they have ideas on how to manage police-resident altercations in the future.

I just dont understand, if they dont have anything to hide and if the facts are there, why they wont release anything to the family, White said Friday.

White, her attorney Stanley King of King & King in Woodbury, Gloucester County, and the mens group held a news conference Thursday to bring awareness to the lack of cooperation they said they are receiving from the Cumberland County Prosecutors Office.

Phillip White, 32, of Vineland, died in police custody en route to a hospital after he was subdued with the aid of a police K-9 and arrested by city police officers responding to a report of a disorderly person in the 100 block of West Grape Street.

An autopsy by the state medical examiner called the cause of death PCP intoxication and the manner of death accidental, according to a statement by the Prosecutors Office.

The decision not to indict the officers followed the presentation June 8 of evidence that included witness interviews, an analysis of forensic evidence and a review of cellphone videos taken by civilians at the scene, Cumberland County First Assistant Prosecutor Harold Shapiro said.

Since that decision, family members have been trying to obtain information from the prosecutors office, particularly the autopsy report, but they have not received anything, White and Dunkins said. Last month, the family filed a civil lawsuit against the city of Vineland, the police chief and police officers.

While White waits for more answers, she has to spend another holiday season without her oldest son.

He was like any other son. If I needed him, he came, she said. He was my friend, my son. He was very gentle and kind.

Since her sons death, Dunkins and her fellow Shiloh Baptist Church members have been there for her  whether it was a shoulder to cry on or financial support, White said. All the holidays have been bad since her sons death, because he used to spend them with her, she said.

Its very difficult to live my life without him, she said.

Supporting White during Thursdays news conference was a group of 55 people, which included her younger son, Paige Alexander Waugh, 26, of Vineland, and Wayne Alexander Waugh, who helped raise Phillip White.

White said she would like more information about what happened to her son before the new year.

In the nearly two years since Phillip Whites death, the mental stress has caused his mother to be physically ill, Dunkins said.

Dunkins said White made it through Thanksgiving, but part of the reason the news conference was held Thursday was to give her a better Christmas, by letting her see that other people care.

The release of the autopsy to the family would show whether his physical altercation with the officers played any role in his death and whether he had enough PCP in his system to kill him, Dunkins said.

There also was a concern that the 15-month period between Whites death and the grand jury decision was part of a strategy in cases like this, Dunkins said.

Let it die down, out of sight and out of mind, Dunkins said Friday.

Requests also were made during the news conference to establish a community liaison board to meet with police and prosecutors to discuss how to calm the community in these types of cases, and for an independent prosecutor to be involved in cases that could divide the community.

During the news conference, White thanked everyone for attending.

It helps me have hope that we can find the truth about my son, she said.
LAGOS, Nigeria, December 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) will host what is being billed as the continent's most critical summit on African infrastructure in Abuja, Nigeria, on 27-28 March 2017.

AFC Live 2017, to be opened by Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, is a global event that will bring together financiers, developers and policy makers to discuss how to increase private sector investment and deal flows in the African infrastructure space.

The two-day event will also mark the Corporation's remarkable first decade since its inception in 2007. It has invested over $4 billion on projects covering 26 African countries and it is setting regional benchmarks in its complementary service areas - project development, financial advisory and principal investing.

The theme for the two-day event is 'AFC Live 2017 - Connect. Engage. Innovate - The African Infrastructure Revolution'. (The first edition of AFC Live was held in 2014).

The often poor state of the existing infrastructure has been identified as the major bottleneck to Africa's development. The pressure on these assets will continue to intensify in light of the explosive population growth and expanding urbanisation. Rapid and sustained infrastructure development is essential if the continent is to unlock its potential and embark on an era of prosperity.

While the challenge is enormous, the response has been robust, led by organisation such as the AFC. A growing number of expertly constructed private-public partnerships (PPP) has led to an upsurge of infrastructure projects across the continent and are helping to build tomorrow's Africa. But much more still needs to be done.

"Our unique public and private shareholder base and our in-depth knowledge of the African market positions us well to address Africa's pressing infrastructure investment and development needs" says Andrew Alli, President and CEO of AFC. "But we need to find new models to fast track investments and reduce lead times from inception to completion".

AFC Live will explore these ideas and concepts in depth, showcase recent success stories and provide networking and deal making facilities.

"Today," says Alli, "investors can partner with a growing number of African institutions, and private sector companies, to take advantage of the African opportunity, as well as working with them to navigate the perceived African risk. The return on investment, as the AFC has proved, is considerable.

By getting the key players in this space under one roof, I am sure numerous ways to scale up investments and put together the right frameworks to encourage private sector investment in key sectors will emerge".

The AFC last week signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Morocco's Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP) aimed at increasing pan-African collaboration in financing vital infrastructure projects in North and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The MoU signing comes on the back of the launch of the Africa Infrastructure Development Association, a private sector initiative to bring about successful financing and project development solutions for infrastructure projects across the continent.

CONNECT. ENGAGE. INNOVATE - Join the Infrastructure Revolution!

For further information visit: http://www.africafc.org

Note to Editors:

About AFC

AFC, an international investment grade multilateral finance institution, was established in 2007 with an equity capital base of US$1 billion, to be the catalyst for private sector infrastructure investment across Africa. With a current balance sheet size of approximately US$3.2 billion, AFC is now the second highest investment grade rated multilateral financial institution in Africa with an A3/P2 (Stable outlook) rating from Moody's Investors Service. In May 2015, AFC successfully concluded a debut US$750 million Eurobond issue which was 7 times oversubscribed and attracted investors from Asia, Europe and the USA.



AFC's investment approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development and risk capital to address Africa's infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth.



AFC invests in high quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications.



Follow us on Twitter - @africa_finance





For more information contact:







AFC

Lucy Savage

Vice President, Communications

Tel: +234-1-279- 9600

Email: lucy.savage@africafc.org



IC Publications

Audrey Mpunzwana

Media Relations Director

Tel: +44(0)20-7841-3210

Email: a.mpunzwana@icpublications.com



SOURCE The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)
The Nobel Museum and HTC Vive are creating the virtual reality app for a Vive VR exhibit at the Nobel Museum Exhibition in Dubai in February 2017. The VR exhibit will also be shown in the Nobel Museum in Stockholm, and available globally as a free app on Viveport, HTC's VR app store.

"The Nobel Museum is extremely happy about the collaboration with HTC regarding the development of a VR experience where the Nobel Prize in physics will be visualized," said Dr. Olov Amelin, Director of the Nobel Museum.

The Nobel Prize is an institution that is entirely based on recognizing great contributions to humanity. Naturally, winners of the Nobel Prize are among those who have advanced our knowledge of the universe. Among Nobel's greatest laureates are those recognized in physics and the science of space for their discoveries behind the Big Bang, the Aurora Borealis, the Sun's fusion process, gravitational waves and radio waves. The experience being developed for Vive will highlight these five areas and take people through a virtual reality tour of space and time.

"We're thrilled to partner with the Nobel Museum as they join virtual reality ecosystem, recognizing the power of VR to deliver memorable and lasting experiences," said Rikard Steiber, President of Viveport and SVP of VR at HTC. "We believe that the mysteries of space and physics can best be explained when you experience the breakthrough achievements of Nobel Prize winners in VR - imagine being there when the Big Bang happens, or view the Northern Lights up close."

The initiative with the Nobel Museum is the latest in HTC Vive's effort to bring VR to art, education and culture. HTC recently collaborated with TIME-LIFE on "Remembering Pearl Harbor," a VR experience commemorating the 75th anniversary of the attack with exhibitions at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City and the Newsuem in Washington D.C. Last month, Vive collaborated with the Royal Academy of Arts in London on the world's first 3-D printed VR art exhibit. HTC has also partnered on a new VR center coming this year to La Geode, part of Paris' Science and Industry Museum.

HTC, the HTC logo are the trademarks of HTC Corporation. All other names of companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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SOURCE HTC Corporation
BRUSSELS, December 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

We write just six months since our European business investment group for Romania and with the EU states was constituted, on the eve of elections in Romania (due Sunday 11 December 2016), where a new governing administration with a new mandate is expected to be voted in, replacing a caretaker, technocratic Government.

This bulletin as we approach the end of the year is the first of what will become monthly reports on how we see the direction and prospects for Romania. The good news is that growth this year is expected to be the highest in the EU, but there are also worrying trends for business concerning the safety of investor capital.

In a period of increasing stress and instability for business, from Trump to Brexit, with growing Russian pressures across the region and the growth of populist political movements, we can say that we see some positive themes developing in Romania.

We can start with what are for the moment good signs.

In particular, we are encouraged by Romania's strong position on energy independence, in contrast to the situation in neighbouring countries which are largely dependent on Russian oil and gas. These countries, from the Baltics to southern Europe, continue to import large volumes of natural resources at great cost-and risk-to public finances, and they can create opportunities for corrupt practices as we have seen.

In Romania for the immediate future, energy security and the safety of supply are predictable, and these are not issues that threaten to destabilise the government or the nation as we have seen in Bulgaria and Ukraine.

There is a good balance and diversity of energy flows into Romania, largely from Kazakhstan, which is now the majority provider of stock. These supplies are reliable, capacity and production is expanding thanks to public spending and private investment. Romania's refineries consistently rate among the highest in the region when it comes to efficiency and standards, and account for tens of thousands of good jobs and billions of dollars generated in taxes and export revenues for the Treasury.

But we also see some worrying signals . These risks need to be satisfied quickly by the new Government.

We are concerned about growing investor disputes between the Government and foreign companies that have directed their capital into Romania and built good profitable businesses.

There have been many high-profile public conflicts, where Romania has ended up on the losing side. We have seen the government in dispute with Raiffeisen over property rights. Romanian authorities lost their case against Enel in a 900 million Euro arbitration. The Government also lost their 33 million Euro case against Germany's E.ON at the International Court of Arbitration in Paris, and were ordered to pay E.ON's two million Euros legal expenses. Romanian state companies lost their case against CEZ in an 81 million Euro arbitration regarding privatisations from 2005.

Still looming is a dispute with Rompetrol, owned by KazMunayGas International (KMGI). We would like to see the new Romanian Government taking a constructive path to resolve this and other conflicts in an amicable manner. Romania, in contrast to her neighbours, benefits from KMGI accounting for 22mt per year of production, and the energy security that the Kazakh partners and investors have brought to the country.

We call on the new Government and business leaders to negotiate investor claims, and to avoid lengthy litigation and arbitration wherever possible. There is not just the cost to the country of losing the arbitration, but also the reputational damage that undermines our efforts to promote Romania as a safe and hospitable environment for foreign investment. Indeed, foreign direct investment into Romania is on a five year downward trend. Economic growth for the third quarter of this year has also been lowered, with ING Bank stating this week that it has decelerated to 4.4%

Spending by the private sector is the bedrock for development and expansion, not just in Romania but across the Black Sea region. We want to see more of this, private sector funds that leverage greater public investment.

Since our inception we have called for open markets, fair competition on a level playing field and protection of public and private assets.

What we care about most is working with the Government, and the member states of the EU, to make Romania a stronger and safer destination for business and investment. Romania has in the past encouraged and engaged in public private partnerships to boost job creation and growth. We believe that in the interests of good governance and economic security these kinds of alliances are vital.

We conclude this interim report with a determined commitment to continue to examine and report on the national issues we feel urgently require Government action for Romania's greater stability and progress.

SOURCE EU-Romania Business Society
DUBLIN, Dec 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Cyber Security Market, by Solution, by Vertical: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Segment, Trends and Forecast, 2015 - 2021" report to their offering.

The report provides forecast and analysis for the cyber security market on a global and regional level. The study gives historic data of cyber security industry along with an estimate from the year 2016 to 2021 based on revenue (USD Billion). This report includes drivers and restraints for the cyber security along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes the study of opportunities available in the cyber security market on a global level. The report covers an extensive competitive analysis of key players in the cyber security market.



In order to give the users of this report a comprehensive view on the cyber security market, we have included a detailed segmentation of hydrogen peroxide. To understand the competitive landscape in the market, an analysis of Porter's Five Forces model for the hydrogen peroxide market has also been included. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein solution segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness.



This report analyzes the cyber security market on a global basis, with further breakdown into segments. The study covers a cross-sectional analysis of the market based on parameters such as geography, security type, solution and vertical. The analysis covers market estimates in terms of revenue and forecast for the period of 2015 to 2021.



The key vendors active in this cyber security market are Symantec, IBM, McAfee, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, CSC and among others. Players in cyber security market are expected to develop more advanced and user-friendly solutions to continuously evolving cyber crimes.



The report segments the global cyber security market as:



Cyber Security Market: Security Type Analysis



- Network Security

- Cloud Security

- Wireless Security

- Others



Cyber Security Market: Solution Segment Analysis



- Identity And Access Management (IAM)

- Encryption

- Risk And Compliance Management

- Data Loss Prevention

- Antivirus And Antimalware

- Firewall And

- Others



Cyber Security Market: Vertical Segment Analysis



- Aerospace

- Government

- Financial Services

- Telecommunication

- Healthcare

- Others



Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Preface



Chapter 2. Executive Summary



Chapter 3. Cyber Security Market: Industry Analysis



Chapter 4. Global Cyber Security Market: Competitive Landscape



Chapter 5. Global Cyber Security Market: Security Type Overview



Chapter 6. Global cyber security Market: Solution Overview



Chapter 7. Global cyber security Market: vertical Overview



Chapter 8. Global cyber security Market: Regional Analysis



Chapter 9. Company Profiles



Chapter 10. Patents



Companies Mentioned



- Booz Allen Hamilton

- CSC

- IBM

- McAfee

- Northrop Grumman

- Symantec



For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/p8xjbq/cyber_security

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
DUBLIN, Dec 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "String Inverter Market - Global Forecast to 2021" report to their offering.

String inverters are used in residential, commercial & industrial, and utilities. Decrease balance of system cost, remove systems monitoring capabilities, and easy installation & customization are expected to drive the string inverter market. On the other hand, shading one panel reduces the efficiency of panels, along with heat losses due to the large size of the inverter, is the major restraint of the global string inverter market.

With regard to system type, the off-grid segment is estimated to grow at the fastest CAGR. Though off-grid technology is cheaper, the string inverter application is not very cost effective, which restricts the installation of string inverter at a large scale, such as three-phase string inverters.

In coming years, with declining solar module, inverter, and overall solar systems prices, off-grid string inverters are expected to gain momentum.

Asia-Pacific is expected to be the largest market for string inverters, with China and India being the biggest markets in the region. It is estimated to dominate the global market during the forecast period, owing to government targets, policy support (tax incentives and RPOs), incentives such as feed-in tariffs, and tenders & competitive bidding in the region.

Companies Mentioned:

ABB Limited

Chint Power Systems Co., Ltd.

Delta Energy System Gmbh

Fronius International Gmbh

Ginlong Technologies

Growatt New Energy Technology Co. Ltd.

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd

Kaco New Energy Gmbh

Samil Power Co., Ltd.

Schneider Electric Solar

SMA Solar Technology AG

Solaredge Technologies, Inc.

Solarmax Group

Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd.

Yaskawa - Solectria Solar

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights

5 Market Overview

6 String Inverter Market, by Phase

7 String Inverter Market, by System Type

8 String Inverter Market, by End-User

9 String Inverter Market, by Power Rating

10 String Inverter Market, by Region

11 Competitive Landscape

12 Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/l32vf9/string_inverter

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
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On the news that the Senate has barely averted yet another government shutdown, American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. released the following statement:

"Throughout this evening AFGE has been communicating with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. We encouraged them to take action to provide for mine workers and their families and to keep the government open. We urge Congress to provide long-term relief to mine workers when Congress convenes in January.

In September, members of the American Federation of Government Employees joined thousands of United Mine Workers of America members as they took to Capitol Hill to preserve their pensions and health care benefits. A fight over those benefits nearly resulted in a government shutdown. AFGE is urging Congress to provide long-term relief for mine workers and their families when Congress reconvenes in January.

"The threat of a government shutdown is becoming all too commonplace in Congress. Failing to fund the government's operations has real-world implications for everyone in this country. Unlike previous shutdowns that were waged purely for political gain and personal retribution, lawmakers this time were playing with the rightfully earned health care benefits and pensions of 12,500 retirees and their dependents.

"Our brothers and sisters at the United Mine Workers of America do not deserve the stress and anguish brought about by this manufactured crisis. These hard-working men and women have earned their pensions and benefits, fair and square. Members of the Senate should be ashamed of themselves for playing budgetary games with these workers' lives.

"Keeping the government open and running should never be subject to debate. Failing to fund the government for any reason isn't just irresponsible governing, but a dangerous tactic. Shutdowns are costly to the government and the nation, and even the prospect of a shutdown causes anxiety to federal workers and everyone who depends on government programs and services."

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.

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SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Related Links

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Journalist members of the National Press Club elected Jeff Ballou as their 110th president on Friday, Dec. 9. Ballou, a news editor at Al Jazeera Media Network and the Club's current vice-president will be the first African-American male to be president in the Club's 108-year history. Ballou will take office on Jan. 13, 2017 and will be inaugurated at the "Club of Champions" inaugural gala on Jan. 14, 2017.

"I am deeply humbled, honored and privileged to step into a role made possible by brave pioneers, some who didn't have the chance to belong, let alone be president. I only hope and pray that the service our team renders is worthy of their sacrifice. As a man from modest beginnings in Pittsburgh, I am quite simply an ordinary man with extraordinary blessings," said Ballou, 50, at the National Press Club' Reliable Source Bar during the election night celebration.

A National Press Club member since 1992, Ballou was first elected to the National Press Club's board of governors in 2012. He aims for this administration to be known for "strengthening the bond among members, attracting and quizzing the top newsmakers, fiercely guarding press freedom, maintaining fiscal stability, augmenting professional development, growing our businesses and striving for the utmost operational efficiency."

"Our profession is under attack," Ballou said. "The work, voice, safe harbor and fellowship of the National Press Club are needed now, more than ever. We are seeing some of the finest journalism of our time covering the biggest stories of our time. But faith in journalism is shaken in part by those pretending to be us and lying while doing it. We have to push back and reassert our role as guardians of truthful, solid, informative and in some cases dangerous reporting. Our team will maintain the National Press Club role as the world's oldest, leading and well-regarded conveners and promoters of excellence in journalism and communications."

National Press Club members also elected Andrea Snyder Edney, of Bloomberg as vice president, Ferdous "Danny" Al-Faruque, a reporter for The Gray Sheet as treasurer; Jen Judson, a reporter at Defense News as secretary; and Michele Salcedo, an editor in the Associated Press Washington Bureau as membership secretary. Elected as a journalist member of the Board of Governors to a three-year term is Defense Daily reporter Patrick Host. National Public Radio's Alison Fitzgerald Kodjak was re-elected to a second, three-year term and the Associated Press's Erik Meltzer will serve a one-year term, finishing out Al-Faruque's vacated seat.

Remaining journalist board members include Michael Freedman, executive producer of the The Kalb Report and a senior vice president at the University of Maryland University College; Derek Wallbank, an editor at Bloomberg First Word; and Ken Mellgren, retired from the Associated Press.

The Club's communicator members elected Lindsay Murphy, vice president at Racepoint Global, as a communicator member of the board for a three-year term. Tom McMahon, of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and Ed Barks of Barks Communications also serve on the board.

The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. Founded in 1908, the Club serves its members through activities that bolster their skills, through services that meet the changing needs of the global communications profession, and through social activities that build a vital media community in Washington and across the world. The Club is where news happens in the nation's capital and is a vigorous advocate of press freedom worldwide.

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CONTACT: Suzanne Struglinski, National Press Club, [email protected], 202-662-7516

SOURCE National Press Club
CARROLLTON, Texas and MADISON, Wis., Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation will release the FairwayNOW mobile application in January, giving consumers more control of their home loan process. The new app enables customers to close their loan at their own speed and convenience in as little as 10 days.

With FairwayNOW users can apply for a loan in under 10 minutes, securely scan documents with their phone's camera, review loan status with real-time push notifications, and calculate loan scenarios with full monthly payments. The app's cutting-edge technology also facilitates constant communication with the borrower and real estate professional with one-click call or text capabilities.

"Fairway is dedicated to providing speed of service with consistent communication to our clients. We want customers to be able to close when they want, so why not offer a solution that allows them flexibility in closing," said Steve Jacobson, founder and CEO of Fairway.

In September 2016, Fairway was ranked #7 in total retail purchase volume by Inside Mortgage Finance and has already closed more than $16 billion this year.

About Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation:

Founded in 1996 by Steve Jacobson, and named by a childhood best friend, colleague and forever member of the Fairway family, Randy Cross, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation is a mortgage lender headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin and Carrollton, Texas. Fairway has more than 300 locations with over 4,400 employees nationwide. At Fairway, customer service is a way of life; speed of response is one of our core values. We aim to be a trusted advisor, providing our clients highly personalized service. We help them through every step of the loan process. We strive to exceed expectations, guarantee satisfaction and earn trust.

For more information, please visit our website at www.FairwayIndependentMC.com.

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SOURCE Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Human rights activist and Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi will speak at the NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2017 Annual Conference and Expo in Los Angeles. In 2003, Dr. Ebadi became the first Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in promoting human rights, particularly for women, children, and political prisoners in Iran. One of the first female judges in Iran, Dr. Ebadi also was the first woman to serve in the role of Chief Justice.

After being forced out of the judiciary as a result of the 1979 revolution, Dr. Ebadi later became an attorney in private practice defending the rights of political dissidents. Her work has led to her arrest and imprisonment and she has received death threats several times. Despite now living in exile, Dr. Ebadi remains committed to her mission of speaking out against human rights abuses and advocating for legal reforms in her country.

Dr. Ebadi is the founder of several organizations including the Defenders of Human Rights Center, is co-founder of the Nobel Women's Initiative, and is one of the founding members of the Million Signatures Campaign, a campaign demanding an end to legal discrimination against women in Iranian law.

She frequently lectures at universities across the world and is the author of 13 books including her memoir Iran Awakening: One Woman's Journey to Reclaim Her Life and Country and the recently published Until We Are Free: My Fight for Human Rights in Iran. Dr. Ebadi earned her Masters, J.D., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Tehran.

"International educators are committed to furthering human rights around the world," said Marlene M. Johnson, NAFSA Executive Director and CEO. "Dr. Ebadi's expertise and stories of legal and political struggles will offer an inspiring perspective for the complex world in which NAFSA members, and the students and scholars they serve, are working to improve."

Shirin Ebadi will address the NAFSA conference on Thursday, June 1, 2017, in Los Angeles. This plenary session featuring Dr. Ebadi is sponsored by Loyola Marymount University. Learn more about the speakers as they are announced at www.nafsa.org/ac17plenaries.

About the NAFSA Conference

NAFSA's 69th Annual Conference and Expo is the world's largest gathering of professionals in international education with an expected 10,000 attendees from more than 100 countries. The conference offers a wide array of learning and networking opportunities for international educators, and features more than 200 sessions and workshops focusing on the most crucial topics in international education and exchange and global learning.

A major highlight of the conference is the International Education Expo Hall, which features more than 400 exhibitors representing hundreds of organizations from around the world, including colleges and universities; study abroad and intensive-English programs; embassies and government agencies; and more. The conference theme for 2017 is "Expanding Community, Strengthening Connections." It will be held in Los Angeles, May 30June 2, 2017.

Learn more at www.nafsa.org/losangeles.

About NAFSA

With more than 10,000 members, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education. Visit us at www.nafsa.org. To learn more about our advocacy efforts on behalf of international education, visit www.ConnectingOurWorld.org.

Sample Tweet: Human rights activist & author Shirin Ebadi to speak at #NAFSA17, world's largest #IntlEd conference www.nafsa.org/losangeles

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SOURCE NAFSA: Association of International Educators

Related Links

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COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- JMTD Holdings is thrilled to announce that they have appointed Pranav Arora as chairman to their Board of Directors. He will serve as the chairman until the next annual general meeting.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161209/447675LOGO

"Pranav has played a pivotal role in our company's growth and innovation over the past few years. He has also earned the trust of our management team, employees, and business partners," said the team at JMTD Holdings. "I believe he is the right leader to ensure our company's long-term success."

"It is a privilege for me to assume a guiding role in JMTD Holding's future," said Pranav Arora.

Arora is a native of Ohio who currently lives in Columbus. He attended Wooster High School and continues to give back to the community. He is currently serving as the chairman of The Just Funky Foundation, a non-profit created to give back to the community. Recently, the non-profit led a donation to Wooster City School District of 5,000 lanyards.

About JMTD Holdings

JMTD Holdings is a premier private equity firm offering capital and strategic support for companies. Established in 2015, JMTD Holdings blends a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon, and deep understanding of growth drivers and partners with entrepreneurs and management teams to create exceptional businesses worldwide.

About Pranav Arora

Pranav Arora is a native of Ohio who currently lives in Columbus. He was born and raised in the small town of Wooster. Pranav attended Wooster High School and continues to give back to the community.

Arora is currently Head Of Division for Just Funky, which is a major producer of licensed and private label goods for the mainstream retail market.

Arora also serves as the chairman of The Just Funky Foundation, a non-profit created to give back to the community. Recently, the non-profit led a donation to Wooster City School District of 5,000 lanyards.

Contact

JMTD Holdings

Phone: (424)-253-5974

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: http://www.jmtdholdings.com

Related Links

http://jmtdholdings.com

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com/.

SOURCE JMTD Holdings

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http://www.jmtdholdings.com


CHENGDU, China, Dec. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Maker Faire is an event created by Make magazine to "celebrate arts, crafts, engineering, science projects and the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset," which originated from America. This is the first time Maker Faire has come to western China.

Maker Faire, held in the Chengdu eastern park on December 3rd, included 100 boutiques creative booth, 30 workshops, 20 artistic performances. Meanwhile, Maker Faire invited a lot of world makers from all over the world to Chengdu to share the inspiration of creativity, which attracted more than 130,000 people.

As the biggest maker gathering in the world, Maker Faire has become more and more popular with the youth. Chaihuo Maker Culture Communication Co Ltd is authorized by Maker Faire organizers in China; Shenzhen is the first city in China to hold this activity, and Chengdu is the second city.

Maker Faire in Chengdu included creative fairs, forum, workshops and performances. Pan Hao, the founder of Chaihuo Maker Space, who thinks "enjoyment" is the most important thing in the field of technology. 14 leaders from the technological field made a significant speech on the forum.

Dale Dougherty, the founder of "Make" magazine and the Maker Faire event, said: "Everybody is a creator, through combining art and technology, we can create the new lifestyle." In his opinion, the atmosphere of making has existed in Chengdu; Maker Faire plans to be held every year in Chengdu, and more people will get more opportunities to enjoy the creation.

SOURCE Chaihuo Maker Culture Communication Co Ltd.
COMPTON, Calif., Dec. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Four hundred Compton families facing economic hardship will receive enough food to supplement meals for a week plus daily essentials, thanks to a partnership between PepsiCo, the Magic Johnson Foundation and Feed the Children. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. at Compton Unified School District Headquarters, 417 W. Alondra Blvd., Compton.

Today's distribution event is part of a larger initiative between PepsiCo and Feed the Children in cities throughout the United States. In Compton, more than 26 percent of families live below the poverty line. As the holiday season fast approaches, this event will allow families to reallocate their limited resources.

The receiving families have been identified and preselected by the Compton Unified School District Headquarters, a local nonprofit organization.

"We believe no child should go to bed hungry in a land where there is plenty of food," said Travis Arnold, Feed the Children Interim CEO/President and COO. "But the reality is, millions of boys and girls, right here in our own backyard, face this hardship every day. Thanks to our generous partners, PepsiCo and the Magic Johnson Foundation, today we are able to help these families rest a little easier knowing they don't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from."

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

Frito-Lay snacks

PepsiCo beverages

Tropicana Juice

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars

Quaker Standard Oats

"PepsiCo is grateful for the opportunity to give something back to the Compton community through donating and volunteering our time at this wonderful event," said Phil Schmich, director of distribution sales, PepsiCo Food Service. "We are passionate about creating an inclusive environment within the communities where we live and work, in an effort to make a positive impact."

"The holidays are always a difficult time for families who are facing financial difficulty. We have been committed to these families for 20 years. We are so thankful that our partnership with PepsiCo and Feed the Children is allowing us to go above and beyond this holiday season with all of the additional wonderful items that will be given to families. We know that this will make a tremendous impact on the lives of 400 families," said Shane Jenkins, vice president of the Magic Johnson Foundation.

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 sponsorship of children, communities and schools. 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

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The nation's leading advocate for entrepreneurs and small businesses issued the following statement regarding U.S. Senate passage last evening, by unanimous consent, of H.R. 3784, the "Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Small Business Advocate Act." According to Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council president & CEO Karen Kerrigan, a voice for entrepreneurs and small businesses is desperately needed at the SEC as the commission has continuously failed to act upon recommendations and common-sense reforms to streamline rules and regulations that impede capital formation and access for small businesses and startups.

"An Advocate within the SEC will give startups and small businesses a permanent voice to ensure our issues and views are given the weight and seriousness they deserve. The SEC needs to better understand small business barriers when accessing capital, and how proposed rules and regulations will impact their costs and competitiveness. An Advocate will ensure our views and concerns are identified, elevated, and acted upon," said Kerrigan.

H.R. 3784 will give small businesses high-level representation as it will establish an Office of the Small Business Advocate at the SEC, formalize the current SEC Advisory Committee on Small & Emerging Companies as a permanent Small Business Advisory Committee, and bring the annual Government-Business Forum on Small Business Capital Formation under the authority of the newly formed Office.

"Strengthening capital markets and improving capital access is critical to small business growth and getting robust entrepreneurship back on track. This legislation makes important changes that will provide a boost to capital formation and investment. Entrepreneurs and small business owners look forward to President Obama quickly signing the legislation into law," added Kerrigan.

Contact: Karen Kerrigan

[email protected]

703-242-5840

@KarenKerrigan

SBE Council is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy, research and education organization that works to protect small business and promote entrepreneurship. For nearly 25 years, SBE Council has worked to advance initiatives and policies that strengthen the ecosystem for startups and small business growth. To learn more, visit SBE Council's website: www.sbecouncil.org. Follow on Twitter: @SBECouncil

SOURCE Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council

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London, Dec 5 : A number of Hindu temples in Britain have banned the new A5 note after it emerged that it contained animal fat.

The National Council of Hindu Temples said the new currency "ceases to be a simple medium of exchange but becomes a medium for communicating pain and suffering and we would not want to come into contact with it".

The Independent on Sunday quoted Satish Sharma, a spokesperson for the Council, as telling BBC that he knew of at least three temples which were not accepting the A5 note.

"I think temples have a responsibility to maintain a certain standard of Dharmic (religious) principles. Any temple which wanted to go along and ban the A5 note wouldn't be acting in any matter which was inconsistent," he said.

The Bhaktivedanta Manor, a Hare Krishna temple at Hertfordshire, posted a photo on Facebook which said: "We no longer accept the new 5 pound notes as they contain animal fat."

Last week, it was revealed that the note contains tallow, which comes from beef or mutton fat. Hindus consider cow a holy animal.

The Shree Sanatan Temple at Leicester also launched a campaign to have the note replaced, the Independent reported.

"We are very disappointed to learn that the new A5 note contains traces of animal fat," the temple's website said.

A petition to remove tallow from the bank notes has received more than 120,000 signatures.
Dubai, Dec 6 : Three Indian men have been accused of hacking into a businessman's mobile banking application and stealing $272,249 (Dh 1 million), local media reported.

The Indian trio -- a 38-year-old worker, a 27-year-old visitor and a 26-year-old mechanic -- aided and abetted other suspects at large in applying for a SIM card in the businessman's name at a telecommunication service provider.

They forged his signature on the application form after pretending the original SIM card was lost, reported Gulf News on Monday, without naming any of the accused.

According to the local media report, they used the replica SIM to hack into the businessman's bank account through the mobile banking application and transferred large amount of money from his account to another account.

The three suspects were not present at the Dubai Court of first instance on Monday to face charges of forgery, online fraud and embezzlement.

One of the bank staff told prosecutors that the businessman called in and complained that a large amount of money had been embezzled from his account.

"We checked and found that online smart banking had been activated through his mobile number which was registered with the bank. The money was then transferred from his account to another account and later withdrawn in cheques in the defendants' names," he said.

A police Lt. said: "Through investigation, we apprehended the first accused (a 38-year-old) who admitted he had a SIM card issued in the victim's name with the help of a runaway accomplice."

The second man, 26, was arrested while trying to encash a cheque at the bank's branch. He confessed during interrogation that the same runaway suspect had given him several bank cards and their pin codes to withdraw cash.

The court will hand down a ruling on December 29.
Abuja, Dec 10 : Thirty people were killed and 67 injured in the suicide blasts which rocked a crowded market in Madagali district of Nigeria's northeastern state of Adamawa on Friday.

Badare Akintoye, a military spokesman confirmed two female suicide bombers carried out the attacks, Xinhua news agency reported.

The explosions occurred simultaneously at the opposite ends of the local market in Madagali, causing buyers and sellers to run for safety.

Sani Datti, spokesman of the country's National Emergency Management Agency said the 67 injured were taken to the state-run Michika General Hospital for treatment, a statement said.

The market at which the attacks took place is a weekly one that sells grains, vegetable and animals every Friday.

The blasts occurred at the animal and grains sections of the market, according to Yusuf Mohammed, a senior district official.

Adamawa State police spokesman Othman Abubakar said investigation is underway on the attacks. Madagali is located 276 kilometres from the state capital, Yola.

In August 2014, the district was one of several towns seized by terror group Boko Haram but it was recaptured by the military in March 2015.

Two female suicide bombers who were members of the Boko Haram group killed at least 30 people and 16 injured when they attacked a busy motor park in Madagali on December 28, 2015.
Berlin, Dec 10 : The 23rd ministerial meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) -- the world's largest regional security organisation -- closed on Friday with some consensuses being reached among its member states.

Despite "marked differences" over the past two days, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said ministers attending the meeting shared views on the Ukraine crisis, migration, terrorism, cyber issues and OSCE development, Xinhua reported.

Ministers agreed that all sides of unresolved regional conflicts in the OSCE area should contribute to conflict de-escalation and peaceful settlement and expressed support for the full implementation of the Minsk agreements in terms of Ukraine crisis.

The ministers acknowledged the joints efforts being pursued within the OSCE to face transnational threats and challenges including terrorism, extremism, radicalism, and cyber issues.

They referred to the OSCE's role to address large movements of migrants and refugees. Most of the ministers also underlined the confidence and security building within the organisation.

Most of the ministers also underlined the confidence and security building measures (CSBM) within the organisation.

The so-called incoming Troika, composed of Germany, Austria and Italy, the latter two of which are to chair the OSCE in 2017 and 2018, approved a declaration at the end of meeting.
Hyderabad, Dec 10 : The death toll from a multi-storey under construction building collapse has risen to 11 with rescue workers retrieving six bodies on Friday night, officials said on Saturday.

The rescue work completed in the early hours of Saturday. A woman and a child were pulled out alive from the debris on Friday.

The seven-storey building in Nanakramguda area collapsed on Thursday night and it took nearly 36 hours for the rescue workers to clear the debris.

All the victims were construction workers and their family members who were sleeping in cellar when the building crumbled.

Nine of those killed were from Vijayanagaram district and one from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. A construction worker from Chhattisgarh was also among the dead.

Those killed have been identified as A.N. Sambaiah, 45, N. Paidamma, 40, N. Gauri, 13, K. Polinaidu, 32, K. Lakshmi, 26, R. Shankar Rao, 18, P. Polinaidu, 35, P. Narayanamma, 28, P. Mohan, 3.

Durga Rao from Srikkaulam and Shiva from Chhattisgarh are the other two victims.

Telangana government has announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia each for the families of the dead.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has been making arrangements to transport the bodies of the victims to their villages.

Rekha, a woman from Chhattisgarh, and her four-year-old son Deepak were pulled out alive from the rubble on Friday. They are undergoing treatment in a private hospital.

Municipal Administration Minister K. T. Rama Rao, who supervised the rescue work, said the police arrested builder Satyanarayana Singh in Kerala.

Police had booked a case of negligence and culpable homicide not amounting to murder against him for constructing the building without permission and in violation of all rules.

The government also suspended a deputy commissioner of GHMC and an assistant town planning officer.

It also constituted a committee headed by IAS officer Navin Mittal to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within 15 days. The panel will also suggest measures to prevent recurrence of similar incidents.
New Delhi : A month into the demonetisation drive, there cannot but be a sense of worry in government circles about the unchanging ground realities with no sign of the long queues before banks and ATMs shortening any time soon.

A more effective opposition would have had a field day in pillorying Narendra Modi. But, first, it is divided with two important Chief Ministers, Nitish Kumar and Naveen Patnaik, backing the Prime Minister.

Secondly, the opposition appears more interested in stalling parliament than in a reasoned debate probably because there is no unanimity in its ranks about the course of action.

While Mamata Banerjee wants a complete roll-back, others favour a Joint Parliamentary Committee to examine the matter.

Even if there is no certainty about how long the hardship of the ordinary people will continue, or whether their patience is inexhaustible, the nomination of Modi as Time magazine's Person of the Year in an online poll will be a morale-booster for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

It shows, if anything, that there are a large number of people who have retained their faith in him and expect him to ride out the present storm.

True, the online poll does not carry the prestige of the choice made by the magazine's editors. Evidently, the views of the denizens of ivory towers have greater value than of the unwashed hoi polloi.

Nevertheless, it is worth noting that this is the second time that Modi has come out on top in the online exercise for whatever it is worth. He won it for the first time in 2014 when he received 16 per cent of the five million votes which were cast.

This time he received 18 per cent, well ahead of Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Julian Assange, all of whom got seven per cent although Trump finally ended up the winner.

On the online poll, the magazine said that the Indian Prime Minister's handling of his country's economy was the "most positive story" of the "emerging markets".

Evidently, the present contretemps over demonetisation had no effect on the popular assessment.

What Modi's selection shows, however, is how far India -- and Modi personally -- have come from the days when the country was seen as a basket case and Modi was persona non grata in the US in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots.

In 1930, Time chose "saint" Gandhi as the Person of the Year as the "British Empire was still wondering fearfully" about 30,000 of his followers who had been jailed along with the "little half-naked brown man whose 1930 mark on world history will undoubtedly loom largest of all".

Nearly nine decades later, it is a completely different world which has seen India's, and Modi's, rise. The central point of this transformation is the economic development which is Modi's trump card.

Although there is not much to write home at present about the growth trajectory -- Manmohan Singh's government did better in the early years of his tenure -- what makes Modi stand out is his commitment to the cause.

While his predecessor faltered in the last few years of his stint because of the shift in the government's priority from growth to populism at Congress President Sonia Gandhi's behest, what is noteworthy about Modi is his focus on the market-oriented capitalist path.

Although demonetisation has caused concern about a fall in the growth rate -- the latest figure is 7.1, down from 7.6 -- few expect Modi to slow down.

The reason is that he seems to know what he is doing, unlike earlier governments which were unwilling either to follow the capitalist path lest they be labelled anti-poor, or to crack down on black money because of the banking secrecy regulations and the fear of causing a flutter in the dovecotes of tainted politicians and bureaucrats.

Modi, in contrast, has confronted the scourge of a parallel economy head-on notwithstanding the "monumental mismanagement" of the economy of which he has been accused by Manmohan Singh.

Or of being despotic, as Amartya Sen has said.

However, both the distinguished economists have failed to note that, by and large, the ordinary people have been willing to undergo the severe inconvenience of standing in long queues because they believe that instead of mere promises as in the past, a firm step against black money is at last being taken.

Nor is there an acceptance of the charge about the futility of the step considering that only six per cent of the black money is kept in cash. The reason is the belief that the latest measure will tell the hoarders of hidden wealth that Modi is serious about bringing them to book.

It is this largely uncomplaining acceptance of the travails of demonetisation which made the Left Front chairman of West Bengal, Biman Bose, concede that the bandh called by the communists failed in the state because the people believe in the efficacy of Modi's initiative.

Modi, therefore, can said to be in the process of passing the most arduous test of all by expecting the people to ignore their present difficulties because of their faith in him.

There is little doubt that demonetisation has been a risky gamble for Modi where he has taken on a section of the opposition in the hope that his popularity will save him when the votes are counted.

The unexpected support which he has received from the Time's readers is a sign that his intention to industrialise India and turn it into a regional super power is widely appreciated.

If he can pull it off, he may well be the choice of the magazine's editors for the Person of the Year in 2017.

(Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com)
London, Dec 10 : Some groups killifish are up to 8,000 times more resistant than others to highly toxic industrial pollutants such as dioxins, heavy metals and hydrocarbons, thanks to their high levels of genetic variation, a study says.

"The Atlantic killifish seem particularly well-positioned to evolve the necessary adaptations to survive in radically altered habitats, because of their large population sizes and the relatively high level of DNA diversity seen in their populations," said one of the researchers John Colbourne, Professor at University of Birmingham in Britain.

The researchers wanted to explore the genetic mechanism responsible for evolutionary adaptation to toxic pollution observed in wild Atlantic killifish populations.

The Atlantic killifish is renowned for its ability to tolerate large fluctuations in temperature, salinity and oxygen levels.

However, its rapid adaptation to the normally lethal levels of toxic pollution found in some urban estuaries in the US is unusual, even for such a hardy species.

The team analysed the genomes of four wild populations of pollution-tolerant killifish compared with four non-tolerant populations, to identify the mechanism behind this adaptation.

"This report highlights the complexity of the processes involved in the adaptation of wild fish to lethal levels of environmental pollution," Colbourne said.

"It also demonstrates how the DNA of populations that differ in their susceptibility to pollutants can reveal 'signatures' of the adverse effects of chemicals in the environment," Colbourne noted.

The researchers warned that these findings -- published today in the journal Science -- should not be used to justify the harm caused by human pollution of the natural environment.

"Unfortunately, most species we care about preserving probably can't adapt to these rapid changes because they don't have the high levels of genetic variation that allow them to evolve quickly," lead author Andrew Whitehead, Associate Professor at University of California, Davis in the US.
Guwahati, Dec 10 : At least three persons have been arrested in Assam for allegedly being involved in exchanging new currency of Rs 2,000 denomination with old currencies for commission, police said on Saturday.

According to the police, they were arrested on Friday night from a house in Hatigaon area here.

"We raided the house based on a tip off. A group of three persons were waiting in the house with Rs 20 lakh in the denomination of Rs 2,000," the police said.

It said they were supposed to exchange the amount with Rs 26 lakh in old currencies from another group.

"We are interrogating the three to ascertain from where they managed to get the new currency in such a huge amount," the police said.

It added that the role of some bank officials cannot be ruled out behind the racket.

It may be mentioned here that along with the rest of the country the people of Assam have been struggling for new currencies for last one month now.

Although the banks have claimed to have taken steps to make the new currencies and smaller denominations available across the state, some people, particularly in remote areas, have still been facing hardships.
Washington, Dec 10 : Time magazine grudgingly named Donald Trump "Person of the Year", overlooking readers' choice of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

But the man who would be the President of the US in forty days demonstrated once more, how he can seize the moment time and again, creating turbulence with a tweet.

The Manhattan mogul, who was peeved at being passed over last year, called the magazine's choice "a great honour," but still took issue with the cover naming him as the "President of the Divided States of America."

Taking a victory lap in states that delivered him the White House - "Oh boy, how you delivered!" - he called it "snarky" as he made a stabbing motion with his right hand at a rally of supporters in Iowa donning red "Make America Great Again" hats.

Earlier, the reality TV star sent the talking heads from Washington to New Delhi into a tizzy, as he called Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a "terrific guy" in Islamabad, and that how he was "willing to play any role" to find solutions for "amazing" Pakistan's problems.

Then he set the chatterati aflutter as he needled China by taking a congratulatory call from the Taiwanese President in the first high level contact, since the US switched diplomatic recognition from the island nation to Beijing in 1979.

"Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don't think so!" Trump shot back at critics of his "shoot-from-the-hip diplomatic style."

Meanwhile, Boeing cruising through clear skies amid talks to build fighter aircraft plants in India, ran into turbulence with a Trump tweet out of the blue.

"Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion!" Trump tweeted. "Cancel order!"

Then hours after accusing Boeing of "doing a little bit of a number", Trump won an assurance from the Boeing chief executive -- "a good man" and "a terrific guy" -- that the company would work to keep costs down. That sent liberal media having a beef with his Cabinet picks from fat cat billionaires to "mad dog" generals to critics of Barack Obama's policies from health to labour to environment scrambling in another direction.

Trump also had a dustup with Carrier air conditioning's union chief, who accused him of doing a "dog and pony show" by exaggerating the number of company jobs he had saved from moving to Mexico.

The mogul hit back with a swift tweet saying the long standing union chief "has done a terrible job representing workers. No wonder companies flee country!"

Set to announce on December 15, how he will separate himself "in total" from his worldwide business holdings, Trump courted another controversy insisting he would not be giving up his title as executive producer on "The Celebrity Apprentice." Nor was he ready to take his thumbs off from Twitter.

"If the press would cover me accurately & honourably, I would have far less reason to 'tweet'. Sadly, I don't know if that will ever happen!" he tweeted.

But in the midst of all the controversies, he often turned to his new phone friend Barack Obama, who he once said, "would go down as the worst president in history!"

"I really like him - I can say for myself, I can't speak for him - but we have a really good chemistry together," he declared claiming the outgoing president had even approved of one of his Cabinet picks.

Meanwhile, left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore, one of the few to predict a Trump win back in June, advocated using the Electoral College as a "stopgap" meant to keep a "madman who wants to be king" from becoming president.

A New York Times columnist too suggested that "Time magazine ever in search of buzz" had chosen a "man of the year (who) is, by words and deeds, more of a madman of the year."

But a Wall Street Journal columnist saw "Trump as Lady Gaga" calling him a "political performance artist" somewhat in the mould of "Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan - who challenged and overturned status quos."

Call him madman, performance artist or person of the times, but the magician of Manhattan knows how to keep the media pot boiling and stay in the limelight.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
New Delhi : Prathamesh Mulye As Indias government - fronted by Prime Minister Narendra Modis Twitter account - announced a slew of incentives to propel Indians to discard cash, IndiaSpend found four signs of an expanding base: Five-fold growth in electronic bank transfers and doubling of ATMs and card-swipe machines over five years, and a 50 per cent rise in credit cards over four years.

It has been 32 days since Modi announced the scrapping of 86 per cent of India's bank notes, by value, and IndiaSpend's special coverage of the move chronicles the widespread economic disruption-and how Modi has changed his rationale for the move from "black money" and "fake currency" to "cashless economy", which is the now the main narrative.

The move to electronic banking - through debit and credit cards, bank transfers, Internet and mobile banking - will indeed accelerate. While the use of cash for retail transactions was 95 per cent, according to a 2013 report from McKinsey, it was 68 per cent in 2016, the Business Standard reported, quoting the CLSA brokerage group.

However, as we found, the government's plans do not address significant hurdles, which will likely hinder future growth. Here are four indicators of expansion in India's cashless economy and the barriers they face.

1. Five-fold growth in electronic bank transfers, 2011-16: Bank transfers made through the National Electronics Funds Transfer (NEFT) system rose five times in number (4.5 times in value), while transfers using the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system rose 70 per cent in number (50 per cent in value) over five years ending 2016, according to October 2016 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data. RTGS, which requires a minimum of Rs 2 lakh, allows transfers in "real time", or immediately, while NEFT, which has no minimum, can be done during fixed times. NEFT recorded 1.19 billion transactions in October 2016, compared to 199 million in 2011; RTGS transactions rose from 511 million to 864 million over the same period. Electronic transfers, as the term suggests, requires Internet access.

But, only 13 per cent (108 million) of 833 million Indians in rural areas have Internet access. Rural India has been worst hit by "notebandi", as the withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes is colloquially called. As many as 73 per cent of Indians cannot access the Internet, IndiaSpend reported on December 3, 2016; India has 342 million Internet users, according to March 2016 Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) data. In urban India, 58 per cent of the people have access to the Internet.

2. ATMs and Point-of-sales (POS) terminals double, 2011-16: There were 1.4 million POS terminals and 200,000 ATMs in October 2016, according to RBI data, a doubling of numbers over five years. From an ATM for every 12,000 Indians, there is now one for every 6,500. The number of ATMs rose from two for every 100,000 adults in 2005 to 18 by 2014, according to World Bank data. The State Bank of India (SBI) has opened more than 26,000 ATMs over the last four years, according to RBI data, higher than the next four banks (HDFC, ICICI, Axis and Kotak) put together. SBI, India's largest bank, has also deployed more PoS terminals than any other bank. The government has announced plans to add an additional 1 million PoS terminals.

But, the world average for ATMs is 2.5 times India's, Brazil has 39 times as many PoS terminals per capita. The world average of ATMs per 100,000 people was 44 in 2014, according to World Bank data, nearly 2.5 times in India. In 2015, Brazil - with a population 84 per cent lower than India - had nearly 39 times as many PoS terminals (32,995), according to a 2015 report from Ernst & Young. The PoS machine rate was 4,000 per million people in China and Russia. Advanced countries such as Japan, USA and UK had more than 100 ATMs per 100,000 people.

3. Debit cards rise 170 per cent over 5 years; credit cards rise 50 per cent: Credit cards increased from 17.7 million in 2011 to 26.4 million in August 2016, according to RBI data. Debit cards rose from 263 million to 712 million over the same period.

But, 53 per cent of adults in 35 high-income countries have credit cards against only 2.1 per cent of Indians. Despite the rise in numbers, 26 million in a nation of 1.2 billion is 2.1 per cent. In the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries - a group of 35 rich nations - 53 per cent of adults had a credit card, according to a 2015 World Bank paper. Credit-card growth in India hit a rough patch after the economic slowdown in 2008, with one in four customers defaulting on dues and 10 million credit cards cancelled, the Economic Times reported in 2013. Debit cards are mainly used for cash withdrawals from ATMs in India; only in urban areas are they used for cashless payments, as March 2016 government data confirm. In financial year 2015-16, Rs 25 lakh crore was withdrawn through ATMs - 5.4 times more than PoS transactions (Rs 3.9 lakh crore).

4. Mobile-phone banking transactions tripled, 25 per cent by value, in 2012-16: Although there were yearly fluctuations, transactions conducted over mobile phones - there are about 600 million active mobile phones - rose from Rs 4,185 billion in 2012 to Rs 5,243 billion in October 2016. While mobile banking transactions rose 2.2 times between 2012 and 2016-from 446 million to 1.4 billion - they dipped for two consecutive years: By 308 million transactions in 2015 and 449 million transactions in 2016 (up to October).

But, only 154 million Indians have broadband, speeds slower than Bangladesh, China. For a majority of banking applications, a smartphone is a prerequisite. No more than 17 per cent of Indian adults own a smartphone, according to a 2016 survey by Pew Research, a consultancy. Of 930 million mobile-phone subscribers, only 154 million (16.5 per cent) have broadband connections, according to a March 2016 TRAI report, limiting access to mobile-banking. Another hurdle is the average time to load a page on a mobile phone: It takes 5.5 seconds in India, compared to 2.6 seconds in China, 4.5 in Sri Lanka, 4.9 in Bangladesh, according to a 2016 report by Akamai Technologies, a global content delivery network services provider.

(In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, non-profit, public interest journalism platform. is a New-Delhi-based reporters. The views expressed are those of IndiaSpend. Feedback at respond@indiaspend.org)
Kolkata, Dec 10 : A two-day 'Indo-Asia Connectivity' conference would be held in Kolkata on December 14-15 to boost regional economic connectivity between India and the countries of South and Southeast Asia and to explore investment opportunities.

The US Consulate General here, in association with Washington-based East West Center, the Indian Chamber of Commerce and CUTS (Consumer Unity and Trust Society) International, is organising the "Indo-Asia Connectivity for Shared Prosperity" conference.

US Ambassador to India Richard R. Verma, his Bangladeshi counterpart Marcia Bernicat and US Ambassador to Nepal Alaina Teplitz would also speak in the conference.

Verma last week visited five of the eight northeastern states - Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura, and met Chief Ministers and other stakeholders discussed various economic and bilateral issues.

"During my visit to the northeastern states, I have discussed with the governments of the region about connectivities, trade, economy and commerce, energy related issues," Verma said in Agartala.

"The conference would focus on three key policy areas. These include maritime and waterways connectivity in the Bay of Bengal region, energy cooperation between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal and cross-border trade and investment," Bipul Chatterjee, Executive Director of Jaipur-based NGO CUTS International, said.

He said that the key policy makers, business leaders, government officials, media representatives, academics and civil society experts from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan and the US would attend the conference.
London, Dec 10 : Priti Patel, Secretary for International Development, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "bold initiative to tame black money and corruption in India."

Patel, the former Indian Diaspora Champion under prime minister David Cameron, told this correspondent that the move was "a right step to tackle the root causes of corruption."

She said "too much black money was circulating in the world which funds terrorism and illegal trade," adding that Prime Minister Modi should be commended for giving "a strong message to the whole world that the era of illegal deals and trade is over."

Patel, the UK's most influential British Indian politician, said she was quite happy with the Brexit outcome despite the rise in racist attacks on British Asian communities. Indian-origin parliamentarians like Lord Karan Bilimoria are campaigning to stem racially aggravated attacks.

"I don't subscribe the allegations of Lord Bilimoria," said Patel "This country is harmonious and tolerant. British people voted for Brexit and we are committed to deliver that."

Patel had campaigned in favour of Brexit.

(Anasudhin Azeez is the editor of London-based Asian Lite daily. He can be contacted at md@asianlite.com)
New York, Dec 10 : An increasing number of middle school students are becoming victims of verbal sexual harassment such as comments, jokes or gestures, a study has found.

In the study, the team followed 1,300 children from middle school to high school in Illinois, US, and found that nearly half -- 43 per cent -- of the middle school students had been the victims of verbal sexual harassment such as sexual comments, jokes or gestures during the prior year.

"Sexual harassment among adolescents is directly related to bullying, particularly homophobic bullying," said Dorothy L. Espelage, Professor at the University of Florida in the US.

Homophobic name-calling emerges among fifth and sixth grade bullies as a means of asserting power over other students, Espelage said.

Youths who are the targets of homosexual name-calling and jokes then feel compelled to demonstrate they are not gay or lesbian by sexually harassing peers of the opposite sex.

While verbal harassment was more common than physical harassment or sexual assault, students also reported having been touched, grabbed or pinched in a sexual way.

Some also said peers had brushed up against them in a suggestive manner.

Students also reported being forced to kiss the perpetrators, having their private areas touched without consent and being "pantsed" -- having their pants or shorts jerked down by someone else in public.

Many reported having been the target of sexual rumours and victimised with sexually explicit graffiti in school locker rooms or bathrooms, the study revealed.

Furthermore, 14 per cent of students were found to negate the 'upsetting experiences' by writing that their peers' behaviour was "not really sexual harassment" because the incidents were "meaningless" or intended as jokes.

The children who were dismissive of sexual harassment experiences were more likely to perpetrate homophobic name-calling, the researchers observed.

"Students failed to recognise the seriousness of these behaviours because teachers and school officials failed to address them. Prevention programmes need to address what is driving this dismissiveness," Espelage noted in the paper published in the journal Children and Youth Services Review.
Lucknow, Dec 10 : Samajwadi Party's Uttar Pradesh unit President Shivpal Yadav, who has been embroiled in a bitter power tussle with his nephew and state Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for the last few months, said that some people were misleading the party's top brass for their selfish motives.

"I do not need anybody's approval. Once you form a government, people of different kinds join you. I am not concerned about what they say.

"However some people mislead the top leadership for their selfish motives. We need to keep an eye on such people," Yadav said.

In an interview to IANS, Yadav denied there was any rift in the party.

He said: There's no infighting in the party. Everybody's responsibilities are fixed.

"I do not see any factionalism in the party. The Samajwadi family has always been united and it will remain so. There is no factionalism. Everyone knows his or her responsibility," Yadav said, who started his political career in 1988.

Asked about the merger of Quami Ekta Dal (QED) with the party which was vehemently opposed by Akhilesh Yadav, Shivpal Yadav asked: "What is wrong if people join you?"

Asked why Akhilesh did not attend the Ghazipur rally where Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav justified the merger, Shivpal said: "Responsibilities for everyone are fixed. Uttar Pradesh is a big state. Netaji (Mulayam) will attend some rallies, I will be at some while Akhilesh will be there at some. Media always looks for spicy news."

Shivpal also refuted claims that Muslims were disappointed with the party following the infighting.

"Netaji has always worked for the betterment of Muslims and will continue to do so in future. Muslims in the state know that only Samajwadi Party can work for their benefit."

Reacting to the delay in his return to the Cabinet, he said: "How many days are left for the elections? Being in the government affects party's organisational work, and a strong organisation informs people about the good work of the government. Right now my priority is to form government again."

He added that Bahujan Samaj Party Supremo Mayawati did not have any issue to raise against the Samajwadi Party government which is going to increase the party's prospects of getting re-elected.

Shivpal said that his party was not against demonetisation but the problems people were facing due to it.

"We are not against it. However, people are suffering due to lack of proper planning. Senior citizens are dying in queues," he said, adding that the move would not affect the party in the assembly election since it did not have black money.

He clarified that Akhilesh Yadav could not attend a rally against demonetisation in Delhi due to his busy schedule.

(Vidya Shankar Rai can be contacted at vidyashankar.r@ians.in)
Kunda (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 10 : For any country to progress, its women have to be empowered and contribute to nation-building, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik said here on Saturday.

He also urged women to "dream big" at a time when many of them are "flying aircraft and are representing the armed forces", in an address to students and staff of the Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat (JKP) group of institutions at their annual function "Utthaan".

Naik, who was chief guest at the event, could not make it to the venue due to inclement weather and addressed the students from Raj Bhavan in Lucknow.

Stressing the importance of quality education in empowering women, the Governor praised JKP Education for doing work that the state should be doing - and for doing it better.

Naik gave the students his success mantras: always wear a smile, appreciate good work done by others, never belittle anyone, and keep fighting despite the odds. He also advised them to be sensitive about the environment and help eradicate social evils.

"Educating the girl child is the first step toward empowering her," said Dr. Vishakha Tripathi, President JKP Education, which imparts free education to over 5,000 underprivileged girls from pre-primary to post-graduate level in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh.

Students also receive free transportation, free bicycles, uniforms, school bags and other school-related requirements.

The annual function was also attended by film star Jimmy Shergill and state Health Minister Shivakant Ojha.
Tehran, Dec 10 : Iran's representative to the UN criticised a recent resolution on Syria as "unilateral" and not dealing with "the reality on the ground", media reports said on Saturday.

"The draft resolution on the Syrian Arab Republic, placed before us today was a one-sided document and divorced from the reality on the ground in Syria," Xinhua news agency quoted Iran's deputy ambassador to the UN Gholam Hossein Dehqanion as saying.

On Friday, the UN General Assembly approved the Canada-drafted resolution which demanded an end to the attacks on Syrian civilians, particularly those entrapped in the war-stricken city of Aleppo.

Dehqanion said that the draft is totally silent on the root cause of the crisis in Syria.

"It is an established fact that terrorism and violent extremism are the root causes of the disaster, and it is the very issue that should be first and foremost addressed by the international community," he said.
Bengaluru, Dec 10 : Over Rs 6 crore in cash, including Rs.5.7 crore in new Rs 2,000 notes, and 32 kg gold and jewellery were seized from a hawala operator at a small town in central Karnataka, said a income tax (IT) official on Saturday.

The cash, bullion and jewellery "were found stashed in a secret chamber of a bathroom in the house of a hawla operator at Challakere in Chitradurga district during search operations on Friday", said the official in a statement here.

Challakere is about 200 km away from Bengaluru.

The tax department's investigation wing searched premises of casino operators and bullion traders in Hubballi and Chitradurga districts on a tip-off that black money was being converted into white through laundering and hoarding.

"When teams of sleuths searched 15 places in the two districts, a hawala operator at Hubballi was found converting old notes and hoarding bullion (gold biscuits) using demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes," said the official.

Incriminating documents related to the illegal activities were also recovered during the raids and are being examined.

"Searches are being conducted in both the districts to curb the illegal activity," added the official.

On December 1, tax sleuths seized Rs 6 crore in cash and 7 kg gold from the residences of two state government engineers in Bengaluru.

Of the cash haul, Rs.4.7 crore were in the new Rs.2,000 notes.
New Delhi, Dec 10 : Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh made an appeal to agriculture scientists on Saturday to develop techniques adaptable to the needs of the huge number of marginal farmers in the country.

Singh made this appeal on the occasion of the completion of the centenary year of the Institutional Research and Academic Resources (IRAR) - Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) situated at Kasargod in Kerala, where he also inaugurated a 'Kisan Mela' and participated in an international seminar on research and development of coconut and plantation crops.

As per a release here, Singh said: "Agricultural holdings in Kerala are 0.22 hectare against the national average of 1.15 hectare. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt unified agriculture system as well as low volume - high value crops so as to make agriculture a profit making sector."

The Minister said that by adopting multi-dimensional crops cycle system, with the inclusion of coconut along with black pepper, banana, pineapple, ginger, turmeric, jaifal and jimicand, the farmers of the state will be benefited.
Paris, Dec 10 : A French anti-terrorist judge on Saturday charged a man with alleged involvement in a foiled terror attack planned for December 1 in the French capital, local media reports said.

The 31-year-old suspect was arrested earlier this weak and placed under formal investigation on charges of "association with terrorist and criminal organisations" and "acquiring, holding, transporting and offering weapons, in connection with a terrorist group", Xinhua news agency reported.

Investigators suspected him of having provided arms to a group of men who planned to attack police and public sites in and around Paris earlier in December.

In November, four French men and one of Moroccan origin, were arrested in a foiled assault. According to Paris prosecutor Francois Molins, they were directed by an Islamic State commander.

France has sought to extend a state of emergency, imposed after the Paris attack in 2015, for seven more months to cover the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.
Port Louis (Mauritius), Dec 10 : Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is on a two-day visit to Mauritius, on Saturday said that India would continue to extend its full support for training and capacity building of Mauritius.

Parrikar, who is the first Indian Defence Minister to visit the country called on Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, who also holds defence portfolio.

"India would continue to extend its full support to Mauritius for training and capacity building, as well as supply and maintenance of defence equipment," Parrikar said.

According to an official statement, during Parrikar's meeting with Jugnauth, both sides expressed their deep satisfaction over the close and growing defence and security cooperation and collaboration between India and Mauritius.

Parrikar, then along with Jugnauth, also attended the commissioning ceremony of CGS Victory manufactured by the Goa Shipyard Ltd and two upgraded Cheetah helicopters manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to the Police Helicopter Squadron here.

According to the statement, the CGS Victory, a Water Jet Fast-Attack Craft will help the coast guard of Mauritius to widen their outer island support activities and conduct in-depth surveillance in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for tackling transnational crimes.

Parrikar, who is accompanied by senior officers of the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and Defence Ministry officials, will on Sunday call on President Ameenah Gurib Fakim and will also interact with senior Ministers.
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 10 : Congress' Kerala unit chief V.M. Sudheeran on Saturday night condemned the Madhya Pradesh Police from preventing Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from attending a function in Bhopal earlier in the day.

According to the Communist Party of India-Marxist party organ Deshabhimani, Vijayan had reached Bhopal to attend a function organised by Kerala-based organisations but he could not reach the venue following protest by activists of the RSS and Bajrang Dal.

Meanwhile, it added that Vijayan's counterpart Shivraj Singh Chouhan rang up Vijayan and expressed regret over the incident, while the police chief personally came and met Vijayan and apologised for what happened.
Damascus, Dec 11 : The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group entered the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria on Saturday, nine months after the Syrian army captured it, a monitor group reported.

"The IS is in the city of Palmyra for the first time after losing it to the Syrian army, whose forces are collapsing in the city," Xinhua quoted the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as saying.

The Britain-based watchdog group said IS succeeded to advance and reach the vicinity of the Palmyra hospital in the northwestern outskirts of the city, after capturing the Amiriyeh suburb in the northern part.

The IS terrorists also captured the Tar mountain, close to the Palmyra Citadel, west of the city, in tandem with shelling the citadel with mortar shells and heavy artillery.

The Observatory said intense battles are still raging between the IS terrorists and the Syrian government forces in the city.

The IS started its offensive on Palmyra on Thursday, after bringing in hundreds of fighters for taking the city, according to the Observatory.

The Syrian army are fighting to restore the positions it had lost in Palmyra as a result of the IS attack.

The Syrian army captured Palmyra on March 27, 2016, a year after losing the city to the IS.
October 31, 2022 14:54

Armenias 2023 state budget envisages 35% increase in defense spending

According to the 2023 state budget of Armenia, the defense spending will comprise 506 billion drams which is 35% more than that of 2022, Minister of Finance Tigran Khachatryan said during the session of the parliamentary standing committees dedicated to the debate of the 2023 state budget draft.
Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

"The future must see the broadening of human rights throughout the world." - Eleanor Roosevelt

The basic problem confronting the world today is the preservation of human freedom for the individual and consequently for the society of which he is a part.  Eleanor Roosevelt

One of the first major achievements of the United Nations, the adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, occurred on December 10, 1948. The committee that formed to draft the Declaration was chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, a lifelong champion of civil and human rights.

Eleanor Roosevelts passion for humanitarian issues preceded her commitment to creating a Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Where her husband, President Franklin Roosevelt, tended to exercise restraint when it came human rights issues at home and abroad, Eleanor Roosevelt was a staunch, vocal supporter of these causes.

The evolution of an outspoken human rights advocate

Franklin Roosevelts approach to the pre-World War II Jewish refugee crisis is often criticized by historians. Many make the case that the President should have used a stronger hand to influence Congress and the State Department, which strictly adhered to America's conservative immigration laws and quotas.

But much of the United States supported these stringent laws  between WWI and WWII, anti-Semitism peaked in the country, and the public favored isolationism in regard to international affairs.

Like many people of her time, Eleanor Roosevelt also expressed casual anti-Semitic sentiments in her younger years. However, according to biographer Blanche Wiesen Cook, Stunned by the depths of the problem in America, by 1935 she spoke out against anti-Semitism and race hatred wherever she found it in the United States.

Eleanor Roosevelt became a passionate advocate for Jewish refugees, and personally intervened in a number of cases to assist them. In fact, the Visual History Archive, descriptor, includes testimonies from Holocaust survivors who speak about reaching out to her.*

At a meeting of the Good Neighbor Committee on the Emigre and the Community in 1939, the First Lady warned the 700 attendees, We must not let ourselves be moved by fear in this country. We have seen that happen too many times in other countries. Sometimes I worry about the possibility that we will follow their example.

According to historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Roosevelts greatest regret at the end of her life was not using her influence over the President to rescue more refugees.

The First U.S. Delegation of the United Nations

The United Nations was established in 1945, two months after the end of the Second World War, to promote international cooperation and to prevent such a devastating conflict in the future.

As a result of her devotion to humanitarian causes  and to some extent her husbands instrumental part in laying the foundation for the organization  Roosevelt was appointed by President Harry Truman to serve on the first U.S. Delegation to the U.N. General Assembly.

In her syndicated My Day column, Roosevelt responded to the appointment on December 22, 1945. She stated her priorities for her new role, including a sense of responsibility especially toward women and veterans of the war, as well as her desire to help foster a real goodwill for all peoples throughout the world.

Willy nilly, every one of us cares more for his own country than for any other. That is human nature, she observed, adding:

We love the bit of land where we have grown to maturity and known the joys and sorrows of life. The time has come however when we must recognize that our mutual devotion to our own land must never blind us to the good of all lands and of all peoples.

In the end, as Wendell Willkie [the Republican presidential candidate who ran against Franklin Roosevelt when he sought his third term] said, we are One World and that which injures any one of us, injures all of us. Only by remembering this will we finally have a chance to build a lasting peace.

When the U.N. created the Commission on Human Rights in 1946, Roosevelt won a unanimous election to serve as the committees chair. The commission was charged with examining, monitoring and publicly reporting on human rights violations around the world. Additionally, the commission established the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Drafting Committee.

Also chaired by Roosevelt, it was up to this subcommittee to define the rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

As the world came to terms with a full understanding of the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as noted in its preamble, strove to [reaffirm] faith in fundamental human rights, and dignity and worth of the human person."

Over the course of two years, the drafting committee  representing 56 nations around the world  endured intense negotiation and ideological differences to hammer out the 30 articles that eventually comprised the landmark agreement.

As chair of the drafting committee, Roosevelt played a fundamental role in ensuring passage of the Universal Declaration Human Rights. Her speech, The Struggle for Human Rights, was delivered in September 1948 in Paris, with the aim to encourage U.N. member states to cast votes in support of the document.

Roosevelt implored the audience:

The future must see the broadening of human rights throughout the world. People who have glimpsed freedom will never be content until they have secured it for themselves. In a truest sense, human rights are a fundamental object of law and government in a just society. Human rights exist to the degree that they are respected by people in relations with each other and by governments in relations with their citizens.

While the Declaration of Universal Human Rights is not a legally binding document, it has served as a basis for national and international human rights laws and conventions since its adoption by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948.

Resources:

* Visual History Archive

Survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides have shared their stories and experiences in a collection of 53,000 two-hour audio-visual interviews with USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History.

ProQuest is honored to be in partnership with USC Visual History Archive to offer this material in its entirety to a broader audience and to contribute archival-quality transcripts of all of the testimonies.

Watch the videos, and learn more.

History Vault

Module: Struggle for Women's Rights, Organizational Records, 1880-1990. Learn more.

Ebooks:

Instaread. No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin | A 15-minute Summary & Analysis, edited by Instaread , 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/demo-myproquest/detail.action?docID=2044401.

Emblidge, David, and Eleanor Roosevelt. My Day, edited by David Emblidge, and Eleanor Roosevelt, Da Capo Press, 2009. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/demo-myproquest/detail.action?docID=904229.

Lichtman, Allan J., and Richard Breitman. FDR and the Jews, edited by Allan J. Lichtman, and Richard Breitman, Harvard University Press, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/demo-myproquest/detail.action?docID=3301244.

Learn more.

Historical newspapers:

Mrs. Roosevelt charges intolerance drive against refugees and seeks fund sources. (1939, Nov 29). New York Times (1923-Current File). pp. 1.

Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/docview/102906552?accountid=131239

Kenton, John. Special to THE NEW, YORK TIMES. (1948, Dec 11). Human rights declaration adopted by U.N. assembly. New York Times (1923-Current File).pp. 1. Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/docview/108376914?accountid=131239

Learn more.

Human Rights Online:

Alexander Streets research and learning database providing comparative documentation, analysis, and interpretation of major human rights violations and atrocity crimes worldwide from 1900 to 2010. The collection features primary and secondary materials across multiple media formats and content types, including 151 hours of streaming video and 60,249 pages of text materials.

Learn more.

The basic problem confronting the world today is the preservation of human freedom for the individual and consequently for the society of which he is a part.

 Eleanor Roosevelt

One of the first major achievements of the United Nations, the adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, occurred on December 10, 1948. The committee that formed to draft the Declaration was chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, a lifelong champion of civil and human rights.

Eleanor Roosevelts passion for humanitarian issues preceded her commitment to creating a Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Where her husband, President Franklin Roosevelt, tended to exercise restraint when it came to human rights issues at home and abroad, Eleanor Roosevelt was a staunch, vocal supporter of these causes.

The evolution of an outspoken human rights advocate

Franklin Roosevelts approach to the pre-World War II Jewish refugee crisis is often criticized by historians. Many make the case that the President should have used a stronger hand to influence Congress and the State Department, which strictly adhered to America's conservative immigration laws and quotas.

But much of the United States supported these stringent laws  between WWI and WWII, anti-Semitism peaked in the country, and the public favored isolationism in regard to international affairs.

Like many people of her time, Eleanor Roosevelt also expressed casual anti-Semitic sentiments in her younger years. However, according to biographer Blanche Wiesen Cook, Stunned by the depths of the problem in America, by 1935 she spoke out against anti-Semitism and race hatred wherever she found it in the United States.

Eleanor Roosevelt became a passionate advocate for Jewish refugees and personally intervened in a number of cases to assist them. In fact, the Visual History Archive includes testimonies from Holocaust survivors who speak about reaching out to her.*

At a meeting of the Good Neighbor Committee on the Emigre and the Community in 1939, the First Lady warned the 700 attendees, We must not let ourselves be moved by fear in this country. We have seen that happen too many times in other countries. Sometimes I worry about the possibility that we will follow their example.

According to historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Roosevelts greatest regret at the end of her life was not using her influence over the President to rescue more refugees.

The First U.S. Delegation of the United Nations

The United Nations was established in 1945, two months after the end of the Second World War, to promote international cooperation and to prevent such a devastating conflict in the future. As a result of her devotion to humanitarian causes  and to some extent her husbands instrumental part in laying the foundation for the organization  Roosevelt was appointed by President Harry Truman to serve on the first U.S. Delegation to the U.N. General Assembly.

In her syndicated My Day column, Roosevelt responded to the appointment on December 22, 1945. She stated her priorities for her new role, including a sense of responsibility especially toward women and veterans of the war, as well as her desire to help foster a real goodwill for all peoples throughout the world.

Willy nilly, every one of us cares more for his own country than for any other. That is human nature, she observed, adding:

We love the bit of land where we have grown to maturity and known the joys and sorrows of life. The time has come however when we must recognize that our mutual devotion to our own land must never blind us to the good of all lands and of all peoples.

In the end, as Wendell Willkie [the Republican presidential candidate who ran against Franklin Roosevelt when he sought his third term] said, we are One World and that which injures any one of us, injures all of us. Only by remembering this will we finally have a chance to build a lasting peace.

When the U.N. created the Commission on Human Rights in 1946, Roosevelt won a unanimous election to serve as the committees chair. The commission was charged with examining, monitoring and publicly reporting on human rights violations around the world. Additionally, the commission established the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Drafting Committee.

Also chaired by Roosevelt, it was up to this subcommittee to define the rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

As the world came to terms with a full understanding of the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as noted in its preamble, strove to [reaffirm] faith in fundamental human rights, and dignity and worth of the human person."

Over the course of two years, the drafting committee  representing 56 nations around the world  endured intense negotiation and ideological differences to hammer out the 30 articles that eventually comprised the landmark agreement.

As chair of the drafting committee, Roosevelt played a fundamental role in ensuring passage of the Universal Declaration Human Rights. Her speech, The Struggle for Human Rights, was delivered in September 1948 in Paris, with the aim to encourage U.N. member states to cast votes in support of the document.

Roosevelt implored the audience:

The future must see the broadening of human rights throughout the world. People who have glimpsed freedom will never be content until they have secured it for themselves. In a truest sense, human rights are a fundamental object of law and government in a just society. Human rights exist to the degree that they are respected by people in relations with each other and by governments in relations with their citizens.

While the Declaration of Universal Human Rights is not a legally binding document, it has served as a basis for national and international human rights laws and conventions since its adoption by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948.

Resources:

*Visual History Archive

Survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides have shared their stories and experiences in a collection of 53,000 two-hour audio-visual interviews with the USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History.

ProQuest is honored to be in partnership with the USC Visual History Archive to offer this material in its entirety to a broader audience and to contribute archival-quality transcripts of all of the testimonies.

Watch the videos, and learn more.

History Vault

Module: Struggle for Women's Rights, Organizational Records, 1880-1990. Learn more.

Ebooks:

Instaread. No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin | A 15-minute Summary & Analysis, edited by Instaread , 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central.

Emblidge, David, and Eleanor Roosevelt. My Day, edited by David Emblidge, and Eleanor Roosevelt, Da Capo Press, 2009. ProQuest Ebook Central.

Lichtman, Allan J., and Richard Breitman. FDR and the Jews, edited by Allan J. Lichtman, and Richard Breitman, Harvard University Press, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central.

Learn more.

Historical Newspapers:

Mrs. Roosevelt charges intolerance drive against refugees and seeks fund sources. (1939, Nov 29). New York Times (1923-Current File). pp. 1.

Kenton, John. Special to THE NEW, YORK TIMES. (1948, Dec 11). Human rights declaration adopted by U.N. assembly. New York Times (1923-Current File).pp. 1.

Learn more.

Human Rights Online:

Alexander Streets research and learning database providing comparative documentation, analysis, and interpretation of major human rights violations and atrocity crimes worldwide from 1900 to 2010. The collection features primary and secondary materials across multiple media formats and content types, including 151 hours of streaming video and 60,249 pages of text materials.

Learn more.
Heating and cooling Columbus company Paramount Air has released a 2016 Holiday Home Prep tip sheet for homeowners. Most of us are hosting guests for the holidays, which means we are likely cleaning the house from top to bottom; however, I think its important to remind homeowners that the HVAC system can also use a good cleaning.

December is most certainly a major month for Americans hosting family and traveling, and ultimately the lead in for the holidays and new year. To help prepare for the typically cold season and prevent any major mishaps with the heating and air systems, heating and cooling Columbus company Paramount Air has released a 2016 Holiday Home Prep tip sheet for homeowners.

Columbus Oh heating and air professional and Paramount Air President Bill Brown comments, Most of us are hosting guests for the holidays, which means we are likely cleaning the house from top to bottom; however, I think its important to remind homeowners that the HVAC system can also use a good cleaning, which will ultimately benefit everyone in the home for the holiday season. If its running efficiently and smoothly, everyone will be warm, comfortable and ready to celebrate. As the best heating and air conditioning company Columbus Ohio has to offer, we are proud to provide this annual Tip Sheet to help our neighbors!

Tips for 2016 Holiday HVAC Prep provided by the heating and air Columbus professionals include:

Heating and Cooling Tip One: Dusting is a simple, but essential task to prevent HVAC mishaps. Keeping dust particles from traveling through the homes ductwork will prevent dust from moving throughout the house. Homeowners should use a dry rag to wipe exposed surfaces.

Heating and Cooling Tip Two: To prevent major heating and cooling issues, homeowners should simply replace the furnace filter on a monthly basis. Furnace filters allow the furnace to move clean air throughout the home.

Heating and Cooling Tip Three: Many homeowners are cooking a great deal during the holidays. Turning the heat down just a few degrees during this time allows for the oven to provide warmth allowing the furnace some downtime while saving some energy.

The heating and air Columbus company Paramount Air can be reached at http://www.paramountair.net or (614) 467-8472 for further information.

About Columbus Ohio heating and cooling company Paramount Air

Located in Worthington, Ohio, Paramount Heating & Air Conditioning offers heating, ventilation, and air conditioning service, repair, and installation in Columbus, Ohio and the surrounding area. With a 100% risk-free guarantee, Paramount Air specializes in furnace, heat pump, and air conditioner repair, installation, and maintenance, in addition to water heater repair, installation, and maintenance, duct system design and installation, and control system design and installation.
International Student Logo For many of our contest participants studying abroad is more than just a fun experience, its the opportunity to receive a quality education, experience new cultures and potentially change their future.

InternationalStudent.com, a leading international education marketing company serving students and academic institutions worldwide, is proud to announce the winners of this years Travel Video Contest. Now in its 11th year, the contest requires current and aspiring international students to describe a proposed study abroad experience, or if theyre already studying abroad, a proposed trip. All entries must be submitted as a 5-minute video. Entrants can win an array of cash prizes and the overall contest winners are released each year on the final day of International Education Week.

Every year our team at International Student is swept away by the personal challenges and stories showcased in various entries, but this year students have used the contest as a podium to call to light more global issues, says Bryanna Davis, Marketing Manager at InternationalStudent.com. Gender equality, climate change, genocide and the challenges that face multiracial students are among the timely topics of this years contest.

To begin narrowing down this years 159 submissions, the staff of International Student reviewed each entry for creativity, originality and overall quality to select 14 finalists. A judging panel of 9 international educators, supporters and travelers then selected the first, second and third-place recipients from all 15 finalists, including the viewers choice winner.

This years grand prize winner is This Magical World by Mariana Osorio. Born in one of Mexicos most impoverished states, Mariana narrates her video with an original song describing her journey to study music and arts in The United States. In addition to the cash prize, she will share her travel experiences and studies in the form of an ongoing blog on InternationalStudent.com.

Second place winner Siti Fatimahs stirring video submission, Dream, Believe, and Make It Happen combines a playful mixture of cartoon animations, videography and personal photographs. Growing up as an orphan in Indonesia, Sitis perseverance has led her to her goal of studying abroad and ultimately becoming an obstetrician.

Michael de Beers somewhat somber submission, The Urban Archi is this years third-place winner and recipient of $250. Inspired to study architecture abroad by his impoverished home of South Africa, Michael believes that people can visualize architecture as a form of hope, and aims to return home with his newfound skills and diploma to help urbanize his childhood community.

Bringing a bit of lightheartedness to the contest, Carlos Roberto Gonzalez Meyers video, A Couple of MBAAs is this years viewers choice winner and recipient of the $1,000 prize. Chosen by popular vote and automatically advanced as a Contest finalist, Carlos and his girlfriend energetically act out their dreams to study abroad in one of this years most comical entries.

For many of our contest participants studying abroad is more than just a fun experience, its the opportunity to receive a quality education, experience new cultures and potentially change their future, explains Davis. While not everyone will have the same opportunities, our hope is that by sharing these inspiring videos, students everywhere will continue to reach for the seemingly impossible and never stop learning.

For further information, contact Bryanna Davis at bdavis(at)envisageinternational(dot)com or visit the contest pages on the site: http://www.internationalstudent.com/contest/.

About Envisage International Corporation, the parent company of InternationalStudent.com:

Envisage International Corporation (EIC) is a leader in international education marketing, running a network of internationally recognized websites and providing unique products and services that meet the needs of students and organizations from all around the world. With focus, purely on international education, EIC provides expert solutions for international student recruiting, student loans and student health and travel insurance.
Holiday shopping, decorating, parties, family gatherings, and even childrens Christmas wish lists for Santa are all sources of external stimuli that can put a great deal of stress on consumers this and every holiday season. For some, the added pressure to spread holiday cheer through gifts, food and festive gatherings can lead to excessive behaviors, which has an impact on consumer well-being.

New research co-authored by Kogod School of Business Marketing Professor Sonya A. Grier titled, Mindfulness: Its Transformative Potential for Consumer, Societal, and Environmental Well Being, proposes that mindfulness is an antidote to the adverse impacts of mindless consumption done out of automatic thoughts, habits, and unhealthy behavior patterns. The study published in the Fall issue of the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, highlights some of the challenges to realizing the transformative potential of mindful consumption and concludes with suggestions for consumers, institutions, and policy makers to promote mindful consumption.

Consumers can engage in mindful consumption practices to potentially mitigate the adverse effects that mindless consumption, such as overeating and drinking, or frivolous shopping, has on an individuals well being, said Grier.

Mindfulness is a type of awareness that enables a trained mind to make deliberate choices and be less susceptible to persuasive messaging. For the untrained mind, objective awareness is regularly sidetracked by an abundance of memories, perceptions, thoughts, emotions, and judgments, resulting in the squandering of time, energy, and attention, which are all limited resources for consumers.

In a fast-paced world, mindful consumption can help consumers stay in touch with the most important priorities in their lives and help them self-regulate to make choices based on those priorities instead of bad habits, said Grier. More specifically, the research suggests mindful consumption training can lead to the following transformative outcomes:

Financial Well-being

Mindfulness consumption practices can lead to an increased ability to make skillful financial decisions that are aligned with deeper values and facilitate well-being.

Materialism

Mindfulness consumption practices can result in an increased capacity to manage societal pressures to spend money or value possessions and greater ability to find ways to satisfy psychological needs at a deeper level. Additionally, mindful consumers are less susceptible to marketing tactics and more likely to have higher self-esteem as they are not motivated by approval from self or others.

Family Matters

Mindfulness consumption practices can lead to an enhanced quality of time and experience with ones family, along with an increased ability to make better decisions for the well-being of family members.

Environmental Well-Being

Mindfulness can help consumers have a slower consumption rate, which helps sustain happiness with products and reduce disposal behavior.

Societal Well-Being

Lastly, mindful consumption practices can result in a heighten ability to practice openness and tolerance toward other groups and perspectives.

To practice mindful consumption, Grier recommends having awareness of what triggers unhealthy behavior or relationships, pay attention to the bodys reaction to the consumption of food or products, and to understand the impermanence of cravings. The study also recommends being aware of underlying motives to spend money, the value placed on material items and of constructing a sense of identity based on material goods.

About Kogod School of Business

The Kogod School of Business is the leading destination for the study of business in the Washington, D.C. metro area. The School has been a part of the D.C. business community for 60 years and is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. AACSB accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for a business school worldwide. Kogods Washington, D.C. location serves as a laboratory for learning through work, internships, and other forms of experiential education.

-AU-

American University is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse student body from throughout the United States and nearly 140 countries. Located in Washington, D.C., the university provides opportunities for academic excellence, public service, and internships in the nations capital and around the world.
"PleaseI want the world to feel us, to have compassion, to listen to these stories of our lives and our suffering." - Isra, Syria border

Denver-based humanitarian aid organization, Saving Moses, is raising money for the most vulnerable population in Syrias civil warbabies and toddlers.

The situation in Syria continues to worsendeadly weapon explosions are increasing as aid supplies run out. Families are experiencing bombing, facing starvation, and dying from disease. The situation is intensifying with winter coming and airstrikes increasing.

Saving Moses turned its attention to the babies in Syrias most besieged areas, mobilizing their team and working to provide funding for nourishment support for babies less than two years of age. They will continue raising money and awareness of the situation throughout the month of December to support Syrias most urgent aid needs.

The war in Syria is in its fifth year, and humanitarian needs in the region continue to grow. The babies and toddlers are most vulnerable as water, food, medical access, and shelter are no longer available. Many babies lives are ending before they begin. Authorities estimate that children make up one-third of the casualties in Syria.

Saving Moses ongoing programs are focused where the infant mortality rate is the highest in the world and on babies of sex workers, who are most susceptible to exploitation.

To learn more about Saving Moses Syria relief efforts and their ongoing work around the world, please visit: http://www.savingmoses.org or contact info(at)savingmoses(dot)org. To donate, visit: http://savingmoses.org/syria/.

About Saving Moses: Saving Moses saves babies where the need is most urgent and the care is least available. Their revolutionary programs serve nations that record the highest infant mortality rate and where babies of sex workers are most susceptible to exploitation. They operate NightCare centers in Cambodia, offering shelter and protection for babies and toddlers of sex workers, fund six malnutrition clinics in Angola, which provide therapeutic milk to little ones who are critically ill, and provide midwives, postnatal vaccinations, and teach basic life-saving skills in Afghanistan.
Abu Dhabis Medication Safety Conference and its organizer, Synovetics, announced a strategic partnership with ASHP (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) to offer one of the largest annual pharmacy conferences in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The conference will take place in Abu Dhabi on October 27-29, 2017.

ASHP hosts the largest gathering of pharmacists in the world  the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exposition, with over 22,000 pharmacists attending each year. ASHP also hosts several other large conferences, including the ASHP Summer Meetings and Exposition, National Pharmacy Preceptors Conference, Conference for Pharmacy Leaders, the interprofessional Medication Safety Collaborative, and several other events in the U.S. and around the world.

The event in October 2017 will bring to Abu Dhabi the worlds leading experts to provide healthcare practitioners in the MENA region and beyond with knowledge, networking, and opportunities to learn about the latest advances in medication use and safety.

ASHP is extremely pleased to partner on the Medication Safety Conference and views it as an exciting opportunity to help improve medication safety and advance pharmacy practice throughout the MENA region, said ASHP CEO Paul W. Abramowitz, Pharm.D., Sc.D.(Hon.), FASHP. ASHP looks forward to bringing our 75 years of experience in providing the highest-quality pharmacy education to what we believe will become a must-attend conference for pharmacists throughout this region.

Sana Bagersh, CEO of Synovetics, added, "We are very excited to be collaborating with ASHP on this new venture. Worldwide, ASHP is considered a premier pharmacy organization, and this partnership will enable us to expand the impact of the Medication Safety Conference by offering the best of what ASHP offers to a large region of the world.

Supported by the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD), the conference will be chaired locally by highly renowned UAE pharmacy expert Malak Shadid, Chief Pharmacist and Medical Supplies Manager and Chair of the HAAD Drug Advisory Panel, and internationally by ASHPs CEO Dr. Paul W. Abramowitz. Attendees of the conference will be eligible to receive continuing education credits from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), and HAAD.

About ASHP

ASHP represents pharmacists who serve as patient care providers in acute and ambulatory settings. The organizations more than 43,000 members include pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians. For over 70 years, ASHP has been at the forefront of efforts to improve medication use and enhance patient safety. For more information about the wide array of ASHP activities and the many ways in which pharmacists advance healthcare, visit ASHPs website, http://www.ashp.org, or its consumer website, http://www.SafeMedication.com.

About Synovetics

Synovetics is a leading organizer of healthcare seminars and conferences in the UAE. As one of a few companies in the region that are fully specialized in healthcare learning, Synovetics focuses on providing programs that are practical, thorough, accurate and scientifically based. Synovetics offers high quality educational programs that are flexible, reliable and cost effective, and specifically designed to enhance the knowledge of the healthcare community and improve standards in medical, nursing, and pharmacy care. Synovetics has the market knowledge and extensive experience in medical and health conferences. Synovetics is located in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

For press inquiries, please contact:

Iman Abu Omar

Director, Events & Business Development

Synovetics

PO Box 769267 Abu Dhabi UAE

T: +971 2 443 4331

M: 971 50 1041214

E: iman(at)synovetics(dot)com

W: http://www.synovetics.com

Joseph Feese

Director, Communications Division

ASHP

7272 Wisconsin Avenue

Bethesda, Maryland 20814

T: 301-664-8799

E: press(at)ashp(dot)org
Master Your Card, a community empowerment program sponsored by Mastercard, today joined representatives from the Bronx Borough presidents office and local educators to recognize more than 250 students who completed its interactive financial education program at the Bronx School for Tourism and Hospitality, and New Visions School for Advanced Math and Science II. Todays event also featured a panel discussion, an interactive game and other activities for students.

Working with EverFi, we created this online, technology-based education program to provide young people with important financial knowledge and skills in a way that matches how they prefer to learn, said Shawn Miles, executive vice president for Public Policy at Mastercard, and a leader in the creation of the Master Your Card community empowerment program. This is part of Master Your Cards outreach across the country, particularly in low-income areas, to help people understand how they can use electronic payment technology and make smart decisions to achieve greater financial security and success.

Master Your Card partnered with EverFi, Inc., the nations leading education technology company, to bring this financial education program to students at no cost to schools or taxpayers. The program is part of a community initiative aimed at providing financial education to students in financially underserved communities.

I always felt that learning how to handle your finances is such an important skill set to attain and the earlier students learn how to manage their money, the better they can avoid some of the pitfalls we encountered as adults, lessons we learned the hard way, said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. I am proud of what these students have accomplished and it is great to see the Master Your Card financial education program teach these children, our future community leaders, the importance of financial health. It is wonderful that the students participating in the program will leverage these skills they learned for years to come, as they help take our great borough to the next level, as we continue to grow.

Available to schools in the Bronx, the program uses the latest in simulation and gaming technologies to bring financial concepts to life for todays digital generation. Administered by teachers in the classroom, the high school curriculum aligns with both state and national standards, and covers a range of critical financial topics such as saving, budgeting, credit, debt, careers and income.

In addition to the Bronx, Master Your Card is working with grade and high schools in Baltimore, Md., Southeast Los Angeles, the Mississippi Delta and Richmond, Va.

###

About Master Your Card

Master Your Card is a community empowerment program sponsored by Mastercard to help consumer advocacy groups, small business groups and governments appreciate the value of credit, prepaid and debit cards as access points to an economically empowering electronic payments network. Learn more at http://www.masteryourcardusa.org.

About EverFi

EverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company focused on teaching, assessing, and certifying K-12 and college students in the critical skills they need for life. The company teams with major corporations and foundations to provide the programs at no cost to K-12 schools. Some of Americas leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EverFi investors including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Twitter founder Evan Williams, and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt. Learn more at everfi.com.
We look forward to that day when we can transform what is currently discontinuous treatment into the recovery-focused, cohesive system of care that so many people in the greater Bergen County area need.

Bergen County mental health care provider Care Plus NJ, Inc. (Care Plus NJ) has teamed up with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Integrity, Inc. to submit their proposal to takeover operations of Bergen Regional Medical Center.

The three non-profit organizations, led by Care Plus NJ, share a new vision for the management of the hospital, which is currently considered a safety net for those requiring mental health or substance abuse care.

Care Plus Bergen  the operating name for the team  proposes a new system of care focused on integrated care models, rather than the divisions of treatment which currently exist.

Were looking beyond the case-by-case treatment model that is employed today, said Care Plus NJ President/CEO, Joseph Masciandaro. Our goal is to create a new, coordinated model of care that works within the community to provide prevention, intervention, treatment and, most importantly, aftercareall with the goals of promoting longstanding health and recovery, and reducing repeated hospitalizations.

Masciandaro noted that under the current system, individuals are often released from the hospital without a clear continuum of care plan. Without easy access to ongoing care, patients often end up back at the emergency room, a process that often repeats many times over.

Most people spend a very brief portion of their lives in the hospitaleven if you are dealing with pervasive diseases such as mental illness and addiction. Its what happens when these individuals leave the hospital that will define their future, Masciandaro stated.

Even the renaming of the hospital that the group proposed  Crossroads Medical Center  is a nod to that same notion. The individuals who come for care are at a crossroads in their life, and the care that they receive will determine their path to sustainable health, he said.

Masciandaro said that the proposed model is one that they expect will be a successful formula for integrated treatment within the hospital setting. He shared statistics that demonstrated the need for an integrated care system: 60% of people treated for a mental health condition also have a co-occurring substance abuse disorder. These same individuals also suffer from high rates of physical diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. To successfully treat such complex and inter-related conditions requires more than what a short-term hospital stay can provide.

To ensure an inclusive transition to an improved system of care, the group is committed to continuing the mission of safety net provider, while assuming the role of providing a modern integrated health care delivery system that includes health promotion and prevention activities, acute care, specialized service lines and organized transitions to aftercare.

Care Plus NJ has been a community provider of outpatient mental health care since 1978, serving both adults and children throughout northern New Jersey. They will serve to manage the acute care services of the medical center. The organization has an extensive reach into the community, already providing many of the aftercare and supportive services that patients would need once they leave the hospital.

A forerunner in proving out innovative care models, Care Plus NJ was one of the first in the country to receive a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to deliver integrated behavioral and physical health care to their constituents since 2010, receiving public acclaim and serving as a model for similar facilities throughout the country.

Care Plus NJ is accredited by the Joint Commission and was the first accredited Behavioral Health Home in New Jersey. Rutgers New Jersey Medical School will oversee the Ambulatory Care Clinic operations and provide clinical and physician leadership. Substance abuse services will be managed by Integrity, Inc., including inpatient detox, residential care, and outpatient services. The group has collectively treated hundreds of thousands of individuals in the greater New Jersey area, bringing a wealth of experience that is unparalleled in the healthcare industry.

Managing people in a community setting is the hard part. We are putting the right teams together with the people who need them, right when they need them. We look forward to that day when we can transform what is currently discontinuous treatment into the recovery-focused, cohesive system of care that so many people in the greater Bergen County area need, Masciandaro said.

The contract for the current for-profit operators of Bergen Regional Medical Center ends in March of 2017. Care Plus Bergen is one of several groups that have submitted proposals to take over management of the beleaguered hospital. A decision is expected in early 2017.















While on an ordinary visit to my neighbor during my last trip back home to Kabul in October, I met an extraordinary little girl.

We met by coincidence, as she and her mother were also guests of my neighbor, who was holding a small gathering at her home. At only 12 years old, she has already overcome incredible obstacles to go to school, and her determination is unwavering. Her mother asked that I not use their names, but as soon as she learned from our mutual friend that I work as a journalist for Radio Azadi, RFE/RLs service to Afghanistan, she insisted that I interview her daughter about her struggle so that other Afghans can hear what girls go through to get an education.

The girl explained that after her father died, her mother struggled to feed her three children, let alone send them to school. With her health failing and nowhere else to turn, she decided to send the girl, her eldest, to an orphanage where she lives during the week and attends school for free.The girl says she desperately misses her mother and her family, but shes happy at the orphanage because she can go to school.

There is nothing in our house, and at the orphanage I have access to everything, but when I go home Im very happy because my mother is with me, she said. When I go home I help my mother bake bread and clean. My mother teaches me how to cook, and thats what I do until I come back to the orphanage.

Her mother suffers from a bone disease, and the girl explained that she wants to become a doctor so she can treat her mother.

"I want to serve my society and my mother, too. Her legs hurt, and I want to heal them."

Despite her frail condition, the girls mother stood up to relatives who were against the idea of the girl going away to school.

My relatives said that when I get married and go to my husbands home, Ill be expected to cook, not to study, the girl said. I told them Ill do the cooking and study, too. I can do both.

The girl is lucky, as there are millions of Afghan children who dont attend school. A lack of facilities, poverty, and a general lack of security in many parts of the country prevent those children from learning. For girls, added to these obstacles is a persistent conservative view in many communities against girls education.

But things are slowly improving. According to the Afghan Education Ministry, 9 million children currently attend school around the country, and about 40 percent of them are girls.

The Education Ministry says that most of the estimated 3.5 million remaining children who do not attend school are girls. Afghanistans female literacy rate is also among the lowest in the word at around 17 percent, according to a 2015 UNESCO report.

Womens rights activist Maryam Amarkhel says that womens exclusion from education has severe consequences for society and that society has to change.

When a woman is uneducated, she blindly accepts any statement made about her and she assumes she is incapable of great achievements, Amarkhel said. She thinks she cant take part in politics or be self-sufficient. She has been given this way of thinking by our people and by our men.

I have hope that the determined little girl I met at my neighbors home in Kabul will not succumb to this way of thinking, and that shell be an example for many others.

--Freba Mohd Zaher
Famed Goosebumps author R.L. Stine has joined the ranks of well-known writers turning to comics, with an upcoming five-issue comic for Marvel based on Marvels Man-Thing character. The first issue comes out in February, and the collected edition will be available in summer 2017.

Calling it a lifelong dream to write a comic book, Stine said that the series will feature his signature blend of humor and horror as Man-Thing, a monster-hero, faces a world of crazed wildlife, zombies, and interdimensional weirdness. Although Man-Thing was not able to talk in his previous appearances, hes now regained the power of speech. The series will be rated T+ and is aimed at older readers, along the lines of Stines Fear Street series. Although Stine said that he hasnt gone overboard with violence in the comic series, the humor is more sophisticated. Each issue will include a lead story by Stine and artist German Peralta, with a short back-up horror story drawn by different artists, including Daniel Johnson in the first issue.

In the comics, Man-Thing is the evolved form of scientist Ted Sallis, who has injected himself with a superhero serum that makes him into a shambling swamp horror, based in the Everglades, who can burn people with his touch. The comics most famous run came in the 1970s under writer Steve Gerber, who made the muck monster the nexus of clashes between various hippies and environmentalists fighting against industrialists and cults.

Stine said that in the series hes playing off of Salliss past as a scientist and giving him back his human intellect, but with a sarcastic bent, as Sallis attempts to reconcile his humanity with his hideous form. He can think and his mind is back, Stine said, but hes struggling to get back to being a human.

Stine is a longtime comics fanhe credits ECs famed line of horror comics from the 1950s as inspiration for his storytelling style, which blends horror with darkly humorous endings. As a child, he wanted to be a cartoonist. I drew and drew but had no talent whatsoever, Stine said. I was the worst in my class. I could see it wasnt going to work out so I had to write.

Highly prolific, Stine has written hundreds of books since, and his Goosebumps and Fear Street series have sold more than 400 million copies worldwide. But writing comics was always something Stine wanted to do. I cant believe in all these years its something Ive never done, he said. But no one ever asked me before.

Stine said that a Marvel editor called him to make the offer. Stine briefly considered writing an original horror series, but decided that working on a Marvel character would be more fun. He chose Man-Thing from a list of characters that were available. Ive always liked swamp monsters, Stine said, referring to his own Goosebumps title Here Comes the Shaggedy, published last year. Swamp monsters are just a basic horror. What could be more basic than something rising up from the muck?

Stine said that he has found writing comics to be a fairly easy process, similar to screenplays, and wont rule out further comics projects if they are offered.
The second annual Global Kids Connect conference, organized by Publishers Weekly and the Bologna Childrens Book Fair, covered a broad range of topics in a jam-packed daylong program held December 7 in New York City. The morning session started off with a look at the booming Chinese childrens book market, which is growing at a rate of 10%15% a year according to Renee Huang, founder and publisher of Everafter Books, part of Trustbridge Publishing.

In a detailed presentation called Finding Success in China Today, Huang outlined a Chinese childrens-book market led by the growth of picture books and English-learning titles and bursting with opportunities for online sales of titles through popular Chinese social media channels such as WeChat. Huang noted the growth of private publishing ventures, including new Chinese firms and international publishers such as Bonnier, in a Chinese book marketplace dominated by state-owned publishing entities. Out of the 582 state publishers, only about 30 are focused on childrens publishing.

Auction-driven advances for picture books are skyrocketing and unreasonably high, Huang reported (the average advance, she said, has grown from about $3,000 to about $20,000). She said that the Chinese prose market is focused on middle grade novels (the YA category doesnt really exist in China) and is dominated by big-name Chinese authors, along with the sporadic appearances of some popular Western franchises. Childrens books, Huang said, represent about 44% of revenue generated by Chinese physical bookstores and about 32% of book sales at online booksellers.

Literary agent Ginger Clark led a lively discussion on Sales and Acquisitions in an Unpredictable Marketplace with a panel of scouts and rights directors that included Kelly Farber, Rachel Hecht, and Allison Hellegers. Farber confirmed the strong market for picture books in China, saying, They want a sample of every single picture book sent to them. The group pointed to renewed rights sales in Brazil, Spain, and throughout Latin America after a period of reduced rights activity from those regions.

And while the German and French markets for childrens properties were characterized as stable, there was much discussion of the weakness of the British pound, which has lost about one-sixth of its value since the vote to leave the European Union in June. In U.S. deals, U.K. author advances are going to be higher, Hellegers said. Farber explained that while the weak pound makes U.K. books cheaper to buy and very competitive with U.S. rights, British publishers should be wary of overconfidence based on a currency advantage that she said was likely unsustainable.

For the days final panel, Answering the Hard-Hitting Questions, Guardian childrens books editor Julia Eccleshare sat down with three of the biggest names in American childrens publishing to tackle some of the sectors most vexing questions: What changes might be in store for publishers in the wake of the election of right-leaning populists in the West? Are publishers still willing to take risks? What happens to publishing if Barnes & Noble dies? What happens if the e-book dies?

For her part, Random House Childrens Books president and publisher Barbara Marcus remained mostly optimistic. Though she noted that there is a reticence about publishing and rights in a global sense and a general concern about what kind of publishing will travel, she concluded that one beautiful thing about publishing is the camaraderie that exists in our little world. We publish things together. We try things together.

One concern Marcus did voice was regarding the willingness, on the part of retailers, to stick out their necks for a book. In some ways, our retailers have gotten a little less flexible in taking a chance, and I think its actually more true in childrens than in adult, she said. That makes it hard, sometimes, on the publisherwhich cant always pivot toward the retailers needs in the midst of a busy production schedule.

Suzanne Murphy, president and publisher of HarperCollins Childrens Books, brushed off the possibility of a B&N collapse by saying, Were not thinking that way at all. Marcus concurred. Murphy also noted that childrens publishing has a strong bulwark against risk. I think we are able to have our backlist be very healthy, and that helps make us be less afraid of what we might think of as risk, she said, before noting that childrens publishers still dont typically take the same sorts of risks as adult publishers. I think childrens publishers probably do have more in their tool kit [in terms of promotion], she added, naming childrens librarians and parents as two vital sources of promotion.

Amy Berkower, chairman of the Writers House literary agency, however, wasnt so optimistic about B&Ns perceived durability. I think it would be tough, and there are signs of weakness, she said. Maybe another chain would open up, but it wouldnt be good.

The three panelists primarily agreed on e-books, with Marcus asserting that we are a print business and Murphy adding that the e-book is simply not a novelty for this new generation, which has grown up with digital content. Berkower, looking at the falling numbers in e-books, sees a new trend: E is down in adult, but [only] adult trade, she said. If you look at self-pubbed books published on Amazon, and you add them to the e-books [numbers], e is not down.

But numbers, Berkower noted, can only go so far. Real trade booksI dont think algorithms are going to really help, she said. While acknowledging that theyre important in terms of data, she emphasized that in a business such as publishing, data isnt everything. I dont want to belittle the fact that we now have a lot of this information, she said, but I think thats what makes this business so interesting. Its an art.

After the panels concluded, PW held a party for the childrens authors and illustrators who received a starred review from PW during the year. Among those in attendance were Sophie Blackall, Patricia McCormick, Richard Peck, Jerry and Gloria Pinkney, Chris Rascha, and Paul O. Zelinsky.

Editors Note: More conference coverage will be featured in this weeks Childrens BookShelf.
Many of the genres biggest names are looking toward the near future, and their works coming out this spring forecast ecological and economic disaster and show how humans can survive and even thrive.

Top 10

Amberlough

Lara Elena Donnelly. Tor, Feb. 7

Donnellys debut, a fast-moving tale of desperate love and intrigue in a created world that recalls Europe on the brink of WWII, is emotionally wrenching and shockingly timely.

Bannerless

Carrie Vaughn. HMH/Mariner/Adams, July 11

This novel, which builds on several of Vaughns acclaimed short stories, is set in a dystopian future when communities must prove their viability before new children are permitted.

The Book of Etta

Meg Elison. Amazon/47North, Feb. 21

In this magnificently unsettling novel, set decades after the apocalypse depicted in The Book of the Unnamed Midwife, a transgender man tries to find his place in a world where women are the scarcest commodity.

The Devil Crept In

Ania Ahlborn. S&S/Gallery, Feb. 7

Ahlborn is at the top of her game with this intimate horror novel, which focuses on the relationship between overwhelmed mothers and the sons they cant save.

In Calabria

Peter S. Beagle. Tachyon, Feb. 14

Venerated fantasist Beagle, still best known for The Last Unicorn nearly 50 years after its first publication, contrasts ethereal magic with modern media spectacle in a very different tale of a unicorn and her human companion.

New York 2140

Kim Stanley Robinson. Orbit, Mar. 14

Always the optimist, Robinson finds ways to paint a hopeful picture of a flooded near-future New York City, where rising seas have turned the streets into canals.

The Stars Are Legion

Kameron Hurley. S&S/Saga, Feb. 7

Hurley, whos earned increasing acclaim for both her fiction and her essays, sets this intricate and morally complex novel in a universe of warring world ships populated entirely by women.

The Strange Case of the Alchemists Daughter

Theodora Goss. S&S/Saga, June 20

Fans of Gosss short fiction and poetry will be thrilled to see her expertise in Victorian literature on display in her first novel, about the daughters and other creations of doctors Jekyll, Frankenstein, and Moreau.

Tender

Sofia Samatar. Small Beer, Apr. 11

This first collection of Samatars lauded short fiction is sure to impress those who only know her through her groundbreaking Olondria fantasy novels.

Walkaway

Cory Doctorow. Tor, Apr. 25

Author and activist Doctorow constructs a near future where enormous gulfs between rich and poor lead to the poor opting out of society altogether, with unexpected consequences.

SF, Fantasy & Horror Listings

Ace

Sorcerer Royal by Zen Cho (July 4, hardcover, $27, ISBN 978-0-425-28341-7). Chos debut, Sorcerer to the Crown, made major waves with its blend of Regency romance and fascinating magic. The sequel raises the stakes with threats of war between the fairy and human realms.

Algonquin

When the English Fall by David Williams (July 11, hardcover, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-61620-522-5). Williamss debut recounts the experiences of an Amish man trying to protect his community when technology fails and outsiders begin raiding self-sufficient farms.

Amazon/47North

The Book of Etta by Meg Elison (Feb. 21, trade paper, $14.95, ISBN 978-1-5039-4182-3). In this gritty sequel to The Book of the Unnamed Midwife (one of PWs 2016 Best Books), Elison returns to her postapocalyptic American Midwest milieu, where a transgender man tries to find his place in a gender-divided world.

Dreams Before the Start of Time by Anne Charnock (Apr. 18, trade paper, $14.95, ISBN 978-1-5039-3472-6) explores near-future reproductive technologies and their emotional, legal, and cultural implications.

Angry Robot

A Perfect Machine by Brett Savory (Feb. 7, mass market, $7.99, ISBN 978-0-85766-630-7). Mysterious forces bring together Runners, who want to be shot full of bullets, and Hunters, whose goal is to shoot them as they run through the city.

Baen

The Black Wolves of Boston by Wen Spencer (Feb. 7, hardcover, $25, ISBN 978-1-4814-8246-2). Four unlikely heroesa depressed vampire, a monster-hunter, a teenage prince, and an ordinary studentcome together to unravel a plot by Wickers, witches who gain power from human sacrifices.

Witchy Eye by D.J. Butler (Mar. 7, hardcover, $25, ISBN 978-1-4767-8211-9). A teen girl tries to understand her secret heritage in a magical alternate Appalachia.

Berkley

Lost Boy by Christina Henry (July 18, trade paper, $16, ISBN 978-0-399-58402-2). Henry (Alice) turns the story of Peter Pan into something even weirder and scarier, setting Peters amorality in conflict with the kindness and empathy of Jamie, Peters favorite of the lost boys.

Broadway

City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett (May 2, trade paper, $16, ISBN 978-0-553-41973-3). In Bennetts third Divine Cities political fantasy, fugitive Sigrud je Harkvaldsson finds new meaning in life in hunting down the killer of his closest friend.

Candlemark & Gleam

Unraveling Timelines by Lise Breakey (July 1, trade paper, $19.95, ISBN 978-1-936460-75-5). Stockbroker Peter Chang is pulled into Nikki Varians quest to find who killed her time-traveling father and to save the multiverse from destruction.

DAW

The Witchwood Crown: Book One of the Last King of Osten Ard by Tad Williams (Apr. 4, hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-0-7564-1060-5) is a return to the epic Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series after 24 years, in a trilogy launch that finds the fantasy realm in great peril.

Del Rey

Cold Welcome by Elizabeth Moon (Apr. 11, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-1-101-88731-8). The authors first Kylara Vatta space adventure in nearly a decade lands Kylara on a frozen island full of mysteries, where she must protect survivors of a crash while finding out who sabotaged their shuttle.

The Waking Land by Callie Bates (July 4, hardcover, $27, ISBN 978-0-425-28402-5) is a debut flintlock fantasy featuring a woman caught between the royalty who raised her and the rebels led by her father.

Dutton

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai (Feb. 7, hardcover, $26, ISBN 978-1-101-98513-7). A man who feels out of place in his own timelines 2016a techno-utopian paradise of flying cars, moving sidewalks, and moon basesends up stranded in our comparatively dystopian world, which might hold his only chance for personal happiness.

Harper Perennial

The Witches of New York by Ami McKay (July 11, trade paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-0-06-235992-6) is a tale of three women in 1880 New York whose seances go awry, leading them to realize that magic can be even more terrifying than the social machinations of the elite. 50,000-copy announced first printing.

HMH/Mariner/Adams

Bannerless by Carrie Vaughn (July 11, trade paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-544-94730-6) builds on Vaughns acclaimed short stories set in a dystopian future where economic and environmental collapse have destroyed much of civilization. 25,000-copy announced first printing.

Inkshares

A God in the Shed by J-F. Dubeau (June 13, trade paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-942645-35-1). In a bucolic farm village ravaged by a serial killer, a young woman traps a sinister creature in a backyard shed and must figure out what shes caught and how to deal with it.

Night Shade

Dichronauts by Greg Egan (July 4, hardcover, $26.99, ISBN 978-1-59780-892-7) is set in a strange universe where light and gravity play tricks and living entities must rely on symbiosis to survive in a constantly moving habitable zone. When an impassible fissure blocks their migration, they are forced to descend into the unknown.

Uncle Brucker the Rat Killer by Leslie Peter Wulff (Mar. 7, trade paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-59780-894-1). A teen fleeing his unpleasant home to live with his uncle is pulled into an interdimensional war between humans and rats. When his uncle vanishes, the boy must travel into Rat Land to save him.

Orbit

The Boy on the Bridge by M.R. Carey (May 2, hardcover, $26, ISBN 978-0-316-30033-9) follows the bestselling The Girl with All the Gifts with a tale of a boy sent by the terrified people of his town to face the monsters that threaten them. 100,000-copy announced first printing.

New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson (Mar. 14, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-0-316-26234-7) envisions 22nd-century New York as a flooded but vibrant metropolis where canals wend among the islands of skyscrapers. 100,000-copy announced first printing.

Revenger by Alastair Reynolds (Feb. 28, trade paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-316-55556-2). In the distant future, humans build with the rubble of alien civilizations, and one crew of rogues embarks on a deep-space heist involving alien artifacts, kidnapping, and revenge. 75,000-copy announced first printing.

Winter of the Gods by Jordanna Max Brodsky (Feb. 14, hardcover, $26, ISBN 978-0-316-38591-6). In this stellar sequel to 2016s The Immortals, the former Olympian goddess Artemis, now living in New York City as Selene DiSilva, is drawn into another murder investigation. 50,000-copy announced first printing.

Pyr

Wilders by Brenda Cooper (June 13, trade paper, $18, ISBN 978-1-63388-265-2). This small story of two sisters in near-future Seacouver is set against the larger conflict between those who live in fantastical megacities that meet their every need, and those who choose to live a rougher life and restore the wilderness outside.

S&S/Gallery

The Devil Crept In by Ania Ahlborn (Feb. 7, trade paper, $16, ISBN 978-1-4767-8375-8). Lauded author Ahlborn (Within These Walls) delivers a beautiful and deftly wrought horror story of mothers, sons, and the delicate bond between cousins.

The Turn: The Hollows Begins with Death by Kim Harrison (Feb. 7, hardcover, $26.99, ISBN 978-1-5011-0871-6) is a prequel to Harrisons popular Hollows series. It follows two new protagonists in a race to convince paranormal species to reveal themselves and save humankind from a deadly threat.

S&S/Saga

At the Table of Wolves by Kay Kenyon (July 11, hardcover, $26.99, ISBN 978-1-4814-8778-8). A woman with a magical gift for drawing out hidden truths embarks on a solo mission to convince the leaders of 1936 England that Nazi Germany plans to invade.

The Berlin Project: An Alternative History of World War II by Gregory Benford (May 9, hardcover, $26.99, ISBN 978-1-4814-8764-1) explores what might have happened if the atom bomb had been ready to drop in the summer of 1944.

The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente, illus. by Annie Wu (June 6, hardcover, $19.99, ISBN 978-1-4814-5934-1), tells the stories of six women in a superhero universe who have been harmed, traumatized, or killed in the service of mens stories.

The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley (Feb. 7, hardcover, $26.99, ISBN 978-1-4814-4793-5). In a universe where the word for spaceship is the same as the word for world, two women struggle to escape perpetual war in this dystopian yet hopeful space opera.

The Strange Case of the Alchemists Daughter by Theodora Goss (June 20, hardcover, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-4814-6650-9). A group of women in Victorian England, led by Mary Jekyll and all possessing some personal connection to the supernatural, unlock the secrets of their own disturbing origins.

Skyhorse

In the Valley of the Sun by Andy Davidson (June 6, hardcover, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-5107-2110-4). A serial womanizer in rural Texas encounters a woman who instigates his transformation into something terrifying.

Small Beer

Tender by Sofia Samatar (Apr. 11, hardcover, $24, ISBN 978-1-61873-126-5) is the first collection from one of fantasys rising stars, showcasing her rich, lyrical language and intricate storytelling in 20 short works.

St. Martins/Dunne

The Empires Ghost by Isabelle Steiger (May 16, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-250-08848-2). In a tattered fantasy world, a dictator seizes power amid the ruins of an empire, and the weakened powers of the neighboring kingdoms must come together to take him down.

Glass Town by Steven Savile (July 4, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-250-07783-7). The popular U.K. author makes his U.S. debut with a novel of genuine magic and eerie illusion in 1990s London.

Tachyon

In Calabria by Peter S. Beagle (Feb. 14, hardcover, $19.95, ISBN 978-1-61696-248-7). An older man in southern Italy breaks his self-imposed isolation to help a visiting unicorn and is dragged into the 21st-century media spotlight.

Talos

Borrowed Souls: A Soul Charmer Novel by Chelsea Mueller (Apr. 4, trade paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-940456-82-9) Muellers debut begins an urban fantasy series that revolves around the rental of souls to spare ones own from the sin attached to dirty deeds.

Godblind by Anna Stephens (May 16, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-940456-93-5). A clash 1,000 years in the making begins when the Mireces, exiled from wealthy, fertile Rilpor, plot invasion as the prince of Rilpor makes a play for power. 25,000-copy announced first printing.

Lotus Blue by Cat Sparks (Mar. 7, trade paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-940456-70-6). The Australian fantasist makes her full-length debut with this far-future tale of sentient machines, nomadic travelers, and interplanetary voyages.

Tor

Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly (Feb. 7, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-8381-5). In a city on the brink of a fascist revolution, a spy, his smuggler lover, and a cabaret dancer try to protect their hedonistic way of life.

The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi (Mar. 21, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-8888-9). Hugo-winner Scalzi launches a space opera series in a new far-future setting where the mysterious force that has allowed humans to leave Earth is drifting out of reach.

Deadmen Walking by Sherrilyn Kenyon (May 9, hardcover, $27.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-8568-0). An ancient entity returns to the human realm in the age of sail and piracy, commanding an undead crew.

Miranda and Caliban by Jacqueline Carey (Feb. 14, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-8679-3). Carey (the Santa Olivia series) turns Shakespeares Tempest on its head with this brilliant deconstruction.

Pawn: A Chronicle of the Sibyls War by Timothy Zahn (May 2, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-2966-0). Renowned space opera author Zahn begins a trilogy with the story of a smalltime crook, his broke girlfriend, and an ER doctor all whisked away by aliens.

Tomorrows Kin: Book 1 of the Yesterdays Kin Trilogy by Nancy Kress (July 11, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-9029-5), based on Kresss Nebula-winning short novel Yesterdays Kin, puts the fate of Earth in the hands of a few scientists after aliens arrive bearing a terrible secret.

Twelve Days by Steven Barnes (June 27, hardcover, $26.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-7597-1). As a wave of deaths sweeps the world, a martial arts guru brings together an autistic boy, his troubled family, and an ex-soldier on a moral precipice.

Walkaway by Cory Doctorow (Apr. 25, hardcover, $26.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-9276-3). In a near future shaped by climate change and vast gulfs between rich and poor, groups of walkaways give up on formal society altogetherand discover the secret to immortality.

Tor.com

Agents of Dreamland by Caitlin R. Kiernan (Feb. 28, e-book, $2.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-9431-6). This eerie novella brings together cults, aliens, and a woman outside of time.

Buffalo Soldier by Maurice Broaddus (Apr. 25, e-book, $1.49, ISBN 978-0-7653-9428-6). A Jamaican ex-spy helps a mysterious boy flee from the numerous factions trying to learn his secrets.

Proof of Concept by Gwyneth Jones (Apr. 11, e-book, $2.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-8736-3). Near-future humans program themselves to ignore risks while searching for ways to escape a planet devastated by climate change.

Winter Tide by Ruthanna Emrys (Apr. 4, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-9090-5). This inventive dark fantasy debut crossbreeds the Cthulhu Mythos with a Cold War thriller.

Univ. of Minnesota

The Sacred Era by Aramaki Yoshio, trans. by Baryon Tensor Posadas (Apr. 11, trade paper, $22.95, ISBN 978-0-8166-9986-5). In a distant future, a young newcomer to the Papal Court of the Holy Empire of Igitur embarks on a pilgrimage to a supposedly mythical planet.
This springs science list has everything: climate change, eclipses, animal behavior, the relationship between biology and culture, groundbreaking neuroscience, genetics, and bioengineering.

Top 10

Beyond Infinity: An Expedition to the Outer Limits of Mathematics

Eugenia Cheng. Basic, Mar. 28

The charming musician, chef, and mathematician takes readers on a staggering journey from math at its most elemental to its loftiest abstractions.

The Body Builders: Inside the Science of the Engineered Human

Adam Piore. Ecco, Mar. 14

Piore dives into the current revolution in human augmentation and bioengineering to see how it may help people transcend the boundaries of bodies and minds.

Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History

Bill Schutt. Algonquin, Feb. 14

Schutt introduces readers to the history of this strange and largely horrifying behavior, and outlines the factors that lead to outbreaks in other species and our own.

Mask of the Sun: The Science, History, and Forgotten Lore of Eclipses

John Dvorak. Pegasus, Mar. 7

Revealing the humanism behind the science of lunar and solar eclipses, Dvorak explains with insightful detail and vivid prose how and why eclipses occur, and provides insight into the total solar eclipse coming in summer 2017.

Mercies in Disguise: A Story of Hope, a Familys Genetic Destiny, and the Science That Rescued Them

Gina Kolata. St. Martins, Mar. 21

New York Times science reporter Kolata follows a South Carolina family through its reckoning with genetic illness and one courageous daughters determination to disrupt her destiny.

Sophies Planet

James Hansen. Sigma, May 16

Hansens moving and insightful letters to his granddaughter Sophie offer a fascinating glimpse at environmental research and policy, as well as a clarion call for the future of the climate change fight.

The Strange Order of Things: The Biological Roots of Culture

Antonio Damasio. Pantheon, June 6

This multidiscliplinary investigation into homeostasis doubles as a landmark reflection on the origins of life, mind, and culture.

The Vacation Guide to the Solar System

Olivia Koski and Jana Grcevich. Penguin, June 6

This illustrated planning guide for the curious space adventurer covers all of the essentials for your next voyage, how to get there, and what to do when you arrive.

The Vaccine Race: Science, Politics, and the Human Costs of Defeating Disease

Meredith Wadman. Viking, Feb. 7

Wadman covers the story of how political roadblocks nearly stopped the race to develop the first widely used normal human cell line and, through it, some of the worlds most important vaccines.

Why? What Makes Us Curious

Mario Livio. Simon & Schuster, July 11

Astrophysicist Livio explores the nature of curiosity, investigates why its essential to art and science, and talks with several multidisciplinary superstars to find out what drives them.

Science Listings

Algonquin

Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History by Bill Schutt (Feb. 14, hardcover, $26.95, ISBN 978-1-61620-462-4). As it happens, eating ones own kind is completely natural behavior in thousands of species, including humans. Schutt introduces readers to the history of this behavior and outlines the factors that lead to outbreaks of cannibalism.

Atria

The Greatest Story Ever ToldSo Far: Why Are We Here? by Lawrence M. Krauss (Mar. 21, hardcover, $27, ISBN 978-1-4767-7761-0) blends rigorous research and engaging storytelling to invite readers into the lives and minds of the remarkable, creative scientists who have helped to unravel the unexpected fabric of reality.

Woolly: The True Story of the De-Extinction of One of Historys Most Iconic Creatures by Ben Mezrich (July 4, hardcover, $26, ISBN 978-1-5011-3555-2) weaves a story of genetics with accounts of brave fossil hunters, the race against global warming, the incredible power of modern technology, and the ethical quandary of cloning extinct animals.

Basic

Beyond Infinity: An Expedition to the Outer Limits of Mathematics by Eugenia Cheng (Mar. 28, hardcover, $27, ISBN 978-0-465-09481-3). Whats bigger than infinity and smaller than its opposite? The hilarious and charming musician, chef, and mathematician offers some answers on this staggering journey from math at its most elemental to its loftiest abstractions.

Scienceblind: Why Our Intuitive Theories About the World Are So Often Wrong by Andrew Shtulman (Apr. 25, hardcover, $29, ISBN 978-0-465-05394-0). The cognitive and developmental psychologist shows that the root of general misconceptions about science lie in the theories about the world we develop as children, making it difficult to learn science later in life.

Bloomsbury

Dead Zone: Where the Wild Things Were by Philip Lymbery (June 20, trade paper, $18, ISBN 978-1-4088-6826-3) uses the case of a dozen well-known and endangered species to examine the role of industrial farming plays in their plight and meets the people doing something about it.

Bloomsbury Sigma

4th Rock from the Sun: The Story of Mars by Nicky Jenner (June 20, hardcover, $27, ISBN 978-1-4729-2249-6) examines the fourth planets nature, attributes, and impact on Earths culture; its environmental science and geology; and its potential for human colonization.

My European Family: A Genetic Adventure Across 54,000 Years by Karin Bojs (May 30, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-1-4729-4147-3) tells the story of Europe and its peoples through its genetic legacy and the latest archeological findings. This fresh, first-person exploration will fascinate anyone interested in genealogy.

Sophies Planet by James Hansen (May 16, hardcover, $26, ISBN 978-1-63286-894-7). In these moving and insightful letters to his granddaughter Sophie, the worlds leading climatologist offers a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of the highest levels of environmental research and policy, as well as a clarion call for the future of the climate change fight.

Columbia Univ.

Weird Dinosaurs: The Strange New Fossils Challenging Everything We Thought We Knew by John Pickrell (Mar. 7, hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-0-231-18098-6) opens a vivid portal to a brand new age of fossil discovery, in which fossil hunters are routinely redefining what we know and how we think about prehistorys most engaging creatures.

Crown

The Inkblots: Hermann Rorschach, His Iconic Test, and the Power of Seeing by Damion Searls (Feb. 21, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-0-8041-3654-9) tells the unlikely story of Hermann Rorschach and the rise and falland rise againof his famous test, shining a necessary light on one of the 20th-centurys most visionary syntheses of science and art.

The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day by James Kakalios (May 16, hardcover, $26, ISBN 978-0-7704-3773-2). Breaking down the world of objects into sections about what we use daily, Kakalios leads a tour of the wild subatomic world that underlies so much of what we use and take for granted every day.

Da Capo

Universal: A Guide to the Cosmos by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw (Mar. 28, hardcover, $35, ISBN 978-0-306-82270-4) takes readers on an inspirational journey of scientific exploration in order to make complicated scientific ideas more accessible to the general public and help people better understand the most fundamental questions of the cosmos.

Wolf Nation: The Life, Death, and Return of Wild American Wolves by Brenda Peterson (May 2, hardcover, $27, ISBN 978-0-306-82493-7) combines science, history, and memoir in addressing the century-long battle to save wild wolves. Without wolves, Peterson argues, our whole ecology will unravel and well lose much of our national soul.

Doubleday

The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwins Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal Worldand Us by Richard O. Prum (May 9, hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-0-385-53721-6) dusts off Darwins long-neglected theory of sexual selection, in which the act of choosing a mate for purely aesthetic reasons works as an independent engine of evolutionary change.

Dutton

Quakeland: Preparing for Americas Next Devastating Earthquake by Kathryn Miles (July 11, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-0-525-95518-4) descends into mines, visits the Army Corps of Engineers, and interviews people around the country who are addressing this threat. Miles maps out what will happen and what can be done about it.

Ecco

The Body Builders: Inside the Science of the Engineered Human by Adam Piore (Mar. 14, hardcover, $26.99, ISBN 978-0-06-234714-5) dives into the current revolution in human augmentation and bioengineering to see how it may help people transcend the boundaries of bodies and minds.

FSG/Scientific American

The Gene Machine: How Genetic Technologies Are Changing the Way We Have Kidsand the Kids We Have by Bonnie Rochman (Feb. 28, hardcover, $26, ISBN 978-0-374-16078-4). A scientific road map and a meditation on the power to shape the future, this work explores the promise and peril of having children in an age of genetic tests and interventions.

Harper

Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari (Feb. 21, hardcover, $35, ISBN 978-0-06-246431-6) explores the projects, dreams, and nightmares that will shape the 21st century, including overcoming death and creating artificial life. Harari focuses on humankinds future and the quest to turn humans into gods.

Harvard Univ.

Kin: How We Came to Know Our Microbe Relatives by John L. Ingraham (May 8, hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-0-674-66040-3) explains how scientists learned to understand human microbe inheritance and the relatedness of all organisms on Earth. Ingraham accessibly relates this story of discovery and how we may soon know how life began over 3.5 billion years ago.

Viruses: Agents of Evolutionary Invention by Michael G. Cordingley (June 19, hardcover, $49.95, ISBN 978-0-674-97208-7). Viruses are not technically alive, yet they invade, replicate, and evolve within living cells. Cordingly shows how the worlds most abundant biological entities spur evolutionary change in their hosts, shape global ecosystems, and influence every domain of life.

Holt

Get Well Soon: Historys Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright (Feb. 7, hardcover, $25, ISBN 978-1-62779-746-7) delivers the gruesome, morbid details of some of the worst plagues humans have suffered as a species, as well as stories of the heroic figures who selflessly fought to ease victims suffering.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

A Crack in Creation: Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution by Jennifer A. Doudna and Samuel H. Sternberg (June 6, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-0-544-71694-0) digs into the ethical challenges surrounding one of the greatest modern scientific discoveries: the gene-editing tool CRISPR, a cheap, easy way of rewriting genetic code.

How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett (Mar. 7, hardcover, $29, ISBN 978-0-544-13331-0) leads a charge for a paradigm shift in the understanding of emotion, overturning the widely held belief that emotions are housed in different parts of the brain and are universally expressed and recognized.

Little, Brown

Blue Dreams: The Science and the Story of the Drugs that Changed Our Minds by Lauren Slater (June 13, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-0-316-37064-6) offers an explosive account of the science as well as the people behind our licensed narcotics, narrating the history of psychiatry and illuminating the signature that psychopharmacology has left on millions of brains worldwide.

Caesars Last Breath: Decoding the Secrets of the Air Around Us by Sam Kean (July 18, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-0-316-38164-2). As Kean leads a journey through the periodic table, around the globe, and across time, he exposes the story of the air we breathewhich is also the story of Earth and our existence on it.

Metropolitan

White Mans Game: Saving Animals, Rebuilding Eden, and Other Myths of Conservation in Africa by Stephanie Hanes (Mar. 14, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-0-8050-9716-0) traces a tech moguls effort to tackle one of the worlds biggest environmental challenges, showing how ambitious reconstruction turned into a dramatic clash of cultures.

Norton

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (May 2, hardcover, $18.95, ISBN 978-0-393-60939-4) brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in digestible chapters that can be read anytime and anywhere in your busy day. People without enough time to contemplate the cosmos will be ready for the next cosmic headline.

The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan (Mar. 7, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-0-393-24643-8) delivers an eye-opening portrait of Americas greatest natural resource as it faces ecological calamity. Egan examines an array of threats to the water and its native species, while showing how the Great Lakes can be restored and preserved.

DNA Is Not Destiny: The Remarkable, Completely Misunderstood Relationship Between You and Your Genes by Steven J. Heine (Apr. 18, hardcover, $26.95, ISBN 978-0-393-24408-3). One of the worlds leading cultural psychologists debunks the breathless media hype surrounding DNA testing and puts to rest our mistaken anxieties about our genes.

The Sensational Past: How the Enlightenment Changed the Way We Use Our Senses by Carolyn Purnell (Feb. 7, hardcover, $26.95, ISBN 978-0-393-24937-8) shows that, while human bodies may not change dramatically over the ages, the way we think about the senses and put them to use has been rather different.

Oxford Univ.

Eclipse: Journeys to the Dark Side of the Moon by Frank Close (Mar. 19, hardcover, $21.95, ISBN 978-0-19-879549-0) describes the spellbinding allure of this beautiful natural phenomenon, revealing why eclipses happen, their role in human history, and the lives of those who chase eclipses across some of the most inaccessible places on the globe.

Mass: The Quest to Understand Matter from Greek Atoms to Quantum Fields by Jim Baggott (June 1, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-0-19-875971-3) shows how we have become confronted by very complicated explanations of the nature of matter, the origin of mass, and its implications for our understanding of the material world.

Pantheon

The Strange Order of Things: The Biological Roots of Culture by Antonio Damasio (June 6, hardcover, $28.95, ISBN 978-0-307-90875-9). The pre-eminent neuroscientist leads a multidiscliplinary investigation into homeostasis, offering a landmark reflection on the origins of life, mind, and culture and a new way of understanding who we are and how we behave.

Pegasus

Atomic Adventures: Secret Islands, Forgotten N-Rays, and Isotopic Murder: A Journey into the Wild World of Nuclear Science by James Mahaffey (June 6, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-1-68177-421-3) looks back at the atoms wild, secretive past and toward its potentially bright future, unearthing forgotten nuclear endeavors that were sometimes hare-brained, often risky, and always fascinating.

Darwins First Theory: Exploring Darwins Quest for a Theory of Earth by Rob Wesson (Apr. 11, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-1-68177-316-2) offers an immersion into the landscape that absorbed Charles Darwin and led him to conceive his original theory of plate tectonics, which segued to the theory of evolution.

Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence by Sarah Scoles (July 4, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-1-68177-441-1) delves into the science behind the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and its pioneer, Jill Tarter, the inspiration for the main character in Carl Sagans Contact.

Mask of the Sun: The Science, History and Forgotten Lore of Eclipses by John Dvorak (Mar. 7, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-1-68177-330-8) reveals the humanism behind the science of lunar and solar eclipses. With insightful detail and vivid prose, Dvorak explains how and why eclipses occur, and provides insight into the forthcoming total eclipse of August 21, 2017.

Penguin

The Vacation Guide to the Solar System by Olivia Koski and Jana Grcevich (June 6, hardcover, $20, ISBN 978-0-14-312977-6). Beautifully illustrated and packed with real-world science, this is the essential planning guide for the curious space adventurer, covering all of the essentials for your next voyage, how to get there, and what to do when you arrive.

Penguin Press

Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert M. Sapolsky (May 2, hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-1-59420-507-1). Looking at the question from every angle, Sapolsky attempts to explain why humans do the things they do. Its a majestic synthesis that harvests cutting-edge research across a range of disciplines.

Scale: The Search for Simplicity and Unity in the Complexity of Life, from Cells to Cities, Companies to Ecosystems, Milliseconds to Millennia by Geoffrey West (May 16, hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-1-59420-558-3). A pioneer in the field of complexity science explores the hidden laws that govern the life cycle of plants, animals, and even the cities we live in.

Princeton Univ.

Darwins Unfinished Symphony: How Culture Made the Human Mind by Kevin N. Laland (Feb. 28, hardcover, $35, ISBN 978-0-691-15118-2) presents a captivating new theory of human cognitive evolution. Laland shows how culture is not just the magnificent end product of an evolutionary processit is also the key driving force behind that process.

Riverhead

We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe by Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson (May 9, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-0-7352-1151-3). With humor and delight, Cham and Whiteson spelunk through the enormous gaps in our cosmic knowledge, inviting readers to see the universe as a vast expanse of mostly uncharted territory thats still open for exploration.

Simon & Schuster

Why? What Makes Us Curious by Mario Livio (July 11, hardcover, $26, ISBN 978-1-4767-9209-5). Astrophysicist Livio interviews scientists in several fields to explore the nature of curiosity, investigates why its essential to art and science, and talks with several multidisciplinary superstars to find out what drives them.

S&S/TED

Asteroid Hunters by Carrie Nugent (Mar. 14, hardcover, $16.99, ISBN 978-1-5011-2008-4). As asteroid hunter Nugent introduces readers to the telescope she uses to detect near-Earth asteroids, she reveals the known impact asteroids have had and explains how scientists could use increasing knowledge to prevent an epic natural disaster.

Scribner

Into the Gray Zone: A Neuroscientist Explores the Border Between Life and Death by Adrian Owen (June 20, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-1-5011-3520-0) reveals Owens controversial, groundbreaking work with patients whose brains were previously thought vegetative or nonresponsive, but turn out to be alive in the zone between full consciousness and brain death.

Smithsonian

Exoplanets: Diamond Worlds, Super Earths, Pulsar Planets, and the New Search for Life Beyond Our Solar System by Michael E. Summers and James Trefil (Mar. 14, hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-1-58834-594-3). Astronomer Summers and physicist Trefil explore the Kepler satellites remarkable recent discoveries, arguing that the incredible richness and complexity being found necessitates a change in mental paradigms.

St. Martins

Bugged: The Insects Who Rule the World and the People Obsessed with Them by David MacNeal (July 4, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-250-09550-3) takes readers on an offbeat scientific journey that weaves history, travel, and culture in order to define the human relationship with these mini-monsters.

Mercies in Disguise: A Story of Hope, a Familys Genetic Destiny, and the Science That Rescued Them by Gina Kolata (Mar. 21, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-250-06434-9). New York Times science reporter Kolata follows a South Carolina family through their reckoning with genetic illness and one courageous daughters determination to disrupt her destiny.

Viking

The Great Unknown: Seven Journeys to the Frontiers of Science by Marcus du Sautoy (Apr. 11, hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-0-7352-2180-2) takes readers into the minds of sciences greatest innovators to reveal the fraught circumstances of their discoveries. Du Sautoy presents tools for understanding the biggest questions that scientists are struggling to solve.

The Vaccine Race: Science, Politics, and the Human Costs of Defeating Disease by Meredith Wadman (Feb. 7, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-0-525-42753-7) covers the story of how political roadblocks nearly stopped the urgent race to develop the first widely used normal human cell line and, through it, some of the worlds most important vaccines.

Yale Univ.

In the Shadow of the Moon: The Science, Magic, and Mystery of Solar Eclipses by Anthony Aveni (Apr. 25, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-0-300-22319-4). Anticipating solar eclipses visible in 2017 and 2024, astronomer and anthropologist Aveni explains the science behind the phenomenon as he reveals the profound effects these cosmic events have had on human history.

Spaceflight in the Shuttle Era and Beyond: Redefining Humanitys Purpose in Space by Valerie Neal (June 27, hardcover, $40, ISBN 978-0-300-20651-7) questions over four decades worth of thinking about, and struggling with, the meaning of human spaceflight. Neal examines the ideas, images, and people that emerged in light of competing visions of the spaceflight enterprise.
MACOMB -- The holiday season has arrived, finding many of us scrambling to put up decorations, cook family dinners, shop for the perfect presents and mail holiday cards.

To complete the latter, the Western Illinois University Foundation enlisted the talents of studio art major Abbigale Matlick, a junior from Reynolds.

Ms. Matlick was given the task with only two specific directions:

1) Create a free-hand piece of art; and

2) Make Sherman Hall the focus.

The end result is an original watercolor painting of Sherman Hall set in a winter scene. Thanks to images from WIU's Visual Production Center, a photograph was transformed into the watercolor for this year's WIU Foundation card.

"I feel absolutely honored to be selected as the face behind creating this holiday card for the foundation, and to present to those around me Western Illinois University's most iconic building," she said.

Ms. Matlick is a member of the Kappa Pi honorary art society and Phi Sigma Sigma sorority. She has received both the talent grant and a tuition waiver from the WIU Art Department.

While working to finish her degree at WIU, Ms. Matlick said she wants to keep creating works of art and inspire others. After graduation, she said she hopes to earn her master's degree and ultimately become a renowned artist with her own studio. On the side, she would also like to teach art at the college level.

Brad Bainter, WIU vice president for advancement and public services, praised Ms. Matlick's work.

"The holidays are always a special time of the year for many, and we like to take the opportunity to wish our friends a happy holidays," he said.

"We are so pleased with Abbigale's holiday design," he said. "It is exactly what we wanted to share with our friends. She did a wonderful job and is the perfect example of the many talented students we are fortunate to have at WIU."

Designed by Illinois architect Robert Watson, it took six years to build Sherman Hall, a three-story, mixed classical revival-style building. It opened to the public in 1902 as the main building of Western Illinois State Normal School. It also was the school's only building until Garwood Hall was built in 1914.

The building was called the "Main Building" until 1956 when it was renamed in honor of Lawrence Sherman, an influential Macomb lawyer and speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. Sherman Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Ms. Matlick's original artwork can be viewed in the WIU Foundation Office in Room 303 of Sherman Hall at 1 University Circle, Macomb.
Two men with close ties to Black Hawk College are seeking the two college board seats to be filled in the April 4, 2017, election.

Steve Spivey, of New Windsor, was an elected member of the Black Hawk College Board from 1985-2003 and chair of the board from 1991-2003. Jon Looney, of Kewanee, was chief information officer for the college from 2012 to 2014. Both are graduates of Black Hawk East Campus in Kewanee.

Mr. Spivey is owner of Spivey Angus Farm as well as chair of the Board of Directors of the Black Hawk East College Foundation. He holds bachelors and masters degrees in animal science from Michigan State University.

Mr. Looney, who holds a bachelors degree in information management from Western Illinois University, is in charge of Information Technology for Union Federal Savings & Loan Association.

Mr. Spivey said, I believe my prior experience as a trustee and on-going affiliation with the college can be valuable to the college during these challenging budgetary times, and help the college to continue to excel in the many areas it has achieved national recognition.

Mr. Looney said I have significant knowledge and experience in working at the college in recent years, all of which I think would be valuable to the board, administration, and guiding the future of Black Hawk College.

The Black Hawk College district includes all or part of nine counties in west central Illinois.

Deadline for filing nominating petitions is 5 p.m. Dec. 19.
(Editor's note: This is the first of two columns looking at the constitutionality of the law enforcement tool known as Stop and Frisk.)

What is Stop and Frisk?

Both presidential candidates discussed it. President-elect Trump was for it. Mrs. Clinton was against it. Neither explained it.

In this piece, I explain it so a person without law school training can understand it. In the next, I'll deal with the controversy surrounding it.

The starting point for the inquiry is the Fourth Amendment which provides that before a search or seizure can be constitutional there must be "probable cause" for that search or seizure.

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons ... and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath ... and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

The courts have held that probable cause means "reasonable cause" or "reasonable grounds." If all the facts known to the officer make it "reasonable" for him to search or arrest, he may constitutionally do so. To be constitutional, the search must be REASONABLE.

In Terry v. Ohio in 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Fourth Amendment prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures is not violated when a police officer "briefly stops" a suspect on the street and inquires as to his identity, and what he is doing, even though the officer might lack "probable cause" to arrest and haul a person off to jail, or conduct a full search -- if the police officer has a "reasonable suspicion" that the person has committed, is committing, or is about to commit a crime. The officer could take the further step of "frisking" the defendant if he had a "reasonable suspicion" that the person stopped might be armed or dangerous to the officer.

This reasonable suspicion -- like probable cause -- must be based on "specific and articulable facts" and not merely upon an officer's "hunch." The bottom line is that the officer's conduct still must be REASONABLE as required by the 4th Amendment, which prohibits only unreasonable searches or seizures.

But fewer "specific and articulable facts" are generally thought to be necessary to make a brief stop and/or frisk REASONABLE than would be required to justify a full "custodial arrest," and/or a complete search of the person.

The governing idea behind allowing Stop and Frisk is that it was to be a rather brief, minimal intrusion, done on the street, and an innocent person stopped would be free to go in a few seconds.

Stop and Frisk was perceived to involve a brief inquiry as to the person's identity, and what he was about. But even for such a brief stop "specific and articulable facts" were required. And if additional "specific and articulable facts" existed to justify a "pat down search" -- such as a bulge in the person's pocket indicative of a gun -- the officer could pat down the person's outer clothing.

An additional justification was that unlike traditional Fourth Amendment search for evidence in a criminal case after the commission of the crime, Stop and Frisk was envisioned as a law enforcement street-tool - designed rather to prevent commission of a crime and to insure officer safety during the brief stop.

Stop and Frisk was in the first instance designed to be a public safety measure -- akin to the often times far more pervasive airport security check, designed to keep terrorists and bombs off air liners. The inconvenience to law abiding passengers is deemed reasonable given the danger of planes being blown from the sky, with the death of all passengers.

Stop and Frisk has understandably provoked adverse reaction in minority communities. If you are a law-abiding citizen it is damn unpleasant, if not humiliating, to be stopped on a public street, required to answer questions and patted down even if the "stop" lasts no more than 30 seconds and you're allowed to go on your way. But the same can be said of security checks of law-abiding citizens boarding civilian airliners.
After having an electrical fire at our business, all of us here at Speed & Floyds Collision Repair want to express a sincere thank you to our local community.

First of all, we cannot thank the Moline and East Moline fire departments enough. Their prompt response and performance was literally amazing. We would also like to thank the local businesses that made sure we were back in business as quickly as possible: Turner Vermost Insurance, Tri-City Electric, Blaze and Service Master, Erickson Plumbing and Dougs Heating!

They were all an integral part of making our business whole again. We just cant say enough about all of the support and help we received from our local businesses, and how thankful we are to all of them.

Most of all, we would like to thank our loyal and supportive customers. We are nothing without our customers! Everybody we called regarding our electrical fire was incredibly understanding and supportive and stuck by us while we cleaned up. We know that this was an extreme inconvenience for many of them, and their spirit of concern and generosity was truly touching.

As of Monday, Dec. 12, we expect to be back up and running at full steam! After 67 years of serving this wonderful community, we sincerely hope to continue doing so for at least another 67! We wish everybody in the Quad Cities a wonderful and happy holiday season!

John & Pam Danner

Speed & Floyds Collision Repair,

Moline
OSAGE  Members of the Osage Community School Board of Education had their first opportunity to hear specific plans for a proposed Osage Community Daycare during the Nov. 21 board meeting.

At the end of last year, Mitchell County Economic Development and Mitchell County Regional Health Center began the discussion of possible hospital expansion plans. With those discussions came options of enhancing hospital parking and future expansion plans, while relocating the Osage Community Daycare by building a larger, more energy efficient facility to accommodate the growing need for quality daycare in Osage.

During the meeting, Osage Daycare Director Shelly Parks presented information regarding the project including the estimated cost of the project as well as the proposed design of the building.

Parks said the day care board was proposing to build the daycare on the northwest corner of the lot at the corner of Fifth and Mechanic streets, all of which is owned by the Osage School District.

Our board would like to own the property, but would be willing to lease the property, said Parks.

The estimated cost of the 8,634 square-foot building is $1.7 million. The building would include five separate rooms with two kitchens and sufficient restroom space for up to 120 children.

Since the school board meeting, the day care board has discussed lowering the cost to $1.4 million, with the addition of a safe room.

Currently, the day care is licensed for 115 children, averaging 70-85 per day.

The Osage School District has not committed any funds to the project, said Osage Superintendent Barb Schwamman.

The only involvement, by the district, could come by the district leasing the land for the daycare to located on, nothing else, she said. This was not and is not part of our expansion plans related to the recently defeated school bond referendum.

We are honored the day care wants to partner with us. It is a good fit with pros and cons the school board needs to consider.

Schwamman said this was the boards first chance to see the proposed plans.

The board has to discuss how it affects them and the students of the Osage Schools, first and foremost, she said. There is definitely a need for a new daycare in the community. Its a great thing for those families needing day care services.

In April, Osage Mayor Steve Cooper pitched the idea to the Osage School Board during its meeting.

At that time, Cooper asked if the board would be willing to explore the possibilities of locating the day care on school property.

Since that meeting, plans have moved forward with the day care board and city hiring Planscape Partners, to assist with the daycares Community Development Block Grant application and administrative services, and Waggoner and Wineinger Architects to assist with the design of the new facility.

The day care and city are only able to apply for 50 percent of the project costs. If the application is successful, the remaining funds will have to be raised through monetary donations and other sources of funding. Parks said a fundraising committee had been formed to help with this task.

In regards to the location of the day care to the elementary school, Parks said It will allow for synergy with before and after school programs, options for educational programs, easy access to preschool and a shared playground space.

The grant application process is very competitive and if the project does not receive grant funding, the daycare project will not be able to move forward, said Parks.

The day care board will be notified sometime in May if they receiving the requested funding.

The Osage School Board will need to make a decision at its December board meeting as to how it wishes to proceed in its involvement with the day care project.

Schwamman reiterated, Absolutely no money will be coming from the school district for the day care project.
Set of 2 Samsung Level U Pro Wireless Headphones is rated 4.0 out of 5 by 148 .

Rated 5 out of 5 by Theoldnetman from Lasted longer than any I have owned. These have lasted a year and a half so far of daily wear for work and play. It still sounds great and stays connected. I am now getting ready to buy another pair in case something happens to these.

Rated 1 out of 5 by Mylee102 from Both broken I just loved these so much!!!!But both of them broke in the same spot. We are still not sure why. We thought we were feeling some kind of shock, but we ignored it thinking it was the vibrating feature. Next thing we know, broken. Mine broke then my husband broke. I'm wondering if that's why they were 2 of one. I feel bad that I recommend them with such enthusiasm to my coworker and they purchased them too. Now I have endure the walk of shame. No more recommendations for this product. I doubt anyone will trust me anyway after this epic fail.

Rated 4 out of 5 by Chillitai from Sounds Great but... I have had these headphones for about a year. When I use them for calls, the other party has difficulty hearing me. They were great in the beginning. The band on the next also broke within three months of purchase. They cannot handle being place in a bag or a purse.

Rated 2 out of 5 by Nizbet from Extremely disappointed I received these as a Christmas gift, and let me tell you, I wish I hadnt. I cannot believe Samsung would release a product this poorly designed. Not ONE set of the ear gels fit comfortably. The Noise cancellation is nearly non existent, and the sound is, simply put, not that impressive. What really blows my my mind is that the headphones from my old Galaxy III have better sound , fit more comfortably, and cancel more sound than these. How can that even be possible, Samsung. I am extremely disappointed in this product and I would not recommend to anyone. These are quite possibly the most uncomfortable earbuds Ive ever put in my ears.

Rated 1 out of 5 by Guido240 from Poor Quality I will start with why my rating is what it is. I bought these so I could have a pair to use at work and a pair for when I am working in the yard (3 acres) and the pair I use at work are used much more often, after using them for less then 2 months the left ear bud got real quite(obvious volume difference between both ears). I contacted QVC and they replaced both pair, then about 2 months later (today) the left ear does it again, but this time I am to far from the purchase date to do anything about it so I guess I will use them for now until the right goes bad. As far as the rest of them go the sound quality is well above average(when it is working properly), and the design works well for me. I did find that I have to use 2 different size ear gels but that's not a problem. I will be looking for something not made by Samsung to replace them as soon as the second pair fail, maybe that's why you get 2 pair at this price.

Rated 4 out of 5 by kevin n from great product these head sets work great with Samsung after downloading the app you can set them at any setting you need . how ever they are hard to keep in your ears . they are ok with apple but just ok

Rated 5 out of 5 by Q me n from Clear And Perfect !!! The best!!! Very clear i walk with this every morning purchased last Christmas and no problems , no static, phone calls are clear !!! You will not be sorry !!!
As per Apple supply chain from Taiwan, next year, Apple will release iPhone 7s and its Plus version but not the much talked about iPhone 8.

It seems that iPhone 8 will come with so many improved features that the company wants to invest some more time and effort on making it big. With iPhone 8, Apple is expected to make a jump from OLED screen, all glass design, a no-button fingerprint scanner and wireless charging.

Suppliers reveal that there will be only a few improvements in the iPhone 7s models and perhaps they might also be worse than other iPhone S models. As of now, the suppliers have only disclosed that the iPhone 7s models will be powered by an A11 processor.

Source  Via
NORA SPRINGS  The sanctuary of First United Methodist Church in Nora Springs is decorated with Christmas trees, giant candles, snowmen and a large gingerbread house.

They are all made of the toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste and cans of soup purchased with money members of the congregation donated for the church's annual fundraising campaign for the Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank.

"We wanted the congregation to see everything we had purchased," said Judy Mills, one of the church members working on the project. "It gives them a feeling of accomplishment."

This is the fourth year the church has held a fundraiser for Hawkeye Harvest at Christmastime.

Each year they do something different with the donations. One year the items for the food bank were placed in two canoes in the sanctuary. Another year the items were placed in the pews while the congregation sat in the choir loft and on folding chairs.

This year the food bank requested donations of toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes and cans of cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup.

The church set a $5,000 fundraising goal. To promote the project, Mills came to church dressed as a tube of toothpaste for six Sundays.

She said she would take off the costume when the fundraising goal was reached. As of Monday, $5,100 had been donated.

"This Sunday I don't have to come dressed as a tube of toothpaste," Mills said.

She said $5,000 might not seem like a lot of money to raise, but it is when you consider Sunday attendance at the church averages around 35.

"We have a very generous congregation," she said.

Mills and Denise Marth, another member of the church, took the donations and tried to find the best deals they could on the items requested by the food bank.

Each week they built new displays in the sanctuary, with help from husbands Dale Mills and Scott Marth, as well as the Rev. Jim Roth, pastor at the church.

They created a gingerbread house by stacking cans of soup and placing a cardboard roof decorated with toothbrushes on top.

Packages of toilet paper were used to create snowmen. One is wearing an Iowa Hawkeye sweatshirt, one is dressed in an Iowa State sweatshirt and another is wearing a University of Northern Iowa sweatshirt.

Each church window has a small Christmas tree made out of soup cans sitting in it with boxes of toothpaste with bows on them for packages placed under the trees.

A large candle made of toilet paper packages topped with a flame-shaped piece of yellow paper stands beside each pew.

The final tally was 7,400 rolls of toilet paper, 3,500 cans of soup, 1,379 toothbrushes and 933 tubes of toothpaste.

Nancy Miller, a dental hygienist, ordered the toothpaste and toothbrushes from a dental supply catalog, which was much less expensive than buying those items in stores.

It took weeks to build the displays, but after the service on Sunday morning it will all be taken down, loaded into a truck and taken to Hawkeye Harvest in Mason City on Monday.

The congregation enjoys the different ways they find to display the items for the food bank, according to Marth.

She said every year on the Sunday before everything goes to Hawkeye Harvest, people in the congregation ask, "What are you going to do next year?"
After weeks of massive public protests in downtown Seoul of up to one million people, South Korea's parliament decisively impeached President Park Geun-hye today. The vote now propels South Korea into the next phase of its political crisis, which will culminate when the nation's Constitutional Court ratifies or rejects the impeachment vote, within six months. Initially indicating during the run-up to the vote that she would resign if impeached, Park apparently has chosen to fight the parliament's vote.
Property details:

You Are Bidding On Full Purchase Price for 42.53 ACRES in Northern Minnesota!Trees. Only 15 miles from Duluth. Great Hunting. Parcel: This auction is for legal description: NW1/4NW1/4 Section 5, Township 49 North, Range 17. This is a 42.53 +/- ACRE parcel of land in Carlton County, Minnesota. The land is in the city limits of Cloquet, MN. The land is secluded and quiet. The property has trees. There are several species of trees on the land. There are a good deal of raspberry bushes growing on th...

Price: $ 12,010 Seller State of Residence: Arizona Zip/Postal Code: 55720 Property Address: off Oinenen Road Type: Recreational, Acreage City: Cloquet State/Province: Minnesota Zoning: Mixed Location: 852**, Tempe, Arizona

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No reserve auction! Starts at $29,000 Bid is for full purchase price. ATTENTION BARGAIN HUNTERS ONE BID BUYS 2 HOUSES ON ONE LOT (ONE DEED), IN POCONO MOUNTAINS PA (NOT PART OF ANY COMMUNITY) RIGHT BY NEW JERSEY BORDER (taxes only $840 per year).( WINNING BID + $399 DEED RECORDING +2% tax = YOUR TOTAL COSTS )House address: 114 And 16 Cass Ln, Saylorsburg, PA 18353 Two houses on 80 feet by 160 feet lot (approximately 0.294 acre). Taxes are about $840 per year (or $420 per house). Each house has a...

Price: $ 29,000 Seller State of Residence: New Jersey Property Address: 114 and 116 Cass Ln State/Province: PA City: Saylorsburg Number of Bedrooms: 4 Number of Bathrooms: 2 Property Type: House Sale Type: Foreclosed Homes Setting: Mountain Year Built: 1929 For Sale by: Owner Zip/Postal Code: 18353 Location: 183**, Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania

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Porterville, CA (93257)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 56F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low near 40F. Winds light and variable.
Whitney Howard has been denied bond. The 31-year-old was arrested Monday and charged with homicide by vehicle and driving under the influence after her Jeep crossed the center line on Athena Drive and struck three bikers.
Visitation will be held at 1 p.m. followed by services at 1:30 on Monday, Dec. 19, at Pleasant Valley Methodist Church near Wellsburg, with interment following in Union Cemetery in Iowa Falls.
Updated Dec. 14, 2016, 8:48 p.m.  Two men were killed and five others were wounded in shootings on the South and West sides from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning, Chicago police said.

Just after 10 p.m. Friday, 34-year-old Derrick Swanigan was fatally shot during an argument inside a home in the 8000 block of South Evans Avenue in Chatham, police said.

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During the argument, a person who knew Swanigan shot him in the chest, Chicago police said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:58 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office, which determined Dec. 10 that he died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

A person of interest was in police custody as of early Saturday.

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Shortly after 3:15 p.m. Friday, a 19-year-old man was fatally shot as he was standing in the 5500 block of West Crystal Street in North Austin, and two gunmen approached on foot and opened fire, police said.

The two shooters fled in an older-model sedan, police said.

The victim was taken in critical condition to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood where he was pronounced dead, police said.

The man was identified as Shaqwon I. Stidhum, of the 5400 block of West Crystal Street, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office, which released the information Saturday morning. He was pronounced dead at 4:07 p.m. Friday. Stidhum died after suffering multiple gunshot wounds, the office determined following an autopsy Saturday.

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Five other people were wounded in nonfatal shootings.

A man was shot just after 6:20 a.m. Saturday in the 9100 block of South Wentworth Avenue in the Princeton Park neighborhood, according to preliminary information from police. He took himself to Little Company of Mary Hospital, and he was later transferred in serious condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Information about how the shooting happened was not immediately available.

About 3:30 a.m. Saturday in the Washington Park neighborhood, a 32-year-old man was shot in the right foot during a robbery, police said. He was walking in the 5900 block of South Calumet Avenue when two men approached and announced a robbery. One of the robbers was armed with a gun and pointed it at the victim who then swatted at the weapon. The victim was in good condition at the University of Chicago Medicine.

A 16-year-old boy was shot in the back at 9:50 p.m. Friday in Englewood, police said. He was standing outside in the 6900 block of South Hermitage Avenue when he heard gunshots and realized he had been shot. A family member took him to Holy Cross Hospital, and he was later transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.

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At 5:30 p.m. in the Lawndale neighborhood, a 50-year-old man was shot in the 1100 block of South Francisco Street, police said. The man was walking when an occupant of a white vehicle fired shots, hitting him in the arm. He was taken in good condition to Mount Sinai, police said.

A 20-year-old man was wounded in another West Side shooting that happened at 5:30 p.m., police said. He was standing in the 1600 block of North Cicero Avenue in North Austin when someone inside a vehicle that approached fired shots and the 20-year-old was hit in the shoulder and hip, police said. He was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition, police said.

Editor's note: Swanigan's name was added Dec. 13, 2016, after information on his identity was released by the medical examiner's office. Stidhum's last name was corrected Dec. 14, 2016.
Safety standards are thrown to the wind as government urges consumers to use mobile wallets at petrol pumps, Shine Jacob & Karan Choudhury/Business Standard report from New Delhi.



IMAGE: From December 2, the share of cashless transactions through petrol pumps has increased to 44 per cent from 20 per cent before demonetisation. Photograph: Parth Sanyal/Reuters



If you are using a mobile wallet to pay at petroleum retail outlets you may be helping the government in moving to a less-cash or digital commerce-based economy but this comes at the cost of safety. Mobile wallet applications are available on cellphones, which are prohibited from being used at petrol pumps, as these might cause sparks, leading to major mishaps. The use of wallets, therefore, is a major cause of concern for many experts.

While mobile wallets as well as oil marketing companies are claiming that they follow all safety norms and no mishap has happened as of now, experts believe that should not be the reason to allow cellphones at petrol pumps.

Going cashless may be advantageous for the economy, but if you are using a mobile phone within a petrol pumps premises, it may cause a catastrophe, said a senior executive from a public sector undertaking.

Safety guidelines on the website of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation quote Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) rules and state in capital letters, SWITCH OFF Mobile Phones within Petrol Pump premises.

When asked about this, a spokesperson of Indian Oil Corporation said, Now, we have about 12,000 petrol pumps using the mobile wallet facility. But we have given instructions that payments should not be made in the pump island (six metres within the fuel dispensing unit).

He said the company believed that all the retail outlets were following this. Mobile wallets such as Paytm and Freecharge, which are accepted at a majority of the petrol pumps and have tie-ups with all the major oil marketing players, claim that a sizeable amount of time is being spent at filling stations to sensitise staff about PESO rules and the exact way of accepting payments.

We ensure every member of the field staff at fuel stations accepting Paytm is trained in transacting either at a safe distance as specified by PESO or at the sales office, the Paytm spokesperson said. Routinely, he added, Paytm ground training staff conducted spot checks at petrol pumps.

One of Paytms biggest competitors Freecharge, on the other hand, has created an in-app feature that helps it avoid the use of mobile data or a cellular connection to make payments.

The Freecharge app also works without any Internet or telecom access. The on-the-go PIN, which is available on the app itself, makes it safe and convenient for use at places, where phone usage is restricted or network is not available. The PIN is generated in the app itself and renews every 180 seconds and, thus, multiple transactions, including at fuel pumps, can be done in a safe manner, said a Freecharge spokesperson.

"A user can put the phone on flight mode, which cuts data as well as telecom connectivity, and use the mobile phone safely," the spokesperson added.

"We have been asked to conduct these mobile transactions outside the 6 meter range. All retailers have to be careful about these payments," said Ajay Bansal, chief of the All India Petroleum Dealers' Association.

From December 2, the share of cashless transactions through petrol pumps has increased to 44 per cent from 20 per cent before demonetisation. However, between November 8 and December 1, the use of cashless transactions dropped to 13-15 per cent because petrol pumps were accepting old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.
'While collections under the Income Disclosure Scheme explain it partly, indirect tax numbers not showing any effect of the withdrawal of high denomination currency notes was puzzling,' reports Indivjal Dhasmana.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

The absence of an adverse impact because of demonetisation on total tax receipts till November-end surprised economists.

While collections under the Income Disclosure Scheme (IDS) explain it partly, indirect tax numbers, which include excise duty, not showing any effect of the withdrawal of high denomination currency notes was puzzling.

Industrial production numbers, also released Friday, had no such good news, though. In October, it fell 1.9%.

November and December might have a sharper fall because of cash crunch in the economy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on November 8 announced the withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

In the period between April and November, excise duty collections rose 43.5% to Rs 2.43 lakh crore, showed the figures released by the finance ministry on Friday.

Budget Estimates (BE) for 2016-2017 predict a 12.15% rise in 2016-17 over the previous financial year.

Till October, excise duty collections were up 45.4%. So, the growth in collections decreased only slightly.

Part of the robustness could be explained by a hike in excise duties on petroleum, but those were assumed in the Budget as well.

"Excise duty collections are surprising, given the fact that we expect IIP to fall 5% each in November and December due to demonetisation," said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist, CARE Ratings.

However, ICRA Principal Economist Aditi Nayar said a sharp pick-up in the growth of electricity generation, Coal India Limited's output as well as the automobile production in November, would counteract the impact of the disruption following the note ban on production in the unorganised sectors as well as broader consumption sentiment, muddying the initial analysis of demonetisation.

Within direct tax collections, income tax mop up rose 23.89% in this period against BE of 18.09%.

Gross income tax collections (before refunds) increased by 22.41%. A part of it could be explained by the expected Rs 7,500 crore (Rs 75 billion) that was to come from the black money window as a first instalment by November 30.

The growth is more or less the same as till October of 2016-2017. Income tax showed a rise of 18.4% till October.

Corporate tax receipts were up 8.75% till November against BE growth of 9.04% for the entire 2016-2017.

Gross tax collections were up 11.22%. Though the growth was still lower than BE, it was not disturbed by the government move to demonetise.

It could be gauged from the fact that these revenues rose 5% till October. Before refunds, these were up 11.6%.

Refunds amounting to Rs 1.05 lakh crore have been issued during April-November, 2016, which is 17.35% higher than those issued during the corresponding period in the previous financial year.

In other indirect taxes, service tax collections made the government kitty richer by 25.7% against at Rs 1.6 lakh crore during the first eight months of the current financial year against 10% projected in BE.

Service tax kitty had grown by 26.9 per cent till October. Customs duty collections remained subdued, but these have been so in earlier months of the current financial year as well.

These rose by just 5.6 per cent at Rs 1.48 lakh crore in the first eight months of the current financial year. BE had projected these tax collections to grow 9.78 per cent in FY17. The collections had grown 4.1 per cent till October.

The customs duty remained depressed despite merchandise imports reversing the earlier trend and rising by 8% in October this year.

In total, indirect tax collections were up 26.2% in the first eight months to Rs 5.52 lakh crore over that in the corresponding period of the previous financial year. BE had projected these to grow by 10.80%.

If one takes out additional revenue measures, such as hike in excise duty on fuel, increase in service tax rate, increase in indirect tax collections was 8% in April-November 2016.

One can say that this explains the whole puzzle in indirect tax receipts, but if one looks at tax numbers till October, the rise in indirect tax kitty was also 8%.

Direct tax collections rose 15.12% at Rs 4.12 lakh crore against BE of 12.65% rise for FY'17.

The total tax receipts were up 21.26% in the first eight months against BE of 11.73% rise.

Two of the three broad segments in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) -- manufacturing and mining -- declined by 2.4% and 1.1%, respectively, while electricity generation rose just 1.1%.

The contraction in IIP against the rise of 0.7% in September -- due largely to decrease in consumer goods production and the continued decline in capital goods for a year -- tells a sorry tale about the investment scenario in the economy.

Capital goods production was down by a whopping 25.9% while consumer durable goods were up just 0.2% in October against nine month high of 13.9% in September.

Factory output grew by a higher rate of 9.9% in October of the previous year. Economists also attributed this factor and higher number of holidays this time to a fall in IIP in October 2016.

"An unfavourable base effect and a larger number of holidays weighed upon factory output in October 2016, countering the much-awaited festive upturn as well as the rise in growth of merchandise exports and the core sector industries," Nayar said.

Merchandise exports grew by 9.6% in October for the second month in a row, a rarity these times.

For November, when demonetisation is expected to pull down industrial production sharply, Madan Sabnavis expected the fall to be around 5%. He expected the same 5% contraction in IIP in December as well.
It is often said that the India-Indonesia relationship is overshadowed by mutual neglect.

Jokowi's visit has the potential to rejuvenate a most under-rated relationship, says Dr Rahul Mishra.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, famously known as Jokowi, is paying his first-ever State visit to India from December 12.

Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jokowi met at a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 9th East Asia Summit on November 13, 2014, in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, this will be the first substantive meeting between the two leaders.

There has always been frequent exchange of high-level visits between the two sides. Most recently, in 2015, Vice-President Hamid Ansari visited Indonesia.

Despite regular meetings between the two sides, it is often said that the India-Indonesia relationship is overshadowed by an element of mutual neglect.

Jokowi's visit has the potential to rejuvenate what is otherwise called as one of the most under-rated relations. The visit is significant for the following 5 reasons:

First, bilateral trade has gone down from $21.44 billion in 2011 to $15.95 billion in 2015, whilst, during the same period, the trade deficit has gone up from $8.08 billion to $10.31 billion.

Also, both countries could not achieve their set trade target of $25 billion by 2015.

Negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement are also underway, but moving at a slow pace. It will take a while before it sees the light of the day.

While multilateral arrangements such as a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership are crucial for India's regional standing, bilateral mechanisms are equally important, given that India's Act East Policy is not only about ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), but also about individual countries of East and Southeast Asia.

Paying required attention to bilateral mechanisms is particularly important in the case of India and Indonesia.

Both India and Indonesia are the largest countries in terms of size and economy in their respective regions.

In terms of purchasing power parity, India and Indonesia are the third and eighth largest economies respectively in the world.

It is expected that during the visit, deliberations on the early convening of the CECA and uplifting trade relations will take place.

Second, both countries are home to the largest and second largest Muslim populations in the world.

Therefore, while both countries have been two of the most tolerant countries in the world, they are vulnerable to threats of radicalisation and communal disharmony.

Both countries have been victims of terrorism and have suffered the menace of radicalism for a very long time.

Seemingly, Indonesia is well prepared to deal with the challenge and has been successful in de-radicalising its youth, both countries may step up cooperation for sharing intelligence.

Third, owing to their diversity and vast size, the two countries have been facing challenges pertaining to regional disparity and lack of inclusive growth.

While approximately 23 per cent of its people still live below poverty line in India, the figure is 11 per cent in Indonesia.

Uplifting the vast number of people living below poverty line still remains a challenge to both countries, though India needs to work harder.

Fourth, both countries have a vast coastline, and thus ensuring coastal security has been high on agenda for both countries.

Challenges such as natural disasters and maritime piracy have demanded attention of both India and Indonesia.

The Indian armed forces have expertise in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations and have extended help to countries such as Nepal and Fiji in recent times. Cooperation may be a step up in this field too.

Fifth, in the strategic domain, though both nations are not directly involved in the South China Sea dispute, they have huge stakes in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

Recent events such as China's uncompromising stand in the South China Sea and land reclamation activities pose a challenge to maintaining the strategic equilibrium in the region.

New Delhi and Jakarta must work together to bring in more synergy between Jokowi's 'Global Maritime Fulcrum' and India's Act East Policy.

Indonesia could substantially contribute to India's Sagar Mala Project, which was established in 2015 to modernise India's key ports and strengthen link with the Indian Ocean region and beyond.

There are still some aspects of India-Indonesia ties that need to be fully developed. Developing economic linkages, building intra-regional and regional connectivity, and bolstering cultural ties have been the fulcrum of Modi's foreign policy.

In fact, India-Indonesia relations can benefit a lot from all these aspects, provided a proactive approach to widen and deepen bilateral ties is adopted; an approach that is long-term, and practicable with clearly defined strategic, political and economic goals.

Jokowi's India visit gives both New Delhi and Jakarta an opportunity to mull over the long-term possibilities for India-Indonesia ties, and give a fillip to this age-old relationship.

Dr Rahul Mishra is a Research Fellow at the Indian Council of World Affairs.
The note ban is Modi's make-or-break gambit for 2019.

Opposition leaders see a vulnerability and won't gift pre-eminence to the Congress, says Shekhar Gupta.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

What is to explain the recent actions of our most prominent Opposition leaders?

Why has Mamata Banerjee suddenly gone to war with the Centre?

Why is Arvind Kejriwal behaving as if the immediate battle has shifted from Punjab to Delhi and to the social media, which he uses more effectively than Narendra Modi?

Why did Manmohan Singh make that sudden and, by his standards, vicious intervention in the Rajya Sabha?

And why is Rahul Gandhi so consistently visible and audible in Delhi today?

And finally, just what is Nitish Kumar up to -- backing demonetisation, breaking ranks with his allies in Bihar?

None of them has lost it, none is acting unthinkingly.

It's just that a full-blown political season is now upon us.

A well-established political trend now is that the incumbent prime minister makes a radical make-or-break move at some point in his first term. It comes usually around the halfway point, but can come any time.

It may work or fail, but it defines and dominates the politics of subsequent years.

Examples of success are Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Pokhran-2 (early in his term) and Manmohan Singh's nuclear deal (in his fifth year). Each one got re-elected.

Failures, in Rajiv Gandhi's case, are two, the Shah Bano appeasement of Muslim orthodoxy early in his term and the Sri Lanka misadventure near the halfway mark.

Early or late doesn't apply to V P Singh's short-lived government. His implementation of Mandal, while it destroyed his career, transformed heartland politics.

We are looking at conscious, audacious political moves, targeting big political gain, not incompetence or misdemeanours such as P V Narasimha Rao's Ayodhya, Rajiv's Bofors or the BJP's India Shining.

Mr Modi's demonetisation fully passes that test of a make-or-break move. Its implications will not be confined to Uttar Pradesh, but stretch all the way to 2019 and, if it is brilliantly successful, even beyond that.

The politics of post-2014 India will now be defined in terms of pre- and post-demonetisation. The first people to acknowledge this are the prominent leaders of the Opposition.

Initial surprise absorbed, they see Mr Modi, with this move, to have opened up national politics.

If the fight against black money and corruption, combined with what we may call as econo-nationalism is going to be the vehicle of his politics until 2019, that is where you fight him.

Responses come in a wide range: From Mr Kejriwal calling it a '8-lakh crore scandal', to the Congress calling it another 'fair & lovely' or 'Pay to Modi' (pun on Paytm) tamasha, Didi demanding nothing short of a rollback and then charging the Centre with using the army to topple her, and Mr Kumar, the most patient -- and, if I may add, Kautilyan of all -- supporting the spirit and the idea of demonetisation if it is to fight corruption and black money.

Its an important 'if,' the implications of which he will spell out 'if' this ends up a total disaster.

Why Kautilyan? Remember the fable about how juvenile Chandragupta, exiled and denied the throne of Pataliputra (modern Patna) by his enemies, came across a poor Brahmin in a torn dhoti pouring milk in the roots of a prickly cactus?

He said his dhoti was caught in the plant and torn so he was taking revenge. Why don't you just slash it, said young Chandragupta, offering the Brahmin his sword. If you cut it, said the calm Brahmin, it will grow back again.

The reason, he said, he was feeding it sweetened milk was to draw ants and termites so that they may eat the roots. The exiled prince concluded that his search for a mind to help him regain his throne was over, and the legend of Chanakya or Kautilya was born.

Mr Kumar, the current sovereign of Patna but seeker of Delhi, thinks Mr Modi has embarked on a very risky route but one which has sex appeal for the poor. So don't oppose, but wait until it hopefully fails, people get angry, and he is then better positioned to make all the allegations of malfeasance or incompetence.

A full-scale competition has now broken out within the Opposition ranks, that can be likened to American primaries. Barring a short period, India hasn't had a two-party polity.

Our politics has been defined as for or against the dominant ruling party, the Congress and the Gandhi family in the past, the BJP and Mr Modi now.

The tussle today is to be acknowledged as the commander of the challenge to Mr Modi in 2019.

The big change from the past is that the leader of the largest Opposition party is no longer able to claim that position by right.

One, because the largest Opposition is not large enough.

And second, because it suffers from diffidence about its own leadership, not even knowing when to elevate Rahul Gandhi to the presidency, when to even name Amarinder Singh as the chief ministerial candidate in Punjab.

Besides just 44 seats in the Lok Sabha, the party now rules only one major state in the country -- Karnataka. This convinces others that they might have a better chance for the leadership of the challenge to Mr Modi.

This is the reason Mr Kejriwal directly attacks Mr Modi, and invests so much time and energy in Gujarat, although the focus should be Punjab.

Also, why Ms Banerjee is threatening to scuttle the goods and services tax, vowing to not rest until she drives Mr Modi away from not just power but also politics, painting herself as the main victim of his politics (never mind if it drags in the army). Or why whispers that she is speed-learning Hindi sound logical and convincing.

Mr Modi remains very popular but equally, he is a polarising figure and there is a strong and sizeable anti-Modi vote.

The classical old issue is the absence of a strong enough IOU or Index of Opposition Unity. One pre-requisite has always been the choice of one leader to wave the flag.

It was V P Singh in 1989. He had no vote bank or party of his own. He made up for it with moral authority, as the Bofors whistle-blower.

L K Advani knit his NDA under Mr Vajpayee and Sonia Gandhi was the unquestioned leader of the UPA.

That's the vacancy Mr Kumar, Ms Banerjee and Mr Kejriwal believe is available. This explains their posturing.

The Congress is seen as a declining political brand. Its loyal market, the 107 million voters who stayed with it in the disaster of 2014, is intact and seen ripe for picking.
With this amount, the total seizure in the case has now gone up to Rs 166 crore in a single case.

A fresh seizure of Rs 24 crore cash in new notes was made by the Income Tax department on Saturday, adding to the biggest haul of cash and gold post demonetisation, in which over Rs 142 crore unaccounted assets have been recovered in tax operations so far in Chennai.

Officials said the fresh seizure of new currency, in Rs 2000 notes, was made by the sleuths from a car in Vellore on the insistence of the accused presently being interrogated in the case.

With this amount, the total seizure in the case has now gone upto Rs 166 crore in a single case.

The department had seized Rs 142 crore undisclosed assets -- that includes about Rs 10 crore in new notes and gold bars weighing 127 kg -- during searches at multiple locations in Chennai, for the last two days, to check tax evasion.

The largest seizure of new currency notes in the country, after the old Rs 500/1,000 notes were scrapped on November 8, was seizedcame after raids were launched on Thursday on eight premises of a group engaged in sand mining in Tamil Nadu.

"The group has sand mining licence for the entire state of Tamil Nadu. Eight premises (six residential and two offices) were covered in the search.

"During the search, Rs 96.89 crore cash in old high denomination notes and Rs 9.63 crore in new Rs 2000 currency notes along with gold weighing 127 kg worth approximately Rs 36.29 crore were found and seized, as unaccounted assets," the Central Board of Direct Taxes, policy-making body for the I-T department, had said in a statement issued in Delhi.

It had added that the searches are "still in progress at four out of the total 8 premises and more specific details, including modus operandi would emerge after examination of the documents and other evidence detected during the search."

Officials had said S Reddy, a contractor working with the state government, has claimed the entire money and the gold as his own and is being questioned along with few other people.

A senior department official said this seizure of gold and cash was "an unprecedented amount that the tax department has seized in recent times."

The department, the officials said, carried out the searches based on intelligence inputs about the activities of Reddy and few others for the last few days.

Officials said the agency was investigating how the new notes in such a large quantity were stashed by the individual.

The bundles of the new Rs 2000, that were seized, had no banking slips on the them and were jumbled up to mislead investigators, they said.

The officials said a number of documents related to financial transactions, entries of gold sale and records of sale/purchase have also been seized by the tax sleuths.

"He (Reddy) is a contractor working with the state government.He is claiming the entire cash and gold to be his own. Further probe is on," they had said.

Image: Cash seized during the raids in Chennai. Photograph: PTI Photo
Tamil Nadu Cabinet has decided to recommend late All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo Jayalalithaa for India's highest civilian honour, the 'Bharat Ratna'.

In its first meeting chaired by Chief Minister O Panneerselvam after Jayalalithaa's demise, the Cabinet also decided to recommend to the Centre installation of her life-size bronze statue in Parliament complex.

"A resolution was adopted in the Cabinet to recommend to the Centre to award Bharat Ratna to honourable Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa," an official statement detailing the decision taken in Saturday's meeting said.

Further, the Council of Ministers resolved to urge the Centre to install her bronze statue in the Parliament complex, and proposed to raise a memorial building for the deceased leader at the MG Ramachandran (MGR) Memorial site, where she was laid to rest on Tuesday at an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore.

The Cabinet further resolved to rename the memorial as Dr Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Selvi J Jayalalithaa Memorial, it added.

The Cabinet also proposed to unveil a portrait of the leader in the Tamil Nadu assembly.

Panneerselvam also had a small portrait of his predecessor on his desk.

The Cabinet adopted a resolution condoling Jayalalithaa's death.

It said the 68 year-old leader had dedicated her life for the betterment of the people of Tamil Nadu, and help the state take giant strides in sectors like social welfare, education and growth.

She was fondly addressed as 'Amma' (Mother), it said.

Tracing her life from her being born to Sandhya-Jayaram in 1948, it said Jayalalithaa grew to be a bright student in school and excelled in arts like music and dance.

It also recalled her successful film career, her skills of speaking several languages and also hailed her as a voracious reader.

She had made her political entry in 1982 under the tutelage of M G Ramachandran and her speech at the Cuddalore public meeting was indicative of her successful political career, it said.

She was even lauded by former prime minister Indira Gandhi for her speeches in Rajya Sabha on issues including internal security, it said.

She was an "unparalleled leader" in the sense that she was AIADMK General Secretary for 28 of her 35 years of public service, a seven-time MLA and leading the party to many victories including the 2011 and 2016 assembly polls and 2014 Lok Sabha elections, it said.

She had overcomed many challenges presented by rivals and had ruled the state with the sole motive of people's welfare, it added.

The Cabinet said Jayalalithaa had donated gold jewelleries she was wearing to then prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war.

The Cabinet also hailed her active contribution on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, including batting for a separate Tamil homeland of Eelam and moving a resolution in the Assembly.

It also referred to her various populist measures like free rice and said it had benefited people immensely.

She had also brought the 69 per cent reservation for OBC, it said.

"We promise to work in the path laid down by Amma who is now watching us perform" from Marina where she was buried, the Ministers said, condoling her death.

Earlier, Panneerselvam and other Ministers paid floral tributes to Jayalalithaa's portrait and then held the meeting.

Photograph: Reuters
India along with 35 other nations abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Syria and urgent aid deliveries in the war-ravaged country.

The Canada-led resolution, which expressed "outrage" at the escalation of violence in Syria, particularly war-battered Aleppo, was adopted by a vote of 122 in favour, 13 against and 36 abstentions on Friday.

Indian diplomatic sources said that India abstained from voting on the resolution in line with its traditional approach that it does not mix humanitarian issues with political issues.

The sources said the resolution had several elements mixed up -- the humanitarian elements mixed with a large amount of political elements, which are "contentious".

"The resolution had elements addressing the humanitarian situation mixed with political viewpoints of the sponsors which made for an uncomfortable cocktail. Consequently we abstained in line with our approach that is for a delineation of humanitarian issues from the politics of a situation," the sources said.

The 193-member Assembly adopted the resolution demanding an immediate and complete end to all attacks on civilians as well as an end to all sieges in war-ravaged country.

The Assembly also expressed grave concern at the continued deterioration of the devastating humanitarian situation in the country and demanded "rapid, safe, sustained, unhindered and unconditional humanitarian access throughout the country for UN... and all humanitarian actors."

Action in the Assembly comes just days after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a similar resolution demanding a ceasefire in Aleppo, as two of its permanent

members, China and Russia, cast their vetoes.

China, Russia, Iran and Syria voted against the General Assembly resolution, while Bangladesh, Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan and Nepal abstained.

American Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said while the resolution is far from perfect, it is a vote to "stand up to tell Russia and (Syrian President Bashar) Assad to stop the carnage."

"This is a vote to defend the bedrock principles of how states should act, even in war. This is a vote to demand food, medicine, and safety urgently for a population in eastern Aleppo who have none," she said.

Power said Russia and the Assad regime have displaced at least 32,000 people in the last two weeks alone and their campaign of airstrikes have struck every single hospital in eastern Aleppo.

"The people left in eastern Aleppo do not know where to go. Some get shot in the street as they try to flee, others stay in their basements hoping Russia and Assad's aircraft refrain from dropping a bomb over their heads this time. Still others make it across the front line, only to have Assad's intelligence agencies forcibly disappear them," she said.

Russian envoy to the UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin had said a day before the vote that the UNGA vote is not very effective and to expect that it is "going to produce some kind of dramatic U-turn in the situation in Syria is unrealistic."

When asked why Russia did not take part in negotiations on the draft resolution, he said there were things that needed to be included in the draft resolution, which is not strong enough on fighting terrorists in Syria.

The UN human rights wing warned that there may currently be around 100,000 civilians in areas under the control of armed opposition groups in eastern Aleppo, with another 30,000 believed to have fled heavy bombardment to areas under government control.

The Assembly's measure stressed on the need that all parties to the conflict must fully and immediately implement all provisions of various Security Council resolutions concerning the situation in the country, and underscored that all parties must "take all appropriate steps to protect civilians and persons hors de combat, including members of ethnic, religious and confessional communities."

To that end, it noted that "the primary responsibility to protect (Syria's) population lies with the Syrian authorities."

In the resolution, the General Assembly expressed outrage at extensive and persistent violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws, especially through shelling and aerial bombardment, use of chemical and other prohibited weapons, and use of siege and starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, that have caused profound suffering and loss of life and created conditions "conducive to the rise and spread of terrorism."

It also expressed deep concerns at presence of terrorist organisations in the country and condemned attacks and violations of human rights and humanitarian law perpetrated by them.

"Terrorism in all its forms constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and that any acts of terrorism are unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed," the resolution reaffirmed.

Highlighting that the only sustainable solution to the current crisis in the country is through an inclusive and Syrian-led political process that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, the General Assembly reaffirmed its support for a credible, inclusive and non-sectarian political process, involving women and civil society.

It further urged the Security Council to "exercise its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security by taking additional measures to address the crisis in the Syria, in particular the devastating humanitarian crisis, and stresses in this regard Article 11 of the UN Charter."

Since the crisis erupted in 2011, the humanitarian situation in the country has taken a downward spiral with more than 13.5 million Syrians now in need to humanitarian assistance and nearly 6.3 million people internally displaced. More than four million Syrians have been driven out of the country as refugees, including hundreds of thousands in Europe.

The conflict has also killed hundreds of thousands of people, including many children. Almost a million people (974,080) remain trapped in besieged areas and nearly 3.9 million people in hard-to-reach areas.

Photograph: Reuters
Although the Opposition has been making a hue and cry over demonetisation, the BJP's programmes in UP have been attracting crowds.

Virendra Singh Rawat/Business Standard reports from Lucknow.

Uttar Pradesh is getting ready for the early months of 2017 when people vote in the assembly polls.

An electorate numbering nearly 140 million is eligible to cast its vote in the state. There are 403 assembly seats in UP, and in the 2012 elections, 6,839 candidates had contested.

This time around, the issue of demonetisation is likely to radically impact the UP polls by sucking enormous amount of liquidity out from the market.

This may have come as a setback to prospective candidates targeting the elections to turn around their unaccounted wealth.

But the show must go on and the major political parties and candidates are sure to find ways and means to keep the electoral economy well-oiled.

In the past few weeks, the state has witnessed political heavyweights such as Prime Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party mascot Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati address big rallies and public meetings.

Who stands where BJP: The spate of other party leaders joining the BJP has not stopped even after the uproar by the Opposition on the note ban. Congress: Rahul Gandhi's 'khat sabhas' saw good attendance, but the tempo seems to have been lost in successive weeks. The party now seems set to bring in Priyanka Gandhi onto the poll turf. SP: Various pre-poll surveys in recent times had forecast a major loss to the SP. Party leaders are now busy firefighting and trying to put up a united front before the polls. BSP: Mayawati herself has failed to hog the limelight in the pre-poll arena, although the BSP is quick to issue press communiques over major incidents or political events almost every day. Others: The JD-U-RLD alliance is unlikely to have any major impact apart from cutting into the votes of other parties.

Since the popular narrative has changed from the surgical strikes at the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir to the demonetisation of high-value currency notes by the Modi government, the Opposition parties are gearing up to capitalise on the public sentiment for electoral benefits.

After his announcement of demonetisation on the night of November 8, Modi addressed a massive rally on November 14 in Ghazipur district bordering Bihar, where he hit out at his opponents saying his tough decision would weed out black money and that he had the people's mandate for the job.

He has also addressed rallies in Agra, Kushinagar and Moradabad.

Now, Modi is slated to address public meetings at Bahraich, Kanpur and Lucknow in coming weeks.

The BJP has flagged off four 'Parivartan Yatras' to cover all 75 districts in the state. These are being addressed by senior party leaders like Amit Shah, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other Union ministers.

Senior state level leaders and ticket hopefuls are taking part in these events to traverse their respective areas of influence.

Although the Opposition has been making a hue and cry over demonetisation and the hardships faced by the people in the rural areas, the BJP's programmes have not been affected and are attracting crowds.

The spate of other party leaders joining the BJP has also not stopped over the past two weeks.

The Mayawati-led BSP is said to be preparing to hold meetings across the state to commemorate the 60th death anniversary of Dalit ideologue B R Ambedkar.

So far, she has addressed a big rally in Lucknow and public meetings at some other places.

She has deployed her closest lieutenants, Satish Chandra Mishra and Naseemuddin Siddiqui, to hold 'Bhaichara Sammelans' to connect with different communities, especially Brahmins and Muslims, since Dalits are expected to stick with her.

However, Mayawati herself has failed to hog the limelight in the pre-poll arena, although the BSP is quick to issue press communiques over major incidents or political events almost every day.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had launched his 'Samajwadi Vikas Rath Yatra' with much fanfare in Lucknow on November 3. His yatra has since been in hibernation mode.

Even before the yatra, the ruling party had been beset with power struggle and factionalism for the past couple of months.

Now, SP leaders are busy firefighting and trying to put up a united front before the polls.

Various pre-poll surveys in recent times had forecast a major loss for the SP, although Akhilesh Yadav has discarded them saying his government's development work would surely fetch him victory.

Mulayam Singh Yadav addressed a massive rally in Ghazipur district and was flanked by Qaumi Ekta Dal President Afzal Ansari, the elder brother of jailed mafia don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari.

The SP has announced the merger of the QED with itself, a decision that Akhilesh Yadav had been opposed to and which proved to be a bone of contention between him and his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav.

This, coupled with other factors, had resulted in the acrimonious power struggle in the SP.

Despite the outward show to indicate a growing bonhomie, the divide within the SP runs deep and is bound to affect its electoral performance.

Meanwhile, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi was the first to slug it out in the hinterland with his 'Khat Sabhas' as part of his month-long tour of the state during September-October.

He tried to expand the party's rural by promising farm debt waiver on the lines of one implemented by the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre, which had waived off farm debt to the tune of Rs 72,000 crore (Rs 720 billion) in 2008.

With the Congress leaving no stone unturned to regain lost glory in UP where it has been out of power for almost 27 years now, the party is seeking to attract over 22 million farmer households by promising a debt waiver.

Although his meetings saw good attendance, the tempo seems to have been lost in successive weeks. Now, the party is set to bring in his sister Priyanka Gandhi onto the poll turf.

There have been sections within the Congress asking Priyanka to take up an active role in the party affairs and expand her scope beyond the party and Gandhi family pocket boroughs of Rae Bareli and Amethi.

The Congress is desperately seeking to improve its tally in the state from under 30 now in the 403-member Vidhan Sabha. It is hoping to expand its vote bank to include upper caste voters, apart from its traditional constituency of Dalits and Muslims.

To attract the Brahmin electorate, the party had announced the candidature of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial face in the state.

To add another dimension, the Janata Dal-United and Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal have announced their intention to fight the polls together, although this is unlikely to have any major impact apart from cutting into the votes of other parties.

IMAGE: The BJP's Parivartan Rally in Moradabad. Photograph: PTI Photo
MASON CITY  Jay Urdahl knows that a life in politics means you cant please everybody  but says worrying about your critics is a waste of time.

He said, I agree with Tommy Lasorda, the old Los Angeles Dodger manager, who said: Dont tell people your troubles. Half of them dont care and the other half are glad you have them.

Urdahl, a Democrat, was defeated by Republican Tim Latham Nov. 8 in Urdahls bid for an eighth term on the Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors.

When the board holds its first meeting in January, it will be the first time in 28 years that Urdahl will not be at the table.

He said he was surprised by the outcome but is not bitter and wishes his successor good luck.

Urdahl, 63, who is well known for being a political tactician, said he knew he was in trouble on election night even before the first precinct had reported in.

Urdahl was at home with his wife, Kristine, who was tracking election results on her laptop as the auditors office posted them online.

Youre ahead, she said when the absentee ballot results came in.

By how much? he asked.

She told him he was ahead of Latham by about 80 votes.

Uh, oh, he thought. In his previous elections he had always been ahead by several hundred votes when absentees were counted. This years absentee totals foretold the outcome.

Latham, a longtime Mason City businessman, had tamed the tiger. He defeated Urdahl and will take his place on the board next month.

Republican Chris Watts defeated Phil Dougherty, another Democrat incumbent, and will also take office in January.

For Urdahl, it ends a political odyssey that began in 1988 when he ran for supervisor for the first time, defeating Roger Mathre in the Democratic primary and Kenny Moore in the general election.

Politics had always been a real source of interest for me, Urdahl said. My father ran for the Iowa Senate in 1950 and I remember watching political conventions with him on television. I considered politics a high calling.

A graduate of Newman Catholic High School, he received a degree in political science from the University of Northern Iowa in 1976.

He worked for the re-election of Congressman Berkley Bedell in 1986 and saw an opening to run for local office in 1988 when Supervisor John Fromm decided not to run again.

I felt like I had as much to offer as anyone else, said Urdahl, who won election that year to his first term.

He is unabashedly proud of his record in office.

A fact that is unchallenged is that county government is in a much better place after my 28 years than when I came on, he said.

He points to 11 consecutive years of no increase in the county tax levy, the millions of dollars contributed to economic development projects, the recent $1.7 million savings in county contributions to employee insurance and the efficiency throughout the courthouse.

The function of government is to make the trains run on time, and weve done that, Urdahl said.

The supervisors set the tone for the working environment but the credit for the success goes to the county workers, he said.

The people we have hired, the people we have in place are terrific people. Im proud of the fact people want to work here. The public is well served, Urdahl said.

He said he is fortunate to have worked with fellow supervisors who have not always agreed with one another but have shown no partisanship in working things out.

He cited Dougherty, former supervisor Bob Amosson and the late Roger Broers as three colleagues who were also really good friends.

They were all great to work with, Urdahl said.

Amosson, who served 14 years as a supervisor, said, Jay was an interesting guy to be around. He was always very sure of himself and would remind people of his longevity. But he knew a heck of a lot more about things than I did  and he always had your back in tough situations.

Dougherty, who served with Urdahl for 16 years, said, Jay is an institution. You always thought he was going to be here.

I cut my teeth with him. Jay has always been the go-to guy and I valued his advice, Dougherty said. We would kid each other that he was the city mouse and I was the country mouse. And I felt good when he would ask me my opinion about rural issues.

Urdahl said he will gladly assist the new supervisors if they call on him for guidance. If asked, I will be more than happy to offer advice on policy matters. But I dont expect to be asked, he said.

Urdahl is undecided as to what he will do in the future but he has some irons in the fire. He has worked for UPS for 40 years and that will continue.

As for the rest of his time, Urdahl said he is reminded of what former legislator Lowell Norland said after he lost a Democratic primary race for Congress to Dave Nagle.

You have to move, you have to move fast, Norland told him. Because they forget you fast.
Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Nagorno-Karabakh can reach an agreement through peace.

December 10, 2016, 12:08 NATO official: Azerbaijan, Armenia and Karabakh can reach peace agreement

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 10, ARTSAKHPRESS: Head of the NATO Liaison Office in the South Caucasus, Ambassador William Lahue, stated the aforesaid in the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku, reported News.am, citing Interfax news agency.

He said they want to see a pacific settlement, and believe that the conflicting parties can reach such an agreement.

The NATO official added that the situation in Karabakh has always caused concern for them.
6:30 p.m. update

MASON CITY  Parts of North Iowa could receive up to a foot of snow this weekend, forecasters now say.

The National Weather Service now says a widespread 4-8 inches of snow is expected over northern Iowa, with more snow expected for the northern-most and northeastern parts of the state.

One of the agency's forecast models released at 4:40 p.m. Friday predicts a swath of 8-12 inches of snow from northern Kossuth County down to Waterloo. This includes much of North Iowa, including Mason City.

The snow is expected to start late Sunday morning in Northwest Iowa and move east. Forecasters say it should be over Sunday afternoon.

Southeast winds of 15-25 mph with gusts up to 30 mph are expected to make travel hazardous.

Check back at globegazette.com for the latest on this developing story.

WEATHER: Mason City orders alternate side parking for snowstorm

1 p.m. update

MASON CITY | Due to the forecast for measurable snow, the Alternate Side Parking Ordinance and Emergency Snow Route are in effect in Mason City beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9 until further notice.

This means:

-- Parking is permitted on the odd numbered side of the street on odd numbered days of the month and on even numbered side of the street on even numbered days of the month.

- People should move their vehicle(s) from one side of the street to the other between 4 and 7 p.m. the night before.

- On cul-de-sacs bearing consecutive numbers, parking is prohibited according to the schedule for the street to which it connects.

During alternate side parking, signs prohibiting parking at all times on one side of the street only will not be enforced and alternate side parking regulations will be in effect.

- Alternate side parking regulations have no effect on streets where parking is prohibited on both sides.

- The emergency snow route, which includes First Street Northwest from Monroe Avenue to Pierce Avenue will be in effect. No parking is allowed in this area.

Alternate side parking does not apply to Highway 122 and Highway 65 south of Eighth Street South and north of Fifth Street North, nor to the business district -- the area bounded by and including all streets between Connecticut Avenue on the east, Jefferson Avenue on the west, Fourth Street South on the south, and Fifth Street North on the north.

(Exception: Parking is permitted within 100 feet of the main entrance of a commercial business on the side adjacent to the building during regular business hours.)

Check back at globegazette.com for the latest on this developing story.

WEATHER: Winter weather advisory issued for North Iowa

11:45 a.m. update

MASON CITY | Snowfall Saturday and Sunday could make for difficult driving conditions across much of the northern half of the state, forecasters say.

Officials expect 3-6 inches of snow north of Highway 30, which runs through Ames, starting about mid-afternoon on Saturday, according to a National Weather Service winter weather advisory.

As of 11:45 a.m., the forecast for Mason City still called for 4-10 inches of snow:

* 1-3 inches during the day on Saturday.

* 2-4 inches Saturday night.

* 1-3 inches during the day on Sunday.

Forecasters expect the snow last through Sunday night.

The advisory is in effect from 2 p.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The advisory extends well beyond North Iowa, including much of eastern Iowa and extending down south of Des Moines.

Southeast winds of 10-15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph could cause visibility issues Saturday afternoon.

Check back at globegazette.com for the latest on this developing story.

Up to 10 inches of snow possible in North Iowa this weekend, forecasters say

10 a.m. update

MASON CITY | North Iowa could see as much as 10 inches of snow by Sunday, according to some forecast reports.

The National Weather Service predicts 1 to 3 inches during the day Saturday.

The storm should pick up after 1 p.m. Saturday with a high near 20 and wind chills as low as zero.

North Iowa should see more accumulation in the evening, with 2 to 4 inches expected and wind gusts as high as 20 mph. An additional 1 to 3 inches is expected Sunday before 1 p.m.

Snow flurries are possible Monday with a high near 21 degrees.

After Monday, the temperature is expected to drop to single digits for the remainder of the week.

AccuWeather forecasts say Mason City could see 6 to 10 inches total for the storm.

Check back at globegazette.com for the latest on this developing story.
MASON CITY | Eight to 12 inches of snow, reduced visibility and hazardous travel is possible through noon Sunday, according to forecasters.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for North Iowa through noon Sunday. The winter weather advisory is no longer in effect.

A winter storm warning means severe weather conditions are expected or are occurring.

During that time people are urged to stay home, if possible, only traveling during an emergency. If you must travel, take an extra flashlight, blanket, food and water in your vehicle.

Light to moderate snowfall is expected to continue this afternoon and evening, with 1 inch or less through 5 p.m.

Eight to 12 inches of snow is expected in Mason City, according to the National Weather Service.

Southeast winds will increase overnight to 15 to 20 mph, with gusts near 25 mph. Visibility will be reduced to less than a half mile at times.

Hazardous travel conditions are expected, mainly due to reduced visibility and snow-covered and icy roads.
Silly me.

As I write this, I can already hear the clamor of righteous indignation.

In this most unusual year, a group that started out ranting about special interests has now become one.

Opponents of the proposed Prestage pork processing plant began as a loose-knit set of individuals passionate in their belief that the plant was a bad idea, to put it mildly.

They vowed to fight what they considered the special interests that backed the plan  the North Iowa Corridor EDC, the Chamber of Commerce, city officials.

As time went on, they became more organized, helped locally by the likes of former councilman Max Weaver who rallied them prior to council meetings and provided guidance on what to expect. They got help from outside individuals and organizations too, such as the Des Moines-based Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.

Before long, a People versus Prestage element launched on Facebook, providing educational information on environmental issues and publicizing local events.

There is nothing about any of this that is immoral, illegal or fattening. In fact, the movement they created is impressive. And it got results. The 3-3 City Council decision May 3 that killed the Prestage project was buoyed at least in part by the public uprising.

Councilman Bill Schickel, who voted against it, said he saw a lot of merit to the project but it needed the support of the community to make it work  and it didnt have it.

But something interesting has occurred after the council vote. Many of the anti-Prestage people have set their sights on changing the political makeup of the City Council.

Not long after the vote, CCI personnel went on social media, urging their followers in Mason City to come up with good candidates for the next city elections. With the untimely death of Alex Kuhn in July, an election came up sooner than expected.

Eight candidates ran in September, including Weaver. Seven opposed Prestage  all except for Andy OBrien.

The anti-Prestage people painted OBrien as a pawn of the special interests who favored the Prestage proposal. OBrien tip-toed around on the issue while Adams said he was firmly against it.

Adams won with 70 percent of the vote, an indication his support was wide and not attributed solely to his opposition to Prestage. But it was certainly a factor and the anti-Prestage people are jubilant, judging from their Facebook posts.

Now they have set their sights on the city elections next year in which the terms of Mayor Eric Bookmeyer and Councilpersons Janet Solberg, Travis Hickey and Bill Schickel are up.

Some of them treat Bookmeyer, Solberg and Hickey, supporters of the Prestage plan, as evil people who must be replaced  all based on the one issue which is over and done with.

This is their right. They have shown their clout and they are flexing their muscles which, in politics, is nothing new.

But I think Paul Adams knows Prestage is behind us and there are a whole range of issues ahead of us that require bringing people together, not sniping at them.

In the meantime, a hearty group of individuals who once disdained special interests has become one.

Silly me.
Class 4A outlook for Martinsville, Mooresville, DC girls' basketball

Breaking down what the girls' basketball season might look like for Martinsville, Mooresville and Decatur Central.
Ukrainian forces are facing Russian attacks in multiple locations, where heavy shelling and air strikes damaged infrastructure as Moscow stepped up its offensive, the Ukrainian military said on November 3.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine was again disconnected from the power grid after shelling damaged the remaining high voltage lines, leaving it with just diesel generators, Ukraine's nuclear firm Enerhoatom said.

Enerhoatom said it believes Russia will soon try to repair and connect Europe's largest nuclear station toward the Russia-occupied Crimea and Donbas regions.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said in its November 3 briefing that heavy fighting was under way in the east, with Russian troops conducting offensive operations in the Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Novopavlivka areas of the Donetsk region.

Russia launched attacks on 12 settlements in Donetsk and the neighboring Luhansk region. Ukrainian forces repelled the attacks, the military said.

In Luhansk, the Ukrainian military accused Russian forces are using civilians as human shields. The claim could not be independently confirmed.

Russian strikes were also reported in the central area of Kryviy Rih and in the northeast in Sumy and Kharkiv.

"The enemy is trying to keep the temporarily captured territories, concentrating its efforts on restraining the actions of the defense forces in certain areas," Ukraine's military said.

Russia has targeted Ukrainian civilian and energy infrastructure in recent weeks, prompting power and water outages and causing casualties among civilians.

Russia keeps denying targeting civilians, though the conflict has killed thousands, displaced millions, and razed some Ukrainian cities to the ground.

In the south, Ukraine's counteroffensive has left Russian forces fighting to hold their ground around the city of Kherson, on the right bank of the Dnieper River.

Moscow-installed authorities are urging residents to evacuate, the Ukrainian military said.



Residents of the town of Nova Zburiyvka had been given three days to leave and were told that evacuation would be obligatory from November 5, it said.

Russian authorities have repeatedly said Ukraine could be preparing to attack the massive Kakhovka dam on the Dnieper and flood the region. Kyiv denies that.

Seven ships carrying agricultural products left Ukrainian Black Sea ports on November 3, a day after the resumption of a grain deal aimed at delivering Ukrainian food to foreign markets, the Infrastructure Ministry said.

The vessels were loaded with 290,000 tons of food products and were headed toward European and Asian countries, the ministry said in a statement without elaborating.

The British ambassador arrived at the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow on November 3, Reuters reported, after she was summoned to discuss Moscow's claims that Britain was involved in a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea.

Russia's Defense Ministry has said the attack was carried out under the guidance and leadership of British Navy specialists, an assertion Britain has dismissed as false.

Meanwhile, two U.S. officials told CBS News on November 2 that senior Russian military leaders discussed last month how and when they might use nuclear weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin was not involved in the talks, they told CBS News.

The White House said it has grown "increasingly concerned" about the potential use of nuclear weapons in the past few months. But it stressed Washington saw no signs of Russia preparing for such use.



In September, Putin escalated his nuclear and anti-Western rhetoric, mentioning that Russia could use all means at its disposal to protect itself and the occupied Ukrainian territories.

With reporting by Reuters and BBC
The CIA has concluded that Russia intervened in the election last month to help U.S. President-elect Donald Trump win the White House, The Washington Post has reported.

The newspaper report comes after President Barack Obama ordered an in-depth investigation into cyberattacks that took place during the election, with the results to be put on his desk before Trump takes office on January 20.

Citing anonymous U.S. officials, the Post said the Central Intelligence Agency concluded electing Trump was Russia's goal after identifying individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided thousands of hacked e-mails from the Democratic National Committee, the chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, and others to WikiLeaks.

The individuals were known to be part of a wider Russian operation aimed at boosting Trump and reducing Clinton's chances of winning the election.

"It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia's goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected," the Post quoted a senior U.S. official as saying. "That's the consensus view."

U.S. intelligence agencies formally accused Russia of cyberattacks against the Democratic Party in October, before the November 8 election, but said at the time that they believed Russia's hacking was aimed at undermining confidence in the U.S. electoral system, not boosting Trump's candidacy.

But the CIA since then has briefed Congress on its conclusions and senators said it is now "quite clear" that electing Trump was Russia's goal, the Post reported.

Obama has said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin there would be consequences for the attacks. But Putin has denied all accusations of interference in the U.S. election.

Trump has said he is not convinced Russia was behind the cyberattacks. His transition team issued a statement on "claims of foreign interference in U.S. elections" on December 9 that sought to undermine the credibility of U.S.. intelligence officials.

"These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," it said. "The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again'."

The hacked e-mails passed to WikiLeaks were a regular source of embarrassment to the Clinton campaign during the race for the presidency.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has denied the Russian government was the source of the e-mails.

The Post said intelligence agencies did not have specific information showing the Kremlin directed individuals to pass the hacked e-mails to WikiLeaks. Rather, it said the actors were "one step" removed from the Russian government and were not government employees.

What the CIA told senators in its briefing fell short of a formal U.S. assessment by all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies, the Post said, and some minor disagreements remain among intelligence officials.

With reporting by The Washington Post, Reuters, and AFP
Exxon Mobil Chief Executive Rex Tillerson, whose company has extensive drilling interests in Russia, has emerged as the leading candidate to become the next secretary of state, U.S. media report.

Reuters and The Wall Street Journal both quoted senior aides to President-elect Donald Trump as saying Trump now favored Tillerson because he would be "mold-breaking" in bringing a corporate executive's experience for the first time to the top diplomatic post.

Tillerson rose to prominence through Exxon's Russian energy business and Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded him a state Order of Friendship medal in 2013 for what the Kremlin called a "significant contribution to strengthening cooperation in the fuel and energy sector."

In 2011, Exxon Mobil signed a deal with Rosneft, Russia's largest state-owned oil company, for joint oil exploration and production.

Since then the two companies have formed 10 joint ventures for projects in Russia, but Western sanctions against Russia, which prevent the country from certain energy development activities, have slowed Exxon Mobil's investments.

Tillerson has been a vocal critic of Western sanctions, which have forced Exxon Mobil to abandon some projects, costing it at least $1 billion in losses.

Tillerson's company has also not been able to collect its revenues from an investment in an oil and gas consortium it belongs to that operates off Russia's Sakhalin Island.

Exxon Mobil operates in more than 50 countries and claims it explores for oil and natural gas on six continents.

As reports surfaced about Tillerson's possible nomination, another candidate for the post, New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, announced he was pulling out of the running.

"My desire to be in the cabinet was great, but it wasn't that great, and he had a lot of terrific candidates," Giuliani, who was a vocal advocate for Trump during the campaign, told Fox News.

Trump met with Tillerson on December 6 and may talk to him again over the weekend, aides said.

While Tillerson is now favored for the job, aides said others also remain in contention, including 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, U.S. Senator Bob Corker, and retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal
As voters in Kyrgyzstan vote in a nationwide referendum on December 11, among the things they will be deciding is whether marriage should be defined as a union between a man and a woman.

There will only be one question on the ballot -- whether voters accept proposed changes to the constitution. But in answering "yes" or "no" to that single question, voters will be deciding on 26 proposed changes, one of which is the definition of marriage.

The definition would effectively bar same-sex unions, whose legality is unclear and apparently untested, seeing as no couple has ever applied for one.

Proponents nevertheless argue that the definition is needed to protect family values. Critics of the effort say it is a nonissue. And members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community -- already under intense pressure -- are noticeably silent.

The amendment to the constitution has been widely advocated by the ruling Social Democratic Party and enjoys backing from many other politicians, community leaders, and religious figures.

Existential Threat?

If history is any indication -- Kyrgyz citizens have voted overwhelmingly in favor of amendments proposed in three constitutional referendums held since independence in 1991 -- the definition of marriage as a union between man and wife will become part of Kyrgyzstan's basic law.

"We are against same-sex marriages in Kyrgyzstan because they eventually lead to the destruction of mankind," Marat Jumanazarov, the head of the Independent Group of Civil Activists and Experts, argued during a recent gathering in Bishkek.

Jumanazov urged listeners to reject "invented" values from the West that he claimed would erode society. "We need to protect our healthy society," he said.

Ar-Namys (Dignity) party lawmaker Kozhobek Ryspaev has warned that the Kyrgyz nation faces the risk of extinction if same-sex unions are not banned.

"Look at what's happening in the world: women are marrying women, men are marrying men. There are only 3 million pure Kyrgyz people," he said. "We could disappear altogether because of this."

Edil Baisalov, a Bishkek-based political analyst, says same-sex marriage is a "nonissue" in Kyrgyzstan and that the lawmakers and others supporting the effort to define marriage are the same who are behind Kyrgyzstan's so-called gay-propaganda bill.

No Change Needed?

That legislation, which mirrors Russia's controversial 2013 law banning "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" to minors, was approved by the Kyrgyz parliament on first reading in 2014, but has not become law.

The Kyrgyz bill envisages jail sentences of up to one year for the promotion of "a homosexual way of life" and "nontraditional sexual relations."

Kyrgyzstan's LGBT community has been noticeably quiet on the issue -- requests for comment forwarded to the main NGO supporting gay rights in the country went unanswered, and there has been scant comment in local media from representatives of the community -- saying that violent attacks, including rape, have increased against them since the legislation was introduced.

Omurbek Tekebaev, leader of the Ate-Meken (Fatherland) parliamentary faction, has noted that no couple has ever applied for a same-sex marriage in Kyrgyzstan, while Bishkek's four civil-registry offices recently confirmed that they had never received an application for same-sex marriage, according to Kyrgyz media.

Tekebaev, who co-authored the constitution, says there is no need for any amendment in the first place. Despite claims to the contrary being made by supporters of the marriage definition, he says, same-sex unions would not be allowed under the existing constitution.

Article 36 of the Kyrgyz Constitution stipulates that "Family, fatherhood, motherhood, childhood -- these are concerns of the entire society and are given priority protection of the law."

According to Tekebaev the article guarantees that " Kyrgyz society is heterosexually oriented" and that "there is no place for same-sex marriages."

RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service correspondent Gulayim Ashakeeva contributed to this report
Moldova has rejected a decree by Transdniester's leadership that says the breakaway region should join Russia, in line with the results of a referendum 10 years ago.

In a decree posted on September 7 on the website of Transdniester's separatist leader, Yevgeny Shevchuk, he said it was time to enact the results of the 2006 referendum, in which some 97 percent of the region's residents voted to join Russia.

The Moldovan government's Bureau on Reintegration said in a September 9 statement that the referendum was held illegally by the "unconstitutional" separatist leadership.

The Kremlin denied to comment on the decree.

Transdniester, which shares a border with Ukraine but not Russia, split from Moldova in 1990. The move has not been recognized internationally.

The region holds elections in December and Shevchuk is expected to run.

The region is currently in an economic downturn and the separatist government is unpopular.

Based on reporting by AP, TASS, and Interfax
The White House says U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered an investigation into cyberattacks during the recent presidential election that Washington blamed on Russia.

Obama has ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to deliver a report before he leaves office on January 20, the White House said.

Obama's successor, President-elect Donald Trump, has cast doubt on Russia's role in the cyberattacks and praised Russian President Vladimir Putin during the campaign.

The hacks targeted the U.S. Democratic National Committee and a key aide to presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The U.S. government has publicly accused the Russian government of involvement in the hack of Democratic Party officials.

Obama's homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco, told reporters on December 9 that the report's results would be shared with lawmakers and the public.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP
On July 19, Abdufattoh Ghoib, the head of Tajikistan's Customs Service, announced that the Tajik government was considering making an application to enter the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Ghoib's declaration followed an announcement from Leonid Slutsky, the Russian State Duma member overseeing Eurasian integration, in which he stated that Tajikistan would likely apply for EEU membership in 2017.

If Tajikistan joins the EEU, Tajikistan will be entrenched further into the Russian sphere of influence. From a purely economic standpoint, Tajikistan's dependence on remittance revenues from guest workers living in Russia makes EEU integration a natural step. Yet deeper integration with Russia has been surprisingly controversial in Tajikistan.

Even though Tajikistan is economically beholden to Moscow, a sizable minority of Tajiks are opposed to EEU accession. In addition, some Tajik military officers are angered by Russia's lack of consultation with Tajik officials on important military-base activities and crimes perpetrated by Russian soldiers at Moscow's Tajik base.

Why Many Tajiks Oppose Economic Integration With Russia

Although Russia and Tajikistan have been allies since Tajikistan's creation as an independent state in 1991, many Tajiks fear that deeper economic integration with Russia will stymie Tajikistan's long-term economic development for two reasons.

First, some Tajik business elites fear that EEU accession will damage Dushanbe's economic and diplomatic relationships with non-EEU actors. In particular, China and other important secondary trade partners, like Qatar and Iran, could view Tajikistan as a Russian client state if it joins the EEU. This perception could cause vital foreign investors to scale back their capital provisions to the Tajik economy.

Zafar Abdullayev, director of the Content think tank, argued in a July 2015 Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) briefing that heightened Kremlin control over Tajikistan's economy and political system could also severely strain Washington-Dushanbe relations. Deeper U.S. involvement in Tajikistan's internal politics would likely result in Russia reciprocally tightening its grip over Tajikistan. This scenario could compromise Tajikistan's sovereignty and inextricably link Tajikistan's economic future to the trajectory of the Russian economy.

Second, economic crises in the EEU's two largest countries, Russia and Kazakhstan, have reduced public support for Eurasian integration. Tajikistan's diminished enthusiasm for the EEU can be demonstrated by a decline in Tajik labor migration to Russia. According to a July 21 statement by Tajikistan's minister of labor, migration, and employment, Sumangul Tagoyzoda, the number of migrant workers leaving Tajikistan decreased by 8 percent during the first half of the 2016 calendar year.

Anti-immigration sentiments in Russia, the declining value of the Tajik currency, and tighter visa restrictions for non-EEU migrants played a major role in this decline. Nevertheless, as Carnegie Endowment for International Peace fellow Paul Stronski notes, the steepness of the decline in Tajik migration to Russia can be at least partially explained by a sizable number of Tajiks returning home by choice.

As economic prospects for Tajik workers in Russia decline, many Tajiks have concluded that the negative attributes of life as a guest worker in Russia outweigh the economic opportunities. In the first six months of this year, 436 Tajik citizens died in Russia. Many of these deaths were attributable to accidents and racist attacks. According to RFE/RL's Tajik Service, 6,000 Tajik workers who typically would have migrated to Russia have settled in Kazakhstan instead.

Large-scale Tajik emigration from Russia the year before a potential EEU membership application differs strikingly from the situation in Kyrgyzstan before Bishkek joined the EEU in July 2015. While much of the 5.4 percent increase in Kyrgyz worker migration to Russia in 2015 can be attributed to Kyrgyzstan's EEU accession, the trend line in the first half of last year was uniformly positive.

As Catherine Putz argued in a recent article for The Diplomat, Kyrgyzstan's Eurasian integration struggles could have sullied Tajik perceptions of the EEU and contributed to a decline in Tajik migration to Russia. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon will likely support EEU accession to preempt unrest caused by rising poverty levels and returning guest workers.

To appease anti-EEU Tajiks who fear growing Russian hegemony over Tajikistan, Rahmon will try his best to strengthen economic ties with Dushanbe's extra-regional allies. As Tajikistan lacks the natural resources Kazakhstan possesses and has an even poorer investment climate than Kyrgyzstan, Rahmon's bid to combine EEU membership with trade diversification is an uphill struggle.

Concerns About Russia's Role As Guarantor Of Tajik Security

Russia has been the primary guarantor of Tajikistan's security since the 1992-97 civil war. But Moscow's commitment to preserving Tajikistan's security was called into question by Russia's February decision to downgrade its military presence from a "division" to a "brigade." As Tajik nationalists resent Russia's military presence in Tajikistan and Russia had announced plans a few months earlier to expand its division from 7,000 to 9,000 men, some analysts speculated that tensions between Rahmon and Putin were responsible for Russia's change in policy.

While rumored frictions between the Russian and Tajik presidents are unsubstantiated, Dmitry Popov, a Central Asia expert at the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, claims that Russia's military downgrade was motivated by a desire to appease Tajik officials who resisted Moscow's dictation of Tajikistan's security policy. Some Tajik officials disdain Russia's policy of expanding and reducing its troop presence in Tajikistan without consulting the Tajik government. As Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov admitted to Deutsche Welle that he was not informed about February's redistribution, opposition to Russia's secrecy on military base activities has continued to fester.

Frustrations with Russia's unwillingness to consult the Tajik government on military activities impacting Tajikistan's security have been exacerbated by criminal activity on Russia's military base. Joshua Kucera of Eurasianet described in July 2015 how Russian military personnel had been implicated in a string of violent crimes in Tajikistan. These crimes included the murder of a Tajik taxi driver in fall 2014, and an assault of a Tajik waiter in early 2015. As Russian military base personnel are given de facto immunity for crimes committed on Tajik soil, a sense of injustice has created strains between Russian troops and their Tajik hosts. On July 28, the Tajik government lodged a protest over a Russian soldier's killing of a Tajik woman named Shoira Jabborova, and urged Moscow to crack down on violent crime by servicemen at Russia's Tajik base.

In March 2015, Tajik courts lifted a ban on Tajiks serving in the Russian military to reduce unemployment rates in Tajikistan. This decision allows Tajiks who speak Russian and have received Russian military training to find employment in their home country. The Tajik government's aim is to stop Russia's use of its Tajik military base as a dumping ground for poorly trained and insubordinate conscripts.

This policy has angered opponents of deeper economic integration with Russia. As Russian military participation gives Tajiks Russian citizenship and an opportunity to work in Russia full-time, EEU integration could result in the defection of the most capable Tajik military personnel to Moscow's military base. This would drastically increase Tajikistan's security dependence on Russia and compromise Dushanbe's sovereignty.

Increased Tajik presence at Russia's base has not made Moscow's military activities more transparent to Tajiks. A December 2015 report from Tajik private media outlet Asia-Plus alleged that Russian diplomats held a covert diplomatic summit with Taliban representatives in Tajikistan without the Tajik government's consent. The veracity of this report was confirmed by the Russian ambassador to Tajikistan, Igor Lyakin-Frolov, who insisted that Russia merely held discussions with Taliban officials, and did not negotiate with the Taliban. Frolov's calibration response did little to assuage Tajik frustration with the opacity of Russian interventions into Tajikistan's internal politics.

In light of Russia's breaches of Tajikistan's sovereignty, deeper economic integration with Russia could result in a backlash from Tajikistan's military command and a possible repeat of last fall's highly destabilizing mutiny. The Tajik Defense Ministry has vehemently denied military brain-drain speculation. But if EEU integration causes too many Tajiks to pursue Russian citizenship, Rahmon could reinstate his ban on Tajiks enlisting in the Russian military. That move would appease Tajik nationalists, but could exacerbate poverty at a time when the Tajik financial system is veering toward insolvency.

The majority of Tajiks support Rahmon's push for EEU integration. But closer ties with Russia have also proven to be more controversial than Tajik policymakers expected. In order to prevent instability and appease nationalists, Rahmon has to demonstrate that deeper integration with Russia will not jeopardize Tajikistan's sovereignty and relationships with non-EEU trade partners. As Russia shows few signs of backing off on its hegemonic aspirations in Central Asia, Rahmon could have a difficult time proving his case for swift EEU integration.

Samuel Ramani is a doctorate-of-philosophy candidate in international relations at St. Antony's College, University of Oxford, specializing in post-1991 Russian foreign policy. He is also a journalist who contributes regularly to The Washington Post, Huffington Post, and The Diplomat magazine. He can be followed on Twitter at @SamRamani2.
Former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky says Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely coast to a second six-year term in an election slated for 2018, but that mounting infighting among insiders could prompt him to seek an exit from the Kremlin.

Khodorkovsky, who was imprisoned for more than a decade on financial-crimes convictions widely seen as politically motivated, told RFE/RL's Russian Service that he did not believe Putin will try to change the constitution to allow him to serve a third consecutive term.

But he said that recent high-profile skirmishes between centers of power in Russia -- which include the arrest of former Economic Development Minister Aleksei Ulyukayev -- were a harbinger of conflicts between elites that may spin beyond Putin's control.

"I think he will get through 2018 just fine, and after that may even try to reproduce his own kind of Chinese model [of elite consensus], though I don't think anything will come of it," Khodorkovsky, the former head of the Russian oil major Yukos, said in the interview.

"After that, he'll start thinking about a way out," added Khodorkovsky, who was pardoned by Putin in December 2013 in a move widely seen as part of an effort to improve Russia's image ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Khodorkovsky, 53, was flown out of Russia shortly after his release and now spends most of his time in Britain and Switzerland. He continues to be a Kremlin antagonist, backing opposition political movements from abroad.

Putin returned to the Kremlin in 2012 after a four-year stint as prime minister. A constitutional amendment in 2008 extended presidential terms from four years to six, though presidents are still forbidden from serving more than two consecutive terms.

No clear possible presidential successor has emerged, though Putin told Bloomberg in an interview published in September that Russia's "future leader has to be a fairly young person."

Khodorkovsky told RFE/RL, however, that Putin, 64, will undoubtedly face a "crisis of dual loyalty" among the rising generation of officials "because he will cease to be [their] guarantor of security."

He called Putin's vaunted "power vertical" a "myth" and said that he was merely managing "separate regional barons or 'siloviki'" -- slang for those tied to security agencies and the military -- who have their own interests and "do not coordinate their activities with each other."

"And there is the Kremlin, which bargains with each of them on one single issue: 'Secure my permanent grip on power. In return, I will give you this and this, or that.' That is how it works," Khodorkovsky said.
Russian Energy Minister Aleksandr Novak has said he expects major oil producers on December 10 will agree to output cuts sought by the OPEC oil cartel.

Novak said on December 9 that he was "optimistic" about getting commitments to OPEC"s proposed cut of 600,000 barrels a day at a Vienna meeting between OPEC and major producers outside the cartel.

"I think that we will agree and we must agree," he said.

Russia has already pledged to provide half the non-OPEC cuts, which would come on top of 1.2 million barrels a day of reduced production by OPEC members.

Nine countries are expected to join OPEC at the meeting: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Mexico, Russia, Sudan, South Sudan, Bahrain, and Malaysia. Bolivia may also attend, OPEC officials said.

It was not clear whether all those countries would contribute to the 600,000-barrel target, however.

Kazakhstan relaunched its giant Kashagan oil field last month and is expected to produce 200,000 barrels more per day in 2017. It may offer to freeze Kashagan output at last month's level, Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbaev said.

Russia's output reached a post-Soviet high of 11.21 million barrels in November, making it the world's top producer. Novak says Russia's 300,000-barrel cut will come from that level.

Based on reporting by Reuters, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, and TASS
DUSHANBE -- The Tajik Justice Ministry has banned the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) and given the only officially registered Islamic party in the former Soviet Union 10 days to halt all activities.

According to a statement issued by the ministry on August 28, the Islamic Renaissance Party cannot legally continue its activities because the Justice Ministry says the party does not have enough members to qualify as an officially registered party. The ministry said that all the party's branches in 58 cities and districts across Tajikistan have been closed.

The statement adds that the IRPT would not be able to hold a scheduled party congress and that a temporary headquarters set up in a private home in Dushanbe was illegal.

Party Chairman Muhiddin Kabiri, who has been outside Tajikistan since March, told RFE/RL on August 28 that the party's Supreme Political Council will discuss the situation in the nearest future and the results of that session will be made public.

In comments to RFE/RL, the party's deputy chairman, Saidumar Husaini, described the Justice Ministry's statement as "more pressure on the party by the authorities."

"That is a real threat to the IRPT's activities," Husaini said, adding that the move comes "despite the fact that political parties in the country can be banned only by the Supreme Court."

The Justice Ministry's announcement came a day after IRPT leaders told journalists in Dushanbe that the party would continue its political activities despite obstacles imposed by Tajik authorities, including the forced closure and sealing-off of its offices in the capital on August 24.

On August 27, Islamic Renaissance Party members and supporters were forced to relocate their planned press conference to a private residence in the capital after management at the Sheraton Dushanbe Hotel said they could not host the event, citing electricity problems.

Once reporters were gathered at the impromptu headquarters, the party leadership demanded that the government allow the Islamic Renaissance Party to reopen its official Dushanbe office, which they claimed had been closed to prevent a party congress from being held on September 11. The congress was intended to elect new party leaders.

The leadership called for the return of open political debate and suggested that Tajikistan's election system was not free or fair.

The IRPT played an important part in Tajikistan's devastating 1992-97 civil war, which left tens of thousands dead and over 1 million people displaced.

It was the only officially registered Islamic party in the former Soviet Union, and was represented in the Tajik parliament for 15 years until it failed in elections in March to meet the threshold for parliamentary representation.

The party challenged the official results of the polls, alleging fraud.

Kabiri's colleagues have urged him not to return to Tajikistan from abroad, saying it was not safe and citing the mysterious assassination of another opposition leader, fugitive tycoon and opposition Group 24 founder Umarali Quvatov, in Istanbul in March.

Some opponents of President Emomali Rahmon who live abroad have suggested that Quvatov's killing was orchestrated by Tajik authorities.

Rahmon, who has led Tajikistan since 1992, has been criticized for his authoritarian-style rule and for his country's poor human and civil rights records.
CALGARY, Alberta, Dec. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quattro Exploration And Production Ltd. (TSX-V:QXP) ("Quattro" or the "Company") announced today that it proposes to issue 1,800 Series 5, Class C Preferred Shares in full payment of the USD$136,500 cash obligation arising pursuant to the acquisition of the 100% interest in the El Cedro License, Block 6-2012 in Guatemala, as announced in September 2016. The Preferred Shares are of the same class issued pursuant to the Acquisition. The shares are priced at $100 per share and pay an annual preferred dividend of $3.50 per share. The holder will have the right on the anniversary of the 2nd year of issuance to convert the Preferred Shares into Class A common shares at a ratio of 40 Class A shares for each Preferred Share converted, valuing the Quattro Class A common shares received on conversion at a deemed price of $2.50 per share.



The proposed share issuance is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Quattro Exploration and Production Ltd.

Quattro Exploration and Production Ltd. (QXP) continues to focus on the conventional exploration and development of oil and natural gas reserves in Western Canada, with an expanding presence in Alberta and BC. Our core low risk production base will provide us the capacity to aggressively pursue a series of high impact exploration and development efforts in Central and South America. The company intends to balance this portfolio of activities to assure its shareholders that it achieves material growth in both reserves and production.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Leonard Van Betuw

President and Chief Executive Officer

Office (403) 984-3917 Ext.102

Direct Line (587) 228-7070

leonard@qxp-petro.com

www.qxp-petro.com

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future production, reserve potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and those actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Companys registered filings which are available at www.sedar.com.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities offered have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

Trading in the securities of Quattro Exploration & Production Ltd. should be considered highly speculative. 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.
The lawyer of a jailed Tajik opposition politician has been detained, his relatives say.

Jamshed Yorov's relatives told RFE/RL that the lawyer was detained on August 22 on suspicion of disclosing a closed-door Supreme Court ruling on members of the banned opposition Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT).

Yorov represented Muhammadali Hayit, the deputy chairman of the IRPT, at a closed-door trial held earlier this summer.

On August 23, Hayit's relatives said that the politician's wife and 17-year-old son had gone missing after several men in civilian clothes took them from their home in Dushanbe.

Hayit and another party deputy, Saidumar Husaini, were sentenced to life in prison in June.

A court in Dushanbe found them and several other members of the party guilty of conspiring with former Defense Minister Abduhalim Nazarzoda in a supposed armed bid to seize power in September 2015.

The IRPT leader Muhiddin Kabiri, who now lives in exile, has rejected the accusations.
An amateur video that has emerged on social media appears to show Iranian police officers beating a man, running over him with a motorcycle, and then firing at him.

Police said they will investigate the video posted online on November 1. It is not known when the video was recorded.

Some reports suggested that the footage was recorded in the southern Tehran neighborhood of Naziabad, which has been the scene of anti-regime protests triggered by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained in mid-September by Iran's notorious morality police for "improperly wearing" her hijab.

RFE/RL could not independently verify the video.

"A special order has been immediately issued to investigate the exact time and place of the incident and identify the offenders," the police said in a statement published by Iranian media.

"The police absolutely do not approve of violent and unconventional behavior and will deal with the offenders according to the rules," the statement added.

The video recorded at night in an alley shows about a dozen purported police officers beating a man who is lying on the ground. A person who is recording the scene from a building across the street is heard cursing the aggressors.

Damn you, damn you," a male voice says in the video.

At one point, a man in police uniform riding a motorcycle appears to run over the man. Shortly after, another uniformed man beats the victim with a baton, then another one shoots him at close range.

The man initially tries to cover his head with his hands. Later, his legs appear to be motionless.

The man recording the scene is heard saying, "He died, he died."

The video comes amid a brutal state crackdown on nearly seven weeks of antiestablishment protests that erupted following the September 16 death of Amini.

Women have removed and burned their hijabs, the mandatory Islamic headscarves, while many of the protesters have called for an end to the Islamic republic. "Woman, life, freedom" and "Death to the dictator" have been among the main chants of the protesters.

The authorities have claimed that Iran's enemies are behind the unrest.

More than 250 people have been killed in the crackdown, according to rights groups. Several thousand more have been arrested, including many protesters as well as journalists, lawyers, activists, digital rights defenders, and others.

Without providing any evidence, Iran's police chief, General Hossein Ashtari, claimed last month that "counterrevolutionary groups abroad" wore police uniforms and fired into the crowds. He claimed some of the alleged fake police officers had been arrested.

Amnesty International said on Twitter that that the video was "another horrific reminder that the cruelty of Iran's security forces knows no bounds."

"Amid a crisis of impunity, they're given free rein to brutally beat and shoot protesters," the London-based rights watchdog added while calling on the UN Human Rights Council to "urgently investigate the crimes."

The shocking scenes have caused outrage among Iranians on social media with many condemning the violence.

"These brutal conditions are a sign that the establishment is on the verge of collapse," Abdollah Momeni, a prominent activist and former political prisoner, said on Twitter, adding that the violence reflected the regime's "fear of the people."

Shadi Sadr, a human rights lawyer and the co-founder of the rights group Justice for Iran, told RFE/RL that the international community needed to do more to pressure the Islamic republic to stop its crackdown on protesters.

"The actions taken by the international community so far have not deterred the Islamic republic from stopping the bloodshed," Sadr said.
Uzbek police have questioned dozens of people in an attempt to discover who hung the black flag of the Islamic State militant group from a bridge in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent.

RFE/RL confirmed from multiple sources in Uzbekistan that the flag was hung from a bridge in Tashkent's Yunus-Abad district early on August 28, just days before the country marked Independence Day.

The flag remained there for several hours and was reported to police later in the morning, after which it was immediately removed and an investigation was launched.

Police have questioned street cleaners, traders at a nearby bazaar, taxi drivers, and students at a girls' Islamic school in the area.

Since a series of bombings in Tashkent on February 16, 1999, Uzbek authorities have cracked down on the slightest hints of Islamic extremism and those charged with membership in, or support of, extremist groups are punished severely.

There was a spelling mistake in the Arabic word for "Allah," possibly indicating the person responsible for making the flag was not familiar with Arabic script.

Arabic script has not been officially used in Uzbekistan for some 80 years.

There are Uzbeks among Islamic State militants fighting in Syria and Iraq.

One Uzbek national calling himself Bekobadiy (from the Bekobad district in Tashkent) recently sent a statement to RFE/RL claiming Islamic State had already chosen an "emir" for Uzbekistan, though Bekobadiy did not reveal the emir's name.

Uzbek authorities are increasing concerned about extremism as foreign forces in Afghanistan implement their drawdown, due to be completed at the end of this year.

Another domestic Uzbek militant group, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), is active in Afghanistan and Uzbek officials fear the group will seek to destabilize Uzbekistan.

The IMU staged incursions in Uzbekistan in 1999 and 2000 but was in Afghanistan in late 2001 when U.S. forces chased the Taliban from power. The remnants of IMU forces escaped to Pakistan and over the years recruited new members.

More recently many Uzbeks and others from Central Asia have gone to Syria to fight alongside Islamic State.

At the end of August there were reports the leader of the Islamic State militant group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had appointed a Tajik national to be the "emir" of Raqqa, the largest Syrian province under control of the militants.
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Jp27The following two sentences are perfectly legal sentences.1. If you could wish for one thing, what would it be?Google this question, you will find this expression used in so many instances.2. If she should win this race, we will be the first to congratulate her. Please go with the link below, and you will find it there.Your correct versions are ->1. If you could wish for one thing, what would it be? If you WERE to wish for one thing......2. If she should win this race, we will be the first to congratulate her. If she were to win this race......1 In fact, what you have stated as correct answers, are past subjunctives, which are used in very unlikely eventualities. You may say, if I were to wish for one thing, provided you feel that you are unlikely to wish for that; but do you encounter a situation, where you will not wish for anything. I do not think, it is unlikely for one to wish for a. thing. Of course you may say, If I were to buy the moon, that usage is ok; because it wouldnt happen, would it? So that context is acceptable2. If she were to win this race; What is so unlikely about her winning the race to warrant a subjunctive verb?If you WERE to wish for one thingBut what I am missing is that, after saying that wish cannot be used in a conditional clause, you are again using it.Can you kindly elucidate?_________________
A Louisa County felon was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday in the bludgeoning death of a Goochland County man who had been sued a week before the killing by the defendants family in a dispute over their late relatives lucrative estate.

In a plea deal that was finalized on the eve of the defendants trial for murder, Kevin Linwood Parrish, 45, entered an Alford plea to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter in the March 1, 2015, slaying of Alvin Lynn Brooking, 62. In accordance with the agreement, Goochland Circuit Judge Timothy K. Sanner sentenced Parrish to 10 years in prison, the maximum allowed.

In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit to the crime but acknowledges the prosecutions evidence is sufficient for a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. However, the plea is tantamount to pleading guilty.

Although no definitive motive was established, the prosecution theorized that Brookings slaying was related to a will that was filed five weeks before the death of Carroll A. Bush Parrish  a relative of the defendant  that named Brooking as the executor. The will left to Brooking portions of the more than $1 million estate that the Parrishes thought should be theirs.

The case against Kevin Parrish was entirely circumstantial, with no physical evidence such as DNA, blood or fingerprints that connected him to the killing. His attorney told the court that Parrish still maintains his innocence.

A week before Brooking was found dead, 11 members of Bush Parrishs family filed suit against Brooking in Goochland Circuit Court, accusing him of defrauding them.

The suit sought an injunction to block execution of the new will and instead use a 2006 document to determine how his heirs would divide the estate.

Parrishs family claimed that Bush Parrish was afflicted by severe dementia and multiple serious illnesses for several years before his death and that Brooking sought to gain control over Bush Parrishs finances as well as power of attorney. But the court record also includes a declaration by a Goochland physician that stated Bush Parrish was of sound mind and under no undue influence.

Brooking was Parrishs primary caregiver during the last years of his life, and he moved into a house down the road from Parrish to care for his longtime friend. Parrishs mobile home was near the crossroad store he formerly owned at Sandy Hook.

It was against that backdrop that Goochland Commonwealths Attorney D. Michael Caudill, in a summary of evidence, said Kevin Parrish  acting alone  killed Brooking by bludgeoning him in the head with a metal poker inside Bush Parrishs home.

Through cellphone records, Goochland sheriffs investigators tracked the movement of Parrishs cellphone on March 1, which indicated he drove to one sisters home, and then another sisters, before traveling to Bush Parrishs former store  near where Brooking was living  to buy beer. Store security video confirmed his presence in the store.

From there, cellphone records indicate Parrish drove to a friends house in western Goochland with the beer and stayed awhile before driving home to Louisa, where Parrish told investigators he remained for the night. He was steadily calling people, Caudill said.

However, cell records indicate Parrish drove back to Goochland, and one of Brookings neighbors saw Parrishs truck pull up to Brookings home about 9 p.m. before a man who appeared to be Parrish knocked on the door.

The man drove off after getting no answer, at which point the neighbor called Brooking to advise that he may soon get a visitor. Brooking was at Bush Parrishs home down the road.

Brooking told the neighbor that he could see headlights coming down the road and hed call him back later. When he didnt call, the neighbor contacted Brooking again and Brooking told him, We are sitting here talking. I will call you when he leaves.

But Brooking didnt say who was inside his house. That was at 9:27 p.m.

Authorities believe an altercation erupted between the two men, ending with Parrish beating Brooking in the head with the poker he grabbed from a nearby wood stove. There was evidence of a struggle, with broken shards of a glass chandelier found near Brookings body the next day.

An inmate who participated in a substance abuse program with Parrish at the Henrico County Jail last year told authorities that Parrish admitted to killing Brooking with the metal poker during an argument. The inmate said Parrish believed that Brooking was going to give him $5,000 as a beneficiary of the will.

Brooking indeed was trying to reach Parrish, Caudill said, but only to serve him notice that he was one of the heirs to Bush Parrishs estate.

Caudill said Parrish had lost his job, was living with a sister and was in desperate need of money for living expenses and drugs. Brookings wallet was missing when police found his body, and two or three hours after authorities believe he was killed, Parrish paid his drug supplier $200 to $300 for crack cocaine, Caudill said.
At least two students at James River High School in Chesterfield County have died this year, and school officials have sent messages to parents about suicide awareness.

Chesterfield school officials will not confirm the cause of the death of either student, citing legal and privacy reasons.

But the school system and Chesterfields Department of Mental Health Services have invited James River parents to a community discussion about suicide awareness on Monday night.

James River junior Abigail Travis died Sunday at her home in Bon Air, according to an obituary posted Friday on the Woody Funeral Home website.

The 16-year-olds death came just over a month after a sophomore at the school died.

We learned last night of the passing of one of our students, a sophomore at James River High, Jennifer Coleman, the James River principal, wrote to parents on Nov. 11. Students who had a difficult time with this news were allowed to leave class to see a school counselor. Parents were contacted directly if this was the case. In the coming days, we can expect questions about death. Sensitivity to your childs reaction to this difficult situation is important.

On Sunday, the day of Travis death, Coleman wrote again to James River parents:

I am writing with great sadness to inform you that one of our students, Abigail Travis, has died. Our thoughts and sympathies are with her family and friends. The family has requested that information about the cause of death not be shared at this time. We are aware that there have been rumors that this was a suicide death. Since the subject has been raised, we want to take this opportunity to remind our community that suicide, when it does occur, is a very complicated act. It is usually caused by a condition such as depression, which can prevent a person from thinking clearly about the problems in his or her life and how to solve them. Sometimes these conditions are not identified or noticed; other times, a person with a concern will show obvious symptoms or signs.

Counselors were made available to meet with students individually and in groups this week.

The principal has shared two messages this year regarding the deaths of James River students, school spokesperson Shawn Smith said.

Smith said he couldnt confirm or deny whether Travis and the other student knew each other.

School Board members Dianne Smith and Javaid Siddiqi said they didnt have additional information, but that their thoughts and prayers are with the families.

Travis was a talented artist, which she inherited from her mom, according to her obituary. She also enjoyed chorus and fencing.

We extend our most heart-felt condolences to you at this sad time. Abigail was a bright light in our choral family and she will be missed terribly, James River High School Choral Boosters wrote in a sympathy note on the funeral homes website below Travis obituary.

She shared a love of old movies and Broadway shows with her father.
The stepmother of 2-year-old Ariellisa Simmons was found guilty Friday in the childs abuse, abduction and death.

Andrea P. Watkins-Simmons, 36, was sentenced to 20 years of active prison time for second-degree murder based on a plea agreement reached between her attorney and prosecutors. Half of the original 40-year sentence was suspended, as was an additional 20 years for abduction and abuse charges.

She sat in court emotionless, staring directly ahead as Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Kelli Burnett read a lengthy narrative of the evidence that would have been presented at trial.

The body of Ariellisa Simmons was discovered in January in the attic crawl space of an apartment on Chamberlayne Avenue, where Watkins-Simmons had previously lived and been evicted. The childs decomposing body stained the door as if she died laying against it, Burnett told the judge.

No one had seen or heard from the child since Oct. 29, when her father, Watkins-Simmons estranged husband Cornelius Simmons, spoke to her on the phone. The childs mother, Tameka Wright, last saw her in August at daycare.

Medical examiners couldnt determine how the child died nor when, Burnett said in court. There is no evidence that she died before she went into the attic, she said after the hearing.

A preliminary cause of death was given as dehydration, but Burnett said a final autopsy ultimately ruled it undetermined because of the extent of decomposition. On Sept. 25, 2015, Watkins-Simmons had Google-searched the phrase How long could a person survive without water, Burnett said.

Watkins-Simmons married Cornelius Simmons in June of 2015. That summer Cornelius Simmons and Tameka Wright were in the midst of a bitter custody dispute in Henrico County  it was later transferred to Richmond because neither lived in Henrico. The pair had shared custody of Ariellisa at the time, but Cornelius Simmons apparently left the child with Watkins-Simmons and went to work in Washington, D.C.

Cornelius Simmons returned to the area on Nov. 4 for a custody hearing. When Watkins-Simmons never arrived with his daughter, he reported them both missing.

According to Burnetts summary, Watkins-Simmons had sent Cornelius Simmons a text that day saying they were running late, but traffic cameras caught her driving in New York City. She was arrested there in January after the girls body was discovered in the apartment attic.

Current tenants had complained about flies lingering in the attic, Burnett said. A month earlier, the landlord had cleaned the hastily abandoned apartment, thinking the flies and smell were the result of spoiled food left in the refrigerator. In the upstairs attic, a long dress, like a nightgown, had been tied to a wall sconce. Burnett said it was used to secure the door from the outside. When a maintenance man attempted to open the door to the crawl space, it didnt budge, so he left it. But after the complaints of flies, it was pried open and Ariellisas body was discovered almost three months after anyone had last seen her.

After hearing the evidence, David Baugh, Watkins-Simmons attorney, said it would have been sufficient to render a guilty verdict. Baugh spoke for Watkins-Simmons saying she pleads no contest to the charges. As part of the plea agreement, a charge of first-degree murder was dropped.
Police have arrested and charged two men in connection with a homicide that occurred Thursday on West Roanoke Street in South Richmond.

Police said Regshawn L. Ward, 19, of Chesterfield, was arrested yesterday by the U.S. Marshals Service, and Brandon R. Townsend, 20, of Richmond, was arrested Friday.

According to police, both men have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, and further charges are pending.

Last Thursday, a man was found shot to death in the passenger seat of a car parked by the Dunston Manor Apartments in the 200 block of West Roanoke Street.
COLUMBIA, S.C.

If you thought Donald Trump was the face of Americas anti-establishment movement, hold on to your chapeaus: A wild wind is rising.

Want to know whats more anti-establishment than a president-elect who refuses to play by the rules? How about similarly spirited electors going AWOL and sending someone else to the Oval Office?

Could it happen? Might.

A movement headed by a mostly Democratic group calling itself Hamilton Electors is trying to convince Republican electors to defect  not to cede the election to Hillary Clinton but to join with Democrats in selecting a compromise candidate, such as Mitt Romney or John Kasich. It wouldnt be that hard to do.

Mathematically, only 37 of Trumps 306 electors are needed to bring his number down to 269, one less than the 270 needed to secure the presidency.

On the Hamilton Electors Facebook page, elector Bret Chiafalo, a Democrat from Washington, explains the purpose of the Electoral College. If you havent previously been a fan of the electoral system, you might become one.

Bottom line: The Founding Fathers didnt fully trust democracy, fearing mob rule, and so created a republic. They correctly worried that a pure democracy could result in the election of a demagogue (ahem), or a charismatic autocrat (ahem), or someone under foreign influence (ditto), hence the rule that a president must have been born in the U.S. We know how seriously Trump takes the latter.

Most important among the Founders criteria for a president was that he (or now she) be qualified. Thus, the Electoral College was created as a braking system that would, if necessary, save the country from an individual such as, frankly, Trump.

It is worth noting that 50 former Republican national security officials and foreign policy experts co-signed a letter saying that Trump would be a dangerous president. Do we simply ignore them?

At least one Republican elector, Christopher Suprun, has decided to pay heed. In an op/ed in Tuesdays New York Times, Suprun, a paramedic in Texas, outlined all his reasons for not rubber-stamping Trump, saying that he owes a debt not to his party but to his children. He urged others to join him.

This, apparently, they can do, though some states may impose penalties. Hamilton Electors are raising funds to pay any such costs that may accrue.

Alexander Hamilton, suddenly a star both on Broadway and Main Street, wrote that the Electoral College affords a moral certainty that the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications.

Electors would prevent the tumult and disorder that would result from the candidates exploiting talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity. Speaking of Trump. How wise our Founders were. And how unwise are we to pay so little attention to their far-keener insights.

It is, perhaps, a sign of these upside-down times that Democrats, usually preferring the popular vote, are suddenly genuflecting to the Electoral College and Republicans, who so often defer to the Founders original intent, shift principle so swiftly, presumably in hopes of taking the ultimate escalator ride in the golden palace of King Trump. Tut-tut.

Meanwhile, those on both sides who remain opposed to Trump are dismissed as either sorry losers or as dining on crow and sour grapes. But the stakes are too high  and the evidence of Trumps presidential aptitude deficit too severe  for such trivializing designations. His demonstrated lack of judgment and impulse control should send shivers down the spines of all Americans in consideration of the nuclear arsenal he is poised to have at his fingertips.

Thats not all of it, but its enough. Without consulting advisers or sleeping on it, for which he is not known, Trump can authorize a nuke upon the slightest provocation  or none. All previous presidents have had the same authority, of course, but all have also been experienced statesmen, nary a reality-show celebrity (nor snake-oil salesman) among them.

Trumps friends have told me theyre confident hell solemnly respect the burden of such power, but nothing thus far justifies their faith. After his election win, Trump hasnt much bothered himself with intelligence briefings. He ignored 37 years of diplomatic precedent by chatting with the president of Taiwan, upsetting China. He spoke like an inarticulate ninth-grader with Pakistans prime minister, according to that countrys readout. Trump apparently told the prime minister that hes a terrific guy doing amazing work and that Trump is ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems. Oh, really? Which ones?

Electors are scheduled to meet Dec. 19 in their respective states to cast their final ballots. If there are 37 Republicans among them with the courage to perform their moral duty and protect the nation from a talented but dangerous president-elect, a new history of heroism will have to be written.

Please, be brave.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
BLACKSBURG  The town is planning a public hearing next month for a proposed boundary adjustment that could pave the way for a Roanoke-based firm to build a condominium development just east of town limits.

Town Attorney Larry Spencer told a group of about two dozen people during a meeting on the matter Wednesday night that the hearing is scheduled for Jan. 24. Spencer briefly explained the reasoning and process of the boundary adjustment, but the majority of the nearly two-hour long meeting centered on the University Housing Group and Bradley Companys plans for the 27-acre tract  known as the Poff property  south of Harding Road and Wrights Way.

Wes Bradley, president of University Housing Group and the Bradley Company, and Jeremy White, an architect with Charlotte, North Carolina-based BSB Design, each reiterated project details and fielded questions ranging from whether the development is really a front for more off-campus student housing to environmental and waste concerns in the area.

As he has told town officials over the past several months, Bradley said he plans to build 99 units  at an estimated price of $250,000-$300,000  that will all either be single-family homes or duplexes in terms of architecture. He also said units, which will target empty nesters and young professionals, will be built as sales agreements are reached.

Spencer, Bradley and White each emphasized that the boundary adjustment is not an annexation, but rather an accommodation so that the development can receive town utilities. Should the development fail to gain any traction, the town would keep the property, they each said.

The town and county would first need to agree on the boundary adjustment and then submit the arrangement to Montgomery Circuit Court for final approval.

Blacksburg could also take a vote on the adjustment right after its public hearing, but whether that happens would depend on the public feedback, Spencer said.

Mayor Ron Rordam declined to give his stance on the matter, citing a need to hear more of what other council members and the public say.

County officials havent set the exact date yet for their hearing, but Spencer said this week that his communication with the county indicates the board of supervisors will probably host its hearing at about the same period as Blacksburg.

Board of supervisors Chairman Chris Tuck said he still wants to hear from more residents and the developer before he forms a more concrete opinion on the proposed boundary adjustment.

Tuck said he has traffic concerns related to commuters using Harding Road to travel to Roanoke. He said he doesnt find Harding Road to be very conducive to commuters and that a recent traffic study related to the development only looked at traffic going toward Blacksburg.

My job is to look out for the county as a whole, so I had some concerns, especially considering how windy that road is, Tuck said. I would also want to hear what citizens think about the development, as well.

There may be things I havent thought of that may affect the county out that way.

Among the first questions that came up when Bradley presented his project to Blacksburg council members earlier this year was whether the development would end up drawing students because of the ever-swelling college population and the potential addition of bus connections.

Bradley reassured then and again this week that the schematics he has in mind dont involve floor plans typically seen with student housing. He said hes envisioning one-, two- and three-bedroom units of varying room sizes that would each come with no more than a full and half-bathroom.

With student housing, floor plans typically show multiple bedrooms of equal size, each coming with a bathroom.

Bradley said he hopes his upcoming project triggers a series of similar developments across the country targeting early retirees.

We also found that a lot of retirees really like college towns. Theyre [relatively] crime free ... traffic is usually lighter, he said. They have all the benefits of mid-size towns without mid-size problems.

The bulk of the Roanoke firms projects during the past 15 years have been student housing as far west as Reno, Nevada. Before that, the company did more mixed-use projects, Bradley said.

One concern brought up during the Wednesday meeting was the presence of a nearby pump station.

Douglas White, a frequent town meeting-goer who describes himself as nothing more than a concerned citizen, told Bradley and White that major rain events have in the past caused the station to be breached and resulted in sewage leakage. White said there are concerns from residents who already live in that area that another development would exacerbate that problem.

White asked Bradley and (architect) White if they had spoken with town engineers about the environmental issues, to which the latter two responded with no. Bradley and White, however, maintained that the project is still far from having actually started and that theyll surely address those problems.

There also a question about whether Bradley could in fact sell the condos, given their anticipated price, but he expressed confidence he could.

Bradley said the most optimistic outlook right now projects construction to start in 2018 at the earliest. The boundary adjustment is an early step, and the town would need to zone the area afterward, he said.
By SA Commercial Prop News

Artist Impression of Chevron Building at Century City.



Chevron South Africa plans to relocate its South African headquarters to Century City.

The group has acquired a gateway site at Century City from the Rabie Property Group on which it is to build a new 9000 square metre green head office.

The building is being designed by Louis Karol Architects who were up against three other shortlisted architectural firms in a design competition.

Construction is due to start in the first half of 2012 with completion scheduled for end 2013.

The new Chevron head office is to be built according to environmentally friendly principles and is aiming for Green Star SA certification from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). If successful, this will be the second building at Century City to receive Green Star SA certification. The first was the Aurecon building, which was developed by the Rabie Group and which was not only the first certified green building in the Western Cape but was the first building in South Africa to be awarded a 5 Star Green Star SA  Office Design v1 rating by the GBCSA.

John Chapman, a director of Rabie Property Group, said they were delighted to welcome Chevron South Africa to the Century City family.

Their building will be the first office block to be built in a new 150 000 square metre office node at Century City to be known as Bridgeways and which is already home to the Virgin Active Health Club and the Hillsong Church

Chapman said Rabie was looking at developing Bridgeways as a green precinct and would be implementing measures to provide a base measure to assist environmentally conscious corporates achieve accreditation for their green buildings in the future. In this regard, provision had been made for a multi-tiered parking facility which will allow tenants and owners additional affordable parking within close proximity to these offices.

He said a further two office blocks, each of around 4000 square metres, were also currently in the planning stages for the precinct which is in easy walking distance of not only the Virgin Active, Ratanga Junction and Canal Walk but also the convenience retailing and restaurants of the Colosseum, and the five star dining and spa facilities of the African Pride Crystal Towers Hotel and Spa.

The site of the Chevron head office faces onto Century City Boulevard, the main thoroughfare of Century City, and is directly opposite the Colosseum and the planned bus station for the Bus Rapid Transit System which is expected to be extended to Century City by the end of 2012.

It is also in easy walking distance of one of Century Citys two Public Transport Interchanges for those commuters relying on bus or taxi services as well as the Century City Station.
By SA Commercial Prop News

Erwin Rode  CEO of Rode & Associates



For now, no sudden improvement in the demand for office space can be expected as key demand drivers are losing their vigour. This is the opinion of property economist Erwin Rode in the latest issue of Rodes Report on the S.A. Property Market.

Discouraging for the office demand and vacancy-rate outlook was the deceleration in output produced by the services sector (i.e. GDP of services) in the first quarter of the year. Says Rode of Rode & Associates, publishers of the Report: Waning growth of output in the services sector does not bode well for its employment prospects, which in turn implies continued weak demand for office space. Furthermore, slumping business confidence is another bad omen for office demand; this as businesses are unlikely to expand premises or hire new employees while confidence levels are low.

Thus, unsurprisingly, in the first quarter of 2012, office vacancy rates remained stagnant leading to unimpressive rental performances. In the reporting quarter, the only rentals that could muster any growth at all were those in Pretoria decentralized (+0,5%). Market rentals in Johannesburg decentralized remained at the same level they were a year ago, while those in Cape Town (-1%) and Durban decentralized (-2%) contracted slightly.

Weaknesses in the manufacturing and retail sectors  the two support pillars of the industrial property market  are likely to continue to place a lid on demand and, consequently, on rental growth. In the first quarter of 2012, only the Central Witwatersrand (at a growth of +10%) was able to buck the trend of poor yearly growth in rentals. In other major industrial conurbations, such as the East Rand (+3%), Durban (+0,5%), the Cape Peninsula (-1%) and Port Elizabeth (-2%) rentals either showed poor growth or contracted when compared to a year ago.

On the residential front, the report reveals that nationally, rentals on flats and houses grew by 5% and 4% respectively, while those on townhouses lagged behind at only 1%. Meanwhile, house prices have shown mild yearly contractions for the first six months of 2012. This, notes Rode, is the largest contraction recorded since the 1980s: House prices last significantly deflated during the first half of 2009, after which they rebounded.

Finally, while its been a bumpy ride for capitalization rates over the past three years, the investment mood among direct (unlisted) investors remained fairly buoyant. Rode elaborates: Even amid the uncertain economic times, property investors refused to panic and this was in part due to the fact that, despite an upward trend since 2008, non-residential vacancy rates are still below their early 21st century highs. A propertys vacancy rate has a direct impact on the perceived risk to its potential income. This will in turn affect the required income return (capitalization rate) at which investors will be willing to trade property.
The Gujarat Assembly polls will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5, the Election Commission announced on Thursday here. ...


My mother, Kekas Meki, is a Kafe woman from the Henganofi District of the Eastern Highlands. When Avdoh and I fought, she would pull us apart, sit us down on her bed and tell us about the special nature of the brother-sister relationship and the respect and good treatment given to women in her society.

She did this by telling us a tumbuna (legend) story from her village of Marikente. I called this story the Cave Story.

WHENEVER feasts or mumus are held, it is customary and important that brothers should first acknowledge their sisters and give them preferable treatment. This custom stemmed from a horrible incident and people guard against a repetition of the incident by honouring the custom.

A long time ago in the mountains around Henganofi there lived a man and his wife. One day there was a big feast in their village. The man was a leader in the village and was busy preparing for the feast and communing with his guests.

Amid all the commotion, he did not notice his younger sister, who had arrived from her husbands faraway village and was sitting beside the fire with her baby.

The sister waited patiently for her brother to greet her and her baby but her brother was too busy attending to his guests who had come from nearby villages.

As night approached, the brother still had not greeted his sister. Soon the mumu was ready and he was busy distributing food to his guests. While doing so, he caught a glimpse of his dear sister sitting by the fire with her baby. Unable to greet her, he gave a piece of pig meat to his wife and told her to give it to his sister so that she could eat while waiting for him.

Instead of taking the pig meat to her sister-in -law, the wife went behind her house and ate it. The sister sat by the fire with her baby until night fell, at which point she decided it was time to go home.

Feeling upset and rejected, she stood up, gathered her belongings and started to walk away. As she neared the village fence, she heard her brother call out for her to come back and stay.

Upon hearing his voice, she began to cry, and started singing in her language: Where do you think I came from? All this time I was sitting there, waiting, but you never came and greeted me so now I am going. If you want me to stay, you have to come and get me!

While crying and chanting these words over and over, she ran from the village towards the peak of a mountain. At the mountain top was the entrance to a huge cave that went deep into the earth.

She placed her baby on the ground and threw herself headfirst into the depths of the cave. When her brother finally reached the top of the mountain, all he saw were bats, disturbed by the commotion, flying around the clouds of hot steam rising from the cave.

Heartbroken and furious with himself, he cut off both his ears and threw them into the cave. He then took his sisters baby and returned to the village.

Back in the village, the brother learnt that his wife had eaten the pig meat instead of giving it to his sister. Driven by rage and anger, he killed every pig that he owned.

He then cooked the meat and locked it and his wife in an empty house, telling her to finish the meat because of her selfishness.

As each day passed, the grieving brother would go to the house and ask his wife how many pigs she had eaten so far and which part of the body she was consuming.

One day, she answered that she was eating the head of the very last pig. When her husband heard that he burned down the house with her inside.

After this tragic event, it became an important custom for brothers always to treat their sisters well, and especially those who had married men from faraway places.

Whenever there are feasts nowadays, sisters are always invited and treated with great respect.
Dear Editor,

Re: Samoa election process, the P.M. and his facelift developments

Let me remind about what Afamasaga Toleafoa wrote:

Samoa cannot be considered as such a functioning democracy. This longevity in power is but the sign of a democracy that is in crisis  as this sketch shows.

It is the sign of a system where an unprecedented level of power is now accumulated in the executive through a sustained re-engineering of Samoas constitution and government systems during the long period of HRPP rule.

That power has in turn been put to use to retain office and to perpetuate one political party in government at great cost to the integrity of Samoas democratic system.

On the other hand, here is what Dani Karnoff said:

Multiple members of civil society explained that the Samoan people are unaware of their rights and dont understand the true concept of democracy, which centers on public participation and a representative governing body.

Iati Iati, who writes on the implications of the faaSamoa on civil society, believes that on a national level the faaSamoa facilitates corruption by the Head of State and the governing party (Iati 2000:71-76).

Maua Faleauto
Every child aspires to make their parents proud.

That was the reaction for the parents of Pekina Brown Maualaivao as she was dubbed Saint Marys Savalalos top student for 2016 .

Miss Maualaivao swept most of the categories, coming away with trophies for written expression, religious education, religious studies , and music.

Miss Maualaivao was overwhelmed with pride as she recounted her journey to the top.

It has been a long time coming for this thirteen year old. Miss Maualaivao showed potential for academic excellence from a very young age, coming first in her class in year one. However, year one would be the last time she came in first. Finally, in her last year at St. Marys Savalalo, she truly pushed herself to reach the top of her class. She stated, When I was in year one, I used to be Dux first. But then year 2 to year 7 I wasnt the Dux again. I want to make them happy so thats why I did this. I wanted them to be happy.

Theres no coincidence that Miss Maualaivao came in first for music and religious studies as those are her favorite courses of study. She commented Religion teaches me about Mother Mary and Jesus and everything in the bible. And Music because, I learn faster through music and I really like singing and thats the only talents I like doing.

This young woman hails from the village of Malie and aspires to be a doctor. She stated, I want to be a doctor to help my father when hes sick and also my mom. I really like healing people and helping them.

Miss Maualaivao credited much of her success to her parents, for whom she aspired to make proud through her achievements. Also, the teaching staff at St.Marys Savalalo for their prayers and support and her besties, Joanne and Palepa.
Foundation students at the National University of Samoa (N.U.S) celebrated the end of another step in their academic lives earlier this week.

More than 500 graduates received certificates in front of parents, families and friends who came to witness the special celebration.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Public Enterprises, Elita Tooala, congratulated the graduates as the guest speaker.

She shared with the graduates three important lessons of leadership. These are: Listen, Inspire and Work.

An aspiring civil engineer, Lute Tamalii Mundia, was declared the Dux.

Lute is the second to the youngest child of Niu and Lawrence Mundia. She hails from the villages of Aopo, Vaitele-fou and Zambia.
It was a true celebration at Faleula Primary school as teachers and parents honoured the hard work the students underwent during 2016s academic year.

Parents looked on with pride but none were prouder than Maletina Niko Amosa and Amosa Malo Ulufaloae, the parents of Faleulas 2016 Dux, Maylynn Amosa.

Aside from being named dux, Maylynn topped every subject except for Samoan studies and was also named the most reliable prefect.

Maylynn was also the only student from Faleula Primary to be accepted in Samoa College.

In her final speech to the school, she thanked all the teachers and parents for all the work and time they invested in her.

Too all those at this school, keep up the great work, she said.

I would like to say thank you to the Principal of my school for all the hard work you have put in throughout the year, I pray that the Lord will shower you with blessings.

I also thank all the parents of the students. All the time you have invested in your childrens education will not be in vain.

With her final words to the rest of the students who will continue with Faleula next year, she urged them to never give up.

To all my fellow students, dont let up, Maylynn said.

Great job this year and I wish you all the best for your future. For those parents that are always supporting their children, stay strong and always build your children up.

Whatever your parents spend on your children will be returned to you from God.

And to her fellow graduates, Maylynn said to never give up and that the sky is the limit.

Those who have graduated today, keep working hard, she said.

Be obedient and continue your hard work in your future schooling. Dont give up no matter what, do your best and you will have a great future.

You have made it but this is not the end, there is a big future ahead of you so get ready to work hard. Dont be afraid and keep praying.

I believe in you all.
Think a MinuteThis is a true story about a young Jewish boy named Karl who grew up in Germany. Karls father was very religious and made sure his family went to the Jewish synagogue and studied the Torah or Jewish bible every day. When Karl was a teenager his family moved to another German town where all the important people were Christians not Jews.

Suddenly, Karls father changed religionsnot because he learned the truth that Jesus Christ is the only true God, but because he wanted to be popular and liked by the important people in the community. Karls family was so surprised and confused. Young Karl especially became deeply disappointed and angry at his father for being such a hypocrite. A few years later, Karl went to England to study and there he decided not to believe in God anymore.You see, that young teenage boy who was deeply disappointed and embittered by his hypocrite father was Karl Marxthe father of atheistic socialism. It was Karl Marx who wrote the Communist Manifesto. So now for almost a hundred years, over a billion people have suffered under the hopeless rule of atheistic socialism which was started by that hurt and bitter young man, Karl Marx. Thats the terrible damage and influence which resulted from Karls hypocrite father.

Our children are watching the way you and I live every day! Our character and attitudes speak much louder than our words. Our kids arent stupid. They see the act we put on to look religious and good in front of other people. Then they see how we really are at home. They see when were not honest. They see when were two-faced and gossip about others. They see us when we lose our temper and self-control. They see when we wont forgive someone who hurt and wronged us.

Our kids know whether or not were real Christians who live Jesus way every day. But if we are hypocrites, it not only means we ourselves are in danger, it also does great damage to our childrens relationship with God and the kind of people they become as adults. So wont you ask Jesus to forgive you? Then ask Him to take charge of your heart so He can start helping you change. Thats the only way your kids canlearn from you how to follow and become like Christ in their character and lifestyle. Just Think a Minute
And so it seemed that most countries remembered International Anti Corruption day  including other Pacific neighbours - but Samoa.

Which is strange given that in this country today, we make a song and dance about all other kinds of days. Heck we even had a parade to commemorate World Toilet day.

Nothing wrong with that of course but then you would think that someone in the government who are forever travelling to these international meetings picking up these international tunes we seem to be singing blindly would even remember the day dedicated to eliminating all forms of corruption.

And yet here in paradise on Friday 9th December 2016, which is dedicated as International Anti-Corruption Day 2016, no one remembered. Not a beep about it at all, nada.

Which is interesting really because the day is promoted by the United Nations, that has such a strong presence in Samoa. This year, the UN commemorated with the Theme: United against corruption for development, peace and security.

Wonderful stuff, isnt it?

According to the United Nations, every year $1 trillion is paid in bribes while an estimated $2.6 trillion are stolen annually through corruption  a sum equivalent to more than 5 per cent of the global G.D.P.

In developing countries, according to the United Nations Development Programme, funds lost to corruption are estimated at 10 times the amount of official development assistance, the UN says.

Naturally, the UN concludes that corruption is a serious crime that can undermine social and economic development in all societies.

No country, region or community is immune. This year U.N.O.D.C and U.N.D.P have developed a joint global campaign, focusing on how corruption affects education, health, justice, democracy, prosperity and development.

The 2016 joint international campaign focuses on corruption as one of the biggest impediments to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (S.D.Gs).

We recall the big publicity given to the launch of the S.D.Gs but if corruption is as they say one of the biggest impediments to achieving them, why is not anybody bothered by the lack of acknowledgement in Samoa of such an important day?

At Transparency International, it had the following offering for Anti-Corruption Day. This is why such a day matters. This is why in Samoa, it should have at least been acknowledged.

People are dying because money meant for health care is stolen, Transparency International says. The proceeds of large-scale corruption laundered in luxury property. Women and girls subjected to sexual demands in return for passing exams.

Democracy undermined by money in politics. Factory workers losing their lives when unsafe buildings certified by unscrupulous inspectors collapse. Hard earned tax payer money misappropriated.

Directly or indirectly, rich or poor, male or female, all of us are affected by corruption.

Closer to home, not too long ago, the Controller and Auditor General uncovered instances of unbridled corruption and mismanagement in some government offices. The issues were highlighted in not one, not two but at least three reports tabled with Parliament.

These reports were referred to whats called the Officers of Parliament Committee (O.P.C). They investigated the claims, costing taxpayers lots of money and they were required to report back to Parliament with their findings.

In the end, the O.P.C, a group made up of highly qualified accountants, lawyers and other respected professions, confirmed the findings of the Controller and Auditor General.

They found that there existed corrupt practices among some public servants and there were also instances where some had colluded to defraud taxpayers. To remedy the problem, the Committee recommended taking legal action against the individuals implicated.

Well, that didnt happen, obviously. The report was tabled and the government brushed it aside in its response. Neither the report nor the governments response was the subject of an open debate as Members of Parliament should have done and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today in paradise, the people implicated are running around, living their lives without a care in the world. Outside Parliament though, a senior Member of Parliaments response about corruption really baffled the mind at the time. It still does.

Listen: The palagi corruption is different from Samoa corruption. Compared with bigger countries, any corruption in Samoa is tiny.

The corruption that happened in the United States with its financial crisis spread out to other countries affecting us and other countries in the world. But if theres corruption in Samoa, it doesnt affect American Samoa, its domestic for us.

Wow! So there is palagi corruption and Samoan corruption? And Samoas corruption is domestic what? Hogwash. A humungous load of hogwash! Could this be why Anti-Corruption day this year was conveniently forgotten?

We dont need to remind you about the scourge of corruption.

The good news according to Transparency International is that it does not have to be this way. All of us also have the power to fight corruption.

Imagine a future where people throughout the world act together to reject corruption. Together we can and will bring about real change, Transparency International says. This is what you can do in your daily life, in your place of work, in schools, hospitals and places of worship to be part of this change:

 Do not pay bribes

 Do not seek bribes

 Work with others to campaign against corruption

 Speak out on corruption and report on abuse

 Only support candidates for public office who say no to corruption and demonstrate transparency, accountability and integrity

And lastly, since today is a Sunday, honesty is the best policy. Even if you get away with corruption because you have not been caught, God is watching. He knows and you will get your dues in good time.

Have a restful Sunday Samoa, God bless!
Dear Editor,

I couldnt agree more with the governments vision behind the new strategy for development.

We do not want anyone left behind, the government promises in the Strategy. As we progress, we need to ensure vulnerable groups can equally share in our progress.

Its a vision Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, holds dear to his heart. Speaking during the launch, he said key to progress is generating employment opportunities for Samoans.

Above is the governments vision for the country from the Prime Minister himself.

Below is the answer to this vision from the Minister of Finance Sili Epa Tuioti.

He referred to the Samoa Observers Village Voice Section through which people in villages say they are coping despite the struggles.

I read the Village Voice and to me people who are saying they are poor should be reading that, he said. 

We need to take that information from the newspaper with people who are positive young youths that do not go to school but are doing extremely well out there.

We need to use that to mentor and talk to families whose are children are running around and pestering people. There are a lot of lessons we can learn from our people to deal with our own social problems we are facing.

Learn to cope with struggles since the government cant help you with it. The sole purpose of publishing this plan is to garner support from the country, but theyll never hear your voice or see your struggles. Only when they want something from you then they stand up and tell you the plan is to help you. Afterwards they dont know you, or its your own fault.

Sinamanu Gale
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has rejected concerns from a matai of the village of Apia about the Apia Waterfront Project.

Last week, Lima Soifua Efu, said he supported the initiative but expressed reservations about the impact of the plan on the young people of the village.

Lima told the Samoa Observer there needs to be guidelines for tourists to follow when they are relaxing on the Waterfront beaches. His concern was mainly on young children who are exposed to tourists sun tanning on the beach almost naked. He also made reference to the number of crimes in Apia, saying opening up the place will invite all sorts of troubles.

But Prime Minister Tuilaepa said there was no need to be alarmed.

He explained that the reason why palagi want to burn their skin is because they want to be like angels who have brown skins, the same colour as Samoans.

I was shocked to read on the Observer about an elderly man and his concerns, Tuilaepa said.

If you go to New Zealand and Aleipata the reason why palagi like to burn their skin is because they want to be brown and my message to the elderly man is to tell his children not to burn their skin they will get darker instead of brown.

When the Prime Minister was told that the concerns from the matai was instead about half naked women lying on the beach he said it wasnt true.

Have you seen a palagi lying infront of Aggie Greys hotel like that, he fired back.

Its been four years (since the beach was opened) and I have not seen a palagi there like that. Those are just dreams and that is why I dont want to comment about it  its all dreams.

During the launching of the final plan of the Waterfront project this week, Lima suggested there needs to be guidelines for tourists to follow when they are relaxing on the Waterfront beach.

Our village covers Matautu all the way to Mulinuu, said Lima. The impact of this project is big especially that it is in our village. I worry about girls who come and lie on the beach and our children are walking across from the road and seeing them in their bikinis."

How can our children feel safe when they see this infront of their own homes? There are young youths who are roaming around town and if they came across such a view that will be another problem especially with the growing number of crimes in Apia that we hear on the news everyday."

A village boy who would come across a palagi lying there on the beach with little they wear they will probably watch them all day and go home when its darkthe effect is big and we need regulations for tourists to follow so we can protect our children and our people.

The matai added their concerns have been passed on to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. What he was told by the Ministry is they will try.

Trying is not good enough for us, he said.

They have to do it because trying is saying that they are considering it rather than doing it.

In launching the plan, Prime Minister Tuilaepa called for open minds. We ask you to open your minds with the possibilities that can transform our existing city into an enjoyable and functional place that is well thought out and designed, he said.

These illustrations allow us to visualise how we can raise the standard of our city and entertain different ideas for the four waterfront areas.

According to the Prime Minister, the waterfront plan provides a packaged implementation approach to develop the capital works.

This approach will allow potential investors and development partners to implement a defined package of works within a particular area."

The Government has already received interest from some of our development partners to develop parts of the waterfront in accordance with our principles and concept designs provided in the plan."

With the launching of the plan, I anticipate more interest and we will continue to work with all our stakeholders in implementing this plan and to create a waterfront that is attractive safe and unique giving all who visit Apia memorable experiences.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi signed an Aid Partnership Arrangement with visiting Foreign Affairs Minister from Australia, Julie Bishop, on Thursday.

Tuilaepa said the Aid Agreement provides for close cooperation in the fields of economic development, good governance, education and health.

Later that day, Minister Bishop also announced the handing-over of five bailey bridges  emergency bridges  to help Samoa in times of catastrophe.

We have two locations in Savaii that have been plagued with problems from heavy rainfall, often resulting in fatalities, said Tuilaepa.

I can see that those two areas will possibly be considered for the usage of these bridges, said the Prime Minister.

Ms. Bishop, leading a delegation of Senators from government and the opposition, said that Australia has no closer friend in the Pacific than Samoa.

Having four representatives from government and opposition here underscores our bipartisan commitment to the Australia-Samoa relationship, said Ms. Bishop.

We are committed to ensuring that Samoa is able to grow its economy and provide more job opportunities, particularly for its young people. We are investing in programs that will drive private sector growth.

Australias Foreign Minister also commended Samoas Prime Minister for his longevity and for bringing stability to Samoa and the region.

Funding was also announced for the Samoa Family Health Association; and a handover of machinery for producing prosthetics and orthotics at the National Health Services Orthotics and Prosthetics Clinic.
Fesolai Samuelu, from the village of Lealaoalii, Faleasiu, is sure about one thing.

Although living in the village brings many challenges, the peace and tranquility enjoyed by all is unquestionable.

One of the issues the villagers face is the many different expenses and not having enough money to cover it all. Aged 52, Fesolai works as a carpenter but says he barely makes enough to get by every day.

One of the biggest expenses for Fesolai is all the costs of putting his children through school.

There are many changes these days in Samoa, he told the Village Voice.

Life is moving so fast and it makes life a bit tougher for many families living in the villages. One of issues we face has got to do with money; families dont generate enough income to cover all the needs they have.

When it comes to the childrens schooling, it adds a lot of expenses that we simply cant afford. But thank goodness the school year is over so our minds can rest from trying to think of ways to make money to deal with the school costs.

Fesolai says that during the academic season, the only thing that falls heavy on all parents minds is how to get money to deal with the schooling expenses and have enough to put food on the table still.

Its the same every year for families living out here, he said.

We try our best to work as hard as possible to find money to deal with the childrens schooling. Thats how it is for us. The only thing on our mind is how we are going to take care of our families.

All the extra expenses adds on to the expenses of putting food on the table.

Although Fesolai earns a bit of money as a carpenter, he says its not enough and thats why he decided to invest a bit of his time into koko farming.

I am a carpenter and thats the only source of money for my family, he said.

I earn about $200 a week but thats nowhere close to being enough to cover our many obligations and then put the children through school.

Even though the school year is over, we have to prepare to buy new uniforms and to cover other schooling expenses for the upcoming year.

Lucky there arent many people living under my roof, its just the school kids. The good news on the other hand is that it is nearing the harvest time for my koko.

I have developed a small koko plantation that could earn my family and I a bit of extra money.

But all in all, Fesolai says he would not want to live anywhere else but his village.

On the bright side, life here is great, he said.

Growing up in these rural villages, you become accustomed to the lifestyle here and we are just not used to the urban western type living.

Thats why I prefer living out here to living in the urban areas. We have pawpaw and other crops growing around our house so we dont need to go buy anything from the market.

Its also very peaceful out here.
There are two types of island weather: postcard perfect, and apocalyptic.

And at the latest NEXT cover shoot, there was both. Dont let the sunny photos fool you: a large part of the day was spent sheltering Pippa Wetzell under a fale as the rain unleashed itself around us.

NEXT was in to Samoa to capture the other, less-public part of Pippas life  shes a quarter Samoan, with a huge contingent of family and friends in the island nation. It was to support her beloved Aunt Sheree, the President of Samoas Women in Business Development, that Pippa headed to Samoa this time around and invited NEXT to see the country that has shaped her home and work life.

Growing up, there were two strong values Wetzell credits to her Samoan heritage: the importance of family, and the power of women.

There is an immense respect for women here. Theyve always been heavily involved in making things tick  something which can be said of women around the world  but theyre really acknowledged and respected here.

My dad is a huge feminist; in the birthday card he wrote for my daughter the other day, he wrote make sure you show those boy cousins of yours that girls can do anything. He adores his grandsons but he has a real thing for seeing girls succeed. As far hes concerned theres nothing that females cant do and I think that comes from being raised by such strong women.

For more on Pippas Samoan background, and how she feels about turning 40 in 2017, check out NEXTs January issue. And for more information on the work being done by Women in Business Development, visit www.womeninbusiness.ws.
The Samoan Beach Fales continue to be a national icon attracting both overseas and local tourists to modest accommodation of thatched roof huts overlooking the seashore and turquoise waters only meters away. Owned and operated by individual extended families these tourism businesses are a good source of revenue bringing prosperity to the rural areas and associated sectors such and transport.

However, beach fale operators face challenges such as the lack of capital to restore the existing facilities and attract more tourists. Another long term challenge is climate change impact, wherein these beach front properties are most vulnerable and exposed to extremes of weather.

Predicted increases in global temperatures due to more ozone-depleting greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere will have an impact including frequent more intense hurricanes and cyclones and extended periods of drought. Vulnerable beach fales are bearing the brunt of these disasters. Strong surf in certain locations have already caused severe coastal erosion making these establishments less attractive.

Enhancing the resilience of tourism reliant communities to climate change risks (ICCRITS) is the objective of the UNDP-GEF project implemented by the Samoa Tourism Authority, and on Tuesday 7th December, 2016, the Manase Beach Replenishment initiative was launched by the Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, under perfect beach day weather, bright sunshine and light surf lapping at the seashore. The ICCRITS project is supported by the UNDP Samoa Multi Country Office.

The official launch was held at Reginas Beach Fale in Manase, a direct beneficiary of the coastal infrastructure adaptation project, and a recipient of a UNDP small grants facility to upgrade their restaurant.

Reginas is a fitting venue given the before and after scenario of this beach fale enterprise. The place has completed a facelift, boasting a beautiful sandy beach with a strengthened backstop wall and a 170m walkway - a far cry from before of the property severely affected by coastal erosion with fale units often inundated by strong surf.

The coastline is further protected by two offshore wave breakers constructed parallel and 50m from the beach and act to maintain sand position and limit out migration of replenished sand.

This is a engineering pilot project which represents a unique experiment in the South Pacific.

Reginas neighbour, Vacations Beach Fales, also benefited from the project where the backstop wall and replenished beach was extended a further 40m to include Leota Lus beach fale operations. This property was experiencing the same threat from severe coastal erosion, and where coconut trees along the seashore had their their bare roots exposed, an unpleasant site.

In his keynote address at the official launch, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi thanked the UNDP for the technical assistance to the Samoa Tourism Authority in the realization of coastal adaptation measures through the Adaptation Fund (AF) and Global Environment Facility (GEF). He said that beach tourism is a highly climate dependent activity and relying heavily on vulnerable natural coastal resources. He encouraged other beach fale operators to continue to seek assistance and partnerships for adaptation measures to strengthen the resilience of their properties against climate change.

UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Lizbeth Cullity, together with the Minister of Women, Social Development and Culture, Faimalotoa Kika Stowers cut the ribbon of the plaque for the Manase Beach Replenishment Project.

In her brief remarks, Ms. Lizbeth Cullity acknowledged the strong partnership between UNDP and the Samoa Tourism Authority and congratulated all involved for their efforts in seeing the project to completion and helping address impacts of climate change to the tourism sector.

Members of the Savaii Hotel Association attended the launch, including proprietors of neighboring beach resorts including Le Lagoto Hotel.

The Manase coastline with white sandy beaches is becoming a very popular spot for beach fales, and home to some very good beach resorts.

And at this particular stretch of the Manase coastline, where Reginas and Vacations are located, the completion of this major infrastructural coastal adaptation project has protected it against extremes of weather.

No doubt more visitors, both local and overseas will enjoy these amenities, and bring more business to the rural economy.
The Crowne Plaza Hanalei, one of Mission Valleys oldest hotels, has sold for nearly $49 million.

Built in 1959 and last renovated in 2006, the 419-room property was sold to a private client of Irvine-based Brighton Management, which manages hotels in California, Colorado, Florida, Connecticut and New Mexico.

The only other San Diego County hotels in its portfolio are National City and a Holiday Inn in Oceanside.

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Brighton plans to undertake a significant renovation of the aging 10-acre property but is not far enough along to provide more details on the scope or investment, said special account manager David Wei.

The seller, Hanalei Associates, which has Multi-Ventures, Inc. as its managing member, originally purchased the hotel in 1996 for $14.6 million.

Ive been in the hotel business for 30-plus years and I simply decided it was in my best interest to get out of the business, said Robert Payne, CEO of Multi-Ventures a real estate development and hotel company that previously owned the Mission Valley Hilton. I saw it as an opportunity for new ownership to take over and expand the facility and I wish them luck.

Brokering the sale were CBRE Hotels Bob Kaplan & Rod Apodaca, senior vice presidents in the Newport Beach office.

The purchase price, at $116,000 per room, is a relative bargain, given that the average sales price for San Diego County hotels this year was $170,000, said Alan Reay, president of Orange County-based Atlas Hospitality Group.

The Hanalei, he noted, is the largest hotel in terms of the number of rooms, to sell this year in Southern California.

In Mission Valley, where properties are going for well over $200,000 per room today, this purchase gives the new owners a big margin for adding improvements to the hotel, Reay said. They bought the asset below market price because its under-performing the market, and Brighton is an excellent management company and can come in and renovate the hotel and increase the revenue.

When it first opened in 1959, the Hanalei was originally known as Rancho Presidio, a 66-unit motor hotel. Seven years later, then hotelier Charles Brown spent $3.5 million to construct an eight-story addition. Another eight-story tower was built in 1979.

lori.weisberg@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-2251

Twitter: @loriweisberg
The city of Lemon Grove has its first-ever park ranger.

Reggie Lawson was hired this fall to patrol the citys six parks in a part-time capacity, as part of a pilot program suggested more than a year ago by City Councilman Jerry Jones.

Lawson is paid about $17 per hour and works a maximum of 20 hours a week.

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Jones said Lawsons presence can help deter illegal acts like smoking, liquor violations and drug use, which are especially troubling at the city park near the San Diego Trolley in the downtown Promenade area.

Reggie Lawson (Karen Pearlman / SDUT )

Lawson, 52, has a law enforcement background. He worked for 16 years at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility and four years at a prison in Imperial Valley.

Jones said FBI statistics show that crime rates in Lemon Grove are better than in neighboring East County cities, but there continue to be safety issues that need to be addressed.

Citizens are still concerned about public safety and council has heard those concerns loud and clear, he said. We know where the hot spots are and should be able to direct resources to deal with them. The park ranger is an example of focused enforcement that should show prompt results.

Community Services Supervisor Dave Huey said Lawsons primary role is to provide community outreach.

Reggies helped the people who visit the park feel safer, Huey said. They love the fact that someones there.

Lawson patrols assigned areas and enforces municipal code regulations and park rules, opens and closes parks and restrooms during assigned times.

Huey said Lawsons role is not to cite everybody but to inform and remind people what the park rules are are.

Lawson said he is working closely with the Sheriffs Department as well, to keep them in the loop about what he sees happening in the parks.

At some point soon, he will be able to write citations for loitering and smoking in the parks, Huey said.

We had an issue at Lemon Grove Park close to some residents houses, Huey said. He was able to move them on a little bit. People feel safer in the park now, and thats our goal.
Questions over the effects of Donald Trumps presidency on U.S.-Mexico relations took center stage Thursday night in downtown San Diego at a celebration hosted by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The International Tribute dinner brought together more than 200 members of the cross-border community  including business leaders, government officials and members of non-profit groups concerned about potential changes on key issues such as trade and immigration.

The uncertainties ahead make it all the more necessary to champion the bilateral relationship, speakers agreed. They stressed the importance of the 23-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement that joins Mexico, Canada, and the United States, which Trump targeted frequently during his campaign.

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NAFTA gave us an identity as one of the most competitive regions in the world, said Marcela Celorio, Mexicos Consul General in San Diego.

Our Cali-Baja region is a thriving economy thanks to NAFTA, said chamber president Jerry Sanders. This collaboration and communication with our neighbors in Baja California and throughout Mexico will grow stronger as we continue the efforts that weve undertaken so far.

The nights featured speakers were two former Mexican diplomats.

Enrique Berruga Filloy, formerly Mexicos ambassador to the United Nations, said that that updating NAFTA should address new issues such as e-commerce and dumping practices by Asian countries.

These are things that need to have additional protocols, Berruga said. But keep the essence of this treaty intact, otherwise the three of us are going to lose competitiveness.

While the relationship between Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto is important, the relationship is not only channeled through the presidents, said Antonio Ortiz Mena, former head of economic affairs at the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C. There are a lot of local players that are very important, he said.

sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com

@sandradibble
India, Vietnam and eastern Europe were all locations under consideration for a new software engineering center planned by the U.S. company Thermo Fisher Scientific. Central Mexico, with its strong software sector, also was a possibility.

We were thinking Guadalajara, but hang on, Tijuana is just down the road, said Mark Field, the companys Carlsbad-based chief technology officer.

Over a year later, Thermo Fishers software center occupies two floors of a high-rise in the citys Rio Zone, where large picture windows frame views that reach all the way to the U.S. border.

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More than 50 Mexican software engineers and a few designers, most in their 20s and 30s, work on programs for the companys laboratory and medical instrumental instruments that are sold worldwide. Within months, the company hopes to have a staff of 110 on board, with a long-term vision of up to 250.

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to crack down on U.S. companies that send jobs overseas  and impose a 35 percent import duty on the manufactured goods of those that do. But here at the San Diego-Tijuana border, business and political leaders want to tell a different story: That Mexicos gain creates benefits north of the border as well. They tout Thermo Fishers decision to locate in Tijuana as a prime example.

It increases our competitiveness as a region, our attractiveness for additional foreign investment that could come as a result, said Sean Barr, senior vice president of economic development at the San Diego Economic Development Corporation. We are vastly more competitive as a region because of our relationship with Tijuana, that is indisputable.

Mark Field, chief technology officer at Thermo Fisher Scientific, right, chats with software engineer Emilio Escobedo, born in Chula Vista but educated in Tijuana. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune )

Thermo Fishers initial pilot phase, launched in September 2015, involved the hiring of 30 engineers. Satisfied with the results, the company moved ahead with a more permanent presence, formally opening its Tijuana center last September.

Weve been surprised at the talent, and how quickly theyve ramped up to speed, Field said in an interview this week.

Trumps election has not changed our vision, Field said. If people were to really look at what is going on, they would see its win-win for everyone.

Tijuana has long been known as a major maquiladora manufacturing center, attractive to companies that want proximity to the U.S. market, and the source of a plentiful supply of low-cost labor. Initially viewed as assembly plants that employ low-skilled workers, maquiladoras have evolved over the past five decades, with more sophisticated production processes and more jobs for Mexican professionals.

More and more, you see greater capacity for what can be developed in Mexico, said Jorge Carrillo, an industry expert based in Tijuana at the Colegio de la Frontera Norte.

The arrival of Thermo Fisher marks another step forward for the city  but also for the region  say economic development proponents on both sides of the border. If Thermo Fisher finds success, other companies might follow, the reasoning goes. It may get a lot of attention from other leaders in the software industry, saying, Hmmm, maybe I could do this too, Barr said.

A key factor for attracting future employers will be developing a strong local force of skilled and experienced experienced software engineers, said Martin Kenney, a UC Davis professor who studies global labor markets. While a great start, at this point its not a big deal unless they can go to the next level, he said.

Thermo Fisher wont discuss salaries they are paying in Tijuana, but those in the industry say an engineer hired out of school could earn close to $9,000 a year, with senior engineers earning up to $30,000.

San Diego has some 30,000 people employed in the software industry, with an average income at over $121,000, said Kelly Cunningham, chief economist for National University Systems Institute for Policy Research.

Wed certainly rather see these jobs in San Diego, Cunningham said. If they cant do it here, its better to open in Tijuana, where we get some spillover effect, thats better than the alternative of going to Asia.

Headquartered in Waltham, Mass., Thermo Fisher has more than 50,000 employees worldwide, and annual sales that top $17 billion. Like other companies undergoing transformation to digital and cloud-based technology, Thermo Fisher has growing software needs, and the competition for talented software engineers has been fierce.

Hiring engineers in the United States, is prohibitively expensive, Field said. Without the option of going abroad, we wouldnt be doing the things were doing, the innovation wouldnt be happening, Field said.

Establishing a center in Tijuana creates jobs in San Diego, where more than 15 software engineers now work in the companys Carlsbad office, Field said. We have hired more people in the U.S. because of this, he said. And there are other benefits to be had by creating jobs in Tijuana, he said, when the Mexican employees head across the border to spend some of their earnings in San Diego.

Thermo Fisher currently has a staff of 250 engineers working out of a center in Bangalore, India. In deciding to expand, we looked at southeast Asia, we looked at eastern Europe, but Tijuanas proximity to the Carlsbad office was a powerful draw, allowing the possibility of face-to-face meetings between the U.S. and Mexican engineers and the ability to work in the same time zone.

I was aware they had great software engineers in Mexico, said Field, who previously headed a software center in Guadalajara for the California-based Oracle Corporation. The question was, could we find them in Tijuana?

Both the San Diego EDC and its Tijuana counterpart, the Tijuana Economic Development Corporation worked to attract Thermo Fisher to Tijuana. Barr credits the University of California San Diegos Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies as a key critical partner in this whole enterprise, analyzing Tijuanas software engineering capability, and helping Thermo Fisher understand the landscape of northern Baja.

The companys Tijuana staff is currently a mix of local hires and others recruited from other parts of Mexico. Luis Brito, 29, relocated from Cuernava in central Mexico for the chance to work at Thermo Fisher. Many people told me, Why Tijuana? I like the way they work here, doing clean and quality software.

Carlos Almonte, 25, a graduate of the private Cetys University in Tijuana, said the chance to work on cloud computing captured his attention. Its way more interesting and challenging compared to where I was working, he said.

Tijuanas pool of English-speaking engineers, and citys geographical proximity to California offer advantages, but compared to other parts of Mexico, efforts to create a software cluster have been pretty scattered, said Jorge Arroyo, co-founder of ArkusNexus, a 13-year-old Tijuana software development company whose 120 engineers work with a dozen U.S. companies.

Thermo Fishers decision to locate in Tijuana as a region overall it pushes us forward, Arroyo said. Theres a lot of raw talent to be developed.
They were drinking at Aunt Charlies Lounge, an old gay bar in the Tenderloin known for its drag shows and cheap steaks.

It was Friday evening in San Francisco, and Jay Marsh, 31, and his friends planned to hit a few parties across the bay, in the Fruitvale district of Oakland.



For the record: This article states that the children of Ghost Ship manager Derick Ion Almena and his wife, Micah Allison, were not allowed to live in the facility after having been removed by county childrens services officials, according to Danielle Boudreaux, a friend of Allisons. Boudreaux said the children were prohibited from being at the warehouse while events were being held there.

Nackt is playing in that warehouse on 31st by the Wendys, a friend said.

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A little tide of nerves washed through Marsh. He knew he had to go back to the warehouse he once lived in. He couldnt be scared anymore.

::

Two years ago in August, Marsh had finally found his own pad in the Bay Area for $300 a month.

At the back of a warehouse in Oakland, above an old RV, Marsh hoisted his bed up a 12-foot ladder to a piece of plywood atop four wooden stilts.

It was more fort than loft  for walls, he hung Moroccan fabric from the buildings ceiling joists.

The manager and his longtime partner stopped by. Two days before, he had met them and their three children, and came away liking their sense of artistic whimsy and charm.

::

But on move-in day they were agitated and rambling half-coherently, barking at their kids, losing their trains of thought. Marsh said the manager, Derick Ion Almena, then 45, was obsessed with showing him a piece of metal he had found on the roof.

Marsh was a bit unnerved, but shrugged it off. Only later would he question why he didnt walk away that day.

He climbed up to his perch and took in the surrounding of trailers and stilt houses, a burgeoning art colony.

 Jay Marsh lived at the Ghost Ship for a few months in 2014 but left after becoming increasingly uncomfortable. He had planned to return to the warehouse for the first time on the night of the ill-fated party.

Two trailers flanked him, with their own lofted platforms above. Pallets connected some of the elevated spaces, creating a floating floor that snaked throughout the building.

On the ground directly below him, Almena had piled scrap lumber for people to build with. In front of him, a barricade of wood  old pianos, organs, cabinets, a 1950s box television, salvaged shutters, Balinese chests  divided the space. A communal living room sat behind it, where the manager held acoustic concerts. Ganglia of extension cords splayed out, powering microwaves, refrigerators, space heaters, laptops and old lamps.

There was something Old World and fantastical about the setup, a childs dream, like a village of treehouses with no adults to say no: Hang mannequins from the ceiling if you like. Hammer antlers to a post. Play music until dawn. Run barefoot among the splintery boards and rusty nails.

And Marsh, who is transgender, said he felt comforted that it was a safe space for queers.

::

Nikki Kelber moved into a space in the front around the same time as Marsh. She had been trying to find an affordable space in San Francisco, but rents were exorbitant.

At 42, she didnt expect to be living such a communal experience, but instantly took to it. She made jewelry and loved being surrounded by other artists in what she saw as a living, breathing art installation.

She and her cat, Mookie, slept above the studio where she worked.

Whenever she was stumped or wanted to try a new style and needed a critique, she could just walk over and talk to Max, talk to Anthony.

At any time, someone was sewing, painting or making music. With dozens of pianos and organs scattered about, notes and chords chattered and chanted back and forth through the air.

On her birthday, her housemates would surprise her with cake and dinner. Theyd share meals together every day at a big table. They came together in impromptu jam sessions. People who couldnt play an instrument suddenly became musicians.

They even built a recording studio.

Almena advertised the building on Craigslist as a hybrid museum, sunken pirate ship, shingled funhouse, and guerrilla gallery.

To Kelber, it was enchanting.

::

Marsh felt the same at first, even when the electronic dance parties on the rooftop above thumped the ceiling just over his head. He had been a coffee broker in New York, regularly traveling to Brazil, but had moved back to the Bay Area after a friend died. He lived off savings and did creative writing.

Then, about a month into his stay, he was hanging out with a few people in the trailer next door.

He said Almenas girlfriend, Micah Allison, was smoking a cigarette and yelling at her younger children, ages 5 and 3, to stay close by, but not come in.

Marsh had been growing more concerned about his safety. The atmosphere was erratic, with random people coming through at all hours. Almena, who took on the air of a guru, would fly into rages.

Marsh worried about the couples children, wandering with little oversight. He had driven them to Goodwill to buy them shoes, just so they didnt step on a nail.

Allison stepped out of the trailer and flicked her cigarette butt. Marsh watched it burn out next to the woodpile beneath her platform. The boards were old, dry and brittle, more like studs youd rip out of a century-old bungalow than youd buy from Home Depot.

Suddenly the fantastical terrarium had a menacing cast. It could be an inferno within seconds.

Marsh drove to an Army-surplus store and bought a knife, a canister of Mace and a fire extinguisher. He slept with all three at his side, and started scanning Craigslist for new places to live.

He was happy to baby-sit a friends Lab-pit bull mix named Shallah. The dog could scamper up the wood ladder to his loft, and helped him feel more secure.

One night in November 2014, when Marsh had lived there just a few months, someone closed the door and Shallah could not get outside, and she relieved herself on the warehouse floor.

Marsh said Almena stormed up to him in a rage that seemed far overblown for the situation. Marsh said Almena screamed: I will  kill you. I know people. He punched a mirror with his ropy arm and his hand started bleeding. (Almena did not respond to requests for comment.)

Marsh, a good half-foot shorter than Almena, was shaking. After Almena left, Marsh threw his backpack of clothes into his car and drove away. He left his other belongings, fearful of how Almena might react to his moving out abruptly.

::

An aerial view of the Ghost Ship warehouse that burned and killed 36 people in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times )

Others who came into Almenas circle had similar run-ins.

Danielle Boudreaux had been close friends with Allison for six years by then and was deeply entwined in their lives. She had changed her sons school to the one Allisons daughter attended. Boudreauxs daughter was a nanny to their younger ones.

When Boudreaux moved into the warehouse around 2013, she embraced the lifestyle. But she began to have concerns about the childrens safety there. Numerous residents openly used drugs, the space was clearly a firetrap, and strangers came and went.

The building was full of  driftwood and nails sticking out everywhere, she recalled. She said the front staircase was jury-rigged with pallets: There was no code. When you stepped on it, the whole thing jiggled all over the place.

On New Years Eve 2014, Almena rented out parts of the warehouse for a Museum of the Erotic sex party, which the children saw, Boudreaux said.

She called Allisons parents to tell them the warehouse was a dangerous environment for their grandkids. She said the family complained to the countys children and family services agency, which removed the three kids in March of last year.

Almena posted on Facebook about the seizure of his kids and his need to pass drug tests and take parenting and violence classes in order to get them back.

The parents regained custody of their children this summer, but, Boudreaux said, they were not allowed to live in the warehouse known as the Ghost Ship. This is why they were not there the night of Dec. 2, while so many with no connection to the place poured in.

::

Flowers are left near an Oakland warehouse where a fire broke out during a concert, killing 36 people. (David Butow / For The Times)

From Paris, Grace Lovio spoke to her boyfriend in Oakland on the phone before she went to bed that Friday night. She was studying abroad as a graduate student.

Jason McCarty told her that his boss at his new job was giving him a lot of props, telling him hed been doing good work. It was morning in California. He said he planned to grab coffee and edit a final paper she wrote about the Salvadoran civil war.

He didnt mention his plans for the night.

Marsh kept drinking tequila sodas with his friends at Aunt Charlies Lounge. He had gotten a job marketing for an app company and the holiday season was intense, with relentless deadlines. He liked to purge that pressure valve on Friday nights.

They moved to a friends apartment, pre-gaming with more drinks while coordinating which parties in Oakland they would hit.

A friend in Oakland texted that Almena wasnt at the Ghost Ship.

Marsh had not been to the warehouse since he left, but he thought about it often. Almena still instilled fear in him, which bothered him.

The bash was being thrown by a popular Los Angeles-based music label called 100% Silk. Golden Donna, a stage name for Wisconsin-based producer Joel Shanahan, was scheduled to perform with labelmates Cherushii, Nackt and others.

Marsh didnt care who was playing. He had been going to warehouse parties since he was 16. For him, they were refuges from the mainstream world. He loved the dancing and art and friendly faces.

Theyd have a few more drinks  whiskeys and orange juice now  and theyd catch an Uber to Oakland.

::

Kelber was asleep in her studio.

She awoke to her friend Carmen saying something about smoke and fire.

She grabbed a fire extinguisher and looked down the hallway and saw 15-foot flames raging in a twisted ball.

Realizing the extinguisher would be futile against it, she tossed it and grabbed her cat carrier from the loft. A wall of black smoke hit her, making it almost impossible to see or breathe. The power went out. Voices were screaming. The pressure differential pushed her window open, and the draft gave her some air but fanned the flames.

She managed to grab a headlamp, and scramble for the exit with her cat.

Within seconds, she was outside, watching 20-foot flames roar out of her very window.

::

When Lovio woke up Saturday morning in Paris, the edits from her boyfriend were in her inbox, along with messages hed sent her on Facebook.

Love you a zilliopzazillion, he wrote.

Hed also forwarded her tickets to a standup comedy show hed purchased for her 24th birthday, coming up Dec. 18.

She had to study for her last final exam. In the afternoon, she took a break and logged into Facebook.

A friend had posted an article about a fire that ripped through an electronic music concert at an Oakland warehouse the night before, claiming the lives of at least nine people. Authorities said as many as 40 bodies may be inside.

Dread bubbled up. That was the kind of event her boyfriend would have liked.

She shot him a quick message, asking if he was OK.

Type anything, she wrote, like so many others frantically trying to reach their loved ones.

He didnt respond, which was unlike him. She continued scrolling through news stories, some of which displayed photographs of those who were unaccounted for. In one article, she came across her boyfriends photograph.

She could barely breathe.

On his Facebook page, his friends posted messages looking for him, asking if he was all right. She dialed his number, and called him via FaceTime, several times. No answer.

He always told her, If you need me, Im one ring away. He had been true to that, always picking up on the first call.

Within a half-hour, shed booked a flight from Paris to San Francisco, with a stop in Dublin, and flew out the following morning, skipping her last exam.

During the agonizing journey, she carried with her a diary filled with the poetry McCarty, 36, had written for her since they met in October 2015. He loved to speak in poetry, and she found it endearing.

When she landed in San Francisco on Sunday afternoon, Lovio still couldnt find him, and authorities had not identified most of the 33 bodies they had recovered by then. She drove to her fathers home in Concord, not knowing, while her boyfriends body lay in the rubble.

McCarty was one of 36 people who died that night, most of them at the party. Kelber would know of only one resident who perished.

Authorities would say they believed the fire was electrical, but have not determined the exact cause.

::

Marsh woke up Saturday morning with a hangover and texts about a fire.

The night before, more people kept arriving at the pre-party at the apartment. They kept drinking. His friend Max kept rallying them to head out, but ultimately they lost their energy to go to Oakland.

It was the first time in months he hadnt stayed out late on a Friday night.

Now he stared at the video on his phone in horror.

It felt eerie that he had not been there, like the passenger who missed the flight that crashes.

All the images rushed back. The woodpile, the wires, the drugs.

And he grieved for all those people, like him, who went there looking for a safe space.

St. John and Karlamangla reported from Oakland, Mozingo from Los Angeles.

Times staff writers Jack Dolan, Alene Tchekmedyian and Anna Phillips contributed to this report.

joe.mozingo@latimes.com

paige.stjohn@latimes.com

soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com

ALSO

Were all hurting: Mourners gather at Oakland museum to remember victims of Ghost Ship fire

Ghost Ship tragedy puts focus on plight of Oakland artists dealing with soaring Bay Area housing costs

Refrigerator ruled out as cause of Oakland fire that killed 36; no evidence of arson
A tiny 1-inch-by-2-inch toy billboard has sparked a mammoth controversy.

The Balboa Park billboard bore a pro-life message. It was mounted in a landscape setting in an HO train display at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.

Kinsee Morlan noticed the sign while visiting with her two kids Thursday morning. No one knows how or when it was added to the display, but Plexiglass barriers bar public tampering so it was apparently an inside job.

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Morlan, a Voice of San Diego editor, popped a photo on her Facebook page with the message: A little anti-abortion propaganda hidden in an exhibition at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum in Balboa Park.

Comments instantly began flowing in, most expressing outrage, or anger, or a call to action, such as contacting the musuem, City Hall, even the state Attorney General to protest a museum on city-owned land taking a political or social stance.

The model train controversy was building up steam when Anthony Ridenhour, the museums executive director, returned to his office to be confronted by a backlog of irate emails and phone messages.

He didnt even know the toy prop was in one of the displays, which are set up, operated, maintained and paid for by about 300 volunteers representing different model railroad clubs.

When found in the HO-scale train display, the sign was quickly removed. The head of the club overseeing that section knew nothing about the offending billboard and is investigating.

That kind of thing is prohibited, said Ridenhour. Everyone knows when you step in the door you leave your political and social views behind. The museums job is to promote model railroading and the heritage of American railroads.

Furthermore, displays are set in the 1940s and 1950s, and the rogue billboard included a website contact, certainly not of that era.

I am both saddened and angered by this, he wrote in a Facebook response. I can assure you there will be a full investigation on this. He said the museums board will decide on an appropriate punishment, perhaps barring the culprit from future volunteer work.

Morlan said she was pleased with the quick response.

Calling the museum a community treasure, Morlan said the decision by one misguided volunteer to make a political statement had a big impact.

No matter how you feel about the issue, this is just not the right place, she said, explaining that children should not be exposed to propaganda when they visit a family museum in Balboa Park.

Playful exhibitors incorporate plenty of engaging humorous figures and comedic scenarios in their displays  such as an empty poultry crates on a freight train with chickens running through the surrounding desert; two drag racers about to confront a police officer writing a ticket, and a pool shark  that is, a shark fin in a backyard swimming pool.

But, as visitors arrive at 11:30 a.m. Saturday for the Polar Express family day and showing of the film, one item they will not see is a tiny billboard next to another of Lucille Ball holding an RC Cola.

Moving piece: The article headline read, At Home With the Saltman Family. The magazine, A Pets Life, profiled Camille Sobrian Saltman and David Saltman with their two shelter-rescued Weimaraners in its fall edition.

The Del Mar couple spoke of Coronado and Del Mar dog beaches and hiking Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve. The photos were of sunny San Diego.

The only issue is the Saltmans live in Kelowna in British Columbia, Canada. They moved on Oct. 10, shortly after the interview.

The sudden departure of the longtime local residents and clean technology pioneers wasnt a protest against state taxes or the Trump election, Camille says, but rather a retreat to a smaller community with space to roam and a strong environmental culture. Its also an escape from a city that has grown too large and congested over the past two decades.

Friends told us we were crazy, says Camille, former president of CONNECT. The couple plans to be back in San Diego three or four times a year, though, and remain active on various San Diego boards.

Camille is a Biocom director and co-chairs a science-based Innovation Night at the La Jolla Playhouse. David sits on the UCSD biological sciences Deans Leadership Council and continues to support the Saltman Chair in honor of his father, former UCSD Vice Chancellor Paul Saltman.

diane.bell@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1518

Twitter: dianebellSD

Facebook: dianebell.news
Last year, the mother of Jahi Turner, a toddler who went missing in San Diego and was never found, made a phone call to the man who would later be charged in the case.

In that phone call, made at the request of police detectives, she asked her former husband, Tieray Jones, what happened that day in April 2002, when the 2-year-old reportedly vanished from a Golden Hill park without a trace.

Can you tell me exactly what happened that day, Tameka Jones said in the call, a recording of which was played last week during a hearing in San Diego Superior Court.

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I need to hear it from you.  I want to know everything, she said.

Theyre the words of a still grieving mother whose son would have been 16 now, just a couple of years younger than she was when he disappeared.

And they echo the curiosity and concern of longtime San Diego residents who, though some details may have faded, can still remember when news spread of the missing boy and the extensive search efforts that followed.

Tieray Jones never fully answers his ex-wifes question. He tells her he loves her and acknowledges that people blame him for his stepsons disappearance.

I should have been paying attention. Im not remembering whatever it is Im supposed to see, he said.

Jones lawyers argue that his memories of that day may have faded, too, hurting his ability to assist in his own defense. Jones, 38, was ordered Friday to stand trial on charges of murder and felony child abuse causing death.

The lawyers have asked the court to dismiss the case against Jones, arguing that his speedy trial rights have been violated because prosecutors waited 14 years to charge him.

(It) is reasonably argued that the Defendants ability to remember the events on the day in question has severely deteriorated to the detriment of his defense, especially when considering that government action, or rather inaction, suggested to him that he would not have to recall those events, attorney Alex Ozols wrote.

He contends there is no good reason why the District Attorneys Office waited all that time because police had all the same evidence in front of them 14 years ago.

In the meantime, he said, witnesses have died, moved out of state or simply forgotten information that might be helpful to Jones defense.

Although investigators suspected Jones years ago, he wasnt arrested until this past April. There is no statute of limitation on murder cases.

Prosecutors Nicole Rooney and Bill Mitchell argue in court documents that the speedy trial protection guaranteed by the U.S. Constitutions Sixth Amendment applies only after a person suspected in a crime becomes the accused, which in this case happened when Jones was arrested.

Actual prejudice can be fully assessed only after a defendant has been forced to do his best to prevail at trial, they wrote.

Judge Charles Rogers, who handled Jones preliminary hearing, deferred the matter until the trial, which is set for April.

Its rare that prosecutorial delay motions are granted in murder cases, but its not unheard of.

In 2005, Judge Joan Weber dismissed charges against a Fallbrook man accused of killing his parents 25 years earlier. Weber said the lengthy delay in filing the case against David Andrew Boysen violated his constitutional right to a fair trial.

In 2011, Judge Kerry Wells dismissed a murder charge against Russell Upton Jr. after his trial ended in a hung jury. Upton was accused of killing his wife 16 years earlier.

On the phone call with his ex-wife last year, Tieray Jones alluded to what happened to Jahi as an accident, then stuttered and stumbled over his words when he was asked to clarify.

If it was an accident, sweetheart, I would have just said it was an accident, he said in the recording.

Jones told her to remember that shed seen how he behaved with her son and with other children, and that he was a person who owned up to his responsibilities.

And he urged her to keep talking to him about Jahi.

I have no doubt in my mind, sweetheart, that hes a young man somewhere, he said.

dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @danalittlefield
It takes an average of 38 days for the San Diego Mayors Office to close a request for public records, according to a review of data from NextRequest, the citys new online portal for document requests.

Under the California Public Records Act, access to information about the conduct of government business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person.

Governments must disclose records promptly, but they have 10 days to determine whether documents must be released and issue a formal response.

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Mayor Kevin Faulconers office has processed about 50 requests since the beginning of April. The requests took an average of 38 days to process, including requests that produced no documents at all.

Processing time was 46 days on average when documents were released, the second longest completion time among all city departments.

About 8 percent of the mayors requests were duplicates and could be handled quickly. Another quarter were denied or resulted in no responsive documents, taking an average of 28 days to complete.

Craig Gustafson, a spokesman for Faulconer, said the mayors office receives some of the most complex public records requests, often covering a long period of time and resulting in hundreds of documents.

Also, keep in mind that just because the Mayors Office ultimately responds to the request, in many cases we must collect documents from several other departments to complete the request, Gustafson said.

The City of San Diego launched the new public records request portal, powered by San Francisco-based vendor NextRequest, earlier this year. Officials touted the transparency effort.

San Diego is leading the way in creating an open and transparent city government that gives residents easier access to public records, documents and data, Faulconer said in a March press release.

Requesters are asked to create an account and provide various information about themselves and the records requested to receive public information.

The portal also houses all current and previous requests filed with the city, so users can search through closed requests and previously-released documents.

Measurements of staff performance are limited, so its unclear whether public access to government has improved under the new system.

In June, U-T Watchdog requested a log of all requests submitted to NextRequest since its launch, as well as various information about the requests. Four days later the city said it had no responsive documents.

Tamara Manik-Perlman, the co-founder and chief executive officer of NextRequest, said the information existed, but the company could not legally release a clients proprietary data.

The Watchdog instead created its own database of the citys portal by manually collecting information shown online, such as completion date and disposition. The database contains nearly 2,100 requests filed between April and Dec. 5.

Citywide, NextRequest submissions are closed in about 14.5 days, records show. Completion time increases to 16.7 days if documents are released, mostly likely due to review time for sensitive information.

It takes about 16.9 days on average for the city to deny a request, when the information is determined to be exempt from disclosure.

Denials can take longer, since requests are a legal matter and the city is required to cite an allowable reason to withhold information. The city last month denied a request for certain nude entertainer permits, saying they were part of an unspecified investigation.

One requester asked for copies of the body and dashboard video recordings related to the deadly confrontation involving San Diego police officers Wade Irwin and Jonathan De Guzman, who was shot and killed in the line of duty in July.

Ten days later, the city cited four legal reasons for denying the request that records of investigations conducted by a state or local police agency are exempt from disclosure.

Data show San Diegos Equal Opportunity Contracting Department had the longest completion time, about 37.7 days per request, followed by the mayors office and risk management.

Delays could be even longer than U-T Watchdogs findings. Publicly available data on NextRequest is limited, with only concluded requests published online.

The Watchdog analysis therefore excludes as many as 140 pending requests. (Eight pending requests are public because they were closed and later re-opened.)

Lea Fields-Bernard, the citys Public Records Act request coordinator, said the process to respond to requests can be time-consuming.

The city frequently receives requests that require technicians to conduct an electronic search, she said. Staff must then review the results, determine what documents are responsive and redact any sensitive information.

Data show delays for even simple requests, such as duplicates that ask for information already released to a previous requester.

In May, it took the city 17 days to close a duplicate request for the approvals, resolutions, ordinances, staff reports and environmental file of a development project.

Another duplicate request in October asked for the special event permit, including capacity maximums, site plan and all related documents, for the OMBAC Horseshoe Tournament at Mariners Point. It took 23 days for the city to respond. The city-wide average for duplicates is about five days.

A significant increase in public records requests prompted the city to create the more centralized system, said Katie Keach, director of the citys communications department.

In 2013, the city received 1,181 requests. By 2015, officials responded to more than 1,900.

Along with NextRequest, the city revamped its website, sandiego.gov, and launched an open data portal, a government-run feature article service and a variety of other apps and tools designed to improve online transparency.

Despite the increase in already-posted information, more than 2,800 requests have been submitted since January.

Its not clear to what extent the higher number is a result of higher demand or city officials funneling more routine requests  which were previously handled at the department level  to the central portal.

Records show citizens are being told they must file a request through NextRequest to get information.

Ive been told that I need to complete a PRA in order to receive the results of this inspection, one requester said.

Ten days later, the city said it was not a request that falls within the scope of the Public Records Act.

David Cuillier, University of Arizonas School of Journalism director and former chairman of the Society of Professional Journalists Freedom of Information Committee, said an online portal can be a great tool for local government.

Anything that streamlines information or makes things easier is going to help, Cuillier said. But theres always a chance for bureaucracy to run amok.

Various online tools, portals and applications can cause confusion and actually hinder public access, he said, especially if its unclear what information is available.

Most of the time, people need to talk with real people to figure out what records they have and what would serve them best, he said. Youre going to have a lot of agencies that are backlogged, spending a lot of time on requests that arent targeted.

Data show one out of every four requests were denied for being too broad, asked for documents that did not exist or were deemed not a request at all by city staff.

At least 35 requests asked some kind of question about the kinds of records available, specific incidents, or city policies and procedures. Less than a quarter resulted in the release of records.

There comes a point when an online portal starts to waste everyones time, Cuillier said. It doesnt have to be this complicated or time-consuming.

Data show at least 120 requests had to be reopened, many more than once.

In October, the city received a request for a San Diego State University report on racial profiling. Ten days later the city said it had no responsive documents.

The request was reopened in November and the city provided the same response. Later that month it was reopened again and documents were released  with some information redacted or withheld  but no records were published online. The entire process took 40 days.

Fields-Bernard, the citys Public Records Act request coordinator, said submissions are reopened for a number of reasons.

There are rare occasions when staff is able to locate records when it was initially determined that there were none, Fields-Bernard said. The more likely explanation...would be that the requestor provided further clarification that helped staff accurately identify and release information.

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Elena Adams has been elected to the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District governing board District 4 seat.

She beat Tim Caruthers, who served on the college board from 1996 to 2008, by just 124 votes out of 36,642 cast.

Caruthers had been in the lead until last week when Adams pulled ahead on Dec. 2, according to county Registrar of Voters Michael Vu.

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Adams, an instructor with the San Diego Community College District for more than 30 years, sits on the local executive board of the American Federation of Teachers.

She said her priorities as a board member will be to see that students can complete career technical training and transfer programs, maintain the districts fiscal integrity, and support faculty and staff.

Adams was elected with financial support from the local chapter of the AFT, which represents San Diego and Grossmont-Cuyamaca community college faculty.

Her most recent campaign finance forms show AFT Guild Local 1931 as the sole contributor to the campaign with $1,691.45 in donations.

Caruthers raised no money for his run, according to his latest campaign finance forms.

The final count of votes is a turn around for the race. Election night returns showed Caruthers in the lead for the seat, which represents rural East County, including Alpine and most of Jamul. And, he was favored over Adams in June by about 2 to 1.

The seat has been held since 2008 by Mary Kay Rosinski, who beat Caruthers for the seat. She initially ran for re-election this year, but withdrew from the race after qualifying for the primary ballot.

Caruthers, a La Mesa chiropractor, has served on the Alpine Union school board since 2012.

The governing board sets policy for the districts two campuses and manages a general fund budget of about $204 million this school year.

The district serves about 28,000 students at Grossmont College in El Cajon and Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego, and currently employs 725 full-time and 2,076 part-time faculty and staff.

Follow me on Twitter @HuardSDUT
One month after approving across-the-board pay raises for teachers and other employees, trustees in the San Diego Unified School District are looking at making about $117 million in budget cuts for the 2017-18 school year.

The board is scheduled to hear a report on the budget and discuss solutions to the shortfall, including possible layoffs, at its Tuesday meeting.

Patricia Koch, interim chief financial officer for San Diego Unified, said the recommendations going before the board identifies where expenses may be cut, but at this point dont mention employee layoffs.

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Were looking at everything, but one of the things were trying very hard to do is not have people out of a job, Koch said. Were looking at vacancies, attrition rates, other means of reducing costs without losing jobs.

Layoffs, however, are not off the table. While the report going to the board on Tuesday only recommends where dollars can be cut, trustees may have to make a decision on job losses by early next year. State law requires school districts to notify by March 15 certificated employees  which include teachers, librarians and counselors  if they are being laid off.

San Diego Unified staff members are recommending $44 million in cuts to the central office, $21 million in cuts to support services such as maintenance and custodial, and $52 million in cuts to schools.

Were trying to minimize impacts on classrooms, Koch said. Were looking at central office and district-wide expenditures. Were looking at wherever we can find ways to do better what we already have been doing.

Just as cuts to classrooms are last in the list of solutions to the budget shortfall, staff members are recommending the district reconsider any classroom cuts if the fiscal outlook improves.

With unemployment down and tax revenues up, Koch said theres reason to be optimistic.The state wont issue revised figures for its projected budget until next month, however, and school districts must work with the numbers they have now to approve their first interim financial reports this month.

In November, trustees agreed to a 4 percent salary boost for teachers and other employees, which at the time was expected to add $28 million to the estimated $85 million in cuts needed to balance the districts $1.2 billion operating budget.

Revised figures going before the board Tuesday show the shortfall is about $3.5 million more than estimated last month.

The staff report going to the board also shows a shortfall of about $50 million in the 2018-19 school year.

The proposed budget cuts in the interim report will answer some concerns from the San Diego County Office of Education, which last month sent a letter to the district expressing doubts about whether enough cuts could be made to meet the required 2 percent budget reserve.

I dont see where it readily comes from, the countys Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Lora Duzyk said at the time.

Koch said that while the district will attempt to balance the budget with attrition, reassignments and other means, some expenditures are out of their hands.

The amount of money the district contributes to employee pensions, for instance, is steadily increasing.

In the 2014-15 school year, the district contributed 8.88 percent of employee salaries into the California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS), costing $48 million. In the 2020-21 school year, the districts contribution is expected to grow to 19.1 percent. Along with contributions to California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), pension contributions are expected to cost $70 million that year, according to the staff report.

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

760-529-4939
UC San Diego again has been named one of the top 10 public schools in the nation in an annual ranking released Wednesday by U.S. News & World Report.

The school was ranked 9th among public schools and 39th among all universities.

Princeton University topped the overall list, followed by Harvard University, Yale University and, in a three-way tie for fourth, Columbia University, Stanford University and the University of Chicago.

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UC Berkeley topped the list among public schools, followed by UCLA, the University of Virginia, the University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina.

San Diego State Universitys undergraduate entrepreneurial program was ranked as the eighth best among the nations public universities and the 21st best program for all universities in the U.S.

The publication also ranked SDSUs international business program as the fifth best among U.S. public universities and ninth best among all universities.

The 2016 edition of Best Colleges includes data on almost 1,800 colleges and ranks 1,376 schools based on 16 factors that include academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, peer assessment scores, high school counselor assessment scores and student/faculty ratios.

UC San Diego has made the publications top 10 list of public universities over the past decade. It was ranked the eighth-best public university in the country and 37th-best overall in last years report.

It is an honor for UC San Diego to be recognized once again as one of the nations top public universities, said Chancellor Pradeep Khosla. At UC San Diego, we are committed to providing a world-class education for our students and conducting research that benefits our society and world. In a new ranking this year, the magazine includes a list of most-innovative schools. UC San Diego was ranked 21st overall and 13th among public schools, while Arizona State University in Tempe was number one in both categories.

Rankings were based on nominations from college presidents, provosts and admissions deans who were asked to name up to 10 schools that are making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities.

The report also ranks 618 schools classified as regional universities, meaning they tend to draw students most heavily from surrounding states.

In the west, Point Loma Nazarene University was listed 17th in a three-way tie. California State University, San Marcos was listed 87th. Trinity University in Texas topped the overall list of regional universities in the west, while Cal Poly San Luis Obispo was first among public schools and 10th overall.

In the category of best-value school, UC San Diego was ranked 28th, with an average cost of $25,511 after students received grants based on needs. Princeton was first overall, with an average cost of $16,868 after receiving grants based on needs.

The calculation weighed the schools academic quality with the net costs of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid.

Local schools also appeared in a list of A+ schools for B students, or universities where non-superstars have a decent shot at being accepted and thriving. The magazine did not assign a rank to the schools but listed them alphabetically.

In a ranking of best business schools, UC San Diegos Rady School of Management was among 11 schools sharing 50th place. SDSU was among 21 schools ranked 93rd on the list.

The University of San Diego and six other schools shared 15th place in a list of best engineering schools that award bachelors and masters degrees.

UC San Diego shared 23rd place with three others schools in a list of best engineering schools that award doctorates.

SDSU was on a list of schools where students have the lowest debt. About 49 percent of SDSU students graduate in debt, with the average amount $18,400.

Princeton students were least in the red, with 17 percent graduating with an average debt of $6,600. No local school was included on a list of universities where students have the highest debt.

For a full list of rankings, visit www.usnews.com/colleges.

In another list released this week, UC San Diego was ranked at 12 among schools and universities that produce the most graduates to Teach for America. Graduates who join Teach for America commit to teaching for at least two years in schools that are short on resources.

UC San Diego contributed 28 graduates to the program this year, its first year on the list, while UC Los Angeles contributed the most with 65.
Estimados amigos,

Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia.

Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro.

Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras.

There are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks when decades happen.

You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.

No soy alguien que sabe, sino alguien que busca.

Only Gold is money. Everything else is debt.

Las grandes almas tienen voluntades; las debiles tan solo deseos.

Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada.

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.

If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.
San Diego City Council members are expected to choose either David Alvarez or Myrtle Cole as new council president on Monday, a choice that could affect Mayor Kevin Faulconers power and the fate of some progressive city policies.

Alvarez and Cole are both Democrats, but Alvarez is perceived as more liberal and more ardent in pursuing a progressive agenda, while Cole is viewed as a moderate or centrist.

Democrats have a narrow 5-4 majority on the council, creating the potential for Cole to break party ranks and join with Republicans to get elected council president.

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In a similar battle in December 2014 between more liberal Todd Gloria and more moderate Sherri Lightner, Democrats also had a 5-4 majority and Lightner joined with the councils four Republicans to narrowly take the pivotal post.

Alvarez, however, has formed strong relationships with some of the councils Republicans, particularly Scott Sherman, creating the potential for him to notch the necessary five votes for president even if Cole flips.

Council president is a powerful job created as a counterbalance when San Diego switched to a strong mayor form of government. The president sets the councils agenda, determines when votes are taken on proposals and doles out committee assignments and chairmanships.

Some labor and environmental groups say its crucial for Alvarez to get the post because he would be a strong enough leader to create a robust balance of power between the council and Mayor Faulconer, a Republican.

Wed like to see a healthy natural tension between the executive branch and the legislative branch that would benefit the community, said Nicole Capretz, executive director of the Climate Action Campaign. They would both be pursuing strong platforms and hopefully be meeting in the middle to support an agenda that moves our city forward, versus kind of having the executive branch have full control.

Under Lightner as president, the council focused more on the nuts and bolts of city government instead of the more ambitious proposals pursued by Gloria, such as raising the citys minimum wage.

Capretz said its a concern for supporters of progressive policies and the climate action plan that the mayor has been lobbying behind the scenes for Cole.

You want a good working relationship, but you also want the council president and the council to be able to stand up to the mayor and say well support you on this but not on that, and were going to need to negotiate, she said.

Faulconer declined to comment on Friday through a spokeswoman.

Alvarez, who lost to Faulconer in a February 2014 runoff to replace Bob Filner as mayor, said Friday that hes unsure why Faulconer prefers Cole.

I dont know why the mayor would have that interest, Alvarez said. I shared with the mayor I would be pursuing the job and he didnt share any reason as to why he would be supportive or not be supportive of me or Myrtle.

Alvarez said city residents should expect him to prioritize affordable housing, homelessness and climate change if he becomes council president.

We will have action for sure on those issues under my council presidency, he said. I have the experience to tackle these issues and we need to make sure the council is acting on them if they arent a priority of the mayors.

Cole, through a spokeswoman and her chief of staff Jimmie Slack, declined to comment.

Capretz said that while she prefers Alvarez, its about a progressive platform not personalities.

We are very invested in making sure whoever does get elected comes out of the gate announcing and publicizing and owning a platform that includes a host of progressive policies that include climate action, she said.

The San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council, a powerful labor union, is also backing Alvarez. But the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, which represents more than 130 local unions, endorsed Cole on Thursday night She has the values, principles, and respect from her peers to make San Diego a better place for working families, labor council president Mickey Kasparian said in a news release. On the possibility of Sherman, who has a reputation as a maverick, joining with the Democrats, Alvarez acknowledged the two men have forged a tight bond but declined to say whether they have discussed the situation or whether any promises or requests have been made. Im hopeful all my colleagues will be supportive, Alvarez said. Sherman declined requests for an interview, but said through a spokesman that he remains undecided on how he will vote on Monday. Alvarez also mentioned Councilwoman Lorie Zapf as a Republican he considers an ally. I think Lorie Zapf and I have a good relationship, he said. We came in together and we are now going to be the most senior members on the council. Weve gotten through a few battles together since we got started. Sherman and Zapf side with Faulconer on the lions share of issues, although Sherman and the mayor split on the Chargers stadium measure this fall, with Sherman strongly opposed and the mayor in favor. The vote for council president is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Monday, several hours after three new members of the council  Democrats Barbara Bry, Chris Ward and Georgette Gomez  are sworn in at a ceremony scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Gomez said this week she plans to vote for Alvarez. Bry and Ward have declined to say how they will vote.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
The office of San Diego city attorney will get a jolt of new perspective on Monday when Mara Elliott, a Latina Democrat and the first woman to ever hold the job, replaces Republican Jan Goldsmith.

Elliott isnt planning any big personnel shake-ups and says she will stick with many of Goldsmiths policies, including his strategy for shutting down illegal pot shops and efforts to get chronic, low-level offenders off the street by offering community service instead of jail time.

But Elliott, who worked under Goldsmith for several years, said she will prioritize different things, such as enforcement of wage laws and implementation of the citys climate action plan, and probably solve some problems differently than her former boss.

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Im a mother raising a couple of children and that brings in a whole new perspective, said Elliott, 48. I think its relevant to be female, a mom and a Latina.

And that might make more of a difference in a city like San Diego because of its ethnic diversity and wide variances in socioeconomic status, she said.

San Diego is very diverse and Ive been exposed to many issues just because of who I am, said Elliott. I think that makes me see things maybe differently and come up with options we may not have considered because we didnt have a mother who was our city attorney.

Elliott touted herself during the campaign as the most ready for the job, based on her work under Goldsmith and previous stints as a lawyer for the county, the local transit system and multiple school districts.

While the city attorney defers to the mayor and City Council on policy making, the job includes making sure policies get implemented legally, exploring legal solutions to problems and prosecuting misdemeanors.

But Elliott said she sees the job as more than that.

I think we have to be responsive to the needs of the community, she said. I want people to come to us first so we can be proactive. Otherwise, were always on the responsive end.

Examples might include residents letting the city know street corners where drugs are being sold or locations where vandalism is on the rise.

To help with that, Elliott plans to continue Goldsmiths restoration of the neighborhood prosecutor program, which fell victim to budget cuts a few years ago.

The goal is having one prosecutor from the city attorneys office in each of the Police Departments nine division headquarters.

They are meeting with law enforcement and explaining the pros and cons of a case and whether it can actually be a conviction, she said. Theyre going to meetings with businesses and community groups. This is a nationwide discussion about trying to build trust between neighborhoods and the government, and the city attorneys office needs to be part of it.

Elliott said she will also continue Goldsmiths recently stepped up campaign against dozens of illegal pot shops across the city. Goldsmith had been pursuing only civil remedies based on zoning, but recently added criminal prosecutions to his efforts.

Elliott said its an issue of fairness to the citys 15 permitted dispensaries.

Those that are operating legally have spent thousands and thousands to do things right and they have the expectation they will be rewarded for being model citizens, she said. When they have competition from those operating illegally, they arent passing on all the expenses and its not fair.

On the citys severe homelessness problem, Elliott said shes been meeting with community leaders and officials from social service agencies to look for solutions.

I think finding the right incentive to get people off the streets is definitely a priority and its a struggle, she said.

Elliott said state funding for more subsidized housing could be one solution, but she said more local treatment for people struggling with drugs, alcohol or mental illness is also key.

Citing or arresting people for sleeping on the street is not something Elliott supports.

I dont think you can incentivize the homeless population to find housing by threatening to convict them or citing them, she said. They have nowhere to go. Its inhumane.

Elliott said an area she plans to prioritize more than Goldsmith is enforcement of the citys wage laws.

We will be bulking up our response to living wage, prevailing wage and minimum wage violations to ensure that people are paid honestly for an honest days work, she said.

Another area is implementation of the citys ambitious climate action plan, which is scheduled to begin next year.

I think the challenge is having enough staff because we have a lot of laws that we need to have written, she said. The devil is going to be in the details and Ive already started to allocate the resources we need so the mayor has what he needs.

Elliott said shes been meeting with the 150 lawyers working at the city attorneys office since she got elected Nov. 8 to learn their strengths, weaknesses and ambitions for their careers.

She said things have been smooth, even with a handful of assistant city attorneys who will report to Elliott after years of her reporting to them as a chief deputy city attorney.

Elliott was born in Long Beach to a white father, who was a longshoreman, and Latina mother, who worked as a secretary at the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce.

Her parents later moved Elliott and her brother to Huntington Beach, where she went to high school.

Elliott, the first in her family to ever graduate from college, received a bachelors degree from UC Santa Barbara and got her law degree from the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, which focused on public service law.

She and her husband, Greg, are raising two boys ages 9 and 11 in the Whispering Ridge section of Scripps Ranch, where the family moved from Carlsbad in 2014.

Elliott previously lived in Serra Mesa and spent short stints in Colorado and Kentucky between the government jobs she held locally.

Her hobbies include walking, reading nonfiction books about topics like the Supreme Court and fixing up rundown houses with her husband.

Elliotts second-place finish in the June primary was considered an upset by many because three of her four opponents significantly out raised and outspent her.

In the November runoff, she defeated Deputy District Attorney Robert Hickey by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent.

Elliott is scheduled to be sworn in at 10 a.m. Monday in downtowns Balboa Theatre.

Goldsmith is leaving office after eight years because of term limits.

The annual salary for city attorney is $193,000 plus benefits.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
A year ago, dozens of candles and flower bouquets accumulated behind a ramshackle apartment building in Grant Hill where the body of 14-year-old Anna Hernandez had been dumped.

A 12-year-old girl who lived in the triplex and a 16-year-old friend ran away before the blanket-wrapped corpse was found on Nov. 18, 2015.

The younger girl was found two weeks later in Tijuana and charged with being an accessory in Annas slaying. Her case has since been resolved in Juvenile Court.

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The 16-year-old, considered a person of interest by police, has not been found. Investigators believe she is hiding in Mexico with 20-year-old Daniel Flores, who is the primary suspect in Annas killing.

The makeshift memorial is long gone, but Annas family and friends continue to mourn and wonder why she was targeted.

They said Flores, and the runaway teen, now 17, have gang ties, but Anna was not in a gang.

Anna didnt deserve to die. But its more sad because we dont have answers, said a relative, who did not want to be named for fear of gang retribution.

A second family member who agreed to be interviewed also asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons.

In the months before Anna was killed, she dreamed of a perfect quinceanera, a celebration of a girls 15th birthday. She envisioned her dress and the invitations, her family said.

Annas mother, an ice cream vendor, worked doggedly to save money for the party.

It was so sad she couldnt even make it to 15, her relative said.

The youngest of five siblings, Anna was raised in Logan Heights, where she lived with her brother, who was a year older, and their mother. Three of Annas sisters, who are in their 30s and 40s, have families of their own. While distant, Annas father was involved in most of her life, her family said.

We really miss Anna, her relative said. You feel her missing when we all get together.

About six months before her death, Annas Facebook page started to change, with images of her and others drinking, smoking pot and throwing up the middle finger.

Some posts showed or tagged the two girls who vanished at the time of her death, Annas family said.

Anna was very easy to get close to. Maybe thats a bad thing in a human, said her relative.

In September, two months before her death, Anna was raped at Mountain View Park. San Diego police Lt. Scott Wahl said two minors were arrested and later charged in connection with the Sept. 20 assault.

The boys pleaded guilty and were sent to a California juvenile correctional facility, Wahl said. Because the assailants are minors, few details about the case are available.

Annas friends speculate that reporting the assault led to her death. Authorities have declined to say whether the two events are linked.

Anna, a freshman at San Diego High School, vanished the night of Nov. 12 after going to a party, friends said. The next day, her family called police to report she had not come home. But police considered her a runaway since she had done that once before.

On Nov. 16, Anna called home. Sorry, she said, in a distressed voice, before the call abruptly ended, her family said.

Annas family called police again the next day and officers showed up at their home. It is unclear if police filed a missing persons report or a runaway case. Two days later, Annas partially decomposed body was found in a ravine near Market and 29th streets.

An autopsy revealed she had been shot in the chest, police said. There were bruises and marks on her hands and feet, indicating she had been bound, her relative said.

One of Annas sisters who helped identify the body forbid their mother from seeing the girls corpse to prevent her from being traumatized.

Deprived of seeing her child one last time, Annas mother has gotten no closure. Instead, she holds on to hope that the teen will appear one day.

She doesnt believe it yet. Its been a year and she doesnt see her life without Anna, her relative said. Anna was the light of her eyes She really believes shell come back.

Bevelynn Bravo, who founded Mothers with a Message, said she understands the grief parents feel when their child is lost to violence, often due to bad choices.

Her son Jaime Bravo Jr., 21, was stabbed to death in San Diego in 2012.

You have so many dreams for them. When they get an award at school or graduate, their success is our success, Bravo said. When they do something wrong, when it changes their life or takes their life, you live with that pain as well.

Her group works with San Diego police during curfew sweeps and at juvenile diversion programs, warning young people of the potentially lethal consequences of bad decisions.

She said her experience has taught her that any child, from any background, can get caught up with the wrong people or land in a dangerous situation.

Young people dont see the danger, Bravo said. And they think theyre going to live forever.

Breaking News

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
In 1993, San Diego County voters took a stand to protect the Cleveland National Forest from heedless development. More than two-thirds of voters agreed to keep the few remaining wild lands in our county wild by adopting the Forest Conservation Initiative (FCI).

The idea behind the FCI was simple: maintain large lot sizes for private property within the Cleveland National Forest. Property within existing country towns like Julian, Descanso and Warner Springs maintained higher density zoning; areas outside those boundaries were zoned with a forest designation and into 40-acre (or larger) lots. Smaller lots break up natural areas critical to the well-being of flora and fauna that cling to survival in the remaining undeveloped area in the forest.

Unlike the countys General Plan, which is constantly amended to bend to the will of developers, the FCI is a hard line in the sand. Since its adoption, the FCI has protected the Cleveland National Forest from the boundary creep and sprawl that plagues the rest of the county.

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Now the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is considering a proposal to eliminate these voter-supported forest protections.

Why would the county dismantle one of our regions most resounding planning successes? Heres one clue: Developers have their eyes on our forest.

Science shows us that the boundaries between towns and wild areas are the most important places to defend from human encroachment.

With clear lines between wild and developed areas, wildlife corridors and critical habitat are protected. Coyotes, cougars and bald eagles have a shot at survival if the limited forest available remains truly wild.

Instead of celebrating the grand success of the FCI, county officials are now poised to destroy it. On Wednesday, the Board of Supervisors will consider amending the FCI to allow the forest to be broken into lots ranging from as large as 80 acres down to as small as 2 acres, instead of the universal 40-acre lots established by voters. In other counties that are home to national forests, land is typically zoned into 120- to 160-acre lots.

County staff claims this proposed FCI amendment would create smaller conforming lots throughout the forest of 20 acres or less.

But there is no good reason for this conforming to occur. The board could instead establish 80-acre lots throughout the forest and allow the few smaller parcels to remain as they are, while continuing to zone these lands as forest. Just because a few small areas are carved into these relatively small lots does not mean the whole forest should be broken up like a jigsaw puzzle and rezoned with a general rural designation, which leaves them vulnerable to development.

The General Plan took 13 years and $18 million to develop and was intended to serve as a reasonable road map for development. It encourages vibrant village centers and protects farmland and open space. But the Board of Supervisors is not in the habit of sticking to its General Plan, which identifies appropriate locations for more than 50,000 housing units in the unincorporated county. county. Developers regularly ask for General Plan amendments to allow the construction of sprawl-style developments on land that is cheap to acquire because it is zoned for low-density uses like agriculture.

Voters are not so cavalier about setting our county on a path of environmental demise. One only need look to the resounding November defeat of Measure B, which would have placed 1,700 homes on land zoned to hold 110 homes, to see how strongly voters feel about protecting open space and moving toward a future that includes less sprawl.

Our forest provides essential services to San Diegans. Forest lands protect water quality and are therefore precious in this age of extended drought. What remains of the Cleveland National Forest in San Diego County is already under duress; what was once a 2 million-acre national treasure has dwindled to three disconnected islands of wildland of 600,000 acres scattered among three Southern California counties.

Its time for the Board of Supervisors to listen to what San Diego voters have been saying all along: Protect our forests, for good. Instead of dismantling the underpinnings of the voter-approved FCI, strengthen it. Dont make the voters do it for you.

McFetridge, a founder of the Cleveland National Forest Foundation, drafted and promoted the Forest Conservation Initiative which was approved by San Diego County voters in November 1993.
When the California Economic Summit gathers in Sacramento next week, San Diegos regional concerns will be well represented. The summit is an annual gathering of private, public and civic leaders from across Californias diverse regions that recognizes California is not one place economically, but a series of places.

Thats why it works well for our region. We arent like the rest of California.

In San Diego, our economic drivers make us unique from other regions of the state, but our needs for a skilled workforce, more affordable housing and addressing a crumbling infrastructure are not unique: They are a statewide challenge. Thats what makes the summit so important  its a group of thousands of regional leaders from across California who have come together to address those concerns.

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Last year, the summit identified some aggressive goals for the next decade: Finding and training 1 million more skilled workers in California, building 1 million more housing units in the state and saving 1 million acre feet of water a year. This year, its adding another imperative: how to lift 1 million families out of poverty and into the middle class.

The summit has had a good track record with success. It was a driving force behind the approval of another $200 million for Career Technical Education aimed at the community colleges. The skills gap in the California workforce is widening. Preparing or retraining workers for the 21st century economy is a mission of our community colleges and the San Diego Workforce Partnership. Locally, there are many examples of successful regional collaboration among colleges, employers and civic leaders.

The Advanced Transportation and Renewable Energy sector of the community colleges supports key foundational career pathway/workforce development programs in the San Diego-Imperial region. One example is Hoover High School, which offers a Green Technology and Engineering Program designed to meet the worldwide demand for highly skilled engineers, renewable energy experts and development specialists.

The summit has developed a coalition of builders, housing advocates, equity groups, environmentalists and local government leaders that is working on a comprehensive strategy to address Californias housing crisis.

The work of the San Diego Housing Commission  which, in cooperation with a local coalition of builders and environmental advocates, developed a new housing authority model that can better adapt to changes in society, the economy, and federal support  inspired some of the summits Housing Action Teams approach to this challenge.

Its critical to identify incentives for new and existing revenue streams that can help allow and inspire the construction of more housing units needed in every region of the state. The state needs to strengthen planning and regulatory statutes and improve approval and permitting rules. Sounds like that shouldnt be hard, but it has been, and the summits journey to create an all of the above solution is the best hope we have for addressing this shortage.

The regions have emphasized that the states infrastructure needs to be upgraded so that we can get to work, move goods and services, and water. The summit supported the creation of Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts, which can be used to finance the construction or rehabilitation of a wide variety of public infrastructure and private facilities. Given the lack of help coming from Sacramento or Washington, these districts can help us identify and address some of our infrastructure challenges.

The summit has a goal of addressing the two Californias  the one where people are thriving and the one where people are being left behind. Improving our workforce, increasing the number of affordable houses and improving our infrastructure are three ways we can do that.

Its a job we must do. Our future depends on it.

Madigan is partner at Madigan Consulting and a member of California Forwards Leadership Council. Callstrom is president and CEO of the San Diego Workforce Partnership.
Politicians shouldnt  and shouldnt be able to  use taxpayer resources to help their political campaigns.

That obvious truth is behind a bill introduced by state Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Downey, to ban candidates for local and state offices from sending out publicly funded mass mailers in the 90 days before general, primary and runoff elections, strengthening present limitations. A similar ban is in place for federal officeholders.

But that obvious truth has been denied by political incumbents for years. In 2010, a Los Angeles Times reporter who determined that then-Assemblyman Joel Anderson, R-Alpine, was the most profligate mass mailer in the Legislature got an earful from Anderson, who said there was nothing wrong with him inundating his constituents with nearly 800,000 mailers in less than two years as he launched what proved to be a successful bid for the state Senate. This election year, Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do won another term after sending out 1.2 million mailers at a cost to taxpayers of $277,000.

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This is unacceptable. The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board will keep tabs on Mendozas bill. If any local lawmakers oppose it, we promise to ask them how they justify their votes.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: UTOpinion
Trumps Carrier deal saved many families

Regarding Handing out money is no way to govern (Dec. 6 ): Speaking of No deep thought or study of issues, it seems as though the author has overlooked a few things. It cost $7 million for 1,100 jobs. Thats $6,364 per job per year, for a job that will be paying around $41,000 per year.

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy.

E-mail letters@sduniontribune.com

Mail: Andrew Kleske, Reader Outreach Editor San Diego Union-Tribune P.O. Box 120191 San Diego, CA 92112-0191.

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What about the federal and state taxes that each employee will be paying? What about the public assistance that unemployed family will not require? What about that $41,000 per employee being pumped into the local economy?

What about the taxes the plant where these people work pays? What about the homes that will not face foreclosure? And the list goes on.

Probably most important of all, what about the 1,100 families who will not be spending the holiday season with aching hearts and nowhere to turn?

Dave Dye

San Diego

Wait and see what comes of Trumps deal

In response to H. Rick Tavares (Trump already making America great again, Dec. 4): Keeping 1,000 jobs in the U.S. is a wonderful thing, but lets hear what the cost is and how many other companies will jump on the bandwagon and threaten to leave so they may too be subsidized by the government.

I think a more impressive number is the 1.5 million jobs that were saved by President Obama and his administration when our auto industry was on the brink of extinction. Our auto industry, although downsized, is profitable and turning out quality trucks and cars that are competing in the world market.

I think Ill wait until long after the inauguration before I claim Donald Trump has actually made America great again.

John Beliveau

Cardiff by the Sea

Trumps appointments already are disturbing

Its already started: trickle-down economics III. Big business is getting their guys in positions of government, to tighten the screws on the middle class, even more than Ronnie Reagan did. Bush II certainly favored the wealthy in his tax cuts and the wealthy got nauseatingly wealthier.

Now Trump has brought his shell game to us, and assured us that were smart to elect him, because everyone will benefit hugely from Trumps omniscient mind, including his understanding of climate science.

The people who elected this phony/fraud (Romneys words) will someday feel the sting. By then the family farm will have been sold, and all because we eagerly handed this wunderkind our family car keys (and title).

For a decade, we watched the love affair between Berlusconi and Italy, and wondered how he clung to power. Wealth and media control were his magic handmaidens  just like Trump.

G. Lance Johannsen

Carlsbad

Let Trump take office before judging him

it blows my mind to read about people who have already made their minds, on either side, about Donald Trump. He is not even in office yet. How about we wait and see then make up our minds?

Fabrice Poigin

Clairemont

Dont blame the left for attacks on history

Buz Sulzner (We must learn truth from distasteful past, Dec. 6) is correct in opining that we should learn from the past.

The only flaw in his logic is in assuming that book-banning, Holocaust-denying and history revision are practices of the left.

First, and most directly related to this subject, is the ludicrous idea that a Virginia school district is inhabited by leftist progressives. He must have never been to Virginia. Many schools in Virginia are religious academies.

Second, so far, the history in the U.S. is that book banning has been practiced almost exclusively by right-wing religious organizations.

Randy Fried

Point Loma

In this case, the fake news was justifiable

The Santa Maria Police Department put out a fake press release of minimal impact, which barely caused a ripple in the media. Yet it certainly bought enough time to save the lives of two men.

This caused a TV reporter to be deeply troubled at this deception, a USC professor to lament at this dupe (of) law-abiding citizens and a newspaper editor to whine that the police used a public system paid for by public dollars to present false information to the public.

In light of the proliferation of fake news, I can understand a certain sensitivity the media may have on this subject.

But to imply that the value of two human lives should be subordinated to the purity of the news flow illustrates just how far detached the media elites are from reality and the rest of us deplorables.

Jim Moran

La Mesa

Dont use people as political weapons

Recently Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened the European Union with opening the borders to Europe and allowing a surge of migrants to flood through in retaliation to the EU freezing Turkeys application to join the EU.

But no human should be used as means to a political end: This goes against many ethical theories. If using a large number of people as leverage in a political deal is immoral, then President Erdogan is committing an immoral act.

A supporter of President Erdogan might argue that the ends justify the means and having Turkey in the EU would provide the maximum happiness for everyone. But this rationalization doesnt take into account the happiness of the other EU countries, which would be decreased.

Ramon Riesgo

Chula Vista

San Diego helped put John Glenn in space

Your editorial tribute to John Glenn (American giant: Rest in peace, John Glenn, Dec. 9) was well-deserved as he was indeed an American giant. As one of the original seven Project Mercury astronauts, he was the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962.

What was not mentioned is the role that San Diego played in putting Glenn into space. The launch vehicle was the Atlas, built here by General Dynamics Astronautics Division. Those many General Dynamics Astronautics employees involved were all key players in making history happen.

Tom Leech

Serra Mesa

Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story  has not yet hit theaters, but it is already embroiled in a war of its own over the movies basic premise: A pack of rebels banding together to fight the oppressive forces of a dictator.

Earlier this week, critics began using the hashtag #DumpStarWars to call for a boycott of the film after rumors that it was modified to contain messages critical of Donald Trump . Most fans of the film laughed off those claims and used the hashtag to mock the criticism.

In a series of tweets, a user named Jack Posobiec said (without evidence) that the film was re-written and re-shot to include anti-Trump messages.

Posobiec also used the live-streaming app Periscope to record an 18-minute video saying that the film writers launched an anti-Trump campaign using the hashtag #TrumpIsVader to compare the incoming Republican president with the story super villain, Darth Vader.

Why would Disney allow them to do that? he asks, referencing the Disney company which now owns the rights of the Star Wars franchise. Guys, you gotta ask yourselves these questions.

Posobiec self-identifies as the Special Projects Director of the Citizens for Trump organization. His tweets and his video gained enough attention that it turned the hashtag into a trending topic.

Posobiecs claims, and the rumors, seemed to have been partly fueled by reports that Rogue One film writers had openly criticized Trump on Twitter days after the election. On Nov. 11, film writer Chris Weitz shared a tweet with the Rebel Alliance logo and a safety pin on it to symbolize solidarity against Trumps political rhetoric.

When asked to respond to the claims that the film was re-shot and re-written to include anti-Trump messages, Weitz called the accusations completely fake.

On one hand, Trump supporters seemed to have taken Posobiecs claims at face value and called for a boycott of the movie, which opens for wide release on Thursday. On the other, the hashtag also produced some hilarious responses from fans and skeptics.

On Reddit, the protest to boycott the film had a completely different tone and message.

A forum for the so-called alt-right objected to the films racial diversity with a discussion thread titled (((Star Wars))) Is Anti-White Social Engineering, which essentially claims the films cast white people as members of the Imperial forces (the bad guys) and people of color as the rebels (the good guys).

But in a book about the commercial success of the Star Wars series during the 1970s, it was revealed that the films were inspired by the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and other wars in Asia. George Lucas , the creator of the Star Wars franchise, may have had another villain in mind when he made the films.

Given the overwhelming pro-Star Wars responses on Twitter, the critiques seem more like small potatoes than rotten tomatoes.

Do you plan on seeing the movie? Let me know. Shoot me an email with your thoughts.

Three 'must-see' headlines you can't miss!

Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @RunGomez
Volunteers needed

Volunteers are needed on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 9 a.m. to help put the holiday food boxes together for Ramona Food & Clothes Closets Share Your Christmas program. Those volunteering will meet at RFCC, 773 Main St. Park in the back parking lot and come through the employee gate. Call Kelly Spinks at 760-789-4458 for more information.

Winter Concert

Ramona High Schools Jazz Band, Symphonic Band and dance students will present a Winter Concert in the Charles R. Nunn Performing Arts Center at Olive Peirce Middle School, 1521 Hanson Lane, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9. Admission is $5 per person. A silent auction will be held. Proceeds benefit the music and dance programs at the school.

Toys for Tots

Members of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves will be in full uniform at the annual Toys for Tots drive at Ramona Airport, 2926 Montecito Road, on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sponsored by Delkin Devices, WakeWorld and Pacific Executive Aviation, the annual event at Ramona Airport accepts new unwrapped toys. Donations may include bicycles, games, dolls, stuffed animals and money to purchase additional toys.

The family event is an opportunity to meet the Marines, watch airplane take-offs and landings, view airplanes, talk with pilots, enjoy refreshments and see cars from the Ramona American Graffiti Cruise.

Equestrian center open house

The newly renovated International Equestrian Center at 16911 Gunn Stage Road in San Diego Country Estates (SDCEA) will host an open house to showcase its upgraded amenities, introduce trainers and meet the new equestrian manager, Nancy Zadrozny, on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Open to the public, the event also will include demonstrations, a used tack shop n swap, vendors, opportunity drawing and complimentary lunch. There will be no trailer-in fee so guests may bring their horses to try out the facility or ride the trails.

Christmas Concert

The Choral Club of San Diego will present a Christmas Concert at Ramona United Methodist Church, 3394 Chapel Lane, on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m. Admission is free.

The congregation invites the community to come join us for a wonderful concert presented by this awesome womens choir. Refreshments will be served after the concert.

Blue Christmas Service

First Congregational Church of Ramona at 404 Eighth St., the corner of Eighth and D streets, will host a Blue Christmas Service for those who might be feeling more blue than joyful this holiday season. The service will be on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 4:30 p.m. and is for those feeling the holiday blues because of a death in the family, illness, unemployment, having someone away on active duty, or something else. They will find First Congregational Church a place to celebrate Christ even in the midst of lifes wintry season.

All are welcome. For more information, call 760-789-3348.

Library art

Ramona Library is partnering with 2Create Gallery and Ramona Art Guild to provide juried art shows and has extended its deadline for art submissions in the first show. Submissions for the theme Ramona, a Wonderful Place to Live will be accepted until Jan. 10. The first show will be wall art only, displayed in the library from January through March. Each quarter new work will be placed in the library and a show event will be held to introduce the artists to the community.

For an application or more information, email LibraryRamona@gmail.com.

Masek earns degree

Tiffany Masek of Ramona has earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in general business at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

She and other UW-Whitewater graduates celebrated with their families and friends at commencement ceremonies in the universitys Kachel Fieldhouse.

Prescribed burn

Cal Fire and California State Park officials are preparing for a prescribed burn at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.

The prescribed burn will occur some time within the next month or so. The timing depends upon when conditions are favorable for a safe burn, said Superintendent Kevin Best. A prescribed burn on Middle Peak will be visible to the majority of San Diego County residents, and I want to assure the public that this joint agency effort is being planned and managed in coordination with Cal Fire. Well have fire trained personnel on-site, round the clock looking after it.

The burn is in preparation for planting approximately 30,000 native conifer seedlings this winter. The ongoing activities are part of a larger reforestation effort aimed at restoring the mixed conifer forest, 95 percent of which was devastated by the 2003 Cedar Fire.

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Sara Schwebel, associate professor of English at the University of South Carolina, will be at the Julian Branch Library on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. to discuss Island of the Blue Dolphins, Newbery award-winning novel by Scott O Dell, who was a Julian resident when he penned his first childrens novel in 1960, winning the Newbery award in 1961.

Schwebel has researched the novel to provide annotations and has published Island of the Blue Dolphins: the Complete Readers Edition. Her collaboration with partners including the National Park Service, Channel Islands National Park, and the University of South Carolina Center for Digital Humanities is building a virtual museum and digital archive centered on the novel and the historical actor upon whom it is based, the so-called Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island.

We are excited to be hosting Ms. Schwebel as she has visited Julian several times during her research, said Branch Manager Colleen Baker. There are many facets to her research, and attendees will learn more about the Channel Islands, the important history within this book, and a sneak into the life of Scott ODell.

For more information, contact Baker at the Julian library, 760-765-0370. The library is at 1850 state Route 78 in Julian.
Its not 2017 yet, but organizers of the San Diego Latino Film Festival have already kicked off next years festival season.

The Media Arts Center San Diego which produces the festival announced the winner of the 8th annual San Diego Latino Film Festival poster competition on Thursday at Border X Brewing in Barrio Logan.

This years winner was Jatuporn Phummai of Thailand. Phummai beat out more than 350 artists from around the world. In doing so, Phummai will receive a $1,000 prize and his poster will be used to inspire the branding for the 24th edition of the San Diego Latino Film Festival.

Anuncio

Phummai told festival organizers he wanted to create a connection between San Diegos Latino culture and films. His artwork captures a spirit of celebration, movement and excitement in a colorful dress that also represents a dancing film reel.

We chose the winner for its colorful palette and dynamic composition, but mainly for its unique and whimsical interpretation of a classic icon we can all relate to, said San Diego State University graphic design professor Patricia Cue, who served as one of the judges.

Organizers say the San Diego Latino Film Festival is one of the three longest running Latino film festivals in the United States. They add that every year the festival premieres over 170 films from Latin America, Spain, the U.S., Mexico and other parts of the world in an effort to celebrate the diversity of Latino perspectives that exist on a global scale.

The 2017 San Diego Latino Film Festival is set to take place from March 16-26, 2017 at Simon Fashion Valley Mall. For more information, contact Media Arts Center San Diego at 619-230-1937.

Twitter: @NewsCruz
It's our third edition of Gothamist's travel content, Gothamist Getaways. A few times a year, we'll have a week of posts featuring looks at travel, food, products and tipsnear and farfor making your trips more enjoyable. So sit back, dream of your next journey and let us know if you have any hints for usemail travel@gothamist.com.

Do you remember that scene in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, the one where Angela Lansbury is furiously searching for the book that will lead her to the Star of Astaroth but David Tomlinson and the brood are frolicking and singing about all the wares found at London's famous market Portobello Road? You know the one. "Anything and everything a chap can unload is sold off the borrow in Portobello Road." On your first visit to Chichicastenango, you too might be tempted to break out into song.

Chichi (as it is more casually known) is the largest and most well known market in Guatemala. Nestled into the hills of the Quiche district about four hours from Guatemala City, Chichi is the best of the best, a rollercoaster ride of good and bad, rich and poor, clean and dirty, seductive and annoying, and whatever it is you're looking for you'll find, along with a treasure chest worth of stuff you weren't.



The town of Chichicastenango (fotoember/istockphoto)

On market days, Thursdays and Sundays, stalls fill the maze-like streets with a Target Super Store collection of wares hawked by townies, indigenous farmers and local craftworkers who truck in on chicken buses from further up in the hills. Vendors line the milky-white steps of the 400-year-old church, La Iglesia de Santo Tomas, where you can get your bearings and plan a market attack. (Note: the church is actually quite interesting. It's built over a temple and inside you can see Catholic traditions mixed with ancient Mayan rituals performed by elders.)

Once you descend the stairs into the belly of the beast, you can find masks, incenses, television remotes, cell phone batteries, carrots, rope, flowers, corn, corn, corn, leather, wooden candleholders and fresh tortillas. You can find huipiles (traditional Mayan tops) and glitter-covered stilettos. You can find live chickens, dead chickens and fried chickens. The latter are swoon-worthy good eaten leg after thigh after wing - salty, crunchy, straight from the bag and sizzling hotdoused in label-less green hot sauce from the one of about a million fried chicken carts in Chichi.

You lose track of how many times you hear the phrase, Good price for you. But you also lose track of the number of times something catches your eye, something distinct, something precious. If you're anything like me, your eye lured by foodstuff. Bright red tomatoes no bigger than thumbnails still on the vine. Dirt-crusted duck eggs sitting next to the duck that bore them. She is also for sale. Spices - dried chiles in every shape and shade of red, cloves and bay leaves and peppercorns and Jamaica blossom and allspice - stuffed to the brim of yellow plastic tubes.

Navigating this labyrinth seems impossible, as you're contending with not just narrow lanes but also women carrying more buyables on their heads, small children and street dogs darting back and forth, and small operations perhaps just selling one or two items, say pineapples and Dove soap out of a shallow basket on the ground. This is where you find today's prizea basket of fresh, plump 'piloyes'

Known in the U.S. as runner beans, piloyes are grown locally and come in a variety of colors ranging from milky white to blood red. When cooked fresh the piloyes boil up quick (seriously, like half the time as the dried beans we gringos get here in the States) and never come out mealy the way store-bought beans do. Instead, their skins snap when you bite down, their insides are the consistency of soft butter.

At 10 quetzales a pound (about $1.10), they're a steal. If you're anything like me (and if you're still reading this, let's assume you are) then you'll grab three pounds then spend the next several days finding ways to keep them chilled and safe until safely back in your kitchen. I'm not saying sneak them past a U.S. customs agent, but if you wanted to, piloyes are worth the trouble.

Tomato-Baked Piloyes with Herbs and Feta

Best part about fresh beans? No soaking time needed. Serve as a vegetarian entree with crusty bread and a big green salad. Prep time: 1 hour; serves 4.



Tomato-Baked Piloyes with Herbs and Feta (Natalie Rose)

1 pound fresh piloyes or runner beans (feel free to sub any fresh bean you like)

2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

 cup cherry tomatoes

1 clove garlic, minced

 cup minced herbs, a mix of whatever you like such as thyme, parsley, rosemary or tarragon

salt and pepper

 cup feta cheese

good-quality olive oil, crushed red pepper and crusty bread to serve

Preheat over to 350F. Place piloyes in a large pot, fill pot generously with water (about two inches over the top of the beans) and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Test beans. If they're just al dente, add one teaspoon of salt, turn up heat and boil for 10 minutes more. Drain off water.

In the same pot with the beans, add next four ingredients, season with salt and pepper and turn mixture out into an oiled baking dish or individual ramekins. Bake for 15 minutes, until tomatoes are bursting.

Add feta and broil until feta is melted and toasty, about five minutes.

Serve immediately with a drizzle of good olive oil, crushed red pepper and bread. Buen provecho!

Natalie Rose is a freelance writer and multimedia producer. She writes about travel and culture, fascinating people she encounters on her travels and anything to do with food. She produces documentaries, branded content and commercial projects.
The states political watchdog panel has fined a former San Ysidro school board member $300 for failing to make necessary financial disclosures. No evidence of conflict of interest was found.

The fine by the California Fair Political Practices Commission comes as the result of a complaint filed in November 2015 against former San Ysidro School District trustee Luciana Corrales by Esther Gutierrez.

Gutierrez is a community member who last year pushed for former trustee Jose Barajas to resign  which he did after being threatened with recall. She is also named as a plaintiff in the districts lawsuit against former Superintendent Manuel Paul.

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The states decision, made public last week, penalizes Corrales for not reporting the $25,000 salary she received from Circulate San Diego on three disclosure forms she filed while in office.

At the time, Corrales worked for Circulate San Diego as the community outreach coordinator of the school districts Safe Routes to School program.

Trustees are required to file a statement of economic interest to disclose any finances that could conflict with their position as an elected official.

A board member with a conflict of interest on an agenda item that will be heard in an open meeting has to abstain from voting on the matter.

The FPPC findings show the Circulate San Diego salary did not cause a conflict of interest for Corrales.

Corrales was appointed to the San Ysidro School District governing board in 2014 and elected that year along with Rodolfo Linares and Marcos Diaz, who were both endorsed by the teachers union.

Her brief time on the board was marked with rocky relationships. While campaigning, Linares accused her of harassment and filed for a temporary restraining order against her, which he later dropped.

She was the target of public criticism for a number of unpopular decisions, including her support for the interim superintendent who teachers blamed for their strike in October 2014, and for speaking up for parents who were unhappy with the way a new extended-day program was put into place.

Corrales stepped down Nov. 13, 2015, under intense pressure from the teachers union, which called for her to be censured and banned from school campuses.

The FPPC complaint was handled through the agencys Streamlined Program, which Wierenga said is designed to take care of relatively low level and minor technical violations.

The ruling also found there was no evidence of intent to conceal the violations. Corrales filed an amended disclosure shortly after the matter came to light.

Commissioners are set to consider the deal at the Dec. 15 meeting in Sacramento.

This story was updated at 7 p.m. Dec. 21.

Follow me on Twitter @HuardSDUT
Escondido police are urging motorists to plan alternate routes through the city Saturday because of street closures associated with the Escondido Jaycees 61st annual Christmas Parade.

The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. at Escondido High School on North Broadway and is expected to end at 1 p.m. at Woodward Avenue near Grape Day Park.

Road closures are expected between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Broadway will be closed from Rincon Avenue south along the parade route to East Valley Parkway, including all intersections and driveways. Eastbound state Route 78 will be closed to through traffic onto Broadway; traffic will be allowed to go north or south on Interstate 15 and Centre City Parkway. Westbound state Route 78 will be closed from Ash Street.

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Parking lots at Escondido City Hall and the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, will be reserved for parade personnel and closed to the public.

Parade chair Natalie Galt said visitors may park along Broadway and side streets ahead of the street closures. The parade typically attracts more than 5,000 spectators, Galt said, and it is rebroadcast throughout December on the local government access station, Channel 19.
Besides keeping the lights on and staying ahead of the competition, one of the biggest challenges for small business owners today is finding affordable health coverage for their employees. But the modern healthcare market can be confusing.

What small business owners should know

Owners of small businesses can attract and retain more high-quality employees if they offer high-quality health coverage, said Michael Wolff, president at Dickerson Employee Benefits, an insurance agency based in Los Angeles for the past 50 years.

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Having access to healthcare will also decrease absenteeism, Wolff said, and help build morale among the employees.

By tapping into health exchanges such as Covered California for Small Business (CCSB), employers are able to affordably offer employees a greater choice of plans, as well as hospital and physician networks, Wolff said. For instance, an employer can offer both Kaiser Permanente and any other group insurance carriers without being subject to limits on how many employees can enroll with each. This is usually not the case if youre not using an exchange.

Are health exchanges in jeopardy?

A source of concern for many small business owners is whether a new White House administration will alter or repeal the Affordable Care Act. Bob Manzer, deputy director for Covered California for Small Business, one of the Golden States more successful nonprofit health insurance exchanges, said not to worry.

Coverage will remain intact through 2017 and into the foreseeable future at reputable health exchanges like Covered California for Small Business, Manzer said. Nothing will change for small business owners and current tax credits are safe. These exchanges are growing and their partners are continuously adding new products and service areas.

Why are health exchanges a good bet?

Health exchanges offer employers a broad choice of high-quality brand name insurance carriers, Manzer said. Perhaps just as important, employers no longer have to shop for a new insurance carrier each year, which saves small companies time, cost and administrative hassle, Manzer added. And if rates go up with one insurance carrier, employees can choose another insurance carrier on the exchange that offers a lower premium. No more shopping for another insurance carrier. Let competition do what it usually does which makes everyone compete for the consumer dollar.

What are the differences between nonprofit exchanges like Covered California and for-profits like Cal Choice?

They have different plans and networks, but both allow choice of plans without participation limitations, Wolff said. With nonprofit exchanges like Covered California for Small Business, its less expensive for the carrier to place its insurance products on the exchange, which may lead to lower costs to the employer as well. CCSB doesnt charge late fees. For-profit exchanges like Cal Choice do. CCSB also has two full-provider PPO carriers to choose from, while Cal Choice does not.

CCSB allows employers to offer employee-only coverage, which then allows qualifying employee dependents to tap into the Covered California individual exchange to obtain a subsidy.

Five tips for small business owners navigating health exchanges

Check which insurance companies are offered on an exchange. Check if they offer both PPOs and HMOs and whether the PPOs and HMOs offer their full provider network or a limited network. Find out whether the doctors employees want to see are available on the PPO or HMO provider network. Check whether the exchange offers out-of-state coverage for employees. To find a good agent, ask friends, family or colleagues in the same industry or trade association for referrals. Also, check exchange websites. Covered California offers an online agent finder which lists an agents location, areas of expertise and languages spoken. All agents listed on Covered Californias site had to go through a rigorous certification process, and each is licensed by the state and holds a current errors and omissions insurance policy. Agents earn a commission from the carrier for selling a plan  ask for details. For small group business, commissions are already embedded in the rate, so the employer should understand what services they will receive from the agent. Not all agents have the same services and capabilities.

Daniel Vasquez for Covered California for Small Business
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For those who want to experience what it is like to step inside the world's largest scientific experiment, a 27-kilometer circular underground tunnel built to smash particles into each other, the Large Hardon Collider (LHC), is now on exhibit at the Queensland Museum in Australia.

"The Hadron Collider: Step Inside The World's Greatest Experiment" showcases a recreation of the physics laboratory at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). The LHC is a tunnel built under the border between France and Switzerland near Geneva.

"The exhibition is dark, so that when you're in it, we want you to believe you're underground at CERN," Alison Boyle, exhibition curator, said as reported by ABC. "We want people to feel what it's like walking the tunnels and going down into the experiment caverns. It's truly an international experiment and the rings of the LHC is a great big tunnel that they accelerate particles around in," she added.

The Science Museum in London first developed the exhibit showing the LHC's tunnel of super conduction magnets. The actual LHC was built by more than 10,000 physicists and engineers from 100 countries.

"Visitors can talk to virtual scientists, walk the tunnels of CERN, explore the control room and stand in the heart of a particle collision," Professor Suzanne Miller, Queensland Museum Network CEO and director, said as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.

In fact, according to the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the LHC is by far the most powerful particle accelerator today. It allows scientists to recreate the conditions that happen within a billionth of a second after the Big Bang. The LHC forces two high-energy particle beams to travel like the speed of light and collide with each other.

This is the moment when the universe is believed to be born around 13.7 billion years ago. This machine could shed light on the universe's past, leaving scientists to determine what truly caused its birth.
Jacob's sheep return in the Holy Land as prophesied by Ezekiel. This prophetic ingathering of the exiles that includes the four-legged returnees to Israel is deeply significant and could be a prophetic sign for the Third Temple.

The 119 sheep are believed to be the breed that biblical forefathers shepherded across Israel. The sheep made their comeback in Israel on Nov. 30, 2016. This was the same day rains, at last, began to fall in Israel, which ended the strenuous drought. This fulfills Ezekiel's prophecy at Ezekiel 34:12, "As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are separated so will I seek out My sheep; and I will deliver them out of all places whither they have been scattered in the day of clouds and thick darkness."



The breed experts said that the sheep originated in the north of Biblical Israel. Then, they were sold to Egypt and the Moors traded them to Spain and then to England. They were favored in England for their unique spotted appearance and four horns. The collectors also brought them to North America, according to Charisma News.

The Jacob's sheep saga began with a couple, Gil and Jenna Lewinsky, who noticed the unique sheep three years ago, and something about the sheep spoke to their souls. This couple met in Israel and went to Canada. They bought 70 sheep and started a not-for-profit farm. They knew that the sheep were meant for greater things and decided to bring Jacob's flock home. On the other hand, their petition to export the sheep to Israel was rejected in 2015.

When they were about to give up, Rabbi Amram Vaknin, a well-known mystic from Ashdod, saw the photos of the sheep and said that they have the resemblance to their Biblical ancestors. He further said that the sheep have a special blessing on them from Jacob in the Bible. He added that the shofar horn from the Jacob's sheep is the holiest in the whole world.

The diplomats in the Israeli Embassy in Ottawa intervened and the petition to bring Jacob's sheep was reconsidered and accepted. The journey of Jacob's sheep started and accompanied by thunder and lightning with a four-month quarantine. Then, they board planes for Israel.

Gil said that not one sheep died during the difficult journey. They did not also fail the tests given by the Department of Agriculture. He also said that the number 119 is seven times 17, in which in the Getmaria or Hebrew numerology for the Hebrew word for sacrifice equals 17. The number seven also means natural cycle or perfection; this indicates significance to each number in the equation, according to Breaking Israel News.
It's been a long time since the NY Times' Real Estate section delivered a millennial trend story that was neither infuriating nor tone deaf nor straight trolling. But Friday's report on the Hot New Millennial Trendputting up temporary walls in apartments so you can cram four people in a one-to-two bedroom apartmentis surprisingly non-stabby.

In a piece titled "Roommates Divide and Conquer With Temporary Walls," the Times digs into the phenomenon of young professionals building unconventional spaces so they can double up in living rooms and bedrooms, thereby slicing the rent on pricey apartments. In one one-bedroom apartment described in the piece, two women sleep in twin beds in the bedroom while two men split the living room, subdivided by a temporary half-wall. In another, three roommates split a one-bedroom with a living room subdivided into a windowed bedroom and windowless living room, an open dining area turned into another bedroom, and a fake wall added to the real bedroom so roommates could access the en-suite bathroom without disturbing anyone.

This is neither a new trend nor something specific to millennials, of course, but the piece notes how tenants occasionally skirt fire codes to fit into these apartments, to which landlords might turn a blind eye. Though housing codes require there to be natural light in living rooms; windows and 80 square feet of space in each bedroom; and that temporary bedroom walls leave two feet between their tops and the ceiling, some of these creative spaces lack these requirements. And though landlords generally need to get a permit to change apartments in the manner the piece describes, sometimes they don't bother.

"Its not exactly the code of the law. Its just how things work in New York City," William Aronin, a real estate litigation lawyer, told the Times. "Landlords dont really care too much because one-bedrooms are sometimes $3,600, and what kind of 20-something can afford that?"

The tenants profiled by the Times live in Manhattan, and it's noteworthy that they could find cheaper, less funky living situations elsewhere in the cityindeed, Dan Wurtzel, the president of property management firm FirstService Residential New York, suggested young professionals move to Queens if they want to find affordable housing. But of course, once neighborhoods in the outer boroughs become popular, rents there go up too, and not-up-to-code apartments pop up again.

When I lived in Bushwick, my room was a poorly-constructed lofted space with no heat and no fire escape access, and our living room had no natural light. In Greenpoint, my building was zoned as a commercial space, we had no smoke detectors, and all our stoves and heat sources were electricin the end, that didn't work out so well. But when you don't make a lot of money, you tend to overlook certain things to live in neighborhoods that are safe, that are fun, that are close to your job and your friends, and cramming into questionable spaces to slice hundreds of dollars off your rent doesn't seem like much of an issue.

Or you could, you know, live in a $4000/month commune.
NASA has been making deliberate efforts to publicize its rich database of space images and videos captured during various space explorations. In protraction to this, NASA released an enormous archive of animated GIFs of space images and videos on its Pinterest and GIPHY pages on Dec. 8, 2016.

If one already has accounts in these platforms, one can directly view these magnificent GIFs on GIPHY and Pinterest and share them as tweets, thanks to API integration feature on GIPHY. Earlier this year, NASA collaborated with Flickr to circulate thousands of pictures captured during the Apollo era missions. NASA is now living up to its tag line on GIPHY page "Explore the Universe & Discover our Home Planet."

According to Gizmodo, the GIPHY page of NASA is everything a space nerd could hope for. It is full of glorious planetary and deep space images, along with images and videos captured during rocket launches, unforgettable moments captured in the spaceflight history and the priceless reactions of scientists celebrating success of space missions in front of computer screens. Additionally, the page also features some of the things that have not yet happened, which raises curiosity in the viewers' minds.

These GIFs provide insights into the moments of success and failures experienced by the hardworking researchers of NASA. It also hosts stunning images of the Moon, Mars, Saturn's Rings, Apollo 11 landing, astronauts walking on the Moon, planetary explorations, trajectories of recently launched satellites made simple in animated videos, life of astronauts inside the International Space Station and living in zero gravity.

The released archives also contain satellite images of the people's home planet, which depict climate change patterns, effects of global warming, formation of noctilucent clouds over Antarctica and images related to polar ice cap melting.

These images are said to be glorious, entertaining and educational. It is believed that this effort by NASA can help raise awareness on climate change and global warming, which are the main concerns of scientists in the 21st century.
An evidence reveals that Hebrew is the world's oldest alphabet, according to an ancient inscription specialist and archaeologist from Canada. He said that Israelites that were enslaved in Egypt 3,800 years ago invented the alphabet using two dozen Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Douglas Petrovich, an archaeologist and professor of Egyptian History at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, explained that he was translating Middle Egyptian and proto-consonantal Hebrew inscriptions that nobody ever had translated successfully before. He further explained that there were many Aha! He said along the way he was stumbling across biblical figures never attested before in the epigraphical record, or seeing connections that he had not understood before.

He also said that on this caption from Middle Egyptian were a Canaanite syllabic and the world's oldest indicated proto-consonant letter "B" that represents a house for the Hebrew consonant "bet." He added that it was this one proto-consonantal Hebrew letter that aided him to understand that the world's oldest alphabet -- the language of which has been unrevealed for over 150 years of scholarship -- is Hebrew.

This was translated from the slab known as Sania 115 dated back to 1842 B.C.E. It is displayed at Harvard's Semitic Museum. This slab identifies Joseph and his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. It has an inscription "6 Levantines: Hebrews of Bethel, the beloved."

Petrovich also translated 16 more Hebrew inscriptions from four other ancient slabs found in Egypt and Sinai. This includes a slab dated around 1446 B.C.E. and describes Moses as a person prefigured by the ancient Jews for leading them out of Egypt, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Petrovich also claimed that after collecting the early Hebrew alphabet, he used them to translate 16 Hebrew inscriptions. He also found references to Moses that aligned with biblical references and two other biblical figures such as Asenath and Ahisamach. He also discovered the word "Hebrew."

He then said that there will be skeptics and might prove or disprove his findings. Nevertheless, he said that if what he had discovered is correct, then others will have the same conclusion, according to Phys.org.
Scientists have discovered that Saturn's C ring has not really been there for too long like they have previously believed.

The Christian Science Monitor reported that scientists from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, studied the dust on the planet's rings and found out that Saturn's C ring has not collected enough to prove that it has been there for more than a hundred million years. Using the data gathered by NASA through its Cassini mission, the researchers observed the dust collected by the said ring to discover how long it has been present.

Saturn's rings may be made of thin icy layers, but "it is the small fraction of non-icy material - the dust the ring collects - that is valuable for clues about the ring's origin and age," said study's lead author, doctoral candidate Zhimeng Zhang, who is set to work at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab on the Juno spacecraft mission in January.

This space dust is also known as micrometeoroids, which come from the Kuiper Belt past another planet Neptune, produce thermal emissions on Saturn's rings measured with the use of Cassini's microwave passive radiometer.

"We believe that the C ring has been continuously polluted by meteoroid bombardment since it first formed, and we think the middle C ring was further contaminated by an incoming Centaur, a rocky object torn apart by tides and ultimately broken into pieces and injected into the C ring," Zhang added, as reported by Phys.org.

Since Saturn's rings are made of icy layers, the scientists were able to detect that its C ring has low thermal emissions. This means that it does not contain as much dust compared to the others.

This study, which gave scientists the conclusion that the C ring may have been there for only 100 million years, will be published on Jan. 1, 2017 in the journal Icarus.
Mawrth Vallis is one of the oldest valleys on the planet Mars. It was discovered then that water once flowed in the past in this region. With this, it becomes the possible landing site for Mars 2020 rover that analyzes rock samples in a maximum depth of 2 meters.

Mawrth or Mars in Welsh is situated on the transition between the southern highland regions and the northern lowlands of Mars. It was covered by layered rock and is now being unearthed. Mawrth Vallis is an ancient water outflow channel that has light-colored clay-rich rocks. The region has visibility of phyllosilicate (clay) minerals that only form when water is available. This was first detected by the OMEGA spectrometer on the European Space Agency's Mars express orbiter. The clays that were discovered in the valley were kaolinite, montmorillonite and nontronite.

The Mawrth Vallis, on #Mars, phototographed by the ESA probe Mars Express!

Credit: ESA. pic.twitter.com/SMwq5E2J9N  Domenico Calia (@CaliaDomenico) October 8, 2016

DLR reports that the Mawrth Vallis could have been capable of supporting life in the past. This is because it had the volume of hydrated (water-retaining) minerals identified by various Mars spacecraft in orbit. It is also found that clay minerals discovered in the region are certainly friendly to life. Researchers think that traces of life might still exist in the lower layers of the Mawrth Vallis.

A flyover animation was produced through images taken by the ESA's Mars Express spacecraft using a High-Resolution Stereo camera (HRSC). This was operated by the German Aerospace Center on board the ESA's spacecraft. Meanwhile, the scientists from the Freie Universitat Berlin developed a simulated overflight animation on the course of the Mawrth Vallis from the digital terrain model estimated at the DLR Institute of Planetary Research. View the stunning Mawrth Vallis in the video below.
Scientists of NASA and Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) invented self-healing silicon chips with nanowire transistors, which can be used in production of chip-scale high-speed spacecraft or starships.

The invention was presented before NASA expert committee on Dec. 7, 2016, at the International Electron Devices Meeting, held in San Francisco. The new transistors will be instrumental in developing chip-scale spacecraft, which can be sent to outer space to explore stars and galaxies. NASA's Dong-II Moon Company will be responsible for the development of this technology and manufacture spacecraft that can survive the radiations and heat encountered during outer space travel, reported IEEE Spectrum.

The silicon chip-based spacecraft will be able to travel 100 times faster than the presently available spacecraft and will enable space explorers to reach the nearest stars in just 20 years. The silicon chip-based spacecraft will be highly advantageous because of its self-healing nature.

Silicon chips have a high probability of getting damaged during their travel in space due to exposure to heat and high-energy radiations. These radiations cause accumulation of positively charged defects in the silicon dioxide layer around the chip, which obstructs device performance, according to Yang-Kyu Choi, KAIST.

On-chip healing can be the possible solution to ensure the maintenance and functioning of the chip-scale spacecraft. According to NASA expert Jin-Woo Han, "On-chip healing has been around for many, many years."

National Microelectronics Research Centre in Cork, Ireland, and Macronix of Taiwan's heat-induced healing of flash memory were the major milestones in the research that led the development of self-healing silicon chips. The transistors attached to the chip are designated as the "gate-all-around" nanowire transistors. They are integrated with thin nanowires, which allow passage of a limited amount of current to ensure the maintenance and functioning of the silicon chip, reported I4U News.

As of now scientists are busy in developing cost efficient silicon chip-based spacecraft that can be used for future space exploration programs. It is speculated that these high-speed spacecrafts will be ready by 2020 for future expeditions.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is partnering with humans to search for alien life across the universe.

Express UK reported that a machine learning software with algorithms used by Google and Netflix has joined alien hunters on their quest.

This man-made intelligence, which researchers call as "XGBoost machine-learning algorithm," has the ability to observe planets and stars that could eventually lead to identifying if these astronomical bodies are habitable or not. This computer software has been installed with data that could learn by its own without the need for humans to regularly update it.

Created by researchers at the University of Toronto in Scarborough, Canada, this AI machine is reportedly 1,000 times faster at finding out if a planet is habitable and can work 24/7 unlike humans.

"We find that training an XGBoost machine-learning algorithm on physically motivated features yields an accurate classifier of stability in packed systems," the researchers wrote in an article. To train these algorithms, the researchers generated a date set of 5,000 N-body integrations of three planetary systems at over 107 orbits.

The study's lead author, Dan Tamayo, from the Centre for Planetary Science believes that this machine learning provides a "powerful way" to focus on questions about astrophysics and predict if these planetary systems are indeed stable for habitation.

The researchers will also use the same AI software for NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to be launched next year. This two-year mission will study the brightest stars in the universe and eventually find out if these astronomical bodies do belong to the solar system.

"It could be a useful tool because predicting stability would allow us to learn more about the system, from the upper limits of mass to the eccentricities of these planets," Tamayo said. "It could be a very useful tool in better understanding those systems."

This study was published in the journal Astrophysical Journal Letters.
One of the things people love to speculate about is the end of the world. There are a lot of theories on when the world will end and how. The effects of global warming are one of the top reasons people believe will end the world. But there is still a big chance of survival if something can be done to limit the effects of global warming of the planet. One of the surest ways that the world will end is when the Sun will die. The Sun is already in the process of dying and nothing can be done to stop it. Can humans survive then?

A group of researchers headed by Professor Leen Decin from Belgium are trying to find the answer about the survival of the Earth when the Sun dies. And the scientists are hoping to find the answer through studying the distant star L2 Puppis. Using the ALMA telescope, a 16-kilometer diameter giant telescope formed from 66 individual antennas, scientists set out to observe and study the L2 Puppis star 208 light years away from the Earth.

L2 Puppis is a red giant star on the last stages of its stellar evolution. According to KU Leuven, a study from KU Leuven Institute of Astronomy, the L2 Puppis is 10 billion years old. Five billion years ago, L2 Puppis was the same size as the Sun. However, through stellar evolution, it grew bigger and brighter then exploded. It lost a third of its mass and is now the size of the Earth.

Besides studying the L2 Puppis, the researchers are hoping to find the answer to Earth's survival when the Sun explodes, through a planet orbiting the L2 Puppis. The planet orbiting is 300,000 kilometers from L2 Puppis. Will the Earth suffer the same fate as this orbiting planet?

Published in the journal, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Dr. Decin says that it is certain that the Sun will die. Five billion years from now, the Sun will follow the stellar evolution and grow 100 times bigger and brighter than today. It will engulf Mercury and Venus, thereby destroying these planets. After which, the Sun will lose a third of its mass due to stellar winds -- just like what happened to L2 Puppis.

The extreme heat and light the Sun will give off are certain to kill all life on Earth. What the scientists hope to learn is after all life on Earth is extinguished, will the very core of the Earth survive the Sun exploding and plunging the Solar System into a fiery inferno? And that is why the researchers from Belgium are studying L2 Puppis and the planet orbiting it.
Samsung Galaxy S8 updated specs are the tech giants hope of winning back the lost customers. Samsung had a forgetful 2016 because of the Note 7 fire fiasco followed by the recall and complete discontinuation of the device.

Samsung Galaxy S8 is a highly anticipated device with several rumors buzzing around. Samsung Galaxy S8 release date is speculated to be around the first week of March at the Mobile World Congress. The MWC will take place in Barcelona from February 27 to March 2.

The most talked about the S8 specs has been the bezel-less design. Galaxy S8 will boast an "all screen" design. The display will be AMOLED with 2K Ultra HD resolution. The display will occupy more than 90 percent of the front end of the phone, as reported by BGR.

The physical home button will not be seen in the Galaxy S8. It will be replaced with a virtual button at the lower half of the phone. The fingerprint sensor will also go virtual.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 headphone jack will no longer exist. According to the latest reports, the Galaxy S8 will cease to feature a headphone jack. This news has left several Samsung fans fuming. Experts believe this is a bad move as users love Samsung for being Samsung and not for copying Apple, as reported by The Indian Express.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 spec will also include a virtual assistant called Viv. The AI-powered assistant will work similar to Siri and Alexa. The S8 will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset which is expected to make S8 one of the most powerful Android device on the market.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 price in the US is expected to be $850 and $900 for the S8 edge. Some rumors suggest that S8 will also be available for pre-order two weeks before the release date.

Stay tuned to SWR for more updates on Samsung Galaxy S8.


In the recently released film Arrival, Amy Adams plays a linguist responsible for figuring out how to communicate with aliens who have landed on Earth. Visually, the aliens, called heptapods, are a testament to masterful movie magic: Everything from their subtle, fluid movements to the dense atmosphere where they breathe fits with the idea of biological possibility. These otherworldly life forms seem truly feasible and may even be mistaken to be real.

"Early on before they started filming, I read a few drafts of the screenplay, and I was asked to give feedback on some of the more linguistically relevant parts," said Professor Jessica Coon, who teaches linguistics at McGill University, recently told Business Insider.

"A lot of the comments they took into account. Some of them they said, 'Linguists in the end are not Hollywood's main audience, it'll be all right if some of these don't make it in' in the end, it turned out great, I think."

The movie is believed to have portrayed how people think aliens look like. However, what makes the heptapods in Arrival very believable is the fact that they are not all that alien to start with. From their body shape to their tentacles to their ability to squirt an ink of sorts, heptapods bear a strong resemblance to Earth's most alien intelligent life: cephalopods (squid and octopus).

"The big eyes, outreaching and slithering tentacles and boneless body of the cephalopod make for good horror," says Eddie Bullard, a historian specializing in UFOs and aliens. "They do indeed seem alien in the sense of very much unlike us, utterly different and without any empathy or common ground."

Humans have always been fascinated by the idea of alien life. Years before Jesus Christ was born, scholars had suggested that life might have had existed on other worlds, including the Moon. Given the alien nature of octopuses and their relatives, it may come as no surprise that they have inspired creative minds.

Meanwhile, the 19th century author Camille Flammarion described a planet full of perpetually swimming, tentacled seal-like beasts, for example. And of course, every sci-fi enthusiast remembers the slimy, brown invaders with their "Gorgon groups of tentacles" brought to life in H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds. However, aside from these few exceptions, before World War II, the imaginations of science fiction authors rarely took a side route from humanoid reality. Tales of the extraterrestrial generally consisted of green or gray men with large eyes from planets within our solar system, Quartz reported.

Then, in the 1940s, science fiction exploded with a variety of peculiar alien forms. However, Octopoid creatures have always remained fan favorites. From the cartoonish Zoidberg (Futurama) and Kang and Kodos (The Simpsons) to the aliens of Prometheus and Arrival, modern storytellers seem particularly fond of drawing upon the depth for inspiration.

It is also important to note that there have been a number of reasons why using squid and octopus as models for alien life makes sense. The oceans are like an alien world, with an atmosphere humans cannot breathe that gives birth to bizarre forms beyond people's imaginations. And cephalopods are about as far from the classic mammalian arrangement as one can get -- yet they display surprising intelligence.

Aside from the previously published report associating octopuses to aliens, there are still a number of reasons why humans are convinced that octopuses are the exact description of aliens. Octopuses use tools, they play, they can solve problems and puzzles and they may even engage in warfare with improvised weapons. They are the only invertebrate that displays a level of thinking scientists ascribe to consciousness. Indeed, any aquarist who has attempted to keep such creatures in captivity learns quickly just how smart these animals are and just how much work is required to keep them happy and healthy.
Fake news on Facebook didn't win the election for Doland Trump, Sheryl Sandberd, the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, said on Thursday. She was speaking to Savannah Guthrie at the "Today Show" and expressed concern about the fake news floating on Facebook. She said that the company is working on addressing the issue of fake news which has spread throughout the site.

Sandberg said "We at Facebook definitely don't think that the fake news had anything to do with the election results, but we do take the responsibility very seriously". She also said that the US Elections was the most trending topic on Facebook in the year 2016. She attributed the popularity of the topic to the "Facebook Live" feature. The latter is a new feature and helps people with going live on Facebook. The audience can watch the feed in real time and comment as well.

The CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg had said the same thing when he was asked about fake news. While giving an interview at Technomy's Conference on 20 Nov , he had said that Facebook doesn't cater to "ideological echo chambers". Zuckerberg had also said that all the fake news at Facebook made up a "very small amount" of the website content. He had put down the election results to "voters making their own decisions based on their own experiences".

About ten days before Zuckerberg's interview, Barack Obama had expressed concern about how certain articles on Facebook are presented to the users of the site. He had said that the social networking site can act as a perfect platform for people who are trying to spread fake news.

Trending news site BuzzFeed had conducted its own investigation to the allegations of fake news at Facebook. The results showed that all the fake news on Facebook had garner more views than all the real news from media outlets.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Sharonview Federal Credit Union unveiled a new logo and branding campaign Thursday at the North Beltline Drive branch with a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

The Fort Mill-based credit union is in its third year of being a chamber member, and branch manager Alger Holloman said it has surpassed $1 billion in assets with 69,000 members and 14 branches in the Carolinas and one in New Jersey. Nonetheless, theyre updating their branding efforts and reaching more members, she said.

Weve always been the best-kept secret in Florence, she said.

According to company history, 20 Celanese employees met with a North Carolina Credit Union League representative to launch a new credit union in 1955.

It was named after two roads  Sharon and Fairview, said Lisa Anderson, who works with Holloman and serves as the financial services representative and loan officer.

From those humble beginnings with $11,000 in assets, branches began to proliferate throughout the Carolinas as the credit union gained steam. In the late 1970s, Wellman employees helped grow the member base, Holloman said. These days, the credit union offers a full array of services, from checking and savings accounts to mortgages, credit cards and IRAs, she said.

We have pretty much any service that the large banks do, Anderson said.

Holloman touted the credit unions ease of using online services and its ability to offer low rates on loans and higher rates on shares.

I love to be able to help people when they come in, she said. And were huge on credit counseling. We offer help with budgeting and help with your credit score. Financial education is huge for us. We are all about one-on-one customer service.

Holloman said theyve grown to $1 billion-plus in assets without advertising, but feel eager to become a well-known local company.

In a press advisory, President and CEO Bill Partin said the credit union industry has changed over the last 60 years and Sharonview is embracing change with a new brand that was created in-house by Jay Grant, who works in marketing.

Sharonview has formed tight-knit relationships with its members, Partin said. Our new brand visually represents how our team works closely with members to ensure a personal banking experience that focuses on value, accessibility and satisfaction.
Justice for all, we recite in the Pledge of Allegiance. The concept of equal justice is a foundation of American jurisprudence. Everyone is supposed to be treated the same in the eyes of the law if they run afoul of it.

So what do we make of the concept of justice when we read of the mistrial this week of Michael Slager, the former North Charleston police officer who shot to death an unarmed man fleeing from a traffic stop?

In our legal system, justice on earth is done when a jury of peers establishes whether someone accused of a crime is guilty or innocent after hearing the facts of a case. Depending on the verdict, the accused is punished or set free.

More than anything, justice in our court system is a process. And yes, it should be a blind process that ensures everyone is treated the same.

But thats theory. Data show black or poor Americans often face far different outcomes, such as higher arrest and incarceration rates, than white or rich Americans for a multitude of reasons  deeper pockets, better lawyers, cultural assumptions, cozy relationships and more.

Celebrated African-American poet Langston Hughes described in four lines what many black Americans have felt for years  that justice in their world is best described as police looking at just us to find perpetrators of crimes. Hughes wrote in 1932:

That Justice is a blind goddess

Is a thing to which we black are wise:

Her bandage hides two festering sores

That once perhaps were eyes.

The mistrial declared in the case of Michael Slager leaves justice undone in the shooting death of Walter Scott. Neither guilt nor innocence has been decided by a jury. The process is not yet completed.

So what are we to make of this statement by Gov. Nikki Haley following the declaration of a mistrial in the Scott case? She said: It is my understanding that there will be, as quickly as possible, a new trial where the Scott family and all of South Carolina will hopefully receive the closure that a verdict brings.

Justice is not always immediate, but we must all have faith that it will be served  I certainly do. I urge South Carolinians  in Charleston and across our state  to continue along the path we have walked these last two years: a path of grace, faith, love and understanding. That is who we are, and who I know we will continue to be."

On one hand, the governor seems to suggest that people should have patience  that the judicial process will bring a verdict in the case in due time.

But cant it be interpreted another, subtler way? That Haley is sending a message to the Scott family and black community at large that she thinks justice will be served in the next trial through a guilty verdict?

Under this interpretation, Haleys statement poses a challenge for our courts. Assuming a guilty verdict before the process is complete could contribute to an erosion of the publics trust in the judiciary. Since 2009, the publics trust in the federal judiciary has dropped from 76 percent to 53 percent, according to a 2015 Gallup Poll.

Such an assumption also poses a challenge for law enforcement officers, who could interpret Haleys statement as inconsiderate of facts brought out in the trial that might mitigate or explain Slagers behavior.

In our country if any jury is to do justice, it is to treat someone accused fairly and consider all facts and evidence before rendering a verdict. If guilty, they are to be punished, which is why a blindfolded Lady Liberty also holds a sword.

Justice is delivered through a process. And thats why we need to be patient as we wait for the outcome of a new trial for Michael Slager.

Not everyone will be happy with what happens eventually in Slagers case. And if the jury gets it wrong in your view, at least hell face justice again  at the Pearly Gates.

Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Statehouse Report. Have a comment? Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com.
There are just 21 days in the yearand that's also how many days there are until the MTA finally, hopefully opens the first phase of the Second Avenue Subway. Governor Andrew Cuomo checked out the station at East 72nd Street on Friday and his office shared these photos.

There have been concerns that the transit agency won't hit the year-end deadline, as there are have been delays with testing and other issues, with the tunnels not being wide enough for trains.

Melissa DeRosa, the governor's chief of staff, said in a statement, "Governor Cuomo visits the Second Avenue subway several times a week and holds weekly meetings with the MTA and its contractors. Today was another one of those visits. The Governor believes the progress is encouraging and he's cautiously optimistic about hitting the January 1 deadline."

The MTA's website about the massive project, which will finally bring a second subway line to the Upper East Side, says:

The Second Avenue Subway will reduce overcrowding and delays on the Lexington Avenue line, improving travel for both city and suburban commuters, and provide better access to mass transit for residents of the far East Side of Manhattan. The line is being built in phases; the first phase of the Second Avenue Subway will provide service from 96th St. to 63rd St. as an extension of the Q Line train. When complete in December 2016, the first phase will:

- Serve approximately 200,000 daily riders

- Decrease crowding on the Lexington Avenue Line by as much as 13%, or 23,500 fewer riders on an average weekday; and

- Travel time will be reduced by 10 minutes or more for many riders traveling from the Upper East Side

No matter what happens, we'll always have videos of test trains:






CES 2017: EnOcean exhibits self-powered wireless switches and sensors for the Internet of Things

At Sands #40464, EnOcean will be demonstrating self-powered wireless switches and sensors, powered by their surroundings thanks to energy harvesting technology, providing reliable data for intelligent buildings and the Internet of Things.

Salt Lake City, UT/Las Vegas, NV  December 8, 2016  At International CES 2017 (Las Vegas, January 5-8, 2017) EnOcean, world leader in energy harvesting wireless technology, will be demonstrating self-powered wireless solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT). At Sands #40464, the company will be showing their extensive Dolphin portfolio, including wireless switches, sensors and actuators, powered by energy through motion, light and temperature and based on open wireless standards like EnOcean, ZigBee and Bluetooth Low Energy. The energy harvesting devices enable highly flexible, maintenance-free applications for use in building automation, smart homes, industrial automation and lighting control worldwide. In combination with IoT systems, these self-powered solutions help optimize the utilization of buildings, create new service models and make buildings more flexible, more energy-efficient and altogether more cost-effective.

The self-powered Internet of Things

Networked devices form the basis of the Internet of Things. They process large volumes of sensor data to make our everyday lives easier, safer and more comfortable. EnOceans self-powered wireless sensors are the eyes and ears of the IoT, as they collect the required data to operate large numbers of IoT devices efficiently, without any need of a battery.

At this years CES, EnOcean will be demonstrating four cutting-edge solutions with leading industry partners based on open standards.

IBM and EnOcean to bring sensors to the cloud for IoT applications in sub 1 GHz

To further develop self-powered wireless solutions with EnOcean radio standard in

sub 1 GHz for the Internet of Things, EnOcean is in close collaboration with IBM, a strong partner with longstanding expertise in cloud-based services and IoT. EnOcean is proud to be one of the first IBM Business Partners to use the mark Ready for IBM Watson IoT.



Together with IBMs Watson IoT Platform, a fully managed, cloud-hosted service, self-powered EnOcean-based sensors enable maintenance-free solutions for Real Estate Management to increase operational, financial and environmental performance of facilities. Standardized sensor profiles help ensure the interoperability of more than 1,500 products from the EnOcean eco-system, making it possible to develop interoperable system solutions. These solutions can be used in asset management, ambient assisted living projects, insurance or hotel and campus projects, giving maintenance-free wireless switches and sensors based on EnOcean technology.



EnOcean Smart Home Solution

Together with its partner Digital Concepts, EnOcean is developing self-powered wireless solutions using the Smart EnOcean gateway from Digital Concepts for consumer applications in sub 1 GHz. The Smart EnOcean gateway ensures communication between the EnOcean energy harvesting wireless standard and the IP protocol, which forms the basis for integrating the data of energy harvesting wireless sensors into cross-standard, open platforms. This enables a fully interoperable network, in which collected data can be used to intelligently control different devices such as fridges, coffee machines, and multimedia, directly via battery-less switches, sensors or smart phones. At CES 2017, EnOcean will demonstrate how their sensors are used in smart home solutions.

Xicato and EnOcean cooperate for self-powered lighting solutions for Bluetooth Low Energy systems in 2.4 GHz

Together with Xicato, an established manufacturer and thought leader in intelligent, connected light sources, EnOcean is developing self-powered wireless solutions for Bluetooth Low Energy systems in 2.4 GHz for global usage in smart homes and for modern lighting control. The combination of EnOceans energy harvesting wireless switches with the features of Xicatos LED lighting modules allows users to create and control simple or complex lighting scenes and effects, and enable simple, flexible installation of lighting applications. These solutions enable wireless, maintenance-free control and eliminate the complexity and cost associated with wired or battery-powered wireless solutions. These self-powered lighting solutions are used in some of the worlds finest museums, retail stores, hotels and residences.



Philips and EnOcean collaborate for maintenance-free 2.4 GHz ZigBee lighting solutions

EnOcean partnered with Philips, a world leading manufacturer of lighting applications, to develop self-powered lighting solutions for ZigBee systems on the 2.4 GHz band for use in consumer and commercial lighting applications. These flexible, wireless solutions are especially suitable for consumer-applications to control LED lighting systems. The Philips Hue tap switch, for example, is a self-powered wireless switch, which is the ideal maintenance-free control for the Philips Hue lighting system for LED consumer lighting.



Self-powered wireless solutions

With our 15 years experience in energy-harvesting technology, we extended our Dolphin-Portfolio to enable self-powered wireless sensor solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), based on open standards, says Andreas Schneider, co-founder and CMO of EnOcean. To bring sensors to the cloud, EnOceans self-powered wireless sensors are crucial for collecting large amounts of reliable sensor information. In close collaboration with strong partners, we will continue developing exciting new self-powered, maintenance-free applications for our customers sensor solutions in the Internet of Things.

At CES 2017, EnOcean will be demonstrating their new batteryless Bluetooth Low Energy switch module PTM 215B with Near Field Communication (NFC) for BLE-based lighting systems on the 2.4 GHz band. The integrated NFC capability makes it easy to configure the switch through direct contact with NFC-capable devices, without any manual actuation.

For the first time, EnOcean will be showing examples of solar-powered Beacons for 2.4 GHz Bluetooth Low Energy systems.

Visitors to the show can experience self-powered wireless solutions based on energy harvesting technology from EnOcean at the following booths:

DigitalStrom (Sands, #40139), EnOcean Alliance at Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF) (Sands, #40930) and at Ubiant (#41363), Gooee (Booth: Suite 30-126 Venetian Tower - Suite 30-126), MyFox (Sands, #40944), NodOn (Sands, #40248), Ubiant (Sands, #41363) and Zipato (Sands, #40227).

Together with its partner Casambi, EnOcean will be demonstrating wireless lighting control solutions using Bluetooth Low Energy at the booth of Nordic Semiconductor (Sands, #44744) on January 6, 2017.

About EnOcean

EnOcean GmbH is the developer of the patented energy harvesting wireless technology marketed under the Dolphin brand. Headquartered in Oberhaching, near Munich, the company produces and markets maintenance-free wireless sensor solutions for batteryless applications in the Internet of Things, which are used for building and industrial automation, smart homes and LED light control. The EnOcean products are based on miniaturized energy converters, energy-efficient electronics and reliable wireless technology for open wireless standards like EnOcean, ZigBee and Bluetooth Low Energy. Leading product manufacturers have been relying on EnOcean wireless modules for their system solutions for the past 15 years and have installed the products in several hundreds of thousands of buildings around the world.



For more information, please visit www.enocean.com.





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Politics in traditionally liberal Latin American countries has begun to shift to the right over the last decade. Both Venezuela and Brazil have even withdrawn support for their liberal leaders.

Yet there's one country that remains firmly to the left: Uruguay. Uruguay is generally considered the most progressive country in South America. They have a strong social safety net, comprehensive individual rights, and tolerance and inclusion are the norm.

So, with these things in mind, just how powerful is Uruguay? Watch today's Seeker Daily video to find out.

Check out Animal Planet GO!

Learn More:

BBC: Uruguay: South America's best-kept secret?

CIA: World Factbook- Uruguay

Bloomberg: Latin America's New Politics Aren't Left or Right
Press Release

December 10, 2016 SEN. LEILA M. DE LIMA'S STATEMENT ON THE SUPPOSED INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS PROBE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT The so-called "independent probe" conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government is an insult not only to human rights workers but also, most especially, to the Filipino people at a time when the Philippines joins the international community in the observance of Human Rights Day today. No one can deny these daily killings, and the criminals are getting bolder and bolder each day. To say there is no massive human rights violations is like telling us we do not have a traffic problem in the country. Like the traffic problem, our people are outraged at these continued killings done in the name of government's all-out war against drugs. It would seem that the DILG or the team that recommended "the creation of a PNP manual which should be available in every police station" is not even aware of the Revised PNP Operational Procedures promulgated in 2013. This is shocking. Our policemen should know this manual of operations by heart so that they will learn to respect the human rights and dignity of all suspected offenders during police operations at all times.
Press Release

December 10, 2016 STATEMENT OF THE LIBERAL PARTY PRESIDENT, SEN. KIKO PANGILINAN, ON INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY During martial law, many Filipinos were deprived of their rights to life, liberty, and property. For most of our young life as a nation, the Liberal Party has helped advocate for the recognition and respect of the fundamental human rights of all Filipinos. The Liberal Party has served as a political obstacle to dictator Marcos's plan to illegally extend his term and impose one-man rule; many party leaders and members were prosecuted and even killed during this time. When constitutional democracy was restored after People Power I, party stalwarts went against the wishes of the late President Corazon Aquino and ended more than half a century of United States' military presence in the Philippines by rejecting a new bases treaty in 1991. In 2000 under the Estrada administration, the party stood against corruption and actively participated in People Power II that ousted him. The party suffered a split under the Arroyo administration also over issues of corruption. Recognizing that corruption violates the collective economic right of the governed people to the taxes borne of their labor and their right to development, Liberal Party standard bearer Benigno Aquino III led the nation in the last six years pushing an anti-corruption agenda. With reduced membership, the party is now faced with a popular administration that is waging a controversial and deadly war victimizing the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized in its campaign to wipe out illegal drug use through Oplan Tokhang, the execution of which the Senate justice and public order committees deemed to violate constitutional rights, as well as its plans to restore the death penalty and to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 9 years old. Today, December 10, we call on all Filipinos to reaffirm our common humanity, ang malasakit sa ating kapwa, and stand up for the rights of all. We echo the call of the United Nations for each of us to "step forward and defend the rights of a refugee or migrant, a person with disabilities, an LGBT person, a woman, a child, indigenous peoples, a minority group, or anyone else at risk of discrimination or violence" -- mga nasa laylayan ng ating lipunan. The fight for human rights has not ended when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted 68 years ago. Kaya ipagdiwang natin ang araw na ito. Patuloy tayong kumilos at makilahok upang itulak ang ating karapatang mabuhay nang malaya, maligaya, at masagana.
Press Release

December 10, 2016 Las Pinas holds 11th Parol festival It was a festive pre- celebration in Las Pinas on Friday as residents displayed their creative juices and made the most striking and impressive lanterns for the 11th Parol Festival. Already an annual event, the Parol Festival is a competition of giant parols made by Las Pineros. Participating parols are sized 8 ft to 10 ft with designs and styles that vary from flowers, doubles stars, arabia and pating. The festival was a brainchild of Sen. Cynthia A. Villar when she was still Las Pinas congresswoman in a bid to boost the city's parol-making industry. At the time, she helped organize the "Samahang Magpaparol ng Las Pinas" and then set up the Las Pinas Parol Center which has since served as the training area for lantern makers. 'What better way to help my constituents than to provide them with the venue not only to showcase their talents but to also encourage residents, especially promising entrepreneurs, to venture into this highly lucrative industry,' Villar said. Villar added: 'My family and I look forward to this festival every year. We anticipate this event with excitement, all agog what kind of beautiful lanterns our parol makers have prepared for the event.' Villar, along with husband former Senate President Manny Villar and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, led the festivities which was held at the Villar SIPAG offices, where the competing lanterns from 17 parol makers have been on display since December 1 when they were submitted. Lighting of the lanterns and judging was done on December 6. The criteria for judging for the 11th Parol Festival are Ingenuity & Resourcefulness-30%; Creativity-25%; Audience Impact-30%; and Technical Skills-15%. Aside from their designs, lanterns will also be judged on how creatively parol makers included recycled materials such as plastic, shampoo and soap covers, straw, pet bottles, CDs, cartons, cans, and shells like tahong and tulya, and indigenous materials like coconut husk, dried leaves, feathers, shells etc. in their finished products. 'We must always be highly conscious on how we can help protect and preserve Mother Nature. Using indigenous and recycled materials for our lanterns brings attention to this noble and important goal,' Villar pointed out. Parol maker Bryan Flores took home the first prize pot of P20,000. The second prize of P15,000 was given to Alicia Bencio, while Emeterio Cabasal Jr. took home the third prize award of P10,000. Participants to the 11th Las Pinas Parol Festival were: Lucila Cabasal , Dionisia Aliparo, Emeterio Cabasal, Jr., Margarita Manlangit, Crisanto Cabasal, Josefa Advincula, Dolores Guevarra, Dolores Topacio, Eldefonso Esguerra, Fercival Santos, Bryan Flores, Alicia Bencio, John Robert Flores, Lea Esguerra, Bry. BF Int'l./CAA, Bry. Zapote, and Bry. Ilaya. Each participating parol-maker was given a subsidy of P2,000 each. At the same time, a street dance competition, with the theme "Paskong Las Pineros: Sama-samang pag-indak tungo sa pag-unlad", was also held among elementary school students was also held during the festival. Participating groups had a maximum of 50 elementary students all currently enrolled in Las Pinas City. Their costumes had parols/lanterns and recycled and indigenous materials as their main component. Each participating group was given a subsidy of P25,000 for their costumes, props and other equipment. The criteria for judging for the street dance competition are Interpretation and Concept, 40%; Choreography (Mastery, Execution and Synchronization, 30%; and Costume and Props, 30%. Winners in the street dance competition are the following: 3rd Group (CAA Elementary School, CAA Elementary-Annex and Gatchalian Elementary School) P50,000 (grand champion); 2nd Group (Talon Elementary School, Moonwalk Elementary School, MES Golden Acres-Annex and MES-Mikesell Annex) P30,000 (1st runner up); and 4th Group (Almanza Elementary School, Almanza Elementary School-Annex and Pilar Village Elementary School) P20,000 (2nd runner up).
While cities and landlords across the U.S. take on potentially unsafe buildings that house artist communes, a case out of Richmond illustrates another type of problem authorities face in regulating non-permitted do-it-yourself clubs.

Richmonds makeshift punk venue Burnt Ramen has long cheekily billed itself as an unsafe place for all ages drawing underground music fans to a graffitied building thats actually owned by the studios proprietor whose website expresses disdain for regulation.

I live by the code of NO RULES, NO SIGNS, and NO RESTRICTIONS and so therefore will not try to make Burnt Ramen a business thats up to code and respected by the mainstream money minded morons, reads a message on the venues website that appears to have been posted years ago after a fire inspection led to a shutdown of live shows.

Burnt Ramen has no business license and as a result is not regularly inspected by the city, says Richmond Mayor Tom Butt, who mentioned the club at 111 Espee Ave.  calling it Richmonds Ghost Ship in an email blast this week following the deadly Oakland fire.

I didnt bring it up for purpose of picking on them or going after them because I dont know whats going on inside the building, Butt said. Its just an example of a building thats off the citys radar  for all practical purposes it doesnt exist.

To Burnt Ramens proprietor, Michael Malin, who goes by Mykee Ramen, the allegations that his property has been invisible to city safety inspectors is unfair and inaccurate. We actually have been inspected by the Fire Department, and they suggested only minor changes, said Ramen, who lives in the building he bought 18 years ago.

Richmonds code enforcement unit did not respond to numerous attempts to verify that claim by phone and email, but Burnt Ramens website claims the fire department forced it to stop hosting live shows.

On the surface, its easy to see why the city would not take kindly to Burnt Ramens presence. The landing page for its website pictures a toilet splattered in blood or vomit. In the alley behind the house, there are circle-A anarchist symbols scrawled on the wall, and a wolf lopes and snarls in a mural on the buildings exterior. But Ramen said the space has been a haven for many young people over the years and a vital space for counterculture in an otherwise bleak industrial landscape.

Since this happened and the pressure is on us, we have had a huge amount of community support  this place has touched a lot of peoples lives, given them a space for creativity and expression, introduced kids to artists from all over the world, Ramen said.

Richmonds mayor is among many city officials advocating for stricter code enforcement but facing resistance from artists and activists who say that while safety is important, a mass crackdown on unlicensed spaces will only create more problems by displacing scores of people and damaging the arts communities those buildings house.

In his email, Butt took issue with the argument that a contributing factor to the Ghost Ship tragedy was that soaring rents have priced artists out of legal spaces.

The root cause of the fatalities was that a building owner and a prime tenant were apparently using the building for an illegal and dangerous purpose, putting people in grave danger while making money from it, he said.

To Ramen and many others in the underground music communities of the East Bay, its unfortunate that Derick Ion Almena, the manager of Ghost Ship, is held up as representative of their communities despite questionable practices.

People need to address the bigger issue, Ramen said. The artistic lifestyle, which was already marginalized, is being systematically criminalized through gentrification and selective enforcement of the law.

In many cases, residents of live/work spaces and DIY venues are vulnerable to eviction by landlords, but Ramen owns his space. He founded Burnt Ramen in 1994 as a recording studio, then moved to Richmond in 1998 and started hosting live shows.

He notes that while his property is zoned as a single-family residence, so is the post office across the street.

Butt said that code enforcement has become a priority for Richmond in recent months in order to deal with the thousands of businesses operating in the city without licenses. The city has hired a full-time employee to deal with enforcing business licensing requirements, and it also has brought on an outside firm to help regulate short-term rentals.

Unless individual businesses are proactive in obtaining a business license, the city doesnt go after them. They fall off the radar, they fall off the system, they basically dont exist, and they dont get any kind of regulatory scrutiny, he said by phone on Friday.

He said he did not bring up Burnt Ramen in his email to target it specifically, but merely to highlight the lack of accountability for establishments operating without licenses.

He added that critics accusing him of targeting the artistic community are misunderstanding his message, and that he doesnt believe art and safety are mutually exclusive.

Some of these Oakland artists who are being priced out of Oakland actually ought to take a look at Richmond, Butt said. We have the lowest residential rents in the Bay Area, the lowest commercial rents in the Bay Area, the lowest property values in the interior Bay Area, and if people are looking for a less expensive place to do artistic things, Richmond is a great location for that.

Filipa A. Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi
The two San Francisco police officers who shot to death a 45-year-old homeless man who allegedly lunged at one of them with a large kitchen knife in the Mission District acted lawfully and with legitimate concern for their lives, the city attorneys office said.

Responding to a civil rights lawsuit filed by the family of Luis Gongora  the homeless man who was shot to death near a homeless encampment in the 400 block of Shotwell Street in April  lawyers for the city dismissed eyewitness accounts as not credible in justifying the actions of the officers.

Three lawyers with the city attorneys office, representing San Francisco and the two police officers, filed the citys response Thursday, asking the court to grant a jury trial if the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, isnt dismissed outright.

Gongora, a native of Mexico whose family said spoke only Mayan, was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of his shooting, which tends to explain his erratic behavior, the city attorney wrote.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

At first, lawyers for the office wrote, Gongora complied with the commands of officers to drop the knife he wielded, but as they approached him, he lunged directly at one of the two.

The lawsuit, filed by Gongoras family Oct. 7, disputed the official account of the shooting and claimed Sgt. Nate Steger and Officer Michael Mellone used unnecessary and unlawful force. The familys attorney claimed Gongora did not threaten the officers with the knife before he was shot with less-lethal beanbags and then with bullets.

Surveillance video provided to The Chronicle showed the shooting unfolding less than 30 seconds after officers arrived to the scene, a short timeline criticized by the attorney representing Gongoras family and by police watchdog groups.

More for you SF police shooting unfolded in 30 seconds, video shows

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 city attorneys office said that the video  in which Gongora is just outside the frame and the officers advance with guns drawn  backs up assertions by the two officers that they were retreating from an oncoming Gongora when they opened fire.

Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @michael_bodley
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If you want to be a journalist worthy of the name, and you want a friend, you better get a dog.

Its an old adage, but one thats stuck with Dan Rather through the nearly seven decades of his career. In the era of fake news, though, the newsman might want to update it: On the Internet, nobody knows youre a fraud.

The importance of a fierce, independent and adversarial press has been thrown into sharp relief as Silicon Valley and the rest of the country have reckoned with the influence of made-up news online about the presidential election and beyond.

The breadth and depth of fake news suggests that stemming the tide will be no easy task. But, as Rather sees it, any hope of combatting it will require a fearless media, a public steeped in healthy skepticism and a sense of public service among the tech companies like Google and Facebook that play an important role in the way news is consumed.

Rather sees fake news  various forms of misinformation made to look and feel like the real thing and given velocity by social media  as symptomatic of the nations creep toward a post-truth political world, where rival factions can undercut even the most basic facts, seemingly with impunity.

First a few people, and then a lot of people said, You know what, you can put out completely false things and, especially the way the Internet works, itll go viral and worldwide, Rather said. And the truth has no chance of catching up with it.

Many journalists, including myself, when we get together over an adult beverage, we talk about What the hell happened here?

Recent studies indicating how difficult it can be for people to tell fake news from real have stoked Rathers unease.

CBS Photo Archive/CBS via Getty Images

A Stanford University study released last month reported that students  from middle school to college  had difficulty assessing the credibility of stories shared on social media. More than 80 percent could not distinguish between advertisements dressed up as articles and actual news.

Gaining ground against fake news and misinformation, Rather said, requires a rededication on the part of the news media to the idea that what the public needs to know is what somebody, somewhere  especially somebody in power  doesnt want them to know. Thats news.

Everything else is propaganda and advertising, mostly, he said.

Responsibility for cutting through the haze of fake news, Rather said, also lies with social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook, which allow bogus information to ricochet across the Internet, where likes and shares can reinforce a storys apparent credibility.

Theyre in the service of making profits and increasing shareholder value, we all understand that. But there needs to be, with that, a sense of public service, Rather said.

Facebook says its working on ways to tamp down on the spread of hoaxes and fake news. But in a Nov. 12 post, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote that more than 99 percent of what people see on the service is authentic, and that Only a very small amount is news and hoaxes.

Rather, still peripatetic at 85, swung through San Francisco last week to help promote Ashes to Gold, a documentary being developed by his production company, News and Guts.

The documentary, still in the early stages, will explore Japans hosting of the 1964 Olympic Games, an event considered to have marked that countrys triumphant return to the world stage after World War II. At a gathering hosted by the Japan Society of Northern California, Rather said the story was one of vital importance in this time of uncertainty and anxiety.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

In addition to maintaining an active presence on social media, where he often opines on politics and current events, Rather also interviews prominent musicians and other celebrities for AXS TV, the network founded by Mark Cuban.

After decades spent covering many of of the most important events in recent history, Rather relinquished the anchors chair of the CBS Evening News in 2005 under a cloud.

In 2004, just months before the presidential election, Rather and his team aired a piece on 60 Minutes that raised questions about the service record of President George W. Bush during his time in the Texas Air National Guard. The authenticity of the documents couldnt be independently verified, and the media pounced on the story, resulting in the firing and resignation of several top CBS News producers, and, ultimately, Rather.

But, Rather said, through it all, he still holds fast to the sentiment espoused by another renowned CBS newsman, Edward R. Murrow, during his coverage of World War II  staying steady.

And as he gazes into what the future may hold for American media, Rather remains a strident optimist.

We Americans have a lot of shortcomings. We make a lot of mistakes. But one of the things were good at is adapting, he said. Well be OK. It may take a while, and it may be a rocky journey, but well be OK.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa
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The age-old rivalry between San Francisco and Los Angeles was nowhere in sight at the Castro Theatre on Thursday night, Dec. 8, as the San Francisco Film Society honored La La Land, the new musical film by writer-director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash). In spite of the fact that rain forced the red carpet inside to the Castros mezzanine, fans of the films leads, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, did not let weather keep them away from seeing the stars.

Ive wanted to make movies as long as I can remember, Chazelle said before the screening. I lived my whole life thinking about movies and art, and I also played music starting at an early age. I guess at the end of the day, you write what you know and try to keep things personal. In this case, it means making films about the artistic process.

The film is a veritable love letter, both to the city of Los Angeles and to the innovative film musicals of the 1940s and 50s pioneered by performers and filmmakers like Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen. But instead of trying to merely replicate the magic of that bygone era, Chazelle sought to combine the hallmarks of the older films with a contemporary sense of dramatic grounding.

Theres a certain amount of skepticism you have to worry about, Chazelle said of audiences disbelief in film characters breaking into musical numbers. Ryan, Emma and I worked on making it as real and naturalistic as possible, making sure the numbers were justified by the emotion. I think once you make that emotion feel real, you can take the audience along on any ride.

This was the inaugural year for the film societys new SF Honors Award, which was presented to Chazelle onstage during a conversation with Stone, Gosling and the films composer, Justin Hurwitz.

The new award was made possible by a $1 million, 10-year gift by film producer and film society Vice President Todd Traina and his mother, Dede Wilsey, who were both in attendance (as were Todds wife, Katie, and brother, Trevor.)

The La La Land team was interviewed onstage by director and fellow film society board member Chris Columbus, whom Executive Director Noah Cowan playfully introduced as Mr. Doubtfire. (Columbus directed the 1993 comedy Mrs. Doubtfire, starring Robin Williams.)

I dont want to oversell it, but its an incredible film, Columbus gushed. He admitted to the crowd that he had been able to see the film only a few hours before and that he was still emotional from the experience.

I never saw a film like this coming in 2016, Columbus later said offstage. I didnt see it coming in any decade, actually.

The praise for the film was seconded by Cowan.

La La Land is the perfect movie for a film society to show, Cowan said. It says so much about the world of cinema, the world of art, the world of culture. Just by absorbing its enthusiasm for the history of this cultural medium, we feel our audiences become more enthusiastic. Its a bridge between the (filmmaking) generations.

La La Land is the third film Stone and Gosling have co-starred in, after Crazy, Stupid, Love and Gangster Squad. The two shared an easy rapport (Gosling greeted Stone with a joking Why hello, Emily, when she arrived on the carpet a few moments later than he), and both confessed to finding the musical film genre a new kind of professional challenge. When asked what new skill was hardest to hone for the filming, Stone immediately replied, The singing!

All the above! Gosling laughed in response. The piano for me was really a bit of work.

But the filmmaking process wasnt all grueling five, six, seven, eight! rehearsals. Chazelle, Gosling and Stone were given a special treat when Patricia Ward Kelly, the widow of La La Land inspiration Gene Kelly, invited them to her home to see her late husbands professional archives.

Patricia was very kind and had us over for dinner, Gosling said. We talked about Gene, she shared her experiences, her wisdom with us. She even allowed us to see a few of Genes things.

We even saw some of his handwritten notes on his scripts, Stone said. It was pretty amazing.

Following the award presentation and onstage conversation, the team ducked out of the Castro just as the sounds of the riveting opening musical number filled the auditorium for an intimate dinner with film society VIPs (including actress Connie Nielsen, filmmaker Roman Coppola and his wife Jenny) at decorator Ken Fulks Magic Factory loft in SoMa. (Fulk was traveling and unable to attend).

Traina, whose credits as producer include 2016s Tallulah (starring Ellen Page and Allison Janney) said his fascination with film began as a kid when he saw the Peter Sellers comedy The Pink Panther.

But it was when I first saw Bullitt that I knew I wanted to shoot films here in San Francisco, he added.

Traina said that the popularity and visionary leadership of Cowan was a major part of why he and his mother gave their gift to the film society, as well as a desire to continue bringing films like La La Land to San Francisco.

It just makes sense that we become a destination for these films, Traina said. We are the third largest Academy (of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) voter base, after Los Angeles and New York.

Wilsey said her love of film also began in childhood when her father, U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg Wiley T. Buchanan, made a deal with the owner of a local cinema to allow her to bypass the 18 and over rule for attendance.

I saw every musical that came there, Wilsey remembered. My kids were brought up on musicals. I even have a carousel at my house in Rutherford for my grandchildren because I loved the musical Carousel so much.

Tony Bravo is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tbravo@sfchronicle.com
The things people do for love.

The Chronicles front page from Dec. 10, 1936, covers British monarch Edward VIIIs abdication of the throne to pursue a divorced American woman.

Announcement this afternoon that King Edward has decided to abdicate the British throne for the love of Mrs. Wallis Warfield Simpson was confidently expected today by press, public and most members of the House of Commons, the story read.

Usually reliable sources of information told the United Press late last night that Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin had informed the Cabinet, in an emergency session, that the king would quit the throne.

Edward had assumed the throne upon the death of his father, King George V, in January 1936. It soon became clear that he wasnt an ideal fit for the role, and his many scandals trailed him. He fell in love with the American woman, and the British prime minister made it clear that marrying her was out of the question for a king.

His decision? Abdicate, wait for Simpsons second divorce to be finalized, marry her and enjoy life.

His brother, George VI, would be crowned. George VIs daughter, Elizabeth II, has been queen since 1952.

(Click to enlarge)

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.

Ad Corner: What has to be one of the worst front-page ads in Chronicle history graces this edition. In kindergartner scrawl, readers are implored to visit Sloanes for Gifts. There, according to the ad, one could buy desks, lamps, chairs, tables, rugs, comforts, blankets, cushions and  more rugs! Apparently, though, they didnt sell typewriters.

See more front pages: Go to SFChronicle.com/covers to search a database of hundreds of Chronicle Covers articles that showcase the newspapers history.
A 121-year-old water main bust and created a gusher in the middle of one of San Franciscos busiest intersections Friday, snarling traffic from the morning commute and into the evening rush hour.

The 12-inch main running underneath Howard Street at Fourth Street broke about 3 a.m. sending a powerful stream of water busting up through the pavement and flooding the intersection.

Charles Sheehan, a spokesman for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, said the water main dates back to 1895.

Generally when you have a main that dates back to 1895, when it breaks its usually age is the cause for the main break, Sheehan said.

Workers spent Friday digging up the intersection and were continuing to work well into the afternoon to replace the busted water main and patch up the street.

Theres a lot of erosion, said Alfredo Olguin, the project manager for the San Francisco Water Department leading repair work.

Workers hope to have the street repaved sometime Saturday morning, but Olguin said he is not sure when exactly the work will be done.

Rich Gonzales, superintendent for the San Francisco Water Department, said traffic in the area was absolutely horrible, much to the dismay of drivers who honked their horns as they were diverted from the intersection.

Businesses in the area, including Oasis Grill on Fourth Street, didnt experienced flooding or low water pressure.

More for you 12-inch water main breaks, floods Fourth and Howard streets in SF

Bill Spongberg, a temporary maintenance worker for the Moscone Center, said the convention center also didnt have any flooding problems, but due to the street closures, truck deliveries had to find alternate routes to access the loading docks.

Otherwise, its just business as usual except for people stopping to look at the big hole, Spongberg said.

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.

Officials advised drivers to avoid the the neighborhood near Yerba Buena Center.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
A week ago Saturday, my cell phone started ringing well before the sun had risen:

Newsroom: Emergency Line, the phones screen read.

Sorry to wake you up, said our hurried weekend editor, Bob Miller. We have a big tragedy in Oakland.

By that time, nearly every news reporter on the staff had been called and several editors were on their way to our newsroom at Fifth and Mission in San Francisco. What wed been able to report so far had been posted online.

I expected as much as soon as I heard the phone ring. Thats what we do. But we dont always explain how we do it to you, the people who see the finished product. Id like to change that.

The ensuing week was a stunning one for The Chronicles newsroom:

On Dec. 2, we had published the first major story by our newly formed investigative team, an unapologetic and frank tale of a dubious nonprofit run by a San Francisco socialite.

Then the next day came the horrific Ghost Ship warehouse fire, a tragedy that has kept editors, reporters, designers and Web producers working through their days off, skipping their kids events or plans with friends.

At the same time, we continued our leadership of the pioneering SF Homeless Project, an effort for which we investigated substandard, publicly subsidized housing, explained how the federal government plays a role in our homeless crisis and, by following the lives of seven homeless people through the year, showed how difficult it will be for San Francisco to clear its street of tent encampments. Our latest reports were published Wednesday.

Were only getting started.

This is the sort of week I describe during my tours of the newsroom for subscribers, a perk we offer members at least once a month. Subscribers attend our morning news meeting, where our top editors dissect the work weve done and how we can do it better. As I tell our tours: The great thing about daily journalism is that you get the chance to do better every day; the bad thing about it is that you have to do it every day. No days off for Christmas or Thanksgiving. No choosing to ignore the phone ringing at 4 a.m.

Without exception, the tour attendees remark upon the level of thought and insight that goes into how we cover the news every day.

This week, members of the national media have descended on Oakland to cover the aftermath of the Ghost Ship inferno, with more than a few behaving in a manner we would never tolerate at The Chronicle. Let me tell you how things work here:

We never pay for interviews. Its common for television producers to offer sources luxurious trips to New York or nights in a hotel. But make no mistake: Paying for a local hotel room for the operator of the Ghost Ship warehouse is the same as paying him. Its also not a coincidence that it ensures he wont easily be reached by other reporters. Meanwhile, the people who relied on him are dead, living with relatives or friends, or homeless.

We would never hush mourners so that we could shoot video at a crime scene.

We never misrepresent ourselves as anything but Chronicle journalists. We listen, we empathize. This is where we live, too. This is our community as much as it is yours. We want it to be artistic and safe.

I want to hear from you E-mail me your questions about the newsroom and I'll include them in future columns: acooper@sfchronicle.com. See More Collapse

A few national outlets have announced plans to send reporters out to find answers to questions raised by the Ghost Ship warehouse fire. We already are doing that. Its called news reporting, and we have dozens of journalists who have been breaking those stories for days.

Covering this tragedy is difficult and wont get easier. Last week The Chronicle brought a counselor into the newsroom for the reporters who for days have been working at the scene of the Ghost Ship fire. For those who have been talking to victims relatives, gathering information for moving obituaries  stories that tell us just what and who the Bay Area lost in that fire. Those reporters have thick skins. They dont like to talk about what an emotionally draining job they have.

We have dozens of stories and investigations planned  some you will see in the coming days, some that might take a few weeks. We are going through reports and interviews, methodically separating truth and context from innuendo and rumor.

Our editors agree that we need to share more of this process with you. Its what makes The Chronicle a unique media organization and one deserving of your vocal and financial support.

So heres a promise from me: I wont be a stranger to these pages, and we will have regular discussions about how we cover the news  what we are doing, how we do it and, most importantly, why.

Audrey Cooper is the editor in chief of The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: acooper@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @audreycoopersf
Mike Connor, deputy secretary of the Interior Department for the Obama administration, was laying out the California water-supply challenges. The bottom line: The supply is insufficient in good times to get all the competing interests the water they need; in periods of drought it becomes impossible to satisfy anyone.

And there was no escaping the reality of the climate change factor. Less snowpack. Shifting precipitation patterns. Warmer water temperatures at critical times for the cool-water-dependent Chinook salmon.

All of this is going to severely impact water availability, Connor said during a meeting with our editorial board last week.

There is no denying the predicament that global warming presents to California  unless you happen to be Scott Pruitt, the Oklahoma attorney general just selected by President-elect Donald Trump to head the Environmental Protection Agency.

Its hard to imagine, at least for those who believe in science, that Trump could have come up with a more inappropriate choice to lead an agency that took a prominent regulatory role in advancing climate-action efforts during the Obama years. Pruitt is out of the drill-baby-drill school of energy policy. He has written that the debate on climate change is far from settled, though it clearly is for the overwhelming legion of scientists who are not in the pocket of extraction industries. He has been a vigorous advocate for the fossil fuels industry, even joining two dozen other states in filing suit over the agency he has been tapped to lead for its attempts to curb power plant emissions.

Then again, such an appointment should not be a surprise from a president-elect who has called global warming a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese. This is the man who came to the state during last years primary to suggest there is no drought even though it just endured its driest four-year period in recorded history.

For California, climate change is not someone elses problem, and doing something about it is not a matter of sacrificing, but of preparing for its effects and of capitalizing on the opportunities to lead the way on green technologies.

A coastal state such as ours has more than a moral obligation to slow the change in the planets weather patterns. My colleague John King has for the past year detailed the myriad problems sea level rise will present throughout the region. The anticipated midrange increase of 36 inches would wash salt water into San Franciscos Ferry Building twice a day by 2100; even a 16-inch increase would flood the Bay Bridge tollbooths during storms.

Beyond the damage is the lost opportunity of standing pat. California now receives more than half of the nations venture capital investment in clean energy. More than 500,000 state residents are employed in the clean-energy sector.

I touched base by phone last week with Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, who recently returned from the United Nations climate change conference in Morocco. Naturally, many of the leaders he encountered from other countries were concerned about the Trump election and what it might mean for the U.S. role in climate action. Trump has vowed to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord and, of course, his choice of Pruitt for the EPA does not bode well.

We are not going to retreat was de Leons message. If necessary, California will create alliances with other climate-concerned states, or even other nations, to fill the void. He added that any effort to undermine our climate leadership is a job killer.

The president-elect says he likes to win, de Leon said. This is a race were leading.

But not necessarily for long.

We run the risk of China eclipsing the U.S. as a leader in clean technologies, the Senate leader said. If that happens, it will be because of Donald Trump and the people around him with a contempt for science generally and their contempt for evidence that postindustrial human activity is driving climate change.

Gov. Jerry Brown and his choice to succeed Sen.-elect Kamala Harris as attorney general, Xavier Becerra, have expressed their commitment to fight any attempt by Washington to backtrack on climate change. The state remains pledged (via Senate Bill 32) to reduce its greenhouse emissions below 1990 levels by 2030 and (via de Leons SB350) to generate at least half its power from clean or renewable sources by 2030.

To do our part to leave this planet in decent shape for future generations may be the ultimate moral obligation we all bear. But there are abundant reasons its also in our selfish near-term interest for California to stay the course on reducing carbon emissions. Its good to know our leaders are ready to lead, no matter what happens in Washington.

John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChron

Trump on climate: As variable as the weather

2009

We support your effort to ensure meaningful and effective measures to control climate change, an immediate challenge facing the United States and the world today.

Donald Trump and his children,

in a letter to President Obama

2010

With the coldest winter ever recorded, with snow setting record levels up and down the coast, the Nobel committee should take back the Nobel Prize from Al Gore for his advocacy of action to combat global warming. Steps advocated by Gore would make us totally noncompetitive in the manufacturing world, and China, Japan and India are laughing at Americas stupidity.

Trump, to an audience

at one of his golf clubs

2012

2013

2014

2015

When I hear Obama saying that climate change is the No. 1 problem, it is just madness

June 17 interview

on Fox News

2016

Trump said his first-100-days agenda would include overturning Obamas executive actions on climate rules, canceling the Paris agreement and stopping all payments of U.S. tax dollars to UN global warming programs.

I did not, I did not ... I do not say that.

Trump in response to Hillary Clintons statement in Sept. 26 debate that he called climate change a hoax perpetuated by the Chinese
Job description: From your own angle, figure out whats interesting. Read up on it. Talk to people. Listen. Maybe see how it plays out on the ground. Write about it. Repeat three times a week.

The mission takes you places  San Quentin prison, classrooms, campus protests. You were there when elated supporters shook the floor as Barack Obama made his famous acceptance speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. You were there the next week for the Republicans in St. Paul as Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin bragged about her skill in field dressing a moose.

You were there during the Winter of Love when gay and lesbian couples formed a line that snaked outside of City Hall to tie the knot. You followed the court decisions that upheld or overturned those nuptials, the ballot measure that reinstated the ban on same-sex marriage and the court rulings that overturned the ban.

You sat through hearings that led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton and popped in at O.J. Simpsons trail of the century.

You anguished through the 2000 Florida recount and the 2016 GOP primary that nominated a man whom you believed could not win the primary or the general election. Its the surprises that make this job. You and I have been through a lot together.

I have found so much joy writing this column. Ive talked to everyone  junkies and presidents. Once Arnold Schwarzenegger allowed me to wield the savage sword of Conan. I won a scoop interview with Californias first dog Sutter Brown. You say the streets of San Francisco stink? I get a column out of it.

When you write for a newspaper, you actually can change the world, well at least a corner of it for some people. I began writing in favor of presidential commutations when Clinton was president. To his credit, Clinton freed Kemba Smith, Dorothy Gaines and Serena Nunn, nonviolent low-level drug offenders sentenced to draconian terms. When I learned about Clarence Aaron, a young black man sentenced to life without parole for a first-time low-level nonviolent drug conviction, I vowed to write about him until he was a free man. Fourteen years later, President Obama commuted Aarons sentence.

Ive had my share of crusades. I fought trendy new educational approaches like whole language and new-new math. I argued with Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown over eminent domain. I supported legalizing recreational marijuana in 2010, six years before California voters saw the light. Whenever his supporters insisted that Death Row inmate Kevin Cooper was innocent, I made sure the public understood why jurors convicted Cooper for the gruesome 1983 murders of chiropractors Douglas and Peggy Ryen, their 10-year-old daughter, Jessica, and houseguest Christopher Hughes. When Mayor Ed Lee tried to fire Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi for bruising his wifes arm, I thought the exercise was overkill. When District Attorney George Gascon prosecuted the aunt of a poor young girl killed by a hit-and-run driver because the aunt had left Miyisha Gregory, 2, in a crosswalk while she grabbed the girls brother, I saw prosecutorial overkill. So did jurors.

I think Washington should pass the Dream Act to grant citizenship to immigrants who came to the United States illegally as children, but I never will understand why San Francisco has a sanctuary city policy that protects immigrants who are in the country illegally and are serious repeat career criminals.

I hectored local politicians like then-Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown for taking their sweet time on the needed retrofit of the eastern span of the Bay Bridge. It took too long, and it came in $5 billion over budget, but the new span is up.

Two forces have remained constant during my 24 years at The Chronicle. My comrades in the newsroom have never failed to inform and inspire me. Yes, its no picnic to be a conservative columnist in liberal journalism in Americas foremost left-leaning bastion. As I leave, I pause to think of the many colleagues who had profound disagreement with my opinions, but nonetheless tried to make me look my best. I grieve at the thought of not being able to walk through the newsroom to hear my cynical comrades take on the news of the day.

Most important are the readers. We agree. We disagree. I know some get up in the morning to read and rail about me, while others count on my column to present their underrepresented (in San Francisco) point of view. Ive also found many liberals are hungry for a different point of view. Over time, my job evolved so that I became a translator who explained conservatives to liberals and the liberals to conservatives.

It is impossible to replicate the bond a newspaper columnist establishes with readers. Youve always let me know what you think, esteemed reader, and you are always in my head.

There is a certain swagger that goes with the job. Of course, there is. The Chronicle has paid me for my opinion for 24 years. How many people can say that theyre paid for their opinions? Better yet, how many people can say theyre paid for their unpopular opinions?

Ive always thought I had the greatest job in the world. Ive enjoyed having a big footprint. So it is time for me to move on and find a new way to make trouble. I am not sure what my next adventure will be, but I trust it will not be boring.

Email: debrajeansaunders@gmail.com Twitter: @DebraJSaunders
SACRAMENTO  California lawmakers are vowing to resist any attempts by President-elect Donald Trump to increase deportations of immigrants in the country without documentation.

Within hours of swearing in new members this week, lawmakers took an aggressive tone toward Trump and the President-elects Cabinet picks, while unveiling bills that would create safe zones for immigrants, dedicate up to $80 million in state funds to provide legal assistance to people facing deportation and create immigration law training centers. Another bill would beef up student privacy protections to ensure that the immigration status of students could not be released to federal immigration officials.

Both Democrat-led houses passed resolutions this week that made it clear they are ready to fight Trump should he introduce policies that increase deportations. Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Paramount (Los Angeles County), said the state is prepared to stand up against mass deportations and bigoted rhetoric.

Immigrants matter in California. ... We are telling the next administration and Congress that if you want to get to them, you have to go through us, Rendon said.

Lawmakers passed this weeks resolutions when they convened Monday to swear in new members. And more bills and resolutions are likely to be introduced as lawmakers begin their new two-year session in January. Democratic lawmakers said they have to prepare the state for potential policies Trump talked about on the campaign trail.

Its not our responsibility to read the tea leaves and predict what the president-elect may or may not do or what his administration may or may not do, said Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles. Its our moral responsibility as senators and Assembly members to do everything in our power to protect our constituents to alleviate the sense of anxiety of fear and panic that is deep in many communities across the state of California.

Republicans, however, say the Democratic supermajority in the California Legislature is putting federal funding for the state at risk by attacking Trumps policies before the president-elect takes office or even fully defines what his policies will be.

Assemblyman Devon Mathis, R-Visalia (Tulare County), called the bills specifically aimed at Trumps potential immigration policies premature and divisive, adding that making the harsh-toned resolutions the first order of business in both houses is worrisome.

Rather than put up divisive resolutions that are only going to put California at odds with the federal government, the Democratic majority should join with Republicans and work out a reasonable solution to the immigration issue that brings these folks out of the shadows, Mathis said.

Senate Republican Leader Jean Fuller, R-Bakersfield, added that passions are still high after the last election, and I hope we can avoid rushing legislation without first fully understanding its impact on all Californians.

SB54, by de Leon, would ban state and local law enforcement officials from helping federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents with deportation cases. The bill would prohibit federal immigration officials from attempting to use state data to identify immigrants, such as information kept at the Department of Motor Vehicles for drivers licenses granted to immigrants without documentation in the state.

We will not stand by and let the federal government use our state and local agencies to separate mothers from their children, de Leon said.

The bill also would create safe zones, such as schools, hospitals and courthouses, where immigration enforcement would be prohibited. The bill does not apply to deportation cases involving people who have committed a violent offense when a warrant is issued.

Weve never had a problem with the deportation of individuals who are felons, de Leon said. Dangerous criminals, drug dealers, violent criminals  there have never been issues with that.

SB6 by Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, would create a state-funded program where court-appointed lawyers would represent people facing deportation. AB3 by Assemblyman Rob Bonta, D-Oakland, would create regional centers paid for by the state that would train attorneys on immigration law. The two programs could cost anywhere between $10 million and $80 million, Hueso said.

When immigrants have an attorney representing them in deportation cases, they are three times more likely to win the right to remain in the country, according to a report by the Immigrants Rights Clinic at Stanford Law School and the Northern California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice.

This bill will pretty much mean the difference between being able to stay in the country for some of these families or being torn away from their family and community, said Hueso, the newly elected chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus.

The senator said his own father was deported three times after earning his U.S. citizenship in 1952.

It was deeply traumatic for my father, Hueso said. Because of that, everywhere he went, he wore a suit. For my entire life I knew my father in a suit because he was looking to be treated with dignity.

AB21 by Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, would require federal immigration officials to notify administrators at public colleges and universities before they go on campus. It would also prevent public colleges and universities from releasing student immigration status information to immigration officials.

Kalra said students should not have to live or learn in fear.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
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Californians may be largely locked out of the Trump administration, but they are quickly forming the hub of whats being called the Resistance.

While the term has been embraced by larger liberal organizations such as MoveOn.org, the intellectual headquarters of this surge in grassroots activism is the progressive Bay Area, where newly arriving techies, longtime activists and wealthy investors, among others, are plotting how to push back on President-elect Donald Trumps agenda.

With Democrats in the political minority in Washington, many Resisters feel its on them to protect whats sacred, because politicians wont be able to do it. They say its time to move beyond mourning Hillary Clintons defeat and start counter-attacking  quickly, because Trump takes office in less than six weeks.

Ive been signing petitions and donating money and calling congresspeople, said Lori Koon, a San Francisco hairdresser who is hosting a Trump resistance meeting Monday at the salon where she works. And thats all good, but at this point, if I want to see the world shaped the way I want to, the little people like me are going to have to do it.

She is leading one of the more than 60 small groups organized by Californias 1.3 million-member Courage Campaign that are designed to brainstorm resistance ideas. Courage Campaign provides the framework on how to conduct a meeting, but it is up to the individual groups to riff on the ideas that fit into its Courageous Resistance campaign.

Ive never done something like that before, Koon said. But Im stepping out of my comfort zone because I think its important.

She is illustrative of how many of the planning efforts are in the early stages and taking many forms, both online and off.

People want to do something  they just dont know what. Theyre telling us, Tell me what to do, said Eddie Kurtz, executive director of Courage Campaign.

The role of civil society is to shine a light on whats happening here, Kurtz said. There were a lot of people who voted for Trump who didnt realize what they were voting for. Its our job to expose this and tell stories around it.

This weekend, several hundred programmers are gathering at San Francisco tech company GitHub for a hackathon on how to transform your dissatisfaction into a unique idea. The agenda of Debug Politics: Find one specific thing about the election cycle you were dissatisfied with and build something to fix it.

Michael Short/Special To The Chronicle

This is the second such Debug gathering. Organizer Jesse Pickard plans similar hackathons in Los Angeles, New York and, eventually, elsewhere in the country.

The first hackathon, held last month, came up with ideas like a browser extension that enables users to better sniff out fake news. Another was a website to help users find organizations where they can help counter the new administration.

Pickard said the Debug idea started with a post-election-day realization that moaning about Trump with other liberals on Facebook wouldnt accomplish much. Plus, Pickard is motivated by the feeling that he didnt do enough to prevent Trumps election.

On a personal level, I felt I didnt do enough to actually effect change, said Pickard, the CEO of Elevate, a brain-training app that was named Apples iPhone App of the Year in 2014. He volunteered to knock on doors for Hillary Clintons campaign in Reno but it was very surface-level stuff. A lot of my friends fell in the same boat. And a lot of them have amazing skills to offer.

Other efforts are sprouting, too, with a more targeted focus.

With Trump scheduled to meet with Silicon Valley leaders next week, other online activists are urging tech companies, including Google and Facebook, not to cooperate with any efforts by the Trump administration to create a registry of Muslims. An online petition being circulated by the activist group Sum of Us, which has offices in San Francisco, says Donald Trumps agenda is a dangerous, existential threat to our communities and democracy  and now hes trying to get Silicon Valley to help him to execute it.

Longtime San Francisco environmental leader Adam Werbach has been working with Democratic donor Mark Pincus, the San Francisco billionaire founder of game builder Zynga, and his wife, Ali Pincus, founder of home decor site One Kings Lane, and what Werbach called other senior tech leaders in funding research in Midwestern and Southern states.

We want to know, fundamentally, how do we serve people who have been left behind by the economy? said Werbach, the former director of the Sierra Club. They expect to use what they learn to unveil a policy road map for resistance shortly before Trumps inauguration in January.

Right now, were doing a lot of humble listening, Werbach said. We cant just make this what were against  we have to state very clearly what were for.

Werbach said many of his compatriots who rebounded from previous Republican takeovers, such as Newt Gingrich in the House and George W. Bush in the White House, were lulled into relative dormancy during the Obama years. Trumps election has reawakened many of them.

Ive been doing this a long time, and Ive never been so overwhelmed by offers of support, Werbach said. A couple of weeks ago in San Francisco, he helped Beau Willimon  who created the Netflix series House of Cards  recruit progressive leaders to help with the Action Group Network that Willimon started to harness the energy of people angered by Trumps victory. On Dec. 19, activists from the network will demonstrate outside the state Capitol as part of a nationwide movement to urge Electoral College members not to cast their ballots for Trump.

San Francisco writer and activist Rebecca Solnit cautioned that the implications of Trumps victory are potentially more dangerous than what progressives faced under Bush.

There wasnt a danger that Bush would start a nuclear war if someone insulted him, Solnit said.

At 10:30 a.m. Monday, she will join others in front of the Capitol in Sacramento to read what she described as a repurposed Declaration of Independence. It is designed to show how a Trump administration poses a tremendous threat to democracy itself ... as well as to the climate and human rights and the environment. The threats are all so grave.

And while Republicans toast Trump at inaugural balls around Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, a group of Bay Area progressives are planning a $75-a-ticket event dubbed The Blue Ball at a venue soon to be announced. Its part cry-in-your-beer festival and part organizing effort to encourage people to support groups that will be on the front lines of the political battle for the next four years.

Organizer John Whaley, a Bay Area Democratic pollster who is putting it together with his wife, Jenn Lynn-Whaley, and others, remembered going to a similar event in Washington, D.C., in 2005 on the night of Bushs second-term inaugural.

There seems to be a need for it right now, Whaley said.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
A woman and a man were killed two hours apart late Thursday in San Francisco, becoming the second and third homicides in the city in two days, police said.

Police responded to the first slaying just before 9:30 p.m. in lower Pacific Heights. A 56-year-old woman was found stabbed to death on the 2000 block of Sutter Street near Fillmore Street, police said.
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In her upstairs loft at the Vulcan, in East Oakland, Michele Sylvan was always making clothes  shirts and dresses that she would design, cut out the patterns for, and sew to fit on a dressmakers dummy.

Otherwise shy and reserved, She wasnt reserved about the clothing she made, recalled a former neighbor named Joshua who declined to give his last name. He said he knew Sylvan as Colette, not Michele.

He also knew her as the type of person who didnt say much but when she did it was always something cool and often something very profound.

Sylvan, 37, who was identified Friday as one of 36 people to die in the Dec. 2 fire at an Oakland warehouse music show, lived for several years at the Vulcan Lofts with her partner, Wolfgang Renner, 61. They entertained and loved to dance, said Joshua, and if there was an event, they came dressed to the nines.

Which is presumably how they arrived at the Ghost Ship warehouse. Both Sylvan and Renner were killed in the fire and were among the last victims identified.

They had been a couple since at least 2001, when Joshua met them in San Francisco. He lost track of them until they were reunited, living just a few doors apart at the Vulcan,

She was a wonderful person, one of the best tenants Ive had in my 15 years of managing property, said Elecia Holland, who manages the Vulcan. She was a quirky artist and there is not one person I have met who had a bad thing to say about her.

This would be true of anyone who was ever on the receiving end of one of her massages, which may have been how she made her living, Joshua said.

As a massage therapist, she was the best one I ever had, he said. She was magic.

Sylvan also liked to sing, and Holland said she wrote songs. Joshua, a photographer, once did a photo shoot of Sylvan modeling her clothes, but he never heard her discuss clients or marketing.

She was pretty private about her stuff, he said. It never came up who she sold to. She was just always working on it.

One thing he is sure of: She never made the same thing twice.

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Instagram: @sfchronicle_art
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The deadly warehouse fire in Oakland has delivered a jolt of alarm to city officials around the Bay Area and across the country, prompting a rash of inspections and evictions from warehouses and makeshift live-work spaces similar to the ill-fated building known as the Ghost Ship.

San Francisco, Richmond and places as far-flung as Baltimore, Philadelphia, Dallas and Nashville have begun scrutinizing these structures. And some landlords have served eviction notices to musicians and other squatters whose leases, as often as not, involve little more than a wink and a nod.

Thirty-six people, mostly artists, students and musicians, died after they were trapped in the building during an electronic music concert at 31st Avenue and International Boulevard, in Oaklands Fruitvale district.

The flames, which started on the first floor, swept up two jerry-built staircases before the partyers had a chance to react, according to investigators. There were no fire alarms, sprinklers or emergency exits, and the building had not been inspected in at least 30 years, authorities said.

Its the kind of disaster that fire investigators say could happen in thousands of illegally occupied warehouses and industrial buildings in cities throughout the country.

You dont want to see people endangered, said San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim. You dont want to lose any more lives because there wasnt proper enforcement, and you want to balance that with (the risk of) displacement.

In the wake of the disaster, San Franciscos Department of Building Inspection and several other city agencies have identified at least a dozen illegal properties in the city, many of them believed to be warehouses converted to residences like the Ghost Ship.

Inspectors have begun fanning out in neighborhoods, from South of Market to the Bayview, to conduct spot checks on potentially illegal spaces, said William Strawn, a spokesman for the department. He said the department has also fielded about half a dozen new complaints about questionable properties.

Evictions are already under way in Richmond. Thirty eviction notices were sent to artists at Bridge Storage and ArtSpace there Friday afternoon, according to office manager Steve Hurst.

Ive cried, said Hurst, himself an artist. Its a horrible, emotional experience for me to put these envelopes together, and see the names of the artists, knowing that some of them have nowhere to go.

Dozens of painters, photographers and musicians have rented out studio spaces in Bridge Storage, a sprawling complex that leases units for $300 to $500 a month  a fraction of the rent elsewhere in Richmond.

Jeff Wright, the owner of the building, said city officials told him they were implementing a zero-tolerance policy with unpermitted residences after the Ghost Ship fire and ordered him to kick out the artists until he brings the building up to code.

Nobody lived in the art complex, Wright said.

We regret this situation, and we do not believe that our facility is presently unsafe, Wright wrote in the eviction letter to the artists.

Richard Mitchell, the citys director of planning and building, said in a statement that the complex does not have heating systems, leaving the occupants to rely on space heaters that can easily overload the existing wiring system when used simultaneously.

Daud Abdullah, a mosaic artist who works out of Bridge Storage, called the eviction a knee-jerk reaction.

We knew we needed to get compliant, but the city knew about this place and now something happened in another city, and now we have to leave, Abdullah said.

Oakland appears to be moving in a more circumspect way than other cities. Building inspectors have looked at a graffiti-splattered warehouse in West Oakland called Deathtrap, 5 miles from the wreckage of the Ghost Ship.

The 6,600-square-foot warehouse on 28th Street was converted into a live-work art studio, prompting complaints, but no decision has been made on what to do about it.

Deathtrap is one of dozens  perhaps hundreds  of live-work warehouses and buildings in the city where artists crowd together in often dangerous conditions.

Thomas Dolan, an architect who specializes in live-work spaces, said he has gotten word of 20 landlord inspections and potential evictions happening in Oakland.

Its unfortunate that a lot of live-work spaces say you cant live there, and then its kind of a nod-nod, wink-wink, Dolan said of the loose arrangements that warehouse tenants have kept with their landlords.

I understand nine art spaces in Oakland got notices this week, said Karen Cusolito, a mixed-media artist who works at the American Steel warehouse in West Oakland, which was purchased for $29 million in November by real estate firm 11West Partners. Were in crisis mode right now.

City leaders have nevertheless recommended moving slowly. Oakland City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan, who opposes what she called wholesale evictions, said such living arrangements are illustrative of an ongoing housing crisis.

Mayor Libby Schaaf promised Wednesday to set up a task force and take decisive next steps to ensure all Oakland structures are up to code, with proper exits and smoke alarms. She said the city will review its permitting, reporting and inspection protocols.

Others have said they would like to see Oakland adopt legislation similar to New York Citys 1982 Loft Law, which prohibits building owners from increasing rents or evicting tenants until they bring the building up to code.

I dont believe its in the citys best interest to come down with a hammer, said City Council President Lynette Gibson McElhaney, and thats not the tack the organization is taking overall.

In other cities, what is coming down looks more like a pile driver. Concert promoters, artists and musicians report a broad crackdown on illegal spaces, including landlord visits, insurance inspections and 60-day eviction notices.

There have been reports of event spaces being scrutinized or shut down in Los Angeles, Nashville, Philadelphia, Dallas and Indianapolis, as well as smaller cities like New Haven, Conn., and Dubuque, Iowa.

In Baltimore, residents of the Bell Foundry warehouse, which housed dozens of artists, were evicted Monday after city officials found what they described as deplorable conditions and condemned the building.

We know that the building wasnt zoned for living, but I think in some sympathetic sort of way the city was allowing that to happen  which was endangering lives, City Councilman Carl Stokes told the Baltimore Sun.

New York officials are also scrutinizing old buildings and warehouses, many of which were transformed into arts and music spaces decades ago.

There is no easy fix given how many municipalities have allowed conversions. It is, in fact, au courant to transform crumbling industrial spaces into galleries, live-work lofts and artists studios. These shared spaces often have the cheapest rents, especially in high-priced places like the Bay Area.

The artists at Ghost Ship paid $500 to $1,500 a month to live there and put up with a hodgepodge of makeshift electrical hookups and exposed wires amid an unorganized warren of slapped-together wooden living spaces, artwork and pianos.

Aimee Inglis, acting director for Tenants Together, a San Francisco tenants rights group, said its often easier for short-staffed city agencies to condemn illegal buildings rather than work with occupants.

Tenants ... are putting in a lot of legwork and making sure its safe in their building, but then theyre also still vulnerable, Inglis said. It would be nice if in return for that, people were given some stability.

Joe Tobener, a San Francisco tenants rights lawyer, said he doesnt expect many evictions in the city after the Oakland fire, even with the increased scrutiny and the spot checks to come. Thats because the city issued a memo to inspectors two years ago asking them to avoid demolishing illegal buildings and work with occupants to bring them up to code.

The issue, however, always circles back to the housing crisis, he said.

Its expensive to live here, so people have to do what they have to do to get by, Tobener said. It would be a real strain on the housing stock if people started going crazy, if cities started going crazy, running rampant, running roughshod on illegal units.

Trisha Thadani, Rachel Swan, Michael Bodley and Peter Fimrite are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com, rswan@sfchronicle.com, mbodley@sfchronicle.com, pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani, @rachelswan, @michael_bodley, @pfimrite
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Santa was more slippery than ever this year as rain soaked the suits of revelers at San Franciscos annual Christmastime pub crawl on Saturday.

This years SantaCon  a nationwide celebration of St. Nick and spirits (not the Dickens kind)  seemed to draw a smaller crowd as rain pounded on participants.

Nonetheless thousands dressed as the jolly guy, as well as in similar holiday-themed variations, for the promise of drinks priced specially low for the occasion at bars around the city. At noon, dozens had already hit Union Square to listen to the Burlesque Band play in slinky Santa suits.

One faux Santa, 39-year-old Michael Dobrowski, couldnt wait to hit the bars.

The fun parts gonna come a little bit after this when we start getting inside of the pubs, said Dobrowski as an elf held an umbrella over his head. Its great this many people showed up in the rain.

The elf, 35-year-old Marc Ulrich, was also holding a brown Trader Joes bag with a remote control car inside  a donation for the San Francisco Fire Department Toys Drive, which was collecting gifts during the event.

More for you The best neighborhoods for holiday lights in the Bay Area

Its a little bit wet, but itll be fine, Ulrich said.

Not far away, Daniel Scannell of Union City danced to the bands tunes with his friends.

Happy holidays! shouted Scannell, 24. Were just here to have fun.

Nothing can stop Christmas! added another Santa.

Santas came in all shapes and sizes, with ponchos, umbrellas, or Santa-styled hoodies.

There was a Grinch Santa in a bright green mask, a sultry Santa with fishnet stockings and black short shorts, a Jack Skellington Santa from the movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and even a pimp Santa with a bright red gangster hat, a robe to match and a gold chain that said, Ho, Ho, Ho.

The pub crawl would continue until 2 a.m., so most Santas decided theyd spend the bulk of their time at the bars, passing on milk and cookies for beer and tequila shots as they stayed dry inside.

Just about everyone inside Golden Gate Tap Room, just down the street from Union Square, had on some Santa-themed attire. Which made sense, because to get the SantaCon booze price you had to be dressed like the bearded elf.

Daniel Charles, 24, wore a Santa hat while he hovered by the pool table with his friends for his second SantaCon.

Nothing beats the excitement at Union, but this is a great place to hang out with friends, said Charles, beer in hand.

For some, the event was still a hoot rain or shine, sober or tipsy. Julie Kerr, wearing a clear poncho over her Santa suit, said she got the most fun out of dressing up.

On my way over here from Oakland, children were waving at me like I was Santa and people were honking, she said. Im with my friends who dont drink a lot, which is totally fun too. Its fun just to dress as Santa Claus.
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The Bay Area got soaked with another round of showers Saturday morning, and more rain is expected this week throughout the region, forecasters said.

The rain continued Saturday with periods of heavy showers and should turn dry Sunday and Monday, said Bob Benjamin, a forecaster with the National Weather Service.

Traffic from one end of the region to the other was snarled and slow as periodic downpours turned the roads into skidding platforms. A tree fell across State Route 13 in Oakland on Saturday afternoon, damaging one car and blocking traffic in both directions for several hours until it could be cleared.

Since Thursday, 2.08 inches of rain has fallen in San Francisco, 2.12 inches in Oakland and 1.79 inches in San Rafael, Benjamin said.

Meanwhile, more than 3 inches has cascaded down in parts of the Santa Cruz Mountains and Petaluma, and more than 2 inches in Kentfield since Thursday  welcome news for a region hit by five years of drought.

While Monday is expected to remain dry, the rest of the week appears to be unsettled with precipitation predicted to move in Tuesday and hang around through Thursday, according to Benjamin.

The rainfall will be joined by noticeably cooler conditions. By midweek, lows should be in the upper 40s.

Its going to be a cool week, and by midweek itll be cool and wet, he said.

Meanwhile, in the Sierra Nevada, up to 5 inches or more of snow was predicted to fall Saturday night on the higher peaks, according to the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

Overall, the Sierra has received impressive rainfall totals. In the 12 hours before Saturday morning, 4 to 5 inches of rain fell in the foothill and mountain locations, according to the weather service. It issued a flood advisory Saturday for the northern Sierra and surrounding foothills.

The rainy weather, coupled with track maintenance, caused periodic 20-minute delays Saturday on the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART line in the Pittsburg and San Francisco directions, according to BART.

Chronicle staff writer Jonathan Kauffman contributed to this report.

Hamed Aleaziz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: haleaziz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @haleaziz
CEO Mark Zuckerberg went to Facebook shareholders this year with a big question: Would they approve him maintaining voting control of the company, even if he sells most of his stock? The monumental shift would benefit Zuckerberg because it would let him sell shares to fund philanthropy, but it had the potential to harm investors by diluting their power over decision making. And before putting the vote to shareholders, Facebooks board had the power to influence the outcome.

But their process was flawed, according to investor lawsuits filed in April against Facebooks board in Delawares Chancery Court and recently unsealed. The company went through the motions of protecting minority shareholders, but one board member seemed more interested in protecting Zuckerberg, investors allege.

Zuckerberg has voting control among shareholders because his stock has most of the voting rights. He wanted to sell shares, but didnt want to lose his majority voting status. So he proposed setting up a new stock class. The shares would automatically dilute the voting power of existing shareholders, because every share with voting power would split into three shares  one that has power, and two that dont. In the new arrangement, the nonvoting shares are less attractive as currency in acquisitions and may make it harder for Facebook to get tax benefits, among other issues.

The question was put to a vote by shareholders, but there was never any doubt about the result. Since Zuckerberg has majority voting control, what he favors wins the day. Zuckerbergs proposal won the vote, and he got his way: He can sell his stock and maintain voting control. The shareholders approved the creation of a new stock class. The only entity that had any power to affect the outcome was Facebooks board, which had already weighed the issue months earlier, in his favor.

In August 2015, with the CEOs blessing, Facebooks board set up a committee, choosing the three directors who were least beholden to Zuckerberg or financially affected by the decision  Susan Desmond-Hellmann, Marc Andreessen and Erskine Bowles  to represent shareholders while weighing the matter, according to a regulatory filing.

But Andreessen, a venture capitalist at Andreessen Horowitz and a longtime board member, is a close Zuckerberg ally. While on the committee, Andreessen slipped Zuckerberg information about their progress and concerns, helping Zuckerberg negotiate against them, according to court documents. The documents include the transcripts of private texts between the two men, revealing the inner workings of the board of directors at a pivotal time for Facebook.

When the time came for the committee to ask Zuckerberg questions on a conference call, Andreessen warned about what he would be asked before directors posed the questions. While the committee grilled Zuckerberg about why he wanted a special class of stock, Andreessen sent the CEO text messages to explain which of his arguments werent working and why, according to messages quoted in court filings. During one March 4 call, Andreessen gave Zuckerberg live updates, both negative (This line of argument is not helping.) and positive (NOW WERE COOKING WITH GAS), according to texts provided by Facebooks lawyers and cited in court filings.

Andreessen even told Zuckerberg that he was working to protect Zuckerbergs personal interests, according to the filings. The plaintiffs suing Facebooks board include pension funds, like the Employee Retirement System for the city of Providence, R.I., and individual investors. The cases have been consolidated before Delaware Chancery Court Judge Travis Laster. A Facebook spokeswoman provided a statement saying: Facebook is confident that the special committee engaged in a thorough and fair process to negotiate a proposal in the best interests of Facebook and its shareholders.

Desmond-Hellmann referred a request for comment to Facebook. Andreessen Horowitz said Andreessen could not comment on pending litigation. Through Facebook, Zuckerberg also declined to comment. Facebook is expected to argue that the texts were not part of a secret conversation, according to a person familiar with the matter.

If Andreessen played both sides of the negotiation, it means minority shareholder interests werent properly represented by the committee, said Larry Hamermesh, a Widener University law professor who specializes in Delaware corporate law and governance issues. Facebook is incorporated in Delaware.

The whole point of setting up a special committee is to be independent from the controller, who in this case is Zuckerberg, Hamermesh said.

But in Silicon Valley, sometimes the conventional setups for companies dont work. Keeping a controlling and visionary founder happy can lead to the high-risk, high-reward efforts that keep companies thriving, said David Larcker, a legal professor focusing on corporate governance at Stanfords Graduate School of Business.

Silicon Valley is a pretty networked place, Larcker said. People know each other, have done deals together  but it doesnt mean that governance is out of control or its the Wild West or something. It could be the case that what the board is doing is actually (helpful) to shareholders. Zuckerbergs chats with Andreessen may just be part of the dialogue needed to evaluate the proposal, he said.

Andreessen has been caught up in conflict-of-interest controversies before. He stepped off the board of eBay in March 2014 after public battles with Carl Icahn, an activist investor who pushed for the company to split with PayPal, its payments unit. Andreessen had invested in companies that competed with PayPal, but disputed all accusations of a conflict of interest. In the same year, Facebook bought Oculus, a virtual reality company, that Andreessens firm was an investor in, too. Andreessen has said he recuses himself from both sides of acquisition discussions that involve his investments.

As co-founder of Netscape, which made the first widely used Web browser, Andreessen felt a kinship with Zuckerberg, becoming an adviser to him. When they met, Zuckerberg, new to Silicon Valley, didnt know what Netscape was. The mentoring relationship evolved into business, with Andreessen taking a board seat, and his firm picking up Facebook stock before its initial public offering. Andreessens messages, as shown in the lawsuit, depict a friendship: assurances that he has Zuckerbergs back, punctuated by smiley faces.

Sarah Frier and Jef Feeley are Bloomberg writers. Email: sfrier1@bloomberg.net, jfeeley@bloomberg.net
We all know that if life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. But what do you do when life gives you boredom? You tango with a stranger, of course. The Wall Street Journal reported that there is a Facebook group that helps strangers get together at airport gates, Starbucks or anywhere else where they might be stranded and do that ol dance thing. So maybe it takes a village to do the tango.

Top tweet

John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, has died at the age of 95. Not a fan, Trump said. I like astronauts who actually make it to the moon.

That was a news flash from Funny or Die, creating a little fake news of its own after Glenns death on Thursday. President-elect Donald Trump actually did a nice tweet, calling Glenn a great pioneer and a hero.

Number

of the day

$14.6

million

Thats at least how much money from Donald Trumps campaign has gone to Trump-owned businesses for such things as air travel and event rentals. Bloomberg reported that the president-elect put $66.1 million of his own money into his campaign.

The Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com. Twitter: @techbriefing
Google says it wont give in to French government demands that it remove content from its search engine in right to be forgotten cases in countries other than France, the companys top privacy lawyer has said.

Peter Fleischer, in a blog post on the companys website Friday, said that the French data protection authority was wrong to ask Google to remove information from search results seen not only by people located in France, but also those initiating searches from other locations as well.

The right to be forgotten allows people to ask search engines to remove links to personal information about them on the grounds that it is either outdated or irrelevant. If the search engine refuses, people can appeal to their national data protection authority to compel the search engines to remove the material.

We are not disputing that Google should comply with the right to be forgotten in Europe, Fleischer stated in the post. We have worked diligently to give effect to the rights confirmed by the European Court of Justice. We have delisted approximately 780,000 URLs to date and have granted fast and effective responses to individuals who assert their rights.

But, Fleischer says, removals from Google in France should not mean removals from Google in other countries.

Fleischer said France is trying to impose its view on the correct balance between privacy and free speech to every person on the planet. Any such precedent would open the door to countries around the world, including non-democratic countries, to demand the same global power, he wrote.

The right was created by a European court ruling in 2014. After this, Google appointed a panel of experts drawn from the media, government, tech sector and academia to advise it on how to comply.

The panel opposed any application of the law beyond the EU, so Google removed items only for a search on its website in the country where the person asking for the removal resided. In March, it expanded its removals to cover anyone searching from within Europe on any of its sites. But users in other, non-European Union countries are still able to find the information, which is what the French data authority has said violates the law.

In May, Google appealed a $105,350 fine that was imposed on the company by the French data authority, the National Commission on Informatics and Liberty, for failing to remove content it had been asked to delete by French citizens under Europes right to be forgotten globally. That appeal is still pending.

Jeremy Kahn is a Bloomberg writer. Email: jkahn21@bloomberg.net
DETROIT  First the Obama administration bailed out much of the U.S. auto industry, pulling it out of a tailspin. Then it reshaped the business, with regulations and policies intended to increase fuel economy, improve safety and add jobs.

Now, under President-elect Donald Trump, the industry is bracing for another wholesale makeover. Perhaps no industry could be affected in more ways by the new administration than the auto business.

That became all the more apparent last week, with Trumps selection of Scott Pruitt  the Oklahoma attorney general who is a climate-change skeptic and close ally of the oil and gas industry  to run the Environmental Protection Agency.

The changes under the Trump administration could include possible tariffs that will raise prices on imported vehicles and parts, fewer subsidies for electric cars and policies that discourage automakers from moving products from American factories to Mexico.

And any scaling back of fuel-economy goals by the Trump administration, if Pruitts climate change skepticism and embrace of fossil fuels translates to policy, could also influence the types of vehicles the industry plans to build in coming years  and where it builds them. Bigger models like SUVs and pickup trucks are less fuel-efficient than cars but more profitable for automakers. And their steeper price tags can help pay for the higher labor costs of making them in the United States.

In a move that underscored the new psychology since Trumps election, Ford Motor  which had been a target of his criticism  in mid-November decided to keep building a Lincoln SUV in Kentucky rather than Mexico. And yet, for a capital-intensive industry that routinely makes billion-dollar bets on new factories and products, the uncertainty is unnerving.

Our membership is just perplexed right now, said Gloria Bergquist, vice president for public affairs for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents a dozen carmakers, including General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota, on safety and environmental issues. This is all uncharted territory.

Trump has yet to detail any coming changes. But pursuing policies similar to those he promoted in his campaign could change the entire manufacturing industry by penalizing companies for investing overseas or by stifling free-flowing global trade.

No change would be more consequential to the auto industry than applying steep tariffs on imports from Mexico and elsewhere. Companies could be forced to radically change how and where they get commodity parts, the production of which has been migrating to low-wage nations for decades.
NEW YORK  With a DNA profile but no suspect to match in the strangling of a woman who went for a run and met a killer, authorities are looking to an emerging approach: using the DNA to look for the killers relatives.

The technique, known as familial DNA searching, has made inroads in some U.S. states and other countries in the past decade, leading to both high-profile arrests and civil liberties qualms.

Now, New York state officials are considering whether to introduce it after a request from prosecutors and police yearning for a lead in the case of 30-year-old runner Karina Vetrano.

Authorities see the technique as a powerful, precise investigative tool. And to Vetranos family, the case for the search is clear.

Our only goal in life is to find out who did this to our daughter, said her mother, Cathy Vetrano. So if theres any method available to do that, we want it done.

But critics view the technique as a DNA dragnet that can single out otherwise law-abiding people for scrutiny because of family ties.

A policy that implicates New Yorkers in a criminal investigation solely because they are related to someone with DNA in the states databank is a miscarriage of justice, said Donna Lieberman, the New York Civil Liberties Unions executive director.

Ten states, including California, Texas and Florida, conduct familial DNA testing. Ohio on Monday announced its first effort yielded an arrest in the kidnapping and rape of a 6-year-old girl and the attempted abduction of a 10-year-old girl.

But at least two jurisdictions, Maryland and the District of Columbia, have prohibited the practice.

Authorities have long worked to identify suspects by matching crime scene evidence to convicted offenders DNA. Familial DNA testing goes further, seeking people similar enough to be closely related to whoever left the crime scene DNA.

Investigators can then explore whether such people have family members who fit as suspects. If so, they need other evidence, possibly a match to a suspects own DNA, to bring charges.

Familial DNA famously led to an arrest in Los Angeles Grim Sleeper serial killings, which spanned from 1985 to 2007. Lonnie Franklin Jr. was convicted and sentenced to death this year.

After Vetranos beaten body was found Aug. 2 in a marshy park in her quiet Queens neighborhood, investigators developed a DNA profile of the probable attacker from material under Vetranos fingernails and on her neck and phone, but it didnt match anyone in law enforcement DNA databases.
CHARLESTON, S.C.  Dylann Roof wanted the world to know he hated black people and thought they were criminals. He thought about attacking drug dealers, but they might shoot back. So, he told the FBI, he picked a historic black church in Charleston he had learned about online.

In a videotaped confession shown Friday during his death penalty trial, Roof laughed several times and made exaggerated gun motions as he recounted the massacre. He explained that he wanted to leave at least one person alive to tell what happened and complained that his victims complicated things when they hid under tables.

Forty-five minutes into the interview, an FBI agent decided to tell him nine people died in the June 17, 2015, shootings at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

There wasnt even that many people in there, Roof said incredulously. Are you lying to me?

The blurry video made it hard to see his face. After being told the details, an agent asked how he felt.

Well, it makes me feel bad, said Roof, who earlier in the confession estimated he might have killed five.

Roofs lawyers have conceded that he carried out the attack and are concentrating on persuading jurors to spare his life in the second phase of the trial.

Later Friday, Roofs handwritten journal was read aloud. It was full of dubious, offensive racial claims about blacks and Jews, from stories about African Americans enjoying slavery to segregation keeping white people from being dragged down.

How could our faces, skin color and body structure be so different, but our brains exactly the same? Roof wrote.

His video confession came about 17 hours after the shooting. FBI agents drove to Shelby, N.C., where he was arrested. The plane that would take him back to Charleston was not going to arrive for a few hours. So FBI agent Michael Stansbury got permission to take a chance and interview him immediately.

It paid off. After reading Roof his rights and engaging in brief small talk, an agent asked Roof what he was doing on the night of the killings.

I went to that church in Charleston and, uh, I did it, he said.

Roof said he wanted to kill black people because they rape white women daily. Agents asked why he chose Emanuel AME. He said online it was listed as the oldest black church in the South, and there probably would not be any white people there.

I knew that would be a place to get a small amount of black people in one area, Roof said.
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A 19-year-old San Jose State University freshman was arrested on suspicion of committing multiple acts of sexual battery on campus, police said.

Huaien David Kong was arrested Thursday after police received a tip from a member of the campus community after surveillance photos were released of the suspect carrying a skateboard.

The university has had six cases of sexual battery reported since Oct. 17, three of which happened since Nov. 30.

Kong is believed to be responsible for an attack that occurred in the universitys Student Union at 4:25 p.m. Monday, as well as additional unreported batteries.

These disturbing incidents have caused understandable anxiety in our community, San Jose State University President Mary Papazian said in a statement sent to students.

All the victims were students.

Police are investigating whether other suspects could be affiliated with the university.

Leads provided over the past few days are being pursued and police foot patrols have been intensified around campus, Papazian said.

The university reported 11 cases of sexual battery in 2015. The number of sexual battery cases has increased to 17 in 2016.

While there is no indication that we are experiencing a significant year-to-year increase in these crimes, even one case is too many, Papazian said.

The university plans to install 24 new security cameras to be used as an investigatory tool, as well as enhanced lighting. The university will also add six more police officers to its campus police force, bringing the number to 26.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
WASHINGTON  Still grappling with Donald Trumps surprise election, the nations business community has begun to pressure the president-elect to abandon campaign-trail pledges of mass deportation and other hard-line immigration policies that some large employers fear would hurt the economy.

The push, led by an advocacy group backed by New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg and media mogul Rupert Murdoch, is still in its infancy as the business world struggles to understand the tough-talking Trumps true intentions on an issue that defined his outsider campaign. Some groups, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are holding off, doubtful that Trump will actually create a deportation force, as he suggested before his election, to expel those estimated 11 million immigrants in the country without permission.

But others are assembling teams of public officials and industry leaders on the ground in key states to encourage Trump to embrace a more forgiving immigration policy  in the name of economic development, if not human compassion.

This election clearly showed that Americans are wildly frustrated with our broken immigration system, said Jeremy Robbins, executive director of the New American Economy, a group whose board includes Bloomberg, Murdoch and leaders of business giants Marriott, Disney and Boeing. But it would be a mistake to equate their desire for someone to secure the border with support for mass deportation or other hard-line policies that would both devastate the economy and undermine core American values.

Robbins organization has in recent days unveiled coalitions of business leaders and public officials that oppose an immigration crackdown  many of them Trump supporters  across Utah, California, South Carolina, Florida and Colorado with more coming in Arizona, Idaho, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas. Backed by its directors deep pockets, the group is working to create a permanent infrastructure that will pressure the new administration and members of Congress in key battlegrounds even before the debate officially begins on Capitol Hill.

Trump railed against the dangers of immigrants living in the country without permission throughout his campaign, several times sharing the stage with parents of children killed by immigrants in the country without documentation. He also pledged to build a massive wall across the vast majority of the 2,100-mile border with Mexico. And, early in the campaign, he promised to create a deportation force to remove more than 11 million immigrants, although as election day approached, he left open the possibility for a pathway to legal status for some who entered the country without permission.

He hinted at a softer approach in a Time magazine interview published this week, saying he would work something out to help immigrants who were brought to the United States without permission as children and granted work permits by President Obama. On deportation, Trump told 60 Minutes shortly after the election that he would prioritize deporting between 2 and 3 million people that are criminal and have criminal records  gang members, drug dealers.
WASHINGTON  U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded with high confidence that Russia acted covertly in the latter stages of the presidential campaign to harm Hillary Clintons chances and promote Donald Trump, according to senior administration officials.

They based that conclusion, in part, on another finding  which they say was also reached with high confidence  that the Russians hacked the Republican National Committees computer systems in addition to their attacks on Democratic organizations, but did not release whatever information they gleaned from the Republican networks.

In the months before the election, it was largely documents from Democratic Party systems that were leaked to the public. Intelligence agencies have concluded that the Russians gave the Democrats documents to WikiLeaks.

Republicans have a different explanation for why no documents from their networks were ever released. Over the past several months, officials from the Republican committee have consistently said that their networks were not compromised, asserting that only the accounts of individual Republicans were attacked. On Friday, a senior committee official said he had no comment.

Trumps transition office issued a statement Friday evening reflecting the divisions that emerged between his campaign and the intelligence agencies over Russian meddling in the election. These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, the statement said. The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. Its now time to move on and Make America Great Again.

One senior government official, who had been briefed on an FBI investigation into the matter, said that while there were attempts to penetrate the Republican committees systems, they were not successful.

But the intelligence agencies conclusions that the hacking efforts were successful, which have been presented to President Barack Obama and other senior officials, add a complex wrinkle to the question of what the Kremlins evolving objectives were in intervening in the U.S. presidential election.

The revelation came hours after the White House announced that President Obama has ordered intelligence officials to conduct a broad review of election-season cyberattacks, including the email hacks that rattled the presidential campaign and raised fresh concerns about Russias meddling in U.S. elections.
WASHINGTON  President-elect Donald Trumps transition team has circulated an unusual 74-point questionnaire at the Department of Energy that requests the names of all employees and contractors who have attended climate change policy conferences, as well as emails and documents associated with the conferences.

In question after question, the document peppers Energy Department managers with pointed queries about climate science research, clean energy programs and the employees who work for those programs. More broadly, the questionnaire hints at a significant shift of emphasis at the agency toward nuclear power, and a push to commercialize the research of the Energy Departments laboratories, long considered the crown jewels of federal science.
Attorney General Kamala Harris, who said in a court filing in June that it was constitutional for California to require criminal defendants to post bail, now says the cash-bail system is unfair to the poor.

In a statement previewing Harris planned filing Tuesday in a suit over post-arrest bail requirements in San Francisco, Kristin Ford, a spokeswoman for the attorney general, said that denying equal access to justice solely based on income is unconstitutional.

We will argue that it is unconstitutional for local authorities to impose bail in a way that does not consider a persons ability to pay, or alternative methods of ensuring their appearance at trial, Ford said.

Cash-bail systems have a disparate impact on the poor  often times forcing people to choose between paying bail and going further into debt, or sitting in jail for days at the risk of losing their family, housing, or employment.

The statement stopped short of saying any system of monetary bail was unconstitutional. But it appeared to support the main arguments in a suit that contends the state law, as applied in San Francisco, discriminates against the poor by keeping them in jail while wealthier people charged with the same crimes go free.

No person should ever be detained merely because she is unable to make a monetary payment, said attorney Phil Telfeyan, executive director of Equal Justice Under Law, a nonprofit representing two San Francisco women who were kept in jail because they could not afford bail. They were freed when prosecutors decided not to charge them.

The suit challenges the requirement that a defendant pay monetary bail, or the non-refundable 10 percent fee charged by bail bond companies, to be released after arrest. State law requires courts in each county to set post-arrest bail in varying amounts depending on the seriousness of the crime.

Defendants who cant pay bail remain in jail until they are charged and arraigned, usually 48 hours after arrest. A judge then sets conditions for pretrial release, often including bail, based on their assessment of the risk to public safety and the chance that the defendant might flee.

Telfeyans lawsuit contends that supervised release after arrest, without cash payments, would protect the public while treating all defendants equally. The lawyer said Harris statement didnt go far enough  allowing judges to consider a persons ability to pay leaves the door open for substantial amounts of bail  but it showed a fundamental recognition of the inequity of money bail.

It may also increase prospects that the California Bail Agents Association, representing bail bond companies, will be allowed to defend the law by a federal judge, who has rejected its previous requests to enter the case. San Francisco Sheriff Vicki Hennessy, the other defendant, and City Attorney Dennis Herrera, who represents her, have both declined to defend the bail requirements.

It is imperative that the (judge) permit CBAA to intervene to defend the law, which protects the public interest as well as serves the interests of justice by securing criminal defendants attendance in their court cases, said the associations lawyer, Harmeet Dhillon.

She said the statement by Harris office conflicts with U.S. Supreme Court rulings, which have upheld other laws treating poor and rich people differently, and with the attorney generals earlier position in the case.

In a June 23 filing, lawyers in Harris office noted that the Supreme Court has allowed the government to enforce laws that pose obstacles for the poor, as long as it has a rational basis for doing so.

The cash-bail system does not make classifications based on wealth, but instead on the seriousness of criminal offenses, the lawyers said. Although low-income defendants may suffer as a result, Harris office said, court rulings have established that the state is not constitutionally required to remove obstacles not of its own making.

Meanwhile, two Democratic lawmakers, Assemblyman Rob Bonta of Alameda and Sen. Bob Hertzberg of Van Nuys (Los Angeles County), have introduced bills aimed at overhauling the states bail system so that it treats poor and rich defendants equally. They have not yet provided details of the proposed changes.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
The Pentagon has buried an internal study that exposed $125 billion in administrative waste in its business operations amid fears Congress would use the findings as an excuse to slash the defense budget, according to interviews and confidential memos obtained by The Washington Post.

Pentagon leaders had requested the study to help make their enormous back-office bureaucracy more efficient and reinvest any savings in combat power. But after the project documented far more wasteful spending than expected, senior defense officials moved swiftly to kill it by discrediting and suppressing the results.

The report, issued in January 2015, identified "a clear path" for the Defense Department to save $125 billion over five years. The plan would not have required layoffs of civil servants or reductions in military personnel. Instead, it would have streamlined the bureaucracy through attrition and early retirements, curtailed high-priced contractors and made better use of information technology.

File photo

The study was produced last year by the Defense Business Board, a federal advisory panel of corporate executives, and consultants from McKinsey and Company. Based on reams of personnel and cost data, their report revealed for the first time that the Pentagon was spending almost a quarter of its $580 billion budget on overhead and core business operations such as accounting, human resources, logistics and property management.

The data showed that the Defense Department was paying a staggering number of people - 1,014,000 contractors, civilians and uniformed personnel - to fill back-office jobs far from the front lines. That workforce supports 1.3 million troops on active duty, the fewest since 1940.

The cost-cutting study could find a receptive audience with President-elect Donald Trump. He has promised a major military buildup and said he would pay for it by "eliminating government waste and budget gimmicks."

For the military, the major allure of the study was that it called for reallocating the $125 billion for troops and weapons. Among other options, the savings could have paid a large portion of the bill to rebuild the nation's aging nuclear arsenal, or the operating expenses for 50 Army brigades.

But some Pentagon leaders said they fretted that by spotlighting so much waste, the study would undermine their repeated public assertions that years of budget austerity had left the armed forces starved of funds. Instead of providing more money, they said, they worried Congress and the White House might decide to cut deeper.

So the plan was killed. The Pentagon imposed secrecy restrictions on the data making up the study, which ensured no one could replicate the findings. A 77-page summary report that had been made public was removed from a Pentagon website.

"They're all complaining that they don't have any money. We proposed a way to save a ton of money," said Robert "Bobby" Stein, a private-equity investor from Jacksonville, Florida, who served as chairman of the Defense Business Board.

Stein, a campaign bundler for President Barack Obama, said that the study's data were "indisputable" and that it was "a travesty" for the Pentagon to suppress the results.

"We're going to be in peril because we're spending dollars like it doesn't matter," he added.

The missed opportunity to streamline the military bureaucracy could soon have large ramifications. Under the 2011 Budget Control Act, the Pentagon will be forced to stomach $113 billion in automatic cuts over four years unless Congress and Trump can agree on a long-term spending deal by October. Playing a key role in negotiations will likely be Trump's choice for defense secretary, retired Marine general James Mattis.

The Defense Business Board was ordered to conduct the study by Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work, the Pentagon's second-highest-ranking official. At first, Work publicly touted the efficiency drive as a top priority and boasted about his idea to recruit corporate experts to lead the way.

After the board finished its analysis, however, Work changed his position. In an interview with The Post, he did not dispute the board's findings about the size or scope of the bureaucracy. But he dismissed the $125 billion savings proposal as "unrealistic" and said the business executives had failed to grasp basic obstacles to restructuring the public sector.

"There is this meme that we're some bloated, giant organization," he said. "Although there is a little bit of truth in that . . . I think it vastly overstates what's really going on."

Work said the board fundamentally misunderstood how difficult it is to eliminate federal civil service jobs - members of Congress, he added, love having them in their districts - or to renegotiate defense contracts.

He said the Pentagon is adopting some of the study's recommendations on a smaller scale and estimated it will save $30 billion by 2020. Many of the programs he cited, however, have been on the drawing board for years or were unrelated to the Defense Business Board's research.

Work acknowledged that the push to improve business operations lost steam after then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was replaced by Ashton Carter in February 2015. Carter has emphasized other goals, such as strengthening the Pentagon's partnerships with high-tech firms.

"We will never be as efficient as a commercial organization," Work said. "We're the largest bureaucracy in the world. There's going to be some inherent inefficiencies in that."

---

Work, a retired Marine officer, became deputy defense secretary in May 2014. With the military budget under the most pressure since the end of the Cold War, he sought help from the Defense Business Board, an advisory panel known for producing management studies that usually gathered dust.

Work told the board that the outcome of this assignment would be different. In a memo, he directed the board to collect sensitive cost data from the military services and defense agencies that would reveal how much they spent on business operations.

Pentagon officials knew their back-office bureaucracy was overstaffed and overfunded. But nobody had ever gathered and analyzed such a comprehensive set of data before.

Some Defense Business Board members warned that exposing the extent of the problem could have unforeseen consequences.

"You are about to turn on the light in a very dark room," Kenneth Klepper, the former chief executive of Medco Health Solutions, told Work in the summer of 2014, according to two people familiar with the exchange. "All the crap is going to float to the surface and stink the place up."

"Do it," Work replied.

To turn on the light, the Pentagon needed more outside expertise. A team of consultants from McKinsey was hired.

In a confidential August 2014 memo, McKinsey noted that while the Defense Department was "the world's largest corporate enterprise," it had never "rigorously measured" the "cost-effectiveness, speed, agility or quality" of its business operations.

Nor did the Pentagon have even a remotely accurate idea of what it was paying for those operations, which McKinsey divided into five categories: human resources; health-care management; supply chain and logistics; acquisition and procurement; and financial-flow management.

McKinsey hazarded a guess: anywhere between $75 billion and $100 billion a year, or between 15 and 20 percent of the Pentagon's annual expenses. "No one REALLY knows," the memo added.

The mission would be to analyze, for the first time, dozens of databases that tracked civilian and military personnel, and labor costs for defense contractors. The problem was that the databases were in the grip of the armed forces and a multitude of defense agencies. Many had fought to hide the data from outsiders and bureaucratic rivals, according to documents and interviews.

Information on contractor labor, in particular, was so cloaked in mystery that McKinsey described it as "dark matter."

Prying it loose would require direct orders from Work. Even then, McKinsey consultants predicted the bureaucracy would resist.

"This is a sensitive exercise conducted with audiences both 'weary' and 'wary' of efficiency, cost, sequestration and budget drills," the confidential memo stated. "Elements of the culture are masterful at 'waiting out studies and sponsors,' with a 'this too shall pass' mindset."

---

From the outset, access to the data was limited to a handful of people. A $2.9 million consulting contract signed by the Pentagon stipulated that none of the data or analysis could be released to the news media or the public.

Moreover, the contract required McKinsey to report to David Tillotson III, the Pentagon's acting deputy chief management officer. Anytime the Defense Business Board wanted the consultants to carry out a task, Tillotson would have to approve. His office - not the board - would maintain custody of the data.

"Good news!" Work emailed Tillotson once the contract was signed. "Time to cook."

In an Oct. 15, 2014, memo, Work ordered the board to move quickly, giving it three months to produce "specific and actionable recommendations."

In a speech the next month, Work lauded the board for its private-sector expertise. He said he had turned it into "an operational arm" of the Pentagon leadership and predicted the study would deliver transformational results.

In an aside, he revealed that early findings had determined the average administrative job at the Pentagon was costing taxpayers more than $200,000, including salary and benefits.

"And you say, hmmm, we could probably do better than that," he said.

The initial results did not come as a surprise.

Former defense secretaries William S. Cohen, Robert M. Gates and Hagel had launched similar efficiency drives in 1997, 2010 and 2013, respectively. But each of the leaders left the Pentagon before their revisions could take root.

"Because we turn over our secretaries and deputy secretaries so often, the bureaucracy just waits things out," said Dov Zakheim, who served as Pentagon comptroller under President George W. Bush. "You can't do it at the tail end of an administration. It's not going to work. Either you leave the starting block with a very clear program, or you're not going to get it done."

Arnold Punaro, a retired Marine general and former staff director for the Senate Armed Services Committee, said lawmakers block even modest attempts to downsize the Pentagon's workforce because they do not want to lose jobs in their districts.

Without backing from Congress, "you can't even get rid of the guy serving butter in the chow hall in a local district, much less tens of thousands of jobs," he said.

---

The Defense Business Board assigned five members to conduct the study alongside consultants from McKinsey. Scott Rutherford, senior partner at McKinsey's Washington, D.C., office, declined to comment.

The team ran into resistance as several Pentagon offices delayed requests for data, according to emails and memos. Work and Tillotson had to intervene to get the data flowing. At one point, more than 100 people were feeding data from different sectors of the bureaucracy.

Laboring under its tight deadline, the team hashed out an agreement with Pentagon officials over which job classifications to count in their survey. The board added a sixth category of business operations - real property management. That alone covered 192,000 jobs and annual expenses of $22.6 billion.

On Christmas Eve, Klepper emailed Work and Tillotson to thank them for putting their muscle behind the project. Without it, he said, "this would all have been DOA and the naysayers would all have been right."

He hinted the board would make some eye-catching recommendations and expressed relief its work had not been torpedoed.

"I have to admit, with all the caution, negative reaction and pushback," Klepper said, "I had a bit of concern at the end of the analysis some form of censorship would stop us from showing the true opportunity."

Work replied that he could not be happier.

"Time to hunt!" he said in an email, adding that he was "very excited about 2015" and ready to make "some bold moves."

The year kicked off with promise. On Jan. 21, 2015, the Pentagon announced Stein, the private-equity investor, had been reappointed as the board's chairman and praised him for his "outstanding service."

The next day, the full board held its quarterly public meeting to review the results of the study. The report had a dry title, "Transforming DoD's Core Business Processes for Revolutionary Change," and was packed with charts and jargon. But it began plainly enough.

"We are spending a lot more money than we thought," the report stated. It then broke down how the Defense Department was spending $134 billion a year on business operations - about 50 percent more than McKinsey had guessed at the outset.

Almost half of the Pentagon's back-office personnel - 457,000 full-time employees - were assigned to logistics or supply-chain jobs. That alone exceeded the size of United Parcel Service's global workforce.

The Pentagon's purchasing bureaucracy counted 207,000 full-time workers. By itself, that would rank among the top 30 private employers in the United States.

More than 192,000 people worked in property management. About 84,000 people held human-resources jobs.

The study laid out a range of options. At the low end, just by renegotiating service contracts and hiring less-expensive workers, the Pentagon could save $75 billion over five years. At the high end, by adopting more aggressive productivity targets, it could save twice as much.

After a discussion, the full board voted to recommend a middle option: to save $125 billion over five years.

---

Afterward, board members briefed Work. They were expecting an enthusiastic response, but the deputy defense secretary looked uneasy, according to two people who were present.

He singled out a page in the report. Titled "Warfighter Currency," it showed how saving $125 billion could be redirected to boost combat power. The money could cover the operational costs for 50 Army brigades, or 3,000 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters for the Air Force, or 10 aircraft-carrier strike groups for the Navy.

"This is what scares me," he said, according to the two people present. Work explained he was worried Congress might see it as an invitation to strip $125 billion from the defense budget and spend it somewhere else.

A few weeks later, Carter replaced Hagel as defense secretary. Carter sounded as though he would welcome the kind of revolutionary change the board was urging.

"To win support from our fellow citizens for the resources we need, we must show that we can make better use of every taxpayer dollar," Carter said in an inaugural message in February 2015. "That means a leaner organization, less overhead, and reforming our business and acquisition practices."

In briefings that month, uniformed military leaders were receptive at first. They had long groused that the Pentagon wasted money on a layer of defense bureaucracies - known as the Fourth Estate - that were outside the control of the Army, Air Force and Navy. Military officials often felt those agencies performed duplicative services and oversight.

But the McKinsey consultants had also collected data that exposed how the military services themselves were spending princely sums to hire hordes of defense contractors.

For example, the Army employed 199,661 full-time contractors, according to a confidential McKinsey report obtained by The Post. That alone exceeded the combined civil workforce for the Departments of State, Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, and Housing and Urban Development.

The average cost to the Army for each contractor that year: $189,188, including salary, benefits and other expenses.

The Navy was not much better. It had 197,093 contractors on its payroll. On average, each cost $170,865.

In comparison, the Air Force had 122,470 contractors. Each cost, on average, $186,142.

---

Meantime, the backlash to the $125 billion savings plan intensified.

On Feb. 6, 2015, board members briefed Frank Kendall III, the Pentagon's chief weapons-buyer. Kendall's operations were a major target of the study; he oversaw an empire of purchasing agents and contractors that were constantly under attack from Congress for cost overruns and delays.

Kendall put up a stiff fight. He challenged the board's data and strenuously objected to the conclusion that his offices were overstaffed.

"Are you trying to tell me we don't know how to do our job?" he said, according to two participants in the meeting. He said he needed to hire 1,000 more people to work directly under him, not fewer.

"If you don't believe me, call in an auditor," replied Klepper, the board's restructuring expert. "They'll tell you it's even worse than this."

In an interview, Kendall acknowledged he was "very disappointed" by the board's work, which he criticized as "shallow" and "very low on content." He said the study had ignored efforts by his agencies to become more efficient, and he accused the board of plucking the $125 billion figure out of thin air.

"It was essentially a ballpark, made-up number," he said.

Still, Kendall knew that lawmakers might view the study as credible. Alarmed, he said, he went to Work and warned that the findings could "be used as a weapon" against the Pentagon.

"If the impression that's created is that we've got a bunch of money lying around and we're being lazy and we're not doing anything to save money, then it's harder to justify getting budgets that we need," Kendall said.

More ominously, board members said they started to get the silent treatment from the Pentagon's highest ranks.

Briefings that had been scheduled for military leaders in the Tank - the secure conference room for the Joint Chiefs of Staff - were canceled. Worse, the board was unable to secure an audience with Carter, the new defense secretary.

Stein, the board chairman, accused Carter of deliberately derailing the plan through inaction. "Unfortunately, Ash - for reasons of his own - stopped this," he said in an interview.

Peter Cook, a spokesman for Carter, said the Pentagon chief was busy dealing with "a long list of national security challenges." He added that Work and other senior officials had already "concluded that the report, while well-intentioned, had limited value."

The fatal blow was struck in April. Just three months after Stein had been reappointed as board chairman, Carter replaced him with Michael Bayer, a business consultant who had previously served on the panel and clashed with Stein. Bayer declined to comment.

A few weeks later, Klepper resigned from the board. The $125 billion savings plan was dead.

In an interview, Tillotson, the Pentagon's acting deputy chief management officer, called the board's recommendations too ambitious and aggressive. "They, perhaps, underestimated the degree of difficulty we have in doing something that in the commercial sector would seem to be very easy to do."

Yet he acknowledged that its overall strategy for scaling back the bureaucracy was sound and that, given more time, it would be possible to realize huge savings.

"If we had a longer timeline, yes, it would be a reasonable approach," he said. "You might get there eventually."

---

Frustration, however, persisted in some corners over the Pentagon's unwillingness to tackle the inefficiency and waste documented by the study.

On June 2, 2015, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus delivered a speech at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. He complained that 20 percent of the defense budget went to the Fourth Estate - the defense agencies that provide support to the armed forces - and called it "pure overhead."

He singled out the Defense Finance and Accounting Service and the Defense Logistics Agency, which together employ about 40,000 people, as egregious examples.

When a reporter in the audience asked whether he thought the agencies should be abolished, Mabus resisted the temptation to say yes.

"Nice try on getting me into deep trouble," he replied.

But trouble arrived in Mabus's email the next day.

"Ray, before you publicly trash one of the agencies that reports through me I'd really appreciate a chance to discuss it with you," wrote Kendall, the Pentagon's chief weapons-buyer, whose management portfolio included the Defense Logistics Agency.

He said that if Mabus had a complaint, he should raise it directly with their mutual bosses, Carter and Work, and copied the email to both.

In his interview with The Post, Kendall said he was "completely blindsided" by the Navy secretary's criticism, "so I sent him what I thought under the circumstances was a pretty polite note."

Mabus did not back down. In an emailed retort to Kendall, he referred to the ill-fated Defense Business Board study.

"I did not say anything yesterday that I have not said both publicly . . . and privately inside this building," he said. "There have been numerous studies, which I am sure you are aware of, pointing out excessive overhead."

That prompted a stern intervention from Work.

"Ray, please refrain from taking any more public pot shots," Work said in an email. "I do not want this spilling over into further public discourse."
A state appeals court says the University of California Board of Regents acted legally in allowing unauthorized immigrants living in the state to pay the same tuition levels as other residents and to get financial aid.

State lawmakers had voted in 2001 to grant in-state tuition to all students, regardless of immigration status, at all of Californias public colleges and universities. But because of UCs independent status under the state Constitution, the legislation applied only to fees at California State University and community college campuses.

The regents, UCs governing body, then voted to take the same step for students at their campuses who had attended high school in California and had applied to legalize their immigration status.

Fewer than 1 percent of the students at all three institutions were unauthorized immigrants eligible for those lower costs, according to a legislative staff report. At UC, students from California currently pay $12,294 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $38,976.

The regents took the same steps after lawmakers approved measures in 2011 and 2014 to make unauthorized immigrants eligible for state financial aid and loan programs.

The actions were challenged by a taxpayer represented by the conservative nonprofit Judicial Watch. The suit relied on a 1996 federal law that made unauthorized immigrants ineligible for state and local benefits unless they were expressly authorized by a future state law. The regents are not legislators and have no power to enact state laws, Judicial Watch argued.

But the Second District Court of Appeal in Los Angeles ruled Friday that the legislation in 2001, 2011 and 2014 had explicitly made UC students eligible for in-state tuition and benefits, allowing the regents to take the final step.

The 1996 law requires only that state laws make undocumented immigrants eligible for public benefits, Justice John Segal said in the 3-0 ruling, which upheld a Superior Court judges decision. Segal said the Legislature removed the federal barrier to making undocumented immigrants eligible for the exemption from nonresident tuition, and the regents conferred that benefit on qualified UC students.

UC spokesman Ricardo Vazquez said the ruling recognizes that the Legislature and the regents have done everything necessary to extend these benefits.

Attorneys with Judicial Watch could not be reached for comment.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
MISSOULA  A court ruling on how to manage Canadian lynx under the Endangered Species Act could be overturned by legislation released by all three members of Montana's congressional delegation on Friday.

In what's known as the Cottonwood decision, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found the U.S Forest Service failed to properly update its lynx critical habitat maps after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acknowledged its maps had been improperly drawn by administrators in President George Bush's administration. In October, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case, making it law of the land.

Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and Republican Sen. Steve Daines, along with Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke, all called for Congress to overturn the decision. While their joint bill was introduced on Friday morning, it's unlikely that it will be acted on during the last days of the 2016 congressional session. That means debate will begin under the new Congress and incoming administration of president-elect Donald Trump.

"Congress needs to take urgent action to reverse the disastrous activist court ruling for the sake of forest health, recreation and watershed and habitat protection," Daines said in a press release on Friday. "By seeking a simple fix and codifying the Obama administration's own position into law, we can protect Montana jobs and continue with common sense collaborative forest management projects that have been harmed by this court decision."

In an interview with the Missoulian on Friday, Tester said the bill was necessary because the Cottonwood decision allowed too much opportunity to block Forest Service action with unfounded challenges.

"Every time a new piece of information is found, we'd have to write a new forest plan," Tester said. "That's a recipe for perpetual red tape in motion. Any conservation measure, timber harvest, trail maintenance could be put off. It's that important."

It was a huge disappointment to see that Tester is willing to sacrifice the Endangered Species Act again for political purposes, said John Meyer, director of the Cottonwood Environmental Law Center in Bozeman that won the original lawsuit. Rep. Zinke said he would consider running against Tester if Tester didnt do what he wanted. It seems like Zinke is trying to play politics with the Endangered Species Act and Tester is willing to go along with that to stay in office.

The debate revolves around where federal agencies should address changes in an endangered species' status. In the lynx case, the federal judges ruled the Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service should consult at the top agency level to mesh their guidelines for where lynx critical habitat rules should apply to land management actions such as timber sales or road maintenance.

Department of Justice attorneys for the Forest Service argued those consultations should take place on a project-by-project basis. Critics like the Alliance for the Wild Rockies have argued that doesn't meet the Endangered Species Act requirements.

That argument has successfully blocked three large timber sales on the Kootenai, Gallatin and Custer national forests in Montana since the Supreme Court validated the 9th Circuit Cottonwood decision.

"The Forest Service has informed the court that they have started consultation with FWS and it will be completed this winter," said Mike Garrity, executive director of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies. "Congress needs to let the Endangered Species Act work. We can have both logging and lynx as long as the logging is done properly."

"The Endangered Species Act is very clear that if there is a conflict the Lynx must prevail," Garrity added. "Courts can't make law they can only enforce the law."

Nevertheless, the congressional delegation's bill drew support from a wide range of Montana stakeholders. Representatives of the Montana Wood Products Association, Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Association all sent messages agreeing with the move.

"(T)he Forest Service is held to high standards in regards to critical habitat and endangered species, and additional regulatory burdens courtesy of the 9th circuit court are unwarranted and unnecessary," former Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth said in a press release. "This legislation will allow the agency to continue their important work and get more restoration work done across Montana."
Why cant we solve Californias devastating housing shortage?

Perhaps its because the proposed solutions  sprawling construction, denser construction, granny flats, affordable housing mandates and regulation exemptions  are all built on the same flawed premise: that housing must exist solely on land. And Californias combination of strict regulation and anti-density NIMBYism makes it impossible to build enough housing on land to serve our population.

So, what if we build our housing future at sea?

If you havent heard yet of seasteading  thats the ocean form of homesteading  you soon will.

Because where else does California have to go?

Floating cities are an ancient idea; consider Platos dialogues on the lost city of Atlantis. And communities at sea are a durable cultural trope, from the Kevin Costner film Waterworld to the BioShock video games. In this season of joy, its worth noting that the worlds hardiest seasteader is Santa Claus himself, laboring tirelessly among the Arctic ice floes of the North Pole. Less mythically, a half century ago, L. Ron Hubbard and other leaders of the Church of Scientology created the Sea Organization, or Sea Org, a training compound of ships that mostly stayed at sea, away from the prying eyes of the authorities.

More recently, seasteading has gained ground among libertarians, particularly those who drink from Silicon Valleys dream-inducing waters. For a time, techies contemplated how to build cities far out to sea, in international waters, so they could live by their own laws.

At the forefront now is the nonprofit Seasteading Institute, which envisions such communities enabling the next generation of pioneers to peacefully test new ideas for how to live together. In 2008, the institute received high-profile backing from PayPal founder Peter Thiel, who preached for ocean communities as an escape from politics in all its forms. More recently, the venture capitalist has publicly soured on the idea and sought to escape political reality by backing Donald Trump.

In some sense, Thiels newfound skepticism is justified. Such experiments have yet to realize the vision of urban ocean realities  its costly and complicated to build a city on the sea. Among the Seasteading Institutes findings: The open ocean may be too rough to support a city, but protected coastal waters look promising.

For California, thats good news: We have 840 miles of coast. While seasteading may sound like science fiction, its no less Star Trekian than median housing prices that exceed seven figures in San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties, and approach $1 million for new homes in Orange County.

While previous visions of sea cities have incorporated futuristic aqua farms or novel modes of energy production, more modest cities  with the straightforward goal of providing housing for Californians  might be more viable. One might start with boats providing badly needed housing for the states homeless population. This idea recently got a boost when former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos suggested turning the decommissioned amphibious assault ship Peleliu into a shelter for his citys homeless.

Of course, Californias many land-based regulators and environmentalists would quickly raise objections to people living in coastal waters. So its vital to sell the idea not merely as a response to housing (because the housing crisis demonstrably doesnt move Californians to action or reform), but also as a farsighted answer to the two problems our states leaders care most about: climate change and the drought.

A proponent of seasteading recently suggested to me that offshore housing could provide a financing base to change the economics of desalination. Plans to turn ocean water into drinking water have long been considered costly and inefficient. But man-made islands with desalination plants financed with the proceeds from off-shore housing sales on those same islands might change the economics. The reclaimed water could supply these sea cities, thus offering a live experiment for a more sustainable water future.

Seasteading also could mitigate climate change. Sea-based cities would provide a dry run  OK, a wet run  for the not-so-distant future, when rising sea levels inundate Californias greatest coastal cities, forcing millions of us to learn how to live on the ocean. In this way, cities on the sea would ease todays housing problems  while furthering our climate change leadership and preparations for a watery future.

Its hard to overstate how much the ocean can teach us. Theres a great Golden State story from 1965 that Ive always loved, about a California-born teenager named Robin Lee Graham who embarked on a five-year sailing voyage around the world, eventually publishing a book called Dove and becoming a celebrity.

At sea, Graham wrote, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.

Thats a lesson all of California could learn, if were willing to build a future just off the coast.

Joe Mathews writes the Connecting California column for Zocalo Public Square. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at http://bitl.ly/SFChronicleletters.
MOUNT ZION -- Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them when it comes to leadership.

Shakespeare made that observation in "Twelfth Night," but a class at Richland Community College is doing its part to teach leadership skills that can lead to great achievements for its students

In just the last year, students in the leadership development course have completed projects as varied as volunteering day cares and nursing homes, serving a free lunch to Richland students and staff and raising more than $900 for an orphanage in Kenya.

That hands-on approach is what Deborah Yaden said helps set the class apart from anything else the students may experience.

What I really hope that, instead of just hearing what people have to say about leadership, they live it, said Yaden, a professor of English who teaches the course. Ive had students come back and tell me that this was their most useful course as they went out into the workplace.

The leadership course, offered to Richland honor students, has had dozens go through it since it was brought back to Richland about three years ago.

When the current 20 students first came to class at the start of the fall semester, several said they had no expectations for what they would be doing.

Matt Maynard, a sophomore, was told by his advisers that it was a class that was more "conceptual and hands-on" than a traditional class, but he had little idea what he was getting into on the first day of class.

Once students arrived, they were broken into four groups of five and required to work together within their groups to take on leadership challenges put to them. The idea for the groups is to help students break from their preconceived notions and learn to work with people with different perceptions on how to accomplish something together.

Part of the effectiveness of the class that students highlighted was the skills of Yaden, whom freshman Joe Green affectionately referred to as "an enabler" for the students.

She starts with a broad description of whatever it is we are going to be learning about, and she throws us into it to see how we do and how we react. Its an easier and more effective way for us to learn, Green said.

As the fall semester draws to a close, the class is putting together its first-ever leadership seminar, which will take place today at the school. About 80 4-Hers from across the area will be in attendance, as the students put together various presentations that highlight the different aspects of leadership and the best ways one can converse with others.

As the students prepare for the end of the semester, Yaden was hopeful that students would take what theyve learned over the course of the fall and put it toward future service.

For students like freshman Samantha Collins, there is no doubt that the class will have a long-term impact on her.

Looking back on what Ive done, this class has really opened me up to seeing the bigger picture and to be a better leader, Collins said. Since I want to get into teaching, I think has taught me ways to approach issues and not being so fixed on one issue rather than the larger picture.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP)  Dylann Roof wanted the world to know he hated black people and thought they were criminals. He thought about attacking drug dealers, but they might shoot back. So, he told the FBI, he picked a historic black church in Charleston he had learned about online.

In a videotaped confession shown Friday during his death penalty trial, Roof laughed several times and made exaggerated gun motions as he recounted the massacre. He explained that he wanted to leave at least one person alive to tell what happened and complained that his victims "complicated things" when they hid under tables.

Forty-five minutes into the interview, an FBI agent decided to tell him nine people died in the June 17, 2015, shootings at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

"There wasn't even that many people in there," Roof said incredulously. "Are you lying to me?"

The blurry video made it hard to see his face. After being told the details, an agent asked how he felt.

"Well, it makes me feel bad," said Roof, who earlier in the confession estimated he might have killed five.

Roof's lawyers have conceded that he carried out the attack and are concentrating on convincing jurors to spare his life in the second phase of the trial.

His confession came about 17 hours after the shooting. FBI agents drove to Shelby, North Carolina, where he was arrested with the gun used in the shooting in the backseat of his car. The plane that would take him back to Charleston was not going to arrive for a few hours. So FBI agent Michael Stansbury got permission to take a chance and interview him immediately.

It paid off almost instantly. After reading the suspect his rights and engaging in brief small talk, an agent asked Roof what he was doing on the night of the killings.

"I went to that church in Charleston and, uh, I did it," he said.

The agents pressed Roof gently, asking him exactly what he did. He paused another 30 seconds or so.

"I killed them," Roof said. As he talked more, he chuckled and said, "Well, I killed them, I guess."

Roof said he wanted to kill black people because they rape white women daily. Agents asked why he chose Emanuel AME. He said online references listed it as the oldest black church in the South, and there probably would not be any white people there.

"I knew that would be a place to get a small amount of black people in one area," Roof said, later adding, "They're in church, they weren't criminals or anything."

Earlier testimony from survivor Felicia Sanders said Roof sat through the Bible study beside pastor Clementa Pinckney and opened fire as the rest of the group of 12 closed their eyes for a final prayer.

"I was sitting there thinking about whether I should do it or not. That's why I sat there for 15 minutes. I could have walked out," Roof said.

Church surveillance videos indicate Roof was actually inside for about 45 minutes.

Roof, as he has for much of the trial, hardly looked up as the confession played, mostly just shuffling papers in front of him at the defense table.

He told FBI agents questioning him that he could never look at the families of the victims. And throughout the trial, he has not looked at the dozens of family members in the courtroom.

Roof meticulously prepared for the shootings. He carried eight magazines that could each hold 13 bullets. But he only loaded 11 bullets so he could shoot 88 times overall. Eighty-eight is a revered number among white supremacists, standing for Heil Hitler because H is the eighth letter of the alphabet.

In the confession, Roof said he left bullets in a magazine so that he could kill himself after the slayings but changed his mind when he didn't see any police immediately after the shooting.

At one point, an agent asked if Roof thought about killing more blacks.

"Oh no. I was worn out," Roof said.

A crime scene technician testified that she found two handwritten notes in Roof's car  one to his mother and one to his father. He told his dad: "I love you and I am sorry. You were a good dad."

To his mother, he said: "As childish as it sounds, I wish I was in your arms."

Roof's mother suffered a heart attack while watching opening statements Wednesday. Her condition is unclear.

Roof said the killing of Trayvon Martin was a turning point in his life. Martin, a young unarmed black man, was killed by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in 2012. Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting. Roof said he started researching black crime against whites on the internet.

He told the agents he didn't talk about his racist beliefs with his friends or family.

"They probably won't agree with me  you know what I'm saying?"
SPRINGFIELD  The debate over a new energy policy that Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law Wednesday focused largely on whether utility customers, from individual families to large industrial companies, should be asked to pay billions of dollars over a decade to subsidize two unprofitable nuclear plants owned by a highly profitable corporation.

But supporters say the argument about the $235 million in annual subsidies Exelon Corp. will be eligible to receive in exchange keeping open the Clinton and Quad-Cities nuclear power plants for another 10 years has overshadowed the legislations long-term environmental and climate benefits.

At a bill-signing ceremony Wednesday at Clinton High School, Jennifer Walling, the executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council, which represents more than 80 organizations across the state, hailed the new law as the most significant piece of climate and clean energy policy in Illinois history.

By keeping the nuclear plants open and increasing investment in renewable power and energy efficiency, supporters in the environmental community say, the policy will forestall an increase in demand for electricity generated by burning fossil fuels, which contributes to climate change.

The fact that the legislation made it out of the General Assembly with bipartisan support and onto Rauners desk was due in large part to an unconventional alliance between a Fortune 100 energy company and a coalition of environmental and consumer groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club and the Citizens Utility Board.

This partnership and coming together is an example of how big policy should get done in Springfield, Walling said.

Environmental, labor, religious and business organizations joined forces nearly two years ago to form the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition. The group aimed to fix flaws in the states renewable portfolio standard, which under a previous law set a goal of producing 25 percent of the states power through renewable sources, such as wind and solar, by 2025.

Long at odds with Exelon, the coalition joined forces with the company this fall to support the new law, which takes effect June 1.

Because of the way the old law was written, development of new wind farms and other renewable energy projects has been stalled in Illinois for several years. Meanwhile, money Illinoisans paid on their power bills was going to out-of-state projects.

The new law was written to fix those problems, opening the door to a boom in wind and solar development that had been bypassing Illinois to neighboring states for years, Nick Magrisso, Midwest legislative director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, wrote in a blog post summarizing the legislations environmental benefits.

The law is expected to spur 3,000 megawatts of new solar projects and 1,300 megawatts of new wind projects in Illinois, enough to power nearly 1 million homes, Magrisso wrote.

Also included are programs to allow people who arent able to install their own rooftop solar panels to subscribe to community projects in their neighborhoods. Another provision, the Illinois Solar for All Program, is designed to encourage development in low-income neighborhoods and to provide job training in the field in those communities.

Spending on energy efficiency programs, such as home weatherization and rebates for energy-saving appliances, will also increase as a result of the new law.

Exelon subsidiary Commonwealth Edison will spend up to $400 million annually in its Northern Illinois service territory, and Ameren Illinois will spend an average of $108 million annually downstate.

ComEd will be required to cut its Northern Illinois customers energy demand by 21.5 percent by 2030, and Ameren will have to reduce demand among its downstate customers by 16 percent by the same deadline. There are financial incentives built in if the companies exceeded their annual reduction targets and penalties if they miss them.

David Kolata, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board, said people across the state will benefit from increased spending on energy efficiency regardless of whether they take part in the utilities programs. Lower demand for energy will lead to lower prices for everyone, he said.

Bills will be lower because of the historic investments in energy efficiency, Kolata said at the bill-signing ceremony.

Opponents of the bill dont believe the savings will be as great as supporters are estimating because Illinois already generates a surplus of power.

And while the law includes caps on rate increases for customers of all sizes, opponents, including the Illinois Manufacturers Association and AARP Illinois, among others, also continue to raise questions about their effectiveness.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 84F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
The bodies of many prominent writers, artists and political figures rest at the Komitas and Yerevan Municipal Pantheons in Yerevan.

The Komitas Pantheon is in relatively good shape. The same cannot be said of the Yerevan Municipal Pantheon, located at the Central (Tomakh) Cemetery.

Many of the graves are unkempt; the metal adornments broken and the tombstones damaged. The grounds are strewn with garbage. Several years ago, Hetq wrote about the situation: Municipal Pantheon Under Siege.

Armen Soukiasyan, who heads the Special Service of Population community non-profit organization, told Hetq that his group cleans the cemetery and does other repair work there.

Soukiasyan points out that the cemetery is vast and that one security guard isnt enough and thinks that police should patrol the site just like they do at the Komitas Pantheon. He says most of the pilferage occurs at night. Soukiasyan says his organization doesnt have the resources to increase security at the cemetery and barely manages to maintain it.

No matter how much we patrol, garbage from weddings gets strewn about. Its frequently cleaned. Its not like a dump or in bad shape, says Soukiasyan.

The community organization director says hes contacted the police numerous times to catch those who are responsible for the pilferage. He also claims that recent strong winds have knocked over 80-100 headstones, breaking them.

Soukiasyan also blames the relatives of the deceased buried at the cemetery, who are responsible for periodically cleaning the graves of their loved ones. He says that his organization cant be held responsible if the damage is caused by nature.

Soukiasyan says that his group doesnt have the funds to repair the broken tombstones or decorative sculptures.

Karen Khachatryan, supervisor at the Central Cemetery, told Hetq that this summer, just like last year, the Yerevan Municipality repaired many of the graves. Khachatryan claims that most of the damage now visible happened during the past two or three months.

The cemetery has no guard or garbage attendant. There are women who clean the graves, but they arent our employees, said Khachatryan.

He says that hes complained to the police about the vandalism and that, in certain cases, the culprits have been identified.

Khachatryan says he cant imagine what kind of security would be needed to patrol and safeguard the 85-hectare cemetery, but that, at least till five or six in the evening, a few laborers and staff guard the site.

The Yerevan police, in response to our inquiry regarding the theft and vandalism, said that from January 29 to May 5 of this year, unknown individuals stole at 10,000 Euro bronze bust from the tombstone of V. Kocharyan at the Municipal Pantheon. A criminal investigation was launched but later dropped. The culprits were never found.

The police say that from 2014-2016 no other reports of vandalism or theft at the Municipal Pantheon were filed. The police have no data for preceding years.

According to information provided Hetq by the Prosecutor Generals Office, sixteen criminal cases of vandalism/ pilferage of tombstones, busts, statues or other objects at Yerevan cemeteries were reviewed from 2015-2016.

An additional 11 cases were reviewed for desecration of the corpse or burial site, and five for theft.

Of these, 14 cases were dropped because the culprits were never identified. Only in one case was anyone convicted. One case is ongoing.
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Trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 6. Leen called it "physically and logistically impossible" to try all 17 defendants together, and suggested it would be unfair for a 17th defendant to have to wait months or years to resolve his case if they were tried individually. She said she'll issue a written scheduling order soon.
The taxable income Canberra Airport's parent company accrued remained steady between 2013-14 and 2014-15, despite the Australian Tax Office's corporate transparency report showing a near-doubling of its total income during the same period.

Capital Property Finance Pty Limited, which is tied to the group that owns Canberra Airport and property developments across the city, was listed in the report alongside corporate giants such as Google, Ford and Apple.

Canberra Airport parent company Capital Property Finance Pty Limited's taxable income remained steady between the two financial years. Credit:Rohan Thomson

The ATO is required to publish the details of Australian-owned resident private companies with a total income of $200 million or more, regardless of the tax the corporation is required to pay.

Capital Property Finance reported a total income of $404,928,226 in 2014-15, up from $209,237,945 in 2013-14.
The partner's store manager called police after she came into work crying, a police statement tendered to the court said.

Police arrested him on Friday morning after his partner alleged he punched her legs, slapped her face and grabbed her by the throat.

The 23-year-old appeared before the ACT Magistrates Court on Saturday on charges of assault and unlawful deprivation of liberty.

A Mawson man charged with assaulting his girlfriend already had bail conditions preventing him from coming within 100 metres of her, a court has heard.

She told police the defendant attacked her after the pair had an argument the morning after his birthday, punching her as she sat on the lounge holding her legs close to her chest.

The woman ran to the bathroom and vomited, after which her partner allegedly slapped her across the face.

She alleged the defendant refused to get her inhaler after she started hyperventilating because he believed she was "putting it on", then dragged her by the ponytail to the hallway.

The defendant eventually took the partner to work, the statement said, but only after he asked her to "give me what I want", which she believed to mean the names of people she had slept with before him.

Police said the woman, who was in a three-year relationship with the defendant, had bruising to her left and right upper thighs, bruising to her left forearm, a cut on her neck and slight redness of swelling to her left eye and cheek.
Canberra's aged-care sector is set for a boost, with a $24 million retirement village proposed for Kaleen.

The proposal, before the Environment and Planning Directorate, is for the construction of a two-storey, 80-bed facility as well as 90 units.

The new retirement village planned for Kaleen comes as the ACT's population is rapidly ageing. Credit:Dean Mitchell

Construction on the 2.65-hectare site also would include a community centre, bowling green and a 121-space car park.

If approved, the development would be built on the site of a previously-proposed 150-bed retirement village put before the ACT government in 2012.
Trove has relied on contributors to pay for the upload of new documents after National Library of Australia funding was cut in the middle of the year.

Museums, universities and galleries, whose content used to be aggregated through the service, have been asked to provide funding if they "wish to expose their collections through Trove" since July 1, the Department of Communications and the Arts told a Senate estimates committee.

The National Library of Australia is supporting Trove's existing infrastructure, but is relying on others to fund expansion of its collection. Credit:Jeffrey Chan

In answers provided to questions on notice from the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications, the department shed light on the effects of efficiency dividends to Canberra-based cultural institutions following the May budget.

In addition to a funding halt on digitisation of the collections, the National Library has closed reading rooms on all public holidays, stopped stack retrieval on Saturdays and curtailed the institution's trade publishing program.
People spending Christmas this year away from family members who are in prison will be receiving some much needed festive cheer.

More than 30 volunteers gathered in Turner on Saturday to pack Christmas hampers for Prisoners Aid.

Volunteer Christine Baric helping to put together one of Prisoners Aid's Christmas hampers. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

Volunteers helped to pack 25 hampers, which will be distributed to families of prisoners as well as newly-released prisoners in coming weeks.

The hamper drive, now in its third year, was the organisation's largest, with hundreds of items including tinned food, chocolates, mince pies and toys being donated.
Generals, it's said, lose battles by fighting the last war, and it is increasingly clear Malcolm Turnbull is fighting the hard right of the Liberal party like it is still 2009. Back then, Mr Turnbull lost the Liberal leadership after a revolt by arch conservatives in the party over attempts to introduce a carbon emissions trading scheme. Yet despite having since won back the top job  and then an election  Mr Turnbull appears to have learnt the wrong lesson. He has decided to kowtow to those same hardline forces instead of tackling the reality of climate change. Smoke billows from stacks in Shanxi, China. Credit:Getty Images So it was last week, after Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg flagged the sensible suggestion that the government would consider  not commit, but explore  how an emissions intensity scheme would apply in Australia's energy markets. This is a type of carbon price that a series of recent reports have considered to meet targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Economic modelling for the Australian Electricity Market Commission suggests such a scheme would save households and businesses up to $15 billion in electricity costs over a decade. But within 36 hours, after a petulant outburst from hyper-sceptics on the Coalition backbench, Mr Turnbull had abandoned any talk of a carbon intensity scheme. In doing so he not only embarrassed Mr Frydenberg, but again left people wondering: just what, exactly, does Malcolm Turnbull stands for?

This is a mess entirely of the Prime Minister's own making. Six months after the election, there should not be doubts about his authenticity. Yet on policy questions such climate change or same-sex marriage, Malcolm Turnbull's supposed "pragmatism" in government in contrast to his previously professed opinions leaves his leadership with a hollow character. With respect to the environment, what Mr Turnbull seems to underestimate is how much times have changed in the seven years since his first stint as Liberal leader. Without doubt, Tony Abbott launched a devastating attack on Labor's carbon tax. Yet it is also true that the complex demands of government quickly swept over a simplistic-slogan style of opposition  a point Mr Turnbull stressed when he toppled Mr Abbott and promised to appeal to "people's intelligence" in policy debates. The international context has also shifted dramatically. The United States and China finally managed to forge an agreement to cut emissions, leading to the unprecedented Paris climate deal. Expectations in the business community have also changed. Gone is the hostility to Kevin Rudd's elaborate proposal for a carbon trading system. Instead, there is a widespread recognition that the Paris accord is to be taken seriously and commercial interests will be best served through a consistent bipartisan policy. The Business Council of Australia reinforced this on Friday with an unusually blunt call for the government not to rule anything out ahead of a climate policy review next year, warning doing so risked making life more expensive for industry and consumers. Its message was clear: an emissions intensity scheme may be the most effective way on offer to cut emissions while limiting price rises and maintaining energy security. Don't let politics and ideology stand in the way.
Jennifer Lawrence - the Hollywood actor famous for stumbling up the stairs to collect her Oscar in 2013 - has tripped up again but this time no one is laughing.

After an online backlash, the star, who is loved for her "relatable" personality, has apologised for telling a story about scratching her "butt" on sacred rocks in Hawaii.

Jennifer Lawrence has been forced to apologise for a story she told while promoting her new film, Passengers. Credit:Getty

While appearing on British talk-show The Graham Norton Show, on an episode that went to air in Australia on Friday, The Hunger Games star recounted a tale that happened on the set of the popular franchise when she was filming on location of the US state and surrounded by "sacred rocks".

"You're not supposed to sit on them because you're not supposed to expose your genitalia to them," she said.
Last week he told TV Week: "If I won a Gold Logie, I'd glue it on to the front of my Mustang and drive around town like I was the Prime Minister!"

Though even he admits his old TV ego still yearns for a bit of soothing.

Denyer has embarked on a Trump-like, multi-pronged media campaign in recent weeks leading up to the all-important Logies voting, with page after glossy page of gushy prose devoted to the pint-sized former weatherman, who has been recast as the television personality who opted for the wholesome country life over the bright but empty lights of showbiz.

Grant Denyer admits his old TV ego still yearns for a bit of soothing as the Logies voting looms. Credit:Scott Barbour

But, just as Donald Trump refused to make his tax returns public, Grant Denyer, who was a Gold Logie nominee this year, also refuses to be drawn on one particularly touchy subject  his time being treated in a Thai rehab clinic with his wife Cheryl amid claims they were battling a raging $4000-a-day methamphetamine addiction in a scandalous report published in Woman's Day magazine just two years ago.

Denyer and his manager, Titus Day, were on the warpath with the magazine when the story first hit, brazenly telling PS and other media outlets they would sue over the "outrageous" story, which they claimed was nothing but "a pack of lies".

Except, as the months passed, no lawsuit was ever launched by Denyer, while Woman's Day editor Fiona Connolly has repeatedly stood by her original story and denied any suggestions that some sort of settlement had been reached with Denyer, who bizarrely went to the same magazine just a few months later to sell them the rights to his second child's birth.

Denyer's previously infuriated manager would later tell the likes of me to "let it go" when asked why they never proceeded to litigate, let alone demand a retraction or an apology over the disturbingly detailed accounts of his alleged drug addiction.
However, remember that (a) tax-free component is never taxed when withdrawn from your super fund, even after death, and (b) once mixed with taxable component, cannot be separated. So place your $180,000 into a new super fund, which will initially have a structure of 100 per cent tax-free component and, when withdrawing money, draw from your current fund first, with its potential tax liability.

I am a single woman with no dependants. On retirement, I invested my super in an account-based industry pension fund and lost thousands. I'm worried about what's left of my pension fund, approximately $145,000. I'm not happy with the performance of my fund and was thinking of transferring to another. A financial officer at Centrelink advised that, because I was in receipt of the full pension, I could roll funds over to another account-based industry pension without running foul of the new deeming rules which come into effect in January 2017. The officer also advised another option open to me  roll the funds into an account in one of the Big Four banks. Because the sum total I have is lower than $250,000, my funds would be protected in the event of another market crash. I wasn't expecting this option and it rather threw me! The officer also said not to get a lump sum  to draw down when needed  as a line of credit (I'm not sure now what this means). What would be the best kind of account I should open with one of the Big Four banks, where I could earn some interest, without attracting large fees? L.W.

You've thrown me too! Either there has been a misunderstanding or what you've been told is inaccurate. I suspect the former.

Super funds don't offer a line of credit. Also, the Centrelink changes planned for January 2017 relate to the assets test and none relate to deeming. That occurred back in January 2015, after which new account-based pensions became subject to deeming while existing ones, such as yours, are "grandfathered" i.e. continue to be measured differently by the Centrelink income test. For your pre-2015 pension, the income test ignores a "deductible amount" calculated by dividing your initial purchase price by your life expectancy at the time i.e. the return of your own capital over your lifetime is ignored.

This older test is considered more "pension friendly" than subjecting the pension to deeming, which is what will happen if you rollover to a new pension.
Goran Markovic, left, is wanted by NSW Police for 29 counts of alleged fraud in Blacktown in 2002. Credit:Kelly Boulter Ms Boulter, known as Kelly, claimed that Mr Markovic stole $120,000 from her and mentally abused her while they travelled from April to November 2014. When they first met in Florence, Italy, Mr Markovic claimed he had lost his passport and needed money to send to his family. Goran Markovic in a photo taken by Kelly Boulter. To build trust, experts say Mr Markovic groomed Ms Boulter by arranging to send small amounts of money to her account.

"He claimed to be a devoted partner and family man," said Ms Boulter, a nurse who is now recovering from post traumatic distress disorder caused by the scam. Goran Markvoic in Venice in April 2014. Mr Markovic kept her in a constant state of fear, and gradually assumed the role of her protector as they went on the run across Europe to evade capture by fictional spies. He claimed to have been working for the Australian government pursuing criminals. He showed her a bloody shirt, allegedly related to the murder of an American oil executive, and a faked news report about the crime. Goran Markovic in Florence, Italy. Credit:Kelly Boulter

At other times, he claimed that the CIA was chasing him, forcing the couple to move nightly from hotel to hotel to evade capture, and to use her credit card to avoid detection. "He wanted [me] to think we were fugitives on the run," she said. Mr Markovic allegedly used fake passports, names and credit cards. "He claimed to be an interpol investigator, who worked on and off for ASIO," said Ms Boulter. Ms Boulter has lodged complaints against him with the Australian Federal Police, alleging he used fake passports, and filed reports with police in Italy, the Netherlands and Germany. But because the scam was perpetrated in Europe, it has been difficult for Australian police to pursue. To prove his credentials, Mr Markovic showed her a bank account with millions of dollars, which she later realised was fake.

"I felt quite safe with him, as strange as that sounds. He was very committed to putting criminals away, and I now when I look back, he was the opposite of what he was portraying." When contacted by Fairfax on Friday, Mr Markovic initially refused to comment on the NSW warrants, claiming he had been threatened by a NSW police officer with a personal vendetta. "As far as the nsw matters I have been advised nof [sic] to discuss them after a death threat from a phone number registered to a serving NSW Police detective which I luckily recorded." NSW Police denied an officer had threatened Mr Markovic. A spokesman said a senior officer had been "passionate about bringing (Markovic) to justice" and had tracked his movements across Europe for the past 10 years. Mr Markovic had often taunted police by falsely claiming he was back in Australia, and promising to turn himself in. In a "catch-me if you can" taunt, Mr Markovic even sent the policeman a Christmas card.

Mr Markovic said the "so-called fraud matters" related to four cheques, which were not honoured, totalling approx $45k to purchase cars for resale. The cars were returned, he claimed. The Victorian convictions by Judge Fagan also related to a scheme to resell cars. When contacted last year for comment on Ms Boulter's allegations, he dismissed them as a load of rubbish. "I have never stolen anything from her or used her credit card without permission," he said at the time. Ms Boulter has made contact with other victims of Mr Markovic, including retired couple Patricia and Richard Derrick in France.

They told Fairfax by email that Mr Markovic borrowed nearly 4000 from them over a six-month period after he came to live with them on a scheme where he offered his skills as a handyman and mechanic in exchange for room and board. When he arrived he asked for a loan, claiming that his luggage and passport had been stolen. He promised the Derricks he would return the money but attributed one of many delays to the sudden death of his mother. They contacted the police about Mr Markovic's receipt of a fake driver's licence, which led to him being detained and then deported from France for allegedly overstaying his visa. On Friday Mr Markovic told Fairfax he had returned to Australia because his mother was ill and his life was very messy and complicated because of the rumours Ms Boulter was spreading about him. Loading He believed the outstanding warrants against him  issued by a judge in Sydney when he failed to appear in court  had been dropped.
Dylan Voller, the youth at the centre of the Turnbull Government's royal commission into indigenous youth custody, has had his phone privileges cut days before he is due to give evidence.

His mother Joanne Voller said the family had been told by Northern Territory prison authorities that Dylan would be unable to make phone calls for 28 days. Voller is expected to give evidence to the royal commission in a closed court on Monday.

Ms Voller appeared before a rally for Human Rights Day at Customs House in Sydney on Saturday with her head bowed and duct tape over her mouth. The crowd of several hundred, including many Aboriginal family groups, was told she wanted to draw attention to the way her son had been silenced.

Ms Voller had visited Dylan twice last week and left $150 for phone credits with his lawyer so that he could contact his family.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is seeking to ramp up revenue opportunities from some of Sydney's most stunning natural beauty spots as it wrestles with a backlog of poor heritage maintenance, a loss of experienced staff, and a prolonged squeeze on its operating budget.

In a recent call for "expressions of interest" from commercial event organisers, the service says it wants to "encourage industry professionals to consider the great potential of national parks as venues for exciting and dynamic events".

Goat Island has been nominated as "showcase" opportunities in the Expressions of Interest document. Credit:Peter Rae

It depicts NPWS park venues as open to "almost any type of event ... including music, arts and culture, food and wine as well as sporting, tourism or incentives [sic], business and corporate events."

The government denies the pitch is about revenue-raising but former insiders, unions and environmental campaigners fear the growing emphasis on commercialisation is putting heritage and conservation priorities at risk.
Police escorting Boyd to Campbelltown Police station in April, 1983. Credit:Trevor Dallen He forced the women to undress, perform sex acts on him and each other, bound their hands and feet and walked up and down from one victim to another slashing and stabbing each in turn in the neck. Two women, Patricia Volcic and another who can not be named for legal reasons, were stabbed to death. A third, Olive Short, amazingly survived. Boyd, then 29, was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to five consecutive life terms of imprisonment in 1985 for the four murders and the malicious wounding of Mrs Short. At the time there was a system of releasing prisoners on parole at the discretion of the executive government. Boyd's sexually violent murders involved torture. Credit:John Nobley But since "truth in sentencing" legislation was introduced in 1989 "life has meant life" in NSW, with no prospect of parole.

Prisoners who were sentenced to life before this legislation under the previous system of release on licence were permitted to apply to the Supreme Court to have a minimum sentence determined, allowing them to potentially become eligible for parole. Boyd murdered Gregory Wiles one day in 1983, and hours later terrorised three women, murdering two of them. The third amazingly survived. Credit:Trevor Dallen The legislative scheme was again amended significantly in 2008, giving prisoners only one chance at having their life sentences determined. In a front of a court room packed with his victims' family members, Boyd made the one attempt he has to have a release date set on Friday. If he is unsuccessful he will serve his existing sentence in jail for the term of his natural life. Samuel Boyd, jailed for life without parole for the murders of four people, including three women.

Entering the witness box under oath, Boyd said he would be willing to take anti-libidinal medication to lower his testosterone and level of arousal. Asked why he thought the medication might help him he replied: "If my libido is a problem, as the court deems it is, then it has to be addressed". Boyd has denied being sexually excited by violence against women, and he told the court he had not had any fantasies of sadistic behaviour since he was incarcerated. For more than two decades, he said, he had been a Christian and had an on-off relationship with a woman he had met while in prison. "I've tried to embrace the Christian philosophy in how I should conduct my life in matters of everyday living," he said.

Boyd has always claimed that he did not murder Mrs Celea, and that he has no recollection of the other three murders. When he first was jailed, he blamed cannabis and pesticides. But in his submissions to the judge, Boyd said he had spent much time reflecting "on the reason why I did these terrible things". "When I came to prison and for many years to come, I had a huge problem accepting the responsibility of my actions that lead to the death of three people," he wrote in a handwritten note tendered in court. "While at this time I am still unable to explain what actually happened on that night-morning, I am responsible. Those people suffered by my actions, hands, my doing." The court heard that the Corrective Services Commissioner had determined that Boyd was a moderate to high risk of sexual reoffending.

Two forensic psychiatrists gave evidence that because of Boyd's either real or feigned amnesia about the Glenfield Park school murders, there were gaps in understanding what motivated his actions and it made it difficult to determine the likelihood of him reoffending with any precision. "There has been more effort in fact to speculate about his motivations and drives by external parties than has been expressed or pursued by Mr Boyd himself," Dr Diamond said. Crown prosecutor Huw Baker said Boyd's murders fell into the "worst category" and showed an "extreme degree of callousness and brutality". Mr Baker submitted the court should reject his application to set a specified term for his sentence and he should never be released from jail. "The cruelty exhibited and the pain and indignities inflicted on the victims was such that the applicant could not have attached any value whatsoever to the lives he took," Mr Baker said. Boyd's barrister Philip Strickland, SC, argued that a refusal to set a non-parole period would be an extreme step as it would would extinguish hope permanently.
Aboriginal leaders march through Sydney

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Everything you thought you knew about dinosaurs is probably wrong.

In 1993 when the first Jurassic Park film came out, Hollywood used the most up-to-date science to present amazing moving images of dinosaurs such as velociraptors.

But as many 10-year-olds can now tell you, they turned out to be wrong. Like those raptors, science can move fast. We now know that a velociraptor was smaller than those clever critters hunting Jeff Goldblum  and covered in feathers.

While that first film tried to be accurate, the latest in the franchise didn't even bother. As John Pickrell says in his new book, Weird Dinosaurs, "our current understanding of dinosaurs is nothing like the creatures depicted in 2015's Jurassic World ..."
Workers at Alcoa's damaged Portland smelter will be asked to help save their jobs by taking holidays as the aluminium giant decides on its future in Australia.

Australian Workers Union Victorian secretary Ben Davis confirmed that workers would be encouraged take unscheduled leave over the Christmas period, to help reduce costs for the biggest employer in Victoria's far south-west.

Power lines leading to the smelter at Portland. Credit:Joe Armao

Mr Davis and Victorian Industry Minister Wade Noonan flew to Portland on Friday for a tour of the plant and discussions with Alcoa and workers.

The smelter is believed to have lost more than $1 million a day since the outage led to the closure of a potline and more than half the plant's output.
The distressed-looking dog stood on her owner's hospital bed and leaned into his face, sniffing around a tangled mess of wires to find him.

Ryan Thomas Jessen had gone to the hospital for what he thought was a migraine, but it turned out to be a brain haemorrhage, his sister, Michelle Jessen, wrote on Facebook earlier this month.

The haemorrhage, which doctors believe may have been brought on by high blood pressure, would prove fatal.

But before Jessen died, the 33-year-old Californian's family wanted to let his dog, Mollie, see him one last time.
Jakarta: Indonesian counter-terrorism forces arrested three people on Saturday near Jakarta, who were suspected of planning a bomb attack on the presidential palace, a police spokesman said.

The arrests of two men and a woman are the latest in a security crackdown ahead of the New Year holiday season and come amid concerns of a rise in Islamic State-inspired radicalism in the world's largest Muslim-majority country.

Muslim demonstrators march in Central Jakarta on November 4. Credit:Getty Images

Police raided a dormitory in Bekasi, a town about an hour outside Jakarta, and found an unexploded bomb.

"The plan was to use the bomb at the presidential palace during the change of guard," Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono said in a statement.
Cambodian surrogate mother Hour Vanny, holding the two-page document she signed with Fertility Solutions, operated by Australian nurse Tammy Davis-Charles. Credit:Craig Skehan "I'm from The Age and was hoping to talk you " The voice replied "no, thank you" and hung up, leaving unanswered the question of whether Artman was aware a document had been falsified in his case. The house is owned by 27-year-old businessman Ezra Natan Artman, a director of more than dozen companies registered at the address, who was formerly known as Ezra Natan Silman. The Silman family, headed by Maurice Silman of Elwood has business interests spanning property, minerals, oil and gas and fish farming, and own the Artman Gallery catering to developing artists in Caulfield.

There is no suggestion that Charles Artman brought Sally to Australia illegally or that the girl did not meet the requirements of Australia's Passport or Citizenship acts. Like many countries, Cambodia does not have laws that relate directly to surrogacy, leaving would-be parents confused and vulnerable in the country's corrupt and murky judicial system. Hour Vanny recognises Artman as the baby's father, having told an interpreter at the Australian embassy she agreed the finance manager could have custody of the baby and that she had been paid $US10,000, as promised by Davis-Charles, who has been arrested and is awaiting trial in Phnom Penh on charges related to engaging in surrogacy and falsifying documents. "I said 'Yes, I agree', because I volunteered. What else could I do?" Hour Vanny said.

However the case and others involving Australians in Cambodia raise questions about the integrity of Australia's passport protocols and Canberra's lack of policies to deal with surrogacy overseas, particularly in impoverished and corrupt countries like Cambodia, where experts say surrogate mothers and children are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Australian diplomatic missions do not have authority to investigate circumstances which lead to a passport application for a child being lodged, including any separation of twins, as happened in the Baby Gammy case in Thailand in 2014. Australia insists it has no role to play when overseas surrogacy arrangements are negotiated, a stand which has strained ties with Cambodia as the deeply Buddhist country struggles to decide how to deal with surrogacy. Australian regulations require that for a baby to be granted citizenship the child's identity must be substantiated with a combination of birth certificates, hospital records, DNA tests and information from any surrogacy contract.

The identities of the commissioning parents, birth mother and child must be established. Both Hour Vanny and Artman had DNA tests done by a Canberra-approved clinic in Phnom Penh. Cambodian authorities are unhappy that Australian embassy officials will not pass on to them the identities of Australians who have entered into agreements that have resulted in at least 70 babies being conceived to Cambodian surrogates, most of them married women in impoverished villages. They believe the Australian government is shirking its responsibility for the dozens of Australians who came to Cambodia to engage in a practice that is little understood in Cambodian society. For months, the Turnbull government has been sitting on a parliamentary committee report recommending sweeping changes to how Australia handles surrogacy overseas, including that arrangements Australians enter into be the subject of detailed scrutiny to protect the rights of both the birth mother and child.

The report recommended that commercial surrogacy remain illegal in Australia but supported allowing altruistic surrogacy, where costs such as legal and medical expenses are reimbursed to surrogate mothers. It acknowledged that laws in Queensland, NSW and the ACT banning Australians from seeking surrogacy abroad are ineffective, after thousands of Australians have gone overseas seeking surrogacy arrangements in recent years. The report said despite objections by some people opposing all forms of surrogacy on ethical grounds, the focus must be on how potential risks and harm from international commercial surrogacy can be minimised, given there is no reasonable prospect of a worldwide ban on the practice in the near future. It found that children have the right to know and understand the circumstances of their birth and genetic heritage and that information should be provided on birth certificates. Attorney-General George Brandis has not responded to the report, which was tabled in May.

In Cambodia, a human tragedy that is now unfolding came as no surprise to observers of a multibillion-dollar international surrogacy industry where players operate across multiple borders, flying surrogates, eggs, doctors and intending parents to whichever country is the most porous for their business. The operators look for poor, lightly regulated countries that don't have laws dealing with surrogacy. When those countries regulate the industry, the operators pack up and move to more hospitable jurisdictions in a seemingly never-ending cycle. Cambodia was the fourth Asian nation in the past two years to announce a sudden ban on surrogacy after similar crackdowns in India, Thailand and Sri Lanka. The government in Phnom Penh had declared in October that commercial surrogacy would be treated as human trafficking until laws were passed dealing with the practice.

But through its smartraveller.gov.au website, Australia had been warning for months that commercial surrogacy was illegal in the country and that those who entered into agreements could face jail. Phnom Penh had become the default Asian surrogacy hub in Asia, catering first for the gay Chinese market and then for predominantly gay Westerners locked out of affordable or legal options in their home countries. "Cambodia's surrogacy infrastructure was a hastily built rollercoaster with a high risk of collateral damage when it inevitably crashed," said Sam Everingham, global director of the non-profit Australian consultancy Families Through Surrogacy. "Recruiting illiterate surrogates in a country with high levels of corruption to carry in many cases twin pregnancies for foreigners is not a humane, sustainable business model," he said. Everingham, who has dealt with scores of surrogacy cases overseas, cites concerns about high rates of multiple embryo transfers, often without consultation with the commissioning parents, which in turn leads to high rates of twin pregnancies and high rates of pre-term deliveries and their associated complications.

He said in third-world surrogacy markets there are unacceptable levels of embryo mix-ups during storage and transfers and commissioning parents have little recourse to funds where services are not provided or a market is shut down, as has happened in Cambodia. Everingham said there is a lack of understanding among commissioning parents of the importance of engaging with known donors for the sake of their unborn children and a lack of provision for overseas surrogate-born children to be recognised as the legal children of commissioning parents under Family Law Provisions. "Australian states can't wait for George Brandis to initiate reform," he said. "Instead they need to instigate change to facilitate access to well-managed domestic surrogacy, so far fewer Australians need to go abroad." In Cambodia, hundreds of pregnant surrogates have now either gone into hiding, fearing arrest, or are travelling to neighbouring countries like Thailand, where the Australian embassy in Bangkok is still processing passports for surrogate-born babies, despite the military government there shutting down surrogacy clinics in late 2014.

There are grave concerns the women will not receive medical check-ups and medicines they need during their pregnancies. The women fear for the future of the babies and worry they will not be paid. Several pregnant surrogate mothers in villages outside of Phnom Penh told Fairfax Media that they agreed to be surrogates even on the understanding that they would be left to bring up any baby found to have a disability. Abnormal fetuses are routinely aborted. Birth mothers, including Hour Vanny, have been required to undergo caesarean deliveries despite wanting to have natural births. John Pascoe, chief judge of Australia's Federal Court, has warned that often, in the commissioning parent's desperation to get a child, the rights and interests of the child are sidelined or forgotten.

"Particularly in commercial surrogacy arrangements, the unborn child is treated as a commodity and the subject of a contract. The unborn child is viewed as an object that is essentially for sale," he said. "There is tension between those who characterise surrogacy payments as 'money for services rendered' and those who see the payment as a purchase price for a child." Investigations in Phnom Penh have centred on Davis-Charles, a mother of six, including twin boys born through surrogacy in Thailand, who police say arranged at least 25 babies to be carried by surrogates, charging $US50,000 for fees and services for each baby. Her immediate future is grim. She is in Prey Sar prison, a former Khmer Rouge torture centre, awaiting a trial that is months away. But already some of the roughly 50 other surrogacy operators in Phnom Penh have moved to Vientiane in neighbouring Laos, another corrupt country with lax laws and regulations and a poor human rights record. Like Cambodia, the country has no laws dealing with surrogacy.

The daily average income there is only $US1.25. Vientiane has only two international standard hospitals and surrogacy experts say newborns delivered pre-term would likely require transfer to a hospital in Thailand for neonatal care. Among those operating in Vientiane is Thai-born Monash University-trained Dr Pisit Tantiwattanakul, who gained notoriety in Bangkok in 2014 when authorities forced the closure of his All IVF Clinic, then one of the most popular with Australians seeking surrogacy services in Thailand. All IVF Clinic provided surrogacy services for a Japanese man who fathered at least 15 babies with Thai surrogate mothers, prompting claims that Pisit was running a baby factory. Pisit, now head of IVF International Laos, denied any wrongdoing.

On December 2, Australia updated its smartraveller.gov.au website to warn for the first time that commercial surrogacy is illegal is Laos and that Australians should not enter into agreements with surrogates there. Observers of transnational surrogacy warn that if history is any guide, many Australians desperate to have children won't listen before Laos' communist politburo, dominated by military generals, orders a crackdown, followed by the inevitable heartbreak. The question is where the operators will turn to then. Loading * Not her real name.
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GENEVA, SWITZERLAND:-- - A delegation consisting of Ms. Joy Arnell, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor and Mr. Patrice Gumbs, Jr, Senior Policy Advisor at the Department of Foreign Relations defended Sint Maarten at the recently concluded hearing of the Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

In her opening remarks, Ms. Arnell underscored the work that Sint Maarten has carried out during the last six years, as a newly autonomous country in the Kingdom. A large part of this six-year period has been dedicated to ensuring that all international legal obligations and legislation in support of obligations is put into place. In these past six years, Sint Maarten has not only broadened its legal definition of human trafficking but also enacted anti-trafficking as well as anti-smuggling legislation. In addition, Sint Maarten has been elevated from tier 2 Watch List to tier 1 in the US Trafficking in Persons Report of 2016. This reclassification underscores Sint Maartens strong commitment to combat and mitigates incidences of human trafficking. The five-hour hearing continued with questions being posed by representatives of the 23-member committee on a number of topics including the state of prostitution and abortion on Sint Maarten; teenage pregnancy; domestic violence; the role of women in governance; discrimination, immigrant and minority rights; and social security and legal protection. Particular emphasis was placed on prostitution and abortion, as both of these topics presented concerns for the Committee in previous hearings. To that end, Secretary General Joy Arnell indicated that legislative reviews were ongoing in this regard.

CEDAW is an international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly, and broadly speaking can be defined as an international bill of rights for women. The Kingdom of the Netherlands, one of 189 countries to have signed on to the Convention, did so in 1980 and ratified it in 1991. Countries who have become a party to the treaty (States parties) are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights of the Convention are implemented. During its sessions, the Committee considers each State party report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of concluding observations. This marked the first time that Sint Maarten contributed and defended its own report to the wider Kingdom report.
Eyebrows being raised as to where police and prosecution found manpower and tools to investigate cyber crimes?

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prosecutors Office on Thursday extended the pretrial detention for well-known teacher and unionist Claire Elshot who was arrested on Sunday evening for allegedly threatening an employee of the Court of First Instance. The employee it is understood is a court recorder and is also a neighbor of Elshot who recently opened the ACE foundation in Cole Bay with the assistance of NAGICO.

SMN News learned that the courthouse employee and her relatives refused to use their entrance and instead have been using the narrow entrance leading to the ACE Foundation. According to the information provided to SMN News, the use of the entrance created some neighborly feud and that led to some threatening Facebook posts.

Sources say that the courthouse employee used her power to file a complaint and obtained a warrant based on the Facebook posts. SMN News learned that police first arrested Elshots son for threats also and when she went to enquire at the Philipsburg police station about her son she was informed that there has been a warrant for her arrest and was immediately arrested. In the meantime, Elshot's son has been released and has to serve 50 hours of community service,

While it is not acceptable for anyone to fire threats at other people or even post it on Facebook, one has to question the way Elshot was arrested and if the court and prosecutors office have abused their power in this case.

SMN News reporter and several citizens of St. Maarten filed numerous complaints about, threats, defamation, and slander against another citizen and to date the prosecution cannot move to court with the case against the culprit even though the suspect was arrested and somehow got prosecuted for slandering two Dutch nationals, namely a lawyer and former detective. However, the prosecutor claimed on several occasions that they do not have the necessary manpower and or tools to investigate cyber crimes and as such they are unable to proceed with the prosecution of the culprit that hijacked the names and photographs of several persons and created numerous Facebook pages that they are using to slander and defame other people. The latest explanation the prosecution gave when asked for an update on the case, they said that the suspect, is no longer on the island and she was released on conditions and did not live up to those conditions. The prosecution also admitted they know where the suspect is but to date did absolutely nothing to bring this person to justice.

The most recent victim of cyber hijacking is Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr whose name and photographs are being used on Facebook with at least four fake Facebook accounts.

It is indeed questionable where the prosecution and or KPSM found the tools and manpower to investigate the cyber crimes Elshot is accused of committing.

In a prosecutors press bulletin issued on Friday, it states The Judge of instruction on Friday, December 9, 2016, deemed the arrest and detention of V.C.E.A. (59) legitimate. She is suspected of threat, insult, and libel. The Prosecutors Office had prolonged her detention on December 7 with 8 more days.

F.R.E. (35) suspected of threat was released on December 8 on conditional dismissal. He will serve 50 hours of community service.
Rehab in Florida seeking to connect people looking for rehab services.

With the problem of drug abuse becoming serious issue, people are looking for ways to help themselves as well as family members and friends to overcome the problem. Rehabilitation is one of the most effective ways to seek assistance according to drug and substance abuse experts. Experts also point out that seeking help is an important step but cannot be achieved until the victim accepts they have a problem. Denial is a problem faced by most drug addicts, they do not come clean until the situation has worsened, said one of the drug and substance experts in Florida. In an attempt to provide the people of Florida with rehabilitation assistance, a website has been launched. [RehabInFlorida.net](http://rehabinflorida.net/) is aimed at assisting people who are looking for help to deal with drug and substance abuse. The site is focused on the residents of Florida, providing them with details of the places where they can seek assistance. The information provided by the site includes details of places which are near an individual seeking drug and substance abuse recovery.

The founders of the [http://rehabinflorida.net/south-florida-rehabilita](http://rehabinflorida.net/south-florida-rehabilitation/) site appreciate that people who have seen the need to seek assistance in dealing with their problem are one step ahead as far as dealing with the problem is concerned. They have conquered denial, a stage at which many drug and substance addicts are stuck. The fact that they would like to find a solution to the problem means that they appreciate that a no action option can only lead to more problems and may risk their life or that of someone else. Rehab In Florida not only provides information on places where an individual may seek help but also gives vital details that will make the journey towards a successful rehabilitation process easier. According to the site founders, the site makes it easy for people seeking to cease drug and substance abuse to go through the process. They appreciate that information is power and where it is provided, the individual seeking a way out of a problem are not only empowered but also given a tool that they can use in an attempt to solve their problems.

The site founders encourage those in need of rehab to use the site to enhance their lives. They promise to provide updated and relevant information to allow users to benefit from the services. They appreciate that a lack of information about rehabilitation services has driven drug and substance abuse victims to a miserable situation. http://rehabinflorida.net/north-florida-rehab/ promises to solve this through connecting people who need rehab services with facilities near them.
Art-Domains will rank better

The relationship between better ranking and the new top-level domains was proved by a study of Searchmetrics for Berlin-domains. Websites with Berlin-Domains frequently place better than websites with .de domains and .com domains in regional searches with Google. The result of the study by Searchmetrics can be summarized as follows:

42% of searches show that .berlin domains rank better locally .

The study of Total Websites in Houston shows that the results by Searchmetrics can be generalized to all new top level domains, including the new Art-Domains: It was proved that Google uses the domain endings of the New Top Level Domains as a key element for the assessment of domains. Total sites draws as a conclusion:

It is clear that the new top-level domains improve the ranking in search engines.

If you do not want to build a new website for the new Art-Domain, you should know, it is easy to forward your existing URL or domain to your new Art-Domain.

The Sunrise period of the Art-Domains lasts from 7 December 2016 to the 7th February 2017. You can register at the Sunrise Period with a brand. You must register your trade mark at the Trademark Clearinghouse beforehand.

As Artnews.com reports, 60 famous institutions have already opted for the Art-Domain. We quote as an example the museums amont the early adopters:

Art Institute of Chicago

Centre Pompidou

Guggenheim Museum

Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami)

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

M+ Museum

MALBA: Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires

MAXXI: Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo

Multimedia Art Museum

Museo Tamayo

Power Station of Art

Stedelijk Museum

Tate

Van Abbemuseum

Walker Art Center

WIELS Contemporary Art Center

Hans-Peter Oswald

http://www.domainregistry.de/art-domain.html

http://www.domainregistry.de/art-domains.html
Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal Urban affairs, investigations, consumer help ("SOS") Follow Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal 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

Madison-area folk upset that he called their city communist and full of Democrats who dont believe in democracy also dont have a sense of humor, U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy tweeted Wednesday.

As a Madisonian, I can confirm that at least one of us has a sense of humor. I thought it was funny that a guy who starred in MTVs The Real World got elected to Congress, and that being in a cheesy 1990s reality show apparently isnt a cure for hubris.

People who take Duffys provocations seriously enough to respond in kind are just punching down, in other words. Because, come on, does he really want to get into a fight about the relative merits of Madison versus, say, the area he calls home?

At the top of the list of timely Duffy-area drawbacks is his districts support of Donald Trump. Say what you want about Hillary Clinton  and she was, at the least, a terrible candidate  she wasnt caught on tape bragging about being a sexual predator, characterizing Mexican immigrants as rapists and exposing ignorance of the U.S. Constitution.

U.S. Census data show Madison is better educated, richer and healthier than Duffys home city of Wausau. Were also harder-working, with 72.5 percent of the 16-and-over crowd in the workforce, compared with 65.8 percent in Wausau.

As for sense of humor, this is a city where a guy rides around town on a scooter dressed in a cape and a thong, where university students have been known to hold regattas with boats carved out of giant pumpkins and where the city bird is a plastic pink flamingo.

Democracy might be Madisons strongest suit, and anyone whos ever sat through a Madison City Council budget meeting knows Madison has democracy of the participatory type coming out the yin-yang.

In short, Madison is consistently listed as among the best places to live in the country for a reason.

And yet this doesnt spur local elected officials to crassly demean the rest of the state.

State Sen. Jon Erpenbach of Middleton responded to Duffys harsh assessment of Madison not by making cracks about Duffyville but by noting there are smart people all over the state and beautiful places all over the state, and by emphasizing that no matter where you live in Wisconsin, youre still a Wisconsinite.

If anyone is going to make Madison look ridiculous, it wont be a guy who spouts hackneyed potshots on cable television and Twitter. It will be the notoriously intelligent, creative and oversensitive Madisonians themselves.

We are, among other things, a people who bemoan racial disparities in the schools but oppose merit pay for teachers; where a Madison City Council member can start crying or feel risk of physical harm because the police chief penned a mean blog post; where the mayor-for-life still has nice things to say about the human- and democratic-rights violating Fidel Castro; and where the Solidarity Sing Along sings on and on and on.

Duffy was about 20 percent correct. Madison isnt anti-democratic, humorless or communist, but it does flirt with communisms close cousin, socialism.
A guide to voter rights in Indiana. What you need to know before you cast a ballot
Madison police officers were searching Saturday morning for a woman who robbed Old National Bank, 5750 Raymond Road, shortly before 10 a.m.

The woman entered the bank and demanded money, then fled on foot to a nearby vehicle, said Sgt. John Rife. He said he did not know if a weapon was involved. No further details were available.

The suspect was described by police as white with blonde/brown hair and standing about 5 feet 5 inches tall. She was last seen wearing a grey hoodie and grey sweatpants.

The bank is on the city's Southwest Side in the Meadowood Center shopping mall.
Pleasant Hill Elementary School teacher Annie Baxley, left, received the 2016 Betty J. DeWitt Outstanding Educator Award from Betty J. DeWitt, center, and SCFB State Women's Leadership Committee Chair Frances Price, right, during the organization's 723rd Annual Meeting held recently in Myrtle Beach.
Observations of an unusual fast-spinning star may help explain why such stars, known as pulsars, fluctuate in brightness.

The whirling star is a millisecond pulsar (MSP) that's called J1723-2837. A "millisecond" pulsar is one that rotates all the way around its axis in only a few milliseconds. The star is part of a binary system that includes "one of the fastest-spinning pulsars in our galaxy and its unique companion star," according to a statement on the discovery from the University of Toronto.

A pulsar can pull in a steady stream of material from its orbiting companion star. During this feeding frenzy, the pulsar gains momentum and begins to spin faster, and, as a result, emits beams of intense radiation. [The Top 10 Strangest Things in Space]

Observations of the system  led by Andre van Staden, an amateur astronomer from Africa, and astrophysicist John Antoniadis, of the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Toronto  revealed never-before-seen dark patches as well as a strong magnetic field around the pulsar's companion star. Their findings may help explain the unusual rise and fall in the star's brightness.

Typically, when a pulsar is feeding off a companion star, the star is stretched into a teardrop shape as the pulsar syphons material away. When viewed from Earth, this can cause the star to appear to vary in brightness throughout its orbit. When the teardrop profile is facing Earth, the star appears brightest; when it is positioned such that an observer only sees a circular profile, the star appears dimmer. (This only works if observers can see the system along the plane of the star's orbit.) For this reason, the changing brightness of the star should vary in sync with its orbit around the pulsar. But that's not what the new research shows.

"Antoniadis and van Staden's observations revealed that the brightness of the companion (star) wasn't in sync with its 15-hour orbital period; instead the star's peaks in brightness occur progressively later relative to the companion's orbital position," university representatives explained in the same statement.

The researchers determined that the observed lag was likely due to "starspots," which they explained are similar to sunspots, or dark patches on the surface of the sun, that serve to lower the brightness of the star. The existence of those starspots allowed Antoniadis and van Staden to conclude that the companion star has a strong magnetic field, as these spots generally occur in regions of intense magnetic activity.

However, "starspots" aren't the only thing that might be interfering with the star's brightness  the researchers also found that the companion star is not tidally locked to the pulsar, and, as a result, "the companion's rotational period is slightly shorter than its orbital period," according to the study, which was published Dec. 7 in the Astrophysical Journal. This means that the position of the starspots would change over multiple orbits, potentially contributing to the irregular brightness changes.

The companion star's magnetic field might be responsible for more than just its starspots, the new work suggests. Some pulsars that feed off a companion star have been found to switch on and off  meaning that their beams of intense radiation fade out and then reappear later. One theory for why this happens holds that waves of intense radiation and stellar wind from the pulsar may suppress the supply of food coming from the companion. But the researchers found no evidence of this phenomenon in their observations. That finding led the researchers to conclude that the companion star's magnetic field could be what periodically cuts off the pulsar's food supply.

"Observations such as van Staden's are critical in answering questions about the evolution and complex relationship between the MSP and its companion in 'black widow' and 'redback' binaries  pairs of stars in which the pulsar, like its arachnid namesake, devours its companion," University of Toronto officials said in the statement.

Follow Samantha Mathewson @Sam_Ashley13. Follow us @Spacedotcom,Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
The Obama administration has announced it is denying an easement needed to build the Dakota Access Pipeline, which would run crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois. The project is mostly built on private land but requires approval from the Army Corps of Engineers to cross federally regulated waters, including Lake Oahe, a section of the Missouri River.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which governs a reservation near the lake, objects that the project threatens its water and violates sacred land. The protest camp the tribe created has swelled with activists from across the country, who have clashed with local authorities. So, with the harsh Dakota winter descending on the camp, the Army Corps said Sunday it would examine new routes in consultation with tribal leaders.

It is hard not to have sympathy for the tribe. Driven off their territory and cordoned into a small reservation, the Standing Rock and other Native American communities were victims of grave injustice as white Americans moved relentlessly west seeking land and fortune. The area outside the reservation still holds historical and cultural significance, which deserves careful consideration.

Yet that is exactly what the Standing Rock Sioux already received, to the degree the federal government could provide it. A September court ruling denied its request for an injunction against the project, in part because, according to U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, the federal government exceeded legal requirements that it consider potential archeological damage and seek input from Native American leaders when considering permits for pipeline water crossings.

In fact, the court documented the great lengths to which the Army Corps went to engage with the Standing Rock Sioux and adjust the routing when concerns were aired.

The tribe demanded more, including that the Army Corps scrutinize the pipeline route from beginning to end  even though the agency does not have jurisdiction over the private land on which most of it will run. Boasberg noted that the tribe made this request for administrative overreach based on little serious evidence of impending harm. ...

Standing Rock needs to offer more than vague assertions that some places in the Midwest around some bodies of water may contain some sacred sites that could be affected, the judge wrote.

For its part, the Army Corps insists it faithfully followed the law but that it made a policy decision to seek a more robust consideration of alternatives and additional public information, according to a spokeswoman. Yet it is not as though the originally proposed route, which at places carefully snaked around sensitive sites, was arbitrary. In fact, it would parallel an existing gas pipeline tunneling below Lake Oahe.

If this new process uncovers a Goldilocks route that everyone can support, great. But, as with any infrastructure project, it is unlikely there is a magic solution that satisfies every preference. Politicizing the permitting process, moreover, is unlikely to make it fairer.

The Dakota Access affair is the second major instance of pipeline activism in recent years. It and Keystone XL became highly visible symbols of much larger fights about the environment and tribal rights.

But no matter how big the issues activists attached to them, these pipelines, at their core, are nothing more than routine infrastructure projects, thousands of which underpin the U.S. economy.

The approval or denial of one or two will do little to cure global oil addiction or right generations of harm to tribal groups.
Berlin, Germany, December 08, 2016 (SPS) -The Minister of Culture and member of the National Secretariat, Ms. Khadiya Hamdi, undertook a working visit to Germany, where she was received at the headquarters of the German parliament, Ms. Inge Hoger of the German Left party.

The Saharawi minister addressed the latest developments in the national cause, the political situation in the occupied Territories of Western Sahara and the serious human rights violations committed by the Moroccan occupier against the defenseless Saharawis, as well as the right of the people Saharawi to self-determination and independence.

The Saharawi minister also held a meeting with members of the international solidarity organization, where they discussed the situation of Saharawi refugees and how to help in solving the problem of food shortages. SPS

125/090/TRA
Bir-Lehlou, Dec 10, 2016 (SPS) - President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the Frente POLISARIO, Brahim Ghali, sent Friday a letter of congratulations to President of the United Republic of Tanzania H.E. Dr John Magufuli, on the 55th anniversary of the independence of his country.

On behalf of the Government and people of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, I would like to convey to your Excellency and the brotherly people of Tanzania our most sincere congratulations on the 55th anniversary of the independence of your sisterly country, said the President of Republic in his letter.

Since its independence in 1961, the United Republic of Tanzania has made great strides in all vital domains. We are confident that it will continue its steady march, under your wise leadership, towards the attainment of more development, progress and prosperity.

Tanzania has constantly been at the forefront of supporting the national liberation struggle of the Sahrawi people for freedom and independence. The Government and people of the Sahrawi Republic are grateful for the principled position of solidarity and support that Tanzania has always shown in defence of the just cause of the Sahrawi people in continental and international forums.

I take this pleasant opportunity to reiterate to your Excellency our strong resolve to strengthen and consolidate the bonds of solidarity, friendship and cooperation already existing between our two nations and to boost them to the highest possible level in the interests of our peoples and the peoples of our continent, concluded the President of Republic. (SPS)

062/090/TRA




STAMFORD  In his first week as a high school freshman, Nicholas Ricci accidentally stepped into a Latin class, an unthinkable academic choice at the time.

I thought, Latin? That sounds boring. Why would I want to take a dead language?  Ricci said.

Now a junior, Ricci is an award-winning Latin student, among the first at the Academy of Information, Technology and Engineering to earn a perfect score on a national language exam.

This is one of my favorite classes, Ricci said.

His epiphany two years ago is not unlike that of many Latin students who find the language to be one of their most useful, and enjoyable, subjects.

Even with that enthusiasm, enrollment in Latin courses has declined to 4.5 percent of students at Stamford Public Schools, down from 5.7 percent in the 2015-16 academic year. Thats about 218 high schoolers out of more than 4,800 in the district.

Allen Ward, a past president of the Classical Association of Connecticuts board of directors, said this is part of a national decline in teaching rigorous subjects like Latin, Greek and cursive.

He attributes the statewide trend to lack of support from department heads, guidance counselors and administrators, inconvenient class times; and districts failing to replace generally higher-paid Latin teachers should they resign.

I admit, its not easy to find Latin teachers, Ward said. But the point is, lots of times, schools dont want to find a new Latin teacher. They want to get rid of the old one whos highly paid and then use the money for other purposes.

A district official said Stamford has no plans to stop offering Latin at any of its high schools.

Ward, who is also a professor emeritus at the University of Connecticut, is offering a $500 prize for the student who receives the highest grade in Latin 1 at Westhill High School during the next three years. The cash prize will come from his own pocket to bolster the program.

I dont want to see a Latin program disappear from the school, Ward said.

Ward said it is no coincidence that the decline in test scores in American high schools has matched the decline in teaching rigorous subjects.

Students are not being challenged anymore, he said. Schools are being judged on retention rates. So if you know that youre being judged on retention rates, what are you going to do? Youre going to offer easier courses, youre going to grade more easily and youre going to keep kids in school, whether they learn something or not. Thats whats happening with our whole education system.

It could also come down to the students themselves.

People might be scared, said Liat Feller, an AITE senior who is in her fourth year taking Latin.

Her classmate, junior Justin McArthur, said some students just think its an obsolete language.

People will learn Spanish, and they know that there are countries and people who speak the language, he said. But Latin is good for speaking in church, its good for studying the classics and learning medicine, law and scientific names. All sorts of things that we say in English are not just derived from Latin, but theyre actual Latin phrases.

One example is etc, short for et cetera, which means so forth.

5 for 1

Indeed, Latin is all around us. Scientific and medical terms, such as names of human bones, usually come from Latin or Greek. The Great Seal of the United States, which also appears on the $1 bill, features Latin sayings.

Latin is the mother of five other languages: Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian. It provides the basis of 60 percent of the words in English.

What ends up happening is that you basically start having a better understanding of English words, said Aaron Thomas-Russell, a junior taking Latin 3 at AITE.

Take the Latin word portare, for instance. It means to carry and is the basis for portable, port, transportation and other words.

Youre tapping into five languages by studying just one, said teacher Ana Koltypin, who has been running the Latin program at AITE for 15 years.

Until this year, when three of her students received a perfect score on the National Latin Exam, only one other AITE student had achieved that feat two years ago.

The exam is an annual test of 40 questions offered to Latin students in the U.S. and around the world. The latest one, conducted last winter, had more than 142,000 participants. Fewer than 1,700 students achieved a perfect score.

Connecticut is one of the 10 states with the highest participation on the exam  with about 5,400 students in 2016. Massachusetts was first with almost 12,500 pupils.

Koltypin said her class goes beyond vocabulary and grammar. She also teaches literature and her students read classics such as Dantes Inferno and Virgils A Song of War.

Her program includes activities like field trips to museums, mock trials and Latin Day. She credits her success to students dedication and support from parents, as well as current and former administrators.

Koltypin said anyone who visits her Latin classes will find a lot of energy. She describes her advanced students as the dynamite class.

Officially, its a dead language, she said, but its eternal in our school.

noliveira@hearstmediact.com, 203-964-2265, @olivnelson
I am Kerry Burgess. This is what I think.
H ugh Grant had his audience in fits of laughter during his winner's speech at this year's Evening Standard British Film Awards.

The star, 56, was accepting the Best Actor award for his portrayal of St Clair Bayfield in Florence Foster Jenkins, which also starred Meryl Streep as the eponymous Jenkins.

Referring to his co-star he said: "I'm very grateful to Meryl for not having a tantrum on the first day and demanding Daniel Day-Lewis or something."

Gently poking fun at the hosts, Grant commented that he felt "fondly towards the Evening Standard" and how it had always been a big part of his life.

He joked that "the man who first flashed at me on the Tube when I was 13 did it through a hole in the Evening Standard."

On a more touching note, the actor also thanked his children who he said had made him "much nicer, and much better at the love bits."

"I couldn't have done the film without them," he said, to applause from the audience.

Kate Beckinsale wins Best Actress at the Evening Standard Film Awards

Kate Beckinsale won the New West End Company Award for Best Actress for her role in Love & Friendship, an adaptation of a lost and unfinished Jane Austen novella.

After sharing her own tale of being flashed, Beckinsale took the opportunity to thank her director Whit Stillman for his "love for tricky, difficult, clever, awful, women".

She revealed that he had her in mind for the role of Lady Vernon several years ago but "waited for [her] to ripen like an old cheese" so the actress could convincingly play the mother of a 16-year-old girl.

For more highlights from the Evening Standard British Film Awards 2016, visit the Evening Standard YouTube channel.

Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout
A young man threatened to shoot a police officer in the face with what transpired to be an imitation gun.

Ali Hussein was involved in a brawl outside an amusement park in Edmonton, before being tracked down by police using CCTV.

After they told him why he was being stopped, and explaining to him that they would search him, the man became aggressive and threatened to shoot the officers.

He was searched nonetheless, and police recovered the weapon - which was later revealed as a fake - from the man's pocket.

Imitation gun: the weapon used to threaten police

Officers were then assaulted by the man who tried to resist arrest, but was subsequently held and charged with possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and two counts of assault on a police officer.

Hussein, 22, of Plevna Road in Edmonton, was jailed for two years at Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday after the incident on 22 September.

PC Daniel Mount of Edmonton CID said: "This was a very dangerous situation in which Hussein threatened to shoot a police officer in the face.

"The officer did not know at the time that the firearm Hussein had in his possession was in fact an imitation.

"During the arrest they were spat at by Hussein, leading to one officer going to hospital, fortunately he only received minor injuries and was immediately discharged."
A man has been arrested on suspicion of a terror offence at Stansted Airport.

The 41-year-old was arrested under the Terrorism Act 2006 after arriving at the airport on Friday.

The arrest is related to suspected travel to Syria, according to the Met Police.

The man was taken to a south London police station to be questioned and remains in custody.

The Met's Counter Terrorism Command unit is leading the investigation.

Just five days earlier a 49-year-old man was arrested at the same airport on suspicion of preparing for a terrorist act.

The suspect, from south Essex, had been travelling back from Istanbul in Turkey.
A mass brawl between at least eight men broke out in a pub in a packed London station, witnesses said.

Shattered glass was left strewn across the floor in the Merchant of Bishopsgate pub in Liverpool Street station after the violence erupted on Friday night.

Commuters looked on in horror as the group of men threw punches and wrestled on the ground during the fighting.

Witness Alex Jury, a copywriter from Lewisham who was having a drink with a friend when the violence broke out, said: I turned around and this old school kind of bar brawl had broken out.

A group of men were throwing punches at each other and one of them was bleeding from the mouth.

The 35-year-old went on: There was another two pairs of men who had wrestled each other to the ground and were rolling around on the floor.

I had to leap up out of my seat because they nearly knocked me out of it.

There was broken glass everywhere, a lot of shouting, a lot of aggression.

It came from nowhere and then was suddenly very violent. It wasnt very nice at all.

She added that the police dealt with the situation in a calm, brave and professional way, praising the great job officers did.

A British Transport Police spokeswoman said: We were called to Liverpool Street station at around 9.50pm on Friday, 9 December, following a report of a fight.

Our officers attended and two men were arrested.

One of the men was later dearrested while the other, a 32-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm.

The Evening Standard has contacted the Merchant of Bishopsgate for comment.
T his is the moment a furious commuter was led away by police after a fight broke out amid Southern rail chaos at Victoria station.

Chaotic scenes unfolded at the station late on Thursday night after passengers grew frustrated by delays caused by the rail strike.

Witnesses said a scuffle broke out on Platform 17 after a huge crowd of travellers who had been kept waiting for more than 45 minutes began chanting for a train.

Footage filmed at the scene showed one man being marched away by several police officers and another passenger nursing a bloody nose as fellow commuters tried to help.

Scuffle: A man is led away by police after an altercation at Victoria station / Oliver Banks

Two men were arrested on suspicion of affray after officers were alerted to a disturbance on the platform shortly after 11pm, British Transport Police said.

Witness Oliver Banks said a huge crowd of commuters keen to get home had gathered on the platform but were given little information about when trains would be leaving.

The 19-year-old civil servant said a woman began leading the crowd in a light-hearted chant for trains but it descended into violence after a member of the public told her to f*** off.

He told the Standard: There was this sort of verbal chant after about 45 minutes of no trains leaving and no information from staff.

Commuters assist a man with a bloody nose / Oliver Banks

One woman lead the chant for 'trains' and loads of people came to the platform to join in.

During that chant there was an altercation between two men, several other commuters tried to break it up; one of them sustained an injury to his nose.

The police intervened as soon as they could get through the crowd, but overall the crush of people and serious lack of information contributed to a bit of a fever pitch.

Another commuter wrote on Twitter: What I just witnessed at London Victoria station should be HUGE wake up call to @SouthernRailUK. You are responsible. Never again.

Frustrated: A woman leads a chant as commuters wait for information about trains at Victoria station / Oliver Banks

A BTP spokesman said: A 26-year-old man and a 47-year-old man were both arrested on suspicion of affray and have been released on bail.

A Southern spokesman told the Sun: "Were very sorry for the crowding passengers had to endure at Victoria station last night during the RMTs conductor strike and ASLEF overtime ban.

"Our staff were on the station and called the police the moment the fight broke out.

"After a search on the train, a man was arrested.

"Staff were passing on information to as many people as possible but after 11pm we are not allowed to make public address announcements at Victoria because of the hotels and residents nearby."

Half of Southern services were scrapped this week when drivers started a ban on overtime which coincided with a three-day walkout by members of the RMT.

The strike action was part of the long-running bitter dispute between rail workers and Southern over its plans to change the role of conductors and introduce driver-only operated trains.

Drivers from both unions are due to strike on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday of next week and for six days in January.
T wo men who were caught in a minicab attempting to bring a haul of guns into London have been jailed.

Tyron Myers-Kerr and Bradley Soro, both 22, were stopped by armed police as they travelled in a minicab along the A1 Barnet Bypass.

Officers searched the vehicle and discovered nine revolvers and a six-inch sheath knife, which they intended to supply to south London gangs.

A search of a car owned by Myers-Kerr uncovered another revolver, ammunition and Class A drugs.

Myers-Kerr, of Whitnell Way, Wandsworth, and Soro, Naylor Road, Southwark, were both sentenced on Friday after being found guilty of several firearms offences following an earlier trial.

Myers-Kerr was jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of 10 counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to possessing the firearms as a prohibited person, by virtue of his conviction in October 2015 for possessing an imitation firearm in a public place.

Soro was jailed for six years after being found guilty of nine counts of possessing a firearm.

Detective Inspector Paul Dorey, from the Trident and Gang Crime Command, who oversaw the investigation, said: "These two men were intent on endangering people's lives through the supply of firearms to south London gangs.

Myers-Kerr sought to hide behind firearms legislation, stating that he had purchased the antique revolvers from a registered firearms dealer, and as such they were not prohibited in law. The court did not agree, however, given the live ammunition which was also recovered and the videos, which detectives found of Myers-Kerr posing with guns.
S evere flooding sparked by a burst water main has hit homes and businesses in a south London suburb.

Dramatic images and video shared on social media showed torrents of water flowing down the street in Blackheath after the 12-inch pipe ruptured on Saturday morning.

Businesses and homes in Lee Road were underwater and the surrounding roads were closed to traffic.

Scores of emergency services vehicles descended on the area after the pipe burst near to the junction with Meadowcourt Road shortly before 11am.

Flooding: A water main burst in Lee Road, Blackheath / Pietro Nicholls

It comes just days after a burst pipe in Islington caused one of the worst floods in London in recent years and millions of pounds worth of damage.

In Blackheath, 10 businesses and eight homes in Meadow Court Road were flooded.

Pietro Nicholls, 32, who lives in Lee Road, told the Standard dozens of homes and businesses had been affected.

The investment banker told the Standard: There are at least 20 or so London Fire Brigade personnel, police and Thames Water on scene.

Thames Water appear to be having difficulty stopping the leak.

Firefighters at the scene / Pietro Nicholls

The fire services are carrying people to safety and going door to door trying to help.

The water is over 1ft deep in places with both businesses and basements flats flooded. Business owners are very upset.

The situation hasn't improved in over an hour. Still the water keeps coming.

The ruptured water pipe / Pietro Nicholls

Local business Blackheath Flooring posted photos of the damage caused by the flooding with the caption: Please pass on all the shops on Lee road are flooding.

A London Fire Brigade spokeswoman said six fire engines, two fire rescue units and more than 40 firefighters were sent to the scene.

She said: "Fire crews are helping to direct the flood water to nearby Quaggy River. The Brigade has a range of equipment which can be used to help rescue people trapped by flood water, pump water away and protect properties.

"Some of the Brigade's fire rescue units are equipped with water rescue equipment such as inflatable rescue boats.

"The Brigade also has a number of high volume pumps stationed at strategic locations across the capital. These can be used to pump large amounts of water away from flooded areas.

"Firefighters from Lee Green, Lewisham, Greenwich, East Greenwich, Bromley and Bexley fire stations attended."

Thames Water posted on Twitter:"A report of a burst water pipe on Meadowcourt Road which may cause no water and low water pressure. Our team are on their way.

"We are now on site and are starting works to restore your water supply."

A Thames Water spokesman: "We have stopped the flow of water and have a team there now working on the repair. They are doing all they can to minimise any impact on water supplies while they carry out this work, re-routing water around our network as efficiently as possible.

"Were really sorry for any disruption and very frustrated customers in this area are suffering again.

"Were doing all we can to get things back to normal as quickly as we can."

Water pressure returned to a normal level for a "vast majority" of customers in the area by 4.30pm, Thames Water said. The repairs to the pipe are expected to be completed this evening or overnight.
D octors and health professionals have called on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to ban all diesel cars from the capital.

Campaign group Doctors Against Diesel held a protest in London, claiming 9,400 Londoners die prematurely each year as a result of breathing in toxic diesel fumes.

Paris, Madrid, Mexico City and Athens have all committed to banning diesel vehicles by 2025.

A spokesman for the mayor said Mr Khan has no legal powers to ban cars in the city.

Contrast: a cold layer of air could be seen trapping pollution close to the ground in early December / Pete Buckney

They said: "The mayor is delivering hard-hitting measures to rid London of the dirtiest diesel cars long before 2025.

His immediate plans include charges for the most polluting diesel cars in central London from 2017 and bringing forward and extending the Ultra-Low Emission Zone which removes all but the newest Euro 6 diesel vehicles from as early as 2019."

Sadiq Khan unveils hydrogen double-decker bus

The protest came as cars were banned and public transport made free in Paris after the city saw its worst winter pollution levels in a decade.

Meanwhile in Rome, the mayor has banned vehicles from driving through the Italian capital on Sundays in a bid to tackle severe smog. Police have been advised to fine anyone who flouts the tough traffic restrictions.

Smog: A thick layer of smog was visible above London two weeks ago (William Smith / @williamsmithorg) / William Smith/@williamsmithorg

Earlier this month Londons air pollution hit more than double the usual levels, according to the London Air Quality Network.

It came as temperatures plummeted below freezing amid clear skies and low wind levels.

Parents were advised to take care when taking their baby outside by the pioneering Plume Labs company after it recorded toxic levels of air pollution.

The firm put the level of air pollution in London as high based on World Health Organisation limits, which are stricter for some pollutants than EU rules used by the Government and other experts.

Recent figures showed Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and the City had the highest rate of deaths attributable to PM 2.5 particulate pollution.

Scientists warn that this type of tiny particulate pollution is particularly dangerous as it can get deep into the lungs and seep into the bloodstream  causing heart and lung disease, cancer, and aggravating asthma.

It is significantly blamed on diesel engines, coal-burning power stations, agriculture and shipping.

Levels have risen in London in recent days, with winds blowing in from France carrying pollution.
M ichael Gove has admitted that Theresa May was right to sack him from the Cabinet after she took office as Prime Minister.

The former education secretary said he "made mistakes" during his final weeks in office, during which time he "knifed" his former ally Boris Johnson as he mounted a sensational bid for the Tory leadership.

Mr Johnson then withdrew from the race, paving the way for Mrs May to take office as the UKs second ever female Prime Minister.

Asked by the BBC about the aftermath of the bloody leadership battle, Mr Gove said: When Theresa became Prime Minister she said that she no longer had a place for me in the Cabinet and, to be honest, if I'd been in her shoes I would have sacked me too. So I entirely accept that sacking me at the time was the right thing to do.

Theresa May: Cabinet shake-up / PA

"I had six years when I was a government minister, I had a chance to make a difference - I hope that I did.

He added: "I have to accept that the way in which I spent the final week or so of my ministerial life involved my making mistakes and having made mistakes you have to take the consequences."

Mr Gove, 49, also revealed that the relationship he and his wife Sarah Vine had enjoyed with David and Samantha Cameron had suffered since the EU referendum campaign, during which the Surrey Heath MP was a prominent figure in the Leave campaign.

Mr Gove revealed his relationship with David and Samantha Cameron had suffered since the Brexit vote / AFP/Getty Images

He said that despite the couples having previously been close friends, Mr Gove and Vine have not had a "proper conversation" with the Camerons since the June 23 poll.

He said the decision to campaign against Cameron for EU withdrawal "wasn't easy", but he felt that "it was better to say to David that I couldn't support him and to go with my heart than to suppress my feelings on the matter".

Mr Cameron "knew I was a Eurosceptic, but he thought I would either keep schtum or ... say 'I am going to support the Prime Minister'," he said.

Mr Gove said he was now focusing on his work on the Commons Committee on Exiting the EU and wanted to campaign for children at risk of abuse or neglect.

"I had a chance to argue for things that I believed in," he said. "And I will also have the chance, I hope, in the future to be able to argue for other things in which I believe, to make a contribution."
A British Airways flight crew were held-up at gunpoint by an armed robber in the Brazilian city of Rio.

Air steward Michael Nicholas, 45, said he was walking back to a hotel from a barbecue with 10 other colleagues when the gunman pounced.

The attacker held the gun against one of the crews face before forcing him and his son to hand over their phones and money, the Sun reported.

Describing the ordeal on his Facebook page, Mr Nicholas wrote: "One of our crew had a gun held to his face while his son and him were robbed.

Half of us were unaware anything was going on behind us until we heard the commotion. Luckily, the son gave the robber his phone and money and they left.

We are all safe and well but a little shaken. The local police refused to attend the hotel and BA security are on the case and dealing with this.

Mr Nicholas, from Preston Candover, Hampshire, urged fellow crew members to take care if they ventured out of the hotel in Rio after dark and travel by taxi.

The Foreign Office website advises travellers to Brazil to hand over any valuables if threatened and not to resist attackers as they may be armed or under the influence of drugs.

A BA spokesman told the Sun: We are supporting our crew and are thankful that they werent harmed.

We take the safety of our pilots and cabin crew very seriously and issue them with information and advice for all the destinations to which we fly  specifying any extra precautions that should be taken in particular cities.

"We will be reiterating our advice to crew operating to Rio de Janeiro, including that they should remain vigilant when outside the hotel. We will now also be advising that they book taxis when travelling around the city.
A t least four people have been killed after a train derailed and exploded in Bulgaria.

Up to 20 buildings were damaged after the crash at about 5.30am local time, or 5.30 GMT.

It happpened in the village of Hitrino when two tanks carrying liquid petroleum hit an electricity line, local media said.

More than 20 people were being treated in hospital for burns and other injuries.

Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kostov told Reuters: "Two blasts have caused a serious fire and ruined at least 20 buildings.

"There are many people injured... many with burns."

Hitrino, in the north-east of Bulgaria, has a population of about 800 people and is around 60 miles from the Black Sea.

The country's Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said he was travelling to the village and appealed for local people to donate blood.
T he widow of actor Andrew Sachs has claimed the filthy minds and cruel jibes of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross made him ill and tore her family apart.

Melody Sachs, 83, who lost her husband recently after a dementia battle, said the pair targeted him because they knew he would never retaliate.

Mrs Sachs was referring to the string of obscene voicemail messages left on the Sachs private answer machine in 2008  and broadcast on BBC Radio 2  in which Mr Brand revealed he had slept with their granddaughter Georgina Baillie, then 22, and a burlesque dancer.

She told the Daily Mail: He was a sitting target for them with their filthy minds and cruel jibes and they knew that hed never retaliate.

They were right. My husband was a gentleman. He would never have stooped to their level.

After the scandal, Mr Brand, 41, resigned from his radio show and Mr Ross, 56, was suspended from his TV chat show for three months and later left the BBC.

The Controller of Radio 2 also quit and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown criticised the presenters clearly inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour.

Mrs Sachs said she would have visited the presenters houses and told them exactly what she thought of their actions if she had not been in hospital recovering from a hip replacement.

Andrew Sachs - in pictures 1 /33 Andrew Sachs - in pictures 1975-1979 John Cleese as Basil Fawlty loses his temper whilst speaking to Andrew Sachs as Manuel, in a dining room scene from the BBC sitcom 'Fawlty Towers' BBC 1975-1979 John Cleese as Basil Fawlty, Prunella Scales as Sybil Fawlty, Connie Booth as Polly Sherman and Andrew Sachs as Manuel in 'Fawlty Towers  Re-Opened'. The hit series ran from 1975-79 BBC 1975-1979 John Cleese carries Andrew Sachs in a scene from 'Fawlty Towers' BBC 1975-1979 Sybil (Prunella Scales), Manuel (Andrew Sachs), Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), Polly (Connie Booth) in Fawlty Towers BBC 1975-1979 John Cleese and Andrew Sachs star in 'The Kipper and the Corpse' episode of 'Fawlty Towers' BBC 1975-1979 John Cleese as Basil, Connie Booth as Polly and Andrew Sachs star in 'The Anniversary' episode during Series 2 of 'Fawlty Towers' BBC 1978 Andrew Sachs as defence counsel Jeremy Nisbett in 'Crown Court' 1979 Actor Andrew Sachs as Manuel at charity jog for Friends of the Earth in 1979 with actors Joanna Lumley, Bonnie Langford and Susan Hampshire 1979 Andrew Sachs as Trinculo and Nigel Hawthorne as Stephano in the TV adaptation of The Tempest in 1979 1980 Andrew Sachs, star of British television comedy 'Fawlty Towers' with Warren Mitchell, star of 'Till Death Us Do Part,' at the Evening Standard Drama Awards Evening Standard 1981 Andrew Sachs standing outside Browns Hotel in London Daily Mail 1981 The world's worst waiter, Manuel from TV's 'Fawlty Towers', played by actor Andrew Sachs Keystone/Getty Images 1982 Andrew Sachs plays a roadsweeper in 'It's Your Move' 1982 Actor, Andrew Sachs, right, with his daughter Katie who married actor Charlie Baillie at the Priory Church in Hampstead 1985 Andrew Sachs plays Tony James, director of Playtime Electronics in 'There Comes A Time' 1991 Andrew Sachs as Stephen Kingsley in 'QED: Whatever Happened to the Leisure Age' 2006 Fenella Woolgar as Angela Moping, Prunella Scales as Lady Moping, Andrew Sachs as Mr Loveday and David Warner as Lord Moping star in BBC's 'Mr Loveday's Little Outing' in 2006. BBC 2008 Andrew Sachs and John Cleese reprise their Fawlty Towers roles for 'We Are Most Amused', celebrating the 60th Birthday of HRH The Prince of Wales, at the New Wimbledon Theatre in 2008 Ken McKay/ ITV/Rex 2008 Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross broadcasting in 2008 before making an apology to actor Andrew Sachs on Brand's BBC Radio 2 show for leaving offensive messages on the answerphone of Mr Sachs - who played Spanish waiter Manuel in Fawlty Towers BBC 2008 Actor Andrew Sachs outside his home in north London. He said he was "not surprised" by the suspension by the BBC of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross Tim Ireland/PA 2009 Jonathan Ross apologises for his part in the Sachsgate affair at the beginning of the Jonathan Ross show in 2009 which returned to BBC1 following his suspension over the lewd phone calls made to actor Andrew Sachs which were aired on Radio 2. BBC 2009 Andrew Sachs as Ramsay Clegg features with Malcolm Hebden as Norris Cole in ITV's Coronation Street in 2009 ITV 2009 Andrew Sachs and wife Melody arriving for the 2009 British Soap Awards at the BBC Television Centre in London Ian West/PA 2009 Prunella Scales, John Cleese, Connie Booth and Andrew Sachs are seen promoting two Fawlty Towers specials created to commemorate the 30 years Fawlty Towers Anniversary Ian West/PA 2012 Andrew Sachs attends a reception to celebrate London 2012 at Maison de Monaco on August 9, 2012 in London Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images

She added: No one will ever know how deeply we were hurt by it all. It made us all quite ill and the effect was lasting.

It upset our daughter Kate and caused a rift with our granddaughter Georgina that took years to heal.

Mr Sachs, from Kilburn in north west London, died at a care home following a four-year battle with dementia which he kept hidden from the public eye.

His wife revealed he had been diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2012, a disease which left him in a wheelchair and unable to speak.

Father-of-three Mr Sachs was best known for playing clumsy Spanish waiter Manuel in 1970s sitcom Fawlty Towers alongside John Cleese and Prunella Scales.
Every morning I drive past the Gering Junior High School on my way to work. Yesterday I was running a little late and found myself stopping to allow a young lady to cross the street on her way to class.

I was amazed to watch cars traveling in the opposite direction not even slow down, let alone stop to allow her to cross. She stood in the cold, waiting. Finally, the traffic stopped in the opposite direction. She stepped off the curb and began crossing the street, however, she quickly stopped a few steps into the crosswalk.

She had to stop to allow someone turning onto the street to drive pass. The driver either didnt see her or ignored her.

Sometimes that is how we look at our young people. We ignore them until they get in our way, then we complain about them.

Todays young are so disrespectful, terrible, lazy, . . .

We are willing to spend over $720,000 on 83 acres of land for the possibility of benefiting us in the future, but our most valuable tool for economic development is often left to dodge cars trying to find their way across the street to succeed.

Our young people are by far the communities best and most important tool for true, long-lasting economic development. It is in our young people where we must continue to put our investments.

Hats off to the city of Scottsbluff for recently doing so.

A $30 million bond issue for a major renovation of Scottsbluff High School was approved by voters, Joe Dutton wrote in the Nov. 5, 2014, Star-Herald. The bond will give the 52-year-old high school an updated look, as approximately 80 percent of the school will be replaced or renovated.

I was honored to tour the new high school, (the part that will be unveiled in January), and it is nice.

Seeing the changes, the improvements, the new career academies and classrooms almost made me want to go back to high school ... Almost.

It did remind me of the importance of training our young people, preparing them for careers and life. It also reminded me of a number of the teachers and local business leaders who played an important role in my development.

One Terry Pitkin, journalism instructor at Scottsbluff High School, played a huge role in me becoming a journalist. He, like myself is a little older, but he is still teaching impacting young lives.

The list of teachers could go on and on.

In Gering, Janelle Schultz pours her life into the journalism students. One, Morgan Wallace, has worked for me at the Gering Courier and at the Star-Herald. You read one of her stories in our special tribute to Pearl Harbor.

These teachers are placing the foundation of anything else we do for economic development. Bottom line  if we do not have strong, top-notch schools and teachers, we will not be able to require top-notch employees. Businesses looking to relocate will look elsewhere, unless they know the children of their employees will be well education and prepared to enter the workforce. It is these young people who will become their employees, they will become a businesss next leaders, our future community leaders. They truly are our future.

It is vital we give them the tools they need to do their job. It is an invest in brick and mortar, but it is more importantly an investment in the economic development of our community.

When students return to their classrooms after the Christmas break, they will step into the newest  and possibly the nicest  school in the state. It will be top of the line and where our young people will benefit, our community will benefit.

The investment the taxpayers have made in our young people will reap benefits for the next 50 plus years.

Scottsbluff voters invested wisely. When the open houses are held, make sure to attend.

It will soon be Gerings turn to make a similar investment. We must see this for want it is, an investment in our economic development, our future.

Not to invest in our young people is to leave them standing in the cold, trying to cross the street to success, but getting no help from those presently on the street, driving on past.
NEW YORK  Despite appearing with President-elect Donald Trump numerous times on the campaign, former New York City Mayor Giuliana announced Friday he'll be staying in the private sector.

During a meeting the two held on November 29, 2016, Mayor Giuliani removed his name from consideration for a position in the new administration, a campaign press release said Friday.

President-elect Trump said, "Rudy Giuliani is an extraordinarily talented and patriotic American. I will always be appreciative of his 24/7 dedication to our campaign after I won the primaries and for his extremely wise counsel. He is and continues to be a close personal friend, and as appropriate, I will call upon him for advice and can see an important place for him in the administration at a later date."

Mayor Giuliani will remain a Vice Chairman of the Presidential Transition Team led by Vice President-elect Mike Pence, which is making historic progress in bringing highly qualified people into the administration.
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Approximately 45,000 policemen, gendarmes, firemen, border policemen and workers with other structures will ensure on Sunday the public order and the legality required for the election conduct. At the same time, the Interior Ministry (MAI) staff will check all notifications concerning contraventions or offenses related to the voting process, MAI Spokesperson Monica Dajbog announced on Saturday.

She pointed out that on the day of voting, starting at 8:00, periodical public communications will be made, referring to the MAI structures' activities and the situation of electoral incidents. Dajbog also pointed out that the MAI structures will continue to ensure, all though the day of Saturday, the security of the transports to the polling stations of the paper ballots and the other materials required for voting. The first transports were done on Friday under the guard of the Gendarmerie and Police staff. "In accordance with the provisions of Law 208 of 2015, on the election of the Senate and the Deputies' Chamber, the polling station electoral bureau president and the other members of the electoral bureau must be present at the polling station headquarters today at 18:00, having the obligation to verify the materials required for voting. The electoral bureau president decides the measures to ensure the order and correctness of the voting operations, as well to remove the electoral propaganda materials of any kind from and outside the building where the polling station is. Moreover, he/she decides the set-up of the guard posts around the polling station building," Dajbog pointed out.

According to the MAI official, upon leaving the polling station the electoral bureau president seals all the entrance ways to the station, as leaving the premises with the control stamp, stamps with the 'VOTED' inscription, paper ballots or electoral rolls is forbidden, and during the night the polling stations remain under the guard of the MAI teams. According to other data supplied by the MAI Spokesperson, on election day, the activity of the polling station electoral bureau starts at 6:00, the president having the obligation to verify the ballot boxes, the paper ballots and the stamps. Voting will begin at 7:00 and will end at 21:00.

The Romanian citizens with the domicile or residence in Romania, who on the voting day are in the country, can exercise their right to vote based on one of the following papers: identity card, temporary identity card, paper identity card, diplomatic passport, electronic diplomatic passport, service passport, electronic service passport and military service card, in the case of military schools students.

The schedule of community public services for the people's record was extended this week to come to the aid of those who want to go to vote on Sunday and don't have valid identity papers. Moreover, on Saturday public audience hours are until 16:00, and on Sunday, until 21:00, except for a few localities where the public hours will end at 20:00. In order to prevent the occurrence of some serious incidents during voting, firemen are conducting on Saturday training activities with the polling stations' staff concerning the modalities of evacuating persons and materials, in case of some emergency situations.

This week, the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (ISU) inspectors completed the fire prevention actions in all premises where polling stations are set-up, having solved over 5,400 irregularities. Following these check-ups, a number of 6,083 warnings and 11 fines were enforced, amounting to 15,000 lei.

Agerpres
The fact that he represented Ohio, of all places, might be the most telling aspect of this story.

But this was no ordinary politician. Former U.S. Senator John Herschel Glenn died, at the ripe old age of 95, and was immediately lauded by all sides, for his military service in WWII and Korea, his courage in accepting the role of a Mercury program astronaut, and his 24 years in the United States Senate, representing the state of Ohio.

Politicians die all the time, so it shouldnt really be a big deal. America is a political nation, with hundreds of thousands of elective offices from city council and park board to governors and presidents, so politicians, both currently serving and retired (either intentionally or forcibly) die every day.

A Political Life

John Glenn served admirably in two wars, then joined the space program. He was the first human to orbit the earth, at the age of forty, winning global attention and praise for being the quintessential American hero: military man, test pilot, astronaut. He was one of the groundbreaking men who brought us into the Space Age.

But then, he entered politics, almost immediately. He lost a bid for the US Senate in 1964, then another in 1970, but won the prize in 1974 and remained, for four long terms. He was a fixture of the U.S. Senate from until 1998. Some would argue that this is an example of the need for term limits; Republicans and Democrats alike tend to go native when they stay in Washington too long. But there is something about this story thats worth noting.

John Glenn was a left-wing politician. Not a conservative Democrat, or a moderate, as one would naturally expect from a Marine pilot and war hero, but a confirmed liberal.

The American Conservative Union has one of the more respectable ranking methodologies in Washington, and vets incumbents carefully, based on a cross section of social, foreign policy, and economic issues. An ACU ranking between forty and seventy percent would generally be considered a moderate in either party; the very top and very bottom are clearly more dependable conservatives or liberals. John Glenns lifetime ACU rating was 12% when he left office. And his last two years? Zero, in both 1997 and 1998. You really have to work at it to get a zero ranking with the ACU.

This is not to diminish Senator Glenns honorable record as a valiant pilot in wartime, or as a courageous test pilot, or as a daring Mercury pioneer.

But it is just as true that his life story must also acknowledge his 24 years in the US Senate as a hyperpartisan leftist. The Gentleman from Ohio spent 24 years voting for bigger government, higher taxes, higher government spending. He spent 24 years voting away Americas Constitutional right to the limited government intended for us by our Founding Fathers. He spent 24 years voting for the regulatory burdens that have driven tens of millions of jobs overseas. Thats his record too.

So to the extent that the November 2016 election should be thought of as a call for the overthrow of the job-destroying omni-state of the American Left, we should keep in mind, this recent vote was against John Glenn and his side of the aisle as well.

The Importance of Ohio

Ohio is a birthplace of presidents. Only Virginia challenges Ohio for production of the most presidents, and thats a tenuous claim indeed, since Virginias record dates to when we only had thirteen states to choose from.

In presidential politics, we think of Ohio as the king of the battlegrounds, the battleground state to rule all battlegrounds. No Republican, for example, has ever won the office without Ohio; pollsters and political consultants who can barely remember the capital cities of Montana or Utah will know the demographic breakdowns of every city and county in Ohio. That state is the bread-and-butter of the political world.

As such, one would expect Ohio to be represented by moderates, people who can walk the line between the extremes rather well  and sometimes its true. Ohios current governor, for example  John Son-of-a-Mailman Kasich  cannot easily be identified on a political spectrum, being fiscally conservative in some ways, but not in others, conservative on some social issues, liberal on others. The same could be said of other long-lasting Ohio politicians, like George Voinovich and Mike DeWine.

But John Glenn lasted 24 years in that same state, despite having a voting record that was incredibly left-wing. He didnt even start out moderate or conservative, and then turn left gradually, as so many do; he started out as an extremist and stayed there. In 1975, his first year in the US Senate, John Glenn had a 12% ACU rating, the rating hed have as his cumulative lifetime average when he retired, four full terms later.

John Glenn survived the Democrat bloodbath of 1980, when fellow leftists George McGovern, Frank Church, Gaylord Nelson, and so many others, including his next-door neighbor Birch Bayh of Indiana, lost their US Senate seats. Why? Was John Glenn somehow so talented at retail politics that he could withstand an electoral tsunami on charm alone? Hardly.

The Power of Celebrity

For any other politician  rich or poor, professional-class or laborer-class, a campaign is run on issues. Maybe theyre the major issues youd expect; maybe theyre unusual fringe issues that a candidate makes his own. As public feelings change about those issues, the candidates success will ebb and flow as well. Being a conservative was practically fatal in 2006 and 2008, being a liberal was practically fatal in 1980 and 1994.

John Glenn wasnt up for reelection in 1994, but judging from voting records, and from how his own state voted in other races that year, he should have gone down in 1980. Why did he survive while so many others failed? The answer is obvious: The voters never thought of him as a leftist.

John Glenn was elected to the US Senate as a patriot, a war hero, a cultural icon. At the time of his first election, that was a fair judgment; he had indeed had the courage few would have had: to climb into a capsule and be blasted off into outer space. This is indeed worthy of attention and respect.

But because thats how he was elected, his opponents over the years could never get the electorate to turn their gaze away from his place in the stars and focus on his voting record. Year after year, the ACU identified him as one of the most left-wing US Senators, identifying his votes for utter economic and societal destruction, and opponents simply couldnt get traction.

The American psyche is raised  rightly, in fact!  to have great respect for the courageous, for the military heroes, for the entrepreneurs, adventurers and inventors. It does make sense that we should have a default starting point of respect for such a man.

But this positive is transformed into a negative if such default respect blinds us to the voting record of a legislator. Our desire for heroes in a non-heroic age is a crippling vulnerability, because all the opposition party has to do is find a hero, talk him into running for office, and then let the heroism keep him in office forever, reelection after reelection, immune from the slings and arrows of a political opponent. No matter the political tides, if you won because you were a star, then youre set for life as long as you dont lose that stardom. And how can you?

The Rahm Emanuel Strategy

In January of 2005, Nancy Pelosi picked Rahm Emanuel to run the House effort for the 2006 elections. He put in place a national effort that hed been working on for some time  an effort to find Democratic candidates who would vote solidly liberal but look moderate, or even appear conservative, because of identification with some major conservative position or demographic. And his most success with this tactic was found when he recruited people with military backgrounds.

The state of Illinois saw an example of this: the Democrats recruited a disabled war veteran named Tammy Duckworth to run for the House of Representatives. She didnt win the first time, but they stuck with her, and she won a House seat, which they turned into a Senate seat in 2016. Shes no conservative, and shes no moderate either (her lifetime ACU rating is an astonishing 6.67%) but she won a swing suburban House district and then a statewide seat in Illinois. Now shes likely there for the rest of her life.

All Tammy Duckworth has to do is stand up, and we see her distinctive military-issue legs, and any decent patriots heart melts. It should melt, by the way; such default respect for valiant military service is a good and necessary part of the American soul. But when it blinds the voter to the fact that, in her last year in the House before this election, she had a lousy 4% ACU rating, the voter simply isnt evaluating the issues correctly.

All over the country, we see candidates winning elections despite massive disconnects from the voters best interest. Issues only matter if you vote based on those issues; if you can be convinced that you should vote for the war hero, the celebrity comic, the space pioneer, the housewife, the kid from the neighborhood who made good then you never have to worry about issues again. Just keep reminding the voters that Tammy Duckworth lost her legs in the war, that John Glenn orbited the earth, that Al Franken made you laugh on TV, that little Billy made it from nothing to the White House but never went anywhere without his sax.

The culture of celebrity may doom America, even as many other seemingly-worse problems could not. If voters dont understand the dangers of climate hysteria, of Islamic jihad, of crippling tax policy, a smart candidate can educate them. A think tank can fund public service messages. The spokesmen of a movement can explain over time, so that the tide turns.

But if the public isnt wrong on an issue, it just lets celebrity outrank it, what on earth is there to do?

We need to raise our children, not only to appreciate the Founding Fathers vision, not only to understand the big picture, but also to understand that what matters in a politician, most of all, is what he does in the office, not what he did ten, or twenty, or thirty years before.

This isnt just about the low information voter, by the way. Its about solid, principled conservatives and military veterans too, who would hold the same rotten voting record against anyone else, but cant bring themselves to hold it against a candidate who shares their branch of service, or who was injured in battle.

If we dont educate our children on what matters in an election and what doesnt, we will be doomed to be misrepresented by celebrities who vote left but get the public to disregard it completely in the voting booth.

You think emanations and penumbra dont belong in the Constitution? Try finding the right to be governed by celebrities in there. Its nowhere in the Constitution, but like so much else that isnt, half the countrys voters think it is.

Copyright 2016 John F. Di Leo

John F. Di Leo is a Chicago-based Customs broker, trade compliance lecturer, actor and writer. His columns are regularly found in Illinois Review.

Permission is hereby granted to forward freely, provided it is uncut, and the IR URL and byline are included.
As health insurance costs climb, some consumers are turning to alternative products for coverage that can impose strict Christian-based moral expectations and are unregulated in many states including Missouri and Illinois.

The alternative coverage may also lack some of the hallmark protections included in the Affordable Care Act, such as the requirement to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions.

But with the alternative coverage, known as health care sharing ministries, consumers are exempt from paying a federal tax penalty for not having insurance. Consumers also can enroll in these plans any time during the year, not just during open enrollment like traditional insurance.

For many consumers, health care sharing ministries have become the only affordable option for coverage.

After five years of being uninsured, hairstylist Melissa Peirick signed up for coverage with Christian Healthcare Ministries. She couldnt afford traditional health insurance, and coverage wasnt offered through her Chesterfield salon.

With Christian Healthcare Ministries, shes paying about $130 per month for coverage.

St. Louis area health insurance brokers say there are many consumers who, like Peirick, are choosing these low-cost options.

Health care sharing ministries, in many ways, resemble traditional health plans. They require members to pay a monthly share similar to a premium and they have similar deductible-type payments. But consumers need to read the finer details to be aware of limitations, insurance brokers and health policy experts said.

I think its a reasonable choice; Im concerned people are enrolling without understanding what is and what is not covered, said Joe Bottani, a broker with St. Louis-based Arch Brokerage Inc. He said he doesnt promote these types of plans.

Some limitations include payment for care related to a pre-existing condition only after a period of time and financial caps on paid claims.

And with these products come Christian-based moral expectations, a significant deviation from a traditional health plan.

For example, if an unmarried woman were to get pregnant, the related health care services would not be covered, said Corey Durbin, president of Shared Health Alliance of St. Louis.

Or if a drunken driver caused an accident and was injured, the drivers health care needs would not be covered.

For the people that are paying for their own health care, for most of them the cost has gotten so out of whack a non-mainstream or a counterculture health care option becomes very viable, Durbin said.

For Peirick, Ohio-based Christian Healthcare Ministries asked what church she attended and the name of her priest.

In online documents, Christian Healthcare Ministries explains that its organization is not health insurance.

Health insurance is a contract between a company and the consumer in which the insurance company is required to pay the consumers health expenses, according to its online guidelines.

But no such contract exists with organizations such as Christian Healthcare Ministries. Instead, the group pools funds among Christians to help one another in times of need, according to their online guidelines.

Christian Healthcare Ministries has a lifetime limit of $125,000 per diagnosis, according to its online guidelines.

Durbin has his family enrolled in a similar plan. He also started his own company  after a career in the employee benefits industry  to help consumers fill the gaps with other insurance options the health care sharing ministries wont cover, such as prescription drug coverage and preventative screenings.

He says the savings are significant.

My deductible went from $9,000 to $1,500, Durbin said.

Bill Hill, local insurance broker with Visor Benefits, said the demand for health care sharing ministries has exploded. He has consulted for about 20 individuals this year, some with families, who will enroll Jan. 1 when their current coverage expires.

His clients cant afford their current plans and are seeking alternative options.

However, many of these products are unregulated.

Many states, including Illinois and Missouri, dont consider these products health insurance, which means they are not regulated by state insurance departments.

These products are not required to have financial reserve requirements, unlike insurance companies, so theres no guarantee they will pay claims, said Sabrina Corlette, research professor and lawyer at Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown Universitys Health Policy Institute.

Before they (insurance companies) can be in the market, they have to prove to the state that they have enough cash or capital to pay claims even if its a really bad year like if you got a flu epidemic or Zika, Corlette said.

What I would say is buyer beware, Corlette said.
Corky the Clown is gone.

Clif St. James  known to countless St. Louis area baby boomers as the big-eared jovial clown who hosted a childrens cartoon show for three decades  died Friday (Dec. 9, 2016) of pneumonia at St. Lukes Hospital. He was 91.

Mr. St. James was a longtime resident of Webster Groves.

I dont think I ever heard him say a bad word about anyone, said his son, Chip St. James. And in the TV business, thats saying something.

Mr. St. James was born June 3, 1925, in Niagara Falls, N.Y., the oldest of three children. His family moved to Honeoye Falls, N.Y., where his father owned a small advertising agency.

He joined the Army in 1943, serving with the 591st field artillery battalion of the 106th Infantry Division in northern France and Germany, including the Battle of the Bulge.

I was 18 years old, and I was assigned to be radioman for a forward artillery observer, Mr. St. James said in an interview in 2001.

It was an awfully scary thing, especially when your observer is killed on your first night out, he said. I learned what it is like to have it be open season on you. You were fair game for the enemy.

In Germany, he also helped put on shows for the troops and found that he loved performing. So when he was discharged in 1946, he enrolled at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y.

While at Eastman, he met his wife, a St. Louis native named Nance Babcock. They were married in 1948 and for a time, they did a husband-wife routine on the air.

Nance St. James, who survives her husband, also was a popular voice for years in St. Louis.

In the early 1950s, he came to St. Louis to work at KWK and KSD radio stations. Two years later, he took a job as a freelance announcer at KSD-TV, the only TV station in town at the time.

Mr. St. James began hosting Corky the Clown in 1954 and stayed until 1980. It was one of the highest-rated local childrens shows in the U.S. In 1966, it became Corkys Colorama and was the first show in St. Louis to be broadcast in color, which is why Corky sometimes had a green or blue face.

Station executives didnt want to experiment with color on the news broadcasts, so they gave it to a clown to lead the way, Mr. St. James noted in a past interview.

Also, its likely he was the first, and only, person in St. Louis television history to do the weather in full clown regalia.

Corkys show was televised from 4 to 4:30 p.m., followed by the news at 5 p.m. St. James needed at least 20 minutes to get out of his clown makeup and costume, put on a coat and tie and rush down the hall to the newsroom studio.

But TV during the 1950s was live, and sometimes shows ran longer than scheduled. When that happened, viewers watching the news would sometimes see Corky appear instead of Mr. St. James on the weather segment.

After leaving KSDK in 1981, he worked in promotions and community relations for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. until 1989.

He also continued doing TV and radio appearances, and was one of the most in-demand voice talents in the St. Louis market.

In 2014, Mr. St. James was inducted into the St. Louis Media Hall of Fame.

Frank Absher, a radio veteran and executive director of the St. Louis Media Foundation, noted that the Corky theme song was played for Mr. St. James when he was inducted.

Everyone in the room could tell how much he savored the fact that his work was so important to an entire generation of kids, Absher said.

Along with his wife and son, Mr. St. James is survived by two daughters, Stacy Physioc of Kansas City and Lori Doll of Dallas; five grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.

Another daughter, Pat St. James Roberts, who made many appearances at the Muny during a long stage career, died in 2010.

Funeral arrangements are pending. Mr. St. James donated his body to medical research.

Dad really did live his life according to Corkys motto: Be careful, be cheerful, nobody likes a grouch, his son said. He was a lovely man.
Joe Wilson was born in 1940 in the Missouri Bootheel town of Hayti.

He came to St. Louis as a child and he quit school after eighth grade. That wasnt terribly unusual. In the middle of the 20th century, a young man who was willing to work could find work. Wilson was willing. He had a number of jobs. He was washing pots at a restaurant in Union Station back in the days when trains actually used Union Station when he heard about a job at Famous-Barr downtown.

There was an opening for a stockman in the furniture department, loading and unloading furniture. It would be harder work than washing pots, but it paid better. Wilson took it. That was in 1965. He stayed at Famous-Barr for the next 37 years. He retired in 2003.

This was not unusual in the old days. People worked for years for one company. When Wilson retired, his colleagues gave him a poster. He still has it. It says Worlds Greatest Stockman Is Leaving Us After 37 Years!!! Dozens of people signed it.

By all accounts, he was a fine employee. Except for a time when he was mugged and consequently hospitalized, he never took a day of sick time. He even made it to work during the big snow of 82. Hardly anybody else showed up and there were no deliveries or customers, so Wilson went outside and helped shovel snow.

There was one hiccup in his career. In 1992, a supervisor told Wilson the company was having a problem with housekeeping in the credit department and the company needed a trustworthy employee to work in that area. Wilson accepted the transfer and four months later, housekeeping services were outsourced and the new employer cut everybodys salary.

Wilson told me. I wrote a column about it. Wilson got his old job back and worked as a stockman for another 11 years.

A couple of weeks ago, he was cleaning his apartment, where he lives with his daughter and her grandchild. He found some old papers. Some were tax forms. One was for a gross distribution from the May Department Stores profit-sharing plan. Another was for a gross distribution from the companys retirement plan.

Gross distribution. In other words, he had opted to take his retirement money in a lump sum. All together, after taxes, he had about $26,000.

Much of it he spent. Some of it might have gone for a nice used car. He cant remember details. He attributes his foggy memory to a head injury he suffered when he was mugged.

But some of his money went into a bank account. Thats clear from another paper he found during cleaning. In October of 2003, he opened an account at Allegiant Bank. The deposit form shows he opened the account with a cashiers check for $7,000.

He said he doesnt think he ever withdrew any of that money.

In 2005, Allegiant Bank was sold to National City Bank, which was headquartered in Cleveland. Three years later, National City Bank was acquired by PNC Financial Services, which is headquartered in Pittsburgh.

So a 20th-century man, who was used to continuity, was caught in a 21st-century problem. How does one track things down when everything is always changing?

Although I am not exactly a 21st-century guy myself, I agreed to help. I called PNC headquarters and spoke with Amy Vargo, vice president for media. She was sympathetic, but cautioned that record retention may be seven to 10 years.

Seven to 10 years. A few years ago when I wrote a story about a slave cemetery in Wildwood, a state archivist was able to dig up the handwritten records of the slave owners estate, including the names of the slaves. Those records were 165 years old. So much for computers.

Vargo, who really was helpful, also suggested I contact the Missouri state treasurer. Perhaps Wilsons money had ended up as unclaimed property. I called the appropriate office and a woman told me that confidentiality laws prevented her from telling me if Wilson had any unclaimed property. (But several William McClellans did. Not me, though.) So I called Wilsons daughter and told her to have her dad call the treasurers office.

When I called his daughter, she had news for me. A PNC person had called. Wilson and his daughter would be meeting with somebody Monday morning at a local PNC branch.

I called Vargo. Was this good news? She responded with an email. She said her last update was that an escalation team was engaged with Mr. Wilsons daughter. She also cited her need to be mindful of a customers confidentiality.

That is where we have to leave this story, still unresolved, with Joe Wilson dreaming of a green Christmas.
It is in the lore of our family that nature called urgently one evening upon my then-young father, Louie Gauen, with an amusing result.

He knew the friendly folks who ran Campbells drugstore in Collinsville. More importantly, he knew the precise location of their private toilet.

So in he rushed, throwing open the bathroom door without giving a second thought to the possibility that someone, least of all Mrs. Campbell, would already be conducting business in that spot.

He told the embarrassing story on himself more than a few times, and as a child I remember him laughing about it along with Bob Campbell, the afflicted womans husband. Bob and Elmo Campbell ran the place until about the time my family moved home to Collinsville in the early 1960s, after pops 11-year job detour into Indiana.

A corner drugstore was something special. More than a dispensary for medicine, it offered candy and greeting cards and newspapers and magazines and what were quaintly called notions. Perhaps you know them as sundries. Quite likely you know neither of those terms, which more or less mean lots of assorted stuff.

While the place apparently possessed a convenient bathroom, it had long before surrendered one major hallmark of the old corner drugstore: the soda fountain. Ostles, a rival a few blocks west, not only still had one but was strategically situated along my walk home from junior high school.

After school, scores of kids congregated around the counter there, making it possible for a mere dime to buy a Coke and hang out near popular girls who wouldnt be caught dead hanging out near me anywhere else.

It was a time when merchandising was starting to be centralized into fewer and bigger stores. Oh, Schreibers grocery still served the neighborhood just down Main Street (hanging on until 2006) and Steckerts market was a block from my home. Neither had as much square footage as a modern 7-Eleven, yet they were packed with goods.

But down by Fairmount Park Race Track, the sprawling USA Store (which later burned and was replaced by a Kmart) and Sav-Mart across the street loomed as everything-under-one-roof replacements for mom-and-pop operations. The new stores lacked the warm and fuzzy dealings with people you knew  or whom your parents knew.

Joe Ashmann, a personable young pharmacist, took over what had been Campbells in 1961 and expanded things a bit. I presume someone along the line installed a lock on that bathroom.

I was in and out of the store all the time. Picking up a prescription often meant a long visit with Joe about, well, almost anything from local politics to world affairs. He always indulged this voluble young customer with patience.

Then came a day in 1998 when Joe was nearing retirement and sold to Lenny Locus, another personable young pharmacist who had long worked there. Lenny and I went to high school together. He happily provided over-the counter banter along with behind-the-counter medications. He kept the Ashmanns name and the fine service it implied.

After about 30 years as a loyal customer (except, of course, for those Cokes at Ostles, RIP 2007), I moved to Highland, too distant to conveniently acquire prescriptions or notions from a store 20-plus miles distant.

I lost touch in what were probably some tough times for the conventional little shop on Main Street. CVS built a big pharmacy in town; Walgreens built two. All three have drive-up service. Reconstruction of Illinois Route 159 cut Ashmanns off from the rest of downtown.

I read recently that Lenny has no ill will toward that project. Unfortunately, I read it in a Facebook posting announcing that the place will close after Thursday. There will be no personable young pharmacist taking over for the retiree this time.

The announcement said, in part, Your loyalty kept our doors open during many hard times. We have laughed together and we have cried together. We watched all of our children grow up and have children of their own. You brought food to Lenny. You jumped over barricades and slogged through wet cement to get into our building during the highway expansion project. You have been so much more than customers to us.

It has been more than 54 years since I first walked through the door. Probably 75 since my dad so unpleasantly surprised Mrs. Campbell. I wonder whether Lenny would think it odd if I stopped by this week to say goodbye, and asked to finally see that bathroom.
ST. CLAIR COUNTY  The driver of a Ford Escape that collided head-on with a pickup truck Friday, killing three people including himself, had a revoked license because of prior DUI convictions, the Illinois State Police said Saturday.

Shortly after noon Friday, Alejandro Salen, 48, of Belleville, was driving north on Illinois Route 158 (also known as Centreville Avenue) just south of Belleville when he crossed the center line. It's not clear why.

His vehicle struck a Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck. The driver of the truck, Donald Hess, 74, of Columbia, Ill., was airlifted to St. Louis University Hospital and was in critical but stable condition early Saturday, Illinois State Trooper Trooper Calvin Dye Jr. said.

Hess's two passengers  his wife and their grandson  were pronounced dead at the scene. Salen was also pronounced dead at the scene.

Hess's wife, Jerilyn Hess, 74, also of Columbia, Ill., was sitting in the back seat. Their grandson, Christopher Craig, 24 of Dupo, was sitting in the front seat.

Officials do not yet know whether alcohol was a factor.
House

Guarding U.S. Embassies  The House on Dec. 6 voted, 374-16, to give the U.S. Department of State more flexibility in hiring firms to guard American embassies in high-risk locales. A yes vote was to pass S 1635, which also expands Radio Free Asia and requires scrutiny of sex offenses committed by U.N. peacekeeping forces.

Yes  William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis; Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth; Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro; Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin; John Shimkus, R-Collinsville; Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville; Jason Smith, R-Cape Girardeau.

International Insurance Regulations  The House on Dec. 7 passed, 239-170, a bill that would effectively block U.S. involvement in international talks aimed at setting stricter capital standards for large insurance holding companies, such as Met Life and AIG, that sell financial services globally. The negotiations are a response to the 2008 financial crash. The bill was sponsored by Luetkemeyer. The Obama White House threatened a veto had it passed the Senate. Luetkemeyer will re-introduce it in 2017 if not, a spokesman said. President Barack Obama said the bill would roll back critical Wall Street reforms intended to protect American consumers and our financial system. A yes vote was to pass HR 5143.

Yes  Shimkus, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Wagner, Bost, Davis.

No  Clay

Bringing Jobs to America  Voting 231-178, the House on Dec. 7 blocked a procedural bid by Democrats to bring to the floor a bill in committee that would allow firms a 20 percent tax credit against the cost of moving foreign-based jobs to the U.S. A yes vote opposed the Democrats parliamentary maneuver. (HR 5143)

Yes  Wagner, Bost, Shimkus, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Davis.

No  Clay

Impeachment of IRS Commissioner  The House on Dec. 6 voted, 342-72, to refer to committee, and thus kill, a resolution by the hard-right Freedom Caucus to impeach John Koskinen, the IRS commissioner, on charges related to his agencys alleged targeting of conservative political organizations. A yes vote was to shelve it. (HR 328)

Yes  Luetkemeyer, Smith, Clay, Bost, Davis, Shimkus.

No  Wagner

Stopgap Spending, Flint Water  The House on Dec. 8 passed, 326-96, a bill that would fund government agencies through April 28 at an annualized level of $1.07 trillion, including $170 million for projects to help Flint, Mich., and other cities replace lead-contaminated drinking-water pipes. A yes vote was to pass HR 2028.

Yes  Wagner, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Clay, Bost, Davis, Shimkus.

Federal Water Projects  The House on Dec. 8 appropriated, 360-61, $5 billion for hundreds of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water projects. A yes vote was to approve the conference report on S 612, which also cancels outdated projects and changes some spending from discretionary to mandatory.

Yes  Smith, Clay, Wagner, Bost, Davis, Shimkus, Luetkemeyer.

Grants for Alzheimers Care  The House on Dec. 8 passed, 346-66, a bill to further community programs for individuals with Alzheimers and related brain diseases. A yes vote was to authorize grants to nonprofit groups with an emphasis on protecting patients with dementia and locating them if they go missing. (HR 4919)

Yes  Clay, Wagner, Luetkemeyer, Bost, Davis, Shimkus.

No  Smith

Senate

$611 Billion for U.S. Military  The Senate on Dec. 8 adopted, 92-7, the conference report on a $611 billion military budget for fiscal 2017. A yes vote was to pass a bill (S 2943) that would authorize $67.8 billion for combat actions overseas and raise pay by 2.1 percent for uniformed personnel.

Yes  Roy Blunt, R-Mo.; Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.; Dick Durbin, D-Ill,; Mark Kirk, R-Ill.

Cancer Research, Drug Approvals  Voting 94-5, the Senate on Dec. 7 sent President Barack Obama a bill (HR 34) that would revamp mental health programs, speed federal approval of drugs, combat opioid addiction and boost spending for biomedical research, including for cancer cures. A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Yes  McCaskill, Blunt, Durbin, Kirk.

Key Votes Ahead

The 115th Congress convenes on Jan. 3.

Votes and descriptions are compiled by Voterama in Congress, a legislative tracking organization.
JEFFERSON CITY  Missouris capital city is in flux after the Nov. 8 election.

With five statewide offices changing hands on Inauguration Day, efforts to plan a smooth transition of power have been gaining steam for weeks.

In the case of the chief executive, Republican Eric Greitens is poised to take over the office held for the past eight years by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.

Republican Sen. Mike Parson of Bolivar will be the next lieutenant governor, stepping into the role held by Peter Kinder. University of Missouri law professor Josh Hawley will be the first Republican attorney general in more than two decades after he beat Democrat Teresa Hensley on Election Day.

And Eric Schmitt, a Republican state senator from Glendale, is taking over as treasurer after Clint Zweifels two terms in the office.

Following are answers to questions about the upcoming changing of the guard in state government, which concludes with swearing-in ceremonies in the Capitol at noon on Jan. 9:

Q: Will Governor Nixon personally hand over the keys to the governors office to Greitens?

A: No. According to the Office of Administration, which oversees the Capitol complex, the locks and lettering on newly elected statewide officials office doors will be changed midday on Jan. 9. In other words, while the elected officials are engaged in the pomp and circumstance of the swearing-in ceremony, workers will be scurrying around inside getting things ready for the new regime.

Q: As part of the security changes, will someone have to clear data off all of the computers used by Nixon and the other outgoing officeholders?

A: The system used by the state has eliminated the need for that. According to officials, state employees are assigned email and computer accounts when they are hired. That data is stored remotely on the State of Missouri State Data Centers server, and upon termination, some employee data continues to be stored by the state data center. Since the data is not stored locally on the actual computer hardware, there is no need to wipe clean any data.

Q: What if the new lieutenant governor  or any of the new officeholders  doesnt like the color of the walls in his new office? Can he redecorate?

A: The answer is maybe. According to the Office of Administration, it makes sense to keep the option open when offices are being vacated. This turnover period is an opportune time for that sort of work to be done, and the Office of Administration will do our best to cooperate with any officeholders to facilitate if requested, said spokeswoman Ryan Burns.

Q: When the new officeholders walk into their new digs, can they just fire any of the employees left over from their predecessors?

A: In short, yes. The majority of statewide elected official employees are at-will, meaning they serve at the pleasure of the officeholder. It is up to the determination of the individual officeholder which employees will remain on their staff after noon on Inauguration Day.

Q: Have state employees been retiring at a higher rate in order to avoid being fired?

A: For now, there are no numbers showing an increase in the number of employees retiring or planning to retire as part of a post-election purge. According to the Missouri State Employees Retirement System, at least 318 workers are planning to depart on Jan. 1 this year. Last year, the number was 345 workers.

Q: Who pays for transition costs?

A: You do. Before adjourning last spring, the Legislature earmarked $150,000 to help offset some of the costs of the transition. For example, the governors office receives $100,000, as well as free office space in a state office building adjacent to the Capitol. The other statewide officers receive free offices and $10,000.
Let's have a parent-to-SEAL chat

Governor-elect Eric Greitens made an extraordinary gesture this week after his wife, Sheena, was robbed at gunpoint while sitting in her car outside a Central West End cafe. She was, no doubt, traumatized but fine, and the governor-elect acknowledged to reporters that the entire family was shaken by the event.

Greitens spent much of his GOP gubernatorial campaign expounding on the need to strengthen policing and restore law and order on the urban streets of Missouri, particularly in the St. Louis area. Rarely in his campaign has he delved into the more touchy-feely notions of addressing youth criminality by listening to the problems of urban parents and hearing about the challenges they face keeping their kids on the straight and narrow path.

But thats exactly what Greitens plans to do with the mothers of the three teens arrested after Sheena Greitens' robbery. Just as the Greitens familys lives have changed because of the incident, the mothers lives also changed, he said. And I feel for their families.

Thumbs up for that approach, Greitens. The people with perhaps the best insights into juvenile delinquency are the parents who have to cope with it daily.

The only problem is, Greitens prefaced all that with this scary remark: Im glad the men and women of law enforcement found these men before I did.

Greitens was speaking to reporters without notes, so its possible the words came to him on the spur of the moment. But the suggestion that our governor-elect might have contemplated administering vigilante justice on the spot is chilling. Doubly chilling considering that he made guns a central focus of his campaign. Triply chilling considering that he is a former Navy SEAL.

As Missouris top elected official, the governor can advocate one option  and one option only  for any victim of crime: Let the police handle it. Watch your words, governor-elect. The public is listening.

Choose your battles, man

A week ago, actor Alec Baldwin again poked fun at President-elect Donald Trump during a "Saturday Night Live" skit. Taking the bait, Trump again responded via Twitter, denouncing Baldwin and bemoaning the quality of SNL.

Danielle Muscato decided shed had enough. The U.S. military is locked in battle on multiple fronts against radical jihadists. Russia and China are meddling in other countries business. European unity is collapsing. America is in political turmoil. And an SNL skit is what occupies the president-elect's mind on a Saturday night?

You are the president-elect, Muscato tweeted. Pick your f---ing battles man. You are embarrassing yourself.

She tweeted several more rants, which quickly went viral. Muscato was right. Trump has lots of problems to fix and battles to fight, and a television comedy show is definitely not one of them.

To BB or not to BB? Definitely not

Andre Armstrong must've been bored. He got ahold of a BB gun and allegedly shot out the windows on scores of cars, including 62 in Clayton alone. According to charges filed this week, he also damaged parked cars in Shrewsbury, St. Louis and Maplewood during a November rampage.

He and some friends just wanted to have fun, says Lt. Mark Smith of the Clayton police department.

Theyre lucky to be alive (and not to have run into the governor-elect). Under Missouris new stand-your-ground laws, if just one of the owners of those cars had been armed and prepared to protect his or her property, serious tragedy could have resulted.

As it is, this joy ride wound up costing car owners and their insurance companies tens of thousands of dollars, not to mention the tremendously time-consuming hassles of getting the windows replaced.

Speaking of broken windows ...

St. Louis zookeepers dont need any better reminder than Rockin Rubih to know that orangutans are among the smartest primates on the planet. The 12-year-old daughter of Cinta, Rubih has been a handful since her mother kicked her out of the nest a couple of years ago to make room for her baby sister, Ginger.

Rubihs latest prank, banging rocks on observation windows of the zoos orangutan exhibit, has been costly, according to the Post-Dispatchs Mike Faulk. She broke four of six windows, costing the zoo $71,000 after insurance covered the bulk of it. Oops.

Like many a parent with a preteen, zookeepers are busy trying to keep the rambunctious Rubih occupied at less cost. So far theyve taught her to bring them rocks, which was only good as long as they were around to take them. Next step is training her to drop rocks in a tube, which doesnt require staff be there to reward her.

Seeing only red

The first black Santa at Minneapolis Mall of America may be right when he said Kids love Santa no matter what color you are, but it was their parents he had to worry about.

Larry Jefferson, a retired Army veteran from Irving, Texas, was hand-picked in July at the annual Santa Claus convention in Branson, Mo., to be the malls first Santa of color. He was the only dark-skinned Santa there out of about 1,000 Santas and Mrs. Clauses, said Landon Luther, an owner of The Santa Experience, which books meetings with Santa and families at the mall.

Minnesota population is about 85 percent white and there was some backlash to Jeffersons Santa, mostly online where the cloak of anonymity allows trolls to post just about any mean thing they want. Jefferson says the kids loved him.

As for the trolls? He says he didn't even notice.
Last weeks attempted attack by a lone gunman on a Washington pizza parlor is only one of the frightening cases in which people lightly tethered to reality have taken vigilante action in response to fake news. In most cases, fake news does little more than sully the reputations of good people and sway voters from supporting certain candidates.

When people start to take action in the form of violence and death threats, its time for the American public to be deeply concerned. Its time for President-elect Donald Trump, whose supporters and aides have helped promote some of the worst fake news reports, to stop maligning the real news media and put his full political weight behind the cause of truth and rationality.

After all, death threats and opening fire in restaurants, as occurred in Washington last week, are very real forms of terrorism.

A Florida woman, Lucy Richards, 57, was arrested and charged Monday with making death threats against the parent of a child killed in the Dec. 14, 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary massacre, all because Richards believed fake news reports that the massacre was staged in order to justify gun control.

Aside from the terror inflicted by this threat, think of this poor parent for a moment. The grand jury indictment only listed the parent as LP but it is believed to be former Newtown, Conn., resident Lenny Pozner, who lost his 6-year-old son in the attack. The parent is no doubt still grieving heavily over the loss of the most precious thing in his life: his young child.

The nightmare of that loss will, for the rest of their lives, haunt the parents of the 20 first graders killed. And now some terroristic fanatic wants to double the misery by sending messages that included, you gonna die, death is coming to you real soon, and LOOK BEHIND YOU IT IS DEATH.

Its all because of reports that began circulating on easy-to-find conspiracy websites that attempt to establish a bogus body of evidence to suggest that such events  including the 9/11 attacks  were staged.

That Richards took the Sandy Hook fake news seriously is a testament to her own ignorance and self-delusion. She clearly chose not to believe hundreds of credible reports from multiple, well-established news organizations, probably because she regarded them as part of the conspiracy. Trumps repeated statements about the lying national news media have only fueled the extremists.

The so-called Sandy Hook truther movement gained credibility when a Florida Atlantic University professor, James F. Tracy, lent it an air of academic authenticity. Tracy, who lost his job last year, targeted Pozner and his wife, Veronique, sending them a certified letter demanding proof that their son, Noah, ever existed. Tracy suggested the family had a financial motive for faking the Sandy Hook massacre.

Why does Trump bear some responsibility? Recall that the billionaire businessman was the most high-profile proponent of the birther movement, which alleged that President Barack Obama was born outside the United States and, therefore, was ineligible to be president. Trump promoted this nonsense for years, even after Obama presented his Hawaii birth certificate as proof.

Finally in September, Trump stood before television cameras to declare, unapologetically, President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period.

Last week, a gunman entered a Washington pizza parlor, Comet Ping Pong, as a self-appointed administrator of justice reacting to fake news reports that the restaurant served as a front for a child-sex ring involving former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and some aides.

Rational humans, of course, know this is ludicrous. Rational humans know that Sandy Hook was a real-life horror. Rational humans do not question 9/11. Rational humans accept that the man who has been president for the past eight years is unquestionably U.S.-born.

But Trump hasnt always behaved rationally. He has selected retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn as his national security adviser despite Flynns occasional embrace of fake news and conspiracy-theory lunacy. Of the child-sex ring story, Flynn tweeted, U decide.

Flynns son, Michael Jr., is among those who continue to embrace the connection between Comet Ping Pong, the child-sex ring and Clinton. He tweeted last week, Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, itll remain a story.

And until Lenny Pozner proves his son ever existed, how can we ever really know that the Sandy Hook massacre actually occurred?

Michael Flynn Jr. was, until this past week, reportedly on the list to receive security clearance as a White House adviser under his father and Trump. Vice President-elect Mike Pence told CNN, Mike Flynn Jr. is no longer associated with Gen. Flynns efforts or the transition team.

This craziness is far from over. After Trump boasted about saving 1,100 jobs at a Carrier plant in Indiana this month, a union official tweeted that, in fact, the number of jobs saved is only 800. He is now receiving threats, merely for clarifying the facts.

Weve entered a true danger zone of vigilantism here. Rational people dont need to be told its wrong. Irrational people need to be yanked back to reality with stern and persistent reminders from the only person theyll apparently listen to: Donald Trump.
HOUSTON, Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- New York-based luxury auction firm Concierge Auctions is pleased to announce that Galveston Bay's most historic property  the Governor Ross Sterling Mansion  has a new owner. The live auction of the property, hosted via the firm's Instant Gavel app, attracted international attention and drew multiple qualified bidders vying to own the historic mansion modeled after the White House. The successful auction marks the firm's first sale in the greater Houston area, and its 16th sale in Texas since 2012. Held in cooperation with Lin Neese and Chris Foster of John Daugherty Realtors Inc., the auction achieved the highest sale in Morgan's Point, where the home is located, in 2016 and one of the highest sales in the Galveston Bay area all year.

"The Concierge Auctions team is comprised of consummate professionals who did exactly what they said they would  secure qualified, registered bidders on auction day, and successfully sell the property," Foster stated. "They were on top of the process every step of the way. I was pleased with every aspect of their service and would recommend their services to others here in Houston. I will definitely work with them again in the future."

Located at 515 Bayridge Road, the mansion was designed by Alfred Finn for the 31st Texas Governor Ross Sterling as a scaled-down version of the US White House and is recognized on the National Registry of Historic Places. The traditional Colonial residence  known as the First Texas White House  overlooks Galveston Bay and offers an impressive 20,689 square feet including nine bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, a grand salon, ballroom, library, media room, game room, parlors, and a gym. Its 28-foot rotunda portico terrace soars 22 feet, offering panoramic views of the bay and direct beach access. Built in 1924, the property has been renovated to also include a small sand beach at the water's edge, complete with palm trees.

Concierge Auctions' exposure campaign resulted in more than 24,499 website views from 140 states/regions (led by Texas, California and New York) and 57 countries (led by the United States and Canada). Approximately 643 buyer prospects inquired for more information, and 96 open house tours and 42 private showings were conducted.

"We're thrilled with the outcome of our first property auction in the Houston area," said Laura Brady, president and founder of Concierge Auctions. "The success is proof that our model for selling one-of-a-kind, incomparable properties transcends across all markets. Through our platform and collaboration with renowned local listing agents, with whom we always partner with on all auctions, we were able to receive worldwide interest, resulting in a seamless, record-breaking sale."

Concierge Auctions is active in 35 US states and 15 countries. Its remaining December pipeline includes 24 outstanding properties from around the world, including its robust, 19-property Winter Portfolio Sale, which will take place in Downtown Manhattan on December 20.

Concierge Auctions offers a commission to the buyers' representing real estate agents. See Auction Terms and Conditions for full details. For more information on any of these auctions, or if you have a remarkable property to submit for consideration to the Concierge Auctions platform, call 212.202.2940.

About Concierge AuctionsNew York-based Concierge Auctions is the dominant marketplace for buying and selling the world's finest properties. Since its founding in 2008, Concierge's business has spanned 35 US states and 15 countries, resulting in over $1 billion in sales and many record-setting transactions. Concierge conducts a majority of its auctions through its custom mobile "Instant Gavel" application, which can be downloaded from the Apple and Android app stores. Concierge recently received the "Best Overall Marketing" award from Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate, a global collection of more than 130,000 real estate professionals in more than 60 countries, and has been named one of America's fastest-growing companies by Inc. Magazine for the past three years.

Contact: Kari Neering [email protected]Chanelle Kasik [email protected] 212-920-7057

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/concierge-auctions-achieves-record-breaking-sale-with-its-first-houston-area-auction--the-historic-ross-sterling-mansion-300376224.html

SOURCE Concierge Auctions
TORONTO, ON -- (Marketwired) -- 12/09/16 -- Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX: HBP) (FRANKFURT: HBP), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing innovative drug candidates for the prevention and treatment of cancer, intends to meet a selection of Big Pharma and Big Biotech companies during the Annual JP Morgan Conference week in San Francisco during January 9-12, 2017.

In addition, Helix has been selected to present at the Biotech Showcase Conference on Tuesday, January 10, 2016 at 9:30am at Hilton San Francisco Union Square, which runs in parallel to the JP Morgan Conference. The Biotech Showcase Conference is an investor and partnering conference devoted to providing private and public biotechnology and life sciences companies with an opportunity to present to, and meet with, investors and pharmaceutical executives in one place during the course of one of the industry's largest annual healthcare investor conferences. Investors and biopharmaceutical executives from around the world gather in San Francisco during this critical week which is widely viewed as setting the tone for the coming year.

"The timing is perfect" says Anton Gueth, Managing Director of Evolution Life Science Partners, who coordinates and fosters Helix's business development activities, "Helix has generated a lot of brand-new clinical data with their unique Tumour Defence Breaker"."

"Our DOS47's proposed mechanism of action suggests that nearly all immuno-oncology therapies, especially checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T, may strongly benefit from a combination approach with our Tumour Defence Breaker" (DOS47) as well as classical chemotherapeutics, e.g. carboplatin" outlined Dr. Sven Rohmann, Helix's Chief Executive Officer.

About L-DOS47 L-DOS47 is Helix's first immunoconjugate-based drug candidate in development is based on Helix's novel DOS47 technology platform which the Company believes alters the tumor microenvironment from acidic to alkaline and is positioning its core technology in the field of immuno-oncology as a unique Tumour Defence Breaker". The Company believes L-DOS47 represents an innovative approach in modifying the microenvironmental conditions of cancer cells which the Company also believes serves as a general defense against cancer drugs and immunotherapies. Breaking the tumor defense by changing the tumor micro environment from acidic to alkaline represents one of the forgotten hallmarks of cancer. L-DOS47 is intended to offer an innovative approach to the first-line treatment of inoperable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. L-DOS47 is currently being evaluated in two clinical studies, one in the United States ("LDOS001") and the other in Poland ("LDOS002").

About LDOS001 LDOS001 is a Phase I, open label, dose escalation study being conducted in the United States at three centers; The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Centre, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center; and University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The primary objective of the study is to determine the safety and tolerability of L-DOS47 in combination treatment with pemetrexed/carboplatin. The study will also evaluate the potential clinical benefit of L-DOS47 with this combination. Other exploratory objectives include the evaluation of the L-DOS47 pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity.

About LDOS002 LDOS002 is an open-label Phase I/II clinical study being conducted in Poland to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of ascending doses of L-DOS47, initially as a monotherapy, in patients with inoperable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic, non-squamous, stage IIIb/IV NSCLC. The study is being conducted at five Polish centers under the direction of Dr. Dariusz Kowalski at The Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre & Institute of Oncology as the overall coordinating investigator, together with four other principal investigators: Prof. Cezary Szczylik, MD, PhD at the Military Medical Institute, Prof. Elzbieta Wiatr, MD, PhD at the National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute, Dr. Aleksandra Szczensa, MD, PhD at the Mazovian Center of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis in Otwock and Prof. Rodryg Ramlau, MD, PhD at the Department of Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Science.

About Helix BioPharma Corp. Helix BioPharma Corp. is an immuno-oncology company specializing in the field of cancer therapy. The company is actively developing innovative products for the prevention and treatment of cancer based on its proprietary technologies. Helix's product development initiatives include its novel L-DOS47 new drug candidate. Helix is currently listed on the TSX and FSE under the symbol "HBP".

Cautionary Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including, without limitation, those relating to Helix's operations and strategy, its research and development activities and statements regarding Tumour Defense Breaker", which may be identified by words including, without limitation, "unique", "believes", "will", "should", "may", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "build", "effective", "continuing" and other similar expressions, are intended to provide information about management's current plans and expectations.

Although Helix believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated and no assurance can be given that these expectations will be realized, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, risks inherent in Helix's research and development activities and those risks and uncertainties affecting the Company, as more fully described in Helix's most recent Annual Information Form, including under the headings "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors", filed under Helix's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com (together, the "Helix Risk Factors"). Certain material factors, estimates or assumptions have been applied in making forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the safety and efficacy of L-DOS47; that sufficient financing will be obtained in a timely manner to allow the Company to continue operations and implement its clinical trials in the manner and on the timelines anticipated; the timely provision of services and supplies or other performance of contracts by third parties; future costs; the absence of any material changes in business strategy or plans; the timely receipt of required regulatory approvals and strategic partner support and that the factors described in the Helix Risk Factors will not cause the Company's actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. These cautionary statements qualify all such forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements and information are based on the beliefs, assumptions, opinions and expectations of Helix's management on the date of this news release, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statement or information should those beliefs, assumptions, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances change, except as required by law.

Investor Relations Helix BioPharma Corp. 21 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 1100 Toronto, Ontario, M4T 1L9 Tel: 416 925-3232 Email: [email protected]

Source: Helix BioPharma Corp.
Acquisition supported by new accordion senior secured credit facility, mandated to grow to up to $450 million

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Glenfarne Group, LLC (Glenfarne) is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, Prime Energia SpA (Prime Energia), a thermal backup power business focused throughout the investment grade Americas, has acquired Empresa Electrica de Diego de Almagro S.A. (Emelda).

Emelda is the owner of a backup power plant (the Plant) located in the Atacama Region of Northern Chile. The Plant is comprised of two units and will add 72 MWs of operational backup power to the Prime Energia portfolio. It is connected to the Chilean Central Interconnected System (SIC) at the Diego de Almagro node.

The addition of Emelda to the Prime Energia business enhances its position as one of the leading providers of on-demand, backup capacity to the Chilean electrical grid, an essential component of any balanced electricity system, said Rodrigo Cienfuegos, CEO of Prime Energia. Cienfuegos went on to note that Prime Energia is committed to safe, reliable operations of its facilities. It is currently developing a Santiago-based network operations center which will allow monitoring and operations of all of its power plants from a central location and will ensure each plant is consistently available when dispatched by the Chilean grid operator.

Concurrent with the Emelda acquisition Prime Energia has closed a senior secured credit facility underwritten by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and Natixis, a subsidiary of Groupe BPCE, which is part of a mandate to expand the facility up to $450 million. Prime Energia is well positioned to finance its expansion plans and further cement its role as a leading provider of backup power throughout the investment grade Americas region.

In addition to Prime Energias existing Nueva Degan asset, an operating power plant permitted to operate at 50 MW, construction on a series of new greenfield backup plants is scheduled to commence in Q1 2017.

Glenfarne Managing Partner Brendan Duval said,The proliferation of intermittent renewable power sources such as wind, solar, and hydro, go hand-in-hand with increased backup power resources. Prime Energia is proud to support Chiles strong renewables expansion agenda by providing critical capacity at times of grid & utility instability, outage or distress or when renewables cannot deliver consistent supply. Mr. Duval went on to note that, Were focused on leveraging deep power and renewables expertise across the Glenfarne family of companies including Prime Energias sister companies Fontus Hydro, LLC, a run-of-river hydropower business, and Integrated Fibre, LLC, a contracted biomass energy and wood processing business.

About Prime Energia SpA

Prime Energia, headquartered in Santiago, Chile, is a leading owner-operator of standby power plants. It focuses on Americas region investment grade countries, with an initial launch in the Andean Region (Chile, Peru, Colombia and Panama) and eventual expansion into the North American market. Prime Energia is a wholly owned subsidiary of Glenfarne Asset Company, LLC, a vehicle established by Glenfarne Group, LLC, to advance and oversee its various power and infrastructure businesses.

About Glenfarne Group, LLC

Founded in 2011, Glenfarnes senior investment team operates across the entire asset ownership lifecycle and is comprised of a mix of operator-engineers, investment professionals, and senior industry partners. Headquartered in New York City with offices in Chile (Santiago) and Panama (Panama City), the team has proven capabilities in developing, owning, and operating real assets. Glenfarne targets assets that have predictable, contracted and/or privileged cash flows. Glenfarnes capabilities allow it to invest in operating assets as well as engaging in proprietary greenfield development.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161210005010/en/

Buttonwood Communications Group

Justin Meise, +1 (914) 319-0339

[email protected]

Source: Glenfarne Group, LLC
A customer checks sugar cane sold by a street vendor next to posters of presidential candidate Jovenel Moise of PHTK (Bald Head Haitian Party) before the election in a street of Les Cayes, Haiti, November 19, 2016. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares

By Joseph Guyler Delva

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Election tensions spilled onto Haiti's streets on Monday with shots fired outside the presidential palace as various candidates claimed victory in a re-run vote in the impoverished Caribbean country.

Haitians are counting on their next president to lift the country out of political limbo and repair damage from Hurricane Matthew, which devastated the country last month, killing up to 1,000 people and leaving 1.4 million needing aid.

With paper ballots counted laboriously by hand, election results typically take a week to be announced in Haiti. But less than 24 hours after polling centers had closed, some candidates and their supporters claimed they had won, leading to chaotic scenes in the capital where guards were forced to shoot into the air to clear a celebrating crowd.

The provisional electoral council (CEP) released a statement urging the public to disregard any premature victory announcements.

"We call on the population not to believe or transmit any pseudo-result, even partial, that has reached them," it said. "Any result circulating on the internet or social media is not attributable to the CEP."

Electoral officials said they did not expect to have preliminary results until later on Monday, but it could well be longer as tally sheets arrived later than planned and a vote website faced problems. The head of Haiti's electoral council, Leopold Berlanger, said he expected to publish final results within a maximum of eight days.

Voter turnout in the election was less than 22 percent, an electoral observation coalition said on Monday.

The vote was first held in October 2015, but then annulled over complaints of fraud in the first round after Jovenel Moise, the candidate of former President Michel Martelly's Bald Heads Party, finished ahead of Jude Celestin, previously boss of a state construction company.

Further disputes ensued and a fresh vote due last month was postponed when Hurricane Matthew struck.

All told, more than two dozen candidates competed in Sunday's vote, including Moise, Celestin and Maryse Narcisse, who is running for the Fanmi Lavalas party and is backed by former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Former Senator Moise Jean-Charles is also in the running.

On Monday, a spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Haitians to come together to fill the current political vacuum, reject violence and intimidation and use legal means for any possible challenges.

LONG-DELAYED VOTE

Narcisse's campaign and that of Moise, an entrepreneur who was tipped to prevail by one recent opinion poll, both claimed they had won.

"According to the report of our tally sheets, we are saying that Jovenel Moise is the elected president of the country," said Calvin Cadet, a spokesman for Moise. "Given that we respect the institutions of our country, we wait for the provisional electoral council to announce the results."

Narcisse's supporters marched to the presidential palace on Monday, where they were met by security officials who shot warning shots into the air. A contingent of national police officers then dispersed the supporters.

Martelly left office in February, and since then Haiti has been in the hands of a caretaker government. To win outright in the first round, the top candidate must secure more than 50 percent of the vote or a lead of at least 25 percentage points.

Failing that, a Jan. 29 second round run-off is likely for the top two finishers. The victor is due to take office in February, and faces a formidable task rebuilding the country after Matthew.

The deadly storm battered homes, farms and schools across southern Haiti, piling fresh misery onto the nation of more than 10 million people on the western half of the island of Hispaniola that is still recovering from a major earthquake in 2010.

There were a number of reports of voting fraud on Sunday, although election observers made a broadly positive assessment, suggesting it had gone more smoothly than last year.

(Additional reporting by Makini Brice in Les Cayes; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Andrew Hay)
DUBAI (Reuters) - Kuwait's emir appointed Essam Abdul Mohsen Al-Marzouq as the country's new oil minister on Saturday, state news agency KUNA reported.

Marzouq has previously served as head of the country's stock exchange and as a board member of state-run Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC).

Opposition candidates won around half of the parliament's 50 seats last month in a poll seen by Kuwaitis as a referendum on austerity measures brought on by low global oil prices.

Many Kuwaitis fear the government will cut many of the perks they have enjoyed for decades. These include free healthcare, education, subsidized basic products, free housing or land plots and interest-free loans for many citizens.

The assembly can pass legislation and question ministers but the emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah retains a final say in political matters.

Anas al-Saleh, the former acting oil minister, retained his other role as Finance Minister.

(Reporting by Noah Browning, editing by Ros Russell)
By Praveen Menon

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's stern rebuke to Myanmar for a military-led crackdown on Muslim Rohingyas was a rarity among Southeast Asian nations, who adhere to a policy of non-interference in each other's domestic affairs.

Critics saw the beleaguered Najib reaching for the moral high ground with his criticism over the weekend of Myanmar in order to pander to Malay Muslim voters after a series of protests calling for him to resign over a corruption scandal.

Najib is eyeing elections in the second half of 2017, nearly a year ahead of the 2018 deadline, a government source told Reuters.

At a rally on Sunday, Najib called for foreign intervention to stop the genocide of Rohingya Muslims and lashed out at Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi for her inaction.

The persecution of the Rohingyas in Rakhine state, however, has been going on for years. It has forced hundreds of thousands to board flimsy boats and flee to neighboring countries including Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia - which along with Myanmar are all members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

More than 100,000 Rohingya live in poverty and face harassment as illegal migrants in Malaysia. Many others fell into the hands of human traffickers on their perilous journeys from Myanmar.

MYANMAR INCENSED

The Myanmar government was incensed by Najib's criticism.

Presidential spokesman Zaw Htay said Myanmar was considering lodging an official complaint with ASEAN, the bloc of 10 Southeast Asian nations that agree on economic cooperation but pledge non-interference in each other's domestic issues.

"He (Najib) could have tried to handle this issue diplomatically through the ambassadors, Zaw Htay was quoted telling the local media in Myanmar. He accused Najib of looking to win popular support among his Muslim voters.

Myanmar said this week it was halting workers going to Malaysia in response to the comments.

But Najib in his rally speech suggested that ASEAN must set aside its principle of non-interference to tackle regional issues like the Rohingya repressions and migrations, especially when they pose questions about universal values.

"We want to remind Myanmars government that the ASEAN charter also upholds basic human rights," the premier said in his speech.

INVISIBLE MIGRANTS

Rohingyas in Malaysia applauded Najib's intervention.

"Rohingya people are hoping something may change in Myanmar - and also in Malaysia where many of us live," said Faisal Islam Muhammad Kassim of the Rohingya Society in Malaysia.

Many of them live in squalor in Kuala Lumpur's suburbs, working illegally in restaurants and construction sites, where they are routinely underpaid. Families and single men live in matchbox apartments with over half a dozen cramped into one room.

"We are harassed everyday ... by the cops and by everyone," said a Rohingya migrant living illegally, who did not want to be identified. "We have no dignity here."

Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention on the status of refugees, which means all refugees, including Rohingya, are viewed as illegal migrants awaiting resettlement in a third country.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Malaysia, Richard Towle, said Rohingyas in Malaysia are in the "invisible bottom 30 percent of society, and very much at risk of exploitation and abuse".

"Although it's proper to highlight the situation in Myanmar itself, it's also very important to look at the situation of the Rohingya in Bangladesh and here in Malaysia, where there is a lot we can still do to make their lives more secure and safer," Towle said.

PRESSURE OF SCANDAL

Najib's popularity dropped after he was linked to a multi-billion dollar graft scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Tens of thousands marched on the streets in capital Kuala Lumpur last month, demanding he step down and face corruption charges.

Najib has denied wrongdoing and has used powerful security laws to block dissenters and his opponents.

Najib needs the support of the powerful Islamist party PAS, to secure a convincing win in the next elections. The premier has put his weight behind an Islamic law, hudud, that sets out punishments such as amputation and stoning.

The law may be tabled in parliament next year.

"Quite clearly, there is a major domestic political dimension to this, as Najib positions himself as the champion of downtrodden Muslims in the region, which he and UMNO obviously believe will be popular in the Malay Muslim heartland," said Phil Robertson, deputy director for the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch.

"And of course, talking about the Rohingya is a good way to change the subject from the 1MDB scandal," he added.

Najib's office did not respond to requests for comment.

(Additional reporting by Ebrahim Harris and Rozanna Latiff in KUALA LUMPUR and Antoni Slodkowski in YANGON. Editing by Bill Tarrant)
Damaged ATM machines are shown at a Wells Fargo bank building on Shattuck Avenue, in Berkeley, California December 8, 2014. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. insurer Prudential Financial (NYSE: PRU) is investigating whether Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) employees signed up customers for its life insurance policies without their knowledge, a spokesman said on Saturday.

Sales practices at Wells Fargo have been under a spotlight since September when federal regulators ordered the San Francisco-based bank to pay $190 million in fines and restitution because they said its high pressure sales environment pushed employees to open as many as 2 million deposit and credit card accounts without customers' permission.

Prudential has a partnership with Wells Fargo to sell a low-cost life insurance policy, known as MyTerm, to the bank's retail customers.

Since bankers are not licensed to sell insurance, Wells Fargo employees were meant to direct customers to either self-service kiosks in branches or online to buy the insurance, without getting into specifics about the products.

According to a wrongful termination suit filed in New Jersey state court this week by three former managers in Prudential's corporate investigation division, Wells Fargo employees appear to have signed up bank customers for the Prudential policies without the customers' knowledge or permission.

In some cases, policies were opened and closed after a month or two and then reopened, and sometimes monthly fees were withdrawn from the accounts, according to evidence in the lawsuit.

Scot Hoffman, a spokesman for Prudential Financial, said the insurer had been monitoring its business with Wells Fargo since last year. A customer survey had shown high lapse rates.

The insurer expanded the review of how the product was sold after Wells Fargo was fined in September.

"We anticipate reviewing this matter with our regulators in due course, Hoffman said in a statement.

The three managers say they were fired in November for trying to escalate their discoveries internally within Prudential.

Hoffman said they were fired for, "appropriate and legitimate reasons that were entirely unrelated to Prudentials business with Wells Fargo and Prudentials decision to examine sales of the MyTerm product."

A spokeswoman for Wells said the bank was investigating any alleged misconduct.

"As we have consistently reinforced, if we identify any instances where a customer received a product they didnt ask for, we will make it right," Mary Eshet, a spokeswoman for the bank said in a statement.

The lawsuit and the Prudential investigation were first reported by The New York Times.

(Reporting by Carmel Crimmins, Editing by Franklin Paul)
Air Chief Sohail Aman has said that role of armed forces is significant in the defence of country.

He was addressing the passing out parade ceremony of 106th commissioning term and 15th short service officers course of Pakistan Navy in Karachi on Saturday morning.

The Air Chief said Pakistan's battle hardened troops are fully prepared to respond to any misadventure of the enemy.

He said Gwadar Port has the vital importance in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

He further said Pakistan is confronted with enormous challenges while internal and external threats have changed the regional scenario.

The Air Chief said our successes in Zarb-e-Azb operation is a clear manifestation of greater synergy that exists amongst the sister organizations of the armed forces.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Information, Mula Bux Chandio spoke with reporters here on Saturday and said the Panama Leaks had the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) worried.

Chandio added that PML-N was trying to get his party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf upset.

The PPP leader warned the PML-N that there would be tense days ahead if his partys four demands were not met by December 27. If you are well-wishers of the PM, then you should resolve issues.

During his address in Karachi on October 17, Bilawal had made four demands from the government.

The demands were:

Formation of a parliamentary committee on national security

Passage of PPPs Panama Bill

Implementation of Asif Ali Zardaris resolution on CPEC

Appointment of a foreign minister
US National Security Advisor Susan Rice acknowledges Pakistan's efforts for peace and stability in the region. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi has held a meeting with US National Security Advisor Susan Rice in Washington.

He apprised her that Indian forces have been continuously violating ceasefire at Line of Control and Working Boundary.

Tariq Fatemi said innocent people are being killed due to unprovoked firing by Indian forces.

He also highlighted massive human rights violations by the Indian forces in Occupied Kashmir.

Susan Rice expressed concern over tense situation at Line of Control and acknowledged Pakistan's efforts for peace and stability in the region.

Rice said US wants dialogue between Pakistan and India to normalise the situation.
Airbnb backs off fight with governments, offers policy suggestions View(s):

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 7 (Reuters)  In a moment of peace-making with regulators, Airbnb on Wednesday released a set of policy suggestions for governments that are considering new laws for home- and apartment-renting.

The document, which comes on the heels of concessions with cities including New York City, offers suggestions for collecting lodging taxes from Airbnb hosts, strategies to allow residents to rent their home without offending neighbors, suggestions on limiting the number of nights a home can be rented and setting up a permitting system.

The document is a resource for governments to consider as they draft or amend these rules, the company said in blog post. We want to work with lawmakers to get this right. The report is the latest conciliatory gesture from Airbnb, a San Francisco-based online lodging service that investors value at $30 billion. This week, the company also agreed to drop a lawsuit against New York City over a new short-term rental law and enforce rental restrictions in the key markets of London and Amsterdam.

The string of concessions mark an about-face from the startups previous strategy of either ignoring regulators or outright defying them. That strategy resulted in an intensifying global battle with regulators from which Airbnb now appears to be backing down.

Chief Executive Officer Brian Chesky has said that the company was slow to engage with cities on the business model and potential implications to neighborhoods and rental markets. Critics in cities with tight housing markets such as New York and San Francisco say that Airbnb enables landlords to evict people and convert their apartments into short-term rentals, which takes affordable housing off the market and drives up rental prices.

The vast majority of activity on Airbnb is by ordinary people making median income, Chesky said in an interview with Reuters last month at an Airbnb conference. I did not anticipate and appreciate there would be so many property management companies and unscrupulous landlords that would list so many properties (on Airbnb) in some cities. That is a problem.
Facial recognition available to public for first time on mobile View(s):

REUTERS, Dec 6  For the first time ever, anyone can use real-time facial recognition technology on their phones to recognise people and unlock information about them  changing the way we communicate and connect to each other. Never before has technology combined augmented reality and artificial intelligence within smartphones, and now its available for everyone to use.

Blippar  the technology company behind this breakthrough  has called this new feature in their app Face Profiles. It lets people blipp (scan) any face using a mobile phone camera, either in person, or through a medium (including print and television) and unlock an instant augmented reality (AR) experience for anyone who has created and published their augmented reality face profile. For example, you could add your hobbies, opinions, augmented reality moods, likes and dislikes etc on your AR face profile.

On the day of launch (Tuesday 6 December 2016) 70,000 public figures (actors, politicians, scientists etc) will be recognisable with information drawn from Blipparsphere  Blippars knowledge graph which pulls information from publicly accessible sources. The public can also create their own face profile straight away, by adding personalised content to express who they are.

Blippars co-founder and CEO, Ambarish Mitra says its a fun way to show who you are and learn more about others: Over the years, science fiction movies have built up this theory that we will enter a world where these things become interesting. Photography has really changed human behaviour  this is an evolution..We feel that the behaviour already exists. We have seen historically in Blippar data when we were blipping cats and dogs, flowers and branded goods, the highest number of blipps were people blipping each other. This exists among us and this is the technology manifestation of it.

Facial recognition technology is already being used for many purposes, such as at airports, but it has never been given to consumers directly before.

The impact it could have on communication and social networking could be huge.

Tech and Innovation Expert Charles Leadbeater says: I think its definitely cutting edge and breakthrough. It takes us into a different place, because its about using technology with human features, so your face becomes your natural form of expression and your digital form of expression. Blippar understands and respects that privacy is important to individuals. Users have full control of their Face Profile and its content and must opt-in in order to be discoverable. Users can set their profile as private whenever they want. This is a fun and social experience.
Global and local recognition for HSBC/IUCN restoration of tank system View(s):

HSBC and IUCN joined hands in 2012 to restore the Kapiriggama Tank Cascade system under HSBCs Global Water Programme. Now, almost four years from its commencement this partnership has changed lives of many for the better. It was also recognised at the Best Corporate Citizen Awards hosted by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce under the Best Project Sustainability Awards 2016 segment last month. In June this year the same project was named the Winner at the Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards by Enterprise Asia under the Social Empowerment category.

In a media release, HSBC said the project was funded by the bank and mobilised by IUCN in partnership with the Department of Agrarian Development and the local communities. In addition to the funding provided, over 200 volunteers from HSBC were involved with the restoration project.

The social and ecological impact of the restoration project far outweighs the funding of the project itself. This restored tank cascade system is a unique combination where we simultaneously celebrate the rich heritage of the country and look forward to the promise of a better tomorrow, noted Mark Prothero, CEO HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Access to safe water can change the lives of many, HSBC said adding that the communities which are reaping the benefits of the restored Kapiriggama Tank cascade system bear testament to this. The restored tank system directly benefits 600 families in the Kapiriggama cascade and indirectly benefits over 60,000 people with access to safe water for everyday living and livelihood development.

The 3-year and 3-month long restoration project which was handed over to the community also marks an epoch in the revival of Sri Lankan agrarian communities and the rich heritage of local water management, agro-engineering and irrigation. For instance the Kapiriggama cascade recycles water up to six times. The end result is improved quality of life among the surrounding communities who are traditional paddy farmers. The vast knowledge and the experience obtained from the project is documented and made available for replicating in other 457 cascades in the North Central Province. Speaking of the project, Country Representative for IUCN Sri Lanka Dr. Ananda Mallawatantri commented, The project proved that the tank systems are nature based solutions in ancient day sustainable development. Different components of tank systems such as Kattakaduwa (salt absorbing plants) and Gas Gommana (wind breakers) to minimise water evaporation is worth studying more.
Proposals to be called for Colombo-Tuticorin ferry service View(s):

A ferry service between Colombo and Tuticorin would soon be a real possibility with the Colombo Shipping Corporation (CSC) planning to call for local and international bids under PPP (public-private partnership) on or before January 15, 2017.

CSC officials said the plan, part of a SAARC initiative, is likely to receive support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

These were some of the measures that emerged at the Expert Group Meeting organised by SAARC/ADB on Indian Ocean Cargo and Passenger Ferry Services held on December 1-2 in Colombo.

The finalised report of the meeting was handed over to Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Shipping L P Jayampathy at the closing ceremony by Ali Haider Altaf, Director and representative of the Secretary General of SARRC, according to a CSC media release.

The launch of Indian Ocean cargo and passenger ferry services between SAARC region countries was originally recommended at the Fourth Meeting of the SAARC Inter-Governmental Group on Transport which was held in New Delhi in 2010. It was initially proposed to commence on a sub-regional basis including India, Maldives and Sri Lanka and to connect ports along the South Asian coastal line from Karachi to Mongla / Chittagong.

SAARC together with ADB funded the project to identify the most appropriate methodology to start a ferry service connecting Maldives, Sri Lanka and India with required technical assistance/consultancy services for the feasibility study.

This weeks meeting deliberated on the views/comments in order to finalise the recommendations and commence a ferry service connecting regional ports, at the earliest.

There have been various private attempts to start a ferry service between India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives but the initial efforts have not progressed to the next level.
TUs flex muscles over GSP+ Global unions ask for roadmap of complying with ILO conventions View(s): View(s):

Trade unions, unhappy like many other groups that backed the government and President Maithripala Sirisena into office, are flexing their muscles over Sri Lankas application for the resumption of GSP + concessions, demanding that the country complies with ILO conventions prior to concessions being given.

Local unions led by the Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union (FTZ&GSEU) have joined an international trade union call for the intervention of the European Union in the formulation of this strategy.

The Clean Clothes Campaign, IndustriALL Global Union and the International Trade Union Confederation  urge the European Union to adopt a roadmap with time-bound measures to comply with the ILO core conventions before benefitting from GSP+. There is simply no credible argument that Sri Lanka is not currently in serious breach of those conventions, states a letter by Clean Clothes Campaign, IndustriALL Global Union and International Trade Union Confederation, reflecting on the joint Sri Lanka position on this issue.

FTZ&GSEU Convener and General Secretary Anton Marcus, who sent a copy of the letter to the Business Times, said they were disappointed with the attitude of the government towards worker rights and expressed concerns that the hand-over of the administration, and formation of new free trade zones, to India, China and Singapore would pave the way for hire-and-fire policies of the workforce. We are disappointed the ways things are going, Mr. Marcus noted.

The letter said that on June 12, 2016, Sri Lanka applied for inclusion on the list of eligible beneficiary developing countries for GSP+), which provides enhanced market access on the basis that the applicant is not in serious violation of a number of human rights instruments, including the ILO core labour conventions.

It said GSP+ preferences to Sri Lanka was suspended in February 2010, following a lengthy investigation, due to serious breaches in the application of three UN human rights instruments  the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the UN Covenant on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention against Torture.

While the GSP preferences were not withdrawn over labour violations, the Clean Clothes Campaign, IndustriALL Global Union and the International Trade Union Confederation believe that serious violations of the ICCPR and the core ILO Conventions must be addressed prior to reinstatement of trade preferences. These include violations to the right to freedom of association, gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment and unsafe work places, it said.

On general labour rights issues, the letter said that in practice, the labour law is not regularly enforced, and the situation is even worse in the countrys several export processing zones.

It raised specific issues over a period of the past few years with the latest being claims of unfair labour practices at Polytex Garment Ltd which the led to the suspension of 38 union members. Also referred to was the June 2016 alleged dismissal of two unionists at a Hirdaramani factory.
House heads for New Year with old woes made worse View(s):

By Chandani Kirinde- Lobby Correspondent

As the month-long debate on the Appropriation Bill 2017 came to an end this week, and the years Parliamentary sittings too drew to a close, the Government got a taste of what lies ahead in the new year- more dissension within its own ranks, an increasingly aggressive Joint Opposition (JO) and growing frustration from the main Opposition for lack of progress in the reconciliation process and the fight against corruption.

President Maithripala Sirisena who participated in the Committee Stage debate on the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday, sought to dispel fears expressed mainly by members of the JO over some of the ambitious plans the Government hopes to finalise in the new year, mainly the ETCA (Economic & Technical Cooperation Agreement) which it hopes to sign with India, and the new Constitution.

Before the ETCA is signed, it will be presented to the Cabinet and it will be signed after consensus is reached with all parties, he said. On the proposed new Constitution too, the President said it was still under discussion and nothing has been finalised.

The Constitution-making process is still under discussion. We have not finalised anything in this regard. False propaganda is being spread by certain persons who are keen to grab power, he said.

However, the Presidents call for more maturity from the JO MPs fell on deaf ears, with many MPs including JO leader UPFA MP Dinesh Gunawardena accusing the Government of compromising on national security and toeing the line of western nations that helped instal it in power.

The Office of Missing Persons (OMP) clearly intends to pave the way for members of the security forces to face criminal charges in international courts. I urge the President to amend certain sections of the OMP Bill, Mr.Gunawardena said.

The JO member also urged the President pardon all members of the security forces who helped defeat terrorism. This has been done in other countries. The President can issue a pardon to all the military personnel who fought to defeat terrorism, he said.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna District MP E. Saravanapavan differed sharply with the views expressed by the JO MP, saying that, given the views expressed by some of the lawmakers, it was hard to be optimistic about the dawn of peace and reconciliation anytime soon in the country. He said the high amount allocated to the Defence Ministry also does not show that peace and reconciliation is envisaged by the Government.

Meanwhile, Resettlement Minister D.M. Swaminathan and TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran engaged in heated arguments on Tuesday, over the 65,000-unit housing project in the North .

The TNA MP called for the resignation of Minister Swaminathan during the committee stage debate of the vote of the Ministry of Prison Reforms & Rehabilitation, and it took an intervention by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to assure the TNA that the Government would go with the demands of the public, with regard to the material that would be used to build the houses.

The majority of the houses would be made from brick and mortar, but there is a demand from some for prefabricated houses. We can discuss this matter and go with the demands of the public, he said. In between, the Prime Minister also offered a halfhearted apology for the setting on fire of the Jaffna Public Library in 1981. The public library was burnt down when we were in power. I apologise for it, he said.

While the Government was poised to introduce a new Constitution to Parliament early next year, it will no doubt be an uphill task. While the common view of lawmakers from the north is that the Government has not done enough to pave the way for reconciliation, JO opposition MPs are propagating the view that the Government is doing too much in the name of reconciliation. Amidst this, there is also growing religious intolerance in the country, with complicity, to some extent, by some in government with those holding extreme views.

The LLRC (Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission), in its final report, observed that, one of the dominant factors obstructing reconciliation in Sri Lanka is the lack of political consensus and a multi-party approach on critical national issues, such as the issue of devolution.

What the country has now is the closest it has come to having a multi-party approach to this thorny issue. Whether the leaders of this Government have the political astuteness to bring about changes that could appease both the majority and minority communities, will be seen in the months ahead.
Indulging in sunshine stories and taking foolhardy risks View(s):

If the thinking was that the risks of taking an intelligence chief as part of the Government delegation to brief the United Nations Committee against Torture (UNCAT) recently would be offset as a result of sunshine stories spun by the Governments policy propagandists living in cloud cuckoo land, then a rude shock was administered this week.

The drama was completely unnecessary

This came in the form of a sharp reprimand issued by the UNCAT using less than the normal diplomatic language than is wont in responding to Sri Lankas failure to meet state party obligations under the Convention against Torture. The Committee professed itself alarmed by the presence of the Chief of National Intelligence, Sisira Mendis, as part of the Sri Lankan delegation, since he was the Deputy Inspector General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) from March 2008 to June 2009.

This was in the background of allegations of torture being leveled against officers of the CID during that period by detainees kept in the premises. The Committee proclaimed its deep regret that neither Mr. Mendis nor any other member of the delegation provided information in response to the many specific questions raised.

From any sensible standpoint, this drama was completely unnecessary. It beggars the imagination as to why this provocation occurred at all in the first instance. Was the Government so woefully ignorant and so bereft of representatives that it had to include an official whose very presence was bound to raise red flags? Or was it that it was so arrogant that it thought that no challenge would come in the first instance? In either respect, the conclusion was absurdly wrong. It put the country into an impossible position of having to defend itself against the indefensible.

Long list of concerns

The Committees concerns were made against a background of the States failure to perform. While acknowledging some advances on the ground after the change of political power last year, the Committee drew up a long list of pending issues. Heading this list was the finding that torture during law enforcement investigations remained routine in Sri Lanka. The focus was on practical issues rather than esoteric matters of law which were unsuccessfully attempted to be used by the Government representatives as proverbial red herrings.

Indeed, two emblematic cases illustrate persistent concerns pointed to by the Committee very well even though these were not specifically raised before the jurists as such. The first of these instances concerns a torture case of a teenager way back in 2003. This was a case of mistaken identity as much as in many other such instances painfully symbolized in the well known case of Gerald Perera an employee of the Colombo dockyard.

Perera was peacefully living his life until the police arrested him mistakenly when searching for a known criminal going by that same name and tortured him to the point of renal failure. He succeeded in the Supreme Court when an outraged Bench awarded him compensation but later, was killed by the very same torturers days before he was due to give evidence in the criminal trial under Sri Lankas Convention against Torture (CAT) Act.

Justice denied by laws delays

Here too, the tortured teenager living in a remote village had testified to officers of the Saliyawewa Police Station compelling him to sit on an ant hill for the alleged petty crime of stealing a necklace. He was thereafter hung from a beam with his hands tied behind his back. If that was not bad enough, the responsible police officers identified the real culprit the following day and tendered an apology to the teenager and his family. The Attorney General (AG) then filed an indictment under the CAT Act against the officer in charge (OIC) of the police station and a grama arakshaka niladhari.

This was a notable instance where the AG found it fit to indict the OIC in the wake of earlier refusals to do so in response to which judicial queries had been raised in Gerald Pereras case. However, the case was concluded in the High Court recently with numerous delays and with six trial judges hearing segments of the testimony with no continuity. In all, the matter had taken virtually thirteen years to conclude with the judge on record finding that torture had been proved but that the identity of the accused as culpable in terms of the law had not been sufficiently established on the evidence.

Activists monitoring the case however contend that the identification of the accused was sufficiently established on the record by prosecution witnesses and have appealed to the Attorney General to go against the acquittal in the appeal court. The larger point here is that, when a torture trial takes so long to hear, what possibility could there be of a positive outcome in the case?

Use of detention to terrorise

The second instance which is relevant in this discussion is last months finding of another juristic body of the United Nations, this time the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) which considered the torture and brutal interrogation in Colombo of a visiting Canadian citizen of Tamil ethnicity, Roy Samanatham who had been arrested in 2007 under the emergency law on flimsy charges of acting in a manner prejudicial to national security upon being found to be in possession of 600 mobile phones.

His protests that these were items that he had imported from Singapore for a friends business and that he was visiting Sri Lanka to carry out his marriage were to no avail. Unsurprisingly the Committee found a violation of Covenant rights and asked the state party to provide redress by locating and prosecuting those responsible for Samathanams torture.

It was observed that the reasons for his arrest had not been given, he had not been detained on lawful grounds, he was not given the opportunity to challenge the lawfulness of his detention, that he was brought to a judge after one year of being detained, in or about September 2008 and that during this period he was held in detention without charges.

Common struggle for accountability

In sum, the UNCATs recent findings reflect these same striking patterns of impunity, regardless of whether it occurs in what part of the country or whether it targets individuals of a particular ethnicity. That fact may be remembered as driving what must be a common struggle to restore accountability in law enforcement.
Jayalalithaa leaves Tamil Nadu a motherless child View(s):

Grieving, weeping, breast beating Tamil state wails for her dead red rose

From nautch girl to love goddess of the Tamil silver screen to political leader to chief minister to become a peoples Amma

Of the dead, nothing but the truth. But as they laid Jayalalithaa Jayaram to her grave last Tuesday evening and buried her in a casket of sandalwood, part of that truth and part of the Tamil aspirations that lay reposed in her were coffined with her under a canopy of a thousand rose petals.

Whatever history may hold for her, this was no time for the truth. Whatever faults she may have had, it was all forgiven, washed and cleansed by the flood of tears that fell from millions of grieving hearts, tears as sacred as the waters of the Ganges, with the all redeeming power to purify all sins.

This was the moment Tamil Nadu had dreaded ever since she was admitted to hospital on September 22 for an undisclosed illness. Thousands, perhaps millions, prayed for her recovery and poojas were held daily at kovils throughout the state imploring the Gods to save their Chief Minister and restore her to their midst. But hope turned to despair last Sunday afternoon when the news broke that she had suffered a heart attack and that her condition had turned critical.

Thousands kept vigil outside the hospital where she lay comatose, their hearts palpitating with every difficult breath she drew with the aid of a life-support machine, praying for a miracle that never came. The end, they knew, was nigh after the top team of doctors who attended on her issued a brief statement saying they had done their best for her; but they refused to countenance the worsening reality or accept the inevitable advent of Mara, the King of Death.

And now the fight, this final fight for life, was hers alone to wage but with Hopes eagle beginning to flap its wings and rearing to take flight, the prospects turned bleak and the peoples hearts turned forlorn. And when, thirty minutes before Mondays midnight hour gonged, it was announced that she had died, Tamil Nadu was left a motherless child.

For she was their Great Amma, their great mother and now she was gone, left them orphaned. With grief in every heart, with tears in every eye, with wails in every voice Tamil Nadu broke down and cried.

At that moment it became patently clear, that whatever else history may indict her for in the years to come, it will solemnly swear today that this was the most loved Tamil of them all: that though her life was turbulent and though the elements of both vice and virtue, of vengeance and compassion, of poverty and prodigality were so insanely mixed in her to confound reason, still some primordial spark of divinity flared within her, that moved the people of Tamil Nadu  50 million of them  to momentarily rise from their grief and attest in one breaking voice  this was a woman.

No other woman in Indias post independence history  not even Indias Indira who had the Nehru family name and the Gandhi tag behind her  has been able to singularly command the affection of her people to the degree Jayalalithaa did. The peoples love did not border on adulation alone but extended to the exalted realms of devout worship. She was not sanctified by any pope but deified by her people who placed her photograph, sold in shops and on the pavement in Chennai, in their shrines at home and adored her as one of their household gods.

She epitomised Tamil Nadus grace and warts; her poverty and her riches; and her sari draped rotund figure became its symbol and her round full moon face, its thilaka; and she reigned  whether in office or out  as its uncrowned empress. She became the voice of her people who now, bereft of articulate speech, can only express their grief in mournful wails. She cut a dash on the national or even the international stage as no other woman of India since Indira Gandhi had done. And with her death at the age of 68, she gained immortality in the hearts of her people who used to kiss the ground she walked on whilst alive. If the poverty striken masses of Tamil Nadu had prayed for a lesser god to answer their manifold wishes, she was it: and she assumed the pedestal without a blush to grant their pleas.

So how did she do it? How did she wring a miracle for her own self to rise from the pecuniary mire een though her lotus did not bloom unstained but rose over the water mark with her petals blemished with clinging mud?

She was born in Mysore, in Indias southwestern Karnataka state, on February 24, 1948 and was named Komalavallie. With her lawyer father dying, in mysterious circumstances when she was only two years old, after running through his inheritance, it fell upon her ambitious mother to raise the ugly duckling and turn her into a swan. To ward off the insistent knock of rising debt from the family door, Komalavallie had not only to give up her studies but her name too when renamed as Jayalalitha, she was pushed into the glamour world of Tamil cinema at the tender age of 15 by her mother, herself a two bit actress in B grade Tamil movies.

Behind most successful women, there is always a man. For the worlds first woman prime minister Sirima, it was her slain husband SWRD. For Indias first woman PM Indira, it was her sire Jawaharlal Nehru. And even though she lost the chance to be Americas first woman president by a whisker, Hillary had her Bill. For Jayalalithaa, it was her movie co star, her mentor and her lover M. G. Ramachandran, the first superstar the Tamil film world had ever known: the living demi-god of Tamil Nadu State. She was to become his consort; and though she faced many battles with rival concubines to maintain her place and status as his most fancied mistress, she won the day to remain so until his death in 1987.

And with his death, her star, long eclipsed by his super sun, broke through the twilight of his demise, rose to shine unchallenged and undimmed thereafter. She had joined the AIADMK political party he had founded and on his death wrested control of it in the face of great opposition waged by MGRs widow Janakis faction. She had tasted blood and she quickly acquired a cultivated penchant for it and, after purging the party from all dissenters, announced she was MGRs political heiress.

In 1991, at the age of 43, she became the youngest Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. But in the election that followed in 1996, her party was wiped out at the polls and she herself suffered ignominious defeat by losing her own seat. During this period the new government filed corruption charges over a land deal against her and she was convicted; and in the 2001 election, though her party won, she was disbarred from contesting due to the corruption conviction. After being acquitted of the charges by the Supreme Court, she returned to her post as Chief Minister. In 2006 she lost again only to bounce back in 2011 with a landslide victory. Bouncing back from a spell of adversity was nothing new to Jayalalithaa. She had always fought against the odds and come back from each downturn in her life with renewed vitality and vigour.

However the 2001 scenario was to be repeated again in 2014, when she was unseated and forced to relinquish her Chief Minister post after a Karnataka state court found her guilty in the disproportionate assets case and she was sentenced to 4 years jail, effectively ending her political career. But her guardian gods worked in mysterious ways, when not even eight months into her sentence, a single Karnataka High Court judge allowed her appeal, cleared her of all charges and set her free, to be sworn in again as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in May 2015. At this years election in May, she became the only Tamil Nadu chief minister next to her mentor MGR to be voted for a second consecutive term, her fourth as chief minister.

But while a manmade court may have granted her temporary reprieve from serving the sentence her karmic force had ordained, fates inexorable stride soon caught up with her. Not even five months after her fourth triumph at the polls, inscrutable providence sentenced her to the narrow confines of a hospital bed, imprisoned by a mystery illness for the remainder of her life. It happened on September 22nd this year, exactly five days before the day two years ago  27 September 2014 when she was first jailed by an earthly court for four years.

But in her death, the long litany of her corruption, her vulgar extravagances, her rapacity, her power abuses, her vengefulness, her angers, her discriminations were all forgotten and forgiven by the teeming masses of this southern state of India who had turned this former nautch girl turned sex siren of the Tamil screen turned political leader turned chief minister into their great Amma and placed her in their hearts and in their shrines as an earthly manifestation of the divine Mother. All they remembered in the squalor of death was the vitality of her life and the generous spirit that always appeared to help the poor. Without the Amman, the light had gone out of their own sordid lives.

In Lanka too, the catalogue of her actions aimed to establish a separate state of Eelam on this island, her patronage of Tamil terrorism as God Mother to the Tigers, her repeated calls to the Indian Central Government to intervene in Lankas sovereign affairs, her demand for the Lankan owned isle of Katchatheevu to be returned to India notwithstanding its ceding by India to Lanka by treaty in 1976, the incessant affirmation of the right of Tamil Nadu fishermen to poach in Lankas territorial waters were cast aside at deaths melancholic moment. Both President Sirisena and former president Rajapaksa have risen above base instincts to harbour ill will toward the dead and issued their own statements on her death though they both expressed the same sentiments more or less in the same words.

President Sirisena said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was a leader dearly loved by her people. I express my condolences to her loved ones and the people of Tamil Nadu, while Rajapaksa tweeted,  Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa captured the hearts of Indias Tamil community. My condolences to the family and people of Tamil Nadu. For both Lankan leaders, discretion, it seems, was the better part of valour.

Lankas northern chief minister Wigneswaran who heavily depended on her to deliver his dream Eelam may be distraught today that with her death, the Tiger cause he is espousing since of late has lost the benefit of Jayalalithaas championing roar.

And what of Jayalalithaa? What of the woman Tamil Nadu called their rosaappoo amma  the lady as beautiful as a rose? Whatever her weaknesses, whatever her vices may have been, it is undeniable that she was a great being who was relentlessly led by her karmic line of destiny.

As she said in a rare interview given to the media, My mother pushed me into being an actress, MGR pushed into being a politician. I would never have been either if not for these two great influences in my life. If not for them, I would have run away from it all.

To her credit, despite her professed disinclinations, she reached the zenith in both fields. For she had the Masses touch, and everything she turned her hand to, touched the peoples heartstrings and turned triumphant.

In a nation dominated by male chauvinism, for a lone woman, without the crutch of a political family name or the advantage of inherited wealth or education  not even O levels  to have climbed each flawed step of the political ladder while scores of rivals were tugging at her sari to bring her crashing down; and to have reached the top most rung of state politics and with every fall to have risen again and again with her eyes set on becoming the next prime minister of India, is, by any standard, no mean achievement but one to be admired and acclaimed.

In November 2003, a two-judge bench of Indias Supreme Court acquitted her of corruption in the land deal case and paved the way for her to become Chief Minister again. In a verdict that shocked the nation and the judiciary, Justice Rajendra Babu held that though there was strong suspicion that Jayalalithaa had acted illegally, it did not amount to legal proof to justify the conviction and that he was freeing Jayalalithaa to atone her conscience in the whole controversy. Whether Jayalalitha ever answered to her conscience, ever cleared it of remorse and, even in the final moment before death, found the elusive peace which she never found during her lifetime, is a secret not even her sole long time confidential aide, the controversial Sashikala would ever know.

Of the dead, nothing but the truth. But though today it lies buried in a Marine Beach grave under a heap of fading rose petals, someday no doubt, the truth will sprout.
Official eruption on anti-corruption View(s):

Glory be! Who would have thought this would happen. But then not too long ago someone did label Sri Lanka the Miracle of Asia. After all this is the time of year when Santa Claus is said to come round bearing gifts for the festive season which could hardly be festive if you have not collected a few cool millions out of a duty-free vehicle permit.

But there it was, as proud as an MP with an extra hundred thousand bucks monthly allowance that is meant to be gift-wrapped and handed over to the brides father or as a contribution to your close supporters so that they may enliven a 31st- night bajjau party with a dozen or so inebriating Dankotuwa home brew.

The news report I read that the powers-that-be and a few co-opted from the powers-that-were before they did the long jump straight into ministerial seats, would hold a national conference on how to deal with corruption in the country.

Since there are sundry accusations by the high and weighty against the media about distortion, misreporting and other such heinous crimes, the necessary precautions were to double check its veracity by searching for corroborative evidence from other sources, as we in this business say.

There it was in black and white. And in the state-owned media too! Having said that the National Anti-Corruption Conference will be held on December 9 under the patronage of President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, the report clarified its purpose thus: the objective of the summit is to educate politicians, senior officers in the public and private sectors, other relevant parties and the general public to create a corruption-free society and to generate a discourse on eradicating bribes and corruption in the society.

Because of time constraints this column had to be written before the conference started. But no doubt the news media would have carried the outcome of this discourse later that same day and over the weekend. So by now the public would be well aware of all the grandiose words and deeds that would magically as it were, soon transform this society into a land of milk and money.

There used to be an old saying, still very much in vogue one suspects, about setting a thief to catch a thief. One report cited the new director-general of CIABOC (the previous one having committed hara kiri of sorts by shedding her title and falling off her seat) saying that all 225 members of parliament, members of Provincial Councils as well as senior government officials had been invited for Fridays confab scheduled to be addressed by both President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Seeing that the invitees are the 225 MPs, members of the provincial councils and senior public officials it shows what careful thought had gone into the selection of participants. One can off hand think of a few more categories which could surely have made a worthwhile-in not profitable-contribution to the national discussion given the kind of personal experience they would have had on the subject of bribery and corruption.

After all corruption takes so many forms including attempts to corrupt a system that offers, theoretically at least, equality before the law and often pretentious appeals for non-interference in the working of a system that forms the foundation of good governance.

But with modern technology in wide use today not even the privacy of a mobile phone conversation is safe from the ravenous snooping of the media as the head honcho of the police discovered the other day when he unexpectedly appeared on TV and has now acquired star billing.

Whether this was a highly devious attempt by advertisers to get some free publicity for their product visible in the palm of the long arm of the law is to be investigated, if the stories now in circulation are correct. It is understood that a six-man committee (gender discrimination again?) is to be appointed after the Christmas/New Year holidays to track down whoever is culpable for reportedly trying to influence and corrupt the police chief.

Whether this disgraceful episode which some speculate involves a minister would figure in the high-level discussions at the highly publicised national conference to rid this nation of bribery and corruption is, of course, not known at the time of writing.

I mean, how could any conference on the subject of corruption avoid mentioning this recorded happening where attempts were said to have been made to influence the police chief to take  or not take  a particular course of action, if the interpretation given by politicians, media and the public is anything to go by?

If the Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella is to be taken seriously, which would indeed require strenuous efforts at suspending disbelief, the Police Chiefs repeated references to sir in that conversation might even be to a former teacher.

For the Minister of Higher Education to come up with such puerile attempts to protect a party colleague  not the police chief  is a sure sign that Minister Kiriella needs to make use of his portfolio to try an acquire some education, let alone anything high as his portfolio indicates.

This of course is not the first time in recent months that he has put his foot in a part of the anatomy meant for an entirely different purpose. The implication of his childish explanation that the deferential sir could have been used in addressing a former teacher is that a teacher was trying to persuade the IGP to interfere in the performance of the duties of other senior officers tasked with the upholding of the law.

This is only one instance of the kind of corruption that has crept into our system over the years and has degraded society to such an extent that bribery and graft are considered intrinsic to our way of life and politicians are considered disposal waste.

The wheels of administration, whether they be small cogs or big moveable parts, will work ever so slowly (if they move at all) only if they are well lubricated with palm oil. How much lubrication is needed depends on how important the part is and how big the palm.

What did come as a surprise was the conferences intention to educate the public, among others, on how to create a corruption-free society. If this is some kind of joke then we should have been forewarned to prepare to be amused.

The public does not need to be educated in this. The people are the unfortunate victims of the political and administration corruption that has seeped into the system. They are the citizens of Sri Lanka who have had to pay for the graft that passes from hand to hand to make the administrative machinery move at all.

This is not a condemnation of all our administrators or officers of the law. It is known that there are officers who perform their duties without having to resort to accepting or demanding bribes.

But they are few and far between. They too are prevented from acting with a clear conscience because of pressure that politicians bring to bear either directly or through their political connections.

There is no need to educate the public. It is the long suffering public that demanded that bribery and corruption be brought to an end and voted for those political leaders and parties that faithfully pledged to make a clean break with the past and bring about a clean, incorruptible, open and transparent administration.

Today those same voters including those from civic society organizations that helped the opposition to power are not only asking pertinent questions but castigating those who made the promises and now appear lackadaisical in fulfilling them.

What has happened to those who were accused of massive corruption during the previous administration by those politicians who preached the yahapalanaya philosophy during after last years two elections? Were they falsely accused and if not why have those who were said to have amassed more money than Treasury bond profiteers walking around (or been driven around) free?

These are the questions that those who voted for change ask but get no credible answers from quibbling politicians who with Mammon-like propensities avariciously gather wealth in stealth or sometimes more openly.

It is incredible that this conference is trying to educate politicians on how to create a corruption-free society. Do they really need to be educated, if such a thing is humanly possible. Instead of all these sanctimonious words would it not be more effective if the paths to corruption and bribe-taking are blocked.

The new director-general of the commission against corruption reportedly told a news conference that the President felt the need for the kind of conference planned in Colombo after attending the international anti-corruption conference that the former prime minister of the UK David Cameron held in London.

I followed that conference held at Lancaster House. There were some important lessons to be learnt from that if only participants were ready to digest those lessons and put them into practical use.

President Sirisena referred to the change of government in Sri Lanka ridding the country of a corrupt regime. He said a prime duty of the government was to root out corruption. He referred to adopting of the 19th amendment to the constitution which created independent commissions.

But honeyed words are not enough if corruption is a cancer that is eating away at the body politic. The leader of Colombia and the Norwegian Prime Minister reminded the conference of the very tangible steps their countries have taken to fight bribery and corruption.

In Colombia every single public transaction is made public so that public procurement is known to the people while in Norway procurement and licensing are transparent and the public have access to the documents under the freedom of information law.

But as the finance minister of Singapore said at the conference what is most important was the political will to do what needs to be done. He said the lynchpin to fighting corruption is strong enforcement. Also needed is a strong public service which we did have decades ago.

There is little use passing constitutional amendments and making grandiose speeches how the evil of corruption should be ended if they are not buttressed by the political will to achieve it. If that political will is dissipated by political expediency not all the Periclean oratory is going to create that corruption-free society.

Now that the MPs were assembled (how many actually attended would make an interesting statistic) to educate them on how to achieve a corruption-free society what on earth happened to that much publicised Code of Conduct for the mighty warriors representing the people?

Without taking some of the obvious steps to minimize corruption if not end it, the government is too weak-kneed to effect genuine change fearing that it will antagonise their friends and political stalwarts. So, to adapt the words of Mathew Arnold, the real steps that would transform society as the people expected and still expect, are powerless to be born.
Delightful dolls View(s):

The Craftella stall at the Good Market is buzzing with activity. Nipuni Wijebandara is busy painting peg dolls in various bright colours while customers examine the finished dolls on sale. What started as a hobby for Nipuni when she was around 13 years old has remained a hobby for this 27-year-old finance professional who paints an average of 20 dolls a week. The difference between then and now perhaps lies in the fact that Nipuni has now turned her hobby into a profitable business.

Wooden peg dolls, sometimes referred to as Dutch dolls, are a type of wooden dolls which originated in Europe. Originally, they would be sold with clothes that were made of fabric but in recent times the clothes have been painted on the dolls. A popular souvenir sold at Sri Lankan gift shops, the colourful men and women in sarong and reddai hatte are perhaps a testament of how far the dolls have travelled from the dainty dolls in lace dresses that they originally were. Nipuni sells dolls from both traditions  with the seeya in sarong standing next to a nativity set.

The dolls are made from wooden scraps which are painted and decorated to create the final peg doll. The dolls are designed by Nipuni who then sends the designs to a supplier who obtains the scraps and converts them into dolls by cutting them per the design, which she then buys and paints. The dolls range from Rs. 250  750, while a nativity set is sold at Rs. 2900. They are painted with non-toxic acrylic paint, which means that the dolls are child-friendly. Nipuni is open to designing customized dolls and says that she gets business from companies looking for a personalized souvenir, as well as orders from abroad by customers who order online.

Will she start making dolls for a living? Yes, I have plans to do this full time but I just started working after university so it will be in the future, replies Nipuni.

Craftella peg dolls can be bought at the Colombo Good Market (Saturdays from 10  6 at Racecourse, Colombo 07) and online on shopbox.lk.
Japan in a Photo Frame by Sandun View(s):

Renowned photographer Sandun Gamage will hold his first photographic Exhibition on Japan, Japan in a Photo Frame on December 16, 17 and 18 at the J. R. Jayawardene Centre, Colombo 7.

The exhibition Japan in a Photo Frame, organized by Nicey International along with Japanese based Telka Extea and Nicely Travel, will feature some of the top pictures on Japanese traditions and culture, their popular tourism locations and about the modern city life of the Japanese people taken by Sandun after an extensive travelling in Japan.

This is his fifth photographic exhibition and the very first about Japan by a Sri Lankan photographer. He has held a couple of exhibitions in Sri Lanka, Australia and in Italy during the past few years.

Apart from the Exhibition, the traditional Japanese Tea Serving Ceremony, Sushi Serving ceremony, Kimono Fashion session, Bonsai and Origami festival and traditional Japanese drumming session will also be on cards. The finalist of Miss Universe Japan and the winner of Miss Sake Competition Miss Mai Morita will be the chief Guests at this Japanese Festival.

Over the years, Sandun has pioneered change and transformed the realm of photography in diverse spheres such as weddings, fashion, tourism, interior design and even celebrity profiles.

However, Sanduns popularity among his Sri Lankan fan following is all thanks to his wedding photography, which have captured the essence and beauty of matrimony, time after time.

Known for his out of the box thinking when he gets behind the camera, Sandun has created a benchmark for photography. His photographs have delighted many, including popular celebrities and socialites who have a discerning taste for creative photographs.

For over two decades, Sandun has also created ripples with his photography, where his photographs have graced the cover of the Sandella tabloid of the Sunday Lankadeepa, continuously, every week. He also dabbles with a bit of writing, freelancing as feature writer for the paper.
Stepping out in search of Art Kaveesha Fernando and Minushi Perera take us on a tour of Colombo Art Biennale that ends on December 20 View(s): View(s):

If you love art or have an adventurous spirit, the Colombo Art Biennale is for you. Aiming to stretch traditional boundaries, this years Biennale is being exhibited in diverse locations around Colombo. Travelling around Colombo looking for the various exhibits is akin to a modern-day treasure hunt, with the distance, traffic and the heat making it quite an arduous undertaking.

Were trying to make art more accessible by exhibiting it in different locations around Colombo so that the city itself becomes a gallery, explains Director of Architecture for the Colombo Art Biennale 2016 Gihan Karunaratne. He explains that the exhibits show beauty through the process and feels that they are as beautiful while being installed as when the finished work is exhibited. He also stressed the importance of investing in the island, with all of the artists using local material and artisans for their exhibits.

Seeing all the exhibits requires almost a complete tour around the city, and although some exhibits are worth going the distance for, others might disappoint. For a quick view, head over to the Prana Lounge and JDA Perera Gallery in Colombo 7. With exhibits from many artists on display, these two galleries which are conveniently located within metres of each other on Horton Place offer anyone short of time a quick glimpse. If you can make it to Prana Lounge on Monday or Tuesday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. you can experience dancer Venuri Pereras performance. Titled Entry No Entry, the five-minute performance takes place in a dark room with one member at a time and aims to question the practices of visa offices around the globe. Explains Venuri, I was triggered by various experiences I have had when travelling, adding that the experience was an intrusion of her personal space and one which she considers to be degrading.

For interesting art that is still traditional compared to the other offerings, visit The Postgraduate Institute of Architecture on Bauddhaloka Mawatha which has many paintings on display.

If you are in the mood for walking  head over to Slave Island. If you brave the many alleyways of the area and find the exhibits you are looking for, youll undoubtedly be impressed by a map of Slave Island which has been carved on half a tree trunk, along with a few other exhibits that may please or disappoint depending on your taste in art. The Zmax Hotel near the Dutch Hospital in Fort also has some interesting exhibits on display and is much easier to find. For a more meditative experience, the woven panels at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour on Bauddhaloka Mawatha inspired by the Shroud of Turin is a must-see exhibit. The Red Dot Gallery in Borella also has a few interesting exhibits for anyone looking for unusual art.

Overall, the Colombo Art Biennale has exhibits that may challenge your conception of art. Like in the proverbial treasure hunt, who know what you may find.

The Colombo Art Biennale exhibits can be viewed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily till December 20. For more information, see their website http://colomboartbiennale.com/.

(Gayan Prageeths installation appears on the cover)
BOT system for two elevated highways View(s):

The Government has dropped a plan to obtain a loan from a Japanese bank to construct an elevated highway in the suburbs of Colombo and instead is to go in for a Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis project. Under the proposed plan, talks were underway with the Japan Mitsubishi Bank for the construction of a 10.4 km-long elevated highway between Rajagiriya and Athurugiriya and a 6.9km long elevated highway from Rajagiriya to Dematagoda, but was dropped due to the high cost, Road Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Nihal Suriyaarachchi said.

He said the BOT system was more beneficial as it would reduce the loan-repayment burden on the Government and it would not have to set targets to raise funds.

The project is to be completed within three and a half years after construction begins early next year. According to the plan, vehicles on this elevated highway could travel at 80 kmph and the travel time between Dematagoda to Athurugriya is expected to be 15 minutes.

As the next phase of the project another elevated highway will be constructed from Dematagoda to the Port with Asian Development Bank (ADB) funding. The project is to cost about 30 billion. After a 30-year period the ownership of the highway will be taken over by the Sri Lankan Government.
China-dominated joint venture taking control of Hambantota port View(s):

By Namini Wijedasa

A Chinese-dominated joint venture (JV) will be granted comprehensive control of Hambantota port  including its internal security  under a framework agreement signed this week between the Sri Lanka Government and China Merchants Port Holdings Company (CMPort). The agreement, which was seen by the Sunday Times, was entered into between CMPort and the Secretaries of the Ministries of Finance, Port and Shipping, and Development Strategies and International Trade.

The final deal is to be signed in January. The Framework Agreeement provides for the setting up of a JV company between CMPort and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority in which the Chinese company will hold 80% of shares and SLPA 20%. This will entitle the SLPA to a single seat on its board. The term of the lease and concession period is 99 years.

The SLPA had proposed a share split of 65% for CMPort and 35% for SLPA. But the Chinese had insisted that, since the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) and Cabinet had already approved the 80-20% split, the formula could not be changed, documents seen by the Sunday Times show. CMPort has not consented to immediate royalty payments to the SLPA. It was explained that the Chinese side is in agreement to consider the request of the SLPA on royalty payment, on a revenue sharing basis, once the port utilisation reaches a mutually-agreed level of performance, a joint Cabinet memorandum signed by Development Strategies Minister Malik Samarawickrama and Special Assignments Minister Sarath Amunugama states.

The framework agreement sees the Chinese-led venture gaining authority over pilotage (directing ship movement) service, navigation service, tug service, berthing service, port security service, lighterage (use of lighters in loading, unloading and transporting ships) service, shipping and transhipping, warehousing, mooring service, wharfage, supply of water, fuel and electricity, bunkering and inner anchorage service.

The Chinese also gain control of diving and ship repair including underwater ship repair service, handling petroleum, petroleum products and lubricating oils to and from vessels and between bunkers and depots, and any other service incidental to all services stated above.

The JV will acquire or lease (as the case may be) all operational assets and common user facilities, including container terminals, multi-purpose terminals and oil terminals with fuel storage and supply facilities, the manmade island, sea channel, breakwater, access road, turning basin, navigation, cofferdam and common user terminals.

The SLPA had wanted the security of the port to be handled by the Authority. However, the Chinese had insisted on the JV doing this on its own. Accordingly, the framework agreement states that the national security of Hambantota port shall be controlled by an Oversight Committee consisting of representatives of the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Police and SLPA.

However, all internal security within the Hambantota Port premises, the safety of the cargo, vessels, and the personnel, including but not limited to manning of the entry/exit gates shall be the responsibility of the JV, who will be guided and monitored by, and work in close coordination with the said Oversight Committee, so appointed, it holds.

The Government has consented to appoint an Independent Port Regulator to enable operational efficiency and to ensure effective regulation of port operations. This will require amendment to relevant legislation.

The JV is to collect all the revenue from provision of services, etc. Meanwhile, any and all debts, loans, claims and liabilities in relation to the Hambantota port, including any accumulated debts in relation to design, development and construction of the Hambantota Port, existing prior to or relating to the period prior to the transfer of assets of the project to the JV, shall be and continue to be to the account of an be the responsibility of the Government of Sri Lanka.

The parties have agreed that, for the period till the JV attains 50% throughput utilisation or during the first 15-year period, whichever occurs first, there shall be no container port/terminal development directly in competition with the activities of Hambantota port within a 100-km perimeter from the periphery of the port. Such exclusivity shall not restrict the development of fishery harbours, cruise terminals or marinas within the said exclusive limit, and similar and general cargo terminal developments in the ports of Galle and Oluvil.

For avoidance of doubt, the ports of Colombo, Trincomalee and Kankesanthurai are excluded from the exclusive limit and free to carry out their own developments.
House ends year with charity beginning at home View(s):

Parliament yesterday unanimously approved the payment of Rs 100,000 a month to all MPs for the maintenance of an office, with effect from January 1, 2017, as well as a raise in the current sitting allowance from Rs 500 to Rs. 2,500.

The resolution presented in the House by Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Minister Gayantha Karunatillake, was approved with several other regulations, as Parliament wound up sittings for 2016.

The Resolution states that commencing 1st January 2017, all MPs including National List Members, shall be paid a sum of Rs 100,000 per mensem, to defray the cost of maintaining an office.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Assembly will meet on January 9, 10 and 11, when the reports of the six sub committees and the ad hoc subcommittee relating to the new Constitution will be debated.

Parliament will next meet on January 24, when an adjournment motion on the COPE report on the controversial Central Bank Treasury Bond issue will be taken up.

(CK)
Japan funds rehabilitation in the North View(s):

By Ravi Shankar

The Womens Community Based Savings Group in Sri Lankas Northern Province (NP) has launched a reconciliation programme for war-affected families through women empowerment. The programme, funded by the Government of Japan and administered by the UN Habitat, helps women make a living through self entrepreneurship.

Under the programme, members of the groups are required to deposit a minimum of Rs. 50 every week in a fund from which loans are granted. The group operates at village level. Group members utilise the loan, given without any collateral security or paper-work, to launch their own small-scale businesses such as poultry farming or retail shops, said UN Habitat Kilinochchi district organiser Anwar Khan.

Members of the group say they face difficulties in getting loans from banks. Asokan Sandhidevi, a member of Ilatchan Women Savings Society in Kilinochchi, said she benefited from the micro finance system of the savings group to start a retail shop. Officials of the UN Habitat programme said these programmes are initiated with the aim of achieving reonciliation between the war-affected Northern Pronvince and other parts of the country.

In addition to forming savings groups, the UN Habitat with the Government of Japan has also started many pre-schools in the province.During resettlement, the authorities did not give much importance to setting up pre-schools in war-affected areas, villagers said. Later, the UN Habitat conducted a field survey among people who want to support the village, and identified the need for such schools, where children are provided primary education free.

Unnakuran Mookadevika, mother of a child going to a pre-school run by the UN Habitat, said Earlier, these schools were in terrible condition without a proper ceiling. Now the schools are equipped with proper shelter for two rooms, toilets and sufficient playing area for the students.

Other than assistance given for Education and Women Empowerment, the Government of Japan has allocated funds for water supply and healthcare.

The Kilinochchi water tank that was blown up during the war, is being reconstructed with these funds, with Stage 1 supplying drinking water to Kilinochchi town and its suburbs, benefiting 30,000 people in 14 villages. Stage 1 supplies water to villagers within a radius of 40 km, while Stage 2, to be completed by 2018, will serve people within a radius of 100 km.
Lankan and global LGBTIQ activists urge Trump to uphold human rights for all View(s):

NEW YORK  Global LGBTIQ activists gathering here yesterday to mark International Human Rights Day urged President-elect Donald Trump to maintain US commitment to protecting the human rights of LGBTIQ people globally. The activists from Iraq, Lebanon, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States gathered at the office of OutRight Action International, formerly the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission to discuss the impact of the incoming Trump Administration on the LGBTIQ communities.

In a statement issued yesterday, they noted that under the Obama administration, the US had shown unprecedented commitment to promoting the human rights of LGBTIQ people internationally, by issuing a presidential memorandum to advance LGBT rights globally, creating the Global Equality Fund to financially support LGBTIQ rights internationally, and by appointing the first-ever Special Envoy for LGBTI Rights.

They said that support from US embassies to LGBTIQ groups in countries often hostile towards LGBTIQ rights was especially important to increasing visibility and understanding of human rights for vulnerable communities.

Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, of Equal Ground in Sri Lanka, said, The leadership of the US in good governance and democratic principles has had influence on the political paradigm shift in Sri Lanka. President-elect Trump and his administration must maintain this leadership and safeguard the principles of democracy and human rights, especially for populations that are most vulnerable like LGBTIQ people who still face violence and discrimination everywhere.

The activists also highlighted that safeguarding LGBTIQ rights cannot be seen as an isolated issue and must be understood in broader human rights and democracy contexts.

Amir Ashour, founder of Iraqs only LGBT+ organization, IraQueer, said, In a country like Iraq where the State Department has provided help to LGBTIQ people, there is virtually nowhere else to turn for support. The US must sustain efforts on the international level and at the UN because it is often the only platform to advocate for country level change since it is almost impossible to do any advocacy inside Iraq.

The discussions concluded with a message by Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight Action International. There is a framework of international solidarity in place, one that cannot be easily broken. We have stepped up into this brilliant, strong, and resilient global LGBTIQ movement and we will not move backwards.
Navy intervenes to evict strikers from ships View(s):

By Sandun Jayawardena and Chandani Kirinde

Workers on strike at the Hambantota Port for a fourth day and continued to occupy two foreign container vessels forcing a Navy operation to evict them yesterday.

Later yesterday, the Navy helped one of these ships Hyperon Highway to leave the Port. Gantry cranes positioned on the path of the two vessels still impeded their exit. However, one of the vessels was safely escorted out of the port by the Navy last evening.

Navy Commander Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, who was in civilian attire, led the operation to clear the strikers from the jetty. The Navy established a cordon in the jetty protecting the vessels and deployed boats to ensure there were no further obstructions.

The strike was launched by the Magampura Port Workers Union. They are demanding that some 483 temporary workers be made permanent. On Friday, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa requested Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to grant them permanent status and thus resolve the strike. Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga told a media briefing yesterday that the strike had been led by political elements to obstruct work at the port. He said the majority of the workers had been recruited in 2012 for a training period and there had been no plans to recruit them to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).

We could have removed them when we were voted to power. We did not do that, he said. He added that the Government had negotiated with the Chinese investors to include these workers. After the strike, I cannot guarantee this, he said.

The container vessel Hyperon Highway owned by K Line shipping, one of Japans largest transportation companies, had on board more than 5,000 motor vehicles. The mooring ropes of this vessel, Port officials in Hambantota said, had been deliberately blocked by forklifts, excavators and gantry cranes.

Meanwhile, there were heated scenes in Parliament yesterday over the manner in which the Government handled the protest by workers at the Hambantota Port with State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardena describing the blocking of the ships as an act of piracy.

Joint Opposition (JO) members raised the issue in Parliament during the Committee Stage debate of the Ministry of Finance. They accused the Government of using the Navy to attack the workers. Navy personnel have attacked the workers at the Hambantota Port. Naval ratings are beating up the workers with poles. This should be stopped immediately, JO member Wimal Weerawansa said.

Mr. Wijewardene said the Navy personnel had not attacked the strikers who had taken over two ships that were anchored in the harbour. The Navy personnel were sent there to rescue the vessels from the strikers. The workers were not shot at or beaten up, he said.
Rice prices rising: 5,000 tonnes being imported View(s):

By S. Rubatheesan

Urgent measures are being taken to import 5,000 tons of rice from three South Asian countries to avoid a shortage and keep prices under check during the festive season, a senior official said.

Commerce Ministry Secretary T. M. K. B. Tennekoon said quotations would be sought from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the coming days.

The decision to import rice was taken by the Cost of Living Committee (CoL) on Friday in view of the possibility of serious shortages and rising prices.

Headed by Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrema, the committee includes Ministers Ravi Karunanayake, P. Harison, W.D.J. Senevirathne, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Rishard Bathiudeen.

In addition, the committee also decided to buy paddy from the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) which has a stock of around 200,000 tons.

After securing Cabinet consent on this, we will buy from the board, mill the paddy and sell the rice through Lanka Sathosa outlets, the secretary said.

PMB Chairman M.B. Dissanayake said the Cabinet had instructed it to reject offers from the private sector and the keep its stocks of paddy for sale though state outlets.

According to the latest market report compiled by the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute which studies price changes of commodities in the local market, the prices of Nadu and raw white rice have increased significantly. Imported Ponni samba stocks were not available in the market during this week. Prices of all the local rice varieties are expected to increase further during the next week, it said.

In retail trade, the prices have increased by Rs. 5 a kilo for raw white, by Rs.3 a kilo for both raw red and Nadu. The highest local rice price of Rs. 105 a kilo was reported for samba, the HKARTI said. It said prices of all the other local varieties had increased by 11-14 percent.

Mr. Tennekoon said it was a normal feature for prices of rice varieties to go up during the festive season as private mill owners and traders were known to stock a large amount of rice to create an artificial shortage and raise prices. The Government hoped to overcome this by selling the imported rice at lower prices.
WB calls for major changes in PPP projects View(s):

Sri Lanka is over-reliant on public finance, has not prioritised its projects, has multiple agencies with overlapping functions and has been dependent on unsolicited proposals, the World Bank (WB) says. The Western Region Megapolis Programme consists of more than160 projects with an estimated investment volume of US$ 40 billion. There are also a large number of other projects identified by various agencies at national level.

But there was no framework to prioritise such projects. Many of them were not being properly assessed for feasibility or readiness for implementation, the WBs Sri Lanka Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Diagnostic Note states. The WBs systematic country diagnostic reports are prepared by WB staff in close consultation with national authorities and others. They are aimed at identifying challenges and opportunities for a country to improve progress towards development.

The PPP diagnostic report points out that, as a result of limited budget resources, the Sri Lankan Government will have to explore and consider alternative financing options to address the countrys infrastructure needs. One option would be to mobilise private sector financing through the use of PPPs.

In Sri Lanka today, many projects that are suitable candidates for PPP procurement are typically being financed through the public sector, with public sector funds often being sourced through sovereign loans backed by sovereign guarantees, the report states. Private sector financing is only sought in cases where a project is unable to secure public funding.

This practice is partly a result of the lack of a framework that can help line ministries determine the most appropriate method of procurement and financing (public sector versus PPP) at the project inception stage, it says.

China is currently Sri Lankas biggest foreign investor, funding or building nearly 70 percent of the countrys infrastructure projects. Sri Lanka has 16 ongoing Chinese-backed infrastructure projects. This public financing model is now facing possible sustainability issues given the high levels of public sector debt, the report warns.

Sri Lanka also faced issues with land valuation: A perceived lack of consistency with respect to the allocation and valuation of Government land for investment has implications for a successful PPP programme. PPPs were typically partnerships between the public and private sector with mutual benefit by focusing on what each party does best and by allocating risk to the party best able to manage it. In Sri Lanka, there was a lack of understanding of PPPs as a concept as well as a lack of clarity regarding which sectors were open to PPPs.

Given this and the absence of a guiding PPP policy framework, the private sector has often sought to kick start projects themselves by initiating unsolicited proposals, the report says. However, at the same time the lack of predictability and consistency in Government policy with respect to private sector participation in infrastructure investments has often constrained private sector appetite to pursue investments.

Coordination among line ministries and institutions was limited and complicated by overlapping mandates, it observes. For example, the highways portfolio is attached to the Ministry of Higher Education instead of Ministry of Transport, the report elaborates. In addition, decision-making tends to be fragmented and inefficient as the various line ministries typically tackle their own challenges and problems in isolation.

The report makes several recommendations, including the establishment of a high-level committee, with representatives from key sectors. Such an apex institution would have the mandate to review all proposed investments and assess whether they should be financed publicly or be developed through a PPP, it says. An inter-ministerial or cabinet level sub-committee could act as such an apex institution.

It also calls for a strengthening of procurement guidelines, particularly with respect to managing unsolicited bids. Specifically, the mechanisms and procedures for handling unsolicited proposals need to be clarified and strengthened to ensure more effective adherence to the principles of competitive tendering and value for money, it states.
United Nations of antibiotics: Follow words with action View(s):

By Dr. Sanjaya Senanayake

Many readers would know that the United Nations convened in New York recently for its 71st General Assembly. It was a Whos Who of world politics as a variety of weighty issues were discussed amidst much fanfare. Fewer readers would be aware, however, of a one-day high-level U.N. meeting on September 21 to highlight a matter not typically associated with global diplomacy  antimicrobial (antibiotic) resistance.

This was a remarkable meeting. It was only the third time that the U.N. had convened to discuss infection-related matters, the others being for Ebola and HIV/AIDS. The political and diplomatic recognition of a medical matter on the international stage of the global theatre that is the U.N. is an indictment of the issues importance. This was further reinforced by U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon opening the session with the sobering facts of the deaths of 200,000 newborns annually from antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

As an Infectious Diseases Physician constantly submerged beneath the rapidly flowing (and growing) river of the last few years that is antibiotic resistance, my brief resurfacing to partake of a breath in the real world brought the surprising realisation that antibiotic resistance is still a matter at the peripheries of the awareness of most people. With so many issues to contend with both internationally and regionally, such as climate change and refugees, its understandable that the global communitys radars are saturated with a myriad of concerns beyond those of antibiotic resistance. Ebola captured the publics imagination with a frenzy and infectiousness akin to the disease itself, as developed nations contemplated contagion with a developing world infection. Perhaps thats the point: antibiotic resistances infiltration has been a gradual one, unlike Ebolas dramatic entrance in 2014. Yet the long-term potential devastation to the global community attributable to antibiotic resistance is greater than that of Ebola. Currently, its estimated that 700,000 people die annually from antibiotic resistance, with that figure rising to ten million by 2050 if the problem is not addressed. Also, in evolutionary terms, both the emergence of antibiotic resistance and its progression have been of a truly frenetic pace. It took 160 million years for dinosaurs to come and go: antibiotic resistance has become a major issue only eighty years after the emergence of antibiotics  thats within a Darwinian blink of an eye.

Inappropriate use of antibiotics is a major factor driving antibiotic resistance  that goes without saying. This doesnt only apply to doctors giving antibiotics incorrectly to patients in a clinic or hospital setting, but also to over-the-counter use of antibiotics. Over-the-counter use of antibiotics is when you  the reader  decide without medical advice that you need a course of antibiotics e.g. for a sore throat, and go to the pharmacy and buy it without a prescription or the doctors blessing. The issues here are that you may not need an antibiotic as most sore throats are due to viruses and wont respond to antibiotics, that you choose the wrong antibiotic and that you use the wrong dose and duration of antibiotics. All these factors drive antibiotic resistance and the development of superbugs.

But while inappropriate use of antibiotics is a major contributor to antibiotic resistance, the problem  and therefore its solution- is not that simple. People are astounded to learn that most of the antibiotics in many nations are given to animals, with a relative smattering for humans; however, through our contact with animals (e.g. via consumption of meat), we are exposed to their resistant bacteria. A recent example is the identification in pigs in China of a superbug carrying a highly resistant gene (mcr-1). Even vegetarians are at risk because the water in which the legumes have been irrigated on a farm can be contaminated with animal waste, along with the animals resistant bacteria. Nor can island nations be complacent that their geographical isolation engenders a safety net keeping superbugs at bay. For one, superbugs are already here. Secondly, the ease of global travel means that any of us can unwittingly bring back superbugs in our bowels from travel destinations, tantalisingly close to but beyond the means of detection of the intrusive lubricated gloved digits of our border control officials.

A new phenomenon in global travel is medical tourism, where people go overseas to undergo a medical or dental procedure, often because the cost in their own country is prohibitive. With regard to picking up superbugs, this is worse than going overseas to a holiday resort, because the medical tourist will be immersed into an overseas healthcare environment where the concentration of superbugs will far outweigh those found in the resort.

More new antibiotics are also needed, but for pharmaceutical companies, the financial incentives in their production are limited. A common problem is doctors not using a fantastic new antibiotic immediately, but rather keeping it in reserve as a last resort against antibiotic-resistant superbugs. While this is sound antibiotic stewardship, its not an ideal business model for the pharmaceutical company thats invested millions in developing and marketing the antibiotic. Imagine Apple releasing the iPhone 7 and being told by consumers that its so good that theyll only use it once their iPhone 6 breaks down! To add insult to penury, by the time the antibiotic is being used widely, its patent may have expired, allowing other companies to produce their own versions. This is by no means an endorsement of Big Pharma, but simply an illustration of one challenge that needs to be overcome to curb antibiotic resistance.

Such complexities on such a scale demand a multidisciplinary solution with global political backing. The process has begun. In 2014, the UK government commissioned a Review on Antimicrobial Resistance led by Jim ONeill  not a doctor, but a distinguished economist who invented the term BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China). The following year, President Obama released his National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, around 100 pharmaceutical, and other companies became signatories to an agreement to work closely with governments to reduce antibiotic resistance. The pledge made by all 193 U.N. member nations at Septembers extraordinary meeting to combat antibiotic resistance is the pinnacle of such international collaboration; however, the inspiring rhetoric of the present must be followed up with action and funding; otherwise, the relentless march of antibiotic resistance will continue, and the bright light of antibiotics will flicker briefly in history before being extinguished forever.

(The writer is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Australian National University)
UPDATED 11.25PM: Tauranga MP Simon Bridges has withdrawn from the contest to become Nationals deputy leader  handing it over to Paula Bennett.

Making the announcement during a press conference at Aucklands Britomart this morning, Simon says while his numbers throughout the week were good, they werent good enough.

In Paula Bennett I think we have a fantastic deputy leader of the National party and the Government. She is a massive talent, she has huge strengths [and is] one of, if not the best communicators in our Government, in fact in our parliament.

In truth it was never about me, it was about having a contest and ensuring that great ideas were talked about.

When asked why he didnt wait until Monday to make the announcement Simon repeated how his numbers were good but not good enough, and added that on any given day this past week hes had a little over a third of the votes, but I didnt have half.

I can count and one third isnt one half

Fairfax reports that at last count on Saturday, Paula had 22 MPs publicly supporting her - although its understood she had many more privately backing her as well - while the Simon had 9 public votes. Thirty votes were needed to win.

Some heavy hitters in the National caucus had also publicly backed Paula, including Ministers Hekia Parata, Murray McCully, Amy Adams, Jo Goodhew, Nicky Wagner, Louise Upston and Craig Foss.

Simon disagrees the contest for the National leadership and deputy leadership was a rebellion from the backbenches, saying he believed caucus wanted a contest and what resulted was a good opportunity for discussion, ideas, and for the party to emerge stronger.

Im really glad Ive done this. The reason for that is we have had a contest, we have had strong candidates come forward in myself and Paula, and Im really excited right now about the opportunities that weve got.

I know Bill English and Paula Bennet are going to do a fantastic job, I want to be part, and I know I will be a strong part of their team.

In a statement, presumptive deputy leader Paula Bennett describes Simon as an outstanding politician who has a great future ahead of him and a good mate.

I thank him for giving the caucus and our backbench colleagues the opportunity for this contest of ideas.

We have a process to go through with caucus on Monday and I do not take anything for granted, but if I am fortunate to be standing next to Bill English as his deputy I believe we will make a fantastic team to lead the National Party to the election.

Having enjoyed a great working relationship with Bill for years, Paula believes they have complementary skills and are ready to guide the Government through this next stage.

This is going to be a new Government under the leadership of someone who will make a great Prime Minister. We will go into the election refreshed, with new ideas from our talented caucus and ready for another term in office.

-Additional reporting: Stuff.co.nz

EARLIER:

Speculation is rife that Tauranga MP Simon Bridges will be withdrawing from the contest to become Nationals deputy leader.

The Transport Minister will be making an announcement on his deputy leadership bid in Auckland today.

If this is the case then the deputy leadership will be handed to Social housing Minister Paula Bennett  barring a last minute entry at Mondays caucus meeting where members will officially vote in the partys deputy leader and leader.

On Friday night Paula had public declarations of support from 23 MPs while Simon only had 10. She is also understood to have enough private support to get her over the 30 votes needed in Nationals caucus of 59, reports NZME.

Last week former Finance Minister Bill English was announced as New Zealands presumptive Prime Minister after fellow candidates Judith Collins and Jonathan Coleman withdrew from the race for the top job.
What does every motorcyclist riding in the Coromandel region need for their bike? A handy map of the location which doubles as a visor cloth of course.

New Zealand Police Road Policing Group in the Coromandel have teamed up with the local Road Safety Co-ordinator from Eastern Waikato councils to distribute a limited supply of the cloths.

Developed alongside ACC, these cloths also give the local council and NZ Transport Agency state highway phone number in a bid to encourage motorcyclists to report any issues they come across on their ride.

Strategic Traffic Unit Sergeant and Officer in Charge Jim Corbett says while the Coromandel has some of the best riding in the world, police really dont want any more crashes in the region.

Motorcycles are over represented in New Zealand for fatal and serious crashes.

They account for 15 per cent of all road deaths, 10 per cent of all road injuries and are 20 per cent of ACCs claims, yet motorcyclists account for less than 3 per cent of road users.

Jim appreciates that riding in the Coromandel can be challenging for new or inexperienced riders.

Our roads push riders concentration and skill level to the limit in some spots, so they may not be appropriate for all riders. Do your homework and make the safe choice for you.

East Waikato Road Safety Co-ordinator Ingrid Le Fevre explains the polishing cloth has been developed with motorcyclists in mind and features contact numbers, riding tips and what to look out for, plus a map and information for the Rideforever website on it.

Ingrid says they really want to encourage motorcyclists to upskill as more than a third of fatal crashes are caused by riders losing control of their bike.

Our Coromandel roads can have anything on them from loose gravel, cows, diesel spills, campervans and boats being towed you never know what is around the windy corners.

Nearly three-quarters of fatal motorcycle crashes happen on the open road and often on bends, our roads are amazing to ride and wearing good protective gear helps keep you safe.

Why not give your rider the gift of experience this year and get them some rider training.

If youre travelling to the Coromandel this summer and want the chance to win a limited edition polishing cloth keep an eye on the Safer Coromandel Facebook and Instagram pages.
The Tauranga Te Papa Rotary Club has raised $25,000 for local charities following their very successful Melbourne Cup Long Lunch.

Tauranga Womens Refuge and local surf lifesaving clubs Mount Maunganui, Omanu, and Papamoa will all split the amount raised by the fundraiser.

About 400 people participated in November fundraiser at ASB Arena, which was sponsored by Duncan & Ebbett, McFall Fuel and TravelCom.

Attendees sampled delicious food, plenty of beverages, and bid on a bevy auction items, both silently and in a grand live auction hosted by Frank Vosper of Vosper Realty. This was all on top of the race itself, with its very close finish.

It is the second year the club has hosted the successful event.

Tauranga Te Papa Rotary Club president Evan Turbott says its their second major fundraiser, along with the air show at Classic Flyers.

The ladies dressed as if they were going to the Melbourne Cup races, as did a lot of the men. There were prizes for best dressed, so it had quite a race day feeling to it.

He says the club thought this years charities were very worthy of support.

People came from the surf lifesaving clubs months ago to make their presentation, which helped us decide to give some money to them. It was the same with Womens Refuge.

I can say with certainty the surf lifesaving clubs dont receive any support from central or local government. Theyre entirely reliant on fundraising. And Womens Refuge is desperately short of funds  they need to raise around $10,000 a month.

Last Thursday the cheque was handed over to representatives from the charities, who will no doubt put it straight to good use.

Now, the clubs looking forward to doing it all again next November.



From left: Omanu SLSCs Michael Sharp, Mount SLSCs Maria Stockman, Tauranga Womens Refuges Angela Warren-Clark and Papamoa SLSCs Andrew Hitchfield.
Mykal Mayne is a typical 13-year-old. He loves Star Wars, Lego and mucking around but he doesnt have the typical teen life.

The Papamoa teenager was born with spastic dystonic quadriplegic cerebral palsy  in short hes confined to a wheelchair for life and cant do anything for himself. Not even scratch his own nose.

So one of his support workers wants to give Mykal the trip of a lifetime  to Floridas Legoland in the United States.

Ive been lucky enough to have a lot of help from a lot of people to help achieve my dreams, so Id love to help make Mykals dream come true, says Taurangas David Holder, who is known to most as 2016s New Zealand Rally Champion.

But little would know that David  or Dave for short  met Mykal about 18 months ago, after a rally crash when looking for flexible work, becoming one of his employed support care workers.

Dave describes Mykal as infectious. Hes pretty hilarious. Hes got some pretty mean one-liners that come from nowhere.

And at the end of the day hes just like any other 13-year-old kid. He loves Star Wars and Lego and all that sort of stuff. But obviously he has physical challenges to work through, say Dave, stating that essentially Mykal cant do anything for himself.

On a normal day a support worker arrives for Mykal at 7am, gets him out of bed, to get changed and eat breakfast; then gets him into the taxi for school. There a teacher aid helps support Mykal during his school-day.

In the afternoon another support worker meets Mykal at home and helps with the usual teenage tasks such as homework and housework before some free time activities; more often than not Lego.

If his whole life is going to be like this I figure what not create this once-in-a-lifetime experience for him  and hopefully Ive got the means to make it happen, says Dave.

When Mykal came up with an idea of creating a video to help fund Holders rallying career, the 27-year-old was quick to twist it into raising funds to take the teen toLegoland and Florida.

Daves now created a Givealittle page to help raise the $15,000 required for the overseas adventure.

I want to take two support workers because its pretty crucial with him being overseas; the travel makes it a bit more difficult than his normal activities, says Dave.

He recently cared for Mykal on Saturday, having a sleepover, taking him to the movies, the beach and pools.

Until last year, when I came on-board, I dont think Mykal had ever been in the sea just because I dont think there had been a support worker capable of it. It is very physically demanding task.

Dave says Mykal has changed his outlook on life. Its the toughest job Ive ever done. For the first three months I found it hard to have lunch. Because Mykal physically relies on you for everything so he sits and watches me eat lunch. You feel quite bad.

Nowadays its fine  and it helps me appreciate how blessed I am in life.

Dave says some days he cant help but smile at the things Mykal says. Others you feel the impact of the quality of life hes got ahead of him. It breaks your heart a wee bit that he cant do the simplest of things.

But one thing Mykal loves is Lego. He can talk and direct Dave on what to build and where.

He can move his hands and shuffle through the Lego box but cannot build things. But he likes to envisage what to make and tell you where to put the bricks.

Already Daves main rally sponsor, Stadium Finance, has backed the cause and Daves received support from local holiday specialists Trista and Lance Somervell at NZ Travel Brokers Tauranga. To get on board and donate, see: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/makemykalsmiracle

The page closes 11.59pm on December 24. Dave hopes to tell Mykal at Christmas that hes heading to the US early next year.

Off to school in the specially equipped van. Photo: Chris Callinan
Regent House has voted to continue publicly displaying Class Lists after 59% of members voted to maintain the tradition.

The Grace, proposing the abolition of Class Lists being published at Senate House, was rejected by the members of the Universitys highest governing body in a ballot which closed on 8 December.

There were 1241 votes cast in the ballot, with 727 members voting against the Grace for abolition, and 514 voting in favour. The total number of ballots cast accounts for 22.5% of all members of Regent House.

The membership is comprised of senior university staff and academics.

This outcome mirrors the recent student referendum verdict which saw a majority of voters choosing for CUSU to campaign to save the tradition, with the stipulation that a simplified method should be introduced for students who wish to opt out of having their results published.

Currently, students must seek exemption from the senior tutor of their college if they do not want their name and degree classification on the list.

The issue has openly divided staff and students since the launch of the Our Grade, Our Choice campaign 18 months ago, which looked to end the publishing of results at Senate House on the grounds that it invaded students privacy and negatively impacted on mental health. The campaigns petition garnered nearly 1300 signatories, compared with 500 signatures which the rival Save the Class List campaign claimed to have gathered.

Most recently, it was reported that Masters of four colleges had declared their rejection of the Grace on documents circulated to Regent House members, whilst two Masters approved the abolition of the Senate House tradition.

The Masters of Christs College, Gonville and Caius College, Queens College, and Trinity College expressed their rejection of the proposal, whilst the Masters of Corpus Christi College and Jesus College chose to support the Grace.

Cambridge is the only university in the UK that still publishes students results publicly. Oxford University abolished a similar tradition in 2009.
Fitbit on Wednesday announced an acquisition deal with smartwatch maker Pebble.

The company clearly has been struggling, having laid off 25 percent of its staff earlier this year, when CEO Eric Migicovsky acknowledged that money was tight.

Fitbit is acquiring certain assets of Pebble, including key personnel and intellectual property specific to software and firmware development, a Fitbit spokesperson said in a statement provided to TechNewsWorld by company rep Paula Conhain.

The majority of Pebble employees in the software engineering function, as well select employees in other functions, will join Fitbit, the spokesperson said.

The acquisition excludes Pebbles hardware.

Pebbles technology and deep industry expertise in platform development will help speed Fitbits delivery of health and fitness features in its products and add to the general purpose utility consumers value in a connected device, Fitbits spokesperson said.

Distinguishing Features

Pebble has suffered from limited distribution networks, modest brand awareness, a constrained marketing budget and a shrinking market share, observed Cliff Raskind, principal analyst for wearable devices at Strategy Analytics.

However, Pebble set itself apart by offering excellent battery life, an uncluttered interface, a well-supported SDK, and a vibrant developer ecosystem with a complete vision of modular hardware, he told TechNewsWorld.

The purchase will let Fitbit better defend its turf against Apple and Android Wear, Raskind suggested.

About the Money

Fitbit paid US$40 million for Pebble and has offered jobs to about 40 percent of the companys staff, according to a Bloomberg story.

The money reportedly will go toward repaying debt holders, vendors and some equity investors, as well as providing refunds for Time2 and Pebble Core watches ordered through Kickstarter. Pebble stock held by employees is worthless.

Pebbles debts and obligations exceed $40 million, and Fitbit is not taking on that debt, Bloomberg reported. Pebbles hardware and its other assets and inventory will be sold off separately.

Fitbit declined to confirm the size of the deal because the acquisition is not material to financials, the companys spokesperson said.

Migicovsky is planning to rejoin startup incubator Y Combinator as a partner, Bloomberg noted.

Countdown for Pebble Device Owners

Pebbles hardware no longer will be sold or supported by either company, although owners of Pebble smartwatches can go to the Help forum or the community for help.

Active Pebble products that have been purchased will continue to work for now, Pebble said, but functionality or service quality may be reduced later.

Pebble wont release regular software updates or new features, but it is working to reduce its devices reliance on cloud services to prolong their active life.

Warranty exchange is no longer available for Pebble devices.

The No. 1 wearable player in the world will move to kill off Pebbles existing hardware line, leaving an estimated 1.5 million existing Pebble users in the lurch for new features, Raskind said.

Fitbits acquisition of Pebble is analogous to HPs purchase of Palm, said ABI analyst Jonathan Collins.

Palms products and technology were well received, but HP nevertheless killed the line.

Pebble devices were practical and functional and effective at what they did, Collins told TechNewsWorld. Take away the functionality and there remains little incentive for end users to continue using them.

Reaching Out to Devs

Pebble has invited its developer community to work with Fitbit.

The Pebble SDK, CloudPebble, mobile apps, its developer portal, app store, timeline API, dictation and message services, and firmware will continue to operate without interruption.

Some Pebble developers have suggested that the company release its firmware under an open source license, but it appears doubtful that will happen.

Developers flock to where the action is, noted Raskind, so many will follow, if theyre not developing off-device for Fitbit already.
Fitbit, the leader in the wearables category, is close to an agreement to buy struggling smartwatch maker Pebble for up to US$40 million, in a move to gain the firms intellectual property and software.

The negotiations follow several months of financial turmoil at Pebble, which reportedly slashed its workforce by 25 percent in March and has rebuffed several prior offers to be acquired, The Information reported last week.

Its rumored that Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky last year turned down Citizens $740 million acquisition offer, as well as a $70 million bid from Intel prior to the launch of Pebble 2.

Fitbit does not comment on rumors or speculation, company rep Michelle McCourt told the E-Commerce Times.

The expectation that Pebble would going to have to make a tough decision on the way forward has intensified.

Pebble was overmatched in a market awash with smartwatches, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

Thats in spite of the fact that they have one of the best products in the segment  particularly with regard to battery life and price, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Fitbit has a far wider reach, but it ha struggled to develop a product that isnt tightly focused on exercise, Enderle observed.

Fitbit feels it can provide Pebble with the resources to address a broader market, while Pebble provides watches that support a broader market, he suggested.

Fitbit Forecast

Fitbit has seen its own share of turmoil in recent weeks after less-than-expected third-quarter revenue, along with a profit warning, led to several analysts downgrades last month.

The company this summer unveiled new software features for Fitbit Blaze and design options for Blaze and Fitbit Alta, which soon were followed by Fitbit Charge 2 wristbands featuring new PurePulse heart rate tracking.

Fitbit shares on Monday closed $8.03  just pennies above its $7.98 low since last years IPO.

Although the company continued to be profitable, its growth would not match the pace previously expected, CEO James Park warned in the quarterly earnings announcement.

Fitbit expected fourth-quarter revenue of between $725 million and $750 million, representing growth of 2 percent to 5 percent, and earnings per share of between 14 and 18 cents, he said.

Category Crumble

The reports of the Pebble talks come amid overall weakness in the category.

Smartwatch sales fell by 32 percent in the second-quarter of 2016 from 5.1 million units to 3.5 million, year-over-year, the first such decline the firm recorded, IDC reported this summer.

Consumers were holding off on smartwatch purchases in anticipation of upgrades in hardware, the report indicated. The expectation of a new operating system from Apple effectively stalled sales of the Apple Watch.

Shipments of basic wearables rose sharply in the second quarter to 22.5 million, representing growth of almost 49 percent to compared with the year-ago period, IDC reported weeks later. However, smart wearables, which involve the use of third-party software, declined 27.2 percent year-over-year.

Basic wearables, which include most fitness trackers, accounted for nearly 83 percent of all wearables shipped during the quarter, the firm said.

Fitbit was the leading firm in the overall wearables category, with 5.7 million shipments, holding 25.4 percent market share, according to IDC. The category was rounded out by Xiaomi, Apple, Garmin and Lifesense.

Despite Apples continually cheery talk about sales of its watch, the broad wearables market seems to be faltering rather than gaining traction, Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT, told the E-Commerce Times.

The category is struggling mainly because theres still a dearth of apps or use cases, said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst for worldwide mobile device trackers at IDC.

The smartwatch category is still heavily reliant on the smartphone and doesnt offer a differentiated enough experience to justify the added cost, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Apart from that, many users still arent satisfied with the design or battery life, Ubrani pointed out. However, Fitbit and to some extent Pebble do have great design and battery life compared to other smartwatches out there, so itll be interesting to see how this plays out.
Sprint has apparently started a slow rollout of Rich Communication Services, or RCS, for select devices. RCS, for the uninitiated, is an upgraded SMS standard for improved text and multimedia sharing. The nearest RCS comparison would be iMessage, Apple's proprietary messaging app between iDevices.

The newest version of Google Messenger has now been found to display the option to enable "Enhanced Messaging," but only for a number of Sprint smartphones. Google announced RCS early November with Sprint as the first partner carrier, gunning 2017 as the starting point for all Android devices under Sprint to be released with RCS as standard.

RCS On Google Messenger

First sightings of the new enhanced messaging option were first reported on the Android subreddit. According to some users who fortunately came across the option, the app was able to send a 104 MB video under a couple of minutes sans issues.

In comparison, the outdated SMS technology can only send a maximum of 160 characters, otherwise text messages that span the limit are split into separate blocks. SMS also doesn't support large file transfers. These limitations are only a few, but they clearly are the reason why internet messaging services such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp are lapsing SMS in terms of relevance in recent years.

Supported Devices

Only a number of Reddit users have so far seen the option on their smartphones, and a lot of users in the Android subreddit are still failing to spot the option on their smartphones. This suggests that Sprint might either be administering public test runs or is simply rolling the feature out at a snail's pace.

The feature is currently appearing on a number of Sprint devices: Moto G4 Play, LG V20, LG G4, and Nexus 5X.

Advantages Of RCS

RCS is obviously the next leap in messaging technology, as it can perform a number of tasks impossible to do via SMS. RCS can facilitate file sharing, as previously mentioned, and it can allow users to read message receipts even in group chats. Users can even see an animation indicating that other end of the conversation is in the process of responding, a minimal feature, sure, but one that makes messaging more dynamic.

Only Google's self-branded Pixel phones have been previously reported to enable RCS messaging.

For those who have Android smartphones under Sprint, have you checked or updated your Google Messenger app yet? Are you seeing the new enhanced messaging option? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
When Xiaomi opened sales for the Mi Mix, the device sold out in 10 seconds. That is not an error, as the massive demand for the smartphone and the low initial supply strategy of Xiaomi combined to allow the Mi Mix to achieve such a feat.

Huawei, however, might be looking to replicate the same success that Xiaomi has found with the Mi Mix, and a leaked image provides a first look at the device that many are expecting would be a worthy challenger to Xiaomi's successful smartphone.

Meet The Huawei Honor Magic

The first leaked image of the Honor Magic has been making the rounds online, revealing the smartphone while a user is setting up its fingerprint recognition technology.

Huawei is describing the Honor Magic as a concept device, similar to how Xiaomi described the Mi Mix, showcasing the best technology that the company can incorporate into a smartphone. While the general notion is that concept devices are not for sale, Xiaomi broke the mold by releasing the Mi Mix into the market, though only in China.

The image of the Honor Magic revealed a device that has the fingerprint scanner at the front, below its display, with what is one of the smallest bottom bezels that has ever been designed for a smartphone. With the top bezel that contains the front-facing camera also shown to be very small and the screen featuring curved display technology, the Honor Magic could be the new king of display-to-body ratios.

What We Know So Far About The Honor Magic

While nothing has been officially confirmed by Huawei regarding the upcoming device, it is expected that the Honor Magic will come with top-end specifications that will allow it to rival the Mi Mix.

There have also been previous rumors that the Honor Magic will not come with a built-in speaker or camera, with the smartphone to acquire the functionalities presented by these components through some kind of modular system.

Aside from these, nothing else is known about the Honor Magic, but we now know, if the leaked image is true, that Huawei's concept smartphone looks stunning.

Going Up Against The Mi Mix

The Honor Magic will be tasked to challenge the Mi Mix, which packs a 6.4-inch 1080p bezel-less LCD curved screen, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 821, up to 6 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage, and a 4,400 mAh battery.

Will Huawei be able to challenge Xiaomi's Mi Mix with the Honor Magic? We'll know for sure once more details for the smartphone are released.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The state of Washington has filed a lawsuit against agrochemical giant Monsanto for allegedly polluting the environment with toxic chemicals, which are now endangering the lives of plants, animals, and humans in the area.

State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced on Thursday, Dec. 8, that the government is seeking damages and cleanup costs from the St. Louis-based agricultural company after it had hidden the real impact of its polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) products on the environment and human health.

"It is time to hold the sole U.S. manufacturer of PCBs accountable for the significant harm they have caused to our state," Ferguson said.

Aside from endangering the citizens of Washington, the attorney general said Monsanto's chemical products are also harmful to the lives of orcas and salmon, which the state has spent tens of millions of dollars to protect.

Banned Chemicals

Polychlorinated biphenyls were once primarily used for paint, hydraulic fluids, sealants, coolants and other commercial and industrial applications. Monsanto remained the sole producer of PCBs from 1935 until 1979, when Congress decided to ban the substance.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the use of PCBs has been linked to various health issues in humans and animals, including damage to the nervous, immune and reproductive systems, as well as the development of cancer.

Despite the filing of the lawsuit, Monsanto maintains the environmental case doesn't have enough merit to push through in court.

Company vice president Scott Partridge called the case "highly experimental" since it is targeting a manufacturer for producing and selling lawful and useful chemicals from decades ago. He asserted that governments and industries used their PCBs to help other products become safer to use.

Washington State, however, stressed that Monsanto and its two spinoff companies, Pharmacia and Solutia, should be made responsible for the damages PCBs have caused to the environment and the impact they have had on the state economy.

PCB Contamination

Ferguson said traces of PCBs have been found in the soil, air, and water systems of the state. The chemicals have been linked to contamination of various sites, including Puget Sound, Lake Spokane, Wenatchee River, and Commencement Bay.

Washington State is also not the only one seeking reparation from Monsanto over PCB contamination.

According to the State Attorney General's office, the company is also facing similar cases filed by at least eight West Coast cities, including Portland in Oregon and Berkeley, Long Beach, Oakland, and San Diego in California. These lawsuits are still ongoing.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have combined nanomaterial graphene and the kid's toy Silly Putty, creating a sensor sensitive enough for a range of applications, including measuring spider footsteps.

In a study published in the journal Science, Jonathan Coleman and colleagues showed that not only does Silly Putty exhibit surprising properties by behaving like both a solid and liquid but that it is also capable of so much more when combined with graphene.

Mixing Graphene And Silly Putty

Coleman's team's general focus is on two-dimensional molecules such as graphene and finding applications for flat nanomaterials. The group also have a tradition of carrying out "kitchen physics," so they incorporate ordinary household items into their research to make it more accessible. It was because of this that Silly Putty became part of their work.

According to Coleman, Connor Boland, one of the study's authors, suggested that they use Silly Putty because not only is it an everyday object, but it is also a polymer, and graphene has been mixed in with polymers before.

Boland proceeded with making a graphene batch in water and adding Silly Putty. As the two materials were being mixed, graphene sheets stuck to the polymer, resulting in a black goo the research team fondly refers to as "G-putty."

Putting G-putty To The Test

When the researchers applied electrical current through the graphene-Silly Putty mix, they observed that the graphene-infused polymer was extraordinarily sensitive.

"If you touch it even with the slightest pressure or deformation, the electrical resistance will change significantly," said Coleman.

Specifically, just stretching or compressing the material by a percent of its normal size will change its electrical resistance by a factor of five. If other deformation-detecting materials were stretched or compressed with the same rate, they would only respond with a 1 percent change in electrical resistance. This makes G-putty 500 times more sensitive than them!

To further test G-putty's sensitivity, the researchers had a spider walk over the material and measured its footsteps. Given the graphene-infused polymer was able to detect the spider's tiny footfalls, it can also be used as an impact sensor.

G-putty Applications

The researchers envision G-putty being used as an electromechanical sensor to measure vibrations, particularly bodily motions. For instance, a squishy and unobtrusive sensor could be used in tracking breathing in babies, or it could be placed over a pulse point and used to gauge heart rate and blood pressure.

Coleman explained that continuously measuring blood pressure, for instance, is a great way to track the well-being of an individual. G-putty can do just that effectively and cheaply as well, so the researchers are already exploring commercialization opportunities for the material.

Photo: University of the Fraser Valley | Flickr

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Sony reportedly wants to be the first smartphone maker beside Google to push Android 7.1.1 Nougat to its smartphones.

In fact, releasing the latest Android 7.1.1 Nougat build is apparently the "number one priority" for Sony's developer team, according to a new report.

"If you spot any other vendor (excluding Google) releasing this faster than us, prepare your rotten tomatoes," Sony's developer team told the Xperia Blog.

Android 7.1.1 is the most recent version of Android and Google itself just released it to its Pixel and Nexus devices on Dec. 5. Google also made the source code available to manufacturers on the same day via the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), but the update availability depends on each OEM.

Android Updates

There's a wide pool of choices when shopping for a smartphone and a broad set of factors to take into account before making a decision. Price, specs, form factor, brand, design and others are important factors to take into account, as is software and the OEM's reliability when it comes to software updates.

Some smartphone makers always try to be among the first to release new software updates, while others slack and lag behind, leaving users waiting for a good while before getting the latest Android version (if they have a fairly new device).

Xperia Nougat Updates

Sony has been among the ones trying to release updates in a timely manner. The company already released Android 7.0 Nougat for its Xperia XZ and Xperia X Performance, with more handsets to get the update soon.

If the Xperia Blog's report turns out to be accurate, Sony is already moving to Android 7.1.1 and some devices that haven't received Android 7.0 Nougat yet will likely skip straight to the latest version.

The Xperia Blog makes no mention of when Sony will actually start pushing Android 7.1.1 Nougat to devices, but it may not take long if it's a top priority. The latest Android version will likely hit the flagships first, meaning that the same Xperia XZ and Xperia X Performance should be the first in line.

Nevertheless, the Xperia Z5 line, the Xperia Z4 Tablet and the Xperia Z3+ are also expected to get a taste of Nougat soon, and it might as well be the new Android 7.1.1 version.

Sony has yet to officially confirm its Android 7.1.1 Nougat plans, so it might be best to take this news with a grain of salt for now. As always, we'll keep you in the loop as soon as we learn more.

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Michigan has become the first state to pass comprehensive regulations for the testing, usage and sale of self-driving cars.

Four bills related to self-driving technology were signed by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, placing the state in the position to become the future leader in the growth of the self-driving car industry.

Michigan's Laws For Self-Driving Cars

With the bills that Gov. Snyder has signed into law, the state now allows self-driving cars that have no steering wheels or brake pedals to be tested, even without a human in the vehicle's front seat. Michigan now also allows the usage of self-driving cars in ride-sharing services.

In addition, Michigan is now also allowing the sale of self-driving cars to the public, once the technology has been tested and certified.

Collectively, the new regulations effectively amend the Michigan Motor Vehicle requirements, along with another law that previously banned self-driving technology in the state.

The new laws also pave the way for the establishment of the Michigan Council on Future Mobility, which will function as an arm of the Michigan Department of Transportation. The council will craft recommendations for policies on self-driving car technology, and will also regulate the networks that connected vehicles operate in and the collection and sharing of traffic data, including those collected from crashes.

Among the companies that helped shape the bills that Gov. Snyder has signed into law are automobile manufacturers Ford, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler, and General Motors, alongside ride-sharing services Lyft and Uber and the perceived leader in the development of self-driving car technology, Google.

Michigan vs. Silicon Valley

The new laws look to re-establish Michigan as the state that would be the center of innovations in the automotive industry, at a time when most of the news is focused on self-driving technology being developed in Silicon Valley.

With the new regulations, Michigan propels itself in front of California, as laws there do not allow the usage of self-driving cars that do not have steering wheels and brake pedals, which include prototypes that have been created by Google.

A Wrinkle In Michigan's Self-Driving Laws

Not everything about the laws that were passed in Michigan are what self-driving technology proponents wanted though. Under the regulations, only motor vehicle manufacturers are given the permission to operate ride-sharing services using self-driving cars.

This is a problem because, as Uber and Lyft expect, people might no longer feel the need to buy cars in the future, as they will be using transportation services offered by them through self-driving cars.

For non-traditional automakers such as Uber, Lyft, and Google, to be able to test and deploy their self-driving cars, they would need to work with a traditional automobile manufacturer in creating the cars or seek approval from the NHTSA for their prototypes.

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Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive, intends to hold control of the social networking site as he guns for a spot in politics, according to new reports which include a dug-up class-action lawsuit filed April.

The lawsuit was filed after Zuckerberg proposed a change in Facebook's corporate structure that will render voting powers of shareholders obsolete, giving Zuckerberg an "eternal control" of the company, the shareholders' lawyers said.

Zuckerberg In Government

Text messages culled from court documents pin Zuckerberg and two other board members discussing the Facebook chief's prospects of a position in government or politics, and piped concerns about the proper way of approaching shareholders with the prospect, The Guardian reported.

Marc Andreessen, a venture capitalist and one of Facebook's most important investors, told Zuckerberg in March via text that the most pressing issue of the proposal was figuring out how to skirt around the government service topic without terrifying shareholders of Zuckerberg possibly diluting his commitment to the company.

Andreessen resumed correspondence with Zuckerberg via text a few weeks later, having conversed with two other members of the special committee tasked specifically for the proposal.

"I think the biggest remaining issue is still around the government service," wrote Andreessen.

Erskine Bowles, erstwhile White House chief of staff and one of the special committee members, was "massively uncomfortable" with Zukerberg remaining in control of Facebook and going off on leave without involvement by the board, according to Andreessen.

The special committee in mid-April recommended that the Facebook's board approve Zuckerberg's proposal, and the approval was sealed by the board and the shareholders, as described in a series of text messages between Andreessen and Zuckerberg.

"[M]ission accomplished," quipped Andreessen.

Zuckerberg's Proposal

As described in a regulatory filing, Zuckerberg's proposal involves taking a leave for two years from Facebook duties for government service while retaining control of the company.

Facebook investors sued Facebook's chief between April and May, telling a Delaware court that Zuckerberg and Andreessen held a huge influence in the board's decision, shielding Zuckerberg over minority shareholders. Furthermore, filings suggest that Andreessen pulled legwork to protect Zuckerberg's interest via the special committee process, Bloomberg reported.

Attorneys have declined to comment, but a spokesperson for Facebook has said that the company believes that the special committee underwent a "thorough and fair process" in relation to the proposal.

The court has paused Zuckerberg's proposal until the lawsuit is resolved.

Facebook's Political Controversies

Facebook has recently been the target of accusations with regard to political imbalance, for instance Peter Thiel's support for President-elect Donald Trump. Thiel is a board member of Facebook, and is one of the angel investors of the site.

Facebook has also recently been an alleged hotbed of false information and fake news, the proliferation of which swayed in favor of Trump's eventual victory, according to several op-eds posted since early November.

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When Google announced that 4K video is now available for purchase or rent at Google Play, it only cited a handful of compatible devices, including the Chromecast Ultra, Sony Bravia Android TV and the Xiaomi Mi Box 3.

Now, Nvidia is scrambling not to get left out in the cold. It has now declared that it is working on an update that will have Nvidia Shield included in Google's list of devices capable of 4K playback.

Nvidia Shield vs. Google's 4K Requirement

Reports confirm that the Nvidia Shield was, indeed, eliminated from the list of supported devices because Google has deemed it unfit. Particularly, it purportedly found that the popular Android TV box lacked VP9 support.

Technically, the Nvidia Shield supports VP9. It is clearly outlined in the device's spec sheet if you head to Nvidia's website.

Under Video Features, there is a specification detailing a 4K playback capability at 60 fps (VP9, H265, H264).

Google has reiterated in a statement issued to Android Headlines that Shield is not supported because it is not capable of VP9. This echoed an earlier announcement last Dec. 6, indicating that nothing has changed.

"Starting in the United States and Canada, you can purchase 4K movies on your Android device or on the web and stream them on your Chromecast Ultra, your Sony Bravia Android TV, or your Xiaomi Mi Box 3," Google said.

VP9 And 4K Playback

Since the VP9 seems to be at the crux of the Nvidia Shield disqualification, it is helpful to explain what it means. Simply put, it is a codec that can process 4K content in a way that is manageable for devices. It is considered a Google technology.

Now, Google's beef with the Shield stems from the manner by which the device claims to support VP9 and H264. The latter is a competing codec that is more identified in the processing of HD and Full HD content.

Everything boils down to the point that it is not possible to offer support for both at the same time. In the case of the Shield, the H264 seems to be in use while the VP9 has been disabled.

Software Fix To Support 4K

Nvidia is, therefore, developing some workaround in order to activate its VP9 capability. The only problem here is whether Google's 4K content requires a higher VP9 profile, one that could entail a hardware upgrade. This is, however, unlikely since Nvidia has already confirmed that it is working on a software fix that would elevate the standard of its VP9 support.

There is still no word about the patch rollout schedule but one can expect that it will be released soon.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A scalp-cooling device has been found effective at reducing hair loss in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Reporting their findings at the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Julia Nangia and colleagues may have found the solution to helping ease the additional emotional stress cancer patients feel when they lose their hair while receiving treatment.

"Patients and physicians have been hoping and searching for methods or therapies to prevent or reduce hair loss due to chemotherapy, but the options have been very limited due to the complexity of both the disease and the treatment," said Nangia.

Orbis Paxman Hair Loss Prevention System

The researchers tested a two-cap system called the Orbis Paxman Hair Loss Prevention System. Made by Paxman Coolers Ltd., the scalp-cooling device features an inner silicon cap that circulates refrigerated fluid and an outer neoprene cap that insulates the patient's scalp. The company also provided funding so the device could be tested.

Both caps are designed to be worn during the course of a chemotherapy system, devised to keep the coolant at a consistent temperature and hooked up to a small machine that can be detached should the patient need to move during a session.

With the primary objective of determining the scalp-cooling device's safety and efficacy in reducing hair loss in cancer patients, the study was carried out in several trial sites located all over the United States, including the Cleveland Clinic, the Texas Oncology Baylor Sammons Cancer Center, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Texas Oncology Medical City Dallas, Hematology and Oncology Associates of Northern New Jersey (now called Summit Medical Group-MD Anderson Cancer Center), and the Texas Oncology Memorial City.

It also involved 182 women diagnosed with stage I or II breast cancer and are scheduled to receive at least four rounds of either anthracycline- or taxane-based chemotherapy. The participants were randomly divided into two, with one group using the Orbis Paxman Hair Loss Prevention system and the other not receiving cooling therapy. Women were chosen as subjects because they represent a large population of breast cancer patients and are generally more emotionally sensitive regarding the issue of hair loss.

Those on cooling therapy were made to wear the scalp-cooling device for 30 minutes before their treatment began, while they were receiving chemotherapy, and 90 minutes after receiving their treatment.

The researchers observed that 50.5 percent of the patients in the cooling group experienced hair preservation while no one in the no-cooling group yielded the same results.

During the course of the trial, the participants reported temporary discomfort and headaches. To fully see if there will be adverse effects related to wearing the scalp-cooling device, the researchers will be following participants part of the cooling group for five years.

How Cooling Therapy Prevents Hair Loss

Nangia explained that chemotherapy works by targeting rapidly dividing cells, including hair cells. However, about 90 percent of targeted rapidly dividing hair cells are in the growth stage, which is why hair loss occurs.

Cooling therapy addresses hair loss during chemotherapy by lowering the scalp's temperature, constricting blood vessels to reduce blood flow to hair follicles. This also means a reduction in chemotherapy drugs reaching the hair follicles so they are spared from the effects of the treatment.

With desired results met in the study, Paxman Coolers Ltd. will be filing for the scalp-cooling device's clearance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In 2015, the FDA cleared the use of the DigniCap Scalp Cooling System for the same purpose.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A retired British Royal Air Force commander thinks young gamers would be perfect to fly Reaper drones in combat to fight ISIS.

Greg Bagwell, a retired air marshal who used to be in charge of overseeing the use of combat Reaper drones in Syria, has testified before a parliamentary group and urged the RAF to recruit gamers.

The RAF needs to deploy more combat drones but it doesn't have enough pilots, so Bagwell's solution is to consider recruiting young gamers aged 18 and 19 and have them blast ISIS with Reaper drones.

MQ-9 Reaper Drones

The RAF has a fleet of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper drones, but qualified pilots to operate the drones are hard to come by. Drone pilots are typically recruited from the ranks of regular pilots, but the RAF should think outside of the box and start recruiting elsewhere.

The Reaper drone has a 66-foot wingspan and weighs nearly five tons at takeoff when it's fully armed and fueled, according to the U.S. Air Force. It can fire missiles and bombs in combat, but it puts pilots through great psychological stress.

Bagwell pointed out that drone operators face a psychological pressure that can overwhelm them. Mental stress or illness prompted some pilots to quit, which left the UK with a shortage it needs to address.

Recruit Gamers Straight Out Of Their 'PlayStation Bedroom'

"We need to test harder whether we can take a young 18- or 19-year-old out of their PlayStation bedroom and put them into a Reaper," said Bagwell, as cited by The Guardian.

Bagwell further explains that Reaper operators need to have a 3D view that makes them aware of everything that's going on, even when they're 3,000 miles away. Operators basically play 3D chess in their mind to figure out how everything fits together to prosecute a target, he explained.

Coalition Air Strikes Against ISIS

According to The Guardian, Reaper drones executed more than a third of all coalition strikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq. With this in mind, greater use of drones would allow for a better fighting chance against ISIS.

Bagwell says that laws regarding drone use should be changed to keep up with technological advances that would enable greater use of weaponry that can be operated autonomously and remotely.

Richard Barrons, another retired commander, echoes Bagwell's suggestion that the law governing the use of drones should be reconsidered. According to Barrons, the UK needs to prepare for and counter the possibility that its enemies will use robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems for greater combat capabilities "where machines kill on the basis of an algorithm without a human in the room."

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro Moros, received with honors his peer from Guinea Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, on... | Read More
Voters will head to the polls on Saturday to finish off this election cycle as they choose a new senator, new congressional representatives and new local officials in the December 10 runoff election.

With the U.S. Presidential election out of the way, focus has sharpened on the upcoming Louisiana elections. Airwaves have been crowded and mailboxes have been stuffed with campaign ads as John Kennedy and Foster Campbell face off in the U.S. Senate race and Sharon Weston Broome and Bodi White run for East Baton Rouge Parish mayor-president.

Despite early voting hitting a record high in the November general election, turnout is expected to be low on Saturday. That forecast is based on the less than 6 percent of the state's registered voters who cast ballots during the runoff's early voting period. It was even lower in in Lafayette Parish, where just 4 percent of registered voters went to the polls during the runoff's early voting period.

Based on historical voting patterns and participation in early voting we are anticipating statewide turnout of just below 30 percent, which is significantly lower than we saw in November, Secretary of State Tom Schedler said in a news release. There are still many important elections to be decided in our state so I encourage everyone to go exercise their right to vote and to educate themselves on the candidates and the issues before going to the polls."

The mayor-president's race in East Baton Rouge Parish was thought to be a driver of the higher turnout here as opposed to the rest of the state. Both Democrat Broome and Republican White spent their Fridays trying to mobilize their voting bases to go vote in the election to replace three-term mayor-president Kip Holden.

White joined other Republicans at a rally Friday where U.S. President-elect Donald Trump flew into Baton Rouge to campaign for the members of his party on Saturday's ballot.

The crowd of supporters erupted in cheers as White took the stage in a lineup of speakers before Trump's arrival at the Dow Chemical Hangar at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.

At the Legislature, mayor candidate Bodi White focused on education and crime These days veteran legislator Bodi White might be best known for his role in trying to sheph

White implored his base to go vote, saying he hoped to work with Trump's administration and the congressional delegation on building a new Mississippi River Bridge. He also said he expects Trump to dole out resources for flood recovery and that he shared the president-elect's tough-on-crime stance.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity that Louisiana and the city of Baton Rouge has to work with this next president," White said.

Later in the day, Broome had a rally of her own where she asked a crowd at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church to flood the polls on Saturday. She said Thursday night that Trump's visit would have no affect on her campaign.

About 60 people spent an hour alternating between singing worship music and praying for Broome at her get out the vote rally. Everyone joined hands and prayed together for Broome's success.

Several speakers extolled Broome's record in public service and asked the audience members to galvanize their friends to vote for her.

"The journey's not going to end tomorrow night," Broome said. "We wake up Sunday morning and the real work begins."

Broome led in the crowded general election with 32 percent of the vote, while White was behind her with 29 percent of the vote. Pollsters have not predicted a solid outcome, though some have said high voter turnout on election day would favor Broome and a low voter turnout would favor White.

In Acadiana, voters will also choose between two Republicans in the 3rd Congressional District race for the U.S. House of Representatives. Scott Angelle and Clay Higgins are competing for the seat to replace Charles Boustany.

Polls open are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday. Anyone in line by 8 p.m. should still be allowed to vote. People can check their sample ballots at geauxvote.com.
A felon with a prior armed robbery conviction was indicted Wednesday in the Nov. 10 killing of a Plank Road tire shop employee who died while 
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It must have seemed like it was meant to be: Louisiana corrections officials needed new offices for their employee credit union and for Prison Enterprises, a branch of the corrections department that puts inmates to work making everything from clothing to food.

Right next door to corrections headquarters in downtown Baton Rouge was an old, vacant red-brick building, the former home of the Police Department, which is owned by the state and was badly in need of a makeover.

So began the Building 10 renovation, now nearly complete, with a price tag of $6.9 million. Showing off the result to reporters last month, corrections officials noted proudly that it was a relative bargain, thanks largely to the use of inmate labor.

But inmates  who make at most 20 cents an hour -- didnt do all of the work. While architects and project managers for public jobs are often chosen through a competitive selection process, that wasn't done in this case, and lucrative chunks of the job were instead simply awarded to two allies of corrections head Jimmy LeBlanc.

Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force aims to cut state's prison population After decades of locking 'em up on the way to Louisiana's tops-in-the-nation incarceration r

All the design work was done by GraceHebert Architects, a large and well-known Baton Rouge firm whose president, Jerry Hebert, is married to LeBlancs niece. Hebert's son-in-law, Joe Buttross, is also a key official at Prison Enterprises. There was no solicitation process for the job, which has earned GraceHebert more than a half-million dollars so far. By law, corrections officials say, they weren't required to do one.

And the construction is being overseen by Gary Shotwell, a retired prison official who was LeBlancs right-hand man for years when LeBlanc was warden of Dixon Correctional Institute in Jackson. Shotwell, who was hired after corrections officials approached him about the Building 10 job, has made nearly $200,000 so far. He also did work on LeBlancs private home when the two were at Dixon.

Shotwells work on Building 10  which largely involves overseeing inmate laborers -- wasnt the only portion of the job awarded without competition, though public building projects must normally follow a strict bid process. The purchase of materials, for instance, was not subject to bid.

Jenifer Schaye, general counsel for the state legislative auditor, said her review of state law indicates that correctional projects must be bid publicly if their total cost is greater than $200,000.

That threshold was far exceeded by this project, which includes $3.9 million from the state, and $3 million from the credit union.

Corrections officials disagree strongly with Schayes interpretation, saying the state law cited by Schaye applies only to new construction, and that it specifically exempts renovations from the $200,000 threshold.

The state ethics code, meanwhile, bars people or companies they own from getting contracts with an agency that employs a close relative.

LeBlanc, whose niece is married to Hebert, is not considered a member of Heberts immediate family under state law, but Buttross is.

Buttross is Heberts son-in-law and a top official at Prison Enterprises, the arm of the corrections department that will occupy the building along with the credit union.

Corrections officials say there is no conflict. So does Hebert, who claims his client in this case is neither the corrections department nor Prison Enterprises, but a public entity called the Louisiana Correctional Facilities Corp. That entity, whose five board members are appointed by the governor and include LeBlanc, issues bonds to help pay for corrections-related projects, among them Building 10.

Were the Ethics Board to take up the question, deciding who was GraceHeberts client would likely be key. To find a violation, the Ethics Board would likely have to show that the contract is under the supervision or jurisdiction of Prison Enterprises, as the law puts it.

That could prove a sticky question. The checks GraceHebert receives come from LCFC, but the firms invoices are all addressed to Prison Enterprises. Prison Enterprises officials, including Buttross and his boss, agency director Michael Moore, have attended several of LCFCs quarterly meetings to explain the project. Prison Enterprises also pays the inmates wages.

Regardless of who is seen as GraceHeberts client in the Building 10 work, the architectural firm has a separate contract signed by a Prison Enterprises official that is worth a maximum of $60,000 a year, records show.

Corrections officials say that the "agency" that GraceHebert is actually contracting with is Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Corrections Services -- not Prison Enterprises, which is a distinct subset of the department. They said ethics laws only apply narrowly to the specific division of the department that has the contract.

The Prison Enterprises official's signature on the deal -- which accompanies the signature of Hebert and Thomas Bickham, the department's undersecretary -- was "purely administrative," they said.

Hebert, meanwhile, said by email that that contract was entirely appropriate because neither Joe (Buttross) nor anyone directly reporting to Joe signed the contract.

In a later message, Hebert said he had hired an attorney with expertise in ethics, who said this separate contract violated no law in part because the original deal was awarded before Buttross went to work for the department. The current contract, signed in 2014, is a renewal, Hebert said. He did not name the attorney who advised him.

How, precisely, GraceHebert landed the Building 10 gig is a bit of a mystery. Hebert referred questions on that point to Bickham.

Bickham said the credit union, which is private, was initially planning to move into Building 10 by itself, and that its board  which is not required to seek bids or proposals -- chose GraceHebert for the work.

When corrections officials later decided to move Prison Enterprises there as well, Bickham said, they opted to stick with GraceHebert because the firm was already working on the site.

It is difficult to determine how the credit union  whose 21-member board is largely comprised of current and former corrections officials, including LeBlanc and Bickham  chose the architect for the Building 10 project in the first place.

Burl Cain, president of the credit unions board and the former warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, said in an interview that the board voted in July 2013 to explore a renovation of the building. Then, in August 2014, minutes show the board voted to pay GraceHeberts outstanding invoices as well as future ones, Cain said.

But Cain could not recall the board signing a contract with GraceHebert. He said it appeared to him that the credit unions chief executive had hired the firm, because there are no board documents showing how we engaged him.

Ellen Dunn, the credit unions chief executive, did not return calls from The Advocate.

Shotwell, likewise, says he wasn't required to submit any type of proposal to get the job of project manager in part because  even though he is overseeing the entire project -- his paychecks all come from the credit union, which is private. Corrections officials say he is currently an employee of the credit union.

Shotwell said he was originally contacted about the work by Billy Breland, who oversees facilities for the corrections department and is also on the credit union's buildings committee.

"They just approached me and asked me if I would be interested in being a project manager," said Shotwell.

Shotwell, who is making $10,000 a month to oversee the job, has earned more than $180,000 on the job to date. Hes earning 27 percent more than he made as an assistant warden at Dixon Correctional Institute.

Shotwell says hes ideally qualified to supervise the Building 10 project, given his experience as a prison guard and in construction work. Overseeing the project demands not only construction experience but an ability to manage dozens of prisoners scattered all over the job site. He said there are hazards in having so many inmates at a job site in the middle of a neighborhood, noting that he'd already confiscated contraband including cocaine, marijuana and cell phones from inmates.

Shotwell stressed that LeBlanc  who as warden at Dixon was his supervisor for years  had no role in his hiring. LeBlanc echoed that view.

Shotwell acknowledged that years ago, he consulted on various projects around LeBlanc's personal house near Jackson, such as advising on fixing a ceiling fan, and hiring laborers for a project involving turning LeBlanc's carport into indoor space.

But the relationship was no different from the courtesy he'd extend to another colleague or friend, he said.

"I didn't treat him any different than anyone else," Shotwell said. "I can say this, anything that we did was on the up and up."

LeBlanc, who recently sold the house in Jackson, likewise said he had no involvement in Shotwells hiring for the Building 10 project.

And he characterized Shotwells private work for him as minimal, saying the former assistant warden once helped him fix a toilet, and that he helped him find subcontractors for the carport job.

LeBlanc stressed that he paid Shotwell for his supervisory work, and said Shotwell did it on his off hours.

He said he did not remember how much he paid Shotwell for the work, which he said took place in 2005.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a "Get Out The Vote" rally to stump for Republican senate candidate, Louisiana Treasurer John Kennedy, and other congressional candidates, in Baton Rouge, La., Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) ORG XMIT: LAGH105
The ACT government has again backed down over a proposed high-rise housing redevelopment in the territory in the face of strong community activism.

The change of heart shown by the Land Development Agency on the Red Hill proposal is another indication it recognises the public has little appetite for densification in the established suburbs.

It has now halved the proposed number of homes to replace the dilapidated public housing complex behind the shops and further reduced building heights.

This will no doubt please those who argued against the plans for 550 apartments in six-storey buildings to replace the 144 public housing units at the site.
Opinion sections in mainstream newspapers help to inform and shape a society's opinions. They are also an important measure of gender equality. Although 46 per cent of the Australian workforce is female, opinion pages continue to be dominated by men. Women are seen but not heard.

Columnist Michael Short reminded us that the upper echelons of media companies continue to be dominated by men (Comment, 4 December). To illustrate his point, last Sunday's opinion pages contained three opinion pieces written by men and one by a woman. The gender divide is also evident in The Age's regular columnists, of whom only 32 per cent are female.

Credit:Andrew Johnson

Danielle Wood at the Grattan Institute recently collected data from the opinion sections of The Age, The Australian and Australian Financial Review. Her snapshot showed women wrote 39 per cent of articles in The Age, 25 per cent in The Australian and 12 per cent in the Australian Financial Review.

The low representation of women in the opinion pages is not only an Australian phenomenon. In 2012, an analysis of UK papers and associated websites found that women had written 26 per cent of the opinion pieces. Similar results were seen in a byline survey in the United States.
No government ever asked the people of Melbourne if they wanted their city to become a high rise metropolis. No plan set such a goal. Governments decided for us.

Halfway through its term, Victorian Labor has joined the big-city development camp. Labor's strategy is to side with vested interests while pretending to listen to rising resident concerns about rampant development. But packed public meetings across the metropolitan area are demanding greater development regulation, pitting residents against big capital, unions and compliant government.

Oh dear. Credit:Paul Jones

One explanation for Labor's approach is its addiction to land-related tax revenue  currently at about $7.6 billion annually  and its desperation to maintain the construction industry share of 7 per cent of state production. The construction industry wields enormous influence through its multi-layered development, business and service elements. Peak development groups lobby effectively. Unions are a powerful lobby group with Labor.

One example of the government's approach is the recent rules for high rise residential towers in the central city. These are cosmetic, designed to appease the development industry under the fiction of government control. Extensive development will continue under one of the developed world's highest site densities with a plot ratio of 18:1. Developers gain bonuses to build even higher for providing ill-defined public benefits. Many cities require measurable public benefits as part of the approval process, not as an incentive to an already generous rule.
Mr Turnbull must have a very large "too hard" basket in his office by now. Just a few to go in it are negative gearing/capital gains/tax policy, affordable housing, the bank tribunal, Murray-Darling water policy, marriage equality and climate change/energy policy. At this rate he needs a second basket. Then again, even that would be too hard if a Coalition MP were to disagree on doing that. Kevin Ward, Preston Celebrate demise of the TPP Trade Minister Steve Ciobo is hopeful the Trans Pacific Partnership will yet survive. But in fact we should all be heaving a sigh of relief at its expected demise. It mandated investor state dispute settlement, which is great for corporations, but threatens Australia's legal sovereignty, environment protection and public health as companies could sue for loss of future earnings. Plain packaging of tobacco only survived ISDS processes on a technicality. The partnership has been criticised by groups of all political persuasions, including the Public Health Association of Australia, the AMA, Choice, the Productivity Commission and the former chief justice of the High Court. Margaret Beavis, Brighton

THE FORUM Worth of the Earth Josh Frydenberg's spectacular backdown on climate policy made the headlines, but his Victorian colleagues have been equally negligent. On Thursday Matthew Guy and the Liberal Party voted against the Victorian Climate Change Act, which legislates a long-term target of reaching zero emissions by 2050, and ensures climate change is better considered in government decision-making. Having remained quiet on the environment for two years, in recent weeks the Victorian Liberals have realigned themselves with the Bernardi-Abbott camp. They've blamed SA's power outages on renewable energy rather than the extreme weather; argued for the state government to pay to keep Hazelwood open; opposed tiny increases in the price households and businesses are paid for the solar energy they produce; and are opposing a state renewable energy target that would create thousands of jobs in regional Victoria. Is a party that ignores one of the biggest issues of our time fit to govern?

Mark Wakeham, Environment Victoria Representing who? I'm always surprised there aren't more objections when politicians are granted a conscience vote on potentially divisive social issues. This is because we elect politicians to represent us and our wishes. That is the basis of a democracy. On assisted dying, polls consistently show a majority of people in favour of it. So how can Labor's James Merlino state he will vote no just a day after the Premier announces that a bill will be brought before Parliament. Has Merlino managed to consult his constituents in less than 24 hours? Barbara Weeber, Officer It's a page turner

The PM intends to read a dozen books over the Christmas break (News, 4/12). As a refresher I suggest he first read Storms of My Grandchildren: The truth about the coming climate catastrophe by climate scientist James Hansen. Terry Court, Tatura Having a good lie down I have it on good authority that Jobson Growth is on stress leave after being accused of wasting taxpayers' time and money. I suppose the government didn't have much choice: if it had sacked him, that could have led to an unfair dismissal claim. Jenifer Nicholls, Armadale

Public lamentation Yes, Max Ogden (Letters, 4/12), if the SEC still existed it would have planned for a sensible transition to renewable energy years ago. As well, the public wouldn't be worrying about being ripped off by avaricious energy companies, and spending hours comparing companies and rates because we'd be comforted in the knowledge that everyone was being charged the same. We also wouldn't have shows like the ABC's The Checkout telling us that we consumers should do our own research, keep switching energy providers, push hard to get a better deal, and if we are being charged too much it's basically our own fault. Catherine Miller, Mont Albert Bucket of disbelief

Tanya Plibersek thinks there's no compelling reason to cut money to over-funded schools. That is exactly the compelling reason. A handful of elite private schools are getting their profit/loss statements boosted while poor schools rely on demountables. Her argument that sorting it out would only be a "drop in the bucket" is specious  that the accounting is more important than doing what is right and just. I could argue that I won't pay my tax as the difference I make is only a drop in the bucket. John Sutton, West Brunswick Point of no returns In supporting the over-funding of elite schools, Tanya Plibersek has sold out her values and undermined future educational equality, seemingly for the sole purpose of point-scoring. And Labor wonders why their members are flocking to the Greens. Gemma-Jane Cooper, South Yarra

Backpacks of billions Congratulations to our leaders in Canberra for finally passing the backpacker tax. This legislation will surely be the key to restoring our economy. For too long have these backpackers been allowed to come to Australia, make billions of dollars that they take out of the country and pay absolutely no tax. Or was that the multinationals? Helen Collins, Malvern East Decency adrift The story of the Glaser family's flight from Nazi-occupied Europe is especially poignant given that our current border control regime would classify them under the pejorative term "economic migrants" and as "boat people"  albeit arriving via liners ("Harold Holt, Hitler and the party that saved a family", 4/12).

The Glasers used money to secure immediate safe passage from a murderous German Reich, not unlike the hundreds of thousands of middle-class Syrians now finding refuge in Angela Merkel's Germany. Notwithstanding the cultural stresses of such an influx, many towns and corporations such as Daimler and Bosch are integrating the new arrivals through job mentorships and interaction with local families. The inherent decency of the young Harold Holt in 1938 has, by contrast, gone missing in 2016 Australia. Jon McMillan, Mount Eliza The courage to care The inspiring article about the Glasers and "Uncle Borer" are timely reminders of the dangers of prejudice and discrimination. Unfortunately it is increasingly acceptable to stereotype whole groups of people, be they Muslims, refugees, Indigenous or Sudanese youth, simply because of the activities of some individuals in their communities. Discrimination against Jews in Nazi Europe began innocuously, with the wider population coming to accept increasing discrimination towards them. Discrimination also extended to the Roma, homosexuals, those with significant disabilities, opponents of Nazi philosophy and so on. Since the inception 23 years ago of the Courage to Care exhibition and educational program, more than 90,000 secondary students have participated in this volunteer-based travelling exhibition. It pays tribute to the Righteous Among the Nations, and their stories are used as examples of ethical behaviour. The goal is to encourage the next generation to realise that "each person can make a difference" and, above all, to "never be bystander". The world needs to heed the lessons of history and not seek scapegoats for complex issues.

Tony Weldon, Melbourne That's a black mark Reading the article "Facing up to youth crime" (4/12) I was dismayed that young people of "African backgrounds" were singled out for their involvement. As a professional working in the youth justice system, my experience is that people of all backgrounds are represented. However, a "white Australian background" is rarely reported. Young people become involved in crime for complex reasons, but we must endeavour to make everyone feel welcome, building on the strengths of the communities and the individuals in them, not highlighting their differences based on appearance and assumptions of their background. As a black British man of Caribbean descent living in Australia, I wonder whether it is the appearance of my "African background" that you see. Kevin Lee, North Fitzroy

Top marks for research I dips me lid to Barbara Chapman of Hawthorn for her consistently intelligent, articulate and well-researched letters. They are a pleasure to read. Mike Puleston, Brunswick Power of the pen Barbara Chapman's pen is mightier than the sword. Long may she continue to wield it against cant and corruption.

Joe Wilder, Caulfield North Big hand for ambos While visiting Mildura recently I developed suspected septicaemia and was transported by to Mildura hospital and then by air ambulance at 3.30am to The Alfred hospital. I have no doubt that the prompt response of this exemplary service (despite recent complaints from the public) and the competent compassionate care of all the professionals involved saved my life. I will be forever grateful for Victoria's wonderful ambulance service. Diana Bos, Camberwell Really made the grade
Taxpayers are paying millions of dollars to fund think tanks closely aligned to the major political parties.

Experts say voters should be concerned about the little-known Department of Finance grant payments to the Liberal-aligned Menzies Research Centre and Labor-aligned Chifley Research Centre.

Menzies Research Centre executive director Nick Cater has defended the grants. Credit:60 Minutes

The department has given the two think tanks, which have close financial links to their parent parties, more than $1 million each in grants since 2012, an analysis of department documents shows.

The department says it gives the money through its Grants-in Aid program to organisations that "advance public policy debate". But analysis shows 85 per cent of the program's money goes to party-aligned organisations.
The Obama family has sent its last Christmas card before packing up the U-Haul and leaving the White House.

And, boy, it's a winner.

The Obama family's last Christmas card before they leave the White House.

With a photo taken at a White House state dinner honouring Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in March, it features President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia in a happy family moment, long before Donald Trump was a serious contender to control the free world.

Sporting a classic black tuxedo, El Pres looks proud as punch with Sasha, who is in a sleeveless gown with blue and purple brocade detailing, and Mrs Obama, in a strapless Jason Wu jacquard gown, on his arm. Malia also wore a strapless gown for the occasion.
Hall is an accessible, trash-talking, modern-day parenting oracle. Credit:Steven Chee "These women love me and I love them. I get goosebumps just talking about them because we are so close, which sounds bizarre and really stupid, but I really feel we are," she tells me after her time in Newcastle, where she hosted her seventh sold-out Q&A session to promote her self-published memoir, Like a Queen. These meet-ups  12 in Australia, three in New Zealand, and with a UK leg to come  are organised solely through social media and attract diverse crowds of women. There's wine, there's swearing and there are public autopsies of a range of hard-hitting issues, including postnatal depression and the loneliness of motherhood. "I don't have 'followers', they're not 'following' me  they're queens." Credit:Steven Chee Despite being wooed by four major publishing houses who tried to secure the rights to her first book earlier this year, Hall decided to self-publish Like a Queen. She says she was offered advances of $50,000, but baulked at the fine print of the contracts giving the publishers global rights.

She borrowed money from her stepfather for the initial print run of 400 books. She won't be drawn on how many she's sold so far, but there have been at least three print runs, with more expected in the lead-up to Christmas. She's since had to employ a team to handle printing, international distribution and her Facebook administration. Essentially, what I do is share my shit and give people a hand up. I know how to talk to people who are struggling. But despite the hassle of selfpublishing, it's a decision Hall is glad she made. "I have a crusade going on because no one's ever listened to me before and everything that I've got I've gained from my supporters, my queens," Hall says. "So for somebody now to come and pluck me away from them and feed me back to them in their own way  as kind and lovely as they all were  didn't feel natural to me. I want the book and my posts to be from me to the queens with no censoring." Hall is an accessible, trash-talking, modern-day parenting oracle, loved by her local fans as well as more high-profile followers like actor Ashton Kutcher. Her popularity skyrocketed in January when a post about "parent sex" went viral, chalking up more than 160,000 likes and being shared about 38,000 times. (No mean feat considering the last post by Kim Kardashian West, who has more than 29 million fans, clocked up 175,000 likes and was shared 3000 times.)

"You know what parent sex is, it's that 3 minutes you get in between changing nappies and making food," Hall wrote. Soon after, Kutcher sang the praises of her parenting style to his 17.5 million Facebook fans. While some brands and personalities game the Facebook algorithm by paying to boost posts on the platform, Hall doesn't. "I've been blacklisted," she says of her sometimes expletive-ridden updates, "so I have to rely on my content being good enough that people will share it. "Essentially, what I do is share my shit and give people a hand up. I know how to talk to people who are struggling, because that's where I've been for so long." Hall never talks down to women, never patronises. In between the crass talk and photos of her on the toilet, halfnaked in a change room with her arms stuck in a dress three sizes too small, or flipping the bird, she is kind, wise and psychologically astute. She knows how to talk to her audience and it shows with her ability to convert "likes" on a page into reality. At her first Like a Queen event in Perth, people queued for two hours just to meet her. Back in July, she felt compelled to weigh in on Sonia Kruger's controversial comments on Muslim immigration. But while other commentators were crucifying the Today Extra host, Hall performed a master class in diplomacy. She was sympathetic to Kruger yet firmly denounced her views.

"To see people piling hate on her  I hate that about the internet," she says. "One minute she's being celebrated because she's an older woman having a baby, the next minute we all hate her because she's racist, it's just so silly. So it broke my heart. It always breaks my heart when the internet turns on anybody." There's more to Hall's popularity than banging the drum in the pro-women band, and that starts with Hall and Mahon's life being an open book  a refreshing antidote to the carefully Photoshopped, stage-managed stories we are fed from other high-profile personalities. On the day we meet, she and Mahon "are arguing". When I ask her if, as a former hairdresser, she misses her old life, she admits she got up early to blow-dry her manager's hair. "I miss going to the salon to gossip and bitch and chat, but the pay is shit," she says. She flaunts her "flawsome" life both online and in the book, where she reveals intimate details about a rocky marriage plagued with infidelity, her history of hard partying, and battles with anxiety and bulimia. But these sombre topics are lightened by tales of the time she toilet-trained her kids in the backyard, and how her first boyfriend's mother was convinced her son was a reincarnated dolphin. These more revealing aspects come naturally to Hall, a self-described extrovert who was once a contestant on Big Brother. (She was the first housemate of the 2005 series to be evicted, because she had lied about her relationship status during the audition process.) "It was just fun, I didn't see it as being anything other than that. I didn't expect a career out of it, while a lot of the girls in my year had to see psychiatrists and psychologists because they were so into it. You get treated like a celebrity and then two hours later, you're just dumped.

"The Big Brother thing is maybe why I'm so anti-establishment now. That was the crux of being 'owned' and not having any control over anything." She admits that this become something of an Achilles heel for her. "I can be a bit controlling and it's really scary to be anywhere where people tell me not to do that, not to say that. I'm so sensitive to criticism," she says. "I'm not getting a pay cheque every month, I'm not taking anything, so I can just keep doing my thing and if I don't want to be criticised, I won't." When Hall does lose control, drama ensues. Earlier this year, she became embroiled in controversy when a follower posted a photo to Hall's page of her son dressed up for a school parade. In the photo, the son's white skin was painted brown to look like his hero, Fijian West Coast Eagles star Nic Naitanui. Hall did not endorse the photo in any way, but bore the brunt of the media storm. The stress, combined with arguments with Mahon, saw her flee to a hotel. As usual, her followers had a front-row seat at the drama, with Hall posting a tear-stained selfie to Facebook. But she's unapologetic about her tendency to overshare. "I post stuff like that hotel-room selfie because I feel like they are my friends," she says. "The minute you say to them, 'Can you guys just lay off because I'm not coping?', they do. You're going to make the people who love you louder and the rest of the shit is just flooded away by a wave of support."
Dreamworld CEO Craig Davidson said it felt like "a normal morning at Dreamworld".

And hundreds of people did flow through the gates when it repoened on Saturday, however it quickly felt quieter than usual as guests spread through the park.

Ardent leisure CEO Deborah Thomas hugged patrons as they entered, and both she and Mr Davidson greeted arrivals as the park opened at 10am.

The theme park has remained closed since the Thunder River Rapids tragedy in which four people died in October.
A motorbike rider was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition after crashing into a guard rail in the Sunshine Coast hinterland on Saturday morning.

Police were called to the single-vehicle crash about 11.20am on Mooloolah Connection Road in Mooloolah Valley, 20 kilometres west of Caloundra.

A man in his mid-fifties was left in a critical condition after hitting a guard rail at Mooloolah Valley on Saturday. Credit:RACQ LifeFlight Rescue

The road was closed while the rescue helicopter evacuated the male rider, believed to be in his mid-fifties.

He was in a critical condition on his way to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, having suffered a head injury and broken leg.
Just before Curtis Dyt turned five, he started to change. At first it was small things only a parent would notice: he couldn't climb as well as he used to, he was walking differently. Then, the little boy who had hit every milestone along with his twin sister, Jasmine, seemed to be getting weaker. His right eye turned inwards, his mouth started to droop, partial paralysis set in on one arm. At 9pm every night he would scream in pain, but he didn't have the words to explain what was wrong.

An MRI confirmed Curtis has one of the most aggressive childhood cancers there is: Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). It's a tumour on the brainstem that cannot be surgically removed. Radiation can help, but this type of cancer always starts growing again, and has a zero per cent survival rate.

Jacqui and Kevin Dyt with their son Curtis. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Curtis was given nine to 12 months to live when he was diagnosed. That was seven-and-a-half months ago. "There's nothing they can do," says his mum, Jacqui. "No real treatment options apart from trying to shrink it and to give us more time."

A federal Senate committee was formed last week to investigate funding for research into cancers with low survival rates, with a focus on brain cancers. It follows a Cancer Australia study that found brain cancer was among a group of cancers to receive proportionally lower funding compared with their burden of disease.
Fifty firefighters have battled a massive blaze at a Melbourne Islamic Community Centre for nearly an hour before managing to bring it under control.

Early this morning several fire crews responded to a large fire at the Fawkner centre and required an aerial hose to extinguish the blaze.

During the fire asbestos was found in the building and firefighters had to be decontaminated as they emerged from fighting the flames.

- AAP
The Russell Street bombing in 1986 left one person dead and 21 injured. Now at an age when most people have slipped into retirement she has become a latter day Miss Marple at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine working with police on cold case investigations. In 1996 an administrative consultant thought it was a waste of space to keep thousands of medical files from pre-VIFM days when police doctors saw victims of sex assaults. Dr David Wells says his former colleague, Carole Spence, is a chronic hoarder but that has helped with sex crime investigations. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer "Burn them, they are too old," the boss instructed. Spence point blank refused.

She knew first hand how important the material could be as she worked with the police surgeon Dr David Wells before moving with him to the VIFM when he was appointed clinical forensic chief. Carole Spence and her small group of colleagues were working directly above the Russell Street bombing blast. "The cases were from the 1970s until 1996. Most of the victims will still be alive and I wanted to make sure we kept the files." The hard copies, kept in no particular order, include doctors' notes, victims' statements, D24 notifications, clinical cards and random pieces of information. In isolation they were a waste of space but combined with DNA technology and fresh investigative techniques the files provide new hope in near forgotten cases. Detective Sergeant Mark Wylie was shot in 1986 during a police operation targeting a man suspected of being involved in the Russell Street bombing. Credit:Ian Riley

But more of that later. First we need to find how a naive Catholic girl ended up working on serious criminal investigations. With her twin sister Dianne she left Brunswick's St Margaret Mary's after year 8 and began work at the army's Albert Park Barracks as a data processor in the 1960s aged just 14. In those days young typists banged data on to punch cards to feed a giant computer that had less tricks than today's smartphones (you couldn't hide it on your lap while checking your Facebook feed waiting for the traffic lights to change like every second knucklehead today). The choice to enter the workforce at such an early age was based on necessity  as one of seven children they couldn't afford to stay at school. There were jobs around the country before she joined the police payroll office in 1983. Slowly police realised the computer could be used as an investigative tool and the data processors began by inputting the telephone book, then moved to working with taskforces hunting serial offenders. Then it was cutting edge. Now it is basic procedure. Dr David Wells and Carole Spence enjoyed a professional partnership of more than 20 years. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer When the payroll work was outsourced Spence was grabbed by the crime department and given one of its most secret roles with the Special Projects Unit (SPU)  the centre of Victoria's new phone tapping operation. Its first job was to eavesdrop on the suspects for the 1988 ambush murders of police constables Steven Tynan and Damian Eyre. Spence says the secret equipment was set up on a secure floor at the St Kilda Road Crime Department Headquarters. "There were poles with wires running from them everywhere."

The main suspects included the notorious armed robber Victor Peirce, who would later be murdered as part of the Underbelly gangland war. SPU bugged Peirce, his wife Wendy, members of the notorious Flemington Crew armed robbery gang and recorded their conversations with journalists, mistresses, priests and lawyers. For the former Catholic schoolgirl it was an eye opener, or more accurately an ear burner. "It is where I learned to swear. I couldn't believe the language." Phone taps, particularly in those days were often muffled. The technology was basic, the suspects inarticulate and the language peppered with gangster slang, half-finished sentences and underworld secret codes. She said police employed three typists from the Blind Institute believing their hearing might be more acute when every word could prove to be a clue. In one conversation armed robber Peter "Bubble Brain" McEvoy described details of a bank raid to his then girlfriend, "At the time, dead set, your life is on the  line, you know what I mean?. . . At the wrong time during that five minutes you run into a couple of  bank guards, you know what I mean? The wrong place at the wrong time and you're  dead." Eventually Peirce, McEvoy and two others were charged and acquitted of the murders.

In 1991, Spence applied for a temporary position working with Wells with the police medical office. "David said he didn't like public servants and said I could start with three months. I said that was good as I'm not sure I will like you. "For the first three weeks I had nightmares. You saw children who were victims and the mentally ill. It was so sad." She learned to love the job and three months became six until the position became permanent. Working in the old Sexual Transferable Disease clinic in Little Lonsdale Street she would see traumatised patients and listen to the hypnotherapist search for repressed thoughts from witnesses and victims. Not everyone was fans of their work and the office was once fire bombed but as Spence had a habit of shutting all the solid doors the fire didn't spread. Which was just as well because her room was filled with discarded and combustible Melbourne City Council Christmas decorations (she has always been a collector of sorts). In 1995 when Wells moved to VIFM she followed. They stayed together until he retired in 2013  a professional partnership of more than 20 years.

She saw first hand the compassion of the doctors who dealt with sexual assault victims. "There was one who relied so heavily on David." She would battle with her demons and occasionally relapse. Once Spence showered, clothed and provided her with perfume, providing her with some dignity before she was admitted to hospital. "I think working here has given me a lot more sympathy for people." Along with her full time job as records management and administration officer, Spence has a side interest in helping the sex crimes cold case unit find information on unsolved crimes. A statement taken at the time might show the victim's current day recollections are consistent, a doctor's report might corroborate a police theory or a D24 record may help confirm a DNA finding. So far police have requested information in 114 investigations and Spence has retrieved information in 69 cases, ranging from the interesting to the vital. In one case the young victims described the ostentatious colour of the offender's car. Cold case police were able to match it with the vehicle owned by the suspect at the time.

According to Wells the files have turned out to be "gold" as they have proven to be the only link to the original crimes as many of the police records have been destroyed. The files, he says, are particularly important as sex offenders may lie low for years between crimes. "There are repeat offenders who commit crimes year after year," he says. "I would like to say it was due to Carole's masterful insight but let's be honest, she is a chronic hoarder. She has more shoes than Imelda Marcos." Wells, now working in the Gaza Strip for the United Nations, says Spence has always been passionate about her job. "She is a real livewire, a Mother Confessor and intensely loyal." He says when she was once pulled up by a mounted policeman for an alleged traffic infringement, "She said, 'If your horse shits on my car I'll sue you'. He let her go without a ticket."
The Wyndham Vale woman charged with the stabbing death of a man at a Williamstown boarding house has faced court.

Danny O'Brien, 37, was stabbed on Friday morning at the Old Royal Hotel on Nelson Place. He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene.

Police at the scene in Williamstown on Friday. Credit:Jason South

A short time later Kerry Jones, 38, handed herself into a police station, about 50 metres from where the alleged murder occurred.

She was charged with murder on Friday night and was visibly distressed as she appeared at Melbourne Magistrates Court for a brief hearing on Saturday morning.
An 18-year-old woman has been seriously injured and a girl and a man are in a stable condition after a driver lost control of the car they were travelling in Fairfield on Saturday.

Paramedics were called to the corner of Grange Road and McGregor Street about 5.45am following reports a car had crashed into several parked vehicles.

The woman was trapped for four days before being rescued. Credit:Paul Rovere

Victoria Police spokesman Alistair Parsons said a 21-year-old man, believed to be the driver, was arrested trying to flee from the scene.

"Investigators believe a Holden Commodore was travelling north along Grange Road when it allegedly lost control, hitting the parked cars and striking a tree," he said.
Ms Jordan Foster, director of ySafe, a cyber safety organisation based out of Perth. People often associate scams and blackmail attempts like this with older demographics, people who aren't as conscious of the internet as the younger generations. Jimmy however, has grown up around the internet and is very aware of it's dangers, having heard of scams like this many times in the past. "Usually I'm extremely cautious, I'm very careful with the fake people on the internet because they're everywhere," Jimmy says. "I had never expected it to happen to me, but it's got to happen to someone."

After matching on Tinder, and hitting it off for a couple of days the two decided to move to another messaging app, KiK messenger. The conversation then turned sexual, in which both parties sent compromising photos to each other. This type of sexual interaction is often called 'sexting'. Jimmy says that he was wary throughout the conversation but the person on the other side passed every level of identity test he could think of. He says her Tinder and KiK profiles had multiple non-descript photos of the same person on them, often in the same settings, with Australian power sockets. A reverse Google image search (which allows you to trace if a photo has been posted online) turned up nothing.

"I was very skeptical all through but they were very convincing," Jimmy says. The final straw came in when Jimmy asked the lady to send a photo of her with thumbs up. She replied within two minutes with the photo as asked. "The thumbs up photo, I thought well there's no way someone has access to that at a moments notice, a thumbs up photo of a fake person." Jordan Foster is a psychologist and director at ySafe, a Perth based cyber safety company which aims to give skills and knowledge to parents over the dangers that the internet presents. She says this issue is becoming increasingly common and it was probably the case that there was more than one person working to pull the blackmail off.

"It's very likely that the pictures he received, were from the girl," Ms Foster says. "A lot of the time you can see that it's very well thought out and structured." Ms Foster says what Jimmy did in making a Facebook statement was a very brave and great thing to do. "These people have power when more people go along with that they're doing, so to have the courage to then stand up and go against what they are requesting is taking their power away from them," she says. "It also raises awareness to other people about the same situation so what he may have also done is help someone who may have found themselves in a similar situation." Jimmy says that he feels like he is not the first victim of this blackmail and thinks whoever was behind it has probably been doing it for years. And whilst he didn't pay, he sees in retrospect that it was bound to happen if he was to trust someone like that.
Police have charged three men with murder over the death of a man in Lesmurdie in 2015 and the killing of a woman in Bunbury last month - the incidents are not connected.

On Friday detectives from the Major Crime Squad arrested and charged a 29-year-old man from Orange Grove and a 40-year-old man from Champion Lakes with murdering Michael Watson in Lesmurdie in November last year.

Forensic police search for clues after Michael Watson was found dead in Lesmurdie last year.

Meanwhile also on Friday detectives arrested and charged a 50-year-old man from Eaton with murder over the death of Tanya Leah Beattie, 41, in Eaton last month.

Michael Watson was found by friends unconscious at his home in Grove Road, Lesmurdie on November 24, 2015.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said positive things about Donald Trump Credit:AP The CIA presentation to senators about Russia's intentions fell short of a formal US assessment produced by all 17* intelligence agencies. A senior US official said there were minor disagreements among intelligence officials about the agency's assessment, in part because some questions remain unanswered. For example, intelligence agencies do not have specific intelligence showing officials in the Kremlin "directing" the identified individuals to pass the Democratic emails to WikiLeaks, a second senior US official said. Those actors, according to the official, were "one step" removed from the Russian government, rather than government employees. Moscow has in the past used middlemen to participate in sensitive intelligence operations so it has plausible deniability. President Barack Obama at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, on Wednesday. Credit:AP Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has said in a television interview that the "Russian government is not the source."

The White House and CIA officials declined to comment. First lady Michelle Obama helps sort toys and gifts for the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots Campaign at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington. Credit:AP On Friday, the White House said President Obama had ordered a "full review" of Russian hacking during the election campaign, as pressure from Congress has grown for greater public understanding of exactly what Moscow did to influence the electoral process. "We may have crossed into a new threshold, and it is incumbent upon us to take stock of that, to review, to conduct some after-action, to understand what has happened and to impart some lessons learned," Obama's counterterrorism and homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco, told reporters at a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. Obama wants the report before he leaves office on January 20, Monaco said.

During her remarks, Monaco didn't address the latest CIA assessment, which hasn't been previously disclosed. Seven Democratic senators last week asked Obama to declassify details about the intrusions and why officials believe that the Kremlin was behind the operation. Officials said on Friday that the senators specifically were asking the White House to release portions of the CIA's presentation. This week, top Democratic lawmakers in the House also sent a letter to Obama, asking for briefings on Russian interference in the election. US intelligence agencies have been cautious for months in characterising Russia's motivations, reflecting the United States' long-standing struggle to collect reliable intelligence on President Vladimir Putin and those closest to him. In previous assessments, the CIA and other intelligence agencies told the White House and congressional leaders that they believed Moscow's aim was to undermine confidence in the US electoral system. The assessments stopped short of saying the goal was to help elect Trump.

On October 7, the intelligence community officially accused Moscow of seeking to interfere in the election through the hacking of "political organisations." Though the statement never specified which party, it was clear that officials were referring to cyber-intrusions into the computers of the DNC and other Democratic groups and individuals. Some key Republican lawmakers have continued to question the quality of evidence supporting Russian involvement. "I'll be the first one to come out and point at Russia if there's clear evidence, but there is no clear evidence - even now," said Republican congressman Devin Nunes., the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and a member of the Trump transition team. "There's a lot of innuendo, lots of circumstantial evidence, that's it." Though Russia has long conducted cyberspying on US agencies, companies and organisations, this presidential campaign marks the first time Moscow has attempted through cyber-means to interfere in, if not actively influence, the outcome of an election, the officials said. The reluctance of the Obama White House to respond to the alleged Russian intrusions before Election Day upset Democrats on the Hill as well as members of the Clinton campaign.

Within the administration, top officials from different agencies sparred over whether and how to respond. White House officials were concerned that covert retaliatory measures might risk an escalation in which Russia, with sophisticated cyber-capabilities, might have less to lose than the United States, with its vast and vulnerable digital infrastructure. The White House's reluctance to take that risk left Washington weighing more limited measures, including the "naming and shaming" approach of publicly blaming Moscow. By mid-September, White House officials had decided it was time to take that step, but they worried that doing so unilaterally and without bipartisan congressional backing just weeks before the election would make Obama vulnerable to charges that he was using intelligence for political purposes. The White House wanted congressional leaders to sign off on a bipartisan statement urging state and local officials to take federal help in protecting their voting-registration and balloting machines from Russian cyber-intrusions. Though US intelligence agencies were sceptical that hackers would be able to manipulate the election results in a systematic way, the White House feared that Russia would attempt to do so, sowing doubt about the fundamental mechanisms of democracy and potentially forcing a more dangerous confrontation between Washington and Moscow.

In a secure room in the Capitol used for briefings involving classified information, administration officials broadly laid out the evidence US spy agencies had collected, showing Russia's role in cyber-intrusions in at least two states and in hacking the emails of the Democratic organisations and individuals. And they made a case for a united, bipartisan front in response to what one official described as "the threat posed by unprecedented meddling by a foreign power in our election process." The Democratic leaders in the room unanimously agreed on the need to take the threat seriously. Republicans, however, were divided, with at least two GOP lawmakers reluctant to accede to the White House requests. According to several officials, McConnell raised doubts about the underlying intelligence and made clear to the administration that he would consider any effort by the White House to challenge the Russians publicly an act of partisan politics. Some of the Republicans in the briefing also seemed opposed to the idea of going public with such explosive allegations in the final stages of an election, a move that they argued would only rattle public confidence and play into Moscow's hands.

McConnell's office did not respond to a request for comment. After the election, Trump chose McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, as his nominee for transportation secretary. Some Clinton supporters saw the White House's reluctance to act without bipartisan support as further evidence of an excessive caution in facing adversaries. "The lack of an administration response on the Russian hacking cannot be attributed to Congress," said Representative Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, who was at the September meeting. "The administration has all the tools it needs to respond. They have the ability to impose sanctions. They have the ability to take clandestine means. The administration has decided not to utilise them in a way that would deter the Russians, and I think that's a problem." Loading Washington Post
Rescue workers tried for an hour to free New Zealanders trapped in a van that crashed off an Indonesian cliff and plunged into a riverbed.

An Auckland woman, who worked for Contiki, was killed and two other New Zealanders are seriously injured.

It was Abbey Moore's first foreign travel trip. Credit:Stuff NZ

The Contiki van was taking a group of tourists to a surf beach on Thursday when it went over a cliff, rolling several times. The crash happened in south Lombok at 11.26am local time on Thursday.

Lombok International Medical Service's Dr Cahya Dibrata said six passengers had been in the minivan, one of whom died and the other five injured. The Indonesian driver suffered minor injuries.
A seven-time Razzie Award nominee, the movie The Bodyguard was not plucked from the archives of American cinema for its artistic renown. Like the 1992 film vehicle for pop superstar Whitney Houston, the stage adaptation  now making its American premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse under the heavy-handed direction of Thea Sharrock  leans on its soundtrack of hits to prop up a melodramatic story.

Encapsulated in its iconic image of a damsel in distress being cradle-carried to safety by a sturdy gentleman in a power suit, the plot can be summarized as follows: Boy meets girl. Boy saves girl. But girl really saves boy (philosophically speaking). It's no theatrical masterpiece, but The Bodyguard offers an excuse for a Whitney Houston jukebox musical that crowds are already lining up to see when it launches its national tour this January.

Grammy nominee and Broadway veteran Deborah Cox, who stars as Oscar-nominated music sensation Rachel Marron (and will continue with the production for the tour), sings the bejesus out of the taxing song list, filling an incredible amount of space in Whitney Houston's gaping shoes (the role was previously played in London by Heather Headley, Beverley Knight, and Alexandra Burke).

The original film's all-time best-selling soundtrack introduced Houston's renditions of "I'm Every Woman," "I Have Nothing," "Run to You," "Queen of the Night," and her legendary cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You." The stage score brings back all five tunes and adds a few more from Whitney Houston's "best of" collection including "One Moment in Time," "Greatest Love of All," and "Saving All My Love for You." Story, however, takes a back seat to the production numbers, creating something more akin to an overstimulating tribute concert than a stage musical  complete with smoke machines, elaborate light shows (designed by Mark Henderson), and a plethora of glittering costumes (created by Tim Hatley, who also designed the set).

Shoehorned between Marron's awe-inspiring performances (typically accompanied by an ensemble of dancers performing Karen Bruce's energy-boosting choreography), the tale of her love affair with aloof bodyguard Frank Farmer (Judson Mills) remains relatively inscrutable. When Marron becomes the obsession of a violent stalker, Farmer is recruited to be her personal bodyguard.

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Farmer is the best in the biz, and he's unimpressed by the glitz and glamor of Hollywood  just the guy to keep the free-spirited Rachel in line as he tries to protect her and her young son, Fletcher (played at my performance by the adorable and vocally gifted Kevelin B. Jones III). Like in any good romance, the pair of strong wills initially butt heads. But after Farmer proves his value (an anticlimactic rescue scene in which they strike the signature Bodyguard pose), Marron warms up to her protector.

Oscar-winning Birdman author Alexander Dinelaris penned the stage adaptation for the musical, but adds little to the film's meagerly developed relationship between Marron and Farmer  a disappointing follow-up to the charming book he lent Broadway's On Your Feet! The one satisfying moment he offers us is the couple's first date  a trip to a karaoke bar where Marron coyly guesses details about her bodyguard's elusive past as part of a bet that sends Farmer to the microphone. Two clumsy verses of "I Will Always Love You" later, and we've reached the end of Frank Farmer's musical contributions.

True, bursting into Whitney Houston ballads is probably not the MO of an introverted ex-Secret Service agent, but in the context of a musical, there are few other ways to get inside the head of a character. Consequently, we never do  no fault of Mills who does the best he can with his skeletal role. The only individual we learn anything about through song is Rachel's sister Nicki  the overshadowed artist of the family, played by the phenomenal Jasmin Richardson, who once again plays second fiddle to Rachel in her love for Farmer (told through the song "Saving All My Love for You").

By the time we get to Cox's final rendition of "I Will Always Love You," you can't help but suspect that a case of Stockholm syndrome has been mistaken for honest affection. But no need for thoughts like that to ruin the encore  a sing-along to "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." It's by far the most gratifying part of the entire experience, proving there is indeed a craving for a Whitney Houston musical. The Bodyguard just may not be it.
Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi...
The Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara [Photo: Christies]

After this weeks diplomatic reception, you probably saw lots of press noting that the Duchess of Cambridge wore the Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara at the event. Except  she didnt! The Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara is a totally separate piece from the sparkler that Kate wore on Thursday. Gather round, magpies, and let me tell you the story of the real Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara.

Princess Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge is depicted wearing the tiara in an 1830 engraving from La Belle Assemblee

The year is 1818, and the unmarried sons of King George III of the United Kingdom are scrambling to find royal wives and produce royal heirs. Georges seventh son, the Duke of Cambridge, chooses a German bride: Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel. Among her wedding gifts is a diamond and pearl tiara with lovers knot motifs. The tiara was reportedly a present from Augustas family. Above, the Duchess of Cambridge wears the tiara in an illustration published in La Belle Assemblee, a British womens magazine, in 1830.

Princess Augusta, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz wears the tiara in the above detail of The Marriage of Victoria, Princess Royal

Although Augusta had other tiaras, she wore the Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara for some of the most important royal events of her lifetime, including the 1838 coronation of her niece, Queen Victoria. In 1843, however, she passed the tiara along to the next generation. It was her wedding present to her elder daughter, Princess Augusta, who married Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich Wilhelm of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The younger Augusta is depicted wearing the tiara in the painting above, which documents the 1858 wedding of the Princess Royal.

Grand Duchess Augusta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz wears the tiara

The younger Augusta was the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1860 until her husbands death in 1904. She wore the tiara in a series of portraits later in her life. In 1899, she handed the tiara over to her granddaughter, Duchess Jutta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; it was a present to mark Juttas marriage to Crown Prince Danilo of Montenegro. (We featured a Jewel History article on the wedding here.)

Grand Duchess Augusta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz wears the tiara

To my knowledge, Jutta was never photographed in the Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara. The piece definitely caught the eye of one of her cousins, however. Mary of Teck, who became Queen of the United Kingdom in 1910, admired the tiara greatly. In 1913, she had her own copy of the piece made; that copy is the Lovers Knot Tiara that has been worn by numerous British royal women, including Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, and the Duchess of Cambridge. (You can read more about Queen Marys Lovers Knot Tiara over here.)

Jutta of Montenegro

Montenegros monarchy was officially abolished in 1918, when the country was merged with Serbia to form Yugoslavia. Jutta spent the rest of her life in exile. Precisely what she did with her Lovers Knot Tiara is unclear; she had no children to inherit the piece, and some think she may have privately sold it during her lifetime. She died in 1946, and the tiara popped up next in public in May 1981, when it was sold at Christies in Geneva.

At that 1981 auction, the tiara was purchased by nobility: Georg and Marie Gabrielle von Waldburg zu Zeil. Marie Gabrielle is pictured wearing the tiara above. Although Georg died last year, the family still owns the Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara today, and it is now worn by their daughter-in-law, Mathilde. The tiara was also recently featured on the cover of Vincent Meylans new book about the Christies archives. (You can read my review of the book here!)
Accepting her partys nomination for what would be her fourth four-year term as Germanys chancellor, Angela Merkel announced that Germany must ban the niqab (full face veil) wherever legally possible. Smacking of political expediency, the timing of this announcement underlines her need to draw hard-right nationalists critical of her Syrian refugee policy away from the populist and far-right political parties gaining strength in Germany.

Yet Chancellor Merkels ban is one I support as an observant Muslim woman. In 2011, I argued that then-President Nicolas Sarkozys legislating of Frances burka ban was a brave step. Merkels announcement, while politically opportunistic, is to be commended.

Any ban on wearing the niqab in public is one that defends secular society. In Germany today, secularism and the perceived integrity of the nation are strained with the influx of 1.2 million Syrian refugees, the rise in Islamist terrorism, and the looming threat from the so-called Islamic State. Germany is a fragile state within a fragile post-Brexit Europe. In this climate, niqabs become a direct challenge to national cohesion, connote a neo-orthodox expression of Islam, and are often associated with Islamist ideologies: ISIS, al Qaeda, the Taliban, and others.

Predictably, liberals, others, and The Council on American Islamic Relations, a prominent American Muslim advocacy group, have already launched a backlash claiming this burka ban violates the rights of Muslim women like mea uniquely Islamist, and not Islamic, claim. Being de facto political totalitarianism, Islamism, also known as radical Islam or political Islam, centers on absolute domination of the individual, forcibly imposing a perversion of Islam through the concept of Islamic statehood.

While some Muslim women may not be in a position to choose within the confines of their family, in secular societies where women are free to choose their dress, rote ritualism and de novo rituals including the wearing of the niqab indicate neo-orthodoxy. Women who choose to adopt the niqab in secular society may do so in solidarity with todays militancy du jour: Islamism. Wherever neo-orthodoxy flourishes, Islamism, not Islam, thrives near by.

Literal, inflexible interpretations of the veil are a hallmark of Islamism. Because so many Muslims are ignorant of the true dictates of Islam, and so many live under Islamist governments (Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, among others), rituals founded on cultural mores, rather than Islamic ideals, are co-opted as Islamic. These rituals then work to reinforce misogyny in some societies: the infantilization of women in Saudi Arabia as legal minors, their immobilization both within their society and internationally (banned from travel without the permission of designated male guardianship), and a strict gender segregation of the public space, all penalize women.

Problematically, these cultural mores come to pass as manifestations of Islam, when they are clearly counter in every way to the egalitarian spirit that Islam holds for both genders. Denying that these traditions are steeped in misogyny deprives Islam of its true identity. Certainly, living in these societies under such confines as I have in Saudi Arabia, women who must enter the public space do veil themselves, because they must. In this way, the legally mandated veil, whether hijab or niqab, also liberates: Women can leave the home if they are veiled to earn, to study, to work.

Merkels ban, therefore, like Sarkozys previously, does not confine religious freedom but instead rejects cultural traditions that truly repress womenwhether in our mobility, or freedom to choose our dress, and our literal visibility and interaction as members of society.

Many Muslim women in Muslim-majority countries agree that face veiling is not required, according to a fascinating survey by the University of Michigan examining Muslim attitudes to female dress. Even among Muslim women, the face veil is not widely supported. Yet reaction to a burka ban can be guaranteed to reveal the enormous ignorance surrounding Islam, an ignorance of which both Muslims and non-Muslims are guilty.

Certainly, legislating dress, and thereby self-expression, smacks of draconian states like Iran and Saudi Arabia (where I lived from November 1999 to November 2001 and was forcibly veiled by law). How could secular democratic societies permit legislation of dress, you may ask? The answer: Dress can, and indeed must be, legislated when societal integrity is threatened and the resulting polarization fuels the development of parallel societies within nationhood. It is exactly within such fragmentation that Islamism takes root as a form of rebellion and rejection of the host society.

Germany is an intensely secular society, which not only tolerates, but celebrates diversity, though recently it has become more jaded where multiculturalism is concerned. Six years ago, in a rising anti-immigration climate, Chancellor Merkel declared multiculturalism as dead, giving way to renewed German nationhood and national identity.

Yet anti-immigration sentiment, however repellant, may have some basis in reason. In many European countries, secular pluralistic democracies have been exploited by insular, Islamist neo-orthodoxy. Following the ghettoization of some Muslims in Britain, Britain has struggled with homegrown Islamist terrorism. In France, where ghettoization and marginalization of Muslims is much more marked, lethal outcomes have been borne from such ghettoization, most recently in the Charlie Hebdo massacres and the Bataclan attacks.

Certainly, the opportunist exploitation of tolerant democracies by Islamism comes at the expense of the pluralistic Muslim, who is imperiled both by the actions of Islamist terrorists and subject to retaliatory xenophobia often triggered by Islamist attacks. Criminalizing wearing the niqab in all public places, sparked cries of Islamophobia in Sarkozys France and is likely to do the same in German, even as legislation to follow suit in many European countriessuch as Belgium and France, as well as regions in Spain (Barcelona) and Italy (Lombardy)is already either enacted into law or being proposed as legislation.

But here in Europe, Muslims, and German Muslims in particular, have a role to play in explaining the true meaning and nature of veiling in Islam.

From Islams origins, the word khimar, veil, did not necessarily connote face covering. In the Quran, Sura 24:31, referring to the khimar reminds Muslim women of the need to draw [it] over their bosoms as integral to female modesty. Similarly, the verse of the veil commanded only the prophet Muhammads wives, as a mark of high distinction, to speak from behind a hijab, meaning a curtain (Quran Sura 33:53).

Traditions asserting khimar specifically meant niqab may have been exaggerated. Records show Aishaone of the prophets wives and among the foremost teachers of early Muslimsprovided great detail on the khimars in her day, yet no record exists as to how exactly they were worn.

Make no mistake, secular liberal democracies can overstep the mark. This summer, shortly after the Bastille Day attacks in Nice, France lost its bearings, criminalized the burkini and forcibly stripped a Muslim woman on the beach in a shocking assault. The event rightly triggered international outrage and despite strong local support, Frances highest courts ruled the actions to be a breach of democratic values, reversing the legislation. Hearteningly, despite being in a state of emergency ongoing since Charlie Hebdo, France found a way to reason with itself and preserve its vital democracy.

Germany must walk a similar tightrope, between asserting national identity and championing secularism while resisting temptations to demonize all Muslims. To walk this fine line, Chancellor Merkel will need the support of the German Muslim intelligentsia as well as the established German Muslim clergy. Merkel truly has an opportunity to strengthen Germanys civil Islam and thereby Europes. Both communities have the chance to empower and embrace Germanys Muslims who are as European and as German as they are Muslim; Muslims, who like me, observe Islam as they repudiate Islamism; and Muslims who value the shared nationhood secular liberal democracy affords them, a national identity within which pluralistic Islam can truly thrive.

Certainly in the short term, Merkels proposal will trigger intensely inflammatory reactions but as Germany and Chancellor Merkel tangle with the veil, public discourse surrounding Islam may in fact deepen and yield opportunities for European Muslims to save not only the veil, but Islam, from the Islamists.
As one of his last acts in office, President Obama will do something hes rarely done: please Republicans.

The presidents decision to ask American intelligence agencies for a report on the hacking attacks connected to the presidential electionin particular, what impact Russian agents may have had on the election resultswas cheered by hawkish Republicans and neoconservative foreign policy experts who have found hardly any common ground with the Obama White House over the past eight years.

It appears... that after eight years the administration has suddenly awoken to the threat, said Rep. Devin Nunes, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. "Russias cyber-attacks are no surprise to the House Intelligence Committee, which has been closely monitoring Russias belligerence for years.

"All I can say is that this a very good but overdue move," added Eliot Cohen, who served as the State Department under Condoleeza Rice.

The report will be delivered to Congress before Obamas term is complete, potentially putting President-elect Donald Trump at odds with members of his own party on the eve of his inauguration.

Trump has dismissed the role Russian agents have had in the presidential electionduring one debate he guessed that the hacking of the Democratic National Committees emails could have been "somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds. However, the intelligence community has assessed that Russia was responsible for the email breaches at the DNC and with Clinton campaign chairman John Podestas personal emails.

Russia is clearly the issue on which Trump diverges the most from the rest of the GOP, said Dan Drezner, a hawkish foreign policy intellectual who teaches at Tufts University.

In fact, while there are few issues on which both parties agree, there is wide bipartisan agreement on the issue of Russian belligerence. Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and John McCain have announced their intention to begin investigations into Russia, while House Democrats have crafted legislation that would create an independent commission to report on Russian interference in the American election, similar in concept to the 9/11 Commission.

"After many briefings by our intelligence community, it is clear to me that the Russians hacked our democratic institutions and sought to interfere in our elections and sow discord, said Rep. Adam Schiff, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, saying he was pleased to hear of the White Houses announced investigation, urging that they declassify as much of it as possible.

Still, even while Republicans generally agreed with the presidents decision to request a report on Russian meddling in the U.S. elections, some on the right wondered what took so long for him to respond to Russian aggressionand only after an election loss.

Years enabling Putin, Kerry shining [Russian Foreign Minister] Lavrovs shoes, and NOW hes upset? American Enterprise Institute senior vice president Danielle Pletka told The Daily Beast. This is blatantly political. Its not that Russia didnt seek to interfere, its that while they were doing so, not to speak of their activities in Europe and in Syria, Obama was indifferent.

The Obama administration, dedicated to delusions of resetting relations with Russia, ignored pleas by numerous Intelligence Committee members to take more forceful action against the Kremlins aggression, Nunes said.

In fact, in one of the ironies of the 2016 presidential election, the Obama administration originally sought to reset relations with Russia, a strategy in which Hillary Clinton was a key player.

The American attempts to form closer ties with Russia were ultimately unsuccessfulRussia would go on to annex Crimea and support unrest in Ukraineand the Eurasian nation ultimately played a key role against Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. But before Trump enters office, Obama is trying allow lawmakersand perhaps the publicto understand just how hard the Russians tried to manipulate the American electorate.
Former and current U.S. national security officials and experts say that if it is true that the Russian government possesses documents belonging to the Republican National Committee, Donald Trumps incoming administration may be the most compromised in U.S. history.

A senior U.S. administration official confirmed to The Daily Beast that the CIA believes the Russians hacked the RNC. He spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

On Friday, Dec. 9, The New York Times reported that hackers connected to two separate Russian security services allegedly broke into the computer systems of the RNC, but chose not to disclose the digital contents of those systems, in marked contrast to the gradual release, via WikiLeaks, of emails belonging to the Democratic National Committee throughout the spring and summer.

As a result, the report said U.S. intelligence agencies concluded with high confidence that the Kremlins motive in these cyberattacks was to get Trump elected, not just do harm to his rival Hillary Clinton or undermine American democracy, as the agencies had previously concluded with only confidence, when they announced concerns over Russian interference in October. One senior U.S. official told the Washington Post for its own story on the matter, It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russias goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected.

Theres a real revolt going on, said a former intelligence officer of the CIA leaks, citing discussions with former colleagues. They dont like [National Security Adviser nominee Michael] Flynn and they hate Trumps guts. This is their whole lifes work being thrown out the door. They feel like the whole intelligence committee is on probation. The ex-spy spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to discuss the agencys internal anguish publicly.

The DNC hacks, it is widely believed, were perpetrated by two independent organs of Russian intelligence. First, COZY BEAR, a hacker working for the FSB, the domestic intelligence arm, broke into the Committees servers in mid-2015. Around the same time FANCY BEAR, a hacker affiliated with the GRU, Russias military intelligence agency, also penetrated the servers. To drum up plausible deniability, the haul from these hacks was then sent to WikiLeaks and uploaded by two suspected cut-outs of Moscow, Guccifer 2.0 and a newish website called DCLeaks.com.

The White House and Congress were informed by the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency that the Russian officials responsible for both the RNC and DNC breaches were identified, according to the Times, although their names have not been publicized.

[CIA director] John Brennan does believe the Russians are behind it, said ret. Col. Tony Shaffer, who briefed Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn this past week at Trump Tower. He did brief the senate on his belief that the Russians were involved, but he did not provide any specific evidence. My understanding is the data provided was only of opinion in nature, not details of specific attacks. The American people are owed an answer, but my understanding is they are never going to get an answer because theres no basic data to back up the allegation, said Shaffer, who is a member of the New York-based London Center for Policy Research where Flynn is a fellow.

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mike McCaul told Politico during the election hed informed Trump that Russia was attempting to influence the elections.

Now he hasnt had the briefing I had, but I made it clear that in my judgment it was a nation-state, McCaul said in October. His office declined to comment on the matter Saturday.

The CIA also declined to comment Saturday.

The Russians hacked our democratic institutions and sought to interfere in our elections and sow discord, said House intelligence committee Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA) Saturday, citing the Director of National Intelligence James Clappers public statement. "Sadly, in this effort the Russians were spectacularly successful. One would also have to be willfully blind not to see that these Russian actions were uniformly damaging to Secretary Clinton and helpful to Donald Trump. I do not believe this was coincidental or unintended.

Schiff would not confirm that the CIA specifically believes Russia was behind the hacking related to the election. The DNI is charged with marshaling the total view of the 16 intelligence agencies his department oversees.

An official close to Clapper pointed out that he has brought uncomfortable, unwelcome news to the Obama White House before, including the assessment that ISIS was rising though not delivered as forcefully as then DIA-director Flynn thought it should have been. Clapper also told the White House more recently that the Syrian regime was using chemical weapons on the battlefield, despite a much-heralded deal negotiated by Russia where Syria supposedly gave up all of its chemical weapons stockpile in return for avoided bombing by the U.S. The official spoke anonymously because he was not allowed to discuss the sensitive communications between Clapper and the Obama White House publicly.

In a joint bipartisan statement issued on Sunday, Dec. 11, U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Senate Democratic Leader-elect, and Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services wrote: For years, foreign adversaries have directed cyberattacks at Americas physical, economic, and military infrastructure, while stealing our intellectual property. Now our democratic institutions have been targeted. Recent reports of Russian interference in our election should alarm every American."

Trumps transition team is having none of these revelations. Having serially denied or downplayed Russias involvement in steering the U.S. election, the team issued an unsigned statement casting doubt on the competence of the very intelligence establishment the president-elect will inherit to help him run the country in a month and a half. These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, the statement read. The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on and Make America Great Again.

We need a new election, said Bob Baer, a former CIA operative who himself used to interfere in the affairs of foreign governments. This is a constitutional crisis. Its unprecedented. If the CIA had hacked and steered a democratic election in a foreign country, say France or Germany, that country would demand a new election. No question, he said in an interview.

Baer said that he agrees with Trump in the sense that, once Trump is in charge, the Agency may bend to his wisheswhich makes the airing of the evidence the agency has imperative before December 19th when the Electoral College is set to certify Trumps presidency. We cant wait until after he becomes president and has a political appointee decide whether the evidence we have on the Russians is legit or not.

***

In essence, Moscows security organs could now be in possession of what the KGB used to call kompromat  compromising personal material  on Trump and his staff, which could then be used to blackmail them into doing Russias bidding.

The mere possibility that Putin now knows the secrets of the RNC and the inner workings of the victorious party of the 2016 election is bound to color U.S.-Russian relations for the next four years, regardless or whether or not those secrets are in any way scandalous. Any perceived tilt by Washington toward Russia, or any accommodation struck with the Kremlin on the ongoing wars in Syria or Ukraine can now be interpreted as quid pro quo for Putins keeping silent on whats he got on the sitting commander-in-chief or the latters inner circle.

Tom Nichols, a professor of national security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, told The Daily Beast, representing his personal views and not those of the War College:The worst possibility is that the Russians are holding back what they've stolen from the RNC because it's valuable enough to keep in reserve until the president-elect is sworn in. This is a frankly terrifying possibility.

Nichols has been an outspoken Never Trump Republican and written numerous articles explaining why he thinks the president-elect is unfit for office. The Trump transition team's response to the Times bombshell only solidified that view. Their answer is to move on, which might be a sensible thing to say to political opponents who didn't like the outcome of the election, but it is a unimaginable answer in the face of an open Russian attack on the U.S. political system. The Russians have made it clear they have no intention of moving on, and no amount of hand-waving will change that.

Trump had campaigned beyond a platform of being in favor of improving relations with Russia, and has often taken to praising Putin personally, comparing his leadership style favorably to that of Barack Obama and casting doubt on the Russian governments well-documented human-rights abuses, including allegations of the Kremlin having ordered the murder of dissidents and muckraking journalists. Trump also denied that Russia had any role in the downing of the MH17 in July 2014 in the skies above east Ukraine, despite independent international investigations saying that a Russian-imported missile was used to shoot down the commercial airliner. He has also said that Crimeans wanted to be annexed by Russia while denying that Russia had invaded Ukraine.

And then theres the fact that Trumps rumored favorite for Secretary of State, Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, once received Russias Order of Friendship award from Putin himself.

A former CIA operative stationed in Moscow during the height of the Cold War said that it was too soon to tell how Langley came to the conclusion that Trump was Putins favored candidate. Theyre ascribing motives to the Russians, but Id like to see the evidence. In committee meetings and review sessions that go over this kind of thing, its a circumstantial point to say they did it because of x or y. In the absence of an intercept or of extremely reliable sources  more than one  youre making an inference that one could quibble with.

As to what kompromat might do to Trumps decision-making, the former operative says it may not carry much weight at all.

Youre making an assumption that Trump will respond to kompromat and not to something else, such as his business interests in Russia. He clearly has a blind spot on the country. You can be manipulated by the Chekists in many ways, the source said, using the catch-all term for Russia spies, not just through blackmail. We also dont know what is in the RNC emails.

Or, for that matter, who will ultimately be affected by them.

The DNC hacks led to the resignation of then-chairperson Debbie Wasserman Schultz but it is entirely unclear if they really were the decisive factor that swayed the election in Trumps favor. Other analysts have pointed to Clintons exceedingly poor outreach to white working-class voters in battleground states such as Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania, all of which Trump won by narrow margins. Others have also argued that FBI Director James Comeys eleventh-hour letter notifying Congress that the investigation into Hillary Clintons email server was still active did more to damage the Democratic nominees chances just before voters went to the polls, than did anything contained in the DNC emails, or in campaign chairman John Podestas personal correspondence.

Andrei Soldatov, co-author of Red Web, a book about Russias cybersecurity and use of the Internet to silence dissent, thinks that the likelier target of Moscow is not Trump but rather his now powerful party. I doubt there can be any kompromat on Trump which can hurt him, Soldatov said. But the Republican Party is a different story.

For Soldatov, the threatened publication of documents confirming rumors or alleged ties between Trumps cabinet picks and the Russian government could be a useful tool to keep the administration in check. Remember the story about a former Defense Intelligence Agency chief giving interviews to [Russian state propaganda channel] RT and being paid for that? Soldatov said, referring to Flynn, who is now Trumps national security advisor. It would be bad enough simply to produce documentary evidence confirming things we already knew.

A former Russian spymaster agrees with that assessment.

Oleg Kalugin was a KGB general in charge of operations in the United States; he also ran the First Chief Directorates K Branch, or arm of counterintelligence, which got up to the very sort of dirty tricks, or active measures, that state hacking of a political party amounts to. In the old days, in my time, we relied on human efforts: penetration, handling, manipulating people from the inside, Kalugin told The Daily Beast, noting that he wasnt personally convinced the DNC and RNC hacks were done by the Russian government and not by individual actors.

Nevertheless, Kalugin allowed that if the FSB and GRU were responsible and Putin was now sitting on crucial information about various GOP officials, it would be reckless and dangerous to try and blackmail the White House directly. High-level officials, such as cabinet secretaries, have rarely been cultivated as spies or informants of Moscow, owing to what Kalugin characterizes as potential repercussions.

Middle and lower-cadre officials in the State Department or military-industrial complex are deemed easier and better marks for the spooks.

In this hypothetical, a heretofore semi-anonymous RNC staffer who may have written something professionally or personally damaging to himself is likelier to find himself approached by a Russian operative and offered a chance to switch sides than a member of the National Security Council.

Just one man can destroy everything, Kalugin said. He doesnt have to be the president.
For years now, J. Cole has presented himself as hip-hops pensive everyman. The thoughtful rhymer from North Carolina showcased a sincerity that even at its most awkward (Let Nas Down) was endearing to fans in a way that separated him from his contemporaries. 2014 Forest Hill Drive seemed to announce Cole as a major force in the rap game, a critically acclaimed project that made good on the promise of his earlier work. Exactly two years later, he returns with 4 Your Eyez Only, a stone-faced look at life and love through the eyes of a man who has a familyon top of all that angst hes been carrying since the very beginning.

4 Your Eyez Only was preceded by two singles: the somber Everybody Dies and the controversy-baiting False Prophets, a pointed message track that included a verse that sounded like a not-so-thinly-veiled jab at embattled superstar Kanye West.

False Prophets may have sent social media into a frenzy, but Cole was wise to leave the track off of 4 Your Eyez Only. This is a highly personal album, and that track wouldve overshadowed the reflective tone present throughout much of it. But it also reveals that there isnt anything quite as incendiary here. Cole didnt need the shock value of False Prophets, but he did need something of a shakeup to provide a jolt of energy to what is a mostly melancholy affair.

I see the rain pouring down before my very eyesshould come as no surprise, he croons on the album opener For Whom the Bell Tolls. Its a drearily evocative track, with distorted horns punctuating Coles raspy vocals throughout, as he sings aint nowhere to hide and tired of feeling low, even when Im high. It segues into the percussive Immortal, where Cole ponders the validity of how real niggas dont die, reflecting on the machismo of young Black men trapped in the struggle as a parallel to being an ambitious rapper: To die a young legend or live a long life unfulfilled. Because you wanna change the worldbut while alive, you never will.

Deja Vu, which samples a beat from Bryson Tillers Exchange, feels almost musically identical to Immortal, despite Coles focus remaining squarely on a beautiful woman in the club. What you in the club lookin like you out ya zone. I be discreet and pull out ya phone and put my number it. In J. Coles world, even a night at the club is grounds for introspectionfor him and the object of his affection.

Cole sing-raps on the brief Ville Mentality, another rumination on life and the meaning one can wring from it. Thats followed by the piano-driven Shes Mine Pt. 1, a celebration of Coles newfound domesticity with the love of his life. These tend to be the most revelatory moments on 4 Your Eyez, as Cole interrupts his somber cooing with a verse acknowledging his insecurities: You read me like Im a book. Im the bible and you the reverend. I wanna tell the truth to ya and talk about the days of my youth to ya.

On the upbeat Change, Cole somehow finds a sliver of optimismeven if its couched in mortality. Im growing and getting stronger with every breath / Bringing me closer to heavens doors with every step / As we speak Im in peace, no longer scared to die / Most niggas dont believe in God and so they terrified. Proclaiming that the only real change comes from inside, Cole sounds at peace with the fact that he is in control of his own destiny. Its a much-needed reprieve from the relatively downbeat rest of the album, but things slow down again for the topical Neighbors, on which Cole recalls the racism that he still faces even as hes become a famous rapper. Buying a new home in a secluded neighborhood, Cole tells the story of his neighbors who think Im selling dope, because the only Black people theyve ever seen are on the news in chains. Cole raps about being Black in a white man territory even when the president bang ya tape. Its a standout on the album and another example of how effective Coles commentary can be.

But the best moment on 4 Your Eyez Only is the stellar Foldin Clothesanother ode to domesticity that has Cole sounding like the most happily married man in hip-hop. Rapping about Netflix and almond milk, the 31-year-old brags about wanting to make his woman feel good and do the right thing. Cole married long-time girlfriend Melissa Heholt about a year ago, and he sounds like a man with renewed purpose because of his wife. I see a lot on your plate, nine months with that weight / I know you tired so I wonder how I can help / I get the basket and grab your clothes out the dryer.

Coles reflections as a man with a wife and child define the latter half of the album, as Foldin Clothes leads into the second half of Shes Mine, with Cole quietly rapping about changing diapers and watching his daughter being born. I aint never did nothin this right in my whole life, he muses, with the soft sound of a baby crying in the background.

On the album-closing title track, he reflects on fatherhood againwhile also interweaving his own dads history into a thoughtful look at what his family means for him and his child, writing from the perspective of a failed, deceased man apologizing to his adult daughter:

You probably grown now so this songll hit you If youre hearing this, unfortunately Means that Im no longer with you in the physical Not even sure if I believe in God but because you still alive He got me praying that the spiritual is real So I can be a part of you still, my pops was killed too So I know how part of you feels Maybe you hate me, maybe you miss me, maybe you spite me Life goes in cycles, maybe youll date a nigga just like me.

Cole is no longer the upstart underdog looking to make good; hes one of hip-hops best and brightest, sitting at the forefront of the genre alongside mainstays Drake and Kendrick Lamar as one of the most impactful and influential artists in the culture. On 4 Your Eyez Only, Cole attempts to build on the personalized storytelling he showcased so masterfully on 2014 Forest Hills Drive The results are solidbut not exactly spectacular.

Coles propensity for introspection earns eye-rolls from many, but hes been able to present his navel-gazing in a way that suggests a mature self-awareness, as opposed to the self-victimized stance so many rappers take whenever their subject matter looks inward. Hes wrestling with a lot, as always, and this time around its not just the current state of Black America that informs his angst; its his own status as a rap star who is now a husband and father. But his focus is so singular that it makes 4 Your Eyez Only sometimes impenetrable where it should resonate. As such, it stands as a good album, just not as good as his last and probably not up there with the best of 2016. This year has been so full of great that good feels like a backhanded compliment, but kudos to Cole for making an album that celebrates who he is right now. It doesnt feel at all pretentious, and its about as honest as any rapper has been. Cole, and his fans, should be happy for that.
Effective terror, like effective lies, relies on the commingling of the known and unknown. For children, who scramble to build a structurally sound edifice of interpretative knowledge with an ever-changing stack of facts, virtually everything falls into these shadowlands.

Authors of childrens tales from Grimm and Perrault on are well aware of this. Within the canon of childrens book classics, one sees terrors bulky form just under the stories surfaces like a mysterious lump under the covers. In Maurice Sendaks universe, wild things, besotted, turn captors. Max, their king, becomes their prisoner. Roald Dahls witching hour has kept more children from falling into slumber than any amount of candy and cartoons. In one of William Steigs most famous books, a small mouse named Amos, stranded in the middle of the ocean, awaits death. Shel Silversteins meditation on Where the Sidewalk Ends would give even Sartre the shivers.

Nightly observation of my own children and my own recollections when I was one tell me that the power of these books is in the resonance between the uncertain and diffusely scary world of the child and the uncertain, diffusely scary world of these stories. Small and effectively powerless against the whims of adults, contested bedtimes notwithstanding, children are buffeted by the currents of a large world they often do not understand. A book without fear is an unbelievable book, sounding a dull note that soon fades.

Among the greatest interpreters of inchoate terror is Tomi Ungerer, the 85-year-old Alsatian illustrator, author, and artist whose work has just been collected and released in fine coffee table form by Phaidon. (Disclosure: Last year Phaidon also published my own childrens book, Can I Eat That?) Though idolized by Sendak and Silverstein, whom he helped get published, Ungerer is likely unknown to most of us. Thats been changing in the last eight years, since Phaidon acquired the English-language rights to his books in 2008, a documentary came out called Far Out Isnt Far Enough in 2011, and last year New York Drawing Center mounted a well-received exhibition of his work. Nevertheless, no amount of renaissance or belated renown seems like appropriate recompense for a man like Ungerer.

The stories that led to Ungerers exile have been so well recounted that they resemble a fairy tale. I first heard about them while shopping at my local childrens bookstore, Bank Street Books. Espying Ungerers Adelaideabout the Parisian adventures of a winged kangaroounder my arm, the perpetually disheveled owner raised his eyebrow conspiratorially. Do you know about Tomi? he asked. I answered I didnt. Thus was related the tale of how Ungerer had fallen from the all-important esteem of librarians at the very height of his productivity in 1970 after publishing a book of erotic drawings called Fornicon. Apparently when confronted by the outraged horde of censorious arbiters of childrens literature at an American Library Association conference, Ungerer answered, If people didnt fuck, you wouldnt have any children, and without children you would be out of work! That didnt go over well and shortly afterwards Ungerer fled to Europe and there he stayed for much of the last half-century. (Later I obtained a rare copy of Fornicon. It is pretty outre but also brilliant.)

Of the eight books included in Tomi Ungerer: A Treasury of 8 Books, four are available in English for the first time. [Ungerer writes in English, French and German.] For a fan like me and parents of fans, this a boon since well-loved childrens books tend to get read with the constancy of catechism.

But more than novelty, what the bound volume offers is juxtaposition and juxtaposition yields analytical insight. A brief survey of his protagonists, for instance, yields Ungerers approach to heroism. In the Three Robbers, one of his best-known books, the heroes are three blunderbuss-carrying pepper-blowing axe-wielding robbers. In Zeraldas Ogre, the titular ogre is a bearded, teeth-gnashing, child-eating ogre. In Emile, its an octopus on land who ultimately retreats to the sea. The titular Moon Man is a soft-skinned silver creature whose visitation on Earth is short and ill-fated. Fog Island is inhabited by a lonely man deep in a mountain whose very existence is up for debate. Flix is about a pair of cats who birth a pug who births a cat. Otto, by far the most harrowing of his stories, is told through the damaged eyes of a teddy bear thats been through hell. The hero, such as there is one, of The Hat isnt a person at all but a transient, well-intentioned hat.

Though the treasury contains fascinating interviews with Ungerer by Phaidon editor Maya Gartner, as well as sketches and various associated material culled from the Musee Tomi Ungerer in Strasbourg, what the collation of tales makes clear is that Ungerer left it all on the page. One doesnt need to hear from him directly for from these stories alone emerge a world view of apprehension and anomie. The Holocaust is the underpainting not just for Sendak but for Ungerer, too. The world and its buildings and uniformswith which Ungerer admits he is obsessedare fundamentally untrustworthy. The Moon Man stands for Ungerer when he says, The Moon Man, who had realized he could never live peacefully on this planet, agreed to go.

And yet, its not allnot nearly alldoom and gloom. Through Zeraldas culinary ministrations, the ogre learns to prefer veal cutlets on a bed of truffled aspic to human flesh. After stealing an orphan named Tiffany, the three robbers spend their ill-gotten riches establishing a center for the abandoned, unwanted and orphaned children in the world. Ungerer insists on the vast and luminous possibility of goodness in even the most despicable creature. Ungerer doesnt ignore fear, but even when things get dark, he leaves the night light on.
BERLIN  She didnt even get to say goodbye to her colleagues.

Katarzyna Wielga-Skolimowska was given 24 hours to clear out her office, until the end of the month to vacate her flat, and is forbidden to talk to the press about any of it.

The elegant redhead, who is credited for her knowledge of architecture and theater, was abruptly fired from her job as director of the Polish cultural institute in Berlin last week. Did her programs have too much Jewish content, as Israels Haaretz headlined bluntly? The Forward in the United States made that a question: Was Polish Culture Institute Director Fired for Too Much Jewish-Themed Content?

As various theories circulate in Berlin about why, one thing is clearthat this is the latest attempt of Polands radical nationalist government to revamp its image abroad, not least by playing down any Polish role in the Holocaust. A law proposed last summer, for instance, would make it a crime to use the phrase Polish death camps for, say, Auschwitz, which was a Nazi death camp in occupied Poland.

Everything points to the fact that the dismissal [of the Polish Institute Director] was politically motivated, Berlinische Galerie director Thomas Kohler tells The Daily Beast. Her contract would have ended next year. This was clearly intended as a punishmentIts really bad form.

Together with other leading culture fanatics in the capital, Kohler signed a protest letter that expressed dismay and irritation at the sudden dismissal. Cilly Kugelmann, who directs the Jewish Museum in Berlin, initiated the letter.

Last year, the Polish Institute screened Ida, an Oscar-winning Polish film about a Catholic woman who discovers she is the Jewish child of Holocaust victims. But while showing the film may have gone down well in Berlin, it could have been another strike against Wielga-Skolimowska for Warsaw.

Since Polands Law and Justice Party won elections in 2015, the Warsaw government has been going to great pains to recalibrate many of the ways in which Poles think, talk and learn about their own history. And to some, it looks like Law and Justice wants to whitewash a lot of the countrys history, even the Shoah, by appealing to nationalist pride.

The way in which Ida was broadcast on public television in Poland this year has provided one ground for such suspicion. The film that had won best film prize at the Polish Film Academy in 2013 was this time accompanied by a 12-minute clip in which three critics tore into it, warning about supposed historical inaccuracies.

In October, Wielga-Skolimowska received a damning internal evaluation by the newly appointed Polish ambassador to Berlin, Andrzej Przylebski. Among other things, he warned her, not to overdo the emphasisparticularly in Germany, which should not receive the role of mediatoron the importance of Polish-Jewish dialogue as the main example of intercultural dialogue which takes place in Poland.

So this week, the left-leaning Berlin paper TAZ chose the provocative title Warsaw Purges in Berlin to report on Wielga-Skolimowskas dismissal. Two other papers followed suit and claimed that Wielga-Skolimowska was fired for over emphasizing Jewish topics. The theme, as noted, was picked up by the Israeli press. And the Polish embassy was not happy. Both the Berliner Zeitung and the Tageszeitung received a letter demanding a correction.

Law and Justice is not generally considered an anti-Semitic party, not least because it is very pro-Israel. And according to political scientist Janusz Bugajski, despite Polands shady new attitude to historical accuracy, there is also sensitivity that Germany is still evading a full accounting of World War II war crimes and that Poles as a nation are depicted as anti-Semites.

In his evaluation, Ambassador Przylebski also accused Wielga-Skolimowska of having done a bad job inviting guests and choosing topics. The blind imitation of nihilistic and hedonistic trends does not lead to anything good in terms of civilization. he wrote, rather mysteriously and apocalyptically. Poland must resist this.

Wielga-Skolimowska is the 14th out of 24 Polish Institute directors around the world to be fired this year, and the reasons vary. Vienna was forced to stop working with an Austrian journalist and writer after he criticised Law and Justice in his articles. But the director in Madrid already had to go for not focusing enough on Chopin.

The Polish government is really celebrating national pride now, Kohler muses, and you can understand that: the country has a nasty history. But I expect that now theyll be doing a very conservative backwards program, with uncritical writers, artists, and Chopin evenings. I dont know if Ill still feel like going.

Bugajski, the political scientist, notes that Ambassador Przylebski, at the very least, seems to be repeating the kind of language that communists used against decadent Western bourgeois art. He adds, It just shows you that politicians should not try to be culture critics.

This advice was not heeded in November, when Przylebski valiantly tried and failed to organize the German premiere of the regimes first blatant propaganda film, Smolensk, which claims that a 2010 plane crash that killed 95 passengers, including then-president Leck Kaczynskim, was really an act of Russian terrorism. Every cinema in Berlin refused to show the film, clumsily citing safety concerns.
Make no mistake, yesterdays Washington Post revelation that the CIA has concluded that Russia was actively trying to elect Donald Trump as opposed to just meddling with the election, is a nuclear bombshell. And if the Post piece is Hiroshima, then todays New York Times story, which adds the detail that Russian actors also hacked email accounts at the Republican National Committee but did not release those publicly as they did Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign emails, is Nagasaki.

Hyperbole? Think again. A foreign government may have determined the outcome of a presidential election. And not Canada or Costa Rica, but Russia: the United States chief historic adversary and an oligarchy ruled by a tyrant who has systematically taken away rights. Bombshells dont come much bigger.

Oh, wait; yes they do. On top of all the above, leaders of one of our two political partiesIll let you hazard a guess as to which oneargued against letting the American public know about all this before the election, reportedly saying it would be too partisan. Thats not hardball politics. Thats a hairs breath away from treason.

So yes, this is major. But lets catch our breath. We dont know yet for a fact that these allegations are true. Both stories came from anonymous intelligence community sources, and in all such cases, the sources need to be considered. So the Obama administration and the CIA should put this information out there publicly.

And if the evidence is persuasive, what next?

Its hard to say. It will be easy to prove to all but the most purblind partisans that Russia had the intent of electing Trump. But it will be much more difficult to prove that Russia did in fact elect Trump. That may never be provable. Unless evidence emerges that Russia specifically altered vote counts, Republicans will always be able to say it was something else and turn it back on Hillary.

Good luck getting Republicans to agree on anything here. Mitch McConnell? Please. Hes the one who said, at a hush-hush meeting back in September where administration officials urged that bipartisan group of 12 legislators go public with concerns about Russian interference in the election, that he would not participate and that if Democrats did so, he would tell the American people this was just partisan politics.

Think that through. McConnell, according to the Post story, showed no concern about the truth of the allegations. And bear this nugget in mind: This was not Barack Obama trying to persuade him to join in this bipartisan effort. This was Lisa Monaco, the presidents counterterrorism adviser; and Jeh Johnson, the Secretary of Homeland Security secretary; and FBI Director James Comey . McConnell told Comey, in essence, to go take a jump in the lake. McConnell was interested only in party, not at all in country. Thats not treason, but it sure isnt patriotism.

This obviously cries out for hearings and an investigation, or a few of them. If we lived in a different universe, wed ideally have a bipartisan investigation by Congress that was honest and serious and was able to be finished or at least to reach decent conclusions before the Electoral College votes on December 19.

But that will not happen. Republicans will make the Democrats do all the lifting here and then will cry that theyre being partisan and its just sour grapes. (Republican Senator John Cornyn tweeted , All this 'news' of Russian hacking: it has been going on for years. Serious, but hardly news.") But this is a genuine crisis. The guy who got 2.8 million fewer votes to begin with, and won because he took three states by less than 1 percent may have made it over the finish line, limping as he was, with a push from Vladimir Putin.

I know I often say imagine if Hillary had done this, but in this case, its not a mere hypothetical. Imagine the situation were reversed, and this lurid right-wing dystopic fantasy were playing out before our eyesremembering, I should note, that Trump earlier in the campaign encouraged Russia to do more hacking of Clinton! What would the Republicans be doing? A few things, I think:

Theyd certainly be calling the election illegitimate and would declare Clinton an illegitimate president.

Theyd call on the electors to seat Trump, citingand properly, by the waythe Founders view that electors existed for precisely this purpose.

Noting that Clinton had (in this hypothetical) earlier egged Russia on, they would be accusing Clinton of being an agent of a foreign government; that is, of treason.

Theyd be so legally brilliant and diabolical that its far beyond my capacity even to imagine.

And what would rank-and-file conservatives be doing? Hard-shell Trumpists? Richard Spencer? The good folks at Stormfront?

What should the Democrats do? Im not exactly sure. Demand the release of the information. Demand a real investigation, one that can be completed by Dec. 19, when the electors meet. Pin McConnells ears to the wall in every way they can think of, discredit him as much as possible. Liberals groups need to agitate from the outside. The media needs to get the message that conservatives arent the only people who get pissed off.

In a word: Fight. Like hell. Obama too. Hes been doing his jobensuring the peaceful transition of power. But that is just a custom. He didnt swear an oath to it. He did however swear an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. That comes first.

Liberals often accuse Democrats of bringing a knife to a gun fight. For this one, its time to haul out the bazooka.
Inside Sources Say Twitter Changes Coming Next Week: Report

AS SOON AS MONDAY

Elon Musk, keen to make changes after his purchase of the platform, is set to change up the way verification works as soon as possible.
WSET courses offered on Cunard cruises

Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), has partnered with travel brand Cunard, to launch the first WSET certified wine and spirit courses on-board the flagship ocean liner Queen Mary 2.

The partnership with Cunard is the first time WSET courses will be available to guests on a transatlantic or round-world cruise line.

WSET courses will initially be available on Queen Mary 2s Westbound Transatlantic Crossings and World Voyage trips with plans to extend courses to Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth later in 2017.

Classes will be led by WSET certified educator Andres Solis Lira who, having been born at the foothills of the Andes mountains, in what is now the Cachapoal wine country, has worked in the wine world for the past decade joining Cunard in 2009 as a sommelier on Queen Mary 2 and rising to the position of educator for the Cunard Wine Academy.

Guests aboard Westbound Transatlantic Crossings from Southampton to New York can embark on a five day course to achieve WSET Level 1 Award in Wines. The course gives a hands-on introduction to the world of wine in an interactive and relaxed atmosphere for beginners. The course covers the basics of wine types and styles through sight, smell, and taste, as well as how to store and serve wine and pairing food with wine.

Guests aboard Round World Voyages from Southampton to Cape Town, Cape Town to Fremantle, Hong Kong to Dubai and Dubai to Southampton, can participate in a 12 day course to achieve WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits. The beginner to intermediate level course is for enthusiasts seeking a core understanding of wine and spirits. It explores the major grape varieties and the styles of wines they produce as well as important wine regions in which they are grown. Participants also learn about key classifications and labelling terminology and are given a basic overview of the key categories of spirits and liqueurs.

Each of the courses finishes with a multiple choice exam, and, on passing, candidates receive a globally recognised WSET qualification certificate and lapel pin as proof of their new knowledge.

The premier voyage to offer WSET courses will be the Westbound Transatlantic Crossing departing Southampton on December 15, 2016. The first Round World Voyage offering WSET courses will set off on January 10, 2017 from Southampton to Cape Town. Guests can book a WSET course by calling Cunard ahead of their journey or speaking to the sommelier whilst on board.

WSET Level 1 Award in Wines (US$295):

Five day course of one hour morning sessions inclusive of revision day and multiple choice examination

The price includes all study materials, examination fees, certificates, champagne reception and a four course lunch with matching wines in The Verandah Restaurant on the last day of the course

During the course participants will have the opportunity to taste a minimum of ten wines and will also be provided with a WSET study guide to make notes on and take home

Examination on the last day with 30 multiple choice questions to be answered in 45 minutes. A mark of 70% required to pass

Certification - all guests who pass will be issued with a certificate suitable for framing and a lapel pin

WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits (US$595):

12 day course of two hour morning sessions inclusive of revision day and multiple choice examination

The price includes all study materials, examination fees, certificates, champagne reception and a four course lunch with matching wines in The Verandah Restaurant on the last day of the course

During the course participants will have the opportunity to taste up to 45 wines and four spirits and will also be provided with a WSET study guide for you to make notes on and take home

Examination on the last day with 50 multiple choice questions to be answered in 60 minutes. A mark of 55% required to pass

Certification - all guests who pass will be issued with a certificate suitable for framing and a lapel pin.

Booking:

For further information on dates or to book a course, guests can call the Cunard Contact Centre, Voyage Personaliser on:

UK, Europe, Middle East & Africa 00 44 (0)843 374 0000

USA 1-800-728 6273

Germany, Austria & Switzerland 00 800 180 84180

Australia 13 24 41

New Zealand 0800 95 1201

Or while on board call 22062 or speak to the restaurant sommelier

10 December 2016 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editorial assistant
Enjoy music, art and more this weekend in Southeast Iowa

Your guide to getting off the couch and out the door this weekend in Southeast Iowa.
A hearty Saturday Salute goes this week to Trinity Lutheran School fourth-grade teacher Wendy Heider, who received the Kim West Dinsdale Excellence in Teaching Award this week.

Wednesday was just a typical day of teaching for Heider until Grand Island Community Foundation Chief Executive Officer Melissa DeLaet announced that she is this years recipient of the award, which recognizes outstanding educators in the Grand Island community.

Outstanding educators touch the lives of their students, their students families, their fellow educators and their communities, DeLaet said.

From the letters of nomination submitted for Heider, it was clear that she fits that description.

Heider, herself, who has taught at Trinity Lutheran School since the early 1990s, was very humble, saying she cant take personal credit for receiving the award.

God is the one who has put me here, she said, and he has kept me here these many years, so I really have to give him the honor and the glory. If he has used me, then I am grateful.

We salute Heider and all the other dedicated educators in Grand Island who do so much every day to serve their students and their community.

Pearl Harbor survivors saluted

Having observed the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor Thursday, we also salute Melvin Bud Kennedy of Grand Island, one of six remaining Pearl Harbor survivors living in Nebraska.

Kennedy, who now lives at Primrose Retirement Community, was born between Fullerton and St. Edward. He and his late wife, Bernita, lived in Cedar Rapids and Clarks before moving to Grand Island in 1966.

He was only 18 years old when he spent Dec. 7, 1941, on a 40-foot motor launch trying to collect men who wound up in the sea after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He had already been in the U.S. Navy for more than 18 months and he went on to serve for a total of six years before returning to Nebraska to work as a farmer and mechanic.

Kennedy and the other Nebraska survivors of Pearl Harbor were saluted at a mens coffee Wednesday at Primrose. And we continue to salute them for all they did in service to their country.

We also salute those who took the time to fly their flags at half staff Thursday in recognition of the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Many did not realize that they should do so, but it was good to see people and businesses recognizing the sacrifices made by all the people who were killed or injured on that day that has lived in infamy.
How do you put a city back together? The stark reality of the current economic status of Hastings is sobering. Fortunately, the city has a new mayor with brains and diplomacy coming on board with sharp new council people. So what has happened in the last eight years of city leadership that impacts and challenges our new leadership and the upcoming revamped administration?

Lost businesses during the last decade in Hastings include the closing of Bimbos Bakery, the AGP ethanol plant shutting down, Bubba Burger closing and the vast support services that the 300-plus highly paid employees who lost their jobs needed. Our public schools have at least 60 percent of the children on some lunch assistance program, which translates to the current Hastings being a welfare community in a glass house. Hastings City Hall has an attitude on how people can serve them versus how the city can serve the people. That fact most recently was reflected in the city block project by the city leadership telling voters that City Hall was smart and voters in Hastings are stupid, so there was not to be any vote on the matter. Yes, our City Hall was not about leadership, it was about control.

What about our public debt? Hastings Public Schools has an IOU of $39.5 million, Hastings Utilities operating debt for current projects is $30.5 million, water treatment project bill is $45 million, the bonded debt for our electrical production portion belonging to Hastings Utilities is $164 million, and debt at City Hall is $2.5 million. Yes, Hastings is not about out of debt because the same players (you and I) have to pay these debts totaling some $281.5 million. Maybe that is part of what is scaring potential real investment in our city as the per capita debt this amounts to is $11,600. That truly is the bully in the room that must be dealt with prior to Growing Hastings.

Our new mayors tone of ideas for Growing Hastings has tremendous value as it gives a reason to get our city economically back. Yes, that may take a couple of decades to do, but it will pay dividends to the stalwart Hastings people who make their community great.

As we send the old administration and business as usual leadership packing, let us get on board and help truly Restore Hastings so our future generations can enjoy what our city founders truly envisioned. We can grow our community by just paying our bills, making City Hall user friendly, and just getting our government out of the way so private ingenuity can again prosper.
The passing and signing of the Future Energy Jobs Bill by Illinois politicos will result in Ameren customers seeing decreases in future power bills.

The energy bills origins were rooted in Exelon Corps aim to preserve two nuclear plants in Clinton and the Quad Cities. The measure provides a subsidy of up to $235 million a year to keep the two nuclear plants open for at least 10 more years.

Ameren officials told legislators that residential customers will see a savings on their bills in the first years of the legislation.

An Ameren spokesman said customers should see a savings of approximately $1.37 per monthly bill beginning in June, 2017 as a result of the Illinois Commerce Commissions $14.48 million decrease in delivery service rates over current charges. This is the fourth such rate decrease since the landmark Smart Grid Bill was passed in 2011.

Craig Nelson, senior vice president Regulatory Affairs and Financial Services for Ameren, said the passage of the bill is good news for Ameren customers.

First, Ameren Illinois customers, whose electric rates are already well below the national average, will continue to receive a good value for the service they are being provided, he said. Second, the Commissions order validates that our 10-year plan to modernize the states energy grid is being implemented responsibly and in a cost-effective manner.

It isnt until about five years into the bills life, once many of its provisions are fully in force, that typical residential customers should see an increase. The bill calls for rate increases to be capped at no more than 25 cents a month for residential customers and for businesses no more than 1.3 percent above the 2015 rates.

The ICCs decision on 2017 rates follows a thorough review of Ameren Illinois expenditures on capital projects completed through this year.

The decision comes on the heels of the passage of the Future Energy Jobs Bill that will ensure the availability of lower-cost clean energy for downstate consumers.

Ameren officials project that stable energy supply, along with stronger energy efficiency programs included in the bill will lend to lower customer electric rates.

Since the innovative smart grid plan went into effect, its evident the program is surpassing expectations  customers are saving energy and money, Nelson said.

Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the bill into law on Dec. 7.
When an Edwardsville police officer pulled over a 2010 Camaro recently in downtown Edwardsville, he allegedly discovered drugs inside and a loaded .22 caliber rifle in the back seat, within arms reach of the driver's 3-year-old daughter.

The driver, 26-year-old Robert T. Brueggemann, of 15 Dogwood Lane in Glen Carbon, was taken into custody.

Two days later, on Dec. 2, the Madison County States Attorneys Office charged him with alleged unlawful possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and endangering the life of a child.

Both are felonies.

On Tuesday prosecutors, citing provisions of Illinois drug forfeiture laws, filed paperwork to have the Camaro seized.

In a sworn statement in support of the forfeiture, police say they seized 88 pills of Xanax in several plastic bags. They also seized the long rifle from the back seat and an uncased semi-automatic handgun (found in) the glove box of the above vehicle while transporting his 3-year-old daughter, according to the sworn statement.

Prosecutors allege that the Camaro was used, or was intended to be used, to transport, or in any manner to facilitate the transportation, sale, receipt, possession or concealment of illegal drugs and/or drug paraphernalia in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, the Cannabis Control Act, or the Illinois Drug Forfeiture Procedure Act.

After his arrest, Brueggemann was taken to the Madison County Jail. He later posted bail and was released.

He faces a preliminary hearing on Dec. 16 at the Madison County Criminal Justice Center.
Steve Paul, the owner of Exactime Watch & Clock, has been fascinated by how things work since he was a child.

As a boy, my dad and I used to go to auctions. Originally, I fixed everything, but I got excited about clocks as a teenager.

His interest grew so much that he attended college to become a watchmaker. He explained that watchmaker is what watch repairmen are called.

Paul is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Exactime. I used to be head watchmaker at Hamilton Jewelers in St. Louis, Paul said. He lives in the area, though, and decided to open his own shop in Glen Carbon on Route 159 about a mile north of Interstate 270.

As more people rely on their phones to keep time, the store has grown into one of the largest watch repair shops in the St. Louis area, Paul said. Theres a segment of the population that doesnt wear watches anymore, he said. But theres also a large segment that has multiple watches. We get more work than we can handle.

Paul has a CW21 certification. He is one of about 400 watchmakers to be certified. I had to pass a four-day exam, he said. Theyve been giving the test for about 10 years. Some manufacturers, he said, will only sell parts to certified watchmakers. He repairs almost all brands, including Rolex, Seiko, and Omega.

The store also sells both new and used watches. Weve done really well with selling pre-owned watches, Paul said.

People bring them in and we fix them up and sell them. Its really become a specialty of ours.

At any given time, Paul said, the store has between three and four hundred watches. Probably about 200 are pre-owned, he said.

The store has 11 employees, including five that repair watches. Theres really no one else on around here that repairs watches. There are very few people that do.

Paul has been training apprentices for the last three years. I started with my third one two months ago, he said.

Paul said he is very happy with his location. We are drawing customers from all over west, south and north county in St. Louis, and from Springfield and other Illinois cities, Paul said. Theyre finding us on the Internet and theyre coming from long distances. Sometimes people from St. Louis hear were in Glen Carbon and say, I cant do that, but I tell them were just a mile north of 270, and then they come over.

Paul said he tries to send customers to a local restaurant when theyre in the area. I want them to have a good experience while theyre here, he said. If they can create a good memory, then theyll come back.

And he wants them to come back, he said. He loves his work and his location. I dont have any plans to move, he said.
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, December 10, 2016

The credibility of the countrys judiciary will be put to test yet again when the North Jakarta District Court begins Tuesday the much awaited trial of non-active Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, who has been charged with blasphemy.

The challenge facing the panel of judges, that will be presided over by the district court chief judge Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, is undoubtedly daunting, given the mounting public pressure that has been evident in two large-scale rallies over the past month to demand that the Christian, Chinese-Indonesian, governor be imprisoned for his words, which the protesters deem as an insult to Islam.

Just a reminder, the police only named Ahok a suspect following the Nov. 4 rally. And reportedly the decision was made through a split decision. Later that day, President Joko Jokowi Widodo, who failed to fulfill the protesters demand to meet with him, ordered the police to carry out a swift, transparent investigation into the blasphemy case.

Knowing the high-profile nature of the case, law enforcers indeed worked fast, and state prosecutors handed over the case dossier of Ahoks blasphemy charges to the court within two weeks on Dec. 1, the eve of the second mass demonstration.

It is difficult to deny that the investigation and prosecution of Ahok is the fruit of persistent pressure from a large public movement, which is comprised of various groups with their own agendas and which are only united by their common interest.

The police have arrested a number of people and named them suspects for allegedly plotting to use the rally to overthrow the government.

Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo has played down the pressure, saying that law enforcers had only worked fast to respond to the publics wishes as soon as possible and comply with the principles of a quick, simple and inexpensive trial, which has so far remained elusive.

Still the rapid measures have not pleased the anti-Ahok groups, who have openly questioned the law enforcers decision not to arrest the governor, who is now torn between his bid to win the election in February and the blasphemy case. Some have gone so far as insisting that Ahoks acquittal would put national unity in jeopardy.

That Prasetyo and the Jakarta Police have advised that the North Jakarta District Court relocate the court hearing from its temporary premises on Jl. Gadjah Mada in Central Jakarta to the faraway location of Cibubur in East Jakarta only indicates the difficulties facing law enforcement agencies in ensuring security and order during the trial.

Wherever the hearing takes place, security is pivotal to enable the panel of judges and witnesses to remain independent and stick to the facts. Ahok may only be found guilty based on facts, rather than intimidation from those who have convicted Ahok before the trial begins.

To further ensure a fair trial the Supreme Court should take into consideration the warning from the Judicial Commission, which says a live broadcast of the court hearing could lead to a trial by the public and therefore compromise the independence and integrity of the judges. We have seen this happen before.
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, December 9 2016

Amid rising coal prices, publicly listed natural resources company Ancora Indonesia Resources (AIR) plans to increase its production of ammonia nitrate, a basic raw material used to produce explosives for mining.



The company, under subsidiary Multi Nirotama Kimia (MNK), expects to boost its ammonia nitrate production to 90,000 tons next year from 70,000 tons this year and eventually reach its capacity to produce 135,000 tons per year.



AIR finance director Rolaw Samosir said Thursday the consideration not to increase its ammonia nitrate production to maximum capacity just yet came from the surge in coal prices that might change at any point next year even though current coal prices stand at more than US$100 per ton.



The average coal price reference set by the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry for December surged to $101.69 per ton from $58.37 per ton in August.



If the demand is higher than our production, well do trading, Rolaw said at the companys public expose in Jakarta.



AIR can import ammonium nitrate from countries like Australia, India and Malaysia to meet the demand. By the end of the year, the company projected to import 18,000 tons of ammonium nitrate.



The needs for ammonium nitrate in Indonesia, Rolaw added, reached 500,000 tons per year while the total production of AIR combined with producer Kaltim Nitrate Indonesia (KNI) only reached a combined 435,000 tons per year.



On the financial side, AIR expects to book revenue of $100 million next year, the same target projected for the end of this year.



AIR is optimistic that next year it will not book losses because the company predicts to see losses of up to $7 million by the end of the year.



We dont expect to make a profit next year but to reach a break-even point, AIR president director Charles Daniel Gobel said.



In the first nine months of this year, the company saw its revenue plunge to 56.7 percent and $79.7 million from $124 million in the same period last year. AIR also saw a loss of $3.9 million in the January to September period, a 35 percent surge from $2.8 million by September last year.



The company, under subsidiary Bormindo Nusantara, also provides work-over service to oil and gas operators, including onshore drilling rig services, although it has not seen business in the sector grow significantly as crude oil prices remain low.



Many said that oil companies would conduct drilling only if the oil price reached $70 per barrel, Gobel said, adding that low prices would prompt oil companies to halt their drilling activity.



On Thursday, crude oil prices stood at $50.03 per barrel, Bloomberg data shows.



AIR does not plan to expand its business next year. The company only allocated $2 million for MNK and maximum $1 million for Bormindo Nusantara for maintenance, Gobel said.



Shares in AIR, traded under the code OKAS, traded at Rp 51 apiece on Thursday, having plunged 45 percent so far this year, under performing against the broader benchmark Jakarta Composite Indexs (JCI) 15.5 percent gain. The company has Rp 90 billion market capitalization. (wnd)

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Linkedin Robert Burns (The Associated Press) Washington DC  Sat, December 10, 2016

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Saturday that as many as 200 more American troops are being sent to Syria to help Kurdish and Arab fighters capture the Islamic State group's key stronghold of Raqqa.

The extra troops will include special operations forces and are in addition to 300 U.S. troops already authorized for the effort to recruit, organize, train and advise local Syrian forces to combat IS.

Addressing a security conference in Bahrain, Carter said the extra troops will help the local forces in their anticipated push to retake Raqqa, the de facto capital of the extremist group's self-styled caliphate, and to deny sanctuary to IS after Raqqa is captured.

He said President Barack Obama approved the troop additions last week.

"These uniquely skilled operators will join the 300 U.S. special operations forces already in Syria, to continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces to take the fight to ISIL," Carter said in his address to the IISS Manama Dialogues in the Bahraini capital, Manama.

"By combining our capabilities with those of our local partners, we've been squeezing ISIL by applying simultaneous pressure from all sides and across domains, through a series of deliberate actions to continue to build momentum," he said.

The military push in Syria is complicated by the predominant role played by local Kurdish fighters, who are the most effective U.S. partner against IS in Syria but are viewed by Turkey -- a key U.S. ally -- as a terrorist threat.

A senior defense official said the troop boost announced by Carter will give the U.S. extra capability to train Arab volunteers who are joining the Raqqa push but are not well trained or equipped. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of internal Pentagon planning.
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Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, December 10 2016

Indonesia still lags far behind ASEAN peers in international school rankings, putting the country at a grave disadvantage in terms of competitiveness within the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which was formally established last year.

According to the 2015 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), released on Tuesday, Indonesian students showed improvement across the board compared to when they were last tested in 2012. As a result, Indonesia finished in 64th place out of 72 countries participating in last years assessment, a major improvement from 2012, when it finished second to last.

The improvement still pales when compared to what Vietnam has achieved in the past years. Vietnamese students have shown tremendous improvement, scoring 525 points, despite having a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita roughly half the size of Indonesias.

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Linkedin Ruslan Sangadji (The Jakarta Post) Palu  Sat, December 10, 2016

Activist, researcher, scholar and former Tempo magazine journalist George Junus Aditjondro died in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Saturday at 5:45 a.m. local time. He was 70 and died by his widow, Erna Tenge, and son from his earlier marriage, Enrico Suryo Aditjondro.

Since 2012 when a stroke affected his health, George had difficulty speaking. He died in Bala Keselamatan Hospital in Palu.

George was known as a passionate critic of what he saw as corrupt power. During the Soeharto regime he researched the business empire of the Cendana family, referring to Soehartos family that resided on Jl. Cendana in Central Jakarta. He also wrote about military business in Indonesia.

A prolific writer and researcher, George, who earned his PhD degree from Cornell University, had written dozens of books and hundreds of papers. His works and audacity to speak up had put him into trouble several times. He had to leave Indonesia during the Soeharto era and he went to Australia from 1995 to 2002. He taught sociology at Newcastle University in Australia and was a guest lecturer at Murdoch University.

He also taught at Satya Wacana Christian University in Salatiga, Central Java, when he was part of a trio of passionate critics from the university at that time: Ariel Heryanto, Arief Budiman and George himself.

After he returned home from Australia, he wrote more controversial books, including Dissecting Cikeas Octopus: Behind the Scene of Bank Century Scandal, which discusses then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The book looks into Yudhoyono and how four foundations allegedly helped raise money for his 2009 election campaign.

During the launch of the book in 2009, he was accused of violence against Ramadhan Pohan, a politician from Yudhoyonos Democratic Party. Ramadhan said George hit him with a book.

Read also: George Aditjondro: Of watchdog and octopi

His last controversial criticism was in 2011 when he lived in Yogyakarta while his wife finished her PhD at Gadjah Mada University (UGM). In a discussion at UGM about the controversial Sultan Ground, in which the Yogyakarta Sultanate marked plots of lands in the province as Sultan Ground, he criticized the sultanate. Several residents said he insulted the sultan and he was barred from his own home in Yogyakarta. Later he tried, to no avail, to apologize in person to Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX.

In September 2014 he moved to Palu after his Poso-born wife Erna completed her doctorate degree from Geography School at UGM. In Palu he researched and wrote about military and police operations in conflict-ridden Poso in Central Sulawesi. He joined Tanah Merdeka Foundation in Palu and did his research as an activist in the foundation.

George was born on May 27, 1946, in Pekalongan, to a Javanese father and Dutch mother. Before Erna, he married Bernadetta Esti and they had a son, Enrico Suryo Aditjondro. After his separation with Bernadetta, George, who loved to keep his hair long, married Erna, 60, a scholar at Economic School in Tadulako University. (evi)
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, December 10 2016

Indonesia is getting down to business as it allocates hundreds of billions of rupiah to build integrated fisheries and marine centers (SKPT) on several islands.

As many as 12 outermost islands will see the establishment of SKPT that will enable the country  the worlds largest archipelago  to produce and export more quality fish.

The islands consist of Natuna in Riau Islands; Saumlaki in Maluku; Biak Numfor, Merauke and Mimika in Papua; Mentawai in West Sumatra; Nunukan in North Kalimantan; Talaud in North Sulawesi; Morotai in North Maluku; Rote Ndao and East Sumba in East Nusa Tenggara; and Sabang in Aceh.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Indonesia  Sat, December 10 2016

President Joko Jokowi Widodo will head to New Delhi on Monday for an official visit to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, before continuing on to Tehran in search of new energy partners, the Foreign Ministry has announced.

Jokowi will visit India for the first time in his two years in office, reciprocating Modis predecessor Manmohan Singhs tour of Jakarta in October 2013, ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said in a statement on Friday.

The President seeks to diversify exports to India and increase investment in the pharmaceutical sector.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, December 10 2016

WORDS AND PHOTOS KEVINDRA PRIANTO SOEMANTRI

Just call him Fei, unless you want to twist your tongue. Fei is the proprietor of the Jiang restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Guangzhou, China, and he received an award in 2015 that gave him the title of no one less than Chinas Best Chef.



When Li Feng  a lavish Cantonese restaurant  was built as the new face of the Chinese restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta, replacing the Xin-Hwa restaurant, Fei was asked to become the consultant Chinese chef for the hotel.



The food at Li Feng differs from that at Xin-Hwa or any other typical grand Chinese restaurant. Since its opening a few months ago, the Li Feng has become the talk of the city, merely because of its cuisine: artful, thoughtful yet delightful. On Nov. 13, Fei paid a visit to Jakarta to bring his cooking skills to the Li Feng.



He greeted me with his signature smile. Although not fluent in English, Fei tried his best to explain his idea behind the evenings menu, with the help of the restaurants executive chef, Loy. Sapphire was the title of the menu.



We began the evening with a platter of what could be considered an appetizer: slices of braised beef shanks in soya sauce. Beef shank is one of the toughest types of meat, yet skillful cooking can transform its hardness into a delectable product, as Fei proved. He braised the shank with Chinese soya sauce, with a hint of smokiness and just a light taste of layers of Chinese spices, with just the right measure of saltiness.



After the beef, we moved on to the honey walnuts in the middle: a nice heap of golden, shiny walnuts coated with honey and sesame. Salty and sweet, crunchy and yes, addictive. So we arrived at the last appetizer item, two ruby stone-like cherry tomatoes in a pond of coconut milk. I wondered what that might taste like, given the quite unusual combination of rich and distinctive coconut milk with the sour, tangy cherry tomatoes. It turned out to be a peculiar delight when sweetness of the cherry tomato married with the earthiness of the coconut, and when the juicy tomato liquefied the milk, a fine strike of sourness balanced it all out.



My eyes rolled in a pleasing manner, triggering my colleagues response of the night: The flavor is unique, isnt it?



As we finished the platter, Nathalia, one of the smartest and most thoughtful waitresses in the city, brought to our table something familiar, but we knew that when Fei made something, it would never be just your usual meal. It was Cantonese boiled chicken, sliced and topped with a grainy sauce of spring onion and ginger. It was silky, sexy to the appearance, with sheen from its own natural oil of the perfectly cooked skin and moist flesh.



Chinese boiled chicken has never been as buttery and delightful as this; it slid down right away after entering the mouth, leaving only a sense of wanting more. The ginger and spring onion sauce was just a nice addition to the chicken.



What a perfect dish to eat on rainy Jakarta day, said Marlene Danusutedjo, director of communications at Mandarin Oriental Jakarta.



To warm us up from the heavy rain, Fei presented the next dish from his Sapphire menu, stewed matsutake, dried scallop and fish maw in a crystal clear soup. Sipping up the broth was comforting; the flavor just right to tease your palate and prompt you to go for more.



Respect for simplicity and an emphasis on refined taste is the way Fei deals with ingredients. As I thought the next dish would be overwhelming, a pan fried lobster with emperor black soy sauce, it turned out to be brilliantly seasoned, accentuating the natural sweetness of the lobster in a savory, sophisticated way  a true indulgence.



It is not Asian food without rice, so the next course was fluffy Japanese rice, cooked with soya and just the simplest of spices.



Now its complete, I told Marlene, who responded with a nod. Atop the rice sat a gem of Chinese seafood cuisine, braised abalone. Nice, chunky texture, but not gummy, a marshmallow of the sea.



Using only the best seasonal ingredients, impeccably prepared according to time-honored traditions, Fei has created a menu that excites and delights in equal measure. So if you happen to visit Guangzhou, do pay a visit to Jiang, arguably the citys finest Cantonese restaurant  as I will also do.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, December 10, 2016

The Bogor Police deployed 270 personnel to manage traffic on the Puncak and Bogor-Ciawi-Sukabumi routes on Saturday, the first day of the long weekend. Monday is a national holiday to observe the Prophet Muhammads birthday.

Bogor Police chief Adj. Dr. Comr. AM Dicky Gading Pastika said Saturday as quoted by kompas.com that Bogor regency was a tourist destination and he anticipated a surge in traffic, especially from Jakarta, traveling to the area this long weekend.

The high enthusiasm of people from various places to go to Puncak and Bogor causes a surge in motor vehicle volume, Dicky said.

He said personnel were stationed in several congestion-prone areas like the Ciawi intersection, Gadog intersection, Cisarua Market intersection and Taman Safari intersection.

The volume of traffic passing through the Ciawi toll gate continued to increase since Saturday morning, dominated by private vehicles and tour buses. The queue of vehicles moving toward the Ciawi exit was 3 kilometers long as of noon on Saturday. (evi)
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, December 10, 2016

On the heels of a series of intolerant acts by hard-liners, including the recent mob attack on a Christmas service in Bandung, West Java, Christian groups have said they will celebrate Christmas as usual and will not bow down to pressure.

The Gereja Kemah Abraham (GKA) church, whose congregation performs its religious activities in a hall in the ITC Permata Hijau shopping center in South Jakarta, said they would not change their Christmas service schedule despite concerns about rising intolerance in the country.

Even though there are a lot of issues [regarding intolerance], our [Christmas] services will take place as usual because we hope that everything will be safe, GKA secretary Sozawato Telaumbanua told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

He added that the GKA and other churches had been coordinating with police personnel to ensure the security of the services it is going to hold, including the Christmas Eve service on Dec. 24 and the New Years Day service on Jan. 1, 2017.

Similar statements were made by business entities in the capital, including the management of Hotel Indonesia Kempinski, who said the hotel would promote tolerance by running its business as usual and decorating its building in a Christmas theme, as it did for all major religious occasions.

Kempinskis public relations director Rebecca Leppard told the Post that the hotel would stage special events for their clients who celebrate Christmas, such as buffets, dinner and choir performances, just as they did every year.

Our staff are also repeatedly reminded that we serve our clients without discrimination and that they should also show professionalism in their relations with each other [of whatever religious background], she said.

In the past week, Indonesia has seen two incidents where hard-line Muslims intimidated people from other religious groups and forced them to give in to their demands.

Last Tuesday, an Islamic group calling themselves the Ahlu Sunnah Defenders (PAS) forced a Christian community to cancel a Christmas service at the Sasana Budaya Ganesha, a popular auditorium in Bandung. The protesters, who stormed into the building and broke up the service held by the Reformed Injili Indonesia Church, claimed the event to be illegal because it was held at a public facility.

The following day the Muslim Peoples Forum (FUI) of Yogyakarta forced Duta Wacana Christian University (UKDW) to take down billboards that featured a student wearing a hijab, claiming that the billboards insulted Islam.

The acts of intimidation carried out by hard-line groups come amid escalating sectarian tension surrounding the blasphemy case involving Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, who is a Christian of Chinese descent.

The secretary-general of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), Gomar Gultom, called on Christians to remain vigilant, saying that every church should ensure security during Christmas services.

I hope people will understand that [Christmas] is only once a year and even though some congregations perform the services in public halls, they have obtained all legal permits, Gomar told the Post.

Executive secretary of the Bishops Conference of Indonesias (KWI) Justice and Peace Commission, Paulus Christian Siswantoko said the government should ensure that all religious groups were able to perform their services peacefully.

The KWI would intensify its communication with other religious communities and the government to strengthen harmony amid concerns of a weakening of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), the nations philosophy, he said.

We should safeguard harmony within all these differences. We should use Christmas time to spread peace in society, which is now on the brink, Paulus said.
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, December 10, 2016

The government is considering reducing the industrial gas price below US$6 per million British thermal unit (mmbtu) for the glass and ceramics industries, a high ranking official said.

Energy and Mineral Resources deputy minister Arcandra Tahar said that currently from 10 industries proposed, only three are able to enjoy lower prices, namely the petrochemical, fertilizer and steel industries. However Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto had submitted a proposal again for other industries.

"Those three are strategic industries where our state owned enterprises (SOEs) operated. We are still studying which part will be reduced from these two additional sectors," he said at the Economic Coordinating Ministry's office on Friday.

He added that the gas price contribution for the glass and ceramics industries was less significant compared to those three priority industries. In the fertilizer industry, the gas price determined 70 percent of the production cost, compared to 50 to 60 percent for petrochemical and steel.

"In glass and ceramics, the gas price effect was less than 20 percent," he said.

Then, Arcandra added, the government would like to improve the efficiency of these two industries first. Because gas price reduction would cut the government's non-tax state revenue from the oil and gas sector, but in exchange, the tax revenue would be increased from the boosted industry.

He said for the three prioritized industries, the government would "sacrifice" US$1.2 billion in non-tax state revenue next year.
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, December 10 2016

A strong undersea earthquake rocked Indonesias Aceh province early on Wednesday, killing over a hundred people and devastating dozens of buildings. District chief Aiyub Abbas said hundreds of people in the district had been injured and more than 40 buildings, including mosques, stores and homes, were flattened. The district is located 18 kilometers southwest of the epicenter.



The United States Geological Survey said the shallow 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck at 5:03 a.m. [22:03 GMT Tuesday] was centered approximately 10 km north of Reuleut, a town in northern Aceh, at a depth of 17 km. There was no risk of a tsunami.



Indonesia is part of the biggest ring of fire in the world, which is prone to seismic activity with a large jolt in 2004 causing a gigantic tsunami.



The emergency response team mobilized rescue efforts immediately to help survivors in the Pidie Jaya area. The local hospital was packed with injured people moments after the earthquake rumbled the area.



Aceh is not alone, we stand together, said President Joko Jokowi Widodo, who is visiting the ill-fated area.



 The Jakarta Post

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Linkedin Bambang Muryanto and Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta/Bandung  Sat, December 10, 2016

Dozens of hijab-clad students were sitting in groups in the yard of Sanata Dharma Catholic University in Yogyakarta on Friday afternoon, seemingly in the middle of discussions about their studies.

They were joined by male and non-hijab-wearing female students in the campus located on Jl. Gejayan, Sleman, in Yogyakarta. This idyllic view stands in contrast to the claims made by hard-line Muslim group Muslim Peoples Forum (FUI), which recently forced another non-Muslim university Duta Wacana Christian University (UKDW) to take down billboards depicting a female student wearing a hijab. The group claimed the billboards were an insult to Islam.

Sanatas billboards also feature a student wearing a hijab together with other students, a seemingly accurate depiction of what was seen in the campus yard on Friday.

There is no Christianization here. The campus even provides a prayer room, Ardiya D. Nurahma, a Sanata Dharma English major student.

The campus has declared that it will refuse to bow down to pressure to take down the billboards, as UKDW has done in compliance with the FUIs demands.

Of the total 3,800 students at UKDW, 266 are Muslim, according to the universitys data. The university said it had decided to comply with the demands to prevent disruptions to campus activities.

The billboards depicting a hijab-clad student was not a violation of religious laws, but instead aimed to promote inclusivity and pluralism, principles regarded highly in Islam, Yogyakartas Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University rector Yudian Wahyudi said on Friday. Inclusive educational institutions are pivotal to creating a society that supports pluralism, he added.

They want to show that it is an open campus that upholds diversities, he told The Jakarta Post, adding that the advertisement should not be interpreted negatively based on fears of Christianization.

Accepting students from different faiths has been a long-standing practice at Islam-based universities such as Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah University, the universitys rector Bambang Cipto said.

The advertisement did not constitute an ethical violation either, advertising lecturer at the Gadjah Mada University Pulung S. Perbawani said, adding that the campuses wanted to promote their embrace of multiculturalism.

The protests over the campus billboards has been the latest incident that indicates a rising level of intolerance and aggressive tactics from hard-line Muslims toward people of other faiths. The incident took place a day after two Islamic groups  Ahlu Sunnah Defenders (PAS) and Dewan Dawah Islamiyah Indonesia (DDII)  rallied against a religious service led by Rev. Stephen Tong at a popular auditorium, the Sasana Budaya Ganesha (Sabuga) Building, in Bandung on Tuesday. The groups claim the service should not have been held in a public

facility.

The incidents follow widespread religious tension centering on the blasphemy case against Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama.

Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil said on Friday that groups wishing to hold religious events in his city did not need a permit but only inform local police, countering claims from PAS members that the Christmas service was illegal.

If there are parties saying a religious service requires a permit, it is not true. They do not need any permit, no matter what and when, he said.

He made the statement after a meeting with representatives of state institutions and religious organizations on Thursday evening. Ridwan said that during the meeting it was agreed that the use of public buildings for religious services was allowed as long as they were non-routine events.

What we strictly prohibit civil groups from doing is entering houses of worship of other religions. If that happens, they can be charged with violating articles 175 and 176 of the Criminal Code [KUHP]. But even in the worst situation, it is only the police that have the authority to take action against such a violation, he said.
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Linkedin Bambang Muryanto and Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta/Bandung  Sat, December 10 2016

Dozens of hijab-clad students were sitting in groups in the yard of Sanata Dharma Catholic University in Yogyakarta on Friday afternoon, seemingly in the middle of discussions about their studies.

They were joined by male and non-hijab-wearing female students in the campus located on Jl. Gejayan, Sleman, in Yogyakarta. This idyllic view stands in contrast to the claims made by hard-line Muslim group Muslim Peoples Forum (FUI), which recently forced another non-Muslim university Duta Wacana Christian University (UKDW) to take down billboards depicting a female student wearing a hijab. The group claimed the billboards were an insult to Islam.

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Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, December 10, 2016

From satay to rendang curry, rich and authentic dishes are part of the nationss culinary appeal that keeps foreign tourists coming back.

But as the countrys tourism campaign intensifies, the worlds biggest archipelago is looking to homegrown cosmetics to lure more overseas visitors.

A new partnership between the Tourism Ministry and local cosmetic maker Martina Berto, part of the Martha Tilaar Group, is set to further boost the Wonderful Indonesia campaign in a bid to attract 20 million tourists by 2019, almost double this years target of 12 million.

Under the cooperation, the campaigns logo will adorn the firms well-known Sari Ayu products, including lipsticks and eye shadow sets. This follows an earlier move in which the logo was printed on 20 million Papatonk shrimp cracker bags shipped to China.

The most recent promotional effort aims to popularize Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), one of 10 emerging destinations, as the firm also took inspiration for its new cosmetic products from Lombok, another famous tourist spot in the same province, according to Tourism Minister Arief Yahya.

The ministry has spent heavily on its overall promotional activities, including familiarization trips, festivals, travel exchanges and sales mission.

The hefty amount has also been channeled to emblazon the campaigns logo on food packaging, as well as 400 taxis and 10 buses in London, and to promote tourist destinations such as Borobudur Temple in Central Java.

It has earmarked Rp 2 trillion (US$150 million) out of its Rp 3.8 trillion budget next year, up slightly from Rp 1.7 trillion in the revised 2016 state budget.

We are perhaps the countrys third-largest institutional spender that allocates a sizeable budget for promotion after tobacco and telecommunication companies, Arief recently said.

Such a concerted effort is in line with the official target to push up its position to 30th place for country tourism on the World Economic Forums 2019 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, up from 47th place in 2015, which was higher than neighbors Thailand and Malaysia.

Martina Berto president director Bryan Tilaar, who leads Marta Tilaars manufacturing and marketing subsidiary, said the companys engagement had non-commercial and commercial aspects, which included expanding its overseas sales.

Each year we want our exports to grow 10 to 30 percent. We are focusing on our Asia-Pacific market, as well as the Middle East, he said.

Visitors from Asia-Pacific countries have long dominated foreign arrivals to Southeast Asias largest economy, with the current top contributor coming from China.

With other companies submitting proposals to take part in the Wonderful Indonesia campaign, co-branding efforts may continue in the future.

Marketing consulting firm MarkPlus founder and CEO Hermawan Kartajaya applauded the ministrys branding approach through Indonesian-made products.

Its very effective because the products and tourism brand can support each others strengths, he said.

Hermawan added that as Indonesia championed nature, culture and man-made tourism, the products related to these aspects would fit the brand campaign as well.
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura  Sat, December 10 2016

The Papua and West Papuas office of state electricity company PLN will supply power to 60 previously unconnected villages in Papua and West Papua provinces before Christmas.

Connecting the 60 villages to the electricity grid is part of the 2020 electricity program. This is a Christmas gift from PLN, Papua and West Papuas PLN General Manager Yohanes Sukrislismono said on Friday.

Forty-two of the villages are located in West Papua while 18 are in Papua province.

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Linkedin Novan Iman Santosa (The Jakarta Post) Manila  Sat, December 10 2016

Indonesia believes a trilateral mechanism is effective in preventing further abduction in the Sulu Sea by the Abu Sayyaf militants and the probability of Islamic State (IS) movement establishing a strong base in Southeast Asia.

We will hold a trilateral joint exercise in Kalimantan early next year, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said on Thursday in Manila.

The joint exercise will involve small units from Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia at the company level.

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Linkedin Ina Parlina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, December 10, 2016

As rescue and relief efforts entered a third day, the government promised to do its best to rebuild the three regencies in Aceh shattered by Wednesdays powerful earthquake.

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Aceh before dawn on Wednesday, causing devastating damage in the regencies of Pidie Jaya, Pidie and Bireun and prompting the province to declare a 14-day emergency response period.

Amid the ongoing maximum relief mission on Friday, President Joko Jokowi Widodo visited affected areas in the three regencies and spoke with survivors to ensure they were now safe and promised that the government would immediately rebuild the severely affected areas.

As of Friday at 6 p.m., the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) had recorded 100 fatalities in the disaster  rather than the 102 as stated in the BNPBs initial report. More than 800 people were injured and more than 22,000 people are taking refuge in various temporary shelters and mosques.

The powerful earthquake also damaged 11,668 houses, 157 commercial buildings, 152 mosques, 25 schools and a hospital.

The central government will try as hard as possible to immediately rebuild [the affected areas] particularly public infrastructure, like mosques, Islamic boarding schools and public schools, Jokowi said in Bireun as he wrapped up his visit to Aceh, as quoted from a press release distributed by the State Palace.

The rebuilding work for the schools will be led by the Culture and Education Ministry, while the job of restoring government infrastructure and mosques will be handled by the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry. Military personnel are in charge of clearing debris.

Compensation was distributed on Friday to victims of the disaster.

Local people who lost their homes in the tragedy will be granted compensation of Rp 40 million (US$3,000) for each extensively damaged house and Rp 20 million for each house that suffered minor or medium damage, after the government completed data collection and verification, the President said.

Jokowi has also ordered his administration to provide tent schools or run temporary classes for children.

In Pidie, Jokowi visited a local hospital, a temporary shelter and a command center, while he inspected the badly damaged Al-Aziziyah Islamic college in Bireun. In Pidie Jaya, the President visited the At Taqarrub mosque in Trienggadeng district, which was among 152 mosques in Aceh suffering from damage in the quake. Although the mosque had partially collapsed, some residents used it as a shelter.

In spite of their trauma from the quake, which brought back memories of the devastating 2004 Aceh earthquake and tsunami to most Acehnese, a childrens choir immediately sang a song for Jokowi as he arrived at the mosque area.

I want all of you to keep alive the passion for learning. Keep your chin up and continue to sing, Jokowi told them.

The BNPB has already prepared a number of tent schools in some locations, said its spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho as reported by Antara News Agency.

In the third day of the emergency mission, the rescue team led by National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) continued to search for victims feared trapped under the rubble and focused on five points in Pidie Jaya, a regency which endured the most severe damage from the earthquake.

The rescue mission in the commercial area in Meureudu, a severely affected town in Pidie Jaya, deployed hi-tech devices such as life detectors and search cameras that are designed for locating buried victims.

Were still continuing the search since there is still a lot of wreckage [to search through], said Sutopo as quoted from Antara. The BNPB has discovered that many of the collapsed buildings, located in a disaster red zone, were not constructed to be resistant to earthquakes.
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, December 10, 2016

The product-sharing contract (PSC) for the gas-rich East Natuna block may not be signed anytime soon as negotiations between the government and the designated oil and gas consortium are still underway.

The government had previously targeted the signing to occur by September. However, the consortium  made up of state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina, the local unit of US oil and gas giant ExxonMobil, and Thailands PTTEP  submitted their official proposal for the terms and conditions only three weeks ago, according to ExxonMobil Indonesias vice president for public and government affairs, Erwin Maryoto.

Erwin said that both parties were now discussing the impending PSC in a general sense, involving both oil and gas reserves.

The consortium itself has already agreed upon the split scheme and location we want, he said.

The East Natuna block, formerly known as D-Alpha, is located in the Riau Islands. With a total proven reserve of 46 trillion cubic feet (tcf ) of gas it is one of Asias largest gas reserves.

Based on a calculation, the block is able to produce 7,000 to 15,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd).

However, the gas field has a high CO2 level of 72 percent, the highest of all exploitation fields globally, which necessitates advanced technology to maximize extraction and sizeable investment for development. It is estimated to require between US$20 billion and $40 billion.

Since early this year, the government has been pushing for a quick PSC signing, partially as a sign of sovereignty. It has said that it aims to allocate the entire gas output from the bloc to domestic industries in a bid to spur growth in the downstream sector.

Since a gas production solution was still apparently far-off, the government had hoped that an oil production PSC would be inked first in order to start production within three years.

Energy and Mineral Resources deputy minister Arcandra Tahar has said that the government had expected one would be sealed midNovember. But as the talks are still proceeding at a snails pace, the timeframe is set to early next year.

Arcandra claimed that one major sticking point was determining whether East Natuna was a marginal field, meaning one unable to produce sufficient net income to make it worth developing at a given time.

A field can be seen as marginal due to various factors, including a drop in global oil prices, a lack of proper technologies to produce in such areas, a remote location or a lack of research.

Although the consortium appreciates the governments enthusiasm for the blocks development, Erwin said that the 30-month principle of agreement (PoA) binding the three companies would not expire any time soon.

The PoA stipulates that we complete a technical and market review by the end of 2017, Erwin said.

We cannot just sign a PSC straightaway due to the complexities that the 72 percent CO2 brings. At this rate, its more of a CO2 field than a gas field.

Although Erwin declined to disclose the split scheme that has been proposed, Pertamina president director Dwi Soetjipto formerly said that the consortiums ideal split with the government would be 60:40, in which the larger portion would go the former.

He reasoned that the more conventional scheme of 85:15, for which the government would have the larger portion, was not enough for a gas field that took up enormous investment.
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Linkedin Yulina Eva Riany (The Jakarta Post) Queensland  Sat, December 10 2016

Indonesia is in an emergency situation with regard to violence against children. Various cases provide evidence of this. For example, a recent case occurred in Palembang, in which a mother accidentally killed her 4-year-old son, Aditya, using a form of discipline (Nov. 22).

The mothers emotions often exploded due to family conflict related to the child. Adityas mother physically assaulted the child, kicking, biting and hitting him, before she finally killed him with a fatal kick.

Aditya was not alone; aged just 13 months, Alif, in Gowa, South Sulawesi, was also experiencing the same things or even worse. Alif was not only experiencing violence from his mother but also his father, who did not hesitate to kick and hit him for whining.

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Linkedin Stefani Ribka and Linda Yulisman (The Jakarta Post) Tangerang, Banten  Sat, December 10 2016

The 16th round of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations has officially finished, after four days of negotiation meetings attended by more than 600 delegates from 16 participating countries.

One chapter, on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), has been resolved, marking the second chapter the trade pact has reached since its kick off in 2012. The previous chapter, on economic and technical cooperation, took 15 rounds of negotiations to conclude.

The chapter on SMEs has been settled, while the others are still in process, said RCEP trade negotiating committee chief Iman Pambagyo on Friday.

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Linkedin Desy Nurhayati (The Jakarta Post) Nusa Dua, Bali  Sat, December 10 2016

Social media can contribute to nurturing tolerance, pluralism and democracy, the ninth Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) concluded on Friday.

Therefore, there is a need for better education and media awareness in public to develop media and digital literacy, said deputy foreign minister AM Fachir in his closing statement as the chair of the two-day forum.

Participants said current trends in migration, globalization and displacement were increasing global diversity and inequalities, thus more inclusive democratic societies were a prerequisite to achieving global sustainable development goals by 2030.

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Linkedin Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura  Sat, December 10 2016

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has insisted that the investigation into the human rights violation case in Paniai, Papua, in which five civilians, including four students, allegedly died after being shot by security personnel, is not being put on hold despite the challenges it has met.

The ad hoc team from Komnas HAM tasked with the investigation were in Paniai from Nov. 21 to 25 to complete the dossiers on three victims and two witnesses, member of the team, and Komnas HAMs Papua representative, Frits Ramandey said on Thursday.

The team, led by Manager Nasution, planned to draw up dossiers for 23 victims and witnesses but only five people came forward, he said.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, December 10 2016

Muslims of various religious affiliations, from all walks of life, leaders from political parties, including government officials led by the President, Vice-President and Cabinet ministers, whether they had arrived on foot, by car, train, bus or plane from provinces and cities across Indonesia, all stood united at the National Monument (Monas) square to pray for the unity of the nation, to pledge their loyalty to the current government and to demonstrate that Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (unity in diversity) based on Pancasila really works in this country.

It was also a show of force, showing the outside world that Indonesia has grown up and is on its way forward.

Credit should be given to the police and military who were on full alert and ready to act immediately in case of emergency. Compliments also to the Indonesian Ulema Council, who spoke to the masses before the midday prayers started, urging them to stay peaceful and not cause unnecessary violence. Kudos to the Jakarta authorities for supplying mobile toilets, medical care units, food and beverage stalls.

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(front page)

Millions line streets across Cuba for Freedom Caravan

Through his example, Fidel Castro showed the Cuban people  and by extension working people worldwide  that yes we could, yes we can, and yes we will overcome any obstacle, threat or turmoil in our determined efforts to build socialism, Raul Castro, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and president of the Councils of State and Ministers, told a massive crowd in Santiago de Cuba Dec. 3. The event was organized to honor the life and work of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who died Nov. 25 at the age of 90. (See speech alongside this article.)

The event marked the culmination of a week during which workers and youth turned out by the millions to reaffirm their commitment to the revolution and discuss how to maintain its values of internationalism, solidarity and uncompromising opposition to U.S. imperialism.

Leaders of the mass organizations of the Cuban people addressed the flag-waving and determined crowd. The heads of state of Bolivia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and South Africa were among international guests seated on the platform. The Barack Obama administration, the 11th U.S. administration to try to overthrow the Cuban Revolution, sent no one.

Fidel unconditionally defended revolutionary ideas and principles, Ulises Guilarte, secretary general of the Central Organization of Cuban Workers, told the gathering.

The Cuban working class not only found a solution to their demands as labor through the revolution led by Fidel, he said, but became a protagonist in the transformation demanded by the construction of socialism.

Young Cubans accept responsibility for one overriding order  to always take care of this revolution, said Susely Morfa, first secretary of the Union of Young Communists. We vow to fight as long as imperialism exists and, with the sound guidance of our party, we will not fail!

You encouraged us to unite and organize, said Teresa Amarelle Boue, general secretary of the Federation of Cuban Women. A revolution within the revolution  thats what you called the participation of women.

The revolution gave Cuban women the possibility to become full human beings, she said, by pulling up by the root the legacy of discrimination, exclusion and humiliation.

Fidel defended the independence of Algeria, fought the unjust war in Vietnam and combated apartheid in Africa, said Miguel Barnet, president of the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba. His anti-imperialism made no truces and was hostage to no concessions.

The Association of Combatants will forge the unity of the generations, said Maj. Gen. Jose Antonio Carrillo, the associations president, with the new pines and the old pines making a formidable beam. The organization brings together 300,000 Cuban veterans of revolutionary struggles in Cuba and internationally.

Cuba is ours to take care of and defend, said Jennifer Bello, president of the Federation of University Students. Each university classroom will be our Moncada.

Rafael Ramon Santiesteban Pozo, president of the National Association of Small Farmers, and Carlos Rafael Miranda, national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, also spoke.

Before Fidels remains, Raul Castro said in closing, we pledge to defend the homeland and socialism! The plaza resounded with shouts of We pledge!

And together we all reaffirm, Castro continued, what Antonio Maceo, hero of the 19th century independence fight, said: Whoever attempts to conquer Cuba will gain nothing but the dust of her blood-soaked soil  if they do not perish in the struggle!

The Santiago tribute came at the end of a four-day Freedom Caravan that bore Fidels ashes from Havana, retracing in reverse the march taken in January 1959 by victorious Rebel Army units led by Fidel Castro after the U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista fled in defeat.

The revolutionary struggle began when Fidel Castro, Raul Castro and dozens of other fighters stormed the Moncada barracks in Santiago on July 26, 1953, aiming to mobilize working people in revolutionary struggle against the dictatorship. Dozens were killed and Fidel was captured and put on trial. His testimony, smuggled out and widely disseminated under the title, History Will Absolve Me, was used by revolutionaries to build the July 26 Movement, which led the fight for power to victory.

Millions turned out to greet the caravan, with thousands lining the streets of Santa Clara, Camaguey and other cities, and people standing at attention along the highway in rural areas, some on horseback.

There was palpable excitement in Santiago and in the small towns along the Central Highway where throngs lined up to greet the caravan, the Miami Herald was forced to admit Dec. 3.

The Cuban Revolution sets an example for workers, peasants and youth around the world. Members of the Socialist Workers Party in the U.S. and Communist Leagues in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, who focus their activity on going door to door in working-class areas introducing their parties and making contacts, are discussing this example.
(front page)

SWP wins support for campaign for mayor in LA

LOS ANGELES  What is the difference between you and Bernie Sanders? What would you do different if you were elected mayor? Why do you talk about international issues, like the Cuban Revolution and Washingtons wars in Iraq and Syria, when youre running for City Hall?

These were some of the questions packinghouse workers asked Dennis Richter, Socialist Workers Party candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, as he talked to people for over two hours Nov. 30 during shift change at the Farmer John meatpacking plant here.

Sanders says his goal is to take over the Democratic Party, to change the leadership to one that is more progressive, to carry out an Occupy Wall Street type program to reform capitalism, Richter said. There are two classes and three parties in the U.S. The bosses have the Democratic and Republican parties and the working class has the Socialist Workers Party.

A working-class party is necessary to lead the millions who produce all the wealth to the revolutionary conquest of state power, Richter said. This is whats needed to end the exploitation of workers and to form a workers and farmers government that can lead the transformation of society.

The Cuban Revolution  and the leadership example of Fidel Castro and the Cuban Communist Party  show workers worldwide that we are capable of uniting, of transforming ourselves in struggle to overthrow the propertied rulers, he said. Our party will continue to put defense of Cuba and its socialist revolution at the forefront of our campaign.

Along the road, we can win important reforms for the working class, no matter who controls Congress or the White House, he said. Thats the lesson of the mighty struggle we waged to overthrow Jim Crow segregation and to end the bloody U.S. war against the people of Vietnam.

But in the end the working class has to end the dictatorship of capital, under which everything and everyone is a commodity to be bought and sold, Richter said. We need a revolution to open up the possibility of ending racism, sexism and all forms of human degradation once and for all.

A key component of the SWP campaign effort to build the party and put Richter on the ballot is getting into workers hands three new books by party leaders The Clintons Anti-Working-Class Record: Why Washington Fears Working People and Are They Rich Because Theyre Smart? both by SWP National Secretary Jack Barnes, and Is Socialist Revolution in the US Possible? A Necessary Debate Among Working People by SWP leader Mary-Alice Waters  as well as subscriptions to the Militant.

Since Nov. 19, workers have bought 164 copies of these three books and 50 subscriptions. One worker at the Farmer John plant gate got two other Pathfinder books in Spanish  Cuba and Angola: Fighting for Africas Freedom and Our Own and Abortion Is a Womans Right! Forty-eight workers there signed petitions to put Richter on the ballot.

From the southern Los Angeles port neighborhoods of Wilmington and San Pedro to Van Nuys and Northridge in the San Fernando Valley, the focus of the campaign has been visiting with workers on their doorsteps, where workers have contributed $210. The party gathered over 1,200 signatures to put Richter on the ballot, more than twice the requirement, and filed Dec. 7.

What is your opinion of Obamacare? asked Crystal Rodin when Richter knocked on her door in Eagle Rock Dec. 2. Rodin is a single mother who works as a tutor.

Obamacare doesnt solve workers right to health care. It was designed to boost the profits of the drug and insurance companies, Richter said. The working class needs to fight to stop health care from being a commodity to enrich capitalists. Medical care should be guaranteed for all from cradle to grave.

A big issue for me is Child Protective Services, Rodin said. They are attacking single parents, trying to take their kids away. This is a huge thing in L.A. County.

Richter showed her The Clintons Anti-Working-Class Record, describing the devastating effect on women and children when then-President Bill Clinton ended welfare as we know it.

Rodin got the book and said she would like to bring some of her friends together with Richter to discuss this. It will be a lot of single mothers. Are you ready for that? she asked.

They began making plans to set up the meeting.

If you would like to join the Socialist Workers Party in campaigning in working-class neighborhoods and at working-class protests, contact the party in Los Angeles at swpla@att.net or (323) 643-4968.





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(front page)

Moscow, Assad deepen brutal assault against Syrian people

Following months of starvation siege, the dictatorial Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, with backing from Moscow, Tehran and Shiite militias from Lebanon and Iraq, is driving to crush opposition forces in Aleppo.

Observers report 643 deaths in Aleppo in the last three weeks, including 74 children. Tens of thousands of civilians have fled their homes as pro-government forces have captured roughly half of the rebel-held districts in eastern Aleppo since late November. Many more remain trapped, under heavy bombardment, as conditions go from terrible to even worse.

Those who refuse to leave of their own accord will be wiped out, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Dec. 6.

U.S. imperialism has been pushed to the sideline in the continuing civil war, forced to look to Moscow. Washington offers a deal to collaborate against Islamic State, in hopes such an arrangement would allow U.S. propertied rulers to protect their interests in the region.

The Turkish government has been brokering talks between some of the anti-Assad forces and Moscow. The Russians and Turks are talking without the US now, the Dec. 1 Financial Times quoted an unnamed Syrian opposition figure as saying.

Capitalist governments in the region, including those in Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have provided arms and funds to various Syrian opposition groups. They are now adjusting their positions, as it becomes clear the Russian-backed Assad regime will not be displaced anytime soon.

In particular, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sought to improve relations with Moscow and deepen Ankaras direct intervention in Syria. On Dec. 1, at Moscows urging, Erdogan publicly reversed his call for Assads overthrow.

Turkish troops and allied Syrian opposition militias moved into northern Syria in August, in an offensive against both Islamic State and the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG). Ankara says the YPG is a front for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) inside Turkey, labeling both as terrorists. Ankaras goal is to take control of a 1,900-square-mile area of Syrian territory and block Syrian Kurdish fighters from linking up the areas they control along the border.

The incursion in Syria is part of Ankaras broader attacks on the Kurdish national struggle, and on democratic rights inside Turkey. The government continues to carry out mass arrests and firings of people it accuses of supporting the PKK or the movement led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former ally who Erdogan accuses of orchestrating a failed coup in July.

Another 15,000 public employees, from soldiers and police to doctors, were fired Nov. 22, bringing the purge to 125,000. Some 36,000 people have been arrested, including a growing portion of the leadership of the Kurdish-based Peoples Democratic Party (HDP).

Unraveling imperialist order in Mideast Unraveling imperialist order in Mideast

With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the U.S. rulers misread the world situation, thinking they had gained a free hand to ride roughshod over the world. Events in Syria underscore how the last 25 years of Washingtons wars in the Mideast, from Iraq to Afghanistan, have led to the unraveling of the imperialist order there, with workers and farmers of the region paying a tremendous price.

That era is over, conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer lamented Dec. 1. Look no further than Aleppo.  Russia drops bombs; America issues statements.

The civil war in Syria began in 2011 after the Assad regime responded with bloody repression to mass protests demanding political rights. While bemoaning Assads brutality, the Barack Obama administration backed off threats to intervene against his regime in 2013 after Moscow brokered a deal to stop the Syrian regime from continuing to use chemical weapons.

Washington found itself incapable of launching another Mideast ground war. It opted instead for a largely ineffective effort to fund moderate Syrian forces and use air power to attack Islamic State, a reactionary force that grew out of elements from al-Qaeda and former officers of the Saddam Hussein regime toppled by Washingtons 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Under these conditions, shifting coalitions of Islamist as well as secular opposition groups have been competing for territory and fighting government forces since then, as well as fighting Islamic State.

President-elect Donald Trump has said Washington should end all backing for opponents of Assad, and work with Moscow to defeat Islamic State. A growing number of U.S. political figures, like former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, agree that Washington should accept the reality that Assad will remain in power.

The largest area still held by opposition forces, aside from the Kurdish-controlled regions, is the province of Idlib, west of Aleppo. Both rebel fighters and civilians forced out of other areas by the government offensive are increasingly concentrated there.

Amid the battle for Aleppo, Moscow has escalated airstrikes in Idlib, one of which killed more than 60 people at a market in the town of Kafranbel Dec. 4.





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Protesters cheer Standing Rock victory, say fight not over yet

OCETI SAKOWIN CAMP, N.D.  We want to thank everyone who played a role in advocating for this cause, Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault II said Dec. 5, hailing the victory won when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denied an easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline to cross Lake Oahe here, and announced it will begin looking for alternative routes for the oil pipeline.

We thank the tribal youth who initiated this movement. We thank the millions of people around the globe who expressed support for our cause, Archambault said. We thank the thousands of people who came to the camps to support us, and the tens of thousands who donated time, talent, and money to our efforts to stand against this pipeline in the name of protecting our water.

We especially thank all of the other tribal nations and jurisdictions who stood in solidarity with us, and we stand ready to stand with you if and when your people are in need, he said. Hundreds of Native Americans from all across the country have come to back the Standing Rock Sioux in their monthslong fight to protect their water supply, tribal burial grounds and sacred cultural lands.

The decision of the Barack Obama administration to back down and halt efforts to run the pipeline through the area follows a marked escalation of attacks on the protesters by state and local authorities. They have used rubber bullets, pepper spray, explosive grenades and water cannons against the thousands of water protectors.

North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple announced Nov. 28 that he was ordering evacuation of the area, citing anticipated harsh weather conditions.

In response to this order and recent attacks, a group of armed forces veterans named Veterans Stand for Standing Rock announced they were organizing to come to the reservation and lend a hand. Over 2,000 veterans volunteered to participate. Organizers said they would serve as human shields between protesters and the cops.

They were also raising funds to build housing, heating and medical facilities to enable protesters to make it through the winter. Through Nov. 30 over half a million dollars has been donated.

During the evening of Dec. 4 there was a mile-long line of cars waiting to get into the main camp. The way the militarized police were treating U.S. citizens broke my heart, Wayland McIntire, a retired and disabled Army veteran from Oklahoma, told the Militant. I came here to stand between the police and the protesters. Working people need to be more active.

Manuel Valenzuela, a Vietnam veteran, came from Colorado Springs. He told us he is facing deportation for a more than 20-year-old misdemeanor.

I got pissed off when I saw the violence being used against the protesters, he said. In the military we took an oath to protect U.S. citizens against enemies foreign and domestic. Well, here the domestic enemy is the U.S. government.

Art Woodson and two other vets drove 17 hours straight from Flint, Michigan, to join in defending the protest. Workers in Flint have faced a health crisis because government authorities let water laced with lead from rotting pipes poison children there.

In Flint water is in dire need, the 49-year-old Gulf War Army veteran told the Associated Press. In North Dakota theyre trying to force a pipeline on people here. And in Flint were trying to get pipes for safe water.

Many protesters said the mobilization against the pipeline is the largest outpouring of Native Americans in decades. The decision of the government to deny a permit for the pipeline, which threatens the Standing Rock Sioux and their sacred ground, is a victory for all of Indian Country, said Brian Cladoosby, president of the National Congress of American Indians.

Other recent arrivals here include a contingent of U.S.- based medical professionals who got their training at the Latin American School of Medicine in Cuba. They said they came to humbly serve in solidarity with the Sacred Water Protectors on the front lines of the current human rights and ecological crisis occurring right now in North Dakota.

This is an enormous victory, said White Buffalo Boy, a Hunkpapa Sioux, speaking for the Voice of the Camp at a news conference here Dec. 5. But last night the lights were still on at the pipeline site, and the companys helicopters were still busy. Until we go to the drill pad and see they are no longer drilling, this is not over, he said.

The company says they are going to finish the pipeline without changing the route. Their lawyers went into federal court Dec. 5 to seek a judgment against the Corps decision.

The White Houses directive today to the Corps for further delay is just the latest in a series of overt and transparent political actions by an administration which has abandoned the rule of law in favor of currying favor with a narrow and extreme political constituency, Energy Transfer Partners, the owners of the pipeline, said in a Dec. 4 statement.





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In new attack on abortion, Texas tells women: Bury or cremate fetuses

Just days after the U.S. Supreme Court in June struck down a Texas law restricting access to abortion, Texas officials quietly initiated a new obstacle to women exercising their right to decide whether to continue a pregnancy. The new rule, requiring women to bury or cremate fetal tissue from an abortion or miscarriage, will take effect Dec. 19.

This and continuing attacks against access to abortion by other state governments underscore the importance for the working class to organize public actions in defense of womens right to choose.

The proposed Texas rule was published in the Texas Register July 1 with no announcement. Gov. Greg Abbott said it was to protect the unborn.

The rule is designed as a source of stigma for anyone seeking an abortion, Heather Busby, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, told the Militant Dec. 3. They havent shown any evidence it benefits public health or improves safe medical practices.

Supporters of womens rights delivered more than 5,600 petition signatures protesting the rule to the Department of State Health Services Oct. 26. The Texas Medical Association and the Texas Hospital Association oppose it, as does the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Texas, which pointed to the costs that will fall on abortion providers and ultimately on patients.

In its June 27 decision in Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt, the Supreme Court rejected the Texas governments claim  based on zero facts  that it was protecting womens health by requiring that doctors performing abortions have admitting privileges at local hospitals and that abortion clinics meet hospital-like standards.

The ruling lays the basis to challenge other onerous restrictions. Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights filed lawsuits Nov. 30 against abortion restrictions in Alaska, Missouri and North Carolina.

The Missouri law is very similar to the one the court threw out in Texas. The Alaska regulations effectively ban outpatient abortions later than 12 weeks of pregnancy. And the North Carolina law, prohibiting abortion after 20 weeks except in medical emergencies, had been amended earlier this year to require doctors to wait until a womans health deteriorated to a particular point of severity before performing the procedure.

Since the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that decriminalized abortion, states have passed more than 700 laws restricting access, often using spurious claims of protecting womens health. The attacks have been made easier by the fact that the Supreme Court based Roe v. Wade on medical criteria, such as pregnancy trimesters and viability of the fetus, instead of womens right to equal protection under the law.

The Hellerstedt ruling was a victory, but without a fight by defenders of womens right to choose abortion it wont stop the attacks.

A campaign is underway in Arkansas to ban the most common second-trimester abortion procedure, called dilation and evacuation. Similar laws are in effect in Mississippi and West Virginia, while bans in several other states are on hold due to legal challenges.

The Ohio Department of Health revoked the operating license for the Womens Med Center of Dayton Nov. 30, claiming it failed to obtain a transfer agreement with nearby hospitals for emergencies. The clinic had been allowed instead to operate with two backup doctors for many years. In 2015 officials said three doctors were needed, and the clinic complied. Within weeks the health department demanded four. Abortion opponents in Dayton subject doctors involved in abortions to harassment and intimidation.





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Attacks on Muslims in US are highest since 2001

Taking advantage of Islamic State-inspired terror attacks in Paris; San Bernardino, California; Orlando, Florida; and elsewhere in the past two years, the propertied rulers in the U.S.  and other imperialist countries  have whipped up a campaign to scapegoat and target Muslims and immigrants. Assaults against Muslims in the U.S. last year rose to the highest level since 2001.

According to the FBI, there were 257 reports submitted to police agencies documenting attacks on mosques and Muslims, a jump of about 67 percent over 2014. The harassment and attacks have continued this year.

Last month a 16-year-old Lakewood High School student in Cleveland wearing an Islamic skull cap was shot in the shoulder while walking home from work, the Council on American-Islamic Relations reported. The thug called him a terrorist as he pulled the trigger.

At the University of Washington in Seattle, 18-year-old Muslim student Nagro Hassan was hit in the face with a glass bottle as she walked across campus Nov. 15. A week earlier several Muslim students at the universitys Bothell campus were harassed by a group of men demanding they remove their hijabs, according to the Seattle Times.

On a subway train in New York Dec. 1 three men harassed 18-year-old Yasmin Seweid. They shouted Trump, Trump! and called her a terrorist, the New York Post reported, as they tried to rip her hijab off her head.

Governments from the U.S. to France to Australia have ramped up cop and informer spying on political protests and institutionalized surveillance on social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Google.

New software technology  with names like Geofeedia, SnapTrends, Dataminr and Digital Stakeout  enable cops to snoop on the political activities of millions of people. The International Association of Police Chiefs reports that at least 550 police agencies across 44 states use such tools to spy on email and social media. Cops in Boston recently announced plans to spend some $1.4 million on social media spy software.

The Oregon Department of Justice used such blanket spying to target demonstrations by Black Lives Matter groups. Cops in Baltimore used the technology to obtain photos identifying protesters at actions against the police killing of Freddie Gray last year.

The capitalist rulers have used their anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant campaign to make further inroads on political rights won in struggle by working people. The French government has maintained a state of emergency since the Islamic State-inspired murderous attack on the magazine Charlie Hebdo in January 2015. The measure has been used to justify barring union rallies challenging attacks by the bosses and to restrict the right of others to public protest.

Similar attacks on political rights are orchestrated by the capitalist rulers in other imperialist centers. In the United Kingdom, a new Investigatory Powers surveillance law allows the government to create databases on individuals online activity. British intelligence services can legally hack into smartphones and computers. And internet providers and phone networks are required to store everyones browsing data for possible government use for up to a year. A petition on the British governments website demanding repeal of the law has been signed by more than 130,000 people.

In Australia, Parliament passed the so-called High Risk Terrorist Offenders Bill Dec. 1, allowing indefinite imprisonment of individuals convicted of terrorism-related charges. Even after their sentences run out, they can be held in prison until they die if authorities claim they have not been rehabilitated.

Edwin Fruit in Seattle contributed to this article.





Related articles:

Govt frames up Somali youth in Minnesota





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During the first half of the year, I read poetry. While I stayed at Rachel McLeod Kaminers downtown loft, I picked up Patti Smiths Early Work: 1970-1979 and Louise Mathiass The Traps from her bookshelf, and later in the year, read Kaminers collection As in the Dark, Descend. In San Francisco, McSweeneys editor Andi Winnette handed me Rebecca Lindenbergs Love, an Index. Lindenbergs partner went on a trip to research volcanoes in Japan and then disappeared. He never returned. She lost him and she wrote these poems. While in Connecticut, I read Gary Youngs Adversary and when I was back in California, I read Youngs Even So. I read Love Sonnets and Elegies by Louise Labe and I didnt think Id particularly enjoy love sonnets by a woman from the 16th century but I did. I liked reading her yearning. It made that kind of ache seem timeless.

I spent hours late at night reading the manga Lone Wolf and Cub, a tale of violent revenge set in Japans Edo period. The lead character is a former shoguns executioner who lives a life as an assassin and cares for his toddler-aged son. Father and son, together they travel the country, carrying out murders. As this 28-volume tale unfolds, the plot thickens and more becomes at stake, but I only read up to volume 13 because I became distracted by life. There is a strong likelihood that I will spend the second half of December fiendishly finishing this blood-filled story. Not only are the illustrations of the landscape beautiful and many of the lines read like poetry, but Im slightly in love with this story.

I read What Becomes Us by my former professor Micah Perks. The language in this story is lively and reads fast, and the story centers on Evie who is pregnant with twins and leaves her abusive husband on the West Coast to start a new life on the East Coast. The town she moves to is community-oriented but also strange and a bit creepy. As Evies hunger for love, food, and more takes her over, she begins to have visions of historical figure Mary Rowlandson. During King Philips War, Mary Rowlandson was held captive and wrote a narrative about her experience; this captivity narrative was the first prose book published by a woman in the Americas. After I finished What Becomes Us, I read The Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson.

I read Natashia Deons critically acclaimed debut novel Grace, which is an epic novel that masterfully and keenly tells the story of Naomi and her daughter, Josey, as well as the stories of the men and women they encounter. All of Deons characters are alive and complex and her language is filled with rich images that delight, surprise, and many times hurt. Grace brings the history of slavery in the United States very close to the reader and in doing so, offers the reader space to imagine the dreams and visions of the people who lived this history, dreams and visions that people in power suppressed and tried to erase from our history and imagination.

In April, Viet Thanh Nguyens Nothing Ever Dies was published by Harvard University Press and the book was shortlisted for the National Book Award for nonfiction. Nguyen wrote a critical text that examines war and memory and forgetting, and this academic book is accessible to nonacademic readers. For years, I told myself I wasnt smart enough to comprehend theoretical and academic texts, but after reading and line-editing Nugyens book, I realized that not only are some academic works accessible and comprehendible, but their analysis of relevant topics are crucial in helping me understand the world in which I live. I suppose I believe that if I fully understand power structures, then I can strategically fight against them.

I read Claudia Rankines Citizen: An American Lyric and after I finished the book, I read interviews with her from 2014 and listened to recordings of her reading excerpts of Citizen. In September, she became a MacArthur Fellow and that same month in a Buzzfeed interview said, As citizens, were being asked to be in collusion with the murder of black people, to not regard it as a state of emergency, and to continue in our normal course of business. This year, she encouraged us as American citizens to acknowledge that we are in state of emergency. In October, I read headlines that she was using the MacArthur grant to study whiteness and that she stated, Its important that people begin to understand that whiteness is not inevitable, and that white dominance is not inevitable. In 2017, I want to read books that help further the idea that both whiteness and white dominance are not inevitable, and I want to read books that help me understand how exactly we got to the place that we are in now.

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Art history is an interdisciplinary subject, covering the study of history, anthropology, sociology, classics, literature, languages, chemistry and art; the history of art is a lot of things, but I would never describe it as soft or exclusive.

Yet, when it was announced in October that AQA planned to scrap A level Art History in 2018, it was reported to be amongst the group of soft subjects that Michael Gove had proposed to axe as Education Secretary. In response to the news, art history faced dismissive criticisms that it was elitist and required reform.

Following a passionate campaign led by leading figures in the art industry, the A level has thankfully been saved. However, the original news nonetheless brought to light that there is a general underappreciation of the study of art and art history.

It is frustrating to hear my degree deemed weaker than the facilitating or hard subjects. At university, I will admit that I work a tad too much and sleep a tad too little to keep up with both the demands of my course and my own overambitious expectations. I do so, happily enough, because I applied for my degree knowing full well that it would be far from soft.

For prospective students to now be told that the subject is less academically respected or challenging than others, it can turn away the most hard-working and ambitious students that would in fact thrive at it.

Amongst the most worrying of responses to AQA's proposed plans was Jonathon Jones's article in the Guardian. He argues that the issue of art history is not that it is soft, but instead that it is elitist.

Referring to statistics that art history is offered at more fee-paying schools than state schools, he claims, far from a savage attack on the peoples art history, this is the end of one privilege of the public-school elite.

Whilst I understand Joness argument, I do not agree with it. Losing A level Art History would have affected everybody and worsened, rather than solved, the issue of art history's accessibility. It should go without saying that the more people denied access to the subject, the more inaccessible it becomes, only worsening the problem.

According to Jones, art history at university level is itself a bit of a posh subject. If by posh, he is again referring to the public-school elite that art history is apparently for, I struggle to relate to this claim.

Jones acknowledges that he was not an art history student himself at university, having studied proper history at Cambridge instead. As a state-school educated art history student, I am tired of defending my degree against claims of exclusive elitism made by people who have not themselves studied it.

Presenting art history as elitist unhelpfully reinforces the idea that the subject is exclusive, arguably contributing to AQA's initial plan to scrap the A level. Instead, we should be focusing on how the study of art history adds value to life and society, and making conscious efforts to widen the subject's outreach.

Art history is not a soft subject for a privileged few. It can and should be available to any students that share a capability and drive to study it. To improve art historys accessibility, the subject at A level and degree level should be celebrated, encouraged, and more widely available.
Today, 10th December, is Human Rights Day. It commemorates the day on which, in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Today is also a time for quiet contemplation and reflection. It is a day on which we must be honest with ourselves. With regards to the preservation and championing of human rights, how far have we, the human race, actually come?

In many respects, we have not learnt our lessons from the humanitarian crises of our past. As such, the prevention and resolution of current human rights disasters is impeded. As the great Spanish philosopher, George Santayana, surmised: Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.

Prior to this UN convention, the world had just witnessed one of the greatest abuses of human rights ever known to man: The Holocaust. The creation of a Council on Human Rights marked an important step in the post-war international effort to combat, both verbally and militarily, any subsequent abuses.

Humanitarian disasters existed before the Holocaust, however, and they still continue to exist. Will they exist in the future? Possibly, but it is our responsibility, as human beings, to change this.

In the nineteenth century there was the scramble for Africa: a greed-fuelled frenzy for the spoils of a resource-rich continent. The resistance that arose in these desperate colonies was often met with genocidal retaliation which showed a huge disdain for universal human rights.

In what was known as German East and South West Africa, the repression of a rebellion led to the deaths of more than three-quarters of the Herero people and half of the Nama people between 1904 and 1908.

The Second Boer war, between the British and Dutch-descendants inhabiting South Africa, saw the creation of the first concentration camps from 1900 to 1902, which would serve as the model for the later German counterparts.

What followed, again in Africa, was the human rights calamity of the Rwandan genocide. The Canadian general, Romeo Dallaire, who led the UN peacekeeping force UNAMIR was often under-resourced to deal with this grave humanitarian disaster.

He, and many others, have observed that the United Nations Secretary General at the time, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and UN member states, especially France, could have done much more to halt the genocide of the Tutsi racial group, and prevent many of their eventual casualties.

The point is that we still have a long way to go in respecting universal human rights. To this end, it is important that we learn the lessons of history to inform our resolution of current humanitarian issues.

Even as I write this, there are humanitarian crises engulfing Syria, the Rakhine State of Myanmar, and Sudan.

In the former, thousands have paid the ultimate price for a geographical circumstance of their birth. They have died at the hands of the Islamic State which has committed extremely violent crimes against humanity in both Syria and Europe.

Many more have had to flee their homes and are in unfamiliar territory where, it seems, both the authorities and the citizens neither want nor respect them. A potential ceasefire in the region has been vetoed by Russia and China who, understandably, have their own vested interests.

In the latter, the Burmese military have been accused of ethnically cleansing the Rohingya community, a Muslim minority group with ancient connections to the region. Thousands have fled to Bangladesh in order to avoid persecution.

In Sudan too, allegations of chemical weapons being used by the government against their own citizens are rife. Diplomats surveying the region and its troubles conclude that the possibility of genocide is high.

The need for international co-operation in the resolution of these issues is still great. The world, and humanity, needs organisations such as the United Nations and Amnesty International to help guide the global protection and championing of universal human rights.

However, the preservation of human rights is not solely the prerogative of international organisations and bodies. Indeed, the theme of this years celebration of human rights is that everyone, even in the smallest of ways, must stand up for this basic aspect of civilised life.

As the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, says, Its time for each of us to step up for human rights. There is no action that is too small: wherever you are, you can make a difference.

It is up to the individual to equip his or herself with compassion and a desire for the greater good. Altruism can, and should be, the basis of our actions when it comes to interactions with other human beings.

Whether it is standing up against bullying at school, being charitable towards the homeless, or volunteering at a local human rights charity, there must be a positive collective attitude towards the conservation of human rights.

As the prominent leader of the Indian independence movement, Mahatma Gandhi, famously said: Be the change you want to see in the world.
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Big crowds in Krabi welcome His Majesty

KRABI: His Majesty the King yesterday (Dec 9) arrived in Krabi to preside over a ceremony to unveil a new provincial hall in his first visit since assuming the throne, to the delight of people who spilled onto the streets to greet him.

culture

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 10 December 2016, 09:28AM

Large crowds of people throng an area outside the provincial hall as they wait for the arrival of King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun in Krabi, which marks His Majestys first visit to one of the countrys provinces since his accession to the throne on Dec 1. Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasil

Krabi has gone down in history as the first province that His Majesty the King has visited since his accession to the throne on Dec 1.

Local residents in Krabi and nearby provinces including Phuket, Phang Nga and Surat Thani flocked to catch a glimpse of the King.

Welcome signs reading Long Live the King were put up across the popular tourist destination, as houses and buildings were adorned with national flags, as well as flags bearing the royal insignia of His Majesty the King.

Some people had camped out near the provincial hall on Thursday night (Dec 8) for a better chance of seeing the King as hundreds of police, soldiers and officers from the provincial explosive ordnance disposal unit were deployed to maintain security around the area.

Local Thai Muslims wearing traditional dress turned up for the royal visit as well-wishers lined the streets holding photos of His Majesty along the route of the royal motorcade.

Krabi Governor Phinit Boonlert said that officials from the Department of Public Works, Town and Country Planning had built and decorated a royal pavilion where the King would preside over the ceremony to open the new provincial hall.

He also said a musical band of 45 students from Ammat Phanit Nukul School who played the Royal Anthem in honour of the King were delighted to join the historic event.

Located on Uttarakit Rd in central Krabi, the five-storey new provincial hall building houses various local agency offices.

Construction of the provincial hall was completed in 2014 at a cost of about B113 million, Mr Phinit said.

He also said that a model of a rua hua thong, a local fishing boat, and one of Krabis symbols, would be presented to the King, along with other well-known local products, including lobsters, and local fruits.

Ekkaraj Mukem, editor of the Alami Magazine Thailand, a magazine for Muslim readers, said he and his wife had arrived in Krabi from Bangkok to cover the royal visit.

He said he was glad to join local Muslims and other residents and witness the historic event.

Rojana Nuea-orn, a 32-year-old Krabi resident, said she came early in the morning to welcome His Majesty.

She said she was happy that Krabi was chosen as the first place for a royal visit by the King.

Read original story here.
Migrant worker found dead in rented Phuket room

PHUKET: Patong Police are currently investigating the death of a migrant worker who was found dead in his rented room in Patong yesterday afternoon (Dec 9).

deathhealthpolicepatong

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Saturday 10 December 2016, 11:16AM

The body was discovered in room B1 of an unnamed apartment building in Patong. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Patong Police Capt Sineenart Cherdchootrakunthong was notified yesterday afternoon that a migrant worker had been found dead inside his rent room in Patong.

Capt Sineenart arrived at the scene with his team and was led to a room B1 of an unnamed apartment building where the body of a male migrant worker was discovered.

We believe the man, who we only know as Phet, had been dead for around 10 hours before we arrived, Capt Sineenart said.

After questioning other migrant workers, police learned that on Thursday (Dec 8) one of Phets friends had gone to his room to find him drinking beer with other friends.

Phet was told by his friend that he had to go to work the next day, the friend then left.

I returned to Phets room yesterday afternoon when he did not turn up for work and found him dead inside, the unnamed friend told police.

Dr Supawadee Tamluang from Patong Hospital carried out an examination of the body and believes that Phet died from a congenital disease.

His body didnt have any traces of assault, Dr Sineenart said.
Phuket beach erosion protection project put on hold

PHUKET: Local government officials have confirmed that the B22.4 million Karon Beach erosion protection project has been put on hold until Karon Municipality get the required permit from the Marine Office.

constructionenvironmentpoliticsweather

By The Phuket News

Saturday 10 December 2016, 10:16AM

Work on the beach has been put on hold until a permit has been granted by the Marine Office. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Mr Borpith Chomchiey, a transport specialist at the Phuket Marine Office confirmed to The Phuket News yesterday (Dec 9) that his office filed a complaint against the Sahayotasathapat Co Ltd construction company and Karon Municipality at Karon Police Station yesterday in relation to the project.

We filed a complaint with police after our investigation revealed that Karon Municipality did not get building permission for any structure that will protrude into the water from the Marine Office.

The investigation came after the Marine Office was notified on November 23 that the project was being constructed on NorSorLor land explained Mr Borpith.

On Dec 5 officials from our office went to inspect the area and found a 75.30 metre by 60 centimetre wall being built into the beach. The project was approved by a committee set up by Provincial Hall, however, they failed to propose the project with the Marine Office before construction started so we filed the complaint, he said.

We held a meeting today with the vice governor and Karon Municipality has now been ordered to get a permit from the Marine Office with approval by the Provincial Hall committee.

They can continue with construction on the land but not on the beach area yet, Mr Bopith added.

In the complaint filed with police, the Marine Office said that the contract company and Karon Municipality are breaching sections 117,118 and 120 of the Navigation in Thai Waters Act of 1913 (revised in 1922).

The penalty for breaching section 118 is a fine of between B500-B10,000 per square metre of structures protruding into the water. The penalty for excavating on land to build a canal is between bout B5,000-B50,000.

The project is aimed at improving the overall landscape of the area and the public utilities at Karon Beach, close to the Nong Harn reservoir. Items included under the project include a walkway, sea wall, car parking, erosion protection blocking (Durahold) and light installation. (See story here.)
S. Korea parliament impeaches scandal hit president

SOUTH KOREA: South Korean lawmakers yesterday (Dec 9) passed an impeachment motion against President Park Geun-Hye, stripping away her sweeping executive powers over a corruption scandal that paralysed her administration and triggered massive street protests.

corruptionpolitics

By AFP

Saturday 10 December 2016, 09:14AM

A protester reacts after the South Korean parliament voted to impeach President Park Geun-Hye, as crowds gathered outside the National Assembly in Seoul. Photo: AFP

The National Assembly ballot transfers Parks authority to the prime minister, pending a decision by the Constitutional Court on whether to ratify the decision and permanently remove the president from office.

A ruling could take up to six months, during which time Park will remain in the presidential Blue House while the country faces an extended period of political uncertainty and policy paralysis.

The motion was adopted by 234 votes to 56, easily securing the required two-thirds majority in the 300-seat chamber.

I declare that the bill to impeach President Park Geun-Hye has just been approved, announced speaker Chung Se-Kyun.

Whether you support or oppose it, all lawmakers and South Korean people who are watching this grave situation unfold must feel so miserable and heavy at heart, he added.

I deeply wish that such tragedy in our constitutional history will not be repeated ever again.

The anonymous paper ballot was conducted against the background din of hundreds of slogan-chanting protesters outside the assembly building, screaming Impeach Park.

The result marked a startling fall from grace for a politician who had run for the Blue House as an incorruptible candidate, declaring herself beholden to nobody and married to the nation.

After just under four years in power, she now faces the prospect of going down in history as the first democratically-elected South Korean president to be kicked out of office.

The impeachment motion had accused Park of constitutional and criminal violations ranging from a failure to protect people's lives to bribery and abuse of power.

Supported by all 171 opposition and independent lawmakers, its adoption was made possible by an anti-Park faction within the presidents Saenuri party.

The entire opposition had threatened to resign their seats immediately if the motion was defeated.

The push for impeachment was driven by massive protests that have seen millions take to the streets of Seoul and other cities in recent weeks, demanding Parks ouster.

The scandal that has engulfed the president and paralysed her administration has focused on her friendship with long-time confidante Choi Soon-Sil.

Choi has been charged with meddling in state affairs and using her Blue House connections to force dozens of conglomerates to donate around $70 million (B2.4bn) to two foundations she controlled.

In a first for a sitting South Korean president, Park has been named a suspect by prosecutors investigating the case.

High-level corruption has long been a stain on South Koreas democratic credentials and the presidential Blue House is no stranger to allegations of cronyism.

Since South Koreas first free and fair election in 1987, every president has faced graft investigations after leaving office and one  Roh Moo-Hyun  committed suicide as a corruption probe closed in on his family.

Their cases often involved family members who were able to leverage links to the president in a society where political influence has traditionally had a very close and unhealthy rapport with business success.

Park, the daughter of military strongman Park Chung-Hee who led the country from 1961 to 1979, was meant to be different.

Both her parents were assassinated and, estranged from her two siblings, unmarried and childless, she promoted herself as invulnerable to nepotism.

I have no family to look after nor children to inherit my property ... I want to devote myself to the nation and the people, she said in a speech during the 2012 presidential campaign.

The image of duty and self-sacrifice played well with the conservative base of her ruling Saenuri Party, especially older voters who saw her as a virtuous survivor of personal tragedy.

All the more shocking then were the revelations of the extraordinary influence Choi wielded over the president  from selecting her wardrobe to vetting the appointment of top officials.
Even more than the Roman Empire, the Silk Road shaped the world we know today. Weaving from Europe to Asia, Russia to the Indian Subcontinent, and everywhere in between, it was along this network of ancient trading routes that people, ideas, inventions, and goods made their way.

At the centre of the Silk Road, and waiting to be discovered, is Uzbekistan. Its quicker and easier than ever before to get there: Uzbekistan Airways also flies directly from London to Tashkent, twice a week (Tuesday and Friday) and it is now visa free for British passport holders (and other EU nationals), so you just turn up and present your passport to enter

What are the attractions which make Uzbekistan a must-visit destination? As the author of the Bradt Guide to Uzbekistan, Ive been fortunate enough to explore almost every corner of the country. Here are my recommendations of what to see, do, and experience in Uzbekistan.

The Silk Road Cities

First and foremost are the great Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, which have been inspiring visitors with their architectural masterpieces for centuries. All UNESCO World Heritage Sites, these cities are bejewelled with majolica tiles, stained glass, gilded ceilings, and exquisite paintings and carvings.

Samarkand

In Samarkand, tourists typically head straight for the Registan Square, which is comprised of three madrassahs (Islamic schools), the earliest of which dates from the 15th century. Each of the structures is highly ornamented, and the facade of the Sher For madrassah depicts strange tigers with human faces upon their backs: they are grotesque and beautiful in equal measure, and clearly challenge the orthodox Islamic view that living creatures should not be depicted in art.

My favourite site in Samarkand, however, is a 10 minute walk away. Its called the Shah-i Zinda, and it is an extraordinary necropolis of decorated tombs, some of which are more than 1,000 years old. Each of the mausoleums in the complex is unique and beautiful, and together they will take your breath away.

Termez: off the beaten track

I like to get beyond the beaten track, however, and so its necessary to leave the charms of the cities behind and head out into the hinterland. Tourists rarely travel as far south as Termez, but as a result, they miss out: this was one of the great Graeco-Bactrian cities at the time of Alexander the Great, and the archaeological discoveries made here are eye-opening.

The most important finds (and well-done displays explaining where they came from) are in Termez Archaeological Museum, but it is well worth visiting the open air excavations, too. In my view, the most impressive of these is at Kampir Tepe, where you can still walk what remains of the city walls, follow the streets, and enter into homes and shops, even though the last residents left two millennia ago.

Savitsky Collection in Nukus

Uzbekistans history is rich, without doubt, but theres also a lot to be said for exploring its more contemporary culture. The Savitsky Collection in Nukus (also known as Nukus Art Museum or The State Art Museum of the Republic of Karakalpakstan), in the northwestern part of Uzbekistan, has one of the most important collection of avant garde art in the world, and the story of how the collection was amassed and protected is the subject of the documentary Desert of Forbidden Art. The museum is undergoing an aggressive expansion programme, so more and more works of art will be put on display throughout the year.

Head to the capital, Tashkent

Tashkent, Uzbekistans capital, is a regional hub of culture, too. The glorious Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre has recently reopened after major renovations, and the affordable tickets offer a chance to see world-class classical performances in a remarkable setting.

There are a large number of museums in the city, of which the Uzbekistan State Museum of Applied Art and the Fine Arts Museum of Uzbekistan are particularly worth exploring.

Make sure you also have time to people watch and shop at Chorsu Bazaar  the modern manifestation of the Silk Road markets of the past  and, funny as it may sound, take a ride on the Tashkent Metro, the stations of which are decorated with carved alabaster, mosaics, chandeliers, engraved metalwork, and more.

Uzbek Food

And then there is the food! Uzbek food is little known outside of Uzbekistan, but even the smell of the grilled meats, soups, and plov (the local variant of pilau, or biryani) will have your mouth watering. Uzbekistan is a major producer of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts, so you can expect to spend a lot of your visit snacking on healthy treats.

Uzbekistan: an up and coming destination

Uzbekistan ticks all the boxes for an exciting, up and coming destination. The country is developing rapidly, and particularly if you travel out of high season, its relatively easy to stay away from other tourists and surround yourself with authentic experiences and warm local hospitality. The Uzbeks have been welcoming travellers for thousands of years, and if you are lucky, youll soon be among their honoured guests.

Where to Stay

The Hyatt Regent Tashkent sets a new standard for hotels in Uzbekistan, giving guests a much-needed, genuine 5* accommodation option in Tashkent. Its the obvious place to base yourself during a business trip to the city, or to start and end a cultural tour of Uzbekistan.

Read full review of Hyatt Regent Tashkent here.

Getting to Uzbekistan

Uzbekistans Airways flies directly from London to Tashkent twice a week, from 427. If you dont mind routing via Istanbul, Turkish Airlines has return flights from 320.

Tourist Visas for Uzbekistan

It is now visa free for British passport holders (and other EU nationals), so you just turn up and present your passport to enter.

Guided tours of Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a hot destination and a number of UK-based tour operators are offering scheduled departures and bespoke itineraries. Kalpak Travel, for example, has an 8-day Best of Uzbekistan itinerary, and you can also combine Uzbekistan with visits to the other Central Asian republics.

Viator also has a selection of local operators:

Recommended Uzbekistan guide books

Bradt Guide to Uzbekistan (published 2016) RRP 17.99

Uzbekistan: The Golden Road to Samarkand (published 2014) RRP 16.95

Lonely Planet Central Asia (published 2014) RRP 19.99
US president-elect Donald Trump has picked a Goldman Sachs executive to head the White House national economic council, the media reported on Saturday.



Gary Cohn, Goldman's president and chief operating officer, has been offered the post as a director of the key economic council to coordinate domestic and international economic issues, Xinhua news agency reported.



If Cohn accepts the post, which does not require Senate confirmation, he will be the third Goldman-linked banker to join the Trump administration.



Trump's treasury secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin and White House adviser Steve Bannon had also worked at Goldman.



While Trump repeatedly attacked Goldman and other Wall Street banks on the campaign trail, he has picked several wealthy businessmen with deep Wall Street ties into his cabinet, sparking criticism that he did not deliver his campaign promise to "drain the swamp" of powerful interests in Washington.



Bernie Sanders, a former Democratic presidential candidate and Vermont Senator, blasted the Cohn appointment on Twitter.



Its called a rigged economy and this is how it works. https://t.co/npoLcKQmfJ  Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) December 9, 2016

"It's called a rigged economy and this is how it works," he said.



The National Economic Council was created by then-president Bill Clinton in 1993 and it has become the most important economic-policymaking body in the White House.
What do the buildings of a new capital city have to do with a very famous film director, you may ask. `Baahubali, a period film, was full of architectural marvel and the fictitious Mahishmathi kingdom created for the movie fascinated the audience.

Not surprisingly, S.S. Rajamouli, the director of this film, has agreed to be the part of a team that will give advice on architectural designs for a permanent government complex at Amaravati, the new capital city of the residual state of Andhra Pradesh.

Rajamouli's understanding of the culture and history of the region left Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu highly impressed, leading him to seek inputs from the former for the construction of Amaravati.

In fact, Rajamouli was also summoned to design the stage and such when the foundation stone laying ceremony was taking place. But the ace director begged off, stating lack of time.

While the internationally reputed Norman Fosters and Partners are the master architects, Rajamouli will give inputs on the Indian ethos. He wants to be a part of this historic event and has promised to help, but only after April 2017 when his `Baahubali - the conclusion is released. So, the ace director hopefully will leave his stamp on the iconic buildings which will come up in Amaravati.

With Rajamoulis interest in history and kingdoms, Amaravati should be the ideal place for him to help out since this new capital city has a rich historical past.
In an apparent reference to Beijing blocking a move to include Pakistan-based Masood Azhar's name in UN's designated list of terrorists, Indian foreign secretary S. Jaishankar said on Friday that though both India and China are facing the threat of terrorism, the two countries do not seem to be cooperating effectively to fight this scourge.



Addressing the first ever "India-China Think-Tanks Forum: Towards a Closer India-China Developmental Partnership", he said that "as diverse and pluralistic societies, we both face threats from fundamentalist terrorism."



"Yet, we do not seem to be able to cooperate as effectively we should in some critical international forums dealing with this subject," he said.



Jaishankar's statement comes in the wake of China putting on hold the inclusion of Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Azhar's name in the UN's designated list of terrorists.



In April, China had blocked India's move to label Azhar, a decision that had angered New Delhi which has been trying to convince Beijing to reconsider the decision. In September, the dragon extended its decision to put a technical hold on the UN's 1267 Committee declaring Azhar a terrorist by three months.



The Foreign Secretary also alluded to China's blocking of India membership bid in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).



"Given our Closer Development Partnership and commitment to the BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, China) group on climate change, we should be supporting each other on implementation of our Paris Agreement commitments," he said.

"In India's case, predictable access to civilian nuclear energy technology is key."



At the NSG plenary in Seoul in June this year, China had blocked India's membership bid on the ground that for a country to become a member of the 48-nation bloc, it should be a signatory of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).



"The broad basing of the nuclear technology control group is also helpful to a more representative international order," said Jaishankar, who has served as India's Ambassador to China.

He said that one obstacle to developing greater common ground between India and China was "an undue attachment to the concept of balance of power".



"While not denying at all that this can be a legitimate consideration in approaching international relations, we should appreciate that a more globalised world actually puts a greater value on shared interests and common endeavours."



"Indeed, a more forward looking outlook -- both in the analysis and practice of world politics - is to our mutual advantage," he said.



Jaishankar explained how the two countries have gained by putting a premium on developing the bilateral relationship and "not allow other considerations to unduly influence their progress".



"Together, these developments have created the foundation on which economic cooperation grew and people-to-people contacts expanded," he said.



The India-China Think-Tanks Forum was set up through a memorandum of understanding signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China in May last year.



Earlier on Thursday, at the inaugural session of the forum, Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar said that it was time for India and China to together regain the reputation of being a global manufacturing hub.




The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday decided to recommend to the Union government to confer the Bharat Ratna on late Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa.

A meeting of the state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister O.Panneerselvam, passed a condolence resolution on Jayalalithaa's death, and also passed a resolution to recommending to the central government that she be conferred the country's highest honour.

The cabinet also decided request the Union government to install a brass statue of Jayalalithaa in the Parliament's central hall.

The other decisions taken at the cabinet meeting were to build a memorial for Jayalalithaa at an outlay of Rs 15 crore; rename Bharat Ratnaj Dr MGR (M.G.Ramachandran) memorial to Bharat Ratna Dr.Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Selvi J.Jayalalithaa memorial.
Pakistan's crackdown on Ahmadiyya community under the guise of anti-terrorist action has been denounced by the US state department and the Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), aside from earning widespread condemnation in the cyber space.

"We're obviously very concerned about the reports that Punjab counter-terrorism police have raided the international headquarters of Ahmadiyya -- Muslim community in Rabwah," state department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said.



According to Toner, the country's laws that restrict peaceful religious expression, particularly by the Ahmadiyya community, "are inconsistent with Pakistan's international obligations".



Pakistani laws do not recognise the Ahmadiyya community as Muslims and forbids them from calling themselves members of that religion. But Toner pointedly emphasised that Ahmadiyya is a "Muslim community".



USCIRF was harsher in its criticism.



"USCIRF condemns the brutal raid on the Ahmadiyya offices, the first such raid since Pakistan amended its constitution 42 years ago declaring that Ahmadis are 'non-Muslims'," said Thomas J. Reese, a Catholic priest of the Jesuit order.



"Pakistan's anti-terrorism laws should not be applied to the peaceful Ahmadiyya community simply because they are Ahmadis," he added.



The USCIRF noted in a statement that Pakistan's Punjab province, where the raid took place, "has a deeply troubling religious freedom record" with two-thirds of all blasphemy cases originating there.



On Monday the counter-terrorism department raided an office of the Ahmadiyya community and arrested several people for producing religious publications, Tehreek-e-Jadeed and Al-Fazal that the Punjab government had declared as "seditious and treasonable" in 2014.



During this raid "police beat and arrested several Ahmadis who later were charged under provisions in Pakistan's penal code and Anti-Terrorism Act", USCIRF said.

Human rights organisations took to twitter to express their outrage over the recent incidents in Punjab and Balochistan.

(With inputs from IANS)
By PTI: London, Dec 10 (PTI) Air pollution impairs the function of blood vessels in the lungs, a study in more than 16,000 patients has found.

Promoting a safer environment appears to be as important as controlling conventional risk factors, like high cholesterol, in reducing cardiovascular disease.

"This is the first human study to report an influence of air pollution on pulmonary vascular function," said Jean-Francois Argacha, a cardiologist at the University Hospital in Belgium.

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"This is a major public health issue for people living in polluted urban areas where exercise could damage the lungs and potentially lead to decompensated heart failure," said Argacha.

Air pollution consists of particles and gases. The first vascular bed in contact with air pollutants is the pulmonary circulation yet few studies have investigated the impact.

"Such studies are important because if air pollution causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the lungs, this combined with the systemic effects of pollution could cause decompensated heart failure," said Argacha.

The current study examined the effect of air pollution on pulmonary haemodynamics in a population and in individuals.

The population study assessed whether common levels of outdoor air pollution influence the echocardiography parameters conventionally used to evaluate the pulmonary circulation and right ventricular function.

Between 2009 and 2013, transthoracic echocardiography including an evaluation of pulmonary pressure was conducted in 16 295 individuals and correlated with average air pollution in Brussels on the same day and in the last five and ten days.

Researchers examined whether any patient subgroups were more susceptible to the effects of air pollution.

The individual study examined the effect of air pollution on pulmonary circulation in ten healthy male volunteers exposed to pollutants in a chamber with standardised conditions.

The volunteers were exposed to ambient air or dilute diesel exhaust with a PM2.5 (particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diametre) concentration of 300 microgrammes per cubic metre for two hours.

The effects on pulmonary vascular resistance were assessed with echocardiography at rest and during a cardiac stress test in which the drug dobutamine is given to simulate heart function during exercise.

The population study showed a negative effect of PM10 (particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diametre), PM2.5 and ozone on pulmonary circulation on the same day and over five and ten days.

Specifically, increases in these pollutants were associated with reduced pulmonary acceleration time and increased pulmonary acceleration slope.

Increases in PM10 and PM2.5 over ten days were associated with worse right ventricle function. The negative impact of PM10 on pulmonary circulation was more pronounced in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea. PTI MHN SAR MHN

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The body of the Marine pilot that ejected more than a 100 miles off the coast of Japan was recovered by a Japanese Self-Defense Force vessel Thursday, the Marine Corps said in a statement.

Capt. Jake Frederick was pronounced dead shortly after he was pulled from the sea. He ejected from F/A-18C at approximately 6:40 p.m. local time Wednesday southeast of Iwakuni, Japan. The aircraft was assigned to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing based out of Okinawa.

A fellow F/A-18 flying with Frederick stayed in the area until it was forced to depart to refuel, Stars and Stripes reported. Over the course of the day, U.S. search and rescue efforts expanded, incorporating naval and air units from the Japanese Self Defense Forces.

The Marine Corps said that more information would be released in the coming days.

According to Stars and Stripes, Frederick was a graduate of W.B. Ray High School in Corpus Christi, Tex, and attended the University of Texas at Austin. He was married with a young son and was expecting a second child.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

It is the fourth Marine Corps F/A-18 to crash since July. In August, because of an increasing number of training mishaps, the Marines temporarily grounded their entire fleet of F/A-18s.

First debuted in the 1980s, the F/A-18 is a multi-role fighter and is primarily used by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. It comes in a number of variants with both single- and two-seat configurations and has been exported to a handful of U.S. allies, including Canada and Kuwait.

(c) 2016, The Washington Post  Thomas Gibbons-Neff
By Indo-Asian News Service: In an attempt to give a big push to cashless transactions, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) will shortly roll out the Android-based Aadhaar enabled Payment System (AEPS) application, said officials.

Developed in collaboration with TCS, the application can be downloaded by the merchants, who will need a smartphone and a fingerprint scanner to use it. Transactions on this application can be done without any card or PIN.

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The application would be made available to all banks, who would encourage merchants in their vicinity to adopt this application.

This was one of the decisions taken by the Chief Ministers' committee on adoption of digital payments.

MORE USER-FRIENDLY MEASURES

The panel in its report submitted to the Union Finance Ministry on Friday also recommended rolling out more user friendly version of USSD or *99# which is used on feature mobile phones for making cashless payments.

It said that an upgraded version of USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) should be rolled out by December 25.

Also read: Jaitley's cashless New Year gift: Know your discounts on online bookings

According to an official statement, the second meeting of the panel headed by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was held Friday at NITI Aayog.

The meeting followed the deliberations held by Naidu, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Arvind Panagariya with RBI Governor Urjit Patel, top officials of ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the UIDAI and CMDs of major private and public sector banks on Thursday in Mumbai.

STEPS TO PROMOTE DIGITAL TRANSACTIONS

The committee noted that further steps are required to make digital transactions attractive vis-a-vis cash transactions.

The panel said that procedure for simplified Know Your Customer (KYC) using Aadhaar needs to be adopted and also suggested that RBI should allow authentication through iris scanner and One Time Password (OTP) for AEPS and that there should be no charge on AEPS transactions.

Also read: A month after demonetisation, does plastic money deter crime in cashless economy?

"Inter-operability of all pre-paid instruments on the United Payments Interface(UPI) platform along with a common QRCode would greatly simplify transactions," it said.

MERCHANT DISCOUNT RATE

The panel called for streamlining the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) regime. To popularize digital transactions the committee proposed a detailed review of the MDR regime, inter-linking of various digital payments platforms such as USSD with UPI, self-boarding by small merchants and a common application for UPI.

Also read: Go cashless: No service tax on credit, debit card transactions up to Rs 2000

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The committee also considered the issues relating to procurement of equipment like Point of Sales (PoS) machines and Micro-ATMs. It was decided that Secretary, Electronics and Information Technology will prepare a status note on the procurement options for these devices.

--- ENDS ---
The average cost to park for an hour in the centre of London is more than the newly increased national living wage, a new study suggests.

A 60 minute stay in the UK capital costs an alarming 8.84 - that's over the increased minimum living wage for workers over 25 years of age.

As expensive as it is to park in London it's nothing compared to New York - expect to pay over 20 if you want to leave your car for an hour in the Big Apple.

Second most expensive city to park: Only New York is more expensive to park than London, according to new research

The inner-city parking cost comparison figures were released by vehicle rental, taxi and car-sharing app Ubeeqo.com, which consequently offers an alternative to taking your car into the city.

It analysed information provided by website Parkopedia, which has a database of 50 million parking spaces in 6,000 cities in 75 countries - all city centre spaces were reviewed with an average price calculated for each location.

What they found was that parking in London costs 18 per cent more than the newly increased living wage of 7.50.

In comparison, parking in the Romanian city of Bucharest costs just 55p an hour - that means you leave your car in a metered parking space for 37 hours for the same price as 60 minutes in New York.

Unsurprisingly, Stokholm, Oslo and Athens all have sky-high parking charges, too.

All three have openly discussed plans to ban cars from their city limits to improve air pollution levels, using expensive parking fees as a deterred to bridge their move to fulfill the no-vehicle aspirations.

It costs 20.55 on average to park in the centre of New York for an hour, the research found. That's 37 times most expensive than the cheapest city

The cost to park in central London is more expensive than the newly improved national living wage

Despite this, these cities still fall short of the charges Londoners face, including permit holders in the city.

According to the transportation app, Islington tops the polls with the average cost for a permit being 545 per annum - in contrast, motorists in the affluent borough of Kensington and Chelsea pay a maximum of 214 a year.

Meanwhile in Westminster, which covers large parts of central London, the most expensive residential parking permit is 141, which Ubeeqo said 'shows just how illogical parking costs can be' in the English capital.

It also added that the most expensive UK car parking space ever to be sold is in South Kensington - it was purchased for a reported 480,000.

However, a central Manhattan parking space is believed to hold the world title for the most costly car space after it sold for $1 million, backing up the research that New York is the most expensive location to park a car.

Below is the list of the 10 most and least expensive cities to park in, according to the research:
Luxury car manufacturer Bentley held secret talks with Brexit Minister David Jones on Thursday  calling for the Government to clarify plans to leave the European Union.

The summit with Bentley chief executive Wolfgang Durheimer and other senior executives at the firm follows unease within the motor industry over suspected Government guarantees to Japanese manufacturer Nissan aimed at protecting it from the side effects of Brexit.

Earlier last week, Durheimer had warned that Brexit posed a risk to Bentleys plans, saying: I cannot delay progress for Bentley even if that means building cars outside Britain. Bentleys growth must come first and building in Britain second.

Meeting: Classic car manufacturer Bentley held secret talks with Brexit Minister David Jones on Thursday

A spokesman for Crewe-based Bentley  which sells more than 10,000 cars a year worldwide and has an annual turnover of 1.4billion  told The Mail on Sunday that the talks with Jones had been private.

He said the head-to-head was an initial meeting to find out where we are as a business.

The spokesman added: As an industry, its important to alleviate that uncertainty and any agreements should be made on behalf of the whole industry.

He said Bentley  owned by Volkswagen  needed more certainty in order to make future decisions about where to manufacture new models. We have to go through a competitive process with other Volkswagen factories.

'It has to be efficient and we have to operate in an acceptable environment to put us in the best possible position.

Its up to the UK Government to alleviate uncertainty about that. Our intention would always be to build any future models in Crewe. However, we have to make sure we are in the best possible position to do that.

Bentley is understood to be preparing the launch of a new luxury line to compete with Aston Martins Vantage and other two-seater cars from Ferrari and McLaren priced at about 150,000.

Driving seat: Bentley boss Wolfgang Durheimer wants more certainty from the Government before making future plans

Durheimer is believed to be in the process of seeking board approval from Volkswagen for production of the new model which could begin as soon as next year.

The spokesman added: We have invested more than 840 million in our headquarters in the past three years and we are committed to further expansion and our ambition to build new models in Crewe.

A Government spokeswoman confirmed that Jones visited Bentleys HQ last week to get a flavour of the opportunities but also what are the problems that will be caused because of Brexit and help us inform negotiations as we go forward.

In August, Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn warned that important investment decisions will not be made in the dark.

He added: If I need to make an investment in the next few months and I cant wait until the end of Brexit, then I have to make a deal with the UK Government.

His comments were interpreted as a warning over the future of the Nissan plant in Sunderland, which opened in 1986.

But in October, he emerged from a productive hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May saying he was confident the Government will continue to ensure the UK remains a competitive place to do business.

Future: Bentley is understood to be preparing the launch of a new luxury line to compete with Aston Martins Vantage

Business Minister Greg Clark confirmed a month ago that he had sent a letter to Nissan in October containing assurances over continued funds for training and skills, regional grants and research backing. The letter made it clear that the UK would remain competitive.

He said of the EU negotiations that it was very important that we make a commitment to keep competitive.

Our objective would be to ensure we have continued access to the markets in Europe and vice versa without tariffs and bureaucratic impediments and that is how we will approach those negotiations.

But he said there was no specific promise to compensate Nissan in the face of any new tariffs because that would be anti-competitive.

Senior figures across the motor industry have been open about their nervousness as Britain moves towards separating from the EU.

They are concerned that failure of Brexit Secretary David Davis and International Trade Minister Liam Fox to conclude a free trade deal with the EU would mean falling back on basic World Trade Organisation rules.

That could mean car exporters facing tariffs of up to 10 per cent.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said that would leave the industry facing an annual 4.5billion tariff  comprising 2.7billion on imports and 1.8billion on exports.

Jaguar Land Rover strategy director Hanno Kirner said in September that disastrous tariffs could damage business and British jobs.

There have also been concerns that US giant General Motors could close its Vauxhall factory.

A report in July by industry analyst LMC Automotive said GM was the most likely to shift production to Germany or Poland if it felt it could no longer justify a UK presence.

In October, GM said it would take whatever action is necessary to put its European division back on track.




Jaeger has been struggling as shoppers flock to more upmarket chains and online rivals

Struggling Jaeger is facing another crisis after senior staff departed.

The embattled British fashion icon has been going through a brutal cost-cutting process to streamline the firm as it fights declining sales.

The brand, founded in 1884, captured the niche for elegant, flattering basics for discerning shoppers of a certain age.

It earned its place in fashion history in 1919 when it introduced the camel-hair coat to the High Street.

But it has been struggling as shoppers flock to more upmarket chains and online rivals.

Trading director Gwynn Milligan and product director Liza Canneford-Webb have both left  just a year after the company was rocked by the sudden departure of former boss Colin Henry.

Henry, who was only two years into his five-year turnaround strategy, left the company with no explanation.

Pressure has been placed on chief executive Chris Horobin, who said: 'This has been a year of good progress with a number of great people joining Jaeger completing a strong team.
HIRING GROWTH Profits at SThree will exceed market expectations as strong growth in the US and Europe made up for a slowdown in hiring in Britain.

The headhunter said profit for the year to the end of November would be slightly above the top end of market guidance of 37.3million to 39million.

BETTER BUILDING The construction slump in the third quarter of the year was not as bad as initially feared.

Output fell 0.8 per cent between July and September, said the Office for National Statistics. That was not as bad as the 1.1 per cent decline previously reported.

FRESH AIR The quest for cleaner air boosted sales for air purification specialists MayAir. Sales increased a whopping 75.7 per cent to 26.6million in the four months to October 31.

MayAir said it plans to expand its factories in China to meet growing demand.

INSURANCE BOSS Cheryl Agius is the new boss of Legal & General's general insurance business.

She was in charge of acquiring pension pots from large companies and helped the business reach 609billion of annuity sales this year.

Agius will oversee L&G's insurance tie-ups with banks and building societies.

CAR LOANS The second-hand car finance market hit 1.2billion in October, figures show  12 per cent higher than a year earlier.

Consumers bought 107,449 used vehicles on finance, according to the Finance & Leasing Association, a 9 per cent rise.

STEEL PROBE The EU is investigating whether Chinese steel manufacturers are selling steel into Europe at unfairly low prices after a complaint from EU steelmakers' association Eurofer. China said protectionism was not the answer.

TURBINE TROUBLE Two gas turbines just bought by power station Drax have failed to win electricity supply contracts. But the company was awarded 27million worth of contracts to supply electricity from existing units.

ROAD PURCHASE John Laing's infrastructure fund has bought a highway in north Wales. It has paid 28.3million for the A55 Llandegai-to-Holyhead road, a public-private partnership project.
By PTI: Vijayawada, Dec 10 (PTI) The severe cyclonic storm Vardah is expected to cross the Bay of Bengal coast between Sriharikota and Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradeshs SPS Nellore district after 5 PM on Monday, bringing with it high velocity winds of up to 100 kmph and heavy rainfall of about 19 cm.

Indications that the cyclonic storm may weaken before making a landfall have come as a bit of relief for the AP administration but the state of high alertness will remain till the situation completely eases.

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Prakasam and SPS Nellore districts on the Bay of Bengal coast are likely to be hit heavily because of the cyclone while Chittoor and Kadapa districts of Rayalaseema are also expected to receive heavy rainfall, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said.

"We have kept four teams of National Disaster Response Force ready while four senior IAS officers are being deputed to these districts to oversee the rescue operations," he told a press conference tonight after a video-conference with district Collectors and top officials.

"The intensity of Vardah may not be as high as Hudhud, which battered Visakhapatnam in October 2014. Nevertheless, we are taking all precautions to minimise the damage, if any. We are taking the help of ISRO to track the cyclonic progression and accordingly we are taking all necessary emergency measures," he added.

The district collectors have been directed to put things in place to carry out relief and rehabilitation measures on a war footing in case of any unavoidable damage.

Under the influence of Vardah, rainfall ranging up to 19 cm is expected along the coastal districts from Visakhapatnam to SPS Nellore and also Chittoor and Kadapa.

Nellore district alone may receive 15 cm of rain on Monday, the Chief Minister said.

But Nellore district Collector Revu Mutyalaraju informed the Chief Minister that his team was fully geared up to meet any eventuality.

Meanwhile, Director General of Police (in-charge) Nanduri Sambasiva Rao said police forces in the coastal district were well prepared to handle the situation.

"Our preparedness is very high. We have boats, search lights, ropes and other equipment ready. We are roping in about 150 volunteers of Police Sevadal to help in the rescue and relief operations in Prakasam and Nellore districts," he told reporters after a review meeting with IGs Harish Gupta (Law and Order), N Sanjay (South Coastal Zone), DIG P V S Ramakrishna (Eluru Range) and Superintendents of Police.

"We only hope there will be no devastation," he remarked. PTI DBV DK NRB DIP

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Credit lender International Personal Finance plunged as new legislation emerged which could hit the firm's profits.

IPF, which does not operate in the UK but is listed here, lends to people with little or no borrowing history.

Yesterday the Polish ministry of justice published draft legislation which suggests changes to the amount that lenders can charge their customers.

It follows a cap on non-interest costs that lenders can charge on loans which came into effect in March this year.

Hit: International Personal Finance, which does not operate in the UK but is listed here, plunged as new legislation emerged which could hit the firm's profits

Currently borrowers cannot be charged more than 100 per cent of the value of their loan.

A further crackdown could see that brought down to 75 per cent, which would reduce the potential amount a lender can net in fees by a quarter.

A public consultation will run for 14 days before a decision is made.

IPF said it will be reviewing the proposal to assess the extent to which profit in its Polish business would be affected by the changes and is looking into strategies to mitigate the impact. Shares plummeted 43.5 per cent, or 123.9p, to 160.6p.

The collapse of retailer BHS left more than 160 empty stores on UK high streets, several of which were owned by real estate investment trust Capital & Regional.

Yesterday the company announced it had secured new tenants for former BHS shops in Blackburn and Walthamstow. Wilko will be taking the 25,000 sq ft unit in Blackburn shopping centre The Mall on a ten-year lease, while 24-hour gym firm the Gym Group has agreed to move into the 15,000 sq ft site in east London on a 20-year lease.

Capital said it was making good progress in securing tenants for two other former BHS spots in Maidstone and Redditch. Shares climbed 1.9 per cent, or 1p, to 54p.

The FTSE 100 finished up 0.3 per cent, or 22.6 points, at 6954.2. Sky stormed ahead to become the highest riser of the day after a takeover bid from 21st Century Fox emerged as trading drew to a close.

Shares rocketed 26.6 per cent, or 210.5p, to 1000p.

STOCK WATCH - FRONTIER DEVELOPMENTS Video game developer Frontier Developments announced that its latest game was set to be released on PlayStation 4 in the second quarter of 2017. Elite Dangerous is a multiplayer game set in space and is already available on Xbox and PC. The Cambridge firm said the game's latest incarnation would have custom features for PS4. Frontier is also behind popular games such as Thrillville and Rollercoaster Tycoon. In the year to May 31, it achieved revenue of 21.4million and operating profit of 1.2million. Shares closed down 0.48 per cent, or 1p, at 207p.

The banks made up much of the fallers list for the day after the regulator kicked the PPI deadline down the road.

Barclays dropped 2.5 per cent, or 5.9p, to 233.1p as Bank of America Merrill Lynch cut its rating on the stock while Lloyds lost 1.6 per cent, or 1p, to 61.7p.

Security outfit G4S soared as it appointed a non-executive director. Ian Springett will join the board on January 1.

Chartered accountant Springett has been chief financial officer and a director at Tullow Oil since 2008 and previously worked at BP for 23 years. G4S shares gained 2.1 per cent, or 4.7p, to 230.5p.

Berendsen slipped after it became the subject of a Competition and Markets Authority investigation.

The specialist laundry business had soared in the previous day's trading on a positive broker note.

Yesterday it announced that its UK Cleanroom business, which disposes of workwear and products for pharmaceutical and medical companies, was being investigated.

Berendsen said it was fully co-operating with the regulator and was keen to point out that the division, which had turnover of around 7million in 2015, only represented around 1 per cent of the group's total revenue. Shares stumbled 1.2 per cent, or 10p, to 830p.

Software firm Ideagen has bought IPI Solutions for 5.5million.

Mansfield-based IPI, which was founded in 2005, makes software for aerospace and defence companies.

It has around 400 customers including GE Aviation and Meggitt and in the year to June 30 reported profit of 600,000. Ideagen shares rose 4.7 per cent, or 3p, to 66p.

Condor Gold advanced as it settled a long-running dispute. In September 2010 it entered into an agreement with B2Gold to swap mining licences.

B2Gold and another company called Royal Gold ended up jointly filing to sue Condor over a disagreement about a royalty deal attached to its mine.

After four years of litigation a settlement has been agreed, though this may take three months to complete.
The City's reputation as a major tech hub received another boost as Japanese firm Softbank opened an office in London as the base for its 80billion investment fund.

The firm, run by Japan's second richest man, Masayoshi Son, will open offices in upmarket Mayfair for its Softbank Vision Fund private equity group.

Bosses hope it will become the world's biggest investor in technology over the next decade.

Fund base: Softbank boss Masayoshi Son, pictured this week with President-elect Donald Trump, will open offices in upmarket Mayfair

The investment is seen as a major boost to the City as Son is one of the globe's leading tech pioneers. Earlier in the summer he bought British microchip designer ARM Holdings for 24.3billion.

Rajesh Agrawal, deputy London mayor for business, said the new offices in Grosvenor Square were 'a further boost for the capital's burgeoning tech industry'.

'Softbank's decision to move to the capital shows that London is open to talent and entrepreneurship and the best place in the world to grow a business,' he said.

Ten people have been hired so far for the offices, with possibly dozens to follow.

London has been named as the best EU capital city for digital entrepreneurs for two years running due to its strong venture capital industry and financial services firms.

Announcing the fund in October, Softbank's chief executive said it would allow the company to 'step up investments in technology companies globally'.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund could contribute an extra 35bn over the next five years as the fund's lead partner.

Recent investments by Softbank include 795million into South Korean mobile commerce giant Coupang, and contributing to a 3.6billion fund for Chinese taxi-calling app Didi Chuxing Technology. Son has also promised to invest 40billion in US start-ups.

When it bought ARM Holdings in July, Softbank said it would create at least 1,500 new jobs at the chip designer over the next five years and keep its headquarters in Cambridge.
Mark Boleat is the City of Londons top politician. Technically just another local council chief  but this is no ordinary council.

As head of the City of London Corporation he oversees Britains financial capital, its multi-billion-pound banking, insurance and financial markets industry.

Last year the Citys financial industry and its army of well-paid workers contributed 71billion in taxes to the Treasury  nearly 12 per cent of the whole national tax revenues.

Leading role: Mark Boleat is the City of Londons top politician

And with finance and the economy central to Brexit, it puts Boleat at the heart of Britains EU debate.

In the campaign Boleat made no bones about where he stood, warning of the threat to the City.

Sitting in his private meeting room in the Guildhall  the City of Londons historic town hall  he is still warning of the cost. Other European cities are set to take business he declares.

The places that will get business in Europe will be Luxembourg, Dublin and Frankfurt. None have the infrastructure to take huge numbers of people, but maybe each could take 5,000. But the biggest beneficiary will be New York.

He adds: I have been told by a number of business people that they have already stopped all investment here. And that 71billion in tax revenue will shrink.

Boleat points to research suggesting as much as 10billion could be lost in a worst case scenario and warns that the Citys finance firms are planning for just that.

In the meetings I am in with City businesses, they are not interested in that question  hard or soft  because they have to assume the worst case. They have no choice.

Thousands of jobs. Possibly billions of pounds in lost taxes. A catastrophe?

Career path: Boleat, it seems, is very much a politician but he argues it is policy that interests him. I toyed with standing for Parliament in my 20s, but I didnt stand in the end

Absolutely not, declares Boleat, for while he evidently not a fan of Brexit he is also desperate to see more measured views, on both sides of the debate.

There is no point in saying its a catastrophe. If you were to say all the banks will leave, well thats not true. We are being very measured in what we say.

And he reports that Brexit politicians are also being more measured. We dont hear Ministers talking about easy solutions any more, says Boleat with relief.

Ministers now know it will not be easy and that there will be some hard decisions.

He refers to the raft of complex regulation of the City currently intimately intertwined with European institutions.

Some politicians said this would be easy, but those at the coal face, in David Daviss department in particular, realise its not.

The reference to Brexit Secretary Davis is timely. A memo taken by a City of London official during a meeting with Davis, leaked last week and gave a worrying impression of where he stood.

During the meeting, held three weeks ago, Davis reportedly showed no interest in softening the blow of Brexit for the City through a transitional arrangement.

Double sided: While not a fan of Brexit, Boleat says he is desperate to see more measured views on both sides of the debate

Davis department meanwhile said the memo did not properly reflect Government policy or Mr Davis view.

A City of London spokesman said the note was the Citys interpretation of our meeting with the Secretary of State.

Boleat, who was not at the meeting, did not want to comment further.

But he has a clear message on his hopes for a smooth Brexit. When we say transitional arrangement people think that means a delay, but no, thats not what it means. You are not delaying, you are making the transition smooth.

THE CITY OF DREAMS FOR MARK The most powerful man in the City of London began his career as an economics teacher at Dulwich College in London. But Mark Boleats rise since he graduated in 1970 from Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University) with a first-class Economics degree has seen him hold influential posts in industry, building societies and insurance. He joined the think-tank The Industrial Group in 1972 before moving on two years later to the Building Societies Association (BSA), where he became director general in 1986. In 2002, he was elected as a councillor in the City of London and appointed to his present post as head of the Corporation four years ago.

So we still leave, but there could be a load of provisions that make that leaving less damaging and that could last for 1-3 years.

'That could be a blanket arrangement  like staying in the single market for three years, or it could be sector by sector.

Boleat says the Government does now recognise the complexity of Brexit. We think the issues are far better understood, he says. And he adds the work needs to be done by the UK  we cannot expect Europe to do it for us.

The ball is in our court. Europe is not going to negotiate until we say: This is what we want.

But he still has fears for the financial sector and its access to European markets and that too much store is being set on trade deals beyond Europe.

There is a notion that it will all be fine with a trade deal with Australia. But we know what Australia wants and that is better access for their people to come and work here without being discriminated against.

Trade deals generally dont cover financial services. Such deals on goods do not give market access for financial services. They will also not tackle the Citys dependence on financial workers from Europe.

About 10 per cent of City workers are from the EU, Boleat says. Now, I dont think we are going to round up the Europeans and chuck them out.

'No one is calling for that and that is not going to happen. But that still leaves some uncertainty. People will be wondering, can my girlfriend come and live here? What if I leave for a few months, can I come back?

We are hearing from a few businesses that it is now more difficult to get EU nationals to come.

As an example he describes a hypothetical deal which would be hampered if visa controls are too complex.

Imagine youre a bank and you get a mandate to do a government bond issue for Poland.

'Next week, you could bring over people from Poland from your office or affiliate there. They would come over, work for a month and then go back.

But if theyve got to apply and fill in a 10-page form which is going to be assessed, the answer is you are not going to do it.

The City is also facing a challenge from continental rivals such as Paris and Frankfurt who have begun marketing campaigns to lure British finance firms to them.

On this, though, Boleat seems unfazed.

Advert: France has attempted to lure British finance firms to its quarters

The French had their poster, Tired of the fog? Try the frogs! The Germans had a cocktail party in Hyde Park.

The 67-year-old shrugs. Such marketing will not make much difference. What will matter is the substance, he argues, and on that Britain needs to make sure its tax and regulation is as attractive to finance as possible.

Boleat, who was born on Jersey, lives in Northwood, North West London, but spends most weekday nights in a flat above his offices. Most nights I have more than one event to be at.

Last night, I was at the Queens diplomatic reception and it was fantastic. I had a chat with Boris and with four other Cabinet Ministers.

Boleat, it seems, is very much a politician but he argues it is policy that interests him. I toyed with standing for Parliament in my 20s, but I didnt stand in the end.

My real interest is policy, I hate campaigning. Those people who are in politics because they want power, but havent got a clue what to do when they get there...I find that very depressing.

It seems a particularly barbed point in the current climate. Does he have anyone in particular in mind?

No, he quickly shoots back.
Shops are being warned to end their 300million gift card rip-off.

Customers are being shortchanged because some cards expire within just six months.

Others carry hidden fees that quickly make them worthless. The Government is seeking a minimum two-year expiry period and fairer terms and conditions. Often cards do not even carry use-by dates.

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Industry data shows that 5.40 of every 100 put on gift cards is never spent  handing retailers a windfall of almost 6million a week.

A Mail investigation found that stores have a huge range of different policies, meaning many customers try to use their cards only to find they have expired.

Guy Anker, of the website Money Saving Expert, said: Gift cards are risky. If a firm goes under, you lose your money. But, on top of this, it can be incredibly difficult to find out when a gift card expires.

The end date is often hidden and many people wind up losing their money. Any card that expires in under a year is not long enough.

Habitat, White Stuff, French Connection, Costa and Ticketmaster gift cards expire at one year. M&S, Reiss, Lakeland, House of Fraser, Fat Face and Body Shop set a limit of two years, Zara offers three years and Ikea, iTunes and Starbucks have no expiry date at all.

Lord Foster, Liberal Democrat business spokesman, said stores should scrap use-by dates completely. Hidden and confusing expiry dates on gift cards mean millions of people risk being caught out again this Christmas, he said.

Scrapping these unfair rules would be a welcome gift from stores to their customers. In the long term, the Government must step in and introduce a two-year minimum rule so everyone knows where they stand.

Shoppers can also be caught out by hidden fees. One 4 All cards, which can be used with over 100 retailers including Debenhams, M&S, House of Fraser, Gap and H&M and Waterstones, do not expire.

But after 18 months, a 90p charge is applied each month. A 10 gift becomes worthless within two and a half years. Spa vouchers are often valid for only six months. The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is discussing the issues with the UK Gift Card and Voucher Association.

Shops are being warned to end their 300million gift card rip-off as it's revealed some cards expire within just six months (file picture)

The Government is seeking a minimum two-year expiry period and fairer terms and conditions. Often cards do not even carry use-by dates (file picture)

A spokesman said: We have worked with businesses to encourage expiry dates of at least two years for gift cards and to increase transparency about any small print that consumers could miss. The spokesman said many stores were moving to a two-year minimum. The Government fell short of proposing legislation  as Ireland did last year. Instead it is hoping retailers will sign up to a voluntary code.

Officials are still considering whether customers should be protected when a retailer issuing gift cards goes bust as happened with Borders bookshop, Woolworths, Jessops, JJB Sports, Austin Reed and HMV.

The gift card association says each card is logged and tracked on computer systems  causing administrative expense.

Retailers also say that allowing gift cards to sit on their books could cause accountancy problems if there were a run of redemptions.

The association has so far refused to bow to pressure to introduce a two-year minimum term for gift cards as part of its voluntary code for stores.

Its director Gail Cohen said: The UKGCVA continues to work with its members, the industry and BEIS, to develop best practice guidelines with regards to gift card expiry dates.
SP Tyagi, former Air Force chief, and two others who were arrested on Friday in the AgustaWestland chopper scam, have been remanded in CBI custody for four days.

Former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi and two others were arrested by the CBI on Friday in the Rs 3600-crore AgustaWestland helicopters deal case.

By Shivendra Srivastava: A court here on Saturday sent former Indian Air Force Chief SP Tyagi and others to custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) till December 14 in the Rs 3,767-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal case. Tyagi blamed former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's office for tweaking the deal in favour of AgustaWestland.

In the court, the former Air Force Chief claimed that the prime minister's office under Manmohan Singh had suggested the changes in the height of the ceiling of the VVIP choppers.

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Metropolitan Magistrate Sujit Saurabh allowed the CBI to quiz Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie Tyagi and a Delhi-based lawyer, Gautam Khaitan till December 14.

The first chief of any wing of the armed forces to be arrested in the country, the former IAF chief and the others were allegedly involved in irregularities in the procurement of 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters from Britain-based AgustaWestland.

Former Indian Air Force Chief SP Tyagi was produced at the Patiala House court today. The CBI had demanded a ten-day remand of the former Air Force chief, his cousin Sanjeev alias Julie Tyagi, and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan for detailed questioning.

SP Tyagi was questioned by the CBI on Friday for four hours and was later arrested, along with his cousin Sanjeev alias Julie Tyagi, and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan.

These were the first arrests in the VVIP chopper deal.

HERE ARE THE LATEST UPDATES:

Former Air Force Chief SP Tyagi and other accused sent to CBI remand till December 14 by Delhi Court.

Former Air Force Chief SP Tyagi and other accused sent to CBI remand till Dec 14 by Delhi Court in #AgustaWestland case pic.twitter.com/H1lREwig4E ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016 IAF and armed forces will continue to serve the nation to the best of its abilities; If anything is wrong, we correct it very quickly- IAF Chief Arup Raha.

Very unfortunate episode; incident obviously acts adversely on reputation of a very professional force: Arup Raha.

Court allows 4 days police custody of SP Tyagi, Sanjeev Tyagi and Gautam Khetan.

It is a due process of law, whatever comes out after inquiry we will accept that: Arup Raha.

Its a due process of law, whatever comes out after inquiry we will accept that:Air Force Chief Arup Raha #AgustaWestland pic.twitter.com/1IP5bgSzkR ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016 CBI is seeking 10 days police remand of all accused in Agusta case.

CBI already have all the evidences against alleged crime. What documents they have to prove that money was paid? What is the logic behind asking remand?- Tyagi's lawyer to court.

I had earned money from agricultural land. I can give proves. There was no need of arrest: Tyagi to court.

Can account for my agricultural land purchase.In this nation, if you're arrested, you're arrested. You're on TV channels: SP Tyagi in court

I am not a lawyer. I don't understand why arrest there is an arrest, asks SP Tyagi

After meeting with PMO, changes were made and committee decided to change the conditions: Tyagi

Procurement of chopper deal was a collective decision: SP Tyagi's counsel in court.

Choppers were meant for VVIPs. PMO suggested change of service ceiling (6000 metres). How many times have VVIPs visited Siachen, asks SP Tyagi's counsel.

There should a specific purpose on completion of inquiry, SP Tyagi has always cooperated: SP Tyagi's counsel in court.

Agusta was engaging middlemen regularly, bribes were paid, investigation is going on: CBI in court.

We have received LR's from Mauritius and Italy. They have given us information. We need to interrogate these accused persons: Agusta case CBI lawyer

SP TYAGI, Sanjeev Tyagi and Gautam Khetan produced at Patiala house court. CBI had arrested them on Friday in VVIP chopper deal case.

CBI demands police custody of all the accused persons.

CBI lawyer says; this proposal was initiated by Air Force to buy new VVIP Chopper. In 2002 there were 11 global parties to appear in bid.

Finally only four parties fulfilling the criteria. Later, Agusta was found not for requirement due to flying height of copters.

In 2004, new central Govt formed and Air Force was denying to compromise on flying height of copters. Later, when SP Tyagi assumed the charge in Jan 1, 2005.

During this, Agusta was perusing for consideration again and again on the basis of different attributes of choppers.

Agusta was engaging middlemen regularly, bribes were paid, investigation is going on: CBI in court

CBI tells court that they are investigating the scam and needed more time.

CBI argued, "During SP Tyagi tenure, his family invested in agriculture land," saying that this aspect needed to be investigated as well.

Defence lawyer, arguing for SP Tyagi, said "We are unable to understand why CBI is seeking police remand. After FIR was registered these alleged accused are being questioned several times. There is no need of custodial interrogation."

CBI argued that a larger conspiracy was done in this chopper scam, and that needs to be investigated.

CBI said, "In 2004, new Central government was formed and the Air Force was denying to compromise on flying height of copters. Later, when SP Tyagi assumed the charge on January 1, 2005, Agusta was perused for consideration again and again on the basis of different attributes of choppers."

The CBI argued that in 2002, there were 11 global parties to appear in the bid. Finally, only four parties fulfilled the criteria. Later, Agusta was found not for requirement due to flying height of copters.

CBI said the proposal was initiated by Air Force to buy new VVIP Chopper.

CBI demands police custody of all the three accused.

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WATCH THE VIDEO

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ALSO READ | Former Air Force chief SP Tyagi, 2 others arrested by CBI in AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal case

ON WHAT CHARGES THE CBI ARRESTED SP TYAGI AND OTHERS

The CBI on Friday said all the three have been arrested over allegations of accepting illegal gratification for exercising influence through corrupt and or illegal means.

"All the three accused have been arrested under Section 120B, Section 420 IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. They were called for questioning at the CBI headquarters," the agency said in a statement.

The CBI said its probe revealed that undue favours were shown to AgustaWestland Ltd, which accepted illegal vendors through middlemen including Sanjeev Tyagi, who is a relative of SP Tyagi.

As per the sources, SP Tyagi has been arrested on the charges of entering into criminal conspiracy to tailor the altitude requirements for VVIP choppers with an intention of qualifying AgustaWestland for the bid.

He allegedly conspired with his cousin brothers to alter the altitude from 6,000 to 4,500 meters. This happened when he was slated to become the next Air Chief.

WHAT IS AGUSTAWESTLAND CHOPPER CASE?

The AgustaWestland chopper deal scam refers to the Rs 360 crore allegedly paid as kickbacks by Finmeccanica, the parent firm of AgustaWestland, to clinch the deal for 12 VVIP helicopters for the Indian Air Force.

The payments were made in the "guise of" transactions for performing multiple work contracts in the country.

(With inputs from JV Shivendra Srivastava)

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

ALSO READ | Tyagi brothers admit to dealings with Haschke: 10 developments in Agusta probe

--- ENDS ---
Its been a minute right? All I can say about my two-week absence from this column is that depression is real. At least thats how I describe my lack of full productivity when I feel overwhelmed by the overall pain of human existence.

I felt sorry for my poor bae because a part of him was feeling like my state of mind had something to do with what he did or didnt do. As for the editor of this newspaper, bless his frustrated and kind understanding soul.



I believe Im not the only one who often has it all together but still feels this way once in a while. Many people though, will refuse to acknowledge this feeling of melancholy; probably because of the stigma attached to being mentally unwell, which is classified as a disability and disability is a curse, many wrongly believe.



It is also the perception that any sign of any form of weakness is an absolute No-No and must never be revealed to others.

Its my theory that it is often the strong who go through such motions and how can they not because humans make this existence thing so complicated at times.

Humans will make you want to get off the bus even before it reaches your destination.



Just the other day, recently, in court the magistrate, in his judgment said hed scratch off the costs for swimming lessons from my child maintenance claim because its unnecessary at this stage, he said. This was just five days after four adults had drowned a few kilometres from my house in Hartebeesport Dam when their boat caught fire during a party cruise.

I know a handful of people whose toddler children died in shallow waters because they couldnt swim but hey, its unnecessary to teach them while theyre young according to the law of this magistrate. Depressing. If this doesnt require 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children



Stigma



Speaking of children and judgments  this week we witnessed the story of a mother who threw two of her children to their death off her balcony in downtown Johannesburg.

While I can take those who simply mourn the loss of lives, I just cannot help but judge those who judge the woman as being so cruel and heartless and why didnt she just rather give them away? I dont know what this woman was going through but I know she spent at least all the years of her childrens lives giving all her strength to fighting lifes never-ending demons.



I remember even when it was reported that Miss Swaziland Tiffany Simelane had committed suicide; someone (of the many Judge Judys of that day) said why kill yourself when a man with one hand  Black Coffee  is making the best of his life; being an inspiration to all of us.



 I mean, if he can live through life like that, why not you as completely able-bodied and beautiful woman? Im sorry but you can watch Oprah inspire the world on TV all your life and even get to touch her billion Dollar bosom in between telling each other how great and purposeful you both are but the reality is shes not there when desolation strikes; not physically and not even in your head.



My friends seven-year-old daughter put it succinctly all those 10 years ago; Mommy, its fine now when Im saying it after you but when Im there Her mother had told her to respond with Im not fat, Im chubby and its cute to schoolmates who were teasing her about her weight.



Mental Health Plans



Mental health is a serious issue and unfortunately there seems to very little acknowledgement of it as part of the human trajectory hence the deficient awareness and interventions around it.

According to research by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group as many as one in five people will, or does suffer from a mental illness in their lives and mental illness includes depression, anxiety, job/relationship stress and abuse of substances such as alcohol and drugs.



Some African countries like South Africa, although they have a Mental Health Act and policies that commit to providing mental health interventions at primary health care level are still struggling with putting this promise into action. My research reveals that Swaziland does not even have an existing mental health plan and the latest legislation on this topic was last updated in 1978.



This is worrying for our countries when every day, it is evident in newspaper reports, that some of the violent crimes we read about can be attributed to untreated mental health problems. It is also said because its been said that we are emotional and spiritual beings going through a human existence. Otherwise wed be out there at Kruger Park grazing and ruminating with the rest of the animals.
Khuphuka Dlamini at the Mbabane Magistrates Court yesterday. (pic: Sibusiso Shange)

MBABANE The question; why is someone not arrested for brutal murder of Mfanzile Hlophe has been answered as one of the guards has appeared before court.



Khuphuka Dlamini, an employee of 4Him Security Services has been arrested in connection with the gruesome murder of Mfanzile Hlophe of Mangwaneni, Mbabane.

Dlamini (35) of Herefords made his appearance before Mbabane Magistrate Sifiso Vilakati yesterday charged with murder.



When informed about his rights to legal representation, Dlamini told the court that he would instruct an attorney and the Crown applied that he be remanded in custody.

Vilakati advised him to engage the High Court for bail due to the nature of the offence.

Hlophe is the resident who lost his life after Dlamini allegedly doused him with petrol and was set alight in the presence of his 12-year-old child while his wife was away at work.



This was after an altercation that allegedly emanated from the invasion of Hlophes homestead by Dlamini, who was in a company of other 4Him Security Guards and city rangers.

Eyewitnesses alleged that the guards and rangers arrived at Hlophes homestead armed with hammers and fire extinguishers and surrounded the house after entering the premises through the main gate and others jumping over the barbed wire fencing.

They are said to have informed Hlophe that they were there to talk to him, something that he disapproved of. Others stated that they saw Hlophe wielding a spear, presumably in an attempt to deter the guards from coming close to his house.



They said the commotion started after Hlophe attacked the guards carrying a burning spear, which had piece of rubber at its tip. Hlophe was said to have attempted to chase the uniformed mob out of his home before it could demolish his newly-built two-roomed house.



The men in uniform were said to have ran helter-skelter in fear. However, the residents said they saw one man carrying a yellow bucket with a substance they suspected to be petrol while his colleagues ran away from Hlophe in fear of their lives.

They said they also saw the guard standing by one of the corners of the house with the bucket. The security guard intentionally threw the bucket at Hlophe then made a run for it, narrated the residents.



One of the three eyewitnesses said all they saw next was a huge flame all over Hlophes body. The witnesses further narrated how Hlophe rolled down from his front yard, off a cliff, and into the road which is about 50 metres away from his house.

As he screamed in pain, the witnesses said they saw the officers running towards the MCM van which they had parked by the road.




KAKHOLWANE  Swaziland made a mistake by allowing other religions other than Christianity to be taught in local schools.



Prime Minister (PM) Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini said this to the amusement of pastors from the Shiselweni region at a Christmas party.

Dlamini said Cabinet was already working on the strategies and policies to ban other religions, saying it was important to create a base of Christianity among children as this was the main religion of Swaziland.

We have since realised the mistake that we made and now it is time to correct it, said the prime minister.



He said other religions could only be introduced at a later stage, like at tertiary level, when the children already had Christianity cemented in their minds.

Other religions that have since been included in the schools syllabus include Islam, Judaism and the Bahai faith, to mention but a few.



The premier was guest speaker in the event that was held at the residence of Simanga Mamba, an attorney who is also Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC).

He requested pastors all over the country to prepare hard for this move as he said it would not be an easy one.

In other countries, other religions are not taught in schools, but only the main one that the country subscribes to, he said.



He said the office of the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was also assisting with the process.

Section 23 of the Constitution of Swaziland states that a person has a right to freedom of thought, conscience or religion.

Except with the free consent of that person, a person shall not be hindered in the enjoyment of the freedom of conscience, and for the purposes of this section, freedom of conscience includes freedom of thought and of religion, freedom to change religion or belief, and freedom of worship either alone or in community with others.



It further states that a religious community is entitled to establish and maintain places of education and to

manage any place of education which that community wholly maintains, and that community may not be prevented from providing religious instruction for persons of that community in the course of any education provided at any place of education which that community wholly maintains or in the course of any education which that community otherwise provides.
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Baloch activists have take it to the streets of Australia, Germany and South Korea to protest against "inhuman" Pakistan.

By India Today Web Desk: In August 2016, All India Radio started broadcasting in Baloch language to express solidarity with the cause of a free Balochistan.

Jawad Baloch, President of the Balochistan Republican Party (BRP) in Germany told India Today a few months ago that they are thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his help on the issue.

"We expect such help from him in the future too, so that we can get rid of inhuman Pakistan," he said.

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India's support has been a major irritant to Pakistan as well.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while talking about human rights abuses in Pakistan during his Independence Day speech in August, had made a reference to Balochistan, Gilgit and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Today, on Human Rights Day, Balochistan activists took the protest against Pakistan to the streets in several countries.

Melbourne - Australia

Berlin - Germany

Seoul - South Korea

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: From Anisur Rahman

Dhaka, Dec 10 (PTI) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina plans to tour India in February next, the Bangladesh government said today during the visit of Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar here.

Hasinas press secretary Ihsanul Karim said she has plans to visit India adding officials of the two countries would work out the schedule of the tour as Akbar made a courtesy call on the premier.

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Hasina told Akbar that "there might be problems between two neighbouring countries, but these should not affect the friendship and cooperation".

The premier, he said, reiterated her governments "zero tolerance policy" against terrorism and militancy and said none would be allowed to use Bangladeshs soil for terrorist acts against any country.

"We wont tolerate any sorts of terrorism and militancy and wont allow our land to be used for carrying out terrorist acts against any country," the official said quoting the premier.

Hasina said the Dhaka cafe attack in July which killed 19 foreigners including an Indian girl and the vandalising of temples in Bangladesh were staged to destabilise the countrys development and progress.

The prime minister recalled with gratitude the contribution of Indian armed forces in Bangladeshs War of Liberation in 1971 against Pakistan.

She also mentioned that Indian forces returned to their country immediately after independence of Bangladesh.

"It has created a history as no allied force in the world did return home immediately after the victory," she said.

The premier also discussed with Akbar the issue of constructing water reservoirs on both sides of the border for ensuring water security.

Akbar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hasina took India-Bangladesh bilateral relations to a new height.

"The horizon of bilateral relations has been widened due to pragmatic steps of the two leaders," the official quoted Akbar as saying.

Akbar said there are vast areas of cooperation between Bangladesh and India particularly in the field of hydroelectricity and energy.

Hasinas International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi, Principal Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury and Indias High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla were also present, among others.

Akbar arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a two-day visit to represent India at the 9th annual meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). PTI AR KUN

--- ENDS ---
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By Patrick Donachie

Police released a sketch of one of the assailants suspected in a home invasion attempt in Jamaica last week, along with a clearer picture of a car the NYPD thinks may have been used by one of the attackers.

The new developments come as Henry Wright, 58, a state corrections officer, continues to recover from multiple gunshot wounds. Police were investigating the possibility that he was targeted because of his job. His wife, Sharon Floyd Wright, 52, suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder in the attack.

Police responded to their home near the corner of Mathias Avenue and 166th Street at 6:56 p.m. on Nov. 27, and found Wright unconscious with several gunshot wounds. He and his wife were taken to Jamaica Hospital, and Wright underwent surgery due to his injuries.

Police said two suspects forced their way into the home, shooting both victims. Floyd Wright managed to attack one of the assailants with a hammer during the assault, according to the New York Post. Police released a sketch of one of the two men sought in the attack. Additionally, they released clearer photos of what they previously described as a light-colored 2011-2015 Hyundai Elantra.

Wright has been a corrections officer for 35 years, according to the New York State Correctional Officers Police Benevolent Associations. The group announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever shot the couple.

Anyone with information about the incident was encouraged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS or to submit tips online at www.nypdc rimes toppe rs.com .
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By Kathleen Warnock

An Irishman who came to America and an Irish-American woman whose family has been here for nearly a century are going back to the old country to be honored by its president for sustained and distinguished service to Ireland and Irish communities abroad.

Brendan Fay and Kathleen Walsh DArcy are two of the recipients of the 2016 Presidential Distinguished Service Awards for the Irish Aboard, which will be presented by President Michael D. Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain, the presidential residence, at a state dinner in Dublin on December 8.

In the letter announcing the awards, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan wrote to Fay and Walsh DArcy, The central role you play for the Irish Community in the United States has a very positive, far-reaching impact, not the least with the LGBT community in New York.

Fay and Walsh DArcy are longtime activists and organizers, and 2016 saw the fulfillment of Fays decades-long battle, as the Lavender and Green Alliance became the first LGBT group allowed to march openly in New York Citys St. Patricks Day parade on Fifth Avenue.

Fay, a native of Drogheda, County Louth, was one of the founders of the Lavender and Green Alliance in 1994, and of ILGO (the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization), which protested the Fifth Avenue parade annually  and for many years got arrested. In 1999, he founded the inclusive St. Pats for All Parade, which steps off on the first Sunday of March in Sunnyside and Woodside, Queens.

Walsh DArcy is a community organizer, feminist, and human rights activist, whose ancestors immigrated to the United States in the 1920s.

Here they found a community of Irish people in New York that worked to preserve Irish music, culture, politics  a community of people who took care of each other!, she said.

Walsh DArcy became co-chair of St. Pats for All in 2007.

This year marked the centennial of Irelands 1916 Easter Rising, the short-lived rebellion that was violently quashed by the British, but set the stage for the countrys independence in 1920. The revolutionaries declared an Irish Republic, which guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights, and equal opportunities to all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all of the children of the nation equally.

Fay adopted that idea and that goal when he founded St. Pats for All, and its displayed at the top of the parade website, on the ubiquitous green hoodies that the organizing committee members wear, and on the banner at the head of the parade each year.

Fay said that his and Walsh DArcys award is a huge recognition of the movement to make our Irish parades and celebrations more welcoming, and an acknowledgment of the hopes and efforts by LGBT immigrants seeking our place in the New York Irish diaspora. Im humbled to receive this award as a gay man and to return home to a transformed Ireland. I am reminded of the determination of activists that kept a movement through years of protest, arrests, and exclusion. Hope and steady confidence in the cause of equality kept us going for 25 years.

In addition to the state dinner, Fay and his husband, Dr. Tom Moulton, are using their time in Ireland to celebrate with family and friends and meet with local LGBT community leaders. Fay is also set to do a talkback after a performance of Irish musician and playwright Brian Flemings show, A Sacrilegious Lesbian and Homosexual Parade, which is about Fay and St. Pats for All.

Flanagan, the minister for foreign affairs, commended all the recipients of awards this week for their impressive work overseas, saying honors enable Ireland to recognize some of the finest members of our diaspora for their contribution to Ireland, the Irish community abroad, and Irelands reputation. In the ever changing world we live in, this remarkable group of individuals have been a constant beacon for Ireland and the values we hold dear.

Juxtaposing last years referendum victory for marriage equality in his homeland against the recent political upheaval in his adopted country, Fay said, As we enter a new political phase here in the United States with President-elect Trump, some of my [Irish] friends are considering a return to the new and more welcoming Ireland. But I say that when people unite in common cause it is possible to overcome discrimination and transform communities and cultural life.

He sees the need for activism now more than ever.

The work to for equality is ongoing, Fay said, in schools, in communities, in churches. We continue to make our cultural celebrations more welcoming and to address bullying and to show solidarity with arriving immigrants and refugees.

Fay isnt staying long in Ireland on this trip. Its parade-planning season, and he, Walsh DArcy, and their volunteer committee are looking to make this coming years St. Pats for All the biggest one yet, not turning anyone away, and welcoming every person and group that wants to march.
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Your weekend calendar: Dec. 10-11

Sat., Dec. 10

Cheese lovers unite!

Flushing Town Hall is hosting the second annual Great Northeast Cheese and Dairy Fest. Artisanal creameries,

primarily from New York state, will exhibit a vast array of cheeses along with fine wines, beer and cider. Top

New York City chefs, including Will Horowitz of Ducks Eatery/Harry & Idas and Hugue Dufour of M. Wells Steakhouse,

will prepare dishes that use the cheeses. There will be demonstrations and workshops given by industry experts and representatives

from the Cheese & Dairy Society of New York State.

Visitors can vote for their favorite cheese at a Peoples Choice Awards.

Time: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Cost: $40-$60

Place: 137-35 Northern Blvd.

Flushing

(718) 463-7700

-

Dance, classical music and storytellers set the mood for the holidays at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center,

where the Astoria Symphony Orchestra will play classical holiday music ranging from Silver Bells to Tchaikovskys

Nutcracker in a show for the entire family. LPAC resident dance artists, vocalist Heather Petruzelli and

storytellers will make this a memorable evening,

Time: 3 p.m.

Cost: $30

Place: LaGuardia Performing Arts Center

31-10 Thomson Ave.

Long Island City

-

Get to know natures creatures in Queens under the watchful eye of the Urban Park Rangers, who will

take you on a virtual safari to the best viewing spots for winter wildlife in the borough.

Time: 9 a.m.  10:30 a.m.

Cost: Free

Place: Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Albert H. Mauro Playground

Park Drive East, 73rd Ave. Terrace

(718) 352-1769
Times' Game of the Week Preview: No. 7 Beaver Area vs. No. 10 Deer Lakes

Beaver enters the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs riding high after closing the regular season strong. Up next: Deer Lakes for had coach Cort Rowse's Bobcats.
Colonie

You know a farce is doing something right when the audience exclaims or applauds successively more outrageous plot developments. The opening-night crowd did just that on Friday at Curtain Call Theatre during its new production, British playwright Ray Cooney's 1990 comedy "Out of Order," where the opening bit, a dead body in a windowsill, is just about the tamest thing in the show.

"Oh, my God!" yelled one woman  twice. Another so startled herself with a shriek of laughter at the surprising appearance of Curtain Call stalwart Jack Fallon that she clapped her hand over her mouth. A man, nodding his head as he guffawed, spontaneously clapped in the middle of a scene while further shenanigans unfolded in a London hotel suite as a junior minister in Margaret Thatcher's government attempted to complete a planned tryst with a secretary from the opposing party.

Such is the overall success of the production, directed by area theater vet Chris Foster. Farce can be impossibly hard, especially at the community-theater level, requiring a deft touch, uniformity of tone from the actors and an intuitive sense of how far to push the ridiculousness. Not far enough, the weighted-down play can feel like a slog, a waltz done in ski boots; too far, the effortful zaniness becomes forced, exhausting, garish.

More Information Theater "Out of Order" When: 8 p.m. Friday Where: Curtain Call Theatre, 210 Old Loudon Road, Latham Length: Two hours, five minutes; one intermission Continues: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday; through Dec. 31. 26. Additional matinee, 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 Tickets: $24 Info: 877-7529 or http://www.curtaincalltheatre.com See More Collapse

Foster and crew have it almost perfect. Despite a few opening-night technical glitches and an occasional lapsed British accent, the exuberant air never goes out of the production. My attempt to tally up all of the entrances and exits through the three doors and one window of the hotel-room set (by Andy Nice) soon became impossible, and I gave up at the end of the first act.

Besides Foster's direction, the biggest standout is Kris Anderson, another busy regional theater presence, as George, the private secretary to the junior minister. Playing a nerdy, unmarried man who still lives with his mother, Anderson, a skilled comedian, has never been funnier, whether he's simply turning his head to follow conversation or, as George rises to the occasion with improvisational skills he didn't know he had, conducting a marionette routine with the corpse.

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Pity poor George. He's working late, expecting his boss (Rob Weber, good but hampered by needing to be the anchor of the action) to go to the House of Commons for an all-night debate, when he's summoned to the hotel room, where the boss was planning an assignation. By the time George arrives, the body (Dennis Skiba), which the minister and his secretarial inamorata (Jennifer Lefsyk) have moved, is hanging from a hook in a closet. It doesn't stay put. Nor do any of the living people, who soon enough are running in and out of door and window and include a waiter (Patrick White, hilarious), the secretary's suspicious husband (John Schnurr, excellent as a dim but sensitive hunk), a nurse (Jennifer Van Iderstyne), the minister's wife (Susan Dantz) and, as the apoplectic hotel manager, John Sutton, whose outraged delivery of the word "Adultery!" is on par with Lady Bracknell's famed exclamation, "A handbag!"

Each maneuver by the minister to extricate himself without causing scandal makes things worse, which prompts progressively preposterous scenarios and behaviors until it seems Cooney couldn't possibly write his way out of it. He does, and with Foster at the helm, this zany zeppelin lands mirthfully after being spun through a hurricane.

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The review would encompass malicious cyber activity related to US elections going back to 2008, said a White House spokesperson.

By Indo-Asian News Service: US President Barack Obama has ordered a review into hacking aimed at influencing US elections, the White House has said.

"The President has directed the Intelligence Community to conduct a full review of what happened during this year's election process. It is to capture lessons learned from that and to report to a range of stakeholders," White House Homeland Security and Counter-terrorism Adviser Lisa Monaco said on Friday.

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According to CNN, White House Spokesman Eric Schultz said the review would encompass malicious cyber activity related to US elections going back to 2008.

Monaco said the administration would be mindful of the consequences of revealing the results of their review publicly, and Schultz said they will make public "as much as we can".

ALSO READ: Obama says wife Michelle will never run for White House: 'She's too sensible for that'

Call for declassifying intel on Russia's actions

All of the Democratic senators on the Senate Intelligence Committee have called on Obama to declassify intelligence on Russia's actions during the November 8 election, CNN reported.

"You want to do so very attentive to not disclosing sources and methods that would impede our ability to identify and attribute malicious actors in the future," Monaco said of disclosure.

The review is intended to be done before Trump's inauguration on January 20. "He expects to get a report prior to him leaving office," Monaco said.

ALSO READ: Fox guarding henhouse: Trump to pick foe of Obama climate agenda to run EPA

Russia denies claims, wants evidence of involvement

In response to the news, the Russian government called for evidence of its involvement, denying claims made by the US.

"We are also very interested in understanding what they accused Russia of," said Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

"Many times Foreign Minister Lavrov has asked Americans to provide full information. But never had any response."

The US government even before the election publicly blamed the Russian government for cyberattacks designed to influence the outcome, including hacks of Democratic groups like the Democratic National Committee.

ALSO READ: CIA says Russia intervened to help Trump win White House: Reports

Attacks on voter registration systems

A steady stream of documents and internal emails from Democratic groups and from Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman were released in the weeks and months leading up to the election, with damaging consequences for Democrats.

There was also concern about attempted attacks on voter registration systems at the state and local level, though the intelligence community never said there was strong evidence that was tied to the Russian government.

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While the Intelligence Community has not suggested the attacks were designed to bolster Trump, the impact of the hacks were much more damaging to Democrats and to Clinton.

ALSO READ: TIME Person of the Year: From a mere joke, it is now a 'great honour' for Donald Trump

Republicans too have pointed fingers at Russia

Trump has denied a Russian role in the hacking, despite the overwhelming consensus from private sector cybersecurity firms that investigated the hacks and from the various US government intelligence agencies.

Members of his own party have strongly pointed the finger at Russia, and Republican Seniors John McCain and Lindsey Graham are reportedly leading the charge among Republicans to investigate the hacking.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes said Russian interference was real, but dinged the administration for being slow to react.

"It appears, however, that after eight years the administration has suddenly awoken to the threat."

Democrats were quick to praise Obama on Friday. The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, California Rep Adam Schiff, called on the White House to declassify as much as it could.

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ALSO READ: Chinese media claims Trump administration could build alliance with India to restrict China

ALSO READ: Twitter will not help US President-elect Donald Trump build a Muslim registry

ALSO WATCH

--- ENDS ---
Constellation and the Iowa Medical Society Announce Dispute Resolution

Constellation, Inc., and the Iowa Medical Society (IMS) today announced the resolution of a dispute concerning a trademark licensing agreement between the parties. Terms of the resolution were not disclosed.

Constellation and IMS expressed appreciation for the contributions each has made over the many years of their working relationship, and a commitment to continue their efforts independently to advance improved patient safety and the practice of good medicine. With the resolution, the business relationship has concluded.

About Constellation

Minneapolis-based Constellation is a holding company of policyholder-owned insurers and other organizations providing medical liability insurance and services that support physicians and other health care providers. Through partnerships offering solutions that hlp providers deliver better quality patient care, a better patient experience and lower costs of care, Constellation, founded in 2012, is a leader in health care provider support and risk solutions. For more information, visit www.ConstellationMutual.com.







About the Iowa Medical Society

The Iowa Medical Society (IMS) is the state's largest professional association for allopathic and osteopathic physicians. Established in 1850, IMS represents more than 6,500 Iowa physicians, residents and medical students. IMS exists to assure the highest quality healthcare in Iowa through our role as physician and patient advocate. For more information, visit www.iowamedical.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161209005767/en/
[December 09, 2016] Fitch Rates Miami Jewish Health System, Inc. (FL) 2017 Revs 'BBB'; Outlook Stable

Fitch Ratings has assigned a 'BBB' rating to the following bonds expected to be issued on behalf of Miami Jewish Health System, Inc. (Miami Jewish): --$45,545,000 City of Miami Health Facilities Authority Revenue and Refunding Bonds Series 2017. The Rating Outlook is Stable. The bonds are expected to be issued as fixed rate via negotiation the week of Dec. 12, 2016. SECURITY The bonds are secured by a pledge of gross revenues and a mortgage on certain property of the obligated group (OG) and a debt service reserve fund. KEY RATING DRIVERS WIDE ARRAY OF ELDERLY SERVICES: Miami Jewish provides a unique array of services for the elderly, drawing from a fairly geographically limited service area in Miami-Dade County. System components include a large skilled nursing (SNF) component, a growing Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) network, an independent and assisted living facility, a small acute care and rehab component, clinics and management of HUD Section 202 housing. CHALLENGING PAYOR MIX: While the organization's payor mix is heavily skewed towards governmental sources, with 68% combined Medicare and Medicaid, the risk is somewhat offset by the significant revenues from the PACE program, which is capitated. All of the ILU's and ALU's are private pay and a planned future sizeable expansion of the memory care program will also be all private pay. GOOD COVERAGE/ MODERATE LEVERAGE: Pro-forma maximum annual debt service (MADS) of $3.1 million equates to a modest 2.9% of fiscal 2016 revenues which Miami Jewish covered at a solid 3.3x on a historical pro-forma basis. ADEQUATE LIQUIDITY: Unrestricted cash and investments of $48.4 million at Sept. 30, 2016 equated to 160 days cash on hand (DCOH) and cash was equal to 97% of pro-forma debt. Miami Jewish's liquidity metrics are adequate and reflective of its business lines- rental senior housing, skilled nursing and PACE. Additionally, management is focused on maintaining cash reserves and any major expansion plan would be dependent on raising a majority of needed funds from philanthropy. RATING SENSITIVITIES MAINTENANCE OF SOLID COVERAGE: Fitch expects Miami Jewish Health System to continue to maintain solid debt service coverage while executing its campus renewal and repositioning plan that will include expansion of its memory care program in the next two to three years, requiring significant fundraising. Failure to raise sufficient philanthropy for the project or a material decline in profitability impacting debt service coverage would likely result in negative rating pressure. CREDIT PROFILE Founded in 1940's as a 23-bed nursing home for Jewish widows and widowers, Miami Jewish Health System has grown into a provider of a wide array of senior services in South Florida. The OG consists of a 438-bed skilled nursing facility, one of the largest in the Southeast, a rental 95 unit independent living (ILU) and 81 unit assisted living (ALU) and 19 memory care facility and a small 32-bed acute care hospital, mostly catering to the needs of the Miami Jewish residents, all located on the system's main campus in Miami, and a Foundation. Additionally the OG operates a large PACE program with four centers serving providing care to 550 participants. The main entities outside of the OG include the Wolf/Cypen Foundation which operates exclusively for the benefit of Miami Jewish, as well as three HUD 202 apartment buildings providing subsidized housing for the elderly, and a nurse registry program. The OG represented substantially all of the consolidated system revenues and 80.4% of consolidated system assets in fiscal 2016 (year-end June 30). Fitch reports on the performance of the consolidated system. Given the unique composition of revenues and despite the presence of a small acute care presence, the medians referred to in the press release refer to Fitch's Not-for Profit Continuing Care Retirement Communities Rating Criteria (CCRC) medians. The management lead by the President and CEO with a deep experience in various for-profit sectors, appointed in 2008, includes several individuals recruited from the for-profit sector. His leadership has brought stability to the organization and the strategic initiatives being executed should further leverage the organization's core competency programs to further bolster profitability. New Issue Details Miami Jewish plans to issue approximately $45.4 million of series 2017 fixed rate bonds. Bond proceeds will used to refinance variable rate letter of credit backed series 2005 and a 2013 bank loan, fund $17.3 million of routine capital improvements, pay $1.3 million swap termination payment and fund a DSRF and costs of issuance. The 2017 bonds will have a final maturity date of 2031 and an average coupon currently estimated at 5%. There are no swaps outstanding. The bonds are expected to have level debt service of $3.1 million until 2033, when MADS declines to $2.6 million. Post issuance, the series 2017 fixed rate bonds will be the only debt outstanding, other than a $4.7 million draw under a $5 million revolving credit facility, which is interest only at 30-day LIBOR rate plus 1.75%. Unique and Complementary Array of Services Because of the complementary nature of the services provided by Miami Jewish, several of the system components serve as feeders to its programs. The three HUD 202 subsidized elderly housing projects owned and managed by Miami Jewish generate referrals to its large and growing PACE program, which delivers comprehensive medical and social services to the frail elderly, most of whom are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid benefits and are reimbursed under capitated contracts. The PACE program accounted for 38% of net revenues in fiscal 2016, only second to the 44% of net revenues generated by the SNF facility. Miami Jewish is planning to increase its operations of the HUD 202 program by adding a fourth location and has been growing enrollment in its PACE program, which is a core competence and generates a solid return. Adequate Financial Performance and Moderate Leverage The system's operating ratio averaged 95% over the last four years, which is consistent with a 'BBB' peer of providers with sizable SNF operations. Profitability is relatively light, with net operating margin at 5.4% in fiscal 2016, but improved over the average 2.3% in the prior three years. However, Fitch notes that the light profitability is somewhat mitigated by the increasing source of revenues from the PACE program, which generates operating returns well above 10% and the absence of real estate risks inherent in operating the residential facilities (ALU and ILU), which are rental only. Miami Jewish's pro-forma debt burden is moderate, as represented by pro-forma MADS representing a light 2.9% of consolidated system fiscal 2016 revenues. Historical coverage of pro-forma MADS was a solid 3.3x and 3.1x in fisca 2016 and fiscal 2015, respectively.



Adequate Liquidity The consolidated system's unrestricted cash and investments totaled $48.4 million at Sept. 30, 2016, equating to 160 days cash on hand (DCOH) and cash was equal to 97% of pro-forma debt. Liquidity metrics as of the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2017 were materially improved due to the receipt of approximately $7 million of receivables from the PACE program related to fiscal 2016 services, but received following the fiscal year end. The OG does not include the Wolf/Cypen Foundation, which held approximately $6.7 million of cash and investments at 2016 fiscal year-end, but the foundation benefits Miami Jewish exclusively. Excluding the Wolf/Cypen Foundation investments, the OG's DCOH would be reduced to 138 and cash to pro-forma debt would decline to 84%. Fitch views Miami Jewish's liquidity position as adequate in light of its business lines and operating profile, which has no entrance fee refund exposure. Further, management is focused on maintaining system liquidity at the current levels and has stated that any major expansion plan would be highly dependent on the ability to raise a majority of needed funds from philanthropy.

Capital Plans Of the new money proceeds in the series 2017 transaction, $17.3 million will be used for a number of projects at the Miami Jewish main campus. Approximately $8 million will be used for a construction of a parking garage, and the remaining funds will be applied towards renovations of three of the campus buildings. As part of its master facility plan, Miami Jewish is planning to develop a 99 unit memory care rental facility on the main campus, which would be designed using the 'neighborhood model'. The project is in early stages of development and has not yet obtained required approvals. According to management realization is 2-3 years out, during which time the organization would need to raise a substantial portion of the approximately $50 million estimated cost. Fitch has not incorporated this project into the current rating, and in Fitch's view Miami Jewish has limited debt capacity at this time. Occupancy and Competition Occupancy of the large SNF has been consistently in mid to high 90%, most recently 98% in fiscal 2016, and the ALU and memory care units averaged occupancy of 90%. Miami Jewish has somewhat struggled with the ILU occupancy, which was reported at slightly increasing to 80% at 2016 fiscal year end from 76% in 2014. Aiding occupancy levels, the rental nature of the ILU units allows for renting vacant units to 'snowbirds' from the Northeast and Canada on a monthly basis. While there are a number of residential facilities in this market, Miami Jewish is the only facility that provides kosher food and thus appeals to a certain market segment. Management believes that there exists significant demand for the planned memory care facility, which will be instrumental in attracting philanthropy for the project. DISCLOSURE Miami Jewish covenants to provide quarterly statements within 45 days and audited financial within 150 days of the fiscal year end to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board's EMMA system. Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. Applicable Criteria Not-for-Profit Continuing Care Retirement Communities Rating Criteria (pub. 04 Aug 2015) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/868824 Revenue-Supported Rating Criteria (pub. 16 Jun 2014) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/750012 U.S. Nonprofit Hospitals and Health Systems Rating Criteria (pub. 09 Jun 2015) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/866807 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1016271 Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1016271 Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/regulatory ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTPS://WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. 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Fitch receives fees from issuers, insurers, guarantors, other obligors, and underwriters for rating securities. Such fees generally vary from US$1,000 to US$750,000 (or the applicable currency equivalent) per issue. In certain cases, Fitch will rate all or a number of issues issued by a particular issuer, or insured or guaranteed by a particular insurer or guarantor, for a single annual fee. Such fees are expected to vary from US$10,000 to US$1,500,000 (or the applicable currency equivalent). The assignment, publication, or dissemination of a rating by Fitch shall not constitute a consent by Fitch to use its name as an expert in connection with any registration statement filed under the United States securities laws, the Financial Services and Markets Act of 2000 of the United Kingdom, or the securities laws of any particular jurisdiction. Due to the relative efficiency of electronic publishing and distribution, Fitch research may be available to electronic subscribers up to three days earlier than to print subscribers. For Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and South Korea only: Fitch Australia Pty Ltd holds an Australian financial services license (AFS license no. 337123) which authorizes it to provide credit ratings to wholesale clients only. Credit ratings information published by Fitch is not intended to be used by persons who are retail clients within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161209005765/en/

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[December 09, 2016] Crystal Group Inc. Congratulates Iowa Quality Center's Student TEAM Award Winner, Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School

HIAWATHA, Iowa, Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Crystal Group Inc., a leader in rugged computer hardware, specializing in design and manufacture of custom and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) rugged servers, embedded computing, networking, displays, power supplies, and data storage for high reliability in harsh environments, today congratulated the student team from Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for winning the 2016 Iowa Quality Center Student TEAM competition. The team from Jefferson High School (JHS) was one of six sponsored student groups who worked with local Iowa companies and organizations to assess quality processes. Sponsors of the event included Crystal Group, Monsanto, Clipper Windpower, Solid Waste Agency, Four Oaks, and Grant Wood Area Education Agency. The JHS team consisting of Dakota Maas, Bianca Calderon, Titan Zahradnik, Malik Gatewood and Jack Mossbarger, won first place and received $1,000 for meeting and exceeding performance requirements to demonstrate excellence in learning and practical application gained from training. The money is dedicated for use by the student body to advance their learning and build a problem-solving envionment within their school.



"Congratulations to Jefferson High School on this outstanding achievement," said Crystal Group President Scott Kongable. "As a manufacturing facility, we look to continuously improve our risk management performance and overall operational excellence. By providing an educational experience in improving quality, we hope to inspire these talented students to pursue active careers in the industry. All of us at Crystal Group were quite impressed by the talent and professionalism of these five outstanding students." The JHS team assessed Crystal Group's supply chain risk management program and offered suggestions to improve the process. Iowa Quality Center's Executive Director, Gary Nesteby said, "the teams follow a cycle of improvement criteria as well as a 9-step process to assess company procedures. Students learn to work in teams, use quality tools and apply logic to their work."

Photo About Crystal Group Inc. (crystalrugged.com) Crystal Group Inc., a technology leader in rugged computer hardware, specializes in the design and manufacture of custom and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) rugged servers, embedded computing, networking devices, displays, power supplies, and data storage for high reliability in harsh environments. An employee-owned small business founded in 1987, Crystal Group provides the defense, government and industrial markets with in-house customization, engineering, integration, configuration management, product lifecycle planning, warranty, and support services. Crystal Group products meet or exceed IEEE, IEC, and military standards (MIL-STD-810, 167-1, 461, MIL-S-901); are backed by warranty (5+ year) with in-house support; and are manufactured in the company's Hiawatha, Iowa, USA, facility certified to AS9100C:2009 and ISO 9001:2008 quality management standards. For more information: 800.378.1636

crystalrugged.com  2016 Crystal Group Inc. All rights reserved. All marks are properties of their respective owners. Design and specifications are subject to change. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161115/439587LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crystal-group-inc-congratulates-iowa-quality-centers-student-team-award-winner-cedar-rapids-jefferson-high-school-300376205.html SOURCE Crystal Group Inc.

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All-Indiana college basketball team: State's top men's D-1 players

Remember, these are players who played high school basketball in Indiana, not just players who play at Indiana colleges.
With country staring at a economic slowdown, this surgical strike by TMC, left and Swamy alike on the treasury benches has left economists predicting a gloomy economy ahead.

By Anindya Banerjee: If a virtual washout of the winter session was not reason enough for Modi Sarkar to worry, Trinamool Congress threatening to reconsider Goods and Services Tax or GST has now got a backing from the most unlikely quarter: it's arch enemy CPIM.

Earlier giving a jolt West Bengal finance minister Amit Mites said, "My concern is the double whammy of the common poor people. It has hit the common man hard. It has been a massive destabilisation resulting in transactional cost (loss) of Rs 1.28 lakh crore in 50 days. It is a complete de-empowerment of the small and medium and even large enterprises," And hence the TMC wants to do a rethink.

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But this statement has now got the backing of CPIM politburo member Brinda Karat too. Speaking to India Today, Karat said, "Look things are no longer the same as it was before demonitization. Every state economy had taken a hit. For instance Kerala has taken a hit of 25 to 30 pc. And in such a scenario every state will have to figure out what is in its interest".

Something that has the potential to jeopardise the GST particularly when the economy needs this new reform to overcome the downturn post the cash crunch. To make things worse, BJPs own Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has taken pot shots at its own government. In his tweet, Swamy said that he agrees with Mitra that the GST rollout must be postponed following the "hit" the economy is already taking with the currency ban. Something that will be music to Mamata Banerjee's ears. But nothing less than a shock for the BJP.

WB Finance Minister is right. First digest demonetisation then after restructuring GSTN we can consider GST&; Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) December 1, 2016

With country staring at a economic slowdown, this surgical strike by TMC, left and Swamy alike on the treasury benches has left economists predicting a gloomy economy ahead.

--- ENDS ---
After BJP ministers shot down her proposal for restructuring of administrative services, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti walked out of the cabinet meeting she chaired.

By India Today Web Desk: All is not well in the ruling alliance of BJP and PDP in Jammu and Kashmir. Differences were there even before but what happened on Friday night in Jammu was first of its kind.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti left the cabinet meeting midway and walked away. This was the first time that Mehbooba walked out of a cabinet meeting, where serious matters were being discussed.

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The bone of contention was Mehbooba Mufti's proposal for restructuring of Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) and Kashmir Police Services (KPS). Mehbooba proposed induction of KAS and KPS officers to Indian Administrative Services (IAS).

READ| Mehbooba discusses states situation with Guv

The BJP objected to the proposal. Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh questioned the Jammu and Kashmir's government's authority to implement this proposal.

Other BJP ministers too echoed the same sentiment saying that this proposal was against the rule as it violated the quota of the state government.

WATCH:

BJP IN A HUDDLE

With BJP ministers emphatic in their opposition to the proposal, Mehbooba got furious and walked out of the meeting. Nirmal Singh tried to persuade her chair the meet but she did not relent.

As Mehbooba left the meeting midway, the BJP ministers got into a huddle in the office of deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh. They decided to play it down as a group of BJP ministers rushed soon to Mehbooba's residence.

READ| Amidst tension on border, Mehbooba Mufti demands opening of more trade routes with PoK

THE UNCOMFORTABLE ALLIANCE

Mehbooba has been reportedly uncomfortable in dealing with the BJP ever since the deminse of her father and former chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed. She was not even willing to form a government in alliance with the BJP.

Mehbooba took about three months to commit to the alliance as the two parties agreed on a common agenda. But, the undercurrent differences have started coming to the surface.

ALSO READ:

Deadly confrontation has triggered a humanitarian crisis in Kashmir: Mehbooba Mufti

--- ENDS ---
HBO Max reportedly leaks Last of Us show release date

Thanks to an apparent mistake in the HBO Max app, we now know that The Last of Us' HBO show is (probably) almost here.
"Therefore, I will regulate my congressional conduct, in compliance with the Golden Rule. I will not attend any meeting in any hotel or elsewhere to plot the failure of the President-elect. I will not join others in congress to purposely cause legislative gridlock because I would not want it done to a democrat in the White House. If the president succeeds, I succeed for I am a citizen of this country . . ."
We always respect the analysis of the leading mainstream media pundit from JoCo but in this instance, even. . . And this move could one day lead JoCo to build a better airport that would rival what could be Kansas City's greatest folly.Either way, Mr. Rose writes a thoughtful piece worthy of consideration in the ongoing debate that features movers and shakers against the vast majority of residents who value the convenience and low cost of the current configuration and don't want politicos screwing it up: What if a new, single-terminal Kansas City airport never gets off the ground?
The new processes related to the city manager would begin in May of 2019, and it would still require the final approval of City Council, but some members of the public disagreed with the idea of taking responsibility away from the PIAC process.





It allows the city manager to have the sole discretion for directing 65% of their funds, said South Kansas City Alliance President Stacey Johnson-Cosby. Id like to respectfully request that you keep the ordinance written as it is now.

Here's is. . .Money line about the power grab in play . . .Read more . . .
Greek Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura on Friday met Culture Minister Lydia Koniordou and discussed ways to promote cultural tourism in Greece

Greek Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura on Friday met Culture Minister Lydia Koniordou and discussed ways to promote cultural tourism in Greece. The two ministers agreed to cooperate closely on issues where their responsibilities overlap.

Among others, they discussed the possibility of facilitating the issue of licences for film production, use of digital material on culture by Greeces National Tourism Organisation, promoting e-tickets for archaeological sites and museums, developing diving tourism (underwater museums and archaeological parks) and reinforcing cultural activities abroad.

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
The accident happened around 5.45 a.m. (local time), when the convoy made up of 26 tank cars, three holding propane-butane and 20 carrying propylene, derailed as it passed through Hitrino village.

By Indo-Asian News Service: At least five people died and 27 others were injured on Saturday when a freight train derailed following an explosion in the Bulgarian village of Hitrino about 360 km from the capital Sofia, authorities said.

The accident happened around 5.45 a.m. (local time), when the convoy made up of 26 tank cars, three holding propane-butane and 20 carrying propylene, derailed as it passed through the village, Efe news agency quoted sources in the Interior Ministry as saying.

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The country's fire department chief Nikolay Nikolov said one of the tank cars carrying propane-butane provoked the devastating explosion that destroyed several nearby buildings and caused a huge fire.

He said that some 12 people were rescued from the debris, adding that the town with a population of about 900 people was being evacuated.

20 BUILDINGS DESTROYED

At least 20 buildings were destroyed in the incident, including the railway station and a police station.

The head of a local hospital said that 23 people had been admitted with burns.

Bulgaria's acting Prime Minister Boiko Borisov was on his way to the scene and made an appeal on his Facebook page for citizens to donate blood at hospitals in the area.

--- ENDS ---
Greece's Supreme Court is to render the final judgement on Turkey's request for the extradition of eight Turkish army officers that fled after a failed coup in the country last July

Greece's Supreme Court is to render the final judgement on Turkey's request for the extradition of eight Turkish army officers that fled after a failed coup in the country last July. The extradition request was denied by Greek appelate-level judges for five of the eight officers but the head of the appeals prosecutors Antonis Liogas has lodged appeals against these rulings.

The extradition was granted for three of the eight officers, who have also now appealed against the decision.

According to Liogas, the file presented by Turkish authorities is adequate for the extradition of the eight officers so they can stand trial for participating in the attempted coup, while judges are obliged to accept the request under international treaties that are binding for 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
Turkey's foreign ministry on Friday issued a response to the third and last ruling by an appellate level council in Athens on Thursday blocking extradition of another two of eight Turkish servicemen that have sought political asylum

Turkey's foreign ministry on Friday issued a response to the third and last ruling by an appellate level council in Athens on Thursday blocking extradition of another two of eight Turkish servicemen that have sought political asylum in Greece.

In three separate cases, the same council -- but with a different composition of justices -- rejected Ankara's demand for five of the officers and NCOs, but accepted the extradition notice for three of the five. The circumstances are essentially the same for all eight.

"We are following closely the extradition process regarding the 8 persons, who claimed the lives of our people and H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Turkey on 15 July 2016 and fled to Greece in an illegal way. Within this context, we have difficulty in understanding the decision of Athens Appeal Court that rejects the extradition of five of these individuals, while accepting our request for extradition of the three others.

"As a country (i.e. Greece between 1967 and 1974) which experienced the negative ramifications of a military junta in the past and could therefore empathize with Turkey in this period, we expect our neighbor and ally Greece to extradite coup plotters to Turkey... We understand that the extradition process is currently pending. We will continue to follow the developments in the upcoming period."

The extradition request is solely the domain of the independent judiciary in Greece and does not involve a decision by the government or law enforcement authorities.

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
The American Chamber of Commerce Bahrain (AmCham Bahrain) is set to host the bi-annual forum of AmCham Mena regional council in Manama next year.



The forum aimed at promoting trade and investment between the US, Bahrain and the markets of the Middle East and the North Africa (Mena) region will be held on March 15 and 16 under the theme 'SMEs Unlocking Economic Potential in the Mena Region.'



The event will see experts review the role of SMEs as drivers for the regions economic growth and highlight successful programs for assisting them to scale up for regional and international trade.



The event is expected to attract more than 400 attendees including Mena Council member AmChams (Abu Dhabi-UAE, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia) as well as other regional US Business Councils (Dubai, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi), a broad range of international and regional business associations, US Chambers of Commerce and US government representatives.



Qays H. Zu'bi, the president of AmCham Bahrain, said: "As the current chair of the council, AmCham Bahrain is delighted to announce the hosting of this important upcoming Forum in the kingdom."



"Held every two years, this conference provides a unique platform to strengthen business ties between Mena markets and the many US entities either already doing business or keen to transact in the region," he noted.



"This year we look forward to focusing our efforts on promoting the development of SMEs and supporting their integration into regional and global trade," stated Zu'bi.



Some of the topics to be explored include: SMEs as key drivers of economic development in the region, Assessment of key factors challenging the growth of SMEs and the strategies for The integration of regional SMEs into the supply chain of U.S. and multinational companies in the region.



"The growth of SMEs is critical to regional economic development and the forum aims to provide SMEs from across the region with new ideas, connections and resources to extend their reach, expand their markets of opportunity and effectively achieve growth both at a company level as well as to contributing to the broader economic development on a country and regional level," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The International Labour Organization (ILO) said it has signed a Plan of Joint Activities with the executive bureau of the Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC).



The Plan includes four major activities to be implemented during 2017, in the areas of small and medium enterprise promotion in the GCC labour market, recruitment policies and managing migrant worker issues, employment and decent work policies, and improvement of labour dispute resolution capacity, according to ILO.



"The issues are very important to both the ILO and the GCC countries. We look forward to working with the Executive Bureau to implement the recommendations of the joint activities and workshops," remarked Ruba Jaradat, the ILO regional director for Arab States after inking the pact with Amer Al Hajri, the director general of the executive bureau on the sidelines of the APRM, the ILO-organized labour conference for Asia in Bali, Indonesia.

"We in the Regional Office for the Arab States in Beirut are ready to provide all required technical support, noted Jaradat.



"We would also like to thank the GCC Council of Ministers of Labour for accepting to host us in Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait to implement these projects. We look forward to the implementation of these activities in 2017," she said.



"We trust this will be the beginning of increased cooperation between the ILO and the GCC in the coming years," stated Jaradat.



Al Hajri stressed the importance of bilateral relations with the ILO. "Developed every two years, the Plan of Joint Activities is an opportunity to share experiences, concerns and challenges with the ILO," he stated during the signing ceremony.



"Over the past years, previous plans have achieved a number of successes to build the capacity of workers in GCC ministries of labour to deal with technical issues in the highest professional manner and in accordance with international standards," he noted.



According to him, the plan also includes promoting nationalisation of the Gulf labour markets. "Providing jobs, productive employment and decent work for women and men requires sustained economic growth. There is therefore a need to take measures to address job growth in in order to promote inclusive growth and encourage national workers to engage more fully in the private sector, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Switzerland is set to open the world's longest and deepest train tunnel - the Gotthard Base Tunnel - following the completion of its exhaustive safety and technical tests by The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB).



A 17-year pioneering project which extends for 57 km down to a maximum depth of 2300 m under the Gotthard massif, the Gotthard Base Tunnel will enter into service tomorrow (December 11).



The dual-track tunnel will bring northern and southern Switzerland closer together, and cut travel time between the neighbouring countries.



It will permit passengers from near and far to spend more time at their destination, discovering the many delights of Switzerland north and south of the Alps.



This pioneering project will enable passengers to speed under the Alps in some 17 minutes.



Switzerland already possesses the densest public transport network on the planet. And over the years it has increased its impressive lead over other nations.



The Gotthard Base Tunnel will now permit passengers to travel under the Gotthard massif in some 17 minutes. It will cut 30 to 40 minutes off travel time from German-language to Italian-language Switzerland.



The new traffic artery will mean faster and more frequent connections, using modernized and new rolling stock. The Gotthard Base Tunnel is a compelling reason to explore the north and south of Switzerland by public transport. -TradeArabia News Service
By PTI: Chennai, Dec 10 (PTI) A fresh seizure of Rs 24 crore cash in new notes was today made by the Income Tax department, adding tothe biggest haul of cash and gold post demonetisation, in which over Rs 142 crore unaccounted assets have been recovered in tax operations so far here.

Officials said the fresh seizure of new currency, in Rs 2000 notes, was made by the sleuths from a car in Vellore on the insistence of the accused presently being interrogated in the case.

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With this amount, the total seizure in the case has now gone upto Rs 166 crore in a single case.

The department had seized Rs 142 crore undisclosed assets - that includes about Rs 10 crore in new notes and gold bars weighing 127 kg -- during searches at multiple locations in Chennai, for the last two days, to check tax evasion.

This largest seizure of new currency notes in the country, after the old Rs 500/1,000 notes were scrapped on November 8, was seized afterraids were launched on Thursday on eight premises of a group engaged in sand mining in Tamil Nadu.

"The group has sand mining licence for the entire state of Tamil Nadu. Eight premises (six residential and two offices) were covered in the search.

"During the search, Rs 96.89 crore cash in old high denomination notes and Rs 9.63 crore in new Rs 2000 currency notes along with gold weighing 127 kg worth approximately Rs 36.29 crore were found and seized, as unaccounted assets," the Central Board of Direct Taxes, policy-making body for the I-T department, had said in a statement issued in Delhi.

It had added that the searches are "still in progress at four out of the total 8 premises and more specific details including modus operandi would emerge after examination of the documents and other evidence detected during the search."

Officials had said S Reddy, a contractor working with the state government, has claimed the entire money and the gold as his own and is being questioned along with few other people.

A senior department official said this seizure of gold and cash was "an unprecedented amount that the tax department has seized in recent times."

The department, the officials said, carried out the searches based on intelligence inputs about the activities of Reddy and few others for the last few days.

Officials said the agency was investigating how the new notes in such a large quantity were stashed by the individual.

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The bundles of the new Rs 2000, that were seized, had no banking slips on the them and were jumbled up to mislead investigators, they said.

The officials said a number of documents related to financial transactions, entries of gold sale and records of sale/purchase have also been seized by the tax sleuths.

"He (Reddy) is a contractor working with the state government.He is claiming the entire cash and gold to be his own. Further probe is on," they had said.PTI NES DV

--- ENDS ---
The Opec (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) will seek to persuade the non-Opec nations to cut production at its crucial meeting in Vienna on Saturday as part of a newly struck global agreement to stem a crude glut and lift painfully low prices.



Representatives from the Opec will meet their counterparts from Russia, Colombia, Congo, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Oman and Trinidad and Tobago to determine quotas that non-Opec producers will commit in support of the group's last month agreement to cut 1.2 million bpd in a bid to stabilise the world oil market, said the state news agency Wam.



Russia has pledged to trim output by 300,000 barrels a day, and Opec members will discuss additional reductions with other suppliers.



The group decided to pump less oil for six months starting January 1 to try to support prices, which fell by about half from their 2014 peak.



At the Vienna meeting, the talks will focus on their contributions to Opec's planned oil output cut to balance the market.



Analysts and observers expect Russia to announce further cut than its previous promise of 300,000 bpd out of Moscow's desire to stabilise world oil markets and bring prices back to levels acceptable to both producers and consumers alike.



They also said Opec's plan to rebalance the oil market will only work if Russia and other countries outside the group follow through on their commitments to rein in production.
One of the world's most popular messaging app owned by Facebook, WhatsApp, will stop working for millions of users by the end of the year. This is following the company's decision to discontinue supporting a number of old smartphones with aged platforms.

The messaging app owned by Facebook currently caters the needs of almost one billion active users. With its latest announcement, millions of users with older smartphones will be unable to use the services of the app including calls, video chats, and SMS.

According to a report by Mirror, WhatsApp will stop working on any iPhone 3GS and devices that are still running iOS6. This also affects iPads, which have not been updated yet. For Android users, Android 2.1 or 2.2 will not be supported by the app in the upcoming year. This includes devices, which are released from May 2010 until Nov. 2011. Furthermore, Windows Phone will not be supported by the app anymore since it stopped supporting its system in the year 2014. WhatsApp is also planning to drop BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10, Nokia S40 and Nokia Symbian S60.

In the official blog, it says that devices with outdated software will be supported but only up to June 30, 2017. According to Yahoo! the main reason for this update is to encourage users to upgrade their handsets and to allow the app for further development. Newer operating systems are required for mobile devices to allow new features of the app to be available for utilization.

WhatsApp announced during their seventh birthday that it is ending support for several devices in the month of Feb. "As we look ahead to our next seven years, we want to focus our efforts on the mobile platforms the vast majority of people use...," the company said, "this was a tough decision for us to make, but the right one in order to give people better ways to keep in touch with friends, family, and loved ones using WhatsApp."

Lots of users rely on messaging apps like WhatsApp to contact distant family and friends. To keep availing the services of this app, people might want to think twice about keeping that 'vintage' phone as suggested by the company. Tell us what you think about this news and leave your comments below.

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018
Starting your Christmas wishlist for the holiday season? Then, why not consider buying a smartphone. But, with hundreds of models to choose from, which is the best and worth the every buck.

Since smartphones have consumed a big part people's lives now, here are the top five smartphones in 2016, according to CNET and The Verge. Factors that make up this list includes the build quality, camera, reliability, apps, and support.

Topping the list is the iPhone 7 Plus, which is probably the best-looking cell phone around. Some say its sheer size makes it precarious to hold, however, there's no denying Apple's delightful 5.5-incher is a winner. Apple has stayed with the iPhone 6S configuration, enhancing it with rerouted receiving wire lines and a more coordinated camera bump. There are eminent new hues accessible, and to finish it off, the packaging is presently water safe.

The Apple and Google battle has always been a tough fight. However, the clash between the Google Pixel XL and iPhone 7 Plus for the title of "best cell phone" has been very close to both smartphones being lovely. Yet, the smooth outline, natural UI, and driving biological system put the iPhone 7 just in front. The Google Pixel XL is still an astounding cell phone, which comes in second in our list particularly in the event that reveres substantial screens and virtual aides.

Whether it's the fantastic camera, the metal-and-glass covering, the gobs of power involved or simply the way that the product and virtual colleague work in impeccable amicability with the equipment, Google has a considerable measure appropriate and this is a splendid mobile. Obviously, in the event that huge screens is not a part the checklist, the 5.0-inch Pixel is likewise accessible, which is identical to the XL.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is our third top choice. It gloats the splendid double bent displays with the screen bending around on both sides, so it would appear that no other mobile phone ever constructed. This cutting edge cell phone is a looker, and it'll have companions asking for an opportunity to play with it. Joined with industry driving force, an astonishing showcase, nice battery life, a superb camera and stunning performance make it one of the most attractive cell phone, as well as one of the top three cell phones.

Both OnePlus 3T and Apple iPhone SE are on the list, last but definitely not the least. Both cellular phones are lower in price, but both have powerful specs that are absolutely worth every buck. What do you think is the perfect phone for your loved one?

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018
The live "Mad T Party" show at Disneyland's California Adventure park gave its audience an awesome musical experience that features an "Alice in Wonderland" movie themed. The nighttime dance party ended on March this year but its purpose continued to give smile and happiness to those music-loving people. Guitars that were used by a live band on the show are now up for auction. Those were adorned with a full color graphic of the Dormouse character from the Tim Burton-directed movie.

The guitars were owned by Yamaha Corporation of America and later sent back to its headquarters in Buena Park. They are the official sponsor of the Disneyland Resort's musical instruments. David Jewell, a Yamaha Marketing Communications Manager and a member of the creative council of the Anaheim City School District Education Foundation said in a report from The Orange County Register, "I thought an auction of the guitars would be a good way to support getting musical instruments back into some of the schools." The proceeds of the online auction will be donated to the said foundation.

According to the foundation and the district superintendent, Linda Wagner, they aim to get enough instruments and funding. These will be used by those in fifth and sixth grade at each school. The kids will be able to pick, learn and play a wide variety of musical tools. She said, "It's an example of one of the partnerships we have with Yamaha and other companies, including Disneyland, about getting music back into our schools." The council celebrates its second year and as an achievement, they were able to have adequate number of musical instruments for the after-school orchestras in 15 schools and permanent teachers in 10 of the 24 schools they handle.

The guitars are Yamaha Pacifica and the bass is model BB1024x. The latter is auctioned with a gig bag and Mad T Party luggage tag. These are now on sale and can be seen at an online auction on Yamaha's website.

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018
By PTI: From K J M Varma

Beijing, Dec 10 (PTI) China has launched a new cargo service linking Tibet and Nepal as dozens of trucks carrying goods worth USD 2.8 million left the Tibetan border port of Gyirong en route to Kathmandu.

The new rail and road cargo service launched yesterday, linking Guangdong, Tibet and Nepal, aims to boost trade with the South Asian neighbour as China pushes forward its Belt and Road (Silk Road) initiative, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today.

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A train carrying products, including shoes, clothes, hats, furniture, appliances, electronics and building materials, covered the 5,200-kilometer distance between Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, and Xigaze in Tibet.

The trucks are responsible for the remaining 870 kilometer of the journey, carrying goods to Gyirong and then to the final stop in Kathmandu, Nepals capital.

This is the first such consignment being sent to Nepal after new Prachanda government took over from his pro-China predecessor K P Sharma Oli, who had signed the transit trade deal with Beijing in March this year in a bid to reduce Nepals dependence on India despite it being expensive due to the mountainous terrain.

China also agreed his request to build a strategic railway link between the two countries from Gyirong, the last Tibetan county which shares border with Nepal.

China plans to extend the railway later to India and other South Asian countries to promote trade.

The process of formation of road and rail links however reportedly slowed down after Prachandas take over resulting in the delay of Chinese President Xi Jinpings visit to Nepal.

However, Xi and Prachanda met on the sidelines of BRICS summit at Goa in October this year.

"The trip between Guangzhou and Gyirong takes about five to six days, much shorter than the 20 days for sea transport," said Yao Yanfeng, general manager of the freight carrier Tibet Tianzhi Import and Export Co. Ltd.

"The time could be cut further to 3.7 days in the future, the Xinhua report quoted him as saying.

Yao said his company is providing relatively quick delivery service and, despite higher costs, it can meet demand for time-sensitive clients.

"In the slower winter season, the train and trucks will make a round trip every one or two weeks. In the busy season next year, there will be two to three per week and, eventually, were aiming for four to five trips per week," Yao said.

In May, China opened a rail and road cargo service between Lanzhou in northwest China and Kathmandu. MORE PTI KJV MRJ

--- ENDS ---

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If youve ever wondered where reindeer get their powers from, look no further than those towering crowns of bone.

OK, so science hasnt actually proven that reindeer can fly and thus I can neither confirm nor deny that magical power. But, reindeer do have some very impressive tricks up their sleeves ... or atop their heads as the case may be. Their antlers are nothing short of remarkable.

Nine Antler Facts

The latest installment of the KQED San Francisco DEEP LOOK video series is all about antlers. Its fascinating  and sparked some sleuthing into the many wonders that the amazing antler beholds. Seriously, they really are a marvel. Consider the nine following facts, and then see more about these impressive appendages in the video below.

1. Antlers are bones that sprout from the head. Can you image how handy that could come in for us humans? Sadly for us antler-covetous, its a gift bestowed only upon reindeer, elk, and their cervid kin, like moose and deer.

2. Antlers are generally reserved only for the males since testosterone is required for them to sprout, but reindeer are an equal opportunity antler-provider  the lady reindeers get antlers too. Badass.

3. Males use their antlers during mating season to woo and fend off other reindeer Romeos. But once mating season is over, testosterone drops and the antlers fall off  though a new set starts growing almost immediately. They increase in size each year until the animal reaches senior citizen status, and then they begin shrinking.

4. When the antlers are growing, they are upholstered in a fuzzy sheath of skin and fur called velvet. It is filled with special nerves and carries blood and nutrient to help build the bone it covers. Like living nurturing fur, how cool is that?

5. The velvet is extra sensitive to the touch, which encourages the antlers' owners to take much care with them until they are strong and ready to rumble.

6. Once the antlers are hard and ready, after about three months, the blood stops flowing and the velvet cracks and begins to peel off, revealing the shiny new set of bony branches.

7. Unlike our bones, which have nerves in them and hurt like heck when we break them, the bone of antler has no nerves and can thus become mighty weapons.

8. Antlers are not horns; horns are made from keratin and remain firmly attached to the animal throughout its life.

9. Scientists are fascinated by the nerves in antlers that allow them to regenerate year after year  which is unique among mammals  and they are looking at ways that this process could help humans who have suffered debilitating nerve damage.
The Scandinavian Side Bike can turn your bike into a cargo & kid hauler, and doubles as a snowy weather transport option.

Carrying your kids on your bike trips can be a challenge if you don't have the right gear, but luckily, the world of cargo bikes, bakfiets, and trailers offers plenty of choices for getting tooled up, whether you're looking for a purpose-built bicycle or just an add-on. For those who'd prefer not to always be saddled with a bike that's overkill for most other solo rides, and for whom the traditional bike trailer is just too pedestrian, there's a really sweet alternative, which also happens to convert to a sleigh for pulling kids and gear across the snow once it's too deep to pedal through.

Sidecar With Style

Scandinavian Side Bike

The Scandinavian Side Bike company, a small family business in Denmark, has just the solution for stylishly carrying your young kids along on bike rides, and its sidecars are available with either a fiberglass body or a carbon fiber body mounted on a steel frame, complete with seat cushion, seatbelts, and a windshield. The fiberglass sidecar, which is the more affordable of the two, weighs in at just under 12 kg (26 lb), and projects about 75 cm (29.5 inches) to the side of the bike on a pivoting mounting bracket. This pivoting bracket helps keep the sidecar's wheel from coming off the ground when cornering, and from affecting the steering and handling on the parent bike. Mounting brackets can be attached to multiple bikes, allowing for the easy swapping of bikes or riders.

As a bonus for those who live in snow country, the sidecar is also available with an optional set of draw bars and harness, which converts it into a pulk, or pull-behind sleigh for winter travel. This could be a huge boon to those who live in a northern climate and enjoy backcountry adventures with their little ones, as the runners on the bottom of the sidecar are said to be built to fit cross country ski tracks "perfectly," and the transformation from sidecar to sleigh and back "only takes a few minutes."

Options and Pricing

The sidecars from Scandinavian Side Bike come in red, black, or white (other colors available at additional cost), with the fiberglass version priced at 1410 (~US$1500) and the carbon fiber version at 1950 (~US$2000). Accessories, such as a cover or the pulk kit, are available separately.

Now for the bad news, at least for those of us across the pond. Scandinavian Side Bike currently only sells its products in the EU, so if you want one, perhaps its time to make some more European friends who could ship one to you. Learn more at the company website.

h/t Fatherly
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By PTI: The new service starting from Guangzhou serves as an

The new service starting from Guangzhou serves as an important trade passage between China and Nepal.

Guangdong and neighbouring regions, known as Chinas manufacturing hubs, are a major source of imports for South Asia, including Nepal.

The trade passage, in line with market demand in the medium and long term, could help boost economic cooperation between Guangdong, Tibet and South Asia, officials said.

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Guangzhou port was also used recently to launch China-Pakistan Freight service connecting Karachi?s Port Qasim.

With efficient trade transportation, the freight service could help relocate more businesses along the passage, bringing growth momentum and industrial transformation to the plateau region, said Luomei, assistant chairwoman of Tibet autonomous regional government.

Gobinda Bahadur Karki, consul general of Nepal in Lhasa, said the freight service will help boost Nepals economic growth as well as bilateral trade.

To further facilitate trade, China is planning to build a railway between Xigaze and Gyirong to shorten the trip.

Yang Guoliang, an official with the Tibet Autonomous Regional Department of Commerce, said Tibet will build and reopen more border ports to expand the trade passage to South Asia.

The trade passage is a national strategy linking Chinas economic heartland with South Asia, Yang said.

Apart from ports and trade passages, China will build border economic zones with South Asia, said Wang Yanqing of the transport research institute under the National Development and Reform Commission, Chinas top economic planning agency. PTI KJV MRJ

--- ENDS ---
By Baishali Adak: It's not just wholesale and flea markets like Chandni Chowk, Sarojini Nagar and Lajpat Nagar, but demonetisation has had a sobering effect on Delhi's elite markets too. The reasons, however, are different. Enquiries by Mail Today on Friday revealed that the upscale Khan Market - which was recently ranked as the 28th costliest retail location in the world by Cushman & Wakefield - has lost about 50 per cent business since November 9.

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Connaught Place in Lutyens' Delhi has lost 30-40 per cent sales in one month since Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement. And South-Ex Market, which hosts several luxury brands, has lost about 20-25 per cent revenue in the same time. These figures were reported by the respective market associations.

However, the cause for VVIP cardwielding customers turning away from these shopping complexes is different from those cited behind the partial shutdown of Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli and Sadar Bazar.

EMBASSIES NOT HAPPY WITH DEMONETISATION

While bulk purchasers at wholesale markets make their full payment in cash, elite shoppers at jewellery, watches and apparel stores prefer to pay partially through credit and debit card, and the rest in currency notes.

READ | Demonetisation a mammoth tragedy, says Manmohan Singh

The reason behind this is that any purchase above Rs 2 lakh has to be accompanied by furnishing the PAN card, which is also printed in the bill. This is automatically reported to the Income Tax (IT) department, and in case IT sleuths find one's purchases exceeding their registered income, a notice may be sent at his or her doorstep any time.

Madan Mohan, an accountant at a Tissot watches showroom in CP, said, "While I have suffered 25 per cent loss since November 9, I am sure higher-end watch brands have suffered more. Our watches come in the price range of Rs 30,000-50,000, but those like Omega, Longines, Cartier and Tag Heuer go up to lakhs."

Several other showroom owners confirmed this. High-networth individuals like political leaders, bureaucrats, diplomats and expatriates form the bulk of these markets' clientele. Some embassies have recently expressed their displeasure at demonetisation too.

Demonetisation has also proved to be a trouble for those not 'VAT registered' and this has led to a slowdown in elite markets too. Dinesh Bali, spokesman of Khan Market Traders' Association and owner of Symetree Jewellery, said, "Since November 9, I have not taken any new orders."

ALSO READ | Was demonetisation policy confidential, Supreme Court asks Centre

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi, December 9

Prime Minister Narendra Modi handpicked a trusted bureaucrat, little known outside Indias financial circles, to spearhead a radical move to abolish 86% of the countrys cash overnight and take aim at the huge shadow economy.

Hasmukh Adhia, the bureaucrat, and five others privy to the plan were sworn to utmost secrecy, say sources with knowledge of the matter. They were supported by a young team of researchers working in two rooms at Modis New Delhi residence, as he plotted his boldest reform since coming to power in 2014. The secrecy was aimed at outflanking those who might profit from prior knowledge, by pouring cash into gold, property and other assets and hide illicit wealth.

While some advocates say the scrapping of the banknotes will bring more money into the banking system and raise tax revenues, millions of Indians are furious at having to queue for hours outside banks to exchange or deposit their old money.

Direct line to Modi

Overseeing the campaign, with support from the backroom team camped out at Modis sprawling bungalow in the capital, was Adhia, a top finance ministry official.

Adhia served as Principal Secretary to Modi from 2003-06 when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, establishing a relationship of trust with his boss.

Adhia was named Revenue Secretary in September 2015, reporting formally to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. In reality, he had a direct line to Modi and they would speak in their native Gujarati when they met to discuss issues in depth.

Biggest, boldest step

Immediately after the address, Adhia sent a tweet: This is the biggest and the boldest step by the Government for containing black money. Over more than a year, Modi commissioned research from officials at the Finance Ministry, the central bank and think-tanks on how to advance his fight against black money, a close aide said.

He demanded answers to questions such as: How quickly India could print new banknotes; how to distribute them; would state banks benefit if they received a rush of new deposits; and who would gain from demonetisation?

The topics were broken up to prevent anyone from joining the dots and concluding that a cash swap was on cards.

Yet for all the planning, Modi and Adhia knew they could not foresee every eventuality, and were willing to move swiftly. In a best-case scenario, in which Indias four banknote presses churned out new 500 and 2,000 rupee notes designed to replace the abolished ones, it would take at least three months to hit that target.

Secrecy paramount

Secrecy was paramount, but clues had been left. Back in April, analysts at SBI said demonetisation of large-denomination notes was possible. The RBI also disclosed in May that it was making preparations for a new series of banknotes that were confirmed in August when it announced it had approved a design for a new 2,000 rupee note. The plan was to introduce it around November 18, but there was a clear sign that it could get leaked, said a person requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.  Reuters
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 9

A Parliamentary panel has given its nod to the Ministry of Finance to go ahead with one consolidated Budget and doing away with accounting government expenditure under Plan and Non- Plan heads. It also asked the Ministry of Finance that the concurrence is subject to the stipulations that the Ministry of Railways will continue to enjoy the same financial and functional autonomy.

Putting a caveat, the Estimates Committee, which is a statutory Parliamentary panel and is headed by BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi, has also made it clear that the Railway Board would continue to prepare the Rail Budget and forward the same to the Ministry of Finance for incorporation in the consolidated Budget. The Railways will get Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) for modernisation, expansion, safety and security works, it said, stressing that the Railways would not be required to pay dividend to the Central government.

Further, the parts of the Budget dedicated to the Railways would continue to be discussed in both the Houses of Parliament for at least the same duration as discussed hitherto during the Budget session, the panel noted.

The Committee has also cautioned against the possible adverse consequences of excessive concentration of financial powers in the Ministry of Finance.
Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 9

With passenger revenue surge of Rs 106 crore in the next three months of implementing its innovative flexi ticket-pricing scheme for the premium trains, the Indian Railways has decided not to discontinue the arrangement.

A senior Railway Board official said, As we had planned to review the experimental flexi ticket-pricing scheme in Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains in three months from its implementation in September this year, we made a thorough assessment both in terms of occupancy and revenue earned.

In the review meeting, it was brought out that though the Railways marginally lost out on passenger occupancy, there has been a surge in the revenue to the tune of Rs 106 crore in three months only and therefore, it has been decided to continue with the pricing system, the official said.

Since the pricing system rolled out, the national transport monolith witnessed a declining trend in the passenger occupancy in air-conditioned tier-2 class and air-conditioned tier-3 class of the three types of trains, according to the data provided by the Railways.

Another senior official of the Railway Board said occupancy in the three trains had been hit by 15 to 20%. The ministry was expecting a significant rise in revenue collection but the result has not been to the level of our expectation. But since the scheme has given additional revenue of Rs 106 crore, it has been decided to continue with it for a while, he said.
Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

Decks have been cleared for the construction of the new grain, fruit and vegetable market in Sector 39. Finance Secretary Sarvjit Singh has approved the revised plan recommended by Deputy Commissioner-cum-Secretary, State Agriculture Marketing Board, Ajit Balaji Joshi.

Sources said with the approval of the revised plan, the construction of the mandi was likely to be completed within a year.

Under the revised plan, the number of shops in the fruit and vegetable market has been increased from 92 to 130 while the number of SCOs in the grain market has been reduced from 82 to 35.

The Deputy Commissioner had proposed to increase the number of shops in the fruit and vegetable market and reduce the number of SCOs in the grain market.

The reason cited for the change was that there was a provision for 82 SCOs in the grain market under the original plan whereas the requirement was only for 35 SCOs. It was proposed to earmark the remaining 47 SCOs for the fruit and vegetable market to meet the requirement of fruit and vegetable licensees.

However, the Architecture Department was of the view that making a change was not possible at this stage as work had already been started on the project. This delayed the plan by a few months.

The Deputy Commissioner stressed that the amendments were genuine and were based of the actual requirements of the new mandi. He sent the detailed proposals again for approval.

Approximately 200 offices will also be proposed in the revised plan to accommodate all existing fruit and vegetable dealers. Four sites for dhabas and four for bardana have also been planned.

The new grain market project has already been delayed for over 20 years. The project was conceptualised in 1996.

The Administration had set March 2016 as the deadline to shift the mandi from Sector 26, but failed to do so.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will donate his library to Panjab University, his alma mater. He shared this with PU Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover today at CRRID where Dr Manmohan Singh had come to speak during the inaugural session of the 17th IASSI Annual Conference-2016 on Education and development: Issues, challenges and opportunities.

The VC said he accepted Dr Manmohan Singhs offer of donating his library to the university.

Soon, a special section will be prepared in the building of the Panjab University Institute of Social Sciences Education and Research (PU-ISSER) or Guru Tegh Bahadur Bhawan on the campus. He said Dr Manmohan Singh also enquired about the financial status of the university. The VC shared the problems being faced in running the campus.

Dr Manmohan Singh also asked about governance reforms being planned by the university. The meeting lasted 50 minutes during which the VC also presented Dr Manmohan Singh the alumni book of the campus.

The VC said the university would prepare a detailed report on how the books donated by Dr Manmohan Singh would be preserved. He said the university could also think of getting the books scanned.

The VC said Dr Manmohan Singh accepted a proposal for delivering a lecture on the campus and a discussion was also held on it during the meeting. He had requested Dr Manmohan Singh to deliver the first Prof Ajit Singh Memorial Lecture. Dr Manmohan Singh has not fixed any date for his visit to the campus.

He said Dr Manmohan Singh recalled his association with Prof Ajit Singh and his university days during the meeting.

Dr Manmohan Singh had accepted the PU Jawaharlal Nehru Chair Professor in April this year.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has reportedly declined further one-year extension to UT SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill, a 2003-batch IPS officer of the Punjab cadre.

The Chandigarh Administration had sought an extension for Gill earlier this year. Sources said Gill would soon leave the charge of the SSP, Chandigarh.

Gill had joined as the Chandigarh SSP on December 11, 2013. He remained a non-controversial officer during his three-year stint in Chandigarh.
By Karishma Kuenzang: A graphic designer by profession, Gaurav Thakur has dedicated a lot of time and effort in planning out the intrinsic details of cosplay costumes. Keeping the Delhi Comic Con in mind, the cosplay enthusiast and costume designer recently hosted a workshop and gave tips on how to prepare for the cosplay competition. From the material of the costumes, the budget and hair products - everything was discussed.

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Thakur first competed in the Delhi Comic Con in 2013 as Wolverine. In a later edition, he wore the 'perfect' Spiderman costume, one which took one-and-a-half years to stitch. "I've loved Spiderman since I was a kid," he says, adding, "so much so that I've even photoshopped my face on top of Spiderman's images when I was younger."

Also read: 10 cosplays that won this year's edition of Comic Con Mumbai

Thakur, who stitches his costumes on his own, used spandex to make the Spiderman costume and even tried out women's leggings to understand the fitting. His next conquest was an Ironman costume, which brought to the front another challenge - working with foam.

"I used foam to make Ironman's entire armour. Metal wasn't an option, because it's impossible to walk wearing a metallic suit," he says.

Most of the material Gaurav uses in his costumes can be bought easily from Old Delhi and Nehru Place. While other fabric is easily available in markets, Old Delhi is the place to get spandex at a reasonable price. Foam sheets can be bought in bulk from Old Delhi or Nehru Place.

Coming to the cost of it all, he says, "The Spiderman costume cost me Rs.15,000-Rs.20,000, including the liner and the quality of material used to keep the texture as close to the original as possible, and the Ironman costume cost me Rs.1,000-Rs.1,500, with each sheet costing around Rs.700. A reasonable costume can be made within Rs.2,000, but it can also go up to Rs.15,000-Rs.20,000."

--- ENDS ---
Ishrat S Banwait

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, December 9

As the cash crunch continues in the city along with queues, residents are questioning decisions being taken by banks at their own level. Many banks have imposed self-declared withdrawal limits, allowing only a particular amount to be withdrawn by each person. The amount varies from bank to bank between Rs 2,000 and Rs 10,000.

The argument of the banks is that they want to serve the maximum number of people with the limited cash they have. However, residents argue that if they are given Rs 24,000 (the limit set by the government) at once, they will not need to visit the bank for the next seven days. This in turn will shorten the queues and save a lot of time of people who come to the bank daily.

Today, many banks seemed to have received cash and the queues were longer than usual. The reason was that banks will remain closed for the next two days. Banks confirm that post-demonetisation, they have not received cash equal to the demand from the RBI on even a single day. The currency chests of the banks are supplying cash to branches according to the daily rush.

Ex-banker has a solution, writes to PM

A retired bank officer and resident of Panchkula, Yoginder Bath Chugh, has written to the Prime Minister to implement innovative ideas to reduce queues in and outside banks. A para-legal volunteer and executive member of the human social justice panel, Chugh says days should be fixed for account holders based on their account numbers.

He says account holders having account numbers ending in 0 and 1 should be dealt with on Monday, account numbers ending in 2 and 3 on Tuesday and so on. This will serve all people and they will not visit until the next week keeping in mind the Rs 24,000 limit for savings accounts and Rs 50,000 for current accounts.

Saturdays, according to Chugh, can be reserved for senior citizens and women. To make the process easier, a similar odd-even scheme can be followed. Such methods can help save time, reduce queues and serve the public better. Emergency cases can be dealt with separately, adds Chugh.
PU semester exams on Dec 12 CHANDIGARH: Panjab University authorities have informed that the schedule of the undergraduate/ postgraduate/ professional semester examinations to be held on December 12, 2016, will remain as notified earlier in the datesheet.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 10

A Punjab Police commando posted with the Chief Ministers security was today found dead under mysterious circumstances at the ISBT in Sector 43. The police suspect that he may have died of cardiac arrest but said the exact cause of death would be ascertained only after the postmortem. To find out the exact reason, his viscera has been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL).

The police said the deceased was identified as Ranbir Singh, a resident of Hoshiarpur. The incident happened when he was going to the Punjab Police Commando Complex, Phase 11, Mohali, from Chandigarh. The victim, who was waiting for a bus along with a colleague at the ISBT, suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness.Seeing this, the colleague called up the PCR which shifted him to the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, where doctors on duty declared him brought dead.His colleague told us that he had a cardiac arrest. The exact reason for the death was not clear in the post-mortem report. So, we have sent the viscera to the CFSL. His body has been handed over to the family, said a police official.
Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 10

Massive traffic jams have become the norm at the Tribune Chowk. Traffic snarls were witnessed on all four sides of the junction today with vehicles lined up on either side of the road for several kilometres inconveniencing commuters, who had to wait for almost an hour to cross the clogged roundabout.

It seems the UT Administration and the police have no immediate solution in sight to fix the problem which has been plaguing the common man.

I agree that there is a frequent problem of traffic jams at the Tribune Chowk. But todays rush was due to fog and the VVIP movement, including the movement of 34 Supreme Court judges. The wedding season and weekend have also added to the rush. But we will have to find an alternate solution to the problem. We have sent proposals recommending a few changes like installing timers or synchronisation of traffic lights to the Engineering Department, but nothing has been done so far. Managing traffic manually is also not possible due to fog, said Dr Eish Singhal, SSP (Traffic), UT.

The SSP also expressed helplessness in view of the rising number of vehicle registration here. As per a comprehensive mobility plan submitted to the UT Administration earlier, it was stated that the daily traffic volume at the Tribune Chowk was 1,43,170 vehicles, including 1,35,805 passenger car units.

Mukesh Anand, Chief Engineer, UT Engineering Department, was not available for comments.

Meanwhile, commuters had a harrowing time. I was coming from Zirakpur to Chandigarh and remained stuck in the jam for over an hour as the traffic was blocked at the Tribune Chowk, said Meenal, a resident of Sector 32.

I had to go to the Hallo Majra Chowk from Sector 34 but was caught in a traffic jam at the Tribune Chowk. All roads, including the inner roads leading to the roundabout, were blocked. After an endless wait, I could cross the roundabout. Surprisingly, no traffic policeman was seen manning the roundabout to ease the traffic, said Shikha Anand, a resident of Sector 34.

Why are there frequent jams here?

No timer on the Tribune roundabout unlike other junctions

No synchronisation with other connecting junctions

No cops to ease the traffic manually

Roundabout is mostly clogged during morning and evening peak hours and at weekends

Work on flyover to begin soon: Transport Minister

In October, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, had said the problem of traffic congestion at the Tribune Chowk would end as soon the work on the flyover would start in around 10 months. The detailed project report was ready and once it was approved, the process of floating the tenders would start, he said.
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The news from Washington brings good tidings for Indo-US defence ties that anyway have been on an upswing for the past decade. Both Houses of the US Congress have passed a Bill that confers on India major defence partner (MDP) status. US President Barack Obama is now expected to sign it into the law. Theoretically, MDP status should remove misgivings India has nursed against the US. Its main grouse has been the American parsimoniousness in passing on top-end defence technologies. The American complaint about India is its reluctance to partner Western armies on their taming missions in our part of the globe.

Does the new status change the way India has conducted its defence relations? If two recent high-level visits are any indication, India will continue with its catholic approach to defence purchases. The visit by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shogu was followed by the seventh and last visit to India by Ashton Carter as the US Defence Secretary. This Indian style of parallel courting of two military rivals is unprecedented for any true blue American defence ally such as the NATO countries or Australia, Japan and South Korea. Unlike India, all of them participate enthusiastically in American military adventures. And unlike India, they are content to use American military hardware instead of harbouring ambitions of manufacturing weapons on their soil.

The India-US defence axis is a completely new paradigm for the Americans who have normally played the zero sum game in defence ties with other nations. As India was singed by an abrupt stoppage of US defence partnership in 1965 (Indo-Pak war) and 1998 (Pokhran tests), it is unlikely to put all its military eggs in the American basket despite the siren call of licence-free access to a wide range of dual-use technologies. The truth is often more prosaic. India will have to be seen as playing the American game with gusto for some military technology to come its way. But much will also depend on the predilections of the incoming US President Donald Trump because he will have to decide how to carry forward the enhancing defence and security cooperation with India project.
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, December 10

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today claimed that the demonetisation was an attack on the parallel economy of black money and corruption and urged the people to go for cashless transactions to bring transparency and curb the evil practices of tax evasion in trading.

The Chief Minister was addressing a Vikas rally for the Baroda Assembly constituency at Gohana in the district this evening. He said that the government had decided to make the state kerosene free by March 2017 as around 6 lakh LPG cylinders would be issued to the needy persons in the state.

Reiterating his commitment for equal development of all areas in the state, the Chief Minister said that with extension of Metro services up to Kundli and construction of the KMP and KGP expressways on war footing, Sonepat was poised to be become one of most developed areas like Gurugram and Faridabad in the state.

The Chief Minister claimed that the state government had brought transparency while making recruitment in the government services and the recent release of the HCS selection list was its example. The process for filling up around 50,000 posts in different government departments is under progress, he added.

In order to give boost to industrial development in the state, Khattar said the government had already signed around 550 MoUs involving an investment of over Rs 7 lakh crore. By making an increase of around 20 per cent, annual budget of the state has been set at around Rs 88,000 crore, he said.

Urban local Bodies Minister Kavita Jain and Sonepat MP Ramesh Kaushik also spoke on the occasion.

Referring to the demands raised by rally convener Baljit Singh Malik, the Chief Minister accepted the demands involving estimated expenditure of around Rs 135 crore. Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated a solid and liquid waste management plant constructed at a cost of Rs 40 lakh at Gangeshar village in the district.
Tribune News Service

Hisar, December 9

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been withdrawn from Mirchpur village in Hisar, which was torn by inter-caste violence over six years ago when an upper caste mob torched houses of Scheduled Caste families in which two persons were burnt alive.

After approval from the state and Central governments, CRPF jawans left the village. Hansi DSP Narender Kadiyan said a 20-member committee comprising members of different castes had been formed to maintain peace and harmony in the village.

The CRPF left the village last night as complete normalcy was restored. Members of all castes agreed on withdrawal of forces and there was no complaint or protest against the decision today, he said.

He added that around 20 more Haryana Police personnel had been deployed at the police post in the village as a precautionary measure.

Rajat Kansal, a Dalit activist and lawyer, opposed the decision to withdraw the CRPF, stating that the persons who were part of the peace committee had turned hostile in court as witnesses. The situation was not as normal as being presented and Central forces were still required, he said.

He added that the families staying at the Tanwar farmhouse in Hisar had not returned to the village. He complained that police security provided to a number of Dalits had also been withdrawn.

On April 21, 2010, a group of upper caste village residents torched over a dozen houses of Dalit families, in which 17-year-old polio-afflicted Suman and her aged father Tara Chand were charred to death.

The violence erupted following an argument between some Dalit youths and upper caste men after a person belonging to the latter community threw a stone at a dog barking at him.

The CRPF was deployed in the village in February 2011, about 10 months after the violence. Since then, the force had remained stationed around the locality of Dalits. A Haryana Police post had been set up in the village and around 20 Dalits living in Hisar, Mirchpur and other places provided police guards.

After the case was shifted to a Delhi court, a special court there had awarded life term to three of the 15 convicts in September 2011. It had sentenced five convicts to five-year jail term and seven convicts to two years in jail. The court had acquitted 82 others in the case.
Leopard injures 3 in Mahendragarh village

Narnaul (Mahendragarh): Fear grips residents of Mandhana village after a leopard strayed into the village injuring three persons yesterday.The villagers have started thikri pehra (community watch) to watch out for the lwopard. A joint team of the forest and police departments conducted a combing operation in the village and surrounding areas today in search of the big cat.Vikrant, a villager said, The leopards footprints have been spotted in the fields. We have decided to organise thikri pehra. Haamid Akhtar, SP, said the officials inspected the spot after getting information about the leopard attack. The police and forest officials will visit the village tomorrow as well to take stock of the situation.  TNS
London, December 9

Two UK MPs have backed a familys campaign for a new investigation into the alleged honour killing of a British Sikh woman while she was on holiday in India.

Seeta Kaur, who has been named for the first time this week after her case emerged earlier this month, was a mother of four who died in highly suspicious circumstances during a trip to Haryana in March last year after refusing to allow one of her sons to be adopted by her childless brother-in-law.

Her UK-based family, including twin sister Geeta, claimed that the 33-year-old was the victim of a classic case of honour killing, with MPs Naz Shah and Kate Osamor now backing them at an event in the British Parliament complex to launch the Justice for Seeta campaign this week.

It is the extra-territorial nature of this crime that has made it so difficult to seek justice for Seeta. Honour killings should not be sidelined as an issue affecting only certain communities. This is a feminist issue, said Osamor.

Southall Black Sisters, a UK-based human rights group for minority women, had been leading the campaign, claiming that Seetas family had been unable to get the police in India to properly investigate her death.

On March 31, her family in London received a call in the middle of the night to say she had died. The ostensible cause of death was a heart attack. On hearing the news, her family left immediately with the intention of bringing her body back. They claimed that they saw marks of strangulation on her body, but their testimony was their only evidence because she was cremated, said Rahila Gupta of Southall Black Sisters.

Seetas four young children remained in India with their father even though they were made wards of the court by a British High Court in April last year, ordering their immediate return to the UK. No assistance has been offered by any British agency to get the children back to this country, said Gupta.

The family said they had proof that Seeta was under pressure to give one of her sons to her husbands brother and his wife in India, who were childless and wanted a male heir. They alleged that her husband quit his job, tried to sell his car and cancelled his car insurance before the trip with the intention of not returning to the UK.

Shamik Dutta, a lawyer on behalf of the family, said, If our police are serious about honour-based violence and honour-based killings, they must recognise the extra-territorial nature of that crime and make sure that perpetrators do not feel they have anywhere to hide.

A Scotland Yard spokesperson said, We are in the process of responding to a number of queries raised with us by a firm of solicitors acting on behalf of Seetas family. Earlier this month, the family had written to UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, calling for a new investigation.

In the letter to Johnson, representatives of the family said Seeta was tricked into going on a family trip to India, where she died after a heated argument with her husband. Her husband, a builder living with his family in north London, could not be contacted for comment.  PTI
At least 101 trains are running behind schedule, 11 were cancelled and 18 were rescheduled due to dense fog in parts of north India today morning.

At least 101 trains are running behind schedule due to dense fog in parts of North India. (Photo: Reutrers)

By India Today Web Desk: A dense blanket of early morning fog today brought down visibility in the national capital leading to cancellation of 11 trains. The minimum temperature recorded at 11.2 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average.

At least 101 trains are running behind schedule, 11 were cancelled and 18 were rescheduled due to dense fog in parts of north India today morning.

As many as 101 trains delayed, 18 rescheduled and 11 cancelled due to #fog (Visuals from New Delhi Railway station) pic.twitter.com/FoOGNf7A3p ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

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Meanwhile, according to the Delhi International Airport Limited, which manages operations at the Indira Gandhi International airport here, no flight was cancelled today from Delhi.

However, one departing international flight and five arriving international flights were delayed at Delhi's IGI Airport. 10 departing domestic flights and three arriving domestic flights were also delayed.

Delayed International flights at Delhi's IGI Airport-Arrival : 5, Departure : 1; delayed domestic flights-Arrival : 3, Departure : 10. pic.twitter.com/6DwoPFFIOo ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

Two trains have already been cancelled for Sunday and one for Monday.

Thick fog engulfs Delhi, flights and trains get delayed due to the prevailing conditions. (Visuals from Rajpath area) pic.twitter.com/LTCaSlMvrI

According to the weather office, the humidity at 8.30 am was 95 per cent and the visibility was 400 meters.

The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 27 degree Celsius.

Friday's maximum temperature settled at 26.6 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 7.7 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season's average.

Due to operational reasons/fog the following trains have been cancelled as under:

Train Cancelled on 10.12.2016

12368 - Anand Vihar Terminal - Bhagalpur Vikramshila Express

12304 - New Delhi - Howrah Poorva Express

12554 - New Delhi - Barauni Vaiashali Express

14258 - New Delhi - Varanasi Kashi Vishwanath Express

12310 - New Delhi - Rajendra Nagar Rajdhani Express

12191 - New Delhi - Jabalpur Express

12328 - Dehradoon - Howrah Upasana Express

14323/14324 - New Delhi - Rohtak - New Delhi Intercity Express

12011/12012 - New Delhi - Kalka Shatabdi Expres

12428 - Anand Vihar Terminal - Rewa Express

14006 - Anand Vihar - Sitamani Licchavi Express

12226 - Delhi - Azamgarh Kafiyat Express

Train Cancelled on 11.12.2016

12427 - Rewa - Anand Vihar Terminal Express

12562 - New Delhi - Jaynagar Swantrata Sainani Express

12225 - Azamgarh - Delhi Kafiyat Express

12394 - New Delhi - Rajendra Nagar Sampark Kranti Express

Train Cancelled on 12.12.2016

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14005 - Sitamani - Anand Vihar Terminal Licchavi Express

15210 - Amritsar - Saharasa Janseva Express

14673 - Jaynagar - Amritsar Express

12312 - Kalka - Howrah Kalka Mail

--- ENDS ---
Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 9

Coming out in support of striking dentists and undergraduate BDS students of the Government Dental College, Resident doctors of Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) today urged Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur to accept their long-pending demands.

The striking dentists raised slogans on the premises of the IGMC and reiterated their demands, which include recruitment of dentists on a regular basis and adequate facilities in the hospital for better treatment. Besides, dentists blamed the college authorities for ignoring their demand for proper OPDs and hostel facilities over the years.

Supported by the Resident Doctors Association of IGMC, the agitating dentists submitted a memorandum to the Health Minister, seeking redressal of their grievances at the earliest.

Apart from demanding a proper hostel and OPD facilities, dentists sought action against the dental college staffers, who had been misbehaving with the dentist and BDS students.
Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 10

State Information and Public Relations Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to strengthen the Doordarshan network in the state by making its coverage available on DTH. He said due to programmes being transmitted in the terrestrial mode, its reach was limited in the state.

In his address, which was read out by the Director Information and Public Relations at the 28th State Information Ministers Conference (SIMCON) held at New Delhi today, the minister also demanded an OB van for the Shimla Doordarshan Kendra for ensuring better coverage of the state activities at the national level. He also requested the I&B Minister to provide 20,000 DTH receiver systems for the state as assured by the Government of India.

He said there was a need to equip the Shimla Doordarshan Kendra with sufficient staff. There was also a need to increase its functioning hours, which, at present, were only four hours a day for six days in a week and half an hour on Sundays, said Agnihotri.

The minister also stressed the need to set up FM radio stations in all district headquarters in phased manner to strengthen the reach of the All India Radio network in the state. He said at present, these stations were set up in Shimla, Dharamsala and Hamirpur.

He demanded utilisation of the existing high power transmitter installed at Kasauli for transmitting programmes of FM Shimla or installation of additional high power transmitter at Kasauli for the same.

Underlining the importance of the community radio stations in the state, he said the financial assistance for setting up the same should be extended to 90 per cent of the total cost subject to a ceiling of Rs 13.5 lakh from the existing Rs 7.5 lakh for making the endeavour financially viable to the NGOs.

He said, Community radio can be an effective medium of infotainment and its stations should be set up in agriculture and horticulture universities, so that farmers can benefit from it.
Tribune News Service

Solan, December 10

BJP state president Satpal Satti today said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was indulging in petty politics by levelling unsavoury comments on the BJP while failing to address the crucial issue of development.

Satti, who was here to oversee the arrangements of national president Amit Shahs visit to the town tomorrow, said the CM did not talk about development as this crucial agenda had taken a back seat in the four-year tenure of the Congress government.

He said the manner in which the CM frequently changed his stand about closing schools having lesser students was an illustration of the lack of vision. He said the CM first announced that schools having fewer students would be closed and later said no school would be closed even if there were less students was an indication of his blurred vision on development.

Satti said the CM did not talk about development works undertaken in the last four years and alleged that the announcements were being made without any budgetary provisions. There was little follow-up of the announcements.

The state president said they would prepare the itinerary for the next Tridev sammelan at the core committee meeting to be held tomorrow as four such programmes were slated to be convened in each parliamentary segment.
Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 10

The first phase of the Rs 60-crore multi-storey parking project near Lift, constructed under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode, was today inaugurated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. To start with, it will have parking space for 700 cars.

The parking has been given on lease to Shimla Tolls and Projects for the concession period of 30 years. The concession fee will be Rs 1 crore per annum with an increase of 10 per cent every two years to be paid to the Shimla Municipal Corporation.

PK Sood, Managing Director of Shimla Tolls and Projects, said the construction work of the other two phases of the parking was under way, which would accommodate more than 1,700 cars. The Chief Minister also inspected the site of the under-construction Circuit House near All India Radio and gave necessary directions.

Meanwhile, a deputation of people of the Cemetery area, Sanjauli, stopped the cavalcade of the Chief Minister near the Dhalli tunnel and apprised him of the dire need for parking near the tunnel. Anirudh Singh, Kasumpti MLA, who was accompanying the Chief Minister, supported the demand of the people and said if the parking came up by dismantling the old PWD building, it would house more than 700 vehicles. The old PWD building at the very beginning of the road was a hindrance to smooth transportation, as neither pick-ups nor ambulance could enter the Cemetery.

The CM issued strict directions to the PWD to prepare an estimate of the parking and make suitable arrangement for the families staying in the department accommodation.

Later, the CM laid the foundation stone of the additional building of Bal Ashram at Dhalli and issued directions for the completion of the building by June 1. He said the condition of the road from National Highway till the Orphanage was poor and directed that it should be repaired and widened at the earliest.

Virbhadra also paid a surprise visit to Balika Ashram, Mashobra, and was displeased to see that the work of the construction a building, despite laying of its stone six months ago, had not been started yet.
Our Correspondent

Kullu, December 9

Addressing a gathering during the pratishtha ceremony of a new temple of Shangchul Mahadev at Shangad village in Sainj valley of the district today, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh stressed local deities were inseparable part of our ancient traditions and it was our collective responsibility to preserve our ancient temples, customs, language and traditions.

The ancient temple of Shangchul deity was destroyed in fire and the stated government assisted in reconstructing the temple in ancient traditional architecture.

Exhorting future generations to be proud of their antecedents and not forget their culture and customs, he said, I am proud to be a pahari and I used to say the same when I was a Member of Parliament and minister at the Centre.

The Chief Minister said it was after ages that anybody from his family had come and sat on the historical seat presented by the Shangchul deity and established near the temple.

Earlier, he dedicated Suchehan-Shangad road, completed with an outlay of Rs 2.45 crore, to people. He said the 8-km road would provide all weather connectivity to residents of Shangad and facilitate the transport of their produce. The road connecting the remote area of Sainj valley would strengthen the local economy, he added.

He also laid the foundation stone for the Dugedi, Konsha, Berra-Shangad, Dhara-Lapah, Tandi-Nihai and Lotla-Tung drinking water supply scheme, which will costRs 2.41 crore.

He stated that this scheme would benefit 42 habitations and a population of 4,500.

He said his motto was to develop all areas alike without any discrimination of upper or lower Himachal.

Later, he left for Mandi to leave for Shimla as the weather here did not permit his helicopter to land at the Bhuntar airport.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 10

Protests and official functions marked Human Rights Day in the Kashmir valley today.

Independent legislator Engineer Rashid was detained when he tried to take out a march towards the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) office here.

A spokesman of the Awami Itihaad Party said that Rashid was detained by the police at Rajbagh in Srinagar while he was leading a protest march against unabated human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pro-freedom leaders and activists of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front were also detained when they tried to march towards the United Nations Military Observers Group for India and Pakistan to highlight the human rights violations in Kashmir on World Human Rights Day.

A sit-in was held by the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons in Srinagar. The protesters assembled at Srinagars Pratap Park and staged a silent protest.

Meanwhile, former Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court and SHRC chairperson Bilal Nazki today sought cooperation of the people for making the commission effective.

People should repose their faith in the SHRC and we will do our best to deliver, he said while addressing a function at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre here. The SHRC is not a toothless body. It will deliver once people repose their faith in us, he added.

The chairperson sought six months to make the commission effective.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 10

A track-II delegation, led by BJP stalwart Yashwant Sinha, arrived in the region today with an aim to move forward on the dialogue process and a plan to tour and meet stakeholders outside Srinagar.

The delegation arrived in the region for the second time in recent months. The delegation said it was a continuation of the previous visit and aimed to move forward on the dialogue process and mobilise the support for it.

Former Air Vice-Marshal Kapil Kak, who along with former Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah will join the delegation on Sunday, said the latest visit was continuation by us to understand the problem and its complexities from the people who are affected.

In the rest of India, the Kashmir problem is not understood in its psychological and complex and historical perspective, that is heart of the problem, Kak said.

Our concentration now is much more outside Srinagar because last time our visit was focused on Srinagar. This time the purpose is to have a series of meetings in south and north Kashmir  the aim is to ensure that we move forward on dialogue process and mobilise the support for the dialogue process, he said.

In its October visit, the delegation had succeeded in breaking the ice with separatists, who had earlier shut their doors to a delegation of MPs. The delegations first visit had remained confined to Srinagar, where they had met the mainstreamleaders and separatists.

On the first day of their latest visit, Sinha, accompanied by two members of the delegation, including the executive director of New Delhi-based Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation Sushobha Bharve, met separatist leader Aga Syed Hassan at his residence in Budgam district.

Hassan said the three members of the delegation, including Sinha met him at his residence. I told them that dialogue between India, Pakistan and Kashmiris should be revived and it is the only way to find solution to the Kashmir issue, Hassan said. Bharve said the delegation met Hassan not as a Hurriyat leader but as the head of the Shia community. We are meeting civil society groups and we are meeting those people whom we havent met last time.
Jasmine Singh

Ripped jeans, torn jeans, distressed jeans.....different names and one popular style; denims torn from here, there, everywhere has been a trend with young boys and girls for a long time now. For the older lot, this might be the ultimate form of shabby dressing, but it for sure got thumbs-up from fashionistas. And now, the news is that St Xaviers College, Mumbai, in a recent notification, has banned torn jeans from its campus. This ban was introduced after some professors mentioned that it had become an embarrassment in class. Also, Principal Agnelo Menezes said that torn jeans make a mockery of the poor!

We throw the same question to the floor, and let youngsters share their opinion.

Ridiculous rule

What kind of a rule in this? Torn jeans is an acceptable international fashion statement; these are worn by students across the globe. How can this make fun of poor? In fact, by imposing the ban, the authorities are trying to say that there is a particular kind of clothing only the poor are supposed to wear.

Heena Bhardwaj, M.Sc, PU

Welcome step

Imposing a ban on torn jeans on campus is actually a welcome step. A university or college campus is not meant to create fashion statements and even if they are created, they should at least be presentable enough. I understand clothing is all about comfort, but you cannot walk in the campus in bermudas and chappals if you feel like.

Akriti Nanta, Chitakara University

Funny reasoning

I thought we had left uniform back in school; I had no idea that fashion policing can go on till the college and university level! There are so many fashion styles that should be called poor like loose hanging jeans, shoulder-cut tops and off-shoulder dresses. Are these clothes for poor?

Kriti Mahajan, M.Sc Biotechnology

Bizarre ban

This is the most bizarre ban that I have ever heard; next they should teach us the distinction between clothing for rich and for the poor, so that we can take our pick.

Raghav, final year student, fine arts

Ban fashion shows too

Ban on a type of clothes always surprise me; if torn jeans are being banned on St Xaviers College campus, then fashion shows where models strut down in such clothes should also be banned. Rather, all fashion shows should be banned because they showcase maximum torn clothes.

Nitin Kumar, MBA student, Chandigarh

jasmine@tribunemail.com
Chandigarh, December 10

Putting a lid on all speculation, the Aam Aadmi Party has fielded its state convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich (Ghuggi) from the Batala constituency. There had earlier been talk of the possibility of Ghuggi being pitted against Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia. But sources said Ghuggi had all along been reluctant to fight Majithia on the latters home turf.

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With AAP today releasing its seventh list of candidates carrying four names, it has so far announced 103 candidates for the 117-seat Punjab Assembly, elections to which are expected to be announced anytime now. Fiftyfiveyear-old farmer from Kheera Wali village Sukhwant Singh Padda will contest from Kapurthala. He holds a diploma in solar energy. Atul Nagpal, a 46-year-old-farmer, will contest from Abohar. A member of AAPs intellectual cell, he runs an NGO, Savera Foundation, in Fazilka.

Sukhwinder Singh Mann (41), a farmer-cum-businessman, has been fielded from Sardulgarh. He is AAPs sector in-charge in Mansa. TNS
The Income Tax department today made fresh seizure of Rs 24 crore in new notes in Chennai. Officials said the fresh seizure of new currency, in Rs 2000 notes, was made by the sleuths from a car in Vellore on the insistence of the accused presently being interrogated in the case.

By Press Trust of India: A fresh seizure of Rs 24 crore cash in new notes was today made by the Income Tax department, adding to the biggest haul of cash and gold post demonetisation, in which over Rs 142 crore unaccounted assets have been recovered in tax operations so far here.

Officials said the fresh seizure of new currency, in Rs 2000 notes, was made by the sleuths from a car in Vellore on the insistence of the accused presently being interrogated in the case.

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With this amount, the total seizure in the case has now gone upto Rs 166 crore in a single case.

The department had seized Rs 142 crore undisclosed assets - that includes about Rs 10 crore in new notes and gold bars weighing 127 kg -- during searches at multiple locations in Chennai, for the last two days, to check tax evasion.

ALSO READ | Demonetisation: New notes worth Rs 70 crore, 100 kg gold seized in Chennai

THIS COMES DAYS AFTER RAIDS IN CHENNAI

This largest seizure of new currency notes in the country, after the old Rs 500 and 1,000 notes were scrapped on November 8, was seized after raids were launched on Thursday on eight premises of a group engaged in sand mining in Tamil Nadu.

"The group has sand mining licence for the entire state of Tamil Nadu. Eight premises (six residential and two offices) were covered in the search.

"During the search, Rs 96.89 crore cash in old high denomination notes and Rs 9.63 crore in new Rs 2000 currency notes along with gold weighing 127 kg worth approximately Rs 36.29 crore were found and seized, as unaccounted assets," the Central Board of Direct Taxes, policy-making body for the I-T department, had said in a statement issued in Delhi.

ALSO READ | Bengaluru: In India's biggest seizure since Nov 8, Rs 5.7 crore found - all in new Rs 2000 notes

The big I-T raid in Bengaluru: Inside story

SEARCHES STILL IN PROGRESS

It had added that the searches are "still in progress at four out of the total 8 premises and more specific details including modus operandi would emerge after examination of the documents and other evidence detected during the search."

Officials had said S Reddy, a contractor working with the state government, has claimed the entire money and the gold as his own and is being questioned along with few other people.

A senior department official said this seizure of gold and cash was "an unprecedented amount that the tax department has seized in recent times."

The department, the officials said, carried out the searches based on intelligence inputs about the activities of Reddy and few others for the last few days.

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ALSO READ | Axis Bank again: 44 fake accounts with Rs 100 crore found in raids on Delhi branch

HOW DID THEY HAVE SO MANY NEW NOTES?

Officials said the agency was investigating how the new notes in such a large quantity were stashed by the individual.

The bundles of the new Rs 2000, that were seized, had no banking slips on the them and were jumbled up to mislead investigators, they said.

The officials said a number of documents related to financial transactions, entries of gold sale and records of sale/purchase have also been seized by the tax sleuths.

"He (Reddy) is a contractor working with the state government.He is claiming the entire cash and gold to be his own. Further probe is on," they had said.

ALSO READ | Go cashless: No service tax on credit, debit card transactions up to Rs 2000

50 bank branches that saw largest deposits after demonetisation raided by Enforcement Directorate

--- ENDS ---
Naveen S Garewal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 10

Haryanas BJP governments move to appoint experts from a non-governmental organisation  formed three months after Manohar Lal Khattar took over as Chief Minister in October 2014  as directors in the state-owned boards and corporations has raised eyebrows.

Subscribing to right-wing politics, the NGO Global Village Foundation (GVF) claims to be engaged in social and economic research.

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Balram Nandwani, Trustee and Chairman of GVF, is working as an Independent Director of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (UHBVN) and is also Chairman of the Audit Committee. After the Chairman-Cum-Managing Director, he is the second-most important person in the UHBVN hierarchy.

Another former GVF member, Sunil Sharma, has been made the nodal authority to manage mining operations of the Haryana State Industry and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), Chief Coordinator in the Industries Department and also the head, estate division of HSIIDC.

GVF Governing Council member Tilak Chandnana has been appointed as Director, HSIIDC. The founder trustee and mentor of GVF, Anirudh Rajput, claims on the NGOs website that he has been involved in advising the government on a wide range of economic and social issues. Raj Nehru, also from GVF, has been cleared for appointment as Vice-Chancellor of the newly formed Vishwakarma Skill Development University.

Inquiries reveal that Nandwani, who has been given a key post in UHBVN, is also a director in power generation company Ranital Hydro Ventures Private Limited. This company has three other directors, each of whom is also a director in Dera Hydro Power Project and have clear links with a power trading company  Mittals Group. Mittals Group, which also supplies power to Haryana, is involved in power trading, solar power generation, commodities trading and renewable energy.

Alleging a conflict of interest, Congress leader Ran Singh Mann claims the GVF is backed by a senior RSS leader. In fact, Sunil Sharma, the nodal authority to manage mining operations, is believed to be the link between the Chief Minister and a senior RSS leader who was moved from Delhi to Bhopal, with instructions not to interfere in Haryana, he alleges.

Mann questions the rationale of making GVF a nodal agency that signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the government with the states Technical Education Department and NASSCOM with the purpose of providing jobs. BJP state president Subhash Barala, however, sees nothing amiss. The Chief Minister has brought in experts from outside for better functioning of key departments.

He has a long experience of working across the country and has picked up people he considers can deliver. As captain of the ship, he has the right to choose his team, he says.

The GVF organised a GST Summit for the Excise and Taxation Department at Panchkula this September, a workshop on Skill Development at Gurgaon last May and many seminars and workshops on women empowerment, etc, for the Haryana Government.

Interestingly, the Government of Indias guidelines for NGOs clearly specify that to get any financial grants from the government, an NGO should have been in existence for a minimum of three years as evidenced by audited accounts and annual reports. GVF was incorporated in January 2015.

When asked about GVFs role in Haryana Government affairs, Nandwani said, The NGO is a think-tank to research on public policy. GVF has helped the government on GST and other issues; we are a group of professionals like economists, lawyers, chartered accountants. We are working with the government on various issues. We are people with a social background and all GVF Governing Council members work on a voluntary basis. I charge only sitting fee when I go for meetings.

Nandwani said the Company Law requires appointment of an Independent Director and he was selected from among a number of names based on his background and experience. He confirmed that he was the first chartered accountant ever to be appointed as director in UHBVN.

The Board of Directors of DHBVN has a Chairman, three regular (technocrats) and two independent directors. The UHBVN has a Chairman-cum-Managing Director, two directors, two technical directors and two independent directors. All decisions are mandated to be taken by majority vote, but each member of the board can exercise considerable influence.

CMs Media Adviser Amit Arya, when contacted, said: GVF comprises a group of selfless professionals who are helping various state governments in formulating policy. They have also helped the Central government on certain matters. Similarly, they are working with the Haryana Government in their respective areas of specialisation.

(To be continued)
Jitendra K Shrivastava

Tribune News Service

Patna, December 10

A security guard of an ATM booth was killed here on Saturday morning before the ATM was looted by unidentified assailants.

Papua Kumar, whose body was found in the ATM booth in the wee hours of Saturday, was a resident of Patna.

He was guarding the ATM of Central Bank of India in Maurya Lok, about 200 metres from Kotwali police station.

Maurya Lok, a posh shopping centre, is known as a safe zone for visitors as patrolling police have been deployed round the clock.

Agitated residents and relatives of the guard blocked the roads and burnt tyres to protest against the incident.

They demanded the arrest of those behind the crime, and compensation to the family of the victim.

According to the police, prima facie it appears that the armed men killed the guard when he resisted their attempt to loot the cash in the ATM.

A special investigation team (SIT) has been set up to probe the loot incident.

Patna Senior Superintendent of Police, Manu Maharaj, told the media that the police have begun a probe into the incident. The police will arrest those involved in the crime. We have collected CCTV footage and other evidences from the site," Maharaj said.  With IANS inputs
Manas Dasgupta

Ahmedabad, December 10

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sees people queuing up outside banks and ATMs as an expression of Indian culture of selflessness and sacrifices for others. They are readily undergoing the suffering for the good of others and the larger interest of the county, he said.

It is the Indian tradition and culture that in times of scarcity, the old leave something for the younger and near and dear ones even if they have to undergo difficulties. This is our culture of selflessness, Modi said.

He was addressing a gathering of farmers in the North Gujarat town of Deesa after inaugurating the Banaskantha District Co-operative Dairys Rs 350 crore cheese and whey powder plant, besides a whey facility. The PM also launched A-2 Kankrej breed cow conservation project. It was his fifth visit to Gujarat in the last couple of months as the state will hold the Assembly elections next year.

Advising people to be patient, Modi promised that the situation would improve once the 50 days he had sought after banning Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were over and people would start witnessing positive changes. Everyone will start noticing and experiencing the difference, he said.

Defending the demonetisation decision, Modi pointed out that none of the Opposition parties had sought its rollback and were merely crticising the method of implementation.

Referring to the logjam in Parliament, he said the opposition had brought the situation to such a pass that the President had to rebuke them and virtually plead them to let the House function. Though the government has agreed, the Opposition is not letting me speak in Parliament over the issue and so I have to adopt this route (of addressing public gatherings), to explain the intentions behind the decision which will be in the larger interests of the country to fight corruption, black money and terrorism, he said.

Modi claimed that the currency ban had broken the back of terrorism and naxalism and weakened people dealing in fake currency.

He asked people to switch over to electronic form of financial transactions in their daily life. I urge you all to integrate people with e-banking and e-wallets. There is no need to waste your time standing outside banks or ATMs. E-wallets have brought banks to your mobiles, he added.

Later in his first visit since becoming the PM to Sri Kamalam, the headquarters of the state BJP on the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar highway, Modi addressed senior party leaders, legislators and others in an in-camera session. Though the content of his address to the partymen was not known, sources said he mainly discussed the party affairs in the state in the light of the upcoming Assembly polls, including the reservation agitation by the Patels considered to be an assured vote bank of the BJP.
Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 10

After a gap of eight long years, national carrier Air India has announced to resume the Amritsar-Birmngham direct flight from April 1, 2017, meeting the demand of the diaspora in the United Kingdom.

Conveying the decision of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Rajya Sabha MP Shwet Malik, who is also Aviation Consultative Committee member, said: I conveyed the demand to the Union government, which rectified the mistake committed during the reign of the previous UPA government.

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Malik accused the UPA of diverting this extremely profitable flight from Amritsar to IGI in New Delhi to provide financial benefits to its private operator.

After Jet Airways discontinued its Amritsar-London flight on August 6, 2006, Air India filled the void with a Amritsar-Birmingham flight the same year. However, it lasted till October 24, 2009.

In between, Air India launched its Amritsar-New Delhi-Birmingham flight on the hub and spoke model from Amritsar airport on August 1, 2013, with limited success.

Subsequently, the growth of the Amritsar airport was hit as one after another flight was pulled out by different airlines. However, several lines have launched international flights this financial year.
Tribune News Service

new delhi, December 10

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today took to Twitter to counter PM Narendra Modi's remarks on not being allowed to speak on demonetisation and asked the PM to stop his monologues and attend Parliament.

Rahul, who yesterday said there'll be an earthquake if he speaks in Parliament on demonetisation, today dared the PM to attend the House proceedings and answer questions of Opposition parties. Parliament hasn't functioned a single day since November 16, with the Opposition first insisting on debates under specific rules unacceptable to the Opposition and later demanding the PM's presence throughout such a discussion.

Earlier today, senior spokesperson for Congress Anand Sharma accused Modi of undermining Parliament. "Parliament had already been summoned by the President. Why could the PM not wait until November 16 to announce his move (demonetisation)? The PM is peddling untruths. He is misleading the people. No one is preventing him from speaking on the issue. The fact is he has not made any statement on this subject in Parliament," he said.
New Delhi, December 10

A local court on Saturday sent former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief SP Tyagi and others to custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) till December 14 in the Rs 3,767-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal case.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sujit Saurabh allowed the CBI to quiz Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie Tyagi and a Delhi-based lawyer, Gautam Khaitan, till December 14.

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The first chief of any wing of the armed forces to be arrested in the country, the former IAF chief and the others were allegedly involved in irregularities in the procurement of 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters from Britain-based AgustaWestland.

Meanwhile, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on Saturday said former air force chief SP Tyagi's involvement in the AgustaWestland scam is unfortunate and would adversely affect the reputation of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

It is a very unfortunate episode and the incident adversely acts on the reputation of a very professional force that is the Indian Air Force. I am sure that law of the land and the judicial system will dwell into it and finally deal with the subject, he said.

Air Chief Marshal Raha assured that the Indian Air Force will correct every error quickly and will serve the nation to best of its ability.

I can rest assure you the Indian Air Force and the armed forces will continue to serve the nation to best of its abilities and if anything is wrong, we will correct it quickly, he added.

Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi (retd) was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday, along with his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and lawyer Gautam Khaitan, for their alleged involvement in the Rs 3,700-crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam.

They have been accused of routing kickbacks.

The CBI has determined that about Rs 450 crore, or 12 per cent of the Rs 3,767-crore deal for procurement of 12 helicopters was paid as bribe. The government rescinded the contract in January 2014 in view of the bribery allegations.  Agencies
Chennai, December 10

A fresh seizure of Rs 24 crore cash in new notes was on Saturday made by the Income Tax department, adding to the biggest haul of cash and gold post demonetisation, in which over Rs 142 crore unaccounted assets have been recovered in tax operations so far here.

Officials said the fresh seizure of new currency, in Rs 2000 notes, was made by the sleuths from a car in Vellore on the insistence of the accused presently being interrogated in the case.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

With this amount, the total seizure in the case has now gone upto Rs 166 crore in a single case.

The department had seized Rs 142 crore undisclosed assets - that includes about Rs 10 crore in new notes and gold bars weighing 127 kg -- during searches at multiple locations in Chennai, for the last two days, to check tax evasion.

This largest seizure of new currency notes in the country, after the old Rs 500/1,000 notes were scrapped on November 8, was seized after raids were launched on Thursday on eight premises of a group engaged in sand mining in Tamil Nadu.

"The group has sand mining licence for the entire state of Tamil Nadu. Eight premises (six residential and two offices) were covered in the search.

"During the search, Rs 96.89 crore cash in old high denomination notes and Rs 9.63 crore in new Rs 2000 currency notes along with gold weighing 127 kg worth approximately Rs 36.29 crore were found and seized, as unaccounted assets," the Central Board of Direct Taxes, policy-making body for the I-T department, had said in a statement issued in Delhi.

It had added that the searches are "still in progress at four out of the total 8 premises and more specific details including modus operandi would emerge after examination of the documents and other evidence detected during the search."

Officials had said S Reddy, a contractor working with the state government, has claimed the entire money and the gold as his own and is being questioned along with few other people.

A senior department official said this seizure of gold and cash was "an unprecedented amount that the tax department has seized in recent times."

The department, the officials said, carried out the searches based on intelligence inputs about the activities of Reddy and few others for the last few days.

Officials said the agency was investigating how the new notes in such a large quantity were stashed by the individual.

The bundles of the new Rs 2000, that were seized, had no banking slips on the them and were jumbled up to mislead investigators, they said.

The officials said a number of documents related to financial transactions, entries of gold sale and records of sale/purchase have also been seized by the tax sleuths.

"He (Reddy) is a contractor working with the state government.He is claiming the entire cash and gold to be his own. Further probe is on," they had said. PTI
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, December 9

The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to justify within a week the appointment of Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana as CBIs interim director after transferring another contender RK Dutta to the Home Ministry.

A Bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and RF Nariman issued a notice to the government on a PIL by NGO Common Cause questioning the logic behind the transfer of Dutta, who was supervising 2G and coal scam cases, without taking the consent of the apex court which was monitoring the investigation.

The government was destroying the CBI by resorting to such illegal appointments, petitioners senior counsel Prashant Bhushan pleaded. The Centre should have appointed a regular CBI director through a penal comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India, he argued.

Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the government had initiated the process for convening a meeting of the PM-LoP-CJI panel and Asthanas appointment was only an ad hoc measure. Bhushan, however, said the CBI Director required to be appointed much before the retirement of the incumbent CBI chief.

The government had resorted to a series of mala fide, arbitrary and illegal steps to appoint Asthana, Bhushan pleaded. The Bench posted the case for next hearing on December 16.
Mumbai, December 10

A 28-year-old Mumbai youth, who allegedly joined terror outfit ISIS, has been apprehended by enforcement agencies in Libya, ATS officials said today.

Tabrez Mohammad Tambe, a resident of Mumbra in neighbouring Thane district was caught early this week from the oil-rich country, where he had joined ISIS with his friend Ali, a senior ATS officer said on the condition of anonymity.

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Tabrez had left India earlier this year to go to Egypt for a job and landed in Libya, where he was said to be fighting for ISIS against US-backed forces, the officer said.

The ISIS recruit was in contact with his family till last week through cell phone and social media, he said.

Indian agencies were keeping a close watch on the activities of Tabrez, more so after his younger brother approached ATS and filed a complaint against him.

"Tabrez had been located to Libya and we were keeping an eye on his activities since last few months," the officer said.

Also, ATS is gathering information on whether some more people are in touch with Tabrez, he added.

Tabrez's family members had been asking him to return to India, but he seemed to have taken fancy to the 'cushy' life with the terrorist organisation and even asked them to join him and 'settle' down in the country from where he is operating now.

"Sensing that he was in the wrong place, his (Tabrez's) brother asked him to return to India, but he rejected the plea and said you (family members) come here as life is cushy," an ATS official said yesterday.

Tabrez was in contact with his wife, brother and mother and told the family about his activities for the banned Islamic State.

ATS feels Tabrez, who completed his post graduation in cargo management and transportation and got married three years ago, has actively participated in ISIS operations.

He visited some countries in the last five years for jobs, the official had said adding it was Ali who prompted Tabrez to join ISIS.

Both knew each other as they worked together at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia a year ago, he said.

"We are collecting information about Ali. We are not sure whether Ali is Indian or not. As per our information, he has visited India before," Mumbai ATS chief Atulchandra Kulkarni told PTI.

ATS has already registered offences against Tabrez under various sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention UAPA. PTI
Vibha Sharma & Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 9

It was a repeat of most days today, as Parliament witnessed repeated disruptions barring a few exceptions. The winter session takes a four-day break and reassembles on December 14.

The Lok Sabha saw Treasury Benches defeat Congress efforts to make vice-president Rahul Gandhi speak on demonetisation, despite an offer of a debate without condition of voting by the Opposition party  a climb down from its earlier demand for discussions under Rule 184 that entails voting. Outside the House, Rahul said if allowed to speak in Parliament, he could cause an earthquake.

In the RS, the Opposition again took on the government, but this time for its anti-farmer decision of completely scrapping the import duty on wheat. Angry Opposition parties alleged the move would benefit multinational firms to dump cheap wheat from the US, France and Ukraine and would harm Indian farmers.

Assertions by Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan that there was no shortage of wheat and the decision had been taken keeping in mind the rising prices failed to impress the Opposition.

Minister of State for Agriculture Parsottambhai Rupala said the decision was necessitated as domestic prices were rising. The government uses market intervention to check prices. The decision on import duty would be reconsidered if farmers faced problems, Rupala said  an argument the Opposition refused to buy.

In the LS, the government held sway in the House, virtually ignoring the open challenge by the Opposition for a debate on demonetisation.

Turning down Congress Mallikarjun Kharges request to allow a debate under any Rule, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the Congress had not given notice for it.

The Opposition was determined to engage the government in a debate on demonetisation as Rahul, who outside the House accused the government of running away from the debate, had come prepared to speak today.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said: This is not a Congress adhiveshan (session) but Parliament, which functions as per the Rules. Just because Rahul wanted to speak, Congress believes that sab kaam chorr ke Rahul Gandhi ko bulwa do, it doesnt happen this way, he said.

Rahul warns of earthquake, BJP scoffs

If they allow me to speak in Parliament, you will see what an earthquake will occur. The PM only gives speeches across the country, but fears coming to Parliament. Rahul Gandhi, cong v-p

May this quake happens when we are not present in ParliamentRahul wants to debate before the media and in the market, but not in Parliament. M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister
A 40-year-old foreigner ate at a restaurant here and didn't pay because he was cashless. He was caught but let go off because the eatery staff realised their guest had no other option.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Call it a demonetisation pain eased by a fine example of hospitality in the God's Own Country.

A 40-year-old foreigner ate at a restaurant here and didn't pay because he was cashless. He was caught but let off because the eatery staff realised their guest had no other option.

Khader Kunju, a restaurant owner here since 1989, said the incident occurred on Friday at the eatery near his joint.

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Kunju said that the tourist before ordering food asked if the restaurant accepted credit cards. He was told the facility wasn't available. But he still "went and had lunch and after washing his hands, he ran away", Kunju said.

"He was caught by the hotel staff, but let go off when he said he has money but there was no way he could withdraw it as the ATM's did not have cash."

ALSO READ: Month after demonetisation: Real estate prices tumble, registrations plunge

Kunju said it was not a one-off incident of inconvenience faced by foreigners in Kerala after the central government announced on November 8 that it was spiking the country's 86 per cent -- Rs 500 and 1,000 notes -- of all currency in circulation.

He said he also faced "similar situation as many of my clients are foreign tourists".

The restaurant owner narrated an incident how a group of French tourists -- four men and four women -- walked into his eatery and said they were very hungry and wanted to eat but had no cash.

"They said they have credit cards, but since I don't have swiping machine, I told them they can have food and pay later."

ALSO READ: The good and bad of demonetisation

However, the generosity came with a cost. "Their total bill was Rs 1,600. A few days later the women came and paid their amount, but the men slipped away and have not paid as yet. " Kunju said he had never in his lifetime seen a situation like this.

Koshy John, a tour guide, said he had a group of foreign tourists who landed on the day the demonetisation was announced.

"The announcement proved a nightmare," John said. He said his guests had exchanged their currencies hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement. And most of the time his guests spend "waiting in queues at banks".

"They left disappointed," said John, adding there has been a drop in the number of foreign tourist arrivals.

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ALSO READ: Reality check

--- ENDS ---
Bengaluru, December 10

In a startling catch, the Income Tax department on Saturday seized Rs 5.7 crore cash in new notes, 32 kg of gold biscuits and jewellery and Rs 90 lakh worth old notes stashed inside the bathroom tiles of a hawala dealer in the far-flung town of Challakere in Karnataka.

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The department seized the alleged undisclosed assets, as part of its raids against black money hoarders post demonetisation, from the residence of the said hawala operator who is yet to be identified.

#WATCH IT dept seizes 5.7cr in Rs 2000 notes,90 lakh in old notes,32kg bullion frm secret bathroom chamber in Chitradurga & Hubballi #K'taka pic.twitter.com/8N0Wjsc8Ih  ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

Challakere town, about 40 km from district headquarters of Chitradurga, is popularly known as the 'oil city' due to the presence of a number of edible oil mills here.

Read: Fresh Rs 24 cr in new notes seized in Vellore

Officials said the taxman raided the premises based on intelligence inputs about the presence of huge cash and the sleuths were startled to find a cleverly-hidden stainless steel safe, above the wash basin, inside the tiled walls of the bathroom.

The cash stash of Rs 5.7 crore, all in new Rs 2,000 notes, 28 kg of bullion (gold biscuits), 4 kg of other gold and jewellery was stuffed inside this bathroom safe, which was kept sanitised against termites using hundreds of mothballs.

The assets were recovered after the department's investigation wing in Panaji yesterday began searches against casino and bullion traders in Hubballi and Chitradurga districts.

A good number of documents and another Rs 90 lakh cash (Rs 100/20 notes) has been seized after the searches on the said hawala dealer, they said.

"The searches in this case are still going on at various places and the valuation of the bullion and jewellery is being conducted," they said.  PTI
Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 10

Indian and Chinese academicians came together in the national capital, over the course of the last two days, to discuss the various facets of the bilateral relationship.

The India-China Think Tanks forum saw discussions on various issues but the maximum buzz was created when Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar subtly pointed out Indias desire to join the NSG and the issue of JeM chief Masood Azhar.

While India has defended its policy stating that it needs to keep up the attempts to get into the elite group, an equally important fact has been ignored. And that is China and its open reluctance to change its position with regards to Indias entry into the NSG.

Government sources say India is planning to rake up the Tibet issue more frequently and openly in international forums in an attempt to push China in a corner. Despite its public posturing, Tibet is a sensitive issue for China and it remains extremely wary when countries like the United States or India bring it up. Sources indicate that the Modi government, unlike the previous governments, wants to take a more proactive stand on Tibet. The move will in all certainty upset China.

The other point that the Foreign Secretary raised was the technical holds that China keeps putting on to avoid Azhar from getting designated as a terrorist in the UN. While India raised the spectre of terrorism and how both India and China need to cooperate in international organisations to fight fundamentalist terrorism, again what begs attention is the fact that for China, its relationship with Pakistan is vital. Indias oft repeated assertions of an entry into the NSG and the designation of Azhar as a terrorist to China and the global community does little to help Indias case in either case.
TNS & agencies

New Delhi, December 10

A Delhi court today sent former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khetan to four days CBI custody till December 14 for questioning on the AgustaWestland deal to unearth the very large conspiracy with international ramifications.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sujit Saurabh said their custodial interrogation was required for a fair probe, even as he put aside the CBIs submission for a 10-day remand. Senior advocate N Hariharan argued that the FIR in the case was registered over three years ago and that there was no fresh ground for the arrests now.

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He claimed the decision to procure 12 VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland was a collective one and the Prime Minister Office (PMO) was also a part of it.

The deal to supply 12 VVIP helicopters came under the scanner after the Italian authorities alleged that bribe had been paid by AgustaWestland to clinch the deal. Tyagi, who retired in 2007, has been accused of influencing the deal in favour of the company.

The CBI said crucial information had been collected from Italy, Switzerland and Mauritius and the accused were required to be confronted with the information to unearth the larger conspiracy. Telling the court that regular meetings had taken place between senior officials of AgustaWestland and Tyagi with Sanjeev Tyagis help, the CBI alleged that a conspiracy was hatched to reduce the service ceiling of the copters after which AgustaWestland became eligible to supply a dozen helicopters for VVIPs.

The CBI told the court that in 1999, the government decided to phase out old helicopters as these were not fit for high-altitude areas, and the Defence Ministry in 2002 issued global tenders for new VVIP helicopters in which 11 companies participated. AgustaWestland could not meet the eligibility criteria.

Therefore, a conspiracy was hatched to help AgustaWestland win the contract by making changes in operational requirements, the CBI said.
Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 9

Tamil actress Gautami Tadimalla has raised questions about the secrecy maintained during the treatment of the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa since her hospitalisation on September 22 till her passing away on December 5.

In a blog post addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the 48-year-old star of several successful Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi and Kannada films asked: Why nobody was allowed access to her when she was admitted to Apollo hospital? Why this secrecy and isolation of a beloved public leader and the head of the Tamil Nadu government?

The AIADMK has dismissed the charges as a mischievous attempt to create a rift in the party. This, however, is not the first time that suspicion has been raised.

Similar doubts were earlier, including on December 5, aired by expelled AIADMK parliamentarian Sasikala Pushpa. Holding a placard with a message why there was a meeting of MLAs going on at the Chennai hospital when Amma was actually better, Pushpa stood in the Rajya Sabha amid the din post-demonetisation. She was even seen approaching senior BJP leaders on Treasury benches. She told reporters that some unconstitutional authorities, including Jayalalithaas closest aides, were to be blamed for the situation, and that bulletins released by the hospital could not be blindly trusted.

Urging the Prime Minister to initiate a probe, she said, Why even ministers are not allowed to meet Jayalalithaa? Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi all went, but could not see her. There has been no transparency since the hospitalisation.

DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, too, had demanded a white paper on Jayalalithaas health and social activist Traffic Ramaswamy even petitioned the Madras High Court in October over her illness.

Smelling a conspiracy?

DMK patriarch and former CM M Karunanidhi had also sought a white paper on Jayalalithaas health

What Actor Gautami wrote in her blog

There has been a near total blanketing of information on this (Jayalalithaas health). Nobody was allowed access to her and many dignitaries who visited her with deep concern were denied a chance to convey their wishes in person. Why this secrecy and isolation of a beloved leader and the head of Tamil Nadu government? Whose authority restricted access to the late CM? Who was taking decisions on treatment and care when her health was apparently in such a delicate state? Who is responsible for these answers to people?

Pushpa was first to raise doubts

Expelled AIADMK MP Sasikala Pushpa held a placard in the Rajya Sabha on December 5 questioning why MLAs were holding a meeting when Amma was well. Sasikala was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2014 when she was the Mayor of Thoothukudi. She was expelled from the AIADMK in August for slapping DMK MP Tiruchi Siva at the IGI Airport. While Jayalalithaa was in hospital, Pushpa also wrote to Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, expressing fear that someone close to her may forge her signature to nominate a deputy in her absence.

No birthday bash, Rajini tells his fans

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth has asked his fans to desist from celebrating his coming birthday on December 12 in view of the death of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Rajinikanth "requests his fans not to celebrate his birthday and avoid keeping banners and posters," his publicist said in a tweet. The Kabali star turns 66 on December 12 and usually his birthday is celebrated in a grand manner by his fans.
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, December 10

After the declaration of the candidature of AAP MP Bhagwant Mann from Jalalabad, SAD chief Sukhbir Badal, who represents the seat, has increased his visits to the constituency. He has now been visiting the segment once a week against the earlier average of once in three months.

Sukhbir inaugurated the building of a government senior secondary school for boys, built at a cost of Rs 18 crore, Jalalabad Cooperative Agriculture Development Bank and a 100-bed hospital.

Sukhbir also kick-started a construction project of water supply and sewerage in Arniwala sub-tehsil, a part of the Jalalabad constituency.

Lashing out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Deputy CM said that whatever tricks AAP might employ, it would come a cropper in the Assembly elections.

He castigated the Congress and said the people had seen the partys destructive rule that had brought down the state on various developmental parameters. He claimed the state had witnessed a wave of development under the SAD-BJP government over the past nine years.
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, December 10

Former Education Minister Avtar Singh Brar passed away at PGIMER, Chandigarh, on Saturday after about three-weeks of illness.

He was under treatment in PGIMER since November 22 after suffering brain haemorrhage. Three-time Congress MLA, 77-year-old Avtar Singh had come a long way from being a primary school teacher to a senior Congress leader.

Though known as a party stalwart, he had switched sides to join the ruling SAD in October, 2013, after his political differences with Capt Amarinder Singh and Partap Singh Bajwa.

Known for his closeness with former President Giani Zail Singh, Brar had won Assembly elections from Faridkot in 1992, 1997 and 2007.

He lost in 2012 to SAD candidate Deep Malhotra by 2745 votes. Brar remained Education Minister from 1992 to 1997.

He had always credited Giani Zail Singh as his political mentor.

Starting his political career as a trade unionist, Brar had resigned from his teaching job to join the Congress in 1972.

He was elected president of the District Congress Committee in 1972 under the guidance of Giani Zail Singh and kept this post till 1994.

He contested his first election in 1977 against Parkash Singh Badal from the Faridkot Lok Sabha seat but lost.



Brar also remained as member of the All India Congress Committee. He was vice president of the Punjab Congress from 1997-2007.

Brar remained chief whip of the Punjab Congress

Legislature Party from 1992 to 1997.

After over 41 years in the Congress, Brar had joined Akali Dal in October 2013due to his differences with Capt Amarinder Singh and Partap Singh Bajwa.



After joining the Akali Dal, the government appointed Brar as Chairman, PRTC.

While speaking to The Tribune about a month back, Brar was rueful for the forced decision to leave the Congress party.

I wanted to die as a Congressman but for the humiliating behaviour I was subjected to by some senior party leaders, it was really painful for me to stay in the party, he had lamented.




Amaninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the architect of Indias economic reforms initiated 25 years ago, today said the progress the country witnessed during the past 25 years was not equitably distributed.

Certain sections of society such as SCs/STs, OBCs and minorities and those living in the rural areas had lagged behind and their gain or share in the progress of the country was much less than that of the well-off sections of the country, said Dr Singh, who had opened up the countrys economy with his Budget speech in 1991.

Though Dr Singh emphasised that the country had made considerable progress, particularly during the past 25 years, but he also underscored the point that inequality has increased substantially in the country.

Delivering the inaugural address at the 17th annual conference of the Indian Association of Social Sciences Institutions (IASSI), organised by the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRIID), Chandigarh, here today, the former Primer Minister spoke on Education and Development: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities.

The size of our economy today is two trillion plus ($ 2.076) compared to the $ 0.327 trillion economy in 1990-91. The literacy rate has increased from 52.21 per cent in 1991 to 74.04 per cent in 2011-12.

The population living below the poverty line has declined from 45.3 to 21.9 per cent from 1993-94 to 2011-12, but the benefits of this progress are not fairly distributed, said Dr Singh.

The disparity in the country has increased considerably. As per socio-economic surveys for rural India, there were 74.5 per cent households with a monthly income below Rs 5,000 in 2011, he further added.

Dwelling on the quality of education being offered by government schools, he said it was far from satisfactory due to various factors such as lack on infrastructure, inadequate teaching faculty and equipment, etc.

Now, there are schools for the haves and have-nots leading to social segregation of children belonging to various sections of society, he said.

Critically commenting on the private education system, Dr Singh said though private schools were better monitored, they charge a high fee and were beyond the reach of the poor, who could not bear the financial burden such schools entail.

He said there was a dire need to address issues like inadequacy of classrooms, shortage of teaching material, equipment and above all shortage of teachers in the schools.

Social divisions

The current tendency to generate and promote social divisions among people on the basis of religions, castes and regional lines can be overcome by educating people to acquire those values which characterised the struggle for Independence and the idea of India.

Education must promote what Jawaharlal Nehru described as scientific temper and humanistic values. The technically educated individuals can be transformed into culturally advanced citizens, who have the capacity to enjoy their own liberty and respect the liberty of others in a multi-cultural and multi-religious society of India, which is correctly described as unity in diversity. The educated and conscious citizens become participants in the deepening and the widening of democracy, in observing the rule of law and saving the polity from deviations from democratic principles, keeping it on the path to follow the cherished ideals of our Constitution, the Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic.

Education as business

The new educational institutions coming up in the private sector are mostly for profit and are not like the old non-profit charitable private educational institutions. Though at the same time, it must be admitted that some of the private education providers have maintained high quality but there number is not much. He also stressed on empowerment of women through education.
Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Tibri cantonment, December 10

A routine search operation conducted by the police in a dozen deras surrounding the Tibri cantonment, one of the biggest army areas in the country, 8 km from Gurdaspur, triggered panic among villagers on Saturday morning.

Since early morning there were rumours that residents of Chava village, near the cantonment, had spotted a group of four well built kurta-pyjama clad suspected terrorists. This was enough to push the panic button following which 50 odd cops of the Puranashala police station started a search operation in deras near the cantonment.

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The army officials were also informed after which tanks and other vehicles were moved to safer places. Some tanks were even placed near the outer wall of the cantonment even as army men could be seen placing sand bags at strategic points inside the premises.

The search went on till afternoon with cops placing emphasis on checking inhabitants of the deras as these are inhabited with Muslim population and since long have been suspected of harbouring militants.

The Puranashala SHO, Naresh Mahajan, who himself was involved in the operation, said it was a routine search which was conducted on a monthly basis.

Cops from the nearby Dinanagar police station too were deployed at several points on the Gurdaspur-Mukerian highway.

SSP Jasdeep Singh was unavailable for comments.

The historic Chhota Ghallughara gurdwara is located 5 km away from the cantonment. Cops could be seen fanning out in that area too.

Some Chava villagers claimed that they had actually seen some militants roaming about near their village around 4am.

They were inquiring how far the Gurdaspur-Amritsar national highway was from the village. Sensing that they could be militants, we informed the control room following which cops arrived and started the search, said Karnail Singh, a villager.

However, the SHO denied Karnail Singhs claims and added that some villagers had floated a rumour.

Todays operation was not based on any input received from any villager. It was just a routine search and nothing else. Not much should be read into what the villagers are claiming, he said.

In the aftermath of the January 2 Pathankot Air Force station attack, a massive joint search was conducted in the same area by the Army, police and CRPF. The two-day-long operation saw sugarcane fields being mowed down to track the terrorists.
Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 10

A group of people belonging to a radical Hindu group today stormed a Pakistani stall and tore a flex board having the Pakistani flag at the ongoing five-day Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) here.

P Khanna, an exhibitor from Delhi, lodged a complaint with the Amritsar Police Commissionerate. He alleged that the police present at the venue did not intervene to protect the Pakistani nationals present at the venue.

Khanna, who converted to Islam after marrying a Pakistani national Hina Anjum in 2011, said a group of people raising slogans menacingly approached their food stall that was serving Pakistani delicacies under the brand name Zaika.

Sensing trouble, we immediately started removing our display items to prevent losses, he said. He added that activists of the radical outfit had visited the stall yesterday also.

He said he would lodge a complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs as to why permission was granted to Pakistani traders when foolproof security could not be provided.

Visiting India under a SAARC visa, Hina Anjum, who was also present at the venue, said she was alarmed at seeing a group of fundamentalists forcing their way into a well-guarded venue. She thanked the Almighty that nobody was injured in the mayhem.

She said, I will lodge a complaint with the Pakistan Embassy at New Delhi over being attacked and humiliated at the exhibition.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Amritsar North) Dr BK Singla said that his department had received the complaint and an investigation was under way. The identity of the suspects was being ascertained using CCTV cameras. He assured that an FIR would be registered and security would be enhanced at the venue.

Dr Praveen Rathee, Regional Director of the PHD Chamber that is organising the PITEX with the assistance of the state government, said the incident was immediately reported to the police. He added that senior police officials visited the venue, interacted with foreign exhibitors and assured them of security.
Washington, December 10

A Sikh gala in the US has raised US$ 250,000 to fund scholarship for financially strapped students in Punjab and neighbouring states.

The funds raised at the gala organised by Sikh Human Development Fund would help in providing scholarship to 700 bright students who could not pursue studies due to lack of money, the organisation said in a media release.

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According to Manpreet Singh, a board member of Sikh Human Development Foundation (SHDF), 539 scholarships were awarded in 2016.

More than 65 per cent of these students are from rural areas of Punjab and more than 74 per cent are female students.

This is the 17th year for SHDF.

"We at SHDF are so very grateful that you have walked with us for all these 16 years on this educational journey for our disadvantaged youth. So far, we have given more than 4,500 scholarships and more than 2,200 of these children have graduated and found good jobs," said Gajinder Singh Ahuja, chairman of SHDF.

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"Higher Education is the best gift we can give to our needy children. This is one way we can put our resources for greater good of humanity and bring dignity in the lives of so many. This is what Sikhism teaches us to do," said Satinder Singh Chadha, an entrepreneur from the UK, who was the chief guest of the event.

He himself announced a donation of US$ 25,000 and made a fervent appeal to the audience to show their generosity and support for the programme.

"The need is much greater and ours is still a very small effort. There are thousands of students who are unable to pursue their dreams due to their difficult family circumstances. A lot more needs to be done and we hope people from all over the world will join us in this endeavour," said Rajwant Singh, outreach director of the foundation. PTI
By PTI: Nadda

New Delhi, Dec 8 (PTI) Union Health Minister J P Nadda today asked people to dissuade the vendors from using newspapers for packing and serving food items, a day after the FSSAI asked authorities concerned of all states to take steps to restrict such practice.

"I request public to dissuade the vendors from using newspapers in packing and serving food & we have also issued an advisory to this effect," Nadda tweeted.

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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked food safety authorities of all states and Union Territories to take steps for restricting the use of newspapers for storing and packaging food items.

FSSAI also asked state authorities to create awareness among food business operators, especially unorganised ones, as well as consumers about harmful effects of using newspapers as packaging material for eatables.

"Commissioners of Food Safety of all States and Union Territories are requested to initiate a systematic campaign for generating awareness amongt all stakeholders to discourage the use of newspaper for packing, serving and storing of food items," the food safety regulatory authority had said in a letter.

It said use of newspapers for wrapping, packing and serving food, a common practice in India, "is a food safety hazards."

"Food contaminated by newspaper ink raise serious health concerns since the ink contains multiple bioactive materials with known negative health effects.

"Printing ink may also contain harmful colours, pigments, binders, additives and preservatives. Besides chemical contaminants, presence of pathogenic microorganisms in used newspapers also pose potential risk to human health," the letter said.

Informing that newspapers should not be used to wrap, cover and serve eatables or to absorb excess oil from fried food, the FSSAI said, "Suitable steps need to be taken to restrict and control the use of newspapers for packing of food material." PTI TDS NSD

--- ENDS ---
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 10

AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal today said if they came to power in the state, they would invite willing NRIs to settle again in Punjab.

Addressing a rally in Adampur, he tried to tap into the NRI base in Doaba saying the party would create a situation in Punjab that would make it conducive for the NRIs to return home. He also highlighted the NRIs contribution in the realisation of the AAPs electoral dreams.

He said the party would continue to extend the dividends of welfare schemes to Dalits and Dalit families would get 400 units of free electricity along with free gas connections. He said AAP would create 25 lakh jobs in the state. The Delhi CM said AAP would pardon farm debts within one-and-a-half to two years of coming to power.

Cong shows black flags

Congress activists led by districts Congress president Rajinder Beri staged a protest with black flags at Skylark Chowk this morning. They remained at the chowk till 1 pm, protesting against Kejriwal before his exit from the Circuit House in Jalandhar.
Chandigarh, December 11, 2016

Waves rise...and fall. The Indira wave made the Congress crest to an absolute majority in the 1972 elections in Punjab. The euphoria that propelled the Congress to power did not last long and by the time the polls were announced in 1977, the imposition of the Emergency had left a very bitter taste in citizens mouth. The voters felt the need to assert their democratic rights. Under the leadership of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, the Akali Dal had led a sustained protest campaign against the Emergency, with 43,000 of its cadre courting arrest till elections were announced. It was the only political party in the country to do so. It was the only political party in the country to do so.

The Janata Party, with the Jana Sangh as one of its constituents, emerged as a powerful grouping and it won the elections. It formed a government at the Centre, with Prime Minister Morarji Desai at its helm in May. Parkash Singh Badal was the Union Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation in this Cabinet.

Part VI Election series : Punjab Assembly Elections  1977

The 10 states, including Punjab, where Congress was in power were then pressurised to hold mid-term polls. The North was still in no mood to forgive or forget the Emergency. In Punjab, the number of seats in the Assembly had increased to 117 following the 1971 census. The Akali Dal strengthened its position by forging an alliance with the Janata Party and the CPI (M), winning handsomely. It won 58 seats, as compared to 24 earlier, whereas the Congress' share came down from 66 to a meagre 17. Parkash Singh Badal was brought back as Chief Minister and he was sworn in on June 20, 1977. Surjit Singh Barnala became Union Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation. The new CM promised to restore the balance of the administrative structure by drastically reducing top-heavy posts.

The Centralisation of power during the Emergency had to be rolled back. The federal principle had to be restated and revisited. In Punjab, the Akali Dal produced became the Anandpur Sahib Resolution, which demanded more autonomy for the state and other things, including Chandigarh. This would contribute to the strain between the coalition partners in Punjab.
Strangely, even though we are at the very end of it, it does not feel like the year is almost over. Perhaps it is because until a few days ago, the weather was pleasant and almost warm and the dreaded fog not in sight. Then, within a quick week, everything changed. The fog is back double-force, the mercury is steadily dipping and the evenings are turning dark and long.

Perforce, one spends more time in front of the television than is healthy but what do you see? The sorry spectacle of our (dis)honourable parliamentarians shouting slogans and holding up the conduct of any business in both Houses of Parliament, unending speculation over the late Jayalalithaas political career and legacy and serpentine queues of people lining up to chase their daily quota of cash. Oddly enough, the people most outraged by the last problem are those who have never stood in a queue in their lives. They never visit a bank or buy their own groceries or vegetables. They call their workers driver or guard, not bothering to accord them the basic courtesy of addressing them by their names. To them, these people are just representatives of the common man or woman, faceless, nameless and unimportant. So when they are the ones who hold forth at the suffering of the common man, you marvel at their hypocrisy.

I find it amusing that we of a certain class (and entitlement) assume loftily that the system should understand that we were born to be superior and should pay homage to our elevated standing in society. The only brush with poverty that such people are likely to have is with the people who work for them and live in their quarters: they are what the late Romesh Thapar once dubbed the baba log. Added to this ancien regime aristocracy are now the parvenus who have made their millions by dubious means. They buy themselves social positions and party tickets to become representatives of the common man. Patrick French was the first to point out how most of our Parliament is composed of those who have a political lineage or mega money. So why are we shocked when they behave like spoilt schoolboys?

In the early sixties, the ration card was introduced to contain the expense on costly food imports. Sugar, rice, kerosene were some of the items that could only be procured through designated ration shops. Naturally, this led to a thriving black market for those who were able to pay the extra price or whose conscience did not balk at the illegality of it all. As children, we were asked to cut down our sugar intake and gur replaced the sugar in the tea that was brewed for the adults. We may have grumbled or made jokes about it, but everyone understood why rationing had been imposed. Our parents belonged to the war generation and had undergone similar self-regulation under the British Raj. Self-denial and doing it for ones country was a sentiment that they understood well.

I am not saying that there is no merit in the arguments put forth by the learned economists and commentators who are bitterly opposed to demonetisation and the goof-ups in its implementation. No reasonable person can entirely agree with the governments handling of the problem of black money. However, to hear Laloo Yadav, Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mamata Banerji -- all of whom have dubious links with people whose fortunes are dependent on the political patronage they receive from these worthies (many of whom have ongoing cases against them and have actually been convicted for holding disproportionate assets) -- thunder against the governments decision weakens their moral position. Each institution, starting from the State to business houses and the media, has a few skeletons rattling in its cupboards. So who can cast the first stone?

At such a troubled time, one wishes for more honesty. Not just in ones daily dealings but in freely speaking out against what is wrong, even if it means speaking out of party line. Privately, many people say something that is counter to what they are forced to say in public. This is true of every political party. However, there are those who cannot get themselves to admit that they admire a man or woman whose ideology is the opposite of theirs. The intolerance of the Left is as dangerous as that of the Right and will one day harm both their causes.

Finally, a celebration and tribute to one of the most amazing women it has been my privilege to know. Mrs BK Nehru (Aunty Fori to her legion admirers) turned 108 on December 5. To many who think Sonia Gandhi is a foreign bahu who adapted herself brilliantly to her new country, it may come as a surprise that Aunty Fori was married into the Nehru clan in 1938. Since then, she has worn the sari with pride, spoken Hindi and Urdu with elan and brought grace and elegance to whatever role she played. She lives by herself in Kasauli in a beautiful cottage she and her husband retired to when they gave up public life and although her eyesight is failing, her brain is as sharp as ever. To Aunty Fori, whom I vote her the woman of the year!
Harish Khare

A few days ago, an extremely unusual thing happened. A prime minister just walked away from his job. This happened early this week in New Zealand where the incumbent, John Key, simply told his countrymen that after eight years of giving everything I could to this job that I cherish, and this country that I love, he was stepping aside  because he wanted to spend more time with his family.

John Keys premiership was not under any kind of challenge. He left entirely of his own volition for a set of reasons which most Indian politicians would have difficulty applauding. Unlike John Key who longed to be closer to his family, we have politicians who make a virtue of their unmarried status and insist that the entire country is their family.

Here in India, no politician thinks of retirement. Once a leader always a leader. Because in India we have  both the leader and the led  subscribed to this conceit that a public role means service and sacrifice and that there can be no expiry date on such virtues. A leader is there to serve till my last breath.

When someone like Ms Mayawati or Akhilesh Yadav becomes chief minister at a comparatively young age, we all count our blessings that the realm has been blessed with a young leader. It takes a long time to realise that it ends up as a life-long infliction.

Perhaps, our problem is that the notion of leadership has come down to control of a political outfit. And since that control is exercised  and asserted  in the name of a community or caste, the leadership claim remains unaffected even if the voters at large reject the party or its leader.

Nor have we in India yet evolved any kind of protocol on how to treat defeated or retired politicians. We just do not know how to leave them alone. Our vindictive politics ensures that a defeated political leader is perforce constrained to stay in the political arena and defend himself. For instance, I am pretty sure that should Mr Sukhbir Badal find himself jobless after the Assembly elections, he would not be left alone to take care of his very vast business empire. His rivals have already promised to put him behind bars.

Nor are many politicians competent enough to undertake any useful work. Except for a handful of lawyers who can again put on their black robes and earn much more, not many politicians  leaders  are deemed fit for any kind of non-political role. I am not sure if any big private organisation would think of employing a retired politician for any useful capacity, except as a lobbyist.

And, now we have a new element: security. Once in power  even those with the most dubious record  are deemed (by a supposedly professional security establishment, which is presumed to protect us from those bad terrorists) to be under some kind of security threat. No one wants to leave the public arena, lest his or her security cover gets withdrawn.

So, we remain stuck with the same set of leaders for decades and decades.

This is a week to talk about Jayalalithaa. Amma was the most intelligent political leader I have ever met. Not intelligent in the sense of being intellectual but as in being politically sharp, shrewd and sensible. Self-assured and self-contained. Anchored internally.

The only extended interaction I had with her was during the hectic days of the confidence vote Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had to face in April, 1999. First, a bit of background. During the 1998 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had hammered out an alliance with Jayas AIADMK and other smaller Dravadian parties. The NDA managed to win 30 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu, a booty that allowed Vajpayee to become Prime Minister. Advani had boasted of a southern strategy. But within nine months, the arrangement came unstuck. Jaya had allowed herself to be induced by Subramanian Swamy to join forces with Sonia Gandhis Congress to cast doubts about the Vajpayee governments majority in the Lok Sabha. President KR Narayanan had no choice but to ask the Prime Minister to prove his numbers in the Lok Sabha.

And then, began a week of unprecedented political conspiracy, manipulation, and intrigue. Excitement was in the air, the situation was changing every hour; so much was at stake and so many powerful interests were at work. It was the week for which every political reporter lives all his life. Ms Jayalalithaa had come to Delhi and parked herself at a five-star hotel. One entire floor was available for her and her security detail.

She had invited me to the hotel for a chat. I had a bit of home advantage over the other reporters: I was working for The Hindu.

When I reached her room, she invited me in and immediately hushed me to silence, saying that Murasoli Maran was about to begin speaking. The Vajpayee governments managers had managed to coerce the DMK into breaking ranks from the United Front and lend support to the government. The DMK numbers, though, were not sufficient to make up for the loss of the AIADMK numbers.

On way to the hotel, I had learnt from a very informed source that the BSPs four votes were in danger of being snared by the NDA managers. When I shared this information with Ms Jayalalithaa, she was rather surprised, and she insisted that I reveal my source. I refused. But she was sufficiently alarmed and  I was to learn later  wanted to take some corrective measures. Those four BSP votes were extremely critical. During that interaction, the AIADMK leader repeatedly asked me as to why Ms Sonia Gandhi was not moving to drum up numbers. I have a feeling that it was during that period that the Tamil Nadu leader got a measure of Ms Gandhi. She never again put her bets on the Congress or Ms Gandhi.

Thank You for Being Late is the arresting title of Thomas L Friedmans latest book. Friedman has been an influential voice for more than two decades and he has readers and followers across the world. In this book, he has tried to help the reader make sense of a world changing at a rapid pace. In the sub-title, he calls it an optimists guide to thriving in the age of accelerations. His argument is that our planet is in the grip of three forces  technology, globalization, and climate change  accelerating at the same time, creating kaos. And, his bottomline is that there are no individual salvations, only collective solutions.

The case for being late is actually a brief meditation on the beneficial calmness that Friedman felt from unplanned for, unscheduled time when one of his interlocutors got late for an appointment with him. Simply, the man understood that he needed to slow down and there was no shame in not being self-importantly preoccupied. This book ought to be a recommended reading for every senior member of the ruling clique in New Delhi  for the simple reason that it is still not too late for them to understand that there is a world out there which is not easily amenable to our whims or fancies or idiosyncrasies. The village idiots world may have its comfort zone but that is about it.

This book should also be read by every aspiring journalist who wants to be a columnist or a blogger. In an engaging preface, Friedman tells the story of an unconventional relationship he struck with an attendant at a parking lot in Washington, DC. The attendant, an educated immigrant from Ethiopia, is a blogger and he challengingly tells Friedman that he too was in the same businessman as the world famous columnist. That gets Friedmans attention.

What follows in the next few pages is an extraordinary self-analysis by the columnist and an introduction to his own craft. It is not just a case of spouting prejudices or abuses; it is a question of making connections and insights behind an opinion.

Essentially, it means making the reader help make sense of a baffling environment. This act of chemistry usually involves mixing three basic ingredients: your own values, priorities, and aspirations; how you think the biggest forces, the worlds biggest gears and pulleys, are shaping events; and what youve learned about people and culture  how they react or dont  when the big forces impact them, argues Friedman. Or, as he simply puts, translating English to English.

That does not mean being late for coffee. Join me.

kaffeeklatsch@tribuneindia.com
Pratibha Chauhan in Shimla

In a state compressed by topographical limits and chafed by political sclerosis, what can the ruling bosses do for reaping a rich political harvest? Invent ways to create two Assemblies; one for the winter, the other for the summer. Himachal Pradesh is the newest case (a comparison with neighbouring J&K would be odious, though). The government has chosen to have two Houses, one is in super-inflated Shimla and the other in Dharamshala, a good 260km from the summer capital. And the cash-strapped government (a debt of Rs 42,000 crore) doesnt mind the cost, so what if only 52 sittings of the Assembly have been held in Dharamshala in the last 11 years. The result, if anything, is that the assembly complex came up in December 2008 at a cost of Rs 11.87 crore. Plus, the government pays for maintaining the complex round-the-year, session or no session.

Says speaker B.B.L. Butail: The entire Dharamshala Assembly complex remains unutilized. It would be worthwhile if the building is put to some good use when the session is not on. But Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has his own version: No cost is too high for fostering emotional integration of various parts of the state.

Dharamshala is the political epicenter of lower Himachal. A separate assembly would have hinted at decentralizing power and bridging the regional divide. In 2005, the Congress regime headed by Virbhadra Singh decided to hold the session in Dharamshala, for the first time outside Shimla. Accused of meting out step-motherly treatment to Kangra, Virbhadra thought it would be a wise political move. The Vidhan Sabha complex at Tapovan on the outskirts of Dharamshala offers a full view of the majestic snow-capped Dhauladhar range.

Fearing political repercussions of reversing the move, the BJP has not thought of doing away with the tradition. Even as top brass of both the Congress and the BJP admit in private that the whole exercise of the entire government paraphernalia moving to Dharamshala barely for five days is actually a very futile exercise, nobody is willing to admit it on record.

As such it would not be wrong to infer that the unofficial status of a winter capital accorded to Dharamshala has not paid off the desired political dividends to either the Congress or BJP. Himachal is primarily divided into Upper and Lower Himachal with Kangra, Hamirpur and Chamba constituting the lower part. The main objective was that since it was inconvenient for people of these areas to travel all the way to Shimla, it would be ideal for the government to move to Dharamshala in the winters.

It was way back in 1994 that Virbhadra Singh as CM introduced a winter sojourn when he along with the entire ministry and government machinery would spend a fortnight travelling in various parts of Kangra, Chamba and Hamirpur to hear the people out and see for himself the progress of development works. In 2004, he went in for a full-fledged Vidhan Sabha.

There is no denying that Kangra remains politically the most significant district of the state having 15 assembly segments, which constitutes close to one fourth of the total strength of the Assembly. Electoral history of Kangra bordering Punjab has it that the people of the district alternate between Congress and BJP in every assembly polls, irrespective of development works or representation in the ministry or the government at large.

An expenditure of over Rs 1 crore is made every year to bear the Dharamshala expenditure. The entire government machinery  the Speakers Office, Chief Ministers office, ministers, MLAs, chief secretary, all senior secretary level bureaucrats and the state media  move to Dharamshala. The cost, including stay of everyone in Circuit House, Government rest houses and in plush hotels is borne by the General Administration (GAD) and works out to nearly Rs 1 crore each year. About 10 permanent staff of the Vidhan Sabha are posted in Dharamshala round the year for maintenance of the complex.

There has been talk of converting the complex into a National Training Centre for e-Vidhan for assemblies of the other states, but there has not been much headway. Himachal is the first state in the country to have e-Vidhan Sabha. It means the proceedings are computerized along with filing of questions by MLAs, their replies and also the tabling of bills.
Bijay Sankar Bora in Guwahati

If you are in Assam, do a double take on your identity. Chances are you may find yourself surrounded by only questions. Why? Because even the Assamese don't know who they are! Call it semantics or a push for a cohesive society, Assam today is back where it all began for them: the 1985 Assam Accord promising to throw out tens of thousands of "illegal Bangladeshis."

Fanning this year's state poll-induced fire is the debate over indigenous people (natives) versus aliens (illegal migrants). This happened after the BJP-led NDA government tabled the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Parliament amending the Citizenship Act, 1955. The objective is to facilitate citizenship to persecuted minority people -- Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Christians and Buddhists -- from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan residing in India for at least six years.

The 1985 accord between the Centre and the agitation leadership basically promised detection and deportation of illegal foreign migrants from Assam and providing constitutional safeguard to 'Assamese people.' All these 31 years were marked by pussyfooting and political pedantry over 'illegal entrants.'

It was coming

There is hardly any surprise in the Modi government move: both during the 2014 general election and the Assembly poll this year, the BJP promised citizenship to these non-Muslim persecuted minorities because of 'humanitarian concern.' This, however, led to serious concerns that a 'burgeoning' population of illegal migrants -- irrespective of religion - would threaten the identity of the indigenous population. Most such fears stem from the possibility that the move might open floodgates for unspecified number of Hindus from Bangladesh to the state for gaining citizenship. Were that to happen, it would then amount to violation of the cut-off date of March 25, 1971, for detection and deportation of illegal migrants as per the provisions of the 1985 accord.

State's senior BJP leader as well as Finance, Health, Education minister Dr Himanta Bishwa Sarma has already said the persecuted Hindu minorities have only India to head for in times of crisis, whereas Muslims have several options. "If Hindus flee from countries where they fear persecution, India has to protect and shelter them. Where else can they go?" Sarma was quoted as saying.

Counter-point

Prominent organizations such as the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), the Asam Sahitya Sabha, the apex Assamese language literary body, question if citizenship can be obtained on the basis of religion. Also, they say, the move would violate the key provisions of the Assam accord and turn the state into a dumping ground for illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Their counter-point has sparked protests, resulting in the government referring the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 to the Joint Select Committee of Parliament to take a call. This could mean more time.

The core issue, meanwhile, has become even more complex because of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. It promises "Constitutional safeguards" for the "Assamese people". The point is who are Assamese  those who claim Assamese language as their mother tongue or those who are indigenous residents of Assam including the tribal population?

The language problem

Those who oppose citizenship to Bengali-speaking Hindus have linked it with the provision of special safeguards to "Assamese people" as per the accord. They say adding more Bengali Hindus would jack up the already sizeable Bengali-speaking population. They cite the census reports to say that there has been a gradual decline in the number of Assamese-speaking people.

Senior BJP leader Ram Madhav, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Himanta Bishwa Sarma recently held a dialogue with a select group of opinion-makers from Assam. They explored whether at least 80 of Assam's 126 Assembly seats could be reserved for the indigenous people. That would virtually fulfill the promise of special safeguards made in the Clause 6 of the Assam accord. The meeting resolved to expand the ambit of the discussion and explore legal options, including the possibility of securing special Constitutional shield like Article 371 for Assam so that political and economic rights of indigenous communities could be protected.
Jupinderjit Singh in Chandigarh

The audacious storming of the Nabha security jail a fortnight back may be the first such strike, but it was not the first time that the gangsters dared the police. The frightening aspect this time was the escape of a proclaimed terrorist, Harminder Singh Mintoo, said to be the chief of the proscribed Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF). Security agencies following the leads are alarmed over the likely linkages of criminals, narcotic smugglers and their trans-border contacts.

It has long been feared that two groups of terrorists from Paksitan who struck at Dinanagar and later Pathankot in the last 15 months, could have reached their destinations with the network of narco smugglers. The escape and quick re-arrest of Mintoo raise these questions again.

An internal note of Punjab Police says: The growing violent and non-violent crimes are the result of increasing gang activity in communities across the state sharing 553 km border with Pakistan. It also shares 67 km of interstate border with troubled J&K. It has always been the persistent endeavour of Pakistan to launch terrorists/arms/explosives/fake currency/drugs in Punjab with a view of breaching the unity and integrity of the state. The organised criminal gangs have indulged in murder, extortion, land grabbing, contract killings and kidnappings for ransom, in addition to other serious crimes such as drugs and arms smuggling.

Mintoo, known as a master of global network of terrorists, their handlers, and Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) landed back in custody within 15 hours of the daring escape. State police sources go back to a 2009 police raid in Sultanpur Lodhhi some weeks after Rashritya Sikh Sangat chief Rulda Singh was murdered in Patiala in July that year. Mintoo had escaped the hideout and spent days hiding in fields before managing to slip abroad. A detailed life-sketch of Mintto revealed that he changed many identities, forged documents and passports, including one of a Jammu resident, and lived a luxurious life in Thailand.

While working on Pakistan's ISI's plans to fan the Khalistan movement, Mintoo fought for space within the terror network as some high-profile terrorists such as Ranjit Singh Neeta were against him. He managed to become the KLF chief. The state police and Central agencies spent over Rs 50 lakh to track and arrest him in Thailand.

A senior state police officer said: Mintoo was practically zero after his arrest from Thailand. Though there is no evidence so far to suggest that the Nabha jail break was planned by terror groups, the fact that Mintoo had received money in the jail from his supporters, local and abroad, is something to be looked at very seriously. The police should have known his friendship with gangsters. Immediately after the jail break state home minister Sukhbir Badal had said he suspected Pakistan's intelligence agencies' role in encouraging such activities.

The police have found some trail of the money reaching Mintoo. Director General of Police Suresh Arora has said that funds were received and calls made to Mintoo's friends through Skyps or other means. That would mean a clear and present danger of criminal-terrorist nexus.

As police of Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh get cracking on catching the other escapee, Amandeep Dhothian, Vicky Gounder, Gurpreet Sekhon and Neeta Deol and track planning and funding, the officials and analysts are worried about another big poser: the timing of the escape, dangerously close to the 2017 Assembly elections.

None other than two of the leading politicians vying for victory in the elections: state Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh and AAP's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal have predicted violence in elections.

So far there are four main theories being discussed on the timing of the escape. One is that the motive was to free Khalistan protagonist Mintoo, who was caught within 15 hours of the escape. Second, the gangsters, inspired by the escape of many of their leaders earlier and none of whom was caught again just wanted to be out of the jail and live the high life. Pinda, the leader of the group that stormed the Nabha Jail had fled the Nabha civil hospital. Four armed men had got him freed from the hospital in April 2016.

The third and most worrying is the timing before the elections, where the gangsters can help some political party covertly. And the fourth, which is agreed upon by most is that the gangsters are up to something big maybe targeting a rival gang.

The theory of the plot being linked to Mintoo's freedom is supported by the revelations about the money he was receiving in the jail. Also, he was in touch with Pak-based handlers through phone calls which he made from the jail. However, the theory falls flat as he was caught within 15 hours of the escape. Officials insist Mintoo was a last-minute inclusion in the plan and only piggybacked the fleeing gangsters. Mintoo surely had revived contacts with ISI agents by using the phones and internet calls of the gangsters. He had been arrested from Thailand after we laboured for five years and spent a huge amount on making our men stay in that country and Malaysia for three months. In contrast, he was caught within 15 hours this time, said a senior police officer. So, is his re-arrest a smoke-screen?
Amarjot Kaur in Chandigarh

This is an age where likes are taken as a yardstick for popularity. So, YouTube videos dedicated to slain sharp shooters and Facebook photos of gangsters posing with 'asla' are swooned over by thousands of smartphone-savvy teenage boys. Even members of student unions in Punjab have not escaped.

Here's an example: The Facebook page of Nabha jailbreak escapee Vicky Gounder is followed by 15,413 people. His arch nemesis, slain gangster Sukha Kahlwan has a fan-following of 12,336 on the website.

There's even a video tribute to the baby-faced Kahlwan, an accused in 40 cases of murder, dacoity and robbery, on YouTube that has elicited 886,000 views since October 25, 2012. Its background score is a remixed Kuldip Manak song on the folklore of glorified dacoit Jiona Mod. The video is a slide show of photos in which Kahlwan poses with guns and his brothers in arms.

Revenge Posts

The online platform is used to announce revenge killings too. When gangster-turned-politician Jaswinder Singh 'Rocky' was shot dead near Parwanoo on April 29 this year, Gounder declared in a Facebook post that the murder of his slain associate Shera Khuban had been avenged. The post got 2,600 likes and 46 shares. The 179 comments on it were a bunch of poorly punctuated Punjabi words of adulation written in English: sirra laa ta, att, nyc, kaim, and end.

That the gangsters hold a considerable clout on Facebook also reflects in what happened after Gounder's post. Four other gangs claimed responsibility for the sensational murder - all on Facebook and with a response in the form of thousands of likes and hundreds of comments. Also, Gounder, Kulpreet, and Gurpreet Sekhon frequently share posts that support Shera Khuban Student Union (named after Gurshahid Singh alias Shera Khuban, a Ferozepur-based gangster who was gunned down by police in 2012).

Nabha network

A day before Gounder fled Nabha prison on November 27, along with now-arrested Khalistani militant Harminder Singh 'Mintoo' and four other gangsters, fellow escapee Gurpreet Singh Sekhon 'Mudki' posted a photo on Facebook with the caption: Kaam aisa Kro K Naam Ho Jaye, warna naam aisa kro K, naam lete hi Kaam Ho Jaye. Jeonde Vasde Raho (Do what earns you fame. Else, become so influential that the job is done at the mention of your name. Live and let live.

It is yet not clear if it was actually posted by Mudki from inside the prison. But, in another reflection of how gangsters are glorified on social media, the photo elicited 1,000 likes.

New culture?

That Punjabi music, movies and folklore have encouraged violence, alcohol, and a culture of guns is no secret. If there have been poems dedicated to Jiona Mod, modern-day artists like Babbu Mann, Jazzy-B, Narvraj Hans, Dilpreet Dhillion, Honey Singh, and Punjaabi superstar Diljeet Dosanjh have hit songs that glorify guns, violence and an ill temper among Punjabi youth.

Most recently, in September last year, a Punjabi film based on the life of slain gangster Rupinder Gandhi, titled 'Rupinder Gandhi The Gangster..?' was released and no sooner than that a student union named Gandhi Group Student Union was formed. Most Punjabi songs and films compliment the gangster culture in Punjab, and male machismo through display of power and weapons. This century-long trend was dated way back to when they started eulogising gangsters like Daku Jagga, Sucha Soorma, and Jiona Mod, Daljit Ami, a former journalist and documentary filmmaker, puts the social-media hype around the gangsters into context .
Dinesh Kumar in Chandigarh

For long, air crashes in the Indian Air Force, which continue to occur with monotonous regularity, has become an accepted norm. For the past decade the Navys warship and submarine fleet is being afflicted with alarming regularity by a malady of mishaps, some of which are among most horrific and unusual in the world. As if loss of high-technology aircraft is not bad enough, mishaps in the Navy involve the loss of considerably more human lives along with very expensive high-technology vessels. This at a time when the countrys multi-dimensional blue water fleet is entrusted with a wide array of challenges, which include preparing for the strategic role of retaliatory missile strikes fitted with nuclear warheads in the event of a nuclear war.

The latest mishap is the sideways toppling of INS Betwa, an indigenously built guided missile frigate, while it was undocking in Mumbai Dockyard on December 5. The 12-and-a-half-year-old warship was undergoing a medium refit since April which was expected to take two years. Described as rarest of the rare and unimaginable, this bizarre incident is probably unprecedented.

Another similarly unprecedented incident was the sinking of a docked submarine (INS Sindhurakshak), also in Mumbai, following a series of explosions in its torpedo section in August 2013.

These two incidents have been embarrassing for the worlds seventh largest Navy: in the last two decades, it has recorded the first-ever resignation (Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi in 2014) and the first-ever sacking (Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat in 1998) of a Service Chief in Indias post-Independent history. Indeed this silent Service, as navies worldwide are known, which also happens to be the smallest of the three Services in India, has been disproportionately loud in making news for the wrong reasons. In the last 11 years, starting from December 2005, the Navys surface, sub surface and air fleet has been involved in close to 70 mishaps and has lost about 40 personnel including male and female officers. In the last five years alone, the Navy has lost four vessels including a submarine. Prior to 2011, it lost a warship each in 2006 and 1990. The Navy has announced that it will endeavour to get INS Betwa, the 3,850-ton warship built at a cost of about Rs 600 crore, sailing again. But this appears a herculean task.

Defence planners have been steeped in a land-centric mindset but have occasionally also been acknowledging that India has a complex maritime environment for which it is important to have a capability-based Navy. Statistically, India comprises a 7,516 km coastline, 1,197 islands across two seas, 1,55,889 sq km of territorial waters, 2.01 million sq km exclusive economic zone, 1.2 million sq km continental shelf, two stations in Antarctica (Maitre and Bharati) and one in the Arctic (Himadri) and conducts 90 percent of trade by volume and 70 percent by value.

Conventional military threats apart, smuggling, piracy and, in recent years, sea-based movement of terrorists, have added to Indias maritime concerns. The menacingly growing Chinese naval presence in the semi-landlocked Indian Ocean and in Indias immediate maritime neighbourhood (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand) is a cause for concern for New Delhi. Also, the all-weather Sino-Pakistan strategic alliance is clearly inimical towards India.

The intense ongoing maritime activity in the Indian Ocean across the worlds third largest ocean (10,000 km in width and 13,000 km in length) needs to be kept under surveillance which requires substantial reconnaissance and anti-submarine capabilities. A highly busy Indian Navy has evolved into a major instrument of diplomacy continually engaged as it is in bilateral and multi-lateral exercises, joint patrolling, port calls, hydro graphic surveys, flag-showing deployments and maritime security on specific requests from some maritime neighbours.

But like the Army and the Air Force, the Indian Navy too is mired in a wide range of shortcomings and challenges, some of which fall outside its domain. Depleting force levels, especially that of the submarine fleet which is down to just 13 diesel-electirc and one nuclear-powered submarine on lease from Russia; the long delays and escalating costs involved in inducting both indigenously built and imported vessels; an over-dependency on imported equipment due to the countrys limited indigenous capability; a sluggish shipbuilding industry; inefficiently managed, congested and heavily silted ports along with inadequate port infrastructure have combined to adversely affect Indias maritime security environment.

Clearly there is need for better coordination and a seriousness of purpose among the 16 different ministries, departments and organisations that are engaged in ocean related matters. The fact that the Navy is smitten with mishaps occurring with alarming regularity reflects poorly on training, competence and the quality of leadership is only adding to the problem which the Navy needs to urgently address. Even more, the government as a whole has to share the bigger responsibility.

dkumar@tribunemail.com
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 10

Chief Minister Harish Rawat felicitated public representatives and other officials on declaration of 51 development blocks in five districts as Open Defecation Free (ODF) areas.

Rawat, while addressing a programme in Dehradun today, said regular monitoring was required for he success of the Swachh Bharat Mission. A provision would also be made in the budget to revive non-functioning toilets.

He said it was a pledge of his government to make the entire state ODF by January 26, 2017. A collective effort was needed for the purpose. He added cleanliness was connected to faith and called for making it part of daily life.

Uttarakhand Potable Water Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani said the state had moved up to the third place from 13th in the nationwide Swachh Bharat Mission list.

Union Joint Secretary Satyavrat Sahu said Uttarakhand has achieved 97 per cent of its target under the Swachh Bharat Mission. The state had done a remarkable job in the past two years, he added.

Swachh Bharat Mission Project Director Ashish Joshi, Additional Director Ashish Shrivastav and Unit coordinator SS Bisht were present at the programme.
The Washington Post in a report said that the CIA has concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help President-elect Donald Trump win the White House.

By Reuters: The CIA has concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help President-elect Donald Trump win the White House, and not just to undermine confidence in the US electoral system, the Washington Post reported on Friday.

Citing US officials briefed on the matter, the Post said intelligence agencies had identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and others, including the chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, to WikiLeaks.

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The officials described the individuals as people known to the intelligence community who were part of a wider Russian operation to boost Trump and reduce Clinton's chances of winning the election.

READ| TIME Person of the Year is Donald Trump, 'President of Divided States of America'

"It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia's goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected," the Post quoted a senior US official as saying. "That's the consensus view."

The Post said the official had been briefed on an intelligence presentation made by the Central Intelligence Agency to key US senators behind closed-doors last week.

The CIA, in what the Post said was a secret assessment, cited a growing body of evidence from multiple sources. Briefers told the senators it was now "quite clear" that electing Trump was Russia's goal, the Post quoted officials as saying on condition of anonymity.

In October, the US government formally accused Russia of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organizations ahead of the November 8 presidential election.

READ| Guatemalans burn Donald Trump effigies to scatter evil spirits

President Barack Obama has said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin about consequences for the attacks. But Russian officials have denied all accusations of interference in the US election.

A CIA spokeswoman said the agency had no comment on the report.

Trump has said he is not convinced Russia was behind the cyber attacks. His transition team issued a statement on "claims of foreign interference in US elections" on Friday but did not directly address the issue.

The hacked emails passed to WikiLeaks were a regular source of embarrassment to the Clinton campaign during the race for the presidency.

The CIA presentation fell short of a formal US assessment by all 17 US intelligence agencies, the Post said. A senior US official said there remained minor disagreements among intelligence officials about the assessment because some questions are unanswered, it said.

READ| Fox guarding henhouse: Trump to pick foe of Obama climate agenda to run EPA

Intelligence agencies did not have specific intelligence showing the Kremlin directed the individuals to pass the hacked emails to WikiLeaks, another senior official told the Post. The actors were "one step" removed from the Russian government rather than government employees, the official said.

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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has said in a television interview that the Russian government was not the source of the emails, the Post said.

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WATCH VIDEO

--- ENDS ---
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 9

The wreath-laying ceremony was held at the war memorial at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) here on Friday. The solemn ceremony is held every term as a precursor to the passing-out parade. The remembrance ceremony is to pay homage to the brave alumni of this prestigious training academy who had laid down their lives in keeping with the highest tradition of sacrifice upholding the honour of the nation.

Lt Gen SK Saini, Commandant, IMA, along with officers and the Academy Under Officer, on behalf of the passing-out course, laid wreaths and offered floral tributes to the gallant martyrs.

The sanctum sanctorum of the War Memorial is a seven and a half feet bronze statue of a Gentleman Cadet saluting with a sword. To the rear of the statue are designed arches on which are etched the names of 832 valiant alumni, who had sacrificed their lives till date. On this formal occasion, 454 cadets passing out tomorrow took the resolve to keep the nations flag flying high.

Sound and light show

The Indian Military Academy (IMA), on the eve of passing-out parade, organised a sound and light show for distinguished guests Lt Gen NPS Hira, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (IS&T), parents and family members of the Gentlemen Cadets of the passing out course here today. The sound and light show took place at the historical Chetwode Drill Square which provided the pristine environment for the conduct of the event. The spectacular show commenced with exhibition of Continuity Drill by the Gentlemen Cadets (GCs). The contingent comprised of 72 participating cadets bidding farewell to the senior colleagues, through activities that included a masterly display of drill movements synchronized with an accompanying band. Following the continuity drill was the spectacular Son-et-Lumiere(sound and light show), a multimedia, audio-visual presentation on the theme Indian Military Academy Through the Ages which took the audience on a nostalgic journey of the Academy from its inception to its present status.

The show combined with the effects of brilliant light and sound mesmerised the gathering.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 9

Chief Minister Harish Rawat today said the state had received just Rs 75 crore out of Rs 160 crore allotted to the state under Scheduled Castes Matric Scholarship Scheme, which was totally a Centrally sponsored scheme.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat, while addressing a press conference in Dehradun today, said the Centre was not providing even the allotted funds to the state. This, despite the fact that the state had provided all previousfund utilisation certificates on time.

Even Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma has acknowledged the fact that Uttarakhand is far better than other states when it comes to providing funds utilisation certificates to the Centre, Rawat claimed.

He said Rs 1,751 crore was demanded under Special Plan Assistance and Food Subsidies but so far the Centre has only released Rs 731 crore to Uttarakhand. Mahesh Sharma, whom he met while in Delhi, had accepted including Lakhamandal and Saattaal in the Mahabharata tourism circuit being developed by the Tourism Ministry, Rawat said.

Referring to demonetisation, the Chief Minister said since November 8, the day demonetisation came into implementation, 108 land purchase transactions above the value of Rs 50 lakh had taken place in the state, out of which 72 transactions were from Dehradun.

We have ordered a probe into all these deals so as to ensure whether these deals were genuine or not, he said.

Rawat also disclosed that there had been a fall of 32 per cent in the registry of properties in the state, which had led to a 35 per cent fall of revenue for the government. Similarly, revenue through mining had decreased by 21 per cent.

The Chief Minister said his government was working to find out some solution to address the demands of guest teachers. Efforts were being undertaken in this direction.

Also, honorarium of Uttarkhand Poorva Sainik Kalyan Nigam Limited had been increased some time ago. None of the Nigam employees would be made to leave job under any circumstances in the near future, he added.
Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, December 9

President Pranab Mukherjee addressed IAS trainees on the conclusion of their foundation course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie today. He asked them to do their duty with utmost sincerity and honesty in the interest of the nation.

The President reached the Jolly Grant airport around 11.20 am where he was welcomed by Governor KK Paul and Chief Minister Harish Rawat. Chief Secretary S. Ramaswamy, Secretary Sailesh Bagoli, DGP Anil Raturi, Commissioner, Garhwal, Vinod Sharma, IGP Sanjay Gunjyal were present on the occasion. Mukherjee boarded a helicopter with Paul to reach the academy.

The President addressed the 397 IAS trainees from various departments, who completed their foundation course. He urged them to do their duty with utmost sincerity, dedication and integrity in the interest of the nation, as the job of an IAS officer was full of responsibilities. The officers should work towards taking the country on the path of development, he said.

He later left for Delhi from the Jolly Grant airport around 3.10 pm. The Governor and the Home Minister gave him a send off at the airport. The security was tight with the police force keeping a vigil at every vantage point in the hill town.

Municipal Council president Manmohan Singh Mall was also present at the Polo ground to welcome the President.
Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 10

A key RSS functionary, Swami Indresh Kumar, and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari led a march here today to highlight the violation of human rights in Tibet by the Chinese regime.

They said China had illegally occupied the country, and pitched for an autonomous rule for them. The occasion was International Human Rights Day.

The event was organised under the aegis of the Bharat Tibet Sahyog Manch of which Kumar is the patron and Ko-shyari president.

Later, the two leaders addressed the participants of the march. Former Home Minister of the Tibetan government in exile, Gyari Dolma, also took part in the programme. They cautioned the Chinese government to stop the suppression and torture of Tibetans.

Kumar said, India will keep supporting the people of the hill country in safeguarding their human rights and also struggle for their independence. The two countries have cultural and historical ties for the past more than 1,000 years. Tibetans have been struggling to get independence from the Chinese occupation. About 150 people have self-immolated themselves to draw the attention of the world community towards the Chinese brutalities.

He cautioned China to desist from expansionism and its policy of promoting violence in neighbouring countries, including India through Maoism and Naxalism. He said India has the capacity to retaliate. India does not have to engage China militarily. During last Diwali, Indians boycotted Chinese goods. This kind of surgical strike on the Chinese economy has the capacity to humble it, Kumar added.

The participation of the two top leaders from the Sangh Parivar and use of strong words against China have raised eye-brows in the national Capital.

Koshyari said China should give Tibetans autonomy until its territorial dispute was settled.
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, December 10

Union Minister for Home Affairs Rajnath Singh today accused Chief Minster Harish Rawat-led Congress government of failure to fully implement the Central government run and aided schemes in the hill state. He addressed a rally at the BD Inter College ground at Bhagwanpur tehsil of the district as part of the Garhwal phase of the Parivartan Yatra.

He said the state government was mired in corruption and was being run by the Chief Ministers family members and close associates. The government had pushed the state back in terms of development and other related index.

Rajnath, while referring to efforts made by the BJP in the formation of Uttarakhand from erstwhile Uttar Pradesh, said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had paved the way for the creation of Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. However, the other two states were performing quite well in various development aspects.

He urged people to vote for the BJP in the next year Assembly elections. He said this time governments in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh would be thrown out by voters. The BJP would get full majority based on mass development works carried out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre.

Rajnath assured people of making Uttarakhand an ideal state. He said Uttarakhand is the land of deities but corruption and misrule by the Congress and its allies had marred its coveted status.

Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said the Chief Minister was promoting his family members and close associates and furthering their interests.

Haridwar city MLA Madan Kaushik said the Congress had realised that it had lost public support as Chief Minister Harish Rawats recent public gatherings in Haridwar witnessed a poor turnout while large gatherings were witnessed in the Parivartan Yatra and roadshows of the party.
Washington, December 10

President-elect Donald Trump has said he would not allow Americans to be replaced by foreign workers, in an apparent reference to cases like that of Disney World and other American companies wherein people hired on H-1B visas, including Indians, displaced US workers.

We will fight to protect every last American life, Trump told thousands of his supporters in Iowa. During the campaign, I also spent time with American workers who were laid off and forced to train the foreign workers brought in to replace them. We wont let this happen anymore, Trump vowed amidst cheers and applause from the audience.

Can you believe that? You get laid off and then they wont give you your severance pay unless you train the people that are replacing you. I mean, thats actually demeaning maybe more than anything else, he said.

Disney World and two outsourcing companies have been slapped with a federal lawsuit by two of its former technology staff, alleging that they conspired to displace American workers with cheaper foreign labour brought to the US on H-1B visas, mostly from India.

Leo Perrero and Dena Moore were among 250 workers laid off from their jobs at Walt Disney World in Orlando in January 2015. They have also dragged two IT companies, HCL Inc and Cognizant Technologies, into this class action lawsuit.  PTI

Rudy Giuliani opts out of Trump administration

New York: New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has told US President-elect Donald Trump that he would not hold a post in the new administration, the transition team said on Friday. Giuliani, one of Trump's most prominent boosters during the campaign, had been touted as a possible Secretary of State or Director of National Intelligence, EFE news reported. The former mayor informed Trump on November 29 that he was removing his name from consideration for a job in the new government set to take office on January 20, the transition team said. IANS
Washington, December 9

The CIA has concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help President-elect Donald Trump win the White House, and not just to undermine confidence in the US electoral system, the Washington Post reported today.

Citing US officials briefed on the matter, the Post said intelligence agencies had identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and others, including the chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, to WikiLeaks.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The officials described the individuals as people known to the intelligence community who were part of a wider Russian operation to boost Trump and reduce Clinton's chances of winning the election.

"It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia's goal here was to favour one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected," the Post quoted a senior US official as saying. "That's the consensus view."

The Post said the official had been briefed on an intelligence presentation made by the Central Intelligence Agency to key US senators behind closed-doors last week.

The CIA, in what the Post said was a secret assessment, cited a growing body of evidence from multiple sources. Briefers told the senators it was now "quite clear" that electing Trump was Russia's goal, the Post quoted officials as saying on condition of anonymity.

In October, the US government formally accused Russia of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organizations ahead of the November 8 presidential election.

President Barack Obama has said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin about consequences for the attacks. But Russian officials have denied all accusations of interference in the US election.

A CIA spokeswoman said the agency had no comment on the report.

Trump has said he is not convinced Russia was behind the cyber attacks. His transition team issued a statement on "claims of foreign interference in U.S. elections" on Friday but did not directly address the issue.

The hacked emails passed to WikiLeaks were a regular source of embarrassment to the Clinton campaign during the race for the presidency.

The CIA presentation fell short of a formal US assessment by all 17 US intelligence agencies, the Post said. A senior US official said there remained minor disagreements among intelligence officials about the assessment because some questions are unanswered, it said.

Intelligence agencies did not have specific intelligence showing the Kremlin directed the individuals to pass the hacked emails to WikiLeaks, another senior official told the Post. The actors were "one step" removed from the Russian government rather than government employees, the official said.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has said in a television interview that the Russian government was not the source of the emails, the Post said.

Obama asks for 'full review' of prez polls cyber attacks

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama has ordered intelligence officials to conduct a full review of "malicious cyber activity" during the 2016 US presidential polls, the White House has said.

"The President, earlier this week, instructed the intelligence community to conduct a full review of the pattern of malicious cyber activity related to our presidential election cycle," White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz told reporters.

Obama has requested this report be completed and submitted to him before the end of his term, he said.

Reuters
Sofia, December 10

At least four people died on Saturday and 23 were injured in a blast when a train transporting gas derailed in the northeastern Bulgarian village of Hitrino, emergency services said.

Around 20 homes were smashed and many of the residents of the village of some 800 people were evacuated, Nikolay Nikolov, the head of fire safety and civil defence at the police said.

Nikolov said firemen were looking for survivors.

The train was carrying 20 tankers of propylene gas and four tankers of propane butane. It derailed at the Hitrino railway station and the trains two last tankers hit a power line, local police spokeswoman Assia Yordannova said.

The blast occurred at 5:37am (local time) at the village, located about 100 kilometres from Varna, Bulgarias main port on the Black Sea.  AFP
Seoul, December 9

South Korean lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on Friday to impeach President Park Geun-hye over an influence-peddling scandal, setting the stage for her to become the countrys first elected leader to be expelled from office in disgrace.

The impeachment motion was carried by a wider-than-expected 234-56 margin in a secret ballot in Parliament, meaning more than 60 of Parks own conservative Saenuri Party members backed removing her. The votes of least 200 members of the 300-seat chamber were needed for the motion to pass.

The Constitutional Court must now decide whether to uphold the motion, a process that could take up to 180 days. I solemnly accept the voice of Parliament and the people and sincerely hope this confusion is soundly resolved, Park said at a meeting with her cabinet, adding that she would comply with the courts proceedings as well as an investigation by a special prosecutor.

Park has resisted demands that she step down immediately. Under the constitution, Parks duties were assumed by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on an interim basis until the court rules.

Cheers had erupted outside the chamber of the domed parliament building when the vote was announced. People held signs saying Victory for the People and New Republic of Korea. Earlier, anti-Park activists scuffled with police as they tried to drive two tractors up to Parliaments main gate.

Prime Minister Hwang, whose post is largely ceremonial, assumed interim presidential powers while the court deliberates.  Reuters

A stunning and swift fall

Park Geun-hye, 64, is accused of colluding with a friend and a former aide, both of whom have been indicted by prosecutors, to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations set up to back her policy initiatives

Park, who is serving a single five-year term that was set to end in February 2018, has denied wrongdoing but apologised for carelessness in her ties with her friend, Choi Soon-sil. If Park leaves office early, an election must be held within 60 days

Once called the Queen of Elections for her ability to pull off wins for her party, Park has been surrounded in the Blue House in recent weeks by millions of South Koreans who have taken to the streets in protest

The poll frontrunners are United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and ex-lawmaker Moon Jae-in, the former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, who lost the 2012 election to Park by 3 percentage points

Over to Constitutional Court
Washington, December

President-elect Donald Trump named fast-food executive Andy Puzder to head the US Department of Labour on Thursday, drawing criticism from labour advocates worried about his opposition to a higher minimum wage and government regulation of the workplace.

Puzder, chief executive of CKE Restaurants Inc, which operates the Carls Jr. and Hardees fast-food chains, has frequently argued in the media that higher minimum wages would hurt workers by forcing restaurants to close.

He has bashed a new Labour Department rule aimed at extending overtime pay to more than 4 million US workers and has praised the benefits of automation in the fast-food industry.

Fast-food workers, who are largely not unionised, are engaged in a multi-year campaign known as the Fight for $15, which is supported by labour unions, to raise minimum wages to $15 an hour. They have had state-wide successes in New York and California and in cities and municipalities such as Seattle. The federal minimum wage is $7.25. Workers in states that have higher minimum wages are entitled to the higher rate, the Labour Department says.

Trump praised Puzder for a record fighting for workers and said he would ensure occupational safety standards. He will save small businesses from the crushing burdens of unnecessary regulations, Trump said.

In the same statement, Puzder, 66, said he agreed with Trump that the right government policies can result in more jobs and better wages for the American worker. The Labour Department regulates wages, safety and discrimination in the workplace.

Business groups welcomed the appointment of Puzder. Robert Cresanti, president of the International Franchise Association, praised him as an exceptional choice who would bring business experience and policy acumen on so many issues impacting employers and employees. Democrats were critical.

In Andrew Puzder, Trump found a labour secretary that would help him roll back the minimum wage, end the overtime rule that will raise wages for millions, weaken safeguards for workers, and to wipe out unions, said American Bridge, a liberal group.  Reuters

Puzders book lays out his job creation theory

Fast-food executive Andrew Puzder (pic) lays out a free-market formula for low regulation and taxes in his book, Job Creation: How It Really Works and Why Government Doesnt Understand It. Following are some of the main points of the 2010 book, written with David Newton
By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today called on Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, and requested them to sanction at the earliest drought and flood relief funds of over Rs 5,000 crore to the state.

Siddaramaiah met the two Union ministers separately. State minister T B Jayachandra and special representative of the Karnataka government in New Delhi, Appaji C S Nada Gouda were also present.

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According to sources, Siddaramaiah updated the Home Minister about the impact of drought and floods on agricultural crops as well as the farming community, and urged him to take action at the earliest to release the central aid.

The Chief Minister had also sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but he failed to get it.

In the meeting with the Union Home Minister, the Chief Minister informed that the state had already submitted a memorandum seeking a central aid of Rs 4,702 crore for drought-hit farmers in the 2016 kharif season and Rs 386 crore to take up relief works in flood-hit areas of the state.

A central team, which visited the state last month to assess the situation, has already submitted the report and based on which the Agriculture Ministry has prepared a note.

In a separate meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister, Siddaramaiah raised concerns about delay in releasing central aid to drought-hit farmers in the state.

According to the sources, the Home Minister is expected to soon call a meeting to decide on the quantum of relief funds to be released to Karnataka from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF).

Karnataka is facing drought for the sixth consecutive year and has declared 110 talukas of 25 districts as drought-hit during the 2016 kharif season.

Siddaramaiah also met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and conveyed birthday wishes to her. PTI LUX SMN DK

--- ENDS ---
In that oft-cited scene from the 1967 movie classic, The Graduate, Mr. McGuire (actor Walter Brooke) tells young Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) what he should do for a career. Just one word, Mr. McGuire says in a hushed tone. Plastics. Theres a great future in plastics. There was, and still is.

Plastics have replaced steel, aluminum and other metals in many consumer products and industrial applications. And plastics might constitute the future of trailers. Some are already used in Europe, and Wabash National is ready to build them here.

Four fleets have committed to join a launch program for companys Cold Chain series refrigerated van trailer. Its made of molded structural composites, and Wabash showed a prototype at the TMC Expo in Nashville early last year.

Werner Enterprises, K&B Transportation, Combined Transport, and Leonards Express will acquire some MSC trailers for testing, Wabash has announced. Three dealers -- Regional International, TEC Equipment and Wicks Truck Trailers -- will help bring the plastic trailers to market.

The reefer van is made out of a proprietary molded structural composite with thermal technology (MSCT), which improves thermal performance by up to 25%, said Brent Yeagy, president and chief operating officer, in a statement. Its up to 20% lighter than metal trailers and has improved puncture and damage resistance.

Also, its MSC floor system promises ratings of up to 24,000 pounds, which is 50% stronger than a standard aluminum floor. And it has no crossmembers.

Refrigerated carriers see the superior performance benefits in our new molded structural composite technology, he said. Many carriers have been very interested in participating in the launch program so they can better understand the value of the performance benefits on their operations.

Were excited to show the progress weve made since we introduced our prototype trailer in February, added Robert Lane, director of business development for Wabash Nationals Commercial Trailer Products. Weve spent the past eight months in R&D undergoing further testing and qualifications and finalizing repair procedures. This reefer is unlike anything on the market today.

Wabash National's MSC reefer trailer will go into initial production in next year's first quarter. Four fleets will test them in everyday service. Photo: Wabash National

The composite is a mixture of fiberglass, carbon fiber and resin, said Larry Adkins, applications engineer for Wabash, who commented for a recent story in HDT. Carbon is for strength. Its used only in areas where strength is needed, and some areas dont have any. Its needed in toward the center of a trailer, which supports the load like a bridge span. Another advantage: Composites are more corrosion resistant (than metals). Chemicals have no effect on the materials.

Molded structural composites are used in aerospace, automotive, marine and commercial construction. Wabash has a group of MSC refrigerated truck bodies now in fleet testing, and claims that this is the first time MSCs are being used in the North American trailer industry.

Production and field testing for the initial launch trailers will begin in the first quarter of 2017, Wabash says. If they perform and hold up to everyday service as the company thinks they will, Mr. McGuire will again turn out to be right about plastics.
COLUMBIA, S.C.  If you thought Donald Trump was the face of Americas anti-establishment movement, hold on to your chapeaus: a wild wind is rising.

Want to know whats more anti-establishment than a president-elect who refuses to play by the rules? How about similarly spirited electors going AWOL and sending someone else to the Oval Office?

Could it happen? Might.

A movement headed by a mostly Democratic group calling itself Hamilton Electors is trying to persuade Republican electors to defect  not to cede the election to Hillary Clinton but to join with Democrats in selecting a compromise candidate, such as Mitt Romney or John Kasich. It wouldnt be that hard to do.

Mathematically, only 37 of Trumps 306 electors are needed to bring his number down to 269, one less than the 270 needed to secure the presidency.

On the Hamilton Electors Facebook page, elector Bret Chiafalo, a Democrat from Washington, explains the purpose of the Electoral College. If you havent previously been a fan of the electoral system, you might become one.

Bottom line: The Founding Fathers didnt fully trust democracy, fearing mob rule, and so created a republic. They correctly worried that a pure democracy could result in the election of a demagogue (ahem), or a charismatic autocrat (ahem), or someone under foreign influence (ditto), hence the rule that a president must have been born in the U.S. We know how seriously Trump takes the latter.

Most important among the founders criteria for a president was that he (or now she) be qualified. Thus, the Electoral College was created as a system that would, if necessary, save the country from an individual such as, frankly, Trump.

It is worth noting that 50 former Republican national security officials and foreign policy experts co-signed a letter saying that Trump would be a dangerous president. Do we simply ignore them?

At least one Republican elector, Christopher Suprun, has decided to pay heed. In an op-ed in the New York Times, Suprun, a paramedic in Texas, outlined all his reasons for not rubber-stamping Trump, saying that he owes a debt not to his party but to his children. He urged others to join him.

This, apparently, they can do, though some states may impose penalties. Hamilton Electors are raising funds to pay any such costs that may accrue.

Alexander Hamilton, suddenly a star both on Broadway and Main Street, wrote that the Electoral College affords a moral certainty that the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications.

Electors would prevent the tumult and disorder that would result from the candidates exploiting talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity. Speaking of Trump. How wise our founders were. And how unwise are we to pay so little attention to their far-keener insights.

It is, perhaps, a sign of these upside-down times that Democrats, usually preferring the popular vote, are suddenly genuflecting to the Electoral College and Republicans, who so often defer to the founders original intent, shift principle so swiftly, presumably in hopes of taking the ultimate escalator ride in the golden palace of King Trump. Tut-tut.

Meanwhile, those on both sides who remain opposed to Trump are dismissed as either sorry losers or as dining on crow and sour grapes. But the stakes are too high  and the evidence of Trumps presidential aptitude deficit too severe  for such trivializing designations. His demonstrated lack of judgment and impulse control should send shivers down the spines of all Americans in consideration of the nuclear arsenal he is poised to have at his fingertips.

Thats not all of it, but its enough. Without consulting advisers or sleeping on it, for which he is not known, Trump can authorize a nuke upon the slightest provocation  or none. All previous presidents have had the same authority, of course, but all have also been experienced statesmen, nary a reality-show celebrity (nor snake-oil salesman) among them.

Trumps friends have told me theyre confident hell solemnly respect the burden of such power, but nothing thus far justifies their faith. After his election win, Trump hasnt much bothered himself with intelligence briefings. He ignored 37 years of diplomatic precedent by chatting with the president of Taiwan, upsetting China. He spoke like an inarticulate ninth-grader with Pakistans prime minister, according to that countrys readout. Trump apparently told the prime minister that hes a terrific guy doing amazing work and that Trump is ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems. Oh, really? Which ones?

Electors are scheduled to meet Dec. 19 in their respective states to cast their final ballots. If there are 37 Republicans among them with the courage to perform their moral duty and protect the nation from a talented but dangerous president-elect, a new history of heroism will have to be written.

Please, be brave.
American Airlines made a profit of nearly $2.4 billion during the first nine months of 2016, with CEO Doug Parker reiterating in that most recent earnings report that the air carrier is investing in its people and its product and is well along the path to once again becoming the greatest airline in the world.

The headlines these days are much different than they were five years ago. Half a decade has passed since American filed for bankruptcy in late 2011, the same year that the air carrier reported nearly $2 billion in losses. At the time there were layoffs, apprehension in Oklahoma over rumors of closing its Tulsa maintenance base and aging infrastructure and equipment that there was no money to fix.

What followed was a successful Chapter 11 restructuring and a merger with US Airways on its way to becoming stronger for customers, employees and investors.

It really is a different place, and I think different for all the good reasons, all the reasons you would want, David Seymour, the companys senior vice president of integrated operations, said in an interview with the Tulsa World. Its an exciting time, and I think when you look down the road theres a huge opportunity.

Seymour made his comments while reflecting on the American Airlines of today versus where the airline was five years ago, specifically in terms of the companys Tulsa presence. Seymour, along with the vice president of base technical operations, Bill Cade, spoke positively about whats to come for the Tulsa base that employs approximately 5,200.

The future of the base is stable, they said, with the company bringing in new types of work along with infrastructure improvements.

The big change would be building a little more certainty into Tulsa, Cade said. If you look at it five years ago, we were viewing Tulsa as a very scaled-down location. Today its very built up.

Very versatile group

Part of that buildup has been putting money into Tulsa that the company had been deferring throughout the years, Cade said.

Recent improvements at the base include the American-funded installation of a closed wastewater treatment tank, $20 million in roof repairs at the Tulsa complex and a retrofit of docking to make it compatible with newer aircraft models in the fleet  the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320.

Additionally, the Vision Tulsa tax renewal package Tulsa County voters passed in April included $27.3 million in funds for airport infrastructure projects, some of which will go to American Airlines for projects like modifying aircraft hangar doors so that taller Airbus and Boeing planes can fit inside.

As for the work itself, operations at Tulsa had long been dominated by the MD-80  a setup that has been cause for concern for many, as more of the three-decades-old McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series aircraft are retired and replaced with more efficient aircraft. About 50 of the MD-80s are still flying, with plans to have all of the aircraft retired by the end of 2017.

As the maintenance work that the team in Tulsa once did on the MD-80 and JT8 engines goes away, work on the new Boeing-737s and their CFM56-7 engines is arriving.

Its not just an MD-80 centric place, Cade said of Tulsa. Its the home of the 737 and other work to come.

But new aircraft and engine models dont require maintenance checks with the same frequency as the old. So the company is filling the gap by bringing work to the maintenance base that hasnt been done there in quite some time, Seymour said.

That includes modification work; additional lines of maintenance operations for what American refers to as B checks, or detailed systems and operations checks; and repairs on damaged 737s.

Rather than doing (the repair) where it happened, we find a way to position the aircraft to go to Tulsa to get it done there, Seymour said. Theyre a very versatile group that can handle those types of things.

Scared us to death

The stability of the Tulsa Maintenance Base is a welcome, if drastic, departure from five years ago when the community felt an uncertainty over Americans future here.

On Nov. 29, 2011, American announced it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. At the time it seemed that the 7,000 jobs the company provided at the maintenance base, as well as all of the indirect positive impacts that Americans presence had on the regions economy, could disappear overnight.

There were also worries about losing institutional knowledge, meaning if American disappeared from Oklahoma as a major employer, the state might not have the strong aviation industry that it has today.

It literally scared us to death, Tulsa Regional Chamber President Mike Neal said. Be it Gov. (Mary) Fallin, be it state legislative leaders, be it (former) Mayor (Dewey) Bartlett, be it Tulsa Regional Chamber leaders, city councilors  all of us were horrified at the thought of losing American Airlines that had called Tulsa home literally for decades and had been the largest employer in our region for years.

Neal said that in talks with area officials American indicated that it would have to cut expenses by closing one of its three maintenance bases. There was a base at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the base that would eventually be the one to close at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth and the one at Tulsa International Airport.

Many of the facilities that the company rents from the City of Tulsa were World War II-era, which were the oldest and in the worst physical condition by far.

Soon after the bankruptcy announcement, Neal said, the chamber hosted a news conference that brought together almost every chamber official in northeast Oklahoma as well as other area officials and business leaders to show support to the thousands of American Airlines employees and their families. They relayed the message that area leaders were going to do everything that they could to support the company through what they imagined to be a complicated bankruptcy process.

Leaders also put together Vision2, an economic development package that included nearly $387 million of improvements at key city-owned industrial sites at the airport being used by American and other companies. Voters ultimately rejected Vision2, with 56 percent opposing the airport industry proposition.

Neal said that although Vision2 was unsuccessful, he believes that marketing and getting the sales tax package on the ballot indicated the communitys goodwill to American and its employees.

Former Oklahoma Secretary of State Chris Benge, whom Fallin appointed as her chief of staff in October, said he believes the fact that the community went the extra mile throughout both the airlines bankruptcy and merger process had an impact on its decision to stay.

You have to show them that theyre wanted, said Benge, a Tulsa chamber official at the time.

And for all the difficulty of that time period, Benge said there was something positive, too.

It was challenging and we certainly were alarmed, but I saw the competitive spirit that we possess in Oklahoma  and Tulsa specifically  kick in, Benge said. The competitive fire kicked in, and it was like Were not going to lose our jobs. Were not going to let this happen. We went out on the field as competitors, and I would like to think we won.
Broken Arrow Public Schools Superintendent Jarod Mendenhall will leave his position at the end of the year with a total payout of nearly $103,100, plus the cost of health insurance, according to his mutual separation agreement obtained Friday by the Tulsa World.

Officials have not said why Mendenhall is ending his term about two and a half years early, and the separation agreement approved by the school board Thursday says he is in good standing with the Board of Education of the District and is and has been in full compliance with all of his contractual obligations to the District.

The document says Mendenhall will leave his position with $86,243.50  the remainder of his annual base salary of $172,487  to be paid out over regular payroll periods through June, as well as lump sums for 22 days of accrued but unused vacation pay totaling $16,828.46 and $11,476.47 for health insurance.

Mendenhall will also be required to give up access to district-owned items in his possession that include a 2015 GMC Yukon and a district iPad, according to the agreement.

Until the separation takes effect Dec. 31, Mendenhall is expected to assist Janet Dunlop, who has been named interim superintendent, to ensure a smooth transition.

Dunlop left the school district to become the deputy superintendent of assessment and accountability at the Oklahoma State Department of Education Nov. 8. She had previously served as the districts associate superintendent of instructional services since 2010.

Dunlops tentative end date at the OSDE is Dec. 23.

The school board approved the separation agreement after an hour-long executive session at a special meeting Thursday evening. Mendenhall did not attend the meeting.

Officials have not said what prompted his separation with the district, and statements prepared by the board and Mendenhall and read by board President Cheryl Kelly at the meeting expressed mutual appreciation for one another.

Mendenhalls employment contract was formerly set to run until June 30, 2019. He has been Broken Arrows superintendent since 2010, prior to which he served as an assistant superintendent for Union Public Schools.

Mendenhall has worked in education since 1991, including 14 years at Union as assistant high school principal, intermediate high school principal and assistant superintendent for support services, according to Tulsa World archives. He served briefly as Broken Arrows executive director for curriculum design and school improvement before he returned to Union in 2004.
One of DeVon Douglass top priorities as Tulsas newly appointed chief resilience officer will be to address the citys racial divide.

Mayor G.T. Bynum appointed Douglass, 28, to lead resiliency efforts as part of the citys partnership with a network of cities across the globe. Established by the Rockefeller Foundation, the 100 Resilient Cities program grants funds to selected cities, including Paris and Athens, to add the chief resilience officer position.

Douglass, who previously served as an economic opportunity and poverty policy analyst for the Oklahoma Policy Institute, will oversee efforts to identify and solve priority areas for the community, with a distinct focus on racial disparities.

In announcing his choice for the role, Bynum lauded Douglass proven ability to bring people together across racial lines in Tulsa as well as her background in policy development.

Douglass recently made a name for herself in Tulsas political scene when she organized and led this summers Tulsa Talks community discussions, which addressed race relations and fears of police violence. She holds bachelors degrees in sociology and political science from Missouri State University and a law degree from the University of Tulsa.

When Tulsa was selected to participate in 100 Resilient Cities about 1 years ago, city officials began the extensive process of collecting feedback from residents to pinpoint the key issues in the community. One of the main issues  and part of why Bynum said he chose to run for mayor  is discrepancies in life expectancy for a child born in north Tulsa versus one born in other parts of the city.

Douglass said perhaps her biggest challenge will be blending the citys regions and eliminating the connotations associated with each one.

We have to get to the point where there should not be a difference in how long you live or the type of school you go to based on your ZIP code, she said. Thats what we want to see. We want to see all Tulsans have the best opportunities to have success. And right now, its not like that.

The city initially appointed Mary Kell, a licensed architect and certified floodplain manager, as chief resilience officer in March, but the program and the appointment was reset as a result of Bynum winning the mayoral election.

In addition to finding solutions in relieving racial tensions, Douglass also will be looking at several other topics brought forth by the community, including mobility and transit, social stability, security and public health.

If we do not have someone like a chief resilience officer who is looking at the strategic plan in more of a social, cultural perspective, those things are going to tear cities down, she said.

Douglass will begin her position Jan. 3. In addition to funding her salary, the program will supply her with personnel and technical support as well as fly her to New York later this month for training alongside fellow chief resilience officers from other cities.
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin Clooney are reportedly getting a divorce. From the time they met in 2013 to their rocky marriage, we look back at the most talked-about moments from the power couple's life.

By India Today Web Desk: George Clooney has had been one of the world's most eligible bachelors for almost half a century. No kidding.

The Ocean's Eleven actor finally got hitched to British-Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin on September 27, two years ago.

Now, according to recent reports, George and Amal Clooney are headed for a bitter, bitter divorce.

In a headline of OK! Magazine, as reported by ACESHOWBIZ.com, Amal and George are headed for "$300 million split".

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ALSO READ: George Clooney and Amal Clooney headed for a divorce?

PHOTOS: George and Amal Clooney at Hail Caesar premiere

The actor and the lawyer had been living separately for quite some time and would reportedly get into arguments over anything, from living arrangement to future plans about the family.

After the high-profile divorce suit filed by Angelina Jolie against husband Brad Pitt, the news of a possible divorce between George and Amal Clooney has sent shockwaves across Hollywood and beyond.

WATCH: Amal Clooney talks EXCLUSIVELY at India Today Conclave 2016

WHEN THEY FIRST MET

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin reportedly met in September 2013 through a mutual friend at a charity fundraising event.

The couple were first clicked together in public having dinner at London. However, Clooney's representative then denied that the two were dating.

PUBLIC APPEARANCES

George and Amal Clooney were seen in February 2014, hand in hand, at the White House screening of The Monuments Man, directed by and starring George himself.

WATCH: Meet the world's smartest lawyer Amal Clooney at India Today Conclave 2016

On March 13, Amal and George took a trip to Seychelles, a beautiful tropical island nation a few miles away from the Southeast African coast. Soon after, the couple visited Tanzania for a safari trip.

ENGAGEMENT

On May 1, Amal was clicked sporting a rather expensive engagement ring. Reportedly costing around $750,000, the ring was a 7-carat, emerald cut diamond placed in a platinum band.

In July, Clooney got into a war of words with Daily Mail. The British newspaper published an article which said that Amal's mother did not approve of Clooney as her daughter's groom because of the differences in religion. Clooney wrote an editorial in response for USA Today stating that the claims by Daily Mail piece were false and that the piece was "fabricated" and "dangerous".

The Daily Mail issued an apology thereafter.

MARRIAGE

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin got married officially on September 27, 2014 at the Ca' Farsetti palace in Italy.

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JEALOUSY ISSUES

On August 22, this year, CELEBDirtyLAUNDRY.com reported that Amal was having problems with George because she was feeling insecure from all the attention George was getting from women, especially supermodel Cindy Crawford who is a close friend of George.

DIVORCE ON THE CARDS

Now, Amal and George are headed for a divorce after what has been, presumably, a rocky marriage in the last few months. Reportedly, Amal wanted children while George did not.

After the divorce, Amal will get a lot of George's fortune in addition to his famous Lake Como villa.

It has also been said that George was getting impatient to move to Britain as he was annoyed by Amal's "taste for the high life" and excessive spending.

WATCH: Locking up dissenters radicalises them, says Amal Clooney at India Today Conclave 2016

--- ENDS ---
No Ukrainian soldiers were killed, but one serviceman was wounded in the anti-terrorist operation area in eastern Ukraine over the last day.

Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Spokesperson for ATO Colonel Andriy Lysenko said this at a press briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

No Ukrainian soldiers were killed, but one serviceman was wounded as a result of combat actions over the past day, Lysenko said.

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Kyiv and Moscow were close to signing an agreement on the "winter package" at yesterdays trilateral meeting in Brussels.

This was stated by European Commission Vice-President for the Energy Union Maros Sefcovic.

"The trilateral format has again proven its usefulness today. Parties were close to conclude today and will now need to discuss the format of the agreement. I was reassured that dialogue will continue," Sefcovic said in a commentary, released by the European Commission.

According to him, "substantial progress on gas sale and purchase has been made, but some work still remains to be done."

In turn, CEO of Naftogaz of Ukraine Andriy Kobolev said that the parties had failed to reach an agreement on signing supplementary agreement to the contract between Naftogaz and Gazprom in the negotiations in Brussels.

The Ukrainian side assured of uninterrupted and reliable transit of Russian gas to Europe regardless of the "winter package".

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The seven-storey building in Nanakramguda area collapsed on Thursday night and it took nearly 36 hours for the rescue workers to clear the debris.

By Indo-Asian News Service: The death toll from a multi-storey under construction building collapse has risen to 11 with rescue workers retrieving six bodies on Friday night, officials said on Saturday.

The rescue work completed in the early hours of Saturday. A woman and a child were pulled out alive from the debris on Friday.

The seven-storey building in Nanakramguda area collapsed on Thursday night and it took nearly 36 hours for the rescue workers to clear the debris.

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All the victims were construction workers and their family members who were sleeping in cellar when the building crumbled.

Nine of those killed were from Vijayanagaram district and one from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. A construction worker from Chhattisgarh was also among the dead.

Those killed have been identified as A.N. Sambaiah, 45, N. Paidamma, 40, N. Gauri, 13, K. Polinaidu, 32, K. Lakshmi, 26, R. Shankar Rao, 18, P. Polinaidu, 35, P. Narayanamma, 28, P. Mohan, 3.

Durga Rao from Srikkaulam and Shiva from Chhattisgarh are the other two victims.

Telangana government has announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia each for the families of the dead.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has been making arrangements to transport the bodies of the victims to their villages.

Rekha, a woman from Chhattisgarh, and her four-year-old son Deepak were pulled out alive from the rubble on Friday. They are undergoing treatment in a private hospital.

Municipal Administration Minister K. T. Rama Rao, who supervised the rescue work, said the police arrested builder Satyanarayana Singh in Kerala.

Police had booked a case of negligence and culpable homicide not amounting to murder against him for constructing the building without permission and in violation of all rules.

The government also suspended a deputy commissioner of GHMC and an assistant town planning officer.

It also constituted a committee headed by IAS officer Navin Mittal to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within 15 days. The panel will also suggest measures to prevent recurrence of similar incidents.

--- ENDS ---
There is no secret that Russian troops operate in Ukraine, so NATO should be ready to repel any aggression.

Polish President Andrzej Duda said this during a visit to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Poland, an Ukrinform correspondent in Poland reports.

"There is no secret that Russian troops operate in Ukraine, and this means the security deterioration. We and NATO should be ready to respond to possible acts of aggression," Duda said, commenting on the information of Polish media about spotting several Russian drones over the territory of Poland this year.

He stressed that Russian annexation of Crimea and ongoing conflict in Luhansk and Donetsk regions testified to the deteriorating security situation in the region.

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Information technologies will help eliminate corruption among Ukrainian officials.

Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Voldodymyr Omelian said this at the official opening of the Anti-Corruption Weekend, 112 TV channel reports.

"I hope that today's event will contribute to emergence of IT products, which would remove officials from procedures and a computer algorithm would eliminate corruption," he said.

As reported, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine requires establishment of the Anti-Corruption Court by the end of 2017.

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President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has congratulated Ukrainians on the International Human Rights Day.

This is reported by the press service of the Head of State.

"Dear compatriots! Today, Ukraine as well as all free world nations marks International Human Rights Day. I wish you, dear compatriots, new achievements for the prosperity of our country, strengthened democracy, and peaceful and successful development of our country!" Poroshenko said.

He noted that human rights were one of the most important social values in Ukraine, and, therefore, the Constitution incorporated the fundamental provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

"The protection of human rights and freedoms is particularly acute amid Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The entire civilized world supports our state in this regard. I am sincerely grateful to our international partners, particularly the European Union, which calls on the Russian Federation to immediately release Ukrainian hostages, who are held in the occupied territories and in Russian prisons," the President stressed.

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By PTI: Jaipur, Dec 10 (PTI) The cabinet reshuffle in Rajasthan is a balancing act on caste and regional lines with Jat, Dalit and tribal communities finding representation in the government.

In her second cabinet reshuffle, Vasundhara Raje today inducted six new ministers, including a Dalit woman MLA, elevated two state ministers to Cabinet rank besides appointing five parliamentary secretaries.

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Ajay Sigh Kilak, who was elevated from state minister to Cabinet rank, and Banshidhar Bajia, a newly-inducted state minister, hail from the Jat community.

Singh, a two-time MLA who represents Degana (Nagaur) constituency, comes from an influential Jat family.

His elevation is seen as a step to check the influence of vocal Independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal in Nagaur who also comes from the Jat community and is known for his differences with the chief minister.

Ajay Singhs father, late Ramraghu Nath Chaudhary had been a two-time MP, three-time MLA and also a Pradhan for three times.

State minister Banshidhar, who is a second time MLA, is the face of the Jat community in Shekhawati region. He represents Khandela constituency in Sikar district.

Cabient minister Baboo Lal Verma, state minister Kamsa Meghwal and Parliamentary Secretary Kailash Verma are the Dalit faces.

Verma, who along with Ajay Singh Kilak, was elevated from the state minister to cabinet rank, has influence over the Dalit community, mainly in Hadauti region, which comprises of Kota and Baran districts and nearby areas.

Kamsa Meghwal is seen as influential among the Dalit community in the Marwar region, which mainly comprises of the Jodhpur division.

31-year old Dalit leader Kailash Verma is a first time MLA who represents Bagru constituency in Jaipur.

To increase the representation of tribals, Dhan Singh Rawat and Sushil Katara were inducted as state ministers, while Bhima Bhai was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary.

Rawat and Katara are tribal leaders from Vagad region, which comprises of Dungarpur, Banswara and nearby areas.

Parliamentary Secretary Om Prakash Hudla, representing Mahwa constituency of Dausa district, is a young leader representing the Meena community. PTI SDA BSA

--- ENDS ---
Cambridge University is bracing itself for a possible two-third drop in admissions of EU students. This comes months after the nation decided to leave the European Union in what has been called Brexit.

Cambridge News reported that the university is expecting "serious repercussions" for Britain's global status as a venue for research. This is because there is a "significant risk" that European lecturers and researchers will no longer choose to work in the U.K. if they are required to apply for visas.

The university is one of several institutions that have warned about "major challenges" to the higher education sector caused by the nation leaving EU. University College London warned that EU withdrawal has created a "heightened reputational risk for UK education as a whole."

In Cambridge University's warning, the institution believes that Brexit will cause a negative impact on higher education and research activities in the U.K. The school is concerned about a "cliff edge" for universities especially in light of the sudden and damaging impact of regulatory and visa changes, as per Times Higher Education's report.

It was noted that about 10 percent of Cambridge undergraduates come from non-U.K. EU countries. Applications from the 27 remaining member states have also fallen by 14 percent this year.

Moreover, this could mean that U.K. institutions will no longer be able to give lower fees for European students than those from outside the EU because of equality laws. This may result to a possible drop in admissions from non-U.K. EU students.

According to The Guardian, Cambridge's latest data for undergraduate admissions in 2017 had already seen a drop in applications from the EU by 17 percent. This is the first concrete evidence of a "Brexit effect" that hits university applications.

The drop comes after the British government has guaranteed access to student loans to EU-based undergraduates until they complete their course. University College of London added that Brexit would cut the income from teaching if the funding will not be addressed properly.

UCL noted that student numbers may see a substantial drop if access to the student loan book is withdrawn. The institution expects that the immediate effects of that particular announcement may be felt by students from eastern Europe.
Former U.S. senator John Glenn has died at 95 years old today. He was the first American to orbit the Earth.

CNBC reported that Ohio State University announced Glenn's death earlier today. He was hospitalized for more than a week ago.

"The Ohio State University community deeply mourns the loss of John Glenn, Ohio's consummate public servant and a true American hero," Michael Drake, Ohio State University president, said. "He leaves an undiminished legacy as one of the great people of our time."

Two years ago, Glenn suffered a stroke after having heart valve replacement surgery. It is unknown why he was brought to the James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State recently.

Drake described John Glenn as a "legendary NASA astronaut" and a "tireless public servant." He was also noted to be a great supporter of The John Glenn College of Public Affairs at the Ohio State University, where he served as an adjunct professor.

The former U.S. senator is best known for being riding the Friendship 7 space capsule that circled the Earth in 1962. His success in orbiting the Earth placed the United States on equal footing with Russia.

He was elected in the Senate in 1974 and was able to serve for more than two decades. He was also a decorated Marine Corps fighter pilot. He fought in World War II and the Korean War.

When he was 77 years old, he returned to space aboard the Discovery shuttle. This feat made him the oldest person to make such a trip.

In Ohio State University's official website, it was revealed that John Glenn donated his personal and Senate papers as well as other artifacts to the school in 1997. It was noted that he chose the institution because he wanted a place that would spark young people's enthusiasm for public service instead of putting the items in a museum focusing on his own accomplishments.

WDTN.com added that Muskingum University paid tribute to the lives of John Glenn and his wife, Annie, on Thursday. The school had used the original recital and songs played by then Annie Castor.
There are a lot of schools that teach Computer Science and Information Technology. However, most rankings focus on research done by students instead of practical coding skills.

According to HackerRank, they decided to create a list of the top schools with the best coders. To check their skills, the publication hosted a major University Rankings Competition.

More than 5,500 students from 126 schools from around the world joined the event. The top three schools that produced the best coders came from the Russian Federation College, ITMO University, China's Sun Yat-sen Memorial Middle School and Ho Chi Minh City University of Science in Vietnam.

University of California-Berkeley came in fourth place overall and is the top institution for the United States. It is followed by the Georgia Institute of Technology in second place.

Chicago Inno reported that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in third place. The school came in 14th place in the overall list.

HackerRank rated universities based on its number of participants and high scores. Their engineering team created a formula that was used to rank each university. It was noted that each university had to have a minimum of 10 participants to gain a place on the leaderboard.

Other schools in the top 10 overall list is Canada's University of Waterloo, St. Petersburg State University from Russia, Ukraine's National Taras Shevchenko University of Kiev, two Indian Institute of Technology schools at Indore and Kanpur, as well as Sweden's KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

Schools that produced the best coders in the U.S. were Ohio State University, University of Texas-Austin, University of Washington, University of California-Irvine, North American University and the University of Southern California. University of California-Los Angeles came in 10th place for the U.S. list and 62nd in the overall list.

Meanwhile, check out the companies with the best internship programs for tech and engineering. Capital One's Technology Development Program got the top spot. The company offers three roles in the program: Software Engineer, Data Engineer and Cyber Security Engineer.
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of design is the aesthetics - something that makes something more beautiful. To the average mind, design is more related to arts and not a means to solve a problem. However, there are many instances already, especially in higher education, where design played a critical role.

In the world of design, one topic that has just emerged is design thinking, a process that designers use to solve complex problems that have not been traditionally considered before as a design problem. Through this kind of methodology, a desirable solution is sought and applied to meet the need of the client bringing them satisfaction. But how does this apply to education?

One of the most common areas where this methodology is applied is to help students understand and effectively interact with their online courses. When applied to higher education, it can greatly impact the education sector in two ways.

First, it can be used as a tool for student's learning. It can be used to hone and enhance the skills leaders and innovators need. Design can foster skills, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, empathy, persistence, and collaboration.

Aside from being a learning tool, it can also be a disruptive force. According to Kate Canales, research professor and Director of Design and Innovation Programs at the Lyle School of Engineering at SMU in Dallas, an industry is ready to be disrupted when it "outgrows its business model, it's no longer appealing to its customer base, and technology has made it irrelevant." She further said that these three things are already happening to higher education.

When higher education is disrupted, it will shift and innovate. It will begin to look at people outside the education sector who will be able to provide value and help it change. This is where design comes in because it provides a framework for learning and problem-solving.

Canales cited an example how she started designing a course in engineering. When she talked to students and faculty of an engineering department, she approached it as a design problem and started to understand the people inside it. As she begins to understand them, she designed a course that fits what they need. That course became the basis of a degree.

There are still a lot of things design can help other parts of higher ed as academics began looking at things using design as a lens.
For many decades, quantum science has argued the validity and reality of vacuum birefringence, an effect where a highly magnetized vacuum acts as a prism for the propagation of light. That's because it was difficult to find evidence that it really exists until a strongly magnetic neutron star called RX J1856.5-3754 came along.

Vacuum birefringence came into the quantum science vocabulary when physicists concluded in 1936 that the effects of these virtual particles in space could really be measurable by twisting its polarization. The simplest comparison how it happens is like how liquid crystals do in LCD displays.

However, finding evidence of its existence is difficult because scientists need a very strong electromagnetic field when they measure it directly. Such electromagnetic force is impossible to create in the laboratory. However, space has its own laboratory in the form of neutron stars, which are born after a big star explodes and dies. When these stars collapse, they leave a small, dense core that continues to collapse. Neutron stars possess a great amount of electromagnetic fields that enhances the effect of vacuum birefringence to measurable levels.

Scientists believe without a doubt that the strong magnetic field of the neutron star polarizes gravity. However, they are very far away from the Earth so the moment their light reach the planet, the polarization is gone.

However, it was different in the case of the neutron star called RX J1856.5-3754 because when scientists from the National Institute of Astrophysics in Milan, Italy, and University of Zielona Gora, Poland led by Roberto Mignani, the light it gives out polarized from somewhere between 11 and 12 percent, high enough to suggest that vacuum birefringence is happening.

George Pavlov from Penn State was quick to dismiss it saying such amount of polarization can still happen without vacuum birefringence. If such is the case, the only way to prove this is to conduct missions that would look at the polarization of X-rays rather than just depending on visible light. This is possible in the next few years since NASA has planned to send three different missions in the future. After such time, we will then really prove if vacuum birefringence is indeed true.
People have always been curious and fascinated where the presidential kids went to college. Here is a list of the present and some of the past presidents' kids college history.

Donald J. Trump

The 45th President of the United States has five children from three marriages. The first four - Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, and Tiffany - have all been to college while Barron is only 10. Both Donald Jr. and Ivanka went to The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics. Ivanka graduated as a cum laude in 2004. Eric, on the other hand, went to Georgetown University with a degree in finance and management with honors. Tiffany is attending at the University of Pennsylvania.

Lyndon B. Johnson

The 36th President has two daughters - Lynda and Luci. Lynda Bird Johnson Robb attended the University of Texas at Austin, Class of 1966. Luci Baines Johnson, on the other hand, attended Georgetown University College of Nursing & Health Studies. In 1966, she got married which became the cause of her dismissal from the university because the school prohibits married students.

Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the USA, has also two daughters Patricia and Julie. Tricia Nixon Cox attended Boston College and got her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English in 1968. Julie Nixon Eisenhower, on the other hand, graduated from Smith College in 1970. Then, she got her Master in Education in 1972 from The Catholic University of America.

John F. Kennedy

Caroline Kennedy went to Radcliffe College at Harvard University and got her Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1980. In 1988, she received a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School graduating as part of the top ten percent of her class.

The late John F. Kennedy, Jr. went to Brown University where he majored in American Studies. He also got a law degree from the NYU School of Law in 1989

Bill Clinton

Bill and Hillary Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, is an academic in every sense of the word. She graduated from Stanford University majoring in history in 2001. Then, she went to University College of the University of Oxford and got her Master of Philosophy in 2003. She also went to Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health and got her Masters in Public Health in 2010. Finally, she got her doctorate in International Relations from the University of Oxford in 2014.

George W. Bush

Barbara Pierce Bush went to Yale University and graduated in 2004. Her twin sister, Jenna Bush Hager, went to the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English. She graduated in 2004.
The Philippines' Commission on Higher Education is now in consideration of making drug testing mandatory for incoming college students. This comes in the midst of President Rodrigo Duterte's war against drugs in the country.

Local source GMA News reported that Julito Vitriolo, the executive director of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), has confirmed the government's plan. Apparently, this is part of the president's efforts to fight illegal drugs.

"This was born out of the President's call to make campuses drug-free, because we see the pervasive effects of drug use," Vitriolo said. "What's important is for students not to use drugs. It will be a deterrent if they want to continue their studies."

He added that incoming college students who test positive for drugs can enroll in a rehabilitation program before pursuing higher education. Currently, drug testing is voluntary for admission to university.

Monico Jacobs supported the government's plans, saying that "the drug menace is real. He is the president of STI Education Systems Holdings Inc. STI has been requiring incoming students to undergo mandatory drug testing for five years now.

According to Rappler, members of the private education sector are uncertain about CHED's proposal. The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) expressed worry over the plight of students who will test positive for illegal drugs.

The group acknowledged the preventive measure set by the government. However, they emphasized that the government, in its fight against illegal drugs, should focus on the pushers not on victims.

The proposal was initially announced last Aug. 31. It was developed by the inter-agency committee for drug-testing. The organization is part of the Cabinet Assistance System.

There has not been any ruling yet for mandatory drug testing for incoming college students. Vitriolo has previously stated that CHED will ask for legal opinion from the Department of Justice after the policy has been crafted.
The federal government has brought about several big demands on the $1.1 billion University of Phoenix sale. This comes after there were growing concerns among investors on whether the sale will be pushed through or not.

It was previously reported that investors were "getting jittery" while waiting on the Department of Education to approve the proposed sale of the Apollo Education Group to another group of three private equity firms. The group is the owner of the University of Phoenix.

Back in February, The Apollo Education Group announced the $1.14 billion deal, which will make the nation's largest university private. Last May, it was noted that shareholders have approved the merger agreement.

It is expected that the deal will be closed by the end of this year. Shareholders have agreed to receive $10 cash per share.

According to Bloomberg, the Apollo Education Group won preliminary approval from the government on Wednesday for a group of Wall Street investors to complete the University of Phoenix sale. The conditions of the approval, though, may hinder the final steps of the purchase.

The publication described the conditions of the approval as very "exacting" that it could see investors walking away from the agreement without legal issues. Prospective owners of the institution would need to meet the demands in order for the school to continue receiving student aid funding from the federal government.

One condition required the soon-to-be owners of the University of Phoenix to come up with a $385.6 million letter of credit. Another was that they are not allowed to expand the school's enrollment.

Market Watch noted that, once the University of Phoenix sale has been completed, the owners would also need to submit the schools to "rigorous financial monitoring." Student rosters are also required to be submitted monthly in order for the Department of Education to be able to monitor enrollment.

"If investors were betting that the Education Department would rubber-stamp this deal, they bet wrong," Rohit Chopra, the former student loan ombudsman at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, told the publication.
By PTI: From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Dec 9 (PTI) A new provision prioritising defence ties with India in a US federal legislation, which deals with the budget and expenditures of the Department of Defence, would boost defence trade and strategic ties with India, American lawmakers and industry representatives said.

The India provision in the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2017 directs US Defence Department and Department of State to prioritise defence cooperation with India.

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"The robust language in this years NDAA recognises Indias importance and will allow us to maintain this momentum and reach the full potential of this increasingly dynamic relationship in support of global peace and prosperity," said Senator Mark Warner, co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus.

Passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, NDAA 2017 now heads to the White House for President Barack Obama for his approval.

Section 1292 of NDAA - Enhancing Defence and Security Cooperation with India - directs the US Defence Department and Department of State to prioritise defence cooperation with India through a series of policies and organisational actions.

Marc Allen, president of Boeing International said the company is grateful for the governments broad-based support of the NDAA 2017. "Bilateral cooperation to enhance regional security and the role of US industry in that effort serves the interests of both countries," he said in a statement.

Congressman George Holding, co-Chair of the House India Caucus, said the language in the NDAA will help promote greater military-to-military cooperation and increase opportunities for defence trade between the two nations.

"I look forward to working in the coming year on additional measures with my colleagues to further strengthen our strategic partnership with India," Holding said.

Observing that the strategic and commercial imperatives for expanding US defence cooperation with India are profound, Mukesh Aghi, president of US-India Business Council, said through this legislation Congress sends clear directions about the way forward, which link US bureaucratic and regulatory changes to national security and commercial objectives. (MORE) PTI LKJ ABH

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According to the school's official website, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has picked Apple CEO Tim Cook to lead next year's commencement proceedings.

On June 9, 2017, Tim Cook is attending MIT's commencement rites as he champions equality and the environment. The American CEO first started in Apple back in 1998. He was the senior vice president for world wide operations. He then moved up the company as the Executive Vice President for world wide sales and operations. In 2011, he was voted as the company's Chief Executive Officer under its founder, Steve Jobs. During his time as CEO, he has championed political reformation of surveillance and Cyber security and environmental preservation.

Born in Mobile, Alabama, Tim Cook grew up from humble beginnings. He took his high school education at Robersdale High School. He then attended Auburn University in 1982. From there, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree and then moved on to Duke University's Fuqua School of Business to receive his Master of Business Administration in 1988.

Tim Cook's leadership strategy revolves around three key areas. These are people, strategy and execution. According to Cook, if anyone gets those three right, the world can become a great place.

Now, he serves as CEO to one of the world's biggest companies. According to WTOP, L. Rafel Reif, MIT's President, has picked Tim Cook because of his brilliance as a business leader and his drive when it comes to advocacy and important issues. He is a prime example of a leader with a profile that resonates with its students and future graduates.

According to reports, Tim Cook would be proud to receive any MIT graduates join Apple in Cupertino, California. He also looks forward to giving his commencement address to the soon-to-be MIT graduates of 2017. Last year, Matt Damon, the actor known for his role in "Jason Bourne" was the 2016 Commencement speaker at the school.
Following an incident that happened in Ohio State University less than two weeks ago, lawmakers in Ohio on Friday approved a bill that allows licensed gun owners to carry concealed weapons on college campuses, news reports say.

The bill, which garnered massive support from state senators (22-8)and representatives (68-25), is now awaiting Governor John Kasich's signature, Reuters reported. If signed into law, the board of trustees at Ohio's public universities might allow concealed carry into all campuses.

The bill also removed a ban on carrying concealed weapons in public places such as daycare centers, airports, and private aircraft, Fox News reported. The bill, however, doesn't mean that all weapons will be always allowed carry; operators of such public places can still ban carrying weapons in premises.

The House of Representative also removed certain provisions from the bill late on Thursday. These provisions would have allowed licensed gun owners to carry concealed firearms into government buildings such as city halls and public libraries.

Law enforcement groups had mixed reactions to the bill. The Buckeye State Sheriffs' Association supported its passing, while the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association opposed it. Supporters say that it might prevent mass shootings and similar attacks from happening while critics say it might endanger the lives of students.

Columbus democratic state senator Charleta Tavares, who voted against the bill, said law enforcers "are going to deal with the real life consequences of the passing of this bill."

Columbus republican state Senator Bill Coley, on the other hand, said "There is no statistical evidence that this is not more safe" in response to Tavares' claim.

The bill was passed less than two weeks after 18-year-old Somali-born student Abdul Razak Ali Artan plowed into a crowd of students with a car inside the Ohio State University campus. He quickly jumped out of the car and stabbed 11 students with a knife. He was shot dead by a police officer.

Currently, there are ten states in the U.S. that allow the carrying of concealed weapons in campuses, according to Armed Campuses, a project of The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus.
Getting a college education is a real challenge to many who cannot afford to pay for tuition and other education-related expenses. But according to a new report, the challenge is even greater for a large percentage of students.

It's because they struggle to meet their basic needs such as food and housing.

"The findings are just common sense, if you are more concerned about where your next meal is or where you can lay your head at night than classroom success, it will impact your grades," J. Luke Wood, director of the Community College Equity Assessment Lab (CCEAL) and co-author of the report, said in a press release. "When faced with the real threat of hunger or homelessness their focus is survival before success."

The report, "Struggling to survive: Striving to succeed: Food and housing insecurities in the community college," says that about one-third of community college students are faced with the threat of homelessness and housing insecurity. It also says that 12 percent of community college students face hunger.

The report says that the majority of students who face these problems are in developmental education, or remedial classes, in math. The report says that of the students in developmental math, about 74% face threats in housing, while 71% face food insecurity.

The report also found that nearly half of all Black college students face housing instabilities, and nearly one-fourth face hunger problems.

One such student is Brittany Jones, a homeless college student at Laney College in Oakland. According to KQED, Jones keeps in her personal belongings in a storage unit in West Oakland; spends several hours per day on a BART train to get around or get rest; relies on state grants to help her get by; and at times gets a good night's sleep when a friend invites her to a sleepover.

"These students face added challenges and have goals of transferring or earning a degree that may seem even more distant to them than for other students," Nexi Delgado, CCEAL researcher and report co-author, said.
By PTI: Widodo said he would welcome an initiative to work jointly

Widodo said he would welcome an initiative to work jointly to promote indigenous spices, such as cloves and pepper from the two countries, on the global markets.

"I believe its important for countries like ours to market themselves to the global community. The best way to do this is to develop and highlight indigenous local products, such as spices," he said.

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Widodo said he would also like to see more Indian tourists visiting Indonesia.

"We have many tourist destinations including Labuhan Bajo (Komodo islands), Raja Ampat in Papua and Jogjakarta and Solo in Java," he said.

The Indonesian President also highlighted many similarities between India and Indonesia.

"We are also large, diverse countries which are democracies," he said.

Talking about raising the representation of developing countries in international forums like the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations, Widodo said, "Indonesia wishes to be an active and constructive member in international forums."

"We definitely feel that the voices of developing countries should be heard more on the world stage," he said.

Widodo, while responding to Vice President Hamid Ansaris call for Indonesia to work with India to bring more equity into the international order through forums like WTO and the UN, said, "We are willing to work with India to help bring this about."

Asked about further business liberalisation under the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement, the President said," the respective countries must be prepared in order to fully benefit from such agreements."

"Indonesia is seeking to cut red tape and ensure that our local businesses are more competitive," he said.

"There will be greater acceptance and support for such (multi-country trade) agreements if this can be achieved across the board," he said.

Indonesia enjoys trade surplus with India, though the volume has been small and declining, according to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The January-June 2016 bilateral trade was USD 5.9 billion, down 26.37 per cent on the year.

Indonesia exported USD 4.57 billion worth of goods, including coal, palm oil, natural rubber, copper and ores among others.

Imports from India were at USD 1.33 billion, a surplus of USD 3.246 billion in Indonesias favour.

In 2015, bilateral trade was USD 14.45 billion. PTI GS ASK AKJ ASK

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Chennai, Dec 10 (PTI): The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association has heaped encomiums on late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaam, saying her government has helped the State emerge as a leading manufacturing hub. "Her charisma and unique leadership not only helped the state to excel on socio-economic front, but also emerge as a leading automotive manufacturing hub", ACMA President, Rattan Kapur said. "In her passing away, we have lost a true friend of the industry", he said. ACMA is the apex body of the auto-component industry. PTI VIJ APR APR

--- ENDS ---

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World War II veterans, Pearl Harbor survivors, service members, and family members gathered at Hospital Point on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to honor and commemorate the Nevada-class battleship USS Nevada (BB 36) Dec. 8.

Pictured: USS Nevada survivor Geb Galle speaks with U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. William R. Burks, Adjutant General for the State of Nevada, before a commemoration ceremony at the USS Nevada Memorial on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jared E. Walker/Released).

During the ceremony, retired Adm. Samuel Cox, director of Navy History and Heritage Command, spoke about the history of Nevada and the tribulation its crew endured 75 years ago.

The Navy today says that our core values are honor, courage, and commitment, said Cox. We stress core attributes like integrity, initiative, and toughness. Well, 75 years ago, yesterday, the crew of the Nevada showed the Navy and the world the true meaning of what those words really mean.

A torpedo hit Nevada, the eldest battleship in Pearl Harbor, on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941. The damage inflicted allowed a considerable amount of water into the ship, and with the ships commander and executive officer ashore, it was up to the junior officers and crew to take charge and get Nevada moving.

The damaged Nevada got underway at 0840 and steamed down the channel toward the shipyard. While in transit, the battleship became a target for the second wave of enemy dive-bombers, which hit her repeatedly, causing more leaks in the hull. This started gasoline fires and other blazes to her superstructure and mid-ship area. It was then that Nevada ran aground off Hospital Point.

Seventy-six Sailors and Marines lost their lives due to the wounds that they sustained as a result of the attack, said Cmdr. Tom Gorey, chief staff officer of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Today we honor those service members and their sacrifice.

It was through the initiative, toughness, and resilience of the Nevada crew and other ships in the area that helped make the initial Japanese attack unsuccessful.

When you consider that the general quarters alarm went off at 0801, the machine gun anti-aircraft battery was firing by 0802, and by 0803, the 5-inch batteries were firing on the Japanese, said Cox. Thats actually an incredible, astonishing, rapid reaction to what was going on in the battle. In fact, Adm. Nagumo, who was the commander of the Japanese task force that struck Pearl Harbor, in his post-attack report, stated after the first five minutes, the intensity of the anti-aircraft fire from the U.S. ships was so great that it practically negated the effect of surprise.

Among those in attendance was Geb Galle, a Machinists Mate 1st Class serving aboard Nevada during the attack.

You can carry your hatred all of your life, said Galle. You have to remember, they had a leader who led them astray. Were at peace now and I feel comfortable. I have no qualm. Were all good people.

Since the attack 75 years ago, the U.S. and Japan have endured more than 70 years of peace, a partnership that has become a foundation of security and prosperity in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

The ceremony included a reading of the names of USS Nevada Sailors killed in action; a song presentation by Don Eudaly, son of a World War II veteran; and a Nevada Centennial plaque presentation.

I would like to offer up my personal thanks to the crew of the Nevadafor what you did, said Cox. It saved our country, it saved our way of life, and theres no way we could give you enough thanks. The example that was set by the crew of the Nevada inspires the Navy and the Sailors of our generation and its my mission to make sure that it keeps inspiring Sailors for as long as there is a United States Navy.
Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, chairman of the 2017 APEC Senior Officials Meetings (left), and Chairman of Ha Noi Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) dialogue with businesses in Ha Noi on December 8. - VNS Photo

The dialogue, an initiative of Viet Nam as the host of APEC activities in 2017, drew some 400 delegates from international and regional organisations, commerce chambers, associations and businesses from APEC economies.

Alan Bollard, executive director of the APEC Secretariat, and Antonio Basilio, director of the APEC Business Advisory Councils International Secretariat, were among the keynote speakers.

Opening the dialogue, Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, chairman of the 2017 APEC Senior Officials Meetings, said Viet Nam wants to turn APEC into a forum for the sake of people and businesses. Diverse activities involving enterprises will take place throughout 2017.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Ha Noi Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung highlighted the Vietnamese capital citys reform and integration efforts and reiterated commitments to revamping local business climate change towards a big hub in Asia-Pacific.

He highly valued the APEC dialogues cooperation focus on business facilitation, trade liberalisation and technical economic investment and cooperation, adding that Ha Noi expects APEC 2017 will effectively implement the prioritised orientations on sustainable and inclusive growth, creativity and regional economic connectivity to improve small and medium enterprises competitiveness and ensure food security and sustainable agriculture.

He stated that Ha Noi welcomes and will always create a favourable environment for business cooperation for mutual development. It hopes more and more APEC partners will consider this city a trustworthy destination for cooperation and investment.

At the dialogue, entrepreneurs appreciated APECs efforts to promote trade and investment liberalisation and build an open and transparent business and investment environment. They also voiced their wish to join in and practically contribute to APECs cooperation in 2017.
The decree will make sure less buyers get their fingers burnt

Among the big projects to be launched is An Khanh New City Developments sale of its first phase this quarter. The mega $2 billion project is developed by South Koreas Posco E&C and Vietnams Vinaconex, located in Hanois Hoai Duc district, along the Thang Long Boulevard.

Scheduled for completion in 2013, the city is expected to supply 6,440 apartments, equivalent to 392,319 square metres of accommodation, enough for 30,000 people.

Even though Hoa Phat Group, the investor in a more than 1,000 apartment Mandarin Garden in Cau Giay districts Tran Duy Hung road, refused to release its launching time, real estate experts predicted the project would be soon launched.

At the beginning of this month the CT7D, located in Le Van Luong street and invested by Nam Cuong Group and the FLC Landmark Tower of FLC Group will also be launched, with a total of 200 units and prices ranging from VND23 million ($1,200) to VND28 million ($1,470) per square metre.

In Gia Lam district, over the Red River, the second lot of Rung Co Residentials belonging to the Eco Park is also being launched, with around 1,500 apartment units.

In addition, Victoria Van Phu, Star City, Diamond Tower and Song Da City View will also add apartments to the mix.

Real estate consultant CBRE Vietnam expected that there would be 3,000 units in Hanoi launched this quarter, compared to 1,950 units in the third quarter. There were more than 4,600 units launched in the second quarter.

This decline, according to CBRE Vietnam, could be due to the Decree 71, effective on August 8, 2010 providing guidance on the Housing Law, which caps the proportion of units sold via capital contribution contracts at 20 per cent with the remaining 80 per cent sold on transaction floors.

This decree, CBRE Vietnam said, had put a pressure on developers with low financial capabilities and enhanced market transparency.

However, CBRE Vietnam executive director Richard Leech said new project launches would continue trending towards more affordable options.

With the opening and improvement of major infrastructure routes, the capitals western and southern districts are attracting new residents with easier access for commuting into the core urban districts, Leech said.

He said that the Decree 71 was expected to benefit the market by enhancing transparency, placing pressures on developers with low financial capabilities, lessening the threat of price bubbles and limiting speculative forces.

Tran Nhu Trung, Savills Vietnam associate director, said the Decree 71 had showed off its advantages to clearly regulate five types of mobilising capital investment. However, Trung said the procedures to implement Decree 71 were still complicated and wasted customers time and energy.

The more simple it [decree] regulates, the more it is practical in the real life, Trung said.
Filled with multiple amazing activities dedicated to the dearest clients during two days and one night, the event impressively engaged its audience, making them become one essential part of the special occasion that perfectly combined Ao Dai charm, Ninh Binh scenic beauty, and northern Vietnams authentic cuisine.

100 beautiful Ao Dai by Vietnamese designers to choose from

Amazing Van Long brought to the table 100 beautiful Ao Dai by well-known talented Vietnamese designers such as Trinh Fashion, Peony, Ao Dai Ngoc Han, Myana and Yen Phi.

Participants are entitled to selecting their most favourite Ao Dai as the party costume, trying on as many Ao Dai as they wish and posing at the gorgeous 3D backdrop of one boat full of flowers floating on Van Long Natural Reserve.

Ao Dai Contest that allows all attendees the chance to shine

The events most fascinating session is the Ao Dai contest for female clients of Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh, following the Ao Dai show of two well-known Vietnamese designers, Trinh Bich Thuy and Thuy Phung.

Experience Vietnamese cuisine on a boat trip discovering Van Long Natural Reserve

Another event highlight is the boat trip discovering Van Long Natural Reserve, which is just a stones throw away from Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh.

Whats unique about this trip is, guests were served with Vietnamese fresh and spring rolls on the boat, accelerating the fun to encounter the storks flying in the blue sky and the rarely seen silver langur.

No matter how many times you have visited Van Long before, you will be astonished at this brand new set-up for the tour.

Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh

Van Long Nature Reserve, Gia Van commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam

Tel: +84 43 935 2502 ; Email: emgsales@emeraldagroup.com

Website: emeraldaresort.com
The report, published in Vietnam Law newspaper on December 2, quotes the World Health Organisation (WHO), which has listed Vietnam among the countries with the highest antibiotic-resistant infections. The newspaper states that antibiotics can be purchased easily over the counter at pharmacies across the nation without the legally required prescription, which has led to antibiotic resistance among the populace.

Drug resistance also means that patients will have to spend more money on new drugs for treatment, the newspaper said.



The prime minister has asked the ministry check the information and report to him before December 15.



By 2050, resistance to antibiotics could lead to the deaths of ten million people a year globally, according to WHO.
South Korea's Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn makes an announcement at the government complex in Seoul on November 3, 2015. (Photo: AFP/Jung Yeon-Je)

It's a role that Hwang can never have imagined for himself when he was appointed prime minister by President Park Geun-hye in May last year.

In a country where nearly all political power lies in the hands of the executive, the prime minister is a largely ceremonial figure who, more often than not, is the first head to roll in the event of a political crisis.

In Hwang's case, however, the tables were turned and it was his boss who got the push after lawmakers voted to impeach Park over a snowballing corruption scandal.

The move stripped Park of her substantial powers and transferred them to Hwang, making him acting president of Asia's fourth largest economy until such time as the Constitutional Court rules on the validity of Park's ouster - a process that could take up to six months.

DAUNTING TASK

It's a daunting task for the 59-year-old, with the country still reeling from the political crisis that led to Park's impeachment, and troubles-a-plenty on the economic and national security front.

South Korea is suffering from an extended slowdown in economic growth and feels increasingly menaced by North Korea's push for nuclear statehood - two issues affected by the ongoing presidential transition in key ally the United States.

In an effort to reassure the country, Hwang made a televised address shortly after Park's impeachment, pledging to keep a firm hand on the economic tiller and protect against any provocation by Pyongyang.

"At such a critical time ... I will make the utmost efforts to fulfil my obligations as acting president and to maintain stability," Hwang said. "More than anything else, I will maintain solid national security," he said, with a particular reference to the North Korean nuclear threat.

With just over a month to go to the inauguration of US president-elect Donald Trump, he vowed to cement ties with the new administration of a country that maintains a permanent military presence of nearly 30,000 troops in South Korea.

"Dear South Koreans, the whole world is watching us ... please rally your support to overcome the challenges we face at home and abroad," he added.

STERN PERSONA

Hwang's unsmiling, stern public persona has never made him a particularly popular public figure.

As a prosecutor he specialised in enforcing the South's national security laws, with a special focus on those suspected of being North Korean sympathisers.

His activities, which continued when Park appointed him justice minister, made him a target of criticism among rights activists and opposition parties.

He was so unpopular among liberal lawmakers that many had questioned whether impeaching Park was a good idea given that Hwang would take on the mantle of state power.

But Choo Mi-ae, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party and previously a vocal critic of Hwang, said on Friday that Hwang deserved time to prove himself.

"It is important for us to minimise political chaos at a time like this," Choo said. "I hope that Hwang will be able to properly read the public mood, including the longing for reform," she added.
Tek Experts founder Yaniv Natan

Are there any particular reasons for Tek Experts to operate its new headquarters in Hanoi?

With offices and employees worldwide, Tek Experts provides industry-leading software support, application development, training and education, sales support, customer care, and software solutions across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. We started our business in Vietnam four years ago, and we have since grown from a small team of only 20 to an operation that employs more than 250, and this is just the start of our journey. We have ambitious plans to grow the size of our Vietnamese operation to more than 1,000 employees in the next two or three years. We believe Hanoi is perfectly placed to help us better serve Tek Experts customers in Southeast Asia and internationally.

The new office, located at Lotte Centre Hanoi, is part of Tek Experts' plan to launch Vietnam as one of its strategic markets on the world map. We have invested heavily in our new site in Hanoi to become a world-class office space, which will provide our employees with one of the best places to work.

We have plans to grow and expand across the world, and now, we are able to offer exciting opportunities to people in Hanoi looking to pursue a rewarding career in the IT industry. We are excited to become an employer of choice in Vietnam.

How important is the Vietnamese market to Tek Experts?

Vietnam is the second biggest Tek Experts operation around the world, after Costa Rica, in terms of the number of employees. Currently, we have six global sites, in Vietnam, Costa Rica, the US, Malta, Bulgaria, and China.

In Vietnam, we really appreciate the diligence of local employees and it is also easy for us to find good IT talent. Our motto is to give employees a career and not just a job, so we provide them with continuous training and invest in developing their skills for the long term. All employees that join the company go through routine training development. The employees are not only trained technically, but are also prepped with the skills and experience to be good managers, to grow into other areas, and to have a long and rewarding career.

Do you believe a high salary is key to attracting high-quality talent in Vietnam?

Salary is always important, but we do not believe salary is the most important part of our offering. It is just one part that helps retain employees. Many companies assume that the only thing helping to retain employees is a high salary, but we think the whole package, including salary, promotion potential, career development, office culture, and atmosphere, and our companys social activities are key to maintaining employees in the long term.

Still, we are proud that the salary of our employees is better than what is typically offered in the local industry. But we did not select Vietnam because of cheap or low-salary workers. We chose Vietnam because of its high-quality employees.

What makes Tek Experts policy of attracting talent different from other companies in Vietnam?

Competition means we have to try to perform better. Without competition, you will fall behind. We are attractive to our employees because we focus on three key things:

First, we focus on career development. We recruit fresh graduates and train them not only in technical aspects but also in commercial and social behaviours.

Second, we expose our employees to a multinational environment. They have the chance to sharpen their English, and other languages, and work with top companies in the world.

And lastly, we have a strong family culture. At Tek Experts, the environment is very open and friendly. Our employees enjoy many social activities. It is a fun and lively place to work, and we aim to create an atmosphere where employees want to come into the office in the morning.

How will the expanded operation help you connect foreign investors with Vietnam?

We know we can convince our clients to bring their investment and business to Southeast Asia and, in particular, Vietnam. We are very confident of this because we already deliver high-level services from Vietnam. What we can tell you is that our clients are operating worldwide, and we can influence them to bring business from other nations to Hanoi.
Tabrez Mohammad Tambe, a resident of Mumbra in neighbouring Thane district was caught early this week from the oil-rich country, where he had joined ISIS with his friend Ali.

By Press Trust of India: A 28-year-old Thane youth, who allegedly joined terror outfit ISIS, has been apprehended by enforcement agencies in Libya, Anti-Terrorism Squad officials said today.

Tabrez Mohammad Tambe, a resident of Mumbra in neighbouring Thane district was caught early this week from the oil-rich country, where he had joined ISIS with his friend Ali, a senior ATS officer said on the condition of anonymity.

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Tabrez had left India earlier this year to go to Egypt for a job and landed in Libya, where he was said to be fighting for ISIS against US-backed forces, the officer said.

The ISIS recruit was in contact with his family till last week through cell phone and social media, he said.

Indian agencies were keeping a close watch on the activities of Tabrez, more so after his younger brother approached ATS and filed a complaint against him.

"Tabrez had been located to Libya and we were keeping an eye on his activities since last few months," the officer said.

CUSHY LIFE

Also, ATS is gathering information on whether some more people are in touch with Tabrez, he added.

Tabrez's family members had been asking him to return to India, but he seemed to have taken fancy to the 'cushy' life with the terrorist organisation and even asked them to join him and 'settle' down in the country from where he is operating now.

"Sensing that he was in the wrong place, his (Tabrez's) brother asked him to return to India but he rejected the plea and said you (family members) come here as life is cushy," an ATS official said yesterday.

Tabrez was in contact with his wife, brother and mother and told the family about his activities for the banned Islamic State.

PARTICIPATION IN ISIS OPERATIONS

ATS feels Tabrez, who completed his post graduation in cargo management and transportation and got married three years ago, has actively participated in ISIS operations.

He visited some countries in the last five years for jobs, the official had said adding it was Ali who prompted Tabrez to join ISIS.

Both knew each other as they worked together at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia a year ago, he said.

"We are collecting information about Ali. We are not sure whether Ali is Indian or not. As per our information, he has visited India before," Mumbai ATS chief Atulchandra Kulkarni told PTI.

ATS has already registered offences against Tabrez under various sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention UAPA.

--- ENDS ---
Vietnamese textile and garment companies should focus more on developing their supply chain to enable them to capitalise on opportunities arising from free trade agreements, a panel discussion heard in HCM City this week. Photo sggp.org.vn

Many foreign investors have been attracted to Viet Nam, especially after the recent signing of free trade agreements, including the EU-Viet Nam FTA, Pham Xuan Hong, chairman of the HCM City Association of Garment Textile Embroidery and Knitting, said.

The delegates agreed that FTAs bring opportunities but also challenges and risks for Vietnamese companies.

Oliver Massmann, general director of Duane Morris LLC and chairman of legal sector committee of the European Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam, said the so-called fabric-forward rule of origin under the EU-Viet Nam FTA is a challenge for Vietnamese garment and textile companies.

Viet Nam depends on imported raw materials from China, Korea and Taiwan, and the sector does not create much value addition in the supply chain since it merely does low value-added work such as cut-make-trim services to transform fabric into garments to export, he said.

A domestic supply chain must be established.

Yarn production must now go together with weaving and dyeing, but environmental protection must be ensured, he said.

The FTAs would result in more foreign investment in Viet Nam in untapped parts of the value chain, and local companies would benefit from the expertise of foreign experts, he said.

Hong said: Thus far our garment and textile sector has just been doing outsourcing. We were competing through low labour costs, but this is no longer an advantage. We must create new momentum to compete.

Having reliable raw material sources at home and investment in technology would help create value for the sector, he said.

Whether we have the TPP or not, the sector will develop as it has for many years.

The EU, the second largest export market for Vietnamese garments and textiles, offers great opportunities for Vietnamese firms to boost exports, he said.

Enterprises in the sector have mapped out measures hoping to enjoy better growth next year and in the years to come, he said.

Richard Hong, CEO of TUV SUV Asean, said the Vietnamese food and garment industries have depended long enough on cheap labour and low costs, and we need to invest in innovation, quality and food safety.

Sathish Kumar Somuraj, general director of TUV SUD Vietnam, said: Viet Nam has increased its business opportunities through FTAs with certain main global markets, especially the EU, US, Japan, Korea, and ASEAN. These agreements will not only bring global market access to Vietnamese businesses, it also means Vietnamese manufacturers are expected to comply with more stringent quality and safety regulations.

TUV SUD and AGTEK have joined hands to help local manufacturers access global markets by offering training and other activities to provide them with an updated and more in-depth understanding of the stringent international quality and safety standards.

The panel discussion, titled How Will Free Trade Agreements Affect Commodity Business Landscape in Viet Nam?, was among events held to celebrate TUD SUDs 150th anniversary.

The company is one of the worlds leading service providers in testing, inspection, audit and certification.

In future it would partner with local companies, especially in the garment textile and food-related industries, to help them gain confidence in their product quality so that they can maximise the potential benefits offered by FTAs, Somuraj said.

Hong said Viet Nams garment and textile exports are expected to increase by only 5.5 per cent this year to US$28.5 billion.
Spearheaded by the UPS Foundation, the global philanthropic and corporate citizenship arm of UPS, the shipping firm participated in Global Volunteer Month during October, and mobilised volunteers from UPS branches around the world to engage in a variety of service activities.

This year, over 160 volunteers  all UPS Vietnam employees and their families and friends  contributed more than 1,200 hours to numerous community initiatives.

Notably, in collaboration with the Christina Noble Childrens Foundation, UPS employees connected with An Qui kindergarten to provide classroom equipment, set up landscapes, and spend time with the children. Simultaneously, UPS employees taught English, made lunch, and conducted quiz games at the Thien Phuc Home for disabled children.

UPS Vietnam co-operated with the Netherlands-Vietnam Medical Committee to build houses and provide waste storage facilities for poor women in the southern province of Ben Tres Binh Dai district.

Another volunteer activity was setting up new equipment for a library and giving gifts to the students of At Suoi Thuong primary school. The UPS staff also cooked meals for the blind at Huynh De Nhu Nghia Home.

Along with the meaningful community activities, UPS Vietnam, through the UPS Foundation, donated a total of $87,000 to non-governmental organisations, including the Saigon Childrens Charity and the Christina Noble Childrens Foundation.

Vietnam has made substantial improvements in helping disadvantaged people integrate into the community in recent years. Giving back through the 14th Global Volunteer Month is a common responsibility, and UPS as well as UPS Vietnam are proud to contribute some part in helping those who are most in need, said Daryl Tay, managing director of UPS Vietnam.

UPS recently became a founder of IMPACT 2030, a private sector-led global collaboration between the United Nations, the private sector, and civil society organisations. IMPACT 2030 aims to mobilise employee volunteers to contribute toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The efforts of UPS Vietnam volunteers during the Global Volunteer Month will support UPS pledge to complete 20 million hours of global volunteerism by the end of 2020. Since 2011, UPS has contributed more than 10 million volunteer hours toward its 20 million by 2020 goal.

Established in 1907, UPS specialises in offering a broad range of solutions, including the transportation of packages and freight, the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business.

UPS has built a legacy as a caring and responsible corporate citizen, supporting programmes that provide long-term solutions to communities in need.

Founded in 1951, the UPS Foundation leads global citizenship programmes for UPS, which include philanthropy, corporate relations, and community engagement in local, national, and international communities. In 2014, UPS and its employees both active and retired invested more than $104 million into charitable activities around the world.
Presidential Palace right next to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum on Ba Dinh Square (Photo: staticflickr.com)

From 9.30am to 12pm, the English-speaking tour will give an overview of the changes to Hanoi that started in the French period (1869-1954). The tour will touch on the development of the education system, town planning and architecture (including that of the political and diplomatic centre) as well as other information regarding past and present Hanoi.

Starting at Chu Van An School (established by the French as the High School of the Protectorate, and now one of the oldest institutions for secondary education in Indochina), the group will make their way to the iconic Ba Dinh Square and discuss about the key government buildings in the area.



The tour will then stroll along Chua Mot Cot street and the surrounding avenues, passing former villas now home to various embassies.



The leisurely walk will continue to Dien Bien Phu and into Hoang Dieu streets, ending at Cua Bac (North Gate) and the Cua Bac Church on Phan Dinh Phung street.
The development comes in the wake of the Indian Army's joint operation to search terrorists at the Hussanpora Arwani in Kulgam district launched on Wednesday.

By Gaurav C Sawant: Jammu and Kashmir police has approached the state government to seize property of an overground worker of terror outfit LeT.

The development comes in the wake of the Indian Army's joint operation to search terrorists at the Hussanpora Arwani in Kulgam district launched on Wednesday.

Two LeT terrorists had taken shelter in the house of an LeT overground worker, according to the police.

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Jammu and Kashmir Police has also initiated the process of having bank accounts of the suspect LeT supporter frozen.

Police plans to make this a standard procedure to confiscate land and property of overground workers.

Arwani encounter is the first case where Jammu and Kashmir Police claims to have evidence of terrorists using house as a base for operations in south Kashmir.

Also Read

CRPF personnel in Jammu-Kashmir to get more bullet proof armour

Rift in BJP-PDP: CM Mehbooba Mufti leaves cabinet meeting midway

--- ENDS ---
Sweet Mesquite: Quietly Invasive yet Incredibly Useful

While many of us are familiar with mesquite as a distinct barbeque flavor, or the charcoal that lends such a flavor, the mesquite tree has much more to offer. Called everything from the tree of life to the devil with roots, mesquite has played an important role in the life
AIADMK has announced a compensation of Rs 3 lakh for the kin of the deceased.

By India Today Web Desk: Nearly a week since J Jayalalithaa passed away on Monday night at the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai, at least 280 people have so far died of shock and grief in Tamil Nadu.

News agency ANI quoted The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on the number of people who have died in the state since Amma breathed her last on the night of December 5.

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The party has announced a compensation of Rs 3 lakh for the kin of the deceased.

ALSO WATCH

No election for party chief's post

With the state in mourning, O Panneerselvam, who was sworn-in as the chief minister on December 6, today held his first Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat.

ALSO READ: With Jaya no more, Sasikala's husband is back with a bang

Speculations are rife in the political corridors that Jayalalithaa's confidante Sasikala Natarajan is set to assume a more commanding position, possibly that of the powerful general secretary, in the party.

File photo: PTI

AIADMK's senior leader C Ponnaiyan today spoke to mediapersons and said the party will unanimously choose a candidate for the post of general secretary. "The party will soon decide its new chief to serve the people of Tamil Nadu," said Ponnaiyan.

He said it is unlikely that an election will be held to choose the new AIADMK general secretary.

ALSO READ: What exactly happened to Jayalalithaa? We got this from doctors who know

Growing clout of Sasikala

Sasikala and her family members stood next to Jayalalithaa's casket all through her funeral ceremony, indicating her growing clout in the party.

On Thursday, Panneerselvam met her at the Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa. Party officials said that senior ministers and party leaders were also present at the meeting, signalling the importance of Sasikala in the AIADMK although she does not hold any party post.

It is learnt that one of the issues discussed at the meeting was the party leadership post Jayalalithaa held.

ALSO READ: Jayalalithaa's property: From Toyota Prado, farm land to gold and silver jewellery

ALSO READ: Life without Jayalalithaa: 10 things journalists will miss about her

ALSO WATCH

--- ENDS ---
In 1951, U.S. President Truman relieved General Douglas MacArthur of his post as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) in post-World War II Japan. No one initially knew about General Macarthurs departure except for a few high-ranking Japanese officials.

However, when General MacArthur left the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, he discovered over 200,000 people standing on both sides of the road to the airport cheering him as he departed.

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MacArthur (January 26, 1880  April 5, 1964) was an American five-star general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. During World War II, he played a prominent role in the Pacific Theater.

Watch this video of General MacArthurs departure from Japan and subsequent arrival in the U.S.:

General Macarthurs arrival in Japan

On August 30, 1945, when General MacArthur arrived in Japan to oversee the formal surrender ceremony and to organize the postwar Japanese government, he did so without a formal entrance or a grand victory parade. Rather, when he landed at Atsugi Airport, he simply proceeded by car to the U.S. headquarters in nearby Yokohama.

Along the way, tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers lined the road, their bayonets fixed on him. One last act of defiance  for there was a real terror in their hearts, as most expected subjugation. However, over the next six years, General MacArthur brought peace, justice, and democracy to the Japanese people.

After the war, Japan was a devastated nation. Its infrastructure and economy were all but destroyed, diseases were rampant, and hunger engulfed its people.

Faced with this dire situation upon his arrival, General MacArthur exerted pressure on the U.S. government to immediately assist Japan; which replied with 3.5 million tons of food and $2 billion dollars of emergency aid.

General MacArthur not only retained the Japanese government, but also withstood pressure from some in the U.S. by forgiving Emperor Hirohito. He also responded to the millions of demobilized Japanese soldiers arriving back home by providing them with the means to be quickly re-integrated into civilian society.

After responding to the immediate needs of the Japanese people, General MacArthur next ordered the release of thousands of political prisoners, including members of the Communist Party. General MacArthur also lifted government-imposed censorship, allowing for freedom of the press and expression for the first time in the nations history.

The constitution

On October 4, 1945, during a meeting with MacArthur, a high-ranking Japanese cabinet member had asked whether the supreme commander had any instructions about the make-up of the government; however, the translator had mistakenly used the word constitution for make-up, leaving the official thinking that MacArthur had commissioned him to draft a new constitution.

When the Japanese presented their efforts in early February 1946, MacArthur rejected them as nothing more than a rewording of the old Meiji constitution.

MacArthur then took matters into his own hands, ordering his government section to draft a document themselves. Staff member Beate Sirota Gordon, then in her early twenties, still remembers the day well:

And one morning I came in, it was ten a.m. and General Whitney [head of the government section] called us into a meeting room. It was too small for all of us. Some of us had to stand because there were about 25 of us. And he said, You are now a constituent assembly. You can imagine how we felt. And you will write the Japanese constitution. You will write a draft and it will have to be done in a week. Well, I mean, we were stunned of course. But, on the other hand, when youre in the army and you get an order, you just do it. You just go ahead.

Mrs. Gordon then recounts how she raced around the still-decimated Tokyo in a jeep, collecting all of the foreign constitutions she could find to provide models for the new constituent assembly.

The new constitution acknowledged the emperor as the head of state; however, he was stripped of any real power. A bicameral legislature with a weak upper chamber was established, and all rights of peerage were removed, with the exception of the Imperial family.

There were 39 articles that dealt with what MacArthur called basic human liberties. Not only did they include most of the American Bill of Rights, but also universal adult suffrage, labors right to organize, and a host of marriage and property rights for women.

But the most unique and one of the most important provisions came in Article 9, which outlawed the creation of armed forces and the right to make war. In early March after negotiations, Japanese officials accepted the American draft with only minor revisions. What may have helped was General Whitneys comment:

If the cabinet (was) unable to prepare a suitable and acceptable draft General MacArthur (was) prepared to lay this statement of principle directly before the people

With guidance from General MacArthurs staff, the government also established basic reforms regarding education.

The reforms stripped the administration of Japans public school system away from the central government by establishing publicly elected boards of education. The selection of teachers, textbooks, and courses was now entirely up to the discretion of the people.

The seven years of governance under General MacArthur completely changed the socio-economic structure of Japan by transferring state sovereignty from autocrats to the hands of the Japanese people, triggering fundamental reforms.

Ten years after General MacArthurs departure, Japan emerged as the worlds second-largest economy, with national prosperity, tremendous wealth, and social stability.

On the morning that General MacArthur was scheduled to leave Japan, Emperor Hirohito arrived at the U.S. embassy to say goodbye. With tears in his eyes, MacArthur held the hands of his friend tightly.

At the time, Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida said of General MacArthur:

General MacArthur, you have saved us from the fear of panic, uneasiness, and chaos by leading us down the path of post-war reconstruction and recovery. You have spread the seeds of democracy in every corner of our country and paved the way for peace. There are no words can express the feelings of the Japanese people.

Whether you think he was one of the greatest soldiers in American history or not, the point is how he treated defeated nations, and how he converted them into loyal allies.

Translated by Yi Ming and edited by David Clapp

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An indigenous federation opposed to a recently approved plan for oil drilling in the Peruvian Amazon said on Friday that native communities will physically block any attempt by oil companies to operate on their lands.

Last week the Peruvian government gave the green light for Santiago-based GeoPark Ltd. to produce oil in Block 64 with state-owned energy company Petroperu as its junior partner. The move is part of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski's bid to untangle stalled investments from red tape.

But Jeremias Petsein, president of the indigenous federation FENAP, said the chiefs of 45 Achuar communities that live in Block 64 are all opposed to oil drilling and plan to block the companies from setting foot on their lands.

Block 64 has about 40 million barrels of oil in proven and probable reserves. GeoPark and Petroperu struck a partnership to develop it two years ago, but the previous government did not issue approval amid concerns about Petroperu returning to oil production after more than two decades.

The Achuar's ancestral lands cover about two-thirds of oil Block 64, though most communities lack formal land titles, said Petsein.

"We have healthy rainforest free of pollution; that's why we don't want oil companies to come in," Petsein said. Oil pollution "is a reality in other indigenous communities, it makes people sick and destroys our way of life."

The Achuar are asking local courts to annul the 1995 creation of Block 64, as well as last week's approval of GeoPark's plans for operating there. FENAP attorney Raquel Yrigoyen said both measures were illegal because the government did not consult the Achuar as required by laws protecting indigenous rights.

The government did not respond to requests for comment.

GeoPark said the focus of its project in Block 64 is between the Situche and Anaso creeks, where Shuar and Achuar native communities that are not affiliated with FENAP have supported oil exploration.

"GeoPark respects the rights of indigenous people and would not seek to develop areas where local populations are opposed to drilling activity," the company said in a statement.

Peru is one of the region's fastest-growing economies. But it is rife with disputes over natural resources that have derailed billions in investments and left more than a dozen dead in clashes with police in recent years.

Petroperu, which mainly transports and refines oil, has reported a dozen leaks in its Amazonian pipeline this year  a source of tension with native communities.
At least two police officers were killed and four others wounded in a car bomb attack on a police checkpoint near the Somali capital Mogadishu Saturday, officials and eyewitnesses said.

"The criminals have again carried out one of their cowardly attacks. This time they hit a police checkpoint at the Siinkadheer in the outskirt of Mogadishu," Mogadishu regional admin spokesman, Abdifitah Omar Halane told VOA Somali.

He said one police officer was killed and four others wounded in the attacks, but witnesses saw two bodies at the scene of the blast where nearby tea shops and stalls were damaged.

I saw the dead bodies of two police officers and the suicide attacker and four injured soldiers, a minibus driver who witnessed the attack told VOA.

Somalias militant group al-Shabab, whose goal is to overthrow the internationally backed Somali government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam, said one of its militants carried out the attack.

"One of our brave martyrs rammed a car with huge explosives into the checkpoint manned by the soldiers of the apostate," a statement aired from Radio Andalus, al-Shabab's official mouthpiece said.

Halane said, The car exploded as the police forces stopped it at the checkpoint and when they suspected the suicide attacker blew himself up."

He said the car was heading to Mogadishu where a vote was under way at polling center for a new parliament.

Similar voting has been taking place across the country for weeks where some 14,000 people representing Somalia's federal states have been chosen to pick the 275 lawmakers.

Those members of parliament will choose a new president on December 28.

Al-Shabab accuses the presidential and parliamentary candidates of being foreign stooges.
China has spoken out against a U.S. defense bill passed Friday which includes a provision calling for yearly military exchanges with Taiwan, which Beijing sees as a breakaway province.

"China firmly opposes any kind of military exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S.," China's defense ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a press briefing, according to The Global Times state-backed news agency. "What the U.S. Congress has done has interfered with China's domestic affairs, undermined the cross-Straits stability, infringed upon China's sovereignty and security and would finally harm the interests of the U.S."

Yang also said that China urges the United States to "correct their mistakes", and that China retains the right to "take further action" in response to the adoption of the bill, according to the Global Times.

The bill, which overwhelmingly passed the U.S. Senate Friday and now awaits President Obama's signature, advises the Secretary of Defense to "conduct a program of senior military exchanges between the United States and Taiwan", and also calls for a briefing by February on the feasibility of U.S. port calls in the Pacific by Taiwanese forces.

Military exercises between Taiwan and the United States are not new, as the bill notes, but should Obama sign this legislature into law it could lead to high-level exchanges involving senior military leaders from both countries. Under the Taiwan Relations Act, which the U.S. Congress passed in 1979, the United States has routinely provided weapons and military equipment to bolster its self defense.

The National Defense Authorization act (NDAA), an annual defense policy bill, also includes a $3.2 billion increase in military spending.
Colombia's peace deal with Marxist rebels will help the country battle the cocaine trade, President Juan Manuel Santos said on the eve of collecting a Nobel Peace Prize that he called a "gift from heaven.

In Oslo for Saturday's award ceremony, Santos said the end of a five-decade-long guerrilla conflict in which 220,000 people died could have widespread economic and environmental benefits.

"It came like a gift from heaven because it gave us a tremendous push," he told a news conference, referring to the Nobel award that was announced in October, days after Colombians rejected a first version of the peace deal in a referendum, with many saying it was too lenient on the rebels.

The award helped encourage new talks that led to a revised deal, signed last month between the government and with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Santos said.

Congress approved the deal but Santos has defied calls by the opposition for a new referendum.

Under the peace deal, the FARC promised to help farmers switch to grow legal crops in remote areas where Santos said the authorities were met by "snipers and landmines" when they tried to eradicate coca plantations.

The deal would also reduce attacks on oil pipelines and allow better control over illegal logging and mining.

There is a very high dividend in terms of the war on drugs and the environment," Santos said. Despite decades battling the drug's production, Colombia remains the top exporter of cocaine.

Santos defended the fact that FARC rebel leaders had not been invited to the award ceremony, where he will receive a gold medal, a Nobel diploma and a check for 8 million Swedish crowns ($876,000).

The guerrillas face restrictions on leaving Colombia and are listed as terrorists in many countries. Before the prize was announced, many people thought it might be shared between Santos and FARC leader Rodrigo Londono.

They will be here in heart and spirit. There should be no misgivings about the FARC leaders not being here, Santos said, adding that the FARC would be represented by a Spanish lawyer.

Santos also said he hoped for progress in peace talks with another, smaller rebel group, the National Liberation Army. But he said they first had to release hostages.
As Sunday's election in Macedonia draws close, Amet Yashar jokes that politicians' newfound concern for his home, one of Europe's largest Roma communities, might not be wholly sincere.

Suto Orizari district, a ramshackle settlement of more than 20,000 people, in the capital Skopje is among a handful of Roma-majority municipalities in the world and one of the few places where Romanes is an official language.

But Yashar said the community, known as Shutka locally, remains largely ignored by the majority of Macedonians until political leaders venture there ahead of elections to promise jobs and material change to Suto Orizari's residents.

The settlement has existed since 1963, but many residents still lack adequate housing and connections to power, water and sewage systems, according to research by the European Roma Rights Center (ERRC), an international advocacy organization.

"Before the election is the only time we're Macedonians," said the 35-year-old in his office at Iriz, an organisation that offers legal aid. "The rest of the time we're just Roma."

Suto Orizari is tucked away from the city center behind a fortress. Its dusty streets are lined by a multi-colored mix of tin-roofed bungalows, half-built brick apartments and intricately ornamented villas.

Arriving by car from the national assembly in the tiny ex-Yugoslav republic, the pristine roads turned potholed and the occasional horse-drawn cart swerved between cars.

Despite having two elected Roma members of parliament and a Roma mayor in Suto Orizari, the Roma - as in most cities across Europe - have little real political power, rights groups say.

Europe's Largest Minority

The Macedonian constitution is unique in recognizing Roma by name and enshrines equality of political opportunity for Roma, along with the country's Albanian and Turkish minorities.

But Fadil Djemail, Yashar's boss and project coordinator at Iriz, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that the people of Shutka are being "held hostage" by political leaders.

"For us, it does not matter who will win," said Yashar. "No matter who we vote for in this election, for the usual Roma citizens who live in Shutka, it will be the same."

Europe's 10 million Roma are the continent's largest ethnic minority.

In Macedonia, they make up almost 10 percent of the two million population, according to statistics from the Council of Europe. But there, as across the Balkans, they continue to lack basic rights to housing and public services, says the ERRC.

A 2015 survey of Roma communities across Macedonia classed half of all neighborhoods, including Suto Orizari where 75 percent of residents are Roma, as "informal settlements," where residents lack legal land ownership or property titles.

In every Roma settlement surveyed by the ERRC, residents were either unable to connect to safe drinking water or lived in fear of being disconnected due to unaffordable costs.

Yet Suto Orizari - born after the 1963 earthquake destroyed Roma homes in the center - defies outsiders' tag as a "slum."

Across the community in northern Skopje, Byzantine-styled mansions jut out above ornamented brick homes and yards with livestock and geese. Commerce thrives around the central market, surrounded by butchers, hairdressers, shops and offices, including the home of Romani news website 24Vakti.

Outsiders think nothing changes in Shutka, said Sali Memed, editor of 24Vakti. But there is constant development, including a high school that opened last year offering lessons in Romanes.

Since 2010, a nationwide project to privatize government land and legalize housing has let more than 1,500 households in Suto Orizari register for property titles and access loans to extend and upgrade, according to Habitat for Humanity Macedonia.

Sanctuary vs Ghetto

Yashar, who helps residents access schools, welfare and government programs, said Roma residents support each other and - unlike the rest of the city, where racism is widespread - in Shutka people live free from discrimination.

But increasingly Shutka also feels like a "ghetto," he added, saying residents are left to fend for themselves.

Open Society Foundations, a philanthropic organization, estimates that 90 percent of Shutka's residents rely on state welfare payments of 30 euros ($32.28) a month. Many top this up with informal labor or by begging, it said.

This year again, said Memed, jobs are a key election issue.

Aidan McGarry, politics lecturer at the University of Brighton and author of "Who Speaks for Roma?," a book on Roma political representation, said a minuscule tax base leaves the area dependent on outside investment in services like housing.

McGarry said the municipality cannot achieve growth on its own so relies on parliamentarians to fight for investment from central government.

"At the same time as they are autonomous, there is no 'voice' there," he said. "Usually, there's power in numbers but that doesn't translate in Suto Orizari."

Who Will Speak for Roma?

Macedonia's veteran nationalist leader Nikola Gruevski looks set for a comeback in Sunday's election after stepping down in January as part of an EU-brokered deal to end a crisis that began in early 2015 and following almost a decade in power.

In Suto Orizari, most people see political leaders as ineffectual and have yet to see a candidate who will fight for funding for Roma communities, Memet said.

A "closed list" system for electing parliamentarians means voters cannot directly show dissatisfaction with unpopular candidates, said Saban Saliu, a Roma former member of parliament (MP) and now director of Macedonia's disaster response agency.

Voters do not vote for an individual candidate but pick one of a handful of 'candidate lists' drawn up by the heads of the leading parties.

This system encourages candidates to take a low profile, ask little from central government and not criticize party leaders, even when they deprive Roma communities of funds, Saliu said.

"But poverty is this underlying issue that needs to be resolved, first and foremost," said McGarry.

Yashar said residents complain that when municipal boundaries were drawn in 2001, areas of heavy industry on Suto Orizari's borders were assigned to neighboring boroughs - depriving them of much-needed tax revenues.

McGarry said such deliberate segregation of Roma from the majority exacerbates their lack of economic and political power.

But this problem is not new, said McGarry. It can be traced back to Suto Orizari's birth in the early 1960s when Roma were moved from a traditional base near the city's commercial center.

"Just the fact that Suto Orizari exists where it does is an absolute expression of the power of the state to marginalize and exclude, and then reinforce these decisions by deciding to not invest," said McGarry.

($1 = 0.9293 euros)
Exxon Mobil president and CEO Rex Tillerson is the latest frontrunner to be the next U.S. secretary of state. On Saturday several news organizations  all citing unnamed sources close to President-elect Donald Trumps transition team  said an announcement on Tillersons selection could come soon.

The Trump campaign would not confirm whether a decision has been made, and the president-elects communications director tweeted Saturday that no announcement on that Cabinet post would be made until next week at the earliest.

Reuters, quoting a source familiar with the situation, said Tillerson has not yet been formally offered the position.

Tillerson joins former Trump critic and 2012 Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney as the leading contenders for the nations top diplomatic post. Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was also on Trumps short list, but he withdrew his name from consideration Friday, citing plans to return to the private sector.

Ties to Russia

Tillerson, chief executive of the worlds largest publicly traded company, oversees operations in more than 50 countries, including Russia. Exxon Mobil reached an oil exploration and production agreement in 2011 with Rosneft, Russias largest state-owned oil company. Since 2011, the two companies have formed 10 joint operations in Russia.

In a preview of an interview with Fox News that will air Sunday, Trump, while not confirming Tillerson will get the job, said he would make sense as the choice to be the countrys top diplomat because hes a world-class player.

He knows many of the players, and he knows them well, Trump said. He does massive deals in Russia  for the company, not for himself, for the company.

In 2013, Tillerson was awarded Russias Order of Friendship decoration by President Vladimir Putin.

I dont want to prejudge the guy, but thats a bit unnerving, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said of Tillersons Russian award.

If you received an award from the Kremlin ... then, were gonna have some talkin, Graham told The Washington Post.

Republican Senator John McCain, who called Putin a thug and a murderer, has also expressed concerns. He says hearings will be held to address those concerns about Tillerson and his ties to the Kremlin.

Thats the time to make up your mind as to whether to vote yes or no, McCain said.

Tillerson's involvement with Russia, including his personal ties to Putin, would most likely draw close scrutiny during any Senate confirmation hearings, given Russia's reported attempts to influence the outcome of November's U.S. presidential election.

One-sided leaks

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the final stretch of the presidential campaign to help Trump win the presidency, and not simply meddle in the U.S. electoral process as previously thought, according to senior administration officials. The conclusion was based to some extent on a finding that Russians had hacked the Republican National Committee's computer systems, in addition to those of Democratic organizations, but had leaked material only from the Democrats on WikiLeaks.

Tillerson also met privately with the president-elect on Tuesday, after recommendations from former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates. A transition official said Trump was impressed with Tillerson's style and experience.

Other contenders for secretary of state are said to include former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, former Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally and retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis.

Giuliani withdrew his name from consideration as Trump broadened his search for the nation's top diplomat. Giuliani received strong support from political outsiders who are close to Trump. But his Senate confirmation would have been questionable because of conflict-of-interest concerns related to work his consulting business did on behalf of foreign governments.

"Rudy Giuliani is an extraordinarily talented and patriotic American," Trump said Friday in a written statement. "I will always be appreciative of his 24/7 dedication to our campaign after I won the primaries and for his extremely wise counsel."

Trump said he would continue to seek Giuliani's advice after he assumed the presidency.
Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh says he rejects the outcome of last week's elections, after previously conceding defeat and vowing to step down.

The president, who has ruled Gambia for more than 22 years, said on state television Friday night that he wants to see new elections.

The announcement throws the political future of the West African country into question, and is a dramatic turnaround from last week when Jammeh called opposition candidate Adama Barrow to concede defeat after the president's unexpected loss.

Gambia's state media broadcast a phone call last Friday in which President Jammeh told Barrow that he wanted to hand over power graciously and vowed not to contest the results of the December 1 election.

Jammeh congratulated Barrow for his "clear victory" and praised the elections as "transparent" and "rig-proof." He also said, "Allah is telling me my time is up," and added he would move to his farm after leaving office in January.

Gambia's Independent Electoral Commission said last Friday that Barrow won 263,000 votes, or 45 percent of the total, while Jammeh took 212,000 votes, about 36 percent. A third candidate, Mama Kandeh, won 17 percent.

Following the announcement, crowds of people gathered to dance in the streets of the Gambian capital, Banjul, in celebration of Barrow's victory.

The U.S. State Department released a statement late Friday, saying, We strongly condemn President Jammehs December 9 statement rejecting the December 1 election results and calling for new elections.

The statement called upon Jammeh to carry out an orderly transition of power to President-elect Barrow in accordance with the Gambian constitution.

Jammeh, 51, has ruled the tiny West African nation since taking power in a military coup in 1994. He won four subsequent elections that critics said were neither free nor fair and supported a 2002 constitutional amendment that removed presidential term limits. He once said he could rule Gambia for "a billion years."

Rights groups have often accused Jammeh of having political opponents and journalists either arrested or killed.

Barrow, also 51, represented a coalition of seven opposition parties that challenged Jammeh in Thursday's election.

Gambia is a former British colony that occupies a narrow sliver of land surrounded by French-speaking Senegal. About 880,000 Gambians were eligible to vote in the December 1 poll, which took place under a complete communications blackout, including social media platforms.

VOA's State Department correspondent Steve Herman contributed to this report.
Countries around the world mark International Human Rights Day December 10.

As disrespect for basic human rights continues to be widespread in many parts of the globe, the United Nations is calling on everyone to stand up for universal rights.

The time for this is now. We the peoples can take a stand for rights. And together, we can take a stand for more humanity, the world body said in a statement.

Upholding human rights is in the interest of all. Respect for human rights advances well-being for every individual, stability for every society, and harmony for our interconnected world, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

Its time for each of us to step up for human rights. There is no action that is too small: wherever you are, you can make a difference. Together, lets take a stand for more humanity, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said.

U.S., Europe call out China

The United States and the European Union called particularly on China to free its political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate and democracy activist Liu Xiaobo, who has been in prison since 2008. The U.S. and EU cite a deteriorating human rights situation in China, where hundreds of lawyers and activists have been detained in the past year.

I remain extremely concerned about the ongoing detention of Chinese lawyers, Max Baucus, the U.S. ambassador to China, said in a statement. Chinas treatment of these lawyers and advocates calls into question its commitment to the rule of law.

An EU statement said, We urge China to immediately release any individual who has been detained  for seeking to exercise, protect or promote their own rights or the rights of others.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative pro-Christian values advocacy group, is calling for protection of the persecuted in the Middle East, especially Christians.

Milestone remembered

International Human Rights Day is a commemoration of December 10, 1948, when the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone document outlining basic international human rights norms.
"Tamil Nadu Cabinet resolves to recommend Union Government to bestow Bharat Ratna to Puratchi Thalaivi Amma & install her statue n Parliament," tweeted the party from the official handle.

By Pramod Madhav, Rohini Swamy: Tamil Nadu cabinet today recommended late AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa for the Bharat Ratna.

"Tamil Nadu Cabinet resolves to recommend Union Government to bestow Bharat Ratna to Puratchi Thalaivi Amma & install her statue n Parliament," tweeted the party from the official handle.

In the first meeting after Amma's demise, that was chaired by newsly appointed chief minister O Pannerselvam, the Cabinet also suggested to recommend to the Centre to install a life-size bronze statue in the Parliament Complex.

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The Cabinet also passed a resolution to construct a memorial for Jayalalithaa and to change Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Memorial name into Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Selvi Jayalalithaa Memorial. The memorial is expected to cost around Rs 15 crore.

The Cabinet also proposed to unveil a portrait of the leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Also Read

Sasikala tipped to be AIADMK general secretary after party urges her to take charge

--- ENDS ---
Three alleged terrorists arrested near Jakarta were thought to be on the verge of carrying out an attack on a tourist area of the capital Sunday, Indonesian authorities said.

A police spokesman in Jakarta said the suspects  two men and a woman  were planning to detonate a homemade bomb during a changing-of-the-guard ceremony at the presidential palace. The pressure-cooker bomb, weighing about 3 kilograms, would have been lethal over a 300-meter radius, the spokesman added.

A fourth person, the suspected bomb-maker, was arrested Saturday in another province, police spokesman Argo Yuwono said.

"For the very first time, [the suspected terrorists] put a woman as 'the bride,' " terrorism expert Al Chaidar told VOA. "Bride" is a nickname for suicide bombers, who in the past have usually been male.

"It seems like the indoctrination has succeeded in attracting more young people, including women," Chaidar added. "This is a new breakthrough. Now we have to be alert that they are not only using men as 'the bride,' but also women."

The woman was arrested Saturday at a house in Jakarta where the bomb also was recovered, police said, and the other two men were detained at a separate location in the capital. The fourth suspect was arrested in Solo city, Central Java.

Police think all of the accused terrorists are part of a militant network linked to a bomb-making lab uncovered last month in West Java province. The group is thought to have ties to an Indonesian militant, Bahrun Naim, who is fighting in Syria alongside followers of the Islamic State group.

Naim is thought to have been responsible for an attack in January at a Starbucks shop in Jakarta  a suicide bomb explosion that killed four civilians.

After a series of deadly attacks more than a decade ago, Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, cracked down hard on potential security threats, many of them linked to the al-Qaida terror network. But authorities are concerned that a new threat has emerged with the presence in the country of Islamic State supporters during the past few years.

Indonesian police have been on alert in advance of Christmas and New Year celebrations, which are popular in many parts of the island nation. Bomb blasts in seven Indonesian cities were carried out on Christmas night in 2000.

Eva Mazrieva of VOA Indonesian contributed to this story from Washington.
The siblings Kaw Nan and La Moi appear glum and still shocked when asked to explain what happened to their father after he removed some fences that a company had built on his farmland in Phang Meti Village.

In early August, they said, police suddenly summoned Nhkum Naw Bawk, 58, and two other farmers who had experienced similar problems, because the company had filed a criminal complaint against them for trespassing and destroying private property.

The police told us: Dont worry, just bring your father to pick up the legal documents, but then he was arrested at the court together with the other farmers, La Moi, 25, said during an interview at the village located near the Kachin State capital Myitkyina in northern Myanmar.

Its a real tragedy for us  our father is the pillar of our household, his sister Kaw Nan, 28, said, adding that he provided the income for the 12-member family by farming their 10 acres of paddy and old teak and fruit trees.

He has a lung problem, and we worry about him a lot. The custody conditions are very harsh, our father said he only has a one-meter-wide space to sleep, she said, looking concerned.

Brang Aung of the Kachin Lawyers Network told VOA by phone this week that the farmers were released on bail recently after about two months in jail. But he said the case is ongoing and the trio could still receive prison terms from three months to two years.

All our land has been grabbed

The Kachin farmers became embroiled in a land dispute with a Burmese businesswoman named Khin Thant Zin after she purchased the title to 170 acres from another businessman last year, about 100 acres of which overlapped with their farms.

All our land has been grabbed by that bad lady. She doesn't know exactly where the land is that she bought, but we know for sure that our family has cultivated our land for many years, said Kaw Nan. But since we all know she has links with the police and the military, our father was charged and put in jail.

VOA was unable to reach Khin Thant Zin for comment.

New disputes on old land grabs

Kachin State Farmers Network activist Lahpai Zau Taung said the farmers loss of land and disputes over ownership go back to the 1990s, when the army confiscated 500 acres in Phang Meti and other villages for a base that was never built.

Local commanders then sold the land to private businessmen and hundreds of villagers lost their farms to make way for rubber plantations. In other cases, the army issued licenses seizing control over farmers lands without informing or evicting them. The licenses can be left dormant for many years until a businessman purchases them and begins clearing the land, sparking new disputes.

When outsiders come with their license and fence off the land, local people are very surprised and they break down the fences  a lot of disputes happen like this, Lahpai Zau Taung said. But all these lands were traditionally used by local people, so its clear that (businesswoman) Khin Thant Zin is wrong to claim this land.

Such old land grabs and new disputes have affected thousands of farmers across Kachin State, said Lahpai Zau Taung, adding that farmers who resisted through unauthorized protests or by hindering companies were taken to court, which is often seen as corrupt and lacking independence.

A nationwide junta legacy

Land rights lawyers said the case in Kachin State is representative of the massive land grabbing that occurred during decades of army rule in Myanmar.

These junta-era confiscations affected the livelihoods of millions of people and most were done without regard for the appropriate laws, said Caitlin Pierce of the international NGO Namati. She added that these farmers have legal rights to regain their land or be offered other lands and receive compensation.

Following democratic reforms in recent years, farmers have become more assertive, and many have tried to reclaim their land or resist new land investment. Hundreds have faced retribution from companies or authorities and have been imprisoned.

Land rights, along with peace and democratization, is now one of the most pressing demands of Myanmars public and hopes are high that National League for Democracy (NLD) government, which assumed office in April, will address the issue.

Zaw Htay, a spokesperson of de facto government leader and State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi, acknowledged as much, saying, It is a top priority of the NLD government. The land issue is a very complicated issue because many stakeholders are involved. But  we are planning to deal with all of the land issues, including land management.

NLD initiative

In May, the government created a national land committee that is working with state and regional governments, and through existing laws, to resolve the huge backlog of outstanding claims for return of land. Land redistribution appears to have been ruled out by the government.

The previous, army-backed parliament took some initial steps to address the issue and created a land commission that received some 30,000 claims. But by December 2015, only 4 percent were found justified to receive compensation, said Namati, which trained dozens of community paralegals that help solve land claims. The NLD-dominated parliament has said it will resume work on the remaining cases.

According to Namati, farmers can reclaim lands through existing laws, though the procedures are complicated with a lack of transparency and put a high burden of proof on the farmer, while the departments that implement the procedures are in the army-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs.

The governments new land committee is creating local-level committees to improve these procedures and speed up the return of land. But Pierce said the initiative had been off to a slow start and lacked sufficient funding for the huge task ahead, while more efforts should also be made to select the right civil society and community representatives to participate in the local committees.

While such land reforms under the NLD could bring relief to affected farmers in years to come, it will offer little help to those, like Nhkum Naw Bawk, who resisted land grabs and became entangled in court cases.

We don't know what legal actions they will take against our father, said La Moi, Nhkum Naw Bawks son. We have great concern about the court system, it used to be known for corruption, and the crony we face is very rich. We hope there will be justice.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday, touting the honor as a gift from heaven for his efforts in ending the 50-year civil war in Colombia.

With this agreement, we can say that the American continent  from Alaska to Patagonia  is a land in peace,'' Santos said of the landmark peace deal while speaking in Oslos City Hall.

Santos was awarded the peace prize for his work in brokering a peace deal between the Colombian government and leftist guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, after decades of war.

The rebels, whose activities were funded by drug trafficking and kidnapping, committed to laying down their weapons and pursuing peace, accomplishments that were sufficient for the Norwegian Nobel Committee to recognize Santos role.

In his acceptance speech, Santos dedicated the award to all Colombians  especially those 220,000 who died during the civil war  and called his deal a model that could be used in other war-torn countries.

"It proves that what, at first, seems impossible, through perseverance may become possible even in Syria or Yemen or South Sudan," he said.

Later Saturday night, prizes will be awarded in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and economics, all funded by the legacy of an industrialist best known for inventing dynamite.

For each of these winners, the prestige of the title "Nobel Prize laureate" - named for Alfred Nobel, Swedish inventor and philanthropist - will accompany their names henceforth.

This year the biggest item of contention is the awarding of the literature prize to American songwriter and musician Bob Dylan for his extensive catalog of lyrics. Traditionalists who scoffed at the choice said it should have gone to a traditional author.

Russian-American novelist Gary Shteyngart, for example, tweeted sarcastically: "I totally get the Nobel committee. Reading books is hard."

Novelist Stephen King spoke in support of Dylan to Rolling Stone magazine this week: "People complaining about [Dylan's] Nobel either don't understand or it's just a case of sour grapes." King went on to add, "There are a lot of deserving writers who have never gotten the Nobel Prize. And Gary Shteyngart will probably be one of them."

Dylan sends a speech

The reclusive Dylan greeted news of his award two months ago with silence, and did not respond to several attempts by the Nobel committee to contact him. At the end of October, the 75-year-old songwriter and performer told the Nobel committee by telephone that he was honored to receive the award, but that he would be unable to attend the traditional prize ceremony.

A longtime friend, musician Patti Smith, is expected to perform a tribute to Dylan, and he has sent a speech to be read afterwards.

This year's winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, for his long but ultimately successful effort to make peace between the Bogota government and Colombia's FARC rebels. More than a quarter-million people are believed to have died during five decades of conflicts between the two sides.

Santos has said he will donate his prize money - more than $900,000 - to projects, foundations or programs that assist war victims and help with reconciliation.

Nobel prizes have stirred controversy on many previous occasions, but usually for political reasons. In 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize after he had been in office less than a year, before many of his administration's subsequent accomplishments.

Traditional ceremonies

A series of announcements in early October every year tells the world who the prizewinners are, and they each receive their awards on December 10. The Nobels for academic subjects - physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and economics - are given out at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden's capital. The peace prize, considered the most prestigious honor, is awarded in Oslo, Norway's capital and home of the Nobel Institute.

The laureates are expected to attend a number of events over several days of Nobel ceremonies and celebrations - public appearances, the prize ceremony, at which they will be expected to speak, and a banquet. The king and queen of each country generally attends the ceremonies.

List of winners

In Stockholm Saturday, three scientists will receive the chemistry prize for their work in developing molecular machines: Pierre Sauvage of France's University of Strasbourg; British-born James Fraser Stoddart, who is a professor at the United States' Northwestern University; and Bernard Feringa of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. When more than one person wins a prize, the winners divide the money equally.

The physics prize goes to three British-born scientists who are professors at U.S. universities, for their work on exotic states of matter: David Thouless of the University of Washington, Duncan Haldane of Princeton University and Michael Kosterlitz of Brown University.

The prize for medicine or physiology goes to Japanese cell biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi of the Tokyo Institute of Technology's Institute of Innovative Research. He is being honored for his research on the process of autophagy, or how cells destroy and recycle their components.

And the prize in economic sciences - a separate award established in 1968 and funded by the Swedish national bank in honor of Alfred Nobel - will go to British-born Oliver Hart of Harvard University and Finland-born Bengt Holmstrom of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for their work on contract theory and design.
Lawmakers in Ohio approved a bill on Friday that opens the way for licensed gun owners to carry concealed weapons on college campuses, less than two weeks after a man injured 11 in a stabbing attack at Ohio State University.

State senators passed the bill 22-8 after representatives approved it 68-25 late Thursday, sending the bill to the desk of Republican Governor John Kasich for his signature.

If the bill is signed into law, the board of trustees at Ohio's public universities would have the option to allow for concealed-carry on campuses.

The legislation also removed a state ban on carrying a concealed weapon in public areas of airports and child care centers, local media reported. Operators would be able to choose whether to prohibit guns in their buildings.

However, late Thursday, the House of Representatives removed provisions from the bill that would have allowed gun owners to carry concealed weapons into government buildings such as libraries and city halls.

The passage of the bill came less than two weeks after Abdul Razak Ali Artan, 18, injured 11 people on the Ohio State campus in Columbus. Artan was shot dead by a police officer moments after he plowed his car into a crowd, jumped out and began stabbing people, police said.

Law enforcement groups were split on the bill. The Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association and Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police opposed it, but a state sheriffs group backed it.

Critics say such laws diminish safety on campuses and public buildings; supporters say they could prevent mass shootings.

Charleta Tavares, a Democratic state senator from Columbus who voted against the bill, said Wednesday that she deferred to law enforcement, who she said were opposed to the measure.

"They are going to deal with the real-life consequences of the passing of this bill," she said.

Republican state Senator Bill Coley of Columbus countered Tavares' claim that the bill was not about keeping Ohioans safe.

"There is no statistical evidence that this is not more safe," he said.

Ten U.S. states currently allow guns on campuses, according to the website of the Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus.

A law in Texas went into effect in August that allows people 21 or older with a concealed-handgun license to carry pistols into classrooms and most buildings at public universities.

The Texas law took effect as the University of Texas at Austin held a memorial to mark the 50th anniversary of one of the deadliest attacks on U.S. a college campus, when Charles Whitman killed 16 people in a shooting rampage.
A top U.S. Army general says his forces may have to make some adjustments to upcoming joint exercises in the Philippines if the new government no longer wants to conduct military combat readiness exercises.

In an interview with VOA, Lt. General Stephen Lanza, the commander of the Army's I Corps who leads several international military exercises in the Pacific, said the U.S. military was prepared to change next year's joint exercises with the Philippines to humanitarian and disaster relief training.

If we change the training, Lanza said, We would probably look at putting a different force and a different capability in the Philippines versus the initial one that had been planned to go there.

Territorial defense

Previous training between the longtime allies focused on enhancing the Philippines' territorial defense.

News of the potential change to 2017 exercises comes as new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has criticized the Obama administration and taken steps to align more with China.

Duterte announced in October that he wants U.S. troops out of the Philippines, maybe in the next two years."

On Thursday, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said it is unlikely the Philippines will allow the U.S. military to use Philippine bases to launch freedom-of-navigation patrols in the South China Sea.

Training 'payoffs'

Despite recent developments, U.S. military officials say the relationship between the two countries remains strong.

"We have seen a continued need and continued desire to train with U.S. forces, specifically the Army, by the Philippine military," Lanza told VOA.

He said both countries have seen payoffs from previous training exercises in terms of enhancing military readiness and military-to-military relationships.

"I think that everything we do in the Philippines and everything that we do in the Pacific, whether it be regionally or globally, matters," Lanza said, "and some of the feedback that we've gotten from the Philippine military is that operations like that have been helpful to them in moving their military forward."
A millennium-old minaret towering above Aleppo's Umayyad mosque, an imposing citadel overlooking the old city center, a medieval covered market and a 21st century shopping mall.

Before Syria's ruinous civil war struck Aleppo, the country's largest city was a busy commercial powerhouse and a proud historic center - its long heritage on display in ancient landmarks still used by modern day traders, travelers or worshippers.

But the war that erupted across Syria in 2011 exploded into Aleppo in the summer of 2012, when rebel fighters took over the east of the city.

The rebels hoped their march into Aleppo marked the beginning of the end for President Bashar al-Assad, while the government in Damascus pledged to swiftly drive them out.

Neither side achieved those goals, and the war in Aleppo dragged on more than four years. As the fighting ground on, Aleppo became the biggest prize of the civil war, even as the city itself crumbled under air strikes from government forces and bombardment by both sides.

Sections of the medieval souq, or market, have been ruined or burnt down, and the 11th century minaret at the Umayyad mosque was destroyed three years ago.

Modern structures have also suffered.

The Shahba shopping mall on the outskirts of the city has closed - taken over by various insurgent groups during different phases of the fighting around Aleppo.

The Baron Hotel, whose guest list included Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey; British colonial officer T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia; and King Faisal of Syria and Iraq, found itself abandoned on the front line.

Now the Syrian army, backed by Assad's Russian and Iranian allies, is poised to recapture the city after taking back all but a pocket of rebel territory in the east.

For the government, victory is in sight. But Aleppo is changed. Much is in ruins, and much has been lost - surviving only in pictures and memories.
U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered the intelligence community to conduct a full review of hacking-related activity aimed at disrupting the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

After his announcement Friday, two leading U.S. newspapers  The New York Times and The Washington Post  reported Russia intervened in the recent U.S. presidential election to help Donald Trump win.

The Times reported Russians hacked the computers of both the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee, but only released damaging material from the DNC.

The Democrats were plagued with leaked DNC emails as the presidential election drew near. The Times says intelligence agencies have concluded that the Russians gave the Democrats documents to WikiLeaks.

We now have high confidence that they hacked the DNC and the RNC and conspicuously released no documents from the RNC, an unnamed senior Obama administration official speaking about the Russians, told The Times.

The Times reports that individual Russians whom U.S. intelligence officials say are responsible for the cyberattacks have been identified, but none has been punished.

The Washington Post reported the CIA believes Russia intervened in the election to help Trump win. In a story posted on the newspapers website Friday evening, The Post quotes an anonymous official who says the goal of the interference was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected.

Role of Congress

Pressure is mounting from Democratic and Republican members of Congress, who are calling for a thorough and public investigation into Russian interference in the election.

The Post article says the White House had known about Russias interference for months, but could not decide how to best respond before the presidential election without escalating tensions with Moscow and being accused of trying to boost Clintons campaign.

The Post said, The reluctance of the Obama White House to respond to the alleged Russian intrusions before Election Day upset Democrats on the Hill as well as members of the Clinton campaign.

The newspaper says Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, doubted the veracity of the intelligence gathered about Russias interference and told the Obama administration that if it challenged the Russians publicly, he would see that act as partisan politics.

Months later, President-elect Trump chose McConnells wife as his nominee for transportation secretary.

Inquiry back to 2008

Eric Schultz, White House principal deputy press secretary, told reporters Friday there has been a pattern of malicious cyberactivity timed to coincide with U.S. elections. He said the investigation will be a deep dive, going back to the 2008 presidential elections, when cyber meddling was attributed to China.

Schultz said the investigation would look at any and all foreign interference, and investigators would go wherever the evidence leads them.

Asked about Russias role, Schultz said this type of activity is nothing new for Moscow, adding that the U.S. has seen Russia do this type of thing for years in Asia and across Europe.

Results of investigation

Schultz said the president has ordered that he be given the results of the investigation before he leaves office January 20. He said the White House would make public as much of the report as it can.

Schultz also explained this is not an effort to change the outcome of the U.S. elections, but to preserve the integrity of future U.S. elections by revealing the scope of what happened.

Trump team responds

President-elect Trumps transition team released a statement late Friday that said, These are the same people (the CIA) that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. Its now time to move on and Make America Great Again.

Earlier Friday, White House counter-terrorism adviser Lisa Monaco broke the news of the probe at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast.

We may have crossed into a new threshold, and it is incumbent upon us to take stock of that, to review, to conduct some after-action, to understand what has happened and to impart some lessons learned, Monaco said.

Some U.S. Congress members welcomed the announcement.

Democratic Representative Adam Schiff said in a statement, The administration should work to declassify as much of it as possible, while protecting our sources and methods, and make it available to the public.

In October, the Obama administration formally blamed Russia for a cyberattack into the Democratic National Committee and other political organizations. Wikileaks published excerpts from the hacked emails that were potentially damaging to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Trump repeatedly has downplayed any Russian interference in the U.S. election. During one debate, he said the cyberattacks could have been carried out by a 400-pound man sitting on his bed.

Trumps campaign said voters should focus on what was in the emails.

Congressional issue

Since Obama has only a few weeks left in office, the report may serve only to establish some facts for Congress to grapple with next year.

Several leading Senate Republicans, including John McCain and Lindsey Graham, say they are preparing to launch a widespread investigation into Russias interference in the election and its cyber threats to the U.S. military. Both senators have been critical of Trumps praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Graham told CNN, Im going after Russia in every way you can go after Russia. I think theyre one of the most destabilizing influences on the world stage. I think they did interfere with our elections, and I want Putin personally to pay the price.

Putin has dismissed what he called U.S. hysteria over the hacking into Democratic Party organizations, saying it does not matter who hacked into the emails, and Americans instead should focus on their content.
When Romania's leftist government collapsed a year ago amid outrage over a deadly nightclub fire, many people spied an opportunity for sweeping change in a country plagued by corruption and inept public services.

But after the surge of public anger over the deaths of 64 people in the Club Colectiv, which lacked emergency exits and fire safety permits, the clamor for change to make Romania a safer, more secure and prosperous country has dimmed.

Instead, the campaign for Sunday's parliamentary election has been dominated by a sense of exhausted resignation about chronic poverty and politicians' unfulfilled promises of reform and investment in a now-derelict infrastructure.

Polls forecast the leftist Social Democrats (PSD), who advocate both higher wages and pensions and lower taxes, will regain power, despite the corruption shadows around them, with their party chief convicted of vote rigging.

"People are tired of promises. They want something they can see, like wages. And it's about time these rise  they're very low," said Grigore Constantin, a Bucharest taxi driver.

Wages lag

Romania's average monthly wage is 2,094 lei ($493), the second lowest in the European Union, with average pensions less than half that. Germany's minimum wage is 1,440 euros ($1,528.56), illustrating the enduring chasm between the western EU and the emerging economies in its ex-communist east.

Economists warn that pension and public sector wage increases pledged by the PSD and rival parties will come at a cost  potential tax increases and a drain on resources urgently needed to build hospitals, highways and more schools with heating and plumbing  that are likely to disappoint voters.

Increasingly bloated state budgets, which had been slashed in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, may rile the European Union executive, which has pushed Bucharest to create leaner, modern public services and stamp out graft.

Leftists in power from 2012 to 2015 reversed much of the belt-tightening by cutting taxes and raising the minimum wage and public sector pay.

The European Commission now expects Romania's deficit to quadruple from 0.8 percent in 2015 to 3.2 percent in 2017 under European accounting terms. It would be the second-largest deficit in the EU after that of Spain.

Ciolos government

The current technocratic government of Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos, a former European commissioner who took over for one year after Victor Ponta quit in November 2015, has sought to make public administration more transparent.

It also adjusted wage imbalances in health care and launched a four-year plan to lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty  with benefits ranging from solar panels on roofs of 100,000 homes that lack electricity to cash incentives to help reduce school dropout rates.

"The government does not challenge the need for higher wages in certain sectors, like health care and education," Ciolos said. "But even doctors are complaining about infrastructure, and teachers and parents are complaining about school conditions."

But swaths of Romania, a European Union member since 2007, remain starved of investment, driving many to emigrate, despite fast overall economic growth.

Forty percent of Romania's roads are made of dirt or gravel. A third of hospitals could collapse in any earthquake, says the health ministry. New hospitals have not been built in decades.

"During every election I can remember, every party has promised to build roads, bridges, schools," said Constantin.

Pre-election polls show the PSD with 40 percent of the vote, trailed by the center-right National Liberal Party at 18 to 27 percent and the newcomer Union Save Romania at 8 to 19 percent.

Rural support

Most public support for the PSD comes from the rural, poorer part of the electorate that traditionally backs welfare-driven economic programs. Years of unpopular post-2008 austerity smoothed the left's return to power in 2012.

"The PSD is an experienced party," said political analyst Cristian Patrasconiu. "They are also good at selling certain themes and posing as the good hero. They are selling themselves as those who brought prosperity."

But the Coalition for Romania's Development, grouping domestic and foreign investors, warned against more of the political "short-termism" that has prolonged backwardness.

"The need to shift Romania's economic growth onto consumers is a reality, but measures that satisfy short-term interests ... must be avoided at all cost," it said in a statement.

"The business community we represent repeatedly underlines the acute need for investment in infrastructure, of raising spending for education and health care, and of reforms. It's these strategic investments ... that are at risk, which will delay Romania's catching up with the EU."
Russia and Saudi Arabia said they expect OPEC and non-OPEC producers to reach an agreement Saturday to curtail oil output and prop up prices in the first such joint move since 2001.

We have a deal already. We are just putting the final touches. Everything is good! Khalid al-Falih, energy minister of OPECs de facto leader and top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, told reporters.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak, speaking as he joined a breakfast with OPEC and non-OPEC ministers in Vienna, said: I dont see such risks (of a deal failing).

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries will meet producers from outside the group later in the day, hoping non-OPEC countries will commit to cutting 600,000 barrels per day after its own members agreed a reduction of 1.2 million barrels per day last week.

OPEC Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo said he expected 12 non-OPEC countries to sign a declaration with the organization and fully contribute to cuts of 600,000 barrels per day or more.

OPEC sources said non-OPEC Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Mexico, Russia, Sudan, South Sudan, Bahrain and Malaysia would attend the meeting. Bolivia may also attend, and Barkindo said Brunei had sent its commitments but would not be present.

Many non-OPEC countries such as Mexico and Azerbaijan face a natural drop in oil production, and several OPEC ministers said the discussions would focus on whether those declines should be counted as contributions.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia told its U.S. and European customers it would reduce oil deliveries from January, signaling it had started implementing cuts. OPEC producers Iraq and Kuwait have also told buyers of their crude about planned reductions.
President-elect Donald Trump's Energy Department transition team sent the agency a memo this week asking for the names of people who have worked on climate change and the professional society memberships of lab workers, alarming employees and advisors.

The memo sent to the Energy Department on Tuesday and seen by Reuters on Friday, contains 74 questions including a request for a list of all department employees and contractors who attended the annual global climate talks hosted by the United Nations within the last five years.

It asked for a list of all department employees or contractors who have attended any meetings on the social cost of carbon, a measurement that federal agencies use to weigh the costs and benefits of new energy and environment regulations. It also asked for all publications written by employees at the department's 17 national laboratories for the past three years.

"This feels like the first draft of an eventual political enemies list," said a Department of Energy employee, who asked not to be identified because he feared a reprisal by the Trump transition team.

"When Donald Trump said he wanted to drain the swamp it apparently was just to make room for witch hunts and it's starting here at the DOE and our 17 national labs," the employee said.

Trump transition team officials declined to comment on the memo, which was first reported by Bloomberg.

Republican Trump, a New York businessman and former reality TV star who has never previously held public office, said during his election campaign that climate change was a hoax perpetrated by China to damage U.S. manufacturing. He said he would rip up last year's landmark global climate deal struck in Paris that was signed by Democratic President Barack Obama.

Since winning the Nov. 8 election, however, Trump has confused observers by saying he will keep an "open mind" about the Paris deal. He also met with former Vice President Al Gore, a strong advocate for action on climate change.

Contenders to head the Energy Department under Trump include Kevin Cramer, a Republican U.S. representative from oil producing North Dakota, Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat from the same state, and Joe Manchin, a Democrat from coal-producing West Virginia.

The memo also asked for the names of the 20 top salaried employees at the department's labs, and a list of all websites maintained or contributed to by lab staff during work hours.

A list of projects at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy which funds research into high-risk clean energy projects that could revolutionize energy markets, was also requested.

"They're certainly sending an aggressive signal here with some of these questions and they need to be careful," said Dan Reicher, a professor at Stanford University who also serves as an advisor to U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.

"I worry about some of the questions being sent that could unnecessarily alienate key career staff, because they need the career staff and lab professionals to get the daily work done," said Reicher.

The Energy Department employs more than 90,000 people working on nuclear weapons maintenance and research labs, nuclear energy, advanced renewable energy, batteries and climate science.

Two sources at the Environmental Protection Agency, where many climate regulations are formed, said no similar memo has been sent to that agency by the Trump administration.

Democratic Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts warned the Trump transition team about taking actions against any employees named in any response the department might send.

"Any politically motivated inquisition against federal civil servants who, under the direction of a previous administration, carried out policies that you now oppose," would call into question the Trump team's commitment to the rule of law and a peaceful transition, Markey said in a letter to Trump.
It looks like the divorce with Amber Heard is taking a toll on Johnny Depp, who was spotted looking depressed.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Actor Johnny Depp, who went through a difficult divorce with actress Amber Heard, was recently spotted at the Sunset Tower Hotel looking "depressed and lonely".

WATCH: Johnny Depp's night with belly dancers, far from divorce battle with Amber Heard

SEE PICS: Amber Heard's domestic abuse claims against Johnny Depp get stronger with more images

A source told pagesix.com: "He was alone, but with two bodyguards, sitting out by the pool, looking depressed and lonely, smoking a cigar."

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Depp and Heard married in February 2015. Heard filed for divorce in May.

Depp, who featured in films like Alice Through the Looking Glass and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, was named the most overpaid actor in Hollywood for the second year running by Forbes.

ALSO WATCH: Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer walk the black carpet

--- ENDS ---
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and other top diplomats are in Paris in a fresh attempt to find solutions for Syria's nearly six-year-old war that has claimed the lives of more than 300,000 people.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault hosted the meeting in the French capital to discuss Syria with United States, European and Arab top diplomats and members of Syria's opposition, a group known as the "friends of Syria."

Foreign ministers of Germany, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and a representative from the European Union attended the meeting at the French foreign ministry as the Syrian government advances into the remains of rebel-held east Aleppo.

All calls for a stop to the fighting have so far failed. The Paris discussions will also aim to pave the way for renewed peace talks in Geneva between all of the warring parties.

"My goal in all this is ... to get both sides, all of the forces, to the table in Geneva," Kerry said in Paris on Friday night, adding that the destruction in Aleppo was the worst "since World War Two itself."

His comments came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that Russia and Syrian government forces will continue their bombing raids in Aleppo until rebels vacate the city.

Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly also voted to pass a resolution late Friday that demanded an immediate cessation of fighting in Syria and urgent humanitarian aid access.

Russia, China and Iran voted against the resolution, which is non-binding but carries political weight.




A Haitian electoral tribunal says it's incapable of ruling on legal challenges filed by three presidential candidates who lost a preliminary tally in a landslide.



The Friday decision means Haiti's highest electoral court will now have to examine challenges by losing factions in the Nov. 20 elections.



It's not clear how long it will take a panel of judges from the National Office of Electoral Disputes to issue a binding verdict.



Preliminary results show that Jovenel Moise easily won a presidential election redo against 26 rivals and no runoff would be needed.



But the results showing victory for the political newcomer backed by Haiti's previous elected leader were quickly challenged by his three nearest competitors.



The preliminary tally shows Moise beating his nearest rival by over 35 percentage points.
Algerian authorities have deported hundreds of West African migrants to Niger this week, trucking them thousands of miles across the desert in one of the biggest roundups seen this year, according to officials and human rights groups.

Algeria has often sent migrants back to Niger since 2014 as the number of people taking the dangerous route to Europe from West Africa has swelled. But the latest group is different because it involves people from across the region, not just Niger, officials said, suggesting a more determined effort to remove immigrants.

Over the last two days, at least 1,000 migrants came in a convoy of about 50 trucks to Agadez in central Niger, a desert town where migrants from all over West Africa pay smugglers to take them on the treacherous journey north through the Sahara, according to officials in Agadez, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Human Rights Watch.

They are about 1,000  271 from Niger, the rest from West African countries, mainly Mali and Guinea Conakry," said Giuseppe Loprete, the head of IOM's mission in Niger.

Algerian and Nigerien authorities were not immediately available for comment.

The IOM, which has a holding center in Agadez where migrants from across the region are housed and fed, is not directly involved in the latest deportation, as it was not contacted by Algerian or Nigerien authorities to help, Loprete said.

The migrants are instead being housed on the outskirts of town, said Isatou Abdou, who works for the U.N.'s human rights arm in Agadez. She could not immediately confirm the numbers.

According to a Human Rights Watch report released Friday, more than 1,400 migrants have been forcibly deported from Algeria this month. Many were rounded up in the capital Algiers and bused to Agadez, over 2,600 kilometers (1,600 miles) south.

"A mass and summary deportation of migrants, including men and women who may have fled persecution or have worked for years in Algeria, would violate their rights," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
A U.S. judge in Wisconsin Friday rejected a request by supporters of President-elect Donald Trump to stop a recount of votes, while the Michigan Supreme Court denied an appeal by Green Party candidate Jill Stein to restart that states recount.

The results of the November 8 election have been challenged in three states by Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who finished fourth in the presidential poll. In Pennsylvania, the third state, a judge said he would rule Monday on whether to allow a recount to go forward.

Even if the recounts were carried out, they would be extremely unlikely to change the outcome of Trumps win over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

In Wisconsin, the Great America political action committee and Stop Hillary PAC had called on the court to halt the recount, which is more than 88 percent complete, according to the state elections commission. A commission spokesman said in an email that the recount was expected to be completed Monday.

The recount is an inherent part of what ensures the integrity of elections, U.S. District Judge James Peterson said, according to court transcripts.

Michigan court says no

Also Friday, the Michigan Supreme Court, in a 3-2 ruling, denied Steins request to restart a recount, affirming a lower court ruling that she did not have grounds to mount the challenge.

Although Clinton won the national popular vote, by 2.6 million according to the latest count, she lost to Trump in the Electoral College, the 538-person body chosen state-by-state that actually selects the president.

Trump, who won a projected 306 electoral votes to Clintons 232, takes office on Jan. 20. Neither Stein nor Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson won any Electoral College votes.

The three Rust Belt states narrowly supported Trump. The New York businessman and former reality TV star who has never previously held public office won by more than 68,000 votes in Pennsylvania and about 11,600 votes in Michigan, according to state figures.

Pennsylvania ruling Monday

U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond in Philadelphia said he would return a ruling first thing Monday morning on whether he would grant a request for a partial recount of paper ballots and a forensic examination of voting computer systems before the national December 13 certification deadline.

Lawyers for the Green Party, the Trump campaign and the state argued the matter for three hours, with Steins supporters saying the states election process was so disorganized that state officials had not known the recount petition filing deadlines for some counties.


Outgoing Ghanaian president John Mahama says he lost the presidential election because his partys time was simply up, and no amount of deceptive campaign promises could keep them in power.

In his election concession speech, Mahama said, "No amount of monopolization of the media space could save us. No amount of money could stop our defeat. No amount of local and international celebrity endorsements could help us. And no amount of vote buying could stand the irresistible hurricane of change that shook our nation on Wednesday."

He urged his party members to stop the blamestorming that has started "so that we brainstorm on how to get ourselves out of the mess we have put ourselves in.

"The future of our great party looks gloomy and we have to start work on how to get ourselves out of what appears like an eternal stay in opposition. In life, when you are hit by the subduing blow of misfortune, you have two options. You can allow that blow to crush you. You can also move on with the enormous lessons such misfortunes often present.

"I cannot immediately tell my next move in life, politics and my role in our great party. But if I should ever make a comeback to politics, the lessons I have learnt from our defeat should serve as the moral code which will guide how I guide myself. I have learnt that the Ghanaian voter, though mainly uneducated and simple, is more sophisticated than we thought. I have learnt that it is unacceptable for the people to loot, hoard and splash during elections."

Mahama further said he learnt that the calls of the noisy minority cannot be ignored because they largely shape the opinions of the silent minority, who politicians exploit for selfish gain.

"I have learnt that not all those who criticized us hated us. Sometimes the best way to express your love for someone is to be critical of their actions. If I should ever return, I will not display a 'dead-goat syndrome' towards disaffection of the masses.

"When those who opposed us cried foul, we retorted, hate cant win. Tonight, however, I am the first to admit that some hate can win. This election has taught me that the hate of corruption can win. It has taught me that hate of incompetence can win. Our defeat has taught me that hate of impunity can win.

"I have learnt that the hate of the obscene display of ill-gotten opulence wins. I have learnt that hate of mediocrity and deception definitely wins. And I have learnt that hating evil will forever triumph over the love of evil. That was what happened on Wednesday."

He noted that another important lesson he learnt from the defeat is that the success or failure of a leader depends on the kind of people he or she surrounds themselves with.

"While Rawlings appointed the likes of Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas as deputy ministers, I made the mistake of giving that respectable position to the likes of John Oti Bless. I have now realised, rather too late, that if I had kept the likes of Ben Dotsei Malor and Dr. Raymond Atuguba around me, they would have injected some semblance of sanity into the presidency and given that high office an aura of respectability and decency.

"The praise-singing sycophants who act on the dictates of their stomachs are only specialized at telling you what you want to hear. Unfortunately, I did not listen to voices of reason. Our elders say a disease that will kill a man first breaks sticks into his ears."
Several human rights organizations say Zimbabwe should respect and protect the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, participation in political and governmental affairs, and personal integrity.

In a joint statement to mark Human Rights Day on Saturday, Amnesty International USA (AIUSA), Freedom House, Friends of Angola Front Line Defenders, International Bar Associations Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), Solidarity Center, Trade Union Congress of Swaziland and Vanguard Africa Movement, said they are concerned about what is currently happening in the Southern African nation.

As the world celebrates Human Rights Day, Zimbabwe continues to disregard the basic rights of its citizens.

The organizations said they strongly condemn the governments failure to respect and protect its citizens right to peacefully assemble, to express their opinions and to make peaceful demands on their government.

It is deeply concerning that in the last few months an increasing number of citizens have been arrested and are facing prosecution for participating in peaceful protests. Even more concerning are the numbers of human rights defenders, workers and worker organizations, and protestors who have been threatened, abducted, arbitrarily detained, and tortured in apparent retaliation for exercising their constitutional rights.

They said the right to freedom of assembly is a fundamental human right. It is the vehicle that enables citizens to collectively express, promote, pursue, and defend their common interests. Indeed, Section 58 of Zimbabwes constitution specifically guarantees the right to peaceful assembly.

Section 67 guarantees every citizen the right to political participation; particularly the right to individually or collectively, in gatherings or groups or in any other manner engage in peaceful activities to influence, challenge or support the policies of the government.

The organizations said Zimbabwe also committed itself to protecting these rights as a signatory to the African Charter of Human and People's Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

They noted that recent incidents include the arrests of Thobekile Ncube, Mudiwa Mahere, Talent Chademana, Pastor Patrick Mugadza, Fadzayi Mahere, Henry Munangatire, and Nyasha Musandu, detained on November 18, 2016, while peacefully sitting in protest in Africa Unity Square in central Harare.

Several other protesters including pro-democracy and good governance defenders, Promise Mkwananzi, Mehluli Dube and Kudakwashe Manjonjo, recently appeared in court facing various spurious charges under the Criminal Code and the Public Order and Security Act for exercising their right to assemble.

In the last three months, several activists have been abducted, including National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe, Harare chairman Kudakwashe Kambakunje, reportedly tortured by suspected state agents in September. Human rights defender Paston Dzamara was forcibly taken and tortured in November on the eve of a planned protest against the introduction of bond-notes.

The organizations further noted that most recently, Ishmael Kauzani, a member of social movement Tajamuka-Sesijikile Campaign, was also abducted, assaulted and run over by suspected state agents.

Abductions and torture are among the most heinous of human rights violations. These citizens are believed to have been targeted for their role in organizing various anti-government protests on corruption, unemployment and economic policies.

The government of Zimbabwe has a duty to refrain and protect its citizens from such acts, regardless of their political opinions. The situation in Zimbabwe indicates an intolerance of different political views, inconsistent with the founding principles and values enumerated in Zimbabwes Constitution.

According to the eight organizations, enshrined in that document is respect for human rights and freedoms, the rule of law, and the recognition of the inherent dignity and worth of each human being.

We therefore call upon the government of Zimbabwe to immediately drop all charges against human rights defenders and citizens arrested for peacefully exercising their right to assemble; Ensure that those who undertake to raise their concerns through peaceful assembly are not arbitrarily arrested, detained and/or prosecuted; Ensure the protection from abduction and torture of all peoples in Zimbabwe, and ensure that those responsible for such heinous acts are promptly and thoroughly investigated and held accountable for their conduct.

They said they would continue to monitor the situation in Zimbabwe to help ensure that all arms of the government respect the rights of all peoples in Zimbabwe, as provided for in its Constitution and its international legal obligations.
Around 28 kg of bullion, about 4 kg of gold and jewellery, 5.7 crore of new currency in Rs 2,000 notes, and Rs 90 lakhs in old Rs 100 and Rs 20 notes were seized from a hawala operator's house in Karnataka

Around 28 kg of bullion, about 4 kg of gold and jewellery, 5.7 crore of new currency in Rs 2,000 notes, and Rs 90 lakhs in old Rs 100 and Rs 20 notes were seized. (Pic:ANI)

By Rohini Swamy: Income Tax officers during a raid at a hawala operator's house in Hyderabad discovered a secret vault inside the bathroom. Not to mention several old currency notes and huge collection of bullion was discovered.

Around 28 kg of bullion, about 4 kg of gold and jewellery, 5.7 crore of new currency in Rs 2,000 notes, and Rs 90 lakhs in old Rs 100 and Rs 20 notes were seized.

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IT RAIDS ORGANISED

The Panaji Directorate of the Director General of Income-tax Karnataka & Goa carried out search operations on the casino operators and bullion traders in Hubballi and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka.

Income-tax teams were present at around 15 premises spread across the states of Karnataka and Goa. According to reports one of the hawala operators is actively involved in converting old notes to new ones, and was accumulating bullion using old currency.

Various incriminating documents have also been recovered and income tax teams are further analysing and investigating the same.

Watch the video here:

#WATCH IT dept seizes 5.7cr in Rs 2000 notes,90 lakh in old notes,32kg bullion frm secret bathroom chamber in Chitradurga & Hubballi #K'taka pic.twitter.com/8N0Wjsc8Ih ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

Also Read: Modi on demonetisation: Not allowed to speak in Lok Sabha, so I'm speaking at Jan Sabha

Demonetisation: Opposition hits back at PM Modi after his Gujarat speech

--- ENDS ---
Kelly Mantle. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Gender-fluid performer Kelly Mantle is about to make Oscar-eligibility history. Mantle, who was a contestant on the sixth season of RuPauls Drag Race, was submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Confessions of a Womanizer, a film co-starring Gary Busey in which Mantle has a role as a transgender prostitute. The Wrap is reporting that the films producers submitted Mantle, who is gender fluid (but uses masculine pronouns) for both male and female acting categories, and the Academy has confirmed that he will be considered in both. This is an historic moment for both Mantle and the Academy, which has never acknowledged gender fluidity in its categories before. (Actors playing across gender identity have been nominated in the past; the most recent nod went to Eddie Redmayne for The Danish Girl.) With this decision, Mantle is eligible for both categories and can win in either, which is not only a win-win for him, but for the LGBTQ community at large.
On December 8, at the iconic Sunset Tower Hotel in Los Angeles, Vulture hosted its inaugural Awards Season Party to toast the years best performances in film and TV, and New York Magazines first-ever Oscars-themed issue. Prestige film talent like New York cover star Natalie Portman, who plays the title character in Pablo Larrains critically acclaimed Jackie, Moonlights breakout actor Ashton Sanders, and Lions pint-sized star Sunny Pawar were among the Oscar hopefuls in attendance. Joining them was a slew of TV talent poised for SAG and Globes attention, including This Is Us Chrissy Metz, American Crime and The Leftovers Regina King, Crazy Ex-Girlfriends Rachel Bloom, UnReals Constance Zimmer, Documentary Now!s Fred Armisen, The People vs. O.J.s Cuba Gooding Jr., Life in Pieces Betsy Brandt, Veeps Tony Hale and Timothy Simons, Casuals Tommy Dewey, and Atlantas Brian Tyree Henry. With DJ Kiss on the beats, beverages flowing freely, and a stunning south-facing view of L.A. as their backdrop, guests stayed loose and lively for hours.
Sadly, Bob Dylan didnt surprise the laureate community by showing up in Stockholm to personally claim his Nobel Prize in Literature after all  truly a shocker, wow  but alas! Very-good-alternative Patti Smith stepped up in his place, where she performed an emotional rendition of Dylans A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall with orchestra accompaniment after a Swedish Academy member presented the absent Dylan with an award speech. However, Smith had a momentary slip-up about halfway through the performance, as she accidentally repeated a lyric to the song, paused, and calmly asked the orchestra to start over again. I apologize. Im sorry, Im so nervous, Smith said to the crowd, who applauded back in support. (At the end of the day, even the greats suffer from occasional nerves, too.) The full ceremony can be viewed above, with the performance beginning around the 1:03:00 mark.
Martin Scorsese speaking at the SAG-AFTRA screening of Silence. Photo: Rob Kim/Getty Images

Watching Silence, the Martin Scorsese movie based on Shusaku Endos novel, one cant help but notice that there is a certain arrogance in the missionary work depicted onscreen. As sympathetic as Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver are as two Portuguese priests traveling to Japan in 1633, they dont speak the language, they dont understand the local customs or rule of law, and they dont seem to recognize the irony of their position. The Japanese people who had converted to Catholicism are persecuted, tortured, and killed in much the same manner as the Portuguese and other Catholics were treating non-Catholics halfway across the world.

Lest he be thought as clueless as his characters, Scorsese addressed this issue after a SAG-AFTRA screening of the film in New York on Thursday, and noted that it had been brought to his attention during his visit to the Vatican last week. There were about 100 Jesuits there, and a number of them were Asian, and a Philippine Jesuit pointed out to me that no matter how well-meaning the missionaries were, and how much zeal they had, no matter how much violence the Japanese committed against them, the missionaries in one way created a form of violence to the Asians, the director said, by insisting that they had the one truth, while everything the Japanese had known in their own culture for thousands of years was irrelevant.

First, you have to learn about the other country, Scorsese said. How do you do that? You meet the people. You learn something of the language. You learn about the way they live, the way they think. As Liam Neesons fallen priest points out in the film, the Japanese at this point in time do not conceive of a soul, or anything that transcends the human body. That, Scorsese said, should have been acknowledged, before the missionaries tried to impose a belief system incorporating that. And instead of even trying to impose a belief system, they might have had better luck converting people by just modeling Christian behavior. Maybe the way to do it is just by action, Scorsese said. In other words, you go to a place, you do what you do, and eventually, somebody says, Id like to be like that person. (Assuming what youre modeling is something worth aspiring to.) Otherwise, missionary work is just an arm of colonialism, and the two being linked as they were in Asia, Scorsese said, is a wound that still has yet to heal.
The student, Suparna, got into a fight with a fellow classmate who accused her of cheating during an exam.

By Manogya Loiwal : In a rather shocking turn of events, a student of fourth standard succumbs to injuries after having a major fight with her classmate over cheating in examinations in Khandaghosh in West Bengal.

A student accused Suparna of trying to cheat from his notebook during their Bengali language examination after which entered an altercation.

According to her parents, Suparna complained of immense pain in her chest and hand after reaching home.

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Her condition worsened overnight due to which she was unable to take her examination on Tuesday.

After witnessing no improvement in her condition, her parents admitted her to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital where she was declared dead.

However, the school principal Amol Mandal has denied any such development and shared a different story.

"On Tuesday during prayer time we got to know about the incident. She was fine then and also wrote her paper," Mandal said.

The school however denied taking any responsibility of the brawl.

Considering their poor financial situation, a teacher gave two hundred rupees to Suparna's mother for the treatment.

Presuming that such an incident could be repeated and claim more lives due to ignorance of the school authorities, Suparna's father is now contemplating filing a police complaint and a negligence case against the school.

Suparna Santara was a student of Muidhara Primary School.

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Living History Tours of Waco will hold a Season of Giving fundraiser benefiting Storybook Christmas from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday at Texas Cheese House, 102 E. Center St. in Lorena.

The event will include a cheesemaking class, a multiple-course grazing lunch and custom-made chocolates, and shopping at the nearby stores.

Guests can bring their own wine to pair with each meal course.

Cost is $79. Space is limited to 25 persons.

For reservations, call 754-8687.

Hewitt tree lighting

The city of Hewitt will host its annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Hewitt Public Library, 200 Patriot Court in Hewitt.

For more information, call 666-2442.

Coffee and VirtuOSO

Calvary Baptist Church, 1001 N. 18th A. St., will host a Christmas Coffeehouse featuring Baylors award-winning a capella group, VirtuOSO, at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Cost is a suggested donation of $10 per person or $25 per family. Proceeds will support Calvarys 2017 mission partnerships in South Texas, China, and Lebanon.

For more information, email Mary Alice Birdwhistell at mab@cbcwaco.net.

Pipeline protest

The Waco Friends of Peace/Climate will sponsor a protest, titled Wells Fargo: Divest From DAPL (Dakota Access Pipeline), from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Wells Fargo Bank, 1105 Wooded Acres Drive.

The protest, held in conjunction with Global Day of Action, is being held in solidarity with protests in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio.

Reading Festival

The city of Waco will have its inaugural Semi-Annual Reading Festival from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Dewey Community Center, 925 N. Ninth St.

The event, geared to educate youth about the importance of reading daily and setting educational goals, will include free book bags, food, games and more.

For more information, call 750-8677.

Live Nativity

St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1301 Hogan Lane in Bellmead, will present a Live Nativity and Christmas Sing-Along event from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday.

The free event will include hot chocolate and cookies, drawings for Walmart gift cards, and a special gift for kids.

For more information, call 799-3211.
Gourmet Gallery, a tradition with those who love to cook and shop for cookware, bakeware and specialty foods, has relocated from Ridgewood Village to 502 Austin Ave., joining the re-development of downtown, said owner Karyn Miller, who added with a laugh she drank the Kool-Aid being consumed by those sold on the inner citys future.

Miller said she is leasing about 700 square feet, which is considerably less than she had available at North Valley Mills and Cobbs drives.

But our foot traffic had dwindled, and I thought it would be a good idea to re-invent Gourmet Gallery downtown, said Miller.

She tossed open the doors to her new location last week, and said business has been steady if not spectacular.

I have quite a loyal following after eight wonderful years in Ridgewood Village, said Miller. But were not yet where we want to be or need to be.

Miller said she tries to carry specialty foods that reflect the culture of Central Texas, but also offers items with ties to French and German cuisines.

Gourmet Gallery traditionally has offered cooking classes, but those will not take place at the cozy new home, which has no kitchen facilities.

Miller said she may make arrangements to continue providing cooking instruction at a different location to those who crave it.

Steel City Pops opens

Steel City Pops, a regional chain with locations in Alabama, Kentucky and Texas to sell gourmet, all-natural popsicles, has opened a store in Waco. It does business in a new strip center between South Fourth and South Fifth streets near the new In-N-Out Burger and CVS Pharmacy, where Dallas-based DuWest Realty leveled the Clarion Hotel.

The Steel City Pops menu includes fruity, creamy and dripping/drizzle categories, as well as cookie pops and gourmet coffees, according to its website.

Prices range from $1.50 to $4.50 per selection, with flavors that include cranberry orange, cinnamon apple, wassail and strawberry lemon. Creamy selections include butter pecan, chocolate mint, peppermint, rum raisin, sweet potato pecan and buttermilk, among several others.

Other eating establishments going in around Steel City Pops include Chipotle Mexican Grill, Jersey Mikes Subs and Smoothie King.

Womens earnings

Texas women still receive wages and salaries less than those of their male counterparts, according to a new report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Southwest Information Office of the BLS released a study titled Womens Earnings in Texas, 2015, and it contained the following results:

Texas women who were full-time wage and salary workers had median weekly earnings of $683, which is 79 percent of the $864 median weekly earnings of men.

Although fluctuating from 1997 to 2010, the Texas ratio of womens to mens earnings generally trended upward, reaching a high of 85.6 percent in 2010. But since then, the general trend has been downward, falling in four of the previous five years. The 2015 ratio was the third lowest since the series began in 1997.

Nationally, women earned $726 per week or 81 percent of the $895 median income for men in 2015, according to the report.

Among all states, full-time median income for women ranged from $907 in Massachusetts to $591 in Mississippi.

The 2015 ratio of female-to-male median weekly earnings ranged from a high of 88 percent in Hawaii to a low of 69 percent in Wyoming.

These findings were made public in a news release prepared by Stanley W. Suchman, the BLS assistant commissioner for regional operations.

Sleep before travel

Getting enough sleep sometimes is challenging during the holidays, when Americans are busy shopping, planning trips and decorating for guests.

But AAA Texas, the auto club, warns that missing just one to two hours of a recommended seven hours of sleep nightly can double the risk of having a car crash.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 35 percent of U.S. drivers sleep less than the recommended seven hours daily, according to a AAA release. And with drowsy driving involved in more than one in five fatal crashes on U.S. roadways each year, AAA warns that getting less than seven hours of sleep may have deadly consequences.

A chart prepared by AAA shows getting six to seven hours of sleep produces 1.3 times the crash risk; five to six hours produces 1.9 times the crash risk; four to five hours means 4.3 times the crash risk and less than four hours of sleep causes the risk of having a crash to skyrocket to 11.5 times the normal risk.

While 97 percent of drivers told the AAA Foundation they view drowsy driving as a completely unacceptable behavior that is a serious threat to their safety, nearly one in three admitted that at least once in the past month they drove when they were so tired they had a hard time keeping their eyes open.

To prevent drowsiness behind the wheel, AAA recommends drivers travel at times when they are normally awake; schedule a break every two hours or every 100 miles; avoid heavy foods; travel with an alert passenger who can take turns driving; and avoid medications that cause drowsiness or other impairment.

Farm, ranch show

The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 46th annual Mid-Tex Farm & Ranch Show, scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday in the Extraco Events Center on Bosque Boulevard.

More than 3,000 Central Texas farmers and ranchers are expected to attend the two-day show that includes displays of products and services. They and the public, who can attend free of charge, learn about the latest farm and ranch equipment, seed, chemicals and agriculture-related technologies, the chamber said in a news release.

Show hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the chamber.

The 55th annual Blackland Income Growth Conference will be held in conjunction with the Mid-Tex show. It will offer commodity sessions, special meetings and forums. Topics of discussion will include beef, horticulture and grain; health and fitness with a busy schedule; cotton, forage and wildlife; and other training and recertification classes.

Sponsors include Equipment Depot, Dealers Electrical Supply, Educators Credit Union, Buzbee Feed & Seed, Bar None Country Store, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, National Banks of Central Texas, Clark Auction Company, Holt Cat and Walter Moss Seed Company, the Waco chamber said in its release.

Selected McLennan County high school students will be awarded scholarships for outstanding FFA, FHA and 4-H membership during the Allen Samuels Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Scholarship Luncheon. Scholarships are sponsored by Associated Concrete Contractors and Brazos Valley Equipment.
With about two weeks remaining before Christmas, Santa Claus received a little extra help from local law enforcement Friday.

This is so much help. I wasnt expecting all of this, said Jessica Kirks, 31, a single mother of three children, as officers delivered gifts to her home. I never thought . . . they were going to bring me anything, because all I said was to do things for my kids. I am never worried about me.

Officers with the Sheriffs Law Enforcement Association of McLennan County and Waco Police Association joined efforts to collect donations for families in McLennan County during the holiday season. Officers partnered with University High School and ROTC for the annual Make a Wish True annual Christmas program, to provide holiday gifts to selected families.

I would buy my little brother some bottles and Pampers, clothes and more. Because my mom doesnt get paid a lot no more and now we are moving to a different house because we dont have enough money to pay (for) the house, Kirks daughter, Elianna Garcia, 11, wrote in her letter to the Make A Wish True program. My grandma and grandpa try helping us. My mom is having trouble paying for my surgery on my foot and my braces. But most importantly, for my big brother. He got surgery on his kidney.

Elianna Garcia, a sixth-grader at Cesar Chavez Middle School, wrote her letter asking for $100 to help her mother and brothers, Gabriel Garcia Jr., 12, and Nickolas Garcia, 1. She stated that she wanted to help her family, particularly her older brother, who suffers from IgA nephropathy, a chronic kidney disease.

Kirks said Elianna also had surgery on her foot to remove an extra bone and will undergo surgery on her other foot next summer.

When you read her letter . . . I got emotional, Cesar Chavez Parent Campus Liaison Sandra Janics said. I went in with some of the other women in the attendance office and there were some left, so I took the rest and I was going to see if the county would do something with them. Her letter was so touching, it was a no-brainer.

Janics, who is married to McLennan County Sheriff Detective Steve Janics, showed the letter to her husband before he took it to Sheriffs Law Enforcement Association of McLennan County President Lt. Mike Garrett. Deputies began collaborating with Waco Police Association members, who donated to selected families.

On Friday, deputies delivered about $3,500 worth of gifts, including bed frames, mattresses and bedding to Kirks home, with help from Waco Mattress Center, Sedberry Furniture and donations from officers. Garrett said the letter touched law enforcement members and pushed officers to deliver new beds for each child, a bed for Kirks, bedding, bean bag chairs and food.

She (Elianna Garcia) did not ask for gifts for herself, Garrett said,

She was just thinking about her family and what they needed, Steve Janics added.

Elianna Garcia said she was more than surprised when she walked into her bedroom Friday afternoon.

I just hoped we would get bottles and Pampers, she said. I am so happy and so surprised. I feel like this is a dream.

Sheriff Parnell McNamara said he was proud of deputies and their partnership with Waco Police Association officers. Waco police Sgt. Scott Holt, Waco Police Association board member, said officers were touched, honored and excited to help give back to local families.

Additional gifts will be delivered to selected students next week at University High School. Elianna Garcia said she could not imagine a better Christmas.

This one is the best ever, she said. I need someone to pinch me, because I cant believe this is real.
The Rev. Lorenzo Lawrence Soler, a Franciscan priest and native of Majorca, Spain, who spent nearly five decades as pastor of two Catholic churches in Waco, has died in his native Spain at the age of 89, his longtime assistant and several members of the Sacred Heart and St. Francis Catholic churches confirmed.

Soler used much-publicized tamale sales to build a new Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Bagby Avenue and attach a $2.1 million addition years later. Soler, who shepherded the growth of Sacred Heart from 100 families to an estimated 1,900 today and enjoyed hosting elaborate dinners for area priests, community leaders and church members on special occasions, had suffered with declining health in recent years, having been diagnosed with congestive heart failure and cancer. Friends and parishioners said he lived in Waco for a time following his retirement, and struggled with the decision to return to Spain one last time.

He was a fun-loving man, and we talked about him coming back to Waco when it got warmer, but we knew that would be hard on him, said Diana Bustamante, a member of Sacred Heart who had known Father Soler for 30 years. He was a really good man, an awesome man, who always thought of the people and what was in their best interest.

Memorial service

Jo Ann Wright, who served as Father Solers personal assistant for decades, said one of his nieces texted her Thursday with news of his death. He has been buried in a family mausoleum in Majorca, and a memorial service is planned next week in Waco, with OakCrest Funeral Home handling arrangements.

Wright said she often traveled with Father Soler on trips to Spain, where he would spend his vacation renovating the family villa.

This final time, his sister, Catalina, cooked and cared for him, said Wright. She was 85 years old, and an amazing woman in her own right. He lived at the top of a hill in their village and she lived at the bottom. She would take that walk up the hill each day to tend to his needs.

Wright said Father Soler was serving as priest in 1992, when a new Sacred Heart Catholic Church was built on Bagby Avenue adjacent to a church building in place since 1957. It was there in 2003 that a new 22,000-square-foot education and parish activity hall built in the shape of a cross was dedicated.

Besides using the receipts of four major fundraisers each year during the previous years, parishioners needed to borrow $1 million from the Austin Diocese to pay for the project. One-third of the cash on hand was raised through the sale of tamales alone. The religious education wing as built boasted 13 classrooms, an office for the religious education director and the parish office. Surrounding the building are 40 pillars to tie in design elements of the existing church.

Donors sponsored pillars, windows, rooms and even bricks to help raise money for the $2.1 million project.

Sacred Heart was known as the church built on tamales, said Wright, adding the women of the church, like the pastor, had a passion for preparing food. He loved to have dinner parties, and his specialty was paella. He would invite local politicians over to enjoy this Spanish seafood dish.

She added, He was beloved. He was not just a guy sharing Gods word; he became part of our family, and he treated everybody as if they were special.

Wright said Soler became a priest at age 21, serving in New York City, and then he traveled around before arriving in Texas in the mid-1960s. I was a stay-at-home mother at the time, and I began helping him in the office. My kids were always around, but he didnt mind. He was family.

She recalls Thanksgiving weekend of 2012, when Father Soler asked her to take him shopping for Christmas presents on Black Friday.

He said, Before we go, Id like you to first take me to the doctor. It was then he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Later, it was discovered he had cancer. He did not say Mass for a whole year while he tried to recuperate. I helped him find people who would provide nursing assistance, Wright said.

It was hard to say no to Father Lawrence, said Robert Gamboa, longtime parishioner at Sacred Heart, where he served as church historian. He would let me know his phone was not working properly, and Id rush over and see what I could do. He was desperately concerned about missing a call from a member of his flock.

His tenacity served him well, said Gamboa, as he sought to raise funds for capital improvements without unduly burdening the churchs bottom line.

Yes, tamales were a part of the strategy, said Gamboa with a laugh, adding, The ladies would be making them day in and day out. They would freeze them and prepare special orders. We began to wonder how people could continue to eat tamales for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, but they did.

Father Soler served as pastor of Sacred Heart from 1965 to 1970, was reassigned to St. Francis Catholic Church and then returned to Sacred Heart in 1977, retiring in 2014.

In Central Texas, people had not seen the kind of fundraising Father Soler championed, Gamboa said, especially in economically challenged South Waco. If there was something he wanted, he didnt make demands. He just had a nature of dealing with the personality he was making the request of. He knew how to extract just a little more effort than the common effort. It will be a long time that people will remember and cherish the relationship with Father Lawrence.

Kind and caring

Linda Marquez, 66, a lifetime member of St. Francis Catholic Church, described Father Soler as kind and caring. Sister Pauline Aguirre, who works in the St. Francis Catholic Church nursery, said she also recalls Solers culinary skills, his delicious paella and his fondness for feasts and special occasions.

She laughed and said Father Soler had a heart of gold but was a tad absent-minded, and sometimes would get distracted by late arrivals while celebrating Mass.

Carlos Sanchez, former editor of the Waco Tribune-Herald, released a statement upon the death of Father Soler, saying: I am profoundly saddened by the news of the death of Father Lawrence. I dont think many Wacoans realize the impact this humble man of the cloth had on their community. Many knew him as the leader of the church that tamales built, but he had a far greater impact than that, particularly for the Hispanic community of Waco.

Father Lawrence was a closet revolutionary who delighted in good conversation during a good meal that he cooked. Some of the best  and most educational  times I had in Waco were during meals at Father Lawrences home at Sacred Heart, attended by the late Monsignor Mark Deering. The two shared stories of Waco during an earlier, less accepting era when Catholics and Hispanics were viewed with suspicion. But they were always uplifting stories that had a moral about the ultimate decency of people from Waco and of the love these two men had for the community.
St. Francis on the Brazos Catholic Church in Waco is welcoming the community to celebrate the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe on Sunday.

Orlando Salas, with the church, said from 7 p.m. until midnight the event will include dancing, drumming, and a play of the appearances of Lady of Guadalupe along with services and mananitas mariachis.

Salas said most area churches will celebrate on the day, Dec. 12, but St. Francis has traditionally held it early.

Noemi Diaz, president of the association of the Guadalupanas of St. Francis, said shes attended the church for the past 20-30 years.

We just want to invite the whole community to come and watch this beautiful, beautiful event were putting on, she said. Its not only for St. Francis parishioners but the whole community.

The church adopted Dec. 12 as the Virgin of Guadalupes feast day in 1754, and later designated her as the patroness of Mexico and the Americas.

The tradition of festivities kicking off the Christmas season for local Hispanic Catholics is a continuation of a Mexican tradition dating back centuries.

Several hundred people have attended the event in years past.

Theres so many folks out that night. It gets so packed in there we have people standing outside, she said. Thats how packed it gets. Its a wall-to-wall thing.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. Sunday with Danzas, folkloric Mexican dancers, drumming at Guadalupe celebration.

Later, an explanation will be given in play format of the appearances of the Lady of Guadalupe along with services and mananitas mariachis.

The majority already know why we do this but some people dont know the full history of it, she said. I remember when I was growing up my mother talked to me about her.

The evening will also include a live rosary, she said. Individuals will line up, each holding a candle, which will be lit one at a time, to represent the 55 beads of a rosary.

That way by the time we finish the rosary, well stand around the wall, it will be all lit up, she said.

Diaz said the virgin appeared before an indigenous man, Juan Diago, in December 1531. She petitioned Diago to build a temple in her honor, but it took several visits to the archbishop of Mexico City before he was believed.

The virgin finally told Diago to climb the rocky and barren Tepeyac Hill to collect flowers, she said.

He found some beautiful red roses and the virgin told him to pick those flowers and take them to the bishop as proof of her aspiration to him, she said.

Standing before the archbishop, Diago opened his cloak, or tilmatli, and as the roses fell the virgins image appeared on his shirt, she said.

-----

If you go

St. Francis on the Brazos Catholic Church

7 p.m. until midnight Sunday, 315 Jefferson Ave. in Waco
On the 14-mile stretch of West Highway 84 between McGregor and Highway 6 in Waco, theres just one stoplight, and commuters know it well as a chokepoint.

Its at the intersection of Speegleville Road, where motorists going 65 mph often have to come to a complete stop and wait for several minutes.

In the morning you can sit at that light for two or three cycles, said Nathan Embry, president of the West Highway 84 neighborhood association.

Now transportation officials say they may be close to beginning work on an overpass at Speegleville Road that would remove that bottleneck and accommodate the areas continuing growth spurt.

The Texas Department of Transportation already has acquired the necessary right-of-way at a cost of $12 million. It has also completed the design of the overpass and associated Highway 84 frontage roads west of the intersection.

The city of Waco has let a $1.3 million contract to relocate utilities in the right-of-way, which should start in January and wrap up by mid-summer.

The only remaining obstacle is getting construction funded, to the tune of $34.5 million.

But state funding is likely to become available in time to start construction in late 2018 or early 2019, said Chris Evilia, director of the Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization, which works with TxDOT to plan transportation projects countywide.

Evilia said most of the funding will likely come from Proposition 7, which Texas voters approved in 2015 to fund transportation needs through a portion of the state sales tax. He said that under the propositions enabling legislation, the Texas Legislature in early 2017 will need to vote to include the Proposition 7 money in the transportation budget.

Theres no reason to think that wont happen, Evilia said.

He said now that both phases of the China Spring Road expansion project have been funded, the Speegleville Road overpass is the MPOs top priority, other than Interstate 35.

Evilia said if the Proposition 7 funds dont cover the full construction cost, the MPO could ask the Waco district TxDOT office to help cover the gap with its discretionary funds.

He added that other state funding sources might arise between now and late 2018.

If the Legislature feels inclined to provide additional dollars, we will not complain, he said.

Bobby Littlefield, TxDOT Waco district engineer, said he also hopes that the Texas Transportation Commission can fund the overpass project in the 2018-19 fiscal year.

But he said uncertainties remain about the timing of that project and the Interstate 35 widening project, which could be built simultaneously. He said the transportation commission could provide clarity at its February meeting.

The best-case scenario is that we could get U.S. 84 and Speegleville funded in 2018 and the first phase (of I-35) in 2019, Littlefield said.

Littlefield said district TxDOT officials are now proposing to break the I-35 project into three phases of about $150 million each, starting with the segment between 12th Street and Forrest Drive.

He said the local TxDOT office may need to spend a significant amount of its discretionary dollars on the I-35 project, but it also might have some money to help with the Speegleville Road overpass.

Littlefield, who sits on the MPO board, said he agrees the overpass and frontage road project is a top priority for the area.

That project is on a major route, and that location is on the western edge of the controlled-access freeway system in an area where there has been some growth, he said. We need to extend the freeway system beyond that intersection.

The West Highway 84 corridor has been a top growth area in the county for more than two decades, including subdivisions such as Hidden Valley, Stone Creek Ranch, Harris Creek, SunWest and Twin Rivers. More recently, Speegleville Road has seen more residential development, along with the new River Valley Intermediate School.

Highway 84 carries about 23,000 cars per day at Speegleville Road, and another 4,500 enter from Old Lorena Road from the south. Current data for Speegleville Road traffic at that intersection was unavailable.

Evilia said the intersection hasnt stood out as one of the areas most dangerous intersections, but the high speed limits there put it at risk of deadly crashes.

He said traffic counts from all directions are only going to grow.

McGregor activity

If you go out in the morning and evening peak times, theres quite a bit of backup at the traffic signal, he said. Theres a lot just from the development thats occurred in the area, but now we have increased activity coming in from McGregor. Were anticipating more going toward McGregor as SpaceX ramps up, and McGregor keeps telling us there are additional folks coming to their industrial parks.

Ken Cooper, who lives in the area and is a partner in the Hidden Valley development, said the overpass is well-planned and is coming at the right time.

I think it will facilitate growth that is already happening, he said. Theres definitely going to be more commercial growth at that intersection, and more residential growth as well.

Embry, the neighborhood association president, said his group has advocated for the overpass with local and state officials.

Were concerned about safety, were concerned about commute times, and were concerned about congestion, he said. We look forward to playing an active role.

Embry, who lives at SunWest, travels down Highway 84 in the mornings to drop his kids off at Hewitt Elementary School. He said that as traffic backs up at Speegleville Road, some motorists will begin driving on the shoulders to get over to the frontage road, or look for a back road.

Evilia said that the overpass project will require some existing residents to change their habits. For example, traffic coming from Bosque Lane will no longer be able to cross over Highway 84. That will require some residents to either find a back road to Speegleville Road or catch a turnaround on Highway 84 farther west.
EDITORS NOTE: In the wake of the Waco-based Lake Shore Baptist Church congregations Nov. 30 approval of a declaration accepting all people into its membership, including those in the LGBT community, senior pastor Kyndall Rae Rothaus offered this response to a Trib column by her onetime mentor, esteemed Baylor University theologian Roger Olson. It dwells on controversy involving the Baptist General Convention of Texas Nov. 15 vote in Waco declaring churches that welcome LGBT people into membership out of harmonious cooperation and thus candidates for expulsion. The BGCT vote followed its informing two churches, Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas and First Baptist Church in Austin, that their welcoming of LGBTs put them in danger of such expulsion.

Dear Dr. Olson,

As a Baptist pastor, I read your Nov. 27 column in the Trib, Sorting out the BGCT, the LGBT and Baptist autonomy in general with interest and some dismay. You and I have known each other ever since I was a student in your class years ago where you faithfully nurtured and encouraged my theological growth. We have often engaged in hearty debate, maintaining respect for one another even when we disagree.

It is in that same spirit of friendly theological discourse that, as a pastor and theologian, I make the following responses to your column:

First, no one is arguing that to be Baptist means anything goes, as you suggest. Thats an unfair mischaracterization of the argument. The local autonomy of Baptist churches doesnt mean our congregations can choose to worship unicorns or sacrifice children or demand that everyone wear yellow if they want to get to heaven. Im purposefully being dramatic here to make the point that while Baptists have long supported religious freedom, the freedom of the individual conscience and the autonomy of local congregations to interpret the Bible for themselves, we have committed to these ideals within reason and in keeping with our traditional Christian beliefs.

When a Baptist organization passes judgment about an individual congregations decision to bless a monogamous, loving, same-sex relationship, I would argue that the organization has attempted to interfere with the congregations autonomy by threatening removal from the organization. Theologically and historically our beliefs about human sexuality are not and have never been central to our faith. Despite differences of belief regarding the sinfulness of same-sex attraction and behavior, Baptists still have so much in common that is of greater importance. It is inconsistent to our tradition to make this one issue and hot topic the defining mark of what makes a Baptist General Convention of Texas church distinctive in our time.

My second point is that the BGCT decision was not only inconsistent with Baptist tradition; it was woefully tragic. You say that decisions such as the one made by a Baptist convention have theological reasons and implications that Baptist theologians and historians best understand, by which I assume you mean academic theologians. I disagree. I think pastoral theologians have a more intimate understanding of the implications.

I was in the lobby directly following the BGCT decision comforting people who were shedding tears over the fracture. Several of the dismayed folks were not themselves affirming of same-sex marriage; they were dismayed because their longtime friends and colleagues were being ushered out of a community that had meant so much to them over the decades and years. They were dismayed because these are difficult and challenging times wrought with challenging conversations, and they had wanted to navigate the rough terrain with their people, not in opposition to them. They were dismayed because they believe in the free exchange of ideas, and they have respect for congregations like the First Austin and Wilshire Baptist churches, even if they dont always agree. They have served on mission projects alongside these churches. They have attended weddings and funerals together; they have served the needy side by side, they have encouraged one another in the faith and been in each others homes. They have worshipped together, raised money for missions together and been the hands and feet of Christ together. This decision means loss and fragmentation for many of our Baptist brothers and sisters on both sides of the issue. As a denomination, we are grieving.

You say, When a Baptist church is expelled from one convention or conference, it can easily find others with which to affiliate and have fellowship. The options are wildly many and astoundingly diverse, and that being excluded from a Baptist convention or conference doesnt put a dent in a congregations being Baptist. These are both absolutely true statements, but they do not diminish the pain of being separated from congregations who have been family to you for so many years.

Even when we disagree with their position, we cannot deny that those rare congregations among Texas Baptists who have fully embraced the LGBTQ community are serving an ostracized population. The suicide rate among LGBTQ teens is frighteningly high along with the homelessness rate. Our Baptist congregations who have chosen to affirm same-sex relationships have not done so as an abandonment of their Christian values but in fidelity to their values, because, rightly or wrongly, they believe God has called them to this work of affirmation. Whether or not you agree with their approach it would be wrong to deny that these congregations are motivated by love and compassion. Even if the majority of Texas Baptists forever hold to the notion that marriage is only between one man and one woman, surely we want to hear from our affirming Baptist neighbors what they are learning about the pain and needs of the LGBTQ population. Surely what they have learned about relationships and human suffering is still relevant in our quest to be Christ-followers who comfort the afflicted.

When our theological differences hinder us from seeing and knowing people, from listening to one another, from welcoming those pesky yet sincere voices of dissent, are we exchanging a theology of the Holy for an ideology of our own making? When we react to one another out of fear of contamination or corruption, it seems to me we cease to know the God whose love casts out fear. A theology on the defense that must draw fences around who is in and who is out seems to be seriously underestimating Gods capacity to judge for Gods self. Let the wheat grow with the tares, Jesus would say. That doesnt mean we cannot have boundaries, or that we cannot define who we are; but we must be careful that we are not attempting to be God rather than seeking to know God.

Breaking fellowship with Christians over the definition of marriage doesnt strike me as an act of seeking God; it feels more like an act of preserving homogeny at the expense of genuine and soulful conversation. Christian community requires us to risk knowing one another, and to keep risking it, even when we do not agree on the nonessentials.

My final point is really my primary point, and it is the same point I made in my video statement to the BGCT and in my interview with the Trib, which is that without doubt the primary sexual sin of our time is assault. If we want to talk about sin, why on earth are we not talking more about assault? And why are we still squabbling about Baptist polity instead of organizing against assault? I want Baptist leaders to answer me on this.

Since I made my statement, I have heard a few people respond that the reason Baptists churches are not talking about assault as much as they are talking about same-sex attraction is because we all agree already that assault is a sin. Let me explain why that is not true.

Likely we all do agree that a stranger attacking and raping a woman by breaking into her house or grabbing her off the street is wrong. But there are countless stories of women who have been blamed for their assaults because they were drinking, or because of what they were wearing, or because they werent virgins, or because they werent careful enough, etc. Victim-blaming is a flagrant (not to mention psychologically damaging) denial of the crime/sin of assault, and victim-blaming is disturbingly rampant among Christians.

We are not teaching our youth about consent, we are not addressing the connections between the consumption of violent pornography and rape, we are not defining healthy relationships or standing up for abused women. We are not speaking out regularly against the sin of sexism. Some of our congregations are still actively promoting sexism by not allowing women to preach or hold leadership roles, thus reinforcing the dangerous notion that a womans voice need not be heeded  not in the church and not in the bedroom. In my opinion, this is far more sinful and dangerous than a congregation giving its blessing to a committed couple who were going to get married anyway but would appreciate the support of their church family. Do not monogamous relationships between two people who love and care for one another seem benign compared to the assault epidemic, compared to child abuse, compared to molestation, compared to human-trafficking, compared to child pornography, compared to spouse-beating and marital rape? I strongly feel it is hypocritical of the church to attack same-sex relationships as sinful but not address sexual violence thoroughly and passionately.

In that case, perhaps the most important people any newspaper could interview regarding the topic of sexual sin are the people who have suffered as victims of sexual crime and exploitation. We ought to listen to their wisdom before we consult anyone elses.

Kyndall Rae Rothaus joined Lake Shore as senior pastor after serving in a similar post at Covenant Baptist Church in San Antonio. She graduated from Truett Theological Seminary and served as a resident chaplain at Brooks Residential College (Baylor), a pastoral associate at DaySpring Baptist Church in Waco and interim pastor at First United Church in West.
Pramod was arrested from his residence in Dwarka where he cut off the legs of a puppy in a drunken state.

By Chayyanika Nigam: Puppy abuser Pramod, who severed two legs of a puppy with a hacksaw only because 'he was drunk' while the puppy scratched him, is now behind bars. On Friday morning, Delhi Police reached the residence of Pramod in Sector-8, Dwarka and arrested him.

He has been slapped with the charges under Section 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming cattle) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 11 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

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PETA India along with Delhi Police has suggested sending Pramod to a mental asylum or for a psychiatric treatment. Meanwhile, Delhi Police have also taken statements of the locals who were witness to Pramod beating his wife, children and the others animals that he brought home. Some of the tea-vendors, to whom Mail Today had earlier spoken to, also told the police about Pramod trapping and bringing pigeons home to roast and eat.

In another shocking revelation on Friday, it came to light that on December 2, when the puppy was rescued, Pramod had caught another stray dog and was beating him who was later saved by one of the neighbours.

The puppy has been adopted by a dog lover in Dwarka area. The medical examination of the puppy will be conducted on Saturday.

Sources close to investigation said: "During the medical examination we will also ascertain whether the puppy was assaulted or not."

Also read | Hyderabad man arrested for raping and killing dog

--- ENDS ---
GREENWOOD  Saturday will be a day of Christmas cheer in Greenwood on Saturday, Dec. 10.

The former Greenwood Public School will be the site of a full schedule of events, all of which will raise funds for the restoration of the building by the One Whole Heart Ministry and Valor Christian Academy, according to Rachel Baxter of Valor Christian Academy.

The school building was donated to One Whole Heart Ministry by Bill Sapp of Ashland earlier this year. The organization has been restoring the building to house and train missionaries and will open a school there in the future.

Starting at 9 a.m., there will be a craft and collectibles sale at the school. The sale will include collectible dolls and bears that were part of the thousands of items left in the building by the former tenants, Harold and Verna Mae Strode, who lived in the school and operated a gift shop there. Free gift wrapping is offered on items purchased at the sale.

At 4 p.m. a soup supper and silent auction begins. Silent auction items have been donated and include antique furniture, Baxter said.

There will also be a concession stand with food offered all day long, Baxter said.

The day will conclude with a worship/church service at 6 p.m.

Also in Greenwood on Saturday, the Friends of the Greenwood Library are sponsoring the annual visit from Santa Claus at the Greenwood Fire Hall at 3 p.m.
WAHOO  Funeral services for a long-time member of the Bishop Neumann community will be held Monday in Omaha, with a Memorial Mass planned next Wednesday at St. Wencelsaus Catholic Church in Wahoo.

St. Michelle Hayek, N.D. died Dec. 7. Hayek moved to Seven Oaks at Notre Dame in Omaha this past January, after fully retiring from service at Neumann.

Her heart was at Neumann, Neumann Principal Fr. Jeremy Hazuka said about her.

He said her legacy will be the connections she made over the years with Neumann students, families and faculty, as well as the entire community.

She made so many connections in so many ways. She had the pulse of Neumann, he said.

Hayek joined the Neumann faculty in 1978, as principal of the Catholic high school.

After serving for two decades as principal, Hayek took a yearlong sabbatical in Missouri.

Hayek told the Wahoo Newspaper in June that, for most of her sabbatical, she didnt know what next for her after the stay at the renewal center was over.

Toward the end of her sabbatical, Neumann began looking for a new development director.

It looked like God opened the door, Hayek said.

She served in that capacity at Neumann for a number of years. She then got lone-some for the classroom and taught ninth grade religion class at Neumann for several years.

For the past few years, she continued to live at the con-vent in Wahoo and still volunteered her time and service at the school.

All during this time, she continued to be involved with the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton group, a group she started at Neumann that focuses on growth in spiritual life and service.

No matter her position at the school, she said the Seton group and its members were always near and dear to her heart.

Hazuka said the Seaton group is a fine example of the good work that Hayek saw could be accomplished by Neumann students.

I think it is a good re-minder that everyone is called to holiness, including the high school girls, he said.

Hazuka credited Hayek for being a dedicated member of the schools faculty and always willing to offer support and encouragement.

It was not uncommon, he said, for her to attend faculty meetings, even after her retirement.

Afterwards, she would offer words of encouragement and advice, he said.

Despite the long list of known activities that Hayek took part in at Neumann, Hazuka said there was an equal list of little, behind the scenes service too.

Her devotion to cleaning up the faculty lunch room or helping to set up for a big mass, he said, didnt really become noticeable until after she left the community last winter.

Hayek was also active with the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church parish in Wahoo, including teaching CCD classes, assisting in RCIA classes and leading of the Lenten discussion groups.

A vigil service at Notre Dame Chapel, 2501 State Street in Omaha, will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday. Mass of Christian will be 10 a.m. Monday at the chapel.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Wenceslaus in Wahoo.

Memorial have been suggested to the Notre Dame Sisters.
Parrikar says that he is deeply pained over the allegations regarding the deployment of the Army personnel.

By Ajit Kumar Dubey: "Extremely pained" by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee calling an Army exercise a coup and dragging it into a political row, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday shot off a letter to her, saying such a stance can adversely impact civil-military relations in the future.

The two-page letter by the defence minister drew a sharp response from the West Bengal chief minister, who reiterated her charge that the Army had not taken permission for its toll data collection drill last week.

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"I was pained... this particular exercise was a routine one so that the Army gets whatever data it wants. It is also an exercise where Army and civil administration coordinate... If they don't coordinate, it will be difficult for the Army to operate during natural calamities and disaster relief operations," Parrikar told a select group of journalists on Friday.

READ| Army rejects Mamata Banerjee's toll plaza allegations, shows papers

"WRONG WAY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE"

Parrikar said he had himself attended civil-military coordination committee meetings as chief minister of Goa and hoped that Banerjee must have also attended such meetings in West Bengal as well. "If there is any issue with the forces, there is a way of addressing it and taking up with the military. Even if they want some modifications, we have no issues with it. But alleging that they were attempting a coup or collecting money is not the right way to handle it," the defence minister said.

READ | Peace is fine but no compromises due to fear of war, says Manohar Parrikar at Agenda Aaj Tak

Parrikar said he wrote the letter after checking facts multiple times with the authorities concerned as the issues were raised by the chief minister of a state. He said the main reason for him to write the letter was that he did not want such issues or incidents to be repeated in future as this could hamper the ties between the civil administration and military personnel.

In the letter, Parrikar said that he was deeply pained over the allegations regarding the deployment of the Army personnel and that the same was not expected from a person of Banerjee's standing and experience in public life.

READ| Mamata Banerjee locks herself in office to protest Army's presence at toll plazas in state

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Defence Minister Marise Payne said the government "does not consider the unauthorised disclosure of information to be appropriate or in the public interest".

As revealed by Fairfax Media , Senator Xenophon knew what his adviser was doing and supported him, resulting in a story that also sparked questions about whether Australia's $50 billion submarine building program could be fully secure under its partnership with DCNS.

Former submariner turned political staffer Rex Patrick has been identified as the source of information for a front page newspaper story in August that triggered an international furore that embarrassed India and the French government-owned submarine builder DCNS.

The Turnbull government will review the security clearance of an adviser to crossbench kingmaker Nick Xenophon after revelations he told the media about a massive security breach at the French firm building Australia's new submarines.

Senator Nick Xenophon called for an inquiry into the leak despite knowing his own staffer was involved.

"The Australian government will review the security clearance of any individual or individuals who may have been involved in the alleged unauthorised disclosure," she said on Saturday.



The French government has an investigation under way into the apparent unauthorised disclosure of information regarding the Scorpene submarine, Senator Payne said. "Australia is co-operating with that investigation," she said. "It is a matter for the French government to determine whether the information was sensitive or classified in nature and it is important to let that process be completed."



The leak of thousands of pages of information about the Indian Scorpene submarines included stealth capabilities and sensitive data related to diving, sonar and the combat system. The plans were taken from Paris in 2011 by a contractor before they made their way to Australia via Mr Patrick.

Mr Patrick tried to tell the Department of Defence in 2013 that DCNS had suffered the major data breach but the senior navy officer he spoke to did not act on the information.

Senator Xenophon said he was first made aware of the breach several days before the story was published in The Australian.

"No material was sent to The Australian that in any way disclosed sensitive information," he said. "I believe it was very much in the public interest that the data breach be revealed publicly  without in any way disclosing any sensitive information.
By PTI: Chennai, Dec 10 (PTI) A day after CBI chargesheeted former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran for alleged misuse of high speed data lines, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan today said the case was not a new one or filed during the BJP regime, and insisted that it was the DMK leaders duty to prove his innocence.

There was no point criticising the ruling BJP at the Centre on the matter "as this was a pending case", he said.

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"This case was filed before BJP government came to power. It was a pending case. That being the case, there is no point criticising the government," he told reporters at the airport here.

Maran, who yesterday claimed that he had done no wrong, had said "an FIR that was filed 4 years ago and had been gathering dust has suddenly been revived now. I dont know the true background behind this. I have full faith in judiciary and I am ready to face the case legally ... whatever the motive behind it," he had said.

Maran was chargesheeted by the CBI for using high-speed data lines provided by state-run companies for the benefit of a TV channel run by his brother.

Radhakrishnan also said that if Dayanidhi Maran felt he was innocent, "then it is his duty" to prove so, in a court. PTI COR SA APR IKA

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However, with the paparazzi on Stefanovic's tail as rumours and reports circulate about where and with whom the $3 million-a-year personality is spending his time, the Today co-host has spent the past week living in a luxury villa - with private entry and exit - at Melbourne's Crown casino, where he crashed a ladies' lunch on Wednesday. Crown is owned by Stefanovic's buddy Packer, who has also reportedly loaned him use of his private helicopter. Turnbull's 'Mediscare' rant cruels Christmas spirit Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull apparently has a penchant for white plastic Christmas trees, but it was his not-so-festive party banter that sounded the most "off season" around the corridors of The Lodge in Canberra. Turnbull opened the doors of The Lodge last week, following its years of renovations, to throw his annual Canberra Press Gallery Christmas party. Malcolm Turnbull plays Santa's little helper in his office at Parliament House. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

In previous years former prime ministers, including Tony Abbott, revealed a far more amusing side to themselves at the annual Christmas knees-up, especially Abbott who was famous for his often self-deprecating one-liners (god knows he had plenty of material). Not so for Prime Minister Turnbull, who took his guests aback by launching into a six-minute tirade on "Mediscare" while bemoaning his media guests' lot by harping on about the all-too-familiar challenges facing the real news business in the face of Facebook feeds, Instagram-loving celebrities and the era of fake news. But the party did provide the opportunity for a closer inspection of the meticulous renovations to the 1927 Georgian revival-style mansion, a touchy project that began under the Gillard and Abbott governments and cost taxpayers $11.6million, only to be finished off by a further $130,000 injection from the Turnbulls' own coffers. PS's party mole described it thus: "It really has that Lucy Turnbull touch to it ... very nice but very inoffensive and I'm sure it's nothing as grand as their Point Piper pad." Croaky has something to growl about

It's been more than 40 years since millionaire Sydney luxury car and superyacht dealer Neville Crichton was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer, aged just 29. Amazingly he has hardly skipped a beat ever since, despite having his voice box and oesophagus removed, and an artificial one implanted. These days he presses a small hole in his neck that allows him to communicate with a husky voice, hence his nickname 'Croaky'. However PS hears that despite years of good health, Crichton, 71, has recently experienced a few setbacks which have resulted in delaying his wedding to his beautiful bride-to-be, Nadi Hasandedic. Neville Chrichton and his fiance Nadi Hasandedic. Not that she is too concerned, apparently the 30-something beauty has taken delivery of a new "fur baby" in the shape of a fluffy puppy which has been giving Croaky a bit of grief when it sits on his very, very, VERY expensive car seats.

Do the time-warp: hunt for late-night chat show host in WASP territory As we head into television's non-ratings twilight zone, behind the scenes at the three commercial networks plans are being hatched to recreate one of the small screen's most enduring concepts: the celebrity-filled, ratings-winning late-night chat show. But it is the trickiest element the networks are struggling with as they hunt for the right host - critical for success. However, from what PS has discovered, instead of revolutionising the format and claiming new territory, channels Seven, Nine and Ten are stuck in the same mindset that gave audiences the likes of Steve Vizard, Don Lane and even Rove McManus, by auditioning funny (admittedly of variety degrees), straight, white and safe guys for the plum gig. Despite the emerging wealth of highly-entertaining, quick-witted and engaging female, culturally and ethnically diverse identities on television today, from Kitty Flanagan and Julia Morris to John Safran, Joel Creasey and Lawrence Leung, the idea of a late-night chat show remains very much in straight, WASP boy's territory.

So far Channel Seven has either screen-tested, or at the very least considered, Lawrence Mooney, Darren McMullen and Ed Kavalee to helm a potential new show in 2017. But they are yet to reveal any concrete plans. Of that three, the often controversial Mooney would clearly present the greatest risk, but that could also be his strength. However, the screen tests are ongoing and will be throughout the summer non-ratings period. Comedian Lawrence Mooney has been considered by Channel Seven for late-night talk TV. Credit:Simon Schluter Over at Channel Nine, earlier reports claiming McManus had been auditioning for a late-night show appear to be a little off the mark, with sources saying it was yet another panel show concept, hosted by McManus and not too dissimilar to Channel Ten's Project, which McManus was instrumental in getting off the ground nearly a decade ago. Rove's appearance in the Channel NIne corridors is said to have ruffled a few of the network's in-house male stars, not the least Karl Stefanovic, who has long harboured ambitions for a late night chat show of his own, though his attempts with The Verdict last year were met with a luke warm reception among viewers. And over at Channel 10, re-born game show host Grant Denyer has made no secret of his desire to get in on the late-night act, even hitting Twitter to fantasise about his own show, toying with the idea of Family Feud going rogue.

Denyer tweeted: "ohhh to be able to have a play in late night territory. That would be wild. An unchained version would be fabulous chaos." God help us. Party Animal If you think your Christmas party season is hectic, spare a thought for Sydney's drug dogs, who have been sniffing their way across some of the best soirees in the city. According to the @SniffOff Twitter feed, it has been quite a social itinerary.

On one night last week the Sniffer Dog was spotted enjoying the innocent delights of Luna Park at 7pm, mixing it with the suits at the Argyle at the Rocks at 9pm then working the room at Rag and Famish in North Sydney at 9.30pm before a quick stop off at the Mt Whalan Shops in Mt Druitt at 10:56pm and finally, finishing the night under the disco lights at the Chinese Laundry on Sussex Street at 11.42pm. Such stamina! The Age - NEWS - 31 December 2008 - New Year s Eve - Generic - A Police sniffer dog in action inspecting revellers at the Sensation Dance Paty . Picture by Paul Rovere SPECIAL 00000001 Credit:Paul Rovere PTR It's time to save the 'whales' They were the beloved, cashed-up Chinese "whales" James Packer had gambled so much of his empire on, but signs are emerging that the southern migration to the poker tables of Sydney may have come to an abrupt end. From private jet charters to luxury limousine transfers, Sydney-based operators have quietly been discussing the loss of the once lucrative Chinese high rollers who had been visiting The Star, as well as Packer's Crown Melbourne, on their gambling holidays.

"It's completely dried up in the past month, they are too scared to come here," one operator divulged to PS this week. "A lot of them were buying expensive life insurance policies in the mainland, and cashing them in in Hong Kong, then using that money to come and gamble in Australia. It was harder for the Chinese to trace where the money was going. But ever since the government cracked down on them over there, they are avoiding Sydney and Australia big time." The knock-on effect will no doubt also be felt across parts of Sydney's luxury goods sector, which has experienced boom years largely thanks to increasing patronage from status-obsessed Chinese visitors. It was not uncommon for wealthy Chinese visitors to drop $15,000 on a designer handbag between their sessions in the high roller's rooms, reassured the product was genuine rather than one of the knock-offs that flood the Chinese homeland. Packer's Crown is still desperately trying to contain the fallout from the arrest in mid-October of 18 of its employees by Chinese authorities.

James Packer has faced negative press about his falling out with Mariah Carey. Credit:Justin Chin Formally detained on what the Chinese have called "gambling crimes", only one of the 18 has been released, while Crown's international VIP boss, Jason O'Connor, and two Australian colleagues remain in custody and could remain there for up to six months. Meanwhile Packer, who has weathered a storm of negative press about his personal life since his engagement to Mariah Carey imploded in full public view, has been conspicuously absent from the global social radar ever since. Packer did not attend Ryan Stokes' wedding last week, though he was rumoured to be on the guest list. Neither was he seen at the launch of Crown Perth this week, as rumours swirled about his personal life and exact whereabouts. However PS can confirm Packer has been at his polo property, Ellerstina, in Argentina, about an hour's drive from Buenos Aires. And, while he has been dealing with those "personal issues", his ex-wife Erica and their three children visited for Thanksgiving.
The father of a Melbourne woman who died in Mozambique last month says an autopsy conducted in South Africa shows that his daughter died a violent death.

The body of 20-year-old Mordialloc woman Elly Warren was found by local fishermen near a locked toilet block in the tourist town of Tofo in early November.

Budding marine biologist Elly Warren, 20, died while she was on a diving trip in Mozambique. Credit:gofundme.com

There had been speculation in some media outlets that she had been raped and murdered after her body was found in the sand with her underwear below her knees.

Local police, however, told Fairfax Media their initial investigations did not point to foul play.
By PTI: The vessel CGS Victory is built by Goa Shipyard Limited

The vessel CGS Victory is built by Goa Shipyard Limited while CGS Valiant - also built by GSL - is due for delivery to Mauritius in 2017.

CGS Victory will help Mauritius widen its outer island support activities and conduct in-depth surveillance in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to tackle transnational crimes such as drug and human trafficking, piracy, and terrorism.

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The Chetak helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd were gifted by India to the Police Helicopter Squadron of the Mauritian Police Force.

The choppers, which have an operational life of 15 years, would enhance the existing capabilities of Mauritius police for search and rescue operations and emergency evacuations.

Parrikar will meet the President of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, tomorrow and also interact with Cabinet ministers of the Mauritius government including Vice Prime Minister Showkutally Soodhun and Finance Minister Pravind Jugnauth.

His itinerary also include a visit to the Indian Survey Ship INS Darshak, which is on a month-long deployment to Mauritius for conducting hydrographic surveys.

With this visit, India and Mauritius reaffirm their strong commitment to the maintenance of peace, security and stability in the Indian Ocean region, an official statement said. PTI SAP TDS ABH

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A school teacher in Mumbai has claimed that she was being forced by her senior to remove burqa and hijab at school. She has resigned in protest.

By Press Trust of India: A teacher working with a school in suburban Kurla has resigned alleging that her religious sentiments were being "compromised" due to the directives from her newly appointed senior.

Shabina Khan Nazneen (25) resigned on Wednesday, accusing her senior of forcing her to remove burqa and hijab (headscarf) during the teaching period. She cited that it was "not worthy to compromise with her religious sentiments."

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However, the school management has not accepted her resignation so far and said that a decision would be taken by next week.

READ| Indian Muslim women defy tradition- and men- to be Islamic judges

"I repeatedly requested the senior headmistress and conveyed my anguish to Principal too about how I was being regularly forced to do away with the burqa and hijab. But no one paid heed and so finally I sent my resignation to the Principal on December 6," she claimed.

WATCH:

Nazneen, who teaches Information Communication Technology to the students, admitted that while other Muslim teachers remove their burqa and hijab while taking classes she is not ready to compromise with this at any cost.

She was appointed as a teacher almost three years ago.

When contacted, Vikram Pillai, Principal of the school said, "Her resignation and all related papers have been forwarded to the trust and management of the school and any decision would be taken by next week only."

Meanwhile, Nazneen has also approached an NGO Jai Ho Foundation. The foundation has written a letter to education minister Vinod Tawde.

Adil Khatri, trustee of the foundation, said, "This is in violation of her fundamental right to religion and personal liberty. We have urged minister to initiate an enquiry into the matter and act against the wrong-doers."

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Carnival Corporation & plc is a leisure travel company operating a fleet of cruise ships, hotels, and resorts with international destinations. Brands under the Carnival Corporation umbrella include Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America, P&O Cruises, Seaborn, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, and Cunard. The companys goal is to provide extraordinary vacations at an exceptional value. As of 2022, the company laid claim to nearly half of the global cruising market share with several new ships in the works.

Carnival Cruise Line was launched in 1972 with one second-hand ship and a tank of fuel. The first port of call was San Juan, Puerto Rico, but soon more were added. The original growth strategy included a festive atmosphere, features and amenities unlike any other cruise line at the time. Slow to start, the growth strategy shifted into overdrive in 1980 when Carnival shocked the world by building its own ship. The Tropicale became an iconic name in the cruising industry and sparked a wave of shipbuilding that is still underway.

The companys growth hit a new stride in 1987 following the IPO which floated 20% of the company on the open market. The proceeds from the IPO allowed the company to embark on a voyage of acquisition and now Carnival is the worlds largest travel and leisure business.

Today, Carnival Corporations 87 ships visit approximately 700 ports worldwide and employ more than 120,000 people while serving more than 13 million guests annually for a total of 85 million passenger cruise days per year. Net revenue, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, peaked out at over $6.5 billion annually.

Carnival Cruise Line is the companys largest brand serving guests on all coasts of North America. The brand's 22 ships make 1500 voyages per year with trips ranging from 2 days to 3 weeks and ports of call from the Caribbean to Alaska. The company's largest ship is named Panorama and can accommodate more than 4,000 passengers.

Carnivals 9 brands provide access to a wide range of cruising styles and destinations including the Caribbean, Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, England, and ports in Asia. The company is headquartered in Miami, Florida and has offices around the world. The company also has the distinction of being the only company included in both the S&P 500 and FTSE 250 indices.
From the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation drive, scrapping Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has been out in the open strongly criticising the move and PM Modi.

By India Today Web Desk: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee minced no words ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from the financial system of India on November 8.

Minutes after PM Modi made the announcement, Mamata Banerjee started a tweet storm against the decision. Here are the tweets she made on November 8.

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"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 his failure..."

"I want to know from PM how my poorest brothers, sisters, who've recd their week's hard earned wage in one 500 re note will buy ata, chal, tomo?"

"Heartless and ill- conceived blow on the common people and the middle class in the fake name of anti-corruption"

"Rs 100 notes not available in banks. Without availability in market how will people, small farmrs, all employees, labourers purchase essentials."

And then she said...

"WITHDRAW THIS DRACONIAN DECISION"

It's been over a month since PM Modi made the announcement, scrapping the notes. Here's all what CM Mamata Banerjee said about the scheme, and how she attacked the BJP government at the centre and Narendra Modi:

"I'll die or live, but will remove PM Modi from Indian politics," were Mamata Benerjee's word at a protest march against demonetisation in Kolkata The chief minister said the central government got "totally derailed" under Modi. "The PM doesn't trust anyone. There is no teamwork. He doesn't understand what is good for the country. He did not consult the experts. It is a one-man dictatorship. It is a one man-made disaster. It is a dangerous tendency,". "If you (the central government) are taking action black money hoarders you have our full support but what is the cause and where is the planning? What is the hidden agenda?" "This is not a permanent solution..India cannot survive on just plastic economy, on debit and credit cards." "Every country has its own mechanism. India is a democratic and secular country. In a democracy, I cannot expect that everyone will give me support... Government does not want to face the Opposition." "I do not know what is waiting for India...It's a big disaster. I have announced that I will tell you my plan after 72 hours. I am a small human being. We are raising our voice with whatever small jurisdiction we have. Let us work together." At a press conference in Kolkata, she said that she was open to joining any political movement against demonetisation if she was invited for it and she was open to have any political party join their movement against demonetisation. "Our protest will continue...it's good that the Opposition parties have come together in Parliament." "We should not play with fire because common people are our assets... The lower middle class, traders, daily wagers, housewives are the worst hit." "The entire country is suffering. There is no money in banks, ATMS. So far 80 people have died due to the hardships caused by demonetisation. But Narendra Modi is having a sound sleep and giving lectures on taking the country towards cashless economy." Hoardings of Mamata Banerjee before her rally against demonetisation in Lucknow said, 'Notebandi vaapas lo (take back demonetisation)'. "I am a 'chhota' leader. If everybody joins hands, it will become a mass public movement... The PM has put the common man and the 'dacoits' in the same category on the issue of demonetisation." "The Honourable President was kind enough to take my call. I briefed him about how common people are suffering because of demonetisation,"- she tweeted on November 13. During her rally against demonetisation in Lucknow, Mamata said she would continue to oppose Modi's demonitisation scheme, and dared him to arrest her. "It is a financial crisis in Delhi today. People are being forcefully bulldozed." "PM Modi has created more havoc than Hitler," she said shortly after meeting President Pranab Mukherjee.

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By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 09, 2016 | 05:27 PM | PADUCAH, KY





Sheriff Jon Hayden released a progress report Friday, detailing the collection of property taxes for the county.The total tax roll for the 2016 tax year was $34,268,686.50, and as of December 9, the department has collected 85.72% of the total tax roll, which is several weeks ahead of this time in previous years. Since November 1, this amounts to $28,696,061.54 that has been collected, with a balance left to collect of $4,875,322.25.The Sheriff's Department collects taxes for 14 districts, including McCracken Co. Schools, Mental Health, Library, Paducah Junior College, Cooperative Extension Office, McCracken Co. Health Department, the Kentucky State Treasurer, McCracken Co. Fiscal Court, and all of the county fire departments which include Hendron, Melber, Concord, Lone Oak, West McCracken, and Reidland.Through December 1, the Sheriff Hayden reports these payments have been made to the districts:1)State of Kentucky $3,894,348.502)McCracken County Fiscal Court $2,559,231.483)McCracken County Schools $11,997,020.154)Library $1,715,611.545)Health Dept. $676,046.286)Cooperative Extension $852,049.447)Mental Health $314,734.678)Paducah Junior College $305,846.869)Reidland Fire Dept. $264,308.7110)Hendron Fire Dept. $105,119.6211)West McCracken Fire Dept. $78,008.5812)Concord Fire Dept. $224,823.3513)Lone Oak Fire Dept. $210,399.8614)Melber Fire Dept. $5,978.82November and December are typically the busiest months for us as far as tax collections go. Our staff has worked diligently this year to collect and process the tax payments as quickly and efficiently as possible. As for being several weeks ahead this year as compared to previous years, it would appear that the tax payers are taking care of their obligations much sooner than in previous years. When that happens, it enables us to get the tax dollars out to the taxing districts in a quicker fashion, enabling them to continue their services with no interruptions.Denver Watson is the chief financial officer for the McCracken County Sheriffs Office.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 09, 2016 | 12:52 PM | MURRAY, KY





The Murray State University Hutson School of Agriculture recently honored a number of high school students from the Purchase, Pennyrile and Green River regions as MSU FFA All-Region Stars based on the students leadership in Future Farmers of America. A banquet was held on Murray States campus in honor of the recipients on Nov. 28.FFA advisers at individual schools could nominate two students  one as an automatic recipient of the award and the second as an at-large nomination (not all at-large nominees were chosen for the award). Additionally, Purchase and Pennyrile FFA regional officers were selected for an All-Region Stars award.Students honored this year come from a number of high schools in the region: Ballard Memorial, Calloway County, Carlisle County, Fulton County, Graves County, Hickman County, Livingston Central, Marshall County, McCracken County and Trigg County in the Purchase Region; Caldwell County, Christian County, Crittenden County, Hopkins County Central, Hopkinsville, Lyon County, Madisonville North Hopkins, Muhlenberg County and Todd County in the Pennyrile Region; and Henderson and Webster County schools in the Green River Region. Students from counties in the Green River region outside of Murray States 18-county service region were not eligible.Dr. Tony Brannon, dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture created the award program three years ago as a way to acknowledge FFA students in Murray States service area for their accomplishments. Each FFA All-Region Star receives a plaque. FFA advisers are also recognized for their service to their students and Future Farmers of America.The guest speaker at the banquet was Mr. Arthur Green, retired Todd County High School agriculture teacher. Green is an MSU Hutson School of Agriculture Outstanding Alumnus for 2016.
Rita Redmond was a true lady who felt that every pupil had something to gift to the world
Have you ever heard any leader other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi talk about Isabgol, the widely known laxative?

By Prabhash K Dutta: Addressing his first public rally in Gujarat after demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lamented that farmers' produce did not get good value. PM Modi appealed to the farmers to keep innovating and look for opportunities.

Modi recalled how the farmers of Banaskantha in Gujarat made certain changes and transformed the face of the entire region as drip irrigation and livestock farming uplifted not only the yields in farms but also the living standards of people, who were earlier forced to migrate in search of job opportunities.

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READ| Modi on demonetisation: Not allowed to speak in Lok Sabha, so I'm speaking in Jan Sabha

Modi asked the farmers to diversify their farming practices by focusing on those produces which can earn them more. In the same breath, PM Modi urged farmers to cultivate Isabgol, which is a widely known laxative.

WHAT IS ISABGOL

Isabgol is a husk derived from the seeds of Plantago ovate, better known as psyllium. The Isabgol plant is native to India and Pakistan. It is an annual crop and is mainly produced in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

India is largest exporter of Isabgol in the world. India exports Isabgol seeds and husk worth more than Rs 35 million annually.

Out of their total production, Gujarat exports 75 per cent while Rajasthan exports 90 per cent. About 93 per cent of Isabgol export is husk.

Isabgol plant

Most of the leading exporters and processors are based in Sindhpur in Mehsana district and in Palanpur in Banaskantha district of Gujarat, where PM Modi addressed public rally.

When I took over as Chief Minister, I would tell farmers that you need to focus on water as much as you focus on electricity: PM in Deesa pic.twitter.com/IgS3sH064K ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

Isabgol is a natural product, commonly sold in packets as Ayurvedic medicine. It is a natural fibre and helpful in bowel cleansing in the morning.

There are many benefits of Isabgol making it a daily supplement for many.

1. Relieves constipation: With good amount of soluble and insoluble fibre, Isabgol is a good medication for constipation- even if it is chronic.

2. Improves digestion: The rich fibre content of Isabgol helps digest even those touch items of your meal.

3. Colon cleansing: Isabgol is known for its hygroscopic (moisture absorbing) properties making it an extremely good colon cleanser.

4. Treats diarrhoea: Isabgol is a natural medication for diarrhoea as it causes hardening of stool.

WATCH:

5. Controls acidity: Being alkaline in nature, Isabgol husk provides an additional cover to the stomach preventing and checking bout of acidity, which may have been caused by your favourite food.

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6. Checks cholesterol: Isabgol prevents absorption of cholesterol by intestinal walls and thereby controls its quantity in blood.

7. Anti-diabetic: By its nature, Isabgol is anti-diabetic. Isabgol husk has gelatin, which checks breaking down and subsequent absorption of glucose into body. This is all what is needed to control diabetes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is generally seen in the avatar of an economist explaining to everyone the benefits of demonetisation and cashless transaction of business, but at Deesa in Gujarat's Banaskantha district he also spoke like a farmer consultant and a medical adviser.

ALSO READ|How Modi changed (and changed) the demonetisation narrative

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The picturesque country is providing character-inspired journeys to celebrate 15 years of New Zealand being Middle Earth.

You can explore the landscapes and shooting sites of the LOTR movies in New Zealand. Picture courtesy: Instagram/newzealand.pics

By Indo-Asian News Service: To celebrate 15 years of New Zealand being the real Middle-earth, Tourism New Zealand has come up with a unique way for tourists to explore the country by re-imagining it through the eyes of "The Lord of the Rings" characters.

The journey engages consumers through a unique quiz designed to discover which character they would be. Consumers will be provided with a character inspired journey throughout New Zealand with an itinerary on Tourism New Zealand's official website.

Take a tour of the landscapes associated with the LOTR movies. Picture courtesy: Instagram/braedenmeckelborg

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Ace filmmaker Peter Jackson says that since the release of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" in 2001, nothing has changed in New Zealand.

Also read:With Sidharth Malhotra on board, New Zealand becomes the top searched destination for Indians

"New Zealand has such a variety of landscapes from lush green forests, to soaring mountains. The grandeur of these landscapes saw tourists flock to our shores, and made a huge impact on the tourism industry," Jackson said in a statement.

"New Zealand is the perfect Middle-earth and a real place that visitors can experience for years and years to come," he added.

Sharing his love for the country, actor Ian McKellen said: "This is the Middle-earth I had always pictured. How can New Zealand not bewitch anyone who visits?"

According to Skyscanner survey, New Zealand emerged as a favourite among Indian travellers, witnessing a growth of 52 percent in travel searches from last year.

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Four people were killed and nearly 22 were rescued after a boat capsized in Odisha's Chilika Lake.

By Manogya Loiwal : A boat capsized with 30 passengers on board in the Chilika Lake, a world renowned tourist spot located in Ganjam district of Odisha.

Eye witness confirm that around thirty people had boarded the boat which could only ferry around ten people at a time, and as a result the boat capsized.

The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force along with a few locals came to the rescue immediately.

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4 dead bodies have been recovered, while 4 people are still missing however 22 people have been rescued.

The tourists had come to the town to attend a wedding when they decided to take a detour to the very eminent Chilika lake.

Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik has announced a compensation of Rs. four lakhs for each deceased.

Authorities will however probe on why and which rules were flouted resulting in the tragedy.

With inputs from Mohammad Wasim in Bhubaneshwar

Also read:

2 Pakistani boats on way to India; Navy, Coast Guard on alert

Now, abandoned Pakistani boat found in Ravi river near Gurdaspur

--- ENDS ---
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/12/2016 (2154 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Almost two centuries ago, an indigenous man died near the Red River Settlement.

Elders laid him to rest with his stone pipe, a clay pottery bowl and beadwork tucked inside a birchbark shroud. He was buried with honour, facing east and overlooking the Red River in what would later be called East Selkirk.

At the time, the gravesite was in or near the area known as the St. Peters Reserve, where Chief Peguis settled his people after the Selkirk Treaty.

In the decades that followed, there would be violent skirmishes between white settlers and area Metis over land rights. Manitoba would enter Confederation as the first province in Western Canada, and Peguiss people would lose their home on the Red River.

Through the turbulent 19th and 20th centuries, the mans remains lay undisturbed until a few weeks ago, when time and nature  the Red River can rise and fall as much as a metre overnight  exposed his grave.

On Oct. 22, a particularly mild Saturday, a local resident glanced over at the riverbank and spotted a skull, with bits of birchbark sticking out of the riverbank. RCMP responded to the 911 call that human remains had been found near the junction of highways 212 and 204.

The resident reported what RCMP would later record and share with a select few: the bank beneath had collapsed, tree roots embraced the grave and the whole thing jutted out, tilting precariously in mid-air.

Officers taped off the riverbank as a potential crime scene. News stories circulated, and relatives of missing people held their collective breath, wondering if theyd get a call similar to the one the Bricker family received in the summer when the remains of their son Reid, were found close by.

The officers who examined the site saw the birchbark and the other burial items and realized the significance was historic, not criminal.

They placed a private call for an indigenous elder to come out and hold a ceremonial smudge, a cleansing ritual involving the smoke from cedar, sage and sweetgrass that precedes all indigenous ceremonial rites.

Police also called the provinces historic resources branch.

Extensive investigations revealed the remains were much older than anyone realized.

Reluctant to disclose much to the public, a provincial spokesman confirmed the remains dated back to the 1840s. The story disappeared from local news pages.

At the same time, officials canvassed nearby indigenous communities for someone to claim the remains. Brokenhead First Nation Chief Jim Bear stepped up.

Who knows? He may have been my cousin, said Bear, who saw the location. It was just a matter of time before (the remains) may have fallen into the river. We never would have known.

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS St Peters (Old Stone Church) where remains found along the bank of the Red River were buried.

Bear spent the next few weeks working with the province, searching for a new safe place for an interment and arranging for indigenous elders to conduct it as close to the original rites as possible, despite the gap of 175 years and the sustained, often brutal attempts to assimilate Canadas First Nations people.

Simultaneously, Bear started a conversation among Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs elders about designing a protocol to guide future such discoveries, and he opened discussions with the Rural Municipality of St. Clements to erect a marker at the site of the original grave, in case others are exposed.

Theres something thats come out of this because I wasnt sure who to phone, whats the proper protocol and even though a smudge had been done, I wanted to know more, Bear said.

Ojibwa elder Harry Bone took Bears call, and now hes at work with AMC elder and former grand chief Dennis White Bird, consulting Cree, Ojibwa and Dakota elders to design such a protocol. Both Bear and Bone commended the RCMP on the way they conducted the investigation; the smudge was a surprisingly touching gesture.

We know this is going to happen, theres going to be other things found, Bone said.

Past discoveries havent always gone smoothly.

Bone was among the elders when early excavation at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights site at The Forks uncovered indigenous pipes and artifacts. Provincial laws that govern archeological digs temporarily halted construction.

In 2013, museum officials confirmed some 400,000 artifacts had been unearthed at the site, reinforcing the long-held belief that the confluence of the Red and the Assiniboine rivers had been an indigenous meeting place for millennia.

When these things happen, its not just an ordinary smudging and prayer, Bone said.

A small gathering assembled privately recently at St. Peter Dynevor, the old stone church in East Selkirk and a provincial historic site, for the interment of remains discovered in October. RCMP officers, spiritual elders from Peguis, provincial and municipal officials, and the churchs Cree-born Anglican Rev. Vincent Solomon attended.

As part of the reconciliation and healing process, it was nice to have both (spiritual elders and Christian clergy), Bear said.

The historic resources branch offered a touching gesture  a wooden box lined with what remained of the original birchbark shroud.

I wish I saw it, Bear said. Ironically, the man who arranged it missed the funeral. I was sick that day, and I was also at the legislature for my uncle getting his plaque.

The reburial was held the same day the legislature officially marked Aboriginal Veterans Day Nov. 8 by honouring Bears uncle, Canadian war hero Sgt. Tommy Prince from Brokenhead. Both are descended from Chief Peguis.

Elders laid the man back to rest for a second time in an unmarked grave.

There was just something about it, how everything was done, said St. Clement Mayor Debbie Fiebelkorn, who was also at the ceremony. Respect, thats the right word. Fittingly, she said, a solitary eagle soared across the sky to the west as the smudge, pipe smoke and drum rites faded.

From those that found him, from those who were doing the reburial, from the province, the RCMP  right from beginning to end, he was respected by all, an emotional Fiebelkorn said weeks later.

Bear said the events this fall have touched him, too.

I wanted to make sure the proper protocols were covered, and Im really pleased with the result. The proper respect was shown, and to me, thats good It was reconciliation in action.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 09/12/2016 (2155 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister will not sign on to a new national framework to fight climate change until he sees the same level of commitment from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on health care as he has shown on the environment.

The pact includes an agreement for provinces to have a $10-a-tonne price on carbon starting in 2018 and a goal to have Canada powered by 90 per cent clean energy by 2030. The carbon price is supposed to rise to $50 by 2022.

We are telling Canadians and the world a clean environment and a strong economy go hand in hand, Trudeau said. Now we get to prove it.

The plan will include investing some of a $22-billion promised federal fund for green infrastructure to transmit clean energy  such as Manitobas hydroelectricity  between provinces. Most of Canadas power transmission flows south to the United States, and building east-west transmission could be a major boon for Manitoba Hydro.

Manitoba is one of two provinces that refused to agree to the framework at a first ministers meeting in Ottawa Friday.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said he wants more research on the effect a carbon tax could have on his province before introducing one, and he will fight anything imposed by Ottawa.

Pallister said Manitoba supports everything in the agreement, it just wont participate until a new health-care accord is reached because it is just as important. He said the Liberals arent giving it the level of attention it deserves.

A three per cent increase is not sustainable, Pallister said at the news conference to close climate change talks Friday evening.

For more than a decade, Ottawa has increased health transfers to the provinces by six per cent a year, but the old health accord has expired. In 2011, the Harper government said it would maintain the six per cent annual increase until the end of 2016-17 and then set it to match annual GDP growth, with a minimum of three per cent. The Liberals plan to follow that policy, and the premiers are opposed to it.

The switch will mean a $39-million difference to Manitoba next year, and Pallister said the province cant afford it.

We have inherited a bit of a fiscal mess, he said. We have had two credit-rating downgrades in the last year-and-a-half, so its going to cost us more to borrow money. Thats a hospital, a school every year we cant build. Combine that with the federal government taking tens of millions of dollars out of our treasury and the compounding growth in health-care service needs, and youve got a recipe for a serious, serious problem.

SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister listens to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's opening remarks at the Meeting of First Ministers in Ottawa on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016.

The premiers dined with Trudeau at an official government residence in Ottawa Friday night where health care was to be the focus, but Pallister said thats not good enough, noting the premiers have been asking Trudeau for a meeting on health care for more than a year.

It puts tremendous pressure on us between bites to come up with a solution (at a dinner), he said.

Finance ministers are gathering Dec. 19 and there is some talk health ministers will join them to discuss a new health accord, but Pallister said premiers must be at the table.

The move to a final agreement on climate change without Manitoba and Saskatchewan came faster than expected.

B.C. Premier Christy Clark emerged from the talks around 6 p.m. to say there was no agreement because there was an imbalance between what was being required between provinces with cap-and-trade systems versus those with carbon taxes, such as B.C.

Less than 20 minutes later, reporters were told there was an agreement.

Clark said at the news conference she was given two things that allow B.C. to sign on to the pact. The first is that B.C. wont have to raise its $30- a-tonne carbon tax until it is satisfied other provinces have caught up on the price.

The second is that if B.C. can prove measures other than raising the tax would be more useful to cutting emissions, it doesnt have to hike the tax to $50.

Manitoba intends to introduce its climate change strategy early next year. Pallister hasnt given details but has indicated it will include a price on carbon and wont involve cap-and-trade because Manitoba doesnt have enough large emitters to make it valuable.

Pallister told the Free Press earlier Friday Manitoba has been punching above our weight when it comes to green energy production but will continue to do more because climate change is real.

Very few people are denying the impacts, he said.

Pallister said he welcomes investments in the east-west power grid but expects Manitoba to be given credit for the major investments it has already made to build dams, which produce clean energy.

Manitobans have made a major major investment, and for generations to come they will be paying for it. Consideration of that investment is an important aspect of where we are going to go, he said.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 09/12/2016 (2155 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With a rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes and divisive rhetoric in Canada and the United States, the National Council of Canadian Muslims is training youth to be more media-savvy  and thinks Winnipeg can teach the rest of the country a thing or two.

Today, the non-profit human rights and advocacy group is holding a workshop in Winnipeg, the last stop on a four-city tour that includes Montreal, Ottawa and Calgary.

The plan is to help young people identify stereotypes in popular culture related to Islam and Muslims and to learn how to counter them by sharing their own stories, said organizer Amira Elghawaby in Ottawa. She said Winnipeg has fewer anti-Muslim hate crimes reported than most Canadian cities, and the council wants to learn why.

Carol Sanders / Winnipeg Free Press Winnipeg-based filmmaker Nilufer Rahman will be at today's workshop.

Were curious to see whats happening, said Elghawaby, the councils communications director. We dont frequently hear complaints coming from Winnipeg.

However, police in Winnipeg are investigating an incident Dec. 1 involving a piece of meat, thought to be pork  which the Quran tells Muslims not to eat  that was left on the windshield of member of the Muslim community.

Its being treated as mischief rather than a hate crime, but the president of the Manitoba Islamic Association isnt taking it lightly.

Idris Elbakri said he is concerned there may be a pattern emerging after the association received a strip of bacon in the mail earlier this fall. He wants to nip in the bud negative behaviour toward Muslims thats on the rise in Canada.

In April, Statistics Canada reported the number of police-reported hate crimes targeting Muslim-Canadians more than doubled over a three-year period  even as the total number of hate crimes nationally dropped.

Police departments across the country in 2014 recorded 99 religiously-motivated hate crimes against Muslims  up from 45 in 2012, StatsCan said.

There are fewer Islamaphobic incidents in places where Muslims are reflected in the media and seen contributing to their community and not just as stereotypes, said Elghawaby, whose organization tracks them. At the workshops in Canadian cities, theyre surveying participants perceptions of media outlets and how they portray Muslims. At the workshop in Calgary, they had 19 people take part, ranging in age from 17 to their 40s.

Generally, people (in Calgary) did feel the media could be quite negative, Elghawaby said. There, in February, there were media reports after Syrians go home and die was spray-painted on a Calgary school.

Last month in Edmonton, a man at an LRT station allegedly made a noose out of rope and told two women wearing Muslim head scarves nearby that it was for them. When that incident made headlines, a non-Muslim woman in Edmonton started handing out white carnations to hijab-wearing women  a positive news story that Elghawaby hopes will get equal attention.

She wants to see whats different in Winnipeg and will be at todays workshop with Winnipeg filmmaker Nilufer Rahman, spoken-word artist Jamaal Jackson Rogers and Zarqa Nawaz, a creator of Little Mosque on the Prairie.

Elghawaby said the council wants to learn what the young Muslim communitys relationship with the media is like.

Winnipeg, we know, is strong, she said. Were taking away best practices. Wed like to learn about them.

Winnipeg is strong because its becoming a hub for inclusion, said Rahman, the filmmaker who has worked across the country sharing peoples stories.

Theres a lot of solidarity-building going on in Winnipeg, she said, pointing to Muslim and indigenous groups getting to know and support each other as one example.

I feel like Winnipeg is a hub for all this, said Rahman, who grew up in the Manitoba capital.

There are some progressive things happening here that I didnt hear echoes of in other cities as much. Im really proud of being in Winnipeg. Its really special and maybe we should share that more with the rest of Canada. At the workshop, Rahman said she wants to introduce film and video-making as a way to share stories and connect with people on a personal level.

Its a powerful way to encourage people to see past their fears and prejudices and make a connection emotionally as human beings, she said.

On a personal level, people dont have a lot of opportunities to get to know people from other faiths and cultures, she said.

If we can get to know each other personally it really helps. Through storytelling, filmmaking, writing, music and theatre we can really share our experiences and thats what will ultimately help everyone connect at a deeper level, Rahman said.

If we can tell our stories on our own terms and not in response to something negative we can create an opportunity for relationship-building.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 10/12/2016 (2154 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The surge of capital into Canadas nascent marijuana industry has sent stock prices soaring  and brought warnings its a bubble that could soon burst.

The value of 26 marijuana stocks listed in Canada has swelled to almost $4 billion from close to nothing in the past two years, as investors rushed to bet on the countrys move toward legalizing recreational use.

Canopy Growth Corp. became the first marijuana unicorn, reaching a valuation of $1.24 billion on Wednesday. Other producers, including OrganiGram Holdings Inc. and Aurora Cannabis Inc., saw their share prices surge more than 250 per cent this year.

Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press Files With Ottawa poised to legalize recreational marijuana next year, the value of marijuana stocks in Canada as swelled to almost $4 billion.

While investor optimism is being fuelled by analysts estimates that there could be about 3.8 million recreational marijuana users in Canada by 2021 and billions of dollars in sales, theres mounting concern companies are overvalued.

How Ottawa will regulate, tax or distribute the products remains unknown, and some of the publicly traded companies have yet to make a sale.

Oh, theyre going to pop, Nick Brusatore, the largest shareholder of Affinor Growers Inc., said by phone. Once a mining company, the Vancouver firm now develops greenhouse technology for crops, including cannabis. Its going to pop hard.

Canada is on track to become the first G-7 country to legalize pot for recreational use, if it pushes forward with introducing legislation in 2017.

It would join eight U.S. states where it wont be a crime to use the drug recreationally by January and follows Uruguay, which became the first country to legalize it in 2013.

Chris Damas, an analyst at BCMI Research in Barrie, Ont., likens the capital pouring into the sector to the dot-com craze of the 1990s.

At the time, the value of technology stocks rose rapidly as investors saw opportunity in the Internets growth despite the fact many companies had no revenue, he said.

Many holders of pot stocks that have increased tenfold are company insiders and the market could crash if they decide to start selling to take profits, Damas said.

It does smell like a real serious bubble, he said in a telephone interview.

Companies started piling into the sector after Canada changed rules governing medical use to allow access only through licensed producers. In 2013, Health Canada began approving licences and six medical marijuana companies began trading on the TSX Venture Exchange.

When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wooed voters with a promise to legalize the drug in the 2015 election campaign, the industry began to take off.

The market went into a frenzy ahead of a report to the government in November that laid out practical issues surrounding legalization.

Its yet to be made public, but price-earnings ratios now range as high 737 for Moncton, N.B.-based OrganiGram and 108 on a forward earnings basis for Aurora, a Vancouver producer.

Canopy, the countrys largest medicinal producer, has a ratio of enterprise value to trailing 12-month sales of 50. That compares to a ratio of 1.3 for Quebec-based pharmacy chain Jean Coutu Group Inc. Enterprise value is market value plus debt.

For their part, many pot companies say investors are betting on future growth.

The stocks are not overvalued, said Denis Arsenault, chief executive officer at OrganiGram.

Volumes have risen alongside prices, which signals that investment funds are becoming more comfortable with the industry and the idea that a legal one will soon exist in Canada, he said.

The investment community is waking up to the reality this is going to happen.

While Affinor investor Brusatore is bracing for a pot bust, hes betting another big investor will eventually move into the sector: Big Tobacco.

Im pretty sure the tobacco boys are already getting their tie-ups happening right now.

 Bloomberg News
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This article was published 10/12/2016 (2154 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is likely to bring the oil market into balance by mid-2017, but its production cut looks set to fall short of the groups stated goal of draining the stockpiles that are depressing prices.

The oil market will rebalance toward the middle of next year, according to Nigerias Minister of State for Petroleum Emmanuel Kachikwu, bringing an end to more than three years in which supply exceeded demand. However, Bloomberg News calculations based on OPEC data show that across the whole of 2017 there will be little overall reduction in record oil inventories  even if the group convinces non-members at a meeting on Saturday to join supply curbs.

Even with 100 per cent compliance from both OPEC and non-OPEC producers global stocks are unlikely to fall in the first half of 2017, said Tamas Varga, analyst at brokerage PVM Oil Associates Ltd. in London. That should keep oil prices in check.

Ronald Zak / The Associated Press General view of a meeting of oil ministers of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting countries, OPEC, at their headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016.

Crude prices could rise to between US$60 and $70 a barrel if the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries succeeds in bring inventories back to a normal level, Venezuelan Oil Minister Eulogio del Pino said last week, echoing a widely held view within the group, from Saudi Arabia to Iran.

The portents for achieving this are mixed.

OPECs track record shows the group only delivers 80 per cent of promised cuts. While Russia has pledged to come to the party and lower output by 300,000 barrels a day in the first half of 2017, other non-OPEC producers, such as Mexico, Azerbaijan and Colombia, are likely to dress up involuntary production declines, already factored in by traders, as cuts.

That scenario would leave largely unchanged the 300 million-barrel global stockpile surplus Del Pino and his colleagues are targeting.

OPEC has said its agreement will accelerate the decline of global stockpiles, and an optimistic Bloomberg scenario shows the call on the groups supply exceeding its output by 1.2 million barrels a day in the third quarter. That depends on full compliance by OPEC members and on Russia making good on its pledge, even as other non-OPEC producers make little contribution.

The analysis by Bloomberg News of the market re-balancing is based on OPECs own estimates and projections of crude supply and demand adjusted for potential scenarios of co-operation from Russia and other non-OPEC countries. Other consultancies and agencies have different views.

As long as Russia makes a genuine output cut, OPEC is ready to accept that other non-OPEC nations pledge natural declines for a large chunk of their production cuts, according to people familiar with the talks, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private.

In a less optimistic scenario, in which OPEC only delivers 80 per cent of its promised cut, the group would need non-OPEC rivals to deliver a genuine 600,000 barrels a day cut to make a significant dent in global oil stocks next year.

Despite Russias pledge, Moscow is only willing to reduce output gradually.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, for February settlement traded at US$54.08 a barrel at 7:41 a.m. London time.

Still, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its monthly report this week that OPEC may need to wait even longer for the market to re-balance.

Continuing global supply growth in 2017 may postpone significant global inventory withdrawals until 2018, it said.

 Bloomberg News
Opinion

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This article was published 10/12/2016 (2154 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Organic farmers find themselves on the sidelines as the battle over social licence heats up between commodity agriculture and doubtful consumers.

Unlike mainstream farmers, they are rarely targeted by consumers who have concerns over how they produce.

In fact, demand for what they grow continues to soar despite the fact it typically costs more to buy. Market data suggest more than 50 per cent of Canadians buy some organic products weekly, even though they arent complete converts.

Supplied Dag Falck, president of the Canadian Organic Trade Association, says organic producers have knowledge and skills to offer the rest of the agriculture industry.

Some studies are showing consumers shop organic for certain items in their grocery carts and revert to non-organic options for others.

But the president of the Canadian Organic Trade Association is warning the sector must tread carefully or it risks being caught in the crossfire as commodity agriculture struggles to regain the publics trust.

It seems like the finger is being pointed at us, like we caused this, Dag Falck said in an interview following his presentation to the Organic Connections Conference in Regina.

It is, Look at what we have to deal with because you wrecked it for us.

Falck, a former organic inspector who now works as the organic program manager for Natures Path Organic Foods based in Richmond, B.C., said organic farmers arent trying to make it harder for their neighbours, but some consumer groups are vocal about their concerns with mainstream production practices.

Organic production systems offer an alternative to agricultural tools such as pesticides and genetically modified crops, which makes it harder to convince consumers those approaches are necessary.

Falck said the dilemma facing the organic sector is determining whether it wants to be part of the broader discussion around social licence and, if so, how it should participate.

He noted the mainstream industrys efforts so far to win back consumer trust with information campaigns and talking points that explain modern agriculture arent working. The problem isnt a lack of information, it is that consumers basically dont agree, he said.

Whats missing is whats the action that they are going to take? The trust is lost, so what is the action that they are going to take to change something to regain the trust?

Everybody knows in marketing that the consumer is right. The consumer being right doesnt mean that they are scientifically right or whatever, it is that they have choice, and what they choose is right, Falck said.

Telling consumers products are safe because there is a regulatory system isnt effective, either, because the system doesnt hold up to scrutiny, he said.

This is because the government does not test new products and technologies. Rather, it reviews data supplied by applicants.

So I think that to develop a social licence for conventional food, at some point, they are going to have to address the regulatory system, he said.

Sit down and have that conversation with consumers that are having concerns and say, We think GMOs are safe, and weve changed the approval process to really scrutinize it and really make sure that it is safe. And if we find out in that process that its not, were going to stop using it or were going to phase it out.

Thats the kind of conversation that would lead to trust.

Falck also urged organic farmers to avoid being evangelists about their methods and to become more engaged in sharing knowledge with the sector.

Focus more on the tools and sharing those tools more openly and less on, Everybodys got to be certified organic, he said.

Falck said farmers who have developed organic methods of weed and insect control should offer to share that knowledge rather than passing judgment. Likewise, they can learn a thing or two about reducing tillage.

I think the shift that needs to happen is we need to start saying, We have a contribution to agriculture, to all of agriculture. We wont become a leader in agriculture if we are constantly saying, You are doing it wrong.

Laura Rance is editorial director for Farm Business Communications. She can be reached at laura@fbcpublishing.com or 204-792-4382.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took the lead in hitting back at PM Modi after his speech at Deesa in Gujarat saying demonetisation has derailed as the government has no solution to offer.

By India Today Web Desk: Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the opposition for misleading people and obstructing parliament over demonetisation, the opposition has hit back at him.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has been vocal against demonetisation, said that PM Modi knew that his move has flopped.

Taking to Twitter, Mamata said, "Modi babu knows that demonetisation (has) now derailed. Except giving bhashan (speech), he has no solution (to offer)."

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READ| Not allowed to speak in Lok Sabha, so I'm speaking in Jan Sabha: Modi

Modi babu knows that #DeMonetisation now derailed. Except giving bhashan, he has no solution Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 10, 2016

While Mamata Banerjee ventilated her anguish at Twitter, her UP counterpart Akhilesh Yadav addressing a press conference in Lucknow said that even after one month of demonetisation people found it tough to get their own money.

"Those who have done something wrong should be worried, not me," Akhilesh said.

Responding to PM Modi's remarks that demonetisation was announced to unearth black money, Akhilesh said, "Money is never black. The transaction is black."

WATCH:

Akhilesh retorted to PM Modi's emphasis on online transactions saying, "Today some people are talking about digital India. We moved in that direction before anyone else."

"Did anyone think about digital India, when we distributed laptops," asked Akhilesh Yadav.

Meanwhile, the Congress refuted PM Modi's charge that he was not being allowed to speak in Parliament.

Congress leader Anand Sharma said, "It is wrong that we are not allowing the PM to speak, in fact we have been insisting on having a debate."

It is wrong that we are not allowing the PM to speak, in fact we have been insisting on having a debate: Anand Sharma,Cong #demonetisation pic.twitter.com/Mgi8Om5FmZ ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

WHAT DID PM SAY

Launching a counter-attack at the opposition over demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a public rally at Deesa in Gujarat that he was not being allowed to speak in Parliament.

PM @narendramodi attacks Opposition for disrupting Parliament, says he is not allowed to speak in #LokSabha. Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 10, 2016

PM Modi also said that people were not wasting their time while standing in queue outside banks or ATMs, it was a service to the nation.Modi also accused the opposition camp of instigating people against demonetisation.

70 saal tak in imaandaar logon ko aapne loota, pareshan kiya aur jeena inka mushkil kar diya: PM Narendra Modi in Gujarat pic.twitter.com/K3dwdImstq ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

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ALSO READ|Demonetisation: A month later, PM Narendra Modi says short-term pain will have long-term gains

--- ENDS ---
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This article was published 09/12/2016 (2155 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brian Pallisters antagonistic stance against unions could backfire on the premier and his government, a prominent labour leader says.

Kelly Moist, president of the 25,000-member Manitoba division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, said there is solidarity among Manitoba unions  but even more so when theyre being attacked.

In an effort to break unions and to completely destroy the labour peace that weve had in this province, I think he runs the risk of actually uniting us and having us more unified than weve ever been, Moist said Friday.

I think he runs the risk of actually uniting us and having us more unified than weve ever been  Kelly Moist, president of the Manitoba division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees

The latest dispute between the Progressive Conservative government and organized labour occurred Thursday when Pallister  without advance warning to unions  announced he wants to reduce the number of collective bargaining units in the health sector. The government said it has identified 169 separate union contracts.

Im not saying that there isnt a challenge with having that many collective agreements, Moist said Friday, adding she is willing to sit down and listen to the premiers concerns.

Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister is accused of wanting to end labour peace in Manitoba after repeated comments about opening up collective agreements.





CUPE represents 9,000 health workers in the province and negotiates more than 30 public-sector health contracts.

Its just very difficult when were learning of his questions and his ideas through the media when I think a direct conversation would be much more productive, Moist said.

David Camfield, a labour studies professor at the University of Manitoba, said there is a potential pitfall for government in reducing the number of health contracts.

Large bargaining groups could empower labour, he said.

The stakes become higher, and if there is a strike or lockout, it affects a lot more people, he said.

Camfield said hes not surprised the premier is interested in cutting the number of bargaining units.

Weve certainly seen moves to amalgamate in other provinces. This certainly has lots of precedents, he said.

It allows (the PCs) politically to present themselves as cost-savers, but I really dont know how much cost-saving will be achieved.

Unions are feeling attacked after the PCs amended provincial labour laws this fall to make it more difficult  in their view  to organize workplaces.

Pallister has hinted he will insist any new collective agreement in the public sector must contain a wage freeze, and he has even indicated he wants to open up contracts in a bid to obtain wage concessions.

The government has done this while generally shunning labour leaders and refusing to involve them in important committees.

On Friday, public-sector unions were attempting to decipher Pallisters figures. In addition to asserting there were 169 health bargaining agreements, the premier claimed the deals contained 47 unique provisions for bereavement leave.

The Free Press asked the government for a list of the bargaining units Friday, but none was given.

Union leaders said the 169 number  if accurate  is still somewhat misleading in that major issues, such as wages and benefits, tend to be bargained at central tables involving multiple unions and workplaces covering thousands of workers at a time.

Only specific workplace issues are bargained separately at the local level.

I think we have the best of both worlds, said Sheila Gordon, chief negotiator with the 42,000-member Manitoba Government and General Employees Union, of the current process.

The MGEU has 48 collective agreements in the health sector, representing more than 16,000 employees who work in hundreds of facilities across the province.

Unions are wary of Pallisters motivations for reducing the number of bargaining units, although they acknowledge rationalization has occurred in other provinces.

A few years ago, when the NDP amalgamated regional health authorities, three unions were forced to compete to represent certain workers in the larger, newly formed RHAs. That set up a system of winners and losers among unions, as workers had to vote to choose who represented them.

Theres a suspicion among union leaders that the governments motivation is not efficiency, but to pit unions against each other and create a public distraction as it lays the groundwork for service cuts and privatization.

Any rationalization process could be disruptive to both workers and management, some say.

Every dollar and every moment that we put into that process could be put into delivering and improving and protecting front-line services, Gordon said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

Tim Smith/Brandon Sun Brandon Sun 18032014 Kelly Moist, president of CUPE Manitoba, addresses delegates at the CUPE Manitoba annual convention at the Keystone Centre on Tuesday.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/12/2016 (2154 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Thursday, John Glenn died at the age of 95. For baby boomers, Mr. Glenns first orbit around Earth in 1962 ushered in the age of great possibilities. The world became just a bit smaller that day. Mr. Glenn also set the record for being the oldest man in space, going up with the shuttle Discovery in 1998 at 77.

One of Mr. Glenns last letters was sent to Jeffrey P. Bezos, the founder of the space company Blue Origin. Mr. Bezos, who also founded Amazon and owns the Washington Post, said watching the moon landing when he was a child was the impetus for him to pursue his privately funded spaceflight service. Mr. Glenn wrote: I can tell you I see the day coming when people will board spacecraft the same way millions of us now board jetliners. When that happens, it will be largely because of your epic achievements this year. Mr. Bezos just announced a new rocket-manufacturing facility in Florida is underway for the private spaceflight company.

Researchers have suggested the growth of computer technology worked hand in hand with the growth of space exploration. For those of a certain age, the technology that propelled Mr. Glenn into space became fodder for the imagination. Shows such as Star Trek, Lost in Space and even the Jetsons, while fantasy, provided insights into the potential future.

However, that future was not always positive. Mr. Glenn was a fighter pilot in the Second World War, which ended with the dropping of the atomic bombs Little Boy and Fat Man on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The technology behind the Manhattan project, responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb, also led to the invention of the first electronic general purpose computer.

Mr. Glenn eventually went on to have a somewhat successful political career, running for U.S. Senate and winning after three attempts in 1974 (he ran for the first time in 1964, but withdrew, and then did not win in 1970) as a Democrat for Ohio. During his senatorial career he became an expert on nuclear weaponry and an advocate for non-proliferation. It seems Mr. Glenn understood the danger of technology if left in the wrong hands.

Men such as Mr. Glenn are slowing leaving this Earth: the men of whats been called the greatest generation, while those who follow are now in control of technology and our future. Men such as U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, who has not been very clear about his policy on nuclear proliferation but has suggested South Korea, Japan and Saudi Arabia, which are not nuclear powers, should arm themselves with nuclear weapons for their own defence. Dont forget, its also technology that also helped pave the way for Mr. Trumps win, through his savvy use of social media.

Mr. Glenn was deemed too poor an orator to win the nod as Jimmy Carters running mate in 1976. He eventually threw his hat into the ring for president, seeking the Democratic nomination in 1984, but was unsuccessful, despite his celebrity. For many looking at what happened this year in the American presidential election, with a win by a candidate who was nothing but celebrity, the contrasts are stark.
Religious freedom is a fundamental natural right and first among our liberties. This is borne out by the priority protection it specifically enjoys in the Constitutions First Amendment.

Consider four brief points:

First, religious faith and practice are cornerstones of the American experience. Many of Americas first settlers were fleeing religious persecution. Nearly all of the American founders saw religious faith as vital to the life of a free people. They believed that liberty and happiness grow organically out of virtue. And for the founders, virtue needed grounding in religious faith.

At the heart of American public life is an essentially religious vision of man and government. This model has given us a free society marked by a wide variety of cultural and religious expressions. But our systems success does not result from clever legal mechanics. Our system works precisely because of the moral assumptions that undergird it. And those assumptions have religious roots.

When the founders talked about religion, they meant more than a vague spirituality. The distinguished legal scholar Harold Berman showed that the founders  though they had differing views about religion among themselves  understood religion positively as both belief in God and belief in an after-life of reward for virtue, and punishment for sin. In other words, religion mattered. It made people live differently and live better. Peoples faith was assumed to have broad implications, including the political kind.

That leads to my second point: Freedom of religion is more than freedom of worship. The right to worship is a necessary but not a sufficient part of religious liberty. For most believers, and certainly for Christians, faith requires community. It begins in worship, but it also demands preaching, teaching, and service. Real faith always bears fruit in public witness and action. Otherwise its just empty words.

The founders saw the public value of religious faith because they inherited its legacy and experienced its formative influence themselves. They created a nation designed to depend on the moral convictions of religious believers, and to welcome their active role in public life.

Heres my third point: Threats against religious freedom in our country are not imaginary or overstated. Theyre happening right now. One example is the Obama administrations Health and Human Services mandate, commonly called the contraceptive mandate, which violates the religious identity of many religiously inspired public ministries. Government now increasingly interferes with the conscience rights of medical providers, private employers and individual citizens and attacks the policies, hiring practices and tax statuses of religious charities and ministries.

Much of this hostility links to Catholic and other religious teaching on the dignity of life and human sexuality. Catholic moral convictions about abortion, contraception and the purpose of sexuality are clearly unpopular in some quarters. Yet Catholic ideas about the nature of personhood, marriage and sexuality are rooted not just in revelation, but also in reason and natural law. Human beings have an inherent nature that is not just the product of accident or culture, but universal and rooted in permanent truths knowable to reason.

This understanding of the human person anchors the entire American experiment. If human nature is little more than modeling clay, and no permanent human nature exists by the hand of natures God, then natural, unalienable rights obviously cant exist. And no human rights can finally claim priority over the interests of the state.

The problem is that critics of religious faith tend to reduce all of these moral convictions to an expression of subjective beliefs. And if theyre purely subjective beliefs, then  so the critics will argue  they cant be rationally defended. And because theyre rationally indefensible, they should be treated as a form of prejudice. In effect, 2,000 years of moral experience, moral reasoning, and religious conviction suddenly become a species of bias.

Theres more, though. When religious belief is redefined downward to a kind of private bias, then the religious identity of institutional ministries has no public value, other than the utility of getting credulous people to do good things. And exempting Catholic social ministries, for example, from actions that directly contradict their religious identity, becomes a concession to private prejudice. And concessions to private prejudice feed bigotry and hurt the public  or so the reasoning goes.

This is how deeply held, deeply rooted moral teaching and religious belief end up being branded as hate speech.

So heres a fourth and final point: From the beginning, religious believers  alone and in communities  have enriched American history simply by trying to live their faith in the world. We need to realize that Americas founding documents assume an implicitly religious anthropology. The trouble is that this ennobling idea of human nature, natures God and natural rights is one that many of our leaders no longer share.

We ignore that fact at our own very serious peril.

To mark the 225th anniversary of the Bill of Rights on Dec. 15, The Philadelphia Inquirer is running a 12-part series through Dec. 22 on each of the amendments, exploring why they exist and the challenges they face today. The series begins with the First Amendment, and religious liberty.

Charles J. Chaput is the archbishop of Philadelphia. His book Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Christian World will be published in February. Readers may email him at commof@archphila.org
VATICAN CITY  Pope Francis says the majority of the worlds bishops back his suggestion that civilly remarried Catholics can receive Communion, adding fuel to the debate that has riled some conservative Catholics.

In an interview Wednesday with the Belgian Catholic weekly Tertio, Francis said his 2016 document The Joy of Love  which contains the suggestion  was the fruit of two meetings of bishops over two years.

It is interesting that all that (the document) contains, it was approved in the Synod by more than two thirds of the fathers. And this is a guarantee, he said.

Some conservatives have voiced increasing concern that Francis opening on the divisive issue of Communion for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics is sowing confusion among the faithful about the churchs teaching on the indissolubility of marriage. The debate has been stoked by the recent publication of a letter from four conservative cardinals asking Francis to clarify his position.

Francis hasnt directly responded to them, but he has sent signals, including Wednesdays comments. He was responding to a question about the decentralized, synodal church he favors, where the pope listens to his church, lets her grow, harmonizes that growth and returns it to the local churches  such as in the form of a teaching document.

It is unity in diversity, he said.

In September, Francis fully endorsed the interpretation of the question by Argentine bishops, who wrote a set of guidelines saying The Joy of Love clearly allows the possibility of access to the sacraments in exceptional cases. There are no other interpretations, Francis wrote in approving the Argentine guidelines.

Church teaching holds that unless divorced Catholics receive an annulment, or a church decree that their first marriage was invalid, they are committing adultery in a new civil marriage and cannot receive Communion.

Conservatives had insisted the rules are fixed. Liberals had sought wiggle room to balance doctrine with mercy and look at each couple on a case-by-case basis.

Francis said pastors should help individual Catholics ascertain what God is asking of them, and linked such discussions of conscience with access to the sacraments.
PHILADELPHIA  A federal judge allowed Wisconsins presidential recount to move forward Friday as a another federal judge in Pennsylvania planned to take the weekend to decide on a Green Party-backed request to recount paper ballots and examine election computer systems for signs of hacking.

U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond in Philadelphia said he will rule Monday on the recount bid by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein in Pennsylvania, where Republican Donald Trump won, beating Democrat Hillary Clinton by about 44,000 votes.

Stein, who finished far behind Trump and Clinton, is seeking a recount of potentially more than 1 million paper ballots and a forensic examination of election system software in six large counties, including Philadelphia, that use paperless electronic voting machines.

Steins lawyers argue its possible computer hacking occurred in a plot to change the outcome of the election and Pennsylvanias heavy use of paperless machines make it a prime target. Stein also contends Pennsylvania has erected unconstitutional barriers to voters seeking a recount.

The average voter in Pennsylvania has had to go through incredible lengths in order to have the assurance that their vote is being counted and being counted accurately, Stein said after the hearing.

Still, opponents, including Trump and the state attorney generals office, counter that no such evidence of hacking has been presented and that Stein has no standing to seek a recount because she cant win the election.

Carnegie Mellon University computer science professor Michael Shamos, who tests voting machines, testified for the Pennsylvania Department of State that the chance of hacking was about as likely as androids from outer space living among us.

However, Diamond asked for estimates on how long a partial recount of about 20,000 paper ballots in perhaps a dozen counties and an examination of the hard drives from a sampling of paperless electronic voting machines might take. A hand recount of the paper ballots in each of the counties could happen over one long day, while examining hard drives might take two days, University of Michigan computer scientist Alex Halderman testified.

Still, Diamond raised concerns about the possibility of disenfranchising all 6 million Pennsylvania voters if the election isnt certified by Tuesdays deadline. He scolded Green Party lawyers for their timing: You sat on your rights for three weeks now ... and now (have caused) a judicial fire drill.

The federal lawsuit is part of a broader effort by Stein to recount votes in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states with a history of voting for Democrats for president and where Trump narrowly beat Clinton. Stein received about 1 percent or less in each of those states while victory in the states was crucial to Trumps capturing the White House.

In Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. District Judge James Peterson refused to halt Wisconsins presidential recount, which began Dec. 1. He told Trumps supporters the effort probably wont change anything anyway. Trump defeated Clinton by more than 22,000 votes in the state.

Wisconsin election officials reported Friday nearly 89 percent of the ballots cast for president had been counted. Clinton had gained just 49 votes.

Two pro-Trump groups, the Great America PAC and the Stop Hillary PAC, sued to stop the process. Their attorney said he would consult with them on whether to appeal.

Peterson said Friday the Wisconsin recount has revealed no irregularities.

The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday turned down an appeal by Stein to restart a vote recount in the state. Earlier in the day, two judges who made Trumps list of possible U.S. Supreme Court nominees removed themselves from the case.

The denial came two days after a federal judge ended the recount, which began Monday. The judge tied his decision to a state court ruling that found Stein had no legal standing to request the recount.
Prosecutors say a Sauk County man defrauded his employer out of nearly $9,000 by issuing credit to fictitious customer accounts and using them to make purchases.

The Sauk County District Attorneys Office has charged 19-year-old Derek J. Deitrich of Reedsburg with two felony counts of computer crime and theft in a business setting relating to incidents that allegedly took place in June.

According to the criminal complaint, a senior manager at Lands Ends Reedsburg facility contacted authorities about the allegations in July. The manager said Deitrich had been an employee since September 2015, and that he stopped showing up for work in June.

The business provided authorities with surveillance video that showed Deitrich using his employee badge to enter the building on two of his off days just prior to the end of his employment, the complaint states.

Deitrich allegedly created 11 fictitious customer accounts and credited them with points that could be exchanged for money in the form of online purchases. Prosecutors allege he then used the points to make nearly $9,000 in purchases at Lands End affiliate websites, including Sears.com and Kmart.com.

When interviewed by an officer, the complaint states, Deitrich admitted to some of the purchases, but said he was coerced by individuals who threatened to share his mothers Social Security number over the internet.

Its going to be dropped in court, I can guarantee you that, Deitrich said when reached by phone Friday afternoon. He alleged that an officer had lied in the criminal complaint, but declined to specify what information was false.

Deitrich said he didnt want his name in the newspaper, and threatened that he would come after you guys if it was. He did not explain what that meant.

The felony theft charge against Deitrich carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison and $10,000 in fines. He is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 21.
Some local protesters traveled to North Dakota to protect the Standing Rock Sioux tribes cultural sites and water source. One went to protect the protesters right to peaceably assemble.

For months, members of the tribe and other concerned Americans have gathered in southern North Dakota to protest against a proposed oil pipeline. The four-state, $3.8 billion project is largely complete, but on Sunday the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it wont grant an easement to extend the pipeline through federal land.

Assistant Secretary for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy said her decision was based on the need to explore alternate routes for the Dakota Access pipelines crossing. It effectively blocked plans for a segment underneath Lake Oahe, a Missouri River reservoir.

The Standing Rock Sioux and their supporters argue the project would threaten a water source and cultural sites. Joining them last week was Elise Etzweiler of Baraboo, who drove 12 hours to North Dakota along with friends Jennifer Specht and Cori Polanek. She spent a week in camp.

The cars never stopped coming, Etzweiler said. It was beautiful to see that kind of support.

Protesters began assembling in spring, but didnt get national attention until late in the summer. After armed soldiers and police in riot gear cleared an encampment in the pipelines path in October, military veterans organized to protect protesters.

U.S. Air Force veteran Doug Ament of Baraboo spent last weekend at the protest site. Ament said he opposes not the pipeline, but attempts to abridge Americans Constitutional rights. I dont like a bully, he said. It makes me nervous that local government  and government in general  is helping a corporation intimidate peaceful protest.

Ament and other veterans served as a human shield between protesters and law enforcement. Hopefully its a little harder to tear gas a combat veteran, he said.

Etzweiler helped out behind the scenes, often working in the kitchen, at a prayer camp.

The company building the pipeline, Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, has said its unwilling to reroute the project. That, coupled with the impending transfer of presidential power from Barack Obama to pipeline supporter Donald Trump, kept protesters at the site even after the Corps of Engineers announced its refusal of permission to extend the pipeline beneath the reservoir.

Theyre realistic, Ament said. Its a victory in a battle, but a war is a series of battles.

North Dakota leaders criticized the decision, with Gov. Jack Dalrymple calling it a serious mistake that prolongs the dangerous situation of having several hundred protesters camped out on federal land during cold, wintry weather. U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer said its a very chilling signal for the future of infrastructure in the U.S.

Etzweiler said she hopes the Corps of Engineers decision, along with protestors show of resolve, will demonstrate that everyday citizens can defeat powerful corporations. I just feel its a tipping point, she said. The tentacles of this thing go out so far and wide and deep.

Protesters and their protectors received free housing and meals. Ament returned moved by the spirit of sharing and camaraderie that enveloped the camps. Its how the world could be, he said. That really spoke to me.

Watching strangers bond through a common purpose was satisfying, Etzweiler said. Everyones there with the same goal, she said.
A Columbus couple are in custody after authorities connected the armed robbery of a Columbus Subway store to a string of Dane County robberies.

Nicole Nichols, 36, and Jacob Scheel, 32, were arrested on Monday when officers from several agencies arrived with a search warrant for the couples car and Fuller Street apartment.

The two are suspected in an incident on Sunday night when, around 9 p.m., a man in a dark hoodie, wearing a facemask, came into the Columbus Subway store. The man pulled out a knife and demanded that the clerk give him the money in the register.

The robber then fled with $200, with authorities soon releasing security camera photos asking for the publics help to find a thinly-built man about 6 feet tall with light skin and dark facial hair.

We worked on it Sunday night and Monday, and on Monday afternoon about 3:30 p.m. I sent out a Wisconsin Crime Alert notification, said Columbus Police Department Lt. Dennis Weiner. And within a couple of minutes I received a call from the Sun Prairie Police Department and they said that they knew who our guy was and within a couple of hours we have about 10 officers here from several departments and we executed some search warrants, made some arrests and two people went to jail.

The alert matched with Scheel and Nichols, who were suspected in robberies in Dane County, but without sufficient evidence for an arrest. Weiner learned that at the time of the Subway robbery, Scheels car was under GPS monitoring, placing him at the scene at the time of the robbery.

After the arrest of the couple, according to court documents, Nichols told officers that she had been involved in five separate robberies, including the Subway robbery, driving the car to and from the scenes. She reportedly went on to explain how Scheel disposed of his clothes after the robberies and how they used the money to pay bills, buy groceries, get gas, and support their heroin addictions.

The Subway robbery was supposed to be their last, she told authorities, intending to get clean afterward.

Although officers reported Scheel initially denying any involvement in the Subway robbery, he then provided a thorough description of the events, matching testimony from Nichols.

Since his arrest, Scheel has been placed on a probation hold in Columbia County Jail, related to previous convictions for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and felony narcotics possession. Nichols appeared in Columbia County Circuit Court on Thursday, charged with one count of armed robbery with threat of force as a party to a crime, carrying a potential sentence of 40 years.

Judge Alan J. White ordered Nichols to be held on $50,000 cash bond.

We are reviewing the charges and he is going to be charged, probably next week, in Columbia County on one count of armed robbery and then he will be sent to Dane County where I believe he is facing nine or 10, Weiner said of Scheel. And Ms. Nichols, I believe they are going to have eight charges of armed robbery as well.

Nichols is scheduled to appear in Columbia County Circuit Court on Thursday for a preliminary hearing.

Details of the investigation and arrests were announced Friday morning in a press conference conducted by Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney with members of other agencies including Weiner from the Columbus Police Department.

It just came together really well with five or six agencies working together and different counties, said Weiner, and it just came together perfect.
By PTI: Islamabad, Dec 10 (PTI) Pakistan Deep Water Container Port (PDWCP), the country?s biggest, started test operations by accommodating the first container ship, APL Japan, in southern port city of Karachi, a media reported said.

The vessel yesterday took along-side berth No. 4 of the port at 3 PM for loading around 1,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of export cargo, Dawn reported, citing sources.

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However, the vessel having a draft of 12 metres and an overall length of 262 metres is a small vessel for a big port like the PDWCP, which has a designed draft of 18 metres and operational draft of 16 metres.

The port, located at Keamari groyne east of Karachi Port, has the capacity to handle mother ships.

Sources said that keeping in view safety factors in mind, a small vessel has been deliberately selected for test operations. Moreover, using a smaller vessel also provided an opportunity to the terminal operator to experience and check possible flaws.

They hoped that the PDWCP would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the third week of January.

The vessel came from Jebel Ali, a deep port located in Dubai, and will leave today for China via Colombo Port, Sri Lanka. This indicated that the port may play a major role in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the sources added.

Under the first phase of development, the terminal operator, South Asia Pakistan Terminals (SAPT), has constructed berths No.3 and 4 while berths No. 1 and 2 would be taken up for completion under the second phase.

A spokesman for SAPT, owned and operated by Hutchison Ports of Hong Kong, said it has invested around USD 600 million.

The terminal operator has already brought in equipment, including five ship-to-shore gantry cranes.

Besides, the terminal operator has also completed three building blocks to be used for administration, customs and canteen. A power station with a generation capacity of 28 megawatts is also ready.

The port has the capacity to handle 3.1m TEUs a year and have a storage yard to accommodate 550,000 TEUs a year, sources said. PTI SH ZH

--- ENDS ---
Ah, Advent, those quiet weeks of reflection and waiting... What? Reflection? Waiting? No, no; these are the frantic weeks of expensive preparation. Come on Christians. Come on Pagans. What has become of our season?

It has been almost completely co-opted by the consumer culture. We are drowning in the sea of sales; 50 percent off here, 60 percent off there. We think we owe Aunt Millie a gift and what about the mail carrier? Gifts for friends, gifts for children, gifts for people at work. A lot of unneeded junk is collected and shifted around between us, all in the name of the Lord. Really? No, in the name of custom and expectation, actually.

Well, heres an idea. We all have enough, we really do. So let our money do some real good. Make a contribution to Kids Ranch in Uncle Homers name; send some money to The Baraboo Range Preservation Association in Aunt Millies name. Here are some worthy local organizations that will appreciate your contributions and use them well:

Kids Ranch, S4800 Highway D, Rock Springs, WI 53961; www.thekidsranch.org. Support for at risk kids, with activities, tutoring, counseling and more.

Summer Outdoor Adventure Club, 150 Eighth St., Reedsburg, WI 53959; www.soacadventures.org. Year-round field trips for school classes and summer biking and canoeing trips for groups, all aimed at healthy outdoor experiences that increase self-confidence and cooperation.

Hope House, 720 Ash St., Baraboo, WI 53913, www.hopehouseswc.org. Shelter and mentoring for people leaving situations of domestic violence.

The Baraboo Range Preservation Association, 124 2nd St., Baraboo, WI 53913; www.baraboorange.org. Quietly preserving the beautiful Baraboo Hills and protecting them from development.

The Aldo Leopold Foundation, E13701 Levee Road, Baraboo, WI 53913; www.aldoleopold.org.

Classes and fieldwork focused on teaching Leopolds land ethic.

The International Crane Foundation, E11376 Shady Lane, Baraboo, WI 53913; www.savingcranes.org. Working worldwide to protect crane species and their habitats.

The Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance, P.O. Box 403, Baraboo, WI 53913; www.saukprairievision.org. Working to secure a conservation future for the prairie lands at the old Badger Plant, now the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area.

These are just a few of the fine organizations that are enriching our community and our world. Isnt it interesting how many of them there are right here in Sauk County? We are blessed to live here in this beautiful piece of the Wisconsin landscape. And just think how much more good our money will do with them, rather than buying another vegetable chopper for grandma. But you still better leave something for your mail carrier...
By PTI: Port Louis, Dec 10 (PTI) Defence Manohar Parrikar today assured Mauritius India will continue to extend "full support" to it for training and capacity-building as he handed over two Chetak helicopters and the Indian Ocean nation commissioned an Indian-made fast patrol vessel for its Coast Guard.

He met Mauritius Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, who also holds the defence portfolio, and was the special guest of honour at the event commissioning the water jet attack craft.

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Parrikar said the multifaceted bilateral partnership reaches yet another milestone with the commissioning of the CGS Victory and the two Chetak helicopters. In his address at the ceremony, he said this year was marked by renewed vigour in all the different facets of multidimensional relationship.

"A new era of cooperation between India and Mauritius has dawned," he said.

"We look forward to further intensification of our close ties in the coming years, marked by the implementation of major projects such as the Metro Express, the construction of the new building of the Supreme Court, the headquarters of the National Coast Guard of Mauritius, the construction of the new ENT Hospital, supply of digital tablets to primary school children and the social housing project," he said.

Parrikar, the first Indian defence minister to visit Mauritius, said as the "geopolitical pivot" shifts from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, ensuring the safety of "our shared maritime domain would be central to safeguarding the future of humanity."

"In this regard, the Indian Navy is happy to continue its privileged association with the Coast Guard of Mauritius for shouldering our collective responsibility of securing the waters of the Indian Ocean," he said.

In their meeting, Parrikar and Jugnauth expressed "deep satisfaction" over defence and security cooperation.

"The Indian government would continue to extend its full support to Mauritius for capacity building as well as supply and maintainence of defence equipment," Parrikar said. (MORE) SAP TDS ABH

--- ENDS ---
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. The company primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals, as well as oil and gas. Its assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Tyrone and Chino in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile. The company also operates a portfolio of oil and gas properties primarily located in offshore California and the Gulf of Mexico. As of December 31, 2021, it operated approximately 135 wells. The company was formerly known as Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. and changed its name to Freeport-McMoRan Inc. in July 2014. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a farmer's rally in Banaskantha in Gujarat today and spoke about how demonetisation would end black money. Modi said the decision was taken to strengthen the poor of the country.

By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed a farmer's rally in Banaskantha in Deesa, Gujarat. The focus of the rally remained demonetisation, cashless economy and Digital India.

Modi said that the people supported demonetisation, and the move will end black money and corruption. The Prime Minister said that demonetisation decision was taken to empower the poor, honest and exploited people of the country.

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It has been a month since the PM announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency will cease to be legal tender.

Earlier, the Prime Minister in his Mann ki Baat address had pushed for a cashless economy and urged farmers and small traders to start making payments through their mobile phones. In the last two-three days, the government has announced various incentives to encourage people to go cashless.

Modi also inaugurated Rs 350 crore cheese plant at Banaskantha. He will soon be inaugurating a milk co-operative dairy plant and a few other government projects in Deesa.

Throughout the Winter Session of Parliament, the Prime Minister has been accused by the Opposition of staying silent on the issue of demonetisation which has caused huge public inconvenience.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Also read | Demonetisation: A month later, PM Narendra Modi says short-term pain will have long-term gains

How Modi changed (and changed) the demonetisation narrative

HERE IS WHAT HE SAID:

These games of looting the poor and exploiting the middle classes will now be history.

India wants to progress. Corruption and black money is slowing our progress and adversely affecting the poor. These evils have to end.

There is no need to waste your time standing outside banks or ATMs, e-wallets have brought banks to your mobiles

Want to assure the people of the country that no one will be spared.

You must have seen how bank officials and others who have stashed huge amount of black money are being caught. They thought they can escape through back channels but they didn't know that Modi has installed cameras in the back channels as well.

Had asked for 50 days. You will see how things will change. This is a major step to rid the nation from corruption.

Merely talking about the poor is different from working for the poor, something that the NDA government is always doing.

Yes, during elections we have a lot of heated debates. But we all call for increased voter turnout. Likewise, yes, you can oppose me but do teach people about banking, using technology for financial transactions.

From the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel I want to share something with my friends in the Opposition.

Government has always said we are ready to debate. I am not being allowed to speak in Lok Sabha so I am speaking in the Jan Sabha

Parliament is not being allowed to function, happenings in Parliament anguished our President, who has tremendous political experience.

We belong to a nation where we do not think- what my interest. We are not a selfish nation. We think about future generations.

We are standing with the honest people of the country, with the poor people of the nation.

125 crore Indians have supported demonetisation.

Who is unhappy with corruption? Not those perpetrating corruption...it is the poor, the common citizens who are unhappy.

With our step on currency notes, we have been successful in weakening the hands of terrorists, those in fake currency rackets.

For how long can poor of India be told to pay for houses in cash. For how long will poor be asked- you want Pucca bill or Kuccha bill.

We took the decision on currency notes to strengthen the hands of the poor of the nation

100 ke note ki koi keemat thi kya 8th November ke pehle? Rs 50 ki keemat thi kya? chhote ko koi poochta tha kya?

Today everyone in the nation is discussing the issue of currency notes.

We sell our farmers' produce at very low prices. Value addition needs to be done to castor as it is demanded worldwide.

Along with 'Shwet Kranti', here there is also a 'Sweet Kranti.' People are being trained in honey products.

Earlier, due to drought farmers committed suicide but changes took place and farmers adopted livestock leading to white revolution

The farmers here turned to dairy and animal husbandry. This was beneficial for the farmers.

The farmers in Banaskantha heard my request and embraced drip irrigation. This changed their lives and lives of future generations

When I took over as Chief Minister, I would tell farmers that you need to focus on water as much as you focus on electricity.

There was a time when people from Kutch & Banaskantha would leave their homes in search of better opportunities. It is not the case now.

The farmer of North Gujarat has shown to the world what he or she is capable of

I am told it is after a very long time that a Prime Minister is visiting Banaskantha. But, I am here not as PM but as a son of this soil.

--- ENDS ---

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The Quantico star reveals why she carries this necklace from home everywhere she goes.

Priyanka Chopra and her family added many healing charms from across the globe for this necklace. Picture courtesy: Instagram/priyankachopra

By India Today Web Desk: There are a few things we all have, prized possessions that we carry everywhere we go because of an emotional attachment to it.

Actress Priyanka Chopra is no exception. She posted a picture of her most prized possession on her Instagram yesterday, and it's a charm necklace.

Priyanka reveals in the post that the necklace originally belonged to her father, Ashok Chopra, who passed away nearly four years ago. The necklace was first bought my PC's mother, Madhu Chopra, in 2005 right after her father was first diagnosed of cancer.

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"It had just one charm at the time: an emerald, which according to Hindu astrology can positively affect your health," Priyanka explains in the description she gave to In Style Magazine. "I am not a blind believer in many things, but when someone is sick, you do whatever you can to gather prayers."

Also read: Priyanka Chopra is all set to receive an award from this international magazine

So, since it was first presented to her dad, members of the Chopra family added many other healing charms from around the world, and across religions--a diamond Om symbol, a photo of Hariakhan Baba, the Islamic healing prayer Ayatul Kursi, the Egyptian Eye of Ra, two rudraksha seeds, and a Ganesh pendant. After Ashok Chopra passed away in 2013, Priyanka removed a few of the charms and now, wears it almost every day.

"As someone who's always travelling, I feel like I'm carrying my family and my country with me wherever I go. The world may be my oyster, but there's something about where you come from - and this necklace makes me feel rooted. It's part of my identity," Priyanka adds.

Check out the full post, here:

This necklace reminds me of home and keeps me rooted... something I always carry with me wherever I go... The world may be my oyster but I will always be #DaddysLilGirl #WhyILove @InStyleMagazine #InStyleJanuary A photo posted by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Dec 9, 2016 at 9:13am PST

--- ENDS ---
Srichand Kriplani got the Urban Development and Housing ministry, Jaswant Yadav got labour, Rajpal Singh Shekhawat got industry, Kiran Maheshwari got Higher Education, Surendra Goyal got Public Health Engineering Department, Rajendra Rathore got Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Banshidhar Bajiyan got health, and Hemsingh Bahdana got General Administration Department portfolio.

By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje inducted 8 new ministers in her government today in her second cabinet expansion after October 2014.

The development came on the eve of the Raje government completing 3 years in power.

Those inducted as cabinet ministers included Ajay Singh Kilak, Babulal Verma, Shrichand Kriplani and Jaswant Yadav. Those brought in as state ministers included Banshidhar Bajiya, Kamsa Meghwal, Dhansingh Rawat and Sushil Katara.

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NAMES OF INDUCTEES

Srichand Kriplani has been allocated the Urban Development and Housing ministry, Jaswant Yadav has been made the labour minister and Rajpal Singh Shekhawat the industry minister. Kiran Maheshwari has been appointed the Higher Education minister while Surendra Goyal has been given Public Health Engineering Department portfolio. Rajendra Rathore has been made the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj minister, Banshidhar Bajiyan made Health minister, Hemsingh Bahdana has been given the General Administration Department portfolio.

Jaipur: CM Vasundhara Raje expands Rajasthan Government's cabinet pic.twitter.com/hYaL43Vj4k ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016

Among the inductees is MLA Kamsa Meghwal from Bhoplagarh, the Dalit face of the party.

Also read | BJP leads in Rajasthan civic polls but a setback for Raje

Those inducted today included seasoned state leaders and some who have been brought in as an image-makeover attempt by the government before the next Assembly elections.

Speculation had been rife for several months that Vasundhara Raje could go in for a cabinet expansion or reshuffle this year.

The move is being seen as Vasundhara Raje's attempt to strengthen the party and improve its reach to the masses before the next Assembly elections.WHO WERE DROPPED

Ministers Jeetmal Khant and Arjun Lal Garg were dropped from the cabinet.

They tendered their resignation which was forwarded to Governor Kalyan Singh.

The governor administered oath to the 8 ministers (6 new and 2 elevated) at a ceremony in Raj Bhawan in Jaipur.

The council of ministers, apart from the chief minister, now has 29 members with 17 cabinet and 12 state ministers.

Before the reshuffle, there were 13 cabinet and 12 state ministers.

5 PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIES APPOINTED

After the swearing-in ceremony of the newly-inducted ministers was over, five Parliamentary Secretaries were also appointed by the chief minister.

Shatrughan Gautam (Kekri), Kailash Verma (Bagru), Narendra Nagar (Khanpur), Omprakash (Mahwa), and Bhima Bhai (Kushalgarh) were appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries.

Chief minister Raje administered them oath in her office.

"Team Rajasthan is working good and now this is an opportunity to work with the full team. In the last two years, the full team will work with dedication, which will benefit all," Raje told reporters at Raj Bhawan.

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Newly-inducted Cabinet minister Jaswant Yadav said that he would fulfill all the responsibilities given to him.

"I am thankful to the chief minister and the party's leadership for giving me this chance. I will do my best and work to make the state progress and reach new heights and will discharge my duties to the fullest," Yadav said after taking oath.

The members of council of ministers and newly inducted ministers were asked to remain present in Jaipur for a meeting today.

The ministers and MLAs started visiting the official residence of the chief minister where they were informed about the development.

NEW INDUCTEES FELICITATED

After their meeting with the chief minister at noon, the six MLAs left her residence for the BJP's state headquarters where they were felicitated and garlanded by the party's state president Ashok Parnami and other leaders before the swearing-in ceremony.

This is the second cabinet reshuffle, since Vasundhara Raje was sworn-in as the chief minister on December 13, 2013.

The first reshuffle took place in October 2014.

--- ENDS ---




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Plas Madoc Question Highlights Public Executive Question Timeframe Issue

This article is old - Published: Friday, Dec 9th, 2016

A question relating to Plas Madoc has been rejected today, highlighting an impossible situation people may find themselves in over asking public questions at Executive Board meetings.

The Council rules state Any question/statement to be put to a meeting shall be submitted in writing to the Head of Corporate and Customer Services of the Council by no later than 12 noon on the Wednesday before the meeting at which the question/statement is to be put.

This however is problematic when the reports are often only placed online late on Wednesday afternoon, and you would only know if you are aware of the process and keep hitting refresh on the relevant page.

In that scenario it would be impossible for a member of the public to view the report and place a question in time for the deadline.

If they read the local media they would have to wait a few hours from that point for us to spot it, read it, write it up (midnight-ish when we published ours) or an entire 24-36 hours delay to see it in print this morning  or not at all depending which paper / websites / radio / how you consume information.

A question was submitted today at 2pm on the topic of Plas Madoc, and the recommendation that a funding application should not be supported. Such a decision is being described as one that could in effect prompt the closure of the centre inside the next few weeks.

We have seen a copy of a reply by a relevant Officer of Wrexham Council who says that the question was not accepted by the Council Leader, citing it as out of time, adding He advises that as far as he is concerned there was sufficient notice given in the Forward Work Programme and in the record of the previous Executive Board meeting on 08/11/16 to allow anyone to consider submitting any statement or question on this matter in time.

The response also notes that the full three day legally required statutory period of notice has been met, which is usual for all the Executive Boards we can remember. It adds that although the recommendation was not published outside that timeframe, anyone with questions could have asked them.

The reply ends, In light of this and to be consistent with previous decisions not to allow exemptions in such circumstances he is not persuaded that he should exercise his over-arching discretion to permit your statement and questions to be submitted out of time.

The question has however in effect been asked in a digital fashion with the query and associated commentary being circulated to all Councillors, and as it landed in our inbox we presume much wider, with an additional cover note that says: We reiterate that without knowledge of the Lead Members recommendation and when in previous correspondence the Lead Member stated his wish to support, it was impossible to anticipate the refusal of funding in order to submit a relevant Public Question, prior to the deadline and prior to the publication of the Executive Board report.

With the question being circulated in this manner those who are not on the list, nor those who do not read this will be unaware of its existence. You, like us, are also unaware of the answers to the question raised.

The full question submitted, was from the Company Secretary of Splash Community Trust, and is as follows:



On page two of Agenda Item 6 of todays Executive Board meeting, there are five reasons given for the refusal to support the grant application from Splash.

The information on several of these points has been given, it is as follows,

(i) The application for the 50,000 for year two was made in August 2015, over three months before the end of year one. This grant for year 2 would have bridged the cash-flow gap for year 2 (which ended 30th November last) and allowed the Trust to access other funding steams. It must be recognised that without the support of your local council there is an obvious barrier to accessing external funding.

(ii) The Council query how Splash will cover match-funding for the Welsh Government Communities Facilities grant and the Lead Members and Officers are aware that there is no financial contribution to be made by Splash. The contribution is volunteer hours, which have in fact substantially exceeded the requirements by Welsh Government. In addition this grant of 500,000, which Splash pursued, will fund major repairs to the Leisure Centre and ultimately increase the value of a Wrexham Council asset  is there not a question here of how a responsible landlord should welcome this?

(iii) The Council has concluded it is unknown how the match-funding requirements for the replacement boilers will be addressed by Splash. Wrexham Council have also been provided with evidence to show the match-funding for the application of 50,000 grant funding from WREN will be more than funded from the savings in gas consumption alone. This is quite clearly not a cost but a considerable saving.

(iv) The Council questioned the level of confidence in the financial and general governance arrangements. Splash have provided Wrexham Council with written reassurance from the Financial Auditors stating following year 1 of trading with robust systems in place, the comment relating to the completeness of receipts and nature of receipts and payments will not be necessary in next years audit report. Surely Wrexham Council can appreciate and are aware that volunteers played a key role when the business first started to trade and were a huge part of the Business Plan, a Business Plan that Wrexham Council accepted when granting the lease back in November 2014. The staffing structure has evolved and we now employ 46 people which in turn puts thousands into the local economy of the Borough every month.

(v) The Council then question the financial position in respect of the first year of trading. Lets be clear, Splash made an operating loss of 13,639 in the first year. When Wrexham Council were running the Leisure Centre, they made an operating loss of 550,000. The Auditors did note that Splash would require financial support for the forthcoming period, hence our funding request to the Councils Executive Board.

Now this information has been laid before all members of the Executive Board, we ask that, taking all these facts into account, the Executive Board does not support recommendation 3.1 of this report and puts forward an amendment to support the grant funding application?

We believe rules around submitting such public questions remain the same as they were in 2012, although other elements on how reports and pre-meeting information is shared has adapted since then.

Wrexham.com is kindly invited to media briefs on Tuesdays the week before Executive Boards where some of the Agenda is shared with an opportunity to question Lead Members, often the Council Leader and Chief Executive attend too.

Plas Madoc was not on the agenda items presented, and therefore no questions were possible, however it would have been possible to ask based off the work programme  but not on specific recommendations  which was the the story.

It is worth noting that often frank exchanges take place without questions dodged, for example this week we asked if 21 enforcement tickets issued under the Council control compared to Kingdoms hundreds meant Wrexham Council should have done a better job in the first place  and hands were held up acknowledging that. Likewise we asked about the Peoples Market decision before it was public, and Councillor Pritchard said he was unaware of the details at that point in time.

Historically there used to be a media embargo until 6am Thursday morning, until we pointed out it was a slightly odd situation where we could not write about public information if we partook in the media brief invitations. This situation was in place in 2012 however in March 2013 it changed to when the report is live on our website or 6 am on Thursday prior to the meeting. We were informally told this was historically relating to print deadlines  the aim being that Councillors do not read about information in the media before receiving the agenda packs and information reports directly.

Picture: We spotted this gentleman outside the Guildhall pondering the best way to submit a question in time for the meeting.
By PTI: Ahmedabad, Dec 10 (PTI) Rs 39.8 lakh in cash was seized from two different cities in the state today, of which Rs 24 lakh was in Rs 2,000 currency notes.

Acting on a tip-off, sleuths of Special Operations Group (SOG) in Ahmedabad seized Rs 21,77,650 in cash and detained four persons who were allegedly carrying those to exchange old notes for a commission, SOG police inspector V H Jadeja said.

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"The seized cash includes new currency notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 worth over Rs 10 lakh, while remaining notes are of Rs 100, Rs 50, Rs 20 and Rs 10 denominations. Those detained will be handed over to the Income Tax department for further investigation," Jadeja said.

In a related incident, police in Bharuch town in south Gujarat seized Rs 18 lakh cash, some of which was in new currency notes, from a residential apartment and detained three persons for questioning.

Bharuch A division police searched the house of one R L Modi and seized the money from him. The cash included Rs 14 lakh in Rs 2,000 notes, four notes of Rs 500 denomination, as well as notes of Rs 100 and Rs 50 denominations.

Two other persons detained along with him have been identified as Bina Modi and Ankit Modi, police said. PTI KA PD RMT NSD

--- ENDS ---
The ruling Conservative Party held the seat of Sleaford & North Hykeham in Lincolnshire, England in Thursdays by-election, on a much reduced majority and in a turn-out that collapsed.

The by-election was the second in a week caused by the resignation of sitting Conservative MPs. Sleaford MP Stephen Phillips quit the government in protest at Prime Minister Theresa Mays insistence that she will press for a hard Brexitexit from the European Union, even if this means losing access to the Single Marketfollowing Junes referendum vote in favour of leaving the bloc.

The previous by-election was in Richmond, London on December 1, triggered by the resignation of Tory MP Zac Goldsmith. Although Goldsmiths resignation had nothing to do with Brexit, and was in protest at the building of a third runway at Heathrow airport, the by-election was turned into a ballot on the outcome of the referendum.

The Conservative Party and the UK Independence Party (UKIP) did not contest the Richmond by-election, backing Goldsmith who was a Leave supporter. The Green Party threw its support behind the Liberal Democrats, who have recast themselves as the leading proponents of a so-called Progressive Alliance in opposition to Brexit. In a constituency that voted overwhelmingly to Remain, this saw Goldsmith trounced, as the Liberal Democrats overturned his 23,000-vote majority to win the seat. The Labour Party, which has said it will not oppose Brexit but argues that the UK should seek to remain in the Single Market, lost its deposit.

The Sleaford by-election was also dominated by the issue of for or against Brexit, as two bitterly opposed camps within ruling circles seek to reshape British politics on the basis of a pro- or anti-EU programme.

The ballot took place against the backdrop of the four-day hearing before the Supreme Court, at which the government is challenging last months decision by the High Court that the prime minister cannot bypass Parliament and use Royal Prerogative powers to trigger Article 50.

The rural market town, which is surrounded by prosperous villages, is considered one of the safest Tory seats in the country. Unlike Richmond, however, 62 percent of voters in Sleaford backed Leave in the June 23 referendum.

The most significant aspect of the result is the fact that two-thirds of those eligible to vote choose not to do so. Turnout was just 37 percent, down by 33 percent on the 2015 General Election.

The government claimed its 17,570 votes to be a victory for its hard-line position on Brexit. However, its vote share was down by nearly 3 percent and its majority slashed by half. That two by-elections have been forced by defections within the government speaks to a gathering crisis within its own ranks. While the majority of the party and its MPs favour Brexit, a small number are opposed.

Given that the government commands a narrow 13-seat majority, this is politically significant. Only the day before the election, May had been forced to accept a Labour motionwith several amendmentsdemanding the government publish its plans for leaving the EU before beginning formal negotiations over the UKs exit, after up to 40 Tory MPs threatened to back it.

UKIP took second place, but trailed way behind. Its vote (4,426) was also down by just over 2 percent. The party had suggested it might win a shock victory as a result of its campaign accusing the Tories of being Brexit backsliders. But Mays government has largely stolen UKIPs clothes as regards the EU and its anti-immigrant propaganda, and the far-right party failed to make any real headway.

The Liberal Democrats came in third, increasing their vote share by 5.3 percent. The party has pledged to vote against any move by May to trigger Article 50, if Parliament is eventually able to vote on the issue, and its campaign was targeted at the 40 percent of voters in Sleaford that backed Remain. Even so, its 3,606 votes was an increase of just 106 on its 2015 result.

To the extent that UKIP and the Liberal Democrats can claim any success, it is the result of Labours own collapse. The party ended in fourth place, from second in the 2015 General Election, and its vote fell by 7 percent to just 3,363. Its ambiguous and divided stance on the referendum and its aftermath meant that it was completely incapable of distinguishing itself from the other parties.

Once again, the Green Party failed to contest the by-election, backing an Independent candidate campaigning in opposition to the closure of the Accident and Emergency unit at the local hospital, who came in at sixth place.

More fundamental to Labours decline is the growing disillusionment with Jeremy Corbyn who won the party leadershipwith the overwhelming majority in two ballotsby presenting himself as a left-wing alternative to New Labour and the political establishment. Instead, he has capitulated entirely to the right-wing, as underscored by his decision last week not to back a parliamentary motion calling for an investigation into former Prime Minister Tony Blairs lies justifying the illegal war against Iraq.

Corbyn has become the invisible man. Following on from his cowardly absence from the vote on Blair, the Labour leader did not speak at all in Wednesdays debate on the parliamentary motion on Brexit tabled by his own party. And he was a marginal figure in the Sleaford campaign.

Labours right-wing will undoubtedly utilise the result to step up their moves against Corbyn. Labour MP David Winnick said the result was appalling, while others condemned Corbyns leadership. But the reality is that the new Labour leader has made not one iota of difference to the partys rightward course. His left rhetoric has simply provided a cover for it.
Outgoing US Vice President Joe Biden visited Ottawa Thursday evening and most of yesterday. There he met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and, in what is no doubt a first for a US VP, the heads of all thirteen of Canadas provincial and territorial governments.

Bidens hastily organized trip was aimed at promoting the longstanding economic and military-strategic partnership between the US and Canadian bourgeoisie, and, above all, at addressing concerns within Canadas political elite about the impact Donald Trumps impending presidency will have on that partnership.

The election victory of the billionaire demagogue and strident economic nationalist has rattled Canadas ruling elite This is especially true of Trudeau and his Liberals, who in the six months preceding the Nov. 8 US election did little to conceal their eager anticipation of working with a Hillary Clinton administration.

Publicly both Biden and Trudeau sought to portray the US vice-presidents trip as nothing out of the ordinary. But when asked if Biden would have visited Canada had Clinton, not Trump won the election, Wayne Easter, the Liberal chair of the parliamentary committee on Canada-US relations, conceded, Quite honestly, Id be very doubtful he would have.

Canadas ruling elite is deeply troubled by Trumps threats to tear up NAFTA and his championing of America First protectionist policies. Although Mexico and China have been the principal targets of Trumps claims of unfair trade practices, Canadian big business fears it will be sideswiped if and when Trump begins to implement protectionist measures.

Three-quarters of all Canadian exports go to the US, making Canadian big business highly dependent on the privileged access to the US market that NAFTA provides.

The Canadian ruling elite is also apprehensive about Trumps suggestions he could back away from NATO and pursue rapprochement with Russia. The Canadian bourgeoisie is heavily invested in the NATO build-up against Russia, which it views as a competitor in the Arctic and world energy markets. And for decades it has viewed its military-security partnership with the US and participation in NATO and other US led alliances as critical for pursuing its own predatory interests on the world stage.

In remarks at a dinner Thursday evening, Biden stressed the importance of the US-Canada partnership, then urged Trudeau to promote the US-led alliances through which Washington has asserted its global predominance and suppressed challenges to the world capitalist order since World War II.

In making this plea, the U.S. Vice President warned that there are more threats to the liberal international order today than at any time since 1945 and that Europe is in disarray.

Expressing the concerns of sections of the US ruling elite that fear Trumps America First policies will trigger a trade war that will damage world capitalism as a whole and destabilize, if not destroy, the US-led alliances, Biden said that the world now looked to Trudeau and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to champion a liberal economic order, liberal international order, where there's basic rules of the road.

In fact, both Merkel and Trudeau are pursuing ever-more aggressive policies on behalf of their respective capitalist masters at home and abroad.

Not only has Merkel spearheaded the imposition of brutal austerity measures across the European Union, she has overseen a policy of rearmament and participation in foreign wars aimed at reviving Germany as a world power. This week, in a speech at her partys congress, she openly embraced reaction, calling for the banning of the burka and the mass deportation of refugees.

Trudeau similarly heads a government of austerity and war. While employing different rhetoric, the Liberals have taken up, in all essentials, where the Conservatives left off. This has included launching a vast infrastructure privatization program, pressing forward with environmentally and socially destructive pipeline projects, and expanding Canadas participation in Washingtons major military-strategic offensivesin the Middle East and against Russia and China.

Biden made mention of the last point in his remarks. He lauded Canadas contribution to the war in Syria and Iraq, where the Trudeau government tripled the number of Special Forces soldiers earlier this year. The US VP also cited Canadas role in NATOs military mobilization on Russias borders, making specific mention of Canadas newly-accepted commitment to lead and maintain a NATO advanced force in Latvia.

Trudeau and Biden studiously avoided mentioning Trump directly in their public remarks.

But since the very day of Trumps election, the Liberal government has made clear that it is ready and willing to work with what will be the most right-wing US administration in history.

Indeed, under conditions where Trump has signaled that he intends to pursue confrontation not just with states like Russia and China that the US has long identified as adversaries, but even ostensible allies, Trudeau is seeking to position Canada as the billionaire presidents most faithful friend. In so doing, the Liberals will implicate Canada still more deeply in ruinous economic and geopolitical conflicts, militarism and war.

The only note of caution during Bidens visit was sounded by Conservative MP and former Trade Minister Ed Fast, who expressed concern that the meetings with the outgoing Vice President might jeopardize future relations with the Trump administration. The only thing I would be worried about, Fast told the Globe and Mail, is that no steps are taken to somehow sabotage the Canada-U.S. relationship.

Large sections of Canadas ruling establishment are seeking to use Trumps victory to press the big business Liberal government to move even further to the right. Commenting on Trumps proposal to massively cut corporate taxes, former Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge urged the Liberal government to follow suit so as to ensure Canada remains competitive. Its an enormous problem when you get effective tax rates which are wildly out of line, claimed Dodge, even though Canadas corporate tax rates are at historic lows. And thats whats going to happen to a much greater extent in the spring if Mr. Trump and the Republican Congress proposals  go forward.

In the wake of Trumps victory, the corporate media has also stepped its long-running campaign for Canada to double its military spending from the current level of 1 percent of GDP to NATOs 2 percent target, or more than $40 billion per year.

Former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney commented this week that Trumps presidency offers Ottawa an opportunity to strengthen its relationship with Washington so as to better pursue Canadasthat is Canadian imperialismsinterests. Mulroney fully embraced Trump and his ultra-right-wing campaign, describing the know-nothing, who repeatedly made racist appeals, as a gentleman. Arguing that Trumps attacks on NAFTA and pledge to build a wall had all been directed at Mexico, he continued, I dont think Mr. Trump or the administration views Canada with any hostility at all. On the contrary. My impression is that he views Canada with favour.

The idea of renegotiating NAFTA is also finding growing support. Colin Robertson, an analyst at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, wrote in the Globe and Mail that with the abandonment by Trump of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), reopening NAFTA makes sense. Saying that Canada should aim for more freedom of movement for people and services throughout North America, Robertson went on, Lets be bold. Lets put our costly dairy supply-management, a perennial U.S. target, on the table in return for better procurement access, including shipbuilding.

The reference to procurement reflects hopes in ruling circles that Canadian big business can profit from Trumps proposed $1 trillion infrastructure investment program, which will in reality be nothing more than a corporate boondoggle. Such hopes could be dashed, however. Only after strenuous lobbying did the Obama administration amend the rules of its post-2008 stimulus package to allow Canadian companies to bid on some contracts. Speaking at a rally Thursday Trump declared, My administration will follow two simple rules  buy American and hire American.

The Canadian bourgeoisie intends to accommodate itself to this reactionary nationalist agenda by, as the Globe and Mail put it last month, making sure that Canada gets inside Trumps walls. This amounts to an appeal for a fortress North Americanan economic bloc and military-strategic alliance led by a Trump administration, which would strive to advance US and Canadian imperialist interests at the expense of their rivals. Robertson referred to this in his piece as the North American advantage. A second Globe comment, this one co-authored by Derek Burney, a top Mulroney aide when he was prime minister, urged Trump to support a stronger, more deeply integrated North America to serve as a bulwark against China.

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Canada must be inside Trumps walls, declares voice of financial elite

[25 November 2016]

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[11 November 2016]
The European Central Bank has rejected a request to delay the deadline on a private-sector-led deal to rescue the Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) bank, Italys third largest, making more likely a government bailout that would impose major losses on small investors and bondholders.

MPS had sent a request to the ECBs supervisory board to extend the deadline on the deal to January 20 to allow more time for the 5 billion rescue operation to be put in place.

The deal, which hinged on an injection of funds from Qatars sovereign wealth fund of up to 2 billion and a series of complex debt for equity swaps, was to have been settled this week. But the overwhelming No vote in the Italian referendum last Sunday and the subsequent resignation of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi threw the rescue plan into disarray with the Qatari fund saying it would not make an investment until it received clarity on the formation of a new government.

According to a report in Reuters and subsequent reports in the Financial Times and the Guardian, the board of the ECBs Single Supervisory Mechanism, charged with European banking regulation, turned down the request for a delay at a meeting yesterday.

The ECB and the Italian Treasury have so far refused to comment but trading in MPS shares was suspended, after losing a further 10 percent of their value. According to the Italian media, MPS held an emergency board meeting and will be engaged in talks with the government over the weekend.

Citing people briefed on the deliberations, the Financial Times said the supervisory board had turned down the request fearing that if MPSs troubles were left unresolved, it could lead to a systemic crisis across Italys banking system.

The ECB decision makes it almost certain that the government will have to organise a bailout in some form. However, under European Union rules, which came into force this year, any injection of state funds would have to be preceded by the imposition of losses on creditors, in particular small retail investors and households.

Such a move will be politically explosive. Small investors, who often hold deposits, account for a large share of junior bond holders. It is estimated that there are some 40,000 households which own 2 billion worth of bonds in MPS. They were lured into making such investments following the European banking crisis of 2011 with the assurance that their investments were as safe as deposits.

A bail-in of such bondholders in four small banks which went broke late last year caused a political uproar, with one small investor taking his own life. Any such operation involving MPS, taking place on a much larger scale, would become a major campaign issue in Italian elections following the fall of the Renzi government and could lead to a movement to quit the EU.

A statement issued by Members of the European Parliament belonging to the right-wing populist Five Star Movement, issued on the blog of the organisations founder Beppe Grillo, said MPS could only be saved by state aid in order to avoid bail in-rules that hurt smaller savers as happened a year ago.

This is not the time to fear the European Union and a possible infraction procedure. The consequences of a disordered bail-in would be disastrous to say the least. Almost apocalyptic if one considers the size of MPS.

The statement, which was reported in the Guardian, said it was time to slam our fists at the table in Brussels  while not giving a damn about the deficit.

The talks between MPS and the government may result in a last-ditch effort to come up with a rescue plan, but the political uncertainty about the composition of the new government and its policies make its achievement unlikely.

Mujtaba Rahman, head of European issues for the Eurasia Group risk consultancy, told the Financial Times that European institutions had always been sceptical about the private-sector plan. Not only does it imply a less ambitious restructuring plan but the ability to secure an anchor investor has become much less likely in light of Renzis resignation and the ongoing political instability in Rome, he said.

It appears that the ECB decisions may be part of a wider plan to force the Italian government and the countrys financial authorities to impose a restructuring of the countrys entire banking system, which is weighed down by an estimated 360 billion worth of bad loans.

Reuters reported that ECB officials had expressed the hope that the precautionary recapitalisation of MPS by the Italian statethat is, a recapitalisation of an institution still considered to be solventwould pave the way for similar injections of government funds into other Italian banks plagued by bad loans.

According to one anonymous ECB official, cited by the news agency, there was a consensus that MPS needed a recapitalisation. Once that is done, it could serve as a template for other banks.

But as the Reuters report noted, such a state intervention became a political taboo this year when new EU rules stipulated that it could only be carried out after all private investors, including small holders, took losses first.

Whatever the outcome of the talks and negotiations over the next few days, it will have far-reaching implications for the entire Italian banking system. The next potential crisis centres on UniCredit, Italys largest bank, and its only significant global banking institution.

UniCredit is set to announce a plan to raise 13 billion in capital next Tuesday as part of an effort to stabilise its financial position. But if the government does decide to undertake a bailout of MPS under the terms dictated by the ECB, those plans could be jeopardised. According to the Financial Times, senior bankers said they were fearful that a precautionary recapitalisation of MPS could jeopardise efforts to raise capital by UniCredit.

So far, European financial markets have remained stable in the face of the MPS crisis. But there is potential for so-called contagion because of the interconnections in the banking system. For example, UniCredit owns Hypovereinsbank, which is Germanys fourth largest bank, while Banca Nazionale del Lavro, Italys eighth largest lender, is owned by BNP Paribas, Frances largest bank, and Cariparma, Italys eleventh largest lender, is owned by Credit Agricole, a major French bank.
An Alabama inmate gasped and coughed for about 13 minutes during his execution Thursday night. Ronald Smith, 45, was executed at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama for the 1994 murder of Casey Wilson, a convenience store clerk.

Smith was executed by lethal injection utilizing midazolam as the first drug, a protocol that has drawn scrutiny in so-called botched executions in at least three other states. Originally scheduled for 6 p.m., Smiths execution began at 10:30 p.m. after the US Supreme Court denied a last-minute stay.

According to multiple witnesses that observed the execution, including reporters from the Associated Press, the Chicago Tribune and AL.com, it took more than 34 minutes for Smith to die.

AL.com reported that Smith appeared to be struggling for breath and heaved and coughed and clenched his left fist after apparently being administered the first drug in the three-drug combination. His left eye also appeared to be slightly open.

In the three-drug protocol, midazolam is supposed to anesthetize the inmate beyond consciousness. The second drug is a paralytic and the third drug induces cardiac arrest. Smiths lawyers had argued that the procedure poses the danger of inducing cruel and unusual pain if the midazolam does not properly anesthetize the inmate.

Two consciousness checks were performed on Smith by a Department of Corrections captain before they proceeded to administer the second and third drugs. The tests consisted of calling out the inmates name, brushing back his eyebrows, and pinching him under the arm.

Kent Faulk, a reporter for the Birmingham News who also witnessed the execution, said this was the first time he had seen a consciousness check given twice. Faulk said Smith moved his hand after the second check.

According to AL.com, Smith continued to heave, gasp and cough after the first test was performed at 10:37 p.m. and again at 10:47 p.m. After the second one, Smiths right arm and hand moved. He was pronounced dead at 11:05 p.m.

The state of Oklahomas use of midazolam was challenged after the April 2014 execution of Clayton Locket, who writhed on the gurney and moaned for several minutes before prison officials halted the process. He died 43 minutes later, and a state investigation determined that a failed line had caused the drugs to be administered locally instead of into Locketts blood.

In June 2015, the US Supreme Court upheld Arizonas use of midazolam in a 5-4 decision, rejecting Arizona prisoners argument that the use of the drug violated the US Constitutions Eighth Amendment prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

In Ohio, inmate Dennis McGuire repeatedly gasped and snorted for more than 26 minutes during his January 2014 lethal injection. Ohio abandoned the three-drug protocol and halted executions, but plans to resume them in 2017. Arizona halted executions after it took nearly two hours to kill inmate Joseph Wood during his July 2014 lethal injection using the protocol.

At one point on Thursday evening the Supreme Court denied the stay in Smiths case, but four justicesRuth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kaganall said they would have granted the request. Currently eight justices are serving on the high court since the death of Antonin Scalia in February and the failure of the US Senate to vote on confirmation of President Obamas nomination for a replacement.

After the high court issued two temporary stays Thursday evening, Justice Clarence Thomas, the justice assigned to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals that covers Alabama, denied the last-minute stay before 10:30 p.m. The 11th Circuit had denied Smiths request earlier on Thursday.

Smiths attorneys responded that the Court should not permit executions in the face of four dissents, and stated that the Courts inconsistent practices respecting 5-4 stay denials in capital cases clash with the appearance and reality both of equal justice under law and of sound judicial decision-making.

Less than a month ago, the Supreme Court issued a stay of execution for Alabama inmate Thomas Arthur, who also had challenged the states death penalty protocol. In that case, Chief Justice John Roberts voted with four justices, who were not named, as a courtesy.

Smiths attorneys also appealed for a stay on the basis of his sentencing. A jury found Smith, then 24 years old, guilty of capital murder in 1995. By a vote of 7 to 5, the jury recommended a life sentence without parole. But the judge overseeing the trial overrode that recommendation two months later and sentenced Smith to death.

Alabama is the only state in the US that now allows a judge to override a jurys recommended sentence. In January, the US Supreme Court ruled in Hurst v. Florida that Floridas sentencing system, which allows judge overrides, was unconstitutional. Despite this, the high court rejected Smiths appeal on this basis.
Reportedly, Sonam Kapoor and her rumoured beau spent some quality time in Los Angeles, where she had gone to shoot for an international magazine.

By India Today Web Desk: Rumours of Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja's rumoured romance refuse to die down. Even though the actor has maintained that she is single, her photos and social media banter with Anand suggest otherwise.

SEE PIC: Sonam Kapoor-Anand Ahuja make for a picture-perfect couple

SEE PIC: Sonam Kapoor's rumoured beau Anand Ahuja's gift to her

ALSO READ: Sonam has never had sex with her co-stars. A dig at Deepika again?

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If a report in DNA is to be believed, Sonam is spending some quality time with her rumoured beau in Los Angeles, away from the media glare. Anand accompanied the Neerja actor, who was there to shoot for the cover of an international magazine. The report quotes a source as saying, "Her family is aware of the romantic liaison, but Sonam prefers to be discreet in public, especially while travelling abroad. On her recent trip to LA, they travelled together (Anand left earlier to avoid being clicked by the paps and joined her on the flight), but in LA while Sonam completed her work, he stayed with his friends, who are scattered around California while Sonam stayed at papa Anil's spacious apartment."

On the work front, Sonam will start shooting for Veere Di Wedding with Kareena Kapoor Khan next year. She will also reportedly play one of Sanjay Dutt's love interests in the actor's biopic.

--- ENDS ---
Two children of a homeless family living in temporary housing provided by the City of New York died from steam burns last Wednesday when the valve of the heat radiator blew off and steam at 212 Fahrenheit scorched them.

While Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio described the tragedy as freakish, the lack of affordable, decent housing and a growing homeless population in underfunded, unsafe shelters creates accidents waiting to happen.

The parents, Danielle and Peter Ambrose were sleeping in the living room and their daughters, Ibanez, 2, and Scylee, were asleep in the bedroom with the door closed.

They were awakened by the valve blowing off the radiator in the living room at 6 a.m. releasing steam which Peter replaced holding an oven mitt. Danielle went out to do errands while Peter went back to sleep. When Danielle returned at 11 a.m. and opened the door to the bedroom, she discovered the burned children and they ran outside from the apartment, each carrying a child and screaming for help but it was too late.

A previous resident of that apartment, Charlene Jackson, told the Daily News that the valve popped off the same bedroom radiator in August 2015, spewing scalding water and steam, which fortunately spared her two sons the same fate. She moved out the next month.

Neighbors and city officials describe the couple as attentive and loving and their Facebook pages demonstrate that. They had moved to New York from a small town in Maine. Peter found work sometimes as a tattoo artist and house painter while Danielle found employment as a security guard and, being a musician, was reported to have played guitar at Grand Central Terminal for donations to raise some cash, according to the New York Times.

The Department of Homeless Services contracts with non-profit organizations to provide temporary shelter in privately owned buildings for about 3000 families in the city. These buildings are part of the cluster-site program.

The program has in the last three years placed dozens of homeless families in buildings owned by at least five landlords who are among the 100 landlords with the highest numbers of building code violations, according to Public Advocates office.

The owner of the building where the two sisters died, Moshe Pillar, had reduced his violations after being among those worst landlords in 2014 and 2015 but his two cluster sites in the Bronx had racked up 66 open violations each as of Thursday. Officials said they had not checked the worst landlord list before placing families in these buildings through nonprofits they hire to handle the cluster site program, the Daily News reported.

The Ambrose family was part of the record number of homeless in various types of housing in the New York City shelter system  60,686 people last week, which is 9,216 more than when de Blasio became Mayor in 2014. Almost forty percent are children.

The Bronx, where the Ambrose family was living, is the city's poorest borough, with a median income of $32,688. Almost 30 percent of the Bronxs 1.4 million residents live at or below the poverty line. The borough came in last in a statewide ranking for health and education. Only18 percent of working-age Bronx residents have a college degree.

The median price of single-to-three-family homes, co-ops and condominiums was about $317,000 in the last three months of 2014, $8,000 less than 10 years ago, Jonathan Miller, a residential-property appraiser told Bloomberg News. Rents also are compelling. For $1,650 you can find a three-bedroom apartment in Mott Haven, the trendiest part of the Bronx, the price of a studio in the eastern-most end of the Upper East Side. These are still prices that would eat up more than half the annual income of a family of three having an official poverty income of $20,090.

Omega Bullock, a homeless, single mother in a cluster housing shelter in Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, spoke to the WSWS about the recent tragedy. She has three children ages two, five and eight.

These deaths were terrible and it is the Citys fault, Bullock said. The radiator was complained about several times. No one fixed it. I have a similar situation. My ceiling, which is the roof of the building, fell in during the summer. They have had to come and plaster it six times. It fell in again two weeks ago. They need to spend to fix the roof. I even had to call 311. Recently I had no hot water for three weeks straight."

She concluded, These problems would be fixed if the landlord was renting to higher-income people. I have been trying to get them to give me a voucher for a Section 8 apartment but they say there are too many people asking for vouchers.

Mayor de Blasio has been bouncing between various promises to terminate the short-term programs for the homeless that have proven ineffective and even harmful. Lack of funding for building sufficient shelters designed to adequately aid families and individual has resulted in overcrowding that has even driven many homeless to prefer to stay on the streets in the cold, in fear of their safety. In addition, those sheltered face requirements that do not allow them to be in the shelter during the daytime. The building of shelters has also been the subject of resistance in some neighborhoods with claims that shelters will lower real estate values and bring drug trafficking.

Meanwhile, the cluster-site housing, which actually takes affordable housing off the market, serves to line the pockets of greedy landlords who profit while not maintaining their buildings, as witnessed by the ghastly death of the two Ambrose sisters. Additionally, the cluster-site program buildings are scattered in the city to cheaper locations where it is more difficult for the city to provide services for those homeless.

City officials have felt forced, by a state law requiring the provision of shelter, to putting up homeless in hotels, which on average can cost $6,570 a month, compared to $2,740 for a cluster apartment, which includes the amount charged by contractors providing services, even if non-profits. These hotel rooms do not have kitchens for the residents. Individuals sheltered in hotels are usually required to double up with strangers. The city is providing almost 6,000 people with 2,418 rooms in hotels, with plans to expand that number by 436 rooms.

Positive feeling toward de Blasio, who touts himself as a leader of progressive Democrats, has begun to sour. He has claimed to be fulfilling a promise to build 200,000 affordable apartments in the city within ten years, using market forces and government incentives to solve the citys housing crisis. Aside from the inadequate response to a need that has been calculated to be at least 600,000 apartments, more rapidly, the intensifying building of high-rises in the outer boroughs as well as Manhattan has spread gentrification into many low income neighborhoods.
Written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan

Kenneth Lonergans Manchester by the Sea has obviously struck a chord with critics and audiences alike. The film has been almost universally praised for generally healthy reasons. It is a humane examination of the suffering of an ordinary man, whose terrible personal tragedy has emotionally crippled him. While the movie concerns itself with an individual circumstance, the intensity of the emotions and relationships it presents has wider implications.

The movie opens with Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck), his young nephew Patrick (Ben OBrien) and the boys fatherLees brother Joe (Kyle Chandler)in a fishing boat offshore from the small coastal town of Manchester by the Sea, some 30 miles northeast of Boston. There is a genuine bond between Lee and his nephew, whose comic sparring conveys a natural ease.

We then jump forward in time. Lee is now a handyman/janitor at an apartment complex in Quincy, Massachusetts (south of Boston). He is isolated, angry and going through the motions as he performs his menial tasks, blowing up at tenants and getting into bar fights. His reclusiveness and spartan existence are disrupted by the news that his brother has fallen seriously ill. On his way to the hospital, Lees mind returns to the moment when Joe was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition.

Sadly, Joe dies before Lees arrival. In his will, Joe has named Lee as the guardian of now 16-year-old Patrick (Lucas Hedges), whose mother Elise (Gretchen Mol) has been out of the picture due to alcoholism and mental illness. Somewhat overburdened with flashbacks, Lonergans movie proceeds to reveal a back-story calamity that explains why the bottled-up Lee is his hometowns pariah, why his marriage to Randi (Michelle Williams) dissolved in so much wretchedness and why he has exiled himself to the Boston area, attempting to excise a pain that has consumed his being and gives to all his interactions, particularly those involving the orphaned Patrick, a coldness and awkwardness.

Manchester by the Sea features characters who each, in his or her own desperate way, try to cope with the aftermath of a horrific disasterlike soldiers afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder. There is an intimacy in their anguish. Affleck carries the weight of the work, but Williams, in her brief onscreen presence, is wrenching, and anchors the film. Lonergan and his actors are engaged in a deliberate effort to counter the blockbuster movie experience with a bittersweet realism.

There are moments that stand out. Lees suicide attempt at the police station hits one like a body blow. Another occurs when Elise, after Joes death, tries to reconnect with her son. She invites Patrick to the home she shares with her fella, Rodney (Matthew Broderick), a stiff, religious conservative. Elise is so fragile that the level of discomfort during the meal is excruciating. Rodney later informs Patrickby email no less!that he will be vetting the boys access to his mother from now on.

However, all these sequences pale by comparison to the disturbing and poignant scene between Williams and Affleck, in which the emotionally walled-off Lee proves incapable of responding to his ex-wifes empathy, and worse, her heartbreak. This encounter, lasting only a few minutes, is the more than two-hour movies emotional pivot.

The misfortunes in Manchester by the Sea are real and terrible, and entirely deserving of treatment. However, it is impossible to discuss the film in more detail without generally indicating that Lee bears responsibility for the tragic event that has befallen him and his family. The reader should accordingly beware.

It must be said that the nature of the episode and Lees culpability have certain consequences that the filmmakers, frankly, have not thought through.

In the first place, the tragedy is of an extremely unusual and atypical character, at least within this social layer. And it would be so damaging that the average human being would never recover.

Second, the incident is so intensely personal that it tends to drown out or skew the larger picture. Is the tragedy the necessary, logical product of Lees social and psychological situation, or is it largely unconnected to that situation? Although Manchester by the Sea tends to argue the latter, there are hints at circumstances that contributed to the accident. But here a serious weakness emerges, because, if anything, the film stresses Lees personal irresponsibility and carelessness.

In general, Lonergan and his drama seem pulled in two different directions. On the one hand, there is something Job-like about Lee. The guilt he carries speaks to some eternal human condition, the need to carry on despite everything, the urge, finally, to redeem oneself. This is the less substantive, less intriguing side of Manchester by the Sea, but the one that is most prominent.

However, this is not the only thing going on here. The filmmakers are clearly not oblivious to social reality in America. They have chosen to make a work about people who are not rich and privileged, people with various difficulties. Even the movies advertising gives the impression that it deals with contemporary working class suffering.

The final results on screen and audience reactions would suggest that what gives Lonergans film the power it does have is its reference toonly obliquely and somewhat distantlythe general state of American society. The evidence suggests that, even if the filmmakers are not aware of it, other, more general processes are pressing on the characters lives and collective situation.

New York Times reviewer A. O. Scott stumbles upon this issue in his review of Manchester by the Sea, but from the point of view of a dedicated practitioner of identity politics. The film, he writes, is not only about Lee and his family, and not only about their houses and boats and drinking habits and marriages. It is also about what all those things mean, and what kinds of sentimental and ideological value are attached to them.  Its a movie, that is, about the sorrows of white men.

In fact, Scott spends some 40 percent of his review on the subject of whiteness. He asserts that he is not being dismissive about the film, simply specific, but his comment certainly raises questions as to whether Manchester by the Sea should have been made in the first place, since it is allegedly about people with ironclad entitlement. Scott, incidentally, has reviewed hundreds of films about upper middle class existence, black and white, without once referring to their racial dimension.

Carrying on, Scott writes, Cast out of this working mans paradise, Lee is also exiled from the prerogatives of whiteness. He lives in a basement room, earning minimum wage, answering to an African-American boss and accepting a tip from a black tenant whose toilet he has cleaned and repaired. He doesnt complain, but it is also clear that he has chosen these conditions as a form of self-abasement, as punishment for his sins.

Working mans paradise? Prerogatives of whiteness? Scott and his fellow well-paid journalists at the Times and other media outlets repeatedly begrudge workers (in actuality, Manchester by the Sea probably takes place for the most part in a lower middle class milieu) who are not living in conditions of the most abject poverty. Its absurd and dishonest.

It is not a question of anyone being cast out of  paradise, in any sense, but, as we have noted, the film does indirectly touch upon the reality of a social descent for wide layers of the population. This is not a racial phenomenon, but the working out of a broader social crisis.

The contrast between You Can Count on Me (2000), Lonergans first film, and the present one is instructive in this regard. The first was intelligent and pleasant enough, but it manifestly lacked urgency. Something has happened in the world and, to one extent or another, Lonergan has registered it. Only not explicitly and wholeheartedly, and therefore less convincingly and enduringly. The impact of the film, while powerful at the moment of viewing, tends to recede with time.

The arbitrary, diminishing element of Manchester by the Sea, its inability to seriously link the tragedy to the antecedent conditions stands in contrast to the efforts of F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby (1925). There too a fatal accident performs a critical dramatic function, but the incident is the almost inevitable outcome of the characters social and psychic being.

Famously, Fitzgerald wrote, They were careless people, Tom and Daisythey smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.

Lonergan and company are simply not working at this level.
Nurses at Sharp Healthcare in San Diego, California voted on Thursday by a margin of 87 percent to accept the new three year contract offered by the Sharp Professional Nurses Network (SPNN) union, an affiliate of the United Nurses Associations of California and the Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP). This decision comes over a week after the SPNN called off a limited, three-day strike which had been approved by 98 percent of the nurses.

The union represents the nearly 5,000 registered nurses at Sharp, the largest health care system in San Diego county providing for over one third of all its health care services. As stated by the union itself upon delivering its 10-day strike notice, this  will be the largest strike of registered nurses in California this year, and the second largest strike of any kind in the nation (after the Communication Workers of America strike). Having called off the strike, the union then pushed through a new sellout contract, falsely presenting it to its membership as a historic victory.

As a result of the negotiations, Sharp granted the union a closed-shop hiring policy wherein new nurses will be required to pay union dues within 90 days of employment, after which they would have to notify the union within a 5-day window of their intent to withdraw. This is the actual extent of the unions victoryone that in reality benefits the union bureaucracy at the expense of its members.

While the union claims that the new policy will address the issue of recruitment and retention of well-trained and experienced nurses, its only assured outcome will be to secure a new stream of revenue for the bureaucracy in the form of membership dues.

Aside from the collection of the additional revenue stream in the form of regular dues, bringing more nurses into the union is focused on strangling any independent opposition that could break out of the straitjacket of the unions and the Democratic Party.

Nurses, in addition to many other workers in the healthcare industry, have a strong desire to fight the corporate controlled companies that dictate their working conditions and the health of their patients.

UNAC/UHCP is aligned with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees as well as the AFL-CIO. These unions for decades have worked closely with Democratic officials, and the companies they are ostensibly fighting, in order to lower the social position of the working class they claim to represent.

Many of the legitimate grievances nurses have raised are not addressed in the new contract, such as the increasingly difficult working conditions with additional charting, safety checks, or the training of new nurses while nurses are still expected to tend to the same number of patients, or sometimes more.

Many veteran nurses are concerned about inadequate employer match retirement plans and their retiree medical benefits, yet these issues were not mentioned or changed in the new contract.

In addition to the overwhelming majority of nurses who voted to strike, hundreds of families and supporters in and out of the hospital had expressed support for the their struggle by participating in the various rallies and as seen in numerous comments on the unions Facebook page.

In the face of the militancy of its members, the unions action to suddenly call off the strike less than 24 hours before it was set to begin represents an attempt to disorient the nurses and head off the possibility of a broader struggle.

WSWS reporters intervened during each of the four days of ratification meetings at which the union worked to ram through the concessionary contract. Workers were encouraged to vote at these meetings after receiving a copy of the proposed contract, without an opportunity to independently study this lengthy and complex document.

Despite union efforts to present the contract as a historic win, many nurses the WSWS spoke to were suspicious about the process as well as outraged at the outcome.

Nurses expressed immense frustration over the decision to call off the strike. One of them stated, We started out in June with 1,200 members and now we have 3,000. We were making signs the night before the scheduled strike and we were angry when they told us it was called off. Ive been here a long time and have wanted to see change. We want a better retirement and we were told maybe that could be considered next timewhat if we are retiring soon, when is our next time? Currently, we only have a two percent to six percent match on our own contribution, its not enough.

A nurse employed on a Per Diem basis stated her intention to vote No on the contract, telling our reporters, The raises are uneven, Per Diem nurses only get eight percent in the first year and veteran nurses get less too. Why dont we all get the same raise? The union says one of the main issues is having a closed shop but the issue is more about our wages.

The differences in wage increases based on specialty and seniority is a tactic of divide and conquer which pits workers against each other. While a closed shop could ostensibly promote a sense of unity and solidarity among workers, in reality the new contract preserves and enforces all sorts of permanent divisions among nurses.

One nurse, who falls into the group who would be benefitting the most from the contract, told the WSWS that, Nurses are smarter than that. We know what they are doing and thats why I am voting No even though I am one of the people who would benefit the most. Its not fair to the other nurses and at the end of the day, if its not a win for all of us then its not a win for any of us.

One nurse who said she was adamantly voting No spoke about the unions effort to secure a closed shop, where every new hire would be required to join the union, and therefore pay union dues. I feel like once they got the closed shop, wages went out the window. The whole issue was retention and they didnt even address that.

Ive been a nurse for 10 years, were among the lowest paid nurses. The nurse turnover was so high. As nurses, its a labor of love, but that only goes so far, especially in San Diego with the cost of living going up and up.

Now we have a bunch of new grads in the ER, I dont feel safe. All the older, experienced nurses are leaving to Kaiser Permanente. The money is there for nurses, but its being wasted on war.

Another nurse commented, This is complete crap! This is a deal for the unions, not for us Thats what Im going to tell my coworkers: Its Yes for the Unions, No for the Nurses. She said she was interested in organizing outside the union.

Many of the nurses also expressed concern with their own health insurance plans. One nurse commented, My own insurance is horrible. I had a surgery that was preapproved and then after the surgery, which cost over $80,000, the insurance company said it wasnt necessary. I had to battle them for over a year and ended up having to pay an extra $1800 out of pocket.

The attack on the health care coverage for workers is coupled with a much broader and ongoing attack on health care system more broadly. Under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, insurance has been further privatized and families have had to pay exorbitant fees for substandard healthcare plans. Families are forced to purchase plans with high premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance, or pay a fine. In the state of California, Medi-cal reimbursements have recently been cut by Democratic Governor Jerry Brown making it more difficult for patients to be seen outside of the emergency room.

The announcement of the appointment of Tom Price as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, signals furthered attacks to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, an effort which has long had bipartisan support. The main intent of Obamacare, the privatization of the healthcare industry at the expense of the working class will be continued and intensified under the next administration, whether or not sections of the law are repealed.
As one of his final initiatives before handing over the White House to Donald Trump, President Barack Obama has ordered US intelligence agencies to conduct a full review of alleged attempts by Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

Obamas top counterterrorism advisor, Lisa Monaco, told reporters Friday, We may have crossed into a new threshold, and it is incumbent upon us to take stock of that, to review, to conduct some after-action, to understand what has happened and to impart some lessons learned.

Later, Obamas press spokesman told a White House news conference that the investigation was a huge priority.

This is a major priority for the president of the United States, said Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz. He directed his intelligence community and national security officials to take this on. He expects that report to be issued to him before he leaves office.

What new threshold has been crossed? Why is this issue a huge priority, six weeks before Donald Trump comes to power at the head of the most right-wing government in US history?

The charge that Moscow sought to influence the US election was made in October by the US government, which has presented absolutely no evidence to back up its claims of Russian hacking.

Even if it were true, the threshold of interference in foreign elections was passed by Washington itself long ago. Over the last seven decades, the CIA has intervened on countless occasions to rig elections or overthrow elected officials seen as insufficiently loyal to the interests of US imperialism. Its public arm, the National Endowment for Democracy, has continued such operations from Georgia and Ukraine to Venezuela, Honduras and Haiti.

Obama has himself boasted that Washington has the greatest cyber war capabilities of any nation on the planet, and it has regularly employed them, while developing plans for disabling attacks against the civilian infrastructure of Russia, China and Iran. The United States has hacked the phones and emails of world leaders from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

What precisely is Russia accused of having done?

Last month, a White House official issued a statement declaring that the election had been free and fair from a cybersecurity perspective. In other words, there was no Russian hacking of the vote. He added that the election results accurately reflect the will of the American people, a grotesque lie, given that Donald Trump is set to take office after losing the popular vote by a margin of as many as 3 million votes. This statement was made in opposition to efforts initiated by the Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein to force a recount in the key industrial states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

What remains of charges of Russian interference are allegations that the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin helped expose secrets the Democratic Party was keeping from its own votersin particular, the duplicitous efforts of the Democratic National Committee to sabotage the campaign of Bernie Sanders and guarantee the presidential nomination to Hillary Clinton. Moscow is further charged with hacking into the emails of Clintons campaign manager, John Podesta, so as to make public Clintons speeches pledging fealty to Wall Street bankers and the corrupt activities of both the Democratic Party and the Clinton Foundation.

As the New York Times put it delicately on Friday, speaking of the review ordered by Obama: It is unclear if the contents of the review will be made public. The proof will not be presented to the American people because it doesnt exist.

In the end, Moscow is being blamed for revealing inconvenient political truths to the American people that Obama, Clinton and the Democrats wanted to keep from them.

That this is a huge priority says a great deal about the politics of the Obama administration. In the same speech announcing the probe, the counterterrorism adviser made it clear that Obama has no intention of taking any action to close down the Guantanamo prison camp in Cuba, something he promised to do within his first year in office. He will hand over the infamous facility to Trump, who has vowed to fill it up and resume torture.

The administration has made it clear that it will not oppose Trumps nomination of former Marine Gen. James Mad dog Mattis as defense secretary, even though his appointment requires the overriding of a provision meant to keep recently serving uniformed officers out of the post in order to maintain civilian control of the military.

Obama has said nothing as Trump packs his cabinet with a collection of right-wing billionaires and semi-fascists bent on carrying out a war against the working class and democratic rights. Instead, the White House press secretary has declared that Trump should be given wide latitude in assembling his team.

On Friday, Deputy Press Secretary Shultz again stressed that the administration was not questioning the election result, saying the intelligence probe Obama had ordered was not an effort to challenge the outcome of the election. He added that Obama has actually gone out of his way to make sure that we are providing for a seamless transition of power to Trump.

So what is this probe really about? The aim is to poison relations between Washington and Moscow as much as possible between now and inauguration day in order to ensure that Trump continues US imperialisms preparations for military confrontation with Russia, which is seen as the principal obstacle to Washingtons drive to assert its hegemony over Eurasia.

The Democratic Party and Clinton ran to the right of Trump during the election campaign on the question of Russia and war, portraying Trump as Putins puppet because of his suggestions that NATO was outmoded and that he could negotiate with Moscow, including on a common policy in regard to Syria.

Had she won, Clinton would have claimed a mandate to escalate the US intervention in Syria and step up NATOs provocative military buildup on Russias borders in Eastern Europe.

The New York Times, which functioned as a de facto campaign organ of Clinton and the Democrats during the election, published a lead editorial in its first Sunday edition following the vote with the headline The Danger of Going Soft on Russia.

This week, Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives sent a letter to Obama asking him to brief Congress on alleged Russian efforts to influence the election. Top House Democrats have also introduced a bill to create an independent commission to study the hacks.

Senate Republicans are launching their own probe into alleged Russian interference in the election. The Republican-controlled House has passed legislation imposing sanctions on any country supporting the Syrian government in its war with US-backed Islamist militias, a measure clearly aimed against Moscow. And the Pentagon budget bill includes millions of dollars in lethal military aid to Ukraine, an open provocation against Russia.

Meanwhile, the retired military brass that Trump has brought into his cabinetMattis as defense secretary and John Kelly as homeland security secretaryhave both spoken out strongly in support of the US military buildup against Russia.

In the end, as the most right-wing government in US history prepares to take office, all sections of Americas ruling establishment are united in the drive to prepare for world war.
Sri Lankas Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government is desperately seeking the support of US President-elect Donald Trump to cover up Colombos war crimes and prop up its continued rule.

Late last month, President Maithripala Sirisena revealed that he had written to Trump seeking his help in pressuring the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to drop war crime allegations against Sri Lanka. On December 2, Mike Pence, Trumps future vice president, phoned Sirisena during which they discussed strengthening relations between the two countries.

Addressing a party meeting on November 28, Sirisena declared: I have sent a special message to US President-elect Donald Trump asking him to give us the fullest support at the UNHRC I am asking him to help completely clear my country [of war crimes allegations] and allow us to live freely.

Sirisena said he would send a special envoy to meet the new US president and follow up his request. The Sri Lankan president admitted that he had made a similar appeal to the UN secretary-general-designate, Antonio Guterres, who is due to take up his post in January.

UN experts and independent bodies have estimated that tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed during the final weeks of the brutal military offensive against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009. Nearly 200,000 civilians perished during the almost 30-year communal civil war waged by successive Sri Lanka governments. Seven years since the conflict ended, hundreds of troops still occupy the former war zones in the north and east ruthlessly imposing Colombos dictates on the local Tamil population.

Washington supported Colombo throughout the bloody conflict, even providing logistic support. It only began to criticise the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse during the final weeks of the war because of its close ties with China, which had become the principal provider of financial assistance and military hardware to Colombo.

The Obama administration, which was developing its confrontational pivot to Asia, against China, wanted Colombo to distance itself from Beijing. In an attempt to pressure Rajapakse to break these relations, the US sponsored a resolution at the UNHRC demanding an international investigation into Sri Lankan war crimes.

When Rajapakse failed to respond, the Obama administration in late 2014 supported a regime-change operation to oust Rajapakse and install Sirisena as president. This involved United National Party leader and now Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga along with various trade unions, civil society groups and pseudo-left organisations which painted Sirisena as a champion of good governance.

As soon as Sirisena became president and began initiating a shift towards Washington, the US co-sponsored another UNHCR resolution, dropping demands for an international war crimes investigation and supporting a domestic inquiry instead.

The cynical manoeuvre was another example of how the US, which has waged war in country after country during the past 25 years, selectively uses human rights issues in order to advance its hegemonic interests.

Sirisenas efforts to persuade Trump to pressure the UN to drop all war crime allegations are aimed at appeasing the Sri Lanka military and Sinhala chauvinist groups who are hostile to any investigation of atrocities carried out during the war.

Former President Rajapakse, who backs the Sinhala communalist campaign, used the occasion of Trumps election victory to congratulate the billionaire and complain about the Obama administrations sponsorship of war crime resolutions in the UNHCR.

Rajapakse suggested the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government contact Trump over the war crime allegations. Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist groups were also elated over Trumps election, praising his nationalist rhetoric and demanding that Colombo seek support from the new US administration.

During his election campaign, Sirisena said he would end all discrimination against minorities in Sri Lanka and promised justice for war victims. On becoming president, Sirisena insisted that there had been no war crimes in Sri Lanka. The Tamil National Alliance, the main Tamil bourgeois party, politically supports the Sirisena administration and remains silent over Sirisenas appeal to Trump.

It is not yet clear whether US Vice President-elect Mike Pences phone call to Sirisena last week was in direct response to Sirisenas pleas to Trump. According to an official Sri Lankan government press release, Pence promised to work towards arranging a visit by President Sirisena to Washington for a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump.

Other matters discussed during the call included, [ensuring] the progress of relations between the two countries based on common values of democratic governance and Sri Lankas strategic location in the middle of Asia. The press release also said there was discussion on cooperation directed at securing the safety of sea lanes, countering drug smuggling and working together in disaster management as partners.

That Pence and Sirisena discussed Sri Lankas strategic location and securing the safety of sea lanes is highly significant. Sri Lankan workers, youth and the poor must recognise the dangerous implications of these developments. Under the banner of maritime security, Washington has expanded its naval presence in Asia as part of its preparations for war against China.

Behind the backs of the population, the Sri Lankan government hopes that its willingness to increase involvement in Washingtons diplomatic and military aggression against Beijing, will encourage Trump to support the shutdown of any UNHCR investigation into Colombos war crimes.
South Koreas National Assembly yesterday voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye, the first step in her removal from office. The vote of 234 to 56 in the 300-member Assembly was well over the necessary two-thirds required and indicated that significant sections of Parks own right-wing Saenuri Party supported the impeachment.

The impeachment follows weeks of massive protests involving millions of people demanding Park resign over a scandal involving her close personal confidante, Choi Soon-sil. Although she holds no official position in the government, Choi allegedly influenced its decisions, was privy to classified documents and used her ties with Park to solicit donations from South Korean companies.

The proteststhe largest in South Koreas historyreflect widespread hostility and anger towards Park over broader issues: the deepening gulf between rich and poor as well as her administrations anti-democratic methods in silencing critics, disbanding an opposition party and suppressing strikes.

After the vote, Park apologised once again for the grave national turmoil that her carelessness and shortcomings had produced, but gave no indication that she would resign. Park has been named as a criminal suspect in legal proceedings involving the Choi scandal but she cannot be indicted while in office.

Following yesterdays Assembly vote, presidential authority and duties have been transferred to Prime Minister Hwang Gyo-an who becomes acting president. The impeachment case now goes to the Constitutional Court which has six months to decide if the charges against Park warrant her removal from power.

Six of the nine justices must support Parks dismissal which would be followed by a fresh presidential election within two months. Six of the judges were appointed by Park and her immediate predecessor Lee Myung-bak, also from the Saenuri Party. However, a court decision to keep Park in office would likely reignite the protest movement and plunge the country into even deeper crisis.

Parks impeachment reflects deep divisions within the South Korean ruling elite as well as intense public alienation from the entire political establishment. Yonsei University professor Moon Chung-in told the Financial Times last month: South Korea is in a state of total crisis. We have intertwined political, geo-political and economic crises and no leadership to mend the fractures or drive society.

Park, like other Asian leaders, has attempted to balance between China, which is South Koreas largest trading partner, and the US, which is a long-time military ally. South Korea hosts key American military bases and currently nearly 30,000 US troops. Park, who came to office in 2013, sought to improve relations with China and earned US displeasure when she appeared last year at a military parade in Beijing alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Significantly the Obama administration offered no support to the embattled Park. The US embassy even signaled sympathy for the protests in Seoul by turning its lights off along with other nearby buildings at a time fixed by protest leaders. State Department spokesman Mark Toner declared yesterday that the United States is there with Korea as it undergoes this political change and transitionthereby tacitly accepting that Park would be removed.

At the same time, under pressure from Washington, the Park administration agreed in July to the US deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea, angering Beijing. While nominally directed against North Korea, the THAAD installation on the Korean Peninsula is part of the US military build-up throughout Asia in preparation for war against China.

The election of Donald Trump as US president has further heightened the dilemmas confronting the South Korean ruling elites. According to the Financial Times, financial officials in Seoul in the wake of Trumps election win directed banks to prepare for external shocks, while the Blue House [presidential residence] convened a national security council session.

Although Trump told Park following his election win that he agreed 100 percent with the US-South Korea alliance, he threatened, in the course of his campaign, to withdraw from the alliance if South Korea did not pay more towards US military bases. Despite Trumps reassurance, he has placed a question mark over the alliance that can only compound uncertainty in Seoul and exacerbate divisions within the ruling elites over South Koreas strategic orientation.

Trumps extreme economic nationalism is also destabilising South Korean politics. He has declared that he will tear up the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and threatened trade war measures against China that would heavily impact on the South Korean economy. While South Korea is not part of the TPP, Trump has also criticised South Koreas free trade agreement with the US as unfair on American businesses.

Trumps stance is encouraging opposition partiesthe Minjoo (Democratic) Party, Peoples Party and Justice Partyto ramp up their calls for protectionism. The Democrats strongly opposed the free trade agreement with the US and, along with other opposition parties, have been seeking to channel popular opposition in an economic nationalist direction. Trade unions and farmers groups have taken part in the anti-Park protests to demand trade restrictions and government subsidies for products such as rice.

The South Korean economy is stagnating with the latest OECD forecast putting growth for 2017 at just 2.6 percent. Exports, which comprise about 45 percent of the countrys GDP, shrank by 3.2 percent year-on-year in October after a 5.9 percent drop in September. Hanjin Shipping, which was once South Koreas largest shipping company, declared bankruptcy in August. Household debt exploded to a record $1.15 trillion by mid-yearthe eighth highest in the world.

Rising levels of poverty and unemployment, particularly among young people, are fuelling social discontent which the opposition parties are seeking to exploit. None of them, however, can offer any solutions to the social crisis. In fact, the Democrat presidentsKim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyunmade deep inroads in the living conditions of the working class by breaking up the life-long employment system and opening the door for the mass casualisation of the workforce.

An article in Bloomberg on Thursday likened the protests calling for Parks resignation to political upheavals around the world, stating: The wave of populism that fueled Brexit, the rise of Donald Trump and the fall of Italian leader Matteo Renzi has reached South Korea, where street protesters see Fridays parliamentary vote to impeach President Park Geun-hye as a step towards toppling the establishment she symbolises.

The opposition parties are also seeking to capitalise on growing fears of war. The Minjoo Party criticised but did not oppose the installation of the THAAD anti-ballistic missile system which makes South Korea a target in any war between the US and China. The Peoples Party and Justice Party opposed the move on economic grounds, reflecting fears in business circles of economic retaliation by China.

The political turmoil in Seoul is raising fears in Washington that Parks removal could result in a win by an opposition presidential candidate who would adopt a more moderate stance towards North Korea and China. Such an administration might limit US military involvement in South Korea and could adopt protectionist measures.
On Thursday, the UKs Supreme Court concluded its four-day hearing on whether Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May has the power to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treatyinitiating Britains departure from the European Unionwithout consulting Parliament. May wants to use the archaic power of the Royal Prerogative to start the process of Brexit by the end of March 2017.

A ruling by the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, is expected in January.

The government appealed to the Supreme Court to challenge last months High Court decision that Parliament alone has the right to begin Britains exit following Junes referendum vote to leave the EU. The High Court case was brought by a pro-EU group of claimants led by Gina Miller, a London-based investment manager.

Miller won the support of all three High Court judges by submitting that when the UK passed the 1972 European Communities Act paving the way for Britain to join the EUs predecessor, the European Economic Community, rights were conferred on citizens via that act of Parliament. It was therefore not within the realm of Royal Prerogative to take away those rights.

There was a surreal element to the proceedings at the Supreme Court, as everyone concerned knew there was far more at stake than how Brexit is triggered.

On the last day, the governments leading advocate, James Eadie QC, summarised his case by arguing that the rights incurred due to EU membership were created and taken away on the international plane rather than by domestic legislation. Therefore, a new act of Parliament was not required for Brexit, as foreign policy is covered by Royal Prerogative.

He was able to add to his argument against the need for parliamentary sanction to initiate Brexit the fact that the House of Commons had on Wednesday passed a highly significant motion supporting the timetable of the government to invoke Article 50 by March 31. Parliament indicated its view and has done so clearly, said Eadie, adding that the motion might not be legally binding, but this does not mean it is not legally relevant.

Westminster MPs voted 461 to 89 in favour of a motion moved first by the Labour Party and then amended by the government, with an additional 56 Labour MPs absenting themselves or abstaining. The motion agrees that the Conservative government publish its plans for leaving the EU before beginning formal negotiations over the UKs exit. In return, however, Labour and other opposition parties must accept that Article 50 should be invoked by the end of March, that the result of the referendum should be accepted, and that the publication of the plan should not undermine the governments stance in the negotiations.

Given these facts, it may be difficult to understand why the Supreme Court hearing is considered the most significant in modern times and why for the first time since the Law Lords were created in 1876 all 11 Supreme Court judges have been assembled to hear a case. However, the issue under dispute is not the triggering of Article 50. Only a handful of Liberal Democrat MPs and Blairites in the Labour Party are ready at this point to openly oppose the referendum result.

What is really at stake is the possible setting of a precedent whereby Parliament will have the right to ratify any Brexit deal that is eventually reached between the UK and the EU. If the deal threatens Britains access to the Single Market, the rebellion against the government will be far bigger than the 145 MPs who either voted no or did not vote on Wednesday. In that case, the opposition to the governments position will likely comprise a majority of MPs.

Though this is widely understood, speaking for the court, its president, Lord Neuberger, insisted, We are not being asked to overturn the result of the EU referendum. The ultimate question in this case concerns the process by which that result can lawfully be brought into effect.

The same line is echoed by virtually all those in the pro-EU Remain camp of the ruling elite, even as they denounce Brexit for threatening continued access to the Single Market. In 2015, fully 44 percent of the UKs goods and services were exported to the EU, while 53 percent of imports came to the UK from the EU.

There is little indication that access to the Single Market or any other concessions will be on offer from the EU, which is itself mired in deepening economic, political and social crises. As the Supreme Court case was being heard, relatively little coverage in the British media was given to the comments Tuesday of Michel Barnier, the EUs chief negotiator in talks with Britain.

Barnier said his team would preserve the unity and interests of the EU-27, and that the UK would have to accept an inferior trade deal to that of EU members. To have access to the Single Market, countries had to agree to accept that the four fundamental freedoms of the EUfree movement of goods, services, capital and peoplewere indivisible.

The last two days of the hearing included a submission from James Wolfe QC on behalf of the Scottish National Party (SNP)-devolved government in Edinburgh. The Scottish population, unlike England and Wales, voted by a majority to remain in the EU. The SNP is committed to Scotland continuing to have access to the Single Market. The result was the extraordinary spectacle at the Supreme Court of the Scottish nationalists, who are seeking eventual independence from the UK, insisting on the sovereignty of the Westminster Parliament.

No less ironic are the legal arguments of the pro-Brexit forces, comprising a substantial section of the Conservatives parliamentary party and the partys wider base. Having insisted in the referendum campaign that Westminster had to take back control from Brussels, they now demand that a government edict take precedent over Parliament.

Whatever verdict the Supreme Court hands down, it can only deepen the schism in ruling circles.

Everything that has happened since the June 23 referendum is an extraordinary confirmation of the political stand taken by the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in its statement calling for an active boycott of the referendum.

The SEP opposed both the Remain and Leave camps, explaining that they represented the interests of vying factions of the ruling class. The statement defined a policy that upholds the interests of workers not only in Britain, but in Europe as a whole and throughout the world. It explained, The SEP is irreconcilably hostile to the European Union, but our opposition is from the left, not the right.

On this basis, the statement continued, No support can be extended to the Remain campaign, which has the backing of much of Britains corporate elite, who regard EU membership as essential to their ability to compete internationallynot least through a continued offensive against the living standards of the working class throughout the continent.

However, it insisted, None of this imparts a progressive character to the Leave campaign, or justifies lending even the most critical support to it. Its claim that the British parliament and its parties are any less instruments for imposing the wishes of finance capital than the EU is a transparent fraud.

The SEP explained, British workers cannot find a way out of the current economic and political impasse on the basis of a nationalist programme.

It stated that in opposition to the national chauvinism and xenophobia promoted by both sides in the referendum campaign, the working class must advance its own internationalist programme to unify the struggles of workers throughout Europe in defence of living standards and democratic rights. The alternative for workers to the Europe of the transnational corporations is the struggle for the United Socialist States of Europe.

The author also recommends:

For an active boycott of the Brexit referendum!

[29 February 2016]
At least allow people to withdraw Rs 10,000. Can you do that or you need a judicial order?" a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi.

By Harish V Nair: Not happy with the pace of steps being taken to alleviate people's suffering, the Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre why even a month after demonetisation, it was not even able to ensure that people got at least the Rs 24,000 they were allowed to withdraw a week from banks or ATMs.

"We could have said raise the weekly limit from Rs 24,000 to Rs 50,000. But then you say you don't have the notes and printing will take time. If you have agreed to Rs 24,000, at least ensure that people are given that. At least allow people to withdraw Rs 10,000. Can you do that or you need a judicial order?" a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi who appeared for the Centre.

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READ | Demonetisation problems will end in 10-15 days: Centre to Supreme Court

In view of the flurry of petitions against the measure, nearly 30 were lined up by the court for hearing. The bench framed a list of 10 issues which it identified for a streamlined and systematic hearing.

"EASE THE INCONVENIENCE OF THE PEOPLE"

These issues include challenge to the Constitutional validity of demonetisation; validity of all subsequent notifications; matters concerning inconvenience; whether demonetisation violated right to equality and right to freedom of speech and expression; restriction on withdrawal and its validity; manner in which notification is being implemented; whether power delegated to RBI by the Centre has been excessive; scope of judicial review; whether it was permissible to withdraw 86 per cent of currency notes in circulation without proper arrangement for replacement; and issues pertaining to leaving the district cooperative banks from post demonetisation process.

READ | Demonetisation: What about cooperative banks, Supreme Court asks government

The court also sought the Centre's response on issues like whether district cooperative banks could be allowed to accept deposits in demonetised notes with stringent regulations.

The bench said though demonetisation has been carried with long-term beneficial aims, its immediate concern was to ease the inconvenience of the people and asked Rohatgi to apprise it on December 14 on issues relating to the same.

READ | Supreme Court refuses to stay demonetisation notification

--- ENDS ---
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Attorney's for the City of Tallahassee want the Florida Supreme Court to address the issue that brought City Commissioner Scott Maddox to court.

Maddox was sworn in to office this week, and his residency was recognized.

The question now is, can a state court determine whether or not a city can determine eligibility for its own elected officials.

The city has filed a petition asking the State Supreme Court to stop lower courts from ruling in the residency case.

The Supreme Court has asked the City to petition making a case, to prove their question is still valid after Maddox's case was settled.

Erwin Jackson, who brought the case against Commissioner Maddox responded, saying any further proceedings would be moot after Maddox's trial was decided.
By PTI: Hyderabad, Dec 10 (PTI) Ahead of the winter session of Telangana Legislative Assembly beginning December 16, the state cabinet held a meeting here today.

There was no official briefing after the meeting.

Sources said a cabinet sub-committee would go into the issue of private universities bill.

The state government may go for appeal on the decision of Brijesh Kumar Tribunal on sharing Krishna river water, they said. The Tribunal had said the water should be shared between Telangana and AP without involving upper riparian states.

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The cabinet also discussed cashless transactions following demonetisation. The state government has already decided to promote cashless transactions in a big way.

It also decided to launch an e-wallet to promote cashless economy.

The winter session of the assembly would begin on December 16 as per a notification issued yesterday. PTI SJR NRB KIS

--- ENDS ---
Jose Martinez-Cuevas, left, and Patricia Aguilar filed a class action lawsuit against DeRuyter Brothers Dairy in Outlook, claiming that it was not given mandatory rest breaks, meal periods or overtime pay despite working nine to 12 hours a day, six days a week. (Photo courtesy of Columbia Legal Services)
A man and his granddaughter who were rescued from a fatal apartment fire took time Thursday to thank the firefighters who saved them.
With the chill setting in, you must have a bowl of this nourishing soup to cuddle up with.

Thukpa is a Tibetan dish that's easy to rustle up, healthy, and simply yummy. Picture courtesy: Pinterest/Canadian Chicken

By Shreya Goswami: When you think of winter weekends, you are easily overwhelmed by the tiredness that's plaguing you after a week's work, the chill that's setting in to make you lazier still, and the thought of something warm and nourishing to tide you over.

The one thing that can cure you of all your woes is a dish from Tibet. This dish is super-easy to make, and it's a perfect blend of warmth, taste, and nourishment--just what you need right now. We're talking about thukpa, the broth that can satiate your taste buds and warm you to the very bones.

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For all those who don't know, thukpa has served this very purpose for the people of Tibet for generations. The epitome of comfort food, Tibetans hold this dish in high regard, particularly because winters are harsh (and almost perpetual) in their terrain. Thukpa was brought to India by migrating Tibetans, and is now popular all over the subcontinent.

Make a bowl of thukpa, and enjoy your winter weekends. Picture courtesy: Pinterest/Anna Lipson

Also read: This super-easy chikki recipe is all you need to make your favourite winter snack

And why not. Here's a one-pot meal that sings of simplicity and elegance. Its ingredients cover every food group, so it's quite healthy. And its warm enough to make for a perfect meal for your weekends (or even a hurried meal during your busy weekdays).

Check out this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken thigh or leg pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, sliced

1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped

5 spring onions, chopped

3 green chillies, chopped

5 garlic cloves, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped

1 tsp honey

1 tsp soy sauce

2 tbsp oil

2 cups water

1 cup egg or regular noodles

A bowl of thukpa is just what you need in winters. Picture courtesy: Pinterest/naliniscooking

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large pan. Add the chicken pieces, and fry till they turn golden-brown.

2. Add the chopped onion and carrots, and saute for a few minutes. Then add the rest of the veggies, and saute.

3. Season with salt, pepper and some fresh coriander leaves. Add water, and let it come to a simmer.

4. Add soya sauce and honey, and stir the broth to blend it in. Cover the pan with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes.

5. Now add the noodles, and cook the broth for five minutes or till the noodles are cooked. Garnish with some spring onions, green chillies and fresh coriander. Take the broth off the heat, and serve warm.

--- ENDS ---

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ATHENS -- Officials say a Greek court has refused to extradite to the first three of eight Turkish servicemen who fled to Greece after the failed July 15 military coup.

All eight helicopter crewmen deny charges they participated in the coup and in a plot to assassinate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Monday's decision by the Athens council of appeals court judges followed arguments by a Greek prosecutor that the lives of the pilots and flight mechanics would be in danger in Turkey.

The three Turks are expected to be released from police custody in the coming days.

Their lawyer, Stavroula Tomara, said the court will rule over the next three days on the extradition of the other five servicemen. All eight fled to Greece in a Turkish military helicopter July 16.
CAIRO- A roadside bomb in northern Egypt killed a civilian and injured three policemen on Friday in the second attack on the security forces in a day, security sources said.

The latest attack in the Kafr El Sheikh governorate in the Nile Delta followed a bombing in Cairo in which six policemen were killed in an attack claimed by an Islamist militant group.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in northern Egypt.
The United States is sending 200 additional military personnel to Syria to help the campaign to drive the ISIS militant group from Raqqa, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Saturday.

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Speaking in Bahrain at the Manama Dialogue conference on Middle East security, Carter said the 200, including special forces trainers, advisers and explosive ordnance disposal teams, would join 300 US special force troops already in Syria.





US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter (Photo: AP)

"These uniquely skilled operators will join the 300 US special operations forces already in Syria, to continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces to take the fight to ISIL," he said in a speech, referring to international terrorism organization ISIS, also known as the Islamic State.

The first goal of a coalition opposed to the militants was to "destroy the ISIL cancer's parent tumor in Iraq and Syria, because the sooner we crush both the fact and the idea of an Islamic state based on ISIL's barbaric ideology, the safer we'll all be", he said.

He added that Russia, President Bashar al-Assad's top foreign military backer, had "only inflamed the civil war and prolonged suffering of the Syrian people."

Syria's civil war pits Assad, backed by Iran, Russia and some Shi'ite militias, against mostly Sunni Arab rebels backed by Turkey, Gulf monarchies and the United States. A secondary conflict puts all of them at war with ISIS, an effort that coincides withthe West's push against the group in Iraq.

The Iraqi city of Mosul and the smaller Syrian city of Raqqa are the two pillars of ISIS's self-declared caliphate, and recapturing them would be a pivotal defeat for the ultra-hardline Sunni jihadists.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry and other leading diplomats are trying to find solutions for Syria's desperate opposition, as Syrian government forces squeeze rebels out of Aleppo after a devastating blitz.

With tens of thousands of civilians fleeing, Kerry said he is working to ensure their safety and to save Aleppo "from being absolutely, completely destroyed."

Kerry is meeting in Paris on Saturday with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, European and Arab diplomats and members of Syria's opposition.

US and Russian military experts and diplomats are to meet in Geneva on Saturday to work out details of the rebels' exit from eastern Aleppo.

Backed by Russia and other allies, Syrian forces have taken control of nearly all of the rebel enclave in eastern Aleppo.
By PTI: Mumbai, Dec 10 (PTI) Days after the Allahabad High Court termed the practice of triple talaq as cruel, the Shiv Sena today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give his nod to bring changes in Sharia law in the interest of Muslim women.

"The Allahabad High Court had asked whether there should be changes in Sharia. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi should say yes without seeking anyones advice.

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"This decision would be as revolutionary as demonetisation," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said.

"What the High Court said was not an order but an observation. But, it reflects the feeling of the country and the pain of Muslim women," the Sena, an ally of BJP in Maharashtra, said.

The High Court has paved the path of enactment of a common civil code, it said.

Those torturing Muslim women in the name of Muslim personal law should be branded anti-nationals and punished, the Sena said.

"However, nobody is willing to comment on this as everyone, including the BJP, is eyeing Muslim vote bank in the UP elections," the editorial claimed.

The debate on the validity of triple talaq has intensified after the Allahabad High Court on Thursday termed the practice as "most demeaning" which "impedes and drags India from becoming a nation".

The court had said that the Constitution of India was supreme and not the Muslim Law Board. PTI VT DK SRY

--- ENDS ---
The CIA has concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help US President-elect Donald Trump win the White House, and not just to undermine confidence in the US electoral system, according to the Washington Post's report on Friday.

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Additionally, US intelligence agencies have assessed that as the 2016 presidential campaign drew on, Russian government officials devoted increasing attention to assisting Trump's effort to win the election. This according to a US official familiar with the finding on Friday night, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump (L) and Putin (Photos: AP)

Citing US officials briefed on the matter, the Washington Post reported that intelligence agencies had identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and others, including the chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, to WikiLeaks.

Putin (L) and Obama (Photo: EPA)

The White House said on Friday that US President Barack Obama ordered intelligence agencies to review cyber attacks and foreign intervention into the 2016 election and deliver a report before he leaves office on Jan. 20.

The official said that during the fall, as Russian hackers turned almost all their attention to the Democrats, virtually all the emails they publicly released were potentially damaging to Clinton and the Democrats.

"That was a major clue to their intent," the official said. "If all they wanted to do was discredit our political system, why publicize the failings of just one party, especially when you have a target like Trump?"

A second official familiar with the report said the intelligence analysts' conclusion about Russia's motives does not mean the intelligence community believes that Moscow's efforts altered or significantly affected the outcome of the election.

Russian officials have denied all accusations of interference in the US election.

A CIA spokeswoman said the agency had no comment on the matter.

The officials described the individuals as people known to the intelligence community who were part of a wider Russian operation to boost Trump and reduce Clinton's chances of winning the election.

"It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russias goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected," the Post quoted a senior US official as saying. "That's the consensus view."

The Post said the official had been briefed on an intelligence presentation made by the Central Intelligence Agency to key US senators behind closed-doors last week.

The CIA, in what the Post said was a secret assessment, cited a growing body of evidence from multiple sources. Briefers told the senators it was now "quite clear" that electing Trump was Russia's goal, the Post quoted officials as saying on condition of anonymity.

In October, the US government formally accused Russia of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organizations ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election.

The hacked emails passed to WikiLeaks were a regular source of embarrassment to the Clinton campaign during the race for the presidency.

US intelligence analysts have assessed "with high confidence" that at some point in the extended presidential campaign Russian President Vladimir Putin's government had decided to try to bolster Trump's chances of winning.

The Russians appeared to have concluded that Trump had a shot at winning and that he would be much friendlier to Russia than Clinton would be, especially on issues such as maintaining economic sanctions and imposing additional ones, the official said.

The official continued to say that Moscow is now launching a similar effort to influence the next German and French elections, following an escalating campaign to promote far-right and nationalist political parties and individuals in Europe that began more than a decade ago.

In both cases, said the official, Putin's campaigns are intended to disrupt and discredit the Western concept of democracy by promoting extremist candidates, parties, and political figures.

In October, the US government formally accused Russia of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organizations ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election. Obama has said he warned Putin about consequences for the attacks.

The CIA presentation fell short of a formal US assessment by all 17 US intelligence agencies, the Post said. A senior US official said there remained minor disagreements among intelligence officials about the assessment because some questions are unanswered, it said.

Intelligence agencies did not have specific intelligence showing the Kremlin directed the individuals to pass the hacked emails to WikiLeaks, another senior official told the Post. The actors were "one step" removed from the Russian government rather than government employees, the official said.

Trump, for his part, has said he is not convinced Russia was behind the cyber attacks. His transition team issued a statement saying that "These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. Its now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again'."

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has said in a television interview that the Russian government was not the source of the emails, the Post said.
In a battle that took years to win, it was announced on Thursday that the Health Ministry will begin accepting blood donations from those born in Ethiopians. The decision came about due to a persistent call to end the discrimination, stemming from the 2013 Ynet report on Pnina Tamano-Shata, then an Ethiopian MK for Yesh Atid, who was denied the option of donating blood due to her being born in Ethiopian.

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Former Health minister Yael German, also from Yesh Atid, teamed up with Tamano-Shata at the time to bring about this change in policy. "I was stunned by the fact that she wasn't allowed to donate blood, in addition to (other) community members," said German of the case. "Together, we founded the committee that offered up recommendations that changed things."

Pnina Tamano-Shata

The back story to the change was an incident that occurred in December 2013, when Tamano-Shata had wished to donate blood as part of a Knesset blood drive held by MDA (Israel's medical emergency and blood bank service). When she approached the medical team taking donations, she was told that could not donate blood due to "Ethiopians' special blood type."

When she insisted on receiving a more acceptable answer, she was referred to the person in charge. Tamano-Shata asked to have a professional team assess her personal details and determine whether she was eligible to give blood. After another examination, she was told that she was not, though if she insisted, they would take her blood anyway. When Tamano-Shata asked what would happen to the donation, she was told, "We'd freeze it."

As a young woman, Tamano-Shata lead the social protest against automatically disposing of Ethiopian blood donations. In 2006, this issue once again became a matter of public debate, at which point Tamano-Shata founded a social call to action, insisting that the policy be changed, until her battle eventually helped her reach the Knesset.

"I'm good enough to serve my country and in the Knesset," she responded at the time. "But for some reason, I'm not good enough to donate blood. It's sad that after all these decades, the state hasn't learned not to distinguish blood from blood or to not treat people equally. It's a humiliation that's been following me since I was 16, during the first case, and I hope the health minister will change this," said Tamano-Shata at the time, referring to German.

Her request was heard by the incoming minister, who announced the erection of a special committee to look into the policy. "Three weeks after becoming (health minister), I ordered to once again look into the guidelines that prohibit taking blood donations from homosexuals. Not long after, Pnina's story blew up," she said.

The committee reviewed the policy over a period of a year and a half, and eventually concluded that Ethiopians should be allowed to donate blood. Its recommendations were brought before the current Health Minister Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism), who decided to accept them.

The new policy states that Ethiopian-born Israelis could donate blood, as long as they state they have not visited Ethiopia over the past year. The change would reflect similar policies adopted by most Western countries. In addition, men who have sex with men will also be allowed to donate blood, provided that they have not had same-sex relations over the past year.

"It may be 30 years late, but the light has beaten out the phobia that's been cast on us ever since we came here," Tamano-Shata said in response to the decision. "This is an end to the humiliation and singling out of soldiers, young and old members of the (Ethiopian) community. Finally, an end to the separation of blood from blood. An end to regulations that go against what is accepted in the world. An end to the saga of humiliation regarding not accepting blood due to one's origins."

"This moment is important," continued Tamano-Shata. "For equality and the understanding that even if we have to stubbornly keep fighting, we won't give up, because this is our home, no less so than anyone else's."
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Saturday accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, saying it helped make possible the "impossible dream" of ending his country's half-century-long civil war.

In his acceptance speech in Oslo, Norway, Santos described the award as a "gift from heaven" and dedicated it to all Colombians, particularly the 220,000 killed and 8 million displaced in the longest-running conflict in the Western Hemisphere. He won the prestigious award for reaching a historic peace deal with leftist rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, earlier this year. But the initial deal was narrowly rejected by Colombian voters in a shock referendum result just days before the Nobel Peace Prize announcement in October.

Many believed that ruled out Santos from winning this year's prize, but the Norwegian Nobel Committee "saw things differently," deputy chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen said. "In our view there was no time to lose," she said in her presentation speech. "The peace process was in danger of collapsing and needed all the international support it could get." A revised deal was approved by Colombia's Congress last week.
WASHINGTON  An ISIS leader linked to the 2015 attacks at the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and assassinations in Tunisia was killed in a US airstrike in Syria, US military officials said Friday.

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Officials said Boubaker el Hakim was killed in Raqqa on November 26. He is believed to have played a role in ISIS attack planning and participated prominently in the group's propaganda efforts abroad. The officials weren't authorized to discuss the strike publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.





Charlie Hebdo attackers (Photo: MCT)

El Hakim, a 33-year-old French Tunisian, was a mentor to the brothers who gunned down cartoonists at the French paper in January 2015.

He was arrested in Syria and sent to France, where he was convicted in 2008 and sentenced to seven years in prison. He was considered at the time to be among the most radicalized of the network of young extremists from the Paris area, which included the brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi.

The Kouachi brothers led police on a two-day manhunt after attacking Charlie Hebdo, then hid out in a printing plant. Police surrounded the building, and the brothers were killed in a shootout after a daylong siege. At the same time, another attacker, Amedy Coulibaly, was taking more hostages in a kosher supermarket in Paris. He was also killed when police raided the store.

Said (L) and Cherif Kouachi (Photo: AP)

The attacks that week on Charlie Hebdo, police and the kosher market killed 17 people.

Released from prison in early 2011, el Hakim is believed to have moved to Tunisia, where he claimed responsibility in 2014 for the assassinations of two political figures. By then, he was high up in ISIS's ranks and was believed to play a role in the group's external operations.

Soon after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, el Hakim wound up in a network of French jihadis and fought with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. ISIS began as an al-Qaida affiliate in Iraq led by al-Zarqawi, until he was killed in a US airstrike in June 2006.

El Hakim moved back and forth between Syria and Iraq using networks of smugglers and jihadis, according to court records obtained by The Associated Press. He appeared on French television calling on friends in Paris to join him.

"I am in Iraq, I'm doing jihad. And all my brothers who are there, should come and defend Islam," he said.
TEHRAN- Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting that the country's Foreign Ministry has summoned the British ambassador in Tehran over the British prime minister's recent comments on Iran.

The Saturday report quotes Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying the issue was Prime Minister Theresa May's comments during a two-day summit in Bahrain of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a regional bloc of Western-allied countries including Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

May told Gulf leaders that the must, "work to
ADEN- A suicide bomber killed at least 50 Yemeni soldiers at a base in the city of Aden, a local security official said, in another major attack claimed by Islamic State on forces allied to a Saudi-led military coalition.

The attacker blew himself up as the troops were waiting to collect their salaries, the government sources added, wounding around 70 others as they lined up to collect salaries at the entrance to the Sawlaban base on the outskirts of the city.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a message posted online.

The Yemeni branch of the militant group based in Iraq and Syria has carried out many deadly bombings around troops in the southern port city, which is under the control of the internationally recognised government in exile in Saudi Arabia.
Coalition Chairman MK David Bitan (Likud) told a cultural forum on Saturday that he would rather that Arab Israelis not vote, as the party that ostensibly represents them is truly serving Palestinian interests.

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Bitan said the Arab Joint List in parliament doesn't "represent the Arabs; they represent Gaza, Qatar and other countries." He said he would "prefer" if Arabs didn't go to the polls to vote in elections.

Bitan said this in response to a question regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's warning on Election Day 2015 that "the Arabs are flocking to the polls." Netanyahu later apologized. Bitan said on Saturday that he considered the prime minister's words appropriate.

MK Bitan (Photo: Oren Zwigengberg)

The statement has already garnered responses, including from former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who tweeted, "Bibitan, using the voice of his master, exposed the true direction we are headed. While it may be a popular direction, we are being led to a deep abyss."

His remarks angered many centrist Israelis as well as members of the country's Arab minority. The Joint List called for Bitan's dismissal. Ayman Odeh, who heads that bloc of Arab parties, tweeted that Bitan's "racism and that of the government" only strengthens them.

Odeh told Channel 2 TV that Bitan's comments "continue to prove that all this leadership has to offer is explicit racism and cheap populism."

His fellow parliamentarian from the list Yousef Jabareen said: "Let's think how the political system in France would respond if the coalition chairman would say he doesn't want Jews to go to the polls."

Regarding suspending Benny Begin (Likud) for voting against the party line regarding the "Regulation Bill," Bitan said, "He didn't get a Nobel Prize for his wisdom and knowledge. MK Begin was not elected on his own, but as part of the Likud faction. Therefore, he was punished."

Continuing on the subject of the bill, the MK said, "If the attorney general doesnt defend the laws of the Supreme Court, we will use private lawyers who expressed their support of the bill in the Knesset."

He also said, "We will formulate an alternative layout which will be able to get government position as it relates to Amona, and thereby negating the need for a second and third reading in the Knesset."
Dr. Omri Nir died on Friday afternoon when he and his 10-year-old son, Ilai, fell from a cliff at the Tze'elim Stream, and the son remains in critical condition, which further deteriorated on Saturday. The father held his son to his body as the pair fell, absorbing most of the impact.

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Whilst on the hike, the families were descending ladders along the stream's path when Ilai slipped and his father went to catch him. Ilai sustained injuries to his head and back and is hospitalized at Soroka Medical Center's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Be'er Sheva.

Rescuers on Friday; Inset: Omri Nir (Photos: Arad Rescue Unit, Hebrew University)

The father and son were part of a group hike for families from Kfar Vitkin, near Netanya. Approximately 15 children aged 6 to 10 took place, each accompanied by one parent. One of the other fathers, Udi Segal, said that they normally hold their hikes in the Carmel but decided this year to travel to the Negev.

Segal said, "I and another parent went down first and made sure that all the children were coming down. One of the kids was nervous about the descent on the rungs, and we were helping him. Then I heard a thud and saw a boy falling on his father. The father managed to hold him, and the two rolled towards the cliff. Another father held his son the whole time and an additional father managed to grab onto the cliff."

(Photo: Mika Ben Gigi)

Volunteers from Arad's rescue unit arrived shortly thereafter. Sahar Fisch, one of the volunteers, said that the two were found about 70 meters apart from each other, adding, "They rolled a few dozen meters from the cliff, and even the slightest movement in the area caused rocks to fall." A helicopter from the IAF's 669th Rescue Unit evacuated Ilai to the hospital.

Omri Nir

Segal said that it will be hard to forget the trauma. "All the children saw everything. They were sitting on the mountainside and saw the entire fall. There was a bit of hysteria because the kids didn't know who had fallen. Some of them thought that it was their father. The information went out on the media before the families knew, and it worried a lot of mothers. We sat and talked with the kids. The understood everything."

The news shocked the Kfar Vitkin community. Omri, a researcher of ethnic groups in the Middle East and the modern history of Lebanon at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was married with three children, including Ilai.
After years of trying to minimize the use of plastic shopping bags that cause harm to the environment, a country-wide law will come into effect in January which will force Israeli consumers to pay for each plastic bag they use at the grocery store.

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Starting on January 1, 2017, any disposable plastic bags used to bag purchases at grocery store chains will cost 10 agorot.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has allocated NIS 30 million for retailers to distribute reusable canvas grocery bags to consumers according to how much they purchase.

During the last week of December until the end of the second week of January 2017, reusable bags will be handed out according to how much a consumer buys. Every time a customer buys NIS 100 worth of items during that period, they will receive one reusable bag; over NIS 250, the consumer will receive two bags; over NIS 400 they will get three bags; over NIS 500 the consumer will receive four bags; and over NIS 750 the consumer will receive five bags.

Example of a reusable bag to be handed out at grocery stores (Photo: Lior Deskel)

The ministry will pay for the bags via the 10 agorot tax.

"It's important for us to give the public an alternative (to the plastic bags currently in use) and provide it with funding from the government, and not force the average citizen to pay for the change," said Environmental Protection Minister Ze'ev Elkin.

He added that "this bag law is imperative for minimizing the huge environmental damage caused by these bags. Similar legislation exists in almost every single other Western nation."

The original regulation set price for plastic bags was to be half a shekel, but was reduced. As a result, environmentalists worry that this added tax won't be enough to dissuade the public from using plastic bags.

"Plastic bags turn into garbage and pollute the environment, particularly open areas and the ocean," the Ministry of Environmental Protection said.

The law only affects grocery stores, and not markets or corner stores, nor does it apply to clothing stores. Produce bags in supermarkets will also not be subject to the new tax.
The Population and Immigration Authority (PIA) recently granted asylum to a 26-year-old gay Eritrean man on the grounds that his returning to his country would endanger his life due to his sexual orientation.

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The Eritrean was born in the capital of Asmara and forced into military service at the age of 17. In 2009, he tried to flee his country through the border into Ethiopia, but he was caught and incarcerated for 16 months. Afterwards, he was returned to his military service.

He hid the fact that he was gay whilst in his home country, where it is illegal and entails a prison sentence of up to three years.

Eritrean refugees (Photo: Reuters)

In 2011, he managed to flee to Israel and stayed with a person he knew from Eritrea. After other tenants discovered his sexual orientation, however, he was thrown out of his apartment and began living in Tel Aviv's Levinsky Park. Since then, however, he managed to rehabilitate his life, find a job and rent an apartment by himself.

His lawyer, Oded Dugma, filed his asylum application in 2014. Dugma welcomed PIA's decision, "My client lived in the closet his entire time in Eritrea, and contrary to other cases that I've handled, he wasn't tortured or imprisoned for long stretches in his country of origin because of his sexual orientation. Nonetheless, the Interior Ministry accepted our position regarding the danger to him due to his coming out of the closet in Israel.

"I would hope that the decision also stemmed from the consideration presented whereby returning a gay asylum seeker to a homophobic country means a life of fear, self-hatred and lack of freedom, or in other words: a violation of his human dignity. I can only wish the asylum seeker an easy and quick integration into Israeli society."

The Eritrean has been granted renewable temporary residence, which grants him the right to work and access to social and health benefits.
An Islamic State militant, linked to the attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris last year, was killed in a US drone strike in Syria.

By Reuters: A US drone strike in Syria has killed an Islamic State militant linked to the January 7, 2015 attack on satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris, defense officials said on Friday.

Boubaker el Hakim was killed late last month in Raqqa, the Islamic State's defacto capital in Syria, the officials said, adding he was believed to be involved with planning the attack.

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Charlie Hebdo, known for its satirical covers gleefully ridiculing political and religious leaders, lost many of its top editorial staff when brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, armed with assault rifles and other weapons, broke into an editorial meeting and killed 12 people and wounded 11 others.

The attacks prompted a worldwide solidarity movement, with the "Je Suis Charlie" (I am Charlie) slogan going viral on social media.

ALSO READ | Terror attack at Paris magazine leaves 12 dead

Paris attacks: President Hollande says Islamic State killed 127

Islamic State, which has controlled parts of Iraq and Syria in recent years, has lost some territory this year to Iraqis and Syrians supported by a US-led coalition of air strikes and advisers. Apart from the killings at Charlie Hebdo, Islamic State sympathizers around the world have carried out other shootings and bombings of civilians.

Also Read:

ISIS video calls for more Charlie Hebdo-like attacks in France

ISIS leader of Afghanistan, Pakistan killed in US drone strike: All you need to know

Holy bomb: Swedish church group plans to bombard ISIS areas in Iraq with Bibles

--- ENDS ---
COLOMBO- Sri Lankan naval troops fired warning shots on Saturday to break up a protest by striking dock workers who have held up a Japanese vessel for four days at the island's southern international port.

Navy spokesman Akram Alavi said navy troops entered the Hambantota port from the sea Saturday using navy boats and "fired some warning shots to disperse the crowd," considering their action an "act of piracy." The protesters had been preventing the Japanese vehicle carrier Hyperion Highway from leaving the port.

He says after navy's intervention, the ship sailed Saturday afternoon toward its next destination, Oman.

Temporary workers at Hambantota port have been engaged in a strike since Tuesday, demanding to be made permanent employees of the state-run Sri Lanka Ports Authority, which manages island nation's ports. The workers fear they may lose their jobs as the government is planning a deal with a Chinese firm -- the China Merchants Ports Holding Company -- to hand over a 80 percent stake in the loss-making $1.4 billion port.
Dr. Yossi Ziv has been researching the religious rituals of the Ethiopian Jewish population still in Ethiopia and discovered that they maintained the same customs and traditions as the Jews of the Second Temple period for the past two thousand years.

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"Its knowledge which hasn't been written anywhere, and has been preserved in their traditions," the researcher said.

"They have been curating ancient customs that have disappeared from the world. They provide examples of how the leaders of the nation of Israel would have behaved during the time of the Second Temple."

Israeli-Ethiopian elders performing the Sigid ritual in Jerusalem (Photo: Reuters)

The professor released his findings at a seminar which was held at the Kfar Etzion Field School right before the Jewish-Ethiopian holiday of Sigid.

Ziv said that many Jewish-Ethiopian customs go against modern Jewish practice, but perfectly align with customs and rituals described on scrolls found in the Qumran caves and in books dating back to the Second Temple Period. The Qumran Caves are where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, which include the third oldest Hebrew Bible ever found.

Some of these Second Temple Era customs include not lighting Shabbat candles, adhering to an ancient custom prohibiting the use of fire lit even before Shabbat started. Along with this, no flame is to be passed from one vessel to another on Shabbat, even if it was lit before Shabbat came in.

"They don't even adhere to the famous rule which says that 'Shabbat rules may be disregarded for the purpose of saving a life,'" Ziv said. "For the Ethiopian Jews, the sanctity of Shabbat must be preserved, even at the cost of human life."

Evidence of this stringent observance of Shabbat was also seen in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Ethiopian women at the Sigid festival (Photo: Reuters)

Ziv added that there were different sects of Jews living during the time of the Second Templethe Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealotswho all lived according to different beliefs and rituals. Jewish rituals and customs today mostly take after the Pharisee tradition.

Another example in the differences between mainstream Judaism and Ethiopian Judaism relates to sex during Shabbat. According to modern Jewish tradition, marital relations are not only permitted, but encouraged on the day of rest. Meanwhile, Ethiopian tradition holds that all sex is forbidden on Shabbat so as not to sully the body. Examples of this Ethiopian tradition have been found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The discrepancies between the more "modern" Jewish law and the law of the Ethiopian Jewish eldersknown as the Kessimcan be seen in different areas of Jewish law.

According to mainstream Jewish custom, people in mourning refrain from cutting their hair or shaving their beards for a specified period of time, whereas Ethiopian custom is for mourners to cut their hair short and shave their beardsanother tradition Ziv saw written in texts from the Second Temple Era.

Ethiopian Jewish women in Jerusalem at the Sigid ritual (Photo: Reuters)

"After the Prophet Job underwent his bad tidings, it is written that he cut his hair. It was also written in some of the writings of Isaiah and Ezekiel that the Jews would cut their hair short during periods of mourning," Ziv said.

Another prominent Ethiopian Jewish tradition is strict observance of purity laws. For instance, when a woman is menstruating in Ethiopian Jewish society, she is sent to live in a specified tent outside of the village until she becomes "pure" once again, as is prescribed to be done in the Temple Scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Kessim Israeli-Ethiopian leaders (Photo: Reuters)

This ritual purity is another reason why ritual circumcision is not carried out in Ethiopian Jewish synagogues. Therefore, the circumcisions are carried out next to the tent of the menstruating women, and often done by the women. It is only after the first 40 days after a boy is born that an Ethiopian mother can return to the village. If a girl is born, then the mother must wait 80 days. The baby naming would then occur in the village.

'They were a part of us, but were then cut off'

The differences between the rituals and customs of mainstream Judaism and Ethiopian Judaism undermined the authority of the traditional Ethiopian Jewish leaders after they made aliyah to Israel, and even undermined the Ethiopians' claims that they are indeed Jews.

However, Ziv says that the customs and traditions of the Ethiopian Jews and their strong resemblance to Jewish traditions during the Second Temple Period only serve to strengthen their connection to Judaism as a whole.

"I'm convinced that this community was a part of the nation of Israel during ancient times, but they were cut off. We don't know when or why, but it occurred before the Pharisic tradition became the mainstream Jewish tradition," Dr. Ziv said.

"The Jews of Ethiopia lived in exile and in complete isolation from the rest of the nation of Israel. However, they continued to keep the traditions of our forefathers up until this very day."
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Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "I join all Americans in mourning the loss of my Senate colleague and good friend John Glenn  a steadfast voice of patriotism and one of our greatest Americans.

"John is one of the best and bravest men Ive ever known. He went to war, went into space, and then he went to Washington where he served the people of Ohio in the Senate for more than two decades, always fighting for the principles he believed in.

"His decision to return to space again  more than three decades after his flight around the world on Friendship 7  was yet another testament to his character and his deep commitment to his country.

"His life will always serve as an inspiration all Americans who believe that the boundaries of human knowledge, curiosity, and exploration know no limits."
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Washington, DC - Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Charles H. Rivkin will travel to Doha, Qatar; and Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, December 1116.

In Qatar, December 1112, Assistant Secretary Rivkin will co-lead, with Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Anne Patterson, an interagency delegation of U.S. officials to the second annual U.S.-Qatar Economic and Investment Dialogue (EID). Trade and investment between the United States and Qatar have reached record levels, and the EID will build upon that momentum. The dialogue will bring together key decision makers to identify concrete steps to generate economic growth, create jobs, and encourage strong business relationships between Qatari and U.S. companies in a way that enhances prosperity for both countries.

Assistant Secretary Rivkin will then travel to Saudi Arabia, December 1316, to meet with Saudi government officials, U.S. and Saudi business leaders, and local entrepreneurs. In Riyadh, he will visit a General Electric (GE) center that is one of the winners of the 2016 Secretary of States Award for Corporate Excellence. GEs creation of this facility, Saudi Arabias first all-women business services center  which now has over 1,000 employees  exemplifies GEs inclusive hiring practices within the country. In Jeddah, the Assistant Secretary will meet with representatives of the business community, including female entrepreneurs.
The poor professors have never had it so bad. There is nothing that they can do that does not run foul of the media. Especially if it has to do with dresses. Let them but whisper the words dress code, and the entire media brigade descends on them. Every Tomlinson, Dickinson and harried socialite wannabe is called in to pour out their outrage at these otherwise respected guys. <br/><br/>And it does not help that they look such fuddy duddys on TV. In this uneven contest they come out looking like dinosaurs, stuck in another age and knowing nothing about liberalism, freedom or fashion. No one could even remotely imagine letting their ilk set the agenda for what to dress. <br/><br/>But make no mistake about it, freedom has nothing to do with the issue. We do follow trends. And the anxiety to get it right could be terrible. In a college, or in any other non-fashionable place, it does not really matters. Who gives a care if someone walks in wearing a white lungi, or a faded kurta into a classroom. But say you are in an upmarket restaurant, and the first people to give you a stare  if you go out dressed wrong  would be the waiters, probably following you all around (their gaze, i.e!). It could be even worse in a nightclub  you could be denied entry. <br/><br/>So it is just as necessary to go out not dressed in suits and ties to night clubs, as it is necessary to go out in them in a business conference. <br/><br/>Me, I am a fashion dinosaur. I make my capris by cutting off the bottom of my pyjamas, and I have yet to figure out the difference between my old jeans, which were torn when I fell off a moving bus, and the torn stuff that has been in rage. <br/><br/>So, you will understand my bewilderment at all this fashion fundamentalism. The bottomline though is that trends are set increasingly by the fashion designers, models, socialites and the P3P, and are religiously followed. <br/><br/>Why is this so? <br/><br/>One reason is that with the advent of the television age, suddenly people who were anybody (which means they have to appear of TV), could not afford not to be well groomed anymore. This thing has combined in recent days with our fanaticism to have experts for everything  from baby food to military security  the guy (or the gal) doing the advising must have unimpeachable credentials that s/he can actually do that. <br/><br/>So these citizens of the fashion world serve as experts for an important concern, look. And look muh dahlings is important. Witness how the packaging industry has grown. Witness also the concept that things need to be packaged properly, has grown. Everything today is packaged. There is the physical package and the metaphorical package. There is the packaged bottle of water, and there is the packaged tour. There is also packaged spirituality and others things that one never imagined deserved a package. <br/><br/>So how could humans not be packaged? The look dahlings, is the package. It puts the proper spin on the person. Puts him in perspective, gives him a context, and says something about him. Those who can afford it, do not dare to leave such an important thing to there own bumblings. They call in the experts. <br/><br/>This is as it were, looking at the issue from the inside. From the point of view of people who with a passion follow the fashion, (forgive the doggerel). <br/><br/>There is another way to look at it. From the point of view of the industry that thrives on it. This circle includes not just the designers and the models, but also the big retail chains (Westside and Shoppers Stop are an example) and branded clothing corporations. One may go on to say that it also includes all those who profit from the beauty industry: cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, (in twenty thousand colour for twenty thousand types of hair and I am not exaggerating dahlings) enhancements, spas (chocolate, wine milk, stones, are the new substitutes for plain old bath water), and then dance classes, etiquette, self development etc, etc. <br/><br/>Because Look is not only about clothing, but a lot other things besides. <br/><br/>This entire industry has a stake in keeping people perpetually anxious about their looks. No, I am not suggesting a grand conspiracy against the women, (and lately the men) of this earth but simply that a huge swathe of the corporate world thrives on our look-anxiety and therefore, quite naturally, do everything to subtly reinforce it. This happens through various means well funded researches on the virtues of being slim, expert opinions, etc  but mainly through ads. <br/><br/>Have you noticed how the 21st century woman or the liberated woman or the empowered woman in the ads is always someone who has the perfectly shaped body and is draped in designer wear? <br/><br/>If you dont look like that, walk like that and talk like that  it is subtly implied  then you do not qualify for the above titles. Thats social conditioning for you. <br/><br/>There is nothing wrong in being look conscious. It is a sign of civilisation to bother about how you look. One must, without doubt, try to look ones best but that is where it should halt. One should not start trying to look like someone else, however gorgeous. <br/><br/>We all are unique. Different, without the help of any designer. What could be better than that? <br/> <br/>
By PTI: From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Dec 10 (PTI) The US has expressed concern over reports of a police raid at the Ahmadiyya community headquarters in Pakistan and urged the countrys government to protect the religious freedom and basic rights of minority communities.

"We are obviously very concerned about these reports and the Punjab Counter-terrorism Police have raided the international headquarters of the Ahmadiyya...and arrested four individuals for publishing literature," State Department Deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said.

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Citing concerns over Pakistani laws, he said, "We have regularly noted our concerns about these laws that restrict peaceful religious expression, in particular by the Ahmadiyya community in our international religious freedom report."

"We believe such laws are inconsistent with Pakistans international obligations and we would urge the government of Pakistan to protect religious freedom and basic rights of all members of its population, including religious minorities," Toner said.

According to media reports, Punjabs Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) raided the communitys headquarters in Rabwa, Punjab Province, and arrested four of its members.

In a separate statement, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemned the raid by Pakistans Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on the publications and audit offices of the Ahmadiyya community in Punjab province.

In the raid, which took place on December 5, police allegedly beat and arrested several Ahmadis who were later charged under provisions in Pakistans penal code and Anti-Terrorism Act.

"USCIRF condemns the brutal raid on the Ahmadiyya offices, the first such raid since Pakistan amended its constitution 42 years ago, declaring that Ahmadis are non-Muslims," said USCIRF Chair Rev Thomas J Reese.

"These actions flow out of Pakistans constitution and penal code, both of which impede religious freedom as they prevent Ahmadis from exercising their faith and even calling themselves Muslim. Pakistans anti-terrorism law should not be applied to the peaceful Ahmadiyya community simply because they are Ahmadis," he said.

Ahmadis were declared non-Muslims as part of Islamisation in 1974. In 1984, they were banned from calling themselves Muslim. PTI LKJ AYP ASK AYP

--- ENDS ---
Washington: In a remarkable volte-face on US-China relationship, President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday that Washington needed to improve its relationship with Beijing.

Trump criticised China repeatedly during his presidential campaign for currency manipulation and military build-up in the South China Sea, and drew a diplomatic protest from Beijing last week after speaking by phone with President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, which China considers a wayward province.

It was the first such top-level contact with Taiwan by a US president-elect or president since president Jimmy Carter adopted a "one-China" policy in 1979, recognising only the Beijing government.

Addressing a public meeting in Iowa on Thursday, Trump said: "One of the most important relationships we must improve is our relationship with China.

However, he also accused China of being a manipulative economy.

"The nation of China is responsible for almost half of America's trade deficit. China is not a market economy. They have got a lot of help and that is why we designate them a non-market economy," Trump said.

"They haven't played by the rules and they know it's time that they are going to start. They have got to. We are all in this thing together. We have got to play by the rules," he said.

"You have the massive theft of intellectual property, putting unfair taxes on our companies. Not helping with the menace of North Korea like they should and at will and massive devaluation of their currency and product dumping," he said.

"Other than that, they have been wonderful, right?" he said.

Trump has picked Iowa Governor Terry Branstad as his next Ambassador to China.

"The man I have chosen as our ambassador to China is the man who knows China and likes China...And he knows how to deliver results and he will deliver results just like he has been delivering it for 23 years for the great farmers and for the people of Iowa," he said.

Trump said that Branstad has been on six trade missions to China and is highly respected by all the Chinese officials. He is also a native of Iowa.

"I know we will succeed in bringing our jobs back and I also know that China who has been so tough and so competitive...But I will tell you what, we're going to have mutual respect," Trump said.

"We are going to have mutual respect and China is going to benefit and we are going to benefit and Terry is going to lead the way," he said.

Trump said that he desires to see Apple and other companies to start building plants in the US.

"That is what I want to see. Big plants. Their biggest plants. Ethics reform will be a crucial part of our 100-day plan as well. We are going to drain the swamp of corruption in Washington DC," the 70-year-old President-elect said.

(With PTI inputs)
District of Columbia: A secret Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) assessment has concluded that Russia interfered in last month`s US Presidential Election with an aim to help Donald Trump win the White House, the Washington Post reported on Friday.

Citing US officials briefed on the matter, the Post said intelligence agencies had identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided thousands of hacked e-mails from the Democratic National Committee and others, including the chairman of Hillary Clinton`s presidential campaign, to WikiLeaks.

The officials described the individuals as people known to the intelligence community who were part of a wider Russian operation to boost Trump and reduce Clinton`s chances of winning the election.

"It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russias goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected," the Post quoted a senior US official as saying. "That`s the consensus view."

The report comes after US President Barack Obama ordered a review of all cyberattacks that took place during the 2016 election cycle, amid growing calls from Congress for more information on the extent of Russian interference in the campaign.

President-elect Donald Trump has rejected the intelligence community`s conclusion of Russian involvement.

"These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," Trump`s transition team said in a statement late Friday.

"The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It`s now time to move on and `Make America Great Again.`"

The Post said the official had been briefed on an intelligence presentation made by the Central Intelligence Agency to key US senators behind closed-doors last week.

The CIA, in what the Post said was a secret assessment, cited a growing body of evidence from multiple sources. Briefers told the senators it was now "quite clear" that electing Trump was Russia`s goal, the Post quoted officials as saying on condition of anonymity.

However, some questions remain unanswered and the CIA`s assessment fell short of a formal US assessment produced by all 17 intelligence agencies, the report said.

For example, intelligence agents don`t have proof that Russian officials directed the identified individuals to supply WikiLeaks with the hacked Democratic e-mails.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has denied any links with Russia.

Those individuals were "one step" removed from the Russian government, which is consistent with past practices by Moscow to use "middlemen" in sensitive intelligence operations to preserve plausible deniability, the report said.

In October, the US government formally accused Russia of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organisations ahead of the November 08 Presidential Election.

President Barack Obama has said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin about consequences for the attacks. But Russian officials have denied all accusations of interference in the US election.

A CIA spokeswoman said the agency had no comment on the report.

The hacked e-mails passed to WikiLeaks were a regular source of embarrassment to the Clinton campaign during the race for the presidency.

(With Agency inputs)
Guwahati: The state government on Saturday honoured the family members of 855 martyrs of the Assam agitation at a massive function here.

The government reiterated its commitment to protect the indigenous people of the state by giving them constitutional safeguards.

The non-violent students' movement sought to detect and deport illegal foreigners from Assam and put an end to the infiltration from Bangladesh.

It is for the first time that the state government has organised a function to honour the families of martyrs.

The All Assam Students' Union (AASU), which spearheaded the movement, observes December 10 every year as Shahid Divas (Martyrs Day).

The agitation started in 1979 and ended after the signing of the Assam Accord between the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and AASU in 1985.

"The Assam Agitation was a non-violent democratic agitation to maintain the integrity of the country. Led by the students of the state, Assam agitation reflected the firmness of mentality of the people of Assam to the world leaders," IANS quoted Sonowal as saying.
Guwahati: Two hardcore National Democratic Front of Bodoland NDFB(S) militants were killed in a joint operation of the Indian Army and Assam Police on Saturday.

The operation was carried out after receiving intelligence about the NDFB militants.

The encounter took place in Nabinagar forest village in Kokrajhar district.

An AK 47 gun and a pistol along with large quantity of ammunition were recovered by the forces

Earlier this year, Assam had witnessed a major terror attack by a group of heavily-armed NDFB (S) militants dressed in military fatigues, who opened fire and lobbed grenades at a crowded market in Kokrajhar on August 5, killing 14 civilians.
New Delhi: Delhi police have arrested two people in the brutal murder of two women in south Delhi's Munirka locality.

Of the four accused one is the husband of one of the victims and he is still absconding, police said.

The bodies were found in Vasant Vihar and Munirka areas on November 18 and 25 respectively.

One of the body, wrapped in a polythene sheet, was found outside a temple in Vasant Vihar while a headless body was found in a sewer in Munirka village.

Police identified the headless body through a designer tattoo at the rear lower portion of the torso and another one of three 'stars' on its right hand wrist.

The headless body was identified by the former boyfriend of the victim.

Both the victims, who stayed together, were freelance beauticians, PTI reported.
Paris: Kazakh opposition figure Mukhtar Ablyazov was released from prison late Friday after France`s highest administrative authority blocked his extradition to Russia, where he is accused of embezzling billions of dollars.

The 53-year-old Ablyazov, who has been held in French custody since July 2013 when he was arrested on the Cote d`Azur, walked out of the Fleury-Merogis prison in a Paris suburb smiling, an AFP photographer saw.

Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine all accuse him of having embezzled billions of dollars during his time as head of the Kazakh bank BTA. The bank has also filed complaints against him.

But his defence team argued that he would not get a fair trial in Russia, a position supported by the UN`s special rapporteur on torture, Nils Melzer.

On Friday, France`s Council of State annulled the extradition order against Ablyazov judging that the request from Russia was "political".

"Mr Ablyazov is an opponent of the political regime in Kazakhstan and has been recognised as a political refugee by the British authorities," the Council of State said in a statement.

"This is a decision which strongly defends the principles of French justice," said Jean-Pierre Mignard, one of the Kazakh oligarch`s lawyers.

The BTA bank said it was shocked by the decision not to extradite Ablyazov, arguing that the French body had "chosen not to authorise Mr Ablyazov to answer for criminal acts in front of Russian justice".

But Melzer said in a statement Wednesday that, if Ablyazov was extradited to Russia, there was a good chance the authorities there would pass him on to Kazakhstan.

In Kazakhstan, there was "serious reason to believe that Mr Ablyazov risks being subjected to torture", he added.

The European Court of Human Rights had ruled against Russia several times for sending people to countries where they risked being tortured or ill-treated, he pointed out.

Ablyazov`s defence team had argued that Russia was simply acting as a proxy for Kazakhstan and that the case was purely political.

The regime of veteran Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has been repeatedly criticised by human rights groups for its human rights abuses, including torture and rigged trials against opposition activists.
Dubai: Germany's defence minister said on Saturday that the Islamic State group will not be defeated on the battlefield alone but by teaching tolerance and creating economic opportunity.

"We should complement the coalition against terror with a coalition for education," Ursula von der Leyen told a Gulf security conference.

She said members of the US-led coalition fighting the jihadists needed to counter the "brutal lies" of IS with a message of hope for a better future.

"Google, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and many more platforms have been weaponised," she told the Manama Dialogue.

"People without prospects are easily led to believe such false promises and such brutal lies.

"To win the war we have to dominate the Internet. But to win peace we have to offer hope and prospects."

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian echoed the theme in an address to the same forum.

He too said the jihadists could not be defeated by military means alone as they fed off poverty and underdevelopment.

France has carried out air strikes against IS in both Iraq and Syria and has military advisers on the ground.

Germany has provided weapons and training to Kurdish peshmerga fighters taking part in the campaign against Islamic State groups in northern Iraq.
Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Gujarat for a day, on Saturday visited his mother Hiraba at Raisan village near here and sought her blessings before heading for a BJP meet.

Modi, who addressed a public rally in Deesa town of Banaskantha district earlier in the day, reached the residence of his brother Pankaj Modi in Raisan village near the state capital where his 97-year-old mother Hiraba stays.

"Before arriving for the party meeting at the BJP headquarters in Koba, which is around 7 kms from Raisan, the Prime Minister decided to meet his mother and take her blessings," said a BJP leader.

"Modi ji spent around 20 minutes with his mother after arriving at Gandhinagar. He then came to the party headquarters for the meeting," the leader said.

Earlier, during his Gujarat visit on September 17, which was his 66th birthday, Modi had met Hiraba and took her blessings.
Cyclonic Vardah moved west-northwestwards during past 24 hours with a speed of 7 kmph and lay centred at over southeast Bay of Bengal about 880 km east-southeast of Nellore and 830 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam.

By Siddharatha Tiwari: The cyclonic storm, Vardah over southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a severe cyclonic storm in the midnight of December 9. It moved west-northwestwards during past 24 hours with a speed of 7 kmph and lay centred at over southeast Bay of Bengal about 880 km east-southeast of Nellore and 830 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam.

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The system is very likely to move west-northwestwards and further intensify slightly during next 24 hours.

It is very likely to maintain its peak intensity up to evening of December 11, 2016. Thereafter, it is likely to weaken gradually while moving towards Andhra Pradesh coast. It is also likely to cross south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam around afternoon or evening of December 12, 2016.

Also read: From Cyclone Vardah, Hudhud to Aila, this is how cyclones are named

It also added that there is possibility of slight weakening of the system before landfall. Under the influence of this system, rainfall is very likely to occur at many places over coastal Andhra Pradesh with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts on Sunday.

The met office has forecast rainfall at most places over coastal Andhra Pradesh with heavy to very heavy rain at few places in all the districts of coastal Andhra except Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts on Monday.

Also read: Tamil Nadu: As cyclone Nada fails, Chennai bets on Vardah to avoid dry spell

INDIAN METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT (IMD)

IMD bulletin said winds speed reaching 45 to 50 gusting to 60 kmph is likely to prevail along and off coastal Andhra Pradesh from Saturday. As the sea condition would be rough to very rough along and off Andhra coast, fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea. Those already out at sea were advised to return.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation in a teleconference with the officials. He asked the collectors of all coastal districts to be on alert and take all precautionary measures. He also asked officials to ensure sufficient stocks of essential commodities for undertaking relief operations.

Naidu tweeted that he cancelled his trip to the UAE and Kuwait to monitor the situation in the wake of cyclone Vardah.

Cancelled my trip to UAE & Kuwait to monitor the situation with Cyclone #Vardah likely to hit AP's coast. Alerted officials & @ndmaindia. N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) December 10, 2016

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Also read: Cyclone Nada weakens over Bay of Bengal, relief to rain-hit Tamil Nadu

--- ENDS ---
Hyderabad: The death toll from a multi-storey under construction building collapse has risen to 11, officials said on Saturday.

The rescue work completed in the early hours of Saturday. A woman and a child were pulled out alive from the debris on Friday.

The seven-storey building at Nanakramguda in the Cyberabad zone came crashing down at around 9 pm on Thursday.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Baba Fasiuddin said post-mortem has been completed on the 11 bodies. The GHMC has been making arrangements to transport the bodies of the victims to their villages.

State Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao, who supervised the rescue operations at the site of the incident, said the builder, Satyanarayana Singh, has been arrested in Kerala and that a tough action would be taken against the guilty in the incident. The state government has already suspended two GHMC officials over the incident.

Police had booked a case of negligence and culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Satyanarayana Singh for constructing the building without permission and in violation of all rules.

An inquiry committee has been set up under Municipal Administration Secretary Navin Mittal and the report would be obtained in 15 days, the Telangana minister said.

"Nobody, either builder or GHMC officials, would be spared. We will show this as an example how tough action would be taken for violation of rules," the minister said.

All the victims were construction workers and their family members who were sleeping in the cellar when the building crumbled.

Nine of those killed hailed from Vijayanagaram district and one from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. A construction worker from Chhattisgarh was also among the dead.

Those killed have been identified as AN Sambaiah, 45, N Paidamma, 40, N Gauri, 13, K Polinaidu, 32, K Lakshmi, 26, R Shankar Rao, 18, P Polinaidu, 35, P Narayanamma, 28, P Mohan, 3.

Durga Rao from Srikkaulam and Shiva from Chhattisgarh are the other two victims.

The Telangana government has announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia each for the families of the dead.

The Andhra Pradesh government has also announced compensation to the victims in the tragedy, an MLA from the state, who visited the site, said.

AP Housing Minister K Mrinalini visited the spot yesterday.

Rekha, a woman from Chhattisgarh, and her four-year-old son Deepak were pulled out alive from the rubble on Friday. They are undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Former Air Force Chief SP Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and advocate Gautam Khaitan, who were produced by CBI in a Delhi court on Saturday, were sent to four-day judicial custody in a case related to the alleged irregularities in the Rs 3,700 crore AgustaWestland chopper deal.

All the accused will next be produced in the court on December 14.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sujit Saurabh sent them to CBI custody saying their custodial interrogation was required for a 'fair probe' in the case.

During the proceedings, CBI sought 10 days' custody saying it was a 'very large conspiracy having international ramifications'.

However, the counsel appearing for the accused opposed CBI's plea saying FIR in the case was registered over three years ago and there was no fresh ground for the arrests now.

During the hearing, the CBI officials said that while "he was serving as the Air Force chief, Tyagi's family invested in agriculture land and hence, he has to be interrogated".

"SP Tyagi's family members invested in agriculture land during his tenure as Air Force chief. He is to be interrogated in this regard. Agusta was engaging middlemen regularly. Bribes were paid and an investigation is going on," CBI officials told the court.

Senior advocate N Hariharan, who appeared for the former IAF chief, claimed that the decision to procure 12 VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland was a 'collective' one and the Prime Minister Office (PMO) was also a part of it.

"Choppers were meant for VVIPs. PMO suggested the change of service ceiling (6000 metres). How many times VVIPs visited Siachen? Procurement of chopper deal was a collective decision," Hariharan said.

"It was a collective decision and not his (Tyagi's) individual one. It was a collective decision of which PMO was also a part," he told the court.

"There should a specific purpose on completion of the enquiry. Accused SP Tyagi has always cooperated," his counsel said in the court.

SP Tyagi, who has been denying all the allegations hurled against him in the Rs 3600-crore scam, told the court today that he is ready to give the details of his agriculture land purchase.

"I can give an account of my agricultural land purchase. In this nation, if you're arrested, you're arrested. You're on TV channels," he said.

Tyagi, who was arrested yesterday, was questioned for over four hours by the CBI on Friday.

Meanwhile, Air Force Chief Arup Raha described the VVIP chopper scam as an 'unfortunate' incident and would adversely affect the reputation of the Indian Air Force

"It is a very unfortunate episode and the incident adversely acts on the reputation of a very professional force that is the Indian Air Force. I am sure that law of the land and the judicial system will dwell into it and finally deal with the subject," he said.

"I can rest assure you the Indian Air Force and the armed forces will continue to serve the nation to best of its abilities and if anything is wrong, we will correct it quickly," he added.

Speaking on the Narendra Modi-led central government's demonetisation policy, Raha said, "We're quite okay with the demonetisation policy. In fact, we are assisting the government in airlifting large quantities of bank notes and taking it across the nation."

"IAF has deployed some people to help the government in maintaining 24/7 production capacity. If the move succeeds, it will be good for the country," he concluded by saying.

Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi (retd.) was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday, along with his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and lawyer Gautam Khaitan, for their alleged involvement in the Rs 3,700-crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam.

They have been accused of routing kickbacks.The CBI has determined that about Rs 450 crore or 12 per cent of the Rs. 3,767-crore deal for procurement of 12 helicopters was paid as bribe. The government rescinded the contract in January 2014 in view of the bribery allegations.
Roorkee: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that demonetization is a major step towards making India an economic superpower.

"Demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes is a decision taken in national interest.

Can't people of the country bear with a little inconvenience if that leads to better things?" Rajnath Singh said in Roorkee during BJP's Parivartan yatra.

"It is a step that will help the country become an economic superpower. Only a courageous and far-sighted Prime Minister could have taken a decision like that," PTI quoted Singh as saying.

He assured the public said that within a month they would be able to withdraw as much money from their accounts as they want.

He also asked them to draw inspiration from leaders like Chandrashekhar Azad and Ashfaqulla Khan for their sacrifices to the country to attain independence.
Bogor: President Joko Widodo on Saturday said Indonesia and India must cooperate closely in the key areas defence, security and counter-terrorism as no country is immune to a terror attack and also sought stepping up of bilateral trade ties.

"I am very much looking forward to have discussions Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi," Widodo told PTI in an interview ahead of his state visit to India, beginning Monday.

Widodo said he sees closer cooperation between Indonesia and India in defence, security and anti-terrorism fields.

"This is something that we are currently discussing...Both our countries have large maritime regions, so cooperation in this sphere is welcome," said Widodo, the President of the country that has the world's largest Muslim population.

It is also appropriate that Indonesia and India work together to fight terrorism, he asserted, adding that, "no country is immune from a terrorist attack".

Indonesia will always cooperate with all countries to fight terrorism through the exchange of information as well as intelligence exchanges and cooperation, he said.

"I hope to increase ties in all sectors, especially economic. We have cultural and religious ties going back centuries. Ramayana and Mahabharata are very famous in Indonesia," Widodo said.

He said the discussions with Modi will cover economic, trade and investment collaboration.

Widodo said Indonesia is also willing to consider a bilateral trade pact with India.

"This is something that we are willing to consider. The important thing is that such trade deals must benefit both parties," he said ahead of the two-day trip, the first by the Indonesian President after former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's visit in 2011.

"Strong leadership is important at this time," said Widodo on Prime Minister Modi's tough decisions for accelerating the Indian economy and development.

Widodo said he has had held several discussions with Modi on Indian companies' investment in Indonesia. He stressed that he would like to see Indian investment in the pharmaceutical sector as a priority and also in the infrastructure.

The President listed investment opportunities in his country, saying, "We have huge infrastructure needs, including toll roads, power plants, ports and airports. This is especially the case for the areas outside Java."

"We feel that investments in this (infrastructure) sector will prove just as lucrative," he said.

Responding to a question on Indian companies' participation in the Indonesia's coal mining sector, Widodo said Indonesia-India have a Joint Working Group on Coal to discuss the cooperation regarding coal.

He stated that Indonesia is actively reforming its regulations to make doing business easy for both foreign and local investors.

Widodo said he would welcome an initiative to work jointly to promote indigenous spices, such as cloves and pepper from the two countries, on the global markets.

"I believe it's important for countries like ours to 'market' themselves to the global community. The best way to do this is to develop and highlight indigenous local products, such as spices," he said.

Widodo said he would also like to see more Indian tourists visiting Indonesia.

"We have many tourist destinations including Labuhan Bajo (Komodo islands), Raja Ampat in Papua and Jogjakarta and Solo in Java," he said.

The Indonesian President also highlighted many similarities between India and Indonesia.

"We are also large, diverse countries which are democracies," he said.

Talking about raising the representation of developing countries in international forums like the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations, Widodo said, "Indonesia wishes to be an active and constructive member in international forums."

"We definitely feel that the voices of developing countries should be heard more on the world stage," he said.

Widodo, while responding to Vice President Hamid Ansari's call for Indonesia to work with India to bring more equity into the international order through forums like WTO and the UN, said, "We are willing to work with India to help bring this about."

Asked about further business liberalisation under the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement, the President said," the respective countries must be prepared in order to fully benefit from such agreements."

"Indonesia is seeking to cut red tape and ensure that our local businesses are more competitive," he said.

"There will be greater acceptance and support for such (multi-country trade) agreements if this can be achieved across the board," he said.

Indonesia enjoys trade surplus with India, though the volume has been small and declining, according to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The January-June 2016 bilateral trade was USD 5.9 billion, down 26.37 percent on the year.

Indonesia exported USD 4.57 billion worth of goods, including coal, palm oil, natural rubber, copper and ores among others.

Imports from India were at USD 1.33 billion, a surplus of USD 3.246 billion in Indonesia's favour.

In 2015, bilateral trade was USD 14.45 billion.
Bengaluru: In a major haul of cash and gold, the Income Tax Department on Saturday unearthed Rs 5.7 crore in new 2,000 currency notes, Rs 90 lakh in old notes and a whopping 32 kg gold and jewellery from a secret chamber inside a bathroom in Karnataka.

The development comes hours after Rs 24 crore, also in new notes, were recovered from a government contractor`s car in Tamil Nadu today, officials said.

An official in Bengaluru said the recovery was made from a hawala operator in a small town in central Karnataka on Friday. The seizure included 28 kg of bullion in gold biscuits, 4 kg of gold and jewellery and Rs 90 lakh in 100 and 20 rupee notes.

Also Read: Demonetisation: Digital payments surge by up to 300% post note ban

"They were found stashed in a secret chamber of a bathroom in the house of the hawala operator at Challakere in Chitradurga district during search operations," said the official.

Challakere is over 200 km from Bengaluru with a population of about 50,000.



The tax department`s investigation wing searched the premises of casino operators and bullion traders in Hubballi and Chitradurga districts of the state following a tip-off that black money was being converted into white through laundering and hoarding.

"When teams of sleuths searched 15 places in the two districts, (the) hawala operator was found converting old notes and hoarding bullion using demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes," the official said.

Incriminating documents related to the illegal activities were also recovered during the raids and sent for analysing and investigating their content for evidence.

Also Read: Demonetisation: Shortage of change forces hike in smart card recharge limit to Rs 2000

Searches continued till late Saturday.

This is the second major haul of currency and gold this month in Karnataka. On December 1, tax sleuths seized Rs 6 crore in cash and 7 kg gold from the residences of two state government engineers in Bengaluru.

Of the Rs 6-crore cash haul, Rs 4.7 crore were in Rs 2,000, Rs 30 lakh in now spiked 500 notes and Rs one crore in 100 and 50 notes. The 7 kg bullion in gold biscuits is valued at Rs 2 crore.

In Tamil Nadu, the Income Tax department said Rs 24 crore was recovered on the third day of raids on three businessmen -- J. Shekhar Reddy, Srinivasalu and Prem.

"We have seized cash valued at Rs 24 crore in Vellore," an IT official told IANS, adding the seized cash will be deposited with the Reserve Bank of India.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on Friday said the IT department had seized Rs 96.89 crore cash in 500 and 1,000 rupee notes, and Rs 9.63 crore in new 2,000 currency along with gold weighing 127 kg worth approximately Rs 36.29 crore.

The big fish is said to be Reddy, from whose car the money was seized on Saturday. He is a contractor and has executed works for the Tamil Nadu government.

Reddy was also a Board Member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). On Saturday, the Andhra Pradesh government removed him from the post following the raids and the seizure.

(With IANS inputs)
New Delhi: In huge trouble for Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, locals in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have hit the streets to protest against the administration.

The protesters are demanding freedom from the clutches of Pakistan.

To thwart the protests, Pakistani Army was ordered to clamp down on the agitators.

Ever since July, PoK region has been witnessing unrest, with hundreds of people coming out in the open to protest against the Pakistani establishment.

The locals in PoK have alleged that the July 21 election, which saw Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) winning 32 out of 41 seats, was rigid.

The protesters have maintained that they were not allowed to cast their votes, and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency and others rigged the polls in favour of Sharif's PML(N).

Besides, PoK the Sharif government has also been entangled in the Balochistan area, where the freedom movement has gained momentum.

Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the human rights violations in Balochistan, several Baloch leaders living in exile have been aggressively advocating for freedom of the restive region from the clutches of Pakistan.

Balochistan, the largest and resource-rich province of Pakistan, has been facing the worst human rights crisis, where the Baloch are being suppressed.

In the worst form of oppression, military operations are being carried out against the civilians.

The atrocities on Baloch people have increased after Islamabad and Beijing signed a multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The people in Balochistan, who are championing the cause of the Free Balochistan Movement, are opposing the project which they say will lead to exploitation of their resources.
New Delhi: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday hit back at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi over his earthquake remark and said, 'a previous quake had brought the strength of his party from 440 to 44 in the Lok Sabha'.

Minister of Urban Development said that the government is ready for a debate on the demonetisation decision and that a discussion had commenced and several opposition leaders including former prime minister Manmohan Singh had spoken. He also accused the Congress party of creating hurdles and halting the proceedings in the House during the discussion on the issue.

Naidu said that Parliament is the best forum to debate and Opposition should hear the government and say what it wants to say there.

And if they are still not convinced they can go to people and agitate.

"Without even either going to the people, nor allowing people's representatives to be heard in the House, you are obstructing. That is why I say you are committing a contempt of democracy, you are committing a contempt of democracy and contempt of Parliament," Naidu said.

Referring to Gandhi's remark that if he is allowed to speak there will be an earthquake, Naidu asked what message does the Congress Vice President wants to send.

"Simply by verbal threatening, If I speak there will be an earthquake, what example is this What sort of message do you want to convey to the people, that there will be an earthquake in the Parliament. After an earthquake, Congress came down from 440 to 44," Naidu said.

He said that the government has been ready for a discussion and it was the Opposition parties who left the debate midway.

"In Rajya Sabha, after debating for two days, you ran away. Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Pramod Tewari and even Manmohan Singh spoke, then why did you create hurdles midway," he asked.

Naidu posed a series of question, which he said that the Congress should answer.

"I would like to know from Congress party and its friends, are they in favour of the fight against corruption and black money. Are they in favour or against remonetisation? Are they in favour of digital transfer of money or against? Are they protesting against the policy or its implementation?," he asked.
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will on Saturday produce former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief SP Tyagi, arrested on Friday on charges of corruption in its ongoing probe into the Rs 3,767-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, before a court.

SP Tyagi is the first chief of any wing of the armed forces to be arrested in the country.

His cousin Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie Tyagi and a Delhi-based lawyer, Gautam Khaitan, were also taken into custody from Delhi for their involvement in alleged irregularities in the procurement of 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters from a UK-based private company AgustaWestland.

They were arrested after being called for questioning to the CBI headquarters in south Delhi. SP Tyagi has denied the allegations hurled against him.

Reacting to the arrest of Tyagi, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan today accused the CBI of acting at the behest of the Centre.

Meanwhile, the Janata Dal (United) said that the delayed arrest of Tyagi raises suspicion. "His (SP Tyagi) name has been in the case for quite some time but he has been arrested only now. So, somewhere, there is a suspicion as to why he wasn`t being arrested for so many days and why only now," JD(U) leader Ajay Alok told news agency ANI.

CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh had on Friday told IANS that the total deal amount in AgustaWestland was Rs 3,767 crore and bribe amount was 12 percent of this.

"It was revealed during investigation that undue favours were allegedly shown to AgustaWestland by accepting illegal gratification from the accused vendors through middlemen or relatives including SP Tyagi's cousin Sanjeev and advocate Khaitan," the spokesperson said.

"The arrested persons accepted the illegal gratification for exercising influence through illegal means and personal influence over the concerned public servants," she said.

It was alleged that SP Tyagi entered into criminal conspiracy with the other accused in 2005, one year after he came to head the IAF.

SP Tyagi, his cousins Sanjeev, Rajiv and Sandeep and 14 others, including three European middlemen -- Guido Ralph Haschke, Carlo Vlentino Ferdinando Gerosa and Christian Michel -- were named in an FIR which the Central Bureau of Investigation lodged in March 12, 2013.

Others named in the FIR are the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aeromatrix Info Solution Pvt Ltd Praveen Bakshi, Chairman of IDS Infotech Ltd (India) Satish Bagrodia and its Managing Director Pratap K Aggarwal.

Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini, then CEOs of the Italy-based companies Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland, were also named in the FIR. And so were companies Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland, IDS Infotech Ltd (India) and Aeromatrix India.

All the accused, companies included, were booked for criminal conspiracy, cheating and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The former IAF chief has been accused in Italy and India of helping AgustaWestland win the chopper contract by reducing the flying ceiling of the helicopter from 6,000 metres to 4,500 metres (15,000 feet).

CBI officials probing the case told IANS that such changes in operational requirements made AgustaWestland eligible to participate in the Request For Proposal (RFP) for VVIP helicopters.

RFP is a document that solicits proposal, often made through a bidding process.

SP Tyagi has said the decision to buy AgustaWestland helicopters was reportedly taken in consultation with officials of the Special Protection Group and the Prime Minister's Office.

Twelve helicopters were to be bought by India but the deal was axed in January 2013 when the corruption allegations surfaced.

Tyagi headed the IAF from 2004 to 2007 when the Congress ruled India. The Congress-led coalition was voted out in 2014.

An Italian court in April this year purportedly referred to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh, among others, in connection with the chopper deal but gave no details of any wrongdoing by either.

(With Agency inputs)
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday called the state the safest place in the world for tourists and called upon the people of the country to visit the state and enjoy its hospitality.

"Jammu and Kashmir is the safest place not only in the country but the whole world for tourists and especially for women. You can move around here without any fear even during nights and nothing untoward will happen to you," Mehbooba said while speaking at a function here.

Mufti said that women face many hardships in other places in the country but her government would not let them face any hardships here.

"We get to know what happens to women in broad daylight in other places, compared to that women can come here either by themselves or in groups. We will take good care of them and would not let them face any hardship," she said.

The chief minister said that her government would offer exciting packages to the tourists and invited them to visit the state along with their families.

"The atmosphere here is also very good, the place is picturesque and then snowfall is in the offing and I would like to invite all the people of the country to visit Kashmir and enjoy our hospitality.

"Kashmir is calling you all. We will offer exciting packages. We will organise a snow festival at Gulmarg in January, so I request the people of the country to visit Kashmir along with their children," she said.

Mehbooba's invite comes days after separatists made an appeal to tourists to visit the Valley, saying tourists and pilgrims from the world, including India, who intend to visit Kashmir were most welcome.
War for the Planet of the Apes focuses on the battle between the apes led by Caesar and a group of humans led by a ruthless colonel played by Woody Harrelson.

By India Today Web Desk: The trailer of War for the Planet of the Apes, the third installment of the critically acclaimed action drama franchise Planet of the Apes is finally here. And it looks mind-blowing!

The first film of the series, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, focused on the emergence of Caesar as the genetically engineered, supremely intelligent leader of the apes who want to cut away from the human world and live independently. Its sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, focused on humans battling the apes led by Caesar in an end-of-the-world scenario.

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ALSO READ: George Clooney and Amal headed for a divorce?

WATCH Spider-Man Homecoming trailer: Spidey joins hands with Iron Man to save the world

WATCH The Mummy trailer: Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe team up to fight impossible mummies

Now Matt Reeves, the director of the previous Apes film is back with the third film of the series. This one, War for the Planet of the Apes, focuses on the battle between the apes led by Caesar and a group of humans led by a ruthless colonel played by Woody Harrelson.

Andy Serkis reprises his role as Caesar. Serkis has performed for the character once again using motion-capture technology using which he has earlier acted as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings films and King Kong in the 2005 film of the same name.

WATCH WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES TRAILER

War for the Planet of the Apes is scheduled to release in theatres on July 14 this year.

WATCH BEFIKRE REVIEW HERE | Ranveer-Vaani's new film, what's good and what's bad?

--- ENDS ---
Mumbai: Anti-Terrorism Squad officials on Saturday said a 28-year-old Mumbai youth, who allegedly joined terror outfit, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), has been caught by enforcement agencies in oil-rich Libya.

Tabrez Mohammad Tambe, a resident of Mumbra in neighbouring Thane district, was apprehended early this week.

Tabrez and his friend Ali had together joined ISIS, news agency PTI quoted a senior ATS officer as saying on the condition of anonymity.

Tabrez had left India earlier this year to go to Egypt for a job and landed in Libya, where he was said to be fighting for ISIS against US-backed forces, the officer said.

The ISIS recruit was in contact with his family till last week through cell phone and social media, he said.

Indian agencies were keeping a close watch on the activities of Tabrez, more so after his younger brother approached ATS and filed a complaint against him.

"Tabrez had been located to Libya and we were keeping an eye on his activities since last few months," the officer said.

Also, ATS is gathering information on whether some more people are in touch with Tabrez, he added.

Tabrez's family members had been asking him to return to India, but he seemed to have taken a fancy to the 'cushy' life with the terrorist organisation and even asked them to join him and 'settle' down in the country from where he is operating now.

"Sensing that he was in the wrong place, his (Tabrez's) brother asked him to return to India but he rejected the plea and said you (family members) come here as life is cushy," an ATS official said yesterday.

Tabrez was in contact with his wife, brother, and mother and told the family about his activities for the banned Islamic State.

ATS feels Tabrez, who completed his post graduation in cargo management and transportation and got married three years ago, has actively participated in ISIS operations.

He visited some countries in the last five years for jobs, the official had said adding it was Ali who prompted Tabrez to join ISIS.

Both knew each other as they worked together at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia a year ago, he said.

"We are collecting information about Ali. We are not sure whether Ali is Indian or not. As per our information, he has visited India before," Mumbai ATS chief Atulchandra Kulkarni told PTI.

ATS has already registered offences against Tabrez under various sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention UAPA.

(With PTI inputs)
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Cabinet under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister O Paneerselvam passed a resolution on Saturday urging the central government to award former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa with India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.

Confirming the news, AIADMK said in a Twitter post, "The Tamil Nadu govt passes resolution to recommend Bharat Ratna for Jayalalithaa, life-size bronze statue at Parliament."

Tamil Nadu Cabinet resolves to recommend Union Government to bestow Bharat Ratna to Puratchi Thalaivi Amma & install her statue n Parliament  AIADMK (@AIADMKOfficial) December 10, 2016

In its first meeting chaired by Chief Minister Panneerselvam after Jayalalithaa's demise, the Cabinet also decided to recommend to the Centre to install a life-size memorial built in the name of Jayalalithaa in Parliament complex at the cost of Rs 15 crore.

The government has also decided to rename the MGR memorial as Bharat Ratna Dr. MR and Jayalalithaa memorial'. In addition, the Cabinet also proposed to unveil a portrait of the leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

The state government further requested the Centre to install a full-sized bronze statue on the Parliament campus.

Jayalalithaa, 68, was admitted to Chennai's Apollo Hospitals on September 22 after she complaint of dehydration and fever. Three months later, on December 5, Jayalalithaa died in the hospital, a day after she suffered a massive cardiac arrest.

Her body was buried beside her mentor and former chief minister MG Ramachandran at Chennai's Marina Beach, Ramachandran at Chennai's Marina Beach, MGR memorial.
Port Blair: The security personnel and the Union Territory administration have evacuated more than 2,000 stranded tourists, including several foreign nationals, from Neil and Havelock Islands in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

In a release, the Directorate of Disaster Management said altogether 2,376 tourists stranded in Havelock and Neil Islands, due to a deep depression formed over the Bay of Bengal that later intensified into cyclone storm "Vardah", were brought to Port Blair during the day-long operation.

The Defence Ministry said four of the foreigners were from Spain, two each from Germany, Italy, and Latvia, and one each from Israel and Ireland.

Six Indian Navy ships, three Coast Guard vessels, besides ships of Directorate of Shipping Services, and three Indian Air Force MI-17 V5 choppers took part in the rescue mission that started on Friday morning despite rain and strong winds, according to a Defence Ministry spokesperson.

The six Navy ships that took part in the mission are Karmukh, Kumbhir, Bitra, Baratang, LCU 27 and LCU 38.

The three IAF choppers carried out 14 sorties -- 11 from Havelock, and three from Neil island.

Earlier, at a high-level meeting held at Raj Niwas, Andaman and Nicobar Lt Governor Jagdish Mukhi directed the Andaman Nicobar Command and the Administration to immediately start the evacuation of tourists from Havelock and Neil Islands.

He said there was no untoward incident and no loss of life or property due to the weather conditions.

The sudden evacuation mission was initiated at the request of the Andaman and Nicobar Disaster Management, which speculated that the cyclonic storm might strike Havelock, an island about 36 km from capital Port Blair.

The Navy had on Wednesday tried to rescue the tourists stranded on Havelock. However, due to extreme weather conditions, the tourists could not reach the jetty to board the ships.

Havelock Island is the largest chain of Islands and is a famous tourist destination, and is located 40 km from the capital Port Blair.

(With Agency inputs)
Cairo: Two separate bomb attacks in Egypt on Friday killed six policemen and a civilian, the latest in a string of attacks targeting security forces and officials, the interior ministry said.

The deadliest attack struck in the western Talibiya neighbourhood of the capital, shortly before the weekly midday Muslim prayers and when Cairo`s streets are mostly empty.

The bloodied bodies of several policemen could be seen at the blast site next to police vehicles that had been stationed there, an AFP photographer reported.

The Hassam Movement, a militant group which has claimed a string of recent attacks, said it was behind the bombing, in a statement circulated on social media.

Police cordoned off the area with yellow tape as they searched for more explosives.

The interior ministry said in a statement that the bomb exploded next to a checkpoint, killing two officers, a policeman and three conscripts.

Three other conscripts were wounded.

The second blast took place in the evening on a road linking the Nile Delta city of Kafr el-Sheikh to the northern coastal town of Baltim.

The ministry said on its Facebook page that a "roadside bomb exploded... slightly wounding two policemen who were patrolling in a car and killing a civilian... who happened to be in the vicinity".

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the second attack.

Militants have repeatedly attacked police and soldiers since the army overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 and unleashed a bloody crackdown on his followers.

Most of the attacks are carried out in the Sinai Peninsula in eastern Egypt by a branch of the Islamic State jihadist group, which has killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen.But militants have also targeted security forces and government officials in the capital.

Most of the Cairo attacks in recent months have been claimed by two little-known militant groups, Lawaa al-Thawra and the Hassam Movement.

An Egyptian judge in one of the trials of Morsi, who was detained after his ouster, escaped unharmed last month when a car bomb exploded as he drove past.

That attack came days after a roadside bombing targeting a police convoy killed a passer-by.

In September, militants set off a car bomb as the country`s deputy state prosecutor was passing. He too escaped unharmed.

Police say Hassam and Lawaa Al-Thawra are affiliated with Morsi`s Muslim Brotherhood movement, which was banned months after his overthrow and listed as a terrorist organisation.

The Brotherhood, which espoused grassroots work and change through elections, denies it is involved in violence.

The group had been the country`s largest opposition movement under veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak, and dominated polls after his overthrow in 2011.

In 2012, it won a presidential election with its candidate, Morsi, whose divisive rule led to mass protests a year later that prompted the army to overthrow him.

Hundreds of Morsi`s supporters were killed in protest clashes with police and the army in the following months.

The Brotherhood now operates as an underground and splintered movement, with some followers believed to have embraced attacks against police while others insist on non-violence.

Friday`s bombings came days after the interior ministry said police killed three Hassam Movement members in southern Egypt, and weeks after it announced it had broken up one of the group`s cells.
Cairo: Banned militant outfit the Islamic State (ISIS) on Saturday beheaded five young persons in the central province of Homs of Syria.

The terror group suspected them of working as spies for rival rebel factions, a British war monitoring group told media.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said ISIS released a video showing the murders in a desert area in southeastern Homs, with the five victims shown to be handcuffed and inside sacks, Efe news agency reported.

ISIS released the footage showing the captured youths, who acknowledged they had been in contact with two insurgent groups to work as 'spies' and offered information on the positions of the terrorist organisation in the areas of al-Alianiya and Badiyat Homs.

The youths were beheaded by IS militants after their apparent confession.

SOHR also reported warplanes and helicopters continued attacks on areas taken on Wednesday and Thursday by IS in the eastern districts of Homs.
Washington: US President Barack Obama has ordered intelligence agencies to review cyber attacks and foreign intervention into the 2016 election and deliver a report before he leaves office on Jan. 20, the White House said on Friday.

In October, the U.S. government formally accused Russia of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organizations ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election, and Obama has said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin about consequences for the attacks.

The review and its timeline are a signal that Obama wants the issue addressed before he hands power to President-elect Donald Trump, who cast doubt on Russia`s hacking role and praised Putin during the campaign.

Obama`s homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco, told reporters the report`s results would be shared with lawmakers and others.

"The president has directed the intelligence community to conduct a full review of what happened during the 2016 election process ... and to capture lessons learned from that and to report to a range of stakeholders, to include the Congress," she said during an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

White House spokesman Eric Schultz said the review would be a "deep dive" that would look for a pattern of such behaviour over several years during election time, dating as far back as the 2008 presidential election.

He noted that Obama wanted the review completed under his watch. "This is a major priority," Schultz said.

During his campaign for the White House, Trump called on Russia to dig up missing emails from his opponent, Hillary Clinton, from her time as secretary of state under Obama, a fellow Democrat. That move prompted critics to accuse him of encouraging foreign actors to conduct espionage.

The New York businessman has said he is not convinced Russia was behind the attacks.

"I dont believe they interfered," Trump told Time magazine about Russia in an interview published this week. "That became a laughing point, not a talking point, a laughing point. Any time I do something, they say, Oh, Russia interfered."

People Trump has nominated for top national security posts in his new administration have taken a harsher stance toward Moscow.

Russian officials have denied all accusations of interference in the U.S. election.

Obama has come under pressure from Democratic lawmakers to declassify more intelligence on the alleged hackings.

A government source said the review was sparked in part to respond to those demands as well as to determine how much material related to the subject could be made public.

Given President-elect Trump`s disturbing refusal to listen to our intelligence community and accept that the hacking was orchestrated by the Kremlin, there is an added urgency to the need for a thorough review before President Obama leaves office next month, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement.

Monaco said cyber attacks were not new but might have crossed a "new threshold" this year.

When she was working as a senior Federal Bureau of Investigation official in 2008, she said, the agency alerted the presidential campaigns of then-Senator Obama and Republican Senator John McCain that China had infiltrated their respective systems.

"We`ve seen in 2008 and in this last election system malicious cyber activity," Monaco said.

Asked if Trump`s transition team was not concerned enough about Russia`s influence on the election or about other threats to the United States such as infectious disease outbreaks, Monaco said it was too soon to say. She noted that she had not met with her successor because the Trump team had yet to name one.
Paris: Western and Middle Eastern backers of Syria`s weakened opposition gather in Paris Saturday to discuss a ceasefire, having watched the conflict turn decisively in favour of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russia.

Foreign ministers from Europe, US Secretary of State John Kerry and their counterparts from Qatar and Saudi Arabia are likely to renew what have been so far ineffective calls for an end to the onslaught on Aleppo.

Opposition-held areas of the city, home to hundreds of thousands of civilians, have been starved in a siege and pummelled by an offensive by Syrian forces backed by Iranian militias and Russian airpower.

Retreating rebels now control only a pocket of Syria`s second city, whose fate is seen as pivotal to the outcome of a nearly six-year-old war that has killed more than 300,000 people.

Calls from Western leaders to stop the fighting and diplomacy at the UN have so far amounted to nothing with Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin seemingly intent on pushing their advantage.

The talks on Saturday, which will also include Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, will focus on getting the warring parties back to the negotiating table for talks in Geneva.

"My goal in all this is... to get both sides, all of the forces, to the table in Geneva. And that`s what we`re working on," Kerry said as he arrived on Friday night.

Russian and American officials will meet again in Geneva on Saturday to discuss the fighting, but even Kerry struggled to sound optimistic about an outcome.

"I know people are tired of these meetings, I`m tired of these meetings," he told reporters.

"But what am I supposed to do? Go home and have a nice weekend in Massachusetts, while people are dying? Sit there in Washington and do nothing?"

Analysts say the timeframe and conditions of talks will be set in Damascus and Moscow, whose armies are in the ascendency despite allegations of war crimes and mounting civilian deaths.

"Aleppo is a critical turning point," Robin Wright, a researcher at the United States Institute of Peace, told US National Public Radio (NPR). "Assad looks ever stronger."

She said the rebels which have been armed and financially backed by the countries gathered in Paris now have "very diminished chances of being a viable alternative" to the Syrian regime.Joshua Landis, director of the Center of Middle East Studies, also called Aleppo "a major turning point" that left the West and other countries which oppose Assad with few allies.

Once the city falls, the largest remaining rebel bastion will be Idlib province, controlled by a coalition dominated by extremists from a former Al-Qaeda affiliate.

The Islamic State jihadist group remains in control of territory around their de facto capital in Raqa.

"It makes the prophecy of Assad come true: it is either me or radical Islamists," Landis told NPR.

The election of Donald Trump in the United States, who favours closer relations with Putin, was already a bad omen for the opposition just before troops launched their assault on Aleppo in mid-November.

Trump is expected to be more isolationist than Barack Obama, which Moscow-based analyst Pavel Felgenhauer said would allow Russia to strengthen its position in the Middle East.

"Everyone is going to be queuing up to become friends with Russia," said Felgenhauer, a defence analyst who writes for the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta

"Everyone understands that Assad could have been hanged a long time ago. But he bet on the Russians and he won," he told AFP.But when Aleppo does fall, the Syria conflict is far from over, with extremists from al-Nusra and IS, as well as US-backed Kurdish militias in the north, in control of large swathes of the country.

The US and Russia have special forces on the ground, while Turkey has regular troops inside Syria near its border. The skies buzz with planes from Russia and a US-led coalition of Western and Arab nations.

"If Assad takes over Aleppo, is the war going to end? No. Will he have solved the political challenge of bringing people together to unite the country? No," Kerry said on Tuesday.

The US and Europe insist that a political settlement in which Assad agrees to step down is necessary to end the fighting and then rebuild the shattered country.

Multiple rounds of talks between the regime and the opposition over the last two years came to nothing.
Aleppo: The Syrian army pressed an offensive in Aleppo on Friday with ground fighting and air strikes in an operation to retake all of the city`s rebel-held east that would bring victory in the civil war closer for President Bashar al-Assad.

"The advance is going according to plan and is sometimes faster than expected," a Syrian military source told Reuters.

The Syrian army and its allies had recaptured 32 of east Aleppo`s 40 neighbourhoods, about 85 percent of the area, he said.

Reuters journalists, rebels and a monitor confirmed the military thrust. There were no reports the Syrian army had made significant gains.

Russia`s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Syrian army had suspended military activity to let civilians leave rebel-held areas, RIA news agency reported.

The army and its allies tried to advance on two fronts, a Turkish-based official with the Jabha Shamiya rebel group said.

"Helicopters, warplanes and rocket bombardment like every day. Nothing has changed," the official said. Despite the bombardment, "the guys are steadfast," the official added.

During a tour of Old Aleppo on Friday, which the Syrian army took control of this week, Reuters journalists counted the sound of nine air strikes in about half an hour. Fighting could be heard from other areas nearby.

The Russian air force and Iran-backed Shi`ite militias are fighting in Aleppo on the government side. Rebel leaders have given no sign they are about to withdraw as the civilian population is squeezed into an ever-decreasing area.

Russian Defence Ministry official Sergei Rudskoi said on Friday up to 10,500 Syrian citizens had fled parts of east Aleppo still controlled by rebels in the last 24 hours. This could not be independently verified.

Syrian government and allied forces have in the last two weeks driven rebels from most of their territory in what was once Syria`s most populous city. The rebels have controlled the eastern section since 2012, and Assad said in an interview published on Thursday that retaking Aleppo would change the course of the civil war across the whole country.

The Syrian government now appears closer to victory than at any point in the five years since protests against Assad evolved into an armed rebellion. The war has killed more than 300,000 people and made more than half of Syrians homeless.

Outside of Aleppo, the Syrian army declared a ceasefire in several areas around Damascus and the northwestern province of Idlib beginning on Friday evening, without saying how long it would last. There was no immediate comment from rebels.

ROCKETS, BOMBS, ARTILLERY

But there was no sign of any such truce inside Aleppo.

"There are aerial raids on the city`s neighbourhoods with highly explosive incendiary bombs, barrel bombs and artillery shelling," a fighter with the Nour al-Din al-Zinki rebel group on an eastern Aleppo frontline told Reuters.

In Old Aleppo, newly recaptured by the government, there was widespread destruction in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, with fire-damaged ancient buildings, structures reduced to rubble and spent ordnance everywhere.

At the side of a road sat a woman in her late 20s, veiled, dressed in black, and weeping as she cradled her baby.

"My son was born after three months of siege. There were no hospitals, no diapers, no milk," she said. "My milk is dry from fear and panic."

Dozens of displaced civilians, including children, had gathered in the road with their belongings after fleeing the Saliheen district, where battles continued.

Maher Tashtash, aged nine, said the bombardment had been frightening and rebels had told them they faced death if caught by the army. His brother Mohammed, 12, said they had hidden in a cellar until the fighting passed.

Even the dead were not spared the carnage. In the Dar al-Islam cemetery near Ibn Sina street in al-Hamdaniya, graves were destroyed. People were burying corpses in open public ground.

The United Nations estimates about 100,000 people are now squeezed into an "ever shrinking" rebel-held pocket of Aleppo with virtually no access to food, water or medical care.

In rebel-held Aleppo, a Reuters journalist said there were intense clashes on Friday in Sheikh Saeed district in the south of the eastern sector, where the Observatory and a Syrian military source said government forces advanced on Thursday.

Fighting also took place northeast of Aleppo, where Turkey has intervened to support rebels against both Islamic State fighters and Kurdish groups. Turkish-backed rebels closed in on the Islamic State-held city of al-Bab with Turkish tanks and warplanes supporting the assault, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

"NO NEGOTIATIONS NOW"

Moscow and Washington have discussed a ceasefire to let civilians escape eastern Aleppo and aid enter. Russia also wants the United States to urge rebel fighters to abandon their territory and accept transport out.

U.N. envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura told the Security Council on Thursday there were signs fighters in Aleppo may want to leave and the council should help them go, diplomats said.

The Syrian government said on Friday it was ready to resume dialogue with the opposition, without external intervention or preconditions. Rebels said no such contacts were taking place.

"There are no negotiations now, except what`s being discussed internationally," said Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of the Aleppo-based Fastaqim rebel group, speaking from Turkey. "We have asked for the evacuation of civilians who want to leave and of the injured. The fighters are determined to stay and face things."

U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Saturday to discuss Aleppo, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a news briefing on Friday.

The talks will focus on achieving a pause in the fighting, the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians, and ensuring a safe departure for those who want to leave, Toner said.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who has invested months of intensive diplomacy on Syria, acknowledged the exasperation many feel.

"I know people are tired of these meetings. I`m tired of these meetings. ... what am I supposed to do? Go home and have a nice weekend in Massachusetts while people are dying?" Kerry said at the U.S. embassy in Paris, according to a State Department transcript.

"What is happening in Aleppo is the worst catastrophe  what`s happening in Syria is the worst catastrophe since World War Two itself. It`s unacceptable. It`s horrible."

The U.N. General Assembly voted 122 to 13 on Friday to demand an immediate cessation of hostilities in Syria, humanitarian aid access throughout the country and an end to all sieges, including in Aleppo. General Assembly resolutions are non-binding but can carry political weight.

The European Union said on Friday it would introduce more sanctions on Syrian individuals and entities over the Aleppo offensive.

The U.N. human rights office said hundreds of men from eastern Aleppo were missing after leaving rebel-held areas, voicing deep concern over their fate at the hands of government forces.

The government has dismissed reports of mass arrests, torture and extrajudicial killings by its forces as fabrications. Rebels for their part deny they have prevented civilians from leaving opposition-controlled areas.
Washington: A top American diplomat will visit India next week to meet representatives of majority and minority religions, civil society and government officials, the State Department has said.

Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom David Saperstein will visit New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai from December 11-22, to discuss religious freedom with government officials, civil society representatives, and a range of leaders representing both majority and minority religious communities, the State Department said on Friday.

He will also travel to Bangladesh during this period, they said.
United Nations: The UN General Assembly on Friday demanded an immediate ceasefire in Syria and urgent aid deliveries in a resolution adopted by a strong majority as Syrian forces launched another assault on Aleppo.

The measure drafted by Canada passed by a vote of 122 to 13 in the 193-nation assembly, with 36 abstentions. Russia, Iran and China opposed the resolution.Lebanon, Iraq, South Africa, Nigeria and India were among the countries that abstained from the vote on the non-binding text.

The vote came as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces carried out more air raids on Aleppo and the United Nations reported that hundreds of men had gone missing after fleeing the battered city.

"This is a vote to stand up and tell Russia and Assad to stop the carnage," US Ambassador Samantha Power told the assembly ahead of the vote.

"This is a vote to defend the bedrock principles of how states should act, even in war."

Power appealed to Syria and its allies to allow civilians to leave eastern Aleppo and give rebel fighters safe exit from the city.

"Do not send them to be tortured in regime prisons," she said.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin accused the United States of engaging in "aggressive rhetoric" and argued that the resolution had "major shortcomings" by failing to emphasize the need to combat terrorist groups.

The resolution demands a "complete end to all attacks on civilians" and the immediate cessation of hostilities.

It calls for lifting of all sieges and the "rapid, safe, sustained, unhindered and unconditional humanitarian access" throughout Syria.

Canada drafted the text, part of the 193-nation assembly's attempt to break the deadlock over Syria at the Security Council.

Russia and China this week vetoed a draft Security Council resolution calling for a seven-day ceasefire in Aleppo, the Syrian city that is on the verge of falling to government forces.

It was the sixth time that Moscow, a close Assad ally, has used its veto in the council to block action over Syria.

More than 300,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in March 2011, and over half the population has been displaced, with millions becoming refugees.

Moscow launched an air war in support of Assad's forces last year, while Washington has supported rebel forces battling the regime.

PMS
Central Reserve Police Force jawans of the 184th battalion identified a mysterious sack of goods which was tied at its neck in a forest of Poradiha village in the West Midnapore district of West Bengal.

By Manogya Loiwal : A few rounds of bullet, musket and other arms and ammunition have been seized in West Midnapore district of West Bengal. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans of the 184th battalion identified a mysterious sack of goods which was tied at its neck in a forest of Poradiha village in the West Midnapore district of West Bengal.

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The search operation which was led by Deputy Commander of CRPF 184th battalion Prabir Kr. Ghosh, initially suspected that the sack belonged to the Maoists. The jawans cordoned the abandoned sack and informed the Bomb Disposal Squad of 207 Cobra Force.

Also read: West Bengal: Police recover huge cache of arms from illegal factory

The squad arrived on the site and retrieved a musket, 8 rounds of bullet and an empty cap of bullet from the sack. The retrieved arms were then handed over by the squad to the Jamboni Police Station. West Bengal Police is now investigating the matter further.

The presence of these arms has lead to the creation of a sense of worry among the residents of the locality on whether it is signalling the rise of Maoists in the region.

Also read: LOOT AND SCOOT

Also read: Jammu: Huge cache of arms recovered from terrorist hideout in Doda

--- ENDS ---
Paris: US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Russia to show "a little grace" when American and Russian officials meet in Geneva later on Saturday to try to reach a deal enabling civilians and fighters to leave the besieged city of Aleppo.

"Fighters ... don`t trust that if they agreed to leave to try to save Aleppo that it will save Aleppo and they will be unharmed and free to move where they are not immediately attacked," Kerry told reporters in Paris after a meeting of countries opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

"Russia and Assad have a moment where they are in a dominant position to show a little grace," he said, adding that the talks in Geneva were aimed at finding a possible way of trying to save lives.
Manama: US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Saturday that as many as 200 more American troops are being sent to Syria to help Kurdish and Arab fighters capture the Islamic State group's key stronghold of Raqqa.

The extra troops will include special operations forces and are in addition to 300 US troops already authorized for the effort to recruit, organise, train and advise local Syrian forces to combat IS.

Addressing a security conference in Bahrain, Carter said the extra troops will help the local forces in their anticipated push to retake Raqqa, the de facto capital of the extremist group's self-styled caliphate, and to deny sanctuary to IS after Raqqa is captured.

He said President Barack Obama approved the troop additions last week.

"These uniquely skilled operators will join the 300 US special operations forces already in Syria, to continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces to take the fight to ISIL," Carter said in his address to the IISS Manama Dialogues in the Bahraini capital, Manama.

"By combining our capabilities with those of our local partners, we've been squeezing ISIL by applying simultaneous pressure from all sides and across domains, through a series of deliberate actions to continue to build momentum," he said.

The military push in Syria is complicated by the predominant role played by local Kurdish fighters, who are the most effective US partner against IS in Syria but are viewed by Turkey -- a key US ally -- as a terrorist threat.

A senior defence official said the troop boost announced by Carter will give the US extra capability to train Arab volunteers who are joining the Raqqa push but are not well trained or equipped. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of internal Pentagon planning.
Donald Trump once again hit out at H1 visa holders and said that he would not allow Americans to be replaced by foreign workers.

By PTI: President-elect Donald Trump has said he would not allow Americans to be replaced by foreign workers, in an apparent reference to cases like that of Disney World and other American companies wherein people hired on H-1B visas, including Indians, displaced US workers.

"We will fight to protect every last American life," Trump told thousands of his supporters in Iowa on Thursday as he referred to the cases of Disney world and other US companies.

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"During the campaign I also spent time with American workers who were laid off and forced to train. The foreign workers brought in to replace them. We won't let this happen anymore," Trump vowed amidst cheers and applause from the audience.

ALSO READ | Fearing tighter US visa regime, Indian IT firms rush to hire, acquire

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT: TRUMP

"Can you believe that? You get laid off and then they won't give you your severance pay unless you train the people that are replacing you.

I mean, that's actually demeaning maybe more than anything else," he said.

Disney World and two outsourcing companies have been slapped with a federal lawsuit by two of its former technology staff, alleging that they conspired to displace American workers with cheaper foreign labour brought to the US on H-1B visas, mostly from India.

The two employees - Leo Perrero and Dena Moore - were among 250 Disney tech workers laid off from their jobs at Walt Disney World in Orlando in January 2015. They have also dragged two IT companies HCL Inc and Cognizent Technologies into this class action lawsuit.

ALSO READ | H-1B visa issue may cause friction between India-US ties under Donald Trump

TRUMP SLAMS DISNEY WORLD WITHOUT NAMING IT

"You know the name of one of the companies that's doing it. I'm going to be nice because we're trying to get that company back. Don't forget much harder when a company announced a year and a half ago - some of these companies, like Carrier, they announced long before I even knew I was going to be running for president," Trump said.

On immigration, Trump reiterated that he will build the wall along the Mexico border.

"We will put an end to illegal immigration and stop the drugs from pouring into our country, the drugs are pouring into our country, poisoning our youth and plenty of other people," he said.

"We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country. We will stop the drugs from poisoning our great and beautiful and loving youth. OK? We'll do it," he said, adding that the Trump administration will stop the violence that is "spilling across our border."

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Also Read:

Suspense over Trump's foreign policy, mood upbeat over India-US relations

While you can't toke up in India, here's how America voted for Trump and ganja

--- ENDS ---
From banning round neck t-shirts to keeping the makeup 'unobtrusive'; 5 Indian colleges that need to upgrade their rulebook.

By India Today Web Desk: Every student dreams of dressing up just as they pass out from their schools and move to their respective colleges. It is an important phase for the students to understand and develop their own fashion sense and style. But some colleges don't understand the concept of freewill and aren't so reasonable and when it comes to imposing rules on the students.

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There should be a decorum which should be maintained but banning students from wearing 'jeans' does not sound right at any cost. But if you are a student of St. Xavier's, Mumbai and dig the ripped-jeans-look then we must tell you that we totally empathize with your current situation.

The fashion statement which is highly loved by most of the youngsters has been banned from the campus premises. Agnelo Menezes, the principle of the college has an entirely different take on this piece of cloth as he feels that by wearing ripped jeans, students are "mocking the poor" and it is "embarrassing".

Xavier's has been known to create rules that can make you wonder which century we are living in. From banning round neck t-shirts to graffiti t-shirts, Xavier's has done it all. The neighboring colleges are calling this new addition in the rulebook as the 'draconian law'. But this is not the end of it; we have a list of 5 Indian colleges that went too far while creating the rulebook:

St. Xaviers, Mumbai: They have now banned ripped jeans on college campus for both boys & girls. They had also shunned sleeveless tops. St. Xaviers, Kolkata: From banning round necks t-shirts to banning anything that shows your ankles, Xavier's Kolkata is quite the follower of 'Hitler regiment'. The college has also banned graffiti t-shirts. Krishna Menon College, Bhandup: Shunned 'figure hugging' jeans from the premises in the year 2010. Nalanda College of Law, Borivali (W)The college issued circular imposing rules that are too hard to digest living in the 21st century. From not wearing heavy ornaments to the makeup being 'sober' and 'unobtrusive', the college also decided to forbid the students from wearing translucent dresses and anything tight. They even mentioned to maintain a sleeve length of 4 inches and 7 inches below the waist. Trivandrum Medical College, Kerala: The medical college banned the students from wearing leggings, jeans & short tops especially while meeting the patients. They also advised the students to wear churidars or sarees, and we think our nation has 'advanced'.

--- ENDS ---
Things aren't getting any better at Sears (SHLD)  in fact, they're getting worse.

The once-venerable department store chain on Thursday reported a wider third-quarter loss than the prior-year period as sales continued to slide.

The results were the latest indication that revenue and operating performance at the iconic retailer continue to deteriorate, despite its efforts to get rid of underperforming stores, lessen its dependence on categories that are struggling in its shops and make money from its real estate footprint.

"In the movie 'Titanic,' there is a line where, realizing chaos is about to ensue, one character helpfully notes, 'It's starting to fall apart. We don't have much time,'" Conlumino analyst Neil Saunders said. "Such a sentiment could well be applied to Sears. The analogy with 'Titanic' is also apt; not least because while Sears was once a titan of U.S. retail, it now looks set to sink."



Sears, which has reported just two profitable quarters since April 2012 , lost an adjusted $3.11 a share during the quarter ended Oct. 29. That compares with a loss of $2.98 one year ago.

Revenue fell 13 percent to $5.03 billion. The Thomson Reuters consensus forecast, which includes just one analyst, had called for Sears to report a loss of $4.06 a share on $4.95 billion in revenue.

Sales at its established stores declined 7.4 percent, including a 4.4 percent dip at Kmart and a 10 percent drop at Sears. That was slightly worse than the 5.3 percent decrease that was expected.

The stock fell slightly lower in late morning trade.

In a news release outlining its results, Sears CEO Eddie Lampert reiterated that the company remains "fully committed to restoring profitability to our company." He also addressed criticisms the company has faced from outsiders, saying he understands their concerns regarding Sears' continued operating losses.

"While many observers have acknowledged the significant asset base of our company, we understand the concerns related to our operating performance and are committed to transforming our company through our Shop Your Way membership program and our integrated retail investments," he said.

Story continues

But Saunders countered that none of these efforts have led to better results.

"On the contrary, the trends have worsened with the weakest comparable performance so far this year," he said, adding that the retailer's losses also continue to widen. Sears' adjusted results exclude items including closed store and severance charges, and pension expenses.

Sears, which has been selling off stores and other assets in search of becoming profitable, has raised roughly $9.4 billion in liquidity from 2012 through third quarter 2016. The company had $258 million in cash at the end of the fiscal third quarter, and $174 million available under a credit facility.



The chain, which said in May that it was exploring strategic alternatives for its Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands, as well as its home services business, said it is still evaluating opportunities.

Analysts had expected Sears' third-quarter results to show a further deterioration, with Debtwire's Philip Emma telling CNBC "there isn't anyone that's going to be surprised if the numbers are really, really bad."

Signs of ongoing troubles were popping up ahead of Thursday's report, causing many to once again question when the chain might potentially file for bankruptcy.

Sales in Lands' End (LE)'s retail business, which generates 89 percent of its revenue from Sears stores, fell 15.6 percent in its recently ended quarter. What's more, two Sears executives departed the chain a week before its report.

Sears said Thursday that is has "passed the peak" of its inventory needs for the holiday season and continues to meet its payment obligations to vendors. The company has been financing much of its inventory amid concerns about its long-term viability.

In October, when toymaker Jakks Pacific (JAKK) said it had halted shipments to a major retailer, BMO Capital Markets analyst Gerrick Johnson told CNBC that he couldn't imagine that customer being anyone other than Kmart. At a toy fair in Dallas around that time, Johnson said three or four vendors had asked the analyst whether they should ship product to the chain.

Without specifically naming Jakks, Sears CFO Jason Hollar said in a statement that "there are occasionally disputes over prices, allocations of product and other terms through the course of negotiations."



Fitch Ratings said last month that Sears should be able to fund its holiday inventory through borrowings on its credit facility, but warned that its restructuring risk remains "high" over the next 12 to 24 months.

At a national real estate conference in New York City this week, chatter swirled that late 2017 would be the earliest date Sears would file for bankruptcy, so that it could protect the $2.7 billion in assets it sold to Seritage Growth Properties (SRG) and through joint venture deals last year.



Those people formed this thesis upon a piece of the U.S. bankruptcy law called "fraudulent conveyance," which would give Sears shareholders a two-year window to go after Seritage's assets if the department store chain were to file for bankruptcy. The two-year anniversary of that spinoff falls this summer.

However, Chuck Tatelbaum, director of the Tripp Scott law firm and chair of the bankruptcy and creditors' rights department, explained that two-year window wouldn't necessarily apply for Sears. Individual states have longer statutes of limitations on that piece of the bankruptcy code  meaning if Sears were to file for bankruptcy in its home state of Illinois or in Delaware, the statute of limitations would instead be four years.

In any case, Sears will face additional pressure over the summer, as all of its secured loans and bonds mature in a three-year window beginning in July, Emma said. Sears' short-term borrowings totaled $618 million at quarter's end. It has $3.7 billion in long-term debt.

Through the company's downturn, Lampert has remained constant in his message that the maneuvers he is making will eventually return Sears to profitability. That includes dismissing reports that Kmart was shutting down.

"Our significant asset base gives us the wherewithal to fund our business, but we don't intend to use our asset value to support losses," he said in a blog post refuting those reports in October.

The company had 1,503 stores at the end of the quarter, including its Kmart brand. That's down from 1,592 as of July 30.

Sears' store count includes the closure of 68 Kmart stores and most of the 10 Sears locations that were announced in April. It does not include the 64 more Kmart stores it will close in mid-December or any other locations that could be shuttered during the current quarter.

Sears said it will continue to close unprofitable stores as their leases expire. Roughly 80 percent of its leased Kmart stores come up for renewal in less than five years, as do nearly half of its leased Sears stores.





More From CNBC


Kazakh opposition figure and oligarch Mukhtar Ablyazov (C), surrounded by his lawyers, leaves the Fleury-Merogis jail after being released, on December 9, 2016, in Fleury-Merogis, near Paris

Kazakh opposition figure Mukhtar Ablyazov was released from prison late Friday after France's highest administrative authority blocked his extradition to Russia, where he is accused of embezzling billions of dollars.

The 53-year-old Ablyazov, who has been held in French custody since July 2013 when he was arrested on the Cote d'Azur, walked out of the Fleury-Merogis prison in a Paris suburb smiling, an AFP photographer saw.

Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine all accuse him of having embezzled billions of dollars during his time as head of the Kazakh bank BTA. The bank has also filed complaints against him.

But his defence team argued that he would not get a fair trial in Russia, a position supported by the UN's special rapporteur on torture, Nils Melzer.

On Friday France's Council of State annulled the extradition order against Ablyazov judging that the request from Russia was "political".

"Mr Ablyazov is an opponent of the political regime in Kazakhstan and has been recognised as a political refugee by the British authorities," the Council of State said in a statement.

"This is a decision which strongly defends the principles of French justice," said Jean-Pierre Mignard, one of the Kazakh oligarch's lawyers.

The BTA bank said it was shocked by the decision not to extradite Ablyazov, arguing that the French body had "chosen not to authorise Mr Ablyazov to answer for criminal acts in front of Russian justice".

But Melzer said in a statement Wednesday that, if Ablyazov was extradited to Russia, there was a good chance the authorities there would pass him on to Kazakhstan.

In Kazakhstan, there was "serious reason to believe that Mr Ablyazov risks being subjected to torture", he added.

The European Court of Human Rights had ruled against Russia several times for sending people to countries where they risked being tortured or ill-treated, he pointed out.

Ablyazov's defence team had argued that Russia was simply acting as proxy for Kazakhstan and that the case was purely political.

The regime of veteran Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has been repeatedly criticised by human rights groups for its human rights abuses, including torture and rigged trials against opposition activists.
John The Pope Paul is no stranger to being in front of the camera for his various Kink.com shoots, but in addition to his on-screen role, he wrote and directed this controversial Hogtied feature, and the result is bloodless, high-caliber horror porn.

Cherry Torn and Veruca James are relaxing in the woods after a run-in with a weirdo. Its clear that this weekend of R&R is needed, but its not long before the girls encounter a strange and twisted force in the woods. Of course, leading up to the suspense, there are some flirty exchanges between the two ladies and hot, wet shower and hot-tub sex scenes that are as exciting as they are integral to Pauls premise. James interest in Torn is more than just friendship, and she pleasures herself to the busty blondes outdoor shower. Her fantasies of the two scissoring in passion are visually realized, camera trickery included, and the dream sequences are beautiful and nasty.

When the girls decide to hike in the wilderness, the true action begins. John Paul makes his presence known and the forest is utilized, in addition to his trusty rope, to concoct high suspensions and gritty scenes where Cherry is abducted and her deeply devoted friend sets about to find her. Utilizing similar camera and editing techniques, the abduction-sex scenes have a specific color and ambience, never taking away from the visual quality but instead adding an element of horror.

While there is no intercourse in the movie, this feature does dare to go further than most Hogtied shoots, and the girls are not afraid to get down on the ground for the sake of the story. Intense forced orgasms and crossing the boundaries of the safe-space Kink.com dungeon, Deception does a killer job at evoking fear and arousal. At one time, this would not have stood a chance of being released on DVD, but the storyline begs for the rope-heavy erotica and any Kink.com release is packed full of consent requirementsnot to mention its fairly obvious that these performers are loving what they do.

Add to the already sexy smut, rope bondage, outdoor voyeurism and naturally hot ladies some bonus footage and the Q&A session from the well-attended screening of the original .com release, making this DVD a nice addition to the collection of any horror porn fan or those who are looking for more than just an average thriller.
Beautiful young college student Lilianne has an angelic appearance, but when shes slacking and it shows in her poor grades, itll take something other than a halo to provide a miraculous turnaround. Lilianne, played by Elsa Jean, decides that in order to make things right with her GPA, shes going to do some very wrong things with her professor.

Married and in a bit of a slump, Professor Houston, played by Marcus London, is the perfect prey. Houston cant seem to get any from his wife, the beautiful Alexis Fawx, probably on account of her indecent workout sessions with trainer Danny Mountain. Fawx and Mountain have a poolside indiscretion resulting in more than sweat dripping. Meanwhile, the naughty professor does fall for Liliannes charms in her dorm room, where she secretly records their encounter.

The evidence proves helpful when Lilianne proceeds to blackmail the dear professor, not only for better grades, but for the money her wannabe rock star boyfriend needs to release his album. Houston has problems, alright, and the pieces start overlapping as the odds stack up against him and Lilianne digs her claws deeper into his life, and his wifeon his own couch while hes out of the house.

Mike Quasar directs his cast with anticipatory and passionate undertones. Some heated twists arise when Lilianne encounters Houstons colleague, Julia Ann, and everything begins to unravel for her when her loser boyfriend fucks her best friend, Yhivi, in their very own bed. As compelling as it is jack-worthy, Devil Inside is surprising, hot, funny, and everyone gets what is cumming to them in the end.
2016 AVN Most Epic Ass Fan Award Winner

Alexis Texas, born at a military base in Panama, was raised in a small town near San Antonio and moved to California in 2007, where she began her career in adult. Of Puerto Rican, German and Norweigan descent, her performances for companies such as Bang Bros, Brazzers, Wicked Pictures and Elegant Angel earned her a nomination for AVN Female Performer of the Year in 2009.

Alexis was the cover girl for Hustler magazine's 35th anniversary issue, and in 2008 inherited the title of Elegant Angel's "Buttwoman," performing her very first anal scene in her debut release as such, Alexis Texas Is Buttwoman, which went on to win the 2009 AVN Award for Best All-Sex Release.

She has also served as the centerpiece of her own highly-acclaimed Zero Tolerance interactive release (Interactive Sex With Alexis Texas), as well as that of none other than XXX icon Belladonna's ode Discovering Alexis Texasanother 2009 contender for AVN's Best All-Sex Release.

Said Belladonna at the time of Discovering Alexis Texas' release, "I think she has a woman's body, and it's fucking beautiful, and it's very rare that you see a woman's body like that these days. When I watch people perform, I pay attention to things like where their hands are and what their feet are doing and what their eyes are doing ... and while I was watching her, I noticed a lot of things that I would see in myself, and so those things really made me like her."

Alexis' enduring popularity as one of the most consistently sought after stars in the industry led to her being chosen to co-host the 2015 AVN Awards alongside Tommy Pistol and comedienne Danielle Stewart.

Find more Alexis Texas at:

www.alexistexas.com

twitter.com/alexis_texas

myspace.com/therealalexistexass

Photo above from The Real Buttwoman Returns (Elegant Angel Productions)
The 2013 AVN Female Performer of the Year made her adult film debut in 2006, becoming one of the winningest Asian stars of all time. The popular native New Yorker, whose Twitter bio accurately states I have an award-winning asshole, has performed in more than 700 adult films and has won more than 20 AVN Awards during her glittering career. The former Wicked Pictures contract girl became Pornhubs Brand Ambassador in 2018; she has amassed more than 460 million video views on porns biggest online platform.

The daughter of Japanese immigrants, Akira was only 19 when she was approached on the street in New York and asked whether she wanted to be a dominatrix. She then had a stint performing at a now-defunct sadomasochism club called the Nutcracker Suite before becoming a stripper at Manhattan's Hustler Club. When she later moved to Tampa, Fla., she became a regular on Sirius XM's Bubba the Love Sponge Show, where she performed light masturbation scenes on camera for a website set up by the radio program and become known as the Show Whore.

It was on the show that she met fellow Hall of Famer Gina Lynn, who helped her get her start in porn. Thanks to her stunning looks, athletic body and uninhibited performances, Akira made a steady ascent before reaching new levels of stardom in January 2011, when she crushed the 28th annual AVN Awards, taking home trophies for Best Anal Sex Scene, Best Three-Way Sex Scene (G/B/B) and Best Douple Penetration Sex Scene, all from Elegant Angel's "Asa Akira Is Insatiable," as well as Best All-Girl Three-Way Sex Scene from Elegant's "Buttwoman vs. Slutwoman." In addition, "Asa Akira Is Insatiable" won the Fan Award for Favorite Movie.

In, 2012 she upped the ante, winning seven awards from AVN, including Best Anal Scene, Best All Sex Release, Best DP Scene, Best Group Scene, Best Solo Sex Scene, Best Tease Performance and Best Three-way Sex Scene.

Then at the 2013 AVNs she did even better, not only serving as one the show's co-hosts, but capturing the Female Performer of the Year crown along with five other awards: Best Showcase Movie, Best DP Scene, Best Group Sex Scene, Best POV Scene, and Three-way Sex Scene.

After co-starring in Brad Armstrong's "Underworld," which was later named Movie of the Year at the 2014 AVN Awards, Asa Akira formally joined the Wicked family.

A Fleshlight Girl since 2011, Asa is the author of two best-selling books"Insatiable" and "Dirty Thirty." She also was a prominent part of Pornhubs collaboration with streetwear brand Richardson, modeling on one of the pieces from the capsule collection. With two successful podcasts under her belt, Asa has also made an appearance in the sitcom, Family Guy and hosted "The Sex Factor," a reality show where eight men and eight women compete for a $1 million prize and a three-year porn contract.

Asa Akira can be found online:

www.asaakira.com

twitter.com/asaakira
2016 AVN Best Supporting Actress Nominee

Jessica Drake has a beauty and provocative personality thats helped her develop one of the most robust and acclaimed careers in adult. Its a career thats rising to a new level this year, as she continues creating big budget features with Wickeds Brad Armstrongshe received AVNs 2009 Best Actress and Best DP Sex Scene awards for Fallenwhile branching out on her own as a filmmaker.

But even before she was an official member of Wickeds creative team, jessica had appeared in some of the companys best-known productions, including Armstrongs Dream Quest and Falling From Grace, and Jonathan Morgans About a Woman, for which she received an AVN nomination for Best Supporting Actress. It was obvious to Wicked from these performances that jessica was a unique find, and since inking her deal in 2003, she has appeared in such heralded titles as Morgans Space Nuts, Armstrong's The Collector and Sold, and Michael Ravens Perfect Life. Jessica also starred in Armstrong's Fluff & Fold, an AVN Editor's Choice which earned her a much deserved award for Best Actress.

During the 2006 AVN Awards season, she received a wealth of noms, including Best Actress for One Man's Obsession and Best Supporting Actress for both Armstrong's Eternity and Morgan's Camp Cuddly Pines Power Tool Massacre. On Jan. 13, 2007, her career reached yet another pinnacle of success, as she supplemented her duties as the host of the 2007 AVN Awards by taking home trophies for Best Actress  Film (for Armstrong's Manhunters) and Best All-Girl Sex Scene (for FUCK). Her 2008 AVN Nominations included Best Actress for Ravens Delilah, Best Supporting Actress for Love Always (for which she also penned the screenplay), and three sex scene noms for her work in The Craving.

Even a glance at her track record reveals this actress to be one of adult's most precious assets. After all, this is a woman who has spent time in Sacramento meeting with state legislators on behalf of the Free Speech Coalition, and it's the same woman who graced a photo essay commissioned by the U.N. in 2005. She has appeared in Premiere, Chord and Stuff magazines, been profiled on HBOs Pornucopia, done radio with metal legends Anthrax, danced on-stage with Kid Rock, worked on the FOX TV series Skin, appeared on Maxim Radio and G4's Attack of the Show, walked the red carpet at the Grammy Awards, and been featured on Late Night With David Letterman. Other TV appearances include pieces on AMC's Sunday Morning Shootout, The Tyra Banks Show and Criss Angels Mind Freak.

As a director, jessica is developing a host of projects that continue the tradition of her filmmaking debut, What Girls Like. Its a path she prepared for by assistant directing such Armstrong shows as Coming Home and writing the screenplays for Love Always, Just Between Us and Dating 101. As a performer, she continues to thrill fans in titles like Hush, 2040 and, of course, Speed. For the 2011 AVN Awards, drake's 3 Days in June garnered Best Feature and Best Screenplay nominations, as well as acting nods for drake and Dane Cross.

Bio provided by Wicked Pictures

Keep up with jessica drake online at:

jessicadrake.com

twitter.com/thejessicadrake
2016 AVN All-Girl Performer of the Year



Shyla Jennings was born in Germany but now calls Texas home. Since entering the industry in 2010, she has remained strictly a girl/girl and solo performer, and much of her best work has been shot by Girlfriends Films. Among the movies she has starred in are Net Skirts 4.0, Lesbian Seductions 33 and Lesbian House Hunters 3, all from Girlfriends.

She also graced the cover of Hustler Video's Barely Legal 102, and her scene in it with Tiffany Taylor was described by AVN's Max Schwartz as "nad-scorching." But it's not just adult critics who are enamored with Shylaher work resonates with fans, as well. In February 2011, her movie Poor Little Shyla (yet another Girlfriends production), was deemed the most successful video-on-demand release ever for HotMovies.com.

Shyla Jennings is represented by OC Modeling. Find more of her at:

www.shylajennings.com

twitter.com/missjenningsxxx

facebook.com/whoashyla


The entire 52-km stretch along the Yamuna has been categorised as the Ozone area, which is vulnerable to air and water pollution.

The horticulture department will develop the area for nurseries to take control of the land from encroachers.

By Ajay Kumar: There could be a massive green lung for Delhi if the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has its way. With encroachers from 15 villages polluting the land along the Yamuna after every monsoon, the DDA has come up with a plan to clean it up.

The agency is all set to hand over 4,500 acres to the horticulture department, which will be tasked to maintain greenery along the belt. According to a senior DDA official, the decision has been given the final shape to meet the National Green Tribunal's 2015 decision in which it had directed the agency and the Delhi government to drive away encroachers along the 52-km stretch from the Haryana border to Madanpur Khadar village in southeast Delhi.

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"It has been observed that residents of 15 villages such as Indirapat Bhogal, Garhi Mandu, Usmanpur, Chiraga Somali, Nangli, Jasola, Khizrabad, etc., are frequent encroachers after the monsoon. They construct makeshift hutments, dump garbages and are also involved in activities that could lead to air and water pollution," said the official.

READ | Sri Sri Ravishankar's AOL pays compensation for damaging Yamuna floodplains

WHAT IS YAMUNA REELING UNDER?

The entire 52-km stretch along the Yamuna has been categorised as the Ozone area, which is vulnerable to air and water pollution.

Hence, the NGT in its order on January 3, 2015, directed authorities concerned to 'protect the size, shape and natural resources of the riverbed'. The decision was upheld by Delhi High Court.

A part of the 4,500-acre land was also used by Shri Shri Ravi Shankar's outfit for the cultural event earlier this year. The Delhi HC had then expressed its displeasure following the event. Experts point out that Yamuna is highly polluted as sewage water of Gurgaon, Sonepat and Delhi contaminate the river. Villagers along the river are adding to the pollution even though the DDA had spent crores to remove them in the past.

READ | Sri Sri's Art of Living loses NGT plea on Rs 5 crore fine for Yamuna bank festival

"The anti-encroachment drive of the DDA costs around Rs 30 lakh every year. Therefore, it has decided to give the responsibility to a department which is accountable for protecting the areas from encroachers," the official said.

"The horticulture department will develop the area for nurseries to take control of the land from encroachers," he added. Besides villagers, several government establishments had allegedly encroached the land along the river in the past.

Such encroachments have been a recurring issue that even saw a bitter war between the Delhi government and DDA. The government had held the DDA responsible for the encroachments.

Government officials cite temporary structures set up during the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Akshardham temple and DTC precincts as some of the examples that affected the ecosystem in the area. However, an NGTappointed panel had said that structures like Akshardham temple and CWG Village should be treated as part of a special zone within the river zone.

--- ENDS ---
President-elect Donald Trump has built up a head of steam in filling out his new Cabinet and choosing other top national security and domestic advisers. He boasts that he is making good on his campaign pledges to shake up the Washington establishment and Make America Great Again.

But many Americans are highly uneasy with the Republican President-elects choices and generally pan his handling of the transition to a new government, according to a new survey of voter attitudes by the Pew Research Center.

Related: Trumps Choice to Head EPA Would Roll Back Environmental Regulations

Just 40 percent of the 1,502 adults surveyed between Nov. 30 and Dec. 5 said they approve of Trumps choice of Cabinet members and other high-level officials, while only 41 percent say they approve of the job he has done so far in articulating his policies and plans after he is sworn in as the 45th president Jan. 20.

While there are risks in comparing Trumps early post-election performance with those of his predecessors  especially in light of his highly unorthodox and combustible style  the public was far more approving of President Obamas cabinet choices in December 2008 and President George W. Bushs high-level appointments in January 2001, according to the report. Some 71 percent of Americans hailed Obamas choices at the time and 50 percent supported Bushs appointments.

Trump in rapid fashion is assembling a Cabinet that is heartening to his most ardent supporters who look to him as a conservative change agent on the economy, immigration, environmental protection and national defense. But his handiwork apparently is shocking to others who fear his nominations represent a jarring lurch to the right and the beginnings of a systematic dismantling of Obamas legacy on the economy, health care, the environment and national defense.

Trump frequently was dismissive about the quality of U.S. military leadership throughout the campaign. Yet he has picked four retired military officers for the most sensitive defense-related positions and is considering selecting one or two others for key posts. So far, he has named retired Marine Gen. James Mad Dog Mattis to be secretary of defense; retired Marine Gen. John F. Kelly to oversee the Department of Homeland Security; Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KN), an Army Gulf War veteran, to head the CIA, and retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn to be the new White House national security adviser.

Story continues

Related: Another Learn-on-the-Job Cabinet Nominee: Ben Carson to Run HUD

Trump also promised to drain the swamp of lobbyists and crony capitalism, and yet he already has chosen a handful of billionaire insiders to help him govern in Washington.

Those include Stephen K. Bannon, the alt-right Breitbart News executive chairman and former Goldman Sachs investment banker who will serve as Trumps White House senior counselor; Steven Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs partner and hedge fund operator who was tapped to be Treasury Secretary; and Betsy DeVos, a billionaire Michigan businesswoman and GOP political operative who will head the Department of Education.

Most alarming for some is that Trump has handpicked people for top jobs whose ideological, political and philosophical views and actions are anathemas to the mandates of the agencies they will now head. Scott Pruitt, the Oklahoma attorney general and arch foe of Obamas clean air and climate change policies, was picked to direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Ben Carson, the retired neurosurgeon and former GOP presidential candidate who voiced strong objections to Obamas efforts to promote some fair housing practices will be the new secretary of housing and urban development. House Budget Committee Chair Tom Price (R-GA), an arch foe of Obamacare, will be the new Health and Human Services Secretary. And Trump will name Andy Puzder, a fast-food executive and vociferous critic of federal workplace regulations -- including raising the minimum wage -- to head the U.S. Department of Labor.

Related: Trumps Choice to Head EPA Would Roll Back Environmental Regulations

The Pew survey results illustrate a nation still bitterly divided over an election in which Trump won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote to his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, by nearly 2.6 million. While Trump has vowed to unite the country and calm the fears of many, there is widespread uncertainty about how far he intends to go in making good on his more controversial campaign pledges.

Will he actually arrest and deport millions of illegal immigrants and build a wall along the southern border, as he promised? Will he make good on his pledge to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act while protecting Social Security and Medicare from cuts? How big a tax cut will he push through Congress and will it benefit the rich far more than middle-income Americans? And what about his plans to bar Muslims from entering the country or building up the military and crushing ISIS once and for all?

Overall, 35 percent of Americans think Trump will be a good or great president, according to the Pew findings. Another 18 percent say he will be just average. And 38 percent say he will be a poor or terrible president.

Trump was one of the most unpopular candidates to ever win the presidency, given the widespread doubts about his explosive temperament and his glaring lack of government experience. However, the latest assessments are far more positive than they were throughout the campaign.

For instance, in October, only 25 percent of the public said they thought he would make a good or great president, while 57 percent said he would be poor or terrible, according to Pew. Not surprisingly, Republicans are voicing more positive views about Trump as he moves closer to his inauguration Jan. 20, while even Democrats seem to have less negative expectations.

Related: Democrats Send a Warning to Trump: Dont Mess With Medicare

The survey also reveals another facet of the publics anxiety about the president-elect: While Trump surged to power with a totally unorthodox campaign style, including personal attacks on his rivals and a heavy reliance on social media, many Americans have had enough of those tactics. Instead, they want him to begin to behave in a more traditional presidential manner.

About eight in ten Americans, including many Republicans, say that once Trump takes office, he will need to be more cautious about the kinds of things he says and tweets.

Trump has continued to rely heavily on Twitter to get his message out, most recently using it to publicly chastise a union official in Indianapolis who challenged the president-elects claims to the number of jobs he helped save at a Carrier Corp. manufacturing plant. The United Steel Workers Local 1999 president, Chuck Jones, said he received threats after being criticized by Trump for doing a terrible job.

Just 15 percent of the public says there is no need for Trump to change the kinds of things he says and tweets, according to Pew. The rest of Americans say they are eager for a change in style.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Maha Energy AB (publ) Biblioteksgatan 1 SE-111 46 Stockholm www.mahaenergy.ca

Press release

Stockholm

9th December 2016

This press release is not for release, publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland or the United States, or in any other jurisdiction where distribution of this press release could be illegal or subject to legal restrictions. See also section IMPORTANT INFORMATION below.



Maha Energy AB ("Maha or the "Company") announces closings of acquisition of UP Petroleo Brasil Ltda (the Operator of the Tartaruga Field) and Petro Vista Energy Petroleo do Brasil Ltda.



Maha is pleased to announce the closing in escrow of its acquisition of 100% of UP Petroleo Brasil Ltda. ("UPP" or the "Operator") from TDC Engineering Inc. (the "UPP Acquisition") and 100% of Petro Vista Energy Petroleo do Brasil Ltda. (the "PVE Acquisition"; collectively the "Acquisitions") occurred today, December 9, 2016. Upon routine registration with the Province of Sergipe Commercial Board, which is expected within 10 working days, all escrow conditions will be released and closing completed at which time Maha (through its subsidiary), will become operator of the Tartaruga Field.

Upon closing of the UPP and PVE Acquisitions, Maha will have a 67.5% working interest in the Tartaruga field which is currently producing approximately (gross) 230 bbls/d. The remaining 7.5% working interest in the Tartaruga Field owned by TDC Engineering Inc. (through its subsidiary) will be closed pursuant to relevant contractual and accounting arrangements shortly after January 1st, 2017. The Company will issue a further update press release upon this event.

As earlier announced, in anticipation of these closings, the Company has been planning for a workover of the SES 107 well on the Tartaruga field. Upon release from escrow, the Company will commence securing equipment and services for the workover. The workover of SES 107 entails the removal of an existing production string and the recompletion of the well with a jet pump similar to the pump currently pumping oil on the adjacent 7-TTG well.

Jonas Lindvall, CEO of Maha Energy commented:

"We are very pleased to have finalized closing of our acquisition of the operated working interest in the Tartaruga Field in Brazil. With this major milestone, we look forward to continued organic growth at both our LAK (Wyoming) and Tartaruga (Brazil) projects as well as though future accretive acquisitions taking advantage of the current low oil commodity cycle. We will now proceed with the previously announced planned workover of the previously producing SES 107 well, which is scheduled to start in January, subject to services availability."

For more information, please contact:



Jonas Lindvall (CEO)

Tel: +1 403 454 7563

Email: jonas@mahaenergy.ca

or

Ron Panchuk

Tel: +1 403 454 7564

Email: ron@mahaenergy.ca

Miscellaneous

This information is published in accordance with the EU Market Abuse Regulation and/or the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact persons set out above on 9 December 2016, at 10:20 p.m. CET.

Maha in Brief

Maha Energy AB is a Swedish public limited liability company. Setterwalls Advokatbyra AB acts as legal adviser to the Company. FNCA Sweden AB has been engaged as Certified Adviser. The Company's auditors are Deloitte.

The Company's predecessor Maha Energy Inc was founded in 2013 in Calgary, Canada, by Jonas Lindvall and Ron Panchuk. In May 2016, the new group was formed with Maha Energy AB as parent company for purposes of the Offering and the planned listing. Jonas Lindvall, CEO and Managing Director, has 25 years of international experience in the oil and gas industry, starting his career with Lundin Oil during the early days of E&P growth. After 6 years at Shell and Talisman, Jonas joined, and helped secure the success, of Tethys Oil AB. Maha's strategy is to target and develop underperforming hydrocarbon assets in jurisdictions we are able to successfully operate. The Company operates two oil-fields, Tartaruga in Brazil and LAK Ranch, in Wyoming, US. For more information, please visit our website www.mahaenergy.ca.

Important Information

Publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, of this press release could in some jurisdictions be subject to restrictions according to law and recipients of this press release, or part of it, are required to inform themselves of, and comply with, such legal restrictions. This press release is not for release, publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland or the United States, or in any other jurisdiction where distribution of this press release could be illegal or subject to legal restrictions. Copies of this press release are not being made and may not be distributed or sent, in whole, or part, directly or indirectly, in violation of such restrictions. Failure to comply with such restrictions may constitute a criminal act under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (as amended) ("Securities Act") or applicable laws in other jurisdictions.
As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ
So sorry for your loss.

The holidays can be a tough time especially when someone we love is missing. I like to remind friends and family to celebrate life, remember those who are no longer with us, and embrace those that are.

Make sure you have an upbeat playlist ready to go. Perhaps with a few favorites of your missing family member. Be sure there is lots of great food and drink and plenty of candles.

Then raise a toast to those you love - here and gone.

Wishing you the happiest of holidays!

Ken
Important stuff you won't get from the liberal media! We do the surfing so you can be informed AND have a life!
Former SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo received threats before giving testimony at Parliaments ad hoc committee looking into the public broadcasters board, she has said.

During her hour-long testimony on Thursday, she indicated that there was certain information she did not want to divulge, as she was receiving threats. She did not elaborate.

The committee is conducting an inquiry into the SABC boards fitness to hold office.

Democratic Alliance MP Phumzile van Damme asked her if the threats were coming from people currently at the SABC, or former employees.

She did not want to say, and the committee moved on to other questions.

Chairperson Vincent Smith said he would discuss the possibility of Mokhobos giving testimony in camera with her afterward.

Parliament to aid with security

On Friday, the ad hoc committee considered Mokhobos proposal of giving specific testimony in camera.

Smith said that after giving the matter much thought overnight, he was concerned about having some testimony behind closed doors.

Despite the nature of the testimony that could be revealed, he said it was better that Parliament conducted its business transparently, as prescribed by the Constitution.

It would not be fair on the previous five witnesses for future sessions to be held in camera, he said.

He however stressed the need to protect Mokhobo from threats.

Strong message

MPs were asked to reach a consensus, and they agreed with Smith. They said witnesses should be protected as well.

We must send a very strong message to whomever threatened Ms Mokhobo, Economic Freedom Fighters MP Fana Mokoena said.

African National Congress MP Jabu Mahlangu said the committee should help Mokhobo lay charges with the police and ensure she got protection.

No testimony would be conducted in camera, the committee resolved. The matter of helping witnesses would be discussed separate to the hearings.

Update  Minister got too close to the action at SABC, says former board member

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi acted unlawfully when she amended the SABC boards memorandum of incorporation (MOI), former board member Krish Naidoo has testified.

Naidoo, who resigned from the board publicly on October 5, was testifying under oath before Parliaments ad hoc committee looking into the fitness of the SABC board on Friday.

He affirmed what former colleague Vusi Mavuso testified on Thursday, that Muthambi had amended the memorandum in October 2014 to take group executive appointments from the boards oversight, and had given it to the three chief executives.

The problem with the MOI is that it was done in contravention of the Broadcasting Act and to some extent the Constitution, he told MPs.

The amendment needed the signatures of all the board members, but was only signed by Muthambi.

Informed of decisions

He said there was a large turnover of executive staff following Muthambis amendment in October 2014.

Youd turn up to board meetings and find all these new people there, and ask what happened to Joe Soap of this position?

The board had no say, from then onward, with regard to group executive appointments, and was just informed of the decisions.

He said the problem was that acting officials were holding very senior positions.

Naidoo said three former board members were illegally ejected from the board following their disapproval of Hlaudi Motsoenengs permanent appointment as chief operating officer in July 2014.

They received no help from the portfolio committee of communications at the time, he said.

He described the way the board had also, unsuccessfully, tried to get rid of him.

Resignation threat

Board chairperson Mbulaheni Maguvhe, in a board meeting in 2014, warned him that his behaviour had become worrisome and that he was being disruptive in meetings.

Naidoo threatened to resign in the meeting.

Maguvhe phoned him later and said he was an asset and shouldnt dare think of resigning.

The next day, he received a letter from Muthambi, citing Naidoos alleged behaviour as an issue.

He replied and said the ministers actions boarded on illegality.

In short, I asked the honourable minister to reconsider her action. I havent heard from her again.

MPs asked him what he thought a ministers role should be at the public broadcaster.

The role of the minister should be one of political oversight. I just think she came to close to the action at the SABC.

News24
[December 09, 2016] Peloton Applauds Michigan for National Leadership in Advancing Truck Safety & Efficiency with Deployment of Driver-Assistive Commercial Truck Platooning

Peloton Technology, a connected and automated vehicle technology company dedicated to improving the safety and efficiency of freight transportation, applauded Michigan Governor Rick Snyder's (News - Alert) signing of S.B. 995 into law today. The legislation authorizes electronically-coordinated truck platooning on Michigan roads by creating an exception to the state's required minimum following distance for commercial vehicles of 500 feet. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161209005499/en/ The Peloton platooning system was demonstrated at the ITS World Congress held in September 2014 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Business Wire) "With the signing of this landmark law, Michigan now leads the nation in the rollout of commercial truck platooning," said Josh Switkes, CEO of Peloton Technology, a developer of connected and automated vehicle systems. "We are proud to be working with forward-looking state leaders like those in Michigan who prioritize prudent, driver-assistive truck automation systems that will provide strong economic benefits and improve the safe, efficient movement of goods." A minority of the states in the U.S. have numeric minimum following distances that apply to commercial vehicles, ranging from 100 feet to 500 feet. These rules represent a hurdle to truck platooning, which integrates technologies including vehicle-to-vehicle communications, adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance systems which did not exist at the time the rules were enacted. These new technologies significantly improve the safety of commercial vehicles while also allowing for closer prudent following distances, as the rear truck in a platoon can respond to braking by the lead truck in approximately 10 milliseconds, bypassing a lag in driver perception and reaction time. "We are committed to advancing safety and efficiency in commercial trucking operations and accelerating the economic benefits that result from improving the movement of goods," said Kirk Steudle, director of the Michigan Department of Transportation. "Michigan is proud to be a leader in paving the way for the deployment and growth of vehicle platooning technologies." Under the new law, the Michigan Department of Transportationand Michigan State Police will review plans submitted to the agencies by the operators of platoons before vehicles are allowed to platoon on the state's roads.



The law also requires that truck platoons allow access for other vehicles to move safely between platooning trucks. In addition, drivers holding a valid commercial driver license must be behind the wheel of every truck in a platoon. "It is tremendous to see this leadership by Michigan which will accelerate progress across the nation. We are actively working with Michigan to develop our plan for initial and ongoing platooning operations in the state," said Steve Boyd, Peloton's VP of external affairs. "Our plan includes early activities to promote public awareness on the key role of professional drivers in our truck platooning system and the safety, efficiency and mobility benefits that this technology provides to fleets and the public."

Peloton previously held a multi-day demonstration of its driver-assistive platooning system in Michigan in September 2014, in partnership with Tier 1 automotive suppliers DENSO (News - Alert) and Meritor WABCO, during the World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems hosted by Detroit. Since then, Peloton has expanded its partnerships with truck manufacturers and suppliers and is currently safety validating production-level hardware. While 11 other states have approved testing and trial activity, Michigan is first in the country to support deployment of platooning in commercial fleet operations. Peloton is preparing a general plan for platooning operations to submit to the State of Michigan as required by the new law. Due to reach commercial trucking fleets in 2017, Peloton's two-truck system provides a wireless communications link between the active safety systems of heavy trucks, enabling pairs of trucks to coordinate their speeds and maintain a safe, aerodynamic following distance. The Peloton system intelligently orders pairs of trucks by weight and braking ability and determines their optimal following distance -- typically between 36 and 80 feet. The North American Council for Freight Efficiency has validated fuel savings from the Peloton system of 4.5% for the lead truck and 10% for the follow truck in a two-truck platoon. Similar to adaptive cruise control, which already is used widely in the trucking industry, the Peloton system controls vehicle speed by applying automated brake and throttle commands. Drivers in a platoon retain steering control, and can choose to dissolve platooning in response to changing conditions. Platooning is a new approach to the long trucking tradition of team driving. Because it automates a single driving function -- speed -- while leaving other aspects of driving to professional truck drivers, the Peloton system qualifies as a Level 1 "driving automation system" under the J3016 definitions of the Society of Automotive Engineers International, which were adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in its Federal Automated Vehicles Policy issued in September 2016. The Peloton system employs DSRC, cellular LTE and WiFi communications to connect trucks to each other and to an Internet cloud-based Network Operations Center (NOC (News - Alert)) that provides continuous management and supervision of platoons. The NOC limits truck platooning to appropriate road, weather and traffic conditions. Its geo-fencing function will ensure that any platoons which are authorized to operate in Michigan can adjust operations before crossing into states that have different rules for platooning. Some nearby states, such as Ohio and Pennsylvania, have approved testing of platooning, while policy discussions are underway in Ohio and several other states towards commercial approval. Across the nation, states that have approved platooning testing or trials are Texas, Tennessee, California, Ohio, Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Utah. Note to editors: Photographs and video are available upon request. About Peloton Technology, Inc. Peloton is a connected and automated vehicle technology company dedicated to improving the safety and efficiency of the $700 billion U.S. trucking industry and other global automotive markets. Peloton creates partnerships with customers to provide and manage innovative tools for saving fuel, avoiding accidents, and improving operational insight through the use of connectivity, automation and data analytics. Based in Silicon Valley, Peloton is supported by investors including Volvo Group, DENSO International America, UPS, Nokia Growth Partners, Intel Capital (News - Alert), Magna, Lockheed Martin, Castrol InnoVentures, Lytx, Sand Hill Angels, Birchmere Ventures and Band of Angels. For more information, please visit www.peloton-tech.com and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @pelotontech. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161209005499/en/

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The latest MyBroadband speed test results show that BitCo had the fastest average download speed of all fibre-based ISPs over the past month.

MyBroadbands speed test servers make use of 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, real-world results.

The table below shows the fibre ISPs with the fastest average download speeds, based on over 9,000 speed tests.

Rank ISP Download Speed Upload Speed 1 BitCo 859.7 Mbps 855.04 Mbps 2 XDSL 834.16 Mbps 692.92 Mbps 3 RSAWEB 636.9 Mbps 794.81 Mbps 4 MTN Business 431.91 Mbps 590.7 Mbps 5 Infinity Fibre 94.46 Mbps 28.23 Mbps 6 SEACOM 87.9 Mbps 92.22 Mbps 7 MWEB 68.26 Mbps 7.41 Mbps 8 iConnect 50.01 Mbps 43.97 Mbps 9 Axxess 46.1 Mbps 33.89 Mbps 10 Cool Ideas 40.35 Mbps 37.11 Mbps

Now read: Faster fibre speeds from Cybersmart in 2017
Diaspora-Armenian winemaker Vahe Keushguerian plans to open a sparkling wine factory in Khachik border village, in Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia.

Keushguerian told Armenian News-NEWS.am that he plans to open this factory in the coming year.

His Keush company has been producing wine in capital city Yerevan. But, now, he wishes to produce it where the needed grape is collected, so that he would not have to transport it all the way to Yerevan.

The Khachik village prefect has allocated for this factory the building of a warehouse not far from the village.

They wish to work on location starting from next year, and prepare wine material for champagne.

Thus, Armenia could become the country that produces the worlds highest mountainous classic champagne, added Vahe Keushguerian.

Khachik village is located 1,800 to 1,850 meters above sea level.
Jaguar station wagon from Elizabeth II fleet to be sold at auction

IMF plans to provide more than $165 million to Armenia

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Armenia, Russia to collaborate in information security

Artsakh State Minister: There are many principal disagreements with Armenian authorities

Armenian-Russian trade turnover up by 71.7%, Economy Minister

Secretaries of CIS Security Councils to discuss nuclear security

Economy minister: Armenia exports to other EEU countries increased 2 times

Japan Coast Guard reports 3 North Korean missile launches in a day

Pashinyan says Armenian government did a lot for revival of Armenian aviation

Oil falls in price

WSJ: Americans favor Republicans over Democrats

Turkey announces normalization of grain corridor

Gold prices are down

Putin calls on CIS countries security councils to use all their security capabilities

SPRING PR founders were awarded the "Global PR Leader of the year"

Copper prices are rising

State Duma member proposes to extend term of military service in Russia

Iranian MPs: Powerful Iran will never tolerate changing of its borders

Turkey to complete construction of pipeline in Black Sea in November

Newspaper: Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty to be signed in Georgia

US delivers more than 200 artillery systems to Ukraine since February

Secretary of Armenian Security Council to visit Moscow

Switzerland to direct $100 million to repair energy infrastructure in Ukraine

Study: Blue whales eat 10 million particles of microplastics a day

Microsoft president warns of shortage of staff to fight climate change

Latvia extends state of emergency on Belarus border

WSJ: UAE tried to convince Saudi Arabia not to cut oil production

Cavusoglu: Greece must stop arming the demilitarized islands in the Aegean Sea

Moody's downgrades outlook for banks in Germany, Italy, and 4 other countries to negative

About 40 international companies to announce their relocation to UAE by end of year

Israeli Prime Minister cancels participation in climate summit in Egypt

Earthquake strikes in Antalya

Polish manufacturing output falls amid economic uncertainty

IEF: Oil price to exceed $100 due to EU sanctions against Russia

Regnum Agency suspends its work

Iranian MFA denies information about country's planned attack on Saudi Arabia

Lebanon: U.S. guarantees will protect maritime border agreement with Israel if Netanyahu wins

Belarusian MFA responds to Armenia after reaction to statements of Alexander Lukashenko

Azerbaijani propaganda machine launches anti-Iranian rumors in social networks

National interest: Why China fears the emerging Turkic alliance

Lavrov and Abdollahian discuss situation in Persian Gulf zone and South Caucasus

Erdogan and Aliyev discuss results of Sochi meeting of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders

Goldman Sachs predicts that natural gas prices in Europe will fall by about 30%

White House alleges Iran's plans to supply Russia with surface-to-surface missiles

Iran to send delegation to Vienna to strengthen relations with IAEA

Iranian Foreign Minister to discuss state of nuclear deal negotiations with Borrell

Putin: Russia is ready to supply grain to the poorest countries even without participation in the deal

First list of Armenian servicemen killed as result of Azerbaijan's September aggression is published

Pentagon to supply Vampire anti-drone system to AFU

Russian Foreign Ministry issues statement on prevention of nuclear war

Xi Jinping confirms China's readiness to invest in Pakistan

Kuzmina: I don't agree that Armenia's economy will be swept away if the borders with Turkey are opened

Poland to build wall on border with Kaliningrad

Garo Paylan proposes opening Armenian-Turkish border

Eduard Solovyov: Russia stated extreme undesirability of close contacts between Baku and NATO countries

Zelenskyy: Threat of use of nuclear weapons by Russia exists and it is not related to non-compliance with ultimatums

Danish Prime Minister resigns

IRNA: Azerbaijani State Security Service reacted nervously to Pashinyan's visit to Tehran

FLYONE ARMENIA to start operating flights on the route Yerevan - Beirut Yerevan

Moscow to host meeting of Secretaries of CIS Security Councils

Armenian MFA considers it inappropriate to comment on Lukashenko's rambling statements

Dollar rises, euro falls in Armenia

Makredonov: The Sochi summit showed that it is it's too early to write Russia off

Biden's threat to impose profit tax on oil companies is more of boast than threat

Vadim Mukhanov: Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh are one of main points of negotiations

Russia analyst describes Karabakh Armenians fate if Western version of peace treaty is signed

Armenia MFA: Lukashenko statement is disconnected from reality

Russia MFA spox comments on Zangezur corridor prospects

Voytolovsky: Both sides will have weighty reasons to extend Russia peacekeepers mission in Karabakh

Armenia finance minister: Expenditure for PM's office will be reduced next year

Finance minister: Expenses for needs of parliament staff, Armenia President will increase considerably in 2023

Zakharova on meeting of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs in Sochi

Armenian President congratulates Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Azerbaijani special forces conduct exercises on border with Iran

Armenia defense minister meets with head of EU monitoring mission

Nikol Pashinyan: It is necessary to continue the work to reduce cash turnover

Russia resumes its participation in grain deal

UK shortage of F-35 fighter pilots

Premier: Ministry of Internal Affairs, Foreign Intelligence Service will be established in Armenia in 2023

Shoigu: The NATO grouping near Russia's borders has grown 2.5 times since February

New Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad hopes to continue talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran

Security Council chief receives head of EU monitoring capacity mission to Armenia

Pashinyan: Armenia-Azerbaijan borders existence was recorded both in Sochi and Prague

Second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan to take part in rally on November 5

Canada to welcome 500,000 immigrants a year by 2025

Armenia PM: Communication difficulties, challenges in relations with Turkey have been overcome

Pashinyan: Armenian side suggests extending mandate of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh

MFA: Armenia has no misunderstandings with Iran

Russia position on Karabakh status corresponds to Armenia government approach, PM says

Pashinyan: Armenia attaches great importance to further development, deepening of relations with Brazil

Premier: Armenia defense spending will increase by 113% in 2023 compared to 2018

Deputy PM Grigoryan to attend Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation, security commissions 3rd meeting

Pashinyan: Armenia has set new record for registered jobs

Nikol Pashinyan: Armenia coped so well with COVID-19 consequences

Israir Airlines launches flights between Tel Aviv, Yerevan

Armenia envoy briefs UK House of Commons defense committee chair on impact of recent Azerbaijan attack

Israel urged to get rid of nuclear weapons

PM: Armenia's economy is booming today

Seoul, Pyongyang launch missiles
The European Union is not exploring the option of imposing sanctions on Turkey.

Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Maja Kocijancic, told the aforementioned in response to Armenian News  NEWS.am inquiry.

In her words, the EU and its Member States are following the most recent developments in Turkey with grave concern.

''We have called Turkey, as a candidate country, to observe the highest standards in the rule of law and fundamental rights. The Turkish authorities undertook clear commitments to this end,'' Maja Kocijancic said. According to her, the European Union is in contacts with the Turkish authorities at all levels. ''We need to keep the channels open, at the same time we need full clarity from our Turkish partners,'' the spokesperson added.

Earlier, Foreign Minister of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn called on the EU to impose economic sanctions on Turkey in connection with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's policy in regard to the opposition and journalists.

The Minister recalled that 50 percent of Turkey's export goes to the EU countries, 60 percent of investments in Turkey coming from the EU. "This is an unlimited means of pressure, and at some point we will not give up the use of this means of pressure," he noted.
[December 09, 2016] Online Language Learning in the US - Market Drivers and Forecasts from Technavio

Technavio analysts forecast the online language learning market in the US to grow at a CAGR of almost 9% during the forecast period, according to their latest report. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161209005026/en/ Technavio publishes a new market research report on the online language learning market in the US from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire) The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the online language learning market in the US for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, Technavio analysts consider the revenue generated from the sales of foreign language learning products and services provided by online language learning providers. The widespread penetration of smartphones and mobile devices and increased Internet accessibility have boosted the online education system. This has led to the evolution of m-learning. Consequently, many foreign language learning mobile apps are developed to provide online language courses to end-users. All these fundamental developments in schools and colleges are encouraging language learning companies to invest in software, which can provide language learning solutions to diverse student population base in the US. Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=54868 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. Technavio education analysts highlight the following four factors that are contributing to the growth of the online language learning market in the US: Flexibility in learning

Significant demand from organizations

Increase in m-learning

Cloud-based language learning ervices



Flexibility in learning Language learning through digital modes provides flexibility in terms of accessing the information, completing the course, and ability to access information anytime and anywhere. It has proven to be advantageous not only to students and institutions but also to faculty members and mentors. With the introduction of smartphones, tablets, and other devices, people can access the Internet anywhere and anytime. This has paved avenues for mobile-based accessibility of language courses.

Jhansi Mary, a lead education technology research analyst at Technavio, says, "Language learning through cloud platforms has brought portability and flexibility in terms of accessing content from anywhere and anytime. Hence, any learner equipped with a computing device and Internet connection can avail language learning services and courses." Significant demand from organizations Companies in the US are extending their workspaces to improve collaboration pertaining to project and task management among teams locally and globally. The workplace environment has become both globally and culturally diverse with organizations having an extensive geographical presence. For successful expansion into emerging economies that hold promising growth options, knowledge of languages that are most commonly used for business communication plays an important role. "MNCs recruit employees from around the globe, bringing multi-lingual employees onboard. This helps them achieve business development, better customer service, and improved revenues. Language learning also helps them to collaborate with foreign clients while fostering stronger relationships, especially with large corporations," adds Jhansi. Increase in m-learning The use of mobile technology and applications among corporates and institutions has enhanced connectivity and productivity of employees and students. The adoption of devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops has increased the use of the mobile Internet that has made communication easier and more cost-effective. M-learning is playing a similar role in the education industry. Further, as enterprises are adopting the BYOD policy to enhance productivity, the demand for mobile devices surges. Hence, the vendors of language learning products use mobile apps as a strong medium of content delivery and content centralization to reduce logistical costs. These apps use interactive graphics and animations in a digital format to help learners. Cloud-based language learning services The technology-aided learning environment, be it classrooms or workspaces, has facilitated smooth knowledge delivery. The entire ecosystem of storing, managing, and accessing information is fast shifting to the cloud. The adoption of the cloud-based services for language learning plays a major role in boosting the growth of the online language learning market in the US. Top vendors: Linguatronics

Pearson ELT

Rosetta Stone

Sanako Browse Related Reports: Global Online Language Learning Market 2016-2020

Global Generic E-learning Courses Market 2016-2020

Global Digital Classroom 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161209005026/en/

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[December 09, 2016] Sterne Kessler Recognized by Financial Times as One of 2016's Most Innovative Law Firms

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C. is pleased to announce that the firm has been recognized as winner of the Financial Times' Most Innovative North American Law Firms 2016 award in the category of "Use of Technology." Reporting on Sterne Kessler's innovative docketing app that was ranked first out of eight recognized firms, the editors noted that the app, "Allows lawyers to make patent applications faster, manage risk better, and track lawyer performance metrics from their mobile phones." With the goal of streamlining the docketing process, a Sterne Kessler team created an iPhone and Android compatible mobile docketing app that is completely secure and uses the Six Sigma approach to ensure quality, reduce process time, and cut costs associated with patent prosecution. The app features an intuitive user interface and is accurate on a real-time basis, allowing our attorneys to track the U.S. and international patent systems and track over 100,000 dates and deadlines.



Robert K. Burger , chief operating officer of Sterne Kessler. "Since there is no software on the market (that we know of) that specifically allows IP attorneys to monitor and track important deadlines from their smart phones, we set out to create one," said Shawn Mitkowski, chief information officer. "We're proud to support our attorneys in providing top-notch service to our clients, and to be acknowledged with the FT award is an honor, " said Katrina Braden-Elliott, manager of practice support systems.

About Financial Times' Most Innovative North American Law Firms Awards

The annual Financial Times "Innovative Lawyers" program recognizes law firms for innovation in a variety of practice areas based on the originality of legal work, the rationale behind strategy, and the impact of the work on clients' business. Telephone interviews and feedback from clients and independent references are used to assess each nominee. The report is compiled in partnership with RSG Consulting and is the only legal industry ranking of lawyers by innovation. To view the Financial Times' "Innovative Lawyers North America 2016" report, click here. About Sterne Kessler

Founded in 1978 and based in Washington, D.C., Sterne Kessler is dedicated exclusively to the protection, transfer and enforcement of intellectual property rights. Our team of attorneys, registered patent agents, students and technical specialists include some of the country's most respected practitioners of intellectual property law. Most of our professionals hold an advanced level degree, including 55 masters degrees and more than 60 with a doctorate in science or engineering. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161209/447577LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sterne-kessler-recognized-by-financial-times-as-one-of-2016s-most-innovative-law-firms-300376145.html SOURCE Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox

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[December 09, 2016] Fitch Affirms Maryville University of Saint Louis, MO Bonds at 'BBB+'

Fitch Ratings has affirmed its 'BBB+' rating on the outstanding $21 million series 2015 Missouri Health and Educational Facilities Authority educational facilities revenue bonds, issued on behalf of Maryville University of Saint Louis (Maryville). The Rating Outlook is Stable. SECURITY The bonds are secured by a mortgage and security interest in Maryville's campus property and its unrestricted receivables (UR). UR includes all unrestricted revenue, tuition and unrestricted gifts and is equivalent to a general obligation of the university. The bonds have a fully funded debt service reserve. KEY RATING DRIVERS STRONG FINANCIAL OPERATIONS: The university continued positive operating margins in fiscal 2016, supported by enrollment growth and expense management. The fiscal 2016 operating margin was solid at 6.7%, and management projects positive results for fiscal 2017. ENROLLMENT AND NET (News - Alert) TUITION REVENUE GROWTH: FTE enrollment increased about 9% to 4,151 in fall 2016 (fiscal 2017), continuing a growth trend from new on-line and graduate programs. Undergraduate enrollment - most of which is full-time - also grew. Net tuition revenue has increased in each of the last six fiscal years. ADEQUATE BALANCE SHEET: Maryville's fiscal 2016 balance sheet ratios remain consistent with those of peer private universities rated by Fitch. Available funds were 68% of expenses and 79% of debt. MODERATELY HIGH DEBT BURDEN: The university's maximum annual debt service (MADS) burden is moderately high but manageable, and is moderating over time. Strong operating results and pro forma MADS coverage, as well as limited additional debt plans, are partially mitigating factors. RATING SENSITIVITIES ENROLLMENT SUPPORTS OPERATIONS: The rating assumes stable to modest enrollment increases at Maryville University of St. Louis, MO that support growth in net tuition revenue and positive operating margins. Revenues remain highly dependent on net student revenue, making the university vulnerable to enrollment shifts. BALANCE SHEET STABLE: Significant reduction of Maryville's balance sheet ratios relative to either debt or expenses could lead to a negative rating action. CREDIT PROFILE Maryville is a non-profit private university affiliated with the Religious of the Sacred Heart. The institution was established in St. Louis in 1872, moved to suburban St. Louis County in 1961, and converted to university status in 1991. The main campus is located about 22 miles from St. Louis, and the university also leases academic space for evening and non-traditional programs. ENROLLMENT DRIVES OPERATIONS FTE enrollment in fall 2016 was 4,151, up more than 8% from fall 2015 and up about 60% since fall 2011. Growth has primarily come from the graduate and non-traditional programs, including on-line and professional offerings. Undergraduate enrollment has been fairly stable, with modest growth over time at around 2,400 FTE students. Maryville is historically a commuter institution, with a mix of full-time and part-time students. Over the last nine years, undergraduate enrollment has become more residential. A new dormitory opened in fall 2016, and management reports that 69% of traditional freshmen live on campus. The college of health professions enrolls the largest proportion of students, about 64% of FTE enrollment. Undergraduate and graduate programs include nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language pathology, and healthcare practice management. Among its online programs, the college includes various business, accounting, cyber security and advanced practice nursing degrees. POSITIVE OPERATING PERFORMANCE Maryville's operations rely heavily on student-generated revenues, typically over 90%, which is similar to other liberal arts colleges. The growing graduate/on-line enrollment component adds both revenue diversity and potential cyclicality. GAAP operating results have been strong in recent years. Operating margins were 6.7% in fiscal 2016, 6.2% in fiscal 2015, and 6.4% in 2014. Similar results are projected for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2017. Net tuition revenue increased in each of the last six years, with another increase projected for fiscal 2017. Revenue growth has been driven largely by graduate and on-line enrollment. Management chose not to increase undergraduate tuition in fiscal 2017 and also simplified its fee structure; recent tuition increases had been in the 2.5%-4.5% range. The university budgets conservatively; budgets include depreciation expense, conservative enrollment assumptions, and various expense contingencies. Maryville has posted sound annual MADS coverage for the last seven years, including 2.5x in fiscal 2016, and 2.0x in fiscal 2015. The university has no additional debt plans at this time, and anticipates funding capital projects from gifts and capital budget allocations. ADEQUATE AVAILABLE FUNDS Available funds (AF), defined by Fitch as cash and investments less permanently restricted net assets, remain consistent with the rating category. The university has funded various capital improvements with gifts and internal revenues in recent years, including fiscal 2016, essentially constraining AF ratios. AF was $52 million in fiscal 2016, down from $59 million in 2015. This calculation includes quasi endowment (about $30.5 million), but not restricted endowment (about $16 million). Fiscal 2016 AF was 68% of expenses and 79% of outstanding debt (about $65 million). These ratios are consistent with peer Fitch-rated private colleges and universities. DEBT BURDEN ABOVE AVERAGE BUT MANAGEABLE MADS is $5.6 million in 2031 due to a double-maturity; this amount will decrease slightly when the series 2006 refunding becomes effective in calendar 2017. Before the 2031 MADS date, however, annual debt service is closer to $4.4 million. MADS burden represented a moderately high 6.8% of fiscal 2016 operating revenues (moderating from 7.5% in fiscal 2015, and 8.3% in fscal 2014 due to significant budget growth). Annual debt service of $4.4 million was more moderate at 4.4%. Fitch considers the university's debt burden to be mitigated in part by strong operating margins and debt service coverage.



In 2015 the university refunded its fixed-rate series 2006 bonds in a fixed-rate private placement. The pricing is locked in but does not become effective until 2017, at the time of the series 2006 call date. The private placement is on parity with the series 2015 bonds and management confirms there are no additional bond covenants. BOND SECURITY

The series 2015 bonds are on parity with outstanding debt, secured under a Master Trust Indenture. Outstanding debt, including some leases but excluding a forward refunding, is about $65 million. Bond covenants include a 1.lx annual debt service coverage covenant, an additional bonds test of two-year historical net income covering pro forma debt service by 1.2x, and a liquidity covenant of 65%. Additionally, the series 2015 bonds have a debt service reserve. When the forward-refunding of the series 2006 bonds becomes effective in calendar 2017, a liquidity escalation provision required by a bond insurance policy will be eliminated. The escalation would have started in fiscal 2018, building by 5% annually from 65% until 100% is achieved. University bonds are fixed-rate with the exception of a privately placed $13.2 million series 2010 variable-rate bond (about 21% of debt is variable rate). The series 2010 bonds are also issued under the Master Trust Indenture, and have a variable- to fixed rate swap contract through 2022 (no collateral posting is required). The bond's variable index rate is fixed through March 2017, at which time a mandatory index tender is possible. Fitch views Maryville as having sufficient liquidity (AF of $52 million in fiscal 2016) relative to a potential put of about $12.6 million at that time. Additional information is available at www.fitchratings.com Applicable Criteria Revenue-Supported Rating Criteria (pub. 16 Jun 2014) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/750012 U.S. College and University Rating Criteria (pub. 12 May 2014) https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/748013 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1016257 Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1016257 Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/regulatory ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTPS://WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON (News - Alert) THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEB SITE AT WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA, AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE, AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE CODE OF CONDUCT SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE. Copyright  2016 by Fitch Ratings, Inc., Fitch Ratings Ltd. and its subsidiaries. 33 Whitehall Street, NY, NY 10004. Telephone: 1-800-753-4824, (212) 908-0500. Fax: (212) 480-4435. Reproduction or retransmission in whole or in part is prohibited except by permission. All rights reserved. In issuing and maintaining its ratings and in making other reports (including forecast information), Fitch relies on factual information it receives from issuers and underwriters and from other sources Fitch believes to be credible. Fitch conducts a reasonable investigation of the factual information relied upon by it in accordance with its ratings methodology, and obtains reasonable verification of that information from independent sources, to the extent such sources are available for a given security or in a given jurisdiction. The manner of Fitch's factual investigation and the scope of the third-party verification it obtains will vary depending on the nature of the rated security and its issuer, the requirements and practices in the jurisdiction in which the rated security is offered and sold and/or the issuer is located, the availability and nature of relevant public information, access to the management of the issuer and its advisers, the availability of pre-existing third-party verifications such as audit reports, agreed-upon procedures letters, appraisals, actuarial reports, engineering reports, legal opinions and other reports provided by third parties, the availability of independent and competent third- party verification sources with respect to the particular security or in the particular jurisdiction of the issuer, and a variety of other factors. Users of Fitch's ratings and reports should understand that neither an enhanced factual investigation nor any third-party verification can ensure that all of the information Fitch relies on in connection with a rating or a report will be accurate and complete. Ultimately, the issuer and its advisers are responsible for the accuracy of the information they provide to Fitch and to the market in offering documents and other reports. In issuing its ratings and its reports, Fitch must rely on the work of experts, including independent auditors with respect to financial statements and attorneys with respect to legal and tax matters. Further, ratings and forecasts of financial and other information are inherently forward-looking and embody assumptions and predictions about future events that by their nature cannot be verified as facts. As a result, despite any verification of current facts, ratings and forecasts can be affected by future events or conditions that were not anticipated at the time a rating or forecast was issued or affirmed. The information in this report is provided "as is" without any representation or warranty of any kind, and Fitch does not represent or warrant that the report or any of its contents will meet any of the requirements of a recipient of the report. A Fitch rating is an opinion as to the creditworthiness of a security. This opinion and reports made by Fitch are based on established criteria and methodologies that Fitch is continuously evaluating and updating. Therefore, ratings and reports are the collective work product of Fitch and no individual, or group of individuals, is solely responsible for a rating or a report. The rating does not address the risk of loss due to risks other than credit risk, unless such risk is specifically mentioned. Fitch is not engaged in the offer or sale of any security. All Fitch reports have shared authorship. Individuals identified in a Fitch report were involved in, but are not solely responsible for, the opinions stated therein. The individuals are named for contact purposes only. A report providing a Fitch rating is neither a prospectus nor a substitute for the information assembled, verified and presented to investors by the issuer and its agents in connection with the sale of the securities. Ratings may be changed or withdrawn at any time for any reason in the sole discretion of Fitch. Fitch does not provide investment advice of any sort. Ratings are not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Ratings do not comment on the adequacy of market price, the suitability of any security for a particular investor, or the tax-exempt nature or taxability of payments made in respect to any security. Fitch receives fees from issuers, insurers, guarantors, other obligors, and underwriters for rating securities. Such fees generally vary from US$1,000 to US$750,000 (or the applicable currency equivalent) per issue. In certain cases, Fitch will rate all or a number of issues issued by a particular issuer, or insured or guaranteed by a particular insurer or guarantor, for a single annual fee. Such fees are expected to vary from US$10,000 to US$1,500,000 (or the applicable currency equivalent). The assignment, publication, or dissemination of a rating by Fitch shall not constitute a consent by Fitch to use its name as an expert in connection with any registration statement filed under the United States securities laws, the Financial Services and Markets Act of 2000 of the United Kingdom, or the securities laws of any particular jurisdiction. Due to the relative efficiency of electronic publishing and distribution, Fitch research may be available to electronic subscribers up to three days earlier than to print subscribers. For Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and South Korea only: Fitch Australia Pty Ltd holds an Australian financial services license (AFS license no. 337123) which authorizes it to provide credit ratings to wholesale clients only. Credit ratings information published by Fitch is not intended to be used by persons who are retail clients within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161209005740/en/

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Four suspected Islamic militants were arrested and a bomb safely detonated on the outskirts of Jakarta on Saturday, police said, adding that it looked likely the group was planning a major attack on the city. Police also believe the group has links to an Indonesian militant fighting with the Islamic State group in Syria who is thought to have orchestrated a deadly terror attack on Jakarta in January. "We suspect the target was a vital location in Central Jakarta" on Sunday, national police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar, told Metro TV. A woman was arrested in a boarding house where the three-kilogram bomb encased in a pressure cooker was discovered while two men were arrested in a separate location in Jakarta. A fourth person, a man believed to be the bomb-maker, was arrested in central Java island, according to police. Bekasi police chief Umar Surya Fana told Metro TV that the group was strongly believed to be linked to Bahrun Naim, the Indonesian militant currently in Syria believed to be behind the January attack. Four civilians were killed in that dramatic attack -- the first claimed by IS in Southeast Asia -- which saw a suicide bomber blow himself up in a Starbucks and security forces battle gun-toting militants. A sustained crackdown in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, weakened many of the most dangerous extremist networks responsible for a string of deadly homegrown attacks during the 2000s. But there have been fears of a resurgence in militancy and police believe hundreds of Indonesians have travelled to Syria to fight with militant groups including IS.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella indicated Saturday he would move swiftly to appoint a new government, saying the country had pressing issues to address following Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's resignation. In comments that came against the backdrop of a looming banking crisis, Mattarella said the country needed a "fully functioning government" and that he would decide his course of action "in the coming hours". It was unclear however if there would be any announcement before Sunday. The statement followed three days of consultations with the country's political parties that failed to produce any consensus on what to do following Renzi's crushing defeat in a referendum on constitutional reform and subsequent resignation as prime minister. Opposition parties rejected the idea of a government of national unity, leaving Mattarella apparently with little option but to ask Renzi's Democratic Party (PD) to form a new administration. In a carefully-worded statement open to different interpretations, the president did not rule out an early election but said that could only happen after the "necessary harmonisation" of the differing rules currently governing votes for the country's two parliamentary chambers. "Our country needs a fully functioning government quickly," the head of state said. "We are faced with engagements, commitments and deadlines that have to be dealt with and respected. These consist of domestic, European and international engagements and deadlines." The only specific issue Mattarella referred to was reconstruction following a wave of earthquakes between August and October. But a politically toxic banking crisis will be the most pressing issue whoever succeeds Renzi as premier will have to deal with. - 'A failed government' - Renzi quit on Wednesday. On Friday, the European Central Bank decided to reject a request from Rome for more time to organise a private bailout for troubled lender Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS), a move that makes a politically difficult government rescue inevitable, according to analysts. Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni emerged as the pundits' favourite to be handed the task. But speculation continued to swirl about the possibility of the outgoing prime minister being re-appointed. Interior Minister Angelino Alfano, the leader of the PD's junior coalition partner, the New Centre Right, said there was no need to rush to elections. "The government is not like a yoghurt. It does not have a 'best-before' date," he said. But the populist Five Star movement, Italy's biggest opposition force, said there should be immediate elections. "Renzi and this government have failed. Nineteen million people voted no in the referendum ... whatever new government there is will have no legitimacy," said Giulia Grillo, the head of the movement's group in the Senate. - Renzi return opposed - BMPS shares slumped more than 10 percent on Friday, taking this year's slide in value to 85 percent. The bank's board was holding crisis talks over the weekend. Saving the world's oldest bank will be politically painful. Most analysts see it and other Italian banks as needing radical restructuring involving inevitable redundancies. And there are many small investors who have BMPS bonds who could see their savings slashed depending on the terms of the rescue deal. Under EU rules, creditors have to accept some losses as a condition of state aid being approved. Imposing losses at smaller banks last year hit Renzi's standing hard and was linked to at least one suicide. Italy's biggest bank, UniCredit, meanwhile is planning a major capital-raising operation of its own which may have to be repriced, delayed or pulled as a result of the current uncertainty. Among those who visited Mattarella on Saturday morning was Arturo Scotto, a lawmaker with the Left Ecology party (SEL), who warned that any attempt to reinstate Renzi would be greeted with fury. "It would be a provocation to voters who not only rejected his reforms but also delivered a damning judgement on his social, political and environmental policies," Scotto said. Veteran Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan, Renzi ally Graziano Delrio, and former anti-mafia prosecutor Pietro Grasso, are also being touted as possible new premiers.
A suicide bomber killed 35 soldiers and wounded around 50 on Saturday at a military camp in Yemen's southern city of Aden, military and medical sources said. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack. The bomber detonated his explosives belt as hundreds of troops gathered to receive their monthly pay at the barracks in Al-Sawlaban near the city's international airport, a military source said. "A martyr from the Islamic State denotated his explosives belt in Al-Sawlaban military camp in Aden during a gathering of the Yemeni army," the IS-affiliated Amaq news outlet said. Yemeni authorities have for months pressed a campaign against jihadists who remain active in the south and east of the war-torn country. IS and its jihadist rival Al-Qaeda have taken advantage of a conflict between the government and the Huthi rebels, who control the capital Sanaa, to bolster their presence across much of the south. The two groups have carried out a spate of attacks in Aden, Yemen's second city and headquarters of the internationally recognised government whose forces retook the port from the Huthis last year. Al-Qaeda has long been the dominant jihadist force in Yemen, located next to oil-flush Saudi Arabia and key shipping lanes, but experts say IS is seeking to supplant its extremist rival. In August an IS militant rammed his explosives-laden car into an army recruiting centre in Aden, killing 71 people in the deadliest jihadist attack on the city in over a year. On Monday, Yemeni authorities arrested eight suspected IS jihadists implicated in a spate of attacks targeting security personnel in the city this year. A Saudi-led coalition has since March 2015 supported loyalist forces fighting the Huthis.
Buying property can be an attractive investment option. There is a high probability that over a period of time, the value of the real estate that you have purchased will appreciate.

In addition to the increase in the price of your flat or condo, you will also receive a regular income stream in the form of rentals should you choose to rent it out.

Singapores property market is especially attractive for several reasons. The city-state has an infrastructure and facilities that are on par with the best in the world.

It is a regional financial hub and many of the worlds foremost financial institutions have a presence in Singapore.



Another reason that real estate will always command a premium in Singapore is its limited availability.

The countrys total land area is just 719 square kilometres. In view of all these factors, it is quite reasonable to assume that, in the long term, Singapore property values can only increase.

What is the rental yield that investors can expect?







Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images

Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images

Although owning property in Singapore is an attractive proposition, the amount that you can expect to receive in the form of a regular monthly income is fairly limited.

It is important to understand that owning real estate requires you to incur various expenses connected with the property. Consequently, the net amount that you receive may be very low.

As a property owner, you will be responsible for making many of these payments:

Property tax  residential property owners have to bear a tax that is based on the annual value (estimated gross annual rent) of the condo, HDB flat, or other residential property. Tax is paid on a slab basis.





Source: Internal Revenue Authority of Singapore

Income tax  Both Singapore residents and non-residents will have to pay income tax on their rental incomes. Residents are taxed on a slab basis with the lowest tax rate of 2% increasing to 20%. Non-residents are taxed at 22%.

Other expenses  There are several other costs associated with property ownership. You will need to pay insurance, repair costs, and maintenance fees.

Loan repayment  Most property buyers borrow against the security of the flat or condo that they are purchasing. Even though borrowing rates are extremely low, your mortgage payment will be the single largest expense that you will need to bear.

Story continues

After factoring in all these payments, the net amount that you receive can be very low.

Gross yields vs. net yields



The gross yield that you receive is the yearly rental of your property expressed as a percentage of the total property cost. In Singapore, the gross yield that you earn will usually range from 2.5% to 5%.

The following chart provides information on gross yields in various countries.





Source: Global Property Guide

Net yields are calculated by reducing various expenses from the yearly rental and expressing the result as a percentage of the property acquisition cost. Obviously, net yields will be much lower than gross yields and could even approach 0%!

How is the Singapore rental market performing?



Unfortunately, rents in Singapore have been declining in the recent past. According to the latest government figures, the rental index for private residential properties declined by 1.2% in the third quarter of 2016. The index, which was at 106.9 at the end of the second quarter, fell to 105.6 in the following three-month period.





Source: Urban Redevelopment Authority

Rents for office space and retail space have not fared any better. Office rentals fell by 1.1% in the third quarter, while rentals for retail space declined by 1.5%.

The decline in rents has kept pace with the fall in property prices.

Is investing in property in Singapore worthwhile?







Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images

Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images

Large numbers of investors have made tremendous gains in the Singapore real estate market. In the period from 2008 to 2013, property prices rose by a staggering 80%. Those who purchased real estate eight years ago have registered significant returns.

But the last three years have witnessed a significant downturn. This has been partly due to cooling measures initiated by the government.

The slowing global economy and falling commodity prices have also played a part in causing Singapores property prices to crash.

Despite declining real estate values, an investment in this sector may still make commercial sense because of the inflows that rentals generate.

But investors should not expect much in terms of net rental yields. An investor who manages to rent out his property and earn a net yield of 1% to 2% should be considered lucky.

Even though this is a fairly low rate of return, the prospect of an increase in the value of your property can make an investment in real estate a sound decision.

(By Ravinder Kapur)

Related Articles

- Singapores property market  no respite yet

- What is happening in Singapore property markets?

- Factors to consider before purchasing commercial property in Singapore


Want to make more sales for your small business in 2017? There are many different paths you can take to increase your businesss sales. And members of our small business community have lots of great experience to share when it comes to those selling techniques. Here are ten tips for increasing sales in 2017.

Increase Sales With These Holiday Marketing Tactics

The holidays can be a great opportunity for you to increase sales for your small business. And with the marketing tips listed in this ONTRAPORT blog post by Megan Monroe, you can learn how to make more sales this holiday season and in the new year.

Simplify Your Content Strategy

Content marketing can be a great way for you to increase sales for your business. But fancy strategies can sometimes distract you from the real purpose of your content. Instead, this post by Christelle Macri on the Nimble blog suggests some ways you can simplify your content strategy.

Master the Art of the Upsell

When selling to customers, its often preferable to get them to buy more or to buy an upgraded version of the product theyre looking to purchase. Thats where upselling comes in. This Fundera post by Eric Goldschein details how you can master the art of the upsell. And the BizSugar community shares thoughts on the post here.

Nurture Leads With Online Forms

The sales process doesnt have to be complicated if you have the right tools at your disposal. Online forms can actually be an effective way to nurture leads and make sales. Heres a guide to nurturing leads using online forms from Rohan Ayyar on the RightMix Marketing blog.

Avoid These Conversion Rate Optimization Mistakes

When converting customers, whether its from your blog, website or another format, there are some really common mistakes that small businesses tend to make. To avoid those common mistakes, check out this post by Stephen Moyers on Basic Blog Tips.

Use These Transaction Models to Shape Your Customer Experience

The customer experience is a very important consideration for businesses looking to increase sales. Here are some transaction models you might consider as you shape your customer experience from Martin Zwilling on the Startup Professionals Musings blog. And you can also see commentary from BizSugar members here.

Increase Your Personal Effectiveness

If you want your business strategies to be more effective, then you need to work on your own personal effectiveness first. This post by Blair Evan Ball of Prepare1 includes some tips for increasing your personal effectiveness in order to support your business.

Set Smart Business Goals

Whether you want to increase sales or accomplish other things for your small business in the new year, it all starts with your goals. Setting smart goals can mean the difference between success and failure. To learn more about setting smart goals, check out this Nutcache post by Sebastien Boyer.

Write Effective Headlines and Titles

If youre going to use content marketing or any type of written copy to market your business and increase sales, you need to be able to write great headlines and titles. This Buzz and Tips post by Steve Williams includes tips for creating effective headlines. And BizSugar members also comment on the post here.

Come Up With Ideas for Your Business Video Campaign

Video can be a great format for increasing small business sales. But you need great ideas before you can make those videos actually work for your business. This Noobpreneur post by Ivan Widjaya features some tips for coming up with those video ideas.

If youd like to suggest your favorite small business content to be considered for an upcoming community roundup, please send your news tips to: sbtips@gmail.com.
Over 50 robots dance during the opening ceremony of the sixth Shandong Cultural Industries Fair (SDCIF) at Jinan International Convention & Exhibition Center on August 25, 2016 in Jinan, Shandong Province of China.The 50 robots are named 'Alpha' and are connected to cellphones instructing them to perform different actions according to various musical sounds. (Photo by )

VCG/Getty Images

The UK does not spend much on research and development and it could be the key to solving the country's low productivity problem.

The puzzle is simply put: why do UK workers take five days to make what the French do in four? It has become a long-term challenge for politicians and central bank policymakers alike. Low productivity holds back future investment and wage growth for workers. It is one of the most important  yet poorly understood  concepts in economics.

This announcement from the University of Oxford expresses the entire problem in a nutshell:

The Oxford Sciences Innovation fund will pledge nearly 600 million in investment for science and engineering projects coming from its students and researchers. But all of the new money comes from investors in China, Singapore and the Middle East.

None of it comes from Britain.

Lack of research and development spending mirrors the low productivity of the UK, compared to France and Germany. According to figures from the World Bank, the UK spent 1.7% of GDP on research and development in 2014  the same as was spent 20 years earlier.

Meanwhile Germany is up at 2.8%, a rise from 2.1% in 1996 and France is at 2.2%.

Here's the data visualised in a map from the World Bank:

RD1

VCG/Getty Images

Oxford Vice Chancellor Professor Louise Richardson told the BBC: "It does speak to the disappointing investment by British industry in research and development. We are way below our competitors in France and Germany and below the EU average."

"In fact, 40% of the R&D spend in the UK is by subsidiaries of foreign companies. British businesses are very loath to invest and that really has to change," she said, according to the BBC report.

If the UK is going to keep pace with the rest of the world, its businesses might have to forego some short term profit now for investment in future growth.

NOW WATCH: Heres everything your watch says about you

Story continues

See Also:

SEE ALSO: Mark Carney: 'Every technological revolution mercilessly destroys jobs well before the new ones emerge'
[December 09, 2016] U.S. Vessel Documentation Expedites Marine Vessel Documentation Process to Record Low Times

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161209/447568LOGO U.S. Vessel Documentation, the online portal for Coast Guard documentation in the United States, has announced completion of a comprehensive overhaul of its service website. The latest changes are designed to streamline the process of registering boats in a way that is unrivaled in the maritime industry in terms of speed and ease of use. The service now covers all of the most vital registration forms for commercial and recreational vessels. Before Founder Captain John Soria digitized the documentation process, yacht and shipping vessel owners would have to pore through piles of paperwork, and in many cases would have to submit necessary documents to various agencies. What was once a drawn-out process, website makes for faster-than-ever times for getting a recreational or commercial vessel up to date with required documentation with the U.S. Coast Guard U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The service seamlessly covers a wide range of the daunting Coast Guard paperwork such as vessel documentation renewals, abstracts of title, initial documentation, exchange f certificate of documentation, reinstatement, certified copy, replacement of documentation, deletion, change of vessel name/hailing port, change of endorsement/trade indicator, ship preferred mortgage notice of claim of lien, and MARAD small vessel waiver. The site also provides pre-paid, automatic documentation renewal submissions.



Security issues have been re-fortified considerably. Updates to the site now make for secure submissions through encryption of all documents containing sensitive ownership information. As a result, key information will never be compromised during the simplified submission process. In addition, the newest version of USCGDocumentation.us is mobile-friendly and fully-responsive to all Internet-enabled devices. Input fields are easily navigable on smart phones and tablets, and the new system uploads all scanned and digitized documents in a safe and secure fashion. The newly-revamped design and technical features will ensure that user payment information and identities are protected through multiple encryption layers.

For press Inquiries, please contact: U.S. Vessel Documentation

Telephone: (866) 981-8783

Email: [email protected] Related Images image1.png image2.png image3.jpg image4.png Related Links USCG Vessel Documentation NVDC Initial Documentation This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com





To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-vessel-documentation-expedites-marine-vessel-documentation-process-to-record-low-times-300376161.html SOURCE U.S. Vessel Documentation

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Hundreds of men are reportedly missing in the Syrian city of Aleppo after government forces retook rebel areas.

The men, aged mainly between 30 and 50, have not been heard from since they left their areas in the east of the city up to 10 days ago.

Government forces have continued their offensive to retake the rebel-held east - but are now facing accusations of reprisals against people thought to have backed the rebels.

UN human rights spokesman Rupert Colville said: "As pro-government forces have advanced from the north into eastern Aleppo, there have been allegations of reprisals against civilians who are perceived to have supported armed opposition groups, as well as reports that men were being separated from women and children.

"We have received very worrying allegations that hundreds of men have gone missing after crossing into government-controlled areas."

It is not clear whether the men are civilians.

Mr Colville added: "Given the terrible record of arbitrary detention, torture and enforced disappearances, we are of course deeply concerned about the fate of these individuals.

"One has to ring some alarm bells.

"It could mean that some have been killed, it could mean they have been arbitrarily detained and taken somewhere, we just don't know."

Allegations have also been made against rebel militias, who are accused of screening or detaining people trying to flee their areas.

Mr Colville said if rebels were shown to have stopped civilians fleeing to safety, it could amount to a war crime.

He added: "Civilians are caught between warring parties that appear to be operating in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law."

While tens of thousands have fled the shrinking opposition-held areas of the city, at least 100,000 civilians are believed to still be trapped.
Unibet Group Changes Name to Kindred Group

December 10 2016 PokerNews Staff

Unibet Group will now operate as Kindred Group in an effort to expand the companys multi-brand strategy.

As Kindred we can create a greater distinction between our consumer-facing brands and the group brand, providing us with the necessary strategic flexibility to ensure we remain at the very forefront of our industry, said Henrik Tjarnstrom, chief executive officer of Unibet Group, in the companys release. As a group we have played an important part in driving the industry forward, and we intend to continue to do so in the future.

According to the release, shareholders met for an extraordinary general meeting in Stockholm and approved the change from Unibet Group plc to Kindred Group plc Dec. 6. The company was founded almost 20 years ago and has 10 consumer-facing brands  some of which were acquired  in its portfolio.

The latest acquisition, that of Maria Casino in 2007, kicked off the changes by delving into the groups new strategy to have multiple brands under the heading of the now Kindred Group brand.

We are now in a position to move Kindred Group into the future with enhanced clarity and flexibility, creating better conditions for future growth in a dynamic and changing business environment, said Anders Strom, chairman of the board of directors of Unibet Group, in the release.

The new name, kindred, refers to a relationship between people with similar beliefs, values and attitudes and was chosen based on an analysis of the groups culture and identity.

Sharelines Unibet Group plc has changed its name to Kindred Group plc to reflect its multi-brand strategy.
The University of North Georgia is part of the University System of Georgia and is designated as a State Leadership Institution and The Military College of Georgia. With about 20,000 students, the University of North Georgia is one of the state's largest public universities.
University of North Georgia (UNG) Financial Aid staff are available to assist you in finding ways to pay for your college education.

From Federal Pell Grants and loans to state-funded programs and institutional scholarships there are numerous avenues at UNG that will help make sure you can pay for your college education.

No matter which campus you are planning to attend, the Financial Aid staff are ready to help you pay for college.
The Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis (IESA) promotes environmental education through interdisciplinary instruction and collaborative learning. IESA is designed for inquisitive minds craving to cast a brighter light upon Earth's many mysterious eon-spanning processes. The curriculum directs students to discover and explore new focus areas within geoscience such as environmental-health, -engineering, -education, -urban planning, and community development. During their experience, students will earn work-ready training through internships, community service, and research projects that will carry them confidently forward to fulfilling employment or reputable graduate schools.

IESA also participates in the Academic Common Market, where out-of-state students can qualify for in-state tuition when enrolling in select degree programs. Learn more about the Academic Common Market.
University of North Georgia (UNG) is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, master, education specialist, and doctoral degrees, as well as undergraduate and graduate certificates.

Questions about the accreditation of the University of North Georgia may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOCs website.
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy, Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 require higher education institutions to provide an annual security report and annual fire safety report that contain crime statistics and fire statistics for the three most recently completed calendar years, institutional policies or procedures for reporting crimes and current policies concerning the security of, and access to, campus facilities and residencies, as well as security considerations in the maintenance of campus facilities.

A print copy of the most recent report is available upon request, email clery@ung.edu.
The Clear Sky Chart Homepage uses a Canadian weather service cloud condition forecast graphic to forecast the sky condition (clouds), atmospheric transparency, and darkness at several hundred sites in Canada and the USA. The NGAO clock below is linked to the NGAO clock on the Clear Sky Chart website.

We usually consult the visible or IR animation for MGM (southeast). The visible image is only usable during daylight hours for the eastern continental U.S. The water vapor image is often helpful as well.

The high wind shear associated with the jet stream creates thin turbulent layers which can degrade the "seeing". (The visible detail of an object as seen through the telescope is limited by atmospheric conditions. Astronomers use the term "seeing" in describing the quality of the detail or resolution allowed by the atmosphere, as in: "good seeing" = lots of detail, "bad seeing" = not much detail.) If the core of the jet stream is within a couple hundred kilometers of the observing site, the seeing may be affected.
Public Safety (UNG Police Department) maintains a secure and civil campus to ensure an optimal environment for our community to visit, learn and grow. All public safety officers are official police fully certified through the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.

Read our online resources to familiarize yourself with the university alert system, personal safety tips, protocols for various emergencies (weather, health, civil), and to learn about other helpful services available to you.
If you have opinions about the subject matter of posts on this blog please share them. Do you have a story about how the system affects you at work school or home, or just in general? This is a place to share it.
BEIRUT  Hundreds of men have disappeared after fleeing rebel-held districts in the Syrian city of Aleppo, the United Nations said Friday, amid allegations that armed groups on both sides have abducted and even killed civilians who tried to leave.

Tens of thousands of people have flooded out of eastern Aleppo since forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad began a final push to retake the city.

Rebel fighters appeared to have reinforced the front line of their shrunken enclave Friday, putting up their strongest fight in weeks. But an official with the armed opposition, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said their numbers were badly depleted.

In Paris, Secretary of State John Kerry said U.S. and Russian teams would meet Saturday in Geneva in an effort to save the city of Aleppo and discuss a plan to safely evacuate civilians and rebel fighters.

We are close; were not there yet, Kerry said of urgent talks this week with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Tomorrow, I will have the team from America, at President Obamas direction, to be in Geneva with the Russians and we will, I hope, come to some kind of arrangement where we can see how civilians may be protected and what can happen with the armed opposition.

The Geneva meeting, with diplomatic and military officials from both sides, will restart U.S.-Russia talks on Syria that Washington suspended in October in protest over Russian bombing of civilians and infrastructure.

On Saturday, Kerry plans to meet in Paris with counterparts from Europe and the Middle East who are supporting the rebels along with the United States.

Thousands of rebels and as many as 250,000 civilians had held out in eastern Aleppo for four years through bombardment and siege. But many have fled since Syrian and Iran-backed pro-Assad militia fighters swept through three-quarters of the rebel enclave in an offensive that began Nov. 15.

The U.N. human rights spokesman, Rupert Coville, said Friday in Geneva that his office was hearing worrying allegations that hundreds of men had disappeared in the exodus.

Given the terrible record of arbitrary detention, torture and disappearances, we are of course deeply concerned, he said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, estimates that some 80,000 people have left rebel areas in recent weeks as government forces have advanced. Residents have said that men of fighting age were being separated from their groups by soldiers or militiamen and that some were being taken to a nearby airport for interrogation.

Coville also said Friday that armed opposition groups have blocked civilians from leaving  in some cases firing at them as they tried to flee.

During the last two weeks, Fatah al-Sham Front and the Abu Amara Battalion are alleged to have abducted and killed an unknown number of civilians who requested the armed groups to leave their neighborhoods, to spare the lives of civilians, he said. He was referring respectively to the al-Qaeda-linked group formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra and to an Islamist militant group allied with it against the Assad forces.

Kerry also charged rebels with some of the civilian killings, saying that even people who are supposedly on their side [are] shooting to prevent them from leaving so they stay there as human shields.

On Thursday night, Lavrov said Syrian government military operations in Aleppo had stopped. On Friday, however, he said that it was only a temporary pause to allow some civilians to leave and that the offensive had begun again.

With the Geneva meeting, there is a very good opportunity to agree on how to finalize the settlement in eastern Aleppo by the withdrawal of all militants from there, Lavrov said at a news conference in Hamburg, where he is attending an international conference.

Lavrov, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov in Moscow, accused the Obama administration of strange behavior in continuing to criticize Russia while Kerry is negotiating.

Lavrov denied that Russia was delaying an agreement on Syria until Obama leaves office. But, he said, President-elect Donald Trumps statements on terrorism are more clear than those of Obama.

Officials preparing for Trumps administration met in Washington this week with members of the Syrian Opposition Coalition, the political group that the Obama administration hopes can return to the negotiating table for talks with the Assad government over a transition government in Syria.

Coalition Secretary General Abdul Ilah Fahad said in a telephone interview that his group and the Trump team agreed on the necessity of being a strong partner in countering terrorism and the necessity of countering the Iranian action in Syria, and to push for protecting civilians and [for] a political transition.

The Syrian government said Friday that it was ready to resume dialogue with the opposition but without external intervention or preconditions, according to a statement carried by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency.Kerry also said he hoped that an Aleppo agreement would pave the way for a wider cease-fire, the safe flow of humanitarian aid to Syria, and a resumption of political talks between the government and the opposition that were aborted last spring when the latter protested ongoing Syrian and Russian bombing of civilian areas. Since then, their loss of territory has weakened the rebels negotiating position, which had included the insistence that Assad leave power, while U.S. demands about Assads early departure appear to have weakened. Fahad said that any proposal to retain Assad will complicate things much more. It will increase Irans influence in Syria, he said, and will never be accepted by countries in the region who are supporting the opposition. In statements Friday, Russia also denounced what it described as the Obama administrations decision to sent portable antiaircraft missiles to the rebels. Statements by Lavrov and Peskov apparently referred to the defense budget authorization passed this week by the House, which removed long-standing language explicitly prohibiting the provision of those weapons to any entity fighting in Syria. While some lawmakers have pushed to send the weapons, the administration has long opposed it on grounds that the weapons might be transferred to terrorist groups.

Kerry also said he hoped that an Aleppo agreement would pave the way for a wider cease-fire, the safe flow of humanitarian aid to Syria, and a resumption of political talks between the government and the opposition that were aborted last spring when the latter protested ongoing Syrian and Russian bombing of civilian areas.

Since then, their loss of territory has weakened the rebels negotiating position, which had included the insistence that Assad leave power, while U.S. demands about Assads early departure appear to have weakened.

Fahad said that any proposal to retain Assad will complicate things much more. It will increase Irans influence in Syria, he said, and will never be accepted by countries in the region who are supporting the opposition.

In statements Friday, Russia also denounced what it described as the Obama administrations decision to sent portable antiaircraft missiles to the rebels. Statements by Lavrov and Peskov apparently referred to the defense budget authorization passed this week by the House, which removed long-standing language explicitly prohibiting the provision of those weapons to any entity fighting in Syria.

While some lawmakers have pushed to send the weapons, the administration has long opposed it on grounds that the weapons might be transferred to terrorist groups.

syria-aleppo-1stld-writethru
WASHINGTON  President Barack Obama has ordered intelligence officials to conduct a broad review of election-season cyberattacks, including the email hacks that rattled the presidential campaign and raised fresh concerns about Russias meddling in U.S. elections, the White House said Friday.

The review, led by intelligence agencies, will be a deep dive into a possible pattern of increased malicious cyber activity timed to the campaign season, White House spokesman Eric Schultz said. The review will look at the tactics, targets, key actors and the U.S. governments response to the recent email hacks, as well as incidents reported in past elections, he said.

The president ordered up the report earlier this week and asked that it be completed before he leaves office next month, Schultz said.

The president wanted this done under his watch because he takes it very seriously, he said. We are committed to ensuring the integrity of our elections.

U.S. intelligence officials have accused Russia of hacking into Democratic officials email accounts in an attempt to interfere with the presidential campaign. The Washington Post reported Friday that the CIA has concluded that Russia aimed specifically to help Donald Trump win the presidency.

The Post said the CIA presented its assessment to senators last week. The newspapers report cited anonymous U.S. officials who were briefed on that closed-door meeting.

Trumps transition team was dismissive of the hacking claims Friday night, releasing a statement referring to intelligence agents as the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

The Kremlin has rejected the hacking accusations.

In the months leading up to the election, email accounts of Democratic Party officials and a top Hillary Clinton campaign aide were breached, emails leaked and embarrassing and private emails posted online. Many Democrats believe the hackings benefited Trumps bid. Trump has downplayed the possibility that Russia was involved.

Schultz said the president sought the probe as a way of improving U.S. defense against cyberattacks and was not intending to question the legitimacy of Trumps victory.

This is not an effort to challenge the outcome of the election, Schultz said.

Obamas move comes as Democratic lawmakers have been pushing Obama to declassify more information about Russias role, fearing that Trump, who has promised a warmer relationship with Moscow, may not prioritize the issue.

Given Trumps statements, there is an added urgency to the need for a thorough review before President Obama leaves office next month, said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., senior Democrat on the House intelligence committee. If the administration doesnt respond forcefully to such actions, we can expect to see a lot more of this in the near future, he said.

The White House said it would make portions of the report public and would brief lawmakers and relevant state officials on the findings.

It emphasized the report would not focus solely on Russian operations or hacks involving Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta and Democratic National Committee accounts. Schultz stressed officials would be reviewing incidents going back to the 2008 presidential campaign, when the campaigns of Sen. John McCain and Obama were breached by hackers.

Intelligence officials have said Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney were targets of Chinese cyberattacks four years later.
EL PASO, Texas  A year ago in August, Monsignor Arturo Banuelas, a deacon and two St. Marks Catholic church members went to Guadalajara, Mexico, to purchase a statue of the Virgen de Guadalupe for their church.

The El Paso Times (http://bit.ly/2h8pAAO ) reports at the time, they thought they were looking for a 4- to 5-foot statue. But while perusing the statues, they turned their eyes to a 30-foot statue, made out of cantera, a natural volcanic quarried stone.

She had her hands folded together, saying, I want a home. And we told her, Lupita, we are going to build you a home. No mas que tu estas muy grandota, y tu casita va hacer muy grande (its just that youre big so your house will have to be very big), said Deacon Jesus Cardenas, who has been at St. Marks Church for about 25 years.

So six months ago, construction began for a special shrine to enclose the virgin  which is believed to be larger than the Mount Cristo Rey statue. The shrine is in an area between the church and parish hall.

On Saturday, parishioners will inaugurate their new shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe with a three-day celebration.

Now that shes here, we are ready to celebrate. We are very excited, said Banuelas, standing in front of the shrine Wednesday.

The festivities include a parade, a rosary, a childrens drama of the Guadalupe apparitions before the peasant Juan Diego in 1531 and mariachis.

The official unveiling of the sand-colored statue will be Sunday with a special serenata. After the fiesta, matachines will begin their all-night dance vigil that will end Monday evening  the feast day of the dark-skinned virgin.

The shrine features a 35-foot wall behind the statue that will have a waterfall. The statue is then flanked by three concrete block and marble finished walls on each side in descending heights.

The walls feature marble tiles with names of people who have donated to the project. The statue alone cost $12,000.

Banuelas, who was transferred to St. Marks from St. Pius X Catholic Church in June 2014, said this East Side community is partial to the dark virgin.

This is a very Guadalupano parish and we wanted to put an image of the Virgen de Guadalupe for prayer in this area. And the more we kept planning, the bigger the project got, he said.

Now we have an official shrine where we will gather for prayer and pilgrimage. Its a sacred space for people to come together and a beautiful place, he added.

Banuelas said parishioners have been preparing for this historic moment by doing works of mercy and mission service with the poor. The hall is being used as a shelter for 66 Latin American immigrants in coordination with the Annunciation House.

Banuelas said the statue had originally been an order for another church but everything fell into place so that she could be brought to El Paso.

We had people from the parish who were able to help with importing here and the workers have been tremendous. They are working hard, saying its for the virgin. Since theyve been working on it, a lot of people have felt blessings from the shine. One man that was working on it was looking for a job and he found a great job, he said.

Banuelas said some other churches have already contacted him about having events in honor of the Blessed Mother.

Already we have had churches ask if they can bring pilgrimages and bring their groups, he said.

Parishioner Lorena Tabares and her daughter, Lorena Elizabeth Tabares, were excited to see the shrine project coming along.

It brings me great joy to have her here. She deserves to have a grand monument and we appreciate her for having accepted to carry Christ in her womb and for being a mother like me, said Lorena Tabares.

Her daughter added that she expects the statue to draw people of faith.

I think she will be a focal point for meeting for people of the faith, to strengthen the faith and to reach out to others who are in need.

___

Information from: El Paso Times, http://www.elpasotimes.com

This is an AP Member Exchange shared by the El Paso Times
Call it an October surprise. On Indigenous Peoples Day, the city of Barrow, Alaska, population 4,000, voted to change its name to Utqiagvik (pronounced OOT-kay-AHG-vick). This was the communitys traditional name before its involuntary association with a 19th-century Englishman.

Sixty percent of the residents of Utqiagvik, which lies 320 miles above the Arctic Circle, are Inupiat Eskimo. Sir John Barrow, a booster of Arctic voyages, never made the trip to Alaska himself, let alone to its northern extremity, but an admirer of his named Frederick Beechey tagged the area with Barrows name 191 years ago.

On Oct. 10, the town passed the name change by just six votes, 381-375. Qaiyaan Harcharek, the city council member who sponsored it, told Alaska Public Media that the tight margin reflected unease with change and fading memories of the early damage wrought by Western assimilation.

Our people were severely punished for speaking our traditional language for many years, (but) a lot those folks that are around today dont have that internal oppression where theyre afraid of that, he said.

Opponents cited the cost of changing signs and town stationery, as well as the cultural loss of dropping Barrow. But others asked a different question: What could be gained by calling the place Utqiagvik?

A recent high-profile decision in Alaska offers clues to that question. Last August, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell officially ordered that Mount McKinley, North Americas loftiest peak, be renamed Denali, the Dene name used locally for centuries. The writer John McPhee told the Native Alaskans side of the story in 1976:

(They) are not much impressed that a young Princeton graduate on a prospecting adventure in the Susitna Valley in 1896 happened to learn, on his way out of the wilderness, that William McKinley had become the Republican nominee for President of the United States. In this haphazard way, the mountain got the name it would carry for at least the better part of a century, notwithstanding that it already had a name.  The Indians in their reverence had called it Denali.

The howls of protest from McKinleys native Ohio  House Republican Speaker John Boehner called it deeply disappointing  puzzled Alaskans, including Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who applauded the gesture of honor, respect and gratitude to the peoples of a locale President McKinley had even less to do with than Sir John Barrow. (A flier I saw in an office cheerily mocked the controversy by suggesting that Alaskans would concede the name of their mountain if the Ohio River were renamed for Sarah Palin.)

Some might roll their eyes at the apparent superficiality of names, whether they apply to a 20,000-foot rock pile or a tiny settlement on the continental fringe. Surely there are more pressing issues for government to tackle.

But names are far from superficial. The christenings of Barrow and Mount McKinley were justified by an archaic doctrine of discovery that led to five centuries of Western conquest and colonization. They were the equivalent of campaign signs and sponsorship banners staked in someone elses yard. Enshrined by history, names signal to generations to come which cultures and people are worthy of reverence.

Now, a Native American renaissance is underway, crystallized by the successful Standing Rock protest against a pipeline in North Dakota. The importance of this struggle may have been mysterious to many Americans because so few of us truly comprehend the rights, status and aspirations of what amounts to 1 percent of our nations population.

One symptom of this that Ive noticed is a cynical approach to the social plagues of Alaska Natives. Its the call for them to own their modern problems, the subtext of which is a call for absolving Western interlopers of their role in changing Native communities forever. I have no doubt that these are some of the same blithe souls who maintain that the city at the top of the world and the great mountain, respectively, will always be Barrow and McKinley to them. But what exactly is a name, if not a claim of ownership?

The ordinance shedding the citys colonialist moniker is intended to help the Inupiat reclaim their beautiful language. But like the earthen berms that try to shore up Utqiagviks eroding coastline, it could very well prove to be a stopgap, a desperate last stand against the dovetailing losses of language and land. Yet it is a worthwhile, even a necessary, step now approved by the states lieutenant governor. It says, We are the people who belong to this place. Whatever its past, we can still shape its future.

Griffin Hagle is a contributor to Writers on the Range, the opinion service of High Country News (hcn.org). He is an energy manager and writes in Utqiagvik, Alaska. The towns name change took effect Dec. 1; however, a local Native corporation is challenging it in court.
Bernalillo County commissioners next week will consider contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to an economic-development project that lies beyond the county line.

The village of Los Lunas  about a 30-minute drive south of Downtown Albuquerque  is asking Bernalillo County to contribute $200,000 to $400,000 for construction of a rail spur near state Highway 6 and Interstate 25. The village is also asking the state government to help.

The money would help fund development of a regional rail and logistics park. The county and state money would go toward construction of a rail line at the site  allowing future manufacturers to load their products directly onto rail cars, supporters say

Private investment of about $20 million would complete the project, according to county documents.

The company behind the project, Rio Real Estate Investment Opportunities LLC, estimates it would directly create 5,000 jobs in the metropolitan area, according to the county.

Rio Real Estates management team includes Tim Cummins, a former Bernalillo County commissioner, and Lawrence Rael, former executive director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments.

Cummins said the project is a worthwhile investment for Albuquerque residents because it has the potential to boost the economy as a whole across the region. Intels Rio Rancho plant, for example, lies outside Bernalillo County boundaries, he said, but its still a positive force in the local economy.

The Los Lunas rail park would create more employment and more capital investment in an economy thats failing, Cummins said Friday in an interview.  We needs jobs, and we need jobs across the board. There is no other location, in my opinion, where you can go and put 5,000-plus jobs and create a new employment center.

But the project isnt feasible, he said, unless the government brings in the rail spur.

Bernalillo County commissioners are set to consider an agreement with Los Lunas during their 5 p.m. meeting on Tuesday.
Microbrew pubs are springing up all over northern New Mexico  perhaps the last and farthest shore to be lapped by this national wave. A great deal for beer enthusiasts and not a bad one for people who like a casual meal.

Fire & Hops, just one of Santa Fes examples, opened a couple of years ago and now plays to a full house, if our recent Thursday evening experience is any indication.

And with good reason: We enjoyed an exceptional burger, a nice risotto, flanked by a goodly pimiento cheese appetizer and a couple of stellar desserts, together with an excellent and exotic hard cider, and a couple of beer variations.

My beer enthusiast guest started off with a Malpais Stout, from Albuquerques La Cumbre Brewing ($5). He enjoyed it, but moved on to a black and tan, made with that stout and a pale ale, that left him especially pleased. We non-enthusiasts were jazzed by the beer menu itself. Off Color Scurry Altbier? Stone Wussie Pilsner? A lot more fun than a wine list.

My other guest opted for a Tieton cherry cider ($10 a bottle)  a mix of apple and cherry juices fermented to 6 percent alcohol. You could get tiddly on this pretty easily was her assessment, although, as designated driver, she took most of the carefully recorked bottle home for later.

The cider enthusiast also chose our collective appetizer, Fire & Hops crispy Brussels sprouts ($7). These were a true revelation. They were fried to a crisp (brutally fried, she said), charred almost black outside, barely tender inside, and tossed with a very sharp and elusively flavored dressing. Southeast Asian fish sauce and lime juice, the waiter informed us. Who knew a Brussels sprout could be so exciting? We demolished the entire bowl.

I opted for another appetizer, the pimiento cheese with black-eyed pea fritters ($8). I wasnt particularly hungry that evening and, as a main course for a light appetite, it was just fine. I especially enjoyed the pimiento cheese, house-made and heavy on what I judged to be smoked paprika. The fritters were well done  very crisp outside, tender inside  but not particularly flavorful (black-eyed peas arent, after all). I missed the point. Bread, crackers, or just about anything would have done as well.

One of my guests opted for the Fire & Hops risotto, essentially a vegetarian concoction of kale, roasted peppers and squash, all mixed with always mushy arborio rice ($13). The bowl arrived showered generously with shaved Parmesan curls. She pronounced herself well satisfied. I was less impressed. If you want a bowl of veggies and carbs, though, this is it. And the cheese improved the otherwise bland flavor immensely.

My other guests green chile cheeseburger ($15) intrigued all of us and he generously shared out a couple of wedges. It was truly excellent: really big, perfectly cooked to medium and still a little pink, and laden with lots of nicely picante green chile with a pile of caramelized onions on the side. The cheddar was one of several cheese choices  extra points to Fire & Hops for that. And, for the bun, a perfect-size ciabatta roll firmly stood up to the juicy burger and its trimmings.

Pubs dont rank high on my list of places to enjoy dessert, but Fire & Hops is definitely an exception. One of its co-owners runs La Lecheria, a craft ice cream shop over on Lena Street, and thus the night we dined, thyme ice cream ($2.50 a scoop) was one of the dessert choices. It was unusual, subtly herbed, sweet but not too much so, and very nice. More extravagantly, we opted for an apple clafoutis and a helping of sticky toffee pudding ($7 each). Both, in my experience, fall in the category of homely sweets  theyre easy to make and not demanding in form or formality.

All that applied to the sticky toffee pudding, a cakelike layer with nuts, glazed appropriately with a stout-laced sticky caramel and a pinch of sea salt. It was served up hot, in its own little casserole, and we happily stuck in our spoons.

Clafoutis might pass as a tart, and its usually made as a sort of free-form thick batter pancake studded with whatever fruit is at hand. At Fire & Hops, however, its much more refined. In fact, we didnt see much relation to clafoutis. What we got, on an elegant porcelain rectangle, were squares of a dense vanilla pudding, studded with poached apples on top and creme anglaise on the bottom, and garnished with some quite remarkable apple chips, paper-thin wedges of apple deep-fried to the texture of home-made potato chips. A surprise, but a good one.

Fire & Hops is a cozy place and, by the time we left, a little after 7:30 p.m. Thursday, it was absolutely packed. The service is up to the crush, however; all our dishes arrived in a timely fashion and the waitstaff was remarkably attentive despite the crowd.

Parking is a little more problematic. Apart from a big bicycle rack and a couple of handicapped car slots in the front, youll have to take potluck on nearby streets or, after 5 p.m., at the various other businesses along North Guadalupe. We werent inconvenienced, but be aware that youll probably have to walk a block or so from car to front door.
SANTA FE  Vote recounts completed Friday in three New Mexico legislative races confirmed the original results, spelling narrow escapes for two incumbent lawmakers and defeat for a third.

The unofficial results of the recounts also solidified the political composition of the Legislature for the coming 60-day session, as Democrats will hold a 38-32 majority in the House and a 26-16 advantage in the Senate.

Based on the recount results, incumbent GOP Rep. David Adkins won a second two-year term representing a West Side Albuquerque House district by maintaining a 9-vote edge over Democratic opponent Ronnie Martinez  the same margin as the original vote tally  in a race with nearly 14,000 votes cast.

Every vote counts, for sure, Adkins said in an interview after the recount results were posted. Im excited to be able to go back to Santa Fe and serve the people of House District 29.

Under New Mexico law, state-paid vote recounts are required to be done in legislative races in which the candidates are separated by vote margins of less than 1 percent. Three races met that criteria this year, and the recounts were conducted by Bernalillo and Sandoval county clerks, as the three districts in question are each located within one or both of those counties.

Democrat Daymon Ely claimed victory in House District 23, which includes parts of Corrales, Rio Rancho and Albuquerque, ousting two-term Rep. Paul Pacheco, R-Albuquerque. Ely won by a 125-vote margin in that race  up 23 votes from the original count.

Meanwhile, Pacheco is one of four House Republicans to be ousted in this years general election cycle  the other three were all in southern New Mexico-based seats  as Democrats picked up a total of five seats to reclaim control of the House just two years after losing it.

In the third race subject to recount, incumbent Sen. John Sapien, D-Corrales, fended off a challenge from Republican Diego Espinoza of Rio Rancho, winning re-election by a 190-vote margin in a race that featured more than 25,000 votes cast.

He had held a 198-vote lead after the original count, and will return for a third four-year term representing Senate District 9, which takes in Placitas and parts of Bernalillo, Corrales and Albuquerque.

Bureau of Elections Director Kari Fresquez said the changes in final vote numbers might have been due to the fact Sandoval County used a central vote-counting machine thats more precise in detecting questionable votes  like when a bubble on a voters paper ballot is only partly filled in  than the standard vote-tallying machines used on Election Day.

But she said the fact that original results were upheld in all three races after more than a week of re-tallying votes should give voters confidence in the states system.

Its very reassuring, Fresquez told the Journal. It just proves our technology works the way its supposed to.

The recount results are expected to be certified next week by the State Canvassing Board.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.  A California judge rejected pimping charges Friday against the operators of a major international website advertising escort services that the state attorney general has called the worlds top online brothel, citing federal free speech laws.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris had charged Backpage.com CEO Carl Ferrer and former owners Michael Lacey and James Larkin, but Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Bowman sided with attorneys for the men and the website in ruling that the speech was allowed under the federal Communications Decency Act.

The section of the act that applies to the case protects websites from content posted by third parties, such as restaurant or shopping reviews from being held accountable for scathing reviews left by customers or online news sites from vicious reader comments.

This Court finds it difficult to see any illegal behavior outside of the reliance upon the content of speech created by others, Bowman wrote in Fridays ruling. The whiff of illegality is detected only when considering the alleged content of the statements contained in the ads.

Bowmans action Friday makes final a previous tentative ruling.

Ferrer, 55, was charged with pimping a minor, pimping and conspiracy to commit pimping. Lacey, 68, and Larkin, 67, both from Arizona, were charged with conspiracy to commit pimping.

Ferrer was arrested Oct. 6 at Houstons Bush Intercontinental Airport, having arrived from Amsterdam after his Dallas headquarters was raided.

Lacey and Larkin are the former owners of the Village Voice alternative newspaper in New York City.

I think this is a victory for the rule of law more than it is for Backpage, said Robert Corn-Revere, who represents Backpage. Judge Bowmans ruling made clear that the protections of the First Amendment exist for a reason. I suppose that reason is to prevent this kind of abuse of power.

Harris, a Democrat who was elected to the U.S. Senate last month, alleged that more than 90 percent of Backpage revenue  millions of dollars each month  comes from adult escort ads that use coded language and nearly nude photos to offer sex for money.

She said in a statement that she disagreed with the courts ruling and will pursue every avenue under the law to hold the operators accountable.

The Communications Decency Act was not meant to be a shield from criminal prosecution for perpetrators of online brothels, Harris said in the statement. We will not turn a blind eye to the defendants exploitative behavior simply because they conducted their criminal enterprise online rather than on a street corner.
SANTA FE  Emotions ran high on both sides of the courtroom Friday afternoon when District Court Judge Francis Mathew read a jurys verdict that Nicholas Ortiz was guilty of murdering three members of an El Rancho family in the middle of the night on Fathers Day five years ago.

This was the second trial for 22-year-old Nicholas Ortiz, who was accused of killing Lloyd Ortiz, 55, Dixie Ortiz, 53, and their 21-year-old son Steven Ortiz at their home north of Santa Fe in the early-morning hours of June 19, 2011, by bludgeoning them with a large pickax.

Relatives of the murdered family let out cries of relief and emotion as Francis read Fridays verdict. Oh, thank God, some of them exclaimed.

Nicholas Ortizs family was upset, and his younger sisters were crying heavily. Some family members shouted that he was innocent.

Mathew let Nicholas say a few words to his family after the verdict was announced. I love you guys, he said as he was taken out of the courtroom by Santa Fe County deputies.

I hope youre proud of yourself, you little (expletive), Nicholas Ortizs mother yelled at prosecutor Jason Lidyard as he left the courtroom. And you too, you little bitch, she yelled at Deputy District Attorney Susan Stinson.

Make sure you write in your newspaper that they locked up an innocent man, one member of the defendants family told reporters as she left the courtroom.

Nicholas Ortiz, 16 at the time of the killings, isnt related to the victims but had previously stayed with Lloyd and Dixies their adult daughter next door. The first trial was in May, but that jury took 3 1/2 days to tell Mathew that it couldnt come to a unanimous verdict on any of the counts against Ortiz.

The new trial began Nov. 29 and ended with closing arguments Wednesday. The jury came back around 2 p.m. Friday to announce it had found Ortiz guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and one count each of aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon. Sentencing will take place at a future hearing.

Nicholas Ortiz was accused of conspiring with first cousins Ashley Roybal and Jose Roybal, who have testified as prosecution witnesses, to steal money and medical marijuana from the Ortiz house.

Lidyard said during opening arguments in the latest trial that investigators believe Ortiz knocked on the back door and killed Lloyd Ortiz around 2 a.m. as Lloyd came outside, then went inside the house and killed Dixie with two skull-piercing blows as she lay sleeping in her bed. Nicholas had to struggle with Steven Ortiz in the kitchen but still managed to kill him with 21 blows to his head and body, by the prosecutions account. State Police found the pickax, also described as a mattock, in a vacant field near the crime scene, but the defense always stressed a lack of physical evidence tying Ortiz to the murders.

The case was largely based on the alleged co-conspirators testimony. Jose Roybal was supposed to go inside the house after the murders and help take items from the home, but Roybal ran home while Ortiz was inside, he testified. Ashley Roybal said she picked up Nicholas after the murders and drove him back to her grandparents house. Jose has said he and Nicholas had plastic bags to cover their shoes and socks for their hands.

Defense attorney Dan Marlowe told jurors that Jose Roybal committed the murders and that Lloyd and Dixies son-in-law, Jesse Rios, had paid him to steal money from the Ortiz house. He said jurors should be wary of the inconsistencies in the Roybals various accounts of what happened that night.
Early 11/9/16, an email from Rowan, a close friend, novelist in London, popped up on the screen. In our e-ramblings of near-despair and disbelief during and now after the shocking events of the day before  and hard upon our written commiserations after the shockingly unenlightened Brexit vote in his country  Rowan wrote: To be honest, although its going to be very, very ugly, I think its going to be a very interesting time, especially for artists  obviously Im desperately searching for a silver lining, but there we are.

Funnily enough, Id just been thinking the same thing. And I recalled the awfulness of 9/11/01, and I stood with another dear friend, artist, now sadly passed, staring at the vast, painfully blue New Mexico sky and, for the first time in all of our years here, not one contrail. Not one airplane up there.

There goes the art market, he said. Now, things should get pretty interesting.

He didnt just mean the art money market in New York, where he was represented, or L.A., or Paris, even; he meant also the art idea-and-making market  the arena of what the hell were artists gonna make and do now after THIS had happened? He also said, and very quietly, with the reverence that the observation demands, This is why we have art  days like this.

September 11, 2001, posed a profound, brutal question for artists and for everyone, and comprehensively changed the way much of life looked and felt.

This recent election is going to shake some things up, separate some wheat and some chaff, monetarily and intellectually. In the short run, unlike 9/11, this already-up-and-running debacle may help all money markets, art and otherwise. Itll be interesting to see how artists and The Art World react to the perverse temptation of the impending Greedy Train, while money for the small-A-democratic-arts dries up even more.

Instability, upheaval, repression (watch out, Alec Baldwin) seems to bring out the best in the arts. Why is that? Stalin took poetry very, very seriously, as we know, and he did quite a bit more than tweet about it. One begins to wonder if maybe its not a bad thing that The Big D spends so much time tweeting. Look at it this way: Just think what he could be doing?

Yes, its going to get weird and, as the good Dr. Hunter S. Thompson always said, cigarette holder clamped between his teeth FDR-style: When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro!

What comes to mind, really, is not the Tragedy of Richard Nixon 1968 (Hunters great Nemesis in the worst of times, but not bad for the arts, eh, Andy?), but the incomparable film, The Third Man, and the parting words of Harry Lime (Orson Welles) to his old friend Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten):

  its not that awful  you know what the fellow said  . In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed  they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love, five hundred years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce  ? The cuckoo clock. So long, Holly.

We really hope things dont get quite as dramatic as Harry said  though, so far, total Fear-and-Loathing craziness on a scale unimagined by even the good Dr. Thompson seems plausible, and what did we expect?

But all things considered, right about now, Ill take the cuckoo clock and leave the prez-elect cuckoo out of it.
A bill that will come before the Legislature in January would largely eliminate the controversial attendance component of teachers evaluations.

Rep. Jason Harper, R-Rio Rancho, said he wants to introduce the legislation because he has seen his childrens teachers come to school sick, fearful that they will hurt their rating.

We are punishing good teachers, Harper said. This is such a morale issue. These poor teachers feel like they are beat up every which way.

Under the New Mexico Public Education Departments evaluation system, attendance counts for 10 points out of 200, or 5 percent of the total.

Educators can be absent from the classroom for three days without penalty, but lose points on the fourth day.

Harpers Teachers Are Human Too bill would allow them to freely take all of their contractual sick leave, two weeks in most districts.

Teachers who are caught abusing sick time  for instance, claiming they have the flu while they are on vacation  would receive no attendance points.

Sen. Craig Brandt, R-Rio Rancho, the bills co-sponsor, said the changes are designed to create better working conditions for educators while still holding them accountable.

We think it is inherently unfair to penalize teachers on their evaluations if they are out for legitimate reasons, he said.

But PED argues that the attendance measure is a reasonable incentive that has dramatically reduced teacher absences.

Statewide, districts saved $3.6 million on substitute teachers in the past year and the time teachers spent in the classroom increased by 400,000 hours.

Our students learn best when their teachers are in the classroom  thats what our parents expect and our kids deserve, PED spokesman Robert McEntyre said in a prepared statement. But heres the bottom line: Our teacher evaluation system doesnt prevent teachers from using sick days or taking leave  it encourages them to spend as many days as possible with their students.

In addition, attendance has a minimal impact on the overall evaluation. Teachers can lose all 10 attendance points and still receive the top ranking, exemplary.

The bulk of the evaluation  50 percent  comes from students standardized test scores. The other half is made up of a variety of measures, including attendance, student surveys and classroom observations.

Brandt acknowledged that the attendance requirement has reduced teacher absences, but thinks it comes at a cost.

Sick days are way down and my question is, to what effect on the teachers, he said. I know teachers who go to teach sick.

Albuquerque Teachers Federation president Ellen Bernstein believes every educator in the state will be grateful if the bill goes through.

Teachers are so upset because they feel punished when they legitimately use sick leave that they have earned and is guaranteed to them contractually, she said. There are examples of amazing, stellar teachers all over New Mexico, who say, seriously, I was downgraded on my evaluation because I got pneumonia? I was downgraded because I have cancer?

The union has long battled PEDs evaluations, arguing that the heavy emphasis on standardized test results  known as the value-added model  unfairly penalizes teachers.

In February 2015, ATF and the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico sued in state district court to halt the evaluations.

Judge David Thomson granted a temporary injunction in December 2015, preventing PED from using the evaluations to make employment decisions until the lawsuit has worked it way through the courts.

He noted that the system is not easily understood, translated or made accessible.

In response, PED simplified the formula. Attendance and parent and student surveys are now mandatory components of evaluations statewide. Previously, districts could choose one or the other.
Copyright  2016 Albuquerque Journal

A New Mexico Muslim spiritual leader detained by immigration authorities for more than three months  despite a judges order that he be released on bail  was freed on Friday.

Faced with a federal lawsuit by his attorney, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released Imam Tahla Elsayed on $10,000 cash bail and the condition that he wear an ankle monitor and meet other reporting requirements.

Elsayed, New Mexicos only imam, was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations on Sept. 1 in Albuquerque and held in an El Paso immigration detention center.

In court documents, federal authorities voiced national security concerns about Elsayed, a Saudi-born Egyptian national, but an immigration judge ruled Nov. 1 that he was neither a danger to the community nor a flight risk and should be released on bail. ICE initially refused to accept release, citing the governments security concerns.

ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Although I am disappointed that it took a federal lawsuit to get the Department of Homeland Security to obey an immigration judges order, I am happy with the result and their decision to reverse course, said Olsi Vrapi, an Albuquerque immigration attorney representing Elsayed. Im happy that my client has been released and will be reunited with his family.

Elsayed had been a volunteer lecturer at Albuquerques Dar Al-Salam mosque for about a year and was seeking a change in status that would allow him to work in New Mexico.

He remains in removal proceedings pending the resolution of his petitions to remain in the country, including an asylum claim and a request for religious worker status.

Homeland Security charged him with overstaying his tourist visa, despite his pending applications with immigration authorities.

Elsayed has a wife and four children in Albuquerque and is the only imam in New Mexico.
It was quiet when I showed up on Creekwood Avenue, a serene street in a subdivision called the Villages of Parkwest that ends where the Petroglyph National Monument begins.

But neighbors say its not always quiet, not always serene. One neighbor described living here as like living in hell  a very loud hell.

Its just a continuous nuisance, Adam Crosby said. Me and others have called the cops about 20 times this year.

Neighbors I spoke with reiterated, albeit timidly, Crosbys sentiments. And they blame Crosbys next-door neighbor Paul Price, who they say plays music so loud it rattles walls and posts large signs with homophobic messages that rattle Crosby, who is gay.

Price, however, said he believes the complaints against him are in retaliation for spurning Crosby and that he and his wife are being victimized by Crosbys pro-gay supporters.

One of the signs, strategically placed in Prices front yard facing Crosbys property, was splashed with the word FAG. Another read, Welcome Home Jealous!!! Lying!!! Drama Queen.

Earlier this week, the sign read, Beware of Racist Lying Anti-Military Neighbors and was decorated with Christmas lights.

The signs, Crosby said, were the latest salvo in the ongoing dispute that escalated to the point at which an Albuquerque police officer who responded to a call-out on Nov. 14 noted in his report that he was forwarding the matter to the departments Crisis Intervention Team  just in case.

What makes this all the more curious is that Price, a 42-year-old Army veteran, was the neighborhood associations president for about eight months before it disbanded bitterly.

A letter submitted on Aug. 6, 2013, by Price to the citys Office of Neighborhood Coordination blamed the dissolution on overwhelming discord. Two days later, a letter signed by the former Board of The Villages of Parkwest Neighborhood Association and distributed to members said that while Price had been a vital driving force in the neighborhood, he had also taken on a me vs. them mentality, making decisions without the boards input.

Price, who responded in an email to my queries, said he was only trying to make the neighborhood a better, safer place.

I volunteered to be the neighborhood association president, started a neighborhood watch, hosted many meetings at my home, paid for a surveillance sign for the neighborhood personally, Price wrote. I trim the trees at the neighborhood entrance.

In more neighborly days, Crosby said, he and his partner, who also owns their home, attended gatherings at the Price home. But when Crosby, a registered nurse, began working nights at the University of New Mexico Hospital emergency room, the music booming from Prices vehicles parked in the driveway or the open-door garage became so loud that Crosby could not sleep during the day.

Crosbys request that Price lower the volume was met, he said, with an unprintable comment.

The feud was on.

Crosby said after that his property was vandalized, his doorbell was frequently rung and the music got louder.

Then came the signs.

Crosby kept calling police. Neighbors and others, especially in the LGBT community, posted their support for Crosby on Facebook.

Price said his feud with Crosby is not a hate crime against gays but the result of his rejection of Crosbys sexual advance during a Christmas party at the Price home. Price also complained that because of Crosby he and his wife are being attacked on social media and receiving harassing calls from the pro-gay community from all over the United States.

As a commissioned Army officer who served over 15 years to protect Americans freedoms, I do not condone any activities that jeopardize those freedoms and the liberty of others, Price wrote. Its ironic that now my freedom to enjoy my life and property are now being inconvenienced due to this absurd behavior from Mr. Crosby.

Crosby called Prices allegations crazy, saying he never made a pass at Price and never attended a Christmas party at his home.

Price has now been charged with three counts of harassment and three counts of violating the citys unreasonable noise ordinance in two separate cases filed this month in Metro Court. On Wednesday, state District Judge Valerie Huling issued a five-year restraining order against Price that demands he stay away from Crosby, turn down the music and take down the signs.

Neighborhood disputes are as old as the petroglyphs (I may be exaggerating). Sometimes a handshake across the fence cannot mend those fences, leaving the cops and the courts to step in to call an uneasy truce.

For now, the signs and the music are down. Let us hope it stays that way and that both sides find a way to live together in peace.

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.
Fourth-graders at Bernalillo Elementary got a taste of environmental science Friday as part of a hands-on learning event held at five schools in the U.S. and Latin America.

Teacher Amber Braden led her 22 students outside the classroom for a walk along a nearby arroyo to measure humidity, ambient temperature and GPS position.

The experiment was possible thanks to four Labdisc data loggers  devices about the size of smoke detectors with 14 wireless sensors.

Boxlight, the manufacturer, donated the $550 data loggers as part of its new STEM Day initiative, which aims to bring science and technology curriculum to low-income schools.

Bradens class participated along with students in Tucson, Ariz.; Coweta County, Ga.; Jalisco, Mexico; and Sacatepequez, Guatemala.

This is really a gift to our school, Braden said. Were getting these kids excited about science and math, and giving them opportunities that wouldnt be available to a school like us during this budget crunch.

Albuquerque education company Team 1st Technologies worked with Boxlight to coordinate the experiment and trained Braden on the Labdisc system.

Team 1st Technologies founder Trisha Dworsky, a former teacher, said its rewarding to see children get excited about science, technology, engineering and math, high-paying fields with strong job markets.

They have been amazing in their interest, Dworsky said. If we can get these kiddos to know this stuff by the time they get to high school, they will be ahead.

During the walk, the students noted temperature changes from shade to sun and higher humidity near a creek.

Its a cooler way to learn than just reading a textbook, according to 10-year-old Nathan Encinias Jr.

I like actually doing science, said Encinias, who particularly enjoys studying bugs.

Alyssa Baldonado started thinking about career options after the data-collection walk.

Some people have to know about humidity and temperature for their jobs, she said.

Back in the classroom, Dworsky and Team 1st Technologies trainer Carmen Trujillo charted the students data and helped them come up with hypotheses.

For instance, could kids body temperatures impact the readings?

This is inquiry-based, Trujillo said. Its about making learning real.
The following companies are subsidiares of Eli Lilly and: 1096401 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, ARMO BioSciences Inc, ARMO Bioscience, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Alnara Pharmaceuticals, Alnara Pharmaceuticals Inc., Andean Technical Operations Center, Applied Molecular Evolution Inc., AurKa Pharma, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc., ChemGen, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc., Dermira, Devices for Vascular Intervention(DVI), Disarm Therapeutics, Dista Ilac Ticaret Ltd. Sti., Dista S.A., Dista-Produtos Quimicos & Farmaceuticos LDA, ELCO Dominicana SRL, ELCO Insurance Company Limited, ELCO Management Inc., ELCO for Trade and Marketing S.A.E., ELGO Insurance Company Limited, Elanco Animal Health Ireland Limited, Elanco Switzerland Holding Sarl, Eli Lilly (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Eli Lilly (Philippines) Incorporated, Eli Lilly (S.A.) (Proprietary) Limited, Eli Lilly (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A., Eli Lilly Asia Inc., Eli Lilly Asia Pacific SSC Sdn Bhd, Eli Lilly Australia Pty. Limited, Eli Lilly B-H d.o.o., Eli Lilly Benelux S.A., Eli Lilly Bienes y Servicios S de RL de CV, Eli Lilly CR s.r.o., Eli Lilly Canada Inc., Eli Lilly Cork Limited, Eli Lilly Danmark A/S, Eli Lilly Egypt for Trading, Eli Lilly European Clinical Trial Services SA, Eli Lilly Export S.A., Eli Lilly Finance S.A., Eli Lilly Ges.m.b.H., Eli Lilly Group Limited, Eli Lilly Holdings Ltd., Eli Lilly Hrvatska d.o.o., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc. y Compania Limitada, Eli Lilly International Corporation, Eli Lilly Ireland Holdings Limited, Eli Lilly Israel Ltd., Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Eli Lilly Kinsale Limited, Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Eli Lilly Nigeria Ltd., Eli Lilly Norge A.S., Eli Lilly Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd., Eli Lilly Polska Sp.z.o.o. (Ltd.), Eli Lilly Regional Operations GmbH, Eli Lilly Romania SRL, Eli Lilly S.A., Eli Lilly Saudi Arabia Limited, Eli Lilly Services Inc, Eli Lilly Services India Private Limited, Eli Lilly Slovakia s.r.o., Eli Lilly Sweden AB, Eli Lilly Vostok S.A. Geneva, Eli Lilly and Company, Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd., Eli Lilly and Company (Ireland) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (N.Z.) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (Taiwan) Inc., Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Eli Lilly de Centro America S.A., Eli Lilly do Brasil Limitada, Eli Lilly farmacevtska druzba d.o.o., Eli Lilly y Compania de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Eli Lilly y Compania de Venezuela S.A., Glycostasis Inc, Greenfield-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Heart Rhythm Technologies Inc, Hybritech, Hypnion, ICOS Corporation, ImClone GmbH, ImClone LLC, ImClone Systems Holdings Inc., ImClone Systems LLC, Imclone Systems, Irisfarma S.A., Ivy Animal Health, Kinsale Financial Services Unlimited Company, Lilly (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd, Lilly Asia Ventures Fund I L.P., Lilly Asia Ventures Fund II L.P., Lilly Asian Ventures Fund III L.P., Lilly Cayman Holdings, Lilly China Research and Development Co. Ltd., Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Lilly France S.A.S., Lilly Global Nederland Holdings B.V., Lilly Global Services Inc., Lilly Holding GmbH, Lilly Holdings B.V., Lilly Hungaria KFT, Lilly Japan Financing G.K., Lilly Korea Ltd., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V. - GCC, Lilly Nederland Holding B.V., Lilly Pharma Ltd., Lilly Portugal - Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Lilly S.A., Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lilly Trading Co. LTD, Lilly USA LLC, Lilly Ventures Fund I LLC, Lilly del Caribe Inc., Lilly ilac ticaret limited sirketi, Lohmann Animal Health, Loxo Oncology, Lylly Centre for Clinical Pharmacology PTE. LTD., Novartis Animal Health, OY Eli Lilly Finland AB, Origin Medsystems, PT. Eli Lilly Indonesia, Pacific Biotech, Pharmaserve-Lilly S.A.C.I., Physio-Control, SGX Pharmaceuticals, SGX Pharmaceuticals Inc, Spaly Bioquimica S.A., UAB Eli Lilly Lietuva, Valquifarma S.A., and Vital Pharma Productos Farmaceuticos.

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Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes generic medicines, specialty medicines, and biopharmaceutical products in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company offers sterile products, hormones, high-potency drugs, and cytotoxic substances in various dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, injectables, inhalants, liquids, transdermal patches, ointments, and creams. It also develops, manufactures, and sells active pharmaceutical ingredients. In addition, it focuses on the central nervous system, pain, respiratory, and oncology areas. Its products in the central nervous system include Copaxone for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis; AJOVY for the preventive treatment of migraine; and AUSTEDO for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia and chorea associated with Huntington disease. The company's products in the respiratory market comprise ProAir, QVAR, ProAir Digihaler, AirDuo Digihaler, and ArmonAir Digihaler, BRALTUS, CINQAIR/CINQAERO, DuoResp Spiromax, and AirDuo RespiClick/ArmonAir RespiClick for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Its products in the oncology market include Bendeka, Treanda, Granix, Trisenox, Lonquex, and Tevagrastim/Ratiograstim. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has a collaboration MedinCell for the development and commercialization of multiple long-acting injectable products, a risperidone suspension for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. The company was founded in 1901 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.
The establishment of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission (NSHRC) in 1967 was a watershed moment for the province in its journey to create a fairer, more equitable society for all.



But as the commissions 50th anniversary approaches, one of its biggest proponents says too many people still lack the knowledge needed to get rid of discrimination for good.



I think one of the reasons peoples human rights continue to be violated every single day is because a lot of people are not aware of what their rights are, says Wanda Thomas Bernard, a long-time Dalhousie social work professor and a former commissio ner with the NSHRC.



Whats more, she says, others who witness discrimination sometimes remain silent because they dont know what to do.



Dr. Bernard has used her position as an educator and administrator over the past 25 years or so to do her part to help change that. A few years ago, she even decided to completely overhaul one of her core graduate courses to focus the assignments solely on the human rights tribunals that have emerged out of the commissions work. She saw the tribunals as a way to teach student about the lived reality of oppression from the people who have actually experienced it.



And now, she has tasked those students as well as human rights leaders and advocates from across Nova Scotia with helping amplify some of those lessons at a conference this Friday marking 50 years of human rights in the province.



The conference also comes just ahead of Human Rights Day, which is held each December 10 to commemorate the 1948 adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly.

A public discussion



Even though the commission doesnt turn 50 until this coming March, Dr. Bernard didnt want her students to miss out on marking the milestone, which is one of the reasons she planned the event for this week. She says its an opportunity for her students to share their impressive analyses of the commissions cases in a public forum.



One recent high-profile case of an African Nova Scotian woman who was wrongly accused of shoplifting at a Sobeys store in Tantallon will form the heart of a student panel presentation Friday.



What Im hoping that people will learn from our presentation is the importance of the community in coming together, says Brittany Orchard, one of the Master of Social Work students who will be presenting on the case Friday. It really made a difference that her whole community stood by her.



Some of those community leaders who were instrumental in raising awareness about the case, which was brought before an NSHRC tribunal that ruled there was racial profiling against the women, will be on hand to discuss it during a panel following the student presentation.



For Dr. Bernard, its this meeting of town and gown that should help to make the occasion particularly special. She expects a mix of people from Dal, the broader community and the NSHRC itself to attend the conference, which will include an array of panellists across the legal and social work professions.

Looking back to move ahead



Dal President Richard Florizone will be on hand to welcome attendees to the conference, which will also mark the 75th anniversary of the School of Social Work. Hell be joined in his welcome by Judy MacDonald, the school's interim director, and Geri Musqua-Leblanc of the Elders in Residence program, who will provide an Elder prayer to open the days events.



Panels throughout the day will cover everything from the impacts of patriarchy in the workplace to race, all through the lens of the commissions work.



Dal Law professor Wayne MacKay and local lawyers Kendrick Douglas and Kymberly Franklin will team up for a panel exploring the history of human rights in Nova Scotia. Dr. MacKay, who served as CEO of the NSHRC for several years, will also lead his colleagues in a discussion about some of the contemporary issues facing human rights in the province.



To close out the day, Dr. Bernard  who was recently appointed to the Senate of Canada  will conclude with a call to action. She says far too many cases take years to get to a tribunal if they get there at all.



In most of the cases of human rights violation, they tend to go through on their own, she says. Many people dont even have a lawyer. They do it on their own and it is very difficult.


Strides Shasun shines on acquisition of Perrigos API facility in India

Strides Shasun has signed definitive agreements to acquire the entire shareholding in Perrigo API India for Rs 100 crore. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be closed during end of December 2016.Under the terms of agreement, Stride Shasun will acquire 100 per cent of the issued capital of Perrigo API India.

On the financial front, Perrigo API Indias revenue stands at Rs 73.76 crore in FY16 and gross asset base at Rs 287.4 crore. The companys patent will continue to source few products from the facility under long term supply agreement.

Perrigo API Indias facility has potential capacity of 600 tons per year; and had zero 483s during its last US FDA inspection. Strides Shasun intends to transfer all integrated DMFs filled for captive consumption to the acquired facility.

Post transaction, the company will significantly scale up its API practice through upgrade of infrastructure and quality standards with a focus on building portfolio of backwardly integrated small molecules and catering to high entry barrier markets of Japan and South Korea.

The share price of Strides Shasun increased by 3.9 per cent on bourses in early trades; and is trading at Rs 1124 on an intraday basis.
Time flows, time flies, time stands still. All these expressions show just how highly variable, depending on multiple factors, our perception of the passage of time can be. How is this subjective experience embodied in the human brain? Scientists in Portugal have begun to unravel this fundamental question.

A team of neuroscientists at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, in Lisbon, has discovered that the activity of certain neurons in a deep region of the mouse brain can be manipulated to induce the animal to under- or overestimate the duration of a fixed time interval. In other words, they have, for the first time, identified neural circuitry that modulates judgments of elapsed time -- at least in the mouse brain.

These results, which have now been published in the journal Science by Joe Paton, principal investigator of the Learning Lab, PhD student Sofia Soares and post-doc Bassam Atallah, offer a neurobiological answer to the long-standing question of how the brain produces such variable estimates of time. And not only that: they may also help to explain why time seems to fly when we are having fun, or to endlessly stretch when we are bored.

The group has been studying the neuroscience of how duration is judged for a number of years now, as part of a larger interest in understanding how the brain learns to link causes with effects even over extended over time periods. However, never has the work felt so personally relevant. Recently, two of Paton's friends were in a serious accident. "The few hours between when we knew about the accident, and when we knew that they would be ok... felt like weeks. In retrospect, I wonder what role these neurons we have been studying might have played in that illusion."

The passing of time seems such an elusive concept that studying it from the neurobiological point of view might appear short of impossible. Unlike vision or audition, time judgement is not can't be traced back to a sense organ like the eye or the ear, Paton explains, making its neural underpinnings all the more difficult to pinpoint.

But the challenge with time goes deeper than this: the objective existence of time itself and its flow, which we so unequivocally exists for each and every one of us, has actually been questioned by some theoretical physicists. And yet, the ability to estimate duration is obviously crucial for any animal's survival: for example, imagine an rabbit feeding in open terrain. The more it lingers, the greater the chances that a predator might sneak up on it. "Timing is important for extracting information from the environment and deciding when to expect something to happen or when to engage or disengage from an action", says Paton.

So no wonder we all feel it... But what in the brain could be generating this vital, subjective experience?

To unravel the neurobiology of this inner and universal perception, the team had an idea of where to look. Specifically, they were interested in studying certain dopamine-releasing neurons (dopamine is one of the brain's chemical "messengers", or neurotransmitters), in structure deep in the brain, called the substantia nigra pars compacta, that is known to play a role in temporal processing.

"Dopamine neurons are implicated in many of the psychological factors and disorders associated with changes in time estimation", the authors write in Science. Factors such as motivation, attention, sensory change, novelty, and emotions like fear or feeling happy: "Give a fearful stimulus to a rat, and his dopamine release hits the floor", Paton says. In humans, the destruction of the substantia nigra causes Parkinson's disease, which is also known to impair the perception of time.

An additional reason for choosing to look more closely at these neurons was that they project onto another brain structure, called the striatum, which Paton's group had thoroughly previously studied and found to carry the information to support timing behavior. And, in particular, they knew that removing the input of these dopamine neurons to the striatum "can cause a selective deficit in timing", as they also explain in their paper.

Mice with great timing

The scientists started by training mice to perform a task that involved timing. "Training animals to make categorical judgments in order to study perception is not new", Paton adds. It's been done for decades in sensory modalities like vision, for example.

Such an approach has even been used to study timing. "However, when we first set out to train mice to report their judgement of time, there was real doubt whether it could even be done!", says first author Atallah. To achieve this, the authors had to use modern molecular and genetic tools that allowed both measuring and manipulating dopamine neurons on a fast timescale. "Nobody had managed to do this with respect to the passage of time", says Soares. "Up to now, there were many contradictory results regarding dopamine's role in time perception", she adds.

What did they do exactly? "We trained mice to estimate whether the duration of the interval between two tones was shorter or longer than 1.5 seconds", Paton explains. "After months of training, they became pretty good at it."

Mice indicate their choice but placing their snout at either a right (shorter) or left (longer) port. During the task, the interval between the tones was made to vary, and if the mice chose the right answer (they correctly estimated time), they were rewarded.

The second part of the work consisted in passively measuring signals that reflect the electrical activity of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta using a technique called fiber photometry, while mice performed the task.

Specifically, using genetic tools the neurons made to fluoresce when active, the team measured the intensity of the emitted light. Since the fluorescence "is an indicator of the electrical activity of a number of these neurons around the optical fiber tip, this allowed us to indirectly monitor the variation of those neurons' activity during the task", Paton explains. Using this technique, the scientists observed an increase in the neurons' activity at the onset of both the first and the second tones. This suggested that the neurons might be effectively involved in the task. But more importantly, the team discovered that the increase of neural activity itself did not always have the same amplitude - and this was the clue they needed.

"What we saw was that the bigger the increase in neural activity [at the first and the second tone], the more the animals tended to underestimate the duration of the interval", says Soares. "And the smaller the increase, the more the animal overestimated duration."

The conditions under which the dopamine neuron response predicted judgments suggested that electrical activity in these cells was actually strongly correlated with the animals' judgement of the passage of time.

Causal link

At this point, the team wanted to know whether they had found a mere correlation between these neurons' activity and the way the brain keeps track of time, or a causal link between the two. Could the neurons' activity actually induce the alterations in judgment of elapsed time observed in the mice?

"The neurons seemed to reflect information about the estimation of duration by the animals. But might they actually be controlling their sense of time?", asks Paton.

To address this, they performed a third round of experiments, by taking advantage of a technique called optogenetics, where they used light to manipulate (stimulate or silence) these neurons in a specific and fast way in order to see the impact on the animals' behavior during the task.

"We found that if we stimulated the neurons, the mice tended to underestimate duration, and if we silenced them, they tended to overestimate it", Paton explains. "This result, together with the naturally occurring signals we observed in the previous experiments, demonstrate that the activity of these neurons was sufficient to alter the way the animals judged the passage of time. This was the major result of our study."

Can it be extrapolated to humans? Do we have the same type of neurons, do they control the way we perceive duration, and could they be manipulated to alter our subjective experience of the passage of time? How might this effect contribute to symptoms of attention deficit disorder or substance addiction that are thought to involve dysfunction of the dopaminergic system? According to the authors, it is very likely that a similar circuit is at work in the human brain. But the problem is, warns Paton, that what they now measured in mice cannot be said to be a percept, because the animals' cannot tell us what they felt.

"When we study animals, the only thing we can measure is the animal's behavior. But we are never sure of what they perceive", he says. "We interpret this as 'a subjective experience of the animal', but it's no more than an interpretation. And that's the best we can do."

Even so, Paton likes to "wildly speculate", as he calls it. "There's this cliche about young lovers staying up all night talking, and not feeling time go by." It might be those dopamine neurons at work shrinking time in a spectacular way.

###
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have developed what appears to be a significant improvement in the technology behind brain implants used to activate neural circuits responsible for vision, hearing or movement. The investigators, who are also affiliated with the Boston VA Healthcare System, describe their development of tiny magnetic coils capable of selectively activating target neurons in the Dec. 9 issue of Science Advances.

"Neural stimulation systems based on electrodes are currently being used to restore senses such as vision and hearing; to treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, and for brain-computer interfaces that can give paralyzed patients the ability to communicate or move objects," explains lead author Seung Woo Lee, PhD, of the MGH Department of Neurosurgery. "But electrode-based neural stimulation devices, especially those that target the cortex, have several significant limitations. The environment within the brain can erode a metal electrode over time, and the brain's natural foreign-body response can lead to scarring, which can impede passage of electrical fields."

The use of magnetic rather than electrical fields to stimulate neurons presents several advantages, including the ability to penetrate scar tissue. Since the magnetic signal can pass through biocompatible insulating material, direct contact between neural tissue and the metal coil is eliminated, further reducing the potential for damage to the coil. But it had been believed that magnetic coils strong enough to activate neurons would be too large to be implanted within the brain's cortex. The device developed by Lee and senior author Shelley Fried, PhD, of MGH Neurosurgery -- in collaboration with scientists at the Palo Alto Research Center - takes advantage of the fact that the passage of electric current through a bent wire will induce a magnetic field. The novel coil they designed, while similar to the size of electrodes used for brain stimulation, was able to generate magnetic fields in excess of the thresholds required to activate neurons.

Testing these microcoils in brain tissue samples from mice revealed not only that they were capable of activating neurons but also that they did so more selectively than would be possible with metal electrodes. Electric fields most effectively activate neurons when they are oriented along the length of nerve cells, but most implantable electrodes generate fields that spread uniformly in all directions. In contrast, magnetic fields extend in specific directions, allowing selective targeting of neurons with the same orientation while simultaneously avoiding the activation of other neurons. The ability to avoid activation of passing nerve fibers prevents the spread of activation that typically occurs with electrodes, which can lead, for example, to the blurring of a visual image generated in response to stimulation of the visual cortex.

The MGH team proceeded to show that these microcoils could safely be implanted into the brains of anesthetized mice. Stimulation of coils inserted into the portion of the motor cortex that controls the animals' whiskers resulted in whisker motion, with the direction depending on the frequency of the signal. Stimulating coils placed in the whisker sensory cortex caused whisker retraction. These experiments proved that implanted coils can be used to drive responses associated with the targeted neurons.

"Our next steps will be to continue improving coil design to reduce power and enhance selectivity, to confirm that the enhanced effectiveness of these coils will persist over time, and to determine whether stimulation of the visual cortex does elicit a visual signal," says Fried, who is an associate professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School. "More stable long-term performance of these microcoils and the high-resolution signals produced by ever greater selectivity in neuron activation would significantly improve currently available neural prostheses and open up many new applications."

###

Florian Fallegger and Bernard Casse of the Palo Alto Research Center are co-authors of the Science Advances report. The study was supported by Veterans Administration-Rehabilitation Research and Development Service grant 1I01 RX001663, National Eye Institute grant R01-EY023651, National Institute for Neurological Disease and Stroke grant U01-NS099700, and the Rappaport Foundation. The MGH has filed a patent application for the technology described in this paper.

Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The MGH Research Institute conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the nation, with an annual research budget of more than $800 million and major research centers in HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular research, cancer, computational and integrative biology, cutaneous biology, human genetics, medical imaging, neurodegenerative disorders, regenerative medicine, reproductive biology, systems biology, photomedicine and transplantation biology. The MGH topped the 2015 Nature Index list of health care organizations publishing in leading scientific journals and earned the prestigious 2015 Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service. In August 2016 the MGH was once again named to the Honor Roll in the U.S. News & World Report list of "America's Best Hospitals."
Patient health records revealed two drug combinations that may reduce mortality rates in breast cancer patients, according to a study led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

The drugs involved were commonly used drugs that turned out to be associated with a longer average survival rate in breast cancer patients.

The study will be published online Dec. 9 in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. The lead author is Stanford postdoctoral scholar Yen Low, PhD. The senior author is Nigam Shah, MBBS, PhD, associate professor of medicine and of biomedical data science.

Often, when different drugs are taken together, they can have unexpected side effects. For example, some antibiotics and antifungal drugs can interfere with the effectiveness of birth control pills. It occurred to Shah and his team that the opposite could also be true -- that some drug interactions might help patients.

"What if we looked for combinations of drugs that have an accidental beneficial effect?" Shah said.

Combing through records

The researchers decided to comb through a breast cancer database built at Stanford called Oncoshare, which takes de-identified patient information -- including tumor and treatment information for each patient -- from Stanford Health Care and from the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and links it to patient outcomes in the California Cancer Registry.

The team searched for drugs that patients just happened to be taking and that were statistically associated with better outcomes. "By integrating different kinds of data, we can ask questions we couldn't ask before. Usually, you don't find both survivorship data and all the different kinds of drugs and other treatments patients get all in the same place," said Allison Kurian, MD, associate professor of medicine and of health research and policy.

"We looked at all the noncancer drugs that breast cancer patients were on," said Shah. "People have other things going on in life. They might have hypertension, they might have high cholesterol or diabetes. They would be taking drugs for those as well. So the question we were asking was, do any of the drugs they are taking associate with better outcomes for breast cancer?"

The team looked at data from nearly 10,000 adult women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2000 and 2013, of whom about 12 percent died within five years of the diagnosis. The team examined 294 drugs in more than 43,000 pairwise combinations. Specifically, they looked for combinations of drugs in which the beneficial effect on survival was greater than the effect of either drug by itself.

"So we ran the analysis, and we found a few drug combinations that seemed to associate with better survival," said Shah.

'How do we know it's true?'

Specifically, there were three pairs of drug types: anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or naproxen, and blood-lipid modifiers, such as statins; lipid modifiers and drugs such as fluticasone used to treat asthmalike conditions; and anti-inflammatories and hormone antagonists -- typically, drugs that suppress the synthesis of estrogen.

"But how do we know it's true, and not just an association?" said Shah.

The researchers needed to look for confirmation in a data set they had not yet examined. To do so, they turned to Shah's former student Andrew Radin, a co-author of the paper and co-founder of a company called twoXAR that searches for drug interactions using gene-expression data. Radin's company looks for common molecular pathways that might account for drug pairs with apparent synergistic effects, searching for drug-protein interactions in the company's database.

Said Shah, "So I asked Andrew, 'If I give you two drugs and a disease, can you tell me if there is any molecular-level evidence that would lead you to believe that, yes, these drugs might have a beneficial effect in treating this disease?' So we gave them our list of three drug pairs, and they looked at the protein targets for all the drugs."

Two of the three drug pairs showed a likely molecular mechanism that a reasonable person might think had to do with survival in breast cancer, the study said. These were anti-inflammatories and lipid modifiers, and anti-inflammatories and anti-cancer hormone antagonists.

A joint effort

"This study is a nice example of an analysis spanning multiple data modalities. It's the kind of thing that can only happen at Stanford," said Shah, pointing out how his lab worked with Oncoshare, twoXAR, oncologists and statisticians to bring the study off.

The work is an example of Stanford Medicine's focus on precision health, the goal of which is to anticipate and prevent disease in the healthy and precisely diagnose and treat disease in the ill.

"It's a proof of principle that this kind of data mining has strong practical clinical applications," said Kurian. With electronic health records, she said, the challenge has been getting the data organized in a way that allows fruitful explorations like this one.

The key, said Shah, is to ask why these drugs and their protein targets have something to do with breast cancer and to leverage that information for better treatment. "This is a holistic look at the data -- EHR, gene expression, protein targets of drugs -- all in one analysis," he said.

###

Other Stanford co-authors are former research assistant William Chen; senior clinical data engineer Tina Seto; Susan Weber, PhD, director of informatics systems and software development for the Stanford Center for Clinical Informatics; former graduate student Michael Lim, PhD; Trevor Hastie, PhD, professor of statistics and of biomedical data science; biostatistician Maya Mathur; Manisha Desai, PhD, associate professor of medicine and of biomedical data science; research scientist Scarlett Gomez, PhD, MPH; and George Sledge, MD, professor of medicine.

Researchers at twoXAR Inc., the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute and the Cancer Prevention Institute of California were also co-authors of the study.

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grants R01LM011369, GM101430RO1, EB00198815 and UL1RR025744), the National Science Foundation, the Susan and Richard Levy Give Fund, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the Regents of the University of California's Breast Cancer Research Program and the Stanford University Developmental Research Fund.

Stanford's Department of Medicine also supported the work.

The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation's top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://med.stanford.edu/school.html. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford. For information about all three, please visit http://med.stanford.edu.

Print media contact: Jennie Dusheck at (650) 725-5376 (dusheck@stanford.edu)

Broadcast media contact: Margarita Gallardo at (650) 723-7897 (mjgallardo@stanford.edu)
Somerset farmer Ben Turner has launched a bid for the Number 1 spot, with a fun song thats got a distinctly rural theme.

The band Made in Camelot has written, performed, recorded and released A Farmyard Fable, which tells the story of a farmer who creeps into his barn one night to find an animals party in full swing.

Ben teamed up with Lycia Atkinson, Simon Hawksley, Tim Hale and Haydn Wood to raise money for North Cadbury Primary School, which needs a new classroom.

See also: Full-scale tractor in Xmas lights is a hit on social media

The idea began when one of them won a studio recording session at a charity auction.

The video was filmed at Bens farm in Queen Camel with the help of local lighting and camera experts and a friend with experience in directing.

We wanted to have some fun and raise money at the same time, the band said.

The single is available for download from iTunes, priced 79p.




Haiti - News : Zapping politics...





FLASH Challenges, the BCED declares itself incompetent

Following the he parties "Fanmi Lavals", "Pitit Dessalin" and LAPEH, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19464-haiti-elections-the-becd-deliberates-awaiting-verdict.html the Office of the Departmental Electoral Litigation (BCED) declared itself incompetent after deliberation to judge these challenges, according to Wally Desence, the President of the BCED.



AmCham asks protection

In a letter to the Chief of the Port-au-Prince Procuratorate, Carl Auguste Boisson, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Haiti (AmCham) asks Government Commissioner Danton Leger, to take all necessary measures to protect business personalities who have recently been the object of threats and attacks as well as the property and lives of all citizens.



Arnel Belizaire recognize his defeat

Arnel Belizaire, candidate losing to the Senate for the West (who came 6th with 26,095 votes - 7.26%) recognize his defeat in the elections, and does not intend to challenge, according to him this failure is due to the lack of unity of the sector democratic.



Only 8.25% of women voted

In the elections on Sunday 20 November, only 8.26% of women voted. Only 4 women could join the parliament including 3 deputies and one senator https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19440-haiti-elections-4-women-in-parliament-if.html



VISA for Panama, caution

In a note, the Embassy of Panama in Haiti, informs that ONLY the consular section of the Embassy is authorized to issue visas to visit Panama. The Embassy of Panama urges the public to be vigilant and prudent against crooks or false intermediaries. For all information regarding visa application procedures, the Embassy invites interested persons to contact the consular section at 157 Panamerican Street (Petion-Ville) or by phone at (509) 2813-1295 / 2813-1296.



NOTICE to owners of vehicle wrecks

Jean Michel Choute, Director of Vehicle Traffic, notifies the owners of vehicle wrecks and other objects obstructing the public road, that they have a period of 72 hours to remove them under penalty of towing, the costs of which will be for the owner.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















12/11 SF Japan Consulate Speak-out-Evacuate The Families and Children Of Fukushima And Stop The Cover-upSunday December 11, 2016 3:00 PM275 Battery St./California St.San FranciscoOn Sunday December 11, 2016 at 3:00 PM there will be a speak out rally to defend the families and children of Fukushima and against the restart of Japan's nuclear plants.The Japanese Abe government continues to tell the people of Fukushima and Japan that they have "decontaminated" Fukushima and families and workers should move back. The reality is that people continue to be contaminated and even the government admits that the financial costs are out of control.At the same time the government is seeking to sell more nuclear power plants to countries throughout the world including Turkey.The majority of Japanese people are against the restarting of nuclear power plants but the Abe government is moving ahead to restart more plants. The government which has nationalized TEPCO because of the massive financial costs is using contract labor with tens of thousands of workers becoming contaminated in this work. They have brought in immigrant workers and day laborers in some cases under the control of Yakuza contractors and most of these workers doing work at the plant do not receive proper health and safety training putting them in serious health dangers.The government has also raised the level of acceptable radioactive contamination.The government is also pushing militarization and supporting more US bases in Okinawa that will contain nuclear weapons despite the opposition of the people of Okinawa.Join the speak out in support of the Fukushima families and in opposition to the restarting of the Japan's remaining 40 nuclear plants.Speak Out and Rally initiated byNo Nukes Action CommitteeJapan Kagoshima Governor under fire as Sendai nuclear reactor likely to restart "What he had done over the past months now appears to be a mere publicity stunt, said Yukio Taira, chief of a confederation of labor unions in Kagoshima Prefecture. Taira withdrew his candidacy in the governors race in July after he and Mitazono agreed on many policy measures toward a temporary halt of operations at the nuclear plant in Satsuma-Sendai."THE ASAHI SHIMBUNNovember 29, 2016 at 18:15 JSTKagoshima Governor Satoshi Mitazono on Nov. 28 explains to the prefectural assembly why he has requested a budget to form a committee of experts on nuclear power generation. (Akemi Saito)KAGOSHIMAAnti-nuclear activists are castigating Governor Satoshi Mitazono, saying the politician has retreated from his campaign promises regarding the planned restart of a nuclear reactor in the prefecture.Despite stressing that he would take a hard look at safety issues, Mitazonos actions on Nov. 28 indicate that Kyushu Electric Power Co. will be allowed to restart the No. 1 reactor at its Sendai plant on Dec. 8 as was expected.What he had done over the past months now appears to be a mere publicity stunt, said Yukio Taira, chief of a confederation of labor unions in Kagoshima Prefecture.Taira withdrew his candidacy in the governors race in July after he and Mitazono agreed on many policy measures toward a temporary halt of operations at the nuclear plant in Satsuma-Sendai.Mitazono on Nov. 28 submitted to the prefectural assembly a budget proposal for establishing an expert panel on nuclear power generation--a centerpiece of his campaign pledges.I will make a comprehensive judgment on how to respond when the panel releases its findings of the utilitys reports on special checks, Mitazono told the assembly session, referring to the reactor restart plan.However, given that a governor does not have the legal authority to order a halt, the No. 1 reactor will probably already be running by the time those findings are released.The assembly is expected to vote on the budget request for the panel on Dec. 16. Kyushu Electric is scheduled to release the outcome of its special checks in early January.The utility agreed to carry out the additional checks in response to the new governor's concerns. These inspections, including checking bolts fastened on barrels containing nuclear waste, are nothing new and have been done in the past, according to Kyushu Electric.Two reactors at the Sendai plant were the first in the nation to go online under new nuclear safety regulations set up after the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima Prefecture.The No. 1 reactor has been shut down for maintenance since October. The No. 2 reactor is scheduled to be taken offline in December for a routine inspection.Mitazono, a former TV journalist, was elected on campaign promises to take a strong response regarding a reactor restart if the envisaged committee deems the plant unsafe.Concerns over the safety of the nuclear complex arose when roads and other infrastructure were damaged in a series of powerful quakes that began rattling neighboring Kumamoto Prefecture in April.After gaining support from anti-nuclear groups, Mitazono won the race against the incumbent, who was seen as friendlier toward nuclear power generation.But after he took office, Mitazono appeared to back off from his campaign promises.He did request an immediate halt of plant operations to Michiaki Uriu, president of Kyushu Electric, in late August and early September.After the company refused the governors requests, Mitazono decided not to pursue the issue, saying a governor does not have the legal authority to demand a halt to operations.He tried to assuage public concerns about the safety of the plant, citing the extra special checks the utility promised to conduct.Taira said Mitazono has rejected repeated requests for a meeting with him and other anti-nuclear activists. They have asked Mitazono to quickly establish the expert panel for possible action to counter Kyushu Electrics reactor restart plans. But the governor did not reply.Mitazono also did not submit a budget request for the expert panel in the September session.When asked by reporters, Mitazono merely kept saying he would establish the panel as soon as possible.He is breaking the campaign promise if he allows the resumption of the plant without obtaining the conclusion of the panel, Taira said.According to one source, the governor told an informal gathering of members of the Liberal Democratic Party, the largest group in the assembly, that he shares the LDPs direction in nuclear power policy.(This article was written by Takeshi Nakashima and Sei Iwanami.)Tokyo says Tepco may stay nationalized to deal with massive cost of nuclear disasterKYODO DEC 5, 2016Faced with massive ongoing costs stemming from the 2011 nuclear crisis in Fukushima, Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc. may remain under state control longer than initially planned, the government said Monday.Under the current plan, the utility would gradually reduce government involvement in its management from April.However, at a key panel meeting the government proposed a revised option in light of the huge compensation and decommissioning expenses that are involved.The government leads the business operations of the utility, known as Tepco, acquiring 50.1 percent of its voting rights through the state-backed Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corp.Some ministry bureaucrats have also been dispatched to the utility.It is understood the state-backed body will assess efforts to reform the company in late March and make a decision on whether to reduce state involvement.The direction of Tepco reform is coming into sight, said Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko at the panel meeting. We have to come up with a more detailed picture of the reform.The government is seeking to split the activities of the utility into business operations, including retail sales and power generation, and Fukushima operations related to decommissioning reactors at the disaster-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant and paying compensation, which would remain under public control.As for Tepcos business operations, the government plans to free them of state control at an early date, hoping to promote industry reorganization involving nuclear and energy distribution businesses.The plan was revealed at the panel meeting at the trade ministry to study compensation and decommissioning issues facing the utility. The panel will compile proposals by the end of this year.The government also seeks cooperation from other power companies in reactivating Tepcos Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, which would be the main source of its revenue.With the involvement of other utilities, the government hopes to ease local distrust of Tepcos nuclear plant operations. Two reactors at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant are under prolonged safety examinations by nuclear regulators.Fukushima Nuclear Decommission, Compensation Costs to Almost Double To $177.51 billion US: MediaBy REUTERSNOV. 27, 2016, 8:33 P.M. E.S.T.TOKYO  Japan's trade ministry has almost doubled the estimated cost of compensation for the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster and decommissioning of the damaged Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant to more than 20 trillion yen ($177.51 billion), the Nikkei business daily reported on Sunday.The trade ministry at the end of 2013 calculated the cost at 11 trillion yen, which was comprised of 5.4 trillion yen for compensation, 2.5 trillion yen for decontamination, 1.1 trillion yen for an interim storage facility for contaminated soil, and 2 trillion yen for decommissioning, the report said.The new estimate raised the cost of compensation to 8 trillion yen and decontamination to 4-5 trillion yen, the cost for an interim storage facility remained steady, and decommissioning will rise by several trillion yen, it added.The part of the cost increase will be passed on in electricity fees, it added, citing multiple unnamed sources familiar with the matter.The ministry could not provide immediate comment.On March 11, 2011, a massive 9 magnitude earthquake, the strongest quake ever recorded in Japan, created three tsunamis that knocked out the Fukushima-Daiichi plant, causing the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl a quarter of a century earlier.The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will discuss with the Ministry of Finance a possible expansion of the interest-free loan program from 9 trillion yen, to help support the finances of the Fukushima plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co's, the report said.The cost of cleaning up Tokyo Electric Power's wrecked Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant may rise to several billion dollars a year, from less than $800 million per year now, the Japanese government said last month.The Mainichi newspaper reported in October that Japan's utilities lobby expects clean-up and compensation costs from the Fukushima disaster to overshoot previous estimates by 8.1 trillion yen.(Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori; Editing by Michael Perry)
A post office worker who stole from ten elderly people by skimming their old age pensions has avoided a prison sentence.

Imelda Hanlon (36) stole a total of 18,752 over four years before she was caught. She used the money to pay her mortgage and gave some of it to her partner's children in an effort to forge a closer relationship with them.

Hanlon, of Oak Court Grove, Palmerstown, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ten sample counts of theft, from an 81 count indictment, at Chapelizod Post Office between 2010 and 2014.

Detective Garda Shane Kelly told Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting, that Hanlon worked part time in the post office which was owned by her mother.

She targeted old age pension payments because the post office system allows pensioners to let them build up before collecting them. When customers came in to collect a few weeks worth of payments, Hanlon would pay out most of the money but keep some back for herself.

The customers did not notice the missing money as Hanlon only took small amounts from each person and spread the thefts over four years.

In 2014, An Post launched an investigation into unusual transactions at the branch and Hanlon admitted the thefts. An Post reimbursed the victims and Hanlon has since repaid An Post.

Defence counsel, Katherine McGillicuddy BL, said the thefts started out as opportunistic and then became a habit for Hanlon. She said Hanlon was relieved when she was finally caught.

Ms McGillicuddy said her client had poor decision-making skills. Hanlon used some of the money to pay maintenance for her partner's children and to take them out to dinner. Counsel said she did not live a lavish lifestyle.

Counsel added she was let go from the post office and hadn't returned since.

Judge Martin Nolan said it was a serious crime which targeted a vulnerable section of the community.

Lets hope they dont lose their trust in their fellow human beings. Most people are trustworthy, especially in An Post, the judge said.

He imposed a two-year sentence on Hanlon, which he suspended on strict conditions.
According to Impact trade union, which represents members of the National Educational Psychological Service, 15%-20% of students have significant emotional or behavioural issues and are reliant on schools to help meet their needs.

At present there are 162 full-time equivalent psychologists providing a school psychology service to all primary and post-primary schools in the country.

The union wants the immediate recruitment of at least 94 more to meet current needs. It is also wants a commitment to recruit an additional 17 psychologists to meet expected demands on the service by 2021.

Impacts Tony Martin said Neps had been subject to restructuring and restrictions on recruitment since 2008.

He said the Programme for Government included a commitment to raise the number of Neps by 25%, but the most recent information the union had was that none of these additional posts have, as yet, been sanctioned.

The union held a briefing for Oireachtas members earlier this week at which educational psychologist Richard Egan pointed out that Ireland ranks 26th in the world in terms of the pupil to psychologist ratio for its educational psychology service, while one in four Irish pupils have special educational needs, and up to one in five are experiencing emotional or behavioural disorders.

Based on current demographics, a total of 250 psychologists is needed to achieve the internationally accepted psychologist-to-student ratio of 1:3,500, he said. Based on current projections, this figure would have risen to 267 psychologists by 2021. These figures do not include the additional 20 to 30 psychologists needed to provide a service in the Early Years and Youthreach settings.

The department said the service had, over the course of recent economic difficulties, not only maintained psychologist staffing levels within Neps, but had increased them by 10% since late 2008, to 162. It said the Programme for Government commits to bring the total number of Neps psychologists to 238 from the current sanctioned limit of 173.

The department said the psychologists are recruited via regional panels formed from national recruitment competitions but the panel which had existed had reached the end of its useful life and was unable to meet recruitment needs.

It has now been closed, it said. A new national recruitment competition has been put in place to fill vacancies within all Neps regions. The closing date for applications is now passed and work is ongoing in relation to the examination of applications and short-listing for interview.

It is envisaged following interviews that recruitment panels will be formed and active filling of vacancies will commence in the new year to provide for expanded staffing provision countenanced in the Programme for Government as resources allow.
Detectives involved in the murder investigation were still gathering CCTV and witness statements yesterday in the wake of Wednesdays shooting in Blackpool, on the northern outskirts of Cork City.

They are also awaiting the outcome of forensics and ballistics tests on one bullet casing recovered from the scene of the shooting on the Old Commons Road, and four bullets recovered from ODriscolls body during Thursdays autopsy.

However, detectives hope that detailed forensic examinations of the remains of the two vehicles  a Nissan Almera and a Vauxhall estate van  will yield crucial evidence.

Attempts were made to torch both cars but the fires did not destroy the vehicles entirely. Forensic tests will take some time to complete.

It has also been confirmed that neither vehicle had been stolen. Gardai are now working to trace the two cars.

ODriscoll, 37, who had been working in the Tivoli area on Wednesday, was attacked just moments after being dropped off in Blackpool, about 2km from his home.

At least two men, who made no attempt to hide their faces, approached him as he walked close to Orchard Court.

He was shot once in the pelvis and tried to flee but collapsed a short distance away, before the gunmen stood over him and fired three more shots into his chest from close range.

An autopsy confirmed that the 37-year-old father of two, from Ballyvolane, died from wounds caused by four gunshots.

The killers fled the scene on foot, and made off in a silver grey Nissan Almera, which was found partially burned out a short distance away at the junction of Seminary Rd and Redemption Rd. The killers are then believed to have left that area in a white Vauxhall Astra estate van, which was also found partially burned out in Monard, Killeens, about 8km away.

Gardai said they have reports that a red Opel Astra car was in the Killeens area for a time before the van arrived, and left the area a short time later.

They have appealed for anyone who saw any of these three cars to come forward in a bid to trace the exact getaway route  particularly the route the killers took from the junction of Seminary Rd and Redemption Rd to Killeens.

They also believe the killers either had local knowledge, or were working with someone who knew the area well, given the getaway route through Blackpools busy streets, the fact they used the Seminary Rd cul-de-sac to abandon one car, and possibly took back roads via Blackstone Bridge to Killeens, where they abandoned the van.

They are still keeping an open mind about the motive for the shooting. But among the theories being considered is that ODriscoll was targeted by former Real IRA associates as part of an internal battle to control the drugs trade, racketeering, and money-laundering operations.

There is also speculation that senior figures in the dissident movement ordered the assassination because they were not happy with the leniency of a punishment shooting meted out to ODriscoll in 2013.

Condolences poured in to his fiancee, Marion Ryan, yesterday. The couple got engaged last December and were planning to marry next year. Tributes also poured in to Delaneys GAA club, where ODriscoll earned the nickname The Beast for his exploits on the pitch. The club has cancelled all sporting activity this weekend as a mark of respect.

Club members are expected to provide a guard of honour at his funeral.

ODriscolls remains are expected to be released to his family on Monday, with the funeral taking place amid tight security.
The crimes include 359 burglaries, 55 criminal damage cases, and five sexual assaults.

The DNA database is operated by Forensic Science Ireland (FSI). It was launched last November after being promised by successive governments for eight years.

Statistics show that, since the database started: n DNA samples have been taken from about 8,000 people; n This includes samples from 1,107 incarcerated criminals; n Samples from 775 people on the sex offenders register; n 532 unsolved crimes have been linked to individuals.

In addition to the 532 crimes, the database has also identified 95 DNA samples taken from crime scenes which have been linked to other crimes.

This means the same individual, though not yet identified, may have carried out multiple crimes in the same area, providing important intelligence to investigators. Examples include one individual who has been linked to 13 burglaries, while another person has been connected to seven burglaries.

Commenting to the Irish Examiner, Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald said: I am pleased that the DNA database has delivered considerable successes in the first year of operation.

We are already reaping the rewards in terms of catching previously unknown perpetrators, linking crimes together and matching crime scenes to unknown perpetrators.

Of particular note is the linking of 532 cases with individuals and linking several crimes together.

Sheila Willis, director of FSI, said: I am pleased to see the impact the national DNA database has had after only one year.

Dr Willis paid tribute to the FSI team, led by DNA director Geraldine ODonnell.

Geraldine has transformed a complex piece of legislation into a successful operational system, she said. The database has already provided significant intelligence to An Garda Siochana within its first 12 months and continues to do so.

The database, which has been described by governments since 2007 as a key modern investigative tool, only became a reality last November with the enactment by Ms Fitzgerald of the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Act.

FSI has compared the database to a computer bank containing records of DNA profiles from two sources: DNA samples from crime scenes and DNA samples from individuals.

When a profile is taken from a crime scene, it is searched against profiles from other crime scenes. If there is a match, it could indicate a link between a number of crimes. The profile is also searched against DNA profiles of individuals and could provide a hit, linking a crime to a person.

Similarly, samples taken from individuals (people arrested for a serious crime, prisoners, or sex offenders) are searched against crime scene profiles. A match could indicate the person is linked to a crime or crimes. Any such hits are sent back to gardai for further investigation.

The database is housed within the offices of the FSI, formerly known as the Forensic Science Laboratory, located on the grounds of Garda Headquarters in the Phoenix Park.

The poor facilities have been condemned over the years. After objections from Dr Willis, Ms Fitzgerald succeeded in getting cabinet approval to bring forward the construction start date on a new modern FSI facility from 2019 to 2017.
The world faces the prospect of more tension with China over trade, security and human rights after Xi Jinping awarded himself another five-year term as leader of the ruling Communist Party and called for self-reliance in technology, a stronger military and protection of core interests abroad. At a party congress, Xi gave no sign of plans to change the "zero-COVID strategy that has frustrated Chinas public and disrupted business and trade. He called for faster military development and announced no change in policies that strain relations with Washington and Asian neighbors. Xi is tightening control at home and trying to use Chinas economic heft to increase its influence abroad.
Witness statements, CCTV footage, forensic tests on two partially burned-out cars, and ballistic tests on four bullets and casings  one casing recovered from the scene, and four bullets from his body  will be crucial to their investigation.

Gardai yesterday repeated their appeals for help tracing the movements of three vehicles they believe were used by those involved in the shooting of ODriscoll in Blackpool on Wednesday.

However, securing enough hard evidence to secure convictions in these kinds of killings is notoriously difficult. Despite detailed and exhaustive Garda investigations into six fatal shootings in Cork since 1995, all of which were linked to drugs and suspected dissident republican paramilitarism, the killers in each of the cases have never been charged.

Several suspects were identified. Some were arrested and questioned. All were released without charge. In some cases, files were submitted to the DPP.

However, in each of the cases, there just was not enough hard evidence to secure a murder charge.

The cases remain open; but gardai admit that unless witnesses come forward with new information, or unless there is a significant breakthrough in each of the cases, it is unlikely that anyone will ever face charges. However, Supt Mick Comyns, who is leading the investigation into Mr ODriscolls murder, said gardai will be using all of their resources to track down those responsible.

An investigation team based at an incident room at Watercourse Road Garda Station is co-ordinating the harvesting and examination of CCTV footage from businesses in the area. They are also co-ordinating the identification and interview of witnesses. House-to-house enquiries are being conducted, and checkpoints were set up in streets in the Blackpool village area around 5pm on Thursday in a bid to identify potential witnesses who may have travelled the same way on Wednesday, around the time of the shooting.

Supt Comyn confirmed that Mr ODriscoll was known to gardai but that they had no information that his life was in danger.

We have no idea why this shooting took place. Mr ODriscoll is a son, a father, and we will be using all our resources to solve this murder. We will consider anything that comes from the investigation, he said.

Gun victims

April 8, 1995: Widely regarded as the first fatal gangland-related shooting in Cork, Michael Crinnion, 35, was gunned down at the door of the former Clannad pub in Barrack St on the southside of the city. An enforcer for a southside drugs gang, he died in a hail of bullets fired from across the street by a hitman armed with a .38 revolver. Ballistics tests showed the weapon had not been used in a previous shooting in this country. Detectives believed it may have been imported for the hit, and that the killer was brought in from outside the city. There may have been a botched attempt to kill Crinnion two months earlier when shots were fired into a pub on Shandon St, where he was known to drink with associates. Nobody has ever been charged with the murder. Gardai say their investigation remains open but privately they acknowledge that unless someone comes forward with new evidence, a conviction is unlikely.

June 7, 2001: Crinnions brother-in-law, Kieran OFlynn, 38, was shot three times by a masked gunman as he opened the door of his home at Thorndale, off Dublin Hill. It is believed the gunman knocked earlier, only to be told by OFlynns young daughter that he wasnt home. The gunman returned at 11pm and fired twice through a glass panel, before stepping into the hall and shooting OFlynn in the throat. OFlynns partner and three young children were in the house at the time OFlynn had been arrested by gardai and customs officers after a high-speed boat chase in Cork Harbour in December 1992. He was intercepted as he tried to bring about 50kg of cannabis resin ashore at Hop Island. He was convicted for the offence. For a number of years it was suspected he had crossed a rival drug gang, but in 2010, the Real IRA claimed responsibility for his murder, a claim which gardai took seriously. More that 80 people were arrested as part of the OFlynn investigation, but to date nobody has been charged with his murder.

August 13, 2005: Eric Cummins, 31, was shot dead in front of his partner and child outside his home at Oldcourt in Ballincollig. Gardai believe the hitman had been waiting nearby for Cummins to arrive home. The gunman walked calmly across a green area, retrieved a handgun from bushes, approached the house, and shot Cummins four times at close range while his partner and child looked on in horror. Several children were playing on the green area nearby. The gunman escaped in a dark-coloured Honda car driven by an accomplice. Gardai later found the vehicle burnt out, making it impossible to find valuable forensic evidence. Cummins had a conviction for a drugs offence in Portlaoise and was known to gardai. Several suspects were identified, several people were arrested, a file was sent to the DPP, but nobody has been charged yet.

May 21, 2007: Convicted drug dealer David Boogie Brett, 35, who was originally from the Greenmount area of Cork City, was found dead with a gunshot wound to his head outside a national school near Ballydesmond in North Cork after being lured to the secluded spot. Brett had moved to North Cork in the months before his murder. Gardai know a silver-coloured car transported the killer to and from the murder scene. They also recovered the firearm used in the killing some time later. Three people were questioned but nobody was ever charged. Gardai say the investigation remains open.

January 20, 2010: Convicted drug dealer, Gerard Topper Staunton, 41, who was originally from Hollyhill, was shot dead in front of his partner and children by a lone masked gunman armed with a shotgun as they were getting into a car outside their rented home at Westlawn, off the Sarsfield Rd in Wilton. The gunman fled in a red 92 C-registered Toyota Liteace van with distinctive bull-bars. It was later found burned out in a field four miles away at Castlewhite, near Waterfall. The Real IRA issued a statement later through the 32 County Sovereignty Movement claiming responsibility for the shooting, and later threatened to kill more dealers. An inquest held in September returned a verdict of unlawful killing. Nobody has ever been charged with the murder.

August 3, 2011: The killing of Darren Falsey, 36, in Carrigaline bore similarities to the murder of Kieran OFlynn. Mr Falsey was gunned down in the hallway of his rented house at Ashbourne Court, on Ferney Rd, as he went to answer a call to the door. Its believed the killing was drugs-related. Gardai recovered shell casings from the scene, which showed he was shot with a 9mm handgun. Later, gardai discovered 30,000 in cash at a premises rented by Falsey in the Riverstick area. They later located a handgun in woods near Watergrass-hill. Ballistics tests confirmed it was used to kill Falsey. Several suspects were arrested as part of this investigation, but nobody has been charged yet.

December 7, 2016: Former Real IRA leader Aidan ODriscoll, 37, from Ballyvolane, was gunned down as he walked along the Old Commons Rd in Blackpool just before 5pm. He was approached from behind by at least two men, and shot once in the pelvis, before being shot three more times in the chest while lying injured on the ground. The gunman fled in a silver-grey Nissan Almera, which was found burned out at the junction of Seminary Rd and Redemption Rd. A white Vauxhaul Astra estate van was found burned out in Killeens later. Gardai are also trying to trace a red Opel Astra which left the Killeens area a short time later. A full-scale murder investigation is under way.
It was always envisaged that archaeologists would be busy during the revamp of the main street in Buttevant, Co Cork, but the scale of the towns history resulted in 16 of them being employed on the project, along with support staff.

Construction on the new road surface and footpaths got underway in February 2015, but its completion was delayed due to the scale of the archaeology uncovered.

Discoveries included a suspected northern gate tower and associated town wall opposite the convent, building foundations and layers of cobbled street surfaces. In addition, archaeologists also uncovered animal bones, pottery, tiles, bone combs, numerous coins, buttons, buckles, pins and clay wig curlers.

One of the layers contained a gold posy ring inscribed with the date of 1713.

Buttevant was a defensive walled town in medieval times. Historians believe it was originally built around 1208 by William de Barry.

It was initially populated by craftspeople, artisans, and other suppliers around a site to the north of the castle and church.

In 1234 David de Barry, Williams son, was granted permission to hold a weekly market and a yearly fair at his Manor of Botavant.

Archaeologists think the formal town pattern was designed in the 1230s, but only fully completed in the late 1250s or early 1260s.

In 1317 a grant was released to the town to enclose it with walls, although it is not known to what extent, if any, the town was walled prior to that.

Another grant, in 1375, makes reference to a north gate, remains of which may have been unearthed during the archaeological excavations. It was during the 16th century that Lombards Castle, on Richmond St, was constructed and it is recorded there had been several other small castles in Buttevant, although of what age is unknown.

The town was sacked in 1569 and more devastatingly in 1691. It remained in a state of stagnation through much of the 18th century, and it was not until the actions of John Anderson (who acquired Buttevant Castle from Richard Barry) and later his son, James Caleb Anderson, that the fortunes of the town were revived.

The 5m revamp was funded by Cork County Council and Transport Initiative Ireland. The project included reconstruction of the main road, drainage works, new footpaths, public lighting, and the ducting of cables underground.

Councillors in the Kanturk/ Mallow municipal district and representatives from the voluntary and business sectors in Buttevant set up a town partnership in 2015. They worked together identifying issues and solutions to develop and progress the social, environmental and economic development of the town.

To date, with the assistance of Cork County Councils town development fund, the entrance roadway to the Muintir Na Tire hall has been resurfaced, the installation of CCTV for the town is under way, and there are many projects at development stages.

The population of todays town value their history, but also value getting their street back after such a long wait and are planning to mark it with a big event today.Cork County Council is aiding Buttevant Community Councils Christmas Celebration Party, which will take place from 3pm to 6pm. The street will be packed with market stalls for the afternoon. Music will also be laid on and there will be fireworks in the evening.
Symposium Caps Course Cluster

Michael Modaff '19 immersed himself in the culture of the Illinois Wesleyan Symphony Orchestra violins for his project in the course "Cultural Anthropology."

Dec. 9, 2016

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Illinois Wesleyan Universitys Ames Librarys main floor buzzed with energy on Dec. 7, as nearly 100 students from nine cluster courses presented their work during a closing symposium and open house.

Some had created colorful posters, drawing faculty and peers to their projects covering topics as diverse as child soldiers in a Ugandan militant group, to a local Autism McLean board member. Others huddled around Chromebooks perched atop the wooden magazine stands, showing visitors their Prezis on African-American women in education. And a group of students in Associate Professor of Political Science Kathleen Montgomerys Women and Politics course held court around a TV screen, presenting a visual State of the Discipline talk.

Carole Myscofski, director of the Womens and Gender Studies program, said she believes events such as the closing symposium provide an important learning experience for students because the format necessitates a short speech and visual summary of their work.



"Visual Ethnographic Methods" student Tristan Fox '18 (right) worked with Presbyterian minister and writer, Rev. Susan Baller-Shepard, to create a visual metaphor of her life.

For some students  the Gateway students, for example  this is the first opportunity to create poster presentations, which is a learning process in itself, said Myscofski, who is also the McFee Professor of Religion. An open house format provides relatively low-pressure opportunities for students to reflect on their class or a particular research project, to sum it succinctly with both images and words, and to offer their interpretations orally, according to faculty.

Myscofski said she was very impressed by the students visual presentations, both on posters and through computerized displays. The students were well instructed, so credit also goes to the faculty who guided them, she said. Many of the presentations featured good graphic design, balancing photos or charts with captions or longer text which explained each element, and helped the viewer understand the core ideas in several ways.

I was also impressed with the sheer variety of approaches to the presentations, she added. Some students emphasized dramatic photos or charts while providing brief, focused captions, while others offered more textual explanations with images only in supporting roles.

This semester more than 25 courses were associated with the 2016-2017 intellectual theme Womens Power, Womens Justice. Faculty electing to encourage their students to participate in the closing symposium included: Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology/Anthropology Nicole Brown, Assistant Professor of History Amy Coles, Visiting Assistant Professor of Educational Studies Maggie Evans, Professor of Anthropology Rebecca Gearhart Mafazy, Professor of History April Schultz, Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology Marie Nebel-Schwalm and Montgomery. Chosen by a working group of faculty, staff and students, each years theme is designed to encourage deep thinking and discussion of its many aspects. Next semester more than 25 events associated with the intellectual theme are planned. Follow the theme on Facebook and Instagram.
A red-white-red signal of hope and positive change; a red-white-red signal today goes from Austria to all the capitals of the European Union.

So said the self-satisfied liberal Van der Bellen in his victory speech after winning the election for the ceremonial post of President of the Austrian Republic.

This election contest eventually took four rounds before a winner could finally be named. The first election, with six candidates, ended as a disaster for the candidates of the two governing parties - the social democrats and the Christian democrats - who jointly received less than 23 per cent of the votes. Three outsiders - the right-wing opposition candidate Hofer, and the independents liberals, Van der Bellen and Irmgrad Griess - came first, second, and third respectively. This lead to the fall of the social democratic Prime Minister Faymann.

The second round of this first election, however, was cancelled through the courts in May due to irregularities in the election process. The result of this contest was very narrow, with the liberal Van der Bellen receiving only 31,000 votes more than the far-right candidate Norbert Hofer.

The re-arranged second round elections were scheduled for October. But in a farcical situation (caused by technical problems with faulty glue) it had to be postponed once more.

The election was finally held on 4th December, and in the name of stability the results were immediately accepted by all parties. Van der Bellen won with a margin of 350,000 votes (53,8%), on a relatively high turnout of 74%, in an unexpectedly clear victory.

Norbert Hofer - Photo - Photo: FJ MorgenbesserThe international media emphasised the Austrian result as being a sign of hope after the shocks of Brexit and Trumps presidential victory, and also after the victories of pro-Russian presidential candidates in Moldova and Bulgaria.

A recent comment piece in The Guardian reflects this relief. After writing scornfully about the angry white male working-class (interesting how for these people the working class only exists when they have to underline their own self-supposed cultural superiority), the author has a positive message for the Establishment:

Rather than seeing Clinton and Van der Bellen as anomalies, blips in an inevitable trend towards populist radical right dominance, liberal democratic parties and politicians of all persuasions should learn lessons from their successes. () Copying populist messages may work for one or two elections, if that, but will inflict lasting damage on liberal democracy in the long run. The vast majority of the people are looking for convincing and consistent policies that address the realities of todays challenges in an inclusive and positive way.

Let us address these realities.

Coalition of interests

The campaign of Van der Bellen was the most heterogeneous political campaign that has ever been seen in a developed capitalist country. It was orchestrated and financed by the leading bank, the Raiffeisenbank - a financial giant that dominates not only vast swathes of the economy, but is closely associated with the conservative party, dominating the political and cultural life in the majority of the 2,000 towns and villages in the country. It also controls a corporate media group of leading daily papers and news magazines.

At the same time, the heads of the major parties - the social democrats and the conservatives - called for support for Van der Bellen. Similarly with the leaders of the main unions and the heads of the Catholic and Evangelic church. All the intellectuals came out for Van der Bellens campaign, including pop stars. The liberal opposition party, NEOS, a split from the conservative OVP, called for a vote for Van der Bellen. The Greens, the party that nominated Van der Bellen, put all their weight behind the campaign.

For the first time, there was the newly seen phenomena of a dirty campaign financed by a liberal industrialist, who warned of mass layoffs and bankruptcies in the case of a Hofer win, which was described as being the start of Oxit, the Austrian exit from the EU.

On top of all of this, there were hundreds of initiatives of individuals, trade unionists, school students, etc. that campaigned for Van der Bellen; or rather, who wanted to do anything to stop the far-right from taking office in the Hofburg, the office of the Federal President.

So we can see that behind this supposedly glowing victory for the establishment candidate there are a whole array of conflicting interests and ideas, and no coherent political programme at all.

Exit polls give a clear indication of this; 42 per cent of the voters of the elected president did so for one only reason: to the stop the right-winger taking office. This is also reflected in the increased voter participation. In May, Van der Bellen won 200,000 votes from those who abstained in the first round of the elections; now, in December, his campaign convinced another 170,000 to participate who had previously abstained. The only motivation for these people was to block the right-winger.

Following the 4th December vote, this unique alliance has outlived itself and is now ancient history.

Hofer wins over the angry

On the other side there was Norbert Hofer,the candidate of the right-wing FPO. His voters want a break with the political system of the Second Republic. But also here for different reasons.

His candidature in reality was also a coalition of contradictory forces - but in this case all linked to one single party, the right-wing FPO, which has been leading all the polls for two years now.

We see that the lower the average income of area, the higher the share of the votes for Hofer. 85% of blue-collar workers voted for him. The main reasons given by his voters for supporting him wanting a change in politics (62%)and to protest against government policies (34%). By contrast, only 8% of the voters for Van der Bellen named these two motives.

It is clear that the FPO has galvanised this protest vote - which is strong amongst the working class, but also amongst layers of the petit bourgeoisie - and is using it as a lever to carry out anti-working class policies. The party apparatus wants to be back in government, which it participated in between 2000-2007. That government was characterised by harsh attacks on the living standards of the masses. This lead to a split and a fall in popular support for the party, which back in the mid-2000s polled less than 10% and was basically reduced to its core supporters of the so called third camp, the national liberal bourgeois camp. On the base of a renewed grand coalition that was re-established in 2007, the FPO for ten years was able in elections to accumulate all the discontent in society.

Break up of national unity policies

The ruling grand coalition is de facto a government of national unity that manages a country that is stuck in a permanent crisis. For five uninterrupted years, unemployment has been on the rise, with 450,000 now unemployed, the highest rate since the end of the Second Word War. Incomes for the working class have stagnated for two decades; precarious employment and house prices have risen steeply. New labour contracts brought in since the crisis of 2008-09 offer an average of 30% less than those from before the crisis.

Saving the banks was the governments top priority in recent years, with a bill of nearly 20 billion euros so far. Parliamentary investigations into corruption and mismanagement did not provide any conclusions. At the end of the day, the different departments of the establishment look out for each other.

The tops of the trade unions are fully integrated into this system of national unity. They did not lead any social protests for many years, and they act as an executioner for the attacks on living standards. This has led to a growing impotence on the factory floor for these nominally mighty organisations.

Despite all the efforts to maintain the political situation and provide stability, therefore, the accumulated contradictions in society are seeking to find an expression. And at the moment they do so by strengthening the FPO  for the simple reason that all other avenues are blocked.

The strategy of the FPO consists of waiting until the system of institutionalised class-collaboration falls under its own weight. It is clear that over the last months the leadership the FPO was given an indication from leading sectors of the bourgeoisie that they should get ready for taking government responsibility. Its leaders have since adopted a more responsible language and have also changed some important political promises. For example, they have even embraced pro-EU policies, including in details like the call for an open labour market.

Traditional parties in crisis

Meanwhile the social democracy and the conservative parties are in a state of open crisis. It is clear that the consistent postponement of the presidential election acted as a brake on the process of the governments fragmentation. In the name of institutional stability, the elections were postponed three times. Now that this hurdle has been overcome, we will see how the governments crisis develops after its Christmas break. The most probable outcome is for new early elections to be held in the coming year.

This perspective is based on the fact that the once large popular parties are constantly losing support. The conservatives poll less than 20 per cent; the social democrats could stabilise with the new Prime Minister at around 25-27 per cent. But the FPO constantly stands at well above 30%. So waiting till 2018 will only lead to the situation deteriorating further.

The big industrialists are getting nervous, as all economic indicators in the country are becoming worse than in the main export market, Germany. Meanwhile, in Eastern Europe, Austrian imperialism is having greater and greater problems as a result of political risks, with the new reality of nationalist governments in a series of countries that dare to conduct policies that take into account the interests of their own corrupt bourgeois, instead of accepting that foreign capital calls the shots, as it has done in the past.

Everything is set for a political realignment through early elections. The majority of capitalists are clearly pushing for a bourgeoisie block government of the FPO and the conservative OVP. They want to improve the position of Austrian capitalism, with all its deteriorating indicators of competitiveness in terms of the main export industries.

This perspective leads to the prospect of open civil wars within the social democracy and the conservatives. In the conservative party, the party leader is deeply unpopular. Several factions would like to challenge his leadership. These factions have the support of the majority of the party, and also of the leading capitalists like Raiffeisenbank. So whilst this bank was fully behind the election of Van der Bellen for the presidency, it has constantly built up the young foreign minister Sebastian Kurz as the new party leader at the same time.

Surviving through racist demagogy

Kurz is a black canvas; he has been a minister for years, but has carefully managed not to get involved in the daily dirty business of politics. He started as a liberal, unsuccessfully rebranding the conservative party as the choice of the jeunesse doree [the gilded youth]. Later, Kurz and other conservative ministers demagogically used the refugees crisis to advance a policy of cuts and attacks on democratic rights, justified with an openly racist agenda. In the absence of any terrorist attacks, a state of emergency has been advocated with technical arguments like refugee levels above 37,500 per year would trigger the collapse of the health system. If this argument were true, then as little as a simple flu-virus could send the country into a state of bankruptcy, chaos and anarchy.

These conservative ministers are attempting to connect with the mood amongst the most backward layers of society, promote new laws and initiatives that are all linked to racist arguments. HC Strache, leader of the FPO, who was told by the capitalists to demonstrate his responsibility in representing the common interests of the bourgeoisie, even lamented openly how he is the real racist and not those demagogues within the conservatives.

On the other hand, the SPO and the union apparatuses are increasingly orienting towards forming a coalition with the FPO themselves. This means breaking with the status quo of the last 30 years in which the far-right FPO have been excluded from the political game. In Vienna, this conflict over the tactical orientation of the party is leading to an on-going civil war in the party, which has dominated the city for a century, only interrupted by the period of fascism.

It is not yet clear whether these political reorientations inside the old political formations, triggered by the approaching end of the national unity strategy, will temporarily stabilise the government, or if they will sped up the process of open conflicts. In the absence of an upswing in the economy, which is excluded, it is clear that the programme of national unity is finished; it is now only a matter of waiting for the official death-certificate.

No working class expression

After another decade of class collaboration in government and in the factories, the organisations of the working class are deserted. They lack even the most basic content, and refuse to talk about concrete action or independent class policies. As a result, the bureaucratic apparatuses are left to pursue tactical reorientations in order to somehow cling to power.

It is obvious that the political Left is completely shattered by the processes taking place. The election campaign of Van der Bellen accelerated this ongoing isolation and impotence of the Left, with all individuals and organisations once more retreating to an open political support of this liberal as the lesser evil. Van der Bellen used the space he was granted to put forward right-wing gestures and policies. He leaned on the so-called traditions of rural Austria, openly embraced the deadly Frontex-regime, advocated cuts on public spending, and specifically called for unity, even throwing his weight against those who wanted to fight an offensive campaign and stage demonstrations against Hofer. Only after the election did he clearly state that his victory is a victory for the stability of the system, for austerity, and for the European institutions. So the year 2016 also marks the capitulation of the left to liberalism.

But the real news is this: the victory of Van der Bellen indicates that the ruling class has chosen what it thinks is a reliable and tested candidate to lead Austria during the collapse of the political premises of the Second Republic - that of peaceful class collaboration. This was the main idea of Van der Bellens backers in the bourgeoisie and the bureaucracy of the labour movement. Whereas the Raiffeisenbank played a big part in his campaign, on the other hand they are preparing the bourgeois-bloc government. At the same time, many leading trade unionists openly backed Van der Bellen, while at the same time fighting for a reorientation of the social democratic party to form a coalition with the right-wing FPO.

So 2016 marks also the year in which the precarious structures that have managed to hold since the outbreak of the capitalist crisis of 2008 finally collapsed. We, as Marxists, understand that this is a prior condition for the working class to achieve an independent political expression. Only in this way can the malaise in society be overcome: by a victorious class war against capitalism.
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Banjul (Gambia) (AFP) - Gambian President Adama Barrow has chosen a former minister of President Yahya Jammeh turned architect of his own coalition government as vice-president, a spokesman said Monday.

Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang is often described as the woman who persuaded The Gambia's divided opposition parties to club together and field a single candidate in the December 1 election Barrow eventually won.

A former health minister in the early years of ex-leader Jammeh's 22-year rule, Jallow-Tambajang was specifically chosen to correct the gender balance in Barrow's administration, spokesman Halifa Sallah told journalists in announcing her appointment.

"Consideration has been given in terms of balance of the constitution of the cabinet," he said.

She has become a controversial figure in recent weeks after telling The Guardian newspaper that Jammeh would be prosecuted for crimes committed by his regime, an act almost immediately followed by the mercurial president announcing he no longer recognised the election result.

A development expert who previously worked of the United Nations, Jallow-Tambajang has also argued that a national commission for asset recovery should be established.

This would be particularly pertinent given claims by Barrow's team that Jammeh stole $11 million and several luxury vehicles before departing for Equatorial Guinea.
Destiny Ugorji

A Federal Capital Territory High Court on Friday adjourned to the 7th of February, 2017, the case between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission- EFCC and Nigerias former Head of Service, Mr. Steve Oronsaye.

The Court explained that it adjourned the case to enable the defence counsel file the no case submission it earlier mentioned before it.

Prior to the Courts decision to adjourn, lead defence counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN) expressed the readiness of his team to proceed with the filing of the no case submission to enable the matter continue same day, an argument the Court did not consider.

The document is ready and we are ready to file, if the Court would grant us some time. It would not take much time to be filed, even though it is voluminous.

Responding, prosecution Counsel, I.O. Uket expressed willingness to abide by the decision of the Court on the submission of the defence Counsel.

In her ruling, presiding Judge, Justice O.O. Goodluck objected to the request of the defence counsel and held that the case be adjourned till next year.

It would be recalled that during the last sitting, following the announcement by the prosecution Counsel, I.O. Uket that the EFCC was not bringing any further witnesses, thereby closing its case, lead defence Counsel, Kanu Agabi, after a thorough cross-examination of the last prosecution witness, Bello Hammadhama, notified the Court of the intentions of the defence team to file a no-case submission, since the issues raised by the prosecution were not relevant to the charges preferred against his client.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC had in March, 2016, dragged Nigerias former Head of Service, Stephen Oronsaye before Justice O.O. Goodluck of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja on charges bothering on alleged breach of trust while in office as Chairman, Presidential Committee on the Financial Action Taskforce.
President Mahama has said history will judge his contributions while serving in the highest office.

It has been without a doubt, one of the most tremendous privileges of my life to serve this great nation as President and to work on behalf of all Ghanaians. I will leave it to history to be the judge of my time and contributions while in that highest office,President Mahama said.

He made the comment in his concession speech delivered at his residence.

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Friday declared the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, the winner of the 2016 elections.

The NPP Flagbearer secured the presidency after a third time, beating the incumbent, President John Mahama with 53.85 percent of valid votes cast.

Nana Akufo-Addo rode on the back of the valid votes cast to become Ghanas fifth president under the fourth Republic.

President Mahama, who ran on the ticket of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), secured 44.40 of valid votes cast. further congratulated

President Mahama in his concession speech further congratulated President elect, Nana Akufo Addo and assured Ghanaians of his commiyment to the sustenance of Ghana's democracy.

I wish to congratulate the President Elect. I will like to assure the people of Ghana of my commitment to the sustenance of our country's democracy and we will work to ensure a smooth transition of our incoming administration. I remain committed to the unity and stability of our great nation. 

President Mahama indicated that though he wished he had another opportunity to do more as President of Ghana, he respects the will of Ghanaians.

As President I have done my bit and made a contribution to the political social and economic development of our country. I would have cherished an opportunity to even do more but I respect the will of the Ghanaian people.

He also extended his deepest gratitude to individuals who made the journey with him while serving as President.

I wish thank all the people who worked on my campaign for their dedication and their tireless efforts, he added.



By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Gambias President Yahya Jammeh said on Friday he rejects the outcome of last weeks election that he lost to opposition leader Adama Barrow and called for fresh elections.

The announcement made on state television throws the future of the West African country into doubt after an unexpected election result that ended Jammehs 22-year rule and was widely seen as a moment of democratic hope.

After a thorough investigation, I have decided to reject the outcome of the recent election. I lament serious and unacceptable abnormalities which have reportedly transpired during the electoral process, Jammeh said.

I recommend fresh and transparent elections which will be officiated by a god-fearing and independent electoral commission, he said.

Human rights groups said Jammehs government detained, tortured and killed opponents during his rule and his defeat sparked wild celebrations. But some people also said they doubted whether he would accept defeat.

Official election results from the electoral commission gave Barrow, a real estate developer who once worked as a security guard at retailer Argos in London, 45.5 percent of the vote against Jammehs 36.7 percent.

Barrow is set to take over in late January following a transition period.



Originating at www.reuters.com
The Germany Branch of the NPP would like to congratulate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo as the President elect of the Republic of Ghana.

Again, we thank the people of Ghana for electing an incorruptible, competent and intelligent Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo as the next President of our great and democratic country.

The wind of change has blown over the country. This is victory for all Ghanaians. And Nana Akufo Addo will make Ghana proud, and we urge all the people of Ghana to stay put and work harder than before.

Victory for the NPP will lead to the transformation of our country, and the suffering people 's fortunes will be turned around.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is an inspiring leader who majority of Ghanaians believe has the courage and vim to drive the nation into a new era where corruption, incompetency and economic mismanagement will be a thing of the past.

LONG LIVE NANA AKUFO ADDO

LONG LIVE GHANA

Alex Tuffour

Communication Director

NPP Germany
Authorities in Cameroon must investigate the use of excessive and unnecessary force that led to the deaths of between two and four people during a protest in the north western city of Bamenda yesterday, Amnesty International said today.

Eye witnesses recounted that security forces fired live rounds and teargas in reaction to people throwing stones, describing how they saw the bodies of two men who had been shot dead. Media reports quoting police sources have reported that at least four people were killed.

Security forces were also seen launching teargas into an area apparently unrelated to the protests, as well as firing live ammunition in the air.

Authorities in Cameroon must shed light on the circumstances of these killings and injuries by immediately conducting thorough, impartial and effective investigations. Those reasonably suspected of criminal responsibility for these deaths must be brought to justice, said Ilaria Allegrozzi, Amnesty Internationals Central Africa Researcher.

We call on the Cameroonian authorities to refrain from the use of unlawful force in its response to the protests. Responding to incidents of violence during protests with unnecessary or excessive force threatens to further enflame an already tense situation and could put more lives at risk.

On the morning of 8 December protests were held in Bamenda with the aim of blocking a ruling party meeting. This was part of a continuation of demonstrations that began in late October 2016 in several cities in English-speaking south-west and north-west Cameroon against the use of French in courts and schools.

According to information received by Amnesty International, in various neighbourhoods of Bamenda security forces attempted to prevent the gatherings and used tear gas and water-canon to disperse protesters. At about 10.30 am the police barricaded the entrance to the commercial avenue where people were gathering. A police station was burnt by protesters yesterday afternoon, reportedly between 3 and 5 pm.

Security forces also reportedly fired tear gas onto the main Bamenda market where no one was protesting. Eyewitnesses told Amnesty International:

Market sellers were sitting at the main gate leading to the market when the police came and decided to break windscreen and put down bikes parked there and firing teargas.

Sellers were saying: we dont know what we have done wrong, we are just selling at the market. When police fired tear gas, sellers and bystanders ran into the market and locked the main gate and you could see all the smoke and vapours from the tear gas [inside].
10.12.2016 LISTEN

I am lost for words with which to thank and congratulate the people of Ghana for the display of peaceful and mature representative democracy during the 7th December 2016 Presidential and General Elections that have just come and gone. I can only say that more is thy due than more than all can pay.

We, the qualified citizens of Ghana in exercise of our fundamental and undoubted constitutional and democratic right to choose for ourselves a President and Members of Parliament to govern our affairs for the next four years have rightfully and properly elected a new President and an accompanying parliament to facilitate good governance, democracy and the rule of law.

The decision that we, the majority of fellow citizens have, made at this years elections portends hope, expectations and anticipation in each of us who put Ghana First at the ballot for good governance, the rule of law, probity, accountability and transparency in the coming four years of the administration of the President Elect, his Government and the Parliament Elect. Ghanaians have by this ballot rightly served warning to our Government that we can no longer be taken for granted by a political establishment and elite of patronage, cronyism, lootism, and above all unbridled corruption of the winning political party.

I am particularly grateful and would always remain eternally indebted to you, fellow citizens, who voted for this change of a new President and Government for heeding my written, audio and video pleas for all patriotic citizens to join in the election of a new Government to guarantee that we can get back our GHC51.2million with all the accruing interest looted by the outgoing Government for its lootee, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, and have it refunded to the Republic of Ghana as ordered by the Supreme Court on 29th July 2014.

I also wish to use this opportunity to thank all fellow citizens who heeded the call that should we vote for this looter President on 7th December 2016 we would not have been able to get our money back because Mahama would have continued to protect Woyome as he has done since assuming office. Alongside the Woyome loot is the Waterville Holding (BVI) Ltd loot of over 47million with all the accruing interest ordered to be refunded to the Republic of Ghana by the Supreme Court on 14th June 2013, which this same outgoing President and Government facilitated to be looted and purposefully and selfishly failed or refused to retrieve it as ordered.

I had assured you, fellow citizens, that should you vote this President out on 7th December 2016 we do not need any further examination orally on oath of Woyome by me in person for you to get your money back. The new Government will have the duty of getting your money back in the shortest possible time because of the confidence you have reposed in it. It is my prayer that the in-coming President, his Government, and Parliament will reciprocate the trust and confidence reposed in them at these elections by getting our Woyome and Waterville looted monies back in the shortest possible time. I will return to the Court on 13th December 2016 to face the outgoing looter Government and lootee Woyome but I am confident as your former Attorney General, now a public interest Plaintiff, that I can hold the fort against the looter Government and lootee, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, until the new President takes office on 7th January 2017. The President Elect, an eminent and distinguished lawyer, knows I can!

This ballot has been for keeping the integrity of the public purse safe from the likes of an incumbent President who has not hesitated to facilitate and conceal a range of unconstitutional actions that in the end always left the people of Ghana poorer. Join me fellow citizens in praying that our President Elect, his Government, and Parliament Elect live up to our hopes, aspirations, expectations and anticipation in this matter.

I congratulate and thank you all, once more, fellow citizens for your Gargantuan efforts in heeding the advocacy of the various civil society and activist organizations in enhancing constitutionalism and democracy at this years elections in changing this Government. God bless you all, God bless the Republic of Ghana and may God let us always Put Ghana First.

Martin A. B. K. Amidu

8th December 2016
Banjul (Gambia) (AFP) - Gambia's leader of some 22 years Yahya Jammeh announced late Friday he would no longer accept defeat in recent elections, plunging the West African country into turmoil with a demand for fresh polls.

Investigations into the December 1 vote have revealed a string of "unacceptable errors" on the part of electoral authorities, Jammeh said in a speech broadcast on state television, adding that he would no longer concede to opponent Adama Barrow.

"In the same way that I accepted the results faithfully believing that the Independent Electoral Commission was independent and honest and reliable, I hereby reject the results in totality," he said.

"Let me repeat: I will not accept the results based on what has happened," he added, warning Gambians not to take to the streets to protest his decision.

Soldiers were seen placing sandbags in strategic locations across the capital Banjul Friday, a development which triggered widespread unease among the already-spooked population, who had been panic-buying food before the vote due to fear of unrest.

Map of Gambia

As the military deployed onto the streets of the tiny nation, the US Embassy in Banjul urged the army to continue to show "respect for the rule of law and the outcome of the presidential election."

"The Gambian people have made a clear choice for change and a new start," the embassy added.

Latest official figures gave Barrow 43.29 percent of the votes in the presidential election, while Jammeh took 39.64 percent. The turnout was at 59 percent.

Opposition spokeswoman Isatou Touray criticised on social media a "violation of democracy" and called for people to "remain calm, lucid, vigilant and not retreat."

On December 2, Jammeh made a magnanimous concession speech on television and promised -- to general surprise -- a peaceful and swift handover of power to President-elect Barrow, sparking celebrations in the country.

But on Friday he pointed to errors which awarded victory to his opponent Adama Barrow with a slimmer margin than initially announced, claiming that numerous voters had not been able to cast their ballots.

"This is the most dubious election we ever had in the history of this country," he said.

"We will go back to the polls because I want to make sure every Gambian votes under an electoral commission that is impartial, independent, neutral and free from foreign influence," he said.

Shock victory

People hold a banner with an image of Gambia's opposition candidate Adama Barrow as they celebrate his victory in the Presidential Elections, in Serekunda, Banjul, on December 2, 2016

Neighbouring Senegal immediately condemned the development, calling for a UN Security Council meeting on Gambia and urging Jammeh to accept the "democratic choice, freely expressed by the Gambian people" and continue a peaceful transition of power to President-elect Barrow.

The US State department called the move "reprehensible and unacceptable breach of faith with the people of The Gambia and an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election process and remain in power illegitimately."

"We call upon President Jammeh, who accepted the election results on December 2, to carry out an orderly transition of power to President-Elect Barrow in accordance with the Gambian constitution," spokesman Mark Toner said.

Jammeh's move upends the situation in Gambia, where the population had been hoping for a peaceful democratic transition after Barrow's shock victory this month ended Jammeh's more than two decades in power.

But pressure to prosecute Jammeh and top figures in his administration, who have been accused of widespread human rights violations, is one of the key challenges facing the new government.

Many Gambians had tired of their leader's unpredictable behaviour, including the declaration of an Islamic republic in a country with a history of religious tolerance, and its withdrawal from the Commonwealth and the International Criminal Court.

The perception that Jammeh simply took over businesses and properties for his personal gain also angered many, while police harassment and impunity by the security services, especially the National Intelligence Agency that reported directly to Jammeh, fed growing resentment.

Barrow had vowed to set up a South Africa-style truth commission but ruled out a political "witch hunt" and promised that his predecessor would be able to "live in Gambia like any ordinary citizen".

Dozens of opposition activists, including the leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP) had already been freed from prison on bail this week.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, is the next president of the Republic of Ghana.

The Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, declared Nana Akufo-Add0 President-elect on Friday evening making him the fifth president of Ghana's fourth republic.

The NPP Flagbearer, aged 72, secured the Presidency at the third time of asking beating the incumbent, President John Mahama.

President Mahama becomes the first incumbent to lose a presidential election since Ghana returned to multi-party democracy in 1992.

The NPP Flagbearer had already acknowledged the concession of five of his six contenders some 36 hours to the official declaration of results by the EC.

The Candidates of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Dr. Edward Mahama, the National Democratic Party (NDP), Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom and the independent candidate, Jacob Osei Yeboah, all called him to concede the election.

President Mahama is yet to concede defeat to Nana Akufo-Addo though he has assured Ghanaians he will accept the outcome regardless of outcome.

Nana Akufo-Addo secured 53.8 percent votes beating incumbent president, John Dramani Mahama to win the presidency.

In his acceptance speech, Nana Addo said he will serve all Ghanaians without discrimination, malice, or ill-will to any ethnic or political or religious affiliation.



By: citifmonline.com/Ghana
10.12.2016 LISTEN

Accra, Dec. 9, GNA - Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said Ghanaians have spoken by choosing who to lead the country, hence the need for all to accept the victory of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.

He said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at the at the Electoral Commission headquarters after the Mrs Charlotte Osei, the Electoral Commissioner declared Nana Akufo-Addo, as president-elect of the country.

He was optimistic that the party would return to government in the next elections.

Mr Nketia said the party approached the elections to seek the mandate of Ghanaians to steer the affairs of the country but the people have made their decision and we have no option than to accept the decision.

The General Secretary said the party would sit and strategize the way forward for the party and bounce back with full vigour for the next general elections.

GNA

By Kodjo Adams, GNA
By Albert Futukpor, GNA

Tamale, Dec. 9, GNA - Hundreds of supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Friday night gathered at the party's (NPP) regional secretariat at Aboabo, a suburb of Tamale, to celebrate its victory in the presidential elections held on Wednesday, December 7.

The celebrations followed the Electoral Commission's declaration of the results of the Presidential elections on Friday night, which saw the NPP's candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, emerge as President-elect of the country.

Supporters sang and danced to various songs whiles others were seen on motorbikes displaying the party's flag.

There was also wild jubilation across many suburbs of the Tamale Metropolis including the Central Mosque area where a street-jam is being held.

GNA
Accra, Dec. 10, GNA - The Chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) to Ghana, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, says by bringing the 2016 elections to a successful end, Ghana would again serve as an inspiration and beacon for the rising tide of democracy through the Commonwealth.

He said: 'We commend the Ghanaian voter, the Electoral Commission (EC) and polling staff, the political parties, the citizen observers, the media and security forces for their respective roles in ensuring the success of the electoral process so far.

Mr Mbeki, who is also a former President of South Africa, said this to journalists on Friday in Accra, concerning the observer group's observations and findings, during its mission in the country to monitor and observe the 2016 elections.

Voting for the most part followed prescribed procedures, with voters requiring assistance including pregnant women, the elderly, and those with disability being given preferential treatment, whilst majority of voters found their names on the voters' lists and were able to vote, said Mr Mbeki.

The COG chair said at the close of polls at 1700 hours, the majority of polling stations had no queues, with the counts generally following the prescribed procedures.

'This include the signing by the party agents of the result declaration forms, and the posting of the official results in a visible and public place for the public to view,' Mr Mbeki said.

He said the COG was, however, mindful that the process of collating the results was still going on, adding that the group's final assessment of the entire voting process would be contained in its final report.

GNA
Dear Ghana,

We have made history again. Ghana has entered the peaceful and successful book of elections again. We are happy to see this. I woke up this morning to realize I wasnt dreaming.

The much anticipated elections, which ended and the boiling tension coupled with agitation and anxiety from both party supporters and sympathizers has ended without any unwelcomed incidents. We thank God. The Grace of God and the nature of Ghanaians has made all these possible.

I have revered President John Dramani Mahama as the Commander In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces always but what I feel for him today in my laconic set up is enormous. The president showed maturity and respected the rule of law. I doff for him.

When many of us were wondering what was keeping the Electoral Commissioner long in pronouncing the winner for the Presidential Elections, President Mahama broke the silence and promised his followers and Ghanaians he was going to accept the results irrespective of the outcome. I was elated. He reduced the tension later in the day in his capitulating call to the main opposition leader, Nana Ado Dankwa Akuffo-Addo.

True leadership.

Nana Ados victory was a conspicuous triumphant trample on his contender. The margin and vote intervals could as well be attributed to many factors

President Mahama took the people for granted. He thought he had the power and it was not possible for him to be garbaged. He called Ghanaians names. He said we had short memory and we were under no circumstance going to use the irritating dumsor to unseat him after he had fixed it. He was wrong. The effect of dumsor is still lingering. He said he was not going to spend outside budget during election year since there will be labour agitation and as a President, he was going to be firm and stick to the budget. There, he propounded the much trended and talked about dead goat syndrome.Dead goats dont fear knife he said.

President Mahama uses the slightest opportunity to jab his main opponent and sometimes attacks his character and personality. They defend the undefended.

We were watching

President Mahama created and celebrated graduate unemployment and sees nothing wrong with it. He went the extent to say, the Universities are oversaturated with the humanities and the people need to align themselves to the trend. Literally, Mr. Mahama is telling us we go to Universities to read useless courses. I dont blame him.

Now you see? People were watching and keenly waiting.

We advised Mr. Mahama to fix the economy but he wouldnt listen. Any advice or suggestion that comes from anyone obviously is from the opposition. Prices of things kept ascending and rocketing meanwhile salary of workers was stagnant. The Cedi kept sagging but his Economics Vice President and the able Minister of Finance felt they were the know- alls in Ghana.

We watched but hmmed to it

The major contributing factor is his tolerance to corrupt officials under his watch. Like many African leaders, their insatiable appetite for power will not let them crack the whip on whoever is culpable. President Mahama rather celebrated the many daylight robberies under him. He never allowed prosecution of the daily increasing number of corrupt officials he worked with. Either he doesnt know, he doesnt want to know or he doesnt deliberately know. He either reassigned them to do more or issue statements to counter. So does he know? Perhaps it is the loot and share syndrome.

They got money ooo. They are rich papa. They amassed enough wealth that can last for decades.

Dear reader,

It is said that when things go left, nothing is right and when things go right nothing is left. I presume they should have incorporated this touted phenomenon. They instead sidelined Jerry John Rawlings and attributed his wisdom to old age. Really?......... Rawlings never hesitate to put them where they belonged, he said at their campaign launch The task ahead of you wont be an easy task. I will reserve what I have to say till after the elections when I will come round the country to share with you how I think we could restore the kind of strength that can take us well into the future. There are certain weaknesses that we need to deal with. The NDC misunderstood this and treated it with disdain.

President elect,

Welcome, congratulations, Build this corruption infested country. Make it great. Build it. Invite technical brains to help. Our Schools are graduating some humans words cannot describe and our Hospitals are in deplorable states. Fix the economy, build the factories and dams you promised. Pride and arrogance should be out of the way. Complacency doesnt build a Nation. Unify the country and let us live together as one. Make us import less so our country can also be celebrated not only for our hospitality and tolerance but productivity. Ghanaians voted for you and you are urged not to take them for granted.

If you do, and even you point guns at us, we will exit you.

God bless Ghana and Our New President Nana Ado Dankwa Akuffo-Addo

Wisdom Bonuedi

Email: [email protected]

www.facebook.wisebonuedi.com

Twitter: @WBonuedi
Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister, has said having been infected with HIV was not the end of one's life and thus, encouraged persons living with the virus to take the right medication in order to live normal life like any other person.

He said the government's response to the HIV epidemic since its first discovery in the country in 1986, had been impressive with the national response strategy yielding great dividends.

Mr. Aidoo said this in a speech read on his behalf at the regional durbar held in the Shama District, in Shama, to mark this year's World AIDS Day, on Thursday.

According to the Regional Minister, the prevalence rate in the Region had reduced from 2.4 percent to 2.0 percent last year, saying although the figure was higher than the national prevalence rate of 1.8 percent; however, it required concerted efforts from all well-meaning Ghanaian to curb the menace.

The day is marked worldwide on December 1 every year to raise awareness of the disease, its impact on infected persons and encourage them to seek treatment as well as avoid risky lifestyles and stigmatization.

The theme for this year's campaign is: Hands Up for the HIV Prevention and is aimed at breathing new life into HIV prevention efforts globally, and inspired people to rethink HIV prevention for a new generation.

The theme chosen by the local organizers was: 90-90-90: Providing Comprehensive Integrated Services for All towards an HIV-free Generation.

Mr Aidoo indicated that the annual HIV/AIDS-related deaths had reduced by 43 percent, achieved 50 percent reduction of HIV transmission from mother-to-child, with 81 percent of women now receiving prevention of mother-to-child transmission services.

He said it has been targeted that by 2020, at least 90 percent of all persons infected with HIV would have been tested and know their status.

And those tested positive of the virus would have been put on antiretroviral treatment and achieve 90 percent viral suppression, he added.

The Regional Minister said 66 percent of infected pregnant women received treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission.

The national HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (2016-2020) is a reflection of the nation's aspiration for the HIV/AIDS response over the next five years and contains strategies designed to fast-track the country's efforts to end AIDS by 2030,he pointed out.

According to him, the document was in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in ensuring healthy lives and promoting the wellbeing for all persons at all ages.

Mr Aidoo gave the assurance that the Government was committed to funding the National Strategic Plan to ensure commodity security and adequate resourcing of the Health Ministry and health workers to enable them to render first-class services to all persons living with HIV.

Touching on the December 7 Elections, Mr. Aidoo, charged the political parties and all other interest groups to avoid any act of violence but rather comply with the rules and regulations governing the elections to avoid a brush with the law.

The Regional Coordinator for the Ghana AIDS Commission, Mr. Kwame Oppong-Ntim, said this year's celebration was unique because it marked the first year when Ghana and the global community signed on the 90-90-90 targets to be attained in 2020 towards ending AIDS in 2030.

He said everyone screened for HIV would be given the opportunity to also screen for tuberculosis, hepatitis, cancers and family planning as well as ensuring that pregnancy and childbirths needs engage the attention of the Commission.

The event brought together traditional rulers, heads of department, civil society organizations and the media.

A sketch was performed by some pupils to emphasise the need to prevent risky lifestyles that would endanger them.


Nana Akufo-Addo, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice and later Minister for Foreign Affairs, has been officially declared winner of the December 7 presidential poll after his third attempt on the ticket of the new Patriotic Party (NPP).

Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Charlotte Osei, announced the results in Accra Friday night and said Akufo-Addo had 53.85% of valid votes cast while his main contender, President John Mahama, who contested on the ticket of the incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC), had 44.40%.

The announcement sparked rapturous jubilation across the country as crowds poured into the streets to celebrate the victory all night long.

Several thousands of persons, within minutes of the announcement trooped to the Nima residence of the president-elect until the police team at the residence had no choice but to block one half of the road to ease the flow of traffic and human movement.

Break Down

The EC boss said the NPP candidate, Akufo-Addo, polled a total of 5,716,026 votes while the NDC candidate, John Mahama, had 4,713,277.

Total votes cast were 10,781,609 but valid votes were 10,615,361 because spoilt ballots toalled 166, 248 (1.54%).

Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, candidate of the Progressive People's Party (PPP), had 105,682 votes representing 1%; Ivor Greenstreet, candidate of the Convention People's Party (CPP), had 25,395 representing 0.24% while. Dr. Edward Mahama, candidate of the People's National Convention (PNC), had 22,214 representing 0.21%.

Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP), polled 16,878 (0.16%) while Jacob Ofosu Yeboah, an independent candidate, had 15,889 (0.15%).

The figures were compiled without votes from four constituencies which results had not yet been certified.

Madam Charlotte Osei explained that the total number of registered voters from the four outstanding constituencies amounted to 220, 270 and would have no effect whatsoever on the final declaration.

Akufo-Addo Speaks

The president-elect gave an address at his residence minutes after the announcement that he had won the poll.

He promised to be president for all. You have not elected me to serve one party but to serve the entire nation. The president of Ghana is president for every single Ghanaian without discrimination, malice or ill-will to any ethnic group, political or religious affiliation.

Whether you supported me or not, whether you campaigned for me or not, whether you voted for me or not, I can promise you one thing: I would do my best to serve your interest and put our country back on the part of progress and prosperity, he underscored.

Nana Addo continued, There has never been a more humbling moment in my life and I thank you, the good people of Ghana, for the confidence you hev reposed in me and my party. I make this solemn pledge to you tonight; I would not let you down and would do all in my power to live up to your hopes and expectations.

John Mahama

The outgoing president led the NDC to victory in December 2012 after the death of his boss, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, four months to that year's elections.

I know that this is not the outcome that we expected but we are hopeful, John Mahama said in an address moments after the announcement and confirmed that he had personally made a phone call to Nana Akufo-Addo to concede defeat and had congratulated him as the president-elect.

'I would like to assure the people of Ghana of my commitment to our country's democracy and would work to ensure a smooth and peaceful transition to the incoming administration, he assured.



Certified Results

The certified results show that Nana Akufo-Addo won with 5,716,026 (representing 53.85%), compared to incumbent President John Dramani Mahama's 4,713,277, which represents 44.40% as at midday before the EC finally announced the results.

Earlier, various media outlets had projected Nana Akufo-Addo as leading between 52% and 54% and ruled out a possible run-off.

The EIB Group which operates Starr FM, Kasapa FM and GHOne TV station had 262 constituencies declared and had projected Nana Akufo-Addo with 5,590,952 (54.31%) and President Mahama with 4,517,428 (43.88%).

Multimedia Group, operators of Joy FM and Adom FM, had projected Nana Akufo-Addo as polling 5,232,787 (53.64%) and President Mahama, 4,347,226 (44.56%), when 251 constituency results had been declared. They had announced in the early hours of yesterday that Nana Akufo-Addo was the likely winner.

Despite Group of Companies which operates Peace FM, Okay FM, Neat FM and UTV, claimed that Nana Akufo-Addo, with 263 constituencies declared, had won with 5,503,740 (54.29%) as President Mahama had garnered 4,448,959 ballots (43.88%) with a margin of 1,054,781.

Citifm said with 240 constituencies declared, Nana Akufo-Addo was leading with 5,170,239 (54.87%) and President Mahama with 4,092,223.



NPP Version

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) representatives at the EC's National Coalition Centre later said they had verified and endorsed result sheets from 239 constituencies.

They said President Mahama had 4,163,275, which represented 43.69% with the NPPs Nana Akufo-Addo bagging 5,144,502, (53.99%).

At 5pm, all the party representatives at the commission, except the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), had reportedly appended their signatures on the result sheets at the EC's final collation centre in Accra and that signaled that the commission was due to declare the final outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

The EC had made it clear that the refusal of any party's representative to sign the final results did not invalidate the declaration of the results.

At about 9:45 am the EC boss held a news conference saying 210 out of 275 results were ready, adding that there was 49% voter turnout  a figure widely disputed by many experts.

She then urged the presidential candidates to advise their agents to bear with the EC in validating the results.

Fear & Panic

There has been anxiety in the country following President Mahama and his NDC's earlier refusal to concede defeat, in spite of the fact on the ground that the opposition candidate had taken an unassailable lead.

The NDC was also contemplating going to court to challenge the results before the EC's final verdict, but that was dropped by President Mahama later, calling for cool heads to prevail. He then called Nana Akufo-Addo on phone to congratulate him.

By dawn yesterday, there was a message on social media attributed to Dr. Michael Kpesa Whyte of the National Service Scheme urging people to wear white because President Mahama was winning.

Kobina Ade Coker, NDC Greater Accra Regional Chairman, further heightened the tension when he organized the ruling party's supporters to troop to President Mahama's residence at Cantonments, Accra, to start jubilating.

After minutes, scores of NDC supporters had massed up at the president's residence, chanting party slogans and insisting that the EC was going to declare Mr. Mahama winner to continue as president for another term.

Positive Or Negative

A little after 11am, President Mahama came out clad in white and surrounded by some of his ministers and party officials to address the supporters.

We will respect the outcome of the election, positive or negative, President Mahama said, adding, Lets wait for EC to give out figures. We will do our comparison. We have our figures. Let us all be calm.

By Halifax Ansah-Addo &William Yaw Owusu
The very first general election I ever witnessed was the general election held on 8 February 1951. I was too young to take any meaningful part but you can imagine the thrill that went on in my circles about the possibility of electing our own "black man's Government"?

Hitherto, our District Commissioner had been a white man. Our Regional Commissioner (whom my grandmother, a queen-mother, called Komisan!) and almost all the members of the white Governor's executive council were also white men. True, one or two Ghanaian chiefs were included, but it was mainly for "colour massaging purposes" and very little else, as the Governor was not greatly minded to listen to them.

The excitement we experienced, as we gathered round radio stations (where possible) as the radio announcers interrupted normal programmes to announce the results was indescribable.

I can hear people like Ronald Agozor intone: This is the Gold Coast Broadcasting Service. The general election. Accra Central  Kwame Nkrumah 19,000.....! or some similar number extremely huge to our children's ears) We could not wait for the announcers to come to the end of their sentences before we erupted into cheers. This election, although a thrill for us, was absolutely peaceful. And through it, we had Ghanaian Ministers for the first time.

For us school children, the most interesting appointment was that of Kojo Botsio as Minister of Education. He it was who abolished "Hall" (the dreaded Standard Seven Certificate examination). Names we could not pronounce, such as Abavana, soon began to glide over our tongues easily. Ghana was on the way to becoming a country whose citizens were not strangers to one another.

But by 1954  that is, only three years later  things had changed drastically. The CPP of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, which had won the 1951 election, was now facing a very strong and determined opposition from the National Liberation Movement (NLM). So when the broadcasters started saying again :This is the Gold Coast Broadcasting System. The general election! listening to the results was more than a mere thrill. We were on tenterhooks during those broadcasts.

What the politicians of the time did -- both in 1954 and the subsequent, even more crucial election in 1056 -- was to campaign more vigorously than we had ever seen them do before. I was the driver's mate to the brother of Mr Kwabena Bosomprah, brother of Aaron Ofori Atta, who opposed his own "father" (or in the British sense "Uncle") Dr J B Danquah at Akyem Abuakwa Central constituency. I've never seen blood relations fight against each other so fiercely.

The reason was that a lot hung on those elections. If the CPP won, the Gold Coast would have a unitary government and become independent with that. If the NLM won, however, Ghana would become a federation -- like what was later to become known as the Federation of Nigeria.People could identify with these ideas and fight for them, politically speaking.

Despite the tense atmosphere in which the election was held, the results themselves were greeted with the same calmness -- even in 1956 -- as we had seen in the 1951 election. It never occurred to anyone that results of elections could be rigged or delayed. Once the people had spoken, the officials made sure their fellow countrymen got the news as soon as possible.

For rigging elections was to be done by whom for what? Everyone knew that there were diametrically opposed political opinions in the country. If you rigged and got a majority through shady means, could you change the minds of those who hadn't voted for you by force?

In any case, the people who stood for elections in those days were people who really believed in SOMETHING and wanted to convince -- or believed they could persuade - others to accept those ideas. No-one had money and freebies to splash around. The CPP people believed strongly that a unitary form of Government would give them the strong platform upon which to stand and negotiate with the British for the Gold Coast to become independent. And those in the NLM believed  equally strongly  that a federal system of government would enable the districts and regions to enjoy more democracy and allow them to use more of their resources in their own areas. The NLM counted cocoa farmers among its greatest supporters, because cocoa farmers overwhelmingly believed that the Central Government in Accra, through its Cocoa Marketing Board, was raking off too much of the export earnings from cocoa and giving too little back to the farmers. So, I repeat, these were issue-dominated elections. What of now, we must all ask ourselves.?

I mean, in those days, we had core issues that aroused legitimate emotions, yet when the results of the elections themselves were announced, they were treated with total credibility and accepted. And thankfully, the system was so efficient that it was all over -- usually -- in the course of JUST ONE NIGHT! By the time we went to bed, we might have got an idea of the TREND. Definitely, when we woke up the next morning, everyone would know who had won and who had lost. There were a few scattered results in remote areas that were yet to be declared. But the national picture was as clear as daylight. And it was discussed in good humour all day.

In 1960, we held a referendum to decide whether Ghana should have an "Executive" President instead of a Prime Minister, and simultaneously, an election to decide whether the President should be Dr Kwame Nkrumah or Dr J B Danquah. This wasn't much of an election, because the Preventive Detention Act had, by now, succeeded in cowing much of the potential voters. Our descent into authoritarian rule was sealed when, in 1964, another referendum was held to decide whether Ghana should become a one-party state. By that time, the CPP Government had detained a lot more of the vocal Opposition members through Preventive Detention, or driven them into exile for fear of being detained without trial, and it was a walkover for the CPP. But people still believed in the referendum results, even though some didn't approve of the process itself.

It was not until solders began to rule us  after the first coup d'etat in February 1966  that rigging of votes became a possibility. Even then, it was not until the referendum on whether or not we should have a Union Government  as proposed by General Kutu Acheampong in 1977 -- that massive alteration of votes was undertaken. Even then, the rigging wasn't done by the Electoral Commission, under the redoubtable Mr Justice Abban, but by soldiers who took over his offices and forced him to flee to Togo in fear of his life.

The soldiers who rigged the referendum for Acheampong were so amateurish, however, that the first results they officially declared were from the Northern part of the country! This was counter-intuitive, for past elections had always shown that results from the North were delayed for some time and were announced after many Southern results had been announjced. When they realised their mistake, Acheampong's soldiers stopped issuing any results whatsoever, and everyone realised what they were up to.

People laughed at the clumsy efforts of the soldiers, and Acheampong was unable to implement the Union Government idea, although he won the referendum.

Unfortunately, the refusal of the Electoral Commission of today to release election results on time has created the same unease that occurred when the Unigov results were deliberately delayed. Maybe Madam Charlotte Osei doesn't know the history of Ghana too well, because if she did, she would never have created the same sort of vacuum that Acheampong created during his Unigov referendum. In particular, she would have realised that after Acheampong became a figure of fun in Ghana, it was easy for his own military colleagues to remove him from office, an event that eventually led to his being tied to the stake and shot.

I should be writing WELL DONE, NANA AKUFO ADDO! right now, but due to the machinations of Mrs Charlotte Osei and her Electoral Commission, I can't do that.

Mr Kofi Annan, who as a former Secretary-General of the UN, understands what harm can be done to Ghana's image abroad over disputed election results, has asked for the results to be declared without further delay.

The Peace Council has said basically the same thing.

As have some other social organisations and the election observers.

But Mrs Osei and whoever s he may be working for, are sticking to their guns. The 72-hour deadline for declaring results was almost upon us as I finished this article. But the declaration of Nana Addo as victor had still not occurred.

A lot will fall upon the head of Mrs Osei if something untoward happens in the course of the incredible silence. Poor, poor woman  to be so evidently used this way by people who will definitely discard her the moment they think they have got what they want from her.

What do they want? To take Ghana backward ever!. For you don't safeguard the interests of a nation by plunging it into instability by stealing its election.
Kigali (AFP) - Rwanda will stage presidential elections next August, according to a government statement issued Saturday.

Rwandans abroad will cast their votes on August 3, and those resident in Rwanda will follow suit on August 4, a communique in the local Kinyarwanda language said.

A constitutional amendment passed this year means that President Paul Kagame -- in charge since taking power at the head of a rebel army in 1994 -- is able to stand for re-election for another seven-year term.
At long last, Ghanaians have gone to the polls. The changed date from November 7 to December 7 was shrouded in controversy and was resolved eventually through a legal intervention.

Be it as it may, as at yesterday, the situation has been a rollercoaster one, with party supporters not really getting what the true picture was, except for the overwhelming New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary victory across the country.

At the time of filing this report, the picture was clearer about the unassailable lead of the opposition leader, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Whilst the Electoral Commission continues to dawdle with the release of the election results, provisional results coming in from all over the country seem to point towards a win for the opposition New Patriotic Party.

However, both NPP and NDC supporters have claimed victory, a situation which got the EC Chairman, Mrs Charlotte Osei, and others to ask for calm and for all stakeholders to hold their fire as the processes are exhausted.

Keep Cool

Nana Addo, taking the initiative to speak to his supporters and Ghanaians from this residence a day after the elections, appealed to all to remain very calm and focused.

The eyes of the world are on us and it is important that we behave as Ghanaians, as people who understand their own self wealth and their dignity, he said, while addressing journalists at his Nima residence where party supporters had gathered.

On his part, Nana Addo said although it was going to be an anxious time, I think all of us are duty-bound to support her and give her the time so that we have a pronouncement that is devoid of controversy and of difficulty.

He said the NPP was quite confident of winning the election, because according to him, by the tallying they had won 49 extra seats in parliament and stressed the belief that they have also won the main contest, presidential election.

President Mahama yesterday addressed the country and the NDC supporters at his residence, also calling for calm.

He said the NDC would accept the results whether it favoured the party or not, thus, asking his supporters who had trooped to his residence in all white attire to remain calm and give the EC time to do its work.

Parliamentary Election Surprises

But despite a relatively close presidential race, there is no doubt the NPP is crushing the NDC in the parliamentary race.

All across the country, the ruling party is dropping seats, including that of its strongholds, with some of those losing being seasoned party bigwigs such as Alhaji Collins Dauda, Hannah Tetteh and Nii Amasah Namoale.

The NPP claim they have won 177 out of 275 seats from its provisional results. But whatever the final numbers will be, they are likely to hold the majority in the next parliament, having won seats of the ruling party in many of the regions  including Greater Accra, Central, Western, Brong Ahafo, Northern Upper East and even the Volta Region!

The performance of the vanquished when they held office and their interpersonal relationship with their constituents were highlighted in the discussions about why they fell.

Hannah Tetteh

Hannah Tetteh is one of the fallen top appointees in the Mahama administration. She was the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Awutut Senya West Constituency and a former Minister of Trade & Industry and later Minister for Foreign affairs.

Hannah Tetteh polled 25,664 votes as against 28,867 votes garnered by George Andah, contesting on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

She lost and many pointed at her arrogance and poor human relations as some of the factors which accounted for her plight.

Amadu Sorogho

The Member of Parliament for Madina-Abokobi, Amadu Sorogho, also lost his seat to the opposition NPP's parliamentary candidate, Boniface Abubakar Saddique, who polled 57.97 percent of the total votes cast in that constituency, as Sorogho polled 39.88 percent.

Hon Sorogho who has been in parliament since 2005 will be replaced in the next parliament by Boniface Abubakar Saddique, who served as the Minister of Water Resources Works & Housing under the former President Kufuors administration, according to provisional results. He was the former chairperson on the National Fire Service Board.

Baba Jamal

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Akwatia Constituency in the Eastern Region, Baba Jamal, is among the casualties of the parliamentary elections.

Mr Jamal who was the Deputy Ministry of Employment & Labour Relations lost his parliamentary seat to Ama Sey in the Akwatia Constituency, who polled 21,433 votes to beat Mr Jamals 15,905 votes, according to provisional results.

It took Jamal over a decade before winning the Akwatia seat in 2012, having contested for four times in a row.

Abeiku Crentsil

The parliamentary candidate for the Ekumfi Constituency on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Central Region, Ato Cudjoe, has won the seat, according to provisional election results from the EC.

Ato Cudjoe polled 12,014 valid votes to beat the incumbent Abeiku Crentsil of the NDC who polled 11,482.

Ernest Kofi Yakah

The NPP again took the parliamentary seat for the New Edubiase Constituency in the Ashanti Region, where its candidate George Oduro won the seat for the party.

He beat the incumbent parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ernest Kofi Yakah.

Sena Okity Duah

The Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Sena Okity Duah, has also vacated her seat for winner Dr Okoe Boye in the parliamentary race.

Dr Okoe Boye polled 45,259 votes, as against 43,092 votes recorded by Mrs Okity-Duah.

She is the incumbent Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the government of President Mahama. Before that (January 2013  1st June 2014), she was the Deputy Minister for Gender, Children & Social Protection in the same government. Benita Sena Okity-Duah was the Miss Ghana in 1997.

Paul Evans Aidoo

Dr Kweku Owusu Afriyie in the erstwhile Kufuor administration of the NPP won former Western Regional Minister, Paul Evans Aidoo, in the Sefwi-Wiawso constituency. The former educationist was the Western Regional Minister.

Nii Amasa Namoale

The people of La Dadekotopon Constituency after several hours of vote counting at the collation centers have chosen Vincent Sowah Odotei of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the new Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency.

Mr Odotei polled 40,126 votes out of a total of 79,678 votes to unseat the incumbent MP Nii Amasah Namoale, who was the Deputy Minister for Agriculture of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), had 38,504 votes.

Hannah Bissiw

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano South, Hannah Louisa Bissiw, will not be part of the 275 members that will be ushered into the 7th Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

Bissiw, also a Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture in-charge of Livestock, after winning the parliamentary primary of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) unopposed, failed to put up a good performance to retain the seat she won in 2012.

In Wednesday's poll, Bissiw amassed 17,215 of the total valid votes cast.

Her main opponent from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sekyere Yeboah, polled 21,018 to emerge victorious in the hotly contested poll.

The Tano South Constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region has been a stronghold of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition since 2000.

So as the country awaits the declaration of certified results by the chairperson of the Electoral Commission, supporters of the NPP have started gathering in front of the residence of Nana Addo to celebrate his win.

The police are also at his permission to provide security for Nana Addo, whom the provisional results have declared winner of the 2016 elections.

BY Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
THE NATIONAL Democratic Institute (NDI) Observer Delegation from the United States has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana to undertake a thorough post-election review of the conduct of the 2016 polls  both internally and with election stakeholders  and adopt appropriate recommendations on improvements to the process in order to attain and consolidate best practices.

NDI made the call yesterday in Accra at a press conference to issue its post-election preliminary statement on the Wednesday (and in an isolated case, Thursday) presidential and parliamentary elections held across the country.

The delegation includes 30 political and civic leaders, election experts and regional specialists from 14 countries.

Leadership of the delegation comprises Ambassador Johnnie Carson, former assistant secretary for African Affairs, U.S. State Department; J. Yvonne Mokgoro, former judge, South African Constitutional Court; Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Africa, NDI.

The statement was jointly read by Johnnie Carson, Yvonne Mokgoro, Christopher Formunyoh and Patrick Merloe.

It recommended that the EC make the voter register available in a timely manner for independent verification by political parties and civil society in future elections.

NDI also appealed to the EC to pay critical attention to the need for enhancing the efficiency and transparency of the Special Voting procedures.

It asked the EC to include accredited citizen election observers deployed on Election Day in the Special Voting exercise to allow for early voting and to as well strengthen safeguards and ensure effective results transmission and reporting process.

On the conduct of the elections, NDI said the polls were conducted across the country in a very peaceful manner.

The vast majority of polling stations visited by NDI observers received the necessary materials and opened on or close to 7: 00 am, scheduled start of voting, it said.

According to NDI, Poll workers, security personnel and volunteers took helpful initiatives to manage queues and calm overcrowded polling sites.

Women were well represented among polling officials, though more efforts are needed to achieve gender parity, including among presiding officers.

Voters turned out in large numbers in the polling stations observed. Many had waited in line since early morning, before voting started.

Political Parties

NDI urged political parties to call publicly on supporters to respond peacefully to the EC's announcement of election results and seek to redress through legal avenues, should there be reason for electoral complaints.

It also appealed to the parties to cooperate with the EC to expedite the results declaration process.

BY Melvin Tarlue
100 years ago, Dec. 10, 1916

Sunday. No paper.

50 years ago, 1966

MATTOON -- The First Baptist Church, 221 N. 19th St., has raised $107,536 in two-year pledges which will be used to help pay for the new church under construction, according to the Rev. Edward C. Elliott, pastor. The new church is located at 1804 S. Ninth St. The first phase of the building program will be completed this winter when the educational building and fellowship hall will be ready. The fellowship hall will be used as a temporary sanctuary until the main sanctuary is completed... MATTOON -- This year, Mattoon's Christmas tree at City Hall will rank in stature along with the nation's finest -- including the national Christmas tree at the White House in Washington, D.C. Mattoon's tree will be adorned with the same lighting plan as the one in the nation's capital, thanks to the efforts of officials of the General Electric plant here which searched halfway around the country to find the special lights. City officials asked GE for help in decorating the 30-foot tree placed in front of City Hall recently. GE contacted its division headquarters in Cleveland where Al Hart, who laid out the lighting plan for the national tree, was consulted. The lights he recommended were obtained from GE's Memphis, Tenn., plant. The lights were shipped Thursday and Mattoon firemen installed them on Friday... MATTOON -- Officers of the Mattoon Newcomers Club were installed recently at the group's annual Christmas dinner. Officers for 1967 are Mrs. Roger Fosdal, president; Mrs. Robert Burry, first vice president; Mrs. Jack Stoddard, second vice president; Mrs. Jack L. Taylor, secretary; and Mrs. Barger Macy, secretary.

25 years ago, 1991

CHARLESTON -- There will be no change in the deadline to file as a candidate for Coles County coroner. County Clerk Betty Coffrin confirmed that candidates still have until next Monday, Dec. 16, to file petitions in order to be on the March primary ballot. Also, Deputy Coroner Mike Nichols indicated that he probably will run for the office. The coroner position suddenly became vacant a few days ago when Dick Lynch died of cancer after he served in the office almost 20 years MATTOON  Members of the Mattoon Planning Commission yesterday approved the rezoning of an 11.07-acre tract that will be the site of a new Kmart. The new Kmart will be on the south side of Illinois Route 16, between the Crestview subdivision and Interstate 57. A proposed road from Route 16 to Country Club Road should help ease traffic that is currently going through Crestview MATTOON  Officials at the General Electric Lamp Plant recently announced that approximately 60 employees will be laid off indefinitely in the first quarter of 1992. Frank Harmon, human resources manager, said the hourly workforce will be reduced from about 570 people to 510 in February or March because of a projected drop in sales of the plants products.

100 years ago, Dec. 11, 1916

MATTOON -- Weather conditions had no effect today upon those who are working on local railroad improvements. Work was continued without interruption, even though rain and snow continued to fall. At the new passenger station of the Big Four Railroad, carpenters worked on the roof of the west wing, and brick masons and stone masons were kept busy. New steel was laid on the railroad tracks. At daylight this morning there was an additional inch of snow added to what fell over the past few days... CHARLESTON -- Orders have been received from Washington to clear the site of the proposed new post office building on Sixth Street, north of the courthouse square. All buildings and other obstructions are to be removed from the site within the next 60 days. Postmaster Frank Johnston has notified George E. Burkett, former owner of the federal building site, to vacate the premises, and Mr. Burkett has served notice to his tenants. The tenants are J.R. Blair, warehouse; Charles Crowder, paint depot; Brading shoe repair shop; George Shriver tinshop; Ann McKinley, operating McKinley Hotel; M.T. Marymee, photograph gallery; and Elijah Justice residence.

50 years ago, 1966

Sunday. No paper.

25 years ago, 1991

CHARLESTON -- Flu-like symptoms are spreading throughout the area, keeping many students home in bed. Richard Larson, a physician at the Eastern Illinois University health services, reported that more than 300 students were treated Monday for cold-like symptoms, including chills, fever and coughs. Nearly 40 percent of students at Mattoon Junior High missed school both Monday and yesterday, the largest outbreak of flu that teachers and administrators could remember. Mattoon High School had 200 students out sick on Monday and 100 absent on Tuesday MATTOON  At least one member of the Mattoon school board favors dropping out of the Coles County enterprise zone. Board President Justin Grady said yesterday the enterprise zone is not creating more business jobs as was designed, and the school district needs the real estate tax revenue. Grady mentioned an application by Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center to include a proposed doctors office and an application by a welding business. Grady said the purpose of the enterprise zone is to bring new industrial jobs to town, not take a doctors office off the tax rolls.

100 years ago, Dec. 12, 1916

TERRE HAUTE -- Frank Patrick, 33 years old, of Mattoon, was painfully injured by a westbound passenger train yesterday afternoon while he was walking across the Big Four Railroad bridge over the Wabash River. Patrick said he was walking home and after he crossed part of the bridge the train came along. To avoid being hit, he turned off the track and held on to the bridge, but he was not out of the way and the train struck him, making a 3-inch hole in his hip. Patrick managed to get back to O'Neill's Saloon. Police were called and he was taken to a hospital... MATTOON -- Mrs. Oscar Galey of 13th Street and Broadway reported to police this morning that a purse snatcher robbed her little daughter of $3. The robbery took place near 14th and Broadway. The Galey girl was sent to buy a pair of rubber boots, a purse containing $3 having been given to her. Mrs. Galey told police she observed a strange man talking to the child but did not become suspicious. The thief, according to the child, wore "yellow" trousers and a "yellow" coat as part of his costume.

50 years ago, 1966

MATTOON -- About 300 people representing 30 area trade unions participated in a mass parade in downtown Mattoon Saturday to register their sympathy with striking employees of Illinois Consolidated Telephone Co. and Blaw-Knox Co. At a post-parade rally at the National Guard Armory, Donald Mahoney, representative for the Illinois Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said there were two reasons for the march: to honor people in trade unions and to let Central Illinois know there is a labor movement here. The strike by ICTC union employees enters its fourth week today. A new proposal by Blaw-Knox to members of Local 916 of the United Auto Workers will be voted on Wednesday. Employees there have been on strike for 46 days... MATTOON -- Three cars stolen in Mattoon during the weekend have been recovered, one of them in Indiana. A car owned by Richard L. Cunningham was stolen from a parking place in the 1900 block of Prairie Saturday. The car was located Sunday evening in Brazil, Ind. Albert Foster's car was stolen about 1:30 a.m. Saturday from behind the Checker Top Cab Co. office. It was found Sunday morning at Calvary Cemetery. Mrs. Leslie Peterson reported her car stolen Friday evening from in front of her Grant Street residence. It was found Saturday afternoon parked at the rear of the First Church of the Nazarene.

25 years ago, 1991

CHARLESTON -- In a letter issued yesterday, Joe Connelly of Charleston, 19th Congressional District Democratic Party chairman, said he will support Glenn Poshard for the Democratic nomination for Congress. Poshard is a two-term Congressman from Illinois 22nd District, which has been eliminated in reapportionment following the 1990 Census. Poshard is challenging U.S. Rep. Terry Bruce, D-Olney, who has represented the district since 1984. In 1990, Bruce supported Bruce Weems, also of Olney, who ran against Connelly for 19th District Democratic chairman MATTOON  The board of directors of Coles Together approved the applications of Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center and Carle Clinic for acceptance into the enterprise zone. Both applications met new criteria for minimum requirements for the zone, which provides property tax abatements and other incentives for non-retail businesses. The new levels are $100,000 in real estate improvements or $250,000 in equipment additions and at least five jobs added within two years of completion. Regional or national offices must have $1 million in real estate improvements or $250,000 in equipment purchases and 15 jobs added MATTOON  The former Mattoon Post Office building has a new owner. Dan Marvin, president of First National Bank of Mattoon, confirmed the bank bought the building from Jack Graham of Effingham. Marvin said the old post office, sold when the post office moved from the 1700 block of Charleston Avenue to its present location on 15th Street in 1981, will be an administrative service center for First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, a conglomeration of five area banks.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has won one parliamentary seat in the Volta Region after a fierce contest with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate in the area.

The seat, which used to be held by Wisdom Gidisu of the NDC, has now been taken over by Michael Yaw Gyato of the NPP in a surprising turn of events.

Mr Michael Gyato won the seat with 14,639 followed by the NDC's Wisdom Gidisu who had 14,396. For the presidential race, the NDC's John Mahama won with 16,556 followed by Nana Akufo-Addo, NDC, who had 12,075.

The results of the parliamentary polls led to some momentary jubilation by the NPP. However many citizens had been waiting anxiously for the results from other parts of the country.

Volta Is Quiet

Meanwhile, the entire Volta Region had become silent as results trickling in across the country showed that the NDC, which the region usually votes for, was trailing behind the opposition NPP.

Many of the residents remained indoors while others were going about their duties and businesses quietly.

Traders and business people were worried about the seemingly sluggish flow of business and trading. Most of shop attendants were seen glued to their television and radio sets.

Low Turnout

Apart from the general quietness in the region, there was a heightened worry over the low turnout of voters. Most of the residents could not understand how that had happened.

Abaraham Ati and Mary Osei believe residents were fed up with the government hence, the low turnout.

Mr. Benjamin Kpodo, Ho Central parliamentary candidate of the NDC who retained the seat with 47,6330, was also worried about the low turnout. He said the party would sit down and review the situation and improve its relationship with the region.

Calm Returns To Dzodze

Calm has returned to Dzodze and its surrounding communities in the Ketu North Constituency of the Volta Region after sporadic reprisal attacks between supporters of the governing NDC and those of the opposition NPP.

Calm returned after the Dzodze police, with reinforcement from Accra, arrested the key actors in the attacks.

Tension had heightened in Dzodze, capital of the Ketu North District, at about 11 am after news broke that the NPP and NDC were facing off in sporadic fights at nearby border communities.

The fracas, which had metamorphosed into reprisal attacks, resulted from an earlier clash between the two parties at Dzodze-Deme over moves by the NPP to prevent persons believed to be Togolese from coming to vote in Thursday's polls.

The Police whom had stopped an earlier clash began to receive reports of sporadic of attacks from both sides, hence the move to make arrests of perpetrators.

From Fred Duodu, Ho ( [email protected] )


President Mahama is a leader par excellence ! He has demonstrated a high sense of patriotism by conceding defeat to the President-elect, His excellency President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo. This is victory for Ghana! We, his (Mahama's) followers, are not bitter. We wish Nana Addo well in his new assignment as the President of the republic of Ghana.

Mahama has lived up to expectation by graciously conceding defeat. I am proud of him and the phenomenal development legacy he has bequeathed to us and posterity. His inimitable and unparalleled leadership has put Ghana's image notches higher in the comity of Nations. Mahama has been a lynchpin of unity in Ghana and by extension the sub region and of course Africa and the world at large.

Apparently ,President Mahama is going to be missed in no small measure by all and sundry. Under his leadership ,Ghana is on the cusp of becoming the hub of the state of the Arts infrastructure in the sub-region. It is my conviction that the President elect Nana Akuffo Addo would, in line with the directive principles of state policy, continue with the monumental development projects initiated by President Mahama.

Nana Akuffo Addo has equally contributed his quota to the crystallization and consolidation of our Democratic credentials and practice. He is in deed a warrior of Democracy!

Permit me to thank my political god father Hon. Mark Woyongo for allowing me to be under his tutelage and for teaching me that a politician could ply his trade in honesty and candour without recourse to lies and falsehoods. Woyongo was absolutely and altruistically committed to the development of Navrongo and of course Ghana! His magnanimity and philanthropy knows no bounds!!

I have never met a finer politician! In helping people, he doesn't discriminate . He was always there for everyone notwithstanding your political persuasion. I shall forever remain faithful to him just as he has been faithful to President Mahama. Candidly , Woyongo never let Mahama down in the Campaign. We did our level best for him!

Hon. Kofi Adda equally deserves accolades for emerging triumphant. May he lead the Constituency well

In conclusion , i must admit that i have had a rollicking time with all my Facebook friends regardless of our divergent views on who was the best man and indeed best Party to navigate this Country to the promise land. We have stepped on each others toes but today we are united behind the popular choice - Nana Addo. After all is said and done, the chairperson of the electoral commission has been vindicated . The vilifications over ! The NPP should have it at the back of their minds that the NDC will be back in a jiffy!!!!
Proudly brought to you by Sircle Communications...

I do not wish to delve into the nitty-gritty of the EC's official declaration of Ghana's 2016 president election. I will rather do so in my next article, "The NPP Have Victoriously Voted for Change, but Their Political Messiah now Has a Herculean Task."

This motivational article, therefore, aims at enlightening myself and my cherished readers about some priceless lessons to be learnt from Akufo-Addo and Mahama's electoral victory and defeat respectively. You know I am actually fond of dissecting everyday issues from a motivational perspective.

But to be frank, I am really saddened by the appalling defeat of President John Mahama, the incumbent president, in our 2016 presidential election. In fact, he was my favourite presidential candidate, and I publicly predicted a 51% victory for him as his great fan. Sadly, Nana Akufo-Addo, the veteran politician I politically dislike, has now emerged as Ghana's president-elect. His resounding success and Mahama's shocking failure in the recently-held election have both taught me 6 lessons worth sharing.

(1) Never give up!

I always emphasise that persistence is the ultimate key to success, and the most important phrase in the pursuit of success is "never give up." Yes, Akufo-Addo is currently the best embodiment of "never give up," having won Ghana's 2016 presidential election in his third successive attempt after two unsuccessful attempts. Gosh, he is now 72 years old, but he had a perfect resolve to become Ghana's president though his detractors mocked him as an old, sickly and greedy man. Remember, he has been targeting Ghana's highest office since 1998 when he was 54 years for 18 long years.

(2) Leaders need haters not sycophants:

Yes, you read it right! Leaders do not need sycophants but rather haters. Bad leaders have fewer haters and many sycophants; good leaders have fewer sycophants and many haters. Sycophancy is a poison that destroys leadership. A leader's haters can be his greatest source of direction. That is why I once wrote that it is so safe to have haters and no sycophant, but it is very dangerous to have sycophants and no hater. For President Mahama's unprecedented downfall expressed in his electoral defeat is fairly caused by the sheer sycophancy of the officials around him.

(3) Beware of propaganda against you!

Well, point 2 and point 3 seem to be at variance to some extent. It is good to have haters who chastise you and even defame you  it ironically makes you stronger. Yet you should not totally ignore all that since they wield a negatively extreme power. A minute percentage of your haters' hatred or say opposition is inaccurate and dishonest; they mostly seek to tarnish your image or to simply demonise you. The political propaganda against President Mahama, which could not be really substantiated and handled properly by him, adversely affected his presidential reputation.

(4) Don't take your own people for granted:

This goes out to all leaders, especially political leaders. Your followers may be strongly loyal to you their leader, but their future loyalty will depend largely on your leadership style. If you deceive, disappoint or belittle them, you will definitely suffer a huge penalty which is treachery. No wonder the Volta Region, the NDC's "World Bank," punished President Mahama in this year's presidential election to register their displeasure with how bad their government has treated them over the years.

(5) Champion an all-important yet unique cause:

Ha-ha, you do not need to be an avowed activist or advocate to champion a cause. All candidates for success in life, and not necessarily candidates for an election, must champion some kind of individual causes in their respective fields. Your cause should be very important and really different in order to attract massive support from people. Akufo-Addo and the NPP trumpeted change oriented ideas which were special in nature and crucial by all standards. And they did that in an overwhelming manner, which eventually led to their historic triumph.

(6) Be extremely focused:

I emphasise "extremely," which is an adverb of degree. We should be extremely focused if we want to succeed in life. We will certainly encounter a myriad of challenges, but we ought to persevere and press ahead with our aspirations. Never lose focus; focus entirely on your stated goals no matter what your enemies do or say. That was the spirit of Akufo-Addo during the recent electioneering. He was not distracted by the constant ridicule by NDC faithfuls in the pursuit of his presidential ambition.

Source: sirarticle.blogspot.com
The membership of the New Patriotic Party, Chicago Chapter congratulates President-elect Nana Akufo Addo on his history victory.

While this victory is every bit a collective triumph, it is fitting to underscore the president-elects resilience and dedication to national service which culminates in his election to the high office of president of the republic.

As the president-elect readies his team to confront the task ahead, we pray Gods guidance to attract the very best in our tradition to lift Ghana from the doldrums of economic decline and corruption. We also urge Ghanaians to continue to support the president-elect now and through his administration for, to go far as the maxim goes, is to go together.

To that end, NPP Chicago stands ready to support the Nana Akufo Addo administration in every way including policy recommendations, promote Ghana abroad to induce investment and tourism. We call on other Chapters and branches to engage productively with the government to advance the goal of economic growth and prosperity.

God bless Ghana and the new president of the republic.
10.12.2016 LISTEN

Marx wrote : all the events and personalities of great importance in world history occur, as it were, twice the first time as tragedy, the second as farce. Karl, not Groucho, Marx.

We entered the realm of farce.

The voters rejected that.

We are experiencing a reprise of the political paralysis of the 1970s, stagnation replacing stagflation. Jimmy Carter tackled the malaise in widely noted speech on July 15, 1979. This was later derided as his great MEOW (Moral Equivalent Of War):

The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. We can see this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our nation. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America. The confidence that we have always had as a people is not simply some romantic dream or a proverb in a dusty book that we read just on the Fourth of July. 

The symptoms of this crisis of the American spirit are all around us. For the first time in the history of our country a majority of our people believe that the next five years will be worse than the past five years. Two-thirds of our people do not even vote. The productivity of American workers is actually dropping, and the willingness of Americans to save for the future has fallen below that of all other people in the Western world. As you know, there is a growing disrespect for government and for churches and for schools, the news media, and other institutions. This is not a message of happiness or reassurance, but it is the truth and it is a warning.

Carter then discredited himself with a series of utterly feckless measures. None worked.

The farce is not funny. Its cringeworthy how the national elites can be so oblivious to the obvious. The political and economic elites are just not grasping that economic stagnation, painfully obvious to the voters, is at the root of our political woes.

David Leonhardt, in The New York Times, gets it. He does an extraordinary great job of recognizing and framing the central challenge of our time in his debut column A Great Fight For Our Times :

When progress is the norm, it feeds on itself. People can trust that their own sacrifices will usually pay off. They can endure hard times without becoming cynical and can be generous toward others. Now, imagine a different reality: one in which your family  or whole community  had known scant progress for decades. You couldnt tell stories of upward mobility, because they wouldnt be true. Instead, you would be frustrated, about hard work gone unrewarded, and anxious, for your future and your children. Such stagnation is the reality for much of the countrys population  roughly one third by many measures, closer to half by others. Some of the statistics are familiar. But as a group, theyre chilling. The typical household, amazingly, has a net worth 14 percent lower than the typical one did in 1984, according to a forthcoming Russell Sage Foundation publication. The life-expectancy gap between the affluent and everyone else is growing . The number of children living with only one parent or none has doubled since the 1970s (to 30 percent). The obesity rate has nearly tripled (to 38 percent). About eight million people have spent time behind bars at some point in their life, up from 1.5 million 40 years ago. While college enrollment has grown, the norm for middle-class and poor students is to leave without a four-year degree. This column is my first for the Op-Ed page, which is why Im devoting it to the great American stagnation. That stagnation is a central challenge of our time. And we dont feel nearly enough urgency about it.

Of course I disagree with Leonhardts call for raising taxes  by which presumably he means tax rates  on the upper middle class and the wealthy as part of the remedy for stagnation. History  from JFK to Reagan to Bill Clinton -- shows how cutting tax rates is a key, although not only, piece of the recipe for resolving stagnation. The other key is good monetary policy.

Read Kudlow and Domitrovics new best seller, JFK and the Reagan Revolution: A Secret History of American Prosperity , on just that matter. Nevertheless Leonhardt is exceptional in getting the issue, its ramifications, and its key importance exactly right:

Yet even for [those with a rising standard of living], the stagnation looms over life. It breeds political dysfunction, and it helps explain why so many Americans arent swayed by facts. When you have been struggling for decades, you tend to lose faith in societys institutions and their sober-minded experts.

I have some confidence that if the politicos just get the question right eventually  with a spirited argument conducted in good faith  the right answer will emerge. President Reagans 1986 tax reform cutting the top rate to 28% carried the Senate 97-3.

Hillary Clinton, something of a social justice warrior, is breaking left. She is proposing whopping tax increases. She has taken a daft position on monetary policy, The Fed Can Do No Wrong" and is above criticism other than her demand for more socioeconomic and ethnic diversity on the governing boards of the regional Federal Reserve banks.

Neither stand would help the economy get back to its historically higher growth levels, the kind facilitated by President Clinton 1.0. That made him popular. Easy to love a politician who gives us twice as much prosperity than has either party for the past 16 years.

Donald Trump shows better promise with a reformulated tax rate cut along the lines of the new Ryan-Brady tax plan . Trump allowed his original sketch of a tax plan to be refined by Supply-Side stalwarts Arthur Laffer, Larry Kudlow and Steve Moore. Trump also showed he might put monetary policy into play by the proxy of criticizing the Fed and even hinted, twice, at favoring the best monetary policy of them all, the gold standard. He won.

The real enemy is neither the left nor the right.

Its not Democrats or Republicans.

It's stagnation.

A version of this column originated at Forbes.com
10.12.2016 LISTEN

Following the announcement on state TV on Friday by President Yahya Jammeh that he rejects the results of the 1st December election results and would not tolerate protest, Sabrina Mahtani, Amnesty Internationals West Africa Researcher said:

President Jammehs rejection of the election results and his statement that he will not tolerate protest is an extremely dangerous move that risks leading to instability and possible repression.

In recent weeks thousands of Gambians have enjoyed the ability to speak and gather freely, and these rights must continue to be protected. If Gambians decide to exercise their right to peaceful protest we call on the security forces to show restraint, and we expect the international community to condemn any restriction on protest and any other violations that may be committed.

Amnesty International will be closely monitoring the situation.

Background

On 2 December, the President of the Independent Electoral Commission announced that opposition candidate Adama Barrow (Coalition 2016) won the election and President Yahya Jammeh (APRC  Alliance for Patriotic Reconstruction and Construction) accepted his defeat.

Last night on a recorded statement he announced he now rejects in totality and called for new elections to be held when resources allow. Under Gambian law any appeal against the results of the election must be filed in the Supreme Court within 10 days of the results.
The entire executive members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Spain branch, on this joyful and highly spirited note, wishes to salute and congratulate the next and 5th President of the 4th Republic of Ghana, William Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

As a branch of the great Elephant family, NPP Spain shares in the joy of the people of Ghana for voting and supporting the change agenda, since the burning desire for change, undoubtedly ensured NPP Victory 2016.

We say thank you to Ghanaians for seeing great competence in Nana Addos style of leadership.

NPP Spain also wishes to commend President Mahama for conceding defeat to his closest rival thereby showing high commitment to the Peace Pact agreements signed prior to the Elections.

We say JDM Ayeekooo!!!!

Now to some important issues; looking at the breakdown and humiliation of NDC, it tells total loss of hope and rejection of the continuous incompetence under outgoing President John Dramani Mahama.

Ghanaians indeed rejected incompetence and arrogance of power on the part of the president. Some of his dirty tribal politics at the latter part of the contest caused him a lot.

We wish to on this note point out some significant facts arising from NPP and Nana Addo's victory.

Interestingly, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo is the first candidate to win 94% in an internal contest within the NPP.

He is also the the first candidate to defeat an incumbent president of Ghana.

Nana Addo is the first candidate from an opposition party to win the elections one touch.

He is also the first candidate to maintain his running-mate in the person of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia three times.

Nana Akufo-Addo is the first candidate to win Ghana's Elections with more than a million votes in Ghana.

NPP Spain acknowledges the pledge made by Nana Addo to be President and father for all no matter your ethnic origin, religious belief or race.

We urge Ghanaians to believe in the NPP under Nana Akufo-Addo to execute all those pro-poor policies former President Kufuor undertook during his time.

Ghanaians will surely see change.

Long Live Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo!

Long Live Our Economic Prophet Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia!!!!!!

Long Live The NPP!!!

Victory 2016, Change Is Here!!!

Kukruduuuu!!! Eeessshhi!

Kukuruduuu!!! Power!

Kukuruduuu!!! Power Power!

Lamptey J.N

General Secretary

NPP Spain Branch
Adientem (W/R), Dec. 10, GNA - The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Print Aid Foundation(PAF) in Accra, Mr Coby Asmah says his outfit is poised to partner the charity Amoah Memorial school complex at Adientem and equip it with the state of the art technology.

He therefore challenged the students to have the zeal and the urge to learn more about the computer and be in tune with modern technology to be able to compete favourably in the globalised village.

Mr Asmah gave the advice when his outfit made a presentation of 10 computers and the award of scholarships to two students of the school at Adientem, a suburb of Takoradi in the Western Region.

The donation forms part of the first in a series of presentations to 10 schools in the country by PAF, a printing firm in Accra.

Making the presentation, Mr Asmah said it was the commitment of PAF to ensure that children who did not have access to education would have to compete with the outside world through enhance modern technology.

In another development, PAF made a scholarship package to the parents of Emmanuella Elorm Amo, a JHS form two pupil and Seth Dentu Gyampo, a class four pupil.

Under the scholarship package, PAF is to pay GHa 840.00 to cover the fees of Seth and GHE 990.00 for Emmanuella for a year, which wa subject to renewal if they continue to produce good academic results.

Presenting the cheques, which covered their school fees from the 2016/2017 academic year, Mr Asmah appealed to the parents to motivate their children to learn extra hard at home.

Receiving the cheques Mr Victor Gyampo and Mr Luis Amo thanked the Foundation and promised to monitor their children to learn at home to justify the package they have received.

The Headmaster of the school, Mr Mathias Broohm, a retired Educationist, appealed to ICT instructors to teach the children very well to be able to access relevant information from the internet to enhance academic output.

The Chairman of the School Management Board, Rev Jonathan Yaw Amoako appealed to government to assist private schools since they played a pivotal role in national development.

He said in spite of the challenges, private schools had excelled over the years and asked government to assist the School with some basic educational inputs and a vehicle.

The Proprietress of the School, Madam Faustina Amoah said the academic facility would provide a solid foundation for children through good quality education delivery and assist them to unearth their innate potentialities to advance the cause of humanity.

The School which was established in 1996 at Sekondi with only one child, can now boast of a current population of 124 at its new location at Adientem in Takoradi

GNA
By Alice Tettey /Afedzi Abdullah, GNA

Cape Coast, Dec. 10, GNA - Jubilant supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) poured onto the streets of Cape Coast to celebrate the victory of the Party shortly after the Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Charlotte Osei, declared the results of the 2016 elections on Friday evening.

Clad in party T-shirts and other paraphernalia, the jubilant supporters chanted slogans of the NPP amidst singing, dancing and tooting of car horns in many parts of the Cape Coast Municipality and its environs.

Ironically, they danced to the popular tune of the National Democratic Congress, 'Onaapo' song provided by speakers mounted on vehicles while others jubilated in their individual homes.

Earlier on in the day, the Central Regional headquarters of the Party was besieged by many supporters who had thronged there awaiting the official declaration by the Electoral Commission (EC).

Some of the excited supporters who spoke to the Ghana News Agency said even though they were sure of victory, they least expected the massive support especially from the Region.

They said the victory was an indication that Ghanaians were tired of the hardships under the NDC Government.

They were hopeful that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo would make things better for Ghanaians.

They said they were tired of the huge taxes, utility bills, fuel they were paying.

The situation in Mankessim, Moree, Twifo Praso, Elmina, Swedru and other parts of the Central Region was not different as hundreds of NPP supporters took to the streets to celebrate their victory.

Tension heightened and there was an uneasy calm since the election on Wednesday December 7 with most shops remaining closed and government business slowing down as people waited to have the EC announce the results.

GNA
By Samuel Akapule, GNA

Adaboya(UE), Dec 10, GNA - The Paramount Chief of Bongo, in the Upper East Region, Naba Baba Salifu Aleeyaarum, has launched an environmental management project dubbed: 'The Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) project,' at Bongo.

The FMNR is an ecological restoration project and involves selecting and pruning stems regenerating from stumps of natural grown trees on the field, to give them more space to grow. This stimulates faster growth of the trees.

Speaking at the launch of the project at Adoboya, the Paramount Chief who had received a number of awards for championing and sustaining the environment in his traditional area, commended the constituted FMNR groups for working hard to sustain the ecology.

He said three years ago he led some farmers from Bongo to World Vision Ghana (WVG) Talensi branch, a learning centre for the FMNR, to learn and to adopt the technology.

'After learning the technology and receiving some capacity building from WVG, I encouraged some selected communities to start the project. Today, I am overwhelmed by the success story of the FMNR and will further encourage the remaining communities in my traditional area to also start it', he said.

He explained that unlike growing of trees, which was labour and capital intensive and difficult to maintain, it was not so with the FMNR as the farmer only needed sickles, cutlasses and Willington boots and some level of training to prune the natural shrubs to stimulate their growth.

Naba Aleeyaarum, who led the Regional Minister, Mr Albert Abongo and other dignitaries to the 12-hectare demonstration FMNR project site at the Adaboya community, explained that the benefit of the FMNR were enormous, saying the intervention had contributed to food security in countries like Niger and Mali.

'The FMNR is providing enough fodder for farmers to feed their animals, thatch for them to roof their houses, medicinal plants, fuel wood as well as fruits for children in the communities,' he said.

Naba Aleeyaarum, lauded the efforts of the government for supporting traditional rulers in the country with seedlings and motorcycles to water the seedlings during the dry seasons.

He said his vision was in line with the Government's vision to help ensure the protection and the preservation of the environment for the future generation.

He entreated his sub chiefs and the community members to grow trees on the compounds of their households.

The Regional Minister, Mr Albert Abongo, also the outgoing Member of Parliament for the area, praised the Chief and elders for their leadership roles.

He cautioned the community members to desist from engaging in negative acts such indiscriminate bush burning and felling of trees for charcoal production among others.

He gave the assurance that government would continue to support traditional councils in the country to help champion the crusade against the destruction of the environment.

The FMNR Project, which was started by WVG in communities in the Talensi District in 2009, is now a learning centre of excellence for national and international organisations.

In 2014, a 12- member team from East Africa undertook a three-day learning tour to the project site to learn.

GNA
Accra, Dec. 10, GNA - Mr Johnnie Carson, co-chair of the National Democratic Institute(NDI), an international observer mission to Election 2016, says Ghana has set excellent examples in democratic governance over the past few decades that are worth maintaining.

'Over the last 25 years, Ghana has built an extra-ordinary reputation as a beacon of democratic governance, with respect to successful transfer of political power,' he said.

Mr Carson was speaking at a media briefing on Friday in Accra, concerning the findings and conclusions of NDI, on Ghana's 2016 elections.

He continued: 'You have examples that we would like to see not only in Africa, but in other parts of the world as well.'

Mr Carson said the first phase of the poll had been carried out successfully.

He said the role of civil society, the media, the security services the electorate and all other stakeholders had been very impressive by the NDI's observation.

GNA
10.12.2016 LISTEN

By Samuel Akapule, GNA

Navrongo (UE), Dec. 10, GNA - Twenty-five people have been trained in in batik, tie and dye, soap making, beads making, dress making and Information Communication Technology (ICT) vocational modules at Navrongo in the Upper East Region.

The training was organised by the Our Lady of Mercy Community Services (OLAM) in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development.

Most of the beneficiaries were school drop outs and past students of junior and senior high schools who could not continue their education due to financial challenges.

Apart from the training, the beneficiaries received start-up capital in the form of equipment and also took home certificates.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Navrongo, the Project Director of OLAM, Mr Emmanuel Atiiga, explained that the NGO, had been operating in northern Ghana since 2005 with the aim of empowering the underprivileged communities, women and children towards poverty reduction and community development.

Mr Atiiga said: 'Over the years, we have done a lot in our operational areas and have achieved great results.

'We have extended micro credit to women groups in communities such as Nakolo, Vunania, Nogsenia, Saka and surrounding communities in 2006/ 2007 and not less than150 women benefited; we have trained over 300 young girls, SHS, and JHS students in basic computing and internet application.

'We have given skills training to another 350 women and girls in the various vocational courses and entrepreneurship development with support from COTVET-SDF, Ghanaman Trust Fund, OSIWA- SENEGAL and Associated Country Women of the World, ACWW-UK.'

He said many of the students who had passed out of the vocational training centre had set up their own shops and producing standard products to many people including institutions.

Mr Atiiga entreated the current students to put into good use the knowledge acquired to fend for themselves and their families.

Giving her testimony, one of the past students of the training centre, Mrs Faustina Mayila, a 42 year -old woman, explained that before she joined the centre to be trained, she was selling sachet and flour water and used to trek long distances to schools in the Municipality to sell.

'After the training I set up my own shop with the assistance from the training institution and now produce batik, tie and dye, soap, beads and dresses on contract basis to institutions such as the Ghana Health Service and the Community Health Nursing Training College in Navrongo.

'I am now economically empowered and support my husband to pay the children's school fees and I am also into rice farming,' she said.

Dr Stanislaus Alu Kandingdi, the Municipal Chief Executive, commended the NGO for complementing the efforts of Government in training and empowering the youth in the area of employment creation, promoting peace, climate change as well as addressing issues relating to women and children. GNA
Banjul (Gambia) (AFP) - Gambian President-elect Adama Barrow on Saturday called on longtime leader Yahya Jammeh to drop his challenge to last week's election and appealed for calm following the dramatic political U-turn.

Jammeh on Friday declared he no longer accepted the results of the December 1 vote, in a stunning turnaround that sapped hopes for a peaceful political transition for the west African state.

Signs of a massive security ramp-up multiplied across the capital Banjul on Saturday, while US, UN and African authorities urged Gambians against violence and respect the election outcome.

Jammeh, 51, cited "unacceptable errors" by election authorities and called for new polls.

"In the same way that I accepted the results faithfully believing that the Independent Electoral Commission was independent and honest and reliable, I hereby reject the results in totality," Jammeh said in a speech broadcast on state television.

"Let me repeat: I will not accept the results based on what has happened," he added.

Map of Gambia

Jammeh, who has led the former British colony for 22 years, warned Gambians not to take to the streets to protest his decision.

Latest official figures gave Barrow 43.29 percent of the votes in the presidential election, while Jammeh took 39.64 percent. The turnout was 59 percent.

Those figures reflect a correction issued Monday by election authorities, showing a slimmer-than-thought victory for Barrow, of just over 19,000 votes.

Jammeh pointed to that polling error, claiming that numerous voters had not been able to cast their ballots.

"This is the most dubious election we ever had in the history of this country," he said.

"We will go back to the polls because I want to make sure every Gambian votes under an electoral commission that is impartial, independent, neutral and free from foreign influence," he said.

'Violation of democracy'

Barrow, a consensus candidate backed by a coalition of opposition groups, on Saturday urged Jammeh to accept defeat and argued he had no legal standing for the turnaround.

The Gambia's president-elect Adama Barrow

"I wish to inform you that the outgoing president has no constitutional authority to reject the results of the elections and order for fresh elections to be held," Barrow told journalists after an opposition meeting at his home.

"I urge him to change his current position and accept the verdict of the people in good faith for the sake of the Gambia our homeland."

Barrow also appealed to his own supporters to act with "discipline and maturity."

The US State Department lashed Jammeh's change of heart a "reprehensible and unacceptable breach of faith with the people of The Gambia and an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election process and remain in power illegitimately."

Gambians celebrate Adama Barrow's election victory in Banjul on December 2, 2016

In a joint statement, the west African regional grouping ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations urged Gambians including armed forces to "reject violence and peacefully uphold the will of the people as expressed through the ballot box".

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was leading an ECOWAS mission, was blocked from entering The Gambia Saturday.

Senegalese Foreign Minister Mankeur Ndiaye said it was Jammeh who had "prevented the landing" of Sirleaf's plane.

Shock victory

Jammeh's swift concession of defeat on December 2 stunned observers and led to celebrations in the country.

Though stable under Jammeh's rule, the country of just 1.99 million people still faces daunting problems, including endemic poverty.

Many Gambians had tired of Jammeh's unpredictable behaviour, including the declaration of an Islamic republic in a country with a history of religious tolerance, and its withdrawal from the Commonwealth and the International Criminal Court.

The perception that Jammeh simply took over businesses and properties for his personal gain also angered many, while police harassment and impunity by the security services fed growing resentment.

Pressure to prosecute Jammeh and top figures in his administration, who have been accused of widespread human rights violations, had been one of the key challenges for the new government.

Barrow had vowed to set up a South Africa-style truth commission but ruled out a political "witch hunt" and promised that his predecessor would be able to "live in Gambia like any ordinary citizen".

Dozens of opposition activists, including the leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP) had already been freed from prison on bail this week.
Good evening, my fellow countrymen and women. A few minutes ago, I made the most difficult phone call I have made, and may ever make, in my life: I called President-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party to congratulate him on his well-fought and well-deserved victory in Wednesdays election.

The win has been emphatic. If anybody has reason to doubt the presidential results, the sheer magnitude of the defeat, which our parliamentary candidates have suffered, is the clearest indication that we have outlived our welcome.

Telling the world that I would graciously accept the outcome of the election was one thing, but confronting the stark reality of an electoral defeat is another harrowing experience altogether. But I had no option. The people of Ghana have said emphatically that they are taking away the power they gave to me four years ago, and I have no power to say no. Besides, I love the country that has given me the opportunity to serve in various capacities for nearly two decades and I will not do anything to undermine our democracy or threaten the peace we enjoy.

Before I continue, permit me to congratulate the NDC family, especially my campaign team, for putting up such a spirited fight. When I was growing up in northern Ghana, I used to hear stories of very spiritually powerful and dreadful cattle rustlers who informed cattle rearers before they actually moved in to steal the animals. They would tell the owner that tonight, we will come and steal your cattle. They were so powerful that they cast spells on those policing the cattle and drive away the animals away before the men who gathered to stop them could wake up from their deep sleep to gnash their teeth and endure the scornful gossips of their women in the morning.

When the time was up for these cattle rustlers, however, they were overpowered and captured by women. I think we lost because our time was simply up, and no amount of deceptive campaign promises could keep us in power. No amount of monopolization of the media space could save us. No amount of money could stop our defeat. No amount of local and international celebrity endorsements could help us. And no amount of vote buying could stand the irresistible hurricane of change that shook our nation on Wednesday.

I will urge my party members to stop the blamestorming that has started so that we brainstorm on how to get ourselves out of the mess we have put ourselves in. The future of our great party looks gloomy and we have to start work on how to get ourselves out of what appears like an eternal stay in opposition. In life, when you are hit by the subduing blow of misfortune, you have two options. You can allow that blow to crush you. You can also move on with the enormous lessons such misfortunes often present. I cannot immediately tell my next move in life, politics and my role in our great party. But if I should ever make a comeback to politics, the lessons I have learnt from our defeat should serve as the moral code which will guide how I guide myself.

I have learnt that the Ghanaian voter, though mainly uneducated and simple, is more sophisticated than we thought. I have learnt that it is unacceptable for the people to loot, hoard and splash during elections.

I have learnt that the calls of the noisy minority cannot be ignored because they largely shape the opinions of the silent minority, who we politicians exploit for our selfish gain. I have learnt that not all those who criticised us hated us. Sometimes the best way to express your love for someone is to be critical of their actions. If I should ever return, I will not display a dead-goat syndrome towards disaffection of the masses.

When those who opposed us cried foul, we retorted, Hate cant win. Tonight, however, I am the first to admit that some hate can win. This election has taught me that the hate of corruption can win. It has taught me that hate of incompetence can win. Our defeat has taught me that hate of impunity can win. I have learnt that the hate of the obscene display of ill-gotten opulence wins. I have learnt that hate of mediocrity and deception definitely wins. And I have learnt that hating evil will forever triumph over the love of evil. That was what happened on Wednesday.

Another important lesson I have learnt from this defeat is that the success or failure of a leader depends on the kind of people he or she surrounds themselves with. While Rawlings appointed the likes of Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas as deputy ministers, I made the mistake of giving that respectable position to the likes of John Oti Bless. I have now realised, rather too late, that if I had kept the likes of Ben Dotsei Malor and Dr. Raymond Atuguba around me, they would have injected some semblance of sanity into the Presidency and given that high office an aura of respectability and decency. The praise-singing sycophants who act on the dictates of their stomachs are only specialized at telling you what you want to hear. Unfortunately, I did not listen to voices of reason. Our elders say a disease that will kill a man first breaks sticks into his ears.

A lot of the people who have called me to comfort me have maintained that I have been let down by my ministers and the people I trusted so much. I wish to take the blame for everything that happened to me. It is said that a man may fail many times but he is not a failure until he blames others for his failures. Nobody forced my appointees on me. Our elders say God gives us our friends but we choose our friends. And it is us, and not God, who will bear the consequences of any choice we make. Like the wood insect that gathers sticks on its head, I have brought this upon myself, and I will carry it alone.

Fellow Ghanaians, before I end, I will like to wish our President-elect, Nana Akufo Addo, the best of luck in his administration. I will, however, like to caution him to be very careful in order not to repeat the mistakes I made in my administration. His success or failure depends on the kinds of people he appoints. He should focus on the people and not the party. He should remember that after four years, Ghanaians will be demanding accountability from him. He and the NPP should remember that the shea butter that is gloating over the ill-fated salt because of a heavy downpour should fortify itself with ice before the sun rises. What has befallen us can befall you if you allow the intoxicating effect of power to blind you.

In 2008, the NDC won mainly because the NPPs stronghold in Ashanti Region did not vote massively. In 2016, the NDC lost partly because our stronghold in the Volta Region taught us a lesson that we will never forget. We should begin to see them as human beings, and not votes, when we ever occupy any political office. In the NDC, Volta Region sounded like Voter Region. We referred to the Volta Region as our World Bank, but they turned out to be a DKM Microfinance when it mattered most.

Finally, I will urge civil society and the media to keep a critical eye on the new administration if our country can ever develop. I have realised that the corrupt journalists and members of the civil society who connived with officials of my administration to defraud the state or cover up rot did not only hurt the country but they are part of the reason I have to forever live with the humiliation of the first one-term president in the Fourth Republic. This is our country. And its fortunes lie solely on us. Lets all stand up and be counted.

God bless our Homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong!

[This is a spoof piece written ahead of the Presidents concession speech]

The writer, Manasseh Azure Awuni, is a senior broadcast journalist with Joy 99.7 FM. His email address is [email protected] The views expressed in this article are his personal opinions and do not reflect, in any form or shape, those of The Multimedia Group, where he works.
The Secretary-General congratulates Nana Akufo-Addo on his election as President of Ghana. He thanks outgoing President John Dramani Mahama for his role in defusing tensions and preserving peace during the election period.

The Secretary-General congratulates the Ghanaian people, who turned out in large numbers to participate in the presidential and parliamentary elections on 7 December. He also commends the Electoral Commission for the successful organisation of the elections.

The Secretary-General reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to continue assisting the Government of Ghana in consolidating democratic and development achievements.

New York, 9 December 2016
10.12.2016 LISTEN

"... We will say that when the record of history is written, it will show that Mr. John Dramani Mahama was more interested in grand-opening half-completed edifices than building institutions Ghanaians could count on to properly order their lives, the Ghanaian economy, and their role in the world of the 21st Century...Mr. Akufo-Addo Dankwa, appoint Mr. Martin A. B. K. Amidu as Attorney-General of Ghana to begin cementing your legacy even before you complete estimating precisely what the election is worth to you and the NPP in the form of capital and a mandate, post-2016 NPP electoral victory...", (Prof Lungu, 10 Dec 16).

The 2016 election is over and the duly appointed Electoral Commissioner of Ghana in whom we always had the highest regard, Mrs. Charlotte Osei, has declared the NPP presidential candidate, Mr. Akufo-Addo Dankwa, as the winner.

Congratulations to Nana Akufo-Addo Dankwa.

In resource-rich Ghana, we believe that most Ghanaians will agree that corruption in official circles, in government, to be precise, is one of the biggest development challenges Ghana faces.

When billions of dollars of public funds are stolen, wasted, or not collected in the first place, it is the average Ghanaian child and their parents who suffer.

It is outrageous that the most important stretch of highway in Ghana, the Accra-Kumasi-Tamale highway, has not been completed in over a decade.

The case of the Ghana oil contract and loss of over $6 billion the last 6 years alone is a very good example.

The Woyome-gate story where businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome was paid millions of dollars for doing exactly nothing is another example.

The over-charge for the Kumasi Airport renovation project is another prime example of a project that was used to rip-off Ghana when Ghana could actually have used the same amount of funds to construct even a better/more modern airport with a 10,000ft runway, with complementary taxiways, aprons, hangars, and lighting and marking systems.

Then, there is the Waterville-gate, and payment of millions of euros under fraudulent circumstances.

Dear reader, you can add to the list beginning right here:

We are not going to list all the other sordid matters that Mr. Mahama's government failed to properly investigate, prosecute, and settle, that you the reader know about.

Except we will say that when the record of history is written, it will show that Mr. John Dramani Mahama was more interested in grand-opening half-completed edifices than building institutions Ghanaians could count on to properly order their lives, the Ghanaian economy, and their role in the world of the 21st Century.

Needless to say, Mr. Mahama and the NDC had a chance to do a lot better by Ghana, but they chose to look the other way many, many, times, and blew it!

In a post in ModernGhana today, Mr. Martin Amidu makes the following observations:

"...The new Government will have the duty of getting your money back in the shortest possible time because of the confidence you have reposed in it. It is my prayer that the in-coming President, his Government, and Parliament will reciprocate the trust and confidence reposed in them at these elections by getting our Woyome and Waterville looted monies back in the shortest possible time. I will return to the Court on 13th December 2016 to face the outgoing looter Government and lootee Woyome but I am confident as your former Attorney General, now a public interest Plaintiff, that I can hold the fort against the looter Government and lootee, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, until the new President takes office on 7th January 2017. The President Elect, an eminent and distinguished lawyer, knows I can!...".

By this public message, we want to encourage the President-Elect of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo Dankwa, to appoint Mr. Martin Amidu as the Attorney-General of Ghana to help Ghana get a better grip on official corruption.

We hope that Nana Akufo-Addo Dankwa selects Mr. Amidu, that Mr. Martin Amidu will find it worthwhile to accept and assist Ghana resolve so many of the issues he's fought for all these weeks, months and years, on behalf of Ghanaians who as a collective, just voted for precisely the type of change Nana Akufo-Addo Dankwa speaks about when he tells Ghanaians, "...Together, we will fulfill the destiny of Ghana, the destiny of freedom, justice and prosperity that the ancestors and founders of our nation defined for us...".

MESSAGE: Mr. Akufo-Addo Dankwa, appoint Mr. Martin A. B. K. Amidu as Attorney General of Ghana to begin cementing your legacy even before you complete estimating precisely what the election is worth to you and the NPP in the form of capital and a mandate, post-2016 NPP electoral victory.

Nana Akufo-Addo Dankwa, do not squander your social and political capital before you really hit in time the venerable "Public Square" at the corner of Justice and Accountability.

Our little training in political science tells us voters either vote for a candidate of their own preference, or against a candidate they strongly detest for whatever reason. In the "Public Square", it is the rare and astute politician who understands that capital is not the same as a mandate, not even when a politician is supported by a majority of the population.

Deeds must matter more than talk!

So it goes, Ghana!

Note/Sources:

Martin A. B. K. Amidu. Thanks And Congratulations To The People Of Ghana For Voting A New Government, (https://www.modernghana.com/news/742151/thanks-and-congratulations-to-the-people-of-ghana-for-voting.html#comments).

SUBJ: Serious Akufo-Addo will appoint Martin Amidu as Attorney-General of Ghana!, by Prof. Lungu.

Support Fair-Trade Oil Share Ghana (FTOS-Gh) Campaign/Petition:

https://www.change.org/p/ghana-fair-trade-oil-share-psa-campaign-ftos-gh-psa/

Brought to you courtesy www.GhanaHero.com9 Dec 16.

(Powered by: www.GhanaHero.Com).
Democracy has truly come to stay in Ghana as the form for determining who leads us as a people.

HIGH MARKS

The 2016 General Elections have received high marks from all and sundry despite a few hitches, especially with the special voting and minor incidents in the main election in a few places. These setbacks notwithstanding, we have all risen above our parochial interests to make Ghana emerge again as an unassailable beacon of democratic governance in the West Africa subregion in particular, in Africa by extension, and in the world as a whole.

Ghanaians and other international partners have all contributed their quota to ensure we consolidate the electoral process. The world has kept its eyes on us and we have made everyone proud once again.

In essence, we have proved to all that, given the chance, we as a peace-loving people, can set some good examples of how democracy can be practised.

CONGRATULATIONS

I congratulate the President John Mahama on his magnanimity to concede to his main contender in a subregion where that is rare. It is not easy to see power slipping through your fingers. It is truly commendable on his part. That will establish him as a true and honourable statestman. Thanks Mr President for saving us the trouble of waiting for too long for the declaration of all the results.

I also congratulate the President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo on winning the elections. It has not been easy for him, after his two previous attempts at the presidency. Well, there is always a time for everything. This is his time and majority of Ghanaians who voted have given him the mandate to serve them for the next four years. We hope and pray his tenure as President will propel the country to higher heights of development and prosperity.

THE NEW GHANAIAN

One thing the elections have taught all of us is that Ghanaians have become very sophisticated in their offers to politicians. We have become so mature and complex and sometimes unpredictable in the way we choose our leaders. Though the regionalism and ethnicity and other traditional concepts of choice still play a role in our politics, many people have grown beyond those considerations and use very complex dynamics to elect who should be their leader: economic wellbeing, how one handles issues of governance, unemployment, corruption, health, education, infrastructure, industrialization, public finances, taxes, relationship to the various strata of society, the media among others. In fact, power is not at the helm of affairs in our country but rather in the thumb of the electorate. So, many Ghanaians can use their thumbs to express their wishes and concerns during elections. We hope all politicians and other public leaders are learning lessons from these elections and will serve us better when we elect them into office.

THE ELECTORAL PROCESS

We have also seen the need to build a lot of trust and confidence in our electoral process and systems and make them very transparent and fair to all. The Electoral Commission is growing from strength to strength with every election and that is making a lot of Ghanaians very happy with what has happened.

The EC has shown it has heeded the proposed reforms after the Supreme Court Election 2012 Petition and the other electoral challenges at the Supreme Court and other courts which have sought to build more confidence into the system so that we are better placed to accept the results of the elections as the true reflection of the will of the people.

One phrase from the Election Petition that has come to stay with us which I believe was trumpeted during this election is "Elections are won at the polling stations". This should remain with us, so we can all feel free to use the primary record of the statement of poll( the famous pink sheets) to help us know what really happened where the votes were cast.

THE EC AND I.T

We however have some work to do to get our I.T infrastructure in a robust posture so as to avoid what the EC said was a compromise of their systems. We can do better than what happened so we can get really quick and safe transmission of the results and regular updates on the EC website so as to avoid unnecessary delays and undue speculations and tensions. It does not make sense that in the 21st century, we still have to wait for hard copies of pink sheets to be transported from the various regions to Accra for confirmation by political party agents before they can be certified by the chair of the EC. There should be better ways to go about that process of verification.

POLITICAL PARTIES

The political parties too should give us more cause to trust their leadership so we don't praise them at a point and then chastise them in the next breath. The press conferences and statements about being in the lead and winning and all that should be curtailed. And no pressure on EC is needed to declare results when they haven't clarified some issues. I think we should just have confidence that when the EC receives results, they cannot change or manipulate them, as the EC chair assured. Let's see better conduct from NDC and NPP next time.

THE MEDIA

I believe the media too deserve a pat on the back for helping bring more transparency into the process. Many media houses had live feeds from reporters on the ground, deployed many correspondents who gave a true picture of what pertained at various collation centers especially thereby making everyone understand what was really happening at various places.

THE SECURITY SERVICES

The deterrent security plan and the responsive nature of the police and military is truly commendable. No reports of intimidation or working in favour of any party. Neutrality was at play and that is certainly what we need as a people.

OBSERVER MISSIONS

Thousands of local and international observers were on the field to check the credibility of the process. So far, their reports all point to an overall free,fair, transparent and credible process for which they have praised all for making it happen. Their work is truly praiseworthy as well.

MY WORK WITH GBC

Many who saw me on GTV/GBC24/GTV Govern were wondering whether I had gone back to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation after resigning in January 2016. I had to let them know that the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation belongs to all Ghanaians(as a public service broadcaster) and whether I still work there or not as a staff, it behooved on me to offer my service to Ghanaians through the GBC whenever need be.

When I was leaving GBC, one of my offers to GBC was that I was available whenever my assistance was needed. And for me, having had almost 7 years of grooming and nurturing and professional development at the GBC, there was absolutely no reason I should not serve Ghanaians any longer through GBC wherever I was called upon to serve. I was called by other stations to join their team of anchors and especially during the election, I also had a call up to report for some media houses but I felt I needed to go back to my roots rather to serve Ghanaians through GBC. That is not to say I couldn't serve through other media houses but just to ensure that we all make our own GBC be what we all want it to be.

Through the many commentaries on state events and other events, news presentations, reports, programme hosting, etc and especially being one of two anchors allowed into the Chief Justice's Courtroom of the Supreme Court for live report on TV and Radio during the 2012 Election Petition, I definitely wanted to be of help to the country in a similar process of anchoring and helping bring to viewers how the 2016 elections were going. And I feel proud as a Ghanaian to be one of those who helped with the process.

GHANA WINS

We are a great nation and all of us should keep our heads high up and look into the sunshine and all the shadows we are still struggling to deal with will fall behind us with our sense of unity, trust, tolerance, integrity and putting national interest first.

God bless Ghana and make us great and strong.

Conrad Kakraba

Communication Lecturer,

GIMPA

0209011405

[email protected]
Former President Jerry John Rawlings has admonished Ghana's president-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo to ensure that he wages war on corruption in the country.

According to him such move comes with the responsibility of occupying the highest position in the land.

Your victory is a manifestation of the people's desire for new leadership and comes with enormous responsibilities including a commitment to pursue an anti-corruption drive across-the-board, Rawlings said in a congratulatory message to Akufo-Addo for emerging victorious in last Wednesday's polls.

Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) defeated incumbent President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress with 53.85 percent of the total votes cast.

President Mahama however trailed behind with 44.40 percent thus truncating his second term bid.

Mahamas government has been accused of condoning corrupt acts which critics say has overburdened the public purse.

Rawlings in his messaged further charged Akufo-Addo to tackle the numerous challenges facing Ghana as promised by him during his campaign.

Ghana faces huge challenges, many of which you promised to tackle during your campaign tours. You have been elected as President because the electorate believes you have the ability to confront these challenges and lead the country with fearlessness, humility and honesty.

I commend you for committing to be a leader for all Ghanaians in your acceptance address. The onus is on you to pursue a leadership that unifies the people so members of the losing side have no reason to feel insecure. I wish you the best of luck as you prepare to assume the mantle of leadership. God bless you and our homeland Ghana, Rawlings added.



By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
Banjul (Gambia) (AFP) - Gambian President-elect Adama Barrow on Saturday called on longtime leader Yahya Jammeh to drop his challenge to last week's election results following a dramatic political U-turn that has prompted fears for the West African country.

A week after conceding defeat, Jammeh on Friday declared he no longer accepted the results of the December 1 vote, upending hopes for a peaceful political transition after his 22 years in power.

Signs of a massive security ramp-up multiplied across the capital Banjul on Saturday, while the United Nations Security Council led calls for Jammeh to stand down and eschew violence.

In a speech broadcast late Friday, Jammeh, 51, cited "unacceptable errors" by election authorities and called for new polls.

"In the same way that I accepted the results faithfully believing that the Independent Electoral Commission was independent and honest and reliable, I hereby reject the results in totality," he said.

"Let me repeat: I will not accept the results based on what has happened," he added.

Map of Gambia

Jammeh, a devout Muslim who seized power in 1994 in the former British colony, warned Gambians not to take to the streets to protest his decision.

Latest official figures gave Barrow 43.29 percent of the votes in the presidential election, while Jammeh took 39.64 percent. The turnout was 59 percent.

Those figures reflect a correction issued Monday by election authorities, showing a slimmer-than-thought victory for Barrow, of just over 19,000 votes.

Jammeh pointed to that polling error, claiming that numerous voters had not been able to cast their ballots.

"We will go back to the polls because I want to make sure every Gambian votes under an electoral commission that is impartial, independent, neutral and free from foreign influence," he said.

'Breach of faith'

Barrow, a consensus candidate backed by a coalition of opposition groups, urged Jammeh to accept defeat and argued his turnaround had no legal standing.

The Gambia's president-elect Adama Barrow

"I wish to inform you that the outgoing president has no constitutional authority to reject the results of the elections and order for fresh elections to be held," Barrow told journalists after an opposition meeting at his home.

"I urge him to change his current position and accept the verdict of the people in good faith for the sake of The Gambia, our homeland."

Barrow also appealed to his own supporters to act with "discipline and maturity."

UN, US and other foreign authorities lambasted Jammeh and urged Gambians to keep the peace.

Gambians celebrate Adama Barrow's election victory in Banjul on December 2, 2016

The UN Security Council demanded Jammeh hand over power, while the US State Department called his change of heart "an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election process and remain in power illegitimately."

EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini blasted the move as "unacceptable".

The West African regional grouping ECOWAS, the African Union and the UN earlier issued a joint statement urging Gambians including armed forces to "reject violence and peacefully uphold the will of the people as expressed through the ballot box".

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was leading an ECOWAS mission, was turned away while trying to travel to The Gambia Saturday.

Senegalese Foreign Minister Mankeur Ndiaye said it was Jammeh who had "prevented the landing" of Sirleaf's plane.

Enforced calm

Jammeh's swift concession of defeat on December 2 had stunned observers and led to celebrations in the country.

Though stable under Jammeh's rule, the tiny country of just 1.99 million people faces daunting problems, including endemic poverty.

Many Gambians had tired of Jammeh's unpredictable behaviour, including the declaration of an Islamic republic in a country with a history of religious tolerance, and its withdrawal from the Commonwealth and the International Criminal Court.

The perception that Jammeh simply took over businesses and properties for his personal gain also angered many, while police harassment and impunity by the security services fed growing resentment.

With soldiers out in force, and on the eve of a Muslim holiday celebrating the Prophet Mohammed's birthday, the streets of Banjul were calm and foreigners largely out of sight.

On Thursday the president-elect Barrow announced he had the backing of the army chief. But in an apparent attempt to keep the loyalty of the armed forces, Jammeh handed out promotions to some 250 officers on Thursday and Friday.

Ghana's President Yahya Jammeh seized power in a 1994 coup

One street juice seller, fearing a knock-on effect on his business, said Jammeh "should not say things that will scare tourists away" and hoped he would "step down peacefully for the sake of Gambians".

Pressure to prosecute Jammeh and top figures in his administration, who have been accused of widespread human rights violations, had been one of the key challenges for Barrow's incoming government.

The president-elect had vowed to set up a South Africa-style truth commission but ruled out a political "witch hunt" and promised that his predecessor would be able to "live in Gambia like any ordinary citizen".
Adentan (GAR), Dec. 10, GNA - The District Citizens Monitoring Committee (DCMC) at Adentan in the Greater Accra Region, has called for more information on the utilisation of the District Development Facility (DDF) by the Adentan Municipal Assembly (AdMA).

This, it noted, would enable the citizenry to monitor the progress of projects and prevent unnecessary delays in their implementation and execution.

This was among recommendations arrived at during a DDF Municipal Level Dialogue organised by the Adentan DCMC with support from SEND-GHANA and Intervention Forum (IF), two local non-governmental organisations.

Madam Nora Ollennu, Focal Person for the Adentan DCMC, while presenting the findings of a project, observed that the untimely release of the government's counterpart funding of 30 per cent for the DDF was part of the cause of delays of some projects, particularly those on education and health.

The project, entitled: 'Financing Local Development Project: A Look at the District Development Facility,' was to assess the utilisation and level of citizens' involvement in development initiatives funded by the DDF.

The main findings indicated that the number of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that qualified for the DDF increased from 38 per cent in 2008 to 90 per cent in 2013 but noted that the facility was in arrears for three years.

Madam Ollennu, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of IF, indicated that districts, which qualified for the grant in 2013 did not receive the funds as of April 2013, and attributed this to government delays in raising its counterpart funding to that provided by donors.

The study showed that about 30 percent of DDF projects initiated in 2013 had suffered overrun, and were incomplete by April 2016 due to delays by contractors and contract variations.

Madam Ollennu said an inventory of DDF projects in Adentan showed that actual period for project completion exceeded their expected completion periods.

However, almost all DDF projects were disability friendly.

The study recommended, among other things, that the MMDAs should increase monitoring of contracts and apply sanctions where there were variations.

It said that signboards and placards indicating sources of funding should be boldly mounted and labelled on all projects carried out by the assemblies as was done for HIPC-funded projects

It also urged compliance with the Disability Act as one of the key indicators in assessing the district assemblies.

During an open forum, the participants called for attention to education and water, urging more information for stakeholders and monitoring on projects to ensure that the right things were done.

Officials of the AdMA pledged to improve on their performances and do follow-ups on issues raised at the meeting.

GNA
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- The media office of Rotimi Amaechi says the minister could not vote in today's Rivers rerun election

- His media team says the ex-governor could not vote due to the disappearance of result sheet from his unit

- The presiding officer in the ministers unit, has been detained by security officers following the disappearance of the result sheet

Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation, could not vote for his desired candidate in Saturdays re-run election in Rivers state due to the disappearance of result sheet from his unit, according to his media office.

Amaechi unable to vote in Rivers rerun election

In a message sent to Premium Times, Amaechis media office also revealed that the presiding officer in the ministers unit, has been detained by security officers following the disappearance of the result sheet.

The message read: Presiding officer (PO) in the Minister, Rotimi Amaechis unit, Ward 8, unit 14 in Ikwerre LGA has been detained by security agents following the disappearance of the result sheet for the unit.

The SPO confirmed that the result sheet was given to PO. As a result, voting has not commenced in the Ministers unit. The same story playing out in several other units in Ikwerre LGA, the message stated as at the time of filing this report.

Recall that Amaechi had earlier in the day went on a tour to his polling unit at Ubima, ward 8, unit 14, Ikwerre LGA.

Amaechi who came out of his fathers compound in company of heavy security only asked electorates in queue, Have you started voting but after getting an unfavourable response, he went back into the compound.

Checkout Legit.ng's live reports, news updates and pictures from the election

Source: Legit.ng
The wariness against outside intervention has deep roots. This part of Guinea, known as the Forest Region, where more than 200 people have already died of the disease, is known for its strong belief in traditional religion. The dictator who ruled Guinea with an iron fist for decades, Ahmed Sekou Toure, was only partly successful in a 1960s campaign to stamp out these beliefs, despite mass burnings of fetishes.

Addressing villagers this month in Bawa, where a woman had just died, the regional prefect from Gueckedou, Mohammed Cinq Keita, warned: There is no root, no leaf, no animal that can cure you. Dont be fooled.

Near the border with Sierra Leone this month, Doctors Without Borders discovered an Ebola patient who had been privately treated in the village of Teldou and then returned to his relatives in another village, possibly infecting untold others.

Extremely, extremely concerning, said Sylvie Jonckheere, the charitys doctor on the scene. A colleague in full gear lectured the villagers of Teldou as the rain started, but was met with indifference or hostile stares; some turned their backs on him.

As the aid workers drove off, the private nurse who administered a shot to the Ebola patient defended his treatment. I couldnt say that he had the illness, said the nurse, Eduard Leno. His body was hot, thats all.

Asked why the patient had not been sent to the clinic in Gueckedou, he said angrily: We are in the bush here. You cant just send someone away. How will society view you?
The bodies of eight officials and journalists who went to a remote village in Guinea to dispel rumors about the deadly Ebola outbreak gripping the region were discovered after a rock-hurling mob attacked the delegation, claiming that it had come to spread the illness, a government spokesman said Thursday.

The delegation had left for the village on Tuesday for what was supposed to be a community event to raise awareness about the Ebola virus, said the spokesman, Albert Camara Damantang. When the angry crowd descended on them, he said, several officials managed to escape and alert their colleagues in Conakry, Guineas capital, who sent out a search party.

They went on a mission to try to sensitize the local population about Ebola, but unfortunately they were met with hostility by people throwing rocks, Mr. Damantang said.

In the delegation was a sub-prefect, a regional health director and a pastor who came to offer solace, as well as several journalists from communal radio stations, Mr. Damantang said. Among the only survivors we found of those who tried to hide in the bush was the 5-year-old son of the sub-prefect, who was left hiding in the wild.
Using old-fashioned detective work, public health workers in Mali, one of the worlds poorest nations, working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, tracked and quarantined 108 people in two cities and a few roadside towns who may have had contact with a 2-year-old girl from Guinea who died of Ebola on Oct. 24.

There was even a car chase: The last bus the family traveled on during a 700-mile journey from Guinea was stopped on a rural highway, emptied out and disinfected.

A 21-day quarantine since the little girls death on Oct. 24 is almost over, and 41 of the 108 Malians in quarantine are due to be released Tuesday, and the remainder by Friday. Since none are showing symptoms, health officials are allowing themselves to hope that their quick response has kept Malis first outbreak to a single case.

If so, Mali will join Senegal and Nigeria in having proved yet again that rapid reactions can stop Ebola. In contrast, the initial outbreak in Guinea festered unaddressed for months before it exploded.
My Mouth is a Volcano: the Musical Returns to its Roots at Nebraska School

By: Julia Cook

Contact

Cat Mosley, Julia Cook's publicist

***@gmail.com Cat Mosley, Julia Cook's publicist

End

-- Bell Field Elementary School in Fremont Nebraska will hoston February 27 at 9 a.m. The musical is an adaption of the children's book which was inspired there 11 years ago. Beloved children's author and parenting expert Julia Cook wrote the book when she needed a way to discuss interrupting with her students. The book takes an empathetic approach to the habit of interrupting and teaches children a witty technique to capture their rambunctious thoughts and words for expression at the appropriate time."It's an awesome feeling to return to Bell Field where the kids inspired me to write this book," says Cook. "I feel like we've come full-circle. How perfect to bring this story to life through a musical and perform it for these kids in Fremont, Nebraska!"is produced by Stars Within Reach Productions out of Queens, New York and is available between February and May 2017. The 2017-2018 touring season also includes "My Mouth is a Volcano" so if a school or theater isn't able to secure the program in the coming months there is always next year! For more information or to book a show, go to www.StarsWithinReachProductions.com or call 718-606-2554.has propelled as high as #46 on the Top 100 Books on Amazon. In has consistently ranked #1 on Amazon for Social Skills and Manners for Children's Books. The book also recently landed onby www.readbrightly.com , a Penguin Random House Company.Cook is available for interviews before or after the play.More about Julia Cook:With over 2 million books sold in various languages and on several continents, Parenting Expert Julia Cook's successful strategy is "Read a Book, Teach a Child a Life Lesson." Her books have won multiple accolades, including several AEP (American Educational Publishers) Distinguished Achievement Awards, Mom's Choice Awards and National Parenting Seals of Approval.Julia is a former teacher and counselor who has authored over 70 books published by the CDC, Boys Town Press and the National Center for Youth Issues. Her gift is the ability to effectively translate important adult, behavioral and mental health information into kid language.Many of her books are especially helpful to children on the autism spectrum and have been endorsed by the Alaska Department of Education. Her books have also been endorsed by EAGALA, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Chidhelp, Darkness to Light, USA Volleyball, the CDC and the list goes on. Julia's books have been featured in Parents magazine, The New Yorker, The Chicago Tribune, New York Daily News, Fatherly.com and CNN's Headline News. For more information, go to www.juliacookonline.com.
There is a strong connection between breast cancer and the high rate of breast density. These are cases wherein the patient has previously undergone mammography screening and been cleared as 'normal'. A subsequent diagnosis of cancer indicates the failure of mammography to detect the breast cancer.

Indeed, the ACR explicitly notes in the 5th edition that subjective estimates from a 2D mammogram are imprecise indicators of volume.

The sensitivity of mammography has been shown to be as low as 48% in dense breasts (as compared to 98% in fatty breasts). Therefore, every second or third cancer may be missed in women with dense breasts8. Furthermore, an experiment involving the same woman imaged over 8 years on different x-ray systems revealed varying results of breast density.

2D Surface-Area Based

In the 1980s, intrigued by the work of Professor Wolfe, Professor Norman Boyd teamed up with Professor Martin Yaffe to develop Cumulus, a semi-automated density software based on visual area based density assessment.

This method of assessment utilizes planimetry, iterative thresholding and segmentation analysis. But with the development of semi-automated computerized methods, several notable radiologists have expressed concern that while radiologists can guess-estimate the percentage of dense breast tissue, they are using 2D (surface-area-based) information to assess 3D tissue. Therefore, they cannot be accurate in any absolute sense.

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So what we have is the problem of looking at an x-ray or mammography (2D) and trying (via certain methods and analysis) to ascertain the volumetric ratio of dense fibroglandular tissue to the whole breast. The results are quantitative, semi-automated but still subjective (to some extent).

The semi-automated density software Cumulus is a promising research tool but limited in its clinical utility because of the time it takes. Subsequent attempts to reliably automate the density assessment have failed due to the variability in mammography systems, breast composition and image processing algorithms.

3D Volumetric Breast Density

In the Vision 20/20 article, the work quoted by Ralph Highnam, Ph.D., and Sir Professor Mike Brady on Volumetric Breast Density (VBD) has given much cause for hope. Volumetric Breast Density utilizes an objective approach based on the physics of the x-ray imaging process.

The results are quantitative, automated, objective and reproducible. To obtain a real, true physical measurement, objective measurements of breast density are used. It is independent of equipment (i.e. irrespective of different x-ray systems), exposure factors and radiographic technique. VBD provides absolute volumes (and areas) of the whole breast, dense tissue and adipose tissue. Further, it compares well to MRI and CT and correlates with visual BI-RADS.

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Commercial software that measures volume density and can be used in addition to routine mammography is becoming available e.g. R2 QuantraTM (Hologic), VolparaTM (Matakina), Spectral (Philips) and M-Vu (VuComp) programs. Their robustness and acceptance by the international community have not been established, but merit investigation.

Volpara generates mathematical, computer-driven breast density measures based on the true 3D properties of a woman's breasts using the calculation of the volume of fibroglandular tissue divided by the total volume of tissue within the breast. In addition to dozens of publications from leading research sites around the globe using VolparaDensity, the software has been validated against a subset of the 2006 DMIST study and in multiple independent studies against breast MRI measurements of fibroglandular volume.

Volumetric breast density is reproducible and easy to automate. Great improvement in VBD measurements is expected that will satisfy the needs of radiologists, epidemiologists, surgeons, and physicists.

Towards an International Standard Protocol for Assessing Breast Density

Breast density information is relevant in clinical decision-making for screening, diagnosis, intervention and the management of breast cancer. We need to have breast-density measurements that are standardized, reliable and reproducible. This will facilitate comparative analysis, more accurate risk prediction, and provide more tailored, strategic, cost-effective screening for breast cancer than is currently available.

Currently, breast density measurements have been used to track changes in density patterns which occur over time or with medical treatment, such as with Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). It's also useful to assess the effectiveness of Tamoxifen on an individual.

In the long-term, with a standardized protocol in place, the monitoring of global and regional breast density changes over time can be tracked. This enables a better chance of detecting early signs of breast cancer. Additionally, health policy makers will be able to determine the screening age of individuals and save on treatment costs.

US Legislation and the 'Are you Dense?' Advocacy Movement

The importance of breast density and its link to cancer has caught the attention of US policymakers. The US Congress introduced the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) in 1992, and the Mammography Reporting Act of 2011. Modelled on the Breast Density Inform laws (Connecticut 2009, and Texas 2012), it requires physicians to provide information about a patient's breast density in every mammography summary. Additionally, they are required to provide advice about the heightened risk faced by people with dense breasts and controversially -- the supplemental screening procedures that could be of benefit. In 2012, the Breast Density and Mammography Reporting Act was enacted. As at August 2016, 28 states in America have adopted this legislation.

Working concurrently to raise awareness on the link between breast density and breast cancer, the Are You Dense? movement by Nancy M Cappello, Ph.D., seeks to ensure that women be informed of their breast density so that they understand the limitations of mammography screening and thereby decide to be imaged using another complementary modality.

Dr. Cappello's passion as an advocate is the result of her own traumatic experience. In early 2004, she was diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer. The diagnosis came after her 11th mammogram was reported as 'normal'. Up until 2004, Dr. Cappello had diligently undergone annual mammograms. It was the first time she'd heard about breast density and realized that the mammography report details are not typically shared with patients. Dr. Cappello endured an aggressive treatment consisting of chemotherapy, radiation, numerous surgeries and hormone therapy.

Conclusion

Increased breast density is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer. Breast density is just one variable in the risk model (but a strong indicator). Whether reducing breast density also reduces cancer risk is a subject of debate. Most of the studies on breast density are based on a 2D mammogram. As such, we need to be cautious in using it as a predictor of breast cancer. We need to study volumetric information due to the 3D structure of the breast.

Mammography screening has been shown to have reduced sensitivity for the dense breast. This means that there is a risk of the cancer lesions being hidden (masking risk). More robust and accurate risk models are expected to be developed.

For many women, the work on breast density measurement could change the course of their lives for the better. The urgency to establish international standard protocols in breast density measurement is imperative.

The research and medical community are called upon to heed the great need to promote breast density awareness. When breast density is able to indicate early signs of breast cancer, it has the potential to save many from the trauma of late diagnosis and its ensuing course of treatment.
Researchers at Tohoku University have developed a super flexible liquid crystal (LC) device, in which two ultra-thin plastic substrates are firmly bonded by polymer wall spacers.

The team, led by Professor Hideo Fujikake and Associate Professor Takahiro Ishinabe of the School of Engineering, hopes the new organic materials will help make electronic displays and devices more flexible, increasing their portability and all round versatility. New usage concepts with flexibility and high quality display could offer endless possibilities in near-future information services.

Previous attempts to create a flexible display using an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device with a thin plastic substrate were said to be promising, but unstable. The plastic substrates are poor gas-barriers for oxygen and water vapor, and the OLED materials can seriously be damaged by their gasses. As for flexible OLEDs, there has also been no device fabrication technology established so far for large-area, high-resolution and low-cost displays.

To overcome these challenges, Fujikake's research team decided to try making existing LC displays flexible by replacing the conventional thick glass substrates, which are both rigid and heavy, with the plastic substrates, because LC materials do not deteriorate even for poor gas barrier of flexible substrates.

Flexible LC displays have many advantages, such as established production methods for large-area displays. The material itself, which is inexpensive, can be mass produced and shows little quality degradation over time.

However, in conventional flexible LC displays, one important problem remains. The gap of plastic substrates (100 m thick) sandwiching an LC layer becomes non-uniformed when the LC device is bent, causing the display image to be distorted.

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In their study, Fujikake's team developed a super-flexible LC device by bonding two ultra-thin transparent polyimide substrates (10 m thick approximately) together, using robust polymer wall spacers.

The ultra-thin transparent substrate is made using the coating and debonding processes of a polyimide solution supplied by Mitsui Chemicals. The result is a flexible sheet, similar to food-wrapping cling film.

The substrate has the attractive features of heat resistance, and the ability to form fine pixel structures, including transparent electrodes and colour filters. The refractive index anisotropy is extremely small, making wide viewing angles and high contrast ratio possible.

The polymer wall spacers bonding substrates are formed by irradiating a twisted-alignment LC layer including monomer component with patterned ultra-violet light through single thin substrate. While the substrate gap is more variable as the substrate thickness is decreased, the stabilization of ultra-thin substrates becomes possible by small pitch polymer walls.

The research team also demonstrated that the device uniformity is kept without breaking spacers even after a roll-up test to a curvature radius of 3mm for rollable and foldable applications.

The above research results show that LC displays with large-area, high-resolution and excellent stability can be as flexible as OLED displays. The super-flexible LC technology is applicable to mobile information terminals, wearable devices, in-vehicle displays and large digital signage.

Moving forward, the team plans to form image pixels and soften the peripheral components of polarizing films, and a thin light-guide sheet for backlight.

Part of the results of this research was first announced at the International Symposium on Society for Information Display held in San Francisco, USA, in May, 2016.
As imaging and sensing technologies grow in both sophistication and accessibility, they do more than just gather data and produce images: They are research tools in their own right, providing scientists with the means to deepen our knowledge both about fundamental biological processes and about causes and progression of disease. Obtaining the images is only the first step. Significant research and clinical advances require new ways of analyzing the data.

Current biomedical imaging and sensing technologies include computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, optical coherence tomography, spectroscopy, and ultrasound, to name only a few.

These technologies are at the intersection of the physical sciences, mathematics, computer science, and engineering. Columbia Engineering is home to many imaging and sensing labs, some of which collaborate with labs at Columbia University Medical Center. Our researchers are using biomedical imaging and sensing to study everything from the development of artificial vision systems to bone biomechanics.

Sometimes they work in partnership with technology companies to develop new imaging and sensing techniques. In a constant feedback loop, faculty and researchers pursue technological advances to satisfy unmet scientific and clinical needs; the new technologies then open their eyes to further questions to explore.

Developing Optical Tools for Surgical Guidance

Early in her research career, Christine Hendon was drawn to biomedical optics; she was intrigued by this medical technology that did not rely on radiation. Today, her overall goal is to develop optical tools for surgical guidance.

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"We want to develop optical tools that provide the surgeon with a clear understanding of the tissue," says Hendon, assistant professor of electrical engineering. Her techniques primarily use near-infrared spectroscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT), which has been dubbed "optical ultrasound."

So-called optical biopsies would offer much higher resolution than current biopsy surrogates such as MRIs, PET tomography, and ultrasound. A potential advantage of OCT is that the surgeon would be able to image a wide area of tissue and, unlike with invasive biopsies, remove as little tissue as possible.

Currently, the main application of Hendon's research is focusing on OCT in the treatment of heart arrhythmias, or irregular heart rhythms. A common treatment is ablation, in which the surgeon uses a catheter to detect abnormal electrical signals and then applies radiofrequency energy to remove scar tissue in the malfunctioning area.

Hendon is also using spectroscopy to provide real-time information during surgery. Especially important is the depth of a lesion -- the ablated, or dead, tissue area. "Frequently," says Hendon, "patients who have ablation return for a second procedure. We hope that the use of spectroscopy will reduce both procedure time and the number of repeat procedures."

In late July, Hendon did the first in vivo testing of the spectroscopy catheter on an animal model.

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Hendon's group is building an atlas of OCT heart images. So far, the atlas includes 25 human hearts, with 15 volumes (600 images per volume) for each heart. Eventually, the atlas will be used to train cardiologists.

An upcoming project focuses on the use of optical tools in breast cancer. Hendon is working with breast surgeon Sheldon Feldman and pathologist Hanina Hibshoosh at Columbia University Medical Center to identify tumors localized to the duct. Eventually, they will image lesions over time to determine which are likely to progress to cancer.

Hendon is also collaborating with fellow Columbia Engineering professor Kristin Myers on using imaging to assess the mechanical properties of the cervix in relation to preterm birth.

Hendon is committed to encouraging STEM education among youth. At Columbia, she hosts campus visits by middle-school students -- who leave with OCT images of their finger. "Middle school kids are great," she said. "They don't hesitate to ask questions."

Image Analysis for Both Diagnosis and Treatment Design

In the mid-1980s, Andrew Laine was a graduate student at Washington University, in St. Louis -- and a whiz hacker. At the time, the three major manufacturers of medical imaging equipment used different encrypted (proprietary) codes for breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. At his adviser's prompting, Laine cracked the codes, so the data from the various machines could be integrated and the images compared and studied. "Later," he says, "the federal government ordered imaging manufacturers to adopt a common standard, so images could be shared among VA hospitals." The result was Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM).

International politics played a role in determining Laine's next step. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the U.S. army had a surplus in the defense budget, including $20 million for medical research on women's diseases. Laine proposed a method to enhance mammograms, to address the problem of visible lesions being overlooked in screening. His technology was ranked the most promising in the program, and he received a $2 million grant for mammography research.

Laine, who is chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, with a joint appointment in Radiology at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC), was the first to apply methods of multiscale "wavelet" representations to enhance subtle details in mammograms so they would not be missed. This not only produced better images, but also reduced the amount of radiation needed for screening. Today, the core algorithm he developed in 1992 is used in almost all commercial digital mammography systems worldwide.

Using a phased array ultrasound transducer, Laine was also the first to compute cardiac strain, which can be a precursor to a heart attack, in real time, from 4D (3D plus time) ultrasound. The 4D imaging can also detect abnormal wall motion of dead myocardial tissue resulting from a heart attack that has already occurred.

"Fostering the relationship between academia and industry," Laine says, "is the fastest way to bring technical advances in imaging to clinical practice and improve patient care." Laine spearheaded a partnership between Columbia and General Electric (GE) to foster translational research. It enables biomedical engineers, clinicians, and GE to jointly address unmet clinical needs that could benefit from advances in MRI technology and other imaging methods.

Laine is also applying the wavelet technique he devised for mammography to pulmonary emphysema, a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Conventional computed tomography (CT) methods categorize a patient's disease as one of three subtypes. In collaboration with Graham Barr, MD (CUMC), Laine's lab is helping to reveal underlying disease stages of COPD by expanding the number of imaging phenotypes used as biomarkers.

By using 3D imaging of CT data and tens of thousands of CT lung scans, and tracking thousands of patients over a decade, Laine has discovered a richer set of 60-80 subtypes of emphysematic tissue.

Laine is also working with Professors George Hripcsak and Larry Schwartz at CUMC. Their research will allow clinicians to study a patient's history using both text (electronic health record) and annotated findings derived from medical images. This collaboration adds the new dimension of imaging informatics -- including radiomics (the extraction and analysis of quantitative features of images) -- to precision medicine, furthering our ability to understand disease processes, create new therapies, and better predict patient outcome.
20 to 40 percent of the patients with multiple myeloma -- a type of leukemia -- have a defect in the ribosome, the protein factory of the cell. These patients have a poorer prognosis than patients with intact ribosomes. At the same time, they respond better to a drug that already exists. These are the findings of a study by the Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer at KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Belgium.

Multiple myeloma (MM, also known as Kahler's disease) is a blood cancer whereby the plasma cells in the bone marrow start proliferating malignantly. MM cannot be cured and is most common among older people. Various treatments exist to temporarily suppress the disease, but the challenge is determining to which treatment the patient will respond best.

Doctoral student Isabel Hofman (KU Leuven) discovered defects in the ribosome of MM patients. "The ribosome is the protein factory of a cell. In MM patients, one part of the ribosome is produced less in 20 to 40 percent of the patients, depending on how aggressive the cancer is. We suspect that their cells are still producing protein, but that the balance is somewhat disrupted. In any case, we found that these people have a poorer prognosis than MM patients with an intact ribosome," explains Professor Kim De Keersmaecker, head of the KU Leuven Laboratory for Disease Mechanisms in Cancer.

One possible treatment for MM is the use of proteasome inhibitors. "The proteasome is the protein demolition machine in a cell. There's a type of drugs, including Bortezomib, that inhibits its functioning. How the defects in the ribosome influence the proteasome is not quite clear yet. But we discovered that patients with a defective ribosome respond better to Bortezomib. In other words, their poorer prognosis can be offset by this treatment. On the basis of these findings, we can now develop tests to identify defects in the ribosome and thus determine which therapy will have most effect in a specific patient."

The notion that cancer is related to ribosome defects is a relatively new concept in science. "A few years ago, we discovered defects in the ribosome of patients with acute lymphatic leukemia. Now we know that the same applies to MM. In all likelihood, this will also hold true for other types of cancer. Our next research goal is finding out for which cancers this is the case, how the link between ribosome and proteasome works, and what the possibilities are of drugs that target the ribosome itself."
Cancer researchers and drug companies may have been too quick to ignore a promising line of inquiry that targets a specific cell protein, according to a research team led by a biomedical scientist in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside.

Every cell in our body produces pro-death proteins and anti-death proteins, which interact with each other, negating each other's function. A healthy balance between them is a natural process. A damaged cell, for example, produces more pro-death proteins than anti-death proteins, resulting in a natural elimination of the diseased cell, a process also known as apoptosis. Pro- and anti-death proteins are therefore termed pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins, respectively.

In cancer cells, genetic alterations result in an overproduction of anti-apoptotic proteins. As a result, such cancer cells keep surviving and become resistant to treatment (chemotherapy or radiation) instead of dying, resulting in uncontrolled proliferation.

Anti-apoptotic proteins, therefore, have been the target for developing drugs that restore apoptosis in cancer cells. Bcl-2 is a member of a family of six anti-apoptotic proteins. It is the most studied of the six proteins, and the drug Venetoclax, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2016, targets it.

But what if cancer cells develop resistance to this drug, which targets only one anti-death protein? Based on studies using mouse proteins, academics and pharmaceutical companies have been focusing on the next anti-apoptotic protein in the line-up: Mcl-1.

When cancer cells are exposed to chemotherapy, radiation or even immuno-therapy, pro-apoptotic signals, such as the toxin NOXA, are produced in the cell that result in cancer cell death. Two anti-apoptotic proteins, Mcl-1 and Bfl-1, are known to oppose the effects of NOXA. Hence, inhibitors of these two anti-apoptotic proteins may complement Venetoclax in restoring apoptosis in cancer cells. Most efforts have been concentrated only on Mcl-1, because studies with mouse proteins have shown that NOXA interacts very tightly with Mcl-1 and sequesters it.

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But a team of researchers led by Maurizio Pellecchia at UC Riverside cautions that the focus needs to be on a different anti-apoptotic protein: Bfl-1.

"What we discovered is that while these early studies done with the mouse versions of the proteins NOXA, Mcl-1, and Bfl-1 were correct, these do not entirely apply to human proteins," said Pellecchia, a professor of biomedical sciences and the Daniel Hays Endowed Chair in Cancer Research. "This is because human NOXA and Bfl-1 are different from their mouse counterparts. Indeed, we found that when we profiled human NOXA against human anti-apoptotic proteins, the highest affinity was for Bfl-1, and not for Mcl-1, making Bfl-1 a much more relevant drug target than previously assumed."

Study results appear in ACS Chemical Biology.

Pellecchia's lab found that NOXA interacts with Bfl-1 through a unique chemical bond (a "disulfide bridge" between unique sulfur atoms present on each protein) not seen in the other five anti-apoptotic proteins.

"Understanding how NOXA interacts with Bfl-1 allowed us to devise in the lab a surrogate NOXA-like molecule that very tightly and permanently binds and inhibits Bfl-1," Pellecchia said. "In proof-of-concept studies with cells from patients affected by chronic lymphocytic leukemia that are resistant to chemotherapy, we showed that if we block Bfl-1 with this innovative inhibitor, the cells begin to die in response to treatment."

The research advocates strongly for focusing on Bfl-1 as a drug target.

"Academics and pharmaceutical companies are spending considerable amount of effort and resources in finding antagonists to Mcl-1," Pellecchia said. "While these agents are surely useful in certain conditions that are exacerbated by over-production of Mcl-1, we have shown that more focus on Bfl-1 is warranted. Our research provides new insights on the mechanisms of cancer resistance to chemotherapy, suggesting Bfl-1 as a viable drug target, and also provides a direct path on how to develop Bfl-1-targeting drugs."
Telefonica, S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services in Europe and Latin America. The company's mobile and related services and products comprise mobile voice, value added, mobile data and Internet, wholesale, corporate, roaming, fixed wireless, and trunking and paging services. Its fixed telecommunication services include PSTN lines; ISDN accesses; public telephone services; local, domestic, and international long-distance and fixed-to-mobile communications; corporate communications; supplementary value-added services; video telephony; intelligent network; and telephony information services, as well as leases and sells handset equipment. The company also provides Internet and broadband multimedia services comprising Internet service provider, portal and network, retail and wholesale broadband access, narrowband switched access, high-speed Internet through fibre to the home, and voice over Internet protocol services. In addition, it offers leased line, virtual private network, fibre optics, web hosting and application, outsourcing and consultancy, desktop, and system integration and professional services. Further, the company offers wholesale services for telecommunication operators, including domestic interconnection and international wholesale services; leased lines for other operators; and local loop leasing services, as well as bit stream services, wholesale line rental accesses, and leased ducts for other operators' fiber deployment. Additionally, it provides video/TV services; smart connectivity and services, and consumer IoT products; financial and other payment, security, cloud computing, advertising, big data, and digital telco experience services; virtual assistants; digital home platforms; and Movistar Home devices. It also offers online telemedicine, home insurance, music streaming, and consumer loan services. The company was incorporated in 1924 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.
When dogs cross the tarmac to board Paul Steklenski's plane, there's often a sense of relief. They're usually coming from a shelter and getting on a freedom flight to families and rescue groups in other parts of the country. It's the beginning of a new life.

Flying Fur Animal Rescue

But for Kimber and Rocky, they couldn't quite shake their old lives - the ones that saw them beaten and brutally neglected. Kimber was still recovering from a gunshot wound. Understandably, it took them a while to get across the tarmac.

Dodo Shows Adopt Me! Scared Little Dog Is So Full Of Joy Now  And Looking For A Family

Flying Fur Animal Rescue

"It was difficult. Both were completely emaciated. They could barely walk," Steklenski, founder of Flying Fur Animal Rescue, tells The Dodo. "That was hard. Just getting to the airplane, we had to stop several times as we were walking to let them do their thing to get to the airplane. But Steklenski had all the time in the world for them. And, although they came from different nightmares and had only met for the first time at the Rocky Mount airport in North Carolina, they seemed to understand each other. And lean on each other.

Flying Fur Animal Rescue

In fact, Kimber even paused a moment to rest her head on her pilot's lap.

Flying Fur Animal Rescue

"For Kimber to go up to me and put her head on my leg," Steklenski says, "I almost lost it right there." Not only did Steklenski have the time for these dogs, but also the space. He had reserved the entire rented plane - usually full of dogs - for just these two.

Flying Fur Animal Rescue

And moments after they were airborne, Steklenski, as he often does, slips some music on his headphones, just low enough to hear the dogs in case they're in distress. At about 7,500 feet up, Kimber let him know she preferred to be by his side. "Kimber came right up between the seats, and I knew right then, she had to sit next to me," Steklenski says. "So I put a blanket on the seat and picked her up and the seat reclines back like a car, and I gently put her in the seat."

Flying Fur Animal Rescue

She spent the flight, just a few hours long, either curled up sleeping, or just gazing out the window. "As the sun shone down upon Kimber, I realized 'Shine' by Collective Soul began playing in my headset, as if on point, on cue," Steklenski notes. I'm gonna let it shine, I'm gonna let it shine. "It was difficult, it was so hard," he adds. "Looking at her and the sun setting and Collective Soul comes on. I was losing it." Rocky, meanwhile, curled up comfortably in the back of the plane. "All they cared about was bed and that nobody was abusing them anymore," he says.

Flying Fur Animal Rescue
A family in Thailand looked out the window this week and saw a tiny kitten lying all alone in the street. On closer inspection, the family started to suspect that the little kitten wasn't a normal house kitten. They decided to call a wildlife rescue organization for help.

Rescuers from Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) came and picked the little guy up. They realized that the kitten was actually part of a species that's headed for extinction: the rare "fishing cat," a species of wild cat that lives in Southeast Asia. "We were rather suspicious as to why the kitten had been found without its mother," WFFT said. "Upon arrival we were surprised to find a tiny fishing cat kitten that was clearly only born a few hours ago."

It turned out the family who spotted the kitten was familiar with the rare type of cat. "We were told that the mother of the fishing kitten was actually a released rescued animal, that they had found in a rice field next to the house while working a few years ago," WFFT said. "They raised the cat into adulthood and then released it back to the wild." But because the cat felt so safe with the family, she would occasionally return to their house for a visit. And rescuers believe that she felt safe enough to have a litter of babies near their house. When the family saw her this week, she was spotted moving a litter of her just-born kittens across the yard to a safe spot. "While moving the kittens she had dropped this particular one in the road," WFFT said.

Dodo Shows Soulmates Growling Little Kitten Becomes Her Mom's Best Friend

The family waited to see if she would come back for him, but it's thought she had her paws full with the other kittens and must have forgotten - she was nowhere to be found. Rescuers found the kitten "very cold and in urgent need of some milk," so they brought him back to the WFFT Wildlife Hospital. A veterinarian held the tiny guy close to his chest to keep him warm. They named the rare kitten Simba.

It's really important that Simba survives, for his own good and for the good of his species.

Because of habitat destruction and human-wildlife conflict, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the fishing cat as vulnerable to extinction.

Because of habitat destruction and hunting, the rare fishing cat, which lives in Asia, could go extinct. | Shutterstock

"The Fishing Cat faces a high risk of extinction throughout its range and is thought to be amongst the most vulnerable of the small and medium-sized cats in Southeast Asia," WFFT said. And in Thailand specifically, the population of these rare cats seems to have plummeted in recent years. Of fishing cats who were being monitored through radio collars, 84 percent were killed or died, apparently because of hunting and habitat destruction, in over just three years.

But Simba, who is now just over two days old, appears to be quite the little fighter. "For now, he is under round the clock care from our vet team, spending his time in a special incubator that creates a perfect environment where his special needs can be met," WFFT said. "For now, he is good, we will have to wait and see what the coming days will bring."
Tori Trovato and her boyfriend Michael weren't looking to take on any more animals. They already had Bo, a pit bull mix they'd gotten as a puppy, and Peaches, a pig they'd adopted from a local farm.

Peaches and Bo - the original duo | Tori Trovato

But everything changed when Trovato was driving one morning, and a red-furred dog dashed in front of her car. She almost hit him. "I turned around and went back a few blocks to see if I could find him and help him get back home," Trovato told The Dodo. "I eventually found him and called him over. He jumped right into my passenger seat."

Red, the dog Trovato nearly hit with her car | Tori Trovato

The dog - who'd later be named Red - was in bad shape. He was scrawny, covered in flea bites and missing patches of fur. They'd also discover that Red had severe separation anxiety, so much so that he'd tear apart furniture when left alone. Red had a plastic collar around his neck, though no ID tags, so Trovato assumed he belonged to someone. She drove around her neighborhood to ask if anyone knew where Red had come from. No one had any answers. Trovato took Red back to her home in Syracuse, New York, but she continued her search. She contacted the police. Then she and her boyfriend looked at Craigslist, and that's when they came across Red's photograph.

Dodo Shows Cat Crazy Fluffy Cat Wants To Sit On His Dad At All Times

Tori Trovato

"His previous owners had posted a 'free dog' ad," Trovato explained. "They were basically trying to rehome him before they moved. It was evident they couldn't find him a home so they just let him out the front door to fend for himself. We contacted his previous owners, who admitted they abandoned Red ... and we found out Red was, for the most part, chained outside all day and had no previous vet care."

Tori Trovato

Trovato and her boyfriend were heartbroken for Red, and they wanted to do everything they could for him. Still, they didn't plan to keep him. Their original plan was to foster him.

Tori Trovato

But their dog Bo quickly fell in love with Red, and they realized it'd be hard to separate the two of them. "Bo is a goofball and was all excited he had a new friend," Trovato said. "He would follow Red all over the house and wanted to be Red's best friend. Those two instantly clicked and got along great."

Tori Trovato

Peaches the pigs, on the other hand, wasn't too sure. "Peaches was only used to Bo and didn't have much interaction with other dogs," Trovato said. "She was basically like, 'Who is this guy in my house?' She was very curious about him. Red was the same way - I don't think he knew what Peaches was."

Tori Trovato

Curiosity eventually led to acceptance, and acceptance led to adoration. Soon enough, Peaches loved Red as much as Bo did.

Bo spending quality time with Peaches | Tori Trovato

Now the three of them are inseparable. They snuggle together, hang out on the couch together and play together. "Michael owns a gym with a large open turf area and after hours we're able to bring the three of them in and let them run around," Trovato said. "The three of them love chasing after one another and running around."

Tori Trovato

Trovato and Michael had grown attached to Bo, too. They'd actually had a meeting with a potential adopter lined up, but they canceled it. "When it came down to it, we fell in love with him and couldn't give him up," Trovato said.

Tori Trovato

"Having Red is a blessing for all of us," Trovato said. "We are just glad that we could give one more dog the loving home he deserved. He's definitely filled a missing piece to our family's puzzle and it is a great feeling knowing you're coming home to someone who thinks the world of you."

Tori Trovato

Since rescuing Red, Trovato and her boyfriend plan on rescuing more animals. "We're looking for a new house to help accommodate these rescues and we're attempting to save up funds to properly support as many animals as possible," she said. "We believe we will not only be rescuing dogs but pigs, goats and other farm animals."

Tori Trovato
Two young cougars were shot and killed earlier this month in a remote community in British Columbia, Canada. Their crime? Apparently, being seen.

Gladys Miller

Wildlife officers were responding to a couple of complaints from residents in Ocean Falls, who had spotted the siblings in the area. Sadly, it may be a sign of things to come in British Columbia, where the government ended its policy of rehoming large carnivores in September - meaning animals like coyotes, wolves and wild cats who get too close to people won't have a chance to be relocated.

Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Rescued Animals Melt Into This Woman's Arms When She Sings To Them

Gladys Miller

In the case of these juvenile cougars, that policy may have left wildlife officers with few options when they arrived. The animals were killed shortly after killing and eating a seal. Unfortunately, lethal measures are frequently taken in cases of large wild animals getting a little too close to urban areas. But the settlement where the cougars were killed - Ocean Falls - has a population of just three and a nearby population of about 30.

Gladys Miller

The only way of getting to Ocean Falls is by boat or a seaplane. All the same, when local wildlife officers received reports of a pair of young cougars in the area, they resorted to deadly force. Michael Howie, of the Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals, says no longer catching and releasing animals leaves few options. "It was a couple days from people calling and saying cougars were hanging around and they don't seem afraid anymore, to a conservation officer coming, maybe spending a couple of hours, and deciding they needed to be killed," Howie, who is the organization's director of digital content and special projects, tells The Dodo.

Gladys Miller

Of course, human conflict with wildlife is only going to become more common, especially in B.C. - a province girded by mountains in the north and an ocean to the west. "There is a limited amount of space to grow," Howie says. "As this growth happens, we are changing the ecosystems, whether it is downtown Vancouver or the First Nations coastal communities. "When we change the landscape, we are changing the ecosystem, which means we see wildlife more often, we may be closer to wildlife than we used to be. That doesn't mean we can't co-exist."

Gladys Miller

But Mike Badry, wildlife conflict manager for Canada's Ministry of the Environment, tells The Dodo that relocating wild animals was never very common in B.C. - even before the policy change. "We've been phasing out long-distance translocation over the past several years," he says. "It's not like once the procedure was approved, we all of a sudden turned the tap off long-distance translocation." And cougars have certainly been killed in B.C. for years before the policy shift. In 2015, for instance, a cougar in Ucluelet was killed after reportedly getting too close to a resident's cat.

Badry says the focus is on preventing conflict in the first place, citing tools like hazing - essentially using loud sounds to drive out wildlife - and, if necessary, short-distance releases. "You're not just taking these animals and trucking them a whole long distance and dropping them off into a habitat they're totally unfamiliar with," he says. "Long-distance translocation is a really poor management technique to try and resolve wildlife conflict and it's not one we want to encourage. "You're creating a negative experience for them."

Gladys Miller
What hits you first is the sound: Crashing waves and corkscrewing dust devils, the snap and click of semi-automatic weapons being assembled, the dissonant shrieks and laughter of children playing. Before your eye can catch a single glimpse of it, the world of Francis Alys burrows into your brain and serves notice: this will not be a passive experience.

It only seems fair, really. For the better part of three decades, Alys, the socially driven, Belgian-born artist whose work emanates from his home base in the roiling chaos of Mexico City, has been anything but passive himself. Most recently, Alys placed himself in Mosul, embedded with the Iraqi forces trying to protect civilians from an ongoing Daesh siege (Alys will contribute a work to the Iraqi pavilion at next years Venice Biennale).

If theres a parameter of suffering for ones art, Alys has often seemed more than willing to explore its outer limit.

Over the years, his works range from anxious stunt to complex social negotiation. In one of his most famous works, in 2001, Alys strolled out of his studio in a rough quarter of Mexico City, gun dangling from his hand, to see how long it would take for police to react (he was arrested 11 minutes later).

That performance was preceded in 1997 by another, similar but less menacing, in which he pushed a giant block of ice through the superheated streets until finally, there was nothing left to push: the ice melted away, even the water left behind quickly evaporated, leaving no trace of the artists herculean labour.

Solo actions gave way to group negotiations. In 2002, Alys recruited 500 Peruvians, each armed with a shovel, to shift a massive sand dune outside a Lima slum as an act of collective empowerment. Days and thousands of shovel-loads later, all that labour vanished in the shifting sands. He called it When Faith Moves Mountains.

Its with these expectations that you walk into A Story of Negotiation, the Art Gallery of Ontarios presentation of the very, very loud travelling Alys survey thats making a North-South circuit between its point of origin in Mexico City to Buenos Aires, Havana, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and here (the AGO is its only Canadian stop).

On a recent morning, amid the obligatory media conflab, the artist himself was present, though not entirely. As curator Cuauhtemoc Medina from Mexico Citys University Museum of Contemporary Art lead a tour from one high-volume space to the next, Alys, who is tall and rangy with a thick mop of salt-and-pepper hair and fine, pointed features, silently drifted in and out, taking pictures with his phone. Here and there, he fiddled with various objects on table tops, or lifted small paintings off the wall to examine the backs before putting them back.

Leaving well enough alone seemed an unnatural state; for Alys, input and output are constants, and his work a forever unfinished journey, which he seemed happy to confirm. In one gallery space, an antechamber to a thundering video called Tornado, Alys lingered while the group moved on. It gave me the chance to ask him about what I saw as his intensely charged political work.

If you want to look at it like that, he said, in his affably awkward way. But what I hope is that you can also see what I do as much more of a personal search.

It was a fair point. The show is broken into three pieces, each anchored by an intensely imposing video: Tornado, where Alys himself chases down dust devils in the Mexican hinterland, slipping inside their swirling embrace; Reel/Unreel, a recent, clattering film shot in Kabul, of local children gamely racing an unspooling reel of film through the dusty streets; and Dont Cross the Bridge Before You Get to the River, a roaring two-screen video with the unnerving mix of children toting toy sailboats into chaotically pounding surf.

All around and in between are vitrines filled with various bits: sketches and storyboards, notes and newspaper clippings. It can be helpful: Alyss projects arent floating in space but the product of very clear, often timely intentions.

Reel/Unreel was made between 2011 and 2014, when the push-pull for control in Afghanistan between NATO forces and a Taliban uprising resurrected the spectre of extremist control of images and information; Dont Cross the Bridge, from 2009, was made on the opposite coasts of Morocco and Gibraltar as an exploration of the ongoing (and now exploding) illegal migrant crisis (the toy boats, symbolically, represented a futile attempt to bridge the strait and deliver safe passage). Tornado floats a little more freely, but is tethered to the ground all the same: Alys envisioned it as symbolic of Mexicos tumble into chaotic, cartel-driven lawlessness.

Moments emerge  a wooden figure, front-crawling its way across a light-table atop a transparent baggie, unnerves in its frank evocation of the thousands caught in the wash between point A and B  but the display presents largely as garnish for the attention-demanding main course served up on the towering video screens.

Not so, however, the array of tiny paintings that cluster and scatter at points throughout. Alys, discomfitingly, pairs the urgent with the absurd and the poetic both. While it can seem a recipe for disaster (Its a very, very delicate balance, he smiles) the paintings, for all their small scale, serve as powerful counterweight to all that noise: stillness against the turbulence, contemplation amid the chaos.

On one wall, Alys is quoted as saying that his work is about the eternal struggle between artistic fantasy and crude reality, and the paintings here define that rift with unnerving clarity. Images of childlike figures spanning oceans and borders with a single step conjure a poetic distance between real and unreal. His TRF series, made while embedded with British forces in Afghanistan in 2013, use coded military symbols to obscure tiny paintings of daily life. Hanging near the Tornado series are a pair of paintings with no ambiguity whatsoever: of lynchings, vigilante justice carried out by angry Mexicans fed up with their neighbourhoods being run roughshod by gangsters.

Alys toggles back and forth between intense and playful, small and large, with such peripatetic ease that its fair to wonder if theres anything that binds it all together. Did I say that? Alys laughed, as I read his own words back to him, on the gulf between the real world and the hectic and contemplative spaces he carves from it. Its almost as though hes so focused on his next move that he erases the ones before.

At the same time, threads emerge. Paintings and video works both serve as buffers from the world at hand. Its a way of taking some distance from the reality of the situation, he says, matter of fact, about Reel/Unreel and Dont Cross the Bridge. It opens up a more poetic frame, to a certain point. A childs game is timeless, and that has become a major source of inspiration for me.

The sense is of an artist who hurls himself into a flashpoint of chaos only to pick up the pieces, slowly and deliberately, over time and in the aftermath, with neither goal nor expectation of resolution. Both elements coexist. In Dont Cross the Bridge, childrens laughter intertwines with the menacing churn of an indifferent sea  a world brimming with wonder and chaos in the same moment. For Alys, art happens in navigating the razors edge between them.

Francis Alys: A Story of Negotiation continues at the Art Gallery of Ontario to April 2, 2017. See https://www.ago.net/francis-alys-a-story-of-negotiationago.net for more information.

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TALLAHASSEE, FLA.Lawyers for a Florida woman accused of playing a pivotal role in the killing of a Canadian law professor are trying to convince a judge to release Katherine Magbanua from jail ahead of her trial.

Magbanua was in court on Friday for an all-day hearing.

Prosecutors and investigators explained some of the evidence they used to charge her with first-degree murder in the death of Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel.

Magbanua wants to be released on bond, but prosecutors say they are fearful that she will flee the country if let out of jail.

Police have maintained that a bitter divorce sparked the plot that resulted in Markel being gunned down in his garage.

Authorities allege Magbanua has ties to both the alleged shooter and the family of Markels ex-wife.

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Is Justin Trudeaus honeymoon over?

Maybe, for all I know. We have a new poll that suggests it may be. The new Forum Research poll suggests Liberal support is at 42 per cent, which is three points higher than it was when the Liberals won the 2015 election. If his honeymoon ends three more times, he might yet win half the popular vote.

Certainly, there is room to doubt the prime ministers popularity will be eternal. My own column has been critical of Trudeau on several recent occasions: On cash-for-access fundraisers, on his fondness for Fidel Castro, on electoral reform. As no less an authority than the editorial page of Macleans magazine proclaimed two weeks ago, The Justin Trudeau honeymoon is over.

Surely this time it must be true. Surely if you predict something often enough, eventually it will be true.

Trudeau was sworn in as prime minister Nov. 3, 2015. At cbc.ca, Terry Milewski wrote: Theres no set span for a political honeymoon . . . . So what are Trudeaus chances? How long can he keep the magic going?

A month later, Geoffrey Stevens wrote an open letter to the PM in the Hamilton Spectator. Sir, the honeymoon is about to end. Over what? Vacancies in the Senate, Stevens suggested. Or maybe medically assisted dying. He kept his options open.

Near the end of 2015 in Montreals The Gazette, James Mennie ventured that this apparently never-ending honeymoon with the Trudeau Liberals may draw to a close. Over what? Budget deficits.

A rare dissent appeared in these pages Jan. 9, 2016, in the form of a Carol Goar column that carried the headline, Trudeaus honeymoon will last well into 2016.

But later in January, Reuters reported that Canadas new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces an early end to his political honeymoon. The cause? An economic slump with no easy exit.

On March 22, Finance Minister Bill Morneau delivered a budget that featured whopping deficits. At Macleans, John Geddes said Morneaus speech sounded less like the language of a political honeymoon than a plea to keep it together for the kids sake.

At the beginning of April, Frank Graves of the Ekos polling firm found a slump in voter support for Trudeau. So much for that honeymoon! It appears that it is starting to fade a bit, and they are coming back to earth, Graves said.

Another month passed. Katie Underwood wrote in Chatelaine that Trudeaus awkward, needy video inserting himself into some friendly trash-talking between Buckingham Palace and the Obama White House over the Invictus Games had produced the sound of Trudeaus honeymoon bubble bursting.

Two weeks later, Trudeau elbowed NDP MP Ruth-Ellen Brosseau during a vote delay in the House of Commons. Mr. Trudeaus political honeymoon is finally over, Michael Taube wrote for the conservative National Review in the U.S. In the leftish Guardian in the U.K., Stephen Maher drew the same conclusion from the same elbow. Trudeaus long honeymoon came to an abrupt end.

In early June the Trudeau government missed the Supreme Courts deadline for new assisted-dying legislation. This failure left his honeymoon shaken, a Financial Times headline announced, though the body of the story admitted that judging from the polls, the honeymoon was not over yet.

In September MPs returned from summer vacation. NDP leader pro tem Thomas Mulcair predicted Trudeaus honeymoon would end soon. Ten days later Bloomberg News said his honeymoon was about to end over indigenous protests to liquefied natural gas projects on the West Coast.

In mid-October the largest federal public-sector union bought radio ads complaining of stalled contract talks. Kathryn May wrote in the Ottawa Citizen: Justin Trudeaus honeymoon with Canadas public servants is over.

Perhaps we can pause from all this honeymoonology to acknowledge some flaws in the model.

First, its not true that political careers reliably follow an arc from popularity to acrimony. Trudeaus hasnt, so far. When last years long election campaign began, his Liberals were in third place and falling. So hes already been down and fought back up. Stephen Harper never had a honeymoon, but his Conservatives gained in popular vote and seats in three consecutive elections after their first campaign, in 2004. Then the streak ended.

Whats most annoying about the honeymoon model is that readers sometimes use it to imply criticism is illegitimate while a politician is popular  or that its mandatory when hes down. Its a rare morning when my inbox doesnt contain some variation on Dear Mr. Wells why are you being so mean to the prime minister cant you see hes doing great thank goodness Canadians have more sense than you.

But so what? All the criticisms that were levelled against Trudeaus government in the examples I cited above were legitimate. Whats less legitimate is an attempt to predict popular support for any leader, any party, based on one thing that happened yesterday. Let the voters decide how they want to vote. They usually do anyway.

Paul Wells is a national affairs writer. His column appears Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

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MONTREALA former police officer charged with rape after a massive investigation into abuse of indigenous women by law enforcement officials in Quebec is a residential-school survivor who says he was sexually assaulted by a priest, the Star has learned.

Jean-Luc Vollant, a 65-year-old Innu man, is a former officer with a native police force who was charged last month after a probe of nearly 40 allegations from indigenous people who say they had been mistreated by police.

Vollant was among more than 30 current and former officers in Quebec who were the subject of the allegations. He was one of just two people to be charged with a criminal offence.

He faces three charges of rape, indecent assault on a female and sexual assault  stemming from incidents that allegedly occurred between 1980 and 1986 in Schefferville, Que., a remote town near the border with Labrador that is home to a small, predominately Innu population.

Vollant has not yet appeared before a judge or entered a plea in the case that dates back more than 35 years. An initial court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2017 in Sept-Iles, Que.

Maybe we can talk about it later, but not right now, Vollant said when contacted by the Star this week at his home in the Innu community of Uashat-Maliotenam.

Though the details of the specific incident that led to the charges have not been revealed, the case against Vollant appears to have a level of complexity that has so far escaped the fierce political debate in the province over police relations with indigenous people.

A neutral observer who observed and reported on the police investigations submitted a report that suggested the root of the problem in the cases was systemic racism against First Nations people in Quebec.

Native leaders and political opposition parties say this issue can be addressed only through a judicial inquiry into police conduct  a demand that the Quebec government has so far rejected.

But without knowing the facts, experts say that Vollants case may raise questions about intergenerational trauma  a concept that suggests historical oppression and abusive or destructive behaviour is transmitted from one generation to the next.

On Jan. 23, 2013, the married father of five spoke at a public hearing of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Sept-Iles. The commission, which completed its work last year, examined the traumas suffered by indigenous children, their families and to First Nations communities by the residential school system.

Its final report found that forcing indigenous children to attend the schools was a key element in a policy designed to assimilate aboriginals, which the commissioners labelled an act of cultural genocide.

On the day of his testimony, a tearful Vollant told the hearing that he had memories of being inappropriately touched by a priest when he was about 10 years old.

One night, I was woken up and taken by a priest. He took me in his room ... Right away he pulled me toward him so that he could hold me in his arms, Vollant testified, speaking in his native Innu-aimun language.

He said the specifics of the abuse that he suffered were locked away in his subconscious for most of his life, but that he began to wet the bed from the time of that incident until he was a teenager. He said he has also suffered through his life from paralyzing fear and anxiety.

The blockage in his memory cleared suddenly, several years ago, when Vollant was forced to undergo a colonoscopy, he testified.

Thats when it came back to me . . . as if I was in a dream . . . . Thats when I saw the priest hurting me, putting it inside of me, he said, without providing further explanation.

Vollant told the commission that even when he worked as a police officer for about a decade, he lived in fear.

Every time the telephone rang . . . I was very anxious. Im scared. I ask myself what is happening, is there a murder? Whats happening there? Is there a fight? he said. The word fear was always in my head. Always, always, always, always. Always in my life.

In 2012, he was hired by a community agency that works on native fishery and environmental conservation issues. He was employed to co-ordinate training programs that are available to members of seven Innu communities in the region, according to an annual report.

The charges against Vollant are the most recent blow to the community of Uashat-Maliotenam, adjacent to Sept-Iles, and home to nearly 3,500 people along the rugged north coast of the St. Lawrence River.

In June, Chief Mike McKenzie, the elected head of the community, temporarily stepped down from his post after he was charged with sexual assault for alleged incidents involving a child under the age of 14 between 2000 and 2001. The case has not yet been tried in court and McKenzie returned to work in August after a two-month absence.

There was also a provincial coroners inquest in the community last summer into the death of five people from the community who died by suicide in 2015.

Three of those people were women who claimed that they had been sexually assaulted, leading friends and family to wonder whether these traumas might have played a role in their decision to end their lives, the inquest heard.

Vollant was not involved in any of the cases. But he was in the audience at the inquest, according to photographs posted to Twitter. News reports of the inquest said Vollants wife testified that she had provided assistance to a woman who had been assaulted. The victim later killed herself.

When the Star sought an interview with McKenzie about the charges against Vollant, a spokesperson declined on his behalf, saying: We are in a process of healing within the community that is very heavy.

In his testimony at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Vollant said he considered himself a survivor of the residential school system, but had seen in his own life how behaviours he experienced at the residential school had been passed down to his children.

He said that as a father he had the habit of yelling at his children in an aggressive manner, bringing his face close to theirs. Vollant said that was what he was exposed to at the residential school and now he saw his children doing the same to their kids.

Normand DAragon, a Montreal psychologist who works closely with indigenous communities, explained that intergenerational trauma can result in victims perpetrating damaging behaviour to which they have been subjected.

Its a term psychologists refer to as trauma re-enactment, in which victims will repeat the act as a way of subconsciously resolving their distress.

Repeating the trauma can be the only way to deal with it or get rid of it, DAragon said.

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For the 200 members of controversial ultra-orthodox sect Lev Tahor, the choice to move to from Quebec to Ontario last November had been a considered one: Members saw their new home province as a place more accepting of their religious freedoms.

Why three adults and six children recently hopped a plane to Guatemala to flee Canadian officials, however, does not appear to be as calculated a choice.

Though the Central American country has far from a perfect record when it comes to child welfare, it also has an international obligation to return the children to Canada. As signatories of the United Nations Hague Convention, a child welfare treaty, Guatemala has agreed to return children who have been wrongly removed from another country.

Guatemala would not be a place that you would expect them to go to, said Michael Saini, an associate professor of social work at the University of Toronto, and an expert in child welfare, adding that other countries have not signed the same international agreement.

Related:

Media wins partial access to Lev Tahor meeting transcript

The convention does not compel the Guatemalan government to wade into the issue of whether there has been abuse or neglect of the children. The treaty only requires authorities to determine that there is a valid Canadian court order regarding the children, and that they were wrongfully removed from the jurisdiction.

Once that has been proven, Guatemala is compelled to quickly return the children to the jurisdiction where the court order is taking place.

There are, however, several ways Lev Tahor could stall an effort to swiftly return the children to Canadian soil, an effort that resumes Monday when a judge specializing in family and child law is scheduled to hear the case in the Guatemalan town of Solola.

The sect members could file for refugee status  something an official in the ministry of foreign affairs in Guatemala told the Star has already occurred, but that the countrys ministry of immigration would not confirm or discuss.

They could also try to convince the Guatemalan judge that returning the children to Canada would pose a grave risk of harm to them, something Nicholas Bala, a Queens University law professor who specializes in childrens law, speculates the family is likely to do if they are aiming to slow procedures.

Bala said proceedings could also be stalled by the simple fact that child welfare organizations are not accustomed to working with internationally. Cooperation across borders has been established to deal reasonably well with criminals or terrorists fleeing to one country to escape the laws of another, Bala said, but that is not the case here.

And so we see a lack of coordination, he said. Challenging as it is, we need better coordination, especially with these kinds of cases.

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Toronto parents are questioning why they werent consulted leading up to the citys decision to open an overnight drop-in at a community centre adjacent to a downtown public school.

Parents at Market Lane Junior and Senior Public School, on the Esplanade, said Friday that they only learned within the previous 24 hours of the citys plan to open up two rooms at the back of the St. Lawrence Community Recreation Centre.

The community centre is connected by several sets of doors to a large communal courtyard and is used by students at the busy school. The drop-in  largely just mats on the floor  is strictly for overnight use, and is scheduled to open on Dec. 15 and remain so until Feb. 28.

This is happening in five days time and we are learning about this today, said Amanda Campbell, a parent council member who has two children 7 and under at the school. I wish there had been some preliminary conversation before this had happened.

Campbell said what is upsetting people in the tight-knit and diverse neighbourhood is not the prospect of housing people in need, but the lack of information. My immediate concern is A, for my children, and B, for my community, she said.

In a city facing what has widely been described as a housing crisis, emergency drop-ins are necessary to keep vulnerable people safe, particularly during what is expected to be a harsh winter.

Patricia Anderson, with the citys shelter, support and housing administration division, said in an email that city staff had consulted with the local councillor (Pam McConnell), have met with representatives from the public school and the centre daycare, and will be meeting with parents to listen to their concerns and share information on how the City and the program operator will be addressing these.

Parents were not formally consulted  a process that can signal that permission is being sought  because the centre is a public space, said Anderson, and city staff worked diligently to ensure the overnight drop-in program would have as little impact as possible on other users of this community space.

City staffers have been invited to a scheduled parents council meeting on Tuesday night.

Parent council co-chair Suad Ahmed, who has a child in Grade 8, said their community recognizes the need for drop-in services, but because their school is not 100 per cent secure they need assurances from the city on how the program will be run.

The kids come first, said Ahmed. We dont have a problem with helping people.

The community centre houses a daycare and offers a range of youth programs inside the bright and airy space, which includes a large swimming pool.

The drop-in will be run by Margarets Housing and Community Support Services. Similar city programs serve men, women, transgender people, youth and seniors, as explained on a paper sheet given to parents on Friday.

The facility will catch the overflow from two existing 24/7 drop-ins. People will be let in at 9 p.m., given snacks and a place to get warm and sleep until 9 a.m. The two rooms are about 25 by 40 feet, and 15 by 20 feet and people are also invited to come and read, socialize, or work with staff to try and find housing.

McConnell (Toronto Centre-Rosedale) was unavailable for comment, because she was participating in a community event in Regent Park, but a staff member in her office said they recognize there is some further communication and outreach work that needs to happen, and will be speaking with parents this week.

The reality, the staffer said, is council has directed city staff to ensure that existing city facilities are not over capacity this winter, and the two drop-ins are expected to be filled; with this winter predicted to be colder than last, vulnerable people will need somewhere to go.

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On the morning of November 4, Rui Nabico awoke in his family home on Sagres Cres., in a quiet residential corner of the citys northwest. He spoke to his parents before they left for work and, according to his sister, all was perfectly normal.

Hours later, the family would learn there had been a serious incident involving police on their street. Officers were called after reports of a man brandishing two knives and screaming. After a Taser was deployed, a 31-year-old man died. It was Nabico.

More than a month after Nabicos death  the fourth Toronto police-involved fatality in 2016  his family is speaking out for the first time about the overwhelming loss of a loving son and brother, a man they say had never before behaved in the threatening manner described by witnesses.

To many, it was just another news story that day, Nabicos sister, Tania Nabico, told the Star. To us he was a human being we loved so very much that was taken from us far too soon.

The death is now being probed by Ontarios Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the civilian agency that investigates deaths involving police.

The watchdog has released few details about the incident, saying only that several officers were responding to a 911 call around noon that day.

According to witness accounts, police were called after a man was seen in the neighbourhood, yelling and waving knives. Jean Touchbourne, who lives in the area, told the Star she spoke to a witness who said the man had come out of his home flailing his arms with two very large knives and threatened her. And so she ran.

After police arrived, the SIU says there was an interaction and one officer deployed a conducted energy weapon, better known as a Taser. Nabico went into medical distress and died in hospital.

No one from the Nabico family was home at the time of the incident. But Tania Nabico said if the witness accounts of a threatening man are accurate, the behaviour is completely out of character for her brother.

The family instead describes Nabico as a generous, fun and caring man who was previously employed in construction and enjoyed working with his hands. His passion was cars  he loved fixing them up, and he had completely restored his first set of wheels, a 1963 Ford Galaxie.

Three weeks before his death, he became an uncle. He was so proud, said Tania.

In the dark about the final moments of Nabicos life, she said her family is having a difficult time accepting the death. They have been advised that the investigation can be lengthy and are attempting to respect the SIUs process, but it is difficult, Nabico said.

Its grueling to the family to know that my brother passed away in front of the family home but not be told what actually took place that day, she said.

Jason Gennaro, spokesperson for the SIU, said in an email that the watchdog understands that for anyone involved in an SIU probe, waiting can be difficult.

I can tell you our investigators work as expeditiously as possible to complete each investigation, he said.

However, there are a number of factors that may influence how long it takes to complete an investigation. In some cases, including death cases, investigators need to wait for outside experts and agencies to complete reports, including toxicology and pathology reports.

Toronto police, meanwhile, cannot comment on the case while the SIU probe is ongoing.

Nabicos death has also prompted larger questions about the safety of Tasers, with some critics saying his death is a tragic reminder that the health risks of conducted energy weapons are still not understood.

Pat Capponi, co-chair of the Toronto police services board mental health sub-committee, told the Star just days after Nabicos death that his fatality contradicts assurances that Tasers dont kill.

Toronto police are currently pushing an expansion of the weapons deployment throughout the force by nearly 50 per cent. Right now, the force has 545 Tasers available to a select few uniform front line supervisors and selected members of specialized units.

Last month, the force allocated $750,000 in its proposed 2017 budget for an additional 250 Tasers to be given to some front line officers. The Toronto police board soon after passed a motion to conduct community consultations on the broader deployment of Tasers.

Tania Nabico said her family is upset and confused about how her brother could have died after a Taser deployment. She said she was not aware of a medical condition that could have made her brother, a man in his early 30s, particularly vulnerable.

As previously reported by the Star, in his 2014 review of Toronto police interactions with people in crisis retired Supreme Court justice Frank Iacobucci recommended that the force increase front line officers access to Tasers.

However, Iacobucci expressed concerns about the unknown health risks posed by the weapon, and he recommended Toronto police advocate for an interprovincial study of the medical effects of CEW use on various groups of people (including vulnerable groups such as people in crisis).

Toronto police did not implement that recommendation, saying the force is satisfied that medical research has found no persuasive evidence of an elevated risk to vulnerable persons.

Nabicos death should, at the very least, prompt a greater review of the health risks of Tasers, said Tania Nabico.

I dont want to have to imagine another family having to go through the exact same pain we have been facing with my brothers passing, she said.

Wendy Gillis can be reached at wgillis@thestar.ca

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Bedrettin Al Muhamad and his wife, Mariam, have been taking English classes and making every effort to immerse themselves in Canadian culture since arriving here from Turkey in February

The Syrian refugees have ventured out to explore Toronto Island, visited Niagara Falls, joined in the fun of Halloween, and even started the ritual of coupon-clipping for good deals like other Canadians do.

But the honeymoon will soon be over, as the Mississauga couple ponders quitting their English classes and starting to look for jobs to support their five children, Hanan, 13; Hasan, 11; Azzam, 9; Mohammad, 8; and Rahaf, 6.

We are scared we are not going to find jobs. Its a cause of stress. How are we going to pay for our ($1,735) rent when money stops coming in? asked Al Muhamad, 37, whose familys monthly government refugee resettlement assistance ends on Feb. 12.

But we feel Canada has already given us enough. We dont want to take more handouts. We are ready to go to work.

For many of the 35,000 Syrians who have arrived in the country  15,000 in Ontario  since Canada started bringing in planeloads of newcomers last Dec. 9, what is commonly known in the refugee resettlement circle as Month 13 is looming.

After a year of being warmly welcomed into local communities across the country, the 12-month financial commitment to these refugees by Ottawa and private sponsorship groups will start to come to an end.

Many of the adult Syrian newcomers will be faced with the reality of choosing between quitting English classes, working or living off provincial welfare  an income that is less than the meagre resettled refugee assistance they currently receive from the federal government.

Officials estimated half of the privately sponsored refugees and 10 per cent of those supported by the government would have employment income in their first year.

Immigration Minister John McCallum said successful integration and self-sufficiency for refugees does not happen over night.

That is not a job that ends in one year. One thing we always must be aware of is, with refugees, they come from horrendously difficult situations. You have to give them time. You have to be patient. Over time, past waves of refugees have settled successfully and done well in Canada. Im confident the Syrians will as well, McCallum told the Star.

Provinces understand that after the first 12 months, the federal income support ends. Those who are not supporting themselves would go on social assistance. This will happen and this has always happened. That transition is going to go smoothly. This is not going to be a surprise.

Ontario Immigration Minister Laura Albanese has invested an additional $10.5 million in the provinces $100 million annual budget for immigrant settlement services such as skills training and English classes for refugees.

We know that some of the Syrian newcomers will need extra help with social assistance, maybe Ontario Works and ODSP, once the federal support runs out, she told the Star. We are working closely with the federal and municipal governments to make sure the transition is streamlined.

The province has already introduced information sheets and an introductory video in Arabic to inform and assist Syrian newcomers on how to access those supports, said Albanese, adding the information is included in letters sent to government-assisted refugees by Ottawa toward the end of its one-year financial commitment.

Experts say the newcomers should not see a big difference in their income as they will still receive child tax benefits  which vary based on other incomes, number of kids and their ages. (Adult single refugees supported by the government receive $822 a month. Their income will fall to $706 on Ontario Works.)

Month 13 is a concern in terms of folks losing the social support they have had in the first year and falling through the cracks because of the expectation that our obligation to these families is over. The labour market entry is also a continued concern, said Debbie Douglas of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants.

People need to know integration is not a one-year process. Its a lifelong process. We need to ensure the kind of support the newcomers need to have a successful new life in Canada.

While the highly skilled Syrians  most of them resettled under private sponsorships  may encounter problems in professional licensing and employers demands for Canadian work experience, those with lower education may have difficulty finding manufacturing and service jobs.

The transition would be tougher for the government-assisted refugees than for those supported through private sponsorship groups because families supported by Ottawa are generally much larger in size (53 per cent with three to six kids), with lower education and skills, and speak little English.

My worry is the public has unrealistic expectations of how quickly these newcomers can find jobs and become independent, said Mario Calla, executive director of COSTI, which settles government-assisted refugees in Toronto.

Brian Dyck, chair of the Council of the Sponsorship Agreement Holders Association, said many private groups have already started to prepare their sponsored families for the transition.

With proper planning and discussion, a lot of problems will be avoided or at least managed, said Dyck. I think one worry is that a lot of people will be making that month 13 transition at the same time, so the provincial systems will need to be ready for that and gear up for it.

Bringing in and settling a Syrian family is just the beginning. Moving forward, said Janet Dench of the Canadian Council for Refugees, Canada must also take into consideration reuniting the newcomers with the families they left behind when they fled their war-torn country.

But Canadas annual immigration targets are being reduced next year, with Ottawa set to admit 40,000 refugees in 2017, down from 55,800 this year.

Groups that have come here are most worried about their parents, brothers and sisters. They feel they are personally responsible for them, said Dench.

But there are no good solutions for them right now. The opportunity for more privately-sponsored refugees will be very limited. It will take years for them to be reunited. There are also family members still in Syria and there is no provision to allow them to come to Canada directly.

Although the uptake of private sponsorship has slowed down since March, Lesley Brown of Torontos Lifeline Syria said the Syrian resettlement project will leave a legacy just like Canadas resettlement of 60,000 Indochinese refugees from Vietnam in the late 1970s.

This has been a life-changing, meaningful experience for many Canadians. It will be passed on through generations, said Brown.

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Just before he was hit with a $20 million penalty for appalling breaches of Ontarios securities law, Toronto businessman Wayne Pushka took to the road.

His addresses would soon include a stately castle in the south of France and a lavish waterfront villa in Lyford Cay, Bahamas, where James Bonds Sean Connery lives and where Canadian tycoon E.P. Taylor once hung his hat.

Theres also a well-stocked bank account in Liechtenstein, the tiny, mountainous European country that is a popular tax haven, according to sources and documents.

The Ontario Securities Commission wants the $20 million, but judging by its track record it is unlikely to be successful. A Toronto Star investigation shows that roughly $360 million in penalties levied over the past 10 years  including Pushkas fine  remains uncollected. Most of that represents fines against individuals and small firms also handed trading bans. The OSC was able to collect fines against big banks and investment firms (about $150 million in the same time period), but that is because they want to continue operating in Ontario.

These people who squirrel money away on boats and cars, who hide it in the areas you (the Star) are focusing on, this bedevils the Ontario Securities Commission, says OSC general counsel Jim Sinclair. The question is, how much money and effort should we spend? We dont want good money going after bad. We dont want us to beat our heads against the wall.

Still, the OSC has spent millions of dollars prosecuting individuals and firms. As one investigator said, its like getting blood out of a stone.

Pushka did not respond to interview requests. In court documents he has denied all allegations against him, including that he defrauded the OSC by purchasing international property.

The Spartan hearing room at the OSC is, literally and figuratively, thousands of kilometres from the rolling hills of southern France. The Spartan hearing room at the OSC is, literally and figuratively, thousands of kilometres from the rolling hills of southern France.

In that spare room near Torontos Eaton Centre in August 2013, Pushka was found guilty of breaches of fiduciary duty in a case where, the OSC ruled, he used for his own benefit $54 million from funds managed by his firm, Crown Hill Corporation.

One month before he was found guilty, the locals near the Chateau Montchaude were delighted with news of a very different kind. The 16th century castle, an hour and a half drive from Bordeaux, suddenly had new owners: a wealthy Canadian couple. Shy of attention, named only once in the local press, the couple became instant darlings of the rural community.

The castles grounds had been off limits while the deputy prime minister of the Sultanate of Oman was the owner. It sits on a 75-acre property and in 2013 was listed for sale at $12 million (Canadian). The bathroom fixtures were gold-leaf covered.

Pushka quickly opened it to local tours, engaged an architect and started renovations.

His wife, Jane Binsted, took to social media seeking playdates for their then-5-year-old son. In a statement of claim filed in an Ontario court, the OSC alleges the castle was purchased in their sons name. Both parents names are on a company registry in France connected to the chateau.

Within days of moving in, a massive fire, apparently caused by a faulty electrical connection, swept through the castle, destroying the roof. Local press have since reported on the restoration. He is a lover of old stones, a business associate of Pushkas was quoted as saying, describing how several years earlier Pushka fell in love with the castle.

Pushka returned to Toronto for the August 2013 OSC hearing where it was determined he had breached securities law. The OSC was oblivious to the chateau purchase, though there were clues online.

We have purchased a property in Montchaude, wife Binsted wrote on an online message board in France before the hearing. Our son is 4.5 years old . . . we plan to be in Montchaude every summer and return to Toronto for the fall. Please let me know if you are still looking for playmates and coffee.

The levying of the OSC fine would not happen for a year. Pushka hit the road again.

This businessman started out in physics. This businessman started out in physics.

Pushkas studies took him to McMaster and Carleton universities, and a degree in theoretical physics, followed by an MBA at Queens. A fellow student lauded him in a 1992 thesis, thanking Wayne Pushka, for demonstrating to us that there is more to life than physics.

In 2001, Pushka applied for a U.S. patent for a method of optimizing investment performance. Pushka wrote the method includes the steps of transferring market risk but not credit risk from a first account to a second account through a counter-party and recognizing either gains and losses in the second account at a future date from the original investment date.

Within a few years he was working on Bay Street in Toronto, building a small empire. In a 2016 Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruling upholding the earlier OSC decision, judges described how Pushka grew a small fund with an asset base of $6.4 million through a series of mergers into a fund with $237 million in assets. The judges said Pushka loaned himself investors money to purchase lucrative fund management services agreements each time he grew the fund. It was self-dealing on a grand scale, the court ruled. Pushka was then denied leave to appeal to the Ontario Court of Appeal this fall.

Lyford Cay is situated around a private canal in the Bahamas. Its a gated community founded by the late E.P. Taylor  Canadian beer baron and horse enthusiast  home to some of the wealthiest stars of Hollywood and business. Lyford Cay is situated around a private canal in the Bahamas. Its a gated community founded by the late E.P. Taylor  Canadian beer baron and horse enthusiast  home to some of the wealthiest stars of Hollywood and business.

A villa called Five Palms in Lyford Cay was listed for sale in 2013 for $5.8 million (U.S.). The listing describes substantial luxury in the 9,336-square-foot main villa, and the 4,061-square-foot guest villa. Italian stone and tile is throughout. Stone fireplace, spacious bedrooms all with an ensuite, state of the art kitchen, high ceilings with 200-year old wood beams, and an elevator are just some of the features.

The villa sold in January 2014, after Pushka was found guilty but before he was hit with the $20 million fine.

Mr. Pushka knowingly, deliberately and wrongfully started a chain of transactions to intentionally defraud the OSC, which was seeking payment of the fine, the OSC alleges in court documents filed in the Bahamas.

The OSC alleges that Pushka transferred $13.6 million (U.S.) from his Bank of Nova Scotia account to an account at the Bank of Montreal in his and his wifes name. A similar amount was transferred a few days later through a Toronto law firm, which sent $4.5 million of that money to the law firm of Winter Borghardt Law Chambers in the Bahamas, and the balance to certain trusts in Liechtenstein.

Incorporation records in the Bahamas reveal that on Jan. 7, 2014, the Bahamian firm set up a company called Bonnieblue, which then purchased the Five Palms villa, at a price of $4.6 million, more than a million less than the property was listed. Bonnieblue is listed as a company in the Panama Papers files.

The OSC states that Pushka was the owner and controlling mind of Bonnieblue and that he used funds he obtained wrongfully in Canada to purchase the Lyford Cay property.

In a recently filed response, Pushka said he has nothing to do with Bonnieblue.

International shipping records show many household items made the trip by cargo ship from Toronto to the Bahamas, Toronto to France, and sometimes from the Bahamas to France. In each case, the names of Binsted and/or Pushka are on the shipping documents and the addresses are either for the Chateau or the Five Palms villa. Among the items shipped was a crate weighing 18 kg filled with decorations, a clock, planters, pictures and books.

The OSC has asked for a hearing in Nassau and is attempting to retrieve $20 million from Pushka. The OSC would not say if any court proceedings have been started in France or Liechtenstein.

Gail Charles, Pushkas lawyer in the Bahamas, told the Star Friday it is not our policy to discuss our clients or any of their matters.

Kevin Donovan can be reached at 416-312-3503 or kdonovan@thestar.ca

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If you kill a cat in Sweden, you end up in prison. Meanwhile I hear stories of refugees who are being tortured every hour. Meron Estefanos

STOCKHOLMOne day in 2010, the woman with the red fingernails received the first call. She was standing in her kitchen when her white cellphone rang. The display showed 00888  the first five digits of an unknown number.

When the woman answered, she was assaulted by shrieks. Four hundred and twenty-five Eritreans were drifting in the Mediterranean. The ship was leaking; water was creeping up the walls.

One of the passengers had the telephone number of Meron Estefanos and entered the 13 digits into a satellite cellphone, the one that people smugglers give refugees for emergencies. Estefanos telephone began to ring.

It was a nightmare, she recalls. This panic, the people screaming into the receiver: Were dying, our life is in your hands. Do something!

Today, the 40-year old woman with the red fingernails is sitting on a plastic chair in her kitchen, the same place she received the call five years ago.

At that time I hardly knew how to handle the situation. First I called the Italian authorities. They told me: Call Malta! I called up Malta. They told me: Call Italy! Seven hours passed until the 425 people knew they would survive, she recounts. The Italian Coast Guard rescued them.

For Estefanos, it was the beginning of a long acquaintance with the ominous numerical sequence 00888, which indicates a call from a satellite mobile on the Mediterranean.

Since the incident in 2010, which was well-publicized in the Eritrean community, many of those who flee Eritrea make sure to carry with them one thing in particular: the 13-digit telephone number of Meron Estefanos.

Related stories:

Thailands migrants: Please tell the world we exist

The migration business

Read the entire Flight of Their Lives series

Estefanos left Eritrea as a child, not as a refugee, but on a comfortable plane ride to Stockholm, where her father had found work. That was 28 years ago.

However, torture, repression and poverty in her homeland produce an endless stream of refugees. The shrill echo of it resounds daily through her mobile phone in faraway Stockholm.

This year alone, she says, she has already received more than 50 calls from boats in the Mediterranean. In so doing, she has likely saved the lives of more than 16,000 Eritreans  a fact Estefanos doesnt mention in the conversation. She is not interested in such calculations, she says.

Meron, is it you? Help us, were drifting on the sea, the ships engine broke down!

Go to the compass right away and pass on the co-ordinates.

I cant read the compass!

Describe to me which numbers you see on it.

Meron Estefanos presses the stop button. It is one of many recordings of calls from the Mediterranean stored on her white cellphone.

The phone is lying on the table in her small kitchen. Every few minutes it vibrates: Al Jazeera from Qatar. A journalist from America. Then an Eritrean pastor from Switzerland. Sorry, I have to take that call, it is because of IS, Estefanos excuses herself and disappears to her balcony.

You stupid, stupid telephone

Recently, the terrorist militia Islamic State kidnapped 87 Eritreans in Libya. Fourteen succeeded in freeing themselves. With the cellphone pressed to her ear, Estefanos is discussing with the pastor how they can bring the 14 refugees to safety. What, she asks when she returns to the kitchen, would probably be happening in Western TV stations if the IS kidnapped 87 Swedes? The question still hangs unanswered when her phone rings again.

You stupid, stupid telephone, her six-year-old son recently hissed as it rang once again. He is right, admits the single mother (she also has a 14-year-old son). Her commitment to the refugees is hard on the family. But, if I can save so many lives with only one call?

Estefanoss day job is with Radio Erena, a Paris-based station. Her kitchen in Stockholm serves as the studio: There she sits every Thursday at midday with a headset and a notebook for the program Voices of Eritrean Refugees.

While Estefanos speaks into the microphone, 5,000 kilometres away thousands of people listen to their radios in Eritrea. They do it secretly, because the Eritrean regime is trying to prohibit Radio Erena broadcasts.

Eritrea  approximately half the size of the United Kingdom  is often dubbed the North Korea of Africa. The secretive country on the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, is ruled by President Isaias Afwerki with ruthless repression and human rights violations on a scope and scale seldom witnessed elsewhere, as the UN concluded in its current report.

About 5,000 Eritreans are fleeing every month, despite knowing they can be shot to death on the border by their own army for treason. If they make it to neighbouring Sudan and further on to Libya, the next round of Russian roulette awaits them: the journey across the Mediterranean to Europe. And here the circle closes with Estefanos and her white cellphone.

But sometimes the circle closes earlier.

Rise of the kidnappers

Around four years ago, news broke in the Western media that human smugglers were kidnapping people  mainly Eritreans  on their way to Europe, holding them in camps in the Sinai Desert in Egypt. The kidnappers were torturing the refugees to extort ransom money from their relatives.

Estefanos negotiates with the people smugglers on the telephone, helps organize ransom money and consoles desperate relatives. Her power to convince on the telephone is her weapon. Often, Estefanos says, the horror stories take her breath way.

In the torture camps in Sinai, she explains, the people smugglers used a particularly cruel technique. First they squeezed out the telephone number of the refugees families. Then they called them up to demand the ransom money. The deceitful thing about it: While they were on the phone, they were torturing the refugees so that their screams could be heard by their relatives on the other end of the line.

She vows to haul to court every human trafficker who makes money this way. She collects evidence, records telephone calls and keeps lists of the ransom sums.

If you kill a cat in Sweden, you end up in prison. Meanwhile I hear stories of refugees who are being tortured every hour. And the whole world is just watching. This sentence was uttered by Estefanos in an award-wining 2013 Israeli documentary about the torture camps in Sinai. How many people smugglers has she brought to court since then?

None, she says. But the day of righteousness will come.

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A far-right Dutch politician who has made attacks on Islam his signature issue was convicted Friday of inciting discrimination  but the court ordered no penalty, and more serious hate speech charges were dropped.

The trial of Geert Wilders, whose Party for Freedom is leading in polls ahead of parliamentary elections set for March 2017, had been closely watched not only in the Netherlands, but elsewhere in Europe, where far-right populist parties have seen a surge of support.

Public attitudes about Islam, immigration and cultural assimilation are likely to have a strong bearing on elections next year in Germany and France, in addition to balloting in the one-time liberal stronghold of the Netherlands.

Wilders, a flamboyantly theatrical figure, was charged in connection with remarks at a March 2014 appearance during a municipal election campaign, in which he encouraged a crowd of supporters to shout demands that fewer Moroccans be allowed in the country.

When they responded with raucous chants, he smiled and promised to take steps to fulfil that aim. The scene was shown on national television.

The three-judge panel Friday declined to impose a penalty  and dropped the more serious charge of hate speech, instead convicting Wilders of inciting discrimination and insulting a group.

The 53-year-old politician denounced the verdict and said he would appeal. He quickly took to Twitter to brand the courts finding as madness and asserted that half the Netherlands shared his views.

Wilders has adopted a public stance on Islam that was long considered well outside the countrys political norms, including advocating a nationwide ban on the Quran and the closing of Islamic schools.

There has been public pushback against his most hard-line views. The trial was triggered by nearly 6,500 complaints received by police, and the court proceedings included testimonials from Dutch Moroccans who said they felt threatened and demeaned by Wilders comments. The prosecution had sought a fine of 5,000 euros, or about $5,280.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who heads a rival liberal party, demanded that Wilders renounce his remarks about Moroccans, and said he would otherwise refuse to join with him in any coalition government  a common political arrangement in the country.

At his trial, held in a tightly secured courtroom outside Amsterdam, Wilders invoked a free speech defence. But the presiding judge said his words had collectively dismissed as inferior Dutch citizens of Moroccan descent, and chided him for using his prominence to sow divisiveness.

Moroccan-born American academic and author Anouar Majid, who has written several books about Islam in the West, said far-right parties were reaping political gains from anxiety over Europes wave of immigration.

This attitude  and you find echoes of it in the recent election in the United States  comes from a sense that people are losing control of their culture, their tradition and their heritage, he said.

In countries like the Netherlands and France, he said, discrimination and a lack of economic opportunity tended to contribute to immigrant-descended communities holding themselves apart from the mainstream, he said  leading to yet more friction and animosity.

Its a vicious cycle, Majid said.

Morocco was a colonial-era Dutch ally, and many Moroccan and Turkish nationals came to the country as guest workers in the 1960s and 1970s, with larger numbers arriving later under family-reunification measures. Muslims make up some 5 per cent of the Netherlands population of about 17 million.

While Holland has long been known for a tolerant world view encompassing legal prostitution and some of Europes least stringent drug laws, relations with the countrys Muslim community have been increasingly fraught for more than decade.

Negative attitudes were crystallized by shock over the gruesome 2004 slaying of filmmaker Theo van Gogh, a critic of Islam, by a Dutch citizen of Moroccan descent. In the same era, Somali-born activist turned Dutch parliamentarian Ayaan Ali Hirsi, who eventually left for the United States, came under sustained threat when she crusaded against female circumcision and other Muslim mores she described as barbaric.

More recently, Dutch authorities have been alarmed by the numbers of radicalized young citizens joining the ranks of Islamic State, and by the spectre of returning fighters and suspected sleeper cells in the country. While Holland has not suffered large-scale terror strikes such as those that have hit neighbouring Belgium and France, authorities have for the past several years assessed the terror risk as high.

Authorities on Friday announced the arrest of a terror suspect in the port city of Rotterdam. Dutch news reports said police had seized an assault rifle, cash and an Islamic State flag.

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WASHINGTONDonald Trump has made clear he wants buy-American rules in the massive infrastructure program hes planning, launching an ardent defence of domestic-purchase requirements that can cause tensions with other countries.

Critics of such buy-American provisions say it not only freezes out foreign competition, but hurts Americans too, by driving up the cost of construction, which means taxpayers get fewer roads and bridges for their buck and fewer construction jobs in the long run.

But the measures have considerable political support and the president-elect strongly suggested, in a speech Thursday night, that he sees them as part of a historic, $1 trillion infrastructure bill hes urging lawmakers to pass.

My administration will follow two simple rules  buy American and hire American, Trump told a cheering crowd in Iowa, at his latest post-election, campaign-style rally.

On infrastructure, I am going to ask Congress to pass legislation that produces $1 trillion of new investment in Americas crumbling infrastructure and it is indeed crumbling. That includes major new projects for both our rural communities and our inner cities, which have also been forgotten.

And we will put our people  not people from other lands  our people back to work in the process. It is time to help Americans get off the welfare and get back into the labour market and theyre going to want to do it. ... Rebuilding this country with American hands, by American workers. Were going to do it.

His words echo those of some lawmakers from both parties, which suggests the issue could surface in the new year when Congress turns its attention to Trumps legislative agenda.

It would repeat an old story.

In the midst of the 2009 recession, Congress included buy-American rules in a stimulus bill signed by President Barack Obama  which caused early tension with the Canadian government, as the latter argued the rules made little sense in an integrated continental economy where companies operate on both sides of the border.

After much lobbying, the Canadian government got a special carve-out for Canada  but it didnt apply to every infrastructure program, didnt apply in every state, was only temporary and has now expired.

Some U.S. trade veterans have been expecting this issue to resurface.

My best guess would be that if there is a stimulus bill, there would be a buy-American provision, said Jean Heilman Grier, who used to work for the U.S. government as the senior procurement negotiator for trade deals.

She said she hopes the bill at least will include a stipulation that existing trade agreements be respected  a clarification senators added to the 2009 stimulus bill.

She said Canada might also try including procurement in the upcoming discussion about NAFTA, which Trump says he wants to renegotiate. Canadas new deal with the European Union includes liberalized infrastructure procurement.

But she said theres a problem doing that with the U.S. Its an issue of American federalism. Heilman Grier said that, in the U.S., even if the states sign on to liberalized federal procurement standards, they dont control local projects.

They cant dictate how cities do their procurement, she said in an interview.

You cant have Illinois say, OK, well include Chicago.

She now works in the private sector for the international consulting firm Djaghe. When asked how she, personally, feels about the wisdom of buy-American rules, she responds coyly: As a government negotiator I would defend them. But I cant point to any data that says its good for the U.S.

The president-elect, however, sounded quite enthusiastic in his latest campaign-style speech.

Remember, years ago, Trump said, we used to proudly display Made in the USA? You go get a car, right, and well have it say, Made in the USA. We dont see it. Have you ever seen it? I dont see it anymore. We want to start doing that.

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SAINT-HYACINTHE, QUE.Two Quebec teens charged with conspiracy to commit murder and sexual assault in an alleged plot against some of their classmates will remain behind bars.

In rejecting their bid for release today, a judge cited public safety and the need to preserve the publics faith in the judicial system.

The two boys were arrested in September and face 23 charges in all.

Court documents state there were six alleged victims in the plot.

Parents of the accused and those of some of the classmates allegedly targeted were in the courtroom in St-Hyacinthe this afternoon.

The case is expected to resume next week.

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BERLIN  In a recent tweet, a German lawmaker used a highly specific term to describe her anti-migrant angst. Suggesting her countrys national identity was under threat, she cried Umvolkung  a word roughly translated as ethnic conversion.

It is also a word that was last in vogue when Adolf Hitler ruled the land and its appropriation by a politician from Chancellor Angela Merkels ruling party sparked an uproar. Yet the tweet highlighted the terms resurgence in Germany  where a glossary of a half-dozen terms long associated with the Nazis are staging a comeback.

Hitler and his propagandists wielded a toxic lexicon in the early 20th century, deploying vocabulary meant to exalt ethnic purity and own Germanys only real truth. And the re-emergence in social media, literature and political protests of words that were weaponized by the Nazis is generating a fierce debate here over the power of language in politics, especially as nationalists surge on both sides of the Atlantic.

While were at it, why dont we just give a positive meaning to the word concentration camp?  quipped television satirist Hans-Joachim Heist after a different German politician recently defended another word  volkisch  used by the Nazis to conjure images of a racially pure state.

Forces on the political right are hailing the exhumation of such words as a triumph over political correctness and war guilt  as well as a nod to free speech in Europe, which came under the spotlight after the guilty verdict Friday against Dutch nationalist Geert Wilders for inciting hate against Moroccans. Calling it time to reclaim German words tainted by the Nazis, proponents see a new tell-it-like-it-is discourse taking shape over an influx of nearly 1 million mostly-Muslim migrants from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond.

In a post-factual world, some reclaimed words are meant to stake ownership over truth. At least one  Lugenpresse, or lying press, a slur aimed at the mainstream media  popped up among Donald Trump supporters on the U.S. campaign trail. In Germany, its become a fixture at anti-migrant protests and a word lobbed like bombs on Twitter and Facebook against the media.

Critics, however, see heightened usage of ethnically charged terms as an attempt to detoxify them  as well as the racist notions they once represented.

As linguistic political tools, experts rank them alongside alt-right  coined in the United States to recast the white supremacy movement. Rather than mint new words, however, the Germans need only look to history for a nationalist thesaurus. Critics say those embracing such vocabulary are playing a coy game, winking at German nationalism without openly saluting Hitler.

If someone said Sieg Heil today, it would be clear this is about National Socialism, said Georg Schuppener, a noted German linguist and language historian. But the words popping up now at first dont sound like National Socialism, but nevertheless suggest it.

All the words in question predate the Nazis but became tainted in the public mindset after their deployment in Nazi propaganda. After World War II, some terms lingered in beer hall talk and neo-Nazi circles. During the Cold War, a few found a perch in communist East Germany.

But German linguists point to a resuscitation of nationalist terms in 2014, when the anti-migrant group PEGIDA began staging massive demonstrations nationwide. Two years later, the rapid rise of the populist, anti-migrant Alternative for Germany (AfD)  coupled with massive public skepticism of Merkels refugee policy  has these terms rolling off the tongues of politicians and flying around social media in a manner that has shocked many Germans.

In a September interview with Die Welt, the AfDs chief, Frauke Petry, declared it an undue simplification to call the German word volkisch fundamentally racist. Though used by Hitler and his lieutenants to describe a racially pure population, she argued that modern Germans should give the term a positive connotation again.

Last month, Stefan Rapple, another AfD lawmaker, described peers from German parties as Volksverrater  or traitor of the people. Used in the Nazi era as an official charge against enemies, the term has additionally burst forth from the mouths of protesters at anti-migrant political rallies and protests. In August, for instance, right-wing demonstrators taunted Merkels deputy chancellor by calling him Volksverrater.

In a 1933 speech, Hitlers propaganda minister Joesph Goebbels used the word Uberfremdung to denounce what the Nazis saw as the infection of German intellectual life by Jews. Following losses in local elections this year, conservative dissenters in Merkels Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), used it to define citizens fears toward the migrant wave.

The concern about a loss of identity and Uberfremdung of the country has seized many citizens, they wrote in a manifesto.

Previously known for his bestselling novels about cats solving crimes, the writer Akif Pirincci published a tome this year titled Umvolkung  How the Germans are quietly being replaced. Though Turkish born, Pirincci has now aligned himself squarely with German nationalists. His book assailed Merkels open-door policy toward asylum seekers from the Middle East and beyond, warning that Germans were becoming strangers in our own country.

Ronald Glaser, a Berlin-based politician for the AfD, called it unfair to draw any parallels between those redeploying such words now and their use in Nazi propaganda.

None of us deliberately use National Socialist vocabulary, he bluntly said. Attempting to explain the increasing popularity of such words, he added, that many Germans simply fear that by 2040, Germany will be like a Third World country which doesnt consist mostly of white people.

Yet in a nation highly sensitive to any echoes of the Nazis  and where the nationalists have had a harder time gaining a foothold than in many other European nations  the use of such terms still risks a powerful backlash. In September, for instance, when Bettina Kudla, a lawmaker for Merkels CDU, used Umvolkung in her anti-migrant tweet, the retribution was swift.

Michael Grosse-Bromer, chief whip of the CDU and its sister party, the CSU, decried her tweet as unspeakable. The CDUs secretary general, Peter Tauber, denounced it as completely unacceptable in tone and content. By October, Kudlas office in her home constituency had been vandalized. Ultimately, the CDU did not nominate her for reelection next year.

But her linguistic bomb won high accolades, too.

Making a Nazi comparison because of the word Umvolkung is remarkably stupid, one supporter  Peter Martin  wrote on her Facebook page. In the 21st century, no one gives a damn about the Nazi era . . . The future belongs to patriots.

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BOGOTAVenezuelas socialist government has seized nearly 4 million toys from a private company and says it will hand them out as Christmas gifts to poor children this holiday season.

The countrys fair pricing authority seized the toys Friday from three warehouses run by Kreisel, Venezuelas largest toy distributor. Two company executives were detained on suspicion of promoting price speculation.

Agency director William Contreras alleged that Kreisel under-reported its inventory in order to sell some toys at higher prices. Kreisel has not commented officially beyond responding to Twitter messages of support.

Authorities said local supply committees will be in charge of distributing the toys fairly to children.

Venezuela has been wracked by a deep economic crisis accompanied by shortages of goods ranging from food staples to medicine.

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On 3-5 October 2017 Kyiv is going to host the Space and Future Forum to network international experts and youth, many of whom will also participate at the first CosmoHack in the world. Joinfo provides media coverage of the Forum, and some of its topics were already discussed ...
Right-wing nationalists in the U.S. and elsewhere have unleashed a vicious form of racism and hatred that is seeping its way into Canadian politics.

The fact that Alberta Premier Rachel Notley can be threatened with chants of lock her up, and (Conservative leadership candidate) Chris Alexanders reaction is that he must listen to constituents, reveals a lot about the character of the man. His nodding along to the chants shows his misogyny and duplicity. This is not the kind of person Canadians need in government.

Similarly, Kelly Leitchs parroting of Trump hatred is a further example of cowardly fear mongering.

Right-wing groups decry political correctness, but ignore the fact that the idea behind the phrase was to redress injustices, violence, murder and inequality committed by racist and anti-Semitic groups. Slogans are for those who dont want mature discussion. The haters are looking for scapegoats.

Canadians of all ages must stand up and not tolerate these attitudes. As Michele Obama reminded us, when they go low, we go high.

Diane Sullivan, Toronto

Ill admit to sharing the discomfort of many about the chants to lock up Rachel Notley, but your editorial failed to point out why the protesters were feeling such visceral distaste for their premier  the tax increases (with more looming), job losses and the continuing attacks on the oil industry, the cosseting of civil-service unions, etc.

I dont recall hearing a similar level of outrage from the Star when David Suzuki was clamouring for Stephen Harper to be thrown in jail because the esteemed professor didnt agree with the latters climate change views. Good to see your double-standards are alive and well.

Jeff Barker, Mississauga

The message from Tuesdays 14-candidate leadership debate was loud and clear: Conservatives love jobs and hate taxes. Those who agree with them should be careful what they wish for, since climate change, man-made or not, will guarantee both.

By rejecting carbon taxing and embracing Sarah Palins motto, Drill baby drill, we would only accelerate toward the tipping point in global warming.

As polar ice melts and sea levels rise, coastal cities will be inundated. Since many of them are the largest, most-populated cities on Earth such as London and New York, there will be hundreds of millions, if not billions, of climate-refugees requiring relocation.

Undoubtedly, it will create billions of jobs the world over in the business of relocating people to inland towns and cities  many of them to be built from scratch and costing trillions of dollars.

So this is the choice: pay carbon taxes now to prevent climate catastrophe or pay later for the consequences of failing to slow climate change. .

Salvatore (Sal) Amenta, Stouffville

After a recent rally against the pending Alberta carbon tax, one of the many federal Conservative leadership hopefuls, Chris Alexander, claimed he was mortified by the chants of lock her up, which were aimed at Premier Rachel Notley.

I suspect there are many politicians in Canada who deserve to be locked up (after due process, of course) and I would not be surprised if the majority of them actively support rabid right-wing political agendas.

Although my preference would be a principled federal government based on progressive conservative ideals, the current crop of Conservative leadership candidates, except for two, leave me disenchanted. In my mind, Premier Rachel Notley has far more credibility and authenticity than most politicians.

Lloyd Atkins, Vernon, B.C.

Oh please, can we finally stop calling the Conservative hotline a snitch line. The hotline was intended as a help line for victims and their families. Snitch line was nothing more than media spin  put out there in headlines and readily adopted by the cynical left and all the anti-Conservative journalists. These folks love it because it paints Conservatives as bigots. But it is a shameful misrepresentation of the actual intent.

The initiative was proposed along with several other promises all directed toward protecting vulnerable women. One of these, for example, was to provide funding to protect women in developing countries against vicious kidnappings such as that done by Boko Haram.

A help line is not intended to harass members of an immigrant minority group. It is intended to offer an alterative that could potentially result in a positive intervention.

I respect Chris Alexanders knowledge of the difficulties experienced by women in the Middle East and the related difficulties that sometimes manifest even after immigration to a Western country. It is about time that journalists took barbaric crimes seriously.

Linda Stilborne, Kanata, Ont.

The Toronto Star is to be commended for giving coverage to Canadians who hold socially conservative views.

Many Canadians mistakenly believe all Canadians are in favour of abortion on demand and same-sex marriage. Christians of every denomination respect Canadas laws. However, there are millions of Christians who are opposed to same-sex marriage. There are millions of Canadians who do not believe in abortion for any reason.

Those opposed include conservative Roman Catholics, conservative Lutherans, evangelical Christians in many denominations such as Baptist and Pentecostal, Orthodox Christians of many denominations, conservative Mennonites, Amish, Jehovahs Witnesses, Mormons and Seventh-day Adventists.

It is true conservative Christians in Canada have lost the political battle on the issues of abortion and same-sex marriage. However, conservative Christians also believe God has promised they will win the war.

Ken Sisler, Newmarket

So now the Canadian media are trumpetizing Kelly Leitch. After Trumps election, columnists, reporters, etc., were moaning that maybe things would be different if they had not given so much attention to the inane, sexist, racist remarks made by Trump while ignoring more qualified candidates.

They sure learned their lessons. Now we are getting extensive coverage of Leitchs inane, racist remarks while basically ignoring most of the other Conservative candidates. We are even getting reports about her Twitter responses. And I cant even move to the United States if she wins the leadership.

Pat Sherbin, Grafton, Ont.

When Chris Alexander left the diplomatic life, bitten by the political bug, he must have gotten a lethal dose.

No matter how he protests, the picture shows clearly that he was enjoying the moment, smiling as the Alberta crowd chanted Lock her up! I was horrified, first at the chant, then by Alexanders response.

He is unfit to hold public office, never mind aspire to be prime minister. True, it was an unguarded moment, but such moments may be the most telling.

Barbara Beattie, Barrie

Kellie Leitch says her stance about Canadian values is just that, a simple debate about what it means to be a citizen of this country. However, do not be fooled. If you listen to her words, there is something deeply sinister and inhumanly dark with her word choice. When she says her stance is about Canadian values, what shes hinting at is that some of us must be anti-Canadian or un-Canadian. Her words are about excluding. Her words are about discriminating. Her words are about misinforming.

Her language conjures imagery about the other among us, and she employs it for the purpose of shaping opinion and forming allegiances based on stereotypes and fears. We should worry when politicians use words to divide citizens. Her words corrode and undermine.

Charles McAvoy, Eastern Ontario

My thanks to Thomas Walkom for enlightening me on why Ezra Levant of Rebel Media refers to himself as Rebel commander. I had previously assumed it was because he was an American Civil War buff. For some reason, I had never associated him with the 1837 Canadian rebellions.

Perhaps it is because he is not sufficiently left-wing. In any event, he may have started a useful media trend. If the various editors at the Toronto Star refer to themselves as Star Commanders, it may appeal to a younger demographic.

Bruce Couchman, Ottawa

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Unsurprisingly, some readers were confused last weekend when they read the Stars report of the first court appearance of neurosurgeon Mohammed Shamji, who is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Dr. Elana Fric-Shamji.

Is there not a publication ban preventing media from identifying the victim? one reader emailed. Other news outlets are not reporting the victims name due to a court-ordered publication ban, said another.

In fact, there never was any publication ban on reporting the name of the victim, nor of the accused.

But its also a fact that the Star decided to publish the names without certainty that there was no court-imposed ban on the name of the victim, the accused or, possibly, both. Given the Stars longstanding policy that court-imposed publication bans be honoured, this was a highly considered judgment call based on the best available facts at that time and advice from our lawyers.

It wasnt until two days after we had published information other media had reported as banned that the Star learned with all certainty that there was never any ban imposed on publication of the two names. .

What happened can best be described as ludicrous, even comical. Except it concerns serious matters regarding confusion in the courtroom and the challenges for journalists in reporting with clarity on court proceedings. It makes clear that journalists need better understanding of the law and publication bans, but also underscores the reality of a public court system that does little to help the media report accurately.

The confusion began early Saturday when Shamji, 40, made his first court appearance for a bail hearing. At that time, the defence counsel sought a ban on publication of the proceedings, a common occurrence in bail hearings that does not  and, in the interests of Canadas open courts principle, generally should not  usually include a publication ban on the names of the accused and victim. At the same time, the Crown attorney sought an order to prevent publication of the names of two possible witnesses.

Justice of the Peace Odida Quamina granted both requests. But it was difficult to hear him and reporters in the courtroom, including the Stars Kenyon Wallace, became confused about what exactly the bans covered. Wallace asked the Crown attorney for clarification. She referenced the two Criminal Code sections involved and advised him to contact the Ontario Attorney Generals media services office.

Wallace had previously turned to a court clerk for guidance. The clerk told him the ban covered publication of the names of all involved  the victim, the accused and any possible witnesses.

Certainly such a ban would be absurd in this case given that Toronto Police had released the name of the woman and her accused husband the day before and they had been widely circulated in the media. But such absurdity is not unheard of in our courts and the Star has grown increasingly concerned when extraordinary bans that keep the media from reporting key facts about criminal proceedings are declared without reason or explanation.

Concerned that this was such a case, given what the clerk had said, Wallace contacted Managing Editor Irene Gentle and the Stars lawyers. Later that day, lawyer Paul Schabas returned to the JPs courtroom to have the ban explained.

The JP refused to deal with the matter without defence counsel present. He provided no clarity about his orders and neither did he disabuse the lawyer of the Stars understanding that the ban covered publication of the names of the accused and the victim. Neither did the Crown.

Wallace continued reporting, seeking to reach the AGs office. Meanwhile, he began to write a report about the ban on the names. At the same time, some Toronto media reported a publication ban on the victims name. Other outlets didnt report the accused mans name, seemingly believing thats what the ban covered. CTV reported both names, seemingly understanding they were not banned.

Finally, just before deadline, Wallace reached the defence lawyer. He told him there was no ban on the name of the accused and he did not recall a request for a ban on the victims name.

Such was the chaos. As Gentle wrote in an email before publication: So we have a media situation with CP24 naming only her, CBC only him, and Canadian Press and us naming both. But a defence counsel who says neither are banned. And a clerk who says both are.

Clear as mud? We thought so too.

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In recent years, China has been a convenient scapegoat when things go wrong in the global marketplace. China's banking sector is in trouble, debt levels in China are too high, China's real estate bubble is going to pop ... the list goes on. Countless headlines predict doomsday scenarios emanating from the belly of the dragon.

It's statistically inevitable that China's economic growth is slowing. Something that's already very big, whether it's an economy or a company, can't continue to grow at a rapid pace forever. China's economic growth has slowed to 6.5% a year, down from an average of 10% a year from 1991 to 2015.

Even though the world's second-biggest economy is slowing, it still adds 6.5% to $10 trillion each year. That means, even at 6.5%, China is adding the equivalent of four economies the size of Kuwait's (or roughly one Pennsylvania) every year. (What's the best way to invest in this growth? Click here to find out.)

As shown below, since 2000, China's GDP has grown more than 800% -- more than any other large economy in the world. The current fastest-growing large economy, India, has seen its GDP, or total economic output, grow by "only" 335% over the past 15 years.

GDP Per Capita Still Has Lots of Room to Grow

Relative to the U.S. and other developed economies, China's GDP per capita is low. That's because all this rapid growth is spread among 1.3 billion people.

The average GDP per capita (which is roughly a measure of how much wealth is created per person) in the U.S. is more than $55,800. For Singapore, it's near $53,000. China's GDP per capita is only a little more than $7,900.

How much more could China grow? If the U.S. is used as a benchmark, China could grow a lot more. The chart below shows the growth in U.S. GDP per capita since 1960 and China's GDP per capita growth since 2000.

In the graph above, the black line shows GDP per capita in the U.S. from 1960 to 2015. This was an incredible period of growth that led the global economy.

Now look at the red line. That's China's GDP per capita from 2000 to 2015. It closely tracks the growth of the U.S.'s GDP per capita.

China's current GDP per capita is about where the U.S. was in 1976. From that point, U.S. GDP per capita growth took off. Today, 40 years later, U.S. GDP per capita is more than $55,000.

We cannot predict the future. Like any economy, China's economy will have its ups and downs. But this graph gives you an idea of the kind of growth that could happen.

Chinese Middle-Class Consumers Will Drive Growth

It's important to note that China's future economic growth will differ radically from the past. Growth will not come from low-paid factory workers making plastic toys and cheap electronics.

Instead, Chinese consumers, led by China's booming middle class, will drive growth. People in China are spending more money on goods and services in their own country. Domestic consumption is slowly replacing China's old export-driven model of economic growth.

According to digital marketing consultants eMarketer, China will pass the U.S. as the world's largest retail market this year. That makes Chinese shoppers the world's biggest spenders.

And Chinese consumers are only getting started.

The Brookings Institution, an American think tank, projects China will account for 18% of total global middle-class consumption by 2030. Compare this to the U.S.'s middle class, which is expected to only make up 7% of the world's middle-class consumption by 2030.

By 2022, there will be at least 550 million middle-class Chinese. (Middle class is defined as households earning $9,000 to $34,000 per year.)

This growing class of consumers is a key driver of economic growth in China. This country is the epitome of a "rags to riches" story. And the tale has only just begun.

For details on what I think is one of the most compelling opportunities in Asia's market, click here.

---

Kim Iskyan is the founder of Truewealth Publishing, an independent investment research company based in Singapore. Click here to sign up to receive the Truewealth Asian Investment Daily in your inbox every day, for free.

This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned.
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UNICEF/UN042751/Hayder

BAGHDAD  9 December 2016 In the single largest humanitarian aid delivery in eastern Mosul since the current conflict began, the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) yesterday provided food, dignity kits, water purification tablets, jerry cans, baby hygiene kits and more for 42,000 people in eastern Mosul. For the first time in over two weeks, security conditions have allowed humanitarian agencies to reach families living in the suburbs of eastern Mosul, many of whom are in desperate need of assistance.

As part of the interagency operation, WFP provided ready-to-eat food rations to meet the immediate food needs for six days for people living in eastern Mosul. UNFPA provided dignity kits for women, and UNICEF delivered one months supply of water purification tablets, high energy biscuits, jerry cans, baby hygiene kits and leaflets with information on child protection and basic mine awareness. The distribution took eight hours to safely gather families and provide them with food and humanitarian supplies.

Access and security are the biggest concerns facing the entire humanitarian community trying to assist families affected by the conflict, said Sally Haydock, Country Director and WFP Representative in Iraq. WFP knows food is running out inside Mosul, and being able to assist so many families in need in eastern Mosul is a great relief.

I saw thousands of happy welcoming children today, it was a very large and important distribution which allowed us to reach more than 21,000 children in eastern Mosul, said Bastien Vigneau, UNICEFs Regional Emergency Advisor who coordinated the aid delivery. Next, we need to focus on delivering longer-term services to these areas to restore acceptable living conditions for children there.

UNFPA is working around the clock to provide immediate relief to women and girls affected by the current conflict whenever security allows, said Nestor Owomuhangi, UNFPA Deputy Representative. The dignity kits that we have managed to distribute today to over 9,000 women and girls include feminine hygiene products, basic clothing like a dress and head cover. They offer more than the basic requirements as they allow women to take care of their well being and enable them to gain confidence to get out of their tents or houses to seek other available services.

# # #

Links to photos:

https://www.yousendit.com/download/cUJVa0ZTOC9sUjl4Tk1UQw

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zj3yxuqsn6j042d/AACh4CaiY0qd4DWKW4Qgcwzga?dl=0


Emily Padgett, standing left, Donald Jones, Jr., Sutton Foster, seated left, Joel Perez, seated right, and Cody Williams in "Sweet Charity." (Monique Carboni/Seven17 Public Relations via AP)

Its a challenge, pinpointing exactly where Sutton Foster begins and Charity Hope Valentine ends.

My tagline on my email is, Sent from the land of puppy dogs and rainbows,  Foster says with all earnestness, as she reflects on the character she plays in the current off-Broadway revival of Sweet Charity.

Vital differences exist, of course, between the two-time Tony-winning actress and the lovelorn, self-deluding dancer-for-hire of this 1966 musical comedy with songs by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields and a book by Neil Simon. But, as Foster confides, she didnt have to suppress too many of her own impulses to adopt the disposition of a woman who applies a rosy finish to lifes harsh surfaces.

I felt from day one I had a sense of who she was, Foster says of the role, which she had long talked about attempting. Charity is like  she cant deal with the circumstances of her life. Therefore shes an idealist, not a realist. And I am, as well. She refuses, or is unable, to see herself, and the reality of her life. And I understand that. I have a bit more sense of my world. But there is something about that  I get it. I get it. I get that escapism in her.

A conversation with Foster, who at 41 has escaped into the top echelon of Broadway singing and dancing stars, provides a curious contrast to the impression of total self-assurance one forms from watching her performances, mostly on stage, but with increasing frequency on television, in series such as the ABC Family cult favorite Bunheads, which lasted only one season, and TV Lands Younger, now in its third.



Sutton Foster in "Younger." (TV Land)

In the Broadway limelight, portraying Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie or Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes  the roles that earned her best actress-in-a-musical Tonys in 2002 and 2011  she exudes a kind of preternatural confidence, a sense that executing dance combinations while hitting high notes is encoded in her show tune gene.

That old-school technical know-how helps to explain why shes done particularly well in parts that recall the Broadway of yore: Millie, set in the 1920s; Cole Porters Anything Goes, which premiered in 1934; and the 2006 spoof of 1920s musical comedies, The Drowsy Chaperone.

Yet the armor of cunning perfectionism shes often worn appears merely to be a single costume in a more expansive wardrobe, one that shes been eager to rummage through. Its only lately, in parts such as the title role in Violet and as Charity in this decidedly darker-than-usual Sweet Charity, produced by the innovative New Group, that Foster has been able to put away the shiny, steel-coated facade and try on softer, more psychologically nuanced material.

She stands on the stage and she peels off her skin and you see her heart, says Sweet Charity director Leigh Silverman, who first directed Foster in summer 2013 in an Encores! Off-Center series concert version of Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawleys Violet, the story of a physically and emotionally scarred woman who goes on a wrenching pilgrimage for healing. Theres true courage in the way she plays this part, to be so willing to go there in all of its extremities, to find the dignity in a character who does nothing but discredit herself.

It was Foster who, having forged such a strong bond with Silverman via Violet  and after the show moved to a full Broadway production, secured another Tony nomination for her portrayal  fought for Washington-bred Silverman to shepherd Sweet Charity.

I felt really safe under her guidance, Foster says. She pulled out things in me that I didnt even know I had. She helped me reveal a different part of myself.

The subtext of these remarks underscores something else about Foster: her status in the business. She can not only get a musical project going, but she can also use her clout to help assemble the creative team. Not that shes comfortable with this idea. Indeed, the realization that she has some control unnerves her. Other actors crave the increased freedom that can be a byproduct of awards and celebrity. Foster, not so much. A hoofer since age 17, when she went to an open audition in Detroit for a road company of The Will Rogers Follies and won a chorus spot, she professes herself a lot more comfortable with meshing with the gang than telling them what to do.

She, of course, knows from pressure, but at this stage in her life, living in Manhattan with her husband, screenwriter Ted Griffin, and their two rescue dogs  she was previously married to actor Christian Borle  she seems happy to take some pressure off. Doing Sweet Charity off-Broadway for a nonprofit company (and ultimately in a theater on the far west end of 42nd Street with only about 200 seats), was her idea. What appealed to her about this arrangement was precisely what gave some pause to her advisers: a chance to do a show on a small scale, with no huge expectations.

The one thing thats frustrating about this is that everyone is, Well, is it going to go to Broadway?  she says. I said, Cant we do it without any agenda? I was like, Can we just do it for what it is, do it for 12 weeks and hope its amazing? Is that possible anymore? 

That plea for a downshift in gears  in a part she confesses is, with the exception her breakout turn in Millie, the most grueling of her career  comes from a performer whos been powering through for more than 20 years. The only daughter of a General Motors worker and a Michigan homemaker, she grew up in a household of unusually talented theater kids: Her brother, a few years older, is Hunter Foster, a Broadway actor and writer whose musical with composer Matt Conner, The Hollow, premiered in 2011 at Signature Theatre in Arlington.

Encouraged by her mother, who Foster says was thwarted in her own ambition to be a fashion model, she pursued singing and dancing with a vengeance, going on tour with Will Rogers before finishing high school. (Shed receive a correspondence degree later.) Yeah, at 17. As a showgirl. And I was a young 17. It was intense. And I grew up really fast. I would sit around with my Sweet Valley High books and my teen magazines, and the showgirls would be smacking those out of my hands, she says, laughing. They roughed me up pretty good.

Shes forthcoming now, in the aftermath of her mothers death, about the complexity of that relationship, and how what she experienced as her mothers withholding of praise and mixed feelings about her success affected her.

A lot of my career was based on trying to make her proud of me, Foster says, sitting in a quiet corner of a cafe in the lobby of the midtown theater  also called Signature  in which Sweet Charity is running. We had this tricky relationship, and she didnt travel; she was agoraphobic. So it was constantly trying to get her to see me. (Meanwhile, she says, she has become close to her father over the years.)

And I think for that reason, every time someone said, Oh you cant do that or Thats impossible I was like, Oh, yeah? And now that shes passed away, I can say, that if she had been all lovey-dovey, and supportive, I wonder if I would be such a fighter. She made me very tough, very resilient.

It seems as if two dominant strands in Fosters view of herself, that of a survivor, and that of an idealist, are linking up more consciously these days in the musical theater roles shes taking on. Shes looking for roles that stretch her, and in Silvermans conception of Sweet Charity, the title character is a mass of contradictions, a desperately needy pleaser who in projecting better qualities onto inadequate men not only puts her chances for happiness in jeopardy, but also her self-esteem.

The reviews for this grittier version of the musical  which jettisons the shows fable-like final words, And so she lived hopefully ever after  have been mixed. But Fosters notices have been characteristically admiring. The woman playing this Charity may get her wish: The project could simply be a 12-week rocket. Even as Fosters theatrical ever-after is likely to go on and on.

Sweet Charity, book by Neil Simon, music and lyrics by Cy Coleman. Directed by Leigh Silverman. Tickets: $95-$175. Through Jan 8 at the Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 W. 42nd St., New York. Visit thenewgroup.org.


Alex Katzs Ariel, 2016. Two-color silk-screen on fine art paper, on view in Black and White at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center. (Alex Katz/Paul Takeuchi Photography/American University Museum)

In Black and White, Alex Katzs show at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, as many as 11 colors produce a narrow range of grays in the 89-year-old New Yorkers lithographs and line drawings.

Katzs 1950s paintings are precursors of pop art, and the artist shares the popsters affinity for commercial graphics. One of the shows largest pieces is a three-panel portrayal of shoppers. Another image, here as both a black-backdrop silk-screen and in a cutout version, depicts a woman in motion, posing in a swimsuit and broad-brimmed hat. Feminine icons are frequent subjects, although the selection includes portraits and a few landscapes.

Always a representational artist, Katz has often worked in vibrant color. Yet his style peels nicely. The earlier pieces in this monochromatic array are less austere, tempered by shades of gray. But the shows standouts are recent, large and stark. Their simplicity and boldness are well matched.



Melissa Ichiujis Glissade, at the American University Museum. (Melissa Ichiuji/American University Museum)

Most of the women in Melissa Ichiujis Make You Love Me, also at the museum, are literally plush. Theyre dolls, assembled from scraps of material and memory. Theyre not for kids, though. The local artists creations feature openings and cavities: wombs, but also wounds. One mannequin zips open her back to reveal her spine; another bleeds from where her breasts were severed by a guillotine-like device.

Bodies age, wither and ultimately fail, a process the playful yet ominous figurines evoke. They also invoke a specific loss: the fire that destroyed the artists family home when she was a child. This is commemorated by a series of partly charred model dwellings, and a huge steel Goddess of the Burning House. Like many of Ichiujis creations, the deity combines dread and mastery.

Alex Katz: Black and White/Melissa Ichiuji: Make You Love Me On view through Dec. 18 at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 202-885-1300. american.edu/museum.



Michele Montalbanos Hide and Seek, paper and hand-cut wallpaper on canvas, at the Arlington Arts Center. (Michele Montalbano/Arlington Arts Center)

Fall Solos 2016

The seven Mid-Atlantic artists in Arlington Arts Centers Fall Solos 2016 deal in incongruity and juxtaposition, whether of media or subject or both. Lewis Colburn simulates Colonial-era artifacts such as rifles and a spinning wheel, mostly in wood, yet with some pieces molded of translucent red urethane. Michele Montalbano overlaps pieces of wallpaper, primarily with designs that evoke 18th-century France but interleaving a few scraps whose imagery suggests a boys bedroom out of Leave it To Beaver.

Painting oozes into sculpture in Andrew Hladkys mainly black pieces, the most unruly of which send tendrils off the canvas and into space. Michael Booker and Liz Guzman alternate between flat and 3-D formats, and both can paint realistically  or surrealistically  when they choose. In Bookers striking HSG Bust II, a sculpture is hidden behind painstakingly rendered lacy garments. Some of Guzmans tropical landscapes incorporate objects, but she also simulates depth in large, immersive pictures whose foregrounded leaves promise paradise beyond.



Marion Colomers A Man, watercolor and pencil on paper with embroidery, at the Arlington Arts Center. (Marion Colomer/Arlington Arts Center)

The hybrids are edgiest when they encompass human flesh. Amanda Burnhams expressionist drawing-sculptures imagine cities as organisms, with arms and lips jumbled with doors and windows, all eerily lighted. Marion Colomers pencil drawings of nudes are set in painted jungles that are more colorful than their inhabitants. Yet most of the people are in sexually explicit poses, giving them an erotic charge that belies their wispy rendering. Colomer even helped craft an original perfume for the installation, adding another dimension.

Fall Solos 2016 On view through Dec. 18 at Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. 703-248-6800. arlingtonartscenter.org.

[recombinant] fellows: RA

Hamiltonian Gallery annually assembles a group of fellows, artists whose callings and careers it fosters. The latest team got a field trip to Boston, directed by curator Camilio Alvarez. The outcome can be seen  or not seen  in [recombinant] fellows: RA.

Although most of the eight participants worked separately, the results sometimes dovetail. Nara Parks Shatter is a small suspended ceiling, made of plywood painted to simulate stone, that appears to be splintered. Jim Leachs Shatter Stands features pieces of broken plates as part of a starkly lighted setting for performances. Dan Perkins also fragments his small landscape paintings, at least visually, by interrupting the vistas with hard-edge geometric shapes.

Two artists present summations of a sort, both in the form of common art-museum offerings. Nancy Daly fabricated gift-shop souvenirs of the other fellows projects, complete with facetious certificates of authenticity. Allison Spences amusing piece is an audio tour of the show, inspired by a trip to Bostons Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The aural guides ploy shouldnt be spoiled, but museum buffs probably know that one of the most notable things about the Gardner is what is not on display there.

[recombinant] fellows: RA On view through Dec. 17 at Hamiltonian Gallery, 1353 U St. NW, Suite 101. 202-332-1116. hamiltoniangallery.com.



Katharine Cobeys Sporting the Blues, hand-spun and hand-knit wool and linen, on view at BlackRock Center for the Arts. (Katharine Cobey/Elysa Darling/BlackRock Center for the Arts)

Twist

Making fabrics, and garments from them, is an art. But thats just part of whats celebrated in Twist: The Art of Spinning by Hand. The BlackRock Center for the Arts show features a dress, a cape and sparkly art yarn, but the implements on display are just as elegantly crafted. Among the spinning wheels, sculpted of finely grained wood, are one as small as a hardback book and another embellished with carved wooden moon and stars. Equally refined are such small implements as lucets (for braiding) and drop spindles (for spinning without a wheel).

If these devices are evidence of a handicraft revival, its not a purely antiquarian one. Lightweight carbon-fiber arms are part of the latest spinning equipment, and one of the larger wheels is constructed mostly of PVC pipe. The shows Spin Lab includes touchable fibers of wool, silk, flax and cotton, but also recycled plastic bottles.

For all their finesse, these are tools, made for use rather than display. So its fitting that the show closes with spinning lessons, free and open to all, Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Twist: The Art of Spinning by Hand Through Dec. 17 at BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Dr., Germantown. 301-528-2260. blackrockcenter.org/gallery.


Shows like The Crown and Downton Abbey may be fueling American enthusiasm for British bubbly, says Richmond importer and British native Bartholomew Broadbent. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post)

Last year, I reported on the arrival of bubblies from Ridgeview Wine Estate, the first English sparkling wines to reach the Washington market. Turns out, that was a trickle. This year, the English bubbly is pouring with gusto.

We can now add Gusbourne, Balfour, the Bolney and Digby Fine English to the list. Like the Ridgeviews that debuted a year ago, these new arrivals offer tremendous quality and value.

[Four British bubblies to try this week (and a fifth to try later)]

Englands prime wine areas are in the south, through the counties of Sussex, Hampshire and Kent. This is the warmest part of England, though still cool for wine production. The climate helps ripen the grapes just enough while preserving the acidity so vital to sparkling wine. The region also shares a geological heritage with Champagne, in northern France, as both regions lie astride the same ancient chalk sea bed.

Gusbourne Estate is a young winery, having planted its first vines in 2004. But already, the wines are world class. (Gusbourne Estate)

Although British vintners managed to add bubbles to wine as early as the 1700s, the modern era of English sparkling wine dates to the mid-1960s. Five decades of grape growing and experimentation have led to improved quality and increased quantity. Global warming hasnt hurt, either, as Richmond-based importer Bartholomew Broadbent, a British native, points out.

Back in the 1960s, my father  that would be noted British wine expert Michael Broadbent  was winemaker for an English winery, Broadbent says. I remember clearly cutting grapes with secateurs when I was 6 years old. It was a cold, muddy job, and back then the English climate was probably the main reason the wines werent great. Today, one of the few benefits of climate change is that southern England has been blessed with an ideal climate for making top-quality sparkling wine.

What Broadbent calls an absolute frenzy of American interest in these wines has been fueled by television shows such as Downton Abbey and The Crown, he adds. The shows help maintain a healthy interest in the highest reaches of English society, and English sparkling wine is the pinnacle.

This fall, Broadbent Selections added sparkling wines from Gusbourne Estate winery to its portfolio. These include a riveting 2011 Blanc de Blancs (made entirely of chardonnay) and a deep, savory Brut Reserve. Gusbourne is a young winery, with vines first planted in 2004 and its first releases in 2010. So theres no track record of centuries, as there is in Champagne, but these early wines are world class.

This is the month of giving, and, if you want to give something which nobody has tasted but represents the very finest in wine, then Gusbourne is the perfect answer, Broadbent says.

Gusbourne is not the only answer, however, and Broadbent is not the only one prone to letting his marketing enthusiasm flow as freely as wine. We want to be an internationally loved luxury brand, says Trevor Clough, a co-founder of Digby Fine English, which owns no vineyards but follows the classic champagne negociant model, buying grapes from a variety of growers. The brand, founded in 2009, is named for Sir Kenelm Digby, who invented the modern wine bottle (strong enough to contain the pressure of sparkling wine) in the 17th century.

I met Clough in October at a reception in New York at the British consuls residence. He boasted that Digby was the most expensive English sparkling wine, an interesting marketing tack to be sure. We blend to achieve a beautiful Digby nose, a round Digby body and an elegant, lasting finish, he enthused.

The New York event introduced the British Bottle Co., an exporter of U.K.-made beer, wine and spirits founded by Red Johnson, son of Hugh Johnson, the eminent wine writer.

England produced only 5 million bottles of wine (total, not just sparkling) last year, but that was double the production of just five years earlier, said Ross Allen, the deputy U.K. consul. Its also gotten a lot cheaper over the past few months, he added ruefully, referring to the decline in the British pound after Britains voters decided to leave the European Union.

Richard Balfour-Lynn has no desire to grow his Hush Heath Estate winery into a large operation. We want to remain a boutique winery, he said as he poured me a taste of his Balfour 1503 Rose, a lovely pink fizz that remains crisp despite an unusually high 18 grams of residual sugar. Its the British acidity that keeps it balanced, Balfour-Lynn beamed.

Yet he was more modest than his counterparts in describing his drive to produce high-quality wine in an unknown region. Were in a business where if you fail to sell your product, you have to drink it yourself, he said. So itd better be something we like.

Red Johnson was not so shy in describing his plans to sell his five brands of English fizz in markets as diverse as Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Canada and Europe in addition to the United States. Wherever theres a sophisticated wine culture, we want to be, he told me.

And why enter a market bringing so many brands of an unknown product? If you export one wine to a market, its a novelty, he said. If you export a portfolio, it becomes a category.
THE DISTRICT

Victim of fatal shooting identified

The man fatally shot Thursday in his home in the 600 block of Nicholson Street NE, has been identified by D.C. police as Victor Anthony Holden, 26.

A police report says that the house was ransacked. Police did not cite a motive.

 Peter Hermann

4-decade sentence in 2014 killing

Gregory Allen Green fatally shot Derrick Eugene Williams, 35, outside Williamss Southeast home two years ago, federal prosecutors say.

Then, as Williams lay on the ground, Green, 28, went through his pockets for money, prosecutors said.

On Friday, D.C. Superior Court Judge Milton C. Lee Jr. sentenced Green, 28, to 42 years in prison. Greens first trial last year ended in a mistrial, but he was later convicted.

Green, has insisted that he was not involved in the shooting and plans to appeal.

 Keith L. Alexander

VIRGINIA

States sagging tax collections looking up

Virginias revenue collections rose 5.4 percent for the year as of November, better than the forecast of 1.7 percent, the governors office said Friday.

November was especially strong, with general-fund revenue up 13.4 percent over the same month last year.

The state has said it faces a budget shortfall of about $861 million for fiscal 2016 and 2017, and about $654 million for 2018. The new figures will help ease matters. Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) presents his budget proposal next Friday.

 Gregory S. Schneider

maryland

Pedestrian dies after being struck Tuesday

A woman hit by a car in Rockville Tuesday died Thursday, Montgomery County police said.

They said Esther Erestain Contreras, 63, of Fort Washington, was struck at Chapman and Bou avenues.

 Victoria St. Martin and Martin Weil
Hundreds of protesters gathered Saturday on a cold and blustery Mall to show support for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in its effort to halt work on a pipeline in North Dakota that the tribe says threatens its water supply and destroys sacred ground.

The Dakota Access Pipeline, or DAPL, has been the focus of a year-long battle between the petroleum industry and a growing coalition of Native American tribes and environmentalists. The protesters have created a camp in North Dakota adjacent to the Standing Rock reservation and a mile from where the pipeline is planned to cross the Missouri River.

[Showdown over oil pipeline becomes a national movement for Native Americans]

With the U.S. Capitol in the background and the National Museum of the American Indian a half-block away, Saturday afternoons Standing Rock & Beyond #NoDAPL protest began with the sound of drums and chanting filling the chilly air as members of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota pounded out a rhythm and cried out in prayer.

When I have kids, I want them to know what clean water tastes like. I want them to know what it feels like to swim in that water, said Emerson Little Elk, 20, who led the singers. Thats why we have to be out here so that people everywhere will know whats going on at Standing Rock. Little Elk and the other drummers arrived Friday night from the Standing Rock camp, where they have lived for the past four months.

Juanita Cabrera Lopez, of the Maya Mam Nation, says a prayer on Capitol Hill on Saturday during a demonstration to protest the Dakota Access oil pipeline. (Alex Brandon/AP)

[Voices from Standing Rock: Six views from the standoff over the Dakota Access Pipeline]

The tribes and their supporters tasted victory on Dec. 4, when the Army Corps of Engineers denied a permit for the section of the pipeline that would go under the Missouri. But many observers believe that victory will be short-lived as president-elect Trump has indicated he supports completion of the pipeline.

The crowd booed loudly when Jordan Daniel, a member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe who lives in Washington, reminded them that Trump would likely approve the pipeline. She urged them to be vigilant and continue fighting to make their voices heard.

Dont let them forget you, she said. Keep spreading the word.

In the crowd, flags waved and signs were held high: Water is Life!, Veterans Stand with Standing Rock, Stop Letting Corporations Poison our Water, and When did We the People become We the Corporations?

While most in the crowd were from the Washington region, others came from as far as Arizona, New Mexico and California. Genaro Cilel, 47, a Mayan Indian originally from Guatemala who now lives in Philadelphia, stood with his three young daughters watching the protest from the edge of the Capitol Reflecting Pool. Cilel said it was important for him to be there to show solidarity with other tribes.

As Mayans, we take care of water, he said. It is sacred to us. It gives us life.

Ashley Holst, 26, who recently completed a master's degree at American University, also came to the event to show support for the Standing Rock tribe and to protest what she described as environmental inequities.

The tribe didnt want this pipeline, but because of their racial and economic background they were being forced to accept it, Holst said. The issues around water are really important and they keep popping up. People need to pay more attention to these issues.

Following the rally on the mall, the protesters marched to the office of the Environmental Protection Agency on Pennsylvania Avenue to register opposition to the incoming administration, said Sebastian Medina-Tayac, 21, a member of the Piscataway Indian Nation and one of the lead organizers of the march.

This is a really powerful moment in history, said Medina-Tayac. Its a long legacy of Native resistance. This is us asking for basic human rights and dignity and were fighting for our very survival.
Lucia Hill, 10, center in red coat, of the District, at the Childrens Rally for Kindness outside the Trump hotel in Washington on Dec. 10, 2016. The group called on President-elect Donald Trump to remember lessons of kindness when he is in office. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

Amid occasional whiny howls of Im coooold! about 150 children and their parents gathered outside the Trump hotel in Washington on Saturday to tout lessons that they said President-elect Donald Trump needs to hear: Be nice. Tell the truth. Keep your hands to yourself.

Dont be a bully, one pint-size protesters sign read. Use kind words like please and sorry,  said another. One mothers sign: Nasty women raise kind children.

Many parents said they brought their families to the Childrens Rally for Kindness because they still feel disheartened by Trumps victory. Others said they wanted to introduce their children to political activism.

We wanted to try to do something positive, said Christine Sylvest, 38, of Rockville, as her 4-year-old son ducked behind her leg with a sparkly Be nice sign.

Wiping away tears, she added: When Trump was elected, it was the opposite of everything we value. Xenophobia, racism, misogyny  all those things seemed to be legitimized by his election. Its painful and daunting to think those things are going to be legitimized for the next four years.

A poster with a message for the president-elect occupies a parked stroller at the Childrens Rally for Kindness in Washington on Dec. 10, 2016. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

[How parents can help disappointed children deal with Trump win]

As political protests go, the rally had a remarkably high cute quotient. Where else would chubby-cheeked activists sport animal-eared hats, conk out mid-message for their morning nap, and sing This Little Light of Mine?

People should spread kindness instead of hate because hate just turns people against each other, said 10-year-old Lucia Hill, as she bounced up and down against a 25-degree wind chill.

Trump, she said, says things about people who are different, and a lot of those things affect my friends. My friend is Muslim, and a lot of my friends come from different countries. Im worried about them because theyre sad that someone like that would be elected.

Leda Pelton, 9, didnt want to talk about the presidential election, saying, It just makes me sad. But she said shes worried that Trump wont protect the environment.

There are so many animals going extinct, the fourth-grader said. This is where we live. We have to take care of it.

[A father on Trumps victory: Its going to be hard, but were going to be okay.]

The group was organized via Facebook by the Tacoma Parents Action Coalition and Progressive Parents on the Hill. Organizers urged the crowd to tweet messages to Trump saying that, to them, kindness means supporting public schools, paying a living wage, honoring civil rights and protecting the environment.

Organizer Mandie Worsley said that she and other parents were particularly upset that the election campaign had been so divisive  and that their young children had felt it. She said her 5-year-old daughter had wanted to know why the person who says mean things won.

Were trying to set out a vision of America that we want to raise our kids in, said Worsley, 34, who lives in the District. Thats in stark contrast to the America that Donald Trump is creating.
Despite Friday nights wind and cold, a man being taken in handcuffs to the Prince Georges County jail apparently decided that he did not wish to go.

According to a police account, it was about 9:40 p.m. when the man extricated himself from the handcuffs and bailed out of a police car in the 4700 block of Brown Station Road in the Upper Marlboro area.

The man fled just as the police car was about to turn from Brown Station Road onto Dille Drive, where the county detention center is located, said Officer Tyler Hunter, a police spokesman.

The area is not heavily developed, and while it includes many houses, there are also open fields and woods. Police surrounded the area into which the man fled. A bloodhound was brought to aid in searching for him. A helicopter was also dispatched to the area.

Available figures indicate that there was a wind chill temperature of about 20 degrees in that area at that time.

Hunter said the man was returned to custody after about 40 minutes.

Matters began, Hunter said, when an officer made a traffic stop. It was found, Hunter said, that a pending warrant existed for the man. Hunter said the warrant indicated a charge of possession with intent to distribute.

The man was arrested and placed in a police vehicle to be taken to the detention center, Hunter said.

Police were trying to determine how the man got himself out of the handcuffs, Hunter said. He said it appeared that the cuffs were in some way broken.

As of late Friday, the man, who was not named, was in the detention center, Hunter said.
Police charged a Manassas woman with child abuse after authorities said she fed a 3-month-old methadone to calm the child.

Investigators would not say whether the woman, Jessica F. Nicholson, was related to the child.

Nicholson was arrested after the infant was drug-tested at a hospital last weekend, a Manassas police spokeswoman said Friday.

The child was admitted to the hospital Dec. 3 in a state of respiratory distress, police said.

Testing revealed that the infant was under the influence of methadone, said Adrienne Helms, a spokeswoman with the police department. Helms said an investigation revealed that Nicholson orally administered the opiate in an attempt to calm the baby.

Jessica F. Nicholson (Manassas City Police Department)

Authorities said the infant is expected to recover without any long-term health complications.

Nicholson is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 7.
In 1975, a 29-year-old heiress named Alexandra Bruce died from a gunshot wound to the head. Though it seemed at first that she had taken her own life, three years later her Greek husband was indicted for murder. But as he had gone back to Greece and could not be extradited, a trial was never held.

If you were in Washington then, the name Sasha Bruce  for that is what her friends and family called Alexandra  would be tinged with sadness. She was a child of wealth  the daughter of diplomat David Bruce and his hostess wife, Evangeline  who met a tragic end.

Sasha had worked with social-justice issues while in college at Radcliffe. Her parents did not wish Sasha to be remembered chiefly for her demise. And so in 1977, the Bruces helped a District charity buy a former embassy building on Maryland Avenue NE. It was transformed into an emergency shelter for homeless teens and named the Sasha Bruce House. The charity that ran it, which had been founded three years earlier by an indefatigable woman named Debby Shore, became Sasha Bruce Youthwork.

Today, Sasha Bruce Youthwork offers safe homes, life skills classes and workforce opportunities for more than 1,500 young people each year. In 2016, Sasha Bruce reunited 264 runaway youth entering its shelters with family.

Sasha Bruce Youthwork is a partner in The Washington Post Helping Hand. To donate by mail, make a check payable to Sasha Bruce Youthwork and send it to: Sasha Bruce Youthwork, 741 Eighth St. SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. Attention: James Beck.

From despair, hope

In 1968, the Rev. Tom Nees watched the riots that broke out in the wake of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination on the TV in his home in Dayton, Ohio. The knowledge that some of his white parishioners would be relieved that King was gone saddened him immensely.

Three years later, Nees moved to Potomac, Md., to lead another largely white church. Over time, he decided his talents were needed somewhere else: in the impoverished community along 14th Street NW. He founded a church, and with the small congregation renovated a decrepit 43-unit apartment building on Belmont Street NW.

The building provided housing for homeless families, but it provided other services, too: a health clinic, counseling, legal help. . . .

Were not saving souls, Nees would say. Were saving people.

In 1983, Nees speculated that subway construction was likely to mean theyd have to move the operation east of the Anacostia. And thats where its descendant is today.

In 2016 alone, Community of Hope, the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that grew out of the Community of Hope of the Nazarene  the church Nees founded  has improved the lives of 700 District families, including 1,200 children. Nearly 10,000 low-income patients have received services at the charitys three health centers.

Community of Hope is a partner in The Washington Post Helping Hand. Make a check payable to Community of Hope and mail it to: Community of Hope, Attn: Helping Hand, 4 Atlantic St. SW, Washington, D.C. 20032.

A home  and more

In 1969, 11 churches in Falls Church, Va., banded together to create the Falls Church Community Service Council to address the needs of the poor and disadvantaged in their area. The needs were great and under that umbrella, other organizations soon grew.

Among them was Homestretch, spun off by the Community Service Council in 1990 as a separate nonprofit with the aim of helping homeless families in Fairfax County.

From the start, the idea was to attack the root causes of a familys homelessness. Families that enter Homestretch move into their own homes, yes, but they also are required to take life skills classes, learn a trade, improve their English (if they dont speak it), save money and repair their credit.

Around 50 families are in the Homestretch program at any one time, participating in a two-year process that is designed to equip them with the tools they will need to prosper.

Were not really a housing program, said Christopher Fay, executive director of Homestretch. Housing is a big part of what we provide, but were a change program: What can you do to change the course of your life?

Homestretch is a partner in The Washington Post Helping Hand. To donate, make a check payable to Homestretch and mail it to: Homestretch, 303 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church, Va. 22046, Attn: Nan Monday.

You can help

The three Washington Post Helping Hand charities were selected in 2014 to be featured in this column for three years. Next year we will select three new charities to spotlight.

For now, I hope you will consider making a donation. Our goal is to raise a total of $225,000 by Jan. 6. So far, Post readers have donated $52,595. To give online, please visit posthelpinghand.com.

Twitter: @johnkelly

For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly.
Arlington County homeowners who offer a room or a house to short-term renters through online companies such as Airbnb will be able to do it legally, starting Dec. 31, so long as they get a license, the Arlington County Board voted Saturday.

The legalization of the widespread practice  659 hosts had 1,041 rentals available on Saturday  brings with it a requirement that the unit be owner-occupied for at least half the year, with each set of visitors limited to 30 days or fewer. The board approved the measure 4 to 1.

The county license, which wont cost anything for the next six months, requires owners to attest that their home meets state building codes, that they will be on call while the home is rented, and that the property has fire and smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher. Just six people per unit, or two per bedroom, will be allowed during a rental period.

Libby Garvey (D), the board chair, said the code revision was necessary to get registration and regulations in place before the presidential inauguration in January, when an influx of visitors and protesters is expected in the region. The board also was trying to beat the state to the punch; the General Assembly clashed earlier this year over how to regulate the industry, voting to give preliminary approval to a policy that wont take effect until a study is completed and lawmakers have a chance to vote again in early 2017.

[Home-sharing regulations under consideration in Arlington]

Some residents, and board member John Vihstadt (I), objected that the process was too rushed. In a county that ordinarily takes a half-year or more to collect community feedback, this set of regulations was proposed, discussed and passed in less than three months.

Vihstadt, the sole member to vote against the proposal, said he had serious reservations with it, calling it an overreach and not flexible enough. He tried without support to delay the vote until the boards Jan. 28 meeting.

Airbnb praised the county for removing limits on how many units in a multifamily building could rent at once, and for agreeing to streamline the permitting process.

We look forward to using this ordinance as a model for shaping sensible home-sharing guidelines across the commonwealth of Virginia and the entire Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, a company spokeswoman said.

In late January, the board will consider allowing renters to sublet their units, although county officials warned that many older apartment buildings will not qualify for the new home-sharing use because they do not meet current building codes. In addition, any condo association, homeowners association or privately owned building can bar owners and renters from home-sharing.

There will be no cost for the year-long county license at first, but that will probably change in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. County Manager Mark Schwartz said whatever fee is assessed will cover administrative costs.

Fourteen speakers told the board that they wanted rules put in place to make the short-term rentals legal, but they also wanted strict county attention to complaints.

Jennifer Frum, 76, said her three-year experience of renting out rooms in her Arlington Ridge neighborhood home had been very positive.  Ryan Michie said he met the love of his life through the home-sharing experience, and David Lippert said among the 100 people he hosted during the past year and a half was a baby born prematurely to one of his visitors.

Others said residential buildings were not designed for and should not allow commerce such as the rentals. Dorinda Fitt said she awoke one night to find a loud argument going on across the street, among six strangers who were Airbnb renters. Dusty Horwitt said someone in his Columbia Pike condo community advertised that renters could use the common laundry, swimming pool and gym, raising concerns among his neighbors about their own safety.

Board member Katie Cristol (D) championed the rules, promising to be vigilant on behalf of both those renting their units and neighbors who are worried about the impact on their property, safety and peace of mind. Vice Chairman Jay Fisette (D) called the new rules fair, purposeful and minimal.
Carly Fiorina at the Heritage Foundations 2016 Presidents Club meeting in Washington on Tuesday. Fiorina spoke Saturday at a retreat for Virginia Republicans. (Cliff Owen/AP)

Carly Fiorina praised Donald Trumps brilliant moves as president-elect on Saturday as she formally endorsed Republican Ed Gillespie for Virginia governor and looked ahead to her Monday visit to Trump Tower in New York.

Her remarks, made at a retreat for Virginia Republicans, could help patch up her rocky relationship with Trump as she is considered for an administration job  and give Gillespie a boost with Trump supporters as he seeks his partys nomination in a June primary.

Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard chief executive and one of many runners-up to Trump in the GOP primary, has had a bitter relationship with the Manhattan real estate mogul, who disparaged her appearance during the primary. She called on Trump to drop out of the race in October, after he was heard bragging about groping women on an 11-year-old recording.

Donald Trump does not represent me or my party, she said on Twitter at the time.

But Fiorina, a Northern Virginia resident often mentioned as a potential U.S. Senate candidate in 2018, heaped praise on Trump on Saturday, when she spoke to hundreds of state party leaders, elected officials and activists at an annual gathering known as the Republican Advance.

One thing President-elect Trump clearly understands is this: that actually changing an ingrained, embedded status quo requires a major shock to the system, she said. It cant be such a violent shock that you put the patient in cardiac arrest, but you have to have a signal strong enough that people understand change is actually coming. So I think the Carrier deal was brilliant.

Fiorina was referring to Indiana-based Carrier, a manufacturing firm that scaled back plans to move some jobs to Mexico after Trump blasted the planned move during the campaign. Critics have said the number of jobs saved was inflated; its 730, not 1,100 as Trump has said. Others have noted that company, which still plans to ship 700 factory jobs to Mexico, exacted $7 million in state tax credits for scaling down the move.

Fiorina acknowledged those complaints but said the symbolism is more important than the details.

But nevertheless, it was brilliant because it was a signal, she said. It was a signal to working men and women across this nation that, I have your back. I have not forgotten you. 

The crowd at Richmonds Omni hotel responded with hearty applause. It did so again as Fiorina praised Trumps decision to take a protocol-busting phone call from Taiwans leader. She called that similarly brilliant move  precisely because it irked China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province.

With that phone call, President-elect Trump said [to China], We are not playing by your rules,  she said.

[Trumps Taiwan phone call was weeks in the planning, say people who were invovled]

Fiorina opened by formally endorsing Gillespie, a former counselor to George W. Bush who nearly upset Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) in 2014.

Like Fiorina, Gillespie has not always had a cozy relationship with Trump. He kept his distance during the race, stumping with Vice President-elect Mike Pence but avoiding any appearances with the top of the ticket.

Gillespies two GOP rivals were closer to Trump, whose highly energized supporters could be key to winning the nomination in a June primary.

Corey A. Stewart, chairman of Prince Williams board of county supervisors, chaired Trumps Virginia campaign until the final weeks of the race. He was eventually fired for taking part in a protest outside Republican National Committee headquarters that accused the party establishment of trying to undermine Trump.

State Sen. Frank W. Wagner (R-Virginia Beach) initially supported Ohio Gov. John Kasich but got fully on board with Trump once he locked up the nomination.

A fourth Republican  Denver Riggleman, who owns a craft distillery west of Charlottesville  signaled interest in jumping into the race by holding a reception during the retreat. Statewide office-seekers use the retreat to woo activists and demonstrate financial strength by hosting receptions during the Advance.

Riggleman, owner of Silverback Distillery in Afton, has fought to ease regulations on distilled spirits. He said he also has battled with Dominion Virginia Power over a proposed pipeline that would cross his property. He had not made a decision about whether to run but had formed a political action committee with the slogan: Blowing the whistle on government cronyism.

In this climate, non-politicians have a chance to do something good, he said.

Many of those attending were elated by Trumps win, despite his failure to carry Virginia, and hoped it would energize Republicans for the 2017 governors race. The GOP has not won a statewide race in the state since 2009.

But it was not immediately clear how the Trump effect, as former Congressman Eric Cantor called it, will play out in Virginia next year. Mike Rubino, who was Trumps senior Virginia adviser during the campaign, handed out stickers playing up Stewarts firing.

Mr. Trump said: Corey, youre fired!  they read. Rubino said that he handed the stickers out on his own volition and that he was not affiliated with any rival gubernatorial campaigns.

Stewart nevertheless claimed the Trump mantle as his most outspoken Virginia supporter. He billed his reception as a Deplorables thank you party.

But Gillespie also touted his support from people across the party, rolling out a string of endorsements last week that included Trump backers, establishment figures and Christian conservatives such as state Sen. Richard H. Black (R-Loudoun).

I feel like were bringing the party together, he said. People are hungry to win here in Virginia.

Wagner also claimed broad support, from urban commuters who appreciated his leadership on a highway legislation to blue-collar workers hes known as a shipyard owner.

I dont know if the Trump effect is here to stay, said Eric Cantor, the former Republican House majority leader, who lost a GOP primary to tea party-backed Dave Brat in 2014. Cantor spoke at a reception honoring Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R), who recently emerged from a long gifts scandal a free but tainted man. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), also scarred by scandal, also appeared at the event, which was closed to the media.
The purest demonstration of value is that patients are willing to pay for these drugs for themselves, for their families. There are a bunch of different factors that go into these decisions. But at times we even see patients willing to enter bankruptcy in order to pay for their therapies.

I think really understanding patients perspectives as they are going through their cancer journey is so important because a patient that maybe has a terminal diagnosis or has a set period of time that they are likely to live may be willing to endure really difficult side effects if it gives them more time with their family. These are those difficult things that you have to consider as a patient that you may not be considering if you are making decisions on a population basis. Its very sensitive.

Sarah Donovan , vice president, Avalere Health

This excerpt was from the December 6 Washington Post Live program Chasing Cancer. Video of the discussions can be see at Wapo.st/chasingcancer.
John Newhouse, a widely admired journalist and author who turned often-impenetrable technical subjects such as nuclear arms negotiations and Cold War politics into dramatic and absorbing narratives, died Dec. 10 at his home in Washington. He was 87.

The cause was congestive heart failure, said his wife, Elizabeth Symmie Newhouse.

Mr. Newhouse wrote nine books, plus 55 major articles for the New Yorker magazine. He had a second, if intermittent, career as a government official with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the State Department.

His eclectic career took him around the world but always brought him back to his adopted home town of Washington, where he witnessed and wrote about 11 presidencies from the 1950s onward and many of the defining events of his time.

He developed a specialty in the politics and strategies behind nuclear weapons, a topic to which he brought an uncommon elegance in books such as War and Peace in the Nuclear Age (1989), a masterful companion volume to a 13-part PBS series.

In addition, Mr. Newhouse had a knack for friendship that brought him into contact with some of the most intriguing stories and individuals of his time. An early friend in Washington was Ted Sorensen, who would achieve fame as a speechwriter for John F. Kennedy, as a senator and later president, and as an author of many of Kennedys most memorable lines.

A recurring topic of conversation at their many lunches was a book that Sorensen said that he was helping Kennedy write that became Profiles in Courage, a compilation of portraits of American senators who had displayed particular bravery. It won a 1957 Pulitzer Prize for biography and bolstered Kennedys reputation as an intellectual.

Before the book was published, Sorensen had given Mr. Newhouse a copy of the manuscript in hopes that his employer at the time, Colliers magazine, a popular weekly that competed with Life and Look, might publish an excerpt from it.

Mr. Newhouse understood that Sorensen, not Kennedy, wrote the book, a fact he confided to an ABC News executive. This was a mistake I later regretted, Mr. Newhouse said.

When the story leaked and caused a stir, Sorensen protested to Mr. Newhouse and asked him to take a call on the matter from then-Sen. Kennedy (D-Mass.). When Kennedy called, he told Mr. Newhouse that the most painful aspect of the imbroglio for him was my apparent belief that someone else had written his book, Newhouse recalled years later. I replied a bit evasively by saying I would do all that I could to assist him if it could be shown that he himself had written the book.

Kennedy said that he would soon return to Washington from a family estate in Florida and would bring the original handwritten manuscript for Mr. Newhouse to read. He said that he would call me as soon as he got to town. But he didnt call, and I never again heard from Jack Kennedy or even spoke with him.

In a 2008 memoir, Sorensen, who died in 2010, finally admitted that he helped write the book and said Kennedy had given him most of the royalties that it earned. That original, handwritten manuscript never materialized.

Wilfred John Newhouse was born in East Orange, N.J., on Feb. 6, 1929. After graduating from Duke University in 1950 and serving two years in the Air Force, he became a copy boy for the United Press wire service in New York.

From there he moved to Colliers, where he soon was offered the No. 2 job in the two-man Washington bureau. Mr. Newhouse jumped at the chance.

The salary was small, but the adventures were numerous and exciting. He covered the 1954 Army-McCarthy hearings that sullied the reputation of Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy (R), the zealot from Wisconsin who made a name for himself by pursuing alleged communists in the government and was eventually censured by his colleagues.

Colliers was given a place in the press corps for the king of Belgiums 1955 trip to the Congo, then a Belgian colony, and the magazine sent Mr. Newhouse on the trip. He spent six weeks in a place rarely visited by an American reporter, and filed a report on the uranium mines of the Congo that produced the raw material for Americas nuclear weapons. The article upset both Belgian and U.S. officials, and it raised Mr. Newhouses profile in Washington.

Colliers ceased publication in 1957, and Mr. Newhouse tried his hand at broadcast journalism. ABC News sent him to Beirut to cover the military operation launched there by U.S. Marines in 1958.

When the crisis settled down, ABC brought Mr. Newhouse back to Washington. He found himself underused and bored, so he jumped at the chance to join the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He became one of four nonpartisan professional staff members soon after Sen. J. William Fulbright (D-Ark.) became the committee chairman.

Mr. Newhouse became one of the committees staff experts on the Middle East, Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, foreign aid and an issue just becoming important, the Vietnam War.

After five years on the committee, Mr. Newhouse was offered a grant from the Ford Foundation to live in Paris to study and write about European issues. He ended up living in Paris for the next seven years and wrote De Gaulle and the Anglo-Saxons (1970).

It was a timely study of the French leader Charles de Gaulle, who had died that year, and focused on his ambition for himself and his country during the nuclear age, and de Gaulles often-tense relations with the British and Americans over nuclear policy and NATO.

James Chace, the eminent historian of American diplomacy, wrote in a New York Times review that Mr. Newhouse told with elegance and authority the drama of crisis diplomacy at its worst.

One of the books fans was New Yorker editor William Shawn, who commissioned from Mr. Newhouse a five-article series on the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks then going on between the Soviet Union and United States. Mr. Newhouse drew these pieces together into the book Cold Dawn (1973), an account of the military and political strategies behind the negotiation of the 1972 SALT treaty.

Cold Dawn, which was well-received, led to a job offer from the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, where he worked from 1974 to 1979, first as counselor and then as deputy director. The next year, at Shawns invitation, Mr. Newhouse joined the staff of the New Yorker.

Many of the articles he wrote over the next 13 years appeared under the rubric The Diplomatic Round, which Shawn invented for Mr. Newhouse. Many others were profiles of prominent figures, from King Hussein of Jordan to Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.).

In Mr. Newhouses War and Peace in the Nuclear Age, the author made the case that the destructive power of nuclear warheads made them self-deterrents. The weapons were used as political instruments more than anything else during the Cold War, and thus the struggle over strategic advantage, Mr. Newhouse wrote, was the chimera of the nuclear age.

When former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown became editor of the New Yorker in 1992, Mr. Newhouse found that his work was no longer in demand. He reentered government service in 1998, serving three years as a senior policy adviser to Strobe Talbott, who was then deputy secretary of state.

In the new century, Mr. Newhouse went back to writing, publishing one book sharply critical of the George W. Bush administrations foreign policies (Imperial America), and another on the fierce business rivalry in the high-risk, high-cost aviation industry (Boeing Versus Airbus).

His first marriage, to Nancy Riley, ended in divorce. In 1978 he married Elizabeth Landreth Wagley, who is director of the Cuba project for The Center for International Policy.

Besides his wife, known as Symmie, of Washington, survivors include two stepchildren, Elizabeth Wagley of New York City and John Wagley Jr. of Washington; a brother; and two grandchildren.
Two of six puppies stolen from Crete last week are still missing, but four of them have been recovered.

Police are asking for the publics help in finding the still-missing 5-week-old purebred pups taken Dec. 5 from their kennel near the workshop of owner Luis Cuevas.

Crete police found three of the puppies Dec. 8 when they arrested a 29-year-old woman on an outstanding arrest warrant from Lancaster County and found them in her vehicle, said Sgt. Chad Menagh. She faces additional charges of theft, criminal trespass and possession of stolen property.

The fourth puppy was recovered Friday as word spread on missing pet sites on Facebook. An unidentified Lincoln man who bought one of the puppies for $200 earlier in the week called police after his veterinarian indicated it might be one of the stolen dogs. That male puppy has since been reunited with its mother and siblings.

Cuevas said the woman and four other people -- three of them children -- apparently had been living in a storage unit near his shop and knew about the puppies.

At 5 weeks the pups are too young to be separated from their mother, Cuevas said. Nebraska law requires puppies and kittens be at least 8 weeks old before they can be taken from their mothers.

Initially, Cuevas said he had planned to keep all the puppies as well as the parents.

"But that's like eight dogs," he said. "And these dogs need a lot of attention.

Cuevas said he was so touched by the honesty of the Lincoln man who returned the stolen dog that he is giving the puppy back to him once it is old enough.

The simple fact that he called police and returned the puppy, tells me a lot about him, Cuevas said.

Anyone with information on the two missing male puppies is asked to call the Crete Police Department at 402-826-4311.
More than 1,100 employees across the University of Nebraska system would have gotten pay raises or become eligible for overtime pay under an Obama administration plan to modify the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The rule change -- blocked by a federal judge in November in response to a lawsuit filed by 21 states, including Nebraska -- would have made 3.9 million people across the country earning less than $47,476 a year eligible for a pay raise or overtime pay beginning Dec. 1.

One university employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said staff were told they might get pay increases in July -- some $10,000 more than they were currently making -- and those increases were reflected on university budget documents published this summer.

On Nov. 1, some staff received a letter from human resources telling them they would be seeing a paycheck increase beginning Dec. 1. But on Nov. 30, the employee said, an email was sent from NU's central administration informing the 1,100-plus employees they would not be getting a pay hike after all.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green called the situation unfortunate because some employees expecting more pay won't get it, but he added that backing away from implementing the new plan was the right decision.

We had to follow the state on that federal guideline, he said. Most of the public universities around the country pulled back because of the tie to their state budgets, like ours.

In higher education, employees whose primary focus is teaching would have been exempted from the rules, while those working in recruitment and admissions, student affairs and other areas would have qualified.

Postdoctoral researchers not teaching as part of their main duties would also have qualified under the rule change.

The proposal, finalized in May, drew praise and criticism from national education organizations.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said in May the new rules would have benefited thousands of teachers, including college faculty working long hours without receiving fair overtime, including public employees, nurses and administrative workers.

Opponents, including the American Council on Education, said the standards represented a dramatic and costly change that would leave many colleges with no choice but to respond to this regulation with a combination of tuition increases, service reduction and, possibly, layoffs.

Part of the difficulty implementing the plan would have been the steep increase of the salary threshold -- double the previous threshold of $23,660 -- needing to be met before public universities would not be required to pay overtime rates.

NU would have spent at least $2 million more annually to pay a total of 1,160 employees across the system overtime or raise their salaries above the threshold, said David Lechner, vice president for business and finance.

That the rule would have been implemented in the middle of NUs biennial budget was unexpected, Lechner said, but workable: We would have had to manage through it like any surprise.

Ahead of the Dec. 1 implementation date, however, federal Judge Amos Mazzant temporarily blocked the rules implementation, and in turn, public universities across the country -- including NU -- walked back their plans to follow the new guidelines.

We had gone through a lot of detailed planning across the campus, UNL Chancellor Green told the Faculty Senate this week, "and had everything ready to go when the injunction was announced, which put a stay on implementation of that policy.

In addition to NU, the University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Iowa, University of Illinois-Champaign and the University of Maryland-College Park, among others, all announced that plans to raise pay would be put on hold after the injunction.

Universities that plan to follow through on the new changes, according to Inside Higher Education, include the University of Kentucky, which also estimates that paying certain employees overtime will affect its annual budget by about $2 million.

Other public employees in Nebraska also would have been affected by the rule change.

"We definitely have some exposure," said Bo Botelho, chief operations officer at the state Department of Administrative Services, which handles executive branch personnel.

More than 500 executive branch employees would have been affected to the tune of several million dollars, he said. While state workers generally avoid overtime if possible, it is more common for some, such as prison staff.

The judicial branch had planned to convert 130 clerk magistrates in county courts across the state from salaries to hourly pay. Although most of those clerks make more than the $47,000, all would have become hourly employees, said spokeswoman Janet Bancroft.

Legislative branch employees wouldn't have been affected by the overtime changes because they are treated differently under federal law.

Doug McDaniel, human resources manager for the city of Lincoln, said fewer than 20 city employees would have been affected.

While Judge Mazzants injunction was only a temporary block of the Obama administrations plan, the Labor Department said it would ask the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to rule on its implementation.

If that decision lands after Jan. 20, its likely President-elect Donald Trump and a Republican-led Congress will scrap the plan.

Green told the Faculty Senate that while the injunction was not a result of the recent presidential campaign, it could likely be a sign of changes to come in higher education.

We are in a very interesting administrative change, as you know, and moving toward that new administration, theres a lot of uncertainty -- as there is in any administrative change, he said.
A deep stillness settled over the federal courtroom as graphic photos were shown of the nine people murdered last year at Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church.

The defendant, 22-year-old Dylann Roof, sat motionless throughout, as he has since his death penalty trial began Wednesday. Behind him sat his paternal grandparents, media and members of the general public. Although Roof has pleaded not guilty, his attorney David Bruck, a renowned anti-death-penalty advocate, told jurors that he didnt expect them to find his client not guilty. At stake is whether Roof deserves to die or spend the rest of his life in prison.

Roof, who posed in online pictures with the Confederate battle flag, allegedly told his victims he had to kill them because blacks were taking over and were raping our women.

In a serendipitous display of unwanted irony, the Souths racial divisions that Charleston, especially, has worked so hard to bridge were refashioned by happenstance and logistics in the courtroom itself. Reserved seating placed the victims family and friends, primarily black, on one side of the room and the defendants family and the mostly white media on the other. This imposed segregation was purely circumstantial but painful nonetheless.

Dylann Roof, the white man who has confessed to killing nine black church-goers in Charleston, S.C., faces the death penalty if convicted. (Gillian Brockell,Monica Akhtar,Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

Before the photo display, U.S. District Judge Richard M. Gergel repeatedly warned family members that the pictures were graphic, saying there was no shame in sitting out this portion of the trial. The quiet was profound and leaden as each person in the room tried within his or her own space to convey respect for the dead and the bereaved. The pin-drop silence was interrupted only once, when a young black man, upon seeing the body of 70-year-old Ethel Lance, bolted from the courtroom.

Most striking of the photographs was that of the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who seemed to have been running toward the altar when he was felled by three bullets, according to the autopsy report. He had pitched headfirst toward the raised lectern in a prone position reminiscent of reverential prostration. A wide ribbon of blood streamed away from his head for several feet before disappearing from the frame.

Those who have followed the events of June 17, 2015, and thereafter are familiar with Pinckney and the eight black parishioners who died. Over time, weve learned their names and faces, and feel as though they were friends or people wed like to have known. Seeing their photos in the courtroom, their bodies each labeled with a number as the only way to identify them initially, refreshed a sense of the killers anonymous presence among them that night and the deft, dispassionate brutality with which he dispatched them.

From the evidence, it was easy to discern how the shooter went about his business. Shell casings and empty magazines were found around the perimeter of the room, indicating that the killer was moving around while shooting. One magazine was left on one of three round tables in the center of the room where the Bible study group was meeting and where most of the victims were found. This particular table was draped with a bright yellow-and-green-patterned cloth. Next to the dark, empty magazine was a large opened Bible and a piece of paper.

Bullet holes in another of the tablecloths and an indentation in the metal frame underneath suggested that the shooter deliberately aimed under the tables to kill those crouched below. The precision of his execution, at once heartbreaking and unconscionable, would deliver a staggering psychic blow to any decent human being.

For almost an hour, according to previous reports, Roof sat among these welcoming people, pretending to share their spiritual purpose, and then opened fire in a blaze of resigned fury. When a wounded Tywanza Sanders begged him to stop, Roof kept firing until four bullets riddled Sanderss body. How could he? How could anyone?

By anyones definition, Roof is a racist, but surely this is too facile an explanation. The rational mind wants more. Insanity? Not according to a psychiatrist who examined him. What then?

The what will be the focus of defense attorneys who will try to persuade jurors to spare Roofs life. If they do, he still faces a death penalty state trial next year. Whatever is decided here  and again later  it may be difficult to get beyond the way survivor Felicia Sanders described the assailant as the prosecutions first witness. Looking directly at Roof, she said, Evil, evil, evil.

Read more from Kathleen Parkers archive, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook.
THE WEEK started with a hopeful sign for those concerned about climate change: Former vice president Al Gore met with Donald Trump for about 90 minutes on Monday, leading some to believe that the president-elect might be ready to accept facts and evidence. By the end of the week, however, Mr. Trump had selected Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt (R) to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.

Mr. Pruitt wrote this in National Review in May: Global warming has inspired one of the major policy debates of our time. That debate is far from settled. Scientists continue to disagree about the degree and extent of global warming and its connection to the actions of mankind. That debate should be encouraged  in classrooms, public forums, and the halls of Congress. It should not be silenced with threats of prosecution. Dissent is not a crime.

Dissent, indeed, is not a crime, and acknowledging the uncertainties in climate forecasts is reasonable. But rejecting or playing down the near-unanimous warnings of experts, which are based on decades of substantial and continually accumulating evidence and suggest vast implications for future generations, should disqualify a nominee from leading an expert agency charged with making science-based decisions. Among scientists there is virtually no dissent from the conclusion that human activity  the burning of fossil fuels, which releases heat-trapping gases that stay in the atmosphere  is leading to planetary warming, and that the coming changes pose severe risks.

No doubt we would disagree with Mr. Pruitt on any number of issues. He is a leading voice against the Clean Power Plan, President Obamas centerpiece climate policy. Even before his nomination, the New York Times had uncovered extremely close ties between Mr. Pruitt and the oil and gas industry. He has been tapped to run an agency much of whose work he believes should cease.

We might not oppose Mr. Pruitts nomination based on these differences. There are legitimate arguments, based in states rights and concerns over overregulation, against the Obama administrations assertive application of clean water and clean air laws. A president is entitled to advisers, if they are qualified, who reflect his views.

But rejecting settled science strikes us as being in a different category. The Senate should probe Mr. Pruitts position on climate change. If he explicitly or implicitly rejects the scientific consensus, that would be justification to vote no. If, on the other hand, he acknowledges the risks facing the globe, lawmakers should ask what Mr. Pruitt would be prepared to do as the nations chief environmental officer to combat them.
Ruchir Sharma conceded in his Dec. 4 Outlook essay, Robots wont kill the workforce. Theyll save the economy, that robots do represent a new obstacle for some poorer nations, adding the puzzling amplification namely those few that do not suffer from population decline. Its not clear which poorer nations Sharma had in mind, but I cant find any developing country that has a declining population, based on U.N. data (which Sharma cited).

Based on the estimates of the United Nations Population Division, only a small minority of the worlds more than 190 countries have populations that are in decline. Aside from Japan, all the rest of these declining populations are in Europe or Eurasia. Some are poorer than others, but an assertion that only a few of the worlds poorer nations have growing populations should have been fact-checked by editors.

Robert Engelman, Takoma Park
Maggie Orth is a writer who lives in Seattle.

This month in the District, a gunman shot up Comet Ping Pong pizzeria, threatening customers and workers and terrorizing an entire neighborhood. For months, Internet conspiracy theorists have accused Comets owners and leading figures of the Democratic Party of running a child pornography ring out of the restaurant, complete with satanic symbols and underground tunnels. And what did Comet Ping Pong owner James Alefantis do to earn such venom? He emailed with Hillary Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta, about hosting a fundraiser.

Comet Ping Pong customers came out to support the restaurant after a gunman entered it with an assault rifle, firing it at least once. Several other businesses on the block have received other threats as well. (Whitney Shefte/The Washington Post)

This attack on liberal politics and an opposition party was not organized by some authoritarian state, the Republican Party or President-elect Donald Trump. No action was taken by any Orwellian Big Brother. Nor did a government generate the doublespeak that created the Comet Ping Pong lies. Instead, this political violence emerged from a self-organized pack of irate, fear-mongering, right-wing conspiracy theorists reacting to whispers about Clinton in fake news and on social media and the Web.

This is Little Brother  millions of irrational people spreading lies, sowing doubt and fomenting violence. Thanks to Little Brother, the government  Trump and his incoming administration, in this case  doesnt have to directly threaten the political opposition or spread propaganda on its own. Leaders only need to find indirect ways to validate supporters most vile emotions and make lying acceptable, as House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) did recently when he said it was all right for Trump to spread falsehoods. Little Brother and his NRA-protected guns can take it from there.

So what is Little Brother?

Like the pack of wild children in Lord of the Flies, Little Brother is unsupervised, isolated from civilization and potentially murderous. And thanks to the Internet, the vicious, dog-eat-dog world of Little Brother is impossible to escape.

Little Brother screams so loud, no one can think. When human beings experience anger and fear  the dominant emotions of Little Brother and his Internet clickbait  their IQs drop. People cannot use their rational minds when thousands of angry children are shouting at them online. Thats Little Brother.

Little Brother gossips and lies. In a dramatic historical shift, too much information on the Internet  rather than a lack of information  has become the prevailing form of censorship. People cannot easily assess facts while doubts, lies and bias-confirming opinions are constantly whispered in their ears. Thats Little Brother.

Little Brother cuts school. Learning history, assessing facts and analyzing data have no place in Little Brothers world.

Little Brother goes by his gut and trusts his predisposed, angry instincts. He thinks science is a pack of lies.

Little Brother has too much time on his hands. He invents his own reality, a world of imaginary demons, secret tunnels, false-flag coverups and murder. In the case of Comet Ping Pong, Little Brother spent hours Photoshopping pictures, creating fake maps of tunnels and deceptive collages of stolen Facebook images.

Little Brother is like a gaming addict. He sits in a dark room, making fake news, driving traffic to his website. He watches the data and refines his lies, earning more money with every click. Like a gamer, he feeds off the emotional high of every small victory.

Little Brother is a bully. He waits for his gang leader, in this case Trump, to bad-mouth someone smaller and less powerful, and then pounces. When Trump criticized Carrier union president Chuck Jones this week, Little Brother bombarded Jones with threats and abuse.

And as we have seen with the Comet Ping Pong gunman, those threats are real.

Little Brother is armed. In state-sponsored fascism, armed citizen militias blend with police, forming an official means of destroying the political opposition and minority scapegoats. But thanks to Little Brother and gun rights advocates, there is no need for the government to organize violent action against its own citizens. Little Brother can take care of wrong-thinkers all by himself.

Little Brother is nobodys responsibility. Whatever his bad behavior, he acts alone, and besides, hes just a kid. No one can be blamed if he shoots up a pizza parlor, intimidates minorities or threatens to send people to the gas chamber. Hes an outlier. Hes not Fox Newss or Trumps fault.

Thats Little Brother.

It wont be easy to hold Little Brother accountable. Already, conservatives are creating false equivalences between liberal news and fake news. This month, in a disheartening interview, New York Times Public Editor Liz Spayd practically ceded this point to Fox Newss Tucker Carlson. This is unacceptable. Those who believe in liberal democracy must fight Little Brothers lies and aggressions with everything we have. We cannot allow legitimate resistance to authoritarianism to be squashed by an armed mob of angry Little Brothers. We must fight back.
FOR YEARS, members of Congress have fumed about what they regard as ineffective U.S. public diplomacy, including the failure of broadcasting operations such as the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to match the reach and apparent influence of networks such as Russias RT and Qatars al Jazeera. A frequent and arguably fair focus of criticism has been the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the body created to supervise government-funded media outlets while serving as a firewall between them and the political administration of the day.

A radical change to that system is now coming  and it looks like one that Vladimir Putin and Qatars emir might well admire. An amendment quietly inserted into the annual National Defense Authorization Act by Republican House leaders would abolish the broadcasting board and place VOA, RFE/RL and other international news and information operations under the direct control of a chief executive appointed by the president. The new executive would hire and fire senior media personnel and manage their budgets.

[E.J. Dionne: Why the new administration inspires fear]

With a confirming vote by the GOP-controlled Senate, President-elect Donald Trump will be able to install the editor of Breitbart News or another propagandist of his choice to direct how the United States is presented to the world by VOA, or how Russia is covered by RL. If Congresss intention was for U.S. broadcasting to rival the Kremlins, it may well get its wish.

The damage to U.S. interests could be considerable. The unique attraction for global audiences of RFE/RL, Radio Free Asia and other outlets is not their skill at presenting the U.S. government line, but their journalistic independence. They were created to be surrogate media, news organizations that offered accurate and independent coverage of events in countries where citizens could not depend on their own, state-run media. RFEs coverage of Communist Europe was vital to the growth of the independent political movements that eventually brought down the system. Radio Free Asia strives to serve the same purpose in China, as does Radio y Television Marti in Cuba.

President-elect Donald Trump as well as Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Dec. 11 reacted to the CIAs assessment that Russia intervened to help Trump win the election. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

The point of board governance was to prevent direct political interference in programming by the White House, State Department or other agencies. It was a guarantee that for decades has helped to attract journalistic talent to the broadcasting organizations, as well as listeners seeking reliable information. The board of governors had serious problems: Its members served part time, and not all took their duties seriously. But the systems biggest flaw was remedied three years ago with the creation of a chief executive position.

[Greg Sargent: Top Republicans respond to Russia news with ludicrous and dangerous spin]

The new reform, driven by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Edward R. Royce (R-Calif.), enhances that executives power and makes him answerable to the White House rather than the bipartisan board. A new advisory panel will be created, but it will be toothless: Its members will also be nominated by the president from a pool provided by Congress.

The Obama administration  perhaps anticipating a Hillary Clinton presidency  supported these changes. Now its outgoing public-diplomacy officials will have to hope that Mr. Trump chooses an executive committed to the U.S. broadcasting tradition of independent and reputable journalism rather than a political loyalist or alt-right ideologue. Either way, there is likely to be an exodus of seasoned professionals from the surrogate broadcasters as well as VOA  meaning that U.S. international broadcasting, whatever its current deficiencies, is likely to get worse.
President-elect Donald Trump boards his airplane before departing from LaGuardia Airport in New York on Dec. 9. (Mark Kauzlarich/Reuters)

The Dec. 6 editorial China, Taiwan and Trump correctly noted that China is an essential player in restraining North Korea. For more than 20 years, increasingly anxious U.S. presidents have urged China to use its unique leverage. Instead, economically and diplomatically, Beijing has enabled Pyongyangs nuclear and missile programs, threatening South Korea, Japan and now the U.S. homeland itself.

The editorial asked whether President-elect Donald Trump is planning steps against Chinas massive military complex in the South China Sea.  So far, Washingtons halting Freedom of Navigation Operations, mostly carried out as innocent passages, which do not challenge Chinas claims to territorial seas, have not deterred Chinese expansionism.

Taiwan, a thriving democracy and important U.S. trading partner, is not subordinate to the other Asia flashpoints. A once-formal ally and present security partner, Taiwan has its fate enshrined in the Taiwan Relations Act as a matter of grave concern to the United States.

Taiwan has evolved politically as the Chinese threat has increased. Yet U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity remains.

On North Korea, navigational freedoms and Taiwan, Mr. Trump may provide the United States strategic clarity that is long overdue.

Joseph A. Bosco, Washington

The writer was China country director in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 2005 to 2006.

The editorial board wrote, Aggravating China also could have a downside when Mr. Trump needs to ask Beijing for help with its errant client state, North Korea. Well, the public and the world have witnessed many efforts from previous U.S. presidents trying to please China for the sake of restraining North Korea. What did we see? North Korea still launched missiles.

China doesnt want to abandon North Korea. Beijing will act only halfheartedly. What the United States has done toward China and North Korea has failed. It is time to try a new approach, something bolder and deeper.

Duy-Tam Tran-Kiem, Potomac
Abraham M. Nussbaum, chief education officer at Denver Health and an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, is the author of The Finest Traditions of My Calling: One Physicians Search For The Renewal of Medicine.

Over the past few weeks, there has been talk both of funding infrastructure projects and defunding Medicaid, at least in part. I recently saw a patient who reminded me that Medicaid itself provides an essential kind of infrastructure.

His black beard pointed stiffly down his chest. At the middle of his sternum, it flowered out into plastic beads, strung on the dozens of rosaries he wore about his neck. Red, yellow and green beads flashed as he yelled, Go, go, go on, and get me out of here.

A few years ago, before the expansion of Medicaid, we would have. We knew that if this patient stayed in the hospital, we could extinguish his mania and treat his acute injuries. We also knew that extended hospitalization was futile without access to ongoing care as an outpatient, so we often gave patients like him the green light for discharge.

He was homeless, mentally ill and uninsured. Back then, the last of those problems often seemed the most insurmountable.

So patients like this one cycled between the street, where acute ailments often became permanent disabilities, and the hospital, where they received expensive acute care without access to cost-effective primary care.

The Affordable Care Act, and our states acceptance of the Medicaid expansion, transformed the lives of people such as this patient. It also transformed hospitals like the one where I practice.

When I started working at Denver Health, an academic safety-net system in downtown Denver, most of the patients I met were uninsured, so routine care was not readily available outside of safety-net institutions.

Safety-net systems have long cared for the uninsured, the underinsured and the publicly insured, so they think of themselves as our nations essential hospitals. Denver Health is a western cousin of safety-net systems such as Atlantas Grady Health, where Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), Donald Trumps choice to be secretary of health and human services, practiced orthopedic surgery. Safety-net systems such as Grady Health and Denver Health provide the care you rarely see advertised on a billboard or announced on a newspapers front page  services such as paramedic response, public health, trauma care and care for people with serious mental illnesses.

Before the Medicaid expansion, our bearded patient used all of those services. The paramedics transported him in crisis to our psychiatric unit. The public-health department treated his sexually transmitted infections, and the trauma surgeons stitched him up after accidents.

Before the expansion, Medicaid eligibility depended upon income, disability and family status. Rules varied by state, but childless adults such as this patient rarely qualified for services.

In the District and the 31 states that have accepted the ACAS Medicaid expansion, patients like ours now qualify on income alone, and doctors like me can deliver the most powerful medical breakthrough possible for them: access to care.

In Colorado, the Medicaid expansion halved the number of uninsured. In Denver, 94 percent of residents are now insured. At Denver Health, half our patients now receive Medicaid, which has enabled us to add physicians, integrate behavioral health into primary care, provide care in cost-effective outpatient settings and add quality jobs. Even though many private practitioners and hospitals refuse to accept Medicaid because of low reimbursement rates, safety-net systems stretched these modest payments into a network of essential services.

In the 19 states that have not expanded Medicaid, the situation is different, creating a health insurance coverage gap for 2.6 million Americans. A recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation observed that childless adults account for more than three-fourths of that uninsured population.

When our patient was first hospitalized after the Medicaid expansion, his beard had turned gray. He was in his late 30s but looked so many decades older that we doubted his identity. We no longer doubted our ability to get him care. We could not only calm his mania, we could also get him appointments with an internist, podiatrist and psychiatrist, as well as a case manager and a job counselor. We could send him to care instead of the streets.

For now, the Medicaid expansion is intact and, with it, an essential infrastructure. So when we last discharged him, clean-shaven and looking his own age, our patient took off the rosaries. He needed only one now, so he distributed the remaining rosaries to thank his caregivers. In a way, I think he was passing out those rosaries to thank all Americans who support his access to essential care.
Now that the D.C. Council has voted to give the citys commuter-dominated workforce one of the most generous family and medical leave laws in the country, will our legislators have the time, inclination and, equally important, intellectual depth necessary to address a public-safety issue that confronts all residents and visitors to our nations capital?

For those who missed it, The Post published a series on the citys Youth Rehabilitation Act, a measure designed to give second chances to young adult offenders. The law allows judges to hand down shorter sentences to offenders for some crimes, as well as a chance for them to emerge with no criminal record.

Among the findings: Hundreds of violent offenders sentenced under the Youth Act returned to the streets to rob, rape and kill.

The Post uncovered cases of 750 offenders sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act not once but multiple times in the past decade, including 121 later charged with murder, more than 200 sentenced for multiple violent or weapons offenses, and at least 136 convicted of armed robbery.

Those somber statistics mask a starker reality. Think of the elderly woman held at gunpoint, the children held hostage by a box-cutter-wielding assailant, the man slashed and stomped on for being gay, the man held at gunpoint during a carjacking, the young man killed in a crossfire near a Metro station  all victims of offenders put back on the streets under the second-chance law.

A stipulation: Im not a fan of lock em up and throw away the key. My family tree has a member who attended Penn State, another who served in a state pen.

Among the King familys closest acquaintances are convicted felons whom we trust with all we hold dear. I believe that with help, young offenders can change and become productive citizens. And also that we, as a community  families, schools, churches, civic groups, etc.  do too little to prevent our young people from becoming offenders in the first place.

That said, repeat violent offenders are an appalling fact of D.C. life.

The label repeat violent offender is a consequence of behavior. The repeat offender is, however, also a product of actions taken, or not taken, by prosecutors, defense lawyers, judges and corrections officials under the auspices of the city-created Youth Rehabilitation Act.

Speaking of judges, Im not joining those who may want to drum them out of town after reading the series.

A respected senior jurist told me: The hardest job a trial judge has is assessing the risk in pretrial release and sentencing  a risk that goes with the job.

I would not want, he said, to be a member of a society where judges were afraid to take calculated and intelligent risk while being fully aware that some decisions are not going to pan out. . . . I know no intelligent jurist who has or could get them all correct.

Hence, this weeks search for answers from the citys powers that be.

I spoke with D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Kevin Donahue.

Both said they were surprised by the scope of The Posts findings but were also disappointed in the lack of data on all offenders sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act.

Racine expressed the need for data points to show the extent to which sentencing decisions deviate from the laws objectives. This is the kind of information the public is owed, he said. Racine also said he will raise The Posts findings and his concerns about the implementation of the Youth Rehabilitation Act with the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, an interagency group of city and federal officials, chaired by Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and on which the attorney general serves.

Donahue said the series raised the question of the laws overall impact and the need for careful examination to determine whether it needs to be reformed.

He wrote in an email: Improving transparency across the Districts unique criminal justice system is an initial, concrete step that will provide the public with information theyre entitled to receive as well as allowing our residents to hold the system accountable; all agencies . . . must commit to a system of . . . transparency; and we look forward to working with our . . . partners to ensure greater transparency in our criminal justice system.

Transparency. Got it.

I also spoke with the councils overseer of the citys criminal justice system, Judiciary Committee Chairman Kenyan R. McDuffie (D-Ward 5).

This is the same committee that came up with a plan last year to pay gun offenders to stay out of trouble. The committee that declared gun violence a public health problem to be remedied by stationing social workers at emergency rooms. The proposals were shelved when Bowser refused to fund either idea.

McDuffie stated that the Youth Rehabilitation Act should not be repealed  a proposal I had not heard. He agreed data on Youth Rehabilitation Act recidivism needed collecting, but he said the focus belongs on the criminal justice systems failure to rehabilitate offenders. He also echoed Racine and Donahues intent to discuss the act with the coordinating council.

As they deliberate, residents and visitors please step lively.

Read more from Colbert Kings archive.
A Post writer decried fake news even while peddling it. In her Dec. 6 Metro column, When spreading fake news leads to real consequences, Petula Dvorak baselessly blamed the shooting of former representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) on Sarah Palin supporters.

Ms. Giffords was shot by Jared Loughner in an attack that also took the life of Judge John Roll, a Republican appointee. There is no evidence that Mr. Loughner was a supporter of Ms. Palin, a former governor of Alaska and vice-presidential running mate of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the 2008 presidential election, or that he saw the map with crosshairs put out by supporters of Ms. Palin. (That map targeted the districts of 20 House Democrats, including Ms. Giffordss.)

Yet Ms. Dvorak strangely claims the maps consequences were that Jared Loughner showed up with a gun and shot Ms. Giffords. But images of crosshairs do not cause violence. As one journalist noted, crosshairs and bulls-eyes have been an accepted part of the political lexicon.

Hans Bader, Arlington
Margaret Reist Local government reporter Margaret Reist is a recovering education reporter now writing about local and county government and the people who live in the city where she was born and raised. Follow Margaret Reist 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

When it comes to education, Nebraska has an independent streak.

And with the uncertainty of a new presidential administration, that might not be a bad thing.

Just what will happen to education under the Trump administration remains to be seen, though tapping Michigan billionaire Betsy DeVos as his nominee for education secretary affirms his support of the school choice movement. DeVos, a conservative activist, has spent millions to expand charter schools and voucher programs.

Still, there's plenty of uncertainty, and the state's top education official thinks the best path forward for Nebraska may be doing what it's been doing for some time.

I think what Im finding out is were in control of our own destiny and we shouldnt worry so much about whats going on at the federal level, said Nebraska Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt.

I think what Im basically feeling at this point in time is weve been on the right track since before (the new education law) was actually enacted. And part of being on the right track is not shying away from accountability but designing (a system) thats thoughtful and fair.

Nebraska has a history of doing its own thing.

Remember the early days of No Child Left Behind?

Then-Education Commissioner Doug Christensen, made national news -- and became a folk hero of sorts in the education world -- for standing up to the U.S. Department of Education over rules regarding testing under NCLB.

He believed -- and said in an interview he still does -- that "accountability can't be a number, it has to be a narrative" that must answer questions that directly help teachers in the classroom.

In the early 2000s, Christensen convinced federal officials to allow Nebraska to let individual districts create their own math and reading assessments to gauge student achievement under federal law. It was the only state that didn't have to use a single state test.

He faced resistance (mostly from outside the education community) and ultimately state legislators passed a law requiring single statewide tests. Christensen, who now teaches teachers at Doane College, resigned in 2008.

Still, Nebraska remained a place where allegiance to local control remained strong and dominated education rules and policy.

It was among just a few states that did not adopt the voluntary Common Core Standards and allowed individual districts -- not the state -- to dictate curriculum.

And when the Obama administration offered waivers to rigid No Child Left Behind standards, Nebraska was one of just a few states that held out, balking at the considerable strings attached to the waivers they said were wrong for Nebraska.

Eventually -- just months before NCLB was replaced with a new education law called the Every Student Succeeds Act -- Nebraska did apply for a waiver, but didn't agree to things it didn't like.

We submitted it not on what they were making mandatory but instead on what we wanted to do, Blomstedt said. It was a way to describe how we wanted to do things.

Eight months later the new education law passed and the waiver program disappeared. That worked out OK for Nebraska.

Those things we were not willing to give up on ended up getting changed," Blomstedt said. "So we were kind of right the whole time. So our waiver was ESSA.

The Every Student Succeeds Act scales back federal oversight significantly and allows states to design their own accountability systems.

Nebraska was already well into creating a new system that uses more than test scores to judge school performance and has been working with the U.S. Department of Education to get that plan approved under the new law.

Then the election happened, Trump picked DeVos and has proposed redirecting $20 billion in federal spending toward a grant program for states to expand charter and voucher programs.

Nebraska does not authorize charter schools, although Gov. Pete Ricketts supports them and theres a significant push by advocates to introduce them here.

Having a federal education department that could conceivably make federal money contingent on organizational structure rather than accountability measures would be a drastic shift, Blomstedt said.

On the other hand, the new administration might be less concerned with enforcing the new education law, leaving states more flexibility.

I think its one of those good news, bad news things, Christensen said. (DeVos) will be so into the charter school thing shell basically ignore all this other stuff.

Blomstedt wants to use the accountability system, along with better data on factors such as mobility, attendance and discipline to help the state and districts pinpoint problems and find solutions.

State education officials have worked with federal education staff to explain what Nebraska wants to do and Blomstedt doesnt see that changing with a new administration.

I anticipate our message will be the same, he said. We think we know our state from here better than you do.
Regarding the Dec. 7 front-page article  In coal country, in Trump they trust:

One cant help but feel compassion for the West Virginians who find themselves in economic distress, but, as I like to remind people, the law of supply and demand has not been repealed. There is no longer high demand for coal, so there is no incentive to mine it in the same degree as in the past. Their jobs are not coming back. Then again, neither are the jobs of blacksmiths and saddle makers. But thats a horse of a different color.

Harley Liebenson, Rockville
Paid-leave supporters stand in the hallway after dozens of parents with toddlers and people sat through a D.C. Council hearing in Washington on Oct. 6. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

The D.C. Council voted to move forward with one of the nations most generous laws guaranteeing family and medical leave for all workers in the D.C. private sector [D.C. bill on paid leave is passed, front page, Dec. 7]. The benefits would be funded by a 0.62 percent payroll tax on D.C. employers, the only program of its kind in the nation that would be entirely employer-funded.

The effort to provide D.C. workers with these benefits should be applauded, but placing the entire funding burden on their employers, particularly small businesses, is not fair, especially when the true cost of the program is unknown and could lead to even higher payroll taxes down the road.

Even without passage of this bill, small businesses in the District are struggling. They are already burdened by increased operating costs, including the highest minimum wage and business taxes in the region. Already this has caused businesses to leave the District for more business-friendly neighboring Maryland and Virginia jurisdictions. Passage of this bill would put small businesses at an even greater competitive disadvantage.

While well intentioned, the council should pause in its deliberations and consider other funding approaches that would be more equitable to all stakeholders.

Stephen H. Greenleigh, Washington

The writer is co-president of the Adams Morgan Partnership Business Improvement District.
The Dec. 7 editorial Italys muddled message called Italys Dec. 4 constitutional referendum a blessing in disguise. It is true that the constitutional amendments, intended to strengthen executive power, were questionable. But, in part because Prime Minister Matteo Renzi helped make the referendum into an up-or-down vote on his government, it has triggered a particularly nasty political crisis.

Making it to 2018 before new legislative elections, seemingly The Posts preferred option, would require Italian President Sergio Mattarella to remain the key player, despite the fact that Italian presidents are not popularly elected and are supposed to be institutional rather than political figures. Already, it has been more than eight years since, as is customary, the head of the party or coalition that triumphed in legislative elections has gone on to form a government. Its not surprising that many Italians are complaining of a democratic deficit.

Temporizing and maneuvering  for example, to change an admittedly problematic 2015 election law that has never even been used  could reinforce the publics image of Italian politics as conducted in the dark by insulated, self-referential and self-interested elites. That would play once more to the electoral benefit of Italys multiple populist forces.

Eric R. Terzuolo, Washington

The writer was minister-counselor for political affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Rome.
Democrats continue to digest last months election results and probably will do so for months to come. The devastation of losing a presidential contest most Democrats thought they would win has been compounded by the decimation of the party at all levels that has occurred since President Obama was first elected.

Advisers to Hillary Clinton have noted, correctly, that in an election that turned on a relatively few number of votes in a handful of Northern industrial states, there are many possible answers, all with some validity, for why she lost. They include strategic or tactical mistakes by Clintons campaign, Clintons weaknesses as a candidate, the resistance to a female candidate for president among some voters, President-elect Donald Trumps shrewdly opportunistic campaign and nefarious activity by the Russians.

The Obama administration will seek to understand more about the role the Russians played in the U.S. election even as Trump tries to bat away information suggesting that he benefited from foreign intrusion. Knowing more about exactly what the Russians did is of critical importance. But Democrats ought not to believe that their problems have been caused primarily by the actions of a foreign government. Theres too much other evidence that they have lost touch with parts of the electorate and will need to take stock as they begin to try to regain ground.

As much as anything, the 2016 election highlighted the degree to which Democrats have lost favor among voters in rural and small-town America. Heading toward Election Day, Democrats dismissed the possibility that there were enough white, working-class voters in these nonurban areas to overcome their advantages with African Americans, Latinos, unmarried women and highly educated voters.

The election proved them wrong.

Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania broke the back of the Clinton campaign, but her margins of defeat were even larger in neighboring Ohio and Iowa. The pattern of Trumps vote in these states shows how effective his crosscutting message proved to be in the final weeks of the campaign and the degree of resistance to the Democrats message.

Wisconsin has seen close elections in the past. George W. Bush lost the state by less than a point in 2000 and 2004. Obama won it by almost 14 points in 2008 and by about seven points in 2012. Trump won the state by seven-tenths of a percentage point.

Craig Gilbert of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel recently provided the first groundbreaking analysis of how Wisconsin voted. What he found was an uneven pattern, with Trump significantly outperforming Mitt Romney in some areas and underperforming in others. Trump did worse in areas of greater affluence and higher levels of education, particularly around Milwaukee. But he did dramatically better in smaller, blue-collar communities.

As Gilbert wrote, Trump won more than 500 cities, towns and villages that voted for Obama in 2012. He won 190 of them by at least 20 points. These Obama-Trump communities were located overwhelmingly in northern, western and central Wisconsin. Their median population was less than 800.

Gilbert added that Trumps gains in these smaller communities were so dramatic that he overcame the deficiencies around Milwaukee. If you add up all the communities in Wisconsin of less than 2,000 people, he wrote, Trump won them collectively by 24 points and nearly 150,000 votes. Romney won those same communities by 4 points and fewer than 30,000 votes.

Ohio turned out not to be close in 2016, in large part because a similar pattern turned a historically competitive battleground into a rout for the Republican nominee. Trump won Ohio by eight points, compared with a three-point victory by Obama in 2012.

An analysis by Mike Dawson, an expert on Ohio election statistics, showed that Trumps margin was at least 10 points better than Romneys in 41 of the states 88 counties. Overall, he ran about even with Romney in two counties and behind in four counties, including Franklin (Columbus), Hamilton (Cincinnati) and Delaware (suburban Columbus). Trumps biggest gains came in Ohios Appalachian counties, where he ran 12 points ahead of Romney.

David Pepper, the Ohio Democratic chair, said Trumps message on trade penetrated in communities that went into decline years ago, some of which had consistently voted Democratic in presidential races. His message was so clear he tapped into something that was bigger than the Republican Party, Pepper said. Its why swing counties went red and why red counties went redder and blue counties were not as good [for Clinton] as they needed to be.

Democrats have sometimes assumed that they dont need to do much to appeal to voters in these communities, assuming that they represent a shrinking portion of the electorate. Today they are wondering how they can appeal to them more effectively.

On Friday, the University of Wisconsins Elections Research Center held a symposium analyzing the 2016 election. Among the many thoughtful presenters was Katherine Cramer, a political-science professor at the universitys Madison campus.

Cramer spent years traveling to small Wisconsin towns, talking with citizens about politics, government and other topics. The research produced a book, published earlier this year, called The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the rise of Scott Walker.

Not surprisingly, Cramer has been in high demand as journalists and others seek to better understand Trumps success in appealing to voters in these parts of the country. During her presentation Friday, she was asked what Democrats could do to reach these voters. As the questioner put it: What could the Democrats do to speak to these voters more directly?

I would say its not speaking to people, she said. If Democrats want to do better with these voters, she said, it would require spending time with them and asking them whats on their minds and then listening to their answers. Only then can they try to deliver a message. Theres so much respect that has to be conveyed to people before they start listening to the message, Cramer added.

When another person asked why some people seem to vote against their own interests, Cramer again turned the question around. Im not claiming people are voting against their own interest, she said. We have to be careful about how we define what peoples interests are. . . . The trick is to think about what policies can you offer that people in those positions perceive as in their own interest.

Cramer noted that the people with whom she has been interacting for nearly a decade were particularly drawn to two elements of Trumps message. Because they feel disrespected by the urban areas of the state and feel disconnected from government, Trumps message of division  whether birtherism or build the wall  resonated, as did his call for dramatic change  his message to drain the swamp.

She also said that her post-election interviews in some of these communities revealed a significant lack of confidence that Trump would actually change the lives of people living there. Thats the challenge ahead for the president-elect as he takes office. There are no easy policy ideas to revitalize the economies of these communities.

For the Democrats, its a bigger challenge of trying to gain back a share of those voters, in part because they represented the margin of defeat in 2016. The party historically has stood for working people but has seen that connection eroded, if not shattered. As Cramer suggested, there will be no quick fixes for the Democrats on that question.
A second-grade English class at the PakTurk International School in Peshawar, Pakistan, is temporarily being taught by Pakistani teachers because the regular Turkish teachers have been told to leave the country. (Pamela Constable/The Washington Post)

In a second-grade classroom, decorated with colorful posters of letters, numbers and animals, students were reciting English sentences using the future tense. Down the hall, kindergartners were enjoying a lunchtime party with cupcakes and funny hats.

But something was missing from this picture of studious nurturing. In many classes at the PakTurk International School early this month, the regular teachers from Turkey were absent. They had been banned from the premises after the Pakistani government announced Nov. 15 that they had five days to leave the country.

Since then, the expulsion orders against about 100 Turkish teachers and their families have been challenged in provincial courts, and most have been granted temporary visa extensions. But despite criticism from international rights groups and Pakistani educators, all expect to be forced to leave, and some said they fear being harassed and arrested if they return to Turkey.

We are really sad about our teachers. They give us parties. They give us love. We dont want them to go, said Marosh Zishan, 8, whose English class was being taught by a substitute Pakistani teacher.

Asked what the second-graders had learned from their Turkish teachers, Malisha Shaheed, 7, stood up eagerly. Not to fight, she said.

The teachers at PakTurk International in Peshawar, and at 27 other such schools with 11,000 students across Pakistan, have not been accused of doing anything wrong. The private schools, established in the 1990s by Turkeys Gulenist movement, are rated among the best in Pakistan. They meet British university exam standards, and many Pakistani professionals send their children there.

But this summer, the teachers were caught up in an international controversy, stemming from a failed military coup in Turkey in July. After the uprising was quelled, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unleashed a crackdown in which thousands of academics, lawyers and political activists have been arrested.

Erdogan also singled out the Gulenists as having influenced the army to rebel and denounced their leader, Fethullah Gulen, as a mastermind of the revolt. Gulen, 77, a Turkish Muslim cleric, has lived in exile in Pennsylvania for 17 years. He condemned the uprising, writing in the New York Times that his philosophy is antithetical to armed rebellion.

Still, Gulen loyalists had worked for years to infiltrate Turkish institutions, according to analysts in Turkey. Many in the police and judiciary used their positions to target military and political leaders, including Erdogan allies.

Erdogans international stature has plummeted since the crackdown, but he remains a valued ally of Pakistan. In mid-November he was welcomed here for a high-profile visit. He addressed a session of Parliament, where he denounced the Gulenists as a bloody terrorist group and warned that they could also endanger Pakistan. Before arriving he requested that the teachers be expelled, and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif issued the order.

The PakTurk schools are part of Gulens Hizmet program, which has educational and social-welfare projects in numerous countries. Gulens teachings have a strong Islamic component, but Hizmet publications and members describe it as a civil society movement that promotes human values including empathy, mutual respect and community service.

Many Pakistani parents of PakTurk students have vocally protested the governments move, participating in demonstrations in various cities over the past several weeks. They insist that the schools do not promote any radical religious ideas, and they praise the Turkish influence as building moral character in the young.

My children have been going here for four years, and I have never heard anything about the Gulenists, said Mohammed Zubair, a medical doctor and hospital official in Peshawar who said he chose PakTurk over several other highly ranked private schools. They teach ethical values and build good citizens. This is completely unfair.

Mohammed Aqeel, 24, who attended the Peshawar school and now teaches there, called the visa cancellations a shameful event that had compromised Pakistans independence and damaged its educational standards. There is no foreign ideology here, he said. I love this school. It grooms us to be good human beings as well as students.

The Pakistani government has not fully explained its action, but government lawyers have described it as a foreign policy matter and noted that Pakistan has the right to not renew foreign visas. Officials have also suggested that little harm is being done to the students, since the schools will remain open.

Critical analysts, however, said it was strictly a move to please Erdogan, who is close to Sharif and supports Pakistan in its rivalry with India. Pakistan has been isolated abroad because of accusations that it harbors Islamist terrorists, and Turkey has remained one of its few staunch friends.

Amnesty International condemned the expulsion order, saying Pakistan needs more classrooms and more teachers, not a politically motivated decision to purge educators at the behest of the Turkish government. Pakistans public school system is underfunded and poorly equipped, and millions of children work instead of going to school.

Babar Sattar, a lawyer and commentator in Islamabad, observed that asking all Turkish teachers in an excellent school [chain] to exit the country at the drop of a hat, in the middle of the academic term, is an insult to the Turkish teachers and a disservice to their Pakistani students. Why couldnt our prime minister tell Erdogan that this wasnt the right thing to do?

The PakTurk Educational Foundation immediately challenged the expulsion order in Pakistani courts, which have responded in various ways. The Islamabad High Court said the group should petition the Interior Ministry for visa extensions but noted that allowing foreigners to remain in the country is the sole prerogative of any state. The Peshawar High Court issued a temporary injunction on the expulsions in November and later extended it to Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the teachers remain in limbo, suddenly jobless in Pakistan and fearful of what awaits them in Turkey. One faculty couple with two children, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal, said they now rarely leave the rented house they share with another Turkish family.

If people at home know I work here, it will be enough to send me straight to jail, said the husband, 30, who has taught math in PakTurk schools for the past several years. We have started to sell all our furniture. We dont know where else we can go and what will happen to us in Turkey, he said.

His wife, a science teacher, started to cry, then spoke angrily.

We were so happy here, she said. My kids learned Urdu. Then suddenly they told us we were going to be deported in three days. What have we done? If they say we are terrorists, where is the proof? she demanded. My parents are telling me its too dangerous for us to come back, but we have no choice. We are open targets now.

Erin Cunningham in Istanbul contributed to this story.

Read more:

Pakistan honors Nobel winner in physics 37 years late. But his religion still stirs anger.

Pakistans political drama moves from streets to courtroom

Pakistan plays up, then plays down prime ministers chummy call with Trump

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
On Saturday, President-elect Donald Trumps transition team challenged the veracity of U.S. intelligence assessments that Russia was trying to tip the November election to the Republican. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

This time, the Kremlin didnt even bother to deny the allegations that it helped Donald Trump win.

It let the president-elects team do the talking.

Some in the United States are still trying to challenge the election, a Russian state television host said Saturday, introducing a report by The Washington Post that the CIA concluded Russia intervened in the 2016 election on the Republicans behalf. But Donald Trumps team has sarcastically dismissed the latest effort.

The program cut to an enlarged translation of the Trump teams statement, which a reporter read aloud in Russian.

On Saturday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on The Posts article.

[Secret CIA assessment says Russia was trying to help Trump win White House]

Moscow has regularly denied interfering in the elections, especially after U.S. intelligence agencies in October said the Russian government helped provide WikiLeaks with hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign staff.

President Vladimir Putin dismissed the allegations as hysteria intended only to distract the attention of the American people from the substance of what hackers had put out.

His aides have questioned the lack of evidence, called the probe politicized and pointed to similar attacks against the Kremlin.

Every day, Putins site gets attacked by tens of thousands of hackers, Peskov said in October. Many of these attacks can be traced to U.S. territory. Its not as though we accuse the White House or Langley of doing it each time it happens.

[Putin wants revenge and respect, and hacking the U.S. is his way of getting it]

But there were some in the Kremlins camp who suggested there might be some truth to the allegations. In November, reacting to Trumps win during a Nov. 9 reception at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, pro-Kremlin political analyst Sergei Markov said he believed that Russia helped with WikiLeaks.

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I dont know how, specifically, but I think they probably helped [WikiLeaks founder Julian] Assange, Markov said in an interview, adding that he did not know how Russia might have helped.

Everybody in the world is helping Assange, Markov said in English. Everybody understands that in this conflict between CIA and Assange, Assange is right, CIA is wrong. So, Vladimir Putin is part of community of all the honest people in the world.

Some Russian analysts believe that supporters of Hillary Clinton are trying to mount a campaign to dissuade the electoral college from confirming Trumps victory next week.

Incredible pressure is being put on the electors. There is a true special operation to turn them, Vladimir Vasiliev, of the Institute of the USA and Canada, said earlier this month. The Democrats are doing everything possible to force them not to vote for Trump.

Read more:

U.S. government officially accuses Russia of hacking campaign to interfere with elections

Yes We Did: Russias establishment basks in Trumps victory

This Russian editor got himself taken off a propaganda blacklist

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Secretary of State John F. Kerry, center, speaks with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, left, and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier before a meeting in Paris. (Pool photo by Thibault Camus /via European Pressphoto Agency)

Secretary of State John F. Kerry urged Russia on Saturday to show a little grace in allowing civilians and opposition fighters to safely evacuate their fast-shrinking eastern Aleppo enclave, even as U.S. officials scrambled to figure out which rebels want to leave and which may insist on staying to fight on in a battle now effectively lost.

I believe there could be a way forward to a larger political solution for Syria, Kerry said. But it really depends significantly on big choices, magnanimous choices, choices of a genuine peaceful spirit that might come from Russia and, at the urging of Russia . . . from the Assad regime.

Kerrys comments, made alongside his counterparts from France, Germany and Qatar after a meeting here, were a tacit acknowledgment of the reality on the ground and a marked shift in tone from the angry accusations that have characterized recent U.S.-Russian exchanges on Syria.

In a later interview, Kerry indicated a broader shift in U.S. strategy for ending Syrias civil war, saying that peace talks between the opposition and the government of President Bashar al-Assad could begin without a nationwide cease-fire.

I think they could . . . and there are those of us who support that, Kerry said. But to persuade opposition groups, and some of the other countries backing them, he said, its going to be important to get some confidence-building structure into this equation. And thats what were trying to do.

Both a safe Aleppo evacuation and the start of talks on a political solution to the wider civil war require cooperation from Russia. U.S. and Russian military and diplomatic experts met Saturday in Geneva for talks that Kerry said were likely to continue. Their first task, he said at the news conference, was trying to flesh out the details of a possible way to save lives in Aleppo. But I cannot stand here and tell you they will find a way forward.

So far, he said, the fighters dont trust that if they indeed agree to leave . . . that it will in fact save Aleppo or themselves. That is the choice they see. To die in Aleppo or die in Idlib. But die nonetheless.

Idlib is the neighboring province where the government has funneled civilians and opposition fighters who have evacuated other besieged communities.

The past year of meetings between Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, both by themselves and with other international stakeholders in Syria, has seen many failed plans for cease-fires and political negotiations. But despite the recent string of military victories for Russia-backed Assad, Kerry said he believes that success may provide an incentive for peace.

Moscow is well aware, he said, that the rebel defeat in Aleppo will not end the war. It may result in opposition fighters joining extremist groups, some of whose Russian and Central Asia members could launch terrorist attacks at home. At the same time, Kerry said, this is very, very costly for Russia.

It costs them on their relationship with the Sunni countries in the region, Kerry said. It is not helpful to [President Vladimir] Putins economy, and it aint doing that much for their reputation.

Widespread destruction in Syria will require massive reconstruction, and the West will refuse to help without a political settlement.

If Russias going to own the thing, Kerry said, they want to own it with the least cost, least pain equation. And thats not where its heading right now. Its heading into a maximum-cost, maximum-pain equation. And I dont think they want that.

Kerry, who has been in near-constant communication with Lavrov this week, said that he had two communications today that confirmed that [Assad] has said that he will, in fact, take part and be there in good faith and begin the negotiations . . . The Russians, he added, they really, basically, have put a hard guarantee down on that.

But even if Russia and Assad did agree, it remains uncertain whether opposition political leaders  as well as countries backing the rebels such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey  are now willing to sit down to negotiate their future. They say they will go in without pre-conditions, Kerry said of the political leaders. In the past, those pre-conditions have included a ceasefire, distribution of humanitarian aid and some assurances that Assad would not stay in power.

Their current position is what we tried to pin down today, Kerry said of the Saturday meeting here, which included Riad Hijab, the oppositions chief political negotiator, as well as representatives from their European and regional supporters.

Meanwhile, Kerry said the situation in Aleppo was confused, as U.S. officials in contact with the rebels try to really pin down which members of the armed opposition groups have decided to leave the city.

A sporadic exodus of civilians continued out of eastern Aleppo on Saturday. Russia said Syrian troops had again suspended their offensive to allow 500 people needing urgent medical care to be evacuated. But reports from inside the city indicated ongoing government attacks and a delay in the evacuations because of security risks.

Louisa Loveluck in Beirut contributed to this report.

Read more:

Hundreds of men vanish as they flee Aleppo, U.N. official says

Russia, China veto U.N. proposal to stop deadly violence in Aleppo

We are alone: The voices of besieged rebel-held Aleppo

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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A Kurdish peshmerga fighter inspects the interior of a house destroyed by fighting with Islamic State militants in Bashiqa, Iraq, on Nov. 11. (Felipe Dana/AP)

When the Kurdish peshmerga commander arrived in this town in northern Iraq last month, he knew he was there to stay.

Col. Nabi Ahmed Mohammeds force of 300 fighters had been tasked with securing Bashiqa as part of the Iraqi militarys offensive against the Islamic State in the nearby city of Mosul. The town had been home to minority Yazidis who were forced to flee when the militants arrived in 2014.

When Kurdish troops pressed into the town, they faced sniper fire and attacks from militants in underground tunnels. At least eight peshmerga were killed.

Now, Mohammeds men are making plans for a permanent presence in the bombed-out town, long claimed by both the Kurds as part of their semiautonomous region and by the central government in Baghdad.





We will fight for this place in the future against any enemy, whether it be Daesh or anyone else, Mohammed said, using the Arabic acronym for the group. Bashiqa is a good lesson for those who would think about occupying a Kurdish city, because none of them will survive.

Kurdish intentions to remain in disputed areas of northern Iraq, despite warnings from Baghdad, threaten to spark renewed ethnic conflict once the Islamic State can be defeated, bringing long-standing feuds over land, oil and political power back to the fore.

The debate over the positioning of Kurdish forces after Mosul is retaken reflects larger questions about how groups that have formed uneasy alliances against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria will interact after the imminent danger has receded.

[The mounting death toll in Mosul forces questions about the battle plan]

The friction also illustrates the growing ambitions of minority Kurds across the Middle East, some of whom are seizing on the upheaval gripping the region to push for greater clout.

Fouad Hussein, a senior Kurdish official, said ties between Kurdish leaders and Baghdad have grown stronger since 2014, when peshmerga troops provided a needed defense against the Islamic State. Today, peshmerga fighters are supporting Arab troops from the Iraqi military around Mosul. Sometimes, they operate within sight of troops with whom they have clashed sporadically in the past.

Kurdish peshmerga fighters and commanders overlook Islamic State group positions during heavy fighting in Bashiqa, Iraq, on Nov. 7. (Felipe Dana/AP)

But Kurdish leaders remain wary about whether cooperation can be sustained. The question is, the day after, how are we going to deal with each other? he asked.

Iraqi Kurds have enjoyed relative autonomy in their northern region since 1991. After the 2003 U.S. invasion, Kurdish authorities took advantage of weak governance to expand their influence in areas such as Bashiqa, according to Denise Natali, an Iraq expert at the National Defense University.

Those areas make up a collection of disputed territories whose status remains unresolved despite years of international efforts to broker a compromise.

Theres just tremendous potential for all kinds of conflict, said Kenneth Pollack, a scholar at the Brookings Institution. The extent to which external powers are so amped up over the future of these issues in Iraq, it makes it that much more explosive.

Kurdish and Iraqi leaders remain far apart on other issues, including Kurdistans effort to establish itself as an independent oil player and allocations from the Iraqi budget.

Kurdish officials say missing budget payments from Baghdad have exacerbated an already dire economic situation. Public salaries have been slashed, adding to a political crisis that has prompted the regions president to offer to resign.

As the battle unfolds in nearby Mosul, Iraqi Kurdish leaders insist they have a right to protect majority Kurdish areas that lie outside of their regions official borders.

Masrour Barzani, chancellor of the Kurdistan Security Council, said Kurds, Yazidis and Christians in areas beyond where peshmerga are now positioned feel a primary loyalty to Kurdistan.

While most people in Iraqi Kurdistan consider Yazidis to be Kurds, Yazidis themselves are divided about that claim.

Bashiqa holds more than demographic importance. The town sits next to an oil field included in a deal that Kurdish authorities, in defiance of Baghdad, struck with ExxonMobil in 2011. Since 2015, Turkish troops have been stationed at a nearby military base, training local fighters against the Islamic State.

[Iraqi Christians doubt they will return to Mosul]

Barzani said areas retaken by peshmerga forces before the Mosul operation began will remain under Kurdistans control, and that is not negotiable.

Lt. Gen. Yahiya Rasoul, an Iraqi military spokesman, said plans drawn up before the offensive began on Oct. 17 stipulated that peshmerga would withdraw to areas it occupied before then, meaning they would not remain in Bashiqa or some other areas where Kurds have exerted influence in the past.

We believe the peshmerga troops and the regional government are obliged to carry out the agreements that have been made, he said.

Col. Halgurd Hikmat, a spokesman for the Ministry of Peshmerga, said no specific withdrawal plan had been made. When Mosul falls, he said, Kurdish and Iraqi officials will hold talks about peshmerga positions and who will administer Nineveh province.

Both sides cite an agreement the Pentagon struck with Kurdish authorities earlier this year as proof that the United States backs their plans. One U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive issue, said no specific locations were identified for peshmerga positions after Mosul.

On a cold, misty evening last week, Mohammed and his men warmed themselves around a fire outside his command center in Bashiqa.

The city has been largely flattened by airstrikes, many of the shops and homes a jumble of rubble and rebar. Residents have not yet returned, giving it the feel of a ghost town.

The colonel plans to remain in Bashiqa until residents return, and then move to the citys outskirts. He said locals saw what happened in Mosul, where Iraqi troops surrendered the city to the Islamic State. Without the presence of peshmerga in the city, Yazidi Kurds will never feel safe to come back, he said.

If Kurdish troops stay in Bashiqa, it appears likely joint control will resume, with Kurdish forces providing security and authorities who report to Baghdad providing other services.

The fate of other areas, such as oil-rich Kirkuk, could be far more contentious than Bashiqa.

Natali said Kurdish leaders would need to cut deals with local and Baghdad authorities if they hoped to remain in disputed towns and villages.

Theres no way the Kurds can go in there and say, Tough, this is ours, and think there will not be repercussions, she said.

Mustafa Salim and Loveday Morris contributed to this report from Irbil, Iraq.

Read more:

Iraq has never seen this kind of fighting in its battles with ISIS

These images show how Islamic State forces have dug in for a fight in Mosul

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A March 29 photo shows damages to the historical city of Palmyra, Syria. On Saturday, Islamic State (IS) fighters re-entered Palmyra after the Syrian government forces gained control over the Unesco World Heritage site in March.. (Str/EPA)

Islamic State militants fought their way back into the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra on Saturday nine months after they were driven out by Syrian government forces, in a reminder that the group is still a force to be reckoned with despite major losses of territory elsewhere.

The advance into Palmyra seemed set to reverse a year of steady defeats for Islamic State fighters and came three days after a big offensive launched from three directions in the surrounding desert.

Palmyra is the site of an ancient Roman complex of temples that is considered one of the worlds archaeological treasures, and work had recently begun on restoring some of the many ruins that were blown up during the Islamic States 10-month occupation of the city.

It is also the one place where Russian military intervention had made a significant difference in the fight against the Islamic State. Russian airstrikes facilitated the Syrian governments recapture of Palmyra in March, and in May the Russian military escorted a planeload of journalists on a victory tour of the city, complete with a performance by a Russian orchestra.

[Russian delegation in Syrias ancient Palmyra marks liberation from Islamic State]

Syrian activists and human rights monitors said Islamic State fighters entered the city itself late afternoon Saturday after government defenses collapsed. A Syrian activist from Palmyra who uses the name Khaled al-Homsi said that by late evening, the militants controlled most of the city. Islamic State fighters were detaining young men and looting stores of weapons, he said.

The offensive was aided by 200 Islamic State fighters who had made their way to the area from the Iraqi city of Mosul, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

With street fighting continuing, it remained unclear whether the militants would be able fully to recapture the city. Russia Today quoted a Syrian military official as saying the Syrian government still has forces inside Palmyra and has not fully lost control, despite what the official described as fierce clashes. The Islamic State has demonstrated a pattern in the past of launching spectacular attacks that catch its enemies unaware, only to be driven back once the defendants regroup.

If the militants were to fully regain control of Palmyra, it would represent a startling reversal of 18 months of setbacks and suggest that the outright defeat of the group may still be a long way off. The Islamic State has not made any significant advances in either Syria or Iraq since it captured Palmyra and the Iraqi city of Ramadi in May 2015, and it has meanwhile lost vast swaths of territory in both countries, including Palmyra and Ramadi.

The Palmyra advance coincides with a major U.S.-backed offensive by the Iraqi army for Mosul, where hopes for a swift victory are fading as the militants put up a stiff fight. They also still control large portions of Syria, including much of the vast eastern desert where Palmyra is located.

The U.S. military announced Saturday that it was sending an additional 200 Special Operations troops to northern Syria to help the mostly Kurdish force that is battling the militants there.

[The splendors of Palmyra, the ancient Syrian city ravaged by the Islamic State]

The assault on Palmyra also comes as a further reminder that the Syrian army, despite substantial gains against rebel forces in recent weeks, is thinly spread, suffering from shortages of manpower and weary after more than five years of war.

The rebel-held eastern portion of Aleppo seems poised to be recaptured soon by government troops, which are being aided by Iranian advisers, Shiite militias from Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon, and Russian airstrikes. The government has also been making less-publicized advances against anti-government rebels around the capital, Damascus.

But in a pattern that has become typical throughout Syrias five-year war, gains on one front have meant drawing down troops on another, leaving government positions exposed.

The militants had sliced through government lines in recent days, capturing some of Syrias most important gas fields and sending government soldiers running for their lives. One video posted Friday by the Islamic State showed about a dozen Syrian soldiers fleeing through the desert as militants fired on them with heavy machine guns. Another posted Saturday showed them overrunning Syrian government sniper positions in the desert outside the city, kicking at the dead bodies of Syrian soldiers and sifting through the tents they had been living in.

Zakaria Zakaria in Istanbul and Louisa Loveluck in Beirut contributed to this report.

Read more:

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ISIS destroyed almost half of an ancient city in Syria

How ancient ruins are perfect propaganda in the Middle East

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson is a potential nominee for secretary of state. Here's what you need to know about Tillerson. (Thomas Johnson,Victoria Walker,Danielle Kunitz/The Washington Post)

ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson is a potential nominee for secretary of state. Here's what you need to know about Tillerson. (Thomas Johnson,Victoria Walker,Danielle Kunitz/The Washington Post)

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name as his secretary of state Rex Tillerson, the chief executive of ExxonMobil, who has worked extensively around the globe and built relationships with such leaders as Russian President Vladimir Putin, three people close to the transition team confirmed Saturday.

Tillersons nomination could face intense scrutiny in the Senate, considering his years of work in Russia and the Middle East on behalf of the multinational petroleum company. Already, two leading Republican hawks, Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), have voiced concerns about Tillersons serving as the nations top diplomat because of his ties to Putin.

Trump spokesman Jason Miller said Saturday that there would be no official announcement about a secretary of state until this coming week at the earliest.

But three officials briefed on Trumps deliberations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the pick would be Tillerson, barring a late and unanticipated shift in Trumps thinking. NBC News first reported that Trump has settled on Tillerson.

[The Fix: Who is Rex Tillerson?]

View Graphic Here are the people Trump has chosen for his Cabinet

Trump is considering nominating for deputy secretary of state John R. Bolton, a former ambassador to the United Nations and a combative hawk whose tenure in the George W. Bush administration was controversial, two of the officials said.

Trump spent a month deliberating over the secretary of state position and interviewed an array of candidates, including Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, who was opposed by some of Trumps closest advisers because he had been the face of the Republican resistance to Trumps presidential candidacy. Other contenders included former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The search at times resembled Trumps reality TV show, The Apprentice, with the hopefuls parading before journalists  and, in the case of Giuliani, publicly campaigning for the job before announcing Friday that he had withdrawn from consideration.

[Trumps advisers clash over Mitt Romney as secretary of state]

Tillersons stock rose late in the process, after he met with the president-elect on Tuesday and again on Saturday morning at Trump Tower in New York. Trump settled on Tillerson, 64, because he projects gravitas, is regarded as a skillful manager and personally knows many foreign leaders through his dealings on behalf of the energy giant, people close to Trump said.

In an excerpt of an interview with Fox News, which will be aired in full Sunday, Trump praises Tillerson, although he does not reveal his decision.

Hes much more than a business executive; hes a world-class player, Trump says. He knows many of the players, and he knows them well. He does massive deals in Russia  for the company, not for himself.

1 of 35 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Heres a look at Trumps administration so far View Photos President-elect Donald Trump faces a challenge as he prepares for his move to the White House: selecting the men and women who will fill his administration. Caption The men and women the president-elect has selected for his Cabinet and White House team. Scott Gottlieb, nominee for commissioner of FDA President Trump is set to nominate Scott Gottlieb, a conservative physician and businessman with deep ties to the pharmaceutical industry, to be commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, a White House official said. Courtesy of American Enterprise Institute/via Reuters Wait 1 second to continue.

Tillersons nomination would fit the pattern of other Trump selections  wealthy business leaders with little experience in policymaking. But Tillerson has spent years dealing with the complexities of one of the worlds biggest enterprises, spanning six continents and about six dozen nations.

The companys deep ties to Russia would potentially serve Tillerson well, given Trumps desire to repair relations with the Kremlin. But Tillersons close ties to Putin could also become a flash point during confirmation hearings, especially in light of a recent CIA assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Trump win the presidency, rather than just to undermine confidence in the U.S. electoral system.

[Secret CIA assessment says Russia was trying to help Trump win White House]

Few corporate titans are closer to Putin than Tillerson, said Jason Bordoff, founder of Columbia Universitys center for global energy. So his pick, along with Trumps campaign rhetoric, would suggest a sharp shift in U.S. policy toward Russia.

McCain told Fox News on Saturday that Tillersons relationship with Putin is a matter of concern to me.

You want to give the president of the United States the benefit of the doubt because the people have spoken, McCain said. But Vladimir Putin is a thug, a bully and a murderer, and anybody else who describes him as anything else is lying.

In the 1990s, Tillerson oversaw an Exxon project on Russias Sakhalin island and developed a working relationship with Putin. In 2011, Exxon signed an agreement with the state-controlled oil company, Rosneft, to work jointly on oil exploration and development in the Arctic and Siberia.

After inking the deal in New York, Tillerson and Rosneft chairman and Putin confidant Igor Sechin dined on caviar at the luxury Manhattan restaurant Per Se, according to one account. The next day, they gave oil analysts black pens with the date of the agreement engraved in gold.

Two years later, the Kremlin awarded Tillerson the Order of Friendship, an honor reserved for foreigners.

I dont know the man much at all, but lets put it this way: If you received an award from the Kremlin, [an] Order of Friendship, then were gonna have some talkin, Graham said. Well have some questions. I dont want to prejudge the guy, but thats a bit unnerving.

Exxon discovered oil in a well it drilled in the Kara Sea, but the joint partnership was put on ice after Russian intervention in Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea led to international economic sanctions.

As secretary of state, Tillerson, who has been critical of the sanctions, would be in a position to argue for easing them, which could allow Exxon to resume operations. And for a company the size of Exxon, few countries outside of Russia hold sufficient potential to bolster the oil giants reserves. In addition to the Arctic, Exxon wants to drill in the deep waters of the Black Sea and search for shale oil in West Siberia. In each case, the company would be providing expertise and technology that Russia lacks.

Russia is critical for Exxon, said Fadel Gheit, an oil analyst for Oppenheimer & Co.

Robert McNally, president of the consulting firm Rapidan Group and a director for energy on President George W. Bushs national security council, said, The closest thing we have to a secretary of state outside government is the CEO of Exxon.

Tillerson has spent his entire career at ExxonMobil, joining the company in 1975 with a degree in civil engineering. His career has taken him from Oklahoma and Texas to Yemen and Russia, and as ExxonMobils top executive, he has cultivated relationships, meeting regularly with world leaders such as Putin, the Saudi oil minister, and the emir of Qatar. He will retire with a nest egg of about $300 million, including stock options and pension benefits.

Yet Tillersons track record  during a decade in which crude oil prices lurched from less than $30 to nearly $150 a barrel  has been mixed. The company has managed some of the worlds biggest infrastructure projects, often in forbidding locations, but it has spent heavily on share buybacks and has borrowed heavily to maintain both capital spending and dividend payments.

Wall Street analysts say ExxonMobil overpaid for XTO Energy, a domestic shale gas company, and it has failed to meet the production targets Tillerson himself set. In April, Standard & Poors downgraded the companys gold-plated triple-A credit rating to double-A plus, the first time Exxon had lost its triple-A rating since the advent of color television.

Tillersons nomination is likely to draw strong opposition from environmentalists. The secretary of state takes the lead in international climate talks, meaning that Tillerson could play a role in unwinding U.S. commitments under the recent Paris accord.

Environmental groups allege that ExxonMobils scientists knew about the impact the use of fossil fuels was having on climate change, and that the company suppressed internal research instead of sharing it with investors and the public.

The New York and Massachusetts attorneys general have issued broad subpoenas to ascertain whether ExxonMobils failure to disclose that information violated Securities and Exchange Commission requirements. ExxonMobil has fought back in federal court in Texas.

Covering up climate science and deceiving investors qualifies you for federal investigation, not federal office, May Boeve, executive director of the climate group 350.org, said in a statement.

When Tillerson took the helm at ExxonMobil a decade ago, he was seen as moderating the companys position on climate change. Whereas his predecessor opposed any action on climate change, Tillerson said in 2009 that he favored a carbon tax and proposed an initial price somewhere north of $20 a ton. And he reduced ExxonMobils own emissions.

Tillerson has acknowledged that humans cause climate change, and under his leadership, ExxonMobil curtailed funding for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, whose energy and climate expert Myron Ebell played down the extent of climate change. Ebell heads Trumps transition team on environmental issues.

Yet Tillerson has insisted that oil use is essential. He chaired the American Petroleum Institute and once told Fortune magazine, To say that youre addicted to oil and natural gas seems to me to say youre addicted to economic growth.

ExxonMobil has important relationships throughout the Middle East. It relies on Saudi Arabia for oil supplies and is a partner in refinery projects. It has enormous projects in liquefied natural gas export in Qatar. It has also managed to carry out exploration and production ventures in the semiautonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq and in southern Iraq, transcending rivalries between Baghdad and the Kurds.

But under Tillerson, ExxonMobil has walked away from other countries. It left Venezuela after contract disputes with the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, and it ended its onshore operations in Nigeria, where local insurgents sabotaged infrastructure.

Tillerson was born in Wichita Falls, Tex., the son of a Boy Scout administrator. He still lists the rank of Eagle Scout on his resume and has remained active in the organization. In 2012, he was instrumental in pushing the Boy Scouts board to admit openly gay youths.

The ExxonMobil chief also chaired the $50 million campaign to restore Washingtons Fords Theatre, where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

Tillerson has been a major donor to the GOP and its candidates, including former Florida governor Jeb Bush during this years presidential primaries, federal campaign finance filings show. Although there appears to be no record of Tillersons giving to Trumps campaign, his wife, Renda, contributed $2,700 to Trump in September, filings show.

Within the oil industry, ExxonMobil has been regarded as the most button-downed company, conservative and sometimes arrogant. But even Tillersons critics admire his leadership abilities.

Rex is a very, very, very honorable man, Gheit said. He is smart, levelheaded. He has tremendous resolve and very strong character.

Karoun Demirjian, Matea Gold and Carol Morello contributed to this report.

Read more:

Who is Rex Tillerson, the ExxonMobil chairman who may become secretary of state?

Trump, CIA on a collision course over Russias role in U.S. election

From enemies to potential allies: How the Trump-Romney divide began to heal
With the passing of Fidel Castro, we saw a number of articles about the horrors of Cuba (Local View, "Cuba was and is no utopia" by Dr. Pat Clare, Dec, 3). Cuba today, however, is complex and changing rapidly. In May, I spent a week in Cuba as part of a People2People trip. I had typical American preconceptions, but found many surprises.

First, realize the US embargo shut off import of 95% of Cubas capital goods, 100% of its spare parts, and most Cuban exports. The embargo was intended to cripple the island, and it worked.

Political oppression in Cuba did not begin in 1959 with Fidel Castro. The previous dictator, Fulgencio Batista, imprisoned, tortured, and killed his political opponents on a grand scale. Castro killed over 7,000 Cubans during his halfcentury rule; in 1960 John F. Kennedy noted that Batista had killed over 20,000 people from 1952 to 1959.

Cuban and American perspectives are different. Not as many Cubans embrace unfettered American culture and freedom as you think. The Cubans we spoke with were horrified at the crime in America; of the mass shootings in our schools; at the homeless in our streets; and our millions who have difficulty paying for quality healthcare. As one said, I dont think I could live like that.

As others have indicated, the people of Cuba are poor. The cost of living is low, however. A basic staple of food is provided by the government, and additional portions are available at nominal costs. A loaf of bread costs about 25 cents USD. Healthcare and education through college or trade school are free. Housing is provided by the government, but owned by the Cubans themselves; title is assigned by the government to the occupants. There are no taxes and utility bills are subsidized. The government provides a job for everyone.

Cubans are proud of their medical system, and that all citizens have healthcare. Dr. Clare described how backward orthopedics was in 2003, but in other respects Cubans match or exceeds US practice. They developed a lung cancer vaccine that US pharmaceutical companies are very interested in. Cuba ranks better than the USA in infant mortality, and is practically even with us in life expectancy.

Castro exported his doctors to other poor countries, both for cash and as humanitarian gestures. Cuban medical personnel responded to natural disasters and fought epidemics like Ebola in Africa. Cuba provided free optical surgery to people in over 30 countries; over 3 million people have had their sight restored. Gratitude for Castros medical outreach to the worlds poor is one reason so many expressed respect or admiration for him.

One thing that would not have been apparent in 2003 is the green shoots of capitalism recently sprouting. The government has allowed the startup of small private enterprises. Thousands of people have their own private stands or carts selling food, clothing, books, paintings, wood carvings and other crafts. In-home restaurants are approved by the government and are a source of extra cash. Tourist lodging in private homes also is common.

The people we spoke with were excited about their new opportunities and small freedoms (however limited), and about the prospect for improved relations with the US and seeing more Americans in Cuba.

The police and military still watch the citizenry. Political arrests actually have gone up the last two years, as dissidents press for a faster pace of liberalization. But we did not get a sense that the people feared being watched. People carefully chose their words but were not hesitant to speak with us. Police made no effort to discourage talking with us. We were never threatened or harassed. Of course we were sophisticated and polite enough not to steer conversation too far into tricky areas.

At one point, though, I had to chuckle  the Cuban I was speaking with in the Santiago plaza said well, thats the government for you, in exactly the same tone of voice I had heard from a seed-capped farmer in a Nebraska cafe!

Cuba today seems to be one place where America is winning. I hope misguided politicians do not continue the failed embargo policy, or roll back the recent overtures. I like the energy, friendliness, talents, and emerging entrepreneurial ambitions of the Cuban people. I look forward to returning to Cuba to see the progress. It is definitely not Utopia, but it is very promising.
Security officials inspect the site of Saturdays suicide bomber blast in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen. (European Pressphoto Agency)

A suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside a military base in the southern city of Aden on Saturday, killing at least 48 soldiers and injuring dozens more, Yemeni officials said.

It was the latest assault on forces loyal to a U.S.-backed, Saudi-led military campaign to restore Yemens exiled government to power.

The assault unfolded shortly after 4 p.m. as soldiers waited at the gate of the Solaban military base to collect their salaries in the port city, witnesses said. They had not been paid since September.

A suicidal bomber sneaked in among the soldiers who were standing in line and blew himself up, Mansour Saleh, a local journalist, said in a telephone interview. This is not the first time this base was attacked.

The bombing came days after Yemens internationally recognized President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi returned to Aden after spending months outside Yemen, mostly in Saudi Arabia.

The Health Ministry said that the bombing killed 48 soldiers and that 36 were reported wounded, but the number of fatalities could rise, officials said .

No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but suspicion immediately fell on al-Qaedas powerful Yemen branch as well as the Islamic State. Both groups are widely believed to have cells inside Aden and have claimed to have staged previous attacks on soldiers and officials in Aden, including one targeting Solaban a few months ago that killed more than a dozen people.

In August, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in a mustering area for army recruits, killing at least 54 people, one of the worst suicide attacks to strike the country. In May, suicide bombers in Aden killed at least 45 army recruits lined up to enlist.

The conflict pits Hadis forces against an alliance of northern rebels known as the Houthis and loyalists of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. In early 2015, shortly after the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, Hadi fled and eventually based his government in Aden. A regional coalition led by Saudi Arabia, and supported by Washington, intervened in the conflict but has failed to push the rebels from the capital despite a steady barrage of airstrikes.

The Sunni Muslim kingdom and its partners are wary of the Shiite Houthis and their suspected ties to Irans theocracy.

The conflict has worsened a humanitarian crisis afflicting the country, the Middle Easts poorest. The United Nations estimates that at least 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict, many of them civilians.

Read more:

American held in Yemen for over a year is released

Obama administration releases memo outlining use of force rules

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Even if you dont know Jocelyn Wildensteins name, youve seen her face.

The New York socialite, 71, is currently facing charges for allegedly attacking her 49-year-old boyfriend with scissors at her Trump World Tower Apartment in New York City. But Wildenstein was famous long before this week, for a few different reasons.

For one  and perhaps the most obvious to those unacquainted with Wildensteins personal life  there is her face, which has undergone so many plastic surgeries that its taken on a kind of feline quality, leading Wildenstein to be derided Catwoman in certain circles.

Wildensteins surgery journey started with an eye lift during the first year she was married to Alec Wildenstein, a French-born, American-raised art dealer, racehorse owner and businessmen heir to a billion-dollar fortune. She told him his eyes looked baggy, he recalled to Vanity Fair in 1998, so they went in for his-and-hers facelifts. That was the beginning: I dont think Ive known her when she wasnt healing from something, a friend added.

Alec, who died in 2008, and some of Jocelyns friends suspect shes trying to look like a lynx (she has one for a pet), The lynx has perfect eyes, she told Vanity Fair, but suggested her faces dimensions were at least partially natural: If I show you pictures of my grandmother, what you see is these eyes  cat eyes  and high cheekbones.

Wildenstein  who grew up lower-middle-class in Switzerland before shuttling off to Paris and Africa  met Alec in 1977. The pair eloped a year later, and their spending became a thing of legend: In 1998, she estimated they would spend $1 million a month on average. The pair had two children, Jocelyn continued her plastic surgery odyssey and things were relatively normal for the family, until the late 1990s.

They were a reclusive couple, one longtime friend told PEOPLE in 1998. They had a tight group of friends and were very quiet people. Instead of hobnobbing with New York society, the article continues, Jocelyn oversaw the sprawling Ol Jogi ranch , apartments in Paris and Lausanne, a French chateau and a Caribbean retreat. The pair raised their children, but the marriage broke down in the mid-90s, and Alec filed for divorce in April 1997. On Sept. 3 of that year, Jocelyn claimed she found Alec in bed with a 21-year-old Russian model named Yelena Jarikova. A gun was involved; and Alec was charged with menacing.

Story continues

It was the couples divorce that made them a household name. During the proceedings, much of the attention was drawn, naturally, to Jocelyns looks, along with various sordid rumors about her personal life, such as that shed worked as a prostitute for the famous Paris bordello owner Madame Claude. Over the course of the proceedings, which dragged on for two years, Jocelyn was awarded an astounding $2.3 billion settlement, with $100 million for 13 years afterward. (The judge stipulated that she was not allowed to use any portion of that sum to fund further cosmetic surgery.)

Three years later, Alec inherited half of his fathers sprawling business holdings, an estate that included one of the worlds largest private collections of art and was estimated at $10 billion. Needless to say, portions of it went to fund alimony payments to Jocelyn.

Jocelyn kept largely out of the public eye following the divorce, though shes been through various legal battles since then, mostly with landlords. She dodged eviction from an apartment at the United Nations Plaza over owed rent through a settlement and was sued in 2015 by American Express over $70,000 in credit card debt. Another 2015 lawsuit concerned a $15,000-per-month Beverly Hills bungalow that Wildenstein allegedly trashed and abandoned, leaving $165,00 in unpaid rent and almost $15,000 more in assorted fees.

The New York Post reported that while in court on Thursday, Wildenstein used a contraband cellphone in the courtroom to fix her hair and apply makeup. A court officer took the phone from her. Wildenstein left the courthouse, guided by her lawyer, her famous face almost entirely covered with a pashmina scarf.




Episode 4 of AMERICAN DOERS, a new 12-part video series featuring original thinkers, innovators, craftspeople, risk-takers and artisans across the United States.

After the tragic death of their son, a Wyoming couple found the strength to go on  and found a way to help others in the process.

Tim and Debbie Bishop first met at a guest dude ranch in college. And they bonded over their dream to one day own a ranch of their own.

They were overjoyed to welcome a son in 1985. But Trenton, who was born with special needs, died at 8 months old.

You never fully get over it, Tim tells PEOPLE. I still tear up.

The couple relied on each other for support during the difficult time. Whenever comes in life, you can get through it, Debbie says.

The couple went on to achieve their dream of opening a ranch, purchasing the Medicine Bow Lodge on Nov. 1, 2002. The resort, complete with horseback riding, fishing and hiking, is nestled within the Snowy Range Mountains of Saratoga, Wyoming.

Its a place where people can get away, Tim says. We want people when they leave here to be better off than when they got here.

But their dream didnt come without its challenges. They almost had to close the ranch due to the financial crisis of 2008. And just one year later, on Dec. 9, 2009, they almost lost everything in a fire.

For more American Doers, go to americandoers.people.com.

I put a pair of jeans, pair of rubber boots and a trench coat on. I was trying to fight the fire, Jim says. When they got me in the ambulance my body temperature was 94 degrees. I was in a state of shock.

Despite the loss, they continued to grow stronger together.

We did lose everything in terms of material things, Debbie says. We still have each other, but it was a close call with this man.

The couple says despite the emotional and physical challenges thrown their way, they wouldnt do anything differently.

If I took back, then the good things that happened as a result wouldnt be here, says Jim. Right now, Im having a good time.

Story continues

The couple says theyve learned that perseverance is the key to contentment.

You dont give up. Theres just a grit that were given to keep going, says Debbie.




By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump will remain an executive producer on the reality TV show "Celebrity Apprentice," new host Arnold Schwarzenegger said on Friday, defending the situation as similar to his own transitions between politics and entertainment. Trump, who famously barked the catchphrase "You're fired!" as he dismissed competitors on the "Apprentice" and "Celebrity Apprentice" programs, stepped down from the show last year when he entered the Republican presidential race. "Celebrity Apprentice" returns to the air with Schwarzenegger, star of the "Terminator" films and former two-term California governor, as host on Jan. 2, 18 days before Trump is sworn in as president. "I knew from the beginning he is executive producer of the show...His credit was on there," Schwarzenegger told reporters at a promotional event for the next season. "It is no different than when I was running for governor and I became governor. My credit for starring in Terminator still said Schwarzenegger and everything stayed the same and I continued getting my royalties," he said. Asked whether Trump should step away from the program, Schwarzenegger joked: "I dont think hell be co-hosting with me." He suggested Trump could appear on future seasons as a guest adviser if he has time. Variety, which first reported Trump's decision to remain as executive producer, said his name would air in the credits before that of Schwarzenegger. The show is broadcast by NBC, a unit of Comcast Corp. Variety said he was likely to be due a payment in the low five-figures per episode. Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway did not confirm that Trump would retain the executive producer credit and said she did not know whether he would accept potential payments for the program. "Presidents have a right to do things in their spare time or their leisure time," she told CNN. "Nobody objects to that." Debuting in 2004, "The Apprentice" and its spinoff, "Celebrity Apprentice," were ratings hits and boosted Trump's popularity after he suffered a financial downturn in the 1990s. "He did a great job. Thats why I was attracted to the show. Now I am the new boss. I am the new host. I hope I can match up with what he has done ... I want to have my ratings a little higher than his were," Schwarzenegger said. Trump has been speaking to lawyers and protocol experts about his global business interests once he takes office on Jan. 20, Conway said on CNN. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and Emily Stephenson in Washington; Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Grant McCool)
(Corrects first paragraph to make clear CFO was referring to Ping An's overseas investments and not specifically to M&As, changes headline to reflect the same; makes clear in paragraph seven and second bullet that Ping An is teaming up with private equity firms and not strengthening partnership; changes attribution to CFO in paragraph nine)

* Ping An CFO sees investment opportunities in U.S. and Europe

* Ping An teaming up with Blackstone, others for outbound deals

Dec 9 (Reuters) - Ping An Insurance Group Co of China Ltd , the country's second-largest insurer, has seen some of its overseas investments impacted by Beijing's measures to stem capital outflows, its group chief financial officer (CFO) said on Friday.

After facing difficulties converting yuan into foreign currencies and shifting capital offshore, Ping An is seeking to raise debt capital in overseas markets in a bid to overcome the funding issues, CFO Jason Yao said.

Ping An plans to sell U.S. dollar-denominated bonds and borrow from banks offshore to finance its outbound deals, Yao added.

"The Chinese government's move to tighten capital outflows has an impact on Ping An in the short-term," Yao said, as it has become more difficult to purchase foreign currency.

China has been stepping up measures to stem capital outflows as it battles to reverse outflows that undermine its currency and eat into its foreign exchange reserves. Record outbound M&As from China this year has put deal flows under the spotlight.

Chinese regulators, however, reiterated on Tuesday that there is "no change" in government policies to encourage Chinese companies to "go global", according to a statement jointly released by the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Commerce, the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

Apart from seeking capital offshore, Yao said Ping An is teaming up with foreign private equity firms and property funds, including Blackstone Group LP, for its outbound deals.

Story continues

A spokeswoman for Blackstone declined to comment.

Despite uncertainty due to Donald Trump's U.S. presidential election win and Britain's vote to exit the European Union, United States and Europe will remain the key markets for Ping An's overseas investments. Ping An is targeting investments in property, infrastructure and aviation leasing, Yao said.

"Our investments in the U.S. are mainly financial investments, which won't involve the national interests between the U.S. and China."

"That [Trump Administration] won't change our investment strategy in the U.S."

He added that the Shenzhen-based group has also run out of quota for the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) programme, which enables registered Chinese financial institutions to invest a limited amount of funds in foreign financial assets. Ping An declined to disclose the size of its QDII quota.

The financial conglomerate currently has about 5 percent of its total insurance assets abroad, according to Yao. That is well below the 15 percent cap imposed by China's insurance regulator, giving it ample room to splurge. It plans to gradually increase its overseas investments to 10 percent over the next three to five years.

"Of course we want to increase our overseas investments. I hope it's not a long-term." (Writing by Denny Thomas; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Christopher Cushing)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  Authorities in Puerto Rico say 16 Cuban migrants have arrived in the U.S. territory by boat.

One group of 11 men and women landed in northwestern Puerto Rico near the Rincon lighthouse. Another group of five men arrived at Mona Island off the west coast.

Border patrol spokesman Jeffrey Quinones said Saturday that the migrants would likely be released and cited to appear before an immigration judge. Under longstanding policy, Cubans who reach U.S. territory are almost always allowed to remain.

Quinones said Cubans are now outnumbering Dominican and Haitian migrants in attempting the sea passage to Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) to the west. He said 356 Cubans, 253 Dominicans and 19 Haitians have been detained along the route this year.
MARRAKECH, Morocco  The 16th Marrakech film fest wraps today, Saturday, with the closing ceremony featuring Fatih Akins Goodbye Berlin and announcement of the films that will win the Golden Star for best film and the best actor and best actress.

This years edition had a very strong world cinema imprint, highly influenced by the country tribute to Russian cinema and the choice of iconoclastic Hungarian filmmaker, Bela Tara, as jury prexy.

The career tributes and masterclasses featured outspoken filmmakers, who have provoked controversy in their home countries and in several cases have moved abroad to maintain their creative independence.

Tarr proudly described himself as one Hungarys top five black sheep and has spent the last five years running his Film Factory school in Sarajevo, Bosnia, where he encourages his students to hunt in order to capture life in their films.

Paul Verhoeven, who this week was confirmed as jury president for Berlin 2017, has touted controversy throughout his career. The success and polemics generated by films such as Spetters in his native Holland led him to move to Hollywood in the late 1980s. But U.S. pictures such as Starship Troopers also generated criticism, and Verhoeven recently revived his career by lensing his first French-language pic, Elle, starring Isabelle Huppert.

Paul Haggis is no stranger to controversy, including films such as In the Valley of Elah which provided a jaundiced view of the Iraq war at a time when in some parts it was still very popular. Haggis also sees himself as partly an emigre, a Canadian working in the U.S. and now spends an increasing amount of his time in New York. During the festival, he spoke about his forthcoming projects  Ship Breaker and Rangers Apprentice, his first major feature film directing gigs since 2007.

Pavel Lungin, one of Russias best-known directors, moved to Paris many years ago and his productions have received criticism from both the left and right. He now plans a major production about the gulag labor camp during the Stalin dictatorship.

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Japanese director Shinya Tsukamoto, who recently starred in Martin Scorseses Silence explained how his provocative genre films have been deeply inspired by Scorseses work, commencing with the portrayal of the anti-hero in Taxi Driver.

Scorsese is seen by many as the godfather of the Marrakech Fest, and he also played a pivotal role in setting up the new ESAV film school in Marrakech. Scorsese is a close friend of Festival director Melita Toscan du Plantier and she explained that he takes a strong interest in each years edition, and encourages people to go and helps her contact several potential guests.

Scorsese last visited the fest in 2013 as jury president, but his commitment to world cinema has helped shape Marrakechs unique atmosphere.

Morocco has been viewed by centuries as a cultural crossroads, that links North and South, East and West. The western kingdom provides access to the Arab world, which stretches out to Asia, and also to the African continent, while providing many bridges to Europe.

Choosing Russia for the country tribute also created a bridge between Europe and Asia in this years edition, which was emphasized during the tribute ceremony.

Another important aspect of this years edition was a strong focus on the interplay between directors and actors, with several guests talking about how directors can get the best from their actors. Two French actress legends attended this years edition  Isabelle Huppert and Isabelle Adjani. Huppert has won three major U.S. best actress awards over recent weeks and is a potential contender for an Academy Award nomination for Elle.

Adjani has won more Cesar best actress plaudits than any other French actress and during her career tribute said that great directors are like astronomers, capturing a unique light from the stars that they work with.

Marrakechs artistic director Bruno Barde, said that each years festival is like a script that I have written. There is a link between everything. This year we find a deep spirit of resistance in the films were screening. The films emphasise freedom of choice and the freedom to love. The choice of religion, partner, sexuality, country. The desire of how we want to live our lives.

Barde considers that under Bela Tarrs presidency, there was a strong authorial imprint on Marrakech 2016, including the aforementioned helmers and directors such as Bille August, Lisandro Alonso, and Bruno Dumont.

Over recent years Marrakech has reinforced its positioning as the home of filmmakers, he beamed.

The Russian tribute also offered the chance to highlight the achievements of some of the most important directors in the history of cinema, such as Eisenstein, Tarkovsky and Sokurov.

Russia is a pivotal player on the world stage, explained Barde. Russia has a bit of everything. It has given to some of the greatest artists to the world, in the fields of music, painting, literature and cinema. Our vocation at Marrakech is to welcome all cultures. They enrich us. One of the key problems facing the world at present is acceptance of the other  from all parts of the world. Art plays a key role in this process. It shows the path to welcoming others.

Barde also considers that the Russian tribute marks a landmark moment in the festivals country tributes and the organizers are now considering other possible modalities, such as a tribute to a key filmmaker  such as Hitchcock, and his disciples, such as Brian de Palma.

Barde considers that although many directors and actors are now migrating towards television series, he still believes that cinema has a greater capacity to say the unsayable.

In terms of cinema, he nonetheless maintains an eclectic approach which includes both mainstream productions and auteur films, as demonstrated by the fact that the new Russian films screened at the fest included Mizguirevs epic The Duellist and Tverdovskys Zoology, in official competition.

Fest director Melita Toscan du Plantier commented that in addition to the godfather role played by Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola played a key role in bolstering the festival last year, an edition that took place in the wake of the Paris attacks, with the risk of many cancellations due to the fear of possible terrorism.

Last years jury, headed by Coppola, awarded an ex-aequo best film prize to all films in competition. After the closing night ceremony, she said that Coppola spent 10-15 minutes with each director.

Toscan du Plantier observed that the fear of terrorism still lingers in peoples minds and in certain cases can dissuade some people from coming, but that the existence of supporters such as Scorsese and Coppola helps assuage concerns.

Right from the beginning Martin Scorsese said that this festival should be a celebration of cinema and that we shouldnt pay people to come as guests. If you have great directors visiting the festival you can get great actors. I maintain my relationship with directors throughout the year. And if you have a friend like Martin Scorsese he can help me by sending out some emails to directors, saying you should go, youll love it, that has made all the difference.

Toscan du Plantier liaises with the Moroccan authorities throughout the year: I help foreign producers by putting them into contact with the local authorities for permits.

The Marrakech Film Foundations two vice presidents are Sarim Fassi Fihri, head of the Moroccan Cinema Center, and Faical Laraichi, head of Moroccan pubcaster SNRT.

A film festival is always a work in progress, explains Laraichi. You can never say that youve perfected the conception of the festival, that you have reached cruising speed. We will always have to push ourselves. This is our real challenge, to avoid remaining inside a comfort zone.

Both Laraichi and Fassi Fir explained that the festival offers a window onto the world and a chance to see films that cant be seen during most of the year. This is important for foreign guests and also for the domestic audience and they consider that the festival has played a key educational function in Morocco.

Our core philosophy in Morocco is to try to discover other people and let other people discover us, that is the motto of the Marrakech film fest. Laraichi concluded.

The Marrakech Film Festival has its closing ceremony tonight, Dec. 10.

Related stories

'The Donor' Wins the Golden Star at Marrakech

Paul Verhoeven on 'Elle' Star Isabelle Huppert, Producer Said Ben Said & Future Projects

2017 Promises To Be a Strong Year for Moroccan Films
Determined not to let any Trump action go unchallenged, the media has been full of comments from economists that Donald Trump's intervention to save jobs at Carrier's Indiana facility is just a showman's one-off - that it can't be easily replicated and will be ultimately ineffective in changing the job prospects in a country that creates and destroys a couple of million jobs every month. This is simply not the way things are done in a country that values free markets and the rule of law.

Methinks they are missing the story.

One of the blind spots economists have is around norms of behavior - the unwritten rules that are the guiderails for how people act. There was a time in America when there was an unwritten pact in the business world - workers were loyal to their companies and successful companies returned that loyalty by sharing some of their profits with their workers in the form of higher wages, job security and support for the local community. In some cases, this social contract was reinforced by a union contract, but it was also embraced even in non-union situations because there was a broad public consensus that it was the right thing to do. Business leaders conformed to the norm not only because it helped them attract good workers and customers and have clout in dealing with governmental leaders, but also because it made them feel good about themselves.

Then came the 1980s, and all that began to change as American industry began to falter because of foreign competition. Consumers decide they cared more about cheaper products than socially conscious corporate behavior. And just as significantly, investors, after years of lousy returns, decided they cared more about maximizing shareholder value than they did about maximizing the social value of the enterprise they owned.

So the social norm changed. A new breed of corporate executive, incented with boatloads of stock options, decided that the right thing to do was to cut costs at any price, including the economic health of their workers or their communities. Indeed, for a while, if a corporate executive didn't have an aggressive plan to shift production overseas, they were criticized by Wall Street and the business press and threatened with takeovers by what we now call "activist investors." Although the public never much liked the idea of closing plants and shipping jobs overseas, it no longer was socially unacceptable.

Now comes Donald Trump - in the public mind, a successful businessman - who as the new president, suddenly declares that the new norm is not longer acceptable, and he intends to do whatever he can to shame and punish companies that abandon their workers. It's one thing for a company to sustain a few days of bad headlines in the local newspaper when it decides to close a facility. It's quite another when the president of the United States is not only willing, but from a political point eager, to make a federal case out of it. Suddenly, maximizing shareholder value not longer provides the political and social inoculation that it used to.

Unlike their patron saint, Adam Smith, modern day economists tend to ignore such shifts in social norms because they can't quantify them in the same way they can quantify trade flows or technological innovation or changes in educational attainment. And if they can't quantify something, they can't include it in their complex mathematical models, or even the simpler mental models in their heads of how the economy operates. They assume that social norms change in response to economic fundamentals rather than the other way around.

Donald Trump understands better. He knows that he and his new commerce secretary will have to engage in a few more bouts of well-publicized arm twisting before the message finally sinks in in the C-Suite. He may even have to make an example of a runaway company by sending in the tax auditors or the OSHA inspectors or cancelling a big government contract. It won't matter that, two years later, these highly publicized retaliations are thrown out by a federal judge somewhere. Most companies won't want to risk such threats to their "brands." They will find a way to conform to the new norm, somewhat comforted by the fact that their American competitors have been forced to do the same.

Just as much as changes in the law, this is how norms of business behavior are changed. Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt understood that. So did Ronald Reagan when he fired thousands of striking air traffic controllers and set back the union movement for several decades. Barack Obama, not so much.

And here's a little secret: Privately, many of the executives will welcome the change. They chafe under the tyranny of maximizing shareholder value and they don't like being widely viewed as ruthless and selfish. In his bombastic, narcissistic way, self-serving way, Donald Trump may have actually done them a favor.
(Corrects 7th paragraph to say the ruling was Friday, not Wednesday)

By Andrew Chung

NEW YORK, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Arista Networks Inc used rival Cisco Systems Inc's network device technology in its ethernet switches without permission, a U.S. trade judge ruled on Friday, handing Cisco yet another win in a sprawling legal battle over patents between the two companies.

The judge, MaryJoan McNamara of the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, said that Arista had infringed two patents owned by Cisco. The ruling, which must be reviewed by the full commission over the next few months, could lead to an order banning the import of Arista's products into the United States.

Cisco filed the complaint at the ITC in December 2014, alleging that Arista was infringing six of its patents, which relate to improving the speed and performance of networked computers and devices.

The products accused of infringement include Arista's 7000 series of switches, which generate most of that company's revenues.

In a statement, Arista general counsel Marc Taxay said the company looks forward to presenting its case to the full commission. "We...strongly believe that our products do not infringe any of the patents under investigation," he said.

Cisco's general counsel, Mark Chandler, said, "Our goal has always been to protect technological innovation, and stop Arista from using our patented technology."

Friday's ruling comes after the ITC in June, in a separate case, ordered an import ban on Arista's products that infringed several other Cisco patents.

The U.S. Trade Representative allowed that order to go ahead in August, but U.S. customs officials last month ruled that Arista could resume imports of its redesigned switches because they were not within the scope of the ban.

Arista was trading down less than 1 percent to $93.75 after hours on Friday. Cisco's stock was unchanged.

The companies are also sparring in a trial that is currently underway in federal court in California, where both are based. Arista is defending against claims of copyright and patent infringement brought by Cisco. The trial is expected to wrap up next week.

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Companies frequently turn to the ITC to win an import ban and to district court to win damages.

The case at the U.S. International Trade Commission is 337-945.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Bernard Orr and Lisa Shumaker)
Tens of thousands of people have been displaced after a devastating earthquake in Indonesia killed more than 100 people, an official said Saturday, leaving communities in ruins as aid trickled into the disaster-stricken province.

"We have 45,300 people evacuating in several places as of Saturday morning," national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told AFP, adding that the number of displaced had almost doubled since Friday due to an influx of new data.

The shallow 6.5-magnitude quake earlier this week levelled hundreds of homes, mosques and businesses across Aceh province, one of the areas worst affected by the devastating 2004 tsunami.

More than 700 people were injured in the quake, many seriously, according to the country's disaster agency.

Most of the displaced spent the night outdoors in tents near their ruined homes as hundreds refused to move into shelters fearing aftershocks, Nugroho added.

The army has established kitchens, shelters and a field hospital in the hard-hit town of Meureudu to help the region's overwhelmed health facilities.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited Meureudu Friday, pledging to rebuild the area's devastated communities as he called on Indonesians to pray for their countrymen.

The archipelago nation experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide.

A huge undersea earthquake in 2004 triggered a tsunami that engulfed several countries around the Indian Ocean, killing more than 170,000 people in Indonesia alone, the vast majority in Aceh.

The province lies on the northern tip of Sumatra island, which is particularly prone to quakes.

In June a 6.5-magnitude quake struck off the west of Sumatra, damaging scores of buildings and injuring eight people.
If you look forward to Costco trips, but know it can be tough to get out of the store without spending $100 or more, listen up. There are ways to save at this warehouse store that don't involve simply stopping at each of the sample stations instead of making lunch. Here are some tricks to help you maximize your Costco shopping experience.

1. Use Coupons

"The best way to keep track of [coupon] savings is to sign up for our weekly emails, and download the Costco app," according to a Costco spokesperson. "Also, a customer should sign up for the digital edition of the Costco Connection which is also available from our app."

If you forget your coupons at home, most cashiers will have copies of the coupons at the register and will scan them for you if you let them know, the Costco spokesperson confirmed. However, the spokesperson did point out that there are exceptions to the no-physical-coupon-needed situation, as "some offers for departments such as our Optical and Photo center departments may require a hard copy coupon."

2. Watch for Seasonal Close-Outs

Costco often brings in merchandise early in anticipation of an upcoming season and, in order to make room for this new merchandise, they may mark down the items they want to clear out. For instance, Christmas items may even be marked down before the holiday season is over, as they want to make room for spring items. In the middle of the summer, you could see markdowns on items like patio furniture or water toys as they make room for fall items.

3. Use the Price Protection Policy

If you buy items at full price and they mark the items down later, you can go to customer service and get a refund for the difference. Note: The price protection policy is only valid if the item is in stock.

4. Look at Additional Member Services

Your Costco membership doesn't just get you good deals on the items you buy in-store. Costco has an auto purchase program you can use to help you get a discount on your next car. (Costco says more than 400,000 people purchased a car through Costco Auto Program in 2014). In addition, Costco often has deals on auto services, insurance, movie tickets and theme park tickets. And you may even be able to use Costco to help you save on your next vacation, thanks to Costco Travel, which provides deals on flights, hotels, cruises and rental cars. Combine this with the perks you're getting from your travel credit card and you may be heading out on your next adventure sooner than you expected. (Just be sure to read the fine print associated with any deal closely and to comparison shop to ensure you're getting the best price you can.)

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5. Buy Your Gift Cards at Costco

Costco offers regionally based discounts gift cards for a wide variety of products, which are usually sold for less than face value. So, if you frequent a particular coffee shop or restaurant, you may want to check Costco and see if they offer gift cards to these places, as you may ultimately save by buying some.

6. Consider Generic

Costco's in house brand, Kirkland, is often as good as name brands, and comes with a price cut in most cases. Costco says that the Kirkland brand toilet paper is the brand's best-selling item.

7. Look for Deals on Returned Items

When an item is returned, Costco may send it back to the manufacture or sell it to a third party. However, for those items not sold or shipped back, the store does devote a few shelves to them. The markdowns can be dramatic, so it's always worth it to seek out these items.

Remember: You don't want to overspend on items just because they may be on sale. Landing yourself in credit card debt simply to get items that were returned, or gift cards that you truly could've gone without, will not only add undue stress to your life but can also damage your credit. You can find out how your spending habits are affecting your credit by viewing two of your credit scores for free, updated every 14 days, on Credit.com.
Ukrainian animated feature The Stolen Princess has sold to China, Germany, the Middle East, North Africa and a raft of other territories after its debut at the American Film Market last month.

The sales, by Kiev-based Film.UA Group at AFM, reflect the growing strength of animation from the region. Russia's Wizart also had strong sales for the latest episode of its leading franchise Snow Queen and fellow animated film, Sheep and Wolves.

The Stolen Princess tells the story of Ruslan, a young warrior determined to marry the king's daughter Mila. When they meet love soon blossoms, only to be threatened by an evil sorcerer, Chernomor, who kidnaps the princess, planning to sacrifice her to give him immortality.

UA confirmed The Stolen Princess closed sales to China, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, as well as countries of the Middle East and North Africa, after an AFM screening of a "work-in-progress" version of the feature. Several more territories are currently under negotiation.

"We understand that even such work-in-progress screenings are a necessary part for the project's international promotion campaign, and we plan to keep using this instrument at future markets," said Film.UA Group international sales manager Yevgeny Drachov.

The film will next screen at the European Film Market in Berlin in February.

The Stolen Princess has previously sold to South Korea, France and French-speaking territories in Europe, Poland, Bulgaria, Iran and Israel.

Read more: AFM: Russia's 'Snow Queen' Picked Up in European, Latin American Territories
Paris (AFP) - While seizing control of Aleppo will not end the Syrian war, Bashar al-Assad's regime and its Russian and Iranian allies have more control now than at any time since the conflict began, experts say.

The United States, European powers and Gulf states gathered Saturday for talks with opposition representatives in an increasingly desperate bid to find a way to end the nearly six-year-old war.

But their powerlessness was palpable.

The meeting ended with US Secretary of State John Kerry pleading with the regime, Russia and Iran to show "a little grace" and end the "indiscriminate" bombing of Aleppo, which looks set to fall into the hands of Assad's forces soon.

Retreating rebels now control only a pocket of Syria's second city, whose fate is seen as pivotal to the outcome of the conflict that has killed more than 300,000 people.

Calls from Western leaders to stop the fighting and diplomacy at the UN have amounted to nothing with Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin seemingly intent on pushing their advantage.

"The idea of the operation is to do what was done in Chechnya... crush the rebellion and show them that they can do nothing against Russian forces," said Moscow-based analyst Pavel Felgenhauer.

The West appears resigned to the fall of Aleppo and to the idea that the regime will have control of the west of the country, from Aleppo to Damascus and the central province of Homs and the coastal Latakia province.

"The partition of Syria is happening," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault conceded.

A European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was a "de facto division of Syria".

"The Russians are to the West and the Western powers of the anti-jihadist coalition are to the East," he said.

In Paris, the Western countries stressed that although the Assad regime was in the strongest position it had been in since the war began in 2011, taking control of Aleppo would still leave large parts of the country beyond its control.

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Extremists from Fateh al-Sham, the former Al-Qaeda affiliate previously known as Al-Nusra Front, and the Islamic State group -- as well as US-backed Kurdish militias in the north -- retain control of many areas.

"What sort of peace is it if it's only the peace of cemeteries?" Ayrault asked.

- Fruitless meetings -

Russian and American officials will meet again in Geneva on Saturday to discuss the fighting, but even Kerry admitted his expectations of those talks were "constrained".

"I know people are tired of these meetings, I'm tired of these meetings," he told reporters before the Paris gathering.

"But what am I supposed to do? Go home and have a nice weekend in Massachusetts, while people are dying? Sit there in Washington and do nothing?"

Analysts say the timeframe and conditions of talks will be set in Damascus and Moscow, whose armies are in the ascendency despite allegations of war crimes and mounting civilian deaths.

"Aleppo is a critical turning point," Robin Wright, a researcher at the United States Institute of Peace, told US National Public Radio (NPR). "Assad looks ever stronger."

- Assad or extremists? -

Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies, also called Aleppo "a major turning point" that left the West and other countries which oppose Assad with few options.

Once the city falls, the largest remaining rebel bastion will be Idlib province, controlled by a coalition dominated by extremists from a former Al-Qaeda affiliate.

The Islamic State jihadist group remains in control of territory around their de facto capital in Raqa.

"It makes the prophecy of Assad come true: it is either me or radical Islamists," Landis told NPR.

The election of Donald Trump in the United States, who favours closer relations with Putin, was already a bad omen for the opposition just before troops launched their assault on Aleppo in mid-November.

Trump is expected to be more isolationist than Barack Obama, which Russian analyst Felgenhauer said would allow Russia to strengthen its position in the Middle East.

"Everyone is going to be queueing up to become friends with Russia," he said.

"Everyone understands that Assad could have been hanged a long time ago. But he bet on the Russians and he won."
In a scenario destined to be awkward, All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen appeared at PirateFest on Saturday amid rumors that he was nearly traded to the Washington Nationals during the Winter Meetings.

Always a professional, McCutchen fulfilled the duties asked and expected of him. That included a lengthy morning autograph session, along with a media session that likely felt ten times longer.

There was no dancing around the issue on either side. The reporters fired away with questions on McCutchens feelings about his future, the teams future and how the rumors have impacted him personally. McCutchen, for his part, didnt shy away from addressing the situation. He did so honestly, and perhaps with an edge.

From the outside looking in, it felt like McCutchen was understanding and even accepting of the Pirates position, but irked that a resolution was not reached and could potentially linger. He wasnt outwardly critical, of course. Thats not his style. But it cant be easy being stuck in limbo.

The other feeling that was evident was that McCutchen is clearly motivated to prove his worth. A fire has been lit, which could prove beneficial to whichever team employs him in 2017.

Andrew McCutchen addressed his future at PirateFest on Saturday. (Getty Images)

Here are some of McCutchens more notable quotes from the event:

On being motivated in 2017:

Is Andrew McCutchen going to be motivated in 2017? "Motivated? I don't even know there's quite a word to look for. Something a lot greater."  Travis Sawchik (@Sawchik_Trib) December 10, 2016

On his health in 2016 and whether it impacted a down season:

McCutchen asked again if he was injured in 2016: "I just didn't have it. I had nagging injuries  There wasn't anything that hindered me."  Travis Sawchik (@Sawchik_Trib) December 10, 2016

On the trade rumors:

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#Pirates McCutchen: "I was on edge. I didnt know what to expect. I am glad to be here, still wearing No. 22 on my back."  Rob Biertempfel (@BiertempfelTrib) December 10, 2016

#Pirates McCutchen re: trade rumors: "Id be lying if I told you none of this bothered me. Of course it did. Im human."  Rob Biertempfel (@BiertempfelTrib) December 10, 2016

On his Pirates future:

I asked McCutchen if he thinks he still could end his career with Pirates. "I don't know if that can happen." pic.twitter.com/4SZU6yW0Rp  Rob Biertempfel (@BiertempfelTrib) December 10, 2016

McCutchen: "I didnt get any assurances other than Im in this uniform as of right now. As far as (2018) or (trade deadline), I dont know."  Rob Biertempfel (@BiertempfelTrib) December 10, 2016

Have #Pirates ever offered McCutchen an extension? "No." Might they still? "No clue." He added he would be open to an offer.  Rob Biertempfel (@BiertempfelTrib) December 10, 2016

Even without hearing his voice, you can still sense a mix of resignation and frustration. Its obviously been a long few weeks, and that doesnt figure to change based on what we heard from Pirates president Frank Coonelly on Saturday.

Could #Pirates extend McCutchen? Coonelly: "Were looking forward to having Andrew with us for as long as Andrew is with us." So, um   Rob Biertempfel (@BiertempfelTrib) December 10, 2016

It would be understandable if McCutchen was seeking some degree of reassurance or clarity from the team, whether it be a commitment to him or to trade him. Based on quotes like that though his future is no more clear today than it has been since early October. If this is consistent with what McCutchen is hearing, then it will be very interesting to see how strong this relationship can be moving forward.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:

      

Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Luanda (AFP) - Angola's ruling party on Saturday launched its campaign for next year's general elections -- but without long-time President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos whose successor is still awaiting his public blessing.

Angola does not directly elect its president, with the leader of the party that does best in the polls automatically becoming head of state.

The Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has been in power since 1975, with Dos Santos at the helm since 1979 -- but state radio said on December 2 that he would not seek re-election.

The MPLA held a ceremony in Luanda at the November 11 Stadium -- named after Angolan Independence Day -- on Saturday, the 60th anniversary of the party's founding, with thousands of supporters flocking to join celebrations.

The MPLA, which has Marxist roots and is famously opaque, has not publicly commented on Dos Santos' decision to stand down at the elections next August.

Saturday's event was led by Defence Minister Joao Lourenco, the current number two, who is expected to take over after next year's poll.

Joana Lina, parliament's vice president and a member of the MPLA's central committee, alluded to the looming change at the top of the party.

"In the party we know the name of the successor of President Dos Santos, and the candidate of the party in the elections," she said, without giving a name.

- 'The right man' -

"The official announcement will be made in a few days."

According to an agenda for Saturday's event, 74-year-old Dos Santos had been due to lead the launch of the election campaign. No reason was given for his absence.

After years of spectacular growth thanks to an oil boom, Angola has suffered a downturn in the last two years due to a prolonged dip in the price of crude.

While it will be a new page in Angola's history, the departure of the former Marxist guerilla fighter is unlikely to shake-up how the country is run and critics who have long denounced Dos Santos' "dictatorship" are likely to be disappointed.

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Dos Santos' expected successor Lourenco is an ex-artillery general who was trained in the former Soviet Union. He is seen as a true son of his party, as is interior minister Bornito de Sousa, who is expected to become his deputy.

Soren Kirk Jensen, an Angola specialist at Chatham House in London, said Lourenco "looks like the right man at this time".

"He has a reasonable reputation as a moderate, not an extreme character."
Three-hundred and sixty-four days ago, on December 10, 2015, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner departed the Casa Rosada. A Kirchnerite candidate seeking to succeed her had lost the presidential election, and several months later Kirchner herself would be indicted for financial chicanery. Her fall from grace kicked off what has been an awful year for some of the worlds most prominent dynasties, culminating in the impeachment on Friday of President Park Geun-hye of South Korea.

There has been no shortage of commentary on the extent to which the last year has witnessed repudiations of the establishment, from Brexit to the FARC deal to Trump to Italy. But the way that some of the most powerful families in world politics have stumbled is an interesting dynamic as well, if perhaps not one of such obviously epochal impact.

The proximate cause of Parks impeachment is a set of revelations about her close ties with Choi Soon-sil. Parks father was the military dictator Park Chung-hee, who ruled from 1961 to 1979. Chois father, the cult leader Choi Tae-min, became a mentor to the younger Park, who then became close to the younger Choi. President Park is accused of improperly allowing Choi to influence her and national policy, and Choi faces prosecution. But this scandal is only the latest in a string of embarrassments for Park. The president offered to resign last month, only to be rebuffed by lawmakers. South Koreas constitutional court will now decide whether to remove her from office permanently.

Recommended: Russia and the Threat to Liberal Democracy

Parks impeachment comes a month after Hillary Clintons surprise defeat in the U.S. presidential election. Clinton was bidding to become the first woman president in the United States, having previously spent eight years in the White House while her husband, Bill Clinton, was serving as president. Clintons bid was sunk in part by allegations of corruption related to her familys charitable foundation and her use of a private email server. Kirchner also left office dogged by scandal. She, too, had been married to her predecessor, the late Nestor Kirchner.

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One obvious similarity between Kirchner, Park, and Clinton is that all three are women. Misogyny makes life for women in politics far more difficult than it is for men, and one reason these politicians have risen after men in political dynasties is that name recognition helps allow women to overcome at least some of those structural challenges. But misogyny alone cant explain the situation, since lots of other female leaders have thrived.

The other common denominator here is those corruption, or the appearance of it. Voters turned on all three women because of allegations of impropriety and scandal. And in each case, the whiff of corruption originated not simply with the leader involved, but dated back farther into the dynasty. One might point to supporters turning on those dynasties as the real current at play.

Take Park: While many of her problems are partly of her own causing, the Choi case improbably dates back to her fathers regime, when she became friends with Choi Tae-Min. Clinton, too, was hurt by her connections to the Bill Clinton administration, around which a host of scandals, real and imagined, revolved. Some of the troubles that beset her during the presidential campaign were really more connected to Bill Clinton, toofrom the foundation he created after leaving the White House to NAFTA, the free-trade agreement whose implementation he oversaw and to which Donald Trump tied Clinton.

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Meanwhile, other dynasts, including some who are not women, have been experiencing troubles of their won. In the United States, Jeb Bushs bid to become the third member of that family to win the White House fell well short even of Clinton, sputtering early in the Republican Party presidential primary. In France, Francois Fillons recent victory in the Republican primary is seen as a blow to the presidential hopes of Marine Le Pen, the second-generation scion of the National Front. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, son of the countrys first president, has come under criticism for failing to control rampant corruption.

Why the struggles? The journalist Jonathan Rauch has written that American politics follows a peculiar rule: No one gets elected president who needs longer than 14 years to get from his or her first gubernatorial or Senate victory to either the presidency or the vice presidency. As he wrote in The Atlantic last year:

Well, there is nothing magical about the number 14. What matters about the rule is not the exact number14 versus (say) 12 or 16but its reflection of an underlying public preference for presidents who are battle-tested but not battle-weary, experienced enough to know their way around but fresh enough to bring new energy to the job.

To this one might add the old maxim that power corrupts. The longer one is in office, or as in Clintons case during her husbands presidency, adjacent to power, the longer one has to meet and connect with people at high levels. Even if one is miraculously pure oneself, thats likely to bring him or her into contact with some less savory, less ethical people, creating liabilities down the line. In the case of the Clinton Foundation, it didnt matter that there was never any proof of wrongdoing; the charity necessarily dealt with questionable characters overseas. Trumps own ethical shortcomings seem to damage him less, perhaps because the idea of him being corrupt had not had time to marinate in the public consciousness for the 24 years it did for Clinton.

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Being a member of a dynasty may be the shortest path to power, but as the past year showed it also risks foreshortening ones time in power. As Trump prepares for the presidency, he is reportedly planning to hand most power in his business over to his sons, while his daughter Ivanka, a trusted lieutenant, plans to move to Washington, where she can advise him closely. If Ivanka Trump sees that as her own springboard to political success, she might think about some of the other dynasts and reconsider whether its really worth leaving the commercial world.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Now that Nebraska voters have put the death penalty back on the books, investigators and prosecutors ought to adopt policies to guard against misusing the threat of execution when investigators question murder suspects.

Experience has demonstrated that such threats can persuade suspects to confess, even if they are innocent.

The false confessions in the case of the Beatrice 6 are a prime example of how the death penalty can be used to derail the search for justice.

Anti-death penalty advocates drove that point home with television advertisements featuring JoAnn Taylor, who told how she confessed after Gage County officials told her she was about to become the first woman on death row in Nebraska.

The prosecutor told her he would take the death penalty off the table if she pleaded guilty and cooperated.

She agreed, even though her confession was totally bogus. She agreed even though it meant she would lose custody of her baby son. She agreed even though it meant she would spend more than 19 years behind bars.

The murder to which Taylor pleaded guilty actually was committed by a drifter named Bruce Smith, according to DNA evidence found at the scene.

The miscarriage of justice threatens to bankrupt Gage County, which apparently did not have insurance coverage although it's still researching the question.

The Beatrice 6 case is believed to be the largest false confession case in American history.

But its not that uncommon.

Last week, law enforcement received another reminder of the need to avoid false confessions when U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon ordered Douglas Countys insurance carrier to pay $5 million to two cousins wrongfully arrested for the murder of a Murdock couple in 2006.

Nick Sampson and Matthew Livers will split the money. Livers falsely confessed after an investigator told him he would hang him from the highest tree. Livers, who has a learning disability, tried to recant the next day, but investigators refused to listen until DNA evidence linked a Wisconsin couple with the crime.

The head of the Douglas County crime lab later was convicted of planting blood evidence to link Livers and Sampson to the crime.

The millions of dollars in damages and the lives ruined by these high-profile false confession cases should stand as constant reminders of how threats of the death penalty can warp the justice system. The lessons should be incorporated in law enforcement interrogation practices.
Superlawyer Ira Millstein was appalled by the news that former Senate Majority Leader and Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole, working for the Taiwan government, had midwifed Donald Trump's protocol-shattering phone call with Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen. "It violates everything he said as a candidate about draining the swamp," Millstein said. "Now we have to question what's behind all his other decisions."

The larger point, he says, is the extraordinary uncertainty in the business environment, "especially populism, which corporations haven't paid attention to." And that, he says, is the latest issue facing the most important business leaders we don't talk about much, corporate board members.

Millstein is arguably the world's leading authority on U.S. corporate governance, directors, and why they work or don't work the way they do. With investors and the public asking "Where was the board?" at , Samsung, Volkswagen, and other companies today, his expertise is in demand. I talked with him yesterday in New York at Columbia Law Schools Millstein Center for Global Markets and Corporate Ownership. It was named after him when he turned 80, a decade ago. Today, at 90, he speaks with energy and sharpness that would be impressive in a man of 50.

Having counseled boards at major companies including , , , Macy's, Drexel Burnham Lambert, Westinghouse, and countless others, he believes most U.S. directors still aren't doing their job well enough. That's why he has written a book, on sale next month, called The Activist Director: Lessons from the Boardroom and the Future of the Corporation.

Directors' central failure, he says, is failure to confront the reality that "capital markets have become the tail that wags the corporate dog." Specifically, investors demand profits that meet expectations every quarter; most CEOs cave in to the demands "and forego innovation and growth," and directors passively allow it. As a result, companies cant attract long-term capital. So they become even more desperate to deliver short-term results.

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"The key to breaking this unvirtuous circle," Millstein says, is activist directors. They must supply the courage to to manage longer-term that CEOs may lack. I asked him if this is largely a matter of board culture. He agreed and said "the culture on most boards is getting along." Companies specifically seek directors who won't be the squeaky wheel and cause tension, when that's exactly what most boards need - activist directors willing to say what's uncomfortable.

Millstein acknowledges that being his kind of activist director is hard work, much harder than just spending a few hours at eight board meetings each year. How to attract directors who will do the necessary work? "Pay them," says Millstein, and tie their pay to long-term value creation. Most directors today "have little motivation to do anything but show up." Paying directors on long-term value could result in some of them making far more than they do now. It would be worth every penny, Millstein believes.

Sign up for daily insights, updates, and opinion on leadership and leaders in the news at the Power Sheet.

Fifty years ago directors were so passive that one CEO called them "the parsley on the fish." They began to assert themselves some 25 years ago and became dramatically more aggressive after the Enron-WorldCom scandals and again after the financial crisis. Millstein has the perspective to see the revolution that has already happened; he influenced much of it. And yet, he believes, we still have a very long way to go.
While in Marrakech to sit on the Bela Tarr-presided competition jury, Danish helmer Bille August confirmed he will next direct the English-language biopic Versace and said the movie is now expected to start shooting in March with Antonio Banderas attached to play the late fashion designer Gianni Versace.

The movie will mark Augusts follow up to 55 Steps, a drama starring Helena Bonham Carter playing Eleanor Riese, a hospital mental patient who championed a class action suit that sought to allow hospitalized mental patients to refuse or have a say in their medication.

Versace is being lead-produced by Italys Oberon Prods, and co-produced by Jesper Morthorst at Svensk Filmindustri. Morthorsts credits include the Netflix original drama Rita.

Revealing some plot details, August said Versace will be a family saga chronicling the designers rise to fame in the late 1970s, when he launched the brand, and depict his relationship with his sister Donatella. The director revealed he has been in touch with the Versace family to discuss the film.

August said the cast will include high-profile actors who will be announced during a press conference early next year.

On top of starring in the film, Banderas is helping finance the film, possibly as a co-producer. The actor runs his own production vehicle, Green Moon Producciones which is based in Spain.

Ive always love Antonio Banderas as an actor and as a man; hes very passionate about this project, said August, who previously directed Banderas in The House of the Spirits in 1993.

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Moroccan Women Filmmakers, Actresses Rising Above Conservatism, Patriarchy
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - President Michel Temer on Saturday "vehemently" denied asking the construction firm Odebrecht for nearly $3 million in campaign funds for a party candidate, a new twist in the vast corruption scandal sweeping Brazil.

The allegation -- formally denied by Temer in a statement from the president's office -- was reportedly made by Claudio Melo Filho, a jailed former senior Odebrecht executive, as part of a plea deal for a lighter sentence.

The allegation threatens to destabilize Temer's presidency just six months after he took office seeking to rescue Latin America's biggest economy from crisis.

"President Michel Temer vehemently rejects the false accusations of Melo Filho," the statement read. "The donations made by the Odebrecht group to the PMDB (Temer's center-right party) were all made through bank transfers" declared to the election authorities.

Melo Filho is one of the 77 construction giant's current and former executives that have signed plea deals and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in return for lighter sentences, a source close to Odebrecht told AFP earlier.

Details of the plea deals have been emerging in information leaked to the press.

The 77 include the firm's jailed boss Marcelo Odebrecht, who was reported earlier this year to have named Temer in testimony to investigators. Odebrecht received a 19-year jail sentence in 2015 for corruption and money-laundering.

Melo Filho said the money his company gave Temer was partly used to finance the campaign of Paulo Skaf, a PMDB candidate for governor of the state of Sao Pablo in 2014.

The plea deals could lead to some 130 more suspects -- including many elected officials -- being dragged into the sprawling probe of the Petrobras state-owned oil company, dubbed Operation Car Wash by investigators, Brazilian media said.

Prosecutors believe Petrobras was systematically plundered by a network of executives, politicians and contractors such as Odebrecht.

Temer took office in late August after the elected leftist president, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached on charges of moving money between government accounts for political purposes.
LAKELAND, Fla. (AP)  Former U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, who represented North Carolina, has been hospitalized after falling seriously ill.

Hagan's brother tells The Lakeland Ledger in Florida (http://bit.ly/2hghIjE ) Hagan was rushed to a Washington, D.C., hospital Thursday and was being treated in an intensive care unit.

Joe Ruthven says Hagan didn't have a heart attack and isn't in a coma. He wouldn't give any further details.

The 63-year-old Hagan and her brother live in Lakeland, between Orlando and Tampa.

Hagan, a Democrat, was elected in 2008 and served one term before she was defeated by Republican Thom Tillis.

The Hagan family said in a statement released to The Associated Press by a spokeswoman that "Kay is receiving the best possible medical care." It didn't give further details and asked for privacy.

___

Information from: The Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.), http://www.theledger.com
This calendar of buff dudes holding adorable kittens is all anyone needs in their life

Please hold on while we compose ourselves: we just found the best calendar ever. Hot guys + cute kitties = ovary overload, so you can probably imagine how excited we were when we found both of these things in calendar form. French photographer Fred Goudon has released his newest creation, le calendrier des judoka et des petits chats AKA the calendar of judokas and kittens!

If you are confused like we were about what the heck a judoka is, dont worry weve done the research for you already. Judoka essentially just means someone who practices judo, so these are a bunch of studs in great shape. Like, reallyyyy great shape. Like, shape so great that you could hate fitness and kittens and still stare in awe at these stunning and adorable photos.

I mean, look at these guys (and the cats).

le calendrier des judoka et des petits chats

le calendrier des judoka et des petits chats

Cosmopolitan talked to Fred Goudon about why he chose to photograph judokas with kittens (as if he needed a reason, lolz), and he actually had a lovely idea. Goudon said, [The judokas] strength and virility is set in contrast with some adorable and very cute kittens in an impish selection of black and white images. Oooooh, how ~*aRtsY*~. Hold on while we scour the Internet for this dreamy French calendar. We have to have it! Fred Goudon is known for his beautiful portraits, but this may be our favorite photo series yet.

le calendrier des judoka et des petits chats

le calendrier des judoka et des petits chats

We know why he chose judos for these photos, but why go through the effort to make them into a calendar? Well, Goudon said in a statement, that he wanted to help people avoid the problem of whether you prefer the gorgeous men or the sweet kittens in a calendar. And boy was he right: hot guys and cute kitties? We cant choose one or the other! Thanks Fred, now we can have our cake and eat it too. We think the way you think.

The post This calendar of buff dudes holding adorable kittens is all anyone needs in their life appeared first on HelloGiggles.
By Curtis Skinner

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A county in the San Francisco Bay area has reached a $3.6 million settlement with the family of a mentally ill inmate who authorities said was beaten to death by jail guards last year, attorneys and county officials said on Friday.

The $3.625 million will go to the young daughter, two sisters and estate of 31-year-old Michael Tyree, who prosecutors said was beaten to death by three guards in the Santa Clara County main jail in August 2015, according to a joint statement from the county and attorneys for Tyree's family.

The pre-litigation settlement effectively ended any possible claims that could be brought against the county, the statement said, adding that neither party would provide additional comment.

Jail guards Matthew Farris, Jereh Lubrin and Rafael Rodriguez were charged with murder in September 2015 over Tyree's death. All three have pleaded not guilty.

Authorities said Tyree was in a protective custody wing of the county's main jail the night of Aug. 26, 2015, after being arrested on misdemeanor drug possession and theft charges.

The three deputies were conducting a clothing search before entering Tyree's single-person cell, authorities said. During the vicious beating, numerous inmates could hear Tyree screaming, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Stop," prosecutors said.

Authorities said no one else had any contact with Tyree before Lubrin came back about an hour later to discover his naked body, which was covered in feces and vomit.

The county medical examiner-coroner said Tyree died of internal bleeding from multiple blunt force injuries. An attorney for Tyree's family said at the time that he suffered from mental illness and was being housed in the jail because space at a mental health facility was not available.

Defense attorney William Rapoport said a tentative trial date for the guards has been set for Jan. 23.

(Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Leslie Adler)
By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Canadian government on Friday reached a deal with eight of the 10 provinces to introduce a landmark national carbon price, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says will help Canada meet its international climate change obligations. The agreement was only struck after hours of heated talks and energy-producing Saskatchewan did not sign up, saying the measure would make firms uncompetitive at a time when incoming U.S. President Donald Trump looks set to adopt policies cutting energy costs. In a sign of the tension that remained after the negotiations, Trudeau and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall exchanged barbed comments at the closing news conference. The carbon price is part of a framework that aims to help Canada attain its Paris goal of reducing emissions by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The measures include boosting the use of renewable energy and investing in clean technologies. "(This) will both protect our economy and protect the environment at the same time," Trudeau told reporters. Under his plan, carbon pollution would cost C$10 ($7.60) a tonne in 2018, rising by C$10 a year until it reaches C$50 in 2022. The provinces can either implement a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade market. Trudeau is broadly aligned politically with President Barack Obama, who has pushed hard to cut emissions of greenhouse gases. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden told the meeting he doubted Trump could undo much of the administration's policies since many of them had taken firm hold. Wall, though, noted Trump's decision to put a climate skeptic in charge of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which Obama used to push through many green measures. "Let's not be naive as Canadians. This is our No.1, not just trading partner, but competitor ... we need to be competitive with them," he said. "Canadian climate policy will be set by Canadians, not by whoever happens to be president of the United States," Trudeau immediately replied. Environmental groups largely welcomed the announcement, but some said Trudeau's recent approval of two crude oil pipelines would make it harder for Canada to meet its Paris targets. Trudeau, who vows to impose a carbon price on any province that refuses to sign the deal, did not answer directly when asked when he would move against Saskatchewan. Manitoba also declined to sign, saying it wanted Ottawa to hand over more money for health care first, but officials said it might join later. ($1=$1.32 Canadian) (Reporting by David Ljunggren, editing by Grant McCool and Lisa Shumaker)
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Louisiana's candidates were trying to stir up enthusiasm ahead of Saturday's election, seeking to persuade people to cast ballots in a runoff expected to draw less than a third of registered voters.

A U.S. Senate and two U.S. House sets remain to be decided, the last congressional races in the nation.

Republican Senate candidate John Kennedy drew star power for his closing argument Friday from President-elect Donald Trump, who headlined a Baton Rouge rally urging voters to support Kennedy, the state treasurer.

Democratic Senate candidate Foster Campbell, a member of the Public Service Commission, spent Friday having a barbecue lunch with supporters in Alexandria, before heading to a union hall in Lake Charles.

Polls open at 7 a.m. Saturday and close at 8 p.m.

Secretary of State Tom Schedler predicted turnout could dip below 30 percent  compared to 68 percent last month in the presidential election. Schedler encouraged participation, saying: "There are still many important elections to be decided in our state."

SENATE RACE

National Democratic organizations have largely written off the Senate race to fill the seat of retiring Republican David Vitter, assuming Kennedy will win in a state that heavily supported Trump. A Kennedy victory would secure a 52-48 edge for the GOP in the new term.

In his fifth term as treasurer, Kennedy said President Barack Obama's health law "sucks," Congress has wasted too many taxpayer dollars and he was running because "I want my country back." He hit Campbell for supporting Democrat Hillary Clinton for president.

"If you took Secretary Clinton and turned her upside down and shook her, Foster Campbell would fall out of her pocket," Kennedy said.

Trump called Kennedy a "good guy" and proven leader.

"If he doesn't win, I've got myself a problem in Washington, because it's pretty close," Trump said. "We need John Kennedy in the Senate to help enact our agenda."

Story continues

Though polls showed Kennedy with a double-digit lead, Campbell said Trump's visit proved the race is tight.

"It's not like they would like you to believe. Mr. Kennedy is close or he wouldn't have Mr. Trump coming here," Campbell said.

A former state senator, Campbell ran a populist campaign, supporting a minimum wage hike, equal pay legislation and lawsuits against the oil industry for coastal erosion damage. He opposes abortion and efforts to repeal the federal health overhaul.

He accused Kennedy of being beholden to Wall Street donors and special interest groups and hit him for running for the Senate years ago as a liberal Democrat.

"I don't have anything real slick to say and real fancy. I just am what I am, pretty plain, but I have a record of telling the truth and being consistent, just exactly the opposite of what Mr. Kennedy is," Campbell said. "And I've never backed down from big fights."

HOUSE RACES

Two of Louisiana's six U.S. House seats also are on the runoff ballot, for the Acadiana-based 3rd District and the northwest Louisiana-based 4th District.

In the 3rd District, both contenders are Republicans: Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle, a political official in the region for nearly three decades, and former sheriff's Capt. Clay Higgins, known as the "Cajun John Wayne" for his tough-talking Crime Stoppers videos.

The race became a barrage of attacks, with Higgins describing Angelle as part of a corrupt political establishment. Angelle repeated allegations Higgins illegally used resources at the sheriff's office to make money for himself and hasn't paid years of back-owed child support.

In the 4th District runoff between Republican state Rep. Mike Johnson and Democratic lawyer Marshall Jones, Johnson ran on his background in social conservative causes while Jones ran as a moderate Democrat who could work across party lines.

WHAT'S ON YOUR BALLOT?

Also remaining to be decided are municipal races around the state and propositions in 44 parishes. Sample ballots are available from the secretary of state's Geaux Vote app or at www.sos.la.gov .

___

Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte
Kirk Douglas is 100 years old today, and his famous daughter-in-law is celebrating the occasion with a sweet video montage of the actors life.

Catherine Zeta-Jones, whos married to Douglass son Michael, posted the video to Instagram on Friday. The montage shows famous photographs of the Spartacus actor, as well as never-before-seen pictures and home movies from his private life.

Happy birthday Kirk, the video reads. 100 years old today. Love you Pappy.

Set to David Bowies Young Americans, the video also shows adorable clips of the actor playing with his grandchildren, Dylan, 16, and Carys, 13. In one sequence, the grandchildren are seen going through Spartacus training, sparring with fake swords and dressed in ancient Roman costumes.

Born during the height of World War I to poor, illiterate Russian immigrants living in upstate New York, the legendary actor pulled himself out of poverty to become one of the most famous men in the world.

RELATED: As Kirk Douglas Celebrates 100, a Look Back at His Greatest Roles

My parents came from Russia and my original name was Izzy Danielovitch, Douglas told PEOPLE in 2015. Douglas began his acting career after serving in WWII, and went on to star in over 90 films, earning three Oscar nominations and an honorary lifetime achievement Academy Award in 1996.

Douglas still lives in Los Angeles with his second wife of 62 years, Anne Douglas, 97. The two are releasing a new memoir, Kirk and Anne: Letters of Love, Laughter, and a Lifetime in Hollywood, in May.




Legislation creating a pathway for construction of a new veterans medical center in Omaha cleared the Senate Friday night after senators reached late-hour agreement on a short-term spending bill that funds the federal government through next April.

The bill had been held up by Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia over funding for health care benefits for coal miners.

Rep. Brad Ashford of Omaha hailed passage of the groundbreaking measure, which authorizes the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to accept private donations of money, facilities and real property to help finance and build the center.

A new $136 million facility would provide primary health care, mental health care and out-patient surgery for nearly 175,000 veterans in Nebraska and western Iowa and would be built next to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Omaha.

Ashford said $56 million in federal funding has been secured for the new center.

The bill earlier passed the House and was sent to President Barack Obama for his signature after the Senate added its approval.

"By partnering with private donors and local communities, veterans will receive the health care services they deserve," Ashford said.

Ashford, a Democrat, credited Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, both Republicans, for their role in helping guide the legislation through Congress.
By John Walcott WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help President-elect Donald Trump win the White House, and not just to undermine confidence in the U.S. electoral system, a senior U.S. official said on Friday. U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that as the 2016 presidential campaign progressed, Russian government officials devoted increasing attention to assisting Trump's effort to win the election, the U.S. official familiar with the finding told Reuters on Friday night, speaking on condition of anonymity. The president-elect's transition office released a statement that exaggerated his margin of victory and attacked the U.S. intelligence community that Trump will soon command, but did not address the analysts' conclusion. "These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction," the statement said. "The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again.'" Democrats and some Republicans in Congress are calling for a full investigation into Russia's election year activities. "Protecting the integrity of our elections is hindered when President-elect Trump and his transition team minimize or dismiss the intelligence assessments themselves," Representative Adam Schiff of California, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said in a statement issued on Saturday. Citing U.S. officials briefed on the matter, the Washington Post reported on Friday that intelligence agencies had identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and others, including the chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, to WikiLeaks. U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered intelligence agencies to review cyber attacks and foreign intervention into the 2016 election and deliver a report before he leaves office on Jan. 20, the White House said on Friday. Obama's homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco, told reporters the report's results would be shared with lawmakers and others. "The president has directed the intelligence community to conduct a full review of what happened during the 2016 election process ... and to capture lessons learned from that and to report to a range of stakeholders, to include the Congress," she said during an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. As summer turned to fall, Russian hackers turned almost all their attention to the Democrats. Virtually all the emails they released publicly were potentially damaging to Clinton and the Democrats, not Republicans, the official told Reuters. "That was a major clue to their intent," the official said. "If all they wanted to do was discredit our political system, why publicize the failings of just one party, especially when you have a target like Trump?" A second official familiar with the report said the intelligence analysts' conclusion about Russia's motives does not mean the intelligence community believes that Moscow's efforts altered or significantly affected the outcome of the election. Russian officials have denied all accusations of interference in the U.S. election. A Central Intelligence Agency spokeswoman said the agency had no comment on the matter. The hacked emails passed to WikiLeaks were a regular source of embarrassment to the Clinton campaign during the race for the presidency. U.S. intelligence analysts have assessed "with high confidence" that at some point in the extended presidential campaign Russian President Vladimir Putin's government had decided to try to bolster Trump's chances of winning. The Russians appear to have concluded that Trump had a shot at winning and that he would be much friendlier to Russia than Clinton would be, especially on issues such as maintaining economic sanctions and imposing additional ones, the official said. Moscow is launching a similar effort to influence the next German election, following an escalating campaign to promote far-right and nationalist political parties and individuals in Europe that began more than a decade ago, the official said. In both cases, said the official, Putin's campaigns in both Europe and the United States are intended to disrupt and discredit the Western concept of democracy by promoting extremist candidates, parties, and political figures. In October, the U.S. government publicly accused Russia of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organizations ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election. Obama has said he warned Putin about consequences for the attacks. "I don't believe they interfered," Trump told Time magazine about Russia in an interview published this week. "That became a laughing point, not a talking point, a laughing point. Any time I do something, they say, 'Oh, Russia interfered.'" (Writing by David Alexander and John Walcott; Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Wis.; Editing by Louise Heavens and Matthew Lewis)
Coca-Cola Co.s incoming CEO James Quincey is reportedly under pressure to drastically cut the calories of the product lineup. The company announced Friday that Quincey will take over the leadership of the worlds largest beverage maker on May 1. He will succeed Muhtar Kent, 64, who will remain chairman of the company.

Quincey, 51, has led Coca-Colas drive to cut the amount of sugar in its drinks. The incoming CEO said Friday that he would continue the fight against obesity and push to add more low-calorie beverages.

Quincey currently serves as the companys chief operating officer. The British-born has spent two decades at Coca-Cola, where he previously ran the companys European group and Mexican division. He also led the 2009 acquisition of Innocent juice, a brand thats now sold in more than 14 countries.

RTX232X1

Photo: REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

On Friday, Quincey pledged to modernize the companys marketing and distribution at a time when people vastly rely on online shopping.

He will push toward healthy, Jack Russo, an analyst at Edward Jones, told Bloomberg. He will probably get the core company focused on doing what it needs to do, and thats new products, innovation  maybe better marketing.

Calories are a bigger concern for consumers these days, and as the chief operating officer, Quincey promoted selling beverages in smaller bottles and cans.

Smaller packages, less sugar, more variants, better marketing, he reportedly said on a conference call Friday. Were going to adapt to the changing customer landscape.

Vivien Azer, an analyst at Cowen & Co., told Bloomberg that Quincey looks at Coca-Colas problems through a more realistic lens.

Quincey is much more transparent about the challenges that Coke faces -- in terms of concerns around their products, in particular both sugar and aspartame, she said.

Coca-Cola's stock gained 2.5 percent Friday to $42.

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By Nate Raymond

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Colombian butcher accused of working with members of the Venezuelan military to facilitate shipments of massive loads of cocaine from South America to the United States was sentenced on Friday to five years in a U.S. prison.

Gersain Viafara-Mina, 50, wept as U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter in Manhattan imposed the maximum sentence he faced after pleading guilty in August to participating in a conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States.

His lawyers called Viafara-Mina a decent man who only participated in the drug scheme to support his family and escape guerrilla-controlled territory. But Carter cited the size of the drug-trafficking operation in imposing sentence.

"I am concerned about the scope of criminal conduct that he engaged in," Carter said.

The sentencing came amid a series of U.S. cases and probes linking individuals tied to the Venezuelan government to drug trafficking.

The U.S. State Department has called Venezuela a preferred route to traffic cocaine from South America onward due to, among other things, a porous border with Colombia and a "permissive and corrupt environment."

According to his lawyers, in 2008, Viafara-Mina was asked to move to Venezuela by a drug trafficker he met through the Colombian rebel group FARC, which U.S. authorities have accused of being significantly involved in the drug trade.

Once there, Viafara-Mina began a new butcher business and started a family while also maintaining airfields the drug trafficker used, his lawyers said in court papers.

Prosecutors said that for at least five years, Viafara-Mina facilitated the dispatch of cocaine shipments from clandestine airstrips by coordinating with other drug traffickers, politicians and members of the Venezuelan military.

At a Venezuelan runway in 2010, FARC members provided security as Viafara-Mina worked with others to send more than 1,650 pounds (750 kg) of cocaine to Honduras for transshipment to the United States, prosecutors said.

Story continues

In 2011, Viafara-Mina spoke about securing the release from the Venezuelan military of a U.S.-registered aircraft seized in an anti-narcotics operation, the prosecutors added.

In 2015, Viafara-Mina told a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration informant he had Venezuelan military associates who could provide transponder codes that would allow drug planes to operate in Venezuelan airspace, according to the prosecutors.

Viafara-Mina is expected to receive credit for the time he has already spent in custody since his arrest in Colombia in February 2015. In court on Friday, he apologized, saying he was only trying to support himself and his family.

"I did that in order to eat," he said.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Tom Brown)
STOCKHOLM (AP)  Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday, saying it helped his country achieve the "impossible dream" of ending a half-century-long civil war.

A smiling Santos received his Nobel diploma and gold medal at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway, for his efforts to end a conflict that has killed 220,000 people and displaced 8 million.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there is one less war in the world, and it is the war in Colombia," the 65-year-old head of state said, referring to the historic peace deal this year with leftist rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Santos used his acceptance speech to celebrate the end of the longest-running conflict in the Americas, pay tribute to its victims and call for a strategy shift in another, related war  on drug trafficking worldwide.

Just a few years ago, imagining the end of the bloodshed in Colombia "seemed an impossible dream, and for good reason," Santos said, noting that very few Colombians could even remember their country at peace.

The initial peace deal was narrowly rejected by Colombian voters in a shock referendum result just days before the Nobel Peace Prize announcement in October.

Many believed that ruled out Santos from winning this year's prize, but the Norwegian Nobel Committee "saw things differently," deputy chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen said.

"The peace process was in danger of collapsing and needed all the international support it could get," she said in her presentation speech.

A revised deal was approved by Colombia's Congress last week.

Several victims of the conflict attended the prize ceremony, including Ingrid Betancourt, who was held hostage by FARC for six years, and Leyner Palacios, who lost 32 relatives including his parents and three brothers in a FARC mortar attack.

"The FARC has asked for forgiveness for this atrocity, and Leyner, who is now a community leader, has forgiven them," the president said. Palacios stood up to applause from the crowd.

Story continues

FARC leaders, who cannot travel because they face international arrest warrants by the U.S., were not in Oslo. A Spanish lawyer who served as a chief negotiator for FARC represented the rebel group at the ceremony.

Colombians have reacted to Santos' prize with muted emotion amid deep divisions over the peace deal. The vast majority didn't bother to vote in October's referendum. For many Colombians in big cities, Santos' overriding focus on ending a conflict that had been winding down for years has diverted attention from pressing economic concerns.

Santos' speech made a reference to fellow Nobel laureate Bob Dylan, this year's surprise winner of the literature award, by citing the lyrics of one of his most famous songs, "Blowin' in the Wind."

The president also used the Nobel podium to reiterate his call to "rethink" the war on drugs, "where Colombia has been the country that has paid the highest cost in deaths and sacrifices."

Santos has argued that the decades-old U.S.-promoted war on drugs has produced enormous violence and environmental damage in nations that supply cocaine, and needs to be supplanted by a global focus on easing laws prohibiting consumption of illegal narcotics.

"It makes no sense to imprison a peasant who grows marijuana, when nowadays, for example, its cultivation and use are legal in eight states of the United States," he said.

The other Nobel Prizes were presented at a separate ceremony in Stockholm to the laureates in medicine, chemistry, physics and economics. Dylan wasn't there  he declined the invitation, citing other commitments.

The crowd still gave Dylan a standing ovation after a Swedish Academy member praised his work in a speech.

An awkward moment ensued as American singer-songwriter Patti Smith, performing Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," forgot the lyrics midway through.

"I apologize. I'm sorry, I'm so nervous," Smith said, asking the orchestra to start over, as the formally dressed audience comforted her with gentle applause.

In a speech read by U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Azita Raji at the Nobel banquet later Saturday, Dylan alluded to the debate about whether a songwriter deserved the Nobel Prize in literature.

Dylan said when William Shakespeare was working on "Hamlet," he probably was thinking about which actors to pick and where he could find a skull.

"I'm sure the farthest thing from Shakespeare's mind was: 'Is this literature?'" Dylan said.

Like the Bard of Avon, Dylan said, he also deals with "mundane matters" such as whether he's recording in the right key and not whether his songs are literature.

However, he thanked the Swedish Academy for considering that question "and, ultimately, for providing such a wonderful answer."

__

Associated Press writer Joshua Goodman in Bogota, Colombia, contributed to this report.
Despite being mired in widespread corruption that saw its former leader and the countrys prime minister being ousted last year, the Social Democratic Party is expected to be re-elected as Romanias largest party in elections on Sunday. There remains a chance, however, that, mirroring recent international trends, an anti-establishment party could throw a spanner in the works.

All 504 seats in Romanias bicameral parliament will be up for re-election, when the countrys new government will be decided. The second-poorest among the European Unions 28-member states, Romania is currently being led by independent technocrats after Victor Pontas government was toppled in November 2015 following a deadly nightclub fire. Tens of thousands of protesters took the streets claiming that the fire came down to corrupt officials ignoring safety standards.

Of the 588 lawmakers elected in the last legislative elections four years ago, 89 will not complete their terms, in most cases due to their implication in corruption, according to a recent study by a Romanian think-tank.

With an absolute majority required to form a government and a plethora of political parties in the country of 19 million people, parties need to form coalitions in order to gain power. The center-left Social Democratic Party joined with the Centre Right Alliance of the Conservative Party and the National Liberal Party four years ago to win 60 percent of the vote. However, that coalition broke down in 2013.

Romania

Photo: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea/via Reuters

Amid all the turmoil, the Social Democratic Party, which formed amid the ashes of the Communist Party following Romanias 1989 revolution, looks set to maintain its dominance over the countrys politics. Opinion polls show the party getting around 40 percent of support, well ahead of the next highest polling party, the National Liberal Party of current President Klaus Iohannis, with around 27 percent support.

Story continues

If those results hold, the Social Democrats would be expected to join with a junior party to form a government. And that could mean the leader of the Social Democratic Party, a man who is no stranger to scandal, becoming Romanias next prime minister.

Liviu Dragnea, who became president of the party in July following Pontas removal, was handed a two-year suspended prison sentence in April after having been found guilty of voter fraud for artificially boosting voter numbers in a 2012 referendum to impeach then-President Traian Basescu.

Still, there is reason for Romanians to stick with the Social Democrats. Although the country has the highest poverty rate in the EU, its economy has been one of the best performing recently after having quickly bounced back from the 2007-2008 global financial crisis.

And Dragnea has taken on an increasingly populist tone, pledging to raise salaries, cut taxes and increase public spending on pensions, schools and hospitals. It is an approach that has been criticized by the man currently installed as prime minister, Dacian Ciolos.

Many of the parties are making some of the same economic policy proposals and promises they made four, eight years ago that have not been enforced," Ciolos, who has pushed for greater government transparency, told Reuters this week. "It is clear they are unrealistic proposals that aim to get people's attention and votes. In the future, parties need to do more to boost the trust of those [voters] who want Romanian society and institutions to reform."

Dacian Ciolos

Photo: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea/via Reuters

Ciolos, a former European commissioner, could yet remain in office, with the National Liberal Party stating they would retain him if they take power. Despite stating that he will not run in the election, Ciolos has also been backed to stay on by the party aiming to be a disruptive force in Sundays election.

The Save Romania Union was only formed last year and saw its leader Nicusor Dan finish second in Bucharest mayoral elections in June. A mathematics professor, Dan originally entered politics to prevent the destruction of historical buildings in the capital city. But the focus has since been on ridding Romania of what he sees as endemic corruption in the countrys political class. The party could yet gain major influence if it is able to form a union with the National Liberal party.

Related Articles
By Rory Carroll

Dec 9 (Reuters) - The Dallas Police and Fire Pension System's board has halted withdrawals from a deferred retirement plan following a lawsuit by the city's mayor, who claimed withdrawals were accelerating the $2.7 billion pension system's descent into insolvency.

The board on Thursday put a stop to most payments and withdrawals from the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP), a program that allows members who have passed retirement age to keep working and transfer their benefits into an account that has historically guaranteed a generous 8 percent rate of return.

Nearly $500 million has been withdrawn from the DROP plan over the last few months when changes to the program were first floated. The board's decision stops about $154 million in withdrawal requests, according to the fund.

Because of the large withdrawals, the pension system's ability to pay its members' future benefits before becoming insolvent has been reduced from 15 years to 10 years, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said in a letter to the board last month.

He called for an immediate halt to withdrawals from those accounts in the letter and filed a lawsuit against the board on Monday to force a stop to the withdrawals.

"You have knowingly allowed DROP funds to be withdrawn at record levels, cognizant that doing so is irreparably harming the Pension System's solvency and liquidity," Rawlings said in the letter.

The judge in the case backed Rawlings, saying the system is in the midst of a financial crisis.

Rawlings has previously said that pension problems threaten to bankrupt the city.

The board is scheduled to consider policy changes to the DROP program at a meeting on Jan. 12.

A court hearing on the case is scheduled for Jan. 17.

(Reporting by Rory Carroll in San Francisco; Editing by Bernard Orr)
By Rory Carroll

(Reuters) - The Dallas Police and Fire Pension System's board has halted withdrawals from a deferred retirement plan following a lawsuit by the city's mayor, who claimed withdrawals were accelerating the $2.7 billion pension system's descent into insolvency.

The board on Thursday put a stop to most payments and withdrawals from the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP), a program that allows members who have passed retirement age to keep working and transfer their benefits into an account that has historically guaranteed a generous 8 percent rate of return.

Nearly $500 million has been withdrawn from the DROP plan over the last few months when changes to the program were first floated. The board's decision stops about $154 million in withdrawal requests, according to the fund.

Because of the large withdrawals, the pension system's ability to pay its members' future benefits before becoming insolvent has been reduced from 15 years to 10 years, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said in a letter to the board last month.

He called for an immediate halt to withdrawals from those accounts in the letter and filed a lawsuit against the board on Monday to force a stop to the withdrawals.

"You have knowingly allowed DROP funds to be withdrawn at record levels, cognizant that doing so is irreparably harming the Pension System's solvency and liquidity," Rawlings said in the letter.

The judge in the case backed Rawlings, saying the system is in the midst of a financial crisis.

Rawlings has previously said that pension problems threaten to bankrupt the city.

The board is scheduled to consider policy changes to the DROP program at a meeting on Jan. 12.

A court hearing on the case is scheduled for Jan. 17.

(Reporting by Rory Carroll in San Francisco; Editing by Bernard Orr)
Although Omaha and Union Pacific Railroad are often almost synonymous, Union Pacific was not the first railroad in the city nor did it have the largest rail network in Nebraska. Today, the old Union and Burlington stations shine as neighbors in a demonstration of how buildings can be reborn as economically viable tributes to their historic beginnings.

Todays Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad had its birth in 1856 when the Chicago & Aurora Railroad merged with the Central Military Tract Railroad leading to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy -- then the parent of Burlington & Missouri River Railroad in Nebraska -- followed by a bewildering maze of acquisitions, mergers, affiliations and takeovers.

In 1869, Burlington & Missouri River Railroad began building in Nebraska at Plattsmouth and that November Omaha & South Western Railroad incorporated. The following year a Gothic design building was constructed at about 10th and Mason in Omaha while Omaha & South Western laid rails south from the Omaha Gibson Yard to the Platte River at La Platte near Oreapolis where passengers crossed the river on a flat-bottomed ferry, then connected to Burlingtons tracks by wagon. In July 1871, this section was leased to Burlington allowing it to officially enter Omaha while the connection from Gibson to the 10th and Mason was completed.

In 1878, Union Pacific completed the Cowshed depot which was designed to be used as a union station, but Burlington continued to use its own small building until their new brick building was completed that December immediately south of the Cowshed. Burlington completed an $880,783 extension to the stockyards at South Omaha in 1885. The Omaha Union Depot Co. was incorporated in 1889 as a separate entity which was supported by Burlington in its intention to build a union station for all railroads use. Unfortunately, Union Pacific went into receivership as the massive depression of 1893 played out.

Interestingly, as the depression played out, Burlington still employed 450 in Omaha with a monthly payroll of $30,000. In March 1897, Burlington took over the Omaha Union Depot Co., rearranged trackage in the 10th and Mason street area, built stairs down from 10th Street, razed a portion of their existing depot and that May began construction of a new station.

On the heels of the depression, Omaha boosters proposed a virtual worlds fair patterned on the Chicago Worlds Columbian Exposition of 1893. To coincide with the Transmississippi Exposition in Omaha, Burlington announced plans for a new Omaha station and depot 600 feet south of the Union Pacifics Cowshed station and donated $30,000 to the fair.

The architect chosen by Burlington was Omahas Thomas Rogers Kimball who was also the expositions architect. The new Burlington station was opened July 4, 1898, in time to serve the exposition/fair and was immediately termed the handsomest railway station ever seen. The 316-by-112-foot, 70-foot-tall building was constructed of Indiana limestone and light gray brick and, though projected to cost $350,000, ended up at $408,000. The second-floor waiting room was 80-by-80 feet with a mosaic floor, had Siena marble columns and bronze newel posts depicting Rocky Mountain sheep. The double spiral circular staircase connecting the waiting room to track level was designed after a French chateau.

The exterior featured a west facade of 28, 18,000-pound pink Colorado granite Doric columns which formed a portico with large clocks on the west and north pediments.

A Burlington ad two years later said the station was the most compact, complete and beautiful structure of its kind in America. A Chicago newspaper declared it an artistic gem (that) looks like a Greek temple.

The Union Station opened just to the north Dec. 2, 1899.

In 1930 a Chicago architect completely renovated the building, flattening the roof line, in a neo Classical Revival design. A heating plant was built to the southeast, the waiting room ceiling was raised to accommodate four chandeliers, the double spiral staircase removed and an over-track extension built to connect to Union Station. The columns on the west elevation were removed and given to the University of Nebraska, some used as a double-row display between Memorial Stadium and the Coliseum, and a smaller number erected southwest of the stadium. In 1954, another renovation added the lighted parking level off 10th Street.

In 1971, Burlington turned much of the public areas over to Amtrak, which used part of the facility until 1974 when it moved, first to temporary trailers, then into its own small station.

Although empty, the station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and quietly waited.

In 2013 the station was purchased by Hearst Television, which employed Leo A. Daly Co. to again renovate and repurpose the building for its ABC affiliate KETV. On Aug. 28, 2015, KETV aired its first broadcast from their spectacular new studios, proving that demolition is not always a move to the future.
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SOFIA (Reuters) - At least five people were killed and 25 injured when a cargo train derailed and exploded in the northeastern Bulgarian village of Hitrino, demolishing around 20 buildings, police said on Saturday. At least three of the victims remain in critical condition and the number is likely to rise, authorities said. "There will be more casualties for sure," outgoing Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said after arriving at the village, some 380 km northeast of the capital Sofia and home to around 800 people. Seven of the train's tanks, carrying propane-butane and propylene, derailed at the station of the village, hit electricity line and exploded in flames on Saturday, National Railway Infrastructure Company's general director Mincho Lambrev said. "Two blasts have caused a serious fire and ruined at least 20 buildings. There are many people injured ... many with burns," Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kostov said. An 18-year-old man has died of his wounds in the hospital in the northern town of Shumen, a hospital official said. Some 150 firemen are trying to put out the fire and are searching for survivors in houses near the train lines. Police said they are investigating the incident. Borisov appealed to citizens of Shumen donate blood to the local hospital where the injured are being transported. (Corrects village's distance from Sofia to 380 km, not 280 km, in paragraph 3) (Editing by Louise Heavens)
(Adds value of Rocket's stake in Foodpanda, background on Foodpanda business)

FRANKFURT, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Berlin-based online food takeaway service Delivery Hero, one of Europe's biggest start-ups, will acquire competitor Foodpanda, a sign of further consolidation to fend off new competition in Europe's sought after food-delivery business.

Delivery Hero, which was valued at 2.89 billion euros ($3.05 billion) in its last funding round a year ago, in a statement on Saturday said it signed a definitive agreement to buy Foodpanda, itself a Berlin-based start-up.

Delivery Hero and Foodpanda are both backed by German ecommerce firm Rocket Internet, which invested 800 million euros in Delivery Hero last year and holds 49.1 percent in Foodpanda which focuses on deliveries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Delivery Hero said in a statement the acquisition will be funded by issuing new shares, with major shareholder Rocket increasing its stake by 1.1 percentage points to 37.7 percent.

Based on Delivery Hero's last valuation, the sales value of Rocket's stake in Foodpanda amounts to roughly 31.8 million euros.

The companies did not disclose a purchase price but Foodpanda struggles with sales in Asian countries and other media reported earlier this year it failed to attract buyers at a $10-15 million valuation for its India business and closed its operations in Indonesia.

Last month, Foodpanda announced plans to sell its Russian business, known as Delivery Club, for 100 million euros to Mail.ru, owners of VKontakte, the country's most popular social networking site.

Globally, Foodpanda took in 2 million monthly food orders compared with Delivery Hero's 18 million monthly orders. After consolidating overlapping businesses, Delivery Hero expects to be active in 47 countries, it said.

Currently Europe is home to many of the most active international players in the online food takeaway business and they are counting on their local ties, established customer bases and extensive restaurant networks to fend off new competition from the likes of Uber and Amazon .

($1 = 0.9471 euros) (Reporting by Tina Bellon and Eric Auchard; Editing by Ros Russell)
Chrysler Pacifica

One of the biggest critics of electric cars also runs one of the worlds largest automakers.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne has as much as begged customers to avoid buying his electric vehicles (EVs) because he loses so much money on them.

Demand for EVs isn't just weak  it's practically non-existent. Globally, electric cars have captured only 1% of the market.

Meanwhile, in the US alone, new sales records have been set as pickups trucks and SUVs powered by gas motors have experienced a massive resurgence in popularity.

It's not like the world's carmakers are against EVs. They've all seen Tesla make a business out of them, really from nothing, in just a decade.

The issue is that they shouldn't want to commit to building and marketing cars that consumers don't want. And make no mistake about it, consumers are not showing runaway EV interest.

There have now been perfectly viable, affordable, and technologically sophisticated electric cars in the market for the better part of ten years. And sales haven't improved to the extent that a carmaker would normally think about spending the billions necessary to develop new fleets of EVs.

Sergio Marchionne CEO Fiat Chrysler

And yet, the EVs just keep on coming. Now, even Marchionne is changing his tune, as Bloomberg reported. The carmaker will reveal an all-electric version of its Pacifica minivan at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, wrote Tommaso Ebhardt and Jamie Butters.

"'A key theme for 2017 will be the increased availability of battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Michael Dean told reporters. 'This provides a dilemma for automakers as they sacrifice traditional cash-cow internal combustion engine sales for expensive and lower-margin electric cars, necessary to meet onerous new emissions legislation.'"

All these new EVs look cool and point toward a future in which the old-school gas motor will be a museum piece. Unfortunately, for the vast majority of consumers, the new wave of EVs are largely science fiction.

Story continues

Increasingly stringent new fuel-economy regulations are indeed driving the development of EVs, rather than natural market demand. The automakers derisively refer to these cars as "compliance vehicles" and undertake them only to be able to continue selling their profit drivers. Okay, that's not entirely why they explore EVs  they want to patent new propulsion technologies so that they don't get left in the dust if there is a big breakthrough that dramatically shifts that market.

The big car companies are hoping that a Donald Trump administration will give them a break on fuel-economy and emissions regulations. It remains to be seen if that will happen. But until then, the EVs will keep on coming, even if nobody wants to buy them.

NOW WATCH: Tesla reveals how your self-driving car sees the road





More From Business Insider


Senior U.S. Democrats and a handful of Republicans demanded an investigation into whether the Russian government directly meddled in last months American elections to help President-elect Donald Trump  a charge that could influence the upcoming Electoral College vote.

The calls for a probe, spurred by incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, followed explosive new reports of a U.S. intelligence assessment that concluded hackers served as middlemen for Moscow to boost Trumps chances over Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. If true, the intelligence undercuts the legitimacy of Trumps presidency, especially as he seeks warming relations with Russia.

A House Intelligence Committee member told Foreign Policy that congressional Democrats who want to declassify the intelligence assessment also will push to investigate whether Moscow directly coordinated with the Trump campaign during the election.

The accusation that the Russian government was directly interacting with Trump was first leveled by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid during the height of the presidential campaign. In October, Reid harangued FBI Director James Comey for not disclosing details of alleged coordination he said was in the FBIs possession. The public has a right to know this information, he wrote.

U.S. officials on Saturday said there was no evidence so far that indicated coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, or that Moscows meddling included manipulating of ballot counting or voting machines.

Still, a Democratic leadership aide said Senate Democrats would absolutely be seeking more information on pre-election coordination between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign.

First reported Friday by the Washington Post, the secret intelligence assessment would contradict previous official U.S. statements that Russia sought to merely undermine confidence in the U.S. election process. Intelligence agencies have since reportedly identified people linked to the Russian government who are believed to have supplied WikiLeaks with emails hacked from Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta, and the Democratic National Committee. Notably, many emails hacked from Republican organizations were not released to the public.

Story continues

On Sunday, Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham joined Democrats in calling for a full, bipartisan investigation of Russias activities.

Trump quickly refuted the reported assessment of Russia intervening on his behalf, and suggested the intelligence community he would soon lead as president was not trustworthy.

These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, the Trump transition team said in a terse statement.

Trumps mocking of the U.S. intelligence communitys assessment threatened to spoil relations with the very threat analysts any president must rely on for updates regarding national security.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, scolded Trump for impugn[ing] the tens of thousands of Americans who are at work every day of the year, many in great physical danger, to protect us.

A former senior intelligence official told FP that Trumps broadside, while ill-advised, was unlikely to dramatically jeopardize the president-elects relationship with the nations spies.

The CIA, unfortunately, is used to being caught in the middle of fights among politicians and will soldier on professionally, said the former official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

We dont yet know exactly what the CIA report said and with what level of confidence, but the Trump team should have taken more time to examine the issue before firing back  and all Americans should want someone to get to the bottom of whatever the Russians were up to.

Though the uproar over the CIAs assessment largely drew statements of disapproval from Democrats, some Republicans also expressed concern.

Im not challenging the outcome of the election, but very concerned about Russian interference/actions at home & throughout the world, Graham (R-S.C.) said Saturday on Twitter.

The new reports could  although are unlikely to  affect the outcome of the Electoral College vote on Dec. 19, and stoked momentum for a group of anti-Trump electors who are trying to convince fellow delegates to throw the election to the House of Representatives.

Chris Suprun, a Texas delegate, told FP he has been feverishly working the phones to convince electors committed to Trump to switch their votes when the college meets to cast their ballots and formalize the Republicans presidency.

Donald Trump fails the basic test of fitness for office, said Suprun, who represents a state that Trump won. My job is get electors not see themselves as rubber stamps for the Kremlin. The founders gave us the tools to make sure that we dont make a bad decision.

Suprun would not say how many electors he believes will switch their votes but said the reported Russian interference has sparked a wave of calls from his fellow delegates. Suprun and his allies need 37 electors committed to Trump to change their votes and throw the election to the House.

There, the Republican majority would likely ensure Trumps victory but could still, in theory, keep him from prevent taking office. In turn, that would spark a constitutional crisis, and Suprun said his attempts to convince electors to switch their votes have resulted in death threats against him and his family.

In October, the New York Times reported that the FBI did not find any conclusive or direct evidence linking Trump to the Russian government. At the time, Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson refused to provide any details of what the Senate Democratic leader demanded the FBI investigate.

Notably, the FBI has refused to publicly endorse the CIAs assessment on the election. The intelligence community rarely splits on high-level assessments. But debate and even disagreement among the agencies is encouraged  precisely to avoid another disastrous slam-dunk pronouncement like the one in 2002 that led the U.S. into the Iraq War.

As director of the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2013, now-retired Army Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn frequently served as a main voice of dissent in the intelligence community, and occasionally publicly disputed assessments. At the time, he described DIA intelligence as highly reliable and a little more aggressive, given military officials were far closer to ground-level conflict information than were other intelligence analysts in Washington and at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va.

Flynn is now preparing to become Trumps national security advisor  and could very well retain his skepticism of CIA analysis in favor of intelligence that is gleaned closer to the source.

The new controversy over Russia comes as Trump appeared close to nominating ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state. A person close to the Trump transition team confirmed to FP that Tillerson is the likely pick and that former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton would serve as his deputy secretary of state.

Though seen as a successful head of the worlds largest publicly traded oil and gas company, Tillerson does not have any previous government or diplomatic experience. He does have close business ties to Russia  a fact Democrats would likely seize upon during confirmation hearings.

Throughout the campaign, Trump praised Putin as a stronger leader than Obama, and promoted the idea of working with Russia to defeat the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Additionally, Flynn appeared many times on the Kremlin-funded broadcaster RT.
Rogue One focuses on the rebel plot to steal the plans to the Death Star, which may be an easier feat than trying to navigate Hollywood Boulevard this Saturday night.

In anticipation of the world premiere for the Gareth Edwards-directed Star Wars standalone, roads surrounding the Pantages Theater have been closed since Monday night, including several blocks of Hollywood Boulevard (from Cahuenga Boulevard to Gower Street).

Road closures will last until 6 a.m. Tuesday, but sidewalks have remained open to foot traffic, save for the day of the actual premiere.

"We anticipate that traffic and parking around the premiere will be as challenging as a Death Star trench run," warned Disney in an email to premiere attendees.

The Rogue One premiere carpet does not appear to be as big as last year's Star Wars: The Force Awakens premiere, which took place a little further down Hollywood Boulevard at the Dolby Theatre, El Capitan Theatre and the TCL Chinese Theatre - and prompted street closures that were bigger than the Oscars ceremony.

A covered tent, which takes up both lanes of traffic, already has been set up in front of the Pantages, as well as a large stage and black carpet. Security officers are posted at every cross street and at various places along the sidewalk on the boulevard.

On Tuesday night, a life-sized X-Wing was brought in and placed at the entrance to the carpet. On Friday afternoon, pedestrians were stopping to take selfies in front of the starfighter, which sat behind two metal barricades.

Many of the surrounding shops and restaurants plan to maintain their normal business hours on the night of the premiere.

Rogue One stars Felicity Jones, Forest Whitaker and Diego Luna, and blasts into theaters nationwide Dec. 16.

Read more: 'Rogue One' Leads Biggest Ticket Presales Day of 2016
President-elect Donald Trump insisted, via Twitter, early this morning that he will devote zero time  or, rather, ZERO TIME!  to NBCs The New Celebrity Apprentice, but that he will retain a big stake in it. Hours later, Trump called CNNs reports on the subject ridiculous & untrue.

Though Trump didnt specify exactly which news reports he objected to, CNN had tweeted just after midnight, citing a source, that Donald Trumps Celebrity Apprentice deal may include money from brands.

News this week surfaced that Trump will retain his executive producer credit on the new Arnold Schwarzenegger-hosted iteration of the show that premieres January 2 on NBC.

Reports by @CNN that I will be working on The Apprentice during my Presidency, even part time, are ridiculous & untrue  FAKE NEWS!, Trump tweeted at 6:11 am today.

Earlier in the morning, at 3:27 am, Trump tweeted, I have NOTHING to do with The Apprentice except for fact that I conceived it with Mark B & have a big stake in it. Will devote ZERO TIME!

Meanwhile, in a front-page report in todays New York Times, the newspaper cites a financial disclosure form filed by Trump that the company he associates with The Apprentice, Trump Productions, earned about $5.9 million from January 2015 to May 2016. As the host, Mr. Trump received appearance fees that he will no longer collect now that Mr. Schwarzenegger is the star.

Here are todays Trump tweets, following CNNs.

Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" deal may include money from brands, a source says https://t.co/aclzH55L7u pic.twitter.com/pRjH0WVhig  CNN (@CNN) December 10, 2016

I have NOTHING to do with The Apprentice except for fact that I conceived it with Mark B & have a big stake in it. Will devote ZERO TIME!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2016

Reports by @CNN that I will be working on The Apprentice during my Presidency, even part time, are ridiculous & untrue  FAKE NEWS!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2016

Story continues

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Donald Trumps transition team on Friday released a statement dismissing a U.S. intelligence report of foreign interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, the statement reads. The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. Its now time to move on and Make America Great Again.

In a secret assessment conducted following the U.S. election, the CIA concluded that Russia intervened to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton, rather than just undermine confidence in the countrys electoral system, the Washington Post reports.

It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russias goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected, a senior U.S. official briefed on an intelligence presentation told U.S. senators, according to the Washington Post.

Trump has not acknowledged the U.S. intelligence communitys conclusion that Russian actors were responsible for stealing the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign emails released on WikiLeaks. I dont believe it. I dont believe they interfered, he told TIME, when interviewed for Person of the Year.
There is a great deal of Hype surrounding Priyanka chopra s debut Hollywood movie Baywatch. We will get to see the meaner side of the piggy chops as she plays the villain in the movie. However the trailer was a little disappointing, with the actresss face shown for less then a second.



Pee Cee does look incredible but, she was literally shown only for a split second, with the trailer mostly focusing in on three protagonists, Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron and Alexandra Daddario. As expected, the actress received a little bit of criticism on social media for this.

Dwayne stepped in to the rescue of the damsel in distress assuring her fans that Priyanka had a big role to play in the movie.

In a tweet, he wrote: All our fans & press friends in INDIA, @priyankachopra SLAYS our #Baywatch! Trust my plan..The #Boss is comin,

Priyanka Chopra cordially thanked Dwayne back by writing, lolthank you DJtrusted you from day one. India loves you and will love everything about Baywatch! #Wait4VictoriaLeeds @TheRock.

To which Dwayne replied back tweeting, I luv India back! (U already know I luv U;). Its aaaallll in the big picture plan. #Wait4VictoriaLeeds #Boss #Baywatch MEMORIAL DAY
Victorious co-stars Elizabeth Gillies and Ariana Grande proved that their friendship remains intact despite their busy schedules. The BFFs spent time together during the aftershow party for the successful broadcast of NBCs Hairspray Live!

Gillies even express how proud she is of the Dangerous Woman songstress on social media. She took to Instagram to share a photo of Grande, who collected flowers her friends gave her after the live musical. The Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll actress did not forget to express how proud she was of Grande in the caption. In another snap with some of her friends, Gillies admitted that she is a Hairspray groupie.

Aside from showing her support for the Side to Side hitmaker, Gillies also grabbed the chance to showcase her musician side by playing the piano for Garrett Clapton as the Link Larkin actor belts Jennifer Hudsons And I Am Telling You Im Not going in front of the other Hairspray Live! cast. Grande recorded a part of the performance and shared it to her Instagram followers.

Grande did not forget to also enjoy the get-together and even posed for some snapshots with her castmates. In one photo, Grande hugs Hudson as the two of them flash smiles for the camera. Grande praised the Grammy-winning artist for her God given, breathtaking talent and thanked the later for the hugs and laughs and talks they shared.

After the show, Grande also thanked her dear friend, Douglas Middlebrook, in a lengthy post about how the latter has been part of her journey, from the audition for her Hairspray Live! role to the live performance.

In another post, Grande poured her heart out while expressing the bittersweet feeling of playing Penny Lou Pingleton with the most incredibly beautiful people Ive ever met. She admitted that shes indeed very lucky to be part of the live production of the 1988 romantic musical comedy.

Elizabeth Gillies

Photo: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

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Showtime

Shameless has been a cornerstone of Showtimes line up for seven seasons now, and Emmy Rossums performance as the oldest Gallagher sibling, Fiona, has been nothing short of a revelation. Playing a deeply flawed heroine that is trying to pull herself and her family out of poverty while being constantly undermined by a broken system and her own choices, it is honestly a travesty that Rossum hasnt gotten more awards notice for her work on Shameless. However, Rossum is looking for more recognition in a different area, demanding a higher pay grade than her male costar William H. Macy for the shows next season.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rossum is looking to renegotiate her contract to make more per episode than Macy should the show get an eighth season, and if a deal isnt reached, the network can either cancel the show or write out Fiona. Fiona has long been the beating heart of the show (alongside Jeremy Allen Whites Lip) and objectively the lead, it is more than fair for her to demand a raise. Macys paycheck is rumored to be one of the highest on cable television, while Rossum has been putting in the work for much less for years. Heres hoping Showtime makes the right decision and pays Rossum what she has so clearly earned. While Macy had the more extensive resume going into the show, Rossum has truly made the role her own.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
(Corrects para 3 to show still owned by fund, managed privately)

By Julia Fioretti

BRUSSELS, Dec 8 (Reuters) - The European Union has banned Iran's Aseman Airlines from operating within the EU due to safety concerns, in a blow to Tehran which is buying new jets to renew the country's ageing fleet following the lifting of long-term sanctions.

Aseman Airlines was added to the EU's air safety list of airlines which do not meet international safety standards, the European Commission said in a statement on Thursday.

The regional carrier is Iran's third largest by active fleet size. Owned by Iran's civil service pension fund, it is managed as a private company, according to an Iranian aviation expert.

Aseman Airlines was reported in August to be buying 20 regional jets from Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for use on domestic routes.

The lifting of economic sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities has allowed Iran to strike provisional deals worth around $50 billion with Boeing and Airbus to buy some 200 airliners to renew its ageing fleet.

The Commission also removed all Kazakh airlines from the list, meaning they are no longer subject to restrictions on operating in Europe, because of improvements to aviation safety.

"After years of work and European technical assistance, we are today able to clear all Kazakh air carriers. This also is a positive signal for all the countries that remain on the list. It shows that work and cooperation pay off," EU transport commissioner Violeta Bulc said.

(Editing by Alexander Smith)
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A former director of Brazilian engineering firm Odebrecht SA told prosecutors that the company made several illegal contributions to politicians from the ruling PMDB party including President Michel Temer, according to a report aired Friday night by Globo TV. If prosecutors prove the accusations, Temer could face an impeachment trial that could destabilize his six-month-old government, which already lost several ministers after similar accusations from other construction firms embroiled in wide-ranging corruption probe. Claudio Melo Filho, a former institutional relations director at Odebrecht, said according to the report, that he took part in a dinner at Temer's official residency in Brasilia in 2014 where company executives agreed to transfer 10 million reais ($2.95 million) to finance PMDB campaigns that year. The director said he and other Odebrecht officials received indications from PMDB politicians who took part in their meetings that the company would be favored in votes in Congress that affected the engineering group. Reuters was not able to verify the report. Temer's press office released a statement denying the accusations. "The donations made by Odebrecht to PMDB were all through bank transfers and were declared to the electoral court," the statement said. Besides Temer, the director said several key ministers in the government also received donations. Melo Filho is just one of more than 70 executives from Odebrecht, including the former Chief Executive Officer Marcelo Odebrecht, who agreed to a plea deal with the Justice last week. (Reporting by Marcelo Teixeira; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
Keke Palmer "loves seeing" her Scream Queens co-stars, Taylor Lautner and Billie Lourd, together, but she admits to not knowing much about their romantic status.

ET caught up with the 23-year-old actress at the GQ Men of the Year party in Los Angeles on Thursday, and she remained tight-lipped on Lautner and Lourd's steamy makeout session.

"I have to leave that for them to answer," Palmer said when asked for details on the duo's potential relationship.

"They make me smile," she added. "I love seeing them together, but as far as them being and item, I don't know."

WATCH: Keke Palmer Dishes on Taylor Lautner's 'Scream Queens' Role as Lea Michele Posts First Pic From Set

Lautner and Lourd aren't the only Scream Queens stars locking lips these days. Lea Michele and John Stamos were recently snapped kissing on set.

Palmer, however, can't keep up with everybody's kissing schedule.

"I only know about the Taylor and the Billy kissing photo. Lea Michele, John Stamos is a totally new situation that even I'm not privy to," she confessed before vowing to ask Michele and Stamos about the kiss during a Scream Queens wrap party later that night.

"John is very handsome, very cool," Palmer gushed. "Lea's [an] extremely talented, beautiful young woman. So I mean, hey, Ryan [Murphy] puts people together and makes a love connection, what can you say?"

MORE: Keke Palmer Returns to Music With New Visual Album 'Lauren' -- Watch!

While she didn't share too many details on the subject of on-set romances, Palmer is very open when it comes to embracing her own sexuality.

See more in the video below.

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By Lawrence Delevingne

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Beechwood group of reinsurance companies is in talks to sell most or all of itself after a backlash from some clients due to its relationship with troubled hedge fund manager Platinum Partners, according to a person familiar with the situation.

"The very good news is that Beechwood has a successful business model that is attractive to investors," Davidson Goldin, an external spokesman for Beechwood, said in a statement to Reuters on Friday.

"The unfortunate news that Beechwood is working to manage on behalf of its clients is that Beechwoods historical relationships with individuals from Platinum are causing substantial reputational issues for the firm separate from its performance."

The sale discussions are with large insurance and private equity firms, according to the person, who requested anonymity because the information is private and who spoke to Reuters on Wednesday.

The talks mark a reversal of fortune for Beechwood, a once fast-growing reinsurer founded in 2013 with some funding coming indirectly from Platinum and some crossover in personnel. (See graphic: http://tmsnrt.rs/2hjRlW6)

The Bermuda-, Grand Cayman- and New York-based firm has been working to sever its links with Platinum after the once-$1.35 billion hedge fund manager became embroiled in multiple federal probes and put its funds in liquidation in July. Beechwood had made investments worth hundreds of millions of dollars in Platinum-related hedge funds and businesses on behalf of its insurance clients, according to public filings and information provided by one client as part of subsequent litigation.

As Manhattan-based Platinums troubles mounted, one of Beechwoods major clients, Indiana insurer CNO Financial Group (CNO.N), pulled business from Beechwood and sued three current and former Beechwood executives seeking damages. Another large client, Pennsylvania-domiciled Senior Health Insurance Co of Pennsylvania, better known as SHIP, is liquidating its Platinum-related holdings, invested for them by Beechwood.

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Led by a former chief executive officer of Marsh USA and senior executives from Morgan Stanley (MS.N) and Merrill Lynch (BAC.N), Beechwood managed $2.44 billion as of 2015. The lawsuit from CNO subsidiaries in September claimed that Beechwood told them that it is about to run out of cash and that its two principals will have to fund operations with their own money.

Beechwood did not respond to a request for comment on its current financial state.

PLATINUM PROBLEMS

Beechwoods links to Platinum began hurting over the summer.

In June, longtime Platinum and Beechwood associate Murray Huberfeld was arrested on criminal corruption charges, and the hedge fund's headquarters was raided by federal agents. Platinum, led by Mark Nordlicht, later decided to liquidate its main hedge funds under the supervision of a professional monitor amid pressure from investigations by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A lawyer for Huberfeld has said his client denies the allegations; the case is pending. Huberfeld provided Platinum with money for its launch in 2003, and the firm eventually took over separate hedge funds he managed. Huberfeld allegedly kept ties to Platinum throughout, according to the federal charges against him, and in recent years did some work for Beechwood, where his nephew, son and son-in-law also had roles, according to the CNO lawsuit.

Since the decision to unwind its funds, Platinums main offshore vehicle has received U.S. bankruptcy protection as Cayman Islands-based liquidators work to recover money and sell off its assets on behalf of creditors. Platinum and its executives also face lawsuits based on allegations that they stole money or intellectual property from companies they invested in.

A spokesman for Platinum declined to comment.

The September lawsuit by subsidiaries of CNO against Beechwood Chief Executive Officer Mark Feuer, Beechwood President Scott Taylor and Platinum co-chief investment officer and former Beechwood executive David Levy  Huberfelds nephew  alleged that Platinum executives conspired with counterparts at Beechwood to form the reinsurance group and then invested client assets in Platinum-related funds and businesses.

The plaintiffs allege that current and former Beechwood executives hid their links to Platinum even after they were asked by the CNO subsidiaries to sever ties. A subsequent audit found at least $116 million of hard-to-value assets inextricably intertwined with Platinum, the lawsuit said. Feuer, Taylor and Levy did not respond to emails seeking comment.

Other Beechwood clients are keeping a close eye on developments.

Universal has been closely monitoring events related to the Beechwood label, Eira Pineiro, an external spokeswoman for Puerto Rico-based Universal Group Inc, said in an email, adding that the insurer was taking steps to ensure that its assets were protected.

The firm's life insurance unit had $437.5 million in assets with Beechwood as of the end of 2015, according to a filing with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. It was unclear if any of those assets were related to Platinum; Pineiro did not respond to requests for clarification.

Representatives of two other insurers, Columbus, Ohio-based Motorists Life Insurance Co and Charleston, South Carolina-based Atlantic Coast Life Insurance Co told Reuters in separate statements that they had no Platinum-related holdings through Beechwood despite separate asset management agreements for approximately $100 million each.

We are comfortable with our position, Atlantic Coast CEO Daniel Cathcart said in an email.

By contrast, SHIP, the Pennsylvania-domiciled insurer, told Reuters in September that it was liquidating its Platinum-related holdings related to its contract with Beechwood. Those investments totalled at least $100 million as of June and about $50 million as of September. A spokesman for SHIP declined to comment, including on the current status of the divestment.

CNO appears to be the only client to cut ties with Beechwood, and has taken back its approximately $550 million in assets, according to public company disclosures.

CNO previously estimated it would lose about $55 million, pending an audit by year end of hard-to-value assets, which it believes were incorrectly priced by Beechwood. A CNO spokesman declined to make an additional comment; Beechwood released a statement at the time saying it had "acted properly at all times."

(Reporting by Lawrence Delevingne; editing by Carmel Crimmins)
(Adds background on Giuliani, Tillerson)

By Steve Holland

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Dec 9 (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp Chief Executive Officer Rex Tillerson emerged on Friday as President-elect Donald Trump's leading candidate for U.S. secretary of state, a senior transition official said.

Trump met Tillerson on Tuesday and may talk to him again over the weekend, the official said. Trump appears to be in the final days of deliberations over his top diplomat with an announcement possible next week.

Tillerson's favored status was revealed as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani formally withdrew from consideration for secretary of state.

The transition official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tillerson, 64, had moved ahead in Trump's deliberations over 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who has met Trump twice, including at a dinner in New York.

But the official said Romney was still under consideration for the job, along with John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; U.S. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, and retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis.

Giuliani's withdrawal came after he was fully vetted by the Trump transition team for his overseas business ties in what was described by the Trump official as an "intense" effort by lawyers and accountants.

Giuliani, who runs a global consulting firm, was given a clean bill of health, with Trump's aides concluding his business interests would not pose a risk to his confirmation.

Should Tillerson be nominated, his business ties, too, will come under scrutiny. Exxon Mobil has operations in more than 50 countries and boasts that it explores for oil and natural gas on six continents.

In 2011, Exxon Mobil signed a deal with Rosneft, Russia's largest state-owned oil company, for joint oil exploration and production. Since then, the companies have formed 10 joint ventures for projects in Russia.

In 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Tillerson his nation's Order of Friendship.

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But U.S. sanctions against Russia for its incursion into Crimea cost Exxon Mobil dearly, forcing it to scrap some projects and costing it at least $1 billion in losses. Tillerson has been a vocal critic of the sanctions.

Trump has spoken of wanting warmer relations with Moscow, which has sparked concerns in Congress that he could lift or loosen some of the sanctions on Russia.

Tillerson has been chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil since 2006. He is expected to retire from the company next year.

Should Tillerson be nominated, climate change could be another divisive issue. The company is under investigation by the New York Attorney General's Office for allegedly misleading investors, regulators and the public on what it knew about global warming.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and James Oliphant; Editing by Leslie Adler and Lisa Shumaker)
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f314411%2ftillersonthumb

If it weren't real, it might read like a dark climate change comedy.

President-elect Donald J Trump is expected to turn to the leader of America's largest oil company, and the main villain in a new wave of climate change activism, to lead the State Department: ExxonMobil Corp. CEO Rex Tillerson. Multiple news organizations reported the pick on Saturday.

Tillerson has worked at Exxon for his entire career, which is important since Exxon is currently under investigation for misleading its investors and the American public about the threat of global warming since the 1970s. The investigations and environmental activism surrounding it are known by the hashtag #ExxonKnew.

SEE ALSO: Exxon and others may have to answer for alleged lies about global warming

Attorneys general in Massachusetts, New York and the U.S. Virgin Islands are leading probes into the company for working to deceive the American public and delay climate action.

The climate investigations are similar to the successful prosecution of the tobacco industry in the 1990s for knowing about the dangers of its products and mounting public relations campaigns to convince the public otherwise.

Environmental groups were quick to criticize Tillerson. After all, the State Department is tasked with leading America's diplomacy on climate change.

This is unfathomable. We cant let Trump put the worlds largest oil company in charge of our international climate policy," said Mary Boeve, the executive director of 350.org.

ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson speaks to reporters after the annual meeting ExxonMobil shareholders meeting in Dallas, Wednesday, May 28, 2014.

Image: lm otero/AP

"ExxonMobil is still a leading funder of climate denial and is pursuing a business plan that will destroy our future. Tillerson deserves a federal investigation, not federal office," she said.

The confirmation hearings would provide an opportunity for climate activists to advance the climate investigation since it would put Tillerson under oath before the Foreign Relations Committee. Some pro-climate action members of that panel, such as Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, would likely ask questions to further the investigation.

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"We'll be pressuring Senators to turn the confirmation process into a hearing on ExxonMobils history of climate deception," Boeve said.

Gene Karpinski, the president of the League of Conservation Voters, said, "His appointment would cause a massive conflict of interest, giving ExxonMobil  a company that investigative reports have shown covered up its own climate research and misled the public for decadesan unprecedented ability to sway foreign policy to protect its own interests."

Connecting the dots

The apparent Tillerson appointment comes amid other signs that climate scientists and policy makers are in for a bruising four years under Trump. For example, last week Trump announced the appointment of Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt, who is currently suing the EPA to stop its landmark climate regulations, to lead that agency. Pruitt has a record of casting doubt on mainstream climate science and working hand-in-hand with oil companies.

In addition, the transition team sent an unusually intrusive questionnaire to the Energy Department, seeking information about agency personnel working on climate change.

Trumps cabinet represents a whos who of climate-deniers and fossil fuel hacks, so were shocked but not surprised that he chose the head of one of the worlds largest and most environmentally disastrous oil companies to be his ambassador to the world," said Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune, in a statement.

Exxon technically acknowledges climate change

Tillerson and the company he leads are not in the same climate-denying league as Pruitt, at least not on the surface.

Officially, Exxon supports efforts to enact a carbon tax, and acknowledges that human activities are causing climate change. Both of these positions are in opposition to the president-elect, who has called climate change a "hoax" and proposed no plans to combat it.

I'm shocked to say it, but Tillerson was best of candidates: Exxon supports carbon pricing and the Paris Agreement https://t.co/j3nvpEXSr0  Robert N. Stavins (@RobertStavins) December 10, 2016

However, Tillerson has fought shareholder resolutions seeking more transparency about how global climate policies, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, could affect the business. More importantly, the company has also provided millions in funding for organizations that spread misinformation about climate science.

While Rex Tillerson acknowledges the growing dangers of climate change and has expressed support for the vital Paris accord, his actions to counter the threat are what truly count. As the nations top diplomat, he must embrace the spirit of that agreement: a commitment to shift away from the fossil fuels driving climate change and toward cleaner, smarter ways to power our future," said Natural Resources Defense Council president Rhea Suh, in a statement.

Unique among the world's oil giants, many of which are coming to realize that they will have to operate in a carbon-constrained world in order to limit global warming, Exxon has remained steadfast in planning for a world in which burning oil and gas will be virtually unrestricted.

Projected electricity consumption in 2040 by fuel type.

Image: exxonmobil energy outlook 2016

In its most recent official forecast, Exxon projected that oil and gas will make up 60% of the world's energy supply in 2040, about the same share it holds today.

Its scenarios paint a rosier picture for the future of oil than many of Exxon's peers do, including the French oil company Total, which decided in May to align its business strategy with the Paris treaty.

Tillerson has repeatedly emphasized the need to first address energy poverty worldwide before cutting emissions, whereas climate science shows that the two need to take place simultaneously to avoid dangerous global warming impacts such as the runaway collapse of the Greenland ice sheet.

"As policymakers develop mechanisms to meet the Paris goals, ExxonMobil encourages them to focus on reducing emissions at the lowest cost to society, keeping in mind that access to affordable and reliable energy is critical to economic growth and improved standards of living worldwide," the company said in a Nov. 4 statement when the Paris Agreement entered into force.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and Exxon Mobil Corp. CEO Rex Tillerson shake hands on June 15, 2012.

Image: AP/RIA-Novosti, Mikhail Klimentyev, Presidential Press Service

Other potential hurdles for the nomination are Tillerson's close ties to many foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. In 2013, Tillerson received the Order of Friendship medal from Putin in recognition of his efforts to work with Russian oil companies to drill for oil and gas in the Arctic.

That deal fell victim to sanctions imposed on Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine, but could be resurrected through diplomacy.

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Washington (AFP) - ExxonMobil President and CEO Rex Tillerson is President-elect Donald Trump's likely pick for secretary of state, US media reported Saturday, with some lawmakers quickly voicing concerns about his ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Tillerson, 64, has extensive experience in international negotiations, overseeing his oil company's activities in more than 50 countries.

His links to Russia could be problematic with Moscow facing renewed scrutiny in Washington. A Washington Post report late Friday said a secret CIA assessment found that Russia interfered in the US presidential election with the aim of tipping it in Trump's favor.

The president-elect, who has praised Putin and called for closer ties with Russia, dismissed the report.

Trump has already decided on Tillerson, according to NBC News, citing two unnamed sources close to the transition process. They cautioned, however, that nothing was final until Trump makes the official announcement, likely next week.

Other media outlets, including CBS News and The Wall Street Journal, described Tillerson as the leading candidate for the job of top US diplomat.

Former UN Ambassador John Bolton will be Tillerson's deputy secretary of state "for day-to-day management of the department," NBC News added, citing one unnamed source.

Asked in an interview with Fox News -- which will air in full on Sunday -- why it makes sense to appoint a businessman as the nation's top diplomat, Trump said Tillerson is "much more than a business executive."

"I mean, he's a world-class player," the president-elect said. "He knows many of the players and he knows them well.

"He does massive deals in Russia. He does massive deals for the company, not for himself, for the company."

Trump and Tillerson met for more than two hours Saturday in Trump Tower, the New York Times reported, adding that chief strategist Stephen Bannon and son-in-law Jared Kushner told the president-elect the Exxon chief is in a "different league" from other candidates.

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As speculation swirled about Tillerson, Trump attended the annual Army-Navy football grudge match in Baltimore. He pumped his fist and waved at the cheering crowd, as he and top aides watched the game from boxes shielded by bulletproof glass.

- Senate opposition -

If he is officially nominated, Tillerson can expect sharp questioning during confirmation hearings in the US Senate.

Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat and senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee, slammed the idea of Tillerson as secretary of state as "alarming and absurd."

"With Rex Tillerson as our Secretary of State, the Trump administration would be guaranteeing Russia has a willing accomplice in the president's cabinet guiding our nation's foreign policy," he said in a statement.

"The term conflict of interest doesn't even begin to describe the web of dubious business interests and bank accounts that Tillerson and his company Exxon shares with Vladimir Putin and Russian oil companies."

On the Republican side, Senator John McCain expressed "concerns" over Tillerson's links to Putin, whom the senator called "a thug and a murderer."

"We will have hearings on that issue and other issues concerning him will be examined," McCain told CNN. "That's the time to make up your mind as to whether to vote yes or no."

Tillerson was awarded Russia's Order of Friendship by Putin following several years of Exxon projects in the country, including a deal to work with state-controlled oil company Rosneft, media reports said.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he didn't know much about Tillerson, but "if you received an award from the Kremlin, [an] Order of Friendship, then were gonna have some talkin'," Graham told the Washington Post.

"I don't want to prejudge the guy, but that's a bit unnerving."

The unpredictable Trump could still change his mind. Candidates under consideration over the past weeks include Bolton, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and former CIA director David Petraeus, among several others.

The outspoken former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani is no longer in the mix: Trump announced in a statement Friday that Giuliani had removed himself from the running.
Only in the real world do humans possess free will, whereas any film about the nature of belief effectively requires the director to play God, forcing them to answer the very questions they often set out to raise. Despite this paradox, in the history of cinema, there have been many great films about Christian faith  though not nearly enough: Carl Theodor Dreyers Ordet, Robert Bressons The Diary of a Country Priest, Jean-Pierre Melvilles Leon Morin, Priest. Now, add to that Martin Scorseses Silence, which marks the culmination of a nearly 30-year journey to adapt Japanese novelist Shusaku Endos tale of a 17th-century Jesuit missionary faced with the dilemma of whether to apostatize.

And yet, judged in broadly cinematic terms, Silence is not a great movie, despite having been directed by one of the mediums greatest masters at a point of great maturity (this is the last film one might expect to immediately follow the bacchanalian excess of The Wolf of Wall Street). Though undeniably gorgeous, it is punishingly long, frequently boring, and woefully unengaging at some of its most critical moments. It is too subdued for Scorsese-philes, too violent for the most devout, and too abstruse for the great many moviegoers who such an expensive undertaking hopes to attract (which no doubt explains why Scorsese was compelled to cast The Amazing Spider-Man actor Andrew Garfield and two Star Wars stars).

Still, viewed through the narrow prism of films about faith, Silence is a remarkable achievement, tackling as it does a number of Big Questions in a medium that, owing to its commercial nature, so often shies away from Christianity altogether. Considering the dominant role religious belief plays in the lives of so many, its surprising, even scandalous, that so few films face the subject head-on. Silence is the largest, most serious-minded examination of faith since Terrence Malicks The Tree of Life, rounding out a trilogy on the subject from the director of Kundun and The Last Temptation of Christ.

At the core of Silence lies the dilemma: What does it mean to apostatize? Though the screenplay (which Scorsese adapted with Jay Cocks, his collaborator on The Age of Innocence and Gangs of New York) intends for us to consider this question on some deep teleological level, the film would do well to engage with it first in more literal terms. For those not already versed in the finer points of Christian dogma, apostasy is the act by which someone renounces his faith, represented in the particular context of this film by placing ones foot upon a fumi-e (or religious carving of Mary or Jesus). Here, apostasy is the weapon by which 17th-century Japanese officials, threatened by European colonial powers and the missionary faith they brought with them, sought to combat the spread of Christianity among peasants receptive to the notion that their suffering might be lifted in heaven.

In Scorseses comparably low-key Kundun, the future Dalai Lama learns the Four Noble Truths of Buddhist teaching. What are the causes of suffering? his teacher asks, to which his pupil responds, Pride. Pride causes suffering. This is a priceless insight, and one that Garfields character, a presumptuous young padre named Sebastiao Rodrigues, might do well to learn. Though Rodrigues imagines his greatest obstacle to be Gods silence (he prays constantly, and yet He never responds), the story hinges on the characters seemingly unbreakable arrogance  a dimension significantly downplayed in Garfields self-effacing performance. Instead, the actor focuses on Rodrigues doubt, as reflected in the dense clouds of fog and mist that permeate much of the film.

If Apocalypse Now was a modern twist on Heart of Darkness, then Silence could fairly be viewed as Scorseses own take on that paradigm. Call it Soul of Murkiness. Together with another Portuguese priest, Francisco Garrpe (Driver, who looks the part, his lean, angular face reflecting the severity of classic religious icons), Rodrigues petitions his Jesuit superior (Ciaran Hinds) to let them travel to Japan to investigate the fate of their mentor, father Cristovao Ferreira (Liam Neeson)  whos effectively the films AWOL Kurtz. Their only clue is a long-delayed letter, which tells of unspeakable torture practices visited upon Christian priests and converts alike in an attempt to discourage the spread of the religion, coupled with rumors that Ferreira ultimately apostatized and now lives with a wife as a Japanese.

For the sincerely devout Rodrigues, the mission represents an opportunity to do good, offering salvation to the savages, but also a shot at glory. He makes the journey  which, in a two-hour-and-41-minute movie, passes in the blink of an eye  in full awareness that he could be martyred for his actions. With martyrdom comes divine reward (including the possibility of special visions, a privileged place in heaven, and eventual sainthood), and in Endos novel at least, he yearns for the opportunity.

The reality that awaits Rodrigues and Garrpe is every bit as hellish as they had imagined, and then some, and Scorsese renders these scenes of torture  boiling water drizzled over exposed flesh, women wrapped in straw and set on fire  with the same unflinching detachment Pier Paolo Pasolini did the sadism of his infamous, incendiary final film, Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom. And yet, Rodrigues persists, consciously risking his safety in order to locate and serve the Kakure Kirishitan (or hidden Christians), who have been forced underground by these terrible punishments, inquiring as to Ferreiras whereabouts with each fresh encounter.

The first Japanese the missionaries encounter is a wily ex-Christian named Kichijiro (Yosuke Kubozuka), whose sneaky, social-outcast behavior suggests the way Toshiro Mifune might play the role of Gollum. Kichijiro has apostatized once already, and he will again before the movie ends, repeatedly betraying his faith and returning to beg forgiveness. Generally speaking, the casting of the Japanese characters favors actors who look like ghoulish exaggerations  like the rude caricatures found in Tintin comics, their teeth and fingernails smeared in grime. Compared with the humanely depicted natives of Roland Joffes more conventionally accessible/satisfying The Mission, the Japanese here come across as frighteningly other, almost animalistic. An unnerving inquisitor named Inoue (Issey Ogata) has a wheedling voice and faux-gracious manner that suggests the Japanese equivalent of Christoph Waltzs Nazi colonel in Inglourious Basterds.

This style of representation marks a troubling, but no doubt deliberate choice on Scorseses part  especially compared with Garfields bare-chested, fabulously coiffed Rodrigues. Underscoring where our sympathies are expected to lie, the missionary outsiders all speak English (with wildly varied Portuguese accents), while the comparably heathen locals communicate in subtitled Japanese. Unlike Endos own big-screen adaptation of his novel, filmed by Japanese director Masahiro Shinoda in 1971, here, the local becomes the other  especially since the second half of the film concerns the two priests captivity and the sadistic attempts to convince them that Japan is a swamp where their religion does not take root.

Rodrigues is prepared for martyrdom, but not for the Japanese inquisitors more diabolical scheme, which involves torturing other Christians until he apostatizes. Worse still, Rodrigues watches as his cohort achieves the martyrdom he seeks (in a horrific beachfront scene that rings strangely hollow). Through it all, Rodrigues continues his appeal to God, praying for guidance, but receiving only  silence. Until he doesnt.

The films last hour is by far its most challenging, as Scorsese goes out of his way to avoid some of the sweeping, free-associative techniques Malick has innovated for spiritual cinema, turning instead to the austere model of Bresson, Dreyer, and others that Last Temptation screenwriter Paul Schrader once described as transcendental cinema, in which powerless protagonists struggle against forces beyond their control. Whereas Endos novel allows omniscient access to Rodrigues deep internal conflict, the film leaves audiences at arms length, forcing us to scrutinize Garfields face for psychological insights that, for most, are too complex to expect us to interpret on our own.

For non-believers in particular, when Neeson resurfaces, his arguments, intended as the cruelest temptation, will instead sound perfectly logical. What Ferreira describes as the most powerful act of love that has ever been performed feels like a no-brainer, with no catharsis to ease the anti-climax. From the Crusades to the Spanish Inquisition, when one considers all the cruelty that religion has exerted on the world, it seems almost unfair to focus on this footnote in world history, where priests were punished for their beliefs, the way early Christians were thrown to the lions.

And yet, these paradoxes surely arent lost on Scorsese, who has created a taxing film that will not only hold up to multiple viewings, but practically demands them. Here, as ever, he brings an arresting visual sense to the project, reteaming with production designer Dante Ferretti and DP Rodrigo Prieto to create evocative widescreen tableaux, shot on celluloid and shrouded in mist and shadow, while relaxing some of his flashier techniques (with its Peter Gabriel score and aggressive cutting, Last Temptation feels dated today in a way that the director clearly intends to avoid here). What little music Silence does contain is featured so faintly as to be almost subliminal, leaving ample room for engaged audiences to personalize the viewing experience, while frustrating those grasping for clues as to the precise emotional reaction Scorsese intends. Thats a risky move, as is the dramatic way he breaks the silence in the end. Those who put their faith in Scorsese may find it challenged as never before by his long-gestating passion project.

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Billed as a wilderness survival thriller, Sugar Mountain is in fact more of a potboiler involving a romantic triangle and ill-conceived fraud scheme. None of those elements grow very compelling over the course of Aussie director Richard Grays Alaska-set feature, which is polished without ever achieving much in the realm of suspense or emotional involvement. The moderate marquee value of Jason Momoa and Cary Elwes (though the former has only a few scenes) should help smooth access to home markets. But in any format theres unlikely to be great excitement over this middling drama, which opened on 10 U.S. screens (as well as in Toronto) on Dec. 9.

The West brothers have lost their mother to lung cancer, but inherited her business catering to sporty visitors in the titular resort town. (The film was primarily shot in and around Seward, a fishing port and tourist destination in southwestern Alaskas Kenai Peninsula region.) Unfortunately, theyre going under, with the bank impounding the boat their charter trade depends on for overdue payments.

Its blustery, short-attention-spanned Miles (Drew Roy) bright idea that they solve these financial woes by staging a disappearance in the nearby frozen mountains, then sell the miraculous survival story to the media for big bucks. Nice-guy sibling Liam (Shane Coffey) is not at all thrilled by this plan, especially since it requires him to express covetous jealousy over Miles loyal girlfriend/co-conspirator Lauren (Haley Webb)  for whom he has secretly pined since childhood. This play-acted fraternal conflict will up the publicity stakes when Miles allegedly vanishes during a hike, raising the possibility of foul play.

Everybody falls for the ruse at first, including Laurens police-chief father (Elwes), who orchestrates search parties to roam the sub-zero wilderness. But of course, best-laid-plans soon unravel  in part due to the discovery that Miles has significant gambling debts owed to a menacing local character (Momoa), but also because his absence opens a space which the long-repressed attraction between Liam and Laura rushes to fill (via a somewhat ludicrously overblown sex scene). Meanwhile, it begins to look like Miles faked mortal-peril scenario might well have turned into the real thing.

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Originally set in his and the directors native Australia, Abe Pogos screenplay is complicated enough. But Grays execution arrives at a middle-of-the-road tenor that lacks (among other things) the tragic sense of inexorable cruel fate seen in A Simple Plan or grotesque black comedy in Fargo, to name a couple better films about ordinary people whose seemingly harmless criminal-fraud schemes turn very harmful indeed. Despite a fairly eventful narrative, the proceedings feel a bit turgid, as the character dynamics seldom surprise, and not much tension accrues, with disappointingly scant screen time given over to Miles wilderness sojourn. (John Garretts widescreen lensing of the spectacular local scenery is handsome, but despite its hook, this is a movie largely driven by indoor arguments.)

Even a brief, panicked encounter with a bear is oddly tepid as staged here. By the time Sugar Mountain springs a belated burst of action  including a car chase and one subsidiary figures not-dead-after-all revival  the effect feels more desperate than exciting, with a soap-operatic plot revelation heightening the strain. Its all meant to be bitterly ironic in the end, but Mountain simply doesnt have the depth to pull that off.

Though ultimately frustrated in creating fully dimensionalized figures, the actors do decent work. Those who tune in for Aquaman star Momoa, however, will be irked to realize his bad guy (while key to the story) only appears in three or four scenes.

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CEDARS recently celebrated its 13th annual Power of the Purse  the agencys signature event that brings together women from across the city to raise money for children who have been victims of abuse, neglect or who are homeless.

Guests at the Nov. 13 event entered into a world of one-of-a-kind and designer handbags at the Cornhusker Marriott in downtown Lincoln. The evening featured purses from many local boutiques and businesses as well as international designers in both a silent and live auction.

In addition to vying for top bid on enviable purses via mobile bidding, guests heard directly from CEDARS staff during a video presentation about how they serve children and youth, and what makes them passionate about coming to work each day.

We try to work with our founders mission in mind, said Jason Danner, a family resource partner on the CEDARS Foster Care team. Were all born with the ability to change someones life, and we dont want to waste that chance. At CEDARS, we try to live up to that every day. We get to work with these children. Its a privilege. If we partner together with our stakeholders, with the community, with our foundation, our board of directors and our leadership team, we are able to serve these kids the way that they deserve to be served.

After hearing from Danner and other CEDARS staff members, guests pledged their support for children in CEDARS care by becoming monthly donors.

The event has been a sellout each of its 13 years with over 300 women attending annually, prepared to open their hearts and their purses to positively impact the lives of children in need. This year, the event raised over $95,000 for the children of CEDARS. In total, CEDARS Power of the Purse has raised over $1 million in cash and in-kind gifts in its 13-year history.

The long-running success of this fundraiser is due to generous support of CEDARS purse donors, event hosts and patrons, event attendees and corporate sponsors, said CEDARS Executive Vice President Meagan Liesveld. We simply could not do it without them.

Corporate sponsors of this years event were Ameritas, Firespring, Talent+, Assurity Life Insurance Co., Baylor Evnen, Benefit Professionals, Bryan Health, Capitol Heating & Air Conditioning, D.A. Davidson and Co., Dillards, Dittrich-Myhre Financial Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, Farmers Mutual of Nebraska, Good Life Fitness, Lincoln Journal Star, Material Girl, Olsson Associates, Pinnacle Bank, Rabbit Hole Bakery, Rachels Boutique, RDO Truck Centers, Scooters Coffee, Sutton Ryan Dermatology & Aesthetic Center, Wells Fargo and Woods Bros Realty.

For more information about CEDARS, call 402-434-KIDS (5437) or see cedarskids.org.
Scientists estimate that there may be over 100 million pieces of space debris most of which are too small to be monitored  currently floating in orbit. This orbital junk can travel at speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hour  fast enough to cause serious damage to satellites and even the International Space Station (ISS).

Debris hitting debris creates more debris, so you have this cascade effect and end up with so much space debris that it becomes a real danger to operational satellites and new launches, Steve Gower, general manager of the Space Environment Research Centre in Canberra, Australia, told Bloomberg recently. Every time we launch a satellite, we need to plan a path to avoid space junk.

On Friday, in a step aimed at clearing up the clutter in Earths orbit, Japan launched a cargo ship carrying an electrodynamic tether made of aluminum and stainless steel. The cargo ship  named Kounotori, which means stork in Japanese  lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan at 8:26 a.m. EST on Friday. It will dock with the Earth-facing side of the space stations Harmony module, where it will spend more than five weeks.

The tether, which the Japans space agency made with the help of a fishnet company, would use the electricity generated by its motion through Earths magnetic field to slow the debris down and push it into a lower orbit, where it would then enter the atmosphere and burn up.

The tether uses our fishnet plaiting technology, but it was really tough to intertwine the very thin materials, Katsuya Suzuki, an engineer at the Japanese fishnet manufacturer Nitto Seimo  a 106-year-old company that developed the mesh material, told Agence France-Presse. The length of the tether this time is 700 meter (2,300 feet), but eventually its going to need to be 5,000 to 10,000 meter-long to slow down the targeted space junk.

The electrodynamic tether is not the only idea that Japan is mulling over to get rid of space debris. Last year, in a study published in the journal Acta Astronautica, researchers from Japans Riken research institute proposed a method that basically involves blasting an estimated 3,000 tons of debris through a fiber optic laser mounted on the ISS.

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A father and daughter were found dead after an apparent murder-suicide in Hebron, Maine, on Thursday, according to several reports.

Authorities say 56-year-old Daniel Randall shot his 27-year-old daughter Claire Randall several times before turning the gun on himself, according to the Oxford Hills Sun Journal. Claires body was found in the bathroom of the home where she lived with her mother and Daniels was found on the front porch by a neighbor around 2 p.m., according to the Portland Press Herald.

The neighbor also told the Herald that the words VOW BREAKER were spray-painted on the kitchen counter, among other messages spray-painted in the home. Daniels wife Anita Randall had served him with divorce papers earlier in the week, according to the Sun Journal.

The Maine Medical Examiners Office told NBC 10 Claire died of multiple gunshot wounds and Daniel died from a single gunshot to the head.

Daniel was a pastor at First Congregational Church in Bristol, Rhode Island, for 12 years before announcing his resignation on December 2014 and serving his last mass on Jan. 25, 2015, according to NBC 10. He was also a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force, according to the Herald. He had recently returned from a 90-day recovery program at a substance abuse center in Portland, Maine, according to NBC 10.

 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.

Police told NBC 10 Randall left the Liberty Bay Recovery Center at 10 a.m. Thursday morning, purchased a shotgun, then drove home and shot and killed his daughter. Authorities are still investigating how and where Daniel purchased the gun, according to the Herald.

State police also said Daniel was estranged from his family and did not have a key to the home. He broke in through the garage door, according to the Herald. The family moved into the home in the summer, and Claire had recently moved in to stay with her mother Anita and her teenage brother in Maine. But only Claire and Daniel were at the home during the time of the shooting, according to the Herald.

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Among his former roles as a chaplain and pastor, Daniel also served as a pastor at the First Parish Congregational Church in Saco, Maine, from 1993 to 1994. During Fourth of July weekend in 1994, his first wife Greta died of a fall while picnicking with Daniel and their two daughters, Molly and Claire. Greta was six months pregnant at the time and their prematurely-born son died one day later, according to the Herald. He then took a two month leave before moving to Arizona, where he met Anita.

In a video for Roger Williams University, where Daniel served as an affiliate chaplain from 2009 to 2012, he said, One of our sayings is No matter who you are or where you are in lifes journey, youre welcome here.  We are here for you.

Maine State Police, Medical Examiners Office and the Department of Public Safety did not immediately respond to requests for comment.




Hitrino (Bulgaria) (AFP) - Seven people were killed and dozens were injured on Saturday when a freight train carrying highly flammable gas derailed and then exploded, devastating a village in northeastern Bulgaria.

A blast ripped through the centre of the village of Hitrino, destroying a railway station, offices and dozens of houses and sending plumes of black smoke into the air, an AFP photographer saw.

The head of the Bulgaria's civil defence organisation, Nikolai Nikolov, said the death toll had risen to seven.

"We are no longer looking for people in the rubble," he said.

Health Minister Petar Moskov said 29 people had been hospitalised, nine of whom were in a critical condition, and 23 others suffered lesser injuries.

Authorities have warned the death toll may yet rise.

Local environment inspectors said that except for fine particles, air pollution in Hitrino late Saturday was below emergency levels as gas and carbon dioxide had been dispersed by the wind.

The freight train, which derailed while entering the station, was hauling 20 tankers of highly-flammable propylene gas as well as four containing liquefied petroleum gas, a mixture of propane and butane.

The last two tankers hit a power line and exploded, with seven tankers full of propylene going off the tracks, local police spokeswoman Assia Yordannova said.

The blast occurred at 5:37 am (0337 GMT), causing devastation to a huge area of this small village which has a population of around thousand, located about 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Varna, Bulgaria's main port on the Black Sea.

A passenger train was just about to enter the station when the accident happened.

"All buildings within a radius of 200 metres from the tracks are ruined, burned down," an AFP correspondent at the scene said.

He said firefighters and rescuers were working to cool off the tankers scattered along the railway tracks while searching for survivors under the debris.

The interior ministry said about 200 people were involved in the rescue efforts.

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- Derailments common -

Aerial footage showed a massive plume of black smoke rising over the village and charred tankers lying scattered around the tracks by the ruined station.

One whole block of houses near the derailed tankers was gutted and there was smothering debris everywhere.

By midday (1000 GMT), the fires which had raged since the early hours had been put out, and officials began evacuating residents as firefighters and experts from the nearby Lukoil Neftochim oil refinery prepared to pump out the remaining gas from the tankers.

Examining the damage, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov called for a day of national mourning on Monday and appealed for solidarity and blood donations to the hospitals treating the injured.

Local residents said the firefighters had been very slow to arrive and many broke down in tears while recounting how their houses collapsed.

Accidents involving freight trains are relatively frequent in Bulgaria where railway tracks are obsolete and regularly looted by thieves. But fatalities are rare.

- Drivers survived -

Investigators from the capital Sofia were dispatched at the scene to probe the causes of the accident which occurred as the train was en route from the Black Sea city of Burgas to neighbouring Romania.

Stanko Stankov, head of train operator Bulmarket, said his company only operated the engines, while the tankers were owned by a Romanian firm.

He said there were three drivers on board at the time, and all of them had survived. Officials said investigators had spoken to all three.

Propylene is an extremely flammable but non-toxic gas which burns much hotter than propane butane.

On January 23, eight carriages of another freight train derailed at high speed while passing near the southwestern town of Dupnitsa.

There were five derailments in both 2014 and 2015, with the causes varying from rocks on the tracks to parts looted from railway junctions.
Frances state of emergency may be extended from mid-January until July 15 2017, according to Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, who this month replaced Manuel Valls when he resigned to run as the Socialist candidate for the presidency.

A state of emergency, which gives police extended powers to search and arrest, was imposed in Nov. 2015 following the coordinated Paris attacks that led to the killing of 130 people, including 89 at the Bataclan theatre.

Now the government will propose extending the state of emergency until summer next year to protect presidential and parliament elections in spring 2017, Reuters reports. Parliament, which is debating the proposal on Dec. 13, needs to approve this extension for it to come into effect.

Frances state of emergency has already been extended four times. Last July, Frances National Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of extending it for another six months.

The last time France called a state of emergency prior to Nov. 2015 was in Nov. 2005, when the death of two teenagers of immigrant descent, Zyed Benna and Bouna Traore, sparked countrywide riots. That state of emergency lasted until January 4, 2006.

[Reuters]
PARIS (Reuters) - The French government will propose extending the country's state of emergency until July 15, 2017 due to presidential and parliament elections in spring next year, Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Saturday. The socialist government imposed the state of emergency - which gives police extended powers to search and arrest - in November last year following the attacks on Paris. The extension needs to be approved by parliament, which will debate the proposal on Tuesday. The senate will review it on Thursday. The state of emergency, which was set to end in mid-January, has already been extended four times as the government considers that the risk of armed attacks by Islamist militants remains high. France will hold presidential elections in April-May, followed by parliament elections in June. The state of emergency is criticised by some as at best inefficient and at worst an infringement of civil rights. (Reporting by Yves Clarisse; Writing by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
By Michel Rose PARIS (Reuters) - France's popular former economy minister, Emmanuel Macron, styling himself the workers' champion, drew 15,000 supporters to a rally in Paris on Saturday which reinforced his image as the dark horse in the race for the Elysee. The 38-year-old Macron, once a protege of President Francois Hollande, staged what his supporters called a "tour de force" at the rally, brushing off criticism by his erstwhile Socialist allies for running as an independent in the 2017 election. Macron has refused pleas - most recently by former prime minister Manuel Valls who is seeking the Socialist party ticket - to join in the Left's attempts to decide on a single candidate for next spring's election. He signaled on Saturday he would not change his mind. The former investment banker pledged to cut taxes on workers and employers, while raising taxes on income from investments and wealthy pensioners. "I ask them, in all transparency, for this little effort of a few euros per month because the country's workers need it ... I am the workers' candidate," he declared to cheers. The large turnout on a cold evening eclipsed last weekend's modest gathering by the Socialists when party grandees struggled to reenergize the Left's faithful at a convention that drew only 2,500 supporters. Polls show there is little chance of any left-wing candidate reaching the election run-off next May and, barring an upset, the stage seems set for a head-to-head between conservative Francois Fillon and far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Fillon, a center-right former prime minister who has pledged to cut deep into the public sector, would easily beat the anti-immigrant and anti-euro Le Pen, taking two thirds of the vote if the polls are correct. But, with his pledge of being "neither on the left nor on the right", Macron is a wild card in the election that will be fought on high unemployment, national security and immigration. His appeal for the support of the blue-collar worker on Saturday indicated he was out to upstage both the traditional Left as well as try to eat into the support base of the National Front's Le Pen. Aware of his need to convince left-wing voters sometimes wary of his pro-business stance, Macron slammed Fillon's proposals to cut spending on public healthcare. "It's an attack on the middle class," he said. Macron quit as economy minister in the Valls government after he set up his own political movement called "En Marche", which translates as "Forward" or "Onwards". Some say however he could fragment the Left's electorate and enhance Le Pen's chances of reaching the runoff next May. Supporters countered on Saturday by calling on others on the left, including Valls, to rally behind Macron. "Who else can gather that many people these days?," Lyon mayor Gerard Collomb, a Socialist party veteran and Macron supporter told reporters. Opinion polls put Macron consistently ahead of Socialist candidates such as Valls who will compete for the party ticket in two-stage primaries in late January. Macron has toned down his previous criticism of Socialist sacred cows, which had rattled left-wing sympathizers but made him increasingly popular with the wider electorate. On the 35-hour work-week, he said he would let unions and employers reach deals to opt out of it, rather than raising the legal limit to 39 hours as Fillon advocates. (Reporting by Michel Rose; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
In a certain sense, French-Tunisian director-writer Raja Amari creates feminist thrillers, even if she may not choose to describe them that way. In her debut feature Red Satin (2002), a respectable widow spies on her daugher and then defies convention to become a belly dancer. The dark fairy tale Buried Secrets (2009) investigates the effects of seclusion on the development of a womans sense of self. And her latest, Foreign Body, sends an immigration story into unexpected byways as it explores a relationship triangle.

All my movies are focused on female characters, says Amari. I like to follow them in a certain evolution and make them drift from one stage to another, while confronting them with both inner and social issues.

Her films also notably explore gender and desire. For me, those two themes interlace, she notes. Foreign Body questions the notion of territory, boundaries and identity. Those questions also apply on an intimate level. The body is a territory where the characters test their own limits and where they end up transgressing those limits.

I wanted to deal with the political and social aspect of the immigration issues from an intimate perspective, focusing on two female characters drawn into a shady relationship, she adds.

It was also important for her to show immigrants as individuals capable of passion and desire, unlike the faceless masses represented in the media. Amari felt in familiar territory with this subject since she had explored it in her previous movies. It seems to me important to continue to explore the question of desire both in a realistic and fantasised way, she says. Its an essential element in emancipation or frustration in the Arab world today, especially when its related to women, she points out.

Amari was a serious student of dance and her main characters always display a sensuous physicality.

In Foreign Body, the dance scene with Samia reveals something different in her character, she notes. She appears more perplexing, freer. When the three characters dance together, it crystallizes the attraction between them and allows something ambiguous to escape from them.

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Palestinian-French performer Hiam Abbass, the star of Amaris Red Satin, reunites with her in Foreign Body. The film also features two younger thesps. I saw Sarra Hannachi in a Tunisian movie and I loved her magnetism and sensuality, says Amari. We made some tryouts, and I found in her something like the Samia I imagined, with this rebellious and untamed side. I enjoyed working with her on the evolution of the character from an illegal immigrant to a sophisticated woman and building up her disturbing side.

Regarding the male character, Imed, she wanted an actor who could be both kind and threatening. And found that in Salim Kechiouche, whom she had seen in several films, including Blue is the Warmest Color.

For her next project, Amari says shed like to work on a genre movie. I always felt drawn to some genre aspects in my previous films. This time, I want to fully explore the thriller genre.

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Paris (AFP) - Western powers called Saturday for talks between the Syrian regime and the opposition in a bid to end a war that has cost more than 300,000 lives, but desperation hung over a meeting in Paris.

With President Bashar al-Assad's forces pursuing an onslaught on rebel-held areas of Aleppo assisted by Russian air power, the West's powerlessness was evident as leading powers and Gulf states gathered for discussions with the opposition.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who has called the regime's "indiscriminate bombing" of Aleppo "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity", said he had confirmation that Assad was ready for negotiations.

"I had two communications today that confirmed that he (Assad) has said that he will, in fact, take part and be there in good faith and begin the negotiations," Kerry said, adding: "Well see what happens."

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault urged a diplomatic solution to the nearly six-year-old conflict.

"We need to tie down the conditions for a genuine political transition, and negotiations must resume on a clear basis within the framework of the UN resolution 2254," he said.

The resolution sets out a roadmap for ending the war.

The talks included Riad Hijab, representing the opposition, which Ayrault said offered to participate in negotiations without conditions. But a diplomatic source told AFP the opposition required a guarantee of a political transition in Syria before it would agree to take part.

When the two sides staged fruitless talks in Geneva in April the subject of a transition -- and Assad's fate -- was not even among the issues discussed.

But Kerry said now that the rebels "are about to lose Aleppo, conceivably... I think the best thing they can do is get to the table and negotiate. Because they can still win a political settlement that honours the fight and all they've invested."

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- 'No military solution' -

Ayrault said that even if Assad's forces regained control of Aleppo, many other areas of Syria would still be in the hands of rebels or jihadist groups and the fighting would rage on.

"What sort of peace is it if it's only the peace of cemeteries?" he asked.

His British counterpart Boris Johnson had the same message for Assad.

"There can be no military solution in Syria," Johnson said. "We must keep pushing for a return to a political process with the credibility necessary for all parties to commit to an end to all the fighting."

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the international community was stunned by the extent of the suffering in Aleppo.

"We have no words to describe what happens in Aleppo every day," he said.

He urged the regime and its military backers to allow civilians to leave the shattered city.

"We demand that the regime, but also Iran and Russia, let people leave the conflict zone," Steinmeier said.

US and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Sunday for what Kerry called discussions "to save the lives... of people innocently caught up" in the fighting.

Aleppo was once Syria's most important industrial and commercial city but has seen some of the most brutal violence of the war.

In less than a month, forces loyal to Assad have overrun around 85 percent of east Aleppo, which had been a rebel stronghold since 2012.
The Daily Beast

GettyRussia announced Wednesday that it views Norways work with other countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as provocative, warning that Norways efforts to bolster its military in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine this year will likely be the death knell for Oslo-Moscow relations moving forward.Oslo is now among the most active supporters of NATO's involvement in the Arctic, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday, according to TASS. We cons
Banjul (Gambia) (AFP) - Gambian President-elect Adama Barrow on Saturday called on longtime leader Yahya Jammeh to drop his challenge to last week's election results following a dramatic political U-turn that has prompted fears for the West African country.

A week after conceding defeat, Jammeh on Friday declared he no longer accepted the results of the December 1 vote, upending hopes for a peaceful political transition after his 22 years in power.

Signs of a massive security ramp-up multiplied across the capital Banjul on Saturday, while the United Nations Security Council led calls for Jammeh to stand down and eschew violence.

In a speech broadcast late Friday, Jammeh, 51, cited "unacceptable errors" by election authorities and called for new polls.

"In the same way that I accepted the results faithfully believing that the Independent Electoral Commission was independent and honest and reliable, I hereby reject the results in totality," he said.

"Let me repeat: I will not accept the results based on what has happened," he added.

Jammeh, a devout Muslim who seized power in 1994 in the former British colony, warned Gambians not to take to the streets to protest his decision.

Latest official figures gave Barrow 43.29 percent of the votes in the presidential election, while Jammeh took 39.64 percent. The turnout was 59 percent.

Those figures reflect a correction issued Monday by election authorities, showing a slimmer-than-thought victory for Barrow, of just over 19,000 votes.

Jammeh pointed to that polling error, claiming that numerous voters had not been able to cast their ballots.

"We will go back to the polls because I want to make sure every Gambian votes under an electoral commission that is impartial, independent, neutral and free from foreign influence," he said.

- 'Breach of faith' -

Barrow, a consensus candidate backed by a coalition of opposition groups, urged Jammeh to accept defeat and argued his turnaround had no legal standing.

Story continues

"I wish to inform you that the outgoing president has no constitutional authority to reject the results of the elections and order for fresh elections to be held," Barrow told journalists after an opposition meeting at his home.

"I urge him to change his current position and accept the verdict of the people in good faith for the sake of The Gambia, our homeland."

Barrow also appealed to his own supporters to act with "discipline and maturity."

UN, US and other foreign authorities lambasted Jammeh and urged Gambians to keep the peace.

The UN Security Council demanded Jammeh hand over power, while the US State Department called his change of heart "an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election process and remain in power illegitimately."

EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini blasted the move as "unacceptable".

The West African regional grouping ECOWAS, the African Union and the UN earlier issued a joint statement urging Gambians including armed forces to "reject violence and peacefully uphold the will of the people as expressed through the ballot box".

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was leading an ECOWAS mission, was turned away while trying to travel to The Gambia Saturday.

Senegalese Foreign Minister Mankeur Ndiaye said it was Jammeh who had "prevented the landing" of Sirleaf's plane.

- Enforced calm -

Jammeh's swift concession of defeat on December 2 had stunned observers and led to celebrations in the country.

Though stable under Jammeh's rule, the tiny country of just 1.99 million people faces daunting problems, including endemic poverty.

Many Gambians had tired of Jammeh's unpredictable behaviour, including the declaration of an Islamic republic in a country with a history of religious tolerance, and its withdrawal from the Commonwealth and the International Criminal Court.

The perception that Jammeh simply took over businesses and properties for his personal gain also angered many, while police harassment and impunity by the security services fed growing resentment.

With soldiers out in force, and on the eve of a Muslim holiday celebrating the Prophet Mohammed's birthday, the streets of Banjul were calm and foreigners largely out of sight.

On Thursday the president-elect Barrow announced he had the backing of the army chief. But in an apparent attempt to keep the loyalty of the armed forces, Jammeh handed out promotions to some 250 officers on Thursday and Friday.

One street juice seller, fearing a knock-on effect on his business, said Jammeh "should not say things that will scare tourists away" and hoped he would "step down peacefully for the sake of Gambians".

Pressure to prosecute Jammeh and top figures in his administration, who have been accused of widespread human rights violations, had been one of the key challenges for Barrow's incoming government.

The president-elect had vowed to set up a South Africa-style truth commission but ruled out a political "witch hunt" and promised that his predecessor would be able to "live in Gambia like any ordinary citizen".
Victoria Chang has an uncanny capacity to contain, in the compact machine of a well-honed poem, so much emotion and meaning. She explores such
Garth Brooks is reportedly in discussions to perform at President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

Brooks' publicist Nancy Seltzer told Reuters on Friday (Dec. 9), "Garth has performed for the five living presidents.... While rumor has it that he has been asked to perform for President-elect Trump, he has not been able to commit yet."

So far no celebrities have been announced for the event.

Earlier this week, TMZ asked Brooks if he would sing for Trump. He replied, "It's always about serving. It's what you do."

So far, both Elton John and Vince Neil have denied rumors that they would perform at the Jan. 20 celebration, while RiFF RAFF said he would do it for the right price.

Many of music's biggest names campaigned against Trump, siding with his opponent Hillary Clinton in the election, including Beyonce, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus and Jay Z. In response to the suggestion that Trump's inaugural committee was having trouble assembling talent for the event, communications director Boris Epshteyn said that was not true.

"No struggle, whatsoever," Epshteyn told ABC News. "We have world-class talent, world-class entertainers reaching out to us offering their help, offering their services so no struggle, whatsoever."

It was announced Friday the inauguration's theme will be the same as Trump's campaign slogan: "Make America Great Again."
Stand-up comedian Gary Owen became the first white person to star in a BET series when The Gary Owen Show premiered on the network back in October, but its not something the comic thinks of as a big deal.

You dont think about it when you get the show, though, the comic told TheWraps Stuart Brazell. Youre just happy to have a show  As a comic, any network youre excited. I always say, if I had known Spanish, I would have gone to Telemundo with it, but I dont.

I guess its like Jackie Robinson, Owen joked, summing up his reaction to being the first white star in BETs 36-year history.

Also Read: 'Gary Owen Family' Star Gary Owen StudioWrap Portraits (Photos)

The 30-minute reality series follows Owen  who previously became the first white person to host BETs Comic View and has appeared in movies including Think Like A Man, Ride Along and Meet the Blacks  as well as his wife and three kids.

The shows just an extension of my stand-up, he said. In my stand-up, Im always talking about my wife and kids, so the show is almost like bringing my stand-up to life.

But Owen also said the show is a fun opportunity to show his fans a different side of the comedian they see on stage.

Also Read: John Singleton Drama 'Rebel,' Gary Owen Reality Series Set at BET

On stage, Im in the control, he said. When Im doing stand up, people probably think thats how I am in life. But thats so not the case. When I go home, my wife runs everything.

The Gary Owen Show is executive produced by Owen alongside Bunim/Murray Productions Gil Goldschein, Jeff Jenkins and Andrea Metz. Stella Bulochnikov, Brian Sher and Clifford Joseph Harris (T.I.) also executive produce.

The Gary Owen Show airs Tuesdays at 9:30/8:30c on BET.
By Michelle Martin and Thorsten Severin BERLIN (Reuters) - More than half of Germans see refugees and integration as Germany's biggest problem, a survey showed on Friday, despite the number of newcomers falling significantly on the year. A record 890,000 mainly Muslim migrants from the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere arrived in Europe's largest economy in 2015, prompting concerns about security and integration. Arrivals have slowed this year, with the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) saying on Friday around 305,000 new asylum seekers were registered in its 'EASY' computer system in the first 11 months of 2016; but 'EASY' numbers are seen as too high as some migrants get registered more than once. The BAMF received 26,438 asylum applications in November - a fall of around 54 percent on the year. Nonetheless, a survey by pollster Forschungsgruppe Wahlen for broadcaster ZDF found 58 percent of Germans deem refugees and integration the most important problems facing Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity has waned since migrants started arriving in large numbers last summer and she expects next year's federal election, in which she plans to run for a fourth term, to be "tough like no other". Merkel, whose conservatives have lost support to the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, hardened her stance on migrants' integration in Germany at a congress this week and her Christian Democrats (CDU) passed a resolution on tackling forced marriage and honor killings, and cracking down on dual citizenship. Sigmar Gabriel, leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), junior partner in Merkel's ruling coalition, accused the CDU of adopting the AfD's positions: "It's wrong to run along behind right-wing populists. That's exactly what the CDU is doing. And Merkel is allowing it," he told Passauer Neue Presse newspaper. Fifty percent of Germans think Merkel is doing a good job on refugee policy while 45 percent think her work in this area is "rather bad", the survey of 1,234 people conducted from Dec. 6 to 8 showed. Almost two-thirds (60 percent) worry that spending on refugees means money is being saved elsewhere and 52 percent fear that migration will push up crime rates. Just under a third (30 percent) fear that Germany's cultural and social values are under threat due to the refugees. Newspaper Die Welt said on its website that migrants from North Africa were seldom deported from Germany. It cited an answer from the government to a question from the opposition far-left Linke party as saying that a combined total of 281 Moroccans, Tunisians and Algerians had been deported from Germany in the first three quarters of 2016 after more than 13,000 North Africans arrived here last year. Around three-quarters (14,463) of all migrants deported (19,914) from Germany in the first three quarters were from the West Balkans, it said. (additional reporting by Holger Hansen and Gernot Heller; Writing by Michelle Martin; editing by Ralph Boulton and Andrew Hay)
Celebrations erupted near and around the Accra home of Ghanas president-elect Nana Akufo-Addo on the evening of December 9, after President John Mahama conceded defeat after a hotly-contested election.

Four years ago the president, then dubbed Obama Mahama, became the first Ghanaian born after independence was achieved in 1957 to take office. However, a poor economy and accusations of voter intimidation tarnished his re-election bid.

This video here shows Akufo-Addo addressing crowds outside his residence in the Accra neighborhood of Nima, describing a congratulatory phone call from President Mahama. Credit: Twitter/@FlyNimaBoy via Storyful
Grand Rapids (United States) (AFP) - Donald Trump plunged his quest for America's next top diplomat back into the spotlight by confirming that one frontrunner, outspoken former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, will not join his cabinet.

Giuliani had made no secret of his desire for the job, but came under media scrutiny over business dealings that could pose conflicts of interest.

He was one of Trump's most ardent supporters in the bitterly divisive election but others were alarmed about the prospect of the 72-year-old known for abrasive rhetoric heading up the largest diplomatic mission in the world.

Observers in the United States and around the world have been on tenterhooks over who the incoming Republican will pick as they wait to see whether Trump will make good on threats to rip up treaties and free trade agreements.

With the decision expected next week, the president-elect announced Friday that Giuliani had removed his name from contention as far back as November 29.

"Rudy would have been an outstanding member of the cabinet in several roles, but I fully respect and understand his reasons for remaining in the private sector," Trump said in a statement.

Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor, earned the moniker "America's Mayor" for his leadership of New York in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

"This is not about me; it is about what is best for the country and the new administration," he said in a statement released by Trump's team, confirming that he would continue to work in his law and consulting firms.

The New York Times reported that Rex Tillerson, chief executive of Exxon Mobil, was now the leading candidate to become secretary of state. Tillerson met Trump in New York on Tuesday.

- New picks next week -

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, a fierce critic of Trump during the campaign, is thought to remain in the running.

But the Times said Trump had "indicated to several people" that the former Massachusetts governor was now unlikely to be named.

Story continues

In an interview with Fox News, Giuliani followed other ardent Trump loyalists in counseling against Romney, complaining that he "went just a little too far" in savaging Trump during the campaign season.

"You can make friends and make up, but I would not see him as a candidate for the cabinet," Giuliani told Fox.

Trump's appointments so far include four billionaires and three generals in a super-rich, conservative and largely white inner circle set to run the United States from January 20.

Many incoming cabinet members have railed against the worker protections and environmental and corporate regulations enacted by President Barack Obama.

Trump told a victory rally in Michigan that "phenomenal" new names would be announced next week, but declined to give specifics.

The stop in Grand Rapids was the fifth campaign-style event since the November 8 election as he soaks up adulation from supporters in key states that helped secure his electoral win over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The president-elect defends his picks as "some of the most successful people in the world" but when his choice for education secretary, billionaire Betsy DeVos, took the stage in Michigan, she was heckled by some protesters.

A number of protesters were forcibly removed from the floor at different points during the evening. "Where do these people come from? Unbelievable," said Trump as the crowd responded with chants of "U-S-A! U-S-A!"

- Oil refineries -

He used the rally to name Michigan resident and Australian-born Dow Chemical executive Andrew Liveris as head of a national manufacturing council.

Liveris said his company was going to invest in a new research and development center in Michigan that would create hundreds of jobs -- with job creation one of Trump's key promises.

The president-elect also rehashed his complaints about a Boeing contract to build two new Air Force One jets, which he claims has escalated to $4 billion.

"I'm not paying $4 billion for an airplane," he told the crowd.

At a rally in Louisiana earlier on Friday, the president-elect said he wanted to see more oil refineries built in the United States, and pledged to do away with "job-killing restrictions" suppressing the energy sector.

He also delivered a veiled warning to America's rivals around the world, stating he would be prepared to boost US military production to keep pace with countries like China, which is rapidly modernizing its armed forces.

"We're going to have the strongest military in the world, the most updated military in the world. And there has rarely been a time where we have needed it like this," he told the crowd in Michigan.
Theres going to be a black woman on the Canadian $10 bill, and heres who she is

After months of deliberation, the Canadian government has finally named Viola Desmond as the woman to be featured on the new Canadian $10 bill. The fight for more female faces on currency is nothing new. Take Americas Women on 20s, for example: Weve even seen some pretty great DIY versions with icons from Rosa Parks to Laverne Cox.

So its pretty exciting to see Americas neighbors to the north honoring a woman on the new Canadian $10 bill. While Canada already has one female on the face side of a banknote (the Queen is on the $20), Desmond will be the first non-royal woman (and the first woman of color) on the face side of a bill.

So who is Viola Desmond?

Desmond was an entrepreneur, business woman, and civil rights icon. She is best known for standing her ground after being asked to move from the whites-only area of a Nova Scotia movie theatre in 1946.

She faced tax evasion charges  over the one cent difference applied to white tickets  and spent the rest of her life fighting legal battles. An official pardon was granted only in 2010, 45 years after she passed away.

Though Desmond has been called Canadas Rosa Parks, others have pointed out that since Parks famous refusal to give up her seat occurred nine years later, she could be called Americas Viola Desmond. Wed rather recognize each of these remarkably strong women for their actions and contributions as individuals.

The runners-up

Desmond was chosen for the Canadian $10 bill from a shortlist of five women. The Bank of Canadas BankNOTEable campaign received over 26,000 nominations after it opened on International Womens Day this year. The other shortlisted women were: E. Pauline Johnson, an Aboriginal poet; Elsie MacGill, the worlds first female aircraft designer; Bobbie Rosenfeld, a prolific Olympian; and Idola Saint-Jean, a Qubecois suffragette.

You can get your hands on a Canadian $10 bill featuring Viola Desmond starting in 2018.

The post Theres going to be a black woman on the Canadian $10 bill, and heres who she is appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Departing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid joined Joy-Ann Reid (no relation) via telephone on MSNBCs AM Joy Saturday, where he compared FBI Director James Comey to J. Edgar Hoover and called for the Senate and intelligence agencies to investigate him.

Reids urging follows CIAs conclusion this week that Russia interfered in the U.S. presidential election with the goal of electing Donald Trump, according to multiple media reports. Sen. Reid had warned about Russia messing with U.S. elections months ago, and blamed Comeys partisanship  the FBI director is a Republican  for the lack of action before the election.

I did not believe that Comey was the new J. Edgar Hoover, Sen. Reid said. I thought that he would do the right thing for his country.

Hoovers 37-year post as FBI director from 1935-1972 was marred in its later years by evidence of his secretive abuses of power.

Also Read: Hillary Clinton Urges FBI to Release 'All the Information That It Has'

The senator said Comey let the country down for partisan purposes.

He violated the orders of the attorney general and the president, and good taste, by getting involved in the election like he had, Sen. Reid said. He would not leave well enough alone, he couldnt do enough to help.

While Sen. Reid thought it would be futile for Attorney General Loretta Lynch to try to remove Comey from his post, he did call for an investigation by people who arent on their way out of Washington next month.

Also Read: Hillary Clinton Email Scandals: A Guide From Wikileaks to Anthony Weiner's PC

I think he should be investigated by the Senate, I think he should be investigated by other agencies of the government including the security agencies, Reid said. If there were ever a matter of security, its this.

Sen. Reid had some conciliatory words for Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a longtime Russia hawk who has pledged to go after the country, calling him an accomplished trial lawyer and voice of concern who should be part of any investigation. Fellow Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto will take over for Sen. Reid in January.

Story continues

Related stories from TheWrap:

Harry Reid Blasts 'Sexual Predator' Donald Trump in Scorched-Earth Parting Shot

Harry Reid's Debt Ceiling Plan: Auction Off Spectrum

Hillary Clinton Says 'Lives Are at Risk' Because of Fake News (Video)
Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel gave Donald Trumps presidential campaign a $1.25 million boost during the homestretch of the 2016 campaign. Now, Thiel appears to be pressuring Trump to appoint one of his business associates to run the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The tech billionaire wants Jim O'Neill, managing director of Thiel-backed Mithril Capital Management, to run the agency responsible for regulating over a $1 trillion in medical and food products every year, Bloomberg and Politico are reporting.

ONeil would be the first head of the FDA to have no medical or scientific background. He also has strong financial links to the very industry he would be in charge of regulating: Mithril, which recently raised $600 in capital, invests heavily in healthcare technology start-ups that require FDA approvals to be profitable.

He brings strong ties to industry and would reflect a tremendous bias in their favor at the FDA, Dr. Michael Carome, director of the public health research group at the consumer watchdog Public Citizen, told International Business Times. Hes senior executive in a hedge fund investing in medical healthcare products. That alone should be disqualifying.

O'Neill has worked with Thiel-backed funds since 2008. Before that, he worked for the George W. Bush administration, first as a speechwriter in the department of education, and later in the department of Health and Human Services.

Like Peter Thiel, O'Neill identifies as a libertarian, and is intensely skeptical of any government intervention in the marketplace. Hes suggested that humans should be allowed to sell their organs on the open market. He serves on the board of the Seasteading Institutea group that aims to create libertarian communities on boats, free from any government oversight.

In the private sector, O'Neill has a clear financial stake in the outcome the regulatory process  a process he could oversee as head of the FDA.

Story continues

For example, in 2014, Mithril invested $15 million in the German medical device company MagForce  which manufactures cancer treatment technologies  in exchange for 23 percent ownership in its U.S. subsidiary. In June, the company announced it filed for an Investigational Device Exemption with the FDA  basically a permit to use its unapproved product to gather evidence for clinical trials. MagForces profitability could very well hinge on how the FDA regulates its products: According to 2015 financial filings, MagForce is working with the FDA to update preclinical studies, which were conducted approximately ten years ago, to current US regulatory standards.

O'Neill has made his views on the FDAs approval process clear. At a 2015 biotechnology conference, where he praised MagForce cancer technology as a potentially life-saving treatment, he said FDA regulations kill a lot of people by delaying the approval of drugs to the market.

Daniel Carpenter, a professor of government at Harvard who studies the history of the FDA, says O'Neill's comments indicate hes misinformed and underqualified for the top FDA job.

Theres never been an FDA commissioner who doesn't have an M.D. or, at least, a PhD in relevant sciences such as chemistry or pharmacology, he told IBT. We could have a situation here where  if ONeils put in chargethe credibility of the U.S. pharmaceutical market craters.

O'Neill's views on how medical products should be regulated are also outside the norm: He wants drugs to be brought to market before theyve been proven to work. We should reform [the] FDA so there is approval of drugs after their sponsors have demonstrated safety  and let people start using them, at their own risk, ONeill said at the 2014 biotechnology conference. Lets prove efficacy after theyve been legalized.

Thats preposterous and dangerous and reflects a fundamental lack of understanding about medical science, said Dr. Carome. Key safety information, Carome said, is learned in the later stages of clinical trials. Releasing a drug to market before its been fully tested could create a tremendous danger to public health.

ONeill has advanced the industry talking point that the FDAs regulatory framework stifles innovation. At the 2014 talk, he said that safety regulations do harm to the economy.

Theres zero evidence for that, Carpenter told IBT. Theres no good social science behind the idea that the FDA is killing innovationsnone.

Dr. Aaron S. Kesselheim, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the director of Brigham and Womens Hospital program on regulation, therapeutics, and law, says ONeills proposals could transform the drug market into an unregulated space that resembles the vitamin and supplement market. Youd have all these expensive products out there without being shown to work while presenting substantial safety risks  and being pushed on physicians and patients by overzealous marketing, Kesselheim told IBT.

Hes coming at things from an agenda-driven and non-evidence -based point of view, Kesselheim said. That should be very scary for patients and physicians.

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On Tuesday, Ohio's legislature passed a bill that, if signed into law by Governor John Kasich, would dramatically limit women's reproductive rights in the state.

The so-called "heartbeat bill" would ban doctors from performing legal abortions on women with "a detectable fetal heartbeat", even in cases where pregnancy results from rape or incest.

Another anti-abortion bill sent to Kasich for signing into law  or vetoing  would ban the practice after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Below are the key biological stages of pregnancy as they relate to a developing baby, including when its heartbeat is first detectable.

BI Graphics_Timeline of Pregnancy

NOW WATCH: 'You can take that baby at 9 months': Trump keeps repeating a grossly inaccurate claim about late-term abortions





More From Business Insider


RACINE  A Racine man was arrested Thursday during a reported drug deal in the 1400 block of Junction Avenue.

According to a criminal complaint:

Police reportedly had been investigating Corey E. Jones, 43, of the 1500 block of Taylor Avenue, for selling cocaine and also knew Jones had a warrant out for a theft incident.

At about 2:45 p.m. Thursday, Jones arrived in the 1400 block of Junction Avenue and allegedly met with a man while police watched the interaction. A hand-to-hand exchange was made between the two and police moved in to arrest both parties.

According to the man who received what was later found to be cocaine, Jones saw the police coming and told the man to take the cocaine. A total of 1.3 grams of cocaine we collected from the incident, police said.

Jones faces ae felony charge for manufacturing or delivering cocaine and a misdemeanor charge for possession of drug paraphernalia. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. Dec. 15 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave.

Jones remained in custody as of Friday at the Racine County Jail, online records showed.
Heres how hijabi CoverGirl Nura Afia is doing since the election

Beauty blogger and CoverGirl brand ambassador Nura Afia sat down with Cosmopolitan to talk about her life post Trumps presidential victory. Just before the election, CoverGirls first hijabi brand ambassador released a national campaign and became one of the most visible Muslim women in America. With the amount of hate crimes against Muslims comparable to those right after 9/11, we expected Nuras life to be less than easy right now. But in spite of the discrimination she faces every now and then, the wife and mom is doing just fine.

Nura is happy that her public platform is helping to paint Muslims in a positive light.

A photo posted by Nura Afia *CoverGirl* (@nuralailalov) on Nov 19, 2016 at 3:46pm PST

Its mostly been positive, Nura says of her new gig. Its a breath of fresh air for everyone. As long as Ive been alive, I dont think Ive seen a hijabi in any type of commercial on U.S. television.

Its no secret that Trumps win has incited violence against many disenfranchised groups. And even though social media has played a huge role in birthing allies, it can be hard to believe that support is truly out there.

Nura shared of one experience in particular where she received a compliment from someone she didnt expect  giving her hope that the good outweighs the evil.

I was in a predominantly white area of Colorado a couple of weeks ago with my sister, tells Nura. We were going out to eat and this really nice lady was like, You are just so very beautiful. Your scarf looks beautiful and I wanted to let you know youre really beautiful. Thats never happened to me before. She looked like somebody that  maybe if were being stereotypical  would have been the perfect Trump supporter. She was a blonde, older white lady.

Its nice to see that people are coming together right now. We definitely wish for more of this!

The post Heres how hijabi CoverGirl Nura Afia is doing since the election appeared first on HelloGiggles.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Howard Buffett is planning to step down from the Coca-Cola Co.'s board, so he can spend more time running his foundation that focuses on improving agriculture in the developing world.

Howard Buffett, who is billionaire investor Warren Buffett's oldest son, has served on Coke's board since 2010. The company said Thursday that Howard Buffett won't stand for re-election.

The younger Buffett continues to oversee a farming operation in Nebraska and Illinois, but has stepped down from other corporate boards except for Omaha-based Berkshire Hathaway.

He has served on the board of his father's Berkshire conglomerate since 1993.

Warren Buffett has said he hopes Howard will one day be chosen as chairman of the Berkshire board to protect the company culture.
Human Rights Watch issued a report Friday urging a ban on the development of fully autonomous weapons. The 49-page report entitled "Making the Case: The Dangers of Killer Robots and the Need for a Preemptive Ban" detailed the various dangers of creating weapons that could think for themselves, including the concern that self-operating defense technology would remove the human element from warfare upon which most clauses of military law are bound.

The organization argued machines would not be able to responsibly make the same complex tactical decisions involved in warfare and that existing laws did not adequately cover their use in combat. Human Rights Watch also contended that removing the human element of warfare raised serious moral issues, saying lack of empathy would exacerbate unlawful and unnecessary violence. The organization warned that such technology could be used by authoritarian leaders as a means of controlling and subjugating populations without fear of revolt.

"One of the greatest restraints for the cruelty in war has always been the natural inhibition of humans not to kill or hurt fellow human beings. The natural inhibition is, in fact, so strong that most people would rather die than kill somebody," the report quoted Armin Krishnan, a security studies scholar from Salford University, as writing in a 2009 book on the subject.

To prevent the development of fully autonomous weapons, Human Rights Watch recommended comprehensive, legally binding restrictions on international and national levels, as well as formal discussions on the matter to be held at the Geneva Convention's Fifth Review Conference. Parties to the international treaty's Convention on Conventional Weapons will meet from Monday through Friday discussing the "use of certain conventional weapons which may be deemed to be excessively injurious or to have indiscriminate effects."

English theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, one of the leading figures in his field, has continually warned about the development of artificial intelligence remarking in October that "the rise of powerful AI will be either the best or the worst thing ever to happen to humanity." In 2014, he suggested that self-aware technology "could spell the end of the human race." Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have also voiced their worries.

Story continues

In response to growing concern over the pursuit of fully autonomous technology, the White House issued a report in October praising the development of artificial intelligence and emphasizing its potential role in future day-to-day life. The report reassured readers that security, safety and responsibility were priorities in Washington's vision.

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At the 32nd Annual International Documentary Association awards held at the Paramount Theater on Friday, the Best Feature winner echoed the recently revealed Academy shortlist, as Ezra Edelman's five-part film O.J.: Made in America scooped the biggest prize of the night. Also matching the Academy's shortlist were IDA winners 13th, Fire at Sea, Cameraperson, Hooligan Sparrow and I Am Not Your Negro. However, with many more award categories to choose from, the IDA also offered recognition to projects overlooked by the Academy, such as Making a Murderer, Starless Dreams and Last Chance U.

But it was not only the talent being celebrated that took center stage at the awards. The increased need for documentary film making in the current political climate was a common theme.

Host Vivica Fox kicked off the political conversation in her introduction to the show. Having once been a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice, she joked, "Maybe I should run for president in 2020, along with Kanye. Apparently the only qualification you need is to be on a reality show and Celebrity Apprentice."

But things soon turned serious, with Norman Lear leading the charge as he accepted the Amicus award with his wife Lyn. "As we enter a very dangerous time in our country," Lear said, "with a president elect who does not seem to understand, much less cherish the constitution, I am happier than I am able to express that there is an International Documentary Association to fight for the first amendment. It pains me to say this, but Donald Trump is, in many ways, a creature of the creative community. Reality TV made him a star and perhaps went a long way to making him a president. Our president. To the extent that that is true and we're guilty, we have serious obligations. If, for example, he or his administration in any way threatens the free speech rights of our documentary filmmakers the IDA and every supporter in this room must-will, I am sure-hunker down together and fight our asses off."

Read more: IDA Documentary Awards: Complete Winners List

Feelings on this topic were clearly running high all around, as an audience member yelled, "He's a facist!" during Lear's speech.

Mette Hoffmann Meyer, winner of the Best Curated Series award for DR2 Dokumania wondered, "How this madman can walk into the Whitehouse," while in accepting the award for Best Limited Series, Moira Demos of Making a Murderer said, "It's clear with our new president elect, this is a threat to everyone around the world, but more than ever it's important to tell stories about America."

Presenter Sal Masakela of VICE referred to Trump's Twitter as, "The 140 characters we get from our president elect King Joffrey." While Moby said of presenting with Effie Brown, "That's the first time I've stood behind a woman at a podium and it's made me feel creepily like Donald Trump."

However, a good news announcement brought rousing applause to the theater. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation will give a four-year $5 million grant to IDA for a new IDA Documentary/Journalism Project.

Before the awards, the foundation's Lauren Pabst told The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet, "This is a chance for us to move into a new era with IDA, to focus on really supporting the independent voices that are so critical to the U.S. democratic discourse."

Also the recipient of cheers and a standing ovation was Nanfu Wang as she collected the emerging filmmaker award for Hooligan Sparrow. The film uncovers the rape of a group of Chinese schoolgirls and their subsequent suppression. Wang told how a friend smuggled the footage out of China and how her family have been warned that she's "being monitored" and should not speak negatively about China. "

I realize people are afraid" Wang said. "They want me to be afraid too but that's why I do documentaries. If enough people feel afraid they will refuse to tolerate it."

Read more: IDA Awards: 'The Look of Silence' and Other Oscar-Shortlisted Docs Make Strong Showing (Analysis)

On the red carpet Wang told THR how her subjects inspired her to keep going. "They live in China and face harassment and threats every day, but they are still doing what they do for years and they didn't give up."

Director Orlando von Einsiedel and producer Joanna Natasegara picked up the Best Short award for their film The White Helmets, which documents the Syrian crisis. In crediting the IDA with giving much-needed support to documentary film makers, Natasegara told THR, "Awards like the IDA are vital for the community and actually documentary making in general, especially at this point in time where we are in the world is more crucial than ever that we get stories out."

O.J.: Made in America director Ezra Edelman also spoke of the vital importance of the IDA, telling THR, "It's important that documentary films have their own night and have their own event and the films are celebrated for all the diversity that exists within the form, be it short, feature, series, all these different things. The IDA to me shines a necessary light on non-fiction film making."

After her film 13th won the ABC News VideoSource Award, Ava DuVernay told of being inspired early in her career by honoree Stanley Nelson. As she presented Nelson with the Career Achievement award she said, "I met him in 2008, at a time when I was really uncertain of my own voice. I sat at his feet and I remember thinking, 'Gosh this man is really rigorous'."

Also honored with the Pioneer award was Ally Derks, who founded the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 30 years ago. She told THR, "There are more important people in the documentary area than I am and don't forget it's always team work, you don't do it alone."

Read more: Oscars: 15 Titles Advance in Documentary Feature Category
Celebrated Hollywood producer, Gianni Nunnari delivered a master class in Macau that mixed up trips down memory lane with tips about rights and remakes.

My superhero movies are stories with real heroes, such as Julius Caesar and Napoleon, said Nunnari, who heads Hollywood Gang, and whose credits include Alexander, 300 and the upcoming historical movie Silence, by Martin Scorsese. Then we use all the available modern technologies to bring them to life.

He was speaking on stage at the International Film Festival & Awards Macau, with former Fortissimo Films chairman Michael Werner and Bona Films Group COO Jeffrey Chan.

Nunnari charted the good old days in his native Italy. In Rome he learned aspects of the film business from his father, before selling unofficial companion piece pictures starring the likes of Bruce Le and Bruce Li at the wheeler-dealer Mifed rights market in Milan.

He later made the transition to Hollywood by working with some of the iconic producers of 1990s films Arnon Milchan, Mario Kassar and Andy Vajna.

Brad Pitt-starring Se7en was Nunnaris calling card, and an example of Nunnaris preference for working with lesser-known talent. After an unhappy episode with Alien 3, director, David Fincher was considered less bankable than he is today.

Im obliged to work with new talent. There are few (major) stars. And they are unavailable. And I need to wait. But I dont like to wait. Im impatient, Nunnari said. If I have a good script and the person behind the camera is determined enough I become his best partner.

With Chan, who in 2002 was head of sales at Media Asia, Nunnari spoke of Martin Scorseses Oscar-winning film The Departed, which was derived from Hong Kong cop thriller Infernal Affairs. It was cited by the trio as a rare instance of a remake matching the quality of the underlying original film.

Werner suggested that there are fewer remake deals these days and more films being structured as co-productions.

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One of the reasons for that is to with the Chinese quota system, said Chan. If you make the film as a co-production, it can be treated as a local film, rather than as an import.

Infernal Affairs, with its plot lines about spying, gangs and corruption was not an easy sell to China. It only got a mainland China release after all three films in the trilogy had been completed.

These days the original Infernal Affairs would probably get into China with a few minor changes. While a remake on the scale of The Departed could get in, said Chan. in a sense the system has become more flexible.

Other changes may also be underfoot. Ten years after we made The Departed in 2006 the film market is completely different. The studios are so focused on their superhero movies that if we went to them today and told them that we had an idea for a cop movie, they would not listen, said Nunnari.

One of Nunnaris next movies is The Domestics which he described as both a romance and a mini Mad Max. Directed by first-timer Mike P. Nelson, it sees a husband and wife travel through a post-apocalyptic wasteland and emerge more in love than before their journey. It will be distributed by MGM from September 2017.

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IFFAM: Project Pitching Gets Lively Start at Macao's Crouching Tigers Market

IFFAM: Miike Takashi Sings Hong Kong's Praises at 'Cappricio' Premiere
Star directing names Nicolas Winding Refn, Lu Chuan and Erik Matti encounter top film industry executives including Fox International Productions chief Tomas Jegeus and Ivanhoe Pictures Katherine Lee in the first edition of the IFFAMs Crouching Tigers Project Lab.

Launched as part of the infant festivals Industry Hub, Crouching Tigers is intended to act as a place where filmmakers can find finance and co-production opportunities.

The Lab presents 12 projects from Asia and beyond. The inaugural selection includes nine genre film projects (six selected by IFFAM; and one each from Blood Window of Ventana Sur, the Sitges Project Lab and Frontieres International Co-Production Market) and three non-genre projects.

Among the projects are Danish filmmaker Refns Denmark-France-U.K. co-production The Avenging Silence, which is seeking distribution and financing. The project was pitched by producer Lene Borglum, who co-founded production company Space Rocket with Refn. Borglum said that Silence is the story of a former European spy who accepts a mission from a Japanese businessman to take down the head of a Yakuza boss in Japan. The pitch included the trailer screening of Refns latest, The Neon Demon.

Selected by Frontieres, Laos director Mattie Dos supernatural drama The Long Walk was also pitched. It is aiming to seek a co-producer and financing for its $306,000 budget. Some $57,500 has been secured so far. The story revolves around an old man who discovers a supernatural being that can transport him back in time, to the moment of his mothers death. Having started with Chanthaly, the countrys ninth feature film in history, Do is Laos first female director and gaining a smart reputation overseas.

Also pitched was Breaking Point, a co-production between Vietnam and the U.S. Directed by Vietnamese-American Ham Tran, whose debut feature Journey from the Fall premiered in Sundance in 2006, the project is produced by Anderson Le, the Hawaii Film Festivals director of programming. It is set as a story of return, which sees a U.S.-based martial arts fighter go back to his home country Vietnam after spending a decade in prison. In pre-production, the action thriller project will star Vietnamese-American actor Johnny Tri Nguyen (The Rebel,) who is also the brother of hit filmmaker Charlie Nguyen (Let Hoi Decide.)

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Johnny speaks very fluent English and Vietnamese. (As a co-production between Vietnam and the U.S.) this genre film, which normally matters more in Southeast Asia, can also appeal to outside the region, said Le during the pitch.

After the three-day run of the project market, Fox International Productions will present three cash awards of $20,000, while Ivanhoe Pictures and Chinas Huace Media will each donate $10,000 to outstanding projects. The winners will be announced during on Dec. 11.

Along with Jegeus and Lee, other jurors include Jane Wan of Huace, and Todd Brown of sales-acquisition company XYZ Films.

Brown, who was also among the project market selectors, told Variety: The quality of these projects is very good. It is quite certain that some will make it into production soon.

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IFFAM: Gianni Nunnari Talks Rights, Remakes and Real Life Heroes

IFFAM: Miike Takashi Sings Hong Kong's Praises at 'Cappricio' Premiere

IFFAM: Talent Ambassador, Jang Keun-suk on Balancing Acting and Directing
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) -- FairPoint Communications has struggled with the loss of traditional telephone customers, labor unrest and customer service problems in northern New England. But Consolidated Communications sees an opportunity.

Consolidated Communications will begin laying out its plans for the merged company during meetings with federal and state entities that oversee and regulate its activities in coming weeks and months.

The company plans to submit documents with federal officials next week, and will file with regulators in 13 states including Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont by month's end. The filings will include some details based on initial discussions with regulators, said Jennifer Spaude, company spokeswoman.

In northern New England, regulators stung by FairPoint's performance when it took over Verizon's landlines will give close scrutiny to details.

FairPoint bought Verizon's landline holdings in northern New England for $2.3 billion in 2007 and filed for bankruptcy 18 months later after losing customers because of operational and integration problems. It has continued to struggle since emerging from bankruptcy in 2011. Federal entities regulating it sought to make FairPoint stick to its promises to expand broadband and to meet customer service expectations.

The merger calls for Consolidated to buy North Carolina-based FairPoint in a deal worth $1.5 billion. The companies hope to complete the transaction this summer.

So far, details on Consolidated Communications' long-term plans for Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont have been scant. But analysts see positives in the deal for both companies, especially FairPoint, which is experiencing revenue declines of 4 to 5 percent per year.

Part of Illinois-based Consolidated's success has been placing a greater focus on business customers  with residential voice customers accounting for only 10 percent of business, compared to 32 percent for FairPoint, said Jonathan Charbonneau, an analyst at Cowen and Company.

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Mergers have been common in recent years as telecommunication companies seek to increase their service footprint and expand their customer base in an era in which many traditional telephone customers are switching to cable companies or abandoning land lines in favor of cellphones.

FairPoint's shareholders have been beating the drums for the company to be sold since the end of a strike by 1,700 workers in February 2015.

In that regard, workers and shareholders were united. There was no love lost between FairPoint management and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Some customers, like John Bouchard, also welcomed the change in ownership.

Bouchard dumped FairPoint's broadband, which he said was unreliable, retaining FairPoint only basic telephone service at his home in Robbinston, 12 miles from the Canadian border.

"It certainly can't hurt at this point. They might need some fresh blood in there to stir things around," he said.
By Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's prime minister sought to calm anxiety over national security and to reassure financial markets on Saturday, a day after parliament voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye, making him acting leader. Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who assumed presidential authority late on Friday after the overwhelming impeachment vote, and with more protests against Park due later on Saturday, called on authorities to ensure that rallies are peaceful. "So far, financial and foreign exchange markets have been relatively stable and there are no signs of unusual movements by the North, but all public servants should bear vigilance in mind as they conduct their duties," Hwang told a meeting. He said national security was the priority and reiterated that the military should be on high alert for any provocation by old rival North Korea, including the possibility of cyber attacks aimed at sowing confusion in the South. Park's powers were suspended after 234 of parliament's 300 members voted to impeach her, meaning more than 60 members of her own party backed the motion against her. The impeachment, which has to be reviewed and approved by a nine-judge Constitutional Court within 180 days to remove Park from office, sets the stage for her to become the country's first elected leader to be ousted in disgrace. Park, 64, the daughter of a former military ruler, is accused of colluding with a friend and a former aide, both of whom prosecutors have indicted, to pressure big businesses to donate to foundations set up to back her policy initiatives. Park, who is serving a single five-year term ending in February 2018, has denied wrongdoing but apologised for carelessness in her ties with her friend, Choi Soon-sil. For six consecutive Saturdays, huge crowds have gathered in central Seoul in peaceful demonstrations calling for Park to step down, with another planned for Saturday. "The candle-lit rallies we have been holding and the weekend rally in Kwanghwamun will go on," organisers said in a statement, referring to an imposing gate that opens to an imperial palace in front of the presidential Blue House, where Park remains despite losing her powers. "The impeachment is the start, not the end," they said. If Park leaves office early, an election must be held within 60 days. She would also lose presidential immunity from prosecution. Prosecutors have named Park as an accomplice in their investigation. Earlier, the Bank of Korea said the financial market impact of the impeachment appeared to be limited after a meeting to review policy measures that it may take. Governor Lee Ju-yeol asked for close monitoring of the markets. The United States, which has about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea, was in close contact with South Korea and remained a strong ally, the White House said late on Friday. (Editing by Tony Munroe, Robert Birsel)
Ten years after the success of the Academy Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, Paramount today announced it will release a sequel. Directed by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, the Participant Media film will follow former Vice President Al Gore in his efforts to fight climate change. Ahead of a theatrical release, the film is set to premiere opening night at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

Unlike the original An Inconvenient Truth, which mixed documentary footage with an adaptation of Gores inspirational slide presentation about the dangers of global warming, the sequel features the former Vice President traveling the globe to tell a story of change in the making. The film is produced by Richard Berge and Diane Weyermann and executive produced by Jeff Skoll, original director Davis Guggenheim, Lawrence Bender, Laurie David, Scott Z. Burns, and Lesley Chilcott.

Now more than ever we must re-dedicate ourselves to solving the climate crisis, said Gore in a statement. But we have reason to be hopeful; the solutions to the crisis are at hand. Im deeply honored and grateful that Paramount Pictures and Participant Media have once again taken on the task of bringing the critical story of the climate crisis to the world.

We are honored to be working again with Al, Jeff Skoll and everyone at Participant on a film whose message is as urgent as ever, said Paramount chairman and CEO Brad Grey. Als tireless efforts to bring about change continues to inspire all of us as we fight for the health of our world for future generations.

Paramount Pictures will release the film in 2017.

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RACINE  Seth Raymond says he discovered his passion for direct service at an early age while volunteering as a high school student at a day shelter in Denver.

My real passion from a very young age was in direct service and especially people who are not as known or seen in society, Raymond said. Ive been looking for an opportunity to match my gifts to my particular passion.

That opportunity presented itself officially on Wednesday, when Raymond was named the new executive director of the Hospitality Center, the meal site and warming and respite center located at St. Lukes Episcopal Church, 614 Main St. Raymond, who starts on Jan. 3, moved to Wisconsin in 2012 after getting his masters degree at Duke University and has spent the last four years as an assistant rector at Christ Church, an Episcopal congregation in Whitefish Bay.

Raymond acknowledged the differences between affluent Whitefish Bay and Racine, but said that living in Milwaukee during his time working in the wealthy suburb has exposed him to issues plaguing Wisconsin cities.

Its been a really good learning experience for me to acknowledge the gifts that both types of environments have, Raymond said. Whitefish Bay is only one ZIP code removed from the problems that face many urban environments.

Raymond was attracted to the Hospitality Center in part because of the support he senses the Racine community gives the organization.

It seems to be met with a lot of enthusiasm, Raymond said. Its a pretty nimble organization, so theres room for creativity and energy and new ideas. The opportunity to be leading an organization is really exciting.

Raymond is also looking forward to meeting and developing relationships with what he calls his new congregation, the centers regular guests.

Developing primarily those relationships with the people that are guests at the center, I think thats exciting, he said.

Developing those relationships will help the Hospitality Center continue to be more than just a warm place to be in the morning and early afternoon.

People are often in a situation where they need companionship and a warm place to be, Raymond said. A holding tank isnt enough. People need personal and professional development.

Not an island onto itself

Raymond said he will continue to make the Hospitality Center an important part of Racines Continuum of Care, the coalition of local homelessness organizations.

I gain nothing by being defensive of my own turf, he said. The real gain is that the people in Racine who need services will be provided with the services they need in a way that is continuous.

Ultimately, Raymond is excited to work in the nonprofit world at place he feels makes a real impact in Racine.

Im feeling like Im working in an organization that does have a vital role in the community, he said.
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian counter-terrorism forces on Saturday arrested three people near the capital Jakarta suspected of planning a bomb attack on the presidential palace, a police spokesman said. The arrests of two men and a woman are the latest in a security crackdown ahead of the New Year holiday season and come amid concerns of a rise in Islamic State-inspired radicalism in the world's largest Muslim-majority country. Police raided a dormitory in Bekasi, a town about an hour outside Jakarta, and found an unexploded bomb. "The plan was to use the bomb at the presidential palace during the change of guard," Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono said in a statement. He said an investigation was underway. Police intercepted a letter the woman had intended to send to her parents stating her intention to carry out jihad, the police statement said. Security forces carried out a controlled detonation of the bomb, local media reported. Authorities say Islamic State has about 1,200 sympathizers in Indonesia and dozens are known to be fighting with the hardline Sunni militant group in Syria and Iraq. (Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Ros Russell)
Four suspected Islamic militants were arrested and a bomb safely detonated on the outskirts of Jakarta on Saturday, police said, adding that it looked likely the group was planning a major attack on the city.

Police also believe the group has links to an Indonesian militant fighting with the Islamic State group in Syria who is thought to have orchestrated a deadly terror attack on Jakarta in January.

"We suspect the target was a vital location in Central Jakarta" on Sunday, national police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar, told Metro TV.

A woman was arrested in a boarding house where the three-kilogram bomb encased in a pressure cooker was discovered while two men were arrested in a separate location in Jakarta. A fourth person, a man believed to be the bomb-maker, was arrested in central Java island, according to police.

Bekasi police chief Umar Surya Fana told Metro TV that the group was strongly believed to be linked to Bahrun Naim, the Indonesian militant currently in Syria believed to be behind the January attack.

Four civilians were killed in that dramatic attack -- the first claimed by IS in Southeast Asia -- which saw a suicide bomber blow himself up in a Starbucks and security forces battle gun-toting militants.

A sustained crackdown in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, weakened many of the most dangerous extremist networks responsible for a string of deadly homegrown attacks during the 2000s.

But there have been fears of a resurgence in militancy and police believe hundreds of Indonesians have travelled to Syria to fight with militant groups including IS.
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / December 9, 2016 / Lundin Law PC, a shareholder rights firm, announces that it is investigating claims against Universal Health Services, Inc. ("UHS" or the "Company") (UHS) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws.

To get more information about this investigation, please contact Brian Lundin, Esquire, of Lundin Law PC, at 888-713-1033, or via email at brian@lundinlawpc.com.

Buzzfeed issued a report on December 7, 2016 announcing its comprehensive investigation into Universal Health, "based on interviews with 175 current and former UHS staff, including 18 executives who ran UHS hospitals; more than 120 additional interviews with patients, government investigators, and other experts; and a cache of internal documents." The report found that "[c]urrent and former employees from at least 10 UHS hospitals in nine states said they were under pressure to fill beds by almost any method  which sometimes meant exaggerating people's symptoms or twisting their words to make them seem suicidal  and to hold them until their insurance payments ran out." When this information was disclosed to the public, shares of Universal Health fell $15.01 per share or nearly 12% to close at $111.36 per share on December 7, 2016, causing investors severe 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
Tehran (AFP) - Iran summoned the British ambassador Saturday to protest against "interference" by Prime Minister Theresa May after she told Gulf leaders she would help counter the country's influence in the region.

Nicholas Hopton was told by a senior Iranian diplomat that "irresponsible, provocative and divisive comments by Theresa May at the (Gulf) summit are unacceptable and we reject them", foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said, quoted by state television's website.

"It is expected that such unacceptable remarks will not be made again."

Addressing a summit of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Bahrain, May on Wednesday reaffirmed British support for traditional allies in the region and said her country would help "push back against Iran's aggressive regional actions".

The mainly Sunni Arab Gulf monarchies and Shiite Iran are bitter regional rivals, at odds over a range of issues including the wars in Syria and Yemen.

In a joint statement, GCC states and Britain agreed to a "strategic partnership" and said they "oppose and will work together to counter Iran's destabilising activities".

Iran and Britain reopened their respective embassies in 2015 following a nuclear deal with world powers, after four years of strained ties.

The two states appointed ambassadors in September for the first time since 2011.

Ghasemi said May's remarks to the GCC summit went against the development of normal relations "and damage mutual ties".

He added that while Iran's regional policies are based on peace and security, "it is unfortunate and surprising that British officials and the prime minister have failed to note that some countries in the region pursue a clear policy of supporting terrorism".

The foreign ministry quoted Hopton as saying Britain's policy towards Iran was to develop ties and that he would communicate Tehran's "clear message" to May's office.

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The state television website also quoted Iran's first vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, as pouring scorn on Gulf leaders.

They invited May "to say a few words against Iran there. These desolates don't think about the extent to which they are humiliating their own nations," Jahangiri said.

"Iran is the senior country in the region. To bring someone from the other side of the world to utter some meddlesome and irrelevant words about Iran, what does that say?

"Do you think you can match Iran and harm its security?"
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran summoned the British ambassador on Saturday to protest against remarks by Prime Minister Theresa May who accused Tehran of "aggressive regional actions" in a speech to a Gulf Arab summit. Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said the move was prompted by May's "irresponsible, provocative and divisive remarks" at the summit in Bahrain on Wednesday, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported. May told the Gulf Arab leaders that "we must also work together to push back against Iran's aggressive regional actions, whether in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Syria or in the Gulf itself". Iran and most Gulf states are on opposite sides in Middle East conflicts, with the Iran an ally of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war and of the armed Houthi movement fighting a Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen. Britain and Iran exchanged ambassadors in September, more than a year after Britain reopened its Tehran embassy, which was closed for nearly four years after it was stormed by protesters. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Ros Russell)
Al Qayyarah (Iraq) (AFP) - Police and interior ministry forces will enter Mosul to help the army defeat the Islamic State group in the east of the city, Iraqi commanders said on Saturday.

Lieutenant General Raed Shaker Jawdat said federal police forces and the elite Rapid Response forces from the interior ministry would soon move in to assist the army's 9th Armoured Division.

The move comes three days after jihadists ambushed the army in the Al-Salam hospital in southeast Mosul, killing several soldiers and forcing them to pull back.

"Our units moved towards Hamdaniyah to support the 9th Division, exact revenge on Daesh for what they did at Al-Salam hospital and retake areas on the east bank of the Mosul," Jawdat told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

Hamdaniyah, also known as Qaraqosh, is a large town southeast of Mosul which was retaken before Iraqi forces first entered Mosul last month and is used as a staging base for some of the forces operating in the area.

Lieutenant General Qassem al-Maliki, the commander of the 9th Division, said he lost 13 men in the fighting around the hospital. IS and some other security sources gave higher tolls.

Maliki told AFP that Rapid Response forces were also poised to enter the city on the eastern side to support the 9th Division.

The federal police and interior ministry forces have so far mostly been fighting along a southern front which has stalled within striking distance of Mosul airport, which lies on the western bank of the Tigris river that divides the city.

Most of the fighting in Mosul has been done by the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, which has entered Mosul from the east and has retaken several neighbourhoods.

All commanders have said however that the jihadists have offered stiffer resistance than expected in the city, prompting fears that the operation launched on October 17 to retake IS's last major Iraqi bastion could drag on.
(BEIRUT)  ISIS militants re-entered the historic city of Palmyra in central Syria on Saturday for the first time since they were expelled by Syrian and Russian forces nine months ago.

The activist-run Palmyra Coordination network said the militants had nearly encircled the city and entered its northern and northwestern neighborhoods. The group, which maintains contacts inside the city, said ISIS fighters were approaching the citys UNESCO heritage site as well.

Osama al-Khatib said government soldiers were fleeing Palmyra.

The army as an institution has dissolved, he said. Some soldiers and militiamen remain in the city, along with 120 families who have not been able to leave, Khatib said. He spoke to The Associated Press from Gaziantep, Turkey.

There is strong fighting on all sides, he reported. There is no exit except through a corridor to the west.

The dramatic reversal in Palmyra comes days after ISIS militants in the Iraqi city of Mosul launched a major counterattack that surprised Iraqi soldiers, killing at least 20 and halting their advance. Iraqi special forces units have entered the eastern outskirts of the largest remaining ISIS-held city, but their advance has been greatly slowed by both a desire to limit civilian casualties and the resilience of the ISIS fighters.

On Saturday U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced that an additional 200 U.S. soldiers would be dispatched to Syria to accelerate the push on the self-declared IS capital of Raqqa. The 200, to include special operations troops, are in addition to 300 already authorized for the effort to recruit, organize, train and advise local Syrian Arab and Kurdish forces to fight IS.

These uniquely skilled operators will join the 300 U.S. special operations forces already in Syria, to continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces to take the fight to ISIL, Carter said, using an alternative acronym for the extremist group. By combining our capabilities with those of our local partners, weve been squeezing ISIS by applying simultaneous pressure from all sides and across domains, through a series of deliberate actions to continue to build momentum.

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During the 10 months that ISIS held Palmyra, from May 2015 to March 2016, the militants dynamited several of the citys famed ancient Roman monuments and executed its archaeological director.

After the city was retaken, the Russian government staged a classical music concert in the citys soaring Roman amphitheater last May to celebrate the success. The Syrian and Russian government maintain they are defending the global community against Islamic terrorism in the countrys devastating five-1/2-year war.

After taking Palmyra, the two states turned their attention to wiping out the internal opposition in Damascus and Aleppo, leaving the historic city relatively unguarded.

Syrian state media had no comment.

Mohammad Hassan Homsi of the Palmyra News Network reported that a military division withdrew from the city earlier Saturday without leaving a way out for civilians. According to Homsi, only 350 families had returned to the city of its original 30,000 inhabitants after the government retook the city to great fanfare in March.

ISIS militants were shelling the governments military airport to the east of the city, according to the Coordination group.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the militants reached the citys Tadmor Hospital and its wheat silos.

The militants advanced on Palmyra after seizing several government positions, oil fields, and strategic hilltops in the surrounding countryside in a lightning three-day campaign.

Earlier Saturday, the militants Aamaq News Agency claimed the group shot down a government warplane in the Jazal oil fields west of the city.

The Observatory said the jet had crashed for reasons unknown. It reported the militants had taken the oil fields.

___

Associated Press writers Dominique Soguel in Istanbul and Robert Burns in Manama, Bahrain contributed to this report.
AMMAN (Reuters) - Islamic State militants on Saturday captured most of Palmyra after penetrating Syrian army defenses and securing strategic heights around the ancient city in eastern Syria following a surprise assault, a monitoring group and rebels said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there were fears for the lives and safety of civilians inside the city because many of them were pro-government supporters. Rebels and the war monitor said with the exception of the southern parts, most of the city was now in the hands of the militants who had waged an attack on several fronts. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi, editing by David Evans)
AMMAN (Reuters) - Islamic State militants entered the ancient city of Palmyra on Saturday in eastern Syria after advancing to its outskirts for the first time since losing the city earlier this year, a war monitor said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights said the militants had entered Palmyra after they had taken strategic heights near the city and captured the northern part of the city and major silos and mountains around it. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi, editing by David Evans)
Two days after U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, a Wausau Republican, described Madison as communist on a Fox News broadcast, Mayor Paul Soglin lectured reporters on the citys way of doing business.

Here in Madison, we have a very different view on how to build an economy, how to build a sense of community, Soglin said at a Friday afternoon press conference. Despite the fact that we have seen massive cuts in the public sector  we are having economic success that is unmatched and unrivaled in the rest of the state.

Duffy called Madison a progressive liberal communist community on the cable news station in addition to falsely saying that Dane County is the only county in the state to recount presidential ballots by hand. Duffy alleged it was a stalling tactic meant to make Wisconsin miss the Dec. 13 deadline for certifying the vote.

Its time for the state of Wisconsin to re-evaluate its present approach, to re-evaluate the kind of leadership that the governor, that Rep. Sean Duffy provide, Soglin said. And instead of being angry, instead of pointing to the kinds of criticisms that were leveled at Madison this week, ask, can we do this together? Can we improve the quality of life for everyone in this state?"

Earlier this week, Soglin called Duffy a liar, charlatan and moron. Soglin added Friday that the attack Madison phenomenon is not new but has deepened over the years, with greater negative implications statewide.

We had a couple grenades lobbed at us, Soglin said. And we lobbed back.

Soglin also said he saw Duffys comments as an opportunity to escalate discussion around the economy.

Im not sure he appreciates where Im trying to take the discussion ... but I saw that as an opportunity to really get the conflicting values out there, Soglin said.

According to data compiled by the citys economic development division, Madison's economy has grown from producing 12 percent of the states total economic output to over 17 percent. The data also shows that with 14 percent of the states population, the Madison region was responsible for 92 percent of the net statewide job growth over the last ten years.

Comparing Wisconsin to Kansas, Soglin said both states have leadership driven by ideology. However, he said, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester seems to get it when it comes to state transportation funding.

Wisconsin is facing a nearly $1 billion transportation budget shortfall and lawmakers are arguing about how to close the gap. Vos has said all options, including increasing the states gas tax, should be considered.

Soglin referenced how Madisons use of public-private partnerships has resulted in construction of the new entrepreneurial hub StartingBlock Madison and public amenities such as Monona Terrace.

Weve got to articulate what our role is in the state and why weve been successful, Soglin said.
Syrian activists reported that Islamic State fighters reentered the ancient town of Palmyra on December 10, after the militant group launched an offensive earlier this week.

Heavy fighting was reported at Jabal at Tar, on the northern outskirts of Palmyra, throughout the day. IS-affiliated Amaq News published this footage described as showing fighting in the area.

Palmyra was recaptured by the Syrian army from IS in March after it held the town and its ancients ruins for 10 months. Credit: Amaq News via Storyful
* Major parties call for elections as soon as possible

* Electoral law must be re-written before any new vote

* Foreign minister is main party's preferred candidate (Adds M5S comment)

By Antonella Cinelli and Isla Binnie

ROME, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Italian President Sergio Mattarella pledged on Saturday to act quickly to solve a government crisis prompted by Matteo Renzi's resignation as prime minister, with all major parties calling for elections as soon as possible.

Before any vote can take place, however, Italy needs a new electoral law. Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni appears to be in pole position to be nominated by Mattarella sometime in the next 48 hours to head the next government and oversee that reform.

Gentiloni could potentially take office next week and would face an immediate crisis in the banking sector, with the country's third-largest lender, Monte dei Paschi di Siena , likely to need state intervention to avoid collapse.

"Our country needs a fully competent government, quickly," Mattarella, a 75 year-old former constitutional court judge, said after meeting officials from around 40 political parties.

Renzi's Democratic Party (PD) pushed for the creation of a broad, cross-party coalition, but most other parties were opposed to such a government, the PD Senate leader Luigi Zanda said after meeting the head of state.

The legislature is due to carry on until 2018 but early elections could be called at any time once a valid electoral law is in place.

Renzi, 41, resigned after a bruising defeat in a referendum on constitutional reform on Dec. 4. Any candidate will need backing from his party, as it holds a majority in both houses.

The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, which polls a close second to the PD, demanded a national vote as soon as possible.

"Renzi, his entire government, and the PD have failed. It's not us saying this, but the 19,419,730 people who voted no at the referendum last Sunday," M5S representatives wrote on founder Beppe Grillo's blog.

Story continues

Silvio Berlusconi, a four-times prime minister who leads the centre-right Forza Italia (Go Italy!) party, also called for elections, and said he would not support a grand coalition.

"The difficult economic situation, continued high unemployment, internal and external threats to security, and difficult relations with Europe do not allow delays," he said.

All parties called for a new electoral law to be put in place to replace one that only applies to the lower house and that could be declared illegitimate in January by the Constitutional Court.

Interior Minister Angelino Alfano, head of a small centre-right group, said his party would support a new mandate for Renzi, although a parliamentary source said last week the PD leader had ruled out returning to office.

Gentiloni is seen as a Renzi loyalist who would be unlikely to set his own, independent course. Three PD lawmakers said Renzi wanted Gentiloni to oversee the writing of a new electoral law while the centre-left would hold primaries to decide who should lead the bloc into the next elections.

Other possible contenders for the prime minister's job included Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan, Transport Minister Graziano Delrio and Senate president Pietro Grasso.

One PD source said an election would likely be held in June.

(Additional reporting by Steve Scherer and Giselda Vagnoni,; Editing by Hugh Lawson and David Evans)
Milan (AFP) - Italy's Monte dei Paschi di Siena saw its stock tumble more than 12 percent on Friday over reports the ECB had denied it more time to raise the cash it needs to avoid being wound down.

The world's oldest bank had on Wednesday asked the European Central Bank for two more weeks to find the funds, saying political instability created by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's resignation had left investors reluctant to commit funds.

But the ECB's supervisory board was reported to have said no on Friday, upping pressure on the Italian government to intervene to avoid a financial crisis in the eurozone's third-largest economy.

The board is believed to have ruled that two extra weeks would be of little use in turning around the historic bank.

A financial source told AFP the Italian bank had not yet received any official communication on the matter from the ECB.

The bank's new CEO Marco Morelli, who took over the reins in September, had a meeting at the finance ministry on Friday to take stock, according to a source close to the ministry who declined to confirm the reports of the ECB's decision.

In a statement published late Friday, the bank indicated that it "had not received the information from the ECB," and stressed that it would follow all necessary procedures.

"We will definitely save the Monte," bank president Alessandro Falciai said at the end of the meeting.

- 'Too big to fail' -

BMPS dropped over 12 percent during the day, closing down 10.55 percent.

The government is said to be mulling a precautionary recapitalisation to protect the savings of thousands of customers, and hopes to find a way to limit the cost for bond holders as new European laws require "burden sharing".

Expert Jamieson Blake, retail sales manager at ADS Securities trading firm in London, said the BMPS problem "points back to the concerns cited in Berlin months ago that the ECB's QE scheme was simply misplaced".

Story continues

"As much as the European Union would like to think the link between national and bank debt can be severed, it still seems as if we have too many players here who are too big to fail," he said.

Italy's third-biggest bank is trying to pull off a five billion euro ($5.38 billion) equity injection and had requested the extension of a deadline to find the money from the end of December to mid January.

It has lost nearly 85 percent of its market capitalisation since the start of the year. It also emerged as the worst performer from European Banking Authority (EBA) stress tests in July.

- Banking crisis woes -

Renzi's resignation has added to deep worries about the failure of the Italian banking sector -- which features no fewer than 700 banks -- to make meaningful progress towards consolidation.

Non-performing loans on their books amount to a combined 360 billion euros, roughly a third of the eurozone's total bad debt.

And Moody's ratings agency hit Italy's banking sector with a new blow on friday by warning that it would downgrade the ratings of seven other banks and financial institutions.

Italy is in political limbo following Renzi's crushing referendum defeat on Sunday. President Sergio Mattarella is currently holding political consultations to try and reach an agreement on who should be made caretaker PM.

The next general election had been scheduled for early 2018 but could be brought forward by up to a year.

Though Renzi's centre-left Democratic Party (PD) is currently leading in the polls, the outgoing PM's downfall has opened the door to the possibility of the populist anti-euro Five Star movement coming to power.

Among those in the running for the top job are Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan -- a seasoned economist with the potential to reassure financial markets and a jittery Europe -- and Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

Renzi, 41, is also being touted as a possible contender for his own job and could cite the BMPS problem as a reason for him to stay on and ensure the political stability needed to avert a banking crisis.
With the Senate set to adjourn as early as this evening, the future of FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel is in doubt as lawmakers have so far failed to reconfirm her for another term.

Her tenure will end on Dec. 31 unless the Senate includes her renomination in its a flurry of end-of-the-year legislation.

The Senate Commerce Committee approved her reconfirmation late last year, but it has been held up since then.

A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Friday afternoon that there were no announcements on nominees.

Rosenworcel, a Democrat, was sworn in May of 2012, and President Barack Obama nominated her for an additional term in May of 2015. Although the Senate Commerce Committee approved the nomination last December, it has been held up in partisan wrangling.

Senate Democrats accuse Republicans of reneging on an agreement between Minority Leader Harry Reid and Majority Leader McConnell to reconfirm her. But Republicans also wanted assurances, even before the election, that Wheeler would depart when a new administration took over.

The speculation is that Wheeler, a Democrat, will do so anyway, even though his term runs through 2018. Past FCC chairmen have left around the time of the start of a new administration.

The party that controls the White House, then, has the opportunity to command a majority on the FCC.

If Rosenworcel were reconfirmed and Wheeler departs, that would then leave the FCC with a 2-2 deadlock until a Trump nominee for the vacant position can be confirmed. That process could take up to six months.

Thats why some conservatives have been pushing for McConnell not to take action on Rosenworcels nomination, as it would leave the Republicans with a 2-1 majority from the outset.

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John Glenn was an outstanding aviator, astronaut and ambassador for the American space program, but he was an even better human being, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden said.

"John Glenn the astronaut? Yeah  great. John Glenn the humanitarian, John Glenn the human being, John Glenn the husband, you know, the loving husband  that's what I'll remember forever," Bolden said in a NASA video tribute, choking back tears.

The NASA chief is one of many in the spaceflight community and beyond now mourning Glenn, who died yesterday (Dec. 8) at the age of 95. On Feb. 20, 1962, Glenn  one of the original seven astronauts chosen by NASA in 1959  became the first American to orbit Earth, bringing the United States roughly level with the Soviet Union in the Cold War space race.

Glenn set another record in 1998 at the age of 77, becoming the oldest person ever to reach space, completing the feat as a crewmember on the space shuttle Discovery's STS-95 mission. He accomplished a great deal in other walks of life as well: Glenn was a highly decorated fighter pilot who flew many combat missions in World War II and the Korean War, for example, and he served for 25 years as a U.S. senator from his home state of Ohio.

John Glenn (left) with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden at a NASA Future Forum in 2012. NASA/Bill Ingalls

And in 1998, Glenn helped establish the John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy at The Ohio State University. (The institute is now known as the John Glenn College of Public Affairs.)

Indeed, service was a core part of Glenn's life, Bolden said.

"He embodied taking care of your people," the NASA chief said.

And at Ohio State, Glenn "adopted as his focus for life bringing young people in to have opportunities to get to do and see some of the things that he had seen, if they realize that science and math [are] critically important," Bolden said. "That's the John Glenn that I hope people will remember forever."

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.

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Kanye West has been spotted in public for the first time following his recent hospitalization for exhaustion and sleep deprivation.

According to a photo taken by artist Giovanni Bassan, the rapper stopped by the MOCA Pacific Design Center to get a preview of fashion designer Rick Owens' furniture exhibition, which runs Dec. 17 until April 2, 2017. The image revealed that Yeezy, clad in a crewneck sweater and black pants, had gone blond.

#KanyeWest at the "Rick Owens: Furniture" exhibition at the MOCA PDC. December 8. (: @giovannileonardobassan)

A photo posted by Kanye West (@kanyewest_daily) on Dec 8, 2016 at 5:48pm PST

West's public outing comes about a week after his release from Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he was placed on a psychiatric hold.

The rapper follows a number of celebrities who've gone through major hair transformations after a trauma.

Britney Spears famously went bald after checking out of rehab in 2007, reportedly to remove any trace of drug use as she fought for custody of her children from ex-husband Kevin Federline.

Getty Images

After Lindsay Lohan was arrested for two DUIs and entered rehab three times in 2007, the Parent Trap star went from blond to dark brunette the following year.

Getty Images

Since actress Amanda Bynes' downward spiral in 2012, when she was arrested for a DUI, the troubled actress has undergone several hair transformations. Her mug shot in 2012 showed her with pink-gray hair, which, a few months later, had morphed into a half-shave. In May 2013, Bynes sported a tangled platinum blond wig after being arrested on drug charges for allegedly throwing a bong out of a window from the 36th floor of a building. However, a mug shot revealed she actually had a pixie cut. In September 2014, the actress was arrested for another DUI and, once again, stepped out with a new do - a blue wig. Bynes, who seemingly has stayed out of trouble in 2016, shared in February that she had chopped her locks and gone lighter.

Story continues

Read more: David Letterman and the Psychology of the Hollywood Beard

These post-trauma hair changes are a way for public figures to suggest that they've undergone a transformation, according to industry psychotherapist Dennis Palumbo.

"For people in the public eye, when you go into rehab, have a traumatic experience like being robbed, go through a painful and very public divorce or have a career disaster of another kind, looking different is a way to demonstrate, even unconsciously, that they have a different persona," the Sherman Oaks, Calif.-based doctor explains to The Hollywood Reporter.

"It indicates ... I've gone through the fire and come out of the other end with this new look," adds Palumbo, who has been treating Hollywood patients for more than 25 years. "I think it's a sign, both to themselves and their audience, the public. It's like a makeover, psychologically."

The change in appearance is also one way to heal.

"I think, for anyone, celebrity or not, who undergoes a rehab experience or a fairly traumatic event in their life, part of the healing process is this sense of forward momentum and that they have changed outwardly, and hopefully inwardly, as a result of how they've managed this experience," notes Palumbo.

"Remember, too, when you've gone through a traumatic experience, there is a celebratory feeling of having survived," he adds. "It's dressing the part of someone who went through a grueling ordeal and survived - a message to themselves, as well as to their public."
Kathleen Turner and Frances Fisher are starring in the independent comedy Someone Elses Wedding, which has started shooting in Montreal.

CCI Productions, Banner Films, Vroom Productions, and Alley Lime Productions are the films production companies.

Pat Kiely is directing from his own script. He is also one of the producers, alongside Arnie Zipursky for CCI, Robert Vroom, and Philip Svoboda for Alley Lime. Jeff Sackman and Berry Meyerowitz are executive producing the feature and selling international rights.

The film revolves around a dysfunctional family forced to confront what tore them apart at their eldest sons nuptials. The cast includes Kevin Zegers, Jessica Pare, Jacob Tierney, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Luke Kirby and Wallace Shawn.

I am so thrilled to be working with such an exceptional and legendary cast to bring Someone Elses Wedding,' Kiely said. This film is about a dysfunctional family at a wedding that no one wants to be at. The characters are loud and colorful, and seeing this group of actors embody them is like watching fireworks go off.

Turners credits include Romancing the Stone, War of the Roses and Peggy Sue Got Married, for which she received an Oscar nomination. Fishers credits include Titanic and The House of Sand and Fog.

CCI recently completed Undercover Grandpa, winner of Best Comedy Feature and Best Actor at the International Family Film Festival and Sled Dogs, winner of best feature documentary at last weekends Whistler International Film Festival.

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Kirk Douglas celebrated his 100th birthday with a party attended by some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

His son, Michael Douglas, and daughter-in-law, Catherine Zeta-Jones, were in attendance, as well as other members from the Douglas clan, including Michael and Catherines two children, Dylan Michael and Carys Zeta.

About 135 guests arrived to a private room in the Beverly Hills Hotel at about 2:30 p.m. on Friday before later gathering at tables named after some of his favorite films. Kirks family table was named, Lonely Are the Brave.

Its Kirks favorite film of his, a source tells PEOPLE.

The Douglas family arrived at the hotel at 3:00 p.m., with Kirk wearing his rust-colored tweed jacket, comfortable shoes and plain slacks.

His son, Michael, kicked off the speeches, saying, I owe a lot of my career and success to him, and remembering how his father gave the reins of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest to him when Kirk couldnt make a deal on it.

Michael also played tribute to his stepmother, Anne, who has been married to Kirk for 62 years.

She was never the wicked stepmother. My father wouldnt be sitting here if it wasnt for Anne, he said. He also added an emotional message to his father, He is always asking about what kind of father he was. Dad, you are an amazing, amazing father.

Anne paid tribute to her husband, calling him her friend and lover, before turning to her stepson, Michael, and thanking him for doing such wonderful things at a time he needs them most.

Zeta-Jones lit the candles on the birthday cake  a chocolate cake from The Butter End with a gold bust of Kirks head on top  and led everyone in a rendition of Happy Birthday.

The wishes were quickly followed by Kirks speech, where he jokingly told the crowd, My three boys got together and they took a vote and they decided that Michael would be the host because, after all, he has the most money.

Story continues

Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation, attended along with Steven Spielberg, Arthur Cohn and Jeff Kanew  who directed Kirk and Burt Lancaster in the film Tough Guys.

Spielberg arrived late and on crutches, after suffering an accident on set about a week ago. He delivered a speech in which he mentioned that his own father, Arnold, was turning 100 years old in February.

Ive worked with the best of them, he said of Kirk. But, youre the only movie star Ive ever met.

He spoke of Kirks optimistic ferocity on the screen, claiming he makes his actors watch your movies to inspire them.

The party ended at about 5 p.m., but not before Kirks cardiologist, Dr. PK Shah, handed him a large glass of vodka that hed promised Kirk years ago when hed forbidden the actor from drinking alcohol.

He got what he came for, Douglass rep told PEOPLE, referring to the vodka. He enjoyed it indeed, and then he zipped out. Twenty minutes later, he was tucked into bed. (The glass wasnt filled to the rim with vodka, only one shots worth of vodka was poured inside of it.)

Back at the Douglass house, a source tells PEOPLE the home was jam-packed with flowers from well-wishers  and there were still 100 more on the way from none other than Tony Bennett.
Crowds gathered across South Korea on December 10, the day after the national assembly voted to go ahead with impeachment proceedings against President Park Geun-hye. In Gwangju, popular television host Kim Je-dong led protesters in song.

Gwangju is a traditional opposition stronghold. The song being sung in the video is March for the Beloved, which is strongly associated with a 1980 massacre of protesters in the city. Kim is a comedian and talk show host with a reputation for social criticism and liberal political views. Credit: Instagram/eunchang6s via Storyful
deer tick size scale finger adult nymph lyme disease getty images

A French biotech company just took a crucial step toward preventing vexing new cases of Lyme disease, an epidemic that's spreading across the United States and Europe.

Valneva, which has been developing a preventative vaccine for the disease, announced on Friday that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave it permission to start clinical trials of the treatment on people.

The European Union's Clinical Trial Application also gave Valneva a similar go-ahead.

"We are committed to finding ways to accelerate the clinical development path to licensure, given that we are conducting the only active vaccine program in the industry," company leaders said in a statement.

A $50-a-dose vaccine for adults called LYMErix was released in 1998, and it was nearly 80% effective. But its maker  SmithKline Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline)  stopped selling it n 2002, primarily due to a lawsuit backed by anti-vaccine supporters.

GlaxoSmithKline eventually settled out of court. Though the people who fought the company cited adverse reactions, including Lyme disease-like symptoms, an official and extensive follow-up study found nothing abnormal about the vaccine.

Today, Lyme disease vaccines currently exist for dogs, but none have been approved for humans in nearly 15 years  and in that time the disease has grown into an epidemic.

Roughly 300,000 new Lyme disease cases happen annually in the US, according to the CDC's latest data, from 2013. (One study estimates as many as 440,000 new infections occurred in 2008.) About 85,000 Europeans a year are also infected.

Treating the disease likely racks up more than $1 billion per year in US healthcare costs alone, according to one recent study.

"Primary prevention is something where we're clearly losing the battle on," Dr. Paul Mead, chief of epidemiology and surveillance for the CDC's Lyme disease program, told Business Insider in 2015. "A safe and effective vaccine could help us turn the tide."

Story continues

The threat of Lyme disease

lyme disease bacteria borrelia burgerdorferi sem scanning electron micrograph

Lyme disease is caused by tiny bacteria called Borrelia, which is spread by ticks as small as a poppyseed.

Those infected with Borrelia can develop severe, rheumatoid arthritis-like joint and muscle pain. Fatigue and neurological disorders  such as numbness, tingling, weakness, and cognitive impairment  can set in too.

The best, first-line treatment is two to four weeks' worth of antibiotics, usually doxycycline or amoxicillin, within a few days of infection  before the bacteria can get too cozy in joints, nerves, and other tissues. Manufacturers of these drugs charge anywhere from $20 to thousands of dollars per treatment, according to Wired.com.

"The longer you go without treatment, the more serious your symptoms can be," Emily Adrion, a public-health researcher at Johns Hopkins University, told Business Insider in 2015.

Even then, she previously said, there's "a lot of overlap" with other conditions  so doctors don't always think to order a test for Lyme disease. That's why Lyme disease is sometimes called the "great imitator" or "great masquerader."

Left untreated, infections can lead to brain inflammation or heart problems. At least a handful of such cases have proven fatal.

Infections don't just go away on their own. And even though "the vast majority of cases are treatable and short-lived," Dr. Mead previously said, symptoms don't always vanish with antibiotics.

Some patients insist on long-term antibiotic injections, which are expensive, frequently harmful, sometimes deadly, and only rarely help someone feel better. Others turn away from licensed doctors altogether and pursue dubious alternative treatments.

Vaccination could help avoid these and other issues, if a new one that works comes to market.

A promising but perilous road toward prevention

measles vaccine

Just because a Lyme vaccine like Valneva's is approved for a clinical trial doesn't guarantee it will be safe and effective in people.

The FDA granted a phase 1 clinical trial of the vaccine, which means it's being evaluated for safety  not how effective it is, or if it even works at all. Still, it's an important test that relatively few proposed treatments undergo.

If the phase 1 trials show the vaccine is safe to use in people, it will have to clear two other hurdles before Valneva could sell and market it: a phase 2 trial, which would test how well it works in preventing cases of Lyme disease, and a phase 3 trial, which more broadly tests effectiveness by using different dosages on larger and more diverse populations.

Getting a treatment all the way through phase 3 trials can cost more than a billion dollars; in fact, about 86% don't pass the final two stages.

Valneva's new vaccine candidate, unceremoniously named VLA15-101, may have an easier time, though: It's based on the same core concept as the now-defunct yet already FDA-approved LYMErix vaccine.

That vaccine worked by injecting people with an outer surface protein of Borrelia, called OspA. This taught the body's immune system to recognize the bacteria  and launch an attack if they showed up after a bite from an infected tick.

But the protein in US Borrelia isn't the same as it is in European species of the bacteria, or even from one region to another. There are six different types. That's something LYMErix didn't address, so Valneva-funded researchers based their vaccine on all different kinds of OspA to cover US and European strains of Borrelia.

Their 2014 study in the journal PLoS ONE showed that most mice given the vaccine were protected from Lyme disease by wild ticks infected with many different kinds of Borrelia.

The new phase 1 trial will test the treatment's safety on 180 adults at a US site and one in Belgium.

Despite relying on a previously successful strategy, however, VLA15-101 faces tough odds: 94% of all drugs that pass animal trials fail to pass in human clinical trials.

Also, seemingly effective Lyme disease vaccines have a habit of dying on the vine due to market forces. A promising one by the Vienna-based company Baxter, for example, is no longer being developed, according to a recent New England Journal of Medicine editorial written by Dr. Stanley A. Plotkin, an emeritus pediatrics professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Lyme disease vaccine advocate.

"To promote the licensure of a new vaccine against Lyme disease, perhaps the greatest need is a concerted demand by the public health community, which would convince manufacturers that there is a market for such a vaccine," Dr. Plotkin wrote.

Until there is a preventative vaccine for Lyme disease  if there ever is one  vigilant prevention and quick treatment with antibiotics will have to do until what some researchers call a public-health fiasco can be turned around.

NOW WATCH: Here's what happens to your body when you get Lyme disease





More From Business Insider


DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / December 9, 2016 / When it comes to renting properties, finding a popular floorplan with a good view at a fair price is desired. Marcus Hiles, a renowned Texas real estate investor and developer, understands that people want to live a comfortable and luxurious lifestyle at a price they can afford. What landlords will rarely tell their renters is that they use yield management software that automatically raises rent when popular floorplans are requested. Marcus Hiles specializes in not only anticipating real estate market trends, but also providing renters with the knowledge on how to negotiate rental rates.

When a renter asks specifically for a popular floorplan, their chances of receiving a higher rental rate increase due to the technology designed to help landlords generate more revenue. Alternatively, if the renter asks the landlord what floorplans they have available without being specific on what exactly they're looking for, the rent price then decreases. A New York Times article states that technology, such as the yield management software, can benefit residents as well. "Just as travelers can lower their airline fare by flying at off times, residents can often lock in lower monthly rents by agreeing to lease terms that help apartment owners avoid downtime or fill less popular units." With this being said, Hiles recommends that renters should look at signing leases in an off-season, such as late fall or early winter.

Marcus Hiles advised renters looking to sign a lease to keep in mind a few factors that may impact the price of rent. According to a Forbes article on how to negotiate rental prices, collecting information about the neighborhood, the landlord, and what other tenants are paying - either in the same building or community - are all influencers to finding lower rental rates. Renters shouldn't be afraid to negotiate prices either. Although transparently asking for a lower rental price might not be the best strategy, landlords are not necessarily opposed to negotiating. "Negotiation points for me as a landlord and property manager are length of lease and credit," says Denise Supplee, co-founder of SparkRental.com, a full-service rental automation service. Another option is to offer to sign a long-term lease, advises Hiles. Landlords like the idea of being able to keep turnover rates down while still meeting their profit needs.

Dedicated to the concept of community-building, Marcus Hiles, Founder and CEO of Western Rim Property Services, has spent more than three decades working hard to meet the public need for high-end developments and rentals. Hiles' community-centric vision has also fueled his standing as a leading philanthropist. Being the son of an inner city minister, Hiles is deeply committed to education and has donated over $2.5 million to public and private K-12 initiatives, after school programs, and university career services and job placement programs. Hiles believes in showing commitment to his employees by promising them long-term security through promoting from within the company and, in return, is proud of the exceptional loyalty and work ethic of his team members.

Marcus Hiles - Chairman & CEO of Western Rim Property Services: http://www.MarcusHiles-News.com

Western Rim Property Services- Marcus Hiles - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Western-Rim-Property-Services-Marcus-Hiles-1013270532051763/

Marcus Hiles (@marcus_hiles) - Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcus_hiles

Marcus Hiles - New Luxury Apartments in Frisco, TX - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmsJNbfOh-g

Contact Information

MarcusHiles-News.com

www.MarcusHiles-News.com

marcus@marcushiles-news.com

SOURCE: Marcus Hiles
These Marines love Gilmore Girls and we totally get why

Just when we thought we were the only ones obsessing over the Gilmore Girls revival, we came across a group of unlikely fans who shared the same emotion. Four U.S. Marines used the WB series to help them escape the reality of war, and their story just hit us in the feels!

Jesse, Luke, Erik, and John became obsessed with the show after stumbling upon a box set in 2005 while stationed in in Ramadi, Iraq. They used the series as a way to bring a sense of normalcy to their violent surroundings, and thats something that we never wouldve ever imagined.

Never judge a book by its cover. These macho Marines are just as obsessed with Gilmore Girls as we are!

Stars Hollow was the America we all wished we were fighting for, said one of the Gilmore Girls loving Marines.

While stationed in Iraq, the gang wrote a letter to the shows creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, expressing just how thankful they were for the franchise.

Theres no place wed rather escape to, the Marine wrote in a letter to Sherman-Palladino. It reminds us of home.

And for Sherman-Palladino, that very last line resonated with her the most. After receiving the letter, she tracked down the guys unit and sent them a special care package with Gilmore Girls embroidered apparel! And like true fans, the men made sure to sport the jackets when reuniting to watch the revival.

We totally can see how Gilmore Girls made such a huge impact on their lives. This definitely hit us in the feels!

The post These Marines love Gilmore Girls and we totally get why appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Chinese directors took home the two top awards on Saturday at the closing of the 16th Marrakech International Film Festival in Morocco.

The Donor, the debut film from Zang Qiwu about a poor father who agrees to sell his kidney to a wealthy man, earned the festival's Grand Prix, presented onstage at Marrakech's Palais Des Congres by jury president and Hungarian helmer Bela Tarr.

Best director honors went to another Chinese filmmaker, Wang Xuebo, for Knife in the Clear Water, the story of a farmer who does not want to make the customary sacrifice of his only bull after the death of his wife.

A jury prize went to Austrian and Italian directors Rainer Frimmel and Tizza Covi for Mister Universo, the film about a circus lion-tamer in search of his lost lucky charm.

Read more: Paul Haggis Discusses $100 Million Sci-Fi Feature 'Ship Breaker'

In accepting the award, Frimmel dedicated it to his uncle, who he said had been given refuge during World War II in Morocco after "escaping Nazi terror in Europe."

The best actress prize went to Fereshteh Hosseini for her role in Afghan director Navid Mahmoudi's Parting, the story of a young Afghani couple risking their lives to find refuge and a better life in Europe.

The best actor award was shared between Baldur Einarsson and Blaer Hinriksson, the two young leads of Icelandic helmer Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson's coming-of-age drama Heartstone.

The weeklong event included a tribute to Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven, who remarked when presented a lifetime achievement award that it was the first time he had received such recognition, as well as master classes by Verhoeven, Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis and Russian helmer Pavel Lounguine.

Isabelle Huppert attended a screening of Verhoeven's rape-revenge drama Elle, in which she plays a businesswoman violently attacked at home by a masked intruder.

Other guests included French actress Isabelle Adjani, who was the subject of a special tribute, and fellow Gallic actress Fanny Ardant, who attended a retrospective dedicated to Russian film.

Read more: Marrakech Film Fest: 'Very Big Shot' Takes Top Prize
MARRAKECH, Morocco  On its penultimate night, the 16th Marrakech Film Festival paid tribute to acclaimed French actress Isabelle Adjani, the only person to have ever one five best actress prizes at Frances Cesar Awards. She has also been nominated for an Academy Award on two occasions, for Francois Truffauts The Story of Adele H. and Bruno Nuyttens Camille Claudel, and twice won best actress at Cannes  for Possession and Quartet.

Adjani was visibly moved by the tribute, in particular by a medley of scenes from her most famous films, including Camille Claudel and Queen Margot.

As she walked up the red carpet to enter the Palais de Congres, she was asked whether she leaves a bit of her soul in each film, to which she replied: Of course, we give a bit of our soul in each part we play. But we hope to renew it with each new film.

The tribute was presented by three directors, none of whom have worked directly with her  French director, Christophe Honore, Romanian director Christian Mungiu and Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako.

Mungiu served as jury member at Marrakech in 2014 and Sissako was president of the festivals Cinecoles short film competition in the same year.

Honore said that he is one of the main unfortunate directors who have never made a film with Adjani. I started my career at exactly the same moment when you said you were less interested in acting.

He said that he understood that once you have acted the same gestures on hundreds of occasions, it begins to make less sense, adding that some people, through their absence, are more present.

You have always been watching over our films, he concluded.

Mungiu explained that while growing up one day he saw a picture of Adjani that for him was the most beautiful image he had ever seen. He glued it in his room and later discovered who it was. Your beauty is not just a question of a beautiful face, he said. You have unbelievable grace, class, talent, energy and subtlety. You are beautiful inside.

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He then explained that when he first had the opportunity to be presented to Adjani he declined the offer because he didnt know what to say, and that the tribute ceremony was a second chance for him.

Sissako said that after he studied at the VGIK film school in Moscow, Adjani was one of the first people he met when he returned to Paris. He described her as a rare actress who has marked our existence, is charming with hidden aspects to her personality that are never accessible.

You constantly reinvent yourself. You dont chase after fame and recognition. You are the opposite of materialism, Sissako proclaimed.

Adjani then took the stage and began by saying that festivals, like films, are graceful monuments, poems that are fixed in our memories, built with living stones that we all are, as artists.

Adjani emphasized her delight in being able to attend Marrakech as a crossroads of culture, this place nourishes human encounters, she said. Many facets and forms of humanity meet here.

She stated that she believes that in todays world  with many forces of division and separation and a closing of boundaries, in terms of geography and sensibilities  Marrakech can play a special role because of its location and geography.

This is a capital of the spirit and the heart, of free encounters and transmission, that can overcome the boundaries between North and South, between man and woman, Adjani said.

Speaking about the montage of clips from her films she said that the montage moved her deeply, reminding her of the inspiration of working with so many directors and the chance to cross centuries and play culprit and victim, bitter and sweet, innocent and triumphant, and so many times madly in love.

Even if I dont like looking back, I carry these women inside me, these lives Ive inside me, a major part of my life, at which point she seemed on the verge of tears.

Extreme sensitivity can be dangerous. It can destroy us. But thats the price we have to pay. A great director is like an astronomer who finds a unique and secret light hidden in an actors face. He captures its hidden emotion, revealed in silence, shows intimacy while preserving the unique mystery of the character.

Her speech was followed by a video testimony by French actress/director Maiwenn, who played alongside Adjani in Jean Beckers One Deadly Summer, and who said that Adjani had inspired her to see the world in a different way and provided a spiritual oasis for her.

The tribute ended with a screening of Adjanis most recent film Carole Matthieu by Louis-Julien Petit, which was released theatrically this week in France.

Related stories

'The Donor' Wins the Golden Star at Marrakech

16th Marrakech Film Festival Wraps With a Reinforced World Cinema Imprint

Paul Verhoeven on 'Elle' Star Isabelle Huppert, Producer Said Ben Said & Future Projects
Neville Longbottom is off the market. And this time, its not Hannah Abbotts fault!

Harry Potter star Matthew Lewis and girlfriend Angela Jones are engaged, TMZ reports.

The 27-year-old Hogwarts hunk reportedly popped the question to his event planner girlfriend last month. In a shot shared on TMZ from Jones private Instagram page, the happy couple can be seen in front of Paris Eiffel Tower  with a smiling Jones showing off her sparkling engagement ring and a love-stuck Lewis by her side.

A rep for Lewis hadnt immediately returned PEOPLEs request for comment.

According to TMZ, the two met in January at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida  where she works  while Lewis was in town for a three-day Harry Potter celebration at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Since he debuted in the big-screen Harry Potter franchise as Longbottom when he was just 12 years old, Lewis has gone on to land roles in Me Before You and Amazons newest series, Ripper Street.

Hes also transformed into a bonafide hottie  posing shirtless on the cover of Attitude magazine in May 2015  with a nearly nude spread inside.

RELATED VIDEO: Check out this Harry Potter  Friends Mashup!

PEOPLE was at the Harry Potter celebration in January where Lewis and Jones reportedly first met though at that time, he revealed to PEOPLE he was more embarrassed looking back on his work in the series. If it were up to him, he said hed do all of his scenes over again.

Its hard to narrow it down to a particular scene, because its not like I would say, That one scene is dreadful,  Lewis explained. I think theyre all dreadful. As an actor, Ive grown and got more experience.

As for anything hed do differently off-screen during those years, he said,  I feel the experience we all shared was such a great unique thing, I wish maybe Id been a bit more aware of that at the time and appreciated it more. I would have tried to enjoy it more, but I did have a great time. I guess my advice would be, Enjoy it while you can. 




A celestial theatre

There seem to be two schools of plays currently being staged in Kathmandu. One that is pushing the boundaries of the traditional mores that dictate the Nepali theatre-scapebringing new motifs and consciousness to stage, giving voice to the traditionally voiceless; the other tugging at Nepals rich religious and mythological history and making them relevant to the present day and age.
Progressive media watchdog group Media Matters for America launched a petition Friday urging NBC to remove President-elect Donald Trump as an executive producer of The Celebrity Apprentice. That request, apparently, hit a vein, as Media Matters said Saturday morning that its the fastest growing petition in the organizations history, picking up 15,000 signatures in less-than 12 hours.

According to Trumps spokesperson, he will retain an executive producer credit and a big stake in the reality show while in the Oval Office. However, in two Saturday morning tweets, Trump emphatically denied that he would have any active role in the show that he hosted for 14 seasons other than collecting royalty checks while president.

Media Matters was hardly satisfied with Trumps explanations, calling his financial ties to NBC  which is financially invested in Donald Trumps brand and reputation  a clear conflict of interest.

Also Read: Donald Trump Says He Will Devote 'Zero Time' to 'Celebrity Apprentice'

NBC has placed its reporters in an untenable position, Media Matters President Angelo Carusone said in a statement. Even if we assume the very best and theres no impact on coverage (which seems unlikely), NBCs relationship with Trump will still cast a shadow over their journalists reporting.

News companies need to be doing everything possible to restore faith and confidence in the media right now, not further undermine it, Carusone added. NBC needs to rectify this before it affects their credibility and before it spills over and embroils the shows current sponsors in controversy.

In June of 2015, NBC said in a statement that it would cut its business ties with Donald Trump  which obviously has not happened. The upcoming season of Celebrity Apprentice is set to premiere on Jan. 2.

Related stories from TheWrap:

Donald Trump Says He Will Devote 'Zero Time' to 'Celebrity Apprentice'

Here's How Much President Trump Could Make as 'Celebrity Apprentice' Producer

Donald Trump Will Keep 'Big Stake' in 'Celebrity Apprentice' After Taking Office
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  A Greek police official says a suspect who died following a shootout with police officers in Athens was a Greek convict serving a life sentence for murder. Police initially said the man was believed to be a migrant.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the case is still under investigation, said Saturday that fingerprints of the dead man matched those of the man convicted of murdering a woman while robbing a bakery in 2004.

The 38-year-old man, whose name was not released by police, was on parole but had not reported back to prison on Dec. 6.

The official said the suspect was stopped for a routine check by a police patrol, and, when asked for his papers, drew a gun and fired three times, slightly wounding an officer in the shoulder. Police returned fire but the suspect fled, only to be found dead from a head wound minutes later.

Police believe the wound was self-inflicted, but tests were being conducted to see whether he was hit by a policeman's gun, the official said.
"The only cinema theater that existed in this little town [in East India where she was raised] showed us only one film every Sunday morning, and that was Doctor Zhivago," Mira Nair told The Hollywood Reporter during the Director Oscar Roundtable.

Read more: Alicia Keys: "I Remember Falling in Love With Music When I Was 4 Years Old" | Songwriter Oscar Roundtable

On shooting her own film, she said the greatest moments were being on set. "I love the shooting. The challenge is the eye of the storm, how to capture life. I also shoot in real locations. Authenticity is a huge part of what gives me that life. Shooting in Katwe, the worst slum, it was the same. The community came out, the pigs came out, the goats came out, the mud came out, the brick kilns were smoking," said Nair on shooting on location for Queen of Katwe.

More roundtables featuring actresses, actors, screenwriters, songwriters, documentarians, composers and producers will continue throughout February in print and online. Tune in to new episodes of Close Up With 'The Hollywood Reporter' starting Jan. 15 on Sundance TV, and look for clips at THR.com/topic/roundtables with full episodes on THR.com after broadcast.
Charismatic Navy wife Elizabeth Sullivan appeared to have vanished two years ago without a trace, but everyone who knew her had the same response: She never would have abandoned her two young daughters.

It was not the outcome we had hoped for, but it does give her family some closure, San Diego detective Lt. Mike Holden told People. This is now a murder investigation and we havent ruled out any suspects.

On Dec. 7, the San Diego Police Department reportedly confirmed Sullivan, who was 31 when she disappeared, had been identified as the body recovered from the San Diego bay two months earlier in the area where she was last seen on Oct. 13, 2014.

Her badly decomposed body was found floating in the channel by the bay on Oct. 4.

We all knew it was her, says neighbor Brittany Garcia, who had joined in the search efforts after Sullivans disappearance, when the body was first discovered. The timing was interesting.

Not only was the body discovered almost two years exactly from her disappearance and close to where she lived, but it was also within days of Elizabeths husband, Matt, moving from San Diego to Maryland with his fiancee, Kayla Turner, their new baby, and Elizabeths two daughters.

Matt didnt respond to PEOPLEs request for comment, but Elizabeth Sullivans father, Tony Ricks, sent a text saying, I am sorry. I have no comment(s) to make at this time. I appreciated your understanding and your respect for our familys privacy through this very difficult time.

Elizabeths cousin, Kwame Brown, left a message on a FB page (Remembering Our Loved One: Elizabeth Ricks Sullivan) stating:

Our family has chosen to not speak to media. We are allowing the wonderful detectives in the San Diego Police Department to continue their investigation unfettered. We hope for justice for our loved one and peace for her children. We ask everyone to respect that.

 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.

Sullivan was born and raised in Hampton, Virginia, and graduated from Kecoughtan High School in 2001. She met her husband Matt when he was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, and the couple was married about five years at the time of her disappearance.

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Sullivan was transferred to San Diego about a year after they were married, and worked at the lived in Point Loma with their two daughters, Ryan, now 6, and Grier, now 4.

The couple had been having some martial difficulties, but Matt told People at the time that she would never just leave her children.

Shes a good mom, he said. The girls need their mom. Shes been with them while I was at work or on deployment, she was always here.

Chelsea Mulder was a good friend of Sullivan when the two lived in San Diego, and they worked together at a coffee house on base.

She loved being a mom, she would never have left those girls, Mulder told PEOPLE. We kept in touch on FB after I moved, and she was always talking about them.

 Pick up PEOPLEs special edition True Crime Stories: Cases That Shocked America, on sale now, for the latest on Casey Anthony, JonBenet Ramsey and more.

Mulder says Sullivan was smart, witty and a lot of fun. She said Elizabeth and Matthew seemed to have a good relationship, and Elizabeth was the outgoing one while Matthew was more shy.

Its hard to be married in the military. She was very close to her family and that was a strain on her, missing her folks and cousins, although she talked to her dad a lot on the phone, Mulder says. So it just didnt seem like her to not contact her family after she disappeared.

Garcia says that the case was odd from the beginning, with the family and the police department offering little in the way of support for the missing person efforts.

We were out putting up posters, searching, whatever, but we never got much encouragement from the police and it always seemed like they knew something we didnt, Garcia says. All the search efforts simmered down pretty fast. No one was really going on the media talking about it much.

At the time of her disappearance, husband Matt said his wifes family had asked him not to talk to the media.

I dont want to upset them any more than they are, he told PEOPLE at the time. My wife was very close to her cousins and I know they are just trying to do whats right by her.

Elizabeth Sullivans family set up a gofundme site, using the money to help in search efforts including hiring a private detective. But the case quickly went cold.

We didnt have leads, other than someone who thought they might have seen her at the soccer field, Holden says. No real tips ever came in, which was ominous.

Garcia says Sullivans girlfriend moved in about two months after Elizabeths disappearance and quickly became a part of the community.

Its just all so strange, Garcia says. Why would her body show up in almost the exact spot where she was last spotted two years ago and right at the time when her husband and children were moving away?

Now, the San Diego Police department has shifted its investigation from a missing persons case to a homicide.

We are re-interviewing everyone we spoke to during the missing person case, Holden says. Friends have already reached out to us asking what they can do to help. She was loved by a large number of people, and that says something about who she was.




Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has emerged as a hero of several prominent alt-right figures, raising new questions about the Kremlin's influence on the far-right, white nationalist movement that has asserted itself as a new force in American politics.

Whether Russia has played a direct role in awakening the American alt-right, whose resurgence as a crusade against establishment politics coincided with the rise of President-elect Donald Trump, is debatable.

But the extent to which the alt-right has found a natural ally in Russia's current zeitgeist  which perceives the US as a globalist, imperialist power working on behalf of liberal elites  is hard to overstate.

Self-described white nationalist Matthew Heimbach, who said he identifies as a member of the alt-right, has praised Putin's Russia as "the axis for nationalists."

I really believe that Russia is the leader of the free world right now," Heimbach told Business Insider in a recent interview. "Putin is supporting nationalists around the world and building an anti-globalist alliance, while promoting traditional values and self-determination."

Heimbach described the US' current foreign policy as aggressive and imperialistic, and he criticized NATO's military buildup in eastern Europe as an example of how the US is trying to promote a "global conflict" with Russia.

heimbach

And while he views Russia as a "model for civilization" and "a beacon for nationalists," Heimbach emphasized that the movement goes beyond Russia and traditional left-right politics.

"This isnt just a European or a right-wing movement," he said. "We're trying to position ourselves to be a part of this worldwide movement of globalism versus nationalism. It's a new age."

Story continues

Like Heimbach, alt-right leader Richard Spencer  the head of the white nationalist think tank the National Policy Institute  has argued that the US should dispense with its globalist policies by pulling out of NATO, resetting its relationship with Russia, and courting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom he has described as "a civilized person" and "source of stability in this chaotic world."

richard spencer

Spencer's ties to Russia, which he has called the sole white power in the world," go deeper. He was married until October to Russian writer and self-proclaimed "Kremlin troll leader" Nina Kouprianova, whose writing under the pen name Nina Byzantina regularly aligns with Kremlin talking points.

For example: Byzantina recently described reports that thousands of civilians in rebel-held east Aleppo, Syria, are under siege by the Russia-backed Syrian government as "fake news."

The webzine Spencer founded in 2010  called Alternative Right  accepted contributor pieces from Aleksandr Dugin, the far-right, ultra-nationalist politician who encouraged Putin's incursion into Ukraine and whose work has been translated into English by Byzantina on her blog. (It does have a caveat: "The views of the original author do not necessarily reflect those of the translator.")

Dugin also recorded a speech titled "To My American Friends in Our Common Struggle" for a nationalist conference organized by Heimbach last year in California.

'The greatest enemy of tradition everywhere'

A right-wing conference in St. Petersburg, Russia, organized last year by Russia's nationalist Rodina, or Motherland, party offered a safe space for fringe thinkers  including white supremacists and anti-Semites  to gather and rail against the US-led status quo.

There, American "race realist" Jared Taylor called the US "the greatest enemy of tradition everywhere." Klu Klux Klan attorney Sam Dickson also attended, and he joined Taylor in calling for the preservation of "[the white] race and civilization."

Heimbach agreed that the US has "poisoned" traditional values, but he insisted that his brand of white nationalism is distinct from white supremacy.

"We work actively with other ethnic groups to support their right to self-determination," Heimbach said, listing black nationalism and the full autonomy of Native Americans as two causes that his party actively supports.

David Duke

Still, white supremacy  manifested frequently as anti-Semitism  is inextricably linked to the worldview of many alt-right admirers of Putin's Russia.

David Duke, the former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, has traveled to Russia several times to promote his book "The Ultimate Supremacism: My Awakening on the Jewish Question." The book has been sold openly in the main lobby of the State Duma (Congress) for the equivalent of about $2, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Preston Wiginton, a white supremacist from Texas who sublets Duke's Moscow apartment when he travels to Russia, has written that his "best friends" in Russia  "the only nation that understands RAHOWA [Racial Holy War]"  are "leading skinheads."

Last year, he invited the ultranationalist Dugin to speak at his alma mater, Texas A&M University. This year he invited Spencer, who spoke there on Tuesday.

texas am university

Kevin MacDonald  who gave a speech at Spencer's NPI in late November about how "Jews remade America in their interests ... to make white America comfortable with massive non-white immigration and its own dispossession"  has written that the "demonization of Russia in Western media and political circles" is a Jewish campaign to undermine Putin.

"Russia under Vladimir Putin," he wrote, "has proved to be far more nationalistic than is good for the Jews or for Israel."

Heimbach, whose Traditionalist Workers Party was deemed an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, pushed back against claims that he is anti-Semitic. But he said he believes "the organized Jewish community" is heavily involved in "supporting movements that want to destroy nationalism."

"We call out those who are doing things that are hurting our people and are hurting the planet," he said, including "Jewish conglomerates" who are "ruthless cosmopolitans" and "dont have a home anywhere."

'Putin as the savior of Christian civilization'

The perception of Putin as a "lion of Christianity" is another prominent feature of the alt-right's affection for the Russian leader.

Christopher Stroop, a scholar whose work centers around modern Russian history, has characterized many of today's alt-right figures as 'Traditionalist International"  a movement centered around the supremacy and "shared blood" of white Christians inspired largely by Russia's religious, nationalist turn spearheaded by Putin at the start of his third term.

Putin has stirred up Russian nationalism by cultivating a closer relationship with the Russian Orthodox Church, which in turn has helped "project Russia as the natural ally of all those who pine for a more secure, illiberal world free from the tradition-crushing rush of globalization, multiculturalism and womens and gay rights," The New York Times' Andrew Higgins wrote in September.

putin

In July, Putin outlawed religious proselytizing in a crackdown on non-government-aligned churches. The Russian Orthodox Church was exempted from the ban.

"As the Russian Federation has drifted back to its Soviet roots more and more over the past 25 years, it has increasingly sought to harass, persecute, and destroy any religious organization that it might consider competition to its own 'state church,'" said Archbishop Andrew Maklakov, the administrator of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church of America.

Heimbach said he was baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church with his wife two years ago, but some Orthodox Christians in the English-speaking world have disputed that claim. Other reporting indicates that Heimbach may have been excommunicated from the church due to his extreme views.

In any case, Heimbach said he perceives Putin as fighting for the same values  "faith, family, and folk"  that guide his own party.

"To rebuild a nation, you have to be able to build up the people," Heimbach said. "And that requires having a strong moral foundation. Putin is fighting for faith, family, and folk. The fact that he's rebuilt tens of thousands of churches, allowed religious services to be broadcast on national television  all of that has been crucial to rebuilding Russia."

It has also been crucial to exporting Russia's "Slavophile version of moral superiority to the world," Stroop said, through figures like Alexsandr Dugin and institutions like the World Congress of Families (WCF).

The WCF, a US coalition that promotes right-wing Christian values, played a leading role in advocating for Russia's 2013 anti-LGBT law that makes it illegal to expose minors to LGBT "propaganda."

Larry Jacobs, WCF's managing director who first traveled to Russia in 2010 to attend a conference hosted by the Russian Sancity of Motherhood organization, has said that the Russians might be the Christian saviors of the world."

Former Fox News producer Jack Hanick, who serves on the WCF planning committee and spoke at the third Sanctity of Motherhood conference in Moscow in November 2013, was baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church earlier this year along with his wife and son.

putin church cathedral orthodox religion russia

"Modern Russia has returned to its Christian roots," Hanick wrote in an article for the New York Observer last year.

"There is a revival in Russian Orthodoxy with over 25,000 new churches built in Russia after the fall of Communism," he said. "On any Sunday, the churches are packed. Over 70% of the population identifies themselves as Orthodox Christians. Combine this religious revival with renewed Nationalism and Russia is growing in self-confidence."

Stroop noted that Americans involved with the World Congress of Families "have been looking to Russia as having the potential to 'save' Western civilization for a long time."

"Based on quotations from white nationalists and racists like Matthew Heimbach and Pat Buchanan," Stroop added, "I'd say they've certainly looked to Putin as the savior of Christian civilization."

For Heimbach, Putin's brand of orthodoxy, which opposes same-sex marriage, abortion, and globalism, "is the last institution standing for traditional values."

putin

And he's happy to see Putin working hard to export those values, even if that may be perceived as meddlesome and globalist in its own right.

"Putin is supporting traditionalism and self-determination, so meddle away," Heimbach said, laughing. "He is giving nationalists an opportunity to fight for the best interests of their nations, which in my view is a positive thing for everyone."

Stroop said that while Putin's embrace of traditional values in his third term "may have been initially about turning to Russian populism, it's really hard to separate foreign from domestic policy in this context"  something the Kremlin hasn't tried to do.

"Putinism is heavily influenced by the ideas of Dugin and that old Slavophlie/Pan-Slav Russian nationalist tradition at this point," Stroop said, pointing to the soft-power Russkiy Mir Foundation established by Putin in 2007. It was started, in cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church, to promote the idea of a "Russian World" of compatriots.

As of today, the foundation has a presence in 29 countries.

NOW WATCH: Donald Trump's 'strange' morning habit tells you everything you need to know about him





More From Business Insider


Donald Trump has said he wont take a salary as president, but theres another source of income the billionaire president-elect will keep: The paychecks from NBCs reality show Celebrity Apprentice.

Trumps spokeswoman confirmed this week that the president-elect will retain his executive producer title and continue taking a big stake in the reality show, which he co-produced with super-producer Mark Burnett (Survivor, The Voice).

How big? According to industry experts consulted by TheWrap, Trump is likely to make mid-to-high five figures per episode for his role as a passive executive producer, which typically involves limited to no work, at least on-set or in post-production. His total pay could wind up topping $1 million for the upcoming season of the new Celebrity Apprentice starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which premieres Jan. 2. (NBC declined to comment.)

Also Read: How Donald Trump's 'Apprentice' Stake Puts NBC in a Seriously Awkward Spot

Thats a big improvement over the $400,000 salary earned by the President of the United States.

Trump probably made well in excess of $1 million annually just for the talent side of his deal, as Apprentice host, according to a reality TV agent who spoke on condition of anonymity. But he lost that lucrative arrangement when NBC parted ways with him in 2015, as Trump kicked off his White House bid. The executive producer title and fees, however, remained part of Trumps contract with Burnett and the network  and those arent going away.

Speaking to reporters Friday, Schwarzenegger  himself an actor who turned to politics  depicted the arrangement as nothing new or unusual.

I knew that from the beginning that hes an executive producer on the show, he said. Its no different than when I was running for governor [of California], my credit on Terminator still said Schwarzenegger, and everything stayed the same. And I continued getting the royalties and all that stuff.

Story continues

Also Read: Arnold Schwarzenegger on 'Apprentice': I Kept Up Showbiz Relationships, Just Like Trump

Trumps deal, hammered out years ago, likely means that the Apprentice gravy train will keep rolling for years.

As executive producer, he is entitled to payments on derivatives of the show, which means money from international versions of the show, rebroadcasts and licensing for games, apps and the like. While Apprentice isnt nearly the merchandising powerhouse it was 10 or 12 years ago, it could still spit out some serious cash.

Related stories from TheWrap:

Arnold Schwarzenegger on 'Apprentice': I Kept Up Showbiz Relationships, Just Like Trump

How Donald Trump's 'Apprentice' Stake Puts NBC in a Seriously Awkward Spot

Donald Trump Will Keep 'Big Stake' in 'Celebrity Apprentice' After Taking Office
By James Davey and Kate Holton

LONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's new takeover approach for British pay-TV firm Sky (SKY.L) should be investigated by the UK's competition authorities, according to opposition politicians, though analysts said a deal should be easier to get through this time round.

Lib Dem Vince Cable, who was the business secretary at the time of Murdoch's first bid in 2010-11 told BBC radio the media tycoon's new takeover attempt would not be in the public interest.

Cable referred Murdoch's original bid to regulator Ofcom and said his latest offer should face the same scrutiny.

Tom Watson, deputy leader of the Labour Party and a critic of the Murdoch business family, also called on regulators to be ready to properly vet the deal - but did not oppose it outright.

On Friday, Murdoch's Twenty-First Century Fox (FOXA.O) said it had struck a preliminary deal to buy the 61 percent of Sky it does not own for around $14 billion (11.1 billion). It came five years after a political scandal wrecked his previous bid.

That attempt to buy Sky through his News Corp (NWSA.O) business provoked uproar among some UK politicians, who said it would give the billionaire owner of The Sun and The Times newspapers too much control over Britain's media.

It collapsed in 2011 when Murdoch's UK newspaper business was engulfed in a phone-hacking scandal. It intensified political opposition, resulted in a criminal trial, and led to the closure of his News of the World tabloid newspaper.

Cable said the issue was the same five years on.

"This is yet again a threat to media plurality, choice, just as it was six years ago when I referred this to the competition authorities and it should be investigated," he said.

"The ownership of the media, whether you're looking at press, radio, television is very highly concentrated and this makes it even more concentrated."

EASIER RIDE

However, analysts and Murdoch allies said Friday's proposal was likely to have an easier ride, partly because News Corp has now separated from Fox, which means the bidding firm no longer owns UK newspapers, and because there are little or no competition issues, with very significant changes in the market for news in the UK since 2010.

Story continues

They also said the British government was keen to promote investment in the wake of the Brexit vote and could present the deal as a sign of confidence in the economy.

"It's very likely that even if there is a plurality investigation that this will go through," Claire Enders of Enders Analysis told BBC radio. "It is a different situation and the entities have been structured differently."

Similarly Wilton Fry, analyst at stockbroker RBC Capital, saw "a high likelihood" of a deal being approved.

It will be up to Karen Bradley, the Conservative government's culture, media and sport minister to decide whether the plurality situation has materially changed since 2010.

"Will the government really say he can't own more than 39 percent of it? I don't think so," David Yelland, a former editor of Murdoch's Sun newspaper, told Reuters.

"It takes a lot of negative energy to block a deal like this and I just dont see it happening this time around."

(Editing by Jeremy Gaunt and Ros Russell)
Police Officer Aml Elsokary at a press conference with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio following her alleged attack. (Image: CNN/NY1)

A group of Muslim New York City police officers, including a cop who was a victim of an alleged hate crime earlier this month, has asked to meet with President-elect Donald Trump. Thus far Trump has not responded to their request.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams wrote to Trump on Dec. 6 (see below) to ask him to meet with Officer Aml Elsokary and several of her colleagues from the NYPD Muslim Officers Society. Elsokary was the victim of an alleged hate crime in Brooklyn last weekend, when she said she saw a man shoving her 16-year-old son. Elsokary, who was off-duty at the time, said the man then referred to her as a member of the Islamic State terrorist group, threatened to cut her throat and told her to go back to her country. Christopher Nelson, 36, was arrested and charged with menacing as a hate crime.

The push for a meeting with Trump came after Elsokary and other members of the NYPD Muslim Officers Society appeared at Brooklyn Borough Hall with Adams to discuss the incident. Elsokary, who was cited for bravery by the department in 2014 after she and her partner rushed into a burning building to save a baby, delivered tearful remarks in which she predicted that New Yorkers are going to be there to help me and be supportive. After they spoke, Adams brought up the idea of arranging a meeting with Trump. Elsokary and the other officers asked him to set it up.

In his letter to Trump, Adams cited the NYPDs claim that there has been a 115 percent spike in hate crimes in New York City since Election Day. Adams, a former police officer, described this as part of a national trend driven by deep tensions that have persisted around our great country in the weeks following a long and arduous national election and the rhetoric of this campaign season.

Trump has been criticized for using divisive rhetoric during his presidential campaign, particularly his hard-line stance against Muslim immigration to the U.S. Though Trump has called for any of his supporters who have participated in racist attacks or incidents of vandalism to stop, the president-elect has taken heat for not doing more to denounce hate crimes. In his letter, Adams said Trump could offer guidance and reassurance to the countrys larger Muslim-American community.

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This meeting request is rooted in both deep substance and symbolism. The 900 Muslim-American members of our nations largest police department, part of a greater law enforcement fraternity that encompasses thousands of our citizens and their families, deserve guidance on how they will be protected amid this uncertain national climate, just as they protect our streets every day, Adams wrote. Moreover the welfare of these officers speaks to the greater welfare of the millions of law-abiding Muslim-Americans, many of whom are fearful at this critical juncture in our history, he added.

Yahoo News reached out to Trumps presidential transition team to see if he would meet with the officers. Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said she believed that Trump had received Adams letter but was unsure if the meeting would be scheduled.

I just dont have an update on the status of this, Hicks wrote Friday.

In a statement to Yahoo News, Adams said he would bring the Muslim officers message to Trumps Manhattan headquarters, Trump Tower, even if they were not invited to meet with the president-elect.

President-elect Trump needs to hear from and respond to the concerns of Officer Elsokary and other Muslim members of our law enforcement community. They are not only the first line of defense on our streets; they are ambassadors of the American diversity that they represent, and millions of their brother and sister citizens are as concerned about their welfare as they are their own. Whether or not we have an invitation to Trump Tower, I promise that their message will be directly delivered, said Adams.

According to a source in Adams office, the Brooklyn borough president and Officer Elsokary plan to visit Trump Tower to deliver another letter in the coming days if they are not invited to meet with Trump.
A new world order

In his new book, Ruchir Sharma, an economist who specialises on emerging economies, revitalises the jargon-laden field of economics as a practical art that is based not just on numbers and figures but rather through sensible observations of the world.
An 18-year-old Long Island Muslim teenager, who claimed she was harassed on a New York City subway last week, has has now been reported missing, according to the Nassau County Police Department.

Yasmin Seweid was last seen leaving her home in New Hyde Park, Long Island, at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday wearing a black jacket, black head scarf, black yoga pants and a blue sweater. Police say she also carried a bag containing clothing.

The Nassau County Police Department Missing Persons Squad is asking anyone with information to call 516-573-7347 or call 911.

The teenager made headlines when she wrote a post on Facebook describing her ordeal.

I was harassed on the subway last night and it was just so dehumanizing I cant speak about it without getting emotional, she wrote on Dec. 2. Three white racists ripped the straps off my bag & attempted to yank my hijab off my head. They yelled such disgusting slurs at me, I was so helpless and felt defenseless.

Seweid wrote that the people harassing her were yelling, Look its a fing terrorist, go back to your country and take that rag off your head. She said the traumatic event made her realize that despite her education and upbringing, she would never been seen as American by others.

No matter how cultured or Americanized I am, these people dont see me as an American, she wrote, adding, It breaks my heart that so many individuals chose to be bystanders while watching me get harassed verbally and physically by these disgusting pigs.

As well as verbally abusing her, she claims her assailants were repeatedly yelling President-elect Donald Trumps name.

Trump America is real and I witnessed it first hand last night! the student wrote. Please stay safe everyone & never let anyone take your rights away.




Jerusalem (AFP) - A close ally of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday he would prefer Arab Israelis not to vote in parliamentary elections.

David Bitan, chairman of Netanyahu's governing coalition and a lawmaker from the premier's Likud party, said it would have been better if Arab Israelis "didn't go to the polls at all", in comments broadcast by Channel 10 television station.

"Ninety-five percent of them (Israeli Arab voters) vote for the Joint List, which doesn't represent the Arab Israelis but Palestinian interests," he said.

The Joint List holds 13 of the 120 seats in parliament, and is the third largest bloc in the legislature.

The head of the Joint List reacted on Twitter, accusing Bitan and the Israeli government of "racism".

Arab Israelis -- who make up around 18 percent of Israel's population -- are the descendants of Palestinians who remained on their land after the creation of Israel in 1948.

Although they are citizens of the Jewish state, they largely see themselves as Palestinians.

Bitan was replying to a question about controversial comments Netanyahu made during the March 17, 2015 elections, appealing to his supporters to go to the polls to counter a high turnout among Arab Israelis.

The premier said at the time: "The rule of the rightwing is in danger. Arab voters are going to the polls in droves!"

Bitan has also made controversial statements.

Last month, he faced criticism for saying the Facebook posts of journalists showed they wanted to impose a "leftwing" agenda in public broadcasting.

In October, he called for a rights group chief who condemned Israeli settlement construction at the United Nations to be stripped of his citizenship.

The government that emerged from last year's elections is one of the most rightwing in Israel's history.
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Adam Padilla, the Co-Founder and Director of Branding for BrandFire, is responsible for the latest bit of fakery to flood the internet.

Luckily, this time it's all in good fun.

Padilla made an image of a Fisher-Price Happy Hour Playset in Photoshop; the playset supposedly features a bar, stool and plastic beer bottles for kids to play with.

SEE ALSO: 'Lives are at risk:' Hillary Clinton blasts fake news

Padilla likes to post humorous original images on his Instagram account adam.the.creator  and this has been one of his most successful posts.

"My 21 month-old daughter gave me the idea while playing on her kitchen playset at our apartment," Padilla told Mashable. I mentioned to my wife, Willow, that it would be hilarious if a major toy company created a bar set for toddlers.

"The next day I Photoshopped the package design and posted it on my Instagram with a caption that made it seem like it was an actual product. Many of my fellow 'meme friends' like black_humorist, thedailylit and highfiveexpert got a kick out of it, but it really took off the next day when someone posted it on Facebook and Reddit."

Whom wants this for Xmas?  A photo posted by Adam The Creator  (@adam.the.creator) on Dec 5, 2016 at 12:46pm PST

Most of the responses Padilla has seen have been positive ones  with many social media users wishing it were a real product.

"The reaction has been absolutely incredible," Padilla says. "Most people recognize that it is a joke, and think it is hilarious. Many of my close friends have seen it passed around their individual social circles with comments like, 'you should buy this for your nephew!' It seems that people really got a good laugh, which is awesome."

Some parents even posted on Fisher-Price's Facebook page, urging the toy manufacturer to consider the fake product.

Image: FISHER-PRICE/FACEBOOK

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Image: FISHER-PRICE/FACEBOOK

Image: FISHER-PRICE/FACEBOOK

Of course, some people didn't realize the playset was a joke, and expressed their shock on Fisher-Price's Facebook page.

Image: fisher-price/facebook

Image: FISHER-PRICE/FACEBOOK

Padilla was pleasantly surprised by the toymaker's response.

"Fisher-Price even issued a release that recognized the humor and assured parents that they are not involved in the parody," he told Mashable. It's refreshing to see a major brand so hip to culture that it took the joke in stride and reacted in a very human way  with reason, humor and intelligence. But overall it has been a lot of fun to see the story go national."

There's a serious side to this fake product news, however. Padilla thinks it is an important reminder of how it's important to be vigilant on the internet.

"It goes to show the power of the internet to take a story viral," he says. "The right mix of pop culture and realism, with a bit of technical skill can really send something around the world pretty quickly.

"Its amazing to see and hopefully can inspire some creative thinking out there. Most importantly, I feel like its crucial to scrutinize what you see online and not be too quick to accept things as factual just because you saw them posted someplace.

"Use your judgement and be smart about what you read. A lot of this is just common sense."

BONUS: This triple spiral of 15,000 dominoes falling down is incredibly satisfying to watch
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Norway has expressed concern over a planned Israeli bill that would allow expanded construction in major West Bank settlements.

Marit Berger Roesland of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that the proposed law "cast doubts about Israel's declared support for the two-state solution."

The contentious bill that Israel's parliament backed this week would retroactively legalize hundreds of homes in West Bank settlements that sit on private Palestinian land.

Another Scandinavian country, Sweden  whose relations with Israel have been strained since it recognized Palestinian statehood in 2014  said last month that it is "deeply concerned" about the bill. Sweden said such settlements are contrary to "Israeli and international law," and "greatly undermine" the possibility of a two-state solution.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Sweden expressed concern about the bill last month, not on Friday.
The International Documentary Assn. has named Ezra Edelmans O.J.: Made in America as the top feature documentary of 2016.

Netflixs Making a Murderer won the Best Limited Series TV Award for exec producers Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi. Best Curated Series went to to DR TVs DR2 Dokumania for exec producer Mette Hoffmann Meyer; Best Episodic Series Award to Netflixs Last Chance U for exec producers Joe LaBracio, Dawn Ostroff, Lucas Smith, James Stern and Greg Whiteley; and Best Short Form Series Award to Field of Vision for exec producers Charlotte Cook, Laura Poitras and AJ Schnack.

O.J.: Made in America, an analysis of race and celebrity in America through the story of O.J. Simpson, topped Ava DuVernays 13th, Cameraperson, Fire at Sea, I Am Not Your Negroand Weiner. All six IDA nominees were included on the 15-title shortlist, unveiled Dec. 6, as finalists for the Best Documentary by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The eight-hour long O.J.: Made in America premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January 22 and was released in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles in May before being aired in five parts on ABC and ESPN. The Look of Silence won the IDA award last year, then lost out at the Oscars to Amy.

The IDA unveiled the winners in ceremonies Friday night at the Paramount lot in Hollywood with Vivica A. Fox hosting.

The White Helmets, directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, won the Best Short Award. The film centers on the volunteer workers who put their lives on the line to save civilians amidst Syrias Civil War.

The White Helmets topped Kirsten Johnsons The Above; Maxim Pozdorovkins Clinica de Migrantes: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness; Dan Krausss Extremis; Amy Nicholsons Pickle; and Billy Luthers Red Lake.

Winners in the Best Feature and Best Short categories are voted on by IDAs international membership.

Previously announced creative awards went to Fire at Sea (cinematography by Gianfranco Rosi) will be recognized with the award for Best Cinematography; Cameraperson (edited by Nels Bangerter) will receive the Best Editing award; The Bad Kids (original score by Jacaszek) will be presented with the Best Music award; and I Am Not Your Negro (written by James Baldwin and Raoul Peck) will receive the Best Writing award.

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Previously announced awards included Lyn and Norman Lear for the Amicus Award for their work supporting documentary film and freedom of speech; Stanley Nelson for the Career Achievement Award for his extensive body of work on the African American experience; Ally Derks for the Pioneer Award in recognition of her work founding and building the International Documentary Festival of Amsterdam; and director Nanfu Wang for the Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award.

The Pare Lorentz Award was given to Starless Dreams, directed by Mehrdad Oskouei, which tells the story of girls from a rehabilitation center for juvenile delinquents in Tehran and their desire to return to freedom.

Attendees included DuVernay, Peck, Vinnie Malhotra, Ron Yerxa, Amy Ziering, Julie Goldman, Moby, Troy Garity, Willie Garson, Annabeth Gish and Bijou Phillips.

The awards ceremony also included the announcement by The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for a four-year, $5 million grant to establish the IDA Documentary/Journalism Project. The project is aimed at helping documentarians to report important stories more effectively; journalists to utilize film more artfully; and all who work in these fields to achieve their goals with greater safety and impact.

The MacArthur Foundation supports independent inquiry and storytelling that helps to inform, engage and inspire the American public to think critically and deeply about the challenges we face as a nation, said Kathy Im, Director of the Journalism and Media program at MacArthur, Support for this new fund at IDA is an expression of the Foundations enduring commitment to independent media, and part of a broader set of investments aimed at building strong institutions in the fields of nonprofit journalism, nonfiction storytelling, and participatory civic media.

The 2016 award winners selected by members of the International Documentary Association are as follows:

Best Feature Award

O.J.: Made in America

Director: Ezra Edelman

Producers: Deirdre Fenton, Libby Geist, Nina Krstic, Erin Leyden, Tamara Rosenberg, Connor Schell and Caroline Waterlow

ESPN

Best Short Award

The White Helmets

Director: Orlando von Einsiedel

Producer: Joanna Natasegara

NETFLIX

Best Curated Series Award

DR2 Dokumania

Executive Producer: Mette Hoffmann Meyer

DR TV

Best Limited Series Award

Making a Murderer

Executive Producers: Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi

NETFLIX

Best Episodic Series Award

Last Chance U

Executive Producers: Joe LaBracio, Dawn Ostroff, Lucas Smith, James Stern and Greg Whiteley

NETFLIX

Best Short Form Series Award

Field of Vision

Executive Producers: Charlotte Cook, Laura Poitras and AJ Schnack

FIELD OF VISION

David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award

4.1 Miles

Director: Daphne Matziaraki

UC BERKELEY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM

ABC News VideoSource Award

13th

Director: Ava DuVernay

NETFLIX

Pare Lorentz Award

Starless Dreams

Director: Mehrdad Oskouei

THE CINEMA GUILD

CREATIVE RECOGNITION AWARD WINNERS

Best Cinematography

Fire at Sea

Cinematography by: Gianfranco Rosi

KINO LORBER

Best Editing

Cameraperson

Edited by: Nels Bangerter

JANUS FILMS

Best Writing

I Am Not Your Negro

James Baldwin material compiled and edited by Raoul Peck

MAGNOLIA PICTURES, INDEPENDENT LENS

Best Music

The Bad Kids

Original Score by: Jacaszek

FILMRISE, ITVS

HONOREES

Career Achievement Award

Stanley Nelson

Pioneer Award

Ally Derks

Amicus Award

Lyn and Norman Lear

Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award

Nanfu Wang

Related stories

Oscars: Documentary 'O.J.: Made in America' Passes First Academy Test

'Eagle Huntress,' 'O.J.: Made in America' Among Producers Guild Documentary Film Nominees

Judge Orders 'Making a Murderer's' Brendan Dassey Be Released From Prison
(This story published on Dec. 8 corrects paragraph 3 and 27 to remove the "neighbor" reference as Danielle Boudreaux was not a neighbor) By Heather Somerville, Kristina Cooke and Dan Levine (Reuters) - In the two years leading up to the fire at an Oakland, California warehouse that killed 36 people at a dance party late last week, city officials had entered the building on numerous occasions and had multiple opportunities to see that residents were illegally living there in hazardous conditions. The Oakland Police Department received dozens of complaints about the warehouse, and went inside at least half a dozen times, according to police reports and accounts from former tenants and visitors. A former friend and tenant also say city fire officials were in the building at least twice. Those who spent time in the artists' cooperative known as the "Ghost Ship," say that potential code violations would have been apparent to anyone entering the building, which was not permitted for residence. Living quarters with narrow, winding halls were built from scrap materials, including highly flammable wooden pallets. Nails were exposed, plumbing improvised and a makeshift stairway to the second floor was extremely hazardous, they say. "If you opened the door and stepped even three feet inside it would be grossly apparent to anyone that it wasn't just being used as a warehouse or a workspace," said former Ghost Ship neighbor Ben Acevedo, 45, who estimates he made about 60 calls to police about the property over 16 months to report noise, blight and illegal occupancy. On Wednesday, amid questions about why the city did not act to shut down the warehouse, an Oakland official said that code enforcement personnel had not entered the building in 30 years. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said she did not know the last time fire inspectors had gone inside. She did not mention police visits, but said the city would launch a new effort "to clarify the responsibility of city employees to properly report any observations of dangerous living conditions or illegal events." LIFE IN THE GHOST SHIP The Ghost Ship collective was founded by Derick Ion Almena, who leased the warehouse and lived in it with his wife and three children, as well as artists to whom he rented space. Fights, raucous parties and complaints about thefts drew police to the scene numerous times during the collective's tenancy. Almena did not responded to several requests for comment. In January 2015, officers responding to reports of a fight went inside the warehouse, attempted to locate "a stolen cellphone," and "canvassed the area and the building for the suspect," according to a police report. Court records show that two children were present. A person who was there at the time, but declined to be named for fear of retribution, said the officers' search took them into parts of the building where people were clearly residing, including the bathroom and shower area as well as the kitchen, which was full of food and dishes. The previous year, tenants Adriana Sparkuhl and her boyfriend reported a robbery at the warehouse to police, records show. Sparkuhl, now 31, says the report stemmed from a dispute with Almena when she and her boyfriend moved out. Sparkuhl said she also told the officers that people, including Almena's three children, were living in the warehouse illegally and that the police said they would pay the Ghost Ship a visit. She does not know whether they did. In July 2014, about a month after Sparkuhl filed her report, police entered the foyer of the warehouse while investigating a homicide at a Wendy's fast-food restaurant across the street, according to a resident at the time. From where they stood, the officers would have seen the kitchen area and at least one RV, said then-resident Brad Evans, 21. Police asked Almena's three children whether they lived there, Evans recalled, and the children responded that they did. Former resident Shelley Mack, 58, said she called police to escort her from the building when she moved out in February 2015. "They saw everything," Mack said, adding that she told them about the illegal residents. "I told them everything they needed to know. They didn't have to guess." OFFICIAL RESPONSE EYED Oakland police have not responded to Reuters' request for the call log of service requests to the Ghost Ship. City officials have not yet released fire inspection reports also requested by Reuters, citing a delay due to a criminal investigation of the fire by the district attorney's office. Barry Donelan, the president of the Oakland Police Officers' Association said it was "ludicrous" to expect rank-and-file police officers to report building code violations. "Are you familiar with the crime in Oakland? These guys are going from call to call and now we are responsible for code enforcement too?" he asked. NBC Bay Area reported citing sources that there was no record of a fire inspection at the Ghost Ship over the last decade. At least one resident and also a neighbor, however, recalled visits by fire officials to the warehouse. Ghost Ship resident Libby Physh said a fire official visited the building twice when she lived there during the summer and fall of 2014. She said the fire official saw "how much building was going on" inside the warehouse and wanted to ensure there were clearly marked exits. Otherwise, Physh said, he "did not say anything negative" about the space. Danielle Boudreaux, a one-time friend of Almena and his wife, said that Almena told her around January 2015 that a fire official had recently visited the warehouse and "was breathing down" his neck. "If you get all these complaints for the same address you'd think they'd take it more seriously, would make it a priority," said Acevedo, the former neighbor. (Additional reporting by Curtis Skinner; editing by Sue Horton, G Crosse)
2016 is almost over, and so is President Obama's last year in office.

While the Obama family certainly has charmed us throughout the last eight years, 2016 was extra special -- we saw Michelle shine, Sasha and Malia grow up, and Barack do his best to embarrass his daughters.

Here are the 12 best moments (in no particular order, because how could we ever rate them) from the Obamas' last year in the White House.

Michelle Delivers Powerful DNC Speech

The first lady captivated the country with the emotional speech she delivered during the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in July, reflecting on the last eight years, and how her daughters have been affected by their life in the White House.

Barack and Michelle Dance to Usher

Tonight is all about Love & Happiness. Watch at 9P/8C on @BET. #ThankYouObama pic.twitter.com/iVXSY1DmIM  Usher Raymond IV (@Usher) November 16, 2016

The couple that gets down to Usher together, stays together -- and Barack and Michelle did just that while jamming out to Usher's performance during BET's Love & Happiness: an Obama Celebration in November.

Michelle Slays Her State Dinner Fashion

Getty Images

The first lady decided to head out with a bang, as she stunned in a gorgeous rose gold Atelier Versace dress during the Obamas' Italy state dinner -- their last in the office -- in October.

Michelle's Hilarious Barack Impression

After 24 years of marriage, Michelle has honed her impression of Barack pretty well -- and graciously shared her skills during an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in September.

Michelle Stuns on the Cover of Vogue

Vogue Magazine

Michelle shut down the fashion game as Vogue's December cover star -- her third time on the front page of the magazine. Dressed in a white Carolina Herrera gown and Monique Pean earrings, Michelle proved exactly why she's "the first lady the world fell in love with."

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Barack Serenades Malia on Her 18th Birthday

President Barack Obama singing Happy Birthday to his daughter Malia Obama. #4thOfJuly pic.twitter.com/fiuVeFqxzN  Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) July 5, 2016

Malia Obama just so happens to share a birthday with the country her dad governs, so it's only fitting that Barack would take a little time during the White House's Fourth of July celebration to sing his daughter "Happy Birthday" -- and embarrass her in front of all of the evening's guests.

Barack Reveals Sasha Has a Twitter Account

Journalists right now scouring Twitter to find Sasha obama's Twitter account pic.twitter.com/qNKBuP6DhM  LaRon Hickman (@LHNetwork) July 5, 2016

Just a day after his sweet serenade to Malia, the commander in chief embarrassed his other daughter, Sasha, by revealing that she has a secret Twitter account. "Everybody can tweet, but nobody actually knows what it takes to do the job until you've sat behind the desk," Barack said during a campaign speech for Hillary Clinton, taking a little dig at Donald Trump. "I mean, Sasha tweets, but she doesn't think that she thereby should be sitting behind the desk!"

Michelle Does the Mannequin Challenge

An end of the year list just doesn't seem complete without a Mannequin Challenge, and Michelle Obama didn't disappoint. The first lady put her spin on the social media craze in an amazing video filmed during the Cleveland Cavaliers' visit to the White House.

Malia Announces She's Going to Harvard

Getty Images

Malia's all grown up! Barack and Michelle announced in May that their 18-year-old daughter will be taking a gap year before starting college in the fall of 2017 -- at Harvard University!

Barack Serves Up His Thanksgiving Dad Jokes For the Last Time

Getty Images

While Sasha and Malia peaced out for the White House tradition -- "they couldn't take my jokes anymore," Barack joked -- the president made sure his final turkey pardon was as pun-filled as ever. "No way I'm cutting this habit cold turkey," he said, promising to embarrass his daughters with live turkeys and plenty of jokes for years to come.



Malia and Sasha Attend Their First State Dinner

Pete Souza/White House

After nearly eight years in the white house, Malia and Sasha finally attended their first state dinner in March, shocking the country -- and their own father -- with their elegant debut. "When I was first elected to this office, Malia was just 10 and Sasha was 7. And they grow up too fast. Now Malia is going off to college," Barck said at the dinner, "and I'm starting to choke up."

Sasha Freaks Out Over Ryan Reynolds

Pete Souza/White House

In perhaps the greatest moment of 2016, Sasha Obama proved she's just like us -- by taking a moment at her first state dinner to fangirl over Ryan Reynolds. We feel you, girl. We feel you.

EXCLUSIVE: Michelle Obama on Sasha and Malia's First State Dinner: 'They Got to Do the Big Girl Dress-Up Thing'

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When a pulsar and a star get into a relationship, its always a cannibalistic one. The pulsar, which is a rotating neutron star, feeds off of gas gravitationally pulled from the companion, eventually turning into a millisecond pulsar that has a rotational period of between 1 and 10 milliseconds.

As a pulsar rotates, it emits high-energy radiation into the cosmic void, similar to a lighthouse casting beams of light. If this beam of high-energy radiation is pointed toward the Earth, the pulsars can be detected using telescopes.

In recent years, astronomers studying these millisecond pulsars (MSPs) have observed that every now and then these objects can turn off  stop emitting beams of radiation  and return to a state in which they are once again siphoning off material from their companion. This phenomenon, which can repeat many times, is still not completely understood.

A new study published in the latest edition of the Astrophysical Journal suggests that in many MSP binary systems, the companion stars strong magnetic field may be responsible for switching the pulsar on and off intermittently. The study, based on observations of one of the fastest-spinning pulsars in our galaxy by a professional astrophysicist and an amateur astronomer, is also the first to describe the detection of star spots on an MSPs companion star.

The dataset was unlike anything I had ever seen, study co-author John Antoniadis  an astrophysicist at the University of Toronto  said in a statement, referring to the observations made by Andre van Staden, an amateur astronomer from South Africa.

This MSP, located 2,500 light-years away in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius, consists of a rapidly rotating neutron star and a companion, separated by a distance of just over 1.2 million miles.

When van Staden observed the MSP over a 15-month period, he noticed an unexpected rise and fall in the companion stars brightness  one that wasnt in sync with its orbital period.

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Antoniadis and van Staden concluded that this was caused by starspots, the equivalent of our Suns sunspots, and that the spots were lowering the brightness of the star, the University of Torontos Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics explained in the statement. Whats more, the spots were much larger relative to the companion stars diameter than our Suns sunspots.

The existence of a strong magnetic field was itself inferred from the presence of these starspots.

The researchers suggest that this magnetic field  rather than the pulsars stellar wind and radiation  may be turning off the MSP, creating asymmetrical optical light curves.

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In the week ended December 9, the number of rigs drilling for oil in the United States totaled 498 up by 21 compared with the prior week and down by 26 compared with a total of 524 a year ago. Including 125 other rigs drilling for natural gas and one rig listed as "miscellaneous," there are a total of 624 working rigs in the country, up by 27 week over week and down 85 year over year. The data come from the latest Baker Hughes North American Rotary Rig Count released on Friday.

This is the largest weekly increase since April of 2014, when West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil was trading at roughly double its current price.

WTI crude oil for January delivery traded up about 1.3% on Friday to settle at $51.48. Crude prices actually slipped about 0.2% week over week. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported last Wednesday that crude supplies had decreased by 2.4 million barrels in the week ended December 2, and that gasoline supplies had risen by 3.4 million barrels.

ALSO READ: America's Richest Cities

As if to underscore the solid rise in crude prices since November 30, energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie said on Friday that it expects oil and gas exploration firms should return to profitability in 2017 and have a good chance of posting double-digit returns compared with the meager single-digit returns for the past five years.

Perhaps the most surprising statement in the firm's outlook came from Vice President for Exploration Andrew Latham:

More than half of the volumes are expected to be found in deep water. Here some well costs will fall to US$30 million or less, with full-cycle economics that are positive at less than US$50 per barrel. 

The industry is focusing on acreage capture and re-loading for the longer term. Companies willing to sign acreage with firm 2017 wells may be spoilt for choice. A spate of new licensing in outer slope plays will continue as explorers digest news of better-than-expected reservoir quality and source rock potential in these ultra-deepwater settings.

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ALSO READ: The Worst Companies to Work For

The number of rigs drilling for oil in the United States is down by 26 year over year but up 21 week over week. The natural gas rig count increased by six to a total of 125. The count for natural gas rigs is down by 60 year over year. Natural gas for January delivery closed the week at $3.72 per million BTUs, up 26 cents on the near-month contract compared with the prior week.

Hedge funds  under the Managed Money heading in the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC's) weekly Commitments of Traders report  dropped 53,502 short contracts for WTI crude oil last week, and added 30,343 long contracts. The movement reflects changes as of the December 6 settlement date. Managed money now holds 351,457 long positions compared with 108,932 short positions. Open interest totaled 2,098,290. There were 41 hedge funds with large short positions last week, down from 48 in the prior week.

ALSO READ: Why Merrill Lynch Now Has the Highest AMD Target of All Over Intel and NVIDIA

Managed money dropped 53.5 million barrels from their short positions and added 30.34 million barrels to their long positions last week. Adding in options, hedgies closed the reporting period holding more than 350 million barrels on long contracts compared with just 80 million short contracts.

Among the producers themselves, short positions outnumber longs 595,937 to 323,194. The number of short positions rose by 41,846 contracts last week, and longs added 32,473 contracts. Positions among swaps dealers show 296,009 short contracts versus 169,391 long positions. Swaps dealers added 42,242 contracts to their short positions last week and dropped 43,061 contracts from their long positions.

U.S. refineries ran at 90.4% of capacity, a week-over-week increase of about 134,000 barrels a day. Imports rose by about 755,000 barrels a day, to over 8.3 million barrels a day in the week.

Among the states, Texas added 17 rigs last week, Colorado added six, Wyoming added three, Pennsylvania added two and four states  Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, and North Dakota  added one rig each. Alaska, Louisiana and Oklahoma each lost one rig last week.

ALSO READ: 18 Biggest Companies That May IPO in 2017

In the Permian Basin of west Texas and southeastern New Mexico, the rig count now stands at 246, up 11 compared with the previous week's count. The Eagle Ford Basin in south Texas has 43 rigs in operation, up by three week over week, and the Williston Basin (Bakken) in North Dakota and Montana now has 32 working rigs, up one for the week.

Enterprise Products Partners lists a December 3 posted price of $47.95 per barrel for WTI and $49.40 a barrel for Eagle Ford crude. The price for WTI and Eagle Ford crudes fell by 18 cents a barrel in the week.

The pump price of regular gasoline rose by more than three cents a gallon week over week. Saturday morning's average price in the United States was $2.205 a gallon, up $0.033 compared with $2.172 a week ago. The year-ago price was $2.010 a gallon.

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Bringing Shankhadhar to life

Nepals first animated movie, The Legend of Shankhadhar, a bilingual which is titled Shankhadhar Ko Kathaa in Nepali and Shankhadhar Yaa Baakha in Nepal Bhasa, will be screened publicly in Nepal from the second week of December.
By Chen Aizhu and Catherine Ngai

BEIJING/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil traders and major producers are lining up a flotilla of carriers to ship more U.S. crude to Asia in December than in nearly two decades as higher prices, supported by OPEC's proposed supply cuts, offer a rare opportunity to boost sales to the region.

A 40-year U.S. ban on crude exports was lifted in 2015 but only a few cargoes have shipped during a global glut in supply. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries last week agreed to its first supply cut in eight years as the cartel sought to end the two-year glut.

As peak winter demand kicks in, the difference between benchmark crude prices in the United States, Asia and Europe has widened to the most since August and opened up the trade route.

"I think Asia is going to pull lots of U.S. oil," one trader said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly on trading. "There's lots of interest in this."

Trading houses and oil majors are lining up ships that could take as much as 7 million barrels to Asia, traders and brokers said. But actual shipments may be less as increased supplies make exports less profitable.

So far, more than 2 million barrels of crude have been chartered to China in December by Chinese state-owned oil traders PetroChina <601857.SS> and Unipec, three sources with knowledge of the matter said on Friday. They requested anonymity because they were unauthorized to talk to the media.

Those two cargoes would fall short of the record volume of oil departing to China, reached in January 1997, by the equivalent of just one vessel, according to U.S. government data.

"We haven't exported a lot previously to Asia because there's a lot of costs, a lot of logistics and there's always been OPEC," said Carl Larry, director of business development for oil and gas at Frost & Sullivan.

"We're fairly new to this export game, but once we figure it out, we'll make it work. The U.S. looks to be pushing out as much as we can."

Story continues

The flow of oil will help drain U.S. inventories, which are some 32.2 million barrels higher than the same time last year and a concern for OPEC.

Saudi Arabia has told U.S. customers that it would reduce supply in January as part of that deal, and was singling out the United States for the biggest cuts because of inventories, said a Gulf oil industry source familiar with Saudi policy.

U.S. inventories touched 485.8 million barrels in the week through Dec. 2, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data. This was some 32.2 million barrels more than a year ago and 137.4 million barrels more than in 2014.

The spread between U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude and Brent crude, the global benchmark <WTCLc1-LCOc1>, stood around $1.85 a barrel on Friday and hit $2.29 on Tuesday, the widest since August.

A narrowing of the spread between Brent and Middle East Dubai crude <DUB-EFS-1M> to the smallest in a year also made U.S. oil more competitive than similar Middle East grades.

But the Saudis have not reduced supply to the world's fastest growing demand centers because it does not want to lose customers there. That means demand for additional U.S. supplies would be limited and spreads between prices would likely narrow as more crude cargoes are set to move east.

PetroChina has chartered the London Spirit, a Suezmax which loaded some crude in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA), Texas, earlier this month, according to the sources and shipping data on Thomson Reuters Eikon.

Unipec, the trading arm of Asia's largest refiner Sinopec <600028.SS>, is expected to load 2 million barrels of U.S. crude onto very large crude carrier (VLCC) Xin Han Yang next week, one of the sources said.

The shipments would come on top of nearly 3 million barrels that BP <BP.L> has sent to Asia as oil traders sell growing supplies of cheap U.S. shale oil to the region of the world that consumes the most crude.

It will be Unipec's second shipment of U.S. crude in three months. In October, the company loaded oil on VLCC Overseas Rosalyn which is expected to reach the southern Chinese port of Zhanjiang on Dec 31.

(Additiona reporting by Florence Tan in SINGAPORE, Osamu Tsukimori in TOKYO and Liz Hampton in HOUSTON; Editing by Simon Webb and Richard Chang)
Pamela Anderson continues to defend WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange.

The actress, 49, brought a vegan lunch to Assange, who has been staying in the Ecuadorian Embassy since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, back in October and hand-delivered even more goodies last month. And now, in a statement released to PEOPLE, the star says Assange should be allowed to go freely.

Its crazy that Julian is still being held as a political prisoner  after the UN has stated (and recently for a second time) that there is no reason for his detention and has ordered that the UK and Sweden release him, she said in the statement. Earlier this year, a United Nations panel said that Assange was being arbitrarily detained by the Swedish and British governments and asked for them to release him.

Assange is not being held at the Ecuadorian Embassy against his will but refuses to leave it as he is afraid that he will be extradited to Sweden once he steps on British soil. Assange was accused of rape by a woman in Sweden in 2010 and was placed under arrest in absentia  but not formally charged  for rape and sexual assault. All counts, except for the rape charge, expired in August 2015. The rape charge will expire in 2020 if the Swedish authorities do not formally charge him.

Assange has long denied these charges and, earlier this week, released his response to the Swedish prosecutors questions about the case, according to the New York Times. The WikiLeaks editor says that he fears that if he is extradited to Sweden that he could potentially be extradited to the United States on supposed espionage charges in relation to WikiLeaks.

Julian is an editor and a publisher, the Baywatch star continued. There are laws in place to protect him. But they are not being applied. He still cannot leave the Embassy of Ecuador in London while elaborate plots against him and made up sexual allegations could result in him being extradited to the US  where he would not be treated fairly  because of his exposure of truths.

Story continues

WikiLeaks was at the center of much of the controversy surrounding this years U.S. presidential election. The website shared thousands of hacked emails from major Democratic figures, including Hillary Clintons campaign chairman John Podesta and members of the Democratic National Convention. Some Democratic critics viewed WikiLeaks focus on the DNC and the Clinton campaign as an effort to thwart her campaign efforts.

He is a hero, Anderson says of Assange. One day everyone will realize. But until now, this man has missed 7 Christmases with his children and is kept in difficult and tremendously stressful conditions-while doing us all a great service. Everyone in the world has benefited because of WikiLeaks  he has sacrificed so much  to simply share the truth.

RELATED VIDEO: 5 Biggest Revelations: WikiLeaks Hack of Clinton Campaign Emails

Anderson ended her statement with a plea to release charges against two other famous whistleblowers, Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning. Snowden now resides in asylum in Russia after the American government charged him with violating the Espionage Act and stealing government property, while Manning is two years into her 35-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth military prison for furnishing 700,000 classified documents to WikiLeaks.

He should be pardoned and protected when set free. Along with Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning.

On Wednesday, Anderson took to Twitter to publish a post, in which she quoted the headline of an article she shared, Free Julian Assange (or at least your fking mind).




A 16-year-old girl, who died from emaciation, was allegedly tortured and starved by her parents, according to court documents.

Natalie Finn died on October 24., and her mother Nicole Marie Finn, 42, and father Joseph Michael Finn, were arrested Thursday and charged in connection with her death.

Read: Man Put His Parents' Bodies in Acid After Killing and Dismembering Them: Cops

According to court documents, Nicole Finn killed her daughter "intentionally, willfully, deliberately, with premeditation and malice aforethought."

Nicole and Joseph Finn are accused of secretly confining Natalie and two of her siblings, a 14-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy in their home and reports also say that the parents deprived the children of food, clothing, shelter, health care or supervision, which caused "substantial" physical, mental and emotional harm."

Police began investigating the Finns after responding to their home in October when Natalie was suffering cardiac arrest. She later died at a local hospital.

Both face charges of first-degree kidnapping, child endangerment causing serious injury and neglect of a dependent person. Nicole Finn is charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment causing death.

Read: Mom, Daughter Found Stabbed to Death in Well; Estranged Husband and His Brother Arrested: Reports

According to WLBZ, neighbors had reported ongoing concerns about Natalie's well-being to police more than five months before her death.

One of those neighbors, Becca Gordon, said that Natalie would wear the same clothes for several days and smelled of body odor. The girl repeatedly asked neighbors for food for her and her siblings.

Watch: Bobbi Kristina's Aunt Leolah Brown Claims Her Niece Was Starved To Death

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Dubai (AFP) - Washington will send another 200 troops to Syria to help an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters seize the Islamic State group bastion of Raqa, Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said on Saturday.

They will join 300 US special forces troops already deployed in support of the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance in the drive on the jihadist stronghold it launched on November 5.

The operation coincides with a vast US-backed offensive to retake Iraq's second city of Mosul from the jihadists, forming a twin-pronged campaign intended to deliver a knockout blow to the "caliphate" they declared across Iraq and Syria in 2014.

The two cities are the last major urban centres under IS control after the jihadists suffered a string of territorial losses in both countries over the past year.

"I can tell you today that the United States will deploy approximately 200 additional US forces in Syria," the Pentagon chief told Gulf policymakers in the Bahraini capital.

He told the Manama Dialogue security forum that the troop reinforcements will include bomb disposal experts and trainers as well as special forces personnel.

Car bombs and elaborate networks of booby traps and mines have been the jihadists' favoured weapons as they battle to defend what remains of their "caliphate" .

"We're now helping tens of thousands of local Syrian forces to isolate Raqa," from which they are only about 25 kilometres (15 miles), Carter said.

Raqa, which has also served as a hub for jihadists plotting attacks abroad, is being isolated according to plan, he added.

- 'Complex mission' -

The US-backed offensive has been complicated by the deep hostility to the SDF of Turkey, a NATO ally and Syria's neighbour.

Ankara regards the alliance's most powerful military component, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), as an arm of the outlawed rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a deadly insurgency in southeastern Turkey for three decades.

Story continues

The alliance controls a large swathe of northeastern Syria along the Turkish border as well as a smaller enclave in the northwest.

After a series of advances that looked set to join up the two areas of control, the Turkish army entered Syria in August in an operation it said was aimed at both IS and the YPG.

Turkish troops have since attacked Kurdish forces multiple times even as they have suffered mounting losses at the hands of IS.

US defence officials announced on Thursday that they were brokering talks between the two sides in a bid to prevent any further conflict between them disrupting the campaign against IS.

"This week, we're facilitating joint discussions with Turkey, the SDF and other coalition partners to promote deescalation in the area," said Colonel John Dorrian, spokesman for the US-led coalition battling IS.

The Pentagon chief said that with the offensives against Mosul and Raqa, the coalition had reached "a critical milestone" in its campaign against IS.

Iraqi forces are battling jihadists deep inside Mosul, edging closer to the River Tigris that divides the city.

But seven weeks into the offensive, they still control barely half of its eastern side .

"This is a complex mission that will take time to accomplish but I'm confident that ISIL's days in Mosul are numbered," Carter said, using an alternate acronym for the jihadist group.

He warned it was unclear what form IS would take after its eventual defeat in Iraq and Syria.

"We must be ready for anything," he said.

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have all carried out air strikes against IS in Syria, and Jordan has done so in both Iraq and Syria.

But Carter said there had been "some imperfections" in the regional response to the jihadists.

"Some of the regional powers here in the Middle East have not lived up to the full potential one would expect", he said, without singling out any country.

They could do more politically and economically, he said.
Santiago (AFP) - Chile marks the 10th anniversary on Saturday of the death of late dictator Augusto Pinochet, who has gradually become a national pariah even as his legacy continues to dominate the country.

Pinochet, who ruled Chile with an iron fist for 17 years, died of a heart attack on December 10, 2006 at age 91, without ever being brought to justice for the crimes committed by his regime.

He had stepped down 16 years earlier, but continued to enjoy the staunch support of many conservative Chileans -- so much so that more than 50,000 people turned out to mourn him.

In a sign of the changing times, less than 100 people are expected to attend the only ceremony remembering him this Saturday: a small, private mass at his former residence in Los Boldos on the central Chilean coast, where his ashes lie.

The government of President Michelle Bachelet, whose father was tortured to death at the hands of Pinochet's agents, said the anniversary had little relevance for modern-day Chile.

"Pinochet is a figure of the past," said presidential spokeswoman Paula Narvaez.

"Chile has to live in the present and look to the future."

- Sticky legacy -

With his dark glasses and military uniform, General Pinochet was an emblem of the dictatorships that gripped much of Latin America during the Cold War.

He seized power from Socialist president Salvador Allende in a bloody 1973 coup and ruled with ruthless efficiency until 1990.

He presided over a period of great prosperity, but also great barbarity.

More than 3,200 people were killed or "disappeared" -- abducted and presumed killed -- by his security forces, and 28,000 were tortured.

After stepping down, Pinochet continued for years to serve as head of the military and a senator for life -- helping ensure he was never brought to justice, despite numerous court cases pending when he died.

Today, few Chileans publicly back him.

His old political allies defend his policies but distance themselves from the man.

Story continues

But his legacy looms large.

His 1980 constitution is still the law of the land.

And despite Bachelet's best efforts, reforming his privatized pension system and deeply unequal education system has proven to be a treacherous project.

"Ten years after his death, Pinochet has been disappearing from the public scene as a personality, in terms of his biography, in terms of the man who led a dictatorship for 17 years. But not his legacy," said historian and political scientist Manuel Garate of Chile's Alberto Hurtado University.

"There are contradictions in Chilean society. People reject the man but are accustomed to living in his economic model."

- Open wounds -

Once the anniversary of Pinochet's death was an occasion for supporters to herald him as the man who made Chile a beacon of stability and prosperity in Latin America.

But he has slowly become a shared source of shame.

There was outcry in Congress two years ago when a lawmaker from a far-right party requested a minute of silence in tribute to Pinochet for the eighth anniversary of his death.

In 2010, Bachelet inaugurated a Museum of Memory and Human Rights that chronicles the horrors of the dictatorship.

"There has been a progressively growing awareness of the truth. Today there's not the slightest fondness or support for Pinochet," said the museum's director, Francisco Estevez.

But not all has been forgotten, said Esteban Vargas, who at 26 years old is the same age as Chile's current democracy.

"Forgetting is a long precess. I think despite the years the wounds remain very open," he said.
Longtime PMK*BNC publicist Lauren Auslander is leaving to start her own publicity and personal brand management firm, The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively learned.

LUNA - named after Auslander's 14-month-old son, Lucas, and her late grandmother, whom she called Nana - will have a bicoastal presence. Auslander is moving to Los Angeles but also will maintain an office in New York.

"Lauren has been a valued and trusted leader and wants to spread her wings to fly on her own," PMK*BNC chairman and CEO Cindi Berger said in making the announcement. "I know that Lauren will soar with great success and much happiness in this exciting and personal endeavor."

Jessica Simpson, who served as a bridesmaid in Auslander's wedding in 2013, is signing with LUNA, as are fellow longtime clients Zooey Deschanel, Jane Krakowski, supermodel Coco Rocha and Hamilton's Rory O'Malley. Keke Palmer, photographer Russell James, Saturday Night Live alum Abby Elliott and Holt McCallany (star of Netflix's upcoming David Fincher drama Mindhunter) also are following Auslander to her new company. At PMK*BNC, she also represented the Princess Grace Foundation.

"The role of the talent storyteller is expanding, and starting my own agency will allow me to meet that challenge with focus and flexibility," says Auslander, who joined PMK*BNC in 2004. "I am extremely grateful to my mentor Cindi Berger and PMK*BNC for helping me build my career over the past 12 years, and I am looking forward to bringing my personal approach to create clear structure and narrative in my clients' careers."

Read more: CAA Exploring Scripted TV Venture With Ex-ABC Chief Paul Lee

Dec. 9, 5 p.m. Edited to add Deschanel and Krakowski as confirmed clients following Auslander to LUNA.

Dec. 9, 5:38 p.m. Updated with more confirmed clients.

Dec. 9, 6:59 p.m. Latest update to confirmed client roster.
Happy holidays from Princes Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall!

The royal couple is ringing in the holiday season with their annual Christmas card. This years photo was taken on March 15 during their official visit to the Western Balkans and Croatia.

The festive image was taken at the Cultural Heritage Festival in Osijek, Croatia. Charles, 68, and Camilla, 69, stand proudly alongside local folklore group, Osijek 1862, in their traditional national costumes.

The cover of the card is decorated with the princes feathers (his emblem) and Camillas cipher. Inside is a simple yet festive message that reads, Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year.

While this years card featured a few special guests, last years was just of the cozy twosome.

In their 2015 card, the duo  who have given each other the pet nicknames Fred and Gladys (from Charles favorite radio comedy program, The Goon Show)  looked relaxed and casual, with the prince pulling his wife in for a sweet squeeze and Camilla resting her head on her husbands shoulder.

It has been quite a year for the fun-loving couple, who also embarked on a week-long tour of the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf in November.

From glamorous palace receptions to eye-opening grocery store runs and tacky Christmas sweater parties, the couple is always up for an adventure  and a few jokes!




NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. insurer Prudential Financial (PRU.N) is investigating whether Wells Fargo (WFC.N) employees signed up customers for its life insurance policies without their knowledge, a spokesman said on Saturday.

Sales practices at Wells Fargo have been under a spotlight since September when federal regulators ordered the San Francisco-based bank to pay $190 million in fines and restitution because they said its high pressure sales environment pushed employees to open as many as 2 million deposit and credit card accounts without customers' permission.

Prudential has a partnership with Wells Fargo to sell a low-cost life insurance policy, known as MyTerm, to the bank's retail customers.

Since bankers are not licensed to sell insurance, Wells Fargo employees were meant to direct customers to either self-service kiosks in branches or online to buy the insurance, without getting into specifics about the products.

According to a wrongful termination suit filed in New Jersey state court this week by three former managers in Prudential's corporate investigation division, Wells Fargo employees appear to have signed up bank customers for the Prudential policies without the customers' knowledge or permission.

In some cases, policies were opened and closed after a month or two and then reopened, and sometimes monthly fees were withdrawn from the accounts, according to evidence in the lawsuit.

Scot Hoffman, a spokesman for Prudential Financial, said the insurer had been monitoring its business with Wells Fargo since last year. A customer survey had shown high lapse rates.

The insurer expanded the review of how the product was sold after Wells Fargo was fined in September.

"We anticipate reviewing this matter with our regulators in due course, Hoffman said in a statement.

The three managers say they were fired in November for trying to escalate their discoveries internally within Prudential.

Hoffman said they were fired for, "appropriate and legitimate reasons that were entirely unrelated to Prudentials business with Wells Fargo and Prudentials decision to examine sales of the MyTerm product."

Story continues

A spokeswoman for Wells said the bank was investigating any alleged misconduct.

"As we have consistently reinforced, if we identify any instances where a customer received a product they didnt ask for, we will make it right," Mary Eshet, a spokeswoman for the bank said in a statement.

The lawsuit and the Prudential investigation were first reported by The New York Times.

(Reporting by Carmel Crimmins, Editing by Franklin Paul)
Local level restructuring: Cong MPs unhappy with LLRCs meet in Capital

More than two dozen lawmakers from the Nepali Congress have expressed their reservations on the Local Level Restructuring Commission (LLRC)s move to collect suggestions and opinions over restructuring of Province 2 in the Capital instead of the respective districts.
(Adds Wells Fargo comment)

NEW YORK, Dec 10 (Reuters) - U.S. insurer Prudential Financial is investigating whether Wells Fargo employees signed up customers for its life insurance policies without their knowledge, a spokesman said on Saturday.

Sales practices at Wells Fargo have been under a spotlight since September when federal regulators ordered the San Francisco-based bank to pay $190 million in fines and restitution because they said its high pressure sales environment pushed employees to open as many as 2 million deposit and credit card accounts without customers' permission.

Prudential has a partnership with Wells Fargo to sell a low-cost life insurance policy, known as MyTerm, to the bank's retail customers.

Since bankers are not licensed to sell insurance, Wells Fargo employees were meant to direct customers to either self-service kiosks in branches or online to buy the insurance, without getting into specifics about the products.

According to a wrongful termination suit filed in New Jersey state court this week by three former managers in Prudential's corporate investigation division, Wells Fargo employees appear to have signed up bank customers for the Prudential policies without the customers' knowledge or permission.

In some cases, policies were opened and closed after a month or two and then reopened, and sometimes monthly fees were withdrawn from the accounts, according to evidence in the lawsuit.

Scot Hoffman, a spokesman for Prudential Financial, said the insurer had been monitoring its business with Wells Fargo since last year. A customer survey had shown high lapse rates.

The insurer expanded the review of how the product was sold after Wells Fargo was fined in September.

"We anticipate reviewing this matter with our regulators in due course," Hoffman said in a statement.

The three managers say they were fired in November for trying to escalate their discoveries internally within Prudential.

Hoffman said they were fired for, "appropriate and legitimate reasons that were entirely unrelated to Prudential's business with Wells Fargo and Prudential's decision to examine sales of the MyTerm product."

Story continues

A spokeswoman for Wells said the bank was investigating any alleged misconduct.

"As we have consistently reinforced, if we identify any instances where a customer received a product they didn't ask for, we will make it right," Mary Eshet, a spokeswoman for the bank said in a statement.

The lawsuit and the Prudential investigation were first reported by The New York Times.

(Reporting by Carmel Crimmins, Editing by Franklin Paul)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  Three men are in custody after police in Puerto Rico seized shipments of cocaine worth an estimated $13.5 million during two operations.

Police said on Saturday that they seized 25 bricks of cocaine worth an estimated $12.5 million from a 35-foot wooden boat off Puerto Rico's east coast near Ceiba. They said three male Puerto Rico residents on board were arrested.

Police also reported another $1 million worth of cocaine was found Saturday in an abandoned boat off the island's west coast near Camuy. Police said the boat came from the Dominican Republic and was also used to bring migrants to Puerto Rico.

Police referred both cases to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Rome (AFP) - The race to resolve debt-laden Italy's political crisis steps up a gear on Saturday, with President Sergio Mattarella meeting the key players in talks watched closely by Europe.

Representatives of Italy's main parties -- including the populist Five Star movement -- are headed to the presidential palace, their task to agree on a new government made even more urgent by fears of a banking crisis in the eurozone's third-largest economy.

Italy was plunged into political uncertainty by the resignation of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi following a crushing referendum defeat.

Mattarella must pick a new prime minister with the necessary support in parliament to act as a caretaker until the next general election, which is scheduled for February 2018 but could take place up to a year early.

Saturday will be his third day of consultations. He is expected to announce his decision on Monday.

From Italy's finance minister to a doctor and a mafia-hunter, figures from both the political and institutional fields are in the running, though political analysts say the aim is to choose someone from the outgoing PM's centre-left Democratic Party (PD).

Renzi's coalition partner, the New Centre-Right (NCD), headed by interior minister Angelino Alfano, is up first at 12pm (1100 GMT).

- Financial expertise -

Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party will follow at 4pm (1500 GMT). Three-time former premier Berlusconi had largely disappeared from the political scene -- though not the scandal pages -- in recent years, only to cry victory at Renzi's downfall.

The anti-establishment Five Star party, founded by comic Beppe Grillo, is set for an hour later, followed by the PD at close of day.

All of the party leaders are expected to send representatives rather than attend in person -- apart from 80-year old Berlusconi.

Among those in the running for the top job are Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan -- a seasoned economist with the potential to reassure financial markets and a jittery Europe -- and Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

Story continues

Having someone with financial know-how at the helm appeared more pressing than ever after Italy's Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS) bank suffered a set-back on Friday in its quest to raise the cash it needs to avoid being wound down.

The world's oldest bank was reportedly refused an extension by the European Central Bank, sparking fears of a banking crisis.

While the market reaction to Renzi's resignation was muted, Moody's ratings agency downgraded its outlook for the country's sovereign debt on Thursday from stable to negative.

- 'Intolerable' -

Others in the running are Graziano Delrio -- one of Renzi's closest allies -- and Dario Franceschini, the culture minister.

Former anti-mafia prosecutor Pietro Grasso, the senate speaker, is top choice should Mattarella plump for an institutional figure.

Renzi has also been tipped as a possible contender for his own job, with some commentators saying he could be asked to stay on to stave off the chance that the anti-euro Five Star could get into power -- though the outgoing PM says he is not interested.

As well as the bank crisis, top of the list for the new government will be resolving a problem with the electoral law, which was caused by Renzi's referendum defeat.

Italy's anti-immigration Northern League, which met with Mattarella late on Friday, demanded an immediate revision of the law and snap elections, as did the small, right-wing Brothers of Italy, lead by Giorgia Meloni.

"We are not ready to support any government, the electoral law must be revised immediately," Meloni said, slamming as "intolerable" the idea of "a government with no end date" which could spend months on the law but neglect Italy's other problems.
Donald Trump blindsided the world when he took a call from Taiwan's president last weekend. It almost certainly wont be his last bolt from the blue. Particularly for foreign policy matters, the U.S. president has tremendous power to uphold or overthrow traditionssuch as the one where you dont speak directly to the president of Taiwan. Given Trumps willingness to shoot from the hip, and his, lets say, eclectic circle of advisers, its worth thinking through other traditions susceptible to sudden changes. Some we already know about: U.S. security commitments abroad, involvement in NAFTA or the WTO, relations with Pakistan, nuclear proliferation. The question is: What arent we thinking about? Here are five foreign-policy traditions that couldnot necessarily willbe upturned by President Trump.

5. UN visas. Every year, world leaders descend on New York for the United Nationseven the leaders America doesnt like (See: Castro, Fidel). And every now and then, the U.S. goes through a dance with a dictator it would rather not have in New York. Last year, it was Sudans Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted for war crimes. Strictly speaking, it would be a violation of the UN Treaty for the U.S. to deny him a visit to the UN, but American officials nonetheless made the process so difficult that he eventually gave up. Now imagine Trump doing this on a larger scale, perhaps declaring someone like Xi Jinping persona non grata due to a trade dispute. Would it be illegal? Yep. But that wouldnt necessarily stop him from making the UN process very difficult.

4. Bosnia. As Taiwangate shows, the U.S. president has tremendous power to legitimize leaders and territories unilaterally. Trump could easily make similar interventions elsewhere. One particularly destabilizing option might be to alter the status quo in Bosnia, where postwar tensions have never really fully diminished, despite U.S. and European efforts. The leader of the ethnically Serbian enclave of Republika Srpksa has been pushing for an independence referendum, an initiative that might appeal to pro-Brexit Trump. The president-elect could swiftly alter the balance of power simply by engaging directly with Republikas Srpskas leader, Milorad Dodik, who is closely allied with Russias Vladimir Putin. Just picking up the phone would instantly elevate Dodiks status and give a win to Moscow.

Story continues

3. Armenian Genocide. American presidents have refused to utter the G-word in relation to the massacre of Armenians in Turkey in 1915. As a senator, Barack Obama criticized the Bush administration for forcing out its own ambassador to Armenia, who departed from policy and named the genocide. But as president, Obama kept up with tradition and did not use the word. Presumably, the rationale has been maintaining good relations with Turkey, which denies a genocide occurred. For now, Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are getting along. But should that change, it would be easy to see Trump dropping the word "genocide" into a tweet.

Recommended: Russia and the Threat to Liberal Democracy

2. Transnistria. Where else could Trump use the presidential power to recognize states? One option might be the tiny European breakaway region of Transnistria, which has been de facto separated from Moldova for decades. It is barely a state, legally speaking. Russia doesnt even recognize it, despite stationing troops there. But Moscow still finds it useful. After all, having troops on either side of Ukraine is a great way to make Kiev feel nervous, not to mention the rest of Europe. If Trump wanted to plot a foreign-policy rapprochement with Russia, opting to bring Transnistria into the fold would be easy. European allies would complain, but Americans would barely notice.

1. Antarctica. For decades, the laws and norms covering Antarctica have kept it reserved it for peaceful scientific research. Mining and other types of resource exploitation are banned. The U.S. is a major proponent of this attitudeJohn Kerry just became the first secretary of state to visit the continentbut Russia and China, which maintain significant bases there, would like to revise the status quo. The Antarctic Treaty System will be in place for decades still, but the treaty has no independent enforcement and functions more as a gentlemans agreement than a binding set of laws. For Trump, a leader who wants to seize other states oil and sees climate change as a Chinese hoax, it is very easy to envision a policy shift that radically alters the future of the continent.

This article has been adapted from Matt Petersons weekly newsletter for Eurasia Group, Signal.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Heres the real story behind Tommen playing *two* different characters on Game of Thrones

This past season of Game of Thrones, we (sadly) watched Tommen Baratheon die. But, did you know thats not actually the only time weve watched Tommen die on-screen? In what is undoubtedly a pretty big Game of Thrones Easter egg, the actor behind the fallen king, Dean-Charles Chapman, has actually played *two* different Game of Thrones roles over the past six seasons.

And both of them have died. Maybe third characters the charm?

HelloGiggles recently got the chance to sit down and chat with Dean about all things Game of Thrones, and what it was like to be King for a little bit of time. Also, what was it like to die not once, but twice in Westeros. The only other person who might, one day, be able to claim this same title is Jon Snow (BUT DONT YOU DARE KILL JON SNOW AGAIN, GAME OF THRONES).

As Dean explained, at the time, he didnt really know what he was auditioning for, let alone realize that one day hed sit on the Iron Throne:

I auditioned for this thing called Game of Thrones, didnt have a clue what it was, didnt watch it. This was Season 3, so Season 2 had just aired, and a lot of people watched it, but it was just sort of slowly [getting more and more popular]. I auditioned, I got the part, it was [for] this kid named Martyn Lannister, who ended up getting murdered by Lord Karstark. [I filmed] like two scenes. I didnt meet George R. R. Martin, but he was there, I remember him there watching me on the monitors with the death scene. I [also] met [Game of Thrones showrunners] Dan [Weiss] and David [Benioff] really nice guys, and they showed me around the set.

And that was all Dean did for Season 3. And then

Six months later I got a phone call from my agent saying that [the show] wants to bring you back, as this character called Tommen.

It sure sounds like the scenes Dean shot in front of GRRM, and his time with Dan and David really left an impression on the Game of Thrones masterminds. They probably looked at Dean and though, Hmm, yes, he would make a fine king. Only thing is, Dean still wasnt up-to-date with his Game of Thrones binge.

Story continues

I still didnt watch [the show]! I was like, Whos Tommen, who is this kid? My mates were like, Hes Joffreys brother. Joffreys an asshole. Youll be the brother of an asshole.'

Thankfully, learning about Joffreys sour disposition didnt sway Dean from returning to the show.

I went [back], and I still didnt know I was going to be king, I didnt know his fate. Then I had a crown fitting, and they brought me back.

And there you have it. Thats the story of the one time Dean was resurrected in the Game of Thrones world to come back for a second timeand become king. Hmm, sounds familiar. Maybe history will repeat itself (cough*Jon Snow*cough), and who knows? Maybe well even see Dean back for a third time as another member of the Lannister family.

If youre still looking for even MORE behind-the-scenes Game of Thrones intel, be sure and pick up Season 6 of HBOs epic series, now on DVD and Blu Ray! (And yes, it IS the perfect holiday gift for every member of your family)

The post Heres the real story behind Tommen playing *two* different characters on Game of Thrones appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Welcome to Remote Controlled, Varietys podcast series featuring the best and brightest in television, both in front of and behind the camera.

This weeks conversation features Variety executive editor of TV Debra Birnbaum in conversation with actor Riz Ahmed, star of the HBO miniseries The Night Of. The two discussed the shows tremendous success, which has been praised by both critics and viewers since its debut in July.

Its quite surreal, if Im going to be honest, said the English actor. It was such, kind of, a rollercoaster just getting the project made. [There were] so many ups-and-downs and obstacles  To have even gotten to the finish line, let alone to have been received so well  it feels crazy.

Ahmed portrays Naz Khan, a Pakistani-American student living in New York City who is accused of murdering a girl he had just met after an evening of wild fun. Naz has no recollection of the events that took place the night of the crime, though the evidence against him proves otherwise.

Ahmed says that although portraying his complex role was a challenge in itself  both physically and emotionally  the unusually lengthy production schedule added to the immense pressure of completing the character.

Riz Ahmed photographed exclusively for Varietys Remote Controlled podcast

Dan Doperalski for Variety

It was certainly one of the most challenging things Ive done, for a variety of reasons, notes Ahmed.  So to do a shoot over the course of eight months is really a different kind of animal, and it requires a different kind of stamina and a different kind of concentration, and a different kind of trust, actually.

Asked if he would sign on for another project that follows a similar blueprint, the 34-year-old actor took a long pause before agreeing.

The only reason I was kind of thinking about it was because, a series like thisI dont know if Ill come across a series like this [again], said Ahmed. The transformation that the character gets to undergo, the incredible team around it, you know, the import of the subject matter is really quite unique.

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Ahmeds also set to appear in a mysterious new series from Netflix called The OA. I can reveal absolutely nothing, he says. Its even more secretive than Star Wars. I think the people behind the show are incredible. Theyre phenomenal.

As for Rogue One,Ahmed says, I didnt even know they were making this movie, he admits. It was a call from his agent who told him about the new project from Monsters director Gareth Edwards. Who doesnt want to be in a Star Wars film? What a privilege and an honor to be a part of that shared cinematic heritage. What a gift!

Listen to this weeks podcast below:

New episodes of Remote Controlled are available every Friday.

Related stories

Star Wars X-Wing Blocks Hollywood Boulevard Ahead of 'Rogue One' Premiere

Disney Schedules 'Rogue One' Release Date in China

'Westworld,' 'Preacher,' 'The Night Of' Among ASC TV Nominees
When Disney hosts its star-studded Rogue One: A Star Wars Story premiere on Saturday, guests will be greeted by artwork meant to rub it in the faces of liberal Hollywood that Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 presidential election.

The artwork, posted at bus stops and other locations near the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, consists of parodies of the poster for the latest Star Wars film, as well as for the Fox comedy Why Him? starring Bryan Cranston, James Franco and Zoey Deutch.

Read more: Disney Warns 'Rogue One' Premiere Traffic "Will Be as Challenging as a Death Star Trench Run"

The faux Star Wars poster features a heroic-looking image of Trump with an ominous image of Clinton lurking in the background. Huddled around Trump are his senior counselor Steve Bannon, pundit Ann Coulter, Breitbart News tech editor Milo Yiannopoulos, Fox News host Sean Hannity, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes, an early Trump supporter.

At the bottom of the poster, the title of the film has been altered to read, "Rogue Won: A Culture War Story."

Paul Bond

The posters were created by conservative street artist Sabo, who has previously attacked Leonardo DiCaprio, Nate Parker, Lena Dunham, Cher and other celebrities in his artwork. His typical method of operation is to plaster his creations all over a designated area before the sun rises, and the posters usually remain for several hours before authorities - or offended liberals - remove them.

Read more: 'Star Wars': X-Wing Zooms Into Hollywood for 'Rogue One' Premiere

As for the faux Why Him? poster, it features Cranston, Trump and Clinton in a group hug with the text: "Of all the guys his country could have chosen ... " At the bottom of the poster it reads, "See you in Canada," a reference to the many celebrities, including Cranston, who swore they'd leave the country if Trump was elected president.

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Paul Bond

"It does my heart well to know Hollywood went all out producing all kinds of girl-power movies in anticipation of the first woman president only to have their parade totally rained on by a white-skinned, blue-eyed, all-America-loving, pussy-grabbing blowhard of a man's man," Sabo told The Hollywood Reporter.

"I've never seen Hollywood's panties in such a bunch, and it was well worth the price of a vote," he said. "To think: Hillary had just about every facet of the media pulling for her. I'd never seen the mainstream media sell their souls for a candidate the way they did for Hillary, and she still lost."

THR has reached out to Disney for comment.

Paul Bond
Dhading produces veggies valued at Rs3b annually

Dhading, one of the largest vegetable producing districts in the country, has an annual output valued at Rs3 billion. Production soared after farmers started adopting commercial agricultural practices, officials said.
Disney/Lucasfilm

Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, and Forest Whitaker make up just some of the incredibly diverse cast of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and director Gareth Edwards sees its importance.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was a great change of pace from the franchises past. Not everyone was thrilled with the diverse casting of its leads, and thats sadly still continuing as we head towards Rogue Ones opening weekend, but those involved know how important it is to move forward. In a recent interview with Edwards, Vulture brought up the multicultural cast of this latest installment to the franchise.

They touched on Jones, Jyn Erso, and how we came to have two female protagonists in a row:

John Knoll, who wrote the original treatment, has two daughters and he wanted to have a hero they could look up to. I feel like one of the most successful heroines in science-fiction cinema is Sigourney Weaver in Aliens  I love her, and as a guy, no part of my brain thinks of her gender. Shes just Ripley, that character. We tried to write Jyn as neither male nor female, as just a person. Obviously, shes female, but even with the clothing, my goal with the costume department was to design clothes that I would wear as a guy on Halloween. She wouldnt look feminine, and she wouldnt look masculine  shed be neutral. Jyn is a person who just happens to be a girl.

As Jones herself has said, everyone should relate to her character. In their casting as a whole, Edwards explained they were lucky so many people love Star Wars and were interested in being involved. Its an embarrassment of riches with the cast in the film, he said. Those white, male British X-Wing pilots and Americans you see in the original Star Wars, they make it into the movie, but we have soldiers who dont go beyond this film and we wanted to represent new parts of the world, he told them. Star Wars is so rich and it seems crazy that everyones, like, a white male guy.

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Edwards says this is due in part to them filming Star Wars in the 70s in Britain but is aware of his particular privilege. I was very lucky: Im British, I grew up in England, and I got to see myself represented in a film. I think its about time that we represented the rest of the world, he said. We were all in agreement that not just because of the story, but because its 2016, its great to have such a diverse cast.

As far as diversity behind the scenes, Vulture also asked him about Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedys search for a female director and his ideas for who should take the job. Id love to see an Andrea Arnold Star Wars, or even a Lynne Ramsey Star Wars, or a Sofia Coppola Star Wars, he replied. Id be first in line for that.

(Via Vulture)
By Steve Holland GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Reuters) - Michigan Republican Party Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel has emerged as President-elect Donald Trump's favorite to head the party, appearing on Friday at a rally attended by him as part of his "thank you" tour. The Republican National Committee will soon have a vacancy at the top of the party as current chairman Reince Priebus becomes White House chief of staff when Trump takes office on Jan. 20. While Trump did not signal his support for McDaniel at the rally, two party officials said he is pushing for her. McDaniel is a niece of 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. The Trump transition team had no immediate comment. The officials said Trump appreciated the role McDaniel played in helping deliver the state of Michigan for him in the Nov. 8 election. In a speech that preceded Trump's remarks in Grand Rapids, McDaniel celebrated the end to a vote recount effort in Michigan by Green Party candidate Jill Stein. "The recount in Michigan is over. The election is over. Our next president is Donald J. Trump," she said. "Winning once was nice. But winning twice was huge." In his remarks, Trump expressed gratitude to Michigan voters for helping him win the presidency. "We're in your debt and we will never let you down," he said. Until this year, Michigan had not voted Republican since 1988. Trump won the Midwestern state by little more than 10,000 votes, and the state's 16 electoral votes were critical to his victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. The Republican National Committee's 168 elected members will choose their next chair at a meeting in mid-January, but they will be influenced by Trump's view on who should head the party. Another popular choice among party regulars is Matt Pinnell, the former chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party. (Reporting by Steve Holland and David Shepardson; Editing by Mary Milliken)
By Katya Golubkova

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian state holding company Rosneftegaz on Saturday signed a deal with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and commodities trader Glencore (GLEN.L) to sell a 19.5 percent stake in state-owned oil major Rosneft (ROSN.MM), Rosneft said.

The privatisation deal, which Rosneft Chief Executive Igor Sechin called the largest in Russia's history, was announced by Rosneft in a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.

Its success suggests the lure of taking a share in one of the world's biggest oil companies outweighs the risks associated with Western sanctions imposed on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.

Rosneft had been under pressure to secure a sale of the 19.5 percent stake to help replenish state coffers, hit by an economic slowdown driven by weak oil prices and exacerbated by sanctions.

Rosneft said in a statement the budget would receive 710.8 billion rubles (9 billion) from the sale, including 18.4 billion rubles in additional dividends from Rosneftegaz.

It said the additional dividends were due to a change in its dividend policy, according to which it will pay at least 35 percent of net profit according to international accounting standards in payouts twice a year.

Rosneft confirmed that Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.MI) was a major creditor for the deal and said it would be closed by the middle of December.

Sechin called QIA and Glencore "strategic investors" in the Rosneft statement and said he was confident their work together would lead to synergies for Rosneft.

(Reporting by Katya Golubkova; Writing by Alexander Winning and Jack Stubbs; Editing by David Evans)
Sitting onstage Thursday at the Madinat Jumeirah for the Dubai International Film Festival, Samuel L. Jackson dove into awards season talk.

"This time of year in Hollywood is an interesting time of year," Jackson said to a packed house of journalists and locals alike. "This year seems to be a bit different from the #OscarsSoWhite of last year. All of these films have people of color in them. They are impactful and moving films."

The Pulp Fiction actor was at DIFF to receive a lifetime achievement award.

Although he relied on the audience to name the films, Jackson shouted out hints like "black female NASA scientists," (Hidden Figures), "the interracial couple" (Loving) and The Birth of a Nation, "which was touted for a long time until it was tainted" (by a rape scandal involving the film's director Nate Parker during his time at Pennsylvania State University).

"And then there's Manchester by the Sea, which is a moving and great film," he said, pausing and then adding, "But it is not an inclusive film, if you know what I mean. Moonlight is thought of the same way. 'It's a black movie and we are white people.' I could say the same thing about Manchester by the Sea."

Read more: Dubai Film Festival: Samuel L. Jackson, Olga Kurylenko and Tyrese Add Glamor to Opening Night Gala

Speaking about race and films, Jackson felt very comfortable transitioning into discussing how his upbringing has informed his decisions, cinematically and otherwise. "I am a product of the segregated South," he said. "I was a part of apartheid. There were things I couldn't do. They inform who I am but not how I act.

Watch Late Night With Seth Meyers on Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

"I understand something about my country that others don't understand," he continued. "Like what just happened during that [presidential] election, I get it in another kind of way. I'm not confused or shocked by it. I get it, I lived in it during another time. I understand who those people are who want to make America great again."

Story continues

When later asked by an audience member about his thoughts on Donald Trump, Jackson said, "My agent won't let me answer that question." But he did answer a question about the diversification of Hollywood.

"The business has changed in an interesting sort of way," the actor said. "There are so many platforms for people to tell their stories and so many stories get told. It used to be that there was a specific feeling that a certain amount of black actors in Hollywood got. When Denzel [Washington] didn't want to do it, it was me or Forest [Whitaker] and it came down to which one of us was cheaper.

"Now they changed the business model so everyone is cheaper, and there's a lot more work and a lot more people working," he continued. "Like that HBO show, The Night Of, what an amazing piece of work. For average Americans, they would say, 'That's some black shit.'"

Read more: Samuel L. Jackson on President-Elect Trump: "Hopefully He Won't Destroy Hollywood"

Added Jackson: "Muslims are getting arrested like black kids get arrested; Muslim Americas are the new black kids in America. Suspect as we are for the dominant culture, people don't understand them. People perceive them as a threat before even saying hello. But the Muslim community is present in our country. They are a vital part of our country and interestingly enough they have less crime, more education and their businesses thrive more so than any other group in the country. You tell people in the Rust Belt that, and they're like, 'Get out of here.'"

Jackson's words of advice: "Pick up a Koran man, you might get a job," which got deep laughs and a standing ovation.
Sitting onstage at the Madinat Jumeirah for the Dubai International Film Festival, Samuel L. Jackson dove into awards season talk.

"This time of year in Hollywood is an interesting time of year. This year seems to be a bit different from the #OscarsSoWhite of last year. All of these films have people of color in them. They are impactful and moving films," said Jackson, to a packed house of journalists and locals alike.

Although he relied on the audience to name the films, Jackson shouted out hints like "black female NASA scientists," (Hidden Figures,) "the interracial couple," (Loving,) and Birth of a Nation, "which was touted for a long time until it was tainted" (by a rape scandal involving the film's director Nate Parker during his time at Penn State). It was an interesting exchange between actor and admirers, a playful moment while discussing a serious topic.

"And then there's Manchester by the Sea, which is a moving and great film," Jackson said, pausing and then adding, "But it is not an inclusive film if you know what I mean. Moonlight is thought of the same way. It's a black movie and we are white people. I could say the same thing about Manchester by the Sea."

Speaking about race and films, Jackson felt very comfortable transitioning into discussing how his upbringing has informed his decisions, cinematically and otherwise. "I am a product of the segregated south. I was a part of apartheid. There were things I couldn't do. They inform who I am but not how I act."

Read more: Dubai Film Festival: Samuel L. Jackson, Olga Kurylenko and Tyrese Add Glamor to Opening Night Gala

Clips were shown of Jackson in The Hateful Eight and A Time to Kill, which, as the lights came up, Jackson exclaimed, "I didn't win an Oscar for that, seriously!" (It went to Kevin Spacey for The Usual Suspects.)

"I understand something about my country that others don't understand. Like what just happened during that [presidential] election, I get it in another kind of way. I'm not confused or shocked by it. I get it, I lived in it during another time. I understand who those people are who want to make America great again."

Story continues

When later asked by an audience member about his thoughts on Donald Trump, Jackson said "my agent won't let me answer that question."

But he did answer a question about the diversification of Hollywood.

"The business has changed in an interesting sort of way," Jackson said. "There are so many platforms for people to tell their stories and so many stories get told. It used to be that there was a specific feeling that a certain amount of black actors in Hollywood got. When Denzel [Washington] didn't want to do it, it was me or Forest [Whitaker] and it came down to which one of us was cheaper."

"Now they changed the business model so everyone is cheaper, and there's a lot more work and a lot more people working. Like that HBO show, The Night Of, what an amazing piece of work. For average Americans, they would say 'that's some black shit.'"

The audience perked up. There was no audible sigh or tension, but more an interest, a genuine curiosity considering The Night Of is a series that takes on a complex New York City murder case involving a Pakistani-America college student, played by Dev Patel.

"Muslims are getting arrested like black kids get arrested; Muslim Americas are the new black kids in America. Suspect as we are for the dominant culture, people don't understand them. People perceive them as a threat before even saying hello. But the Muslim community is present in our country. They are a vital part of our country and interestingly enough they have less crime, more education and their businesses thrive more so than any other group in the country. You tell people in the rust belt that and they're like 'get out of here.'"

Although there was some confusion about what the rust belt referred to, the audience understood Jackson's larger point. There were several nods and lots of leaning in.

Jackson's words of advice: "pick up a Koran man, you might get a job," which got deep laughs and a standing ovation.

The Pulp Fiction actor was at DIFF receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Throughout the presidential election, Samuel L. Jackson has been a vocal opponent of President-elect Donald Trump. Although actor avoided saying the president-elect's name during his Dubai International Film Festival roundtable Friday and passed on the notion of playing the recently opened 18-hole Trump International Gold Course in Dubai, Jackson did address his concerns about Trump and Hollywood.

"Hopefully he won't destroy Hollywood. Hopefully we will be able to keep working and he won't shut Hollywood down," said Jackson. "You know he could say, 'Hollywood didn't support me,' so that's it. Who knows what could happen."

Trump often has taken to Twitter to air his grievances, most recently with Alec Baldwin's portrayal of him on Saturday Night Live.

But Jackson, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award during DIFF's opening gala, confirmed that he is staying put and continuing to fight. A Tennessee native, Jackson clarified rumors that suggested he was looking to emigrate out of the United States - that perhaps his trip to Dubai was part of a global house-hunt. "Not really. I'm not looking. Everybody thinks I am, but I'm not," he said.

In Dubai, the royal family is beloved by the locals, supplying jobs, funding retirement plans and women's clubs, a stark contrast to Hollywood's perception of the U.S. president-elect. Jackson acknowledged his reputation as an activist - "I guess I'm known as kind of a political individual of sorts. People know who I am and where I stand" - and didn't shy away from speaking about the American political climate.

Read more: Michael Moore: "Majority of Americans Did Not Want Donald J. Trump"

"I think now people like me are feeling the way that all those people who hated Barack [Obama] felt for the last eight years. It's just a flip. A lot of people voted for him. It's not like he stole the election. More people voted for Hillary [Clinton], OK, fine. But for eight years there have been people who have hated Barack. And to the world he was a beloved kind of dude."

Story continues

Jackson continued, it was like "America has got a black president, he is so cool; America is growing. Now we know America didn't grow so much. These people were just lying in wait. So now we are on this side of 'I can't wait for this guy to be gone,' but we have to wait four years. It's just a flip. The other half of America's personality gets what they want now. Or they think they get what they want now. We will see."

The 67-year-old actor added, "We wish we could have somebody that is beloved."

This year marks Jackson's first time at the festival, which is celebrating its 13th edition.

"I've been trying to get here for a long time," Jackson insisted. "I've known about this film festival for years and I've been trying to get here, but I'm usually working. This time last year I was in Hawaii doing King Kong, then on my way to Australia and Vietnam. The year before that I was in London doing Kingsman, the year before that I was somewhere else, so I just haven't logistically been able to get here ... and I'm really glad I finally have."

The actor also disclosed that he discovered something new about Paramount's 2000 film Rules of Engagement. Directed by William Friedkin, the film follows an attorney (Tommy Lee Jones) as he defends an officer (Jackson) who is on trial for ordering his troops to fire on civilians after they invaded a U.S. embassy in a third-world country.

"People were offended by it in this specific part of the world. We never heard about [that], but the studio knew about [it] and there were some apologies issued that we didn't know anything about," said Jackson.

Paramount did not return immediate requests for comment.
Oslo (AFP) - Hours before accepting the Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he could offer no guarantees there would be a peace deal in place with ELN rebels before the end of his mandate in 2018.

"I cannot guarantee that we will finish before the end of my mandate," Santos told AFP in an interview in Oslo, referring to talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia's second-largest rebel group after the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

"I will do my best but to establish a timeframe is always counter-productive in negotiations of this sort," he said.

Santos was awarded the 2016 Nobel prize for his peace efforts, including his bid to end a five-decade conflict with the Marxist FARC rebels that has killed more than 260,000 people, left 45,000 missing and forced nearly seven million to flee their homes.

Santos's government and the FARC signed a peace accord on November 24, after a first agreement was unexpectedly rejected by Colombians an October 2 referendum.

The peace deal calls for the FARC's disarmament and its transformation into a political movement.

But, before Colombia can have total peace, the ELN, which has 1,500 guerrillas, also has to lay down its arms.

- 'Kidnapping not acceptable' -

The ELN and the government began secret talks in January 2014 to pave the way for official talks but the process has stumbled over the issue of hostages and prisoners held by the two sides.

"Kidnapping, specifically kidnapping civilians, is something that is not acceptable ... We have told them 'You have to free the people you have kidnapped in order to start public negotiations'," Santos told AFP.

"They have not complied with this demand. When they comply with this demand, we're ready to start public negotiations," he said.

The Colombian government has suspended the preparatory talks until January 10, insisting that the ELN first release hostage ex-congressman Odin Sanchez.

Story continues

The ELN has meanwhile called for the simultaneous release of two imprisoned rebels who are due to be pardoned.

Santos said the hardest part of the peace process in his country was yet to come.

The period ahead "is a more difficult phase than the (negotiation) process itself, and will require a lot of effort, perseverance and humility," he said.

"A lot of coordination efforts will also be needed across the entire government to bring the benefits of peace to the regions that have suffered the most in the conflict," he added.

Santos will receive the prize on Saturday afternoon at Oslo's City Hall at a ceremony attended by the royal family, members of the Norwegian government, representatives of victims of the conflict, and two high-profile former FARC hostages, Ingrid Betancourt and Clara Rojas.
Dylann Roof trial: 'I did it,' chuckling church gunman says

The South Carolina man accused of shooting dead nine black church-goers last year chuckled as he admitted the massacre, in a video shown to the jury.
By Rania El Gamal, Alex Lawler and Vladimir Soldatkin

VIENNA (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has told its U.S. and European customers it will reduce oil deliveries from January, as Russia said it was confident non-OPEC producers would fully join OPEC's output limits on Saturday in the first such move since 2001.

Saudi Arabia told the customers about lower supplies in line with the output reduction agreed by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries last week, according to a Gulf oil industry source familiar with Saudi oil policy.

"We told our customers of the allocations and the compliance with allocations (for the cuts) for Saudi Arabia is 100 percent," the source said.

He said cuts to Asian refiners would be lower than those to Europe, the United States and to major oil companies.

"We are cutting more in the U.S. because the inventories ... are very high," the source said.

OPEC will meet non-OPEC producing countries in Vienna on Saturday, hoping non-OPEC will commit to cutting 600,000 barrels per day after its own members agreed to cut 1.2 million bpd last week.

OPEC sources said nine non-OPEC countries were set to join the meeting: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Mexico, Russia, Sudan, South Sudan, Bahrain and Malaysia. Bolivia may also attend the talks, according to an OPEC source.

Saudi Arabia's energy minister Khalid al-Falih said he was "very optimistic" about the Saturday meeting.

"We will know the exact numbers tomorrow but I am expecting about 10 to 11 (non-OPEC) countries to be on the final declaration with specific numbers," he told reporters upon arriving to Vienna.

So far only Russia and Oman have pledged cuts, with one OPEC source saying Mexico could also contribute as much as 150,000 bpd.

In contrast, Kazakhstan plans to boost output in 2017 as it launches the long-delayed Kashagan project.

Russia is expected to shoulder half of the non-OPEC cut, but on Friday sources in Moscow signalled there were snags that needed to be addressed before a deal could be reached, including full compliance with cuts by all parties involved.

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However, Russia's energy minister told reporters upon arriving in Vienna he expected non-OPEC oil producers to fully contribute to production cuts agreed earlier with OPEC.

"I look with optimism at tomorrow's event," said Alexander Novak. "I think that we will agree and we must agree."

NO CUTS FOR ASIA

OPEC's second largest producer Iraq has notified U.S. and European buyers of its crude about planned cuts, according to an industry source familiar with the matter.

State-run Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC) said it planned to notify its international crude customers soon about reductions to their allocations.

Iraq and Kuwait have committed to cuts to their oil outputs of 210,000 bpd and 131,000 bpd respectively under the OPEC deal.

Sources at eight refiners in Asia told Reuters they had been notified by state oil giant Saudi Aramco that in January it was set to supply full crude amounts.

Of those eight, three refiners said they would load extra volumes they had requested. The sources declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

"It's quite telling as there are not only no supply cuts, but they have given extra volumes," one of the sources said, indicating that the move underscored that producers were eager to maintain market share in fast-growing Asian markets.

Some of the extra volumes were committed before the OPEC meeting on Nov. 30, when output cuts were agreed.

"It seems that Saudis do not trust Mr. Sechin after his mockings back in 2008/2009 as he repeatedly promised and disappointed them on cuts," Commerzbank analyst Eugen Weinberg told the Reuters Global Oil Forum, referring to Igor Sechin, the CEO of top Russian oil producer Rosneft.

"I see the Saudi strategy for January deliveries to Asia as a confirmation of this distrust."

Sechin has long been a harsh critic of cooperation with OPEC. However, Sechin has kept a low profile recently and this week agreed to sell a stake in Rosneft to a consortium of commodities trader Glencore and Qatar - a key ally of Saudi Arabia in OPEC.

(Additional reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin in Vienna, Florence Tan in Singapore, Osamu Tsukimori in Tokyo, Jane Chung in Seoul and Ron Bousso in London; Writing by Ahmad Ghaddar and Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Adrian Croft, David Evans, Mark Potter and Jonathan Oatis)
By Susan Cornwell and Valerie Volcovici WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate passed legislation on Friday to fund the government through April and President Barack Obama promptly signed it into law, after Democrats who had sought more generous healthcare benefits for coal miners stopped delaying action on the measure. Many government services and operations would have been closed or suspended at midnight, when current funding authority expired, if the Senate had not approved the bill. The vote was 63-36. The House of Representatives passed the legislation on Thursday. Obama signed the measure, the White House said in a statement issued about 90 minutes after the Senate passed it. Democrats from coal-producing states, led by West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, had delayed the Senate vote on the funding bill in a failed attempt to get a bigger extension of miners' healthcare benefits that expire at the end of this year. The Democratic senators, many of whom are up for re-election in 2018, seemed eager to court blue-collar voters who flocked to Republican President-elect Donald Trump in elections last month. Some of the senators also appealed to Trump to help the miners. Trump "won coal country big, that's for sure," incoming Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor. "So we are simply asking our president-elect, to communicate to the people in his party, to get on board, live up to the promise we made the miners many years, decades ago," Schumer said. The legislation provided financial support for four more months of healthcare benefits for coal miners, through April, but Manchin and other Senate Democrats wanted at least a year. Senate Republicans refused to reopen the issue. But Schumer said that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had promised Manchin he would work next year to continue the benefits beyond April. Manchin and the other Democrats then stopped objecting to holding the vote, although they still opposed the measure. "I was born in a family of coal miners," Manchin said. "And (if) I'm not going to stand up for them, who is?" Manchin, a moderate Democrat who has been touted as a possible member of Trump's cabinet, is scheduled to see Trump in New York on Monday. Manchin told reporters, however, that "I'm not looking for a job." The government funding bill would keep federal agencies funded until April 28. It freezes most spending at current levels. Flint, Michigan, which has endured a two-and-a-half-year struggle with lead-contaminated drinking water, would get access to a $170 million fund for infrastructure improvements and lead poisoning prevention under the bill. The Senate also passed a separate bill authorizing water projects around the country that included directions for spending the Flint money and provisions to provide relief to drought-stricken California. This measure was also approved by the House on Thursday. A provision in the government funding bill would make it easier for Trump to win confirmation of General James Mattis to be defense secretary early next year. Republicans demanded it to help Mattis get around a requirement that the defense secretary be a civilian for seven years before taking the job. Mattis retired from the military in 2013. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by David Gregorio and Lisa Shumaker)
The U.S. Senate passed a short-term spending bill Friday night to fund the government through April after Democrats who sought more generous healthcare benefits for coal miners stopped delaying action on the measure.

The measure passed, 63-36, saving many government services and operations from closing down or suspending starting at midnight. The passage of the bill reportedly indicates that both parties are keen to keep the government open past Saturday, when current funding authority expires.

The White House announced early Saturday that President Barack Obama had signed the bill into law. The federal agencies would now remain funded until April 28. The legislation was passed Thursday by the House of Representatives.

There has been debate and tension surrounding the vote, and Democrats intend to pressure Donald Trump and his GOP colleagues to live up to campaign promises once the business mogul takes office next year.

Twenty-two Democrats and one independent, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, reportedly voted against the spending bill. Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) had set up a blockade against the measure to bring renewed attention to the troubles of retired coal miners and their widows, whose health plans were due to lapse at the end of the year.

The government funding bill will extend those benefits for an additional four months, but Manchin said the extended health benefits for coal miners are insufficient.

How do you think we won World War I and World War II? Domestic energy, Manchin said to reporters, according to the Wall Street Journal. Where do you think it came from? It came from out of the ground, he said, complaining that the country needs to show care for the people who have met their energy needs.

Earlier Friday, White House spokesman Eric Schultz expressed support for Manchin's stand on the issue of coal miner health benefits.

These are coal miners who work for decades in treacherous conditions and who earn these benefits. Unfortunately, the proposal that Republicans are floating only takes care for them for a few months. We believe thats not right, Schultz reportedly said.

Related Articles
IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / December 10, 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 in advance of 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 by 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 during the Class Period, 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, and 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 news was announced to the public, the stock price of Pilgrim's Pride decreased, 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.



This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in certain jurisdictions.



Contact:

Joon M. Khang, Esq.

Telephone: 949-419-3834

Facsimile: 949-225-4474

joon@khanglaw.com





Source: Goldberg Law PC
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / December 9, 2016 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Impax Laboratories Inc. ("Impax" or the "Company") (IPXL) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Northern District of California, and docketed under 16-cv-06557, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Impax securities between February 20, 2014 and November 2, 2016, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you are a shareholder who purchased Impax securities during the Class Period, you have until January 9, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Impax, a specialty pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and markets bioequivalent pharmaceutical products. Impax Laboratories, Inc. has a strategic alliance agreement with Teva Pharmaceuticals Curacao N.V. to develop, manufacture, and distribute controlled release generic pharmaceutical products.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Impax and several of its pharmaceutical industry peers colluded to fix generic drug prices; (ii) the foregoing conduct constituted a violation of U.S. antitrust laws; (iii) consequently, Impax's revenues during the Class Period were in part the result of illegal conduct; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Impax's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

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On November 3, 2016, media outlets reported that U.S. prosecutors might 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, NY / ACCESSWIRE / December 9, 2016 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against GoPro, Inc. ("GoPro" or the "Company")(GPRO) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Northern District of California, and docketed under 16-cv-06654, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired GoPro between September 19, 2016 and November 4, 2016, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover compensable damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.

If you are a shareholder who purchased GoPro during the Class Period, you have until January 17, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

GoPro develops and sells mountable and wearable cameras and accessories in the United States and internationally. The Company's cameras are designed primarily for filming while immersed in action, such as outdoor or extreme sports. On October 23, 2016, following months of delays, GoPro released the Karma drone, a compact, foldable drone designed for aerial photography using GoPro's cameras.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) GoPro's Karma drones were prone to losing power midflight, causing them to fall out of the sky; (ii) the Company had thus significantly overstated the utility of and likely customer demand for the Karma drone; (iii) the foregoing issue, when publicly known, would necessitate a costly recall of the Company's Karma drones; and (iv) as a result, GoPro's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

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On November 3, 2016, shortly before the market closed, GoPro issued a press release and filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC announcing the Company's financial and operating results for the quarter ended September 30, 2016 (the "Q3 2016 8-K"). Among other information, the Q3 2016 8-K provided revenue guidance for 2016 in the range of $1.25 billion and $1.3 billiona significant decrease from the revenue guidance of $1.35 billion and $1.5 billion that the Company had provided in reporting its financial and operating results for the previous quarter, and consistent with an anticipated recall of the Company's Karma drone.

On this news, GoPro's share price fell $0.90, or 7.01%, to close at $11.94 on November 3, 2016, and fell an additional $0.78, or 6.53%, to close at $11.16 on November 4, 2016.

On November 8, 2016, post-market, GoPro announced the recall of the approximately 2,500 Karma drones purchased by consumers since the product's release, advising that the Company had discovered that Karma units were prone to losing power during operation.

On this news, GoPro's share price fell $0.45, or 4.14%, to close at $10.41 on November 9, 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
Just days after Sherri Papini told police that two Hispanic women abducted her and held her captive, an expert has pointed at the involvement of "serial rapist, serial killer" in the case. Serial killer profiler John Kelly told People magazine Friday that he isnt convinced that two armed women kidnapped the 34-year-old woman.

The expert said that he is convinced the case has serial rapist, serial killer all over it, adding that whoever abducted Papini left her scared to death of these people. Kelly said that the people involved in the kidnapping have terrified Papini into lying about her abductors identity.

This is a sadistic situation, and she somehow was able to convince them to let her go, Kelly told People in this weeks issue.

She somehow got them to believe she would not squeal on them, he said reportedly. Its only by an act of God that they let her go. I have a hard time understanding that as sadistic as these [people] are  and Ive hunted many of them  would let someone live.

Papini disappeared on Nov. 2 while out jogging near her home in Redding, California. Her husband Keith filed a missing complaint after she failed to pick up her children from daycare. She was found heavily battered on Thanksgiving morning after being spotted by a motorist on Interstate 5 in Woodland, more than 150 miles from her home.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

Police are still searching for the suspects in the case, believed to be two Hispanic women  one with curly hair, and the other with straight hair  who had covered their faces and spoke mostly Spanish.

Since the time of her release, Keith has revealed his wife's ordeal in captivity. He said that she was repeatedly beaten and starved. She also showed some signs of psychological trauma after her release. The California mother was underweight  and a message had also been burned directly onto her skin.

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According to the expert Kelly, the branding could be a sign that Papinis abductors wanted her for sex-trafficking, but he said he wouldnt be surprised if the branding was done to throw the case off.

Its called staging, he told People. Theyve set up that it was two women, that they picked on you because you are this all-American girl, that they are Hispanic and upset with the political climate, and we will tattoo a message on you that corresponds.

Related Articles
Washington (AFP) - US Senate Democrats late Friday dropped objections to a federal spending bill, ensuring the government does not slip into a shutdown over a fight about health benefits for coal miners.

After taking the debate right to the brink just hours before a midnight deadline to fund federal operations, Democrats eased their hard line and prevented a brief weekend funding lapse that could have embarrassed lawmakers the month before Donald Trump assumes the presidency.

"We're not going to shut down the government. We're going to keep it open," said Senator Chuck Schumer, who will lead the chamber's Democrats beginning next month.

The bill, known as a continuing resolution, funds overseas operations including the fight against the Islamic State group, provides a pay raise for US military personnel, and includes money for Flint, Michigan to address its water contamination crisis.

It also provides a waiver to allow retired Marine general James Mattis, who stepped down in 2013, to be confirmed as Trump's new secretary of defense. Current law bans uniformed military officers from serving in the position for seven years after leaving active duty.

A handful of Democrats had strenuously fought for an extension of health benefits for retired miners. Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia had sought a one-year extension, but the Republican-led House of Representatives approved just a four-month fix.

On Thursday, the House passed their version of the continuing resolution by a vote of 326-96, then promptly left Washington for the remainder of the year. The bill funds government operations through April 28.

Manchin, whose state is in a major coalmining region, had called the temporary proposal for some 16,000 retired coal miners "inhumane" and vowed to delay a vote.

But Manchin, who meets with Trump Monday in New York, changed his tune after huddling with Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who pledged to work hard early next year to get the benefits extended.

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"Majority Leader McConnell and I talked about a defined path forward for the 22,800 retired coal miners and widows who are on the verge of losing the healthcare benefits they were promised," Manchin said after the Senate's vote late Friday.

"I continue to think the four month fix included in todays Continuing Resolution is not a meaningful solution to this dire problem. That is why I opposed cloture and urged my colleagues to do the same," Manchin added.

In their support for the blockade, Democrats appeared keen to connect with working-class voters who abandoned the party in droves in swing states like Ohio and Pennsylvania and voted for Trump.

Many observers had accused Democrats of failing to lay out a viable economic plan for the working class, focusing instead on social issues and blasting Trump as temperamentally unfit to lead.
silence-feat-uproxx

Paramount

Martin Scorsese has talked about adapting Silence, Japanese writer Shusaku Endos 1966 novel about Portuguese Jesuit priests risking their lives for their religion in 17th century Japan, since 1990. Hes discussed many never-to-be-realized projects in those 26 years  including biopics of Dean Martin, Alexander the Great, and George Gershwin  but never let Silence go. Its the definition of a passion project for Scorsese, and it feels like a film he had to make, a potent distillation of a career spent considering the impossibility and inescapability of faith. Its a tough movie, an elusive, haunting expression of devotion shaped by doubt and battered by the realities of life.

Opening in the fog-covered hills outside Nagasaki, Silence watches as Father Ferreira (Liam Neeson) bears witness to the martyrdom of Catholic priests as theyre bound and slowly scalded to death by water from hot springs that the Japanese refer to as Hell. (Its only the first of many tortures, physical and spiritual, well see over the course of the film.) In the wake of an uprising against the Shogunate by Catholic converts, their religion has been outlawed and those who refuse to commit apostasy and renounce their faith by stepping on an icon of Christ face death. Ferreira watches the suffering of others, many of whom have asked for martyrdom to glorify their religion. but does not join it. Soon hell disappear, leaving rumors that hes become an apostate and taken a Japanese wife.

This comes as a shock to Fathers Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Garrpe (Adam Driver), two Jesuits trained in the faith by Ferreira. From Macau they set out to find the true story of his fate, accompanied by Kichijiro (Yosuke Kubozuka), a down-on-his-luck Japanese exile who speaks English but denies he still practices the faith of the priests who taught it to him.

Landing in Japan, theyre welcomed, quietly, by an underground network of Japanese Christians who shelter them and turn to them for guidance, having spent years practicing the faith without any clergy. But their piety comes at a horrible cost. From a distance, Rodrigues and Garrpe watch as the Shoguns men arrest, torture, and put Christians to death. Having only read about martyrdom, theyre now witness to it. And between the screams its hard to find any glory in the act.

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Silence is not, however, a simple tale of religious disillusionment. Its about the hard questions religion demands we ask, how we respond when we understand there are no knowable answers, the reasonableness of walking away from religion, and the ways in which faith defies that reasonableness. The silence of the title is Gods and Scorsese has made a film about how we fill that silence.

The strength of Rodrigues and Garrpes faith waxes and wanes over the course of the film. Its unquestioning before they set out on their mission. It falters as they grow hungry and desperate after witnessing horrors. It strengthens when they come to understand what it Christianity means to the faithful of Japan. It falters again when Rodrigues has to undergo his own trials after he and his companion go their separate ways.



Though Garfield and Driver begin as part of a shared story  Scorsese frequently includes them in the frame together, often huddling together for warmth  Silence eventually shifts its focus to Rodrigues personal struggle as he first fights back madness then deprivation then doubt at the rightness of his path. The film doubts with him, repeatedly showing the tremendous cost his adherence to the faith and, when Ferreira returns, giving him a dark mirror in which to reflect on his choices.

Much of the film rests on Garfields shoulders and hes more than up to the task, conveying the subtle shifts in Rodrigues psyche, often without the benefit of dialogue. Neesons a particular stand-out here. When his character returns, its as if the actor has hollowed himself out. Everything we expect from Neeson on screen  sturdiness, confidence  has been scraped away. Kubozuka does standout work as well, making Kichijiro into a conflicted Judas who floats in and out of Rodrigues life, taking on a new meaning with each appearance.

The strongest presence, however, is Scorsese. Silence fits nicely beside The Last Temptation of Christ and Kundun, two equally unsparing looks at faith. Its also a movie no other filmmaker could have made, even if its in many respects one of the most stylistically restrained films hes made. Scorsese chooses his shots carefully and edits sparingly here, letting scenes play out to better capture moments of contemplation and suffering, and how one is sometimes unmistakable for the other. Scorsese watches as his characters grapple with faith, as if its an act with which he has a rare sympathy. Its the work of a man whos still struggling, and whos found a kind of peace in understanding that the struggle never stops.
Earnings from handicrafts export up 19pc

Export earnings from handmade products surged 19 percent in the first four months of the current fiscal year, thanks to sustained demand from markets like China, the US and Europe.
Can't keep up with what's been going on in the social media world? Fret not. Here, a gathering of what the stars have been up to this week on social media.

J Law's Foot Meets Mouth

The Passengers star offended many Hawaiians and good natured folks after revealing on The Graham Norton Show that she scratched her derriere on sacred rocks while shooting The Hunger Games in Hawaii. After people tweeted their grievances about J Law, the notoriously private star took to her Facebook page to make the statement below: "From Jen, to the internet: "I meant absolutely no disrespect to the Hawaiian people. I really thought that I was being self-deprecating about the fact that I was "the curse," but I understand the way it was perceived was not funny and I apologize if I offended anyone." Watch the clip below and you be the judge: Was the actress out of line or keeping it real? If you look closely at Chris Pratt's face, it looks like he was trying to Jedi mind trick Lawrence to zip it.

Jennifer Lawrence is bizarrely proud of the fact that she is disrespectful and inconsiderate and put her colleagues at risk of physical harm

- Angie J. Han (@ajhan) December 8, 2016

Another reason Jennifer Lawrence is so annoying. Knowingly messes with something sacred to Hawaiians. Then brags and makes a joke about it. https://t.co/EB6VFz0JzN

- Alexis Isabel (@lexi4prez) December 7, 2016

Daddy's Girls

Ivanka Trump posted a head-scratching post of husband Jared Kushner doing chin-ups with daughter Arabella for #FitnessFriday. Comments range from applause to (inevitably) comparing Ivanka and Donald's touchy-feely relationship.

Arabella loves hanging around for #FitnessFriday

A video posted by Ivanka Trump (@ivankatrump) on Dec 9, 2016 at 12:41pm PST

Read more: Donald Trump Once Joked He and Ivanka Have "Sex" in Common

Pat McGrath's Girl Gang

Pat McGrath's beauty line is getting a lot of likes - and face time. Celebs like Naomi Campbell, Taylor Swift, Bella Hadid and more have been out and about wearing McGrath's shiny products. Kate Hudson joins that group, rocking McGrath's latest drop, the Metal Morphosis 005, an illuminator and eye shadow hybrid that comes in Bronze or Silver, and gives that radiant glow we're all striving for. Celebrity makeup artist Rachel Goodwin used the Lust 004 glitter lips on Emma Stone for her inaugural SNL hosting gig. After winning WWD's Best Prestige Launch of the Year, it's safe to say the most influential makeup artist in the world knows exactly what she's doing.

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A video posted by Pat McGrath (@patmcgrathreal) on Dec 6, 2016 at 8:21am PST

A video posted by Rachel Goodwin (@rachel_goodwin) on Dec 4, 2016 at 11:26am PST

The Crown's Jewels

The Queen and Royal Family posed for a group photo (sans Harry) at Buckingham Palace, with her Majesty, the Duchess of Cornwall and Princess Kate both wearing tiaras. A tiara, a mere item of jewelry, is not to be confused with a crown, which symbolizes power. The photo was taken when the family welcomed the world's ambassadors and high commissioners from the U.K.'s diplomatic community for the annual Diplomatic Reception. The Queen wore her sapphire tiara, commissioned in 1963 to match a sapphire suite, a gift from her father, King George VI. Princess Kate wore Princess Diana's Lover's Knot Tiara. In case you're wondering, Kate isn't wearing a sash because Camilla holds the title of Princess Consort, and Kate doesn't hold a royal title in the family order of Elizabeth II.

A photo posted by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily) on Dec 8, 2016 at 1:03pm PST

The Obama Family's Christmas Card

There's been a lot of "lasts" lately for the Obamas - just this week the president gave his final address to troops as commander-in-chief, performed his last wreath placement at Pearl Harbor, and his last feminist act in search of equal pay for women. The Obama family Christmas card is a snap from the March State Dinner honoring Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The First Lady, in a strapless Jason Wu gown, is flanked by the First Daughters, both in Naeem Khan. "As our family reflects on our many happy years spent in the White House, we are grateful for the friends we've made, the joy we've shared, and the gifts of kindness we've received," the card reads. "We wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season and a wonderful new year."

Yass our #FirstFamily slayed!

A photo posted by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) on Dec 7, 2016 at 5:31pm PST

Read more: Michelle Obama Wore Festive Gucci Frock to Final Kennedy Center Honors
Washington (AFP) - As President Barack Obama prepares to leave office and step down as commander-in-chief of America's military, a flap has erupted over the secretive commandos who have become his go-to counterterrorist force across the globe.

Obama's foreign military policy has centered on the targeted killings of terror suspects -- usually by drone strikes -- and he has ordered such actions in countries including Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Yemen and Libya.

But when it comes to ground action, the president has steered away from large-scale troop deployments and favored the light footprint offered by America's hush-hush Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

The current kerfuffle stems from a Washington Post story that said SOCOM, specifically its super-secret wing called the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), is being granted new powers to track and potentially attack terror cells around the world.

The Post said JSOC could in some cases even operate unilaterally, without having to go through the regular US military command structure responsible for operations across particular parts of the world.

The reported move ruffled feathers in other military units and among government agencies such as the CIA that also track foreign jihadists.

They worried JSOC was being granted too much authority.

It "has caused for some friction in (the) government," a senior military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

So this week, senior Pentagon officials moved to tamp down the story, saying SOCOM was not getting new powers, and that it would continue to operate within the long-established command structures.

Though secretive by trade, SOCOM has gained wide celebrity in America thanks to the countless books and movies depicting raids by its various teams.

This has long been a source of resentment for other military units, which sometimes feel overlooked when it comes to getting credit for America's counterterrorism efforts.

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Perhaps the most famous raid involving SOCOM fighters was the May 2011 assault by Navy SEALs that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

- New intel-sharing center -

Though the Pentagon disputed parts of the Post story, the brouhaha did highlight the increased reliance America has placed on commandos fighting IS.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter in October said he had put JSOC "in the lead" of countering IS efforts to carry out external attacks.

"We have already achieved very significant results both in reducing the flow of foreign fighters and removing ISIL leaders from the battlefield," he told reporters, using an IS acronym.

The US-led coalition is closing in on its long-stated goal of booting Islamic State fighters from Iraq and Syria, with Iraq's second city Mosul now under attack and an assault on Raqa in Syria expected soon.

Much of this progress has been made possible by relentless coalition air strikes, but special operations forces have played a key role in both countries.

In Syria, about 250 US commandos have been training and arming local rebels and Kurdish fighters as they battles IS.

And special forces fighters are also working in Iraq, where alongside regular US troops they have been training the Kurdish peshmerga and Iraqi security forces.

SOCOM will likely play some sort of a role in both Raqa and Mosul.

"The discussions of life after Mosul, life after Raqa are happening in earnest right now -- but arguably a bit late," the official said.

The Daily Beast recently reported US special ops commanders are launching a new "counterterrorist nerve center" in the Middle East that also will host agents from other US intelligence agencies like the FBI and CIA.

The senior official did not confirm the story but said: "We are building our most coherent process and infrastructure possible, forward at an unspecified location."

The official also highlighted the potential dangers special operations troops face in Syria.

The US commandos have been working with local Kurds, much to the fury of key NATO ally Turkey, which sees the Kurdish YPG forces as a terrorist offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has been waging an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984.

Turkey has on multiple occasions attacked the Kurdish fighters.

"Every day, that drives the Turks nuts that we are riding (with) a 15,000 - 20,000 person primarily Kurdish force that they consider to be the PKK and their mortal enemies," the official said.
Aden (AFP) - A suicide bomber killed 35 soldiers and wounded around 50 on Saturday at a military camp in Yemen's southern city of Aden, military and medical sources said.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.

The bomber detonated his explosives belt as hundreds of troops gathered to receive their monthly pay at the barracks in Al-Sawlaban near the city's international airport, a military source said.

"A martyr from the Islamic State denotated his explosives belt in Al-Sawlaban military camp in Aden during a gathering of the Yemeni army," the IS-affiliated Amaq news outlet said.

Yemeni authorities have for months pressed a campaign against jihadists who remain active in the south and east of the war-torn country.

IS and its jihadist rival Al-Qaeda have taken advantage of a conflict between the government and the Huthi rebels, who control the capital Sanaa, to bolster their presence across much of the south.

The two groups have carried out a spate of attacks in Aden, Yemen's second city and headquarters of the internationally recognised government whose forces retook the port from the Huthis last year.

Al-Qaeda has long been the dominant jihadist force in Yemen, located next to oil-flush Saudi Arabia and key shipping lanes, but experts say IS is seeking to supplant its extremist rival.

In August an IS militant rammed his explosives-laden car into an army recruiting centre in Aden, killing 71 people in the deadliest jihadist attack on the city in over a year.

On Monday, Yemeni authorities arrested eight suspected IS jihadists implicated in a spate of attacks targeting security personnel in the city this year.

A Saudi-led coalition has since March 2015 supported loyalist forces fighting the Huthis.
By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Islamic State militants on Saturday captured most of Palmyra after breaking through Syrian army defenses and securing the heights around the ancient city in eastern Syria following a surprise assault, a monitoring group and rebels said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights expressed concern over the safety of civilians inside the city because many of them are pro-government supporters. The war monitor and rebels familiar with military operations in the area said that with the exception of southern areas most of the city was now in the hands of the militants who had waged an attack on several fronts. The Syrian army said it had repelled an attack by the militants near major grains silos 10 kms (6 miles) east of the city and inflicted heavy losses on them. It made no mention of the assault on the city, however. The Syrian army earlier said it had sent reinforcements to Palmyra to help defend it. Some troops were being diverted there from Aleppo, easing pressure on rebels there who were facing a last push by the army to oust them from the city, a rebel from the countryside outside Aleppo said. Islamic State's retaking of the city comes as President Bashar al Assad's government, supported by Russia and Iranian-backed militias, are on the verge of a major victory against rebels in Aleppo city. The city had been recaptured from the militants last March, in what was hailed as a major victory for the government and the biggest reversal for Islamic State in Syria since Russia's intervention, which turned the tide of the conflict in Assad's favor. A statement by Islamic State's news agency Amaq said the group had taken the strategic Jabal al Tar and Jabal Antara mountains that overlook the city in some of the heaviest fighting since the group lost the city. Amaq said on Saturday a Syrian war plane had been downed in the Jazal oil field area northwest of Palmyra. The militants were pushing towards the T4 airbase, one of Syria's major military bases, near Palmyra city and which Russian forces have been using to support the Syrian army. A rebel contact said a large contingent of Russian troops that had been stationed in the city had been quickly pulled out. Islamic State's assault, which began late on Thursday, has killed dozens of Syrian soldiers and quickly taken over grain silos and control of some oil and gas fields around Palmyra, monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The U.S.-led coalition which is separately fighting the militants said late on Friday it had taken out 168 IS oil tanker trucks near Palmyra in a large air raid. (Reporting by John Davison, Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman and Mostafa Hashem in Cairo, editing by Jeremy Gaunt, David Evans and Hugh Lawson)
By Laila Bassam and Lisa Barrington ALEPPO, Syria/BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army pressed an offensive in Aleppo on Friday with ground fighting and air strikes in an operation to retake all of the city's rebel-held east that would bring victory in the civil war closer for President Bashar al-Assad. "The advance is going according to plan and is sometimes faster than expected," a Syrian military source told Reuters. The Syrian army and its allies had recaptured 32 of east Aleppo's 40 neighborhoods, about 85 percent of the area, he said. Reuters journalists, rebels and a monitor confirmed the military thrust. There were no reports the Syrian army had made significant gains. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Syrian army had suspended military activity to let civilians leave rebel-held areas, RIA news agency reported. The army and its allies tried to advance on two fronts, a Turkish-based official with the Jabha Shamiya rebel group said. "Helicopters, warplanes and rocket bombardment like every day. Nothing has changed," the official said. Despite the bombardment, "the guys are steadfast," the official added. During a tour of Old Aleppo on Friday, which the Syrian army took control of this week, Reuters journalists counted the sound of nine air strikes in about half an hour. Fighting could be heard from other areas nearby. The Russian air force and Iran-backed Shi'ite militias are fighting in Aleppo on the government side. Rebel leaders have given no sign they are about to withdraw as the civilian population is squeezed into an ever-decreasing area. Russian Defense Ministry official Sergei Rudskoi said on Friday up to 10,500 Syrian citizens had fled parts of east Aleppo still controlled by rebels in the last 24 hours. This could not be independently verified. Syrian government and allied forces have in the last two weeks driven rebels from most of their territory in what was once Syria's most populous city. The rebels have controlled the eastern section since 2012, and Assad said in an interview published on Thursday that retaking Aleppo would change the course of the civil war across the whole country. The Syrian government now appears closer to victory than at any point in the five years since protests against Assad evolved into an armed rebellion. The war has killed more than 300,000 people and made more than half of Syrians homeless. Outside of Aleppo, the Syrian army declared a ceasefire in several areas around Damascus and the northwestern province of Idlib beginning on Friday evening, without saying how long it would last. There was no immediate comment from rebels. ROCKETS, BOMBS, ARTILLERY But there was no sign of any such truce inside Aleppo. "There are aerial raids on the city's neighborhoods with highly explosive incendiary bombs, barrel bombs and artillery shelling," a fighter with the Nour al-Din al-Zinki rebel group on an eastern Aleppo frontline told Reuters. In Old Aleppo, newly recaptured by the government, there was widespread destruction in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, with fire-damaged ancient buildings, structures reduced to rubble and spent ordnance everywhere. At the side of a road sat a woman in her late 20s, veiled, dressed in black, and weeping as she cradled her baby. "My son was born after three months of siege. There were no hospitals, no diapers, no milk," she said. "My milk is dry from fear and panic." Dozens of displaced civilians, including children, had gathered in the road with their belongings after fleeing the Saliheen district, where battles continued. Maher Tashtash, aged nine, said the bombardment had been frightening and rebels had told them they faced death if caught by the army. His brother Mohammed, 12, said they had hidden in a cellar until the fighting passed. Even the dead were not spared the carnage. In the Dar al-Islam cemetery near Ibn Sina street in al-Hamdaniya, graves were destroyed. People were burying corpses in open public ground. The United Nations estimates about 100,000 people are now squeezed into an "ever shrinking" rebel-held pocket of Aleppo with virtually no access to food, water or medical care. In rebel-held Aleppo, a Reuters journalist said there were intense clashes on Friday in Sheikh Saeed district in the south of the eastern sector, where the Observatory and a Syrian military source said government forces advanced on Thursday. Fighting also took place northeast of Aleppo, where Turkey has intervened to support rebels against both Islamic State fighters and Kurdish groups. Turkish-backed rebels closed in on the Islamic State-held city of al-Bab with Turkish tanks and warplanes supporting the assault, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. "NO NEGOTIATIONS NOW" Moscow and Washington have discussed a ceasefire to let civilians escape eastern Aleppo and aid enter. Russia also wants the United States to urge rebel fighters to abandon their territory and accept transport out. U.N. envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura told the Security Council on Thursday there were signs fighters in Aleppo may want to leave and the council should help them go, diplomats said. The Syrian government said on Friday it was ready to resume dialogue with the opposition, without external intervention or preconditions. Rebels said no such contacts were taking place. "There are no negotiations now, except what's being discussed internationally," said Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of the Aleppo-based Fastaqim rebel group, speaking from Turkey. "We have asked for the evacuation of civilians who want to leave and of the injured. The fighters are determined to stay and face things." U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Saturday to discuss Aleppo, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a news briefing on Friday. The talks will focus on achieving a pause in the fighting, the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians, and ensuring a safe departure for those who want to leave, Toner said. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who has invested months of intensive diplomacy on Syria, acknowledged the exasperation many feel. "I know people are tired of these meetings. I'm tired of these meetings. ... what am I supposed to do? Go home and have a nice weekend in Massachusetts while people are dying?" Kerry said at the U.S. embassy in Paris, according to a State Department transcript. "What is happening in Aleppo is the worst catastrophe  what's happening in Syria is the worst catastrophe since World War Two itself. It's unacceptable. It's horrible." The U.N. General Assembly voted 122 to 13 on Friday to demand an immediate cessation of hostilities in Syria, humanitarian aid access throughout the country and an end to all sieges, including in Aleppo. General Assembly resolutions are non-binding but can carry political weight. The European Union said on Friday it would introduce more sanctions on Syrian individuals and entities over the Aleppo offensive. The U.N. human rights office said hundreds of men from eastern Aleppo were missing after leaving rebel-held areas, voicing deep concern over their fate at the hands of government forces. The government has dismissed reports of mass arrests, torture and extrajudicial killings by its forces as fabrications. Rebels for their part deny they have prevented civilians from leaving opposition-controlled areas. (Reporting by Laila Bassam in Aleppo and Lisa Barrington, Tom Perry, Angus McDowall and Ellen Francis in Beirut, Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman and Stephanie Nebahay in Geneva; Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati in Washington and Michelle Nichols in New York; Writing by Lisa Barrington and Peter Graff; Editing by Yara Bayoumy, James Dalgleish and David Gregorio)
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday that Syrian rebel forces risk being killed elsewhere if they left the city of Aleppo, and doubted that talks among their backers in Paris would yield concrete results. "What is going to happen to rebel forces if they leave Aleppo? Will they not get killed in other places?" Cavusoglu told Turkish broadcaster TRT from Paris, adding "nobody is bringing concrete solutions" about the talks in France. Turkish-backed forces are now besieging al-Bab, the last urban stronghold of Islamic State in the northern Aleppo countryside. Their advance potentially pits the Turks against both Kurdish fighters and Syrian government forces. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Louise Heavens)
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Chinese military aircraft on Saturday flew over waterways near Taiwan as part of long-range exercises, Taiwan said, the first such flights since a telephone call between Taiwan's leader and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump irked China. China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own and has never renounced the use of force to take back what it deems a wayward province. Trump's call with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Dec. 2 was the first between a U.S. president-elect or president and a Taiwan leader since President Jimmy Carter switched diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 1979. China lodged a diplomatic protest over the call and blamed Taiwan for what it called a "petty" move. But there was no indication the exercise by its military aircraft on Saturday was a response to the telephone call. The Chinese jets flew north to south and entered the Miyako Strait around Japan's southern islands as well as the Bashi Channel south of Taiwan, but did not enter Taiwan's air defense identification zone, Taiwan's defense ministry said in a statement. The drills, lasting for about four hours, involved more than 10 aircraft, including four electronic surveillance planes that flew through the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines. China, which has in recent years become more assertive in the western Pacific and South China Sea, has carried out similar exercises in the area since September. The Chinese air force has described the exercises as part of regular, annual drills which accord with international law and practice. (Reporting by J.R. Wu; Editing by Robert Birsel)
KABUL (Reuters) - Hardline cleric Mullah Haibatullah Akundzada has reinforced his position as the new leader of the Afghan Taliban by winning the support of two senior members, the insurgent group said on Saturday. Former Taliban interior minister Mullah Abdul Razaq Akhund and Mullah Abdul Sata Akhund "pledged their full support" to Akundzada during a meeting of Taliban scholars at an undisclosed location on Friday, the group said on its website. Akundzada in May replaced former Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour who was killed by a U.S. drone strike. Senior members of the insurgent group hope Akundzada will be able to bring disparate factions together and repair the splits that emerged last year when Mansour was appointed. Afghan security forces have struggled to hold off resurgent Taliban fighters, who are estimated to control more territory in Afghanistan than at any time since 2001 when the U.S. invaded. (Reporting by Mirwais Harooni; Writing by Randy Fabi Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
They were three teenagers with promising lives ahead of them.

Adrienne Jones was a pretty, popular sophomore with an infectious laugh and bubbly sense of humor. She wanted to attend Texas A&M University and become a behavioral analyst. David Graham was a cross-country track star who wanted to become a pilot. His girlfriend, Diane Zamora, was an honor student who had been accepted at the U.S. Naval Academy and hoped to become an astronaut.

But none of those dreams came true.

On Dec. 4, 1995, Jones  known as A.J. to her friends  was found dead in a rural Texas field. She had been hit on the head and shot twice, starting a murder investigation which will be re-examined on Monday nights People Magazine Investigates, on Investigation Disc

Nearly eight months later, Graham and Zamora were arrested for Jones brutal murder. Their motive, prosecutors said: a deadly love triangle. They confessed to the killing, which investigators said Zamora ordered in a jealous rage after she learned that Jones and Graham had once had sex.

 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.

The story of teenage love and murder became one of the biggest crime stories of the 1990s and was even made into a TV movie starring Holly Marie Combs.

Zamora and Graham were ultimately convicted in Adriannes murder and sentenced to life in prison. (They are both eligible for parole in 2036.)

Despite the conviction, Zamora maintains her innocence in the slaying. While she admits that she witnessed the murder and helped hide it, she insists she never set out to kill anyone.

Now 38, Zamora exclusively speaks out on Monday nights People Magazine Investigates, on Investigation Discovery, and describes how she felt when Graham cheated on her.

Anyone whos ever been cheated on, they know how that feels, she tells the show. It breaks your heart.

The Adriane Jones episode of People Magazine Investigates airs Monday (10 p.m. ET) on Investigation Discovery.




People often incorrectly mutter the word Champagne as a reference for anything with bubbles. But Champagne is sparkling wine that comes specifically from a region of France that bears the same name.

A tokenof luxury and prestige, Champagne canbe made onlyfrom acombination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. And while deliciously rewarding in its own right (it is, after all, Champagne) there is a world of sparkling wine that often rivals it.

For a beverage to legally bear the Champagne name, it must be created by a very specific, traditional method: a first fermentation in barrel, a second fermentation in bottle, a slow tilting of the bottleuntil the yeasts reach the neckandare expelled, and a dosage (mixture of wine and sugar) is added.

The thing is, other sparkling winesincludingSpains Cava and bubbly from the rest of Franceare often crafted inthis technique. And if you're into mixing (think: mimosas and brut with a sugar cube and dash of bitters) you should seriously consider spending a bit less on your bottle of fizz.

Sothis holiday season, when you reach for that bottle of Champagne, think twice. Frances other wine regions offer exciting crmants at just half the price, and sparkling wines from Italy, the United States, and beyond can easily hold up to the celebratorychin-chin.

Sparkling Wines and Cocktails

Pick the Right Bubbly

Camille Braun Crmant dAlsace Brut

The Alsace wine region is perhaps Frances most idiosyncratic, sharing great similarity with nearby Germany, of which the region was (on more than one occasion) connected. Camille Braun is an estateestablished in 1902, and today their vineyards are farmed both organically as well as biodynamically. This sparkler is a blend with 60 percentAuxerrois and 40 percent Pinot Blanc. Witha mere 10 percentof its limited production arriving stateside, availability is scarce. It is simultaneously finessed and fun, showing notes of fresh apple, chalk, crme brle, and toasted bread.

To buy:binnys.com, $19

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Franois Pinon Vouvray Brut Petillant

Vouvray is an appellation located in Frances Loire Valley, where the Chenin Blanc grape is queen. Climate is highly variable from year to year, and the wines can range from dry to sweet, with sparkling winemainly produced in cooler vintages. Franois Pinon, a former psychiatrist, took over his fathers estate in 1987 and has focused heavily on retaining the characteristicsof Chenin Blanc in Vouvray. His crmant offersaromas of fresh pear and orange blossoms, with a precise palate full of toasted brioche and minerality. It's asmart alternative to Champagne that can age just as well.

To buy:klwines.com, $22

Ruge Prosecco Colfondo LEssenziale

Prosecco is so much more than bellinis and mimosas. There's Ruggero Ruggeri LEssenziale for example,made of Glera grapes grown in the prestigious Valdobbiadene DOCG region, Ruggeris wines showcase the unique terroir of the steep vineyard slopes. Prosecco is made in large tanks (which is what largely sets it apart from Champagne), but the LEssenziale goes a step further and is bottled unfiltered, or col fondo:Italian for with yeasts."These yeasts eventually sink tothe bottom and it'ssuggested that you gently turn the bottle up and down a few times to unleash their flavor. A cloudy yellow color, this Prosecco has notes of honeydew and cream, with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

To buy: 1000corks.com, $22

Domaine Collin Crmant de Limoux, Cuve Tradition

Most people saysparkling wine got its start with a bunch of monks in the Limoux region in 1531. Champagne native Philippe Collin headed south to Frances Languedoc-Roussillon wine region in 1980, and has used his expertise to create outstanding sparkling wine at a fraction of the cost of Champagne. The cpage is a trio of Chardonnay (for brightness), Chenin Blanc (for richness), and Pinot Noir (for structure). Expect something drier than a brut Champagne, with notes of citrus fruit and Granny Smith apple, and a crisp finish.

To buy: mwcwine.com, $14

Domaine Andre et Mireille Tissot Crmant du Jura

Theres no such thing as ros season when a bottle of winemaker Stphane Tissots Crmant du Jura is open. Hailing from Frances mountainous Jura region in the southeast, this wine come from vineyards planted in Arbois. Made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Poulsard (a grape native to the area), this ros is a deep pink color, with hints of orange. The palate is lush and fruit-forward, with notes of musty raspberry, sour cherries,and smoky orange rind. A dry and slightly floral finish make this wine perfect for the dinner table.

To buy:septemberwines.com, $26

Patrick Piuze Val de Mer Non-Dos Crmant de Bourgogne

Winemakerand native Canadian, Patrick Piuze, is highly regarded for his devotion to showcasing the many terroirs of Chablis in northern Burgundy. Made completely from Chardonnay, it smells classically like a Chablistart apples, crushed chalk, and flinty smoke. The mousse (or bubbles) is fine and carries the wine to a finish accented by cooked apple,sage,andlemon. There's even a rewarding toasty note reminiscent of nearby Champagne. It's best paired with a platter of oysters.

To buy:vintryfinewines.com, $20

Via de la Plata Cava Brut Nature

While most Cava is produced in Spains Catalonia region, the law allows that it can be produced throughout the countryas long as its made in mtodo tradicional (the same method as Champagne). Via de la Plata is the countrys first Cava made in Extremadura: a southwestern region sharing aborder with Portugal. Made up of 70 percent Macabeo and 30 percentParellada, the Via de la Plata Cava benefits from substantial ageing on its lees (yeasts). The result is a welcome addition to any party, with a nose of juicy green figs, yellow apples, and red berries, and a dry palate with hints of buttered bread and balanced acidity.

To buy:europawinemerchant.com, $17

Il Mosnel Franciacorta Brut

Italys true answer to Champagne is not Proseccoit is Franciacorta. The Franciacorta DOCG is located in Lombardys Brescia province, and the wines follow the Champagne method of production, but with an Italian sensibility. The Il Mosnel estate was inauguratedin 1836 and to this day, wines are still bottled on site. The non-vintage blend is comprised predominantly of Chardonnay, along with Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero. Its nose is an integrated bouquet of elderflower, sweet almond, apricots, apples, and cantaloupe. Perfectly balanced, with tamed acidity, the Il Mosnel proves to be an ideal wine for pairing with fish or cream-based pasta dishes.

To buy:astorwines.com, $29

Hofgut Falkenstein Riesling Sekt Brut

Sekt is the German word for sparkling wine, and consumption of such bubbles in Germany is pretty high (roughly five liters per capita). Hofgut Falkenstein is located in the village of Konz-Niedermennig in Germanys Mosel region, which is renowned for its steep slate soil slopes overlooking the Mosel River. Winemaker Erich Webertakes a natural approach toward production, and is super traditional in his interpretation of Riesling. The estates sekt has a gingery nose with notes of anise, fennel, honeycomb, and lime. Its complex, yet accessible, palate of freshness and minerality can easily convert any Riesling naysayer.

To buy:chambersstwines.com, $33

Graham Beck Brut Ros NV

Cap Classique is the South African term for atraditional sparkling wine production, and Graham Beck has been consistently noted for its output of quality. Made from hand-harvested Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from two vineyards in the Robertson and Stellenbosch wine regions onthe Western Cape, the non-vintage ros brut is an attractive pour. Pale silvery pink, the wine bursts with aromas of ripe raspberry and black and white cherries, along with subtle notes of lavender, peach pit, and rose. Sip with cheese plates, savory desserts, or richer main courses.

To buy:wine.com, $16

Analemma Blanc de Noirs 2011

One exceptional American sparkler hails from the Atavus vineyard in Washingtons Columbia Gorge that was planted in the 1960s. Winemakers Steve Thompson and Kris Ford, whose operation is based over the border in Oregon, vinify their blanc de noirs sparkling wine from organically grown Pinot Noir. With the technical backbone of a Champagne wine, Analemma looks toward West Coast terroirfor a wine with notes of sliced pear, tart wild strawberry, andwatermelon rind. Before release, this surprisingly lean wineis aged for fours years.

To buy:analemmawines.com, $56

Sparking Wines and Recipes

Choose the Perfect Champagne Cocktail

The French 75

Acclaimed mixologist Franky Marshall gives classic cocktails an update at Le Boudoir, a cozy Marie Antoinette-themed bar tucked away in New York City's Brooklyn Heights neighborhood. For her French 75, Marshall adheres to the drinks simplicity (it has just three ingredients). Skip the gin and go straight for VS Cognac, mix with equal parts sparkling wine (instead of Champagne) and a splash of fresh lemon juice. Garnish with a lemon peel.

2 oz sparkling wine

2 oz VS Cognac

Splash of lemon juice

Lemon peel

The Quick Draw

To slip inside Trademark Taste + Grind, located in Hotel Le Soleil, is to exit the concrete bustle of Midtown Manhattan and enter a place of comfort food, locally roasted coffee, and thoughtful cocktails. Gin lovers should take to the Quick Draw.

1 oz. Hendricks gin

1 oz. Wlffer Estate Verjus

.5 oz. Martini & Rossi Ambrato Vermouth di Torino

.5 oz. Nardini Acqua di Cedro liqueur.

Combine, stir,pour into a martini glass, and top with a dry sparkling ros of your choice.

Sparkling Wines and Cocktails

The Ingrid Bergman

Slowly Shirley, in Manhattans West Village, dubs itself a subterranean cocktail sanctuary. The mood harkensback to a more glamorousera,and the drinks list has something for classic and contemporary sippers. Recreate the bar's Ingrid Bergman: acitrusy and herbal blend of grapefruit, lemon, beer, and Cava,

Dash of grapefruit bitters

Splash of absinthe

.5 oz Cedrat

.5 oz lemon syrup

.5 oz beer distillate.

Top with a pour of Cava. Serve in a flute with a grapefruit peel at the rim.

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Tiwari ends hunger strike on 18th day

A four-point deal has been penned between Bikas Tiwari and government on Saturday. Tiwari, the Chairman of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Gajendrawadi), has been staging hunger strike for the past 18 days seeking reforms in Gajendra Narayan Singh Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital in Rajbiraj, the headquarters of Saptari.
Beijing (AFP) - A man has self-immolated in protest against China's presence in Tibet while calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, a rights group said Saturday, the first Tibetan to set themselves on fire since March.

Horrific video footage online showed the man, aged in his thirties and named by The International Campaign for Tibet as Tashi Rabten, walking down the road in northwest China's Maqu region with his entire body engulfed in flames while a passerby recited prayers.

According to the Tibetan government in exile based in India, Rabten is the 145th Tibetan to self-immolate since 2009.

Local authorities, who collected his charred remains, could not be reached for comment.

Rabten's wife, two of his children and several other family members were placed in detention by local police after they went to claim the body, according to rights group Free Tibet.

"Having lost a father and a husband, Tashi Rabtens family now find themselves in detention. The cruelty of this system knows no bounds," Free Tibet said in a statement.

"The only crime they have committed is to be the family of someone who has embarrassed China by once again reminding the world that their occupation and these human rights abuses cause Tibetans real pain. And sometimes this pain pushes Tibetans to make the ultimate sacrifice," it added.

Beijing says its troops "peacefully liberated" Tibet in 1951, but many Tibetans accuse the central government of religious repression and eroding their culture.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled into exile after a failed uprising in 1959.

Tibetan monks within China have reported a campaign of government intimidation targeting the family and friends of those who set themselves on fire.

According to The International Campaign for Tibet, Tashi Rabten, a former monk, had a cousin who self-immolated in the exact same street in 2012.

In March this year two Tibetans, a monk in China and a teenager in India, set themselves on fire to protest against Beijing's control of the Himalayan region.
Silicon Valley star T.J. Miller is still on as host of the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday despite being arrested for allegedly attacking his Uber driver on Friday morning.

TJ is our host. We cant wait to see what he does on Sunday! Broadcast Television Journalists Association president, Joey Berlin told TheWrap on Friday.

Miller was arrested on Friday morning, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The driver then called 911. TMZ reported that Miller and the driver had an altercation about Donald Trump.

Also Read: 'Silicon Valley' Star T.J. Miller Accused of Smacking Uber Driver Over Trump

The citizens arrest was phoned in around 1 a.m. by Millers car driver on the 6900 block of Camrose Drive in Hollywood. Police arrested Miller at his home. He was charged with battery and released on his own recognizance. His manager did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for comment.

According to TMZ, Miller attended the GQ Man of the Year party, and the driver claimed that the Deadpool actor slapped him. The driver didnt have any visible injuries, the site reported.

Miller has been critical of Trump, even trying to burn a Trump tie on Conan. He tweeted during the presidential election, Trump is a madman. Hes a lunatic. Hell ruin us globally. Lets f him up in November.

Let's stop this nonsense. Trump is a madman. He's a lunatic. He'll ruin us globally. Let's fuck him up in November.https://t.co/cqDuWwaI6k  t.j. miller (@nottjmiller) July 13, 2016

Millers new movie Office Christmas Party  which also stars Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Munn and Jason Bateman  opens today. The actor, who last year won a Critics Choice award for his portrayal of Erlich Bachman on the HBO comedy Silicon Valley, also appeared in the superhero film Deadpool earlier this year.

Story continues

Also Read: 'Office Christmas Party' Rages to $950,000 at Thursday Box Office

Itll be interesting to see what, if anything, Miller has to say about the arrest when he takes to the stage for his hosting gig on Sunday.

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Blac Chynas mother, Tokyo Toni, is standing behind her daughter as she fights a legal battle against her future in-laws.

Toni took to Instagram to share her message of support to her daughter, saying: Blacchyna has my support 110% no matter what! You cant just stop what God has plans for. PS People need to relax. Its enough shine money TV airtime play selfie sticks and camera footage for everyone! (sic)

Chynas mom added that shes all about sharing, but if her daughter is put in a position that may hurt her, she will always back her up.

While Toni is ready to fight for her daughter, Kris Jenner says theres nothing to fight about. Rob Kardashians mother told Chyna personally that theres nothing to worry about, according to TMZ. Jenner also reportedly said that the decision to block Chynas application for a trademark using the Kardashian name came from their legal counsel and not the family.

Chyna applied to trademark the name Angela Renee Kardashian, the name she will be legally using after getting married to Rob. In the papers asking to stop Chyna from trademarking the name, the Kardashians legal counsel reportedly said that the sisters have spent and continue to invest a substantial amount of time, resources and money in protecting, advertising and promoting that Kardashian marks. The documents also said that people have already associated the brand name with the three sisters, and Chynas trademark may cause confusion.

Despite Jenners assurance that there is nothing for Chyna to worry about, Chynas lawyer, Walter Mosley, told E! News that the opposition has not been dropped.

Whether or not anyone has spoken to Angela or whether specifically Kris has spoken to Angela, I do not know at this time, Mosley said. Ultimately none of that matters unless and until the opposition is dropped.

Chyna is engaged to Rob, but a date for their wedding has not been set. The two recently welcomed their first child together, Dream.

Story continues

Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna

Photo: Getty Images/Greg Doherty

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The first trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming has arrived, and the general (positive) consensus is that Peter Parker is finally a believable teenager and that the high school experience depicted in the film feels pretty authentic, just with superpowers. Early buzz around the film was that it had a John Hughes vibe, which is one of the best compliments that you can give any film that centers around angsty teens. People may be tiring of seemingly endless Spider-Man reboots, but it looks like Marvel has really gotten it right this time.

One of their keys to success is the performance of Tom Holland, who managed to nail both Spider-Man and Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War, so fans are looking forward to seeing him carry his own film. Holland is very dedicated to the role as well, and he did some serious preparation before playing the classic American teenager. In a Facebook live stream on Friday, Holland explained that he went undercover at a New York high school to prepare for the role because his English education was very different.

No one knew who I was or what I was doing. I had a fake name and fake accent. I went to a school [in London] where you had to wear a suit and tie, and its all boys. For me, it was the first time I was in a classroom with girls. It was a really strange experience. It was really fun.

While most of the students didnt bat an eye at Hollands presence (must have been pre-Civil War), on girl was less than convinced that he was legit.

Whats your deal, man? Why do you go to our school? This is a science school, you cant just enroll,' Holland recalls her saying. I started doing an English accent and I was like, I have a secret. Im actually Spider-Man. She was like, Dude, youre nuts. You are literally the craziest guy Ive ever met in my life.'

If he was able to dupe everyone so well, it probably bodes well for his performance in Homecoming. Well have to wait until July 7, 2017 to find out.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Three Filipino soldiers were killed and 17 others wounded in nearly two hours of fighting with about 150 Muslim militants in the south, the military said Sunday. The Abu Sayyaf gunmen withdrew after the fierce clash on Saturday in the mountains of Patikul town in Sulu province, and are being pursued by government forces, said regional military spokesman Maj. Filemon Tan. An unspecified number of militants were either wounded or killed in the latest flare-up in a monthslong offensive ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte. Tan said the troops were backed by assault aircraft and artillery fire. The militants were led by Radulan Sahiron, a one-armed commander long wanted by the U.S.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesian police said they safely detonated a bomb on the outskirts of the capital after arresting a female would-be suicide bomber and other suspected Islamic militants who were allegedly planning to attack the presidential palace this weekend. The thwarted plot is likely to cause particular concern in Indonesia because of the possibility that women with militant network associations are now being recruited into more active roles, including plotting and carrying out attacks. "This marks a new chapter of terrorism in Indonesia, where the suicide bombing was to be carried out by a woman," terrorism analyst Ridwan Habib said in an interview with Indonesian TV.

TOKYO (AP)  Tokyo held a groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday for a $1.5 billion National Stadium to host the 2020 Olympic Games. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike and other dignitaries launched the construction at the site of the demolished National Stadium, which was used during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, by putting their hands on a glass sphere that rotated through pastels of the colors of the Olympic logo. The ceremony ended with a video replete with computer graphics showing how the stadium is expected to look and function once completed by November 2019. Work on the stadium in the center of the city fell behind schedule because the government abandoned the original design amid spiraling costs and complaints over its scale and appearance.

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP)  Sri Lankan naval troops fired warning shots to break up a protest by striking dock workers who have held up a Japanese vessel for four days at the island's southern international port. Troops entered Hambantota port from the sea Saturday and fired warning shots to disperse the crowd, considering their action an "act of piracy," navy spokesman Akram Alavi said. The protesters had prevented the Japanese vehicle carrier Hyperion Highway from leaving the port. No casualties were reported. After the navy's intervention, the Japanese ship sailed Saturday afternoon toward its next destination, Oman, Alavi said. Temporary workers began striking Tuesday, demanding to be made permanent employees of the state-run Sri Lanka Ports Authority, which manages island nation's ports.

BEIJING (AP)  Six workers are dead in China after being hit by an express cargo train on the railway line connecting Beijing and the southern city of Guangzhou. A local government statement about the Saturday accident said authorities are still investigating why the workers were on a live track. State media reported in July that the number of train-related accidents and deaths had declined during the first half of 2016. China's national safety regulator, the State Administration of Work Safety, reported 1,037 train-related deaths in 2015 and blamed most of them on pedestrians and drivers improperly crossing tracks, as well as typhoons and other natural disasters.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  The previous time South Korea's parliament voted to impeach a president, ruling party lawmakers bawled and hurled ballot boxes, a man set himself on fire in front of the National Assembly, and thousands glumly held candlelight vigils night after night to save late liberal President Roh Moo-hyun. Twelve years later, the mood couldn't have been more different, with massive crowds returning to Seoul's streets on Saturday, a day after lawmakers voted in favor of removing disgraced President Park Geun-hye. The vote for impeachment left protesters basking in pride, believing they had repaired a damaged democracy with their weekly demonstrations.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  Fresh off impeachment, South Korean President Park Geun-hye's days in office may be numbered. Her potential successors include the outgoing secretary general of the United Nations, an ambitious mayor who has been compared to both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, and the man who conceded the presidential race to Park four years ago. Park was suspended as president following a parliamentary impeachment vote Friday. She will be formally removed from office if six of the Constitutional Court's nine justices support her impeachment in a review that could take up to six months. The chances of the court reinstating Park are considered low, and if she's unseated, the country must hold a presidential election within 60 days.

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP)  North Korea, after following the travails of South Korean President Park Geun-hye with unconcealed joy, got off to a slow start Saturday in reacting to her actual impeachment. Pyongyang residents told of the news, however, were quick to judge. First word of Friday's vote in Seoul to remove Park from office didn't come until Saturday afternoon from the North's state-run news agency, which reported it in a terse and largely insult-free story. Nothing about Park's impeachment by the South's National Assembly was carried by North Korea's ruling party daily, the Rodong Sinmun, on Saturday morning. Instead, an older story, headlined "Last Ditch Efforts of the Power Maniac," took up most of the top half of Page 5.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Afghanistan has fallen so far from Americans' consciousness that some may have forgotten it's called the forgotten war. It also is America's longest war. Now in its 16th year and showing little sign of ending, it will soon be the responsibility of Donald Trump, two presidents removed from the October 2001 invasion. During the presidential campaign, neither Trump nor Democrat Hillary Clinton offered new ideas for breaking the battlefield stalemate. They hardly mentioned the country, let alone a strategy. And yet, the war President George W. Bush began as America's response to 9/11 grinds on as nearly 10,000 U.S.

BANGALORE, India (AP)  After an elephant broke his leg and was left to hobble around the backwaters of a reservoir in southern India, villagers and veterinarians brought him food and tried to soothe his agony through treatment. But he died Friday after efforts lasting more than three months. Sidda, the name given to the elephant by forest guards, was estimated to be 35 years old. Sidda fell into a ditch and broke his right leg in the Manchinbele dam area in late August. He also sustained abrasions all over his body, and had an abscess on his back that required treatment.
Mitch McConnell

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell raised doubts about intelligence pointing to Russia trying to help President-elect Donald Trump win the election.

In a confidential briefing, McConnell reportedly expressed doubt about intelligence findings that Russia aided efforts to boost Trump, ostensibly by promoting hacked emails and documents that were damaging to the Democratic Party and its nominee, Hillary Clinton.

The Washington Post reported McConnell, who attended the briefing in September, "voiced doubts about the veracity of the intelligence."

Citing several unnamed officials, The Post wrote that McConnell threatened to rebuke the Obama administration if it publicly challenged Russia.

Trump hired McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, as secretary of transportation after the election. Chao ran the Labor Department in the George W. Bush administration.

The appointment requires congressional approval. McConnell has rejected calls to recuse himself from the confirmation process.

NOW WATCH: Watch Mitch McConnell credit former Fox News Chief Roger Ailes for jump-starting his political career





More From Business Insider


(Adds background)

By Steve Holland

BALTIMORE, Dec 10 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name the chief executive of Exxon Mobil Corp as the country's top diplomat, a source familiar with the situation said on Saturday, an appointment that would put in place an official with close ties to the Russian government.

News of Tillerson's possible appointment comes as U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Trump win the White House.

The choice of Tillerson further stocks Trump's cabinet and inner circle with people who favor a soft line toward Moscow.

Tillerson, 64, has driven Exxon's expansion in Russia for decades and opposed U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia for its seizure of Crimea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Tillerson Russia's Order of Friendship, one of the country's highest civilian honors.

Exxon's Tillerson emerged on Friday as Trump's leading candidate for U.S. secretary of state over 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and three other people.

Tillerson met with Trump for more than two hours at Trump Tower on Saturday morning. It was their second meeting about the position this week.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tillerson was the expected pick but cautioned no formal offer had yet been made.

Trump spokesman Jason Miller said no announcement on the high-profile job was forthcoming in the immediate future.

"Transition Update: No announcements on Secretary of State until next week at the earliest. #MakeAmericaGreatAgain," he tweeted.

Trump on Saturday attended the Army-Navy football game in Baltimore, where he was joined by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who withdrew from consideration as secretary of state on Friday.

NBC News, which first reported the development, said Trump would also name John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, as deputy secretary of state.

As Exxon's CEO, Tillerson oversees operations in more than 50 countries, including Russia.

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In 2011, Exxon signed a deal with Rosneft, Russia's largest state-owned oil company, for joint oil exploration and production. Since then, the companies have formed 10 joint ventures for projects in Russia.

Tillerson and Rosneft chief Igor Sechin announced plans to begin drilling in the Russian Arctic for oil as part of their joint venture, in spite of U.S. sanctions.

In July, Tillerson was one of the highest-profile U.S. representatives at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, one of Putin's main investment forums, even as Washington had been taking a harder line than Europe on maintaining sanctions.

Trump has pledged to work for stronger U.S. ties with Russia, which have been strained by Putin's incursion into Crimea and his support for Syrian President Bashir al-Assad.

In a preview from an interview to be aired on "Fox News Sunday," Trump said Tillerson is "much more than a business executive."

"I mean, he's a world class player," Trump said. "He's in charge of an oil company that's pretty much double the size of his next nearest competitor. It's been a company that has been unbelievably managed."

"And to me, a great advantage is he knows many of the players, and he knows them well. He does massive deals in Russia," Trump said.

Tillerson's Russian ties figure to be a factor in any Senate confirmation hearing.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, a long-time Putin critic, told Fox News that he does not know what Tillerson's relationship with Putin has been, "but I'll tell you, it is a matter of concern to me."

Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee raised concerns in a memo on Saturday citing Trump's "cavalier dismissal" of U.S. intelligence reports that Russia interfered in U.S. elections and the appointment of Tillerson, who has "business ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin, and whose company worked to bury and deny climate science for years."

Should Tillerson be nominated, climate change could be another controversial issue for him. The company is under investigation by the New York Attorney General's Office for allegedly misleading investors, regulators and the public on what it knew about global warming.

Tillerson is, however, one of the few people selected for roles in the Trump administration to believe that human activity causes climate change.

After Trump's election, Exxon came out in support of the Paris Climate Agreement and said it favors a carbon tax as an emissions-cutting strategy.

(Additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici in Washington and Dmitry Zhdannikov in London; Editing by Franklin Paul and Steve Orlofsky)
(Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump said on Friday he would name Andrew Liveris, chairman and chief executive of Dow Chemical Co, to head the Manufacturing Council, a private sector group that advises the U.S. secretary of commerce.

Trump made the announcement during a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he introduced Liveris, 62, a dual U.S.-Australian citizen who said he had accepted the appointment.

(Corrects to say Grand Rapids, Michigan, not Battle Creek, Michigan, in second paragraph.)

(Reporting by Eric Walsh; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Fixation on political news bane of Nepali media

Widespread coverage of political news, the mainstay of media companies, has put issues of economic development in the shadow, preventing the country from creating an environment to generate jobs and make the nation prosperous.
By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump's Energy Department transition team sent the agency a memo this week asking for the names of people who have worked on climate change and the professional society memberships of lab workers, alarming employees and advisors. The memo sent to the Energy Department on Tuesday and seen by Reuters on Friday, contains 74 questions including a request for a list of all department employees and contractors who attended the annual global climate talks hosted by the United Nations within the last five years. It asked for a list of all department employees or contractors who have attended any meetings on the social cost of carbon, a measurement that federal agencies use to weigh the costs and benefits of new energy and environment regulations. It also asked for all publications written by employees at the department's 17 national laboratories for the past three years. "This feels like the first draft of an eventual political enemies list," said a Department of Energy employee, who asked not to be identified because he feared a reprisal by the Trump transition team. "When Donald Trump said he wanted to drain the swamp it apparently was just to make room for witch hunts and it's starting here at the DOE and our 17 national labs," the employee said. Trump transition team officials declined to comment on the memo, which was first reported by Bloomberg. Republican Trump, a New York businessman and former reality TV star who has never previously held public office, said during his election campaign that climate change was a hoax perpetrated by China to damage U.S. manufacturing. He said he would rip up last year's landmark global climate deal struck in Paris that was signed by Democratic President Barack Obama. Since winning the Nov. 8 election, however, Trump has confused observers by saying he will keep an "open mind" about the Paris deal. He also met with former Vice President Al Gore, a strong advocate for action on climate change. Contenders to head the Energy Department under Trump include Kevin Cramer, a Republican U.S. representative from oil producing North Dakota, Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat from the same state, and Joe Manchin, a Democrat from coal-producing West Virginia. The memo also asked for the names of the 20 top salaried employees at the department's labs, and a list of all websites maintained or contributed to by lab staff during work hours. A list of projects at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy which funds research into high risk clean energy projects that could revolutionize energy markets, was also requested. "They're certainly sending an aggressive signal here with some of these questions and they need to be careful," said Dan Reicher, a professor at Stanford University who also serves as an advisor to U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. "I worry about some of the questions being sent that could unnecessarily alienate key career staff, because they need the career staff and lab professionals to get the daily work done," said Reicher. The Energy Department employs more than 90,000 people working on nuclear weapons maintenance and research labs, nuclear energy, advanced renewable energy, batteries and climate science. Two sources at the Environmental Protection Agency, where many climate regulations are formed, said no similar memo has been sent to that agency by the Trump administration. Democratic Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts warned the Trump transition team about taking actions against any employees named in any response the department might send. "Any politically motivated inquisition against federal civil servants who, under the direction of a previous administration, carried out policies that you now oppose," would call into question the Trump team's commitment to the rule of law and a peaceful transition, Markey said in a letter to Trump. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Additional reporting by Emily Stephenson; editing by Grant McCool)
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish authorities issued arrest warrants for 55 people, including businessmen, suspected of giving financial support to the network of the U.S.-based cleric Ankara accuses of orchestrating a failed military coup in July, broadcaster NTV said. The businessmen suspected of being linked to the cleric's network allegedly carried large sums of cash, which they have called a "favor", back and forth between Turkey, Tanzania, Uganda, and Kazakhstan since 2014, NTV said. Ankara accuses the cleric Fethullah Gulen of orchestrating the July 15 coup bid, in which rogue soldiers commandeered tanks, fighter jets and helicopters to attack the parliament and attempt to overthrow the government. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, has denied involvement and condemned the coup. Police from the Istanbul financial-crimes unit conducted operations in 57 separate addresses on Saturday to root out sympathizers of Gulen, NTV said. Authorities have detained some of the suspects in the operations, while others are still being sought, NTV said, adding that some were found to be using Bylock, a smartphone messaging app which Ankara says was used by Gulen's adherents as a communication tool. Turkey has so far jailed some 36,000 people pending trial and has suspended or dismissed more than 100,000 people from the military, judiciary, public service and others in the crackdown. Turkey's Western allies have voiced concern at the extent of the purges under President Tayyip Erdogan, who has repeatedly rejected such criticism, saying Ankara is determined to root out its enemies at home and abroad. Turkey classified Gulen's movement, which espouses philanthropy, interfaith dialogue and science-based education, as a terrorist network in July 2015. It says Gulen's followers spent four decades infiltrating the bureaucracy and security forces in a bid to eventually take control of the state. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu, editing by Louise Heavens)
By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ercan Gurses ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's ruling AK Party on Saturday submitted to parliament a package of constitutional reform proposals that would expand the president's powers, party officials said, in a move that could potentially see President Tayyip Erdogan rule until 2029. Erdogan and his supporters have long argued that the country needs the strong leadership of an executive presidency, akin to the system in the United States or France, to avoid the fragile coalition governments that hampered its development in the past. Opponents see the proposed change as a vehicle for Erdogan's ambition, and fear it will bring increased authoritarianism to a country already under fire from Western allies over its record on rights and freedoms, especially after widespread purges in the wake of a failed military coup in July. "There will only be strong leaderships now," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters on Saturday, saying the changes meant the end of periods of coalition government. "Parliament ... is being strengthened, while the presidency, in charge of the executive branch, is being restructured to end conflicts between branches." The AKP wants to hold a referendum on the constitutional changes by next May and is seeking the backing of the nationalist MHP opposition to win approval for a national vote. Any constitutional change needs the support of at least 330 deputies in the 550-seat assembly to go to a referendum. The AKP has 316 lawmakers eligible for voting, and the MHP 39. Erdogan has turned a largely ceremonial presidency into a powerful platform at a time of domestic upheaval by drawing on his unrivalled popularity. The AKP is now seeking a strong executive presidency that while formalizing his position's powers could avert any relapse into the fractious coalition governments of the 1990s. Both Erdogan and the AKP have said they would put their proposed changes to the public even if they were to win 367 votes, which is theoretically enough to make constitutional changes without a referendum. Speaking at a news conference following the submission of the proposals, senior officials Abdulhamit Gul from the AKP and Mehmet Parsak from the MHP outlined the specifics of the 21-article package, which Reuters has seen. "This text ... carries the mission to the people of strengthening its leadership after July 15," Gul said, referring to the date of the failed military coup. Presidential, parliamentary and local elections will all be held together in 2019 under the proposals, while the number of parliamentarians will be increased to 600 with each political party providing "substitute lawmakers" in the event of members no longer being able to take part in parliamentary activities. If he were to win the presidential election, Erdogan could assume the executive presidency in 2019 and serve two five-year terms, keeping him in power until 2029. In an unprecedented move, the proposals would allow the president to retain his ties to a political party, meaning Erdogan could resume his leadership of the AKP, which he founded. The package would introduce criminal liability for the president, who previously was immune from all charges except treason. It also includes cutting the number of Constitutional Court members to 15 from the current 17 and abolishing military courts. The Gendarmerie would be removed from the national security council. (Editing by Hugh Lawson)
DIYARBAKIR (Reuters) - Turkish jets carried out air strikes against Kurdish militants in the Gara region of northern Iraq on Friday and killed 19 militants, Turkish military sources said on Saturday. The warplanes took off from an air base in Diyarbakir in response to threats that the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants were preparing an attack on military units at the border, the sources said. Turkey frequently launches air attacks against PKK targets in the mountainous regions of northern Iraq near the Turkish border, where the Kurdish militant group's leadership has camps. A ceasefire between the autonomy-seeking PKK and the state fell apart last year, triggering some of the worst violence in the three decades of the Kurdish insurgency. More than 40,000 people, most of them Kurds, have been killed in Turkey's conflict with the PKK, which Ankara, the United States and European Union designate a terrorist organization. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu)
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish warplanes destroyed 39 Islamic State targets and killed four militants in northern Syria, the Turkish army said on Saturday. Turkey's ramping up of its air strikes in northern Syria are part of Ankara's almost four-month-old "Euphrates Shield" operation with Turkish-backed rebels, which aims to push the jihadists and Kurdish militia fighters away from the Syrian border area. Turkish jets destroyed shelters, vehicles mounted with guns, and ammunition depots the latest air strikes in the al-Bab and Zarzur regions of northern Syria, the army said. The Turkish army on Friday said its air strikes destroyed 34 Islamic State targets, while a statement from the day before said it said it had hit 10 targets. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday the Turkish-backed rebels closed in on the key Islamic State-held city of al-Bab in northern Syria, with Turkish tanks and warplanes supporting the assault. Hundreds of Arab and Turkmen fighters seized at least two villages west of al-Bab, the rebels said on Friday. The city is of strategic importance to Turkey, partly because Kurdish-dominated militias have also been trying to take it from the jihadists. The advance of the Turkish-backed forces potentially pits them against both Kurdish fighters and Syrian government forces in an increasingly complex battlefield. Ankara is determined to prevent the Kurdish YPG militia, which it sees as a hostile force, from joining up cantons it controls along the Turkish border, fearing that would embolden Kurdish separatism at home. (Reporting by Orhan Coskun and Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
By William Maclean MANAMA (Reuters) - The United States will send 200 additional military personnel including special forces to the campaign against Islamic State in Syria to create a "tornado" of pressure against the group's Raqqa hub, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Saturday, Carter, speaking in Bahrain to regional security chiefs, twinned the announcement with a call on Middle East allies to do more for their own defence, a sore topic with some Gulf states who resent being seen by Washington as military "free riders". The arrival of the 200 additional forces in Syria, joining 300 special forces already there backing local allies, would bring to bear the "full weight of U.S. forces around the theater of operations like the funnel of a giant tornado", Carter said. "The sooner we crush both the fact and the idea of an Islamic state based on ISILs barbaric ideology, the safer well all be", he said at the Manama Dialogue security conference. Syria's civil war pits Assad, backed by Iran, Russia and some Shi'ite militias, against mostly Sunni Arab rebels backed by Turkey, Gulf monarchies and the United States. A secondary conflict puts all of them at war with Islamic State. Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria are the pillars of Islamic State's self-declared caliphate, and recapturing them would be a pivotal defeat for the ultra-hardline Sunni jihadists. Carter said that despite the eventual defeat of IS in Syria the violence there would not stop until an end was put to the civil war, and Russia's intervention to back President Bashar al-Assad had only inflamed the conflict. Russia entered into the war saying it wanted to promote a smooth political transition and fight IS, Carter said. "But then it did neither of those things," he added. ALLIES "AREN'T DOING ENOUGH" Syrian army advances in Aleppo mean the government appears closer to victory than at any point since 2011 protests against Assad evolved into an armed rebellion. The war has killed more than 300,000 people and made more than half of Syrians homeless. In Iraq, Carter said, his main concern that the effort to stabilise the Mosul region after it was liberated, by rebuilding towns, services and communities, "will lag behind the military campaign". Gulf countries could help with that. Carter reiterated a U.S. call for more defence cooperation among Gulf Arab states, a delicate question ever since President Barack Obama last year told The Atlantic magazine some states in the Gulf and Europe were "free-riders" who called for U.S. action without getting involved themselves. Some Gulf states see Obama, keen to extricate Washington from conflicts across the world, as unappreciative of their willingness to host U.S. bases and purchase U.S. weapons. "Mutual interest requires mutual commitment," Carter said. "I would ask you to imagine what U.S. military and defense leaders think when they have to listen to complaints sometimes that we should do more, when it's plain to see that all too often, the ones complaining aren't doing enough themselves." (Reporting by William Maclean; Editing by Robert Birsel)
By Warren Strobel, Yara Bayoumy and John Irish WASHINGTON/PARIS (Reuters) - Key U.S. allies in Europe are quietly expressing concern over President-elect Donald Trump's approach to Syria, warning that his pledge to work more closely with Russia, Damascus' main backer, will do little to diminish the terrorist threat emanating from Syria. The diplomatic persuasion campaign has taken on new importance in recent days as the Syrian army, backed by Russia, Iran and Shi'ite militias, appears poised to retake all of Aleppo city in a major defeat for Western-backed rebels. Moscow and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are expected to cast Aleppo's fall as the end of a revolt against Assad that began in March 2011, although Western analysts predict the civil war, which has killed more than 300,000 people and made more than half of Syrians homeless, will continue, perhaps for years. Western diplomats, who described discussions with Trump advisers on condition of anonymity, said their message was that a U.S. alliance with Russia, and by extension Assad, to crush groups like Islamic State will backfire. Trump has said defeating Islamic State was a higher priority than persuading Assad to step down. "On Syria the new administration says crushing Islamic State is its priority, but weve explained our view that without a political solution in Syria those efforts will be fruitless because new pockets of radicals will re-form," a senior French diplomat told Reuters. France has been the target of coordinated attacks claimed by Islamic State. Western capitals fear that a prolonged conflict will exacerbate mass refugee flows in which radicalized individuals might hide. A political solution in Syria, as envisioned by Western powers, would involve a transition in which Assad eventually left power. Assad, from the minority Alawite sect, cannot unite Syria and quash extremists after nearly six years of warfare, they argue. In a rare public speech in London on Thursday, Alex Younger, chief of Britain's MI-6 intelligence agency, said, "we cannot be safe from the threats that emanate from (Syria) unless the civil war is brought to an end. And brought to an end in a way that recognizes the interests of more than a minority of its people and their international backers." Trump has frequently said that he wants to work with Russia to fight Islamic State, which holds territory in Iraq and Syria, and other militant groups. "When you think about it, wouldn't it be nice if we got along with Russia?" he said during a campaign rally in July. "Wouldn't it be nice if we got together with Russia and knocked the hell out of ISIS?" Trump added, using another name for Islamic State. U.S. defense officials have repeatedly said the vast majority of Russian strikes in Syria are not against Islamic State. How Trump will actually proceed remains unclear. He has not named a secretary of state, and some current and prospective members of the president-elect's national security team have voiced more skeptical views of Russia. Trump's transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the allies' concerns. "What were getting from our conversations with the Trump administration is that already they are toning down the prospect of a Russia-U.S. deal on fighting Islamic State and a full-on rapprochement with Moscow," the senior French diplomat said. A senior Arab diplomat also was cautious about Trump's Syria policy. "We cant really predict it now," the diplomat said. A diplomat from another U.S. ally, while declining to discuss the American political transition, expressed doubts about the advisability of a Western alignment with Moscow and Assad. "There is no way that allying with Assad would do anything to reduce the terrorist threat to the West. Rather, it would drastically increase it," the diplomat said. "It's an inconvenient truth of the conflict," he said. "The Russians have Grozny-ified Aleppo," the diplomat said, referring to the total destruction the Russian military inflicted on the capital of Chechnya. Former U.S. ambassador to Syria Robert Ford said that once Aleppo falls, the Russian-backed Syrian government will not turn its attention to Islamic State, but rather try to destroy the remainder of the secular anti-Assad rebellion. The United States has three options, said Ford, a fellow at the Middle East Institute think-tank. "The first option is to switch and join the Russians and implicitly the Syrian government and the Iranians against Sunni extremists. But the problem is that the Russians and the Syrian governments ... arent really fighting Sunni extremists very much," he said. The second option, Ford said, is for Washington to walk away from the conflict, which would likely mean diminished U.S. influence in the region, and continued refugee flows. The third is to work with Turkey and Saudi Arabia to get a partial ceasefire. "None of them are good, there is no easy answer, we ran out of easy answers in 2012 and 2013," Ford said. (Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick and Arshad Mohammed in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by James Dalgleish, Robert Birsel)
By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government is slated to sell $375 million worth of crude oil from the country's emergency reserve this winter after Congress passed a temporary spending bill on Friday that contained a measure authorizing the sale. President Barack Obama's administration has pushed Congress to approve an up to $2 billion plan for a revamp of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a string of heavily guarded underground salt caverns along the Gulf of Mexico filled with crude. The stash currently holds about 695 million barrels of oil. A Department of Energy spokeswoman said authorization in the spending bill "will allow the Department to take necessary steps to increase the integrity and extend the life" of the reserve. Congress passed the original funding for the reserve after the 1973 to 1974 Arab oil embargo to protect the country from global supply disruptions that have the potential to spike domestic fuel prices and damage the U.S. economy. Many of the reserve's steel tanks and pumps are now rusting after decades of being whipped by storms and exposed to salt air. A plan submitted to Congress by the Energy Department in September said "this equipment today is near, at, or beyond the end of its design life." In addition, the U.S. oil boom of the last decade has reversed the direction of many pipelines away from the reserve, making it more difficult to get oil to market in a hurry. The $375 million sale, or nearly 7.3 million barrels of oil in today's price, is just the first planned installment. For each of the next three fiscal years Congress would have to approve the annual sales to reach the up to $2 billion revamp plan. It remains to be seen whether President-elect Donald Trump would urge Congress for the annual authorizations in the coming years. This sale, which could take place seven to nine weeks after the temporary spending bill is enacted, would pay for the design of the revamp of the SPR and other pre-construction costs. Further sales would pay for construction of new equipment and new marine terminals to allow the reserve greater capacity to ship oil by vessels. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner)
Gambia leader Yahya Jammeh rejects election result

Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh has rejected the result of the presidential election held earlier this month, a week after admitting defeat.
By Andrew Chung NEW YORK (Reuters) - Arista Networks Inc used rival Cisco Systems Inc's network device technology in its ethernet switches without permission, a U.S. trade judge ruled on Friday, handing Cisco yet another win in a sprawling legal battle over patents between the two companies. The judge, MaryJoan McNamara of the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, said that Arista had infringed two patents owned by Cisco. The ruling, which must be reviewed by the full commission over the next few months, could lead to an order banning the import of Arista's products into the United States. Cisco filed the complaint at the ITC in December 2014, alleging that Arista was infringing six of its patents, which relate to improving the speed and performance of networked computers and devices. The products accused of infringement include Arista's 7000 series of switches, which generate most of that company's revenues. In a statement, Arista general counsel Marc Taxay said the company looks forward to presenting its case to the full commission. We...strongly believe that our products do not infringe any of the patents under investigation," he said. Cisco's general counsel, Mark Chandler, said, "Our goal has always been to protect technological innovation, and stop Arista from using our patented technology." Friday's ruling comes after the ITC in June, in a separate case, ordered an import ban on Arista's products that infringed several other Cisco patents. The U.S. Trade Representative allowed that order to go ahead in August, but U.S. customs officials last month ruled that Arista could resume imports of its redesigned switches because they were not within the scope of the ban. Arista was trading down less than 1 percent to $93.75 after hours on Friday. Cisco's stock was unchanged. The companies are also sparring in a trial that is currently underway in federal court in California, where both are based. Arista is defending against claims of copyright and patent infringement brought by Cisco. The trial is expected to wrap up next week. Companies frequently turn to the ITC to win an import ban and to district court to win damages. The case at the U.S. International Trade Commission is 337-945. (Corrects 7th paragraph to say the ruling was Friday, not Wednesday) (Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Bernard Orr and Lisa Shumaker)
Ultrahaptics uses little ultrasound speakers to generate a sense of touch.

Ultrahaptics had an touching demo at the VRX virtual reality conference last week. It used ultrasound technology so that I could feel things in VR using my own fingers. While wearing a VR headset, I reached out and held a virtual ball. My fingers were in mid-air, but it felt like I was touching something.

The Bristol, England-based company wants to bring haptics technology to VR to make it more immersive. VR does a great job of giving you the feeling that you are in a location, but that illusion breaks down as soon as you try to touch something. With better haptics, VR will be in a better position to hit its target of generating $14 billion in software revenue by 2020, according to market researcher SuperData Research.

The inspiration for Ultrahaptics came from Tom Carter, founder and chief technology officer of the company. He started working on his ideas in college in 2009, and started the companay in 2013 with partner Steve Cliffe.

Ultrahaptics' sound board gives you a sense of touch.

Above: Ultrahaptics sound board gives you a sense of touch.

Image Credit: Dean Takahashi

The company has a demo of the technology that allows you to feel things by sending vibrations over the air to your fingers. Carter told me that the pad in front of the computer was a collection of dozens of small speakers. The speakers emit ultrasound waves that go a couple of feet up into the air. When I put my hand into the space directly above the speakers, I could feel the sensation of touch. When I passed my hand over an imaginary barrier, I could feel the sensation. When I pulled my hand out, it stopped.

The sound is enough to displace the surface of the skin. It was a slight feeling, but it was real. Carter said the amount of vibration can be calibrated to different frequencies to create different sensations.

In the demo at VRX, the company showed that it can give you the feeling of passing your hand through a barrier. In the VR demo, you could pick up some balls and push them out of a dish. It was the slightest of sensations, but it worked.

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The company raised $872,000 early on, and last year it raised another $12.5 million. Investors include the IP Group in the United Kingdom, and Woodford Investment Management. In 2014, Ultrahaptics generated about $60,000 in revenue. That turned into $500,000 in 2015 and an estimated $2.5 million this year, said Cliffe, who serves as CEO, in an earlier interview.

Roughly 80 percent of car makers have an Ultrahaptics development kit. The company has lots of patents and no direct competitors at the moment. Taptical Haptics uses a different kind of touch feedback in controllers, involving vibration motors. OmniWear is creating devices you wear around your neck that give you haptic feedback from a game.

At the moment, Ultrahaptics cant stop your hand from pushing through a virtual object. So it cant simulate something solid like the feeling of a table, as youll always be able to push your hand through it. But Carter said the technology can recreate more nuanced sensations, and various textures.

Leap Motion, which enables you to use your hands in VR (but currently without the sensation of feeling), was part of the demo. The Leap Motion camera shows exactly where your fingers are so that Ultrahaptics can figure out where to send the sensations.

You can see how this technology would be useful in games, but the company has plans to use it for other applications, like controlling things in cars without needing to take your eyes off the road. Another possible application: hospital elevators. The buttons in elevators have a lot of germs, due to contact with human hands. If you could make the elevator move without pressing a button, that would help stop the spread of germs. You could also use the technology at an ATM machine, as someone observing you wouldnt be able to figure out your pin code if you were just pressing buttons in the air, Cliffe said.

A demo of Ultrahaptics sense of touch in virtual reality.

Above: A demo of Ultrahaptics sense of touch in virtual reality.

Image Credit: Dean Takahashi
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council demanded that Gambia's leader Yahya Jammeh hand over power to the president-elect after he rejected the election results in a dramatic political U-turn.

In a unanimous statement on Saturday, the 15 council members called on Jammeh to "respect the choice of the sovereign people of The Gambia, as he did on December 2 2016, and to transfer, without condition and undue delay, power to the President-elect, Mr Adama Barrow."

In power for the past 22 years in the West African country, Jammeh surprised his critics when he accepted defeat a day after the December 1 vote.

But he reversed course on Friday, announcing he no longer accepted the results.

Council members "strongly condemned" Jammeh's decision to reject the results and call for a new election.

They urged him to "carry out a peaceful and orderly transition process and they requested that the security of the president-elect Adama Barrow, and that of all Gambian citizen be fully ensured."

A consensus candidate backed by a coalition of opposition groups, Barrow on Saturday urged Jammeh to accept defeat, arguing he had no legal standing for the turnaround.

Senegal, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, has requested a meeting to discuss the crisis, which could be held on Monday, diplomats said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "dismayed" by Jammeh's rejection of the election results and called on him to "fully respect the outcome of the election".

Ban called for a "peaceful, timely and orderly transfer of power, in full respect of the will of the Gambian people as expressed in the election", said a statement from his spokesman.

The appeal to Jammeh was issued after Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was dispatched to Banjul by the West African ECOWAS group to defuse the crisis, but was prevented from entering the country.

Senegalese Foreign Minister Mankeur Ndiaye accused Jammeh of refusing to allow Sirleaf's plane to land in the capital.

Ban and the Security Council urged restraint from any statements or actions that could lead to violence.
Aaliyah (Syria) (AFP) - A US-backed Arab-Kurdish alliance announced Saturday "phase two" of its campaign for the Islamic State group's Syrian bastion of Raqa as Washington said it was sending 200 more troops to back the offensive.

In a separate anti-IS assault, the Turkish army and its allies on Saturday entered the jihadists' northern Syrian stronghold of Al-Bab, a monitor said.

But in central Syria, IS re-entered Palmyra months after being expelled from the ancient desert city and has retaken most of it, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor added.

The Syrian Democratic Forces will "begin phase two of the campaign, which aims to liberate territory west of Raqa and isolate the city," SDF spokeswoman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed told reporters.

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter earlier told a security forum in Bahrain that Washington was sending the 200 troops to join the 300 it has already deployed to support the Raqa campaign.

With a pre-war population of about 240,000, Raqa is the de facto capital of the self-styled caliphate IS declared across Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Speaking in the village of Aaliyah, north of Raqa, Ahmed said the SDF had captured 700 square kilometres (270 square miles) of territory since it began its advance on the city on November 5.

The alliance had also grown in size, she said, with more than 1,500 local fighters joining forces with the SDF after being "trained and equipped by the international coalition".

The SDF's coordination with the US-led coalition "will be stronger and more effective during the second phase of the campaign", Ahmed said.

Two SDF officials told AFP that US soldiers would take part in the offensive "on the front lines" alongside SDF fighters.

The Pentagon chief said earlier the "200 additional US forces in Syria" would include bomb disposal experts and trainers as well as special forces personnel.

The jihadists have used car bombs, booby traps and mines as they battle to defend what remains of the territory they took.

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"We're now helping tens of thousands of local Syrian forces to isolate Raqa," Carter said.

- Turkish commandos -

Backed by coalition air strikes, the SDF has pushed south from areas near the Turkish border, advancing to within 25 kilometres (15 miles) of the city.

But neighbouring Turkey has also since August pushed its own unprecedented offensive inside Syria against IS and Kurdish fighters.

On Saturday, Turkish troops entered the last bastion IS had in northern Aleppo province, the Observatory said.

Al-Bab had been under jihadist control since 2014.

On Friday, Turkish media said Ankara was sending 300 commandos to reinforce its campaign inside Syria.

The anti-IS fight has been complicated by Turkey's deep hostility for the SDF.

Ankara regards the alliance's most powerful military component, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), as an arm of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has waged an insurgency in Turkey for decades.

US defence officials said on Thursday they were brokering talks between Turkey and the SDF to prevent any further conflict between them disrupting the anti-IS campaign.

In central Syria, IS fighters on Saturday re-entered Palmyra after regime forces backed by Russia retook the city from them in March.

"After a quick advance, IS now controls most of the city of Palmyra except the southern part," the Observatory's Rami Abdel Rahman said.

"The airport which is outside the city (just to the east) is now surrounded by jihadists."

He said Syrian and Russia warplanes were in action, "but the problem is that there are not enough Syrian forces in the city".

The Observatory said at least 100 members of pro-government force members have been killed by IS in and around Palmyra since Thursday.

IS caused extensive damage to many of Palmyra's UNESCO-listed ancient sites after first seizing it in March last year.

Also on Saturday, the Pentagon said the US-led coalition killed a key IS leader in Syria last month.

"Coalition warplanes targeted and killed Tunisian Boubaker al-Hakim, in Raqa, Syria" on November 26, Pentagon spokesman Ben Sakrisson said.

The battle for Raqa coincides with a vast US-backed offensive to retake Iraq's second city of Mosul from the jihadists.
By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - Backers of the Syrian opposition appeared resigned to the fall of eastern Aleppo on Saturday, with the United States urging Russia to show "grace" when officials meet in Geneva to try to reach a deal for civilians and fighters to leave the city. Syrian government and allied forces have in the last two weeks driven rebels from most of their territory in what was once Syria's most populous city. The rebels have controlled the eastern section since 2012, and President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published on Thursday that retaking Aleppo would change the course of the civil war across the whole country. Critics of the operation have warned that thousands of civilians risk being caught in the crossfire and have repeatedly called on Syrian government forces backed by Russian air power to accept a ceasefire to allow civilians and rebel fighters to leave to safer areas. Speaking in Paris after a meeting of countries that oppose Assad, including France, Britain, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry showed little optimism for U.S. and Russian talks in Geneva later on Saturday. "Our teams are meeting in Geneva today in order to flesh out details of a possible way of trying to save lives. Russia and Assad have a moment where they are in a dominant position to show a little grace," Kerry told reporters. "I believe there could be a way forward but it depends on big, magnanimous choices from Russia ... and insistence of Russia on the Assad regime," he said. Moscow and Washington have discussed a ceasefire to let civilians escape eastern Aleppo and aid enter. Russia also wants the United States to urge rebel fighters to abandon their territory and accept transport out. "Fighters ... don't trust that if they agreed to leave to try to save Aleppo that it will save Aleppo and they will be unharmed and free to move where they are not immediately attacked," Kerry said, adding that Geneva talks had to set some guarantees for rebels. The meeting in Paris, also attended by Riad Hijab, the main opposition coordinator, underscored the powerlessness of Syrian opposition supporters, as well as some divisions between them. Beyond the issue of humanitarian access, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Moscow and Damascus needed to realize that the fall of Aleppo would not end the war and that negotiations based on U.N. Security Council resolutions agreed in Dec. 2015 should be revived to find a political solution. More than five years of war in Syria have killed more than 300,000 people and made more than half of Syrians homeless. "What peace do they want? The peace of cemeteries?," Ayrault said. "Negotiations must start again... The opposition is ready to negotiate without preconditions." (Reporting by John Irish, editing by Ros Russell)
Washington (AFP) - The US-led military coalition has killed a leader of the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria, the Pentagon said on Saturday.

"Coalition warplanes targeted and killed Tunisian Boubaker al-Hakim, in Raqa, Syria" on November 26, Pentagon spokesman Ben Sakrisson said in a statement emailed to AFP.

"Al-Hakim was an ISIL leader and longtime terrorist with deep ties to French and Tunisian Jihadist elements," he added, using an alternate acronym for the IS group.

The 33-year-old Al-Hakim was suspected of involvement in extremist attacks against Tunisian political leaders in 2013, Sakrisson said.

"His removal degrades ISIL's ability to conduct further attacks in the West and denies ISIL a veteran extremist with extensive ties," he added.

Hakim's death also "denies the Islamic State a key figure with extensive historical and current involvement in facilitation and external operations and degrades their ability to conduct terror attacks around the world," the statement read.

The official confirmation of al-Hakim's death comes after it was announced on December 2 on the Twitter account of a Syrian group of opponents to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Born in Paris, al-Hakim first fought for Al-Qaeda in Iraq from 2003 to 2004 before joining the IS group.

He was sentenced to seven years in prison in Paris in 2008 for his part in a drive to send young jihadists from France to Iraq. He was released in early 2011.

His network included Cherif Kouachi, one of two brothers who carried out the attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in January 2015 that killed 12 people.

In Syria, a US-backed Arab-Kurdish alliance on Saturday announced "phase two" of its campaign for Raqa, the IS group's Syrian bastion, as Washington said it was sending 200 more troops to back the offensive.

The battle for Raqa coincides with a vast US-backed offensive to retake Iraq's second city of Mosul.

Raqa and Mosul are the last major urban centers under IS control after the jihadists suffered a string of territorial losses in both countries over the past year.
Washington (AFP) - A death row inmate in Alabama coughed and gasped for 13 minutes during his execution, witnesses say -- an incident that has revived concerns about the effectiveness of lethal injection as a means of capital punishment.

Ronald Smith, 45, was put to death for the 1994 murder of a convenience store clerk.

All told, the execution Thursday night took 34 minutes, during which Smith was apparently struggling for breath, according to Kent Faulk, a journalist from al.com, one of the media witnesses.

"There will be an autopsy that will be done on Mr. Smith" to find out if there were any "irregularities" in the procedure, said Alabama's prison commissioner Jefferson Dunn.

Prisons spokesman Bob Horton told AFP the department of corrections followed the execution protocol as stipulated by law.

"Early in the execution, Smith, with eyes closed, did cough but at no time during the execution was there observational evidence that he suffered," said Horton.

The US states where the death penalty is still practiced are facing a shortage in the substances used in lethal injections, in part because some pharmaceutical companies refuse to provide the drugs.

Many of the pharmaceutical companies are based in Europe, which has abolished capital punishment.

To get around the shortage, some states such as Alabama have adopted a three-drug method: the first puts the prisoner to sleep, the second causes paralysis and the third stops the heart.

Alabama uses the sedative midazolam for the first phase. Critics say the drug doesn't induce a deep state of unconsciousness before the other drugs are given.

Smith's last words, when asked if he had anything to say, were "No, Ma'am," officials said.

But his lips continued to move before and after the drugs were given to him, and he clenched his fist after the first injection, Faulk said.

"At times, his left eye also appeared to be slightly open," Faulk wrote.

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Prisons officials did not comment when asked by AFP about Faulk's account.

At least two states -- Virginia and Ohio -- are planning to start using midazolam early next year, which has anti-death penalty advocates worried.

The United States has seen several "botched" executions since January 2014, including that of Dennis McGuire, who died after 25 minutes, and Clayton Lockett, whose execution took 43 minutes.
Nothing is certain in this world, and the seemingly impossible is bound to happen every once in a while. There's plenty of evidence of that from 2016 alone: The Chicago Cubs won a World Series, Leicester City finished atop the table in the Premier League despite 5,000-1 odds and, of course, business-tycoon-slash-reality-TV-star Donald Trump is now the president-elect of the United States.

But some voters are hoping for another longshot victory to keep Trump out of the White House, and they're working toward that goal even as the billionaire's frenetic transition into the presidency continued this week. Here's a quick breakdown of some of the methods Americans are considering to stop Trump from taking over as president:

The Recount

While Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by some 2.7 million votes, Trump earned the presidency through key victories in battleground states. Green Party candidate Jill Stein, however, initiated recounts in three states where the race was close: Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wiconsin. In the extremely unlikely scenario the results were reversed and declared Clinton the winner, the former secretary of state would have 278 electoral votes  enough to clinch the presidency.

The recount in Michigan, though, was stopped this week by a judge, and the results from the effort in Wisconsin have shown very little change in the vote count.

The 25th Amendment

It's long been a topic of discussion, but the 25th Amendment could be used to quickly remove Trump from office. But it would require cooperation from political allies, including the vice president, which makes it seem somewhat unlikely.

The amendment effectively allows for either Congress or the president's cabinet to remove the president from power if he's deemed to be mentally unfit. Either a majority of the cabinet  think people like the secretary of state and secretary of defense  or the majority of both chambers of Congress must agree on the decision. And even if a majority of Congress votes to remove Trump from office, he would be allowed to appeal and Congress would, in turn, need to have a two-thirds majority to oust him. In both instances, the vice president has to go along with the move, though, and Vice President-elect Mike Pence has thus far proven loyal to Trump.

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The So-Called Hamilton Electors (The Electoral College)

Electors are the folks who actually vote for the president, thanks to the Electoral College system. Electors nearly always vote in accordance with the will of the people, but in some states they aren't legally required to do so. Voting against the candidate chosen by the people is called being a "faithless elector."

Two Democratic Colorado electors  who have named themselves the so-called "Hamilton electors" in honor of Alexander Hamilton, who famously argued for the Electoral College system  are trying to get enough people onboard to vote for a conventional Republican instead of Trump. It's unlikely they'll succeed because they need to convince 37 Republican electors in order to push Trump below the 270 electoral votes needed to get the presidency. So far, just one Republican elector has indicated he won't vote for Trump, writing in an opinion piece that the president-elect "shows daily he is not qualified for the office."

If the Hamilton electors' plan somehow worked, the House of Representatives, which is controlled by the GOP, would then decide who was the next president. They could then simply just choose Trump. The hope of the Hamilton electors seems to be that, presented the opportunity, conventional Republicans would choose a conventional GOP president instead of Trump, who has railed against Washington elites and isn't wedded to traditional right-wing ideas.

One such conventional Republican whose name had been floated was Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who had proven willing to speak out against Trump during the campaign. But Kasich has already told electors not to vote for him.

"I am not a candidate for president and ask that electors not vote for me when they gather later this month," he said in a statement. "Our country had an election, and Donald Trump won."

Related Articles
After the South Korean parliament's impeachment of President Park Geun-Hye, the spotlight now shifts to the nine judges of the Constitutional Court who could yet slam the door on those seeking to remove her from office.

The lawmakers' vote on Friday suspended Park's sweeping executive powers, but it requires final approval by a two-thirds majority of the court -- a lengthy and uncertain process that could take up to six months.

On paper, the court might be expected to favour Park, as nine of its justices were appointed by her or her conservative predecessor, Lee Myung-Bak.

But public opinion is hugely in favour of removing Park from the presidential Blue House, with the most recent opinion polls showing support for impeachment running at around 80 percent.

So the justices will be under extreme pressure to uphold parliament's decision, especially as the opposition-sponsored impeachment motion was adopted with the support of a significant number of lawmakers from Park's own ruling Saenuri Party.

Park's downfall was triggered by a scandal involving her close friend, Choi Soon-Sil, who is now awaiting trial on charges of using her presidential ties as leverage to squeeze tens of millions of dollars from local companies.

Park is also accused of leaking confidential state documents to Choi, who has no official title or security clearance, but was apparently allowed to meddle in state affairs including senior appointments.

The 40-page impeachment bill charged the president with multiple constitutional and criminal violations ranging from a failure to protect people's lives to bribery and abuse of power.

- Decide or wait -

Many of the charges were based on the initial findings of prosecutors conducting an official investigation into the Choi scandal which will only wrap up in March or April next year.

Given that it has 180 days to reach a decision, the court could decide to wait for the investigation to conclude, but that would throw up separate procedural problems with one justice slated to retire in January and another in March.

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With Park sidelined and the acting president -- her prime minister -- expected to keep a low profile, both seats on the bench would likely remain vacant.

That could leave the impeachment motion requiring the approval of six out of only seven justices, rather than six out of nine.

In its initial reaction to Friday's vote, the court said it would expect Park's legal team to submit a written response to her impeachment within a week.

"We have reached an agreement that this impeachment is an extremely significant case that requires prompt progress," court spokesman Bae Bo-Yoon told reporters.

"The court will hold more meetings down the road considering the gravity of the issue and form a task force of researchers to examine how to approach the case," Bae said.

Kim Jong-Dae, a former constitutional justice, suggested the court would be swayed by the wave of public anger that pushed lawmakers to introduce and pass the impeachment bill.

Millions have taken to the streets of cities across the country in a weekly series of mass protests over the past two months, calling for Park's ouster.

- Public pressure -

"The Blue House says it takes the public opinion displayed by the candle-lit rallies very seriously. So do constitutional court judges," Kim said in a recent radio interview.

"Public servants by nature are bound to follow public opinion," he said, adding that the court may try to speed up its deliberations to minimise the disruption caused by the current power vacuum.

If the court confirms the impeachment, Park will be permanently dismissed with immediate effect and fresh presidential elections will have to be held within 60 days.

She is the second South Korean president to be impeached by lawmakers.

The late Roh Moo-Hyun faced the same ordeal in 2004 when lawmakers took issue with remarks he made that were seen as violating election law.

But the case never enjoyed popular support and backfired in the face of large pro-Roh rallies and an eventual decision by the court to reject the impeachment vote.

Roh Hee-Bum, a lawyer who used to be a researcher at the court, said public sentiment should not be a factor.

"Presidential impeachment is based on facts and a judgement as to whether the president committed serious enough legal offences," Roh said.
Rather than make his audience cry with laughter, Jimmy Fallon brought real tears to the eyes of his viewers Friday night when he conspired with Dwayne The Rock Johnson to surprise one of his shows producers whose husband is a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force.

I would love to give back to a military family thats actually here, Johnson told the audience of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, before making his way towards producer Karina Kabalan with Fallon at his side.

I can't believe we pulled that off. I lost it. #FallonTonight  jimmy fallon (@jimmyfallon) December 10, 2016

You guys have been living apart for the past year and a half because [your husbands] 5,000 miles away, the Moana star said to Kabalan. [Jimmy and I] wanted to thank you and your husband for your service and your sacrifice, and I personally heard you are the most amazing person. And we wanted to bring your husband home for the holidays.

Kabalan then turned around to see her husband, Todd Kabalan, standing behind her. As the two embraced, Fallon told the audience he was losing it right now as he rubbed tears from his eyes. I cant believe we pulled that off. I lost it, he later posted on Twitter.
How to end the deadlock?

Our Madame Speaker has been meeting our so-called top leaders of major political parties to resolve the political crisis in the country.
"Hi, my name is Chance The Rapper. I'm from Chicago, Illinois, and I'm here to welcome you to the Magnificent Coloring World Tour," Chance says at the beginning of a new documentary that popped up on up on chancetherapperfilm.com this afternoon. The understated welcome was something anyone who was able to attend the tour was treated to, but now the rest of the world is let in on the experience.

Shot by Tahjee Wallace, the 16-minute film brings us behind the scenes with Chance as he preps the tour, hangs out with the Scoial Experiment backstage, films the "How Great" video with Jay Electronica, holds his festival in Chicago, meets up with Skrillex, and much more. Watch the film above and head over to the website for additional photography by Marcus Hyde.

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In 2016, brides spent an average of $1,469 on a wedding dress. One way to cut costs? Well, if youre crafty enough, its to make the dress yourself. And if youre extra talented (and on a really tight budget), consider using toilet paper! The toilet paper dress fad has gone international with brides everywhere from England to Israel wearing elaborate dresses made of the disposable material. Though rain on your wedding day is good luck, you might want to stay out of it if youre wearing one of these paper gowns.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
(Reuters) - West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has admitted his team need to improve in front of goal and praised Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge who has been linked with a move to the Premier League strugglers. West Ham, who travel to Anfield on Sunday, are 17th in the Premier League table, having scored 15 goals in 14 matches so far. "The strikers didn't score enough goals or as many as we expected but it is not only down to them," Bilic told British media. "I never want to divide the team into strikers and the rest. Although it is the strikers' job to score goals, it is also the responsibility of the whole team." West Ham have been linked with a move for Sturridge in the January transfer window, and Bilic said he admired the England international's natural ability. "He's one of the biggest talents, he's a great player," the manager said. "The talent is there, the touch, the finishing, everything is great. The only thing that's stopped him being regular for club and country are the injuries." Sturridge, who has lost his starting place to Brazilian Roberto Firmino under manager Juergen Klopp, will sit out Sunday's match with a calf injury, and Bilic would not confirm if he would bid for the striker in January. "He's just a player that has been linked with us, basically, and we've been linked with almost every player," he said. "We're always there in contention. Most of the time it's absolutely not true, 95 percent of the time. But you're asking me about Sturridge and I have no problem about that. "All the clubs are thinking about him because he is that kind of player. I don't know his work rate, I don't know his dedication to his job or whatever but unfortunately for England and for Liverpool and especially for him he's injured. That's his problem." (Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
Washington (AFP) - The White House on Saturday sharply criticized longtime Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh's declaration that he would not accept the results of the country's December 1 vote.

"The United States strongly condemns the decision by President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia to ignore the will of the Gambian people in calling for the December 1 election to be nullified," National Security Council Spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

"The United States appeals to all Gambians to reject violence and seek a peaceful resolution that upholds the will of the Gambian people and advances the promise of a freer, more democratic, and more prosperous Gambia."

A week after conceding defeat, Jammeh on Friday declared that he no longer accepted the results of the election, upending hopes for a peaceful political transition after his 22 years in power.

The NSC specifically called on the country's security services "to uphold their sacred duty to protect all Gambians and reject any instruction to suppress peaceful expressions of dissent."

Jammeh, a devout Muslim who seized power in 1994 in the former British colony, warned Gambians not to take to the streets to protest his decision.

Signs of a massive security ramp-up multiplied across the capital Banjul on Saturday, while the United Nations Security Council led calls for Jammeh, 51, to stand down and eschew violence.

Latest official figures gave Adama Barrow, a consensus candidate backed by a coalition of opposition groups, 43.29 percent of the vote in the presidential election, while Jammeh took 39.64 percent. The turnout was 59 percent.

Those figures reflect a correction issued Monday by election authorities, showing a slimmer-than-thought victory for Barrow, of just over 19,000 votes.
Two years after the Central Intelligence Agencys report on its torture methods during George W. Bushs administration became public and disgusted many with accounts of such techniques as rectal rehydration and sexually violent threats against detainees families, a president-elect in favor of so-called enhanced interrogation is preparing to enter the White House.

Long before the majority of the reports 525-page executive summary was declassified, the U.S. government had taken a series of actions to prevent such acts from being repeated. But those policies are vulnerable to a new administration with different views. During Obamas first week in office, for example, he initiated an executive order that established a task force to ensure humane treatment of detainees and barred them from being subjected to violence or humiliating and degrading treatment. Executive orders, however, can easily be reversed by an incoming president.

To keep that from happening, Obama worked with Congress to add a provision to the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act that essentially cemented the changes spelled out in the executive action and passed by a near-unanimous vote in the Senate.

The Center for Victims of Torture, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based advocacy group, hailed the legislation as powerful. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), the vice chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence, who wrote a foreword on the declassification of the report on the CIAs practices, praised the law, as well.

What this means is that a future president cant simply re-write the policy, Feinstein said in a statement on her website. These limitations are now a matter of law and cant be undone without a future act of Congress.

But while Congress may not be able to touch the legislation, the secretary of defense will have that capability, as University of Texas law professor Robert Chesney pointed out in a post on the legal blog Lawfare.

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The act allows the defense secretary to review the Army Field Manual, where the changes to interrogation policy were made, every three years, in consultation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation director, the director of national intelligence and the attorney general. That means, depending on who Trump chooses for those positions, the U.S. could revert to generally frowned-upon methods of interrogation by mid-December 2017, according to Chesney.

Even if a Trump administration does not direct its new Secretary of Defense to act quickly to alter the Field Manual, then, the issue is still likely to come up some time during the first year, wrote Chesney, who also directs the University of Texas Center for International Security and Law. Journalists on the Pentagon beat who have any interest in this area would do well to keep an ear to the ground for such changes.

Chesney and Pentagon reporters, however, can rest assured: retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, Trumps choice for defense secretary, told the president-elect hes against the interrogation method.

He saidI was surprisedhe said, Ive never found it to be useful, Trump recalled in an interview with the New York Times. He said, Ive always found, give me a pack of cigarettes and a couple of beers and I do better with that than I do with torture. And I was very impressed by that answer. I was surprised, because hes known as being like the toughest guy.

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Willow Smith dropped new music that will totally chill you out

When Willow Smith had us whipping our hair back and forth, we knew that this incredible young woman was a force to be reckoned with. So when her music style changed, we were intrigued and totally obsessed with her new sound. Well we are here to tell you that Willow Smith dropped new music and it is exactly what we needed to end this very stressful year.

What we love most about Willow Smith is that at the young age of 16, she not only reminds us of who we were at that age, but she also forces us to not conform to societys expectations. When we were teenagers all we wanted to do was fit in, but as young adults, seeing her embrace individuality forces us to rethink who we want to be in this point of our lives. The beauty of her music is that it mimics exactly who we want to be!



The self produced mini EP was released onto Soundcloud this week and we are in love with her title Mellifluous. Although we are college educated individuals we had to look up what this word meant. Mellifluous is an adjective and it means, sweet or musical; pleasant to hear. Besides the fact that we are so going to add that word into our vocabulary, her music invokes just that mood. Its soft and airy and whether youre meditating, practicing yoga, or looking for some soft tunes to play while you work, this is the perfect music for that.

Instead of relying of auto-tune and over zealous production, she focuses on light vocals, low-key effects and all of this lulls over the sound of an air guitar. Although we dont like to put limitations on teenagers, through these songs you forget that Willow is just 16 because she seems like an old soul through her lyrics.

If youre not familiar with her music we definitely recommend you check it out! Although we love a good pop banger or working out to a hip hop classic, sometimes a slow tune is exactly what we need in this hectic, crazy world.

The post Willow Smith dropped new music that will totally chill you out appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Nepal Investment Summit slated to be held in March

The Industry Ministry plans to hold Nepal Investment Summit 2017 with the aim of promoting foreign investment and fostering linkages between domestic and foreign investors.
By Timothy Mclaughlin

(Reuters) - A U.S. judge in Wisconsin on Friday rejected a request by President-elect Donald Trump supporters to stop a recount of election votes while the Michigan Supreme Court denied an appeal by Green Party candidate Jill Stein to restart the state's recount.

The results of the Nov. 8 election have been challenged in three states by Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who finished fourth in the presidential poll. In Pennsylvania, the third state, a judge said he would rule on Monday on whether to allow a recount to go forward.

Even if the recounts were carried out, they would be extremely unlikely to change the outcome of Trump's win over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

In Wisconsin, the Great America political action committee and Stop Hillary PAC had called on the court to halt the recount, which is more than 88 percent complete, according to the state elections commission. A commission spokesman said in an email that the recount was expected to be completed on Monday.

"The recount is an inherent part of what ensures the integrity of elections," U.S. District Judge James Peterson said, according to court transcripts.

Also on Friday, the Michigan Supreme Court, in a 3-2 ruling, denied Stein's request to restart a recount, affirming a lower court ruling that she did not have grounds to mount the challenge.

Although Clinton won the national popular vote, by 2.6 million according to the latest count, she lost to Trump in the Electoral College, the 538-person body chosen state-by-state that actually selects the president.

Trump, who won a projected 306 electoral votes to Clinton's 232, takes office on Jan. 20. Neither Stein nor Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson won any Electoral College votes.

The three "Rust Belt" states narrowly supported Trump. The New York businessman and former reality TV star who has never previously held public office won by more than 68,000 votes in Pennsylvania and about 11,600 votes in Michigan, according to state figures.

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U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond in Philadelphia said at a hearing that he would return a ruling "first thing Monday morning" on whether he would grant a request for a partial recount of paper ballots and a forensic examination of voting computer systems before the national Dec. 13 certification deadline.

Lawyers for the Green Party, the Trump campaign and the state argued the matter for three hours, with Stein's supporters saying the state's election process was so disorganized that state officials had not known the recount petition filing deadlines for some counties.

(Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Additional reporting by David DeKok in Philadelphia and Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Scott Malone and Grant McCool)
Saturday marks Human Rights Day, the annual commemoration of the United Nations General Assembly adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. As activists and organizations worldwide celebrate the progress made in human rights measures throughout the year, the ongoing refugee crisis and debate over oppressive societies restricting women and minorities remain just as critical as ever.

This year saw an uptick in refugees fleeing regions like Palestine and war-torn Syria, as millions of displaced people continue to seek asylum across Europe and the Americas. For the first time in world history, over 65 million people were considered refugees, asylum-seekers or displaced by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Thats one in every 113 people worldwide facing some form of conflict forcing them to flee their homes, NPR reported in June.

Non-profit organizations and volunteers are continuing to push for international peace and stability, providing resources to those hit by the continued humanitarian crises across the Middle East and Africa. Organizations providing humanitarian relief to those in need accept online donations to continue their global pursuits, including the International Rescue Committee, the UN Refugee Agency, Islamic Relief USA and the Karam Foundation, which raises funds to benefit refugees and those affected by the Syrian conflict.

However, ensuring human rights continue to progress requires more than humanitarian aid. Experts and activist leaders are urging international audiences watching harrowing developments unfold in places like Syria online write in to their local politicians and governments demanding they support peaceful resolutions. Ongoing bombardments in Aleppo have forced aid envoys and international humanitarian organizations to halt delivering relief into the embattled city. Islamic Relief USA's Omar Sawan previously told International Business Times diplomatic resolutions might be the only way for Aleppo to see peace return for its remaining residents.

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This years Human Rights Day campaign is titled "Stand up for someones rights today!" calling on people around the world to take a stand for others who are oppressed by their societies or regimes, or have in some way had their rights taken from them.

"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights," Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reads. "They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

More information on Human Rights Day is available via the United Nations.

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After its inauguration in June, the Gotthard Base Tunnel will enter into service Sunday, December 11, becoming the world's longest train tunnel and knocking Japan's Seikan Tunnel into second place.

Covering a stretch of 57km (35.5 miles), the Gotthard Base Tunnel is longer than the Japan's Seikan Tunnel (53.85km or 33.5 miles) and the Channel Tunnel linking Britain and France (50.5km or 31.4 miles). The project took 17 years to complete and is unique due to its depth, with the tunnel reaching a maximum 2,300 meters beneath the Gotthard massif in the Swiss Alps.

The dual-track tunnel links northern German-speaking Switzerland with the southern Italian-speaking part of the country, connecting Erstfeld with Biasca. It will cut half an hour from journey times between Zurich and Lugano, now possible in two hours and eight minutes, which is equivalent to travel times from Zurich to Lausanne. Trains will travel at a maximum speed of 249km/h (155mph) and spend around 17 minutes in the tunnel.

As well as high-speed passenger trains, goods trains will also be using the new tunnel in order to reduce traffic on road routes. Tickets on the Gotthard Base Tunnel route won't cost any more than travel via the existing Gotthard panoramic rail route, which opened in 1882 and will remain in service. Both routes are included in "Swiss Travel Pass" and "Eurail Pass" schemes.

The project cost 12.2 billion CHF (approx. 12 billion USD).
More than 100 authors from around the world signed a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping Saturday -- Human Rights Day -- to urge an immediate end to China's "worsening crackdown" on rights, a global writers group said.

Since he came to power in 2012, Xi has overseen a crackdown on dissent, with hundreds of lawyers, activists and academics detained and dozens jailed.

His ruling Communist party tolerates no opposition to its rule. Newspapers, websites, and other broadcast and print media are strictly controlled. An army of censors patrols social media and many Western news websites are blocked.

"China and the rest of the world can only be enriched by these opinions and voices," said the letter, organised by the London-based PEN International writers association, which advocates for free speech.

"We therefore urge the Chinese authorities to release the writers, journalists, and activists who are languishing in jail or kept under house arrest for the crime of speaking freely and expressing their opinions," it stated.

Signed by writers including Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood and Nobel laureate JM Coetzee, the letter mentioned imprisoned Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo, currently serving an 11-year sentence for "subversion", and his wife Liu Xia, who remains under house arrest.

It also referenced, among others, scholar Ilham Tohti, who is serving a life sentence for "separatism" for his criticism of Beijing's policies towards the mostly-Muslim Uighur minority.

Over a dozen members or honorary members of the organisation's China-focused chapter, the Independent Chinese PEN Centre, were currently imprisoned or persecuted, it stated.

"The enforced silence of these friends and colleagues is deafening, and the disappearance of their voices has left a world worse off for this egregious injustice and loss," the letter said.
According to That Report, Crash Investigators Believe the Accident May Have Happened Due to a Rail Fracture

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / December 10, 2016 / A recent train derailment in India has killed over 140 people and injured almost 170 others. The train, which was carrying 1,700 passengers, was traveling a regular route between Indore, a city in the central part of the country, and Patna, a city in the northeast. The derailment occurred near Kanpur, about halfway through the trip.

As reported by CNN, 14 of the train's 23 cars derailed. The large scale of the accident required the help of India's disaster response force, as well as members of the military.

Safety Concerns on Indian Trains

India's rail system is one of the largest on the planet, and passenger trains are a main form of transportation for the country's 1.2 billion citizens. Over 23 million people ride trains in India each day. The country is roughly the size of Alaska, Texas, and California combined, and rail journeys can take a week or longer to make it from one side of the country to the other.

The Indian rail system is also operated entirely by the government, which has drawn criticism over its poor safety record.

A Reuters report says the track where the derailment occurred was inspected just two days before the crash, with government inspectors declaring it safe and in good condition. According to that report, crash investigators believe the accident may have happened due to a rail fracture.

Although the government has announced it will invest $124 billion into upgrades and modernization, accidents are common. In 2014, there were over 27,000 railway deaths. In 2016 alone, there have been 80 railway crashes - an increase from 2015, which had 69 accidents.

Many of these serious accidents are exacerbated by the rail system's outdated carriages, which crumple upon impact. Currently, 92 percent of the carriages used on India's tracks are the kind that crumple under pressure. Officials say they hope to replace the carriages with modern ones reinforced with steel, however, they will continue producing the old type of carriage through 2019. The older carriages also have a 25-year lifespan and could remain in operation for years.

Story continues

New York City Train Derailment Law Firm

Fortunately, large-scale train derailments are an uncommon event in the United States. However, serious trail derailments do happen here, especially in East Coast states like New York, where commuter trains are more common. Other types of train accidents, including collisions, are also a risk any time you travel by rail.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a train derailment or other type of railway accident, call New York City train derailment lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter to speak to a lawyer about your case. You can reach us through our online contact form or by calling 866-324-9211.

Source: http://injuryaccidentnews.jcreiterlaw.com/2016/12/09/new-york-city-train-derailment-lawyer-india-train-derailment-claims-140-lives/

SOURCE: Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC via Submit Press Release 123
Zack Snyder is aiming to shoot Afghanistan-based thriller The Last Photograph next year after he completes post-production on the upcoming superhero tentpole Justice League.

The Last Photograph has been in development since 2007 in the wake of Snyders breakout success with directing 300 from Kurt Johnstads script with Gianni Nunnaris Hollywood Gang producing. That team began work on The Last Photograph, based on an original idea by Snyder about a photograph that becomes the catalyst for a journey through war-torn Afghanistan for two men  a war correspondent who is the only one to survive an attack and a special ops soldier in search of a family member.

At that point, Nunnari was on board to produce with Snyder and his Cruel and Unusual Films partner Deborah Snyder. Christian Bale and Sean Penn were attached to star in 2011, but Snyder wound up directing three superhero films for Warner Bros. instead with 2013s Man of Steel, 2016s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, which will open on Nov. 17, 2017, and star Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher and Ciaran Hinds

Snyder is aiming to shoot The Last Photograph before beginning work on Justice League 2, which has not yet been dated by Warner Bros.

The Last Photograph is not yet set up at a studio. Snyder and producing partner-spouse Deborah Snyder have a first-look with Warner Bros. for their Cruel and Unusual Films production company.

Nunnaris Hollywood Gang is seeking to negotiating a new deal for the rights to the story in The Last Photograph, since those rights have lapsed. No actors are currently attached.

The two Justice League movies are part of an ambitious expansion of the DC Comics Universe, launched this year with Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, followed by Wonder Woman next year and Aquaman in October, 2018. Other titles  The Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern and Ben Afflecks standalone Batman film  have not yet been dated.

Story continues

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'Justice League' New Footage Teased in Behind-the-Scenes Video From Zack Snyder
Chinas Internet isnt like the Internet of the western world.

SHANGHAI, China  The internet links the entire world creating all sorts of global opportunities for business, right? Not exactly. Access to the web is suppressed in many countries such as Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, North Korea, Cuba, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

But even more significant is that there are actually two huge internet ecosystems that exist almost as parallel universes. Im talking about the web in China and the web in the free world, meaning of course the US and much of Europe, etc. And bridging that gap is particularly vexing for entrepreneurs who work on the border between the two.

Andy Huang is CEO of OTVCloud, a company that looks to connect TV watching to the web is working on it. TV viewing is in decline everywhere, notes Huang, who worked as an engineering executive at Cisco and Scientific Atlanta, particularly for younger people. Huang clicks on a slide at his presentation at the NABSHOW Shanghai, which shows viewership time spent by 18-24 year olds falling 42% from 2010 to 2016.

But Huang sees that drop as a business opportunity for his company, which looks to connect TV watching to social media and make content shareable on social media. His users would be able to offload real-time clips from shows and then send them to their friends anywhere in the world on any device. Its a big, ambitious plan and of course Huang would need buy-in from TV networks. He also needs global social media. Huangs presentation was based on customers using WeChat, Chinas giant messaging platform. He also suggested users could tap into Line, another messaging app wildly popular in Taiwan, but not so much on the mainland. Facebooks logo was on his screen too, but Facebook has been banned in China by the government.

In other words because of the bifurcated web, Huangs business plan will face challenges if he hopes to make his company truly global.

Travel around China as a tourist or a businessperson and you pretty quickly notice something huge (besides the traffic and the millions of people), and that is this is a culture addicted to mobile phones. Not so different from the US you would say correctlyexcept for one thing. And that is the apps they use are not the same brands in the West. Many apps have the same functionality, like Youku (like YouTube), Weibo (social media) and QQ (messaging), and now have hundreds of millions of users. And the aforementioned WeChat, Chinas No. 1 app, is closing in on a billion users.

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When it comes to functionality and capability, by the way, Chinese social media actually has a leg up on the West, especially in terms of shopping, payments and voice calling on apps. I used to say that Chinese social media was 10 years ahead of Western apps, says Jennifer Schwerin, who heads up Tadaa, an independent video production company in China. Schwerin, whos lived in Beijing for 20 years and has done work for MTV and other Western media companies, says the gap is closing but still noticeable, and that social is still probably more important to young Chinese consumers than elsewhere. If your media in China doesnt have social media at its core it will have disadvantage.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks in China.

But most of us in the US just dont see or use these Chinese apps even though many have English language capability. Of course the reason for this dual internet world is that the Chinese government blocks and/or censors Western social media platforms like Facebook (FB) and Twitter (TWTR). But its a bit more complicated and one-sided even because Chinese exist outside of Chinaalbeit most of their users are Chinese expats, tourists, or of Chinese descent. Meanwhile Facebook for one would love to be in China, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who speaks Mandarin, has been working Chinese officials at the highest levels, including China President Xi Jinping. Facebookwith 1.57 billion users worldwideof course sees Chinas population of 1.3 billion as a huge untapped market.

Recently The New York Times reported that Facebook has developed software to suppress posts from appearing in peoples news feeds in specific geographic areas, and endeavor said to undertaken to help the company enter China.

All of this raises a number of questions: Can China and Facebook find a middle ground, meaning for instance, can Facebook swallow the Chinese government blocking stories that are say negative about the Chinese president? (The Times article notes that Facebook already has restricted content in other countries before, such as Pakistan, Russia and Turkey) And if so, can Facebook find a way to have, ironically, two internets, one for its Chinese users and one for non-Chinese users? And if the answer to those two questions were yes, would this make Facebook less palatable to users? In other words, would these moves outrage customers in the free world, making them quit the network?

Another question is, why would Chinese consumers even want Facebook if they have so many social media platforms already? Well, one answer might be that Facebook would connect them to the world, to its 1.57 billion users, and to the free expression on its site. But of course its the latter that the Chinese government is so concerned about.

Watching how these two internets play off each other and evolve independently and in concert will be a story to watch over the coming years, particularly as it as reflection of the greater Chinese/US relationship.

Andy Serwer is editor-in-chief of Yahoo Finance.
Samsung said on Friday it would be giving any remaining Galaxy Note 7 owners an early Christmas un-present. Although 93% of U.S. owners have returned their phones, which have dangerously unstable batteries, Samsung wants to prompt the reluctant minority to abandon their devices as well.

Starting on December 19, Samsung will issue software updates to all remaining Note 7 devices that will render them incapable of recharging and eliminate their ability to work as mobile devices.

Consumer safety remains our highest priority and weve had overwhelming participation in the U.S. Note 7 refund and exchange program so far, Samsung said in a statement. The new software update is to further increase participation.

Get Data Sheet, Fortunes technology newsletter.

However, , the largest wireless carrier, said it did not plan to send the update to its customers. Verizon will not be taking part in this update because of the added risk this could pose to Galaxy Note7 users that do not have another device to switch to, the company said in a statement. We do not want to make it impossible to contact family, first responders or medical professionals in an emergency situation.

Anyone who bought a Note 7, which has a 5.7- inch screen and comes with a stylus, can return the device to the store or carrier where they bought it and exchange it for a different model or get a refund. Samsung is offering a $100 bill credit to customers who exchange a Note 7 for another Samsung smartphone. Customers who want a refund or opt for another brand qualify for a $25 credit.

The Note 7 went on sale in August but was quickly beset by reports of batteries smoking and catching fire. On September 2, Samsung said it was voluntarily recalling 2.5 million of the devices that had been shipped up to that point. Two weeks later, the Consumer Product Safety Commission formally issued a recall for 1 million Note 7 phones sold in the United States. And after battery problems cropped up even in some of replacement Note 7 devices, Samsung said on October 11 it was killing off the entire product

Story continues

Last month, the company took out full page ads in many newspapers to apologize for the incident. "An important tenet of our mission is to offer best-in-class safety and quality," Gregory Lee, president and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America, wrote. "Recently, we fell short on this promise. For this we are truly sorry."

(Update: Added Verizons statement on Dec.9, 2016)

See original article on Fortune.com

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Employees who find themselves out in the cold and without pay after their employer closes, like those at Grannys Closet, have some options.

Grannys, a Flagstaff landmark, closed without much notice in early November. Some of the employees from the business said their last paycheck bounced.

Robert Hommel, an attorney whose daughter is one of the employees with a bounced check, said some employees may be able to file a claim against the business in Small Claims Court, the Flagstaff Justice Court or with the Arizona Department of Economic Security. Hommel pointed out that Arizona Revised Statute allows an employee who wins a court case against an employer to collect three times the amount of wages due to them.

Brett Bezio, from the Arizona Department of Economic Security Office of Communications, wrote in an email that employees looking to file an unpaid wages claim should contact the Industrial Commission of Arizona.

According to the ICAs website, www.azica.gov, an employee can file for unpaid wages against an employer if the amount of the wages is less than $5,000. Employees have to fill out a form available online listing how much they are owed and the pay periods they did not receive pay. Employees may also be asked to provide copies of pay stubs and other documents to the department.

There are some situations where the Commission cant help an employee. For example, employees that are owed more than $5,000 have to file a case in their local Small Claims or Justice Court. Employees that are due wages after a business files for bankruptcy have to file a claim in Bankruptcy Court.

Hommel said that an employee who doesnt have the funds to hire an attorney can file in Small Claims Court, as long as the amount is under $3,500. In Small Claims Court attorneys are not allowed and the parties in the case represent themselves before the judge.

He also recommended that employees that win a case against an employer protect themselves by having the judgment filed with the County Recorders Office. Hommel said most banks wont loan to someone who has a recorded judgment until that judgment is paid off.

Employees are also protected if the employer files for bankruptcy, he said. Employees are given priority in these cases and are usually paid off first.

Employees who were put out of work when Granny's Closet closed can contact the Coconino County Career Center for help finding a new job. Other workforce partners with the county are the AZ@Work One Stop located at the Goodwill Job Connection and the DES Job Service on Fourth Street in Flagstaff. For more information, contact the Career Center at (928) 679-7400 or careercenter@coconino.az.gov.
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On Saturday, Dec. 17 at 10 a.m., the public is invited to attend the Wreaths Across America Ceremony at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery on Camp Navajo.

The national program pays tribute to fallen veterans by placing wreaths on their headstones. Simultaneously wreaths will be placed at Arlington National Cemetery and all other military cemeteries nationwide.

Several regional veteran service organizations from northern Arizona have been instrumental in the planning and will participate. These include the Ashfork and Williams American Legion and Ladies Auxiliaries, the Daughters of the American Revolution of Flagstaff and Sedona, and the VFW Post 1709 from Flagstaff. Other organizations scheduled to attend are the Marine Corps League of Flagstaff and the Scottish American Military Society of Flagstaff.

For more information, contact the Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery on Camp Navajo at 928-214-3475.
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By Rita Kemigisa

Representatives of the Acholi communities who attending the opening of the trial of Dominic Ongwen in The Hague, The Netherlands, are calling on the international community and the government of Uganda to remain focused on the wider question of transitional justice.

The team was led by His Highness Rwot David Onen Acana the Paramount Chief of Acholi and Archbishop John Baptist Odama.

In a press statement issued to the media, the leaders have urged those who wish to testify to come forth and do so without any fear of reprisals.

They also argue that beyond Dominic Ongwens specific case, the Acholi people still have to contend with the broader question of justice and accountability arising from the conflict.

Ongwen is before the International Criminal Court for trial following an indictment for crimes against humanity and war crimes he allegedly committed as a senior commander of the LRA.

After conclusion of the opening statements, Ongwens trial will now resume on January 16th 2017, when the prosecution will begin to present its evidence and call its witnesses before the judges.
The African Union has called a statement by Gambias President Yahya Jammeh rejecting his loss in the December 1st polls null and void since he had already conceded defeat.

The Chairperson of the Commission Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma strongly urges President Yahya Jammeh to facilitate a peaceful and orderly transition and transfer of power.

The Chairperson of the Commission strongly urges President Yahya Jammeh to facilitate a peaceful and orderly transition and transfer of power, said Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma .

She has also called on Gambias security forces to remain neutral.

This is after Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh rejected the result of the presidential election held earlier this month, a week after admitting defeat.

Speaking on state Television Jammeh cited abnormalities in the vote and called for fresh elections.

Jammeh, who came to power in a coup in 1994, suffered a shock defeat to Adama Barrow, who won more than 45% of the vote.

The US too has strongly condemned Mr Jammehs statement.
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Areas of patchy fog early. Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 69F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 53F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
During a Veterans Day observance held at the Camp Navajo Veterans Memorial Cemetery, the Military Order of the Purple Heart "Dale E. Crick" Chapter 793 recognized Flagstaff Police Department Officer Matt Monteverde as the first recipient of the annual Eric J. Lindstrom Law Enforcement Leadership Award.

Monteverde and Lindstrom were good friends and served together with the Flagstaff Police Department.

Staff Sergeant Eric J. Lindstrom, U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division, was killed in action while serving in Afghanistan on July 12, 2009. He was born Aug. 29, 1981 in Flagstaff, to Ric and Kathy Lindstrom. He attended Sechrist Elementary School, Flagstaff Junior High School and graduated from Flagstaff High School in 1999. He demonstrated his early leadership characteristics as an active member of Boy Scout Troop 33 where he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

In 1999, Lindstrom answered the calling of his country and joined the United States Army. In 2003 he was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During this deployment, Lindstrom was directly involved in the invasion of Baghdad, Iraq. During the course of this operation, Lindstrom's superior officer credited him with saving his life when the officer became wounded during a direct fire contact.

In 2003, Lindstrom left the Army and returned to Flagstaff, where he followed in his father's footsteps and became a police officer with the Flagstaff Police Department in 2004. Lindstrom worked for the Flagstaff Police Department until 2007, earning consistent praise from his superiors.

In 2007, Lindstrom reenlisted in the United States Army, where he served as a squad leader for young soldiers and prepared them for a January 2009 deployment to Konar Province, Afghanistan. On July 12, 2009, Lindstrom was leading his soldiers in direct combat operations in Barg-e- Matal, Afghanistan when they came under heavy hostile fire against nearly insurmountable odds. He was wounded during the course of this battle and ultimately succumbed to the injuries he sustained. As a result of his conspicuous gallantry on the battle field that day, he was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat Valor Device and the Purple Heart.

According to a press release, "The Eric J. Lindstrom Leadership Award will be presented to an officer who demonstrates exceptional leadership among their peers. They should daily present themselves in a pristine uniform and carry out their duties with the utmost professionalism. This officer should routinely present their peers with useful in service training whether simple or complex. They should be an officer who is sought for advice in any situation from simple investigations to the most dynamic of police matters. This officer should strive to maintain the highest levels of teamwork and demonstrate this to their peers.

"Above all, this officer should known as someone who will help their fellow officers in any situation whether on or off duty as that is the type of leader Eric Lindstrom was."
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (TNS)  The killers came hunting their former teachers, gunning them down in their offices and in their classrooms.

At the top of Boko Harams kill list: head teachers, examiners, primary school staff and science and geography teachers, whose curriculum contradicted the groups flat-Earth ideology.

The second lesson of the day was underway when terror came to Yagana Sandas school for primary and secondary students in Bama in northeastern Nigeria. Sanda ran for cover as screaming boys and girls scrambled to jump the schools fence, some of them falling and breaking limbs.

Two of the gunmen chilled her: Tukur had once been her brightest student, an earnest boy who had never missed a school day. Gomna had disrupted any class he was in until he dropped out early.

The gunmen headed straight to the office of headmaster Yaya Buba Jam and shot him dead. They killed another teacher, Al Haji Modu, in his classroom.

In Boko Harams savage campaign to establish an Islamic caliphate in western Africa, education is a primary target. The war on learning has robbed children of years of schooling  a deficit some may never make up  and perpetuated illiteracy and poverty in one of the poorest and least educated corners of Nigeria.

Nigerias teachers union estimates that since 2009 Boko Haram has assassinated 611 teachers, burned down 910 schools and forced the closure of at least 1,500 others. More than 19,000 teachers and almost 1 million school-age children have fled the violence.

The attack on Sandas school occurred three years ago, and she recounted the horrors of that day from a displaced persons camp in Maiduguri, where she has resumed teaching.

That Gomna had joined Boko Haram didnt surprise Sanda. The militants mainly recruit poorly educated children of illiterate parents to fight. But Tukur? He could have been someone.

He was a perfect student, Sanda said. He was hardworking. He was silent, just concentrating on his work.

But in 2012, Sanda said, Tukur butchered his father with a knife in their home for refusing to join Boko Haram.

Bama is no longer under Boko Harams control. The group once held vast portions of the country, but a counteroffensive by the government has driven the extremists out of some areas and put them on the defensive. Still, many parts of Nigeria are still threatened by extremist attacks, making it unsafe for schools to reopen or families to return to their towns.

They were the ones who were looking for us to kill us or slaughter us, said Fatima Liman, another teacher from Bama. We were living together with them. They know us. They know our houses and some of them are students.

Schoolteachers, who pressed reluctant parents to educate their girls, and kept on teaching despite death threats, are the unsung heroes in Nigerias war on Boko Haram.

Every day, they were killing teachers. They targeted us. Some were killed in their houses, some outside their houses, some in the market, said Mariam Sandabe, 38, the former deputy headmistress of another school in Bama. Five teachers at her school were assassinated.

When Boko Haram emerged in 2002, it gained popularity for opposing government corruption. The war on secular education began slowly enough, with the group urging school graduates to burn their diplomas.

After its first major rebellion in the large city of Maiduguri in 2009, then-leader Mohammad Yusuf told police that secular education is haram, or sinful because, all knowledge that contradicts Islam is prohibited by the Almighty. That same year the extremists began burning schools.

Boko Haram believes Earth is flat, and that Muslims are permitted to take slaves and duty-bound to kill infidels. Culture and history also play a role in the groups fixation with secular education, according to analysts. British colonialists brought education and Christianity to the region at the beginning of the 20th century, triggering long-held resentment which lingers to this day.

After Nigerian independence in 1960, educations reputation diminished further when well-educated but notoriously corrupt elites developed a reputation for sending their children to top foreign universities using stolen money.

Muslims in the northeast have long been suspicious of secular schooling. More than 52 percent of boys and 61 percent of girls in the region had no formal education, according to Nigerian government data in 2013. Seventy percent of women and 48 percent of men aged 15 to 49 were illiterate.

Theres a perception among Muslims that the content of education is Christian-led. They saw it as a ploy to Christianize their children, so to be a good Muslim was to keep them away from those kind of schools, said Mausi Segun, a researcher with the group Human Rights Watch, who recently wrote a report on Boko Harams attacks on education.

Aisha Dalhatu, a onetime deputy headmistress in Gudu village, said before Boko Harams school attacks, teachers vainly urged illiterate parents to keep their children in school. But girls were usually married off by 13 or 14.

They prefer to give the girls in marriage and get cows and goats, she said, referring to the bride price. But in Bama, Liman said, parents were beginning to accept the benefits of Western education  until Boko Haram came.

In 2012, the death threats started, like the warning letters dropped at Mafoni Day Secondary School in Maiduguri. On Sept. 25, a senior teacher and examiner, Mohammed Yahaya Nige, was standing by the gate chatting with the geography teacher. Just after he went inside, he heard shots: Gunmen had killed the geography master.

On March 18 of the following year, Nige had finished teaching his first class and dropped by his office for a textbook.

I was going to sit down, but I decided to move. I had not reached the next building when I heard the shots. The school was in chaos, Nige said. Nobody knew which direction to run. I and two other teachers ran into a classroom and locked ourselves in.

Three women had fled to Niges office. All were killed.

Dalhatu, the former deputy headmistress, said her school was shut down after a warning visit from three Boko Haram fighters. We could not go to the market. We were afraid of being called teachers. They were looking for us, she said.

Fighters went to the home of a local headmistress to kill her. But she was out, so they shot dead her 25-year-old son, Dalhatu said.

One of her former primary school students, Awal Buba, became a Boko Haram commander, and was seen in the village burning schools.

Thats why we cannot go back to our area. He knows us, Dalhatu said.

In July of 2013, 30 male students and teachers were massacred in Mamudo. In September, 50 male students were slaughtered in Gujba. The next year, it got worse. In February, 59 schoolboys in Buni Yadi were burned to death, shot, or had their throats cut.

Abubakar Shekau, by then Boko Harams unpredictable and violent leader, declared in a chilling March 2014 video that his religion was nothing but killings, killings and killings, adding, I hate university! You should quit university. I hate it! Western education is totally forbidden. Girls, you should return to your homes.

He threatened to take women as slaves, just weeks before the abduction of 276 school girls from Chibok.

In Bama, men in wearing black told Sandabe, the deputy headmistress, she would die if she kept teaching. But she and others clung on at the school defiantly, hoping the worst was over. In 2014, she had another visit from two men wearing traditional white cotton jalabiyas, or caftans.

They  said if I didnt resign theyd come and kill me. I said I had already resigned, she said. Sandabe fled a few months later and now heads a UNICEF-supported school in a displaced persons camp in Maiduguri.

Teachers in northeastern Nigeria say many Boko Haram fighters are school dropouts or unemployed high school graduates rejected by universities. The regions dire illiteracy rate also left people vulnerable to the extremists appeals.

Thats why were suffering, said Sanda, the teacher from Bama. Boko Haram brainwashed people. Theres no teaching in any religion to kill someone or slaughter someone or kidnap someone.

Now Sanda keeps childrens dreams alive, by teaching in a displaced persons camp in Maiduguri. Dalhatu and Liman teach at the same camp.

Culture and history play a role in the Boko Harams fixation with secular education. British colonialists brought education and Christianity to the region at the beginning of the 20th century, triggering long-held resentment which lingers to this day.
HOKAH, Minn.  Joe E. Stemper, 77, of Hokah passed away Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, at Gundersen Health System, after a brief and unexpected illness.

He was born Oct. 9, 1939, to George and Alice Stemper. He graduated from St. Peters High School and served proudly in the U.S. Air Force. He worked at Caterpillar in Illinois. When his father died, he took over the Stemper Well Co. and operated it for 20 years. Later he spent 20 years as a precision machinist at Trane Co. of La Crosse.

In his retirement years, he enjoyed tutoring students at St. Peters in math two days a week. He was devoted to the church and served where he was needed.

He is survived by three children, Brian (Tammy), Kelly (Dennis Zebell) and Terri (John Mc Fadden); his grandchildren, Amanda Turner, Kyle Link, Presley Stemper, Karly and Alyssa Stemper; and his great-grandchildren, Jazlynn Turner, Nolan Link and Kendra Link. He is also survived by his siblings, Mary Ann, Al (Judy), Frank (Renae), Carol; and his aunts, Mary Newburg and Leone Welter.

He was preceded in death by two children, Eric and Ann; his parents, George and Alice; and his brother and best friend, George.

Joe was a dedicated father who placed faith in God and family first. He was honest as the day was long and would always extend his hand to his neighbors or anyone in need. He was a devoted brother, grandfather, great-grandfather, teacher and neighbor.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12, 2016, at St. Peters Catholic Church, Hokah. The Rev. Pratap Reddy Salibindla will officiate. Burial with military honors will be in the Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Hokah. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services of La Crescent and from 10 a.m. until the time of services Monday at the church. Online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com.
I was sitting at my desk, minding my own business  well, as much as I ever do  when I something caught my eye.

Behind me in the lobby of the La Crosse Tribune office, our Christmas tree was coming down, just days after it appeared like magic over the long Thanksgiving weekend.

I turned to the reporter in the cubicle next to me, asking if he knew what was happening. Had the Tribune fallen in the annual battle in The War on Christmas?

I neednt have worried. The newspaper was merely replacing the live tree to avoid death by sneezing for one of my co-workers, who happens to be allergic to pine trees. We have a vested interest in keeping everyone who works here happy and healthy, it turns out.

I really shouldnt have worried because the war is completely imaginary.

In what is the worst Christmas tradition ever, every year Bill OReilly tells the world about how the terrible liberals are trying to destroy Christmas cheer for everyone, as if saying Happy Holidays is the same as the Grinchs campaign to steal every single present and decoration from Whoville. Its the second week in December and half my Facebook friends are declaring Happy Holidays to be the most offensive phrase in the English language, despite the fact that, traditionally speaking, the holidays people are hoping will be happy for you are Christmas and New Years.

The War on Christmas was coined more than 10 years ago by a guy named John Gibson who went on OReillys show to promote his book The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Sacred Christian Holiday is Worse Than You Thought.

During that interview, Gibson declared, Every time a supermarket checker or store clerk greets you with Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, you have met another soldier in the War against Christmas.

I understand that Happy Holidays now includes Hanukkah, as well as Christmas and New Years, but I cannot figure out how wishing someone more happy days in December qualifies as an attack. Have 10 happy holidays instead of two! sort of seems to fall flat as an offense. Its even more flat if you include Kwanzaa, which lasts almost a month. Have a happy month, guys! is the worst insult ever.

Christmas, which continues to be a federal holiday, is not under attack. There are no organized efforts of people saying, No one celebrate Christmas. Its a terrible holiday for terrible people.

What there has been is a push-back on government-funded of religious displays associated with Christmas. While no one complains about the occasional Santa Claus and Christmas tree, there have been some concerns about displays featuring baby Jesus and the Nativity scenes on public property, with the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State arguing that those government-funded displays imply the establishment of a national religion, which just so happens to be forbidden by a little thing we call the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. (Ive heard that its a kind of important document.)

However, not wanting the government to endorse Jesus Christ is not the same as banning the whole holiday from existing.

Frankly, these War on Christmas people are getting ridiculous. Despite the fact that its been years since anyone pushed back against any government celebrating the holidays, Fox News returns to the topic each year like clockwork, complaining each year about Starbucks coffee cups and black Santa Clauses and, frankly, its the worst Christmas tradition since Krampus decided to dole out the coal on the eve of St. Nicks feast day.
ONALASKA  Luther High School hopes to have students participating in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program starting in 2018.

The school has been discussing for more than a year whether to join the program, which provides approximately $7,900 in voucher funding for qualified students to attend an accredited private school in Wisconsin. The Rev. Robert Wassermann, vice chairman of Luthers Board of Control and pastor of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, said the goal is to register for the program in the 2018-19 school year and see how the first year goes.

We want to do the trial to see how it works, he said. We are open to staying in, but, if the challenges outweigh the benefits, we might get out.

Luther currently enrolls 230 students in grades nine through 12 and is operated by 29 Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod congregations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Wassermann said a survey of families in the congregations with students in grades five, six or seven showed interest in participating in the program.

Families in Wisconsin who meet income guidelines and other requirements can apply for a voucher to attend a private school participating in the program, with maximum enrollment at a participating school determined by enrollment numbers in the public school district in which it is located. Participating schools must meet certain requirements spelled out in state law, such as being accredited by a recognized authority, and meet annual deadlines.

Wassermann said the decision to wait until 2018 will allow the school to finish a building addition that is adding a chapel/auditorium and replacing some old classrooms, as well as some more time to work out logistics. The school reached out to a number of choice program schools while weighing the decision, and he said the responses they had received were almost universally positive.

The board believes the program will make a Christian education more affordable and accessible to more people, Wassermann said. Tuition at Luther is $6,400 for a student who is a member of one of those 29 congregations. Wassermann the school and congregations provide tuition assistance so all can attend regardless of financial ability, but voucher funding would help eliminate that as a barrier to families.

Some members of the board raised concerns about government control of Luther if the school does participate and accept the funds. Others feared becoming dependent on the government for funding after participating in the program for a while.

Opponents of vouchers have raised concerns about taxpayer money being diverted from public schools to private institutions. As part of expansion efforts for the program, the state no longer directly funds new voucher students but provides funding through the local public school district.

Luther is different from a public school in that religion is woven into every aspect of student life, Wassermann said. Students attend daily chapel services, and every class and extra-curricular activity is faithful to WELS doctrine and has religious components.

This offers them an opportunity for a Christian education they otherwise may struggle to afford, he said. Hopefully this is one less obstacle for a family who chooses the school.

We want to do the trial to see how it works. We are open to staying in, but, if the challenges outweigh the benefits, we might get out. The Rev. Robert Wassermann, vice chairman of

Luthers Board of Control
Cardinal Raymond Burke, former bishop of the La Crosse Diocese, is publicly challenging Pope Francis.

On Sept. 19, Burke, along with three cardinals from other countries, wrote to the pope privately demanding he answer five questions concerning his document, The Joy of Loving (Amoris Laetitia).

The heart of their questions is whether it could be interpreted that divorced and remarried Catholics, without an annulment, could receive Communion in some cases. The four asserted that his approach is eroding the churchs doctrinal absolutes, and he must dispel any ambiguities.

On Nov. 14, these Cardinals went public when they learned that Francis was not going to respond to their demands. As I read the questions, without going into detail, they sounded like the questions Jesus was asked to trap him.

On Nov. 18, Francis responded to his critics in the Avvenire, the official newspaper of the Italian hierarchy. He insisted he was following the model of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). He said this Council returned to the source of her nature  the Gospel. This shifted the axis of Christian understanding from a kind of legalism, to the person of God, who became mercy in the incarnation of the son.

Without mentioning names, Francis was direct. He said some of his critics are acting in bad faith to foment divisions. When asked about critics who accuse him of Protestantizing the Catholic Church  an objection often raised by conservative Catholics in the U.S.  he responded, I dont lose any sleep over it.

The heart of the differences between the Pope and these cardinals seems to be how they understand God. Is God a legalistic rule maker or compassionate and merciful? Because the pope just celebrated the Year of Divine Mercy, it is clear where he stands.

Jesus ran into a similar problem when the Pharisees confronted him about healing on the Sabbath. They said it was against the law. So, to the Pharisees, God is a law giver.

Paul had a similar challenge with those who wanted Gentiles to obey the Jewish law. Paul insisted that they are saved not by the law but by an active faith in Jesus.

Another difference focuses on how much specific circumstances affect the interpretation of the law. These cardinals favor a stricter interpretation of the law  obey the law without exception. The pope says that sometimes circumstances can affect interpretation of the law.

The pope is not saying anything goes: Divorced and remarried Catholics need to go through a process of discernment. Its like the process of discernment that a husband goes through as he breaks the speed limit to rush his soon-to-deliver-wife to the hospital. This husband accepts the law, follows it generally, but discerns that the law givers, the elected officials responsible for the law, would understand that his special circumstances make this an exception.

Similarly, the pope stated that divorced and remarried Catholics may go through a discernment process with a priest and may conclude they can, in good faith, return to Communion. Such a couple may be one that has a deep faith demonstrated by prayer, attendance at Mass, generosity toward the poor and faithful care for all their children. They are sorry for whatever they contributed to the failure of their previous marriage, but believe that love and justice mandate them to stay in their current marriage. They believe God, the lawgiver, is compassionate and merciful; therefore their consciences are at peace about returning to Communion.

This explanation is firmly rooted in Catholic theology since Thomas Aquinas, and its reaffirmed in the teachings of Vatican II. The teaching is that the final arbiter of moral decisions is a well-formed conscience. Vatican II states that conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a person. There each one is alone with God, whose voice echoes in the depth of the heart.

No cardinal in the U.S. has publicly backed Burke, and some have even spoken out against him. Cardinal Blase Cupich says what the pope has published is an authoritative document that is faithful to what the bishops of the synod had approved with a two-thirds majority vote. Cardinal Kevin Farrell comments, I have a hard time understanding why some bishops have reacted negatively. Cardinal Joseph Tobin adds that the challenge by the four cardinals is at best naive.

Burke has raised the stakes by saying if Francis does not offer a clarification, the next step would be to make a formal act of correction of a serious error  a phrase that some believe is tantamount to accusing the pope of heresy.

How will this turn out? Stay tuned.
The Grand Canyon Association is running a fundraising campaign to restore and improve 350 miles of Grand Canyon trails. And the project now in the spotlight is restoring Hermit Trail, a scenic 104-year-old trail in the Grand Canyon suffering from decades of extreme weather and heavy use.

A century ago, Hermit Trail was the grandest of hiking trails, leading hikers from the rim down to Hermit Creek, where luxury camping awaited. Parts of the trail were created with hand-fitted stone slabs laid end to end for miles.

Today, though, many of those old stone slabs have cracked and are crumbling from erosion and heavy foot traffic, and large parts of the trail have washed away completely, making the trail a challenge for even experienced hikers.

Hermit Trail is a very important restoration project and is well loved by many visitors and hikers, said Susan Schroeder, Chief Executive Officer of the Grand Canyon Association, the nonprofit that raises money for preservation and education efforts within Grand Canyon National Park.

The Hermit Trail is a steep one, dropping 2,000 feet into Grand Canyon in the first 2.5 miles. From the trail hikers can see such things as fossilized lizard-like tracks, the Santa Maria Spring, and desert bighorn sheep.

The focus for repairs would be the most heavily used sections of Hermit Trail, namely the upper segment within three miles of the trailhead and the lower segment within two miles of the river. Trail steps, water bars and retaining walls would be fixed or restored.

Extreme weather conditions and years of use are causing many Grand Canyon trails to degrade. Thats why the Grand Canyon Association launched the Trails Forever project two years ago in partnership with the park.

Trails Forever donations pay for youth conservation corps teams that restore trails, clear vegetation, perform critical maintenance, and make trails ready for visitors.

REI recently awarded a $10,000 grant to the Grand Canyon Association for the Trails Forever program. Our history is intertwined with the National Parks, said Justin Inglis, outdoor programs coordinator for REI Flagstaff. REI started 76 years ago when its founders banded together to obtain the specialty ice axes they needed to climb Mount Rainier. Our love and support of National Parks continues to this day.

Trail restoration is always one of our top priorities, Schroeder said. When a trail deteriorates it puts hikers in danger, and nature and wildlife are at risk, too. Thats because without a clear trail people tend to wander further into wildlife habitat areas, threatening fragile biological and cultural resources. More footsteps follow, and the problem is compounded.

For more information, visit grandcanyon.org.
Add them to the annals of No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: works of art calling attention to racism in Americas past  and its persistence in Americas present  targeted by educational censorship campaigns for being too racist.

Four such works were challenged in the past month, in fact.

This fall, Salem State University put out an open call for an exhibition titled State of the Union. Artists were asked to submit work that addresses concerns and hopes for our future, such as environmental issues, social inequities, income inequality and education.

Garry Harley, an artist in nearby Lowell, Mass., saw the notice and knew immediately what to submit: two digital paintings, both inspired by campaign rhetoric he found frightening. One was based on a photo of Ku Klux Klan members in full, menacing regalia; the other, Warsaw Jews being rounded up during World War II.

Both were accepted.

The exhibition opened the day after Election Day. And when it did, Harleys work  in particular the KKK picture  caused an uproar. Students complained that the art was insensitive, racist, upsetting, offensive.

The school held a tense public forum. Harley, who says he wanted to raise awareness but not offense, attended in the hopes of a teaching moment. He arrived with handouts: copies of Francisco Goyas The Third of May 1808 and Pablo Picassos Guernica, masterpieces that had committed traumatic events to canvas and, by extension, to public memory.

The next day, administrators sent an apology to the campus community and announced they were temporarily shuttering the exhibit. Then last week, after a second meeting, which Harley did not attend, the exhibit was reopened  with some modifications.

Among them: The KKK painting, and only that work, was curtained off, peep-show-style. This way the viewing will be clearly intentional on the part of the observer, according to a statement from President Patricia Maguire Meservey.

Harley, for his part, called it an elegant solution. It grants the students another layer of security, he told me. Plus, he said, it has added interest to the work.

Indeed, the school says this exhibition has attracted much more traffic than previous ones; everyone wants to see whats behind the curtain, it seems.

Down the Eastern Seaboard, two older works addressing American bigotry found themselves in similar crosshairs.

Last month, Accomack County, Va., public schools temporarily pulled To Kill a Mockingbird and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from classrooms and libraries because a parent complained about the racial slurs they contain. After a local uproar and a formal review, the novels were reinstated Tuesday.

Meanwhile, South Carolinas Winthrop University is threatening to expel a student who created a deeply hurtful and threatening anti-lynching art installation.

These are hardly the only recent instances of anti-racist works being targeted by anti-racists for being insufficiently anti-racist.

Mockingbird and Huck Finn are frequently challenged. More recent works, lacking the protection afforded by generations of fans, are more vulnerable. Last year, students in an Alabama high school history club were forbidden from seeing the film Selma because of its use of slurs.

To be clear, calls for censorship are hardly unique to the left. But real threats to the safety and rights of people of color do seem to have led to heightened policing of the correct way to condemn bigotry and tell more diverse stories, says Joan Bertin, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship.

Works depicting historical events are often the casualties. The problem, alas, is that history is inevitably laden with upsetting details. Needless to say, such details are precisely why we must face our own history and protect the art that helps us process it.

Believe it or not, there are ways to prepare impressionable students for such challenges that dont involve sanitizing art, curtaining off its more difficult aspects or otherwise signaling that it might be dangerous and worth avoiding.

Coincidentally, the Maryland Institute College of Art has a gallery show opening Friday that also features Klan-related imagery: an exhibition of work by the late chronicler of rural poverty and racism William A. Christenberry. It includes the rarely shown Klan Room Tableau, a multimedia piece featuring KKK iconography and G.I. Joe dolls in white robes.

Aware of the nature of the installation, instructors had students set it up themselves. In a workshop setting, students handled the objects and discussed their artistic and historical context.

It was, in a way, a sort of cleverly preemptive exposure therapy  to art, to history and to the frightening lessons both have to offer.
In the weeks since Donald Trump's presidential victory, Wisconsin Democrats reflecting on their losses up and down the ticket have said the party needs to do a better job of conveying its message to rural voters.

It's going to take more than that, said University of Wisconsin-Madison political science professor Kathy Cramer on Friday.

Cramer has spent nearly a decade listening to rural Wisconsin voters discuss their views on government. Her research was thrust into the political spotlight after Trump's surprising victory, won in large part thanks to voters in rural areas that supported President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.

Cramer, at the UW Elections Research Center's 2016 Election Symposium, highlighted some of her takeaways from the conversations she's had in coffee shops and gas stations throughout the state since she started her research in 2007.

She has approached them with this question in mind: Why do people interpret politics the way they do?

"I have found over time, the best way (to learn) is to listen to people talk in the environments they hang out in," Cramer said.

After Cramer presented her findings, a woman in the audience who said she had volunteered in Madison on Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign asked Cramer what advice she would give Democrats on how to talk to the people in rural areas who voted for Trump.

"It's not speaking to people," Cramer said. "It will require just spending time with people and asking them, 'What's on your mind?' for months  then trying to deliver a message."

But UW-Madison political science professor Barry Burden suggested it could be that many of these areas were already on a path toward going Republican, and may not return to voting Democratic in the near future.

Cramer, in her conversations about rural voters' concerns, learned the following:

Many people in so-called "outstate" Wisconsin feel they don't get their fair share of power, resources or respect. They feel power emanates from Madison, where state government is headquartered, and feel most of the state's resources are sucked away by Wisconsin's largest cities, Milwaukee and Madison.

Those feelings open the door for divisive political messaging to be effective, taking advantage of feelings that people who aren't contributing their fair share are benefiting from others' hard-earned taxpayer dollars.

Racism plays a part in some of these feelings, but it is not the sole factor.

Many people living in small communities don't want to move to a bigger city. They recall a time when their communities thrived, and feel that way of life has been taken away.

Many white, working-class men feel a "sense of bewilderment" about how being a white man is now "an object of derision rather than a status of respect."

These feelings create a fertile ground for political messages that call for rapid, dramatic change.

Trump capitalized on this environment. His pre-campaign "birtherism" and calls to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico drove an "us vs. them" narrative, and his cries to "drain the swamp" tapped into voters' resentment of government.

"Make American Great Again" was an effective slogan that tapped into "the sentiment that someone has taken away our way of life."
A Flagstaff woman has been charged with committing with welfare fraud.

Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced Friday that a grand jury indicted Elizabeth Anne Trushel, 53, on multiple counts, including: taking the identity of another person or entity, unlawful use of food stamps, application fraud, and two counts each of felony theft, fraudulent schemes and artifices, forgery, and fraudulent schemes and practices.

Trushel is accused of using her dual citizenship to double-dip into the welfare benefits in the United States and Canada.

More specifically, Brnovich said Trushel used forged documents and other fraudulent means to obtain more than $9,000 in government benefits from the state of Arizona while she was still receiving nearly $19,000 in benefits from the Canadian government at the same time between August 2013 and January 2015.

According to a press release from the state Attorney Generals Office, Trushel moved to Flagstaff from the Canadian province of British Columbia in July 2013. She began receiving food stamps from the Arizona Department of Economic Security and Medicaid coverage through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System the month after she arrived in northern Arizona.

The Attorney Generals Office said Trushel provided DES with phony documents that falsely stated that the Canadian government had cut off her government benefits from that country. Instead, the state contends, Trushel continued to receive public assistance from Canadian welfare programs.

Arizona law prohibits anyone receiving benefits from the programs administered by DES and AHCCCS to receive simultaneous benefits from another jurisdiction.

The Arizona DES and the Canadian Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation investigated this case.

The grand jury handed down the charges against Trushel in September but they could not be made public until this week, when Trushel received her summons to appear in Arizona State Superior Court. She is not in custody at this time.
Deaths from opioid overdoses rose in Minnesota last year, especially among younger adults, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At least 338 people died as a result of opioid overdoses in Minnesota in 2015, up from 319 the previous year. The number of people being killed by opioid overdoses has risen steadily since 1999, although Minnesota still fares better than many hard-hit states like West Virginia and Maine.

Opioids are a family of drugs that includes both illegal heroin and popular prescription painkillers like oxycodone. Opioids create a strong physical dependence and can kill a user during an overdose by shutting down their respiratory system.

For the first time since at least the 1990s, the greatest number of overdose deaths occurred among people in their late 20s or early 30s rather than older people.

The type of opioid people use can vary by region, but synthetic opioids seem to have become more accessible recently, said Dana Farley, alcohol and drug prevention policy director at the Minnesota Department of Health.

That could account for some of the deaths among younger users, Farley said.

We see that from the law enforcement information, that theres increased supplies coming in from South America and from overseas, Farley said. These are starting to influence the kinds of opioids, the heroin, the strength, the increased potency.

The greatest number of overdose deaths last year occurred in Hennepin County, according to the CDC data, where opioids killed 101 people. Metro-area counties like Ramsey, Anoka and Dakota counties also lost dozens of people and had overdose death rates just slightly below Hennepin County.

In rural areas, what are you going to do when you have no money no jobs no nothing? ... You will get whatever the heck is available, and usually thats going to be some really raw, straight-up drugs, and youre at the mercy of the drug dealer.

But St. Louis County in northern Minnesota had the highest overdose death rate: at least two dozen people died from opioid overdoses there last year.

Maggie Kazel, program manager for Rural Aids Action Network, knows many of the people who died last year. They were clients who came into her center to get the overdose antidote naloxone or clean needles.

Its hitting rural areas harder than it is cities. I think thats a hard concept for a lot of people to grasp because we have a historic setup in our brains of drugs equal big cities, Kazel said. What we see in Duluth is horrible, what they see on the Iron Range is pure tragic.

Most of the people killed by opioid overdoses last year were white, but American Indians in the state died at a rate about five times as high. African-Americans also died at higher rates than whites.

Economic distress seems to be part of whats behind especially high opioid death rates in northern Minnesota, Kazel said, as people who are dependent on opioids scramble to get drugs of unpredictable purity or strength, which can cause overdose.

In rural areas, what are you going to do when you have no money no jobs no nothing? Kazel said. You will get whatever the heck is available, and usually thats going to be some really raw, straight-up drugs, and youre at the mercy of the drug dealer.

The fact that St. Louis County is so large, and that people often need to go long distances to get medical treatment or help with addiction, makes the problem even worse, Kazel said. Even more beds in treatment centers would help her corner of the state.

The state of Minnesota is stepping up programs to combat the opioid epidemic, Farley said. The state Department of Health has been distributing naloxone, also known as Narcan, so first responders in eight regions in the state now have more access to it.

The CDC recently awarded the Minnesota health department about $585,000 to develop more comprehensive opioid overdose prevention plans in the state, including a program for better data collection and improvements to the states prescription monitoring program.
The following editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times on Thursday, Dec. 8:

Pressured by governments around the world, four companies operating some of the worlds most popular Internet sites and services  Facebook, Twitter, Googles YouTube and Microsoft  announced this week a joint effort to censor violent terrorist imagery or terrorist recruitment videos or images. Its an effort to fight a bad use of technology with more technology, in the hope of curtailing the use of social media by Islamic State and other terrorist organizations to recruit followers and promote their murderous agendas.

According to a blog post by Google, whenever one of the four companies deletes a terrorism-related image or video, it will have the option of submitting the files unique identifier to a shared database. The other companies will then review the file to see whether it violates their terms of service, and if so, they can use its unique identifier to delete it from their pages.

The database is similar to the one the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children uses to catalog and remove child pornography. And the goal of the companies effort is similar as well: to push jihadist material out of the most widely used spaces online, making it harder for Islamic State and its ilk to radicalize people remotely.

The announcement is both welcome and worrisome. Counterterrorism experts have long sought to close the spigot of jihadist propaganda online, arguing that social media plays an integral role in sustaining groups like Islamic State. Yet Mondays brief, relatively low-key announcement leaves many questions unanswered about what criteria the companies will use to decide what to block, how proactive they will be in censoring content, and whether users will be able to appeal when their images or videos are blacklisted.

This isnt mere quibbling over the finer points of free-speech rights (and besides, the First Amendment isnt applicable here because it limits only censorship by the government, not by private companies). The four entities involved have enormous power to shape users experiences online, which is one reason they should remain as neutral as possible when it comes to the content they host. We may all agree that jihadists shouldnt be allowed to use these platforms to distribute beheading videos, but thats just a fraction of the material used to recruit and radicalize. Should speeches by Islamic State leaders and sermons by extremist clerics be censored too? What about news photographs of, say, victims of Israeli or American air strikes, or photos of detainees tortured in Abu Ghraib? Bear in mind that the database doesnt distinguish between different potential uses of blocked imagery; if Facebook censored a video circulated by Islamic State propagandists, CNN wouldnt be able to use that footage on its Facebook pages either.

Clearly, the line between what is and isnt acceptable will be hard to draw. To their credit, at least some of the four companies plan to take a narrow view of what to block, at least initially, and to have humans, not software, decide when a file needs to be censored. That will give them more time to develop clearer standards for determining what content is unacceptable and avenues to appeal their decisions to censor.

Admittedly, the threat posed by jihadist groups is so great, the usual bromides about defeating bad speech with more speech dont offer much reassurance. And the longer the companies maintained their hands-off posture, the more they risked being compelled by Congress or European governments to act  a development that could have been far more threatening to the free flow of information online.

Yet the slope the companies have started down is slippery. Governments will surely push to extend the blocking effort to more online sites and services, such as Telegram (a messaging app thats popular with extremists) and Googles search engine. They may also pressure companies to use technology to scour their sites proactively for suspected terrorist content, as they do for child pornography, rather than letting human reviewers decide what to block.

And if the effort to interdict jihadist propaganda is successful, what other kinds of content will governments want these platforms to exclude? Hate speech? Indecent material? Fake news? Cartoons that ridicule the government  a form of expression thats a crime in some parts of the world? The precedent being set here is that a handful of powerful private companies could take the place of courts and juries in setting limits on speech that, because of these companies collective dominance online, would apply broadly across the Internet.

Thats why the collaboration on violent terrorist imagery causes anxiety in spite of the benefits it could yield in the battle against jihadism. The participating companies need to offer much more clarity and transparency about the way they will judge content, as well as an expeditious process for appealing decisions to block files. And the public needs to guard against the government pressuring these companies to expand their coordinated takedowns from truly dangerous material to more kinds of speech that the government simply doesnt like.
Dear reader, we're asking for your help to keep local reporting available for all today during our fall fundraiser. Your financial support keeps stories like this one free to read, instead of hidden behind paywalls. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. Thank you for investing in your neighborhood.

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Kanye West has been out of the hospital for over a week now, and in un-Yeezy like fashion he has stayed mostly out of the news. We hope Kanye is recovering wellit sure seemed like he could use a little R&R. One local who has made his well wishes to West quite clear is Shawn Far, the owner of both the clothing brand IAMGAYUSA and the Casa Vertigo building, which is in Pico-Union, conveniently right next to the 10 freeway. Far recently erected a "PRAY FOR KANYE" banner on the roof of the Vertigo for all passing commuters to see. A spokesperson for Far told LAist that Far was at West's concert in Sacramento, where the rapper/producer went on a tirade and left after only two songs. "Although [Far] was unhappy about the abrupt cancellation, he was concerned about the performer and hopes he feels better soon," she said. West would cancel the rest of his tour two days after the Sacramento incident.

Whitehair says "PRAY FOR KANYE" will stay up until the end of the year (we assume this is contingent on West's wellbeing) and that Far is already exploring options for what will next grace the roof of Casa Vertigo. Far has been known to plunder #trending topics, with previous signs including a "Kanye 2020?" banner and one that read "TWERK MILEY."

Kanye hasn't been up to much since he left the hospital, but TMZ reports that he's already working on new music and was spotted last night at an art installation at the Pacific Design Center.

Get well Yeezy.
In this, the centennial year of the National Park Service, we all have a chance to celebrate and honor the national parks, monuments, historic sites and recreation areas. For me, the best way to do this is by cracking open the map, finding the great national park spots and making a return trip with eyes open and gratitude intact.

My visits to national park-operated locations total in the dozens (maybe low hundreds if I consider all the places Ive visited in Washington, D.C.) So I count myself among the parkie fans who carry a banner for the protected nature and cultural and historic heritage.

With the NPS birthday year still on the calendar, I wanted to put a highlight on five national monuments that all a day trip away from Flagstaff. While we have three national monuments down the road and still other monuments mixed among the biggies like Grand Canyon, I expect some of these smaller units are overlooked or underappreciated.

So, while on travel during break or with a few extra days off, consider a trek to (or make time for) one or more of these wonders.

Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site. Located about two-and-a-half hours east of Flagstaff  Interstate 40 to 191 North, Hubbell Trading Post is a must-visit for multiple reasons. One is that it presents a significantly important context to the history on the reservation and the rise of commerce, as the trading post in Ganado become one of the important commercial hubs from its founding in 1878.

Another is that it features interesting stories of the artists who crossed paths with the trading post, including Maynard Dixon and Elbridge Ayer Burbank. The former is one of the best known Southwest artists and the latter is an artist who gained notoriety for his conte-crayon portraiture of Navajo residents thats on display in the home. Both artists and several more often gave art to John Lorenzo Hubbell and family in exchange for stays there. Free, but tours of the home are $2. Learn more at www.nps.gov/hutr.

Montezuma Well National Monument. One hour down Interstate 17 and a quick jaunt onto McGuireville Road and locals can enjoy the wonders of Montezuma Well. A part of the Montezuma Castle but a separate (and usually quieter and less visited) unit of the Verde Valley monuments features a natural sink fed by gushing springs and ringed by ancient ruins.

The Well includes a small hike down the edges of the pond and along and near some dwellings. A swallet, or exit passage, leads water out of the well and to a small stream on the other side that can be visited. The water flows down into Wet Beaver Creek.

Another notable aspect to Montezuma Well is a beautiful, grassy and treed picnic area thats irrigated by the spring water and part of the ancient agriculture present there. A series of paths moves through nearby fields. Free. Learn more at www.nps.gov/mowe.

Pipe Spring National Monument. Although located in northern Arizona, Pipe Spring National Monument is a haul from Flagstaff, about three-and-half hours one way or seven hours of driving round trip. So, its a long day trip on its own, but paired with a weekend jaunt to Zion National Park or while exploring around the Kanab, Utah area along U.S. 89, its a dozen-mile side trip down Route 389.

Pipe Spring came to be from its rare water source that first attracted ancestral Puebloans and later Pauites before being found by Antonio Armijo, who was laying the Armijo Route of the Old Spanish Trail in 1829. Members of the LDS church established it as an outpost in the late 1850s, and it thrived as a fort until around 1887. Visiting today is a great chance to learn about both the ancient and pioneer history that shaped the Colorado Plateau. Its $7 per person with children free. www.nps.gov/pisp.

Navajo National Monument. Two hours and 15 minutes to the north, up U.S. 89 and eastbound on 160, Navajo National Monument sits on the precipice and dives into the Tsegi Canyon complex. One of a handful of beautiful Navajo sandstone landscapes on the reservation, its home to two massive ancient ruins: Betatakin and Keet Seel.

While the ruins require special permitting and planning, a day trip or stop along the way to another destination offers a chance to explore one of a handful of shorter trails. The monument also has two free campgrounds for the warmer days and months and interesting interpretive displays and features. A highlight is the Aspen Trail, which drops off the rim of the canyon affords views of the aspen grove below  a unique feature as it grows at 5,000 feet, a much lower altitude than usual with the support of the cooler, shaded canyon. Free. www.nps.gov/nava.

Tuzigoot National Monument. About an hour and 15 minutes from Flagstaff  down Interstate 17 and across Route 260 east, Tuzigoot National Monument is a stunning ancient ruin that was once a thriving Sinaguan community from the 1100s into the 1400s. The three stories of the structure include 110 rooms and it sits on a rise above the Verde River floodplain. A walk through the ruins winds through the rooms and includes a chance to climb to the roof of the upper-most dwelling.

The monument is part of the trio of ancient cultural sites in the Verde Valley, with the lesser visited Montezuma Well and the more-visited Montezuma Castle making up the other two. A visit to Tuzigoot can also be paired with a trip to Dead Horse Ranch State Park, a nearby gem of that park system, and a relaxing dining and shopping experience in Old Town Cottonwood. $10 a person but good for Montezuma Castle the same day. www.nps.gov/tuzi.
A new study has found changes in public opinion on the issue of torture and its use to get important military information.

The study found that the percentage of people who felt torture was a useful tool increased in 16 countries over a 17-year period. The approval rate this year was 36 percent, compared to 28 percent in 1999.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) organized the survey and reported the findings.

Researchers questioned more than 17,000 people between June and September of 2016. Most of those questioned were from countries in conflict. Other subjects lived in Switzerland or the five permanent members of the United Nations: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

Morally Wrong

The president of the ICRC, Peter Maurer, says the results were troubling.

"The percentage of those who think it is acceptable to torture a captured enemy combatant in order to obtain important military information has risen from 28 to 36 percent today in the poll. Even more shocking, only slightly less than half of the people - 48 percent as of this year - believe this behavior is wrong compared to 66 percent in the 1999 survey."

However, Maurer said he felt more hopeful after seeing the answers to other survey questions. Eighty percent of those surveyed believed that wars should have limits, and that fighters should not target civilians.

The same percentage also believed that attacking hospitals, emergency medical vehicles, and health care workers as a way to weaken the enemy is wrong.

Maurer noted that torture is illegal under international humanitarian law. Torture is wrong, he said, adding that it can harm communities for generations.

The ICRC president recently met with military officials in Russia. He told VOA that he did not find anyone in Moscow or Washington who thought that torture works. He said that not only is torture morally wrong, but it also is not effective in finding the truth.

Empathy to human suffering

The survey also found that people living in the Security Councils permanent members were more likely to accept civilian deaths than people from areas affected by war.

In the five, only 50 percent of people said that it was wrong to attack enemy fighters in populated areas, knowing that many civilians would be killed. In nations affected by war, 78 percent said that this was wrong.

Maurer observed that the closer people were to a conflict, the more they believed in the importance of respecting international humanitarian law.

He added that living far from the realities of warfare makes it easier for people to be disconnected than having to see horrible images from war all the time.

According to Maurer, the most important point of the survey results is that we must not lose our empathy and become numb to human suffering.

Im Phil Dierking.

Lisa Schlein reported this story for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

Do you feel that torture is sometimes necessary to find helpful information in times of war? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

combatant  n. a person, group, or country that fights in a war or battle.

empathy  n. the feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions.

numb  adj. unable to think, feel, or react normally because of something that shocks or upsets you.

obtain  v. to gain or get.

survey  n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to gather information.
This week on our national parks journey, we travel to the southwestern state of Arizona. There, we find a strange and colorful landscape. Yellow, red, and even purple rocks and sand cover the hilly earth. Huge pieces of ancient trees twist in unusual ways.

The area is the only national park that includes a part of the historic U.S. Route 66.

Welcome to the Petrified Forest National Park!

The word forest may mislead visitors. The park is in a desert. And the word petrified -- which can mean afraid-- may scare visitors away!

But fear not. Petrified Forest gets its name from the trees that have, over millions of years, turned to stone. That natural process is called fossilization.

Much of the Petrified Forest formed from tall trees called conifers. They grew over 200 million years ago near waterways. During floods, water forced the trees to be pulled up from the ground. Over time, the wood from the trees became petrified.

The Petrified Forest National Park is one of the wonders of Arizona. It sits within the Painted Desert.

A Spanish explorer in the 1500s gave the place its name. It is easy to see why.

The desert looks like an artists canvas. Brilliantly colored mudstones and clays cover the land as far as the eye can see. They contain bentonite, a clay that is the product of changed volcanic ash.

The oldest geological formations in the park are about 227 million years old. Differently colored formations show different time periods.

The Blue Mesa formations, for example, have thick bands of grey, purple, blue and green mudstones. They are about 220 million years old.

Ancient history

Evidence of humans in the Petrified Forest dates back 13,000 years.

People first came here after the last Ice Age. Early Paleoindian groups used the petrified wood to create different kinds of stone tools. They used them to hunt large animals.

The climate warmed over several thousand years. Humans began building villages here and growing food, such as corn, squash and beans.

In the 900s, people in the area began building above-ground houses, called pueblos. They also made pottery for cooking and other uses. Scientists today find evidence of early pottery and pueblo homes all over Petrified Forest National Park.

A long and severe drought in the early 1400s forced most of the people living here to move. But new groups soon arrived.

European explorers came in the 1500s. By the 1800s, American pioneers began settling in the area. And, by the 1920s, American motorists were traveling on U.S. Route 66. The road winds through the heart of the Painted Desert.

Long before humans entered the area, though, dinosaurs dominated. Petrified Forest National Park is a world-class area for fossil research. The fossil record at the park preserves some of the earliest dinosaurs.

The dinosaur fossils are from the Late Triassic period, called the dawn of the dinosaurs. They help scientists reconstruct ancient environments.

Creating a National Park

The land here was set aside as a national monument in 1906. Congress moved to protect it because of its unique ecosystem, record of human history and dramatic southwestern scenery. It became a national park in 1962.

More than 800,000 people visit the Petrified Forest National Park each year. The best way to explore the park is by foot. The National Park Service maintains many kilometers of walking trails.

The Crystal Forest trail is a one-kilometer path. It is named for the crystals that can be seen on the pieces of petrified wood.



The trail is one of the best chances to see this fossilized wood up close.

The Petrified Forest includes many shapes and sizes of wood, from large logs to stumps to the smallest remains of plants. Most of the petrified wood found in the park is made up of quartz. Quartz is a hard, colorless mineral. The wood sometimes shines in the sunlight as if covered by glitter.

The Painted Desert Rim trail offers visitors a good chance to see the park's wildlife.

Lizards and rabbits are common. So are snakes and foxes.

Early morning or evening are the best times to see animals. These are also the times when the sun makes the Painted Desert the most colorful and spectacular.

But whenever you choose to visit, the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert will awaken your senses and your curiosity about this ancient place.

I'm Caty Weaver.

And I'm Ashley Thompson.

Ashley Thompson wrote this report with materials from the National Park Service. Caty Weaver was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

fossil - n. something (such as a leaf, skeleton, or footprint) that is from a plant or animal which lived in ancient times and that you can see in some rocks

fossilization - n. the process of becoming a fossil

petrified - adj. used to describe something (such as wood) that has slowly changed into stone or a substance like stone over a very long period of time

geological - adj. related to the rocks, land, processes of land formation, etc., of a particular area

dominate - v. to be most common

dramatic - adj. attracting attention : causing people to carefully listen, look, etc.

scenery - n. a view of natural features (such as mountains, hills, valleys, etc.) that is pleasing to look at

glitter - n. light that shines in small, bright points
International students seeking a medical degree in the United States face serious difficulties.

First, there is often a language barrier. Students from non-English speaking countries could have a hard time understanding their work or communicating with professors.

Also, a medical education is very costly. First, students must complete an undergraduate degree. Then, most medical schools require at least four years of study. After medical school, students do at least three more years of training in their specific medical fields. They do receive some pay for this work.

In addition, many medical programs at public universities in the U.S. do not accept international students. And private universities have fewer openings, creating a great deal of competition.

However, receiving a medical education in the U.S. is not impossible. Fatima Ismail is proof. The 32-year-old from Dubai says she knew she wanted to be a doctor at a very early age.

"I was always fascinated by the brain and how it functions. And I love working with children. There is a huge population of children with developmental disabilities that are not taken care of very well in Middle East in general and my home country, in particular."

So, Ismail completed medical school in her home country. Then, she applied to a residency program at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Ismail spent time as an exchange student at Johns Hopkins during her time in medical school.

She says many of her fellow students applied to more than 10 or even 20 different programs.

"Its a very competitive process. Being an international medical school graduate you  have less chances to be accepted because the priority would be for the U.S. graduates. Having said that, its not impossible. All that you need to do is, basically, early planning..."

Planning is highly important for foreign students seeking admission to U.S. medical schools. Paul White is the director for medical school admissions at Johns Hopkins. He says some schools do accept students with undergraduate degrees from their home countries. But most, he says, require U.S. study.

"So we say we want to see at least one year of additional coursework in any area in the U.S. just so we can see the kinds of courses they are capable of taking and how well they may perform in those courses. And theres no question that if they do well in the U.S., and they do well on the medical colleges admissions test, then theyll be eligible for admission..."

India native Karum Arora is in his fourth year of medical school at Johns Hopkins. He studies eye diseases. He also completed his undergraduate studies at Johns Hopkins, as well as a two-year research program in his field.

Arora says the professors he knew in his earlier studies helped him gain acceptance to the medical school.

"I cant even express in words how great my mentors were during those two years. And they were at Hopkins as well, and they both supported me when I applied for med school, guided me through medical school, worked on projects  and are supporting me now as I apply for residency as well."

School administrators suggest international students should apply to residency programs in the U.S. after completing medical school at home. Or they should begin their American medical education at the undergraduate level. But, officials say, even candidates with the strongest history of study will face fierce competition.

Im Pete Musto.

Linda Ringe reported on this story for VOA News. Pete Musto adapted her report for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

We want to hear from you. How difficult is the process to become a doctor in your country? How common is it for medical students from your country to study in the U.S.? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

specific  adj. special or particular

fascinate(d)  v. to cause someone to be very interested in something or someone

applied  v. to ask formally for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan, usually in writing

priority  n. the condition of being more important than something or someone else and therefore coming or being dealt with first

eligible  adj. able to be chosen for something

mentor(s)  n. someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person
The United States top health official says electronic cigarettes can cause health problems for young people.

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released his first report on e-cigarettes this week. He called the devices a public health threat to Americas youth.

The surgeon general is the U.S. governments top medical officer. He uses scientific information to give the best advice for improving health and reducing the risk of sickness and injury.

Most electronic cigarettes use nicotine, a chemical found in tobacco plants, just like traditional cigarettes. But users do not light e-cigarettes because they are powered by a battery. They usually also contain flavoring and other chemicals.

E-cigarettes have increasingly grown in popularity nationwide since 2010. Officials say the devices are now the most used tobacco product by American youth and young adults.

In releasing the report, Surgeon General Murthy said the rising popularity of e-cigarettes is hurting past efforts to reduce tobacco use among young people.

It also threatens 50 years of hard-fought progress that we have made curbing tobacco use. And it places a whole new generation at risk for addiction to nicotine...

He also said the new report is meant to help families and communities understand the scientific reasons why e-cigarettes are harmful.

The message from the report is clear. Nicotine-containing products in any form, including e-cigarettes, are not safe for youth.

The Surgeon Generals report notes that nicotine is a highly addictive chemical. Users can develop a dependence on the drug.

The report says nicotine can harm brain development in teenagers and young adults. Murthy said those harmful effects can include deficits in attention and learning, reduced impulse control, and mood disorders.

The report notes research showing that young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to use traditional cigarettes. It also found that chemicals sent into the air by e-cigarettes can harm the users and people around them.

Supporters of e-cigarette use have suggested that the devices can help smokers of traditional cigarettes cut back or even stop smoking. But Murthy said there is no evidence to back up this claim. He said millions more children are now being exposed to nicotine through e-cigarettes.

Murthy noted that he is keeping an open mind to see if future evidence proves that e-cigarettes can help adults stop smoking.

The report calls for restrictions on the amount of advertising used in e-cigarette ad campaigns. It also urges national educational programs to inform young people about the risks of the devices. The surgeon general said U.S. officials need to act now to help create a healthy, tobacco-free generation.

In a public service video message, Murthy gives a strong warning to parents. Your kids are not an experiment. Protect them from e-cigarettes.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. 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

flavoring  n. something added to provide taste

curb  v. to limit or control

nicotine  n. a poisonous, addictive substance in tobacco

impulse  n. sudden strong desire to do something

mood disorder  n. a problem affecting someones emotional health
It is often asserted that the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 proved that HWA was right and he really did see the future.

This of course is nonsense. Herbert W. Armstrong said that Christ would return within twenty years in his book Mystery of the Ages. (PCG has since deleted those words so someone in there knows HWA spoke nonsense.) How convenient for them to forget this.

Also Herbert W. Armstrong never said the Soviet Union would collapse. He thought it would survive intact until a few years after Christ's return. It shows how biased some many in the COGs are that they never seem to notice this. This inconvenient truth is just tossed into the memory hole.

It is true that HWA said that some Eastern European states would break away from Moscow's orbit and join the European Empire he said would arise at any moment. But he never talked of the Soviet Union collapsing. He did not teach that. Also he portrayed the rise of the European Empire to be far quicker then what has actually happened. In Mystery of the Ages Christ was supposed to return by 2005 at the most.

So assertions that the fall of the Berlin Wall somehow prove that HWA was right is just complete nonsense spread by people who, for whatever reason, are still in denial that HWA was a false prophet who merely talked out of his own "human reasoning".
Please Donate

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If you appreciate what I write please make a donation.

Racist PayPal Tries to Close Down My Blog

As you can see from this article PayPal have removed my blog.

I would therefore ask people to make any future donations to the following:

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Polk County's newest K-8 school celebrated its "grand opening" with a ceremony on Friday.

School opened its doors in August

5 portable classrooms added to handle overcrowding

Name of school's new mascot named at ceremony

Citrus Ridge: A Civics Academy opened its doors to students back in August. During its first week, the campus struggled with overcrowding.



The school has since added 5 portable classrooms, and ten more teachers. Now, the school has 1,522 students.



"It was challenging but we all worked together as a team, said Kathy Conely, the schools principal.



The schools first student body president, Maite Lane, said the school's civics curriculum is helping her decide if she wants to become a prosecutor.



"I learned about law studies, and everything about police and the judges and like everything that I need to know about going into the future for voting, because I am an American citizen, said Lane.



During the ceremony, Lane shared with the crowd the schools preamble. Students also read essays about what it means to be a good citizen.



Towards the end of the event, Congressman Dennis Ross spoke to the students about how important it was to learn about civics and how our nations government operates.



"Good things come to those who wait," said Ross. "Patience. Civility, humility, and patience. You practice those qualities and you interact that with your curriculum here at this school, and you will be the leaders well beyond this community, well beyond this state, and well into this world.



School board members credited Ross with encouraging them to make the new school a civics academy. The congressman capped the ceremony by giving the school a flag that was flown over the United States Capitol in the school's honor.



The ceremony also included the announcement of the winning name for the schools mascots: Pioneer Pete and Rocky Raccoon.
A Tampa man was arrested Friday, Dec. 9 after robbing and kidnapping a woman during the early morning hours of Saturday, Dec. 3.

Tampa man arrested in connection to SoHo kidnapping, robbery on Dec. 3

Johnathon Rogers charged with robbery and kidnapping

A young woman was knocked unconscious before being kidnapped, robbed

Johnathan Troy Rogers, 32, has been charged with robbery and kidnapping.

Tampa police said a young woman was walking alone to her car in the SoHo area of South Tampa around 2 a.m. Dec. 3. A man came up behind her after she got to her car and struck her in the head, knocking her unconscious.

Police said Rogers had placed the victim in her car, which she had already opened, before driving off.

Police said Rogers left the car and the victim in an unknown area after stealing her valuables.

The woman suffered abrasions and contusions from being hit in the head. She reported the incident to Tampa police Saturday afternoon and surveillance video was released of the suspect returning to the victim's car.

Officials say the case is still under investigation and additional charges are possible.
The hype and hoopla over the Make in Odisha conclave, the grand investors meet of the Odisha government that concluded in the state capital of Bhubaneswar last week, has certainly helped project a positive image of the state  with promises of new industries, jobs and faster economic growth.

But the dreams will only come true only if the whopping Rs 2.03 lakh crore investment assurances garnered at the conclave can fructify. Development of state projects have been perpetually bogged down by land disputes, raw material linkages and green clearances.

In that regard, it is too early to predict what the upshot of the venture will be, given the fact that the state has lacked inertia in most of the past projects, as they have mostly remained non-starters.

The state government has been on an investment inviting spree since the beginning of this year. It garnered proposals worth Rs 70,000 crore at the Mumbai conclave and Rs 90,000 crore in Bangalore. The Bhubaneswar conclave, however, topped the lot with Rs 2.03 lakh crore investment proposals in 10 sectors. On face value, it is a big achievement, but distinct cracks and deep crevices of the past are ineluctable.

The state has been witness to Korean giants like Posco, Essar, Sterlite and Arcellor failing to make headway, even after 10 years of promises and struggles. Ease of doing business, particularly when it comes to paper work, as the government forgets, is not the only issue investors deal with when they plan to start their ventures.

It is important that the government should emphasise on easing raw material linkage, land availability and environmental clearances; all of which led to only 20 of the 250 projects promised becoming successful in starting production in the state between 2004 and 2015.

According to the World Bank report (2008), the state had achieved an 8.5 percent annual growth rate during the Tenth Five-Year Plan, 2002-07, in comparison to 7.8 percent for India as a whole.

It is during this period that industrial growth was exponential in Odisha  at 15 percent, much higher than the 9 percent growth rate for India. Naturally, investments also increased, but the momentum took a downward turn 2008 onwards. Till 2008, memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed dime a dozen, attracting investments worth Rs 5.69 lakh crores. But in reality, only Rs 2.45 lakh crore investments took off, while many backed off owing to land acquisition problems and raw material issues.

An Assocham report states Odisha as the third most preferred investment destination in the country. Naturally, as the state had adopted a friendly Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR) in 2015, aiming to ease business procedures.

But there is still a myriad of issues that needs to be focused on before inviting more investments and expecting them to bear fruit. The state government has identified 1,00,000 acres of land all over the state to create a land bank for facilitating the setting up of industries, with the Industrial Development Corporation Odisha in charge.

But how many acres are in possession of the government to immediately sanction to the investors? Timely allotment of land would help investors to expedite their project and also allow them enough time to look into environment clearances. A state abound with natural resources must also facilitate linkage of resources to the prospective investors. Moreover, economic prosperity and development of the state should not remain confined to the ruling party. The Opposition political parties too need to play a healthy role in a positive and proactive way like in other states.

At this juncture, with such high figure investments coming in, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, apart from sporting that winsome smile and declaring Make in Odisha successful, must ensure that his government does the needful to retain the interest of investors in the state.

He must negotiate for double the assured 1.4 lakh jobs and give the interested parties a conducive atmosphere by ironing out the wizened issues. Lest, the investments will only be considered a hogwash for the 15-year-old government that has been frantically trying to achieve a developed tag status for the state.
craigslist: thailand jobs, apartments, for sale, services, community, and events

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As Circe said in Homers Odyssey: So far so good ... now pay attention to what I am about to tell you ...

We are talking about Tamil Nadu, where the story of political succession is still-unfolding and has the trappings of the palace intrigues of Mughal empire after Aurangazebs passing away.

Democracy? Forget it for now. What happened after the demise of AIADMK matriarch and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was a coup  neat, swift and bloodless.

A midnight coup is unsettling enough. And if it's followed by deafening silence, it's more disconcerting, even scary. Jayalalithaas death on 5 December and Sasikalas feat in anointing O Panneerselvam as the new Chief Minister in the middle of night and then, equally swiftly, taking full charge of the affairs of the AIADMK sent the rank and file of that party into stunned silence. Some in the party were too dazed over the death, and some were too afraid to ask whether Sasikala was right in doing what she did.

The silence was broken only on Friday, not by voices of dissent but a slowly gathering chorus of support for Sasikala. Like weathercocks, they know which way the wind is blowing, and they are expressing their adulation for the new leader in the most sycophantic terms that Tamil Nadu excels and revels in.

Its difficult to believe yet that the entire party is wholeheartedly backing Sasikala. Whats easier to understand is that most MLAs and ministers dont relish the prospect of losing their postswhich is what the fall of government would meanwith assembly elections, held only six months ago, due next only in 2021.

The apparent peace in the party seems too tenuous to last till 2021, and Sasikala, from all available indications, knows it too well. Apart from the terrible mistake of flaunting some of her discredited family members despised by Jayalalithaa at her funeral on Tuesday, Sasikala has so far, politically, done four things right:

-- One, she didnt try to manoeuvre herself into the Chief Ministers job. She could have, if she tried, and then announced she would win a byelection to enter the Legislature within the stipulated six months. But that would have made her look like a greedy usurper of power which she claims she is not.

-- Two, she pushed Panneerselvam into the job, an action that was likely to meet least resistance. She was right. He had been the stop-gap Chief Minister for Jayalalithaa twice before and was playing that role a third time when she died.

-- Three, whatever covert understanding both Sasikala and Panneerselvam had reached, they wisely retained Jayalalithaas ministerial team. Disrupting the status quo can lead to a political disaster even at times of mourning the demise of an iconic leader.

-- Four, Sasikala took control of the funeral and performed the last rites along with another family member of Jayalalithaa. The live television image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi consoling her gave her extra-constitutional position more than a semblance of a legal locus standi.

These are deft moves of an astute, hardboiled politician, not of a housekeeper. Some 30 years ago, Jayalalithaa had asked Sasikala to move into her home to keep her home in order while she busied herself with politics. And for at least ten years now, Sasikala has been doing more than cooking sambar and keeping the home clean for Jayalalithaas visitors. In fact, she was often deciding who should be the visitors.

The housekeeper was also having a say in the selection of at least some election candidates and taking part in seat-sharing talks with alliance partners. It indeed looked as if Jayalalithaa was nurturing Sasikala as her successor, but she has never made it public. So in the eyes of at least a section of the partys workers and leaders, she is the heir-apparent.

Wasnt it how Jayalalithaa herself had succeeded her mentor and two-term AIADMK Chief Minister M G Ramachandran (MGR)? He had made Jayalalithaa the partys Propaganda Secretary and a Rajya Sabha member, primarily because she could wax eloquent in English, but had never hinted even during his long illness that she would take his place.

It led to a tussle for power between Jayalalithaa and MGRs wife Janaki after his death. But Jayalalithaa proved the better of the two in the fierce battle that reminded us of William Congreves line: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. There were two scorned women after MGRs death.

In Sasikalas case, she was the only one who was close to Jayalalithaa for so long with no rival to contend with. So the alleged heir-apparent has become the heir. And as things stand now, everything looks good for her. Or does it?

What can possibly go wrong?

The immediate decision that Sasikala has to take is about who should be the next General Secretary of AIADMK, the highest party post held by Jayalalithaa and earlier by MGR. Not a political novice that many may think she is, Sasikala is shrewdly weighing between the options of taking the post herself or giving the job to Panneerselvam or another obsequious and unquestioning entity like him.

Sasikala and Panneerselvam belong to the Thevar community and the caste of the new general secretary, if neither takes that post, will tell its own story, sending the right or the wrong message to the party. But a wrong move on this score alone is unlikely to see the collapse of either the party or the government.

Playing favourites

What could trigger a downslide in Sasikalas fortunes would be any sign that she is playing favourites with those in the party close to her in the past. Jayalalithaa could afford to promote and demote or use and discard partymen at whim, alternating between cold-blooded ruthlessness and serene benevolence, because the party was, to her, no more than a personal fiefdom. Any attempt by Sasikala to be a Jayalalithaa-2 in the immediate future will be fraught with consequences she may regret.

Disproportionate assets case

An adverse judgement in the disproportionate assets case, now pending with the Supreme Court, may find her in the soup. The case was against Jayalalithaa, Sasikala, Ilavarasi (wife of her dead brother Jayaraman) and VN Sudhakaran (son of her sister Vanithamani, whom Jayalalithaa had adopted and discarded).

The Mannargudi mafia

More than everything, if the Mannargudi mafia, as Sasikalas family is known, revives its old games again, it will give ample chance to her opponents in the party to break their silence. More than a dozen of her family members, including her husband, her siblings, their spouses and children, have been riding rough shod over the AIADMK machinery and bureaucracy across the state, till Jayalalithaa clamped down on them five years ago. Some of them resurfaced at the funeral.

The first indications point to the possibility that Sasikala may rein in her family members.

But first impressions may not always be the best and the most accurate ones.

Author tweets @sprasadindia
"If I speak, there will be an earthquake," warned a phlegmatic Rahul Gandhi outside the Parliament on Friday. The Parliament has witnessed many 'giants'. Stalwarts who have delivered moving speeches in the Constituent Assembly, but none have had the audacity to make claims such as Gandhi.

Take for instance former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's famous 'Tryst with Destiny' speech. Or the speeches by known precocious socialist Ram Manohar Lohia. These are considered as key speeches that have come to define Indian history.

Back then, Lohia used to drag Nehru into his speeches. He fiercely criticised Nehru's policies on China and openly questioned his economic strategy.

In a speech that was clearly a dig at Nehru, Lohia had said, "He spends more on his dog than on the common man." In spite of their hostile exchanges, they shared amicable relations.

Similarly, despite their rivalry, the relationship between Indira Gandhi and JP Narayan never lost its quality. The George Fernandes-Atal Bihari Vajpayee combine was another example of this tradition. During his tenure, Vajpayee had made some sharp remarks about CPM leader Somnath Chatterjee, for which he later publically apologised. Being opponents, however, did not deter them from sharing cordial relations.

Similarly, during Vajpayee's rule, on one such occasion, Sonia Gandhi lost her composure. Sonia's abuse directed at Vajpayee echoed in the House long after the house was adjourned. LK Advani tried to warn Sonia but she continued to abuse the prime minister anyway. Days later, however, when a group of terrorists attacked the Parliament, Sonia gracefully called the prime minister to ask about his health.

Vajpayee proudly proclaimed in Parliament that in a democracy where the Leader of Opposition was concerned about the health of the country's prime minister, nothing could go wrong.

These things seem fanciful today, only because the behaviour of members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha has become undemocratic off late.

In the Rajya Sabha, Naresh Agarwal, Pramod Tiwari, Sharad Yadav and Sitaram Yechury have monopolised the Opposition's discourse. Even the disciplined MPs do not get a chance to have their say. The Lok Sabha is struggling in a similar way. The level of debate is pedestrian at best.

A sad fact is that the level of discourse at the ghats of Banaras, or the coffee house in Hazratganj, Lucknow, or that in Allahabad's Civil Lines is higher than that of Parliament's two houses. It is not a reflection of all of those elected, however, as whenever a new voice is allowed to speak, the level can be seen rising.

Rahul's statement is interesting in this context. Leaving aside the earthquake superlative, Rahul is expected to deliver more sensible statements like his grandfather Feroze Gandhi had done. In 1950 Feroze, an MP from Rae Bareli alleged that the Nehru government had indulged in corruption. He alleged that industrialist Haridas Mundra was sanctioned illegal loans.

Following the accusations, Nehru-Indira's relationship with Feroz soured. The then finance minister TTK Krishnamachari was also forced to resign. But, even though Feroz managed to shake the foundations of the government, he made no such bold claims as Rahul.

It seems that it would be a better strategy on Rahul's part to follow the footsteps of his grandfather. On the face of it, Rahul's speeches appear to lack the seriousness and sincerity displayed by Feroz. Better late than never, as they say.
AMMAN Islamic State militants entered the ancient city of Palmyra on Saturday in eastern Syria after advancing to its outskirts for the first time since losing the city earlier this year, a war monitor said.The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights said the militants had entered Palmyra after they had taken strategic heights near the city and captured the northern part of the city and mountains around it.The Syrian army earlier said it had sent reinforcements to Palmyra, to help the army defend the city in what some rebels said were coming from Aleppo and forcing the Syrian government to divert troops from the city where the army and Iranian backed militias were on the verge of a major victory against rebels.A statement by Islamic State's news agency Amaq said the group had taken the strategic Jabal al Tar and Jabal Antara mountains that overlook the city in some of the heaviest fighting since the group lost the city.

The militants were pushing towards the T4 airbase, one of Syria's major military bases, near Palmyra city and which Russian forces have been using to support the Syrian army.

Islamic State's assault, which began late on Thursday, has killed dozens of Syrian soldiers and quickly taken over grain silos and control of some oil and gas fields around Palmyra, monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.The U.S.-led coalition which is separately fighting the militants said late on Friday it had taken out 168 IS oil tanker trucks near Palmyra in a large air raid.

(Reporting by John Davison, Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman and Mostafa Hashem in Cairo, editing by Jeremy Gaunt and David Evans)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Kano: Two female suicide bombers killed 45 people and wounded 33 others when they detonated their explosives in a crowded market in Nigeria's restive northeast, the emergency service has said. The army on Friday put the death toll at 30.

"From our updated records we have 45 dead and 33 injured in the twin suicide bomb explosions in Madagali," said Sa'ad Bello of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Adamawa state.

While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, the blasts bore all the hallmarks of Boko Haram, which regularly uses women and young girls to carry out suicide attacks in its seven-year insurgent campaign in the troubled region.

Military spokesman Badare Akintoye had earlier said "at least 30 people have been killed in the suicide blasts carried out by two female suicide bombers in the market."

A local government official and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the attack.

"The two bombers who (were) disguised as customers, detonated their suicide belts at the section of the market selling grains and second-hand clothing," said Yusuf Muhammad, the chairman of Madagali local government.

The attack on Madagali, which was recaptured by Nigerian forces from Boko Haram jihadists in 2015, was the third time the town has been targeted since December last year when two female suicide bombers killed scores.

Market trader Habu Ahmad said Saturday' blasts happened around 9:30 AM (0830 GMT).

"It was dead bodies and wounded people in the midst of blood, spilt grain and abandoned personal effects," he said.

Ibrahim Abdul kadir, NEMA spokesman for the northeast, said rescue teams had been deployed to the scene.

He said security agents had cordoned off the scene of the explosions.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack in a statement on Saturday, vowing to put "an end to this senseless loss of innocent lives."

"This latest attack is obviously an act of desperation, but the Nigerian military will neither be distracted nor relent," he said.

He urged Nigerians to be more vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest security agents.

"The battle against terrorism is a joint effort involving all citizens, both government and governed.

"Together, Nigerians can and will defeat the evil that is Boko Haram," he added.

Buhari had told a security conference in Senegal on Wednesday that the situation in the region was "under control".
TUNIS Tunisia's parliament approved on Saturday a 32.7 billion dinar ($14.1 billion) budget for next year, including deficit cutting measures that had been watered down under pressure from unions. From a total of 217 lawmakers in parliament, 122 voted in favour of the finance bill. Earlier this week parliament struck out two key clauses imposing taxes on lawyers and pharmacists, in a blow to government efforts to raise new revenue, and the government partially reversed plans to freeze public sector pay. Prime Minister Youssef Chahed told parliament after Saturday's vote that the budget would still have a positive impact on public finances next year.

The budget forecasts growth at 2.5 percent and the budget deficit narrowing to 5.4 percent.

($1 = 2.3155 Tunisian dinars)

(Reporting by Tarek Amara; Writing by Aidan Lewis, editing by David Evans)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.




Coming from a small town, the school politics and everything that went along with it were reflected in my struggle in grade school. I was always the straight-C (with a few Ds) student. I hated school and felt like I never had the chance or the support to help get me over the hump to be an average achiever in high school. Then, I had this brilliant idea while I was a junior in high school to join the military. So, I joined the United States Air Force! I was looking forward to getting out of the small-town scene. My parents didnt have the money for me to go college and I was looking forward to making my own way. You see, out of my whole entire family on my fathers side, the family had a history of dropping out of school to go to work full time. My family was always the basic lower labor workforce and never had a dime to their name at the end of their life for retirement. They were barely educated. Growing up the way I did, I always wanted an education. To break those chains and to be able to move into the light from the shadows of my familys past.

As we all know and learn, life can throw a few curve balls. Getting married at a young age, having kids, raising a family and working lots of hours get in the way of starting college and actually finishing. My military days were good. I was able to travel around the world and see how blessed and fortunate we Americans really are. Along the way, Desert Storm broke out. I then began to realize all the things in life we take for granted and think about if we were ever going to make it home alive again. The adrenaline rush during those times of life or death. The feeling of the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and everything that we stand for that is good and trueI volunteered again for a second term in the war of Desert Storm. I got out after the war, confused and needed an adrenaline rush. There was nothing to be found. But during the war, I decided if we made it home alive, I would never stop learning. To start and finish with a college degree would be my lifelong goal.

"Well, over 24 years have gone by with many of lifes 'curve balls' and here I am on December 10th being the first ever in my family to attempt and graduate from college. I never thought this day would come. During my four years at UC Clermont, my professors would always ask me in class, Why are you doing this now at your age  finishing your degree? I would always answer with, Im a late bloomer. The chains are now broken. No one can ever take my education away from me. And still today, I dont want to stop learning. I encourage everyone to never stop learning. Learn something until the day you die. I loved helping the kids in my classes be successful. Giving them the little things in life that will help them get where they needed to go. I enjoy school and wish that I could get my PhD! Dont ever give up and never stop learning. And the most of all: Dont ever let someone tell you that you cant. Because you can. Look at me, The Late Bloomer, Keith Helms.

Keith Helms, UC Clermont College




Bring a dish to Chat and Chew

TWIN FALLS  The Rev. Will Ritters message will center on Jesus as the Son of God Sunday at the Jerome Presbyterian Church . The Youth Sunday School Band will provide special music at both 9:01 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. worship services. The congregation will prepare gift bags for distribution on Christmas Day. The monthly Chat and Chew will be at 11:30 a.m. with the Rev. Dale Metzger on Tuesday. Bring something to share for the potluck lunch.

Christmas cantata scheduled

BUHL  The West End Christmas Cantata starts at 7 p.m. Wednesday and at 3 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Buhl Methodist Church, 908 Maple St. This event is free and open to the public. Sunday School is at 10 a.m. and services are at 11:30 a.m. We are continuing our preparation for Christmas throughout Advent. We welcome everyone to join us.

Christmas music, candlelight service set

BUHL  The Calvary Assembly of God is hosting country Christmas music at 6 p.m. Dec. 17 and a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 6 p.m. Dec. 24. Calvary Assembly is located at 110 Fruitland Ave. in Buhl. For more information, call or text the Rev. Matt Woodroof at 208-934-7250.

Burley church holds annual holiday lunch

BURLEY  The Burley Christian Church will hold its annual holiday lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 at 1401 Oakley Ave. The lunch includes soup and cinnamon roll. Crafts will be available for sale.

Unitarians to discuss the effect of Jesus

TWIN FALLS  Many turn their hearts toward Jesus at this time of the year, but what about the other characters that played a role and were touched by him in his lifetime? Come and hear 20 vignettes that speak about the effect Jesus had in his very own time period.

Magic Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meets at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Vendor Blender and Event Center, 588 Addison Ave. W. in Twin Falls. Information: 208-734-9161.

Indoor labyrinth offers Advent walk

TWIN FALLS  Ascension Episcopal Church welcomes the community to an Advent walk on the indoor labyrinth in the parish hall. The labyrinth will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday. Instructions will be offered for newcomers.

Sunday worship services of Holy Communion will be held at 8 and 10 a.m. Child care is available from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m. A fellowship coffee hour is held after the 10 a.m. service. Ascension Cafe, the adult discussion group, meets from 9:10 to 9:55 a.m Sunday. Jeff Gooding will lead Advent discussions of the Christmas Story.

Djembe Drumming is offered at the church from 6:45 to 7:30 p.m. Monday to reduce stress and lift your spirit and mood (simple drumming in community). All ages are welcome. For information, or if you need a drum supplied, please call 208-961-1349.

Knit-Us-Together, the handwork group, meets from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays. Choir practice is at 7 p.m. Wednesdays. All are welcome for worship, study and fellowship at Ascension.

Ascension Episcopal Church is handicapped accessible and at 371 Eastland Drive N., Twin Falls. More information, go to episcopaltwinfalls.org or call 208-733-1248.

Mission Projects at Presbyterian Church

TWIN FALLS  The First Presbyterian Church of Twin Falls congregation is providing outreach project to help 16 local families this Christmas. Each year, the deacons organize the Christmas Basket Project and church members donate non-perishable food items and gifts that are delivered to the families. Church youth are also decorating a Mitten Tree, with mittens and gloves to be distributed to children in local schools. In addition, donations are collected for the Valley House, the Salvation Army and the Crisis Center. Information: 208-733-7023.

Christmas Eve services scheduled

TWIN FALLS  The United Methodist Magic Valley Ministries churches invite the public to celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, at one of their traditional Christmas Eve services. Twin Falls First United Methodist Church services will be at 3 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Dec. 24; Jerome United Methodist Church at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Filer United Methodist Church at 4 p.m.; Hagerman United Methodist Church at 5 p.m.; Wendell United Methodist Church at 6 p.m. and Buhl United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. Information: 208-733-5872.

Public invited to Festival of Carols

TWIN FALLS  The third annual Festival of Carols will be at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Twin Falls First United Methodist Church, 360 Shoshone St. E. The program will feature musicians from the United Methodist Magic Valley Ministries and will include handbells, choir, violin, organ and barbershop performances. The audience will be invited to sing carols. This event is free and open to the public.

Bible church hosts Behold the Star

TWIN FALLS  Magic Valley Bible Church will hold its Childrens Christmas Program Behold the Star at 9 a.m. Dec. 18 at 204 Main Ave. N. Teens will lead in worship before the program and the Rev. Bear Morton will present a special Christmas sermon. The morning will conclude with a time of fellowship, coffee and goodies. The Christmas Eve Candlelight Service will be at 5 p.m. Dec. 24. Celebrate the birth of our Savior and praise him in song. Morton will present the sermon A Manger and a Cross. All are welcome. Information: 208-733-5248.
TWIN FALLS  The worship space of St. Ignatius of Antioch Orthodox Christian Church will more than double in size next weekend.

The parish will officially move into its new building on the other side of town.

The public is invited to the churchs opening at 6 p.m. Friday when His Eminence, Metropolitan Joseph, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America, will visit Twin Falls. Then at 9 a.m. Dec. 18 church member Kurt Hefner will become a deacon.

The Metropolitans throne was wrapped in plastic Monday morning as a worker added fresh coats of paint to the walls. The iconostasis was in place, but the icons and religious paintings were missing. They were propped against the walls in the Rev. Michael Habibs soon-to-be office, waiting to be installed.

In April, church members found a vacant church building for sale at 181 Morrison St. The building is 15,000 square feet on 4 acres of land. St. Ignatius of Antioch Orthodox Christian Church has been bursting at the seams for years. Housed inside a building converted from a real estate office into a church, Sunday services draw between 50 to 60 people. Though there were times when as much as 70 to 75 people crammed into the room. The new church can accommodate 300 to 350 people.

In late May 2014, St. Ignatius of Antioch Orthodox Christian Church bought a nearby half-acre that may become the site of its new building. The church tore down an old house and trees on the land. The churchs plan was to build a new building on their old property at 1830 Addison Ave. E. in Twin Falls.

Until the new spacious property was discovered.

The building was vacant for two years and over the years was home to Agape Christian School and Childcare and New Hope Christian Fellowship. In addition to more space, the new building offers more privacy  the old church is right next to Addison Avenue  and parking space. People often had to park on the dirt lot adjacent to the churchs property.

Habib said they were nearing completion of phase I, which is renovations to the worship area, offices and bookstore. The worship area had new flooring Monday, and the walls were painted white and the ceiling blue. The entire room was lit by the glow of 10 chandeliers.

A new aspect of the church is a vestry, where the clergy readies themselves before services. The old church didnt have a vestry and those preparations were made in the alter.

Its really came together within the last week, he said.

Phase II will be renovations to other parts of the building that include rooms and a kitchen. Phase III is the outside of the building.

Its the lowest priority, Habib said. We need the building first. The challenge of renovations is its like peeling back the layers of an onion. As you peel back, it reveals more than you originally thought.

Also completed in phase I are the nursery room, which will serve as a bridal room, with an attached bathroom near the worship area.

The last service at the church on Addison Avenue. will be 9 a.m. Sunday. Its also last day for the final packing of church items.

Just about everyone of our members has done something in some way, he said.
Undoubtedly youve heard the reading of the Christmas story from Luke 2 countless times. In spite of that, the prologue of the Christmas story from Luke 1 remains fairly obscure. Here it is.

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4)

While seemingly irrelevant compared to the warmth of the Christmas story, these four verses might be crucial for Christmas story cynics who find the story of angelic visitations, star gazing wise men, or a virgin birth hard to fathom. To its critics, the story of Christmas perhaps lacks intellectual or historical credibility. Thats why Lukes version of Christs birth proposes a reliability to even the loudest cynics.

For starters and to avoid any confusion, the gospel of Luke was written by a man named Luke. The Biblical evidence portrays him as a physician and an occasional companion of the apostle Paul on his missionary journeys. While we cant vouch for the quality of his handwriting, we do know that his attention to detail was unparalleled. His attention to detail was perhaps connected to his desire to author a credible account of the story of Jesus, beginning with the Christmas narrative.

Theophilus, the recipient of the story has been identified with a variety of historical characters. Scholars propose he was possibly a priest, or wealthy and influential person from Antioch. Others suggest he was the lawyer who defended Paul during his trial in Rome, implying the book of Luke may have actually served as a first century legal brief. Whatever his identity, Luke was convinced that Theophilus(and the rest of us) needed a definitive and detailed description of Jesus birth.

According to Lukes very own perspective, he was not the first nor the last attempting to capture the events of Jesus life in short story form. What we know is that the good doctor carefully investigated each detail and transcribed notes from his interviews with the eyewitnesses themselves. Then for the sake of an accurate historical record Dr. Luke wrote an orderly account. Why? So that the most excellent Theophilus would be convinced of the certainty of the things hed learned. Contemporary Christians are highly aware that theres much more at stake in Lukes story than one mans learning curve.

Part of the good news of the Christmas story includes the conclusions of a first century doctor, who diagnosed that the historical facts surrounding the story of the birth of Jesus were an absolute certainty. Along with many other reasons, our celebration of Christmas rests securely on that truth.
Its the gentle breeze, not the gale, that fills the sail and pushes the ship before it. And that is pretty much how I ended up in eastern Idaho.

I wasnt driven here by stiff winds or stranded on a rocky coast, but rather gently guided, often wandering off course and looking in vain for land, until the shores of the twin forks of the Snake River welcomed us.

In those days, the stars upon which we fixed our sextant were education and job opportunities. Schooled in Utah and Montana, but with a research project in Idaho Falls, our ship sailed from port to port. I had submitted job applications to most of the Western states, and a tantalizing job opportunity in Utah was contingent on completion of my masters degree. So when Idaho Department of Fish and Game called and said I could start in 12 days, I made fast to the dock and planted our flag in Idaho, finishing my degree six months later.

After four years sailing in the Clearwater country, the breeze guided us back to Idaho Falls and to old haunts from our previous time here. That mainly meant Island Park. Just an hour and a half north of Idaho Falls, Island Park was our quick getaway.

I really didnt intend for my recreation ship to anchor in Island Park. We made forays to many corners of Idaho, always enthralled with the experiences that new locations engendered. Island Park was close and convenient though, and eventually going there was as comfortable as an old sock. It slowly became more than that.

Elk hunting, fishing and snowmobiling were the primary charms, because at first, I didnt find Island Park all that beautiful. In fact, I thought it rather ordinary. Though ringed with mountains, the vast expanses were a sea of lodgepole pine and as flat and as interesting as Kansas.

We slowly mapped out the secrets of Island Park over the years. Rather than contempt, familiarity bred a strengthening quest to discover more, and more deeply. There were new roads and trails to travel, rivers to float, and new eyes to experience everything fresh in different seasons. Slowly, without even being aware, the beauty of the place found me, wandering into my life like a feeding deer, until it became, to me, one of the most beautiful places in Idaho.

I thought about my experiences there as I assembled my first scenic calendar, fittingly dedicated to Island Park. As I scrolled through hundreds of my images of the Island Park area, I relived each one  feeling the wind billow my jacket on top of Sawtell Peak, hearing the smooth rush of water in Box Canyon, listening to elk bugle in Harriman State Park. The most difficult part of the project was winnowing the effort down to just 12 images.

Island Park is no longer the place I venture to when I have nowhere else to go. It is a second home. I would love to get to know parts of Africa, Argentinas Patagonia, Brazils Pantanal or even Denali National Park. But if winds never fill the canvas and carry me to these fascinating ports of call, Ill trim the sails and happily steer toward Idahos island paradise.
BOISE  Idahoans are encouraged to make a big difference in the next 24 days.

The sixth annual Avenues for Hope Housing Challenge launched Thursday with 44 nonprofits from across Idaho raising funds to help the homeless and those in need of housing assistance.

This years campaign goal is $400,000 and donations will be accepted until midnight Dec. 31. Avenues for Hopes participating nonprofits have received nearly $1 million in the past five years.

The Mini-Cassia Shelter, South Central Community Action Partnership, Volunteers Against Violence in Twin Falls and the Blaine County Housing Authority are all participating.

The event is organized by Idaho Housing and Finance Association and its foundation, the Home Partnership Foundation. The 24-day campaign is designed to rally support for nonprofits assisting more than 4,000 homeless in Idaho. The public is encouraged to donate $25 or more at avenuesforhope.org to help the homeless in their community. Donors can direct their gift to one or more of the 44 participating nonprofits.

The importance of providing affordable housing and services to displaced individuals and families is one of the core beliefs of our organization, said Gerald M. Hunter, President of Idaho Housing, in a a statement. We are excited to see nonprofit and sponsor participation in Avenues for Hope continue to increase each year. Through a united effort, we can ensure Idahos homeless receive the care and support they need.

The Home Partnership Foundation along with Idaho Housing and 27 other businesses sponsoring the campaign are contributing up to $200,000 this year in matching funds and challenge grant prizes.

Funds raised by Avenues for Hope will helps both the chronically and temporarily homeless such as domestic violence victims, veterans, people with disabilities, vulnerable youth, seniors and low-income Idaho residents. Donations support emergency shelters, homelessness prevention services and affordable housing programs.
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ELKO  A federal report included a witness account of the American Medflight plane crash on Nov. 18, which killed all four people aboard.

The Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during initial climb from the Elko Regional Airport, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The twin-engine, turbine-powered plane took off at 7:20 p.m. in an east-northeasterly direction. The wind was approximately 8 mph from an east-southeasterly direction, and the temperature was 33 degrees.

During a telephone conversation with a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, a witness located at the Elko Airport reported that the airplane departed runway 06. During the initial climb, he stated that the airplane made an initial left turn about 30 degrees from the runway heading, then stopped climbing and made an abrupt left bank and descended out of his line of sight, stated the NTSB report, which was filed Nov. 30.

The airplane impacted into a parking lot about .5 miles from the departure end of the runway, and immediately burst into flames. Several secondary explosions happened after impact as a result of fire damage to medical compressed gas bottles and several vehicles that were consumed by the post impact fire, continued the report.

The plane sustained extensive damage from the fire but all of its major structural components were located within the wreckage, according to the NTSB.

Elko City and Airport Manager Curtis Calder said he is hoping the final report will reveal the cause of the crash.

Very little information that was in the preliminary report was new to us, he said.

Killed in the crash were American Medflight pilot Yuji Irie of Ely; paramedic Jake Shepherd of Nibley, Utah; flight nurse Tiffany Urresti of Elko; and patient Edward Clohesey of Spring Creek.

Elkos airport has not had an FAA tower to record flight information since the agency closed it in 1990.

Night, visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an FAA instrument flight plan was filed but had not been activated for the intended flight to Salt Lake City, stated the NTSB.

The agency said the wreckage has been taken to a secure location, and detailed examinations of the airframe and engines are pending.
Cheer

Cheers to U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, who has introduced legislation to protect the Scotchman peaks in northern Idaho.

The bill would protect from development about 88,000 acres overlooking the Clark Fork River delta. About 14,000 acres are in Idaho; separate legislation could protect the remaining land in Montana.

The protection bill comes on the heels of Rep. Mike Simpsons efforts to protect the Boulder-White Clouds.

We salute the Republican lawmakers for realizing that pristine lands are just as important to some Idahoans as economic development.

The proposal has wide support, including from local political leaders and the timber industry.

There are some parts of the national forest that should be managed for timber production and some parts of the forest that should be managed for wilderness, Bob Boeh, Idaho Forest Groups vice president of government affairs, told The Spokesman-Review.

If Rischs bill gains congressional approval, the wilderness would be kept that way forever.

Jeer

The Twin Falls School District angered hundreds of parents Friday when it canceled school for some students but required others to attend classes.

In a message to parents, the district said:

School will be open this morning; however, we will not be able to run buses south of 3600 North, west of 2800 East, north of 4200 North, or east of Hankins Road. Any students living in affected areas will be excused from school. We will watch conditions and attempt to run buses at a later time. Should this happen you will be notified. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Parents flooded the districts Facebook page with complaints, most of which pointed out that icy conditions existed in other parts of the districts boundaries that made it difficult for parents to drive or children to walk. Most parents seemed to want a snow day for the whole district, and many said there were keeping their students home regardless of whether they lived in the affected area.

Wrote one parent: Picking and choosing which kids to keep safe by having them stay home, and having the rest still face the dangers of getting to school is absolutely ridiculous! Not to mention the teachers that you are putting at risk too, only to have them teach half their students.

We understand its a difficult call for district leaders to cancel classes  any snow days have to be made up at the end of the year  but we wish they would have been clearer with parents and made a more decisive decision. The district probably should have canceled classes for all.

Perhaps the backlash will have district leaders thinking differently next time.

Cheer

The Goode Motor Group is thinking outside the box for plans to expand its dealerships  it has big plans for the former Twin Cinema 12, 160 Eastland Drive.

The theater has been closed for years, and the building is a sad shell of what the property used to be. But Goode owner Matt Cook sees potential.

His plans include using part of the old theater for a community-meeting center, and using the remaining areas for a car showroom. There may even be interest in a restaurant on the property, a prime location on the citys east side at Eastland Drive and Kimberly Road.

Were always pleased when developers and business leaders can make use of existing structures. Cook will need a special-use permit from the city. We hope his plans work out.
An Egyptian terrorist group known as Hasm (Determination) has claimed responsibility for the car bomb attack in Giza governorates Haram district which killed six police agents.

The car bomb blast occurred early on Friday near a police check-point, near Al-Salam mosque in Haram Street, Egyptian Al Ahram reports. Egyptian interior ministry indicated that the explosive device was planted in the car next to the check-point.

Three other policemen were injured in the attack.

Hasm, a group linked to the Muslim Brotherhood according to Egyptian authorities, has been unknown until recently after claiming responsibility of a number of attacks on police check-points over the past months.

The group made the announcement on its website.

Egyptian security forces have been targeted by Islamist attacks since 2013. The Islamists have vowed to avenge the removal of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi deposed in 2013 by current President al-Sisi when he was then army general.

According to official figures, terrorist attacks have killed more than 500 regular forces. Egyptian army claims it has killed thousands of jihadists.
Algerian authorities recent move to round up and deport hundreds of sub-Saharan migrants has produced a global outcry, all the more so as the measure was carried out indiscriminately and even concerned sub-Saharans who were legally settled in the country or having refugee status.

Several local and international NGOs have decried the measure as well as the dire and degrading detention conditions of the migrants in makeshift centers.

The Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights (LADDH) said the more than 1400 people detained in disastrous conditions include children, pregnant women, sick people, irregular migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees. They are all victims of this arbitrary and violent retention operation, the NGO deplored in a statement released after the operation started on December 1.

Several hundreds of the 1,400 migrants arrested by security forces in and around capital city Algiers have been reportedly driven southwards to a camp in Tamanrasset, wherefrom they were deported across the border into Niger.

The LADDH accused Algerian authorities of violating international standards relating to the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. The league also criticized the exclusive management of the migration issue in Algeria by the police.

Human rights Watch on its part criticized the mass and summary deportation of the Sub-Saharans and called on Algeria to stop these deportations.

A mass and summary deportation of migrants, including men and women who may have fled persecution or have worked for years in Algeria, would violate their rights, said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. The right of a country to control its borders is not a license for lawlessness.

The New York-based NGO said the migrants forcibly transported to Tamanrasset include some registered refugees and asylum seekers, as well as migrants who have lived and worked for years in Algeria.

HRW also criticized Farouk Ksentini, the head of the National Consultative Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, a state institution that reports to the presidency, for his discriminatory and disparaging comments on migrants.

Ksentini had accused migrants of spreading diseases, including AIDS. These diseases are commonplace in these communities, he was quoted as saying in the Algerian daily Assawt Al Akhar (The Other Voice.)

He had said that the presence of migrants and refugees in several regions of the country can lead to many problems for Algerians, and that these migrants dont have a future in Algeria. He reaffirmed these remarks in an interview with the news site Tout sur lAlgerie, HRW recalled.

The results of a study published last February in Algiers, unveiled the great misery of the Sub-Saharans established in Algeria. The study was carried out by the NGO Medecins du Monde.

According to estimates, the number of sub-Saharan migrants in Algeria ranges from 60,000 to 100,000.
The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken note of the announcement of the final result by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, and the congratulatory phone call by the incumbent President, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to the president-elect, H.E. Nana Addo Akufo-Addo, of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), ECOWAS stated in a communique released on Friday in Abuja (Nigeria, its headquarters).

According to the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, the main opposition leader in the country, has won the presidential election with almost 10 points majority over John Mahama, the incumbent President. Akufo-Addo has won 53.3 percent of the votes, Dramani Mahama has been credited with 44.4 percent.

The ECOWAS Commission, on behalf of the West African Community, congratulates John Dramani Mahama for gracefully accepting the will of the people of Ghana and displaying an enviable sense of statesmanship, the regional organization said.

The ECOWAS has deployed an election observation mission in Ghana for the legislative and presidential elections held on December 7, 2016. This mission is led by Amos Sawyer (former liberian interim President). The ECOWAS mission paid on Thursday, prior to its communique, a tribute to the smooth conduct of these Ghanaian elections.

Therefore, the regional Commission encourages the President-elect and his team to work hard to live up to the aspirations of the Ghanaian people, especially in addressing the critical issues of youth unemployment and economic growth, it added.

Amos Sawyer and his colleagues, furthermore, applaud the Ghanaian electorate for the high sense of patriotism and civic responsibility they displayed by coming out en masse to the polls to exercise their franchise in a peaceful and orderly manner.

Nana Akufo-Addo, 72, served as attorney general and as Foreign Minister. The previous presidential polls held in Ghana in 2012 were highly competitive.
La Voie Originale, LG infos and Aujourdhui, three ivorian newspapers, have been suspended on Friday by the national press council (CNP) for publishing wrong information.

The decision was made few days before the start of the campaign of the legislative elections scheduled for December 18.

LG Infos and Aujourdhui are banned from publication for seven issues for publishing wrong information, the CNP said. La Voie Originale is banned from publication for 26 issues for assigning wrong titles to Affi Nguessan, the leader of FPI (Ivorian popular front,) a strong opposition party in Cote dIvoire.

La Voie Originale and Aujourdhui have already been punished on October 21 this year, the day before the opening of the campaign for the new constitution referendum.

Cesar Etou, editor in chief of La Voie Originale, spoke out against the CNPs decision, arguing that we are target of several threats, not for professional misdemeanors, AFP reported.

The three newspapers are seen as slinger supporters in FPI. They demand the boycott of the legislative elections, while their opponents in the same party will run for these elections.

FPI has been facing an internal division since 2013, when its actual leader, Affi Nguessan, run for president. This partys slingers still challenge Nguessans authority, by supporting Laurent Gbagbo (FPI president founder.)
Winter Weather Preparedness Week is Dec. 11-17

Always keep at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food in your home

Keep fresh batteries on hand for weather radios and flashlights

Dress warmly. Wear multiple layers of thin clothing instead of a single layer of thick clothing.

Properly vent kerosene heaters and keep any electric generators outside and away from any open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Do not burn charcoal indoors.

Use a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio to monitor for changing weather conditions.

Keep alternative heating sources and fire extinguishers on hand. Be sure your family knows how to use them.

Store an emergency kit in your vehicle. Include scraper, jumper cables, tow chain, sand/salt, blankets, flashlight, first aid kit and road map.

Check under your warming car for animals and wipe your pets' paws after walks to remove chemicals.

Make an emergency supplies kit for your pet.

Do not leave pets outside for long periods of time.

Ensure your pet has a well-fitting collar.

Bring pets inside when temperatures drop below freezing. Pets are susceptible to frostbite, hypothermia, dehydration and other medical conditions.

Move livestock and other animals to a sheltered location with food and water.

Pet travel bag or carrier;

Medical records, first aid kit and a two-week medicine supply;

Muzzle, collar and/or leash;

Enough canned/dry food and water for three to seven days;

Proper identification and immunization records; and

Pet beds, blankets, toys and disposable litter trays.

Contact: McCrory Communications

McCrory Communications govpress@nc.gov

Raleigh, N.C. Governor Pat McCrory has declared Dec. 11-17 as Winter Weather Preparedness Week and is urging North Carolinians to plan, prepare and be ready for potentially dangerous winter weather.said Governor McCrory.North Carolina's unpredictable winter weather patterns can be attributed to the state's proximity to the Appalachian Mountains, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf Stream and Gulf of Mexico. Each year there are approximately 12 or more winter storms in the mountains, six to 12 winter storms in the Piedmont and usually less than four winter storms that impact the coastal region.explained state Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry.Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center are expecting La Nina to influence winter conditions this year. Unlike El Nino, La Nina involves a cooling of the ocean that favors warmer and drier winters in the south.Governor McCrory urged people to monitor changing weather conditions by listening carefully to local media. When winter weather warnings are issued, be prepared for possible power outages or dangerous driving conditions. Remember: Watch means severe winter conditions could occur, while Warning indicates that 4+ inches of snow or sleet are expected within 12 hours. Advisories indicate that winter weather conditions are expected to cause delays and problems.To help ensure you are ready for winter weather, North Carolina Emergency Management officials urge you to:If you must travel during winter weather, emergency officials remind motorists to drive safely. It's important to leave plenty of room between you and other vehicles and if driving on snow or ice covered roadways, reduce speed. If conditions worsen, be sure to pull off the highway and remain in your vehicle. Do not set out on foot unless you can see a building close by where you can take shelter.Governor and First Lady Ann McCrory are also encouraging North Carolinians to take additional steps to ensure their pets are safe this winter.said Governor McCrory.To keep your animals safe during winter, emergency management officials recommend that you:Governor McCrory is reminding North Carolinians to include pets in their family's emergency plan and when updating supply kits this winter with the following items:The Department of Public Safety and the National Weather Service work together to help North Carolinians plan and prepare for winter weather by providing accurate weather and safety information.For more information on how to prepare for winter storms, download the free ReadyNC app, which provides real-time information on traffic and weather conditions plus open shelters and items needed in an emergency supplies kit, or visit www.readync.org
RICHARDSON, Texas  With a backdrop of giant Texas and American flags, two dozen Christian, Muslim and Jewish faith leaders pledged to fight prejudice last week at the Islamic Center of North Texas.

They discussed worries among their congregations following the presidential election, the importance of their faith in bridging divides and the avenues they could take to enact political change.

Edwin Robinson, director of urban strategies at Faith In Texas, a coalition of communities for economic and racial justice, underscored the importance of civic discourse as state lawmakers prepare for the 2017 legislative session.

He quoted Martin Luther King Jr.: The law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me.

We need to go to the Legislature  to restrain the hearts of those who may not be as loving, Robinson said.

Omar Suleiman, an Imam at the Valley Ranch Islamic Center in Irving, Texas, said faith leaders needed to purge resentment from their communities.

The Quran tells us to repel that which is evil with that which is good, Suleiman said.

He said many Muslims at his mosque are anxious after the election results.

The fact that (president-elect Donald Trump) is a xenophobe and it wasnt a dealbreaker is disturbing, Suleiman said. But political differences shouldnt break friendships, he cautioned. We have to take the higher road, he said.

Manda Adams, a reverend at The First Community Church in Far East Dallas, attended the event with her husband, who is Muslim.

She said its important for her, as a white woman, to acknowledge the privilege she has and speak up in her own community. A few months ago, at a diner in Dallas, she said she overheard someone at a table of white people say: I dont tell my kids to play cowboys and Indians anymore, I tell them to play cowboys and Muslims.

She turned around said: Youre talking about my family. But she wishes she had instead said: Youre teaching your children they shouldnt form relationships with people who are different to them.
Ilana McCloud and her family are Jewish, and she leads a weekly peace march in Missoula.

Friday, the family found anti-Semitic literature at their home.

"We're a little concerned that we were targeted specifically. That's worrisome," McCloud said.

She said her husband called law enforcement, but the operator sounded like she'd heard the complaint "a million times."

"They're seeing this as a non-threatening incident," McCloud said.

The activist and mother isn't so sure. McCloud is wondering if her children are safe and whether she should continue to lead peace marches, as she has since the election last month.

"Am I putting my family in harm's way? I don't know," McCloud said.

Racist and anti-Semitic activities have been reported in Montana and across the country since November's election. White supremacists have celebrated the election of soon-to-be-president Donald Trump, although he has disavowed them.

In Missoula, a pair of crudely-designed pamphlets touting a future for white children and disparaging Jews have landed in a variety of neighborhoods, including Pleasant View, central Missoula, the Northside and East Missoula.

More recently, some 10,000 pieces of "Love Literature" are also descending on doorsteps. "Guess who said ... 'All you need is love.' 'If you would be loved, love and be lovable.'"

The Jeannette Rankin Peace Center, with a donation from Mike's Print and Copy, printed some 16,000 pieces of "Love Literature," and supporters are blanketing the city with the fliers spouting the words of The Beatles and Benjamin Franklin and Confucius.

"It just spreads a little bit of positive emotion when people look at it and read it and share it with others," said Betsy Mulligan-Dague, executive director of the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center.

The "Love Literature" pushes back against the racist leaflets that have continued to crop up since the election. Those wanting to spread a different message say now is the time to make a strong and clear demonstration that the city of Missoula values equality and diversity.

Laurie Franklin, spiritual leader at the Har Shalom synagogue, also said it's time to closely track the activity. She said dropping literature is a protected First Amendment free speech activity, but the appearance of the fliers harms quality of life and should be tracked.

"The reporting and the tracking is very scant and poor," Franklin said.

Who is receiving leaflets? Where? How many incidents?

"If we don't track this, and if we don't speak out against this, are we enabling those who would cross the line into much more dangerous activities?" Franklin said.

She said she understands that law enforcement authorities have bigger fish to fry than leaflets. At the same time, she'd like to work with them, City Hall, the Missoulian, and other faith groups to ensure that the community makes it clear the racist sentiments aren't acceptable in Missoula.

"I really would like to partner with them as much as they are able to make sure this doesn't normalize," Franklin said of law enforcement.

Marilyn Marler, president of the Missoula City Council, agrees the city needs to take a stand. She said Friday she is dismayed to see the racist pamphlets continue to appear, and city leaders will be making a public statement in favor of equality.

"People just want to hear from leadership that we're all safe and valued and taken seriously," Marler said.

The mayor of Whitefish, where white nationalist leader Richard Spencer has lived part time until recently, issued a proclamation earlier this month touting tolerance, acceptance and kindness.

***

The Missoula Police Department is aware of the pamphlets citing the American Nazi Party, but spreading leaflets is protected free speech, said Travis Welsh, agency spokesman.

In general, police are not responding to the issue as a quality of life matter, he said. However, he said they have provided extra patrol upon request to people who feel threatened.

"At least to this point, we have not been, to my knowledge anyway, notified of any criminal activity associated with it," Welsh said.

Tobin Shearer, University of Montana associate professor of history, said he's seen periodic and regular encounters with hate literature and activity over the course of his nine years as director of African-American Studies at UM.

"I hear regular stories from my African-American students about their encounters with various forms of hate speech and hate acts here in Missoula and throughout the state," Shearer said. "But we've seen an uptick and an intensifying of those events since the election of Donald Trump. We've documented that in disturbing ways."

He has responded personally by writing and posting a welcoming message on his office door, and his colleagues across the country have picked it up: "In this office, you will be cherished. You will be as safe as my body and my voice can make it. You will be known and called by your name ... Enter and be welcomed."

Shearer said it's important to be smarter than the people spreading racist material. If the activity is small, let the words fizzle out, he said.

Once it escalates in breadth, scope or intensity, it's time to take action, he said. A public statement is a great first step, he said, and the message matters.

"How are we articulating a message that reflects the core values of democracy that this nation stands for and the core values of doing this in a multicultural way? It's an experiment, right? And we want to protect that experiment because it's particularly vulnerable right now," Shearer said.

The Montana Human Rights Network has been tracking accounts of verbal abuse and in some cases violence in the state. Co-director Rachel Carroll Rivas said the activity has remained steady since the election.

Since the election, the network has received more than a dozen reports of a wide range of hate incidents, from graffiti to verbal assaults, she said; in the past, the network might see the same level of activity in the course of a year.

She said it's critical the ideas in the pamphlets don't become "normalized."

"We will be tested, as Missoula is being tested right now, and we will be tested as a country. We just absolutely have to respond," Rivas said.

This week, the network launched an online "hate incident reporting form." Click on the orange button that says "hate report form" at http://www.mhrn.org/.

Rivas said the reporting form is partly a response to the increase in activity, and partly to track incidents  such as those in Missoula  in a way that law enforcement hasn't been.

"We encourage law enforcement to do that as well. By having that data, we can look for those patterns," Rivas said.

Franklin, with Har Shalom, said she would like to know how widespread the activity is. She's also wondering if the relatively benign leaflet-dropping will escalate to violent crime.

She wants to see community leaders take a stand in support of the Jewish community, especially since the activity has been persistent. She'd also like to see the Missoulian print a menorah people can display in their windows, as Billings did years ago in response to an anti-Semitic act.

A couple people in her congregation received leaflets, but it isn't clear if they were targets since others in the one neighborhood got material, too, albeit not uniformly.

"I think it's really important that people feel safe in their communities," Franklin said.
The 10th annual Holiday MADE Fair will take over the Adams Center again this Sunday.

The alternative arts-and-crafts fair, which began with about a dozen artists in an upstairs rental space downtown, will feature about 200 artist booths and 10 nonprofits on three levels at the University of Montana.

About 25 percent of the artists are new, said Carol Lynn Lapotka, who founded the festival with Missoula artist Courtney Blazon.

Several years ago, Lapotka did a survey on the artists' success. About 75 percent responded, and using some educated guesses, they figured that the event produced $250,000 worth of sales.

This year, they did some advertising in Bozeman, Helena, Whitefish and Hamilton to attract visitors to town for a weekend of shopping.

Artists are selected through a juried application process. They're looking for artists who produce unusual items, and "not the usual art and craft fair merchandise."

More than 300 applied this year.

Lapotka said that anyone who's wary of crowds should come after 3 p.m. when the first wave of shoppers has come and gone. Most artists come well-stocked and won't run out of merchandise before the 6 p.m. closing time.

She also reminded viewers that artists are set up on the arena floor, the balcony and the upper gym.

Many of the artists are full-time professionals. Others are "weekend warriors," who pursue arts and crafts in their free time to supplement their income.

One artist who's gone from the former to the later is Christy Lynn Greene of Clinton.

Greene first became serious about art after she switched from watercolors to silk painting about 10 years ago.

She admired the fluid quality of the medium, which involves brushing silk paint or dye onto a taut piece of silk stretched onto a frame.

Once applied, the fabric absorbs the liquid and it begins to bleed, requiring the artist to move quickly.

"I move that bleed out into a shape that I want. Sometimes it tells me what it wants," she said. There's give and take between what the artist wants and improvising. She takes advantage of those qualities to produce Montana landscapes. She also paints florals and abstracts. The fabric is adaptable for scarves, pillows and other wares.

After heat-setting the silk, the colors are "locked in" and begin to pop more with a brightness reminiscent of stained glass.

It's similar to "when you're developing film and it comes alive right before your eyes," she said.

Greene, who had taken about a 25-year hiatus from making art to raise her children, made the dive into full-time art three years ago.

She's finishing up her participation in the Montana Arts Council's Montana Artrepreneur Program, a state-funded effort that teaches artists the skills necessary to make their art a successful business.

One of the benefits to Greene was the networking skills and "the support and the help that we give each other to create and maintain a sustainable business in art is phenomenal."

The council funded Greene's trip this fall to the Silk Painters International Festival in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Her silk painting, "Sundog at Snowbowl," won an honorary award for "best of show" in the biennial festival's art show.

Greene is a regular at the Saturday art market in downtown, and this will be her fifth year at the MADE Fair.

"People know me from the market and other venues that come there to see me," she said.


Ryan Self of Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in Charlotte, explains to an audience Monday at the John Locke Foundation about the barriers craft brewers face as they grow in a competitive market. (CJ video image)

North Carolina's craft brewers want a fair system.That's all they want, according their adopted slogan, which is part of a campaign and accompanying website, craftfreedom.org The primary goal of the campaign - we could reasonably call it a movement - is eliminating a state law requiring brewers to procure a distributor once their beer output reaches 25,000 barrels.the website proclaims.That's not really all that brewers want, of course, and even the word "all" is relative, meaning different things to different people.But the message to lawmakers is clear, again, from the website: As small brewery owners, all we want is the chance to maintain control over the businesses that we built.Fair enough, so to speak.Ryan Self is director of sales for Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in Charlotte, a veritable stalwart among North Carolina brewers. The brewery opened in 2009 and now, according to the N.C. Craft Brewers Guild, has some 180 cohorts across the state.As Self points out, that success carries a price.Breweries and wineries in North Carolina must navigate regulatory hazards dating back to Prohibition, which didn't end in North Carolina until the state's Alcohol Beverage Control system was established in 1937. That system remains strong today, as North Carolina remains one of 17 control states, meaning the state has control over some if not all of retailing and wholesaling alcoholic beverage sales.The restraints on the relatively nascent distilling industry are much stronger. The state didn't allow distilleries until 1979, and North Carolina's didn't get is first spirits maker until 2005. Distillers can offer only small samples to customers who visit their distilleries, and those customers can buy just one bottle of any of their products per year. Of course, people can buy as much as they wish through the ABC system.Beer entrepreneurs are pushing for lawmakers to lift a rule that forces breweries to hire a distributor - the so-called "middle man" - once a brewery reaches a production threshold of 25,000 barrels in a calendar year.The distributor, as Self points out, would take control of sales, delivery and distribution, in effect losing a hefty percentage of its profits as well as local jobs.In 2010, says Self, the country had about 1,600 breweries. Today there are more than 4,000.The choices before customers are unprecedented and so, as a result, is the market.Self said during a recent presentation for the John Locke Foundation's Shaftesbury Society.The monolith has arisen in the distributional channel.Distributors are certainly important and necessary, but, he says, distributors who represent multiple brands serve many masters. Inevitably, customer choice, depending on the market and circumstances - the number of bars, tap rooms, shelf space - becomes limited.Craft brewing is evolving and expanding, yet just 4 percent of the beer sold in North Carolina is made in North Carolina, and that, he says, includes breweries such as Sierra Nevada and Oskar Blues, which started someplace else but expanded into the Tar Heel State. As far as the other 96 percent, local distributors keep a percentage of the money, but the remainder leaves North Carolina.State regulations create what Self calls "a flattening effect," meaning breweries can get only so big.Same goes for distillers, but their situation may be even more urgent. North Carolina will soon have about 50 distilleries producing liquor, which - other than the one bottle - they neither can sell nor mix and serve at their distilleries.A recent John Locke Foundation Spotlight report "Hard to Swallow" by Jon Guze, JLF's director of legal studies, says North Carolina requires 43 different types of permits and licenses for different activities linked to alcohol sales.the report says.This past summer I talked with Tim Ferris, founder of Blue Ridge Distilling Company in Bostic, which makes the popular Defiant single-malt whisky, for my upcoming book Still & Barrel: Craft Spirits in the Old North State (Blair 2017).North Carolina liquor laws, says Ferris, are painfully restrictive.Breweries and wineries have made some in-roads, and distillers have taken a figurative first step. The so-called boom is getting louder, a core example of America's innate spirit of entrepreneurship. Opponents of such expansion can no longer block out the noise from the market, so they would do well to embrace it. To take a minute to stop and to listen.
A Missoula man who sexually abused a 5-year-old girl was sentenced on Friday to the Montana State Prison.

Daniel Abraham Rasmussen, 33, was arrested in October 2015 and initially charged with sexual intercourse without consent, a count that was amended to felony sexual assault when he entered a plea agreement with prosecutors in September.

District Court Judge Leslie Halligan sentenced Rasmussen to 40 years in prison with 20 of those years suspended. He will not be eligible for parole for 20 years.

You abused a young child who placed trust in you, Halligan said. While youve acknowledged its wrong, youve demonstrated you dont have control of your actions.

In October 2015, police were called to Community Medical Center for a report of abuse, according to a court affidavit.

The charging document said hospital staff told the officer the girl had a medical condition that indicated she has been sexually abused. In an interview with police, the child made concerning statements about Rasmussen.

Rasmussen will receive credit for 413 days already in custody, meaning that along with his 20-year parole restriction he will not be released from custody for almost 19 years, and will be required to register as a tier 3, or high-risk, sex offender.

Halligan said she will not be imposing chemical castration as part of Rasmussens sentence, but that if he violates any terms of his probation she likely would do so, and said it is an option he may wish to voluntarily subject himself to.
After a week of frigid temperatures, Missoula is likely to see a brief warm-up and more snow this weekend.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory through 11 a.m. Saturday for the Missoula area and the Bitterroot.

The advisory called for overnight snow on Friday, continuing into Saturday morning, and bringing 2 to 4 inches of powder to much of Western Montana.

Were really in this prolonged period of storms with little breaks in between the snow, said Jenn Kitsmiller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Services office in Missoula.

Snow was expected to stop during the day Saturday before continuing overnight  when temperatures will dip into the low 20s  into Sunday, with another inch or two of power expected to accumulate.

Its going to be widespread snow, so if youre going to be out traveling, you should expect long stretches of roadway to be snow-covered and icy, Kitsmiller said. There is also potential for some snow bands to set up into Saturday morning, where some isolated areas would get higher amounts of snow.

Temperatures will rise over the weekend with highs in the upper 20s and maybe close to the freezing point on Sunday, when the area will see another few inches of snow. But Kitsmiller said the warm-up will be short-lived, with the area going back to the low 20s and teens early next week.

Theres an arctic front that will move in Monday and into Tuesday with gusty winds. Right now were expecting Tuesday morning to feel the coldest, with wind chill values down as low as 15 below zero, Kitsmiller said.

That windy weather may make driving conditions hazardous. Kitsmiller said visibility may be reduced during the morning commute.
A Stevensville man is facing a fifth DUI after being stopped while driving an unregistered vehicle.

Taylor Lance Roberts, 36, appeared before Ravalli County Justice Jim Bailey on a felony count of DUI and misdemeanor counts of driving without a license and operating a motor vehicle without a registration.

Roberts was pulled over on Dec. 7 just before midnight after a sheriffs deputy ran a registration check on the vehicle he was driving and found its registration was inactive.

An affidavit said Roberts immediately got out of his vehicle and walked back to the patrol car after being pulled over.

Dispatch informed the deputy that Roberts had a suspended drivers license from Washington State and his record carried a caution for violent tendencies.

During a pat-down search, the deputy discovered a flask in Roberts jacket pocket that contained what appeared to be whiskey. The deputy also smelled alcohol on Roberts breath.

Roberts told the deputy that he was driving the vehicle of someone who had recently passed away. He asked the deputy for a pass, while saying he had only driven a short distance.

The deputy started a field sobriety test, but Roberts eventually refused to comply and became argumentative before refusing any more testing, the affidavit said. Roberts told the deputy he was doing to record the conversation for his attorney.

Roberts refused to provide a preliminary breath test at the scene and at the detention center. His blood was eventually drawn after a search warrant was granted.

Roberts was convicted of DUI in South Dakota in 2000, 2005 and 2006. He also has a DUI conviction from California in 2011.

Bailey set bond at $10,000 with a requirement that Roberts be monitored for alcohol consumption if released from the detention center.
President-elect Donald Trump should rethink his selection of retired Marine Corps General James Mad Dog Mattis as his secretary of defense. In spite of his stellar military service record, Mattis is not statutorily or politically qualified to serve as defense secretary.

Statutorily, Mattis is ineligible for appointment, unless he is granted a congressional waiver. Amendments to the National Security Act prohibit commissioned officers from serving as defense secretary for a period of seven years after retirement. Currently, Mattis has been in retirement for only three years.

Politically, Mattis is inexperienced in civilian politics and diplomacy.

Militarily, he has been a knight in shining armor. However, in politics, a knight in shining armor is a person who has never had their mettle tested. In present climate of wars and rumors of wars, a politically inexperienced president requires a politically experienced defense secretary.

Hence, Mattis is not a wise choice and should not be granted a congressional waiver to serve as defense secretary. Experience matters. That is why there has only been one waiver granted since the passage of the National Security Act in 1947. In 1950, a waiver was granted for the appointment of retired Army General George C. Marshall as secretary of defense. Unlike Mattis, Marshall possessed an exceptional political body of work. Between 1947 and 1949, Marshall served as Secretary of State. In 1947, he proposed the European Recovery Program which became known as the Marshall Plan. Later, for his contributions to the economic reconstruction of Europe and promotion of world peace, Marshall was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.

James Mad Dog Mattis is no George C. Marshall.

Kevin Palmer,

Martinez, Georgia
BUTTE  Plans to release the snow goose captured and treated Tuesday after living as much as a week on the Berkeley Pits toxic water have been put on hold while the bird heals.

The goose, whos been housed at Butte-Silver Bow animal shelter since Tuesday, was set to be released from the Butte Treatment Lagoons off Centennial Avenue Friday. But U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson Ryan Moehring said Friday from his Denver office that the veterinarian re-examined the bird Thursday and said its not believed to be ready for takeoff.

Its a little less energetic today than yesterday, Moehring said Friday. Butte-Silver Bow animal control, in consultation with the vet, requested it be kept over the weekend to ensure full strength.

Amherst Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Heather Davis, who examined the goose, said its physical condition proved to be unremarkable. She said the goose seems to be doing OK. But she added that the repercussions of ingesting heavy metals might not show up until weeks later.

Long-term heavy metals ingestion deposits in the liver and kidneys. Too much of it in vital organs could be fatal, Davis said.

But the concentration of metals has changed quite a bit (since the 1995 snow goose die-off), so were hoping these birds do better, said Davis.

So far nine birds have been found since Nov. 30 in Butte and Dillon. Most were dead. A few were captured alive but died shortly afterward.

While thousands of geese reportedly left the pits toxic water due to extensive hazing by mine employees, the goose at the shelter is the sole survivor after capture.

As many as 10,000 migrating geese landed in the pit during a snow storm the night of Nov. 28. An estimated 3,000 or more are dead, Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive Matt Vincent said Wednesday.

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks issued a warning to hunters in Southwest Montana Thursday to wait to consume snow geese harvested after Nov. 28. FWP recommends freezing the geese until they can be analyzed for possible contamination. Goose hunting season continues into January.

Davis said allowing the goose to rest at the shelter could be lifesaving. She also said she isnt concerned that its held in captivity too long. She added that lots of rehabilitation programs keep birds for far longer.

Dave Pauli of Billings, senior adviser on wildlife for The Humane Society of the United States, said in a phone interview Friday that if the bird is kept in a darkened area where theres not a lot of activity, holding it longer in captivity wont decrease its ability to survive once released.

But Gary Swant, Deer Lodge-based birding expert, said Friday that if this goose is released, it will likely not make it.

Theres no open water, Swant said.

He recommends the goose be taken to Central Park Pond west of Bozeman. The pond is visible from Interstate 90. Swant said the pond is a winter home to trumpeter and tundra swans. He said it wouldnt matter that the snow goose would be among other bird species.

Its open water and good habitat, Swant said.

He also said nature is by no means kind to birds. The vast majority dont live for more than a year.

No more than 20 percent born survive to the next spring to reproduce. If all reproduced, wed be drowning in birds. (This die-off) is not the end of the snow goose population by any means, Swant said.

Swant said as many as 2,500 American coots, a black bird that looks like a duck, died from ingesting a type of snail in 2007 at Georgetown Lake.

There are die-offs all the time in nature, Swant said.

Pauli said he hopes the responsible parties for the Berkeley Pit will take action so such an event doesnt happen again. Montana Resources officials say they are exploring new technology to upgrade and improve the federally designed and mandated bird hazing program.
WEST GLACIER  One of the lesser known concession contracts in Glacier National Park will be opening to a new round of bidding.

This one provides interpretive motor vehicle tours that highlight Native American culture in the park.

The current contract, held by Sun Tours, expires on New Years Eve, 2017.

Sun Tours is considered a preferred offeror and, if it submits a bid for the new contract but is not selected by the National Park Service, will have the option of matching the terms of the winning bid and retaining rights to continue operating the tours.

The prospectus says a new concessionaire would need to invest approximately $75,000 to be up and running by 2018.

Sun Tours reported gross receipts of $105,000 in 2013, $159,000 in 2014 and $141,500 in 2015. Figures for this year, when Glacier Parks visitation skyrocketed to more than 2.8 million visitors, have not yet been reported.

The new contract will run for 10 years.

***

Archaeologists have found evidence of humans in the area that would become Glacier Park that dates back 10,000 years.

These people were probably the ancestors of tribes that live in the area today, the NPS prospectus says. By the time the first European explorers came to this region, several different tribes inhabited the area.

The Blackfeet controlled the vast prairies east of the mountains, while Salish and Kootenai Indians lived and hunted in the western valleys of what would become the park, and traveled east of the mountains to hunt bison.

The concessionaire must provide interpretation that includes the history of the Blackfeet, Salish and Kootenai peoples, and Native American cultural perspectives of the area, the prospectus says.

Round-trip tours operate between West Glacier and Logan Pass, East Glacier and Big Bend, St. Mary and Big Bend, and Browning and Big Bend. Current tour prices range from $45 to $85 for adults, and $30 to $45 for children, depending on the tour.

Sun Tours operated 164 tours for 2,693 people in 2013. In 2014 it was 181 tours for 3,852 visitors and in 2015 it was 108 tours for 3,363 people.

Parties interested in learning more about the business opportunity and how to submit a proposal should visit concessions.nps.gov/propsectuses.

The prospectus, which explains the terms and conditions under which the NPS will award the concession contract, can be accessed there.

Offers are due by March 8, 2017.
HELENA  A 21-year-old Helena man is accused of attempting to strangle a woman and threatening her with a hammer.

Jake Ronald Weaseltail faces felony charges of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon.

Court documents filed Thursday allege Weaseltail attacked an ex-girlfriend on Nov. 29. He is accused of choking the woman and throwing her to the ground. In an attempt to flee from Weaseltail, the woman ran outside and got into her vehicle.

Weaseltail allegedly went outside carrying claw hammer and began tapping on the window of the vehicle, demanding the woman speak with him. Court documents say he then struck the driver's side window, shattering the glass. He fled the residence and was later arrested.
BILLINGS  An associate provost and professor at Montana State University in Bozeman has been named interim chancellor at Montana State University Billings.

Ron Larsen, who heads the department of chemical and biological engineering at MSU, will take over for MSUB Chancellor Mark Nook early next year, according to a release from MSU.

The University of Northern Iowa announced Wednesday that Nook will become president of the institution in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Nook is expected to assume that position on Feb. 1, the same day Larsen will take over at MSUB.

"MSU Billings is a remarkable institution in a vibrant community," Larsen said in a release. "I am very excited to work with students, faculty and staff during this interim appointment."

Larsen has been associate provost at MSU since 2011. In that position, he has worked on the senior management team of the university's Office of Academic Affairs, working on accreditation, program review, state initiatives and other duties.

He has been an MSU faculty member since 1985, and he became head of his department in 2002.

After getting his bachelor's degree at MSU, Larsen earned his doctorate in chemical engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

While in Billings on Friday, Larsen said that he wants to carry on the work that Nook started. He said that will include a focus on student retention, which has been a point of emphasis for Nook.

In February, Nook announced plans to boost student retention by 10 percent in five years. MSUB's retention has increased slightly, and this fall the university said the rate for freshman was 54.5 percent.

MSU President Waded Cruzado said Larsen is "superbly qualified," for the interim role. She echoed the core goal.

The most important thing is to retain the students who have already declared that this campus is their university of choice," she said. "So how do we do that? We need to do that in strong partnership with the faculty members.

Cruzado said she was grateful to Nook and his wife, Cheryl, for their work at MSUB.

In the coming months, a committee will search for the next permanent MSUB chancellor. That effort will be based at MSUB, though MSU will be involved. The Bozeman university oversees MSUB as part of the Montana University System structure.

Nook said on Friday that he plans to meet with Larsen over the coming months to help with the transition.
BUTTE  A 47-year-old Deer Lodge resident was sentenced in Missoula federal court Thursday to 14 months in prison with three years of supervision after pleading guilty in August to smuggling meth and Suboxone into the Montana State Prison for bribes while working as a laundry employee.

Erin Bernhardt was implicated as a member of an interstate operation that saw drugs smuggled from Tennessee by two women to Bernhardt, who would smuggle them to an inmate.

One member of the smuggling ring, former inmate Cordero Metzker, was sentenced in October to three years in prison with another five suspended for his role in the scheme. Metzker served as an intermediary between the inmates, Bernhardt, and the Tennessee suppliers.

All the involved parties reached plea agreements with the prosecution earlier this year to reduce sentencing and drop charges in exchange for guilty pleas and cooperation. Bernhardt and Metzker are the first to be sentenced.

One of the Tennessee women, Lauren Hoskins, pleaded guilty on Sept. 6. to aiding in the distribution of drugs with sentencing set for Dec. 16.

Ian Barclay, the inmate who paid Bernhardt for drugs, pleaded guilty on Aug. 23 to conspiracy to distribute drugs and giving bribes with sentencing set for Dec. 21.

The drug-smuggling ring was busted by an inter-agency investigation by the state prison, Montana Department of Corrections, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspector, and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigations.

This is an important case aimed at an ongoing effort to root out public corruption and exclude unlawful controlled substances from the Montana State Prison. The sentence issued by the court sends a powerful message that those who introduce drugs into the prison will be investigated, prosecuted, and imprisoned," said U.S. Attorney Michael Cotter in a press release.

Rachel Ross, the other Tennessean who bought and mailed drugs to Bernhardt, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute drugs on Aug. 17. She was scheduled to be sentenced Thursday but has not been in contact with her probation officer in Tennessee and has not turned herself into U.S. marshals as she said she would.

Suboxone, the drug Bernhardt smuggled into the prison, is a prescription medicine that contains the active ingredients buprenorphine and naloxone. It is used to treat adults who are dependent on (addicted to) opioids.
Top vote-getters could choose their office under proposed House Bill 3.

How do you feel about Roy Cooper being the Governor-Elect of North Carolina? I have optimism that Roy Cooper will enact positive change for the State, and offer quality leadership. I am unsure of how a Roy Cooper governance will impact North Carolina. I am concerned with the direction which Roy Cooper will lead our State. Who is Roy Cooper? Hillary told me to vote for Ray Cooper. 45 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



In an attempt to prevent a repeat of the disruption and delays that ensued in this year's governor's race, General Assembly leaders plan to introduce a constitutional amendment that would allow Council of State candidates to choose, in order of their vote totals, which one of the 10 positions they prefer, Carolina Journal has learned.The proposed constitutional amendment, to be introduced as House Bill 3, would let the top vote-getter choose his or her preferred position first, the second-highest vote-getter to then choose his or her preferred office second, and so on, a member of the General Assembly who wished to remain anonymous told CJ.Under the plan, any political party with ballot status would hold primary campaigns to select the 10 nominees who would appear on the general election ballot, but those primary candidates would not run for a specific office. Meantime, anyone who wanted to run as an unaffiliated candidate could pay filing fees and circulate petitions to get on the ballot.Voters would select up to 10 names, and the top 10 vote-getters statewide would win one of the seats on the Council of State: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, auditor, superintendent of public instruction, insurance commissioner, labor commissioner, agriculture commissioner, or secretary of state.The candidate receiving the most votes would choose first, likely choosing governor, but being free to select any office should the responsibilities of the state's chief executive be too daunting. Others would follow, choosing in order of their electoral totals, until all seats were filled."We didn't want to force the top vote-getter to become governor unless he really wanted the job," the anonymous lawmaker said. "It's possible somebody might want a position that doesn't require much work, like secretary of state, where basically all you do is register lobbyists and preside over the Electoral College. Commissioner of agriculture isn't that bad, because you get to run the State Fair and eat all that food. If we can attract people who want to get in public service but not be expected to do very much, we might get a better class of candidate," the lawmaker added.It remains unclear how candidates would appear on the ballot, the lawmaker said.the lawmaker said.Even though many details remain unresolved, the lawmaker said the proposal was worth pursuing if it would prevent contested Council of State elections from dragging on well past election day. The lawmaker cited the 2004 election cycle in which Bill Fletcher, the Republican nominee for state superintendent, led Democrat June Atkinson on election night only to see her take a lead after absentee and provisional ballots were counted.Fletcher challenged the results, and the outcome was not resolved until August 2005, when the General Assembly (then led by Democrats) selected Atkinson to head the Department of Public Instruction.Gov. Pat McCrory's lengthy challenge in his re-election bid against Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper, which ended earlier this week when the governor conceded, prodded the legislature to seek alternatives.the lawmaker said.
The chronicles of Ruin, continued. Call me Ishmael said....intelligence is knowing what to do when you don't know what to do. Anonymous said... When I don't know what to do,I come here. 10 September 2009 22:59
MISSOULA  One lecturer is on board and a second will join the University of Montanas Department of Computer Science next year thanks to a $290,000 pledge from the Gianforte Family Foundation.

An announcement released Thursday by UM said the two-year gift will help the department increase its enrollment capacity and attain a goal of doubling the number of computer science majors and minors in the next five years.

The two additional lecturers underwritten by the Bozeman foundation allow the computer science department to expand sections of its introductory computing classes and add a foundational course, Interdisciplinary Computing.

Its the second recent gift to UM from the foundation that was founded in 2006 by former gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte and his wife, Susan. Twenty-five Missoula College students received $1,000 Gianforte Manufacturing Scholarships this fall as part of a statewide program for students in two-year colleges studying welding, machining and diesel technology.

In May, the Gianfortes tapped the foundation to donate $8 million to Montana State University over the next five years. Of that, $5 million will create an endowment for MSUs Computer Science Department, which was renamed the Gianforte School of Computing.

During his campaign for governor, Gianforte said if elected he would work with the Office of Public Instruction to put computer science in every high school in Montana. His plan was to slide computer science courses under the umbrella of core science requirements and to allow coding to count as a foreign language credit.

Incumbent Democratic Governor Steve Bullock narrowly defeated Gianforte in the November election with 50.2 percent of the vote.

Computing is increasingly important across many academic disciplines and careers, Gianforte said in the press release. Were excited to work with the University of Montana to help expand cross-disciplinary computer science courses for all students on campus, and to help connect these students with good jobs in Montana.

Andrew Ware, professor and chair of the UM department, echoed that sentiment.

Computer science is a growing and needed field, Ware said. By building our department, we can help more students find high-paying jobs and fill a need in the states economy.

High-tech jobs in Montana and across the nation go unfilled because there arent enough graduates with computer science training, and more and more careers use computing in their fields, the release said.

UMs computer science department worked with the Gianforte foundation to grow course offerings by creating courses that show the relevance of computing in other disciplines. In addition to the two lecturer positions, a current UM professor will work with local businesses to develop internship opportunities and help students attain them, the press release said.
MISSOULA  The status quo will not serve the University of Montana well, and the flagship must "embrace relevancy" as it moves forward, said Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian.

And as UM makes decisions about its future, faculty members must be heard, Christian said.

"I think that that voice hasn't been heard enough," he said. "And that's my plan. I want to see that we engage this group more concretely."

Christian spoke and took questions Thursday at the UM Faculty Senate meeting, the first since last week's announcement that the Commissioner's Office had asked President Royce Engstrom to depart at the end of December.

Former Commissioner of Higher Education Sheila Stearns will serve as interim president, and Christian said she will be "fantastic."

"It's not all bad," Christian said of UM in general. "There's a lot of things moving in the right direction."

At the meeting, the commissioner and other campus leaders talked about the searches for provost and president, the work of setting priorities, the role of the humanities on campus, shared governance, and the 2017 legislative session.

UM has seen enrollment drop some 24 percent over six years, and it's had ensuing budget trouble. Thursday, Christian said the Montana Board of Regents is making the university priority No. 1.

"The board has certainly sent a message that there is no higher priority from their level than making certain the University of Montana is on sound footing, and we need to help with that," Christian said.

To lead the hire of a new president, the Commissioner's Office selected AGB Search, which has worked with the Montana University System in the past.

"I think they're an incredibly good firm," Christian said.

Ideally, he would like to be able to make an offer to a new president in April and have the person start July 1. However, Christian said he was not convinced that timeline would be possible, and that a new president may start in January 2018 instead, with a hire taking place in August rather than April.

UM was in the middle of a search for provost, second-in-command, when the Commissioner's Office announced the president would step down. The search for a provost was postponed, and faculty members Thursday wanted to know the status of that process.

Both the Associated Students of the University of Montana and the executive committee of the Faculty Senate have urged the search for a provost to continue, said Jule Banville, a faculty senator. She wanted to know if the commissioner would give weight to their voices.

In response, Christian said the decision depends partly on whether provost candidates want to remain in the running given the leadership change on campus.

"I don't want to move forward if it's not a strong pool of candidates," he said.

This school year, an interim provost is serving in the post while the search for a permanent provost takes place. Christian said one piece of the puzzle is the availability of interim provost Beverly Edmond.

Brady Harrison, a faculty member in literature, wanted reassurance that decisions about where resources go weren't already a done deal. He said humanities have been targeted in cuts, and he wants to know if faculty will truly be heard as UM looks at programs and spending in the future.

Christian, though, disagreed the humanities have been fingered: "It's unfortunate that your perception is that there's a target out there."

He also said setting priorities for where resources go isn't as simple as tracing enrollment dollars. It also means considering societal needs, and he doesn't want to see the humanities damaged.

"To the contrary, I think it's an integral piece of education and of our society," Christian said.

At least a couple of times, he also said he did not believe UM had been making decisions with adequate input from faculty, and he would like to see that change.

The commissioner also wasn't sure it made sense to wait on evaluating priorities. The campus must make decisions every day, he said, and as such, he prefers to see it move forward strategically and with feedback from faculty.

Roughly a year ago, President Engstrom opened his cabinet to faculty, staff and student leaders. Thursday, the ASUM president and faculty members talked about the importance of that "shared governance."

"Shared governance means that the various stakeholders are meaningfully involved in the decision-making process," said Paul Haber, president of the University Faculty Association.

Faculty are willing to make a contribution if given a seat at the table where the real decisions are being made, Haber said. He said collective leadership is especially important in times of big change.

"This issue is always important, but more so when the going gets rough," Haber said.

ASUM President Sam Forstag also wanted the different campus constituencies to keep their seats at the table and said they have a bigger voice than groups at other schools.

"The greatest gift that we've gotten over the past few years is a strong, stronger than ever, shared governance system," Forstag said.

Before faculty members asked questions, Christian offered a brief preview of the coming legislative session. He said higher education is faring better in the governor's proposed budget than most other state agencies.

At the same time, he said he doesn't have any illusions that the session will be easy.

"We'll do our best to hold onto what resources we can," Christian said.
Plans to release the snow goose captured and treated Tuesday after living as much as a week on the Berkeley Pits toxic water have been put on hold while the bird heals.

The goose, whos been housed at Butte-Silver Bow animal shelter since Tuesday, was set to be released from the Butte Treatment Lagoons off Centennial Avenue Friday. But U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson Ryan Moehring said Friday from his Denver office that the veterinarian re-examined the bird Thursday and said its not believed to be ready for takeoff.

Its a little less energetic today than yesterday, Moehring said Friday. Butte-Silver Bow animal control, in consultation with the vet, requested it be kept over the weekend to ensure full strength.

Amherst Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Heather Davis, who examined the goose, said its physical condition proved to be unremarkable. She said the goose seems to be doing OK. But she added that the repercussions of ingesting heavy metals might not show up until weeks later.

Long-term heavy metals ingestion deposits in the liver and kidneys. Too much of it in vital organs could be fatal, Davis said.

But the concentration of metals has changed quite a bit (since the 1995 snow goose die-off), so were hoping these birds do better, said Davis.

So far nine birds have been found since Nov. 30 in Butte and Dillon. Most were dead. A few were captured alive but died shortly afterward.

While thousands of geese reportedly left the pits toxic water due to extensive hazing by mine employees, the goose at the shelter is the sole survivor after capture.

As many as 10,000 migrating geese landed in the pit during a snow storm the night of Nov. 28. An estimated 3,000 or more are dead, Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive Matt Vincent said Wednesday.

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks issued a warning to hunters in Southwest Montana Thursday to wait to consume snow geese harvested after Nov. 28. FWP recommends freezing the geese until they can be analyzed for possible contamination. Goose hunting season continues into January.

Davis said allowing the goose to rest at the shelter could be lifesaving. She also said she isnt concerned that its held in captivity too long. She added that lots of rehabilitation programs keep birds for far longer.

Dave Pauli of Billings, senior adviser on wildlife for The Humane Society of the United States, said in a phone interview Friday that if the bird is kept in a darkened area where theres not a lot of activity, holding it longer in captivity wont decrease its ability to survive once released.

But Gary Swant, Deer Lodge-based birding expert, said Friday that if this goose is released, it will likely not make it.

Theres no open water, Swant said.

He recommends the goose be taken to Central Park Pond west of Bozeman. The pond is visible from Interstate 90. Swant said the pond is a winter home to trumpeter and tundra swans. He said it wouldnt matter that the snow goose would be among other bird species.

Its open water and good habitat, Swant said.

He also said nature is by no means kind to birds. The vast majority dont live for more than a year.

No more than 20 percent born survive to the next spring to reproduce. If all reproduced, wed be drowning in birds. (This die-off) is not the end of the snow goose population by any means, Swant said.

Swant said as many as 2,500 American coots, a black bird that looks like a duck, died from ingesting a type of snail in 2007 at Georgetown Lake.

There are die-offs all the time in nature, Swant said.
I wish that every high school senior would know that we are not just a glorified high school. We have plenty of opportunities for students to grow and meet students from all over  not just other states but from other countries. Its not just the same people you know from high school.

We have plenty of student activities that allow students to be involved and make a difference. Students in our choir program went to New York City last year to perform at Carnegie Hall. The Student Senate is highly involved in activities on and off campus, conferences out of town, and community service projects. If you want to be involved, there is Student Ambassadors (represents the college and gives tours to VIPs on campus), AKOP (All Kinds of People), MORGA, PTK (Phi Theta Kappa), and intramurals. There are also groups for your major like SCNAVTA (Student Chapter of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America), theatre, ag tech club & Alpha Mu Sigma, and BPA (Business Professionals of America). If you like to write or take photographs, there is a student run newspaper on campus.

Its a great way of getting connected to other students and staff too. Our staff is great at getting to know students on a first name basis and taking the time to get to know the students interest. Those are experiences that people take with them for the rest of their lives.

If students are wanting to get the living on campus feel, we have student housing that is available that financial aid can help with. As The Communitys College we have a lot more to offer than what one might think we do. Its so much more than high school, and we are here to make students feel like they are a part of a family. Our family. The Communitys College family.
Lawyers, victims, and family members gathered in the Mecklenburg County Courthouse last week to hear the last remaining Racial Justice Act cases. While the four convicted murderers are on death row today, Judge Erwin Spainhour, who is serving as a reserve judge, will rule sometime in the future whether or not they can apply the Racial Justice Act (RJA) to their cases.While we wait for the fate of the convicted murderers, family members of the victims traveled as many as four hours just to try to piece together what may happen. One thing that was different for the families this time was that the hearing was a matter of law, not a matter of fact (i.e. evidence about the crimes committed). The families often have to rehash all the details of the brutal murders every time they walk in the courtroom. While this one only brought forth logistics of the law, it looks like the families will have to wait for the outcome of this action to finally know what punishment the convicted murderers will face.One interesting part of the hearing was when one of the lawyers, who would like the convicted killers to be able to use RJA, brought up the question of whether or not the legislature targeted the murderers in repealing RJA and whether this targeting was permitted. In her argument, the legislature, lobbyists, and the families all came together to target them because there were newspaper articles, emails, and other documentation saying they wanted to repeal RJA. While the lawyers think that these documents were uncalled for, weren't the original acts of murder uncalled for in the first place?So while you may be trying to wrap your head around all the crazy details of what is going on in these cases, other death penalty cases, and other cases that involve innocent victims of crimes, one thing remains the same: The families of the victims are remaining victims with no closure because their cases are still tied up in the court system.
The Muscatine Rotary Club met in the Muscatine Community College (MCC) Little Theater, Monday, Dec 5. Todd Poci, President-Elect, led the room in the Pledge of Allegiance and later the reciting of the Rotary Four-Way Test. Attendees from the college learned a bit about what Rotary is and what they do to serve the Muscatine community.

MCC was able to share some recent videos of staff, students, and faculty talking about their pride in MCC.

It was our pleasure to host our Rotarian friends at the MCC campus and present holiday music performed by our choirs, Naomi DeWinter, MCC president and Rotarian, said. Our students enjoyed the opportunity to showcase what they love and share the holiday spirit!

After the performances, Poci presented Pat Burr, MCC music director, with a $100 gift for his department.
Eastern Community Colleges has several fall campus visits dates available in October and November for students and families looking to tour campuses and learn more about EICC's academic programs, financial aid options, enrollment process and more. Time slots are open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for Wednesday, Oct. 26, Monday, Nov. 7 and Wednesday, Nov. 9 for in-person, one-on-one visits across all EICC main campus locations in addition to SCC's Urban Campus and the Blong Technology Center in Davenport.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  A piece of Muscatine history has come back to life at the Edward H. Bitzer American Legion Post 27, in the form of the American Legion's Parade Locomotive.

Legion members worked on the vehicle for about a year and a half, although the project began to take shape in 2014, when they investigated the feasibility of the project.

Dennis Snyder and John Pahl, both members of the Legion, and Dave Hahn, a Sons of the American Legion member and mechanic, spent many hours working to restore the vehicle.

Snyder said bringing the engine, floor, body, and seats in the vehicle back to their former glory was a challenge in many ways.

"It was all rust," he said.

Last spring, they began to tear out old wires, the seats in the back of the vehicle, and the floorboards. Almost everything, they said, needed to be redone.

"Everything from the ground to the roof," Hahn said.

The Parade Locomotive was used by the Legion from the mid-1950s to the early 2000s, Pahl said, but then it sat outside, rusted, and rotted, for about 10 years.

"It's kind of an icon of the community, and it's been in a lot of the parades," he said.

Members then decided it should be restored, and work began in earnest.

The first step, Snyder said, was to get the vehicle inside, so it was towed to Hahn's home so they could begin working in his garage. Hahn said he spent at least 120 hours on the engine and mechanical repairs alone.

The train-like front end of the vehicle is complete with an air horn and a bell, and parts of the interior were designed especially for the project.

"Some of this stuff you can't just go and buy it off the shelves," Pahl said.

The seats in the open back of the Parade Locomotive, where 10 World War II veterans sat during this year's Fourth of July Parade, came from an old MuscaBus.

The original boxcars the Legion's parade locomotive is based on could carry either 40 men or 8 horses, and was the basis of a group formerly part of the American Legion, the 40 & 8, that purchased the Muscatine Legion's vehicle in 1958, and donated it to the American Legion Post 27 when the group became independent of the legion, Snyder explained.

The boxcars were used during the first World War, to carry men and horses in France. The Legion's Parade Locomotive was most likely built to remember both the boxcars and locomotives that pulled them, Snyder said.

"And this was actually a military undercarriage, so these are very few and far between," he said.

Hahn said the drive train was most likely made between 1942 and 1945.

"And that's getting very old," he laughed.

The Fourth of July Parade was the goal for completion, and for the first time in about 10 years the Parade Locomotive rolled down the streets of Muscatine, representing the local Legion.

"It's just everything, this thing has represented the American Legion for years and years," Snyder said.

The project, they said, would not have been possible without assistance and donations from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, Sells Used Parts & Towing, JP Glass & More, Van Meter, Inc., and Hyink Wrecker Service.

Muscatine residents will see the remodeled piece of history rolling down the streets in next summer's parades, quietly purring as it goes.

"It was a lot of money and a lot of work," Snyder said, "but it was well worth it."

Anyone who has old stories, photographs, or articles about the Parade Locomotive is welcome to bring them to the American Legion Post 27, at 110 Houser St., to share.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  The holiday season  with its fatty food and colorful ribbons  can be dangerous to household pets.

The problem I worry about the most and that we occasionally see is where animals will eat things they shouldnt, said Dr. Nate Wall of the Muscatine Veterinary Hospital.

Well said bows, ribbons, yarn and thread are the most common offenders. These items can be dangerous because they can obstruct the digestive tract. But owners need no deprive their pets of bows and tinsel completelyif a cat likes to play with tinsel, Wall advises owner to watch them closely as they play.

If we cant watch them closely, then we should put it away out of their reach, he said.

Mistletoe is another landmineit can lead to digestive problems in cats and dogs and should be kept away from them, Wall said.

Holiday food is also risky for pets.

Around the holidays some of the things that we worry about would be foods that have high fat content, Wall said.

The classis scenario is when a well-meaning pet owner or guest gives turkey skin to the family pet. The fat in the skin, Wall said, can cause pancreatitisa painful inflammation of the pancreas.

Sometimes its just a matter of a dog getting into the garbage and pulling out the leftovers from a Turkey, he said. It really could be dangerous.

Alcohol, Wall said, is also problematic. According to the ASPCAs website, even small amounts of alcohol can be hazardous to pets and can potentially cause low blood sugar, nervous system issues and death.

Wall said pet owners should also keep dough with yeast away from their pets because the yeast can create painful gas in their stomachs.

If the family pet ate something it shouldnt, Wall said, owners should call their vet first. If they cant reach the vet, owners can call the 24-hour ASPCA poison control hotline at 1-888-426-4435.
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 []
Beaufort County's governing board of commissioners met June 28, 2022 to discuss a continuing issue of how to best handle solid waste here in Beaufort County by employing the concept of two "mega sites;" one on the north side of the Pamlico River, the other on the south side.